Michael Khodarkovsky:

Middle game with c3-d4 pawns

Middle game positions with a pair of pawns,
c3d4 (c6d5), can be seen frequently in
practical games. Analyzing positions with
this type of pawn structure allows us to draw
the following conclusions:
(1) it is important to restrict the movements
of these pawns and take control over squares
c4 and d5 (or c5 and d4, respectively);
(2) the side with the c and d pawns must
recognize that passive play will likely only
result in a draw, therefore, this side must
create a dynamic structure with hanging
pawns c4 and d4 (c5 and d5), or it must
build up an active game on the King side.
This article highlights games where the
pawn structure c3d4 (c6d5) is the center
of the theoretical dispute in those games.
Anand V. : Kramnik V.
Wijk aan Zee 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Ne5 d6 4.Nf3 Ne4 5.d4
d5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.00 Be7 8.c4 Nb4 9.Be2 0
0 10.Nc3 Bf5 11.a3 Nc3 12.bc3 Nc6 13.Re1
Re8 14.cd5 Qd5 15.Bf4 Rac8

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: Smeets White tried 16.g3!? - a novelty at

the time of play. The text and analysis of that
game could be found below as well.
16.h3
16.g3 (Perhaps, the reason of this move is to
make sure that his bishop is going to be
protected against 16...Qe4 and White will be
threatening advance of his duo of central
pawns with 17.c4 and 18.d5.) 16...b5
(16...Bf6 17.Nd2 Qd7 - this position looks
better for Black than the one that happened
in the game. Therefore, 16.g3 is not
convincing.) 17.Nd2 Na5 18.Nf1? (White
missed chance to obtain a strong advantage
after striking 18.a4! b4 19.Ba6! bc3 20.Re5
Qd7 21.Bc8 Rc8 22.Ra5 cd2 23.Qd2)
18...Nc4 19.Bc4 (Still 19.a4! looks more
promising than immediate trade on c4.)
19...Qc4 20.Ne3 Qe6 21.Nf5 Qf5 22.Re5
Qd7 23.Qe2 Bd6 24.Qb5 c6 25.Re8, agreed
for a draw in view of 25...Re8 26.Qd3 Bf4
27.gf4 Qg4 28.Qg3 Qf5=.
16...Be4

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This disputed position was played also in the
game Shirov : Kramnik, Wijk aan Zee 2010.
In their encounter white preferred to play
17.Nd2!? Bg2 18.Bg4 Bh1
(18...f5 19.Be2 Na5 20.Qa4!) 19.f3 Bh4
20.Re4! (20.Rf1 f5 21.Bh5 g6 22.Kh1 gh5
23.Rg1 Kh8 24.Qf1 and better for black as it

In the same tournament in the game Karjakin

FIDE Survey Michael Khodarkovsky

was played in the game Leko : Anand,

St.Luis 2005.)
20...f5 21.Kh1 fg4
(21...fe4 22.fe4 Re4 23.Qf3 Rce8 24.Ne4
Qe4 (24...Re4 25.Bc7) 25.Bc7)
22.hg4 Qf7 23.Qb3 Ne7 24.Qf7
(24.Qb7?! Nd5 25.Re8 Re8 26.Be5 Bg5
27.c4 Ne7! 28.Rd1 Ng6 and Black has better
chances because of the vulnerability of
White King.)
24...Kf7 25.c4
c-pawn moves and White's center looks
strong. It took Black enormous effort to find
defensive resources, which allowed him to
equalize the game.
25...Ng6 26.Bh2 Bf6 27.Rb1 b6 28.d5 Be5
29.f4 Bd6 30.a4 h6 31.Rbe1 Nf8 32.f5 Nd7
33.Bd6 cd6 34.Re6 Ne5 (34...Nc5) 35.c5!
Nd3 36.cd6 Ne1 37.d7 Rcd8 38.de8Q Re8
39.Nc4 Re6 40.fe6 Ke7 41.Ne5 Kd6 42.Nc4
Ke7 43.Ne5 Kd6 44.Kh2 Nc2 45.Nc4 Ke7
46.Kg3 Nb4 47.Ne3 Nd5 48.Nd5 Ke6
49.Nc3 a6 50.Kf4 b5 51.ab5.
17.Qc1!
Since 17.c4 could be met with 17...Qf5,
white is preparing advance of the c-pawn
and protecting the bishop the same time.
17...Na5
Seems reasonable thematic maneuver to
maintain a control over square c4. However,
deserves attention a prophilactic move
17...h6!?. It does allow immediate 18.c4
(18.Qe3 Bd6!), but after 18...Qf5 19.Ne5
(19.d5 Na5) Ne5 20.Be5 Qg6 21.Bg4 Bf5
black has a good game as well.
18.Qe3 Bf8?!
Alternatively black could try 18...Bf5.
19.c4 Qd8
Doesn't work here a controversial variation
19...Bf3 20.cd5 Re3 21.fe3 Bd5 22.Bg4.
20.Ne5 Bf5 21.Qc3 b6 22.Rad1
22.c5.
22...Qf6
Maybe better was 22...f6.
23.Qg3 Nc6 24.Ng4 Qg6 25.d5 Na5

FIDE Survey Michael Khodarkovsky

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Black again return his Knight on a5 aiming
at pawn c4. He could probobly try 25...Bc2
too. However, the following line would still
give White an upper hand: 25...Bc2 26.Rd2
Na5 27.Rc2! Qc2 28.Nh6 Kh8 29.Nf7 Kg8
30.Ne5 Qe4 31.Kf1!
26.Bc7 Bc2
26...Bc5.
27.Rc1 Nb3
27...Bf5 28.c5.
28.Rc2 Qc2 29.Nh6

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29...Kh8 30.Nf7 Kg8 31.Nh6 Kh8 32.Nf7
Kg8 33.Nh6 Kh8 34.Be5 Qg6 35.Bg4 Rc4
36.Qb3 Re5 37.Re5 Rc1 38.Kh2 Bd6 39.f4
39.Qe3!
2

39...Be5 40.fe5 gh6

More stubborn defence would be if Black
played 40...Qe4! 41.d6! Qf4 42.Qg3 Rh1
43.Kh1 Qg3 44.Nf7 Kg8 45.d7 Kf7 46.d8Q
Qe1 47.Kh2 Qe5 48.g3 Qb2 49.Kg1.
41.Qe3 Qb1 42.d6 Rh1 43.Kg3 Re1 44.Qf4
Rf1 45.Bf3 1:0.
Thomas G. A. : Alekhine A.
Baden-Baden 1925
1.e4 Nf6 2.d3 c5 3.f4 Nc6 4.Nf3 g6 5.Be2
Bg7 6.Nbd2 d5 7.00 00 8.Kh1 b6 9.ed5
Qd5 10.Qe1 Bb7 11.Nc4 Nd4 12.Ne3 Qc6
13.Bd1 Nd5 14.Nd4 cd4 15.Nd5 Qd5
16.Bf3 Qd7 17.Bb7 Qb7 18.c4 dc3 19.bc3
Rac8 20.Bb2 Rfd8 21.Rf3 Bf6 22.d4

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22...Qd5 23.Qe3 Qb5 24.Qd2 Rd5 25.h3 e6
26.Re1 Qa4 27.Ra1 b5 28.Qd1 Rc4
More accurate would be 28...Qd1 and then
29Rc4.
29.Qb3 Rd6 30.Kh2 Ra6 31.Rff1 Be7
32.Kh1 Rcc6 33.Rfe1 Bh4 34.Rf1
If 34.Re2, then 34Qb3 35.ab3 Ra1 36.Ba1
Bg3.
34...Qc4 35.Qc4 Rc4 36.a3 Be7 37.Rfb1
Bd6 38.g3 Kf8 39.Kg2 Ke7 40.Kf2 Kd7
41.Ke2 Kc6 Black achieved a full harmony
in the transition to endgame. Pawn b5 is
protected and he is threatening to increase
pressure on the a3 and c3 weaknesses.
FIDE Survey Michael Khodarkovsky

42.Ra2 Rca4 43.Rba1 Kd5 44.Kd3 R6a5

45.Bc1 a6 46.Bb2 h5 47.h4 f6 48.Bc1 e5!
When all forces ready to strike Black storms
in the center.
49.fe5 fe5 50.Bb2 ed4 51.cd4 b4 52.ab4
Ra2 53.ba5 Rb2 0:1.
Larsen B. : Krogius N.
Le Havre 1966
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.c4 c6 5.d4
d5 6.cd5 cd5 7.Nc3 00 8.Ne5 Nc6 9.00 e6
10.Nc6 bc6 11.Na4 Nd7 12.Bf4 Ba6
13.Qd2 Re8 14.Rac1 Bb5 15.Nc3 Ba6
16.Rfd1 Rc8 17.Bh6 Bf6 18.h4 e5 19.de5
Be5

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20.Bh3 Rc7 21.Bf4!
This is a perfect moment for White to
confront opponent's long range bishop,
because the latter can't simply trade on f4,
because if 21...Bf4 then 22.Qf4 Be2 23.Re1.
21...Nb6 22.b3 Qf6 23.a4
Important inclusion, forcing opponent
always be on guard for the further advance
of the a-pawn to a5, for example 23...Bf4
24.Qf4 Qf4 25.gf4 Be2 26.Re1 Rce7 27.Re2
Re2 28.Ne2 Re2 29.a5!
23...Bc8 24.Bg2 Bf4 25.Qf4 Qf4 26.gf4
Rce7 27.e3 Bg4 28.Rd2 Rb8 29.Ne2 Be2
30.Re2 Re6 31.Rec2 d4 32.ed4
3

32.Rc6 looks also interesting: 32...de3

33.Re6 (33.fe3 Re3 34.a5 Nd7 35.Rc8 Rc8
36.Rc8 Kg7 37.Rc7 Nf6 38.Ra7 Rb3 39.Bc6
Rc3 40.Bb5) 33...ef2 34.Kf2 fe6 35.Rc7
Nd5 36.Bd5 ed5 37.Ra7 Rb3 38.a5=.
32...Nd5 33.f5 gf5 34.Rc6 Rc6 35.Rc6 Nf4
36.Bf1 Rb3 37.Bc4 Rb7
Black missed the best defensive resource:
37...Rc3 38.Rc7 Kh8 39.Rc5 Kg7 40.Bb5
Rc5 41.dc5 Kf6 42.c6 Ne6 43.Bd3 Ke5=.
38.d5

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Now White obtained a winning position and
leaves opponent no chances.
38...Rd7 39.d6 Ne6 40.Kg2 Kf8 41.Kg3
Nd8 42.Ra6 Rb7 43.Bd5 Rb4 44.Ra7 Rd4
45.Ra5 Kg7 46.Kf3 Ne6 47.Ke3 f4 48.Kf3
Kf6 49.Be4 h6 50.Rf5 Kg7 51.Bd5 Kg6
52.Be6 fe6 53.Rf4 Rd6 54.Ke4 Rd2 55.Ke5
Re2 56.Re4 Rf2 57.Ke6 Rd2 58.a5 Ra2
59.Re5 Ra1 60.Kd7 Kf6 61.Re6 Kf7 62.a6
h5 63.Rc6 1:0.
Here is example of the game where Black
was able to hold his difficult position with a
weak pair of pawns c6d5.
Alekhine A. : Capablanca J.R.
Buenos Aires 1927
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Bg5 Nbd7 5.e3
Be7 6.Nc3 00 7.Qc2 c5 8.cd5 cd4 9.Nd4
FIDE Survey Michael Khodarkovsky

Nd5 10.Be7 Qe7 11.Nd5 ed5 12.Bd3 Qb4

13.Qd2 Ne5 14.Be2 Qd2 15.Kd2 Bd7
16.Rac1 Rfc8 17.b3 Kf8 18.f4 Nc6 19.Bb5
Ke7 20.Bc6 bc6

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21.Rc5 a5!
Important move to prevent b3b4.
22.Rhc1 Kd6 23.R1c3 Ra6 24.Nb5 Ke7
25.Nd4 Kd6 26.e4
The only chance for White to play for a win
is striking the center.
26...de4 27.Ke3 Rb8

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Seems like the only move to hold. For
example: 27...Re8 28.Nf5 Bf5 29.Rf5 f6
30.Rc4 gives White some chances in the
Double Rook ending.
4

28.Nf5
28.Ke4 a4=.
28...Bf5 29.Rf5 f6 30.Rc4 Rb5 31.Rd4 Ke6
32.Rb5 cb5 33.Re4 Kf7 34.Rd4 Rc6
35.Rd7 Kg6 36.Kd2 Rc5 37.Ra7 b4 38.g4
h5 39.h3 h4 40.f5 Kh6 41.Ra8 Kh7 42.Ke3
Rc3 .
Now, let's review two examples where one
side, which had a pair of pawns c3d4 was
trying to build up an activity on the kingside.
Najdorf M. : Tal M.
Belgrade 1970
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.d4 c5 5.cd5
Nd5 6.e3 Nc6 7.Bc4 cd4 8.ed4 Be7 9.00 0
0 10.Re1 Nc3 11.bc3 b6 12.Bd3 Bb7

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Besides the text move, there is another line
with 13.h4 and with solid reputation, been
proven successful on practice. As an
example, please see the game in the next
comment, where White did obtain a winning
position, although Black ultimately survived
in the end.
13.Qc2
13.h4 Bh4 14.Nh4 Qh4 15.Re3 g6 16.Rg3
Qe7 17.Bg5 f6 18.Bh6 Rf7 19.Qh5 f5
20.Re1 Kh8 21.Qh3 Qd7 22.Bc4 Re8
23.Bf4 Kg8 24.d5 ed5 25.Re8 Qe8 26.Bd5
Nd8 27.Re3 Qa4 28.Bf7 Nf7 29.Qh4 Bc6
FIDE Survey Michael Khodarkovsky

30.Rh3 h6 31.Qf6 Qd1 32.Kh2 Qg4 33.Qc6

(33.Bg3!+) 33...Qf4 34.Rg3 Ne5 35.Qa8
Kf7 36.Qa7 Ke8 37.Qa8 Kd7 38.Qb7 Ke8
39.Qc8 Ke7 40.Qc7 Ke8 41.Qb8 Kd7
42.Qb7 Ke8 43.Qa8 Kd7 44.Qb7, draw,
Izoria Z. : Golod V., Ohrid 2001.
13...g6 14.Bh6 Re8 15.Qd2 Rc8 16.h4 Na5
16...Bh4? 17.Nh4 Qh4 18.Bg5+.
17.Ng5
17.h5!? is interesting, but unclear
continuation: 17...Bf3 18.gf3 Qd5 19.hg6
hg6 20.Kg2.
17...Bf8 18.Bf8 Rf8 19.h5 Nc4 20.Bc4 Rc4
21.hg6 hg6 22.Qf4 Qd5 23.f3 Kg7

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24.Ne4
24.Re5. Tal, in his comments, suggested this
move as more attractive alternative.
24...Qf5 25.Qg3 Be4 26.fe4 Qa5 27.Re3
Rfc8 28.Rf1 Rc3 29.Ref3
White did lose his weak pawn, but still has a
strong play on the kingside.
29...R8c7?
29...Kg8 or 29...f5 would keep the game
leveled.
30.Qf4 Kg8 31.Qd6 Rf3 32.Qd8 Kg7
33.Rf3 Qe1 34.Kh2 Rc3 35.Qf6 Kh6
36.Qf4 Kh7 37.Qf7 Kh6 38.Qf4 Kh7
39.Qf7 Kh6 40.Qf8 Kh5 41.Qh8 Kg5
42.Qe5 Kh6 43.Qf4 Kh7 44.Rf1 Qe2
45.Qf7 Kh6 46.Qf8 Kh5 47.Rf4 Qe1
48.Qh8 Kg5 49.Qe5 Kh6 50.Rg4 1:0.
5

Petrosian T. : Spassky B.
Moscow 1969
1.c4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 c5 4.cd5 ed5 5.Nf3
Nc6 6.g3 Nf6 7.Bg2 Be7 8.00 00 9.Bg5
cd4 10.Nd4 h6 11.Be3 Bg4 12.Nb3 Be6
13.Rc1 Re8 14.Nb5 Qd7 15.N5d4 Bh3
16.Nc6 bc6 17.Qd3
17.Na5 Bg2 18.Kg2 Rac8.
17...Bg2 18.Kg2 a5! 19.Rc2
19.Bc5 Ne4; 19.Nc5 Bc5 20.Bc5 Ne4
21.Rc2 Rab8=.
19...a4 20.Nd2
Better would be 20.Nc5 anyway.
20...Qb7 21.Kg1 Rac8 22.Rfc1 Nd7 23.Nf3
c5 24.b3
Seems preferrably to play 24.Rd1 Nf6
25.Qf5.
24...ab3 25.ab3

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This excellent move helped White to save
quite a difficult game.
41...Kf8 42.Kf1 Ke7 43.Kf2 Qe6 44.Qb5
Qd6 45.Qb7 Kf6 46.Qb5 Qc7 47.Qd3 c4
48.bc4 dc4 49.Qc3 Ke6 50.Ke3 Qc5
51.Qd4 Qa3 52.Kd2 Qa5 53.Kc2 Qb5
54.Kc3 Qb3 55.Kd2 Qb4 56.Kc2 Qa4
57.Kc3 Qa5 58.Kc4 Qc7 59.Kd3 Qg3
60.Qc4 Kf6 61.Qd4 .

25...Bf8
Even sronger looks 25...Ra8 26.Rd1 d4.
26.Ra1 Nf6
Still 26...Ra8 looks better.
27.Rca2 Ra8 28.Ra8 Ra8 29.Ra8 Qa8
30.Qc2 Ne4
30...Qa3 could bring White more problems
to defend his position.
31.Nd2 Nd2 32.Bd2 Qa6 33.Kf1 Qb5
34.Bc3 g6 35.Qd1 Qc6 36.f3 Qe6 37.Kg2
h5 38.h3 Bd6 39.Qd3 Be5 40.Be5 Qe5
41.h4!
FIDE Survey Michael Khodarkovsky