WEBVTT 00:01.170 --> 00:02.070 Hi there. 00:02.670 --> 00:07.710 So if you follow the introduction lectures so far we've talked about the accumulation of advantages, 00:07.710 --> 00:11.110 but what sort of advantages are easiest to accumulate? 00:11.130 --> 00:18.690 Well, we can call them static, i.e. relatives, relatively permanent in nature as opposed to dynamic 00:18.690 --> 00:19.850 advantages. 00:19.860 --> 00:25.920 So we really want to collect static advantages and ideally from the opening choice for that to actually 00:25.920 --> 00:30.300 encourage and support the accumulation of static advantages. 00:30.360 --> 00:38.580 So static advantages by nature often don't require masses of operations to have to calculate. 00:39.900 --> 00:49.590 They are things like better pool and structure for longer term advantages which persist deep into the 00:49.590 --> 00:50.220 game. 00:51.720 --> 00:58.380 We can have within the scope of improvement as well other things which are not going to go away too 00:58.380 --> 00:58.770 easily. 00:58.770 --> 01:01.710 Like the bishop pair that could be another example. 01:01.740 --> 01:04.050 Or the installation of a dangerous form. 01:04.050 --> 01:07.170 -- could be a longer term advantage. 01:07.200 --> 01:12.540 Now Nimzowitsch also talks about things which you might think are just in the realms of tactics like 01:12.540 --> 01:18.690 the pin, but a pin can persist for quite a few moves, so that could end up being an advantage you 01:18.690 --> 01:21.870 could build on basically like any other positional advantage. 01:21.870 --> 01:28.950 So anything which is persisting, which even might not even sound positional, we want those kind of 01:28.950 --> 01:34.140 advantages that we can build on accumulate positional players. 01:34.140 --> 01:35.940 They tend to be good defenders. 01:35.940 --> 01:43.410 If opponents are playing with more dynamic pawn structures and aiming for maximum piece play to try 01:43.410 --> 01:48.180 and make sure they have vicious attacks or vicious tactics, the if you're a positional player, you 01:48.180 --> 01:54.000 really sometimes need to be a good defender and to try and destroy the counterplay or minimize it. 01:54.720 --> 02:03.120 So to safe levels and if the dynamic compensation kind of evaporates so to speak, then all the opponent 02:03.120 --> 02:09.270 is left with is structural weaknesses, which you can then target, probe and increment the advantages 02:09.270 --> 02:09.780 again. 02:09.780 --> 02:17.250 So that is a thing to continually face when a positional player plays a more tactical player out for 02:17.250 --> 02:19.830 maximum peace activity generation. 02:20.250 --> 02:25.560 We have to accept that we might have to defend for a bit or carefully control the counterplay, try 02:25.560 --> 02:33.720 and absorb it, evaporate it just to leave them with more static structural defects which we can build 02:33.720 --> 02:35.010 on and accumulate. 02:35.460 --> 02:36.330 So. 02:36.330 --> 02:39.300 So the dynamic players, they prefer direct attacks. 02:39.300 --> 02:44.580 They're looking for active positions, maximum pace activity, often at the cost of material and pawn 02:44.580 --> 02:45.390 structure. 02:45.540 --> 02:50.790 And it's like burning the bridges of the position is quite a committal thing to go in for attacking 02:50.790 --> 02:56.820 and tactical chess quite often, and it might not be that lovely gradual improvement graph that we see 02:56.820 --> 02:57.960 of positional players. 02:57.960 --> 03:02.220 We look with engines how the the evaluation is just gradually improving. 03:02.220 --> 03:08.400 Non controversially, there might be elements of controversy creeping in in more dynamic players, but 03:08.400 --> 03:13.650 the static players, they're building, building building on these static advantages for longer term 03:13.650 --> 03:15.000 positional advantages. 03:15.150 --> 03:20.550 So either with great crowning attacks, great crowning tactics, or just winning end games. 03:20.940 --> 03:27.840 So the doors are open for multiple ways of winning if you're a positional player in general, regardless 03:27.840 --> 03:34.350 of the style of play, playing the position is key in chess, regardless of tactical or positional play. 03:34.350 --> 03:44.040 So we also have this idea that our openings from the very opening we play, we can prefer a static viewpoint 03:44.040 --> 03:45.840 versus a dynamic viewpoint. 03:45.840 --> 03:52.950 So for example, me as an attacking player for a long time, a long, long time with the black Pieces, 03:52.950 --> 04:00.420 I'll love playing the King's Engine, the fence, D4 Knight f6 the King's Ninja defense would give me 04:00.420 --> 04:03.000 interesting attacking potential later. 04:03.000 --> 04:06.180 I thought it was the way to play for a long time. 04:06.180 --> 04:10.410 So the King's defense because often you get amazing pawn storms. 04:10.410 --> 04:15.600 So here this is a well known position where the center gets closed and later with the black pieces, 04:15.600 --> 04:19.380 you look forward to pawn storms on the king's side. 04:19.380 --> 04:25.590 And as an attacking player, kind of, yeah, chose my openings based on what I wanted goal focused 04:25.590 --> 04:27.600 based on wanting attack. 04:27.600 --> 04:33.300 But if you look at the more positional players like comp often Adams they have a kind of shared opening 04:33.300 --> 04:34.680 repertoire to one D4. 04:34.680 --> 04:37.770 They're often playing aiming to play the Nemtsov engine. 04:37.770 --> 04:40.830 So often Nimzowitsch themes are Indian and also well equipped. 04:40.830 --> 04:44.490 If you're going to want to play this, you have to be well equipped to the Queen's Indian territories. 04:44.490 --> 04:50.040 So both comp often Adam specialized more in this because they're not wanting some king attack, which 04:50.040 --> 04:51.870 is like burn the bridges. 04:51.900 --> 04:55.380 No, they want this incremental advantage approach. 04:55.380 --> 05:00.180 So it's a whole approach, a whole philosophy of chess to be able to be building. 05:00.490 --> 05:08.400 Advantages incrementally and as white as example, against the French defense. 05:08.830 --> 05:15.100 Some world champions like Bobby Fischer preferred C three and this can often lead to imbalanced positions. 05:15.100 --> 05:20.410 Well, we've kind of burnt our bridges in terms of pool structure, but we get the bishop hair and Fisher 05:20.410 --> 05:22.180 would often win this dance choir. 05:22.180 --> 05:30.970 BISHOP But it's, it's kind of not so structurally focused as the preference of Adams or Karpov, which 05:30.970 --> 05:32.980 is basically the Tarrasch variation. 05:32.980 --> 05:39.220 And quite often isolated Queen's pawn situations might result where black has an isolated pawn in the 05:39.220 --> 05:41.020 center on D five. 05:41.020 --> 05:46.810 And yeah, so our own choices for openings kind of goal centric. 05:46.810 --> 05:47.920 What is our goal? 05:47.920 --> 05:49.840 Do we want to be a possession or attacking player? 05:49.840 --> 05:51.940 And what is the nature of the opening choice? 05:51.940 --> 05:55.870 Do we want advantages that are more static in nature which we can accumulate? 05:55.870 --> 06:01.300 And do we want to avoid burning our bridges, so to speak, in any aspect like we do? 06:01.300 --> 06:08.330 We really want a compromised pawn structure because our goal is not to be as keen to maximize peace 06:08.350 --> 06:10.690 activity at any cost. 06:10.720 --> 06:14.470 No, our goal generally is that nice increment of advantages. 06:14.470 --> 06:20.440 So here as an example game, this is a game which I was really impressed with at the time. 06:20.770 --> 06:26.950 It was published in a British chess magazine, Adams against Levitt in the Dublin Zonal Tournament round 06:26.950 --> 06:28.810 three in 1993. 06:28.930 --> 06:37.570 And we see Adams being so well versed in the trash, defends Tarrasch variation against the French defense. 06:37.570 --> 06:41.440 So 92 And in fact, here's a bit of trivia. 06:41.440 --> 06:48.130 The only game Fischer played with 92, he lost against Byrne and in fact it was a grim old version of 06:48.130 --> 06:48.970 96. 06:48.970 --> 06:53.320 So Fischer really didn't try the Tarrasch variation that much against the French. 06:53.320 --> 06:54.880 But the more positional players. 06:54.880 --> 06:59.380 Yeah, that are really, really Keane have this great desire for incrementing advantages. 06:59.380 --> 07:01.360 Gradually they prefer this variation. 07:01.360 --> 07:03.970 There's less of a structural compromise. 07:03.970 --> 07:10.030 It's not so much about pace activity, although potentially you can get pace activity, of course. 07:10.030 --> 07:13.960 So here Jonathan never played C five so both come up often. 07:13.960 --> 07:20.260 Adams are scoring about 60% win rate or more with white in this variation. 07:20.260 --> 07:21.160 So it's very interesting. 07:21.160 --> 07:26.890 So we see gf3, C takes 9.6 D For now, Jonathan Levitt is very keen. 07:26.890 --> 07:28.210 He knows he's playing against Adams. 07:28.210 --> 07:30.190 He doesn't want an isolated Queen's pawn. 07:30.190 --> 07:30.640 Sorry. 07:30.670 --> 07:37.150 So he chooses this variation where y actually does have a certain activity advantage in the long term. 07:37.150 --> 07:42.370 There is still something to look for to build on this free supermajority on the Queen's side. 07:42.370 --> 07:43.750 And now it's quite concrete. 07:43.780 --> 07:49.720 Knight B five to flatten concretely 97 check to thwart Queen and King. 07:49.720 --> 07:56.050 So even though black has a solid pawn structure, there are little issues here like the C eight bishop 07:56.050 --> 07:57.910 as well as this poor majority. 07:57.910 --> 07:59.950 This bishop is not entirely comfortable. 07:59.950 --> 08:05.320 We have Queen A and now C four welcomes the exchange of Queen's 95 is played. 08:05.320 --> 08:10.030 If the Queen's came off, this is still a nice persistent advantage for whites. 08:10.990 --> 08:13.600 This situation with Bishop takes a six. 08:13.600 --> 08:14.170 For example. 08:14.170 --> 08:21.430 Here White would have the bishop power, which is another kind of static advantage to make use of later. 08:21.430 --> 08:23.140 So yeah, there are very nice variations. 08:23.140 --> 08:27.940 So 95 is played though, 93, 97. 08:27.940 --> 08:31.240 Again, if it takes e free, this is a great position to have. 08:31.270 --> 08:32.830 It doesn't matter about the Queen's coming off. 08:32.830 --> 08:37.720 We have a very large advantage here with casting Queensland with Czech coming up. 08:38.620 --> 08:44.990 So 97 we have Bishop DD two, Knight takes B five, Bishop takes B five, Bishop D seven. 08:44.990 --> 08:47.230 And Adams doesn't mind simplifying. 08:47.230 --> 08:52.630 Bishop takes these seven, Queen takes these seven, and now Queen G for 96 and now castling. 08:52.630 --> 08:53.290 Queenside. 08:53.290 --> 08:59.260 So now, even though Black has played with a solid pawn structure, Black is lagging development goes 08:59.260 --> 09:02.740 queen d4 We have Queen E and our Queen valk onto the attack. 09:02.740 --> 09:04.590 But is this going to backfire? 09:04.600 --> 09:06.730 Black's king is still in the center. 09:06.730 --> 09:12.820 We have King D one, Bishop e seven and our Bishop c three pointing at g seven black castles and now 09:12.820 --> 09:16.510 this invasive rook D seven and now Knight before. 09:16.510 --> 09:18.190 So this is a very interesting move. 09:18.190 --> 09:21.910 And Adams has to play precisely here to have the advantage. 09:21.910 --> 09:27.540 If he doesn't is going to be in big trouble in this position because actually if you look at this I 09:27.580 --> 09:33.610 two is it and so is D seven has Adams fallen victim to a horrible tactic? 09:33.610 --> 09:35.440 Note that C two is protected. 09:35.440 --> 09:41.020 So this is not a concern, but it's really about a two and E seven. 09:41.320 --> 09:44.530 So a key move here for 100 points, very accurate move. 09:44.530 --> 09:46.750 What would you play for 100 points? 09:49.620 --> 09:52.440 Okay, it's Queen G four, so we're actually threatening. 09:52.440 --> 09:53.550 Checkmate. 09:53.550 --> 09:56.160 So there's no time to take the rook. 09:57.270 --> 10:03.690 If we'd played Rook HD one Black has a very powerful rook Ada And yeah, we need to manage the counterplay. 10:03.690 --> 10:05.070 This is a big problem. 10:05.070 --> 10:09.630 The rooks like still hanging because it's hit by the Queen and the other rook. 10:09.630 --> 10:13.050 If rook takes E seven, we get basically chap mated. 10:13.050 --> 10:16.140 So yeah, we've got to play very accurately at time. 10:16.140 --> 10:18.390 So Queen G4 is the very accurate move. 10:18.390 --> 10:21.240 And if by the way to swallow that if rock takes. 10:21.240 --> 10:21.420 Yeah. 10:21.420 --> 10:22.800 This is also problematic. 10:22.800 --> 10:25.380 This position is highly problematic. 10:25.530 --> 10:28.020 So we're worse here as well. 10:28.320 --> 10:31.380 Even if it's just the pawn op, it's still, it's a worse position for us. 10:31.380 --> 10:39.270 So Queen G4, very accurate move G6 And you'll notice that hang on, this is also a kind of accumulation 10:39.270 --> 10:39.870 advantage. 10:39.870 --> 10:48.360 These weak squares we have now Queen d4 again renewing your idea of trap mating either on seven or eight 10:48.390 --> 10:58.020 Queen size A two king c1f6 and now Bishop takes B4 is played and this is very well calculated seeing 10:58.020 --> 11:02.370 that the second the seventh rank is really quite lethal. 11:02.370 --> 11:10.170 We have Bishop takes b4 queen a one check is pointless after King D two the Queen would be attacked 11:10.440 --> 11:11.580 by the rook. 11:11.730 --> 11:14.460 So if Bishop takes b4, Queen takes P4. 11:14.460 --> 11:18.000 The funny thing is here Queen E seven is devastating. 11:18.000 --> 11:24.720 There's no defense on g7h7 Queen takes H to friends, although it protects H seven. 11:24.720 --> 11:26.670 There's Queen G seven mate threat. 11:26.670 --> 11:28.110 So this is hopeless. 11:28.110 --> 11:31.230 We just go with Queen G seven rather than Queen H seven. 11:31.350 --> 11:36.810 So Bishop takes b4 was tried and now C free this very, very calm. 11:36.840 --> 11:37.770 C free. 11:38.250 --> 11:45.960 So black was threatening actually a checkmate here because the bishop covering D two but this is a play 11:46.410 --> 11:52.320 move which destroys the counterplay offers a rook on h one which d centralizes the queen. 11:52.560 --> 11:59.490 And now actually the key point is queen takes before you might think, okay, although white is threatening 11:59.490 --> 12:02.820 Queen E seven, why can't black just play rook Ada? 12:02.820 --> 12:05.430 And this is this is why this game had a profound impact. 12:05.460 --> 12:09.570 Guess what Adams plays here, which is absolutely winning. 12:09.930 --> 12:14.790 But before we even get into that, if Rook half seven, we would take on F seven and then take on B 12:14.790 --> 12:16.830 seven and win the rook knight up. 12:16.830 --> 12:21.630 So rook 88 and maybe black for a moment felt the danger was over. 12:21.750 --> 12:26.010 But we have actually got these static advantages from earlier. 12:26.010 --> 12:33.720 These pawns are kind of weak, and Adams just plays an absolute brilliant final cute finish here. 12:33.720 --> 12:36.000 Guess what it is for 100 points. 12:39.060 --> 12:43.530 And you can start to see more why I'm so inspired by the games of Adams, as well as Karpov and other 12:43.530 --> 12:44.640 positional players. 12:46.260 --> 12:50.460 You know, it's because I was reading a lot about his amazing games embrace chess magazines over the 12:50.460 --> 12:50.670 years. 12:50.670 --> 12:58.830 But here, you know, Rook, 68 is played and the point is it's good that the Knight covers Rd1 one 12:58.830 --> 12:59.160 here. 12:59.160 --> 13:00.540 Otherwise Black would be frightening. 13:00.540 --> 13:01.890 Queen D one Checkmate. 13:01.890 --> 13:08.100 But the point is Queen E seven and Black's defenseless Black had to resign at move 27 if rook for eight 13:08.100 --> 13:14.280 then Knight G4 is such a crushing move threatening h six and protecting the pawn as well. 13:15.120 --> 13:18.000 So for example here knight H six check piece up. 13:18.900 --> 13:25.260 And the thing is, if instead of Rook Cafe, if Rooks won't just play Knight G four and there's a big 13:25.260 --> 13:28.050 idea of Knight takes F six mating. 13:29.460 --> 13:32.400 Basically, and it's protecting a two as well. 13:32.520 --> 13:40.380 So if rook Queen F one knight takes F six check and then Queen takes H seven, it's really kind of amazing 13:40.380 --> 13:43.050 wins play through that. 13:43.050 --> 13:48.720 Adams didn't need to mess around with the winner of variation, you know, accepting a double edge, 13:48.720 --> 13:53.670 potentially double edge position which you know the likes of Petrosian have enjoyed playing the winner 13:53.670 --> 13:55.710 and all sorts of weird and wonderful ways. 13:56.640 --> 14:02.130 But you know, basically this kind of situation, yes, it's the preference of other world champions 14:02.130 --> 14:07.380 like Fischer, but for more pure kind of I would say more pure kind of positional players. 14:07.380 --> 14:13.860 It does seem, you know, as an example of even from the opening, this preference for advantages you 14:13.860 --> 14:20.340 can accumulate, the kind of imbalances here are not so controversial. 14:20.340 --> 14:24.930 We're not actually giving black structure to work with. 14:24.960 --> 14:29.510 We're aiming for more accumulated advantages and there's enough there. 14:29.520 --> 14:37.530 And the temporary advantages were also, in a way converted to more permanent ones as this idea of converting 14:37.530 --> 14:40.980 the temporary lead environment, embracing its change of Queen's hair. 14:41.100 --> 14:44.150 And it just seemed to persist all the way through. 14:44.160 --> 14:49.890 So this is really a very interesting game of very little risk and castling. 14:49.890 --> 14:53.190 Queenside is is cute here, amplifying the lead environment. 14:53.190 --> 14:55.140 So a very, very cute game. 14:55.140 --> 14:58.140 I hope you find this game inspirational as well. 14:58.140 --> 15:07.340 So the main point, you know, to recap, there's a more static and what I mean by static, more accumulated 15:07.350 --> 15:12.630 ball element preference for positional players and that's reflected in that opening choices. 15:12.780 --> 15:19.320 So, okay, we could see an opening as a way of getting certain imbalances, but the positional players 15:19.320 --> 15:24.930 will try and make sure that out of the opening they're not damaging their structure. 15:24.930 --> 15:29.160 Usually they don't want to trade off longer term aspects for just peace. 15:29.160 --> 15:33.570 Activity is kind of burning the bridges to some extent. 15:33.570 --> 15:39.030 When we when we do that for maximum peace activity, if we use variations like the winnow of variation 15:39.050 --> 15:40.500 and accept double pawns. 15:40.500 --> 15:46.590 But this variation for the positional player, it does seem like an ideal vehicle of choice to play 15:46.590 --> 15:48.240 the tarrasch line. 15:48.240 --> 15:50.460 So for a long time this wasn't even popular. 15:50.460 --> 15:55.590 Historically, Tarrasch himself, apparently, by the way, didn't play the terrace line much. 15:55.590 --> 16:03.750 So it's really been popularized by the great positional players like Kopp off and Adams. 16:03.750 --> 16:10.170 So Adams in particular, if you know, if you want to research the Terrace version, he's got so many 16:10.170 --> 16:12.090 amazing games to demonstrate that. 16:12.300 --> 16:17.610 Och, I hope you enjoyed this lecture is inspired by its food for thought, I hope. 16:17.610 --> 16:18.570 Hence very much.