Hi there.
In this lecture, we see Michael Adams playing against Gary Lane, a very, very strong IM.
This is in 1999.
Round four.
E four from Adams, E 593, 96, Bishop B five.
And our Bishop C five White Castles, nine one half, six C free.
And now black castles.
If black took on E for Queen E to Bishop takes F to check it's best for white to play King H one here.
Yeah, this is unsolved black of the RD free blacks losing material like G three check.
This is not going to end well for black.
Just losing a piece like that.
Bishop g5f6 Bishop H four whites just material up So black castles we have D for Bishop B six, Bishop
g586.
Bishop h4d6 Rook E one, Bishop G four.
And now Adams takes on C six.
So B six now D takes E five, D to C five.
Now Queen takes D eight, rook eight times to eight, and now Knight takes E five.
So an interesting position has emerged.
Why is hitting the knight to be able to play knight 6g4 Why is hitting C six so black here plays g five
very interesting move.
Och so if one takes on g four here, this looks as though black's going to get good play.
So nine times G for nine takes G four.
This looks like good play for black, this position.
So in fact, Adam's actually just plays Bishop G free.
And we have now h five, which threatens to trap the bishop.
Now here this is move 15.
There does seem to be an inaccuracy here by Adams H.
Four does seem logical in many respects, but it turns out your 96 may be a lot better.
It vacates the E five square so it handles h four.
So if h four then Bishop e59 takes e four because one has some back row issues here.
But Bishop D four saves the day.
This position one is getting the pieces out and should have a small edge.
So for example, let's take this a bit further.
Bishop takes b6hb6 94 with a small edge.
Now in this line if rook d seven as another example, a three again y can use the e five square to rescue
the bishop.
And this is actually more advantageous for one, even even more than the other line.
So it does seem as though Knight C six has a lot going for it, but with H four very interesting tactics.
Now we have Knight takes E four.
And.
Yeah.
So the back row is being exploited here, but for this pin against the rook, we have rook tanks.
E four rook d one check.
So very resourceful.
Play from black.
But here Bishop F5 was played so going after the B one knight.
Actually, it turns out here F five seems better.
So black temporarily a piece down, but with F4 getting the piece back.
Under these circumstances, it seems very good.
So h takes H takes G five, F takes King takes G, Free Rook takes F to black ends up being significantly
better.
So yes, Adams has not played entirely accurately by the evidence of the analysis.
Black would be better here recovering the piece with advantage.
And if instead of H takes g for F takes g, free is also another way for black to end up being better.
So, yes, there was a missed opportunity, it seems.
But what's really interesting now is how Adams takes control of this position first with the quirky
looking rook four.
But this combines quite well with Knight.
C four, four nine times.
b6g4 is actually an inaccuracy.
And we see that the dark squares are pretty vulnerable with these two pawns on the light squares.
So this can actually be a good king road for the king, the white king soon, if f6 instead don't be
more solid.
And it seems as though this position, for example, should be about equal.
Black's going to have a lot of compensation here.
And for example, this situation.
Yeah.
Black's at least equal.
Yeah.
It's not really in a position to increase the advantage that much.
So anyway, G four is played with c c for rookie and if Bishop C five white has Rook five skewering
the two bishops.
So here Bishop takes F two, Bishop takes F two.
That's desperate.
That's White's winning that and Bishop D six, Rook takes F five.
White's winning there.
So the bishop stays put.
Rookie eight We have nine takes b6c times B six.
Now if eight times B six white can play bishop, take C seven and vacate G three for the.
So the king's not going to get mated that easily.
So rook e one white can even take on B six here the king can use g free with his advantage.
So C six, B six is played and we have rook takes A seven, C five, C four and just black gets their
piece back.
But look at this position.
Now this position is where a lot of fun and games can begin from White's perspective.
So White's currently a pawn up opposite colored bishops, but the king is in a potential position to
walk on dart squares.
Potentially.
We have rook e one and our Bishop four so that one is made pretty important.
King G seven.
King G Free Rook H one And we have Rook B seven Yeah.
These dark square targets are quite juicy.
Rook G one here if Bishop E four instead.
Then one can take off a pair of rocks and be better here.
So Rook one is played and it looks as though B one's e for the bishop.
Looking at G two is dangerous.
We have white making provision for this fret.
Bishop e five check is crucial.
King G.
So now black is threatening.
Bishop E four So guess what?
White plays it, which is super strong in this position and which also kind of indicates which King
is actually less safe.
Brilliant move here.
Move 28.
What would you play for?
100 points.
So the opposite colored bishops actually favor the attacking side quite often, but both players are
attacking each other's kings.
So which one comes first?
We have King F4, It prevents Bishop E4.
We have Rook takes G too.
This buys white time, crucial time offering G two.
So right now it's equal on pawns, but now pawn up for White's King at seven.
And now another brilliant move.
What would you play here?
Yeah.
King G five.
And actually, this supports mating the black king like this with h h hat mate coming.
So we have f six check if rook takes f two this put that on the board.
Rook h six check and rook eight is checkmate.
So f six is tried other things.
Not great either.
Rook takes F two.
Yeah, that's my thing.
But F five there's rook B eight here and then rook is coming.
So that would be checkmate.
So F six is tried, Rook takes F six rookie one rook e six and now Rook takes F two is played.
And here a nice crowning combination for the positional play for the aggressive king.
What would you play in this position to crown the positional play for 200 points.
Yep.
We're getting into forcing tactical sequences now.
Rook tanks B one.
Yeah.
This takes away the pressure from the E five bishop.
And now rookie ain't with the front of a chap, mate, which is unstoppable, basically.
End of game.
Black resigned.
Black could try Rook at five.
Check.
It's hopeless.
And then the king goes back and it's going to be amazing.
So, yeah, an interesting game.
Okay, there's an inaccuracy or two, and it's a human game.
It's an inaccuracy or two.
But the way Adams regained control of possession was very instructive here and also how dangerous the
dark squares are.
Adams is using the king on the dark squares, which were weakened.
So yeah, there was a positional undertone and the crowning combination at the end.
Wonderful stuff to force the checkmate.
I hope you enjoyed this one as much as me and so much.