SolitaireChess BewareofUnorthodoxBeginnings By Bruce Pandolfini
If you trade your bishop for a knight, you better have a clear idea ofwhy you are doing so.
It’s easy to take slightly unorthodox
ideas a little too lightly. For instance, most players are unwilling to surrender a bishop for a knight early on without being sure of getting some kind of small advantage. But what if one does pursue such a course, trading bishop for knight so unexpectedly? At the very least, one shouldn’t follow with indifferent, auto- matic play. Itmight quickly backfire into real problems. Such is the case with the game FM Reiner Heimrath versus Georg Petersammer (Black), Nuremberg 2001. White allows an early trade of bishop for knight, and evenmoves the d-pawn twice in the first five moves. Nevertheless, it doesn’t take long for White to fashion an easy enough win. The contest began:
Closed Sicilian (B23) FM Reiner Heimrath Georg Petersammer Nuremberg, 2001
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. d3 g6 4. Be3 d6 5. d4 cxd4 6. Bxd4 Nxd4
r+lqklnr pp+ pp+p + p +p+
+ + + + + nP+ +
+ N + + PPP+ PPP R +QKLNR
Your starting position
Now make sure you have the above position set up on your chessboard. As you play through the remainingmoves in this game, use a piece of paper to cover the article, exposing White’s next move only after trying to guess it. If you guess correctly, give yourself the par score.
18 Chess Life — January 2012
Sometimes points are also rewarded for second-best moves, and there may be bonus points—or deductions—for other moves and variations. Note that **means that the note to Black’smove is over and White’s move is in the next line.**
7. Qxd4 Par Score 4 This is a natural recapture. Deduct 2
points for anything else. Add 1 bonus point if you noticed the threat to h8.
7. …
stops queen takes rook.** 8.
e5 Par Score 5
This immediate attack on the knight induces a capture on e5, with the open- ing of the queen file. Also good are 8. Bb5+ and 8. 0-0-0.
8. … dxe5 If the knight moves Black has to con-
tend with 9. e6 or 9. exd6, both of which discover on the rook. Accept 1 bonus point if you so noticed.**
9. Bb5+ Par Score 5
Or White could also play 9. Qxe5. White’s in-between check gets Black to block the d-file.
9. … Bd7 The only sensiblemove: 9. ... Qd7 drops
the queen and 9. ... Nd7 drops the pawn on e5. Add 1 bonus point for seeing each one.**
10. Qxe5 Par Score 4 Now is the time forWhite to recapture.
The next step is to get a rook to the open d-file. Add 1 bonus point if this was your plan.
10. … Bg7 Black figures that after castling he’ll be
safe. But there is no time for such leisurely play. Blackmust resolve the sit-
Nf6 Black blocks the line of the queen and
uation on the queen file before it becomes critical. Either 10. ... a6 or 10. ... Bc6 was called for.**
11. 0-0-0
d7. 11. …
Par Score 6 White thereby creates a serious pin on 0-0 There’s nothing to be done about 12.
Bxd7, so Black continues his program, whatever it is.**
12. Bxd7
world. 12. …
13. Qb5 Par Score 6 This nets the piece. Add 1 bonus point
if you saw it in advance. 13. …
He doesn’t have much better.** 14. Rxd7
Par Score 5
No credit for 14. Qxb6 Nxb6 and Black escapes.
14. … Qxf2
15. Nge2 Par Score 5 A piece ahead, White has leeway in
handling the position, so he offers another pawn to complete development. Likely, it’s better than grabbing a pawn at b7 or e7 (3 points part credit). Still, you can have full credit for playing 15. Qe2, not giving anything away. Good chess players are often stingy chess players.
15. … Qxg2 Now Black has two pawns for the piece
and threatens to take a rook (add 1 bonus point if you so evaluated).**
16. Qd5 Par Score 5
uschess.org Qb6 Black is hoping to pick off some pawns. Par Score 5 A piece is a piece in any country in the Nxd7
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