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Home , Checkmate, Chess Today, Deflection (chess), Fork (chess), Perpetual check, Smothered mate

Vladimir Barsky

A Modern Guide to Checkmating Patterns

Improve Your Ability to Spot Typical Mates

New In 2020 Contents

Explanation of symbols ...... 6 Foreword ...... 7

Chapter 1 The ...... 11 Exercises ...... 17

Chapter 2 The ...... 25 Exercises ...... 35

Chapter 3 The minor pieces and pawns ...... 43 Exercises ...... 52

Chapter 4 Two rooks ...... 63 Exercises ...... 67

Chapter 5 Rook and ...... 75 Exercises ...... 83

Chapter 6 Rook and ...... 95 Exercises ...... 101

Chapter 7 Queen and bishop ...... 113 Exercises ...... 128

Chapter 8 Queen and knight ...... 143 Exercises ...... 150

Chapter 9 Queen and rook ...... 160 Exercises ...... 171

Chapter 10 Three pieces ...... 185 Exercises ...... 195

Chapter 11 Solutions ...... 206

5 FOREWORD In the footsteps of The Last

This book is dedicated to the fond memory of Viktor Lvovich Khenkin.

The idea for this book first arose about ten years ago, when I edited Viktor Lvovich Khenkin’s classic textbook The Last Check. I was surprised that his original methodology for finding mating combinations did not generally receive serious attention. Maybe this was because Viktor Lvovich’s past training achievements had been forgotten? After all, he taught chess at the now rebuilt and renamed young pioneer stadium, and was trainer of the Moscow team, which was victorious in All-Union championships. In addition, Khenkin the theoretician was one of the founders of the Sozin Attack and wrote a whole chapter in ’s famous five- volume endgame course. In the great majority of books devoted to chess tactics, combinations are categorized by theme: double attack, , attraction, overload, , line-opening, etc. But how are you supposed to know, when sitting at the board with the clock ticking, what you should be looking for, whether a , a deflection, a line-opening, etc.? In practice, everything usually happens the other way round: first the player finds a combinational motif, using his experience and the associations thereof, and then works out how to effect it correctly. Only after the idea has been realized does the happy victor think about which tactical device he used. Viktor Khenkin tried to make his method as close as possible to practical play. Here is an extract from ’s preface to The Last Check: ‘When I examine a concrete position, I notice first of all its particular characteristic, the mutual piece placements, and their connections. And suddenly (in the majority of cases this happens intuitively) the outlines of some new position will flash up, tantalizing and attractive. It is not yet on the board, of course, but all the signs are that it could arise. Then the chase for the bird begins. Often, calculating the variations is a Sisyphean task. The position in the mind’s eye is almost impossible to reach, even if the opponent enters into “cooperation” with you. Some piece is on the wrong square, some gets in the way... but sometimes a tedious search of variations brings real results. Move by move, one approaches the desired final position, which one saw from afar. And if the circle of variations is closed, then... then you can start a .’

7 A Modern Guide to Checkmating Patterns

The remarkable trainer and Soviet Master of Sport, Viktor Lvovich Khenkin (1923-2010), proposed systematizing mating schemes or ‘pictures’ by reference to the piece or pawn which brought the mate to its conclusion. It turned out that there were not so many of these schemes – about a hundred basic ones – and only about 20-30 which occur in the great majority of mating combinations. These can be remembered even by an inexperienced player: ‘it’s not rocket science’, as the popular saying runs. Luck brought me a long acquaintance with Viktor Lvovich Khenkin. At the start of the millennium, he was the mentor and senior comrade of various young journalists: Oleg Pervakov, Maxim Notkin, Ilya Odessky, Andrey Paneyakh and the present author. We tried to learn from the Maestro all the best. A workaholic, he did not tolerate hack-work or routine stuff, and he perfectly mastered the literary Russian language. And the non-literary too: oh, how he cursed, when I wrote ‘pieces of iron’ instead of ‘piece of iron’ in one title he proposed! He constantly repeated to us: ‘Do not dismiss small things, trifles are the most important, they create an image!’ The children of Twitter and Instagram are unlikely to appreciate it, but how many hours we spent on coming up with a sharp headline even for articles of second-rate importance, not to mention really top-class ones. They were great hours of creative search! I am proud of the fact that I wrote my first book, dedicated to the Frenchman François Philidor, in co-authorship with Viktor Lvovich. Then I helped re-issue 1000 Combinations as the special editor. In checking every example with the computer, I once again saw the integrity of Viktor Lvovich: only a very small number needing correcting and then, usually only cosmetically, tidying up illustrative variations. As every day went by, I came to like the book more and more and I resolved to write a follow-up, using games played in the 21st century. But the classification remains much the same as that used in the classic. In the words of Viktor Lvovich: ‘Since all the pieces differ among themselves according to their range and rules of movement, each of them has its favorite “profession”. In this sense, chess can be compared with an ice hockey team, where each player has worked out shots on goal from different points of the ice rink. The same can be said about the distribution of roles in the joint attack on the . Some pieces prefer a “passing” role, while others “hit the puck” by themselves.’ This book A Modern Guide to Checkmating Patterns is divided into ten chapters: first, we present schemes and examples with explanations, and then positions for independent solving. These number 851. A good source was the online magazine (chief editor Alexander Baburin),

8 Foreword where I worked from 2000-2008. At first, I had 1,000 or so examples, but some fell by the wayside. I have spent some ten years working on the book, on and off, and I should like to thank my former colleague Andrey Paneyakh for his great help, without which this manuscript would still be gathering (virtual) dust on the computer.

We will conclude this Foreword with a further quote from Mikhail Tal: ‘Of course, chess creativity is not limited to what is set out here. Each player creates further, according to his talent and imagination. But as for that which can be known, there is no need to reinvent the wheel.’

Vladimir Barsky Moscow, April 2020

9 CHAPTER 3 The minor pieces and pawns

The knight on its own can only give mate when the enemy king’s escape paths are blocked by his own pieces. The most common form of this is the so-called ‘’. ._Tm dMl. _NjJ JsJ_ ._._ n._. _._. ._._

._Tm ._._ _N_J _._. .i._ .n.j _._. _K_M

._._ M_K_ _.n. l.n. .k.j ._._ _._M _._.

The bishop also needs the help of his own or enemy units to give mate. The most common constructions are the following: dMl. ._.m Jj._ _I_J _._B ._._ ._._ b._.

._Lm ._.m _._J _K_J ._._ ._._ b._. b._.

43 A Modern Guide to Checkmating Patterns

_.j. _.jJ ._Im ._.m _I_. _._I .b.k .b.k

Two knights cannot mate a lone king on an empty board, but in a position full of life, they often constitute a powerful weapon. The most popular mating set-ups are as follows: ._.m ._.m _Nj. nNjJ .n._ ._._ _._. _._.

._M_ tMt. nJjJ .l.n ._N_ _._. _._. .n._

._.m._._ _K_._._. ._N_.n._ _._._._.

Knight and bishop, as a rule, usually do most damage to a king when it is in the corner or adjacent to it: b1 (b8) or g1 (g8). Consider the following diagrams: .tM_ .tM_ _._J nJ_J ._.n ._._ b._. b._.

._.m _Mt _._J J_J ._.n n.b b._. ._.

44 Chapter 3 – The minor pieces and pawns

._._Ml._ ._M_ _.nS_J_. _.jJ ._._._._ B_N_ _._._.b. _._.

dMl M_._ .sB _._. _._ NkB_ .n. _._.

.lM_ _I_. ._._ b.n.

Two bishops are especially strong in the hands of the attacking side. Often, after delaying , the king is nailed to its initial position by their joint efforts, but he frequently has trouble in the corner as well. ._.m _Ml. _._J S_._ B_._ _._B b._. ._.b

._Mt M_._ _._S _._. B_.b .k.b _._. _._B

The pawn, in order to give mate, needs the active assistance of his own and often the enemy units as well. This is because, in checking the king, it does not control a single escape square.

(see next page)

45 A Modern Guide to Checkmating Patterns

._M_ _.r. _Ii. ._.j ._K_ _._M _._. ._Il

.lMt _._. _IjJ .kBm ._._ _.i. _.n. ._._

The main heroes of this chapter usually succeed when the enemy king is on or near the edge of the board – either the rank or file. The exception is the pawn, as it can often catch the king in the centre of the board, although here too, the main role is played by those forces which cut off the king’s retreat.

Piotr Bobras 2535 position, in which White is a whole Tatiana Kononenko 2387 queen down. Port Erin 2013 (4) Igor Kurnosov 2577 Marat Dzhumaev 2527 ._._R_._ Tashkent 2008 (8) j._D_T_. ._._._Mj j._J_Lj. T_LdMl.t ._Jb._.i _.j._J_J _.i.qI_. J_.jJiJ_ ._I_._I_ _._I_.b. † _._._.k. S_._._._ _.q._._. 41.♖g8+ ♔h7 IiI_.iIi 41...♔h5 42.♖xg5+ ♔xh4 43.♕f4+. † _.k.rBnR 42.♖h8+ ♔g6 What has White achieved? After all, A painfully familiar picture: Black the queen does not have a single is behind in development and his square in the king’s field. But... opponent finds an elegant decision, 43.♕xg5+! where the main role is played And Black resigned: 43...hxg5 by the smallest unit, the brave 44.h5# – an elegant mating footsoldiers.

46 Chapter 3 – The minor pieces and pawns

12.♕c6+! ♗d7 13.♖xe6+! fxe6 White wins both rooks and a bishop 13...♗e7 14.♖xe7+ ♕xe7 15.♕xa8+. by force – 31.♕xe8+ ♔g7 32.♕xg6+ 14.dxe6!! ♔f8 33.♕xf6+ ♔e8 34.♕e6+ and White does not hesitate to 35.♕xc4, keeping an extra piece. even the queen: he threatens mate in one (14...♗xc6 15.f7#). 14...♗g7 15.exd7+ Ian Nepomniachtchi 2706 Black resigned: huge material losses Krishnan Sasikiran 2681 are inevitable. Khanty-Mansiysk ol 2010 (4)

Djurabek Khamrakulov 2548 .t._._L_ Saidali Iuldachev 2501 _._._._. Tashkent ch-UZB 2008 (4) .j.r._._ _M_.iJjJ J_._.s._ ._T_T_M_ iIr._._. _J_NqJ_. ._._.bI_ ._._R_.j † _._._.k. _B_._Ij. Ij.l._._ The black king is not yet on the _._._.bI edge, but White is able to force it to ._.d.i._ make the fatal step. † _._._.k. 52.♖c8! ♘e2+ A so-called ‘spite check’. White has a material advantage, and 53.♔h2 ♖xc8 would seem to be winning after the The Greek Gift must be accepted, prosaic 28.♕xe8+. However, in this else Black faces an endgame a rook case, he would have to reckon with down (53...♖b7 54.♖xg8). the on b4 and analysis 54.♖xb6+ shows that White can count only on . But he has a ._T_._L_ combinative path to victory, which _._._._. was demonstrated in the game: .r._._._ 28.♖g6+! fxg6 29.♘f6+! _M_.iJjJ Enticing the bishop to the fatal J_._._._ square. iI_._._. 29...♗xf6 30.♗c4+ ._._SbIk Black resigned, seeing the mate _._._._. after 30...♔h8 31.♕xf6+ ♔h7 32.fxg6. And if instead 30...♖xc4 Black resigned: 54...♔a5 55.b4#.

47 A Modern Guide to Checkmating Patterns

EXERCISES T_.dMl.t T_.dM_.t 122 _L_S_Jj. 123 jJjS_Jj. J_._Ji._ ._L_Js.j _J_._.j. _._._._. ._.j._._ ._.i._._ _._B_N_. b.iB_N_. Ii._QiIi I_I_.iIi † rN_._Rk. † _R_Qr.k.

._.r.tM_ ._._._Tm 124 j._.s._J 125 j.rQ_.lJ ._._J_.i ._._._._ _J_._._. _J_._.b. ._J_.bD_ I_.iJi._ i.q.j._. _I_._.iK KiI_._._ ._._D_.i † _._._._. † _._._._.

._.s.tSt ._._._._ 126 _._._.d. 127 j._._B_. ._M_J_.j ._._._._ jJnJiJjI _._._.jJ L_Ji.i._ R_._._._ i.i._QiB _I_._.iM R_I_._.k I_T_._.i † _.b._R_. † _._S_.k.

T_T_._Sm ._TdMl.t 128 j.d._._J 129 _J_SjJj. ._._JjJi J_.j._.j _.b._._. i._S_._. .jQ_I_._ ._.n.i._ _._._._. _._B_._I IiIr.iI_ .iIq.bI_ † _.kR_._. † r._.k._R

52 Exercises – The minor pieces and pawns

130 TsL_Ml.t 131 T_S_._Tm jJ_J_Jj. jJ_Dl._J ._._._.j ._._.j.b d.jN_S_. _._J_._B ._._._.b ._.i._L_ _.i._._. _I_N_._. Ii._IiIi I_._Q_Ii † r._QkBnR † r._._Rk.

TsLdM_.t T_.dM_.t 132 jJ_J_JjJ 133 _._J_JjJ ._._Js._ J_SqJs._ _.l._.b. _J_._._. ._._N_._ ._N_L_._ _._._._. bI_._._. IiI_IiIi I_I_.iIi „ r._QkBnR † r._.kB_R

T_._T_._ T_._T_M_ 134 _.jLsJm. 135 _J_._.lJ ._J_._Jl .j._._J_ j.bJ_In. _._._J_. I_._I_._ ._.s._._ _.i._._. _._B_.iL Bi._._.i Ii.nIi._ † _.kR_.r. „ _RbRk._.

T_D_Tm._ .t._T_M_ 136 j._.sJlQ 137 _L_J_.jJ .j.j.nJ_ J_._J_._ _._._Ib. _Ji.iJ_. I_._._._ ._I_Si._ _._._._. b._B_Di. .iI_._Ii I_Q_R_.i † _._R_Rk. „ _._._Rk.

53 A Modern Guide to Checkmating Patterns

138 T_._T_Ml 139 ._T_.tM_ _._._J_J _._._J_J J_.qL_Jb J_._.bD_ _.j._NiI _.lJ_N_. .j._I_._ .j._._._ _._S_I_. _I_._._. IdIkB_._ .iI_._.i † _._R_._R † _K_.qR_.

T_.d.tM_ .s._.tM_ 140 _J_._JjJ 141 _B_._JjJ J_.l._L_ .jN_Jl._ _._J_N_. jI_._._. .i._S_.q ._.q._._ i._Bi._I i._.s.i. .b._.iI_ .b._Di.i † r._.k._R † _.r._.k.

T_._Tm._ ._Mt.l.t 142 _._.lJjB 143 _J_.jJjJ J_J_L_._ JdS_.sL_ _._Jn._Q _Bj._._. .d._._._ Q_._IbI_ _._._._. n.i._N_I I_._.iIi Ii._.i._ † _.r.r.k. † r._.r.k.

._Tm.l.t ._.tM_.t 144 dL_.j._J 145 jQr.sJ_J ._J_._J_ .s._._J_ _Bn._._Q _._._._. ._Ji._._ ._.iN_.l _.i._._. _B_Db._I ._._.i.i I_._.iI_ † _.b.kR_. † _._.k._R

54 Chapter 11 – Solutions

113 31.♖xd8 ♖xd8 32.♕f6! As to one’s eye, but it immediately well as attacking the pawn, this dots the i’s and crosses the t’s. The also covers the long diagonal a1-h8, h6-square is defenceless. insuring White against checks on 118 24.♘f6+! gxf6 25.♕g4! There g1 followed by d4, when the black is no time to retreat the queen, rook would have to leave the back because mate in two is threatened. rank. 32...♕f8 33.♖xg7 1-0 Nijboer- 25...♔h8 26.♖xe5 fxe5 27.f6 ♖g8 Naumkin, Hoogeveen 2008. 28.♔g2 1-0 Moiseenko-Külaots, 114 42...♖e1! 43.♕d2 Not better Warsaw Ech rapid 2013. are either 43.♕xe1 ♕f4+ 44.♔h3 119 Here the first move of the ♕h4#, or 43.♕d4 ♖e4 44.♕d2 combination is definitely very ♕e5+ 45.♔f3 g4#. 43...♖e2! attractive: 13...♘g3+! 14.hxg3 Insisting: 0-1 Lobzhanidze- hxg3+ 15.♔g1 ♕f4! Padeiro-Galego, Kacheishvili, Dresden Ech 2007. Canecas 2002 ch-POR playoff rapid; 115 34...♕g1+ 35.♖g2 ♖xh3+! White resigned because of 16.♗xa7 Ferguson-Williams, London 2012; ♖h1+! 17.♔xh1 ♕h4+. White resigned because of 36.♔xh3 120 White is a piece down and ♕h1+ 37.♔g3 ♕h4# or 37.♖h2 has a rook attacked, but he offers ♕xf3#. the sacrifice of a bishop. 43.♗f4! 116 White is a piece down, but The only way to win, in fact. happily parts with another rook: 43...♘xf4 44.♖e8+! ♕xe8 45.♕g7# 24.♗xg7! 24.♖xg7+! ♗xg7 25.♗xg7 Jones-Hawkins, North Shields transposes. 24...♗xg7 25.♖xg7+ ch-GBR 2012. ♔xg7 26.♕g5+! ♘g6 Nothing 121 17.♘c6! bxc6 18.dxc6 1-0 changes after 26...♔h7 27.f6. 27.f6+ Mulet-Korcz, Zabrze 2011; such P.H.Nielsen-Van Wely, Wolvega 2010; an unpretentious quiet move. Black resigned because of 27...♔h7 Black has lots of pieces, but there 28.♕h5+ ♔g8 29.♕h6. The queen is nothing to be done against the alone is stronger than the whole queen and pawn mate. Usually force (although not without the help such a catastrophe occurs on the of the powerful footsoldier on f6). kingside, but it seems that one must 117 30.♕c1!! 1-0 Marholev- keep one’s eyes open on the other Rotstein, Livigno 2011; this is wing too. hardly the move that leaps first

Chapter 3 – The minor pieces and pawns 122 14.♕xe6+! 1-0 Tunik-J.Geller, 124 28.♕h8+!! Morozevich- Togliatti 2001; 14...fxe6 15.♗g6#. Bologan, Russia tt 2004; Black 123 12.♖xe6+! fxe6 13.♗g6# resigned because of 28...♔xh8 Kornev-Soloviov, Tula 2002. 29.♖xf8+ ♘g8 30.♗e5+.

213 A Modern Guide to Checkmating Patterns

125 36.♕xg7+! 1-0 B.Socko- 136 25.♕g8+! 1-0 Bodnaruk- Khmelniker, Pardubice 2004; the Gunina, Gorodets ch-RUS W 2006; end is easy to calculate: 36...♖xg7 25...♘xg8 26.♘h7#. 37.♖c8+ ♖g8 38.♗f6#. 137 25...♕h1+! 0-1 Caspi- 126 27.♘xe6! 1-0 Firman- Kaplan, Herzliya 2006; 26.♔xh1 Gdanski, Capelle-la-Grande 2006; ♘f2+ 27.♔g1 ♘h3#. Mate is one if 27...♘xe6 (what else?), then move quicker by 25...♘f2! 26.♖exf2 28.♕xd5+! ♔xd5 29.♗g2#. (26.♗e4 ♘h3#) 26...♕h1#. 127 43.♖h4+! 1-0 Goloshchapov- 138 21.♕f8+! ♖xf8 22.♘e7# Deviatkin, Moscow 2004; 43...gxh4 Arakhamia-Grant-Robertson, 44.♗e6#. Grangemouth 2001. 128 25.♗f8! ♕xc4 26.♗g7# 139 31.♖g1! 1-0 Stets-Oleksienko, D.Mastrovasilis-Short, Porto Carras Lviv 2009; whichever way Black takes Ech-tt 2011. the rook, the knight mates: 31...♗xg1 129 21.♘e6! 1-0 Johansen- 32.♘e7# or 31...♕xg1 32.♘h6#. P.H.Nielsen, Helsingor 2012; the 140 19.♕h6! 1-0 Semcesen- queen has no retreat and on 21... Grandelius, Kungsor ch-SWE 2009; fxe6 it is mate after 22.♗g6. Black is mated on g7 or h6. 130 8.♕a4!! ♕xa4 Nothing 141 22.♘e7+! ♔h8 23.♕xf6! would have been changed by 8...♘c6 ♕xb2 24.♕xb2 1-0 Kraai-Kavutskiy, 9.♕xa5. 9.♘c7# Yermolinsky-E.Tate, San Diego 2009. USA 2001. 142 25.♕xf7+! 1-0 Iakymov- 131 23.♘e5! 1-0 Fernando- Vysochin, Yuzhny 2009; 25...♗xf7 Giaccio, Santa Clara 2005; he cannot 26.♘d7#. play either 23...fxe5 24.♕xe5+, or 143 14.♘c4! Arngrimsson- 23...♗xe2 24.♘f7#, whilst 23...♗xh5 Omarsson, Reykjavik 2010; Black 24.♕xh5 only delays defeat by one resigned, in view of 14...♕xb5 move. (14...♕a7 15.♗xc6) 15.♕xb5 axb5 132 5...♘xe4! 0-1 Hoang Thanh 16.♘b6#. Trang-Franchini, Budapest 2005; 144 21.♕d5+! Rapport- 6.♗xd8 ♗xf2#. Huschenbeth, Chur tt 2010; Black 133 12.♕f8+! Kotrotsos-Stiri, resigned because of 21...cxd5 Heraklio 2005; Black resigned, 22.♘e6#. And if instead 21...♔c7 because of the forced 12...♖xf8 22.♗f4+ e5 23.♗xe5+ ♔b6 24.♘d7+ 13.♘d6+ ♔e7 14.♘f5+ ♔e8 15.♘xg7#. ♔a5 25.♕xc4 or 21...♔e8 22.♕d7+ 134 26.f6+! 1-0 Ansell-Jonkman, ♔f7 23.♗xc4+ ♔g7 24.♕e6 and England 4NCL 2005/06; 26...♔xf6 again the black king does not 27.♗d4#. survive long. 135 20...♖xe2+! Gabriel-Zhelesny, 145 20.♖xe7+! ♗xe7 21.♘f6+ Arvier Wch sr 2006; White resigned 1-0 Vajda-Abrahamyan, Khanty- because of 21.♗xe2 ♘c2#. Mansiysk ol W 2010; equally bad

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