Rocking the boat

by Jonathan Speelman
3/19/2023 – When choosing a move during a game of chess, there will be a compromise between instinct and calculation. In reasonably clear positions, you may be able to rely on the former with just a few checks for blunders, but there are situations which require you to go deeper into the position. At times, if nothing is satisfactory after exploring the alternatives, it may be advisable to bluff and go for a line which you believe to be worse if they find a difficult resource but better if they fail to find this (near) refutation.

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If and when it capsizes...

[Note that Jon Speelman also looks at the content of the article in video format, here embedded at the end of the article.]

When choosing a move during a game of chess, there will be a compromise between instinct and calculation. In reasonably clear positions, you may be able to rely on the former with just a few checks for blunders, but there are times when you need to go deeper into the position.

Calculation involves at least three different processes. In each position you examine, you must find the “candidate moves” for yourself or your opponent, i.e. move generation; and then stitch them together to make reasonably plausible “variations”, with luck without making too many glaring errors. A variation ends when you believe that nothing too dramatic is going to happen (the position is fairly quiescent) and you must then try to assess it.

After working through these variations — and it’s perfectly sensible to stop without looking at everything if you find something sufficiently appealing — you must finally make your choice. Normally this will be the line that leads to the best possible outcome if they play what you believe to be their best moves (computer engines do this by finding the maximin — the line which leads to the maximum minimum value against the supposed best play). However, sometimes, if nothing is satisfactory, it may be better to bluff and go for a line which you believe to be worse if they find a difficult resource — but will be better if they fail to find this (near) refutation.

Jacob Aagaard, Ramesh RB

Two well-known books on chess calculation, by Jacob Aagaard and Ramesh RB

Today I’m concentrating on the first part of the process: move generation. And in particular high-value moves which may or may not change the assessment dramatically. These will rock the boat — if and when it capsizes, either you or your opponent is likely to be underneath: though a priori you don’t know which.

To calculate well, you have to be able to see these moves or at least a decent proportion of them (of course, engines uncover ludicrous ideas which people would hardly ever see, all the time). And if you can develop an instinct as to when they might occur and what they actually are, then this will undoubtedly be very helpful.

We start with a vicious opening trap which was sprung in the first round of the recent European Championship. It turns out it had already occurred at least 20 times previously. It is followed by a lovely game from the recent Swedish League, in which a small thunderbolt did considerable damage. It’s counterpointed by a couple of analogous examples with the same blow, and I’m finishing briefly with two positions from my own games.

 
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MoveNResultEloPlayers
1.e41,164,14354%2421---
1.d4945,55855%2434---
1.Nf3280,97656%2441---
1.c4181,75256%2442---
1.g319,67356%2427---
1.b314,21954%2427---
1.f45,88248%2377---
1.Nc33,79051%2384---
1.b41,75048%2380---
1.a31,19654%2403---
1.e31,06648%2408---
1.d394550%2378---
1.g466246%2361---
1.h444653%2374---
1.c342551%2424---
1.h327856%2416---
1.a410860%2468---
1.f39046%2432---
1.Nh38966%2508---
1.Na34163%2485---
1.e4       This game in the first round of the European Championship features a vicious opening trap whcih had been sprung more than 20 times previously. c5 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nge2 a6 4.g3 b5 5.Bg2 Bb7 6.d4 cxd4 7.Nxd4 Nf6 8.0-0 b4 9.Na4 Bxe4 10.Bxe4 Nxe4 11.Re1 d5 11...Nc5 12.c3 Nxa4 13.Qxa4 Qb6 12.c4 bxc3 13.Nxc3 Nxc3
A devastating blow. e6 now crumbles. 14.Qh5‼ Ne4 14...g6 15.Qe5 Ne4 16.Qxh8 Qf6 16...Nd7 17.Bh6 Qf6 18.Qxf6 Ndxf6 15.Nxe6 Qb6 15...g6 16.Nc7+ 16.Qe5? fxe6 16...Qxc7 17.Qxd5 f5 Neither Q nor Nc6 is any better with g6 included. 17...Qc6 18.Rxe4+ Be7 19.Rxe7+ Kxe7 20.Bg5+ Kf8 21.Bh6+ 17...Nc6 18.Rxe4+ Be7 19.Rxe7+ Kxe7 20.Bf4 Qd8 21.Qxc6 Rc8 22.Re1+ Kf8 23.Bh6+ Kg8 24.Qxa6 18.Qxa8 Bc5 18...Bd6 19.Bh6 Qc5 19...Qc6 20.Qxc6+ Nxc6 21.f3 20.Rxe4+ fxe4 21.Qxe4+ Kf7 22.Re1 19.Rxe4+ fxe4 20.Bf4 Bxf2+ 21.Kg2 16.Nc7+! Qxc7 17.Qxd5
17...Qc6 In fact Nc6 is a tougher defence because you have to find - or rather be watching when your engine tells you - that Rxe5+ is only somewhat better for White while Bg5 wins: 17...Nc6 18.Bg5‼ 18.Rxe4+ Be7 19.Rxe7+ 19.Bf4 Rd8! 19...Kxe7 20.Bf4 Qd7 20...Qd8‼ 21.Qxc6 Kf8 21.Qc5+ Kd8 22.Re1! Qb7 23.Qd5+ Kc8 24.Rc1 18...Be7 18...f6 19.Qxe4+ 19.Rxe4+ Be7 20.Rc1 Rc8 21.Bf4 19...Kf7 20.Qe6+ Kg6 21.Bf4 Qc8 22.Qe4+ f5 23.Qe6+ 18...f5 19.Qxf5 Be7 20.Qxe4 Rc8 21.Rac1 19.Bxe7 Kxe7 20.Rxe4+ Kf8 21.Rc1 Rc8 21...Rd8 22.Qxc6 Rd1+ 23.Rxd1 Qxc6 24.Rd8+ 22.Rec4 18.Rxe4+ Be7
19.Rxe7+! Kxe7 20.Bg5+ f6 20...Kf8 21.Qd8+ Qe8 22.Be7+ 21.Re1+ Kf8 22.Qd8+ Kf7 23.Re7+ Kg6 24.Qxh8 Here engines helpfully tell us that it's mate in 8. h5 25.Qxg7+ Kf5 26.Qh7+ Kg4 27.h3+
1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Djukic,N2514Tudor,H22011–02023B2323rd ch-EUR Indiv 20231.104
Blomqvist,E2538Tikkanen,H24901–02023B11Elitserien 2022/20237.4
Browne,W2575Bisguier,A24351–01974C42USA-ch9
So,W2766Duda,J27291–02023A07WR Chess Masters 20231.2
Short,N2665Speelman,J26450–11988B17Hastings
Speelman,J2410Biyiasas,P24050–11978A42Lone Pine op6
 

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Understanding Middlegame Strategies Vol.1-6

In this Videocourse we deal with different aspects of the middlegame which are important to study and improve your general understanding of chess structures.


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Jonathan Speelman, born in 1956, studied mathematics but became a professional chess player in 1977. He was a member of the English Olympic team from 1980–2006 and three times British Champion. He played twice in Candidates Tournaments, reaching the semi-final in 1989. He twice seconded a World Championship challenger: Nigel Short and then Viswanathan Anand against Garry Kasparov in London 1993 and New York 1995.

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