Elements of Chess Strategy
Alexei Kosikov
Translated by John Sugden First published in the UK by Gambit Publications Ltd 2010
Copyright© Alexei Kosikov 2010 English-language translation© John Sugden 2010
The right of Alexei Kosikov to be identifiedas the author of this work has been asserted in accor dance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
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ISBN- 13: 978-1-906454-24-1 ISBN-10: 1-906454-24-8
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Edited by Graham Burgess Typeset by Petra Nunn Cover image by WolffMorrow Printed in Great Britain by the MPG Books Group, Bodmin and King's Lynn
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Gambit Publications Ltd Managing Director: Murray Chandler GM Chess Director: Dr John Nunn GM Editorial Director: Graham Burgess FM German Editor: Petra Nunn WFM We bmaster: Dr Helen Milligan WFM Contents
Preface 5 Symbols 5
Introduction 6
1 Devising a Plan in a Game of Chess 9 Elements of Chess Strategy 9 Prophylactic Thinking and Anticipation of Events 13 The Principle of Two Weaknesses 14 Manoeuvring 17 The Principle of the 'Worst' Piece 20 Answers to Exercises for Chapter 1 22
2 'STOPS'- A System of Self-Discipline in Chess 43 Answer to Exercise for Chapter 2 50
3 The Advantage of the Bishop-Pair 51 Bishop or Knight? 51 Bishop Stronger than Knight 52 Knight Stronger than Bishop 57 Two Bishops in the Middlegame 60 Two Bishops in the Middlegame: Associated Factors 62 The 'Advantage of the Knight-Pair' 64 The Problem of Exchanging 68 Two Bishops in the Endgame 71 Two Bishops against Two Knights in the Endgame .76 Methods of Combating the Two Bishops in the Endgame 78 Transformation of the Advantage 81 The Passed Pawn 84 The Bishop-Pair in the Endgame- How Much is it Worth? 85 4 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY
The 'Best Odds' Principle 87 Answers to Exercises for Chapter 3 90
4 Warning- Trap Ahead! 105 Answers to Exercises for Chapter 4 120
5 Opposite Bishops in the Middlegame 126 Bishop Power 126 The Initiative 130 Attacking the King 134 Attacking the King with Minimal Material 136 Open File and Passed Pawn 138 Prophylaxis 140 Piece Coordination 142 Defence 143 The Pawn-Structure 145 Answers to Exercises for Chapter 5 149
Index of Players 157 Preface
Nothing is more terrible than war. In it there are no victors- only the downtrodden, the wounded and the humiliated. Ye t I dream that a time will come when battles will befo ught solely on the black and white squares of the chessboard.
The book examines a question of great importance to chess-players of any level - how to study the strategy of the middlegame. It elucidates the problems of devising a plan in a game of chess. It gives practical advice and recommendations on this subject. It proposes a system of self-discipline for the competitive player, to be practised during preparation, in the course of play and after the end of a tournament game. Much other useful information is also given. In a word - read on. You will not regret it! The book is intended for chess-players of average and higher categories.
Symbols
X capture + check ++ double check # checkmate !! brilliant move good move !? interesting move ?! dubious move ? bad move ?? blunder Ch championship (D) see next diagram Introduction
For anyone wishing to improve at chess, middlegame strategy is among the most important prob lems and those that demand the most work. But even in our computerized age, there is much here that remains unclear. For the study of endgames, the methods are quite intelligible. Many books have been written on the subject, and their number continues to grow. Various computer programs also give help of con siderable importance. But the main thing is that we know what to do, in what direction to proceedin order to achieve concrete results: Compile a stock of standard clear-cut positions. Study the techni cal devices and methods of combat - those which have general application as well as those charac teristic of a particular endgame type (pawn endings, rook endings, minor-piece endings, etc.). In this way you will attain a certain level of mastery in the endgame. Here everything depends on your aptitude, will, persistence and time. How to approach the opening is also clear. The time when players would work solely from encyclopaedias, opening handbooks, monographs and magazine articles is now past. These ma terials are valuable, but need to be supplemented with computer programs for both information and analysis. A computer will not only give you detailed information on the opening variations that you intend to play, but it will also suggest which of them appear most acceptable on a statisti cal basis (without, admittedly, taking into account your chess tastes, playing style, or whether a particular line has been refuted, thus rendering a statistical analysis irrelevant). Another very im portant point is that in preparing for a specifictournament game, a contestant with the aid of data bases can obtain information on dozens or hundreds of games played by the opponent he is about to face. Many players follow the line of least resistance in their chess development and spend large amounts of time just studying the openings. Of course, such work may bring distinct and immedi ate results (you study something today and surprise an opponent with it tomorrow). Yet these play ers fail to notice that their chess is developing one-sidedly. For there is also the middlegame ! And its study is a good deal more complicated. Why? Let me digress a little and give you a logical problem to solve. Take a box of matches and take six matches out. Exercise: Makefo ur equilateraltr iangles out of these six matches. You must abide by these con ditions: the triangles must have equal sides, and everyside must be the length of one match, which you are not allowed to break. You will find the right answer if you stop looking for it on a flatsurf ace. Yo u must come out into open space! Make a pyramid, and you arrive at the solution. So it is with the study of the middlegame - two dimensions are not enough here. You need to per fect your abilities in a large number of directions. There is the development of your combinative vi sion and the technique of calculating variations. There is the study of typical positions (Sicilian structures with a backward pawn, the blocked centre, the dynamic centre, opposite-wing pawn storms, isolated queen's pawn and related structures, hedgehog structure, etc.), and the ways of handling them. There are situations involving defence, the initiative and the struggle for it, the need for restraint, and so forth. There are positions where the material balance has been disturbed. There are elements of chess strategy such as open files, weak points, the bishop-pair, etc. And much, much more. In each one of these areas there are a great many guidelines and principles that are use ful to know, and it is even more important to understand how to apply them and when to ignore them completely. INTR ODUCTION 7
However, there is at present no unifiedmethodology for studying the middlegame -and there is unlikely to be one in the near future. And this is a good thing for chess creativity, since otherwise, after reading the appropriate book, we would all become World Champions, and chess would be re duced to a game on the lines of tic-tac-toe. Why, then, was the present book written? The point is that progress in any branch of knowledge is not to be halted, whether we like it or not. In chess it is hard to invent anything fundamentally new - much has already been pre-empted. But there is nothing terrible in this. The process of self-improvement is endless, and painstaking analytical work is no less complex and fascinating than discovering new concepts. Believe me! In many years of work as a coach I have assembled a well-ordered set of conclusions. One of these is that in the body of knowledge possessed by chess-players, there is not enough system. Of ten, on receiving some piece of information, we 'swallow' it without digesting it or making sense of it. And then during a game, when we seek some prompting from our 'library' of knowledge, we use up too much time and energy finding the 'book' we need, or we fail to find it at all. Imagine you have acquired tens of thousands of books that have not been sorted into any kind of order. Would such a library be any use to you? In the book before you now, abundant examples are collected, some classical, some little known. The essential requirement was that they should be united by general themes and a system of knowledge. I have tried not to overburden the reader with too many analytical variations, but nor have I permitted any superficiality in the examination of the examples.
Chapter-by-Chapter Outline
The book comprises fiveindependent chapters, each of which is of interest for studying a specific field of chess strategy. The significance of being able to form a plan of action in a game of chess is something that no one needs to have explained to them. The capacity to resolve this question correctlyis what consti tutes supreme strategic mastery. This is the theme of the firstchapter, which gives not only general recommendations but also practical advice on their implementation. Getting ready for a tournamentgame, controlling the course of events in it, analysing its psycho logical content afterwards, drawing up practical guidelines for your subsequent duels - recommen dations on these matters are furnished by the system devised by the author, to which the second chapter is devoted. The 'advantage of the bishop-pair' is a familiar piece of chess jargon -but when is this term jus tified and when is it not? You may say that plenty of books and articles have been devoted to this question already. But if you study the third chapter you will not begrudge the time spent. For what you have before you is a system! 'Warning - trap ahead!' What chess-player is not mesmerized by the word trap? Who among us has not fallen victim to an opponent's cunning? But then again, we may recall our delight on seeing the opponent caught in a snare of our own. This is a most important tactical, strategic and psycho logical device; but how do we learnto utilize it properly? An al gorithm for the setting of traps will be discussed in the fourth chapter. Although the theme of 'opposite bishops in the middlegame' is not new, I have my own views on it. You will come to know them when you read the fifth chapter.
Methodology
When assembling material for the book, apart from traditional teaching tasks (processing of infor mation, training in the technique of calculating variations, etc.), I set myself one other goal of the 8 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY
fi rst importance but not easily attained: that of helping the reader to learnto think logically. I there fore took special pleasure in bringing to the reader' s attention those examples which require you not only to work out concrete variations accurately but also to detect and construct a logical chain of reasoning to solve the problem. In prepari ng the book I wished to present the material without recourse to either stereotypes or 'dry' formulae. I therefore took the liberty of including some witticisms and literary digressions in the text. Hopefully the well-disposed reader will understand me and the severe critic will forgive me.
Note on Exercises
In the majority of cases, the examples are accompanied by exercises, usually with a diagram in the relevant place. Note that these are not in most cases clear-cut tactical positions, where precise anal ysis will lead to a firm conclusion about the 'right' and 'wrong' answer. In many of them, the ques ti on is more about the assessment of the position and its strategic elements. There may well be several valid continuations, or it may be a matter of taste how to proceed. At these points you should pause to weigh up the position and how you would proceed before reading on. If your an swer agrees with mi ne - wonderful - but if it does not, and checking with a computer suggests you have not missed anything critical, then you have perhaps found a valid alternative that also suits your playing style. I have striven to consider valid alternatives where they exist, and to point out plausible but inferior lines, but chess is a rich game and it is impossible to anticipate every idea. You will get by far the most benefit out of these exercises if you devote a good deal of effort to them before looking at the solutions. Rather than ask that you keep pieces of card handy to cover up the solution in these cases (and hope that somehow you avoid seeing a key part of the answer when doing so), the answers to the exercises have been placed at the end of the chapter. But note that the exercises are an integral part of the chapter, and a good deal of the primary discussion occurs in their solutions. Therefore you should tackle them and read the answers before continuing on to the next example. In all cases there are page references to the material that follows, so you should never become lost! In the exercises, you are often asked to evaluate a position. It is suggested that you answer according to a five-point scheme, namely:
• White has a won position;
• White has the better position;
• the game is equal;
• Black has the better position;
• Black has a won position. It is clear from the above scheme that you are not being set the task of defining how much better or worse the position is. (After all, during play we don't attach a percentage score to a situation; we merely register it emotionally - do we like it to a greater or lesser degree?) But distinguishing a won position from a merely superior one is something that a high-ranking player is obliged to do.
And one finalword. When working with this book, what matters is not the quantity of material devoured, but the quality of its assimilation. 1 Devising a Plan in a Game of Chess
For every good piece of advice, another ten are at the second stage, since the placing of the needed on how to carry it out. rooks (with the queen, a 'smart' piece, things VLADIMIR LEVI are simpler) should correspond to the chosen plan. In my practice as a coach I have often happened It is most important not to miss the right mo to hear remarks like "Today go for the attack", ment. As Lenin said, "Yesterday was too early "Be more careful", "Pay attention to the tac but tomorrow will be too late. We will take the tics", etc. And of course, "Play according to a Winter Palace today, comrades!" The situation plan". But by no means all players, even of a in chess is analogous. The plan cannot be born high calibre, are successful in devising a plan in prematurely. But if you take too long to formu the course of a game of chess. late it, the course of events on the board may es The advice you are given for the opening is cape your controL to arrange your pieces in accordance with the plan you have in mind. But on the other hand, your choice of plan depends on how the pieces Elements of Chess Strategy are arranged. What are you to do first, then? Develop your pieces or devise your plan? In What do you think defines a chess-player's this connection I would like to remind you of strength? What distinguishes a grandmaster, the philosophical question, 'Which came first, shall we say, from a strong amateur? And what the chicken or the egg ?' The answer is well does a chess-player's understanding consist known: both appeared simultaneously! So it is of? in chess. Many answers can be given to these some Imagine you have been given the task of de what abstractquestio ns. In my view, the answer vising a plan following the moves 1 e4 e5. The lies in the ability to assign the right order of pri very question, of course, is in itself devoid of ority to the elements of strategy in a particular sense. For a plan to be conceived, the position position, and to formulate a plan of play ac needs to have matured. But in that case how do cordingly. There are large quantities of such you arrange your pieces; what are the right strategic elements in chess; for instance, a weak places for bringing them out? point, a passed pawn, piece activity, peculiari Yo u are recommended to do this in such a ties of the pawn-structure, and so on. way that the development of your pieces fits in Just how many elements could be named in with the greatest quantity of possible plans. total, I shall not venture to say. One hundred, So after 1 e4 e5, the move 2 tt:'!f3 occurs most two hundred, or more? What I do know pre often, although other continuations are possible cisely is that in every position there are certain too, such as 2 f4, 2 tt:'!c3, 2 .i.c4, etc. elements of greatest importance, and that by With this in mind, at what point can you (or unravelling them we enable ourselves to formu must you) begin to devise a concrete plan? late the right plan of action. This most oftenoccurs when the development Let us examine this with some concrete ex of the minor pieces is basically complete and amples (remember that you should read the so the king has castled (or - in some openings lution to each before moving on to the next, such as the French and Sicilian Defences, etc. and that the more effort and independent - when the position of the king has been deter thought you put in, the more benefit you will mined). The major pieces are brought out only derive). 10 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRA TEGY
B B
Aronson - Ta l Khuzman - Kasparov USSR Ch, Moscow 1957 Simultaneous display, Te l-Aviv 1998
White has an extra pawn. Exercise 3: Give your evaluation of the posi Exercise 1: tion. 1) Specify the chief strategic factors on (For the answer, see page 23.) which Black should base his plan of action. 2) Suggest a specificcontinuation for Black. (For the answer, see page 22.)
w w
Nimzowitsch - H. Wolf Smyslov - Matanovic Karlsbad 1923 Interzonal To urnament, Biell976
Exercise 2: Indicate the chief strategic ele Exercise 4: Indicate the main strategic fac ments in this position. tors that constitute White's advantage. (For the answer, see page 22.) (For the answer, see page 23.) DEVISING A PLAN IN A GAME OF CHESS 11
B w
Geller - Hort Bareev - Shirov Skopje!Ohrid 1968 Linares 1994
Exercise 5: Exercise 7: 1) Evaluate the position. 1) Identify the chief strategic elements in 2) Indicate the strategic factors on which this position. your evaluation is based. 2) Suggest how to make use of them. (For the answer, see page 24.) (For the answer, see page 24.)
w B
lvanchuk - Yudasin D. Gurevich - Seirawan Candidates match (game I), Riga 1991 USA Ch, Seattle 2000
Exercise 6: Define the main strategic ele Exercise 8: ments of the position and indicate the way to 1) Identify the chief strategic elements. utilize them. 2) Give your evaluation of the position. (For the answer, see page 24.) 3) In Black's place, what would you play? (For the answer, see page 25.) 12 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY
weakening of White's kingside gives Black distinct chances of an attack in the middle w game. White could now continue with 19 ifd2, so as to occupy an important diagonal with his bishop after 20 i.f4.In my vexation at not hav ing obtained an attack, I decided that the posi tion was virtually lost for White, and played the rest of the game with very little confidence." 19 ..tg5.:Ie7 "I would like to quote a conversation that took place between Mikhail Botvinnik and my self after the end of the ninth game. When I Botvinnik - Sorokin started reeling off variations at machine-gun USSR Ch, Moscow 1931 speed to demonstrate how comfortable Black's position was, Botvinnik said: 'A tfirst I fe lt this It is clear from a look at the position that the position was more pleasantfo r White, but then I advantage lies with White. fo und the right plan: I had to exchange rooks Exercise 9: What would you play if you were but keep the queens on.' in White's place? "To begin with, this judgement on the posi (For the answer, see page 26.) tion struck me as astonishingly abstract, but when I started reviewing that same mass of The problem of exchanging is a key question variations, I could only come to the conclusion of chess strategy. that Botvinnik was absolutely right: without Botvinnik stated that "the process of a chess queens, White's well-configured pawn-chain, game (and probably of any game) consists of a supported by his active bishop, would secure generalized exchange". A correct approach to him a distinct plus. With queens on the board, this problem sometimes enables you to avoid Black could count on a powerful attack, thanks calculating a large number of variations. In sup to the weakening of the g4-square. It was expe port of this, I should like to give the following rience and knowledge that achieved victory in example; the comments in quotation marks are this game on the 58th move; victory in the Tal's. match was won by youth."
A correct solution to the problem of ex changing pieces can sometimes enable us to w steer the course of a game in the direction we require.
B
Ta l - Botvinnik Wo rld Ch match (game 9), Moscow 1960
"With material equality (three pawns for a piece), White has quite good endgame pros pects, seeing that in endings of this type a Bronstein - Petrosian bishop is more active. On the other hand, the Candidates tournament, Amsterdam 1956 DEVISING A PIAN IN A GAME OF CHESS 13
Exercise 10: What would you play if you had Competitive chess today is arduous, gruel Black here? ling work demanding total commitment. 'Open' (For the answer, see page 28.) tournamentshave become the norm. There will be a hundred or more players taking part. The playing schedule is extremely tight. The time control is punishing. Games are played daily, or quite often at a rate of two rounds a day. But even this is not the main thing. Chess profes sionals derive their basic means of subsistence from prizes gained in tournaments. Yet with so many participants in a contest lasting, say, for nine rounds, there can no longer be any ques tion of winning prizes with a 'plus four' result. You need to score seven points, sometimes even more. Ve ry well. In the opening rounds, as a rule, the favourites are drawn to play against less ex lvanchuk - Aronian perienced opponents. In these conditions you Morelia/Linares2007 can presume to score close to 100% (though even this happens only if everything goes your Exercise 11: way). But afterwards you get opponents with 1) What is your evaluation of the position? 'teeth', conceding nothing to you either in rat 2) In White's place, what would you play? ing points or in their strength and experience of (For the answer, see page 28.) the practical struggle. And you need to pick up another 'plus two' or 'plus three' for a prize. Having tackled these exercises, we have sat Where from? How? Even a drawn game, against isfied ourselves that identifying the chief strate a very strong opponent too, can prove to be a gic elements is an essential basis for devising a negative result. plan. But this alone is not enough. What else is Exceedingly intensive work is required here ! required in order to master the art of planning? The burden - physical, intellectual and emo tional - increases to the maximum. It is such that you don't see the chess pieces but just cir Prophylactic Thinking and cles before your eyes. And yet you have to fight! Such, alas, is a competitor's life! Anticipation of Events Time and again I have given attention to the mode of thought that tends to be adopted by a Modern competitive chess differs sharply from chess amateur. ''I'll try to choose the best con the chess of the relatively recent past. Let us re tinuation in this situation", he will say to him call an era that takes us back, say, twenty-five self, "and after that it's up to my opponent to years. The time-control was forty moves in two think. When he makes his reply, that's when I and a half hours for each player. After that the carry on with my search. What's this about me game would be adjourned.Days for resumption having to work and think for his side too? Have of adjourned games came after every two or I got such an outsize head?" three rounds. There were rest days into the bar Top-class chess-players have to behave like gain. Tournaments with fourteen participants first-rate actors in a drama. Just as an actor must would, as a rule, last three weeks. A 'plus four' not only play the role created by the author but result gave realistic chances of firstplace. And also get inside the personality of the character if your luck was out and you only scored 'plus he is portraying, so a chess-player needs to ex two' , it was still perfectly possible to reckon on perience the very thoughts, wishes and emo a place in the prize list. It was not life but para tions of his opponent. Envisaging a possible dise! continuation, idea or plan for his own side, he 14 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY
must not stop there. He must continue his de 2) Identify the main strategic elements. liberations by, so to speak, turning the board 3) What would you play if you were in through 180 degrees and seeking a response for White's place? his opponent no less energetically. But doing (For the answer, see page 28.) this is not easy, for two reasons. The first is psy chological. It is very much against our wish that I am sure you found this a striking and con a refutation of our projects, or even a serious re vincing example of the power of prophylactic sponse to them, should be found. thinking. But let us return to the main theme of The second reason is that this process re this chapter. We ll, we have decided to formu quires an extra expenditure of energy, as we late our plan in good time; the main strategic have to work not only for ourselves but also for elements are correctly identified; our prophy the person opposite. lactic thinking and anticipation of events are up Yet prophylactic thinking is indispensable, to standard; vulnerable and critical points have because it is only in this way that we will be able been found in the opponent's camp. to anticipate the course of the struggle ahead and Yet the question still remains - how are we to channel it in the direction necessary and favour devise our plan, gentlemen? able to ourselves. And if, as the result of our prognosis, we come to the depressing but coura geous and honest conclusion that events are go The Principle of Two ing in the wrong direction for us, then it is essential to harness all our strength, knowledge, Weaknesses imagination and ingenuity for the sake of radi cally altering the character of the struggle. The principle of two weaknesses is basic to By way of illustrating what has been said, let forming a plan in a game of chess. The concept us take the following example. of a weakness in the broad strategic sense should be understood as a lasting threat. Examples are Fischer - Spassky possession of an open file and the consequent Match (game 1), Sveti Stefan/Belgrade 1992 threat to penetrate; a vulnerable king position; pawn weaknesses; a far- advanced passed pawn; 1 e4 e5 2 lt:Jf3 lt:Jc6 3 .i.b5 a6 4 .i.a4 lt:Jf6 5 and so on. Put more briefly, by the word weak 0-0 i..e76l:t e1 b5 7 .i.b3d6 8 c3 0-0 9 h3 lt:Jb8 ness we understand something that compels the 10 d4 lt:Jbd7 11 lt::Jbd2 i..b7 12 i.c2 l::!.e8 13 opponent to defend for quite a long time. lt:Jfl.i.f8 14 lt:Jg3 g6 15 i.g5 h6 16 .i.d2 i..g7 The implementation of a plan according to 17 a4 c5 18 d5 c4 19 b4 lt:Jh7 20 i.e3 h5 21 the principle of two weaknesses can be divided 'i!Vd2 l:tf822 l:ta3lt::J df6 23 l:tea1 'iWd7 241!1a 2 into five stages: �fc8 25 'i!Vc1f8 i.. 26 'i!Va1 'i!Ve8 (D) 1) Create the first weakness. 2) Attack this weakness, though not in order to destroy it (that would of course be a good thing, but your forces are likely to be insuffi cient for it) but to compel the opponent's pieces to go over to the defence, thus depriving them of activity and mobility. 3) Create the second weakness. 4) Attack the second weakness. 5) Attack both weaknesses by turns; this should eventually produce a breach in the op ponent's defence. The principle of two weaknesses was con ceived as long ago as the 19th century. But the Exercise 12: precise, lucid explanation of this principle must 1) Give your assessment of the position. be credited unreservedly to Aron Nimzowitsch: DEVISING A PLAN IN A GAME OF CHESS 15
"The two weaknesses are in themselves per of White's pieces. Rooks on the d-file (dl and fectly defensible, but the attacker relies primar d2). Bishop on f3. Queen - this is a 'smart' piece ily on the territorial advantage at his disposal, that can join in the attack at any moment. But the superior state of his lines of communica what about the knight? Ifit is placed on a square tion. The game is lost because at some point the where it attacks the d5-pawn (i.e. c3 or f4 ), defender proves unable to match his opponent White loses control of the d4-square, and the in the swiftregrouping of fo rces." freeing break with ...d4 becomes more than are This last sentence of Nimzowitsch's explains alistic prospect. Let us recall Nimzowitsch, who the possibility of carrying out the fifthand final affirmed that the isolated pawn had to be block stage of a plan based on the principle of two aded, since it strives to advance even at the cost weaknesses. Let us now examine this in the of sacrificing itself. Does the knight belong on context of some concrete examples. d4, then? But in that case the knight itself will be shielding the d5-pawn from the white rooks' at Botvinnik - Zagoriansky tack. Sverdlovsk 1943 The modem attitude to the isolated pawn dif fers from that of Nimzowitsch; the isolated 1 tt:'lf3 dS 2 c4 e6 3 b3 tt:'lf6 4 Si.b2 Si.e7 S e3 pawn must be not blockaded but destroyed! 0-0 6 tt:'lc3 cS 7 cxdS tt:'lxdS White would therefore like the knights to be ex Small inaccuracies at the start of the game changed off. After that, a white rook on d4 will will lead to serious problems for Black later on. not only blockade the black d5-pawn solidly He already had to make a decision - whether to but attack it at the same time. take on d5 with his queen (after an exchange of In view of what has just been stated, the next knights) or to go into a position with an isolated phase of the game requires no commentary. pawn. In the latter case he should avoid ex 1S .i::tfd 1 l:!.fd8 16 .i::td2 �d7 17 .l:tad1.l:tad8 changes that are not necessary (7 ...exd5 !?). 18 h3 h6 19 tt:'leS! tt:'lxeS 8 tt:'lxdS exdS?! 9 d4 cxd4 10 �xd4 Si.f6 11 Forced, as 19... l:!.d6 fails to 20 tt:'lc4!. �d2 tt:'lc6 12 ..ie2 i..e6?! 20 �xeS �cS 21 ..if3 b6 In a simplified form, the verdict on posi The threat was 22 e4. tions with an isolated pawn is that the advan 22 �b2 .l:le8 23 �eS �ed8 24 �d4 aS (D) tage lies with the side holding the initiative. Black should therefore have preferred 12 ...i.. g4. 13 0-0 ..ixb2 14 �xb2 �aS (D) w
w
Exercise 13: Suggest White's further plan of action. (For the answer, see page 29.) In terms of the principle of two weaknesses, which stage do you think the game has reached? I would like to go more deeply into the con That's right, the second stage. The first weak cept of a 'weakness'. For this, let us look at the ness - the pawn on d5 - has already been following example (see next diagram). formed. Consequently it needs to be attacked. The second stage of the 'two weaknesses' For this purpose let us envisage the arrangement strategy is over: the first object of attack (the 16 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY
33 .l:tg2g6 34 .l:tbg1 The threat of an exchange sacrificeon g6 ( af w ter which the weakness on e6 will also col lapse!) becomes unbearable, so Black plunges into tactical complications.
34.•. .l:tc8 35 l:txg6f4+ 36
After all that has been said above, it will be child's play for us to make sense of the next ex ample. Shirov - Kinsman Pa ris 1990 b7-pawn) has been set up, and placed under w pressure. What comes next seems clear - White must create a second weakness in another sec tor of the board. 30 h4 gxh4 30 ...i.f7 is no improvement in view of 31 hxg5 fxg5 32.i.e2 !, with 33 f4 to follow - or 31 i.e2! at once. 31 gxh4 .i.f7 It looks as if the third stage (creation of the second weakness) is completed - the g7-pawn Vukic - Davcevski is ready to be put under pressure. But that is not Yu goslav Ch, Bjelovar 1979 entirely true. Or to be more exact, it is entirely untrue! After 32 l:!.g2 �f8 33 .l:!.bg1 e5 ! Black You don't have to be a super-strong chess manages to regroup in time, as a result of which player to recognize that White has a won posi his rooks, stationed on the second rank, will tion. He is a pawn up, and the way to exploit his support the weaknesses on b7 and g7 without advantage is clear - provided of course that we any strain. The point is that the weaknesses are have learntto plan our play in accordance with both on the same rank. the principle of two weaknesses. The first two 32 e5! stages are over. White has created a passed a Now the second weakness, on the kingside, pawn - constituting Black's first 'weakness' does emerge. It comprises not only the g7 -pawn and pushed it sufficiently far. It is now time for but also the e6-pawn! the third stage - the formation of a second
32 .•• f5?! weakness on the opposite side of the board. A more stubborn defence lay in 32... fx e5, 33 h3
The knight is obliged to jump back. It is be shall be ably assisted in this by an extract from yond Black's power to defend both weak a game by the third World Champion. nesses at once, given the inferior mobility of his pieces. 42 h5 tDe7 43 hxg6 ii.xg644 l:i.h1! lieS45 tDxg6! w A typical transformation of the advantage, which involves the question of exchanging. White trades his superb knight for his oppo nent's atrocious bishop. But then, this misfit was the only black piece that still stood in the way of White's onslaught! 45 ...hxg6 46 .l:th7
All would now seem clear. How to formu late a plan, we know by now. But don'tjump to conclusions. At the very first stage of imple menting a plan based on the principle of two weaknesses, we often come up against obsta cles that are hard to surmount. Suppose that your opponents these days are competent and recalcitrant; they don't want to give themselves any weaknesses - so there ! Where, then, are the weaknesses going to come from?
Znosko-Borovsky - Alekhine Manoeuvring Paris 1933 This procedure has been compared to tacking, Exercise 14: i.e. steering a vessel with frequent changes of 1) Identify the main strategic elements in direction to sail into the wind. this position. "In level positions the play assumes a par 2) Evaluate the position. ticular character. As a rule it proceeds quietly (For the answer, see page 30.) - incautious actions can quickly spoil every thing. The players will usually begin some Again I would like to define more precisely lengthy manoeuvring, in the course of which what we understand by the term weakness. We they try to avoid weakening their own position 18 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY
while provoking the formation of weaknesses 42 ...lLlc6 43 lbxa6bxa6 44 i.xc6 i.e645 g4 in the opposite camp." (Karpov). ii.f6 The manoeuvring may also have the object Now White can get to grips with the d4- of regrouping the pieces. pawn. 46 �d3 h5 47 tt:Jxd4 ..tcS 48 ..ltf3 bxg4 49 hxg4 'li;r750 b4 i.dS 51 a3 1-0
w
B
Nikolic - Sznapik Dubai Olympiad 1986
That White has a won position is visible to the naked eye, what with the overwhelming ac Ta rrasch - Alekhine tivity of his pieces coupled with the large num Baden-Baden 1925 ber of weaknesses in the black camp. Very soon, obviously, White will have little trouble Exercise 16: surrounding and destroying the weak black 1) Evaluate the position. pawn on d4. But then, there is no reason to 2) In Black's place, how would you con hurry. To prepare, Nikolic carries out a regroup tinue? ing. (For the answer, see page 31.) 40 lbc7! Threatening to win a pawn with either 41 i.xc6 or 41 lbxa6. 40 ...lLld8 41 i.d5! i..e7 (D)
B
w
Simagin - Ta imanov USSR Ch, Moscow 1952 42 lLlf3! In the space of just three moves, the activity Exercise 17: of White's pieces has increased so much that 1) Give your assessment of the position. Black is prepared to accept the material loss 2) Suggest a plan for Black. which he tried to avoid a moment ago. (For the answer, see page 32.) DEVISING A PLAN IN A GAME OF CHESS 19
literally six moves(!), this arrangement actu ally came about" (Khalifman). w Exercise 19: Try to decide what configura tion of the pieces it was that White devised. (For the answer, see page 33.)
Let's look at two more examples that are highly instructive.
Karpov - Spassky Candidates match (game 9), Moscow 1974
Exercise 18: 1) Evaluate the position. 2) Suggest a plan of action for White. (For the answer, see page 32.)
'Tacking' to and fro is another term that was introducedinto chess parlance by Nimzowitsch. lobron - Spraggett In the reference work Chess: An Encyclo Wijk aan Zee 1985 paedic Dictionary (under Anatoly Karpov's general editorship), the following definition is Exercise 20: What would you play if you had given: "Tacking is a strategic device which in White here? volves manoeuvring the pieces with the aim of (For the answer, see page 33.) creating and utilizing weaknesses in the oppo nent's camp." Yet this formulation seems to me imprecise. In this connection let us examine the following examples. w
B
Sorin - Va lerga Buenos Aires 1997
Khalifman - Balashov Exercise 21: Zonal tournamentpla y-off,Lvov 1990 I) Give your assessment of the position. 2) What would you play if you had White? "It was at this very moment, exploring the (For the answer, see page 34.) position during my opponent's thinking time, that I hit upon the ideal arrangement for my In the foregoing examples, the issue was de pieces. Anticipating, I shall say that within cided by a manoeuvre that involved activating 20 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY
pieces (in the last two cases it was rooks). Based on this, I would give the following defi nition. w Ta cking, as a strategic device, means ma noeuvring the pieces with the aim of activating them or utilizing weaknesses in the opponent's camp. But there are situations where a successful manoeuvring phase is already over, weaknesses in the enemy camp have been created, a plan on the principle of two weaknesses has nearly been accomplished, yet you cannot find a con tinuation to finishoff the struggle. In this case, Fischer - Darga what advice can be given? We st Germany - USA match, We st Berlin 1960
The Principle of the Exercise 22: In White's place, what would you play? 'Worst' Piece (For the answer, see page 34.)
As a rule, this principle is applied when we are carrying out the finalstage of a plan for exploit ing two weaknesses. The essence of the principle of the 'worst' piece is as follows. In positions that are close to B being won, you often get the impression that something is missing - some trifling detail or other. Taking a look at the position from (so to speak) a detached, 'philosophical' point of view, you try to identify the least active piece - the 'worst' piece - in your own camp, and you look for a way to activate it. Improving the position of this piece may tum out to be the final drop that fills the cup of victory. Incidentally, in our last three examples we Janowski - Rubinstein already saw a partial implementation of the Karlsbad 1907 principle of the 'worst' piece. In Khalifman Balashov it was the activation of an idle bishop Exercise 23: that affected the outcome; in the other two 1) According to the principle of two weak cases it was the transfer of a rook to the princi nesses, which stage has the game reached? pal battle zone. 2) In Black's place, what would you play? Let us examine a few more examples. (For the answer, see page 35.) DEVISING A PLAN IN A GAME OF CHESS 21
w w
Smyslov - Simagin Nimzowitsch - Rubinstein Moscow 1967 Dresden 1926
Exercise24: What would you play if you had Exercise 25: White here? 1) Give your assessment of the position. (For the answer, see page 35.) 2) In White's place, what would you play? (For the answer, see page 36.)
Well then, we have decided how to formulate a plan. Theoretically, all would seem clear. The only trouble is that in practice, I assure you, nothing will be anywhere near so simple - seeing that "for every good piece of advice, another ten are needed on how to carry it out". 22 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY
At last the rook is freed from its prison. But Answers to Exercises for in the meantime the black knight has managed Chapter 1 to gallop right into the thick of the action. 30 ....ie4 31 i..xe4 .l:i.xe432 l:tfl .l:.e233 'iVd6 .l::i.xa2 34 'iVd5 'iVc235 c5 .l:!.d8 36 .id6 .l:.e8 0-1 Exercise 1 (Now return to page 10.)
Exercise 2
B
w
White's main liabilities are his weakened king position and the poor coordination of his pieces. Tal sees a way to 'isolate' the al-rook. You are right if you pointed out that the main
26 ••• i..bl!! characteristic is the presence of opposite bish Now that the white rook is temporarily shut ops in a middlegame situation. If you add to this out of the game, the weakness of the first and the greater activity of White's pieces and his second ranks makes itself acutely felt. extra control of space, then his advantage be 27 .ie5?! comes obvious. But is it enough to win? Let us Objectively, 27 .l::i.f4 is White's best attempt follow how the game went. to survive, although 27 ....l::i. e1+ 28 Wf2 .l:i.fe8 29 33 'ii'g4 .if5 34 'ii'g2 h6?! 'iVxg7+ 'iVxg7 30 .ixg7 'it;xg7 31 .if3 h5 32 An inaccuracy. Better is 34 ... .id3, forcing i..xh5 .l:i.8e5 is by no means pleasant for him. 35 c5.
27 •..lLie6 35 l:g3 �h7 (D) 27 ...lLif7 is also good. 28 'iVd6 28 'iVa5 may be more resilient, but 28 ...lLig5 29 'iVb4 (or 29 'iVe 1 .ic2 threatening ....l::!. f5) w 29 ...i.. e4 favours Black. 28 ...'iVf5 29 .if4 lLig5 30 'iVb4 (D)
B
36 d5! This is the whole point! Now the creation of a passed pawn will be one more thing (in addi tion to the defence of his king) to require Black's attention. 36... l:!.f7? DEVISING A PLAN IN A GAME OF CHESS 23
A preferable line is 36... exd5 37 cxd5 g6 38 On 43 �fl Black plays 43 ...�h2, while 43 �c3 �d8 39 d6 b5 because after 40 l:!.c7?! �gl is met by 43 ... ii.c5+ and 44... �f2. If 43 lhc7 41 dxc7 �d3 , Black is not in danger of 'it>hl, then 43 ...'iff2 is decisive. losing. Black only made four moves (and all with 37 d6 g6 38 c5 �c8 39 �c3 (D) his queen !), but this proved sufficient for vic tory. A stage with a solo performer! (Now return to page 10.)
B Exercise 4
w
White's intention is obvious -to play 40 c6. Additional Exercise 2A: Assess Black's sur vival chances after 39 ...�c6 and 39 ...l:!.d7. (For the answer, see page 37.) Control of greater space is an extremely im Exercise 3 portant element of chess strategy. It enables you to transfer your forces quickly to any sector of the battlefield. This holds true in the position before us - B White's spatial advantage means his pieces are freer, more mobile and more active. The game continued: 12 a4 li:Jf8?! Conducting the defence (and that is precisely what Black had to attend to here) means doing what you can while you can, rather than what you would like to do. It was essential for Black to shore up his queenside defences with 12... a5, even though this would leave him without any In this opposite-bishop position Black clearly possibility of counterplay. has the advantage, but I don't think everyone 13 aS! bxa5 14 'ifa4+ lt:J8d7 15 fxe5 dxe5 would make so bold as to give a verdict of 16 �xa5 'Black wins'. And yet it really is so. Despite the As a result, a new salient factor of the strat small number of actors on the board, the pres egy has emerged: the weak pawns on a6, c5 and ence of queens gives the position the character e5 . of a sharp middlegame. Black's task is simple 16.. .'ti'xa5 17 .l:!.xa5 �b8 18 lla3 to bring up his queen and have a 'heart-to-heart Aiming to meet 18 .. J:tb4 with 19 b3, fol talk' with the white king. lowed by bringing the knight from f3 via el to See how elegantly Kasparov coped with this d3. task. 18.•• ii.d6 19 li:Je1h5 20 h3 0-0 21 tt:ld3 tt:lb6
39 •.•�e 7! 40 �h1 �e5 41 �h2 �f6 ! 22 b3 il.b7 23 ii.e3 .U.fc8 24 l:ta5 Threatening 42 ...�xh4 . By attacking the pawn weaknesses, White 42 �g2 'ifb2+! 0-1 compels his opponent to go over to lifeless 24 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY
defence without even the dream of creating any an important role here." (Mikhail Shereshev counterplay in the near future. sky).
24••• lt.Jbd7 25 l:tfa1 i.c7 26 .l::t5a2 i.d6 27 The game continued: i.f3 l:tc7 28 l:ta5 i.c8 29 i.d1g6 30 �g2 �g7 24••• 'iVa5 25 a3 'iVa4+26 Wcl 31 .l:t1a3 i.b7 32 g4! Additional Exercise 5A: Choose between the "Having tied down the black pieces, White candidate moves 26 .. .'!tc7 and 26 ...fi.. e7. goes into action on the kingside. This is a typi (For the answer, see page 37.) cal example of play on both wings" (Smyslov).
32 •••hxg4 33 hxg4 lt.Jh7 34 lt.Ja4 .l:lbc8 35 Exercise 6 .l:.a2 Intending, if the case arises, to carry out b4 after a preliminary .l::tb2.
35••• i.e7 36 .l:.b2 lt.Jhf6 37 ii.f3 lt.Jh7 38 w �fl ! f5 ?! With less control of space and less active pieces, you should of course avoid sharp tacti cal clashes. 39 gxf5 gxf5 40 .l:.g2+! You see! The spatial plus permits White to switch his rook quickly to a different sector of the board, while Black cannot do the same.
40 ••.�f6 41 ..ih5 fxe4 It was no good playing 41.. .f4 either, in view White has an extra pawn, but that is the least of 42 ..if2 lt.Jg5 43 ..ih4l:tg844 ii.g4 followed of Black's troubles. His pieces have lost their by 45 ii.xd7. coordination and, crucially, the black queen's 42 lZ'lf2ii.f8 43 lt.Jxe4+ 1-0 mobility is severely limited. Once you realize The game was adjourned here, and Black re this, it isn't hard to find the solution you are signed without resuming. He can't play 43 .. .
27•.• i.g7 28 'iVb5 1-0 Exercise 5 There is no defence against 29 �a7. (Now return to page 11.)
Exercise 7 B
w
"The ending is very difficult,perhaps strate gically lost for Black. White has a spatial plus, better-placed pieces, a superior pawn-structure and the possibility of a pawn offensive on the White is the exchange for a pawn up. Black's kingside. The position of the pawn on h5 plays situation of course is bleak. However, the strong DEVISING A PLAN IN A GAME OF CHESS 25
position of his knight would seem to leave him 39 '>t>h2'iVf5 40 1'id4 1-0 with some hope of salvation. From White's (Now return to page 11.) viewpoint, the exchange ofa pair ofrooks seems indicated, but after 31 .l:tea1 �c2 32 .l:!.a8 .l::txa8 Exercise 8 33 .l:i.xa8+ '>t>h7 there is still everything to play for. More direct play with 31 .l:!.e4 is less con vincing: 3l...'ii'c2! 32 I!.xf7 (32 �h2 �xf2; 32 .l:tg4 g6 33 h4?? 'ii'd1+) 32 ...'iV c1+ 33 .l:!.e1 B �xe 1 + will not be a trivial ending for White to win. An attempt to knock away the knight's support by f4-f5 gives Black extra counter chances thanks to the weakening of White's own king position. Yet our previous example ought to give a clue to finding the right path. In this case too we may single out the limited mobility of Black's seemingly active queen. This circumstance is excellently exploited by Evgeny Bareev. The position features an unconventional bal 31 �d4!! ance of forces: a queen against three minor The white queen takes up a superb position pieces. Practice has shown that in such cases, in the centre of the board! Centralization is one the advantage most often belongs to the pieces, of the fo undations of chess strategy. which prevail not by their strength but by their White now threatens 32 .l:txe6!. number. Only this presupposes that the pieces
31••. .U.e8 32 l:te2!! are coordinating their actions, which can defi Unexpectedly, the queen on b3 is 'under ar nitely not be said of the position before us. In rest'. As a result, Black's pieces are totally par addition, the white king feels extremely inse alysed. The rook is tied to the defence of the cure (should the black queen, for instance, land e6-pawn, while if the knight moves, the b4- on f5). You might think it would only take pawn is lost (32 ...lt::l f6 33 l:i.e3 �c2 34 'Yixb4 White one or two moves to consolidate. But l2'ld5 35 'ii'b5). On the other hand, if Black con how can he findthat time? Admittedly 48 ...1i'b1 fines himself to a waiting policy ( ...�f8-g8), (or 48 ...'ii' f8) is met by 49 i.xb6+ �e850 lt::ld4, then after a preliminary �h2 White throws his with lt::lac6 and i.d8-g5-f4 to follow. Also in f-pawn forward with decisive effect (f4-f5). the event of 48 ... �a4 49 lt::lc6+ 'it>e8 50 lt::lce5, Black therefore hastens to create counterplay. White has (at the very least) put the worst be
32 •.• .l:!.c8 33 l:txe6 lLlc3!? 34 .U.ae7! hind him, even if he loses the pawn on b5. Technically the most precise solution, though The game, however, continued wholly unex White also has a won position after 34 .l::txf7 pectedly with: lbe2+ 35 .U.xe2.l:!.c l + 36 '>t>h2'iVxf7 37 �xb4. 48••• 'it>e 8!! For example, 37 ...'ii' c7+ 38 g3 (38 f4 ? .i:i.c4 39 Piece coordination is also one of the most �b3 �xf4+ 40 g3 �f7) 38 ...�c6 39 .l:te1 . important elements of strategy. However, any complications in a won position After this move it turns out that White's are wholly unwelcome to the stronger side, es pieces are unable to defend each other, and one pecially in conditions of limited time and energy of them is lost. when the probability of mistakes in calculation 49 lt::lc6 �f8! 50 i.f6 mcreases. White has to choose the least of the evils. He A chess-player's technical mastery consists decides to give up his bishop in the interest of not in achieving his aim as quickly as possible holding the position by constructing a fortress. but in denying his opponent any extra chances. 50 •.•�xf6 51 lLlcd4
34 •••�xb2 35 :e8+ .U.xe836 .l:txe8+'it>h7 37 In situations of this type, the decisive factor �d3+ g6 38 �c4! �b1 + is the degree of freedom of the stronger side's Or 38 .. .'�'a2 39 �xb4. king. 26 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY
68 tt:Jrsh7 'ii' 69 �e3 �xbS 70 tt::l3d4+ �a4 71 �f3? 71 tt::lc6 is a better try. 71...b5 72 �f4 b4 73 tt::lc6 b3 0-1 (Now return to page 12.)
Exercise 9
w
theoretical position
Of course, it is well known that the ending of 'iY vs 2tt::l is in general drawn, if the king and knights are adequately coordinated and flexible. In the above position, the knights are rigidly placed, but as long as the black king remains firmly behind bars, White holds the draw with no particular trouble by manoeuvring his king It is easy to perceive that the main strategic round the knight on f3 (the key factor here is feature of the position is Black's backwardness that Black cannot put his opponent in zug in development. This is primarily bound up zwang). But if Black could drive the white king with the problem of his bishop on c8. Hence a to a8 and place his queen on c7, the hobbled move that suggests itself is 20 h3!?, leaving knights would succumb to zugzwang. White with an appreciable plus; for example, In the game we are looking at, the presence 20 ...Si.d7 21 .U.d6!? Si.xa4 22 tt::lxa4 tt::lxa4 23 of pawns on the board gives the stronger side l:.xf6! gxf6 24 tt::lh4, with a crushing attack. Ev the additional possibility of sacrificingthe queen idently Black's best continuation would be the for both knights if appropriate, so as to reach a modest 20 ....l:!.e8 (intending ... .lte6), but here won king and pawn ending. The one important again after 21 .l:!.d6White 's position is superior. thing is not to fall for a knight fork. The plan is However, Botvinnik had his own way of simple: Black will gradually bring his own king viewing the strategic features of a position. In up to his opponent's, with the aim of disturbing what follows, the annotations in quotation marks the coordination of the white pieces and, even are taken from his book Analytical and Critical tually, winning material. Wo rks. Bearing in mind what I have said so far, the 20 'ii'e3!! conclusion of the game follows almost without "This move, not at all an obvious one, is the commentary. strongest. After the queen exchange, which can Sl...'ii'h8 52 �f4 �e7 53 g4 'ii'f6+ 54 �e3 not be avoided (20 ...'ii' c7 21 tt::lxe5), the defects �d6 55 tt::lc6 �cS 56 tt:Jcd4 �b4 57 gS 'ii'e7+ of Black's position will become more substan 58 �f4 'ii'e4+ 59 �g3 �a4 60 �f2 'ii'g4 61 tial. It will be even harder than before to oppose �e3 �b4 62 �f2 'ii'e4 63 tt::le2 'ii'e8 64 tt:Jed4 anything against White's pressure in the d-file; �c4 the e5-pawn will become weak and the point f7 By threatening to advance his king further, will also need protection. In the seven years I Black compels White to resort to a pawn sacri had been playing chess, this was probably the fice. subtlest positional move I had made."
6S h5 20 •.•'ii' xe3 21 fxe3 .ltg4 22 aS tt::lc8 The remaining moves were: "The knight heads for c6, where it will be
6S •.. gxh5 66 g6 �cs 67 g7 'ii'g8? protected and active. Transferring it to c5 would 67 ...'ii' f7 is more accurate. be worse; for example, 22 ...tt::l bd7 23 h3 .ltxf3 DEVISING A PLAN IN A GAME OF CHESS 27
24 gxf3 tt:'lc5 (24 . .J:!.fd8?25 ll'ld5!) 25 b4 ll'le6 his d-pawn to be blockaded (27 e4 ll'ld6) but 26 i..xe6 fxe6 27 tt:'la4 ! followed by 28 ll'lc5 must throw it forward, opening his bishop's di with complete domination." agonal at the same time. It would be extremely 23 .l:tcl i..xf3 dangerous for Black to take the pawn on e3; for "How else is the pawn on e5 to be saved? If instance, 27 d6! l:tfd8 28 d7 ! (28 l:Ic7? ll'lxd6) 23 ....l:.e8, then 24 h3 i..e6 (or 24 ...i.h5 25 tt:'lh4! 28 ...tt:'lxe3 ?! 29 .l:!.c7 (or the immediate 29 .i.b1 !) threatening 26 g4) 25 i.xe6 I!xe6 26 .l:i.d8+." 29 ....U.ab8 30 i..b1! f5 31 'i!;>f2f4 32 i.e4. After 24 gxf3 tt:'le725 ll'ld5 (D) 27 d6 .l:lfd8 28 d7 the least of the evils for Black is evidently 28 ... �f8. But even then, after 29 l:!.c7.U.ab8 30 i..b1! tt:'le731 i..e4, his position is scarcely defensible. B So we see that Botvinnik was right in his as sessment of the position but wrong about the variations he gave. But we shall now return to the game.
25 •.•ll'lc6 26 ll'lxf6+gxf6 27 .U.d7 At last! If now 27 ...ll'lxa5 then 28 l:!.cc7, fol lowed by the decisive 29 .ixf7+. But the move Black plays doesn't stop White from penetrat ing to f7 either.
27 ••..l:!.ab8 28 �f2! (D) "By inducing the exchange of one of Black's two knights, White ensures that entry squares on the seventh rank are freed from enemy con trol. On 25 ...ll'lfxd 5, White would not play 26 B exd5 ll'lf5 27 e4 on account of 27 ...ll'ld6, when the knight blockades the pawn.Jnstead he would continue 26 i.xd5 tt:'lxd5 27 .l:.xd5,after which material gains are guaranteed." However, I venture to disagree with this note. For a start I will take issue with the last varia tion, which breaks off after 27 .l:i.xd5. In the event of 27 ...Ita c8! I succeeded in detecting neither guaranteed material gains nor even the slightest tangible plus for White in either of the Trouble unexpectedly creeps up on Black following variations: 28 .:!.dc5 l:txc5 29 I!xc5 f6 from a new direction. The threat is 29 .U.g1 + and 30 .l:tc7 l:tf7or 28 .Uxc8.l:i.xc8 29 l:txe5 .l:!.c 1 + 30 30 i.xf7.
�f2 l:tc2+ 31 �g3 .l:lxb2. 28 •••tt:'lxa5 29 .l:f.cc7.Ubc8 30l:!.xf7 Nonetheless, Botvinnik's evaluation of the Or 30 il.xf7+ Wh8 31 i.d5, which leads to exchange on d5 is correct! It is just that after the same thing.
25 ...ll'lfxd5 26 .i.xd5 ll'lxd5 White must take 30 .•.l:txc7 31 l:txc7+ �h8 32 i.d5! b5 with the pawn: 27 exd5 !. Here again it is true that Otherwise material losses are unavoidable: if Black makes the strongest reply, 27 ..Jhc8 28 32 .. J::tb8 33 l:!.f7 , or 32 ...tt:'lc6 33 l:!.xb7. But l:tdc2 l:txc2 29 l:txc2 .tid8 30 e4 .tid7,there are now a possibility arises for 'stalemating' the no immediate material gains in sight. Yet clearly knight. after 31 l:Ic8+'it>h7 32 'it>f2 Black will have to 33 b3 l:!.d834 �g3 defend a very difficultrook ending. After 34 l:tf7 .l:!.d6 Black could not play .. .f5 Another dubious assumption is that 26 exd5 to relieve his position, but on the other hand his (in answer to 25 ...ll'lfx d5) is unpromising. The knight could emerge to freedom. White prefers point is that after 26 ...ll'lf5 ? (26 ... .U.ac8 is neces not to allow this. sary, as in the line above) White must not allow 34 .•.f5 35 �h4 fxe4 36 fxe4 .l::.d6 37 �h5 28 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY
Botvinnik now carried out the manoeuvre Exercise 11 i.f7-g6 and �xh6; he went on to win on the 55th move. Analysing how this game went, I should like to emphasize that the foundation for White's victory was laid by the unconventional w exchanging move 20 'it'e3 !!. (Now returnto page 12.)
Exercise 10
B
Please don't be surprised at my own laconic answers to these questions. First - White of course is better, but that is all. Secondly - in the game, lvanchuk played: 17 l:!.cc1 Additional Exercise JJA: How would you continue, this time for the black side? (For the answer, see page 38.) To the surprise of many spectators who were watching this duel, 'Iron Tigran' continued with: Exercise 12
17 .••i.xc3 ! Not only is Black presenting his opponent with the advantage of the bishop-pair, but in so doing, he is parting with none other than that w dark-squared bishop which true King's-Indian ites treat with special affection and care. What were Petrosian's guiding considerations when he resolved on this far from obvious exchange? White's main strategic threat in positions of this type is to prepare and carry out a break with g4. He would be furthering this end by first transferring his knights to f2 and e3, and his dark-squared bishop to the a1-h8 diagonal. Af ter 17... i.xc3 !, all this becomes impossible. In White's advantage is obvious for two main addition, the resulting pawn-structure signifi reasons: cantly reduces the activity of White's bishops. a) potential control of the a-file; The further course of the game confirmed the b) White's spatial plus (the pawn on d5 has correctness of Petrosian's decision: more of a cramping effect than the one on c4). 18 bxc3 'Llf6 19 a4 'it>h8 20 'Llf2 .l:!.g8 21 True, an attempt to break through directly on 'it>h1 "ife8 22 l:tg1 'it'g6 23 'it'd2 il.d7 24 g3 the a-file achieves nothing (27 axb5 axb5 28 l:!.ae825 aS .l:!.e726 .l:!.ab1il.c8 27 .l:!.g2.l:i.eg7 28 l:!.a7 .l:.xa7 29 .l:i.xa7l:i.a8 30 'it'a5.l:i.xa7 31 'it'xa7 .:l.bg1 'Llce8 29 h3 h5 lf2.lf2 'it'a8), but the threat to do so is constantly in the In the position that has now arisen, the initia air and an irritation to Black. tive of course belongs to Black, but evidently Evidently guided by the principle of rede considering the situation in the tournament, he ploying his 'worst piece' (I shall discuss this agreed a draw. principle in a later section of this chapter), (Now return to page 13.) Fischer played: DEVISING A PLAN IN A GAME OF CHESS 29
27 lLlfl!? Exercise 13 (Admittedly White's bishop on c2 is not do ing much either, but its moment has yet to come.) Black responded with a neutral continua w tion:
27 •.•j.,e7 28 ltJ1d2<:j;g7 29 lLlb1!! I should think it was only after this unex pected move that Spassky realized, to his hor ror, the error of his lethargic strategy. White threatens the lethal 30 axb5 axb5 31 .l:i.a7 l::txa7 32 .l:i.xa7.l:ta8 33 .l:i.xa8"ii xa8 34 1!Yxa8 j.,xa8 35 ltJa3,winning. In an attempt to confuse his opponent, Spas sky resolved on a desperate and unsuccessful It isn't hard to see that the second stage of the piece sacrifice: 'two weakness' strategy is completed. White
29 •.•ltJxe 4!? 30 j.,xe4 f5 31 .ltc2 j.,xd5 has attacked the pawn on d5 with as many I give the concluding part of the game with pieces as possible but has not been able to de out commentary: stroy it. On the other hand, his opponent's 32 axb5 axb5 33 .l:ta7 <:j;f6 34 lLlbd2 l:txa7 pieces have been reduced to passivity, deprived 35 .l:i.xa7 l:ta8 36 g4 hxg4 37 hxg4 llxa7 38 of mobility and counterplay. To improve his po 1!Yxa7 f4 39 .ltxf4 exf4 40 ltJh4 j_f7 41 "iid4+ sition, White must proceed to the third stage - �e6 42 ltJf5 i.f8 43 "iixf4 <:j;d744 ltJd4 Vi'e1 + creation of a second weakness. But first he 45 Wg2 j.,d5+ 46 j_e4 j.,xe4+ 47 ltJxe4 i.e7 must decide where. There is no possibility on 48 lLlxb5 lLlf8 49 ltJbxd6 ltJe6 50 "iie5 1-0 the queenside or in the centre. Consequently: In this game Fischer admirably sensed the 25 g4! most vulnerable point in Black's position (the The second weakness is the blackking ! The pawn on b5) and exploited it brilliantly. The weakening of White's own king position is im ability to spot the opponent's weakest link is a material - the black pieces are not trained on it, sign of the highest strategic mastery. And in and their reach is limited. this matter Fischer never ceased to astonish. 25 •..11Yc6 26 g5 hxg5 27 1!Yxg5 f6 Taking measures against l:lh4 and 11Yh5. 28 11¥g6 i.f729 1\Vg3(D)
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Saidy - Fischer USA Te am Ch, New Yo rk 1969 29... f5? Additional Exercise 12A: In the sector where his opponent is attack 1) Evaluate the position. ing, the defender is not advised to move his 2) In Black's place, what would you play? pawns without extreme necessity. Black's posi (For the answer, see page 39.) tion now becomes strategically untenable. 30 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY
30 �g5 �e6 31 Whl �e5 32 l:.gl l:tf8 33 But let us come back to the principle of two �h6 weaknesses. Which stage of the plan is currently Threatening both 34 .l:!.h4 and 34 �xb6. being pursued? That's right, the first stage! The
33 .•.l:tb8 first weakness, forcing White onto the defensive 33 ...l:td6 34 l:txg7+, and 33 ...g6 34 h4 fol in order to guard it, has yet to be created. But lowed by h5 are also hopeless for Black. now the g3-pawn becomes the 'hook' on which 33 ...l:tc8 is the most resilient defence. Black can later fasten in order to gain control of 34.l:i.h4 �f8 35 �h8+ .)i_g836 l:.f4 l:tbb737 the open h-file (after ...h5-h4 and ...hxg3). l:tg5 l:.f7 38 �h5 �al + 39 Wg2 g6 40 �xg6 19••. �f7 20 ..te3 h5 21 We2 �e6 22 l:tdl i.h7 41 �d6+ l:tbe7 42 �d8+ 1-0 l:tg8! (Now return topage 15.) The question of exchanging arises again. The disappearance of the first pair of rooks made Exercise 14 the position of Black's centralized king com pletely secure. Retention of the second pair will later enable Alekhine to break through success fully into his opponent's camp. w 23 f3 h4 24 ..tf2 hxg3 25 hxg3 .:h8! Now the first weakness has appeared! The threat to invade with the black rook on the h-file diverts White's attention. 26 .)i_gt .td621 �n :g8 28 i.f2 The time has now come to think about creat ing a second weakness (stage 3 of the plan).
28 ••.b5! Intending a subsequent pawn offensive on the queenside with ...a5, ...b4, etc. It may look as if White's control of the open 29 b3?! d-file and Black's extra pawn-island make the Extreme care must be exercised when mak white position preferable. ing pawn moves on the wing where your oppo However, perhaps you have under-rated the nent is stronger, as you may be giving him role of the e5-pawn. It gives Black a spatial ad further objects to fasten onto.
vantage, enabling his king to occupy a more 29 •.•a5 30 Wg2 a4 3l l:!.d2 centralized position. This is highly significant When defending, you must aim to remove in the endgame. any points of conflict. However, 31 b4 would Which factors are more important, then? And merely defer the tactical confrontation, which what is the verdict on the position as a whole? would be renewed after the black rook's arrival Rather than hurry with the answer, let us follow at c4 (via the route g8-a8-a6-c6).
how the game went. 3l.•. axb3 32 axb3 16 .ih6 l:tfd8 17 �fl? The second weakness has appeared: the open White starts to play planlessly. Lulled by the a-file on the queenside. According to the prin harmlessness of the situation, Znosko-Borovsky ciple of two weaknesses, the fourth stage of clearly loses his sense of danger. After 17 f4 ! Black's plan is being completed and the fifth is Black could hardly count on an advantage. For beginning.
this reason the diagram position should be rated 32 •..l:ta8 33 c4 l:!.a3! 34 c5 i.e7 35 l:!.b2 b4 as equal. 36 g4 17 ...f5 18 .Uxd8+ l:!.xd8 White's attempt to create counterplay clearly The exchange of a pair of rooks is favourable comes too late.
to Black, as it lets his king feel very comfort 36 •.•f4 37 �fl .:tal+ 38 �e2 .l::!cl 39 l:ta2 able in the centre. .l::!.c3 40 l:ta7 Wd7 4l l:tb7 l:txb3 42 l:tb8 l:!.b2+ 19 g3 43 'it>n b3 44 �gl �c6 45 wn �d5 46 l:lb7 Defending against a possible .. .f4. e4! DEVISING A PLAN IN A GAME OF CHESS 31
Not the only continuation, but in won posi Let us consider this position from the stand tions there is no need to draw up a full list of point of the principle of two weaknesses. We candidate moves. It is enough to single out a are struck by the ridiculous bunch of black continuation you like, and work out its varia pieces on the queenside, tied to the defence of tions to the end. the bishop on c5. This entanglement may be 47 fxe4+ �xe4 48 'JJ.xc7 �f349 llxe7 l:txf2+ viewed as the first weakness. The game is de 50 Wel b2 51 .l:tb7 .l:!.c2 52 c6 �g3 cided by executing a second threat - on the But not 52 .. Jlcl + 53 �d2 bl if?! 54 Ilxbl kingside. �xbl ?? (54 .. Jhc6 is still winning for Black) 27 h4! f5 55 c7, and this pawn queens. On 27 .. Jic7 White wins by 28 h5 'JJ.ec8 29 53 c7 f3 54 �dl l:txc7 55 �xb2 f2 0-1 h6 Jtd6 30 'ii'xa5+ �xa5 31 l:txc7 .l:!.xc7 32 (Now return to page 1 7.) .l:!.xc7..ixc7 33 f4 Jtd834 g4 ..tf635 g5 ..ih8 36 e4 �b6 37 f5 exf5 38 exf5 �c5 39 g6. Exercise 15 28 ifg7! .l:!.e729 'ii'e5 !:!.c6(D)
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Black expected 21 tt:le4(!), which he intended 30 l:!.xc5! 1-0 to meet with 2I...l;lac8, banking on the trap 22 30... �xc5 is met by 31 ifd6+. ifh8+? �e723 ifxg7..id 4!!. However, 22 0-0! (Now return to page 17.) (or 22 �e2!) is strong, and indeed a rather clearer win than the move chosen, but both Exercise 16 lines are good if followed up accurately. To Schroeder's chagrin, Capablanca side stepped the trap, although in a different way: 21 ifh8+!? �e7 22 ifxg7 hxg5 23 ifxg5+ B Wd6 24 �e2!? �ac8 25 .l:tc4 �c6 26 l:thcl �b6 (D)
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As a result of his unsure play in the opening phase, Black now has some serious problems to solve. ll... 'ii'd8! 'The most difficultmove in the whole game." (Alekhine). 32 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY
Only a few moves earlier Black had played The straightforward 13... lLld7 is probably a ...file7 , so we can understand how hard it was better way to seek equality. psychologically for Alekhine to resolve on this 14 'ife2?! continuation at the present moment. But now Black's idea was 14 llf3 lLld7 15 l:tg3 f6 16 some problems arise for White. One of the prin 'i¥g4 l:lg8, but White has a pleasant choice cipal ones is to decide on a place for his bishop, between 17 lLlg6+Si.xg6 18 'ii'xg6, exchanging which stands well on c4. offthe bishop after all, and 17 lLlef3 Si.f7 18 e4 Additional Exercise 16A: What would you file? 19 l:th3, with some advantage either way. play if you had White? 14... lt:Jd7 (D) (For the answer, see page 40.)
Exercise 17 w
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15 c4? Additional Exercise 17A: How would you continue in Black's place? Black is close to equality. (For the answer, see page 42.)
12••• Si.e8!? The main pride of White's position is the Exercise 18 knight on e5, supported by the b2-bishop, but it is against these pieces that Black's schemes are directed firstand foremost. Taimanov wishes to preserve his light-squared bishop, which, hav w ing no opposite number, can later become very active in both defence and attack. If White plays carelessly, he could even end up worse. 13 aS?! (D) 13 .l:!.f3 is better.
Despite the apparent harmlessness of the po sition, White has a considerable plus. His pieces are more active, Black's kingside is weakened, and the coordination of the black pieces is dis rupted. The correct plan for White is to prepare an attack on the king side by bringing his knight there, along the path b1-d2-f3-g5. En route, Black's outwardly active pieces will be pushed back. 13.. /.ii'hS?! 24 lLlb1!i¥b7 25 �h2! DEVISING A PLAN IN A GAME OF CHESS 33
Removing the king from possible checks on 24 l2Jd3! the a7-g1 diagonal, and depriving the black Forestalling 24 ...lbf7, as White would then bishop of the g3-square. get in 25 e4 first.
25•.. 'it>g7 24•. .'iVg5 ?! Now or next move it would pay Black to ex The least evil was 24 ....l:.fe8 followed by change a pair of rooks, reducing the attacking ...lbf6, practically renouncing any counterplay. potential of White's major pieces. That would mean a significantplus for White. 26 c3 l2Ja6 27 l:te2! .l:lf8 28 l2Jd2 .idS 29 25 .l:.fel l:tfe8 26 .ig3! l2Jf3 f630 .l::td2! "The ideal set-up is achieved. Black has no Now that Black's kingside has been weak defence against the many positional threats ened still further, White returns to dispute the (chiefly 27 e4 and 27 lbc5)" (Khalifman). open d-file. 26••. 'iWe7 27 e4 fxe4 28 fxe4 lbb6 29 l2Jc5
30.•. i.e7 31 'iWe6 .l:.ad8 32 .l:.xd8 .ixd8 l2Jf7 Or 32 ....l:.xd8 33 lbxe5. After 29... lbd7 White would have the pleas 33 .l:tdl lLlb8 34 .ic5 l:!.h835 1:i.xd8 1-0 ant choice between 30 d5 and 30 i.xd6 'i!Vxd6 On 35 ...l:!.xd8 White has the decisive 36 31 lbxb7'i!Vxd4+ 32 �h1 lib8 33 l:tedi o//ia7 34 .ie7. lbd6. (Now return to page 19.) 30 a5 l2Jc8 31 d5! "The breakthrough in the centre is decisive. Exercise 19 At this point I didn't even have to calculate variations; the placing of all White's pieces is too good" (Khalifman). 31...cxd5 32 exd5 e5 33 l2Je6 l:td734 .ixe5 B l2Jxe5 35 l:.xe5 lLld636 licel 'iWf6 37 'iWd3 l:!.f7 38 h3 h6 39 l2Jg5! 'i!Vf2+ 40 Wh2 hxg5 41 l:!.xe8+ l2Jxe8 42 .l:!.xe8+ .l:tf8 43 l:.xf8+ Wkxf8 44 d6 1-0 After 44 ... o//Jf4+ 45 g3 'i!Vf2+ 46 �hi \We i+ 47 �g2 the checks run out. (Now return to page 19.)
Exercise 20
To answer this question, we tum again to Al exander Khalifman: "The main idea is not at all to advance with e4, which is only good for w White in certain specific circumstances, but to activate the bishop before anything else." In the game, there followed: 20 .. J�d8 21 'iWb3 c6 22 .tel 'iWe723 .if2 Of course the straightforward 23 ..ig3? would be bad on account of 23 ...f4 .
23•.. Wh8?! In fightingfo r the initiative, you must be res olute and ready to take risks! The right plan is to bring about the ...e5 ad White has a very large advantage, owing pri vance as soon as possible: 23 .. .'!2Jf7 24 lbd3 (24 marily to the activity of his pieces directed l2Jc4 Wkxb4 25 'i!Vxb4 lbxb4 26 .l:!.b1 l2Jd3 27 against his opponent's king. l:txb7 c5 !) 24 ...e5 25 e4 fxe4 26 fxe4 l2Jf4. However, tactical thrusts like 39 .l:!.f6? gxf6 White would then have a minimal edge, due 40 l:txg8 �xg8 41 exf6 l:.c6 or 39 lhg7+? mainly to the poor position of the knight on f7. l:!.xg740 l:!.f6 l:!.c2! are clearly premature. 34 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY
Believe it or not, White concluded the strug 34 ••.i.g6 35 .ixe6 fxe6 36 .l:txg6 .l:tf7 37 gle in a mere four( !) moves. i..e5 .l:tc1+ 38 '1th2e7 'ii 39 l::tg5 'iid7 40 l::txh5 39 .l:tb3! .l:td8 40 l:!.b6 'iie7 41 l:!.d6 (D) 'iid3 41 l::tg5 'iih7 42 tt:lg4 l::tc4 43 i..xg7! 1-0 (Now return to page 19.)
Exercise 22 B
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41..J:tdd7?! 4l...f6 can be met by 42 l:ldxf6 ! gxf6 43 exf6 and Black will have to give back the rook to avoid more serious trouble, leading to a very The basic strategic factor is Black's weak bad rook ending. ened king position, which is being unmistak 42 .l:th5! 1-0 ably eyed by White's al-rook and his queen. There is no satisfactory defence against 43 The f3-rook not only defends its own king, but .l:!.dxh6+. is also ready to support its colleague in the at (Now returnto page 19.) tack when the moment comes - for instance af ter White plays f6 . Exercise 21 But what is the bishop's role? Once this piece joins in the fight,the outcome of the game is settled at once. 27 i..cl! w Not only threatening 28 i..f4+ but also clear ing the a-filefor the rook.
27 ••. 'iie1+ The retort 27 ... tt:le5 doesn't help: 28 i..f4 l::te8 29 'iib5. 28 .l::i.nxc3 'ii 29 i..f4+ 'ltb7 (D)
w You were right if you decided that White has a won position and suggested bringing the rook over to the kingside, where the main conclud ing events should unfold. 31 .l:ta1!i.. e4 32 l:!.a5! This move, aiming to switch the rook to g5, is even stronger than 32 i..a3.
32•.• .l:tdc7 33 b6 axb6 34 .l:tg5! The result is that White's piece activity has become overwhelming. The remaining moves 30 'iib5! 1-0 were: (Now return to page 20.) DEVISING A PLAN IN A GAME OF CHESS 35
Exercise 23 Exercise 24
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White's space advantage compensates for "A picturesque position has come about, in Black's pressure against the weak f3-pawn and which Black has no useful moves but White the loose white kingside. The game is roughly needs to free his queen in order to strike." equal, and the main question is how to produce (Smyslov). It is clear that Smyslov regards his practical chances. From a two-weaknesses queen as his 'worst' piece; indeed, not only is it viewpoint, Black can seek a further target on inactive, but it is in danger of being trapped. the queenside. The black rooks have no better 32 il.bl!? place than the f-file, so queen or pawn moves The attempt to improve White's position should be considered. more quietly with 32 g3?! fxg3 33 'it>g2 is met
29.• J1Vd8 !? by 33 ...gxf2 34 lixf2 'iVf4 ! 35 'LieS \\Vxf2+ 36 It looks as if Black is preparing to bring his Wxf2 'Lif6 , when Black is OK. queen to g5. Another idea is 29 ...h5, focusing While the text-move prepares a strong re attention more firmlyon the kingside. grouping, 32 il.f5 ! is even more effective, as it 30 'iVg4 keeps the bishop active and e6 under pressure.
30 b4 !? prepares to meet 30 ...'iVb8 with 31 32 •.•..i h8 c5, preferring to allow 30... 'iVg5. On 32.. J:k4 White has 33 ..ia2 followed by
30.•. 'iVb8 !? (D) 34 ..ixd5. 33 'iVd3 �g7 Or 33 ...'iVf7 34 'Lih4!. 34 'iVb3 (D) w
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31 Wg2'iVa7 32 �fel 'iVcS 33 'iVe4 'iVb4 By transferring to his queen to the queen side, Black seeks to create a second weakness, which he achieved by advancing his a-pawn. The transfer of the queen to the queenside White should still be able to maintain the bal decides the game. It is not in Black's power to ance, but he later went astray and lost. defend both sectors of the board.
(Now return to page 21.) 34••. l:tb6 36 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY
Or 34 ...b5 35 a4. some positional compensation for the lost pawn, 35 �c3 l:tg8 and at any rate better survival chances than he If 35 .. Jic6 then 36 �b4+. should have had after the text-move. 36 �c8+ 1-0 27 �h4? (Now return to page 21.) The manoeuvres of White's queen make a powerful impression. Now that the dark-squared Exercise 25 bishop cannot defend e7, the queen returns to its former post. However, Black is now able to put up resistance, whereas 27 �e l! wins in straightforward fashion, since the trick 27 .....ie4 w does not hold the position together for long af ter 28 lt:Jf2 intending ..ib3. 27... .l:!.e8 He can't save himself by 27 ....i::!. f6? in view of 28 lt:Jg5 h6 29 lt:Jh7 !. 28 .l:.e5! lt:Jf7? After 28 ...l!xe5? 29 fxe5, the bishop on d2 joins in the attack with decisive effect. 28 ...�d7 is essential, meeting 29 g4 with the solid 29 ...h6. White retains the initiative, but there is every I think the verdict is obvious: White is consid thing to play for. Note that the immediate erably better, in view of the greater activity of 28 ...h6? is strongly met by 29 a4 !, disrupting his pieces and Black's somewhat insecure king, Black's coordination in lines like 29 ....i.xa4 30 which has no square to move to. Now that we b5 ! �d7 31 �e l .l:.xe5 32 fxe5, when all White's know about the principle of the 'worst' piece, it pieces are participating in the attack. isn't hard to see that what White must do first of 29 .1i.xf7�xf7 30 lt:Jg5�g8 31 l:.xe8 i.xe8?! all is improve the position of his knight. 32 �ell .i.c6 33�e7+ rj;;bS (D) 18 lt:Jhl!! The knight is heading for g5. It would not be so dangerous on that square if it could be ex pelled by ...h6. But that move would contain no w threat, since if Black took the knight, the white queen would join the attack decisively via the h-file! 18 ... i.d7 19 lt:Jf2 J!tae8 20 .l:!.fel .l:!.xe2 21 .l:!.xe2 lt:Jd8?! It is no use playing 21.. .l:!.e8on account of 22 �d5. Yet it was worth considering 2l...g6! with the idea of meeting 22 lt:Jh3?with 22 ...h6. Even then, though, by continuing 22 h4 (instead of 22 lt:Jh3?)fo llowed by h5, White would retain a Again we shall have recourse to the principle noticeable plus. of the 'worst' piece. In contrast to the superb 22 lt:Jh3 i.c6 placing of White's queen and knight, his bishop If 22 .. Jle8 then 23 .l:.xe8+i.xe8 24 �d5. is idle. For that reason there followed: 23 �h5 g6 24 �h4 rj;;g7 25 �f2! i.c5 34 b5! 25 ...�b6 can be met by 26 �el or 26 b4!?, White's advantage is so large that it should with 27 i.c3 to follow, when the d4-pawn can come as no surprise that there is an alternative not be held. solution: 34 lt:Je6! (threatening 35 �f6+) 34... h5 26 b4 .i.b6? (34 ...h6 35 �f6+ Wh7 36 lt:Jf8+) 35 �f6+ Wh7 26 ....i.e7 is necessary. After 27 �xd4+ .i.f6 36 g4!! and White wins.
28 �c5 b6 29 �f2 b5 30 ..ib3 .l:.e8 Black has 34 ••• �g7 DEVISING A PLAN IN A GAME OF CHESS 37
White also wins after 34... axb5 35 lLle6 h5 46 �f2 (the only way to continue) 36 '*lVf6+ �h7 37 White's last piece joins in the fight, with de lLlg5+'it>h6 38 .ib4, with 39 i..f8+to follow. cisive effect.
After 35 '*lVxg7+Black still tried to resist, but 46•.. -tds 47 We3 i.g248 Wd4 Jif3 49i.h8 with a piece less, he naturally lost. e5+ (Now return to page 21.) Alas, this is forced. After 49 ...Jid5 50 We5 i.f351 i..g7 ! (threatening 52 .ih6 and 53 l::t£8#) Solutions to Additional Exercises 51...Wxg7 52 .l:!.c7, White wins. 50 �xeS i.dS 51 Jif6 .if352 .igS�g7 53 Additional Exercise 2A f5! i..g4 Or 53 ... gxf5 54 .i:!.c7. 54 f6+ Wf7 55 l:txc6 1-0 (Now return to page 10.) B Additional Exercise SA
B
39 .•.'*lVc6 This leads to a dismal endgame for Black, but he had no defence. 39 ....l:.d7 40 bxc6c6 offers no salvation, although you may have seen a glim mer of hope in 41 .i:!.xc6?! '*lVb7 42 '!J.c7? (42
'*lVhl! is still good for White) 42 ... 1i'xg2+ 43 26 ••.'>ttc7? 'lt>xg2I1xc7 44 dxc7 .i.e4+ !. However, 41 .l:tb3 ! A typical mistake by a player on the defen intending 1i'b2 wins by force; e.g., 41...l'tb7 42 sive (there was another case of it in our forego .l:.xb7+ '*lVxb7 43 1i'd2 '*lVd7 44 'ii'b2 'iVc8 45 ing example). Black does what he would like to 1i'f2 '*lVd7 46 '*lVh4 threatening '*lVe7+. do, not what he still has the opportunity to do. It 40 '*lVxc6 bxc6 41 h4 �g8 was essential to keep his queen in an active po Or 41....l:.b7 42 .l:.b3. sition with 26 ...i.e7 !, preparing to sacrifice a 42 1J.b3.l:!.d7 43 .l::!.b8+ �f7 44 l'1c8 i..e4 45 pawn if appropriate in order to create counter �g3 h5 (D) play: 27 'it'g4 (or 27 1i'f4) 27 ...i.. g5. If 45 ....l:.b7 then 46 l:i.c7+. In answer to 26 ....ie7 White's best option would be to aim not for material gains but for a kingside pawn advance with 27 f4 ! (intending f5) 27 ...�c7 28 g4. w 27 'ii'f4 ! '*lVd7 After 27 ...i.e7 28 1i'xf7 '*lVxc4+ 29 Wd2 '*lVd5+ 30 �e 1 "iVh1 + 31 'lt>e2 the checks come to an end. 28 b3! �d8 29 Wc2 'it>e8 "iVe430 i..e731 g4 "iVc732 f4 ..th433 �d3! b6 34 f5 i.g3 35fx e6 fxe6 36 "iVg6+ lit>f8 37 'ifxe6 i.xe5 38 '>tte4 Jih2 39 �f5 ..tg3 40 ..td2! i.h2 41 i.c3 Now the threat of 42 'iio>g6 becomes lethal. Black played 41..."iVf7+ and then resigned, 38 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY
since after the queen exchange and �e4-d5, itself there for long (in view of a check from the the bishop endgame is completely hopeless for enemy knight). It follows that even the oppo him. nent's first weakness cannot realistically be (Now return to page 11.) placed under an enduring attack. And bishop endings? We are only interested Additional Exercise llA in bishops of the same colour - specifically, light-squared ones. If a win is to be achieved here, then in addition to the d5-pawn, the stron ger side needs to be able to exploit a second B weakness (a black pawn fixed on a light square) in a different sector of the board. Endings with 'good' knight against 'bad' bishop? Here too, the verdict depends crucially on whether a second weakness exists. So much for minor-piece endings - the time has now come to talk about rook endings. What information on them does our 'library' give us? Answer: these are the most difficultfor the de fending side, though an important question is We shall now go more deeply into the evalu where the rooks are placed for the defence. The ation of the position and elaborate the answers, most unfavourable position is behind their pawn. which have to be linked to the problem of ex Defending from the side (from c5 in the case of changing. a d5-pawn) is better. Generally speaking, how Let us take things in order. True to our sys ever, the most appropriate message is that when tem, we start by singling out the most salient defending an isolated pawn, the rooks should strategic factor in the position before us. This, simply be exchanged! as we can see without difficulty, is Black's iso In this way it sometimes happens in chess that lated pawn on d5 in a position approaching the reflections of a general nature, which look com endgame. And at this point we simply have to pletely abstract, will give the answers we are tum for help to our 'library' of knowledge (so looking for. If you have been paying attention, much the better if it is well organized). What everything should become clear. To lvanchuk's will it suggest to us? brilliant attempt to keep the rooks on with 17 We will findour bearings step by step (while Ike 1!, it was imperative for Aronian to make an looking at the position from the defender's side). equally fitting reply, exchanging both pairs of All endgames are of course worse for Black. rooks by 17... .l:!.xc 1 +! 18 .l:!.xc1 �c8. After that, a But what interests us is which ones are lost and draw would be the most likely outcome. which can be saved. Let us assume that the d4- Perhaps Black simply didn't want to defend square in front of the pawn will most likely be an ending with an isolated pawn and no chance occupied by the white king, in which case the at all of any counterplay. But playing a lost po d5-pawn automatically becomes Black's 'first sition instead is surely no better. In this context weakness' . we cannot help recalling the words of the fourth We ll then, what about king and pawn end World Champion, Alexander Alekhine: "In my ings? Win or draw? Our 'library' delivers this opinion no chess-player should be afraid of answer: pawn endings are specific and con simplifying in order to solve the problem of crete, therefore only a precise analysis of the winning (or drawing). Playing to complicate position will be able to help us. the position is an extreme measure, to which a What about minor-piece endings? We shall player should only resort when he fails to find a take knightendgames first. Here the draw should clear and logical plan!" be attainable in most cases without undue ef In the game, there followed: fort, since even if the white king is on the block 17•.• .l:!.fc8? 18 l:td1! l:tc2 19 i.bS! 'bf8 20 ading square d4, it won't be able to maintain .l:!.ab1! DEVISING A PIAN IN A GAME OF CHESS 39
So White has managed to keep all the rooks Underlining Black's substantial plus. on the board ! Black has a grim defensive task ahead of him. But let us come back to the Fischer-Spassky
20••• .l:i.2c7 21 .ia4 tt::Je6 22 .ib3 �f8 23 h3 game, after White's 27 tt::Jfl (D). Il.c5 (D)
B w
When analysing what happened, I couldn't Additional Exercise 11 B: How would you rid myself of the impression that Spas sky had now continue for White? displayed weak prophylactic thinking and had (For the answer, see page 39.) only grasped his opponent's intention after 29 tt::Jbl! occurred. But alas, by then it was too Additional Exercise 12A late. Additional Exercise 12B: Try to correct Boris Spassky's mistake. How do you prevent Bobby Fischer's idea from being implemented as it B was in the game, assuming that you discernit as soon as 27 tt::Jn is played? (For the answer, see page 40.)
Additional Exercise 118
w
I hope you weren't confused by White's ex tra pawn. In return for it, Black's pieces are much more actively placed. True, if Black fights for the only open file directly with 18... l:r.f e8?, then after 19 .id2this merely leads to rook ex changes that are no use to him. The sooner we understand that the open file - such an impor tant strategic factor in other cases - has no ap preciable significance here, the sooner we will By this time Black has been able to discover find the correct solution. It is essential to iden (albeit belatedly!) that exchanging even just tify the most vulnerable point in White's camp. one pair of rooks would bring him some relief. And this point is ... the pawn on b3. Once we For that reason White played, of course, not 24 see this, it isn't hard to find the continuation Il.d2?�c l+, but: that occurred in the game: 24 �h2! 18 ....Ma6! 19 i.d2?! ILb6! The game continued: 40 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY
24••• 'iii>e7 25 .l:!.d2Iib5 26 .i.a2.l:!.bc5 27 lt:le1 By a colossal effort in which every tempo a5 28 �bd1 �d8 29 �g3 �b5 30 f3 �c8? counted, but just in time nonetheless, Black has 30 ....l:!.c5 or 30... lt:Jc5 !? is better. succeeded in holding the critical point b5, com 31 li:Jd3 d4 32 ..ixe6 <&t>xe6 33 li:Jf4+ Additional Exercise 128 w B Additional Exercise 12C: In place of 27 lt:lfl, couldn't Fischer have played more strongly? By the time White's attack on the most vul (For the answer, see page 41.) nerable point (the b5-pawn) started, Black needed to be ready to parry it, and this requires Additional Exercise 16A e8 to be available to his knights. 27 •.•�d8 ! White has additional ideas of axb5 and l:ta5 now that b5 is undefended, but these are less w menacing than the plan that Black faced in the game. Against the lt:lbl idea, he now has the following defence: 28 li:J1d2 li:Je8! 29 lt:lb1 li:Jhf6! (D) w On the one hand, White has to cope with the idea of 12... exd4 13 cxd4 d5, which would be a good reply to 12 lt:lbd2, for instance (while the standard exchanging combination 12... exd4 13 cxd4 lt:lxe4 is another possibility). For this rea son White's best continuation at this juncture is 12 ..ib3,after which the position should be rec ognized as app roximately equal. There can now fo llow: However, Black's last move, ll...'i:Vd8!, evi 30 axb5 axb5 31 l1a7J::!. xa7 32 �xa7 .l:.a833 dently came as a complete surprise to Tarrasch, l::txa8 �xa8 34 �xa8 i.xa8 35 lt:Ja3 lt:Jc7! 36 and he replied: Ji.b6 li:Jfe8! 12 i.d3 DEVISING A PIAN IN A GAME OF CHESS 41 Vo luntarily withdrawing pieces from active thanks to Black's inattentive reply 27 ...i.. e7?. posts is in most cases unacceptable when a Now suppose that he had conceived this idea fight fo r the initiative is in progress. before playing 27 ltJfl, and had also discovered 12 ••. .l:te8 13lLlbd2 il.a7 Black's defence (which, as we noticed, suc An anticipatory measure. Black withdraws ceeds only just in time). Then the question his bishop from a potential attack by White's arises: how is White to gain the extra tempo knight. that he needs? 14 "iVc2 exd4 15 lLlxd4 The answer isn't difficultto find.The execu Forced, for the sake of the light-squared tion of White's planned raid should have been bishop: if 15 cxd4 then 15 ...lLlb4. started with the other knight: 27 lLld2! (D). 15 ...ltJe5 16 i.O Insipid play by White and purposeful play by his opponent have brought about a signifi cant improvement in Black's position. Conse B quently Alekhine proceeds with aggressive tactical operations. Nevertheless, White still has adequate resources; it is his negative frame of mind rather than his current position that dooms him. 16... d5! 17 l:.ad1 c5 18 ltJ4b3 Wic719 il.f4 19 exd5 !? lLlxd5 20 ltJc4 lLlxc4 is an alterna tive that White could consider, since he can play 21 il.f4! rather than 21 il.xc4?! lLlxe3 22 l::txe3 .l:txe3 23 fxe3 i.d7, when Black's advan To reach the required square a3, this knight tage is obvious. will take that one vital tempo less. Here too, of 19... ltJf3+ 20 lLlxf3 �xf4 21 exd5? course, White would need to look at the desper 21 e5 is a much better try. ate sacrifice 27 ...lLlxe4, but it presents no dan 21...il.f5 22 i.d3 i.xh3! 23 gxh3 'ii'xf3 ger to him, owing (for instance) to the variation And Black soon achieved victory. 28 lLlgxe4 f5 29 ltJg5 f4 30 lLlxh7 fxe3?? 31 (Now return to page 18.) lLlf6+. From this it becomes obvious that Spas sky's earlier move 26 ...Wie 8? was the decisive Additional Exercise 12C mistake. But this story can be extended still further. One more question occurred to me after per forming the above analysis. After the moves 27 w lLlfl?! 'ii'd8! (D), knowing his pugnacious char acter, surely Fischer would not have acquiesced in concluding the game peacefully? w From the very posing of the question, the at tentive reader may have deduced the answer. We observed that in playing 27 lLlfl Fischer was most likely guided by the pii.nciple of the 'worst' piece. The splendid idea that he pro ceeded to execute could only be carried out 42 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY Additional Exercise 12D: In Fischer's place, With this in mind, it becomes clear that in what would you have played after the moves in the position before White's 15th move, the question (27 tt::lfl 'iVd8)? f3-square was in too great demand, while the (For the answer, see page 42.) two white knights, a rook and in some eventu alities the white queen are 'superfluous'. This Additional Exercise 17A is why White should have exchanged his e5- knight on d7. Now the action of the black pieces starts to remind you of a recoiling spring, dealing an ex B tremely strong blow to the opponent. 16 cxdS exdS 17 e4 f6 ! 18 tt::lef3 tt::lc6 19 tt::lh4 dxe4 20 dxe4 tt::ld4 Black has attained a noticeable plus thanks to White's offside knight on h4 and the opening of the position, which will allow his bishops to develop their full power. Let us reconsider the course of this game. White played some moves that were 'good' in themselves (13 a5, 14 'iVe2, 15 c4), except that White's last move (15 c2-c4) reveals that he they were not coordinated in their effects. Mean has lost control of events and with it his objec while Black, implementing a deeply thought tivity in assessing the position. (His system of out regrouping of his pieces, prepared himself self-discipline - 'STOPS', as described in the excellently for the ensuing tactical clash. next chapter - is dislocated.) Taking into ac (Now returnto page 19.) count Black's next move, White should have re frained from sharpening the play and preferred Additional Exercise 120 to exchange with 15 tt::lxd7 !. 15••• tt::l b8!! The situation now before us is characterized by what in Mark Dvoretsky's terminology is w called a 'superfluous piece'. We are not of course talking of an extra piece in the arithmeti cal sense, but of a case where several pieces on the same side would like to occupy one and the same square on the board. If one of them does occupy it, the others will suffer - that is, they will prove in a way 'superfluous', abandoned and forgotten. There are two ways out of this kind of pre dicament: It seems to me that the idea of securing vic 1) For as long as possible, refrain from oc tory by force has to be abandoned (if only for a cupying the key square with any of the pieces time), but the original advantages of White's that are 'interested' in it - until the course of position still remain. He needs to carry on ma events indicates more or less precisely which noeuvring positionally ('tacking'), for example particular piece ought to go there; or with 28 tt::l3d2 followed by 29 f3. In that case 2) Reduce the number of 'superfluous' pieces Black would have to continue walking on hot by exchanges, thereby lessening the 'tension' coals. around the key square. (Now return to page 14.) 2 'STOPS' - A System of Self-Discipline in Chess Murphy 's law: 'If anything unpleasant can hap rooks on el and dl, or dl and cl) and practi pen, it will.' cally guaranteeing that you will slip into time trouble - when the probability of errors signifi Having been quite an active chess-player in my cantly rises, even for strong and experienced time, and afterwards a no less active coach, I players. have constantly come up against the question of On the other hand, hasty, unreflecting and the optimum way to prepare a contestant for a impulsive play is also a fault. game. I have had to resort to improvisation, Judicious expenditure of the time allotted which is good and even necessary for a coach for the game is a sign of a player's practical who is starting out, but an experienced peda strength, and this also needs to be learnt. How? gogue ought to have his own set of methods. For example, by recording the thinking times so The question therefore became pressing - what that you can later analyse not only the quality advice should I give my pupils to help them and strength of the individual moves, but also prepare for play, retain control over events dur the appropriateness of the amounts of time taken ing the game, and conduct a psychological in over them. vestigation afterwards? The system that I now wish to share with T: tactics you emerged as the result of my thinking over a long period. The acronym which forms its Even in simple situations, tactical peculiarities name is an easy word to remember - STOPS. must always be taken into account. In very The letters stand for the components of the sharp or 'irrational' positions, our sense of dan system. ger needs to be particularly keen. S: self-control 0: objective evaluation What do we understand by this? The act of evaluating a position is of the es I) Control over the course of events in the sence of chess. Any variation that we calculate game. starts out from an evaluation, and culminates in Unfortunately, it can happen that the course one. of events changes to our detriment. Then it is A lack of objectivity in evaluating the situa especially important that we objectively ap tion on the board is inadmissible. The conse praise and anticipate the direction the game is quence of overrating our position (for instance, taking, and try to steer it into the channel we re by considering it superior when it is equal) is quire. that, in our search for an imaginary advantage, 2) Controlof thinking time. the calculation of variations senselessly takes Getting into time-trouble is extremely unde up large amounts of time and energy. All sorts sirable - I would even say impermissible. It of of hallucinations tend to creep into our head, ten pays to take a decision that objectively is not and the likelihood of mistaken decisions sharply the best, rather than use up half an hour finding increases. the correct answer to some question of second Underrating our position (for instance, by ary importance (such as whether to station your believing it equal, when it is better) is also 44 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY highly undesirable. On working out a line and Kosikov - Kernazhitsky finding that it leads to equality, we may be sat Kiev Ch 2003 isfied with this and leave a stronger continua tion unexamined. 1 e4 c5 2 lt:Jf3 e6 3 c4 lt:Jc6 4 lt:Jc3 a6 5 ..lte2 filc7 6 0-0 lt:Jf6 7 d3 P: prophylactic thinking White deliberately refrains from the thematic 7 d4. He doesn't aspire to a big opening advan This term, introduced by Mark Dvoretsky, de tage but puts the emphasis on the middlegame notes the need, and the ability, to look at the struggle. position through the eyes of your opponent, 7 .•.i.. e7 8 ..ltg5 0-0 9 l:tcl (D) thereby anticipating his intentions and steer ing the course of events to your own advan tage. It was above all thanks to this ability that B Anatoly Karpov in his best years considerably surpassed his rivals. People said jokingly that he would parry a threat five moves before his opponent thought of it, and the joke was well founded. S: staying calm This is another factor that ought to be under our control during a game. All competitors in 9••• lt:Jd4?! sport are familiar with a surge of excitement Lulled by the passive conduct of the open before a contest. This is normal end even, if ing, Black takes a very committal decision. A you like, essential. It is a different matter when change in the pawn-structure must always be the strain is so great as to make the table shake. extremely carefully weighed. In this case, the The converse is absolute tranquillity, total in doubling of Black's pawns suits his opponent. hibition - when the progress of the struggle in 10 lt:Jxd4cxd4 the game and tournament is a matter of near in Now the unprotected position of the g5- difference. In such a state of mind, decisions bishop comes into play. Mindful of this, I con are taken superficially, quickly and impulsively, sidered the variation 11 lt:Jb1 lt:Jg4 !? 12 i..xg4 which naturally affects the quality and result ..ltxg5 13 .Mc2 but chose the following sequence of the game. instead: 11 i..xf6 ..ltxf6 12 lt:Jb1 .i.g5 13 .l:Ic2(D) The 'STOPS' system can be applied before and during a game and also, most importantly, after it. To assess the various aspects of a player's performance, I propose the following B points system: 6 points - excellent; 5 - very good; 4-good; 3-satisfactory; 2-mediocre; I - bad; 0 - very bad. By conducting an analysis with reference to all five components of the system, we can draw a general conclusion about a finished game and prescribe any suitable corrective measures. To discuss the application of the 'STOPS' system, we shall take the following two exam On the face of it, what difference is there be ples. tween this line and the other one I considered? 'STOPS ' - A SYSTEM OF SELF-DISCIPLINE IN CHESS 45 None at all, you might say. The only thing is 21 a3!? that White's bishop is on e2, not g4. Yet this Obviously expecting the following reply: very circumstance is what invites Black to go 21...a5?! into action. Controlover the course of events has passed 13... f5 ? completely out of Black's hands; his actions are Hooray! He fell for it! In playing 'actively' , dictated by his opponent. Black is clearly not being objective in his as 22 b4! sessment of the position. With his backward Here is the second punch. It could also have queenside development, he had no business been delivered a move earlier, but I fe lt like ar complicating matters in the centre and on the ranging everything in the most comfortable kingside. True, even after the strongest re way possible, opening the a-file for myself as sponse, 13... b6 14 g3 d6 15 f4 i..e7 16 ii.f3 an extra luxury . .ltb7 17lbd2,White would have a plus, but not 22 .••axb4 23 axb4 'ii'e7 such a big one as in the game. Black could hardly be happy with 23 ...'i!Vxb4 14 exf5 .:xr5 15 ii.f3�d 8?! 24 �h5 g6 25 .ltxg6 hxg6 26 �xg6+ '1t>h8 27 By neglecting his queenside development, .i:i.e2, followed by .:e5 or .l!i.f3, with a winning Black is patently losing controlof the situation attack. on the board. 24 �h5! g6 25 �e5! 16 lbd2 i.xd2 17 .:xd2 �g5? And this already is the knock-out! The pawn Replacing strategy with traps. Maybe White on d4 is lost, and with it all Black's chances of will blunder into 18.. Jhf3 19 �xf3 �xd2. salvation. To my enjoyment, though, the strug 18 �c2 .l:!.b8 gle still continued. At last Black has remembered about his 25 ••.l:!.a8 26 c5 queenside, but isn't it too late? Of course, White needs to take the d4-pawn 19 i.e4.l:i.f8 (D) for free; not 26 �xd4? 'ii'xb4. 26 •••'i!Vg7 (D) 20 f4 ! Here is the firstpunch on the jaw. If Black had Caution! The position is technically won for foreseen this move, I imagine he would have re White - so much is clear. But in these cases, frained from the pseudo-active 17... �g5. precision and accuracy are always called for. 20.•. 't!Vc5 ?! The opponent has gone to ground: outwardly he He can't play 20... J:hf4? in view of 21 .l:.xf4 is submitting, yet he doesn't resign. That means �xf4 22 'ii'h5 g6 23 i..xg6 hxg6 24 'ii'xg6+ he is counting on a mistake, setting a trap, lay 'lt>h8 25 .i:i.f2 'i!Ve3 26 'ii'e8+ 'lt>h7 27 'i!Vf7+ Wh8 ing a mine that needs to be detected and de 28 'ii'f8+ Wh7 29 'lt>h1, and Black is crushed. fused in time. However, the more modest 20 ...'ii' e7 is prefera White has a choice of ways to pick up the ble to the move played, although in that case pawn on d4. He can do it either after a queen ex too Black would emerge a pawn down in the change - 27 'i!Vxg7+Wxg7 28 .l:!.c4 - or at once, end. with 27 l:tc4. 46 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY Exerc ise 26: Choose between those two con Hence the result of the game - an ignominious tinuations. defeat. (For the answer, see page 50.) Yet conducting this analysis is only one half of the matter. On the basis of the work we have Now let us return to the 'STOPS' system and done, we need to make some practical recom analyse Black's performance first - even though mendations. If I were the coach of the player of course it isn't easy for me to give an obj ective who had Black, I would give him the following appraisal of my opponent's mental processes. advice for his remaining tournament games: Here we go: • Try to attain the maximum objectivity in evaluating the position on the board. S: self-control • Only on that condition is it possible to control The thinking time was under control (in this the course of events in the game and conse game there was no time-trouble for either Black quently reduce the likelihood of oversights. or White). However, the course of events in the • It is also essential to enhance the role of 'pro game was not under Black's control at all. Our phylactic thinking' in the course of the chess verdict is: bad - 1 point. struggle. Then you will take many more cor rect decisions. T: tactics We saw a fair number of gross tactical mis Let us now assess White's play. calculations and oversights (allowing the moves 20 f4 , 22 b4, 24 �h5 and 25 �e5), which ulti S: self-control mately decided the outcome of the game. Ver As I have said, White was never in time dict: bad, 1 point. trouble. Control over the course of events in the game was achieved overall. Score: 5112 points 0: objective evaluation (you can always findimperf ections in a game if What objectivity can we speak of? Black you want to). took some highly superficial, impulsive deci sions (first he groundlessly brought about a T: tactics change in the pawn-structure with 9 .. .'�Jd4?!, There were no tactical oversights in the game. then later, with his queenside undeveloped, he Verdict: 6 points. began a confrontation on the kingside and in the centre with 13.. .f5?), which clearly did not tally 0: objective evaluation with an objective assessment of the position. Early in the game, I understood that White Verdict: very bad, 0 points. had practically no opening advantage. Subse quently too I was sufficiently accurate in as P: prophylactic thinking sessing the nature of the changes that were Here too, everything is clear. Ve ry bad, 0 taking place on the board. Ve rdict: 6 points. points. P: prophylactic thinking S: staying calm Ve rdict (based on the above annotations to This is where I cannot give you an accurate the game): 6 points. picture. During the game my opponent main tained an inscrutable air (which is how a profes S: staying calm sional ought to conduct himself in any situation), It is here that I am not over-satisfied with even though the events on the chessboard cannot myself. Calm did not set in until the final stage have pleased him. I give a nominal verdict of of the game, when I was already totally confi 'fair' - 2 points. dent of its outcome. Verdict: adequate, 3 points. The total score: 1 + 1 + 0 + 0 + 2 = 4 points, Total score: 51h + 6 + 6 + 6 + 3 = 26112points. giving an average of 0.8 for the five compo Overall assessment: 261h 7 5 = 5.3 points; very nents. This is lower than 'mediocre to bad'. good, almost 'excellent'. 'STOPS ' - A SYSTEM OF SELF-DISCIPLINE IN CHESS 47 According to the 'STOPS' system, the result of the game was highly convincing - White de- �� w� w Now let us examine another piece of play. B weak move, but that I rej ected the move that I felt instinctively was right. First of all the variation 29 .l:i.xh7 l:!.d7 30 .l:l.xd7+�xd7 31 h4! .l:!.g4 32 �hl .Uxa433 h5 .l:i.g434 h6 .l:!.g8 35 h7 .l:l.h8 attracted my atten tion, as the outside passed pawn is a potent Kosikov - A.G. Panchenko force. I assessed 36 �c l (?) 'it>e6 37 'it>d2 �f6 Ku rass Memorial, Kiev 2003 38 'it>d3 'it>g739 'itc4b6 40 c3 as offeringWhite good winning chances (incorrectly, in fact, In this tournament, up until the present game, since 40 ....l:i.xh7 ! draws, as your computer will I had not been doing badly. With 5 points out of confirm to you). Despite my positive assess 6, I was sharing first and second places. I was ment of the line, /lost confidence in myself and content with both the quality of my play and my chose to play safe by capturing the other pawn. competitive results. Yo u can therefore under In fact, capturing the h-pawn is strong, as White stand my satisfaction when the diagram posi can play instead 36 �a2!, saving a tempo; e.g., tion arose after the move 26 f5. White has a 36 ...�e6 (36 ...\t>e7 37 �b3 Wf6 38 Wc4 b6 39 large positional plus, which will inevitably be b4 �g7 40 b5 is winning for White) 37 �b3 converted into a material one. Realizing this, �e5 (or 37 ...�d5 38 .l:i.h6 b6 39 c4+) 38 Wb4 Black played: and White should win. 26 ....l:i.xg 3!? 29 .l:!.xb7 I now immersed myself in thought, seeing After this less forcing move, the position that I had plenty of time on the clock. White has should still be won for White, but in my mind the pleasant choice between 27 hxg3 .l:i.xf5, giv the 'worm of doubt' had been born, and my ing him an endgame with the exchange for a control of events in the game was lost. pawn, and 27 fxg6, when he will be a pawn up 29 ...ltd7 30 Ii.xd7+ in a rook ending. In either case he has quite a 30 l:lb4is a goodfour-rook ending for White. few technical difficulties to overcome, but the 30... Wxd7 31 l:!.fl? position is most likely a win. After this lazy move, the ending becomes I shall not undertake to prove which deci problematic. After 31 l:i.e5 ! .l:i.h6 (the a-pawn sion is better; the choice depends rather on a cannot be saved as 31...Wc7 32 .l:te7+ is hope player's taste. I opted for the rook ending. less for Black) 32 .l:!.aS cl,;c7 33 .l:i.xa7+ cl,;b6 34 27 fxg6 .l:i.xg6.l:i.xe7+ 28 �d8 (D) l:te7 'it>aS (34 ....l:!xh2 35 b4) 35 b3 l::l.xh2 36 Again White is faced with a choice. Which .l:!.e6,White should win. pawn (b7 or h7) should he take? In either case 31... We6 32 b3 .l:!.h633 .l:!.f8 aS Black can be expected to offer an exchange of The variation 33 ...l:i.xh2? 34 .l:i.a8h5 35 .!:txa7, rooks with 29 ...l:i.d7. with .l:!.h7 to follow, would not of course suit I consider this to be the critical moment and, Black. at least psychologically, a turning point of the 34 .l:ta8.l:!.h5 35 �a7 cl,;d6 36 Wb2 h6 37 h3 game. The reason is not that White played a 'it>e6 38 h4 Wd6 39 l:f.f7 48 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRA TEGY Or 39 �c3 .l:!.d5 40 �c4 �e6. �xa4 51 h5 �b4 52 'it>g6 a4 53 h6 a3 54 h7 a2 39 •.•�c5 40 .l::tf4 .l::teS 41 �c3 .l::tdS 42 .l:tc4+ 55 h8'i!V, when White queens first and simulta 'it>b6 43 .l:f.d4 .l:If5 44 'it>d3.l:f.f3+ (D) neously covers the black pawn's queening square. But I was forgetting the advice that is given to chess-players of practically every stan dard: the consequences of going into a king w and-pawn ending must be calculated with ex treme precision. The game proceeded as follows: 46••• .l:.xc4+ 47 bxc4 'it>cS (D) w Now some inexplicable happenings begin. Worn out by the constant problem of choices, I permitted myself to relax. This instantly led to loss of control over the situation on the board, the substitution of visual estimation for the precise calculation of variations, and, as a re sult, some gross oversights. The logical continuation would now be 45 By now I had seen the mistake in the forego 'it>c4 .l:If2 46 c3 h5 47 b4 .l:f.f3, when Black ap ing variation. After 48 'it>f5??, Black is natu pears able to hold the draw with precise de rally not going to waste time on the superfluous fence, but it would be easy for him to go wrong move 48 ...�xc4?? (when after 49 �g6, the best over the board. But to everyone's surprise (in he can do is to scrape a draw by 49 ...�c3 50 cluding my own), I played: �xh6 'it>xc251 h5 c5 52 �g6 c4 53 h6 c3 54 h7 45 �e4?! �b1 55 h8� c2, as White can achieve no more In astonishment, Panchenko replied: than a drawn 'ilf+lli vs 'i!Vending). Instead after 45 •••.l:f.c3 48 �f5?? �b4 ! 49 �g6 �xa4 50 �xh6 �b4 51 This move deprives White of any winning �g6 a4 52 h5 a3 it is Black who promotes first. chances whatsoever. Yet he has dozens of safe The queen endgame after 53 c3+ Wxc4 54 h6 ways to draw (the simplest is 46 �f5 lhc2 47 a2 55 h7 a1 'i!V 56 h8'i!V 'i!Vxc3 is winning for 'it>g6).At this moment it was essential for me to Black, albeit not without some difficulty. readjust and regain control of the situation on In view of this, White played: the board. For this I needed to make an accurate 48 Wd3?? evaluation of the new state of affairs, calculate The hallucinations continue. It still wasn't too some variations (tactics), but this time in a late (though this was the last chance) to pause, more disciplined way - and take the optimum recover my self-control, and calculate a variation decision in the circumstances. But to begin that is not too involved and leads eventually to a with, I repeat, it was necessary to recover my draw: 48 h5 ! �b4 (not 48 ...<;hc 4?! 49 �f5, self-control, which required an effort of will when 49 ...�c3 ! 50 Wg6 leads to the same draw power. as we saw above) 49 �d4 �xa4 50 Wc5 Wa3 51 I did not succeed in doing this. There fol �xc6 �b4 52 c5 a4 53 Wb6 a3 54 c6 a2 55 c7 lowed: a1� 56 c8'i!V, etc. 46 .l:tc4? I am showing the end of the game with some This already is a tactical oversight. I had reluctance: worked out the variation 46 ...l:r.xc4+ 47 bxc4 48 •.•�b4 49 �d4 hS! 'it>c5 48 �f5 �xc4 49 �g6 �b4 50 �xh6 'Elementary, my dear Watson!' 'STOPS ' - A SYSTEM OF SELF-DISCIPLINE IN CHESS 49 50 �e5 'it>xa4 51 'iit>d6 �b4 52 c5 a4 53 all? The train simply went off the rails; 0 points, �xc6 a354 'it>d6a2 55c6 al'ilV 56 c7 'ilt'd4+0- 1 perhaps it should be even less, but 'STOPS' In the remaining two rounds of the tourna doesn't allow for that. ment I picked up a mere half-point (even that was due to luck!), and as a result there was no P: prophylactic thinking question at all of a place in the prize list. A Here I have fewer complaints against my painful but deserved defeat. self; overall, I understood much of what went There are no undeserved defeats. There are on in the game. The only trouble was that my undeserved victories. hands didn't obey my head. Verdict: fair, 2 You will agree that Black's win doesn't look points. convincing. I must, of course, give my opponent his due - he showed tenacity and stubbornness S: staying calm in defending a very difficult position, he set me In this game, after I achieved what was close problems and eventually made me go wrong. to a won position (you will remember what the But you cannot deny that Black had a large situation in the tournament was), I would de amount of luck. Whether White's defeat was scribe my condition not as calm but as one fortuitous remains to be investigated. For this where I had 'switched myself off'. I was no purpose, we will have recourse to the 'STOPS' longer able to 'switch on' at the decisive mo system (applied to the losing side). ments of the struggle. Verdict: 0 points, very bad. S: self-control In the final part of the game this went com The conclusion is easily drawn: as I played pletely astray, as you saw for yourselves. After very badly in this game, what result other than a the game, trying to make sense of what had hap loss did I deserve? pened, I told myself that my mind at that time had been running amok; it was a condition close Now some concluding words about the to madness (chess madness, of course). My head 'STOPS' system. What do we gain from know thought what it wanted to think, and my hands ing this system (granted that knowledge and did as they pleased, behaving at the same time as ability - as our last example made clear - are though they had never known each other. The separate concepts)? verdict is a categorical 0 points - very bad. 1) Before a game (even without the help of their coach), players can test their inward readi T: tactics ness for the struggle ahead. How would you rate White's calculation of 2) Even during play, they can perform a test variations in this game? I give it 0 points - very on themselves and possibly introduce correc bad. tions as the game goes on. It would give me pleasure, dear readers, if 0: objective evaluation the 'STOPS' system were to be absorbed and How can there be any question of objectivity, understood, and if the advice I have offered when there was no evaluation of the position at proved useful to you. 50 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY e5. However, even this is inadequate, as White Answer to Exercise for has the decisive reply 31 .ltxb7 !, overloading the Chapter 2 black bishop and winning at least a piece. There fore he would need to try something like 29 ...b6, intending 30 cxb6 d5, when he has at least Exercise 26 freed his bishop. So the answer to the exercise is that both moves are good, but if you intended 27 'i!Vxg7+, you needed to have anticipated Black's idea; moreover, the move chosen keeps a tighter grip on the game, and so is preferable. 27 l:tc4 'i!Vxe5 A painful decision for Black to take, but it's hard to suggest any other reasonable move. He must make do with what he has. 28 fxe5 .l:!.xfl+ 29 '.t>xfl 30l:ta2 l:txd4 l:tb2 31 rJi;e1 Let us try looking at the position through Black's eyes (prophylactic thinking). Yes, his situation is hopeless. Not only is he losing the d4-pawn, but for good measure his c8-bishop is pitifully undeveloped. This means he can save himself only with help from his opponent. To that end he has to make him commit an error - and in the present situation, a trap is the only way. The trap may not even save the game if it works, but it may complicate the position as a start - then the possibility of subsequent errors increases, and hence Black's saving chances 1-0 improve. Black's decision to resign is fully under I think it was by reasoning on these lines that standable. Throughout his 36(!) moves in the I managed to anticipate the trap (or rather a game, Black not only made no move at all with pseudo-trap !). In the event of 27 'i!Vxg7+ One bishop is half a bishop; two bishops are I shall try to answer this and many other three bishops. questions in the present chapter. It has been known for a long time now that apart from the value of individual pieces there is such Bishop or Knight? a thing as the value of their interaction. Thus it is with the two bishops - their strength lies in Which of them is stronger? In chess this is one the fact that their actions complement rather of the 'philosophical' questions that define the than duplicate each other. level of a player's strategic understanding. It was the first World Champion, Wilhelm From days of old it has been customary to Steinitz, who firstspoke about the advantage of divide chess-players into two groups: the 'Mor the bishop-pair. The essence of his method for phyites' (adherents of the style of Paul Morphy, exploiting this advantage consists in a particu who preferred playing with bishops) and the lar arrangement of the pawns, constricting the 'Chigorinists' (Mikhail Chi gorin was reputed knight and depriving it of outposts. If the fight to be very fond of knights, but this may be is being conducted against a knight and bishop. based on some of his opening choices that led the latter is constricted simultaneously. The ad to specific 'knights vs bishops' scenarios rather vance of the pawns, according to Steinitz, does than a general preference on his part). In mod not lead to weaknesses in your own camp, since em chess it has long been no secret that these the two bishops cover squares of both colours. pieces, 'arithmetically' of equal worth, may In this way the conditions are gradually created prove stronger or weaker depending on the situ for decisive operations. ation on the board. For a bettergrasp of this is On the other hand, in his book Chess Mid sue. let us investigate its strategic basis. Have dlegames: Strategy, the well-known Soviet the you given attention to the way the value of the orist Peter Romanovsky maintained: "For the pieces. their worth in relation to each other, un evaluation of a position, one player's posses dergoes transformation? sion of two bishops does not count as a specific Anyone beginning chess soon learns that form of advantage ... An increase in the activity the strength of a bishop or knight is approxi of the bishops is grounded in a complex of mately equal to three pawns, while a rook weak squares or other weaknesses in the posi equals five pawns and a queen nine, and the tion - it depends on the features of the specific king is invaluable (whatever the cost, we must situation as a whole." protect our 'gracious monarch' from being Who is right, then? Steinitz or Romanov checkmated). sky? To an experienced player, this 'school arith It seems to me that Igor Bondarevsky came metic' is no longer suitable and in the endgame nearest to the truth in his book Attacking the it changes outright. Why is this? King, when he stated: "Two bishops are stronger King: If in the opening and middlegame the than a different combination of minor pieces in king is more timid than a hare (thoughlet us not the majority of positions that arise in practice. forget Steinitz's view that 'the king should de With that proviso, which almost goes without fend itself!'), in the endgame his majesty be saying, we may speak of the advantage of the comes a powerful fighting unit with a value of bishop-pair." roughly four pawns. (Imagine - stronger than a Still, where exactly is that golden mean be minor piece and only slightly surpassed by a tween the two opinions? rook!) Of course, it is impossible to be 'a king 52 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY up' in literal terms, but this can be seen as the Let us draw the conclusion from everything difference in value between a highly active said above. king and one that completely lacks mobility. The knight is a combinative piece and there Pawn: Of course, in the middlegame the fo re seeks middlegame complexities, whereas footsoldier is already dreaming of becoming a the bishop prefe rs endgame simplicity. Hence general. Only who will permit this, with such exchanges and simplification, reducing the tac an abundance of officers on the board? In the tics and bringing the endgame closer, are fa endgame, the pawn is often the very hero who vourableto the side possessing the bishop-pair. brings the drama to its denouement. In the contest of bishop against knight, the Rook: In the opening and often in the mid basic question 'Which is stronger?' largely de dlegame too, when there are few open lines and termines the players' strategy. many 'barking dogs', the rook feels like a bear surrounded in its den. In the endgame, however, it is set free and can run wild. Conventionally, a Bishop Stronger than Knight rook in the ending is said to possess one-and a-half times its earlier strength. Queen: Theoretically the queen too is afraid of attacks by the opponent's pieces and pawns, but in comparison with the rook it is much more w mobile. In the ending the queen also increases in strength, if only slightly, thanks to the greater number of open lines. Bishop: A long-range piece, but if there are many pawn-barriers on the board, its power is often limited. In the ending, however, when the quantity of pawn-obstacles diminishes, this piece too gains in strength. Kn ight: In this case, the question is more complicated. Bishop or knight? These pieces re Kotov - Florian mind me of characters from Alexandre Dumas. Budapest 1949 The bishop is Portos - strong but direct and plain. The knight is Aramis - less powerful but There is no doubt about White's advantage wily and unpredictable. The knight's cunning is he has the bishop-pair and a spatial plus which particularly dangerous in the rniddlegame, when makes for greater piece activity. But as we know less attention is paid to it. from Steinitz, the initiative has to be increased or In the middlegame, the knight is not both there is a danger that it will disappear. ered by bastions formed by pieces and pawns, 20 lt:Jc4 .ia6?! while its combinative thrusts can prove le When defending, you should not be thinking thal. of premature activity but primarily of erecting In the endgame, the knight's deviousness protective bulwarks. Black is clearly overrating gives rise to more caution, there are less of the his position and hence losing his sense of dan piece-and-pawn-barriers that enhance its sig ger. A better move is 20 ....i:lf d8. Admittedly, af nificance, and its slowness of movement be ter 21 .i.g5 h6! 22 .i.xf6 gxf6 this would lead to comes more and more noticeable. the complete shattering of Black's pawn-front. Thus in the endgame, while the other pieces The pawns would then be virtually incapable of receive a 'pay rise', the knight's value is appre any successful offensive operations, but in de ciably hit by inflation. Accordingly the bishop's fence they could form a sturdy fortress. superiority over the knight in the final stage of 21 lt:Jd6 tl.ad8 the game was designated, most aptly and not Not 21...lt:Jc5?22 l:tfcl. without cause, as the 'minor exchange' by 22 tt:Jrs �d7 23 .igs lt:Jhs 24 l:tfdl h6 2s Capablanca. .i.e3.l:!.fd8 (D) THE ADVANTAGE OF THE BISHOP-PAIR 53 Without the exchange on c6, this move would be dubious in view of the weakness on d5 . w "Exchanging bishop fo r knight can be justi fied only aft er the pawn position has crystal lized." (losif Dorfman). 11 �f3 Nor is 11 'Llf5 dangerous for Black; he con tinues 11.. . .ie6, with ...g6 to follow. ll... f6 12 'Llde2 .ite7 13 'Lla4!? (D) It isn't hard to guess that Black is aiming for ...d5, so White makes advance preparations to restrain him with c4. Exercise 27: In White's place, what would you play? (For the answer, see page 90.) B (Please remember that the exercises and their solutions are an integralpart of the chapter; a good deal of the core content of the chapter is included in them. So please think about each exercise and read its solution befo re continuing to the subsequent material.) "The future belongs to the player who has the bishops." (Siegbert Tarrasch) 13•.• 'iia5 14 b3 ..ie6 15 'Llg3 "What constitutes the bishop's advantage Not 15 c4? .ixc4. over the knight? It is the fact that the bishop can 15••• g6 16 .a:acl influence the conflictfr om a distance, whereas Counting on meeting 16 ...0-0 with 17 c4. the knight is effective only from the nearest 16••• d5 17 exd5 �xd5 squares. What is the best way to utilize the For reasons we can now understand, Dorfman bishop's superiority? By driving the knight as is trying to reach an ending. The combinative far away as possible and then continually pre skirmishes initiated by 17 ...cxd5 18 c4 0-0 19 venting it from making its way back into the cxd5 .itxd5 20 �g4 would not suit Black at all. game. Pawns are most suited to this end ... 18 �e2 0-0 19 c4 �aS 20 'ii'f3 .l::tac8 "Of course, pawn advances by no means al Caution! Black senses danger! After the ways result in a good position ... But if they lead straightforward 20 ...'iVc 7?! 21 'Lle4, followed to a weakening of the opponent's pawns, we by 'Llac5 (or 'Llec5), the white knights would may reckon the resulting position is easier to begin to show increasing aggression. exploit with the bishop-pair than with the aid of 21 l:tfd1 f5 ! 22 'Lle2 i.a3! knights." (MaxEuwe, Practical ChessLessons) Excellent strategic understanding of the es sence of the position. White's knights, of course, C. Bauer - Dorfman are looking for a combinative clash. But by forc France 1993 ing off both pairs of rooks, Black considerably reduces the tactics and thereby brings the game 1 e4 c5 2 'Llf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 'Llxd4 'Llf6 5 closer to an ending in which the superiority of 'Llc3 'Llc66 i.e3 'Llg4 i.b57 'Llxe38 fxe3 .itd7 the bishops over the knights should be decisive. 9 i.xc6? 23 ltc2 A serious positional error. The only rational In the event of 23 .l::tb1 i.xc4 24 bxc4 'iVxa4 continuation was 9 0-0 'Lle5 10 lt:Jf3. 25 l:!.d7 l:!.fd8, White's little display of activity 9 •••bxc6 10 0-0 e5! would not at all compensate for the pawn lost. 54 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRA TEGY 23 .•..l:!.fd8 24 ltJec3.l:!.xd1 + 25 'ifxd1 .i:td826 37 •••'it>e7 38 liJbd1 �f6 39 liJb2'i;;g6 .l:!.d2 .l:!.xd2 27 'ifxd2 'i;{f7 28 'i;{f2 'i;;e8 29 g3 Black's shortage of time explains all. 'ifd8! 40 ltJa4 �f6 41 liJb2 Ji.d6 42 liJbd1 h4 43 A type of strategic device which players lLlh1 half-j okingly call 'exchange speculation'. The The knight on hl looks ludicrous. But alas, point is that the stronger side, possessing a mate the alternative is no better: 43 gxh4 g4. rial plus or a solid positional advantage, offers 43 .•..tf7 44 liJdf2 i.h5+ 0-1 the defender a patently unfavourable exchange, After 45 'i;;d2 i.f3 White's pieces are in a leaving him with an awkward choice: either to picturesque state of paralysis. assent to this exchange which increases the ac In this game, the chief role in the winning tive side's advantage, or to remove his piece to process was played by Black's pawn superior a less effective square, conceding a convenient ity in the centre and on the kingside. foothold to his opponent. 30 'ife2 h5! As we observed earlier, an advantage in space It is now time for Black to launch a king side is of no small significance in chess. Even in pawn offensive aimed at seizing space and lim closed positions, where it might seem that the iting the actions of the enemy knights. bishops are up against pawn-barriers while the 31 liJd1?! knights can easily jump over them, a spatial When defending, of course, you have to be plus is immensely important. psychologically prepared to make concessions. But this should only be done when there is no other way out; you should still be endeavouring to obey the order not to give an inch. At this w point 31 c5 was better, trying to keep the light squared bishop out of the game, if only tempo rarily. Thus, on 3l...'ifa5 ?! 32 tLlbl i.xc5 33 'ifc2 i.e734 'ifxc6+ 'i;{f7, White would obtain some chances of counterplay. 31.•• i.b4 32 liJdb2 e4 33 lLld1 'ifd2 At long last the queen exchange is guaran teed, and the advantage of the two bishops (in this case the term 'advantage' should arouse no doubts) secures victory for Black. However, Chigorin - Fa lk he had a more tactical solution at his disposal: Simultaneous, Moscow 1899 33 ...f4 ! rips open the white king's defences, enabling the black queen and bishops to move Exercise 28: in swiftly for the kill; for example, 34 gxf4 1) Identify the main strategic factors in this i.g4 or 34 exf4 'ifd4+ 35 ltJe3 i.d2 intending position . ...i.g4. 2) Suggest a plan for White. 34 'ifxd2 i.xd235 'i;;e2 (For the answer, see page 90.) Here the attempt to shut the dark-squared bishop out of play by 35 ltJac3 �e7 36 'it>e2 Let us return to the question of the confron i..cl 37 lLlbl g5 wouldmake a most naive im tation between bishop and knight. "Given that pression. diagonals are the 'work area' of the bishops, a 35 ••• i.b4 36 lLlf2 g5! conclusion automatically suggests itself: in Paying attention to the opponent's designs order to activate the bishops and widen their (prophylactic thinking)! The simple 36 ...'it>e 7?! sphere of influence, diagonals have to be freed 37 lLlh3 would give White distinct chances of from encumbering material. This method of constructing a fortress. proceeding, which often involves material sac 37 lLlb2 rifices, is called 'diagonal clearance'." (Alex Or 37 ltJh3 i.e7. ander Kochiev). THE ADVANTAGE OF THE BISHOP-PAIR 55 the conditions for realizing the potential of the remaining pieces - in our case, the bishops. w "An unbalanced exchange is closely related to a positional sacrifice, and in many cases the two concepts coincide. The basic difference be tween them emerges when such an exchange, from the opponent's viewpoint, is not forced." (Kochiev) w Gligoric - Larsen Manila 1973 15 c5! A move directed not only at giving the bishop on d3 greater influence ('diagonal clearance'), but also at weakening Black's castled position. 15 .•.exd4 16 cxb6 dxc3 17 .1i.e3 g4 18 bxc7 'iVxc7?! Now it is one-way traffic. After l8... .l:Ide8, Donchenko - Korsunsky Black at least retains some hope of counterplay. Baku 1976 19 .l:Iacl d5 20 .l::!.xc3 gxf3 21 'iVxf3 d4 22 'iVf5+ .l:M7 23 i..f4 'iVb6 24 .l:hc6+ .ixc6 25 Black has a slight material plus - the ex ttlc5 (D) change for a pawn. But his king position is inse cure. If you add to this Black's weakened dark squares when his opponent has a dark-squared bishop, then White's position looks the more B promising. 20 Si.b2 .l:.f821 'iVh4 'iVd622 I:re1 'iVd3 23 ttle5 'iVd2 After 23 ...ttlxe5 24 i..xb7 tLlf3+ 25 .ixf3 'iVxf3 26 .ia3,White has some advantage. 24 i..xb7! 'iVxe1+ 25 'it>g2 ttlxe5 26 i.xe5 (D) White's bishops, especially the dark-squared one, are occupying dominant positions, and this guarantees a quick victory. 25 .•.ttlg4 26 ktb1 'iVa7 27 ttlxd7 i..xd7 28 'iVc5+! 1-0 "Apart from 'diagonal clearance', another strategic device for enhancing the bishops' ac tivity is an 'unbalanced exchange'. It amounts to a voluntary worsening of the balance of ma terial forces. The aim of this kind of exchange The bishop is immune (26 ...'iVxe5 27 .i.c6#), is to alter the positionin a manner that optimizes while the threats persist. The only possibility of 56 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRA TEGY resistance is for the king to plunge into the thick of it. 26 •.• Wd7 27 �f6! w An interesting position has come about: two bishops are dominating two rooks ! 27 ....:ab8 28 �e4 a5 29 �xh7 'i¥e2 30'i¥g5 .l:Ibc8 31 a4 .l::[c7 32 h4 l:!.b8? (D) Now Black's pieces lose their coordination entirely. The right way to seek b-file counter play is 32 ...l:!.f c8, intending ....l:Ib7, when the battle continues. Alekhine - E. Spencer Simultaneous, Liverpool I 923 w 36 !:txd6! "Seizing the key to the position and thereby acquiring a decisive plus." (Alekhine). 36 ... �xd6 37 'i!Vxd6�b1 + 38 'it>h2'it>h7 (D) 33 �e5 l:.xb3 34 'i¥f4! We can safely assume that Korsunsky over looked this move, after which the fight is over. Defending everything is impossible. 34 .. J!i'h5 35 �xc7 �xh7 36 'tli'd6+'>t>c8 37 't!Vc6 1-0 By the definition that we laid down earlier, White's exchange sacrificeis a sacrifice only in a nominal, formal sense. Furthermore, the grow ing power of the bishops is becoming irresist ible. 39 �d3? This allows Black to put up considerable re sistance by 39... .l:tdl !, as the counterplay based on ...g4 remains potent in some critical lines. Instead, the more direct 39 �d4! is overwhelm ing. 39 .•Jib7? 40 �d4 �f7 41 e5+ lt.Jg6 42 e6! Browne - Mecking 'fl/e7 43 'i!i'e5! �h6 44 i.xg6 'i!ixg6 45 �e4+ Interzonal tournament, Manila I976 'i!ih6 46 'lli'f5 'ife8 47 h4 �g8 48 e7 l:tb8 49 i.e5! 1-0 Exercise 29: 1) Give your assessment of the position. Of course, you would have to be extremely 2) In Black's place, what would you play? dogmatic and lacking in objectivity to maintain (For the answer, see page 91.) that the bishop is always stronger than the knight THE ADVANTAGE OF THE BISHOP-PAIR 57 (especially in the middlegame). The truth is on b6 is much less significant than that of the like a pendulum located somewhere midway white one on a4. between the outermost points of its swing. 17 .l:.bl?! With each move, White increasingly loses the thread of the game. (Incidentally, after go Knight Stronger than Bishop ing through it to the end, I advise the reader to analyse this game according to the 'STOPS' The most obvious case where the knight sur system.) It is better to be thinking already about passes the bishop in strength is a middlegame constructing a defence with 17 i..e2 followed of the closed type, with the bishops hemmed in by 18 i.f3 . by the pawn-chains. 17 •.•i.. d7 18 l::tb2 .l:.b8 19 l:lbf2�e7 20 i..c2 g5 21 i..d2 �e8! 22 .tel'i!Vg6 23 �d3 lZJh524 Spassky - Fischer .U.xf8+ .l:.xf8 25 l:txf8+ �xf8 26 i..dl? Wo rld Ch match (game 5), Reykjavik 1972 Total disorientation. It is essential to opt for 26 g3. 1 d4 lZJf6 2 c4 e6 3 lZJc3 i..b4 4 e3 c5 5 i..d3 26•.• tt:Jf4 27 'i!Vc2? lZJc6 6 lZJf3 i..xc3+ 7 bxc3 d6 8 e4 e5 9 d5 lZJe7 Now for the knockout! The correct move is 10 l2Jh4 h6 (D) 27 �bl, although even then, after 27 ...�e7 fol lowed by .. .'�d8 and ...�c7, Black's increasing advantage leaves no room for doubt about the outcome of the game. w 27••• i.. xa4! 0-1 28 'iVxa4 is met by the decisive 28 ... 'i!Vxe4. Knights are particularly dangerous in the middlegame if they can use weak squares in the centre as outposts from which they cannot be expelled. 11 f4 ?! w The first in a series of impulsive decisions. 11 f3 or 11 g3 is better. ll... lZJg6 ! Of course, there is no need at all to fall in with White's wishes by accepting the piece sacrifice: ll...exf4?! 12 i.xf4 g5? 13 e5 ! and White wins. 12 lLlxg6 fxg6 13 fxe5?! It is better to maintain the pawn-tension in the centre (in the hope that the game would Anand - Gelfand later open up for the benefit of the bishops) by Dos Hermanas 1996 playing 13 0-0 0-0 14 h3. 13.•• dxe5 14 i.e3 b6 15 0-0 0-0 16 a4? The verdict on the position is unambiguous: From the point of view of strategic under there can be no question of any advantage of the standing (or rather lack of it), this is an aston bishop-pair, since by seizing the outposts on d5 ishing mistake by a reigning World Champion. and e4, White's knights should secure him a 16•.• a5! considerable, possibly decisive, plus. After this (as the further course of the strug 26 �e2! �g6 27 f3 i.f5 28 lZJb4 'JJ.c7 29 gle will show), the weakness of the black pawn lZJbd5'JJ. cf7 30 lZJe4 58 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY The aim is achieved: the commanding heights It is extremely dangerous for the defender to are conquered. plunge unprepared into tactics, especially when 30 •.• .ig5 in time-trouble. I am so glad I wasn't playing this position for 40 tt:Jxd5.ltxh3 Black! As I see it, that would be worse than Or 40 ...l:txc4 41 bxc4 .ixh3 42 gxh3 .l::!.xf3 walking blindfold across a minefield. At the 43 tt:Jef6+. present moment Black has little in the way of 41 gxh3 �xf3 42 tt:Jef6+! 1-0 choice. Either he continues as in the game, con Black resigned in view of 42 ...�cxf6 43 demning himself to passive defence without tt:Jxf6+ gxf6 44 l:tg4+, or 42 ...gxf6 43 l:lg4+. chances of counterplay, or he chooses a forcing line leading to an endgame, of which the result Bishops are very active if they have open di is also a foregone conclusion: 30 ....ixe4 31 agonals. Therefore one of the fundamental 'iixe4 'iixe4 32 fxe4 and now 32 ....l::!.f2 33 .l:.fl methods of fightingagainst the two bishops is to l:hfl+ 34 Itxfl l:txfl+ 35 'it'xfl .ltc1 36 tLlb6 limit their mobility by erecting pawn-barriers. i..xb2 37 tt:Jc4 .id4 38 tt:Jxd6b6 39 'ltoe2 'ltog8 40 'it'd3 'it'f841 'ltoc4 'ltoe7 42 Wd5. The attempt to strengthen Black's play with 32 ...Wg8 is hardly successful; White can simply continue w with 33 b4 (parrying the idea of ....te l after an exchange of all the rooks - which appeared in the line we just looked at - in view of the reply b3). 1t is of course possible to seek other defen sive ideas for Black, but it is akin to trying to knock a hole in a wall with your forehead, espe cially under playing conditions of limited time and energy! There followed: 31 tt:Jdc3 .ie732 l:i.d3 .Uc833 �ad1 .l::!.c634 Salov - Kamsky tt:Jd5 .ltf8 35 l:!.c3 h5? (D) Candidates match (game 6), A frequently-occurring mistake that is fa Sanghi Nagar 1995 miliar to us. Black needs to make some luft of course, but he had to do it more modestly Despite his possession of the bishop-pair, (35 ...h6), so as not to give his opponent any White's position is dismal - both bishops are more holds on which to fasten. But Black would restricted in their actions. In addition, Black dearly love to do something even slightly ac controls the strategically important b-file. tive ! 30 'ltog1 Alas, it is hard to recommend an active plan. White therefore has to conduct a static, barren defence. w 30 •.•�b2 31 i..d3 'ltoe6 32 h4 g5 33 hxg5 hxg5 34 .ifl g4 35 i.c3 �2b3 36 i.e2 f5 37 i.e1 l:tb2 38 J..d3 l:!.2b3 39 J..e2 l!b2 This type of repetition is a stock device to gain thinking time. 40 i..d3 .l::!.h8 Concrete threats are now starting to emerge, such as 41....l::!.b7, followed by ....l::!. bh7. 41 l:tcb1 .l:tbb8 42 l:txb8?! .l::!.xb8 43 .l::!.cl .l::!.b3 44 ii.c2.l::!. a3 45 e4 fxe4 46 .id1 'it'f5 47 36 'ltoh1 h4?! 37 h3 'ltog8 38 l:tc4! 'iih5 39 i..e2 l:ta2 48 'it'fl l:ta4 tt:Je3 d5?! and White soon resigned. THE ADVANTAGE OF THE BISHOP-PAIR 59 impossible. But let us try to do it by logic, rely ing on the concepts we already possess. B We decided that the knight in chess was a cunning piece, suited to combinations. There fore an alliance between the queen's strength and the knight's cunning is more dangerous in the middlegame (and we are essentially in a middlegame as long as queens and at least some other pieces are on the board) than a union be tween the queen and a bishop, which, even if a strong piece, is an excessively simple one. On the other hand, the pairing of a rook with a Suba - Smyslov knight or bishop, in the absence of other pieces, Interzonal tournament, Las Palmas 1982 constitutes an endgame situation - which the knight fe ars 'as the devil fears incense'. Here, as in the last example, White has no But let us return to the game. There fol cause to speak of an 'advantage' of the bishop lowed: pair. His dark-squared bishop is extremely pas 39 ••.a5 40 'it'b2 lt:Jc7 41 ii.cl lt:Jb5 42 Vi'c2 sive, and prospects for activating it are not to be r:Ji;f6 43 r:Ji;gl .lte4 44 'it'f2 r:Ji;f7 discerned. One other feature of the position is 44 ...lt:Jxc3 ?! 45 d5 ! allows White a lot more also important, namely the pawn weaknesses freedom, although objectively the advantage against which the knight is a very dangerous at stays with Black. tacker, since, thanks to its merits that we have 45 .id2 lt:Jd6 46 Vi'h4 h6 47 Vi'h5+ 'iitg8 48 mentioned already, it can switch between at Vi'g6 .idS! tacking weak points on both light and dark Not only freeing the e4-square for the knight squares. or queen, but also preparing to give the black 28•.• lt:Jd8 29 �dl c5 30 �cl �f8 31 'it'e2?! king a safe shelter on h7. Vi'c6 32 'it'c2?! d5! 49 .iel .if7 50 'it'g3 'it'e4 51'it'h4 'iith752 White's planless, unreasoning play has al ii.f2 .idS 53 'it'd8 lt:Jb5 54 Vi'xb6 lt:Jxc3 55 lowed Black to start active operations. 'it'xa5 lt:Je2+ 56 ii.xe2 33 i..f3 'it'd734 cxd5 i..xd5 35 ii.e2?! A time-trouble blunder, but 56 'iithl c3 is Aiming to preserve the 'advantage of the also hopeless for White. bishop-pair', White removes his bishop from 56 .•.'it'xg2# (0-1) attack, but in so doing he allows his opponent a dramatic increase in activity (you will recall the And finally, knights are especially dangerous notion of 'exchange speculation'). in a middlegame with combinative complexities. 38 •••lt:Je6 36 ii.e3 r:Ji;e7 37 'it'd2 'it'c6 38 ii.fl c4! 39 d4? The lesser evil was probably 39 dxc4 �xc4, although in that case, after the exchange of light-squared bishops (which White of course had avoided only a few moves ago), Black's ad vantage would be substantial, indeed close to decisive. Incidentally, haven't you ever pondered the question of why the piece configuration 'queen and knight vs queen and bishop' is considered more promising for the side with the knight, whereas 'rook and knight vs rook and bishop' is thought to favour the bishop? To establish Va n Wely - Piket this opinion by means of variations is plainly Wijk aan Zee 1996 60 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY Exercise 30: 1) Give your assessment of the position. 2) Evaluate the sacrifice 25 ...lt:Jd4. w (For the answer, see page 91.) Two Bishops in the Middlegame Now that we understand the mutual relations of bishop and knight, it will be easier to ascertain the conditions under which the bishop-pair in Alekhine - Alexander the middlegame can become an advantage. Nottingham /936 The basis for answering this question is the need to prove a bishop's superiority over a 16 1i.h3! knight. The rule which follows from this is very After this neither 16 ...lt:Jxd5 17 �xe4 nor simple but incredibly important for an elucida 16... .i.xd5 17 l:txd5 lt:Jxd5 18 �xe4 would be at tion of the strategy: all to Black's liking. In order to demonstrate the advantage of 16•.• g6 17 f3 lt:Jc5 18 �g5 �g7 the bishop-pair, it is necessary above all to Not 18... lt:Jxd5 ? 19 lt:Jxg6!. demonstrate the power of the bishop that has 19 b4 lt:Jcd7 no opposite number on the same colour of After 19... lt:Ja4 20 .tal the black knight squares. would be shut out of play for the long term. Let us examine this in a series of concrete 20 e4! examples. The attacking force of White's dark-squared bishop starts to reveal itself. On 20 ...fxe4 White has 21 .i.xd7. 20 •.•lt:Jxe4 21 'i:Yc1! (D) w Declining to exchange pieces 'for something and nothing': 21 .i.xg7 lt:Jxg5 22 i.xf8 lt:Jxh3+ 23 '>iig2 l:!.xf824 �xh3 lt:Jf6. B Short - Zilber Hastings 1979/80 Exercise 31: Suggest a plan of action for White. (For the answer, see page 92.) 21 •••lt:Jef6 22 .i.xf5! 'it>h8 Short was of course not the first to discover Or 22 ...gxf5 23 lt:Jxf5 �h8 24 lt:Jh6+'it>g7 25 the strategic precept that he employed in the �g5#. exercise that you have just tackled. It had al 23 1i.e6 .i.a6 ready been seen repeatedly in one form or an The situation is hopeless because Black has other. nothing with which to oppose the power of the THE ADVANTAGE OF THE BISHOP-PAIR 61 b2-bishop. White answers 23 ....!:tbe8 with 24 Opening theory prefers 6 .ie2. g4, and 23 ...lt:Je5 with 24 f4 . 6 •.•a6 24 l:i.fe1 lt:Je525 f4 lt:Jd3 26 I:txd3! i.xd3 27 The preliminary 6 ....ie7 may be more accu g4 1-0 rate. There is no satisfactory defence against the 7 ..ixc6 bxc6 8 c4?! (D) g5 advance. 8 lt:Jb3 is better. B B Exercise 32: In Black's place, what would Svidler - Anand you play? Russia-Wo rld rapidplay match, Moscow 2002 (For the answer, see page 93.) Black might seem to have everything in or der: he has a splendid knight outpost on f5 and the possibility of seizing one of the open files. And yet we can tell that Black's position is incredibly difficultbecause he will presently be helpless to oppose the might of White's light squared bishop. 18•.. ..i.d8 19 i.f2 .ih420 ..ig1! Exchanging the dark-squared bishops before the most appropriate moment is not in White's interest, since his dark-squared bishop beauti fully complements the strength of the light squared one. ('One bishop is half a bishop; two bishops are three bishops.') Rauzer - Riumin Leningrad /936 20.• Jig8 21 .if3 .l:!.c8 21.. .l:!.d8 is better. 22 �b1 lt:Ja5 23 lt:Je4 lt:Jc4 24 b3 lt:Ja3+ 25 19 lt:Jf5! �b2 lt:Jb5 26 a4 lt:Jc7 27 .l:!.cl i.e7 28 lt:Jf6+ This is stronger than the exchange 19 lbxe6 .ii..xf6 29 exf6 'it>d7 fxe6. Or 29 ...lt:Jd6 30 ..ic5 �d7 31 .l:!.hdl. 19.•. ..ixf5 20 exf5 h621 lt:Je4 lt:Jxe422 ..ixe4 30 .ii..xb7 .l:!.b831 i.c6+ �d6 32 .i.a7 .l:!.bd8 .ii..f6 23 ..ie3 lt:Je7 33 .ib6 1-0 White's pieces are ideally placed. His light squared bishop makes a particularly powerful Agzamov - Kosikov impression, far exceeding the strength of the Orenburg 1972 black knight. 24 b4! c4 25 g3 .l:!.d7 26 l::.a7 'iid8 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 lt:Jd2lt:Jc6 4 lt:Jgf3 lt:Jf6 5 e5 It was worth considering 26 ...'ii xa7 27 .i.xa7 lt:Jd7 6.i.b5 .l:!.xa7, striving to alter the complexion of the 62 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY fight. Now the black position will be increas The assessment of the position is not in any ingly squeezed. doubt. A spatial plus, the bishop-pair, the over 27 .l::txd7�xd7 28 h4 �h8?! 29 g4 'Llg8 all dominance of the white pieces, the dubious Alas, 29 ...i.. xh4 30 �h3 i.f6 fails to the re- 'activity' of the knight on f7 - what more does ply 31 g5. White want? The best continuation, as we un 30 g5 i..e7 31 �d1 �c7 32 f6 i..xf6 derstand by now, would be a strategy of en Practically forced; if 32... gxf6 then 33 �f5 . hancing the power of the dark-squared bishop 33 gxf6 'Llxf6 34 ii.c2:d8 35 ii.xh6.l::t xd1 + by 24 �c3 followed by an advance of the g 36 i.xd1 e4 37 i.f4 �d8 38 �e2 'Lld5 1-0 pawn. Yet White did not resolve to move a Black resigned without waiting for his oppo pawn that was shielding his king's quarters. nent's move. There could have followed 39 Simply content with the overall picture of the �d2 �xh4 40 i..g5. battle, he behaved in a patently dilatory way, forgetting that, as Steinitz said, the side pos sessing the initiative must attack. Two Bishops in the 24 �h2? �be8 Middlegame: Associated It now turns out that White is under fire; rather than contemplate the position with his Factors head in the clouds, he must come down to earth and think about defending his e-pawn. Notwithstanding those last few examples, we 25 �c3 must be extremely careful in speaking of the Time to wake up? advantage of the two bishops in the middle 25 ...�c7 ! game. After all, as we have said more than Already it isn't so simple ! The straightfor once, the middlegame may contain a whole ward 26 g4? will be met by the counter-stroke host of factors no less significant than the 26 ...d5 !. bishop-pair. 26 i..f3 i..c6 27 �d3 �b7 28 �g1 �a8 29 �f2 �b7 30 �1e2 �a8 31 �e1 ?! �b7 32 Planless Play �d2 (D) It often happens that we conduct one phase of the game with great success and achieve a very substantial plus, but then in our contentment we permit ourselves to relax - foolishly! As long as B the clock is ticking and the fight continues, we have no right to do that. If we do, we run a very serious risk of losing control over the ongoing course of the struggle. w White has clearly lost the thread of the game; the 'STOPS' system (his objective positional judgement and, naturally, his focus on the un folding events) is disrupted. Accordingly his actions lose their coherence. 32... b5! 33 �e1 It emerges that the central and queenside area is another 'burning house' for White's king. But Euwe - Alatortsev then, returning to his 'hearth and home' will take Leningrad 1934 time ... THE ADVANTAGE OF THE BISHOP-PAIR 63 33 .•.bxc4 34 bxc4 f5 ! Opening the position and turning everything upside-down. w 35 'iVc3'iVb4 36 'iVxb4cxb4 37 e5 i..xf3 38 l:txf3 dxe5 39 :re3 e4 And Black has acquired a material plus. w Azmaiparashvili - Yudasin USSR Ch, Kiev 1986 Black could tryto develop his dormant queen side by removing his queen from b6, then play ing ...a6 and ... l:tb8, and finally ...b5 (or ...b6). But in an open position with tactical skirmishes about to break out, he can hardly find time for Muratov - Frumson this. He must therefore seek to make the most Moscow 1976 of his active pieces, and any 'awkwardness' in his opponent's build-up, and complete his de Exercise 33: Choose between the two candi velopment when an opportune moment arises. date moves 19 g4 and 19 b4. 15 'iVb4 a6!? (For the answer, see page 93.) Yudasin stakes everything on a tactical dog fight. After the game he favoured the solid 15... l2Jc6; e.g., 16 'iVd2 a6 17 l2Jc3. 16 'iVd6 l2Jxc4 16... tt:Jc6?! is now risky because 17 l2Jd5 B exd5 18 ..ixd5+ �f7 19 ..ixf7+ �xf7 20 'iVd5+ �e7 21 l2Jd6 l2Jd4 22 c5 'iVc6 23 'iVf7+ 'it>d8 24 'iVe8+ �c7 25 l:tac1 gives White an attack. 17 l2Jxc4�xb5 18 l:tfcl Threatening 19 a4 'iVb3 20 l:ta3, but Black has a way to keep fighting. 18••. a5! 19 l!c2 �a6 20 �c7 Threatening 21 lLld6. 20 ••• 1Vb4 21 a3 'iVb3 22 l:tacl a4? Azmaiparashvili gave the critical 22 ...d5 ! 23 Forintos - Beliavsky l2Jxa5 as favouring White, missing 23 ...1Va4 !; Moscow 1975 e.g., 24 l2Jxb7 (24 b4 'iVxa3) 24 ...l:ta7 25 'iVxc8 .:i.xc8 26 �xc8+ 'it>f7 27 .:i.Ic7+ 'it>g6 28 l2Jc5 Exercise 34: Evaluate the position. with a likely draw. (For the answer, see page 94.) 23 'iVb8! d5 24 l2Jd2 ..id7 25 l:tc8! 1-0 A lead in development is a very important Passed Pawn factor in the evaluation of a position, especially This is a very important element of strategy in in the opening. A bishop-pair may help com many positions, including those involving the pensate for it, but the verdict will always hinge bishop-pair. In the middlegame, a passed pawn on concrete analysis. can rarely be approached by the defender's king. 64 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY Where then can he find the superior quantity of 26.•. lbxc3 27 'ii'xg6 hxg6 28 .l:!.c7! lbe2+ 29 pieces needed to attack and destroy it? Thus, a 'iiffl l2lf4 30 .idS! 1-0 passed pawn in the rniddlegarne, a redoubtable force for the active side, becomes the defender's 'first weakness' . In the endgame, the king can often approach a passed pawn without any risk, and the latter, B far from being a force, may prove a tasty morsel for the opponent. But here again, not every thing is plain. If the passed pawn belongs to the side with the bishop-pair, it is very dangerous even in the endgame. On the one hand the bish ops keep the enemy king away from the pawn; on the other hand they dislodge pieces from blockading positions, thus clearing the pawn's road to promotion. The conclusion is evident: each position de Christiansen - Kasparov mands its own specific approach. 1nterzonal tournament, Moscow19 82 Exercise 35: 1) Evaluate the position. w 2) What would you play if you had Black? (For the answer, see page 94.) B Hubner - Smyslov Tilburg 1979 The white king's position has been weak ened. But thanks to the general activity of his pieces, his bishop-pair and his dangerous passed pawn, White's game should be preferred. A. Kozlov - Dorfman 19 .i.fl �h5 20 'ii'e2! Odessa 1969 'Speculating' on an exchange. With the dis appearance of the queens, the exposed position Exercise 36: What would you play if you of White's king would cease to be a worry. were in Black's place? 20 ... �g6+ 21 .\tg2.t!.ac8 22 d6! (For the answer, see page 95.) The thrust by the passed pawn should decide the outcome of the duel. 22 ..•lbc5 23 .i.xc5 .l::txc5 24 d7! The 'Advantage of the In order to continue his attack, White is even Knight-Pair' willing to part with his dark-squared bishop. 24 •. Jld5 25 .l::txd5 l2lxd5 26 �e4! The aim is achieved. There is no avoiding the Of course, in chess terminology no such con queen exchange. cept exists. Yet every joke contains a grain of THE ADVANTAGE OF THE BISHOP-PAIR 65 truth. There are some positions, especially in the middlegame, where the knights perform gy- rations that make the opponent's head reel. B B Psakhis - Speelman Hastings 198718 The play has nearly entered the endgame Foguelman - Smyslov stage, in which, as we shall soon discover, the Leipzig Olympiad 1960 bishop-pair is an indisputable advantage. However, Black has three trumps at his dis The undeveloped state of White's queenside posal: possession of the only open file,the poor and the great activity of Black's pieces allow us coordination of the white pieces, and ... the 'ad to evaluate the position as a win for Smyslov. vantage of the knight-pair' . 23 •••�e5! What is Black to play now? Black isn't worried about exchanging a White has good prospects after 21...lLld5?! bishop for a knight in an open position. 22 e3 followed by 'it>e2 and .l:tdl, challenging 24 lLlxe5 lLlgxe5 25 f4 l2Jd4! the d-file. Objectively, Black should play the Offwe go! solid 21 ...lLla6, when there is everything to play 26 �dl tLld327 .i:i.fl lLlb2! (D) for: Black keeps his grip on the d-file, while it is hard for White to engineer a truly effective pawn-break. However, in both cases White is in control of the game. Speelman found a highly w creative, albeit unsound, alternative, which suc ceeded in unsettling an experienced grandmas ter over the board. 2l••• lLla 2?!! The knight boldly steps into a comer from which it is unlikely ever to escape, but White must solve some very concrete problems. 22 .:!.c4 After22 i..xc6tt:lxc l 23 �a4 .:!.d1! 24 �xd 1 .l:.xdl, all White's pieces are completely para The cavalry gets through! lysed. 28 lLld2 22•.• l2Jd4 Managed it at last. Or so it seems ... 22 ...lLle5 23 l:l.e4�f7 24 .Uh4 (24 I!.al?! l:tdl 28••. lLlxdl 29 .i:i.fxdl tt:le2+30 �b2 lLlc3! is OK for Black) 24 ....i:i.d l (24 ...Wg7 25 .l:!.al) The decisive stab. The rest isn't interesting; 25 .l:txh7+ Wg8 26 .l:!.xdl l:!.xdl leaves White White resigned eight moves later. with an extra pawn, but the situation remains complex. Often a knight's jump is so unpredictable 23 b3?! that it induces errors from the opponent in what 23 !tal ! is critical. 23 ...lLlb3 24 I!.xa2.l:.d l, looks like the most harmless of situations. and now: 66 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRA TEGY a) 25 l:tc2? l:tb1 (25 ...lbd2+ is simpler) 26 reveals that Psakhis is either overrating his pos i.e4 ! (26 e3? loses to 26... l:tdd1 27 l:te2lbd2+) sibilities or not weighing them up at all. 26 ...l:tdd1 27 �g2 I1xel 28 .l:!.c3 .i:!.g1 + 29 �h3 31 •••1:txd3! 32 exd3 J:!xd333 �e2 l:!.d5! a4 30 i.xb1 l:txb1and a comical situation arises Precision is always essential. 33 ...l:td4? is a with an imprisoned rook on a2, offering White mistake in view of 34 gxf4 gxf4 35 i.d2lbxf2 no saving chances whatever in spite of his extra 36 �c3 l:!.d3 37 i.el. exchange. 34 gxf4 b) 25 .l:te4+ �f8 26 f4 ! (after 26 e3 .l:!.bl !, Not, of course, 34 llxd1?? f3+. Nor is 34 the threats of 27.. J:tdd1 and 27... lbcl are hard i.d2 lbxf2 any good to White, but a possibility to meet) and it is not clear how Black is to con is 34 �f3 lbc3! 35 i..xc3 l::td3+ 36 �g4 .i:!.xc3 tinue. 37 �xg5, going into a drawn rook endgame. 23 ...lbb5! 24 l:tb2 34 .•.gxf4 (D) After 24 .l:!.a1 l:td2! 25 i.xd2 l:txd2, Black's compensation for the exchange would not be in doubt. 24 •.. lbac3! w Not 24 .. .'!i:Jbc3? 25 l:txa2 lbxa2 26 l:tc2. 25 a4 The variations 25 i.xc3? lbxc3 26 l:txc3? l:td1 # and 25 l:txc3 lbxc3 26 i.xc3 J:.d1 + 27 i..e1 .l:!.al, with ...l:i.dd 1 to follow, are of course not at all to White's liking. 25 .••lbd l! The raids by the black knights continue, and there is no telling how they will end. White could of course follow the line of least resis 35 .l::tcl?! tance with 26 l:ta2 lbd4 27 l:ta3, but the position In time-trouble, White loses control of events would then acquire an irrational, unpredictable (the 'STOPS' system breaks down !) and releases and uncontrollable streak, in which the 'advan the knight from its prison. After the correct 35 tage of the knight-pair' would become espe �f3 l:td4 36 'it>e2 l:td5 37 'it>f3, a peaceful end to cially dangerous. the struggle would be unavoidable. White therefore resolves to sacrifice the ex 35 ..•lbb2 ! change, banking on the imprisonment of Black's Hooray! Freedom! surviving knight. 36 i..c3 tbd3 37 .l::tgl? 26 l:tbl lba3 27 l::tccl!? This is the proverbial last straw that breaks After 27 l:te4+ �f728 l:tc 1 lbb229 .i:!.e3 .l:!.d1 the camel's back. 30 l:tec3 the situation on the board remains ex The drawing margin in chess is quite con tremely unclear. siderable ! Notwithstanding the series of inac 27 ••• lbxb1 28 l:txbl curacies and errors that White had already Intending 1Le4-d3. committed, the position was still drawable. 28..• f5 29 i.b7 The correct course was 37 .i:!.d1 ! lbb4 (not He now aims to bring the bishop round via 37 ...f3+? 38 �xf3) 38 l:txd5 ! (not 38 i.xb4?? a6. f3+) 38 ...tbxd5 39 i.e5 �e6 40 i..b8 �f5 41 29 ••.g5! 30 i..a6 f4 ! 31 i.d3?! �f3, and despite the pawn minus, White is The question, as always, is how to evaluate saved by the 'minor exchange' . By attacking the position. What is White playing for? the pawns on b6 and f4 with his bishop, he pre Although Black is the exchange up, it is fair vents Black from regrouping effectively. to assess the situation as equal in view of the in But evidently all that cavorting by the black carcerated knight. Therefore the most suitable knights had set Psakhis's head spinning so much course is waiting tactics, with something like that he totally lost his bearings. 31 i.c4, assenting to a draw. White's last move 37 •••lbb4 38 l:tg7+ THE ADVANTAGE OF THE BISHOP-PAIR 67 He also fails to save himself with 38 .i.xb4 Not 54 ...'ii'xc6 because of the zwischenzug axb4 39 Ii.g7+ 'it>d6 40 .l:Ixh7 f3+! 41 'it>e3 55 'ii'g6+. l:tdl. 55 'ii'fS? 38 •••'it>f8 39 .i.b2 Such a pity. In time-trouble, the logical con Or 39 .l:Ixh7 f3+. clusion to the game is botched. After 55 lZ:lc8!! 39 •.•l:!.d3 0-1 .:!.xc8 (55 ....te5 56 .l::te6 'ii'f8 57 .l::te7) 56 :txc8 'ii'xc8 57 �g6+, followed by 'ii'xf6+ and 'ii'xd6, The 'advantage of the knight-pair' is espe the exploitation of White's extra material would cially palpable in the middlegame when the have been a matter of fairly simple technique. players start to trade combinative punches in But then Botvinnik observed several times the style of a boxing match. that the calculation of variations and combin ative vision were not his strongest points. ss •.. �g7! 56 lZ:lc8?! .tes 57 lZ:lb6?! Now 57 .l:i.e6comes too late due to 57... 'ii' g6. w However, 57 l:tc5 keeps some chances alive. 57 •.•.Uxd 5 and the game soon ended in a draw. Knights are also dangerous when they have outposts in the centre. w Botvinnik - Romanovsky Leningrad 1933 46 h5! The sealed move. The white knights now set out on their hard-hitting raids. 46 ••. gxh5 47 tt:Jrs Ii.e6 48 lZ:lxdS .Ud7 49 lZ:lb6?! 49 lZ:lf4 .l:i.e5 (49... .l:i.e8 50 'ii'dl !) 50 lZ:lg6! is good for White. Anderssen - L. Paulsen Vienna 1873 49 ••.l:td8 SO dS 'ii'e8? If 50... cxd5? then 51 .l:i.c7. However, Black missed his chance here, as 17 lZ:Jd2! .i.c6 18 lZ:le4 fS? after 50 ...'ii' h7!, there are too many pins for A mistake we are well acquainted with al White to make any progress with his attack, and ready - pawn moves without good reason in a the outcome is likely to be a murky ending with bad position. It is better to face up to the diffi few winning chances for White. This is the type culty of the situation and settle for 18 ....i.xd5 !? of resource that a modern computer finds with 19 'ii'xd5c7 'ii' (20 lZ:lxd6??.l:i.d8), going over to out batting an electronic eyelid, but can com static defence. pletely escape the attention of a future world 19 lZ:lec3 'ii'd7 20 a3 champion given the irrational appearance of the You should never forget about creating some position that it brings about. luft - provided of course there are not more ur 51 lZ:Jd4 gent matters to attend to, and provided also that The blows from the white knights are be the pawn move does not constitute a serious coming unbearable. weakening in itself. Sl...Ii.ed6 52 lZ:lxc6 .i.xc6 53 .l:i.xc6 .l:!.xc6 54 20 .•.'�f7 21 h3! a6 22 g4! .l:i.e8 23f4 l:te6 24 Ii.xc6 .id6 gS bS 25 h4 .Ue8 26 Vi'd3 68 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY The defects of Black's 18th move begin to conquering weak points by their own strength emerge. unaided by other pieces, imparts a middle game 26 •...l:!.b8 27 h5 aS 28 b4! character to the play. Hence the conclusion: in The weakening of the pawn shelter round positions with the bishop-pair, the presence of White's king is insignificant; Black is in no po two pairs of rooks is strategically fa vourable to sition to launch an attack. the side possessing knights. 28 .•.axb4 29 axb4 �xh5 30 �xf5 �f7 31 The expediency of exchanging the second �d3 pair of rooks depends on the specific situation. Threatening 32 .l:!.hl. 31.•• i.d732 lt:Je4 �f5 If 32... i.f5 then 33 lt:Jef6+. 33 .l:!.h1.l:r.e8 34 lt:Jef6+! gxf6 35 lt:Jxf6+ �f7 w 36 .l:txh7+ i.g7 37 .l:!.xg7+! <3;xg7 38 lbxe8+ �f8 39 �xf5+ i.xf5 40 lt:Jxd6 and Black soon resigned. The Problem of Exchanging As already noted, the question of exchanging pieces is one of the keys to a chess-player's level of strategic understanding. And indeed, Gulko - Vasiukov when we ask about the bishop-pair and whether Moscow Ch 1983 it constitutes an advantage, the problem of ex changing is highly relevant. When we envisage There should be no special doubts about the an exchange, its appropriateness can by no verdict on this position. The growing power of means always be confirmed by variations and the two bishops is indisputable. The only thing calculation. Knowledge and logic have to come that may confuse the issue is the great activity to our aid here. of the black rooks and the danger that White may overlook some gyration performed by the Queens - who benefits from exchanging black knights. In the absence of outposts in the them? We can readily understand the answer: centre, however, deploying the knights is not at the exchange favours the two bishops, since it re all a simple matter. duces the tactics and leads towards the endgame, 23 i.a5! where the opposition of bishop and knight be A move leading to the exchange of a pair of comes the 'minor exchange' . rooks and thereby giving the position, defini tively, the character of an endgame. What about rooks? 23 ....l:!.d7 24 .l:!.ad1 I:txd1 Suppose that in a position with two bishops Played with great reluctance, but there is (against bishop and knight or two knights), nothing else. each player also has two rooks. Now consider 25 .l:!.xd1 lt:Jb5 26 i.fl a6 27 .l:ld5 l::tb8 28 two questions before reading on: �g2 lt:Jf6 29 .l:!.d1 l) Who benefits from exchanging one pair The position has clearly assumed a settled of rooks? character, with Black deprived of any serious 2) Who benefits from exchanging both pairs counterplay. In such a situation, the main thing of rooks? for White is not to fall for a knight fork. There fore prophylactic thinking and the maxim 'Do On the one hand, the rooks reinforce the not rush!' come to the fore. As for victory ... power of the bishops. But... time itself will deliver it. The presence on the board of two pairs of 29 ••• lt:Je4 30 .l:!.d5 lt:Jf6 31 l:!.c5 lt:Je4 32 l:!.c4 rooks, capable of setting up mating threats or .l:!.e8 THE ADVANTAGE OF THE BISHOP-PAIR 69 Again we come up against the problem of 38 c5 l::tb5 39 .i:!.c8+ �h7 40 c6 tt:'lb6 41 exchanges. The point is that Black must avoid ..lixb6! l:txb6 42 �f3 exchanging the second pair of rooks, since in The rook endgame that has now come about this case the ending with two bishops against is hopeless for Black, as he is playing 'a king two knights is hopeless for the weaker side. For down'. that reason 32 ...tt:'lbd6 33 �b4! .l::.xb4 34 ..lixb4 42 .••a5 43 �e4 a4 44 �d5 1-0 tt:'lb5 35 �f3 would be bad for Black. The variation 44... l::!.a6 45 c7 .l:!.a5+ 46 cJI>c6 33 i..d3 tt:'lf634 l::!.c5 a3 4 7 .l:d8 a2 48 c8� a1 � 49 .:!.h8#is convinc In such positions, when realizing your ad ing enough. vantage it is most important not to give the op ponent any extra counterchances. The hasty 34 l:tc6? tt:'ld4 35 .l:!.b6 tt:'ld7 ! would present the black knights with chances to stir up a whirl pool. w 34 .•J::I b8 35 i..c4! There are of course other ways of exploiting the advantage of the bishop-pair (by this time the term applies without reservation), but Gulko chooses a path involving the transformation of the advantage. 35 ••.tt:'la3! 36 l:tc6 (D) White is prepared to exchange a bishop for a knight, but in a manner that creates a passed pawn. In the event of 36 i..xa6? l:hb3 37 l:tc8+ Orekhov - G. Akopian Wh7 38 .l:!.f8,the warfare would be confined to Moscow 1973 the kingside only, and after 38... tt:'lc2 ! (threat ening 39 ...I!a3) Black would retain realistic In this case, the presence of a rook splen drawing chances. didly complements the bishop-pair. 31 .l:e1! Of course 31 i.b5? would be a mistake in view of 31...l:txd6 32 .l':!e1 l:f.e6. B 31. ••f6 32 f4 ! Once again it is no good playing 32 i.b5? .l:i.d8 33 f4? tt:'lxd6. 32 ••.gxf4 33 i..b5 l::td8 Counting on the trappy variation 34 .l:!.xe5 fxe5 35 i.xe8. Then 35 ...l:tx e8? is met by 36 i..h4, but instead after35 ... llxd6the position is, to say the least, unclear. 34 i.h4!! The white bishops have simply gone wild. 36 •.• tt:'lxc4 37 bxc4 tt:'ld7? Now 35 lhe5 is the threat. Black displays weak prophylactic thinking 34•.• lt:'lxd6 35 .i.xf6 lieS 36 l:!.xe5 and foresight, reckoning only on 38 llxa6. In He could also win with 36 .i.a6. that event he would indeed draw comfortably 36••• llcl+ 37 .i.fl! tt:'lc4 38 lle8+! Wf7 39 after 38 ....l:!.c8 39 l:ta7 tt:'le5. l::tc8 b5 40 .i.gS .l:!.b1 41 i..xf4 .l::i.xb4 42 1:f.c7+ White faces a more troublesome task after 1-0 37... l:ta8. He preserves the advantage by 38 .l:!.c7! �f8 39 i..b4+ Wg8 40 .i.a3 a5 41 c5 tt:'ld5 Regarding the problem of exchanging, there 42 l:tb7, but Black's defensive possibilities are is one more question to be clarified.If the mate not yet exhausted. rial balance is two bishops and a knight versus 70 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY two knights and a bishop (with or without the With an advantage in the centre and the addition of other pieces), who benefits from a bishop-pair, Black launches a pawn offensive knight exchange? (in the Steinitz manner), without worrying too Two bishops in themselves can prove a for much about the weaknesses created in his own midable force. But if a 'spice' such as the cun camp. ning of a knight is added to them, a 'cordon 16 �b1 f5! 17 i.f3 i..e7 18 exf5 i.xf5 19 bleu' dish may result. All the same, if the oppo l::td2 '!J.c7 .lte420 il.e6 21 g3 f5 22 .ltd5 li:Jxd5 nent's 'advantage of the knight-pair' starts to Here is the 'spice' in the dish. become a menace, the safer course for the side 23 lt:Jxd5 .:!.c424 '!J.hd1il.f8 25 l::td3 l:th6 with the two bishops is to exchange knights at There is no question of any 'advantage of the first opportunity. the knight-pair' here. The knight may be beau tifully placed on d5, but it isn't threatening Black with anything concrete. Furthermore, it may be eliminated at any time by the e6-bishop w (whereas the knight itself has no exchanging options!). 26 ctJc1llc5 (D) w Suetin - Yuferov USSR Te am Ch, Moscow 1972 It is too early of course to pass judgement on the diagram position. However, Sicilian De fence specialists take the view that in the major ity of cases the queen exchange favours Black. 27 b4? Add to this the fact that he has the bishop-pair, Another example of a faulty assessment of and his position may be considered the more the position. White is clearly overrating the im acceptable. But let us see how the game pro portance of his knight on d5. Instead 27 ctJb3 ceeded. was correct, tacitly asking the opponent: "Will 10 .te2 h5 you take a draw then, sir?" Of course Black shouldn't allow 11 .lth5. 27 •.. l:i.c4 28 ctJa2 f4 ! 29 gxf4?! 11 h4 i..d7 12 a4?! The lesser evil was 29 lt:Jac3i.. f5 ! (but not, Any change in the pawn-structure demands of course, 29 ...e4? 30 .i::td4) 30 !t3d2 fxg3 31 extreme circumspection. Of course White would fxg3, though Black's advantage is obvious even like to prevent ...b5, but is it worth doing this at then. the cost of weakening b4? 29 •.•..1i.. xd5! 12 • ..lbc6 13 li:Jb3 A transformation of the advantage. Leaving Black's 'spicy' piece where it is. But 30 l::txd5 l::txf4 31 b5 then every exchange brings you closer to the What is White to do? Black's strategy is pre endgame, where the advantage of the bishop vailing. White therefore tries to work up some pair becomes a real threat. initiative on the queenside at the cost of a pawn. 13..• l::tc8 14 aS li:Jb4 31 ... lixh4 32 c3 '!J.h7 Now the knight seriously begins adding its Black has achieved a material plus, for which strength to that of the bishops. White doesn't have adequate compensation. 15 0-0-0 e5! Yuferov achieved victory on the 71 st move. THE ADVANTAGE OF THE BISHOP-PAIR 71 Two Bishops in B the Endgame In the final stage of the game, we can speak of the advantage of the bishop-pair with a good deal of conviction. Th e power of the two bishops noticeably in creases as the quantity of pawns and pieces on the board diminishes - in other words, as the endgame approaches. Blackburne - Em. Lasker As already noted, in the bishop's struggle Match (game 7), London 1892 against the knight. the latter's actions need to be restricted by pawns. "On the other hand the The outward activity of White's pieces is de knight is better at utilizing an outpost square ceptive, as indeed the next few moves demon from which it cannot be dislodged. Therefore strate. you need to advance your pawns in such a way 15••. a6 16 .id3 f5! as to give yourself as few weak squares as pos This is precisely a case where Black doesn't sible. To this end, the rook's pawns are best hurry to exchange his remaining knight but suited. A move with a rook's pawn weakens chooses a strategy of confining the enemy only one square (the one alongside the pawn), bishop with pawn-barriers. whereas any other pawn move weakens two 17 tt::l4c3 i.e6 18 �b1 1:lfd8 19 tt::lf4 J..f720 squares ... (Euwe ) . .ie2 tt::lc6 21 l:txd8+ l:txd8 22 l::td1 lle8! Here is Black's answer to the question of ex changing rooks. An exchange would suit White. who is now simply short of space. The threat is w ....ixc3, ...g5 and ...l:txe2. 23 .tn hs 24 tt::ld3 .id4! 2s tt:Je2 J..b6 Transferring the bishop to a more promising diagonal. 26 b3 Wg7 Until the tactical clashes begin, you have to think about activating your pieces to the full; in the endgame this includes centralizing the king. 27 c3 �f6 28 �c2 tt::le7 29 tt::lec1 tt::ld5 30 Richter - Ta rrasch �b2 b4! 31 tt::lxb4 Nuremberg 1896 There is no salvation in 31 cxb4 Jl..d4+ 32 Wa3 tt::le3 either. Exercise 37: 31 •.• tt::le3 32 .l:ie1 tt::lc4+ 33 .ixc4 l:txe1 1) Evaluate the position. White's position is hopeless, and this would 2) Suggest a plan of action for White. have been the right moment to cease resis (For the answer, see page 95.) tance. Blackburne prolonged the fight, how ever: In the diagram overleaf, Black's advantage, 34 i.xa6 l:!.g135 g3 l:tg2+ 36 �a3 l::txh2 37 thanks to the two bishops, is obvious. Yet tt::le2 .l:tg2 38 tt::lc2 g5 39 .id3 h5 40 �b4 .if2 White's superior pawn-structure and lack of 41 a4 c5+ 42 Wb5 i.xb3 43 a5 c4 44 .i.xc4 weaknesses allow him to count on a successful .ixc245 a6 .id146 tt::ld4 .ixd447 cxd4 .i.xf3 defence. To this end it is essential to play con 48 d5 .ie2 49 i.xe2 l::txe2 50 a7 lia2 0-1 structively, and above all to solve the problem 72 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY Despite the outward simplicity and seeming harmlessness of the situation, this endgame w must be recognized as absolutely hopeless for Black. This is explained first and foremost by White's advantage of the bishop-pair. The plan for realizing White's advantage is simple if he is guided by the principle of two weaknesses. Curtailing the black king's free dom of action by attacking the h-pawn, White endeavours to penetrate with his own king on the queenside. An important detail is that the knight will be cast in the role of Buridan's ass, Michell - Ta rtakower tom between the two fronts - especially since Marienbad 1925 the a-pawn and h-pawn are so far apart. 44 �f4 lt:Jc4 45 i.c5 �g7 46 h4 of the knight by establishing strongpoints for it The tempo of the game is not critical, since in the centre of the board. Black has no counterplay whatever. Therefore, 40 �gl �g7 41 �fl?! true to the 'Do not rush!' principle, White should Unnecessary caution, as the more active 41 utilize all possibilities for improving his posi �f2! is playable. White does not have to fear tion. 4l...i.h4+, since after 42 Wgl, with the posi 46.•• Wg8?! tional threats of 43 .l:!.al and 43 lt:Jd4, Black has 46 ...h6 is an improvement. no more reasonable move than 42 ....i.f6, sim 47 �g5 lt:Je5 48 �f6 ply repeating the position. Note the difference in activity between the 41...i.c6 kings. According to the conventional endgame Exe rc ise 38: Suggest a plan of defence for values of the pieces, White is virtually playing White. with an 'extra rook'. But this decisive disparity (For the answer, see page 96.) resulted from the advantage of the bishop-pair. 48 •..lt:Jf3 49 i.f2 i.b3 50 i.g4 .i.d5 51 a4 An ending where one side has the advantage li:Jd2 52 i.el lt:Jf3 53 i.g3 lt:Jd2 54 a5 i.c4 55 of the bishop-pair has an interesting peculiarity i.el lt:Jb3 56 i.c3 lt:Jc5 57 �e5! (D) when compared with other types of ending. In this case, reducing the number of pawns is not by any means always a way of saving the game, since the difference in strength between bishop and knight increases as the board empties. w The time has now come for his majesty to prove his worth. 57••. lt:Jb3 58 �d6 �f7 59 i.h5+! "Where do you think you're going? Get back in your place!" Ye Rongguang - Nunn 59••. �g8 60 �c6 �f8 61 ..ltb4+ �g7 62 Wo rld Te am Ch, Lucerne 1989 Wb6 �f6 63 i.g4 lt:Jc1 THE ADVANTAGE OF THE BISHOP-PAIR 73 On 63 ...Wg6 64 .llc8 Wh5 65 i..e7, Black's attempt at counterplay is easily dealt with - es- pecially since after 65 ...�g6 66 i..xa6 .llxa667 B �xa6 lLixa5 68 �xa5 White is left with the 'good' dark-squared bishop which controls h8 and thus guarantees victory. 64 ..tcs tiJd3 65 ..ta3 1-0 Timoshchenko - Khalifman USSR Armed Fo rces Ch, Ta shkent 1987 42..• .llc6 43 ..td1a4! It's essential for Black to push the a-pawn as far he can. The hasty 43 ...Wg4? would allow White to get in first with 44 a4 !. There could follow 44... ..te3 45 h5 ! Wxh5 (45 ....ll xg5 46 Wf2 ! is equal) 46 Wg3 ..td5 47 i..c2, when a Minev - Wood draw is the likely outcome. USA 1983 44 h5 Passive defence loses quickly: 44 .lle2 a3 Notwithstanding his extra pawn and the ad and 45 ....1td5 . vantage of the two bishops, it might seem im 44 ..•a3 45 g6 hxg6 possible for White to win this endgame in The careless 45 ...h6?? would even lead to a view of the tiny quantity of pawns on the win for White after 46 g7 ..1d5 47 ..1b3. board. Furthermore, the events will basically 46 hxg6 (D) take place on one flank, so that Black's knight (in contrast to the previous example) will feel much more self-assured. However, let us not jump to conclusions but follow how the game B went. 1 h4! The straightforward line 1 ..1d3+?! Wg4 2 ..1xh7 Wh3 3 ..tf5+ Wxh2 4 ..1e5 ltJg5 leaves White with no more than minimal chances of victory. Exercise 39: Four candidate moves suggest themselves - l...Wg6, l....ib3, l...tiJf8 and l ...h6. Which are you going to choose? (For the answer, see page 97.) Exercise 40: Choose between the candidate moves 46 .....td4 and 46 ....ll d5. In the following diagram, White has an extra (For the answer, see page 97.) pawn, but the two bishops plus an active posi tion mean that Black has an undoubted advan The advantage of the bishop-pair becomes tage. The only question is whether it will be especially palpable in an endgame with asym enough to win. metrical pawns, that is with passed pawns on 41.. ...tc5+ 42 Wg2 opposite wings or the possibility of creating Not 42 We2? ..1b5+. them. 74 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY w w Mikenas - Smyslov Gheorghiu - F. Olafsson USSR Ch, Moscow 1944 Zonal tournament, Athens 1969 White's position might seem perfectly ac 21 f3 tt::ld6 22 i.c3 ceptable. For one thing his king is nearer the Here 22 e4? would be premature on account centre, and then the black bishop on h7 is shut of 22 .. .f5!. out of the game. But the point is that the forces 22 ••. i.b7 23 g4! fS ?! are not yet in contact. White has no possibilities White's last move has provoked Black into to use the assets of his position and intensify the unwarranted activity. It would have been better conflict. And we shall see that Mikenas doesn't to think about the eventual construction of a know how to oppose Black's advantage of the fortress and play 23 .. .f6, when 24 e4 can be met bishop-pair. by 24 ...ltJ c4, preparing the blockading advance 34 'it>fl 'it>f8 35 i.c4 �e7 36 b3?! ...e5. The move played creates tension in the In anticipation of Black's next move, it was pawn position to Black's own detriment. worth considering 36 h4!?. 24 h3! �f7 25 �f2 Ji.dS 26 ..lid3 ..lib7 27 36..• g5! ..iel! Fixing the kingside pawns on light squares Do you remember the rule? Possessing the and securing an inroad for the king on the advantage of the bishop-pair, you need to dem squares of the other colour. onstrate the power of the bishop that has no op 37 �e2 f6 38 ltJel i.g6 39 tt::lc2 i.gl 40 h3 posite number. In this case it is the dark-squared �d6 41 ..ig8i.cS! 42 ltJel�es 43 liJd3+'it>d4 one. 44 ltJxc5 �xeS 45 �e3 bS 27 •.. i.d5 28 �g2 i.c4?! Preparing to create an outside passed pawn. Conducting a planless, ill-considered and im 46 axbS pulsive defence, Black completely loses control There is no improvement in 46 i.e6 bxa4 4 7 of events. He should bolster the f5-point by bxa4 'it>b4 48 f4 gxf4+ 49 �xf4 �xa4 50 e5 28 ...g6 and subsequently try to create a fortress fxe5+ 51 'it>xe5 �b4, winning for Black. with ...'it> e7-d7 and ...ltJ f7, covering the dark 46 .••cxb5 47 f4 gxf4+ 48 'it>xf4 �d4! 49 square weaknesses as best he can. ..idS a4 50 bxa4 bxa4 51 h4 a3 52 hS ..lixe4! 29 i.c2 i.dS 53 i.a2 .idS 54 Ji.bl 'it>c3 0-1 Now 29 ...g6 allows White to carry out the e4 advance. By contrast with the last example, Black's 30 gxfS! exfS 31 .ltg3 ltJc4 32 'it>f2 lLld2 position in the following diagram doesn't look If 32 ...g6 then 33 e4, strategically concluding so cheerless, since, notwithstanding the asym the struggle by creating two connected passed metrical pawn position, he has an important pawns. outpost square on c4. Yet the advantage of the 33 .ltxfS i.xf3 34 i.c8 i.dS 35 �e2 tt::le4 bishop-pair in the ending is still of great signifi 36 i.eS gS 37 .txa6 .ltc4+ 38 �f3 liJf6 39 cance, which means that Black has no simple .ltxf6! defensive task ahead of him. The simplest solution. THE ADVANTAGE OF THE BISHOP-PAIR 75 39 •. .';t>xf6 40 .ltc8 .idS+ 41 e4 iLf7 42 eS+ After the exchange of dark-squared bishops, 1-0 the helplessness of the knight becomes obvi ous. Black now threatens to break in on White's But even with a symmetrical pawn-structure, second rank with his rook. the two bishops in the ending are a redoubtable 32 i.xgS hxgS 33 <:j;e3 <:j;f6 34 h4 gxh4 3S force, especially in an open position. gxh4 .l:.e8+ 36 <:j;f2 .l:.xe1 37 <;t>xe1 <;t>es (D) w Englisch - Steinitz 38 lLle2 .ixe2! London 1883 The transition to a pawn endgame always demands precise calculation. 16 c3 lUeS 17 tbb3 b6! 18 h3 i.e6 19 39 <;t>xe2 �f4 40 c4 <:j;g4 41 �e3 f4+! l:tfd1 ?! Not, of course, 4l...�xh4? 42 �f4, when it White mechanically plays the 'formally cor is White who wins. rect' moves without thinking of defending ac 42 <;t>e4 f3 43 <;t>e3 <:j;g3 0-1 cording to a plan. Considering that the strategic struggle in this position centres on the confron tation between the knight and the light-squared bishop, White ought to have preferred 19tLld4!? i.d7 20 a4. w 19.•. cS! Restricting White's bishop as well as his knight. 20 .ltgS f6 21 i..f4 <:j;f7 22 f3 gS 23 l:!.xd8 Ihd8 24 .lte3 h6 Steinitz prepares to activate his dark-squared bishop; at the same time he plans an advance of his pawns to restrict the enemy bishop's action still further. 2S l:te1 fS 26 f4 ?! Vasiukov - Sigurjonsson White understandably doesn't want to allow Reykjavik 1968 ...f4 , but now some new centres of conflict anse. Thanks to the advantage of the bishop-pair 26•.• .ltf6 27 g3 aS! and the spatial preponderance, the verdict on Using the wing pawns to hem in the knight, the position is readily understandable: White in a way that we have seen before. has a very large advantage. 28 tbcl a4 29 a3 i..c4 30 �f2 gxf4! 1 ..tfl '>t>e82 <;t>g2<;t>ds f4 3 The first stage in the plan of playing against becoming especially dangerous. The decisive two weaknesses is accomplished. But what manoeuvre ...i.e7-d6 is threatened. next? 48 b4 i..xd3+! 13••• �c7 14 i..e3 �d8 15 57 ..• �b6 58 a7 �b7 59 li:Jd6+ �xa7 60 li:Jxf5 b3 61 li:Jd6�b6 62 lt:Jc4+ �b5 0-1 But in closed endgame positions, the advan tage of the bishop-pair may also prove deci sive, particularly if the knights have no outpost Exercise 41: Choose between the candidate squares in the centre. moves 15... i.. a5 and 15... i.. b2. (For the answer, see page 97.) B Two Bishops against Two Knights in the Endgame In open positions, a bishop, as a rule, is stronger than a knight. But the superiority of two bish ops over two knights is especially tangible in the ending. Botvinnik - Furman Training match (game 2), Moscow 1961 B 25 •••d5 26 i.a2 "In such a position, it is useful to keep the bishops at a certain distance from the knights." (Botvinnik). 26 ••• �f8 An attempt to reduce the pawns by exchang ing on the queenside would come to grief: 26 ...lt:Jc7 27 a4 a6? 28 a5 ! li:Jd7 29 bxa6. 27 a4 �e7 28 i.a3+ �d7 29 f3! Suttles - Ta l Opening a road for the king and creating new Hastings 1973/4 points of conflict. 29 •.• lt:Jc7 30 i.fS g6?! 43 •.•.i.e7! 44 h4 g6 45 li:Jfe5 g5 46 hxg5 Black should of course have repeated moves hxg5 47 fxg5 i..xg5 with 30 ...li:Je6, although in the end this would White has managed to reduce the number of probably have had no decisive bearing on the pawns, but what matters more is that his for outcome of the fight. tress has been demolished and the bishops are 31 Wf2 Threatening 34 fxe4. 28 a4 Wf8 29 .i.d3 ..t>g830 ..t>g2'iii'h7 31 h3! 33 •..f5 'i.t>g832 g4 hxg4 33 hxg4 cJ;;g7 34 'i.t>f2 35cJi;h6 Not 33 ...a6? 34 .if4. 'ite3 tt:la8 36 .i.c3 tt:lc7 37 '>t>d4 Wg7 38 .tel 34 i.f4 tt:le8 35 fxe4 fxe4 36 ..t>h4 tt:ld6?! ..t>f8 39 .th4tt:la8 40 f5 gxf5 41 gxf5 'itg7 36 ...tt:lef6 37 'itg6tt:lg8 looks fairly misera- The lesser evil was 41...'ite8 42 fxe6! fxe6 ble for Black, but does present White with the 43 .ltg6+ ..t>f8 44..id8 tt:lb8 45 cJi;e3 tt:ld7 46 problem of how he is going to break through, Wf4 tt:lb8 47 .th5 tt:ld7 48 ..t>g5 d4! 49 ..t>f4!. and 38 h4 is met by 38 ...tt:lf8, making ...h6+ a 42 .i.e7! 'ith643 .te2 'itg7 44 .i.g4 tt:lf8 45 possibility. .tf6+ 'itg8 46 .i.e7 tt:lc7 47 ii.d6 tt:le848 .i.b8 37 .ixd6! tt:ld7 49 ii.xa7 tt:lc7 50 fxe6 fxe6 51 .i.e2 '>t>f7 The simplest solution. 52 a5 1-0 37 .•. Wxd6 38 'itg5 ..t>e6 39 h3 tt:lf6 40 'ith6 After 52 ... tt:la8 53 axb6 tt:laxb6 54 ..ixb6 tt:lh5 tt:lxb6 55 'it>c5 the outcome is obvious. Or 40 ...'itf7 41 g4. 41 .ib3 Under certain circumstances, the advantage White avoids the uncomplicated trap 41 of the bishops may be decisive even in a heavily ..t>xh7 tt:lf4. blocked position. 41...tt:lg3 Not 41...tt:lf4? 42 exf4 e3 43 .idl. 42 'i.t>xh7 'i.t>f5 Or42 ...tt:lfl 43 Wxg6 tt:lxe3 44g4! and Black loses. 43 .txd5 g5 Hoping for 44 ...tt:lfl . 44 Wg7 g4 45 hxg4+ Wxg4 46 .i.e6+ 1-0 w Zuger - Schiffer We st Germany 1979 The decisive factor, in addition to the advan tage of the bishop-pair, is White's spatial plus, which makes the black knights completely help less to act. An important role, as the actual course of events will show, is played by the weakness of Black's pawn on a6. Taking all this Pytel - Kostro into account, it isn't difficultto devise a plan for Polish Ch, Gdynia 1973 exploiting White's advantage. According to the principle of two weaknesses, the threat to pene From Black's viewpoint, this position might trate with the king on the kingside and the at seem a little easier, as he has an extra 'half tack on the a6-pawn on the queenside ought to pawn'. Ye t the trouble is the same as before - break down Black's defence. the knights have no outposts in the centre, and, 1 'iii'h3 '>t>h7 2 'itg4 g6 most importantly, there are no prospects of cre Passive defence also fails to save Black: ating any. 2 ...tt:lc7 3 'ith5 tt:lf8 4 a5 '>i.?g8 5 .i.a4 'i.t>f7 6 26 .td4 tt:ld7 27 b4 g6 ii.c6..t>g8 7.ltb7'itf7 8 .i.c8 'it>g8 (Black's king 27 ...f6 28 a4 ..t>f7 29 .i.e2 g6 30 h3 is simi can't permit itself to head towards the queen larly dismal for Black. side on account of the sacrifice 9 .ltxh6) 9 g4 78 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRA TEGY rtJf7 10 g5 hxg5 11 hxg5 g6+ 12 Wh6 gxf5 13 'minor exchange' increases accordingly. This .i.xf5 fxg5 14 .txg5, and White wins. is nonetheless a means of defence that the de 3 fxg6+ rtJxg6 4 aS CiJc7 5 Wf3 CiJf8 6 g4 fending side should not neglect. CiJh7 7 ..ta4tbf8 An attempt to construct a fortress by means of a piece sacrifice is interesting but unsuccess ful : 7 ...4Jg5+ !? 8 hxg5 hxg5 9 .td7 rtJf7 10 B i..c8 We7 11 rtJe2 rtJd8 12 .i.b7 rtJd7 13 rtJd3 Wd8 14 Wc2 rtJd7 15 rtJb3 rtJd8 16 rtJa4 rtJd717 i..xa6 CiJxa6 18 Wb5 and White wins. 8 .i.e3CiJh7 9d7 i.. Wg7 10 i..c8 Wg6 There is no salvation in other lines either. For instance, 10... 4Jf8 11 g5 ! hxg5 12 hxg5 lbh7 13 Wg4 CiJxg5 14 .i.xg5 fxg5 15 rtJxg5 rtJf7 16 Wf5 rtJg7 (or 16... rtJe7 17 rtJg6 rtJd8 18 i.b7 rtJe7 19 .i.c6 rtJf8 20 �f6, with zugzwang) 17 i..xa6! CiJxa6 18 rtJe6 rtJf8 19 rtJxd6 �e8 20 Milov - Va n Wely 'iii>c6 Wd8 21 rtJb7. Bie/ 2000 11 i..xc5 tbxd5 Or 11...dxc5 12 d6 tbe6 13 ..txe6 CiJf8 14 Despite Black's obvious plus, it isn't easy to .i.f5+! Wf7 15 g5 hxg5 16 hxg5 fxg5 17 Wg4 suggest a concrete way for him to exploit his Wf6 18 d7 rtJe7 19 rtJxg5 CiJxd7 20 i..xd7 rtJxd7 advantage or even improve his position. The 21 rtJf5. main reason for this is White's powerful knight 12 cxd5 dxc5 13 i.xa6CiJf8 14 i.b5 1-0 bastion in the centre, allowing him to construct a fortress which Black can only breach at a con siderable cost in pawn exchanges. Methods of Combating the 47 ... g4 Two Bishops in the Endgame Black can avoid exchanging pawns by play ing 47 ...i.b4 48 Wd2 Wc5 49 Wc2, but it isn't clear what he is to do after that. We have seen that the advantage of two bishops 48 hxg4 fxg4 49 fxg4 i.xg4 50 ..txa5+! in the ending can be sufficientin itself to win the rtJxa5 51 tbc6+ rtJa4 52 tbxe7 Wa3 53 Wd2 game. Nonetheless, the defender needs to know 'it>b2 how to conduct the defence even in positions Afterthe immediate 53 ...i.f3, White defends like this. To that end he has to be familiar with in a more conventional manner: 54 �c3 .i.xg2 the characteristic strategic devices and methods 55 CiJf5 h3 56 'it>xc4. of combat. 54 CiJdS (D) Aside from tactical possibilities (like stale mate, a knight fork, etc.) there are two main strategic methods of defence - namely, reduc ing the number of pawns and constructing a for B tress. Reducing the Number of Pawns Reducing the pawns is one of the fundamental strategic precepts for defence in the endgame, but against the advantage of the bishop-pair it is by no means always a magic wand that will save you. As already pointed out, with the pawn exchanges and the emptying of the board, the bishops acquire more scope and the value of the 54 ... i.f3! THE ADVANTAGE OF THE BISHOP-PAIR 79 The last chance. The continuation 54 ....tf5 pawns. On this reasoning, 34 ...�e5 is techni 55 lt:lc3 .td3 56 e4 .tn 57 lt:JdI+! (but not 57 cally more correct. e5? �xg2 58 e6 h3) 57 ... '>ha2 58 Wc3! �xg2 35 i.e2 aS 36 il.b5 �e5 37 lt:lc4+ Wd5 38 59 ctJf2leads to a draw. lt:le3+ 'Ot>c5?! 55 gxf3 h3 56 lt:lc3! h2 57 lt:ld1+ Wxa2 58 Still the same straightforward play. Black lt:Jf2 Wb2 59 lt:ld1+ �b3 60 lt:lf2 �b2 lf2.lf2 should go back to square one and prepare ...f4 , but in a manner that retains the rest of the kingside pawns. 39 i.e8! g5 40 hxg5 hxg5 41 .ltg6! f4 42 gxf4 gxf4 43 lt:lg2! w At this point the direct strategy of reducing pawns with 43 b4+? would be mistaken in view of 43 ...axb4 44 cxb4+ �d4, when the immense activity of Black's pieces (the two bishops are a great force here) would make White's position barely defensible in spite of the minimal quan tity of pawns remaining. 43 .•.�c4 ! From this moment on, when White is as close to the draw as he can get, Kasparov starts to play Arnason - Kasparov his characteristic active chess, constantly setting Wo rld Junior Ch, Dortmund 1980 his opponent new problems. 44 lt:lxf4 The position looks (and most likely is) stra Holding the endgame after 44 �f7+ �d3 45 tegically won for Black. This is due to the ad lt:lxf4+ �c2 46 b3 �xc3 would be far from easy. vantage of the bishop-pair, the asymmetrical 44 •••�b3 45 .ltxe4 �xb2 pawns, the openness of the struggle and the Now all White needs to do to reach the draw possibility of very quickly centralizing the black is a mere trifle:to give up his knight, or even his king. Yet by no means everything is as simple bishop, for Black's last pawn. But Black's ad in practice as it is on paper, even for players in vantage of the bishop-pair means that this task the top category. is not so simple. 29 c3 �g7?! 46 �c6 �xc3 47 Wfl 'Ot>d2! (D) Already Kasparov's actions start to show a A well-known ploy of elbowing the oppo certain illogicality. Why not 29 .. .f5 (a move nent aside: the white king isn't allowed to ap Black can't do without anyway), when the king proach the enemy passed pawn. reaches the centre more quickly via f7? 30 a4! White initiates the plan of pawn exchanges. 30 •.•bxa4 31 .ltxa4 f5 32g3 �f6 33 h4!? w Reasonably enough, White arrangeshis pawns in a chain, anticipating that Black's efforts to create a passed pawn on the kingside will lead to further pawn exchanges. 33••. i.c8 34 il.d1h6?! Pursuing too direct a strategy without envis aging the subsequent events. In most endgames where time is not a critical fa ctor, the right strategy fo r the stronger side is: activate your pieces to the full, restrict the scope of your op Exercise 42: What would you play if you had ponent's pieces, dislocate his defences as fa r as White here? you can, and only afterwards advance your (For the answer, see page 98.) 80 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY Constructing a Fortress The foregoing example clearly demonstrates that against the advantage of two bishops in the w endgame, the method of defence by pawn ex changes - though resting on a definite posi- tional basis - by no means always works. The technical device known as 'constructing a fortress' can often be far more effective. B Sveshnikov - Psakhis Zonaltournament, Erevan 1982 It looks as if the passed pawn on b3 is going to cost White a piece, leaving him with a rook against a queen. Should he resign, then? Not in the least! As chess-players jokingly say, no one ever saved so much as half a point by resigning a game. Gelfand - Seirawan The point is that White can head for another Ti lburg 1990 type of ending - one with two bishops against the queen - where the bishops will defend their Exercise 43: What would you play in Black's fortress most staunchly and successfully. place? 62 .l:Ixc7!'f!ixc7 63 j_xc7b2 64 �h2 bl'iii 65 (For the answer, see page 98.) j_e5 (D) B w The two bishops, so to speak, have cut the VI. Sergeev - Abramovic board in half. The black king can't penetrate the Bela Crkva 1990 enemy camp via the queenside and will be shut out of g4 by the white king stationing itself on Exercise 44: Suggest a plan of action for h3 at the requisite moment. Nor can Black White. achieve his aim by the pawn-break ...g5 . White (For the answer, see page 99.) can exchange twice on g5 and withdraw his bishop to f4 - or else, as happened in the game, Examples of constructing a fortress in the he can just take on g5 with the h-pawn and then endgame are met with frequently. Here is an calmly wait for the ...g4 advance. The game other one. ended in a draw on the 88th move. THE ADVANTAGE OF THE BISHOP-PAIR 81 Ye t even against the technical device of for The forcing line 65 e4 fxe4 66 f5 is good, tress-building, the active side has counter-mea since the apparently troublesome 66 ...e3 loses sures. The chief of these is zugzwang. simply to 67 f6. But the position after the text move can also be assessed as completely won for White. 65 ... i.e4 66 �c8 i..d3 67 i.b7 �g8 68 i..d5+ �f8 69 i..c5+ �g7 There is no essential difference between this and 69 ...�e 8; the black king is tied to the defence of g6 anyway. Now White brings his last reserve - his king - into the fray, and al though this lets the knight out of its prison, we know that the king in the endgame is worth more. 70 �f3 liJh2+ 71 'it>f2 i.e472 i.c4 i.b773 i..b4 �h7 74 i.c3 ltJg4+ 75 �e2 ltJh276 e4! Larsen - Sarapu The time has come! Interzonal tournament, Sousse 1967 76..• .txe4 Or 76 .. .fxe4 77 f5 gxf5 78 i.f7. Playing fo r zugzwang means restricting the 77 i..xa6 liJf3 78 i..c8 ltJxh4 79 a6 ltJg2 80 activities of all your opponent's pieces asfa r as �e5 h4 81 �b7 h3 82 i.xe4 fxe4 83 a7 1-0 you can. In the diagram position the knight is already Another method of fightingagainst a fortress under arrest. The black king is hampered by the involves sacrifices to 'dynamite' it. need to guard the g6-pawn. There only remains the bishop on b7, but it too can take few steps in freedom. 53 �d7 �g7 54 �e8! .lta8 55 �d4+ �h7 56 i..f7 i.b7 57 i.e6 i.c6 58 .i.c8 �b5 59 .ltb7c4 i.. 60 i..c6 �g8 The only move. Not 60 ...i.b3? on account of 61 i..b5 !. 61 .lte8 �h7 62 i..f7 (D) Chiburdanidze - A. Marie Belgrade (women) 1996 Exercise 45: In White's place, what would you play? (For the answer, see page 99.) Transformation of the White is already threatening 63 e4! fxe4 64 f5 gxf5 65 g6+, and this forces Black to make Advantage material concessions. 62••• i.d3 63 i.xd5 i..e4 64 i..c4 i..b7 65 One method of exploiting the advantage of the i..e6 two bishops is by transforming it - in particular, 82 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY by a timely exchange of one or both bishops in White achieved the win by forcing means: return for other material or positional assets. 51 i..xd7! Wxd7 52 i..f4 ! i.xf4 53 Wxf4 Chess-players have some reason for saying that rJile754 tt:if6! tt:ixf6 gxf6+55 rJilxf656 b4! cxb4 an extra benefit of the two bishops is that you 57 We3! b3 58 rJifd2 1-0 can always exchange one of them advanta geously. But of course you shouldn't by any means always relinquish the advantage of the two bishops by exchanging them at the first oppor tunity and thereby trading your superiority B 'for a mess of pottage'. As a rule, before this transformation takes place, the player with the advantage seeks to improve his position to the maximum. Kovacevic - Ribli Bugojno 1984 26•.• i.xf3! The simplest way to exploit the extra pawn here. Black voluntarily renounces the advan tage of the bishop-pair, but obtains two con nected passed pawns in an opposite-bishop Vize - Yudovich Jr endgame. Va rna 1978 27 i.xf3 rJilf7 28 i.g4 rJile7 29 h4 h6 30 h5 e5! 31 fxe5 fxe5 32 f4 exd4+ 33 rJilxd4rJifdS 34 White threatens i..c6; after an exchange of i.e6 rJilc7 35 i.f7 .i.e7 36.i.e8 rJifb6! 0-1 queenside pawns, a drawn result would be as After 37 'iite3 i..f6 38 'iitd2 c5 39 bxc5+ sured. rJilxc5, Black creates two connected passed Hence there followed: pawns by ...b4 or ...d4, and this settles the out l ... i.e5! 2 tt:'lc6 i.c3 3 tt:la7 come of the fight. Reckoning on 3 ...i..xb 4?! 4 i..c6. 3 ... i.d4 4 tt:lc6 i.b65 g3? In his search for counterplay, White could have continued 5 tt:le5?! i.e2 6 tt:ixf7 i.c7 (threatening 7 ...i.c4) 7 tt:lg5 i.d6 8 tt:ie6+ rJiff6 w 9 tt:lc5 We5, although even then, despite the pawn minus, Black would have quite good win ning chances thanks to his bishop-pair and cen tralized king. 5 .txf7 ! is a safer way to make use of the same tactic, as 5 ....te4 6 .lte8 rJiff8 7 i..d7 gives Black nothing concrete, while the pawn-down ending after 5 ...rJilxf7 6 tt:le5+We6 7 tt:ixd3 Wd5 8 rJilfl is no more than a comfort able draw for Black. 5 •..f6 6 'it>g2 wrs 7 tt:iaS 'it>e7 8tt:ib3 i.c4 Dzhindzhikhashvili - Dementiev The transformation of the advantage. As yet Kaliningrad 1972 there was no hurry for it, seeing that Black THE ADVANTAGE OF THE BISHOP-PAIR 83 could have continued improving his position by Wh en fa cing the twobishops in an ending, it 8 ... 'it>d6 9 ..ltb7 f5 !. is imperative to strive fo r counterplay. Planless, 9 i..xc4 bxc4 10 lt:lal �d6 11 �f3 �d5 12 passive defence is equivalent to death. For this lt:lc2c3 13 'it>e2Wc4 14 f3 i..a7 15 g4 g5! 16 b5 reason 42 e4! followed by 'it>e3 is correct. i..c5 17 lt:lal �xb5 18 �d3 �b4 19 lt:lc2+ 42 •.• ..ltb4 43 lt:lbl ..\tb3 �b3 20 lt:lal+ Wb2 21 lt:lc2j_b6 22 lt:lb4 ..ltc7 An amusing picture: the white knights are 23 lt:lc2 i..e5 24 lt:le3 completely hobbled. Now the black king's penetration on the 44 ..ltd3 j_c4 45 e4 g5 46 exd5 .i.xd5 47 kingside will finally breakWhite 's defence. lt:ldli..c6 48 lt:lbc3..id7 49 lt:le4 i.e750 lt:lc5? 24... �cl! 25 lt:lc2 (D) Or 25 �e2 ..if4. 25 ..• �dl 26 lt:le3+ B After this mistake Black wins a pawn by ex changing pieces on c5 . An oversight in a diffi cult position tends to be natural rather than fo rtuitous. Estevez - Karpov 50••• i.. xc5! 51 dxc5 lt:le652 lt:lc3b4 53 lt:le4 Interzonal tournament, Leningrad /973 b3 54 lt:ld2 lt:lxc5 55 ..ibl Wf6 0-1 A subsequent raid on c3 or g3 by the black Clearly if Black is to count on victory, he king settles everything. needs to get his passed b-pawn moving. But this has to be preceded by some complex and painstaking preparatory work. 35 ••• lt:lf6 Intending after 36 ...lt:le4 to bring the knight w to c3. 36 li::ld2 lt:le8! We now see that ousting the blockading bishop is something that the black knight can also do from c7. 37 f3 lt:lc738 i.e2 i..c2 Thwarting White's possible counterplay: 39 e4 ..\tf4!. 39 'it>f2 .i.a4 40 lt:le5 b5! Offwe go! Boleslavsky - Balendo 41 lt:ld3? Minsk /97/ Weak prophylactic thinking by White. In view of Black's next move, White needed to Exercise 46: How would you continue for play 41 g4!. White? 41••• h4! 42 lt:lb2?! (For the answer, see page 100.) 84 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY 66.•. g4 67 �c3 i..d6 68 i..g7 .if4 69 �b4 The Passed Pawn �d8 70 'it>xb5 'it>c7 71 'it>c5 ..ie3+ 72 �d5 ..if4 73 ..if8 The presence of a passed pawn in the endgame White could also win with 73 ..ie5+ i.xe5 is an essential factor both for exploiting an ad 74 �xe5 followed by heading for h6. vantage and for creating counterplay. Endings 73.•. Wb6 74 ..id6 i.g575 ..ixg3 1-0 with two bishops are no exception to this gen eral principle. "On account of their long range, bishops are excellent for supporting a passed pawn. Another key point is that they can control all the squares in the pawn's path. The player on the weaker w side has great difficulty defending against the pawn's advance; the only chance is to blockade it on a square controlled by his own bishop, but the blockade is usually lifted with the aid of zug zwang." (Alexander Panchenko). Karpov - Seirawan Brussels 1986 Black's extra pawn, which anyway is dou bled, plays no significant role. Clearly White must create a passed pawn if he is to have any chance of realizing his advantage. 54 d5! lt::lxc5 55 ..ib2+ �f8 56 dxc6 lt::la6 56 ...�e8? is met by 57 .i.g7. Portisch - Groszpeter 57 ..ia3+ 'it>e8 Hungarian Ch, Budapest 1981 Not 57 .....ib4? 58 c7!. 58 .ie6 ..ib4 59 ..ib2 ..if8? 43 'it>f3! g5 44 We2 ..id7 45 63 cxd7 �xd7 64 i.xg5 (or 64 i.g7 We6 65 h6 46.•. gxh4 47 gxh4 'tt>d6 48 �d4 ii.g4 49 Wf7) 64 ...We6. ..iel h5 50 e5+ �e6 51 i..d5+ Wf5 60 ..id7+ 64 ••.lt::le8 65 ii.xe8! Threatening 65 �g7. Transforming the advantage. 64 .•.lt::l e8+ 65 �e5 ii..dl 66 .if5+ Wc6 67 65 •.•�xe8 66 ..if6! ii..e3 i..f3 68 ..tc5..te2 The result is that the actions of Black's If 68 ...a5? then 69 ..ig6 �d7 70 bxa5. pieces are totally paralysed. 69 'it>f4..ic4 70 ..ig6'tt> d7 71 rJJg5 1-0 THE ADVANTAGE OF THE BISHOP-PAIR 85 An outside passed pawn is an advantage in Now an invasion by the white king on the many types of endgame. Endings with the queenside should destroy Black's defence. bishop-pair are no exception to this either. 58 .....ltbl 59 c;;t>e3 i..h760 c;;t>d2 i.bl61 Wc3 And naturally, the further the passed pawn is i..e4 62 c;;t>b3 d5 from the centre, the harder it is for the weaker Alas, there is nothing else. side to defend. 63 cxd5 .ltxd5+ 64 c;;t>c3 i.e4 65 Wc4 �e8 A trap. After the straightforward 66 �b5? 'Lld4+ 67 c;;t>xb6 c4, Black would obtain distinct counter-chances. w 66 i..f3! b5+ 67 Wc3 Not 67 Wxb5?? 'Lld4+ and68 ...'Llxf3. 67 ...'Llg5 68 h7! 1-0 The Bishop-Pair in the Endgame - How Much is it Worth? Ta imanov - Smyslov Everything in life has its value. So it is in chess USSR Ch, Tbilisi 1966 - the two bishops in an ending are a boon, a plus. But how much is this endgame advantage In this position, the principle of two weak worth? A pawn? More, less? The question of nesses will suggest to us White's strategy for course is an abstract one. It all depends on the exploiting his advantage: the threat to attack specific position. Black's weaknesses on the queenside will help to clear the path for the passed h-pawn. 42 f5! Seizing some space. The hasty 42 ii.f3? is of course a mistake: 42 ...i.. xf3 43 Wxf3 f5 ! with an obvious draw. 42 ••. 'Lle5 43 f6 'Llg6 44 i..el 'Llf8 45 i..g3 Wd7 46 ..ltf5+ 'Lle647 i.h3 ..ltdl 48 i..f4 ! Preparing to bring this bishop to e7, where it will tie down the opponent's pieces still fur ther. 48 ... i..h5 49 i..h6 i..dl ?! Not even trying to hinder White's plans with 49 ...c;;t> e8. Donner - Velimirovic 50 i..f8 i.h551 i.e7aS Capablanca Memorial, Havana 1971 The attempt to create counterplay is practi cally forced. Against passive defence, White Exercise 47: What would you play in Black's would decide the game by bringing his king to place? g3, followed by i.g4 and the victorious ad (For the answer, see page 100.) vance of the outside passed h-pawn. 52 Wf2 i..dl 53 c;;t>g3 a4 54 bxa4 i..xa4 55 In the following position White evidently h5 has good compensation for a pawn: the advan The outside passed pawn's firststep is taken. tage of the bishop-pair, Black's extra pawn 55 ... i..c2 56 h6 ..ltg6 57 i..g4 island, and the greater activity of the white Threatening 58 i..h5. pieces (the black knight on d8 is particularly 57 ...i.. h7 58 c;;t>f2 'noteworthy'). 86 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRA TEG Y And yet holding the initiative and attacking can be no less difficult. Imagine the situation. w We have been conducting an offensive consis tently, inventively and single-mindedly. One move, three moves, five, ten ... our attack con tinues. For ages, sitting at the board, we have been involuntarily rubbing our sweaty palms against our trousers in the expectation that our opponent will stop the clock at last, and the tra ditional handshake will take place. Ye t he does not resign (such impudence!). Another move, five moves, ten moves ... Furthermore, our op Lobron - Korchnoi ponent keeps on and on setting us fresh prob Hamburg 1998 lems. In such situations the attacker often fails to understand what is ultimately happening in 22 �dl! the game and completely loses his patience and At this point, considering that Black has a dif his hold on events. Then the advice to give him ficultdefence ahead of him, it was worth think is that there may come a time to acknowledge ing about paying the price of the extra pawn in that the onslaught has not succeeded and he order to neutralize White's initiative by ex should be thinking about ways to hold his own changes: after 22 .. .'!L:'lf7 !? 23 �d7 lbe5 24 �xa7 position. lbc4 25 .Ub7 (25 ..ii..f4 g5 and .....ii.. d4) 25 ...lt::l xe3 Up to this point in the game nothing has hap 26 fxe3, the opposite bishops should ensure pened to frighten White, but from now on the Black a fairly simple draw following 26 .. J:ta8 assessment of the position starts to shift in 27 �xb6 �xa2 28 .l:i.xe6, while 26 ...i.d2! even Black's favour. Instead of decentralizing his raises the question of who is the one seeking to rook, White should perhaps have considered a hold a draw. line such as the following (based on Korchnoi's But Viktor Korchnoi would not be Viktor analysis): 28 Wg2!? e5 29 ..ie3 (29 i.cl l:Ic7) Korchnoi if he parted with his material so 29 ...lbd6 30 .l:.a8 (30 l:k6b5 lt::l !, followed by lightly. repetition with 31....l:!.c7 32 l:!.e6 l:!.e7) 30 ...lbc4 22 •.. i.f6!? 23 ..ii..e4! l:If7 31 i.e1 25..• lbf7 26 l:i.cl i:ld7 27 .Uc8+ .idS 28 e5, followed by ...i.c5-d4 with approximate l:!.a8?! equality. How many times have I come across exam 29 •.. g5 30 ..ib8?! ples of an assured, well thought-out and stub It doesn't take a grandmaster's insight to born defence proving more effective than the call attention to the absurdity of the placing of attack? Not the least important role here is White's rook and the bishop on b8. Of course played by questions of psychology. he had to play 30 ..ie3. Ye s, defending is difficultand unpleasant. It 30••• a5 31 ..ii..a4 l':i.d2i.b3 32 often means accommodating your actions to Seeing that the situation was turning in his the will of your opponent over a long period, opponent's favour, White had to look for a way and being ready to make concessions while to redirect the course of the fight- for instance waiting for your hour to come (and then not by sacrificing another pawn. After 32 l:Ia7!? missing it!), when you can go over from grim �xa2 33 ..ib3:at+ 34 �g2 l:tel 35 l::tb7, White defence to a counter-attack. has distinct compensation for the lost material. THE ADVANTAGE OF THE BISHOP-PAIR 87 32 •..�e7 33 ..ic4 �f6 34 l:!.a6? It's clear that White stands better, but Black This really is too much - going into such doesn't seem to be faced with anything terri contortions with your own pieces! White should ble. She threatens to equalize with ... lt:Je4. On of course play 34 g4 ! followed by ..ig3,retain 21 i.f3, she neutralizes the advantage of the ing drawing chances - thanks firstand foremost bishop-pair with 21...i.d5. to the two bishops. To Black's surprise, however, there followed: 34 .•.�c2 35 ..ib3 .l:!.c8 36il.a7.U.a8 (D) 21 l:i.xf6 gxf6 22 ii.f3 Despite the exchange minus, the white bish ops step forward in all their splendour. 22 ...ii.c8 w Giving back extra material goes so much against the grain! Anyway, it isn't clear how this can be done conveniently. Black simply can't bear to give up the b7-pawn and leave White with an extremely dangerous passed c-pawn. 23 l:i.d1a6 24 �f2 �g7 25 i.f4 .l:!.a726 ..ib8 l:i.a8 27 il.c7 .U.e7 28 ii.d6 l:!.e8 29 h4 .l:!.a7 30 ii.b8 l:i.a8 31 i.c7 .l:te7 32 i.d6 l:!.e8 33 h5 h6 34l:i.d4 l:.d8 35 il.e4 l:i.a736 l:i.d3 l:te837 il.f3 ii.f5 38 l:i.d4 ii.c2 39il.c7 l:te7 40 ii.d8 l:i.e5 41 The situation that has come about deserves a ltd6 �f8 42 ii.xf6 l:i.e8 43 i.d4 i.e4 44 c6 diagram. If we weren't familiar with the pre ii.xf3 45 gxf3 l:i.aa8 46 cxb7 .l:.ab8 47 l:i.xh6 ceding course of events, we would be hard put l:i.xb7 48 ii.f6! 1-0 to imagine how such a position could arise in a game between two well-known grandmasters. It rather bears the stamp of a beginners' game. The 'Best Odds' Principle The remaining moves were: 37 il.a4 lt:Je5 38 il.b5 Anyone who knows how to play bridge should After 38 f4 gxf4 39 gxf4 li:Jd3 40 i.c6 li:Jb4 be familiar with the principle of the maximum 41 .ltxa8 lt:Jxa6 followed by ...i.c7, the bishop odds. Its point is that the optimum result is at on a7 would be locked up for life. tained not by the most plausible continuation 38•.. �f5 39 �g2 �e4 40 ii.e2 �d5 41 a4 but by an arithmetical comparison of all the lt:Jc642 i.b5 li:Jb4 0-1 possibilities. Suppose that the declarer has worked out his But the power of the bishop-pair in the end plan for playing the hand, and finds (as often ing is not always priced in terms of a pawn. happens in bridge) that it will leave him one trick short. Let us say there are three possibili ties for gaining this trick: finessing a king (a 50% chance of success); playing for a 3-3 split w (when the declarer's side holds seven cards in a particular suit; we'll say this gives theoretically a 30% chance); or finessing the third queen (20% ). The experienced bridge player will be gin by trying out the last two options, which have the odds against them, but can be tried without risking anything. It is only if they fail that he will throw his best weapon - the king fi nesse - into the fray. If it works, he is victori ous. If not - oh well, it was just not to be! G. Siegel - Stefanova However strange it may seem, this kind of Recklinghausen 1998 situation sometimes arises in chess too. 88 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY 44 ..• 'iitg8 45 .i.e7 lh6 46 i.d5+ 'iith7 47 .i.g5 (D) If 47 .i.f8 then 47 ....l:!.a7. Karpov - Ljubojevic Montrea/1979 To begin our examination of this ending, we shall naturally evaluate it. White has the advan 47 •••.:td6 48 .i.e4�g8 49 .:tb8+ tage of the bishop-pair, and there is an extra Hoping for 49 ...�h7? 50 .l:tf8,just on the off pawn-island on the black side. Yet these are all chance (a probability of, say, 10% ). the advantages White has. Surely they cannot 49 ••.�f7! 50 .l:tc8 ltJe6 51 .i.h6.i.c5! be enough to win the game or even offer any Threatening to exchange rooks by 52 ...l:.d8 chances of playing to win it? After all, Black 53 .l:i.c6 l:td6, with an inevitable draw. too has his trumps (albeit defensive ones). There 52 l:.a8 .:td8 53 .liaS .l:ld6 54 .i.bl are very few pawns left. The fieldof play is vir A second try. Karpov is attempting to re tually limited to one half of the board, which group his offensive forces by bringing this means that in strength a knight is not far short bishop to the a2-g8 diagonal. of a long-range enemy bishop. And - most im 54.•• .i.d4 55 .l:!.a8 .i.c5 56 .i.a2 �f6 57 .l:!.c8 portantly - an endgame win is usually achieved .i.d4 58 l:!.e8 11a659 .i.c4 lic6 60 .i.d3�f7 61 by creating a passed pawn, yet in the present .Ua8 .l:ld662 .i.e4 .i.c5 (D) case this is practically out of the question, given the severe reduction of the pawn material. Consequently White's last chance for a win rests on the advantage of the bishop-pair, flexi w ble manoeuvring, and ... the principle of the 'best odds'. Let us follow what Karpov does in this 'hope lessly drawn' ending. 41 .••.i.d4 The sealed move. The alternatives 4l.. . .i.al and 41.. ..i.a5 make no significant difference, since the question of tempo is not critical for the time being. I would ask you to take note of the present We have returned again (with insignificant position. Running ahead, I shall say that we are changes) to the position we started from. This going to come back to it more than once. last attempt (stationing the bishop on the a2-g8 42 .i.h6 diagonal) has again failed to give the desired re An attempt to shake Black's defence with an sults. Let us seek other chances. attack by white pieces from the rear. 63 �0 42 .••ltJg7 43 .i.g5+ �f7 44 l:!b7+ Why not have a try at bringing the white king 44 l:tf3+ lLlf5 45 .i.xf5 gxf5 46 lhf5+ �g6 into the fight? 47 I:.f8 e4! 48 l';!e8 �f5 only leads to a draw. 63 ••• l:tdl+ 64 �g2 .Ud6 THE ADVANTAGE OF THE BISHOP-PAIR 89 This try too, an extremely simple one (with anyway, what is all this for? We have been no more than a 1% chance of success), has nat sleeping so sweetly! urally led to nothing. On the other hand it has 66 I:i.a3!lDc7 67 .ia2+ 'it>e8 68 �f3 lDe6 69 not spoilt anything either. ..ll.bl! I am convinced that this position must have The picture of the battle has unexpectedly appeared on the board repeatedly during the ad changed. The position has become sharp and journment analysis. In addition, I am sure Kar tactical. White keeps on creating new threats, pov understood that those previous winning and Black already has to play with extreme ac attempts, very naive in places, were scarcely curacy to parry them. going to induce an error from his opponent. 69 •••lDc5 70 l:.f8+ (D) But... Karpov will have noted his optimum chance -his 'king finesse' - in advance. He brings it into action only at the last moment. B 65 .i.bl! (D) B Exercise 48: Given Black's limited choice between 70 ...'it>e7 and 70 ...'it>d7, which move would you choose? (For the answer, see page 101.) On the face of it, Black has no cause for We have concluded our examination of that alarm. 'We've been through this before.' very important theme of chess strategy, the 'ad 65 ••..i.d4 vantage of the bishop-pair'. I hope this will help An attempt at counter-attack with 65 ...llb6 66 you to find your bearings in many middlegame ..ll.a2 .l:tb2 costs Black the exchange after 67 I:i.a6 positions. Questions of the confrontation be llxf2+ 68 �h3 l::txa2 69 .l:!.xa2, when he has an tween bishop and knight are a perennial problem exceedingly difficult endgame to defend. But in chess. 90 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY Exercise 28 Answers to Exercises for Chapter 3 w Exercise 27 The main strategic factors are: a) White's spatial plus; b) the open h-file, which looks more likely to be seized by White than by Black; c) if White succeeds in gaining control of The main thorn in White's fleshis the knight the open file, the black king may come under a on d3 . Fighting against it directly is a very labo very strong attack, something which the white rious business. But there is another way - inca king evidently does not have to fear; pacitating it, knocking away the support from d) White has two bishops, which may be under its feet, in other words depriving the come extremely dangerous if the position opens knight of the c5-square, which was its last se up. But even opening the game is not obliga cure station. tory. The successful transfer of a bishop to a 26 �a4!! strategically important diagonal may decide ev "Moves like this are often more difficultto erything quickly. Prospects for the black knights find than forced combinations many moves are not even to be dreamt of. deep. But their effect is just as powerful as that Once the main strategic elements have been of many a sacrifice." (Alexander Kotov) defined, playing the white side is easy, just as 26.•. b5 if the opponent had placed his cards on the ta On 26... l:!.c7 White plays 27 .l::i.d2 and 28 ble. .l::i.ad l. 28 �cl �g8 29 �b2 ctlg7 30 .l::th1 '>t>f8 27 �b3 'bhf4 The king endeavours to flee from the danger White intends to step up the pressure on the ous sector. But Black's chief misfortune is the d3-knight, after which cutting offits support by lack of coordination between his pieces. To the .ii.d5 will force Black backwards. end of the game he will not succeed in remedy 28 .l::i.d2 'be6 29 .l:!.ad1 b4 30 ii.d5! ing this, on account of his restricted space. In Black's camp there has been a sounding of 31 c3 ctle8 32 .ii.d1 the retreat for some time now. But there is no Transferring this bishop to the a2-g8 diago where to retreat to! nal, where its activity dramatically increases. 30 ••• lt:Jdc5 31 'bd4! 32••• lt:Jf8 Threatening both 32 'bc6 and 32 'bxe6 fxe6 An attempt by the king to flee further is also 33 .ii.xe6+. unsuccessful: 32 ...'>t>d8 33 ii.b3 �g7 34 .ii.e3 31 .••lt:Jxd4 32 .l::i.xd4 .l::i.b8 33 .l::i.b1 'bd3 34 c6 35 .ie6. .l::i.b3 .l::i.c7? 33 �b3 �g7 34 j_cl c6 35 .l::i.h5 This blunder merely hastens the fittingcon Domination of the open h-file is secured for clusion of the game. White; an important point is that when the inva 35 .l::i.bxd3 .ixd3 36 .ii.f4 ! 1-0 sion takes place, the rook will be in front of the (Now return to page 53.) queen. THE ADVANTAGE OF THE BISHOP-PAIR 91 35 •• J:td8 36 �f2 lLlc8 37 ..te3 b5 38 �h2 Of course Black must not allow the knight b6? onto e4. But White can't exploit this circum When defending, pointless unforced pawn stance to return the exchange, since 31 �xc4 moves are especially foolish. would be met not by 3l...i..b5 with a probable 39 i..e6 ltJe740 i..xb6 ltJxe641 fxe6 ltJg642 draw, but by 31.. . ..te3 !. Then in view of the .l:.b7�g8 43 �h5! 1-0 threatened 32 .....txg2+, it would be an immense The continuation 43 ....l:.b8 44 It.h8! �xh8 45 task for White to secure a peaceful outcome. �xg6+ leads to mate. After 32 tLle4 .i.xc l 33 .Uxcl �xa5, he is sim (Now returnto page 54.) ply left a pawn down. 31 .l:.fe1 �b7 32 �c2 i..b4 33 .l:.e2 i..d5 34 Exercise 29 lLle4 i..xe4 35 �xe4 Black was preparing to answer 35 .l:.xe4 with 35 ...i.. d2. Then after 36 .l:.xc4 (if 36 l:Ibl, then 36... �d5 followed by ...c3) 36 ....l:.xc4 37 �xc4 il.xcl 38 �xc l �b4!, White loses a pawn. 35 ... �d5 36 �c2 .l::i.d8 37 h3 �c5 0-1 White overstepped the time-limit, but he no longer has a satisfactory defence, seeing that 38 �xc4? fails to 38 ... .l:.dl+. (Now returnto page 56.) Exercise 30 Black's position might seem difficult,were it not for ... 24 ... .l:.xc7! 25 dxc7 �xc7 B Well then ... The dark-squared bishop and the queen are already attacking White's king posi tion. Black's light-squared bishop has acquired freedom. The passed pawn on c4 will be sup ported from the rear by the major pieces. And all this has merely cost the exchange. But here again, let us try to state some useful generaliza tions. In open positions where the knight has no outposts in the centre, the strength of two bish The situation is worrying for White, what ops and a pawn is no less (and tends to be with the tremendous activity of the black pieces, greater) than that of a rookand knight. the weakened position of the white king and the From this it is clear that the diagram position apparent total inactivity of his 'loyal subjects'. must be recognized as favouring Black. All these considerations led to Black deciding it 26 �c2 .l:.c8 27 f4 was time for decisive measures: Or 27 g3 h5. 25 ...ltJd4 ! 27 ... i..d6 28 �c3 ..tb5 29 e5 After the less forceful 25 ...tLlce7 ?!, the fair Weakening the a8-hl diagonal - but it isn't est verdict is that the position is at best (from easy to recommend anything else, since the Black's viewpoint) equal or probably some knight and rook are defending the f4-pawn while what better for White. So our verdict on the ob the queen guards the a5-pawn. That is to say jective assessment of the position can only be that nearly all the white pieces are tied to defen made once we have analysed Black's more ag sive duties. gressive options. 29 ...i.. c5 30 ltJg3 il.c6! 26 exd4 92 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY Perhaps it is more testing to play 26 ..ixd4. Exercise 31 Then 26 ...exd4? 27 e4 �e5 (the only continua tion given by Piket in his notes to the game) 28 exd5 i::th6 is inadequate because after 29 �xc7 ! l::txh2+ 30 �g1, it is White who wins, not w Black! However, Black does have a solution, namely the immediate 26 ...i::t h6! 27 l::!.g1 (forced) 27 ...exd4, when 28 e4? now loses to 28 ...�h3. White can try desperately to hang on with 28 �c5, but Black has a substantial advantage. Given that the reply to either capture on d4 is ....l:!.h6, one may ask if Black could not invert his move-order, and play 25 ...l:Xh6 !?, keeping the .. .lt'ld4 idea in reserve. Indeed he can, since 26 bxc6? gets White mated after 26 ...tZ'lf 4!? 27 White's advantage in this position rests prin exf4 �h3. As 26 ..ifl? fails to 26 ...tZ'ld4 !, cipally on two strategic elements: his posses White has nothing better than 26 .l::!.g1, when sion of the centre and the bishop-pair. 26 ...�h3? 27 l::tg2 tZ'ld4 28 exd4 is bad for Short opts for a strategy of enhancing the Black, so it is high time for 26 ...tZ'ld4, when role of his dark-squared bishop (which has no play can transpose to the 25 ...tZ'ld4 lines, al opposite number). though Black's delay in sacrificing has given 20 �d3! f5 White a grim additional defence of 27 �d 1 - On 20 ... g6 White intended 21 d5 ! cxd5 Black is much better, but White is not instantly (21.....if5 is also met by 22 �d4) 22 �d4 ! �d8 losing. Thus Black's actual choice of 25 ...tZ'ld4! 23 cxd5 ..ixd5 24 .l:ld1 l::!.e5 25 f4 .l:th5 26 g4, is the most forcing, and best. winning. 26.•. .l:Ih6 21 g4! tZ'le7 22 ..ib4! g6 23 .i..c3! Threatening ...�h3. The aim is achieved! The dark squares, pri 27 .l:l.gl tZ'lf4 28 .l:Ig4(D) marily the a1-h8 diagonal, are irreparably weak Nor can he save himself with 28 l:!.g3 �h5 ened. Black has no remedy for these defects of 29 �gl (29 h3 'iVxh3+!? 30 .l:l.xh3 .l:l.xh3+ 31 his position. 'it>gl .l:Id6) 29 ...�xh2+ 30 �fl �h1 + 31 l::tg1 23 •.•f6 24 g5! fxg5 25 d5! (D) �xg1 +! 32 'it>xg1 l:tdd6 and Black mates. B White has been exceptionally consistent in 28 ..•�h5 29 h4 �xh4+! 30 lixh4 .l:.xh4+ 31 pursuing his strategy. With a few moves recall �g1 .l:!.d6 0-1 ing feints in football he has cleared the al-h8 The knight on f4 looks like a commander diagonal, and now the way to the opponent's proudly surveying the victorious actions of his goal is open. Zilber tries to complicate White's troops. task by sacrificing a piece, but all this does is (Now return to page 60.) somewhat prolong the struggle. THE ADVANTAGE OF THE BISHOP-PAIR 93 25 ... 4:'lxd5 26 cxd5 'iVxd5 27 'iVe3f4 28 'iVb6 'exchange speculation' (which we have come c5 29 .l:!.e1 'iVc6 30 'iVxc6 bxc6 31 i.f6 g4 32 across before). White is faced with an unpleas iL.g5 f3 33 gxf3 gxf3 34 .l::i.e3 iL.f7 35 .l::i.xe8+ ant choice: either to exchange queens (thereby i.xe8 36 i.e7 bringing the game closer to an ending, which By now of course it.was high time to end the the knight fears so much), in highly unfavour fight, but evidently out of inertia Black played able conditions too - or else to concede to the on: black queen the very convenient aggressive 36... i.f7 37 .i.xc5 i.d5 38 '1t>h2 'itig7 39 bridgehead on d5. 'it>g3 �f6 40 i.d4+ �g5 41 b4 h5 42 .i.e3+ 13 'iVe3 �f6 43 'it>h4 i.f7 44 .i.d4+ 'itie7 45 i.e4 .1L.e8 If White plays 13 'iVxd5 4:'lxd5 14 4:'lc3,then 46 i.xf3 'it>d647 'itig5 �e6 48 i.e4 'itid649 f4 either 14 ...i.c6 or 14 ...4:'lxc3 15 bxc3 i.c6. 1-0 13•.• 4:'la4! 144:'lc3 4:'lxc3 15 bxc3 (D) And only now, at last, Black remembered that a player may finish a game with the words 'I resign'. (Now return to page 60.) B Exercise 32 B Additional Exercise 32A: Choose between these four candidate moves: 15... c5, 15 ...i.e7, 15 ...i.c6 and 15 ...1;lb8 - and give the reasons for your decision. (For the answer, see page 101.) 8 .•.dxc4 ! Exercise 33 The strategy is familiar to us - to demon strate the strength of his light-squared bishop (traditionally the hopelessly 'bad' one in the French Defence), Black applies the device of w 'diagonal clearance'. 9 'iVa4?! Permitting Black to fulfil his strategic aims. It is better to play 9 4:'lxc4,although afterthe re ply 9 ...4:'lb6 or 9 ...a5 White would already be the one with opening problems to solve. 9•.• 4:'lb6! 10 'iVxc6+iL.d7 11 'iVe4 .ib5! Unexpectedly the light-squared bishop starts behaving aggressively. 12 4:'lb1 With White's all-powerful knight on e5 and Of course 12 0-0?! is no good for White on his considerable space advantage, the verdict account of the obvious 12... c3. on the position is easy to understand. White is 12.•• 'iVd5 ! better. The only question is where to develop We have here an example of the successful his initiative - on the queenside or the king application of one other strategic device - side? 94 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY Opting for the queenside, of course, is less And Black converted his advantage into a dangerous for the white king. And yet it is pre win with no trouble. cisely in this case (after White carries out the (Now return to page 63.) plan of a pawn attack with b4, a4 and b5) that the black bishops will be able to participate in Exercise 35 the game. Not by chance, Muratov rightly gives prefer ence to the alternative plan: 19 g4! h6? B Now White smashes through unopposed. The ugly-looking but necessary 19 ...g6 makes things more difficult. 20 f5 exf5 21 gxf5 g5 22 f6 ! The bl-h7 diagonal decides everything. 22 .•.i.d6 23 .i.b1 �f8 24 �c2 .i.xe5 25 dxe5 1-0 (Now return to page 63.) Exercise 34 "Black's positional plus is indisputable even though the struggle remains quite complex. This type of position requires a precise, con crete line of play aimed at exposing the defects B of the opponent's set -up as quickly as possible. At this point it doesn't look a bad idea to play 18... tt:lxd5 19 Si.xd5 l:tb8, or 18... .l:!.b8 at once, but there is a more energetic continuation at Black's disposal." (Kasparov). 18.•. .i.a6! 19 tt:lxf6 If 19 Si.xa6 then 19... tt:lxd5 and 20 ...tt:le3. 19••. .i.xc4 20 tt:lh5 i.xfl 21 �g4 �d7 22 .l:!.xfl d3! The start of the victorious offensive. You would have to be an incorrigible pessi 23 ll¥f3 d2 24 g4 .l:tac8 25 ll¥d3 l!¥a4 26 tt:lf2 mist not to believe in outright victory for Black. l!¥d4! 27 l!¥xd4 exd4 (D) The main reason for this is White's catastrophic backwardness in development. 19..• .l:.fd8 19 ....l:.ad8 !? is even better - see the next note. w 20 'it>e2.i.f5 21 e4?! 21 i.xf5?! .l:.xd2+(2 l...�xd2+? 22 �f3) 22 'it>f3 (22 �fl ? �c4+) 22 ... �c6+ gives Black a decisive attack. The unlikely-looking 21 tt:le4 .\txe4 22 Si.xe4 .l:td2+ 23 'it>f3 is perhaps the most resilient defence, although Black retains a large advantage of course. With Black's rook on f8 instead of a8 (see the note to Black's 19th move), this would lose on the spot to 23 .. .f5!. 21... .\tf4 22 .Ud1 �e6 23 g3 Si.a2!24 l:Ib3 With the queens exchanged, the black king's Or 24 �c2 �xc2 25 i.xc2 .\txd2 26 .l:!.xd2 insecure position is no longer dangerous. "Out Si.c4+. wardly the tripled pawns are not a pretty sight, 24 .•.�xb3 25 tt:lxb3 .ltxb1 but this is just the sort of case where the strength THE ADVANTAGE OF THE BISHOP-PAIR 95 of the pawns depends on how far advanced they (from Black's viewpoint) be evaluated as 'un are. The pawn on d2 is still playing the chief clear' . role." (Kasparov). 24 �e4 .l:tad8 2S b3 .l:td4 26 �e3 d2 27 28 tt:Jf4 l:Ue8 29 tt:Je6.l:i.cl 30 tt:Jd1 .if6 31 .l::!.ed1 �dS+ 28 'it>b2 tLlxeS 29 .txeS �xeS 30 Wf2 .igS32 'lt>e2 lieS 33 Wd3 .S:eStt:JxgS 34 �xeS .ixeS 0-1 hxgS 3S l:tf2 l::te436 h3 :e3+ 37 �xd4 .l:.8e4+ (Now return to page 64.) 38 'lt>dS .i:.e2 39 .l::!.f3 .l:.e1 40 f6 l:.f4 0-1 (Now return to page 64.) Exercise 37 Exercise 36 w B The evaluation of the position is of course gloomy for White. An endgame has almost "In the middlegame you should push a cen been reached. Hence the two bishops are con tralpassed pawn without any hesitation." (Bron siderably stronger than the two knights. stein). But in chess, as is well known, there is a big 18•.. d4! 19 tt:Ja4d3! 20 'lt>g2 difference between 'worse' and 'lost'. Neither 20 tt:Jc5? �d4+ (but not 20 ...:xf 4? In positions where knights are contending 21 tt:Jxe6!) nor 20 .l:Ic1? l:i.xf4! 21 gxf4 d2 is ac with bishops, the only chance is to build an ef ceptable. fe ctive defence by creating outposts fo r the 20.•. tt:JdS !? knights. 20... �d4 is also promising. Therefore the most acceptable defensive plan 21 .txe6+?! here consists in seizing and fortifying the c4- 21 l:i.e4 is a better try. square as a knight outpost - by 20 a4 ! followed 21.•• Wh8 22 ii.xdS �xdS+ 23 �f3 (D) by tLlc4. Nor is it difficult to decide what to do afterwards with the other knight - it will be brought to d2, for instance along the route e2- c1-b3-d2. B In the game, however, White adopted a dif ferent plan: 20 tLlg3 This move isn't bad in itself, but it is the start of a sequence of unthinking, planless moves by White. 20 ..•hS! This, as already noted, is the most effective way to restrict the knights - with the rook's pawns. However, if at this moment White had 23••• �bS grasped the strategic issues correctly, he could Not the straightforward 23 ...�xf3+? 24 Wxf3 have found a solution to his problem, though tLld4+ 25 We4 tLlc2 26 'lt>xd3,which can at best not quite the same as the one mentioned before: 96 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEG Y 21 h3 ! ii.d7 22 a4 ! h4 23 lbgfl, followed by Exercise 38 lbc4 and lbfd2. 21 f3?! .td7 22 lie2?! It was still not too late to play 22 a4, albeit in less favourable conditions than earlier. w 22.•. b5?! A consistent move, but showing an insuffi cient sense of danger and foresight. White's sole trump in this position is his possession of the open e-file, which Black ought to neutral ize by exchanging a pair of rooks. It therefore looks more natural to continue 22 ...h4 !? 23 .l::tael .l:the824 lbge4ii.f8, fo llowed by prepar ing the advance ...f5. White's position, of course, is not easy. But a The main thing is to decide on a position for strong player, when defending, needs to know the knight. The ideal place is in the centre. The not only how to fight and hold on in difficult most suitable continuation is therefore 42 c3 positions, but also how to look for a way out and 43 b4, securing the knight an excellent post even when the situation is hopeless. on d4. A question arises, however: how can you However, White allotted a different destiny save a hopeless position ifyour opponent isn 't to this piece. going to make any mistakes? There is just one 42 lLlg1?! g5 43 lbf3 h5! way. Constantly, at every step, set him tasks, Using the wing pawns to confinethe knight. confront him with problems. In that way,force 44 li.e2? him to doubt his own powers and commit er White carries on conducting a planless de rors ! In view of this, the technique for exploit fence, forfeiting any control over events. ing an advantage is a technique not for winning 44•.• :e4! 45 ii.d3l:!.f 4! 46 'iit>e2 g4 47 hxg4 quickly but for letting your opponent set you as hxg4 48 lLlh2g3 49 lbf3 d450 J::tnb4 51 lLid2! few questions as possible in what remains of At last White shows some concernfor active the struggle. defence. Against a passive waiting strategy, 23 l:tae1 .trs24 lbge4 l:!.g8 Black would continue strengthening his posi Preparing the advance ...f5 . tion by bringing his king to the centre and his 25 lbb3 l::!.c8 26 lLled2 .td6 27 lbe4 i.f8 28 bishop to e3. lbed2 f5 29 lieS ii.d6 (D) 51...l:th452 lLlf3?! White still doesn't sense the danger. Other wise he would have looked for ways to change the direction of the struggle. This could have w been done by 52 .l::tf3 ! ii.xf3+ (there is no point in declining the sacrifice; after 52 ....i.e5 53 l:tf5 .i.b8 54 lLlf3 l:th2 55 'it>fl the fortress is set up all the same, but at no material cost) 53 �xf3 ..lte5 54 ii.e4, followed by bringing the king to d3. 1t would then be extremely hard, if possible at all, for Black to breach the fortress. 52.•. .U.h8 53 �d2? A blunder, albeit in a difficult position. 53 l::!.al is preferable. Additional Exercise 37A: White has little 53.•. l::!. h2! 54 lLlxh2 gxh2 55 l:th1 i.e5 56 choice. Choose between the candidate moves ..tn .i.e4! 57 �d1 �f6 58 Wd2 'it>g5 59 Wd1 30 .l:t5e2 and 30 l::i.d5. 'it>g4 0-1 (For the answer, see page 102.) (Now return to page 72.) THE ADVANTAGE OF THE BISHOP-PAIR 97 Exercise 39 B point is that 47 ....ixf3 48 i.xf3 'it>xf3 49 Wei, followed by bringing the king to b 1, gives a the Defending positions like this is reminiscent oretically drawn position. of the job of a bomb-disposal expert: any false 46 •.• .id5! 47 'it>n move may be your last. Making the right choice White also loses with 47 g7 .ixa2 48 lbel in the present situation is not simple. Over the .idS+! 49 .if3 i.g8 50 lL'ld3+ 'it>e3. His stron board, the correct decision may be suggested gest line at this point is 47 Wh2! i..xa2 48 lbd2 by a process of elimination. The point is that if (threatening .ib3)48 ...i..g8 49 .ib3a2 50 .ixa2 there are several candidate moves but nearly all i.xa2. While this still allows Black a theoreti the lines lead to clear defeat, while just one of cal win, it would demand a good deal of effort. them offers some light at the end of thetunnel, 47 •.• .ixa2 48 lL'leli.. c4+ 49 i..e2a2 50 lt:Jc2 then this is the one to go for. If it doesn't help, .ib3Sl lt:Jal.idS 52 i..dl .id453 .ib3 .ixb3 and we lose - well, hard luck! The decisive 54 lt:Jxb3 We4 55 'it>e2 'it>d5 56 Wd3 i.g7 57 mistakes must have been made at an earlier Wc2 'it>c4 0-1 stage. In exactly the same way, of course, a pro After 58lL'la5+'it>b4 59 lt:Jb3Wa3 White suc cess of elimination may be applied to positions cumbs to zugzwang. where we are looking for a path to victory. (Now return to page 73.) So let us take the moves in tum: I...'it>g6? 2 .id3+ Wh6 3 g4 .ib3 4 Wf3 Exercise 41 .id5+5 'it>g3 i.b3 6 i.f6 and White wins. l ....ib3? leads to a similar finale: 2 g4+ Wg6 3 i..d3+ Wh6 4 �f3. l...lL'lf8 ! (the most stubborn continuation) 2 g4+ �g6 3 .id3+ Wf7 !. Although even here, after 4 g5 or 4 h5, Black would have to conduct a most difficult defence, there would still be chances of salvation. In the game Black missed the point, and played: l ... h6? Additional Exercise 39A: What did Black miss? (For the answer, see page 104.) A typical situation in play (or in chess psy chology). Up to here, Black's task, though a de Exercise 40 fensive one, has demanded no special effort or When playing an endgame, you need to re energy. Perhaps he has subconsciously satisfied member the clear-cut standard positions. The himself that nothing dangerous is in store and plausible 46 ....id4? is a mistake, allowing that his opponent is only playing on out of spite. White to unpin his knight with 47 'it>fl !. The However, in such a frame of mind it isn't easy 98 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRA TEGY to force yourself to wake up when concrete Or53 lLlb4+�c3 54 lLla2+c:Ji;b2 55 lLlb4 i..e7. threats make their appearance in the game. So it is here. Black hasn't realized that White's main threat consists in a pawn attack with e5. That being so, 15 ... ii.b2is the correct move. It B does not of course guarantee Black a draw, but it is better than the game continuation. 15••• �a5? 16 �d4! i.e1 17 e5! dxe5 If 17 ...i.h4 then 18 e6. 18 fxe5 e6 Or 18 ...i.h4 19 e6 fxe6 20 dxe6. 19 dxe6 fxe6 20 i.xe6i.h4 21 �d5 The advantage of the bishops is manifest. If 21...�c7, then 22 e6 breaks down Black's de fence. 53 ...�c4! 54 tt:Je3+ �b3 55 f4 21.•. b6 22 b4! i.xg5 23 e6 tLlf6 24 i.xb6+ Or 55 tt:Jc2 �g5+. �e8 25 �c4 ..txh6 26 a4 �f8 27 b5 axb5 28 55 ...i.. c7 56 c:Ji;bl a2+ 57 �al i.xb5+ c:Ji;e7 29 i.c5+ �xe6 30 �xf8 tLld7 31 A final trap. After 57 ...i.. xf4? 58 tt:Jc4! the ii.b4h5 32 aS h4 33 �e2 g5 34 a6 tLlb635 i.c6 game would end in a draw, thanks to the stale 1-0 mate themes. (Now return to page 76.) 57 ... �as 58 lLld5 �d2 0-1 White resigned in view of the threatened Exercise 42 ...i.. cl-b2#. (Now return to page 80.) Exercise 43 w B The correct solution is to centralize the knight quickly and prepare counterplay based on the advance of the passed f-pawn. 48 tt:Jd5 ! gives White more than realistic chances of salvation: Black is not guaranteed an easy life by either 48 ...i.a6+ 49 'lt>g2 i.c4 50 f4 or 48 ...i.f5 49 42 ...i.g3? 43 �g2 .ixh444 .ie5, with i..b8 to tt:Je3. follow, or 42 ...f6? 43 i.e4 �f7 44 h5!. Not sensing the critical moment, however, And yet he findsan astonishingly simple and White replied ... convincing path to the draw: 48 i.b5?! i.f5 42 ... g5! 43 hxg5 g6! ... and only then played ... The fortress is built! As a result, the light 49 lLld5? squared bishop (the very one that was supposed Right now this move is actually the decisive to prove its superiority over the knight) is noth mistake. ing but a bystander. 49 ...i.d3+ !! 50 i.xd3 c:Ji;xd3 51 �el a4 52 44c:Ji;g2 'lt>f8 45 i.e2c:Ji;e7 46 'lt>f3tt:Jc7 1h-1h �dl a3 53 �cl (D) (Now return to page 80.) THE ADVANTAGE OF THE BISHOP-PAIR 99 Exercise 44 Exercise 45 w White would lose with either 1 'Llb4? gxh3 2 Black has built a fortress for her defence gxh3 �g5, followed by ...ii.e6 and .. .f4, or 1 which White will not succeed in overcoming by �e1 gxh3 2 gxh3 f4 ! 3 i.fl f3 !. The only way he simple 'therapeutic' treatment. Playing for zug can save himself is by constructing a fortress: zwang is hardly a realistic prospect; a method 1 hxg4! fxg4 2 g3!! of further restricting the mobility of Black's White isn't afraid of Black creating a far-ad pieces is not to be seen. One last chance re vanced (and protected!) outside passed pawn. mains: a 'dynamiting' sacrifice, which White 2 ...h3 3 �gl may carry out straight away or else after prepa Missing the chance to end the game in a ration. swift and most striking manner: 3 lba3 ! �f5 4 During a game under conditions of restricted 'Llxb5 !! i.xb5 5 ii.d1 ! , and Black is powerless time and energy, it isn't simple to work out the to breach the redoubts that White has set up. variations infallibly to the end. In such a case For example, 5 ...ii.d7 6 �g 1 �e5 7 �h2 �d5 8 you often have to trust your intuition. �g1 �c5 9 �h2 �b5 10 �g1 �a5 11 �h2 The correct approach here is not to be hasty: .i.a4 12 ii.xg4 .ic2 13 if..d7 !. 45 i.c2! i.a8 (45 ...�xh6 loses to 46 i.d1 i.c6 But then the game continuation is also per- 47 i.g5+ �h7 48 h6 followed by .ih5) 46 e4! fectly adequate to draw. (a 'dynamiting' pawn sacrifice, suggested by 3 ...�e5 4 'Llb4 �d6 5 �h2 .i.a5 6 i.dl i.c8 Adrian Mikhalchishin) 46 ...dxe4 (or 46 .. .fxe4 Or 6 ...�c5 7 lt:Ja6+. 47 i.d1 �xh6 48 i.g4 i.c6 49 ii.g5+�h7 50 7 'Lla2 �c5 8 .ic2 .tf59 �gl b4 10 cxb4+ i..xe6) 47 i.b3i.d5 48 i.xd5exd5 49 .id6! (a if..xb4 (D) mistake would be 49 i.g5?lbb8 50 �e5 'Llc6+ 51 �xd5 'Llxb4+, when 52 �e6 'Llc6 53 d5 - ctJd4+ 54 �e5 lt:Jf3+ 55 �xf5 'Llxg5 56 �xg5 e3 57 d6 e2 58 d7 e 1 �59 d8� is a drawn queen w -- ending, while 52 �d6? lt:Jd3 ! is even losing for - White) 49 .. 5l.'xh6(other continuations also lose: - 49 ...lt:Jf6 50 �xf5 lt:Jxh5 51 �g5 ! or 49 ...e3 50 �xe3 lt:Jf6 51 �f4 'Lle4 52 i.e5 �xh6 53 �xf5) 50 �xf5 �xh5 51 i.f4! (not 51 �e6? �g4!) 5I...lt:Jf8 52 .ic 1 ctJg653 �f6 ! and White wins. In the game, White's hunch was wrong. She impulsively went in for a different explosive sacrifice of a piece, which looks outwardly at tractive. Additional Exercise 44A: Evaluate the can 45 Ji.xf5+?! exf5 46 �xf5 �xh6 47 �e6 didate moves 11 lt:Jxb4 and 11 'Llc3. 'Llb8! 48 'it>d6 'Llc649 'lt>c7 i.a850 .i.c5'lt>xh5 (For the answer, see page 104.) 51 Wb6 'lt>g4 52 'it>xa6�f3 53 'lt>xb5�xe3 100 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY The black king comes to the rescue in the Threatening .l:te1. nick of time. 40 ••.f4 41 .l:!.b6.l::i. a6? 54 'itb6 lLlxb4 If2 -If2 Forgetting that with opposite-coloured bish (Now return to page 81.) ops, activity is paramount. Thus 41... .l!ta2+ 42 Wc3 .l:!.e8 43 .i.xf4 l:!.f2 is appropriate, while Exercise 46 41...f3 42 .l!txd6 l:!.e8 43 .l::!.f6+ Exercise 47 White's spatial plus and bishop-pair on the B threshold of the endgame constitute his advan tage. Unexpectedly, however, there followed: 33 i.xf5gxf5 34 .l!te3 It now becomes clear that with opposite bish ops on the board, the domination of the dark squares by the white pieces gives Black some problems to solve. The threat is 35 .l!tge2. 34 •.•b6 Trying somehow or other to activate his bishop; e.g., 35 .l:!.ge2.l!td7 36 l:i.e8?! .ta6. Although White is a pawn down in the end 35 axb6 axb6 36 l:tb3?! ing, he has at least enough compensation, and it 36 .l:!.a3! is good. is Black who must play carefully if he is to hold 36.•• b5 37 .l:!.xb5?! (D) the position. For this there are three main rea After 37 cxb5 .i.b7, Black has good chances sons: the advantage of the bishop-pair, White's to survive, but this gives White more practical active king which has a clear route to penetrate chances than he ought to have had in the game to the queenside, and his passed pawn. continuation. 30 .•..if5 Black plays actively, looking to generate threats against White's pawns. He could seek to construct a fortress with 30 ...i.. b5 and ...lLld7, B but then he must prepare for a protracted de fence. 31 'iii>e3 .lte432 Wd4 32 .lth4 .ltxd5 33 .i.xf6 .i.xa2 is drawn. 32••• ..txg2 33 'ites 37 .•..l::i. xf3 38 .tgS .l:!.g839 h4 .l!ta3 40 .l:!.g1 35 •.•g5 36 ..ltg3 36 ...t2\e4+? 3 7 Solutions to Additional Exercises Additional Exercise 32A B Black's pieces are totally paralysed despite his two extra pawns. 40 70 .•. open file is at Black's disposal after all (17 counter-threats on the kingside. He now threat l:!b2? .ia3). ens 19... .:h6 followed by .. J1g6 and ...l:!.g4. 16 0-0 .l:i.b8! 19 �e2 (D) Precision in everything. The careless 16 ....ie7 17 .U.bl �e4 18 .id2 would allow White to do at least something by way of disputing control of the b-file. B 17 l:!.e1 Feeling that he has lost the preceding phase of the contest, White prefers to switch to a wait ing strategy. That is, he will make unobjection able moves (like this one, which neutralizes the baneful threat of ...�e4) and carry on playing by ear. If his opponent later makes a mistake (preferably an outright blunder), so much the better. Defensive play is a very important part of Additional Exercise 32B: Assess the conse chess. In this area there are plenty of common quences of 19 ...g5. nostrums which you have to know and be capa (For the answer, see page 103.) ble of applying. But two of them are of special importance. Additional Exercise 37A The first requirement is a 'sense of danger' : the sooner we realize that our position is infe - rior or bad, or that events are beginning to tum round to our detriment, the easier it will be to w take the sole possible measures in the hope of salvation. Secondly: on perceiving the necessity fo r de fe nce, we must do all in our power to bring about a radical change in the course of events on the board, even if this means resorting to dangerous, 'surgical' methods. But let us return to the game. Instead of 17 .l:.e l it would of course be senseless to play 17 a4? (aiming to exchange the dark-squared bish I deliberately refrained from annotating the ops with 18 j,a3) on account of 17... l:tb3. last two moves (so as not to give anything away After 17 �g5 (Dolmatov) 17 ... h6 18 �g3 to the reader). But now I wish to state that �e4 19 l:!.e1 �g6 20 �xg6 fxg6 2l ctJd2 .idS, 28 ...f5 ? was played on impulse, failing to antic Black's advantage is not in doubt, but this may ipate the impending events. The preparatory be better than passively awaiting events. 28 ....l:.g6 is correct, especially since White lacks 17•.• i.e7 18 h4 any counterplay whatever. Pawn moves on the wing where one is un Fortunately for Black, his opponent still der attack often provide a useful target for the didn't sense the danger of the situation. Other opponent. However, Black is going to advance wise White would have acted on this principle: on the kingside in any case, and only precise 'If you want to and can't, but really want to analysis will answer the question of whether then you must!' this move is a useful way to frustrate Black's Honestly and objectively facing the fact that plans. the scales were slowly but surely tipping in 18••• h5 Black's favour, Richter was simply obliged to Thanks to his mighty pair of storm troops (the harness all his will-power, knowledge, ingenu queen on d5 and bishop on c6), Black can set up ity and imagination for the purpose of radically THE ADVANTAGE OF THE BISHOP-PAIR 103 altering the course of the struggle. He had to re (intending ...ii.e3 or ....l:.c8) 38 lL'lxc5 ! (the des- solve on a line which, though risky, was the perado in action) 38 ...ii.e3 39 c4!. Then after sole valid remedy in this situation, involving a the plausible 39 ...bxc4 40 dxc4 lic841 b4! .l:.c7 desperado of the kind we have seen before. It 42 �fl ii.xf2 43 �xf2, White would retain goes: 30 .l:.d5 ! .l:l.g6 (30... .l:l.c6 3l lL'lxc5) 31 g4 chances of a successful defence . .:!.f6 (after 3l...fxg4? 32 lL'le4! White's cavalry 36 .•.a5! 37 lL'lb1a4 38 lL'l3d2c4 39 lLlfl.Uc8 would launch its raid) 32 gxf5 .ic6 33 l:txd6 40 �h1 c3 41 bxc3 dxc3 42 lbe3 b4 l:txd6 34 lbxc5 andthe position has become un And White resigned on the 47th move. predictable, since 34 ...ii.xf3? 35 lL'lxf3 .l:l.xc5 36 (Now return to page 71.) lL'lxg5+ �g8? 37 lL'le4 .:!.e5 38 lbf6+ would not suit Black at all. Additional Exercise 328 In the game, White played: 30 li5e2? Passive play against two bishops in the end ing is unacceptable! B 30 •.•.l:i.a8?! An understandable move, of course - Black would like to continue restricting the freedom of the knight on b3, by advancing his a-pawn. However... 31 lba5! (D) B 19 .•• g5?! Black's strategy is directed towards increas ing the power of his unopposed light-squared bishop. This thrust worked perfectly in the game, but objectively Black should play more quietly, emphasizing his b-file dominance. 20 ii.xg5 .ixg5 21 hxg5 h4 To be followed by ...h3. 22 .Ueb1 .:!.b623 l:txb6 After 23 'iVe3! h3 24 g6 hxg2 25 g7 .l:!.g8 26 Cavalry raids - 32 lbb7 - begin to be a 'iVh6 'iVxf3 27 .l:.xb6 cxb6 28 'iVh8 �d7 29 threat. 'iVxg8 'iVh5 30 f3 Black has no more than a 31 •••.l:l.ab8 32 lbab3h4 33 Wh1 .l:.g634 �g1 draw by perpetual check. ii.e6 23 ••• cxb6 24 lbe1? h3 25 �f3 hxg2! 26 Intending on the one hand to reposition the �xd5 .ixd527 lL'lxg2 .l:.h3 28 l:!.cl b5 (D) king ( ...�e7-d7 ), but also preparing to play ...c4 after a preliminary ...a6, ....l:.c8 and ...ii.b8-a7. Here again, however, I should like to point out that Black's solution is technically imprecise. As before, the preparatory exchange of a pair of rooks by 34 ....:!.e6 or34 ....l::. e8 looks more con vincing. 35 .l:.f2 .l:.a8 36 .:!.fe2? This is the final mistake. Richter had no business to allow ...a5. True, he did not like 36 lba5 .ic7, but he could then have continued 37 lbc6!? or 37 lL'lb7 (again a desperado !) 37 ...i.f4 104 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY 0-1 Alternatively, 4 .ig7 lt:Je4 5 .ig6 (not 5 A pawn up in an ending, White resigned, as i.xh6? lt:Jf6) 5 ...lt:Jf6 6 i.f5+. his pieces are completely paralysed: he cannot 4•.. lt:Jd7 move his king or knight. On 29 f4 Black plays Or 4 ...h5 5 gxh5! lt:Jd7 6 h6 lZlf8 7 h5. 29 ... l:.g3; then after 30 .l:!.c2b4 31 cxb4 l:!xg2+ 5 i.g7 lt:Jf6 6 i.f5+Wf7 7 i.xh6 lt:Jg88 i.f4 32 .l:i.xg2 i.xg2 33 �xg2 c3, the black pawn lt:Jf6 9 .ie5 lt:Je8 10 Wf4 1-0 goes through to queen. Against passive waiting (Now return to page 73.) moves, ...Wd7-c6 is followed by the victorious advance ...a5, ...b4, etc. Additional Exercise 44A (Now return to page 61.) Additional Exercise 39A w w ll lZlc3 This is the simplest way to draw, but 11 lLlxb4 also works, thanks to a stalemate trick: White unexpectedly replied ... l l...�xb4 12 Wh2 c3 13 bxc3+ �xc3 and now, 2 i.h5!! e.g., 14 i.a4 Wd2 15 i.c6 Wel 16 Wgl h2+ 17 . .. and it became clear that owing to the mate �xh2 �xf2 18 .ixe4! .ixe4 stalemate . threat, the black king would be severed from n ... �d6 the defence of the h6-pawn, which would thus ll....ixc3 12 bxc3 �b5 13 �h2 �a5 14 be doomed. �gl i.d7 15 i.dl ! is a drawn bishop ending. 2 ... lt:Jc5 3g4+ 12 �h2 i.a5 13 �g1 'ot>e5 14 Wh2 .idS 15 Accuracy is always essential. After thetempt �g1 .1i.f6 16 Wh2 .ig7 17 Wg1 Wd6 (D) ing 3 �d4 lt:Je4 4 .tel .i.b7 5 .if3 lt:Jd6, Black retains drawing chances. 3 ...'iite6 (D) w w 18 �h2 �c5 19 �g1 �b4 20 tt:Ja2+ Or 20 l2Jd5+, which is just as good. 20... �a5 21 lZlc3 112 -lfz 4.ig6 (Now returnto page 80.) 4 Wa rning - Tra p Ahead! Traps, pits along my path; We shall start with some exercises. Remem God placed them there, commanded me to go, ber that, as in the previous chapters, you should And, all-foreseeing, he abandoned me tackle each exercise in tum, and examine its so And sits in judgement! He who would not save lution (which will often contain a good deal of me! general comments and advice) in full before 0MAR KHAYYAM reading on. What chess-player has not been familiar with this experience since childhood? You hit on an unexpected piece of play that could easily be B missed, and set your opponent a trap. With bated breath, afraid of scaring him off, you wait impatiently to see if he will stumble into the snare you have laid for him. If he does, what a sense of triumph, often ill-concealed, what a feeling of self-satisfaction and elation this gives you! Conversely, what wretched ness, humiliation and outrage you feel if you fall into a trap yourself. The mental wounds that this inflicts can take such a long time to Pirrot - Svidler heal... Rapidplay, Mainz 2002 As defined by the encyclopaedic chess dic tionary edited by Anatoly Karpov, "A trap is an White is threatening the unpleasant fork lt:Jc5. attempt to provoke the opponent into an out Despite this, Svidler played: wardly fa vourable continuation which in real 22 ...llhd8! ity provesmistak en." Exercise49: What was Black's idea if White A trap arises when we have been carefully carries out his threat? calculating variations and come across an un (For the answer, see page 120.) expected coup. That is to say that setting a trap requires well-developed combinative vision. Yet exploiting it as a means to an end is a good deal more complicated than executing a com bination. w In Botvinnik's formulation, "A combination is a fo rced variation involving a sacrifice." In executing it, we compel our opponent to go down a predetermined path and submit to our will. On devising a trap, on the other hand, we merely offe r the opponent a tasty bait and can only await the results. Therefore, bringing offa trap successfully demands not only chess abili ties in the strict sense, but sometimes psycho logical ones as well. But we shall come to that Anand - Kasparov later. Wo rld Ch match (game 11 ), New Yo rk 1995 106 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRA TE GY In the game, Black played 27 ••. ..1te6, giving 23 ... 'iie7 (D) his opponent the choice between 28 li:Jxe7 and 28 b4. Exercise 50: Choose between these two can didate moves. w (For the answer, see page 120.) B Threatening 24 ...�e3 followed by 25 ....l:.a8 ! 26 'iVxb7 .l:ta7, trapping the queen. 24 .l:!.ael A continuation of equal worth is 24 .l:!.fe1 'iie3 25 li:Jfl 'iif2 26 'iia3 (after 26 i..f3 .l:i.a8 27 'ifxb7 .l::ta7 28 l:te2d4 'ii 29 .l::td1 'iVxd1 30 'iixa7 Romanovsky - Botvinnik 'iixfl+ 31 'iVg1 �xg1+ 32 'it>xg1 bxc4, the ad Moscow 1945 vantage is probably with Black) 26 ...l::t fe8 27 'iif3 �b6 (27 ...11Yxf3 also leadsto equality) 28 20 ...� g5!? cxb5 l:te429 a3 .l:Ibe8,with a complex game in If Black wants to fight for the initiative, this which the chances should be rated about even. is the only way ! In the event of 20 ...bxc4 21 24 ...�e3 25 li:Jf3 l:!.a8! li:Jxc4 .1b5 22 l::tfe 1 l::tc8 23 li:Jb6 l::tc7 24 .txb5 If 25 ...iVc3 then 26 a3. axb5 25 a4 bxa4 26 .l:!.xa4, the knight on b7 26 'iixb7 l'1a7 (D) proves useless and White's major pieces cannot be prevented from invading the enemy camp. 21 f4 "Black reckoned that in the ensuing compli w cations there would be a chance to utilize the unguarded state of the knight on d2 and the bishop on e2. No doubt White had equally high hopes of exploiting the knight on b7 and the bishop on d7." (Botvinnik). 21...exf4 Otherwise White plays 22 fxe5 dxe5 23 c5. 22 �b6! "This move may not actually be best, but it deserves an exclamation mark because the bold "Black appears to have rid himself of his raid with the queen is an interesting idea." (Bot chief liability, the wretched knight on b7." vinnik). (Botvinnik). 22 ....l:!.ab8 ! Exercise 51: Where should the white bishop This move is only playable thanks to White's go? To d1 or d3? undefended minor pieces. (For the answer, see page 120.) 23 'iixa6 On 23 c5 dxc5 24 bxc5 'iie7, White's pawn "Traps are a good thing only in hopeless sit on c5 and bishop on e2 would both tum out to uations, or when they do not make your posi be en prise. tion any worse." (Botvinnik). WA RNING - TRA P AHEAD! 107 B B Boleslavsky - Bondarevsky Em. Lasker - Janowski USSR Absolute Ch, Leningrad/Moscow 1941 Wo rld Ch match (game 7), Pa ris 1909 The situation appears dangerous for Black. the defence 65 ....l:!.f7) 65 .....ixe4+ ! 66 'it>xe4, he White's centralized knights are ready to harry might have brought about a pretty stalemate. Of Black's uncastled king. At the moment the threat course his opponent could avoid this with 64 is lLlb6xd7 followed by lLlf5. .i::f.b7. Yet conceivably he might have overlooked However, there followed: the stalemate in the heat of battle." 25•.• .lih6! Obviously assuming that Black's move was Even a perfectly uncomplicated trap may a tactical oversight in a difficultposition, Bole take the opponent unawares. slavsky replied: 26 �xh5? To be fair it must be stated that even the best continuation, 26 �f2 �xf2 27 �xf2 e6 28 B tt:Jf6+ �e7 29 tt:Jxd7 ..ie3,would leave Black with an undoubted plus. The showdown was instantaneous: 26•.. .l:tg 8!! 27 "iWd3 �gl+ 0-1 White resigned in view of 28 .Udl l:[c l +!. "Practice shows that traps most often work when the stronger side's advantage is becoming overwhelming. Psychologically this is per fectly explicable - the fate of the game seems Ruderfer - Dvoretsky settled; the opponent ought to be resigning any Odessa 1972 minute. For this very reason, in very difficultor hopeless positions, a trap should on no account Black's position is hopeless. In evident des be neglected as a last chance." (Dvoretsky). peration, he played: In the following diagram, Black's position is 57 ... 'it>b7 lost, and Janowski resigned the game. He will have considered that 57 ... 'it>c7 58 However, it is impossible to disagree with :xc8+ (but not 58 e7? .lid7) 58... �xc8 59 e7 Tarrasch, who commented on this situation as also leads to a win for White. follows: "Demoralized, Janowski laid down After the move played, White could win by his arms too soon instead of making use of his either 58 e7 ..id7 59 .i:!.d8 or 58 i..f7 i:Ixg8 59 last chance, by no means such a bad one. By ..ixg8 58 .l:!.xc8? other way. Yet this move is very sly, and as we Exe rc ise 52: What had White missed? shall soon see, it was not at all played in desper (For the answer, see page 121.) ation. 20 gxf6?! If at this moment White had fo rced himself to figure out his opponent's intentions calmly, he would have found 20 ..ixa7 ! lt:Je5 21 lLla4!, B after which Black's position remains critical. But luckily for Black, this did not happen, and his trap succeeded! 20 ••.lt:Je5 21 ..if4? White can still retain an advantage by 21 h4. 21..• lLlf3+ 22xf 'ii 3?? ..icS+! It was only at this point that White under stood everything. On 23 'lt>fl, Black wins with 23 ...gxf3 24 J..xc7 I::!.xh2. In the main variation Kots - Kosikov after 23 �h 1, Black delivers mate with the Kiev 1977 spectacular 23 ...l:!.xh2+! 24 'lt>xh2 'iih7+! (this was the reason why Black cleared his second Assessing the situation is not so simple. rank with 19 ...f5 ! !) 25 �g2 'iih3#. In the game, White's king position is weakened, and the White played: black pieces are preparing to storm it. No small 23 'iie3 'iib6 24 'iixcS 'iixc5+ role is played in this by the pawn on g4, control But this no longer affected the result. Black ling the important square f3 and fixing the soon won. white h2-pawn. True, it must be said that the white king is in the company of its own pieces, which are ready to come to its aid in moments of danger. But all this amounts to a static judge ment, and in a sharp position it needs to be sup B ported by concrete calculation. Specifically,the g4-pawn is en prise. As already pointed out, this is a most important pawn, without which Black's attack is practically impossible. It can be defended by 19... lt:Je5, but in reply 20 iH4is unpleasant. Then 20 ... ..ig7 is bad, as after 21 �hl the knight perishes. Black also loses with 20 .....id6 21 lLle4 lLlf3+ 22 'iixf3 gxf3 23 lt:Jxd6+ �b8 24 lt:Jxf7. After 20 ... lt:Jf3+ 21 'iixf3 gxf3 22 ..ixc7 ..ic5+ 23 'lt>h1 �xc7 24 lt:Je4, with h4 Bouaziz - Miles to follow, Black will hardly succeed in saving Interzonal tournament, Riga 1979 his f3-pawn and with it the game. His best con tinuation seems to be 20 ...'ii b6+, but then after In this position, extremely difficultand barely 21 �h 1 lLlf3 22 h4, with threats of 'iid3 or defensible from Black's standpoint, the game lt:Je4-f2, Black's position is critical. was adjourned. White is the exchange up, the Does this mean it's time for Black to resign? approaches to his king are securely guarded But there will always be time for that - do not and his c-pawn is close to queening. I fancy all rush! In the game there followed: this served to convince White that the game 19... f5 !! would not be resumed ... A desperate gesture? White evidently de But it was. cided that it was - he couldn't explain it in any 42 .••.l:.cl 43 .l:tc2�bl 44 l:tdd2 .l:.hl WA RNING - TRA P AHEAD! 109 Desperation? White was, after all, threaten carrying on with the game, you meekly nod, si ing 45 lhcl Wixcl 46 .l::i.c2. Wait, though. But lent and downcast, agreeing to put yourself for his complacency, White would have seen down as a dolt, duffer and blockhead. 'Well through the astonishingly pretty trap prepared wishers' of that sort should be sent packing! by his opponent, and would not have played .... You have no right to treat yourself so sadisti 45 c7? cally. You made a mistake - who doesn't? The This was met by: reasons for it will be analysed later - after the 45 .. Jlxh3!! game, after the tournament. For the duration of How often the phenomenon of 'serial errors ' the game, 'the inquest is over - forget it!' And occurs in chess! Let us picture a scenario which as long as the tournament struggle goes on - must surely have cropped up (and not just once, fight, defend yourself to the last bullet! either) in your own playing career. You are conducting an exceedingly difficult Rule number two: 'Calm down!' and tense struggle in a very important tourna The sooner you manage this, the more chances ment game. By dint of supreme exertions you there are of a positive outcome to the struggle. are starting to tip the scales in your favour. But At this moment don't on any account act hast how hard it all is for you at this moment - psy ily. Don't try to prove to the onlookers (and chologically, intellectually, even just physically possibly yourself) that it wasn't you who made (merely lifting your hand to make your move a slip but your opponent who fell into a trap you can be an effort). You feel the desire (uncon had set for him. And therefore - do not rush. It sciously, I dare say) to ease offand relax, if only is fast, unreflecting actions that are the chief for an instant. For the long-awaited goal is so cause of 'serial errors' . near... Calm down! Try to regain your previous Then suddenly, like a tub of cold water over confidence in your powers. your head - a mistake happens! Your opponent How? For a start, try to 'switch off' for a cou makes a move you hadn't expected at all. ple of minutes. To do this, it may help if you Of course there is no question of this being a come equipped with some methods of your dream. You wake up. The struggle goes on, and own devising. In the last resort, have a think blows rain down on you from all sides. You about something pleasant: yesterday's brilliant cease to understand what on earth is actually football game won by your favourite team; the happening. Mistakes follow one after the other, happy date you are looking forward to with the evaluation of the position changes for the your favourite girlfriend; beautiful weather... worse ... What the hell, just find some way to sustain That is how the phenomenon of 'serial er your spirits! rors' comes about. What should you do in these cases? How do Rule number three: Ascertain 'where you you extricate yourself from such situations with stand'. minimum damage? It quite often happens that after missing our Of course, the best thing is not to get into opponent's move we start panicking, we get ag such situations at all. As long as the clock is itated and fuss; but then it turns out that the running and the fight continues - don't fall whole thing isn't as bad as all that - if the evalu asleep ! But we are all only human, so I should ation of the position has changed, it has only like to give you a set of practical recommenda changed slightly, and overall it is still in our fa tions for these cases. vour. However, even if analysis establishes that the situation is now difficult or even hopeless, Rule number one: 'Don 't castigate your then imagine that this is a training session and self! ' your severe coach is forcing you to acquire de You can say a couple of 'heated' words to fe nsive technique and skills for turning the yourself, but no more. Imagine that at this mo game round. ment some pundit comes up to you and starts Therefore, once you have managed to calm scolding you and lecturing you. And instead of down, the first essential taskis to reappraise the 110 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY situation on the board honestly and objectively. Play directed exclusively towards a trap, even The main thing here is to rid yourself of any 're a well-masked and ingenious one, cannot be a sidual' emotions. substitute for a positional continuation, espe cially if the trap is devised at a cost to our own Rule number fo ur: 'Start again fro m the be position. ginning! ' Based on your new assessment of the posi tion, you must draw up a new plan of action. And for this, as we know, you once again need B to identify the main strategic elements, apply the principle of two weaknesses, etc. To put it more succinctly - start again from scratch. But let us return to the game, where Black had just played 45 .. Jhh3 !! (D). Alekhine - Levitsky Match (game 2), St Petersburg 1913 w Rather than recover his pawn by 8 ...tt::lxd5 9 0-0 i..e6with a fully acceptable game, Levitsky tried to tempt Alekhine into a faulty move: 8 ...i.. h3? Now if 9 tt::lf4 ?!, defending the pawn and at tacking the black bishop, there follows 9 .. J:le8+ 10 ..t;?f2 .tf5 (not 10 ...lt:Jg4+? 11 'it?g3 tt::lf2 12 'iWgl! and White wins), when Black has excel After this hefty blow, I imagine Bouaziz lent chances. was unable to recover and, most importantly, But White replied 9 .tgS!, and after9 ...i..g2 to grasp where he stood. Otherwise he would 10 .l:!.g1 .it.xf3 11 'iWd2! he obtained an excellent have preferred to salvage half a point with 46 attacking position. 'iWfl .!:tg3+47 'it?f2 .l:!.xf3+ 48 �xf3 'iWxfl + 49 ..t;?e4, when Black has no more than perpetual Endgame knowledge may enable the de check. fender to give his opponent chances to stumble. In the game there occurred: 46 'itxh3??'iWh1 + 47 'iWh2'iWxf3+ 48 'it>xh4 i..e7+ 49 g5 And what next? w 49 ••.i.. xg5+!! 0-1 Despite his colossal material plus, White is mated: 50 �xg5 f6+ and now 51 ..t;?h4g5# or 51 'it>g6'iWg4#. We have seen that with 46 'it>xh3?? White made the decisive mistake. But before that, by playing the straightforward 45 c7?, he had let the win slip. Exercise 53: Indicate a winning continuation for White (in place of 45 c7?). Averbakh - Bondarevsky (For the answer, see page 121.) USSR Ch, Moscow 1948 WA RNING - TRA P AHEAD! 111 The position looks desperate for White, but White should probably have refrained from Averbakh foresaw a possible fortress: this move. It was worth considering 21 .l:!.ed1 58 .Ufxd3 'ifxd3 59 .l:i.xa4+ Wd5 60 .Uxh4 'iff6 22 .l:!d2, with .l:!ad1 and .id4to follow. We6? 21...'ifb8! (D) This allows White to achieve a theoretically drawn position. He must prevent White from planting his rook firmly on h3: 60 ...'ifg6+ ! 61 'it>h2 (61 'it>fl 'iff5) 6l...'iff5 (not 6l...h5? 62 w l::th3) 62 Wg3 (or 62 Wg2 'ifg5+ 63 'it>h3 'ifg1) 62... 'ife5 + 63 'it>h3 (63 �f3 'ifg5 64 l:!.g4 'iff5+ 65 �g3 h5 66 l:!.h4 'ifg5+ is similar) 63 ...h5 64 �g2 'ifg5+ 65 'it>h3 '>t>e6 66 lle4+ �f5 67 lie3 'ifg1 68 llf3+'it>e4 69 .l:!.f8 'ifg4+70 'it>h2 'ifg7 71 lla8 �f3, winning. 61 l:!.h3 White has achieved the drawing set-up, as Bondarevsky acknowledged 13 moves later. At this point I had an almost physical sensa Kosikov - A. Zubov tion of how the white position was slowly but Independence Cup, Kiev 2003 steadily deteriorating. Thus for example in the event of 22 axb4 'ifxb4 23 l:!.e2 llfc8 24 .l:ta4 1 e4 c5 2 tt:'lf3d6 3 .ib5+ tt:'lc60-0 4 ..td7 5 'ifb5 25 .:Ic4 i..xb2, a pawn is lost. c3 tt:'lf6 6 .l:i.e1a6 7 .ia4 e5 8 h3 Exercise 54: What is White to do? Not the premature 8 d4? ! b5 9 i.c2 cxd4 10 (For the answer, see page 121.) cxd4 �g4. 8•.• .i.e7 9 d4 b5 10 i.c2 exd4!? 11 cxd4 Most often, the main reason for falling into a tt:'lb4!? 12 tt:'lc3 tt:Jxc2 13 'ifxc2 cxd4 14 tt:'lxd4 trap is inattention to the opponent's designs and b4?! weak prophylactic thinking. Instead 14 ... l:!.c8 looks more natural. 15 ti:Jd5tt:'lxd5 16 exd5 0-0 17 tt:'lc6.ixc6 18 dxc6!? A critical positional decision. The passed w pawn which has appeared on c6 becomes the centre of attention for both sides. It ties down Black's pieces, but then again it may make a tasty meal for them. In the fightfo r the initiative, risks must be taken! 18.•. i.. f6 19 �f4?! Failing to grasp the strategic peculiarities of the position, White plays imprecisely. Better is 19 a3 ! , which on the one hand brings the rook 0. Feuer - O'Kelly on a1 into play and on the other hand exposes Belgian Ch, Liege I934 the weakness of the pawn on a6. In addition, as later events will show, the b2-pawn ought to be 10 .i.e3! kept guarded. White finisheshis development, 'sacrificing' 19••• .i.d4! a pawn as he does so. Threatening to play 20 ...'iff6 or 20 ....ic5, 10••• .l:!.xb2? after which the 'tasty meal' will most likely be This move is extremely naive! Do experi eaten. enced chess-players give away material just 20 .ie3 i..e5 21 a3?! like that? 112 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEG Y 11 dxe5 dxe5? from that of competitive results (when playing It still wasn't too late to play ll...fxe5 12 at master level).lt is a different matter when the tbxe5,returning the extra pawn. But 'on princi trap is a by-product, or more exactly a parallel ple' Black was loath to reckon with his oppo product of the strategy we are pursuing; in this nent's intentions. The consequence was: case the logic of the struggle gives us a fair 12 'iixd8+ �xd8 13 0-0-0+! practical opportunity, and we ought to make Giving check, and winning both rook and use of it." (Viacheslav Dydyshko). game. Another thing conducive to falling into a trap is the fatigue that often sets in at an advanced B stage of the game. w Bagirov - Kholmov USSR Ch, Baku 1961 Black's advantage is not in doubt, given his outright control of the only open file - which Kasparov - Karpov could have been consolidated once and for all Wo rld Ch match (game 11 ), Moscow 1985 by 23 .. .'it'e6. Kholmov played: The advantage is with White in view of the 23.•• c5 greater activity of his pieces. Kasparov attacked Cheering up, Bagirov replied ... the rook on d7: 24 .l:.fe1 22 l!Vg4! Exercise 55: With this attempt to reduce the The situation on the board presents no spe aggressive force of his opponent's pieces by cial danger to Black. True, after the passive rook exchanges, what has White missed? 22 ....l:!.dc7 ?! 23 b4 he could come under posi (For the answer, see page 122.) tional pressure, but by continuing 22 ...Itd6 !? he would have every reason to count on equaliz ing. However, evidently fatigued by the way the struggle had been going, Karpov allowed him self to relax and play the 'natural' move: 22 ... Itcd8?? For this, he was instantly punished: 23 'iixd7! :xd7 24 .l:.e8+�h7 25 .i.e4+1-0 Black resigned in view of 25 ... g6 26 .l:lxd7 .li.a6 27 .li.xc6�xc6 28 I1xf7#. "Chess masters do not build their strategy on traps. Constructing a trap at the expense of stronger moves is an unpromising policy, both Vogt - Karner from the standpoint of improving our chess and Ta llinn 1981 WA RNING - TRA P AHEAD! 113 In this rook endgame, the advantage, though Exercise 57: What has White not seen? slight, is with Black on account of his more ac (For the answer, see page 123.) tive rook position and his superior pawn-struc ture. Karnerunderlines this by playing: "Quite a distinctive case is that fairly famil 38... h4! iar situation which for brevity we may charac Exercise 56: Choose between the candidate terize as 'hunting the hunter' . This occurs when moves 39 �g4 and 39 �e3. both players take delight in heading for the (For the answer, see page 123.) same position, since one of them has 'cast a net' while the other has noticed a hole in it." (Yakov Damsky). B Dziadyk - Kosikov Y.SakharovMe morial, Kiev 2004 Fischer - Shocron Mar del Plata 1969 Black's advantage consists primarily in the isolated position of White's idle knight. As are Black's position is perfectly acceptable. At sult Black is playing with an extra piece in the this point, after 38 ...'ilfd7 ! 39 .l:i.xc4?! 'ilid3, with principal war zone. 40 ...l:!.b1 to follow, he would have every chance 35.• J!Vf5! of going over to the counter-attack. Shocron, Improving the position of the queen, stop however, decided to 'dig a pit' for his opponent ping the white knight from breaking free via c8 - but fell into it himself: or d7, while also preparing a trap. 38•• Jli'd8? 39 .l:.xe6 (D) 36 ..tg3? Dziadyk doesn't sense the danger. 36 h3 is an improvement. 36 •. J!Vd3! 37 ..txd6 (D) Falling into the trap. 39 •• :i!Vc8 It's too late to back out: 39 ...fxe6 40 'ii'xe6+ �f8 41 �xe5 �f7 42 ..tc6 and 43 ..td5+ gives White a decisive attack. 40 ..td7!! 1-0 114 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY Black decided to rid himself of all his prob lems at one stroke, while setting his opponent a trap into the bargain: 29 .•J�b6? Now 30 .l:i.c7? presents no danger for Black after 30 ....l:td6 31 .l:!.xd6 Wxd6, while on 30 .:I.xd7+ �xd7 31 .l:i.xb6? �c7, the impetuous white rook is lost. In the game, after 30 l:i.xd7+! 'it>xd7, the zwischenzug 31 lt:Je5+! put everything in order - Black discovered to his dismay that the trap had snapped shut, but at his own expense. Bannik - Ta l USSR Ch, Moscow 1957 Provoking Tal into falling for a prepared trap, White played: w 25 .l::!d2? e3 26 fxe3 'il'xe3+ 27 'il'f2 lt:Jxe2+ "It's worked! There's no way back for Black now," Bannik must have been thinking. 28 .l:!.xe2 'il'xcl+ 29 l:tel Is the fight allover? On 29 ... .l:!.d1 White has 30 'il'xf6 l:.xe1+ 31 '1t>h2,winning. Wait, though. 'For every cunning goose there is another goose, only more cunning!' The game continued: 29 ••• i.xc3! 30 .l:!.xcl i.d4 Robatsch - Makarychev The material advantage is now with Black, Lublin 1976 and he made sure of converting it into a win. Exercise 58: What do you think of 10 l2Jd4in this position? The ability to work out variations accurately is a key indicator of a player's level of mastery. B What is most important here is to calculate the variations to the end and not break off half-way. (For the answer, see page 123.) As already pointed out, between a combina tion and a trap there is an undoubted thematic connection. But whereas playing a combina tion means carefully working out the variations and then making your decision, pulling off a trap requires more than this. You need to be P. Schmidt - Pirc able to hide your intentions up until the right Noordwijk 1938 moment, so as not to warn your opponent and let him offthe hook. This requires you to mas Although Black's position is rather cramped, ter not only purely technical but also psycho the accurate continuation 29 ... l:taa7 would en logical methods of chess warfare. able him to maintain the balance; for example, In his time, a great master of this type of play 30 .l:tdd6 lt:Jb8! 31 .l:!.b6 .l:lxb6 32 .l:!.xb6 lLld7 33 was Mikhail Botvinnik. We shall now examine .l:i.c6 a5. three examples from his games. The notes in WA RNING - TRA P AHEAD! 115 quotation marks (slightly abridged in places) are his own. w w 40 g4! l:thg841 It.eg1 fxg4?! "This somewhat facilitates his opponent's task; it was better to allow the continuation 42 Botvinnik - Moiseev gxf5 gxf5 (but not 42 ...�xf5 ? 43 i..g4+) 43 Moscow 1951 ctJg3." 42 i..xg4 l:tdf8?! White's advantage is obvious. Black's bishop "Quite likely the losing move. It was impera is 'bad' and his passed pawn on c4 is firmly tive to activate the bishop with 42 ...i.c8, since blockaded, which means that White is playing with this piece on b7 the opening of the game is with an extra pawn in the centre and on the catastrophic for Black." kingside. Yet exploiting the advantage is ex 43 i..xe6 �xe6 44 ctJf4+ (D) tremely difficult, since Black has constructed something in the nature of a fortress that is not simple to demolish. "Now or later, Black could push his h-pawn B to h5, closing the position still further. In that case, in order to break through, Wh ite would have to play a preliminaryf3; in a certain de gree this all looked problematic." 31 'it>g2 l:th8 32 l:th1 l:the8 "Black appears to be quite satisfiedwith his pawn-structure and makes no attempt to alter it. So much the better!" 33 l::td2 .l:te7 34 Ite2 l:!.ee835 'it>fl "Now White can bring his king unhindered to 44•.• �d6 d2, where it will relieve the knight from block "In the event of 44 ...�f6 45 .l::!.h3, the bishop ading the c-pawn and may in some circum would remain in its passive position. Then ei stances make it difficult for the black bishop to ther White would win the g6-pawn (45 ...l:!.f7 46 attack the a4-pawn." l:f.f3), or else after 45 ...g5 the h-file would be 35 •• J:th8 36 �e1 l':the8 37 �d2 It.e7 38 opened and a white rook would invade the en llee1 emy camp. But in the present case too, the loss "Up to the moment of the pawn-break, both of a pawn is unavoidable." rooks need to be stationed on the first rank. 45 l':th2 Now all that remains is to secure control of the "Defending the f-pawn and threatening 46 f4-square." .l:!.xg6+." 38.. J:tee8 39 lbe2 .i:th8?! (D) 45 ....l:If6 l:thg246 i.c8 "Black neglects his last chance to play ...h5. "Alas, too late... " Could he have supposed that White was not 47 .l:Ixg6 .l:tgxg6 48 .l::!.xg6 .l::.xg6 49 lbxg6 dreaming of accomplishing a breakthrough?" .irs so lbes i.b1 116 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRA TEGY "If White had not transferred his king to d2 sacrifice (exf5) opens up the a8-hl diagonal, in good time, Black could have played 50... .ic2 while an exchange (a rook capturing on f5 ) al here, with an uncertain outcome." lows Black to obtain an f-pawn and use it as a 51 �c3 .ia2 52 e4! (D) battering-ram. "Since this operationneeds to be carried out underfa vourable conditions, Black endeavours to conceal his intentions fo r the time being, so B as to take his opponent unawares." 41.•. �g7 42 �el .l::th5 43 �e2 �e7 44 Itfl �g8 "One rook is already prepared for the jump to f5 ; Black's other major pieces have to be lined up on the h-file." 45 l::tff2 �g7 46 Itfl �h6 47 l:tff2 .l:!.h7 "This rook needs to have the option of switch ing to the f-file. What now remains is to bring the bishops into position." "This is the simplest way to cope with the 48 l:tfl .id7 enemy bishop's aggressive manoeuvre." "White moves up and down with one rook, 52 ..•dxe4 with the evident aim of bringing home to his "If 52 ....ib3 then 53 exd5, and resignation opponent the futility of his attempts to win a will be in order after either 53 ...�xd5 54 lt::ld7 'drawn' position. In playing my last move I was or 53 ....ixa4 54 lt::lxc4+. But the pawn ending is counting on this, since the black rook needs to also hopeless for Black." go to f5 at a moment when the white rook is on 53 lt::lxc4+ .ixc4 54 �xc4 h5 55 d5 �e5 56 f2. We shall later see why this is necessary. d6 �xd6 57 �d4 1-0 So ..." 49 l:.ff2 .ic850 .l::i.fl i..e7 "The bishop only clears the rook'spath at the last moment." (My emphasis - A.K.) 51 .l:i.ff2 (D) w B Sliwa - Botvinnik Budapest 1952 In this position the game was adjourned. 51..• .l::i. f5!! White sealed: "Just at the right moment! If White's rook 41 l:tff2 were on fl, he would have the defensive re "Analysis showed that a straight fightto seize source 52 .l::i.gf2. Now all replies lead to defeat. the open f-file would merely lead to exchanges "If 52 �xg4 ?, then 52 ...l:.xf2 53 �xc8+ .l::i.f8 of the major pieces. 54 �e6+ �h8. "The only possibility of avoiding this lies in "In the event of 52 exf5 ? .ltb7,the threat of bringing a rook to f5 . Then acceptance of the 53 ...�xh2# is decisive. WA RNING - TRA P AHEAD! 117 "Finally, 52 tt:Jel is met by 52 ...lii' h5 53 exf5 Let us follow what happened on resumption: (otherwise Black plays 53 ... ..tb7 anyway, then 89 'it>a2 �b5 90 a7 .:!.aS+ ....ii. g5 and if appropriate .....te3 and ....l:thf7; on Forced. The pawn endgame after 90 ...'iit b7? exf5 he goes back with .. Jih7) 53 ... ..tb7 54 91 l:i.b8+'it>xa 7 92 !lxb5 cxb593 Wb3 is lost for tt:Jgf3 gxf3 55 tt:Jxf3 gxf5, after which Black Black. wins by advancing his centre pawns. 91 Wb3 'it>b7 92 .l:tf8 .l:tb5+! "In the game, Black won even more simply Botvinnik's brilliant discovery. The aim of than in this last line. Such was the effect of sur this seemingly 'pointless' check will only be prise !" come clear after four more moves. 52 .l::tfl? .l:i.xfl 53 lii'xfl l:tf7 54 lii'e1 93 'it>a4? "Or 54 .:!.f2 lhf2 55 lii'xf2 lii'cl! with irre The trap has worked! In playing this move, sistible threats." Tal as yet suspected nothing. Otherwise he 54 •.•lii' f8 55 l:.e2.l:tfl 56 lii'd2 lii'f3+ 57 .l::tg2 would have abandoned any instant winning at .l:id1 tempt and played 93 Wc3. This would still "Now White must choose between succumb have been an achievement for Black, even if ing in the endgame after a queen exchange or only a psychological one. trying for some activity before the curtain comes "Less active play by White would leave Black down." with hopes of a draw." (Botvinnik). 58 lii'h6f6 lii' 59 .l:i.d2 ..trs 60 lii'xf8+ lii'xf8 93 ••.'it>xa7 .l:i.xf594 l:.b1 95 .l::tf6 (D) 61 l:.xd1 lii'f2 62 tLle1lii' b2 0-1 At last White has seen through the trap. "Quite an amusing zugzwang has come about What looks like the winning line, 95 l:tf7+ - 63 tLlg2 lii'c2." Wa6 96 .l:tc7, would meet with the crafty retort 96 ....l:!.b4+ ! !, when White's only choice is be tween assenting to stalemate and allowing all the pawns to be eliminated. B Ta l - Botvinnik Wo rld Ch match (game 20), Moscow 1961 After the move played, White's basic plan is "The general opinion was that the adjourned impossible; the black rook is able to drive the position was hopeless for Black. A sleepless white king away from the queenside. night, the second in a row - and in the morning 95 .•.'it>b7 96 f5 l:.a1+97 'it>b4 l:.b1+98 'it>c3 the chief and most obvious threat was rendered l:tcl+ 99 Wd2 l::tfl 100 'it>e3 'it>c7 101 .l:!.f7+ harmless by a surprising stalemate possibility." 'iitd8 102 We2 .l:!.f4 103 Wd3 .l:!.f3+ 104 Wd2 (Botvinnik). Wc8 105 We2 .l::tf4 White's main threat is to exchange the pawn And it was only after 16 more moves that on a6 for the one on f5. This will compel Black White acquiesced to the draw. to transfer his king to the kingside. Then ac cording to the principle of two weaknesses, the The best thing of all is when the trap involves white king penetrating on the queenside should a move that fits in with the plan you are pursu break down Black's defence. ing. 118 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRA TEGY The queen is caught in the net; there is no sat isfactory defence against 15 ii.b2. Black there B fore resigned. Simagin - Kholmov Uzhgorod19 66 43 ••.tt:Jf6 ! Black improves the position of his knight and at the same time sets a trap, into which his G. Kuzmin - Kochiev opponent falls. USSR Ch semi-final, Minsk 1976 44 ii.xc7?? After the correct 44 .lli.e3 tbe4 45 g4, the po- 32 d5! sition would be about equal. "An excellent trap ! Even after 32... exd5 33 In the game, after ... 'ifxd5 the advantage would remain with White: 44..• tt:Jg4+ ! 0-1 33 ...'ifxa3 34 'ifd8+i.f8 35 'ifxc7, or 33 ...'ife 8 ...White immediately had to acknowledge 34 i.d6 �d7 35 i.b5." (Dvoretsky) . defeat. Black, however, accepted the challenge: 32 •.J:tc3 ? To his surprise there followed: 33 dxe6!! (D) w B Nezhmetdinov - Konstantinov Rostov-on-Don 1936 33 •••l:.x d3 11 c3! If 33 ...'ifxa3 then 34 'ifd7 !. This move, which is positionally essential 34 exf7+ 'it>hS35 i.b2! 1-0 for White (he plans tbc2 and ii.e3),sets a trap at the same time. "It sometimes happens that a trap arises au ll... .lli.xc3+ ?? tomatically, simply as a result of the painstak It worked! ing calculation of variations. Weighing up all 12 bxc3 'ifxc3+ 13 'ifd2! 'ifxa1 14 i.b1! the possibilities, we choose the line that prom 1-0 ises the most chances of victory." (Dvoretsky). WA RNING - TRA P AHEAD! 119 The thematic continuation is of course 5 ...b5, but at that moment I was 'not yet awake' (the B last-round games were played in the morning), and was afraid of making some tactical slip. For that reason I was psychologically prepared to allow my opponent a slight plus in the open ing and transfer the focus of the battle to the middlegame. 6 ii'xc4 eS 7 0-0 ..id6 8 d3!? An opening strategy that surprised me (al though, as we shall see, it isn't devoid of cun ning) - White doesn't even attempt to utilize T. Reich - Dolmatov his lead in development, however slight. I had Passau 1996 expected 8 d4. 8 •.. 0-0 9 l2'lbd2'i!ie7 10 b3 (D) "The main sensitive spot in Black's position is his far-advanced passed pawn on e3. White threatens to attack it by moving his knight away from c3. There is also another way of assailing B the pawn: 25 'Lie6 ..ixe6 26 l:!.xe3. Dolmatov's opponent is sure to have been banking on these threats above all else." (Dvoretsky). With all this in mind, Dolmatov played: 24 •.. g5!! This move sets White a trap, but not sensing the danger, he played: 25 'Lie6? Admittedly, Black would also have the ad vantage after 25 'Lih3 g4. However, after 25 At this point I realized it was time to 'wake l2Jfe2 or 25 l2'ld3, the attack on the e3-pawn up' and anticipate where the game was going, would subsequently have given White enough before I stumbled into the abyss. It's obvious counterplay to level the chances. how White is going to finish his development: In the game there followed: i.b2,.l:!.a cl, J:lfdl, ii'c2,l2'lc4, with l2Jxd6to fol 25 ..•..ixe6 26 J:!.xe3 l2'lg4!! 0-1 low - or, if the dark-squared bishop leaves the It emerges that 27 l:Ixe6 is met by 27 ...l2'lf2+ a3-f8 diagonal, White plays .i.a3. 28 'lt>gl lLlxdl, and 27 fxg4 by 27 .....ixg4 28 Exercise 59: What is Black to do? Devise a ktxe7 ..ixdl 29 l:txe8 l:!.xe8, winning for Black game plan and the corresponding arrangement in either case. White therefore resigned. of the black pieces. (For the answer, see page 123.) Stopkin - Kosikov Independence Cup, Kiev 2003 To sum up the foregoing chapter, I would like to state this conclusion: A trap is a power 1 l2'lf3 l2'lf6 2 g3 dS 3 ..ig2 c6 4 c4 dxc4 5 ful strategic weapon, and the correct handling �c2 l2'lbd7 of it can bring a player considerabledividends. 120 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY l!xb4+ (32... 1:.ec8 33 c3 !? .l:!xc3 34 l:.e2! is Answers to Exercises for pleasant for White) and now Kasparov gave 33 Chapter 4 'it>cl f5 with equality, but 33 'it>c3.l:.c4+ 34 'it>b3 is more testing. 28•.• axb4 29 axb4 Exercise 49 Probably 29 tt::lxb4, consenting to peace ne gotiations, would have been more sensible. 29 ...:c4 30 tt::lb6?? By now White has clearly lost his bearings. w Instead, the four-rook ending after 30 tt::lxe7 .l:.8c7! 31 tt::ld5 i.xd5 is most unpleasant for White, so 30 c3 was probably the best try. 30 ... l:txb4+ 31 Wa3 ltxc2!! ... nine, ten. Out! All is now plain, and there is nothing more White can do about it. 32 .l:.xc2 .l:i.b3+ 33 'it>a2 .I.te3+ 0-1 (Now return to page 106.) Exercise 51 White's combinative vision fell short: 23 tt::lc5? 'ii'b5!? Good enough, but 23 ...tt::l xf4 ! 24 gxf4 �b5 is a more accurate execution of the same idea. w 24 �xb5 tt::lc3+! 25 bxc3 1:.xd1+ 26 l;Ixdl I;lxdl+ 27 '1t>b2axb5 28 tt::ld4? 28 tt::lxe6 puts up more resistance. 28 ... bxc3+ 29 'it>xc3 b4+! 0-1 A knight perishes for good measure. (Now return to page 105.) Exercise 50 In the game, there followed: 27 i.d3? w Evidently under fatigue from the foregoing course of the fight, White makes a mistake which decides the game. The right move is 27 i.d1!, after which 27 ....l:txb7 28 l:!.xe3 fxe3 29 c5 dxc5 30 bxc5 .I:.c7 31 c6 i.xc6 32 dxc6 .l:!xc6 33 i.b3+ 'it>h7 34 tt::ld4 ki.d635 l2Jxb5.Ud2 gives approximate equality. 27 ... ki.xb7 28 .l:.xe3 And now instead of 28 ...fxe 3? 29 c5!, on which White had probably been counting, Black 28 b4? played: White falls into the trap. After 28 tt::lxe7! lte8 28 ...bxc4 ! 29 b4 axb4 30 axb4 .l:tc4 31 tt::ld5, the only ques "Black renounces the win of the exchange, tion is whether Black can survive: 3l...i.xd5 but on the other hand he stops his opponent (3l ...lb8 32 c3 .l:tc6 33 .l:.al gives White every from obtaining two connected passed pawns." chance of victory; 31....l:tec8 32 c3 i.xd5 33 (Botvinnik). ki.xd5 is the same as the next bracket) 32 .l:.xd5 29 lte7 WA RNING - TRA P AHEAD! 121 29 �xc4 fxe3 is also hopeless for White. 'ifxd8 and now White has a choice of moves 29 ••• cxd3 30 tt:le1 .!:i.f7 31 l:txf7 �xf7 32 that retain a decisive plus, of which 50 'iVf4 is tt:lxd3 .i.bS 33 l:td1 .i.xd3 34 .l:Ixd3 Itxb4 35 the most convincing. However, there are other Ild1 �a4 36 !td2 �637 h4 approaches, most notably 45 g5 !, which neu There is no salvation in 37 Ile2 l:te4! 38 tralizes Black's main idea, as after 45 ...l:txh3 lbe4 fxe4 39 a4 c;.t>e5 40 a5 �xd5, as the black 46 �xh3, White's king has the g4-square at its king is in the square of the a-pawn. disposal. 37 •••g6 38 �g1 �e5 0-1 (Now returnto page 110.) (Now return to page 106.) Exercise 54 Exercise 52 B Honestly admitting to myself that my posi It was only after 58 •.. l:tg2+that White real tion could well be inferior, I started looking for ized, to his surprise and dismay, that the e-file a way out of the current situation. And I discov was a minefield for his king because of a rook ered a solution. check: 59 c;.t>el?! l:txg6 60 e7?? .!:i.e6+ and The game continued: 6I... ..t>xc8. 22 axb4 Therefore, in view of the repetition with 59 We should note that a number of other moves ..t>c3 .l:Ig3+ 60 �d2, a draw was immediately are possible here, such as 22 c7, when White agreed. may be able to play for an advantage. (Now return to page 108.) 22 .•.'i!Vx b4 Attacking the b2-pawn, so a forced move Exercise 53 follows: 23 l:te2 And further: 23 •••l:tfc8 24 .U.a4 iVb5 25 !tc4! (D) w One way is 45 !td8!? .l:.xh3 (45 .. J:tcl 46 llxf8+ ..t>xf8 47 'iWc5+ and 48 l:hc l) 46 ..t>xh3 'iWhl + 47 iVh2 'iVxf3+ 48 ..t>xh4 iVf6+ 49 g5 122 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY 'Wait,' you may be saying in astonishment. pawn on h7 are en prise. Loss of either of these 'Didn't we just look at this line and reject it?' units is tantamount to defeat. Did we look at it? Ye s! Did we rej ect it? No! At this point, I should apologize for the dubi When earlier analysing the position that we ous signs awarded to White's earlier play, such now have before us, I had managed to unearth as his 19th and 21st moves. Objectively, these some hidden resources, imperceptible at first moves do not deserve such harsh criticism, but sight but associated with the defects of Black's this was necessary to place the reader in a pessi game. mistic state of mind, and so force you to try to When the position arose, Zubov almost in assess the position objectively in spite of an un stantly reached for the bishop on e5 to deliver justly negative prognosis. his blow. But something stopped him. He took Black chose: his hand away and started thinking, probably 26 •••il.e5 (D) wondering why things were proving so easy for He would lose at once with 26 ...il.f6 27 him. Had I really blundered? Or perhaps I had �xh7+ 'it>f8 28 il.c5 !. just resigned myself to the loss of a pawn? Not wishing to disturb him, or rather worry ing that my agitation might 'scare him off', I walked away from the board and awaited my w fate from a distance. Seven or eight minutes passed before my opponent made his move. Re turning quickly to the board, I discovered with amazement, delight and suspicion (could I have missed something?) that he had played: 25 .•.i.xb2 ?? We have already come across cases where the evaluation of the position abruptly changes in favour of one side or the other. And we said that even a transformation for the better can 27 �xh7+ 'it>f8 28 kte1 �xc6 have an adverse effectif the player loses his ob The desperado pawn has met its end after all, jectivity. but at what a cost to the opponent! The move So it is in the present situation - Black has played loses by force, but it is hard to suggest decided that he virtually has a won game al anything better. ready. But this is wrong. White's preceding in 29 Jl.g5 f6 30 il.h6 gxh6 31 �g4 �d5 32 accuracies have merely enabled Black to obtain .tl.g7 1-0 a more or less tenable game, no more than that. (Now return to page 111.) After 25 ...�ab8 (25 ...a5 26 b3) 26 il.a7 l::ta8 27 il.e3, the game could have ended in a draw Exercise 55 by repetition (though White is not obliged to go in for this). At the present moment Black has al lowed his effort to slacken, and as a result his sense of danger is dulled. B The unexpected continuation is lethal: 26 �h4! Psychologically, the reason why this move was unexpected was that, in a position where time is critical, the white rook has permitted it self the 'luxury' of three moves in a row, a1-a4- c4-h4, two of which, moreover, were along the fourth rank. The upshot is that 26 �h4! proves to be a crafty dual attack - the bishop on b2 and the There followed: WA RNING - TRA P AHEAD! 123 24 .. J!!.xe1+ 25 l:.xe1 l:te2! 0-1 Exercise 58 Faced with loss of material, White could only resign at once. (Now returnto page 112.) w Exercise 56 w Mak:arychev didn't believe his opponent's pawn sacrifice, and accepted it. The continua tion was: 10 ctJd4?! .i.xc4! 11 f4 ? It wasn't too late to back out by playing 11 The correct choice was 39 'it>e3 followed by .i.xc4 lt:Jxc4 12 lt:Jcb5 a6 13 �xc4 axb5 14 .l:tb3, attacking the pawn on b5 and retaining �xb5, though even then Black's position is chances of equalizing. preferable. In the game White played 39 �g4?, and af ll... .i.xe2 12 fxe5 .i.xfl 13 exf6 �xf6 14 ter 39 ..•e5 40 Wxh4 ( 40 �f5 is answered by lt:Je4 �e7! 15 �xfl .i.xd4 16 exd4 .l:!.fe8 0-1 40 ...l:!.xd4 41 .l:txd4exd4 42 'it>f4 f5 and the king (Now return to page 114.) and pawn ending is lost for White) 40 •.•l:txd4+ 41 .l:!.xd4 exd4 42 �g4 d3 43 'iii>f3 d4! 0-1 he Exercise 59 had to resign in view of the inescapable zug zwang. (Now returnto page 113.) Exercise 57 B A line that might suggest itself is 10 ...l:!.e8, fo llowed by bringing the knight from d7 to f8. But what then? The queen's bishop has to be developed. Where to? To g4? But after that, what is Black to do with the knight on f8? In In the game, there followed: any case, White's strategic threat - �c2 and 37• ..lt::le2+ 38 �h1 .i.c3! 0-1 lt:Jc4, as already indicated - is looking much Quite unexpectedly, the white queen turns more dangerous. Black may of course play out to be snared and perishes. White therefore 10 ...l:!.e8 and see what happens: if 11 �c2 then immediately resigned. 11... lt:Jb6, provisionally neutralizing White's (Now returnto page 1 13.) threat (12 lt:Jc4 lt:Jxc4). But a strong player 124 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY should anticipate events, not submit to them! From the strategic viewpoint, it is becoming clear that Black's chief problem at this stage is B his backwardness in development, associated above all with his undeveloped light-squared bishop. The game continued: 10... lt:lb6 11 "i¥c2 i.g4 12 .i.b2 (D) Now have a careful think about what move you would play as Black. out some variations that could subsequently B arise, and unexpectedly discovered an amusing trap over the distant horizon. Of course, my opponent was not obliged to fall for it. It was a fair distance ahead, and on the way to it there were plenty of chances to de viate - but no matter. The main thing was that the trap looked perfectly natural and was con sistent with Black's general plan. So the game continued: 16 ...i..g4! 17 Z1e1a4 18 lt:le4 There followed: If White had played 18 lt:lc4 here, the trap 12 .••lt:lfd7 ! could no longer have worked. Well, never mind. It is only with this continuation that Black's I would then have had to look for other ways of piece arrangement and his plan of action be fighting for the initiative. come comprehensible. In the fight for the ini 18... Ji.b4! tiative, after appropriate preparation, you need It was essential to make this move with to make contact with the opponent, and this tempo, which was the point of inducing 17 .l:lel should be done first of all by the pawns! with 16... .i.g4 !. With this move, Black intends ...f5 and then 19 i.c3 axb3 20 axb3 .i.xc3 21 "i¥xc3 ....l::!.ae8 (we now see why 10 ....l::!. e8, 'just to see About five minutes after making this move, what happens', would have been a planless White offered a draw (which isn't strictly cor move) and possibly ..."i¥f 7-h5. You get the rect practice in the opponent's thinking time), feeling that it will soon be time to ask who ac not even imagining that for quite a while I had tually stands better. When play is conducted been calling the tune. After double-checking according to plan, the devil himself holds no that there were no 'holes' in the trap I was set terrors ! ting, I played: 13 4Jc4 lt:lxc4 14 "i¥xc4 21... .l:!.xa 1 If 14 bxc4, then 14... f5 !. Full of 'righteous indignation', Stopkin in 14... i.e6 15 "i¥c1?! stantly replied: This move is directed against the exchange 22 l:txa1 (D) of dark-squared bishops (15 "i¥c2 Si.a3), but it All his body language said that rejecting the doesn't look altogether natural. draw was, to say the least, a rash decision on my 15 ...a5!? part. Now why not try to exploit our chances on White should have played 22 "iVxal instead, the queenside too? although even then, after 22 ..."i¥b4 23 "i¥c3 16 lt:ld2 (D) "i¥xc3 24 lt:lxc3 l:ta8, Black's advantage would At this juncture, not without pleasure (by now be obvious in view of his control of the only I very much liked the position), I was working open file. WA RNING - TRA P AHEAD! 125 26 .•.�d6! 27 ctJf3 i..xf3 28 .ixf3 e4 I could have picked up a second pawn by B 28 ...�xd4 29 �xd4 exd4 30 .l:!.e7 l:td8,but with a material plus and a position that was defi nitely won, I wanted to play a little more safely - especially since after 30 .l:i.dl (instead of 30 �e7) some distinct technical difficulties could arise for Black. 29 ..tg2 (D) Do you see what White has overlooked? B Believe it or not, I had analysed this very po sition when calculating the variations at move 16. Of course 22 ...i.. xe2? (the trap White has been preparing) would be bad here in view of 23 f3 ! f5 24 ctJf2�c5? (24 ...f4 25 g4 e4 is nec essary, but Black is fighting for equality rather than an advantage) 25 �d2, and the bishop per ishes. But unexpectedly for Stopkin, there followed: 22 .•.f5 ! Some elementary prophylactic thinking sug Now after 23 ctJd2, Black can take the pawn: gests that White's plans (especially considering 23 ...i.. xe2 24 f3? �c5+ (or 24 ...�d6 !?). his present emotional state) involve undermin However, White composed himself and ing the e4-pawn by f3 . quickly replied: This continuation didn't frighten me, far from 23 �c4+? it - I wanted this pawn-break, which weakens And yet this is just the moment when he White's king position, to be carried out. ought not to have rushed. After one oversight, For that reason, instead of 29 ...ctJf6 (fortify further blunders may ensue - which is just what ing the e4-point), I played an 'inoffensive' happens in this game. Fortunately, my oppo move: nent wasn't familiar with my theory of 'serial 29 •••.l:!. d8 30 f3?! ctJf6 31 fx e4 fxe4 errors'. Now (as at move 24), White perceived the The least of the various evils was 23 f3 . Then truth too late: the intended 32 i..xe4 is not met after 23 ...fxe4 (23 ...i.. h5 is also good) 24 fxg4 by 32 ...�xd4+ 33 �xd4 !lxd4 34 .ig2 with exd3 25 exd3 (25 �xd3 �c5+ 26 '>t>hl ctJf6) drawing chances, but by 32 ....l:i.e8 ! 33 �d3 �e7, 25 ...�c5+ 26 �xc5 ctJxc5, White would retain winning a piece. some saving chances. So we see that a trap can be employed suc 23••• '>t>h8 cessfully in a won position too, provided of White realized only now that on the planned course that it fits in with the plan we are pursu reply 24 ctJc3, his queen would be caught by ing. 24 ...ctJb 6!. He had to resign himself to losing a The remaining moves of the game were: pawn: 32 .l:td1 h6!? 33 �f7 �b4 34 .ih3 24 ctJd2 i..xe2 25 �e1 .ih526 d4?! This attempt to work up some activity at any Although White's position is hopeless and cost merely hastens the end. 'anything goes', he should nonetheless have re 34 .•.�c3 35 �c7 �e3+ 36 <>t>n .l::tf8 0-1 frained from this impulsive move. (Now return to page 119.) 5 Opposite Bishops in the Middlegame Nothing is simpler than the game of chess. All you have to learnis how to solve the problemof the three 'W's ' correctly: Which piece to place B on Which square, and When. When there are no pieces on the board other than opposite-coloured bishops and pawns, the weaker side should as a rule defend passively, seeking to construct a fortress on the colour squares that the enemy bishop cannot attack. In the middlegame, in the majority of cases, the presence of opposite bishops makes the de fender's task harder. This is because he lacks Kasparov - Karpov the chance to eliminate or exchange his oppo Wo rld Ch match (game 6), nent's bishop, which participates actively - to New Yo rk/Lyons I990 gether with other pieces - in the attack on the squares opposite to the defending bishop's col Exercise 60: Choose between the candidate our. moves 36... f6 and 36 ...� g8. In a middlegame with opposite bishops it is (For the answer, see page 149.) imperative to seize the initiative at almost any cost and compel your opponent to go over to defence. It is important to observe that the advantage in an opposite-bishop middlegame is of a long w term static character, since the weaker side (as we have said) doesn't have the chance to ex change bishops. This is why even a stubborn defence will often prove susceptible to inaccu racies and errors. Bishop Power In a middlegame with opposite-coloured bish Razuvaev - Sigurjonsson ops, the chieffa ctor determining the assessment Cienfuegos 1975 of the position is the activity of the bishops. In most cases the advantage belongs to the player This position can be assessed as strategically whose bishop is stronger. won for White because, thanks to the opposite In support of this, let us examine some ex bishops, he has the more active pieces and prac amples of a standard type of position with a tically an extra pawn. backward pawn. 28 �g2 .i:i.b8 29 h5! .tg5 30 'ifd3 .l:!.b6 OPPOSITE BISHOPS IN THE MIDDLEGAME 127 30... i.e7 is a more stubborn defence, al whether the problem of activating the bishop though even then, after 31 �a6, White will can be solved. gradually achieve the same set-up as in the game. 31 .l:ta5 li.b8 32 �a6 i.e7 33 �d5 i.f8 34 .l:ta4 �d7 35 �as �b7 (D) This loses, but 35 ...�c7 36 l:la6! �d7 37 �a5 would have the same consequences. w Spassky - Simagin USSR Ch, Moscow 1961 It may look as if White's position is quite ac ceptable: the protected passed pawn on d5 gives his light-squared bishop a secure post. This 36 �xb7 lixb7 37 i.d5 l:lc7 38 l:lb5 .:l.xc2 might indeed be the case, were it not for the 39 l:Ixb4 J::.c7 40 �b8 l:ta7 41 b4 1-0 main strategic factor in the position - opposite bishops in the middlegame. In fact, White's True, in positions of this kind the stronger 'beautiful' bishop is completely useless. For side doesn't always achieve the win so easily. this reason, once Black has solved the problem In this game, in contrast to the two preceding of activating his own bishop, the outcome of the positions, Black was able to draw quickly and game is a foregone conclusion. easily. 36 ... i.d8! Planning ...i.c7 and ...cxb4. 37 bxc5 bxc5 38 l:Ib1? A very superficial decision, based on a weak B prognosis of how the game will go. The white rook may be on the only open file, but on the queenside there is nothing to do - everything has to be decided on the kingside. 38••• i.c7 39 i.a4e4! 40 dxe4 fxe4 41 �xf7+ .Uxf7 42 i.d1 Simagin gives the variation 42 �xe4 �xg3 43 �g2 �e3 ! 44 l:lglWh8 (threatening 45 ... .:f2) 45 �fl l:hfl+46 �xfl Wg7 47 ..id7 �d2 ! 48 �g l �e2 and Black wins. Kapengut - Timoshchenko 42 ...e3 USSR Ch First League, Ashkhabad 1978 The threat is 43 ...l:lf2. 43 ..tf3 h4! 44 l:Ifl Exercise 61 : What helped him to do this? If 44 g4 or 44 gxh4, then 44 ...llxf3. (For the answer, see page 149.) 44 ...hxg3 45 �e2 �e5 46 Wg2 i.a5 47 .l:!.b1 �h6?! In the 'middlegame with opposite bishops' The immediate 47 ....l:!.xf3 ! is more incisive, category there are naturally many other posi as Black wins after 48 �xf3 �f5+ or 48 �xf3 tions where the fate of the game depends on e2. 128 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEG Y 48 l:tb3?! more enduring problems) 20 ...bxc4 21 bxc4 White should try 48 d6, though his chances �xc4 22 i.xd6 �xa2 23 'ifc5 �d5 24 �a7 ! are hardly attractive, of course. �xd6 25 �bl would suit White perfectly. 48 .•. i.d249 .l:!b6.l:!.xf3 50 l:!.e6 20 c4 If 50 �xf3 then 50... 'ifh5+, while 50 �xf3 Not 20 �xa6?? l:ta8. loses to 50 ...e2 51 �f8+ �g5 52 'i!Vd8+ �h5. 20 •.•bxc4 21 bxc4 �xc4 22 d5! i.xd5 50 ...�xe6 51 dxe6 l:.f2+52 �xg3 22 ...cxd5 is met by 23 l:tc1. Alternatively, 52 �xf2 gxf2 and now 53 23 l.te7+ �c8 24 i.xd6 .l:Id7 25 �b2 l.txe7 �fl Wg7 or 53 e7 e2. 26 �b8+ 1-0 52.. J:txe2 53 e7 l:lg2+! 54Wxg2 e2 55 e8� On 26 ...�d7 White plays 27 �c7+ We6 28 el� 56 �f8+ �h5 57 �xeS+ i.g5 0-1 �xe7+ Wf5 29 �e5+ �g6 30 �xh8. Of course, the terms 'good bishop' and 'bad bishop' are applicable to opposite-bishop rnid dlegames just as they are to other positions. w Here, it is true, these concepts are endowed with a different sense. "The main thing fo r the bishop is its prospect of participating in an attack. This fa ctor oft en has a decisive bearing on the evaluation of the position." (Dvoretsky). Yu dasin - Sagalchik Kemerovo 1995 If Black's pawn were on c7 instead of c6, his chances would be no worse. 16 'iVb4! The difference in activity between the bish ops already begins to tell. Now on 16 ...�b5 White would have the pleasant choice between going into an ending with an extra pawn ( 17 Prasad - Sax i.xd6 �xb4 18 i.xb4, when 18... l:!.xd4?? is im Interzonal tournament, Subotica 1987 possible due to 19 i.c3),and keeping the queens on with 17 �a3 !?. The difference in activity between the bish 16•.• �d5 17 b3 h5 ops is perceptible. This indeed decides the out White could answer 17... f5 with 18 f4, leav come. ing the black bishop deprived of its support. An 25 ..• f5 ! 26 .l:!.e2 llac8! even stronger answer would be 18 c4! �xd4 19 Bringing his last reserves into play and pre l::tadl �c5 20 �d2. venting c5. 18 l:tadl! b5 27 .l:.fl?! After 18 ...c5 19 dxc5 �xc5 20 'ifd2White 's White displays a weak sense of danger. His advantage is near-decisive. poor anticipation of events means that he loses 19 �a3 �c7 control over them. He had to resolve on the rad The variation l9... h4 20 c4! (20 �xa6+!? ical continuation 27 g4. forces 20... �d7, when 21 c4 bxc4 22 bxc4 27 .. JUS 28 �h6 .l:i.ce829 .l::[fel �c7 30 �h3 �xc4 23 �a7+ �e8 24 d5 may give White no Wg7 31 i.bl �c5! 32 �f3 �d4 33 �d3 �h4 more than a draw, but 21 i.e5 !? poses Black 34 g3 �h5 35 c5 OPPOSITE BISHOPS IN THE MIDDLEGAME 129 White's queenside initiative clearly lags be Black wasn't able to solve his problems with hind; Black has already achieved too much on 34 ....l:!.b6 in view of the total paralysis of the the kingside. rook on a7. 35 .••f4 ! 36 gxf4 .l:!.xf4 37 l:!.g2l:!.h4 38 l:tee2 35 'it>g2b4 36 iie5 l:lc737 l1dd6 .l:i.xc6 38 .txh2! 39 lhh2 nxe2 0-1 �xc6 iid839 .tg4 �b7 With 39 ...'i/d5+ 40 iixd5 exd5 41 l:.xh6 Black loses material without solving any of his problems. 40 il.xe6 fxe6 41 iixe6+ 1-0 w Kasparov - H. Olafsson Dubai Olympiad 1986 From the standpoint of 'classical' criteria, Black's bishop in this position cannot be called Kamsky - Kasparov 'bad'. Yet in the context of the opposite-bishop Manila Olympiad 1992 middlegame it is nothing but an idler. Further more, Black's pieces have completely lost their Black's advantage is decisive on account of coordination, while they are faced with the max his more active bishop and the possibility of imum activity of all their white counterparts. launching a mating attack against White's weak 26 'ii'b6! 'ife7 27 l:tc6 .i.e5 28 ii.f3 Itb8 29 ened king position. Add to this the fact that 'tWaS! White's bishop cannot help in the defence of the Attacking the a6-pawn. dark squares, and Kasparov's attack is bound to 29 •.• ii.c7 30iic3 succeed. The coordination of Black's pieces is not im 31 'ile2 proving! Or 31 b3 l:tc8 32 'it>c2 .U.xc4+ 33 bxc4 1;lb2+ 30••• .l:.b6 31 h4! g6 32 l:Ic5 1:f.b833 h5 g5 34 and the attack breaks through. .l:tc6(D) 31 ..•"ii a7 32 .l::[c1 1Ia8 33 b3 Now the dark squares in White's camp be come hopelessly weak, but there was already no defence. B 33 •••ii.f 4 34 'it>c2 .l:te7 35d3 'ii' "iic5 36 l:tb1 lte337 iid4 .l:ta2+ 38 'it>d1 Or 38 .l::tb2 .l:txb2+ 39 "iixb2 ..te5 40 "iia2 .Uc3+. 38..• .l::. xf3 An even stronger line is 38... .l::[ e8 39 .:d3 'ii'b4 40 "iic3 'ii'xc3 41 l:txc3 .l:td2+ 42 'it>c l l:Ie1 #, but this makes no difference to the result of the game. 39 iixf4 l:f.xf4 40 l:txa2 'ii'g1+ 41 �c2 34 •..il.b6 'ii'xh2+ 0-1 130 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY The Initiative "In a middlegame with opposite bishops, it is most important to seize the initiative at any cost and compel the opponent to defend. " (Dvor etsky). w Boleslavsky - Sterner Sweden - USSR match, Stockholm 1954 The considerable difference in the activity of the pieces, especially the opposite bishops, means that White's position is definitelyprefer able. The only question is whether his advan tage is sufficient to win. Yusupov - A. Sokolov 38 .l::i.d1 ii.c7 39'iVd7 l:!.f840 e5 WVb6? Candidates match (game 4 ), In time-trouble, on the last move before the Riga /986 control, Black commits what the subsequent events will show to be a very significant error, With opposite bishops and Black's king ex leading to the loss of a most important tempo. posed, White must seek to take the initiative After the correct 40 ...'ti'b 8! 41 f4 .ia5, fol immediately, while Black needs to evacuate his lowed by bringing the bishop via c3 to d4, king or else secure a fair share of the initiative Black should not lose. himself. As 20 WVf3 ..id4 21 ..ib7.l::!. c7 22 .l:i.fel + 41 f4 'iVb8 42 h4! Wf8 promises White no advantage, he sharpens To quote Boleslavsky: "With the participa the play, and an interesting battle ensues: tion of this modest pawn, the attack on the king 20 b4!? cxb4 becomes irresistible." The variation 20 ...WVxd l ?! 21 .l::!.fxdl c4 22 42 ••• .ia5 b5 0-0 23 .l::i.d7 is wholly to White's liking. Or 42 ...g6 43 e6 fxe6 44 f5 ! .l:.d8 (44 ...gxf5 21 I:txc8+ WVxc8 22 WVd6.i.e7 23 WVe5WVc3 ! 45 .1Lxe6+ '.t>h8 46 ii.xf5 .l:.xf5 47 'iVxf5) 45 24 WVb8+ .idS 25 ..ic6+ 'iVxe6+ �g7 46 f6+ Wh8 (46 ...�h6 47 .l:Ixd8) On 25 .i:tdl Black has 25 ...0- 0!. 47 lifl!? (or 47 l:!.d7 !) 47 ... 'iVh2 48 'iVe7'iVd4+ 25 •••We7 ! 49 llf2 'iVai+ 50 .in llg8 51 f7. Not 25 ...WVxc6? 26 WVe5+. 43 h5 .ic3?! 26 l:ld1 �f6! 27 ..ia4 The most stubborn line is 43 ...'iVb4 44 e6, If 27 lhd8 then 27 ...WVc l+. and now: 27 .•. Wg7! 28 WVxa7 a) 44 ...fxe6 45 'iVxe6+ '.t>h8 46 Wie7 l:!.b8 Or 28 l:lxd8 WVe l+ 29 �g2 WVe4+ 30 f3 (46 ...Wib8 47 h6 .i.c3 48 l:!.d7 .i.d4+ 49 l:!.xd4) WVe2+ 31 Wh3 WVn+ and now 32 �h4 WVc4+ re 47 h6 'iVc3 48 l:!.d7 l:!.bl+ (48 ...Wic l+ 49 .i.fl) peats because White must avoid 33 g4? l:txd8 49 '.t>h2 .l:.hl+ 50 Wxhl Wic l+ 51 Wh2 'iVxf4+ 34 WVxd8 'ti'f4!. Note that after 32 Wg4? h5+!, 52 '.t>gl'iVc l + 53 SLfl and White wins. Black has all the winning chances. b) 44... 'iVxc445 e7 Wie6 46 exf8Wi+�xf8 47 28 •.• WVf6 29 WVd4 ..ie7 30 'iVxf6+ �xf6 31 'ti'a7 ! (better than 47 'iVxe6) 47... .i.b6 (47... 'iVb6 .l:!.d7 .Ud8 32 l:lb7 h5 33 h4 .l:!d2 34 ..ib3 .i:i.e2 48 WVa8+ '.t>e7 49 l:!.al!) 48 Wib8+ '.t>e7 49.l:!.bl 35 �n .l:.e5 36 l:!.c7 l:tc5 37 �d7 l:!.e5 38 .idS .idS 50 Wia7+ and again White wins. �g7 39 Ji.b3 Wf8 40 l:lb7 .l:.e4 41 l:!.c7 lf2.lf2 44 .l:!.d6! 'iVb1+ OPPOSITE BISHOPS IN THE MIDDLEGAME 131 "Or 44... h6 45 'iVf5, with threats of 46 i..d3 or 46 .l:i.xh6." 45 'it>h2 h6 46 'iVxf7+! .l:txf7 47 !IdS+ 'it>h7 w 4S i..xf7 1-0 This is bound to remind us that some people call chess 'a tragedy of one tempo' . Vikulov - Dvoretsky Moscow 1971 Black's advantage lies in his superior pawn structure and chances to seize the open file. 19 f3 i..b7 20 'iVc2cS 21 i..c3 l:td7 22 a4?! Wi th opposite bishops in the middlegame, it is most effective to play on the side of the board Karpov - Ta l where the kings reside. Bugojno I 980 A better option is therefore 22 l:tfd1 .l:.ad8 23 .Uxd7 'iVxd7, although in that case too Black's Although the queens are no longer on the advantage is quite noticeable. board, there are still plenty of pieces left, and 22 .••.l:.adS 23 aS �gS 24 .l:i.ae1 the main point is that in these middlegame con Not 24 f4 ? .:i.d2. ditions, the presence of opposite bishops makes 24 ...l:!.d3 25 axb6 axb6 26 �b2 the black king's position most uncomfortable. 26 i..d4? is strongly met by 26 ....l::!. 8xd4 27 22 f3 4Jf623 i..d6+ 'it>b6 24 c4! ItacS exd4 l:td2. It was worth considering 24 ....l::i. ad8, aiming 26... -tas subsequently to reduce White's attacking po 26 ....i:t8d7 ! is better. tential by exchanges. 27 h3 hS 2S 'iVc2 i..b7 29 .l:te2 .l:!.Sd7 30 Wh1 25 cxbS axbS 26 a4! .l:!.cdS27 axbS �d7 2S Or 30 'iVb2i..a6. .l:!.d4! l:tedS 29 Itad1 .l:i.cS 30 ...i.. a6 31 'iVa4 After 29 ...g5? 30 i..e7! .l:i.xd4 31 i..xd8+ 31 i.b2 can be answered with the simple 'it>c5 32 .l::i.xd4 'it>xd433 i.xf6+,White wins. 31...l:txe3. 30 i..eS.l:.e7 31..Jhc3 32 'iVxa6 The endgame after 30 .. Jhd4 31 i.xd4+ Or 32 �xd7 i..xc4. 'it>xb5 32 i.xf6 gxf6 33 l:td7 is hopeless for 32 ...'iVdS 33'iVa1 Black. A good answer to 33 'it>h2is 33 ...h4 followed 31 ltd6+ 'it>xbS 32 .l:.b1+'it>c4 by 34 ...l:!.d 1 or 34 ....l::i. d2. Other moves also lose: 32 ...'it>a5 33 l:i.d2.l:.c4 33 ....l::!. xc4 34 .U.a2 'iVgS 35 liaS+ 'it>h7 36 34 .l:!.a2+ l:ta4 35 i..c3+ or 32 ...'it>c5 33 4Jd3+ 'iVb1+ 'iVg6 37 g4 Wc4 34 .l:tb4#. If 37 'iVxb6, then 37 ...l:.c2 38 .l:i.g1 �dl. 33 l:td4+ WcS 37 ...hxg4 3S hxg4?! Or 33 ...'it>c3 34 .l:.d3+ 'it>c2 35 l:tb2+'it>c1 36 Exchanging queens was more stubborn. lZ:le2#. 3S .. J:tc2 39 'it>g1 l:Idd2 0-1 34 4Jd3+ 1-0 (Notes based on comments by Dvoretsky.) The presence of major pieces on the board In middlegame positions with opposite bish fa vours the strongerside. ops, you must endeavour to seize the initiative 132 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRA TEGY at all costs. Possession of the initiative in such 28 •• .'li'xe6 29 l:td4 �e7 30 l:.xc4 �b7 31 positions is a serious asset. Hence the initiative l:l.fc1 .l:td732 l:l.c8 1-0 is worth more than pawns! w w Beliavsky - Cebalo Ghinda - Kindermann Slovenian Te am Ch, Bled 1998 Th essaloniki Olympiad 1984 White's advantage is obvious. But in order to The evaluation of the position seems unclear develop an initiative, you have to attack your at first, until you hit on the idea of a pawn sacri opponent's weaknesses. Where are they? fice bringing the light-squared bishop to life. The first one is the pawn on d6. 37 d6!? l:txd6?! 24 J::i.d3 �b6 Not 37 ...�xd6?? 38 'i{ib7 g6 39 h6. Black's Perhaps 24 ...l:!.d8 first is better. most resilient reply is 37 ... .l:tb8, simply pre 25 �d2 .l:t.d8 26 b4! venting 'i{ib7 and challenging White to find an The initiative has to be paid fo r! other productive course of action. 26 ••Jh c4 38 'i{ib7 e4 Declining the pawn sacrifice also turns out Or 38 ...'i{ia7 39 .l:txg7. badly: 26 .. Jk6 27 c5 �b8 28 �a2+ Wf8 29 39 l:l.gxe4 'i{ixh5 �e6 with a very strong attack. On 39 ...j,f6 ? White has 40 'i{if7 ! (not 40 27 �a2 �c7 (D) l:l.e8? l:.dl+!) 40 ...l:l.dd8 41 t!.e8, winning; if Black also loses with 27 ...�xb4 28 j,e2! d5 39 ....l::!. dd8 then 40 h6. 29 l:l.xd5. 40 'i{ie7 l:i.dd8 41 l:l.h4 But not 41 .l::!.xd4? l:l.de8 42 l:tf4 .l:lg8!. 41... 'i{if5 White wins after 41...'i{ic5? 42 .l:.ehl l:tfl+ w 43 Wa2 or 41...'i{ig6?42 .l:!xd4 .l:tde8 43 �h4. 42 l:teh1 j,f6 42 ...l:tf e8? 43 l:l.xd4or 42 ...l:l.de8? 43 l:l.xh7+ 'i{ixh7 44 l:txh7+ Wxh7 45 'i{ih4+ and 'i{ixd4. 43 l:l.xh7+ �xh7 44 l:l.xh7+ 'iit>xh7 45 �c5! (D) After the exchange of two rooks for the queen, White's attack still continues. In the middlegame (and a game still has strong middlegame characteristics if the queen Now on 28 l:id4? he was intending 28... d5. has a minor piece on its side and there are two 28 j,e6+!! rooks and a minor piece opposing it), the queen But here is the second weakness, the second nearly always proves stronger than two rooks, object of attack! It is the black king. as it is more mobile. OPPOSITE BISHOPS IN THE MIDDLEGAME 133 identified the truly critical lines, then by all means analyse them more deeply. And once B you have done this, check if you have uncov ered any useful ideas or tactical themes that may affect the evaluation of earlier branches of your tree of analysis or suggest completely new candidate moves. B 45 •.•g6 46 'ifxa5 .l::!.d4 47 'iVc7+�h6 48 �a2 g5 49 i..c4! g4 50 ii.d3 i..g7 51 'iVe7! l:.f6 52 'iVe3+ White could also play 52 'ife l �g5 53 'iVe5+. 52.•. .l::t df4 53 aS l:I£854 'ife6+ l:i.8f6 55 'iVg8 .Uf7 56 a6 �g5 57 'ifd8+ �h5 58 'ifa5+ 1-0 Exercise 62: What would you play for Black in this position? w (For the answer, see page 150.) What is completely unacceptable is a case where we ourselves - in pursuit of material gains - offer our opponent the chance to seize the ini tiative in an opposite-bishop middlegame. Klovans - Kosikov Tbilisi 1974 Simagin - Chistiakov 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 'Llc3 .i.b4 4 e5 c5 5 a3 Moscow 1946 .i.xc3+ 6 bxc3 'Lle7 7 'Llf3 'iVc7 8 a4 'Llbc6 9 .ie2 cxd4 10 cxd4 'Llb4 11 0-0 'iVxc2 12 'iVel "The position is so sharp that the black pawn (D) is a triviality, and it isn't worth wasting time capturing it." (Vladimir Simagin). 26 'iVf2! c3! The initiative is more important than a pawn! B 27 i..xc3 .l:i.xa4 Attacking the f4 -pawn. 28 'iVh4! (D) Intending 'iff6+ or �g3. In chaotic situations your calculations should be conducted 'not in depth but in breadth '. That is, it is most important to check for all candidate moves and the likely responses to them, as the chance of missing a devastating blow is high in a wild position rife with paradoxical ideas and An opening line that made its first tourna 'random' tactics. If you are sure you have ment appearance in the present game. And, as 134 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY so often, it was a case of 'if at first you don't 15 ••.f6 16 l:!.e1'it>f7 17 exf6 gxf6 18 1Wf4 h6 succeed ...' 19 .l:.e3 1/Uh7 20 tbe5+ tbxe5 21 dxe5 f5 22 Black's strategy may seem utterly anti-posi 1/Uh4 'iii>e8 23 1Wf6 l:ig824 .l::i.g3 1-0 tional, a typical case of pawn-grabbing. The re Notably, Black has an extra pawn even in the sult of the game, in which Black is completely final position. Only it was no use to him in the crushed, may look only too natural. game. Yet I am firmly convinced that this is merely a one-sided, superficial view. The position is of the closed type, which means that a slight back Attacking the King wardness in development is not so significant. In return for it, Black's formation is very solid. An attack on the opponent's king is the ideal And indeed the extra pawn, which can be used fo rm that the initiative can take. to bail Black out should the need arise, is not to be scorned. This was in fact confirmed two years later, in a game that took place - as if specially ordered w -between the same players, in the first round of the USSR Championship elimination tourna ment at Beltsy 1976. This time, from the dia gram position, Black played correctly. With 12... a5 ! 13 i..a3 i..d7 14 i..d1 'VIic7 15 .ixb4 axb4 161/Uxb4I immediately returnedthe pawn, thereby solving my basic opening problems. Having succeeded in equalizing the chances, I went on to achieve victory after a tense posi tional struggle. Aronian - Rozentalis In our first gameit emerged that the opening FIDE Knockout, Las Ve gas 1999 novelty was still in a 'raw' state, and I suffered a defeat which, though painful, was highly in Exercise 63: What would you play in White's structive. place? 12•.• lZ'ld3 ? (For the answer, see page 150.) I am now convinced that this move loses the game. At the time I felt that it was possible to sufferfor a while in return forthe pawn. I didn't reflect that I was entering a middlegame with opposite bishops, in which passivity is not tol w erated ... 13 i..xd3 1Wxd3 14 i..a3 tbc6 15 1/Ucl! What can I say when there is nothing to be said? The overwhelming difference in the ac tivity of the bishops, the advantage in space, the chronic 'incurable' malady of the black king, the supreme activity of the white pieces as against the passive uncoordinated state of their black counterparts - all this has cost White just one pawn. Of course it would still be possible to Villamayor - Wang Lei debate the strength of some of Black's moves in Quezon City 2000 the remainder of the game. But these are vain arguments - the upshot is clear. I shall therefore Exercise 64: What would you play here for give the fairly brief conclusion of the game White? without adding any notes. (For the answer, see page 151.) OPPOSITE BISHOPS IN THE MIDDLEGAME 135 "The correct strategy with opposite-coloured The pawn won't run away, while the queens bishops is to attack the king. Material or posi have to beretai ned. The continuation 35 'ifxc5? tional gains are worth little if the king is in dan l!Vxc5 36 ii.xc5 a5 37 ..ib6 a4 would lead im ger. Any opportunity to play fo r the attack must mediately to a draw. be taken." (Dvoretsky). 3S ...'It>f7 36 ..ixc5 �c6 37 �xb4 ..ie6 38 ..id4 hS 39 l!Vb8 �e7 40 'iWeS 'ildS 41 �f6+ 1-0 w Then again, it is often essential to provoke the opponent into weakening his king position. B Klovans - Vitolins Riga 1964 Exercise 65: Give your evaluation of the po sition. (For the answer, see page 151.) Bobotsov - Keres Beverwijk 1964 Wi th queens on the board, the stronger side very often succeeds in working up an attack on At the moment White is threatening ..ie6. the opponent's king. In these circumstances the Therefore: position of the attacker's own king is of great 21..• .l:te 8!? 22 g3? importance. Renewing the threat. However, the correct continuation was 22 ..ie6 l!de7 ! 23 ii.c4 Ilel+ 24 l:i.xel l:.xel+ 25 ..ifl"ik'bl 26 "ik'c4 (threaten ing l:i.d7) 26 .....ixb2 27 l:i.d7 'ii'f5 28 .l::Ixb7 with w complete equality. 22 ... .i.gS! 23 f4 Either 23 ..ie6 l:f.xe6 24 l:!.xd7 l:f.e2 ! or 23 l:f.d3 l:te2l:tfl 24 ii.f6 ! would be bad for White. 23 .....id8! 24 Itad1 ..iaS! 2S .l:ld3 After 25 l:tc2 l:f.ed8 White loses a piece. 2S ...l:f.e2 26 i.f3Si.b6+ 27 �xb6 If 27 \t>fl then 27 ...�h3+ 28 �xe2 "ik'xh2+, mating; on 27 'ii.?hl Black plays 27 ...l:txd3 28 �xd3 (28 l:lxd3 l:.el+ 29 'ii.?g2 .l:tgl#) 28 ... �el+ Seirawan - Ta l 29 �g2 l:.gl+ and wins. Candidates tournament, Montpellier /985 27 ...l:txd3 ! The less incisive 27 ...axb6 28 ii.xe2 leaves 27 �e1! .i.e628 b3 cS 29 h3! bS 30 �fl! b4 Black with a little more work to do. 31 ii.eS 28 �d8+ Ihd8 29 l:txd8+ �g7 30 ..ixe2 Threatening �f6. "ik'e6 31 \t>n '!Wxa2 32 .l:.d2 �aS 33 �e1 �cS 31...�d8 32 �bS �c8 33 'ii.?h2 ii.dS34 ..id6 34..tn aS 3S �e2 bS 36 �d1 a4 37 ii.d3 b4 38 a6 3S �aS! .i.b1 �g1+ 0-1 136 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY As already observed, the addition of queens Attacking the King with to the opposite-coloured bishops dramatically Minimal Material increases the stronger side's chances of vic tory. We shall not be speaking of endgames with op posite bishops and no other pieces. The addition of one or two other pieces, especially queens, to B the opposite-coloured bishops on each side is enough to give the position the character of a middlegame; then everything we have said about opposite bishops will apply here too, even with the scant quantity of pieces and pawns. Here are a few examples on this theme. w lvanchuk - Blatny Wo rld Junior Ch, Sharjah 1985 White is two pawns up, but his king lacks the support of his pieces. 32 .•.'iWfl! 33 f3 h3!! 34 �xh3 i.xf335 Wg3 35 ..t>h4 is also inadequate to save White: 35 ...\\Vxg2 36 'ii'c8 (threatening \\Vf5+; if in stead 36 i.g3, Black also wins with 36... f6 37 g5 fxg5+ 38 �xg5 'i!Vh3) 36... f6! 37 �f5+ g6 Benjamin - A. Friedman 38 'i:Vd7+ �h6 and White will soon be mated. St Martin 1993 35 .• .'tifxg2+ 36 �f4 �xg4+ 37 We3 \\Ve4+ 38 'i;f2 �e2+ 39 Wg3 f6 !? 40 i.d6 i.e4 41 Despite the small quantity of pieces on the 'fic7 �f3+ 42 �h4 i.f5 0-1 board, the position has the sharp, dynamic, combinative qualities of a middlegame, where the calculation of variations is at a premium. 50 .l::th6!! 'i;f7 Other continuations don't save him either: w 50... dl'iV + 51 'i;e7; 50... i.d3 51 We7 i.h7 52 l:.f6 i.d353 f5 ! i.xf5 (53 ... dl� 54 .l::tf8+ �h7 55 l:th8#) 54 l:!.f8+ 'i;h7 55 .l:!.d8. 51 .l:tf6+ 'i;g8 52 'i;e7 'i;b7 Or 52... dl\\V 53 l:th6. 53 l:tf7+ 53 f5 also wins. 53 ..•'lii> g6 54 f5+ exf5 Or 54 ...�g5 55 �g7+ 'i;xf5 56 l:tf7+ 'lt>xe5 57 l:txfl. Sabinin - Ta markin 55 .l::!.f6+ Russian Correspondence Te am Ch 1972-4 This is the most straightforward, but White can also win by playing for mate: 55 .l::!.g7+ �h6 A familiar picture: the black king plays the 56 'i;f6h4 57 i.f4+ 'lt>h5 58 h3 dl 'iV59 l:!.h7#. role of an abandoned King Lear. 55 .•.� g5 56 Il.d6 1-0 40 'fih6+! OPPOSITE BISHOPS IN THE MIDDLEGAME 137 Not the hasty 40 ii.g6? Ji.g7 41 �xh3 e5, 4 �f7+ 40••• ii.g7 Other continuations also lose: 5 ...'ii xc2 6 If 40... �g8 then 41 ii.h7+,while 40 ... �e8 is e7+ ii.e6 7 'iib5+; 5 ...'ii a5 6 e7+ ii.e6 7 'ii'd3+; met by 41 'iie6. 5 ... 'i!Va6 6 e7+ ii.e6 7 e4+ ! Wg5 (7 ...�xe4 8 41 'iie6 Ji.f6 e8iV) 8 'ii'd2+ and 9 e8'i¥+; ...5 �e4 6 e7+ ii.e6 The only move. 7 g4+ !. 42 ii.g6 50 .••'ii;> g5 51 iVf5+ w Gheorghiu - Grigorov Zonal tournament, Prague 1985 In spite of the small number of pawns on the de Ia Paz - Ro. Perez board, the situation must be recognized as ex Santa Clara 1996 ceedingly difficultfor Black. And the chief rea son for this is the exposed position of his king. Here again, the reason for Black's defeat is The addition of rooks enhances White's attack the same - his pieces are a long way from their ing potential all the more. king. True, if it were Black's move he would 63 i.e4! �e8 64 l:tc4 iVe5 play l...i.e6 (simplest), putting all the dangers Black still loses after 64 ...'i!Vb2 65 'ilVg4 .Uf8 behind him. But it is White to play. There fol 66 l:.c2 'i!Vf6 67 ii.d3 ! l:.e8 68 .l:!c7 iVg5 ( 68 ....l:f.f8 lowed: 69 'i!Ve4 !) 69 'iid7 llf8 (69 ....l:f.d8 70 l:.c8 !; 1 e6! f6 69 ...\We5 70 .l:f.c8! l':g8 71 .l:i.xg8+! 'ii;>xg8 72 Or l...g5 2 'i1Ve5. ii.c4+ Wh7 73 'iid3+! �h8 74 �d8+ �h7 75 2 ii.xf6! Ji.d3+)70 f4 ! 'i*'f6 71 'i!Vd5 l:te872 Ilc6'iWb2+ Not 2 e7? ii.f7. 73 ii.c2!. 2 •••gxf6 65 'i!Vg4 \Wg5? Alternatively, 2 ...iVa7 3 e7 or 2 ...g5 3 �c7+ 65 ... .tf8 is more resilient. Prospects for activating it are not to hand, since Open File and Passed Pawn even the attempt to bring it to c5 (via b7) can be thwarted by playing b4. We have repeatedly observed that for evaluating Finally, there is the open c-file. Black's pos a middlegame position with opposite bishops, session of it is his main trump. But Vladimir the key question is who possesses the initiative. Vysotsky's song The Professionals comes to Hence those elements of strategy which are rel mind: "What was their chief trump a short evant to this question will interest us first and while ago is no more a trump, but a trifle. And foremost. now their own weapon strikes them with rapid The initiative, however, is a temporary asset. blows, just as hard as it hit others." It follows that in order to maintain it, you need In the game, there followed: to be constantly creating new threats. For this, it 23 .i.e3 is imperative to be able to bring up fresh re Immediately stopping 23 ...l:!.ec7. serves to the strategically important sector of 23 .•.lbb7 24 .i.b6 the board. In other words, the issue of commu Depriving the knight of the d8-square as nications comes to the fore. In chess this means well. the presence of open lines and control over 24 •••l:!.e8 25 l:!.ecl! l:!.e226 .l:.c7l:.xe4 27 tUgS them. l:!.f4 28 g3 l:!.f6 29 b4! .l:.g6 30 lLlf3e4 31 lbh4 l:!.gS 32 lbg2! It would be bad technique to play 32 l:!.acl Si.xh3 33 J::!.xb7 J::!.xd5, leaving Black with some w shadowy hopes of salvation. 32 ••• .:txd5 33 .:tacl .i.e6 34 lbf4! l:!.d2 35 lbxe6 1-0 After 35 ... fxe6 36 J:hb7, White doubles on the seventh rank for good measure. w Aseev - Sturua USSR Yo ung Masters Ch, Lvov 1985 On the surface, the verdict on this situation is perfectly favourable to Black: in a closed posi tion he controls the only open file. But let us try investigating this judgement a little more deeply. For this we shall apply our system of singling out the main strategic elements. In the first place, this is a middlegame with Ta imanov - Averbakh opposite-coloured bishops. Here, as we know, Candidates tournament, Zurich 1953 the all-important factor is the activity of the bishops. But whereas 'job prospects' for the 23 l:!.edl l:!.d7 24 l:!.d6! black bishop are not easy to fix up, the very It is White who has seized the d-file! next pair of moves will see the white one inter 24••• .i.b7 25 l:!.adl ?! vening forcefully in the struggle. An unnecessary loss of time; better is 25 e4 The second thing is the extremely awkward or 25 h4. placing of the black knight on aS. (We recall 25 .•.l:!.xd6 what Tarrasch said: "For a chess-player, a knight If Black defends passively, then after e4 on the edge of the board is a disgrace.") White can play l:!.ld3-h3 or transfer his bishop OPPOSITE BISHOPS IN THE MIDDLEGAME 139 via c1 to g5 and f6 . Another plan for White in 41...Si.c6 volves the pawn advance f4-f5. If4l...'lt>g8then 42 g6, with CiJf6+to follow. 26 exd6 f6 (D) 42 g6+ 'lt>e8 43 CiJf6+ Wd8 Or 43 ...�e7 44 g7. 44 ..tg5Wc7 45 g7 CfJe7 46il.f 4+! Not 46 g8�? CfJxg8+47 CfJxg8�d6 48 CiJe7 w ..te4, with realistic drawing chances. 1-0 White answers 46 ...�c8 with 47 ..td6. w Exercise 66: What would you play for White here? (For the answer, see page 151.) We have imperceptibly progressed from the theme of 'the open file andthe struggle for it' to that of 'the passed pawn', which is also an im portant element of strategy. Karpov - Timman Euwe Memorial, Amsterdam 1991 21 d7! w The white passed pawn sacrifices itself to disrupt the coordination of Black's pieces. 21••. .Ue7 Or 2l...lid8 22 'i¥e3 h6 (22 ...'i¥b5 23 i.c7 'i¥xd7 24 .i.xd8 'i¥xd8 25 l:tdl b6 26 l:txd5) 23 'i¥e8+ �h7 24 b4 'i¥b6 25 l:tc l il.f5 26 il.c7. 22 l:.c1.l::!. xd7 23 l:.c8+ .l::i.d8 But now everything is decided by the weak ness of Black's back rank and the overloading of his queen. R. Sevecek - C. Hunter 24 b4! Correspondence 1970-4 Not, however, 24 'i¥c3? 'i¥b6 25 'i¥c5? 'i¥xc5 26 .:r.xd8+ 'i¥f8. White is a pawn up, but without the knights 24 •.• �b6 25 i..c7 l:i.xc8 26 i..xb6 axb6 27 the endgame would be dead drawn. How do 'i¥xd5 h6 28 'i¥xb7 l:lcl+ 29 �h2 .l::!.c2 30 things stand now? An important point of course 'i¥xb6 l:txa2 31 'i¥d4! 1-0 is that the white pieces are much more active than the black ones. But the main, decisive fac "With opposite bishops in the middlegame, a tor contributing to White's advantage is the very important issue is who has the initiative, possibility of creating a passed pawn. who is attacking. A blocked pawn on the same 40 f5 ! gxf5 41 g5! colour square as your bishop will drastically The only way! Not, of course, 41 gxf5? curtail your activity. That is a very serious posi CfJe7 !? (4l...Si.c6!? is also adequate) 42 CfJxe7 tional failing in a middlegame of this type." �xe7 43 �g7 i.f7 !, with an obvious draw. (Dvoretsky). 140 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY 22 •.•dxe5 23 fxe5 �g5 "The blockaded pawn (e5) on the same col B our as the bishop promises nothing but trou ble." (Simagin). However, Black has paid a high price for this, and in order to generate any threats, the bishop will need to leave its block ading post on e6, whereupon the white pawn may prove valuable indeed. 24 ti:Jf3 �g4 25 b3? After 2S �xeS f4 26 .i.f2 i..dS 27 h3, Black's threats tum out to be hollow, and after 27 .. .'�fS 28 �c3 .i.xf3 29 �xf3 �xc2 30 e6 or 27 ...�hS Glushkov - Zakharov 28 �c3 i.xf3 29 �xf3 �xf3 30 gxf3 �d2 31 USSR 1961 e6 White has a substantial advantage. 25 ••.h5? White has the advantage due to his superior 2S ... f4 ?! 26 .i.f2 ..idS?is premature in view pawn-structure and more active pieces. of 27 i.xcS with e6 possibly to follow. How 21...�f6?! ever, Black should have taken the opportunity An interesting practical decision. White is to liquidate his main weakness by 2S ...c4 !. offered the choice between exchanging his ac 26 ti:Jh4? tive queen for Black's hitherto inactive one, or White forces an exchange of knights, but else allowing the black queen to generate some allows Black to bring his rooks into the heart of play on the kingside. Both courses should give White's position. 26 �xeS is again strong. White the advantage, as the damage to Black's 26 •.•ti:Jxh4 27 .l:!.f4 �g5 28 .l:!.xh4 l:td2! pawn-structure outweighs his increased mobil Now 29 ....i.dS is threatened. ity. But psychologically, this must have been a 29 l:tf4 Ii.ad8 30 �xeS difficult choice for White, in a position where 30 h4 is also possible. he seemed completely in charge of events. 30 ..•h4! 31 Ii.xh4Ii.d1 21...�f7?! gives White a wider choice of Threatening 32 ... �xe1 + 33 .i.xe1 �d1. After plans, such as 22 ti:Jf3 h6 23 eS or 22 b4!?, but 3l....i.dS 32 e6! .l:txg2+ 33 'it>fl �d2 34 �xa7, the best defence is 21...'�d7, when continued White's counterplay is sufficientto draw. careful play may well keep Black afloat. 32 �b4? 22 e5! (D) This loses drastically to a cunning piece of Black's pawns are now broken up, and the tactics. After 32 'it>fl ! �d2 33 �xd1 �xd 1 + 34 cS-pawn is doomed. After 22 �xf6 !? gxf6 .i.e1 Ii.d2 3S �e3 .l:txc2 36 .l:td4, White is OK. White retains his positional advantages, and 32 .•.�e3+ 33 i.f2 .l:.8d2!! 0-1 can improve the position of his bishop by 23 i.f2!, with g3 to follow, seeing that 23 ... ti:Jxf4? allows 24 i..h4 ! followed by exfS . Prophylaxis The term prophylaxis was introduced into chess parlance by Aron Nimzowitsch. w "What we call prophylaxis is the taking of measures aimed atfo restalling some events that are undesirable from the positional viewpoint." As the main tasks of prophylaxis, Nimzo witsch recognized in the first place the restric tion of the opponent's possibilities, and secondly the over-protection of strategically important points. The modem conception of prophylaxis has been modified, deepened and broadened, OPPOSITE BISHOPS IN THE MIDDLEGAME 141 thanks in part to the theoretical contributions of 'i¥xg7. Now on 25 ...l:!.xb2? White wins with 26 Mark Dvoretsky, who added the term prophy 'i¥d5! c6 27 1hb7+! 'it>xb7 28 'i¥xc6+ Wa6 29 lactic thinking to the fundamentals of contem 'i¥a4+ .i.a5 30 'i¥c4+ l:!.b5 (30 ...�b6 31 'i¥c6#) porary chess strategy. 31 a4 (not 31 l:Ib l? .l:i.d1+ 32 .l:!.xd1 ii.c7 !). "By this term I understand the habit of con Black's strongest continuation is 25... .l:i.f2, and stantly asking yourself what your opponent then: wants to undertake, how he would proceed if it a) 26 .l::!.fel?! (threatening 27 'i¥d5) 26 ...a6 ! were his move. Yo ur ability tofind the answer to 27 b4 (27 'i¥xg7 .l:i.xf3)... 27 �a7 28 'i¥f5 !? in this question, and to allow fo r it in the process tending 29 'i¥g4. If Black is to keep any advan of decision-making, is what defines the level of tage he must try 28 ..J�.d3 ! 29 'i¥xd3 (not 29 your prophylactic thinking." (Dvoretsky). 'iYg4 ?? l:tdxf3) 29 .. ..l:i.xg2, when 30 'i¥xa6+bxa6 And again: "The principle of 'prophylactic 31 ..ixg2 leads to a 'iVvs 21:!. situation where the thinking', which requires you to take your op opposite bishops make White's defence quite ponent's intentions into account when coming arduous. to a decision, does not at all mean that you must b) 26 l::txf2 'i¥xf2 27 �h2 a6 and Black always be making prophylactic moves." keeps a modest initiative as his king is more se Thus, between Nimzowitsch's term 'pro cure. phylaxis' and Dvoretsky's principle of 'pro It must be observed that weak prophylaxis phylactic thinking' there is much in common and inadequate prophylactic thinking both lead but also, of course, a substantial difference. To to the impossibility of anticipating events. As a understand this better, let us examine some ex result we lose control of the situation and fee amples. bly swim with the current without knowing where it will carry us. Conversely, if we grasp our opponent's in tentions in time and find ways of forestalling w them, this will enable us to divert the flow of the struggle in a direction that suits us. B Fa lkbeer - Anderssen Berlin /85/ Black is threatening to bring his bishop into the attack against the white king by means of ...c6 and ...ii.c7. Another possibility is to utilize Koberl - Szabo the active rook on White's second rank. Hungarian Ch, Budapest 1951 In spite of the obviousness of Black's inten tions, the game went: Exercise 67: In Black's place, what would 25 b4? c6 26 .l:le8 .i.c7 27 l:txd8+ .l:txd8 28 you play? �g1 'i¥h2+ 29 'it>f2 .i.b6+ 30 'it>e1 'i¥g3+ 31 (For the answer, see page 152.) �e2 'i¥e5+ 32 .i.e4 'i¥xe4# (0-1) In the game White didn't apply even the Let's look at one more example of prophy most elementary prophylaxis. After the correct lactic thinking. 25 .l:l.e7 ! (indicated by Yakov Neishtadt), Black We shall quote from Botvinnik's own com can't play 25 ...c6 and White is threatening 26 mentary. 142 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY Better is 39 il..e4 or 39 b4. 39... .l:!.g2! (D) w w Lilienthal - Botvinnik USSR Absolute Ch, Leningrad/Moscow 1941 23 b3 40 �e4 23 �f3+ is met by 23 ...�f5 . If 40 �el then 40 ....:i.b2. 23 ...g6 24 .l:!.dl .:.d8 2s g3 �g7 26 �f3 40 ..Jhh2+ 41 Wxh2 �h5+ 42 �g2 �xdl "The most natural plan for Black is the ad- 43 .tc4 h5 vance ...e5-e4. However, to carry this out he With a view to ...h4. would need not only to defend the seventh rank 44 �f3 �xf3+ 45 �xf3 il..e7 46 'it>e4 .tcs but 'also to play ... f5, weakening his king posi 47 il..b5 Wf6 48 i..e2 'it>e7 49 il..b5 il..b4 50 tion. Meanwhile, White would seize the a-file, �xd4 invade the enemy camp with his rook and ob Or 50 .ltc4 il..el 51 �f3 f5 52 il..b5 h4 53 tain counterplay. Black must therefore try to ac gxh4 .ixh4. cumulate some more advantages, aiming in the so ... il..el 51 'it>e4.i.xg3 52 Wf3 .Jtel53 i..c6 first place to gain control of the open file. Inci i..b4 54 i..a4 .i.d6 55 .i.c6 f5 0-1 dentally on his last move White could have played 26 .l:!.al. He will not be given another chance like that." Piece Coordination 26 .•. .te5 27 �7 l::tb8 28 �e4 i..f6 29 'it>g2 �as As we know, in a middlegame with opposite "So the a-file is in Black's hands. As White coloured bishops, the advantage belongs to the is avoiding a queen exchange (for no good rea side with the initiative. But to possess the initia son actually, since with opposite bishops, as a tive, coordination between the pieces must be rule, the winning chances are increased by ad achieved. ditional pieces), he removes his queen from the h l-a8 diagonal." 30 �e2 Ita8 31 !Id3 �c5 "Black regroups, since the recommended fo r mation is with the rook in fro nt of the queen; as a rule the queen should only spearhead the at tack when the moment comes fo r the decisive assault on the king 'sfortress." 32 �e4 .:tal 33 .l:!.d2�aS 34 �e2 �a8+ 35 �h3 Not 35 �f3? .l:!.gl+, but 35 f3 is a playable alternative. 35 ... .l:!.gl 36 f4 �c8 Threatening 37 ...e5+. Tu kmakov - Suba 37 .ta6�c5 38 .id3�d5 39 .!:f.dl? Erevan 1980 OPPOSITE BISHOPS IN THE MIDDLEGAME 143 Evidently all the prerequisites for a drawn Most often, poor coordination of the pieces result are present - except for one thing: the reveals itself with particular clarity in sharp tac actions of the white pieces are not coordi tical situations. nated, a circumstance that Black most skil fully exploits. 41...'�c5! 42 'iVb7 White's options are uniformly unpleasant: w 42 'iVd7 .ih4; 42 g3 ..ltd4; 42 .ie2 .Jtd4; 42 g4 lbd4 43 .ig2 'i!Vc l + 44 Wh2 lbe2 45 h4 'i!Vgl+ 46 Wh3 'iVxf2; or 42 .id3 lbd4 43 .Jte4 'iVc 1 + 44 'it>h2 lbe2. 42 ••.lbd6 If 42 ....ih4 then 43 'iVb2+. 43 'iVa6 lbe4 44 'it>h2 'iVxf2 45 'ilfd3'iVf4+ 46 'it>g1 Or 46 g3 lbxg3. 46... .ih4 47'iVf3 .if2+0-1 Lilienthal - Aronin The conclusion would be 48 'it>h l lbg3+ 49 USSR Ch, Moscow 1948 Wh2 lbxfl+ 50 Whl 'i�Vh2#. Exercise 68: What would you play in White's place? (For the answer, see page 152.) w w Yusupov - B. Kelly Elista Olympiad 1998 Note the way all the black pieces are 'coop Smyslov - Addison erating'. Then you will understand why White Interzonal tournament, succeeded in finishing his opponent off in the Pa lma de Mallorca 1970 space of four( !) moves. 28 i.b4! Exercise 69: What would you play for White? Technically the best continuation. After the (For the answer, see page 153.) tempting 28 i..c3?! 'iVb5 ! 29 i.xg7 l:te8!, the position is unclear. 28 ... l:tb8 29 .l:tc7! Defence Again the strongest. After 29 'iVd7?! h6 30 .l:i.c8+?! '>t>h7 31 i.c3 l:.bl !! Black has adequate In middlegames with opposite bishops, it is counterplay. sometimes your misfortune to have to defend. 29... 'iVf4 You therefore need to know what you must aim Or 29 ...'iVf6 30 'i:Vd7, with .l:i.c8+to follow. for when your opponent has a material or posi 30 g3 'iff6 31 'i�Vd7 1-0 tional advantage. 144 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY In such situations, the defending side should strive to reach a 'pure ' opposite-bishop posi- tion, that is, to exchange pieces and reach an w endgame. B the position may become sharp, Korchnoi ex changes rooks, and thus forfeits any winning chances whatsoever. 29 .l:.xe7 White gains nothing with 29 l:tfl i.e5 30 Korchnoi - Karpov i¥g4 in view of 30 ... i¥f6 or, even stronger, Wo rld Ch match (game 15), Merano /981 30 ...l:tc7 ! followed by 3l....i:.c2. Yet if White does want to get somewhere (he "The extra pawn does not promise victory is a pawn up after all), he should definitely play here. The position would be utterly drawn if 29 .l:!.d1 i.e5 30 i¥d2 !, after which the capture Black could exchange the rooks or (a slightly on g3 is dangerous for Black: 30 ....i.xg3 ?! 31 worse case) the queens, and blockade the d5- d6 �e6 (31....l::!.d7 32 .i.g4 f5 33 i¥c3+ and 34 pawn with his bishop. However, since the posi i¥xg3) 32 d7 .l::!.d6 33 i¥b2+ �g8 and now 34 tion has middlegame characteristics, the matter .U.c 1 ! leaves Black in serious trouble. Instead is not so simple. White retains the hope that he Black should probably choose the quiet 30 ...i¥f6 can create an attack on the b1-h7 diagonal (followed by ...il.d6), when his position is very against the king, meeting ...g6 by exchanging hard to breach. one pawn (h4-h5xg6), placing his own king on 29.•. i.xe7 30 �g2 aS 31 h4 hS 32 i.e2 i.cS g2 and then combining threats on the h-file 33 i.c4i¥f6 34 i¥d2 b6 35 a4 iVeS (D) with an advance of the passed pawn - assum ing that the blockade can be lifted, if only briefly. This plan looks somewhat abstract, but even a slight inaccuracy may leave Black in a w dangerous situation. It is instructive to follow the masterly way in which the World Cham pion takes prophylactic measures against dis tant threats, achieving a rook exchange and an absolutely harmless position within a mere four moves." (Makarychev). 2S•.. g6 26 i.f3 �g7 27 .l::!.e1 �d7 28 i¥f4 .U.e7! (D) White has pointlessly delayed implementing the plan of �g2 and h4, which would have been 36 i¥d3i¥f6 37 i¥d2 iYeS38 i.e2i¥e4+ 39 quite good prophylaxis on his part. Instead, two i.f3 iVeS 40 i.d1i¥e4+ 41 f3 •12-•h useless moves (27 .U.e1 and 28 i¥f4) have given White's last move was sealed, and a draw Karpov some excellent objects of attack: the was agreed. rook on e1 (menaced with exchange !), the white queen (exposed to tempo-gaining threats), and, In an opposite-bishop middlegame, the de quite unexpectedly, the pawn on g3. Afraid that fender is often prepared to pay the price of one OPPOSITE BISHOPS IN THE MIDDLEGAME 145 pawn or sometimes even two, in order to reach an endgame. w B Shirov - Pira Pa ris 1990 Timman - Salov Or 25 ..Jhf1 26 I:txfl lt:Jc6 27 lt:Jxc6 ..ixc6 Candidates match (game 4), Saint John 1988 28 ..ie5. 26 Wc3 �e8 27 .l:!.ae1 lt:Ja628 ..id6.l:Lxe1 29 Exercise 70: In Black's place, what would l:!.xe1 �e8 30 �xeS+ .ixe8 31 lt:Je6 il..f7 32 you play? lt:Jg5! �xg7 33 �d4 .ig8 34 h4 '>tf6 35 g4! (For the answer, see page 153.) .ie636 .ie5+'>te7 37 lbxe6�xe6 38 h5 1-0 The Pawn-Structure B Since Philidor's time it has been established, and confirmed by practice, that the quality of the pawn-structure in most cases determines the evaluation of a position at the strategic level. The advantages and defects of the pawn structure significantly affect the activity of the pieces. From this it clearly follows that in a middlegame with opposite bishops, where 'ac tivity decides everything', the peculiarities of the pawn-position are of crucial importance. Botvinnik - Smyslov Any minor detail or 'trifle' may decisively af Wo rld Ch match (game 18), Moscow 1954 fect the outcome of the game. Exercise 71: What would you play for Black? Yusupov - Spraggett (For the answer, see page 153.) Candidates match (game 3 ), Quebec City 1989 Of course there are also some cases where exchanges favour the stronger side in an oppo 1 d4 d5 2lLlf3 c5 3 c4 e6 4 cxd5 exd5 5lt:Jc3 site-bishop middlegame. lt:Jc66 g3 lt:Jf6 7 il..g2i.e7 8 0-0 0-0 9 .ig5.ie6 In the following diagram, White's advantage 10 dxc5 .ixc5 11 i..xf6 'i!Vxf6 12 lLlxd5 'i!Vxb2 in development is evident. But the position of 13 lt:Jc7 llad8 14 'ii'c1 'i!Vxc1 15 I:!.axcl i.e7 16 his king is not entirely secure, and this may give lt:Jxe6 fxe6 (D) his opponent counterplay. In this case, the best A position encountered hundreds of times in remedy is to head for the ending. tournamentpracti ce. And even though the statis 22 e5! cxd5 23 exf6 'it'g6+24 'it'xg6hxg6 25 tics clearly favour White, you will keep on meet fxg7 ..ta4+ ing new optimists prepared to defend Black's 146 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY is not difficult: White needs to control the d4- square! w 18 e3! .l:!.d6 19 h4 h6 20 .l:te4 .l:i.fd8 21 i..h3 Stepping up the pressure on e6. 21...�f7 22 'it>g2 .U.e8 23 .l:!.c1 .l:!.e7 24 .l:!.c2 (D) B 'stronghold'. What positional grounds do they have for this? Black, to be sure, has an extra 'pawn-island'. But there are no queens on the board, so the endgame is not remote, and if it is reached, the opposite bishops virtually guarantee Black's safety. In addition, the possibility of creating an outside passed pawn on the queenside at some In this position Spraggett played: future time is an attraction. 24 •••b6 Yet if we delve into the situation further, it Exercise 72:Give a positional evaluation of becomes clear that, in the firstplace, an ending this move. with only pawns and opposite bishops is still (For the answer, see page 154.) some way off; secondly, Black's pawn-weak ness is going to reduce his pieces to passivity; In a 40-move game (which statistically is the and thirdly, since the initiative will be in White's average length), how many moves are particu hands, the opposite bishops will be a scourge larly important, decisive, critical? Just 5 as a for his opponent. rule - 8 at most. True, the other 32-35 moves Let us see how the game went. have significance and influence. But they are 17 l:tc4 i..f6 (D) not so significant. Let us consider. The opening moves proceed on 'auto-pilot'. Open files have to be occupied, weaknesses have to be attacked, and so forth - and we do this automatically. In a w position with an isolated pawn, where should we place the rooks (c l and dl, dl and el, or some other arrangement)? Of course this mat ters, but in most cases it cannot radically alter the evaluation of the position. On the other hand, the correctness of our response to the ma jor strategic issues (tactics, the calculation of variations, is a separate matter) determines not only the verdict on the position but the course of the ensuing struggle and often the result of Before this game, the main line for White the game. was now considered to be 18 .l:i.bl, whereupon These important, decisive strategic issues in Black solved his opening problems with com clude the problem of the pawn-structure and its parative ease by playing either 18... l:td6 or transformation. In cases where the pawns are 18.. Jld7. The point of Black's last move being fixed in aparticular configuration for the comes across especially clearly in the varia long term, our decision needs to be weighed tion 18.l:!.bl l:td7 19 h4 tt:'ld4 !?. The conclusion and thought out with exceptional care. OPPOSITE BISHOPS IN THE MIDDLEGAME 147 White is in no hurry to initiate tactical com plexities. B 22 .Jig4!.l:!.c4 23 h3 'i1Vc624 'i1Vd3'lt>h8?! This in addition shows poor anticipation of events, as we shall see from the further course of the struggle. 25 .l:!.fd1 a5 26 b3! (D) B Dorfman - Cifuentes We st Berlin 1989 With his last move White captured the black bishop on e6. Exercise 73: What would you recapture with - queen or pawn? (For the answer, see page 155.) Denying Black the chance to develop his It's interesting to observe that an analogous queenside initiative further. strategic error had been committed in the World 26 ....l:tc3 27 'i1Ve2 .:rs 28 ..thS! b5 29 .Jig6! Championship match four years earlier. Clearly illustrating the idea that with opposite bishops in the middlegame, an attack against the king is more important than the opponent's ini tiative on the other flank. w 29 .....td8 30 �d3 b4 31 'i1Vg4 Threatening 32 'i1Vg6. 31...\\Ves (D) w Karpov - Kasparov Wo rld Ch match (game 4), Moscow 1985 21 tt::lxe6! An exchange we already understand. 21•.• fx e6? And the strategic error that we understand 32 e4! too. It is only now, when the differencein activity Kasparov was evidently reckoning on some between the two sides has become overwhelm straightforward reaction from his opponent, ing, that White starts a tactical clash. such as 22 'i1Vg6? 'i1Va5 or 22 .l:!.fdl? 'i1Vb4 23 a3 32 ...i.g5?! 'i1Vxd2. But the trouble is that White's advantage Losing the strategic battle, Black tries to ex (the weakness of Black's king position) is of a tricate himself from trouble by means of traps. static, long-term character. Naturally, therefore, Now 33 l:te2?? will be met by 33 ...lH4. But 148 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY placing the bishop on the a7-gl diagonal would have been more useful. 33 �c2 .l:!.xc2? B A major error. Exchanging queens rather than rooks would have been better. True, the simple 33 .. .'i!if7?! leads nowhere in view of 34 .l::i.e2 !, but the least of the evils was 33 ...'ii' c8 34 exd5 ! exd5 (34 .. Jhc2? 35 'ii'e4) 35 'ii'xc8! .l:!.fxc8 36 .l:!.e2 l:tc l 37 .l::txc l .l:!.xc l + 38 'it>h2 �c8 39 ii.g6 .ltf6, with advantage to White. 34 i..xc2 'ii'c6 35'ii'e2 c5 'ii' 36 .l:!.fl 'ii'c3 37 exd5 exd5 38 i..bl iVd2 39 iVe5 .U.d8?! (D) A more stubborn defence was 39 ...i.. f6 40 Or 54 ....l:!.f6 55 l:te3 .U.xf5 56 iVh8+ 'i!ig8 57 'i!if5 �g8. �e8+. 55 iVhS d4 56 iVcS �f6 57 'i!Vc5+ �e8 58 �f4 iVb7+ 59 l:te4+ 'it>f7 (D) Or 59 ...l:.e6 60'i!Vc4 ! l:.xe4 61 iVg8+ �e7 62 w 'i!Vxg7+. w 40 iVf5 �g8 41 'i!Ve6+ �h8 Or 41...�f8 42 i..g6 iVf4 43 I:tel. 42 'i!Vg6 �g8 43 iVe6+ �h8 44 i.f5! This is stronger than 44 l:.el l:.f8. 44.•. iVc3 45 'i!Vg6 �g8 46 ii.e6+ �h8 47 60 'i!ic4+�f8 61 ii.h7! �f7 62 iVe6 'i!Vd763 ii.f5 �g8 48 g3! �f8 49 �g2 iVf6 50 iVh7iVf7 'i!ie5 1-0 51 h4 ii.d2 Otherwise 52 �el. We have been examining middlegame posi 52 .l::i.dl i.c3 53.l:.d3 l:!.d6 54 .l::tf3! (D) tions with opposite bishops. And the conclusion Even the most clearly won positions demand is indisputable. In the middlegame, opposite accuracy: 54 .l:!.e3?g5 ! draws. coloured bishops are harbingers of war, not 54 .••�e7 peace. OPPOSITE BISHOPS IN THE MIDDLEGAME 149 'i¥c8 !! (with the threat of 41 gxh5 'it>xh5 42 Answers to Exercises for 'i¥g4+ 'it>h6 43 l:i.g3 'i¥h7 44 .i.e645 and .tf5) Chapter 5 40 ...h4 41 �8 f5 ?! 42 exf5 gxf5 43 .l:tc8 (with a view to 44 .Ue8and 45 .l:.e6+), he could have retained good chances of victory. Exercise 60 40 .•..tg7 (D) B w Although White is a pawn down, there is no 41 gxhS 'it>xhS doubting his superiority, which rests, in the first Aiming for ...f5 and ...'i¥g5-f 4+. place, on the appreciable difference in activity 42 l:te8 112-lfz between the opposite-coloured bishops. The players agreed a draw without resuming In middlegame positions with opposite bish the adjourned game. A possible variation is ops, defending is a good deal more complicated 42 ... 'ii'd7 ! 43 .lidS 'iic7. (Annotations based on than attacking. those by Sergei Makarychev.) It is essential for Black to try to construct a (Now return to page 126.) fortress, and this can be accomplished by play ing 36 ...'it>g8 !. Then after 37 l:!.c3, the simplest Exercise 61 way of parrying White's threat to invade the eighth rank is 37 ...'ii' d8!. Also, in the line to be expected - 37 l:!.xf7 'i¥xf7 38 ii.xf7+ l::txf7 (in tending 39 ...g6 and 40... 'it>g7) 39'i¥e6 g5 ! 40 'i¥g6+ .i.g7 41 'i¥xd6.l:!.xf2 - Black achieves his aim. Probably 37 'i¥b8!? sets the most problems, but even so, after 37 ...'i¥c7 (not 37 ...g6?? 38 l:!.xf7 'i¥xf7 39 'i¥xa7) 38 l:!.xf7 (38 .i.xf7+ 'i¥xf7 39 .l:!.xf7 l::txf7 is similar to the previous line) 38 ...'i¥xb8 39 .l:':l.b7+ 'it>h7 40 .l:lxb8 .i.e7, followed by 4l...h5 and 42 ...g6, a draw would be the most likely result. In the game, however, there followed: Timoshchenko was rescued by the fact that 36••. f6? 37 'ii'b8 g6 38 llc3?! he could quickly solve the problem of activat An inaccuracy in mutual time-trouble; 38 ing his bishop. g4 ! is technically more correct. 27 ..•.i.b6 28 l:!.dl l:!.fd8 38 •.•h5 39 g4 'it>h6! Not, of course, 28 ...il.c5?? losing a piece to The only move. 29 'iixc5. 40 l:!.c8? 29 i.c4 .tcs30 g3 g6! 31 l:!.d3'it>g7 32 l:!.c6 With his last move before the time-control, 'iie7 33 .l::!.f3 .l:!f8 112-•!z White lets the win slip for good. By playing 40 (Now return to page 127.) 150 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEG Y Exercise 62 all control over the course of the fight; his game tumbles downhill. 32 ... Wg8 33 i..h6 6?!l:!.g 34 .l:!.xd7! l:!.xf6 35 .l:i.g7Wh8 + 36 exf6 '¥Vb8+37 f4 l:i.c3+38 Wh4 B Threatening 39 f7. 38 ...'¥Vf8 39 .l:i.xh7+ �xh7 40 ..ltxf8 �g8 41 .ie7fx g4 42 .l:i.gl:h3+ 43 Wxg4 1-0 (Now returnto page 133.) Exercise 63 w Black has several possibilities (candidate moves) - and one of them is 28 ...l:.a3 ?. This looks tempting, since if the white bishop moves, Black replies 29 .. .fxg4+. On 29 l:i.acl ?, Black has the pleasant choice between 29 ...b5 (threat ening ...b4), the simple 29 ...l:.g6, and the aggres sive 29 ...fxg4+ 30 fxg4 h5 !?. However, White has a clear refutation: 29 '¥Vf6+! l:tg7, and in stead of the unclear 30 .:!.ad1? fxg4+ 31 Wh4 �d7 !, he can play 30 .ib4! fxg4+ 31 �h4, Removed to the queenside, the black pieces when Black has no time to find an adequate re have deserted their own king. This, plus the ply to the threat of i..f8. presence of opposite bishops, allows White to Therefore we can conclude that Black's carry out the concluding attack. choice in the game was relatively best: 29 eS! i.xeS 30 .l:afl .id6 28 •••.l:i.xf4 29 '¥Vf6+ .l:i.g7 30 Wg3 l:tc4 Black also loses with either 30 ....l:i.2d5 31 30 ....l:i.a4 is also possible. :f8+ l:!.xf8 32.l:!.xf8+ �h7 33 '¥Ve4+ g6 34 i.h5 ! 31 .l:i.adl!? (D) �g7 35 '¥Vxg6+ Wxf8 36 '¥Vf7# or 30 ....if6 31 l:t1xf6 gxf6 32 '¥Vf4 . 31 l;lxg7!? '¥Ve3 (D) Or 31...Wxg7 32 .l:!.f7+. B w 31... ..ltd7?! Now Black's difficultiesstart to increase. In serting 31.. .f4+ renders it harder for White to make inroads. 32 i.hS 32 i..d2! Good enough, but 32 l:.h7+! Wxh7 33 '¥Vf7+ Here is the possibility for White that his op �h8 34 '¥Vf6+ �h7 35 .if5+ 'itog8 36 .ie6+ ponent failed to allow for. Black loses practically 'itoh7 37 .i:!.f3 wins more or less by force. OPPOSITE BISHOPS IN THE MIDDLEGAME 151 32 •.JU2 33 .l:i.xf2 'iVxf2 34 .l:i.g6 �f5+ 35 balance. 18 l:!.e3 ! saves time, as 18... 'iVxd4 ? �g2! �xh5? 36 'i!Vd4+ �e537 �xd6 �xd4 38 loses to 19 .Ud1 followed by .if6. Then Black �xd4 l:te8 39 .tl.d6! 1-0 faces a more difficultdef ence. (Now return to page 134.) 18•.• .ib7 19 �e3 'i!Vf5 20 lig3 �h8 21 �e1 .l:!.ac822 h3 iLdS 23 .l:.g4 l:tc2 Exercise 64 Black's queenside play gradually makes progress, while White is regrouping his pieces to strike the decisive blow. Black must remain focused on his counterplay against White's w back rank. 24 I:Ie3 24 .l:.f4'i!Vg6 25 .l::i.g4 �f5 26 lif4is a draw by repetition. 24 .•..l:.g8 25 .l:i.f4? 25 l:.eg3 �xf2+ 26 �h2 ..ltf3 ! 27 .ie3! �e2 ! 28 i.h6! .1i.xg4 29 .ixg7+ leads to perpetual check. 25 •.•�g6 ? Black squanders a tempo with fatal conse The presence of opposite bishops on the quences. 25 ....l:tc l+ 26 'it>h2 'i!Vb1 gives Black board has enabled White to accumulate suffi very serious play against White's king. cient aggressive potential to conduct the final 26 'it>h2.tl.cl l:tg427 �f5 attack with success. 27 ...�b1 loses to 28 .tf6. 56 f5!! �g4 28 lleg3 'i!Vb1 Or 56 ...exf5 57 e6 a2 58 �a1! (threatening Or 28 ...l:!.cc8 29 .l:i.f4. I!g7+) 58... 'i!Vxf6 59 'i!Vxf6 a1 'i!V 60 .l:tg7+. 29 .ixc1 1-0 57 'i!Vb4!Jl.f7 58 l:!.xf7! 1-0 (Now return to page 135.) (Now return to page 134.) Exercise 66 Exercise 65 w w 27 d7 White's attack, reinforced by the presence of "A powerful move! The pawn advances to its opposite bishops, could become extremely dan own certain doom, but wrecks the coordination gerous. Black's main counterplay stems from of the black pieces. While Black is looking for White's difficulty in bringing his rooks into his ways to combat the fearsome pawn, the white attack without leaving his back rank exposed. pieces will endeavour to occupy even more ac 18 �h4?! tive positions." (Bronstein). After this slow move, Black can mobilize his White now threatens 28 �xf8+ 'it>xf8 29 rooks quickly enough to keep the game in the .ixf6. If Black counters this with 27 ...l:tf7 28 152 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY �3 ! f5 , there follows 29 �6! kl.xd7 30 �g7+! If 27 liJd3 then 27 ...lt:\a4. .l:lxg7 31 .l::txd8+, winning. 27 ...l:ld8 28 .in lt:\a4 29 lt:\d3 lt:\c3+ 30 Additional Exercise 66A: Faced with this Exercise 68 B To answer this question correctly, it is essen tial to apply some prophylactic thinking. Let us mentally rotate the board by 180 degrees and decide what we would want to play in White 's 25 c5! 'Yi'xc5 26 .l:!.c1�a5 27 .ixf6 .U.xf6 place. 'Enemy number one' is the black knight He couldn't save himself with 27 ...gxf6 ei on c5, so White will of course be dreaming of ther: 28 .I:!.c8+l:td8 (or 28 ....id8 29 �h5, and f7 exchanging it, or, failing that, expelling it from cannot be defended, since 29 ...I:i.d7 is met by 30 its active post. Hence it becomes clear that the �g4+) 29 �h5 ! �xd5 30 exd5 l:txc8 31 � g4+. threat is lt:\c1-b3,completely levelling the game. 28 l::!.c8+ i..d8 29 �c3 Black must prevent this turn of events. So the An even stronger line is 29 �d l! 23 ..•a5! 24 lt:\c1 a4! 29 ..Ji'b6 (D) Good moves fitmu ltiple strategicplans. New ideas crop up along the way - for instance the manoeuvre .. Jh6-b6, or ...a3 and ....ti.a4. 25 B 30 'ifb2! �d6 31 f4 ! exf4 Or 31....l:!xf4 32 �xe5. 32 e5 'ifd7 33 'ifxb7!1i'e8 34 'i¥b8 .U.d6 35 'ifxd6 .ib6+ 36 'i¥xb6 'ifxc8 37 e6 g5 38 e7 25 ...a3 26 Exercise 69 In the event of 41 g4 fxg4 42 hxg4 .i.c8 43 f5 gxf5 44 gxf5 .td7, the black bishop can play waiting moves on the squares c8 and d7. White therefore has no possibility to exploit a zug w zwang situation and will have nothing better than to play e6 at some point. After 45 e6+ .i.xe6 46 fxe6+ �xe6, the queening square of White's sole surviving pawn is in the comer not covered by his bishop, guaranteeing Black an easy draw. 41.•• .i.e6 42 ..ic5 And a draw was soon agreed. (Now return to page 145.) In this position, which on the face of it looks Exercise 71 double-edged, the result is decided by Black's vulnerability on his back rank. 35 'i¥f7! 'iYn+ 36 �g4! �g2+ 37 �h5 An astonishing example of 'total war' in B chess, where even the white king joins in the at tack against the black one. 37 •• JtgS 38 .l:ta8 g6+ There was no salvation in the endgame ei ther: 38 ....l:ha8 39 .i.xa8 g6+ 40 'i¥xg6 �xg6+ 41 �xg6, and White wins by bringing his h pawns to h7 and h6, his bishop to e4, and his king to c6 - placing Black in zugzwang. 39 .txg6 1-0 (Now returnto page 143.) Black's position looks critical. The point is not that he is a pawn down and unable to regain Exercise 70 it (39 ....l:Ixg5? 40 ..ig4, with h4 to follow). The main thing, and a recurring feature of middle games with opposite bishops, is that his king feels most insecure (this comes out in the varia B tion 39 ....txg5? 40 'i!Vf3 !, when there is no sat isfactory defence to the threat of 'i!Vg4). Add to this the fact that Black was playing with his flag dangling, and we can only say 'hats off' to the decision Smyslov took: 39 •••c4!! Instead of playing to recover his pawn, Smys lov sacrificesanother one. It must be stated that this is the only way to save the game ! 40 bxc4 'i!Va3 Black has the worse position. He therefore Forcing a queen exchange, as Black does not steers the game into a drawn ending by means risk losing the endgame even with two pawns of a pawn sacrifice. less! This is guaranteed by his active rook and, 31 .•.bxa5 32 bxa5 c5! 33 l:lxc5 l:lxc5 34 crucially, by the opposite bishops. l::txc5 lixc5 35 'iVxc5 �xc5 36 ..ixc5 a6 37 41 'i!Vxa3 .i.xa3 .i.b6 .i.d7 38 .i.d4 g6 39 �h4 .i.e6 40 Wg5 The sealed move. .td7 41 'iit>h6 42 .i.f5!? 154 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY Analysis has convinced Botvinnik that backwards), and you must suffer for the rest of 'peaceful' methods promise White no chance your life, that is, to the end of the game. of victory. Of course this is a joke, but you can draw the 42 ... gxf5 43 g6 .trs conclusions yourself. The only move. Black loses with 43 ...l:th8? Black's mistaken pawn move 24 ...b6? is 44 g7 .l:i.g8 45 h4 il..e7 (45 ...We7 46 h5 Wf7 47 based on weak prophylactic thinking and a h6) 46 h5 .tf6 47 h6 <3iJe748 .l:i.g6. failure to envisage the coming events. In con 44 exf5 .i.g7 45 f6 .txf6 46 g7 ii..xg7 47 sequence he completely loses control of the .l:i.xg7 f3!? situation on the board. He had to keep the c-file Another move adequate to draw is 47 ...e4. sealed and his knight supported. 48 .l:!.g4.l:l.h3!! 49 .l:i.g3 25 l:tf4! Equality similarly results from 49 l:te4 Wd7 The result is that White already threatens 26 (when White should avoid 50 l:txe5? .l:Ih4), or .l:i.xc6 l:i.xc6 27 tt::le5+. On 25 ...<3iJg8 he has the 49 Wgl <3iJd7 50 .l:.g7+ <3iJd6 51 l:tg6+. unpleasant 26 tt::ld2!, threatening tt::le4. His ini 49... .l:.h4 50 .l:.xf3 .l:.xc4 51 .l:.a3 <3iJd7 52 tiative begins to snowball. <3iJg2<3iJd6 53 <3iJg3 <3iJxd554 h3! 25 ...<3iJg6 26 g4!? .tal The straightforward 54 h4?! would give Black could try 26 ...tt::le5, though after 27 g5 Black some chances (albeit slim ones) of win he should avoid the obvious 27 ...hxg5? 28 hxg5 ning by bringing his king to h5. tt::ld3 29 gxf6 tt::lxf4+ 30 exf4 gxf6 31 f5+, when 54 ...We6 55 Wf3 Wf5 56 �g3 Wg5 57 �f3 White's advantage is close to decisive, and in .l:i.f4+ 58 <3iJg3 1h -1f2 stead play 27 ...tt::l d3, the point being that at the (Now return to page 145.) end of the analogous line, White will not have tt::lh4+ because his pawn is still on that square. Exercise 72 White may do better with 27 l:i.e4. 27 .l:.cl .i.b2 28 .l::!.c2 .tal 29 a4! (D) The continuation 29 h5+?! <3iJh7 30 g5 g6 leads only to a reduction of the pawns, which w definitely favours the defending side. After 29 .l:i.fc4?! tt::le5, the exchange of knights brings the 'pure' opposite-bishop position closer, so of course this too would suit Black. B Every move with a pawn must be extremely well thought out! 'Measure seven times, cut once!' is a popular Russian proverb. In support of this absolutely correct principle, I have an adage of my own, facetious though it may sound: every fa ulty pawn move in a game of chess is worse than an unhappy marriage. 29 ••• tt::le5?! Just consider. A girl has chosen a partner for Here, however, the knight exchange allows herself, hurriedly and - as it later turns out - un both white rooks to attain maximum activity. If wisely. Oh, what a calamity ! She 'only' needs to you add to this that we are still clearly in a get a divorce and choose a more suitable spouse. middlegame position and that the black king is In chess, on the other hand - make a weak move in danger, it is easy to assume that White's ini with a pawn (which as we know doesn't go tiative will soon grow into an attack. OPPOSITE BISHOPS IN THE MIDDLEGAME 155 30 lt:lxe5+ i.xe5 31 .l:i.f8! l:tdd7 In the present situation a more critical fac 3l...Wh7 is better, though it is likely that the tor is Black's weakened king position. The iso result of the game would no longer have been lation of his d-pawn was counterbalanced by affected. the threat to advance it with ...d4 and by the 32 f4 .l:tc7 wealth of piece-play on the open c-fileinvolv Black loses at once with 32 ...i.c7? 33 f5+ ing ....l:r.ac8-c3. Therefore the position after exf5 34 gxf5+ Wh7 35 f6 !. 20 .. .'�xe6 could rightly be acknowledged as 33 .l:i.d2 i.c3 34 l:i.d6 �h7 35 g5 hxg5 36 approximately equal. hxg5 i.b4 (D) In the game, after20 ...fx e6?, there followed: 21 'i�Ve2 .l::tac8 22 .l:!.fcl .Uc6 23 g3 :deS 24 .l::i.xc6 'i�Vxc6 25 h4! The black king has started to feel uncomfort w able. Now in the event of 25 ...e5 26 e4 d4 27 h5 White would retain the initiative after either 27 ...gxh5 28 'i�Vxh5 'i�Vh6 29 'i�Vg4 or 27 ...g5 28 'i�Vg4. White went on to win the game. (Now returnto page 147.) Solutions to Additional Exercises Additional Exercise 72A: What is White's Additional Exercise 66A best continuation? (For the answer, see page 156.) Exercise 73 B In the game, Black resolved on: 27 •.•i.c6 Parrying the threat of 28 'i�Vxf8+ in view of 28 ...Wxf8 29 i.xf6 'i�Vxd7. However, White has In the game, Black missed the point. Con other approaches, and as the game went, the cerned to fortify his weak pawn on d5, he struggle flared up with new vehemence. played: Bronstein proposed 27 ...e5 ! as "a more radi 20 •.•fx e6? cal solution to the problem of defending the But in chess as in life, everything tends to be whole diagonal". After 28 'i�Vh3 'i�Ve7 (intending ambivalent, and the advantages of a particular ....l:!.d8, ...i.c6 and ....l::i. xd7), 29 f4 looks neces decision are accompanied by its shortcomings. sary but it does no more than maintain equality, Indeed, chess understanding is defined by the while after 28 h4 l::!.f7 29 h5 .l:.xd7 30 .l:i.xd7 need to weigh all the prosand cons - as if on a 'i�Vxd7 31 hxg6 hxg6 32 'i�Vxg6+ 'i�Vg7 (as given beam balance - in the process of selecting the by Bronstein) White should probably take an most acceptable decision. immediate draw by perpetual check. After 28 156 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEG Y f4 .l:i.f7, Bronstein gave 29 fxe5? .l::i.xd7 30 l::tfl 32 l:td6 'ife8 33 ..txf6l::t f7? 34 lld5 1-0 l:.dl, when Black wins, but 29 �h3 or 29 i..xe5 (Now return to page 139.) should keep things fairly level. 28 h4 .ixd7 29 h5 (D) Additional Exercise 72A B w 29 •.. gxh5?! In the game, he played 37 l:tdd8?!, which in On 29 ...g5 30 .ixf6, Black cannot contem- deed is sufficientfor victory. Yet a much more plate 30 ...�xf6 as 31 'ifxf6 ltxf6 32 .l:!.xd7 pleasing way is the striking and effective 37 gives him a lost rook endgame, so he must try g6+ !, underlining the desperate position of the 30 .. Jhf6 31 'ifxg5+ solid defence; e.g., 33 e4 '>t>e8 34 'i¥g8+ .l:.f8 37•.• 32 .l:!.d3), but both are more resilient than the 40 •.•exf4 41 .U.d5 fxe3+ 42 Wg3 1-0 move played. (Now return to page 146.) Index of Players Numbers refer to pages. When a player's name appears in bold, that player had White. Otherwise the FIRST-NAMED PLAYER had White. ABRAMOVIC - Sergeev, VI. 80 BRONSTEIN - Petrosian 12 ADDISON - Smyslov 143 BROWNE - Mecking 56 AGZAMOV - Kosikov 61 CAPABLANCA - Schroeder 17 AKOPIAN, G. - Orekhov 69 CEBALO - Beliavsky 132 ALATORTSEV - Euwe 62 CHIBURDANIDZE - Marie, A. 81 ALEKHINE - Alexander 60; Levitsky 1 10; CHIGORIN - Falk 54 Spencer, E. 56; Tarrasch 18; Znosko CHISTIAKOV - Simagin 133 Borovsky 17 CHRISTIANSEN - Kasparov 64 ALEXANDER - Alekhine 60 CIFUENTES - Dorfman 147 ANAND - Gelfand 57; Kasparov 105; Svidler DARGA -Fischer 20 61 DAVCEVSKI - Vukic 16 ANDERSSEN - Falkbeer 141; Paulsen, L. 67 DE LA PAZ - Perez, Ro. 137 ARNASON - Kasparov 79 DEMENTIEV - Dzhindzhikhashvili 82 ARONIAN - Ivanchuk 13; Rozentalis 134 DOLMATOV - Reich, T. 119 ARONIN - Lilienthal 143 DONCHENKO - Korsunsky 55 ARONSON - Tal 10 DONNER - Ve limirovic 85 ASEEV - Sturua 138 DORFMAN - Bauer, C. 53; Cifuentes 147; A VERBAKH - Bondarevsky 110; Taimanov Kozlov, A. 64 138 DVORETSKY - Ruderfer 107; Vikulov 131 AZMAIPARASHVILI - Yudasin 63 DZHINDZHIKHASHVILI - Dementiev 82 BAGIROV - Kholmov 112 DZIADYK - Kosikov 113 BALASHOV - Khalifman 19 ENGLISCH - Steinitz 75 BALENDO - Boleslavsky 83 ESTEVEZ - Karpov 83 BANNIK - Tal 114 EUWE - Alatortsev 62 BAREEV - Shirov 11 FALK - Chigorin 54 BAUER, C. -Dorfman 53 FALKBEER - Anderssen 141 BELIAVSKY - Cebalo 132; Forintos 63 FEUER, 0. - O'Kelly 111 BENJAMIN - Friedman, A. 136 FISCHER - Darga 20; Saidy 29; Shocron 113; BLACKBURNE - Lasker, Em. 71 Spassky 14; Spassky 57 BLATNY - lvanchuk 136 FLORIAN - Kotov 52 BOBOTSOV - Keres 135 FOGUELMAN - Smyslov 65 BOLESLAVSKY - Balendo 83; Bondarevsky FORINTOS - Beliavsky 63 107; Sterner 130 FRIEDMAN, A. - Benjamin 136 BONDAREVSKY - Averbakh 110; FRUMSON - Muratov 63 Boleslavsky 107 FURMAN - Botvinnik 76 BOTVINNIK - Furman 76; Lilienthal 142; GELFAND - Anand 57; Seirawan 80 Moiseev 115; Romanovsky 67; GELLER - Hort 11 Romanovsky 106; Sliwa 116; Smyslov GHEORGHIU - Grigorov 137; Olafsson, F. 74 145; Sorok:in 12; Tal 12, 117; Zagoriansky GHINDA - Kindermann 132 15 GLIGORIC - Larsen 55 BOUAZIZ - Miles 108 GLUSHKOV - Zakharov 140 158 ELEMENTS OF CHESS STRATEGY GRIGOROV - Gheorghiu 137 LOBRON - Korchnoi 86; Spraggett 19 GROSZPETER - Portisch 84 MAKARYCHEV - Robatsch 114 GULKO - Vasiukov 68 MARIC, A. - Chiburdanidze 81 GUREVICH, D. - Seirawan 11 MATANOVIC - Smyslov 10 HORT - Geller 11 MECKING - Browne 56 HUBNER - Smys1ov 64 MICHELL - Tartakower 72 HUNTER, C. - Sevecek, R. 139 MIKENAS - Smys1ov 74 IVANCHUK - Aronian 13; Blatny 136; Yudasin MILES - Bouaziz 108 11 MILOV - Van Wely 78 JANOWSKI - Lasker, Em. 107; Rubinstein 20 MINEV - Wood 73 KAMSKY - Kasparov 129; Salov 58 MOISEEV - Botvinnik 115 KAPENGUT - Timoshchenko 127 MURATOV - Frumson 63 KARNER - Vogt 112 NEZHMETDINOV - Konstantinov 118 KARPOV - Estevez 83; Kasparov 112, 126; NIKOLIC - Sznapik 18 Kasparov 147; Korchnoi 144; Lj ubojevic NIMZOWITSCH - Rubinstein 21; Wolf, H. 10 88; Seirawan 84; Spassky 19; Tal 131; NUNN - Ye Rongguang 72 Timman 139 O'KELLY - Feuer, 0. 111 KASPAROV - Anand 105; Amason 79; 0LAFSSON, F.-Gheorghiu 74 Christiansen 64;Kamsky 129; Karpov OLAFSSON, H. - Kasparov 129 112, 126; Karpov 147; Khuzman 10; OREKHOV - Akopian, G. 69 01afsson, H. 129 PANCHENKO, A.G. - Kosikov 47 KELLY, B. - Yusupov 143 PAULSEN, L. - Anderssen 67 KERES - Bobotsov 135 PEREZ, Ro. -de Ia Paz 137 KERNAZHITSKY - Kosikov 44 PETROSIAN - Bronstein 12 KHALIFMAN - Balashov 19; Timoshchenko PIKET - Van Wely 59 73 PIRA - Shirov 145 KHOLMOV - Bagirov 112; Simagin 118 PIRC - Schmidt, P. 114 KHUZMAN - Kasparov 10 PIRROT - Svidler 105 KINDERMANN - Ghinda 132 PORTISCH - Groszpeter 84 KINSMAN - Shirov 16 PRASAD - Sax 128 KLOVANS - Kosikov 133; Vitolins 135 PSAKHIS - Speelman 65; Sveshnikov 80 KOBERL - Szabo 141 PYTEL - Kostro 77 KOCHIEV - Kuzmin, G. 118 RAUZER - Riumin 61 KONSTANTINOV - Nezhmetdinov 118 RAZUVAEV - Sigurjonsson 126 KORCHNOI - Karpov 144; Lobron 86 REICH, T. - Dolmatov 119 KORSUNSKY - Donchenko 55 RIBLI - Kovacevic 82 KOSIKOV - Agzamov 61; Dziadyk 113; RICHTER - Tarrasch 71 Kemazhitsky 44; Klovans 133; Kots 108; RIUMIN - Rauzer 61 Panchenko, A.G. 47; Stopkin 119; ROBATSCH - Makarychev 114 Zubov, A. 111 ROMANOVSKY - Botvinnik 67; Botvinnik KOSTRO - Pytel 77 106 KOTOV - Florian 52 ROZENTALIS - Aronian 134 KOTS - Kosikov 108 RUBINSTEIN - Janowski 20; Nimzowitsch 21 KOVACEVIC - Ribli 82 RUDERFER - Dvoretsky 107 KOZLOV, A. - Dorfman 64 SABININ - Tamarkin 136 KUZMIN, G. - Kochiev 118 SAGALCHIK - Yudasin 128 LARSEN - Gligoric 55; Sarapu 81 SAIDY - Fischer 29 LASKER, EM. - Blackburne 71; Janowski 107 SALOV - Kamsky 58; Timman 145 LEVITSKY - Alekhine 110 SARAPU - Larsen 81 LILIENTHAL - Aronin 143; Botvinnik 142 SAX - Prasad 128 LJUBOJEVIC - Karpov 88 SCHIFFER - Ziiger 77 INDEX OF PLAYERS 159 SCHMIDT, P. - Pirc 114 TAIMANOV - Averbakh 138; Simagin 18; SCHROEDER - Capablanca 17 Smyslov 85 SEIRAWAN - Gelfand 80; Gurevich, D. 11; TAL - Aronson 10; Bannik 114; Botvinnik Karpov 84; Tal 135 12, 117; Karpov 131; Seirawan 135; SERGEEV, VL. - Abramovic 80 Suttles 76 SEVECEK, R. - Hunter, C. 139 TAMARKIN - Sabinin 136 SHIROV - Bareev 11; Kinsman 16; Pira 145 TARRASCH - Alekhine 18; Richter 71 SHOCRON - Fischer 113 TARTA KOWER - Michell 72 SHORT - Zilber 60 TIMMAN - Karpov 139; Salov 145 SIEGEL, G. - Stefanova 87 TIMOSHCHENKO - Kapengut 127; Khalifman SIGURJONSSON - Razuvaev 126; Vasiukov 75 73 SIMAGIN - Chistiakov 133; Kholmov 118; TUKMAKOV - Suba 142 Smyslov 21; Spassky 127; Taimanov 18 V ALERGA - Sorin 19 SLIWA - Botvinnik 116 VAN WELY - Milov 78; Piket 59 SMYSLOV - Addison 143; Botvinnik 145; VASIUK OV - Gulko 68; Sigurjonsson 75 Foguelman 65; Hubner 64; Matanovic 10; VELIMIROVIC -Donner 85 Mikenas 74; Simagin 21; Suba 59; VIKULOV - Dvoretsky 131 Taimanov 85 VILLAMAYOR - Wang Lei 134 SOKOLOV, A. - Yusupov 130 VITOLINS - Klovans 135 SORIN - Valerga 19 VIZE - Yudovich Jr 82 SOROKIN - Botvinnik 12 VOGT - Karner 112 SPASSKY - Fischer 14; Fischer 57; Karpov VUKIC - Davcevski 16 19; Simagin 127 WANG LEI - Villamayor 134 SPEELMAN - Psakhis 65 WOLF, H. - Nimzowitsch 10 SPENCER, E. - Alekhine 56 WOOD - Minev 73 SPRAGGETT - Lobron 19; Yusupov 145 YE RONGGUANG - Nunn 72 STEFANOVA - Siegel, G. 87 YUDASIN - Azmaiparashvili 63; lvanchuk STEINITZ - Englisch 75 11; Sagalchik 128 STERNER - Boleslavsky 130 YUDOVICH JR - Vize 82 STOPKIN - Kosikov 119 YUFEROV - Suetin 70 STURUA - Aseev 138 YUSUPOV - Kelly, B. 143; Sokolov, A. 130; SUBA - Smyslov 59; Thkmakov 142 Spraggett 145 SUETIN - Yuferov 70 ZAGORIANSKY - Botvinnik 15 SUTTLES -Tal 76 ZAKHAROV - Glushkov 140 SVESHNIKOV - Psakhis 80 ZILBER - Short 60 SVIDLER - Anand 61; Pirrot 105 ZNOSKO-BOROVSKY - Alekhine 17 SZABO - Koberl 141 ZUBOV, A. - Kosikov 111 SZNAPIK - Nikolic 18 ZOGER - Schiffer 77 Play the Najdorf Sicilian Mastering the Chess Openings Volume 4 James Rizzitano John Wa tson The legendary Najdorf is one of the great In this highly-acclaimed series, John Watson chess openings - regarded by top explains not only the ideas and strategies grandmasters as the best way for Black to behind specific openings, but also the play for a win against 1 e4. In this superbly interconnections of chess openings taken as a researched guide, International Master James whole. This final volume is packed with Rizzitano distils important ideas and themes original analysis, and covers a wide variety of from current practice. opening structures and variations not seen in 144 pages, 248 x 172 mm; $22.95 I £13.99 the earlier volumes. 320 pages, 248 x 172 mm; $29. 95 I £1 7.99 Nunn's Chess Endings Volume 1 Jo hn Nunn A Killer Chess Opening Repertoire - new ed. Renowned endgame theoretician John Nunn Aaron Summerscale & Sverre Johnsen teaches the skills that are most important to Bored with the same old openings? Worried success in practical endgames. Nunn shows about having to learn too much theory? Then that lack of familiarity with key ideas can this book will come as a godsend. The queen's cause important themes to be missed even by pawn repertoire for White is based on rapid very strong players - and we discover that a piece development, and includes many lethal staggering amount of previously published attacking ideas and traps. endgame analysis is wrong. This firstvolume 192 pages, 210 x 145 mm; $19.95 I £12.99 covers pawn endings, queen endings and minor-piece endings. Understanding the Marshall Attack 320 pages, 248 x 172 mm; $29.95 I £1 7. 99 David Vigorito It is almost a century since Marshall invented Play the Alekhine his gambit in the Ruy Lopez, but it is still Va lentin Bogdanov controversial and popular. Vigorito explains The Alekhine (l...tt:'lf6) is arguably the most how Black secures long-term attacking aggressive reply to 1 e4. Black immediately chances and activity that can persist well into forces the pace and drags the game onto his the endgame, and provides cutting-edge own favoured territory. Bogdanov describes theoretical coverage of its main lines, the unique positional and tactical themes, and including the Anti-Marshalls. presents a wealth of new ideas for both sides. 192 pages, 248 x 172 mm; $23. 95 I £14. 99 128 pages, 248 x 172 mm; $19.95 I £12.99 The Giant Chess Puzzle Book FCO: Fundamental Chess Openings Zenon Franco Paul van der Sterren This fun and challenging book begins with The perfect survival guide to the chess 120 relatively easy positions suitable for openings. All openings are covered, with novices, and ends with a selection of detailed verbal explanations of plans for both extremely tough puzzles, which provide a sides. The strategies explained will remain mind-bending challenge even for valid as long as chess is played, and so the grandmasters. There are 1001 puzzles in total, time spent studying this book will be all with detailed solutions and verbal rewarded many times over. explanations of the instructive points. 480 pages, 248 x 172 mm; $29.95 I £19.99 288 pages, 248 x 172 mm; $26. 95 I £16.99 About the Publisher: Gambit is a specialist chess publishing company, owned and run exclusively by chess masters and grandmasters. We are passionate about producing innovative and instructive chess books, suitable for all levels of player. www.gambitbooks.com MAh�IBIITI ISBN-10 : 1-906454-24-8 Lara Bo Hansen 9 781 906 54241