WEBVTT 00:00.770 --> 00:01.440 Hi there. 00:01.460 --> 00:07.340 In this lecture, we see Grandmaster Steven Gordon playing against Michael Adams in 2010 Championship 00:07.340 --> 00:14.570 round seven the from Gordon we have nine Steph, 6c4, e6g3. 00:14.570 --> 00:21.680 So Catalan territory d593, Bishop B four, check Bishop D two and Bishop RD six. 00:21.680 --> 00:26.450 So this check has caused some disruption when it's control of D four has been disrupted. 00:26.450 --> 00:33.830 The bishops not ideally placed on D two We have Bishop G two, C six, Queen C two might be D seven. 00:33.830 --> 00:37.490 So this structure naturally blunts the G two Bishop. 00:37.490 --> 00:38.930 That's something to note here. 00:39.950 --> 00:43.970 White castles, Black Castles, Rook D one Queen E seven. 00:44.660 --> 00:48.230 Bishop g5h6 and White volunteers. 00:48.230 --> 00:48.830 The Dark Square. 00:48.830 --> 00:52.400 Bishop We have nine takes, have six, might be two. 00:52.970 --> 00:56.840 And now here a very interesting decision in my view. 00:57.050 --> 01:00.320 But there is a positional basis to it. 01:01.430 --> 01:02.810 E five is played. 01:02.810 --> 01:07.580 Engines suggest that these C five might be the better pawn move. 01:08.900 --> 01:14.810 And if we look at this position we have softened up the diagonal so the bishop might actually have some 01:14.810 --> 01:21.020 targets later with Adams's approach here, this is a very interesting option. 01:21.020 --> 01:27.410 In fact, we have D takes five, Bishop takes E five, and C takes D five. 01:27.440 --> 01:29.180 There's no isolated pawn just yet. 01:29.180 --> 01:36.130 Knight takes the five, Knight takes E five, Queen takes E five, and now 9c4, and here, Queen F 01:36.140 --> 01:36.470 six. 01:36.470 --> 01:41.480 So this is a kind of pawn sacrifice. 01:42.870 --> 01:44.340 If Bishop takes the five is played. 01:44.340 --> 01:46.980 But White didn't play that White played E4. 01:47.280 --> 01:55.040 If Bishop takes DD five, C takes Rook takes black, has adequate compensation with Bishop E six here. 01:56.430 --> 02:02.580 So as example, if the rook goes back, what does white do after rook eight be free, there's b five 02:03.690 --> 02:08.130 and if rook c five rook FZ eight This position is still good. 02:08.130 --> 02:13.160 The queen can play queen sex B two Bishop takes a two Black's balor. 02:13.170 --> 02:18.750 So yes, winning the pawn doesn't seem to be a lucrative idea if 94 instead. 02:18.750 --> 02:25.830 D for this position is also good for playing after Queen takes E to Bishop, it should be at least even 02:25.830 --> 02:26.520 rather. 02:26.520 --> 02:27.690 So that is possible. 02:27.690 --> 02:29.160 But it's just even here. 02:31.570 --> 02:31.790 Okay. 02:32.090 --> 02:34.350 So interesting situation indeed. 02:34.370 --> 02:36.170 So we have e for. 02:38.260 --> 02:44.140 Then we have night B six night E, three bishop E, six, F four. 02:45.130 --> 02:48.790 And there is a positional downside emerging here from White's pawn moves. 02:48.790 --> 02:54.640 White is being weakened on the dark squares and the so called diagonal of death when so many games in 02:54.640 --> 02:55.510 practice. 02:55.660 --> 02:56.800 Will it win a game here? 02:56.800 --> 02:57.940 Rook 88. 02:58.180 --> 03:02.190 Now White plays what seems to be extremely lucrative in one respect. 03:02.290 --> 03:06.790 F5 It has what seems to be a really aggressive idea. 03:06.820 --> 03:14.260 The bishop is pushed back to the first row and now Knight G four with the idea of playing F6 soon. 03:14.260 --> 03:17.590 Why is Adams tolerated this scenario? 03:17.770 --> 03:25.300 So this is absolutely fascinating scenario where Adams is accepting welcoming double pawns. 03:26.980 --> 03:30.940 So F6 is played so Adams pawns has been doubled. 03:30.940 --> 03:32.530 Knight takes H six check. 03:32.530 --> 03:39.100 So why on earth would a positional player like Adams except double pawns? 03:39.100 --> 03:46.630 Surely positional players in general lean towards connected pawn structures. 03:46.630 --> 03:51.280 Connected pawn structures on the chessboard, the pawns kind of look after each other. 03:51.280 --> 03:53.020 There's no strain on the pieces. 03:53.020 --> 03:58.390 If you think about a dynamic structure like an isolated pawn, sometimes it can spread spread gloom 03:58.390 --> 03:59.080 all over the board. 03:59.080 --> 04:02.740 As Piece was trying to fend knights like Queen's Pawn or hanging pawns. 04:02.740 --> 04:10.120 Sometimes pieces can become passive if we take the priority of a pawn structure, though, to be about 04:10.120 --> 04:15.340 the quality of your pieces versus the opponent's and other factors like King safety. 04:15.340 --> 04:24.310 That's very, very interesting that here Adams has judged that Och he's got what seems to be not such 04:24.310 --> 04:29.980 a great structure, but look at the pieces after 95 because where is this knight going. 04:29.980 --> 04:31.840 It can't go to G4, we're just going to take. 04:31.840 --> 04:36.970 So why is left with this bishop now biting on C six. 04:37.690 --> 04:39.130 This seems to be. 04:40.500 --> 04:42.970 An interesting situation to really think about. 04:42.990 --> 04:47.700 Look at the quality or potential quality of the black pieces from here. 04:48.930 --> 04:55.230 The dark squares in White's camp and the E5 square for a night looks absolutely gorgeous as a career 04:55.230 --> 04:56.190 prospect for the night. 04:56.220 --> 04:58.410 Here we have Rook for eight. 04:58.920 --> 05:00.020 Rook takes the eight. 05:00.090 --> 05:02.340 Rook takes the eight, rook f one. 05:02.340 --> 05:08.400 And now a nice centralising move to stop any nonsense as well with rook out for any attacking stuff. 05:08.430 --> 05:09.390 Just Rook four. 05:09.390 --> 05:10.560 But this is your purpose. 05:10.560 --> 05:13.340 It's not just about stopping or dissuading Rook at four. 05:13.590 --> 05:15.240 Things can be built with this. 05:15.240 --> 05:22.320 For example, Queen dd six and the rook supports 9c4 to E five as well that way as well. 05:22.320 --> 05:22.770 Potentially. 05:22.770 --> 05:25.200 We have B free stopping 9c4. 05:25.950 --> 05:29.460 But now the knight just goes to D seven and look at the quality of the pieces. 05:29.460 --> 05:30.930 Now a few moves in. 05:31.080 --> 05:37.800 After accepting the double pawns, a few moves in the relative piece quality does seem to favor black 05:38.280 --> 05:39.180 in this position. 05:39.180 --> 05:41.280 The knight's going to come to a juicy square. 05:41.460 --> 05:49.800 So Adams has talked about this that sometimes lower rate players often stick to principles, not really 05:50.370 --> 05:53.550 kind of testing if they can break those principles in their exact position. 05:53.550 --> 05:58.380 So there might be this principle of keeping the bishop here or not having double pawns. 05:58.380 --> 06:04.890 But this is a great demonstration that, okay, we've got the double pawns, but pawn structure in general 06:04.890 --> 06:06.750 serves your pieces. 06:07.720 --> 06:08.890 And things like King safety. 06:08.890 --> 06:11.950 And here the pieces are been served quite well. 06:11.950 --> 06:15.520 The F6 double -- does support E five quite nicely. 06:15.520 --> 06:20.800 And in fact, at move 29 there's a total disaster move played Rook RD one. 06:22.470 --> 06:24.810 Can you see why this is a total disaster? 06:25.050 --> 06:30.270 In fact, our first show you why Quincy Free isn't that great either. 06:30.270 --> 06:31.580 Queen de Sex. 06:31.590 --> 06:35.580 And look at the pieces of black after 95 blacks. 06:35.580 --> 06:36.420 Just better here. 06:36.420 --> 06:43.140 For example, this situation with see five blacks got this free to to Paul majority and whites poor 06:43.140 --> 06:46.950 majority free to two is kind of dampens because the king's over there. 06:46.950 --> 06:51.390 So it's easier for black to create a dangerous pass -- with that huge night on E five. 06:51.390 --> 06:53.160 The prospects are just better for black here. 06:53.220 --> 06:59.130 Black has a clear advantage technically here, but Rook D one is a total disaster move. 06:59.610 --> 07:02.190 So think about the diagonal of death. 07:02.190 --> 07:03.900 We need to bear this in mind all the time. 07:03.900 --> 07:04.430 Tactics all. 07:04.740 --> 07:05.280 All the time. 07:05.280 --> 07:06.780 Even if we're a positional player. 07:06.780 --> 07:09.360 So what would you play in this position for? 07:09.360 --> 07:11.850 200 points and why is it crushing? 07:16.830 --> 07:17.610 OC. 07:18.720 --> 07:19.770 Quincy five. 07:19.800 --> 07:20.550 Ouch. 07:21.600 --> 07:23.070 The Queen's overloaded. 07:23.580 --> 07:24.210 Oh, dear. 07:24.210 --> 07:24.840 Oh, dear. 07:26.290 --> 07:27.340 When asked to resign. 07:27.340 --> 07:32.110 If Queen takes C5, Rook takes the one check and we play 1965. 07:32.200 --> 07:35.290 If Rook takes the fall, we're taking taking the Queen. 07:35.470 --> 07:37.950 And here we can actually play Queen C five. 07:37.960 --> 07:40.690 Check and pick up the rook. 07:40.960 --> 07:43.460 Basically, this is really sad. 07:43.480 --> 07:46.630 Queen C track is going to be off the Rook RD one we can delay. 07:46.630 --> 07:48.580 But you know, Bishop one is mate. 07:49.180 --> 07:54.220 And the other thing is King one, there's Queen takes her five chair picking up the rook. 07:54.430 --> 07:57.130 So it's absolutely devastating. 07:57.130 --> 08:01.570 And if Rook C won, then we have a beautiful double check and mate. 08:02.140 --> 08:02.950 Yeah. 08:04.360 --> 08:06.160 Oh, dear, oh, dear, oh, dear. 08:06.370 --> 08:09.430 The disasters that can happen on chessboard. 08:09.430 --> 08:12.160 So Queen C five has to resign. 08:13.630 --> 08:18.130 That's a pretty vivid demonstration of a positional player accepting double pawns. 08:18.130 --> 08:22.360 Just investigating a bit further look at the pace quality. 08:22.510 --> 08:27.310 The positional player is looking after their pieces and their king. 08:27.760 --> 08:34.240 The pawn structures are often a means to an ends and some of the iconic games of Capablanca, you know, 08:34.300 --> 08:41.290 Capablanca has played with hanging pawns or isolated pawns or backward pawns. 08:41.290 --> 08:44.470 And the pieces, they just generally improve. 08:44.950 --> 08:47.080 Look at a lot of the iconic games. 08:47.080 --> 08:49.270 It's about the pieces, really. 08:49.300 --> 08:54.220 The pawns are more of a tool to help the pieces and king safety. 08:54.220 --> 08:55.930 And here the pieces are just great. 08:55.930 --> 09:04.690 If you look at this, if you just objectively what what the sides, you know, who is better structural 09:04.690 --> 09:06.790 is just one perspective on this position. 09:06.790 --> 09:11.260 If we look at the pieces, Black has great potential to improve all the pieces with a bishop, despite 09:11.260 --> 09:13.780 in Grand Knight, the Knight potentially getting to 85. 09:13.780 --> 09:19.570 But also there's immediate dark square issues in King safety issues as well, which were immediately 09:19.570 --> 09:20.740 tapped into in the game. 09:20.740 --> 09:21.730 Continuation. 09:22.090 --> 09:28.960 Och, I hope you enjoyed this one and think more dynamically about accepting sometimes double pawns. 09:28.960 --> 09:32.470 Yes, you may have thought in this course double pawns are terrible. 09:32.500 --> 09:39.100 This is a terrible sin of positional player, but you'll see lots of game examples where the pieces 09:39.100 --> 09:43.360 and king safety, they're often the things that really win the games. 09:44.910 --> 09:46.030 Thank you much.