Mike Serovey On Chess
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Mike Serovey On Chess

Welcome to my Kings Indian Defense - London System (ECO A48) game with Richard Trapp!

On this page I have posted one my chess games in which I played the Black side of the Kings Indian Defense - London System. This appears to be the second time that I have played Richard Trapp. I won the first game and came close to wining this one, but a couple of second best moves allowed him to force a draw by repetition of position. I agreed to a draw when I realized that I could not avoid perpetual check, even though I was up a Bishop.


Seventh Brandon Chess Club Action
Round 3
Date Played: 20 July 1990
White: Richard Trapp (1850) Black: Mike Serovey (1740)


  1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bf4 Bg7 4. Nbd2 O-O 5. e4 d6

Kings Indian defense after 5... d6.

This appears to be the first time that I had faced the London system. At the time that this game was played I had never heard of the London system. Because I used to play the Kings Indian attack in high school I was somewhat familiar with the Kings Indian Defense.

6. Bd3 c5 7. c3 cxd4 8. cxd4 Nc6 9. O-O Bd7 10. Re1 Qb6 11. Nb3 Nb4 12. a3 Nxd3

Kings Indian defense after 12... Nxd3.

Black has just removed one of the defenders of e4. Black is putting pressure on b3, d4 and e4 simultaneously.

13. Qxd3 Bb5 14. Qd1 Ba4 15. Re3 Nh5 16. Bg5 Rfe8 17. g4 Nf6 18. Nfd2 Qb5 19. h4

Kings Indian defense after 19. h4.

Black played 19... e5 in order to open up the Center. Also good was 19... Rac8 grabbing the open c file.

e5 20. Bxf6 Bxf6 21. d5 Bxh4

Kings Indian defense after 21... Bxh4.

Black is now up a pawn on the Kingside and has the White Knight on b3 pinned to the White Queen.

22. Rh3 Bg5 23. Qf3 Bxb3 24. Nxb3 Qd7 25. Kg2 Rac8 26. Rah1 h6

Kings Indian defense after 26... h6.

White now tries to mount a kingside attack on the h file, but it fails. White's next move doesn't make any sense because it drops the Knight when he is already down a pawn.

27. Nc1?? Rxc1 28. Rxh6 Rxh1 29. Rxh1 f6 30. Qh3 Qg7

Kings Indian defense after 30... Qg7.

Now that Black has adequately defended h7 and h8 White shifts his attention to the Queenside. I am amazed at how many of my opponents make me play it out when they are down material!

31. Qb3 Rc8 32. Qb4 Qd7 33. f3 Rc2+ 34. Kf1 Rc1+ 35. Kg2 Rxh1 36. Kxh1

Kings Indian defense after 36. Kxh1.

Generally speaking, you want to trade pieces when up material. Getting the queens off the board would make this an easily won endgame for Black. Playing 36... Qc7! followed by Be3, g5, Qc1+ and Qg1+ leads to a win for Black.

Qh7+ 37. Kg2 Qc7 38. Qa4 Kf7 39. b4 a6 40. b5 axb5 41. Qxb5 b6 42. Qa6 Be3 43. Qd3

Kings Indian defense after 43. Qd3.

Playing 43... Qc1! followed by 44... Qg1+ wins for Black.

Bd4? 44. Qa6 Qc2+ 45. Kh3 g5 46. Qb7+ Kg6 47. Qd7 Bg1 1/2-1/2

Kings Indian defense after 47... Bg1 (Final position).

Black is threatening to play Qh2# but cannot escape the perpetual checks from the White Queen! That is why he agreed to a draw.

Back to the Kings Indian Defense page

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