Introduction by Tansel Turgut

Correspondence chess is ideal for people who would like to have a cup of coffee while they are analyzing their favorite game. It is also ideal for people who have a busy professional life and do not have time to go to tournaments. It is also healthier and one doesn't get the usual OTB tournament stress! .

The most common time control for correspondence chess is 60 days for 10 moves. Usually correspondence chess is played by e-mail now. The games are played at an extremely high level. According to my experience, a 2000 USCF rated player can play correspondence chess at 2300-2500 rating level easily, when he has all the reference, opening books, a lot of time to think and has access to strong computer programs. Most of the serious players use books, magazines, and websites for research. They also use strong computer programs (Fritz, Junior, Shredder, etc) for analysis. It is extremely difficult to win against a strong player who is also good with chess programs. One has to complicate, and be ready to risk losing by making positional or material sacrifices. But one also has to be in boundaries of a draw while taking a risk; otherwise the materialistic chess programs will find the only way to escape! Most games take between 6-18 months. Even though 6 days a move seems to be very slow, in reality, I have difficulty getting my moves ready in even such a time control! Sometimes I play 5-6 moves in a day, but depending on the position, I may take 30 days for a single move. Time can be accumulated as in regular tournament chess. I would strongly recommend correspondence chess to people who are interested in finding the truth in a position, and trying to improve their chess.

It would improve openings, positional understanding, and better use of computers for analysis would improve tactics. It is also great for people who hate getting into time trouble!

The best site for correspondence chess is www.iccf.com. I would recommend playing in an e-mail tournament and giving it a try.

Tansel Turgut (2269)
Angel Santos Serrano (2399)
EM/MN/051 ICCF Master Norm Tournament ICCF
Nimzo-Indian: Classical (Adorjan), E32

Notes by Ben Finegold (BF) and Tansel Turgut (TT)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2

BF: The 4.Qc2 is called the Classical or the Capablanca variation, and is my favorite!

TT: Even though I also like playing this variation with White, I believe that White falls significantly behind in development. I think that the lines with an early c5! are the best variations for Black.

4...0–0 5.a3

BF: This is the popular choice. I play the less common 5.Nf3, and used to play 5.Bg5.

5...Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 b6 7.Bg5 Bb7 8.f3

BF: Almost all Nimzo-Indians are concerned with the fight for the e4-square, and this game is no exception.

8...h6 9.Bh4 d5 10.e3 Nbd7 11.Nh3 Rc8 12.c5 bxc5 13.dxc5 c6 14.Bd3N

BF: This is the first move I cannot find in my database. Previously, White played 14.Bg3 with about a 50% score in the few games with this variation. This natural move is obviously fine, and is a nice improvement by Tansel.

TT: This is a novelty. The usual move is Bg3 in this position. However, I didn't understand why White should move his excellent bishop. Bg3 prevents Ne4 but, there is no reason for White to prevent it. With the text after 14...Ne4, White obtains the two bishops and gets a superior end game.

14...a5

BF: Black wants to stop White from building up on the queenside with b4. At least if White does that later on, Black can trade his isolated a-pawn.

TT: This move deserves an “!”. Positionally, it is a very strong move. Black's has a good plan: he will play Ra8, and then Ba6 and exchange the white-squared bishops. Then the rooks will come to the open b-file and exert strong pressure on White's queenside. Black also has an extra center pawn and stronger central control. This position is the most critical position in the whole game. In every game, there a couple of critical points in which immediate action is necessary. At this point, I sensed that if I continued to play normally, soon I would be positionally lost. I thought for two weeks and found a strong plan. This is the positional evaluation: The game is, in fact, in dynamic equilibrium. Black has a static advantage (the plan mentioned above) but White has a dynamic advantage (kingside attacking plan). Now I found a move that none of the strong computer programs were able to find: 15.g4!. The advantage of human vs. computer thought is that human can sense the critical point(s) of the game and find a move that can affect the outcome of the game significantly. If White didn't play g4, I believe that I would be in serious trouble.

15.g4!

BF: A very aggressive move putting a lot of pressure on Black. White has two bishops and Black has a passive Bb7, so White goes on the attack.

15...Ra8?!

BF: Too slow. Black defends the a5 pawn so the Qd8 can move freely...but this is not stopping White's attack.

TT: Ben thought that this move was questionable, but he didn't give an alternative. I think that it is Black's best move in this position. Black continues with his plan. He tries to exchange the bishops, (neutralizing White's two bishop advantage) and he will also try to seek counterplay on the b-file now. I gave an exclamation mark to this move (15...Ra8) during the game. The alternatives are 15...e5, 15...Qe7, 15...Ne4, and 15...Re8. Of these alternatives, 15...Qe7 is probably the best line: 15...Qe7 16.Rc1 e5 17.Bf5 d4 18.Qd2 (18.Qxa5 is dangerous for White: 18...Rfd8 19.0–0 dxe3 20.Bxf6 Nxf6! 21.Bxc8 Bxc8 22.Rfd1 Nd5 23.Qe1 f5) 18...Rfd8 19.0–0 dxe3 20.Qxe3 Nxg4 21.Qe1 Ngf6 22.f4 Ba6 23.Rf3 Rb8 24.Re3; 15...e5 16.Bf5; 15...Re8 16.g5.

16.g5!

TT: 16.Bg3 e5!÷ 17.Bxe5 Nxe5 18.Qxe5 Re8 19.Qd4 Nd7 20.Ke2 Ne5 21.Nf2.

16...hxg5™

TT: This is the only move.

16...Nh5 and 16...Ne8 are answered by 17.Qd4!: 16...Nh5 17.Qd4! e5 18.Qg4 or 16...Ne8 17.Qd4! e5 18.Qg4 hxg5 19.Nxg5 Nef6 20.Bh7+ Kh8 21.Qh3 Qe7 22.Bf5 Kg8 23.Nh7.

17.Nxg5 Qc7

TT: Alternatives are 17..Ba6 and 17...e5: 17...Ba6 18.Nh7 Bxd3 19.Nxf8 Qxf8 20.Qxd3 Nxc5 21.Qc3 Nfd7 22.0–0 a4 and Black does not have enough compensation. 17...e5 18.Nh7 Re8 (18...Ne4 19.Bxd8 Nxc3 20.Nxf8 Nxc5 21.Bc2 Rxd8 22.Ng6) 19.Rg1.

18.Bg3 e5

White to Move

19.Qc2!

TT: This is a very important move. White is not fully developed, but he spends another move improving the position of his queen and bishop! He has to play Rg1 and 0–0–0. The text allows Bf5 and prevents the bishop exchange; it also prepares Qg2 and Qh3, if allowed. In some variations, Bf5 g6, may be answered by Bxg6, of course.

19...a4

TT: 19...Ba6 20.Bh7+ Kh8 21.Bf5.

20.0–0–0

TT: 20.Bh7+ Kh8 21.Bf5 is also playable.

20...Qa5?

BF: This is clearly incorrect. Better was 20...Ra5 with counterplay. Now Tansel cleverly snuffs out the attack on his c5 pawn.

TT: Even after 20...Ra5, White still has a very strong attack and is probably winning. 20...Ra5 21.Kb1 Rxc5 22.Bh7+ Kh8 23.Qf5 Bc8 24.Qh3 Nb6 25.Qh4 Qe7 26.Rhg1 Nbd7 27.Be1 Rc4 28.f4+-.

21.Nh7! Rfe8

TT: 21...e4 22.Nxf6+ Nxf6 23.fxe4 Ba6 24.exd5 Nxd5 25.Be1 Qc7 26.Rg1 Bxd3 27.Qxd3 Qe5. 21...Qxc5! is the best defense. The endgame is won for White, but Black can put up some resistance. 22.Qxc5 Nxc5 23.Nxf8 Nxd3+ 24.Rxd3 Re8 25.Bh4 Kxf8 26.Bxf6 gxf6.

22.Nxf6+

TT: 22.Rhg1 is also strong.

22...Nxf6

TT: Even though it is ugly, 22...gxf6 is the only move here.

23.Be1!

TT: Preparing to sacrifice c-pawn and planning to place the bishop at c3. 23.Rhg1.

23...Qa7 24.Rg1 Ba6 25.Bf5 Reb8 26.Bc3

BF: This pawn sacrifice strengthens White's attack. Now White's bishop is on the powerful a1–h8 diagonal.

26...Qxc5 27.Rde1 Qe7

TT: 27...Rb7 28.Rxg7+!? Kxg7 29.Rg1+ Kh8 (29...Kf8 30.Bb4) 30.Qf2 Nh7 31.Bxh7 Rxb2 32.Qh4 Qxe3+ (32...Qxc3+ 33.Bc2#) 33.Kxb2 Rb8+ 34.Kc2 Qe2+ 35.Bd2 Qc4+ 36.Qxc4 Bxc4 37.Bf5 f6.

28.Qg2 Ne8 29.Qh3 Qd6

TT: 29...g6 30.Bxg6 fxg6 31.Rxg6+ Ng7 32.Reg1 Ra7 33.Rh6. 29...Qf6 is the only move: 30.f4 Bc8 31.Qh7+ Kf8 32.Bxc8 Rxc8 33.Bxe5 Qe6 34.e4 f6 35.Bc3 Qg8.

30.f4!

BF: Black is helpless to stop White's attack. A brutal display of the two bishops and an open g-file attacking the king.

30...e4

White to Move

31.Rxg7+! Nxg7 32.Rg1 d4 33.Bxd4 Kf8 34.Bxg7+ Ke7 35.Qh4+ Ke8 36.Bc3 1–0

BF: A nice attacking game, which began with the excellent plan of 15.g4!

TT: This was a fun game to play. I had to find two key moves (15.g4 and 19.Qc2) the rest was very easy.