Play Chess Openings: Black Lion Defence Zilbermints

Sunday, May 1, 2022

Black Lion Defence Zilbermints

Lev Zilbermints sent me this game from the West Orange Chess Club Championship. Lev found himself playing Black in a must-win situation. This Old Indian Defence involved a popular version of the Black Lion (typically vs 1.e4). White had an expected space advantage, but Zilbermints developed enough counterplay to turn the tables and gain a winning advantage.

My English Tactics book (1.c4) has 500 combinations and checkmates.

My Checkmate Tactics book has the best 500 chess opening mates.
My Combination Tactics book has the best 500 ways to win material.

Radomskyj – Zilbermints, West Orange CC Ch g/60, 26.04.2022 begins 1.c4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nbd7 4.e4 e5 5.Be2 [Most players choose 5.Nf3 to take on d4 with the knight. White enjoys a space advantage.] 5...exd4 6.Qxd4 c6 [Reasonable alternatives are 6...Nc5; or 6...Be7.] 7.Be3 [Again 7.Nf3 is a good move, but White has a different setup in mind.] 7...Nc5 8.f3 a5 9.g4 Be7 10.h4 h6 11.Nh3 Ne6 12.Qd2 Qc7 13.0–0–0

[This is typical of a postion I might play as White.] 13...Nc5 14.Nf2 Nfd7 15.f4 b6 16.Bd4 Rg8 17.g5 hxg5 18.hxg5 Ne6 19.Be3 Bb7 20.Rh7 [Or 20.Bg4 and White stands better.] 20...Ndf8 21.Rh3 0–0–0 22.f5 Nc5 23.Bd4 Nfd7 24.Qf4 f6 25.gxf6 [25.g6 is tempting.] 25...gxf6 26.Kb1 Ne5 27.Rh7 Rh8 28.Rdh1 Rxh7 29.Rxh7 Rd7 30.Qh6 [White might try 30.Ng4] 30...Bd8 31.Rh8 [31.Rxd7 with equal chances avoids the knight fork on f7.] 31...Nf7 32.Qxf6 Nxh8 33.Qxh8 Rh7 34.Qf8 [Maybe 34.Qg8] 34...Qe7 35.Qxe7 Bxe7 36.f6 Bf8 37.Bg4+ Kc7 38.Bf5 Rh2 39.e5 Bc8 40.Bxc8 Kxc8 41.Ng4 [Or 41.exd6 Bxd6 and Black stands better.] 41...Rh1+ 42.Kc2 Rh4 43.Bxc5 bxc5 44.Ne3 dxe5 45.Kd3 Rd4+ 46.Ke2 Kd7 47.Kf3 Rf4+ [Black is up the Exchange and wears down his opponent.] 48.Ke2 Ke6 49.b3 Kxf6 50.Na4 Rh4 51.Ng2 Rh1 52.Nc3 Ke6 53.Ne1 Be7 54.Nd3 Rh2+ 55.Kf3 Rc2 56.Ne4 Rxa2 57.Nexc5+ Bxc5 58.Nxc5+ Kf5 59.Ke3 Ra3 60.Kd2 e4 61.Kc3 Ra1 62.Kd4 Rd1+ 63.Ke3 Re1+ 64.Kd2 Rh1 65.Ke3 Rh3+ 66.Ke2 Ke5 67.Nb7 Kd4 68.Nxa5 Rh2+ 69.Ke1 Ke3 70.Kd1 Kd3 71.Kc1 e3 72.Nxc6 Rc2+ 73.Kb1 Rh2 74.Nb4+ Kc3 75.Nd5+ Kxb3 76.Nxe3 Rh1+ 0–1