Hi there.
In this lecture, we see an amazing game between two of the British leading grandmasters over many years.
This is Michael Adams against Matthew Sadler in 1988, the 12th Lloyds Bank Masters open round nine.
So e four for Michael Adams.
We have a Sicilian defense from Matthew sent that we have nice f3d6d force he takes the four knight
takes the fall nine five, six, nine C free and now the Sicilian Najdorf we have Bishop E three and
now E five.
So not going for a shaven England formation, but the more aggressive looking e5 we have not be free.
So positionally.
The lucky hole is a battleground key square.
We have Bishop e six before anything else.
So Bishop e six we have now Queen D two, Bishop e7f3 Black castles, white consoles, Queenside and
now B five, G four and now B four.
It's a4 9c6g5 90 7h4.
So so far the play, it seems to be a kingside pawn storm, but can White actually play on the queenside
potentially as well?
Knights eight five is played.
We have King B one and our knight C4.
Bishop take C4.
And the thing is this pawn intuitively in one sense, does it give counterplay to black because there
are options if taking this pawn for Rook B eight or D five and positionally that would imply default
as well.
So not only liberating the bishop but also a dangerous pawn on D4.
But Adams does dare take on B4.
This is a very interesting decision.
So it's hitting the Bishop.
We have the full team of Bishop E2, so hitting the rock and the pawn rook rook DG one Bishop takes
F free, so it's a very interesting situation.
Rook H2 And now Black is playing D5, opening up the E seven, Bishop Queen B seven.
So this is a really interesting play, basically saying that there's a penalty if Rook B eight for Queen
takes a six, but there's also Queen text five being threatened as well immediately.
And the first thing that Matthew said that addresses is the D pawn.
He actually plays D4.
Now, if Bishop takes E4 instead to protect the D pawn nine C free rook b eight queen takes a six is
indeed possible, but technically this is just an even position here.
This position is just white having, well, a small edge in this particular if this particular follow
up a small edge here black is constrained.
It looks almost as if it should be impressive, but black is constrained a bit so equal to slight advantage
to white here.
But D4 was played immediately.
Bishop C1 and now Rugby eight.
And the thing is the Queen is actually protecting E4 from here, so this is slightly different.
So Queen C six, Quincy eight and now this is getting really quite tactical, this situation.
Very tactical indeed.
We have Queen take C eight, which gives a tempo gainer for 92 and Memphis had a really is interested
in taking away this E4 pawn and plays Bishop takes E4 there's a tactical justification for it but it
kind of backfires better would have been Bishop H five here so for example B free A five this position
with rook seven.
C free 95.
If we take this a bit further in this variation, black should be financially here.
Black should have an an edge, an advantage.
So Bishop takes E4 is a big mistake.
There was a it's a tactical consideration.
If you visualize this 1964, guess what black was banking on here.
Okay, so black.
Was banking on this being an unprotected piece and playing the move Rook C4.
So where is the knight going?
So if be free here now which wasn't played, there's rook takes a fall and black would be absolutely
fine here after rook C4.
That would be fine with a small edge.
But there's a move here which Michael Adams has anticipated.
So a very interesting, strange looking move.
Non stereotypical, I would say.
I mean, the whole game is in a way, the constructions over here weren't open lines.
It's just the game key squares.
It's been the positionally motivated construction here for a moment, but there's a move here which
wins material.
So for 200 points.
Can you see?
Yeah.
Before.
Before it vacates.
B2 for the night.
Very strong.
So Rooks C takes B for night A to B too.
So yes, winning material there.
But there's still some work to do.
95 is played.
If five G takes night, takes nine times F six.
This position, one should have an advantage of a free.
For example, in King A2 underpinning why it should be getting a big advantage.
So 95 is tried c free hair which hits the rook.
So the night was attacked here and I didn't want to play 1965.
So this is a very interesting play.
So hitting the rook rook for two B6 and now Knight, take five.
Here Bishop takes C takes D four.
Bishop takes the E4.
So this rook over here is helping B2.
Good board vision all around the board.
Rook d one from white.
You know that the H two rook is well placed there for this F5.
So a bit of defensive move, you know, in this position, a free starting the underpinning process.
Five we have King A two so I'm pinning the knight F4 knight C4 and this is with tempo against the rook.
Now sometimes there's going to be Bishop takes F4.
Here we have rook C six rook G to check King of eight and a five, rook cb6.
94, we have six.
So getting some time on the clock before move 40 and now Rook two, we have rook be one.
So this stands for ATN.
Rook one Checkmate.
But here, yeah.
Adams gets rid of Black's counterplay, essentially with this next move.
What do you think one should play here?
Okay?
Yeah.
He just actually plays Rook takes the fall, getting rid of that menacing bishop he takes.
And our bishop takes that force that hits that rook on banks.
Rook eight to be five now a four.
The kings holding that B one rook.
And the thing is, this is getting rather tricky now for Black's Rooks is getting very, very tricky
for the rocks.
And in fact.
You know, for example, if Rook before there's Bishop DD six, Shaq picking up a rock and B for.
And otherwise.
If.
Where else is the rook going?
Rook Be six here.
Bishop seven And the rook is trying to hold on to the rook.
And again it's pushed on to a square where there's Bishop B six check.
So basically, yeah, Black's in trouble and plays.
Rook takes a five.
So it's a bishop up now.
But is this endgame tricky?
We see rook f two.
One important thing is that this pawn is on the same carrier as the bishop.
So if it wants to promote later, that's the right kind of square.
So King G seven, King B two.
King G thinks Bishop G five wrote before taking C to the Kings, making its way to the center to hit
the four Rook G to King H five Bishop E 737 Rook e to a5e5 check King G for Bishop and six Rook These
things Rookie Full check King H five Now that the rooks holding H four it's safe to take default won't
want to keep this h four pawn A for King C to C six track Bishop C Free Rook six King B two Rook It
ain't king free And here Black resigned.
Move 60.
Yes, there's some work to do but essentially it is kind of technique here.
One, it's going to hold this pawn and take out this pawn and it's going to be a winning end game.
It's a grind.
So Senator generally resigned here without further ado, saving energy for the next day.
So a very interesting game between two grandmasters.
So it looks as though, you know, the positional player, positional planner, Adams doesn't necessarily
use the pawn swarms to go for the king.
He's attended to things with great interest on the queenside here.
This is where positioning in fact there's a free to two pawn majority.
So in one respect it seems it's very daredevil to take a pawn like this.
It seems like a hot pawn to take.
And in fact technically black does have sufficient counterplay.
So if black slightly improved later, Black's should have been fine, but nonetheless, nevertheless,
a very interesting game from a position of perspective, as if it wasn't really played for the attack.
It's about gaining material, gaining key squares.
More importantly, the material quite often try and get authority on this side of the board.
So yeah, very, very interesting play here and a very interesting win of a piece.
So just because you're a positional client doesn't mean you can't calculate very interesting tactical
variations for winning material.
That's another thing about this game.
So a very strong positional player will be aware of amazing tactical resources because it can have implications
for taking authority in the possession.
So this is a really great tactical move before.
Och, I hope you enjoyed this one and so much.