Chess in Amsterdam: beer and a board

"Chess in Amsterdam: beer and a board" is the concluding part of Paul Dargan's report on his recent trip to Amsterdam. I lived in Amsterdam for a year, and reading Paul's articles am wondering why on earth I didn't play any chess over there. Anyway, over to Paul:

I have fond memories of playing in chess cafes on previous trips [to Amsterdam] such as Gambit. Unfortunately the proprietor passed away and the venue has been closed for a couple of years now. However, there is a new venue "De Laurierboom” (the laurel tree) that I wanted to check-out. I knew that Saturday is a bad day to find chess players in Holland as national league matches take place – but I walked to the café anyway in the hope of finding a game.

There were half a dozen people in the relatively small venue and although no-one was actually playing at 16:00 several were reading chess books or magazines (of which there was a plentiful supply). The atmosphere was very relaxed and I ordered a coffee from the bar – stronger options are available, there are six beers on tap!

I was easily able to get a game and must particularly thank Folker van Dorp for his hospitality as he steadfastly refused to let me buy a round of beers as we played 7 minute blitz. I also appreciated the way he adhered to the implicit rule of not playing the same line twice so after e4 c5 Nf3 e6 d4 cd c3 he felt obliged to take on c3 (rather than playing his normal choice d5) to avoid repeating a previous game. [Roger: check Paul's notes on a trap in the Morra Gambit]

Time flew by until Folker needed to meet his wife after a hard days shopping and I had to head to the airport. It was 19:00 and the café was beginning to fill-up. I guess there were 20 people now gathered round 4 boards and apparently it gets busier as people return from their league matches. Overall a very pleasant few hours in good company – heartily recommended if you find yourself with time in Amsterdam.

Paul Dargan

Chess in Amsterdam: books

As well as being a strong over the board chess player and a former British correspondence chess champion, Paul Dargan is also 'fortunate' enough to be able to jet around the world in the name of work.

Earlier this week, Paul shared a line in the Morra Gambit with us. Today he contributes a couple of posts about the chess scene in Amsterdam:

Recently my work took me to Holland and I had the opportunity to spend some personal time in Amsterdam. I lived in Holland for a year or so back in 1991 and remember the lively chess scene. Leiden, the city I lived, in had 7 (yes seven!) chess clubs then and the one I joined (LSG) had over 100 members. So in a city famed for its museums, red light district and euphemistically named “coffee shops” – what attractions are there for a chess player on a rainy day in Amsterdam?

I always like to have a look for interesting chess books that might not be readily available in the UK, and of course Holland has New In Chess publishing – as well as access to German publications so there were always likely to be a few gems to unearth.

So I headed for “het paard” (the knight) on Haarlemmerdijk (basically come out of central station, turn right and keep going). They have a good selection of books and software for chess, bridge, go, poker and backgammon – plus a wide range of boardgames. Ignoring the ubiquitous Gambit and Everyman books that I can get at home, my attention was caught by a couple of NIC publications that I hadn’t seen in the UK, that focus on very different styles of play.

“On the Attack" by Timman is a collection of attacking games by top players (Kasparov, Shirov, Topalov, Anand, Short, Polgar together with some less obvious choices) and instructive game fragments to illustrate both typical and unusual ideas. Browsing in the shop I recognised a fair proportion of the games from other sources (over a quarter) but the commentary and analysis were well balanced and I believe the book would be both entertaining and useful to players from average club players up to 2200, with great material in the second part for trainers and coaches.

“Endgame Virtuoso: Anatoloy Karpov” by Kirolyi does what it says on the tin. There are over 100 of Karpov’s endgames, presented in full – which allows readers to see the transition from opening to middlegame to endgame. Relatively light notes on the early stages of the games (except where key concessions are made that will impact on the ensuing ending) and what looked like pretty comprehensive analysis of the endings. A thematic index allows you to look-up endings that demonstrate particular techniques.

Eventually I felt that I had browsed long enough – and I really ought to buy something or leave the shop. Reviewing my Euro supply and doing a quick calculation of the rail fare to the airport, lunch and beer requirements I could afford only one of the two….those familiar with my play will have no difficulty in guessing which I chose.

They also have a wide range of second hand books available – in particular game collections of Keres and Bronstein caught my eye, so if you get there quick they might still be in stock.

Paul Dargan

Sicilian Morra Gambit: The Siberian Trap

Paul Dargan has sent me this interesting post on a clever trap that can net Black an early point in the Morra Gambit. It's worth learning the pattern: it came up in one of my Internet blitzes this morning, from a game that started as a Benoni.

Paul got a chance to re-analyse the trap on a recent trip to Amsterdam, about which we'll post more later.

"We had fun messing around analysing a line of the Morra gambit that was becoming popular round about the time I stopped playing seriously in the early nineties – that can lead to some quick points against an unwary White. This line didn’t have a name back then, I discovered it in a copy of the excellent, but now defunct, “Inside Chess”. Now it seems to be known as the “Siberian Trap” or “Novosibirsk” variation. [ed: "Inside Chess" was a publication from Yasser Seirawan. It moved online when the print version ceased, and then to a annotated game column on ChessCafe.com. You can pick up back issues of the magazine on Amazon's US site: amazon.com]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.c3 dxc3 5.Nxc3 Nc6 6.Bc4 Qc7 7.Qe2 Nf6 8.0–0

All very typical Morra Gambit moves, that White often bashes out without too much thought

8... Ng4





















But what's this? Isn't Black meant to curl up and defend, trying to win with his extra pawn?

9.h3?? (or Bb3, Bg5, etc) 9... Nd4!–+

and Black is going to net the White Queen for two minor pieces due to the mate threat on h2.

Those interested in adding this line to their repertoire need to look at some of White’s more aggressive options – but note that Ng4 isn’t just a cheapo, the idea of moving the Knight to e5 to exchange one of White’s attacking minor pieces is positionally sound too. You do of course need to do some homework, I would suggest looking at:

9.Nb5 (Nd5 also gets played sometimes) Qb8 10.h3 h5 11.g3 from the diagram.

Or earlier deviations by White, especially 8.e5 Ng4 9.Bf4 d5 (f6?! Has a worse reputation) 10.Bd3 when both Bb4 and Nb4 are worth investigation."

Paul Dargan

Knocked out!

Our campaign in the summer chess cup came to an in-glorious end last night when we were knocked out by Jesmond.

Based on the handicap system, a 3-1 result would have seen us through, and things were looking bright when they defaulted on bottom board and Paul Dargan worked his customary magic (more later) to quickly put us 2-0 up.

It then became a tale of two positions that on face of it appeared good for us, but where deeper inspection revealed considerable difficulties:











I'm playing White in the left hand position. I'd messed up a good situation from the opening, and then went in for this position thinking that with Black's knight 'offside' on h5 and queen 'out of the game' on b2, I would still be able to drum up some winning tries. It turns out though that both the queen and knight (controlling g3 and h4) are well positioned, and that White has considerable difficulties, e.g. after Rb1 Qd2, Black is threatening Qe3+, meanwhile Black's a8 rook is threatening to join the game with tempo. Unbelievably White is probably losing already; after 18 minutes thought I found one of the quickest ways:

1 Qb3?? Rxe2 0-1

So, with the score 2-1, Darren Laws had to win his game (right hand position). He's a pawn up but it looks difficult to win: after

1 ... Rb2 (correction, I'd initially posted Rb1+); 2 Nf1 (as 2 Rd3 loses to Rxd2; 3 Rxd2 Nf3+)

You suddenly realise it's even worse than that: White has no constructive moves and can only sit and wait for Black to improve his position. Desperately short of time and needing to win, Darren eventually sacrificed 2 pawns to break his king out of the prison, but the ending was then lost and the flag fall put both Darren and our team out of its misery!

On a happier note, let's finish with Paul Dargan's win. Playing a Sveshnikov as Black, he's generated a typical sicilian counter-attack, reaching this position after White's 17th move:











Here Paul played 17 ... Rc8! and after

18 Kf1? Rxc3! had a crushing attack. The game finished 19 h3 Rxd3!; 20 c3 Be2+; 21 Kel Rxc3! (sacrificing the same rook for the third time!); 22 fe Rc2; 23 f4 Qxd2+; 24 Kf2 Bd3 mate

Analysis shows that White had no good defence after 17 ... Rc8!, Paul gives a variation in ending a beautiful smothered mate if White tries 18 Be2:

18 ... Bxe2; 19 Nxe2 Nf3+; 20 Kf1 Nxd2+; 21 Ke1 Nf3+; 22 Kf1 Qe1+; 23 Rxe1 Nd2 mate: