Stonewall Attack; My Sample Game

In my previous article, I have explain briefly about Stone Wall Attack (see here). At that time, I do not remember that I have once met a player who adopt that kind of attack against me. When I check my old score sheets (since I have a 'partner' who are willing to compile my games), I found a game which is categorised as Stone Wall Attack.

Below is the game from my participation in KL Allegro 2000. I met a chinese player but I neither remember his name nor recorded it in my score sheet. KL Allegro is a rapid game tournament and notation is not compulsory. I think that may be less than 5% of players who recorded their game in rapid tournament.

Since I consider that all my games is my intellectual property, I love to record it for whatever reason. And now I realise that it benefited me. When I want to study about Stone Wall for example, I unexpectedly found my own game.

It seems that I do not familiar with this type of game and thus I waste my time just to think on the idea behind it and how to react against Stone Wall.

Let see the game...

[Event "KL Allegro 2000"]
[Date "2000.04.23"]
[Round "2"]
[White "?"]
[Black "Ahmad Termizi, Abdullah"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D00"]
[PlyCount "47"]

1. d4 d5 2. e3 e6 3. Bd3 Nf6 4. f4 Be7 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. O-O c5 7. c3 b6 8. Nbd2 O-O 9. Ne5 Bb7 10. Rf3 Re8 11. Rh3 Nf8 12. Qf3?? Blunder. Better move of course Bb5.

12...Qc7 13. g4 N6d7 14. Nxd7 Qxd7 15. g5 g6 16. Rg3 Qd8 17. h4 Nd7 18. h5 Bf8 19. Rh3 Qe7 20. Qh1 f5

Black now in time trouble.

21. gxf6 Nxf6 22. hxg6 Qg7 23. Nf3 h6 24. Ne5 0-1

Finally I lost the game during time trouble. It seems that Stone Wall also has some merits behind it. Any suggestions on how to defeat Stone Wall?

Sumant Subramaniam Deserves to Win

Most of Malaysian Chess Bloggers have posted the result of Petronas Technology University Chess Open Championship 2009 which was held at Petronas Technology University during last weekend (click here to see one of interesting stories about the said tournament).

There is no doubt that Sumant Subramaniam is a strong player and even Stone Master Fadli Zakaria had lost to him before. Here is the said game.

[Event "Selangor Open 2007"]
[Site "Cameron Highlands"]
[Date "2007.04.29"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "Zakaria Fadli"]
[Black "Subramaniam Sumant"]
[ECO "A20"]
[PlyCount "84"]

1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Nc3 Nb6 6. Nf3 Bd6 7. O-O Nc6 8. a3 a5 9. d3 O-O 10. Be3 Re8 11. Rc1 Bf8 12. Bxb6 cxb6 13. Nb5 Be6 14. d4 e4 15. Ne5 Bd5 16. Nc4 Bxc4 17. Rxc4 Rc8 18. Qa4 f5 19. e3 Kh8 20. Rfc1 Qd5 21. Bf1 g5 22. Nc3 Qf7 23. Qb5 Bh6 24. Nd5 f4 25. Nxb6 Rcd8 26. Rc5 fxe3 27. fxe3 g4 28. Re1 Rf8 29. Qe2 Rd6 30. Bg2 Rf6

Better move should be 30...Nxd4 31.exd4 Rxb6 32.Bxe4 Rf6

31. Rc2

Better move should be 31.Qc4 Re6 32.Kh1

31...Qb3 32. Nd7

Black to move.

32...Rf2

The best move which made Stone Master Fadli confused (at least during the game) and finally he made mistake.

33. Qc4?

A mistake by Stone Master which cost him the game. Better move should be 33.Qxf2 Rxf2

33...Qxc2 34. Qxc2 Rxc2 35. Nxf8 Bxf8 36. Bxe4 Rxb2 37. a4 Ra2 38. Rb1 Bb4 39. Rb3 Rxa4 40. d5 Ne5 41. d6 Bxd6 42. Bxb7 Bb4 0-1

Original Source of the game can be found here.

Syakir - Young Talented Player

Muhd Syakir Shazmeer Azhar is one of our local player who shows improvement drastically in his game. His current national rating as July 2009 is 1835 (see here) and his FIDE rating is 1842 (see here).

I have met him before in 8th Chess Association of Selangor (CAS) Fourth Quarter Allegro 2006 held in Wilayah Complex, Kuala Lumpur. He is still a kid at that time (12 years old).

Below is our game.

[Event "8th CAS Fourth Quarter Allegro 2006"]
[Date "2006.12.17"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Ahmad Termizi, Abdullah"]
[Black "Muhd Syakir Shazmeer, Azhar"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C54"]
[PlyCount "43"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Nc3 Bxc3+ 8. bxc3 Nxe4 9. d5 Qe7 10. O-O Ne5

Better move should be 10...Na5

11. Nxe5 Qxe5 12. Re1 O-O 13. f3 Qxc3

If 13...Nxc3 14.Rxe5 Nxd1 15.Ba3 slight advantage for White.



White to move.

14. Qe2 Qxa1

Black should try 14...b5!? 15.Bb3 Nd6

15. Bb2 Qxe1+ 16. Qxe1 Nd6 17. Qg3 f6 18. Bd3 b6 19. Qh3 g6 20. Qh4 f5??

Better move 20.Kg7

21. Qe7 Ne8??

Another blunder which cost him the game. Better move should be 21...Rf7 22.Qd8+ Rf8 23.Qxc7 Ne8 still advantage for White.

22. d6! 1-0

Who Makes Last Blunder Move, Lost the Game

The game belows is a real game played by me against my friend Hafiz (I call him as Apit) when both of us are still bachelor, at my rental house at Taman Seri Segambut, Kuala Lumpur. Apit frequently came to my house and we played chess together.

The game belows is not a good game to be analysed, but it shows that in our real game, those who make last blunder move, lost the game. In this game, both of us made blunders each others, but finally I won the game after last blunder by Apit.


[Date "2001.04.20"]
[White "Ahmad Termizi, Abdullah"]
[Black "Hafiz"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C40"]
[PlyCount "109"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Qf6 3. d4 Nc6 4. Be3 d6 5. Bc4 Qd8 6. dxe5 a5 7. Ng5 Nh6



White to move.

8. Qd5??

First blunder. The best move should be 8.e6 and if 8...fxe6 9.Nxe6

8...Ne7?

Better move 8...Nxe5 9.Be2 Be7=

9. Qd2

Better move should be 9.Qxf7+! Nxf7 10.Bxf7+ Kd7, advantage for white

9...dxe5 10. Qc3 Ng6 11. O-O b6 12. Na3 Be7 13. Rad1 Bd7



White to move.

14. Rd2??

Second blunder. The best move should be 14.Bb5 and White has the better game.

14...Bb4 15. Bxf7+??

Another blunder. Better move is 15.Qb3 Bxd2 16.Bxf7+ Ke7 17.Bxd2

15...Nxf7 16. Qb3 Nxg5 17. Rd3 Qf6 18. Qd5 Rd8 19. Rfd1 c6 20. Qb3 Nxe4 21. Bxb6 Nc5 22. Bxc5 Bxc5 23. Rf3 Qe7 24. Rf1 Rf8 25. Rd3 Qh4 26. Rg3 Nf4

Better move should be 26...Rxf2 and Black wins 27.Rxf2 Qf4

27. Kh1 Ne2 28. Rd3 Nf4 29. Rg3 Be6 30. Qb7 Qh5 31. Qxc6+ Kf7 32. Qxc5 Rd1 33. Qc7+ Ke8 34. Qb8+ Rd8 35. Qb5+ Bd7 36. Qc5



Black to move.

36...Ne2??

Another blunder move, overlooking an easy win. Better move 36...Qe2 37.Rg1 Nh3 38.gxh3 Rxf2

37. Re3

Better move 37.Rxg7 Ng3+ 38. Rxg3 Qe2

37...Rf5 38. Nc4 Rc8 39. Qd5

Another mistake. Better move 39.Nd6+ Kd8 40.Qxa5+ Ke7 41.Nxf5+ Bxf5 42.Qxe5+ Kf8 43.Rxe2

39...Nf4 40. Qg8+

40.Nd6+ is still better.

40...Ke7 41. Qxg7+ Rf7 42. Rxe5+ Be6 43. Qg3 Qg6 44. Qa3+ Kf6

Now White in trouble, Black threatening mate: Qxg2




45. g3??

Another blunder.

45...Rxc4??

Lucky, because my opponent replied by another blunder. Better move 45...Bxc4 46.gxf4 Bxf1 47.Qd6+ Kg7

46. gxf4 Rxf4 47. Re3

Another mistake. Better move 47.Qd6 Re7 48.Rfe1

47...Rg7??

Another blunder. Better move 47...Bd5+ 48.f3 Kg7

48. Qc3+ Kf7 49. Qc7+ Kf6 50. Qxf4+ Ke7 51. Qc7+ Kf8 52. Rf3+ Bf7 53. Rxf7+

Missing checkmate in one 53.Qd8#

53...Rxf7 54. Qd8+ Kg7 55. Rg1 1-0

Training with iiumchessmater

Mohd Azizul Mat Daud a.k.a. iiumchessmaster is one of my former sparing partners when we are playing for International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) chess team for the years 1999-2001.

Below are some of our games during the training sessions. I believe that his quality of games are much more better than ten (10) years ago.

This collection of games are just to review and recorded our golden moment of having training together before.

Game 1

[Event "Training"]
[Date "1999.08.11"]
[White "Mohd Azizul, Mat Daud"]
[Black "Ahmad Termizi, Abdullah"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C29"]
[PlyCount "86"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5 4. fxe5 Nxe4 5. d4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Qh4+ 7. g3 Qe4+ 8. Kf2 Qxh1 9. Nf3 c6 10. Qd3 Bg4 11. Bg2 Bxf3 12. Bxh1 Bxh1 13. Bf4 Be4 14. Qe3 Be7 15. c4 Nd7 16. c5 h6 17. g4 g5 18. Bg3 Rf8 19. Rb1 b5 20. Rf1 f5 21. gxf5 Rxf5+ 22. Ke2 Rxf1 23. Kxf1 O-O-O 24. Qa3 Kb7 25. Qa5 Rf8+ 26. Ke1 Bd8 27. Qd2 Ka6 28. Bf2 Ba5 29. c3 Rf3 30. Be3 Nf8 31. Ke2 Ne6 32. Qb2 Nf4+ 33. Kd2 Nd3 34. Qb3 Rf1 35. a4 bxa4 36. Qb8 a3 37. Qc8+ Kb5 38. Qb7+ Ka4 39. Qxc6+ Kb3 40. Qb5+ Bb4 41. cxb4 a2 42. Qxd3+ Bxd3 43. Kxd3 a1=Q 0-1




Game 2

[Event "Training"]
[Date "1999.08.11"]
[White "Ahmad Termizi, Abdullah"]
[Black "Mohd Azizul, Mat Daud"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B21"]
[PlyCount "84"]

1. e4 c5 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Ng8 5. Bg5 Qa5 6. Nf3 e6 7. Qd2 Ne7 8. Be2 Nbc6 9. Qe3 Nf5 10. Qf4 cxd4 11. Nxd4 Ncxd4 12. Bd3 Bb4 13. Qd2 Qc7 14. Bf4 g5 15. Be3 Qxe5 16. O-O-O Bd7 17. Rde1 Rc8 18. Bxg5 Qd6 19. Be3 Qc5 20. Bf4 Bxc3 21. bxc3 Qa3+ 22. Kd1 Rxc3 23. Bxf5 Nxf5 24. Be5 Rxc2 25. Kxc2 Qxa2+ 26. Kd1 Qb1+ 27. Ke2 Bb5+ 28. Kf3 Nh4+ 29. Kg4 Rg8+ 30. Kxh4 Qg6 31. Qf4 h5 32. g3 Bd7 33. Rc1 f6 34. Bb8 Qf7 35. h3 f5 36. Qh6 Ke7 37. Bxa7 Rg6 38. Bc5+ Kd8 39. Qh8+ Rg8 40. Qh6 Rg6 41. Qh8+ Rg8 42. Qh6 Rg6 1/2-1/2




Game 3

[Event "Training"]
[Date "1999.12.06"]
[White "Ahmad Termizi, Abdullah"]
[Black "Mohd Azizul, Mat Daud"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B06"]
[PlyCount "102"]

1. e4 d6 2. d4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Be3 c6 5. Qd2 Nd7 6. Bc4 e6 7. Nge2 b5 8. Bb3 Bb7 9. f3 a6 10. Ng3 Qc7 11. a3 Nb6 12. d5 cxd5 13. Bxb6 Qxb6 14. exd5 Rc8 15. dxe6 fxe6 16. Bxe6 Rxc3 17. bxc3 Qc5 18. Kd1 Bxc3 19. Qe2 Ne7 20. Rb1 Rf8 21. Rb3 Qd4+ 22. Qd3 Qxd3+ 23. cxd3 Be5 24. Re1 Rf4 25. Rb4 Rxb4 26. axb4 Bc3 27. Re2 Bxb4 28. Ne4 Kd8 29. Nf6 a5 30. Nxh7 Nd5 31. Kc2 a4 32. Bf7 a3 33. Re8+ Kd7 34. Rb8 Bc6 35. Rxb5 a2 36. Kb2 a1=Q+ 37. Kxa1 Bc3+ 38. Kb1 Bxb5 39. Bxd5 Bxd3+ 40. Kc1 Be5 41. h4 Bf1 42. Nf8+ Ke8 43. Nxg6 Bxg2 44. Nxe5 dxe5 45. Kd2 Ke7 46. Ke3 Kf6 47. Kf2 Bh3 48. Kg3 Bf5 49. Ba8 Kg7 50. Be4 Kf6 51. Bc6 Bc2 1-0




Game 4

[Event "Training"]
[Date "1999.11.01"]
[White "Ahmad Termizi, Abdullah"]
[Black "Mohd Azizul, Mat Daud"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B21"]
[PlyCount "43"]

1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 a6 5. Bc4 e6 6. Nf3 b5 7. Bb3 Bb7 8. O-O b4 9. Ne2 Bxe4 10. Ng3 Bb7 11. Qe2 Bd6 12. Ne5 Qc7 13. Bf4 Nc6 14. Rac1 Qb8 15. Nxc6 Bxc6 16. Bxd6 Qxd6 17. Nf5 Qb8 18. Nxg7+ Kf8 19. Qg4 Nf6 20. Qg5 Qd8 21. Qh6 Kg8 22. Rxc6 1-0




Game 5

[Event "Training"]
[Date "1999.07.05"]
[White "Mohd Azizul, Mat Daud"]
[Black "Ahmad Termizi, Abdullah"]
[ECO "D52"]
[PlyCount "47"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. e3 c6 6. Nf3 Qa5 7. Nd2 h6 8. Bh4 Bb4 9. Qc2 O-O 10. f3 Bxc3 11. bxc3 dxc4 12. Nxc4 Qh5 13. Bf2 Rd8 14. Bd3 Nf8 15. Ne5 Rd6 16. g4 Nxg4 17. fxg4 Qg5 18. h4 Qe7 19. g5 h5 20. g6 f6 21. Nf7 Rd7 22. Qe2 Qa3 23. Qxh5 Qxc3+ 24. Ke2




Game 6

[Event "Training"]
[Date "2000.02.16"]
[White "Ahmad Termizi, Abdullah"]
[Black "Mohd Azizul, Mat Daud"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B21"]
[PlyCount "82"]

1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 a6 5. Bc4 e6 6. Nf3 b5 7. Bb3 Bb7 8. Qe2 Nc6 9. O-O Nge7 10. Bg5 f6 11. Bf4 Ng6 12. Bg3 Bc5 13. Rfd1 Qe7 14. e5 O-O 15. Ne4 Ncxe5 16. Nxe5 fxe5 17. Nxc5 Qxc5 18. Rxd7 Qc6 19. Bxe6+ Kh8 20. f3 Rae8 21. Bh3 Nf4 22. Bxf4 exf4 23. Qd2 Bc8 24. Rd6 Qc5+ 25. Kh1 Bxh3 26. gxh3 Qe3 27. Qg2 Rd8 28. Rad1 Rxd6 29. Rxd6 Qc1+ 30. Qg1 Qxb2 31. Rd7 Rc8 32. Ra7 g5 33. Re7 Rc1 34. Re1 Rxe1 35. Qxe1 Qf6 36. Qe8+ Kg7 37. Qe2 b4 38. Kg2 a5 39. Kf2 a4 40. Qc2 a3 41. Qc4 b3 0-1




Game 7

[Event "Training"]
[Date "2000.04.12"]
[White "Ahmad Termizi, Abdullah"]
[Black "Mohd Azizul, Mat Daud"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B21"]
[PlyCount "50"]

1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 dxc3 4. Nxc3 e6 5. Nf3 a6 6. Bc4 b5 7. Bb3 Bb7 8. Qe2 Ne7 9. Bg5 f6 10. Be3 Ng6 11. a3 Nc6 12. O-O Bd6 13. Rfe1 Qc7 14. Rac1 Rc8 15. Nd5 exd5 16. exd5 O-O 17. dxc6+ Kh8 18. cxb7 Qxb7 19. Rxc8 Rxc8 20. Rc1 Re8 21. Bf7 Nf4 22. Qd1 Rf8 23. Qxd6 Nh3+ 24. gxh3 Rxf7 25. Qc7 Qa8 1-0




Game 8

[Event "Training"]
[Date "2000.04.18"]
[White "Ahmad Termizi, Abdullah"]
[Black "Mohd Azizul, Mat Daud"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C12"]
[PlyCount "51"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 5. e5 h6 6. exf6 hxg5 7. fxg7 Rg8 8. Qh5 Qf6 9. Nf3 Qxg7 10. Bd3 c5 11. a3 Ba5 12. O-O-O cxd4 13. Bb5+
Bd7 14. Bxd7+ Nxd7 15. Nxd4 Nf6 16. Qf3 O-O-O 17. Qd3 Kb8 18. Qb5 Bb6 19. Na4 Bxd4 20. Rxd4 Ne4 21. Rb4 Nd6 22. Qd3 Rc8 23. Qg3 Rgd8 24. Rd1 Ka8 25. Rd3 Ne4 26. Nb6+ 1-0




Game 9

[Event "Training"]
[Date "2000.04.18"]
[White "Ahmad Termizi, Abdullah"]
[Black "Mohd Azizul, Mat Daud"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B07"]
[PlyCount "62"]

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 c6 4. f4 Nbd7 5. Nf3 b5 6. a3 Bb7 7. Bd3 g6 8. O-O Bg7 9. Be3 Ng4 10. Qd2 Qb6 11. h3 Nxe3 12. Qxe3 e5 13. fxe5 dxe5 14. Qf2 exd4 15. Ne2 c5 16. Ng5 O-O 17. Qh4 h6 18. Nxf7 Rxf7 19. Rxf7 Kxf7 20. Rf1+ Kg8 21. Qe7 Ne5 22. Nf4 Qf6 23. Qxb7 Rf8 24. Nd5 Qg5 25. Rxf8+ Bxf8 26. Be2 Qc1+ 27. Kh2 Bd6 28. Nf6+ Kf8 29. Nh7+ Ke8 30. Nf6+ Kd8 31. Qd5 Nf3# 0-1




Game 10

[Event "Training"]
[Date "2000.04.19"]
[White "Mohd Azizul, Mat Daud"]
[Black "Ahmad Termizi, Abdullah"]
[ECO "D00"]
[PlyCount "63"]

1. d4 d5 2. Bf4 Nf6 3. e3 e6 4. Nf3 Nbd7 5. c4 c6 6. Nc3 Be7 7. Qc2 O-O 8. Rd1 Re8 9. Be2 Nf8 10. cxd5 exd5 11. h3 Bd6 12. Bxd6 Qxd6 13. O-O Ne4 14. Nxe4 Rxe4 15. Ng5 Rh4 16. Bd3 h6 17. Nf3 Rh5 18. Rc1 Ne6 19. Bf5 Ng5 20. Nxg5 hxg5 21. Bxc8 Rxc8 22. Qf5 Rb8 23. Qg4 g6 24. g3 Kg7 25. Kg2 f5 26. Qf3 Rbh8 27. Rh1 Qd7 28. g4 Rh4 29. gxf5 gxf5 30. Rcg1 a5 31. Kf1 Kg6 32. Ke1




Game 11

[Event "Training"]
[Date "2000.04.26"]
[White "Ahmad Termizi, Abdullah"]
[Black "Mohd Azizul, Mat Daud"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B07"]
[PlyCount "75"]

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 c6 4. f4 Nbd7 5. Nf3 Qc7 6. Bd3 b5 7. a3 a6 8. O-O Bb7 9. h3 e6 10. e5 dxe5 11. fxe5 Nd5 12. Nxd5 cxd5 13. Ng5 Be7 14. Rxf7 Bxg5 15. Rxd7 Qxd7 16. Bxg5 O-O 17. Qh5 g6 18. Bxg6 hxg6 19. Qxg6+ Qg7 20. Qxe6+ Qf7 21. Qxf7+ Rxf7 22. Rf1 Raf8 23. Rxf7 Rxf7 24. Bf6 Rc7 25. c3 Kf7 26. Kf2 a5 27. Ke3 b4 28. axb4 axb4 29. Kd2 bxc3+ 30. bxc3 Ba6 31. h4 Bc4 32. g4 Rb7 33. Kc2 Ra7 34. h5 Ra2+ 35. Kd1 Be2+ 36. Ke1 Bxg4 37. h6 Rh2 38. Bg5 0-1

'Chess Family' in Malaysia

In Malaysia (similar to other countries), there are certain families who motivate their children to participate actively in any chess related activities. They believe that it is good for their children to spend time to any related chess activities rather than doing any other activities which are less valuable and wasting time.

Thus, these chess players are always get support from their family to play a better chess game and of course their quality of chess games are always improve from time to time. Below are some of our Chess Family members in Malaysia and hopefully the numbers will always grow. (The number in bracket is their current national rating):

1. Shafruddin's family;

i. Fariz (1902)

ii. Hafiz (1779)

2. Zullkafli's family;

i. Zarul Shazwan (1897)

ii. Nur Shazwani (1800)

iii. Zarul Shafiq (1763)

3. Azman Hisham Che Doi's family;

i. Muhd Nabil (1722)

ii. Nur Nabila (1710)

iii. Nur Najiha (1453)

4. Saleh a.k.a GiloCatur's family;

i. Fikri (1390)

ii. Anis Fariha (1368)

I think that other stronger chess players who are also get support from their family members (or at least at the early stage of playing chess) inclusive of;

1. Abdullah Che Hassan (1892)

2. Yeoh Li Tian (1762)

3. Anas Nazreen Bakri (1984)

I believe that the above lists are not conclusive. May be I have miss certain names and certain families. Nevertheless, this article is written just to show support from me as a chess fan that the effort from these families should be supported from and followed by others.

Stone Master or Stonewall Master!?

Fadli Zakaria is a well known chess player as well as chess coach in Malaysia. He uses nick name as Stone Master. To know more about him you may surf his website at: http://stonemaster.info/ .

I do not know why he uses nick name as Stone Master. As far as I know, the only 'stone' in game of chess is Stonewall Attack. There are not many chess masters use this kind of style in playing chess. If Fadli Zakaria is truly concentrates on this variation of playing chess, and then he is truly a Stonewall Master.

Below is a brief explanation about Stonewall Attack.

The Stonewall Attack is a chess opening; more specifically it is a variation of the Queen's Pawn Game. It is characterized by White playing 1.d4, 2.e3, 3.f4 and 4.c3, usually playing 5.Bd3 as well, even though the moves are not always played in that order (see transposition). The Stonewall is a system White sets up, rather than a specific variation. If White puts up the Stonewall formation it is called a Stonewall regardless of how Black chooses to defend against it. When Black sets up a Stonewall formation, with pawns on c6, d5, e6 and f5, it is a variation of the Dutch Defense.

General remarks

As the name implies, the Stonewall setup is a solid formation which is hard to overrun by force. If Black fails to react energetically to the Stonewall setup, White may launch a lethal attack on the Black king, typically by bringing a rook to h3, advancing the g-pawn, and making a well timed bishop sacrifice at h7. Often this attack is so powerful that White does not need to develop the knight and bishop on b1 and c1. Traditionally, chess computers have been vulnerable to the Stonewall because the positions are usually without clear tactical lines. White simply prepares for an assault by bringing pieces to aggressive posts, without making immediate tactical threats. By the time the computer realizes that its king is under attack it is often too late.

The downsides to the Stonewall are the hole on e4, and the fact that the dark squared bishop on c1 is completely blocked by its own pawns. If Black defends correctly against White's attack, these strategic deficiencies can become quite serious. Because of this, the Stonewall Attack is almost never seen in master-level chess anymore, although it is seen occasionally among club players. However, Black playing the Stonewall Variation of the Dutch Defense is seen occasionally at master level.

Black has several ways to meet the Stonewall. One choice which must be made is whether to fianchetto one or both bishops. Another is how to play the pawns in the centre. Black often meets the Stonewall with a ...b6 and ...Ba6 aiming to trade off the dangerous White bishop on d3.

Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings

Since the Stonewall system is used against a variety of Black defenses, the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings has trouble classifying it. Among the codes used are D00 (when Black has played ...d5), A45, and A03, the code for Bird's Opening.


Sample game

This sample game illustrates what can happen if Black defends poorly.

1. d4 d5 2. f4 Nf6 3. e3 e6 4. Nf3 c5 5. c3 Nc6 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. O-O O-O 8. Nbd2 b6 9. Ne5 Bb7 10. g4 Qc7 11. g5 Nd7 12. Bxh7+ Kxh7 13. Qh5+ Kg8 14. Rf3 f6 15. Rh3 fxe5 16. g6, 1-0