WEBVTT 00:00.780 --> 00:01.520 Hi there. 00:01.530 --> 00:03.900 In this lecture, we see an amazing game. 00:03.900 --> 00:06.720 Aaron Nimzowitsch against George Sui in 1911. 00:06.720 --> 00:08.820 Coles bouncer wants around 15. 00:09.270 --> 00:17.640 We see E four from the switch E six French defence D for D five and now the advanced variation c5c free 00:17.650 --> 00:22.530 9690 for free and our Queen B sex bishop de fray. 00:22.740 --> 00:25.080 So this is possible once not losing a pawn. 00:25.080 --> 00:30.390 Black players Bishop D seven If black tries to win a pawn, that's the standard trap we take on D four 00:30.390 --> 00:35.940 and we play Bishop B five check and we're winning the Queen. 00:35.940 --> 00:37.350 So we're taking on D seven. 00:37.350 --> 00:39.270 That's more accurate than anything else. 00:39.270 --> 00:40.560 Then take the Queen. 00:40.890 --> 00:42.690 So we have Bishop D seven. 00:42.690 --> 00:50.370 So Black renews the Fratton D four and now Nimzowitsch is best move is D take C five. 00:50.370 --> 00:51.450 According to modern engines. 00:51.450 --> 00:57.840 That's what he plays and it seems to give black a development tempo developing with a reCAPTCHA. 00:58.230 --> 01:06.210 But nevertheless this is actually advantageous for why it seems from modern evidence this position is 01:06.210 --> 01:08.040 actually advantageous for white. 01:08.460 --> 01:10.890 We see castling. 01:13.470 --> 01:16.020 Another move is Queen E to. 01:17.680 --> 01:21.790 And for example a five we can play night BD to. 01:24.170 --> 01:26.570 Or we could cancel here. 01:26.570 --> 01:33.020 And anytime f six we can actually have a penalty for black F six with C for try and strike on the light 01:33.020 --> 01:33.890 squares. 01:34.190 --> 01:40.970 So this position we're striking on the light squares with advantage and we can even play Bishop ea free 01:40.970 --> 01:43.520 to parry the bishop on C five. 01:43.520 --> 01:47.510 And this position is fairly nice for white overall. 01:48.230 --> 01:50.480 So anyway, black. 01:52.780 --> 01:53.710 Cancelled. 01:53.830 --> 01:57.420 Sorry won't castled and we see f6 now. 01:57.430 --> 01:59.890 So this is an inaccuracy in this position. 01:59.890 --> 02:09.130 It allows White to get a dominating blockade on what is to be a backward pawn on a semi and file a five 02:09.130 --> 02:12.940 instead does stop B for why should not waste time here? 02:12.940 --> 02:14.170 Why it should not play a? 02:14.210 --> 02:19.570 For there have be modern game examples where black is then playing F six with a vengeance. 02:19.810 --> 02:25.570 It needs to be critically aware of f six as a positional threat and play queen E to here. 02:26.260 --> 02:31.750 So for example, if f six now we can place C four striking out the light squares. 02:32.500 --> 02:37.300 So say d4e takes F six, nine takes six. 02:37.300 --> 02:38.380 Bishop F four. 02:38.830 --> 02:45.610 We have a small advantage out of the opening here and say 9g7. 02:45.610 --> 02:49.780 Then we have a kind of square to over protect a central square. 02:49.780 --> 02:53.830 And we can also challenge that bishop here with might be free. 02:53.830 --> 02:57.280 So note because our pawn is on a two, not on a four. 02:57.520 --> 03:03.580 This is important to challenge that Bishop and we don't have to snap off the bishop immediately. 03:03.580 --> 03:07.690 We can play h four to try and drive this knight away. 03:07.690 --> 03:09.910 If six then we can take on C five. 03:09.910 --> 03:14.200 Queen takes Bishop E, three queen, seven E takes. 03:14.200 --> 03:18.400 And it doesn't really matter now about black having pawns in the center. 03:18.400 --> 03:19.630 We've got a bishop here. 03:20.080 --> 03:22.510 We've got an advantage overall in this position. 03:22.510 --> 03:29.230 This is quite an interesting position to have with a small too large positional advantage, you can 03:29.230 --> 03:29.830 argue. 03:30.070 --> 03:38.800 So yes, but in this game, a five that would be an interesting test to stop before we see six. 03:38.800 --> 03:44.890 And this allows actually b four, which is nice to drive away the bishop. 03:44.890 --> 03:51.520 And also with options of B5, we have Bishop F4 White has a very strong blockade on the E five square 03:51.520 --> 03:53.350 blockading that e six pawn. 03:53.350 --> 03:58.750 So nine takes e51 strategic risk with pieces blockading. 03:58.750 --> 04:01.900 You've always got to be alert of liberating e fives from the opponent. 04:01.900 --> 04:03.430 It's not as if we've got a pawn. 04:04.510 --> 04:10.690 Well, it's good that we're locking E six, but we've got to be aware that we can't let Black liberate 04:10.690 --> 04:11.590 the position. 04:11.800 --> 04:21.040 Now in here Black played Knight takes E five, bishop takes e596 Bishop f6 to try and challenge E five 04:21.040 --> 04:28.450 doesn't work here with the king in the center we have Queen H five check if G six bishop takes G six 04:28.450 --> 04:29.530 check H thanks. 04:29.860 --> 04:34.090 And actually the point would be not queen takes as bishop takes. 04:34.090 --> 04:39.610 We have Queen takes g six check Bishop takes F six check Knight takes queen G seven check. 04:39.610 --> 04:42.100 And then we're winning F six with advantage. 04:42.610 --> 04:45.430 So nine, five six was tried. 04:45.430 --> 04:46.810 We have 92. 04:48.940 --> 04:52.570 So this is an important move. 04:52.570 --> 05:02.140 If Queen C two black could castle and we can't afford to be greedy if we play Bishop takes F six. 05:02.140 --> 05:08.200 This is essentially an anti positional move just to win a pawn because it's liberating black central 05:08.200 --> 05:09.010 pawns. 05:09.010 --> 05:15.400 So say we win a pawn and we're having to waste time now going back because otherwise Black's got that 05:15.400 --> 05:17.740 bishop as a target and black liberates. 05:17.740 --> 05:24.820 Then Black's got more than adequate compensation here on the file and the mobile sensor and the bishop 05:25.150 --> 05:28.120 overall, Black's doing really, really well. 05:28.120 --> 05:30.910 This is an example that we don't want. 05:30.910 --> 05:34.480 Blacks just totally liberated the possession with a huge advantage. 05:34.660 --> 05:41.230 So Queen C2 would be a terrible idea to try and do a material penalty in this situation. 05:41.230 --> 05:48.070 No, it's better to keep a lock and key over the backward pawn on the semi-open file here. 05:48.880 --> 05:58.720 So 92 addresses positional issues was able to we see black castling knight free so keeping a firm lock 05:58.720 --> 06:03.400 in key over e5 Bishop de six is played here. 06:03.400 --> 06:12.040 If Bishop b59g5 is interesting, this is actually quite dangerous for E, six and H seven. 06:12.790 --> 06:20.230 If Bishop takes the free Queen, the free this position, we can win a pawn with advantage. 06:21.680 --> 06:23.690 And let's say. 06:25.740 --> 06:26.730 G six. 06:26.730 --> 06:30.270 We can play Bishop D for Queen A six. 06:30.270 --> 06:35.490 We can take on B five to lure the Queen away from E six and win that e six pawn. 06:35.490 --> 06:39.270 So it's kind of dangerous, but should be fine for 9g5. 06:39.270 --> 06:40.200 Very dangerous. 06:42.340 --> 06:43.390 You know, possession. 06:46.090 --> 06:46.370 Okay. 06:46.540 --> 06:54.310 So yeah, if, by the way, in that line, you know, why is Francis saying Bishop takes six hair for 06:54.310 --> 06:55.270 Queen H seven? 06:55.270 --> 06:59.140 So it's a difficult position here. 06:59.810 --> 07:04.600 Okay, so we have Bishop D six, Queen E two. 07:06.130 --> 07:13.960 If we even for one moment get away from a physical blockade of the E six backward pawn black could energize 07:13.960 --> 07:21.190 the position of Queen C seven and it's too little too late to try and put pressure on E five. 07:21.380 --> 07:22.870 Lock and key approach. 07:22.870 --> 07:30.130 The actual physical blockade is going to be better than a virtual, you know, trying to virtually control 07:30.130 --> 07:37.540 because g four here, as example as pointed out by Nimzowitsch is energizing the black position. 07:37.540 --> 07:43.660 So e five blacks got the e, five n and blacks on the way for a great position here. 07:44.230 --> 07:46.140 Black's pieces are absolutely great here. 07:46.150 --> 07:47.740 It's at least equal. 07:47.740 --> 07:51.880 So we can't let Black liberate the position. 07:52.390 --> 07:54.670 So this would be a bad idea. 07:54.670 --> 07:56.890 Bishop Deform even for one moment. 07:57.190 --> 08:04.030 So Queen Queenie to keeping the lock and key over the e six backward pawn rook AC eight We have Bishop 08:04.030 --> 08:12.970 D for just for one moment and now replacing the firm restrain maximum restrain by blockade on E five 08:12.970 --> 08:18.070 we have Bishop eight, Rook 81 and then Bishop takes e five. 08:18.370 --> 08:19.330 If 94. 08:19.360 --> 08:23.950 This would have been a good bid for counterplay, which perhaps should have been tried. 08:24.250 --> 08:31.270 So if White Windsor pawn like this black has that light square bishop without a counterpart and it looks 08:31.270 --> 08:32.680 unfortunate the rook on f one. 08:32.680 --> 08:37.780 So if one has to play C four the advantage here is minimal for white. 08:37.780 --> 08:40.090 That's the way black should have played it. 08:40.090 --> 08:41.380 94. 08:42.790 --> 08:43.180 Yeah. 08:43.180 --> 08:49.510 So there is a kind of awkward configuration here to tap into with this bishop coming to be fine sometimes. 08:49.510 --> 08:50.770 So that is fascinating. 08:50.770 --> 08:54.550 This 94 and it's looking at C three. 08:55.210 --> 08:57.040 So yeah, that would have been a great move. 08:57.040 --> 09:02.570 But Bishop takes five, gives a pretty much a one way game after this one. 09:02.650 --> 09:10.180 It has a firm locking key over Black's backward pawn moves away from it for one moment that's tolerated 09:10.180 --> 09:11.530 here in this position. 09:12.100 --> 09:13.990 And now Queen C two. 09:14.560 --> 09:22.600 So this is looking to win material sometimes where Bishop takes up, thinks it's justified here Rook 09:22.600 --> 09:29.590 have seven rookie free and in fact in attacking rook left this is very dangerous for black's king B 09:29.590 --> 09:30.880 six rook G free. 09:31.450 --> 09:35.230 So this is crowning in a way the positional play after King H eight. 09:35.590 --> 09:42.940 This is going downhill quickly if not E for rookie free this position. 09:43.570 --> 09:44.080 Yeah. 09:44.080 --> 09:46.710 White can just take on E for this. 09:46.720 --> 09:50.410 This winning pawn is overall better for white. 09:50.410 --> 09:56.830 If rook c for eight we can play rookie one and this position is very comfortable. 09:57.250 --> 10:04.300 And just to show you one could build up pressure like this on H seven with the black center restrained. 10:04.300 --> 10:09.640 We've got a freedom to attack here and even use E five as a kind of pivot square. 10:09.730 --> 10:16.810 So here can you see a tactic for white, which is nice to crown the positional efforts for ten points? 10:16.810 --> 10:17.920 What would you play here? 10:19.780 --> 10:22.570 You know, Bishop takes seven, so nine takes. 10:22.570 --> 10:24.670 We can take on H seven of our queen. 10:24.670 --> 10:25.610 King takes. 10:25.630 --> 10:28.030 Lawnmower mate, pattern chap, mate. 10:28.900 --> 10:39.400 So if rook e for E five we can put back our restraints, order on the e six pawn blockade it after 94 10:39.400 --> 10:45.430 rook e one is possible we can sack the exchange here because king safety is an issue. 10:45.610 --> 10:50.950 And for example, here we can see that we've got a lot of compensation. 10:51.310 --> 10:54.150 Even we're coming in with Queen four, potentially four. 10:54.400 --> 10:55.250 It's too dangerous. 10:55.270 --> 10:57.310 A black would have to give back the exchange. 10:57.310 --> 11:01.060 And we've still got a vicious attack here in this position. 11:01.570 --> 11:03.430 So this is just better for wine. 11:03.430 --> 11:05.500 So it's fascinating stuff. 11:06.160 --> 11:07.750 We have King eight. 11:07.750 --> 11:14.140 So guess what is played here by Nimzowitsch, which is showing what a fantastic tactician he is to crown 11:14.140 --> 11:15.610 his positional efforts. 11:17.200 --> 11:21.640 So for 20 tactical points, what would you play here? 11:24.300 --> 11:27.270 So this is a move 24. 11:28.080 --> 11:29.490 Bishop takes H seven. 11:31.320 --> 11:33.120 Nice E five is played. 11:33.120 --> 11:34.320 If nine takes H seven. 11:34.320 --> 11:41.340 The point is Queen G six with the simultaneous front of on the rook, but also four rook H three. 11:41.940 --> 11:48.270 And the rook can't move here because the queen takes g seven So say this then rook h free and black's 11:48.270 --> 11:54.600 getting mated and say E five. 11:56.800 --> 11:59.550 Then we're just taking on F seven because we've got a mate for it. 11:59.560 --> 12:01.990 There's no time for black to munch more material. 12:01.990 --> 12:05.170 So say Queen F six to address Queen St G seven. 12:05.620 --> 12:08.590 We're hitting the D seven bishop here and E five. 12:08.590 --> 12:13.120 This is unfortunate for black, so this ends up being better for white. 12:15.900 --> 12:17.110 You know, great stuff. 12:18.780 --> 12:24.020 And basically, yeah, if not f6, we're just going to take on F seven. 12:24.030 --> 12:26.370 So E five was tried. 12:26.370 --> 12:37.640 We have Bishop G six rookie, seven rookie, one Queen D sings, Bishop e3d4 Bishop G, five Rook take 12:37.740 --> 12:41.400 free Rook takes c3d takes Queen, take C three. 12:41.400 --> 12:43.140 So a pawn up. 12:43.830 --> 12:47.460 And also black has an isolated a pawn. 12:47.460 --> 12:49.460 Black's really in a bad way. 12:49.470 --> 12:52.340 We have a frame strengthening the possession for a moment. 12:52.350 --> 12:59.100 Bishop H for Bishop Bishop F five and now Queen D for this doesn't help. 12:59.100 --> 13:06.060 Queen takes D four, E takes Rook takes E, seven King, take Z seven, Bishop D free blockading that 13:06.060 --> 13:06.660 pawn. 13:07.800 --> 13:09.930 That's the best way to stop a pawn. 13:09.930 --> 13:11.790 We have King D six. 13:13.590 --> 13:16.410 It doesn't matter if King E six won't. 13:16.410 --> 13:20.880 Still just going to take on F six and then start to use these pawns. 13:20.880 --> 13:25.410 It's a free to one pull majority with Black's past pawn disabled. 13:25.770 --> 13:30.300 So it's even more emphatic we're playing with a free to one pawn majority on the King side. 13:30.300 --> 13:38.010 So King D six we have Bishop takes F six, G takes King off one, Bishop c6h4 and similar circumstances 13:38.010 --> 13:39.600 are free to one pawn majority. 13:39.600 --> 13:44.580 A nice blockade on d free black resigned if the game continued. 13:44.580 --> 13:50.580 Let's see, we could just make advances like this and just make inroads. 13:50.880 --> 13:55.080 And there's really nothing to fear here in these scenarios. 13:55.290 --> 13:58.230 It's just going to be a crushing position. 13:58.620 --> 14:04.680 We're going to take out four as an example, and King takes this H seven, so these pawns can't be taken 14:04.680 --> 14:05.430 that easily. 14:05.550 --> 14:07.650 So, yeah, a very interesting game. 14:07.650 --> 14:09.930 So conceptually very interesting. 14:09.930 --> 14:15.000 The idea that we don't have to literally occupy the center. 14:15.000 --> 14:23.790 And so one of the points of this advance operation in this game is the concept of substitution of a 14:23.790 --> 14:26.820 center for control with pieces. 14:26.880 --> 14:34.620 Now control of key squares or liberating pawn moves is ideally done with a blockade, as Nimzowitsch 14:34.620 --> 14:35.460 said, of pawns. 14:35.460 --> 14:36.330 Pawns. 14:36.690 --> 14:39.120 Active surveillance is not enough. 14:39.120 --> 14:41.280 You know they need to be in here. 14:41.280 --> 14:47.970 We we need to quite often imprison the pawn with a blockade, whether that's with a pawn or a piece, 14:48.120 --> 14:50.820 it's important that it's firmly blockaded. 14:50.820 --> 14:58.410 So we see that notion being very, very important to blockade is the ultimate form of restraints on 14:58.410 --> 15:00.570 the chessboard because it's illegal. 15:00.570 --> 15:03.870 You know, basically you can't pawn can't go forwards when it's blockaded. 15:03.870 --> 15:10.620 So using legality of the the rules of chess when we blockade the backward e six pawn. 15:10.620 --> 15:16.860 But yeah, black's best bet, it seems would have been a five and white shouldn't play a four but rather 15:16.860 --> 15:17.160 queen. 15:17.280 --> 15:17.670 So. 15:17.670 --> 15:24.300 So here there's at least a positional penalty for f6, which seems in conjunction with a five that a 15:24.300 --> 15:25.500 little bit slow. 15:25.680 --> 15:31.890 So in this situation we can switch gears for a point square strategy, strike on the light squares and 15:31.890 --> 15:33.990 in time a move like F six is played. 15:33.990 --> 15:38.520 It's important to think about the light squares because it is a light square loosening move. 15:38.520 --> 15:41.070 If we think about it, it's loosened e six light square. 15:41.070 --> 15:47.100 So it's want to strike on the light squares, which is a kind of new downside here that F6 represents. 15:47.100 --> 15:53.520 So this position, you know we we've got active surveillance over E five, but this is enough in this 15:53.520 --> 15:54.420 particular case. 15:54.420 --> 15:56.580 We've also got other benefits in this case. 15:56.580 --> 16:04.170 But in the game, yeah F six immediately allows this nice B four and this is such a nice grip represented 16:04.170 --> 16:10.890 against the backward pawn here and we can see how the positional superiority translated rather rapidly 16:10.890 --> 16:14.610 it seems to a direct kingside attack. 16:14.790 --> 16:22.410 So yes, this move with tempo against the Queen substituting the E five locking key over the e six pawn. 16:22.850 --> 16:28.890 I was talking about past pawns, but he could have equally set it against backward pawns that lock and 16:28.890 --> 16:31.440 key prevention is better than active surveillance. 16:31.440 --> 16:34.590 So yes, it's very interesting how dramatically. 16:34.590 --> 16:44.580 Yeah, the guard is dropped on the physical blockade for one moment, but it does mean that the E five 16:44.580 --> 16:51.380 square is available for operations and here the attack is in full swing now off the rook g free. 16:51.390 --> 16:56.400 So, yeah, this is an acceptable scenario for the backward pawn being harmless for E five. 16:56.730 --> 16:58.140 That's an acceptable scenario. 16:58.140 --> 17:01.020 And the quick attack after so great stuff. 17:01.020 --> 17:06.990 A lot interesting positional principles challenging the earlier notions that you know you always have 17:06.990 --> 17:08.460 to occupy the center. 17:08.460 --> 17:14.880 But on the other hand, in some of the games of Steinitz or even earlier Staunton, you know, with 17:14.880 --> 17:18.150 the Staunton piece design, sometimes they did reflect some high. 17:18.270 --> 17:19.110 Modern ideas. 17:19.110 --> 17:25.820 Sometimes perhaps the hype of moderns did repackage old ideas as if they were brand new. 17:25.830 --> 17:32.610 But the idea of releasing literal occupation of the Center for Control of the Center has been evidenced 17:32.610 --> 17:33.680 in earlier games. 17:33.690 --> 17:39.930 But yeah, this is an interesting game example though nevertheless for such the such an idea control 17:39.930 --> 17:47.130 of the center through piece pieces and blockading and trying to prevent counterplay generation. 17:47.730 --> 17:56.550 It's very very important principles ideas frames notions to bear in mind in our games OC has so much.