So, you will ‘eat’ my piece, and what’s next? Can you win later? (Training positions. Part 4)
The lack of a purposeful and constructive organization of the training and tournament process directly affects the quality and outcome in sports. The desire to annoy a neighbor, as well as the lack of desire to play with strong players, always leads to a fatal outcome and failures in sports. This is a truism. But…
Unfortunately, as we have already noted more than once, the quality of the game and the level of training of athletes in Latvia is inexorably decreasing. One tournament with classic control per year is a “bad” situation. As promised, we are starting to publish a review of the games from the recent Latvian International Draughts Championship.
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A. Tabunovs – G. Gribuška, Round 1, LC2025 This game of the first round attracted our attention with the unusual play of the opponents. In the resulting position on the diagram it is impossible to immediately tell which of the opponents is playing to win and which is defending. Also our attention was attracted by a non-standard sacrifice of a piece, which not every world-class player is able to see. The first two moves of the opponents look logical: 1. … 13-18 2. 43-39 7-11 3. 39-33 |
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A. Tabunovs – G. Gribuška, Round 1, LC2025 In this resulting position it was possible to make an unexpected and non-standard sacrifice of a piece to confuse the opponent. But it is very difficult to decide on it, and even more to see it during the game. Here is a variant of the development of the game, if the sacrifice of a piece had been carried out. What could have followed: 1. … 18-23!?! 2. 29×7 11×2 3. 33-29 8-13, then in two versions the position is reduced to one forced position: а). 4. 29-23 13-18 5. 23×12 17×8 6. 28-23 8-13 7. 23-18 13×22 8. 24-19 2-8, the development scenario is described more fully below; b). 1. 28-23 13-18 2. 23×12 17×8 3. 29-23 8-13 4. 23-18 13×22 5. 24-19 2-8 6. 19-14 8-13 7. 35-30 25×34 8. 32-28 22×33 9. 38×40 15-20 10. 14×25 13-19 11. 40-34 19-24 with a small, but insufficient advantage to win. |
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A. Tabunovs – G. Gribuška, Round 1, LC2025 In the game black chose to answer 3. … 8-13 with a chance of a draw. White replied 4. 28-23. It seemed that the opponents had figured out the incomprehensible and confusing game, but suddenly it suddenly followed 4. … 27-31?? 5. 36:27 13-19?? 6. 24:22 17:39 7. 35-30 25:34 8. 29:40 and white celebrated the victory. Although advancing for black on 17-22, 11-17, 27-31 gave a draw position. |
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J. Levins – N. Bakulins, Round 1, LC2025 In this position, black passed by a simple combination, but later won anyway. 1. … 23-29! 2. 24:33 25-30! 3. 34:25 14-20 4. 25:14 13-19 5. 14:23 18:49 с выигрышем. |
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I. Trasko – R. Vipulis, Round 1, LC2025 White spent the whole game exchanging pieces and simplifying the position as much as they could. And when each opponent had seven pieces left on the board, it seemed like a draw was close. But…, as they say, there is a nuance. 1. 37-31 13-19 (a trap move for those in a hurry) 2. 32-27?? (it worked!) |
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I. Trasko – R. Vipulis, Round 2, LC2025 Then everything went like clockwork: 2. … 23-28! 3. 27:18 28:48 4. 18-13? 48:26 5. 13:2 26-3! 6. 2:24(30) and 14-20 with black winning.
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R. Vipulis – N. Bakulins, Round 2, LC2025 We sometimes take the time to analyze classical positions. Incorrect movement or making wrong decisions very often leads to defeats. In this position, which has emerged in the game, it is difficult to give preference to one of the parties. But the weakness of the piece “36” for white and the presence of a 17-22 black exchange gives the opponent playing for black some advantage in maneuvering. However, in the game, the black chose the wrong plan and began to worsen their position themselves. |
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R. Vipulis – N. Bakulins, Round 2, LC2025 Move 1. … 3-9? was the beginning of an incorrectly chosen plan. The move for black 1. … 17-22 greatly simplified the solution of problems in the classical position. What followed was: 2. 42-38 17-21 3. 30-25 9-14 4. 43-39 12-17 7. 48-42 … In this position salvation was still possible, thanks to the unexpected and non-standard sacrifice of the piece (for the second time in our article we refer to the “sacrifice of a piece” technique). In the game black played 7. … 17-22 8. 28:17 21:12 9. 33-28 24-29 10. 39-33, and in the future, white won. But! It was necessary to make an unconventional decision: 7. … 8-12 8. 45-40 15-20! 9. 40-34 и 17-22!! 10. 28:8 13:2! Now, regardless of white’s move, black easily achieve equality. It is worth noting that white’s answer of 9.39-34 does not change the balance of power. |
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R. Vipulis – N. Bakulins, Round 2, LC2025 In this position white have one piece more, but there is no win in sight. Consider the options: a). 11. 34-30 23-29! b). 11. 33-28 18-22! c). It remains to respond with a reciprocal sacrifice followed by equality. 11. 34-29! 23:43 12. 38:49 |
| To be continued… | |