From: sloan@cis.uab.edu (Kenneth Sloan)
Subject: E-level Chess to enjoy
Summary: enjoy
Organization: CIS, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 06:47:00 GMT

Can you remember when you played E-level chess?  Remember how much fun
it was to *play* chess?  Here's an example of E-level chess at it's
finest.  For the winner - it's his first win in an "adult" tournament,
over an actual "adult".  He's 9, you see...


Magic City Reserve (5)    13 December 1992
W: Darwin Kiel (UNR - estimated 1082 from this event)
B: David Sloan (989*e2)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bb5 Nf6

Since he's never studied "openings", Black doesn't even know what a Ruy
Lopez is.  He (along with most of his opponents) plays 3.Bc4, as Greco
intended.  But who needs opening theory - just develop into the center,
turn left, and head for the King!

4.0-0 Bc5 5.h3 0-0 6.d3 d5

Banzai!  Dennis Baker, where are you now?

7.exd5 Nxd5 8.Be3 Bxe3 9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.Nxd5 Qd6

Too late, White remembers why the B went to b5 in the first place.
Black is only interested in marching straight ahead, bayonets fixed.
The B on e3 is the bayonet.  Watch it do its work:

11.d4 c5 12.c3 cxd4 13.cxd5 c5

Weak pawns?  What weak pawns.  All gone!

14.Ng4 Bxg4 15.Qxg4 Bxd4

Black's pieces huddle in the center of the board, trying to decide what
to do next...

16.Nc3 Nxc3 17.bxc3 Bxc3 18.Rad1 Bd4

The bayonet knows when to stand guard.

19.Rd3 Bxf2+(!)

And...when to slash!

20.Rxf2 Qxd3 21.Kh2 Rab8 22.Rf3 Qd6+ 23.Qg3 Qxg3+ 24.Kxg3 Rbc1

Black appreciates the power of the passed pawn in the ending.  The
technique may not be the best, but the "lust to expand" is there.

25.Rb3 c4 26.Rc3 Rfd8(!) 27.a4 Rd3+

Nicely done.  Most youngsters would go off on a Pawn hunt.

28.Rxd3 cxd3 29.Kf2 d2(!) 30.Ke2 Rd8 31.Kd1 Kf8(!)

Slowly, I turn.  Step, by step.  Meanwhile, White orders up a Charge of
the Light Brigade.  A cruel student of Nimzovitch would probably shuttle
his K between e8 and f8, waiting for White's K to finally be forced to
move. I might even retreat to h8, just for the fun of it.  Or perhaps
have the R visit every square on the d-file?

32.g4 Ke8 

Triangulating at a distance?

33.h4 Ke7 34.g5 Ke6 35.h5 Ke5 36.a5 Ke4(!?)

Pawns?  What Pawns?  Believe it or else, this move deserves the exclaim
at this level of play.  But...it can also deserve the '?', too.

37.g6 fxg6 38.hxg6 hxg6 39.0-1(?)

Never resign!  Give this position to your local 9-yr old.  There's at
least a 25% chance that the game will continue: 

    [39. a3(!) Kd6(?) 1/2]

But, White (correctly) guessed that that wasn't likely to happen this
time.

There are a few serious points illustrated by this game:

    *forget about opening theory - develop your pieces in the center
     and mix it up.

    *learn the basic elements of endgame play.  K, R, P are the
     important pieces - the others just clutter up the board.  Get rid
     of them as soon as possible (but perhaps get rid of a few *more*
     of you opponent's pieces than yours).

    *tactics, tactics, tactics - 2 move cheapos rule.

    *forward! Always forward!  Count the number of times that Black
     moved a piece backwards.

Remember when *you* were 9 - and chess was pure fun?










-- 
Kenneth Sloan                   Computer and Information Sciences
sloan@cis.uab.edu               University of Alabama at Birmingham
(205) 934-2213                  115A Campbell Hall, UAB Station 
(205) 934-5473 FAX              Birmingham, AL 35294-1170