Taking Risks
Submitted by WGM Natalia_Pogonina on Mon, 07/19/2010 at 11:56pm.
Sometimes during a game we have to make a decision: to risk or not to risk? Let me explain. “Risking” means choosing a continuation which is not necessarily the strongest objectively, but may either make your position worse or, if the other player fails to react correctly, lead to success. Also, risk can be forced (i.e. there is nothing else to do) or unforced (when there is a choice). The former can also be divided into justified (when the position is prone to taking risks) and unjustified (when there are no real reasons for risk-taking).Let’s talk about all these types of risking in detail:
1. Forced risk. Connected with tournament situation. Sometimes one needs a win and a win only (e.g. in a knock-out event after a loss), and the game is likely to end in a draw. In this case one should take a risk. That doesn’t mean giving all your pieces away, starting to play like a madman, but choosing the continuation which requires your opponent to make a difficult decision. That could be a tricky sacrifice, deviating from exchanging pieces and simplifying the position, etc. The risk is that these actions may put you on the verge of losing. However, if you don't risk, a draw will happen, and that’s equal to a loss under some circumstances.
2. Unforced risk. In some positions one doesn’t really have to risk, but he/she may want to opt for it for some reasons.
• Justified risk. Sometimes your position is gradually getting worse, and if the trend continues, you are likely to lose. Here you have to make a decision: try to do your best to defend accurately and hope that your opponent will play inaccurately, or go all-in, change the course of the game, complicate the position. However, you should keep in mind that it is acceptable only if the defensive resources of the position are rather poor. Otherwise, you may want to try to save it without risking.
• Unjustified risk. All of us catch the Morphy spirit from time to time and want to risk without any reasons. Objectively speaking, if your position is ok or just a bit worse, it doesn’t make sense to risk a lot. Please keep in mind that we are not talking about a brave and positionally justified attack, but about trying to artificially change the course of the game, spice things up.
When choosing whether to risk or not to risk, one should take into consideration lots of factors: the evaluation of the position, tournament situation, time, your opponent’s style, your own chess shape, etc. If there are more pros than cons, go ahead. Also, intuition is a good advisor (at least for me) in such situations. In time trouble, when the decision has to be made quickly, having the right hunch is critical. Don’t be afraid to take risks, but keep your head cool!
Now let's get back to the games I played at the Mulhouse-2010-GM event and see how one should not take risks:
Stojanovic, M. (2577) vs. Pogonina, N. (2501)
- | Round 3.3| 3 Jul 2010 | ECO: E14 | 1-0
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. e3 Be7 5. b3 O-O 6. Bb2 b6 7. Nc3 Bb7 8. Bd3 Nbd7 9. O-O c5 10. Qe2 Rc8 11. cxd5 exd5 12. Rfd1 Bd6?! ( 12... Qc7 ) 13. Ba6 ( 13. dxc5 bxc5 14. Bc4 Nb6 ( 14... dxc4 15. Rxd6 cxb3 16. axb3 ) ( 14... Bxh2+ 15. Nxh2 dxc4 16. Qxc4 ) 15. Ba6 Rb8 ( 15... Qe7 16. Bxb7 Qxb7 17. Nb5 Ne4 18. Nd2 Bb8 19. Nxe4 dxe4 20. a4 ) ( 15... Bxa6 16. Qxa6 Bb8 ( 16... Qe7 17. Nb5 Bb8 18. Bxf6 Qxf6 19. Nxa7 ) 17. a4 ) 16. Bxb7 Rxb7 17. Rac1 ) 13... Bxa6 14. Qxa6 c4? ( 14... cxd4 15. Nxd4 Nc5 16. Qe2 Qd7 17. Qf3 Nce4 18. Nxd5 Bxh2+ 19. Kxh2 Qxd5 20. Kg1 ) 15. Rac1? ( 15. Qxa7 Qe7 16. bxc4 ( 16. Qb7 Rb8 17. Qc6 Rfc8 18. Qb5 Ra8 19. bxc4 ( 19. Nxd5? Nxd5 20. Qxd5 Ra5 ) 20... dxc4 20. Qf5 Bb4 ) 17... Ra8 17. Qb7 Rfb8 18. Qc6 Rc8 19. Qb5 dxc4 20. Qf5 Bb4 21. d5 Bxc3 22. Bxc3 Ne4 23. Bd4 Nd6 24. Qc2 b5 25. a3 f6 ) ( 15. bxc4 dxc4 ( 15... Rxc4 16. Nxd5 Rc2 17. Nxf6+ Nxf6 18. Ba3 Bxa3 19. Qxa3 Qc7 20. d5 ) 16. Rac1 ( 16. Nb5 Ne4 17. Rac1 Re8 ( 17... Ndf6 18. Nxd6 Nxd6 19. Ne5 b5 20. Ba3 ) 18. Nxd6 Nxd6 19. Ba3 Nb8 20. Qxa7 Nc6 21. Qa4 b5 22. Qc2 b4 23. d5 bxa3 24. dxc6 Rxc6 25. Qa4 Qa8 26. Qxa8 Rxa8 27. Ne5 Rb6 28. Nxc4 Nxc4 29. Rxc4 h5 ) 17... Re8 ( 16... Bb8 17. e4 ) ( 16... Bb4 17. Nd2 Bxc3 18. Bxc3 Nb8 19. Qxa7 Nd5 20. Qa4 ) 17. h3 ) 15... Nb8 16. Qxa7 Nc6 17. Qa4 ( 17. Qb7 Nb4 ) 17... Nb4 ( 17... b5! 18. Qxb5 ( 18. Nxb5 Ra8 ) 18... Ne7 19. b4 ( 19. bxc4 Rb8 20. Qa4 Rxb2 21. c5 Bc7 ) 19... Rb8 20. Qa4 Rxb4 21. Qc2 Qa8 ) 18. bxc4 dxc4 ( 18... Rxc4? 19. Nxd5 ) 19. Ne5 Qe7 20. h3 Qe6 21. Qb5 Bxe5 22. dxe5 Nd3 23. Rxd3 cxd3 24. exf6 Rfd8 ( 24... Qxf6 25. Qxd3 ) 25. Rd1 Rc4 ( 25... Rc5 26. Rxd3 ) 26. e4 g6 27. Qg5 Kh8 28. Rxd3! ( 28. Rxd3 Rxd3 29. Qh6 )
My decision to risk with 14…c4 was a lame one. There were more “cons” than “pros”, but I still talked myself into going for it. Actually, although my opponent offered me chances to save the game later on, this single move was the root of my loss. The risk was not justified.
No comments:
Post a Comment