Tag Archives: chess tutorial

Chess Opening basics: Ruy Lopez (or the Spanish opening)

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Posted by ChessMaster on July 23, 2009 – 12:10 pm
Filed under Beginner Chess Tips, Chess Basics, Chess Opening, Chess Tutorials, Chess lessons
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Though traced back to the 15th century, this opening came into prominence in the middle of the 19th century. Since then, it has remained ever popular and is frequently seen in tournaments. It takes its name from a Spanish clergyman of the 16th century Ruy Lopez who made a systematic analysis of this opening. The basic ideas are easy to understand and the strategic and tactical possibilities appeal to players’ imaginations, giving rise to a large number of variations. New ideas or modifications of old ones keep coming up and these have helped to retain interest in this opening.

The present discussion, though made with reference to Ruy Lopez because of its wide prevalence, is to show you how you can analyze openings to understand the issues involved. An introduction to Ruy Lopez was given earlier, this description takes it a little more forward and shows the moves step by step that may appeal to the very beginners.

 

The diagrams on the left show the main line of play. Those on the right, when they appear, show the possibilities after the last main move.

 

basic idea All openings aim to achieve a control of the center i.e., control of the four squares d4, e4, d5 and e5 as marked out in the diagram. You may like to refer to point 4 under positional strategies in 50 Strategies to gain the upper hand over your opponent.
1. e4 RuyLopez_first_move White KP is trying to take control of d5 and f5
1. … e5 RuyLopez_black_first_move Black likewise counters with aim to control d4 and f4
2. Nf3 RuyLopez_white_move2 This tries to wrest control of e5 by attacking the black pawn and exerts control on d4
2. … Nc6 RuyLopez_black_move2 This defends the e5 pawn and holds on to its share of control of the center and challenges White’s control on d4
3. Bb5 RuyLopez_white_move3 The starting of Ruy Lopez. This indirectly tries to seize control of center by attacking the defender knight of the e5 pawn. If this Knight is removed, White will be able to capture Black’s e5 pawn
 
This move also indirectly prevents Black to move his QP (which would help Black to support his KP and free the line for his QB) because the Knight will be pinned against the King.
3. … a6 RuyLopez_black_move3 This move is known as Morphy Defense, apparently ignoring White’s threat. After this move, Ruy Lopez variations get into two broad categories, one with 3. … a6 and the other without this move.
 
This move tries to drive White’s KB away, preparing the way for b5 at some stage that will force the Bishop to abandon its attack on black QN. But such pawn moves create some weakness in Black’s pawn structure while retaining his hold on his KP.
4. Ba4 RuyLopez_white_move4 The Bishop retreats while still retaining its attack on the Knight.
 
You may ask: why not capture the Knight after what was said at move 3?
This is because of the following possibilities.
 
 
4. Bxc6 If the Bishop captures the Knight … RuyLopez_white_alt_move4
4. … dxc6 … the QP captures the Bishop … RuyLopez_black_alt_move4
5. Nxe5 White Knight captures Blacks KP … RuyLopez_white_alt_move5
5. … Qd4 … Black Q attacks both the White Knight and Pawn at e4 and in trying to save the Knight, White has to surrender his e4 pawn and its control of the center. Black may have got doubled pawn on c-file but retains the advantage of having both Bishops.
 
Black has another alternative also …		 RuyLopez_black_alt_move5
5. … Qg5 … Black Q attacks both the Knight and g-pawn and thus gets compensation for the loss of his KP.
 
So White’s immediate capture of Knight with Bishop at move 4 does not give any benefit but it can be done after his KP is supported. Black has to watch out for such moves by White.		 RuyLopez_black_second_alt_move5
 
 
4. … Nf6 RuyLopez_black_move4 Secure in the knowledge of above possibilities, Black is not worried about his KP for the present and tries to make a counter-attack on White’s KP to wrest control of center.
5. 0-0 RuyLopez_white_move5 It is now White’s turn to disregard Black’s threat and proceed with castling to secure his King’s position and bringing KR into play.
 
Why is the threat not considered? The following possibilities show that.
 
 
5. … Nxe4 If Black Knight captures the KP … RuyLopez_black_alt_move5
6. Re1 … The Rook attacks the Knight and captures Black’s KP when the Knight moves away.
 
Alternatively …		 RuyLopez_white_alt_move6
6. d4 … White’s QP directly attacks Black’s KP … RuyLopez_white_second_alt_move6
6. … exd4 … if Black tries to capture White’s d-pawn … RuyLopez_black_second_alt_move6
7. Re1 … White Rook pins the Knight against Black King RuyLopez_white_alt_move7
 
 
5. … Be7 RuyLopez_black_move5 Being aware of above complications, Black places a guard in front of the King which also develops the Bishop and opens the line for castling.
6. Re1 RuyLopez_white_move6 This provides support to the KP and thereby reinstates the initial threat of Bxc6 posed at move 3. At this time, White had three other options to support his KP viz. …
 
 
6. Qe2 … support by the Queen … RuyLopez_white_alt_move6
6. Nc3 … support by the QN … RuyLopez_white_second_alt_move6
6. d3 … support by the QP RuyLopez_white_third_alt_move6
 
 
6. … b5 RuyLopez_black_move6 Black is aware of the revival of the threat against his Knight at c3 and thereby on his KP, so he parries the threat by attacking the Bishop
7. Bb3 RuyLopez_white_move7 The Bishop has to retreat but now has a line to Black’s vulnerable f7 square
7. … d6 RuyLopez_black_move7 The e5 pawn is supported further and lines have been opened for developing QB
 
Black has the option of castling now and playing d6 on the next move.

 

This is the main line of Ruy Lopez Closed Defense, Classical Variation. It can be seen that Black’s 3. … a6 is instrumental in maintaining his e5 pawn and so long as Black is able to hold on to his KP and thereby a control on the center, his position is satisfactory. If the KP gets exchanged, strategic advantages accrue to White.

You can see that even within a span of 7 moves, so many different possibilities may arise including the strategic and tactical considerations that come into play. Any opening that you plan to follow should be analyzed this way to find the inherent strategies with positive and negative aspects. Your play should be consistent with the strategies to get the maximum benefits till you reach the middle game when you are on your own.

 

Chess Tactics: should some of them be prohibited?

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Posted by ChessMaster on July 6, 2009 – 12:45 pm
Filed under Attacking tactics, Chess Basics, Chess Strategy, Chess lessons, Chess tactics, Endgame Tactics
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Though I said ‘some’ but actually I meant one that goes under a German name and seems to have been in use in German chess literature since since early ninteenth century. It is supposed to have been introduced in English chess literature in early twentieth century by Emanuel Lasker, himself a German!

The word I have in mind is zugzwang. I understand that ‘zug’ means move and ‘zwang’ means ‘compulsion’, so the combined word means ‘compulsion to move’. Essentially, a player is said to be under zugzwang when any move that he makes will make his position worse and not to move would be the best move. But chess rules do not permit a player to skip move and the affected player under compulsion to move is committing a kind of ‘suicide’ by his move! Are you getting my point now? Suicide goes against the laws in most countries of the world and forcing another man to commit it is still more heinous! Shouldn’t therefore be a law against zugzwang (and wouldn’t the victims agree)?

Enough of chatter, can we see some example you will say. Though this is a potent weapon in chess endgames, it can occur at any time.

We first see an endgame problem that, though a very simple one, teaches you what zugzwang is and was created by French composer Henri Rinck (1870-1952) who was arguably the World’s Greatest Composer of chess problems.

a simple zugzwang

White has to play and win in the position shown. The moves are:

1. Rc7+ Rd7  
2. Qc5+ Kd8   2. … Ke6 3. Qf5+ loses the Rook
3. Kh6  

 

Black has the move and he is in zugzwang as any move makes him lose. Let us see what some of his options are:

King moves:
3. … Ke8 4. Qe5+ Kf7 5. Rxd7+ Kf8 (or Kg8) 6. Qxb8#

Rook moves:
3. … Rxc7 4. Qf8+ Kd7 5. Qxb8 wins.
If Black’s Rook leaves his second rank without any check, White will play 4. Qe7#

Queen moves:
3. … Qxc7 4. Qf8#.

Black Queen cannot deliver any viable check and trying to remain in contact with c8 square only enables its capture by White. If it loses contact with c8 square, White plays 4. Rc8#.

There are many other options available to Black and we have left it to you to find how the correct move (very important) by White in all the situations result in his winning the Black Rook or Queen or both, or delivering checkmate to the King.

You will notice that putting opponent in zugzwang is preceded by an idle (sometimes blocking) move by the attacker that forces the defender’s hand. In above example, 3. Kh6 was such a move.

Now that you have seen a simple one, here is another problem which is slightly more complex. This is a very old problem but quite instructive as similar position may arise in one of your endgames also. White is to play and win.

a little more complex zugzwang

With two isolated pawns against three connected pawns, White may appear to be at a disadvantage but White’s winning line is as follows:

1. a6 Kb8   Black King had to move to prevent 2. c7
 
2. Kg1 f3   The idle move Kg1 to wait and watch is the only move that wins for White by creating zugzwang on Black
 
3. Kf2   White’s strategy is simple: move the King to face whichever Black Pawn has advanced. Once that Pawn gets blocked, Black has to move another Pawn. In the meanwhile, Black King cannot move either way without allowing the other White Pawn to promote! You may try with other Pawn moves to verify the tactics.
3. … h3  
4. Kg3 h2  
5. Kxh2 f2  
6. Kg2 g3  
7. Kf1  
7. … g2+  
8. Kxf2 g1=Q+  
9. Kxg1 Kc7   With no more pawn to move, Black King is forced to take the move it was trying to avoid.
10. a7 Kxc6  
11. a8=Q+   White wins.

 

Because of its unusual nature, it is a popular theme for chess compositions and Susan Polgar’s blog of July 1 has a problem on this topic.

In Chess Tactics: Some more applications of Zugzwang, you will see a third problem and a game where this tactics was used.

 

Middle game tactics: Identifying your weakest piece is essential

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Posted by on June 17, 2009 – 4:10 pm
Filed under Chess Strategy
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In the game of chess, the most interesting and intriguing part is the middle game, in which both the players vie for positional control and shrewd tactics to gain an upper hand over the opponent. Typically, it is that part of the game where all the major and minor pieces are in the process of being deployed and or stationed in interesting squares as part of the attack and / or defense. The middle game also gains importance in that it is the stage where utmost calculation and concentration is required, and any wrong move or not a correct move might lead to losing control or giving an edge to the opponent.

In such cases, it might quite often happen that you might be caught in a dilemma as to which piece to move or how to go forward in the execution of tactics. This is possible, especially when most of your pieces are in favorable positions and having a tight leash on the opponent’s pieces while at the same time safeguarding your King and other pieces. It is in such times that the technique or trick of identifying your weakest piece among the active pieces comes to your assistance.

Let us try to explore this simple concept of identifying the weakest piece with the help of an interesting game played between two grandmasters in a European team Championship during 1999.

The position of the board after 20 moves by White is given below. It is the turn of black to move.

chess_image1

(Black to move)

A cursory look at the position of black’s pieces reveal that its major and minor pieces are fairly developed and exerting pressure on White. Also, there is not much scope for the black pawns to make any move that might turn out to be advantageous. He is presently caught in a dilemma as how to go forward with his next move. What is the option available to him now.

A second look of the major and minor pieces is warranted before any meaningful outcome regarding his next move. The light-squared bishop is acting as a pin for the White queen and making White’s Knight immovable without the White queen being moved to safety. The black knight at g4, having effective control over the f6 and h6 squares is taking care of the safety of the kingside. The two rooks are fairly centralized and the rook at e8 is providing additional support to the Queen at e7. This analysis reveals that the dark-squared black bishop is the one that can be considered for the next move. Zeroing on the dark-squared bishop also reveals that, but for its occupation of the d6 square, the rook at d8 might have captured the white pawn on d4. A critical analysis of this type will provide instant clues to make the most effective move. Also, the white king at g1 provides the clue that the diagonal a7-g1 might be explored for the dark-squared bishop, if he switches the angle. Black did the same and the game followed as follows:

20. ,,,, Bb8
21. Rad1 Ba7 White tried to protect the d4 pawn with additional support, but the damage had already been done and White might have to lose his pawn in d file.
22. d5 …. His futile attempt to protect his pawn in d file was thwarted.
22. …. cxd5
23. Nxd5 Rxd5
24. Rxd5 Bxe4
25. Bxe4 Qxe4
26. Qxe4 Rxe4
27. Rd8+ Kh7
28. Rd7 Re2

White’s desperate attempts to salvage his pawn in d file or counterattack the Black king in anticipation o any mistake from Black proved futile, and Black, having deployed the idea of identifying the weakest link in an attack, emerged winner in this game.

This game highlights the fact that in addition to execution of shrewd tactics, one needs to be aware of the positional strengths and weaknesses of every piece in the board and make the optimal move at the appropriate time to gain control over the board and the opponent.