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The British Chess Magazine
Test Your Chess
IM Shaun Taulbut
[email protected]
You have the White pieces
alongside Bulgar Veselin
Topalov, FIDE World Champion 2005. You face Alexander
Morozevich, as gifted and natural a player as you could ever meet. We are
in China. Cover the page with a piece of paper (would it help to cut a piece to fit?) and
try to predict – jot them down – Topalov’s
moves starting at move 4. Pay special attention when selecting moves 13, 14, 19, 22, 33
and 38. That’s where the big points lurk.
G VA Topalov
O AS Morozevich
FIDE GP Beijing, 2013
Philidor’s, Nimzowitsch C41
2 points. White wishes to retain his bishop on
the strong a2–f7 diagonal and this enables
White to retreat the bishop, if necessary to b3
or a2.
7…c6
8 e1
3 points; White overprotects e4 preparing for
Black exchanging in the centre with …e×d4.
8…a5
9 h3
2 points. A useful move preventing Black from
putting a piece on g4 and allowing White to
develop his queen’s bishop on e3, if desired.
[Taulbut]
1 e4 d6 2 d4 f6 3 c3 e5
4 f3
3 points for this natural developing move,
which transposes to a Philidor Defence.
The exchange 4 d×e5 d×e5 5 ×d8+ ×d8 6
g5 e6 leads to a slight advantage for White
and scores 2 points.
4…bd7
5 c4
3 points. The natural move of the bishop has
threats against f7 if Black is careless.
5…e7
6 0–0
2 points. The sacrifice 6 ×f7+ ×f7 7 g5+
g6 8 e6 g8 9 ×c7 b8 is good for Black
and only scores a point.
6…0–0
7 a4
9…b6
10 b3
2 points. The retreat to a2 is also possible and
scores a point.
10…fd7
Black has difficulties developing his queen’s
bishop and evolves a plan to try and force off
the White king’s bishop.
11 e3
2 points. White waits for Black to commit
himself.
11…e×d4
12 ×d4
2 points. The best recapture aiming the knight
at f5. The alternative recaptures are:
(a) 12 ×d4 f6 (12…c5 13 ×c5 d×c5 14
×d8 ×d8 15 ad1 is slightly better for White)
13 e5 d×e5 14 ×e5 ×e5 15 ×e5 with an
edge for White scores two points.
(b) 12 ×d4 c5 is satisfactory for Black and