Broadstairs Chess Club – Page 17 – Promoting chess in Thanet

24Jun 2021

Game of the Week

My apologies for having no new content for a few days, a case of just feeling under the weather, fortunately just a bad case of ‘man flu’

Our game this week is from the recent Paris Rapid & Blitz event where most of the world’s elite players battled for first prize. The overall winner was Wesley So but I couldn’t resist choosing a French Defence, played in Paris, and, against the number 1 French player.

We have, with the White pieces Maxime Vachier-largrave and playing Black, the challenger to Magnus Carlsen’s crown Ian Nepomniachtchi

Please just enjoy the game with my ( very light ) notes.

White: Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime Black: Nepomniachtchi, Ian

Paris Rapid & Blitz

     1. e4 e6 {   Playing the French against MVL!} 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bd7 6. Be2   {Both sides have played standard moves in the Advanced variation} Nge7 7. h4 {   Grabbing space on the Kingside} f6 {An unusual move with Black's pieces quite   cramped, MVL doesn't help by pushing the h pawn} 8. h5 Qb6 9. g4 {This looks   dangerous but the White King is quite safe} Ng8 {Retreating but allowing the   dark squared Bishop to move} 10. Na3 cxd4 {Releasing some central tension} 11.   cxd4 fxe5 12. dxe5 Bc5 {Attacking f2 but MVL ignores the threat and moves his   Knight to a dangerous square} 13. Nb5 Nxe5 14. Nxe5 Bxb5 {Black has won a pawn   but White has space and the initiative} 15. O-O Nf6 16. Bxb5+ Qxb5 {The White   Knight is very strong on e5 and makes up for the pawn deficit} 17. g5 Ne4 {   Attacking f2 with another piece} 18. Qg4 Qb6 {Black had to defend the e6 pawn}   19. g6 O-O-O {Looking to get the King to safety} 20. Bf4 {A great move, the   White Bishop and Queen ain at the Black King} hxg6 21. Rac1 {A good move   pinning the Bishop} gxh5 22. Qg6 Rhf8 23. Bh2 {Otherwise Black can sac the   exchange but the Bishop is the better piece} Rf6 24. Qxg7 Rxf2 {This looks   very dangerous and it is.......for Black} 25. Rxf2 Nxf2 26. Nd7 {An incredible   move to finish the game, work out how White wins after either Rxd7 or Nh3   double check} 1-0

24Jun 2021

Puzzle no. 18 Solution

White to Move

The winning idea includes the moves Ng5 and Qxh7+. This plan would fail straight away as Ng5 would allow Black to capture the Queen. Therefore the winning move is…

Rg6!!

07Jun 2021

Puzzle no. 18

Chess players are very lucky to be living in an age where the number of superb books, DVDs and excellent YouTube videos, showing chess calculation, has never been better.

Our puzzle today is very difficult, I originally saw the position during a video presented by the world renowned coach GM Jacob Aagaard.

Can you find the move that forces a winning attack?

White to Move

04Jun 2021

Game of the Week

The beauty of chess as a spectator sport is that you don’t have to watch the top players to see exciting games. Chess at any level, between closely matched opponents will often produce thrilling games.

Our game this week is from the recent Rainham Club Championship and sees a very sharp battle arising from the popular Caro Kann

Please just enjoy the game, or even try to guess some of the moves.

White: AlistairC Black: Journey2FM

     1. e4 c6 {The great Tal once said ' I   play the Sicilian to draw and the Caro Kann to win'} 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nc3   e6 {All standard stuff so far, now White opts for an aggressive move} 5. g4 Bg6   6. Nge2 c5 {The best move, Black hits back in the centre and prepares to   develop his Knight} 7. Be3 h5 {Very bold and an unusual way to develop the Rook   } 8. Nf4 Bh7 9. Nxh5 {Winning a pawn but remember the old saying ' A Knight on   the rim is dim...'} Nc6 10. Bb5 Nge7 {We have an interesting position with   White slightly better developed but Black with a better pawn structure} 11.   dxc5 a6 12. Ba4 Qc7 {Nice, attacking the e5 pawn and preparing to castle} 13.   f4 O-O-O {Black is now better due to the bad placement of the White King and   Knight on h5} 14. Ne2 g5 {Black goes all in for the attack, d4 was a strong   alternative} (14... d4 15. Nxd4 Nxd4 16. Bxd4 Nc6) 15. c3 gxf4 16. Bxf4 Ng6 {   Bringing another piece into the attack, Nxe5 was also possible} (16... Nxe5   17. O-O Qxc5+ 18. Nd4 Nd3) 17. Bxc6 Nxf4 18. Bxb7+ {'Winning' a pawn but   White's King is in big trouble} Qxb7 19. c6 Qxc6 20. Nd4 Qc4 {Black is slowly   entrapping the enemy King, the attack is very instructive, try and guess   Black's moves until the end of the game} 21. Nxf4 Be4 {Attacking Rook and the   h pawn} 22. b3 {A mistake but despite being 2 pawns up White is in very big   trouble} Qxc3+ 23. Kf2 Kd7 {Black's position is so good he can afford this   move to stop Rc1 from pinning his Queen} 24. Rc1 Qb2+ 25. Ke3 Bh6 {Developing   the Bishop with a deadly pin} 26. Rf1 Bxf4+ {Winning, maybe Bg5 was slightly   better with the same threats to follow} 27. Rxf4 {Kxf4 was even worse} (27.   Kxf4 Qxh2+ 28. Ke3 Qxe5) 27... Rh3+ 28. Nf3 Bxf3 29. Rxf7+ {Winning a pawn   before recapturing but the King on e3 is a sitting target} Ke8 30. Rxf3 Qxe5+   31. Kf2 Rxh2+ 32. Kg1 {Material is level but the open files all point at the   White monarch} Qh8 {Brilliant, retreating and winning} 33. Qd3 Rh1+ {My engine   gives mate in 15 now, too much for a human to calculate but it is easy to find   a win} 34. Kf2 Rxc1 {'missing' the quickest win with Qh2+ but this is the   simple way to play} 35. Qg6+ Kd7 36. Qf7+ Kd6 {Kc6 is better} (36... Kc6 37.   Qxe6+ Rd6 38. Qf5 Qh2+ 39. Ke3 d4+ 40. Ke4 Re1+ 41. Kd3 Qe2#) 37. Qf4+ {   White wins the Rook back} Kd7 38. Qxc1 Qh4+ 39. Rg3 {A final mistake in time   trouble, Ke2 would have enabled White to fight on} (39. Ke2 Qxg4 40. Qf4) 39...   Qh2+ {Wins the Rook and the game} 40. Kf3 Rf8+ 41. Ke3 Qxg3+ 0-1

04Jun 2021