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Coaching discussions at the Riviera Tournament, 2012
This is what we talked about:
Help! I allowed a stalemate (Christopher) [TOP]
There are three things to know do about this:
1. Make sure you know the most common stalemate positions
2. Practise against a friend or a computer
3. Always ask yourself, once you have chosen a move, "what is my
opponent's best reply?" If they don't have one, think again!
TOP TIP: Thinking about your opponent's best reply is good advice
- not just for finishing off, but from the very start of the game!
What to play against the Scandinavian (Edmund) [TOP]
The Scandinavian Defence is
1.e4 d5.
If White swaps, Black can take back the Queen or aim to take back with the Knight.
2...Nf62...Qxd5
Taking back with the Knight can lead to an IQP position, and I think that's what White ought to head for.
2...Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.d4 cxd5 5.Nf3
or
3...e6 4.d4 exd5 5.Nf3
Taking back with the Queen often leads to a position where White
has a bit more space, but Black is very solid.
3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 c6 6.Bc4 Bf5 7.0-0 e6
Some White players get frustrated with this type of position, which has so little tension and no obvious ways to attack.
If you want to stir it up, you can hold back with your pawns,
then when Black develops the Bc8, throw in b2-b4!
4.Nf3 c6 5.Be2 Nf6 6.0-0 Bf5 7.b4
That's not a real gambit, as after 7...Qxb4 8.Rb1 Qa5 9.Rxb7,
White has regained the Pawn.
If you're a real gambit player, you can try to head for the
Blackmar-Diemer Gambit:
2.d4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3
Even strong players can be bowled over by the BDG:
5.Nxf3 e6 6.Bg5 Be7 7.Bd3 Nbd7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Qe1 c5 10.Qh4 g6
11.Ne5 Re8 12.Nxf7 Qc7 13.Bxg6 hxg6 14.Qh8+ Kxf7 15.Qh7+ Kf8
16.Bh6#
1-0 Houska,M-Moskovic,D/9th S&W Young Masters 1999
Queen's Gambit (Matthew) [TOP]
Gambits generally lead to exciting, attacking games if your opponent accepts. But... meet the boring Gambit!1.d4 d5 2.c4
The Queen's Gambit isn't a 'real' gambit, as White can always get their pawn back if they insist:
2...dxc4 3.e3 b5 (3...Be6 4.Na3) 4.a4 c6 5.axb5 cxb5 6.Qf3
So, Black should allow the pawn to be captured, before they get in a mess.
Black can take the c4 pawn and steer for an IQP position, but quite often they decline, getting a solid but not particularly exciting position. I recommend the Swiss Defence.
2...e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 0-0 6.Nf3 Nbd7 7.Rc1 a6 8.Bd3 dxc4 9.Bxc4 b5 10.Bd3 c5 11.0-0 Bb7
Defending the Two Knights' Defence (Oscar) [TOP]
Steinitz was once asked this question. He set off
explaining, white goes there, you go here... His questioner interrupted, "No no, I want to know how to defend when you are playing a better player, and your opponent starts the game without either of their knights."
This is the Two Knights' Defence:
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6
Instead, 3...Bc5 is perfectly safe, if a bit dull.
The 2ND is riskier, but also you have more to gain. I guess
it depends if you like winning more than you hate losing!
Anyhow, White has two moves that might give you trouble:
4.Ng5 and
4.d4
4.Ng5
The main line of this goes:
4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5
And now you may know
5...Nxd5 6.Nxf7!? ...
...is very awkward for Black to defend against. You may not
realise that 6.d4 is even worse!
So, on move 5 you have to pick something else.
5...Na5 is the move for masters, but I like 5...b5
for juniors:
with ideas like:
6.Bxb5 Qxd5;
6.dxc6 bxc4;
6.Bf1 Nd4
4...Bc5!? is a fantastic line for brave attackers!
4.d4
The main line of this goes:
4...exd4 5.0-0 Nxe4 6.Re1 d5!
And now there's a tricky bit:
5...Bc5 is even trickier, but doesn't fizzle out.
Again, if you don't mind losing but like winning, go for it!
Silly mistakes (Sam) [TOP]
The best ways to avoid silly mistakes are:
1. Make sure you know the most common types of tactic (also
on this page)
2. Practise spotting tactics in books or with a computer
3. Always ask yourself, once you have chosen a move, "what is my
opponent's best reply?"
Eight Queens [TOP]
This is a good way to sharpen your brain: try to get eight pawns
on a chess board so that no pawn is on the same file, rank or
diagonal as any other. Imagine they are all Queens that
mustn't attack or defend each other. It's possible ... but
not easy!
Here's one:
Find another! (rotations and reflections don't count!)
Torre Attack [TOP]
Some of you know the Torre Attack from Mr.Cross. This is a
solid way of building up your position. Remember that one
day you will want to get your Rooks into the game. You will
need to open a file: either c-file, or the e-file, or the
f-file. You're going to find it hard to do any of those if
you put your Knights on c3 and f3 and don't move them!
Old Stodge (Joshua) [TOP]
a.developing the Bc1
After our Old Stodge opening system:
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6
White played:
6.b3
I asked, What's the idea? And was told, To develop the
Bishop so it controls the centre.
Quite right! But that's not the right move in this
position.
The Bishop can already develop, so no need for another pawn move
The pawn cuts off the retreat of the Bc4
I'm not sure that Bishop is having much say over the centre from
b2. It can't see very far, and even if the Nc3 moves away,
d4 looks firmly under Black's control.
Better moves are:
6.Be3
6.Bg5
But the best move of all is to avoid Old Stodge!
Aim for d2-d4 and get the Bishop out to e3 or g5.
So, try instead 4.c3 (idea d4) or 4.b4 (Evans'
Gambit, idea c3 and d4) or 3.d4.
b.doubled pawns
Doubled pawns are a blessing and a curse. They give you a
nice half-open file to attack along, but they can be weak,
So, you can afford doubled pawns on the side of the board where
you are strong, but not where your opponent is trying to attack!
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.b3 0-0 7.Bb2
Bg4 8.h3 Bxf3
Here, taking back with the Queen is best. It's going to be
hard for White to attack down the g-file, with so many pieces
stuck on the other side of the board. Also, the hole on f4
looks nice for Black after ...Nh5!
William's Opening vs. The Italian Game (William) [TOP]
Home made openings are fun, but the reason you see the same named
openings in the books is because they are the best ones!
So, this is the William Opening:
Not bad! A good strong centre and places for all the minor
pieces.
But the Be2 is not really doing as much as it can, and there is a
hole on d4 that Black can use.
This is the set-up from the Italian Game or Ruy Lopez:
A good strong centre again, but no holes, and the Bishops have a
good clear view across the board.
We have been a little bit unkind to the Nb1, but:
a. The Knight can hop around to a nice outpost like d5 or f5 by
Nb1-d2-f1-e3-d5 or Nb1-d2-f1-g3-f5.
b. Black might take on d4, and after you take back with the
c-pawn, you have c3 for the Knight!
Queen's Gambit and the Swiss Defence (William) [TOP]
1.d4 d5 2.c4If someone plays the Queen's Gambit against you, and you don't
like to give up your central stake by taking the c-pawn, I
recommend you play the Swiss Defence. You take the c-pawn
later, once White has developed the Bf1, and that way they waste a
move! Also, even though ...e6 is a bit harsh on our Bc8,
after ...dxc4 it has a nice long diagonal to look along.
First, support your d-pawn:
2...e6
Now, develop your King's-side and castle.
3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 0-0
Good, now start moving your Queen's-side. Put your Knight
on d7, not c6, as you want to leave your c-pawn free.
6.Nf3 Nbd7 7.Rc1 a6
7...a6 is the secret weapon of the Swiss Defence. Why
play a little pawn move like that? Watch...
8.Bd3
When White moves the Bishop, take the pawn. Then, chase the
Bishop, and develop your Bishop, and play ...c5.
8...dxc4 9.Bxc4 b5 10.Bd3 c5 11.0-0 Bb7
Neat, eh?
Black is at least equal in that line and has a fine free game.
Help! Even if I castle, I still get checkmated! (Olivia) [TOP]
Danger on f7
The best defender of f7 is your Rook on f7.
Some players will take twice on f7, swapping B+N for R+P.
If you add up the points off the board, the two sides are equal,
but if you look on the board, Black is usually ahead in
development.
Danger on g7
Defend with ...Nh5!
Defend with ...Qf6
Defend with ...g6 (better to lose the Exchange than a King!)
Danger on h7
Defend with ...h6
Defend with ...g6
Defend with ...Nf6
Defend with ...Nbd7
See also here: attacking
the castled king
Eight Queens or even Nine? (Alec) [TOP]
Can you get 8 or 9 Queens on a chessboard?
I think so: if you promote all your pawns, you will have nine
Queens!
Can you put 8 or 9 Queens on an empty c[/chessboard, without any
of them attacking any of the others?
Well, I'm sure you can't manage nine - there are only eight
files, and each Queen will need a file. So I know nine
is possible, but I don't know if eight is possible - try it!
Defending the fianchettoed King's Position (Carlito) [TOP]
This is the second-best castled King's position. Very safe
and solid - at least, while you have the Bishop! Otherwise,
it becomes the Swiss Cheese Defence (full of holes!).
If you want to checkmate the King, you can play:
e5, Bh6, h4-h5xh6, Bxg7, Qh6+ and Qxh7#
...checkmate! It works like clockwork, all the little cogs
move around in the right order to give checkmate.
If you want to stop your King being checkmated in this way, here
are some ideas:
1. When your opponent plays h2-h4, play ...h7-h5
2. When your opponent plays Bh6, play ...Bh8
3. When your opponent takes on g6, take back with the
f-pawn. Your Rook might come to f7, defending h7, or your
King might flee that way.
4. The real secret to defending your King is to make a
distraction somewhere else - either blow up the centre, or attack
your opponent's King!
That's fine in an open or semi-open position, not so easy in a
closed one. So, in a closed position, don't be in a hurry to
castle into an attack. In a closed position, your King may
be safe in the centre, so here you can delay castling and do other
things in the opening.
(I know, I know, that's not what I said earlier! Chess is
complicated!)
(Harry) - Fool's Mate [TOP]
The fastest checkmate is not Scholar's Mate (four moves)
but Fools' Mate - two moves!
1.f4 e5 2.g4 Qh4#
You might even recognise that idea from the front page of Mr.Onions' Score Pads!
Surely, no-one ever does that? Well, no, but you can use
the idea.
For example, 1.f4 is Bird's Opening, a perfectly OK opening.
The game might go:
1.f4 e5 2.fxe5 d6 3.exd6 Bxd6
This is From's Gambit. Black gambits a pawn for free
development. Now, if it were Black's move in this position,
it's mate in three moves! Can you see how?
4.a3 Qh4+ 5.g3 Bxg3+ 6.hxg3 Qxg3#
So, White has to do something to stop that.
4.Nf3 is natural. Black goes on with 4...g5!
Black's threat is to play ...g4 next move, saying: you must give me a Knight or your must give me a King!
I did see one game at Exeter where White saw this threat and
played: 5.h3?? But can you see why that is a
double-question-mark move, a blunder?
Quite right! 5...Bg3 is checkmate!
Another line with a version of Fool's Mate is
1.d4 f5 2.Bg5 h6 3.Bh4 g5 4.e4
If you tahe the Bishop with ...gxh4, you will be checkmated on
h5! So, you don't see Fools' Mate, but you do see the idea.
KR v K (Alec & Fraser) [TOP]
This is explained on a separate page here.
(Thomas) - KBN vs K [TOP]
Can you checkmate with K+B+N vs. K?
Yes! Here's how:
Can you force a checkmate with K+B+N vs K?
Yes! But ooh, it's hard! If you really want to see it
done, here's
how:
How do you defend against the Fried Liver Attack? (Ollie & Alfie) [TOP]
The Fried Liver Attack is this line of the Two Knights:
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Nxf7
Black can get a sort of defensible position like this:
6...Kxf7 7.Qf3+ Ke6 8.Nc3 Nce7 (or 8...Ncb4!?)
The moves that White wants to use after the sacrifice are
d4 O-O Re1 Bf4...
If White can play all those moves, Black might not be able to
defend.
But the best way to play for Black is to avoid it with something like the Ulvestad Variation [see Defending the Two Knights' Defence for more about that line]
Actually, the best way for White to play is to avoid it too! Let's look at an idea of Lasker:Lasker's improved Fried Liver
Lasker realised that you can play all the moves you want to use after the sacrifice, before the sacrifice!
6.d4 exd4 7.0-0 Be7 8.Nxf7!
And White has his cake, and is eating it too.
Not so much plain Fried Liver, as a fine rustic pate' on toast
with parsley garnish.
Openings and Rooks (Jasmine) [TOP]
What do you play after 1.e4 e5?
Well, you may know that the things you should try and do in the
opening are:
get your pieces out towards the centre
get at least a share of the centre (try and keep at least one pawn
there)
get your King away from the centre by castling
get your Rooks towards the centre files, which might be open or
openable.
So, what's the best move after 1;.e4 e5?
There is one move that helps with ALL FOUR of the things you want
to do, and it makes a threat too!
2.Nf3 - five points for that move! A*!
2.Bc4 - four points - B, not bad
2.Nc3 - two points - just a C, could do better!
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6
Points all round, but I don't know how you are planning to get the final points for getting your Rooks onto files that are open or openable.
Play one of these systems instead:
Scotch Game: 1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3.d4
Scotch Four Knights' Game: 1.e4 2. Nf3 3.Nc3 4.d4
Italian Game with c3: 1.e4 2. Nf3 3.Bc4 4.c3 5.d4
Ruy Lopez with c3: 1.e4 2. Nf3 3.Bb5 4.O-O 5.Re1 6.c3 7.d4
Help! I keep missing my opponents's threats (including pins) (Tiago) [TOP]
There are three things to know do about this:
1. Make sure you know the most common types of tactic and practise
doing tactics puzzles from a book or a computer.
2. Practise spotting attacks and defences over the whole board by
doing Dr.Dave's
Brain Sharpening Exercises.
3. Always ask yourself, once you have chosen a move, "what is my
opponent's best reply?"
Christopher - Scholar's Mate [TOP]
Scholar's mate is the "Four move checkmate" which caught me out
the first time I ever played a game of chess in a chess club!
White attacks a pawn, which Black defends.
2...Nc6 3.Bc4
White targets f7, which is defended by the King.
3...Nf6
Black attacks the Queen, hoping to take it or at least drive it away.
4.Qxf7# Checkmate! The King cannot take the Queen, for it is defended by the Bc4. Line
If Black defends correctly, the White Queen may waste time
running away from attacks by Black's minor pieces.
So, you have to know how to defend against it, but I don't advise
you to play it yourself. Against a player who knows the best
moves, you are more likely to force a mistake by playing something
else.
TOP TIP: you should always expect your opponent to play the best
moves. `
Scotch & Bishop's Opening [TOP]
The Scotch is one of the best ways to start a chess game, whether
you are a beginner or a Grandmaster.
Scotch Game: 1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3.d4
If you want a second-string opening, try Bishop's Opening:
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4
After 2...Nf6 3.d3 Nc6
Now, if we plan to play d3-d4 later (to open a file to help our
Rooks), we will have wasted a move.
But we can plan to play f2-f4!?
Yet after 2...Nf6 3.d3 Nc6 4.f4!? d5! I think Black has
equalised.
So try 2...Nf6 3.d3 Nc6 4.Nc3 and you can aim for
f4 later. This line can become a version of the King's
Gambit Declined:
1.e4 e5 2.f4 Bc5! 3.Nf3! d6 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Bc4 Nc6 6.d3
Carlito - Petroff's Defence [TOP]
The Copy Cat Defence!
1.e4 e5
Can't be bad!
2.Nf3 Nf6
Looking good!
3.Nxe5 Nxe4
Makes sense!
4.Qe2 Qe7
Still smiling!
5. Qxe4
Oops...
Well, that's not the end of the story...
but I don't think I want to play like that.
Try again:
2.Nf3 Nf6
Looking good!
3.Nxe5 Nxe4
Here's hoping!
4.Qe2 Nf6
How about that!
5. Nc6+
Ouch...
The move that makes this defence work is from Janisch:
2.Nf3 Nf6
Still looking good!
3.Nxe5 d6!
That's the ticket!
4.Nf3 Nxe4!
Catching up!
5.Qe2 Qe7!
Is that all you've got?
White's best approach is actually
5.d4 d5!
When the game can start safely.
Six types of tactic [TOP]
The different types of tactic are:
jumps (discovery)
mates
forks
pins/skewers
nets &
ties (undermining and overloading)
Here's one example of each: on a separate
page.
You can play through the games, they're only short!
More advice is here.