November 2002
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The FICS SR Team

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The FICS Academy

The FICS Chess Academy provides a medium for interaction between stronger players and those wishing to become stronger. Over the last few months, the Academy has concentrated its efforts on The FICS Chess Ladder. Volunteer members of the Ladder review games played by FICS users, providing useful advice on how weaker players can improve their chess skills.

Any FICS registered player can submit a game. A Ladder reviewer will receive the game and annotate it usually within 2 weeks. All annotated games are available on web.

The following game, played by a 1766 national ELO player and annotated by a 2200 national ELO player, shows the kind of insight provided by the Ladder reviewers. Player comments are shown in blue, annotator comments in black.

wiemer - skapski
15 septmber 2002
Sicilian, B85
notes by Wiemer and Killerman .

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 d6

I think this move order allows white to play 5.c4 after 5.Nc3 Black has nothing better than to transpose to the normal lines. Yes, I like c4 here which sets up the Maroczy Bind in the centre stopping Black from a future d5. I find it a slightly more interesting way of playing this position when given the opportunity and it avoids a lot of theory. Nc3 is of course fine and the game continues to follow standard lines.

5. Nc3

These are two common lines after 5. c4 you could look at. 5. c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 g6 7. Be2 Bg7 (7... Nxd4 8. Qxd4 Bg7 9. Be3 O-O 10. Qd2 Be6=) 8. Be3 O-O 9. O-O=

5... a6 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Be2 e6 8. O-O Be7

Is it possible to play an immediate 8...d5 or is this premature? How would White react? Generally are there rules or typical reasons when a d5 of Black would be premature? A few questions there. In answer to the first an immediate d5 has to be unsound in principal as with the Black King in the centre opening the e-file is not going to be the greatest idea. In addition Black will end up with an isolated pawn on d5 which will be a target. Standard play around an isolated pawn is to place a piece in front of it and then shoot at it and I think White can do this comfortably as the following variations illustrate. Even in the best line for Black he is in for a very long struggle at best. There are sounder moves here so a possible d5 should wait until development is complete:

  1. 8... d5 9. exd5 exd5
    9... Nxd5 10. Nxd5 exd5 (10... Qxd5!? 11. Bf3! Qd7 12. Nxc6 bxc6 13. Qe1+= avoiding queens coming off and intending Rd1) 11. c4! attempting to blast the position open and to catch Black's King in the centre 11... Ne5 (11... Nxd4? 12. Bxd4 dxc4 13. Bxc4 and the king is wide open) (11... dxc4? 12. Nxc6 Qxd1 13. Raxd1 bxc6 14. Bf3 leaves Black in positional ruin) 12. cxd5 Qxd5 13. Re1 Be7 14. Bf4 O-O 15. Nf5! 15... Nf3+ 16. Bxf3 Qxf5 17. Rxe7 Qxf4 18. Qe1+= and Black is still under pressure
    10. Re1 Be7 11. Bf3 O-O 12. Bg5 Nxd4 13.Qxd4 Be6 14. Rad1+=
    rooks can be doubled up the d-file and the pawn may soon drop

  2. Another idea that did not work is:
    8... Bd7 9. f4 b5 10. a3 Be7 11.g4 O-O 12. g5 Ne8 13. h4 f6 14. Nxc6 Bxc6 15. Bg4 Nc7 16. Bb6 f5 17. exf5 exf5 18. Bf3 Qd7 19. Re1 Wang Zili - Portisch, Yerevan 1996 1-0
9. Nb3N

The main idea was to play f4 and I was afraid of 9.f4 Qb6 when I was not sure how the struggle would end. Is it possible or better for White to play f4 without Nb3 and how will White react on Qb6 then? You are worried about pressure on the b pawn and a possible capture. But this attack would not be a good idea for Black. White has a perfectly good response to Qb6 as the following shows so an immediate f4 is correct here. Black does best not to put the queen on b6 as the b pawn cannot be safely attacked and it is also wrong to be putting the queen opposite White's bishop. Qc7 is the normal response to f4. Your Nb3 move is just too passive to be good and is not really in keeping with the position, this loss of time with the knight makes your next few moves and resulting middlegame more difficult than it ought to be.

9. f4 Qb6?

  1. 9... O-O 10. Qe1 Qc7 11. Kh1 Nxd4 12. Bxd4 b5 13. a3+=
  2. 9... Qc7 10. a4 (10. Kh1 O-O 11. a4) 10... O-O 11. Kh1 Re8 12. Bf3+=
10. Qd2 Qxb2 11. Rfb1 Qa3 12. Rb3 Qa5 13. Nxc6 bxc6 14. Bb6 Nxe4 15. Nxe4 Qxd2 16. Nxd2 +/-

9. ... b5

Can black play 9...d5 instead? Probably but I still think this will be the wrong plan, completing development is the most important still. b5 is good, the bishop will have a natural square on b7 and after castling Black can think about developing the rooks and moves like d5.

10. a3 Bb7

Again may d5 be an alternative? My comments before are still valid completing development is best.

11. f4

After this move d5 can be met by e5. d5 can always be met with e5 but if Black were to play d5 now I think that exd5 is much better.

11. ... 0-0

11... d5 12. exd5 exd5 13. Re1 O-O 14. Bf3 +/-

12. Bf3

My plan was to build up with Qd1- e1-g3 and f4-f5 with a kingside attack. During the game I was not sure where to move the light squares bishop. I was afraid of moves like b4 when after ab4 Nb4 the e-pawn lacks protection. Now I believe that Bd3 would have been better: the bishop eyes on the kingside too and if a knight will capture it the c2 pawn can recapture comfortably. Yes, it is time for a plan and you have thought out some of the key points very well. Where I think your plan fails is attempting to play f5. I just don't think that this will work without you putting more pressure into the centre first. Developing your rooks after Qg3 by Rad1 then Rf2-d2 will do this. You will certainly have to watch out for b4 as Black will attack on the queenside. I also think he may consider moving his k-side knight d7-b6-c4 where he can pressure you still further.

12... Qc7 13. Qe1 Rfe8

The idea maybe was to oppose the queen, but I can hardly believe that this move was quite effective. If you examine Garry Kasparov's games in the Sicilian he plays moves like Re8 and they don't seem effective, until much later. I think it is quite in keeping with the position that each side decides on a position for the rooks before attacking. When Black followed up with Rac8 then I think he has a sound position. I also think that if you play through some of my variations later you may agree that the move Re8 is quite a good defensive/aggressive move against your f5 threat.

14. Qg3 Rac8

I think Nd7 is also good aiming at b6 then c4 as in my previous comment.

15. f5?

Starts the planned attack. Did you consider what would happen if Black captured on f5? I did and it may turn out better for Black, certainly he would not be worse. See below. Black does not have a bad position, all of his pieces including rooks are developed you would be better to develop your rooks too. This is how I would play the position, but it is fair to say there are many possibilites. 15. Rad1 b4 16. axb4 Nxb4 17. Rf2 d5 18. e5 Nd7= I prefer White's position here. Either rook can double on d or f files as necessary pawn pushes with f5 or prepared with a g4 first will come later.

15... Ne5!?

I think Whites position is quite comfortable here, but I'm not sure what was the best way to continue. I decided to capture on e6 as long as the f-pawn has to capture back. Yes, after this your position is just about OK and you do the right thing fxe6 is correct. As you play through these variations consider how much better the positions would be if you had developed the rooks before f5 you have certainly been better.

15... exf5! 16. Bh6
16. exf5 Ne5 17. Bh6 Nxf3+ 18. gxf3 Bf8-/+
16... Bf8 17. exf5 d5 After this the queens have to come off or White is worse. 18. Qxc7
  1. 18. Bf4 Qb6+ 19. Kh1 19. Ne7=+
  2. 18. Qh4 Qb6+ (18... gxh6 19. Qxf6 Bg7 20.Qh4=+) 19. Kh1 Ne7
18... Rxc7 19. Bg5 Ne5 20. Bxf6 Nxf3+ 21. Rxf3 gxf6 22. Rg3+ 22... Bg7=
The two bishops may be better in this endgame but White's pawn structure is better.

16. fxe6 fxe6 17. Nd4 Bf8

Now the bishop on f3 is quite misplaced. 17... Nxf3+ is optimistic e.g. 18. Rxf3 Qd7 19. Raf1 (the pawn cannot be taken) 19... Nxe4 20.Qg4 Nf6 (20... Nxc3? 21. Rf7 g6 22. Rxh7!! is winning) 21. Rxf6 Bxf6 22. Rxf6+/-

18. Bg5 Nxf3+

Probably the only defence since Qe7 or Qf7 run into Bh5.

19. Qxf3

Maybe gf3 would have been better? I think Qxf3 is correct, gxf3 runs into d5 which may be difficult to counter if you want to avoid the exchange of queens.

19. gxf3 d5 20. e5
20. Qxc7 Rxc7 21. Rad1 e5-/+
20... Nd7 21. f4 Bc5 22. Rad1 Nb6 23. f5 exf5 24. Rxf5 Nc4-/+

19... Qf7

Black seems to have a good game now. I think you have to develop your a rook to either d1 or e1.

20. Qg3?

Tries to exploit the pinned knight, but misses the following move. Td1 may be a better idea

20... Qg6!

You cannot avoid the exchange of queens now

21. Bxf6 Qxg3 22. hxg3 gxf6 23. Rad1

I think black is surely better, but it is not so easy to exploit this, because when the black central pawns advance there easily become weak. You are correct, Black has a number of small advantages which add up to a good plus.

  1. The bishop pair
  2. Better pawn structure
  3. Better semi-open files
He must not rush to advance the centre pawns as he must keep you knights out of the game for the time being. I think a plan to advance the b-pawn by Black is probably the right idea and also to centralise the King

23... Bg7 24. Nde2 Red8 25. Nf4 Kf7 26. Rd3 Bf8?

Probably not so good, because now Black loses a pawn. Black fears Rfd1 I think but Ke7 would easily deal with this as the following shows in addition I don't know that he needs to lose a pawn.

26... Ke7! 27. Re1 probably best

  1. 27. Kf2 trying to use the h-file 27... a5 28. Rh1 b4 29. Rxh7 (29. axb4 axb4 30. Rxh7 Rg8 leads to the same thing after 31. Nh5) 29... Rg8 30. Nh5 bxc3 31. Rxc3 Rxc3 32. bxc3 Kf7-/+
  2. 27. Rfd1 Rc4 28. Re3 Bh6 29. Kf2 Bg5-/+
27... Rc5 28. Kf2 a5 29. Rde3 necessary to try to hold the weak e-pawn 29... Rdc8 30. R3e2 trying to cover c2 also 30... h5 31. Nd3 Rg5 32. Rd1 32... Rc4-/+ and it is going to be difficult to stop b4.

27. Nh5 Be7?

This does lose a pawn but what about Kg6 or Bg7 do they hold?

  1. 27... Bg7 the difference here is the bishop exerts pressure along the diagonal so there is compensation. 28. Rdf3 (28. Nxf6 Kg6) 28... f5 29. Nxg7 Kxg7
  2. 27...Kg6 28. Nf4+ (also 28. g4 Be7= or 28. Nxf6 Bg7 29. e5 dxe5=+) 28... Kf7=
28. Nxf6 Kg6

28... Bf6 runs into Rdf3!

29. Ng4

Maybe Rdf3 was better anyway? Probably.

29... h5 30. Nh2

Probably another square would have been better. Ne3 or Nf2 are much better

30... Bf6

Care is still needed even though you won the pawn. Black has still a good position

31. Rdf3 Bxc3

Sure white now has two doubled pawns, but black gives up the bishop pair and the white rooks become quite active. Yes your rooks do become active and for this reason only I think Black is wrong to capture on c3. He doesn't need to just yet as the c-pawn is weak I think Bd4+ is the move here.

31... Bd4+ keeps the king out from the centre 32. Kh1 Rc4 ( not 32... Rd7 33. g4!) 33. Rf7 Bc6 and it is still difficult for white to penetrate 34. Re7 Re8-/+

32. bxc3 Bxe4 33. Rf6+ Kg7 34. Rxe6 Bd5?

34... Bxc2 is better

35. Re7+ Kg8

35... Kg6 would keep your rook out of f5.

36. Rf5 Ba2 37. Ra7 Rxc3 38. Rxa6 Rxc2 39. Rxb5

Now my feeling tells me that white is better but the endgame seems not so easy -at least for me- It would be great to learn which basic ideas to follow in such types of endgames, which constallations to strive for and which to avoid. I prefer the look of White's position too because the Black king appears more exposed. But is it? He has the move so can he force the issues? In endings the keys are:

  1. Activity of pieces
  2. Use your king - Centralisation
  3. Look to create two weaknesses
  4. A little knowledge goes a long way
I will discuss these points as we go along but I will just comment on the two weaknesses. If you have as here play on both sides of the board it makes the defence much more difficult. You have strength with the a-pawn and you are attacking the h-pawn. If you can create a passed pawn on both sides of the board you will have created two weaknesses for your opponent to cope with.

39... Rc1+ 40. Kf2 Rf8+?

ACTIVITY OF PIECES. Rf8+ appears to meet this aim but Nf3 helps White too. Let us play something else instead

40... Rc2+! the difference is the g-pawn will be attacked and the knight is still out of the game. The White king is actually as bad as the Black one and therefore Black's activity is probably enough compensation for the pawn in these lines. 41. Ke3

  1. 41. Kg1 Rc1+ 42. Kf2 Rc2+=
  2. 41. Kf3 Rf8+ (41... Bc4? looks aggressive but only helps White to activate his position 42. Rg5+ Kf7 43. Ra7+ Ke6 44. Ke3 Rxg2 45. Nf3+/-)
  3. 42. Ke3 Rc3+ 43. Ke4 d5+ 44. Kd4 Rc4+ 45. Kd3 Re4=+
41... Re8+ 42. Kd3
42. Kd4 Rd2+ just to kick the king a square away from the centre before taking on g2 43. Kc3 Rxg2 44. Rxh5 (44. Rg5+ the check actually activates Black's king 44... Kf7=) 44... Ree2)
42... Rxg2 43. Rxh5 Rxg3+=

41. Nf3

Correct.

41... Bc4 42. Rg5+ Kf7 43. Rf5+ Kg8 44. Rg5+ Kf7

A bit time preasure involved.

45. Rxd6 Ke7 46. Rc6 Rf1+ 47. Ke3 Bg8 48. Rxh5

Maybe Ra6 would have been better to protect the a3 pawn. What about Rg7+? 48. Rg7+ Bf7 49. Ng5 Kd7 50. Rh6 Kc8 51. Nxf7 R8xf7 52. Rxf7 Rxf7 53. Rxh5 Clearly winning. Well I say that but a LITTLE BIT OF KNOWLEDGE GOES A LONG WAY. You see knowing what types of position to look for in endings is key to this. Rook and Pawn against Rook is not always won in fact quite often it only draws. Even a Rook and two pawns against rook can sometimes draw but it does usually win. It is difficult for me to go through every variation here but an examination of a good book on endings will certainly improve your knowledge. I used to refer to Practical Chess Endings by Keres but there are a lot of other good books out there.

48... Ra8 49. Rc3?

Active move? No I don't think so but maybe necessary. Anything better? Well: 49. Re5+!? gives Black a chance to go wrong 49... Kf8

49... Kd8 50. Rd6+ Kc7 (50... Kc8? 51. Re8+) 51. Rd3 now maybe you have to defend 51... Ra1 52. Rc5+ Kb6 53. Rcc3)
50. Rec5 Ke7 (50... Rxa3+?? 51. Ke2! Rb1 52. Rc8+ Kf7 53. R5c7+ and the bishop drops) 51. Rc3

49... Ra1 50. Re5+ Kd6 51. Rd3+ Kc7 52. Rc5+ Kb6 53. Rcc3

Oh look didn't we have this in the variation above?

53... Re8+ 54. Kf4

Good CENTRALISATION OF KING

54... Ra2 55. Rd2?

Active? Are you certain you are better with a rook swop? Anything better? 55. Rd6+! Although not all variations lead to mate. Your resulting position in the last two lines give more activity than you get from swopping a pair of rooks I think. Another point is endings with rooks are that for the defending side it is better to swop a pair of rooks it makes draws more common to swop. 55... Ka7

  1. 55... Ka5?? 56. Rc5+ Ka4 57. Ra6+ Kb3 58.Nd4+ Kb2 59. Rb6+ Ka1 60. Rc1#
  2. 55... Kb5?? 56. Nd4+ Ka5 57. Rc5+ Ka4 58. Ra6#
  3. 55... Kb7 56. Rd7+ Kb6 (56... Ka6? 57. Rc6+ Kb5 58. Nd4+ Ka4 59. Ra7#) 57. Nd4 with more activity.
56. Rd7+ Kb6 57. Nd4 with more activity.

55... Rxd2 56. Nxd2 Re2 57. Ne4 Rxg2

I now refer you back to a previous note. You should know what type of position you are looking for now. Rook and two pawns against rook should win so swapping the minor pieces will be OK after making sure your rook and King remain active. However be careful if the Black king gets active and you lose the a-pawn the bishop may give itself up for the g pawn and Rook and Knight against Rook is drawn in most positions

58.g4 Bd5 59. Nf6 Rf2+ 60. Kg5

Ke5 is a little better but not much

60... Bf7 61. Ne4 Re2 62. Kf5 Bg8 63. Nf6 Bf7 64. Rg3

Usually this idea is correct as another rule in rook and pawn endings is get your rook behind the pawn not in front. However you have just given the Black king more space and Black starts to get more active again. I think the ending is probably drawn after this, but: 64. Nd7+ is better, using the king as an attacking piece 64... Kb5 the most active square 65. Kf6 chasing the bishop away gaining tempo 65... Rf2+ 66. Ke7 now the bishop has to move 66... Ba2 67. g5+/-

64... Kc6

64... Kc5 is better, getting closer to the centre and the a-pawn.

65. g5 Rf2+ 66. Ke5 Re2+ 67. Kf4 Bg6

Black is defending well, his best try is to keep the minor pieces on the board and to blockade the pawns.

68. Ng4

The threat is Ne5+

68... Kd6?

But 68... Re4+! would have been embarrassing 69. Kf3 Kc5 70. Nf6 Ra4 71. Ke2 and your king is nicely deactivated.

69. Rb3 Re4+ 70. Kf3 70... Bf5?

Black should leave the bishop on g6

71. Nh6

71. Bh7 is a better try

71... Re5??

71... Bh7 keeps the bishop on and makes the win more difficult.

72. Nxf5+

72. Nf7+! wins faster. Correct

72... Rxf5+ 73. Kg4 Rf8 74. Kh5 Ke6 75. a4 Kf5

But now things are clear anyway.

76. Rf3+ 1-0

A very interesting game and many learning points. Although your initial attack was not sound due to the position of your rooks you fought back well in the game. If you bear in mind the points I raised on endings and get a solid endings book to help your study I think you will improve your end game very quickly. Remember active play is your friend and passive play your enemy. Well Done and Thank You for allowing me to review the game.

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