Games and Lessons Archives

A famous chess game that was recorded back in 1750 in Paris France and played by Kermur Sire De Legal is a short game that shows the importance of bringing out pieces instead of making too many pawn moves at the wrong time. This games tactical pattern can be seen in other openings and games and stems from the idea of unpinning or "breaking" the pin of a piece.

It is interesting to note that De Legal was possibly the first professional chess player and frequented the very famous Cafe De La Regence in France. One of his students was the very famous Francois Andre Philidor who said at one point that "pawns are the soul of chess".

For a little more detailed write-up and some variations on the famous attack you can visit Legal's Sacrifice on the chess wiki.

The first recorded occurrence of De Legal's trap stems from these moves:

1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 d6
3. Bc4 Bg4
4. Nc3 g6
5. Nxe5 Bxd1 (5... dxe5 6. Qxg4)
6. Bxf7+ Ke7
7. Nd5#

Sit back relax and enjoy my first video lesson!

I plan on producing several short games like this to start assembling YouTube content. My hope is that these videos will find the eyes of fresh players who are looking to build an interest in chess!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z6qJRPkLJA&hl=en_US&fs=1&]

I tried everything to post this in some of the cool new technology available out there, but that battle got the best of me tonight. Next time I will try to provide a pgn viewer to make it easier for your benefit. On the other hand I did include some diagrams and the annotation for a game that I played with GM Larry Evans who is the only resident grandmaster in Reno NV where I currently live.

This game was played before the Far West Open at the Sands Regency in Reno 2006. GM Evans was giving a 23 board simultaneous exhibition and I didn’t want to miss an opportunity to play with the legend who befriended Bobby Fischer and was U.S. Champion five times over. Before the game I had recalled seeing a game in the Dutch Stonewall that held Larry to a draw, so I decided to use the opening for my game.

1. c4 f5 2. Nc3 e6 3. d4 Nf6 4. g3 c6 5. Bg2 d5 6. Qd3 Bd6 7. Nh3 O-O
8. O-O Bd7 9. Bf4

White’s move #7 made the game a little more interesting because I expected Nf3. For black to capture the bishop is not a good idea because that would help the knight maneuver to better squares with a threat and make time to fix the knight situation for white.

Be8 10. cxd5 cxd5 11. Rac1 a6 12. f3 Bc6 13. Rfe1 Nh5 14. Bxd6 Qxd6 15. f4

15. e4 changes the game drastically and really proves that the Bc6 will act like a pawn for most of the game. The actual move that was played in the game makes it easier for black to remain in a locked Stonewall.

Nf6 16. e3 Nbd7 17. Nf2 Ne4 18. Nfxe4 dxe4 19. Qe2 Nf6 20. Rc2 Nd5

Doubling rooks on the c-file was a better immediate idea. Blacks mentality here is to keep the locked structure and trade anything that makes a threat. If white ever plans to make any chipping moves at the queenside pawns, he would either still be forced to trade rooks or concede control of the open file. Black is looking for ways to get rid of all the pieces on the board so assume a draw.

21. a3 Qd7 22. Nxd5 Bxd5 23. Rec1 Rac8 24. Bf1 b5 25. Qd2 Bb7 26. Qb4 Rxc2 27. Rxc2 Rc8 28. Rxc8+ Qxc8 29. Qe7 Bd5 30. b4 h6 31. Qc5 Qc6 32. Kf2 Kf7 33. Ke1 g5 1/2-1/2

The final position, as well as others that led to this, show the importance of pawn structure and how to use it to formulate plans. I believe that GM Evans would have preferred a much more open game where he could try to outplay me with pieces, so my idea was to keep a very locked game. However, everything would have been quite different with 15. e4.

Games and Lessons

De Legal’s Mate

Larry Evans, a Simultaneous Game