Hidden Agendas

     When we think of tactics we usually thing of a move, or sequence of moves, that makes one or more immediate threats with the goal of delivering mate or winning material. 

     But, that is not always the case. Sometimes a tactical theme, whether threatened or actually carried out, can be used to further a strategic idea. And, as Swedish IM Jesper Hall wrote, in those cases tactics support the strategy, so tactics become a strategic tool. 

     In his book Chess Training for Budding Champions, Hall advises aspiring players to "study standard positions. The more you have in your memory, the better you will become, as there will be more positions you can judge by intuition." 

     Hall also offers the advice that one should not "believe analysis or suggestions in magazines and newspapers without having first convinced yourself that they are correct." This is especially true of pre-engine analysis which was often dashed out with little regard to accuracy, or was lacking resources that engines find with ease, but humans miss. Even them Hall advises, "...do not trust computer analysis without having formulated and described it in your own words." 

     Jesper Hall (born July 15, 1971) is an author, chess researcher and teacher who has worked with Magnus Carlsen. His opponent in the following game was English GM Danirel King (born August 28, 1963). The game was played in the Bundesliga, a premier league of teams in Germany that was established in 1980. It is the strongest league of its kind and attracts many highly rated players. 

     The game was one of those in which Hall's hidden agenda in his use of tactics was to gain a strategic advantage. 

[Event "Bundesliga 1998/99"] [Site "GER"] [Date "1998.11.21"] [Round "?"] [White "Daniel King"] [Black "Jesper Hall"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C16"] [WhiteElo "2530"] [BlackElo "2485"] [Annotator "Stockfish 15"] [PlyCount "80"] [EventDate "1998.??.??"] {French Defense} 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 Qd7 {This move is almost never played and it's results for black are unfavorable. The idea is to play .. f5 thereby shielding the g-Pawn.} 5. Bd2 {White can also choose to play with doubled Pawns on the c-file after 5 a3. In that case white would get an advantage in space and some pressure against the K-side. Black would bring his N from a6 to c4 and start exchanging pieces to try to reach a better ending.} b6 6. Bb5 {White does not want to allow an exchange of light-squared Bs, but is trying to transfer the B to c2.} c6 7. Ba4 Ba6 8. Nce2 {A standard maneuvre. The dark-squared Bs are exchanged and c2-c3 becomes a possibility.} Bxd2+ 9. Qxd2 Bb5 {Worth considering was 9...Bxe2 eliminating his B which has a limited future in exchange for white's N which might be useful in the closed position.} 10. Bb3 c5 (10... Bc4 {Hall rejected this move because after} 11. Bxc4 dxc4 12. Qg5 f6 13. exf6 Nxf6 {Black's K-slde Ps are shattered.}) 11. c3 Nc6 12. Nf3 Nge7 {[%mdl 32]} 13. O-O Na5 {Black has to play actively because if white can play Rc2, Rfel and Nf4 he has good prospects on the K-side. - Hall} (13... cxd4 {is more appropriate.} 14. cxd4 Na5 15. Bd1 Nc4 16. Qc1 Rc8 {with an equal position. Vazquez,R (2423)-Pomes Marcet,J (2380) Pamplona 2002}) 14. Bd1 { Best, but for the reason Hall noted.} (14. Bc2 Nc4 15. Qg5 {Hall did not mention this sharp move. Even so, after...} (15. Qc1 Nxb2 {Wins a P. (Hall)}) 15... Nxb2 16. Rfe1 (16. Qxg7 Rg8 17. Qf6 Bxe2 {wins}) 16... Ng6 17. h4 h6 { and white does not have quite enough compensation for the P.} 18. Qg3) 14... O-O 15. Re1 {This is an important moment because the opening ends and the middlegame begins. It is time to form a plan. White has several natural moves at his disposal to start an attack on the K-side, but it is more difficult for black. Hall's reasoning ran: as white has not yet coordinated his pieces, he (Hall) wanted to play ...f6 quickly to force white to exchange his central Pawn. It was at this point that Hall said he began calculating concrete variations.} Ng6 16. h4 Qe7 17. h5 Nh4 18. Nh2 {A logical move, as the attacker usually wants to keep the pieces on the board. - Hall} (18. Nxh4 Qxh4 {Hall reasoned that white's attack is over without ever having gotten started. Apparently so did King.} 19. b3 Nc6 20. Nf4 Rac8 21. a4 Ba6 22. g3 {White has the initiative, but black's resources appear to be adequate.}) 18... f6 19. exf6 Qxf6 20. Ng4 {After this black gets the upper hand. 20/Ng3 keeps the balance.} (20. Ng3 Nc4 21. Qe2 cxd4 22. Ng4 Qg5 23. Qxe6+ Kh8 24. Qe7 Qxe7 25. Rxe7 {is equal.}) 20... Qf3 {A fine tactical shot! all pointed out that he needed tactics to support his positional idea. e added that the rest is a matter of technique, but that may be overstating his case.} (20... Qf7 { allows white a clear advantage.} 21. Qg5 Nf5 22. dxc5 bxc5 23. Nf4 h6 24. Qg6 Qxg6 25. hxg6 Rae8 26. Nxe6 {and white is winning.}) 21. gxf3 Nxf3+ 22. Kg2 Nxd2 23. Ng3 Rae8 (23... cxd4 {was more accurate.} 24. cxd4 Nc6 25. Rxe6 Nxd4 26. Re7 Rf7 27. Rxf7 Kxf7 28. Rc1 Ne6 {and black has a favorable ending.}) 24. Ne5 Ndc4 25. Bg4 Nxe5 26. Rxe5 Rf6 27. Rae1 Kf7 28. dxc5 bxc5 {An inaccuracy that should have allowed white to equalize!} (28... Nc4 29. Be2 bxc5 30. Bxc4 Bxc4 {Black is better.}) 29. b3 {Missing his chance.} (29. Ne4 {This tactical shot equalizes.} dxe4 30. Rxc5 a6 31. a4 Bxa4 32. Rxa5 {and white is at least equal.}) 29... Nc6 {[%mdl 2048]} 30. Rg5 (30. R5e3 {is his only hope of staying in the game.} Re7 31. c4 Ba6 32. Kg1 Bb7 33. cxd5 exd5 34. Rc1 { and at least white is still fighting.}) 30... Bd3 31. Be2 Bxe2 32. Rxe2 Rf4 33. Nf1 (33. c4 {offers little hope.} Rd8 34. cxd5 Rxd5 35. Rxd5 exd5 36. Rc2 { Black is better.}) 33... h6 34. Rg3 Rf5 35. Rf3 Rxf3 36. Kxf3 e5 37. Ne3 Ke6 { The threat is ...d4} 38. Kg3 Rf8 39. f3 d4 {This secures the point.} 40. Nc4 Rf5 {White resigned.} (40... Rf5 41. cxd4 cxd4 42. Rh2 Rg5+ 43. Kf2 Nb4 44. a3 Nd3+ 45. Kf1 Rf5 46. Rh3 Nf4 47. Rh1 Rxh5 {etc.}) 0-1