Speelman's Agony #66

by Jonathan Speelman
12/17/2017 – Morgon from Canada plays well positionally...before it all goes pear shaped. JS has the blow-by-blow. Fancy Jon taking a look at your games? Send them in! If you appear in the Agony column, not only will you get free detailed commentary of your games by one of chess’s great authors and instructors, and former world no. 4 player, but you also win a free three-month ChessBase Premium Account!
Fritz 16 is looking forward to playing with you, and you're certain to have a great deal of fun with him too. Tense games and even well-fought victories await you with "Easy play" and "Assisted analysis" modes.

Morgon's moves

This week's games are by Morgon Mills, a 33-year-year-old Canadian, who writes:

"I'm a literature student and quasi-academic in Labrador, Canada. I've sent in two games: one a triumph from several years ago of which I've always been fond, and the other a painful defeat from this past year's Canadian Open.

I think it's an instructive loss, in that it shows how weaker players like me routinely fail to press positional advantages against stronger players by being too eager to convert into material gains. It's not only agonizing to lose this way, but infuriating! This game was especially so, not only for the multiple errors near the end that led to inevitable ignominy (being a lifelong patzer, I should be used to that by now), but also (if I may be permitted to indulge in enclosing a third, less-annotated game score) because it showed exactly the same kinds of mistakes that only two weeks before had lost me a very similar game in very similar fashion, at the Canadian Championship, once again as Black against a titled player, much stronger than myself."

We start with those two “agonising” losses. Morgon annotated them in some detail and I've added my thoughts as JS.

 
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
My agony game is from the 2017 Canadian Open tournament, against a strong young master with a flair for tactics. 1.e4 c6 2.c4 d5 One thing I like about the Caro-Kann is that no matter what, you can always play 2...d5. 3.exd5 cxd5 4.cxd5 The exchange pleased me fine. Black is usually ok in this sideline. Nf6 5.Nc3 JS Normally, if White takes twice then he tries to cause some trouble with 5.Qa4+ or 5.Bb5+ making it a little difficult for Black to recapture the pawn. If he doesn't do so, then it's generally better to play a normal Panov leaving d4,c4 v d5. 5.Bb5+ 5...g6 6.Nf3 Bg7 7.d4 0-0 8.Bd3 Surely developing more aggressively makes better sense, though I think Black is fine. This whole line isn't ambitious for White. 8.Bc4 Nbd7 9.d6 exd6 9...e6 looks a bit overambitious though should always be considered in positions like this at least briefly. 10.0-0 Nb6 JS is fine for Black. 8...Nxd5 9.0-0 Nc6 10.Be4 Be6 11.Re1 Re8 12.Bg5 Rc8 I find that in positions like this, the c-file is crucial. 13.a3 JS Very slow and encouraging Morgon's excellent reply. Nxc3 Unprovoked, I suppose, but I was salivating over the weak light-squares on the queenside. 13...Qd7 Finishing my development would have made sense. 14.bxc3 Bd5
I'm not sure why I played this move. It's not exactly consistent with the plan to exploit the light squares, though I may have been worried about b7. JS It's an excellent move. This structure is good for Black if he can prevent c4 and Bd5 fights for the white squares. My original plan was to bring a knight to c4, and that does look reasonable. 14...Na5 15.Rc1 b5 15.Qd3 Bxe4 15...h6 16.Bf4 e6 17.Rab1 b6 JS looks pretty normal. White would want then to play 18.Bxd5 Qxd5 19.c4 but after Qf5 20.Qxf5 gxf5 Black is more than equal since the hanging pawns are pretty vulnerable. 16.Rxe4 Qd6 17.Qe3
A bit of a clumsy move, I think, stranding White's rook up the board. JS Yes I agree entirely. 17...e6 18.Bh6 Ne7 19.Bf4? 19.Bxg7 Kxg7 Engines now suggest 20.c4 utilising a pretty if standard tactic. Rxc4 21.Ne5 Rc7 21...Rec8! yields good play for the exchange. 21...Rcc8? 22.Qh6+! Kxh6 23.Nxf7+ Kg7 24.Nxd6+- 22.Qh6+ Kxh6 23.Nxf7+ Kg7 24.Nxd6 Rd8 25.Rxe6 Rcd7 26.g3 19...Qc6 Now Black should win a pawn. 20.Rc1 Nd5 21.Qd2
Here I found myself at a crossroads, facing a stronger player near the end of a tough tournament, and sensing a serious chance to win a nice game. I could press my clear positional advantage on the queenside, or go for the glory of a tactical combination. Naturally I chose the glory. 21...Nxf4?! This was a woncerful knight attacking c3 and defending the kingside so it's a real shame to exchange it for what was a fairly bad bishop. 21...Qa6! and the a-pawn simply can't be defended. 22.h4 22.Bh6? Bxh6 23.Qxh6 Nxc3 If 22.Be5 engines (and I, JS) like f6 23.Bg3 Rc6 The e6 pawn is easily defensible and even if it dropped off for the c3 pawn Black would have a nice positional advantage. In practice it won't so Black should win. 22...b5 23.h5 Qxa3 24.hxg6 hxg6 JS And the c3 pawn drops off before White can create any serious kingside play. 21...b5 fixing the weaknesses is also appealing. 22.Qxf4?!
22...Bh6 JS Morgon doesn't comment on this but it is extremely committal. Inviting the queen and knight to attack you may conceivably be good in theory since the exchange matters when the rooks can work. But it required very accurate calculation beforehand and in practice I don't think I'd really have considered it myself, given that with simply 22...Qa6 Black has a very pleasant advantage. 23.Qxh6 Qxe4 Black has won the exchange, but at the cost of the initiative, when he could've had a pawn and the initiative both, on the other side of the board. 24.Ng5 Qf4 The only move to escape perpetuals against my king. I'd foreseen this far. 25.Rb1 Rc7? Alas, my boldness suddenly deserted me. I needn't have feared taking the pawn. 25...Rxc3 26.Qxh7+ 26.g3 JS is critical Rc1+! 26...Qc7 27.Qxh7+ Kf8 28.Qh6+ Ke7 29.Nxf7 27.Kg2 27.Rxc1 Qxc1+ 28.Kg2 Qc6+! 28...Qc7 29.Qxh7+ Kf8 30.Qh8+ Ke7 31.Qg7 29.Kg1 Qc7 30.Qxh7+ Kf8 31.Qh6+ 31.Qh8+ Ke7 32.Qg7? Qc1+ this is why Qc6+ was good earlier. 33.Kg2 Qxg5 31...Ke7 32.Nxf7! 27...Qxg5! 28.Qxg5 Rxb1
29.h4! This is a very good practical chance and when I stared at it for a minute or so, I missed the only good move: h6‼ 30.Qxh6 Rb5 Now White doesn't get in h5-6 which leaves Black's king sufficiently safe for him to have the advantage. 26...Kf8 27.Qh6+ Ke7 28.Rxb7+ Rc7 25...b6 White does well enough here too, keeping a pawn and pressure for his exchange. 26.g3 Qf6 27.Qxh7+ Kf8 28.Ne4 Qf5 29.Re1 Ke7 30.Qh6 26.g3 26.Qxh7+ Kf8 27.d5‼ is an amazing computer move that seems to restore the balance JS When you're attacking and it's close to mate, moves like d5 are not that surprising really and should occur to a strong player. The big question then is whether Black can consolidate at the end and perhaps gain an edge through the better pawn structure.But in fact after Qxg5 28.d6 Qe5 29.dxc7 Qxc7 30.Qh8+ Ke7 31.Qh4+ Kf8 is an immediate draw if White wants it. 26...Qf5 26...Qf6 27.Qxh7+ Kf8 28.Qh6+ Qg7? 28...Ke7 29.Ne4 Qf5 30.Qe3 30.Re1 Kd7 28...Kg8 29.Nh7+ Kg8 30.Qf4! is winning. 27.Qxh7+ Kf8 28.Qh6+ Ke7 29.Re1 Rxc3 Now I was obliged to take the pawn, for counterplay. 30.Re5! Suddenly Black's king and queen are both very uncomfortable, and I can't see a win for Black anymore. JS Queen, rook and knight are a formidable attacking force and indeed White looks fine now. Qb1+?! Black cannot defend, but must counter desperately. The other option is 30...Rc1+ 31.Kg2 Qd3 31...Qb1 could transpose to the game 32.Qg7 Qf1+ 33.Kf3 Rc3+ 34.Kg4 Qd1+ 34...Qxf2 35.Nxe6 Qf3+ 36.Kh4 Kd6 Might be ok, but I could never calculate such a line during a game. JS In a time scramnle I'd be very srcared too and far form confident that I'd calculate reliably. 35.Kh3 35.Kh4?? Qh5# 35...Qf1+ draw 31.Kg2 Rf8? Losing straight away. JS Given the concentration of attacking forces, Black's only options are to try to run with the king or to counterattack. The latter is much preferable if possible and in a game you could ascertain, even in time trouble that it's plausible that Blak will get enough though Rc1+ and Qd3 was much simpler. 31...Rc1 32.Qg7 Rg1+ 33.Kh3 Qf1+ 34.Kg4 34.Kh4? Qxf2 34...Qd1+ 35.f3 Qxd4+ 36.Kh3 Kd8 is another hard line in time pressure, but infinitely preferable to the game JS Yes absolutely. 32.Qg7 Rc6 33.d5 White's pieces are perfectly coordinated, and mine are scattered uselessly. JS Morgon played the opeing and early middelgame very well but Nxf4 was unnecessary and Bh6, even if "in theory" playable, highly impractical since it handed his opponent a ready made attack — or at the very least scary pseudo-attack. Under the pressure, Morgon played a couple of inferior moves and buckled. 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.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Itkin,D2357Mills,M21931–02017B14Canadian Open8
Sohal,T-Mills,M-1–02017D80Canadian Closed9
Mills,M1930Chamberland,L20071–02004C12Labour Day Open3

Click or tap on subsequent games in the game list below the board to switch games

The Caro Kann is a very tricky opening. Black’s play is based on controlling and fighting for key light squares. It is a line which was very fashionable in late 90s and early 2000s due to the successes of greats like Karpov, Anand, Dreev etc. Recently due to strong engines lot of key developments have been made and some new lines have been introduced, while others have been refuted altogether. I have analyzed the new trends carefully and found some new ideas for Black.

Submit your games!

Did you enjoy the column and instructive analysis by GM Jonathan Speelman? Do you wish you could have a world-renowned grandmaster analyzing your play? You can!

To submit your games just upload a PGN or ChessBase file, along with your name and e-mail address. Send one success story (Ecstasy) and one loss (Agony).

Tell why you chose them, where or when they were played. Please also include your email address, so Jon can reply, and preferably a photo of yourself for our article.

If your game is selected Jon will contact you personally, and not only will you get free detailed commentary of your games by one of chess’s great authors and instructors, and former world no. 4 player, but you also win a free three-month ChessBase Premium Account!

At the airport, in the hotel or at home on your couch: with the new ChessBase you always have access to the whole ChessBase world: the new ChessBase video library, tactics server, opening training App, the live database with eight million games, Let’s Check and web access to playchess.com

A three-month Premium subscription to ChessBase Account means you get:

  • Premium access to the Playchess server with ratings, simuls, lectures, and live commentary of top games
  • Access to all Web apps with no restrictions, such as the Cloud database (MyGames.chessbase.com), and more!
  • Full access to the Video archive, which not only includes all the past lectures by Daniel King, Simon Williams and others, but also a large number of full ChessBase products you would normally need to buy in the ChessBase Shop but that you can view for free as a Premium subscriber.

See also:

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.

Discuss

Rules for reader comments

 
 

Not registered yet? Register

We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, analysis cookies and marketing cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies. Here you can make detailed settings or revoke your consent (if necessary partially) with effect for the future. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration.