A NEW MOVE IN THE KGA BISHOP's GAMBIT

Eintalu Jüri - Uibos Andre 1 - 0

It seems that my move 4. Ne2 has not been played earlier.

Formally, the present game was correspondence chess, using the site lichess.org. 

We agreed not to use computer analysis during the game.

However, actually, we used this website to play a caffee chess, having an option to do other things as well during the game. Officially, one day per move, but actually we played 3 days only.

In fact, I did not use the external chessboard and only rarely looked upon the diagram.

Some mistakes are due to the trolleybus and a small screen of the mobile phone.

This game turned out to be very interesting to my mind.

For the computer analysis with my comments, see the following site:

http://lichess.org/QIwWQ0Ys"


Below, I am trying to shortly comment on this game. 

     1.   e2-e4         e7-e5    
     2.   f2-f4         e5xf4    
     3.  Bf1-c4    

King's Gambit, Accepted, Bishop's Gambit.

     3...             Bf8-e7   

  

   
     4.  Ng1-e2!?        Be7-h4?!+    

The right move is 4... d5! and White has difficulties. For example:

4. exd5? Bh4+ 5 g3? (Else, what was the idea of 4. Ne2 instead of the usual 4. Nf3.) 5... Bg4!! and Black wins; 

4. Bxd5 and now: 

4... Bh4+!? is probably the best, but these variations are sharp and highly complicated; 

4... c6 5. Bc4 b5 6. Bb3 Bh4+ 7. g3 fxg3 8. 0-0 and probably White survives with an exact play.


     5.   g2-g3         f4xg3    
     6.   h2xg3        Bh4-f6    
     7.   d2-d4         d7-d5    
     8.  Bc4xd5        Ng8-e7    
     9.  Bd5-b3        Ne7-c6    
    10.   c2-c3        Bc8-g4    
    11.     O-O           O-O  

   
Here, White should have been played 12. Qd3, letting the square e3 free for one's queen (in case of Black's move Ne5 here or later). For example, 12...Na5?! 13. Bc2.

But White wanted to secure the pawn d4...

    12.  Bc1-e3?!        Nc6-a5!  

 Now, 13. Bc2 Nc4 14. Bc1 Bg5 did not seem to be good for White.
  
    13.  Qd1-d3        Na5xb3    
    14.   a2xb3        Nb8-c6   

 
    15.  Nb1-d2?

White is suffocating one's undefended queen on the square d3 — while that Queen is the only defender of the knight on the square e2.

It was better to play 15. Nf4, defending the queen d3 and removing the attacked knight e2.


15...        Nc6-e5!    
16.  Qd3-b5         a7-a6    
17.  Qb5xb7        Bg4xe2    
18.   d4xe5?

 Better was 18. Rf2.
 

18...        Bf6xe5?!

Stronger was 18...Bg5!

    19.  Rf1-f2        Qd8-d3    
    20.  Nd2-c4        Ra8-b8    
    21.  Qb7-a7!

21...        Be5xc3?!

21...f6 was sufficiently good. After 22. Nxe5 fxe5 White's bishop e3 does not have good places d4 or f4, while Black has opened the f-file for one's rook on f8.

I was prepared to analyse the continuation 21...f6 22. Qxa6 Bh5.
    
    22.   b2xc3        Rb8xb3    
    23.  Ra1-e1        Rb3xc3    
    24.  Rf2xe2        Qd3xc4    
    25.  Be3-f2

Now, White has a good position.

25...        Qc4-c6    
26.  Re2-a2        Rf8-a8    
27.  Qa7-d4        Qc6-c4    
28.  Re1-d1        Qc4xd4    
29.  Rd1xd4         c7-c5?

 Here or later, Black had to make a move f7-f6 or h7-h6...

    30.  Ra2xa6!        Ra8-c8    
    31.  Rd4-d7        Rc3-c1+   
    32.  Kg1-g2         c5-c4   

 
    33.  Ra6-c6

In a practical game, it is much safer than the attack on the 7-th rank 33. Raa7.


 33...       Rc8-e8    
 34.  Rd7-c7         h7-h6    
 35.  Rc6xc4        Rc1xc4    
 36.  Rc7xc4     

 

Black resigns

            1-0

HAAG-MOSKVA 1948 VIKIPEEDIAS LÕPETATUD - ja ka PDF ning DJVU

1948. aasta male maailmameistrivõistlustele

pühendatud artikkel Vikipeedias on minu poolt nüüd lõpetatud. Selle artikli, mida teised autorid saavad edaspidi muuta või täiendada, Vikipeedia aadress on siin:

Haag-Moskva 1948 Vikipeedias

Selle artikli minu praegune ja nähtavasti olemuslikult viimane versioon on minu poolt korralikult küljendatud PDF failina siin:

Haag-Moskva 1948 PDF (Eintalu J)

DJVU fail on siin:

Haag-Moskva 1948 DJVU (Eintalu J.)

See artikkel räägib sellest, kuidas Paul Keres aastatel 1938 - 1948 male maailmameistriks ei saanud.

Kerese diskrimineerimisele peale teist maailmasõda on pööratud tähelepanu.

Muuhulgas käsitletakse Euwe ja Alehhini tüli ja seda, kuidas Euwe Alehhinile kätte maksis ja kuidas Euwe üheks päevaks maailmameistriks kuulutati, aga Euwe turniiriraamatus 1948 kuulutati Euwe Botvinnikule eelnenud maailmameistriks ning Alehhin pildilt kõrvaldati.

Samuti on käsitletud Botvinniku 1991. a. ilmunud intervjuud (mis kauaks tähelepanu alt välja oli jäänud), milles Botvinnik tunnistas Stalini plaanist, et Keres peab Alehhinile kaotama tahtlikult, et Botvinnikust saaks maailmameister.

Populaarne teooria väidab, et 1948 turniiril kaotas Keres Botvinnikule 4 partiid järjest sunnitult ja tahtlikult, nende viimases kohtumises viimases voorus aga kaotas juba maailmameistriks tulnud Botvinnik Keresele tahtlikult.

Selle teooria analüüs andis üllatavad tulemused. Kolmandale kohale konkureerisid Reshevsky ja Keres. Botvinnik kaotas Keresele veel enne, kui Euwe oli kaotanud Reshevskyle. Seetõttu võiks pigem arvata, et Euwe kaotas Reshevskyle tahtlikult.

Esitatud on viimase vooru mänguteoreetiline analüüs. Kolmandale kohale konkureerinud Keres ja Reshevsky ei mänginud omavahel. Nad mängisid vastastega, kelle koht edetabelis oli juba selgunud. NSVL esindajad mängisid omavahel ja lääne esindajad mängisid omavahel.

Kui eeldada koalitsioone "NSVL" ja "LÄÄS", saame tulemuse, et strateegiad "Botvinnik kaotab" ja "Euwe kaotab" on domineerivad strateegiad ning strateegiatepaar "Botvinnik ja Euwe mõlemad kaotavad" on Nashi tasakaal.

Seega juhul, kui viimaseks vooruks moodustati riiklikke või ideoloogilisi maletajate koalitsioone, oli vooru lõpptulemus - Botvinnik ja Euwe mõlemad kaotavad - mänguteooria ennustus ja soovitus.

Minu artiklis on esitatud ka tähtsamate sündmuste kronoloogia ning tähtsama kirjanduse ülevaade.

PAUL KERES WARTIME TOURNAMENTS 1942–44

1941 July — 1944 October Estonia was occupied by Germany.

Right before and after that, Estonia was occupied by the Soviet Union, and then, Paul Keres participated in the chess events of the USSR.

However, in the years 1942–1943, Keres participated in Germany's chess events — in Germany and in the countries occupied by Germany. Also, he participated in one chess tournament in Spain. 

(I am skipping here some tournaments and matches kept in Estonia, Finlandia and Sweden.)

In most of these tournaments, Keres met the world champion Alekhine. Usually, Alekhine won the first prize, and Keres won the second prize. Only once, they tied to the I–II place.

In 1941, Alekhine had criticized jews and Max Euwe. This was one of the main reasons why the ex-champion of the world Euwe avoided these tournaments.

SALZBURG 1942  Alekhine — I,  Keres — II

MUNICH 1942  Alekhine — I,  Keres — II

PRAGUE 1943  Alekhine — I,  Keres — II

POZNAN 1943  Keres — I

SALZBURG 1943  Alekhine & Keres — I–II

MADRID 1943  Keres — I

After the II WW, the world champion Alekhine was generally despised and repulsed. He had criticized the communists already before the war and at the wartimes too. In 1941, he had made several anti-Jewish statements. 

Alekhine died on 24. March 1946 in Portugal. But perhaps he was murdered.

In turn, at the wartimes, Keres kept a low profile.

Simultaneous exhibition.

Poznan 1943

According to Soltis (Soviet Chess 1917–1991), in the Soviet Union as well, at the wartimes strong chessplayers were giving simultaneous exhibitions to the militants, in the hospitals, etc.

Nevertheless, after the II WW, Paul Keres was in serious trouble in the Soviet Union. His participation in the chess tournaments of 1942–1943 was why he was suspected of being a nazi, a fascist and so on.

After Keres had won the AVRO tournament, he was regarded as the first contender for the world champion's title. But he never made it. Keres was probably repulsed by the soviets.

As late as in 1966, Keres wrote in his book 100 Games (in Russian) that at the wartimes 

"... the circumstances forced me to play chess."

HAAG-MOSKVA 1948 VIIMASE VOORU DÜNAAMIKA

HAGUE-MOSCOW 1948 LAST ROUND - COALITIONS

Siin on eeldatud koalitsioone NSVL ja LÄÄS

Eelduseks on, et viimases voorus konkureerisid kolmandale kohale Keres ja Reshevsky, kes aga kumbki mängisid selles voorus omaenda leeri ehk koalitsiooni maletajate vastu. Seejuures nendel vastastel omaenda leerist - Botvinnikul ja Euwel - polnud kummalgi turniiri edetabelis enam midagi võita ega kaotada.

Teiseks eelduseks on, et kui kokkuleppeviigi abil saab oma leerile kinkida puhta kolmanda koha, siis pole kokkuleppekaotust vaja või seda välditakse.

Ülal tabeleis on heaolu (ingl k: utility) punkte jagatud järgnevalt:

III koht - 1 heaolu punkt (väga hea)

III - IV koht - 0.5 heaolu punkti (pooleldi rahul)

IV koht - 0 heaolu punkti (täiesti pettunud)

Turniiri seis enne viimast vooru:

	PUNKTE	MÄNGIDA
Botvinnik (NSVL)	14	Keres - Botvinnik
Smõslov (NSVL)	11	VABA
Keres (NSVL)	9.5	Keres - Botvinnik
Reshevsky (USA)	9.5	Reshevsky - Euwe
Euwe (Holland)	4	Reshevsky - Euwe
Haag-Moskva 1948 turniiriseis enne viimast vooru

Partiide tulemused:

Keres - Botvinnik 1 - 0

Reshevsky - Euwe 1 - 0


Keres võitis oma selle turniiri ainsa partii Botvinniku vastu (pärast nelja järjestikust kaotust Botvinnikule).

Kerese partii lõppes enne kui Reshevsky partii.

Pärast Kerese võitu oli Reshevskyl vaja võita, et vähemalt kolmandat kohta jagama tulla.

Partiide tulemused on kooskõlas mänguteooria ennustusega, kui eeldada, et varjatult toimus võistlus kahe koalitsiooni vahel, nimelt NSVL ja Lääs võistkonna vahel.

Nimelt on võistkondlik strateegia (mänguteooria terminoloogias) "Botvinnik kaotab" nõrgalt domineeriv strateegia.
Samuti on strateegia "Euwe kaotab" nõrgalt domineeriv strateegia.
Ja strateegiate paar

{Botvinnik kaotab; Euwe kaotab}

on nn Nashi tasakaal. 

Teadmata kindlalt ette, milliseks kujuneb mängu tulemus kõrvallaual, on NSVL koalitsioonil ratsionaalne lasta Botvinnikul kaotada ja Lääne koalitsioonil on ratsionaalne lasta Euwel kaotada. 

Seega mänguteoreetiline analüüs annab maleajaloolastele tugeva vihje, et 1948. aasta MM turniiri viimases voorus võis tegu olla kokkuleppekaotustega. 

HAAG-MOSKVA 1948 TURNIIR EESTIKEELSES VIKIPEEDIAS

https://et.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haag-Moskva_1948

Minu poolt 01.-07. juunil 2015 kirjutatud artikkel eestikeelses Vikipeedias "1948. aasta male maailmameistrivõistlused" käsitleb teemat, kuidas nõukogude võim tegi Mihhail Botvinnikust maailmameistri ja tõrjus kõrvale Paul Kerese.

- Täiendatud ja täpsustatud 10. juunil (kirjandusviited).

Haag-Moskva turniiri on peetud maleajaloo üheks kõige räpasemaks maailmameistrivõistluseks.

Inglise keeles on termin the Botvinnik-Keres controversy või -case.

See minu artikkel on PDF failina siit loetav:

HAAG-MOSKVA 1945 (Eintalu J 2015)

See artikkel on 95% minu kirjutatud.
Täiendasin ja täpsustasin 10. juunil (kirjandusviited).

Hiljem saavad teised autorid Vikipeedias seda muuta või sellele juurde kirjutada.
Näiteks parandusi teha, ajalugu kustutada, ajalugu ümber teha, vigu parandada, uusi peatükke lisada.

Keegi ei olnud seal sellel teemal kirjutanud, aga kaks tundi pärast seda, kui ma alustasin, taheti seda juba ära kustutada ja seejärel ilmusid juba välja kaasautorid, kes lisasid tabeleid, postmarke, linke ja sissejuhatavaid lauseid.

Tänud neile, aga tegelikult ei saa sedasi kirjutada, kui keegi teine sinu teadmata samal ajal teksti muudab. Ja Vikipeedia server läkski sassi selle peale.

HAGUE - MOSCOW 1948 PGN

HAGUE-MOSCOW 1948 PGN

KERES - 100 GAMES PGN

Paul Keres — 100 Games

Moscow 1966

In Russian

Includes his best chess games 1929–1964.

I composed a PGN collection for that book:

Keres 100 Games PGN

THREE PAWNS GAMBIT

Eintalu — Asmus 1-0 (blitz 10 min)

[Event "Blitz 10 min"]
[Site "Tallinn"]
[Date "2015-05-19"]
[White "Eintalu Jüri"]
[Black "Asmus Andres"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Opening "KGA: Cunningham defence, three pawns gambit"]
[ECO "C35"]

 1. e2-e4 e7-e5 
 2. f2-f4 e5xf4 
 3. Bf1-c4 Bf8-e7 
 4. Ng1-f3 Be7-h4+ 
 5. g2-g3

5. Kf1 ECO

 5...         f4xg3 
 6. O-O g3xh2+

6... d5!  7. Bxd5 Nf6 ECO Krejcik — Schlechter, Wien 1915

7. Kg1-h1 Bh4-g3

7... d5 8. Bxd5 Nf6

8. Bc4xf7+ 

8. Qe2 d5 9. exd5+ Ne7 10. Ng5 

8... Ke8xf7 

8... Kf8 9. Bb3 

9. Nf3-e5+

9. Ng5+ Ke8 10. d4 d5 11. e5 Ne7 12. Nf7 Qd7 13. Nxh8 Qh3  

9... Kf7-e8 10. Qd1-h5+ g7-g6 11. Qh5-f3 

11. Nxg6 Nf6

 11... Qd8-e7?  

11... Qf6!  12. Nf7 Qxf3+ 13. Rxf3 d5!  

12. Qf3xg3 = Ng8-f6 
13. Nb1-c3

13. Nf3 !?

13... d7-d6 

14. d2-d4 

14. Nf3 Nh5 =

14... d6xe5 

15. d4xe5?  

15. Rxf6!  Qxf6 16. Bg5 Qg7 17. Bh6 =

15... Nf6-g4?

15... Nh5 !  16. Qxh2 c6!

16. Nc3-d5

16...Qe7-d7 ?? 

16... Qxe5!  17. Nxc7+ Kd8!  18. Qxe5 Nxe5 19. Nxa8 Bh3 20. Bg5+ +/=

17. e5-e6!  Qd7-c6

17... Qe7

18. Nd5xc7+ Ke8-e7 
19. Rf1-f7+ Ke7-d8 
20. Bc1-g5+ Ng4-f6 
21. Bg5xf6#

TOGA - EINTALU a draw

I cannot win that machine. Besides, I am not so strong player. This machine demands to be strong in all stages of the game, at all positions.

[FEN "r4rk1/pp2n1bp/2pq2p1/3pnbB1/3N1P2/2N5/PPPQ2PP/R3RBK1 b - f3 0 15"]

Black has had difficulties with one's Knight on e7. This Knight was pinned and potentially under attack. Black had no good places to one's Queen, unless after g2-g4 Black returns with one's Bishop to c8.
Thus, Black had played d6-d5 and Qd8-d6. Then, the retreat Bf5-d7 is possible.
However, Black seems to lose the piece on e7 at the present moment because White has played f2-f4.
Fortunately, White's King is open now, and Black can escape:

15... Ne5-d3!

This position seems to be normal for Black. The open e-file has been neutralized. White's Pawn d3 is a weakness.

Somewhere here, I planned to play g6-g5-g4 and Rf5-f3.
However, after g5-g4 White can perhaps play Ne2-f4 Ne6xf4 g3xf4 Rf5xf4 e5-e6 and then, if Black moves the Rook from f4, a check Qe3-g5+ follows.
Somewhere, the manoeuvre g6-g5-g4 seemed to be possible, but I decided not to take risks.
I had less than 10 minutes left.

White plays so exactly that this move h5-h4 is not a real threat to such a machine.

White's last move h2-h3 seems to defend everything.

I almost lost this position. Having only a few minutes left, it is difficult to play such an endgame.

EINTALU - ASMUS 1.5-1.5

If I have a bad caprice, then Andres feels more confident, he is not afraid of me and plays nicely.

3. game: Eintalu - Asmus 1-0

This was my only win. The game was not so strong, however.

[Event "quick game"]

[Site "Tallinn"]

[Date "2015-05-11"]

[Round "3"]

[White "Eintalu Jüri"]

[Black "Asmus Andres"]

[Result "1-0"]

[Opening "Ruy Lopez: classical (Cordel) defence"]

[ECO "C64"]

     1.   e2-e4         e7-e5      

     2.  Ng1-f3        Nb8-c6      

     3.  Bf1-b5        Bf8-c5      

     4.  Nf3xe5      

4. c3 ECO

     4...             Nc6xe5      

     5.   d2-d4        Bc5-d6      

5... c6!

     6.   d4xe5        Bd6xe5      

     7.     O-O        Ng8-f6? 

7... c6!  =

     8.   f2-f4      +/-

     8...             Be5-d6      

     9.  Nb1-c3    ?!

9. e5!  Bc5+ 10. Kh1 Ne4?  11. Qe2 

     9...             Bd6-c5+     

    10.  Kg1-h1         c7-c6    ?!

10... a6 

    11.  Bb5-c4    ?!

11. e5!  cxb5 12. exf6 O-O 13. fxg7 Re8 14. Nd5 +/-

    11...                O-O    ?!

11... d5!  12. exd5 O-O 13. dxc6 bxc6 14. Qxd8 Rxd8 15. Na4!  Be7 16. f5 +/=

    12.   e4-e5!   

    12...            Nf6-g4    ??

This move loses the game. Black had to proceed 12... d5!  

For example: 13. exf6 dxc4 14. Qh5 Bb4 15. fxg7 Re8 16. f5 +/=

    13.  Qd1xg4         d7-d5      

    14.   f4-f5!  +/-

Obviously, Black did not see that move.

    14...              d5xc4      

14... Qc7 15. Bf4 !? dxc4 16. Ne4 Bd4 17. Nf6+ Kh8 18. Nxh7 Kxh7 19. Qh5+ Kg8 20. f6 +/-

    15.  Bc1-h6         g7-g6      

    16.  Qg4xc4      

16. e6!  

    16...             Qd8-e7? 

16... Qd4 

    17.   f5xg6      

17. Ne4!  

    17...              h7xg6      

17... Be6 18. gxh7+ Kxh7 19. Qf4 Rg8 20. Ne4 

    18.  Nc3-e4        Bc5-b6   

       19.  Bh6xf8? 

19. Nf6+ Kh8 20. Qh4 won immediately.

    19...             Kg8xf8      

    20.  Ne4-d6    ?!

20. Nf6! 

    20...             Bc8-e6      

    21.  Qc4-f4        Bb6-c7    ! 

    22.  Qf4-h6+   ?!

22. Rad1 +-

    22...             Kf8-g8      

    23.  Rf1-f4    ?!

23. Ne4 Bxe5 24. Ng5 Bf5 

    23...             Bc7xd6? 

23... Qf8 

    24.   e5xd6        

    24...            Qe7xd6    ??

24... Qf8 

    25.  Rf4-h4        Qd6-e5      

    26.  Qh6-h7+       Kg8-f8      

    27.  Qh7-h8+       Qe5xh8      

    28.  Rh4xh8+       Kf8-e7      

    29.  Rh8xa8      

            1-0

Thus, even my winning game was weak.

1. game: Eintalu - Asmus 1/2-1/2

KLICK HERE TO SEE THE BOARD IN A NEW WINDOW

[FEN "r4rk1/1p2bppp/4n3/1qP1p3/1P1pP2P/3P2PB/3BQ1K1/R4R2 w - - 0 1"]

This is an interesting position.

While White was thinking his next move, Andres philosophized about the contest for the open file. Neither player wants to give up the open a-file. Therefore, neither player wants to be the first to leave with one's rook the a-file or exchange it.

I answered that this situation can also be used to seduce the opponent's rook away from the kingside to start an attack on the kingside.

     1.  Ra1xa8    ?!

Here, the truth about the open a-file contest was that Black's Rook on f8 was overladen because it had to defend both the Rook on a8 and the pawn on f7. The right continuation was

1. Rxf7!  Rxa1 2. Rxe7 Nd8 3. Qh5!  +/- threatening with 4. Bf5.

     1...             Rf8xa8      

     2.  Rf1xf7    ??

White decided to prove that it is possible to play against Andres with a missing rook. Better was

2. Bxe6 fxe6 3. Qg4 Qd7 4. h5 Ra2 5. Rf2 +/=

     2...             Kg8xf7      

     3.  Qe2-h5+        g7-g6      

     4.  Qh5xe5      

Not 4. Bxe6+ Kxe6 5. Qxh7 Qe8 or 4. Qxh7+ Ng7 5. Bh6 Bf6.

     4...             Ne6-g7    ??

4... Qd7!  -+

     5.  Qe5-d5+? 

After Black's major mistake at the last move, White had a draw here:

5. Bh6 !! Bf6 6. Qd5+ Kf8 7. Qd6+ =

     5...             Kf7-f8      

     6.  Qd5xd4        Ra8-d8! 

     7.  Qd4-f2+       Kf8-g8      -+

The remaining part of the game is boring, and it demonstrates only how one can sometimes construct all kinds of traps even if the opponent has an extra rook.
And here I said:
"After making the rook sacrifice, White's position is excellent, but only that White's pieces have bad positions."

     8.   d3-d4        Qb5-d3! 

     9.  Bd2-e3        Qd3xe4+     

    10.  Kg2-h2        Rd8-f8      

    11.  Qf2-e1        Rf8-f3      

    12.  Be3-f2        Qe4xe1      

    13.  Bf2xe1        Ng7-f5      

    14.   d4-d5        Rf3-d3      

    15.   d5-d6        Be7-f6      

    16.  Bh3-g2         b7-b6      

    17.   h4-h5        Bf6-e5      

    18.   h5xg6         h7xg6      

    19.  Bg2-e4        Rd3-e3      

    20.   d6-d7        Be5-c7      

20... Re2+!  21. Kh3 Bc7 

    21.  Be4-d5+       Kg8-f8      

    22.   c5xb6        Bc7xb6      

    23.  Be1-f2        Re3-e2      

    24.  Kh2-g1        Re2xf2    ??

24... Bxf2+ 25. Kf1 Nxg3+ 26. Kg2 Ke7 

    25.   d7-d8=Q+     Bb6xd8      

    26.  Kg1xf2      

Now, Black has only an extra piece. Suddenly, Black offered a draw.
Andres did not want to use the chess clocks. But the present game had been painfully lengthy, and we had wasted more than an hour in the coffee. Andres wanted to play some more games. But perhaps he did not remember, how to give checkmate with the Bishop and a Knight — probably White will eventually sacrifice its Bishop for the Black's g-pawn.

Anyway, he was right that I could resist one more hour. As a last resort, one can always check whether the opponent remembers how to checkmate with a King + Bishop + Knight against the King. At least, in the coffee chess.

        1/2-1/2

2. game: Asmus - Eintalu 1-0

KLICK HERE TO SEE THE BOARD IN A NEW WINDOW

[FEN "4rr1k/p2q2bp/1p3np1/2ppB1N1/5P2/2P5/PPQ3PP/4RRK1 w - - 0 1"]

White has a slightly better position.

     1.  Qc2-f2 

Perhaps, stronger was
1. f5 Rxe5 ?! 2. Rxe5 Ne4 3. Rxd5!  Qxd5 4. Qxe4 Qxe4 5. Nxe4 gxf5 6. Nd6 or, better,
1... gxf5 2. Rxf5 Kg8 3. Rf1 Ne4!  4. Rxf8+ Kxf8!

     1...             Kh8-g8    

1... Ne4! 

     2.  Qf2-h4         h7-h6      
     3.  Ng5-f3        Nf6-e4    

3... Ng4

     4.  Be5xg7    

4. c4 g5

     4...             Qd7xg7    

4... Kxg7 

     5.  Nf3-e5      

    5...        g6-g5    !?

5... Kh7 =
Unfortunately, White successfully avoided the traps.

     6.  Qh4-h5         g5xf4    

6... Kh7 7. fxg5 Nxg5

     7.  Ne5-g6!

7. Rxf4 ?? Rxe5 8. Rxf8+ Qxf8 9. Qxe5 ?? Qf2+ 10. Kh1 Qxe1 #

7. Ng4 Qg5 8. Nxh6+ Kg7 9. Qxg5+ Nxg5 10. Ng4 =

     7...              f4-f3    ??

7... Rf7 8. Nxf4 Re5 =
As it follows, White avoids all the traps.

     8.  Qh5xd5+  

8. Rxf3?  Rxf3 9. gxf3 Kh7 10. fxe4 Rxe4 

     8...             Qg7-f7    

8... Kh7 ?? 9. Nxf8+ Rxf8 10. Qxe4+ 

8... Rf7 ?? 9. Rxe4 Rxe4 10. Qxe4

     9.  Qd5xf7+  

9. Rxf3  Qxd5 10. Rxf8+ Kg7!  11. Rxe8 Kxg6 12. R8xe4 +/=

     9...             Rf8xf7    

Unfortunately, Black had miscalculated the combination beginning with 7... f3? It was not possible to proceed 9... Kf7 as it was earlier planned:
9... Kxf7?  10. Nxf8 f2+ 11. Rxf2+ Nxf2 12. Rxe8 Kxe8 13. Kxf2 Kxf8 14. Kf3 +-

    10.   g2xf3?

10. Rxf3!  +/-

    10...             Rf7-g7      
    11.   f3xe4        Rg7xg6+     
    12.  Kg1-f2      +/=

After making a wrong combination, in which White did not fall into the traps, Black has some chances to draw the rook endgame with a missing pawn.

Finally, the endgame K + R + P against K + R was on the board, with Black's King on the right place - on White's queening square.

Then, Black suddenly was able to lose that classical "Philidor position".
White's Pawn was on the c-file, making it more difficult to defend after a mistake had been made.

Philidor Position

1... Rg1-g6! makes an easy draw

Neither was Black able to see the variations nor remember the endgame theory - the "6. rank defence". It is meaningless to give checks from the 1. rank, because White's King can hide behind the Pawn c5, suddenly threatening to give checkmate on the 8. rank. Black has to keep one's Rook on the 6. rank, on the longer side, to deter White's King from striking forward. If White moves the Pawn on c6, Black has to immediately move one's Rook on the 1. rank to give the checks. Then, White's King cannot hide behind the Pawn anymore.

Otherwise, this rook ending belongs to higher mathematics. See:

Nunn, J. Secrets of Rook Endings (1999), pp 209-220.

CLICK HERE TO SEE ABOUT THE PHILIDOR POSITION

SUMMARY

In the 1. game, 1. Rxa8?! Rxa8 2. Rxf7?? was a major mistake. But after 1. Rxf7! White had a strong attack. This game also illustrates how one can naturally arrive in the situation when one is forced to know how to checkmate with a bishop and a knight.

In the 2. game, the classical Philidor position was finally on the board. It demonstrates both how one can naturally arrive at such a position from a complicated rook endgame, and how important it is to remember the ideas introduced by Philidor in 1777. 

In the 3. game, after 12... Ng4?? 13. Qxg4 d5 Black won the piece back, but White used the time factor to attack the King: 14. f5! dxc4 15. Bh6 with a winning position.

EINTALU - ASMUS 3-0

The second game of our match was a classical tactic:

[FEN "rn1q1rk1/pbp2ppp/1p1pp3/3nP3/3P4/2PB1N2/P1P1QPPP/R1B2RK1 w - - 0 1"]

In the first game, the following position was on the board:

[FEN "2r2rk1/ppq1ppbp/5np1/2n5/8/1PN2Q2/PBPN2PP/2KR3R w - - 0 1"]

Black has an extra pawn and a pressure on the c-line. The best move for White was 1. Kb1!

Unfortunately, White decided to make some exchanges and miscalculated the variations.

[Event "free game"]
[Site "Tallinn"]
[Date "2015-05-01"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Asmus Andres"]
[Black "Eintalu Juri"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Opening "irregular"]

     1.  Nc3-d5    ??  Nf6xd5      
     2.  Bb2xg7    

Not 2. Qxd5 ?? Na4 .

     2...             Kg8xg7    

2... Nxb3+ 3. Qxb3 Kxg7 wins only a pawn.
2... Nd3+ 3. Qxd3 Nb4 4. Qe4 ! and White is still alive.
2... Nf4 !! won immediately.

     3.  Qf3xd5        Rf8-d8! 
     4.  Qd5-c4        

     4...                   Nc5-d3+! 
     5.   c2xd3    

Or 5. Kb1 Qe5 6. cxd3 Rxc4 7. Nxc4 Qd4.

     5...             Qc7-e5      
     6.  Kc1-b1        Rc8xc4      
     7.   d3xc4?

White wants to improve one's pawn structure, but now White's pieces are open to attack.
Better was 7. Nxc4 Qd4.

     7...             Qe5-e2      
     8.  Rh1-e1        Qe2xg2      
     9.  Nd2-f1        Rd8xd1+     
    10.  Re1xd1        Qg2-e2      
    11.  Rd1-c1         h7-h5 

White is in zugzwang, except the moves Kb1-a1-b1 etc.
   
    12.   a2-a4         a7-a5      
    13.   c4-c5         h5-h4 
    

            0-1

The third game was some kind of joke 

Having 2 extra pieces, Black tried not to win too quickly. This strategy nearly cost a game...

Finally, we arrived at the following position:
[FEN "r1k5/1b2b2Q/p3Pp2/3q4/P2pnP2/8/6PP/R4RK1 b - - 0 9"]

8...        Ne4-g5!?
9. Qh7-c2+!

After 9. Qh8+ Kc7 10. Rfc1+ Kd6 White loses the Queen.

9...        Be7-c5

In this last position, White's best way to lose the game was to proceed
10. Qxc5+ Qxc5 11. Rfc1 Nxe6 12. Rxc5+ Nxc5 13. Rc1 Kd7 14. Rxc5 Kd6 and Black has an extra piece, a passed pawn d4 and a King in the centre - clearly a winning position.
White, however, played

10. f4xg5        d4-d3+
11. Qc2xc5+  Qd5xc5+

check. White cannot play 12. Rfc1.

0-1