We continue this week with more tactics from two violent games by David Franklin, a law professor at DePaul University in Chicago who is a former law clerk to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the U.S. Supreme Court.
Mr Franklin, who is 48, is currently rated just 1960 though he certainly played at a much higher standard in the beautiful attacking game he won. Both games are from the Chicago Industrial Chess League and since he's sent them without consulting his opponents he's asked me to anonymise them: though if either should see their games here and want their name in lights then we'd be delighted to oblige.
Before his two games, an excerpt from a recent one of mine. In order to calculate reasonably accurately, you have to generate the moves to be examined. This is a task that can vary wildly in difficulty depending on the position. If there's a single forced line - two pawns careering down the board to promote for example - then it's easy to see miles ahead. But it's not at all uncommon for a resource to remain completely hidden during a game and be discovered only afterwards when you check with an engine. This happened to me a week ago after a London League game and I'm setting the critical position as a puzzle with the solution at the end.
Speelman - Pateek

After 19...Bxb2 20.Nxb2, I went on to win pretty comfortably. I'd dismissed
19...Nxc4 due to 20.Bxg7 Kxg7 21.Rxc4 but what had I missed?
Click for the solution
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.e3 a6 5.b3 g6 6.Be2 Bg7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Nbd2 c5 9.Bb2 cxd4 10.exd4 Nc6 11.Ne5 Bf5 12.Bf3 Rc8 13.a3 dxc4 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.Nxc4 Be4 16.Bxe4 Nxe4 17.Rc1 c5 18.Re1 Nd6 19.dxc5 Bxb2 19...Nxc4 20.Bxg7 Qxd1 21.Rexd1 Rfd8‼ 22.Rxd8+ Rxd8 23.Bc3 Nxa3 24.Ba5 Rc8 25.c6 Nb5 26.c7 Kf8 27.Rd1 Nd6 27...Nxc7? 28.Rc1 28.f3 Ke8 20.Nxb2 Nb5 21.Qe2 Nxa3 22.Qxa6 Ra8 23.Qe2 Qb8 24.Qe3 Rc8 25.Na4 Ra6 26.Nb6 Re8 27.Qd3 Rxb6 28.cxb6 Qxb6 29.Qd7 Rb8 30.Qxe7 Nb5 31.Red1 Nd4 32.Qe3 Nxb3 33.Rc8+ Kg7 34.Qe5+ 1–0
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
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To business now with the first of Mr Franklin's two games - first: the Agony.
David Franklin v N.N.
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Nd7 6.0-0 Be7 7.Nbd2 Qc7 8.Re1 h5 9.c4 g5 10.Nf1 g4 11.N3d2 Bg6 12.Nb3 12...Nf8? 12...dxc4 13.Bxc4 0-0-0 13.Bf4 Bb4 14.Nfd2 Bf5 15.a3 15.c5 f6 16.a3 Bxd2 17.Bxd2 Ng6 15...Be7 16.Rc1 Ng6 17.Be3 Qd8 17...0-0-0 18.cxd5 exd5 19.Nc5 Bxc5 20.Rxc5 Kb8 21.b4 18.cxd5 exd5 19.Nc5 Bxc5 20.Rxc5 Nf8 21.b4 Ne6 22.Rc3 Ne7 23.Nb3 b6?! 24.b5 cxb5 25.Bxb5+ Kf8 26.Qd2 Kg8 27.Rec1 Kh7 28.Bg5 Rg8 29.Bf6 Rg6 30.Bd3?! 30.f3! gxf3 31.Rxf3 Be4 32.Rf2 Qg8 33.Bxe7 Nf4 34.Qxf4 34.Bf1 34...Rxg2+ 35.Kf1 30...Bxd3 31.Qxd3 Qd7 32.Nd2 Ng8 33.Bh4 Qa4 34.Qf5? 34.Nb3 Qxa3? 35.Nc5 Qa5 36.Nxe6 fxe6 37.Rc7+ 34...Nh6! 35.Qxh5?? 35.Qb1 Qxd4 36.Nf1 Qxe5 35...Nf4 36.Qxg6+ Nxg6 37.Bf6 Qxd4 38.Nf1 b5 39.Ng3 a5 40.Nh5 Qd2 41.e6! Qe2 42.exf7 Rf8 43.Rc6 Rxf7 44.Bd4 Qd2 45.Nf6+ Rxf6 46.Bxf6 Nf4 47.Rb1 b4 48.axb4 axb4 49.Ra1 Nf7 50.Rb6 Nd3 51.Bd4 Nc1 0–1 - Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Franklin,D | 2184 | N.N. | 2070 | 0–1 | 2016 | B12 | CICL ROGUE-CITGR | 7.1 |
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Agony
The main lesson of this game is not technical but psychological. You have to remain as focused and as calm as humanly possible while the battle is in progress. The terrible - but also wonderful - thing about a game of chess (between humans) is that until the clocks have been stopped, and hands shaken, anything is still possible, and you must remain at a state of high alertness.
Incidentally, while I have asked for pairs of games including Agony, I must salute Mr Franklin for very bravely submitting such a painful game.
Now for the Ecstasy:
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.b3 d6 4.Bb2 Nf6 5.e5 dxe5 6.Nxe5 Bd6?! 6...Be7 7.Na3! a6 8.Nac4 Bc7 9.a4 0-0 10.Bd3! 10...b6 10...Nbd7 11.f4 Re8 11...b6 12.Qf3 Nd5 13.0-0 13.Nc6 Qe8 14.Bxh7+ Kxh7 15.Qh5+ Kg8 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.Qg4+ Kh7 13...f5 12.0-0 Nf8 13.a5! 11.0-0?! 11.Qf3 Ra7 12.Qh3 11...Bb7 12.f4 Nc6 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 14.Ne5 Bb7 15.Qe1 g6 15...Nd7 16.Qh4 16...Nh5?! 16...Nd7! 17.Ng4! f6? 17...Qxh4?? 18.Nh6# 17...Re8 18.Nf6+ Nxf6 19.Bxf6 Qd6 20.Rae1 Qf8 21.Bc3 Bd8 22.Qg3 Bc7 23.Re3 18.f5! exf5 19.Rxf5! gxf5 20.Qxh5 Be4 20...Qe7 21.Qxf5 Qg7 22.Nxf6+ Rxf6 23.Bc4+! Kf8 24.Qxf6+ Qxf6 25.Bxf6 21.Qg5+! 21.Bxe4 fxe4 22.Qg5+ Kf7 23.Rf1 Ke7 24.Rxf6 21...Kf7 22.Bxf6 Qd6 23.Qg7+ 23.Ne5+ Ke6 24.Bc4+ Bd5 25.Re1 Rxf6 26.Ng4+ Kd7 27.Nxf6+ 23...Ke8 23...Ke6 24.Bc4+ Bd5 25.Re1+ 24.Bxe4 fxe4 25.Re1 Rxf6 26.Nxf6+ Kd8 27.Rxe4?! 27.Qh8+ Ke7 28.Rxe4+ Kf7 29.Qxa8! 29.Qxh7+ Kxf6 27...Qxh2+ 28.Kf1 Kc8 29.Nd5 Bd8 30.Qg4+ Kb8 31.Re8 31.Qd7! Qh1+ 32.Kf2 Bh4+ 33.Ke3! Qg1+ 34.Kd3 Qf1+ 35.Kc3 Qa1+ 36.Kc4! Qf1+ 37.d3 31...Qd6 32.Qh4 Kb7 33.Qxh7+ Kb8 34.Qg8 34.Nxb6! Qxb6 35.Qd7! 34...Kb7 35.g4? 35.Qf7+ Kc8 36.c4 Rb8 37.Re6 Qd7 38.Ne7+ Bxe7 39.Rxe7 35...Rb8 36.c4 Bc7 37.Nxc7 Qf4+ 38.Ke1 Rxe8+ 39.Nxe8! 39.Qxe8?? Qg3+ 40.Ke2 Qxg4+ 41.Kd3 Qd4+ 42.Kc2 Kxc7 39...Qe4+ 40.Kf2 Qf4+ 41.Kg2 Qxd2+ 42.Kf3! 42.Kg3 Qe3+ 43.Kh4 Qh6+ 42...Qd3+ 43.Kf4! Qd2+ 44.Kf5 Qd3+ 45.Kg5 Qe3+ 46.Kg6 Qd3+ 47.Kf7 Qxb3 48.Nd6+ Kc7 49.Ke7 Qe3+ 50.Qe6 Qg5+ 51.Kf8 Qd8+ 52.Ne8+ Kb7 53.Qe7+ Qxe7+ 54.Kxe7 b5 55.cxb5 1–0 - Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Franklin,D | 2191 | N.N. | 2230 | 1–0 | 2014 | B50 | CICL Playoffs ROGUE-KINGS | 3 |
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Ecstasy
A splendid attacking game in which White showed considerable inventiveness and tactical nous. It's shame he let off a bit about move 35 but he kept his nerve admirably and Mr Franklin himself writes: "My most satisfying attacking game in many years."
Many thanks for your continuing emails, which are the life blood of this column. Please do send games – preferably a pair of "Agony" and "Ecstasy" but a single good game is also fine. The best format is either ChessBase .cbv or .pgn as an attachment. I can also lift games in text format from the body of an email and paste them into the growing database.
About the author
Jon was born in 1956 and became a professional player in 1977 after graduating from Worcester College Oxford where he read mathematics. He became an IM in 1977 a GM in 1980 and was a member of the English Olympic team from 1980-2006.
Three times British Champion he played twice in the Candidates reaching the semi-final (of what was then a knockout series of matches) in 1989 when he lost 4.5 - 3.5 to Jan Timman. He's twice been a second at the world championship for Nigel Short and then Viswanathan Anand against Garry Kasparov in London 1993 and New York 1995.
He's written for the Observer (weekly) since 1993 and The Independent since 1998. With its closure (going online but without Jon on board) he's expanding online activity and is also now offering online tuition.
He likes puzzles especially (cryptic) crosswords and killer sudokus.
If you'd like to lambast Jon or otherwise he can be contacted via his email |

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