Friday 10 May 2013

Solutions for strategic exercises - Part 1/2

While presenting the solutions for the strategic exercises that was published a couple of days ago I will try to go with a principle of simplicity.
However the position which you can see on the first diagram demands a very deep analysis.
I will leave some points where the  curious reader can go further by themselves and publish the solution in the two parts.
The second part will contain the solution for the position on this diagram. 
The first part are the solution on subjects, weaknesses and prophylactic thinking.


Weaknesses...


IM Bejtovic Jasmin E2406 - Tari Aryan E2293
Copenhagen Chess Challenge 2013

I played against young Norwegian player who is in the moment of writing these lines already on the same Elo as me.
Anyway, his opening was not so impressive, and I found the good way to exploit it.

9. b4!

This is the right move.
I managed to fix his structure on the queen side, to make a good place for my bishop on b2, and the most important to make an outpost square on a5. This is the most weak square in the Black position, and if my knight goes there I will put a lot of pressure on his bishop on b7 and weak square c6.

9...0-0
10. Nb3

We can stop here and conclude that White is slightly better.



IM Bejtovic Jasmin E2406 - Bank Pelle E2246
Sondex Cup 2013

In this example we can see how easy everything can go wrong if one side is playing with the right and deep plan, and other side is playing natural, "I am doing nothing" moves.
The real weakness is d6, but do not forget b6 square and b7 pawn.

23. Ra4!

My idea is to put my rook on b6 as from there it will attack the both weaknesses, his b7 and d6 pawns.
Later on I can bring my bishop on a3 and knight on e4. He did not reacted well, and the game went...

23...Rc8
24. Ba3, Ke7
25. Rb4, Rc7
26. Rb6

White is clearly better, I would dare to say that my position is already winning at this point.
In the position on the diagram, I was only slightly better. Black made no obvious mistakes and is close to losing, only four moves later. 


Prophylactic thinking...


IM Bejtovic Jasmin 2406 - IM Bromann Thorbjorn 2369
Sondex Cup 2013

The positions on the next two diagrams are from the same game. I have a very pleasant advantage, almost winning.
Before I start to work with his weaknesses on the king side, by putting one more attacking piece around his king with h4-h5 I need to prevent him doing his defencive idea of Qe7-Nd7-Nf8.

35. a4?!

Before my operations on the king side, I decided to close the queen side (just to prevent some counterplay there).
The right move was:

35. Qg5!

In order to prevent 25...Qe7. It will lose now because of mate on f8.
Anyway, I will just push my h-pawn to h5, put my rook on f6 and everything is over.
Black has no counterplay.


Some moves later, a very similar situation.
I did some progress with my h pawn, and closing the queen side.
On the other hand, he is only one move from deliberating Nf8.
Prophylactic thinking is needed again!
This time the whole idea is a bit more complex.

38. Qg5?!

I made mistake again, and even later in the endgame I had some good chances but ruined them all.
The right move was:

38. Qh6!

This is already very hard to see.

38...Nf8
39. Ng5!

Attacking the new weakness on f7.
As the checks on the e-file gives nothing, the best chance for Black is to play for a fortress.

39...Rd8
40. Rf7, Qxf7
41. Nxf7, Kxf7


My feeling is that this position can not be a fortress.
It really looks that everything is protected and that Black can only move his king, but I can put my pawn on g5 and check him on f6. In that scenario I would win the seventh rank and put my queen on c7.
In that case it will not be possible to play Nd7 as the pawn on d6 would fall.
I am sure that Black can put more resistance on this plan, but somehow I do not believe in the fortress here.
This position demands further analysis.
This is why I think that the second position is much harder to solve then the first. It is not easy to make decision if this position is fortress or not.

To be continued...

9 comments:

  1. IM Bejtovic Jasmin E2406 - Tari Aryan E2293

    this game I would like to lay a comment
    I have a feeling that black in this position is very likely to neutralise white, calling long acting (night a5?) threat. Feels like black has nothing to worry about in this position,every piece in blacks position feels like it sits on a good field,black will probably opened the centre and make some threat he self,the pawn on b4 feels a bit optimistic and can be a special chapter

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  2. I guess that's why the conclusion is "white is slightly better"!

    ReplyDelete
  3. "white is slightly better" sounds more like a "cliche"

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  4. Black has to choose his way to play in the center. If he plays e6-e5 then he has a hole on f5. On d5, White can play e4-e5, so c7-c5 is the most logical and natural break.
    In that case I do not think that knight on d7 is good placed.
    The game continuation proved me right.
    Black also needs to complete his developement, so assesment is correct. White is sligtly better.

    ReplyDelete
  5. No I understand that this is much about ideas,not about concrete variations,but then it feels like black position is underestimated,after c5 break then?
    the knight can come back in action or I believe it can have its purpose on d7 as long as other heavy pecies prove them. I still hold on blacks side,that black can play very easy moves like Qb6 and take the rooks into play.
    I cannot see anything concrete from whites side,feels like in a couple of moves that whites "weakness b4" is coming into the light.
    It feels for me that this position is much more complex played by white than black.

    ReplyDelete
  6. If you mean, c5 direct, then I assume that I would take that pawn. After taking back with a pawn (only reasonable, or you want to question that as well :-) ? ) I can exchange on b5 and play Rb1. Do not forget that Black has to castle at some point. It can cost a vital tempo.
    For a details of my play, you can simply find the game in a database, with digression that I should move my e (not a) knight to c6 with advantage (later on in the game).

    ReplyDelete
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