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By Lee Siew Fai

You too can Teach! X

The 5Bs (Part 2)

Last week, I had invited trouble by a promise (3rd A) to read into Li Tian's chess playing skill. It must have "ruffled some feathers" and the best defensive move (-3rd A) is to set in some caveats!

Firstly, I was not there to witness his feat. Hence I would not have the privilege to study his physical and mental state at the Tournament (-1 P). Secondly, I do not know him personally; prior to his exploits or there after. Thirdly, as a cricketer (yes! I enjoy the gentlemen game of Cricket), benefit of the doubt is accorded to Li Tian wherever it arises. Fourthly, I must throw caution to the wind when describing his game play. Otherwise, any insight is empty and meaningless.

With the above four caveats, I am well defended against any accusations that I had disadvantaged Li Tian in letting other know of his playing skill. There is nothing unpatriotic about I having let the cat out of the bag. Every chess player who intend to compete actively must be prepared to have their opponents (and trainers) analyse their games, evaluate their mental condition and primed their match strategies for each encounter.

Before I get myself deeper into trouble, let me state that I am writing to a wide audience and I am very specific on NOT introducing Chess Opening theories to players that are not ready to be taught specific opening system. Hence, the Opening Repertoire used by Li Tian in this game shall simply be known as "SG" (ECO C45, Main Line, Intermezzo Variation).

[SG was first used in a famous correspondence match between a London team against an Edinburgh team over a six-game match between 1824-1828. It was introduced by John Cochrane and had helped the London team to a 3.5-2.5 win. It had seen its better days for about 70 years and the last high-level match that SG was seen must have been the world championship title match in 1892 between Chigorin and Steinitz in Havana. It then fell into oblivion and remains to be played at the lower level of chess competitions.

It was not until 1990 when SG resurfaced to be that of befitting the GM level competition. The famous world championship match between GM Kasparov and GM Karpov had seen Kasparov employed SG to "zap" Karpov thus taking first strike on their psychological battles.]

5. Nxc6 (3rd A) 

(Giving up on the struggle to control d4. This must be a "prepared" intention to zap Marek. We would expect 8-year old to be playing the standard line Be3 to strengthen d4. White's Nf3, Nd4 and Nxc6 counted as 3 moves. Black's Nc6 and dxc6 counted as 2 moves. White's loss of one move is compensated with Black's double-pawn on the c-file)

5 ...Qf6 

(o-3rd A, -4th B) (What is right in one match can turn to be wrong in another. Qf6 is a favourite of GM Short. In an U-8 match, Qh4 would be a more aggressive choice and compensate a tempo by forcing Qf3. It leads to tactical play instead of positional play that requires more refined technique).

6. Qd2 (5th B) 

(maintain control of open d file and Q activated to neutralise Black's Q on f6)

6 .…dxc6 (1 st A) 

(6 ..... bxc6 is unclear) 
  

7. Nc3 (2nd B, 1st B)

Ne7 (2nd B, 1st B)

8. Qf4 (3rd A) 

(this position occurred in game 3 of the Brains in Bahrain, 2002 where Deep Fritz lost to GM Kramnik. Kramnik chooses Be6 allowing another double pawns; c-file and now, his f-file! Did Kramnik unravel Deep Fritz's logic code during the months of practicing against it before this match? Deep Fritz having logic difficulties in solving multiple weaken pawn structures when the opponents is also having the active play?)

8 ...Qxf4 (2nd A) 

(Queens off the board. Struggle shifted to the d-file and White pawn on e4)  
  

9. Bxf4 (2nd B, 1st B)

Bb6 (-3rd A, -0E)

    (for simplicity sake, lets assume the book moves ended here and both players are onto their own! Bd6 would be a better choice. Black's light square Bishop is weaken and it's the first sign of equality on the decline)  

     

10. Bc4 (2nd B, 1st B)	O-O (3rd B)
11. Bg3 (-3rd A)

(A defensive move to guard f2. Would Rd1 be better? And follow up with 0-0.)

11. ...…Re8  (-4th B, -5th B, -0E)  

(First of three moves needed to clear off the bad Bishop. Made no attempt to secure the d-file. Equality is lost)   

   

12. O-O-O (3rd B, 5th B)	Ng6 (2nd B, 1st B)
13. f3 (1st B)	Be6 (2nd B, 1st B, -0E)
14. Bxe6 (1st A)	Rxe6 (-0E)
15. Na4 (3rd A)	Be3 (-0E)
16. Kb1 (3rd B)	b5 (-0E, -4th B)
17. Nc3 (1st B)	Bf4 (-0E)
18. Bxf4 (1st B)	Nxf4 (1st B)
19. g3 (1st A)	Nh3 (-3rd A, -4th B, -0E)
20. Rd7 (3rd A) (Attack the seventh rank)	Rc8 (-3rd A)
21. Rhd1 (5th B)	Ree8 (-3rd A-4th B)

22. b4 

(1st A, 2nd A, 3rd A) (Delicious Mi. Very good sense of the position. One move holds back four pawns. I shall credit Li Tian for this move that show off his positional maturity)

22 ...Ng5 (-3rd A, -4th B)

23. R1d3 (1st A, 2nd A)	Ne6 (1st B)
24. f4 (3rd A, 1st B)	Red8 (1st A, 5 th B)
25. Ne2 (4th B)	Rxd7(1st A, 5th B)
26. Rxd7 (1st A, 5th B)	Rd8 (1st A, 5th B)
27. Rxd8 (1st A, 5th B)	Nxd8 (5th B)

28. Nd4 

(1st A, 2nd A, 3rd A, 5th B) (By placing the knight in this "outpost", it kills off any chance of a counterattack. Good reading of the game. Another indication of maturity in game play)

28 ...Kf8 

(Game is lost. No more counter play and Black is just waiting for the clinical kill)

Due to space constraint, I will mark Li Tian's game up to move 28. It would have taken Li Tian minimum of effort to turn this position into a win in a very short time.

29. Kb2 Ke7  30. Kc3 g6  31. Kd3 Kd6  32. c4 a6  33. e5 Kd7  34. g4 Ne6  35. Nxe6 Kxe6 36. Kd4 Kd7  37. Kc5 h6  38. a3 bxc4  39. Kxc4 Kc8  40.Kc5 Kb7  41. f5 gxf5  42. gxf5 Kc8 43. Kxc6 Kd8  44. a4 h5  45. h4 Kc8  46. a5 Kd8  47. b5 axb5  48. a6 b4  49. a7 b3   
50. f6 b2  51. a8=Q 1 - 0

In part 1, I did ask you to watch out for Li Tian's 22nd move, b4 and 28th move, Nd4. And if there are specific points in which I can measure his capability, I would gladly uses these two moves to reflect on his competence. These two moves indicate that Li Tian's success is not a flash in the pan. He has reached the maturity to play with finesse in terms of positional understanding and equally adept at delivering tactical play when his opponent failed to equalise.

The next question will clearly be "where does he go from here?" My advice (again, unsolicited) is not so much of getting good results from the tournaments he played in but that of ensuring his maturity in game play is expanded to be inclusive of a wider spectrum of repertoire preparedness. For that, he must be tuned and prepared to play into his opponents' strength. He must achieve that nerve of steel and preferably gained the ability to destroy his opponents mentally and psychologically.