Playing Against the Benoni

This post will illustrate my system as White against the Benoni, which is to fianchetto my King Bishop. I will first give the book line (which I've never looked at till now) which most closely corresponds to how people usually play against me in this variation.

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 c5 3 d5 e6

Black can sidestep the Catalan and transpose into the Benoni via 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 g3 c5 4 d5. Since I also play the Catalan, the fianchetto vaiation gives me a Benoni I feel at home with.

4 Nc3 ed 5 cd d6 6 Nf3 g6 7 g3 Bg7 8 Bg2 0-0 9 0-0 a6 10 a4 Nbd7 11 Bf4 Qc7 12 e4 Re8 13 Qc2 Rb8 14 a5 Nh5 15 Be3 with an edge to White.

Here is a game I just played this morning. I work long and hard to get in the thematic central Pawn pushes (f4, e5 & d6), and finally accomplish this on the 33rd move!

chessart(1535)-Goliat(1528), 3/31/08, 2,10

1. d4 c5 2. d5 Nf6 3. c4 g6 4. Nc3 Bg7 5. g3 O-O 6. Bg2 d6 7. Nf3 a6 8. a4e6 9. O-O exd5 10. cxd5 Re8 11. Re1 b6 12. e4 Nbd7 13. Bf4 Qc7 14. Rc1 Bb715. b4 Rac8 16. bxc5 bxc5 17. Nd2 Ne5 18. Bxe5 Rxe5 19. Nc4 Ree8 20. a5 Nd721. Kh1 Ne5 22. Nxe5 Bxe5 23. f4 Bd4 24. Qa4 Re7 25. Ne2 Bg7 26. Rb1 Rce827. Kg1 Bc8 28. Rbd1 Bd7 29. Qa2 Bb5 30. e5 Qd7 31. Nc3 dxe5 32. Nxb5 axb533. d6 Re6 34. Bd5 Rxd6 35. Bxf7+ Qxf7 36. Qxf7+ Kxf7 37. Rxd6 exf4 38. Rxe8Kxe8 39. gxf4 Ke7 40. Rb6 b4 41. Rb7+ {Black resigns} 1-0

And here are 2 games from my ICC library.

chessart(1812)-sofus(1914), 9/6/96, 3,3

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nf3 g6 7. g3 Bg7 8. Bg2 O-O 9. O-O a6 10. a4 Re8 11. Nd2 Bg4 12. Nc4 Qc7 13. Bf4 Bf8 14. Qd2 Rd8 15. Bg5 Bg7 16. Qf4 Bxe2 17. Nxe2 Nh5 18. Qd2 Re8 19. Bf3 b5 20. axb5 Nd7 21. bxa6 Ne5 22. Nxe5 Rxe5 23. Bxh5 gxh5 24. Bf4 Re4 25. Nc3 Rd4 26. Qe2 h4 27. Nb5 Qb6 28. Nxd4 cxd4 29. Rfc1 hxg3 30. hxg3 d3 31. Qxd3 Bd4 32. Be3 Bxe3 33. Qxe3 Qxb2 34. Rcb1 Qf6 35. a7 Qg6 36. Rb8+ {Black resigns} 1-0

chessart(1810)-elihog(1949), 9/11/96, 2,10
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nf3 g6 7. g3 Bg7 8. Bg2 O-O 9. O-O Re8 10. Nd2 Nbd7 11. Nc4 Ne5 12. Nxe5 Rxe5 13. Bf4 Re8 14. Nb5 Bf8 15. Bg5 Bg7 16. Qd2 a6 17. Nc3 b5 18. Qf4 Bf5 19. g4 Bc8 20. Ne4 Rxe4 21. Bxe4 Bb7 22. f3 Qe7 23. Rad1 Re8 24. Rd2 h6 25. Bxh6 Nxe4 26. fxe4 Be5 27. Qf3 Bc8 28. e3 g5 29. Rdf2 f6 30. h4 gxh4 31. g5 fxg5 32. Qf7+ Qxf7 33. Rxf7 g4 34. Rc7 g3 35. Rff7 h3 36. Rce7 Rxe7 37. Rxe7 Bg4 38. Re8+ Kh7 39. Bf4 h2+ 40. Kg2 Bf3+ 41. Kxf3 h1=Q+ 42. Kxg3 Qxe4 43. Bxe5 Qxe3+ 44. Kg4 dxe5 45. Kf5 Qf4+ 46. Ke6 e4 47. d6 Qg4+ 48. Kd5 Qf5+ 49. Kc6 e3 50. d7 Qf3+ 51. Kc7 Qf4+ 52. Kc8 Qf5 53. Kc7 Qf7 54. Kc8 Qf5 55. Kc7 c4 56. d8=Q Qc5+
57. Kb7 b4 58. Qe7+ Qxe7+ 59. Rxe7+ Kg6 60. Rxe3 {Black resigns} 1-0

The Panov-Botvinnik Attack Against the Caro-Kann Defense

I have been playing the Panov for many years. It is another one of those openings in which book knowledge is less important than the ideas. This is mainly because in my experience nobody plays the book lines to the end. However, there are two lines worth knowing. I will deal with the first one here.

1 e4 c6 2 d4

Since I switched to the Queen's Pawn opening, I still get this position via 1 d4 c6 2 e4.

2...d5 3 ed cd 4 c4 Nf6 5 Nc3 e6 6 Nf3 Be7 7 c5

The characteristic move of this line. White has a Queen-side Pawn majority and will try to exploit that fact.

7...0-0 8 Bd3 b6 9 b4 a5 10 Na4 Nbd7

BCO2 also gives 10...Nfd7 11 h4 h6 12 Rh3 e5 13 Bxh6 Bf6 14 Be3 e4 15 Ng5 g6 16 Bb5. Black is worse if he tries 11...ab 12 Nxb6 Nxb6 13 Bxh7ch; or 11...f5 12 Ng5 Qe8 13 Bb5 Ba6 14 BxB NxB 15 b5.

11 Bf4

11 a3 seems too be a popular alternative these days.

11...ab 12 c6 Nc5 13 dc bc unclear according to BCO2.

A search of the database shows only 4 games since 1991 with this position, with white scoring 3 and a half. This suggests that White can have confidence playing this line, but perhaps Black should look for alternatives along the way.

Here are some games. The first is one of my favorites, because of the beautiful Queen sacrifice which ends it. I must confess, however, that the adage "necessity is the mother of invention" applies here. I had originally planned 23 Qh6, forcing mate next on g7, but because of Black's own mate threat I had to find something more forcing!

chessart(1905)-josi(1911), 3/17/96, 2,12
1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 ed cd 4 c4 dc 5 Bcx4 Nf6 6 Nc3 e6 7 Nf3 Nc6 8 0-0 Be7 9 Re1 0-0 10 a3 a6 11 Qd3 b5 12 Ba2 Bc5 13 Be3 Bb7 14 Rad1 Ba7 15 Bb1 Na5 16 Bg5 g6 17 Ne5 Rc8 18 Ne4 Bxe4 19 Rxe4 Nc4 20 Rf4 Nxb2 21 Qh3 Nxd1 22 Bxf6 Rc1 23 Qxh7ch!! Kxh7 24 Rh4ch Black resigns 1-0

In the next game Black wins a Pawn in the opening, but neglects his development to do so. Predictable consequences ensue.

chessart(1597)-Black-Pawn(1642), 8/11/97, 2,1
1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 ed cd 4 c4 Nc6 5 Nf3 Bf5 6 Nf3 Bf5 7 cd Nxd5 8 Bb5 Qb6 9 0-0 Nxc4 10 Bxc6ch Qxc6 11 bxc3 Qxc3 12 Bf4 e6 13 Rc1 Qa5 14 Ne5 Be7 15 Qb3 b6 16 Nc6 Qa6 17 Nxe7 Kxe7 18 Rc7ch Kf6 19 Be5ch Kg6 20 Qg3ch Kh5 21 Rxf7 Bg6 22 Qh3ch Kg5 23 Qh3ch Kg5 24 f4 mate 1-0

In the next game White gets passed b and c Pawns, and at the end, those Pawns have helped to trap the Black Queen!

chessart(1713)-DaxChess(1817), 10/4/97, 2,1
1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 ed cd 4 c4 e6 5 Nc3 Nc6 6 Nf3 Nf6 7 c5 Be7 8 Bb5 Bd7 9 BxN BxB 10 Ne5 Nd7 11 Bf4 0-0 12 0-0 f6 13 NxN QxN 14 b4 Rae8 15 Re1 Bd8 16 Bd6 Rf7 17 a4 a6 18 Qb3 b6 19 b5! ab 20 ab Bb7 21 Qa3 bc 22 dc Bc8 23 c6 Black resigns 1-0

chessart(1678)-rook219uc(1711), 5/24/02, 2,10

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. c5 Be7 8. Bb5 O-O 9. O-O Bd7 10. Bxc6 Bxc6 11. Re1 Ne4 12. Qc2 Rc8 13. b4 a6 14. a4 Nxc3 15. Qxc3 Bf6 16. Be3 Qd7 17. Qb3 h6 18. Reb1 Qe8 19. b5 Bd7 20. Bf4 Be7 21. bxa6 bxa6 22. Qc2 g5 23. Bg3 f5 24. Be5 Bf6 25. Bxf6 Rxf6 26. Ne5 Qd8 27. Qb3 Rf8 28. Qb7 Rc7 29. Qxa6 Bc8 30. Qe2 Qe8 31. a5 Ra7 32. Rb8 Rb7 33. Rb1 Rxb8 34. Rxb8 Qa4 35. h3 Qxd4 36. Nc6 Qf4 37. Rxc8 Rxc8 38. Qxe6+ {Black resigns} 1-0

chessart(1666)-largo(1755), 9/6/97, 2,1

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nf3 Bb4 7. Bd2 Bxc3 8. Bxc3 O-O 9. c5 Nc6 10. Bb5 a6 11. Bxc6 bxc6 12. O-O Ne4 13. Ne5 Nxc3 14. bxc3 Bb7 15. Qa4 Qc7 16. Rab1 f6 17. Nd3 Rab8 18. Rb6 Rfc8 19. Rfb1 Ba8 20. Qxa6 Rxb6 21. cxb6 Qb7 22. Qxb7 Bxb7 23. Nc5 Rb8 24. a4 Kf7 25. a5 e5 26. a6 Bc8 27. b7 Bf5 28. Rb2 exd4 29. cxd4 {Black resigns} 1-0

chessart(1793)-mofu(1726), 5/26/97, 2,10
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Nf3 Bg4 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. Qb3 Bxf3 9. gxf3 Nb6 10. d5 Nd4 11. Bb5+ Nxb5 12. Qxb5+ Qd7 13. Bf4 e6 14. d6 Qxb5 15. Nxb5 Nd5 16. Nc7+ Nxc7 17. dxc7 Bb4+ 18. Ke2 Rc8 19. Rac1 Ke7 20. Rhd1 f6 21. Rc4 Ba5 22. Bd6+ Kf7 23. Bg3 Rhe8 24. Rcd4 Bxc7 25. Rd7+ Re7 26. R7d3 e5 27. Rc3 Ke6 28. Rdc1 Rd7 29. f4 g6 30. fxe5 fxe5 31. Rc5 Rf7 32. Bxe5 Rd7 33. Bxc7 Re8 34. Re5+ Kf7 35. Rxe8 Kxe8 36. Bg3 {Black resigns} 1-0

The Saemisch Variarition of the King's Indian Defense

This is another opening in which the ideas are more important than learning actual moves. The following games are from my ICC library.

chessart(1789)-raizel(1769), 10/15/96, 2,10

1. d4 d6 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. e4 Bg7 5. f3 Nc6 6. Be3 e5 7. d5 Ne7 8. Qd2 c6 9. Bd3 cxd5 10. cxd5 a6 11. Nge2 O-O 12. O-O Ne8 13. Rfc1 f5 14. Rc2 f4 15. Bf2 b5 16. Rac1 g5 17. b4 Rf7 18. a4 bxa4 19. Nxa4 Rb8 20. Ba7 Ra8 21. Bb6 Qd7 22. Nb2 Ng6 23. Bf2 Bf8 24. Nc4 Qd8 25. Nb6 Bb7 26. Nxa8 Bxa8 27. Rc8 Qe7 28. Rxa8 g4 29. Rcc8 gxf3 30. gxf3 Nh4 31. Bxh4 Qxh4 32. Rxe8 Rg7+ 33. Kh1 Qf2 34. Rxf8# {Black checkmated} 1-0

chesart(1561)-MISTERBABOON(1595), 3/1/97, 2,1
1. e4 d6 2. d4 g6 3. c4 Bg7 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 Nbd7 7. Qd2 e5 8. d5 a6 9. Bd3 Nc5 10. Nge2 Bd7 11. h4 Rb8 12. h5 Nxd3+ 13. Qxd3 b5 14. hxg6 fxg6 15. Qd2 Rf7 16. Bh6 Bxh6 17. Qxh6 bxc4 18. O-O-O Qc8 19. g4 Qb7 20. Rd2 a5 21. Ng3 a4 22. Nf5 a3 23. bxa3 Qb6 24. Qg5 Qa5 25. Nh6+ Kg7 26. Rc2 Qxa3+ 27. Kd2 Nxe4+ 28. Nxe4 Qd3+ 29. Kc1 Ba4 30. Nf5+ Rxf5 31. Qe7+ Rf7 32. Rxh7+ Kxh7 33. Qxf7+ Kh8 34. Rh2# {Black checkmated} 1-0

chessart(1807)-Chessmen32(1791), 9/5/96, 2,10
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 e5 7. d5 Nh5 8. Qd2 Qh4+ 9. g3 Nxg3 10. Qf2 Nxf1 11. Qxh4 Nxe3 12. Ke2 Nxc4 13. Rc1 Nb6 14. Nh3 c6 15. Rhg1 cxd5 16. Nxd5 Nxd5 17. exd5 Bf5 18. Rc7 Nd7 19. Ng5 h6 20. Ne6 fxe6 21. Rxd7 Rf7 22. Rd8+ Rxd8 23. Qxd8+ Bf8 24. dxe6 Re7 25. Qxd6 Rxe6 26. Qb8 e4 27. f4 Rb6 28. b3 a6 29. h4 h5 30. Qe5 Rb5 31. Qe8 Rc5 32. Kd2 Rd5+ 33. Ke2 Kg7 34. Qb8 Rd7 35. Qe8 Rd3 36. Qb8 Rh3 37. Qe5+ Kh7 38. Qc7+ Kh6 39. Qxb7 Rh2+ 40. Kd1 Bb4 41. Qa8 Bc3 42. Qxa6 Rxh4 43. Qc6 Bg7 44. a4 Rxf4 45. a5 Rf2 46. a6 e3 47. Qc1 Rd2+ 48. Ke1 Bd3 49. a7 Be4 50. Qc8 Bf3 51. a8=Q Re2+ 52. Kf1 Rf2+ 53. Ke1 Re2+ 54. Kd1 Rg2+ 55. Qxf3 Rxg1+ 56. Ke2 Rb1
57. Qxe3+ Kh7 58. Qd7 Rb2+ 59. Kf3 Rb1 60. Qc3 {Black resigns} 1-0

chessart(1857)-doctor(1933), 8/28/96, 2,8
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 e5 7. d5 Nh5 8. Qd2 f5 9. exf5 gxf5 10. Bg5 Qe8 11. Bd3 Qg6 12. O-O-O Bd7 13. g3 Na6 14. Nge2 Nc5 15. Bc2 a6 16. g4 Nf4 17. h4 b5 18. Nxf4 exf4 19. Bxf4 b4 20. Ne2 b3 21. axb3 Rab8 22. b4 Na4 23. Bxa4 Bxa4 24. Rdg1 a5 25. gxf5 Qxf5 26. Bh6 Rf7 27. Rxg7+? (27Qc3) Rxg7 28. Bxg7 Kxg7 29. Nd4 Qe5 30. Ne6+ Kh8 31. Rg1 Rxb4 32. Rg5 Rxc4+ 33. Kb1 Qf6 {White forfeits on time} 0-1

chessart(1871)-doctor(1859), 9/2/96, 2,10
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 e5 7. d5 Nh5 8. Qd2 f5 9. exf5 gxf5 10. Bg5 Qe8 11. Bd3 Nf4 12. O-O-O Nxd3+ 13. Qxd3 Na6 14. Nge2 Nc5 15. Qd2 Qg6 16. h4 h6 17. Be3 Bd7 18. h5 Qf6 19. Rdg1 Kh8 20. g4 f4 21. Bxc5 dxc5 22. Ne4 Qa6 23. Nxc5 Qxa2 24. Nxd7 Rfd8 25. Nc5 Qxc4+ 26. Qc2 Qb5 27. Ne4 Qxd5 28. N2c3 Qa5 29. Kb1 b5 30. g5 b4 31. gxh6 Bxh6 32. Nf6 Rd7 33. Qg6 {Black forfeits on time} 1-0

The Staunton Gambit

Some openings, like the Dragon. require one to learn opening moves, which most chess players just hate. Others require one only to learn the ideas involved. I class the Staunton Gambit (1 d4 f5 2 e4) in this latter category. Here are some illustrative games.

chessart(1528)-Feel-8(1460), 3/29/08, 5,0

1. d4 f5 2. e4 fxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 d5 5. Bxf6 exf6 6. Qh5+ g6 7. Qxd5 Qxd5 8. Nxd5 Bd6 9. Nxf6+ Kf7 10. Nxe4 Re8 11. Bd3 Bf5 12. f3 Nc6 13. Ne2 Bxe4 14. fxe4 Rad8 15. c3 Kg7 16. O-O-O Be7 17. e5 Bg5+ 18. Kc2 a6 19. Rdf1 Na5 20. h4 Bh6 21. h5 c5 22. hxg6 hxg6 23. Nf4 Bxf4 24. Rxf4 cxd4 25. cxd4 Nc6 26. Kc3 b5 27. b4 Ne7 28. Rfh4 Nd5+ 29. Kb3 Rc8 30. Rh7+ Kg8 31. Rh8+ Kf7 32. R1h7+ Ke6 33. Rxe8+ Rxe8 34. Bxg6 Rc8 35. Rh3 Rc4 36. a3 Rxd4 37. Rf3 Nf4 38. Bh7 Kxe5 39. Re3+ Kd6 40. Bg8 Nxg2 41. Rg3 Nf4 42. Rg4 Ke5 43. Rg5+ Kf6 44. Rc5 Rd3+ 45. Kb2 Rd2+ 46. Kc3 Rd3+ 47. Kb2 Rd2+ 48. Kb3 Rd3+ 49. Rc3 Rd4 50. Rc6+ Ke5 51. Rxa6 Rd3+ 52. Kb2 Rd2+ 53. Kc3 Rd3+ 54. Kc2 {Black forfeits on time} 1-0

In the next game my opponent attempts to sidestep the Staunton by first playing 1...e6.  However, I play it anyway!

chessart(1530)-Atalo(1614),3/29/08, 5,0
1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. e4 fxe4 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Bg5 d5 6. cxd5 exd5 7. Bxf6 gxf6 8. Qh5+ Ke7 9. Nxd5+ Ke6 10. Bc4 Bb4+ 11. Kf1 Kd6 12. Nxb4 f5 13. Qh6+ Ke7 14. Nd5+ Ke8 15. Nf6+ Ke7 16. Qg7+ Kd6 17. Ne2 Nc6 18. Rc1 Bd7 19. Nxd7 Qxd7 20. Qxd7+ Kxd7 21. Bb5 Rhf8 22. d5 a6 23. dxc6+ bxc6 {Black resigns} 1-0

chessart(1779)-guest, 5/25/97, 3,0

1. d4 f5 2. e4 fxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Nc6 5. f3 d5 6. fxe4 dxe4 7. d5 Ne5 8. Bb5+ c6 9. dxc6 Qxd1+ 10. Rxd1 bxc6 11. Be2 Bd7 12. Bxf6 exf6 13. Nxe4 Bb4+ 14. c3 Ba5 15. Nd6+ Ke7 16. Nf3 Rhd8 17. O-O Bb6+ 18. Kh1 Rab8 19. Nxe5 fxe5 20. Rf7+ Ke6 21. Bg4# {Black checkmated} 1-0

Sicilian Dragon with 9 Bc4

We have already looked at the other main Dragon line, in which White plays 9 0-0-0 and Black responds with 9...d5! Now we look at 9 Bc4.

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 g6 6 Be3 Bg7 7 f3 0-0 8 Qd2 Nc6 9 Bc4

With this move White prevents 9...d5, and takes control of the best light-squared diagonal.

9...Qa4

This forces White to castle, since Black threatens 10...Qb5, hitting the B/c4 and the P/b2. Usually it will just transpose to the normal line, but why not create a threat in the process?

10 0-0-0 Bd7 11 Bb3 Rfc8 12 h4

Considered the most energetic move. Slower build-ups allow Black time to do the same on the Queen-side.

12...Ne5 13 h5

The preparatory move 13 g4 is often played by White here. This allows 13 g4 Nc4 14 BxN RxB 15 h5 Rxc3 16 Qxc3 Qxa2 17 hxg6 hxg6 18 Qa3 Qc4 19 Kb1 with a slight edge to White. If White inserts 15 Nb3, Black puts his Queen on a6 in this line, planning an attack along the a2-g8 diagonal (his Bishop will go to e6).

(added 3/10/20)  Current databases give 13 Kb1 as by far the most usual move here. Play continues 13...Nc4 14 BxN RxB 15 Nb3 Qc7 16 Bd4 Be6 17 h5 a5 with balanced play.

13...Nxh5 14 g4

If 14 Bh6, White threatens to bring his Knight strongly to d5. However, Black can respond right now with either the standard exchange sac on c3, or the esoteric 14...Nd3ch 15 Kb1 Nxb2 16 KxN BxB 17 QxB Rxc3!

Nf6 15 Bh6 Rxc3! 16 bxc3

Black gets the better ending after 16 Qxc3.

16...Rc8

16..BxB and 16...Nxf3!? are other possibilities here.

17 BxB KxB 18 Qh6ch Kg8 19 g5 Nh5 20 Nf5 BxN! 21 exf5 Qxc3 22 RxN Qa1ch drawn by perpetual check.

Here is a rather raggedy-looking game played years ago, before I had learned the line very well. I'm sure many improvements can be found for both sides, but it is still fun to play through.

zombie(1833)-chessart(1854), played 10/8/96, time control 2,10

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Bc4 Nc6 9. Bb3 Bd7 10. Qd2 a5 11. a4 Rc8 12. h4 Ne5 13. h5 Nxh5 14. O-O-O Nc4 15. Bxc4 Rxc4 16. Nde2 b5 17. Rxh5 gxh5 18. Bh6 e6 19. Bxg7 Kxg7 20. e5 d5 21. Rh1 h4 22. g3 b4 23. Nd1 Bxa4 24. Nd4 Bxc2 25. Nxc2 b3 26. Nc3 bxc2 27. f4 Qc7 28. Rxh4 Qc5 29. Qd3 Re4 30. Nxe4 dxe4 31. Qxe4 Qg1+ 32. Kxc2 Rc8+ 33. Kd3 Qb1+ 34. Ke3 Qe1+ 35. Kf3 Qxe4+ 36. Kxe4 Rc2 37. f5 Re2+ 38. Kd4 exf5 39. Rf4 Kg6 40. b3 Rb2 41. Kc3 Rb1 42. Ra4 Rg1 43. Rxa5 Rxg3+ 44. Kc4 h5 45. b4 h4 46. b5 h3 47. b6 h2 48. b7 h1=Q 49. b8=Q Qc1+ 50. Kd5 Rd3# {White checkmated} 0-1

This one features a pretty mating net.

el-poeta(1408)-chessart(1486), 12/30/07, 5,0
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Bc4 Nc6 9. Bb3 Bd7 10. Qd2 Qa5 11. h4 Rfc8 12. O-O-O Ne5 13. g4 Nc4 14. Bxc4 Rxc4 15. Kb1 Rac8 16. Nb3 Qc7 17. h5 a5 18. hxg6 fxg6 19. Bh6 Rxc3 20. bxc3 Qxc3 21. Qxc3 Rxc3 22. Bxg7 Kxg7 23. Rh2 a4 24. Nd4 e5 25. Ne2 Rxf3 26. Rxd6 Bc6 27. Re6 a3 28. Rxe5 Nxe4 29. c4 Nd2+ 30. Kc2 Nxc4 31. Re7+ Kg8 32. Rhxh7 Ba4+ 33. Kb1 Rf1+ 34. Nc1 Nd2+ {White resigns} 0-1

The Englund Gambit

There are 3 minor gambits which Black sometimes plays against the Queen's Gambit Opening. I consider them related because all involve an early ...e5 by Black. I will deal with each, starting with the Englund Gambit.

1 d4 e5?!

This so obscure and unsound that I cannot even find it in BCO2. It is good only for surprise value, as entertainingly described in this blog: http://www.queensac.com/chessblognov2003.html
The writer was in a critical last-round game for first place, knowing his opponent would have White, would be playing 1 d4, and was booked up. So, he surprised his opponent with the Englund and got the draw he sought to split first and second place money.

2 dxe5 Nc6 3 Nf3 Qe7 4 Nc3

There are many moves White can play here. A real clunker is 4 Bf4, which is actually what I played when faced with this position in my very first tournament game in Kansas, against Kansas City master Jack Winters. The problem with 4 Bf4 is Black's response 4...Qb5ch, hitting the Bishop on f4 and the Pawn on b2. Here is a collection of games, showing that even top players can fall into this little "trap". http://www.queensac.com/chessblog/games/englundgambit.htm

Often played here is 4 Qd5, trying to hang onto the gambit Pawn. White must know what he's doing to play such moves! My personal preference against all 3 of these gambits is to play conservatively and develop, forcing Black to waste time recovering his gambit Pawn. If you try esoteric lines, you will get stung as White because surely Black knows them better than you do, since he chose the opening!

A check of the 38 games in the database with 4 Nc3 show Black scoring only 12.5, a success rate for White of more than two-thirds!

Play from here can continue in different ways, and there is no one established line. White often lets Black trade Knights on f3 and double his f-Pawns. He doesn't care because he plans to castle Queen-side.


Here is an entertaining game I just played this morning, vs. Bakela. Black plays the rare move 2...d6, a la the Fromm's Gambit. Only 7 database games with this, and White scores 5 and a half out of the 7. Black then follows up with the even stranger 3...Qxd6, allowing the trade of Queens. I sort of lose my way a bit during the game, but after 38 a4! mate is forced, and Black cannot avoid it even with sacrifices.

1. d4 e5 2. dxe5 d6 3. exd6 Qxd6 4. Qxd6 Bxd6 5. Nf3 Bf5 6. Nd4 Bg6 7. c3 Nf6 8. Bg5 Nbd7 9. Nd2 O-O-O 10. f3 h6 11. Bxf6 Nxf6 12. O-O-O Rhe8 13. e4 Nd7 14. Nc4 Bf4+ 15. Nd2 h5 16. g3 Be3 17. Re1 Bh6 18. Bd3 Nc5 19. Bc2 Ne6 20. f4 Nxd4 21. cxd4 Rxd4 22. Nb3 Rc4 23. Re2 Bxe4 24. Rhe1 f5 25. h3 Rd8 26. Kb1 Bxc2+ 27. Rxc2 Rxc2 28. Kxc2 b6 29. Nd2 Rd6 30. Nf3 Kb7 31. Re7 Rc6+ 32. Kb3 a5 33. Nd4 Rc5 34. Ne6 Rd5 35. Nxc7 Rd3+ 36. Kc2 Rxg3 37. Nb5+ Ka6? 38. a4! Rg2+ 39. Kb1 {Black resigns} 1-0

Final Jeopardy Wagering Strategy--Part 2

Here are some recent situations I have seen on Jeopardy. The analysis really flows pretty easily after internalizing the principles I wrote about in part 1.

game 1. player A: 13,400; player B: 8,000; player C: 8,000

B & C bet the max, and A bet 2,600. They all got it right, for the first three-way tie in the history of Jeopardy. The question here is why did player A not bet the extra dollar?? The only possible rational reason for this is if Player A felt that playing again against the same two opponents gave him a better chance than playing against the next 2 players in line to come on the show.

However, at the start of the next day's show Alex mentioned that during the break beforee the final question the prior day some kid in the audience had shouted out "Has ther ever been a three-way tie". Apparently the leader then decided to set it up for the tie to make history!

game 2: Player A--22,500, betting 8,301
Player B--15,400, betting 7,701
Player C--6,400, betting 6,400

Plasyer B blunders on 2 counts here. First, he does not create the necessary "separation" between his bet and A's bet. Although they are not close with their starting amounts, B is close enough to A to still be able to create separation. He does this with a bet of less than $1,201. This ensures that he wins whenever he and A both get the question wrong.

The other reason B blunders is he doesn't take C's score into account. Based on C's score, he needs to bet less than 2,600, so that he still beats C when C bets everything and gets it right, but he (B) misses. So, the small bet is correct for B for 2 reasons here.

game 3: Player A--16,800, betting 9,201
Player B--13,000, betting 13,000
Player C--13,000, betting 5,000

Very nice bet by C here, as he will win whenever they all miss the question. If you run through the 8 possible outcomes here, you will see that A wins in 4 of those, and B and C win 2 each. You might think, therefore, that B and C's chances are equal; however, B's chances are dependent on his getting the questions and A's missing it. It is much more likely that each will either get the question or each will miss it, than that one will get it and the other won't. Consequently, C's bet is much preferable to B's.

game 4: Player A--16,100, betting 10,800
Player B--13,400, betting 3,000
Player C--4,000, betting 4,000

Player A gets lazy here and doesn't want to do the math to make the correct bet of 10,701. The reason you don't bet that extra 99 is that it makes it easier for B to create the separation he needs.

B's range of correct bets here is 0-5,399, ensuring separation from A while also ensuring he cannot lose to C no matter what.

game 5: Player A--20,200, betting 13,000
Player B--16,200, betting 15,000
Player C--9,800, betting 9,800

Again, we have a lazy A here. There is no reason in the world to bet more than the 12,201 needed to ensure victory whenever he gets the question right. All the extra 799 does is create additional scenarios under which B or C could sneak in with a win when A misses the question.

B's big bet is certainly odd. She must have liked the category of classical composers. In fact she won the game when she got it with Beethoven, and A missed with Mozart!