East Cheshire Chess Club Blog

Last summer our number 1 board John Reed showed us his system against that pesky King’s Indian. Just to prove that he practises what he preaches here is a recent crush against a strong opponent. Comments by John.

John Reed – Hubert Pierrard (1982)

1. d4 Nf6

2. c4 g6

3. Nc3 Bg7

4. e4 d6

5. Bg5 (of course)

5. … Nbd7

6. f4 h6

7. Bh4 c6 (slow but allows Qb6 or Qa5 . The problem for White in Bg5 is always the black squares on the Q side and centre))

8. Nf3 0 -0

9. e5 de5

10. fe5 Ng4 ( not bad Nh5 may be better)

11. e6 !? (introducing huge complications. Blacks pawns are a mess. Is his Knight good or bad on g4?)

11. … Nb6. (better to take fe6. Then not 12 Bd3 because of e5! better 12 Qe2 ! e5 ! 13. 0-0-0-! . very hard to find this over the board )

12. ef7 Rf7

13. Qd2 (keep the Knight out )

13. … Qd6 ( with the idea of Qe6 +, better Qd7 as Q now vulnerable )

14. 0-0-0 ! Qb4 (better Qf4 but Black is now worse )

15. h3 (go away ) Nf6 ( disaster. only way to keep game alive was to give this up)

17. Ne5 Na4 (desperation)

18. Nf7 (why not?) Bf5

18. Na4 Qa4

19. b3 Qa3+

20. Qb2 Qa5 ( he had to swap but its terrible now)

21. Be1 (guards the dark squares ) Qc7

22. Ne5 ( a whole rook up ) h5

23. Bd3 ( finally get the bishop out) Ne4

24. g4 (oh dear) Bh6+

25. Kb1 1-0

So another King’s Indian bites the dust thanks to John’s unusual system. Just be prepared to play sharply if you want to get the best out of it!

I played 12. … a6 but 12. … Ne5 would have ruined his kingside pawns.

2. White has just played 21. a4? What did I play?

21. … Ne5! wins a pawn, as does 21. … Nxc5!

3. We then reached the following position with Black to move. What should the plan be?

The problem is that if Black swaps queenside pawns and the Queens the position will probably be drawn. Therefore I decided to use my extra kingside pawn to storm his king.

26. … b4 would have been good but I began the storm with 26. … e5.

4. I then got the below position with Black to move. It is useful to know some of the cast iron rules of chess. One is that in double discovered check you have to move your king. Knowing this rule allowed me to bash out the winning move in time trouble. What was it?

33. … Rxg3+ wins the house.

This is Graham’s last game of the season against Stockport. I think Graham would admit he was not particularly motivated about this game, not much to play for really, this was until his opponent chuckled when Graham played his opening move 1…..f5. To be fair to his opponent this was not a chuckle at the move but more circumstance. Grahams opponent had prepared 1. Nf3 on the basis he might get White against Dave Newell’s Dutch. Apparently Stockport chess club keep a database and Dave is on it, seems to me this is taking chess a mite too seriously. So having not got Dave he abandoned the Nf3 preparation, played 1. c4 then got the Dutch anyway, bit of a bugger life sometimes.

Anyway on with the game.

1. c4 f5
2. Nc3 d6 (supporting e5, anf if White plays d4 then we are back into main line Dutch Leningrad)
3. g3 e5
4. d3 Nf6
5. Bg2 g6
6. Nf3 c6
7. O-O Bg7
8. Rab1 O-O
9. b4 Nh5
10. Qb3 f4

So the opening has gone OK, its not too far off a Leningrad structure, not sure if the pawn on e5 is strong or exposed but it turned out OK.

11. c5+ d5
12. e4 fxe3

Is the Ne4 then Nd6 manouvre good or not?

13. fxe3 Kh8
14. e4 half a question mark maybe
14. … d4
15. Na4 Qe8
16. Bd2 Be6
17. Qa3 cheap trick or best available?
17. … Na6
18. Ng5 Rxf1 I think this is best although other tries are available, the Queen is probably best if it can remain on e8 for the time being, lots of options from there
19. Bxf1 Bg8
20. Be2 Nf6
Wonder if immediate h6 is better, not much in it maybe, don’t believe White will want to exchange the White squared bishop for the knight, probably needs it to defend those white squares around the King if necesary

21. Bd1 h6
22. Nf3 g5
23. Nb2 Nc7
24. Bb3? Nb5
25. Qa4 (a long way from being in the game)
25. … Qh5
26. Kg2 (Graham clearly up here, Nxe5 is an interesting try)
26. … Rf8 (26. …Nf4 worth a look)
A new experience for Graham this season, bit of time trouble having been treading very carefully over the past few moves
27. Rf1 Ng4
28. h3 Ne3+
29. Bxe3 dxe3
30. g4 Qg6

31. Bd1 Nd4
32. Re1? Nxf3
Graham with not much time analized one sequence of moves giving him a position of safety and probably a win, 32…. Nxf3 is OK, but there is a winner.

33. Bxf3 Rxf3
34. Kxf3 Qf6+
35. Kxe3 Qf4+
36. Ke2 Qh2+
37. Kd1 Qxb2
38. Re2 Qa1+
39. Kd2 Qxa2

Well I think with correct play this is eventually a win for Black but its not easy against the clock and although a few more moves were played a draw was eventually agreed. Graham’s challenge for next year is to turn a few of these very good draws into wins!

Here is Grahams game from thursday against Stockport, after totally failing to get motivated for the game his opponent chuckled at Graham’s 1….f5 response to 1. c4, thus solving the motivation problem. Sadly he was not in fact laughing at the move, he had been preparing 1. Nf3 during the day expecting to maybe play Dave Newell and his dutch but then got Graham instead, apparently Dave has a game or two on the Stockport chess club database but Graham does not, so not realising his preperation for the Dutch would still be useful opened with 1. c4, losing any real chance to play some of the sharp and prepared 1. Nf3 lines. Bit of a bugger life sometimes.
Anyway on with the game.
1. c4 f5
2. Nc3 d6 trying for an early e5, if White plays d4 to stop this then we are back into main line leningrad
3. g3 e5 4. d3 Nf6 5. Bg2 g6 6. Nf3 c6 7. OO Bg7 8. Rab1 OO
Nice Leningrad like structure, Grham is I think at least level
9. b4 Nh5 10. Qb3 f4

11. c5+ d5 12. e4 fxe3 What do we think about 12. Ne4 here, is it a nuisance if it then goes to d6, anyway back to the game.
13. fxe3 Kh8 releiving pressure on d5
14. e4 (half a question mark)
14. d4
15. Na4 Qe8
16. Bd2 Be6 17. Qa3 cheap trick
17. ……Na6 18. Ng5 Interesting position with quite a lot going on and on the basis that the Queen is best remaining on d8 supporting the pawn on c6 against whites b5 then
18….. Rxf1 19. Bxf1 Bg8 20. Be2 Nf6? I have given it a question mark as I dont think its necesary to move it, an immediate ….h6 maybe

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Just to cheer up the B team after being denied their match last night here is Tudor showing us all how to swindle again Denton last month. Notes by Tudor.

T Rickards 1 J Lysons 0

1. e4 …e5
2. Nf3 …d6
3. Bc4 …Be7
4. O-O …Nf6
5. Re1 …0-0
6. c3 …a6
7. d4 …e x d
8. c x d …Nc6?! (don’t like this now, must find a better move)

9. h3 …b5
10. Bb3 …Bb7
11. Nc3 …h6 (shows B is running out of decent moves)
12. e5! ..dxe
13. dxe …QxQd1
14. RxQd1 (black in some trouble).
…Nh7
15. R1d7 (wish I was White)
…Bd8

Instructive. White completely in charge but needs to find best plan. I suspect gradual strangulation. Black has to, well, just hang in there

16. Bf4 …Bc8
17. Rd2 …Be6!? (I like it. What else? )
18. Nd5?! ( Looks strong. Ducks the obvious 18 B x B with severe B p weaknesses to avoid (doubtful) F file counterplay? )
18. …Na5
19. Rc1? Loses. In pursuit of a win down the c file stuffs himself. Ra1d1retains probable win

19 …c6! (thank you, white)
Nothing to do. Black forces material gain.
20. Nb4 …B x Bb3 and wins comfortably. White quickly finds a few more moves to lose more quickly before the endgame.

Lesson: …Nf6 is rarely played in Philidor’s defense. Game shows one reason why. If offered a simplification to a v good endgame, take it.

K.R.Holton v. D Toole
East Cheshire B .v. Denton
Board 2
25th March/2009

1. e4 (I had a panic attack about his battle tested Kings Indian v. my new Reti!)

1. … c5 (I hope he doesn’t know the Sicilian as well!)
2. Nf3 (Martian logic says if you play something you don’t know make sure you really don’t know it – hence the open Sicilian!)

2. … d6
3. d4 c/d
4. Nx d4 Nf6
5. Nc3 a6
6. Be3 e5 (Hmm he does !?…)
7. Nb3 Be6 (Mum I want to go home now!)

8. Be2 Be7
9. 0—0 Nbd7
10. f4 Qc7
11. f5 Bc4 I didn’t like f/e5 and I felt a King-side assault was my best chance
12. Bxc4 Qxc4
13. Nd2 Qc6 Fritz gives Black 0.34 at this stage but I’m still punching.

14. Qf3 Rc8 I was surprised by this expecting Nc5 keeping 0-0-0 in reserve
15. g4 ! h5 ! After the game my opponent graciously told me g4 “was an “awful move”
16. h3 h/g
17. h/g Rh4 Looks good to me, a really Tudor type slugfest. I need a good cuts man !

18. g5 Nh5?? I had thought for 20 minutes cogitating his Ng4 where after Qg3 he had Nxe3 and then after the sequence Qxh4 Nxf1 Rxf1 I was loose but with K side pressure. I think the move played loses a piece to a pawn.

19. Bf2 ! Bxg5
20. Bxh4 Bxh4 ? The Martian mind scrambler I keep down my inside leg ( no not from one of those films Jackie Smith’s house husband watches !) has done the trick he had to play Bxd2 to have any worthwhile counter play.

21. Qxh5 Qb6 +
22. Kg2 Qe3 Oh No! — he’s up to something, why did I cheapskate with ‘Pound Shop’ batteries in the mind scrambler………….. Pleased I played g2 to hold f2 though.

23. Qxh4 Rxc3 ?! Phew mind scrambler still working what is this? I had expected Qxd2 when Rf2 held well and allowed me to attack with Qh8+. Hasn’t he given me enough material?

24. b/c Qxd2+ No perpetual here Sunny Jim !
25. Rf2 Qxc3
26. Rd1 Nf6
27. Rxd6 Ke7 Otherwise Qh8+ and mate with Qd8
28. Rf-d2 g5 A desperate shot but Nxe4 forking both rooks and the queen is not on.
29. Qxg5 His flag had fallen to deprive me of mate in two………..
I politely said I wanted to avoid his KI so played e4 “off the cuff” and didn’t know it. “It showed “ he added rather sagely…………….

White: McKenna Black: Graham Ball

I think Graham expected to lose this one, he had fluked a half early in the season but maybe that actually worked in his favour.

1. e4 e6
2. d4 d5
3. Nc3 Nf6
4 e5 Nfd7
5. f4 c5
6. Nf3 Nc6
7. Be3 a6
Graham likes the 7…..a6 line for no better reason than he has forgotten about the Nb5 Nd6 manouver on more than one occasion. Its also true that with a bit of cooperation from White it can produce some interesting Q side ideas. I prefer 7……cxd4

8. Qd2 b5
9. dxc Bxc5
10. Bxc5 Nxc5
11. Qf2 Qb6
12. Bd3
Not sure about this one, Graham likes to get the bits off against a better player and surely White wants to keep the light squared bishop

12. … Nxd3ch
13. cxd3 Qxf2 ch
14. Kxf2 Bd7
15. Rhc1

After 15 minutes thought. Graham gets nervous when good players start to think, mostly because he admits he can never figure out whats to think about, too much quickplay chess!

15. … Ke7
16. Ne2 Rhc8
17. a3 h6

Can’t help but think one side or the other needs to be on b4 here but haven’t sat down and analysed it.

18. h4 Ra7
19. Rc5 Rac7
20. R1c1 Kd8
21. g4 Ne7
22. RxR RxR
23. RxR KxR
24. Ng3 g6

25. h5
(25. Nd4 better maybe)
25. … Kc6

JPM has around 15 minutes left but takes 10 of them over the next mone, GB now very nervous. now I think b4 or Nd4 probably best but JPM maybe feels he should find a winning move

26. Ng5

26. … gxh

After sitting there for 10 minutes. GB would not have taken that Knight even if it were possible.

27. Nxf7 hxg
28. Nxh6 b4

Hard for JPM to win this now even with the extra pawn coming

29. axb Kb5
30. Nxg4 Kxb4

31. Ne3?

Dont like this move, think GB has an edge now

31. … Kb3
32. Nd1?

Not convinced by this either (time trouble moves.)

32. … Kc2
33. Ke2 Bb5
34. Ne3 Kxb2

35 f5?

Swapping off alright for GB, the Bishop ought to become strong.

35. … exf
36. Ngxf5 Nexf5

Time control, now on a first look I would have thought black winning but have not yet found a winning line , the problem is the a pawn is queening on the wrong colour so if white gets his king in front of it even after losing the knight to stop the d pawn it’s drawn.

37. Nxf5 Kc3
38. Nd6 Bxd3ch
39. Ke3 d4ch
40. Kf4 Bc2
41. e6 Ba4
42. Ke5 d3
43. Ne4ch Kc2
44. Kd6 d2
45. Nxd2 Kxd2
46. Kc5 Kc3 draw

John Reed recently sent me one of his best wins, played in the Pornic Open in France where he won the veteran prize. In John’s words “it just shows the power of the Queens Gambit Exchange variation, the best opening there is.” That may be true but how often do your opponents let you play it?

Here is the game with a few notes by me:

John Reed vs. T Giraud (1900)

1. d4 d5
2. c4 e6
3. Nc3 Nf6
4. cd5 ed5

The starting position of the Queen’s Gambit Exchange Version. White has the half open c-file and an extra central pawn with prospects of a central pawn storm later. What does Black have? I’m not sure really! Perhaps John could explain one day? Nigel Short seems happy to play the Black pieces here anyway.

5. Bg5 Be7
6. Qc2 c6
7. e3 Bg4
8. Bd3 Nbd7
9. f3 Bh5
10. N(1)e2 Bg6
11. O-O Bd3
12. Qd3 h6
13. Bh4 O-O
14. Rad1 Re8


The opening is over. White is ready to start pushing pawns. Black adopts a wait-and-see approach which doesn’t work very well!

15. Kh1 Nf8
16. Bf2 Ng6
17. e4 Bf8
18. e5 Nd7
19. f4 Bb4
20. f5 Nf8
21. Qg3 Qg5
22. Qh3 Be7
23. Rd3

Ooops! Black’s queen is in danger of being trapped and most of his pieces are mere spectators.

23. … h5
24. f6 Bf6
25. ef6 Qf6
26. Rf3 1-0
What a crush! A great reason to play 1. d4, except that most of the time you will find yourself in a Nimzo, or a King’s Indian, or a Slav…