By Andrew Martin

Chess books, as you know, fall on us like snowflakes out of a wintry sky. One which helped me recently and which I enjoyed very much is THE CHESS EXAM by IM Igor Khemelnitsky. On the face of it, the format is a simple one. The reader is asked to solve 100 multiple choice test positions and at the end of the course will receive an estimate of his or her rating. But the positions are brilliantly chosen, double-checked by Alex Yermolinsky to ensure the highest quality analysis, and very clearly explained so that even battered old IM’s like me can learn something. In fact, I reckon I put 5–10 points on my ELO rating by carefully studying this book! So I can strongly recommend THE CHESS EXAM from my own personal experience! Igor is a great coach!               

Going on to this month’s game from the 4NCL, Khemelnitsky’s book was the only one that I had with me that rainy weekend in Birmingham. I had to warm up for the following epic encounter by trying to solve ten or so positions from the book. Igor would probably have had a heart attack after the opening moves; however I managed to put the combinative training to good use later on.

J Shaw (2433) – A Martin (2433) [B00]

4NCL, 2004

1.e4 b6!?

Why not? In actual fact the move-order Black adopts is rather cunning. He’s aiming for a Hippopotamus system but by playing ...b6 and ...Bb7 first he is trying to talk White out of aggressive systems involving f2-f4 and/or Be3, Qd2.

2.d4 Bb7 3.Nc3 e6 4.Nf3 d6 5.Bd3 Nd7 6.0–0 g6 7.a4!

IS THERE A THREAT?

John Shaw is a methodical, logical, classical player and he usually goes for a nagging edge with White rather than the quick attack. I underestimated 7.a4 and immediately made a bad move.

7...Bg7?

Of course 7...a6 is forced. I know that now.

8.a5 bxa5

Horrible. The more I looked at 8...Ne7 9.a6 Bc8 the less I liked it: 10.Bg5 (Also very nice for White is 10.Bf4 0–0 11.Qd2 e5 12.Bh6! exd4 13.Bxg7 Kxg7 14.Nxd4 Ne5 15.f4 Nxd3 16.Qxd3) 10...h6 11.Be3 0–0 12.Qd2 Kh7 13.Rfe1. The problem is that Black has no good pawn breaks in the center, let alone the usual Modern idea of attacking and dismantling the center as and when necessary. I looked but I did not see.

9.Be3 Ngf6 10.Nd2!

I’m not sure how big White’s advantage is here. It’s in between substantial and life threatening I think, and so I had to find some way to play on – at the same time keeping some chances. I soon reconciled myself to the ultimate loss of the a7-pawn; after that it was easier.

10...0–0 11.Nb3 c6

The alternatives leave Black with nothing to do. At least in the game White has choices to make, it’s still murky and he could go wrong. Both 11...Rb8 12.Rxa5 and 11...Qb8 12.Rxa5 were unappetizing for Black.

12.Nxa5

BLACK’S POSITION IS GRIM

12…Qc7 13.f4!

These positions are so difficult to play because one is making original judgments on virtually every move. For instance, should White take on b7 or not and then just play against the a-pawn? For Shaw, maybe that was the best approach although 13.f4 cannot be wrong; indeed it looks as though Black may be mated via Qe1–h4 etc. Where is his counterplay coming from? Another promising plan was 13.Ra2 Rfb8 14.Qf3 Bc8 15.Rfa1 with a clear advantage for White.

13...Rab8 14.Qe2 Ba8

The first glimmer of light appears at the end of the tunnel.

15.Nb3 c5 16.dxc5 dxc5 17.Ra2

White is still playing very well and very logically too. He seems to have a total grip. I knew that playing passively would be useless and cast my eye over the position for an unusual idea.

17...Rb4 18.Nd2 Qb8

The first stage is to get the big pieces out of exposed positions.

19.Nc4 Nd5!

SOME GOOD OLD CHAOS!

For better or worse. At least Black is going down in flames. This came as a surprise to John Shaw. Chugging along without complications was no longer an option.

20.exd5 exd5 21.Nxd5

Black is fighting after both 21.Ne5 Nxe5 22.fxe5 d4 23.Bd2 dxc3 24.Bxc3 Bd5! which is, I would say, unclear, and 21.Rfa1 dxc4 22.Bxc4 Nb6!.

21...Bxd5 22.b3 Re8

Now I was very happy. The game seemed to have utterly changed. Suddenly White had to make a massive mental readjustment from attack to defense. Furthermore, in this inspired frame of mind I had spotted an excellent combination.

23.Qd2 Bxc4 24.Bxc4 Rxc4!!

Based on White’s awkward pieces. I think the idea works:

25.Qxd7

25.bxc4 Rxe3 transposes.

25...Rxe3! 26.bxc4 Bd4 27.Kh1 Qxf4!

HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?

Shaw was visibly upset, and who wouldn’t be? The point is that he can’t play 28.Rg1 due to 28...Be5. The Queen and the Rook on a2 are very remote indeed.

28.Raa1 Bxa1 29.Rxa1 Qxc4 30.Qxa7 Qxc2

Some care is required in the endgame but it must be an easy win.

31.Rf1 Qc4 32.Qa8+ Kg7 33.Qa1+ Qd4 34.Qa7 Qf6 35.Kg1 Qe7 36.Qa1+ f6 37.h3 Re2 38.Kh1 Qe5 39.Qa7+ Kh6 40.Qf7 Re1 41.Rxe1 Qxe1+ 42.Kh2 Qe5+ 43.g3 Qe2+ 44.Kg1 Qd1+ 45.Kf2 Qd4+ 46.Kf3 c4 47.g4

For one horrible moment (Yes, panic sets in when you are easily winning and the opponent gets even the slightest chance.) I thought I had been mated e.g. 47.Qf8+ Kh5?? (A candidate for blunder of the year.) 48.g4+ Kg5 49.h4+ Kxh4 50.Qh6 mate. Fortunately I then calmed down when I remembered 47…Kg5!, a move I had seen some time ago.

47...Qd3+ 48.Kg2 Kg5 49.Qf8 Qe2+ 50.Kg3 Qe3+ 51.Kg2 c3 52.Qc8 Kh4 53.Qc7 Qxh3+ 54.Kf2 Kxg4, 0-1.

I will play 1...b6 again and this time with an early ...a6, to set White a little “chess exam” of my own! And while we are here what about 1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Nc3 (3.Bd3) 3…a6!?. It’s bound to gain time on the clock and the idea is the same e.g . ...d6, ...Nd7 and only then ...g6, ...Bg7, ...Ne7, etc. Total bullshit yes, but very difficult to play against. Isn’t that what it’s all about?