Chess: A Psychiatrist Matches Wits with Fritz Hardcover – September, 2001

Edward Sheppie used a more difficult position than found in the classic "Bishop Sacrifice" in his introduction. More than one grandmaster commented that this position was untenable for White. However, this offers the opportunity to demonstrate the value of the pawn attack. The computer can be beaten fairly easily from this position in a dozen moves, if it does not make the move 9…dxe4. And Fritz 6 shows no interest in making this move, even when left indefinitely on infinite analysis.

The move, 9... dxe4, makes it an open game. However, with experience in this system, Fritz 6 can still be defeated at his highest level in less than 30 moves. The interesting move lists are:

#1 9.e4 This is to open up a trajectory for White's Bishop to cover a planned exchange at g5, and with the hope that this pawn can reach e5. Fritz 6 shows no interest in dxe4, even after extended time on infinite analysis. 9...Nb6 10.e5 Pawn to e5 effectively splits the board in two, which leaves Black no chance for a win against my system of play. I can see ahead the next dozen moves very clearly, most of which are routine and forced or semi-forced by White. Yet the analytic engine gives White a negative score (–1.22). 10...Bb8 11.Ng5 Initiating the exchange of Knights is definitely Black's preferred next move. 11...Nxg5 12.fxg5 Bd7 Black does not consider White's next move to be h4. White's score continues to decline (–1.62). 13.h4 Na4 14.Qg4 Again, an unexpected move that leaves b2 unprotected. 14...Nxb2 Black's Knight is useless on b2, and White will not waste a move to chase it. 15.h5 Bc6 Now Fritz very strongly recommends h6, which would spell disaster for White because it would allow Black to set up an impenetrable pawn lock with 17...g6. The winning move, 17.g6..., is not even considered by the Fritz 6 analytic engine. 16.g6 Fritz disapproves of this move, which it gives a negative score of (–1.28). 16...f5 17.Qh3 Qb6 18.Ne2 White wants a Knight on h5 to avoid a Queen exchange. 18...c3 19.Bxc3 Nc4 20.h6 The analytic engine suddenly sees the danger, as White's score jumps to (+2.44). 20...Qc7 21.Nf4 Re8 22.Nh5 Fritz must resign (White has a +500). In actual practice the chess engine will make a few sacrifices before resigning. 1–0

#2 This is a somewhat more solid version of the 1st variation. 9.e4 Again, White pushes e4. 9...Nb6 10.e5 White proceeds to divide the board with e5. 10...Bb8 11.h4 This time the pawn march up the right wing proceeds before the Knight exchange. 11...Bd7 12.h5 Bc7 13.g4 Kh8 This time Black is becoming a little worried. The analytic chess engine still recommends 15.h6. 14.g5 Black is now helpless. There is no way of preventing an open h-file leading up to the Black King who is caught in a mating web. But the analytic engine still doesn't see it (–0.44). 14...Be8 15.0–0–0 White castles to add a Rook to the g-file, countering Bg8. Notice how free the White King is from any sign of attack. 15...Qd7 16.Rdg1 g6 Black initiates 17...g6, but has no hope. The analytic engine sees this as an even game. 17.Nh2 The White Knight is heading for f6 before opeining up the h-file. 17...Rg8 [17...Bd8 18.Ng4 Na4 19.Nxa4 Qxa4 20.hxg6 (+9.97)] 18.Ng4± Rg7 19.Rg3 Qd8 20.Rgh3 Nd7 21.Nf6 Ndf8 Fritz is masterfully attempting a desperate defense, but the score slowly shifts to White and begins climbing. 22.hxg6 fxg6 23.Qh2 (+9.94) Fritz resigns. ( Fritz can manage to protect h7 with four pieces, but the killer is 25.Bb4!). 1–0

#3a 9.e4 dxe4 10.Nxe4 Nb6 11.g4 Bc7 12.g5 Qd5 13.0–0–0 [13.Ne5 Qxd4 14.Bc3 Qd5–+] 13...Na4 14.Ne5 c3 15.Nxc3 Nxc3 16.Bxc3 Qxa2 17.Rhg1 Bd6 18.h4 Bd7 19.h5 Rad8 20.g6 fxg6 21.hxg6 Threatening mate: gxh7. Opening the h-file gets White a lot of play 21...Nf6 [21...Rxf4?? the pawn contains a lethal dose of poison 22.gxh7+] 22.Qh2 The mate threat is Rh1 22...Bc6 23.Rh1 Do you see the mate threat? 23...Bxh1 24.Rxh1 A pinning theme 24...Qa1+ 25.Kd2 Threatening mate: Qh8 25...Qxh1 26.Qxh1 Bc7 27.Qh3 [27.Qxb7?! Nd5 28.Qa6 Rf6+-] 27...Rd5 28.Qxe6+ Kh8 29.Nf7+ (+5.22) Fritz resigns 1–0

Sheppie#3b 9.e4 dxe4 10.Nxe4 Nb6 11.g4 Bc7 12.g5 Qd5 13.Ne5 f5 14.gxf6 Nxf6 15.Nxf6+ Rxf6 16.Rg1 Na4 [Worse is 16...Qxd4 17.Qg2 g6 18.Nxg6²] 17.0–0–0 Qxd4 [17...c3 18.Qg4 cxd2+ 19.Rxd2+-] 18.c3 [18.Rxg7+! Kxg7 19.Qg4+ White has a draw by perpetual check.] 18...Qc5 19.Be3 Qf8 20.Bd4 [20.Ng6 Nxc3 21.bxc3 Qa3+ 22.Qb2 Qxb2+ White will refuse a Queen exchange.] 20...Rh6 [20...Rxf4 21.Ng6 Nxc3 22.Bxc3+-] 21.f5 Nb6 [21...exf5; 21...Qxf5 22.Rdf1] 22.Rdf1 exf5 23.Ng6 Rxh2 24.Qe4 Do you see the mate threat? 24...Qf7 [24...fxe4 Exploits the pin 25.Rxf8+ A beautiful mate combination] 25.Ne7+ Kh8 26.Nxf5 Bxf5 27.Rxf5 Mate in #8 Fritz 6 resigns. 1–0

Sheppie #3c 9.e4 dxe4 10.Nxe4 Nb6 11.g4 Bc7 12.g5 Qd5 13.Ne5 f5 14.gxf6 Nxf6 15.Nxf6+ Rxf6 16.Rg1 Nd7 [Weaker is 16...Qxd4 17.Qg2 g6 18.Nxg6²] 17.0–0–0 Nxe5 [17...Qxd4? fails because of 18.Qg4 Rf7 19.Nxf7+-] 18.fxe5 Rf7 19.Qh5 White intends Bh6 19...Qd8 20.Rg3 Threatens Bb4 20...Qf8 [20...Qxd4? leads to nothing 21.Rh3 Rf5 22.Qe8+ Rf8 23.Qxf8+ Kxf8 24.Bb4+ Kg8 25.Rxd4+-] 21.Bh6 c3 22.Bxg7 Demolition of pawn structure 22...Rxg7 [22...Qxg7 A pinning theme 23.Rxg7+ Theme: Double Attack] 23.Rdg1 The mate threat is Qh6 23...cxb2+ 24.Kxb2 With the idea a3 24...Bb6 25.Rxg7+ Qxg7 26.Qe8+ [26.Rxg7+?! is the weaker alternative 26...Kxg7 27.c3 Bd7±] 26...Kh7 27.Rxg7+ Kxg7 28.c3 Rb8+- there is nothing better in the position 29.h4 (+5.03) Fritz 6 resigns. 1–0

This book describes the steps that lay the groundwork for victory:

1)The Opening Moves

2)The attainable Barrage positions

3)The Pawn attack trajectory that demolishes the castled King's protective pawn shield before his pieces can come to his aid. You will also discover how to accomplish all of this from standard openings against standard defenses.