Playing the board, not the piece. An example of playing the lines and squares.

In my first games on Chessmaniac I played against some fine new players. Here is a player whose elo was listed as 13xx, but he played at a much higher level!

The Game is a Morra Gambit, accepted. When I first played chess I preferred open games, so I played 1. e4. I was usually met with e5. In time, as my level grew and my opponents became stronger, I began to increasingly meet 1. e4 with c5, the Sicilian. Soon, the Sicilian was being played against me in more than 50% of my games. The problem I faced was in trying to learn all of the lines and variations. The Sicilian has more lines and variations than any other chess opening I know! I felt it would take me years to learn to play against it effectively. I eventually learned that this is typical, and it caused me to develop a particular repertoire in order to continue my growth as a player.

In developing that repertoire, I needed a weapon against the Sicilian, something to take Black out of his favorite variations and into a line with which he may not be at home. I found the Morra. (It was originally called the Morphy Gambit!) I liked it because it gave me a lasting initiative, it took my opponent out of his pet line, it was a violently attacking offense, and it was not known well by most players. I call the Morra the “Anti-Sicilian”, and play it routinely against the Sicilian, as you can see from my games. It normally generates a fine queenside attack, with open lines.

Playing white in the Morra, it is essential to focus on certain lines and squares. I will help focus on them during this discussion of the game.

Now, to the game, keep your eye on the board, not on the pieces. Note that the emphasis is not on moves, it is on maintaining an initiative and improving the board in favor of White:

White Black
alfredjwood deep56

1. e4 c5 The Sicilian! A fine defense!
2. d4 … The Morra Gambit.
2. … cxd4 The Morra Gambit Accepted.
3. c3 dxc3
4. Nxc3 … Let’s take our first look at the situation: White has a knight developed, and open lines for his two bishops and queen. Black has a pawn.



4. … e6 The two major continuations for black are e6 or d6, e6 is played most often.
5. Nf3 Nc6 Normal.
6. Bc4 …

Let’s look at this, a typical position:



White has developed both knights and a bishop, his remaining bishop and his queen can develop in one move each. He holds d5! d5 is one of the critical squares in this opening. Black’s d-pawn is backward, allowing d5 as an outpost or pivot point for white. Black has developed one knight.

6. … a6 This is a necessary move, but it is premature. Black is behind in development and should attend to his development first. In the Morra the key squares are usually on the queenside: d5, b5, and e5. Other squares which become important with normal development are b6 and c7. White will be playing to control the key squares. This move, a6, disputes the key square b5, but it may be premature.
7. Qe2 … The queen must come to e2 or c2 in order to vacate d1 for the occupation of the kings rook after castling. White’s two rooks will play to control the open c and d files. In similar positions, Qe2 is correct unless there is good reason for Qc2.
7. … d6 This is a typical position in this opening. Black is playing the opening well.
8. 0-0 … The first step in bringing the rook to the important e-file, where it will pin the black e-pawn against the black queen.
8. … Be7 A developing move, but perhaps Nf6 is stronger, disputing d5 and attacking e4.
9. Rd1 … The rook seizes the d-file, pinning the black d-pawn against his queen.



9. … b5 This is the first inaccuracy by black. Still, it is often played by strong players. White now has a target on the key square b5.
10. Bb3 Qc7 This is a good square for the black queen. The pin on the d-file is relieved and the queen is developed.
11. Bf4 … This develops the bishop, and pins the black d-pawn against the queen on the b8-h2 diagonal!



11. … Bb7 Black brings the queens bishop into play, striking at d5 should the c6 knight move. In the game Whitby vs. Basman in 1962 (Whitby was the Under-18 British champion), Black played Ne5 and subsequently lost the game. The square d5 must be contested because of its importance.
12. Rac1 … This is a typical position of the white pieces in this opening. Let’s look at it:



Whites pieces are all active. The rooks hold the c and d files, bishop, knight, rook and pawn hold d5, bishop and knight dispute e5. Queen and knight dispute b5. All critical squares are covered by white. Black’s position looks solid, but appearances are deceiving.

12. … e5 A typical move. Black must try to gain some center. Unfortunately, it results in a backward pawn on d6, and removes a defender from e5!
13. Nd5 … With this move, white occupies the outpost d5. This occupation restricts blacks options, and the knight strikes at important squares in the black position. Except as a defender of the castled position, a knight is normally offensively weaker than a bishop when it is on the first three ranks, but a knight becomes stronger than a bishop when it reaches the fifth rank! An outpost for the knight on the fifth or sixth ranks is highly desirable.
13. … Qd8 The queen returns to the home square. White has gained tempo from this double Queen move.
14. Be3 … Joining the knight on the strike on b6.
14. … Rc8 Disputing the c-file.
15. a4 … Beginning an attack on b5. Remember, this is a critical square in this opening.

15. … Nf6 The knight comes into play, disputing d5 and attacking e4.
16. axb5 … Beginning the attack on the queenside with the assault on the key square.
16. … Na5
17. bxa6 … Continuing the assault.
17. … Nxb3
18. Qb5+ … The beginning of the end. White controls the critical lines and squares. Let’s look at the position:



18. … Qd7
19. axb7 Nxc1
20. Nxf6 Bxf6
21. bxc8(Q)+

An example of the need to see the board, not the piece: to play the board, not the piece.
My compliments and appreciation to Deep56 for an interesting and enjoyable game!
Al
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