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Michael Adams vs David Howell
London Chess Classic (2010)  ·  Spanish Game: Berlin Defense. Zukertort Variation (C67)  ·  1-0
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Given 10 times; par: 43 [what's this?]

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sac: 21.gxf3 PGN: download | view Help: general | java-troubleshooting

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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Dec-08-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  queenfortwopawns: Kudos to Howell for being a sport. Not many people play till they get mated at this level.
Dec-08-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  ketchuplover: You must really be good :)
Dec-08-10  bangkokgambit: OH-WELL!!
Dec-08-10  libertyjack: Very nice game by Adams! The more I see his games, the more I like his style.
Dec-08-10  ajile: 15..Nxb2?

lol

Seriously don't go pawn grabbing like this against Micky.

Dec-08-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  jahhaj: From the post match interview

Howell said afterwards he thought he was busted after 15.Re3, he'd only properly considered 15.Re2.

Adams thought 16...Ba6 was a better defence. Computers then start suggesting some seriously hard to understand moves.

Dec-08-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  Ulhumbrus: An alternative to 11...fxe5 is 11...d5 because then Re1-d1 will lose time with the Rook.

After 17 Nxg5 White has a lead of six moves in development for the pawn. That is too much. Adams manages to make count his lead in development and gains a winning attack.

With the move 19 Nce4! Adams brings the last piece into the attack. White's QN, joins the attack by preparing to replace the N on g5 after the sacrifice Nxh7.

Dec-08-10  Toliman: 14. ..d6! was necessary. This 5. ..Be7!? line gets tactical. A try was 16. ..Ba6! 17. Re7 Bxc3 18. R1e3 Rf5! survives longer :) (18. ..Nd1?! 19. Ne5! wins)
Dec-08-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  beenthere240: The classic bishop sacrifice without a bishop.
Dec-08-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  jmboutiere: 8...Nf5 better than 8...Nb7
Dec-08-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  jmboutiere: Rybka 3 after 12.Qe5 + 0.11 equal chances
Dec-08-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  jmboutiere: 16...Ba6 mush better than 16...Bg5
Dec-08-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  Eyal: <Adams thought 16...Ba6 was a better defence. Computers then start suggesting some seriously hard to understand moves.>

After 16.Rae1:


click for larger view

the threat of <17.Re7!> is very strong. By connecting Black’s heavy pieces along the back rank, 16…Ba6 has at least two important tactical points: in case of 17.Re7 Bxc3 18.Bh6 Rf7, White doesn’t have 19.Re8+; and 18.Rxg7+ Bxg7 19.Bxd8 Raxd8 20.Re7 Rf7 also doesn’t win, at least not outright (note that the bishop has to be on a6 – in case of 16…Bb7 White would win here after 21.Rxf7 Kxf7 22.Qxc7).

Dec-08-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  Eyal: After 18.Rf3:


click for larger view

It's absolutely winning for White. Here are some nice sidelines:

18...Qg6 19.Rxf8+ Kxf8 20.Nxh7+! Qxh7 21.Qf3+ Kg8 22.Re8#; or 20.Qf3+ Kg8 (20...Qf6 21.Nxh7+) 21.Nd5!!

18...Qh6 19.Rxf8+ Kxf8 20.Qf3+ Qf6 21.Nxh7+

18...Qd6 19.Qh4 h6 (19...Qg6 20.Rxf8+ Kxf8 21.Nxh7+ Kg8 22.Qd8+ Kxh7 23.Re4!) 20.Nf7! Rxf7 (20...Qg6 21.Nxh6+! Qxh6 [21...gxh6 22.Rg3] 22.Rxf8+ Kxf8 23.Qd8+ Kf7 24.Qe8+ Kf6 25.Ne4+ Kf5 26.Ng3+ Kf6 27.Qf8+ Kg5 28.Qf5+ Kh4 29.Re4+ and mate) 21.Re8+ Rf8 22.Rfxf8+ Qxf8 23.Rxf8+ Kxf8 24.Qd8+ Kf7 25.Qxc7 and it's hopeless for Black.

Dec-08-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  Dr. Funkenstein: Saturday or Sunday puzzle after 20. ? with all of the sidelines to work out.
Dec-08-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  Domdaniel: <Eyal> Seriously, write a book. You've got most of it written already -- all you need is a few linking paragraphs and a title like "How to Make your Chess Engine Speak Human".

You might have to go with "... Speak American" for the US edition.

Dec-09-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  Eyal: <Dom> Thanks, as usual. Heh - as far as a book is concerned, I'm afraid most of the writing still has to be done… The (potentially) instructive stuff is really how to work with an engine, the resulting lines themselves add up to something pretty random, unless one is interested in the specific games or positions analyzed.
Dec-09-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  DarthStapler: How often do you see a master game nowadays ending in checkmate?
Dec-09-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  kingfu: After we learn the basic moves then come the principles.

For example, black's queen bishop was developed late, in desperation, to inferior squares. The black queen rook got a free ticket to watch the game. Black's queen was chased to it's original square after only one move to get a great view of the mate.

Usually, in The Spanish Game black plays d6 followed by bishop development.

This should be a very instructive game for newcomers. Bad development plus pawn grabbing equals the big zero.

This style of play would lose to ME. What made Howell think it would work against Adams?

Dec-09-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  OhioChessFan: White to move, 20. ? looks like a created position in a beginning tactics book. Let's see.....I have 5 pieces on the Kingside and Black has 1. I think I'll attack.
Dec-10-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  kingfu: General George Patton:

"I do not want hear that we are holding on to anything. We are going to hold the enemy by the nose and kick him in the ass."

Attack, attack, Always attack.

Dec-13-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  Ulhumbrus: To quote Lasker's book "common sense in chess" on the position reached in the Rio de Janeiro variation of the Berlin defence to the Ruy Lopez opening, after the move 8...Nb7 :

<...We have come now to a critical stage. Black's pieces have retired into safety, ready, with one single move, to occupy points of importance. White, on the contrary, has the field to himself, but he can do nothing for the present, as there is no tangible object of attack. Various attempts have been made to show that White has here the superior position. I do not believe that White has any advantage, and am inclined rather to attribute the greater vitality to the party that has kept its forces a little back...>

<...variations show that it must be Black's aim to post his KB on a line where he can do some effectual work, and to advance his d pawn...>

After 9 c4 0-0 10 Nc3 this suggests, instead of 10...f6, 10...Bc5 to be followed by ...d5 eg 11 Re1 d5 or 11 Ne4 Bb6 12 Re1 d5

To quote Lasker's conclusion on the Rio de Janeiro variation of the Berlin defence to the Ruy Lopez opening, following the analysis which he gives:

<...We can ...announce our final judgment. The defence considered... yields, in all respects, a satisfactory game to the second player.>

Dec-29-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  kingscrusher: I have video annotated this game here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85Cd...

Feb-02-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  wordfunph: GM David Howell was quoted on this game..

"I had given up and was just trying to keep a straight face at the board."

Feb-02-11  Penguincw: The other checkmate from the <London Chess Classic 2010> is from Short vs Anand, 2010 and looks like this :


click for larger view

.I don't think there are any other mates from this tournament.

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