selected games

It is a constant chore to find ideas to play against the Grunfeld so probably just keeping up is quite a task for Grunfelders as well

White did well this week

Here is my favorite game

Can-Sindarov

Grunfeld Exchange 7.Qa4+

26th Abu Dhabi Masters rd6

Position 1

After 20.Bf1(Diagram)

White has a passer but Black has the knight in an ideal blockade position

What do you recommend for Black?

After 20.Bf1

Position 2

After 23..Qf5(Diagram)

Black has made some progress on the queenside while White is not making any progress with his blockaded passer

What do you recommend for White?

After 23..Qf5

Position 3

After 28..Qf6(Diagram)

Black remains quite focused on maintaining the blockade and has created a couple of passers himself. The plan is push, push and push some more

What do you recommend for White?

After 28..Qf5

The latest issue of TWIC is now available

selected games features the Hell International 2019(NOR) where GM Bence,K(HUN) won with 8/10

Turova-Korpa,B

Semi-Tarrasch(D41)

Hell International 2019 rd8.2

After 34.Kh2(Diagram)

White is about to push the d-pawn to increase the range of the Bb3 and generate enough counterplay to compensate for the passive Rg1

What do you recommend for Black?

After 34.Kh2

I did the hanging pawns part of Chapter 1 this morning

Monster Planning Vol 1-Exercise 30

The solution did not answer all my questions and I made a change to the evaluation method/format to help myself a bit more when working with the book positions.

Vragoteris-Mourelatos

Queen’s Indian 4.e3

Thessaloniki 2017

After 17..Rfd8(Diagram)

After 17..Rfd8

The book offers three plans where you pick the best and get points for your selection. The exercise requirements have been modified here

(A) Make a systematic evaluation:
Consideration of the following should allow you to identify
(1)What is your worst piece?
(2)What are your opponent’s weaknesses?
(3)What is your opponent’s immediate threat? This could be a tactical blow or a strategic idea
.
The following can be considered(write N/A if not applicable)
King safety-
Structure(weaknesses)-
Minor piece matchup-
Lines(files/diagonals/ranks)-
Squares-outposts,weak squares, weak color complexes-
Worst piece-
Enemy ideas/threats-
Development differential-
Other-
***
(B)Do you know any classical games that could give you a hint?
***
(C)Preliminary Plan or Candidate moves-Make an intuitive guess
****
(D)List analyze and evaluate a maximum of three plans and make a recommendation.
Plan A:
Plan B:
Plan C:
(ONLY NOW check the Grivas options and the recommended solution)
*****

My Solution: Exercise 30
Make a systematic evaluation:
Consideration of the following should allow you to identify
(1)What is your worst piece?
(2)What are your opponent’s weaknesses?
(3)What is your opponent’s immediate threat? This could be a tactical blow or a strategic idea
.
The following can be considered(write N/A if not applicable)
King safety-Both kings are safeStructure(weaknesses)-the a3-pawn is a counterplay target and the d4-pawn is under attack

Minor piece matchup-N/A The Bb7 seems passive as the Nc6 blocks the a8-h1 diagonal (as well as the c-file for the Rc8)

Lines(files/diagonals/ranks)-Black can use his rooks to press the hanging pawns but this does not seem like a major factor

Squares-outposts,weak squares, weak color complexes-Black has no structural weaknesses. The Qf4 could be vulnerable is some lines but seems to have enough room as ..Qh6 is always possible

Worst piece-There is congestion on the d-file making rook support of the d-pawn poor due to too many intervening pieces being on the file(Bd3/Nd2)

Enemy ideas/threats-Taking the d-pawn:
– ..Na5 to unmask the Bb7 and press c4. There might be ..Bxf3 ideas at some point.
-Another idea might be ..Nb8-d7 and if needed ..Nf8 to reinforce the kingside.
-..b5 sacrificing a pawn to gain the d5-outpost

Development differential-N/A

Other-The Qf4 is well placed, pressing the d-pawn and the kingside(especially Nf3 should Nc6 move to unmask Bb7). If White tries for a kingside attack, the queen can drop back to ..Qh6 to cover the queenside or sit on top of Kg1 with ..Qg4 for possible counterthreats
***
Do you know any classical games that could give you a hint?
There are many games with d4-d5 as a dynamic break but I cannot cite a precise game with ..Qf4
***
Preliminary Plan or Candidate moves-Make an intuitive guess
18.Qe3 slightly improving the queen to challenge the active Qf4. White should not be afraid of endings after ..Qxe3 as the d4 pawn would be reinforced.
***
List analyze and evaluate a maximum of three plans and make a recommendation.
Plan A: 18.Qe3
Plan B: 18.Nf1 intending Ng3 or Ne3 to unblock the d-file
Plan C: 18.d4-d5 seem unlikely to work as ..Qh6 is possible but is concrete and should be checked
If there is enough time 18.a4 to stop ..b5 ideas can be considered but this idea would be better served with a rook on a1

I recommend Plan A but my analysis overall was not so great

I started to work with Monster Planning Vol1 a few days ago

and soon hopefully Vol2

Chapter one Pawn Concepts

Backward Pawns

Exercise 19 features a well known Botvinnik game

Botvinnik-Sorokin

Queens Gambit 

Moscow 1931

After 19..e5(Diagram)

First evaluate the position:

Mine was

“King safety-(I forgot to write something but this did not seem to be an issue)
Structure(weaknesses)-none really
Minor piece matchup-N/A
Lines(files/diagonals/ranks)-The d-file is key but White cannot immediately infiltrate
Squares-outposts,weak squares, weak color complexes-The central outpost d5 is key but is adequately defended. Consider a4-a5 to drive off Nb6 but for now this is not possible
Worst piece-N/A but the Qc5 is Black’s best piece
Enemy ideas/threats-nothing serious, only to complete development with ..Bd7-c6 or ..Bg4xNxf3 to relieve the pressure on e5
Activity-White is fully developed and is more active but for now cannot make immediate progress as there are no obvious weaknesses to attack
Development differential-Black is three tempii behind in development
Other-The Qc5 is quite active and controls key queenside dark squares and prevents the desirable a4-a5 space grab which whould drive back the Nb6 and fix the queenside pawns on light squares. The queen also has the uneconomic burden of defending the e5-pawn.”

I forgot to make a conclusion-White should act quickly otherwise Black will catch up in development and likely trade rooks to relieve the pressure

I prefer a more systematic way of evaluating a position before coming up with a plan. I had a mini-checklist in mind but then I forgot to complete my thoughts

Grivas presents his shorter evaluation in simple paragraph form with no clear checklist

After 19..e5

Second recommend a plan.

Grivas lets you choose from Plan A,B and C but before peeking, come up with your own plan and justification. The Monster method gives you 50 points for the best plan and less for the others

The solution suggests itself in about 2 seconds as the game is well known and repeated in many books, however, when I checked the game there were some details which I had not considered previously or when I thought of the plan

The Grivas Method covers the Botvinnik-Sorokin game on page 47. Oddly enough, The Grivas Method does not discuss pawn structure much except for Backward Pawns(p13)

The latest issue of TWIC is now available

selected games

Puranik-Erdos,V

Two Knights Defence

52nd Biel Master Open Rd9

After 19..Qc7(Diagram)

Black has advanced his kingside pawns with clear aggressive intentions. The knights are hovering over Kg1

What do you recommend for White?

After 19..Qc7

Here is a nice combination

Papp-Ankert

Bundesliga 2017 Rd11

After 21..h5(Diagram)

White has a nice attacking position but the Bb3 is passive and the Be5 is blocking the e-file

What do you recommend for White?

After 21..h5

WGM Papp,Petra(HUN)

WGM Papp,Petra is available for coaching. You can reach her on FB

Lots of chess around the corner in Budapest

Open

U1700-Starting rank

GM-Starting rank list of players

IM Start List

Round 4

Rank after Round 4

Now available from New in Chess

and many others of course

The Sicilian Taimanov(Pavlidis,Quality Chess 2019)

A very nice book in the never ending series of must have books from Quality Chess

Time to get busy

Chapter 22 7.Qf3 Queen Lift/Transfer Line

7.Qf3 ch22 after 18..Nf4(Diagram)

White has three main choices

I took a quick look at the end positions. All I can safely conclude is that this a too much for a normal person to check, keep up with and remember. I will stick with the Caro-Kann for now, unless someone advises me otherwise.

After 18..Nf4

After 37..Kb7(Diagram)

This is the end position of one of the three main lines

Black is a pawn up but the b-pawn will fall soon.

After 37..Kb7