THE OPENING OF THE ATTACKING LINES One of the most important things when we are attacking is the speed of the attack. In chess, the speed means reaching a target in as little number of moves as possible. The quicker is the attack, the better are the chances to win, because the opponent cannot intervene in time. In order to increase the attacking speed, one of the most used methods is the opening with tempo of some attacking lines, which are used by the linear pieces (the queen, the rooks, the bishops) to attack the king. The following game is an instructive example of using this method. Even if the game contains some mistakes, we hope you will be indulgent with Andra Sasaeac, the ex-student of Marius Ceteras, who was only 12 when she played the game. You will be also able to read her annotations made after the game was played. Because we have mentioned about analyzing the own games, we would like to say some words regarding the importance of this training method. The identification of the own mistakes and correcting them is the quickest way for a chess player to progress. In order to identify the own mistakes, it is imperative that for the player to analyze by his own, without a chess software, every game he plays and this should be done no later than some days after the game was played. Only after the analysis is done, it has to be verified, preferable by an instructor that should identify the thinking mistakes of the player, or at least using a computer. Of course, using a computer has its disadvantages. In general, chess software can identify only the tactical mistakes, but it is unable to discover and to indicate the real causes that have led to those mistakes or to other “position-understanding” mistakes. Unfortunately, there are no computers that could say to you: “The main cause of your defeat was the lack of knowledge of the principles when playing positions with castles on opposite sides!” or “The best plan for Black would have been to occupy space on the kingside and to create a local superiority of forces”. In this way, using the computer to verify your own analysis should be the ultimate solution. In case you do not have an instructor, an acceptable solution may be a much stronger player than you, who should verify your analysis and annotations. Even if that payer won’t be able to offer you the pieces of advice an experienced instructor can give, at least he will identify most of your mistakes, both tactical and positional. Sasaeac,A - Valceanu,M Apulum Cup Alba Iulia, 2000 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 The Scottish Opening is a serious alternative for the Spanish (Ruy Lopez) and Italian Defense. White quickly opens the position in the center, aiming a rapid mobilization of the pieces. Even if some variations resulted from this opening are harder to be understood, it is more recommendable for the beginners than Ruy Lopez, which usually leads to a great strategic complexity. 3...exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 An inaccuracy that is very often met among the beginners is 4...Nxd4 5.Qxd4, starting from the premise that attracting the queen in the center is in Black’s favor. This aspect is not valid in this case, because Black is not able to develop a piece with tempo (attacking the queen), on the contrary, the queen’s central position obstructs the Black’s development. The attempt to win a

tempo by all means with 5...c5? is even a mistake, because it leads to the irremediable weakening of the d5-square blocks the dark-squares bishop. 5.Nxc6

QUIZ

Find the best continuation for Black

5...Qf6! The best move! By making this intermediary move, which threatens checkmate on f2, Black obtains the possibility to play dxc6. Directly 5…dxc6 is worse because of 6.Qxd8+ and Black has not enough compensation for the weaker pawn structure. 6.Qf3!? An interesting alternative for the main variation is 6.Qd2 dxc6 7.Nc3 with a balanced play, with chances for both sides. 6...Qxc6?! “Until here I knew the theory. I knew the variation 6...Qxf3 7.gxf3 bxc6 8.Bf4 etc. After 6…Qxc6 I knew only that I have to play 7.Bd3 with good position for White” (Andra) The move in the game is not the best because Black has difficulties to complete his development. 7.Bd3 Possible is also 7.Nc3, obstructing 7…d6. 7...b6?! A less inspired plan. The battery Bb7+Qc6 has no sense, as long as the h1-a8 diagonal is closed. 8.0–0 Bb7 9.Qg3 “This is a doubtful move because White won’t take on g7 in order not to open files for Black’s attack on the kingside. It was better 9.Nc3 with the idea 10.Be3 Bxe3 11.Qxe3 followed by f4, to occupy space on the kingside.” (Andra) While the first part of Andra’s annotation is correct, conquering space on the kingside is overestimated. The space advantage on the kingside is not very useful for White if Black makes the castle queenside. 9...0–0–0 10.Nc3 “At 10.Qxg7 Black would have played 10...Ne7 11.Qxf7 Rdf8 with enough compensation for the sacrificed material.” (Andra) 10...Ne7 “It was better 10...a6 to avoid Nb5. But after 11.a3 with the idea b4, Nd5, c4 White is better. (Andra)” 11.Nb5 Kb8 12.Bf4 Rc8

QUIZ

How can White accelerate the attack?

13.b4! “Black is forced to take on b4” (Andra) A courageous and justified pawn sacrifice. White opens with tempo the b-file for his rooks. 13...Bxb4 14.Rab1 Bc5 “A little better was 14…Ba5, but White is anyway better.” (Andra) An improper commentary. Of course, the student has the duty to go further with his analysis and to indicate what she had prepared against the move 14…Ba5 and to mention what has she discovered at the “post-mortem” analysis after this move.

QUIZ

Find the best move for White after 14…Ba5

Answer: 15.Nd6! cxd6 (15...Rcf8 16.Nxb7 Kxb7 17.Qxg7 now capturing this pawn is not dangerous anymore; White may play if needed Bg3 to protect the g-file) 16.Bxd6+ Ka8 17.Bxe7 with a little better position for White.

QUIZ

How does White continue the attack?

15.Nxc7! g5 “At 15…Rxc7 I had the intermediary move 16.Bb5!” (Andra) 16.Be5 f6 17.Na6+ Ka8 18.Nxc5 bxc5 19.Bd6 Ng6

QUIZ

How should White continue?

20.Rb5? A imprudent move which wastes all the accumulated advantage. It was better 20.c4 with the idea Rb5 or 20.f3 c4 21.Be2, in both cases with a clear superiority for White. 20...c4! Black, an experienced candidate of master, doesn’t miss the opportunity to obtain counter play. In fact White saw this move, but he had a calculation error in the following variation. 21.Rfb1 . The second rook has just arrived. Is it enough for obtaining the win? 21...cxd3 22.Rxb7

QUIZ

How can Black save the game?

22...dxc2?? “It would have been better 22...Qxb7! 23.Rxb7 dxc2 24.Rxa7+ Kxa7 25.Qa3+ Kb6 26.Qb4+ Ka7 27.Qa5+ Kb7 28.Qb5+ Ka7 29.Bc5+ Rxc5 30.Qxc5+ Kb7 31.Qxc2+- " (Andra) A nice variation, but both players have missed the move 26…Ka6!! and Black saves the game, for example 27.Qa4+ Kb6 and White has no more than perpetual check. 23.Rxa7+! The opening of the a-file decides the game. 23...Kxa7 24.Qe3+! Black resigned because he cannot avoid the checkmate. 1–0 CONCLUSIONS A nice achievement for a 12-year-old girl. The opening of the lines for attack, through 13.b4 has played a determinant role, White obtaining clear advantage by increasing his attacking speed. In spite of some tactical inaccuracies, the game is very instructive and emphasizes the importance of the speed during the attacking process.