Chess Teaching » Game

Morphy – Isouard (1858)

Chess Teacher — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:08:25 +0000

The game of this lesson between Paul Morphy and Carl Isouard that has been played in Paris 1858 is one of the most famous chess games.
It’s a very interesting short game and it contains at least five important chess lessons:
1. Develop you chess pieces quickly
2. Castling into safety
3. The strategic outpost at d5
4. Attacking a pinned piece
5. The use of an open file

Morphy_Isouard

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 The Philidor Defence 3.d4 Bg4 pins the knight, but also enables White to create an open file as we will see in the next moves

( Nowadays 3... exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Be7 is played more often. )

4.dxe5 Bxf3 5.Qxf3 dxe5 6.Bc4 threatens mate 6...Nf6 7.Qb3! threatens a mate in two as illustrated by the next three variations 7...Qe7

( 7... Nxe4?? 8.Bxf7+ Ke7 9.Qe6# like in the 1994 game of Shaun Press vs Tony Salvage )

( 7... b6?? 8.Bxf7+ Ke7 9.Qe6# like in the 1994 game of Marek Smilowski vs Daniel Martins )

( 7... Nbd7?? 8.Bxf7+ Ke7 9.Qe6# as played in 2003 in the game Karjakin Sergey [2576] — Sola Lluch Miguel Angel [2125] )

8.Nc3 White threatens eventually to use d5 a a strategic outpost 8... c6 prevents that White can position his knight on this important square. 9.Bg5 pins the knight 9...b5

( 9… Qc7 is better, but White still has a strong attack )

10.Nxb5! White gives up a knight in exchange for the two pawns and a strong attack. 10...cxb5 11.Bxb5+ Nbd7 resulting in another pinned piece. Black is almost unable to move a piece and can only try to defend.

( 11… Kd8 doesn’t help either. 12.O-O-O+ )

12.O-O-O!! Castling into safety and even more important attacking a pinned piece. All White’s pieces are developed, while Black’s pieces are hardly developed and unable to move. 12... Rd8 13.Rxd7!! Please note that the knight at f6 is pinned, but the most interesting part of this move is that White sacrifices the exchange to win a rook 13... Rxd7 14.Rd1 attacking a pinned piece again 14...Qe6

( 14… Kd8 is better, but not enough to hold the position 15.Bxd7 Kc7 +- )

15.Bxd7+ Nxd7? a mate in two. Do you see it?

( 15… Qxd7 is a better move, but look at what happens after this better move 16.Qb8+ Ke7 17.Qxe5+ Kd8 18.Bxf6+ gxf6 19.Qxf6+ Kc8 20.Rxd7 Kxd7 21.Qxh8 +- )

16.Qb8+ Nxb8 17.Rd8# 1-0

The Classical Bishop Sacrifice

Chess Teacher — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:21:57 +0000

In the game Colle – O’Hanlon, Nice 1930 we have seen one of the most famous examples of the Classical Bishop Sacrifice. In this lesson we will focus on some of the aspects of such a position that will help you to determine whether or not the sacrifice will be sound. I am going to use the game Kothe Harry G – Lewis James W, 1974 as an example.

Classical

1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 e6 4.e4 b5 5.a4 c6 6.Bd2 a5 7.axb5 cxb5 8.b3 Bb7 9.bxc4 b4 10.Bd3 Bd6 11.Be3 Ne7 12.O-O O-O 13.e5 Bc7

The main conditions for the sacrifice are met:
- A bishop is able to capture the pawn on h7
- A knight is able to move to the g5 square
- This g5 square is defended
- The queen can reach h5

We even have some additional conditions that make it more likely that the sacrifice will be correct:
- Black’s Queen on d8
- Black’s Rook on f8
- White’s pawn on e5 will prevent an escape to f6

But there is also an indication that the sacrifice will not be sound:
- Black’s bishop on b7 may be able to defend h7

As we will see the sacrifice will be sound. Black’s bishop is rather harmless and will be attacked and undefended on e4.

14.Bxh7+ Kh8 Probably the best move, but we are mainly interested in the other alternative ( 14… Kxh7 15.Ng5+ Kg8

( 15… Kh8 is a mate in two 16.Qh5+ Kg8 17.Qh7# )

( 15… Kg6 16.Qg4 f5 17.exf6 gxf6 18.Nxe6+ Kf7 and White will win the queen 19.Nxd8+ )

( 15… Kh6 results in a mate in five 16.Qg4 Bxe5 17.dxe5 Nf5 18.Qh3+ Nh4 19.Qxh4+ Kg6 20.Qh7# )

16.Qh5 Be4 17.Nxe4 )

15.Ng5 g6 16.Bxg6 fxg6 17.Qg4 Kg8 18.Qxe6+ Kg7 19.Qh3 Rh8 20.Ne6+ Kg8 21.Nxd8 Rxh3 22.Nxb7 winning a piece

But the game continues for a while.

22… Rh7 23.Nc5 Nbc6 24.Ne4 Rh4 25.Nbd2 Nf5 26.Nf6+ Kg7 27.Nf3 Rxd4 28.Nd5 Rxd5 29.cxd5 Nxe3 30.fxe3 Nxe5 31.Rfb1 Re8 32.e4 Bb6+ 33.Kf1 Nc4 34.Ke2 Na3 35.Rc1 Rxe4+ 36.Kd3 Re3+ 37.Kd2 b3 38.Rxa3 b2 39.Rb1 Rxa3 40.Rxb2 Be3+ 41.Kc2 Kf6 42.Rb3 Ra2+ 43.Kd3 Bc5 44.Rb5 Bd6 45.Rb6 Ke7 46.Nh4 Kd7 47.h3 Ra3+ 48.Kc2 Rg3 49.Ra6 g5 50.Rxd6+ Kc7 51.Rg6 a4 52.Nf3 Rxg2+ 53.Kb1 Rf2 54.Nxg5 Rd2 55.d6+ Rxd6 56.Rxd6 Kxd6 57.h4 Ke5 58.Nf3+ 1-0

A final exercise:
Is the classical bishop sacrifice sound for the following position? The answer will be given in the comments.

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Aseev – Bagirov 1989

Chess Teacher — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 10:52:37 +0000

The game between Konstantin Aseev (2520) and Vladimir Bagirov (2475) played in Leningrad 1989 is one of the games that perfectly illustrates some of the main concepts of the endgame with bishops of opposite colour.

Bishops_Endgame

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 The Ruy Lopez 3... Nd4 This variation is called the Bird’s defence.

( Instead of this variation most of the time something like 3... a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 is played. )

4.Nxd4 exd4 5.Bc4 ( 5.O-O is played more frequently, but White has a lot of good alternatives like c3, d3 or Bc4. )

5… Nf6 6.O-O Nxe4 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Qd5+ Kg7 10.Qxe4 Qf6 11.d3 Bc5 12.Nd2 Rf8 13.Nf3 h6 14.b3 Bb6 15.Bb2

These are probably the most logical moves but I don’t like to play this position with the black pieces. Black normally continues with c5 because the pawn has to be defended.

15… d6?! This already enables 16.Nxd4, but White continues with 16.Rae1 g5?! 17.Bc1

( 17.Nxd4! looks very promising, but let’s stop annotating the whole game and continue with the interesting position that arises after the 70th move. On the other hand I won’t stop you if you want to analyze the whole game. )

17… Rb8 18.Nd2 Bf5 19.Qf3 Rf7 20.Re2 Ba5 21.Qd5 Bxd2 22.Bxd2 and now both players have a bishop of the opposite colour on the board 22...c6 23.Qf3 Rbf8 24.Qg3 Qg6 25.Rfe1 c5 26.h3 b5 27.Re7 Kh7 28.Ba5 c4 29.Bb4 cxd3 30.cxd3 Rxe7 31.Rxe7+ Rf7 32.Rxf7+ Qxf7 33.Qxd6 Bxd3 34.Qxd4 Bb1 35.Qc5 Qd7 36.Qc1 Be4 37.Qe3 Bb1 38.Bc3 Qd1+ 39.Kh2 Qd6+ 40.Be5 Qd7 41.Qc1 Be4 42.Qc5 a5 43.a4 bxa4 44.bxa4 Kg8 45.Qxa5 Bc6 46.Qa6 Qd5 47.Qc8+ Kf7 48.Qf5+ Ke8 49.f3 Bxa4 50.Qg6+ Kd7 51.Qg7+ Kd8 52.Bg3 Qe6 53.h4 g4 54.fxg4 Bc6 55.Qh8+ Kd7 56.Qh7+ Ke8 57.Qh8+ Kf7 58.Qd4 Qe4 59.Qf2+ Kg8 60.Bf4 Kh7 61.Kg3 Bd7 62.h5 Bc6 63.Be3 Bd5 64.Bf4 Qd3+ 65.Kh4 Qe4 66.Bd2 Be6 67.Qf3 Qxf3 68.gxf3

An endgame with bishops of opposite colour arises. These endgames are mostly drawn, even when one side has a pawn advantage. In this case White is even two pawns ahead, but it is not trivial to open this position.

68… Bb3 69.f4 Bc2 70.f5 Kg7

This is a very interesting position. It is clear that White has the advantage, but at first sight the fortress seems to be well defended. Without looking at the next move can you see White’s winning move?

71.Bxh6+! The sacrifice of the bishop was needed to open the position. 71... Kxh6 72.f6 Bd3 73.g5+ Kh7 74.f7 Kg7 75.g6 1-0

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Kasparov – Topalov (1999)

Chess Teacher — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 15:17:11 +0000

The game between Garry Kasparov (2812) and Veselin Topalov (2700) in the fourth round of the 1999 edition of the Hoogovens tournament in Wijk aan Zee is called Kaparov’s Immortal. The most noteworthy move of this game is the rook sacrifice on the 24th move. It is nice to replay the game and try to evaluate this position for yourself.
An annotated version of this game by Kasparov himself can be found here.

Kasparovs_Immortal

1.e4 d6 The Pirc

2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Be3 Bg7 5.Qd2 In ChessDB this line is called the Pirc: 4Be3, 150 Attack and its normal continuation is 5..c6 6f3 b5

5… c6 6.f3 b5 7.Nge2 Nbd7 8.Bh6 Exchanging the Bishops

8… Bxh6 9.Qxh6 Bb7 10.a3 e5 11.O-O-O Qe7 12.Kb1 a6 13.Nc1 O-O-O 14.Nb3 exd4 15.Rxd4 c5 16.Rd1 Nb6 17.g3 Kb8 18.Na5 Ba8 19.Bh3 d5 20.Qf4+ Ka7 21.Rhe1 d4 22.Nd5 Nbxd5 23.exd5 Qd6 24.Rxd4!! When Kasparov made this move, he already saw the idea 30…Rd6 31.Rb6 as well the move 37.Rd7 and he was hoping for 24…cxd4.

24… cxd4

( 24… Kb6! would have spoiled the fun unless he had found the move 25.Nb3! ( But he later told that he intended to play 25.b4 that will probably would have resulted in a draw. After 25... Qxf4 26.Rxf4 Nxd5 27.Rxf7 cxb4 28.axb4 Nxb4 29.Nb3 Rd6 Black has even a clear advantage ) )

25.Re7+ Kb6 26.Qxd4+ Kxa5 27.b4+ Ka4 28.Qc3 Qxd5 29.Ra7 Bb7 30.Rxb7 Qc4 31.Qxf6 Kxa3 32.Qxa6+ Kxb4 33.c3+ Kxc3 34.Qa1+ Kd2 35.Qb2+ Kd1 36.Bf1 Rd2 37.Rd7 Rxd7 38.Bxc4 bxc4 39.Qxh8 Rd3 40.Qa8 c3 41.Qa4+ Ke1 42.f4 f5 43.Kc1 Rd2 44.Qa7 1-0

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Some crazy stalemates

Chess Teacher — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 12:32:42 +0000

In most chess databases you can also find some very strange games. As an example I have searched for some early stalemates in the the ICOfY database and I have found some stalemates at the 12th move in which all pieces are still on the board.
I think that all these games are prearranged draws, but they clearly demonstrate that stalemates are not limited to the endgame.

Stalemate

1.d4 e5 The Englund Gambit 2.Qd2

( In most games the pawn is taken 2.dxe5 and the game continues with 2...Nc6 3.Nf3 Qe7 )

2… e4 3.Qf4 f5 4.h3 Bb4+ 5.Nd2 d6 6.Qh2

( 6.a4 Ba5

( 6… a5 7.Qh2 Qh4 8.Ra3 Be6 9.Rg3 Bb3 10.c4 c5 11.d5 f4 12.f3?? e3

This crazy stalemate can been found in both the games Roland Smalts – Rolf Schlindwein (1991) as Ahmad Siar Wahedi – Enrico Marchio (2001).

( Note that 12... fxg3! is winning ) )

7.Ra3 Be6 is another, even stranger, sequence of moves that can be found in the game Rolf Schlindwein – Jochen Kountz from 1991 that can lead to the same kind of stalemate 8.Qh2 Qh4 9.Rg3? Bb3? 10.c4? c5? 11.d5? f4 12.f3 e3? stalemate. The fact that the name of the same player pops up, but this time playing the white pieces is another indication that these games are prearranged. )

6… Be6 7.a4 Qh4 These as well as the following moves can be found in the mentioned database in at least four different games. 8.Ra3? c5? 9.Rg3? f4 10.f3? Bb3? 11.d5? Ba5? 12.c4? e3? ( 12… fxg3 is winning. ) 1/2-1/2

You may have missed some of the previous chess lessons. The previous chess lesson was about Weak pawns, the next lesson gives an overview of the Elements in chess strategy. The index of all chess lessons can be found when pressing the lessons navigation link at the top of this site.

Fischer – Taimanov 1971

Chess Teacher — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 09:50:30 +0000

One of the most famous games showing the Bishop versus Knight endgame is game number four in the quarterfinals of the candidates match between Robert James Fischer and Mark Taimanov.

Fischer_Taimanov

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Qc7

( The Flohr variation of the Sicilian Defence. This isn’t bad at all, but you may ask why Taimanov didn’t play 4 ...e6 The Taimanov variation. )

5.Nc3 e6 6.g3 a6 7.Bg2 Nf6 8.O-O Nxd4 9.Qxd4 Bc5 10.Bf4 d6 11.Qd2 h6 12.Rad1 e5 13.Be3 Bg4 14.Bxc5 dxc5 15.f3 Be6 16.f4 Rd8 17.Nd5 Bxd5 18.exd5 e4 19.Rfe1 Rxd5 20.Rxe4+ Kd8 21.Qe2 Rxd1+ 22.Qxd1+ Qd7 23.Qxd7+ Kxd7 24.Re5 b6 25.Bf1 a5 26.Bc4 Rf8 27.Kg2 Kd6 28.Kf3 Nd7 29.Re3 Nb8 30.Rd3+ Kc7 31.c3 Nc6 32.Re3 Kd6 33.a4 Ne7 34.h3 Nc6 35.h4 h5 36.Rd3+ Kc7 37.Rd5 f5 38.Rd2 Rf6 39.Re2 Kd7 40.Re3 g6

And now we have reached the most interesting part of this game. I advice to replay and annotate the remaining moves.

41.Bb5 Rd6 42.Ke2 Kd8

This allows White to trade the rooks. Is this a serious mistake (as mentioned by a lot of commentors) or are all the alternatives as bad. In addtion Taimanov was convinced that the resulting endgame was a draw.

43.Rd3 Kc7 44.Rxd6 Kxd6 45.Kd3 Ne7 46.Be8 Kd5 47.Bf7+ Kd6 48.Kc4 Kc6 49.Be8+ Kb7 50.Kb5 Nc8 51.Bc6+ Kc7 52.Bd5 Ne7 53.Bf7 Kb7 54.Bb3 Ka7 55.Bd1 Kb7 56.Bf3+ Kc7

Now White places his King on a6. Since c6 is attacked by the white bishop this makes it impossible for Black to move his king without giving up his pawn. 57.Ka6 Nc8 ( 57… Ng8 58.Bd5 Nf6 59.Bf7 Ne4 60.Bxg6 Nxg3 61.Be8 Ne2 62.Bxh5 Nxf4 63.Bf7 doesn’t help either. ) 58.Bd5 Ne7 59.Bc4 Nc6 60.Bf7 Ne7 61.Be8 Attacking both c6 as well as the pawn on g6 and placing Black in a Zugzwang 61... Kd8

( moves like 61... Nd5?? are very bad 62.Bxg6 Ne7 63.Bxh5 )

62.Bxg6 Nxg6 63.Kxb6 Kd7 64.Kxc5 resulting in this vey nice position. If Black tries to prevent the promotion of the pawns the white king will be able to capture Black pawns on the kingside.

64… Ne7 65.b4 axb4 66.cxb4 Nc8 67.a5 Nd6 68.b5 Ne4+ 69.Kb6 Kc8 70.Kc6 Kb8 71.b6 1-0

The next lesson in this series is about Zugzwang.

Colle – O’Hanlon, Nice 1930

Chess Teacher — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 14:14:00 +0000

One of the most used examples of the classical bishop sacrifice is taken from the game Edgard Colle – John O’Hanlon, Nice 1930. This is rather strange because in this game the normal preconditions before sacrificing the bishop aren’t even met. Some chess players and teachers even considered the sacrifice in this game as unsound. After looking at it more carefully I think that the sacrifice is sound, but that Black will probably be able to survive the attack.

Before going to the game I show two positions in which the classical bishop sacrifice enables White to win the game.

Now we will continue with the famous game from Edgard Colle.

Greek_gift

1.d4

( 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 ( 3… Bb4 4.e5 Ne7 5.Qg4 O-O 6.Nf3 Nd7 7.Bd3 c5 ) 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Nf3 Bb4 6.Bd3 O-O are in fact better examples of this classical bishop sacrifice )

1… d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 c5 4.c3 e6 5.Bd3 Bd6 6.Nbd2 Nbd7 7.O-O O-O 8.Re1 Re8 9.e4 dxe4 10.Nxe4 Nxe4 11.Bxe4 cxd4 12.Bxh7+ Kxh7 13.Ng5+ Kg6

( 13… Kg8 14.Qh5 Qf6 15.Qh7+ Kf8 16.Ne4 Qe5 17.cxd4 Qd5 )

14.h4 Rh8

( 14… f5 15.h5+ Kf6 16.Qxd4+ Be5 17.Qh4 Qa5 )

15.Rxe6+ Nf6

( 15… fxe6?! is even worse 16.Qd3+ Kh6 17.Nxe6+ Bf4 18.Bxf4+ g5 19.hxg5+ Qxg5 20.Bxg5+ Kh5 21.Qf5 dxc3 22.Ng7# )

16.h5+ Kh6 17.Rxd6 Qa5 18.Nxf7+ Kh7 19.Ng5+ Kg8?! 20.Qb3+ 1-0

Next lesson: The Rook and pawn vs Rook endgame.

The evergreen game

Chess Teacher — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 18:11:00 +0000

The evergreen game is (like the immortal game) another famous chess game from Adolf Anderssen. The game was played against Jean Dufresne in 1852 and can also be found in the ICOFY database that we have used during one of our previous lessons. The name evergreen means something like “Forever Young”.
The whole game can be replayed below, but I think that the most interesting part of the game are the last moves starting from the position in the diagram below.

This is a mate in four exercise. Can you solve it, or do you have to look at the full game?
The mating pattern is rather nice.

Evergreen

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 The Evans Gambit Accepted

5.c3 Ba5 6.d4 exd4 7.O-O This can be considered as the main line

7... d3

( The move 7... d3 is probably not an appropriate response. The moves 7...dxc3, 7...d6 and 7... Nge7 are played more frequently. )

8.Qb3 Qf6 9.e5 Qg6 10.Re1 Nge7 11.Ba3 b5?!

( 11... O-O is far more safer )

12.Qxb5 Rb8 13.Qa4 Bb6 14.Nbd2 Bb7

( 14... O-O can be played again [Not at the previous move] )

15.Ne4 Qf5? 16.Bxd3 Qh5 17.Nf6+

( 17.Nd6+ cxd6 18.exd6 is better )

17… gxf6 18.exf6 Rg8 19.Rad1 Qxf3? 20.Rxe7+ Nxe7? and now the game is over and out 21.Qxd7+ Kxd7 22.Bf5+ Ke8 23.Bd7+ Kf8 24.Bxe7# 1-0

Are you already familiar with the Immortal Game or do you want to proceed with revisiting the Pin.

The immortal game

Chess Teacher — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 17:10:24 +0000

The immortal game is one of the most famous games ever played. It was played in 1851 as an informal game between Adolf Anderssen and Lionel Kieseritzky. According to Wikipedia:

Played between the two great players at the Simpson’s-in-the-Strand Divan in London, the immortal game was an informal one played during a break in a formal tournament. Kieseritzky was very impressed when the game was over, and telegraphed the moves of the game to his Parisian chess club. The French chess magazine La Régence published the game in July 1851. This game was later nicknamed “The Immortal Game” in 1855 by the Austrian Ernst Falkbeer.

As you can see in the figure above the game is so famous that the position after the 20th move is used as an illustration on this 1984 stamp from Suriname.

The Wikipedia article is fully annotated, but it may be a nice exercise if you first annotate the game yourselves, since the game contains a lot of nice combinations. If you are not familiar with this opening have a look at the lesson about the King’s Gambit.

Immortal

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4 Qh4+ 4.Kf1 b5 5.Bxb5 Nf6 6.Nf3 Qh6 7.d3 Nh5 8.Nh4 Qg5 9.Nf5 c6 10.g4 Nf6 11.Rg1 cxb5 12.h4 Qg6 13.h5 Qg5 14.Qf3 Ng8 15.Bxf4 Qf6 16.Nc3 Bc5 17.Nd5 Qxb2 18.Bd6 Bxg1 19.e5 Qxa1+ 20.Ke2 Na6 21.Nxg7+ Kd8 22.Qf6+ Nxf6 23.Be7# 1-0

The next lesson is about Smothering the King, but you may also be interested in the Evergreen Game.

Smothered mate

Chess Teacher — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 18:25:12 +0000

In a smothered mate the mated king is unable to move because he is surrounded (or smothered) by his own pieces. Therefor a smothered mate can only be delivered by a knight. We have seen an example of a smothered mate before in the lesson about the Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

This lesson deals with the most common form of smothered mate as shown by the diagram on the left side. The knight delivers mate to the king which is prevented from escaping the check by the rook and the pawns.

As an illustrative example the game Jan Timman – Nigel Short at the 1990 Tilburg tournament is given.

Tilburg

1.d4 e6 2.c4 f5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 d5 6.O-O O-O 7.b3 Bd7 8.Ba3 Nc6 9.Qc1 a5 10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.Nc3 Be8 12.Qe3 dxc4 13.bxc4 Rd8 14.Rfd1 Ng4 15. Qf4 Bf7 16.Rab1 e5 17.dxe5 Rxd1+ 18.Rxd1 Qc5 19.Ng5 Bxc4 20.Nd5 Nd8 21.e6 Bxd5 22.Rxd5 Qa3 23.Rd7 Nc6 24.Bxc6 bxc6 25.e7 Re8

Here White is able to force Black in a very well known position.

26.Qc4+ Kh8

This is one of the most common examples of a smothered mate. We have to check with the knight 27.Nf7+ Kg8

Now we move the knight away, double checking the king 28.Nh6+ Kh8

Sacrifice the queen in order to force the rook next to the king 29.Qg8+ Rxg8

and mate with the knight 30.Nf7# 1-0

Try to learn these last moves very well.

Next lesson a square rule for separated pawns will be presented.