WEBVTT 00:00.900 --> 00:01.710 Hi there. 00:01.740 --> 00:05.790 In this lecture, we see one of my own games against Michael Adams. 00:05.790 --> 00:10.080 So, Gavriel, that's me in 1993, 17 points back Masters. 00:10.080 --> 00:15.690 I kick off with D for Adams plays nine of six, C, four, C, 5d5. 00:15.690 --> 00:19.440 Adams plays a Benko gambit, C takes b5a6. 00:19.470 --> 00:25.050 And now I had written about an anti Benko gambit system involving B six. 00:25.050 --> 00:27.630 So just letting black take the pawn. 00:27.630 --> 00:35.220 The idea which I'd written about is later one gets the play a kind of thematic night D two to C4 with 00:35.220 --> 00:36.990 tempo against the queen. 00:37.440 --> 00:43.530 So that's the the basic idea it simplifies knowing a lot of Benko gambit theory. 00:44.220 --> 00:55.350 If B takes a6d6 as a professional player, he could be really bulked up on these gambits, these technical 00:55.350 --> 00:55.740 gambits. 00:55.740 --> 01:00.360 And that's a really good use, I think, of being a professional player to in the sharp opening theory, 01:00.360 --> 01:01.710 to have an advantage. 01:01.710 --> 01:05.270 And sure, whites are pawn up and technically white's better. 01:05.280 --> 01:09.930 This is a good line for White's, but you need to know what you're doing with after. 01:10.380 --> 01:15.030 But yeah, Black does have long term compensation. 01:15.030 --> 01:21.270 There are many good variations for white, but in practice you know Black's doing quite well with Benko 01:21.270 --> 01:21.630 Gambit. 01:21.630 --> 01:31.230 I play B six, we have Queen takes B six, C three, so we have G six here from Adams, E for D, six, 01:31.680 --> 01:42.510 Bishop E to Bishop G seven 9 to 3 Black castles and castles on Castle Bishop G for 92. 01:42.510 --> 01:47.880 So I'm following this plan to try and get this tempo against the Queen and have the C four square to 01:47.880 --> 01:48.570 play with. 01:48.840 --> 01:54.840 Bishop takes E to Queen, takes E to nine BD 79c for Quincy seven. 01:54.840 --> 01:56.190 Now I go a bit crazy here. 01:56.190 --> 02:03.630 Unfortunately, I'm the estimate Black's positional plans is like improving this piece using that pawn 02:03.630 --> 02:04.830 on a six. 02:04.830 --> 02:06.960 This is a really interesting idea. 02:06.960 --> 02:12.000 You know improve the worst piece or improve the pieces because later let's say the queen moves later 02:12.000 --> 02:18.750 there is might be 5 to 94 which can really change the pawn structure in the possession and give black 02:18.750 --> 02:20.070 more dynamic play. 02:20.070 --> 02:21.660 I played f four. 02:22.140 --> 02:27.930 This doesn't help my it's cause it creates dance square weaknesses and it's not particularly dangerous 02:27.930 --> 02:28.590 for black. 02:28.590 --> 02:31.860 Bishop G five would be more sensible and solid. 02:31.860 --> 02:39.930 So for example, if 9b6 this might go back to E three and in this moment it should be fine with a small 02:39.930 --> 02:40.210 edge. 02:40.210 --> 02:47.310 Actually, this is a great way of playing it, but I created a weaknesses with that form we have might 02:47.310 --> 02:55.020 be six and now you know I'm exchanging on B six, which isn't really that great, but it looks already 02:55.350 --> 03:00.870 pretty awkward to play 94 blocks in that Bishop The harmonies going in my position, I'm blocking this 03:00.870 --> 03:02.940 bishop either with pawn or a piece. 03:02.940 --> 03:10.110 So I take on B six and this helps Black's game Queen B six, E 598. 03:10.110 --> 03:14.610 And even though the knight's going back to the back row, it's coming back with a vengeance with this 03:14.610 --> 03:15.810 positional plan. 03:15.900 --> 03:21.060 Bishop E 397 Queen F to which Adams, after the game thought was a good move. 03:21.060 --> 03:25.110 It does dissuade de takes e five because the bishop 8c5. 03:25.110 --> 03:26.760 So he thought that was an interesting move. 03:26.790 --> 03:31.230 Rugby ain't rook ab1 rook ab1. 03:31.230 --> 03:32.850 This is actually an inaccuracy. 03:32.850 --> 03:34.530 B free is better. 03:34.530 --> 03:42.090 So for example, might be five, there's a four with tempo and rook 81 and this should be equal, but 03:42.090 --> 03:49.170 we've rook ab1, Queen B four, and now he's disabled my B free. 03:49.170 --> 03:51.300 In fact, because he's looking at C free. 03:51.780 --> 03:54.090 And I'm kind of stuck there. 03:54.090 --> 03:55.080 Rook for one. 03:55.080 --> 03:59.010 And now rugby seven, Queen C and they'll knight B five. 03:59.340 --> 04:05.820 And this knight is looking at 94 and trying to extend expand the scope with the Bishop, break the bishop 04:05.820 --> 04:07.830 out 94. 04:07.830 --> 04:09.510 So I'm being positionally crushed here. 04:09.540 --> 04:14.040 Knight D four and being absolutely positioning crushed. 04:14.040 --> 04:18.330 And the funny thing about this move is that the Queen will be protecting D six. 04:18.330 --> 04:19.440 That's not an issue. 04:20.520 --> 04:25.410 And you know, it doesn't look like a nice knight to tolerate in general. 04:25.410 --> 04:27.360 So I take on D four. 04:28.140 --> 04:29.370 Can I actually tolerate this? 04:29.370 --> 04:37.170 Knight It looks like it's pretty unfortunate that if I move my queen now, he can just take on E five. 04:37.170 --> 04:38.700 That looks very unfortunate. 04:39.180 --> 04:42.030 There doesn't seem to be any compensation for white hair. 04:42.840 --> 04:47.670 So yeah, I'm taking out I'm giving up my darts, my bishop. 04:47.670 --> 04:51.150 So he's got actually a dark square bishop now without any counterpart. 04:51.150 --> 04:57.660 I'm weak on the dark squares already from playing F4, so it's amplifying my weaknesses and actually 04:57.660 --> 04:59.890 creating even more weaknesses in my camp. 05:00.180 --> 05:09.000 Soon after he takes DD six Knights F two, Queen A five, which looks at a two and C and D five. 05:09.000 --> 05:10.440 So I protect it for the moment. 05:10.440 --> 05:18.060 But Rook sees seven with tempo and he's putting pressure on that kind of disconnected pawn on D five. 05:18.420 --> 05:19.620 Yeah, this is unfortunate. 05:19.620 --> 05:25.710 So Queen of free I offer a two and D five. 05:25.710 --> 05:30.450 So Queen takes a two was played like free. 05:30.450 --> 05:34.140 And now there is a little bit of a trap set by this. 05:34.140 --> 05:36.660 He doesn't fall for it He plays Rook eight. 05:36.690 --> 05:39.390 If rook takes the five, there's might be four. 05:39.390 --> 05:41.850 And yeah, I'll be happy to win like that. 05:42.000 --> 05:43.050 But that didn't happen. 05:43.050 --> 05:47.790 Rook CC eight might be four at least I get a9c6. 05:47.790 --> 05:50.130 I thought this was interesting getting a knight to see six. 05:50.130 --> 05:54.000 But the thing is, it's really just more pretty than functional. 05:54.300 --> 06:00.210 Black now has this dark square basic counterpart and can actually dominate the info and lock down the 06:00.210 --> 06:03.480 f four pawn as another target to create even more weaknesses. 06:03.480 --> 06:05.100 Weaknesses beget weaknesses. 06:05.100 --> 06:11.340 You can see that this sort of plan with, say, a bishop coming to H six creates more light square weaknesses. 06:11.340 --> 06:13.830 So this is the kind of plan that's used now. 06:13.830 --> 06:18.630 f5h We're getting authority and I'm creating even more weaknesses here. 06:18.810 --> 06:19.920 Rook one. 06:20.310 --> 06:21.330 Rook f eight. 06:21.420 --> 06:22.830 King H two and our Bishop H six. 06:22.830 --> 06:29.100 So like square weaknesses are being created around my king and it means the rook on the seventh rank 06:29.100 --> 06:30.420 is going to be even more effective. 06:30.420 --> 06:34.860 Rookie free rook takes rook tanks and I've had it here. 06:35.100 --> 06:39.060 Queen h1f, Queen F two, then rookie, two pins. 06:39.060 --> 06:39.960 My queen. 06:40.320 --> 06:42.600 So Queen H one and it's brutal. 06:42.600 --> 06:50.570 Queen to check and yeah, if king this is absolutely brutal, then rooks h g free check that's actually 06:50.670 --> 06:52.650 show That's horrible. 06:52.770 --> 06:54.270 So I go here. 06:54.270 --> 07:00.960 That's horrible as well Bishop takes for end of game but it's like my happiest ever loss that I've had 07:00.960 --> 07:05.670 because I've never played such a strong opponent in a four day, one day tournament. 07:05.670 --> 07:11.190 So I was really happy to lose and to get a bit of post mortem time with Adams. 07:11.190 --> 07:18.240 It was a real honor and it's kind of inspirational for this positional course really, that I've been 07:18.240 --> 07:24.300 always impressed by Adams's positional play and actually not just positional players. 07:24.300 --> 07:31.320 The whole package, how he plays, moves very calmly, gracefully, smoothly, glides pieces on the 07:31.320 --> 07:35.670 board and position, crushes all the British players, not just me. 07:35.790 --> 07:45.300 I just absolutely love this whole way of playing very calm, controlled positional chess, just taking 07:45.300 --> 07:50.040 over the entire possession without risk. 07:50.040 --> 07:54.630 That's the key thing, you know, and that makes it kind of more professional of his without risk. 07:54.900 --> 08:00.780 As a professional, you don't want to be playing unsound attacks and having too much counterplay from 08:00.780 --> 08:01.260 opponents. 08:01.260 --> 08:04.470 It's very professional as well and calm and controlled. 08:05.100 --> 08:10.710 It's not everyone's cup of tea and you can get professionals like Shirov that are playing very aggressively, 08:10.710 --> 08:12.990 attacking chess as well. 08:12.990 --> 08:17.610 A bit bit on the unsound side, but still sometimes fantastic results as well. 08:17.610 --> 08:19.170 But in a way I do. 08:19.950 --> 08:27.210 I think deep down, like the idea of not losing so badly, having greater consistency and he's shown 08:27.210 --> 08:31.890 that he's a 2700 player for so many years in a row. 08:31.890 --> 08:37.530 So there's a very great solidity and professional ness about his play, which makes it long lasting, 08:37.530 --> 08:39.810 in my view, taking out a lot of risk. 08:39.810 --> 08:44.940 But here, yeah, I was just massacred, positionally and tactically, lots of weaknesses, domination 08:44.940 --> 08:47.670 of the e-file, lots of weaknesses around my king. 08:47.880 --> 08:56.460 So yes, these small kind of issues that I created, well, F4 wasn't a particularly small issue. 08:56.460 --> 08:58.200 It did create weaknesses. 08:58.200 --> 09:02.430 But, you know, he amplified the whole thing, basically. 09:02.430 --> 09:05.250 The whole the whole thing about getting a dance choir. 09:05.250 --> 09:12.240 Bishop, my counterpart, this this beautiful maneuver to be five later know, disconnecting my pawn 09:12.240 --> 09:12.990 chain. 09:14.070 --> 09:15.630 So I've got disconnected pawns. 09:15.630 --> 09:19.080 I just thought, yeah, it was potentially really a nice game. 09:19.080 --> 09:26.250 So, yeah, I have two items for this game and it's also inspirational for this course, so I feel I 09:26.250 --> 09:32.880 can identify more a lot of the time with Adams for a positional role model than, say, Karpov because 09:32.880 --> 09:34.350 I'm actually played him. 09:34.830 --> 09:38.730 So I hope you found this game interesting and inspirational as well. 09:39.210 --> 09:40.020 Thanks very much.