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Grupo CUBA y todos mis hermanos y hermanas cubanos o latinas, los invito. Este era la posicion en que me encontraba el otro dia despues de 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.g3 Nf6 4.h3 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.d3 O-O 7.Be3 Nc6 8.Qd2 Be6 9.g4 b5 10.Nxb5 Rb8 11.c4 a6 12.Nc3 Nd7 13.Nge2 Nd4 14. O-O Qc8 15.f4 f5 16.exf5 gxf5 17.g5 Nxe2+ 18.Qxe2 Bf7 19. Rfe1 e5 20. Rab1 exf4 21. Bxf4 Ne5 22. Nd5 Bxd5 23. Bxd5+ Kh8 24.h4 Qd7. Me dije, “esto voy a tener que pensarlo bien”. What do I see in this position? Bueno, I see that I’m ahead in material by a pawn… and I have a bishop pair advantage. Ok, what else do I see? I have superior pawn structure and pawn majorities. I have a space advantage. I control the e file. I control the h1 a8 diagonal. He controls the a1 h8 diagonal threatening Bd4+ (… Be5?) I control squares h6, f6, a3, b3, h5 He controls d4, g4, b4, a4 I see what could be opportunity to pin his rooks later with Bxd6. His f pawn is passed. Hm. My bishop blocks it nicely. It would be good if I could leave it there. It would be good for him if he could make it budge. Also, I see that I have a backward pawn on d3. It is a weakness… one that he can exploit. I see that I have much more force on the kingside of the board than he does. If I attack, it will be there. a2 is weak. a2-a3 weakens b3. b3 could be a candidate move. I see that my pieces have good mobility and are all active and in the game. So are his. Do I see any potential endgame pluses? Do you? It looks like I’m ahead… but also at risk. I definitely see favorable conditions to attack on the kingside of the board. Do I attack now? Do I address the Bd4+ threat? Do I focus on capturing his passed f pawn? Do I focus on the threat to d3? Are there other threats? I just noticed that h5 stops Ng7, that’s good. From there the knight could control f4, a key square. Be6 could be a good move later… h5 stops it cold. Do I have pieces he could attack with a piece of less value? Did he answer my threat? Can I check or mate him with a forced sequence of moves? Can I capture? Can I attack with a piece of less value? What can he do now that he couldn’t do before? Bueno … Qd7, … Qa4, a3 Qb3 putting pressure on d3. That is a threat. What else can he do now that he couldn’t do before? … Qa7, … Qe7 His rooks are connected now. His lady now could defend h7 if needed later, an important square. How else did the position change? Which squares does he control? Bueno, he controls a4, c7, a7, e7, the 8th rank, g7, b6, b4, g4 Are all my pieces protected? NO. The bishop on g4 is not protected. Is my king safe? Heck no. J Where are my weaknesses? d3, g4, d4… b2? What are his threats? Qa4, Ng4 -> Bd4+, passed pawn on f file Are all his pieces protected? Is his King safe? How can I exploit his weaknesses? d6? a6? Who poses the greater threat, him or I? He may not know it but his threat is real. Is it greater than my threat? Hmm. If he poses no real threat, can I ignore it? In other words, Will his threat fail on its own? If no forcing sequences, threats or combinations exist, are there any quiet moves possibly aimed at eliminating a weakness, improving my position or weakening or cramping his position? Whew! Ok, candidate moves. For each candidate move I select, I could anticipate and evaluate all his main candidate moves in response especially all checks, captures, and threats. If while examining a candidate move I see a threat I cannot meet, I cannot play that candidate move. Instead, I must try to choose a candidate move that allows me to meet all threats on his next move. What is his most serious threat? … Qa4 with his sights on d3? Nf5 -> … Bd4+? Is there a move that would defend against both threats? I chose the candidate moves I would evaluate and I calculated each 3 or more plies deep. I finished each variation with a short evaluation and then, I chose a move. Now friends, does it leave me vulnerable? Does it leave a previously defended piece hanging? Does it expose my king to check or worse? Does it dangerously weaken my position? I looked at the position one last time. Have I overlooked something obvious? No? Ok. Then, I made my move. My miiddlegame play shows signs of improvement. Wishes of growth in all things and many joyous moments over the board. Happy chessing! Eduardo “Be the change you wish to see in the world”

EarnestDignity Mar 28, 2013

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