Hi there.
In this lecture, we see an absolutely fascinating game showing a minority attack.
This is Loch Fang Wheelie against Britain's Nigel Short.
So two very strong grandmasters, Dutch versus British.
So lockdown winning Dutch grandmaster.
We have this game in the 2010 chorus group eight on one round one D form from when Van Weenie we have
a short play nine of 6c4e6 now nine to free the five.
So we transpose into a Queen's Gambit declined and the exchange variation in C takes d5e tanks D five,
G five, C six.
So we have this cold mad structure.
So the classic minority attack would involve basically sometimes like this to cause structural damage.
So what is the key point about this?
One key point If one achieves this minority attack, there is a backward pawn and an isolated pawn here.
And if things get dissolved, say black tries to play a five.
We also get basically files, we get files, and if we get files, we can get rank pressure.
If we get ranked pressure, we can get targets later.
So bear that in mind, there's an evolution of advantages which could happen and it is shown in this
game and it almost as if the accumulation is also reflecting an amplification of pressure eventually
on the seventh rank.
But to get to the seven Frank, we need to blast through files.
So the minority TAC plays actually a key role in this whole idea in this game.
So we'll see this unravel.
It's very, very interesting how the accumulation of voltages is in this particular game.
It's quite vivid how it links to an increase in amplification of pressure.
So we have C six if Bishop e seven, just for the record, E three this position is fairly standard
looking white could play 95 here.
If Blank is playing quite passively in this kind of Pillsbury bind with the Bishop outside of the pawn
chain should be quite nice for why.
So this position might could even get an attack.
If black's playing passively without sex you might question, you know was c sex essential?
That was my question here.
White can drive through an attack if anything as an example.
So Bishop G five we have C sex being committed to e three.
Bishop e seven we have Queen C two.
So this is interesting.
Trying to get control of the E four square.
If Bishop de Frey there is a potential frame of 94, the bishop could drop back 96.
Well, it does have a small edge.
So Queen C two is a good move though.
Black castles and now Bishop D Free rookie ain't now H Free OC.
We have Knights of Eight and our Bishop F for a five.
So this is an interesting trying to prevent the classic minority attack.
So the problem is as mentioned, if this pawns dissolved, there could be a file which could lead to
a sermon.
Frank, just bear that in mind.
If Bishop de six had, there is an interesting possibility for why it's Castle Queenside, but technically
it seems the best move would be to go for a minority attack with Rook B one and then just be four with
a small edge.
You know, this position is going to be nice for white, so.
Okay.
85 is played here, white consoles, 96, Bishop 82.
And we see actually, this knight isn't given too many possibilities.
It's blunted.
That's a blunted knight on G six right now.
Bishop D six won't takes on D six which secures more comfortably potential Outpost square and C five.
That semi-open file has the outpost square which is quite interesting C five to bear in mind we have
Rook have one and now bishop is six.
If Bishop D seven, you know, we could play like this simply with two rooks together and aim for a
small edge.
So Bishop e six, a free rookie seven here if 97 have a look at this for a moment and g six this position
where bishop at five it should still be a small edge if blank.
Once the bishops exchanged off the lights by bishops, it's still going to be a small edge for white.
This scenario minority attack is causing some structural issues and what has a tactical idea here might
be five in this variation example and even if simplification.
So we're hitting the rook on a three, we can take on a three and yeah, we've got a pleasant enough
position, but it is pretty simplified.
So 97.
Is interesting trying to improve that Nikon G.
Six is not really doing anything in the game.
It's why it's able to take off that night when the opportunity arises for it being favorable to do so.
So that's interesting to consider.
Okay, so rook ab1 rook a eight.
We have B for A takes, a takes, and you can see that we're trying, you know, we're getting fouls
potentially if we get another foul, If we get to fouls, we can literally use an amplification strategy
on the seven francs.
So this in a way, this is all part of amplification.
Even the alt post on C five could help amplify the rooks on the seventh.
If we get rooks on the seventh, Bishop RD seven, we have B five and now 94.
If C five, we can play D tanks here and this position is going to be quite pleasant and as you might
suspect.
So this is a nice blockade score on D four and one.
It's getting a nice advantage there.
If C takes that last we can D five, we can play nine, takes B five and the like.
Square bishop is quite nice here.
This should secure an advantage in its own right.
This position and 95 here.
That's nice.
So 9e4 though is played We have B tanks.
This is better than taking on E four.
This is not going to leave.
This would be a bad idea because the Knights activated on h four.
It's a bad idea.
If the knight gets aggressive, then it's more justified.
In fact, Black has Queen G six here looking to checkmate and then this position is getting scary.
There's no need for this.
So B tanks keep this knights kind of bad bad knights, you know it hasn't got f4 H four so B tank C
six is played.
If Bishop takes six, this position is fairly pleasant.
We can try and play Bishop B five and try and just just have a nice advantage here.
It's the superior minor pieces which give one advantage and the structural damage.
So B tanks is played and now rook B six, so not B seven immediately.
So that's interesting.
There are things like Bishop's eight perhaps we have might take C free if Queen f6, then Knight takes
D five.
So that's another point of rugby six It's preventing that move.
Queen F six it's pinning that C six point So it is prevention.
We start to see prevention ideas.
So that is one of them actually rook these six.
So 8c3 is played.
Just to make that clearer.
So on Queen F 6.65 C text, we're taking the Queen.
So like take C four, it is blank.
We have Queen C free.
So the scene is set for both rooks to land on the seven frank and start amplifying, amplifying pressure
and anoints four nights on C five.
It's going to assist.
Potentially it will have squares to poke into like E six and DD seven.
So just bear this in mind, this thematic idea.
But in the meantime, Black is now threatening.
Bishop takes h three.
We have to prevent that.
We have Bishop takes G six, first Queen six, G six and now the threat is Bishop takes H three.
So you might think, well, that was a strange decision that Knight wasn't doing anything, but this
is good enough.
So King F one preventing Bishop takes H free.
We have six.
So black is preventing 95 there.
If Queen F six is an example 95 and this position is unfortunate for black one, it's getting a nice,
big, juicy advantage here.
So f six now this does weaken that seven.
Frank, bear in mind if we're getting rooks to the seventh.
That's one more door open to the king Rook one.
And we start to see this.
But first again, black is frightening.
Bishop takes H free for queen takes free.
So 91, queen at five.
And now can you see what black is threatening?
Yeah.
You have to see what the opponent's threatening rook takes if pinning that pawn.
Could black have done better than this if Black had tried?
Bishop takes H three here.
By the way, you might be wondering, this isn't such a strong attack.
White can live to tell the tale here.
You know, this is a way of playing it.
And yeah, we're just going to be a piece up for not much compensation for black.
So Queen F five threatens Rook takes E free King G one Queen G five threatens Bishop takes H train OC
So King H two and now Queen F five threatens Queen takes F too.
So we address that night D free Queen E six.
And now there is the possibility molder of Queen six check.
So the king is actually tucked away with King G one preventing that in advance.
Would that really be useful?
Was King G one needed?
And it is one of the best moves, it seems, if Rook be seven.
The point is Queen D six could be handy.
Gain tempo for bishop at five to gain tempo on the B seven rook and why it's more in a rush here and
black could simplify.
You know this position?
Yeah black could simplify.
And if we played Rook 8a7.
This simplification is not going to be a big advantage for us.
It's just a small edge.
So this keeps options open.
King G one without having to be in a hurry.
Responding to tempo gainers we have rook see ain't.
If Queenie thinks we're playing Rock seven hair.
And the thing is, Bishop F5 is not possible Rook Tech C6 so it does confined black without the king
being in check.
There we can take on C six.
So, you know, avoiding the opponent's temper again is is putting more restraints on what the opponent
can do, preventing what the opponent can do.
So okay, so rook C eight rook be seven.
We see this sign that seven.
Frank The advantage is growing into an amplification strategy on the seven Frank Rook have seven.
Rook 8a7.
So the two rooks doubled and you might think they're not doing anything.
But if a knight comes to C five, this becomes more significant that the Queen gets involved, it becomes
more significant, this seven frank pressure.
And we see it growing in this game rather beautifully.
We have Queen b4 rook the eight if rook tanks b seven hp.
So in this position we have rook e seven and queen bee some we can amplify like this and we see now
that black is getting stretched out.
If Queen takes the free here, we just take on K, in fact, and say Queen Black's getting really stretched
out of the night at four and.
Yeah.
Or we could just take it on.
So anyway, you know, this is a disaster here we can just take on.
Yeah, it's a total disaster.
Yeah.
So we can see how the amplification causes major, major issues.
So, Rook, the eight, we have 95.
Queen eight.
Queen Bee six.
H five.
If rook takes B7, Rook takes B7, you might think, Is there enough hair?
There is, actually.
Guess what White has here tactically.
So this tries to free the awkward configuration of the pieces.
But guess what?
Tactical move would exist here for ten points to crowd in the positional efforts.
The outpost can The outpost Knight can take part in amplification.
So even though one of the rooks has left the scene, 96, it's hitting RD eight, it's hitting G seven.
It's helping amplify that rook.
So.
If the queen tanks, we're taking on day.
What does that do?
Rookie.
Ain't we take on G seven dismantling the pawn chain.
So anyway, age five is played now.
Roxy seven.
There were very good moves in this position.
86 is also interesting.
This way of playing it, whether it be eight is a problem because that like sporting rugby and we're
going to win the eight rook, the Queen gives herself up.
This is much better for white, much, much better.
So 96 was also an interesting move here on the eight Frank four targets.
So Rook C seven though is good Rook takes rook takes.
If Queen st c seven you might think, is it enough here?
What can play like this?
This is still an edge in the endgame.
White is so dominant like playing like this and still have an advantage.
But it's more interesting the way the game is played out.
If we keep the Queen's on the board, we can try and make the opponents to crown the positional efforts
more effectively sometimes.
But yeah, this is a way of playing it as well.
But it's nice to keep the Queen's on the board.
Queenie Rook seven Now there was a way of winning a pawn here as well with Rook takes G7 check for 96
check.
But this is more interesting.
Seven In a way, Queen C eights would be seven.
We have Bishop F seven.
If H four, then 96.
This tactic exists again.
If the Queen takes Queen 68 this position we have rook be eight.
It's very awkward.
We're winning material.
How frank if queen a queen C seven and look at this that seven Frank is crushing breaking point of the
positional pressure.
So Bishop F seven we have Queen seven, rook F eight and you might think, well, the amplification
of the seven rankings and that's nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
Surely we can't exploit this.
Actually, we can.
Here is where tactics and combinations to crown of positional play tactics flow from superior positions,
as Bobby Fischer says.
And actually the tactics here for amplification along seven Frank exist.
Can you see what it is we need to break down the doors 97 trying to move the ruck away and you might
think, well, if we move the knight back to C five, then rook our fine.
But tactics exist here.
Guess what we can do with tempo?
Tempo plays a key part here for ten points.
What would you play?
Yeah.
We smashed down the doors.
Night takes f6 check the culmination of White's positional strategy, its amplification on the seventh.
Frank kind of making the books much more effective to get to that sub rank with juicy targets and any
opponents.
KING Especially so rook tanks F seven and they're amazing consequences here.
Queen at five, Rook G seven King and now Queen F seven.
And here the game ended.
Nigel Short resigned here if Rook eights.
One simple method is rook g free, which threatens Queen G seven Checkmate.
And if check Yeah we play King H two and if the queen comes back, that's hopeless.
Queen takes F six, check.
Queen G seven, Queen six, G seven.
Checkmate.
I thought this game is an absolute masterpiece.
Now, usually the palette of players in this course is like Karpov or Adams or Capablanca.
But in this particular theme, this game for me is a very important kind of STEM game conceptually for
the minority attack.
And yes, the Dutch grandmaster showing how things really transition to the seven frank pressure where
and you can have tactics and combinations to celebrate that seven Frank after so the structural damage
leaves Rooks on seventh as well as a knight ready to jump in and knight outpaced on C5 in front of the
backward pawn so very very interesting game example when we talk about accumulation of advantages,
if we look at this for an engine graph, it's like gradual going up with no controversy.
This is a kind of really professional game, not treating chess as gambling, but ruthless logic, as
Karpov likes to say, ruthless logic or petrosian.
We can see the ruthless logic of increasing amplification until bits drop off, basically, until there's
so much positional pressure that concessions are going to be made.
But it's good to be good tactically with combinations.
So when you have these great positions with the pressure, you can see a way to break through that.
There is a breaking point of the opponent's position.
So in this case it was the 97 and Knight takes F six once we reach that positional pressure.
So, yeah, a very, very beautiful game in my view, showing the amazing properties of a minority attack.
Okay.
Have you enjoyed it?
I hope you got some instructive points from it.
There's so much.