How To Beat A Grandmaster

Today, I’d like to analyze a game, where I played a Grandmaster.

This was a 1-minute game, and I was playing with Black. My opponent opened the game with 1. e4, and I responded with 1.e5.

A very normal opening so far.

Here, my opponent surprised me a bit with the move 2.d4, opting for an opening, called the Center Game.

To avoid complicating matters, I draw first blood by calmly exchanging, 2.exd4.

All is well so far.

Here, the Grandmaster offers me a 2nd pawn, in exchange for active development and piece mobility, with the move 3.c3.

I know, that capturing too many pawns is never a good idea, so I counter-strike in the center as well with the move 3.d5.

A well-timed strike in the center.

This opening’s now called Center Game: Sorensen Defense.

Now, White has many options here, but my opponent simply takes my d5 pawn with the move 4.exd5, releasing the tension in the center.

I calmly capture back with the Queen, activating my piece and keeping the tension for now, with the move 4.Qxd5.

Black’s mobility is key in this opening.

Now, if White just captures my pawn either way, their pawn structure isn’t gonna be great, so they correctly play 5.Nf3, adding an attacker to it.

I don’t need to rush things, so I defend my center pawn with 5.Nc6, also activating another piece.

A fight for the d4 square. Who will prevail?

In this game, I specifically wanted to be active, such strong players are ruthless, when it comes to converting advantages.

Finally, White takes back the material with the move 6.cxd4, but that leaves them with an isolated central pawn, which can be an easy target later.

I immediately go on with the move 6.Bg4, increasing the pressure on White’s f3 Knight and d4 pawn simultaneously.

White has to be precise here.

While I’m wasting no time being active, White can’t just sit like a Grandma, they have to fight back accordingly.

And that’s what the Grandmaster does with the move 7.Nc3, attacking my Queen and activating a piece.

I develop another piece with the move 7.Bb4, pinning the Knight to the King and increasing the pressure.

Position’s equal, but White feels very cramped.

White plays the calm move 8.Be2, getting out of the dangerous pin, developing another piece and getting ready to castle.

My position still has no problems, so I respond with 8.Nf6, developing my final minor piece and getting ready to castle on either side.

Doing pretty well so far.

Definition of Minor piece — Knight and Bishop.

Here, White plays a very sneaky move 9.O-O, not only getting the King out of the pin/danger, but also renewing the attack on my Queen.

No worries, my Bishop’s there, so I calmly play 9.Bxc3, exchanging a minor piece.

An even trade.

Here, the computer says, that I’m a bit worse, but I didn’t know or care about that. I still felt comfortable about my position and chances.

The confidence plays a big role in your gameplay.

Obviously, White takes back with their pawn 10.bxc3, creating a small pawn chain and a stronger center.

Definition of pawn chain — connected pawns, when one defends the other one.

Now, I castle my King as well, getting ready to activate my Rooks and play the game with all I got.

Both sides are playing actively. It’s gonna be a good game.

The show is on!

Now, the Grandmaster kicks away my Bishop from g4 with the move 11.h3, but I calmly go back with 11.Bh5.

The tension is still there.

Capturing the Knight would

1. Activate his Bishop.

2. Allow an attack on my Queen.

3. Make way for all sorts of bad stuff.

Nobody wants that.

Now, the Grandmaster keeps attacking my Queen with the move 12.c4, gaining more space in the center as well.

If I don’t make a correct move here, it could all go wrong very soon.

Hence, my move 12.Qe4 is quite precise, which helps me avoid matters.

White is bouncing back, but my fire isn’t out yet.

Now, White grabs even more space with the move 13.d5, attacking my Knight as well.

I get away from the attack with the move 13.Ne5, trying to increase the pressure on d1-h5 diagonal.

I’m doing pretty OK here.

The computer doesn’t like this at all, but what it recommended me instead(Nc6-a5), looks like an inhuman move, which I would never play.

Here, my opponent plays an odd move 14. Bb2, attacking my Knight on e5.

I notice, that this move doesn’t look right at all, so I seize the opportunity and play 14.Bxf3, eliminating the weak Knight and posing White a problem.

Just like that, I’m back in the game.

After all the trades on f3, we ended up in a position like this.

The current position.

White is a bit worse here, their h3 and f3 can become such easy targets later, but Black can’t just ramble on, hoping to get an easy win.

Here, I play 17.Nh5, which I agree, isn’t a great move, but I wanted to go Nf4 and Nd3 in the future.

Hate to admit it, but not a good move by me.

Had I not rushed, I would have played 17.Nd7 instead, which is a much better move.

The Grandmaster makes a very precise move here, 18.Be5, cutting off access to f4 and attacking c7 simultaneously. What a move!

I calmly go 18.Rac8, defending my pawn first.

Still, pretty equal.

Key lesson for beginners-The Knight on the rim is dim!

For that reason, next, I’ll try to re-route my Knight.

Here, White advances their pawn to c5, trying to create a passed pawn and pose me many problems.

In order to avoid such things, I play 19.Rfe8, attacking the Bishop first.

Create danger for your opponents before they do!

Definition of a passed pawn — Pawn, which doesn’t have a pawn in his way.

Now, after White retreats their Bishop to h2, I can simply go to f6 with my Knight, attacking the d5 pawn and improving its position.

Knight makes its way back!

The Knight’s L movement helps me to cover many crucial squares. You’ll see it soon.

My opponent just defended his d-pawn with the move 21.Rfd1, wanting to push the d-pawn to d6 soon.

Now, it’s very critical for me to play 21.Red8 and not 21.Rfd8(seemingly logical move, which loses the c7 pawn), in order to defend d-file and c-file well.’

A very critical moment.

Now, White finally goes 22.d6 and we quickly trade pawns. Now, I play 23.Rd7, so he can’t gain any kind of easy access and try tricking me.

A move, which makes matters equal again!

The GM plays 24.Rac1, which is very dangerous, if handled incorrectly. Since trading is bad, I step aside to d8, helping my other Rook.

Still equal, but work to do.

Here, the GM makes a weird move, 25.Kg2, I guess he was scared of his weak pawns?

Anyway, I neglect that and play 25.h6, giving my King a room to escape.

The climax is getting closer…

Now, my opponent plays a very cunning move 26.Rc7! This Rook can’t be taken, or he’ll promote to a Queen, 100%.

I don’t want that, so I find the only move that saves the game for me — 26.Ne8!

Crazy!

Not only I attack the Rook, I cover the c7 square for the future, so this move really saved me from a potential defeat.

After a trade on d7, White went back with his King on g1, for an unknown reason.

Now, the d6 pawn is a bit weak, so I start preparing to attack, with the move 28.Kf8!

Getting closer to the pawn.

After, he moved his King to f1, but I simply played 29.f6, making way for my King to f7 and e6, preparing to win a pawn on d6.

It’s almost done.

After that, we followed it up with 30.Ke2 Kf7, pretty uneventful from White.

Almost…

Here, White was really low on time, they played 31.f4, which just blocks the Bishop and is a bad move.

I neglect that and advance to e6, just like planned.

The advantage is pretty clear now.

White proceeds to give me a random check with 32.f5+, but I end up taking the free pawn, while increasing my advantage.

This should end soon.

White advances the King to d3, trying to get closer to the pawn, but I just go back to e6, avoiding any mishaps.

And now, White went Kc4. Bad choice.

King placement is key!'

I simply play 34.Nxd6+, and win another pawn. After Kb4, I retreated to e8, offering him a trade of Rooks.(Which will be a winning endgame for me)

Job done. Let’s finish it.

Now, he just gives me a random check on e1, but I go back to f7.

Then, he proceeds with 37.a4, but I go 37.Re7, offering another trade.

Penultimate move of the game.

Lastly, he goes back to d1, I play 38.Nc7 and he ran out of time.

Even if he hadn’t, I have 2 extra pawns and a very nice position, so I have excellent chances to convert it.

I am proud, that this game turned out so nicely.

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