Hi there.
In this lecture, we see an interesting British championship game between Michael Adams and Grandmaster
Aaron Sommers.
Kelso, both Grandmasters 2010 British Championship, Round 2e4.
From Adams.
We see a kraken from some skull d4d5.
We have E five.
The advanced variation Bishop F five, nine three, E six.
And now the Nigel Short innovation.
This is so much better than Bishop de Fray.
This gives a slight advantage in the position if Bishop de Fray.
This is too easy for black blacks.
Just got rid of their bad bishop.
It's like an improved French defense and there's classic games like Nimzowitsch against Capablanca showing
this theme that black can actually use the light squares later, for example, more easily.
So Bishop E2 keeps the variation alive, thanks to Nigel Short.
The short variation.
So c5a short bishop move rather than to D three.
So C five Bishop f3 C takes D four.
There are some very interesting lines with Queen B six here because you might think there's punishment
of a weakness of the last move for B two.
However, there is a bit of a stunning idea here.
9c3 and yes, we might as well look at these openings while we're here.
So nine C free if Queen takes B to guess what white can do here, which is absolutely amazing.
At some points.
And Queen Bee one.
Maybe this is in Adams preparation anyway.
If Queen takes C three, check Bishop DD two, Queen three.
We have Queen takes B seven.
And this is very, very dangerous now for Bishop B five and other stuff.
So for example, F six, Bishop B five check, and then Queen takes eight when it's clearly winning.
So this is very, very dangerous, this noisy free.
It's so much better than say, C for this.
This is not the idea.
I believe this is just going to be equal.
But if we play nine C free, this is really, really interesting.
After Queen takes B2, Queen B one and if Queen takes B one check you might ask, This is a strong position
for off the details.
We can try and activate our pieces more like B five threatening 97 check.
And there's all sorts of nasties here.
For example, King d89 takes a seven because we're looking at B eight and here we're getting a significant
advantage in this position.
So yes, the variation has some teeth of the Queen.
B six in terms of nine C free.
Yeah, there's some teeth here.
So anyway, C takes the four was played, Knight takes the four.
We have 9792.
When I say handsome thief, I mean as the potential for a really significant advantage.
It's kind of digging in metaphorically into black's position.
So anyway bc6 we have 92 to f three Bishop E for White Castles, 9g6.
So it seems as though White's learnt the pawn chain and says let the pawn chain be undermined.
But Bishop be fine.
There's a very interesting positional pawn sacrifice here.
9g5 So black is on the fire.
Here we have Knight G takes E five, Bishop e seven, F three and this square bishop is in trouble of
the G four.
It's trapping the bishop.
This would be to White's advantage.
So we see Black accepting this kind of position or pawn sacrifice, which I thought was remarkable at
the time.
F four Now with tempo 96 nine takes e four when it's forcing matters F five, another forcing move E
takes if 9ge5, F takes e six after its knight.
Take C six, nine take six.
Queen takes these seven check King takes these seven Rook have seven check here.
This is going to be a big position after Bishop take c6b takes rook d one big position for white.
So anyway, he takes is played.
We have bishop take c6b takes Knight takes a five.
Queen Tanks RD one So Black is still right now a pawn up.
But White's pieces are better and it's going to be getting back material.
We have 95 if Rook D eight, then White can take on D eight King Thanks and take on a7321 pawn majority
over here and here 93 The E four pawn is extremely vulnerable whilst these guys are just asleep still
and also f seven can be taken.
So that's unpalatable.
So we have 95.
So Avon is protected here still.
We have, though, a weakness for the last move.
It's neglected for won't users care for to pick up -- so equal or material g sex if King of seven
let's have a look at this position.
Be free h5y It should be a little bit better.
But it's not the end of the world just yet.
For blank, there's still work to do.
So G six were played like D six.
Jack Bishop takes these six Rook takes these six black castles.
Bishop H six.
Now the rook can't leave the f pawn so the place to f seven we have h three.
But now a drastic mistake, rookie.
Ain't this makes things easier for white?
Yeah, this makes things easier because there's a pin point here and white it has Rook take C six.
Yeah.
Why was this move played entertained other is black's position not bad.
Funny enough after rook.
Okay.
It's difficult to exactly determine if this is such a big advantage for white.
Probably a clear cut attempt at simplification is Bishop F4, which is not even one of the top engine
moves.
But it is a way of simplifying the position.
And as example here we can actually try and increase advantage with more active rooks with white.
You know, this is just a fictional smart scenario.
If we get a breach onto the seventh Frank here with this other pawn sac so it'll be equal on pawns,
this position might actually be the way to go where White's got more active rooks and a better rook
and pawn ending.
But, you know, there's work to do.
There is actually work to do here.
It's not that clear cut.
You know, this is just a totally fictional scenario where White can get an advantage from a rook and
pawn ending here to 2 to 0 on the kingside.
This would be to White's advantage.
But if we do other stuff here, like, for example, be free, it's less clear cut.
How white actually breaks through for anything, especially if this bishop's kind of locked in for a
moment.
What is White actually doing here?
Even though technically it seems better for white, there doesn't seem to be a clear cut resolution
here, difficult to make progress in terms of increasing their voice.
So I would say Bishop F4 is the point that was causing concern for Masco, because that is a kind of
positional move in a sense of trying to exchange off one of the opponent's better pieces for one of
your pieces.
So anyway, for whatever reason, yeah, this, this looks like a mistake.
It's losing a key pawn.
Rook, take C six so we have G five.
Unless the idea was to try and champion the bishop.
But it's not really that trapped We have be free rook for seven.
Yeah.
And this kind of does seem to make things more simple in a way.
After tax takes six.
Actually, let's give a concrete example.
So instead of for seven, say, A for how does one actually make progress?
Well, see, for here we get we're not worried about 9/10 because the rook takes it ain't so king hates
C five now the rook moves okay we'll move the rook to D six and we're making way with the pawn.
We're making progress with the pawn.
See?
695 and say, Rook four So a five can become a target here.
And yes, it's it's just difficult for black to do anything really.
So say Rook c seven Black is going to lose material.
But what is black actually doing here?
Rook takes a five is coming and then further progress.
So yes, it does seem as though this shedding with second pawn is pretty sad.
State of affairs.
There's no free check here because of G states protecting the rook.
There's no trick there on the rook either.
So yes, this this is a very, very bad position now.
So 97 here, rook takes e seven, seven, rook six.
And here some scowl resigned if g4h takes this position Rook have six because threatening rook f eight
Checkmate.
So there's no time for nine takes g four and here rook have 596 rook C five.
White's advantage is just huge here by this point.
So an interesting game, a very interesting opening variation and it has some particular traps which
are fascinating.
So yeah, this is the advance version of the korakuen used by atoms.
So very, very interesting with this.
Nigel Short Innovation.
Bishop Ito, I hope you enjoyed this one and so much.