Let's Take A Look

Lets Take A
Look...
Nigel Davies


by Bruce Alberston
We invite you to submit games to be considered by Nigel in this column. For
all games submitted, please provide the following information: (1) Names of
both players; (2) Ratings of both players; (3) When and where the game was
played; (4) The time control used in the game; and (5) Any other information
you think would be helpful for us to know. Please submit the games (in PGN
or CBV format if possible) to: nigeldavies@chesscafe.com. Who knows,
perhaps you will see the game in an upcoming column, as Nigel says to you,
Lets take a look...
Chess for Children
I have a 9 year old daughter, approximately 1000 rating, who recently
became interested in the French Defence. She wanted to buy a book on
this subject. Given that she is only 9, what book(s) would you
recommend?
I received this email quite recently, and being a father myself it gave me
pause for thought.
My two year old son has often seen me move the pieces around on the set I
have on the kitchen table, so naturally enough he wanted to do this too. Many
a morning weve moved the pieces around and he thinks its great fun. Then
one day he took a fancy to one of the horsey looking ones and wandered off
with it. And when I suggested he put it back on the board he found the vacant
square and in doing so set up the start position.
Do you know what Sam just did? I asked my wife. He replaced the knight
on g1! The boys a genius!
We spent the next hour or so congratulating ourselves on our sons brilliance
and sneering at his nurserys concerns that he was a bit slow with his talking.
After some research we bought a book entitled The Einstein Syndrome by
Thomas Sowell, which is about bright children who talk late (one of whom
was Albert Einstein). When the book arrived we were able to congratulate
ourselves further on having a son who was directing his brains resources
towards abstract matters rather than being one of the mindless Williams
Syndrome talkers. We figured that theres no point in children having
magnificent conversation and social graces if theyve got nothing to say.
Well, back to the question on the French Defence books for children. Now if
it was for my boy Id be tempted to get Lev Psakhiss volumes, but although
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hed get the chess content easily enough he might have a problem with Lev
Borisovichs English. On balance I figure we should probably stick to
Teletubbies and Bob the Builder for the time being whilst giving him the
opportunity to master open games and the art of combination. The French
leads to closed positions so he can wait until hes a bit older.
Its not easy being a parent, especially when your children show some talent
for something. How do you encourage them without pushing them too hard?
This was not something I experienced as a player, but as a coach Ive had
several talented students with rather over-enthusiastic parents. The players
concerned achieved quite a lot but then gave the game up, which makes me
wonder if they actually enjoyed it in the first place or were just keeping Mom
and Pop happy.
Thinking about the qualities that make a truly great chess player (i.e. 25 years
at the top as opposed to an under-11 champion) the number one must surely
be a love of the game. Its only this passion and curiosity about chess that
motivates them to study deeply, taking positions apart until they understand
exactly whats happening. What doesnt work is to sit your yawning charges
down and demonstrate the moves of different openings to them. They may be
able to repeat a few moves to keep you happy, but there wont be any
intelligence behind them. From a practical point of view the problems (apart
from things like alcohol abuse or drug addiction) will start if they forget the
moves, their opponents vary from what they know or when they inevitably
reach the end of their memorised variation in a game. Chess doesnt respond
to this kind of training. You cant train a chess player in the way that you train
a dog because the royal game requires more thought than fetching a ball.
Anyway, this rather explains why I prefer coaching players over the age of 21
(better still is 41) for whom all hope of international success has disappeared.
This is not particularly good for business as wannabe coaching gurus should
choose their students wisely. If you get a potential Kasparov under your wing,
it still looks pretty good if he comes 3
rd
in the British U11 Championship and
ends up as FIDE master. Nobody notices if you get a guy in his 50s to gain
100 points on his rating, though Ive found that teaching people whose parents
dont take an interest is easier on the nerves.
This months game was sent to me by Marcelo Espinosa who was hoping to
be immortalised by having one of his games published in this column. His
opponent was a Brit who goes by the name of King Arthur, rating unknown.
King Arthur - Espinosa, M (1843)
Internet Game
Semi-Slav Defence [D46]
1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6
In the Bobby Fischer and Garry Kasparov era everyone used to play the
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Kings Indian. Now the Slav and Semi-Slav have become very popular,
thanks largely to the influence of Vladimir Kramnik.
3 Nf3 Nf6 4 e3 e6 5 Nc3 Nbd7 6 Bd3 Bd6 7 c5?!
A typical amateur move, releasing the tension in the center. Black already
stands well after this.
7...Be7
A more logical way to play it is with 7...Bc7, supporting the advance of his e-
pawn. Burn - Teichmann, Hastings 1895 continued 8 b4 e5 9 dxe5 Nxe5 10
Nxe5 Bxe5 11 Bb2 Qe7 12 Be2 0-0 13 Qc2 Bd7 14 0-0 Rae8 15 Rad1 Bb8 16
Nb1 Ne4 17 Nd2 f5 18 Bd4 Ng5 19 Bd3 f4 20 Kh1 Qf7 21 Nf3 Nxf3 22 gxf3
Qh5 23 Rg1 Rf7 24 Qe2 Be5 25 Bc2 Rf6 26 Bxe5 and now came the
magnificent 26Qxh2+!! 27 Kxh2 Rh6+28 Kg2 Bh3+29 Kh1 Bf1 mate,
none of which is a great advert for 7 c5.
8 0-0 b6 9 Qa4 Bb7
Black might also have considered 9...bxc5 10 Qxc6 Rb8, with what looks like
a pretty good game. White is the one who is fighting for equality, though his
next move indicates that he hadnt realised that at this point.
10 Ne5?
The best may be 10 b4 when 10...a5 11 b5
cxb5 12 Bxb5 bxc5 13 Ne5 Ba6 leaves
White struggling but still on the board.
Now hes close to lost.
10...Nxe5 11 dxe5 Nd7 12 Qg4? Kf8
A bit too respectful. The cold blooded
12...Nxe5 would win a couple of pawns
White cannot play 13 Qxg7 because of
13...Bf6 winning a piece.
13 Qh5 h6
Once again giving Whites vague attacking gestures far too much credit. After
just 13...Nxc5 Black is a good pawn up, for example 14 Bc2 (14 Bxh7 Ba6 15
Re1 Bd3 16 e4 d4 would leave White in desperate straights) 14...Qe8!? 15
Qg4 (15 f4 is well met by 15...f5!, which is the point of 14...Qe8) 15...g6 16
f4 h5 blockading the kingside.
13...bxc5 is less good as after 14 f4 g6 (14...h6 15 f5 is dangerous) 15 Qh6+
Kg8 16 b3 Black is a pawn up but has to unravel.
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14 cxb6 axb6 15 f4 g6 16 Qd1 Kg7
This position is still quite nice for Black, but he could have had something
similar with the bonus of an extra pawn.
17 a4 c5 18 Bd2
18 b3 looks better, in order to prevent Blacks next move.
18...c4 19 Bc2 Nc5 20 b4 Nd3
Quite interesting, but I prefer the simple 20...cxb3 21 Bxb3 Ba6 22 Rf2 Nxb3
23 Qxb3 Bc4 with a nice game and no headaches.
21 Bxd3 cxd3 22 Nb5 d4 23 exd4
Giving Black the d5-square for very little. I prefer 23 Nxd4 Qd5 24 Qf3,
which looks slightly better for White.
23...Bc6 24 Bc3 Bxb5
Missing a much stronger move in
24...Qd5! after which 25 Rf3 is answered
by 25...Bxb4! 26 Bxb4 (26 Nc7 Qd7 27
Rxd3 Bxc3 28 Rxc3 Rxa4 is also good for
Black) 26...Bxb5 and if 27 axb5 then
27...Qxd4+winning.
25 axb5 Rxa1 26 Bxa1 Qd5 27 Qxd3
Bxb4
Despite the fact that Blacks a pawn down,
the position certainly isnt any worse for
him. His bishop is much better than Whites and his queen is mightily placed
on d5.
28 Rc1
White can try and complicate matters with 28 Bb2 Ra8 29 f5!?, but then
29...gxf5 (29...exf5 30 Qf3 is tricky) 30 Rc1 Qe4 keeps things under control.
28...Ra8 29 Rb1 Bc5
Black can play more strongly with 29...Ra2 after which 30 Qf1 Bd2 leaves
White very badly placed.
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30 Bb2 Ra2 31 Kh1
Or if 31 Qf1 there might follow 31...Bxd4+32 Bxd4 Qxd4+33 Kh1 Rf2 etc.
31...Ba3 32 Qc2 Bxb2 33 Rxb2 Ra1+?
Missing an immediate win with 33...Qc4!
when 34.Qxc4 Ra1+leads to mate.
34 Rb1 Qxd4 35 h4
35 h3 is better but then 35...g5 is good, for
example 36 g3 Rxb1+37 Qxb1 Qd5+38
Kg1 Qf3 39 Qe1 gxf4 40 gxf4 Qxf4 with a
winning queen endgame.
35...Rxb1+36 Qxb1 Qxf4 37 Qe1 Qc4
38 Qf2
White can try to confuse the issue with 38 h5, but after 38...g5 39 Qf2 Qxb5
40 Qf6+Kg8 41 Qxh6 Qxe5 he cant move his queen.
38...Qc7 39 Qe3 Qd8 40 Qe4 Qd5 41 Qxd5
41 Qe2 was mandatory, though Black would be winning in the long-run.
41...exd5 42 Kh2 f5 43 h5 g5 44 e6 Kf6 0-1
Recommended Reading
Its Tubby Bedtime by Andrew Davenport (Scholastic, 1999)
Bobs Big Story Collection (Simon Spotlight, 2002)
Copyright 2005 Nigel Davies. All rights reserved.


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