Did you ever play a game where you were certain of victory, and; conversely, did you ever play a game you found yourself in despair? The following battle exhibits numerous lessons about chess, encompassing strategy, tactics and psychological pitfalls we all have experienced.
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 e6 6.Be3
This opening is the closed variation of the Sicilian Defense and has less need for exacting play that other Sicilian lines necessitate due to the sharp tactical nature of those variations. 6.Be3 is a clever idea of Smyslov which sets a clever trap. Should black now play 6…Nd4 7.Nce2 Nxe2 8.Nxe2 Bxb2? 9.Rb1 Qa5+ 10.Bd2 Qxa2 11.Rxb2! Qxb2 12.Bc3 skewering the Queen and Rook.
6…d6
An alternative is 6..b6 with Nge7 which looks good with …d5 striking the center without wasting a tempo as a short range plan.
7.f4 Qb6
This early Queen sortie is dangerous if he looks to capture the b-pawn if left unguarded. Can you picture the reason for this? Again, a good alternative is …Nge7 and 0-0 which develops forces for the middlegame fight.
8.Nge2! Qxb2?! 9.0-0!!
For the b-pawn snatch white has gained two tempi that bodes high risk of the Q adventure. Do you see a threat here?
9…Nd4
Black threatens Nxe2+ 10.Nxe2 Qxa1 winning the Exchange. Supposing he tries instead here 9…Bxc3 10.Rb1 Qa6 11.Rb3. With the dark square bishop removed, the dark squares become weak targets.
10.e5!
A sharp and alert tactic opening up the long diagonal of the Bg2, vacates e4 for entry by his N and threatens to play Nxd4 cxd4 (Qxc3 Nb5!) Bxd4. It also increases square count.
10…dxe5
Opening the position favors the more aggressively posted white forces but what can black do here? If 10…Nxc2 11.Qd2 threatens 12.Rb1, and; 10…Qxc3 (11.Nxd4; 11.Bc1; 11.Bxd4) all lead to a huge white advantage.
11.Rb1 Qa3
No good is …Qxc2 12.Qxc2 Nxc2 13.Bxc5 as life is slowly squeezed out of black.
12.Ne4
Now the threat of Nd6+ is potent and must be dealt with.
12…Bf8 13.fxe5
Surrender is no option so long as there is a ticking clock and forces exist to put up some defense. Wait you say?! Lordy be, you got weaknesses all over the place: King in the center; a position riddled with holes galore; miserable negative square count; white has the attack.
13…Nf5 14.Bc1 Qa5 15.g4 Nd4 16.Nxd4 cxd4
Now white can eliminate all black counterplay with 17.Qf3! Qc7 18.Nd6+ Bxd6 19.exd6 Qd7 leaving him passive.
17.Ng5 Nh6 18.Bxb7?!
The beginning of a faulty strategic and tactical plan. Correct is again 18.Qf3 Qc7 19.Ne4 Ng8 20.Nd6+ reverting to the earlier note.
18…Bxb7 19.Rxb7 Qd5!
Centralization of the Queen is the only chance to muddy the waters. Perhaps white still gets a winning endgame by 20.Qf3 as Qxf3 21.Rxf3 Be7 22.Nxe6 fxe6 23.Bxh6 keeps pressure on black.
20.Nxf7
White probably only considered 20…Nxf7 21.Rfxf7 and if 0-0-0 then 22.Rfc7 mate!
20…Qxb7 21.Bxh6
Wrong capture. Vital here is 21.Nxh8 with chances about even. Naturally the bishop is taboo as Bxh6 meets with Nd6+ forking King and Queen.
21…Qd5!
Chess Praxis at its best!!
22.Nxh8 Bxh6 23.Qf3 Be3+ 24.Kh1 Rc8 25.Nf7 Rxc2 26.Nd6+ Kd7 27.Ne4 Qxe5 28.Qf7+ (28.Ng3)
The black monarch now goes for a long walk.
28…Kc6 29.Qe8+ Kb6 30.Rb1+ Ka5 31.Ng3 Qd5+ 32.Ne4 Rxh2+!! 33.Kxh2 Qxa2+ 34.Kg3 Qxb1 35.Qd8+ Qb6 36.Qe7 Ka4 37.Nc5+ Ka3 38.Nxe6+ Kb2 39.Nc5 Kc2 40.Na4 Qb8+ 41.Kh3 Qb1 and white is lost.
Lessons to learn from this chess battle:
1.It is important to complete development in timely fashion. Going off on a pawn hunt especially with as here Qxb2 is very dangerous because for a pawn the opponent gets tempi ahead which can be hard to overcome.
2.Black’s early assault on the center was brave but the fact that the Queen was exposed to harrassment and the seemingly potent tactical threats on c2 were imaginary left black struggling.
3.As the heading lists: DO NOT GIVE UP THE SHIP!
4.Beware of the time clock ticking. White secured a substantial attacking position and on move 17 chose a fairly decent move Ng5 but it was not as good as Qf3 that leaves black in dire straights. Hence, with the combination with Bxb7 white begins to go astray as to the course leading to victory. Once black gets a chance for counterplay, he made the most of it.
5. POSTSCRIPT: The lessons here are extensions to teaching chess and are noted in How To Play Chess: The Beginning which should be reviewed periodically along with other lecture topics.
