Street Smart Chess in action – Guest Post by GM Axel Smith

In Street Smart Chess, model players teach how to play against opponents of different strengths. The chapters do inevitably clash against each other. If one of the players want to create a tactical game and the other a boring game, both can’t succeed. The question is who manages best. A few days ago, David Navara mentioned that he will play Baskaran Adhiban in Mr. Dodgy Invitational. It was a test for both of them, as Navara’s chapter in Street Smart was beating lower rated opponents, and Adhiban’s was beating higher rated opponents. This time both could succeed with their intentions: winning games. After eleven games, they had played only one draw, with Navara winning 6,5–4,5. But did they follow their own advice? Let’s examine one win each.
David Navara (2697) – Baskaran Adhiban (2660)
MrDodgy Invitational 2 (1.7), 12.05.2021
Axel Smith
1.c4 g6 2.Nf3 Bg7 3.d4 Nf6 4.g3 0–0 5.Bg2 d6 6.0–0 Nc6 7.Nc3 Bd7 8.b3 e5 9.d5 Nb8 10.e4 a5 11.Ne1 Na6 12.Nd3 b6 13.Bg5 h6 14.Be3?!
Inviting Black’s next move.
14…Ng4 15.Bd2 f5

Adhiban first step in the ideal attacking game is to “strive for a pawn structure where it’s possible to throw pawns at the opponent’s king at a later stage.” King’s Indian is a good choice doing that.
Read more…
Recent Comments