Svitlana's Smart Moves - Winning in an equal position

by Arne Kaehler
1/26/2022 – Magnus Carlsen is the epiphany of winning in an equal position. But what to take care of? How to gain an advantage? What should we consider, once a very equal position has been reached? In one full game, starting from the "Scotch Game" opening, to the very end - with three pawns vs. one rook - Svitlana takes us on a journey, on how to advance our chess skills.
Besides in-depth theory and exciting tactical exercises in the Scotch Game, this video course also includes a bonus section on the Scotch Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Bc4), a lively variation often leading to very dynamic positions.

Svitlana's Smart Moves - Episode 26

With Svitlana Demchenko and Arne Kaehler

Svitlana Demchenko is an 18-year-old, Canadian WIM and chess coach. Here and now, she will teach us plenty of smart moves on the board, ranging from tactics, strategies, openings, and anything else chess related. In the process, I'm happy to be available as a student at club player level, and pester the Women's International Master with questions. Anyone who wants to strengthen their chess skills is welcome to watch, and actively replay the positions from the video, on our chessboard.

Try to replay the game from the video:

 

Here is the full game:

 
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MoveNResultEloPlayers
1.e41,166,62354%2421---
1.d4947,29855%2434---
1.Nf3281,60256%2441---
1.c4182,10256%2442---
1.g319,70256%2427---
1.b314,26554%2427---
1.f45,89748%2377---
1.Nc33,80151%2384---
1.b41,75648%2380---
1.a31,20654%2404---
1.e31,06848%2408---
1.d395450%2378---
1.g466446%2360---
1.h444653%2374---
1.c343351%2426---
1.h328056%2418---
1.a411060%2466---
1.f39246%2436---
1.Nh38966%2508---
1.Na34262%2482---
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.c4 Ba6 9.Nd2 9.b3 9...g6 10.Nf3 Bg7 11.Bg5 Qb4+ 12.Qd2 Qxd2+ 13.Kxd2 Nb6 14.b3 0-0 15.Re1 15.Rd1 d5 16.exd6 cxd6 17.Be7 15...d5 16.exd6 cxd6 17.Bd3 17.Be7 Rfe8 18.Bxd6 Red8 19.c5 Bxf1 20.Rhxf1 Nc8 17...d5 # 18.cxd5 18.c5 Bxd3 19.Kxd3 Nd7 20.Be7 Rfb8= c5 can sometimes be a weakness 18...Bxd3 19.Kxd3 Nxd5 19...cxd5? 20.Re7± Rfc8 21.Rc1+- 19...f6 20.Bd2 Rfd8 21.Kc2 20.Bd2 20.a3?! Rfb8 21.Kc2 21.b4 a5-+ 21...a5 20.h3 Nb4+ 21.Kc4 Nxa2 22.Ra1 Nc3 20...a5 21.a4 important not to let Black take over the initiative 21.Rc1 Nb4+ 22.Bxb4 axb4 23.Rxc6 Rxa2-+ 21...Rfd8 22.Kc2 Bf8 23.Re2 Bb4 24.Rd1 f6 25.Ne1!? 25.Bxb4 Nxb4+ 26.Kc1 Nd3+ 27.Kb1 Rd5= 25.Re6 Kf7 26.Rxc6? Bxd2 27.Kxd2 Nb4+ 25.Nd4 Rd7 26.Ne6 Kf7 27.Nf4 same idea 25...Re8 26.Rxe8+ Rxe8 27.Kd3 27.Nd3 Re2 28.Nxb4 Nxb4+ 29.Kc3 Rxf2? 30.Kc4‼ c5 31.Kb5 Rxg2 32.Bxb4 Important endgame to understand. One passed pawn matters more than 3 if it is further advanced cxb4 33.Kxa5 Rg4 34.Kb5+- 27...Bxd2 28.Kxd2 Nf4 29.Nd3 Re2+ 30.Kc3 Nxd3 31.Rxd3 Rxf2 32.b4 32.Rd2 Rxd2 33.Kxd2 Kf7 34.b4 Ke6 34...axb4 35.a5 35.bxa5 Kd6= 36.Ke3 Kc7 37.Ke4 amazing endgame sequence of only moves (from both sides) leading to a draw h5 37...Kb7?? 38.Kd4 Ka6 39.Kc5 Kxa5 40.Kxc6 Kxa4 41.Kd7 f5 42.Ke6 Kb4 43.Kf6 Kc5 44.Kg7 g5 45.Kf6‼ 38.h4 Kb7 38...f5+ 39.Ke5 39.Kd4 g5 40.Kc5 40.a6+ Kxa6 41.Kc5 with same idea 40.g3 gxh4 41.gxh4 40...gxh4 41.a6+ Kxa6 42.Kxc6 32...axb4+ 33.Kxb4 Rxg2 34.a5 Rxh2 35.a6 Ra2 36.Ra3 Rb2+ 37.Kc5 Rb8 38.a7 Ra8 # find a defence 39.Kxc6= h5?? 39...Kf7 40.Kb7 Rd8 40...Rxa7+ 41.a8Q Rxa8 42.Rxa8 Ke6= 43.Kc6 Ke5 44.Kc5 f5 39...Rc8+ 40.Kb7 Rf8 41.Rc3 40.Kb7 Rxa7+ 41.Rxa7 Kf7 42.Kc6+ Ke6 43.Kc5 Ke5 44.Kc4 44.Ra6 g5 45.Kc4 Ke4 46.Rxf6 g4 47.Re6+ Kf3 48.Kd3 h4 49.Rf6+ Kg2 50.Rg6 g3= 44.Rg7 g5 45.Re7+ Kf4 46.Rf7 f5= 44...Ke4 45.Kc3 g5 46.Kd2 Kf3 47.Ke1 Kg2 48.Ra2+ Kg1 49.Ke2? 49.Ra4‼ is the winning technique g4 49...Kg2 50.Ke2 Kg3 51.Ra6 f5 52.Ra5 Kg4 53.Kf2+- 49...f5 50.Ra5+- h4 51.Rxf5 g4 52.Rf4 49...h4 50.Rg4+ Kh2 51.Kf2 h3 52.Rg1 50.Rf4 g3 51.Rh4 f5 51...g2 52.Rxh5 52.Rxh5 f4 53.Ke2 Kg2 54.Rf5+- 49...Kg2? 49...g4 50.Ra1+ Kg2 51.Ke3= h4 52.Kf4 f5 53.Kxf5 g3 54.Kg4 Kh2 50.Ke3+ Kg3 51.Ra1 Kg2 52.Ra2+ Kg3 53.Ke2 Kg2 54.Ra4 f5 55.Ra5 h4 56.Rxf5 g4 57.Rf2+ Kg1 58.Rf4 g3 59.Rxh4 g2 60.Rg4 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Van Foreest,J-Borisek,J-1–02021C45European Team Chess Championship4

If you like Svitlana's Smart moves, you will certainly enjoy her video lectures about "Surprising your opponents with the Lazy Sicilian", her first Fritztrainer "Understanding Material Imbalances", and her brand new Fritztrainer "The Scotch Game".

In just 60 minutes, you will be well-equipped with a surprise weapon, which will take most of your opponents out of book right from the start.

This DVD focuses on several types of material imbalances, such as Rook vs 2 Pieces, Queen vs 2 Rooks, and Queen vs Pieces.

Besides in-depth theory and exciting tactical exercises in the Scotch Game, this video course also includes a bonus section on the Scotch Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Bc4), a lively variation often leading to very dynamic positions.

Links:

Arne Kaehler, a creative mind who is passionate about board games in general, was born in Hamburg and learned to play chess at a young age. By teaching chess to youth teams and creating chess-related videos on YouTube, Arne was able to expand this passion and has even created an online course for anyone who wants to learn how to play chess. Arne writes for the English and German news sites, but focuses mainly on content for the ChessBase media channels.

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