The Evergreen King's Gambit

Finally I managed to win my first win at ICCF. Guess what would have been my opening ? My favorite King's Bishop's Gambit which I consider the best variation that gives a chance to win as white. King's Knight's Gambit loses all the advantage as white as the theory is heavily analysed. This game shows why Kings Bishops Gambit can be lethal...

Prakash, Om - Hughes, Gregory (1733)

Result: 1-0

Site: ICCF

Date: 2012.06.01

C33: King's Gambit Accepted: 3 Nc3 and 3 Bc4

[...] 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.♗c4!3...♘f6 4.♘c3 c6 5.d4 ♗b4 6.♘ge2 White threatens to win material: Ne2xf4

6.♕f3 d5 7.exd5 O-O

7...cxd5 8.♗b5 ♘c6 9.♘ge2 g5 10.h4 ♗g4 11.♕d3 ♘e4 12.♗d2 ♗f5 13.♗xc6 bxc6 14.♕a6 ♗xc3 15.♘xc3 1/2-1/2 (15) Heim,B-Sutterer,R Eberbach 1980

8.♘ge2 cxd5 9.♗d3 ♗g4 10.♕xf4 ♗xe2 11.♔xe2 ♘c6 12.♗e3 ♖e8 13.♖hf1 ♕e7 14.♖f3 ♖ad8 15.♔f1 ♖d6 16.♕h4 ♗xc3 17.♗g5 ♗xd4 18.♗xf6 ♕xf6 19.♕xh7 ♔f8 0-1 (19) Spielmann,R-Bogoljubow,E Karlsbad 1923

6.♗d3 d5 7.e5 ♗g4 8.♘f3 ♘e4 9.O-O ♘xc3 10.bxc3 ♗xc3 11.♖b1 ♗xd4 12.♔h1 ♘d7 13.♗xf4 ♗b6 14.♕e1 ♗xf3 15.♖xf3 ♘c5 16.♕g3 ♘e6 17.♖bf1 ♕e7 18.♗d2 ♖f8 19.♗xh7 O-O-O 20.♗f5 ♔b8 Lutikov,A (2540)-Ermenkov,E (2520) Jurmala 1978 1-0 (80)

6.♘f3 ♘xe4 7.O-O ♗xc3 8.bxc3 d5 9.♗a3 ♗e6 10.♗d3 g5 11.♘e5 ♘d7 12.♗xe4 dxe4 13.♕h5 h6 14.♖ab1 ♕c7 15.♘xd7 ♕xd7 16.♕e2 f5 17.♖fd1 b5 18.d5 ♗xd5 19.c4 bxc4 20.♕d2 ♔f7 Herud,M (1941)-Schlange,S (2193) Germany 2008 0-1

( Inferior is 6.♗xf4∓) 6...♘xe4 7.O-O (Not 7.♗xf4 d5 8.♗d3 ♕h4 9.g3 ♕h5∓) 7...♘xc3 (7...♘f6 8.♘xf4 d5 9.♗d3⩱) (7...d5!) 8.bxc3 (8.♗xf7 ♔xf7 9.bxc3⩲) 8...♗e7?? simply marches past the door to victory (8...d5 the only rescuing move 9.♗xd5 cxd5 10.cxb4 O-O) 9.♗xf7!!+⁠−9...♔xf7 10.♘xf4 ♔g8 (10...♗f6 does not win a prize 11.♘h5+⁠−) 11.♘h5!11...h6 (11...♕e8 there is nothing else anyway 12.♕e2 h6+⁠−) 12.♕g4!12...♗g5 13.♕e4 ♕e7

13...♗h4 doesn't change the outcome of the game 14.♕g6 ♕e7 15.♗a3 c5 16.♖ae1 ♗f2 17.♖xf2 ♕xe1 18.♖f1 ♕e3 19.♔h1 ♕g5 20.♘f6 ♕xf6 21.♖xf6 d5 22.♕f7 ♔h7 23.♗c1 h5 24.♖h6#

14.♕g6!

14.♕g6 ♗h4 15.♗a3 c5 16.♖ae1 ♗f2 17.♔h1 ♗xe1 18.♘f6 ♕xf6 19.♖xf6 ♗h4 20.♕e8 ♔h7 21.♕e4 ♔g8 22.♕d5 ♔h7 23.♕f5 g6 24.♕xg6#

The Most powerful piece In Chess

Mohanty, Om Prakash - Khan, Shams

Result: 1-0

Site: AICCF

Date: 2012.04.06

This game of mine is one of the finest I have played. This games reminds me of GM Alexander Niktin who once said that the queen is the weakest piece.

[...] 1.e4 d5 2.d4 e6 3.♘c3 ♗b4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 ♗xc3 6.bxc3 ♘e7 7.♕g4 ♕c7 8.♕xg7 ♖g8 9.♕xh7 cxd4 10.♘e2 ♘bc6 11.f4 ♗d7 12.♕d3 dxc3 13.♕xc3 ♘f5 14.♖b1 O-O-O 15.♖g1 d4 16.♕d3 ♘a5 17.g4 ♗a4 18.gxf5 ♗xc2 19.♕b5 ♖xg1 20.♘xg1 ♖d5 21.♕b2 Upto now it was French winawer's theory in my book. Here I wished to change things a bit. (21.♕b4 ♗xf5 22.♗d2 ♗xb1 23.♕xb1⩲) 21...d3 22.♗d2!22...♘b3!? At this point I was going to sacrifce the queen for the sake of central pawn , development and black's king safety. 23.fxe6! This pawn has to be exchanged before the Sac is played. 23...fxe6 24.♕xb3!! A move that has long term goals. 24...♗xb3 25.♖xb3 ♕h7 26.♘f3 ♕e4 27.♔f2 ♖d8 28.h4!28...♔b8 29.♔g3! The Strongest piece as Capa always say. 29...♕c4 30.♖c3 ♕e4 31.h5 a6 32.h6 ♕g6 33.♘g5! Sacrificing the unwanted pawn for the sake of blacks d pawn. 33...♕xh6 34.♗h3 ♖h8 35.♖xd3 ♕g6 36.♖d7 ♕b1 37.♗e3 ♕b3 38.♔f3 ♖e8?39.♖d6 ♕xa3 40.♗xe6 ♕a1 41.♗h3!41...♕h1 42.♗g2□42...♕h5 43.♔f2!43...♕h4 44.♔f1!44...♔c8 45.♖f6!45...♖g8 46.e6!!46...♕h5 47.♗f3! Sets a defending comunity. 47...♕e8 48.♖f7 ♕b5 49.♔g2 ♕c4 50.♔g3!50...♕c3 51.♗xb7 ♔b8 52.♔f3 ♕a1 53.♖d7 ♕h1 54.♔e2!! Aim is to go f5 square. 54...♕h2 55.♔d3 ♕b2 56.♗d4 ♕b1 57.♔e2 ♕b5 58.♔e3 ♕b3 59.♔e4 ♕b4 60.♔f5 Achieved!! 60...♖f8 61.♘f7 a5 62.♗e5 ♔a7 63.♗e4 ♔a6 64.♗d3 ♔b6 65.♗d6 ♔c6 66.♗xb4 axb4 67.♖d8 ♖xd8 68.♘xd8 ♔d6 69.♘b7 ♔e7 70.♔e5 b3 71.f5 ♔e8 72.f6 ♔f8 73.e7 Mate in two. Black resigns.

The Classic Ruy Lopez

The Ruy Lopez is an opening which teaches all the aspects of chess in one single game like maintaining the center, development, direct and indirect pinning, gaining a tempo, closing the centre and attacking the king, wing attack. maneuvering the knights, greek gift, sacrificing at the king to open up and many more. Hence experience in this opening helps to learn chess in many ways.

Prakash, Om (1776) - Van Bommel, Ton (2017)

Result: 1-0

Site: Lechenicher SchachServer

Date: 2011.07.05

[...] 1.e4 e5 2.♘f3 ♘c6 3.♗b5 a6 4.♗a4 ♘f6 5.O-O ♗e7 6.♖e1 b5 7.♗b3 d6 8.c3 O-O 9.h3 ♘a5 10.♗c2 c5 11.d4 cxd4 12.cxd4 ♗b7 13.d5 ♖c8 14.♘bd2 ♕c7 15.♗d3 ♘h5

Relevant: 15...♘d7 16.♘f1 ♘c5 17.b3 f5 18.exf5 ♗f6 19.♗e4 ♕f7 20.♘g3 ♘xe4 21.♘xe4 ♕xd5 22.♗d2 ♘c6 23.♗g5 ♘b4 24.♗xf6 gxf6 25.♘xd6 ♕xd1 26.♖exd1 ♗xf3 27.gxf3 ♖c3 28.a4 ♖xb3 29.axb5 axb5 30.♔h2 ♔g7 31.♖g1 ♔h6 32.♖g4 ♘c6 33.♖ag1 ♔h5 34.♖g7 h6 35.♘e4 ♖xf3 36.♖1g4 1-0 (36) Kramnik,V (2754)-Sokolov,I (2685) Wijk aan Zee 2005

16.♘f1 ♗f6 17.g3 ♕d7 N?

Predecessor: 17...g6 18.♘e3 ♕d7 19.♗d2 ♘c4 20.♘xc4 bxc4 21.♗f1 ♗d8 22.♗h6 ♘g7 23.♖c1 f5 24.♘d2 fxe4 25.♘xe4 ♗b6 26.♖xc4 ♕f5 27.g4 ♗xf2 28.♔h2 ♕d7 29.♖xc8 ♗xc8 30.♖e2 ♗d4 31.♖c2 ♗b7 32.♗c4 ♕d8 33.♕e2 ♗a7 34.♖c3 ♖f7 35.♖f3 ♖xf3 36.♕xf3 ♕b6 37.♘f6 ♔h8 38.♕f1 ♗c8 39.♘e4 ♔g8 40.b3 ♗b7 41.♘g5 ♕f2 42.♕xf2 ♗xf2 43.♘e4 ♗h4 44.♘xd6 ♗a8 45.♘e4 ♔h8 46.♘g5 ♗xg5 47.♗xg5 Figlio,G (2445)-Kitson,K (2549) ICCF email 2004 1-0

18.♘3h2!? 'Setting a trap.' 18...g6 19.♗e2 ♗g7 20.♗xh5! Weakening the pawn structure. ' 20...gxh5 21.b3!21...♕xh3? Losing Valuable time. 22.♘f3!22...♗f6 23.♗d2

23.♗a3!!+⁠−23...♗e7 24.♘e3 f5!?25.exf5 ♖xf5 26.♘xf5 ♕xf5 27.♘xe5!27...♗f6 28.♗xd6 ♖d8 29.♗c7+⁠−

23...♗d8 24.♗b4!24...♕d7 25.♕d2 f5 26.♘g5!26...♔h8 (26...h4!?) 27.♘e6 ♖g8 28.♘xd8 ♕xd8 29.♗xa5 ♕f6 30.exf5 ♕xf5 31.♖ac1 ♕f3 32.♕d1 ♕f7 33.♖xc8 ♖xc8 34.♗b4

34.f4!!34...♕xd5 35.♕xd5 ♗xd5 36.fxe5 dxe5 37.♖xe5 ♗f7 38.♖e7+⁠− Also wins.

34...♖c1!35.♕d3 (35.♕xc1??35...♕xd5) 35...♖xe1 36.♗xe1 ♕xd5 37.♕xd5 ♗xd5 38.♗b4!38...♔g7 39.♘e3 ♗e4 40.♗xd6 ♔f6 41.♔f1 ♗b1 42.a4!42...♗a2 43.axb5 axb5 44.b4 ♔e6 45.♗c7!45...♗b1 46.♔g2 ♗e4 47.♔h3 ♗f3 48.♔h4 h6 49.♗b6 ♔d6 50.♘f5 ♔e6 51.♘g7!!

Taming The Knights!!

It is not a matter of coincidence that all chess world champions were fond of bishops.But there were players who were fond of knights. Like Mikhail Chigorin, Nimzowitch,Morozevitch and many more. Having looking at Chigorin games I now have a fondness on knights. Here is a game in which I very much concentrated on knight moves.

Prakash, Om (1776) - Correa De Almeida, Claudio (1670)

Result: 1-0

Site: Lechenicher SchachServer

Date: 2011.07.04

This game shows the superiority of knights in exploiting fix weaknesess.

[...] 1.e4 c6 2.c3!2...d5 3.e5 ♗f5 4.d4 e6 5.♗d3!?5...♕b6?6.♗xf5!6...exf5 7.♘e2! My Last Book move. Opening always plays a key role in correspondencee chess. After all "Well begun is half done" 7...♘e7 8.O-O ♘d7 (8...♘a6!?9.♕c2 ♘c7 10.♘d2⩲) 9.a4 O-O-O 10.♕d3 c5?11.♘a3!⩲11...c4 12.♕c2!12...a6 13.a5!13...♕b3 14.♕xb3 cxb3 15.♘b1! The starting of cool Knight manouveres. 15...♔c7 16.♘d2 g5 17.♘f3 h6 18.h4!18...gxh4 19.♘xh4 ♖e8 20.♖e1 ♘b8 21.♘f4 ♘bc6 22.♘h5 ♖d8 23.♖e3 b6 24.axb6 ♔xb6 25.♖f3 ♖d7 26.♗d2 ♔b5 27.♘xf5 ♘xf5 28.♖xf5 a5 29.♘f6 ♖d8 30.♘g4 ♖h7 31.♘e3 ♔a6 32.♖f6 ♔b5 33.♘xd5!33...♖xd5 34.c4!34...♔xc4 35.♖xc6 ♔d3 36.♗xa5 ♗e7 37.f3!! Stopping the escape route. 37...♗h4 38.♔f1 ♔e3 39.♗e1 ♖xd4 40.♖c3 ♖d3 41.♖xd3 ♔xd3 42.♗xh4 ♖h8 43.♖c1 ♖a8 44.♖c3 ♔d4 45.♗f6 ♔d5 46.♖xb3 ♖a1 47.♔f2 ♖a8 48.♖b7 ♖f8 49.g4 ♔c6 50.♗g7 ♔xb7 51.♗xf8 ♔c6 52.e6 fxe6 53.♗xh6 Its mate in 15. B;ack resigns.

Long Live The King's Gambit!!

If there is any beautiful opening system then that must be Kings Gambit. Here is one game I played recently at LSS. The positions coming out upto move 11 is out of the understanding of all top engines. May be my opponent relied on hardware and I on brainware so escaped with a win in equal position. Its one of the Hardest Game I have ever played.

Prakash, Om (1776) - Korchut, Adam (1766)

Result: 1-0

Site: Lechenicher SchachServer

Date: 2011.12.12

Now or then I am addicted to Kings Gambit. So I do test few lines. Now or then I am addicted to Kings Gambit. So I do test few lines. This is one of the hardest to check by an engine as they have no Idea Whats happening.

[...] 1.e4 e5 2.f4! The exclamation Mark is for the surprise element. 2...exf4 3.♗c4!!3...♘f6 4.♘c3 c6 5.d4 ♗b4 6.e5!?

6.♘ge2!!6...d5 7.exd5 f3!8.gxf3 ♘xd5 9.O-O O-O 10.♔h1!!10...♗d6 11.♘e4!

6...♘e4 7.♔f1!? A trap. This move was previously tried. So I tried again without knowing there is a refutation.' (7.♕f3!?7...d5!8.exd6 ♘xd6 9.♗d3) 7...♘xc3'!'8.bxc3 ♗xc3 9.♗a3?9...b5?

9...♗xa1??10.♗d6!!10...b5 (10...h5!!) 11.♕g4 g6?12.♕xf4!!12...bxc4?13.♕h6!!13...♕b6□14.♘f3!!14...♕b1 15.♔f2 ♕xc2 16.♔g3 ♗xd4 17.♘xd4 ♕d2 18.♕xd2 h6 19.♕f4 f5 20.exf6 ♔f7 21.♖e1 h5 22.♖e7 ♔f8 23.♖g7 ♔e8 24.f7 ♔d8 25.f8=♕ ♖xf8 26.♕xf8#

9...d5!!10.♗e2

10.exd6 ♗xa1 11.♕xa1 (11.d7 ♕xd7 12.♕xa1 b6!!−⁠+) 11...O-O 12.♘f3 ♗f5 13.♕c1 ♘d7 14.♔f2 ♕a5−⁠+

10...♗xa1 11.♕xa1 ♘d7 12.♘f3 c5−⁠+

10.♗d6!! Bolt from the blue. 10...bxc4?11.♕g4!! Lightning strikes again at the same spot!!. 11...g6??

11...g5??12.♘f3!!12...♗xa1 13.♕f5!!13...h6 14.h4!

12.♕h3!! 'The King of Fail highs and Lows.' 12...♗b4!?

12...♗xa1??13.♕h6!!13...♕b6 14.♘e2□14...♗xd4□15.♘xd4□15...♕xd4□16.♕g7 ♕d1 17.♔f2 ♕xc2 And the King cannot save himself from checks.

13.♗xb4⩱13...d6 14.♕h6 c5 15.♗a3 ♘a6 16.♘f3 ♗e6 17.♕g7 ♖f8 18.exd6 ♕xd6 19.dxc5 ♘xc5 20.♖b1 ♔d7??21.♔e2!! Activates the rook.' 21...♖g8 22.♕c3!22...♘a4?23.♖b7!! The game is lost from now on. The tactics involved play a vital role.' 23...♔e8 24.♕f6!24...♕xa3 25.♖e1!25...♕f8 26.♘g5!26...♘c5 27.♖xf7!! 'In the Spirit of Kings Gambit.' 27...♗xf7 28.♕c6 ♔d8 29.♖d1 ♘d3 30.♕xa8!30...♔d7 31.♕xa7 ♔c6 32.♕a6! 'Not Nxf7!?. Before we play that move the King must be cornered.' 32...♔d7 33.♕b7 ♔e8 34.♕c6 ♔e7 35.♕e4 ♔d6 36.cxd3! ' The plan of 32. Qa6+' 36...♕e8 37.♘xf7 ♕xf7 38.dxc4 ♔c7 39.♕e5 ♔c8 40.♖b1 f3 41.♔f2'!'41...♕a7 42.c5 ♖d8 43.♕e6 ♖d7 44.♖b6'!'44...♔d8 45.gxf3 '(.)' 45...♖d2 46.♔e3 ♖d1 47.♔e2 ♖d4 48.a4 h5 49.♕e5 ♖d7 50.♖b8 ' Its mate in 14. Black resigns. One of my best games.'