PART EIGHT
HOW I THINK (AND DON'T THINK)

By Grandmaster Rashid Ziatdinov, edited by Brad Ashlock

"A chess master should be a combination of a beast of prey and a monk." -- Alexander Alekhine.

The following are some games I played in Kostroma. Here, I want to show how many lines and thoughts pass through my mind; you will see that when it comes to detailed variations, not a lot. Keep in mind that if I do not comment on a move, it means I did not think, I just automatically moved a piece, recorded the move, and hit the clock.      
                           
For the most part, my calculations are done by hand, at a subconscious level -- I am not even aware of how I decided on them. Here is the funny part: you should examine the moves that you are interested in that I am not interested in. This way you can see which moves resonate with you at a subconscious level, which will then show you what kind of positions and moves you need to work on. Kasparov divides players based on what kind of problems they can solve. You need to know what positions you are best at.
              
In the following games, I did not try to make clever annotations (this is goal number one for any annotations from a Grandmaster!), instead I want to give you an honest idea about what really occurs in a master's head.

This first game was against a young lady (about 20 with a 1999 Elo). She was a blonde-haired girl, and, at the time, she had terrible blemishes on her face. I had so much pity for her.  All the time I wanted to ask, "Maybe I can help?" but she was with an old woman and a young man all the time, and I was sure they could take care of her. This is what crossed my mind!

Miss NN (1999) - Ziatdinov [D63]
Kostroma, 2004
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 0-0 6.Nf3 Nbd7 7.Rc1 a6 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Bd3 c6 10.0-0 Re8 11.a3 Nf8 12.b4 Bg4 13.Na4 Ne4 14.Bxe7 Qxe7

I noticed my threat of ...Bxf3 when Qxf3 runs into ...Nd2.

15.Be2 Rad8

I made my move immediately, but now I am thinking to attack with my Rook on the sixth (or third) rank, having no pawns for support is not a good idea at all. Philidor taught that pawns must go first and then pieces behind them. I should be patient and prepare moves with f- and g-pawns with Rooks behind them (Rooks on e- and f- or g-files).

16.Nc5 Rd6 17.Nd2 Bxe2?

I did this immediately and now I am sure it is absolutely the wrong strategy! I should keep this Bishop for attack (sacrifice it on h3 or attack g2 later). It looks so simple now and why I traded pieces, I cannot explain. Probably ...Bc8 was looking like a bad retreat, but it is not. I think it is my laziness to create threats as fast as possible.

18.Qxe2 Rh6

This move looks so ugly to me now, but I had no doubts during the game.

19.Nf3 g5?

This look so stupid! How could I have done that? My fear about white's a4-b5 paralyzed my mind.

20.Ne5 f6 21.Ned3 Qc7

Pushing forward here is the wrong strategy for making threats. I forgot about f4 completely. 

22.f4

Actually, even here I was still thinking I am better! The hypnosis of the e3-pawn covered my eyes.

22...Ng6

Even worse than the previous moves. I am still thinking I am OK!

23.g3 Qe7

I continue my happy blind walk. I was sure I am about to win a pawn. 

24.Nxe4

Here I was still far from reality. I savored my position for a few seconds, and then played ...

24...Qxe4??

24...dxe4 was the only way to survive.

25.Nf2

  Only here did I realize that my goose was cooked. Now I looked at many lines; everywhere my rook is lost. Nevertheless, I did not find ...Kg7 in some simple lines, giving up my Rook for her Knight; I just did not see it.

25...Nxf4

25...Qe7 26.Ng4 Kg7.

26.gxf4 Qxd4

I was sure Rfd1 was winning, but she quickly played ...

27.exd4? Rxe2 28.fxg5?

I became happier (if it's possible to use this word in such a position) and happier! 

28...fxg5 29.Rce1 Rhe6 30.Rxe2 Rxe2

Now I was sure that I would not lose the game. 

31.Rd1 Kg7 32.Rd3 h5 33.Kg2 Kf6 34.Kf3 Rb2 35.h3 a5

  I had many doubts about this due to 36.bxa5 Rb5 and 37.a6, and only when I found 37...b6 did I play my move.

36.bxa5 Rb5 37.Ke3

But now she is playing without any thinking at all

37...Rxa5 38.Rb3 Kf5 39.Nd3 g4 40.hxg4+ hxg4 41.Nf2

I spent time for 41...g3 and 41...c5. Probably after 41...g3 she will lose the game but I started to play against myself, not a 1900-rated girl

41...c5 42.dxc5 Rxc5 43.Kd4 Rc2

Her goal was to draw and she made one by the shortest path.

44.Nxg4 Kxg4 45.Kxd5 Ra2 46.Rxb7 Rxa3, 1/2-1/2.

Ziatdinov - Nozdrachev (2000) [B07]
Kostroma, 2004
1.e4

My opponent was a young boy about 14 years old. 

1...d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Bg5 Bg7 5.Qd2 0-0 6.Bh6 Bxh6

To "invite" the Queen to be around his King is a very dangerous idea. 

7.Qxh6 c5 8.d5 a6

There are big problems on his kingside and ...a6 is too slow a plan. To find a way to kick out the Queen should be his first priority, but the boy is "attacking" instead.

9.Nf3 b5 10.Ng5

Now his King is packed in and it is hard to find a way to help him. 

10...Qa5 11.h4 b4 12.e5

I had no doubts about this move. 

12...dxe5 13.Nce4 Nbd7

Here I spent some time. The most natural plan is to open the h-file, but killing the f6-Knight with Rh1-h3-f3 was tempting, too. I thought that both plans win, and decided to go with the more natural way (and my attack on the third rank was still a bad memory from round one).

14.h5

14.Rh3 b3+ 15.c3 Qxa2 16.Rd1 Qxb2 17.Rf3.

14...Bb7 15.hxg6 fxg6 16.Bc4

I did look at winning material by 16.Nxh7 Kf7, but (after 16.Bc4) I wanted to checkmate him with 18.e6+ Kh8 19.Qxh7+ Nxf7 20.Rxh7 mate.

  16...Rfe8, 1-0. Nothing to think about at all!

My next opponent is a man about 30.
N.N. (2000) - Ziatdinov [D00]
Kostroma, 2004
1.d4 d5 2.e3 Nf6 3.f4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bd3 0-0 6.Nbd2 c5 7.c3 b6 8.Ne5 Ba6 9.Bxa6 Nxa6 10.Qf3

I did not take this attack seriously.

10...b5 11.g4 Rc8

After the game I liked 11...e6 more. Maybe I will find a better place for the rook and, more importantly, I would have ...h5 against h4. I am still thinking his attack is not strong (for a win, of course, for a draw, it is enough) but ...h5 could stop it forever. Still, it is not important.

12.h4 b4

12...h5 13.gxh5 Nxh5 14.f5.

13.h5 bxc3 14.bxc3 cxd4 15.exd4!

White's position is better than I had thought, and now I am not happy with my Queen move. Never play with the Queen! It's a lack of patience. 

15...Qc7?!

I don't like 15...Nc7 16.f5 but 15...e6 16.hxg6 hxg6 17.f5 exf5 18.gxf5 Re8 19.fxg6 fxg6 might be best.

16.Rh3 e6 17.Ba3

     Absolutely the wrong direction, and gives black tempi to improve his Queen stranded on the bad square c7 (blocking two pieces and attacking nothing). He should have tried 17.hxg6 hxg6 (17...fxg6 is better) 18.f5 exf5 19.gxf5 Nd7 20.Nxg6 fxg6 (20...Rfe8+ 21.Kf1 Nf6 22.Ne5 Nc5 23.Ba3 Nce4 24.Nxe4 dxe4 25.Qg3) 21.Qxd5+.

17...Rfe8 18.Ke2??

18.Kf2 Qa5.

18...Qa5 19.hxg6 hxg6 20.g5

This is panic, but it should not be. His position cannot be lost with only one mistake (do not confuse mistakes with blunders). 20.Bc1 was better, but Black will greatly improve his position with ...Nc7-b5.

20...Ne4 21.Bb2 Bxe5

Sure, I had a lot of doubts about giving up this bishop, and it took a lot of time to decide on this move. 

22.fxe5 Qb5+ 23.Ke3 Qxb2 24.Nxe4 dxe4 25.Rah1 Rxc3+ 26.Kxe4 Qb7+ 27.Kf4 Rxf3+ 28.Rxf3 Rd8 29.Rd1 Nc5 30.Re3 Qb4, 0-1.

Ziatdinov (2308) - A Reshetnikov (2000) [B30]
Kostroma, 2004
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.Bxc6 bxc6 5.b3 Ne7 6.Bb2 f6

I did not prepare for this line at all, I just knew a few games that took this general direction

7.0-0

7.Nh4 d5.

7...Ng6 8.d4 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Qc7

Here I became happy and started to like my position

10.c4 Bd6

There are three moves here and it is not possible to say which is better. 

11.Kh1 a6 12.Nc3 0-0

Sure, I have to double my Rooks on the d-file, but I was too lazy to find the shortest way for that plan. 13.g3 looks suspicious, but my Queen needed a haven on e2

13.g3 Bb7 14.f4 c5 15.Nf3 f5 16.e5 Be7 17.Qe2 Nh8 18.h3 h6

I thought that he does my job by opening the g-file. 

19.Kh2 g5 20.Rad1 gxf4 21.gxf4 Kh7 22.Qd2 Rad8 23.Ne2

I knew he would not "break" his "wonderful" pawn structure by playing ...d6. Still, ...d6 was worrying me, and I was actually thinking black was better now.

23...Qc6

23...d6 24.Qe3 Ng6 25.exd6 (25.Rg1 Rg8) 25...Bxd6 26.Ne5 Bxe5 27.Bxe5 Qc6 (27...Nxe5 I only looked at this, and was hoping for the Knight on f4 28.fxe5) 28.Qf2 Nxe5 29.fxe5.

24.Bc3

I was happy and do not know why. 24...d5 looks so good for black and what does white have?

24...Ng6

Probably I was right about his love for his pawn structure, which looks strong and powerful, and love is blind. Far stronger is 24...d6 25.Ba5 Rd7 and 24...d5.

25.Ba5 Nh4 26.Neg1

This was the only position I saw when I played Qd2. It looks a little scary for White, but I saw that his Rook (which soon goes to g2) would lose material for him.

26...Rg8 27.Bxd8 Rg2+ 28.Qxg2 Nxg2 29.Bxe7 Ne3 30.Rfe1 Nxd1 31.Rxd1

He liked his pawn structure so much that even after the game he was sure he was OK here. He was a young fifteen-year-old boy and later did well in the tournament. 

31...Qc7 32.Rd2 Bc6 33.Bf6 Kg6 34.Rg2+

This move took time. Can you find how to checkmate if 34...Kh5? I was happy when I did find it; I spent a lot of time on 34...Kh5 35.Rg8 Qa5 and found nothing.

34...Kh5 35.Nh4, 1-0.

My next opponent was a nice boy from Kazanj. He was about sixteen; I always notice the ages of whom I am playing.
B Modestov (2360) - Ziatdinov (2426) [E06]
Kostroma, 2004
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 e6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.0-0 0-0 6.c4 c6 7.b3 b6 8.Nbd2 a5 9.Bb2 Bb7 10.Ne5 Nfd7 11.e4 Nxe5

He offered a draw here.

12.dxe5 d4 13.a4

I did not want a blocked position with c5; it looks solid, but is too drawish.

13...Qd7

I felt I needed a rook on d8 first. 

14.Re1 Na6 15.Bf1 d3

I could not let him block my pawn by Bd3.

16.Bc3

  I spent a lot of time on ...Bb4 and could not decide which was better, ...Nb4 or ...Bb4. With ...Nb4 at least I will get the bishop pair.

16...Nb4 17.Bxb4 Bxb4 18.Re3 Qc7 19.Nf3 d2 20.Ra2 Rfd8 21.Nxd2 Qxe5 22.Qe2

I had the feeling that I was winning -- this is, again, my lack of patience and why I made a mistake on the very next move.

22...Rd7 23.Nf3 Qh5??

I should grab the d-file and find a way to take the b3-pawn, combining it with an attack on f2, g2, h1, and/or e4. Both 23...Qc5 and 23...Qc7 made more sense.

24.Rd3 Rad8 25.Rxd7 Rxd7 26.Ra1

I did miss this, and now I have lost control over the d-file, forcing me to trade rooks, losing 3 tempi!

26...Qc5

    With 26...c5, I was sure that only White can be better after it. I needed to trade Queens to keep the initiative 27.Rd1 Rxd1 28.Qxd1 h6 29.Qd3 f6 30.Bg2 Bc6.       

27.Rd1 Rxd1 28.Qxd1 Qd6 29.Qxd6 Bxd6

I was still sure I was quite a bit better, but with Rooks and Queens it would be much easier.

30.Bd3 e5

To stop e5 and Be4.

31.Kf1 Kf8 32.Ne1 Ke7 33.Ke2 Bb4 34.Nc2 Bc3

34...Kd6 35.Nxb4 axb4 36.Ke3 Kc5 37.f4 f6 38.f5 Bc8 39.h4 Bd7 40.g4 Be8 41.Be2 Bf7 42.g5 b5 43.gxf6 gxf6 44.a5!

35.c5 bxc5 36.Bc4 Bc8 37.Ne3 g6 38.Kf3 h5 39.Kg2 f5

I do not see how to win this position: 39...Bd4 40.Bd3 Bxe3 (40...Be6 41.Nc4 Bc3) 41.fxe3 Be6 42.Bc4 Bxc4 43.bxc4 Kf6 44.Kf3 Kg5 45.h4+ Kf6 46.Kg2 g5 47.Kf3 gxh4 48.gxh4 Kg6 49.Kg3 f5 50.Kf3 Kf6 51.exf5 Kxf5 52.e4+.

40.exf5 gxf5 41.f4 Bd4 42.Nc2 Be6 43.fxe5 Bd5+ 44.Kh3 Bxe5 45.Ne1 f4? 46.Nd3 fxg3? 47.hxg3

He did not want to think at all. 47.Bxd5 cxd5 48.Nxe5 gxh2 49.Kxh2 Kd6 50.Nf7+ Kc6 51.Ne5+=.

47...Bd6 48.Kh4 Bf3

I was sure now I have chances to win. 

49.Nc1 Be5 50.Be2 Bf6+ 51.Kh3 Bd5 52.Bxh5 c4 53.bxc4 Bxc4 54.Bd1 Kd6 55.Nb3

 I did not like to go for ...Bxb3 due to his maneuver of his King to the queenside, and he was sure I would never go in for an opposite Bishops ending.

55...Bd8 56.Kg4

56.Nd2 Bd3.

56...Kd5 57.Kh5??

57.Kf3 was a must. Of course the King should go to the queenside -- there is only one reason against the kingside trip -- it is definitely lost, but Kf3 is "only" probably lost.

57...c5 58.Kg6 Bxb3 59.Bxb3+ c4 60.Bc2 Kd4 61.Kf7 Kc3 62.Bf5 Kb3 63.Ke8 Bg5 64.Be6 Kb4 65.Kd7 c3 66.Bf5 Kxa4 67.Kc6 Kb3 68.Kb5 a4, 0-1.

The final game showing my thought processes at the board is from a different tournament than the games above, but is very instructive, especially in terms of blundering at the higher levels.

Ziatdinov - Stripunsky (2629) [B42]
Atlantic Open Washington DC, 2002
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Bd3 Bc5 6.Nb3 Be7 7.0-0 d6 8.Qg4 g6

The Queen has three squares h3, g3, e2; White only has to guess through the process of elimination which square is best. I refused Qg3 due to the ...Ng8-f6-h5 maneuver.

9.Qh3 Nd7 10.Rd1

I did not decide yet about my option with the Knight on b1, and wanted to have Nb1-d2-f3-g5. Another reason for not playing Nc3 was to allow a future c2-c4. 

10...Qc7 11.Nc3

I am not sure about this move. I could not use the Knight properly on c3, maybe getting to c4 or g4 squares would be a more aggressive outpost

11...b6 12.Bf1

  Waiting for ...Nf6 or ...b5.

12...Bb7 13.Rd4

I did not want to give black tempi with Nf6.

13...h5 14.a4 g5 15.Rc4 Qd8 16.f4 g4 17.Qd3 Ngf6 18.Qe2

18.Be3 d5 19.exd5 exd5 20.Rd4 Nc5 21.Qf5.

18...Rc8 19.Rxc8

Now I do not like this move (I should not develop his queen). 19.Be3 Rxc4 20.Qxc4 g3 21.hxg3 Rg8 22.Bf2 Nxe4 23.Nxe4 d5.

19...Qxc8 20.Bd2

20.e5 dxe5 21.fxe5 Nd5 22.Nxd5 Bxd5 23.c4 Bb7 24.a5 Nc5 25.Nd2 Qd8 26.axb6 (26.b4 Qd4+) 26...Qxb6.

20...Rg8

I was sure the first 20 moves gave me some edge: he did not castle and I have a strong center. Nevertheless, I have to be patient. Re1 was a natural waiting move. Black has no real counter play, but I dreamed about his queenside and wanted to bring the second rook onto the c-file (via a3). Be1 was preparing Rd1 and to stop g3, but it did not work for both cases.

21.Be1

21.Rd1 Nxe4 22.Nxe4 Qxc2; 21.Re1 h4.

21...e5 22.f5?

I did not like this move, but I did not want him to have the e5-square. 22.g3 looks strange and risky, but I should play it: 22.g3 h4 23.Bg2 exf4 24.gxf4 g3 25.hxg3 hxg3 26.Nd4 (26.Rd1 Nc5) 26...Nc5 27.Nf5.

22...g3

I missed this move. 

23.Bxg3 Rg4 24.Nd2 Nc5 25.Bf2 Ncxe4 26.Ncxe4 Nxe4 27.Nxe4 Rxe4

My King is under attack, and his King is under threats. Still, his King is in the center and that means I can attack him from both sides (like Qh5), and it puts more pressure on him.  Finally, Stripunsky became tired from all the calculations and collapsed with a "simple" blunder. We always have to keep in mind the reasons of blunders from such strong players as GM Stripunsky.

28.Qd2 Rg4

I was sure he had more important things to do than ...Rg4. He could take the pawn on f5: 28...Qxf5 29.Bd3 Qf4 30.Qxf4 Rxf4 31.Bxb6 Rg4 32.g3 Rb4.

29.h3

Maybe this is unnecessary. 

29...Rg8 30.Bxb6 Qxf5 31.Ra3

The White Rook finds the shortest way to the Black King via a3. Two of my rooks travel with the same idea; the first rook dies in the line of duty, but the second rook has no opponent now. This kind of "Tatar" attack, with mobilized battalions without any clear attacking goals was very characteristic of the successful Mongol-Tatar army 800 years ago! 

31...Qe4 32.Rc3

I had some doubts about the pawn on a4, but 5 minutes for both sides left no time for fear or calculation. 

  32...Qxa4

Stripunsky spent 30% of his time for calculation and it cost him a lot.

33.Rc7 Qe4

I felt he now believed he was better (due to the extra pawn) and will refuse to repeat moves, but it can take extra time from him and this is what occurred.

34.Rc4 Bg5?? 

I saw this line and knew ...Bg5 is losing when I was thinking about the pawn sac, and could not believe my eyes when he played it.

35.Qxd6

Stripunsky now saw Kh1, but it is too late; he spent the last minute looking for a miracle, and ended up with only 20-40 seconds left on his clock to my five minutes.
 
35...Be3+ 36.Kh1 Qf5, 1-0.

Alex made this move, and then stopped the clock. He was very kind after the game (compared with other GMs around who ridiculed my Rf1-d1-d4-c4-c8 march.) He insisted his position had been better, and I didn't argue with him; it's painful to lose your last game in a tournament.