Saturday, September 24, 2016

Good Bishop vs Bad Knight

W(R.Reti): Kf2,Ne1,a2,c2,c3,d3,f4,g3,h2
B(A.Rubinstein): Ke8,Ba4,a7,b6,c5,d5,f6,g7,h7
Black to play


Black has a better position because the White N is tied down to defending c2 pawn and White has weak Q-side pawn structure.

29. ...... Ke8-e7
30. Kf2-e3 Ke7-e6
31. g3-g4 Ke6-d6
32. h2-h3 g7-g6
33. Ke3-d2 protecting c2 and freeing the Ne1 Ba4-d7! Black shifts the attack to the K-side
34. Ne1-f3 Kd6-e7
35. Kd2-e3 h7-h5!
36. Nf3-h2 Ke7-d6! waiting move
37. Ke3-e2 d5-d4! clearing the space for the Black K to attack the Q-side
38. c3xd4 c5xd4
39. Ke2-d2 h5xg4
40. h3xg4 Bd7-c6!
41. Kd2-e2 Bc6-d5!
42. a2-a3 b6-b5
43. Nh2-f1 a7-a5 to create a passed pawn
44. Nf1-d2 a5-a4
45. Nd2-e4+? a mistake since King and Pawn endgame is winning for Black
45. ..... Bd5xe4
46. d3xe4 b5-b4!
47. Ke2-d2 b4xa3
48. Kd2-c1 g6-g5
White resigns
since after Kd6-e5, Black captures the other White pawns

Play through this and other good examples on Chess.com
Play through Grandmaster games with Good B vs Bad N

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Reti Opening

Reti Opening
ECO A04-09

The Reti Opening is a hyper-modern opening in which center control is done indirectly through pieces.

1. Ng1-f3 d7-d5
2. g2-g3 Ng8-f6
3. Bf1-g2 c7-c6
4. 0-0 Bc8-g4
5. d2-d3 Nb8-d7
6. Nb1-d2 e7-e5
7. e2-e4 d5xe4
8. d3xe4 Bf8-c5
9. h2-h3 Bg4-h5
10. Qd1-e1 0-0
11. Nd2-c4 Rf8-e8
12 a2-a4 Qd8-c7
(=)

More about Reti Opening: Wiki, Chess, TCW
Play through the opening moves on 365Chess
Grandmaster Games of Reti Opening

Saturday, September 10, 2016

Cramped Position

In a cramped position, free yourself by exchanging pieces.
Try to improve the position of the piece that is not doing anything useful.


Example from Round 7 of Alekhine Memorial, Moscow, 1971.
W (B. Spassky): Kh1, Qd1, Ra1, Rf1, Be3, Nc3, Nf3, a3, b2, d3, e5, f4, g2, h2
B (M. Tal): Kg8, Qd8, Ra8, Rf8, Bb7, Be7, Nf6, a7, b6, d5, e6, f7, g7, h7
Black to play

Black has a cramped position, so he decides to sacrifice a pawn and exchange pieces.
14. ..... d5-d4!?
15. Nf3xd4 Nf6-d5
16. Be3-g1 Nd5xc3
17. b2xc3 Ra8-c8
18. c3-c4 Rc8-c7!
19. f4-f5 Rc7-d7
Black has freed up his position.