I slacked off and didn't teach my beginner afterschool group today, and instead played a g/30 against James Black:
Unfortunately, I told him everything I know about the position. Here I tried 13...Bd7. I looked it up when I got him and have learned that I shoulod play 13... Nxc3 14. Qxc3 (It's bad for white to take with the pawn: 14. bxc3 Bxe5 15. dxe5 Qxd3 16. Bxd3 Bd7 and black has a much better structure) 14... Nf5 15. Be3 (D)
and here black plays some combination of a5-a4, Nxe3, and Qb6, semi-successfully:
15... a5 16. Rad1 Nxe3 (16... a4 and 16... Ra6 are also moves) 17. fxe3 Ra6 18. Rc1 Rd6 19. Qc5 b6 20. Qb5 Bd7 21. Nxd7 Rxd7 22. Rc6 Rd6 23. Rec1 Rxc6 24. Qxc6 e5 Malaniuk,V (2580)-Adams,M (2660)/Hastings 1995/
White won this game, but black is ok here.
15...Nxe3 16. Qxe3 Qb6 17. Rad1 Rd8 (Black can't take the pawn because the queen gets trapped: 17... Qxb2 18. Rb1 Qxa2 19. Ra1 Qb2 20. Reb1) 18. b3 Bd7 19. Qg3 Bc6. I guess next time I will play like this.
15...Bxe5
20. g4? We discussed after the game how kids like to be wild and attack and make weaknesses, but adults are more calm and care about squares.
Black - Vicary
1. e4 c6
1. e4 c6
2. d4 d5
3. exd5 cxd5
4. c4 Nf6
5. Nc3 e6
6. Nf3 Be7
7. cxd5 Nxd5
8. Bd3 O-O
9. O-O Nc6
10. Re1 Bf6
11. Be4 Nce7
12. Qd3 h6
13. Ne5 James has a phenomenal memory. I showed him this once, quickly, a while ago, but so quickly I didn't remember it.
Unfortunately, I told him everything I know about the position. Here I tried 13...Bd7. I looked it up when I got him and have learned that I shoulod play 13... Nxc3 14. Qxc3 (It's bad for white to take with the pawn: 14. bxc3 Bxe5 15. dxe5 Qxd3 16. Bxd3 Bd7 and black has a much better structure) 14... Nf5 15. Be3 (D)
and here black plays some combination of a5-a4, Nxe3, and Qb6, semi-successfully:15... a5 16. Rad1 Nxe3 (16... a4 and 16... Ra6 are also moves) 17. fxe3 Ra6 18. Rc1 Rd6 19. Qc5 b6 20. Qb5 Bd7 21. Nxd7 Rxd7 22. Rc6 Rd6 23. Rec1 Rxc6 24. Qxc6 e5 Malaniuk,V (2580)-Adams,M (2660)/Hastings 1995/
White won this game, but black is ok here.
or
15...Nxe3 16. Qxe3 Qb6 17. Rad1 Rd8 (Black can't take the pawn because the queen gets trapped: 17... Qxb2 18. Rb1 Qxa2 19. Ra1 Qb2 20. Reb1) 18. b3 Bd7 19. Qg3 Bc6. I guess next time I will play like this.
back to reality:
14. Qh3 Bc6
15. Be3
15...Bxe5
16. dxe5 Nxc3
17. Bxc6 bxc6 I should have taken with the knight, I was just scared he would checkmate me somehow and wanted to be able to play ....Nf5 next.
18. bxc3 Nf5
19. Bc5 Re8
20. g4? We discussed after the game how kids like to be wild and attack and make weaknesses, but adults are more calm and care about squares.20... Ne7
21. Rad1 Qa5
22. Bxe7 Rxe7
23. Rd2 Rd8
24. Rd6 Red7
25. Red1
25...Rxd6
29...Qd1+
Here I had 3 minutes left, and I'm up 2 pawns, so I figured I must be better, but I couldn't understand how to stop white queening the pawn really easily/quickly. I moved around a bit, but eventually repeated and drew.
(1/2 - 1/2)
Is this winning? Easy? Hard? I have no idea.
25...Rxd6
26. Rxd6 James should have taken with the pawn immediately, since then it's much easier to hold on to the d pawn with the rooks on.
26... Rxd6
27. exd6 Qd5
28. Qe3 Qxd6
29. Qxa7
29...Qd1+
30. Kg2 Qxg4+ He gets what he deserves for making pawn weaknesses.
31. Kf1 Qc4+
32. Kg1 Qxc3
33. a4
Here I had 3 minutes left, and I'm up 2 pawns, so I figured I must be better, but I couldn't understand how to stop white queening the pawn really easily/quickly. I moved around a bit, but eventually repeated and drew.(1/2 - 1/2)
It turns out the right thing is to check a bit and push the c pawn, then try to win 4 vs 2:
33...c5 34. a5 Qe1+ 35. Kg2 Qe4+ 36. Kg1 c4 37. a6 c3 38. Qc5 Qg6+ 39. Kf1 Qb1+ 40. Kg2 c2 41. a7 c1=Q 42. Qxc1 Qxc1 43. a8=Q+ (D)
Is this winning? Easy? Hard? I have no idea. update: James, Danny Feng and I have decided to have a Panov/ Caro study group and play training matches against each other (we all play the Panov for both sides) on Wednesday afternoons. I'm going to be awesome at the Panov soon.
Umm you should be able to win that final position in your sleep.
ReplyDeleteI guess I assume all queen endings (at least with pawns on the same side) end in perpetual check.
ReplyDeleteI'd guess that's a win for black with accurate play- or at least very good good winning chances. If you put it in Fritz I bet there might well be a way to win.
ReplyDeleteTo quote a Geico radio advertising: easy peasy lemon squeezy.
ReplyDeleteIt's my contention that there should be a convincing didactic style (I am trying to make this systematic) to help students (yes, often times juniors) avoid the wild, obviously weakening pawn moves that might come to their minds first as possible candidate moves.
ReplyDeleteBad pawn moves are actually the bane of the USCF player in general as compared to his or her European counterpart.
I assume all queen endings are difficult (they are also usually winning).
ReplyDeleteThat was interesting analysis because Black gained a tempo by threatening queen with mate.
I had a friend who used to say "we are all children of Marshall". Applies both to weakening pawn moves (vs Europeans) and queen endings. :-)
ReplyDeleteAccording to 'The Lazy Player's Guide to Endgames', there is no such thing as perpetual check in a queen endgame (with rare exceptions), so your final position must be a win.
ReplyDeleteI remember hearing you were teaching your students the Panov Botvinnik Attack. I recently posted a webliography at my new blog address for The Kenilworthian:
ReplyDeletehttp://kenilworthian.blogspot.com/2011/01/panov-botvinnik-b14-webliography.html
Update the link in your sidebar -- your students might like some of my stuff.... :-)
http://kenilworthian.blogspot.com/
Best,
Mike