MERALCO Training Simul G/60
Pasig City
Pasig City
White: Rhal Sol Cruz, Board 7
Black: GM Ronald Dableo
1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 exd5 exd5 4 Bd3
The Exchange Variation of the French Defense.
4... c5 5 dxc5
The Exchange Variation of the French Defense.
4... c5 5 dxc5
The c3 pawn move transposes to a Sicilian Alapin-like formation:
5... Bxc5 6 Nf3 Ne7
7 O-O O-O
One of the most important guidelines in chess is to protect your K from harm. Watson in Mastering the Chess Openings
8 b3?
In the openings, whenever possible, pieces should be moved in preference to pawns. Capablanca in Chess Fundamentals
8... Nbc6 9 Ba3
It is useful to exchange the opponent's strongest pieces. Popov in Chess Lessons
9... Bxa3 10 Nxa3 a6 11 c3 f6 12 Nc2
Ns are short-range pieces, you should avoid placing them on edges of the board. Moskalenko in Revolutionize Your Chess
12... Ne5 13 Ncd4
Take especially good care of the square in front of the isolated d-pawn - firmly control it with your pieces, placing a minor piece of your own there if necessary. Baburin in Winning Pawn Structures
3... Bd7 14 Qc2 g6 15 Rfe1
15... Qc7 16 Rac1
Develop your R to the same file that your opponent develops his Q. Heisman in Elements of Positional Evaluation
16... Kg7 17 Qd2
[17 Nxe5! fxe5 18 Qe2 e4 19 f3 with advantage]
17... N7c6 18 Be2 Rae8 19 Nxc6 bxc6 20 Nxe5 fxe5 21 Bxa6 Rf6 22 Bf1 e4 23 c4
We exchange in order to seize or open a file or diagonal without loss of time. Nimzovich in My System
23... Qe5 24 cxd5 cxd5 25 Qc3
Winning is 25 a4.
The goal of endgame procedures is generally the promotion of a passed pawn. Reinfeld in The Complete Chess Player
25... d4 26 Qg3 Qf5 27 b4! Re7 28 Rc5!
If the opponent is tied up, but your immediate threats aren't sufficient to win, bring another piece or pawn into the attack, or improve your position in other ways; then exchange into a favorable endgame. Harding in Better Chess for Average Players
28... Qe6 29 Bc4!
And another!
29... Qb6 30 a3 Bf5 31 Re5
Simplification is desirable if we have superiority in material. Nimzovich in My System
31... Rd7 32 Re8!
As a means of attacking the K, control of the 8th rank where the Q or R might check the K becomes often the object of combination. Lasker in Manual of Chess
32... Rd8 33 Re7+ +-
Rhal is winning against a grandmaster!!!
33... Kh8 34 Qh4
[34 R1xe4 Bxe4 35 Qh4 g5 36 Qxe4 Rg6 37 Qe5+ Qf6 38 Qc7+-]
34... g5 35 Qxg5 Bg6 36 Qe5
The pin looks good but better are 36 R1xe4, 36 Re6, or Qh6.
36... d3 37 Rf1 Rdf8 38 Re6 Qd8 39 Re7
Rhal has only 5 minutes left on his clock. The winning move is the natural follow-up to the Q-pin which is 39 g4.
39... Qb6 40 Re6 Qd8 41 Re7 Qb6 42 Re6
The pin looks good but better are 36 R1xe4, 36 Re6, or Qh6.
36... d3 37 Rf1 Rdf8 38 Re6 Qd8 39 Re7
Rhal has only 5 minutes left on his clock. The winning move is the natural follow-up to the Q-pin which is 39 g4.
39... Qb6 40 Re6 Qd8 41 Re7 Qb6 42 Re6
Rhal settled for a draw by repetition of moves due to time trouble.
Result: 1/2-1/2
