Andrew Martin: 

 

Ways of presenting a game 

 
 
The purpose of this short article is to discuss 
ways for a coach to present a game. Every 
coach will inevitably have to do this in his or 
her training sessions and there are several 
effective methods which I have used over 
the years. The task is not perhaps as 
straightforward as it seems.  Let me outline 
the basic methods : 
1) The lecture method : Using a demo or 
smart board the coach talks about a game to 
the audience. 
2) The lecture method plus: This time the 
audience have chess equipment so that they 
may play through the game along with the 
lecturer and ask questions. 
3) The 'How Good is your Chess' method: 
The students are divided into small groups. 
All groups work with two sets and boards set 
up with alternate colours, so that the group 
can see the position from both sides point of 
view. Groups analyse on one set and keep 
the actual game position on the other. This 
saves an enormous amount of time 
reconstructing the position. All students have 
paper and pens. The coach numbers the 
students randomely and keeps these numbers 
known only to himself. At key moments in 
the game the coach asks the students to 
guess the next move. The groups may 
discuss the position and move the pieces 
around on the analysis board, but at the end 
of an alotted time they all have to make a 
choice and write it down.   A member of the 
audience is asked to choose a number and 
that person has to come out to the demo 
board and explain his chosen move. 
Questions may be asked from the floor at 
this point and after the explanation the coach 
reviews the other choices and awards merit 
points for each choice. Minus points must be 

given for poor moves. At the end you have a 
winner! 
4) The ' critical moments' metho:. As 
above, except that the coach presents the 
group with a bare game score and asks for 
commentary on key moments in the game 
which he or she will supply. For instance , 
W5, B16 B21,W24,B24 etc. The students 
have to work out why the coach has 
identified these moments as important and a 
full discussion ensues at the end of an alotted 
time. 
5) The annotation method: The coach 
simply gives the group a bare game score 
and tells them to ' annotate'. 
Now that the ways of presenting a game 
have been suggested, I should say that the 
method you choose must strongly depend on 
the overall sophistication of the audience. If 
you pick the wrong method for a group you 
will soon see the session flop. Let me 
therefore outline what I think is best. By far 
the least effective method is the first. If you 
are not a very good lecturer you run the risk 
of boring the audience to death. If you are 
forced to give a commentary or there is no 
other choice then sometimes you will have 
to lecture, but the main problem is that there 
is no INTERACTION. The audience is 
trapped, you are on an ego trip, and they 
have to listen to you. Avoid the first method 
if at all possible.  
The second suggestion is slightly better as 
the audience is now a bit more involved. 
They have chess sets to play with and can 
ask questions. Nevertheless it's all about you 
and very little about them. The skilled 
teacher knows that the correct way has to be 
to turn this around. Method two is not 
recommended either.  
Method three is extremely popular, my 
favourite, works at all levels even among 
very strong players, establishes competition 
within the group and is highly entertaining. 
The audience is fully involved and delights 
in coming out to the demo board. Everyone 
gets the chance to see how the other is 

thinking. Time flies when you use this 
method. To make this session work 
optimally the coach must: 
1) Choose the moves to be predicted 
carefully beforehand: 
2) Make sure the groups are balenced in 
terms of chess strength; 
3) Have a full command of the game under 
discussion as a huge variety of suggestions  
inevitably come up; 
4) Be able to keep a correct score as the 
session progresses or to delegate that a 
member of each group does so for that 
group; 
5) Give out prizes for the winners at the end 
(Top Three). 
Method four works best with stronger or 
ambitious students. If the critical moments 
are selected correctly this is a tough exercise. 
The coach has done a lot of the work for the 
group by choosing points at which the game 
turned, but it is not easy for the students to 
analyze those moments and explain them. 
The coach will allocate an amount of time 
for the work according to the capability of 
the group. The general objective will be to ' 
push' them and to make to difficult to 
complete the task within the timeframe. The 
coach may turn this session into a 
competition, awarding points for good and 
bad answers, but this is not compulsory. I 
think it is a good idea to ask students to 
come out to the demo bord to explain 
themselves as in number three above. All 
students will have appropriate writing 
materials. 
Method five is the toughest and should only 
be used with advanced students. Small 
groups are best and this exercise may be 
given to individuals. The coach may supply 
appropriate books or computer  materials to 
help the students, but apart from that the 
students are on their own. After the session, 
when the game has been fully discussed and 
analyzed, the coach will present each of the 
students with a full annotation of the game 
which he himself has made. They should be 

asked to  examine this carefully and 
critically and to give later feedback. There is 
plenty of variety to hand.

  

 

Carlsen,Magnus - Wang,Yue [C36] 
Kings' Tournament, Medias Bazna 2010 
 
Let us now turn to a sample game and one 
which has been played recently. I like to 
keep my games current. A lazy coach could 
easily go to the Megabase or a book and just 
photocopy a game for use, but this is 
shortchanging the audience in many ways. 
You keep your own skills fresh this way.   
1.e4 e5 2.f4  

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Critical moment number one. "Things 
weren't going so well in the tournament I 
thought I just try it and see how it goes" said 
Magnus after the game. A lively discussion 
could ensue here about the Kings Gambit. 
The opening choice is interesting and 
obviously came as a complete surprise to 
Wang Yue.  
2...d5 
2...ef4. Mention to weaker groups that 
accepting this particular gambit is the only 
way to try  to refute it. 
3.ed5 ef4!?  
A transpositional device which changes the 
game if White intended to play the Bishop's 

Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.f4 ef4 3.Lc4 d5,  when 
White can take with the Bishop.  
4.Sf3 Sf6 5.Lc4 Sd5 6.0–0 Le7 7.Ld5  

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I rate this as critical moment two. In order to 
maintain momentum White must cede the 
Bishop pair. The need to make committal 
decisions such as this makes the King's 
Gambit unpopular at the highest level. Yet 
7.Ld5 is necessary, with the Black pieces 
ready to stream out.  
7...Dd5 8.Sc3  
8.d4 has also been tried and may provoke 
8..g5?! (8...0–0 9.Lf4 Lg4 10.Sc3 Dd7 
11.Dd2 Lf3 12.Tf3 c5 13.d5 Ld6 14.Ld6 Dd6 
15.Se4 Db6 16.Tb3 Dc7 17.Sf6 Kh8 18.Th3 
h6 19.Th6 gh6 20.Dh6#, 1–0, Jensen,M 
(2044) - Rasmussen,J, Helsingor 2009) 
9.Sc3 Dd8 10.De1 0–0 11.De4 f5 12.Dd3 b6 
13.Dc4 Kg7 14.Te1 Lb7 15.d5 Lc5 16.Kh1 
Df6 17.b4 La6 18.Db3 Ld6 19.Lb2 Kg6 
20.Te6, 1–0, Hague,B (2233) - Dilleigh,S 
(2158), West Bromwich 2003. Here are two 
examples which confirm beyond doubt that 
the King's Gambit is alive and kicking just 
below master level. 8...Dd8 9.d4 0–0 10.Lf4 
Lf5  

 
 

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A very natural square for the Bishop, but it is 
unprotected and you do wonder about 
tactical strikes on the f file. 10..Lf5 is a rare 
move compared to the alternatives: 10...c6 
delays a decision about the best place for the 
queenside pieces. It is reasonable: 11.d5 
(11.Dd3 Sa6 12.Tae1 Le6 13.a3 Te8 14.Se4 
h6 15.Se5 f5 16.Sg3 Lh4 17.Sf5 Lf5 18.Df5; 
11.De1 Lg4 12.Td1 Sd7 13.Se4 Sf6 14.Sf6 
Lf6 15.c3 Dd5 16.Dg3 Lh5 17.b3 Da5 
18.Le5; 11.Dd2 Lf5) 11...Lf6 (11...Db6 
12.Kh1 Db2 13.Dd3 (13.Le5 Sd7) 13...Lb4 
14.Sg5 g6 15.Sge4 f5 16.dc6 Sc6 17.Dc4 
Kg7 18.Tab1) 12.Le5 (12.Dd3 Lc3 (12...Db6 
13.Kh1 Db2 14.Se5) 13.Dc3 (13.bc3 Dd5; 
13.Sg5 f5 14.Dc3 cd5 15.Tad1 h6 16.Sf3 
Sc6) 13...cd5 (13...Dd5 14.Tad1) 14.Le5 f6 
15.Lc7 Dd7 (15...De7 16.Tae1) 16.Lf4 Sc6) 
12...Le5 13.Se5 f6 a) 13...Sd7 14.Sc4 
(14.Sd7 Ld7 15.Dd4) 14...Sb6; b) 13...Db6 
14.Kh1 Db2 15.Df3 f6 16.dc6 bc6 (16...Sc6 
17.Dd5 Kh8 18.Sf7 Tf7 19.Df7) 17.Tab1 Dc2 
18.Sd5 Dc5 (18...cd5 19.Dd5; 18...Sa6 
19.Se7 Kh8 20.Tbc1) 19.Sc7 De5 20.Sa8; 
14.dc6 (14.Sc4 b5 15.Se3 b4) 14...fe5 15.Tf8 
(15.Dd8 Td8 16.c7 Te8 (16...Td2 17.cb8D 
Tb8 18.Tae1) 17.cb8D Tb8) 15...Df8 16.Dd5 
Df7 17.Dd8 Df8 18.Dd5, ½, Conquest,S 
(2529) - Beliavsky,A (2654), Saint Vincent 
2000.  

Meanwhile 10...Lg4 leads to a position 
where Black does not quite make equality: 
11.h3 Lf3 12.Df3 Sc6 (12...Dd4 13.Kh1 Sc6 
14.Lc7˛) 13.Tad1 Ld6 14.Ld6 Dd6 15.Se4˛ 
Dg6 16.c3 Tad8 17.Sg3 Tde8 18.Tde1 Sd8 
19.Kh1 Kh8 20.Sf5 Te6 21.d5 Tf6 22.De4 
h6 23.De7 Tg8 24.De5 Dh5 25.Te4±, 
Penndorf,D (1875) - Borchert,O (1840), 
Ellwangen 2000. 
11.De2 
The opening is over and the middlegame is 
about to begin. Therefore this is critical 
moment three, where both players have to 
use some time to think. The impression is 
that White can hope for an edge thanks to his 
lead in development and somewhat better 
control in the center, but Black 
counterbalences this with the bishop pair.  
11...Ld6!?  
Vacating the e file. Maybe he did not like 
11...Sc6 12.Tf2! Te8 13.Dc4 Lf6 14.Td1, 
when White is solidly better. Another move 
to consider is 11...c6.  
12.Ld6 Dd6 13.Sb5 Dd8 14.c4 a6  
Also possible was 14...c6 15.Sc3 Sd7 
16.Tae1 Te8 17.Df2 Ld3 18.Te8 De8 19.Te1 
Df8 20.b3 Db4 

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but Black is still not equal. It is worth 
detailing why:  
1) White holds the only open file; 
2) Black's Bishop has nothing to attack; 

3) e7 and f7 are points which must be 
permanently guarded; 
4) White can create a central passed pawn 
with d4-d5. Thus with 21.Dd2 Lg6 22.d5 
White is starting to increase his edge. 
15.Sc3 Sd7 16.Tad1 Lg6 17.Df2 Te8 18.h3!  
Black has to sit and wait, not very pleasant. 
He is without counterplay, which is the 
essence of successful defence. It would be 
worth making this point to any level of 
student. So, with 18 h3 (critical moment 
four) White takes squares, improves his 
position slightly and awaits events. Black 
has no similar move.   
18...Tc8  
The move of a man who does not like his 
position. [It is true that after 18...h6 19.Sh4! 
is strong; but maybe 18...Df6 19.Sd5 Dd6 
20.Sh4 c6 21.Sg6 fg6 22.Df7 Kh8 23.Df4 
Df4 24.Sf4 held chances for a draw in the 
endgame. However, this position is not nice 
for Black at all. 
19.Tfe1 
Carlsen exchanges off one of Black's only 
active pieces. This is CM five.  
19...Te1 20.Te1 c6 21.d5?!  
A bit early perhaps. After 21.De3 h6 22.a3 
White continues the squeeze. 
21...Sf6 
CM six.  

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It is very odd that he does not take the 

chance to activate his Rook, but I suppose he 
feels he can take on d5 at any time. 
Nevertheless 21...cd5 was well worth 
consideration: 22.Sd5! (22.cd5 Df8 23.Dd4 
Dd6) 22...Tc4 23.Se7 Kf8 (23...Kh8 24.Sg5 
Df8 25.b3! Tc5 (25...Tc7 26.Df4 Tc5 
27.Dd6) 26.Dd4) 24.b3 Tc3=. 
22.Dd4 cd5 23.Sd5 Sd5 24.cd5 Dd6 25.Se5 
White's plan is to play at some moment Sc4 
and then advance the d-pawn. If Black 
prevents it by playing b7-b5, then the 
weakness of square c6 is unpleasant. 
Therefore a good defensive plan is needed 
and Wang Yue fails to find it. (Rogozenko) 
25...Te8  

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CM seven. Black could force matters 
immediately with 25...f6! Rogozenko's 
analysis, made immediately after the game, 
then tends to suggest that the game will be 
drawn: 26.Sg6 (26.Sc4? is a blunder in view 
of 26...Db4 27.Tc1 b5 and Black wins; 
26.Sf3 is also bad: 26...Lf7 27.Td1 Td8 and 
White loses the d5-pawn) 26...hg6 27.Te6 
Dc5 (perhaps 27...Tc1 28.Kf2 Tc2 29.Kf3 
Dd7 is also acceptable) 28.Dc5 Tc5 29.d6 
Td5 and the endgame should be a draw. For 
instance: 30.Kf2 (or 30.h4 b5 31.Kf2 Kf7 
32.Te7 Kf8 33.Td7 Td2 34.Ke3 Tg2 35.Ta7 
Ke8) 30...g5 31.Ke3 (31.g4 b5 32.Ke3 Kf7 
33.Te7 Kf8 34.Td7 g6 35.Ke4 Td2) 31...f5 
32.Te7 Td6 33.Tb7 Kh7 34.a4 Kg6 35.a5 f4 

36.Ke4 Te6 37.Kf3 (37.Kd3 Te3 38.Kd4 Te2 
39.Tb6 Kf5) 37...Kf5; 25...Lf5!? 
recentralizing the Bishop was also a 
candidate move, but not; 25...Dc5?  due to 
26.Dc5 Tc5 27.d6 Td5 28.d7 winning. 
26.Te3 Td8 
26...b5 27.Sc4! Dd8 28.Te8 De8 29.Se5 is 
the kind of position White is aiming for. The 
Black Bishop is helpless to prevent the 
advance of the pawn. It would certainly be 
worth discussing the overall power of Queen 
and Knight vs Queen and Bishop in the 
endgame at this time. 
27.Sc4 Df6 28.Te5!  
A move which makes it very difficult for 
Wang to find a decent reply. White has all 
the options thanks to his passed pawn and 
superior minor piece. Using 'guess the next 
move',  if anyone found 28.Te5 then they 
deserve special praise.  
28...h6 
CM eight. 28...b5! 29.Sa5 (29.De3 h6) 
29...h6 was a better defensive try. 
29.d6! Lf5 
29...b5 30.d7! Kh7 31.Sb6 isn't a stone-cold 
win, but Black is getting increasingly short 
of good moves: 31...Lf5 32.b3 Le6 33.Dd3 
Dg6 34.Dd6 Dc2 35.Te1±. 
30.Sb6! Le6 
30...Td6 31.Sd5 forces Black to give up the 
exchange; 30...Dd6? loses right away due to 
31.Td5. 
31.d7 Kh8 32.a4  
The Knight is the kingpin, completely 
restricting Black's movements. Carlsen 
continues to bear- hug Wang until he runs 
out of air.  
32...g6 33.Dc3 Kg7 34.a5 h5 35.h4 
Here the Chinese player decided to give up 
the exchange and go for a position where he 
said "I think I have chances to draw".  
35...Td7  

 
 

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CM Nine. He is out of patience. A survey of 
the alternatives will reveal just how poor the 
Black position has become: 35...Ld7? 
36.Td5 loses the bishop; 35...Dh4? 36.Te6; 
35...Kg8 but then 36.Tc5 (or first 36.g3 ) 
36...Dc3 (36...Dh4 37.Tc8) 37.Tc3 Kf8 
38.Tc7 Ke7 39.Tb7 Ld7 40.Ta7 Ke8 41.Sd7 
Td7 42.Ta6 Tb7 43.Tb6+-. 
36.Sd7 Ld7 37.Dd4 Lc6 38.b4 Lb5 39.Kh2 
La4 40.Td5 Lc6 41.Df6 Kf6 42.Tc5  

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Ask the students to construct a winning plan 
for White in this position. Mention Black's 
lack of complete lack of counterplay. White 
has all the time in the world to do as he 
pleases and this is the decisive factor.  

42...Ke6 43.Kg3 f6 44.Kf2 Ld5 45.g3 g5?  
This loses by force, but on the other hand the 
position must be lost anyway. White 
eventually trains his King and Rook on the 
b7 pawn and takes it!  
46.g4!  

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CM ten. Creates a passed pawn by force, 
winning. How often does this happen in the 
endgame? 46...hg4 47.h5 Le4 48.Tc7 f5 
49.h6 f4 50.h7 g3 51.Ke1 f3 52.h8D f2 
53.Ke2 Ld3 54.Ke3  
A positional treatment of the King's Gambit, 
which is of course, the modern way. A 
summary of the game is now in order. 
1) Carlsen surprised Wang with his choice of 
opening. 
2) Wang reacted rather passively and was 
unwilling to challenge White in the sharper 
variations. 
3) Black had very little fun in this game and 
was defending throughout. 
4) Precisely because he was not enjoying 
playing the position, Wang missed defensive 
chances on moves 10, 21 and 28. 
5) Carlsen showed his ability to create and 
sustain pressure, which is the key to victory 
in virtually all competitive games. 1–0