How threats can improve own position and damage the opponent's position

Hi all

You may have heard of Kasparov refer to "Hard pressing" when he is making threat after threat. What is the best form of this - is it always a good thing?

Is making threats always great?

In some cases creating threats can invoke permanent weaknesses in the opponent's position so it is more worthwhile "hard-pressing" the opponent. This Lasker game example stands out from this perspective and also how strangely, Lasker might actually be choosing a variation of the Berlin defence which is far more appropriate for online chess players than the boring "Queen's coming off as fast as possible" variation.

On the other hand, you generally don't want to be making threats by weakening pawn moves - you may be regretting those later - especially pawn moves around your King. So making threats in itself is best if you are making concessions in the opponent's position - not your own position!

Video annotation based on the study analysis

https://youtu.be/e91Yz2PwM04

My Lasker playlist: https://kingscrusher.tv/lasker

A super-fun Berlin Defence?

In this older variation instead, there is a super fun idea of fianchettoing a knight on b7 - and getting a dangerous light square bishop without a counterpart. There is a kind of default plan later of improving that b7 knight. Lasker has a very heavy win rate with this "older berlin" which in my view seems a lot more fun than the boring variation used at Super-GM level or in world championship matches in particular.

Game example - Porges vs Lasker - 1896

The older Be7 move is super-fun as opposed to Nd6

Fianchettoing a knight - note the Queen's are still on the board!

A mistake - Ne4 which is severely punished with "hard-pressing"

Threat #1 - to take knight

Threat #2 - Hitting Queen and bishop

Threat #3 - f6 to win bishop

Threat #4 - to bring back bishop

Threat #5 - hit knight on f3

Threat #6 - hit knight on d4

Threat 7 - Qxf2 check

Threat 8 - the major one is Qxd2 - also Bh3

Threat 9 - Nd3 threat - to fork Queen and rook

Threat 10 - exf3 threatened

Threat 11 - NxQ

Threat 12 - Qxg2 mate

Threat 13 - h4

Threat 14 - NxR

Threat 15 - Check to the King

Threat 16 - Check to the King

Threat 17 - Check to the King

Threat 18 - Check to the King

Threat 19 - Pawn takes knight

Threat 20 - mate to the King - mate is inevitable now

From an abandoned variation of the Berlin defence by modern GMs, is everyone actually aware that Lasker has a 42.9% win rate according to Chessgames with 5...Be7 over 14 games? Amazing results with the black pieces and this is one of the more emphatic wins with this variation

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Key takeaway points

This older variation of the Berlin defence with Be7 keeps the Queen's on and this therefore keeps the game more complex and more to go wrong for either side

• Yes, I have a new Lasker course on my courses page at: https://kingscrusher.tv/
• The fun of having a knight on b7 is there to be had - giving clear plans of recentralising later
• Black has the light square bishop without a counterpart in exchange for some structural damage
• Making threats limits the opponent's replies and ideally also compromises the opponent's position especially if they are making weakening pawn moves
• "Hard pressing" keeps one in control of the game - but rarely will a strong opponent be left just reacting to threats. This game shows a key mistake with Ne4 which led to "hard-pressing"

Hope you enjoyed this blog :). Any likes and follows are really appreciated. Also, I also have some interesting chess courses at https://kingscrusher.tv/chesscourses to check out.

Cheers, K