ACS 5 Majority Minority Edged Pieces PDF

FIDE Trainers’ Commission
Advanced Chess School

Volume 5
Majority-Minority
& Edged Pieces
Efstratios Grivas
Advanced Chess School - Volume 5 - Majority-Minority & Edged Pieces - Efstratios Grivas 1
First Edition in PDF - 2014
English Copyright © FIDE 2014 (office@fide.com - www.fide.com)
Copyright © Efstratios Grivas 2014 (GrivasEfs@yahoo.co.uk - www.GrivasChess.com)
The rights of Efstratios Grivas to be identified as the author of this work have been asserted in
accordance with the International Copyright, Designs and Patents Act.
All rights reserved. This book is distributed for free to the FIDE certified and licenced trainers,
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without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent owner.
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ISBN-13: 978-618-81200-6-8
ISSN-13: 978-618-81200-2-0
Cover and drawings by Nicolas Sphicas

Sneaky Pin, 2001, oil on canvas, 75x90 cm.
(sphicasnicolas@gmail.com-www.chess.gr/sphicas-www.logicalchess.com/info/graphics/sphicas)
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Commissioning Editor: Efstratios Grivas (www.GrivasChess.com)

Assistant Editors: Nicolas Sphicas and Vasilis Vrettos
Cover by Nicolas Sphicas
English Proofer: Kevin O’Connell (www.kochess.com)
Contents
Title-Description …………………………………………………………………………………… 1
Colophon …………………..……………………………………………………………………….. 2
Contents ……………………………………..…………………………………………….............. 3
Bibliography …..…………………………………………………………………………………… 3
Foreword - Kirsan Ilyumzhinov .…………………………...……………………………………. 4
Symbols ………………………………………………………………………..…………............... 4
Pawn Majority …………...…..…………………………………………….................................. 5
Terminology ………………………………………………………………………………………… 5
Understanding the Majority - Historical Facts ………………………………........................ 5
The Majority in the Opening ……………………………………………………........................ 6
The Majority in the Middlegame ……………………………………………………………… 11
The Majority in the Endgame ……………………………………………………………………. 22
The Minority Attack ......…..………………………...…….………………................................. 27
Terminology ….…………………………………………………………………………………….. 27
Analysis of the Concept - Plans ………………………………………………………………….. 27
Category 1 - Flexible pawn structures ….……………………………………………………… 28
Category 2 - Fixed pawn structures ….…………………………………………………………. 30
2a) Passive defence ……………………………………………………………………………….. 30
2b) Other side’s initiative ………………..……………………………………………………….. 33
2c) Lightsquared bishops’ exchange .………..………………………………………………….. 36
2d) The ...b5 plan ………………………………………………………………………………….. 37
2e) The ...c5 plan .………………………………………………………………………………….. 39
2f) The ...cxb5 and ...a5 plan .……………………………………………………………………. 42
Capablanca's Manoeuvre...……………………………………………………………………….. 44
Edged Pieces……………………..……………………………………….................................... 50
Terminology ….…………………………………………………………………………………….. 50
The Really Bad Piece ……………………………………………………………………………… 50
Attacking the King …………………………………………………………………………………. 56
Playing on the Other Side .……………………………………………………........................... 61
Long-term Compensation ………………………………………………………......................... 66
When the Long-term Compensation Fails …………………………….................................... 71
The ‘Bad’ Piece Prevails! ……………………………………………………............................ 74
Index of Games ..…………………………………………………………………………………… 79
CV - Efstratios Grivas ……..……………………………………………………………………… 80
Bibliography
Chess College 2: Pawn Play; Efstratios Grivas; Gambit 2006
Chess Today (Internet Newspaper); Alexander Baburin; 2006-2010
ChessBase Magazine - Strategy; Daniel King; ChessBase 2000-2010
ChessBase Mega Database; Various Contributors; ChessBase 2010
Exploring the Endgame; Peter Griffiths; A & C Black 1984
Informator; Various Contributors; Informator 1966-2010
Middlegame Motifs; Nigel Davies; ChessCafe 2009-2010
Modern Chess Planning; Efstratios Grivas; Gambit 2007
New In Chess (Magazine & Yearbook); Various Contributors; Interchess BV 1984-2010
Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy; John Watson; Gambit 1998
Foreword
FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov
Chess has existed as a sport played at a competitive level for centuries. The common code
governing the Laws of Chess is relatively recent, and the foundation of Fédération Internationale
des Échecs (FIDE), in Paris in 1924, is even more modern. FIDE currently has 181 member
federations spread across all continents. Titles for players were introduced by FIDE in 1950, and
titles for Arbiters and Organizers followed. From 2005 we are moving to a new phase, with titles
for Trainers.
Chess is on the increase in schools across the world. It is part of the mainstream curriculum in
many countries. It is a goal of FIDE to make chess an educational tool, and generate worldwide
popularity for the game. Examples of the many educational advantages of chess are: shows the
need to make people realize the importance of advance planning; develops analytic and accurate
thinking; shows the necessity for a combative spirit; teaches fair play and emphasizes the need for
preparation and hard work for success. However, with the increasing population of chess players,
comes the need for trainers to assist with their development.
This is a new concept of the ever-active FIDE Trainers’ Commission. This series is dedicated to
advanced subjects, consisting of 80-page books. We do hope that we will be able to deliver 3-4
such books annually, increasing the level and the education of our trainers worldwide. This series
will provide excellent manuals for trainers and fulfils a considerable need in modern chess
literature, concentrating on the technical side of the game, but also covering various other topics
and providing information. The best trainers will contribute to this series, which will be an
essential tool in the preparation of trainers at all levels for the future. It will ensure that the next
generation of players will be at a great advantage over those that have gone before.
Symbols
+ check = equal position
++ double check ÷ unclear position
# checkmate ° with compensation
!! brilliant move ³ Black is slightly better
! good move μ Black has a large advantage
!? interesting move + Black is winning
?! dubious move 1-0 the game ends in a win for White
? bad move ½-½ the game ends in a draw
?? blunder 0-1 the game ends in a win for Black
+ White is winning (D) see next diagram
± White has a large advantage ○ White to play
² White is slightly better ● Black to play
Pawn Majority
Terminology and its eventual destruction is in itself
By the term 'pawn majority' we mean a enough for success.
numerical superiority in pawns of either side The second plan consists of the
in one of the three sectors of the chessboard mobilization of the opposing pawn majority,
(kingside, centre, queenside). The value of a in order to counterbalance the dangers posed
pawn majority as a strategic element lies in by its counterpart.
its potential mobility; by its advance, it can In every type of position with structural
create multiple problems for the opponent. imbalances the chess player is obliged to
It must be clarified that this term does not examine the pros and cons of the structure,
refer to a material advantage in pawns. determine its requirements and act ac-
Instead, it refers to the asymmetrical cordingly.
distribution of the two sides' pawns. It
follows naturally that when one side has a Understanding the Majority
pawn majority in one area of the board, the Historical Facts
opponent also has a majority in one of the (Based on the comments of John Watson)
others. The first World Champion William
There is effectively an exception to the Steinitz first drew attention to the subject of
rule, namely that of a deformed pawn pawn majorities as a separate element of the
structure, the weaknesses of which (usually game. For years thereafter, teachers and
doubled pawns) deny it the status of a usable theoreticians put great stock in majorities,
majority. In this case the advantage of the and in particular, in the queenside majority,
other side becomes more pronounced, as which was supposed to be a significant
there is no counterpart to its majority. advantage.
What is the power of a flexible and mobile So, it is not strange that we often read an
pawn majority? In which ways can we reap annotator saying that one side or another has
the benefits of its advance? an advantage due to his queenside majority…
An active pawn majority first of all offers But as chess has evolved, the value of the
more space, controls important squares and queenside majority has become controversial.
guarantees the initiative, as the opponent is It is interesting to look at majorities in
(usually) obliged to confine himself to terms of the passed pawns they potentially
defensive duties. Moreover, it also provides create. This is a traditional reason for liking
one important prospect, that of creating a queenside majorities, i.e., that a passed pawn
passed pawn. created from it in the ending will be an
In this case the advantage is transformed outside passed pawn, far from the reach of
from a pawn majority into a passed pawn, a the kings (which are presumably on the
significant strategic element examined in kingside).
another chapter of this book. An associated reason is given by Ludek
These elements may assist aggressive Pachman: ‘In the middlegame, [the
actions on that part of the board where our queenside pawns] are easier to advance
majority lies and in general give our plans without weakening one’s own king
the necessary boost. position’. In other words, both sides may be
But what happens to the defending side? able to create passed pawns, but the player
What should its actions be so as to avoid with the queenside majority will be able to
defeat? As a rule there are two plans against do so earlier and with less risk. He adds: ‘A
a mobile pawn majority. queenside majority shows to best and lasting
The first one is passive, though not advantage in positions where … the reduced
necessarily disadvantageous, because the material has cut out the danger of an attack
prevention of the majority's further advance on one’s own king. This is usually the case
in the transition stage between middlegame XABCDEFGHY
and ending.’
That’s pretty much the traditional view. 8rsnlmk-vl-tr(
One of Nimzowitsch’s contributions was in
focusing on the mobility of pawn majorities,
7zppzp-zppzpp'
i.e., to point out that majorities are only 6-+-+-+-+&
useful to the extent that they are mobile. He
also systematically worked at restricting the 5+-+-sN-+-%
mobility of majorities. 4-+-+-+-+$
Today, the theory of the queenside
majority has changed very little, but its 3+-zP-+-+-#
relative importance has declined. Modern
openings abound in which one side or the
2PzPP+-zPPzP"
other voluntarily accepts a queenside 1tR-vL-mKL+R!
minority; such minorities may even
constitute an advantage later on, such as the xabcdefghy
early stages of the endgame. Another serious Probably this cannot be considered a strong
consideration is that acquiring a queenside set-up against the 'Alekhine Defence'.
majority usually tends to mean ceding a Already Black has put the bases for a
central majority. successful ending; the only thing he has to
We have just mentioned positions in which do is to exchange pieces and his majority
a minority is more effective than a majority. will easily tell. Well, nothing is as easy as it
Furthermore, we must keep in mind that the looks by the way!
advance of a majority will often simply 7...Ke8 8.Lc4 e6 9.f4 Nd7 10.Nf3
expose weaknesses behind the very pawns This looks a bit better than 10.Nxd7 Lxd7
which have advanced. 11.Le3 Ld6 12.0–0 Ke7 13.Rae1 Rhe8
The Majority in the Opening 14.Ld3 f5 15.c4 b6 16.Ld4 Kf7 ³
There do exist some openings where one Sarapu,O-Hort,V Sousse 1967 or 10.Nd3
side cedes a ‘healthy’ pawn majority to his Ld6 11.Le3 Nb6 12.Lb3 Nd5 13.Lxd5
opponent early on, seeking other exd5 ³ Ivanov,V-Gerchikov,M St
compensating elements. As we have already Petersburg 1997.
seen in other books of this series, one bare 10...Ld6 11.Ld2 Ke7 12.0–0–0 Re8
element is not enough to correctly evaluate a 13.Rde1 Kf8
position; a chess player should take into The 'castle' is completed! It's true that White
account the total situation on the board. has a couple of extra tempi, but as Black's
In the next four games we will examine position is very solid he can't take any
exactly these ‘healthy’ majorities which advantage of this fact.
consist of a one-side majority, as the other 14.Rhf1 h6
side simply has no majority at all! This Black avoided the drawish continuation
happens due to the appearance of early 14...Nf6 15.Ne5 b6 16.Lb5 Rd8 17.Nc6
doubled pawns and it seems to be a quite Re8 18.Ne5. This is fair enough to prove to
sensitive concept. us the validity of Black's position; he can
More or less, both sides have their pros choose either to draw or to try for more.
and cons, and it really looks too early for a 15.g4 Nb6?!
definitive evaluation… A better way for Black to develop his pieces
□ Stearns Aaron starts with 15...a6.
■ Baburin Alexander 16.Ld3 Ld7 17.Ne5 Rad8 18.h4!
B02 San Francisco 2001 Other options, such as 18.Nxd7+?! Nxd7
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.Nc3 Nxc3 4.dxc3 d6 19.h4 Nc5 20.g5 Nxd3+ 21.cxd3 h5 can be
5.Nf3 dxe5 6.Qxd8+ Kxd8 7.Nxe5 (D) good only for Black. But now suddenly
White has created a strong initiative on the no real problem to achieve the draw.
kingside and Black is obliged to take 31.a4 Kg6 32.Rc5?!
measures against it. The first of a series of inaccurate moves. In
18...Kg8 19.g5 hxg5 20.fxg5 this ending White makes one 'mistake' after
20.hxg5 Lxe5 21.fxe5 g6 (21...Lc6?! 22.g6 another and finally manages to lose this
fxg6 23.Lxg6 Rf8 24.Lg5 ) 22.c4 ÷ was position. 32.c4 e5 (32...Kxg5 33.Rxg7+
also good and interesting. Black's majority Kf4 34.Kd3 a5 35.c5 =) 33.Kd3 Kxg5
on the kingside is balanced by the white 34.Rxg7+ Kf6 35.Rc7 Ke6 36.c5 = was
bishop pair. the simplest.
20...Lxe5 21.Rxe5 Lc6 22.h5 32...Rb6 33.c4?!
22.c4 Nd7 23.Re3 Nc5 was about equal. Accepting the mistake of the previous move
22...Rd5 23.Re2 with 33.Rc7! = was not a shame but a must!
After 23.Rxd5!? Lxd5 24.b3 e5 both sides 33...Rc6! 34.Re5
seem to have chances. 34.Ra5 a6 35.Kd3 Kh5 36.Re5 Kg4 ³.
23...Lb5! 34...Rxc4 35.Rxe6+ Kxg5 36.Re7 g6
Of course! Exchanging pieces (especially a 37.Rxb7 Rxa4
part of the dangerous white bishop pair) Black has won a pawn but the position still
should be Black's first and most important remains drawish.
priority. 38.Kd3 Kf6 39.c4 g5 40.c5 Ra6 41.Kd4
24.Lxb5 Rxb5 25.h6 g4 42.Kd5 g3 43.c6
25.b3 is a logical alternative. After 25...Nc8 43.Rb3! g2 44.Rg3 Ra2 45.c6 Rd2+
26.c4 Rc5 all results are possible. 46.Kc5 Ke6 47.Rg6+ Kf5 48.Rg8 = was
25...Nc4 26.h7+ simpler.
The safest way to equality. 26.Rh1?! Rd8 43...g2 44.Rb1 Ke7 (D)
(26...Nxd2 27.h7+ Kh8 28.Rxd2 Rd5 ³) XABCDEFGHY
27.h7+ Kh8 μ.
26...Kxh7 27.Rxf7 Rd8! 8-+-+-+-+(
27...c6?! 28.b3 Nxd2 29.Rxd2 Rxg5 7zp-+-mk-+-'
30.Rxb7 ².
28.Rxc7 Rxd2 29.Rxd2 Nxd2 30.Kxd2 6r+P+-+-+&
Rxb2 (D)
5+-+K+-+-%
XABCDEFGHY 4-+-+-+-+$
8-+-+-+-+( 3+-+-+-+-#
7zpptR-+-zpk' 2-+-+-+p+"
6-+-+p+-+& 1+R+-+-+-!
5+-+-+-zP-% xabcdefghy
4-+-+-+-+$ 45.Re1+?
3+-zP-+-+-# The losing move. White could have been
very near to his target after 45.Rb7+ Kf6
2PtrPmK-+-+" (45...Kd8 46.Rg7 Ra2 47.Kc5 Rb2
1+-+-+-+-! 48.Rg8+ =) 46.Rb1 Ra2 47.c7 Rc2
48.Rg1 =.
xabcdefghy 45...Kd8 46.Kd6 Rb6!
Black kept his 'extra' pawn all game long. In Probably White missed this strong move.
the meantime White has succeeded in 47.Rg1 Rb2 48.Re1 Rd2+ 49.Kc5 Rf2
keeping his pieces active and he should have 50.Rg1
50.Kd6 Rf6+ 51.Kc5 Rf1. 13.Nc5 fxe4 14.Nxe4 0–0–0 15.Kf2 Rhe8
50...Kc7 51.Kd5 ³.
51.Kb5 a6+ 52.Kc5 Rf5+ 53.Kd4 Rg5 11...0–0–0 12.0–0–0 Rhg8 13.g3 h5!?
54.Ke4 Kxc6 . Black still has some positional disadvantage
51...a5 52.Kc5 a4 and his chances lie in active play. Now
0-1 White opts for a forced line that at the end of
all leads to draw.
□ Anand Viswanathan
14.Lh3
■ Shirov Alexei
14.Le2 h4 15.gxh4 Rg2! promises good
C45 Linares 1997
compensation for the pawn.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Lc5
14...h4 15.Na4!
5.Nxc6 Qf6 6.Qd2 dxc6 (D)
Now it looks like Black is in danger as his
XABCDEFGHY f5-pawn is going to be hanging.
8r+l+k+ntr( 15...Lf2 16.Lb4 Rxd1+! 17.Rxd1
17.Kxd1 hxg3 18.hxg3 Kd8 is also OK.
7zppzp-+pzpp' 17...hxg3 18.hxg3
18.Lxe7? gxh2 .
6-+p+-wq-+& 18...b5! 19.Lxe7 bxa4 20.Lxf5
5+-vl-+-+-% It was important to notice in advance that
after 20.exf5 Black has 20...Lxa2.
4-+-+P+-+$ 20...Lxf5 21.exf5 Le3+ 22.Kb1 Rxg3
3+-+-+-+-# 23.Rd8+ Kb7 24.a3 Lxf4 25.Rf8 Le5
Draw because of the move repetition after
2PzPPwQ-zPPzP" 26.Rxf7 Rg1+ 27.Ka2 Rg2 28.Kb1
Rg1+. A short but interesting battle.
1tRNvL-mKL+R! ½-½
xabcdefghy □ Kasparov Garry
This is another typical opening variation ■ Kramnik Vladimir
(Scotch Opening) where Black accepts to C67 Wijk aan Zee 2001
give to his opponent a healthy majority in 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Lb5 Nf6 4.0–0
return for quick development and good piece Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Lxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5
placement. 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 (D)
7.Nc3 Ne7 8.Qf4 Le6
The previous try was 8...Ng6 9.Qxf6 gxf6,
XABCDEFGHY
but it seems that the text move is rather 8r+lmk-vl-tr(
good. White will be forced to exchange
queens and Black will get even quicker 7zppzp-+pzpp'
development than in the case of 8...Ng6. 6-+p+-+-+&
9.Qxf6 gxf6
It seems that Black has gone ashtray; not 5+-+-zPn+-%
only did he double his queenside pawns but
he ruined his kingside pawns too! But in
4-+-+-+-+$
reality he will soon exchange his f6-pawn. 3+-+-+N+-#
10.f4
10.Na4 Lb4+ 11.Ld2 Lxd2+ 12.Kxd2 2PzPP+-zPPzP"
0–0–0+ 13.Ld3 b6 seems rather satisfactory 1tRNvL-+RmK-!
for Black.
10...f5 11.Ld2 xabcdefghy
White rejected 11.Na4?! because of The fashionable 'Berlin Wall' promises
11...Ld4! 12.c3 (12.e5 a6!) 12...Lg7 White a long-term lasting advantage due to
his kingside pawn majority but on the other would have won this and shaken a few
hand gives Black easy development, the ghosts from his shoulders at the same time.
bishop pair and not so many tactical dangers 25...Rhh8
in general. 25...f6?! 26.c3 fxg5 27.cxd4 gxf4 28.Rxc6
9.Nc3 Ke8 10.h3 Le7 .
Highly unusual. Normally Black avoids 26.Rd3 Ne6 27.Nxe6 Kxe6 28.Rcd1
exchanging the darksquared bishops but here Rd5 29.c4 Rxd3 30.Rxd3 a5!
he invites it wholeheartedly. Black immediately creates counterplay on
11.Lg5 the other side and he has little to fear from
The thematic response. 11.Lf4 Le6 12.g4 White's limited kingside majority.
Nh4 13.Nxh4 Lxh4 14.Kg2 Le7 15.a3 31.bxa5 Ra8?!
Rd8 16.Rad1 h5 = was seen in Jenni,F- 31...bxa5! was simpler: 32.Ra3 (32.Rb3
Mantovani,R Switzerland 1999. Kf5 33.Ke3 Re8 34.Rb7 g5 35.fxg5
11...Lxg5 Rxe5+ 36.Kd3 Ke6! 37.Rxc7 Rxg5
Black's idea is to place his king on e7, 38.Rxc6+ Kd7 39.Rf6 Rxg2 40.Rxf7+
connecting the rooks and then to contain the Ke6 =) 32...Rb8 33.Rxa5 Rb4 34.Rc5
white majority along the diagonal h3-c8. Kd7 35.f5 Ra4 36.e6+ fxe6 37.fxe6+
11...Lb4!? is interesting: 12.Ne4 Le6 Kxe6 38.Rxc6+ Ke5 39.Rxc7 Rxa2+
13.c3 Lf8 14.g4 Ne7 15.Nd4 Ld5 40.Kg1 Ra1+ 41.Kh2 Rc1 =.
16.Nd2 c5 17.Nb5 Kd7 18.Lf4 Kc6 ÷ 32.Ra3 Kf5! 33.Kf3 Ra6! 34.c5! f6?
Van den Doel,E-Miles,A Groningen 1997. A nearly losing move. 34...bxc5 35.Ke3 ²
12.Nxg5 h6 13.Nge4 b6 14.Rfd1 was Black's only continuation.
14.Rad1 La6 15.Rfe1 Ke7 seems OK for 35.Re3! Rxa5 36.e6 Ra8 37.e7 Re8
Black. 38.a4! Kg6 39.Re6 Kf7 40.Rxc6?
14...Ne7 40.f5! was the right path: 40...Rxe7
Now 14...La6 15.a4! is a bit unpleasant for 41.Rxc6 Rd7 (41...bxc5?! 42.a5 )
Black. 42.cxb6 cxb6 43.Rxb6 .
15.f4 Ng6 16.Rf1 h5 17.Rae1 Lf5 40...Ra8!
18.Ng3 Ne7! But now Black saves the day!
Cautious play. 18...Lxc2?! allows White to 41.cxb6 cxb6 42.Rxb6 Rxa4 43.Re6 Ke8
expand his majority: 19.f5 Nf8 20.Rf2 44.Re4 Ra3+ 45.Re3 Rxe3+ 46.Kxe3 f5
Ld3 21.e6 °. ½-½
19.Nxf5 Nxf5 20.Kf2 Nd4 21.Rc1
White could think of 21.Rd1!? Rd8
(21...Nxc2?! 22.Rd2 Nb4 23.Rfd1 )
22.Rd2 ².
21...Rd8 22.Rfd1 Ke7 23.Ne4
White would love to play 23.g3, keeping his
majority alive, but Black can continue
23...f6 24.exf6+ gxf6 25.Ne2 c5 26.c3 Nf5
with a satisfactory position.
23...h4! 24.b4 Rh5?
Black blunders. The simplest was 24...Nf5
25.a4 f6 26.exf6+ gxf6 =.
25.Ng5?
Both players seem to have missed a rather □ Miles Anthony
simple combination: 25.g4! Rhh8 ■ Karpov Anatoly
(25...hxg3+? 26.Nxg3 Rxh3 27.Rxd4 C68 Biel 1992
Rxd4 28.Nf5+ ) 26.f5 with a tremendous 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Lb5 a6 4.Lxc6 dxc6
position for White. No doubt Kasparov 5.d4 exd4 6.Qxd4 Qxd4 7.Nxd4 (D)
XABCDEFGHY continue, he should have opted for 25...fxe4
26.fxe4 Lg4 27.e5 Ld8 28.Ne3 ÷.
8r+l+kvlntr( 26.bxc4 Rg7 27.Kb1 Lc3 28.Ka2 Re7
7+pzp-+pzpp' 29.Kb3 Lh8 30.e5!
30.Rxg6?! fxe4 31.fxe4 Rxe4 32.Rh6
6p+p+-+-+& (32.f5?! Rf4 μ) 32...Lg7 33.Rxh5 Rxf4 ³.
5+-+-+-+-% 30...Re6 31.Rg1 Lg7 32.Rd1 Kc8 33.a5
Lh6 34.Le3 Lf8 35.Ra1 Kb7 36.Rd1
4-+-sNP+-+$ Le7 37.Lf2 Kc8 38.Ra1 Kb7 39.Rd1
Kc8 40.Ra1 Kb7 41.Rd1
3+-+-+-+-# ½-½
2PzPP+-zPPzP" Early activity, using a pawn majority in
1tRNvL-mK-+R! the opening, can sometimes easily backfire.
This is quite natural, as development and
xabcdefghy central control seem to be more important
This is one of the earliest disputes in the than in any other stage of the game…
theory of doubled pawns and pawn □ Salov Valery
majorities; the 'Exchange Variation' of the ■ Gurevich Mikhail
'Ruy Lopez'. This opening often leads to a E42 Leningrad 1987
queenless middlegame, pitting White's static 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Lb4 4.e3 c5
advantage (his opponent's doubled c-pawns 5.Nge2 cxd4 6.exd4 d5 7.a3 Le7 8.c5 0–0
which give him a healthy majority on the 9.g3 b6 10.b4 bxc5 11.dxc5 a5 12.Rb1 (D)
kingside) against Black's dynamic ones (the
bishop pair and an extra semi-open file). XABCDEFGHY
7...Ld7 8.Le3 0–0–0 9.Nd2 8rsnlwq-trk+(
Another line is 9.Nc3 Re8 10.0–0–0 Lb4
11.Nde2 f5 12.exf5 Lxf5 = Smyslov,V- 7+-+-vlpzpp'
Keres,P Moscow 1940.
9...Ne7 10.0–0–0 f6
6-+-+psn-+&
White dreams of a pawn ending but there is 5zp-zPp+-+-%
a serious problem that stops his dream;
Black will not cooperate, by avoiding 4-zP-+-+-+$
pointless exchanges. 3zP-sN-+-zP-#
11.f3 Ng6 12.h4 h5 13.Nc4 c5
Black is using his doubled pawns for gaining 2-+-+NzP-zP"
space and generally restricts White's pieces. 1+RvLQmKL+R!
14.Nf5
14.Ne2?! Lb5 15.Rxd8+ Kxd8 16.b3 xabcdefghy
Lxc4 17.bxc4 Ne5 cannot be advisable. White has taken quick 'advantage' of his
14...Le6!? queenside majority, threatening to finish off
14...Lxf5 15.Rxd8+ Kxd8 16.exf5 Ne7 Black in no time. But at such an early stage
17.Lxc5 Nxf5 = would be OK for Black, it is generally more advisable to be
who is seeking something more. concerned with development and castling.
15.Rxd8+ Kxd8 16.Nd2 b6 17.b3 Kc8 12...Nc6! 13.Lg2
18.Lf2 Nf4 19.g3 g6! 20.Ne7+ Forced. In case of 13.b5? White bitterly
20.gxf4 gxf5 21.Rg1 Kd7 ÷ was preferable. found out that after 13...Ne5! he was plain
20...Lxe7 21.gxf4 f5 22.Rg1 Rg8 23.Nc4 lost: 14.f4 Nf3+ 15.Kf2 Lxc5+ 16.Kxf3
Lf6 24.a4 Kb7 25.Rg2 Lxc4 d4 17.Na4 Qd5+ 18.Kf2 d3+ 19.Nxc5
Leading to equality. If Black wanted to Qxc5+ 20.Nd4 Qxd4+ 21.Le3 Ne4+
22.Kf3 Qd5 23.Qxd3 Nd2+ 24.Kf2 Nxb1 26.Rfb1 Ld6 27.Ra8 Lc5 28.Qa1 Nf3+
0-1 Narva,J-Schandorff,L Tallinn 1989. 29.Lxf3 Qxf3 30.Qb2 e5 0-1 Vidyakin,B-
13...Rb8! 14.Lf4? Antipin,A Moscow 2007.
Not advisable. White had to opt for either 19...Qd6!
14.b5 Lxc5! 15.bxc6 Rxb1 16.Nxb1 Qb6 Also good enough was 19...d4 20.0–0 e5
17.Nbc3 Lxf2+ 18.Kf1 La6 19.Lf3 Rc8 (20...c2? 21.Rxc8 Qxc8 22.Nxd4 = Nd3?
20.Kg2 Rxc6 ° as in Siedentopf,D- 23.Nc6 ) 21.Rc1 Qd6 .
Dickhoff,R Dresden 2003, or for 14.Nd4 20.Lf3
Nxd4 15.Qxd4 Nd7 16.Qd3 axb4 17.axb4 20.0–0 La6 21.Rxa6 Nxa6 22.Qb3 c2 .
Ne5 ÷ Zaja,I-Jukic,M Solin 1993, or, 20...La6 21.Rxf8+ Lxf8 22.Qa5
finally, for 14.Qa4 axb4 15.axb4 22.Qb1 Nd3+ 23.Kf1 Qc5 mates!
(15.Qxc6? Ld7 ) 15...Ld7 16.b5 Ne5 22...Nd3+ 23.Kf1 Ne5 24.Qxc3
17.Qd4 Lxc5 18.Qxe5 Lxf2+ 19.Kf1 24.Kg2 Nxf3 25.Kxf3 d4 .
La7 20.Lf3 Qb6 21.Nd1 Lxb5 ° 24...d4 25.Qb3 Lc4
Lugovoi,A-Womacka,M Hamburg 2001. In White decided that he had enough and called
all cases Black should be happy with the it a day due to 26.Qb7 Nxf3 27.Qxf3
opening outcome as he can have too early Ld5.
more than his fair share of potential success. 0-1
14...axb4!
The Majority in the Middlegame
An excellent exchange sacrifice.
A very difficult concept to work out, due
15.Lxb8 bxc3 (D)
to many and various possibilities.
XABCDEFGHY Destroying the opponent’s potential
8-vLlwq-trk+( activity by using his majority is already a
good sign. The next game is considered to
7+-+-vlpzpp' be a model one:
6-+n+psn-+& □ Spielmann Rudolf
■ Colle Edgar
5+-zPp+-+-% B03 Dortmund 1928
4-+-+-+-+$ 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.c4 Nb6 4.d4 d6 5.f4
Lf5 6.Nc3 dxe5 7.fxe5 e6 8.Le3 Nc6
3zP-zp-+-zP-# 9.Le2 Le7 10.Nf3 0–0 11.0–0 f6 12.Nh4
2-+-+NzPLzP" fxe5 13.Nxf5 exf5 14.d5 Nd4 15.Lxd4
exd4 16.Qxd4 Nd7 17.Na4 (D)
1+R+QmK-+R! XABCDEFGHY
xabcdefghy 8r+-wq-trk+(
16.Qa4?!
But this is too much. Good or bad, White 7zppzpnvl-zpp'
had to go for 16.Ld6 Lxd6 17.cxd6 La6 6-+-+-+-+&
(17...Qxd6 18.Rb3 e5 19.Rxc3 Ld7 20.0–
0 d4 μ) 18.Qa4 Lxe2 19.Qxc6 Lc4 μ. 5+-+P+p+-%
16...Nxb8 17.Rxb8 Nd7! 18.Ra8
18.Rb1 Nxc5 19.Qc2 (19.Qd4 c2 )
4N+PwQ-+-+$
19...La6  or 18.Rb5 Nxc5 19.Qd4 3+-+-+-+-#
La6! 20.Rxc5 Lxe2 21.Kxe2 Qb6 .
18...Nxc5 19.Qb5
2PzP-+L+PzP"
The alternative is 19.Qd4 Qb6! 20.Nxc3 1tR-+-+RmK-!
Qb7! 21.Ra5 Nb3 22.Qa7 Qc6 23.0–0
Qxc3 24.Rb5 Nd4 25.Rb8 Lxa3 xabcdefghy
Both sides have prepared their plans to 26...Qg3 27.Qg1 Lc5. This is a typical
according to their majorities. White seems to case of opposite-coloured bishops favouring
be a bit quicker, as his c5 advance will the attacker. In any case 24.Kg1 Re7 μ was
create multiple threats. White's only choice.
17...b5! 24...Ng4! 25.h3
At the cost of a pawn, Black now cripples 25.Qg1 Nxh2! 26.Qxh2 Qxh2+ 27.Kxh2
that majority. The alternative is 17...Lf6 f3+ .
18.Qd3 g6 19.Rad1 Le5 ÷, as in Diaz,J- 25...f3!
Freeman,M Siegen 1970. Black's 'majority pawn' delivers the final
18.cxb5 Ld6 blow...
As Pachman points out, White's two extra 26.Rxf3 Rxf3 27.Nf6+ Kf7
pawns on the queenside are very difficult to 0-1
convert into a passed pawn, and Black's
Blockading a potential majority can also
bishop gains a beautiful post on d6, aiming
be a starting point of success, as then the
at the kingside. Suddenly, too, the knight on
active play and plans of our opponent are
the rim (a4) is out of the action, and Black's
limited.
opposite-coloured bishop has no counterpart
Well, nothing new under the sun; the older
on the side with his majority. In short, Black
masters knew exactly what and how to do it!
has full compensation for his pawn.
19.Rae1 Qe7 20.Ld3 Ne5 21.Kh1 f4 □ Lautier Joel
This unopposed pawn threatens to cause ■ Timman Jan
damage by ...f3. White's play now E37 Moscow 1994
deteriorates, but his defence was difficult in 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Lb4 4.Qc2 d5
any case. 5.a3 Lxc3+ 6.Qxc3 Ne4 7.Qc2 Nc6 8.e3
22.Re2?! e5 9.Nf3 Lf5 10.Ld3 exd4 11.0–0 Lg6
22.Nc3 Rae8 23.Ne4 f3 ° was about 12.exd4 0–0 13.b4 Re8 14.c5 a6 15.Lb2
forced. Ng5 16.Ne5 Lxd3 17.Qxd3 Qf6
22...Rae8 23.Nc3 18.Rae1 Rad8 19.Qd1 Nxe5 20.dxe5
23.Rxf4? Rxf4 24.Qxf4 Nxd3 25.Rxe7 Qf5 21.f4 Ne4 22.Ld4 (D)
Rxe7 . XABCDEFGHY
23...Qh4 (D)
XABCDEFGHY 8-+-trr+k+(
8-+-+rtrk+( 7+pzp-+pzpp'
7zp-zp-+-zpp' 6p+-+-+-+&
6-+-vl-+-+& 5+-zPpzPq+-%
5+P+Psn-+-% 4-zP-vLnzP-+$
4-+-wQ-zp-wq$ 3zP-+-+-+-#
3+-sNL+-+-# 2-+-+-+PzP"
2PzP-+R+PzP" 1+-+QtRRmK-!
1+-+-+R+K! xabcdefghy
Black has successfully blockaded White's
xabcdefghy pawn majority on the kingside. Generally
24.Ne4?! the queen cannot be considered an ideal
Probably not best, but it may be too late, blockading force but here it operates quite
since 24.Le4?! Ng4 25.h3 f3 26.Lxf3 fails well. Black has only to be concerned with
White's main idea: the g4 advance, which 35.Rxe4 Qxa4 36.e6 Qb3 .
will unblock the majority. 35...Rxb4
22...Re6! 23.Re3 At least Black has won a pawn while
With his previous move Black stopped keeping the favourable pawn structure.
23.g4? due to 23...Rg6 24.h3 h5 . 36.Rxe4 Rxd4 37.Rxd4 Qxd4 38.Rd2
23...Rg6 24.Qe1 Rc8! Qg4
A nice plan to come in the future is to try to 38...Qf4!? 39.Rd8+ Kh7 μ 40.Qxh5+?
open a file on the queenside. And this is the Rh6 .
logical approach, as play on the kingside is 39.Qxg4 Rxg4 (D)
temporarily frozen.
25.Qe2 h5 26.Kh1 Ra8 27.Rd3 b6 28.Le3
XABCDEFGHY
The opening of the c-file with 28.cxb6 cxb6 8-+-+-+k+(
would be to Black's benefit: 29.Lb2 Rc8 μ
when 30.Rxd5? fails to 30...Rc2! .
7+-zp-+pzp-'
28...b5! 6p+-+-+-+&
With the idea ...a5, opening the a-file.
28...bxc5 29.Lxc5 c6 30.Lb6 allows White 5+-zP-zP-+p%
to defend. 4-+-+-+r+$
29.a4?
White cannot grab the important d5-pawn: 3+-+-+-+-#
29.Rxd5?! Nc3 30.Qd3 Qg4 31.Rd8+
Kh7! (31...Rxd8? 32.Qxd8+ Kh7 33.Qd2 2-+-tR-+PzP"
) 32.Rg1 (32.Qxg6+? fxg6 33.Rxa8 Qe2 1+-+-+-+K!
 or 32.Rf2? Rxd8 33.Qxd8 Nd1 )
32...Rxd8 33.Qxd8 Ne2 34.f5 Qxf5 μ but
xabcdefghy
he should have gone for 29.c6!?, aiming for The rook ending is won for Black but still
some activity. some technique is needed in order to secure
29...bxa4! 30.Ra1 Rb8 the full point!
Not bad, but 30...h4! 31.Rxa4 h3 32.g3 40.Rd8+ Kh7 41.Rd7 Rc4 42.Kg1
Rxg3  would have been curtains. Rxc5 43.Rxf7 Kg6 44.e6 a5 45.Rf8 Re5
31.Rxa4 46.Ra8
31.Rxd5 Nc3 32.Qd3 Qg4 33.Rd8+ Kh7 46.Rc8 Rxe6 47.Rxc7 Ra6 .
34.Qxg6+ Qxg6 35.Rxb8 a3 . 46...Kf6! 47.Ra6 g5 48.Kf2 c5
31...d4? The white king is cut off from the queenside,
31...h4 and ...h3, was a killer. so the win for Black is quite easy.
32.Lxd4 49.Kf3 c4 50.Rc6 a4
32.Rxd4? Nc3  or 32.Ld2? Nf2+ . 50...Rxe6 51.Rxc4 Ra6 52.Ra4 Ke5
32...Qxf4 33.Rf3?! 53.Ke3 Kd5 54.Kd3 Kc5 55.Ra1
33.Qf3?! Qh4 μ was also bad but White (55.Kc3 Kb5 56.Kb3 Re6 57.Rd4 Re3+
could have questioned Black's 31st move by 58.Kb2 Re2+ 59.Kb3 Rxg2 60.Rd5+
Kb6 61.h4 gxh4 62.Rxh5 Rg4 ) 55...a4
33.g3! Qf5 34.Qf3 ³.
33...Qg4 34.Re3?! 56.Kc3 a3 57.Kb3 a2 58.Kb2 Kb4 .
Although not fully satisfactory, White had to 51.Ra6
opt for 34.Rxa6 Nf2+! 35.Qxf2 Rxa6 μ. 51.Rxc4 Ra5 52.Re4 (52.Rc2 a3 53.Ra2
Kxe6 ) 52...Ke7 53.Re2 a3 54.Ra2
34...Qd7?!
Kxe6 55.Ke4 Ra4+ 56.Kd3 Kd5 57.Kc3
Black again missed a winning combination:
Ra8 58.Kb3 Ke4 59.Re2+ Kd3 60.Ra2
34...Nf2+! 35.Qxf2 Qd1+ 36.Re1
Rb8+ .
(36.Qe1 Qxa4 ) 36...Qxa4 .
35.Ra2 51...a3 52.g3 a2 53.h4 g4+ 54.Kf4 Re2
0-1
The activity that is created by the advance advance, but nevertheless he would stand
of a mobile majority is powerful. The next clearly better.
two examples are quite instructive. 17.Nxg6 Qxg6
Or 17...hxg6 18.f4 Qf5 (18...Rad8 19.Qf3
□ Carlsen Magnus Qe7 20.g4 ) 19.Qf3 .
■ Jakovenko Dmitrij
D31 Nanjing 2009 18.Qd2
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Le7 4.cxd5 exd5 18.Qxg6?! hxg6 19.f4 Nf8 wouldn't be so
5.Lf4 c6 6.Qc2 Ld6 7.Lxd6 Qxd6 8.e3 bad for Black. White is obliged to keep
Ne7 9.Ld3 b6 10.Nf3 La6 11.0–0 Lxd3 pieces on the board, in order to better control
12.Qxd3 Nd7 (D) his space advantage.
18...Nf8
XABCDEFGHY 18...f5 now is not that effective: 19.Re3
Nf8 20.Ne2 Ne6 21.Rc3 Rac8 22.Rfc1
8r+-+k+-tr(
.
7zp-+nsnpzpp' 19.f4 Qf5?!
6-zppwq-+-+& 19...f5 seems forced at this point, although
White would still be on top: 20.Rc1 Ne6
5+-+p+-+-% 21.Nd1 Rac8 22.Ne3 Qf7 23.Qd3 Rf8
24.b4 . Instead, Black blocks White's f-
4-+-zP-+-+$ pawn with his queen, which proves
3+-sNQzPN+-# ineffective.
20.Nd1!
2PzP-+-zPPzP" It’s all about the f5-square!
1tR-+-+RmK-! 20...f6 21.Ne3 Qd7 22.Qd3 fxe5
Black finds a way to parry White's threats
xabcdefghy but now the latter obtains a crushing pawn
13.e4! avalanche.
An extremely effective advance. 23.dxe5!
13...0–0 23.fxe5 Ne6 24.Nf5  also seems fine but
The point is that after 13...dxe4?! 14.Nxe4 by the text move White's majority will roll
Qd5 (or elsewhere) (14...Qe6 15.Qa3 0–0? with the maximum effect.
16.Nfg5 ) 15.Qa3!, Black will not be 23...Ne6 24.f5 Nc5 25.Qd4 Ne4 (D)
able to castle! Therefore Black decides to let XABCDEFGHY
the e4-pawn move forward.
14.e5 8r+-+r+k+(
White now has an edge due to his space 7zp-+q+-zpp'
advantage and he will focus on the kingside,
as there lies his pawn majority. 6-zpp+-+-+&
14...Qe6 15.Rae1! Rfe8
Maybe Black could have considered
5+-+pzPP+-%
15...f6!? but it is very difficult and in most 4-+-wQn+-+$
cases inadvisable to play on the opponent’s
'territory'. 3+-+-sN-+-#
16.Nh4! 2PzP-+-+PzP"
Revealing his 15th move; the rook should
have stayed on f1 in order to help the 1+-+-tRRmK-!
advance of the f-pawn.
16...Ng6
xabcdefghy
16...f5!? 17.f4 is interesting, as it would take Desperation, rather than a blunder, as the
White a lot of time to prepare the g4- other options are not helpful either:
25...Kh8 26.e6 Qb7 (26...Qe7 27.b4 Ne4 Lxc2 19.Qxc2 Qe6 20.f4, Black can
28.b5 ) 27.b4 Ne4 28.b5  or 25...a5 blockade the vital f5-square: 20...f5 21.Rb3
26.f6 . White now wins a pawn and then b6 22.Lb4 Lxb4 23.Rxb4 ².
converts his material advantage. 17.Lc2 h5?!
26.Nxd5! Qxd5 The continuation of the wrong plan. Even
Or 26...cxd5 27.Rxe4 . here 17...0–0 was required: 18.Lxf5 Qxf5
27.Qxe4 Rad8 28.e6 19.Re1 ².
28.f6!? gxf6 29.Qg4+ Kh8 30.exf6 wins as 18.Lxf5 Qxf5 19.Qb3 Qd7
well. 19...Qc8 20.f4  was not advisable, but
28...Qxe4 29.Rxe4 Rd6 maybe Black should have given
If 29...Rd2 then 30.b4! (30.g4?! Rxb2 consideration to 19...0–0–0 even if it looks
31.g5 Rb5 32.h4 Kf8 33.f6 Rd5 is not risky in view of 20.Rfc1 when White has
clear) 30...Rxa2 31.Rc1 Rc8 32.Rec4 . good attacking chances down the c-file.
30.g4! 20.f4 f5
Of course! The pawn phalanx must roll! White's f5 could not be allowed: 20...h4
30...Kf8 31.g5 Ke7 32.Kg2 Rd5 33.Kg3 21.f5 0–0–0 22.Qd1 Lb4 23.Rh3 Lxd2
Kd6 34.h4 c5 35.f6 gxf6 36.gxf6 Rd3+ 24.Qxd2 .
37.Kh2 Rd2+ 38.Kh1 21.Rg3
1-0 21.e6!? was also promising: 21...Qc8 (21...
Qxe6? 22.Re3  or 21...Qc7?! 22.Qxd5
□ Morozevich Alexander
■ Sasikiran Krishnan ) 22.Re1 Lf6 23.Rd3 0–0 24.Qd1 .
B12 Moscow 2001 21...Kf7 22.Lb4
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Lf5 4.c4 dxc4 5.Lxc4 The exchange of the darksquared bishops is
e6 6.Nc3 Nd7 7.Nge2 Nb6 8.Lb3 Ne7 important for White.
9.0–0 Qd7 10.Nf4 h6 11.Le3 Lh7 22...Lxb4
12.Rc1 Ned5 13.Ncxd5 Nxd5 14.Nxd5 Therefore 22...Ld8!?  deserved attention.
exd5 (D) 23.Qxb4 Rae8
The strongly defended e5-pawn secures
XABCDEFGHY White a space advantage. Now his plan
8r+-+kvl-tr( should be to provoke more weaknesses with
his active rooks.
7zpp+q+pzpl' 24.Rff3 Re6 25.Rg5 g6 26.Ra3 b6?!
6-+p+-+-zp& Black should have avoided any further
weaknesses in his pawn structure, therefore
5+-+pzP-+-% again 26...Ra8  was safer.
27.h3
4-+-zP-+-+$ White is now preparing a future g4, after of
3+L+-vL-+-# course some preparation, in order to open
lines for his attacking rooks.
2PzP-+-zPPzP" 27...h4
1+-tRQ+RmK-! Black certainly wants to avoid it!
28.Kh2 Qe7 29.Qa4 a5 30.Rb3 Qc7
xabcdefghy 31.Rc3 Rc8 32.Qc2 Qe7?!
The pawn structure has been changed, and A blunder. Black had to play 32...Kf8 when
White has chances to exploit his majority on after 33.a3 Ra8 34.b3  White would have
the kingside by pushing f4-f5. still to work hard for his bread.
L L R
15. d2!? e7 16. c3 f5 L 33.g4! hxg3+
This is the beginning of a sophisticated 33...fxg4 34.Rxg4 Qf8 35.f5 .
blockading plan with ...h5. 16...0–0 was 34.Rcxg3 Rh8
simpler, when after 17.Rg3 Kh8 18.Lc2 34...Rg8 also loses by 35.Rxf5+!.
35.Rxg6! advance.
And Black's defensive wall is broken down. 15.Rb1 Ra7!
35...Rxg6 36.Qxf5+ Rf6 37.exf6 Qxf6 15...a4 is not really helping Black to stop
38.Qd7+ Kf8 39.Qc8+ Kf7 40.Qc7+ White's activity: 16.b4 axb3 17.Nxb3 Ra6
Kf8 41.Rg5 Rh4 42.Qc8+ Ke7 43.Rf5 18.Qe1 e5 19.Ld2 ².
Qxd4 44.Qc7+ Ke6 45.Re5+ 16.b4 axb4 17.R5xb4
1-0 There was no point for 17.axb4? b6 18.Lb2
La6 19.Rd5 e6 20.Rxd4 Lxd4 21.Lxd4
In the ‘Benoni’ pawn structures, both sides Lb7 ³. White is obliged to open the b-file,
have already their plans designed and a
fierce fight is on the cards: in order to activate his rooks and 'reveal'
their combined force.
□ Grivas Efstratios 17...e5 18.Nb3 Kh7 19.a4 b6 20.Ld2
■ Peng Zhaoqin 20.La3 is pointless: 20...Re8 21.a5 Lf8
A09 Wijk aan Zee 2008 22.Ra4 Lxa3 23.Rxa3 bxa5 24.Rba1
1.Nf3 d5 2.e3 c5 3.c4 d4 4.exd4 cxd4 5.g3 Lb7 =.
Nc6 6.Lg2 g6 7.0–0 Lg7 8.Re1 Nf6 9.d3 20...f5 21.a5! bxa5 22.Rb5 (D)
0–0 10.a3 a5 (D) 22.Ra4 Lb7 23.Lxa5 Qc8 ÷.
XABCDEFGHY XABCDEFGHY
8r+lwq-trk+( 8-+l+-tr-+(
7+p+-zppvlp' 7tr-wqn+-vlk'
6-+n+-snp+& 6-+-+-+pzp&
5zp-+-+-+-% 5zpR+-zpp+-%
4-+Pzp-+-+$ 4-+Pzp-+-+$
3zP-+P+NzP-# 3+N+P+-zP-#
2-zP-+-zPLzP" 2-+-vL-zPLzP"
1tRNvLQtR-mK-! 1+R+Q+-mK-!
xabcdefghy xabcdefghy
11.Ne5!? 22...e4?
An interesting new idea. In this pawn Black's desire to show her hand early in the
structure (reversed 'Benoni Defence'), each centre is wrong. She should opt for 22...a4!
side will try to mobilize their pawn majority; 23.La5 Rxa5 24.Nxa5 Nc5!? (24...a3
White on the queenside (due to his c-pawn) 25.Qa4 La6 26.R5b4 [26.Qxa3 Lxb5
by b4, and Black in the centre (due to the e- 27.Rxb5 ²] 26...Rf6 27.Qxa3 Lf8
pawn) by ...e4. As a result, both sides will
28.Nb3 ²) 25.Lc6! (25.Nc6?! Nxd3!
try not only to generate a dangerous
26.Qxd3 e4 27.Lxe4 fxe4 28.Qxe4 Lf5
initiative but also a passed pawn if possible.
29.Rxf5 gxf5 30.Qd5 Qf7 μ) 25...Qa7
11...Nxe5 12.Rxe5 Nd7 13.Rb5!
As the queenside will be White's operations 26.Ld5 Ld7 27.Nc6 Lxc6 28.Lxc6 e4
territory, all forces are focused in that 29.dxe4 fxe4 30.Qd2 ÷.
direction. 23.Lxa5?!
13...Qc7 14.Nd2 h6 White missed an excellent chance with
14...Nc5 15.Ne4 Nxe4 16.Lxe4 ² is 23.Lf4! when Black has no satisfactory
helping White, as then it becomes more continuation at her disposal: 23...Qc6
difficult for Black to achieve the ...e4 (23...Le5 24.Nxd4 Ra6 25.Lxe5 Nxe5
26.dxe4  or 23...Qd8 24.dxe4 fxe4
25.Lxe4 ) 24.Rd5! Nf6 25.Nxd4 Qe8 A dead draw arises after 27...Ng4!? 28.Rc5
26.Rd6 . Qe6 29.Nxe4 Lb7 30.Qd3 Re7 31.f3
23...Qc6 24.dxe4 Ne5 32.Rxe5 Qxe5 33.Rb5 Qe6 34.Lc5
Although a natural response, White should Rxf3! 35.Lxf3 Lxe4 36.Qxe4 Qxe4
have tried the complicated 24.Rd5! when 37.Lxe4 Rxe4 38.Rb7 d3 39.Lf8 Kg8
Black has to be careful: 24...Re8 25.Ld2! 40.Rxg7+ Kxf8 41.Rd7 Rxc4 42.Rxd3.
(25.dxe4 fxe4 26.Nxd4 Qxc4 27.Nc2 Nf6 28.Ra5?!
28.Rd4 Qa2 29.Lb6 Rd7 30.Rxd7 Lxd7 Too optimistic! White should have played
31.Nb4 Qe6 32.Ld4 Rd8 =) 25...Nf6 28.f4! exf3 (28...e3? 29.c5  traps the
26.Nxd4 Qa4 27.Rd6 Qxd1+ 28.Rxd1 queen!) 29.Nxf3 Ng4 30.Lc5 Qc7
exd3 29.Nb5 Ra4 30.Rxd3 Ne4 31.Rc1 31.Lxf8 Nxe5 32.Lxg7 Kxg7 33.Nxe5
². Qxe5 = or 28.Rxe4!? Nxe4 29.Nxe4 Qe6
24...fxe4 (D) 30.c5 °.
XABCDEFGHY 28...Qe6 29.Lc5 Re8 30.Rb6 Qf7
31.Qe2 e3!
8-+l+-tr-+( 31...d3?! 32.Qe1 ÷.
7tr-+n+-vlk' 32.fxe3 dxe3
32...Rxe3?! 33.Qd1 ÷.
6-+q+-+pzp& 33.Nf1 (D)
5vLR+-+-+-% XABCDEFGHY
4-+Pzpp+-+$ 8-+l+r+-+(
3+N+-+-zP-# 7+-+r+qvlk'
2-+-+-zPLzP" 6-tR-+-snpzp&
1+R+Q+-mK-! 5tR-vL-+-+-%
xabcdefghy 4-+P+-+-+$
25.Nd2 3+-+-zp-zP-#
Of course White must avoid 25.Nxd4? as
after 25...Qf6! 26.Lc3 (26.Ne2 Qxf2+ 2-+-+Q+LzP"
27.Kh1 La6 μ) 26...Ra3 27.R1b3 Rxb3 1+-+-+NmK-!
28.Rxb3 Qxf2+ 29.Kh1 Nc5 μ he will
suffer, but 25.Lb4!? was probably xabcdefghy
preferable: 25...Re8 26.Lc5 Nxc5 So, both sides have achieved their aims, as
R
27. xc5 Q N
a8 28. xd4 R R
d7 (28... d8 described in the early parts of the game:
29.Rd5 Rxd5 30.cxd5 Qxd5 31.Nb5 White has a passed c-pawn and Black an e-
Qxd1+ 32.Rxd1 Re7 33.Nd6 Lg4 pawn. But Black’s activity in her ‘territory’
34.Re1 ²) 29.Rd5 Rxd5 30.cxd5 Qxd5 seems to be more dangerous.
31.Nc2 Qd3 32.Ne3 Re7 =. 33...Ng4! 34.Rb1?
25...Nf6?! A blunder in heavy time trouble. White
Correct was 25...Re8 26.Lb4 Lb7 27.Ra1 should also avoid 34.Lc6? Rd1! 35.Lxe8
÷. Q xf1+ 36.Qxf1 e2  or 34.Qxg4? e2
26.Lb6 Rd7 35.Rb1 Rd3 36.Qf4 Qxf4 37.gxf4 Rd1
A bit better than 26...Lg4 27.Nxe4!  but he should have opted for 34.Ld5!
(27.Qe1 Rd7 28.Nxe4 Nxe4 29.Lxe4 Rxd5! (34...Qf2+ 35.Qxf2 exf2+ 36.Kg2
Qxc4 =) 27...Lxd1 28.Ng5+ hxg5 Rc7 37.Ld6 Rd7 38.Lc5 Rc7 =) 35.cxd5
29.Lxc6 Ra4 30.Rxd1 Rxc4 31.Lg2 ². Qxd5 36.h3 Nf2 (36...Nf6!? 37.Nxe3
27.Re5 Qd6 Q e5 °) 37.Nxe3 Nxh3+ 38.Kh2 Ng5
39.Nxd5 Rxe2+ 40.Kh1 Nf3 41.Lg1 (Notes based on those of Garry Kasparov)
Re1 42.Kg2 Nxg1 43.Ra7 =. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Lb4 4.e3 d5 5.a3
34...Rc7? Lxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.cxd5 exd5 8.Ld3 0–0
Returning the favour due also to heavy time 9.Ne2 b6 10.0–0 La6 11.Lxa6 Nxa6
trouble! 34...Qf2+ 35.Qxf2 exf2+ 36.Kh1 12.Lb2 Qd7 13.a4 Rfe8 14.Qd3 c4
(36.Lxf2 Nxf2 37.Kxf2 Ld4+ 38.Kf3 15.Qc2 Nb8 (D)
Rf7+) 36...Re1 37.Rab5 Rc7  was XABCDEFGHY
winning.
35.Ld5 Qf5 8rsn-+r+k+(
35...Qf2+ 36.Qxf2 exf2+ 37.Kg2 7zp-+q+pzpp'
L
(37. xf2? N K
xf2 38. xf2 L d4+ 39.Kf3
h5 40.Ra2 Lh3 μ) 37...Lf5 38.Rb3 Re2 6-zp-+-sn-+&
39.h3 ÷.
36.Rb3 (D)
5+-+p+-+-%
XABCDEFGHY 4P+pzP-+-+$
8-+l+r+-+( 3+-zP-zP-+-#
7+-tr-+-vlk' 2-vLQ+NzPPzP"
6-+-+-+pzp& 1tR-+-+RmK-!
5tR-vLL+q+-% xabcdefghy
After the ...c4 push the majorities of the two
4-+P+-+n+$ sides were made crystal clear and determine
3+R+-zp-zP-# the future plans; White will play in the
centre, trying for the e4 advance and Black
2-+-+Q+-zP" will create his initiative on the queenside.
16.Rae1 Nc6 17.Ng3 Na5
1+-+-+NmK-! In general Black's plan seems to be quite
xabcdefghy dangerous from a materialistic point of view,
36...Nf2? as the a4-pawn will be lost. But White's
Black cracks! She should have gone for activity on the kingside will produce more
36...Qf2+ 37.Qxf2 exf2+ 38.Kg2 Lf5 ÷. than enough compensation. If 17...Ne4 then
18.Nh1! (18.Nxe4?! dxe4 19.f3 Qd5) and
37.Nxe3 Nh3+ 38.Kg2 Qg5 39.Qf3
Rxc5? White's plan works out anyway: 18...f5 19.f3
Nd6 20.La3 g6 21.Ng3 and after the
The last mistake, although 39...Qd8 40.Kh1
Ng5 41.Qg2  was not pleasant either. inevitable e4, the weakened position of the
black king is a source of permanent trouble.
40.Rxc5 Qe7
But maybe Black should have opted for
40...Rf8 41.Qxf8 Lxf8 42.Rxc8 . 17...h5 18.f3 g6 (18...h4 19.Nf5 Ne7
41.Rxc8! 20.Nxe7+ Rxe7 21.e4 ²) 19.e4 h4 20.Nh1
1-0
h3 ÷.
The following game is very well known 18.f3 Nb3
and the combination at the 30th move is Both sides are quite persistent. The a4-pawn
famous. But before that, the majorities is lost, but the long-awaited central advance
played an important role. is also ready.
19.e4 Qxa4
□ Botvinnik Mikhail This miserable pawn has played an
■ Capablanca Jose Raul important role as bait for the tiger!
E49 Holland 1938 20.e5 Nd7 21.Qf2
Otherwise the isolated knight is able to come 31.Qxf6+ Ke8 32.Qf7+ Kd8 33.Qd7 #.
back into the game extremely effectively 29.Qe5 Qe7 (D)
after ...Nb3-c5! Now Black has to take his Attack and defence have reached a faltering
opponent's threats more seriously - the white parity; each side needs reserves to decide an
knight is heading for f5 and d6, and the epic battle in its favour. The question is
advancing f-pawn could be a battering ram whose minor piece from the forgotten flank
that will crack open the black castled is faster? Black's knight is going to use the
position. But Capablanca cannot be same route ...Na5-c6, but what about the
frightened by these shadows on the horizon. sleeping white bishop?
The stubborn proponent of economy was XABCDEFGHY
famous for an astonishing ability to defend
his king with a minimum of resources while 8-+-+-+-+(
his main army was gaining an advantage
elsewhere.
7zp-+-wq-mkp'
21...g6 22.f4 f5 6-zp-+Psnp+&
The text move is forcing the opening of the
e-file and an exchange of rooks, but there 5+-+pwQ-+-%
was no real alternative: 22...Nf8 23.f5 Qd7 4-+pzP-+-+$
24.La3 a5 25.Qf4 .
23.exf6 Nxf6 24.f5 3+nzP-+-sN-#
White is obliged to open lines and get closer 2-vL-+-+PzP"
to the black king.
24...Rxe1 25.Rxe1 Re8 1+-+-+-mK-!
Using a tactical trick to protect the f6-knight
(see variation in the next comment). xabcdefghy
Capablanca was reducing White's attacking 30.La3!!
potential, however, from now on he had no If the first move of the bishop, 12.Lb2, was
choice but to join the club of chess just a bad joke, then the second little step
masterpieces. Unfortunately he was sitting from b2 to a3 has created a drama! The
on the wrong side of the board! In the event kamikaze act forces the black queen to leave
of 25...Rf8 26.Qf4 White's attack is also her king again, this time not voluntarily, and
unstoppable: 26...Qa2 27.fxg6! Qxb2 to unblock the ambitious pawn which is
(27...hxg6 28.Qg5) 28.g7! Kxg7 29.Nf5+ running for the biggest prize.
Kh8 30.Qd6 Rf7 (30...Kg8 31.Qg3+) 30...Qxa3 31.Nh5+! gxh5 32.Qg5+ Kf8
31.Qxf6+! mating. 33.Qxf6+ Kg8 34.e7
26.Re6! 34.Qf7+ Kh8 35.g3! with the white king
Not 26.fxg6? hxg6 27.Rxe8+ Nxe8 μ. escaping to h3 was also enough, but rushing
26...Rxe6 35.e7? could spoil everything: 35...Qc1+
Now instead of being consumed in the flame 36.Kf2 Qd2+ 37.Kg3 Qg5+ 38.Kf3
of the attack the modest f-pawn is making a Nxd4+! 39.cxd4 Qg4+ with perpetual
dream career. It was impossible to avoid the check.
appearance of this powerful ally for the 34...Qc1+ 35.Kf2 Qc2+ 36.Kg3 Qd3+
white queen: 26...Kg7 27.Rxf6! Kxf6 37.Kh4 Qe4+ 38.Kxh5 Qe2+
28.fxg6+ Kxg6 (28...Ke7 29.Qf7+ Kd8 The exchange of queens doesn't help:
30.gxh7 ) 29.Qf5+ Kg7 30.Nh5+ Kh6 38...Qg6+ 39.Qxg6+ hxg6+ 40.Kxg6 and
31.h4! Rg8 32.g4 Qc6 33.La3! with mate now the pawn promotes to queen (or rook!)
to follow. with mate.
27.fxe6 Kg7 28.Qf4 Qe8 39.Kh4 Qe4+ 40.g4
The queen must return: 28...Qa2? 29.Nf5+ The sad knight on b3 is left as a silent
with mate in four: 29...gxf5 30.Qg5+ Kf8 reproach for Black's strategic miscalculation
in the early middlegame. Black's c6-pawn is immense and effectively
40...Qe1+ 41.Kh5 determines the outcome of the game.
Capablanca's resignation (in Kasparov's 18...Nb6 19.e5 Nh5?!
opinion) symbolized the end of an heroic era Black's position hardly inspires confidence,
of chess titans, dominating the field with but in any case 19...Lxf5 20.Qxf5 Rad8
their natural genius. Since this historic 21.Rad1 Nfd5 22.Kh2  or 19...Nfd5
moment, the professional touch has played a 20.Rad1 (20.Nxd5?! Nxd5 21.Lxd5
more and more important role as an integral Lxf5 22.Qxf5 Qc5+ 23.Kh2 Qxd5
part of chess, the path to ultimate success. 24.Lc3 ²) 20...Qc5+ 21.Kh2 Lxf5
1-0 22.Qxf5  was necessary.
The next two games of mine will conclude 20.Nxh6+!
a difficult concept, but one rich in White's great strategic plus creates the
possibilities and ideas. Still, many questions preconditions for successful combinations.
are left unanswered… But also 20.Nd4! seems to kill Black, as the
threat of Qg6 is rather strong: 20...Qc5
□ Grivas Efstratios 21.Le3 Nd5 (21...Rd8 22.Rad1) 22.Lxd5
■ Nikolaidis Konstantinos cxd5 23.Qf2 .
D46 Athens 1992 20...gxh6 21.Qg6+ Ng7 22.Ne4! (D)
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c6 3.c4 d5 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3
Nbd7 6.Qc2 Ld6 7.Le2 0–0 8.0–0 dxc4 XABCDEFGHY
9.Lxc4 Qe7 10.a3 Lc7 11.La2 e5 12.h3 8r+l+rwqk+(
h6 13.Ld2 a5 14.Nh4 Re8 15.Nf5 Qf8
16.dxe5 Rxe5 7+pvl-+psn-'
In this asymmetrical pawn structure position, 6-snp+-+Qzp&
White seems to stand better due to his space
advantage and better-placed pieces. But 5zp-+-zP-+-%
there is more to come!
17.f4 Re8 18.e4! (D) 4-+-+NzP-+$
XABCDEFGHY 3zP-+-+-+P#
8r+l+rwqk+( 2LzP-vL-+P+"
7+pvln+pzp-' 1tR-+-+RmK-!
6-+p+-sn-zp& xabcdefghy
5zp-+-+N+-% 22...Qe7?!
White wins after 22...Nd7 23.Lc3! and
4-+-+PzP-+$ Nf6+, as well, but Black had to play
22...Ld8! when White would be 'obliged' to
3zP-sN-+-+P# find some strong moves: 23.Nf6+
2LzPQvL-+P+" (23.Qxh6? Nd5 24.Lxd5 cxd5 25.Nf6+
Lxf6 26.exf6 Nf5 27.Qg5+ Kh7 28.Rae1
1tR-+-+RmK-! Rxe1 [28...Le6? 29.g4 Qh6 30.gxf5! Rg8
xabcdefghy 31.Kh2 Rxg5 32.fxg5 Qf8 33.g6+ ]
29.Qh5+ Nh6 30.Rxe1 Ra6 31.Qg5 Re6
White's superiority is indisputable and is
mainly due to his mobile kingside pawn 32.Re5 °) 23...Lxf6 24.exf6 Le6
majority. In sharp contrast, Black's 25.Qxh6! [25.Lxe6?! Rxe6 26.Qxg7+
Qxg7 27.fxg7 ²] 25...Nf5 [25...Lxa2
queenside pawn majority cannot advance
without creating weak squares and cannot 26.Rf3! Nd7 27.Rg3 Nxf6 28.Lc3 ]
become threatening. The qualitative 26.Qg5+ Kh8 27.Lb1! Nc4 28.Lxf5
difference of the white e4-pawn compared to Lxf5 29.Qxf5 Nxd2 30.Qh5+ Kg8
31.Rac1! . Black now loses simply, as 16...cxd4 17.Nxd4 Qh4!
his pieces are suffocating. Better than 17...Nc5?1 18.Nb5 Lb8
23.Nf6+ Kf8 24.Nh7+ Kg8 25.Nf6+ 19.Le5! (19.Lb1 a6 20.Nc3 Lc7 ³)
Kf8 26.Qxh6 Qc5+ 27.Kh1 19...Nxd3 20.Lxb8 Raxb8 21.Rxd3 Le4
Black resigned as he loses too much 22.Rd2 Red8 ÷.
material. 18.g3
1-0 The alternative was 18.h3 when 18...Qf4!
□ Grivas Efstratios (18...Ne5?! 19.Nb5! Nf3+ 20.gxf3 Qxh3
■ Kramnik Vladimir 21.Nxd6 Lxf3 22.Qxf3 Qxf3 23.Nxe8
D45 Dortmund 1992 Rxe8 [23...Qg4²] 24.Rfe1 ÷) 19.g3 Qh6
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c6 4.e3 Nf6 5.Nc3 20.h4 Ne5, leaves Black with a decisive
Nbd7 6.Qc2 Ld6 7.Le2 0–0 8.0–0 Re8 superiority (then 21.Lxf5? fails to 21...exf5
9.b3 Qe7 10.Lb2 b6 11.e4 dxe4 12.Nxe4 22.Nxf5 Qg6).
Nxe4 13.Qxe4 Lb7 14.Ld3?! 18...Qh3 (D)
A pointless move, hoping for 14...Nf6?! XABCDEFGHY
15.Qh4 h6 16.Rfe1 with a slight edge for
White. He should instead have preferred 8r+-+r+k+(
14.Qe3 c5 15.Rfd1 Rad8 16.dxc5 with 7zpl+n+-zpp'
equality.
14...f5! (D) 6-zp-vlp+-+&
XABCDEFGHY 5+-+-+p+-%
8r+-+r+k+( 4-+PsN-+-+$
7zpl+nwq-zpp' 3+P+L+-zPq#
6-zppvlp+-+& 2PvL-+QzP-zP"
5+-+-+p+-% 1+-+R+RmK-!
4-+PzPQ+-+$ xabcdefghy
3+P+L+N+-# 19.f3
Optically displeasing, but the alternative
2PvL-+-zPPzP" 19.Nf3 Ne5!? 20.Lxe5 Lxe5 was not
1tR-+-+RmK-! helpful.
19...Lc5 20.Kh1 Nf6
xabcdefghy Black's superiority is obvious, as he has
An excellent idea, aiming to create a mobile some dangerous plans at his disposal
pawn majority on the kingside. Black will (advance of the pawn majority, attack
exchange his c-pawn for White's d-pawn and against the white king) while White cannot
obtain a 4:3 majority on the kingside, which react effectively.
will be able to advance menacingly. On the 21.Nc2?!
contrary, White's 3:2 queenside majority will Allowing the immediate advance of the
remain immobile for several moves or, even black pawns. White should struggle on with
worse, will never succeed in becoming 21.Qg2 Qh5 22.Lb1 or 21.Nb5!? Re7
threatening. 22.Ld4 instead.
15.Qe2 c5 16.Rad1?! 21...e5! 22.Qg2 Qxg2+ 23.Kxg2 e4
White fails to comprehend the problems of 24.fxe4
the position. He should have played 16.h3 Compulsory, as 24.Le2 loses immediately
instead (16.d5?! exd5 17.Qxe7 Rxe7 to 24...exf3+ 25.Lxf3 Re2+!.
18.Lxf5 d4! μ) and tried to defend. 24...Nxe4 25.Kh3 Rad8!! (D)
8-+-trr+k+( 8-+-tr-+k+(
7zpl+-+-zpp' 7+pwqr+pzp-'
6-zp-+-+-+& 6p+-+p+-zp&
5+-vl-+p+-% 5zP-+l+-+-%
4-+P+n+-+$ 4-wQ-tR-+-+$
3+P+L+-zPK# 3+-+-+-zPP#
2PvLN+-+-zP" 2-zPP+-zPL+"
1+-+R+R+-! 1+-+R+-mK-!
A ‘quiet’ move, to which White has no good Black seems to have equalized and this is
reply. It must be noted that Black could win indeed very near to the truth.
an exchange with 25...Nf2+ 26.Rxf2 Lxf2 26.c4!?
27.Lxf5, but his position is so good that he White's interesting chance to fight for
seeks to extract even greater gains! something more than the split of the point.
White resigned due to the continuation 26.Lxd5 Rxd5 27.Rxd5 Rxd5 28.Rxd5
26.Lxe4 (26.Rxf5 Lc8) 26...Lxe4 exd5 = isn’t much, but he could also think
27.Na1 (27.Nd4 Rd6 or 27.Na3 Rxd1 about 26.Qc3!? Rc8! (26...Lc6?! 27.Rxd7
28.Rxd1 Re6 29.Rd8+ Kf7 30.Lc1 Rxd7 28.Rxd7 Qxd7 29.Lxc6 bxc6
Lxa3) 27...Rxd1 28.Rxd1 Lf3 29.Rd2 [29...Qxc6? 30.Qxc6 bxc6 31.b4 Kf8
(29.Rd7 Lg4+ 30.Kh4 Le7+) 29...Lg4+ 32.c4 Ke7 33.b5 cxb5 34.cxb5 Kd6 35.b6
30.Kg2 Re1 31.h3 Rg1+ 32.Kh2 Lf3 ] 30.Qc4  Qd1+?! 31.Kg2 Qd5+?
33.g4 f4!. 32.Qxd5 exd5 [32...cxd5 33.b4 ] 33.b4
0-1 Kf8 34.Kf3 Ke7 35.Ke3 Kd6 36.Kd4 h5
The Majority in the Endgame 37.h4 f6 38.f3 f5 39.c3 g6 40.f4! Kd7
The endgame is the stage of the game 41.b5!! Kd6 [41...axb5 42.Kc5 Kc7 43.a6
when the mobile majority and the potential ] 42.bxa6! [42.b6? c5+ 43.Kd3 Kc6 =]
passed pawn can give effective results. 42...c5+ 43.Kd3 Kc7 44.Kc2 Kb8
A chess player, who wishes to excel in the 45.Kb3 Ka7 46.Ka3!!  or 26...Qxc3?
game, should be alert to the correct handling 27.bxc3 Kf8 28.c4 Lc6 29.Rxd7 Rxd7
of such positions. The examples that follow 30.Rxd7 Lxd7 31.Lxb7 ) 27.Qxc7
give a clear view of this concept and serve Rcxc7 (27...Rdxc7?! 28.Lxd5 exd5 29.c3
our purposes to the maximum: ) 28.c4 Lc6 29.Rxd7 Lxd7 30.Rd6 ².
□ Ljubojevic Ljubomir 26...Lxg2 27.Rxd7 Rxd7 28.Rxd7 Qxd7
■ Ivanchuk Vassily 29.Kxg2 Qc6+ 30.Kg1
B80 Buenos Aires 1994 After massive and forced exchanges, White's
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 pawn majority on the queenside is ready to
5.Nc3 a6 6.g3 Nc6 7.Lg2 Ld7 8.0–0 e6 roll. Black should seek counterplay against
9.a4 Le7 10.h3 0–0 11.Nb3 Na5 12.Nxa5 the white king.
Qxa5 13.Ld2 Qc7 14.a5 Lc6 15.Re1 30...f5 31.Qb6 Qe4!
Rae8 16.Le3 Nd7 17.Ld4 Lf6 18.Lxf6 31...Qxb6? 32.axb6 Kf7 33.c5 Ke7 34.c6
Nxf6 19.Qd4 Re7 20.Qb4 Rd7 21.Rad1 .
Rfd8 22.Rd4 h6 23.Red1 d5 24.exd5 32.b4 g5?
Nxd5 25.Nxd5 Lxd5 (D) A correct idea (...f4) but with wrong
execution! After 32...e5 33.b5 f4 the game It seems that Black has solved all his
will end in a draw. problems and he is even ready to take over
33.b5 f4 34.gxf4! gxf4 the initiative by mobilizing his 3:2 queenside
34...axb5 35.cxb5 gxf4 36.a6 bxa6 37.bxa6 majority.
Qe1+ 38.Kh2 . 27.a4!
35.bxa6 bxa6?! A great move which suddenly immobilizes
Black had to try his last chance: 35...f3 this majority and, in a way, turns the tables.
36.Qd8+ (36.axb7 Qe1+ 37.Kh2 Qe5+ = 27...Rd8
38.Kg1? Qg5+ 39.Kf1 Qc1 #) 36...Kf7 27...Nd7 (planning ...Ne5) 28.Nd4! Nf6
37.Qc7+ Kf6 38.Kh2 bxa6 39.Kg3  and 29.Nb5 .
pray... 28.Rxd8+ Qxd8 29.Ne5!
36.Qxa6 f3 Also improving the knight. From its future
36...Qe1+ 37.Kg2 Qe4+ 38.Kh2 Qe2 square on c4, it will exert pressure on the
39.Qa8+ Kg7 40.Kg2 Qxc4 41.Qb7+ weak black b6-pawn.
Kg6 42.a6 . 29...Qd5 30.Nc4 Nd7 31.b3 (D)
37.Qc8+ Kf7 38.Qc7+ Kf6 39.Kh2 XABCDEFGHY
1-0
8-+-+-+k+(
Anatoly Karpov has proved many times
that he knows exactly what to do and where 7+-+n+pzp-'
and how to place his pieces. The next
example is a masterpiece:
6-zp-+-+-zp&
5zp-zpq+-+-%
□ Karpov Anatoly
■ Jussupow Artur 4P+N+-+-+$
D56 Dortmund 1997 3+P+-zP-+P#
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Le7
5.Lg5 h6 6.Lh4 0–0 7.e3 Ne4 8.Lxe7 2-+Q+-zPP+"
Qxe7 9.Rc1 c6 10.Ld3 Nxc3 11.Rxc3
dxc4 12.Lxc4 Nd7 13.0–0 b6 14.Ld3 c5
1+-+-+-mK-!
15.Le4 Rb8 16.Qa4 Lb7 17.Lxb7 xabcdefghy
Rxb7 18.Qc2 a5 19.a3 Re8 20.Rd1 Mission completed! Now the next steps for
Rbb8 21.h3 Rbd8 22.Rcd3 Rc8 23.d5 White must be the mobilization of the king
exd5 24.Rxd5 Nf6 25.Re5 Qc7 and his kingside majority.
26.Rxe8+ Rxe8 (D) 31...f5?!
XABCDEFGHY Such central pawn advances are not really
helpful and at the end of the day they are just
8-+-+r+k+( targets for the opponent. 31...h5 32.Kf1,
7+-wq-+pzp-' planning to exchange queens with Qd2, was
preferable.
6-zp-+-sn-zp& 32.Kf1!
It was too early for 32.g4? fxg4 (32...g6
5zp-zp-+-+-% 33.gxf5 gxf5 34.Qc3 ²) 33.hxg4 as Black
4-+-+-+-+$ gets strong counterplay after 33...Qf3! and
probably White has nothing better than
3zP-+-zPN+P# 34.Qf5 Qd1+ (34...Qxf5? 35.gxf5 )
2-zPQ+-zPP+" 35.Kg2 Qxb3 =.
32...Kf7 33.f3 Ke7 34.Ke2 Qe6 35.Qc3
1+-+R+-mK-! Nf6
xabcdefghy 35...Qf6 36.Qxf6+ Kxf6 37.e4 is what
White would love to play, as his e-pawn Na5 15.Qc2 Nc4 16.Kg1 h6 17.b3 Na5
looks like an extra one (compare it with 18.c4 Nc6 19.c5 Rd8 20.a3 Rd7 21.b4
Black's c-pawn). Re7 22.Qb2 Nd7 23.Lc2 0–0 24.Rh4
36.Kf2 Kd7 Rfe8 25.Lb3 Nf6 26.Ne5 Nxe5 27.dxe5
Black is short of good alternatives: 36...h5 Nd7 28.La4 Rf8 29.Lxd7 Qxd7 30.Qd4
37.h4  or 36...g5 37.g4 . f5 31.exf6 Rxf6 32.Rf4 Ref7 33.Rxf6
37.g4 Kc6?! Rxf6 34.f4 Qc6 35.g4 Qd7 36.Re5 Qf7
Hastening the end. Black had to choose 37.g3 (D)
between 37...fxg4 38.hxg4  and 37...g6 XABCDEFGHY
38.Qe5 .
38.Qe5! Qxe5 39.Nxe5+ Kd5 40.Nc4 8-+-+-+k+(
fxg4 41.Nxb6+! 7+p+-+qzp-'
41.hxg4  was natural but White took the
opportunity to increase his advantage. 6p+-+ptr-zp&
41...Kc6 42.Nc4 gxf3
42...gxh3 43.Nxa5+ Kc7 44.Kg3 .
5+-zPptR-+-%
43.Kxf3 Kd5 44.Nxa5 4-zP-wQ-zPP+$
White had won a good pawn and the rest
was not that difficult. 3zP-+-+-zP-#
44...g5 45.Nc4 h5 46.Nd2 Ke5 47.e4 2-+-+-+-+"
Or 47.a5 Kd5 48.e4+ Kc6 49.e5 Ne8
50.Ke4 Ng7 51.Nf1 g4 52.h4 . 1+-+-+-mK-!
47...Ne8 xabcdefghy
47...Kd4 48.a5! Nd7 49.a6 Ne5+ 50.Kg3
Nc6 51.Nf3+ Kxe4 52.Nxg5+ Kd4 White has successfully blockaded Black's
central pawns while he has kept his own
53.Ne6+ . queenside majority alive and kicking.
48.Ke3 Nc7 49.Nc4+ Kf6 50.Kf2 Na6 37...Kh8?
51.Kg3 Nb4 52.h4 Nc6 53.a5! Nb4 Passive defence cannot have positive effects.
54.Nd2 Nc6 Black should have opted for active play by
54...Na6 55.hxg5+ Kxg5 56.Nf3+ . 37...g5! when White would probably have to
55.a6 gxh4+ 56.Kxh4 Ke6 57.Kxh5 Kd7 concede a draw after 38.f5 (38.Kg2!? gxf4
58.Kg6 Kc7 59.Nc4 39.g5 hxg5 40.Rxg5+ Kh7 41.g4 ÷)
59.Kf6 Kb6 60.e5 Kxa6 61.e6 Kb5 62.e7 38...exf5 39.Rxd5 fxg4 40.Rd8+ Kh7
Nxe7 63.Kxe7 Kb4 64.Kd6 .
41.Rd7 (41.Qd3+ Kg7 42.Rd7 Rf1+ =)
59...Kb8 60.Kf6 Ka7 61.e5 Kxa6 62.e6 41...Rf1+ 42.Kg2 Rf2+ =.
Kb5 63.e7
38.Kg2 Qg6 39.Qd1 Qf7 40.Qd3 Qc7
Black resigned due to 63...Nxe7 64.Kxe7 41.Qd4 Qf7 42.a4!
Kb4 65.Nd2 Kc3 66.Kd6 Kxd2 67.Kxc5.
The majority starts its movement...
1-0 42...Kg8 43.b5 axb5 44.axb5 Qd7 45.Qd3
Even in the very late stages of the game a Kh8
majority can be useful. In combination with Unfortunately for Black he has no
other elements, it can prove lethal… immediate counterplay and he has to wait
□ Short Nigel passively for White to show his hand.
■ Ehlvest Jaan 46.Re1?
B13 Tallinn/Parnu 1998 46.g5! seems strong: 46...Rf5 47.Rxf5 exf5
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Ld3 Nc6 48.gxh6 gxh6 49.c6 bxc6 50.Qc3+ .
5.c3 Nf6 6.Lf4 Lg4 7.Qb3 Qd7 8.Nd2 46...Rf8 47.g5! Rf5?
e6 9.Ngf3 Ld6 10.Lg3 Lxf3 11.Nxf3 This loses. Black had to play the obvious
Lxg3 12.hxg3 a6 13.Kf1 Qc7 14.Re1 47...hxg5 48.Rh1+ (48.fxg5 Kg8 49.Qe2
d4! =) 48...Kg8 49.Qh7+ Kf7 50.Qh5+ Wins with a direct attack on the black king -
Ke7 (50...Kg8? 51.fxg5 ) 51.Qxg5+ the majority was just the decoy!
Kf7 52.Rh7 Rg8 53.Qh5+ Kf8 54.Qe5 64...Qxc7 65.Rg6+ Kh8
and although White has the initiative, Black 65...Kh7 66.Qe4 Kh8 67.Qf5  or
might be able to defend. 65...Kf7 66.Qe6+ Kf8 67.Rg8 # or,
48.gxh6 d4 finally, 65...Kf8 66.Qe6 Qf7 67.Rf6 .
48...gxh6 also loses: 49.c6! bxc6 50.Qc3+ 66.Qe6
d4 51.Qxc6 Qd5+ (51...Qxc6+ 52.bxc6 1-0
Rc5 53.Rxe6 Kg7 54.Kf3 ) 52.Qxd5
□ Psakhis Lev
Rxd5 53.Rb1 Rd7 54.b6 Rb7 55.Kf3 .
■ Pinter Jozsef
49.hxg7+ Kxg7 50.Re4 Rd5 B85 Szirak 1986
50...Rxc5 51.Rxd4 Rd5 52.Rxd5 exd5 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6
53.Kf3 . 5.Nc3 a6 6.f4 Qc7 7.Le2 e6 8.0–0 Le7
51.g4 9.Lf3 0–0 10.Le3 Nc6 11.Nxc6 bxc6
White has won a pawn and he still holds the 12.Na4 Nd7 13.c4 c5 14.Nc3 Lb7
initiative! In order to win, he will combine 15.Qc2 Lf6 16.Rad1 Rfd8 17.Rd3
two elements: his active majority and an Rac8 18.b3 Nb8 19.e5 dxe5 20.Lxb7
attack on the opponent’s king. Qxb7 21.Ne4 Le7 22.Rxd8+ Rxd8
51...Kg8 52.Kg3 Qh7 53.c6! bxc6 23.fxe5 Nd7 24.Rd1 Qc7 25.Qc3 h6
53...Rxb5 54.Qxb5 Qxe4 55.cxb7 Qe1+ 26.h3 Qc6 27.Nf2 Qc7 28.Ne4 Qc6
56.Kg2 Qe4+ 57.Kh2 Qxf4+ 58.Kh3 29.Nf2 Qc7 30.Lf4 Nf8 31.Rxd8 Qxd8
Qh6+ 59.Kg3 Qe3+ 60.Kh4 Qf2+
32.Nd3 Qc7 33.Qe1 Qd8 34.Qe4 Qa5
(60...Qh6+ 61.Qh5 Qf8 62.Qe5 ) 35.Qe2 Ng6 36.Lg3 Nf8 37.Le1 Qc7
61.Kg5 Qe3+ 62.Kg6 Qe4+ 63.Qf5! . 38.Qe4 Qd8 (D)
54.bxc6 Qh1 (D)
XABCDEFGHY
XABCDEFGHY
8-+-wq-snk+(
8-+-+-+k+(
7+-+-vlpzp-'
7+-+-+-+-'
6p+-+p+-zp&
6-+P+p+-+&
5+-zp-zP-+-%
5+-+r+-+-%
4-+P+Q+-+$
4-+-zpRzPP+$
3+P+N+-+P#
3+-+Q+-mK-#
2P+-+-+P+"
2-+-+-+-+"
1+-+-vL-mK-!
1+-+-+-+q!
xabcdefghy
xabcdefghy In this simplified position, both majorities
55.Rxe6! seem difficult to move. But White thought
Cool! White can easily escape from the up a very strong and efficient plan - to move
perpetual check. his king to the queenside in order to support
55...Qg1+ 56.Kh3 Qh1+ 57.Kg3 Qg1+ his pieces and his majority!
58.Kf3 Qh1+ 59.Ke2 Qg2+ 60.Ke1 39.Kf1! Qc8 40.Ke2 Nd7 41.Kd1 Lf8
Qg1+ 61.Kd2 Qf2+ 62.Qe2 Qxf4+ Black tries to put up a counter defence,
63.Kd1 planning ...g6 and ...Lg7, putting pressure
63.Kd3! Qg3+ 64.Kc4 was even quicker. on White's e-pawn. The alternative was
63...Rd8 64.c7! 41...f5 42.exf6 Nxf6 43.Qf3  as Black
would have been full of weak pawns. 54...Lxe5? 55.b5 or 54...f6? 55.exf6 Lxf6
42.Kc2 g6 56.Nc5 or, finally, 54...Nxe5? 55.Nxe5
After 42...Qc7 43.a3 a5 44.Lc3 Qa7 Lxe5 56.Ka5 Lc3 57.Lc5.
45.Qc6 Black is tied down to passivity. 55.Lc5+ Ke8 56.Ld6 (D)
43.Lc3 Lg7 44.a3! XABCDEFGHY
All according to the initial plan.
44...Lf8 45.b4 cxb4 8-+-+k+-+(
45...Nb6 46.Kb3 Qd7 47.Nb2 is similar to
the game.
7+-+-+pvl-'
46.axb4 Nb6 47.Kb3 Qe8 48.Nb2 (D) 6p+nvLp+pzp&
XABCDEFGHY 5+-+-zP-+-%
8-+-+qvlk+( 4KzPP+-+-+$
7+-+-+p+-' 3+-+N+-+P#
6psn-+p+pzp& 2-+-+-+P+"
5+-+-zP-+-% 1+-+-+-+-!
4-zPP+Q+-+$ xabcdefghy
3+KvL-+-+P# 56...f6?!
More tenacious was 56...Kd7 57.b5 axb5+
2-sN-+-+P+" 58.cxb5 Nd8 59.Nc5+ Kc8 60.b6 Nb7
1+-+-+-+-! 61.Ne4 f6 (61...Kd7 62.Kb5 ) 62.exf6
Lxf6 63.Kb5 , although it would be
xabcdefghy difficult for Black to avoid defeat in the long
White protected his weak points and his run.
queenside pawns are ready now to roll. 57.exf6 Lxf6 58.Nc5
48...Qd7 49.Ld4 Nc8 50.Le3 Ne7 A pawn is now lost.
51.Qa8! Qc6 58...e5 59.Nxa6 e4 60.b5 Le5!? 61.Lc5
Black's hand was more or less forced: Nd4 62.Lxd4! Lxd4 63.Kb3 Kd7 64.c5
51...Nc6? 52.Lxh6 or 51...Kg7? 52.Lxh6+ h5 65.g4 hxg4 66.hxg4 g5 67.Kc4 e3
Kxh6 53.Qxf8+ or, finally, 51...g5?! 68.Kd3 Kc8
52.Lc5. But now the white king will have 68...Ke6 69.b6.
no counterpart... 69.c6
52.Qxc6 Nxc6 53.Nd3 Lg7 54.Ka4! A game of a clear-cut and effective endgame
54.Lf4 was not bad either, but White is not plan: activation of the majority with the idea
losing time! of creating a passed pawn. How simple it
54...Kf8 looked...
All other continuations lose rather easily: 1-0
The Minority Attack
Terminology fixed pawn structure (mobile). In this case a
As a strategic element, the minority attack minority attack is more difficult to employ,
can offer an alternative active plan when our as the opponent's defensive options, active
majority on the other wing cannot readily be or passive, are several and cannot be
exploited. Using our pawn minority we can accurately described. General principles are
attack an immobile majority, aiming to in effect here as well, but the dynamics that
create (after exchanges) a weak pawn in the may result due to the mobility of the
opponent's camp. This particular action is respective pawn structures cannot be
called the 'Minority Attack'. effectively classified.
With this term, we imply the activity a side 2) Fixed pawn structures: The second
can develop on a flank where this side has category concerns fixed pawn structures.
fewer pawns than the opponent. In a broader Here things are simpler, as practice has
sense, any time two pawns advance against determined the recommended actions for
three, or one against two, we have a minority both sides. To understand the play of both
attack. the side employing the minority attack and
The minority attack is a positional plan - the defending side, we shall use the
and one of the most important middlegame following typical and educational example:
plans. It occurs in asymmetrical pawn XABCDEFGHY
structures in which one side has a half-open
file. With the use of a pawn lever he then 8-+-+-+-+(
tries to make the file fully open, creating
weaknesses in the enemy camp in the
7zpp+-+pzpp'
process and eventually to exploit them. 6-+p+-+-+&
Naturally, just as with all positional plans
we develop during a game, the minority 5+-+p+-+-%
attack does not guarantee victory on its own, 4-+-zP-+-+$
but creates the conditions to develop an
initiative and provides the side that employs 3+-+-zP-+-#
it with clear targets. It is a very sensitive
strategic concept that can easily backfire,
2PzP-+-zPPzP"
leaving the opponent with a passed pawn. 1+-+-+-+-!
The minority attack is a strange area of
theory. Even Aaron Nimzowitsch, who was xabcdefghy
very concerned with the restraint of pawn The opening in which the minority attack
majorities, never dealt with attacking them most commonly occurs is the ‘Queen's
from a position of numerical inferiority. Gambit Declined’ and particularly the
Also, Ludek Pachman claims that this ‘Exchange Variation’, which often starts
concept first entered chess consciousness in with the moves 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6
the 1920s, and thus attributes great historical 4.cxd5 exd5. In this pawn structure both
value to the game Capablanca,JR-Lasker,E sides have half-open files, White's being the
Havana 1921 (which is analysed elsewhere). c-file and Black's being the e-file.
Both sides will build their game around
Analysis of the Concept - Plans these assets. After Black plays ...c6, to get
The strategic element of the minority both his c- and d-pawns protected, White's
attack and the ways of exploiting it can be minority attack takes shape. By playing b4-
split into two main categories: b5 he pries open this file leaving Black with
1) Flexible pawn structures: The first some kind of pawn weakness whatever he
category concerns the asymmetrical but not does.
The above diagram is essential for our XABCDEFGHY
training in minority attacks:
White will plan the b4-b5 advance, aiming 8-+rwq-snk+(
to leave Black with a weak (backward) pawn
on c6 or d5. But which details should both
7zpp+ltrpzpp'
sides take into account? What are the 6-snp+p+-+&
sensitive points they must be aware of (and
which basically concern the defending side)? 5+-+-+-+-%
We should split the potential choices as 4-+-zPP+-+$
follows:
3+-sN-+N+-#
2a) Passive defence.
2b) Other side’s initiative.
2PzPQ+-zPPzP"
2c) Lightsquared bishops’ exchange. 1+-tRR+LmK-!
2d) The ...b5 plan.
2e) The ...c5 plan. xabcdefghy
2f) The ...cxb5 and ...a5 plan. 16.b4
The beginning of a type of 'minority attack',
In the application of methods '2a'-'2e' the with the a- and b-pawns being used against
defending side must consider whether the black a-, b- and c-pawns.
possession of an open a-file is beneficial, 16...Le8 17.Qb3 Rec7 18.a4 Ng6 19.a5!
and so whether he should play ...a6 (or ...a5) Nd7 20.e5!
before b4-b5 comes, thereby forcing White Creating a strong outpost on d6; a white
to play a4 (or a3). knight will soon land on it!
This dissection of our diagrammed 20...b6 21.Ne4 Rb8 22.Qc3 Nf4 23.Nd6
example is valid for every similar pawn Nd5 24.Qa3 f6 (D)
structure (fixed or not) and for both sides, on XABCDEFGHY
either flank.
Now we should move on to examine each 8-tr-wql+k+(
of the above plans and the ways to handle
them with the help of some good examples.
7zp-trn+-zpp'
6-zppsNpzp-+&
5zP-+nzP-+-%
4-zP-zP-+-+$
3wQ-+-+N+-#
Category 1 - Flexible Pawn Structures 2-+-+-zPPzP"
As already mentioned, this is a difficult
case. Ludek Pachman considered the next 1+-tRR+LmK-!
game to be quite important for the history of xabcdefghy
the minority attack:
White is surely in the driver's seat and the
□ Capablanca Jose Raul following exchanges transform his
■ Lasker Emanuel advantage into something 'more' concrete...
D64 Havana 1921 25.Nxe8! Qxe8 26.exf6 gxf6 27.b5! Rbc8
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nf6 4.Lg5 Nbd7 Or 27...c5 28.dxc5 Nxc5 29.Lc4 Qh5
5.e3 Le7 6.Nc3 0–0 7.Rc1 Re8 8.Qc2 c6 30.Nd4 .
9.Ld3 dxc4 10.Lxc4 Nd5 11.Lxe7 Rxe7 28.bxc6 Rxc6 29.Rxc6 Rxc6 30.axb6
12.0–0 Nf8 13.Rfd1 Ld7 14.e4 Nb6 axb6
15.Lf1 Rc8 (D) It looks like (as Pachman points out) White
has apparently merely helped Black to 17.Lc4 Rad8 18.Lxe6 fxe6 19.Qe2 Rd5
achieve his strategic aim of obtaining a 20.b4 Qd6 21.Qc4 Kh8 22.h3 e5 23.f4
passed pawn from his queenside majority'. exf4 24.exf4 Rd2 25.Rf2 Rd1+ 26.Kh2
But of course isolated passed pawns can be Qf6 27.Qc5 b6 28.Qe3 Qd6 29.Rf3 (D)
either weak or strong, and Black's b- and e- XABCDEFGHY
pawns are clearly weak here.
31.Re1 Qc8 32.Nd2 Nf8 33.Ne4 Qd8 8-+-+-tr-mk(
34.h4 Rc7 35.Qb3 Rg7 36.g3 Ra7
37.Lc4
7zp-+-+-zp-'
White slowly improves his position while 6-zppwq-+-zp&
Black just hangs around with his rook...
37...Ra5 (D) 5+-+-+-+-%
XABCDEFGHY 4-zP-+RzP-+$
8-+-wq-snk+( 3+-+-wQR+P#
7+-+-+-+p' 2P+-+-+PmK"
6-zp-+pzp-+& 1+-+r+-+-!
5tr-+n+-+-% xabcdefghy
4-+LzPN+-zP$ The isolated e-pawn which appeared at the
18th move was no real burden to Black; it
3+Q+-+-zP-# could not conveniently be brought under fire
and was actually depriving the white pieces
2-+-+-zP-+" of certain useful squares in the centre. White
1+-+-tR-mK-! therefore exchanged it off within a few
moves and now plans Re7 plus Rg3.
xabcdefghy However this will require some preparation,
38.Nc3! Nxc3 and if Black remains reasonably active he
Or 38...Qd6 39.Nxd5 exd5 40.Ld3 Ra3 has nothing to fear at this stage.
41.Qd1 . 29...c5
39.Qxc3 Kf7 40.Qe3 Qd6 41.Qe4 Ra4 29...Qd2! looks a bit more accurate, keeping
42.Qb7+ Kg6 43.Qc8?! an even game.
43.h5+! was accurate: 43...Kh6 (43...Kxh5 30.bxc5 Qxc5?!
44.Qg7 Ng6 45.Re4 ) 44.Qf7 Rxc4 30...bxc5 was perfectly sound, as the
45.Qxf6+ Ng6 46.hxg6 hxg6 47.Qh8+ exchange of the queens is a mistake which
Kg5 48.Re5+ Kg4 49.Qh4+ Kf3 50.Qf4 leaves White with a strong endgame
#. initiative. It was essential for Black to
43...Qb4 44.Rc1 Qe7 45.Ld3+ Kh6 preserve the queens on the board, as then it
46.Rc7 Ra1+ 47.Kg2 Qd6 48.Qxf8+! would not be easy for White to activate his
1-0 kingside majority and expose his king. After
this alternative play might continue 31.Rg3
□ Andersson Ulf a5 32.Re7 Rd3 33.Rgxg7 Rxf4 34.Rh7+
■ Rivas Pastor Manuel Kg8 35.Reg7+ Kf8 36.Qe7+ Qxe7
D56 Hastings 1981 37.Rxe7 Ra3 ².
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 d5 4.Lg5 Le7 31.Qxc5 bxc5 32.Re7
5.e3 0–0 6.Nc3 h6 7.Lh4 Ne4 8.Lxe7 White's advantage lies in the simple fact that
Qxe7 9.Rc1 c6 10.Ld3 Nxc3 11.Rxc3 his rooks are more active and that he can
dxc4 12.Rxc4 Nd7 13.0–0 e5 14.dxe5 activate efficiently his kingside pawn
Nxe5 15.Re4 Nxf3+ 16.Qxf3 Le6 majority. At the same time Black's passed c-
pawn is going nowhere. 41.Rxa5 Rd3+ 42.Kh2 c3 43.Rc7 Rf8
32...Rd4 44.Rb5 h5 45.a5 Rf6 46.Rbc5 Ra6 47.f6
Black is obliged to counter-attack, as the Rxf6
obvious 32...a5?! 33.Rg3 Rg8 34.Ra7 Or 47...gxf6 48.Rxh5+ Kg8 49.Rb5 Ra8
loses material and 32...a6 33.Rg3 50.a6 c2 51.a7! c1Q 52.Rb8+ Rd8
(33...Rxf4?! 34.Rexg7 ) 33...Rg8 53.Rxd8+ Rxd8 54.Rxc1 .
34.Rg6 Rd4 35.f5  is not advisable either. 48.Rxh5+ Kg8 49.Rhc5 Ra6 50.Rg5
33.Rg3 Rg8 34.f5 Kf8
Of course White must preserve his active Black is plain lost: 50...g6 51.Rb5 Ra8
majority: 34.Rxa7? Rxf4 35.Rc7 Ra4 52.a6 c2 53.a7 c1Q 54.Rb8+ Rd8
36.a3 c4 37.Rc3 Rga8 =. 55.Rxd8+ Rxd8 56.Rxc1.
34...Rf4 35.Rf7 a5 51.Rgxg7 Rxa5 52.Rh7 Kg8 53.Rcg7+
35...Ra4 36.a3! c4 37.Rc7 Ra5 38.Rf3 Kf8 54.Rb7 Kg8 55.Rhc7 Rf5 56.Rb3
Rf8 39.g4 . The last black pawn falls...
36.Rg6 (D) 56...Rf2
XABCDEFGHY 1-0
8-+-+-+rmk( Category 2 - Fixed Pawn Structures

2a) Passive defence:
7+-+-+Rzp-' This is not an advisable way to defend
6-+-+-+Rzp& against a minority attack. As proven in most
cases, a passive defence usually leads to
5zp-zp-+P+-% defeat but of course from time to time it is
4-+-+-tr-+$ possible to drag out half-points. This has
nothing to do with modern chess thinking
3+-+-+-+P# and generally it should be avoided. The
following two examples can guide us:
2P+-+-+PmK"
□ Byrne Robert
1+-+-+-+-! ■ Eliskases Erich
xabcdefghy D36 Helsinki 1952
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5
36...c4?!
5.Lg5 Le7 6.e3 c6 7.Qc2 Nbd7 8.Ld3
Black missed his best defence: 36...Ra4! Nh5 9.Lxe7 Qxe7 10.Nge2 Nb6 11.0–0
37.Rc6 (37.f6 Rxa2 38.Rfxg7 Rxg7
g6 (D)
39.fxg7+ [39.Rxg7 Rf2] 39...Kg8
40.Rxh6 Kxg7 =) 37...Rxa2 38.Rxc5 a4 XABCDEFGHY
39.Rcc7 a3 40.Ra7 ². 8r+l+k+-tr(
37.Rc6! Rf2
37...a4 38.a3 Rd4 39.Rfc7  or 37...Ra8 7zpp+-wqp+p'
38.Rcc7 Rg8 39.Rc5 Ra8 40.a3 a4 6-snp+-+p+&
41.Rcc7 Rg8 42.Kg1 .
38.a4 Rf4 39.Kg3 Rd4 40.Ra7 5+-+p+-+n%
This now wins material by force.
40...Rb8
4-+-zP-+-+$
There is no defence anymore: 40...Rd5 3+-sNLzP-+-#
41.Kf4 Rf8 (41...Rd4+ 42.Ke5 Rd2
43.g4 Re8+ 44.Kf4 Rd4+ 45.Kg3 Re3+ 2PzPQ+NzPPzP"
46.Kh4 Rdd3 47.Kh5 Rxh3+ 48.Kg6
Rd8 49.Rxg7 ) 42.g4 Rd4+ 43.Ke5
1tR-+-+RmK-!
Rd3 44.Rxc4 Rxh3 45.Rxa5 . xabcdefghy
12.Na4! maximum effect.
Black's knight on b6 was making a minority 24.Rc1 Nh4!? 25.Qe2!
attack (b4-b5) difficult because of its 25.Rxc6?! Nxg2 26.Kxg2 Qe4+ 27.Kg3
potential to occupy the c4-square. So White Qxd3 gives Black counterplay.
exchanges it off. 25...Ra3 26.g3
12...Nxa4 13.Qxa4 0–0 14.b4 Here 26.Rxc6?! is answered by 26...Qe4
Starting the minority attack. Black's next (26...Nxg2 27.Kxg2 Qe4+ 28.Qf3 Rxd3
move holds it up for a while, but in the long =) 27.Ne1 Ra1 28.f3 Nxf3+! 29.gxf3 Qh4
run it's very difficult for him to stop b4-b5. 30.Kf1 Qh3+ 31.Kg1 Qh4 =.
14...a6 15.Qb3 26...Qe4 27.Ne1 Nf5 28.Qc2!
15.b5? cxb5 16.Lxb5 Lf5! . The exchange of queens kills Black's
15...Le6 16.a4 Rfc8 17.Qb2 Ng7 18.b5 counterplay. Torture time!
And now the minority attack breaks through. 28...Qxc2 29.Rxc2 Ne7 30.Kf1 f6
Whatever Black does he will end up with 30...h5! would have been a good idea so that
some pawn weaknesses; for example, White's g4-advance would not leave Black
capturing on b5 with his c-pawn leaves the with a weak h-pawn.
d5-pawn weak. In the game he opts for 31.Ke2 Kf7
contracting a weak c6-pawn. 31...h5! was still the right idea.
18...axb5 19.axb5 Lf5 32.Nd3 Ke6 33.Rb2 Ra7 (D)
Black should have tried 19...c5 when 33...h5! is still correct, and this was the last
20.dxc5 Qxc5 leaves a great square for chance.
White's knight on d4, but this should not be XABCDEFGHY
the end of the world.
20.Nf4 Lxd3 21.Nxd3 Nf5 22.Rxa8 8-+-+-+-+(
Rxa8 23.bxc6 bxc6 (D)
7tr-+-sn-+p'
XABCDEFGHY
6-+p+kzpp+&
8r+-+-+k+(
5+-+p+-+-%
7+-+-wqp+p'
4-+-zP-+-+$
6-+p+-+p+&
3+-+NzP-zP-#
5+-+p+n+-%
2-tR-+KzP-zP"
4-+-zP-+-+$
1+-+-+-+-!
3+-+NzP-+-#
xabcdefghy
2-wQ-+-zPPzP" 34.g4!
1+-+-+RmK-! Fixing Black's h-pawn as a target.
34...g5 35.Rb8 Kf7 36.Rh8 Kg7
xabcdefghy 36...Kg6 37.h3 Rc7 38.Kd2 Rc8
White has succeeded in ideally performing a 39.Rxc8 Nxc8 40.Kc3 would see White's
typical minority attack. Black remained with king heading for c5 with pressure going into
a backward weak c-pawn and no real the knight endgame.
counterplay but of course he can defend it. 37.Rd8 Rc7
His main problem is that he will remain 37...Kg6 38.Rd6 prevents an eventual ...h5.
under pressure and on the defence for a long 38.Nc5 Kf7 39.Kf3 Ng6 40.Kg3 Ra7
time, thus possibilities of blundering are 41.Rd6 Rc7
increased. Also, it must be noted that White 41...Ne7?! 42.Nd7 Ng8 43.Nb8 wins
can combine initiative on every part of the material.
board, using the 'two weaknesses rule' to the
42.Na6 Rc8 43.Rd7+ Ne7 44.Nc5 Ra8 A more flexible continuation was seen in the
45.Rd6 Ra1 game Timman,J-Kasparov,G London 1984:
Seeing that White is ready to play h4 and 13...Le7! 14.Rab1 Ld6 15.Lf5 Lh5!
maybe f3 and e4, Black decides that passive 16.Rfc1 g6 17.Ld3 Qg5 18.Ne2 Nd7
defence is doomed to failure. 19.h3 a6 20.a4 Rac8 21.Nf1 Lxe2
46.Nd7 f5 47.Ne5+ Kg7 48.h3! fxg4 22.Lxe2 Qe7 23.Qb3 Nf6 ½-½.
49.hxg4 Rc1 14.Lf5!
Or 49...Ra6 50.Re6 Kf8 51.Nf3 . Disarming Black of his bishop pair cannot
50.Re6 Ng6 be a bad choice!
50...Kf8 51.Nf3 again wins the g-pawn. 14...Lxf5 15.Qxf5 g6
51.Rxc6 Rxc6 52.Nxc6 In some ways Black would prefer not to do
White is now a pawn up with the d5-pawn this, because one day he might like to get a
being very weak as well. He does a neat job rook to g6 or h6. The other usual
of winning the endgame. continuation is 15...Qd7 16.Qxd7 Nxd7
52...Kf6 53.f3 Ke6 54.Nb4 Kd6 55.Kf2 17.a4 Le7 18.Rfb1 ² as was seen in
Nf8 56.e4 dxe4 57.fxe4 Ne6 58.e5+ Kd7 Korchnoi,V-Karpov,A Baguio City 1978.
59.Ke3 Nf4 60.Nd3 Nd5+ 61.Ke4 Kc6 White keeps a small but pleasant plus, as he
62.Nf2 Nf4 63.Nd1 h5 64.gxh5 Nxh5 is the only one with a dangerous plan in
65.Ne3 Nf4 66.Ng4 Ne2 67.Nf6 Ng3+ mind; the minority attack! Finally, Black's
68.Kf3 Nf5 69.d5+ Kc5 70.Kg4 Nh6+ other option must be noted: 15...Le7
71.Kxg5 Nf7+ 72.Kf4 Kd4 73.e6 Nd6 16.Rab1 a6 17.Rfc1 Ld6 18.a4 g6
74.e7 19.Qd3 f5 20.g3 ² ½-½ Zilberman,N-
1-0 Bagirov,V Frunze 1983.
□ Reshevsky Samuel 16.Qd3 Qd6 17.Rfb1 Lg7 18.a4 Nd7
■ Myagmarsuren Lhamsuren 19.Ra2!
D36 Sousse 1967 White can't play 19.b5? straightaway
1.d4 e6 2.c4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 because of 19...c5! 20.dxc5? Nxc5 .
5.Lg5 Le7 6.e3 0–0 7.Ld3 c6 8.Qc2 19...Re6 20.Rc2 Rce8 21.Nb3 Nf6
Nbd7 9.Nf3 Re8 10.0–0 Nf8 (D) Perhaps Black would have had better
chances of counterplay had he played
XABCDEFGHY 21...f5!? trying to lever open the e-file. This
8r+lwqrsnk+( too is a minority attack, trying to extend
control of the half open e-file with a pawn
7zpp+-vlpzpp' lever. White should answer it with 22.g3.
6-+p+-sn-+& 22.h3 b6?!
After 22...a6 23.b5 axb5 24.axb5 Ra8
5+-+p+-vL-% 25.Nc5 Re7 26.bxc6 bxc6 27.Rcb2 Black
would suffer and be tortured for a long, long
4-+-zP-+-+$ time. Maybe computers would be able to
3+-sNLzPN+-# keep the draw but a human being is unable
to! Nevertheless, this was Black's best
2PzPQ+-zPPzP" defensive set-up.
1tR-+-+RmK-! 23.Nc1
23.b5? c5! would again play into Black's
xabcdefghy hands.
11.Lxf6 23...Lh6 24.N1e2 Nh5?!
With this and his next move, White gets his Allowing the undesirable breakthrough.
minority attack going straight away. Another Something like 24...Lg5 would leave White
way to play for b4 is 11.Rab1. with the task of making the b5-advance
11...Lxf6 12.b4 Lg4 13.Nd2 Rc8 effective.
25.b5! trying to seek the initiative in the other
This was a long time in coming, but it's very sectors of the board (centre and kingside).
strong. White is breaking through on the c- On the other hand, he must also take care
file and the d5-pawn becomes very weak. over his defensive task. If he can
25...Qd7 successfully accomplish both these tasks,
The sidelined h5-knight does not allow then he will be able to assume the initiative,
Black to continue with the desirable (but thus rendering White's plan unsuccessful.
unplayable now) 25...c5? 26.dxc5 bxc5
□ Flohr Salo
27.Nxd5 . ■ Ragozin Viacheslav
26.bxc6 Rxc6 27.Qb5 Rec8? D36 Leningrad 1939
A blunder. 27...Qe6  was Black's only 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Lg5 Nbd7
chance. 5.e3 c6 6.cxd5 exd5 7.Ld3 Le7 8.Qc2 0–
28.Rbc1? 0 9.Nf3 Re8 10.0–0 Nf8 11.Ne5 Ng4
Which White did not notice! 28.Nxd5 12.Lxe7 Qxe7 13.Nxg4 Lxg4 14.Ne2
would win on the spot. Rad8 15.Ng3 g6 16.Rfe1 Lc8 17.Rac1
28...R8c7? (D) Ne6 18.Nf1 Rd6 19.Nd2 Ng7 20.Qa4
And here 28...Qe6 would have been better, a6 21.Qa3 Qd8 (D)
unpinning the rook and introducing the
possibility of a sacrifice on e3. White then XABCDEFGHY
could continue with 29.a5 Nf6 30.axb6 8-+lwqr+k+(
axb6 31.Qb3  with play against two weak
black pawns. 7+p+-+psnp'
XABCDEFGHY 6p+ptr-+p+&
8-+-+-+k+( 5+-+p+-+-%
7zp-trq+p+p' 4-+-zP-+-+$
6-zpr+-+pvl& 3wQ-+LzP-+-#
5+Q+p+-+n% 2PzP-sN-zPPzP"
4P+-zP-+-+$ 1+-tR-tR-mK-!
3+-sN-zP-+P# xabcdefghy
2-+R+NzPP+" 22.b4
After some manoeuvres, White opts for the
1+-tR-+-mK-! usual plan...
xabcdefghy 22...g5?!
Black decides to get active on the kingside
29.g4! a6 but he could also play 22...Lf5 23.Lxf5
Both 29...Nf6 and 29...Ng7 are answered (23.Le2!?) 23...Nxf5 24.Qd3 Rde6 25.a4
by 30.Nxd5!. Nd6 with a great game.
30.Qxa6 Nf6 31.Nxd5! Nxg4 23.Qc3 f5 24.a4 Rh6 25.b5 axb5 26.axb5
If 31...Nxd5, there follows 32.Rxc6 Rxc6 Qf6 27.bxc6 bxc6
33.Qa8+  and 31...Qxd5 is met by White has concluded his plan and he has the
32.Rxc6 Rxc6 33.Qa8+  too. advantage. Black is still looking for his
32.Rxc6 Qxd5 33.Qa8+ chances.
Black resigned due to 33...Kg7 34.Rxg6+. 28.Ra1 Rf8 29.Ra8 f4 30.exf4?
1-0 A bad mistake. After 30.e4! f3 31.g3! White
2b) Other side’s initiative: would be on top.
In this case the defending side (Black) is 30...Qxf4 31.Nf3 g4 32.Qd2 Qf6?
Black is even trying to win! He should opt Kg8 50.Qh6 Nh3+ 51.Kh5 Nf4+.
for the natural 32...Qxd2 33.Nxd2 Lf5 ½-½
34.Rxf8+ Kxf8 =.
The next game was a painful defeat for the
33.Ng5 Lf5
ex-World Champion Anatoly Karpov, one of
Or 33...Rg6 34.Lxg6 Qxg6 35.h4 h6
the strongest positional players and greatest
36.Re5 . defenders of all time.
34.Rxf8+ Kxf8 (D)
□ Karpov Anatoly
XABCDEFGHY ■ Beliavsky Alexander
8-+-+-mk-+( D36 Tilburg 1986
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5
7+-+-+-snp' 5.Lg5 Le7 6.e3 c6 7.Ld3 Nbd7 8.Qc2
6-+p+-wq-tr& 0–0 9.Nf3 Re8 10.0–0 Nf8 11.h3 Le6
12.Lf4 Ld6 13.Lxd6 Qxd6 14.a3 (D)
5+-+p+lsN-% XABCDEFGHY
4-+-zP-+p+$ 8r+-+rsnk+(
3+-+L+-+-# 7zpp+-+pzpp'
2-+-wQ-zPPzP" 6-+pwqlsn-+&
1+-+-tR-mK-! 5+-+p+-+-%
xabcdefghy 4-+-zP-+-+$
35.Lxf5?!
It was time for White to benefit from Black's 3zP-sNLzPN+P#
decisions (22...g5, 32...Qf6), which created 2-zPQ+-zPP+"
weaknesses around his king, with 35.Qf4!
Kg8 (35...Lxd3?! 36.Qb8+) 36.Lxf5 1tR-+-+RmK-!
Nxf5 37.Re8+ Kg7 38.Qc7+ Kg6
39.Rg8+ Kh5 40.Nxh7 .
xabcdefghy
35...Qxf5 36.f3 14...Qe7
Also good was 36.Nf7! Re6 37.Ne5 Kg8 14...a5!? is interesting: 15.Na4 N6d7
38.Qa5 . 16.Nc5 b6 17.Nxe6 fxe6 18.e4 c5! ÷.
36...Rg6 15.b4 Rac8 16.Rfc1
Or 36...gxf3 37.Nxf3 Rf6 38.Ne5 . Black was ready to answer 16.b5? with
37.Re5?! 16...cxb5! 17.Lxb5 Ne4 μ.
Again White misses his chance: 37.Qb4+! 16...N6d7 17.Ne2!
Kg8 38.Re5 Qf8 39.Qxf8+ Kxf8 White is in no hurry and before he goes for
40.Nxh7+ Kg8 41.Ng5 . b5, regroups his pieces.
37...Qb1+ 38.Kf2 Rf6! 39.Re1 Qf5 17...Ng6
40.Re5 17...Qd8?! is too passive: 18.Nf4 (18.Ng3
40.Ra1 Kg8 41.Ra8+ Rf8 42.Rxf8+ a5 19.Qd2 ²) 18...Ng6 19.Nxe6 Rxe6
Qxf8 =. 20.Lf5 Rd6 21.b5 .
40...Qb1 41.Qa5 18.Ng3 Ndf8
A last winning attempt. 18...b6?! can only weaken Black's
41...Kg8! 42.Qa8+ Rf8 43.Qxc6 Qb2+ queenside: 19.Qa4 (19.La6 Rc7 20.Rab1
And White cannot avoid the perpetual ²) 19...Nb8 20.Rc3 .
check: 44.Kg3!? (44.Kf1 Qb1+) 19.Nd2 Nh4 20.Nb3 Qg5
N K N N
44... h5+ 45. h4 f4 46. xh7! xg2+ N Black starts his usual operations on the
47.Kh5 Nf4+ 48.Kg5 Kxh7 49.Re7+ opposite side; the kingside.
21.Kh2 Rc7 22.Nc5 Lc8 23.Re1 32...Qxd3
23.Qd2!? Nf5 24.Nxf5 Lxf5 25.b5 ². Two pieces for a rook and a weak white king
23...g6 is no match for White...
Black could also think about 23...f5!? 24.f4 33.Qc3 Qe2+ 34.Kg1 Ne6 35.Re1
Qf6 25.a4 ². Nxd4! 36.Kh1 Nb5
24.Rac1 h5 (D) 0-1
XABCDEFGHY Not every time do we have to face a
8-+l+rsnk+( ‘QGD’ opening in the given examples;
remember that minority attacks can occur in
7zpptr-+p+-' any opening, for example the ‘Caro-Kann’.
The next two examples are quite
6-+p+-+p+& instructional for our theme:
5+-sNp+-wqp% □ Fischer Robert
4-zP-zP-+-sn$ ■ Petrosian Tigran
B13 Belgrade 1970
3zP-+LzP-sNP# 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Ld3 Nc6
2-+Q+-zPPmK" 5.c3 Nf6 6.Lf4 Lg4 7.Qb3 Na5 8.Qa4+
Ld7 9.Qc2 e6 10.Nf3 Qb6 11.a4 Rc8
1+-tR-tR-+-! 12.Nbd2 Nc6 13.Qb1 Nh5 14.Le3 h6
15.Ne5 Nf6 16.h3 Ld6 17.0–0 Kf8 (D)
xabcdefghy
25.b5?
XABCDEFGHY
The wrong moment to carry out this 8-+r+-mk-tr(
thematic advance. White should insert 25.f4
Qf6 and only now 26.b5 ². 7zpp+l+pzp-'
25...Nxg2! 26.Kxg2 6-wqnvlpsn-zp&
26.Rg1?! Nxe3! (26...Nh4 μ) 27.fxe3
Rxe3 μ can only be beneficial for Black. 5+-+psN-+-%
26...h4 27.bxc6 hxg3!
There was no need to delay the piece re-
4P+-zP-+-+$
capture with 27...bxc6?! 28.e4 Ne6 29.exd5 3+-zPLvL-+P#
Nf4+ 30.Kh2 Rxe1 31.Rxe1 cxd5 ÷.
28.fxg3 Rxe3 29.Rxe3
2-zP-sN-zPP+"
White regains his pawn after 29.Qf2 Rxe1 1tRQ+-+RmK-!
30.Rxe1 Rxc6 31.Re5 but Black keeps a
firm grip: 31...Qd8 32.Qf3 Ne6 33.Rxd5
xabcdefghy
Qe7 μ. 18.f4!
29...Qxe3 30.cxb7 Lxb7 31.Qc3? White starts operations on the kingside, in
A blunder in a difficult position. White this reversed 'QGD' pawn structure.
could not be saved by 31.Qb2?! Ne6! 18...Le8
(31...Lc8? 32.Rd1 ÷) 32.Lf1 Nxd4  18...Nxe5? does not win a pawn but loses a
piece: 19.fxe5 Lxe5 20.a5 .
either, but he should have tried 31.Rb1!
Lc8 (31...Qxd4 32.Rxb7 Rxc5 33.Qf2 19.Lf2! Qc7
Qxf2+ 34.Kxf2 μ) 32.Rb4 Ne6 33.Qf2 19...g6 does not avoid White's 'annoying'
Qxf2+ 34.Kxf2 Nxc5 35.dxc5 Rxc5 advance: 20.f5! gxf5 21.Lxf5 exf5 22.Qxf5
Qd8 23.Lh4 .
36.Ra4 where he could have saving
20.Lh4 Ng8 21.f5! Nxe5 22.dxe5 Lxe5
chances.
Or 22...Lc5+ 23.Kh1 exf5 24.Lxf5 Ra8
31...Rxc5! 32.Qxc5
32.dxc5? d4+. 25.e6 .
23.fxe6 Lf6 24.exf7 Lxf7 25.Nf3! Lxh4 And Black resigned as mate follows:
What else? After 25...g5 26.Lf2 Kg7 39...Kf7 40.Qe8 #.
27.Ld4 White is near to winning. 1-0
26.Nxh4 Nf6 27.Ng6+ Lxg6 28.Lxg6
2c) Lightsquared bishops’ exchange:
(D)
A simple and effective plan if it can be
XABCDEFGHY applied. The concept is simple: after White's
b4-b5 advance, which will weaken the c4-
8-+r+-mk-tr( square, Black will exchange the lightsquared
7zppwq-+-zp-' bishops and then occupy the c4-square with
a knight, usually via b6 or d6.
6-+-+-snLzp&
□ Trifunovic Petar
5+-+p+-+-% ■ Pirc Vasja
4P+-+-+-+$ D65 Saltsjobaden 1948
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Lg5 Le7
3+-zP-+-+P# 5.e3 0–0 6.Rc1 Nbd7 7.Nf3 c6 8.Qc2
Re8 9.a3 a6 10.cxd5 exd5 11.Ld3 Nf8
2-zP-+-+P+" 12.0–0 (D)
1tRQ+-+RmK-! XABCDEFGHY
xabcdefghy 8r+lwqrsnk+(
28...Ke7!
Probably Black's best, as it is essential to
7+p+-vlpzpp'
connect his rooks and transfer his king to a 6p+p+-sn-+&
more secure place, if there is any left...
29.Qf5 Kd8?! 5+-+p+-vL-%
Good or bad, Black was forced to go for 4-+-zP-+-+$
29...Rhd8 30.Rae1+ Kf8 31.Lh7  and
pray. 3zP-sNLzPN+-#
30.Rae1 Qc5+ 31.Kh1 Rf8 2-zPQ+-zPPzP"
Black is in a difficult situation and without a
good move. Other options such as 31...Rc6 1+-tR-+RmK-!
32.Lf7 Kc7 (32...Rf8 33.Lxd5 )
33.Qg6  also fail to impress.
xabcdefghy
32.Qe5! Rc7 12...g6
No good replies for Black anymore, as This idea was first introduced in 1930 by
neither 32...Qc7 33.Qxd5+ Nxd5 Fritz Saemisch. Black's plan is simple:
34.Rxf8+ Kd7 35.Lf5+ Kd6 36.Rxc8 ...Ne6-g7 and ...Lf5, exchanging White’s
Qf7 37.Re6+  nor 32...a5 33.c4! d4 lightsquared bishop thus weakens the c4-
square. But it is true that Black loses
34.Qg3  holds. Not a surprise, due to the
valuable time and he gets nearly no activity.
central location of the black king!
13.Na4
33.b4! Qc6
13.Rfe1!? Ne6 14.Lh4 Ng7 15.Qb3
33...Qxc3 34.Qd6+ . Nfh5 16.Lxe7 Qxe7 17.e4 dxe4 18.Lxe4
34.c4! dxc4 35.Lf5 Rff7 36.Rd1+ Rfd7
² was seen in Le Roux,J-Legky,N France
36...Nd7 37.Rfe1! .
2005. Also, 13.b4 Ne6 14.Lxf6 Lxf6
37.Lxd7 Rxd7
15.a4 Ng7 16.b5 axb5 17.axb5 Lf5
37...Nxd7 38.Rf8 #.
18.Lxf5 Nxf5 19.bxc6 bxc6 20.Na4 ²
38.Qb8+ Ke7
should be taken into account, as in Kotov,A-
38...Qc8 39.Rxd7+ Nxd7 40.Qd6 .
Pachman,L Venice 1950.
39.Rde1+
13...Ne6 14.Lh4 Ng7 15.Nc5 Nd7! 24.Rf2 Qe6 25.Qxe6 Rxe6 26.h4! Ne4
Exchanges help the 'weak' side! 27.Rf4
16.Lxe7 Rxe7 17.b4 Nb6 27.Rxf7? Rxe5!.
Preparing the occupation of the c4-square, 27...Ng3 28.Kf2 Nh5 29.Rf3 f5 30.g4
after the lightsquared bishops' exchange. fxg4
White must hurry. 30...Rxe5?! looks very attractive, but White
18.a4! Lf5 19.Nd2 Lxd3 20.Qxd3 Nf5 can come out on top: 31.gxh5! (31.dxe5?
Draw agreed, as after 21.a5 (21.b5?! cxb5 fxg4 32.Rf4 Nxf4 33.exf4 Rd8 μ)
22.axb5 a5 23.Ra1 Nd6 favours only 31...Re4 32.hxg6 hxg6 33.Rg1 Kg7
Black) 21...Nc8 22.Nf3 Ncd6, Black is 34.Rfg3 (34.h5?! Rg4 =) 34...Rxh4
fine but no more. 35.Rxg6+ Kf7 36.Rg7+ Ke6 37.Ke2! .
½-½ 31.Nxg4 Re4 32.Rg1 Kg7
□ Agdestein Simen 32...Rd8!? 33.Nh6+ Kg7 34.Nf7 Rb8
■ Hansen Curt 35.Nd6 Re6 36.Nf5+ Kg8 37.Ng3 ².
D65 Espoo 1989 33.Ke2 Rbe8?!
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Le7 Better was 33...Rf8 34.Rxf8 Kxf8 35.Kd3
5.Lg5 0–0 6.e3 Nbd7 7.Rc1 a6 8.cxd5 Re6 36.Rf1+ Ke7 37.a4 ².
exd5 9.Ld3 Re8 10.0–0 c6 11.Qc2 Nf8 34.Kd3 R8e7 35.a4!
12.a3 g6 13.Na4 Ne6 14.Lh4 Ng7 It is never too late for the minority attack!
15.Nc5 Rb8 16.b4 Lf5 17.Ne5 Lxd3 White's advantage is growing.
18.Qxd3 Ne4?! 35...a5
Black could think of 18...Ng4!? 19.Lxe7 So Black tries to be active.
(19.Nxg4 Lxh4 20.Nh6+ Kf8 21.f4 f5 36.bxa5 c5 37.Ne5! Rxh4 38.Rgf1 cxd4
22.e4 dxe4 23.Qc4 Qd5 24.Qxd5 cxd5 39.exd4 Re8 40.Rf7+ Kh6 41.Rxb7
25.Nd7+ Ke7 26.Nxb8 Ne6 °) 19...Nxe5 Nf4+ 42.Kc4 Rc8+ 43.Kb5 Ne6
20.dxe5 Qxe7 21.f4 Ne6 22.Nb3 ² but not 44.Rff7! Nxd4+ 45.Kb6 Re4
of 18...Nf5? 19.Lxf6 Lxf6 20.Ned7 Ra8 45...Kg5 46.a6! Re4 47.Rbe7 .
21.Nxf6+ Qxf6 22.Nxb7 . 46.Rbe7 Nf5 47.Rxh7+ Kg5 48.Nf7+
Kf4 49.Rh4+! Nxh4 50.Rxe4+
19.Lxe7?!
Missing a good chance with 19.Nxb7! Black resigned as White's a-pawn is too
Rxb7 20.Nxc6 Qa8 21.Nxe7+ Rexe7 quick: 50...Kxe4 (50...Kg3 51.a6 )
22.Lxe7 Rxe7 23.Qc2 . 51.Nd6+ Kd5 52.Nxc8 .
19...Qxe7 20.Nxe4 1-0
Now the 'combination' of the previous move 2d) The ...b5 plan:
is not that effective: 20.Nxa6 bxa6 21.Nxc6 A very common plan. Black can physically
Qb7 22.Nxb8 Rxb8 23.Rc2 Nd6 prevent White's b4-b5 advance with ...b5.
24.Rfc1 Ne6 ÷. White was forced on the The resulting weakness on c6 can be easily
text move, as Black was planning ...Nd6 covered by placing a knight on c4 (...Nc4),
and ...f6, with a perfect position. via b6 or d6. Usually White tries to break
20...dxe4 21.Qb3 Ne6 down Black’s pawn structure with a central
A typical pawn structure transformation has e4 strike.
occurred. Although it is still possible to
continue with the minority attack (a4, b5), □ Pachman Ludek
there is a second, quite active continuation. ■ Averbakh Yuri
22.f4!? exf3 D38 Saltsjobaden 1952
22...f6?! 23.Nc4 f5 24.a4 favours White. 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Lg5 Lb4+
23.Rxf3 Ng5?! 5.Nc3 h6 6.Lxf6 Qxf6 7.cxd5 exd5
23...f6! 24.Nd3 Rbd8 25.Rcf1 f5 ÷ was 8.Rc1 0–0 9.a3 Lxc3+ 10.Rxc3 c6 11.e3
correct. Re8
Also possible is 11...a5 12.Ld3 Lg4 13.h3 White must hurry to exchange rooks in order
Lh5 14.g4 Lg6 15.Ne5 Lxd3 16.Qxd3 to avoid falling into a passive position.
Qe7 = Denker,A-Fischer,R New York 1959. 18...Lxf3
12.Le2 a5 18...Nb6 19.Ra3 Ree8 20.Rca1 Rxa3
12...Lf5 13.Ne5 Nd7 14.Nxd7 Lxd7 21.Qxa3 Ra8 22.Qc3 Rxa1+ 23.Qxa1 =.
15.0–0 Qd6 is equal, but White should be 19.Lxf3 Nb6 20.Ra3 Ree8 21.Rxa8
careful not to try the minority attack with Rxa8 22.Ra1 Qd8 23.h3
16.b4?! a5 17.Qb3 axb4 18.axb4 as after Draw agreed in an equal position.
18...b5! (Botsari,A-Atalik,S Chalkida 1998) ½-½
Black takes over the advantage, as the white
b4-pawn is weaker than his c6 one and the □ Radjabov Teimour
occupation of the a-file is rather pleasant. ■ Bruzon Batista Lazaro
13.0–0 Lg4 D36 Biel 2006
White might get something after 13...a4 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c6
14.Ne5 Nd7 15.f4 ² as it is very difficult 5.Lg5 Nbd7 6.e3 Le7 7.cxd5 exd5 8.Ld3
for Black to go for ...f6, which will create 0–0 9.Qc2 Re8 10.0–0 Nf8 11.h3 g6
too many holes around his king. 12.Lf4 Ne6 13.Le5 Ng7 14.Rab1 Lf5
14.b4 15.b4 a6 16.a4 Lxd3 17.Qxd3 (D)
The minority attack rolls.
14...axb4 15.axb4 Nd7 16.Qb3 (D)
XABCDEFGHY
XABCDEFGHY 8r+-wqr+k+(
8r+-+r+k+( 7+p+-vlpsnp'
7+p+n+pzp-' 6p+p+-snp+&
6-+p+-wq-zp& 5+-+pvL-+-%
5+-+p+-+-% 4PzP-zP-+-+$
4-zP-zP-+l+$ 3+-sNQzPN+P#
3+QtR-zPN+-# 2-+-+-zPP+"
2-+-+LzPPzP" 1+R+-+RmK-!
1+-+-+RmK-! xabcdefghy
17...b5!?
xabcdefghy This is a valid way to prevent a worse
White should be careful, as the game of structural position on the queenside. The
chess contains not only strategic concepts alternative is 17...Ld6 18.Rfd1 Ne6 19.b5
but also tactical ones! After the naive axb5 20.axb5 Lxe5 21.Nxe5 c5!
16.b5?! Black replies with 16...c5! achieving (21...Ra3?! 22.bxc6 bxc6 23.Qd2 )
a better position: 17.Ne5 Nxe5 18.dxe5 22.dxc5 Nxc5 23.Qd4 Nce4 24.Rbc1 ².
Lxe2 19.exf6 Lxd1 20.Rxd1 b6 μ. 18.Rfc1 Nf5 19.e4!?
16...b5! 19.Ne2 Qd7 20.Rc2 Ne4 with the idea
Stopping White's b5-advance and preparing ...Nd6, seems fine for Black and 19.Lh2!?,
...Nb6-c4. planning Ne5 to create some unpleasant
17.Rfc1 Re6! threats, was also possible. But the text move
The correct set-up. Black must protect his is a typical 'mechanism' to play against the
pawn from the side, not self-pinning his b5-c6-d5 pawn structure. White 'states' that
rooks: 17...Rec8? 18.Lxb5 . Black's c6-pawn will prove weaker than his
18.Qb2 d4-pawn.
19...dxe4 20.Nxe4 Nxe4 28.gxf5 Rxf3 29.fxg6 Rfxf2 30.gxh7+
Black might have considered 20...bxa4 Kxh7 =.
21.Rxc6 Nxe4 22.Qxe4 a3 23.g4 Nd6 27.g4! La5?
24.Qd3 (24.Qd5 Nb5 25.Qc4 ²) 24...Nb5 27...Nxd4! was a better choice: 28.Nxd4
25.d5 Qd7 26.Qc4 Rad8 27.Rd1 ². Lc5 29.Re6 Rxe6 30.Nxe6 Lxf2+
21.Qxe4 Qd5 31.Kf1 ².
21...f6 was possible, when 22.g4! would be 28.Ra6! Ng7 29.Rxb5 Ra3 30.Kg2 Lb4
strong: 22...fxe5 (22...Ng7 23.Lh2 ²) 31.Rxa3
23.gxf5 gxf5 24.Qxc6 (24.Qxf5 exd4 31.Rxf6 Le7 32.Rc6  was quite
25.Rxc6 Rf8 26.Qe4 ²) 24...Kh8 possible.
(24...e4?! 25.Qe6+ Kh8 26.Ne5 Qxd4 31...Lxa3 32.Rxd5 Le7 33.Ra5! Rd8
27.Kh1! ) 25.axb5 axb5 26.dxe5 Rg8+ 34.d5! Lb4 35.Rb5 Lc3 36.Kf1!
27.Kh1 Ra2 28.Rg1! Rxf2 29.Rxg8+ White had won a healthy pawn and the rest
Qxg8 30.Rg1 ². was a matter of good technique.
22.Qxd5 cxd5 23.axb5 axb5 (D) 36...h5 37.Ke2 hxg4 38.hxg4 Ra8 39.Rb3
La5 40.Nd4 Re8+ 41.Kd3 Le1 42.d6!
XABCDEFGHY Rd8 43.Rb7!
8r+-+r+k+( Black resigned due to 43...La5 (43...Lxf2
44.Rxg7+ Kxg7 45.Ne6+ Kg8 46.Nxd8)
7+-+-vlp+p' 44.d7 Kf7 45.Nc6.
6-+-+-+p+& 1-0
5+p+pvLn+-%
4-zP-zP-+-+$
3+-+-+N+P#
2-+-+-zPP+"
1+RtR-+-mK-!
xabcdefghy
24.Rc6!
A very important move that had to be
foreseen around five moves ago. White stops
an eventual ...f6 and prepares Rb6. 2e) The ...c5 plan:
24...Ra2 25.Rb6 f6! 26.Lh2 This is another often used concept; Black
26.Lb8 would probably be a better move, to may reply to White's b4-b5 with ...c5,
close the a8-square for the e8-rook, as after ignoring the resulting isolated pawn on d5
the move played, the fantastic manoeuvre and creating a powerful initiative in the
...Ra8-a3 was possible. After this move centre. In practice, this plan has proved one
Black should get active with 26...Rc8! of the most dangerous for the side executing
27.Rxb5 Rcc2 28.Rf1 Rab2 29.Rxd5 the minority attack, as it contains a lot of
Rxb4 ². ‘energy’ that is seeded in the centre.
26...Lxb4?!
□ Pachman Ludek
Black missed 26...Rea8! 27.g4 (27.Rxb5
Ra1! 28.Rf1 Rxf1+ 29.Kxf1 Ra1+ ■ Ragozin Viacheslav
D35 Saltsjobaden 1948
30.Ke2 Ra2+ = or 27.Rf1!? Lxb4
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 c6
28.Rxb5 Lc3 29.Rxd5 R2a4 30.g4 Nxd4
5.cxd5 exd5 6.Qc2 g6 7.Lg5 Lg7 8.e3
31.Kg2 =) 27...R8a3! (this was really hard Lf5 9.Ld3 Lxd3 10.Qxd3 Nbd7 11.0–0
to foresee for Black after White's 26th move)
0–0 12.Rab1 Qe7 13.Rfc1 Qe6 14.Nd2 Black still holds a great advantage but in the
Rfe8 15.Lxf6 Lxf6 16.b4 Rac8 (D) end he couldn't achieve more than the split
XABCDEFGHY of the point. The rest of the game is
irrelevant to our subject.
8-+r+r+k+( 33.g4 h6 34.Kf1 Kg7 35.Qb2+ Kh7
36.Qe2 a5 37.bxa6 bxa6 38.Kg1 a5
7zpp+n+p+p' 39.Nc1 a4 40.Nd3 Qc4 41.Kf1 a3 42.g3
6-+p+qvlp+& Ld4 43.Nf4 Qc1+ 44.Kg2 Qb2 45.Kf1
Kg7 46.Nd3 Qb7 47.Kg1 g5 48.Kh2
5+-+p+-+-% Qc6 49.Nb4 Qc5 50.Nd3 Qc6 51.Nb4
4-zP-zP-+-+$ Qb6 52.Nd3 Qb7 53.Kg1 Qb1+ 54.Kg2
Lc3 55.Nc5 Qb4 56.Ne4 Lb2 57.Qd3
3+-sNQzP-+-# Qb7 58.f3 Qc6 59.Nd6 Kg8 60.Nf5 Qe6
2P+-sN-zPPzP" ½-½
Well, Black will not always be as
1+RtR-+-mK-! successful as in the previous example. White
xabcdefghy can usually drag out a slight advantage but
17.b5?! of course Black is still very much in the
Too optimistic. White should have opted for game and can present a very tough fight.
17.Na4 Qd6 18.Nc5 Rc7 ÷. □ Portisch Lajos
17...c5! 18.dxc5 ■ Beliavsky Alexander
And now he should also seriously consider D36 Brussels 1988
18.Nf3 c4 19.Qc2 Ld8 ³. 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5
18...Nxc5 19.Qf1 d4 20.exd4 Lxd4 5.Lg5 Le7 6.e3 0–0 7.Ld3 Re8 8.Qc2
Black got rid of his central pawns, offering Nbd7 9.Nf3 c6 10.h3 Nf8 11.Lf4 Ld6
to his bishop a wide range of action and he 12.Lxd6 Qxd6 13.0–0 Qe7 14.Rab1 Ne4
can already state that he has gained a nice 15.b4 Lf5 16.Rb3 (D)
advantage. XABCDEFGHY
21.Re1 Qf5 22.Ne2 Lf6 23.Nc4 Ne4
24.Ng3 Nxg3 25.Rxe8+ Rxe8 26.hxg3 8r+-+rsnk+(
Ld4 27.Rd1 Qc5 28.Na5 Rd8 29.Rd2
Qc7 30.Nb3 Lb6 31.Rxd8+ Qxd8 7zpp+-wqpzpp'
32.Qe2 Qd5 (D) 6-+p+-+-+&
XABCDEFGHY 5+-+p+l+-%
8-+-+-+k+( 4-zP-zPn+-+$
7zpp+-+p+p' 3+RsNLzPN+P#
6-vl-+-+p+& 2P+Q+-zPP+"
5+P+q+-+-% 1+-+-+RmK-!
4-+-+-+-+$ xabcdefghy
3+N+-+-zP-# 16...Rad8?!
16...Rac8! looked more to the point: 17.b5
2P+-+QzPP+" c5! 18.dxc5 (18.Nxd5? Qd8! 19.Nf4 c4
1+-+-+-mK-! 20.Lxc4 Nd6 μ) 18...Rxc5 (18...Qxc5
19.Nd4 Ne6 20.Nxf5 Nxc3 21.Nd6
xabcdefghy Qxd6 22.Rxc3 Rxc3 23.Qxc3 d4 24.exd4
Nxd4 =) 19.Qb2 Ne6 ÷. Kg6 33.Rf3! .
17.b5 c5 26...Rb4! 27.a4 e5 28.Rc6?!
Black had no choice. After 17...cxb5 White's best chances lay in 28.Rc8+ Kf7
18.Rxb5 Nxc3 19.Qxc3 Lxd3 20.Qxd3 29.Rb8 Kf6 30.Raxb7 Rxb7 31.Rxb7
b6 21.a4  another minority attack will be Rxa4 32.Rb6+ Ke7 33.Kf1 .
seen against b6. 28...d4 29.exd4 exd4 30.b6 bxc6
18.dxc5 Qxc5 19.Nd4 Lg6?! 30...d3 was good enough for the draw:
Black should have opted for 19...Rc8 31.Rc7 (31.Rc8+? Kf7 32.Rc7 (32.Rc1
20.Rc1 Lg6 21.Nxe4 Qxc2 22.Rxc2 d2 33.Rd1 Re4 34.Kf1 Rde7 )
dxe4 23.Rxc8 Rxc8 24.Lf1 Nd7 25.Ra3 32...Ke6 (32...Rbd4? 33.Raxb7 )
². 33.Raxb7 Rb1+ 34.Kh2 Rd6–+)
20.Nxe4! Qxc2 21.Lxc2 Lxe4 R R R
31... d8 32. axb7 d2 33. xg7+ =.
Black's problems could not be solved either 31.Rxd7 Rxb6 32.Rxd4 c5 33.Re4 Rb4
with the alternative 21...dxe4 22.Ra3 Ra8 34.f3 c4 35.a5 Ra4
23.Lb3 . ½-½
22.Lxe4 Rxe4
When White’s b-pawn advances without
Or 22...dxe4 23.Ra3 Ra8 24.Rc1 a6
being able to be exchanged, then it ‘creates’
25.bxa6 Rxa6 26.Rxa6 bxa6 27.Rc6 Ra8 some holes and leaves a number of
28.Nf5 . unprotected squares on the queenside.
23.Ra3 (D) Taking these facts into account, Black
XABCDEFGHY usually has enough compensation for his
structural weakness.
8-+-tr-snk+(
□ Van Wely Loek
7zpp+-+pzpp' ■ Sokolov Ivan
6-+-+-+-+& D36 Wijk aan Zee 1995
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Nbd7
5+P+p+-+-% 5.Lg5 h6 6.Lh4 Le7 7.e3 0–0 8.cxd5
4-+-sNr+-+$ exd5 9.Qc2 Re8 10.Ld3 c6 11.0–0 Ne4
12.Lxe7 Qxe7 13.b4 Ndf6
3tR-+-zP-+P# Possible is 13...a6 14.a4 Nb6 15.a5 (15.b5
cxb5 16.axb5 a5! ÷) 15...Nxc3 16.Qxc3
2P+-+-zPP+" Nd7 17.Nd2 ².
1+-+-+RmK-! 14.b5 (D)
xabcdefghy XABCDEFGHY
23...Ne6!? 8r+l+r+k+(
An interesting pawn sacrifice in exchange
for some activity. Black would be tied down 7zpp+-wqpzp-'
after the prosaic 23...Ra8 24.Rc1 Re7 6-+p+-sn-zp&
25.b6 (25.Rc5 Rd7 26.Rac3 ) 25...a6
26.Rac3 . 5+P+p+-+-%
24.Nxe6 4-+-zPn+-+$
White could also consider 24.f3!? Re5
25.Rxa7 Nxd4 26.exd4 Re7 27.Rc1  or 3+-sNLzPN+-#
24.Rxa7 Nxd4 25.exd4 Rb8 26.Rd1 . 2P+Q+-zPPzP"
24...fxe6 25.Rxa7 Rd7 26.Rc1?!
The accurate 26.Rb1! should prove enough: 1tR-+-+RmK-!
26...e5 27.a4 d4 28.a5! dxe3 29.fxe3 Rd2
30.Rxb7 Rxe3 31.Rb8+ Kf7 32.Rf1+
xabcdefghy
14...c5 15.dxc5 Nxc5 29.Rc1? would be a blunder: 29...Nd2! but
15...Qxc5? is a blunder: 16.Nxe4 Qxc2 29.Ndf4 was about equal.
17.Nxf6+ gxf6 18.Lxc2 . 29...Rc6 30.Ne5 Rc5 31.Nf4
16.Rac1 Nce4! 31.Nd3 Nc3! 32.Nxc3 Rxc3 ³.
Accurate. 16...b6 17.Nd4 Lb7 18.a4 Rec8 31...Qd6 32.Ned3?
19.Lf5 Ne6 20.Nc6! Qd6 21.Ne2 ² Here comes the blunder anyway! 32.Rb1
Geller,E-Durao,J Sochi 1977 and 16...Nxd3 was forced.
17.Qxd3 Le6 18.Nd4 ² proved quite nice 32...Rc3! 33.La2 a5?!
for White. 33...Ra3! 34.Qb2 Nc3 35.Ra1 Rxa4 was
17.Qb2 Ld7 (D) winning on the spot.
XABCDEFGHY 34.Ne5 R3c5 35.Ned3 Rc2 36.Ra1
36.Lb3 R2c3 37.La2 Ra3 .
8r+-+r+k+( 36...Rd2 37.Rfd1 Rxd1+ 38.Rxd1 Nc3
39.Rd2
7zpp+lwqpzp-' 39.Ra1 Qa3 40.Nc1 Nxa2 41.Nxa2 Rc2
6-+-+-sn-zp& .
39...Nfe4 40.Nxe6 fxe6 41.Rc2 Rc6!
5+P+p+-+-% White is about to lose material - Black's
4-+-+n+-+$ pieces proved rather active and White never
had any real 'annoying' plan.
3+-sNLzPN+-# 42.Ne5
2PwQ-+-zPPzP" 42.f3 Ng3! .
42...Rc5 43.Nd3 Nb5! 44.Qb2
1+-tR-+RmK-! 44.axb5 Rxc2 .
xabcdefghy 44...Rxc2 45.Qxc2 Nbc3 46.f3 Ng3!
47.Kf2
Time to take stock. White has succeeded in 47.Qxc3? Ne2+ .
his minority attack; he has created an
47...Nge2 48.Nf4 Qc6! 49.Ke1
isolated weak black d-pawn and can plan
49.Nxe2? Ne4+ .
around it. On the other hand Black should
49...Nxf4 50.exf4 Qc5
also be satisfied, as he has solved his
50...Qxb6 was playable too: 51.Qxc3
opening problems more or less, except of
Qg1+ 52.Kd2 Qxg2+ 53.Ke3 Qxa2 .
course his weak pawn. But his well-placed
and active pieces fully compensate for it. 51.Kf1 Ne4! 52.Qxc5 Nxc5
18.h3 Rac8 19.Ne2 Nc5 White can resign as all his queenside pawns
19...Rxc1 was possible: 20.Qxc1 are ready to fall.
53.f5 Kf7 54.Ke2 Nxa4 55.Kd3 Nxb6
(20.Rxc1? Nxf2! ) 20...Rc8 21.Qb2
Nc5 ÷. 56.fxe6+ Kxe6 57.Kd4 Kd6 58.f4 Nc4
59.g4
20.Lc2 Nce4?!
59.Lxc4 dxc4 60.Kxc4 a4 61.g4 b5+
Not so bad, but 20...Rc7! 21.Nfd4 Rec8 ÷
62.Kb4 Kd5 .
was more active. 59...b5 60.g5 a4 61.h4 b4 62.f5 b3
21.a4 Ng5 22.Nfd4 Rc4 23.Nf4 Rec8 0-1
24.Lb3 R4c5 25.Rcd1?!
Too optimistic. The natural continuation was
25.Rxc5 Rxc5 (25...Qxc5? 26.Qa2! )
26.Nd3 Rc7 27.Rc1 ².
25...Nge4 26.Nde2 Le6 27.Qd4 a6
28.Nd3?! 2f) The ...cxb5 and ...a5 plan:
28.bxa6 bxa6 29.f3 Nc3 30.Nxc3 Rxc3 ÷. Rare in practice, but a fully acceptable plan
28...R5c7 29.b6 when it can be applied. So, Black may reply
to White’s b4-b5 with ...cxb5 and ...a5. In Lxc5 μ.
this case Black remains with a weak isolated 20...Qh4 21.Ng1 Qe7 22.Qc3 Qf6
d-pawn but he gets good activity based on 23.Qc2
his passed a-pawn. Of course not 23.Nf3? Lxh3 μ.
23...Rac8 24.Qd1 Kg7 25.Rb2 Qe7
□ Portisch Lajos 26.Qb1 Qf6 27.Qd1 h5 28.Qf3 Qg5
■ Beliavsky Alexander 29.Qd1 Ld7 30.b5?
D36 Linares 1989 White should adopt a 'waiting policy' with
1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 something like 30.Nf3 Qe7 31.Qb3.
5.Lg5 Le7 6.e3 0–0 7.Ld3 Nbd7 8.Nf3 30...cxb5!
Re8 9.0–0 c6 10.Qc2 Nf8 11.h3 g6 Also good was 30...axb5 31.axb5 c5 32.dxc5
12.Lxf6 Lxf6 13.b4 Ne6 (D) Lxc5 33.Nf3 Qf6 34.Rb1 Ra8 μ.
XABCDEFGHY 31.axb5 a5
Black's position is rather attractive. He can
8r+lwqr+k+( try to benefit from his bishop pair and his
7zpp+-+p+p' passed a-pawn. On the other hand
weaknesses like his isolated d-pawn do not
6-+p+nvlp+& count as White is not in a position even to
approach it!
5+-+p+-+-% 32.Rc2 Qf6 33.Rxc8 Rxc8 34.Re2 Qd8
4-zP-zP-+-+$ 34...Lf5!? 35.Lxf5 Qxf5 36.Ra2 Lb4 μ.
35.Rb2
3+-sNLzPN+P# 35.Rc2 a4 36.Ne2 (36.Rxc8 Qxc8
2P+Q+-zPP+" 37.Qxa4? Qc1+ 38.Ke2 Qxg1 )
36...Rxc2 37.Qxc2 Qa5 38.Nc3 a3 .
1tR-+-+RmK-! 35...a4 36.Ne2 Qa5 37.Rb1
xabcdefghy There is no difference with 37.Qe1 as
14.Rfd1 Black's passed pawn is too strong: 37...Qa8
Probably it is too early for 14.b5?! c5! (37...Qxe1+ 38.Kxe1 a3 μ) 38.Rb1 a3 .
15.dxc5 Nxc5 16.Rac1 Le6 when Black 37...Lb4
would be rather active. 37...a3 was more accurate.
14...a6 15.Rab1 Le7 38.Kg1 Lxb5 39.Lxb5 Qxb5
15...Ng5 16.Nxg5 Lxg5 17.a4 Le6 = is an Black has won material and the end is near.
alternative continuation. 40.Nf4 (D)
16.a4 Ld6 XABCDEFGHY
A typical rearrangement of the darksquared
bishop, aiming to reinforce the attack 8-+r+-+-+(
towards the white king. 7+p+-+pmk-'
17.Re1
White could play the main theme in this 6-+-+-+p+&
pawn structure: 17.b5 axb5 18.axb5 Ng5 5+q+p+-+p%
19.Nxg5 Qxg5 20.bxc6 bxc6 (20...Lxh3?
21.f4 Qg3 22.cxb7 Qxe3+ 23.Qf2  or 4pvl-zP-sN-+$
20...Rb8? 21.f4 Qg3 22.Nxd5 ) 21.Kf1 3+-+-zP-+P#
÷.
17...Ng5 18.Nxg5 Qxg5 19.Kf1 Le6 2-+-+-zPP+"
20.Ne2 1+R+Q+-mK-!
Only Black would be happy now after the
thematic 20.b5?! axb5 21.axb5 c5 22.dxc5 xabcdefghy
40...a3 9.a3 h6 10.Lh4 Re8 11.cxd5 exd5
40...Rc4 41.Qf3 a3  was clearer. 12.Ld3 Nh5 13.Lxe7 Rxe7 14.0–0 Nhf6
41.Nd3 15.h3 (D)
41.Qb3 Qc4! 42.Qxb4 Qxb4 43.Rxb4 a2 XABCDEFGHY
44.Ra4 Rc1+ 45.Kh2 a1Q 46.Rxa1
Rxa1 47.Nxd5 b5 . 8r+lwq-+k+(
41...Rc4 42.Ne5 7+p+ntrpzp-'
After 42.Qb3 Black wins with 42...Rc3!
43.Qxb4 (if 43.Qxc3 Lxc3 44.Rxb5 a2 6p+p+-sn-zp&
) 43...Qxd3 44.Ra1 Rb3 45.Qd6 Rb1+ 5+-+p+-+-%
46.Rxb1 Qxb1+ 47.Kh2 a2 48.Qe5+ Kh7
49.Qxd5 Kg8 50.Qd8+ Kg7 . 4-+-zP-+-+$
42...Rc3
White resigned as he had no satisfactory
3zP-sNLzPN+P#
continuation at his disposal: 43.g4 (43.Qf3 2-zPQ+-zPP+"
f6  43...hxg4 44.Qxg4 a2 45.Ra1 Ld6!.
0-1 1+-tR-+RmK-!
Capablanca's Manoeuvre xabcdefghy
This is one of the means of trying to It was even way back in 1927 when the great
counter the minority attack, which was first Capa first introduced this very important
used by the great Jose Raul Capablanca idea:
during his World Championship match with 15...Ne8! 16.Ne2 Nd6
Alexander Alekhine. This is a really superb post for the knight, as
This plan still occurs in games played it's now very difficult for White to achieve
today and represents a major weapon in any of his desired pawn levers (b4-b5 or e3-
Black's (the defending side’s) general e4). The game now sees steady
arsenal of ideas. simplification after which nobody has much
Capablanca's remarkable intuition led him to play for.
to understand that in the ‘QGD - Exchange 17.Ng3 Nf8 18.Ne5 f6
Variation’ pawn structure formation, the Black can afford this dangerously looking
very best place for a black knight is on the move as White cannot really benefit from
d6-square. From here it not only helps the holes around the black king.
defend against the minority attack (b4-b5) 19.Ng6 Nxg6 20.Lxg6 Le6 21.Ne2 Qd7
but it is ready to hop into either c4 or e4 at 22.Nf4 (D)
the right moment. XABCDEFGHY
Additionally the knight can be used to
support an exchange of the lightsquared 8r+-+-+k+(
bishops with ...Lf5 (White's bishop
presumably standing on d3). 7+p+qtr-zp-'
This is one of Black's major themes in this 6p+psnlzpLzp&
structural formation because it makes b4-b5
even harder for White to achieve and may 5+-+p+-+-%
also help to expose the c4-square. 4-+-zP-sN-+$
Here is the historic game:
□ Alekhine Alexander
3zP-+-zP-+P#
■ Capablanca Jose Raul 2-zPQ+-zPP+"
D64 Buenos Aires 1927
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nd7 4.Nc3 Ngf6 1+-tR-+RmK-!
5.Lg5 Le7 6.e3 0–0 7.Rc1 c6 8.Qc2 a6 xabcdefghy
22...Lf5! then try his chances on both sides.
Of course. The exchange of the lightsquared 18.Qc2 a4 19.Nd2 Nxd2?!
bishops helps Black to better control the Of course there was no point to this
valuable c4-square. As previously exchange, as the white knight has no real
mentioned, another point behind having the prospects. 19...Nd6 20.Rbe1 Qd7 ³ was
knight on d6 is that it is often able to support the correct follow-up.
this exchange. 20.Qxd2 Qa5 21.Qc3! Qxc3 22.bxc3 b5
23.Lxf5 Qxf5 23.Rfe1 f5 24.Kf1 Rf8 25.Ke2
23...Nxf5 is playable but Black is satisfied The endgame is equal and both sides cannot
with the draw. do much.
24.Qxf5 Nxf5 25.Nd3 Nd6 25...Kf7
In an equal position both sides decided to Or 25...f4 26.Kd3 f3 27.g3 =.
call it a day. 26.Kd3 Ke6 27.h4 Kd6 28.g3 h6 29.Rh1
½-½ Rfe8 30.Rbe1 Rc8 31.Rb1 Ke6 32.Rb2
Kd6 33.Rbb1 Rce8 34.Rbe1 Rc8
The importance of preserving a knight
(and the queen in most of the cases) on the 35.Rb1 Rce8
board can be seen in the following game: ½-½
□ Andersson Ulf The next two games are an even more

■ Atalik Suat vivid demonstration of Black's strategic
D36 Kusadasi 2006 themes.
1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 c6 Black exchanges the lightsquared bishops
5.cxd5 exd5 6.Lg5 Le7 7.Qc2 g6 8.e3 in the opening and with the knight on d6
Lf5 9.Ld3 Lxd3 10.Qxd3 Nbd7 11.0–0 effectively stymies any hope that White
0–0 12.Rab1 a5 13.Qc2 Re8 14.a3 Nb6 might have had of playing b4-b5.
The knight later plays a decisive role in
15.Na4?!
This move looks really bad and it has to be both Black's kingside pawn advance and an
eventual harvest of White's queenside pawns
bad. White has to opt for 15.Ne5 Nfd7
(or in the attack).
16.Lxe7 Rxe7 17.Nxd7 Rxd7 18.Na4
Nc8! ÷, as in Kaposztas,M-Szalai,K □ Nikolic Predrag
Hungary 2007. ■ Kramnik Vladimir
15...Nxa4 16.Qxa4 (D) D35 Monte Carlo 1998
XABCDEFGHY 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c6
5.cxd5 exd5 6.Lg5 Le7 7.e3 Lf5 8.Ld3
8r+-wqr+k+( Lxd3 9.Qxd3 Nbd7 10.0–0 0–0 11.Rab1
a5 12.a3 Ne4 13.Lxe7 Qxe7 14.b4
7+p+-vlp+p' A typical minority attack for which Black
6-+p+-snp+& seems to be fully prepared.
14...b5!
5zp-+p+-vL-% A black knight is prepared to enter safely the
4Q+-zP-+-+$ c4-square sooner or later.
15.Qc2 axb4 16.axb4 Nd6!
3zP-+-zPN+-# Avoiding future exchanges which would
ease White's position. The d6-knight is a
2-zP-+-zPPzP" much more useful piece than any of its
1+R+-+RmK-! opposing knights.
17.Rb3 Nb6 18.Ne5 Rfc8 19.Nd3 Nbc4
xabcdefghy 20.Nc5 Re8 21.h3 g6 22.Rc1 Ra7!
16...Ne4! 17.Lxe7 Rxe7 Black prepares the full occupation of the a-
Black is ready to place his knight on d6 and file (or not?). His active pieces and plans
secure the advantage. There was no reason to prepare the next sac
23.Qd1 h5 24.Kh1 Qg5 25.Rbb1 (D) further. White's position falls apart, as
XABCDEFGHY Black's activity is too powerful. This game is
highly instructional, as it shows how the
8-+-+r+k+( 'logical imagination' of a strong GM
converts an unquestionable positional
7tr-+-+p+-' advantage into a full point on the scorecard,
6-+psn-+p+& without 'sitting on his hands' and waiting for
the fruits to fall. It is of greater importance
5+psNp+-wqp% to shake the tree well!
4-zPnzP-+-+$ XABCDEFGHY
3+-sN-zP-+P# 8-+-+r+k+(
2-+-+-zPP+" 7+-+-trp+-'
1+RtRQ+-+K! 6-+p+-+p+&
xabcdefghy 5+psNp+nwqp%
It's quite clear that something went wrong 4-zPnzP-+-+$
for White in the middlegame. He succeeded
neither in his minority attack, which Black 3+-sN-zP-+P#
managed properly to halt, nor in a central
break. Black's reactions were excellent and,
2R+-+-zPP+"
as a result, he has taken over the important 1+-tRQ+-+K!
a-file and has placed his knights on excellent
central squares. Black has a great advantage, xabcdefghy
but no position can be won just by sitting 27...Ncxe3! 28.fxe3 Rxe3 29.Rf2
back and waiting - a typical mistake that we There was no real alternative: 29.Qd2 Qh4
can see in a lot of games. Having achieved a 30.Raa1 Ng3+ 31.Kh2 Ne2 32.Nxe2
huge advantage only means that we have the Rxe2 33.Qd1 R8e3 .
best chance of winning, but not that we have 29...Qh4
already won! Black must form a plan to Combining the attack with threats for
convert his huge advantage. material gains; the weak white pawns (d4,
25...Rae7!? b4) can fall apart.
Of course 25...Rea8 is the move that 30.Qd2
99,99% of all serious chess players would White could try 30.Kg1 although after
choose but Kramnik belongs to the other 30...Nxd4 (30...Re1+ 31.Qxe1 Rxe1+
0,01% minority, which consists of the 32.Rxe1 Qxd4 ³) 31.Qd2 Nf5 32.Ne2
absolute top genius! He judged that he could Qf6 Black would be in the driver's seat
not 'expect' much from the a-file and that the anyway.
real target is the white king, so he chose to 30...Nxd4
transfer his forces towards him. Doubling Also possible was 30...Qxd4 31.Qxd4
rooks on the e-file and sacrificing a knight Nxd4 32.Kg1 (32.Rd2 Nf5 33.Kg1 h4 ³)
on e3 was seriously consider by Kramnik, 32...Nf5 33.Rf4 h4 ³ but there is no point
although this is hardly a standard plan in exchanging queens when in attack.
such positions. A powerful plan which will
31.Rcf1?
break down White's defence.
31.Nd3? Nb3  was not a real alternative,
26.Ra1 Nf5
but White had to opt for 31.Kg1 Nf5
Now the threat of ...Nxe3 becomes very
32.Ne2 Qf6, transposing to the line
real!
mentioned above on White's 30th move.
27.Ra2 (D)
31...Nf5! 32.Rxf5 The knight will get driven away from here
Making Black's task easier. More practical via ...f7-f6. 19.g3 might have been a better
chances were to be found in 32.Kg1 Qxb4 plan, intending to reinforce White's king
33.Nxd5 Qxc5 34.Nf6+ Kg7 35.Nxe8+ position with Nf3-h4-g2. It would have
Rxe8 or in 32.Rf4 Qg5! 33.Kg1 Rxh3, been very difficult for Black to make
although White's position would be progress after that but of course he will be
objectively lost in both cases. the only one to have chances.
32...gxf5 33.Nd1 19...Re8 20.Rfe1 Qg5 21.h3?!
Or 33.Nd3 Qg3! 34.Rd1 Rxd3 35.Qxd3 21.g3 was better here too, not least because
Re1+ . Black's breakthrough may come via ...f7-f5-
33...Re1 34.Kg1 R8e2! 35.Qc3 Rxd1 f4.
0-1 21...Kg7 22.Qc2 Re6 23.Rac1 Rae8
24.Qb1
□ Portisch Lajos And here 24.Qd1 was better, keeping the
■ Kasparov Garry queen in contact with the kingside.
D36 Skelleftea 1989 24...Qh5! 25.Qb3 (D)
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.cxd5 exd5 XABCDEFGHY
5.Nc3 c6 6.Qc2 Na6 7.a3 Nc7 8.Lg5 g6
9.e3 Lf5 10.Ld3 Lxd3 11.Qxd3 Le7 8-+-+r+-+(
12.0–0 0–0 13.b4 Ne4 14.Lf4 Nxc3 (D) 7+p+-+pmkp'
XABCDEFGHY 6p+psnr+p+&
8r+-wq-trk+( 5+-+psN-+q%
7zppsn-vlp+p' 4PzP-zP-+-+$
6-+p+-+p+& 3+Q+-zP-+P#
5+-+p+-+-% 2-+-+-zPP+"
4-zP-zP-vL-+$ 1+-tR-tR-mK-!
3zP-snQzPN+-# xabcdefghy
2-+-+-zPPzP" Black should be quite satisfied by the
1tR-+-+RmK-! opening outcome and his middlegame
prospects. White seems to have no active
xabcdefghy plan at his disposal, as his minority attack
15.Qxc3?! cannot progress. As a result of this, Black's
White should definitely take out Black's hands on the kingside are free and as his
remaining knight via 15.Lxc7 Qxc7 pieces are well placed; his kingside pawns
16.Qxc3 =. Probably he missed Black's must start rolling. This can be done best by
clever sixteenth move. the ...f6, ...g5 and ...h5 structural formation.
15...Ld6 16.Lxd6 Nb5! 25...f6 26.Nd3
Very clever. Now Black's knight gets to the It seems that White could put up a more
ideal square and it becomes much easier for stubborn defence after 26.Nf3 g5 27.Nh2
him to advance on the kingside than it is for but this is not the case after 27...f5! μ.
White to make progress on the other flank. 26...g5 27.Qd1 Qg6!
17.Qb3 Nxd6 18.a4 a6 Of course! Black's queen will prove to be
A clear mistake would be 18...a5?! 19.b5! more useful than its counterpart.
cxb5 20.Qxd5! ÷. 28.Qc2 R6e7! 29.Red1
19.Ne5?! Maybe White had to try 29.Nc5 when Black
should calmly retreat with 29...Qf7 43.bxa5 Ra8 44.Rd1 Rxa5 45.Re1 b5
(29...Qxc2 30.Rxc2 f5 31.Nd3 f4 32.Ne5 46.Re2 Ra1+ 47.Re1 Rea7 48.fxg3
fxe3 33.fxe3 Nf7 34.Nxf7 Kxf7 35.b5! ³ Rxe1+
or 29...f5 30.Nd3 f4 31.Ne5 ³ should only 48...hxg3 would also have been good.
help White) 30.Nd3 h5, when the attack 49.Kxe1 Ra1+ 50.Ke2 hxg3 51.Ne1
will grow strong. Ra2+ 52.Kd1 Rd2+ 53.Kc1 Re2
29...h5 30.Qb1 54.Kd1 Rxe3 55.Rxe3 Nxe3+ 56.Ke2
After 30.Ne1, Black would again avoid the Nf5 57.Nc2 Nh4 58.Nb4
exchange of queens with 30...Qh6! in order 58.Kf1 Kg5 59.Nb4 Kf4 60.Nxc6 Ke4
to maintain his chances against White's king.  would see Black's king make a decisive
30...h4 31.Qc2 g4 32.Nf4? entrance.
This loses. White's best try was 32.hxg4 58...Nxg2 59.Kf3 Nh4+ 60.Kxg3 Nf5+
Qxg4 33.Nf4 after which 33...Kh6 61.Kf4 Nxd4 62.Ke3 Nf5+
34.Kh2 Rg8 gives Black very dangerous 0-1
attacking chances but nothing that's crystal
Of course, Black is not always in the
clear.
driver’s seat but at least he can’t complain
32...Qxc2 about the opening outcome!
Now Black accepts the queen exchange, as
he has a clear winning continuation to □ Wang Yue
follow. ■ Carlsen Magnus
33.Rxc2 g3! 34.Rd3 E35 Dresden 2008
34.fxg3 is powerfully met by 34...Nf5! . 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Lb4 4.Qc2 d5
34...Kh6 35.Kf1 Kg5 36.Ne2?! 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Lg5 h6 7.Lxf6 Qxf6 8.Nf3
In time trouble White's resistance crumbles 0–0 9.e3 Lf5 10.Ld3 Lxd3 11.Qxd3 c6
and we see the d6-knight make a decisive 12.0–0 Nd7 13.a3 Lxc3 14.Qxc3 Nb6
entrance. 36.Re2 was the best, though (D)
Black could then play 36...Ne4 37.f3 Nd6 XABCDEFGHY
intending 38...Nc4.
36...Nc4! 37.Rcc3 Nb2 38.Rd2 Nxa4 8r+-+-trk+(
(D) 7zpp+-+pzp-'
XABCDEFGHY 6-snp+-wq-zp&
8-+-+r+-+( 5+-+p+-+-%
7+p+-tr-+-' 4-+-zP-+-+$
6p+p+-zp-+& 3zP-wQ-zPN+-#
5+-+p+-mk-% 2-zP-+-zPPzP"
4nzP-zP-+-zp$ 1tR-+-+RmK-!
3+-tR-zP-zpP# xabcdefghy
2-+-tRNzPP+" As already said, the 'QGD-Carlsbad'
1+-+-+K+-! structure with only knights on the board is
considered comfortable for Black. The
xabcdefghy present game doesn't change that evaluation
The first pawn falls with more to follow. but sheds light on some niceties.
39.Rb3 Nb6 40.Ng1 15.Ne5 Qf5 16.Rfc1 f6 17.Nd3 Nc4
Or 40.fxg3 Nc4 . 18.Nc5 Nd6 19.Qc2!
40...Nc4 41.Nf3+ Kh5 42.Rdd3 a5! The exchange of the queens is essential for
White's defence and by it he keeps an equal 38.gxh4+
game. 38.Rg8+ Rg7 39.Rxg7+ Nxg7 40.Rxh4
19...Qxc2 Rxh4 41.gxh4+ Kxh4 42.bxc6 bxc6
In my opinion, Black should seriously 43.Ng6+ Kg5 44.Ne5 is hardly enough for
consider 19...Qh5 ÷. a victory, e.g. after 44...Nh5 45.Nxc6 Kf5
20.Rxc2 Rae8 21.g3 g5 but White could have considered it.
This move creates an object of attack for 38...Nxh4+ 39.Rxh4!?
White (h2-h4). 21...h5!? = was the main A 'brilliant move' but Black miraculously
alternative. holds his ground. Therefore 39.Kf1 ²
22.Kg2 Kg7 23.a4 Re7 24.Rh1 Kg6 maybe was better.
25.Rc3 h5 26.h4 Rh8 39...Kxh4
26...g4!? keeps an equal game as the transfer The alternative 39...Rxh4!? 40.Rg8+ Kf5
of White's knight to f4 is harmless. 41.Ng6 Rhh7 42.Nxe7+ Rxe7 43.bxc6
27.Rcc1 bxc6 44.Kg3 looks bad but after the active
27.hxg5!? fxg5 28.Nd3 Kf6 ÷. 44...Rc7! 45.Rxg4 c5 46.Rf4+ Ke6
27...Rhh7 28.Rh2 Nf5?! 47.dxc5 Rxc5 Black should hold.
28...g4 was still possible, with a completely 40.Rg8
dead position. 40.bxc6 bxc6 41.Rg8 Ra7 ÷.
29.hxg5 fxg5 30.Nd3 g4 40...Rf7 41.f3
Now the situation is completely different: 41.bxc6 Rxc6! (41...bxc6? 42.f3! )
the white knight has got the e5-square, and 42.Ng6+ Kh5 43.Ne5 Rf5 44.Nxc6 bxc6
Black's h5-pawn is weak. =.
31.Rch1 Kg5 32.Nf4 Ng7 (D) 41...Rxf4 42.exf4 cxb5!
32...h4? 33.gxh4+ Rxh4 34.Rxh4 Nxh4+ Again accurate, as 42...gxf3+? 43.Kxf3
35.Rxh4! . should be lost for Black: 43...cxb5 44.f5 b4
XABCDEFGHY 45.Kf4 b3 46.Rg1.
43.Rxg4+
8-+-+-+-+( 43.fxg4 Ra6! 44.f5 (44.Kf3 Ra3+ 45.Ke2
7zpp+-tr-snr' b4 =) 44...b4 45.Kf3 Ra1! 46.Rh8+ Kg5
47.Rh5+ Kf6 48.Rh6+ Kg5 49.Rg6+
6-+p+-+-+& Kh4 50.Kf4 Rf1+ 51.Ke5 b5! 52.Rb6
Kxg4 53.f6 Kg5 =.
5+-+p+-mkp% 43...Kh5 44.Rg5+ Kh4 45.Rg7!
4P+-zP-sNp+$ 45.Rxd5?! Rb6!.
45...Kh5 46.Rxb7 Ra6 47.Rxb5 Kh4!
3+-+-zP-zP-# 48.Rb2
2-zP-+-zPKtR" Nothing could be gained by 48.Rxd5 Ra2+
49.Kf1 Kg3 50.f5 Kxf3 51.Ke1 Ke4 = or
1+-+-+-+R! 48.Kf2 Ra2+ 49.Ke3 Ra3+ 50.Ke2
Ra2+ 51.Kd3 Ra3+ 52.Kc2 (52.Kd2
xabcdefghy Kg3 53.f5 Kxf3 =) 52...Rxf3 53.Rxd5
33.b4! Kg4 54.Rd8 Kf5! 55.d5 Ke4 56.d6 Kd5
The 'two weaknesses rule'! White can be
=.
active on both sides of the board and this
48...Ra4 49.Rd2 Kh5
fact guarantees him the advantage.
Despite two extra pawns, White can't
33...a6 34.b5 axb5 35.axb5 Rh6 36.Ra1
Nf5 37.Ra8 h4!? strengthen his position.
50.Kg3 Rb4 51.Rd1 Ra4 52.Kh3 Ra3
37...Rg7 ² is possible but the text move
53.Rh1 Rd3 54.Kg3+ Kg6 55.Rh4 Rd2
gives White a seemingly attractive
56.Rg4+ Kf6 57.f5
possibility.
½-½
Edged Pieces
Terminology □ Svidler Peter
A piece that it is placed on the a- or h-file, ■ Harikrishna Penteala
or on the first or last rank should be C95 Gibraltar 2009
considered to be on the edge of the board. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Lb5 a6 4.La4 Nf6
An expanded definition could also include 5.0–0 Le7 6.Re1 b5 7.Lb3 d6 8.c3 0–0
the b- and g-files and the second and seventh 9.h3 Nb8 10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Lb7
ranks too. 12.Lc2 Re8 13.a4 Lf8 14.Ld3 c6 15.b3
As we have been taught in our younger g6 16.Qc2 Rc8 17.La3 Qb6 18.Lf1
chess years, development and centralization Nh5 19.g3 exd4 20.cxd4 c5 21.axb5 axb5
of our pieces governs the early opening 22.Qd3 La6 23.Lb2 d5 24.dxc5 Nxc5
stages of our decisions but can also govern 25.Qd4 Lg7 26.e5 Qb7 27.Rec1 Ne6
the other stages of the game, the 28.Rxc8 Rxc8 29.Qe3 Lf8 30.Nd4
middlegame and the endgame. Nxd4 31.Lxd4 Ng7 32.Nf3 Ne6 33.h4
These are logical thoughts born out of the Nxd4 34.Nxd4 Lc5 (D)
geometrical construction of the board: the
closer to the centre, the easier the transfer!
XABCDEFGHY
Easy and effective; isn’t it? 8-+r+-+k+(
The answer is yes but unfortunately it
seems that a vast majority of both weak and 7+q+-+p+p'
strong players (even the strongest) tend to 6l+-+-+p+&
forget about it and misplace their pieces on
the wrong squares, those of the edge of the 5+pvlpzP-+-%
board!
So, as a (general) conclusion, a piece that
4-+-sN-+-zP$
is on the edge of the board and is 3+P+-wQ-zP-#
constrained in its movement by other pieces
has a smaller value than a piece situated in 2-+-+-zP-+"
the centre of the board. 1tR-+-+LmK-!
The Really Bad Piece
As was explained above, our pieces are
xabcdefghy
‘seeking’ mobilization, activity and easy The a6-bishop is somehow misplaced and
transfer, in order to apply their entire hardly serves Black any benefit; on the
positive ‘energy’ to the realization of the contrary, it only causes painful headaches!
plans and the ideas we have formed. 35.b4
A piece placed on the edge of the board, It looks like the most ambitious move but
doing nothing useful, is usually a sign of the simple 35.e6! Qb6 (35...Re8 36.Qc3
weakness. It is an alert for the opponent to Lxd4 37.exf7+ Qxf7 38.Qxd4 ) 36.exf7+
take advantage of it. Kxf7 37.Qf3+ Kg7 38.Re1!  would give
There are many ways to realize it; here we White excellent attacking chances - the a6-
will examine cases of a really ‘helpless’ bad bishop is still out of play!
piece that was self-trapped in this 35...Lxb4 36.e6! Re8
‘discriminated’ situation. The reasons can be The fact that the only other move that does
many - no reasonable chess player wants to not lose on the spot here is 36...Ra8, should
fall into such problems, but that’s the nature tell a bit about how bad Black's position is.
of the beast: when you feel it, it is probably 37.Qb3?!
already too late! White should start with 37.Lg2! fxe6
The first example is a nice, instructive one: (37...Lc5? 38.exf7+ Qxf7 39.Lxd5! Rxe3
40.Lxf7+ Kxf7 41.fxe3  and 37...f6? 41.Rc1! (41.Nxb5 Rb8! 42.Nc7 Lb4
38.e7! Lc5 [38...Rxe7 39.Qb3 ] 43.Qxd5 Qxc7 44.Rxa6 Le7 45.Lf3 )
39.Qe6+ Kg7 40.Nb3 loses material) 41...Kh8 (41...Rc8 42.Rxc8+ Qxc8
38.Qb3 transposing to 37.Qb3. 43.Lxd5 Kf8 44.Nc6  or 41...Ld8
37...Lc5 38.Lg2 f6?! (D) 42.Qa2 Rc8 43.Rxc8 Qxc8 44.Lxd5
In reality this is a poor move but an Le7 45.Nc6 ) 42.Nc6 Qc8 43.Qd2!
excellent practical choice. Black had more La3 44.e7! Lxc1 45.Nd8! Qd7 46.Qxd5
chances of survival after 38...fxe6 (which Qxe7 47.Qxa8 Kg7 48.Ld5 and White
would be the case resulting from 37.Lg2!) wins the long-suffering bishop yet again!
39.Nxe6 Lxf2+ 40.Kh2! (40.Kh1? Qc8 41.Nb3
41.Lxd5 Lb7 ÷) 40...Lxg3+ 41.Kxg3 Now White's task is easy:
Qb8+ 42.Nf4 Lb7 43.Lxd5+ Kg7 41...Lxf2+ 42.Kxf2 Qa7+ 43.Kf1 Qe3
44.Qc3+  but then White's hand would be 44.Qxa6 Qxb3 (D)
more or less free. XABCDEFGHY
XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+r+k+(
8-+-+r+k+( 7+-+-+-+p'
7+q+-+-+p' 6Q+-+Pzpp+&
6l+-+Pzpp+& 5+p+p+-+-%
5+pvlp+-+-% 4-+-+-+-zP$
4-+-sN-+-zP$ 3+q+-+-zP-#
3+Q+-+-zP-# 2-+-+-+L+"
2-+-+-zPL+" 1tR-+-+K+-!
1tR-+-+-mK-! xabcdefghy
xabcdefghy 45.Qa3?!
39.Qc3? 45.Qc6! Qc4+ 46.Qxc4 dxc4 47.Lc6 was
White's heavy time trouble did not allow cleaner.
him to find the pretty win: 39.e7! Kh8 45...Qc4+ 46.Kg1 b4?!
40.Ne6 Ld6 (40...Lxe7 41.Qa2!  Black could have put up more resistance:
indicates the problem with the bad piece on 46...Qd4+ 47.Kh2 Qe5! picking up the e6-
a6) 41.Nd8! Qxe7 42.Nc6 Qb7 43.Qxd5 pawn. Of course White is still winning but
Le5 (43...Lf8 44.Qa2! ) 44.Nxe5 his task would be harder.
Qxd5 45.Lxd5 Rxe5 46.Lc6! and once 47.Qa7! Kh8
more the poorly placed piece is a goner! 47...Rxe6 48.Qa8+ Kf7 49.Ra7+ Re7
39...Le7? 50.Lxd5+ .
Returning the favour is never a good sign... 48.Qd7 Qc5+ 49.Kh2 Qe7 50.Lxd5
Black could have more or less solved his 1-0
problems with 39...Qb6 40.Rxa6 Lxd4
41.Rxb6 Lxc3 42.Lxd5 Re7 43.Rxb5 f5 In the previous example Black’s main
² or even better with 39...Qc8! 40.Lxd5 b4 defence was based on how not to lose
41.Qd2 Lb7 42.Nb3 Lxd5 43.Qxd5 Lb6 material and the badly placed bishop was
=. ‘produced’ after the opening stage.
40.Qa5! Lc5?! But this is not the case with the next
Desperation but although 40...Ra8 was example. In this opening, the Panno /
more tenacious, it could not save Black: Yugoslav Variation of the g3 King’s Indian
Defence, an early ‘acceptance’ of a bad queenside pieces are still 'frozen'.
piece is on the cards. Well, Black has also 19...Rb8?
some ideas in mind, as we will examine But this is a critical mistake. 19...Qh8! was
later, but for the time being we will only the right continuation for Black, when after
take care of the really bad piece concept! 20.Qc3! (20.Re3 Lf5 21.Rf3 h6 22.Lxf6
Qxf6 23.Qxf6+ Kxf6 24.g4 Re8 25.gxf5
□ Geller Efim Re1+ 26.Lf1 gxf5 =) 20...b6 21.Re6!
■ Velimirovic Dragoljub
Lxe6 22.Lxf6 Qxf6 23.dxe6+ Kxe6
E66 Havana 1971
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.d4 g6 3.c4 Lg7 4.g3 0–0 24.Ld5+ Ke7 25.Qe3+ Qe5 26.Qxe5+
5.Lg2 d6 6.0–0 c5 7.Nc3 Nc6 8.d5 Na5 dxe5 27.Lxa8 ² he would have fair chances
9.Nd2 e5 10.e4 Ng4 11.b3 f5 12.exf5 e4 to split the point. It must also be noted that
13.f6 Nxf6 (D) 19...h6?! does not solve Black's problems:
20.Lxh6! Ld7 21.Lg5 Qh8 22.Re4! Rf5
XABCDEFGHY (22...Rf8 23.Rh4 Qg7 24.Lh6 Qg8
8r+lwq-trk+( 25.Lxf8 Qxf8 26.Rh7+ Ke8 27.Qe1+
) 23.Re7+ Kg8 24.Qxh8+ Kxh8
7zpp+-+-vlp' 25.Ld2 .
6-+-zp-snp+& 20.Re3! b6 21.Rf3 Lf5 22.g4 Qh8
23.Lxf6!
5sn-zpP+-+-% 23.Lh3 Re8 24.gxf5 Rxf5 25.Qxh8
Rxh8 26.Lxf5 gxf5 27.Ld2 .
4-+P+p+-+$ 23...Qxf6 24.Qxf6+ Kxf6 25.gxf5 gxf5
3+PsN-+-zP-# 26.Re3! (D)
2P+-sN-zPLzP" XABCDEFGHY
1tR-vLQ+RmK-! 8-tr-+-+-+(
xabcdefghy 7zp-+-+-+p'
This is a well-known variation of the KID. 6-zp-zp-mk-+&
Black is usually suffering due to his poorly
placed a5-knight but on the other hand, if he 5sn-zpP+p+-%
is quick enough, he can put pressure on the 4-+P+-+-+$
c4-pawn by playing ...a6, ...Rb8 and ...b5,
turning this knight into a 'useful' piece. 3+P+-tR-+-#
14.Ndxe4!
But not today! The great legend Efim Geller
2P+-+-zPLzP"
(who used to be my personal trainer for 1+-+-+-mK-!
about two years back in the 80's) had done
his homework! xabcdefghy
14...Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Lxa1 16.Lg5 Lf6 The complications are over and the material
Forced, as after 16...Qc7?! 17.Qxa1 Lf5 is even again. But White's advantage is
18.Nf6+ Rxf6 19.Qxf6 White has a clear obvious as he controls the important e-file
material and positional advantage. and the a5-knight is out of play.
17.Nxf6+ Rxf6 18.Qa1! Kf7 26...Nb7 27.Re6+ Kf7
Till now both players followed a more or The active 27...Kg5 does not solve Black's
less forced line and it looks like Black is in problems: 28.Re7 h5 29.Lh3 Kf6 30.Rh7
no danger... Kg6 31.Rd7 a6 32.f4 . The black knight is
19.Re1! a real headache!
White activates his last piece, creating 28.Lf3 Rg8+ 29.Kf1 Kf8 30.Lh5 Rg5
serious threats. In the meantime Black's 31.Re8+ Kg7 32.Re7+ Kh6 33.Rxb7
Rxh5 34.Rxa7 Rxh2 35.Rd7 White had to lose one of his bishops, making
Black 'solved' his 'knight problem' but now his position even worse. Nevertheless he
White wins material and the game. should have chosen to give up the
35...Kg5 36.Rxd6 Kf4 37.Ke2 b5 darksquared one with 16.Lxd4 cxd4 17.c3
38.cxb5 Ke5 39.Rd7 Rh4 40.a3 Rh3 Ld7 μ.
41.f3 Kd4 42.b6 Rh2+ 43.Ke1 Rh1+ 16...Nef3 17.Lxf3 Nxf3 18.Qe2 Nd4
44.Kf2 Rh2+ 45.Ke1 Rh1+ 46.Kf2 19.Qd2 f5!
Rh2+ 47.Kg3 Rb2 48.b7 Rxb3 49.a4 c4 A sound and logical follow-up, intending to
50.a5 c3 51.a6 Rb6 52.Rc7 prepare an attack against the weak white
1-0 king.
20.f4 e5!
Although it is not customary, we can come
Blowing up the centre, which suits the
across many games where more than one
bishop pair of course!
badly placed piece has appeared. And as it is
21.Nf2 Le6 22.c4
logical, the outcome is evident; how is it
Forced. 22.c3?! Lxa2! 23.cxd4 cxd4 wins
possible to stay alive with so many horrible
material.
disadvantages at the same time? Usually you
22...Qc6?!
cannot, so try to avoid them!
The accurate 22...exf4 23.gxf4 fxe4 24.dxe4
□ Yilmaz Turhan Qc6 25.Qd3 Rae8 would soon have been
■ Erdogdu Mert curtains.
B26 Bursa 2009 23.Lxd4 cxd4 24.fxe5?!
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.g3 Nc6 4.Lg2 g6 5.d3 24.Nc2 exf4 25.gxf4 would have prolonged
Lg7 6.Le3 e6 7.Qd2 Qa5 8.Nge2 Nd4 the fight, although Black's obvious
9.Nc1 Ne7 10.0–0 Nec6 11.Nb3 Qb6 advantages (space, bishop pair, better placed
12.Rab1 0–0 13.Rfc1 a5 14.Na1 a4 pieces) leave no question of the final result.
15.Nd1 (D) 24...Lxe5 25.Nc2 (D)
8r+l+-trk+( 8r+-+-trk+(
7+p+-+pvlp' 7+p+-+-+p'
6-wqnzpp+p+& 6-+qzpl+p+&
5+-zp-+-+-% 5+-+-vlp+-%
4p+-snP+-+$ 4p+PzpP+-+$
3+-+PvL-zP-# 3+-+P+-zP-#
2PzPPwQ-zPLzP" 2PzPNwQ-sN-zP"
1sNRtRN+-mK-! 1+RtR-+-+K!
A position to be avoided! White's pieces 25...f4!
seem to be so badly placed on their first rank The right follow-up, which is much stronger
and more or less totally un-coordinated! than the alternative 25...fxe4? 26.Nxe4 Lf5
15...Ne5! 27.Re1 ³.
As White's pieces are lying on the 26.g4 f3
queenside, Black starts operations on the The rest is easy as Black's army is ready to
opposite side. come closer to White's weakened kingside.
16.Kh1?! 27.Rg1 b5 28.Nb4 Qb7 29.Nd5 Lxd5
30.exd5 Lf4 31.Qb4 Qe7 32.Rbf1 Qh4 30.Rxa4 Nc5 31.Rxa3 Nxb7 32.Qb4 .
33.h3 Rae8 34.cxb5 Re2 28...Nd3!
And White resigned as he cannot avoid Black finds the proper solution to his
mate: 35.Qxd4 Qxh3+ 36.Nxh3 Rh2 #. problems, using some 'basic' tactics.
0-1 29.Ra5 Nc5?!
But even the very top players can fall into This is a really 'hard' position with many
such unpleasant situations. Of course, it was tactics in the air, so it is quite 'natural' that
never their intention to achieve such Black missed his best chance: 29...Lc5!
problems but somehow this happens from 30.Qxd3 Qxf2+ 31.Kh2 Lc2!
time to time! See the next game: (31...Qg1+?! 32.Kh3 Ld1 33.Rb1 )
□ Karpov Anatoly 32.Qf1 Qe3 33.Rxc5 (what else? Black's
■ Kasparov Garry bishop pair is rather strong as compensation)
D72 Valencia 2009 33...Qxc5 34.Qf4 ².
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Lg7 4.Lg2 d5 30.Rba7 Qd4!
5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 Nb6 7.Ne2 c5 8.d5 e6 Best again, as 30...Re8? 31.Ra8! (31.Qf3?
Qxf3 32.Lxf3 Lb4 33.Rxa4 Nxa4
9.0–0 0–0 10.Nec3 Na6 11.a4 exd5
12.exd5 Nb4 13.Le3 Ld4 14.a5 Lxe3 34.Rxa4 Ld6 and although Black will
15.axb6 Ld4 16.bxa7 Lf5 17.Na3 Rxa7 suffer, he will have ample to draw)
18.Ncb5 Rxa3 19.Rxa3 Lxb2 20.Re3 31...Rxa8 32.Rxa8+ Kg7 33.Qe3 Lb4
Qb6 21.Qe2 Lg7 22.Rd1 Ld7 23.Na3 34.h5! gxh5 35.Rb8  is what White was
Ld4 24.Re7 La4 25. Rc1 Qf6 26.Rxb7 looking for.
Lb2 27.Rxc5 Lxa3 (D) 31.Qe3?!
In his turn, White missed the rather 'simple'
XABCDEFGHY 31.Ra8! Lb4 32.Rxa4 Nxa4 33.Rxa4
8-+-+-trk+( Rb8 34.Lf3 . Here the difference
compared to the previous analysis is
7+R+-+p+p' obvious: the queens being on the board helps
6-+-+-wqp+& the stronger side.
31...Qxe3 32.fxe3 Lc1 33.Kf2 Nd3+?
5+-tRP+-+-% But Black overdid it! He should have opted
for 33...Re8! 34.e4 Rc8 35.Rxa4 Nxa4
4lsn-+-+-+$ 36.Rxa4 Rc2+ 37.Kg1 Lb2 38.Kh2 Le5
3vl-+-+-zP-# 39.Ra3 h5 with a drawish ending.
34.Ke2 Lc2 35.d6!
2-+-+QzPLzP" Now White stands clearly better, as his d-
1+-+-+-mK-! pawn is rather strong and Black's minor
pieces are too far away to stop it efficiently.
xabcdefghy 35...Re8?
Black seems to have a good material But this makes White's life too easy. Black
balance, as his two pieces against rook and should put up a fight with 35...Nb2!
pawn cannot be considered weaker. But his 36.Rc7! (36.Ra8 Ld1+ 37.Ke1 Lg4
minor pieces are not well placed on the 38.Lc6 Lxe3 39.d7 Lxd7 40.Lxd7 Nc4
queenside, while White's rooks are active. = and 36.Ld5 Ld1+ 37.Ke1 Lg4 is drawn
28.h4?! but not with 38.Rxf7? Rxf7 39.Ra7? Nd3
Not so bad but, of course, the logical #!) 36...Ld3+ 37.Kf3 Nc4 38.Rd5 Rd8!
28.Ra5! would do the job: 28...Re8 39.d7 Kf8 40.Rxd3 Ne5+ 41.Ke2 Nxd3
Q Q
(28... a1+?! 29. f1! Q L
xf1+ 30. xf1 42.Kxd3 .
Le8 31.Rxa3 Nxd5 32.Ra6 ) 29.Qd2! 36.Ra8!
Na6 (29...Qa1+ 30.Lf1 Re1 31.Ra8+ Kg7 The d-pawn is now unstoppable!
32.Qf4 Rxf1+ 33.Kg2 Rg1+ 34.Kh3 ) 1-0
Particular examples, where you can meet 16.Qxg7 Le5 17.Qg4 Qb5 18.0–0–0 Ne7
the bad piece at an early stage are easy to 19.d6 Ng6 μ.
find. But what about when two pieces are 16...Ne7 17.Qxg7 Le5 18.Qg4 d6!
placed on the edge also at a pretty early That’s the difference!
stage? 19.Qc4 0–0?!
The following game makes a deep 19...Qb5! 20.Qxb5+ axb5 21.Nb6 Lf5 
impression and it is quite instructive: if you was accurate.
know what you must avoid you have already 20.f4 Lf6
made a further improving step towards Good was 20...Qb5 21.Qxb5 Lxf4+ 22.Kb1
climbing up the chess hierarchy… axb5 23.Nb6 Lf5 24.Rd4 Ng6 25.Rxb4 μ.
Well, the white player had already 21.b3 a5
‘climbed’ high enough but he forgot to look And Black brought the bacon home without
around and most importantly, on the edge! facing too many problems:
□ Kharlov Andrei 22.Rhe1 Lf5 23.Re2 Ng6 24.Rg1 Kh8
■ Vaulin Alexander 25.Rd2 Re8 26.f3 Qa7 27.Rgd1 Qe3
B30 St Petersburg 1998 28.Qa6 Nxf4
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nd4 4.Lc4 0-1
Nxf3+ 5.gxf3 a6 6.d4 b5 7.Ld5 Ra7 The concept of the sidelined (bad) piece
8.Lf4 (D) can be met in all stages of the game. The
XABCDEFGHY endgame is no exception; none of the
common three stages can be independent, as
8-+lwqkvlntr( all together form a ‘natural’ chess game.
7tr-+pzppzpp' □ Lputian Smbat
■ Tukmakov Vladimir
6p+-+-+-+& D97 Moscow 1983
5+pzpL+-+-% 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Lg7
5.Qb3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 0–0 7.e4 Na6 8.Qb3
4-+-zPPvL-+$ c5 9.d5 e6 10.dxe6 Lxe6 11.Lc4 Lxc4
12.Qxc4 Qa5 13.0–0 b5 14.Nxb5 Nxe4
3+-sN-+P+-# 15.Re1 Rae8 16.a3 Nd6 17.Nxd6 Rxe1+
2PzPP+-zP-zP" 18.Nxe1 Qxe1+ 19.Qf1 Qxf1+ 20.Kxf1
Rd8 21.Lf4 c4 22.Re1 Lxb2 23.Nxc4
1tR-+QmK-+R! Lc3 24.Rc1 Ld4 25.Ne5 Lc5 26.Nc6
xabcdefghy Re8 (D)
8...e6! 9.Lb8 Rc7 XABCDEFGHY
Black could use the same idea more 8-+-+r+k+(
precisely - 9...Qb6 10.Lxa7 Qxa7 11.Lb3
(11.dxc5 exd5 12.b4 d6 μ) 11...c4 μ. 7zp-+-+p+p'
10.La8
Here we are - after just ten moves, White's
6n+N+-+p+&
bishops are on a8 and b8! 5+-vl-+-+-%
10...cxd4 11.Lxc7 Qxc7 12.Qxd4 Qb8
But they are both lost in a few moves. Pieces 4-+-+-vL-+$
on the edge usually have no bright future...
13.Ld5 b4! 14.Na4 exd5 15.exd5
3zP-+-+-+-#
White's material loss is minimal but Black's 2-+-+-zPPzP"
minor pieces should tell in the end.
15...Ld6! 16.0–0–0?!
1+-tR-+K+-!
Good or bad, White should have opted for xabcdefghy
Black's a6-knight is clearly out of play, on ) 43.Rf5 (43.Nf4 Rb5 44.Rxb5 axb5
the edge of the board. 45.Ke2 Na6! 46.Nd5! [46.Kd2? b4! =]
27.Rc3! 46...Kg6 47.Kd3 Kf5 48.Kd4 Kg6
And it should remain like that! 27.a4?! Re6 49.Nb4 ) 43...f6 44.Nf4 .
(27...Nb4? 28.Rxc5 Nd3 29.Re5 ) 42.Rxa6
28.Nb8 Le7 would be out of question. 42.Rxh5 is equally satisfactory: 42...Ne5
27...Re6 28.Ne5 g5 43.Nd5 .
Black could also think about 28...Ld6 42...Re8
29.Lh6 Nc7 30.Nc6 ². The alternative 42...Re4 does not help
29.Lg3 Kg7 30.Nf3 h6 (D) either: 43.Nd3! (43.Nd5 Nc5 44.Rc6 Ne6
XABCDEFGHY 45.Nc3 ) 43...Ne5 44.Nf4 Nf3 45.Nxh5+
Kf8 46.Ra8+ Ke7 47.Re8+! .
8-+-+-+-+( 43.Nd5 Nc5 44.Rc6 Ne6 45.Rc4 Rb8
7zp-+-+pmk-' 46.a4 Rb2 47.Nf4 Rb1+
After 47...Nxf4 48.Rxf4 the rook ending is
6n+-+r+-zp& hopeless, since the white king simply walks
5+-vl-+-zp-% to his passed pawn and Black lacks any
counterplay.
4-+-+-+-+$ 48.Ke2 Kf6 49.Nxh5+ Ke5 50.Rxg4
And Black soon resigned.
3zP-tR-+NvL-# 50...Nd4+ 51.Kd3 Rd1+ 52.Kc3 f5
2-+-+-zPPzP" 53.Rg8 Rc1+ 54.Kd2 Nb3+ 55.Ke3
Rc3+ 56.Ke2 Rc2+ 57.Kf1 Nd2+
1+-+-+K+-! 58.Kg1 Ne4 59.Re8+ Kd6 60.Nf4 Nxf2
xabcdefghy 61.Re2 Nh3+ 62.Kf1 Rc1+ 63.Re1
1-0
31.h4!
Such moves are always unpleasant to meet. Attacking the King
31...g4?! Edged and badly placed pieces can offer to
This advance further weakens Black's camp. their opponent many opportunities to take
Preferable was 31...f6 when White can retain advantage of their poorness. One of the most
some advantage after 32.h5 Kf7 33.Rd3 frequent is the attack on the king concept.
planning Nd4 or Nd2, though Black can of As the main problem of a sidelined piece
course defend himself for a long time. is its problematic and time-consuming
32.Ne1! transfer to useful squares in order to fulfil its
It turns out that the knight is heading for the ‘duties’ (improvement), it is quite common
f4-square. for its opponent to look for opportunities
32...Ld6 33.Lxd6 Rxd6 34.Rc4 h5 such as an attack on the king.
35.Ke2 Nb8 In both of the next examples the great
The black knight is struggling to get back Garry Kasparov ‘kills’ his main rival
into the game. In the meantime new Anatoly Karpov, by using this concept:
accessible targets have appeared in Black's
camp (h5 and a7). □ Kasparov Garry
36.Rc5! Kh6 37.Nd3 Nd7 38.Ra5 a6 ■ Karpov Anatoly
39.g3 Rb6 40.Nb4! D31 Valencia 2009
By covering the b-file, White prevents the 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Le7 4.cxd5 exd5
activation of the enemy rook. 5.Lf4 c6 6.Qc2 Ld6 7.Lxd6 Qxd6 8.e3
40...Re6+ 41.Kf1 Kg7 Ne7 9.Ld3 Nd7 10.Nge2 h6 11.0–0 0–0
Black cannot avoid material losses anymore: 12.a3 a5 13.Rad1 b6 14.e4 dxe4 15.Nxe4
41...Nb8 42.Nd3 Rb6 (42...f6 43.Rxh5+! Qb8 16.N2c3 La6 17.Lxa6 Rxa6 (D)
XABCDEFGHY 22.Nf6+!
Brilliant! Kasparov has not lost any of his
8-wq-+-trk+( tactical vision! Black would be happy to see
22.Nxc5? bxc5 23.Rxc5 Rd8 as then he
7+-+nsnpzp-' would have good practical chances for a
6rzpp+-+-zp& draw.
22...gxf6
5zp-+-+-+-% 22...Kh8?! 23.Rh5  mates soon.
4-+-zPN+-+$ 23.Qxh6 f5 24.Qg5+!
24.Rxf5? allows Black to consolidate with
3zP-sN-+-+-# 24...f6!.
2-zPQ+-zPPzP" 24...Kh8 25.Qf6+ Kg8 26.Rxf5
Black's king is too exposed, so the end is
1+-+R+RmK-! near.
26...Ne4 27.Qh4!
xabcdefghy Precise! Black is lost.
Black's pieces seem too uncoordinated and 27...Re8
especially his a6-rook is out of play. So, it is 27...f6 averts mate but of course, after
time to open up the position. 28.Qxe4, White is simply two pawns to the
18.d5! Nxd5 19.Nxd5 cxd5 20.Rxd5 Ra7 good.
In view of the game continuation, Black 28.Rh5 f5
should have seriously considered 20...Nc5!? And Black lost on time in making this move
21.Nxc5 bxc5 22.Rxc5 Re8 23.g3 . but the result is in no doubt after 29.Rh8+
21.Qd2! Kf7 30.Qh7+ Kf6 31.Qh6+ Ke5 32.Rd1.
21.Rfd1 looked more natural, but perhaps 1-0
Kasparov already prepared his next move.
21...Nc5? (D) □ Karpov Anatoly
21...Ne5? looked like a natural move too ■ Kasparov Garry
but after 22.f4 Nc4 23.Qd4 b5 24.b3! E86 Linares 1993
Nxa3 25.Nf6+! gxf6 (25...Kh8 26.Nd7 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Lg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3
) 26.Qxf6 Rc7 27.Rd3 White wins. 0–0 6.Le3 e5 7.Nge2 Nbd7 8.Qd2 c6
Black should seek salvation in 21...Re8 9.Rd1 a6 10.dxe5 Nxe5 11.b3 b5 12.cxb5
22.Nd6 Re5 23.Nxf7 Kxf7 24.Rxd7+ axb5 13.Qxd6 Nfd7 14.f4 b4 (D)
Rxd7 25.Qxd7+ Kg8 26.g3 .
XABCDEFGHY
XABCDEFGHY 8r+lwq-trk+(
8-wq-+-trk+( 7+-+n+pvlp'
7tr-+-+pzp-' 6-+pwQ-+p+&
6-zp-+-+-zp& 5+-+-sn-+-%
5zp-snR+-+-% 4-zp-+PzP-+$
4-+-+N+-+$ 3+PsN-vL-+-#
3zP-+-+-+-# 2P+-+N+PzP"
2-zP-wQ-zPPzP" 1+-+RmKL+R!
1+-+-+RmK-! xabcdefghy
xabcdefghy Black has sacrificed a pawn in order to gain
the initiative, as White still has to complete Nxe4+ 24.Kc1 Qe5 μ] 23.Qxe4 [23.Kc1
his development. Lxd1 ] 23...Rd8+ 24.Ld3 Lxd1
15.Nb1? 25.Kxd1 Rxd3+ 26.Kc2 Rxb3 27.Qe8+
But this cannot be right. Of course Lf8 28.Rxh7 Qd3+ 29.Kc1 Rxb1 #)
15.Qxb4? c5! 16.Lxc5 Nxc5! 17.Rxd8 21...Lxg4+ (21...Qxg4+ 22.Ke1 Nxe4
(17.Qxc5 Nd3+ 18.Rxd3 Qxd3 ) 23.Qd3 Re8 μ) 22.Ke1 Qf3 23.Rh2
17...Ned3+ 18.Kd2 Nxb4  or 15.Na4? Nxe4 .
Rxa4! 16.bxa4 (16.fxe5 Rxa2 17.h4 Lxe5 There were many more of these variations
μ) 16...Nc4 17.Qd3 Nb2 18.Qc2 Nxd1 but it's obvious that White is nearly lost.
19.Qxd1 Qa5 μ was not advisable either 16...Lxd4 17.Qxd4
but White was obliged to try 15.fxe5! bxc3 17.Nxd4 is clearly not sufficient to save
16.Nxc3 (16.e6? fxe6 17.Qxe6+ Kh8 ) White: 17...Rxa2 18.Rd2 (18.Nxc6 Qh4+
16...Lxe5 17.Qxc6 (17.Qd2?! Lxc3 19.g3 Nxh2!! 20.Qd3 Qf6 21.Nxb4 Ne5!
18.Qxc3 Qh4+ μ) 17...Lxc3+! 18.Qxc3 ) 18...Ra1 19.Ld3 Qb6 20.0–0 Rd8
Qh4+ 19.Kd2! (19.g3?! Qxe4 20.Rg1 21.Lc4 Nde5 22.fxe5 Rxd6 23.exd6 Ne3
Rxa2 μ or 19.Lf2?! Qxe4+ 20.Qe3 Re8 .
21.Qxe4 Rxe4+ 22.Le2 La6! 23.Rd2 17...Rxa2 18.h3
Rae8 24.0–0 Lxe2 25.Rxd7 Lxf1 18.Qxb4 Ne3 19.Rd2 Nc2+ .
26.Kxf1 Re2 μ) 19...Rxa2+ (19...Nf6 18...c5 19.Qg1
20.Kc1 Nxe4 21.Qe5 Lf5 22.g3! 19.Qd3 was another, insufficient
[22.Ld4? f6 23.Lc4+ Kh8 24.Qe7 Qg5+! alternative, but maybe worth a try: 19...La6
] 22...Qg4 23.Ld4 [23.Lc4?! Rfe8 20.Qf3! (20.Qxd7? Qh4+ 21.g3 Rxe2+
24.Qf4 Rxa2 25.Qxg4 Lxg4 μ] 23...f6 22.Lxe2 Qxg3+ 23.Kd2 Qe3+ 24.Kc2
24.Lc4+ Kh8 25.Qf4 Qxf4+ 26.gxf4 Qxe2+ ) 20...Nde5! 21.fxe5 Nxe5
Rxa2 μ) 20.Kc1 Nf6! (20...Qxe4? 22.Qe3! (22.Rxd8?! Nxf3+ 23.gxf3 Rxd8
21.Lh6 Ne5 22.Ld3! [22.Lxf8? Lf5 24.Nc1 Rc2 ) 22...Nd3+ 23.Rxd3
23.Ld3 Qe3+ {23...Qxd3? 24.Rxd3 Qxd3 (23...Lxd3!? 24.Nd2 [24.Nc1?!
Nxd3+ 25.Kb1 Nb4+ =} 24.Kb1 Rxg2 Lxf1 25.Nxa2 Lxg2 26.Rh2 Lxe4 ]
25.Lh6 Lxd3+ 26.Rxd3 Qxd3+ 27.Qxd3 24...f5! 25.Nc1 Ra1 26.Kd1 fxe4 μ)
Nxd3 28.Rd1 Rxh2! ] 22...Qa8 24.Qxd3 Lxd3 25.Nc1! (25.Nd2?! Rd8
23.Kb1 Re8 ÷) 21.Kb1 Ra8! ³. 26.Nc1 Rxd2! ) 25...Lxb1 26.Nxa2
15...Ng4 16.Ld4 Lxa2 27.Lc4 Lb1 28.e5 Lf5 29.Kd2
16.Lg1 is the main alternative but Black's Re8 30.Re1 h5 μ.
advantage in development is too great: 19...Ngf6 20.e5 Ne4 21.h4?!
16...Rxa2 17.h3 (17.Nd2 Re8 18.e5 Re6 White's last saving try was based on 21.Qe3
19.Qd4 Qe7 20.Nf3 f6 μ) 17...Qh4+ Lb7 22.Nd2 (22.Nc1? Qh4+ or 22.h4 c4
18.g3 Rxe2+ 19.Kxe2 (19.Lxe2 Qxg3+ 23.bxc4 Qe7 μ) 22...Nxd2 23.Rxd2 Rxd2
20.Kf1 La6! 21.Lxa6 Qf3+ 22.Ke1 24.Qxd2 Nb6! (24...Qh4+ 25.g3 Qe7
Qxh1 ) 19...Qxg3 and now: 26.Rg1 Rd8 μ) 25.Qxd8 Rxd8 26.Nc1
a) 20.Rd3 Qh4! 21.Lg2 (21.Nd2 La6 Nd5 27.Nd3 Ne3 μ.
22.Qxd7 Rd8 23.Qxg4 Lxd3+ 24.Kf3 21...c4! 22.Nc1 (D)
Qe1 μ) 21...Nge5 22.fxe5 Nxe5 23.Nd2 Looking to the diagram, one should be really
(23.Rd2 Qg3! ) 23...La6 24.Nc4 Lxc4 impressed by the immobility of the white
25.bxc4 Nxd3 26.Qxd3 Ra8 μ. pieces sitting on their first rank. Well, it is
b) 20.Qd3 Qxf4 21.hxg4 Ne5 22.Qe3 not an uncommon 'reality' between the
Lxg4+ 23.Ke1 Nf3+ 24.Kf2 Qxe3+ lowest ranked chess players but here we
25.Kxe3 Nxg1 . have a World Champion handling the white
c) 20.hxg4 Nf6 21.Lf2 (21.Qd3 Lxg4+ pieces! White is plain lost anyway: 22.bxc4
Qa5 23.Qe3 Ndc5 24.h5 b3+ 25.Nbc3
22.Kd2 Nxe4+ [22...Qxf4+ 23.Le3
Lg4  or 22.Qe3 c3 23.Qxe4 c2! 24.Rd2 Rxe5+ 29.Kf2 Qxd2+ 30.Kg3 Re3+
(24.Rc1 Nc5 ) 24...Nc5! (24...cxb1Q+ 31.Kh2 (31.Kxg4 Qd4+ 32.Kg5 Rg3+
25.Qxb1 Rxd2 26.Kxd2 Nxe5+ ) 33.Kh6 Qf4 #) 31...Rh3 #.
25.Rxd8 Nxe4 26.Rd1 cxd1Q+ 27.Kxd1 24...cxd1Q+ 25.Kxd1
Rd8+ and mate follows! Kasparov left a pawn on d1 and Karpov
played 25.Qxe4!! here. After a brief show
XABCDEFGHY for the spectators (in English!) the game
8-+lwq-trk+( resumed with more 'natural' moves! By the
way, 25.Qxd1 was also not of any help:
7+-+n+p+p' 25...Ng3 26.Rh3 Nxf1 27.Kxf1 (27.Qd4
6-+-+-+p+& Nxe5! ) 27...Nc5 28.Qxd8 Rxd8
29.Re3 Rd1+ 30.Re1 La6+ 31.Kf2
5+-+-zP-+-% Nd3+ .
4-zpp+nzP-zP$ 25...Ndc5!
25...Nxe5 also wins but this finishes the job.
3+P+-+-+-# 26.Qxd8 Rxd8+ 27.Kc2
2r+-+-+P+" 27.Ke1 Lg4 28.Le2 Lxe2 29.Kxe2
Ng3+  or 27.Kc1 Nf2 28.Rg1 Rd1+
1+NsNRmKLwQR! 29.Kb2 Ncd3+ .
xabcdefghy 27...Nf2
White finally resigned! The prettiest
22...c3!? variation arises after 28.Rg1 Lf5+ 29.Kb2
Black had many ways to crown his efforts: (29.Kc1 Rd1+ 30.Kb2 Rxb1 #)
22...Rb2! 23.Qd4 Nf2 24.Qxb2 Nxh1  29...Nd1+ 30.Ka1 (30.Kc1 Nxb3 #)
or 22...Rf2 23.Lxc4 Qb6 24.Rh3 Nxe5 30...Nxb3 #.
 or, finally, 22...cxb3 23.Qd4 Nf2 0-1
24.Nxa2 Nxh1 25.Nxb4 Qxh4+ 26.Kd2
Lb7  but Kasparov wanted to play the The next game is quite spectacular and
most spectacular! won a beauty prize in the Manila Olympiad.
23.Nxa2 c2 24.Qd4 Well, White’s excellent attack did not come
Although it would not change the final from the ‘chaos’; it was born out of logical
result, White had to present Black with more facts: the passivity and sidelined (bad) piece
problems by 24.Rc1, as then only of his opponent!
24...Nxe5! is good: (24...cxb1Q? 25.Rxb1
Nxe5 26.Rd1 Lg4! 27.Rxd8 [27.Le2? □ Rogers Ian
Qa8 28.fxe5 Lxe2 ] 27...Rxd8 28.Le2 ■ Milos Gilberto
Nd3+ 29.Kd1! [29.Lxd3? Rxd3 30.Qd4 A41 Manila 1992
Rxd4 31.0–0 Le6 ] 29...Nxf4+ 30.Kc2 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d6 3.Nc3 Lg4 4.e4 e6
Rd2+ 31.Kb1 Nxe2 32.Qb6 Lf5 33.Ka1 5.h3 Lh5 6.Qe2 c6 7.g4 Lg6 8.Lg5 Le7
Nd4 ÷) 25.Rxc2 (25.fxe5? cxb1Q 9.Lxf6 Lxf6 10.h4 h6 11.0–0–0 Nd7
26.Rxb1 Qd2 # or 25.Qe3?! cxb1Q 12.Kb1 Qc7 13.Rg1 h5 14.g5 Le7 15.d5
26.Rxb1 Ng4 ) 25...Lg4 (25...Nd3+? e5 16.Lh3 0–0–0 17.Nd2 Kb8 18.Nc4
26.Lxd3 Qxd3 27.Nxb4 ÷) 26.Rd2 Nb6 19.Nxb6 Qxb6 20.Rd3 Ka8 21.a3
Rdf8 22.Lf5 Lh7 23.Rgd1 g6 (D)
(26.Le2 Nd3+ 27.Lxd3 Qxd3  or
26.Nd2 Nd3+ 27.Lxd3 Qxd3 28.Nxe4 Such self-immolation of the h7-bishop looks
Qxe4+ 29.Kd2 Qxf4+ 30.Qe3 Rd8+ ) awful, but Black is hoping to break out with
...f6. 23...c5 seemed to be the lesser evil but
26...Nxd2 27.Nxd2 (27.fxe5 Ne4 28.Le2
Lxe2 29.Kxe2 Ng3+ 30.Kf3 Nxh1 then White would have a free hand on the
kingside: 24.Lxh7 Rxh7 25.Rf1! f6
31.Qxh1 Qa8+ ) 27...Re8 28.fxe5
(25...f5 26.exf5 Rxf5 27.Rf3 ) 26.f4 .
XABCDEFGHY that 25...Rd8? does not solve Black's
problems, especially after the concrete
8k+-+-tr-tr( 26.Rxd6! Lxd6 27.Rxd6 .
7zpp+-vlp+l' 26.Lxc6+!
A fully justified piece sacrifice, which hands
6-wqpzp-+p+& the important d5-square to the white knight.
Black's pieces are badly placed on the
5+-+PzpLzPp% kingside, while at the same time White's
4-+-+P+-zP$ pieces are fully coordinated and ready for a
fierce attack on the queenside.
3zP-sNR+-+-# 26...Qxc6 27.Nd5 Ld8
2-zPP+QzP-+" 27...Qd7 loses more prosaically to 28.Rc3
Rc8 29.Qa6 .
1+K+R+-+-! 28.Rc3 Qb7
xabcdefghy Alternatives are losing: 28...Qd7 29.Qa6
 and 28...Qa4 29.Qd3! f6 30.Nb4 .
24.dxc6! bxc6 29.Rb3 Qc6
24...gxf5? allows a rapid mating attack with Or 29...Lb6 30.Nxb6+ (30.a4 followed by
25.Nd5 Qd8 (25...Qxc6 26.Nxe7 ) a5 is also decisive) 30...axb6 31.Rxd6 Rb8
26.Rb3 . 32.Qd3 Rhc8 33.Rb4 .
25.Ld7 30.Rdd3!
25.Lh3?! Rb8 (25...f6? 26.Ld7 Qc7 Another piece joins the attack!
27.gxf6 Rxf6 28.Lxc6+ Qxc6 29.Nd5 ) 30...La5 (D)
26.b3 Rhd8 and Black returns to the game.
25...Qc7?! (D)
XABCDEFGHY
XABCDEFGHY 8k+-+-tr-tr(
8k+-+-tr-tr( 7zp-+-+p+l'
7zp-wqLvlp+l' 6-+qzp-+p+&
6-+pzp-+p+& 5vl-+Nzp-zPp%
5+-+-zp-zPp% 4-+-+P+-zP$
4-+-+P+-zP$ 3zPR+R+-+-#
3zP-sNR+-+-# 2-zPP+QzP-+"
2-zPP+QzP-+" 1+K+-+-+-!
1+K+R+-+-! xabcdefghy
Black seems to have held off the immediate
xabcdefghy threats but White is ready to add a rook and
Black was hoping to force White to retreat a queen to his bishop sacrifice.
his d7-bishop to h3, when after ...f6 he 31.Rdc3! Lxc3 32.Qa6!!
would have an acceptable game in hindsight, The last blow! Black resigned due to
but 25...Rb8! 26.b3 (26.Lxc6+!? Qxc6 32...Rc8 (32...Qxa6 33.Nc7 #) 33.Nb6+
27.Nd5 Ld8 28.Qf3 ° is probably sound - Qxb6 (33...Kb8 34.Nxc8+ Kc7 35.Qxa7+
the h7-bishop 'helps' for this 'evaluation') Kd8 36.Ne7 Qc7 37.Rb7 ) 34.Rxb6
26...Qc7 was necessary, although after Rb8 35.Rxb8+ Rxb8 36.Qc6+ Rb7
27.Lh3 White keeps the edge because 37.Qxc3 .
27...f6 is not playable. It must also be noted 1-0
Playing on the Other Side 21...Rc8?!
Temporarily sidelined pieces can of course 'Badly' placed pieces should be exchanged in
cause headaches but we should keep in mind general, so Black should consider 21...Nc3!
that these pieces can improve! And also, 22.Lxc3! (22.Nb3 Qb4 23.Qc2 [23.Lxc3
there are certain cases where we cannot Qxc3 24.d5 e5! ÷] 23...Rc8! ÷
‘touch’ them or attack the opponent’s king. [23...Nxa2? 24.Re3 ]) 22...Qxc3
Then usually the solution is logical and 23.Nb1 Qb2 24.Nxa3 Qxa3 25.d5 Rd8
effective: play on the other side. This (25...Qxa2 26.Qd4! Lc8 27.Ra1 ²)
concept is based on the significant fact that 26.Qd2 ² or 21...Lb2 22.Nb3 Qb4
the sidelined piece needs time to ‘return’ to
23.Lxb2 Nxb2 24.Qb1 ².
the game and perform the needed duties.
22.Nb3 Qb4 23.d5!
Here is how a young Garry Kasparov tried
Time for White to get some real activity!
to apply the above concept in one of his
23...exd5
games with Anatoly Karpov (although he
Now it is too late for the immediate
failed in the end):
23...Nc3 as after 24.Lxc3 Qxc3 25.e5!
□ Kasparov Garry (25.dxe6 fxe6 26.Lh3 ²) 25...b4 (25...exd5
■ Karpov Anatoly 26.e6 fxe6 27.Rxe6 Lb7 28.Lxd5 Lxd5
E15 Moscow 1984 29.Qxd5 ) 26.d6 White holds a pleasant
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 La6 5.b3 edge. Also 23...Nb2 is not helpful:
Lb4+ 6.Ld2 Le7 7.Lg2 0–0 8.0–0 d5 24.Lxb2 Lxb2 25.e5! .
9.Ne5 c6 10.Lc3 Nfd7 11.Nxd7 Nxd7 24.exd5 Nc3 25.Qd4?!
12.Nd2 Rc8 13.e4 b5 14.Re1 dxc4 White's advantage decreases considerably
15.bxc4 Nb6 16.cxb5 cxb5 17.Rc1 La3 after the exchange of queens. He should
18.Rc2 Na4 19.La1 Rxc2 20.Qxc2 Qa5 have tried 25.Qh5! Nxa2 26.Qe5!
(D) (26.Re3?! Nc3 27.Qe5 Qxb3 28.Lxc3
XABCDEFGHY Lf8 =) 26...Qf8 27.Le4!, when he would
have achieved a fierce attack towards the
8-+-+-trk+( black king, as there are no defending pieces
7zp-+-+pzpp' around to protect him.
25...Qxd4 26.Nxd4 Nxa2? (D)
6l+-+p+-+& Black returns the favour. 26...Lf8! was
5wqp+-+-+-% good: 27.Nc6 Nxa2 28.Lb2 b4 29.Ne7+
Lxe7 30.Rxe7 Nc3 31.Rxa7 ². This is a
4n+-zPP+-+$ variation which we will often meet.
3vl-+-+-zP-# XABCDEFGHY
2P+QsN-zPLzP" 8-+r+-+k+(
1vL-+-tR-mK-! 7zp-+-+pzpp'
xabcdefghy 6l+-+-+-+&
Black's forces are hanging on the a-file and 5+p+P+-+-%
at first sight do not look that badly placed, as
they have created some initiative on the 4-+-sN-+-+$
queenside. 3vl-+-+-zP-#
21.Qd1!
But of course the centre and Black's kingside 2n+-+-zPLzP"
has been left without sufficient protection,
so it is quite natural that White should focus
1vL-+-tR-mK-!
his pieces on that part of the board. xabcdefghy
27.Nc6? 28...Ra8! (D)
White missed his second chance: 27.Nf5! XABCDEFGHY
Lb4 (alternatives as 27...g6 28.d6 gxf5
29.d7  or 27...Lf8 28.d6 Rd8 29.Ne7+ 8r+-+-+k+(
Kh8 30.Le5 Nb4 31.Re4  or, finally,
27...Rc1 28.Rxc1 Lxc1 29.d6 Lg5 30.h4
7zp-+-+pzpp'
Lc8 [30...Ld8 31.Ne7+ Kf8 32.Nc6 Ke8 6l+N+-+-+&
33.Lh3! ] 31.hxg5 Lxf5 32.Lc6 Kf8 5+pvlP+-+-%
33.Ld4 Nb4 34.Lxb5  are not of a help)
28.Re2! Nc1 (28...Nc3 29.Lxc3 Lxc3 4-+-+-+-+$
30.Ra2 ) 29.Re4 Lf8 (29...Nd3
30.Lf1! [30.d6? Lxd6 31.Nxd6 Rc1+
3+-+-+-zPL#
32.Lf1 h6 33.Ld4 b4 °] 30...Lf8 31.d6 2n+-+-zP-zP"
Nc5 32.Ne7+ Lxe7 33.Rxe7 ) 30.d6 f6
(30...b4 31.Nh6+! gxh6 32.Rg4+ Lg7
1vL-+-tR-mK-!
33.Rxg7+ Kf8 34.Ld5 Ne2+ 35.Kg2 xabcdefghy
Nc3 36.Rxf7+ Kg8 37.Lxc3 bxc3
29.Ld4 Lxd4 30.Nxd4 Kf8 31.d6 Nc3
38.Rxa7+ Kf8 39.Rxa6 c2 40.d7 c1Q Now Black tries to be creative; 31...Rd8 32.
41.dxc8Q+ Qxc8 42.Ra8 ) 31.d7 Rd8 d7 Lb7 33.Nxb5 Lc6 = looked too easy.
32.Lh3! . 32.Nc6?
27...Lc5! And White helps! 32.Lg2 Rd8 33.Lc6
An accurate move. White could still hold Lc8 34.Nxb5 Nxb5 35.Lxb5 Ld7 = was
some advantage after either 27...Ld6?! good.
28.Le5 Re8 29.Ra1 Lxe5 30.Rxa2 Lb7 32...Lb7!
(30...Lc8 31.Re2 Ld7! [31...f6 32.f4 Lg4 32...b4 33.d7 b3 34.d8Q+ Rxd8 35.Nxd8
33.Re4 ] 32.Nxe5 f6 33.f4 fxe5 34.fxe5 Ld3 36.Nxf7 b2 37.Ne5 b1Q 38.Rxb1
) 31.Rxa7 (31.Nxe5? Rxe5 32.Rxa7 Lxb1 ³.
Re1+! 33.Lf1 Lxd5 34.Rd7 Lc6 33.Lg2 Re8 34.Ne5 f6! 35.d7
35.Rd8+ Re8 36.Rd6 Lf3 37.Rd3 La8 35.Nd7+ Kf7 36.Ra1 Lxg2 37.Kxg2
38.Rb3 =) 31...Lxc6 32.dxc6 Rc8 33.Rb7 Ke6 μ or 35.Lxb7? Rxe5 (35...fxe5?!
 (33.Lh3?! f5!) or 27...Lf8 28.Lb2 b4 36.Re3! b4 37.Rf3+ Kg8 38.La6 ³)
29.Ne7+ Lxe7 30.Rxe7 Nc3 31.Rxa7 ². 36.Ra1 b4 37.Rxa7 b3 .
28.Lh3?! 35...Rd8 36.Lxb7 fxe5 37.Lc6 (D)
28.Ld4 is also not much: 28...Lxd4
29.Nxd4 (29.Ne7+? Kf8 30.Nxc8 Lxc8
XABCDEFGHY
31.d6 Lf6! 32.Lc6 Le6 ) 29...Rc1!? 8-+-tr-mk-+(
30.Rxc1 Nxc1 31.d6 Kf8 32.d7 (32.Nc6
Lc8! = or 32.Lh3 Lb7! = or, finally, 7zp-+P+-zpp'
32.Lc6 g6! =) 32...Ke7 33.Nc6+ Kxd7 6-+L+-+-+&
34.Nb8+ Kc7 35.Nxa6+ Kb6 36.Nb4 a5
÷ or 28.Le5 Re8! (28...Nb4?! 29.d6 5+p+-zp-+-%
Nxc6 30.d7 Nxe5 31.dxc8Q+ Lxc8 4-+-+-+-+$
32.Rxe5 Lf8 33.Rxb5  or 28...Lb7?!
29.d6 Lxc6 30.Lxc6 Rxc6 31.d7 Le7 3+-sn-+-zP-#
32.Lf6 gxf6 33.Rxe7 Rd6 34.Re8+ Kg7 2-+-+-zP-zP"
35.d8Q Rxd8 36.Rxd8 a5 37.Kf1 )
29.Ra1 Nb4 30.Nxb4 Lxb4 = but White 1+-+-tR-mK-!
should have chosen 28.Lb2 b4 29.Ne7+ xabcdefghy
Lxe7 30.Rxe7 Nc3 31.Rxa7 ².
37...Ke7?! XABCDEFGHY
A slight error in time trouble. Black should
have opted for 37...e4 38.Ra1 Ke7! 8rwq-+r+k+(
(38...Ne2+ 39.Kf1 Nd4 μ) 39.Rxa7 Kd6
40.Ra6 Kc7 μ.
7+p+-vlpzpp'
38.Lxb5! Nxb5 6pvL-+-+-+&
38...Kd6 39.Ld3 Rxd7! (39...g6?! 40.Rc1
Nd5 41.Lb5 =) 40.Lxh7 a5 ³ was also 5zP-+l+-+-%
good. 4-+-+-tR-+$
39.Rxe5+ Kxd7 40.Rxb5 Kc6
Black preserved some advantage and finally 3+-+-+-+-#
won the game. The rest of the game has little 2-zPP+LwQPzP"
to do with our subject.
41.Rh5 h6 42.Re5 Ra8 43.Ra5 Kb6 1tR-+-+-+K!
44.Ra2 a5 45.Kf1 a4 46.Ke2 Kc5 xabcdefghy
47.Kd2 a3 48.Kc1 Kd4 49.f4 Ke4
50.Kb1 Rb8+ 51.Ka1 Rb2 52.Rxa3 21.Lh5!
Rxh2 53.Kb1 Rd2 54.Ra6 Kf5 55.Ra7 The problem with the off-side minor pieces -
Black's rook wants to be on both e8 and f8!
g5 56.Ra6 g4 57.Rxh6 Rg2 58.Rh5+
Ke4 59.f5 Rf2 60.Kc1 Kf3 61.Kd1 21.Rd1 Le6 22.Re4 was also possible,
Kxg3 62.Ke1 Kg2 63.Rg5 g3 64.Rh5 although it does not seem to give White
Rf4 65.Ke2 Re4+ 66.Kd3 Kf3 67.Rh1 much.
21...g6
g2 68.Rh3+ Kg4 69.Rh8 Rf4 70.Ke2
Rxf5 21...Lf6? 22.Rxf6! gxf6 23.Ld4  looks
dangerous for Black and 21...Rf8 22.Rf1
0-1
g6 (22...Qe8?! 23.Re1! looks extremely
In open positions, such as the open dangerous) transposes.
‘Sicilian Defence’ types, the problem of the 22.Rf1 Rf8
sidelined piece can be most dangerous for its Black faces serious problems after
owner. And again this is logical, as it is in 22...Qe5? 23.Ld4! Qe6 (23...Qxh5?!
these structural types that the need for quick 24.Rxf7 Lf8 [24...Qh6 25.Rg7+ Qxg7
transfer is of ultimate importance. 26.Lxg7 Kxg7 27.Qd4+ ] 25.Qf6
The good chess player is obliged to ‘smell Lxg2+ 26.Kg1 ) 24.Lf3! f5 (24...Lxf3
the rabbit’ and go for its throat as quickly 25.Rxf3 Rf8 26.Re1 Qd6 27.Rb3 )
and effectively as possible. Time counts! 25.Re1 Qf7 26.Rxf5! Qxf5 27.Re5
Qxe5 28.Lxe5  and 22...gxh5? 23.Qg3+
□ Arakhamia Ketevan
■ Kersten Uwe Kf8 24.Rxf7+! Lxf7 25.Qf3 results in a
B85 Muenster 1993 crushing defeat for the defence.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 23.Re1!?
5.Nc3 a6 6.Le2 Qc7 7.0–0 Nf6 8.Le3 d6 23.Ld4 is not much due to 23...Ld6 or
9.f4 Le7 10.a4 0–0 11.Kh1 Rd8 12.Qe1 24.Re4 Qd8! ÷ but White could consider
Nxd4 13.Lxd4 e5 14.Lg1 exf4 15.a5 Re8 23.Rd4 Qe5 24.Lf3 Lxf3 25.Qxf3 Rac8
16.Lb6 Qb8 17.Rxf4 d5 18.Qf2 Le6 26.Re4 ².
19.exd5 Nxd5 20.Nxd5 Lxd5 (D) 23...Re8
With the exception of his queen and the a8- Neither 23...Le6?! 24.Ld1! Ld6 25.Rh4
rook, Black's forces make a decently Le5 26.c3  nor 23...Lg5?! 24.Rg4 Lh6
centralized impression. However, White 25.Rd4 Lc6 26.Lf3  guarantees a quiet
soon shows that she can still create life either.
weaknesses which will demand extreme 24.c4 Le6
caution. 24...Ld6? looks tempting but it only gives
Black headaches after 25.Rxe8+ Qxe8 30.c5?! looks more precise, once again
26.cxd5! Lxf4 27.Qxf4 Qe1+ 28.Lg1 cutting Black's queen off from the defence,
gxh5 29.Qg5+ Kh8 30.d6 Qd1 31.Qe5+ but Black can equalize: 30...Rd8! 31.b4
Kg8 32.d7 . Qc7 32.Kg1 Lg7 =.
25.Ld4 30...Qd8?
25.Ld1 was not bad at all either - Black's But this is too much. Active or dangerous
passively placed pieces on the queenside pieces should be exchanged in principle, so
makes the difference. 30...Qf5! was called for. After 31.Qxf5
25...Lf8? gxf5 32.Le5 Rc8 it seems that Black can
Passive. But also alternatives like 25...Qc7? hold his slightly inferior ending.
26.Rxe6! (26.Rfe4? Qxc4! [26...gxh5? 31.h5?
27.Qe3!  or 26...Qxa5?! 27.Rxe6 fxe6 White returns the favour. With the active
28.Lg4 Lf8 29.Lxe6+ Rxe6 30.Rxe6 ²] 31.Qf4! she could have obtained a decisive
27.Lg4 Lxg4 28.Lc3 Qd5 29.Rxe7 advantage: 31...Rc8 32.Qe5 Qxh4+
Rxe7 30.Rxe7 Le6 ÷ and 26.Lg4 Lh4! 33.Kg1 Qxd4+ 34.Qxd4 Lc5 35.Re8+
Kf7 36.Rxc8 Lxd4+ 37.Kf1 .
÷) 26...fxe6 27.Lxg6 hxg6 28.Qg3
(28.Qc2? Lf8 ÷) 28...g5 29.Qh3! 31...Lg7? (D)
But this is the decisive mistake. Black could
(29.Rf8+? Rxf8 30.Qxc7 Rf1+ 31.Lg1
Lf6 32.Qxb7 Rd8 ÷ or 29.Qd3? Lf8 ) have put up a defence with 31...Qg5!
32.Re5 Qg4 33.hxg6 Qxg6 (33...hxg6?
29...Lf6 30.Rxf6 Qh7 31.Qg3 Qb1+ 34.Qf6 Qxd4 35.Qxg6+ Lg7 36.Qe6+
32.Lg1 Re7 33.Qxg5+ Rg7 34.Qe5  or ) 34.Qh4 Lh6 and although after
25...Lg5? 26.Rfe4 gxh5 27.h4!  or, 35.Le3 Lxe3 36.Rxe3 Kh8 37.Qd4+
finally, 25...Lb4? 26.Rxf7!! Lxf7 27.Rf1 Qg7 38.Qxg7+ Kxg7 39.Re7+ Kg6
 were not helpful at all. Black could 40.Rxb7 a5! White would be a pawn up, but
equalize if he would just think about the ending is drawish.
centralizing his army: 25...Qd6! 26.c5 Qd7
27.Lf3 Rad8.
XABCDEFGHY
26.Lxg6? 8r+-wq-+k+(
Spectacular, but not the best solution.
26.Rfe4!? Qd8 27.Lg4 Lb4 28.R1e2 7+p+-+-vlp'
Rc8 29.b3  is a strong continuation but 6p+-+R+p+&
26.Rxf7!! Lxf7 27.Rf1 Lxc4 28.Qf6
Lxf1 29.Lg4! (29.Lxg6? Lxg2+! 5+-+-+-+P%
30.Kxg2 Re2+ 31.Kf1 Rf2+! =) 29...Qe5 4-+PvL-+-+$
30.Lxe5  is the correct follow-up.
26...fxg6 3+-+-+-+-#
There is no choice, as 26...hxg6? 27.Qh4
Lg7 28.Lxg7 Kxg7 29.Qf6+ Kg8 2-zP-+-wQP+"
30.Rh4 is immediately decisive. 1+-+-+-+K!
27.Rfe4 Qd8!?
Black had another chance to fight: xabcdefghy
27...Qc7!? 28.Qf6 (28.Rxe6? Rxe6 32.hxg6! Qd7
29.Rxe6 Qxc4 30.Re1 Qf7 =) 28...Lg7 What else? If 32...Qxd4?! 33.Qf7+ Kh8
29.Qxg7+ Qxg7 30.Lxg7 Kf7 (30...Kxg7 34.Re8+ Rxe8 35.Qxe8+ Lf8 36.Qxf8 #
31.Rxe6 Rxe6 32.Rxe6 Rd8 33.Kg1 ) and 32...hxg6 33.Rxg6 is also decisive.
31.Le5 . In this ending Black has good 33.gxh7+ Kh8 34.Lxg7+ Qxg7 35.Qf6!
drawing chances due to the opposite-colour Precise. The rook ending is now won.
bishops. 35...Qxf6 36.Rxf6 Kg7
28.Rxe6 Rxe6 29.Rxe6 Qxa5 30.h4 The main alternative was 36...Rc8 37.b3
Rc7 (37...b5 38.cxb5 axb5 39.Rb6 Rc5 are squeezed in the last rank (how about
40.Rb7 ) 38.Rh6 a5 39.Rh4 . placing the c6-knight on h8?) and, in
37.Rb6 Ra7 38.Rh6! Kh8 39.g4 b5 general, can hardly move properly. His
40.cxb5 axb5 41.g5 position is not collapsing immediately,
Black resigned as there is no salvation mostly thanks to his main defender, his well
anymore: 41...Ra4 (41...Rxh7 42.Kg2 supported knight on c6. So, as no position
Rxh6 43.gxh6 Kh7 44.b4 Kxh6 45.Kf3 can be won without a decent plan, White
) 42.Rh5! Rg4 (42...Rb4 43.Kg1 Rb3 should choose the most effective one.
44.Rh2 ) 43.Kh2 b4 44.Kh3 Rg1 45.b3 17.e4!
Rb1 46.Kg4 Rxb3 47.g6. When there are passive and badly placed
1-0 pieces, then the right way to exploit this is to
open up the position. It is then that the
It is a fact that lower-rated players usually quality of piece placement really matters -
do not care much about their sidelined the weakness of the d4 pawn is irrelevant, as
(badly) placed pieces, nor their passivity. White's 'compensation' will be tremendous.
This happens because they generally fail to In such positions it is important to create
understand certain valuable assets that rule immediate pressure, as Black's pieces are not
the game and must guide our correct ready to defend on all sides of the board, as
decisions and plans and their execution. time is needed for proper regrouping.
And of course, by failing to ‘prepare’ you 17...dxe4 18.Nxe4 Nd7
are ‘preparing’ to fail… Black could not play 18...Nxd4? 19.Nxd4
□ Grivas Efstratios Qxd4 20.Lc3 .
■ Shahtahtinsky Alekper 19.Lg5! Qa5?!
D94 Athens 2004 19...Le7 20.Lxe7 Qxe7 21.h4  was
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 g6 5.e3 preferable but hardly acceptable.
Lg7 6.Ld3 0–0 7.0–0 Na6 8.cxd5 cxd5 20.h4!
9.Qb3 e6 10.Ld2 Re8 11.Rfc1 Lf8 The attack is growing. The idea of h5 and
12.a3 Nd7 13.Nb5 Ndb8 14.Rc2 Nc6 transferring the queen towards the black
15.Rac1 Nab8 16.Nc3 a6 (D) king is quite strong. But of course 20.Lc4
Qf5 21.Qe3 was also fine.
XABCDEFGHY 20...Qd5 21.Qc3 Lg7 (D)
8rsnlwqrvlk+( XABCDEFGHY
7+p+-+p+p' 8r+l+r+k+(
6p+n+p+p+& 7+p+n+pvlp'
5+-+p+-+-% 6p+n+p+p+&
4-+-zP-+-+$ 5+-+q+-vL-%
3zPQsNLzPN+-# 4-+-zPN+-zP$
2-zPRvL-zPPzP" 3zP-wQL+N+-#
1+-tR-+-mK-! 2-zPR+-zPP+"
xabcdefghy 1+-tR-+-mK-!
White obviously stands much better, at least
due to his huge spatial advantage. His pieces xabcdefghy
seem to be harmoniously placed on the 22.Qe1!
queenside and his rooks are ready to exploit White could protect his d4-pawn with
the open c-file. In contrast, Black's pieces 22.Le3, but this is not as important as the
transfer of his queen to the kingside. The XABCDEFGHY
threat of 23.Lc4 forces Black to accept the
sacrifice, which opens more lines against the 8r+-wq-trk+(
exposed black camp.
22...Nxd4 23.Nxd4 Qxd4 24.Rd1!
7zplvl-+p+p'
With many threats, such as 25.Lb5. Black is 6-zp-+-+p+&
undeveloped (the c8-bishop and the a8-rook
are still on their initial squares) and the weak 5sn-zp-+-+n%
spots at d6 and f6 are a nightmare for him. 4-+-+-+-+$
24...Qe5 25.Qe3 Nf6?
Black cracks under pressure, as often 3+-sN-+NzP-#
happens – that’s human nature! He should 2PzPQ+-zPLzP"
continue the fight with 25...Nf8 26.Le2!
Ld7 27.Lf4  or 25...Rf8 26.h5 . 1tR-vLR+-mK-!
26.f4!
Winning a piece! The rest was easy:
xabcdefghy
26...Nd5 27.fxe5 Nxe3 28.Lxe3 Lxe5 19...Qe7
29.Le2 b5 30.Lf3 Rb8 31.La7 Rb7 Another possibility is 19...Qc8 20.Nd5
32.Ld4! Lxd5 21.Rxd5 Qe6 22.Rxh5! gxh5
1-0 23.b4!! Qc4 24.Qd2! Ld8 25.Lb2 Qxb4
26.Lc3 Qa4 27.Ng5! with a mating attack.
Long-term Compensation 20.Re1 Qd7
The sidelined piece’s ‘fame’ is hardly the The queen's fianchetto looks too bizarre:
best among the top players. In general they 20...Qf6 21.Lg5 Qg7 22.Nb5 Ld8
try to avoid it and when the chance comes 23.Ld2 °.
that their opponent has one of them, they 21.Lg5 f6
feel quite happy! An inaccurate move. Better was 21...Rfe8
They are even ready to sacrifice some 22.Rad1 (22.Red1?! doesn't work:
material in order to benefit from the 22...Qe6 23.b4 cxb4 24.Nb5 Le5 μ)
poorness of a sidelined piece and this 22...Rxe1+ 23.Nxe1 Qg4 24.f4! ÷ with a
concept results in long-term compensation in complicated game.
middlegames (or even endgames). 22.Lh6
Of course, sacrificing material is a 22.Rad1 Qf7 (22...Qg7 23.Ld2! Nc4
dangerous job in general but modern chess 24.Qb3 Qf7 25.Ng5! ) 23.Lh6
fully appreciates and counts in respect (23.Nb5!? Rad8 24.Lh6 Rxd1 25.Rxd1
valuable factors such as initiative and time. Rc8 [25...Rd8 26.Rxd8+ Lxd8 27.Nd6
²] 26.Nxa7 ²) 23...Rfd8 leads to a
□ Gelfand Boris
transposition and was probably the most
■ Leko Peter
precise move order.
E15 Jermuk 2009
22...Rfd8
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 La6
Maybe Black could try 22...Rfe8!?
5.Qc2 Lb7 6.Lg2 c5 7.d5 exd5 8.cxd5
Nxd5 9.0–0 Le7 10.Rd1 Nc6 11.Qf5 23.Rad1! (23.Red1?! Qf7 24.Nd5 Rac8!
Nf6 12.e4 g6 13.Qf4 0–0 14.e5 Nh5 μ [24...Lxd5? 25.Ng5 fxg5 26.Lxd5
Re1+ 27.Kg2 ]) 23...Rxe1+ 24.Nxe1!
15.Qc4 d5 16.exd6 Lxd6 17.Nc3 Na5 Qf7 25.Lxb7 Nxb7 26.Qa4! Nd6
18.Qd3 Lc7 19.Qc2 (D)
White is a pawn down, but Black's pieces (26...Rd8 27.Qxa7! ² or 26...a6? 27.Rd7!
(a5- and h5-knights and c7-bishop) are ) 27.Nd5 °.
poorly placed and thus White has full 23.Rad1
compensation for the pawn. 23.Ne4?! leads nowhere: 23...Qd3
24.Qxd3 Rxd3 25.g4 f5! μ. 33.Nf7+ Kg8 34.Nxd8+ Kh8 35.Nf7+
23...Qf7 (D) Kg8 36.Nxe5+ Kh8 37.Qa8+ Qd8
XABCDEFGHY 38.Qxd8 #] 32.Ne4! ) 31.Ld5+! Kh8
32.Nf7+ .
8r+-tr-+k+( 29.Nxb7
7zplvl-+q+p' For the last ten moves Black hasn't been able
to find a moment to get any of his knights
6-zp-+-zppvL& into the game. White managed to exchange
the key piece, the b7-bishop, and is now
5sn-zp-+-+n% starting to penetrate into Black's camp via
4-+-+-+-+$ the light squares. Unfortunately, 29.Qd2
Lc6 30.Ne5 fxe5 31.Ld5+ Kh8 32.Nf7+
3+-sN-+NzP-# = only leads to a draw.
2PzPQ+-zPLzP" 29...Nxb7 30.Qc4+
The immediate 30.Lh3 Qd5 (30...Qxh3?
1+-+RtR-mK-! 31.Qc4+ Kh8 32.Qf7 ) 31.Nd4 also
deserved attention, but it was difficult to
xabcdefghy decide on the move order. But probably it
24.b4!? leads to the same type of position.
White cannot afford to slow down - he 30...Kh8
should keep the flame of initiative burning After 30...Qf7? 31.Qxf7+! Kxf7 32.Nd4
even at the cost of new sacrifices. But he Nc5 33.Ld5+ Ke7 34.g4! White wins the
also had at his disposal a decent alternative: unfortunate and out-of-play black knight!
24.Nb5 Nc6 (24...Rxd1 25.Rxd1 Rd8 31.Lh3!
26.Rxd8+ Lxd8 27.Nd6 Qe7 28.Nxb7 31.Nd4 Nc5 32.Qxb4 was also possible,
Nxb7 29.b4! °) 25.a3 Rxd1 26.Rxd1
but not in the spirit of position!
Rd8 27.b4 °. 31...Qe7
24...cxb4 31...f5? 32.Ne5  or 31...Qxh3? 32.Qf7
24...Nc6?! 25.bxc5 bxc5 26.Nb5! is in .
White's favour. 32.Qd5 Nd6
25.Nb5 Rxd1 32...Nc5 33.Nd4 ° and 32...f5 33.Ng5
25...Rdc8? loses to 26.Lh3! Lxf3 (26...f5 (33.Lg5?! Qc7 ³) 33...Nf6 34.Qb3 Nd6
27.Ng5 Qc4 28.Lxf5! [28.Qxc4+ Nxc4 35.Ne6 ° were both worthy alternatives.
29.Re7 ] 28...Qxc2 29.Le6+ Kh8
33.Nd4 (D)
30.Rd7 ) 27.Le6 Qxe6 28.Rxe6.
26.Rxd1 Rd8?! XABCDEFGHY
The most natural, but probably not the best
defence. 26...Rc8 was stronger, when White
8-+-vl-+-mk(
has to choose between 27.Nxa7 Rd8 7zp-+-wq-+p'
(27...Re8 28.Nb5 Lb8 °) 28.Nb5 Rxd1+ 6-zp-sn-zppvL&
29.Qxd1 ° or 27.Nxc7 Qxc7 28.Qxc7
Rxc7 29.Rd8+ Kf7 30.Rf8+ Ke7 5+-+Q+-+n%
31.Rh8 Ng7! ÷ or, finally, 27.Lh3!? f5 4-zp-sN-+-+$
28.Lg2 °.
27.Rxd8+ Lxd8 28.Nd6 Qd7 3+-+-+-zPL#
Black carefully avoided a deadly blunder 2P+-+-zP-zP"
with 28...Qc7?: 29.Qd2! (29.Qe2? Qe7 ÷)
29...Lc6 30.Ne5!! fxe5 (30...Lxg2 1+-+-+-mK-!
31.Kxg2 Qc5 [31...fxe5 32.Qd5+ Kh8 xabcdefghy
33...Qe1+? 46.Qe7 f5 47.Lf7  or 43...Qd6 44.Qxd6
After this mistake Black's position Lxd6 45.Lxb6 .
deteriorates rapidly. 33...f5 34.Nc6 Qc7 44.Lxb6 Qf8
35.Lf8  was not advisable either but Black An attempt to counter-attack with
had to go for 33...Nf7 34.Ld2 (34.Nc6 44...Qd1+ 45.Kg2 Nh4+ backfires after
Qe1+ [34...Qe8?! 35.Ld2] 35.Lf1 Nxh6 46.Kh3 (46.gxh4? Qg4+ =) 46...Nf5
36.Qxd8+ Ng8 [36...Kg7?! 37.g4] 47.g4! .
37.Nxa7 Qa1 =) 34...f5 35.Nc6 Qe8 45.Le6
36.Nxd8 Nxd8 37.Lxb4 °. Now White has a clear plan: to exchange
34.Lf1 queens, followed by the march of his king to
34.Kg2!? Qe5 (34...Qe4+? 35.Qxe4 the b-pawn and transposition into a won
Nxe4 36.Ne6 Le7 37.g4! ) 35.Qa8 ² bishop ending. Another plan was starting
was also possible. with 45.Qd5, planning g4 and Ld4-b2,
34...Qe5 35.Qa8 Qe8 with a mating attack.
Or 35...Nf7 36.Le3 . 45...Ng7 46.Ld7?!
36.Qxa7 Nf7 37.Le3 Centralization with 46.Ld5 Nf5 47.Qd7 
The simple 37.Ld2! f5 (37...Ne5?! 38.Lxb4 was the correct and nearly always proper
Ng7 39.Qb8 ) 38.Lxb4 Nf6 39.Lc3  strategy.
was clearly better than the text move. 46...h5 47.Qc8 Kg8 48.Kf1 Qxc8
37...Ne5 38.Qa8 Qg8 49.Lxc8 Kf7
Maybe it was time for the poor h5-knight to White's strategy triumphed at the end, as
return to the game: 38...Ng7! 39.Nc2 Qg8 now he has obtained a strategically won
40.Lh3 . ending due to his bishop pair. The rest of the
39.Nc6 game was one-sided.
White could also go for 39.Ne6 Le7 50.Ke2 Ne6 51.Kd3 Nc5+ 52.Kc4 Ne4
(39...Qxe6 40.Qxd8+ Kg7 41.Qc7+ Kg8 53.La6 Ke6 54.Le3 Nc3 55.Kb3 Nd5
42.Qb8+ Kg7 43.Qb7+ ) 40.Qxg8+ 56.Lc4 Ke5 57.Lxd5 Kxd5 58.Ld2 Lc5
Kxg8 41.Lxb6  or for 39.Nc2!? Ng7 59.f3 f5 60.Lxb4 Lg1 61.h3 Lf2 62.g4
fxg4 63.fxg4 hxg4 64.hxg4 g5 65.a4 Lb6
40.Nxb4 Nf5 41.Lf4 .
66.Le7 Ke4 67.Lxg5 Kf3 68.Kc4 Kxg4
39...Nxc6 40.Qxc6 Ng7
69.Kb5 Lf2 70.Ld2 Kf5 71.a5 Ke4
40...Qxa2? loses a piece: 41.g4 Ng7
72.Kc6 Kd3 73.Lg5 Kc4 74.Le7 Le3
42.Qd7 Qg8 43.Lh6.
75.a6 La7 76.Ld8 Lb8 77.Lc7 La7
41.Lh6 Le7
78.Kb7
41...Qf8 was no better: 42.Lc4 Qe7
1-0
(42...Qc5 43.Qb7 Qf8 [43...Qe7 44.Qd5
] 44.h3 Qe7 45.Qd5 ) 43.Qd5 Qf8 In general I have noticed that sacrificing a
44.g4 (44.Qd4!? g5 [44...Qe7 45.Ld2 pawn in a position with an open centre, to
Lc7 46.Qd5 ] 45.Qd3  followed by gain the darksquared fianchettoed bishop is a
Lb3-c2) 44...g5 (44...Le7 45.Kg2 ) compensating idea. The next example proves
the validity of this thought:
45.Qd4 Le7 46.Qxb6 f5 47.Lb3 fxg4
48.Qd4  or 41...Nf5? 42.Lc4 . □ Shirov Alexei
42.Lc4 ■ Kasparov Garry
42.Qxb6? Qxa2 was not what White had E86 Dortmund 1992
wished for! 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Lg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3
42...Qd8 43.Le3! 0–0 6.Le3 e5 7.Nge2 c6 8.Qd2 Nbd7
The bishop is retreating temporarily, to win 9.0–0–0 a6 10.Kb1 b5 11.Nc1 exd4
the b6-pawn. 12.Lxd4 Re8 13.Lxf6 Qxf6 14.Qxd6
43...Nf5 Qxd6 15.Rxd6 Ne5 16.f4 Ng4 17.e5 Nf2
43...Lc5?! 44.Lxc5 bxc5 45.Qxc5 Qb8 18.Rg1 Lf5+ 19.Ka1 b4 20.Na4 (D)
XABCDEFGHY 25.Na5
Now both White's knights are offside but at
8r+-+r+k+( least they created some threats!
25...Rd8! 26.Rf1
7+-+-+pvlp' Or 26.Nxc6 Rd2 27.Lf3 Nd3 28.Rd1
6p+ptR-+p+& Rxd1+ 29.Lxd1 Lxc4 μ.
26...Ng4! 27.Rd1 Rxd1+ 28.Lxd1 Ne3!
5+-+-zPl+-% 28...Nxh2?! 29.Lb3! Nf1 30.Nxc6 Nd2
4NzpP+-zP-+$ 31.Nb6 would only help White to improve
his pieces.
3+-+-+-+-# 29.Lf3 Nxc4 30.Nxc6
2PzP-+-snPzP" The concept of total domination can be seen
after 30.Nxc4?! Lxc4 31.Lxc6 Ld4! .
1mK-sN-+LtR-! 30...a5! 31.Nd8
xabcdefghy Winning a pawn with 31.Le2 is no help
after 31...Kf8 32.Lxc4 Lxc4 33.Nxa5
Black has given up a pawn in order to Ld5 34.g3 Ld4! - again the total
achieve the bishop pair and to create domination by the bishop pair decides the
abnormalities in White's piece placement. game.
True, White's pieces have no cooperation at 31...Nd2! (D)
all but how can Black benefit from it?
20...f6! XABCDEFGHY
Opening up the position is the right strategy 8-+-sN-+k+(
to take advantage of the opponent's badly
placed pieces. 7+-+-+lvlp'
21.e6?!
Of course 21.exf6? Re1 was out of the
6-+-+-+p+&
question but White should consider playing 5zp-+-+p+-%
21.g4!. After 21...Nxg4! (21...Lxg4
22.Lg2 Rad8 23.Lxc6 fxe5! ÷) 22.Ld3 4Nzp-+-zP-+$
fxe5! (22...Nh6 23.exf6 Lf8 24.Rxc6 ÷) 3+-+-+L+-#
23.Lxf5 gxf5 24.h3 exf4! 25.hxg4 f3!
26.gxf5 (26.Nd3? fxg4 27.Rxg4 Re1+!! 2PzP-sn-+PzP"
28.Nxe1 f2  or 26.Rd2 fxg4 27.Rxg4
Rad8! 28.Rxd8 Rxd8 29.Rg1 f2 30.Rf1
1mK-+-+-+-!
Rd2 31.Kb1 Ld4! 32.Nb3 Re2 33.Nxd4 xabcdefghy
Re1+ ) 26...f2 27.Rf1 Re1 28.Rd1 32.Lc6?!
Rae8 29.Nd3! Rxd1+ 30.Rxd1 Ld4! The last mistake. White should have opted
31.Kb1 Re2 ° Black holds the initiative for 32.Nxf7. After 32...Kxf7! (32...Nxf3 is
anyway but there is not any easy far less convincing. 33.gxf3 Kxf7 34.Nc5
continuation for either side. Lf8 35.Nd3 Ke6 36.Kb1 Kd5 37.Kc2
21...Rxe6 Ld6 38.Kd2 Kd4 39.Ke2 a4 40.Kd2 and
Exchanging a pair of rooks is favourable for the endgame has yet to be won) 33.Ld5+
Black, as he can more easily penetrate into Ke7 34.Nb6 (34.Lg8? Ld4! ) 34...Kd6
his opponent’s camp and also reduce his 35.Lg8 Kc5 36.Nd7+ (36.Na4+ Kb5
counterplay. 37.Lf7 Ld4! ) 36...Kc6 37.Ne5+
22.Rxe6 (37.Nb8+? Kd6! [37...Kc7?! 38.Na6+
22.c5 is of no help: 22...Rxd6 23.cxd6 Rd8 Kb6 39.Nb8 a4 40.Lxh7 a3 41.Nd7+
24.Lxa6 Rxd6 μ. Kb5 42.Ne5 ÷] 38.Na6 [38.Lxh7 a4 ]
22...Lxe6 23.Le2 f5! 24.Nb3 Lf7! 38...Ld4 ) 37...Lxe5 38.fxe5 h6 39.Lh7
Kd5 40.Lxg6 Kxe5 μ he would have 16.Re3?
chances to survive. 16.Qc1 was the last chance, hoping to
32...Lh6 return the piece after 16...f4 17.Lxf4 exf4
Even better was 32...Ld4! (centralization!). 18.Qxf4 ÷. However, Black would play
33.g3 Nf1 34.Nb6 instead 16...hxg4 17.Lg5 f4 18.Rxg4
Or 34.Nc5 Nxh2 35.Nd3 Lg7 36.Kb1 (18.Lxf4?! exf4 19.Qxf4 Rf8 20.Qxe4
Lf6 37.Nxf7 Kxf7 . Qf6 ) 18...Qf5 19.Le2 (19.Lxe7?!
34...Nxh2 35.Nd7 Lg7 36.Ne5 Lxe5 Qxg4 20.Lxd8 Qg3+ 21.Kd1 Qf2 )
37.fxe5 Kf8! 19...f3 20.Lxe7 Qxg4 21.Qg5 Qxg5
Covering the important e7- and e8-squares, 22.Lxg5 fxe2 23.Lxd8 Nd4 24.Kd2
decides the game at once. Kxd8 25.Nxe2 Rxh4 μ where he will be a
38.e6 Le8 39.Lxe8 Kxe8 40.Nc6 Nf1 pawn up in the endgame but White's chances
0-1 to save the game are rather serious.
In the previous games the sacrificed 16...hxg4
material was small - just a bare pawn. But of Now it's all over as White's pieces are so
course there are cases where the sacrificed tangled up he can hardly move...
material can be more substantial: 17.Kf2
17.Qe2 loses to 17...Nd4.
□ Kramnik Vladimir 17...Rxh4
■ Vallejo Pons Francisco 17...Qf6 would have won more quickly, but
B32 Monte Carlo 2005 it hardly matters now.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 18.Rc1 Qd6 19.Ke1
5.Nb5 a6 6.Nd6+ Lxd6 7.Qxd6 Qf6 19.Re2 Qc5+ 20.Ke1 Rh1 .
8.Qd1 Qg6 9.Nc3 Nge7 10.h4 h5 19...Rh1 (D)
11.Rh3 d5 12.Rg3 Lg4 13.f3 dxe4
14.fxg4 Rd8 15.Ld2 (D) XABCDEFGHY
XABCDEFGHY 8-+-trk+-+(
8-+-trk+-tr( 7+p+-sn-zp-'
7+p+-snpzp-' 6p+nwq-+-+&
6p+n+-+q+& 5+-+-zpp+-%
5+-+-zp-+p% 4-+-+p+p+$
4-+-+p+PzP$ 3+-sN-tR-+-#
3+-sN-+-tR-# 2PzPPvL-+P+"
2PzPPvL-+P+" 1+-tRQmKL+r!
1tR-+QmKL+-! xabcdefghy
Black is fully dominating, as White's pieces
xabcdefghy are hanging around their back rank or they
White's pieces seem to be somehow are just badly placed. The execution must
uncoordinated and not ideally placed. But of not be far away...
course being a piece up can easily 20.Qe2 Nd4 21.Qf2 f4! 22.Nxe4 Qg6
compensate this 'misfortune'. 23.Ng3 fxg3 24.Rxg3 Qe4+ 25.Kd1
15...f5! No salvation was offered by 25.Re3 Nxc2+
Black will now get a second pawn for the 26.Rxc2 Qxc2 .
piece, at the same time creating a massive 25...Nef5 26.Rd3 g3
central pawn roller. 0-1
When the Long-term Compensation Fails annoying advance of the black a-pawn and
Sacrificing material in order to benefit controls the c5-square. 20.a4?! Nbc5
from a sidelined piece is a dangerous job, as 21.Nxc5 Nxc5 ° was what Black would
already noted. Nobody promises success; the love to see.
chess player is usually alone to evaluate,
plan, execute and suffer in the end!
XABCDEFGHY
This is the nature of the game; the 8r+-+-trk+(
sidelined or badly placed pieces find the
needed time to ‘recover’ and then the 7+n+n+-vl-'
material advantage usually tells in the end… 6-+pwql+pzp&
□ Short Nigel 5zp-+-zpp+-%
■ Sokolov Ivan
C58 London 2009 4N+P+-+-+$
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Lc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5
5.exd5 Na5 6.Lb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6
3+N+P+-zP-#
8.Ld3 h6 9.Ne4 Nd5 10.0–0 g6 11.Re1 2PzPQ+-zP-zP"
Lg7 12.Lf1 0–0 13.d3 f5 14.Nc5 Qd6
15.Nb3 Nb7 16.g3 Le6 (D) 1tR-vL-tRLmK-!
XABCDEFGHY xabcdefghy
8r+-+-trk+( 20...g5
Mainly White should have predicted what to
7zpn+-+-vl-' do against 20...Qb4. At first sight this seems
to oblige White to return his knight back but
6-+pwql+pzp& a closer examination reveals 21.Nd4! Qxe1
5+-+nzpp+-% (21...exd4?! 22.Rxe6 ) 22.Nxe6 Rf7
23.Nxg7 Rxg7 24.Nc3 e4 (24...Nf6?!
4-+-+-+-+$ 25.Rb1! and the queen is lost) 25.dxe4 Ne5
3+N+P+-zP-# 26.Qe2 Qxe2 27.Lxe2 . Also Black
should not really feel happy exchanging
2PzPP+-zP-zP" pieces: 20...Nbc5 21.Naxc5 Nxc5
1tRNvLQtRLmK-! 22.Nxc5 Qxc5 23.Lg2 .
21.Ld2 Lf7
xabcdefghy Good or bad, Black should have tried to
It seems that something has gone wrong for reinforce his attack by 21...f4 and hope for
White, as the vast majority of his pieces are the best.
lying on the edge of the board. On the 22.Lc3 Rfe8?
contrary, Black's forces are well developed, 22...f4 again looks better, as now White gets
just at the cost of a bare pawn! the chance to advance his backward d-pawn.
17.c4! 23.d4! e4
Gaining valuable space and driving back If 23...exd4 then 24.Nxd4! as White stays
Black's well-placed knight. with a clear pawn up after 24...Lxd4
17...Nb6 18.Qc2 Nd7 19.Nc3 a5 25.Lxd4 Qxd4 26.Red1 Qe5 27.Rxd7 .
Black would love to play straight away 24.Rad1 Lg6?!
19...Nbc5 but after 20.Nxc5 Nxc5 21.b4! 24...Qc7  was a 'wiser' thought.
White would obtain a much preferable 25.c5! Qc7 26.d5
game. It is quite strange that during the last moves
20.Na4! (D) only White's pieces improved and now, as a
From one edge of the board to the other but result of this, Black is in dire straits.
for a good reason: White blocks the 26...cxd5 27.Rxd5 Lxc3 28.Qxc3 Ne5
29.Red1 f4 (D) it is not clear yet how to continue the attack -
There is no hope left for Black. Alternatives White's forces are lacking sufficient
like 29...Lf7 30.Nb6 (30.Rxe5 Qxe5 cooperation and the h-file is overloaded.
31.Qxe5 Rxe5 32.c6 ) 30...Lxd5 XABCDEFGHY
31.Nxa8 Qf7 32.Rxd5 Qxd5 33.Nc7
Qc6 34.Nxe8 Qxe8 35.Nd4  or 8r+-+l+rmk(
29...Nf3+ 30.Kh1 Lf7 31.Rd7 Qc6 7zp-+-wq-+p'
32.Nb6 Ne5 33.Nd4  simply do not
work. 6-vl-zp-zp-vL&
XABCDEFGHY 5+p+PzpP+N%
8r+-+r+k+( 4n+p+P+LsN$
7+nwq-+-+-' 3+-zPn+-+Q#
6-+-+-+lzp& 2P+R+-+PmK"
5zp-zPRsn-zp-% 1+-+-+R+-!
4N+-+pzp-+$ xabcdefghy
3+NwQ-+-zP-# 33.Lf3?!
Passive. White should have withdrawn his
2PzP-+-zP-zP" h5-knight - as noted, the h-file is overloaded
1+-+R+LmK-! and does not really help him to attack:
33.Ng3 Nf4 34.Lxf4 exf4 35.Rxf4 Le3
xabcdefghy 36.Rf3 Lg5 37.Ng6+ Lxg6 38.fxg6
30.c6! Qxc6 Rxg6 39.Lh5 °.
30...Nxc6 31.Rd7 is catastrophic, while 33...Nac5 34.Re2?!
30...Nd8 31.Rxe5! Qxe5 32.Qxe5 Rxe5 34.Ng6+ Lxg6 35.fxg6 Rxg6 36.Ng3
33.Nb6 wins a piece as in the game. Nf4 37.Qh4 ° seemed like a fair
31.Rxe5 alternative. An attack cannot be conducted
Black resigned due to 31...Qxc3 32.Rxe8+ in such a passive way...
Rxe8 33.bxc3 . 34...Nd7?!
1-0 34...La5! μ would have questioned White's
□ Lasker Emanuel plans.
■ Steinitz William 35.g3
C62 Moscow 1896 A 'retreat' like 35.Ld2 to ease the
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Lb5 d6 4.d4 Ld7 overloaded h-file or even 35.Lg4 with the
5.Nc3 Nge7 6.Lg5 f6 7.Le3 Nc8 8.Ne2 idea of Ng6+, were much better ways to
Le7 9.c3 0–0 10.Ld3 Nb6 11.Ng3 Kh8 continue the attack.
12.0–0 Qe8 13.Rc1 Nd8 14.Re1 c5 35...a5 36.Ng2 b4 37.Ne3 Rc8
15.Nd2 Na4 16.Rc2 b5 17.f4 Ne6 18.f5 The text move is not bad but Black could
Nd8 19.d5 Nb7 20.Nf3 c4 21.Le2 Ld8 have dominated with the simple 37...bxc3
22.Nh4 g6 23.Lg4 g5 24.Nf3 Nbc5 25.h4 38.Nxc4 Ld4 μ.
gxh4 26.Nxh4 Nd3 27.Rf1 Naxb2 38.Nd1 bxc3 39.Nxc3 Ld4 40.Ld2 N7c5
28.Qf3 Lb6 29.Kh2 Rg8 30.Lh6 Qe7 41.Qh4
31.Nh5 Le8 32.Qh3 Na4 (D) White's attack is over and his material deficit
White has sacrificed a pawn to launch an will tell in the end.
attack on the black monarch and for that 41...Lxh5 42.Lxh5 Rb8 43.Nd1 Na4
purpose he has gathered his pieces on the 44.Lxa5 Ra8 45.Ld2 c3 46.Lxc3 Nxc3
kingside and especially along the h-file. But 47.Nxc3 Lxc3 48.Rf3 Nc1 49.Rc2
Or 49.Rxc3 Nxe2 50.Lxe2 Rxa2 51.Qh5 A tempting move. 11.Nxe4?! leads nowhere
Qa7 . after 11...0–0! (11...dxe4? 12.Qh5+ g6
49...Nxa2 50.Rfxc3 Nxc3 51.Rxc3 Rgc8 13.Rxg6 hxg6 14.Qxg6+ Kd7 15.Qf5+ =)
Black has won material and, most 12.Lh6 Rf7 13.Qh5 Lf5 14.Ng5 Lxg5
importantly, has exchanged many pieces, 15.Lxg5 Qd6  but probably White
weakening any potential attack or other should have chosen the lesser evil 11.h4
counterplay by White. The end should be Lf5 12.Lh3 Lxh3 13.Nxh3 0–0 14.Qg4
near. Rf7 15.Lh6 Lf6 μ.
52.Rb3 Ra2+ 53.Kh3 Rac2 54.Rb6 11...g6 12.Qh6 Lf8 13.Qh4 h6!
R2c3 55.Lg6 Rd8? No escape for the poor g5-knight!
A blunder. Black could have brought the 14.Le2 Lg7 15.Lh5 (D)
bacon home with the simple 55...Rc1! . XABCDEFGHY
56.Rb7!
A small combination, forcing Black to 8r+lwqk+-tr(
accept the unavoidable draw: 56...Qxb7
57.Qxf6+ Qg7 58.Qxd8+ Qg8 59.Qf6+.
7zppzp-+-vl-'
½-½ 6-+n+-+pzp&
‘Identical’ twins are the rarest case in our 5+-+p+-sNL%
game. Especially, when these twins come
from the same player, in the same 4-+-zPp+-wQ$
tournament and in consecutive rounds! 3+-zP-+-+P#
In the ‘Acropolis 2007’ the following
games were played in rounds 1 & 2: 2P+P+-zP-+"
□ Parginos Vassilios 1tR-vL-mK-tR-!
■ Grivas Efstratios
A80 Athens 2007 xabcdefghy
1.d4 f5 2.h3 d5 3.g4 Nf6 4.Nf3 Nc6 Keep in mind this diagram; you will need it
5.Nc3 e6 6.Rg1 Ne4 7.gxf5 exf5 8.Ng5 for the next game!
Nxc3 9.bxc3 Le7 10.e4 fxe4 (D) 15...Lf5
XABCDEFGHY 15...hxg5 16.Lxg5 Qd6 17.Lf4 Qe7
18.Lxg6+ Kf8 was also winning, but Black
8r+lwqk+-tr( wanted to play it safe.
16.Qf4 Qd7
7zppzp-vl-zpp' 16...0–0 was also enough. Unfortunately for
6-+n+-+-+& White, all these pieces gathering on the
kingside was nothing but an empty balloon.
5+-+p+-sN-% 17.Nf3
4-+-zPp+-+$ 17.Nxe4 gxh5 18.Rxg7 Qxg7 19.Qxf5
dxe4 or 17.Ne6 Qxe6 18.Qxf5 Qxf5
3+-zP-+-+P# 19.Lxg6+ Qxg6 20.Rxg6 Kf7 were easy
2P+P+-zP-+" and ineffective.
17...exf3 18.Rxg6 Lxg6 19.Lxg6+ Kd8
1tR-vLQmKLtR-! 0-1
xabcdefghy □ Malakhatko Vadim
White has sacrificed a pawn trying to gain ■ Parginos Vassilios
the initiative but Black is well prepared to D32 Athens 2007
defend properly. 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 cxd4
11.Qh5+?! 5.Qa4+ Ld7 6.Qxd4 exd5 7.Qxd5 Nf6
8.Qb3 Nc6 9.Nf3 Lc5 10.Lg5 h6 horrific examples of a badly placed piece
11.Lxf6 Qxf6 12.Ne4 Qe7 13.Nxc5 (or pieces) stuck on the edge of the board,
Qxc5 14.e3 (D) cut off from the rest of the play, haplessly
XABCDEFGHY watching as the owner is condemned to play
effectively a piece down.
8r+-+k+-tr( These examples duly cite Dr. Siegbert
Tarrasch’s comment about knights which,
7zpp+l+pzp-' loosely translated, goes ‘knights on the rim
6-+n+-+-zp& are grim’; consider the lesson well taught.
The innocent student files away this gem of
5+-wq-+-+-% wisdom and keeps his knights, and generally
4-+-+-+-+$ his pieces, in the centre thenceforth.
But in modern chess, the good players
3+Q+-zPN+-# have a thoroughly pragmatic attitude
towards this old saw, and don’t hesitate to
2PzP-+-zPPzP" use the pieces on the edge of the board when
1tR-+-mKL+R! it serves their purpose.
Of course, this lawless attitude towards the
xabcdefghy pieces and especially the knights, applies
Black again sacrificed a pawn for the primarily to the middlegame and opening.
initiative, as in the previous game. Jonathan Tisdall’s comment about rules in
14...Qa5+ chess tending to retain more validity in the
It seems that the Black player loves this kind ending applies here as well; certainly a well-
of check. The alternative was 14... c8 R centralized piece tends to show its
15.Le2 Le6 16.Qb5 Qxb5 17.Lxb5 Ke7 superiority when few other pieces are on the
³. board.
15.Qc3 Nb4?! So, as a general conclusion we should not
15...Qxc3+ 16.bxc3 Ke7 was what Black be dogmatic and should accept that moves to
should have opted for. the edge of the board can be quite good if
16.Nd4 Rc8 17.Qd2 La4?! they are associated with a logical idea.
Placing his pieces on the edge is not a good This ‘logical idea’ should be connected to
sign for Black. 17...b6 was better: 18.a3 plan, activity and time, as the latter factor is
Nc2+ 19.Nxc2 Rxc2 20.Qxa5 bxa5 21.b4 extremely important for manoeuvring,
axb4 22.axb4 0–0 23.Ld3 Rb2 24.0–0 aiming to easily transfer the sidelined piece
Rxb4 25.Rxa7 Lb5 26.Lxb5 Rxb5 27.g3 when in need.
. During the rest of the struggle, however,
18.b3 0–0?! the player who ignores the side of the board
Black had to accept an inferior but for his pieces, merely on principle, only
‘defendable’ position with 18...Ld7 19.Le2 cripples his ability to deal with positions
Nc6 20.Qxa5 Nxa5 21.Ld3 . optimally.
19.a3! This is best shown by example, so we turn
Compare this position with the previous to a number of well-established modern
game. Parginos has put his pieces on the openings and early middlegames in which a
edge of the board again and loses in an knight serves a positive function out on the
identical way! rim.
1-0 It might be appropriate to begin with the
example almost always given to show how
bad a rim knight can be: the Panno/Yugoslav
The ‘Bad’ Piece Prevails! Variation of the g3 King’s Indian Defence,
(Based on comments of John Watson) as we have already done in a previous
Instructional texts generally include some example:
□ Karpov Anatoly would be decisive.
■ Shirov Alexei 24.Nxe1 Qb1 25.Qxa5
E63 Monte Carlo 1998 What else? If 25.Le3 then 25...Nb3
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Lg7 4.g3 0–0 26.Lf3 Ld4! μ.
5.Lg2 d6 6.Nf3 Nc6!? 7.0–0 a6 8.Re1 25...Qxc1 26.Lf3
Rb8 9.Rb1 Re8 10.d5 Na5 11.Nd2 c5 26.Qa4 Rb1 27.Lf3 Qd2 28.Qe8+
12.a3 Ng4 13.Qc2 Ne5 14.b3 b5 15.h3 (28.Kf1 Lc3 ) 28...Lf8 29.Kf1 Rxd1
It is true that the a5-knight is placed on the 30.Lxd1 Qxd1  was no better.
edge of the board but in this specific case is 26...Ld4+ 27.Kh2
an 'active' piece, which is putting strong 27.Kf1 loses to 27...Rb3.
pressure on White's c4-pawn. 27...Rb3! 28.h4 Rxa3?!
15...bxc4 16.bxc4 Rxb1 17.Ncxb1 Qb6! A bit too optimistic. The prophylactic
Preparing the domination of the b-file, 28...Kg7! would do the job: 29.h5 Rxf3
planning ...Ld7 and ...Rb8. 30.Nxf3 Qxd1 .
18.Nc3! 29.Qd8+ Kg7 (D)
18.Lb2? Qxb2 19.Qxb2 Nf3+ 20.Nxf3
Lxb2 would only increase Black’s XABCDEFGHY
advantage. Now, by tactical means, White 8-+-wQ-+-+(
saves the pawn which otherwise would drop
after, for example 18.f4? Nexc4. 7+-+-zppmkp'
18...Lf5! 6p+-zp-+p+&
Of course 18...Naxc4? 19.Nxc4 Nxc4
20.Qa4 would be a really cheap trick for 5+-zpP+-+-%
Black to fall for! Black could have played
18...Ld7 at once, but it is better to weaken
4-+PvlPzP-zP$
the d3-square first. 3tr-+-+LzP-#
19.e4 Ld7 20.Nd1?!
The alternative was 20.Ne2!? g5! ÷ and 2-+-+-+-mK"
should be preferred. 1+-wqNsN-+-!
20...Rb8
In accordance with his primary plan. xabcdefghy
20...Nb3!? was interesting but after 30.e5?
21.Qxb3 (21.Nxb3? La4 μ) 21...Qxb3 White missed his last chance to stir things up
22.Nxb3 Rb8 23.Nxc5 (23.Nd2? Nd3 μ) and muddy the waters with 30.h5 when
23...dxc5 24.Nb2 Lxh3 it only leads to Black would have to find first 30...Rxf3!
unclear play. (30...Qd2+? 31.Ng2 Rxf3 32.h6+ Kxh6
21.f4?! 33.Qf8+ Lg7 [33...Kh5 34.Qxf7 Rf1
21.Ne3?! loses to 21...Nb3 22.Qxb3 Qxb3 35.Qxh7+ Kg4 36.Qxg6+ Kf3 37.Qh5+
23.Nxb3 Rxb3 but 21.Re3 g5 μ was Kxe4 38.Qg6+ =] 34.Qxe7 f6 35.Qe6
probably White's only chance. Rxg3 36.Kxg3 Qxd1 37.Qh3+ Qh5
21...La4! 38.Qe6 =) 31.h6+ (31.Nxf3 Qxd1 32.h6+
This was of course the idea behind Black's Kxh6 33.Nxd4 [33.Qf8+ Kh5! 34.Nxd4
previous moves. cxd4 35.Qxf7 Kg4! ] 33...cxd4 34.Qxe7
22.Qxa4 Nd3 23.Nf3 Qe2+ 35.Kh3 [35.Kg1 d3 36.Qg5+ Kg7
23.Rf1 Nxc1 μ was the alternative. 37.e5 dxe5 38.fxe5 d2 ] 35...Qf1+
23...Nxe1! 36.Kh2 Qf2+ 37.Kh3 Qf3! ) 31...Kxh6
The position would be unclear after the 32.Qf8+ Lg7 33.Qxe7 and second the only
natural 23...Nxc1?! 24.e5!. Black has move 33...Rxf4! 34.gxf4 Qxf4+ 35.Kg2
'sacrificed' some material (two pieces for a Ld4! (35...Qg4+ 36.Kf1 Qxd1 37.Qh4+
rook) but the penetration of his heavy pieces Qh5 38.Qf4+ g5 39.Qxd6+ f6 μ) 36.e5
Lxe5 37.Nf2 Qg5+ 38.Qxg5+ Kxg5 . 20...Nd7 21.f4 Nb6 22.Na3 Ld7
30...Qd2+ 31.Ng2 Rxf3 32.Qxe7 dxe5 Black could also think about 22...Na4 23.
33.h5 Qxd1 Nxa4 Lxa4 24.Lxg7 Kxg7 25.e4 Rb4 ÷.
White has no perpetual check, so he resigned. 23.g4 Rb7 24.Lf1
0-1 Black could continue the fight with 24...f5,
One game is like no other, but as far as one but he decided that a draw suited him.
can make a research, there are plenty of ½-½
games like the previous one or the next: As a conclusion we should accept that the
□ Relange Eloi point is not whether Black has equality in
■ Grivas Efstratios this opening; theory tends to revise its
E62 Cannes 1995 judgements continually about such things.
But at least it should be obvious from these
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Lg7 4.Lg2 0–0
examples that the knight on a5 has both
5.Nc3 d6 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.0–0 Lf5 8.d5 Na5
advantages and disadvantages, and that a
9.Nd4 Ld7 10.b3 c5 11.Nc2 a6 12.Qd3
Rb8 13.Lb2 b5 14.Rab1 Qc7 15.h3 Rb6 host of factors, both static and dynamic, will
decide who comes out on top, as opposed to
16.La1 (D)
a narrow and simplistic rule.
XABCDEFGHY The dispute could go on forever, but the
point should be obvious by now. Modern
8-+-+-trk+( players have no inhibitions about placing
7+-wqlzppvlp' knights on the edge of the board, for the
simple reason that they serve active
6ptr-zp-snp+& functions there, and can combine with other
5snpzpP+-+-% pieces and ideas in an optimal manner. The
old days of dogmatic knight centralization
4-+P+-+-+$ are forever gone.
3+PsNQ+-zPP# In the next example both sides go for the
sidelined knight in a very early stage:
2P+N+PzPL+" □ Gofshtein Leonid
1vLR+-+RmK-! ■ Avrukh Boris
A01 Israel 2008
xabcdefghy 1.b3 e5 2.Lb2 Nc6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Lb5 Ld6
16...bxc4! 5.Na3 (D)
This is a critical and instructive moment. If XABCDEFGHY
Black continues with the natural 16...Rfb8?!
after 17.Rbe1! Black's rooks are not doing 8r+lwqk+-tr(
much along the b-file (no real entrances)
while White's rooks will prove rather active
7zppzpp+pzpp'
after supporting the white pawns' advance: 6-+nvl-sn-+&
e4, f4 and e5.
17.bxc4 Rxb1 18.Rxb1 Rb8 5+L+-zp-+-%
After exchanging all rooks, Black can
continue with ...Le8 and ...Nd7-b6,
4-+-+-+-+$
achieving excellent play on the queenside - 3sNP+-zP-+-#
the a5-knight is rather helpful for that
concept!
2PvLPzP-zPPzP"
19.Re1 Le8 20.e3 1tR-+QmK-sNR!
20.Ne4?! Nxe4 21.Lxe4 Lxa1 22.Rxa1
Rb2 only helps Black. xabcdefghy
5...Na5! 15.Nxc4 dxc4 16.Qa4
Unusual positions call for non-standard White's position is beyond repair! Other
solutions! This is the main move here - options such as 16.Lxc4 Re1+ 17.Qxe1
Black wants to prevent the white knight Lxe1 18.Rxe1 Rb8 19.Lc3 Le6  or
from landing on the c4-square. 16.Qc2 Ne4 17.Nf3 c3 18.Lc1 Lg4 μ
6.Le2 just prolong the fight.
Another line is 6.Nf3 a6 7.Le2 Qe7 16...Rb8 17.Lxc4 Ne4!
8.Nb1 0–0 9.c4 b6 10.Nc3 Lb7 11.0–0 Black is fully mobilized, while half of
Rfe8 12.d3 La3 13.Qc1 Lxb2 ½-½ White's pieces are in the barracks. It's
Hodgson,J-Speelman,J England 1998. therefore not surprising that Black already
6...a6 7.c4 0–0 8.Nc2 Re8 9.d4?! has a decisive advantage here.
Perhaps 9.Nf3 or 9.d3 are better options. 18.Nf3 Lg4! 19.Rd1 Lxf3 20.gxf3 Nd2+
9...exd4 10.exd4?! (D) 0-1
Of course 10.Nxd4?! Lb4+ 11.Kf1 d5 μ is
not advisable but White should go for A chess player should also try to
10.Lxd4 b5 11.Nf3 bxc4 12.bxc4 Ne4 understand the ‘worst-piece principle’.
13.0–0 Lb7 ³. In situations involving strategic
XABCDEFGHY manoeuvres (when the time factor is not of
decisive importance), a chess player should
8r+lwqr+k+( look for the piece which stands worse than
the others.
7+pzpp+pzpp' Making this piece more active will often
6p+-vl-sn-+& turn out to be the surest way to improve the
position as a whole. Using the worst-piece
5sn-+-+-+-% principle makes it easier to search for the
4-+PzP-+-+$ strongest continuation.
I have come across many games with a
3+P+-+-+-# sidelined piece where the owner had
sacrificed material to gain this
2PvLN+LzPPzP" ‘disadvantage’!
1tR-+QmK-sNR! Well, of course this cannot be considered a
guide and is merely an exception, but still it
xabcdefghy exists:
10...b5!
Black found a clever way to employ the a5- □ Bologan Viktor
knight. ■ Volokitin Andrei
11.Ne3 D73 Sarajevo 2005
Alternatives such as 11.cxb5 Lb7 12.Nf3 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Lg7 4.g3 c6
(12.f3 Nh5! ) 12...Lxf3 13.gxf3 Nd5  5.Lg2 d5 6.0–0 dxc4 7.Ne5 Ng4 8.Nxc4
or 11.c5 Lb7 12.f3 Lf4 13.Nh3 Nd5 μ Qxd4 9.Qc2 0–0 10.Nba3 Qf6 11.h3
fail to impress Black. Ne5 12.Na5 Na6 13.Rd1 g5 14.Le3 g4
11...bxc4 12.bxc4 Lb4+ 15.h4 Lf5 16.Qa4 b5 17.Qb3 Le6
Equally good is 12...Rb8 13.Rb1 18.Qc2 Ld5 19.Lxd5 Nb4 20.Lxf7+
(13.Lc3?! c5 14.d5 Ne4 ) 13...Ne4 Nxf7 21.Qb3 Qxb2 (D)
14.Nf3 Lf4 μ. White did sacrifice a pawn in the opening
13.Kf1 d5 14.c5 Nc4 for some (dubious) compensation, but after
14...Rb8!? was a worthy alternative but Black’s bad reaction he has obtained real
when a piece on the edge can be exchanged counterplay on the queenside. Especially his
or come back to 'real life' that is a sign of sidelined knights are quite helpful in that
strength! direction!
XABCDEFGHY c4-square and thanks to White's control of
the c8-square his rook is invulnerable here.
8r+-+-trk+( 29...Rf7 30.Nec8
Not bad also was 30.Nac8 Ra2 31.Kf1 h6
7zp-+-zpnvlp' 32.Nd5 ².
6-+p+-+-+& 30...Rd7 31.Nb5 Ra2 32.Ncd6
32.Nb6 Rd8 33.Nc3 Ra5 34.Ne4 ². In
5sNp+-+-+-% this part of the game the white cavalry is
4-sn-+-+pzP$ clearly superior to the black rooks!
32...h5?!
3sNQ+-vL-zP-# 32...h6, denying to the white knights the
2Pwq-+PzP-+" important g5-square was better. Also the
black pawn on h5 will prove vulnerable.
1tR-+R+-mK-! 33.Kf1 Kh7 34.Ne4 Kg6 35.Nc5!
Now one of the knights reaches the f4-
xabcdefghy square with check.
22.Rab1! Qxb3 35...Re7?!
22...Qxe2? 23.Qxb4 Ne5 24.Qb3+ Kh8 Maybe the lesser evil was 35...Rf7 36.Ne6
25.Qc2  would only help White. Lh6 37.Lf4! ².
23.Rxb3 Nxa2 36.Nc3 Ra3
23...Nd5? 24.Nxc6 Nxe3 25.Rxe3 a6 36...Ra5 37.Nd5 Rf7 38.Nf4+ Kh6
26.Nxe7+ Kh8 27.Nc2  is another line 39.Kg2 .
that Black should avoid. 37.Nd5 Rf7
24.Nxc6 Nc3 The other option was 37...Rea7 38.Nf4+
The main alternative was 24...a6!? Kf7 39.Nxh5 (a third pawn to the good.
25.Nxe7+ Kh8 26.Nb1 Rfd8 27.Nd5 Black is doomed) 39...Ra1 40.Nxg7 Nc4
Rd7 ÷.
41.Lh6 Rxc1+ 42.Lxc1 Ra1 43.Nf5
25.Nxe7+ Kh8 26.Rxc3! (43.Nb3!? Rb1 44.Nf5 Rxb3 45.Kg2 )
An excellent and forced exchange sacrifice. 43...Rxc1+ 44.Kg2 .
White wouldn't be happy with the other 38.Nf4+ Kh7
option 26.Rd3? as Black would be fine after 38...Kh6 39.Nce6 .
26...Nxe2+ 27.Kf1 Nxg3+ 28.fxg3 Ne5+ 39.Nce6! Lh6 40.Rc5
29.Ke2 Nxd3 30.Rxd3 a6 μ. White is winning, as Black did not find the
26...Lxc3 27.Nxb5 Lg7?! correct way to annihilate the enemy cavalry!
Chances should be around equal with the 40...Ra1+
precise 27...Lf6 28.Nd5 Le5 29.Lxa7 Or 40...Ng6 41.Rxh5 Nxf4 42.Nxf4
Rfd8 30.e4 Rd7.
(42.Ng5+?! Kg6 43.Rxh6+ Kxh6
28.Nxa7 44.Nxf7+ Kg7 45.Lxf4 Kxf7 ) 42...Ra6
The white knights proved to be powerful in 43.Nd3 .
their sidelined positions, swapping all
41.Kg2 Nd7 42.Rxh5 Re7 43.Ng5+
Black's queenside and central pawns! Of Kg8 44.Rxh6 Rd1 45.Rg6+ Rg7
course White had to sacrifice an exchange
46.Rc6 Re7 47.Rc8+ Kg7 48.Ld4+ Nf6
but he is not in real danger of losing the
49.Nge6+
game, as he has got two good pawns and his
1-0
pieces are standing quite acceptably.
28...Ne5
28...Rfe8!? 29.Nac6 Ne5 30.Nxe5 Lxe5
31.Nf5 ².
29.Rc1!
The black knight is deprived of its decent
Index of Games
When a player’s name appears in bold, that player had White. Otherwise the first-named Player
had White. A total of 60 games and examples are analysed in this book.
Agdestein Simen - Hansen 37 Karpov Anatoly - Shirov 75

Alekhine Alexander - Capablanca 44 Kasparov Garry - Karpov 54
Anand Viswanathan - Shirov 8 Kasparov Garry - Karpov 56
Andersson Ulf - Atalik 45 Kasparov Garry - Karpov 57
Andersson Ulf - Rivas 29 Kasparov Garry - Karpov 61
Arakhamia Ketevan - Kersten 63 Kasparov Garry - Kramnik 8
Atalik Suat - Andersson 45 Kasparov Garry - Portisch 47
Averbakh Yuri - Pachman 37 Kasparov Garry - Shirov 68
Avrukh Boris - Gofshtein 76 Kersten Uwe - Arakhamia 63
Baburin Alexander - Stearns 6 Kharlov Andrei - Vaulin 55
Beliavsky Alexander - Karpov 34 Kramnik Vladimir - Grivas 21
Beliavsky Alexander - Portisch 40 Kramnik Vladimir - Kasparov 8
Beliavsky Alexander - Portisch 43 Kramnik Vladimir - Nikolic 45
Bologan Viktor - Volokitin 77 Kramnik Vladimir - Vallejo 70
Botvinnik Mikhail - Capablanca 18 Lasker Emanuel - Capablanca 28
Bruzon Batista Lazaro - Radjabov 38 Lasker Emanuel - Steinitz 71
Byrne Robert - Eliskases 30 Lautier Joel - Timman 12
Capablanca Jose Raul - Alekhine 44 Leko Peter - Gelfand 66
Capablanca Jose Raul - Botvinnik 18 Ljubojevic Ljubomir - Ivanchuk 22
Capablanca Jose Raul - Lasker 28 Lputian Smbat - Tukmakov 55
Carlsen Magnus - Jakovenko 14 Malakhatko Vadim - Parginos 73
Carlsen Magnus - Wang Yue 48 Miles Anthony - Karpov 9
Colle Edgar - Spielmann 11 Milos Gilberto - Rogers 59
Ehlvest Jaan - Short 24 Morozevich Alexander - Sasikiran 15
Eliskases Erich - Byrne 30 Myagmarsuren Lhamsu - Reshevsky 32
Erdogdu Mert - Yilmaz 53 Nikolaidis Konstantinos - Grivas 20
Fischer Robert - Petrosian 35 Nikolic Predrag - Kramnik 45
Flohr Salo - Ragozin 33 Pachman Ludek - Averbakh 37
Gelfand Boris - Leko 66 Pachman Ludek - Ragozin 39
Geller Efim - Velimirovic 52 Parginos Vassilios - Grivas 72
Gofshtein Leonid - Avrukh 76 Parginos Vassilios - Malakhatko 73
Grivas Efstratios - Kramnik 21 Peng Zhaoqin - Grivas 16
Grivas Efstratios - Nikolaidis 20 Petrosian Tigran - Fischer 35
Grivas Efstratios - Parginos 72 Pinter Joszef - Psakhis 25
Grivas Efstratios - Peng 16 Pirc Vasja - Trifunovic 36
Grivas Efstratios - Relange 76 Portisch Lajos - Beliavsky 40
Grivas Efstratios - Shahtahtinsky 65 Portisch Lajos - Beliavsky 43
Gurevich Mikhail - Salov 10 Portisch Lajos - Kasparov 47
Hansen Curt - Agdestein 37 Psakhis Lev - Pinter 25
Harikrishna Penteala - Svidler 50 Radjabov Teimour - Bruzon 38
Ivanchuk Vassily - Ljubojevic 22 Ragozin Viacheslav - Flohr 33
Jakovenko Dmitrij - Carlsen 14 Ragozin Viacheslav - Pachman 39
Jussupow Artur - Karpov 23 Reshevsky Samuel - Myagmarsuren 32
Karpov Anatoly - Beliavsky 34 Relange Eloi - Grivas 76
Karpov Anatoly - Jussupow 23 Rivas Pastor Manuel - Andersson 29
Karpov Anatoly - Kasparov 54 Rogers Ian - Milos 59
Karpov Anatoly - Kasparov 56 Salov Valery - Gurevich 10
Karpov Anatoly - Kasparov 57 Sasikiran Krishnan - Morozevich 15
Karpov Anatoly - Kasparov 61 Shahtahtinsky Alekper - Grivas 65
Karpov Anatoly - Miles 9 Shirov Alexei - Anand 8
Shirov Alexei - Karpov 75 Timman Jan - Lautier 12
Shirov Alexei - Kasparov 68 Trifunovic Petar - Pirc 36
Short Nigel - Ehlvest 24 Tukmakov Vladimir - Lputian 55
Short Nigel - Sokolov 70 Vallejo Pons Francisco - Kramnik 70
Sokolov Ivan - Short 70 Van Wely Loek - Sokolov 41
Sokolov Ivan - Van Wely 41 Vaulin Alexander - Kharlov 55
Spielmann Rudolf - Colle 11 Velimirovic Dragoljub - Geller 52
Stearns Aaron - Baburin 6 Volokitin Andrei - Bologan 77
Steinitz William - Lasker 71 Wang Yue - Carlsen 48
Svidler Peter - Harikrishna 50 Yilmaz Turhan - Erdogdu 53
Curriculum Vitae of Efstratios Grivas

Efstratios Grivas (30.03.1966)
is a highly experienced chess trainer and chess author
Has been awarded by the

International Chess Federation (FIDE) the titles of:
▪ International Chess Grandmaster

▪ FIDE Senior Trainer
▪ International Chess Arbiter
▪ International Chess Organizer
What he does/did:
▪ Secretary of the FIDE Trainers’ Commission
▪ Head Trainer of the Turkish Men’s National Team (2006-2012)
▪ Head Coach of the Greek Men’s National Team (2013)
▪ Winner of the FIDE Boleslavsky Medal 2009 (best author)
▪ Winner of the FIDE Euwe Medal 2011 & 2012 (best junior trainer)
▪ Trainer of Various GMs & IMs - In 2009-2011 alone, he formed 5 GMs!
▪ Trainer of the FIDE World Junior Champion U.20 2012 Alex Ipatov
▪ Director of the FIDE Grivas International Chess Academy (Athens)
▪ Worked over 12.000 hours on training!
▪ Official Commentator of the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Ch 2013
▪ Lecturer at FIDE Seminars for Training & Certifying Trainers
▪ Author of Various Books
▪ Cooperating with the World’s Most Important Magazines

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FIDE Trainers’ Commission

Advanced Chess School

Cover and drawings by Nicolas Sphicas

Commissioning Editor: Efstratios Grivas (www.GrivasChess.com)

8-+-+-+rmk( Category 2 - Fixed Pawn Structures

□ Andersson Ulf The next two games are an even more

Agdestein Simen - Hansen 37 Karpov Anatoly - Shirov 75

Curriculum Vitae of Efstratios Grivas

Has been awarded by the

▪ International Chess Grandmaster

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