WEBVTT 00:00.780 --> 00:01.560 Hi there. 00:01.590 --> 00:04.580 In this lecture, we see Frederick Smash against Aron Nimzowitsch. 00:04.590 --> 00:08.580 So Aron Nimzowitsch, one of the representatives of the hyper modern chess school. 00:08.610 --> 00:13.800 He has this amazing work called My System, which is fascinating. 00:14.220 --> 00:18.000 And as part of my system, he talks about Rooks on the seventh rank. 00:18.030 --> 00:22.290 Here we see an amazing rook on the seventh rank in this particular game. 00:23.220 --> 00:28.740 Okay, so this is a 1923 Copenhagen round Copenhagen tournament, round six. 00:28.740 --> 00:38.520 So D4 from Smash we have Knight f6 from Nimzowitsch C4 e6 now F3 so Stirling away from Nimzowitsch is 00:38.790 --> 00:40.410 opening the Nimzowitsch engine. 00:40.560 --> 00:43.140 So at the moment this is more of a Queen's engine. 00:43.320 --> 00:47.860 We have B6, but now G3 we're transposing into Catalan waters as well. 00:47.880 --> 00:50.340 So white thing catching the bishop here. 00:50.640 --> 00:55.560 Bishop E7 Knight C3 both sides Castle. 00:55.590 --> 01:02.370 Now one slight downside sometimes are the thing catch so here is that sure it's on this diagonal but 01:02.370 --> 01:03.450 what about this diagonal? 01:03.450 --> 01:05.670 Can black actually use that diagonal later? 01:05.820 --> 01:08.580 This particular diagonal might be of interest for black. 01:09.000 --> 01:09.870 Just bear that in mind. 01:09.870 --> 01:13.650 We have D5 Knight's E5 and now C6. 01:13.740 --> 01:16.800 In fact, this might actually be an inaccuracy. 01:16.800 --> 01:23.050 It seems like B D7 and then C6. 01:23.070 --> 01:24.000 This is slightly different. 01:24.000 --> 01:26.850 Move order makes a little bit of a difference. 01:26.850 --> 01:34.260 So this position, for example with Knight takes E5 Black taking on e4 D takes this position should 01:34.260 --> 01:36.990 be only a small H4 for White's. 01:37.260 --> 01:39.510 But we have C6 immediately. 01:41.340 --> 01:48.810 And in fact, the reason why this is a little bit of an inaccuracy, it blocks the influence of this 01:48.810 --> 01:54.660 bishop immediately and actually White's rewarded this with an inaccurate move. 01:54.690 --> 02:02.730 C takes E5 it seems e4 Here is of interest for White's even if it involves going into a position or 02:02.730 --> 02:03.360 gambit. 02:03.390 --> 02:04.770 So let me just show you here. 02:04.980 --> 02:06.170 D Take C4. 02:06.180 --> 02:10.890 It seems as though that aforementioned diagonal could be a problem for it. 02:10.890 --> 02:11.400 Yeah. 02:11.550 --> 02:21.810 With Bishop A6 however be free and then you might spot a forcing move b5 and another one b4 and another 02:21.810 --> 02:26.190 one and win a pawn and think well this is a bad line isn't it, King's. 02:26.940 --> 02:28.380 Actually, it's a positional gambit. 02:28.410 --> 02:33.630 Bishop B to take this further engines quite like the position for white with good reason. 02:33.630 --> 02:37.370 Intuitively it seems as though black's pretty locked down. 02:37.380 --> 02:40.180 This bishop without a counterpart could be really valuable. 02:40.200 --> 02:43.890 So this is an interesting way of playing it for advantage for white, actually. 02:43.890 --> 02:48.060 So in other words, E4 was an opportunity here for White's but White played. 02:48.090 --> 02:53.430 C takes D5 and this gives me a lot of uncomfortable feelings. 02:53.520 --> 02:58.500 I remember losing a club game many years back with White in this kind of structure. 02:58.590 --> 03:04.800 The thing is, black has prospects, Black has, you know, potentially this diagonal to use, but also 03:04.800 --> 03:08.130 the C4 square might use for later the C4. 03:08.520 --> 03:11.220 This E5 could be a target Knight. 03:11.250 --> 03:20.100 So anyway, we have Bishop F4 and now A6 and the more interesting ideas here already. 03:20.790 --> 03:31.140 Like for example France, Ghosts of France, as Nimzowitsch likes to call them B5 and maybe 97 to b6 03:32.880 --> 03:34.410 stuff like that to C4. 03:34.440 --> 03:39.000 There are ideas emerging so okay. 03:39.000 --> 03:42.540 But Knight C6 also this seems to be just an even position. 03:42.540 --> 03:51.770 For example here would be about even but A6 we have Rook C1 and now B5 Queen B3 is played. 03:51.780 --> 03:56.270 This is a potential target on B3 to moves like this. 03:56.280 --> 03:58.890 So is the Queen actually well placed on B3? 03:58.920 --> 03:59.910 Perhaps not. 03:59.940 --> 04:02.460 Knight b1 maybe is a better move. 04:02.460 --> 04:07.380 So this position one can actually get authority on the C4 here. 04:08.250 --> 04:09.180 I'll show you why. 04:09.180 --> 04:09.930 Bishop D6. 04:09.930 --> 04:12.150 Let's just put in some moves in between. 04:13.440 --> 04:15.900 It should have a small edge here after h6. 04:15.900 --> 04:19.200 If Russia White could actually consider just taking her. 04:19.530 --> 04:26.010 And this position with this pin is actually unpleasant for black. 04:26.400 --> 04:31.830 Well, the pain on both sides of the board, this rook on the eighth with targets stretching across 04:32.760 --> 04:35.520 is also you know, it's quite a powerful thing. 04:35.520 --> 04:44.040 So for example Bishop F1 and here Knight C friend, let's just imagine this kind of scenario with 97 04:44.040 --> 04:44.880 coming in. 04:44.880 --> 04:50.820 So hitting the queen, hitting fight and winning more material, whites actually with a big advantage 04:50.820 --> 04:51.300 now. 04:51.480 --> 04:58.020 So yeah, it seems as though Knight be one with the idea of trying to get authority on the C file soon 04:58.410 --> 04:59.880 is a better plan of. 05:00.120 --> 05:04.990 Action and being prepared to offer the queen up for rook and bishop. 05:05.010 --> 05:07.110 So that's a fascinating plan. 05:07.410 --> 05:10.960 But Queen bee free, though, is not so great, it seems. 05:10.980 --> 05:13.950 96 we have night Taxi six. 05:15.690 --> 05:22.090 If Frey looks secure, this position with the Frey looks as though it should be just even. 05:22.480 --> 05:26.230 Night 65 is unveiling an attack on C6. 05:26.230 --> 05:29.770 This position is actually a small edge for whites. 05:30.430 --> 05:32.230 So 1965 was a shot. 05:32.230 --> 05:37.840 If 1964 white can get that squared bishop and be slightly better here as well. 05:37.870 --> 05:40.800 So this was also something to consider. 05:40.810 --> 05:50.710 But 1986 was played Bishop takes and now if Black gets the chance Queen seven and then b4 and Bishop 05:50.710 --> 05:59.260 A4 or Bishop b5 looks like this Bishop is going to be active and very useful at some point in conjunction 05:59.260 --> 06:00.280 with B4. 06:00.640 --> 06:02.940 Now why just welcomes that plan? 06:02.950 --> 06:04.860 Unfortunately for 1h3. 06:04.900 --> 06:06.730 One should have challenged this position. 06:06.730 --> 06:07.960 There's a loose piece here. 06:08.080 --> 06:09.080 Liability. 06:09.100 --> 06:14.590 This was a time to pounce with knights e4 hitting that bishop. 06:14.710 --> 06:23.030 So Dee takes this position is even so, knowing E4 was an interesting move and if we follow that through 06:23.030 --> 06:27.250 with Queen takes the form rook D one. 06:28.480 --> 06:31.750 I mean, where is the queen going exactly? 06:31.780 --> 06:35.500 It's a difficult position as things like Rook C seven as well of Queen A7. 06:35.950 --> 06:43.540 So say this position once Y has a shattered structure and blacks can not be any better once they actually 06:43.540 --> 06:44.800 got a small edge here. 06:45.730 --> 06:48.980 So anyway, h free though, Let's play this cool move. 06:49.000 --> 06:55.600 Queen D seven Safeguarding C6 making b4 a threat potentially. 06:55.600 --> 07:03.100 Bishop A4 So this is bad news for white because this bishop is actually kind of locked in without any 07:03.100 --> 07:03.820 E4 break. 07:03.820 --> 07:09.670 Now all the earlier opportunity for E4, it seems as though white's in a kind of passive position. 07:10.660 --> 07:14.920 We have King H two and in fact with King H two. 07:16.880 --> 07:19.540 There's more interest in going for an attack. 07:19.550 --> 07:22.310 Now, the Kings are potentially. 07:23.170 --> 07:25.990 In a looser position now than it was on G one. 07:26.830 --> 07:31.810 So even though B4 was tempting nimzowitsch, his move is actually even more accurate. 07:31.840 --> 07:35.440 My take five This is even stronger than before. 07:35.470 --> 07:39.820 If b4 just to show position a black could play it played it like this. 07:41.350 --> 07:44.890 For example Bishop a4 a5 this is just better for black. 07:45.070 --> 07:50.020 But the game continuation is is super interesting. 07:50.320 --> 08:01.590 So Knight h5 we have Bishop Dito now f five and it looks as though this is a stone wall structure. 08:01.600 --> 08:04.850 And in the stone wall you look at the adjacent dark square. 08:04.870 --> 08:05.890 Weaknesses generally. 08:05.890 --> 08:09.020 But here it's like they're very difficult to exploit. 08:09.040 --> 08:11.820 E5 And also the bad bishop is not that bad. 08:11.830 --> 08:16.810 So it's like a stone wall structure on steroids for an attacking potential against the king. 08:16.840 --> 08:22.360 Basically, it's a fantastic version of that stone wall attack. 08:22.360 --> 08:23.950 Absolutely fantastic. 08:23.950 --> 08:26.770 Where this bishop can actually play a major role. 08:28.090 --> 08:31.270 And these dot square weaknesses are a very little consequence. 08:31.270 --> 08:33.400 Right now we see Queen D two. 08:33.400 --> 08:38.230 So this is gunning for a tactic with E4. 08:38.740 --> 08:41.830 And the funny thing is, well, this is actually not great. 08:41.860 --> 08:44.410 91 thou a five. 08:44.440 --> 08:47.650 This position is going to be even black. 08:48.280 --> 08:50.800 Shouldn't have too much to do here. 08:50.830 --> 08:55.780 But with Queen D one, it's clear that White wants to play E4 and win a piece. 08:55.870 --> 08:59.320 And this is a bit of greed actually we have b4 might be one. 08:59.320 --> 09:02.950 And now the bishop swoops up this kind of Dutch stone wall attack. 09:02.950 --> 09:06.670 So that bishop is usually bad, but it's absolutely brilliant here. 09:06.760 --> 09:14.410 Looking at one, it's like White's on the positional pressure we see now Rook G one with the idea of 09:14.410 --> 09:19.480 E4 without bishop takes half one just to hit H five. 09:20.080 --> 09:24.370 Now the funny thing is here, are we worried about this H5? 09:25.030 --> 09:27.220 You see, there is another factor here. 09:29.050 --> 09:33.550 A slight downside of playing for E4 is that a rookie crash through to the summer, Frank. 09:33.580 --> 09:34.110 Guess what? 09:34.120 --> 09:37.570 Nimzowitsch plays here for 500 points. 09:41.130 --> 09:44.220 So absolutely brilliant concept here. 09:44.670 --> 09:48.150 The position is very, very strong already. 09:49.720 --> 09:55.780 And also, if you look at this night, it's not a great piece once pieces are a little bit. 09:57.320 --> 10:01.190 Kind of awkward and stuck in their places. 10:03.000 --> 10:03.660 Then it's just. 10:03.660 --> 10:05.100 Please, Bishop, these sakes. 10:05.640 --> 10:06.840 It's incredible. 10:06.870 --> 10:10.200 He actually welcomes losing a nine. 10:10.230 --> 10:11.520 Okay, but it's for two pawns. 10:11.520 --> 10:15.840 So E4 is actually played, which makes things a lot worse. 10:15.870 --> 10:24.870 Now, if White didn't do E4 going for that night, st a3 a58x8x, this position with six blacks still 10:24.870 --> 10:26.310 is positionally better. 10:26.700 --> 10:29.030 It is a good version of a stonewall. 10:29.040 --> 10:35.550 The bishops great blacks contesting the dark squares and even say this position black could play. 10:35.550 --> 10:41.460 Bishop takes and prepare for G5 even with a strong attacking potential. 10:41.700 --> 10:46.350 So anyway, but E4 makes things a load worse for white. 10:46.380 --> 10:49.350 So actually, guess what Nimzowitsch plays here. 10:50.480 --> 10:51.710 Does he move the night? 10:52.890 --> 10:54.990 The thing is, if he moves the light, there's also E5. 10:54.990 --> 11:01.100 So maybe which was actually optimistic here, you know. 11:01.110 --> 11:03.710 But the thing is Nimzowitsch actually just takes one E4. 11:03.720 --> 11:07.470 He accepts two pawns in exchange for his knight. 11:07.800 --> 11:09.540 But what is he got for that? 11:10.020 --> 11:14.250 He's actually got a very dominating position here. 11:14.250 --> 11:22.620 Looking at F1 pressure on Geoffrey, it's like the kingside is being compromised with that pin and there's 11:22.620 --> 11:23.940 very little for White to do. 11:23.970 --> 11:24.510 Here. 11:25.200 --> 11:27.330 We see the Queen G5. 11:28.410 --> 11:31.020 If we have a look at this position just to see the pain of it. 11:33.780 --> 11:34.680 Let's see. 11:35.880 --> 11:39.590 King H one We don't have to take on G three. 11:39.600 --> 11:44.190 Actually, we can just intensify authority on the file. 11:44.790 --> 11:45.780 And here. 11:45.810 --> 11:49.890 Bishop E two We can actually try and checkmate the Queen, so to speak. 11:50.190 --> 11:54.270 So E5 this position, we want to trap the Queen. 11:55.290 --> 11:57.210 So this is an H six. 11:59.800 --> 12:00.910 Well now. 12:01.940 --> 12:05.660 Basically, we're threatening Bishop F sex. 12:08.020 --> 12:08.890 So, yes. 12:09.560 --> 12:09.910 This. 12:09.920 --> 12:12.260 This is pretty unfortunate. 12:13.820 --> 12:15.590 What does my actually do? 12:17.670 --> 12:19.950 If 93 bishops have sex as an example. 12:20.730 --> 12:21.450 Yeah. 12:21.630 --> 12:31.080 So it is an interesting situation, age, sex, just to rule out Bishop G five. 12:31.080 --> 12:33.220 So Bishop F six, there's Bishop G five. 12:33.240 --> 12:36.090 But yeah, it's like we're kind of mating the Queen. 12:38.730 --> 12:39.400 Bishop F six. 12:39.420 --> 12:40.230 Bishop defined, but. 12:40.230 --> 12:44.310 So yeah, the Queen is awkward in this configuration, actually, it turns out. 12:44.610 --> 12:51.840 So Queen G five trying to get the queen to a relatively safe score on E free limbs, which stamps down 12:51.840 --> 12:53.400 his authority on the F file. 12:53.910 --> 12:58.890 So King H one we have rook hitting the queen. 12:58.890 --> 13:00.260 Queen going to e final. 13:00.510 --> 13:04.590 Bishop D three threatens to checkmate the queen basically when rook e to. 13:06.460 --> 13:14.620 We have Rook C one stopping that, but now h six and it's apparent now why it's in a kind of zugzwang 13:14.830 --> 13:17.620 That's why it's been nicknamed the immortal Zugzwang game. 13:17.980 --> 13:26.170 The pressure in this position is enormous because of that rook on the seventh rank with the juicy targets 13:26.440 --> 13:31.420 kind of ties right down and the knight is not particularly helping Hare. 13:33.210 --> 13:40.400 So, yes, this is a very interesting position where why it seems helpless and what actually resigned 13:40.410 --> 13:46.620 if Bishop F1 we just taking on F1 just winning material. 13:47.070 --> 13:51.480 If G4 we're just going to play this and where's the Queen going. 13:51.510 --> 13:53.670 If Bishop takes this, we're going to checkmate. 13:53.910 --> 14:02.730 If H for we're just going to play this and again this position, we can actually, well, we're winning 14:02.760 --> 14:04.230 because we're winning the Queen. 14:04.500 --> 14:11.970 If A3 A5, just keep this knight out of the game eight times eight X, say B3, Queen F. 14:14.760 --> 14:16.560 This is just a cruel move here. 14:16.680 --> 14:19.020 Queen f7 showing the Zugzwang. 14:19.920 --> 14:20.730 So 14:23.370 --> 14:28.630 here, as an example, the Rooks can come to F3 and then rook change to mating. 14:29.710 --> 14:29.910 Yeah. 14:30.120 --> 14:31.080 Or three moves. 14:31.080 --> 14:31.980 There's always rookie too. 14:31.980 --> 14:38.340 So white's in a pretty helpless position in the end with this rook on the seventh. 14:38.340 --> 14:39.630 It's quite remarkable. 14:39.630 --> 14:39.870 Yeah. 14:39.870 --> 14:42.690 One is without any decent move here. 14:43.740 --> 14:49.620 So that's like attacking, without really showing a checkmate. 14:49.620 --> 14:52.650 Just putting the opponent in Zugzwang because of the rook on the seventh. 14:53.190 --> 14:53.430 Yeah. 14:53.490 --> 15:00.570 So positional play solid positional play gets us to a situation sometimes where we do have a checkmate 15:00.570 --> 15:06.900 combination, but in its own right, as shown here, we can just zugzwang the opponents quite dramatically 15:06.900 --> 15:08.640 without even needing to checkmate. 15:09.210 --> 15:17.580 You know, when just white's absolutely helpless, White's going to be just losing material or being 15:17.580 --> 15:19.760 mated in many of the variations here. 15:20.010 --> 15:23.040 So a fascinating game, the immortal Zugzwang game. 15:24.090 --> 15:25.320 Small advantages. 15:25.320 --> 15:28.410 We've got to be careful as attacking players. 15:28.650 --> 15:31.260 I do want to encourage. 15:32.720 --> 15:35.900 You to be a solid attacking player. 15:36.140 --> 15:37.940 So it's like her full quadrant model. 15:37.940 --> 15:40.000 We want to be solid and aggressive. 15:40.010 --> 15:44.600 We don't want to be like playing risky openings and risking zaps. 15:44.870 --> 15:47.330 We want to have consistently great results. 15:47.330 --> 15:51.980 But like Alexander Alekhine as a as a kind of role model. 15:52.050 --> 15:53.880 Or Garry Kasparov, you know. 15:53.900 --> 16:03.050 So world champions basically have taken the attacking style to the limits with solid play, which is 16:03.050 --> 16:06.050 more easier to emulate than, say, Mikhail Tal. 16:06.080 --> 16:09.440 Paul Morphy was ahead of many of his peers. 16:09.440 --> 16:13.970 So for me, Alexander Alekhine is a key, key role model. 16:13.970 --> 16:20.660 But Nimzowitsch could also play absolutely brilliantly positionally to get to positions where combinations 16:21.140 --> 16:22.670 just come by themselves. 16:22.670 --> 16:29.060 So this was one of Nimzowitsch, his great classics, I believe, which had to be included in this course. 16:29.060 --> 16:36.320 An iconic game example of a rook on the seventh, Two pawns for a knight, but such a dominating position 16:36.320 --> 16:36.830 here. 16:37.130 --> 16:40.070 White's spaces absolutely kind of helpless looking. 16:40.550 --> 16:41.990 So I hope you enjoyed this one. 16:42.630 --> 16:43.520 Has your much.