WEBVTT 00:00.790 --> 00:01.500 Hi there. 00:01.510 --> 00:06.820 In this lecture, we see a very interesting game between Mark Ferguson and Michael Adams in the 1997 00:06.820 --> 00:08.290 British Championship Round two. 00:08.320 --> 00:13.930 Mark Ferguson once helped me prepare for Morgan in one of the boys about Masters editions, and with 00:13.930 --> 00:17.260 that I wiped Maroon off the board 2420. 00:17.260 --> 00:19.150 At the time he was high rated for me. 00:19.150 --> 00:24.610 And so, yeah, I kind of got on speaking terms with Mark Ferguson from one of the Barnet Congresses. 00:24.610 --> 00:27.010 So this is a really interesting game. 00:27.190 --> 00:28.840 Mark Ferguson with the white pieces. 00:28.840 --> 00:30.550 E four We have Adams playing. 00:30.550 --> 00:33.040 E 5.3966. 00:33.040 --> 00:43.870 We have the Joker piano, so we have C three here, nine of 6d3a6 white consoles Bishop A seven, bishop 00:43.870 --> 00:49.000 b3d6 Bishop E three and OC. 00:49.030 --> 00:50.650 There's an interesting choice here. 00:50.650 --> 00:52.450 Do we actually double the pawns? 00:52.450 --> 00:58.540 The static players like an Adams or cop off will generally have more solid pawn structures than the 00:58.540 --> 01:05.980 opponent and try and crush out the counterplay so it becomes more about the end games, etc. And here 01:05.980 --> 01:07.120 Adams does actually play. 01:07.120 --> 01:10.930 Bishop takes e free now in the short term, yeah. 01:10.930 --> 01:12.250 The doubling of the pawns. 01:12.250 --> 01:15.070 It does have upsides as well as controlling key squares. 01:16.000 --> 01:16.740 It's not all bad. 01:16.750 --> 01:17.830 There's the same in F file. 01:17.830 --> 01:26.230 So there are dynamics as a result of this pawn structure we see Adams, Castling, Knight, BD two now 01:26.470 --> 01:30.310 A five, C two, C five, A three, B five. 01:30.310 --> 01:35.830 So a key consideration is trying to keep this bishop bottled up on C two positionally. 01:36.040 --> 01:41.890 We have Queen E one and now C four trying to actually isolate these double pawns. 01:42.250 --> 01:51.400 D four We have rookie eight Queen G3 and then rook seven This looks like an interesting prophylaxis 01:51.400 --> 01:53.260 move that Adams often played. 01:53.260 --> 01:58.720 If he suspects the opponents might have attacking potential on an foul, Adams is often playing a move 01:58.720 --> 02:04.210 like this or with white Rook A2 so it's a good prophylaxis move in advance. 02:04.360 --> 02:07.690 Knight's H four We have 9h5 hitting the Queen. 02:07.690 --> 02:18.700 Queen F2 nine goes back h3h6 Rook 80 19c6 might have five and that knight is taken off because otherwise 02:18.700 --> 02:23.050 there's going to be damage with Knight takes H six potentially four Queen 6f6. 02:23.050 --> 02:32.470 So it's taken off Queen takes her 597 Queen f29g6, King H two So positionally. 02:32.470 --> 02:32.690 Yeah. 02:32.710 --> 02:37.090 This bishop is a kind of prisoner in the pawn structure. 02:37.540 --> 02:43.510 We have Rook C seven Queen, Free Knight H five, Queen G four. 02:43.510 --> 02:45.730 And now one thing, the exchange of Queen's. 02:47.230 --> 02:50.380 Now Ferguson takes off the Queen's. 02:50.410 --> 02:55.450 The attacking potential is reduced and maybe it's going to be more about the pawn structure now. 02:55.450 --> 02:58.540 So g4956 king g39g6. 02:58.540 --> 03:04.420 So the longer term aspects of the position are being emphasized through the exchange of Queens in particular. 03:04.840 --> 03:08.320 And Black doesn't have major defensive tasks for king safety. 03:08.500 --> 03:21.730 We have h498596 the D seven rook f one rookie seven so f seven adequately defended rook 52f2 96 So some 03:21.730 --> 03:26.890 probing for weaknesses here 93 Try and attempt white to play a move like D five that will give black 03:26.890 --> 03:33.400 the C five square 9 to 3 g six row D one king G seven. 03:33.400 --> 03:39.040 So this is a bit of high level shuffling, but a five there's a positional kind of attack on the structure 03:39.040 --> 03:47.980 here potentially with B for it needs some preparation though first of six we have here now. 03:47.980 --> 03:49.630 Yeah very interesting situation. 03:49.630 --> 03:55.750 We have rook D one it's unwise for white to try and take off on E five. 03:55.750 --> 03:56.800 This looks like a wreck. 03:56.800 --> 04:04.000 It would isolate White's pawns and with 95, Black's going to get back e four with a nasty surprise, 04:04.000 --> 04:08.860 you know, forking King and Rook there, that would be a total disaster, as example. 04:08.860 --> 04:16.330 So Rook D two might have six we have here rook d1h5. 04:16.330 --> 04:21.130 So pushing the white pawns forwards basically because otherwise there's fragmentation here. 04:21.130 --> 04:24.550 If G takes that's isolating the h pawn. 04:25.150 --> 04:33.490 So we have g59g4 rookie one rookie eight 9 to 9 takes H to king takes H two. 04:33.490 --> 04:39.490 So the long term aspects of the position are being emphasized and it seems to be overall in Black's 04:39.490 --> 04:40.090 favor now. 04:40.090 --> 04:50.170 So f6g takes, F, six rook takes f six pair of rooks come off King G three, King E seven. 04:50.170 --> 04:56.740 Now, this is a really interesting situation in terms of past pawn potential White's extra pawn in the 04:56.740 --> 04:57.130 center. 04:57.130 --> 05:00.010 If we look at this section of the board, White does have. 05:00.120 --> 05:01.860 3 to 2 in the center. 05:01.860 --> 05:05.010 But if we look at this section of the board, there's a 2 to 1. 05:05.100 --> 05:06.990 But is this nullified? 05:06.990 --> 05:10.290 This pawn seems to be holding two over here. 05:10.290 --> 05:11.580 It's three against free. 05:11.940 --> 05:14.730 This section, the board is free against free in terms of pawns. 05:15.000 --> 05:20.100 So we have rook the one and now actually locking down that side of the board, taking it out of the 05:20.100 --> 05:21.510 equation, locking it down. 05:21.630 --> 05:25.710 Rook dd to rook eight And action is over here now. 05:26.010 --> 05:28.410 Bishop RD 19c7. 05:28.920 --> 05:31.470 Bishop Free Rook DD eight. 05:33.240 --> 05:34.500 Bishop Jitsu. 05:34.860 --> 05:36.240 98. 05:36.810 --> 05:38.760 Bishop Frank 96. 05:39.600 --> 05:40.820 We have Rook dd one. 05:40.830 --> 05:41.880 Rookie eight. 05:42.330 --> 05:43.110 Rook E one. 05:43.110 --> 05:43.740 King seven. 05:43.740 --> 05:45.510 So quite a lot of high level shuffling. 05:45.900 --> 05:48.600 So this is doing the art of nothing. 05:48.600 --> 05:54.030 Well, but especially if you've got a bad pawn structure and a potential for a pass pawn candidate. 05:54.030 --> 05:56.710 So, King G seven, Rookie two. 05:56.810 --> 05:59.940 And here comes King H Preparation for G five. 06:00.300 --> 06:05.370 Preparing the strategic pawn break to get a pass, pawn and win squares potentially. 06:06.630 --> 06:07.230 Rookie one. 06:07.230 --> 06:12.360 Rookie seven It's been ramped up now in this strategic break a little bit with the rook at least being 06:12.360 --> 06:23.040 on e seven so g five now rookie one rook g seven rook D one and now very interesting move 9g4 So looking 06:23.040 --> 06:28.050 at ea free time went down or is it won't play D takes ea five. 06:28.410 --> 06:33.990 First of all, if Bishop takes G4 black just plays G takes h four check and this is going to be great 06:33.990 --> 06:36.450 for black because he falls weak. 06:36.450 --> 06:40.560 That structure is just ripe apples coming down the tree. 06:40.770 --> 06:42.870 So D takes EA five. 06:43.020 --> 06:45.470 But now a very, very important move. 06:45.480 --> 06:54.690 So remember that White has these two pawns, but they're kind of doubled and plays a very necessary, 06:54.690 --> 06:56.100 accurate move in this position. 06:56.100 --> 06:58.080 Otherwise the position is going to get ruined. 06:58.080 --> 06:59.540 All the efforts will be ruined. 06:59.550 --> 07:03.120 So for 200 points, what would you play in this position? 07:03.930 --> 07:11.640 So this is super important to keep the positional trump cards in place and not be too materialistic. 07:12.450 --> 07:12.870 Okay. 07:12.900 --> 07:14.280 It's 1995. 07:14.280 --> 07:16.380 Very instructive moment in my view. 07:16.620 --> 07:26.460 If D tanks E five rugby, six rugby, six eight Czech rugby, six H tanks G and this is going to lead 07:26.460 --> 07:29.220 to a horrible end game where black is busted. 07:29.820 --> 07:33.030 Blacks actually busted here through zugzwang. 07:33.330 --> 07:35.310 Yes, a zugzwang win. 07:35.640 --> 07:38.220 So Knight takes E5 is essential. 07:38.220 --> 07:39.690 Sacrificed the pawn. 07:39.960 --> 07:47.520 We have rook tanks dd six check rook g6 and white is a little bit on edge here. 07:48.060 --> 07:50.200 It's not completely winning yet for black H. 07:50.220 --> 07:50.750 Thanks, G. 07:50.760 --> 07:51.420 King tanks. 07:51.420 --> 07:55.040 I mean, one is a pawn up, but that bishop does seem pretty sad. 07:55.050 --> 07:58.250 Black now has got this past potential. 07:58.260 --> 08:00.300 We have King of six. 08:00.300 --> 08:00.900 Check. 08:01.080 --> 08:04.620 King of two, Rook g five rook. 08:04.620 --> 08:09.780 These things check King G seven Bishop e2 and H for rook 08:09.780 --> 08:16.670 d1g65g513 Rook h one. 08:16.680 --> 08:17.670 And this looks as though. 08:17.670 --> 08:18.210 Hold on. 08:18.210 --> 08:19.410 What's going on here? 08:19.800 --> 08:21.780 Isn't that pawn a goner? 08:21.780 --> 08:23.880 It looks like a strange position, right? 08:26.480 --> 08:34.910 There's an absolutely magical thing that kind of happens here actually, in this position. 08:37.600 --> 08:44.710 It's truly a bit of magic now, swapping essentially this passport for a different passport on this 08:44.710 --> 08:45.070 one. 08:45.610 --> 08:47.440 Black flies, 90 free check. 08:47.440 --> 08:47.740 Well done. 08:47.740 --> 08:51.880 If you found this, I mean, 200 points if you find this because this looks a bit strange, doesn't 08:51.880 --> 08:52.480 it, Bishop? 08:52.510 --> 08:52.870 Tanks. 08:52.870 --> 08:53.860 Sea tanks. 08:53.860 --> 08:57.310 What on earth is the point here? 08:58.600 --> 09:03.060 Now, Mark Ferguson just didn't see the point. 09:03.070 --> 09:04.750 I mean, this moves 73. 09:04.780 --> 09:05.710 He played rook tapes. 09:05.840 --> 09:07.510 He just didn't see the point at all. 09:07.630 --> 09:10.000 If King E won, it can actually hold. 09:10.000 --> 09:12.250 To be fair equality. 09:12.250 --> 09:15.670 This would be an even position, it seems. 09:15.760 --> 09:17.990 But he played Rook takes a free. 09:18.010 --> 09:19.840 So what on earth is the point? 09:19.840 --> 09:25.060 And you have to see these tactics if you're going to be a good positional player. 09:25.060 --> 09:28.360 Sometimes tactics are at the service of positional play. 09:28.360 --> 09:33.070 We've got a pass pawn all our efforts to get this past pawn, but without the tactics. 09:33.070 --> 09:36.100 Now to crown the positional play, it's worth nothing. 09:36.100 --> 09:43.180 So for 500 points here, what would you play to crown the RD Free pawn positioning? 09:43.180 --> 09:44.170 We've created a passport. 09:44.170 --> 09:46.270 We need to crown it with good tactics. 09:46.270 --> 09:47.770 What is the tactic? 09:50.280 --> 09:51.170 It's a beautiful one. 09:51.180 --> 09:52.260 It's absolutely beautiful. 09:52.260 --> 09:54.420 And young talent here from Adams. 09:56.240 --> 09:58.310 I urge you to spend the time here. 09:58.790 --> 10:00.170 If you get nothing else from this game. 10:00.170 --> 10:03.710 This passport tactic is golden, in my view. 10:07.980 --> 10:09.060 I'm about to show. 10:09.770 --> 10:10.790 Interrupt you, hon. 10:12.900 --> 10:15.470 Yeah, it causes interference on the back row. 10:15.480 --> 10:17.090 So King takes G one. 10:17.100 --> 10:18.540 What's stopping this pawn now? 10:18.540 --> 10:19.290 D two. 10:19.830 --> 10:24.210 But otherwise, you know, D two is happening anyway, and the -- stops the king E two. 10:24.360 --> 10:26.400 So where's the rook going? 10:27.510 --> 10:32.550 Here, there's D two, and then we're supporting the Queen and we're going to get that rock. 10:33.390 --> 10:36.210 Very difficult situation indeed after Ritchie won. 10:37.230 --> 10:43.560 So yeah King takes his play DD to its queening and the rest is kind of technique now. 10:43.590 --> 10:47.550 Once the Queen happens, there's a little bit of further resistance. 10:47.550 --> 10:50.340 So let me just show you the rest of the game for the record. 10:50.490 --> 10:54.660 But yeah, Adams is in the driving seat here, Queen against Rock. 10:54.870 --> 10:59.430 And sometimes it can be tricky to win these, but the king is also going to help the queen. 10:59.580 --> 11:01.260 So that pawns gobbled up here already. 11:01.260 --> 11:03.120 It's a kind of zugzwang here. 11:03.510 --> 11:05.600 If the rook moves, the D one would take you on b two. 11:05.610 --> 11:08.850 So one is falling to bits here. 11:09.330 --> 11:11.670 Basically the king comes to. 11:16.770 --> 11:19.650 This is an incorrect game's called the king. 11:19.650 --> 11:23.250 Coming to F one is not correct. 11:23.290 --> 11:24.030 Pardon me. 11:24.030 --> 11:27.390 So in this position after King E three. 11:30.200 --> 11:33.950 The move would have been a move like King Jeffrey and won't resigning. 11:34.160 --> 11:35.930 So not King one. 11:35.930 --> 11:42.070 That would be a blunder because of one Shaq and that would be losing four black but yet again. 11:42.140 --> 11:44.510 So forget that last move of the game. 11:44.520 --> 11:45.680 King of one here. 11:45.800 --> 11:50.030 We can assume king free sometime. 11:50.270 --> 11:54.860 Someone's got to record these games and sometimes the very long games and something they get it wrong 11:54.860 --> 11:56.480 or looking at the scoresheet is a very long game. 11:56.480 --> 11:59.600 Sometimes it's made in a furious time scramble. 11:59.600 --> 12:04.860 But yeah, the key instructive points is about the past. 12:04.860 --> 12:10.630 Pawn is about the structural long term investment that Black made in the position, saying, you know, 12:10.640 --> 12:16.250 I'm going to accept some middle game pain here because a lot of players would maybe be scared of the 12:16.250 --> 12:17.120 dynamics here. 12:17.120 --> 12:23.480 So it's handling handling our dynamic pawn structure and looking at the longer term things to increase 12:23.480 --> 12:26.390 advantage later like past pawns. 12:27.080 --> 12:30.410 But without tactics, it's kind of sometimes meaningless. 12:30.410 --> 12:34.010 So yeah, later on we get amazing tactics in the end game. 12:34.010 --> 12:36.560 So that is a startling one. 12:36.920 --> 12:39.860 So folks are convinced. 12:40.250 --> 12:43.940 I am focused and convinced he didn't see the danger of Rook G one. 12:43.940 --> 12:47.330 That is such a beautiful tactic here, deep into an end game. 12:47.330 --> 12:49.520 So yeah, something to look out for. 12:49.520 --> 12:52.970 Past pawns in their magic cannot be underestimated. 12:52.970 --> 12:56.030 But you need to find those magical tactical resources. 12:56.030 --> 12:56.870 Okay. 12:57.660 --> 12:58.220 So much.