A man ceases to be a beginner in chess and becomes a master when he has learned that he is going to be a beginner all his life.
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[Event "mmeics rated blitz game"]
[Site "mmeics, Boston, MA USA"]
[Date "1996.12.03"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Nimrod"]
[Black "Kudrin"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "Rene Phillips"]
[BlackElo "2487"]
[ECO "A41"]
[TimeControl "0"]
[WhiteElo "2345"]
{ This game demonstrates that the prepared Londoner can play a great attack
against anyone! Grandmasters also have trouble cracking this opening. } 1. d4 { A41: 1 d4 d6: Tartakower System and Modern Defence } 1... d6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bf4 { Grandmaster Kudrin employs a move order that disguises his intentions. Note:
the Black position from here can transpose to a Modern or King's Indian,
Double-Fianchetto or Benoni Defense! } 3... Bg7 4. c3 { Both c3 and e3 are moves
that are often played in the London System to bolster the center in wake of
the impending c5 by black. } 4... Nf6 5. Nbd2 { The move h3 is usually my choice
here when black adopts the Kings Indian Setup with pawns on d6, g6, and e7.
Once black's knight is played to f6, h3 is a must to allow the (bishop) sword
it's sheath at h2. } 5... O-O { Grandmaster Sergey Kudrin castles here and the setup
is safe for black. White has his work cut out for him here. Kings Indian
Defenses are a proven lethal defensive setup. Black will play levers on c5 or
e5 to attack d4. } 6. h3 { Prevents intrusion on g4 and allows the retreat of
the bishop after it is attacked by Nh5. Note in the KID setup white's light
squared bishop dominates the vacated white squares. The Gruenfeld setup
allows the London Bishop at f4 to rule the dark squares. } 6... c5 { Kudrin plays
the c5 lever to attack the wedge at d4. Now black's setup is akin to a Benoni
Indian. Some fancy dancing by the GM here. Fortunately for me, the London
System is lucid and can adapt to any defensive scheme. } 7. e3 { Here e3
bolsters the center and should GM Kudrin exchange on d4, I have the option of
maintaining a symmetrical setup with cxd4 or give the position a slight
imbalance with exd4. The choice is mine! } 7... b6 { Now the position is a Double
fianchetto Defense! 1. d4 2. Nf3 and 3. Bf4 and take on the World. Remember
the key London Bishop will be the white squared Bishop with black attacking
on the dark squares d6, c5, and e7. The London System allows to the Bishops
to change roles of dominance. } 8. Bc4 { The London dagger takes up residence
on the juicy white squares. There are traps on this diagonal. Ex. 1. d4 Nf6
2. Nf3 g6 3.Bf4 Bg7 4. e3 d6 5. Bc4 0-0 6. Nbd2 Nbd7 7. h3 Re8? 8. Bf7+ Kxf7
9. Ng5+ and wins the lady after king moves, the mustangs romps to e6! } 8... Bb7 { Good diagonal for black's white-squared bishop. This is an interesting
battle brewing. Count the number of pieces that attack e5 and compare with
the number of black's pieces that attack e4. } 9. Qe2 { Always opt to disguise
your moves according to J. Silman. This queen move allows me the option of
castling to either side. } 9... Qc7 { Hmmm... GM Kudrin moves his lady to the second
floor as well. Note that white is fully developed and will decide which side
he will castle on based on where he will attack. } 10. a4 { White could castle
0-0 immediately since he has declared he will castle on the king-side but a4
gains space on the queen-side first. } 10... a6 { GM Kudrin is crafty and waiting for
me to falter and just plays nice quiet, solid moves. This move discourages a5
due to b5 by black. } 11. O-O { Finally, the monarch retreats to safety.
Needless to say white has space on the queen-side and will attack there. } 11... Nbd7 { Note that Nbd7 allows black to maintain the center tension on d4. He
carefully sidesteps exchanging on d4 and now e5 waits in the wings. } 12. Rfd1 { The king rook moves to the d4 square instead of the queen rook so the castle
on a1 can maintain a watchful eye on a4 and a5. The rook on the d-file will
have it's day after I open the d-file with dxc5. } 12... Nd5 { GM Kudrin makes his
first attacking move. Bishops are preferred over knights in open positions
according to theory. The early h3 allows the bishop a shed to hide in. } 13. Bh2 { The bishop coils and monitors the queen from a distance. White's
position is like a tightened spring. } 13... Rfe8 { This move threatens e5 but at the
cost of the game. This position is well worth memorizing as it occurs often.
The tempo white gains here force the next few replies. Tempos force your
opponent to react rather than attack. } 14. e4 { White fights for the
initiative. The pawn becomes a spike. Watch how the spike will force black to
react the next few moves. Reaction is equal to defending. } 14... N5f6 { Where else?
The spike becomes a beam! Due to the Re8 mistake White commands space on the
queen side and has a free king-side attack. The spike divides the black
army. } 15. e5 { The twister warning is out and the Tornado is wrecking havoc
down e-file lane. Unfortunately even if Black exchanges on e5 here the
twister touches down again on the same road after dxe5. } 15... Nd5 { Someone call
the owner as that horse has stumbled back on to the busy freeway again. Nh5
didn't help matters either. } 16. e6 { KABOOM!!!!!! There has been an
explosion! This blows the position and splits the town in half. The king's
sole remaining guard now comes under severe attack. } 16... N7f6 { fxe6 loses a piece
after Qxe6+. There is blood in the water and there is the sighting of a shark
fin a few yards away. The black position is split into to halves and there is
no harmony between the pieces. } 17. exf7+ { This reply forces heavy material
gains for White. GM Kudrin can respectfully resign here with no shame. Crafty
analyzed a King move as the best move in this position! But that loses a
rook. how can this be? } 17... Kxf7 { Uh oh. The monarch enters the battle alone!
This is an example of a popular mating scheme. The "smothered mate" is well
worth memorizing. This mate occurs when the king's escape is impeded by it's
own pieces. } 18. Ng5+ { Knightmares! This is also the beginning of the end.
The S.W. A.T. team is dispatched and the enemy king is alone. } 18... Kg8 { No, no,
no! Crafty says Kf8 was the better move here, but that move loses the Queen
to Ne6+. What did Crafty see that was worth a Queen? } 19. Qe6+ { Crafty was
right! GM Kudrin resigns here! If 19... Kh8 then 20. Nf7+ Kg8 21. Nh6++ Kh8
22.Qg8+! (Now regardless of how black captures the queen with Nxg8 or Rxg8,
23 Nf7# Mates!) KAPOW! This is rated blitz too! Black resigned. } 1-0