English Opening, King's English Variation Kramnik-Shirov Counter

FARHAD TAHIROV vs. ALEXEY SHIROV
Villa de Canada de Calatrava, 2007

1. c4, e5
2. Nc3, Bb4

The Kramnik-Shirov Counter of the King's English Variation.

3. Qc2, Nf6
4. a3, Bxc3
5. Qxc3, Nc6
6. b4, 0-0
7. e3, d5
8. cxd5, Qxd5
9. b5, Nd4!

An ingenuous way of opening the e-file.  Note that White has not yet castled.

10. exd4, exd4
11. Qc4, Re8+
12. Kd1 ....

White loses his Queen after 12. Be2 or Ne2.

12. .... Qh5+
13. Be2, Qg6
14. Nf3, Be6

If 14....Qxg2, then Black replies with 15. Rg1 followed by 16. Bb2 and Black has a better position.

15. Qc2 ....

If 15. Qxd4, Black attacks with 15....Bb3+ Ke1, 16. Rad6 with attacking possibilities.

15. .... d3!
16. Qxd3 ....

Not 16....Bxd3 because Black replies with Qxg2, threatening both the Knight and the Rook.

16. .... Bf5
17. Qc4, Rxe2!!

A brilliant move.  If White's Queen captures the Rook, Black replies with 18....Bd3 followed by Re8 with a mating threat.

If 17....Kxe2, then 17....Bd3+, 18. Qxd3 Re8+ and White loses his Queen.

18. Nh4, Qh5
19. Qxe2 ....

White has forgotten an earlier threat.

19. .... Bc2+
20. Ke1, Re8
21. Qxe8, Nxe8

White resigns.  Black threatens Qe5+.  Now, if 22. Nf3 Qxb5 prevents White from castling and mobilizing his pieces. Then, if 23. Ra2 Qc4, 24. Rb2 Qe4+ and mate follows shortly.

English Defense, Symmetrical Anti-Benoni Variation

RAFAEL VAGANIAN vs. ALBIN PLANINC
Hastings, 1974

1. d4, Nf6
2. c4, c5

The position has reached the Symmetrical Variation where both sides advanced the c-pawns two squares, maintaining symmetry.

3. Nf3 ....

White avoided the Benoni Defense that would arise after 3. d5, hence this line is called Anti-Benoni.

3. .... cxd4
4. Nxd4, e6
5. Nc3, Bb4
6. Ndb5, 0-0

Not 6....a6, then 7. Nd6+ Bxd6, 8. Qxd6 which places White's Queen in a strategic square.

7. a3, Bxc3
8. Nxc3, d5!
9. Bg5, h6
10. Bxf6, Qxf6
11. cxd5, exd5
12. Qxd5 ....

It looks like White has grabbed a pawn, but Black now begins to control the center.

12. .... Rd8
13. Qf3, Qb6

If 13....Qxf3, 14. exf3 Re8+, 15. Be2 White's Bishop has become active.

14. Rd1, Rxd1
15. Nxd1, Nc6
16. Qe3, Nd4

Threatening 17....Nc2 double-check.

17. Qe8+, Kh7
18. e3, Nc2+
19. Kd2, Bf5!!

Sacrificing the rook to defend the Knight, but actually a mating scheme.

20. Qxa8, Qd6+
21. Kc1 ....

If 21. Ke2, then 22. Qd3 mate.

21. .... Na1
22.  Qxb7, Qc7

White resigns, as he cannot avoid mate without sacrificing the Queen, as in 23. Qxc7 Nb3 mate.

Amazing finale.

English Opening: King's English, Four Knights Variation

GARRY KASPAROV vs. VASSILY IVANCHUK
Moscow 1988

English Opening: King's English, Four Knights Variation

1. c4, Nf6
2. Nc3, e5
3. Nf3, Nc6

Not 3....e4 because White replies 4. Ng4 Qe7, 5. Qc2... and White takes the pawn.

4. g3, Bb4
5. Bg2, 0-0
6. 0-0, e4
7. Ng5, Bxc3
8. bxc3, Re8
9. f3, exf3
10. Nxf3, d5
11. d4, Ne4
12. Qc2, dxc4
13. Rb1, f5
14. g4, Qe7

If 14....fxg4 White replies 15. Ne5 Nxe5, 16. Qxe4!....

15. gxf5, Nd6
16. Ng5, Qxe2
17. Bd5+, Kh8
18. Qxe2, Rxe2
19. Bf4, Nd8
20. Bxd6, cxd6
21. Rbe1, Rxe1
22. Rxe1, Bd7
23. Re7, Bc6
24. f6, Resigns

If 24....gxf6, then White mates next move by 25. Rxh7.

If 24....Bxd5, then 25. Re8+ Bg8, 26. f7 Nxf7, 27. Nxf7 mate.  Superb play!

English Opening

RICHARD RETI vs. EFIM BOGOLJUBOV
New York, 1924
English Opening; Agincourt Defense, Bogoljubov Defense

1. Nf3, d5
2. c4, e6
3. g3, Nf6
4. Bg2, Bd6
5. 0-0, 0-0
6. b3, Re8
7. Bb2, Nbd7
8. d4!, c6
9. Nbd2, Ne4

Rubinstein recommends 9....e5, a liberating move.

10. Nxe4, dxe4
11. Ne5, f5
12. f3 ....

White changes the closed game into an open one, in order to liberate his own g2 Bishop.

12. .... exf3
13. Bxf3 ....

Not 13. exf3, because the pawn is intended for e4.

13. .... Qc7
14. Nxd7, Bxd7
15. e4, e5

Necessary in order to prevent 16. e5, followed most probably by a breaking maneuver by means of d5 or g4.

16. c5, Bf8
17. Qc2 ....

White maintains the threat at e5 while adding another threat at f5.

17. .... exd4
18. exf5, Rad8

If 18....Qe5, then 19. Qc4+, Kh8; 20. Bxd4.

19. Bh5!!, Re5
20. Bxd4, Rxf5

Not 20....Rd5 because of 21. Qc4 Kh8, 22. Bg4 giving White a superior position.

21. Rxf5, Bxf5
22. Qxf5, Rxd4
23. Rf1 ....

23. .... Rd8

Black may play 23....Qe7, but still left without defense after 24. Bf7+ Kh8, 25. Bd5 Qf6, 26. Qc8.

24. Bf7+, Kh8
25. Be8, Resigns

There is no defense against 26. Qxf8+ and mate next move.  Now if 25....h6, then 26. Qxf8+ Kh7, 27. Qf5+ Kh8, 28. Qg6 Qe7, 29. Rf7 and mate on either f8 or g7.

A sparkling combination.  The game was awarded the first brilliancy prize in the tournament.

Tricks and Traps

Trick moves and traps abound in chess.  Some work splendidly if the opponent succumbs.  Others recoil badly if they are avoided.  Black's trap in the following game is a good one, as it promises optimum results with minimum risk.

For opening tricks and traps, you may visit Chess Opening Tricks.

CRADDOCK vs. MIESES
London, 1939
ENGLISH OPENING

1. c4, e5
2. Nc3, Nc6
3. g3, Nf6
4. Bg2, Bb4
5. e3 .....

White makes room for his King Knight at e2 as he does not want to block his King Bishop's diagonal.

5. ..... d6
6. N1e2, Bg4
7. Qb3 .....

White threatens to win a piece with Bxc6.

7. ..... Rb8 !

Black parries the threat, for after 8. Bxc6 bxc6, his King Bishop will be protected.

8. Nd5, Bc5
9. Nxf6+, Qxf6!

10. Bxc6+?, bxc6!
11. Qxb8+ .....

White succumbed to temptation.  He is unaware of the succeeding Two-Rook Sacrifice.

11. ..... Kd7
12. Qxh8, Qf3!

Threatening 13. .....Qxe2 mate as well as 13......Qxh1+ and mate the following move.

13. Kd1 .....

If White castles, the reply 13......Bh3 forces mate.  Similarly, on 13. Kf1 there follows 13.....Qxe2, 14. Kg1 Bh3.

13. ..... Qxe2+
14. Kc2, Qxc4+
15. Kb1, Qd3 mate.

Very neat finish.  Black must have all these in mind when he played move 7.