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I often counsel players to seek out well-annotated games by grandmasters, because they demonstrate an analytical precision and understanding of the key aspects of the game that transcend those of other players. While masters will generally find most of the salient aspects of a game, they will miss many fine points, both tactical and strategic, that are deserving of attention.

I recently came upon a fine Internet site, the Yermo Chess Academy. One of the services that they offer is the opportunity to have a world class Grandmaster, former U.S. Champion Alex Yermolinsky, annotate your games.

I jumped at this opportunity, because a game I played several years ago against International Master Mike Brooks had always troubled me. I lost that game after a tough fight, but, even after many hours of my own analysis, I was convinced that I hadn't found all of the game's secrets.

Upon receiving Yermo's succinct but precise notes, I found that my sneaking suspicions were correct. I also gained several valuable insights into the specific game that I was able to apply to my play in general.

I would heartily recommend this exercise to anybody seeking chess improvement. You may learn more about this and other services at the Yermo Chess Academy.

The comments in the following game are mine, as I wrote them up for the CompuServe Chess Forum's CHAT magazine back in 1995. Grandmaster Yermolinsky's comments are in italics, and I have provided some new comments in response to those of the Grandmaster.

IM Mike Brooks (2558) - NM Randy Bauer (2212)
Midwest Open, 10-20-90 
Pirc Defense, Classical Variation

HOW SHOULD BLACK REACT TO SUCH A MOVE?

Randy: The square b2 can be a problem for white in this type of position, since it is at the intersection of black's g7-bishop and a rook or queen on the half-open b-file. White chooses to take a move to protect that spot before continuing with his natural play on the kingside, where he has more space and two bishops that can point in that direction.

GM Yermolinsky: 13.Qd3 Qb8 14.a3 Nc5 15.Bxc5 dxc5 16.e5 Nd5 17.Na4 f6 18.c4 Nb6 19.Nxc5 looked promising for white in Hracek-Ftacnik, Erevan Olympiad, 1996.

13...a5

Randy: My thought process about 13.Rb1!? was something along the lines of "what is he doing?! I don't understand this move at all . . . I finally decided that it was possible that he was preparing play on the queenside with b2-b4, a2-a4, and b4-b5, and my move discourages that plan. Black's play is on the queenside anyway, so the move makes sense even if its original motivation was wrong.

Yermolinksy: Useless. Better is 13...Qc7 14.g4 (14.Qd3 Nb6 15.Kh1 d5 16.e5 Nfd7 17.Bg1 e6 black is very comfortable) 14...Nb6 15.g5 Nfd7 16.Qd2 e6 17.f5 exf5 18.exf5 Rfe8 followed by d6-d5, with an unclear game.

14.g4

Randy: "Oh, I guess I understand where white intends to play now."

14...Nb6

Randy: This is a common reaction to the threat of g4-g5 – the knight on d7 clears that square for his partner. The point is that d7 is usually a better square than e8 – it contests the important e5-square and doesn't interfere with the rooks.

15.g5 Nfd7 16.h4 f6

COUNTER ATTACKING IN THE CENTER

Randy: White is playing to overrun black in breathtaking fashion. How should black respond? The first thing that he shouldn't do is panic. The black position is solid, and he's played fundamentally sound moves. The next thing that black must do is seek his counterplay. In this case, black's counterplay on the queenside is not sufficiently developed to serve as the way of slowing down the white pawn advances. There are other ways, however.

In the black fianchetto positions arising out of the Sicilian and Pirc Defenses, the e5-square can often be the key for the defender. From there, a black knight can protect the often vulnerable f7- and g6-squares while also attacking and controlling key white squares like c4, g4, f3, and d3. The knight also prevents the e-pawn from advancing.

It is very hard to mate black in these types of positions when he has an iron grip on the e5-square. In this position, if white blindly advances, with, say 17.h5? fxg5 18.fxg5 Ne5! gives black a very nice game – his knight dominates the board.

I can hear some players now – how can black afford to make a weakening pawn advance when white is attacking on the kingside? It is true that we should not make weakening pawn advances in the face of an opponent's attack, but often the best way to deal with an opponent's attack is to create sufficient maneuvering space for our own pieces. In this case, black feels that he can over the light squares because his knights are well placed. In the meantime, he may be able to secure control of ...e5 and gain a trade of rooks on the f-file, which would lessen the white attacking force.

GM Yermolinksy: Good move. White can't be sure about his attack when the center is collapsing.

17.Rf2

Yermolinsky: 17.Bg4 Kh8 18.Be6 Nc5 19.Bxc5 dxc5.

THE CENTER BEATS THE WINGS!

Randy: White's play has been wing-oriented. As a result, black finds that his logical response is in the center. We've all heard the tired old axiom that a wing attack should be countered in the center. This game is an example of the logic of that concept. White has to some extent abandoned that sector, so the black advance, with the threat of 19...fxg5 followed by 20...d4, gains strength.

GM Yermolinsky: Well played again! I should give black the edge here.

19.Rd1 e6 20.Qh3 f5

Randy: Black was now happy: he had placed his pawns on the light squares, which didn't interfere with his bishop while blunting his opponent's. My thought process was that 21.h5 Re8 22.hxg6 hxg6 23.Rh2 Kf7! got the king out of the way of the attack on the h-file. If 22.h6 Bf8 was better for black, since the white attack is stalled (by its own pawns!), but black's central and queenside play was just beginning. Finally, 22.exf5 exf5 gave black good central control.

THREATENING TO CREATE AN ENTOMBED PIECE

Randy: This threatens to obtain a positionally won game with h5-h6 followed by e4-e5, when the black bishop is dead and white can play the game effectively a piece up (another typical pattern to recognize).

Randy: If the pawns were exchanged on either f5 or d5, this move would allow the rook to assume an active position on the open file, but, as white plays it, 21...Rfb8 would have saved an important tempo.

The key question, of course, is whether black can capture on e4. 21...fxe4 22.Qxe6+ is obviously bad for black, but perhaps he can defend after 21...dxe4 22.hxg6 hxg6 23.Rh2 Rfe8 24.Bd4 (24.Qh7+ Kf7 25.Bd4 Rg8 with ...Nf8 coming seems to defend, and 25.Qxg6+ Kxg6 26.Bh5+ Kh7 27.Bf7+ Bh6 28.Rxh6+ Kg7 is not convincing) 24...Nf8.  White would, of course, have an attack for his pawn. I decided that I didn't want to give my opponent that type of position.

GM Yermolinsky: I guess you paid too much respect to your opponent.  Michael Brooks is a good player, but stepped over the line in this game.  Better is 21...dxe4! 22.Rh2 Kf7. I don't see a refutation of this.  23.Bd4 e5 24.fxe5 Nxe5 25.Rf2 Kg8 (25...c5? 26.Nb5 Qe7 27.Qb3+ c4 28.Qa3 unclear) 26.hxg6 hxg6 27.Rh2 Rad8 28.Qh7+ Kf7 29.Rh6 Rxd4 30.Rxd4 Qe7 and black wins.

Randy, upon reflection: Grandmaster Yermolinsky's comment, that I paid too much respect to my opponent, is right on the mark. Upon reflection, I probably would have taken the pawn against a lower-rated player. Food for thought!

22.hxg6

Randy: Now, since the bishop can retreat to f8, 22.h6 would only close up the kingside, which would favor black.

22...hxg6 23.Rh2

SHOULD BLACK EAT OR DEFEND?

23... Nf8

GM Yermolinsky: 23...dxe4! 24.Qh7+ Kf7 25.Bd4 e5 26.fxe5 Nxe5 27.Rh6 (27.Nxe4 Rh8) 27...Rh8 28.Bxe5 Qxe5 29.Qxg6+ Ke7 is messy, but what is white to do here

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