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...
Cobweb Brushing
One of the biggest issues facing amateur players is in finding enough time to
play. After negotiating time off for good behaviour with wifey, many players
find themselves unable to play more than 10-20 games per annum. And this is
far too little to maintain good form, let alone make a serious improvement.
J on Speelman once commented to me that he started to forget how the pieces
moved if he didnt play for a few months and this is a curious effect Ive
noticed myself. Nothing comes easily, variations have to be rechecked and
then time trouble rears its ugly head.
The fact is that a players intuition dies without regular practice and this in
turn will hit every aspect of his game, not just strategic and planning
considerations. What makes the calculation of variations at all efficient is the
speed and accuracy with which someone assesses the resulting positions.
When your intuition goes it takes your calculating ability down with it. And
that doesnt leave too much to fight with.
Can we learn anything from the world champions? The great Mikhail
Botvinnik never played too much after he got the title. But when he had to
play a match he took the process of brushing away the cobwebs very seriously
indeed. Heres a quote from his One Hundred Selected Games:
I begin my actual preparations with a review of chess literature,
especially in order to acquaint myself with new and interesting games;
as I read I make notes on questions which are of particular interest to
me. I also study all the games played by my rivals in the forthcoming
competition. I study their peculiarities of play, and their favourite
opening variations; this should be especially useful when preparing
for each game during the tournament.
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Then I study all those opening lines which I intend to apply during the
contest. Here I must remark that in my view a player should not, and
indeed cannot attempt to play all the openings known to theory. For
one competition three or four opening systems for White and the same
for Black are quite sufficient. But these systems must be prepared
thoroughly. If you do not have such systems at your command you can
hardly count on finishing very high in the table.
But it is also very unsatisfactory for a master to play only one opening;
his opponents will be well prepared for play against him, and above
all his chess horizon will be too narrow, in many positions he will
simply play by rote.
So now your schemes are worked out; but even that is not enough.
Certain of them those of which you are not absolutely sure should
be tried out in training games. Of course, these games must be played
with a partner who will keep themsecret, otherwise all your opponents
will be as well acquainted with themas you are, and all your opening
preparation will be wasted.
These preparatory games must be resorted to not only in order to try
out your opening schemes, but also to give you training in other
respects. In particular, for a long time now I have told certain of our
masters who regularly get involved in serious time trouble how to
overcome this weakness. Unfortunately, only a few masters have taken
my advice, apparently, yet it is very simple. Training games must be
played in which the first consideration is the clock, and not the quality
of the play, or its result, and this play by the clock must be continued
until making the best possible use of the time, including consideration
of all the main variations, becomes a habit. I think this method would
completely cure 90 per cent of those who suffer fromtime-trouble
sickness, and the exceptions would of course be incurable!
Is this of any value to the club player? Well the actual form isnt too useful
unless you have a dacha outside Moscow and your wife lets you go there with
your drinking buddies for a few months at the expense of the state. Yet most
of us can now follow a version of Botvinniks advice by playing training
games on the Internet. The important thing is to focus on specific areas rather
than get drawn into Internet blitz addiction.
The following game was sent to me by the winner who explained: I dont get
to play much chess these days, as I volunteer my time more as an organizer,
but still love the game. Its a pretty good effort for someone whos not
playing much
Stephen Van Adel Frank Dixon
Canadian Open 2005
Kings Indian Attack [A05]
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Let's Take A Look
1 Nf3 Nf6 2 g3
Not a bad way to open if you want to avoid theory. But White probably
does better with a later d2-d4 and c2-c4 (in either order) than the Kings
Indian Attackesque e2-e4.
2...g6 3 Bg2 Bg7 4 0-0 d6 5 d3
As implied in the previous note, this is not the most challenging approach
from White. The best try for an advantage is to take on the Kings Indian
Defence with 5 d4, though many players are loathe to do this because of their
opponents preparation. Needless to say the preparation is normally non-
existent.
5...0-0 6 e4 Nbd7 7 c3
Obviously 7 Nbd2 is also quite playable at this stage, but it doesnt make a
huge amount of difference. Almost everything is possible when the armies are
not in contact.
7...c6 8 Qc2
A slightly strange looking move. I dont see why the queen needs to be
developed at this stage or on this square and 8 Nbd2 looks more natural.
8...e5 9 Nh4
In a sense this is quite logical as White is
playing for the f2-f4 lever. But I dont
particular like it in this position for
reasons Ill make clear in the next note.
Once again I prefer 9 Nbd2.
9...a5
I dont really see the point of this move.
Black could and should have cut across
Whites plans with 9...d5! after which 10 f4 is bad because of 10...exf4 11
gxf4 (11 Bxf4 dxe4 12 dxe4 leaves White with insufficient compensation for
his isolated e-pawn) 11...dxe4 12 dxe4 Nxe4! 13 Nxg6 Qb6+14 Kh1 fxg6 15
Qxe4 Nf6 when Black has the better pawn structure and excellent play for his
pieces.
10 f4 Qb6+11 Kh1 a4 12 Nd2
12 f5 is the logical follow up to Whites 10th move, cramping Blacks
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kingside with a view to a later h2-h3 and g3-g4. White is usually better in
such positions, Blacks main problem being in how to find counterplay.
12...Qc7 13 Nc4 b5 14 fxe5?!
14 Ne3 looks better to me, still going for the thematic f4-f5. The text is more
tricky than good.
14...dxe5
Black replies solidly, which isnt a bad idea for someone who doesnt play
much. But I dont see why he cant play 14...bxc4 15 exf6 cxd3 16 Qxd3 Ba6
17 c4 Bxf6 with two very active bishops and the threat to bring his knight to
either c5 or e5.
In my view this would leave Black clearly better already.
15 Ne3 Ba6 16 Rd1
With White I would be tempted to try and make some kind of Ne3-f5 sac
work. One fantasy variation is 16 g4 h6?! 17 Nef5 gxf5 18 Nxf5 with a
dangerous looking attack, though Black helped the process along by moving
his h-pawn.
16...c5 17 Nd5?!
Another move I dont like as Black gets a
mobile kingside pawn majority. A better
plan is 17 c4 intending Ne3-d5 and then to
recapture with the c4-pawn. The hole on
d4 doesnt matter too much because
Blacks knights are far away from its
occupation.
17...Nxd5 18 exd5 Qd6 19 c4 Nb6 20
cxb5?
And this is really bad, leaving the d5-pawn to its fate. White had to support
his c4-pawn with 20 b3, when although I prefer Blacks position its still a
fight.
20...Bxb5 21 Be3 Rfc8 22 Qf2 Nxd5 23 Rdc1 Nxe3
Black gets lots of compensation for the exchange, but this looks unnecessary.
He had a stronger move in 23...a3! which has the idea that 24 Bxc5 (24 bxa3
is strongly met by 24...e4!) 24...axb2 overloads Whites queen.
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24 Bxa8 Qxd3 25 Rc3?
This should have lost immediately. The
best way to make a fight of it was with 25
Bb7, though in any case Black has more
than enough for the exchange.
25...Ng4
Not bad, but 25...Nd1! would have won on
the spot.
26 Qf3 Qxf3+27 Bxf3
And not 27 Nxf3?? because of 27...e4!.
27...Nf2+28 Kg2 Nd3
28...e4 seems better to me, with Black reaching what looks like a won
endgame after 29 Kxf2 Bd4+30 Re3 exf3 31 Nxf3 Bxe3+32 Kxe3 Re8+etc.
29 Be4 Nb4 30 a3 Na6 31 Rac1
The immediate 31 b3 seems better, keeping the rook behind the potentially
passed a-pawn for as long as possible.
31...f5 32 Bd5+Kf8 33 Bb7 Bc6+?
This could have had quite serious consequences. The right way to play it was
with 33...Rb8 after which 34 Bxa6 Bxa6 35 Rxc5 e4 looks winning for Black
because of the mighty bishops and Whites horribly placed knight on h4.
34 Bxc6 Rxc6 35 b4?
Allowing Black to regain control. 35 Rc4
seems to get White right back into the
game, the idea being that 35...e4 can be
met by 36 R1c2 Rb6 37 Rxa4 Bxb2 38
Rxa6 Rxa6 39 Rxb2 Rxa3 40 Rb7 Kg8 41
Rc7 with a draw as the most likely
outcome.
35...axb3 36 Rxb3 e4 37 Rb7
Or if 37 Rc4 then 37...Bd4 cements
Blacks position together quite nicely.
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37...Nc7 38 Rc4 Ke7 39 g4
Trying to get his knight back into the game.
39...Ke6 40 gxf5+gxf5 41 a4 Bf6 42 Kh3 Kd5 43 Rc2 Bxh4 44 Kxh4 c4
Three passed pawns are going to be too much for the rooks. White is quite
lost here.
45 a5 Kd4 46 Kg5 Rc5 47 Rd2+
Or 47 a6 Nxa6 48 Rd7+Ke5 49 Re7+Kd6 50 Rxh7 Nc7 etc.
47...Ke3 48 Rd7 f4+0-1
Recommended Reading & Viewing
One Hundred Selected Games by Mikhail Botvinnik (Dover, 1981)
Rumble in the Jungle: Ali vs. Foreman 1974 (HBO Studios, 2001)
Copyright 2005 Nigel Davies. All rights reserved.

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