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WORTHING CHESS CLUB
ARTICLES
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Tactics in the Opening
By John Knott
Contrasted with winning the First Division of the Sussex Chess League in the 2024-5 season, our First Team had a disappointing start to the current season, losing to Brighton and Hove 1 by 1:3, and to Bexhill 1 by 1½:2½. However, the situation has now improved by our 3:1 win against Crowborough, achieved by two wins and two draws. On Board 2, team captain Russell Granat was in good form, and won his game convincingly in 30 moves. Subsequently, our First Team drew 2:2 against Hastings 1, in an away match. So, although we have gained only three points from four matches, it is fair to say that we have so far not been able to field our strongest team for any match.
This is Russell's fine win in the match against Crowborough.
White: Russell Granat
Black: David W. Fryer
Event: Sussex League: Worthing 1 v Crowborough
Date: 1 December 2025
Opening: Four Knights, by transposition (ECO C47)
1. e4 Nf6
2. Nc3 e5
3. Nf3 Nc6
By an unusual route, starting with Alekhine's Defence and moving on to the Vienna Opening, we have now reached the starting position of the Four Knights Game, an opening noted for its high drawing chances, as indicated by Stockfish's evaluation of +0.03 at
44-ply..
4. d3 ....
The most common options are 4.Bb5, to which Rubinstein's ...Nd4 is considered to be the best response; and 4.d4, which after ...exd4, 5.Nxd4 may transpose into the Scotch Four Knights. The text move appears solid but is liable to hand the initiative to Black.
4. ... h6
More active was 4....d5, 5.exd5 Nxd5, when Black is somewhat better.
5. Be2 Bc5?!
Again, ...d5 would have been the more natural move, possibly leading to 6.exd5 Nxd5, 7.0-0 Nxc3; 8.bxc3 Bd6 with equality. (An Internet blitz game, discovered by Keith Homeyard, had gone 7... Be6, 8.Ne4?! (better was 8.d4) Be7, 9.Re1 0-0, 10.h3 f5, 0-1 (29) Kovacevic (2113) v Demin (2430) Chess.com INT blitz 2022.)
Position after 17.B(e3)xN(d4)
Position after 5..... Bc5?!
6. O-O ....
Instead, 6.Nxe5! - a key idea in a reversed position in the Vienna Opening (for which, see note at the end of the game) - 6.... Nxe5, 7.d4 Bd6, 8.f4 Nc6, 9.e5 Bb4, 10.exf6 Qxf6, 11.d5 Ne7, 12.0-0 (KFH) gives an advantage to White. In this line, an ultra sharp try by Black, 6.... Bxf2+, backfires after 7.Kxf2 Nxe5, 8.Rf1 0-0, 9.Kg1 d5, 10.d4 Ng6, 11.e5 (KFH) when White has a space advantage, the bishop pair, and has recovered the initiative.
6. ... d6
If instead 6.... 0-0, then 7.Nxe5! (the same idea as in the previous note) Nxe5, 8.d4 Bd6, 9.f4 Nc6, 10.e5 Bd7, 11.d5 Nxd5, 12.Nxd5 Bc5+? (better was 12.Re8) when although Stockfish gives an evaluation of +2.87/40, the high-level game Aronian (2732) v Gukesh (2687) Saint Louis Blitz 2025 (discovered by KFH) was drawn at move 64.
7. Na4 a6
Trying to sneak the bishop away to a7. More realistic was 7.... Bb6, when a capture would open the a-file for Black.
8. Nxc5 dxc5
9. b3 ....
In order to activate the dark-squared bishop on a useful diagonal where there will already be a target. Another idea was 9.c3, taking d4 away from Black's knight, while also giving more scope to White's queen, including a secure place off the d-file at c2.
9. ... Be6
10. Bb2 ....
Position after 10.Bc1-b2
10. ... Qd6
The alternative method of defending the e5-pawn also leaves White with the better position after 10.... Nd7, 11.Nxe5 Ncxe5, 12.f4! Nc6, 13.f5 0-0, 14.c3, when he will soon recover the piece.
11. Nxe5! Nxe5
12. f4 Neg4
13. e5 Qb6
14. exf6 Ne3?
Tempting, but Black should have settled for the retreat to f6. After the text move he has a strategically lost game.
Position after 14.Ng4-e3
15. Qd2 Nxf1
16. fxg7! Rg8
17. Rxf1 Bf5
Understandably, Black does not want the f4-pawn to advance with tempo to f6. The main alternatives, 17....0-0-0 and 17.... c4+, are not significantly better.
18. Qe3+ Kd7
19. Qe5! Qe6
20. Qxc5 ....
Also good was 20.Qxe6+ fxe6, 21.Bh5 (or 21.g4).
20. ... Rae8
21. Bf3 c6
22. Qa7 Qe3+
23. Qxe3 Rxe3
24. Kf2 Ree8
25. g4 Bh7
26. f5 Kd6
27. Be4 Re5
Black is happy to give back the exchange in order to capture the menacing g7-pawn.
28. Ke3 Rxg7
29. Bxe5+ Kxe5
30. f6 ....
Final position, after 30.f6!
This wins the Black bishop. Black can pick up the g4-pawn with his rook, but this would not affect the outcome. Black resigns. 1-0
Positions with similar features to those occurring after move six in this game can occur in several other openings, in particular in one variation of the Vienna Opening, where it is reached after the moves: 1.e4 e5, 2.Nc3 Nf6, 3.Bc4. Here, White has other possibilities, such as 3.f4!? in the style of Rudolf Spielmann, or the sedate 3.g3 favoured by Smyslov; but 3.Bc4 replicates the tactical possibility that occurred in Russell's game.
Position after 3.Bc4 in the Vienna
Here, a key plan for Black is 3,,,, Nxe4!?, when if 4.Nxe4?! d5, he recovers the piece with the better position. This was the reason why Alekhine stopped playing the Vienna.
However, a very sharp continuation for White after 3....Nxe4 is 4.Qh5, attacking the knight and also threatening mate, leading to 4.... Nd6, temporarily dealing with both threats and also attacking White's bishop.
Now, White has to decide whether to capture the e5-pawn, which is likely to lead to 5.Qxe5+ Qe7, 6.Qxe7+ Bxe7, 7.Be2 when in a symmetrical pawn structure he has a small edge by reason of the awkward placement of Black's d6-knight.
The alternative is to embark on a potentially wild line with 5.Bb3 when ... Nc6 (guarding the e5-pawn) allows 6.Nb5 g6, 7.Qf3 f5, 8.Qd5 Qf6, 9.Nxd7+ Kd8, 10.Nxa8 b6 - a line not for the feint-hearted, which has acquired the name Frankenstein-Dracula Variation.
However, after 5.Bb3 Black may instad try 5.... Be7, allowing 6.Qxe5, when probably 6.... 0-0 gives approximate equality. Nowadays the Vienna Opening is rarely seen - which, of course, may be a good reason for playing it, if you are well prepared for the complications.
JK / 10.12.25
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Our Future British Champion?
By John Knott
One of our young members, Sidhanth Pai, who joined the Club in 2024, achieved a remarkable result in this year's British Under-12 Championship held in August at St George's Hall, Liverpool. He was competing in a field of 39 players under a Swiss pairing system over seven rounds, playing one game a day. Sidhanth scored three wins and four draws, producing five points out of a possible seven, securing third place behind two players who scored 5½ points. However, Sidhanth was the only player to go through the whole competition without loss.
After achieving draws in the first two rounds, Sidhanth next had the black pieces in a king-pawn opening.
White: Claude Samuel
Black: Sidhanth Pai
Event: British Under-12 Championship 2025, Round 3
Date: 5 August 2025
Opening: Closed Sicilian Defence
1. e4 c5
2. Nc3 e6
3. Nf3 a6
4. g3 b5
5. Bg2 Bb7
6. d3 ....
White, by his 2nd, 4th, 5th and 6th moves, has adopted a slow but solid development, having passed on several opportunities to open the position with d2-d4. Somewhat inconsistently, by putting his king's knight on f3, he has also blocked the possibility of playing f2-f4.
This has given Black a free hand to gain space on the queenside. White's pawn structure resembles that in the King's Indian Attack, but in that opening the queen's knight is more usefully developed to d2, from where it often proceeds to f1, h2 and g4, to participate in an attack on Black's king, if Black castles kingside.
Position after 6.d3
6. .... Nc6
7. O-O Be7
8. Be3 Nf6
This gives White the chance for the energetic response 9.e5, which it might have been a good idea to discourage by, for example, 8...Qc7. However, White misses the opportunity and engages in some ineffective piece shuffling.
9. Nd2 d6
10. Re1 Qc7
11. Qe2 O-O
12. Bg5 h6
13. Be3 Rac8
14. f4 ....
At last, some sign of aggression, but White's pieces on the d- and e-files are not well placed.
14. .... Nd4
15. Qd1 Nd7
16. Ne2 Bf6
17. Bxd4 ....
The best way for White to dislodge Black's knight would have been by 17.c3. After Black's reply to the move played he retains some advantage, but would have been even better placed by recapturing with the c-pawn, when play could have continued 17.... cxd4, 18.Rc1 Qb6! further supporting the d4-pawn and applying pressure on the diagonal leading to White's king (thereby preventing the freeing move c2-c3) while also severely cramping White's position.
Position after 17.B(e3)xN(d4)
17. ... Bxd4+
18. Nxd4 cxd4
19. Rc1 Nb6
20. c3 dxc3
21. Rxc3 Qd7
22. Qb3? ....
No doubt White was intending to follow with Re1-c1, but this is easily prevented. The square b3 would have been more suitable for the knight, after an exchange of rooks at c8.
22. ... Na4
23. Rxc8 Rxc8
24. d4 Qc7
Consolidating control of the c-file, and preparing to infiltrate the White position on the second rank. White's reply may have been with a view to playing the knight to e3, to guard the c2 square, but it is too late.
25. Nf1 Qc2!
The beginning of the end. Black now has a decisive advantage.
26. Qxc2 Rxc2
27. b3 Nc3
28. a3 Ne2+
29. Kh1 Nxd4
30. Rd1 e5
31. Rb1? ....
Position after 31.Rd1-b1?
White's sense of danger has entirely left him. Geometry plays an important part in chess, and a glance at this position should start alarm bells ringing. If the Black rook and the White bishop were not in their places, the solution would be obvious. How can Black penalise White for his last move?
31. ... Rxg2!
32. Kxg2 Bxe4+
33. Kh3 ....
Centralising the king by moving it to f2 would have been better, but would not have affected the outcome.
33. ... Bxb1
34. Nd2 Bc2
35. b4 e4
36. Kg2 e3
37. Ne3 Be4!
Final position, after 37.Bc2-e4
A neat finishing move. White is a piece and two pawns down and will be unable to stop the e-pawn from promoting.
White Resigned 0 - 1
For amplification of the point made in the note to White's 31st move, see further comments and an example in the 2025 article "Chessboard Geometry" on our website. It is really important to gain as full an understanding of the board as possible. Similarly, it is much easier to navigate in a busy town if you can visualise the road layout and if you know where particular shops and restaurants can be found. On the chessboard we have the algebraic coordinate system which enables us to identify and visualise particular squares, files, ranks and diagonals.
In the next round of the tournament Sidhanth had the white pieces, and played a very sharp line against his opponent's Sicilian Defence.
White: Sidhanth Pai
Black: Yueci Li
Event: British Under-12 Championship 2025, Round 4
Date: 6 August 2025
Opening: Sicilian Defence, Scheveningen Variation, Keres Attack
1. e4 c5
2. Nf3 e6
3. d4 cxd4
4. Nxd4 Nf6
5. Nc3 d6
In the Sicilian Defence there is much scope for transposition. By a somewhat unusual sequence of moves, a basic position of the Scheveningen Variation has been reached. Generally, an early e7-e6, where Black keeps open the options for developing his dark-squared bishop, introduces the Paulsen / Taimanov / Kan systems. To establish pawns at d6 and e6 Black will nowadays generally prefer to develop his queen's knight early, rather than the king's knight, to avoid the very line that Sidhanth now plays.
6. g4! ....
Position after 6.g2-g4!
The start of the so-called Keres Attack, named after the Estonian Grandmaster Paul Keres, who popularised the move in the 1940s. The idea behind the move is to advance the pawn to g5, dislodging the f6-knight, which is a key kingside defender and also has an influence in the centre of the board. Black will usually respond with h7-h6 to discourage the further advance of the pawn, but Sidhanth's opponent simply continues his development.
6. ... Nc6
7. g5 Nd7
8. Be3 a6
9. Rg1 Qc7
10. Rg3! ....
A flexible move, strengthening the third rank and being able to swing rapidly to the queenside, where it is now likely that Black's king will end up. This and White's next two moves could be played in various orders.
10. ... b5
11. a3 Bb7
12. f4 O-O-O
13. Qd2 Kb8
Moving the king to the b-file is usually a sensible precaution after queenside castling, for both White and Black, and is particularly so where, as here, Black's queen is also on the c-file.
Position after 13....Kc8-b8
14. O-O-O ....
This is perfectly logical, as the king will not have sufficient cover elsewhere. Also possible was the immediate capture of the b5-pawn, which White undertakes next move. Play might have continued 14.Bxb5!? Nxd4, 15.Qxd4 Nc5, 16.Be2 e5, 17.Qc4 exf4, 18.Bxf4 Ne6, 19.Qxc7 Kxc7, 20.Be3 after which White will castle with an extra pawn and the better development.
14. ... Nb6
15. Ndxb5! axb5
Avoiding the capture by 15. ....Qd7 is liable to transpose to the game after 16.Bxb6.
16. Nxb5 Qd7
17. Bxb6 Rc8
18. Rb3! ....
Showing the merit of White's 10th move. Also strong was 18.Rd3, applying further pressure against Black's queen. Even at this stage of the game Black's (original) kingside is largely undeveloped.
18. ... Be7
19. Kb1 h6
20. Nd4 ....
Position after 20.Nb5-d4
20. ... Nxd4
21. Bxd4 Bd8
22. Ba6 Rc7
23. Bxg7! ....
Excellent. Playing on both sides of the board.
23. ... Rh7
24. gxh6! Be7
There are now several ways to finish the game. White chooses to clear the route towards the weak a7-square.
25. Bb5 Qc8
26. Bd4 Bd8
27. Qa5
Black resigned faced with early mate or severe loss of material.
1 - 0
Final position, after 27.Qd2-a5
If Black had been stubborn, play could have continued 27. ... Rc5, 28.Qb4 f6 (at last, activating the h-rook), 29.Ba6 Ba5, 30.Qa4 Qc6, 31.Qxc6 Rxc6, 32.Bxb7 Rxb7, 33.h7 Rc8, 34.Bxb7+ Kxb7, 35.Bxf6, and Black will have to give up his rook for the h-pawn.
In the next round Sidhanth also won, and then drew the remaining two games, for a final score of +3, =4, producing 5 points; a very creditable performance.
Sidhanth, whose favourite subjects at school include maths and science, was eight years old when he learnt to play chess, which attracted him as an interesting and unique game. He initially received guidance from Dave Graham, and more recently from Chris Jones. He clearly has a bright chess future ahead of him.
JK/09.12.25
Our Future British Champion?
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Tactics In The Opening
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