How to Win at Chess – Quickly!

Purchases from our

chess shop help keep
ChessCafe.com freely
by Simon Williams accessible:
How and why do some chess players win their games in a much shorter time
than others? Is it because they're lucky? Is it something to do with their style
of play? Or maybe their opponents are just playing weak moves and making a
lot of mistakes in the opening?

I suspect that many players would love to be able to finish off their opponents
in double quick time, maybe through a brilliant attack or a crafty trap that
Everyman wins material. Well, this book aims to look at how and why players manage to
win in under 25 moves.
Ebook Cafe
It is often a combination of the above factors that lets a player win quickly.
After all, a player tends to make his own luck. He does this by picking the Fighting Chess:
right opening and causing his opponent as many problems as possible, Move by Move
especially by throwing them on to their own resources at an early stage. by Colin Crouch
Indeed, your style of play will have a big impact on the way that the game
Translate this page develops. If you play a slightly risky opening then you will have a better
chance of winning quickly, but on the flipside you may also increase your
chance of losing quickly. Indeed, you have to be wary about how you
approach a game. It is often a good idea to take a bit of a gamble, but usually
you must choose the right opponent to take this gamble against.

Despite all of the above, it is still not easy to win in under 25 moves unless
your opponent helps you. That is why during the course of this book I have
concentrated on how the winner has ruthlessly punished his opponent's
mistakes. We will also try to see why one side lost in under 25 moves and
what can be learnt from the loser's mistakes. Indeed, having carefully selected
the games and highlighted just what the key mistakes were, I hope that the The French Winawer:
reader will find each game a simple but instructive lesson. After all, we don't Move by Move
want to repeat the same mistakes! by Cyrus Lakdawala

Play with Purpose!

Every move should have an intention behind it.

When I am teaching beginners, one of the main things I notice is that they
often play moves that make no sense. This is especially true with young
players, who might play 1 a3, 2 c3, 3 e3 and 4 g3 just because it makes a nice
pattern. This is obviously an extreme example of playing without a purpose,
but such play can still be seen at the highest levels of the game. Even in
games involving strong grandmasters, a player might simply waste time, start
to drift or play superficially. We are going to look at examples of these errors
in this chapter, as well as seeing how they can be punished. Dangerous Weapons:
Ruy Lopez
S. Williams – A. Wohl by Emms, Kosten, & Cox
British League (4NCL), 2003
English Opening [A10]

My next opponent, Alex Wohl, is a charming guy who used to be very good
friends with the late, great Tony Miles. Wohl characteristically plays in a very
unorthodox way in this game, but it does not work out as he loses too much
time in the opening.

1.c4

I always used to play this before I learnt any theory.

1...e6 2.Nc3 b6

The English Defence to the English Opening. This slightly offbeat system was
popularized by a number of English players, including Miles, Hodgson, Short,
Plaskett and even Keene. I myself have become a fan of this opening recently,
as it often leads to exciting tactical positions that have not been heavily
analysed by theory.

3.e4

This move makes a lot of sense. The pawn on e4 blocks Black's light-squared
bishop which will develop to b7.

3...Bb7 4.Bd3!?

A rather odd way of developing as this blocks the d-pawn and therefore the
dark-squared bishop too. The main idea is to drop the bishop back to c2 and
then to advance with d2–d4, thereby giving White quite a harmonious set-up.

4...Nc6?!

[FEN "r2qkbnr/pbpp1ppp/1pn1p3/8/
2P1P3/2NB4/PP1P1PPP/R1BQK1NR w KQkq - 0 5"]

This plan looks dubious to me for two main reasons:

1. It blocks the light-squared bishop in.

2. It does nothing to try and control the centre.

A better way of developing was 4...Bb4 , which aims to cause some

discomfort to White's pawn structure.

5.Nf3

Sensibly developing and stopping ...Ne5 ideas.

5...Nge7?!

Very slow. I doubt that Black has time to play like this, and again I would
have preferred to have played 5...Bb4.

6.0-0 Ng6 7.Bc2

Just one more move and I will be able to play d2–d4, which would give me a
great position as I would have total control of the centre.

7...e5

Black decides to try and take control of the dark squares, but moving the same
pawn twice loses further time.

8.d4!
 [FEN "r2qkb1r/pbpp1ppp/1pn3n1/4p3/
2PPP3/2N2N2/PPB2PPP/R1BQ1RK1 b kq - 0 8"]

It was definitely the correct idea to open up the centre. Black has wasted time
and I wanted to take advantage of this by opening lines. Given a chance Black
would have played 8...Bc5 which would have prevented this plan.

8...exd4 9.Nxd4

I have gained an advantage in terms of both space and development, which

must give me the better position.

9...Nxd4 10.Qxd4

Black will now have trouble developing his dark-squared bishop, which is
tied to the defence of g7.

10...Qh4

Black gets ready to castle queenside as kingside castling was getting trickier
by the minute. The black queen looks quite scary on h4, but it does not pose
White any real problems as it currently lacks sufficient support from the rest
of the black army.

11.Nb5!

[FEN "r3kb1r/pbpp1ppp/1p4n1/1N6/
2PQP2q/8/PPB2PPP/R1B2RK1 b kq - 0 11"]

This move is very annoying for Black.

11...0-0-0!?

An understandable reaction as Black's other options did not look too

appetizing. At least this way Wohl can pin his hopes on an attack against the
white king.

12.Nxa7+ Kb8 13.Nb5

By capturing the pawn on a7 I have not just won a pawn; I have also seriously
weakened the black king's defences.

13...Bc5
Black must develop his minor pieces before he has a chance of launching a
successful attack.

14.Qc3!

My basic plan is to play b2–b4 and then Qa3–a7+.

14...Rhe8

Black's pieces are entering the attack far too slowly. This rook wants to move
around to h5 or g5, but there is no time for such manoeuvres.

15.b4 Bf8

Black did not have a decent square to move his bishop to, but this retreat is far
from ideal.

16.c5

[FEN "1k1rrb2/1bpp1ppp/1p4n1/1NP5/
1P2P2q/2Q5/P1B2PPP/R1B2RK1 b - - 0 16"]

Ripping away the remaining pawn cover from Black's king. This is a strong
move, but there was another tempting option in 16.Qa3!?, heading for a7.
Black is in a lot of trouble here, as we can see after 16...d6 17.Qa7+ Kc8 18.
Be3 when White may well be able to sacrifice on b6 or c7, but if not then a4–
a5 should decide the game. The problem I had here was that there were too
many tempting moves!

16...bxc5

A horrible move to have to play as now I have on open b-file, but Black's
position was already lost. 16...Qf6 may have been slightly better, as an
exchange of queens would have made Black's defence easier, but we also
have to remember that White is a pawn up. However, rather than exchange,
17.Qg3! is critical, keeping the pressure up on Black's position, especially the
c7- and b6-squares. Note that Black cannot capture with 17...Qxa1 in view of
18.Qxc7+ Ka8 19.Qxb6 Qxa2 20.Bb3!, which is a great move that diverts the
black queen away from the defence of a7.

17.bxc5 Re5 18.Qa5

Threatening 19 Qxc7+ so Black's reply is pretty much forced.

18...Rxc5

Neither would 18...Bxc5 have helped matters, as after 19.Qxc7+ Ka8 20.Be3
White is winning.

19.Rb1
 [FEN "1k1r1b2/1bpp1ppp/6n1/QNr5/
4P2q/8/P1B2PPP/1RB2RK1 b - - 0 19"]

Bringing a third piece into the attack. Remember normally you need at least
three pieces to checkmate your opponent's king, as is the case here.

19...d5

Trying to make an escape route for the black king, but it's too late for such
measures.

20.Ba4

One of many ways to win, cutting off the escape route.

20...Qe7 21.Qa7+ Kc8 22.Qa8+! 1-0

[FEN "Q1kr1b2/1bp1qppp/6n1/1Nrp4/
B3P3/8/P4PPP/1RB2RK1 b - - 0 22"]

A move that I really enjoyed playing! Wohl resigned as 22.Qa8+ Kd7 (22...
Bxa8 23.Na7#) 23.Qxb7 nets a piece for free.

Black's main error in this game was his early knight moves. Indeed, he lost a
lot of time by placing his knights on c6 and g6, and was then unable to find a
safe home for his king. Black also suffered from a lack of space. That is not
too uncommon in the English Defence where Black really has to play actively
to obtain counterplay.

When you have a cramped position, try to look for an active way to change
the nature of the game and do not waste time moving your pieces around to
irrelevant squares!

Order How to Win at Chess – Quickly! (Ebook)

by Simon Williams

Order How to Win at Chess – Quickly!

by Simon Williams

A PDF file of this month's column, along with all previous columns, is
available in the ChessCafe.com Archives.
Comment on this month's column via our official Chess Blog!

[ChessCafe Home Page] [ChessCafe Shop] [ChessCafe Blog]

[Book Review] [Columnists] [Endgame Study] [The Skittles Room]
[ChessCafe Links] [ChessCafe Archives]
[About ChessCafe.com] [Contact ChessCafe.com] [Advertising]

© 2013 BrainGamz, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"ChessCafe.com®" is a registered trademark of BrainGamz, Inc.
 The Four Knights: Move by Move Purchases from our
chess shop help keep
ChessCafe.com freely
by Cyrus Lakdawala accessible:

Four Knights Scotch

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.d4

Everyman
Ebook Cafe
Fighting Chess:
Move by Move
by Colin Crouch

Translate this page

[FEN "r1bqkb1r/pppp1ppp/2n2n2/4p3/3PP3/
2N2N2/PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 0 4"]

The Four Knights Scotch, in its sneaky way, theoretically quarantines Black
into a small room and greatly narrows your opponent's possibilities over the
normal Scotch Game. On the Black side, I find it hard to beat White, even
when my opponent is much lower rated. If you find the Four Knights Spanish
theoretically daunting, or just prefer a more open game, then you may want to
look into this chapter as an alternative or a secondary weapon. If you choose
this line as your main weapon, you will almost certainly be more attuned to
the nuances than your opponents, who rarely face it.
The French Winawer:
Move by Move
by Cyrus Lakdawala

[FEN "r1bq1rk1/p4ppp/2p2n2/3p2B1/Nb6/
3B4/PPP2PPP/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 11"]
Dangerous Weapons:
Ruy Lopez
Here we have a key position of the chapter, which is reached after 4...exd4 5.
by Emms, Kosten, & Cox
Nxd4 Bb4 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 d5 8.exd5 cxd5 9.0-0 0-0 10.Bg5 c6 11.Na4.
White either plays for the c4 break or the c3, b4 blockade plan. The Four
Knights Scotch is relatively easy to learn. Play through the games of this
chapter and more likely than not, your understanding of the opening will
already be on a higher level than your opponents.

Zelcic, R – Balogh, T
Mitropa Cup, Baden, 1999
Scotch Four Knights [C47]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.d4

The opening salvo of the Four Knights Scotch.

Question: Why play an imitation when we can play the real Scotch
Game?

Answer: For practical reasons. The Scotch is a theoretically dangerous game.

By playing the Four Knights Scotch, we narrow and limit Black's choices, in
turn making our study that much easier. Kasparov lost his world title to
Kramnik mainly because he failed to dent Kramnik's Berlin Lopez. When
Kasparov was asked why he didn't try the Scotch as an alternative, he
answered that White was deeply vulnerable to opening prep in the Scotch
Game. If playing the Scotch is daunting to Kasparov, then maybe it should be
to us too, who aren't quite as prepared!

4...exd4

We look at 4...Bb4 in the final game of the chapter.

5.Nxd4 Bb4

[FEN "r1bqk2r/pppp1ppp/2n2n2/8/1b1NP3/
2N5/PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 0 6"]

The main move. Black hopes to take advantage of White's early d4 by

pinning. We cover 5...Bc5 later in the chapter.

6.Nxc6

We don't want to be bothered by the defence of our d4-knight and

immediately create an imbalance.

Question: It seems to me that we just helped Black by strengthening his

centre. Why not pin ourselves with 6.Bg5 ?

Answer: The trouble is after 6...h6 we face a dilemma. If we back off with the
bishop, we are vulnerable to...g5 tricks, when our e-pawn hangs. We certainly
don't want to swap on f6, giving up the bishop pair in an open position, as
well as helping Black develop. So this leaves 7.Nxc6, the move you didn't
want to play! White already stands worse after 7...bxc6 8.Bd2 (White took
two moves to develop the bishop to a passive square) 8...0-0 9.Bd3 d5. Black
is up at least one tempo over what we normally get.

Question: Okay, I'm convinced. But what about the stabilizing move 6.
f3?

Answer: Too passive and too slow for the position. After 6...0-0 7.Bg5 h6 8.
Bh4 Re8 9.Be2 d5 White was already in trouble, W.Barlo-P.Viner, Bad
Zwischenahn 2003.

6...bxc6
 [FEN "r1bqk2r/p1pp1ppp/2p2n2/8/1b2P3/
2N5/PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 0 7"]

7.Bd3

Question: Why are we allowing Black to double and weaken our

pawns? I would play 7.Bd2 here.

Answer: Once again too slow. Don't worry so much about structure. Our
bishop pair and piece activity easily make up for it. After 7...0-0 8.Bd3 Re8
White is in trouble, mainly because of the lame 7th move: 9.0-0 Bxc3 10.
Bxc3 Nxe4 with an extra pawn for Black.

7...d5 8.exd5 cxd5

Sometimes Black taunts us by castling here. We should ignore the bait on c6

and follow suit by castling ourselves. Let's avoid 8...0-0 9.dxc6?! Bg4 10.
Be2?! (10.f3 Re8+ also gives Black loads of compensation) 10...Qe7 11.0-0
Rad8 and White had to give up his queen with 12.Bxg4 Rxd1 13.Bxd1 Bxc3
14.bxc3 when he isn't likely to survive, J.Candela Perez-N.Mitkov, Orense
1997.

Occasionally Black tries to throw us off with 8...Qe7+, which we meet with 9.
Qe2.

We shouldn't fear the ending:

a) 9...Nxd5 10.Qxe7+ Bxe7 ; IM Jan Pinski gives this move an exclam in his
book on the Four Knights, since...Nb4 is in the air, but after 11.Bd2! Nb4 12.
Be4! f5 White can play 13.a3! when he retains the favourable pawn structure.

b) 9...cxd5 10.Bd2! Qxe2+ 11.Kxe2 c6 12.Na4! (we play this move no matter
what the position!) 12...Bd6 13.Be3 0-0 14.f3 was A.Shirov-A.Karpov,
Moscow 1992. White has an edge for the following reasons:

1. A centralized king in the ending.

2. Some control over c5 and the central dark squares.
3. The c4 advance is in the air.

9.0-0 0-0 10.Bg5

Threat: Bxf6.

10...c6

Question: I just don't get why Black won't take on c3. Can we look at a
continuation?

Answer: Dang. I see the need to repeat the mantra: Trust in activity and don't
fret about structure. White is more than okay there, I promise: 10...Bxc3 11.
bxc3 h6 12.Bh4 Rb8 13.Qf3 (remember, we are capable of damaging Black's
structure as well) 13...c5 (he can also play 13...Be6 but I still prefer White
after 14.Rab1 Rb6 15.Qe3 Re8 16.a4) 14.Bxf6 Qxf6 15.Qxd5 Qxc3 16.Qe4
g6 17.Qf4! and White won a pawn by the double attack on b8 and h6, G.Peli-
A.Ruiz Symmes, correspondence 2003.
We examine 10...Be6 later in the chapter.

[FEN "r1bq1rk1/p4ppp/2p2n2/3p2B1/
1b6/2NB4/PPP2PPP/R2Q1RK1 w - - 0 11"]

11.Na4

Triple purpose:

1. We sidestep...Bxc3.
2. We fight for c5 and the dark squares.
3. We clear the path for a c4 pawn break.

Question: What about the 11.Qf3 and 11 Ne2 lines?

Answer: I thought about putting in one game of each, but then decided it
would be better if we specialized exclusively on 11 Na4 and looked at three
games in this line. Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to know
everything to be a good chess player. Just understand your lines well and have
them suit your style. You really don't even need to extract an advantage as
White. If you understand the position better than your opponent and your
opening choice is in harmony with your style, you are all set even if your
opponent manages to equalize.

11...h6 12.Bh4 Bd6

Alternatively:

a) 12...Re8 was Karjakin's choice (see the next game).

b) With 12...Be6 Black hopes to prevent c4. White usually plays 13.c3 here,
(but I'm not sure why when 13.Rc1 forces the c4 break anyway. White scores
well from this position.)

c) If 12...Be7 White can play the c4 break here, but most strong players go for
13.Re1 Be6 14.c3.

[FEN "r2q1rk1/p3bpp1/2p1bn1p/3p4/N6B/
2PB4/PP3PPP/R2QR1K1 b - - 0 14"]

Here is an example of a game where White holds back on c4 and keeps the
pawn on c3 instead: 14...Re8 15.Bc2 (in order to load up with a queen/bishop
battery on h7 and also to prepare Qd4, fighting for c5) 15...Rb8 16.Qd4 a5 (I
prefer White after Houdini's suggested 16...c5 17.Nxc5 Bxc5 18.Qxc5 Rxb2)
17.Re3! Qc7 18.Rae1 c5 19.Qd3 g5?? (he should have broken up the queen/
bishop battery with 19...c4) 20.Bg3 Bd6 21.Rxe6! 1-0, J.Lautier-I.Sokolov,
Correze 1992.

13.c4 Rb8

Question: Why doesn't Black take a passer now with 13...d4?

Answer: The passer is more of a weakness than a strength after White

artificially isolates it with 14.c5.

14.b3 Be6 15.Rc1 Rb4

[FEN "3q1rk1/p4pp1/2pbbn1p/3p4/NrP4B/
1P1B4/P4PPP/2RQ1RK1 w - - 0 16"]

Provoking a3.

16.a3!?

He gets provoked! White can also try 16.Qf3 g5 17.Bg3; but 16.cxd5?? walks
into 16...Bxh2+! 17.Kxh2 Rxh4+ 18.Kg1 Ng4! threatening...Rh1+ and Black
has a crushing attack.

16...Rb8 17.b4

17.cxd5 is also possible.

17...a5 18.c5

White moulds the pawn structure to his taste, the way a baker works raw
dough.

18...Be7!?

Maybe he should cover b6 with 18...Bc7.

19.Bg3 Ra8?

This move may be the point of origin of Black's suffering to come. Now
counterplay grows thin into ancient parchment.

Black can speculate with an exchange sac but this also falls short of equality
after 19...axb4!? 20.Bxb8 Qxb8 21.Rb1 Ng4 22.g3. Correct was 19...Rb7,
when Black stands only a tad worse.

20.Nb6 Ra7
 [FEN "3q1rk1/r3bpp1/1Np1bn1p/p1Pp4/1P6/
P2B2B1/5PPP/2RQ1RK1 w - - 0 21"]

Exercise: White to play and win a pawn.

Answer: 21.Qa4!

Pinning the a5-pawn and bottling up Black's bid for freedom.

21...Bd7 22.Rfe1

White can also play 22.bxa5, but the pawn isn't running away.

22...Be8!?

The bishop attempts an inverse Houdini. He ties himself up and then can't be
bothered to attempt escape, reasoning "I can't escape because I'm all tied up!"
But to be fair, nothing works. 22...Ne8 is strongly met with 23.Nxd7 Qxd7 24.
b5.

23.Bf5 Nd7

23...Nh5 24.Be5 also looks pretty dismal for Black.

[FEN "3qbrk1/r2nbpp1/1Np4p/p1Pp1B2/
QP6/P5B1/5PPP/2R1R1K1 w - - 0 24"]

Exercise (critical decision): Calculate the capture on c6. Can White get
away with it?

Answer: He can take it. All that remains is to reach out and grab that which is
already ours.

24.Qxc6! Nxc5

If you drop your weapon in a battle, your life depends upon how quickly you
retrieve it. Black counted on this trick.

25.Qxd5!

The queen recovers from the shot with the balance of a cat. Black must endure
the counter rebuke as helplessly as a first grader from a stern teacher.

25...Qxb6 26.bxc5
White is up a pawn with a dominating position.

26...Qb5 27.Bd3 Qc6 28.Qc4!

The coming Be4 smashes the c6 blockade.

28...Qa4 29.c6

Enemies tend to look smaller at a distance. Closer, we begin to understand

their danger. The pawn moves inexorably forward, an iceberg approaching the
cruise ship. a3 doesn't matter at all.

29...Qxa3

29...Qxc4 30.Rxc4 Bxa3 31.c7 Bd7 32.Rd4! wins.

30.Bb8 1-0

After 30.Bb8 Ra8 31.c7 Bd7 32.Qe4! the bemused queen smiles the wicked
smile of a woman in possession of her enemy's dark secrets. The triple attack
on h7, a8 and e7 ends the game.

Summary

Let's specialize and master the intricacies of the 11 Na4 line.

Order The Four Knights: Move by Move (Ebook)

by Cyrus Lakdawala

Order The Four Knights: Move by Move

by Cyrus Lakdawala

A PDF file of this month's column, along with all previous columns, is
available in the ChessCafe.com Archives.

Comment on this month's column via our official Chess Blog!

[ChessCafe Home Page] [ChessCafe Shop] [ChessCafe Blog]

[Book Review] [Columnists] [Endgame Study] [The Skittles Room]
[ChessCafe Links] [ChessCafe Archives]
[About ChessCafe.com] [Contact ChessCafe.com] [Advertising]

© 2013 BrainGamz, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"ChessCafe.com®" is a registered trademark of BrainGamz, Inc.
 Beating Unusual Chess Defences: 1 e4 Purchases from our
chess shop help keep
ChessCafe.com freely
by Andrew Greet accessible:
If you play 1 e4, then you have to be ready for a wide array of defences. The
Sicilian, Caro-Kann, French, and 1...e5 are all huge topics, and you can find
entire books (or in some cases, multiple volumes) dedicated to fighting
against each one of them. But the 'big four' are not the only riddles with which
the 1 e4 player finds himself confronted; there are numerous other less
common but still highly respectable defences for which one must be prepared.
The Alekhine, Modern, Pirc, Scandinavian, and others all require serious
Everyman attention, but where can you find the information needed to meet each one
effectively? There are individual books offering a complete repertoire after 1
Ebook Cafe e4, and while such works may have a lot to offer some players, it is hardly
possible for the author to go into much detail, especially against these minor
openings.
Chess Strategy:
Move by Move
Another approach would be to purchase specialist works on each defence. by Adam Hunt
This enables you to obtain more detailed information, but buying separate
Translate this page books on each opening will hit your wallet where it hurts. Not to mention that
a book about a particular defence is more likely to be written from Black's
standpoint, which is hardly ideal for those looking for a path to an advantage
for White.

This book is intended to solve the said problem. In these pages I have laid out
a comprehensive repertoire for White against each of the aforementioned
openings, plus all other irregular defences after 1 e4 which fall outside of the
'big four'.

Repertoire choices
Fighting Chess:
My approach has been to meet each of these openings in a principled manner, Move by Move
choosing well-established main lines for White. Generally we will be looking by Colin Crouch
to seize space in the centre and pursue the initiative in whichever way best
meets the demands of the position. Speaking from my own experience, there
was a time when I used to feel apprehensive about meeting these unusual
defences, but once I studied them properly and learnt how to confront them
head-on, I began to relish facing them. I hope that after reaching the end of
each chapter, the reader will feel the same way about the defence in question.

Scandinavian Defence

1 e4 d5 2 exd5

From this, the basic starting position of the Scandinavian Defence (I am

disregarding White's various second-rate options on move 2), Black has two Beating Unusual Chess
options: 2...Qxd5, the subject of the first two sections of this chapter, and 2... Openings
Nf6, which will be seen in the third and final section. by Richard Palliser

2...Qxd5
 [FEN "rnb1kbnr/ppp1pppp/8/3q4/8/8/
PPPP1PPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 3"]

3 Nf3!?

I decided to advocate this move, instead of the more traditional 3 Nc3, for a
few reasons. Firstly, it has received comparatively little attention in other
theoretical manuals, which made it a more interesting topic of study.
Secondly, it is a genuinely good move which poses an interesting set of
problems for the opponent. I am generally not in favour of 'dodgy sidelines',
but this move seemed to strike a sensible balance of avoiding the most
theoretically-intensive variations while also being objectively strong enough
to stand up to scrutiny.

Black can choose to react either aggressively or solidly, and I have organized
the material accordingly.

Movsesian, S – Tomczak, J
Warsaw (rapid), 2009
Scandinavian Defence [B01]

We will jump straight in at the deep end, with a game featuring one of the
most critical lines of the 3 Nf3 system. It is fitting that we begin with a game
by Sergei Movsesian, as the Slovakian Grandmaster is one of the most ardent
supporters of White's opening system.

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.Be2 Nc6

This is the most challenging response to White's opening system. Black

develops quickly, intending to castle and strike in the centre with ...e5 at an
appropriate moment. Black can of course opt for a more solid handling of the
opening by arranging short castling, for which see Grischuk-Feygin.

5.d4 0-0-0

[FEN "2kr1bnr/ppp1pppp/2n5/3q4/3P2b1/
5N2/PPP1BPPP/RNBQK2R w KQ - 0 6"]

6.Be3

The main alternative is 6.c4, which more or less commits White to a pawn
sacrifice. The critical continuation is 6...Qf5 7.Be3 Bxf3 8.Bxf3 Nxd4! 9.
Bxd4 Qe6+ 10.Be2 Qe4, when Black regains his piece while keeping a pawn
in the bank. White has some compensation and the resulting positions may
well appeal to some players, but overall it seems to me that Black is holding
his own in this variation. (Here 10...c5!? is also interesting.)

6...e5

The immediate central strike has been Black's most popular choice, but he can
also defer it for one or more moves.

6...Nf6 is the subject of Calzetta Ruiz-Philippe and Black's other options will
be examined in Greet-Bryson.

7.c4

7.Nc3 is less ambitious and after 7...Qa5 (7...Bb4 is also playable) 8.Nxe5
Bxe2 9.Qxe2 Nxe5 10.dxe5 Qxe5 White has a minute edge at best.

7...Qa5+

Alternatives are clearly weaker - see the notes to Areshchenko-Almond for

details.

8.Bd2 Bb4 9.d5

A good rule of thumb for these positions is that White should almost always
strive to meet ...e5 with the space-gaining d5 where possible.

It is worth mentioning briefly that 9.Nxe5?? is a blunder due to 9...Bxe2 10.

Nxc6 Re8!! when White suffers a fatal loss of material.

9...Bxf3 10.Bxf3 Nd4

[FEN "2kr2nr/ppp2ppp/8/q2Pp3/1bPn4/
5B2/PP1B1PPP/RN1QK2R w KQ - 0 11"]

10...Bxd2+ will be considered in Areshchenko-Almond, along with Black's

other deviations between moves 7-9.

11.Nc3

I consider this to be White's most promising continuation. The first player

now has quite a serious positional threat of a3 followed by easy play on the
queenside.

The immediate 11.a3 is possible, but after 11...Bxd2+ 12.Nxd2 f5 Black has
enough counterplay.

11...Qc5

Black intends to transfer his queen to a more purposeful position while

gaining a tempo by attacking the c4-pawn.

The most popular move has been 11...Qa6 . This will be considered in the
next game, along with a few rare 11th-move alternatives.
 [FEN "2kr2nr/ppp2ppp/8/2qPp3/1bPn4/
2N2B2/PP1B1PPP/R2QK2R w KQ - 0 12

12.b3?! is inaccurate, as the queen on c5 makes an inviting target for a quick

a3 and b4.

12...Nf6 13.0-0

The immediate 13.a3 can be met by 13...Bxc3 14.Bxc3 Ne4, but after castling
White will be ready to begin his queenside attack. At this point Black must
make an important decision.

I cannot help but point out that at the time of writing White has made a
frankly ridiculous score of 100% from the present position. While there is no
doubt that this flatters his position somewhat, it also serves as a strong hint
that it is the second player who faces the tougher practical problems.

13...Rhe8

Once again some other moves have been tried:

a) The illogical 13...Bxc3?! was played in M.Sanchez-D.Bescos Cortes,

Aragon 1998 and now after the simple 14.Bxc3 White stands better and in
some lines he will be virtually a tempo up due to the absence of a3.

b) 13...c6 is a principled reply; Black risks exposing his king in order to open
the d-file for his rook. After 14.Bg5 (this seems like the most natural move,
although 14.Be3!? is also interesting; after 14...cxd5 15.Nxd5 Nxd5 16.cxd5
Qxd5 17.Bxd4 exd4 18.Bf3 White had reasonable compensation and went on
to win in F.Hedke-J.Rudolph, Kiel 2009) Black has a few possible replies:

[FEN "2kr3r/pp3ppp/2p2n2/2qPp1B1/1bPn4/
2N5/PP2BPPP/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 14"]

a) 14...Qa5 was Black's choice in S.Movsesian-I.Papaioannou, Bled Olympiad

2002, the only game to have reached this position thus far. In that encounter
White chose to play 15.Bg4+ and eventually won, but improvements have
been suggested for Black and the overall evaluation is rather cloudy. (Instead
it seems to me that the modest 15.Rc1!? gives White the better prospects.
Here is an illustrative line: 15...Kb8 16.Bd3 Bxc3 17.bxc3! (in some
variations White may prefer to avoid compromising his pawn structure with
Rxc3, but in the present position White gains more by chasing the knight,
especially as it can no longer exchange itself on e2) 17...Ne6 18.Bxf6 gxf6 19.
dxe6 e4 20.Qg4 exd3 21.e7 Rde8 22.Rce1 Qxc3 23.Qf4+ Ka8 24.Re3 when
Black's extra pawn is immaterial, but his problems are quite real due to the
difference in quality between the respective passed pawns.)

b) 14...Bxc3!? 15.bxc3 Ne6 16.Be3 Qa5 is a critical alternative. Now both 17.
Rb1 (and 17.Qb3 cxd5 18.cxd5 Rxd5 19.c4 Rd7 20.c5 Rc7 21.Rfc1) 17...cxd5
18.Qc2 Rd7 19.Rb5 Qa3 20.Rb3 Qa5 21.c5 offer White promising
compensation for the pawn, in view of his bishop pair and attacking chances.

[FEN "2krr3/ppp2ppp/5n2/2qPp3/1bPn4/
2N5/PP1BBPPP/R2Q1RK1 w - - 0 14"]

14.Rc1

The immediate 14.a3 also looks promising: for instance, 14...Bxc3 15.Bxc3
Qd6 (15...c6 16.b4 Qd6 17.Bxd4 exd4 18.Bf3 cxd5 19.Qxd4 gives White
some advantage, as pointed out by Karolyi), as in J.Koscielski-K.Krug,
Recklinghausen 2003. At this point the most purposeful move looks to be 16.
Re1 Nxe2+ 17.Qxe2 with a typical edge for White, based on his superior
minor piece and more mobile pawn majority.

14...Kb8 15.a3 Bxc3 16.Bxc3 Nxe2+ 17.Qxe2

White has a pleasant position, again with the better minor piece and the more
mobile pawn majority.

17...c6?!

This only makes Black's situation worse.

18.b4 Qd6 19.dxc6 Qxc6

19...bxc6 weakens Black's pawn structure and after 20.Rfd1 he will still lose a
pawn.

20.Bxe5+ Ka8 21.Qb2

[FEN "k2rr3/pp3ppp/2q2n2/4B3/1PP5/
P7/1Q3PPP/2R2RK1 b - - 0 21"]

Black has absolutely no compensation for the missing pawn and the rest is not
much more than a formality.

21...Ne4 22.Bd4

22.Bxg7!? would have been tactically viable, but there was no point in going
for complications at this stage.

22...Re6 23.b5

The precautionary 23.Be3 would also have been strong.

23...Qd7 24.Be3 f5 25.Qc2 Qc7 26.Rfd1 Rde8 27.Bd4

27.b6 axb6 28.Qa4+ Kb8 29.Rd7 was also good, but Movsesian prefers to
keep everything under control.

27...f4 28.f3 Nc5 29.Bf2 Re2

29...g6 would have been more resilient, although there is no doubt that White
should be winning with correct play.

30.Qxh7

White deposits a second pawn in the bank.

30...Qb6

[FEN "k3r3/pp4pQ/1q6/1Pn5/2P2p2/
P4P2/4rBPP/2RR2K1 w - - 0 31"]

The threat of ...Rxf2 will be easily parried.

31.Rc2

31.Qh5 and; 31.Re1 were also both good enough.

31...a5?

Allowing an instant kill, but Black's position was thoroughly lost anyway.

32.Rxe2 Rxe2 33.Qg8+ Ka7 34.Rd8 1-0

Order Beating Unusual Chess Defences: 1 e4 (Ebook)

by Andrew Greet

Order Beating Unusual Chess Defences: 1 e4

by Andrew Greet

A PDF file of this month's column, along with all previous columns, is
available in the ChessCafe.com Archives.

Comment on this month's column via our official Chess Blog!

 [ChessCafe Home Page] [ChessCafe Shop] [ChessCafe Blog]
[Book Review] [Columnists] [Endgame Study] [The Skittles Room]
[ChessCafe Links] [ChessCafe Archives]
[About ChessCafe.com] [Contact ChessCafe.com] [Advertising]

© 2013 BrainGamz, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"ChessCafe.com®" is a registered trademark of BrainGamz, Inc.