[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.07.03"]
[Round "?"]
[White "JETS Camp Puzzles"]
[Black "Puzzle 1"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Illingworth,Max"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "5r1k/5ppB/5q2/8/8/8/2Q5/4K2R w K - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "0"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
{For this blog post I'll go through some of the more interesting positions I
covered at the recent Junior Elite Training Squad (JETS) Camp in Adelaide.
I'll start with the easiest ones and finish with some tricky puzzles. First of
all, how does White win in this position?} *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.07.03"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Solution to"]
[Black "Puzzle 1"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Illingworth,Max"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "5r1k/5ppB/5q2/8/8/8/2Q5/4K2R w K - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "5"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
{For this blog post I'll go through some of the more interesting positions I
covered at the recent Junior Elite Training Squad (JETS) Camp in Adelaide.
I'll start with the easiest ones and finish with some tricky puzzles. First of
all, how does White win in this position?} 1. Bg8+ Qh6 (1... Kxg8 2. Qh7#) 2.
Rxh6+ gxh6 (2... Kxg8 3. Qh7#) 3. Qh7# *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.07.03"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Preventing Checkmate"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Illingworth,Max"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "1qr3k1/5p1p/6p1/p2pPP2/2pP4/P1P5/1P1Q2PP/6K1 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "1"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
{I also covered the importance of looking at what the opponent is doing, and
seeing what new threats they may have before making your next move. After} 1.
f6 {What would you play here as Black?} *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.07.03"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Preventing Checkmate"]
[Black "Solution to Puzzle"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Illingworth,Max"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "1qr3k1/5p1p/6p1/p2pPP2/2pP4/P1P5/1P1Q2PP/6K1 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "4"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
{I also covered the importance of looking at what the opponent is doing, and
seeing what new threats they may have before making your next move. After} 1.
f6 {What would you play here as Black?} Rc6 (1... Kh8 2. Qh6 Rg8) 2. Qh6 Qf8 *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.07.03"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Meeting a Threat"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "C70"]
[Annotator "Illingworth,Max"]
[PlyCount "10"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
{Another thing I covered (with more than one of the groups) was that you don't
always have to meet the opponent's threats defensively - sometimes you can
meet their threat with a threat of your own. After the sequence} 1. e4 e5 2.
Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 b5 5. Bb3 Nf6 {, how would you meet Black's threat of
6...Nxe4?} *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.07.03"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Meeting a Threat"]
[Black "Solution to Puzzle"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "C77"]
[Annotator "Illingworth,Max"]
[PlyCount "21"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
{Another thing I covered (with more than one of the groups) was that you don't
always have to meet the opponent's threats defensively - sometimes you can
meet their threat with a threat of your own. After the sequence} 1. e4 e5 2.
Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 b5 5. Bb3 Nf6 {, how would you meet Black's threat of
6...Nxe4?} 6. d4 {This is the key move, after which White's central
superiority gives him an advantage in all variations.} (6. Ng5 d5 7. exd5 Nd4)
(6. d3) (6. O-O) 6... exd4 (6... Nxe4 7. dxe5 Nc5 8. Bd5) 7. e5 Ng4 (7... Ne4
8. Bd5 Nc5 9. Nxd4) 8. O-O Ngxe5 (8... Be7 9. Re1 O-O 10. h3) 9. Nxe5 Nxe5 10.
Re1 d6 11. f4 *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.07.03"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Rook Endgame Trick"]
[Black "Puzzle"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Illingworth,Max"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "R7/P4k2/5p2/3K1P2/8/8/8/r7 w - - 0 2"]
[PlyCount "0"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
{I also showed one of my groups this position, where they quickly saw the
winning continuation for White. Can you spot it too?} *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.07.03"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Rook Endgame Trick"]
[Black "Solution"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Illingworth,Max"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "R7/P4k2/5p2/3K1P2/8/8/8/r7 w - - 0 2"]
[PlyCount "5"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
{I also showed one of my groups this position, where they quickly saw the
winning continuation for White. Can you spot it too?} 2. Rh8 Rxa7 (2... Ra5+ 3.
Kc6 Ra6+ 4. Kb5 Rxa7 5. Rh7+) 3. Rh7+ Ke8 4. Rxa7 *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.07.07"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Rook Endgames Cont."]
[Black "Puzzle"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Illingworth,Max"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "R7/P4k2/8/5P2/7K/8/8/r7 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "0"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
{Now let's test your skills and see if you can find the way White would win
this position?} *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.07.07"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Rook Endgames Cont."]
[Black "Solution"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Illingworth,Max"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "R7/P4k2/8/5P2/7K/8/8/r7 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "7"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
{Now let's test your skills and see if you can find the way White would win
this position?} 1. f6 (1. Rh8 Rh1+ 2. Kg3 Rxh8) (1. Kg5) 1... Rh1+ 2. Kg3 Rg1+
3. Kf2 Ra1 4. Rh8 *
[Event "FIDE World Rapid 2014"]
[Site "Dubai UAE"]
[Date "2014.06.18"]
[Round "12.1"]
[White "Carlsen, M."]
[Black "Anand, V."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D10"]
[WhiteElo "2881"]
[BlackElo "2785"]
[Annotator "Illingworth,Max"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "6k1/8/3Bp3/3p2N1/p2P2P1/4P3/1r6/3K4 w - - 0 34"]
[PlyCount "0"]
[EventDate "2014.06.16"]
[EventType "rapid"]
[EventRounds "15"]
[EventCountry "UAE"]
[Source "Mark Crowther"]
[SourceDate "2014.06.23"]
{I went through this game with a couple of my groups, and the question is:
would 34.Nxe6 be a good move here? What would be Black's best reply?} 0-1
[Event "FIDE World Rapid 2014"]
[Site "Dubai UAE"]
[Date "2014.06.18"]
[Round "12.1"]
[White "Carlsen, M."]
[Black "Anand, V."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D10"]
[WhiteElo "2881"]
[BlackElo "2785"]
[Annotator "Illingworth,Max"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "6k1/8/3Bp3/3p2N1/p2P2P1/4P3/1r6/3K4 w - - 0 34"]
[PlyCount "4"]
[EventDate "2014.06.16"]
[EventType "rapid"]
[EventRounds "15"]
[EventCountry "UAE"]
[Source "Mark Crowther"]
[SourceDate "2014.06.23"]
{I went through this game with a couple of my groups, and the question is:
would 34.Nxe6 be a good move here? What would be Black's best reply?} 34. Nxe6
(34. Bc5) (34. Nf3) (34. e4) 34... Rb6 35. Ba3 (35. Nc5 a3 36. Na4 Rxd6 (36...
a2 37. Nxb6 a1=Q+)) 35... Rxe6 0-1
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.07.02"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Legall's Mate"]
[Black "Puzzle"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "C50"]
[Annotator "Illingworth,Max"]
[PlyCount "9"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
{I also looked at well known opening traps in a different light, as the
following example will show.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Bg4 4. Nc3 Nc6 (4... h6
5. Nxe5 Bxd1 6. Bxf7+ Ke7 7. Nd5# {is the well known Legall's Mate.}) 5. h3 {
The question is: would it be safe for Black to play 5...Bh5?} (5. Nxe5 {now
fails to} Nxe5 {and the g4-bishop is protected!}) *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.07.02"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Legall's Mate"]
[Black "Solution"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "C50"]
[Annotator "Illingworth,Max"]
[PlyCount "17"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
{I also looked at well known opening traps in a different light, as the
following example will show.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Bg4 4. Nc3 Nc6 (4... h6
5. Nxe5 Bxd1 6. Bxf7+ Ke7 7. Nd5# {is the well known Legall's Mate.}) 5. h3 {
The question is: would it be safe for Black to play 5...Bh5?} (5. Nxe5 {now
fails to} Nxe5 {and the g4-bishop is protected!}) 5... Bh5 (5... Bxf3 6. Qxf3
Nf6 (6... Nd4 7. Qxf7#)) (5... Bd7) 6. Nxe5 Nxe5 (6... Bxd1 7. Bxf7+ Ke7 8.
Nd5#) (6... dxe5 7. Qxh5) 7. Qxh5 Nxc4 8. Qb5+ c6 9. Qxc4 *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.07.02"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pawn Ending"]
[Black "Puzzle"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Illingworth,Max"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "5k2/8/8/8/1P6/8/8/3K4 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "0"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
{I tested the fourth group's mastery of King and Pawn Endgames by giving them
this one. How would White win from this position?} *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.07.02"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pawn Ending"]
[Black "Solution"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Illingworth,Max"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "5k2/8/8/8/1P6/8/8/3K4 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "21"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
{I tested the fourth group's mastery of King and Pawn Endgames by giving them
this one. How would White win from this position?} 1. Kc2 (1. b5 Ke7 2. b6 Kd6
3. b7 Kc7 4. b8=Q+ Kxb8) (1. Kd2 Ke7 2. Kd3 Kd6 3. Kd4 Kc6 4. Kc4 Kb6 5. b5 Kb7
6. Kc5 Kc7 7. b6+ Kb7 8. Kb5 Kb8 9. Kc6 Kc8 10. b7+ Kb8 11. Kb6) 1... Ke7 2.
Kb3 Kd6 3. Ka4 (3. Kc4 Kc6 4. Kd4 Kb5 5. Kc3 Kb6) 3... Kc6 4. Ka5 Kb7 (4... Kc7
5. Ka6 Kc6 (5... Kc8 6. Ka7) 6. b5+ Kc7 7. Ka7) 5. Kb5 Ka7 (5... Kc7 6. Ka6 Kb8
7. Kb6 Ka8 8. b5) 6. Kc6 Kb8 (6... Ka8 7. Kb6 (7. b5 Ka7 8. b6+ (8. Kc7) 8...
Ka8 9. b7+ (9. Kc7) 9... Kb8) 7... Kb8 8. b5 Ka8 9. Kc7 Ka7 10. b6+ Ka8 11. b7+
) 7. Kb6 Ka8 (7... Kc8 8. Ka7) 8. b5 Kb8 9. Ka6 (9. Kc6 Ka7 10. Kc7 (10. b6+
Ka8) 10... Ka8 11. Kb6 Kb8 12. Ka6) 9... Ka8 (9... Kc7 10. Ka7 Kd7 11. b6) 10.
b6 Kb8 11. b7 *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.07.02"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Lead in Development"]
[Black "Puzzle"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "C50"]
[Annotator "Illingworth,Max"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "rq2k1nr/1ppbbpp1/p1np3p/4p3/2B1P3/2NPBN1P/PPP2PP1/R2Q1RK1 w kq - 0 9"]
[PlyCount "0"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
{I also examined how to punish bad opening play, including how to take
advantage of a lead in development, as White has here. Indeed, what course of
action would you take here (White to move)?} *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.07.02"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Lead in Development"]
[Black "Solution"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "C50"]
[Annotator "Illingworth,Max"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "rq2k1nr/1ppbbpp1/p1np3p/4p3/2B1P3/2NPBN1P/PPP2PP1/R2Q1RK1 w kq - 0 9"]
[PlyCount "11"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
{I also examined how to punish bad opening play, including how to take
advantage of a lead in development, as White has here. Indeed, what course of
action would you take here (White to move)?} 9. d4 $1 {It is very important to
open the position when you are ahead in development, so that your pieces can
become as active as possible and to give your major pieces open files to
attack Black's uncastled king down, before he can castle to safety.} Nf6 (9...
exd4 10. Nxd4) 10. dxe5 dxe5 11. Nd5 Qd8 12. Nxf6+ Bxf6 13. Qd3 O-O 14. Rad1 {
White has turned his lead in development into an initative (threats against
the opponent's position that can't be ignored).} *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.07.03"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Greek Gift Sacrifice"]
[Black "Puzzle"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Illingworth,Max"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "rnbq1rk1/pp2bppp/3ppn2/8/3PP3/2NB1N2/PP3PPP/R1BQK2R w KQ - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "6"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
{I introduced the 'Greek Gift' sacrifice as an example of one way to attack
the opponent's king.} 1. Bf4 d5 2. e5 Nfd7 3. h4 {With this move, White is
setting up an attack on Black's king.} (3. O-O) 3... Nc6 {In this position,
would the Greek Gift sacrifice 4.Bxh7 work for White?} *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.07.03"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Greek Gift Sacrifice"]
[Black "Solution"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Illingworth,Max"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "rnbq1rk1/pp2bppp/3ppn2/8/3PP3/2NB1N2/PP3PPP/R1BQK2R w KQ - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "17"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
{I introduced the 'Greek Gift' sacrifice as an example of one way to attack
the opponent's king.} 1. Bf4 d5 2. e5 Nfd7 3. h4 {With this move, White is
setting up an attack on Black's king.} (3. O-O) 3... Nc6 {In this position,
would the Greek Gift sacrifice 4.Bxh7 work for White?} 4. Bxh7+ Kxh7 (4... Kh8
5. Bc2 (5. Ng5)) 5. Ng5+ Kg8 (5... Kh6 6. Nxe6+ Kh7 7. Nxd8) (5... Kg6 6. h5+
Kf5 7. g4+ Kxf4 8. Nh3#) 6. Qh5 Bxg5 (6... Nf6 7. exf6 Bxf6 8. Qh7#) (6... Re8
7. Qh7+ Kf8 8. Qh8#) 7. hxg5 f5 (7... f6 8. g6) (7... Re8 8. Qh8#) 8. g6 Re8 9.
Qh8# *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.07.02"]
[Round "?"]
[White "English Attack"]
[Black "Flexibility in the Opening"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "B76"]
[Annotator "Illingworth,Max"]
[PlyCount "17"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
{I also warned my groups of the dangers of playing the same first 7-10 moves
in the opening regardless of what the opponent plays, and advised a flexible
approach in the opening phase, that considers what the opponent is doing as
well. As an example, I showed how the English Attack setup works well against
the Dragon, but fails against the fast development embodying the Four Knights
system.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 (2... e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 (5. e5 {
loses a pawn to} Qa5+ 6. Nc3 Qxe5+ {.}) 5... Nc6 6. Be3 {The English Attack
setup does not work here, because after} Bb4 7. f3 d5 {Black has already
generated threats in the centre, and White does not have time to play g4-g5 or
Qd2/0-0-0.}) 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 {Against the Dragon Sicilian,
the English Attack setup (Be3/Qd2/f3/0-0-0 and often g4 to follow) works well.}
6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. O-O-O {Now White is almost ready to
exchange Black's defending g7-bishop with a later Bh6, and thereby set up a
kingside attack with h4-h5 to follow, for instance.} *
[Event "Vienna"]
[Site "Vienna"]
[Date "1859.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Hamppe, Carl"]
[Black "Steinitz, William"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C29"]
[Annotator "Illingworth,Max"]
[PlyCount "46"]
[EventDate "1859.??.??"]
[EventCountry "AUT"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1998.11.10"]
{I went through the following game with one of my groups to illustrate how to
attack an uncastled king, and how important it is to open the centre quickly
(in this case with a sacrifice) when the opponent's king is in the centre and
they lack development. Other than that, enjoy the array of sacrifices and
blows!} 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5 4. exd5 Nxd5 5. fxe5 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Qh4+ 7.
Ke2 Bg4+ 8. Nf3 Nc6 9. d4 O-O-O 10. Bd2 Bxf3+ (10... Nxd4+ 11. cxd4 Rxd4 12.
Qe1) (10... Nxe5 11. dxe5 Bc5 12. Qe1 Bxf3+ 13. gxf3 Qc4+ 14. Kd1 Qxc3) 11.
gxf3 Nxe5 12. dxe5 (12. Qe1) 12... Bc5 13. Qe1 Qc4+ 14. Kd1 Qxc3 15. Rb1 Qxf3+
16. Qe2 Rxd2+ 17. Kxd2 Rd8+ 18. Kc1 Ba3+ 19. Rb2 Qc3 20. Bh3+ Kb8 21. Qb5 Qd2+
22. Kb1 Qd1+ 23. Rxd1 Rxd1# 0-1
[Event "Linares 14th"]
[Site "Linares"]
[Date "1997.02.15"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Shirov, Alexei"]
[Black "Kasparov, Garry"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B90"]
[WhiteElo "2690"]
[BlackElo "2795"]
[Annotator "Illingworth,Max"]
[PlyCount "76"]
[EventDate "1997.02.04"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "ESP"]
[EventCategory "18"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1997.04.01"]
{I used this game with the second group to show why, when one side is weak on
one colour complex, the decisive blow often takes place on the other colour
complex (24...e5!) - because the opponent has to place their pieces to defend
against threats on the weak colour complex, leaving the other colour complex
vulnerable to attacks. Therefore, a weakness on one colour complex is really a
weakness on both colour complexes.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6
5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 Ng4 7. Bg5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Bg3 Bg7 10. Be2 h5 11. Bxg4 Bxg4
12. f3 Bd7 13. O-O Nc6 14. Bf2 e6 15. Nce2 Ne5 16. b3 g4 17. f4 h4 18. Be3 h3
19. g3 Nc6 20. Qd3 O-O 21. Rad1 f5 22. c4 Qa5 23. Nc3 Rae8 24. Rfe1 e5 25. Nxc6
Bxc6 26. b4 Qa3 27. b5 exf4 28. Bxf4 axb5 29. cxb5 Qc5+ 30. Be3 Qxc3 31. bxc6
Qxc6 32. Qxd6 Qxe4 33. Qd5+ Qxd5 34. Rxd5 Bc3 35. Re2 Re4 36. Kf2 Rfe8 37. Rd3
Bf6 38. Red2 Rxe3 0-1
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.07.03"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Exploiting Pawns on"]
[Black "Half open Files (Keep Rooks O"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Illingworth,Max"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r1r2k2/p4ppp/2p5/4p3/4P3/4KP2/PP4PP/2R1R3 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "0"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
{I went through a range of things in depth with the top group, so I'll just
point out on the relatively simpler general principles I pointed out to the
top group - that when the opponent has an isolated or backward pawn on a
half-open file, you should keep the rooks on the board as then it is a lot
easier to attack their weak pawn (e.g. with Rc5 and Rec1 here) and the
opponent's rooks will have to go passive (...Rc7 and ...Rac8) to defend it.} *
