ways of presenting a game

8/8/2019 Ways of Presenting a Game

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Andrew Martin:

Ways of presenting a game

The purpose of this short article is to discuss

ways for a coach to present a game. Everycoach will inevitably have to do this in his or

her training sessions and there are severaleffective methods which I have used over

the years. The task is not perhaps asstraightforward as it seems. Let me outline

the basic methods :

1)The lecture method: Using a demo or

smart board the coach talks about a game tothe audience.

2)The lecture method plus: This time theaudience have chess equipment so that they

may play through the game along with thelecturer and ask questions.

3)The 'How Good is your Chess' method:The students are divided into small groups.

All groups work with two sets and boards setup with alternate colours, so that the group

can see the position from both sides point ofview. Groups analyse on one set and keep

the actual game position on the other. Thissaves an enormous amount of time

reconstructing the position. All students havepaper and pens. The coach numbers the

students randomely and keeps these numbersknown only to himself. At key moments in

the game the coach asks the students toguess the next move. The groups may

discuss the position and move the piecesaround on the analysis board, but at the end

of an alotted time they all have to make achoice and write it down. A member of the

audience is asked to choose a number andthat person has to come out to the demo

board and explain his chosen move.Questions may be asked from the floor atthis point and after the explanation the coach

reviews the other choices and awards meritpoints for each choice. Minus points must be

given for poor moves. At the end you have a

winner!4)The ' critical moments' metho:. As

above, except that the coach presents thegroup with a bare game score and asks for

commentary on key moments in the gamewhich he or she will supply. For instance ,

W5, B16 B21,W24,B24 etc. The studentshave to work out why the coach has

identified these moments as important and afull discussion ensues at the end of an alotted

time.5)The annotation method: The coach

simply gives the group a bare game scoreand tells them to ' annotate'.

Now that the ways of presenting a gamehave been suggested, I should say that the

method you choose must strongly depend onthe overall sophistication of the audience. If

you pick the wrong method for a group youwill soon see the session flop. Let me

therefore outline what I think is best. By farthe least effective methodis thefirst. If you

are not a very good lecturer you run the riskof boring the audience to death. If you are

forced to give a commentary or there is noother choice then sometimes you will have

to lecture, but the main problem is that thereis no INTERACTION. The audience is

trapped, you are on an ego trip, and theyhave to listen to you. Avoid the first method

if at all possible.The second suggestion is slightly better as

the audience is now a bit more involved.They have chess sets to play with and can

ask questions. Nevertheless it's all about youand very little about them. The skilled

teacher knows that the correct way has to beto turn this around. Method two is not

recommended either.

Method three is extremely popular, my

favourite, works at all levels even amongvery strong players, establishes competitionwithin the group and is highly entertaining.

The audience is fully involved and delightsin coming out to the demo board. Everyone

gets the chance to see how the other is


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thinking. Time flies when you use this

method. To make this session workoptimally the coach must:

1) Choose the moves to be predictedcarefully beforehand:

2) Make sure the groups are balenced interms of chess strength;

3) Have a full command of the game underdiscussion as a huge variety of suggestions

inevitably come up;4) Be able to keep a correct score as the

session progresses or to delegate that amember of each group does so for that

group;5) Give out prizes for the winners at the end

(Top Three).Method fourworks best with stronger or

ambitious students. If the critical momentsare selected correctly this is a tough exercise.

The coach has done a lot of the work for thegroup by choosing points at which the game

turned, but it is not easy for the students toanalyze those moments and explain them.

The coach will allocate an amount of timefor the work according to the capability of

the group. The general objective will be to 'push' them and to make to difficult to

complete the task within the timeframe. Thecoach may turn this session into a

competition, awarding points for good andbad answers, but this is not compulsory. I

think it is a good idea to ask students tocome out to the demo bord to explain

themselves as in number three above. Allstudents will have appropriate writing

materials.Method five is the toughest and should only

be used with advanced students. Smallgroups are best and this exercise may be

given to individuals. The coach may supplyappropriate books or computer materials to

help the students, but apart from that thestudents are on their own. After the session,when the game has been fully discussed and

analyzed, the coach will present each of thestudents with a full annotation of the game

which he himself has made. They should be

asked to examine this carefully and

critically and to give later feedback. There isplenty of variety to hand.Carlsen,Magnus - Wang,Yue [C36]

Kings' Tournament,Medias Bazna2010

Let us now turn to a sample game and one

which has been played recently. I like tokeep my games current. A lazy coach could

easily go to the Megabase or a book and justphotocopy a game for use, but this is

shortchanging the audience in many ways.You keep your own skills fresh this way.

1.e4 e52.f4

XIIIIIIIIY9rsnlwqkvlntr09zppzpp+pzpp09-+-+-+-+09+-+-zp-+-09-+-+PzP-+09+-+-+-+-0

9PzPPzP-+PzP09tRNvLQmKLsNR0xiiiiiiiiyCritical moment number one. "Things

weren't going so well in the tournament Ithought I just try it and see how it goes" said

Magnus after the game. A lively discussioncould ensue here about the Kings Gambit.

The opening choice is interesting andobviously came as a complete surprise to

Wang Yue.2...d5

2...ef4. Mention to weaker groups thataccepting this particular gambit is the only

way to try to refute it.

3.ed5 ef4!?

A transpositional device which changes thegame if White intended to play the Bishop's


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Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.f4 ef4 3.Lc4 d5, when

White can take with the Bishop.

4.Sf3 Sf65.Lc4 Sd56.00 Le7 7.Ld5

XIIIIIIIIY

9rsnlwqk+-tr09zppzp-vlpzpp09-+-+-+-+09+-+L+-+-09-+-+-zp-+09+-+-+N+-09PzPPzP-+PzP0

9tRNvLQ+RmK-0xiiiiiiiiyI rate this as critical moment two. In order tomaintain momentum White must cede the

Bishop pair. The need to make committaldecisions such as this makes the King's

Gambit unpopular at the highest level. Yet7.Ld5 is necessary, with the Black pieces

ready to stream out.

7...Dd5 8.Sc3

8.d4 has also been tried and may provoke8..g5?! (8...00 9.Lf4 Lg4 10.Sc3 Dd7

11.Dd2 Lf3 12.Tf3 c5 13.d5 Ld6 14.Ld6 Dd615.Se4 Db6 16.Tb3 Dc7 17.Sf6 Kh8 18.Th3

h6 19.Th6 gh6 20.Dh6#, 10, Jensen,M(2044) - Rasmussen,J, Helsingor 2009)

9.Sc3 Dd8 10.De1 00 11.De4 f5 12.Dd3 b613.Dc4 Kg7 14.Te1 Lb7 15.d5 Lc5 16.Kh1

Df6 17.b4 La6 18.Db3 Ld6 19.Lb2 Kg620.Te6, 10, Hague,B (2233) - Dilleigh,S

(2158), West Bromwich 2003. Here are two

examples which confirm beyond doubt thatthe King's Gambit is alive and kicking justbelow master level. 8...Dd8 9.d400 10.Lf4

Lf5

XIIIIIIIIY9rsn-wq-trk+09zppzp-vlpzpp0

9-+-+-+-+09+-+-+l+-09-+-zP-vL-+09+-sN-+N+-09PzPP+-+PzP09tR-+Q+RmK-0xiiiiiiiiyA very natural square for the Bishop, but it isunprotected and you do wonder abouttactical strikes on the f file. 10..Lf5 is a rare

move compared to the alternatives: 10...c6delays a decision about the best place for the

queenside pieces. It is reasonable: 11.d5(11.Dd3 Sa6 12.Tae1 Le6 13.a3 Te8 14.Se4

h6 15.Se5 f5 16.Sg3 Lh4 17.Sf5 Lf5 18.Df5;11.De1 Lg4 12.Td1 Sd7 13.Se4 Sf6 14.Sf6

Lf6 15.c3 Dd5 16.Dg3 Lh5 17.b3 Da518.Le5; 11.Dd2 Lf5) 11...Lf6 (11...Db6

12.Kh1 Db2 13.Dd3 (13.Le5 Sd7) 13...Lb414.Sg5 g6 15.Sge4 f5 16.dc6 Sc6 17.Dc4

Kg7 18.Tab1) 12.Le5 (12.Dd3 Lc3 (12...Db613.Kh1 Db2 14.Se5) 13.Dc3 (13.bc3 Dd5;

13.Sg5 f5 14.Dc3 cd5 15.Tad1 h6 16.Sf3Sc6) 13...cd5 (13...Dd5 14.Tad1) 14.Le5 f6

15.Lc7 Dd7 (15...De7 16.Tae1) 16.Lf4 Sc6)12...Le5 13.Se5 f6 a) 13...Sd7 14.Sc4

(14.Sd7 Ld7 15.Dd4) 14...Sb6; b) 13...Db614.Kh1 Db2 15.Df3 f6 16.dc6 bc6 (16...Sc6

17.Dd5 Kh8 18.Sf7 Tf7 19.Df7) 17.Tab1 Dc2

18.Sd5 Dc5 (18...cd5 19.Dd5; 18...Sa619.Se7 Kh8 20.Tbc1) 19.Sc7 De5 20.Sa8;14.dc6 (14.Sc4 b5 15.Se3 b4) 14...fe5 15.Tf8

(15.Dd8 Td8 16.c7 Te8(16...Td2 17.cb8DTb8 18.Tae1) 17.cb8D Tb8) 15...Df8 16.Dd5

Df7 17.Dd8 Df8 18.Dd5, , Conquest,S(2529) - Beliavsky,A (2654), Saint Vincent

2000.


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Meanwhile 10...Lg4 leads to a position

where Black does not quite make equality:11.h3 Lf3 12.Df3 Sc6 (12...Dd4 13.Kh1 Sc6

14.Lc7) 13.Tad1 Ld6 14.Ld6 Dd6 15.Se4Dg6 16.c3 Tad8 17.Sg3 Tde8 18.Tde1 Sd8

19.Kh1 Kh8

20.Sf5 Te6 21.d5 Tf6 22.De4h6 23.De7 Tg8 24.De5 Dh5 25.Te4 ,

Penndorf,D (1875) - Borchert,O (1840),Ellwangen 2000.

11.De2The opening is over and the middlegame is

about to begin. Therefore this is criticalmoment three, where both players have to

use some time to think. The impression isthat White can hope for an edge thanks to his

lead in development and somewhat bettercontrol in the center, but Black

counterbalences this with the bishop pair.

11...Ld6!?

Vacating the e file. Maybe he did not like11...Sc6 12.Tf2! Te8 13.Dc4 Lf6 14.Td1,

when White is solidly better. Another moveto consider is 11...c6.

12.Ld6 Dd6 13.Sb5 Dd8 14.c4 a6Also possible was 14...c6 15.Sc3 Sd7

16.Tae1 Te8 17.Df2 Ld3 18.Te8 De8 19.Te1Df8 20.b3 Db4

XIIIIIIIIY9r+-+-+k+09zpp+n+pzpp09-+p+-+-+09+-+-+-+-09-wqPzP-+-+09+PsNl+N+-0

9P+-+-wQPzP09+-+-tR-mK-0xiiiiiiiiybut Black is still not equal. It is worthdetailing why:

1) White holds the only open file;

2) Black's Bishop has nothing to attack;

3) e7 and f7 are points which must bepermanently guarded;

4) White can create a central passed pawnwith d4-d5. Thus with 21.Dd2 Lg6 22.d5

White is starting to increase his edge.15.Sc3 Sd7 16.Tad1 Lg6 17.Df2 Te8 18.h3!Black has to sit and wait, not very pleasant.He is without counterplay, which is the

essence of successful defence. It would beworth making this point to any level of

student. So, with 18 h3 (critical momentfour) White takes squares, improves his

position slightly and awaits events. Blackhas no similar move.

18...Tc8The move of a man who does not like his

position. [It is true that after 18...h6 19.Sh4!is strong; but maybe 18...Df6 19.Sd5 Dd6

20.Sh4 c6 21.Sg6 fg6 22.Df7 Kh8 23.Df4Df4 24.Sf4 held chances for a draw in the

endgame. However, this position is not nicefor Black at all.

19.Tfe1Carlsen exchanges off one of Black's only

active pieces. This is CM five.

19...Te1 20.Te1 c621.d5?!

A bit early perhaps. After 21.De3 h6 22.a3White continues the squeeze.

21...Sf6CM six.

XIIIIIIIIY9-+rwq-+k+09+p+-+pzpp09p+p+-snl+0

9+-+P+-+-09-+P+-+-+09+-sN-+N+P09PzP-+-wQP+09+-+-tR-mK-0


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xiiiiiiiiyIt is very odd that he does not take the

chance to activate his Rook, but I suppose hefeels he can take on d5 at any time.

Nevertheless 21...cd5 was well worth

consideration: 22.Sd5! (22.cd5 Df8 23.Dd4Dd6) 22...Tc4 23.Se7 Kf8 (23...Kh8 24.Sg5Df8 25.b3! Tc5 (25...Tc7 26.Df4 Tc527.Dd6) 26.Dd4) 24.b3 Tc3=.

22.Dd4 cd523.Sd5 Sd524.cd5 Dd625.Se5White's plan is to play at some moment Sc4

and then advance the d-pawn. If Blackprevents it by playing b7-b5, then the

weakness of square c6 is unpleasant.Therefore a good defensive plan is needed

and Wang Yue fails to find it. (Rogozenko)

25...Te8

XIIIIIIIIY9-+-+r+k+09+p+-+pzpp09p+-wq-+l+09+-+PsN-+-09-+-wQ-+-+0

9+-+-+-+P09PzP-+-+P+09+-+-tR-mK-0xiiiiiiiiyCM seven. Black could force matters

immediately with 25...f6! Rogozenko'sanalysis, made immediately after the game,

then tends to suggest that the game will be

drawn: 26.Sg6 (26.Sc4? is a blunder in viewof26...Db4 27.Tc1 b5 and Black wins;26.Sf3 is also bad: 26...Lf7 27.Td1 Td8 and

White loses the d5-pawn) 26...hg6 27.Te6Dc5 (perhaps27...Tc1 28.Kf2 Tc2 29.Kf3

Dd7is also acceptable) 28.Dc5 Tc5 29.d6Td5 and the endgame should be a draw. For

instance: 30.Kf2 (or30.h4 b5 31.Kf2 Kf7

32.Te7 Kf8 33.Td7 Td2 34.Ke3 Tg2 35.Ta7

Ke8) 30...g5 31.Ke3 (31.g4 b5 32.Ke3 Kf733.Te7 Kf8 34.Td7 g6 35.Ke4 Td2) 31...f5

32.Te7 Td6 33.Tb7 Kh7 34.a4 Kg6 35.a5 f436.Ke4 Te6 37.Kf3 (37.Kd3 Te3 38.Kd4 Te2

39.Tb6 Kf5) 37...Kf5; 25...Lf5!?recentralizing the Bishop was also a

candidate move, but not; 25...Dc5? due to26.Dc5 Tc5 27.d6 Td5 28.d7 winning.

26.Te3 Td826...b5 27.Sc4! Dd8 28.Te8 De8 29.Se5 is

the kind of position White is aiming for. TheBlack Bishop is helpless to prevent the

advance of the pawn. It would certainly beworth discussing the overall power of Queen

and Knight vs Queen and Bishop in theendgame at this time.

27.Sc4 Df628.Te5!A move which makes it very difficult for

Wang to find a decent reply. White has allthe options thanks to his passed pawn and

superior minor piece. Using 'guess the nextmove', if anyone found 28.Te5 then they

deserve special praise.

28...h6

CM eight. 28...b5! 29.Sa5 (29.De3 h6)29...h6 was a better defensive try.

29.d6! Lf529...b5 30.d7! Kh7 31.Sb6 isn't a stone-cold

win, but Black is getting increasingly shortof good moves: 31...Lf5 32.b3 Le6 33.Dd3

Dg6 34.Dd6 Dc2 35.Te1 .

30.Sb6! Le6

30...Td6 31.Sd5 forces Black to give up theexchange; 30...Dd6? loses right away due to

31.Td5.

31.d7 Kh8 32.a4

The Knight is the kingpin, completelyrestricting Black's movements. Carlsen

continues to bear- hug Wang until he runsout of air.

32...g633.Dc3 Kg7 34.a5 h535.h4Here the Chinese player decided to give upthe exchange and go for a position where he

said "I think I have chances to draw".

35...Td7


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XIIIIIIIIY

9-+-+-+-+09+p+r+pmk-09psN-+lwqp+09zP-+-tR-+p09-+-+-+-zP09+-wQ-+-+-09-zP-+-+P+0

9+-+-+-mK-0xiiiiiiiiyCM Nine. He is out of patience. A survey of

the alternatives will reveal just how poor theBlack position has become: 35...Ld7?

36.Td5 loses the bishop; 35...Dh4? 36.Te6;35...Kg8 but then 36.Tc5 (or first 36.g3 )

36...Dc3 (36...Dh4 37.Tc8) 37.Tc3 Kf838.Tc7 Ke7 39.Tb7 Ld7 40.Ta7 Ke8 41.Sd7

Td7 42.Ta6 Tb7 43.Tb6+-.

36.Sd7 Ld7 37.Dd4 Lc638.b4 Lb539.Kh2

La440.Td5 Lc641.Df6 Kf642.Tc5

XIIIIIIIIY9-+-+-+-+09+p+-+p+-09p+l+-mkp+09zP-tR-+-+p0

9-zP-+-+-zP09+-+-+-+-09-+-+-+PmK09+-+-+-+-0xiiiiiiiiy

Ask the students to construct a winning plan

for White in this position. Mention Black'slack of complete lack of counterplay. White

has all the time in the world to do as hepleases and this is the decisive factor.

42...Ke643.Kg3 f644.Kf2 Ld545.g3 g5?This loses by force, but on the other hand the

position must be lost anyway. Whiteeventually trains his King and Rook on the

b7 pawn and takes it!

46.g4!

XIIIIIIIIY9-+-+-+-+09+p+-+-+-0

9p+-+kzp-+09zP-tRl+-zpp09-zP-+-+PzP09+-+-+-+-09-+-+-mK-+09+-+-+-+-0xiiiiiiiiyCM ten. Creates a passed pawn by force,winning. How often does this happen in the

endgame? 46...hg447.h5 Le448.Tc7 f5

49.h6 f450.h7 g351.Ke1 f352.h8D f2

53.Ke2 Ld354.Ke3A positional treatment of the King's Gambit,

which is of course, the modern way. Asummary of the game is now in order.

1) Carlsen surprised Wang with his choice ofopening.

2) Wang reacted rather passively and was

unwilling to challenge White in the sharpervariations.3) Black had very little fun in this game and

was defending throughout.4) Precisely because he was not enjoying

playing the position, Wang missed defensivechances on moves 10, 21 and 28.


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5) Carlsen showed his ability to create and

sustain pressure, which is the key to victoryin virtually all competitive games. 10

ways of presenting a game

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