Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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Play Better
with
Leonard Barden
Foreword by
Viktor Korclinoi
CONTENTS
8
19HO
0 L
T054380
Pnnted m Spa1n by
Artes Graflcas Toled(
Foreword
byViktor Korchnoi
Improvi ng one's ability as a chess player is not an easy task.
The physical development of muscles on arms or legs can be
easily achieved by training with weights. Training will also hel p
improve speed a t running o r swimming. But how much time and
effort must be spent at chess to have any effect ? Thousands of
people play chess regularly but never improve their game at all .
At one time I studied the text-books of Lasker, Capablanca and
Euwe. I admired Euwe's lectures for their consistent and logical
approach, but I particularly remember Lasker's manual. He was
a rea l optimist, writing that in just 1 20 hours he could teach a
novice to such a high standard that he would be able to stand up
to a master. I don't know how many players have followed
Lasker's advice but, frankly, there is still a great distance between
those who know how to avoid blunders and those who think
independently, who can play openings, who appreciate the
subtleties of chess strategy - I mean masters.
' One does not have to be a grand master to tutor young chess
players successfully. The ab il ity to teach is something quite
special . I never really managed to teach my own son to play chess.
He would pester me to play, but I would point to a book on the
shelf and say ' First, read th is book and then we will play .' For a
ten year old like him, chess was a game, l ike an electric train, but
for me it is a profession, my work. I could not understand his
att i tude to chess, nor could he understand mine.
The task of a teacher is to discover talent in a pupil, to rouse his
enthusiasm and only then to make him an expert by keeping him
regularly occupied with new and increasingly complex problems.
I would like to introduce the author of this book- well-known as
a teacher of British juniors. In 1972 money was made available for
chess education for j un ior players in London, and it was Leonard
Barden who worked with them. In 1976 I had an opportunity to
become an inspector of thi s 'kindergarten' . I played a simul
taneous display with London schoolboys on 30 boards. The dis
play lasted over seven hours and was exhausting, although
enjoyable, work. I was held to a d raw by no less than ll players
and lost to one. In 1979 Boris Spassky also put Leonard Barden's
work to the test. Spassky won 13 games, lost five and drew the
rema inder !
In 1978 and 1979 the young generation of British chess players,
tutored in part by Leonard Barden, received the highest accolade,
winning the World School boys' Championship .
I do not want to intrude into Leonard Barden's field of teaching,
for in education he i a respected expert. But as a leading chess
player I am often asked the same questions. At the risk of repeat
ing the contents of this book, I will attempt to answer some of
them .
Perhaps the main point which troubles the beginner is the
extent to which abil ity w i ll depend on natural talent. In an age
where chess books and instruction are widely available, talent
is not such a vital factor. The ability to work hard is more impor
tant. I know of several grandmasters with no specific talent for
chess. One of them, Botvinnik, was World Champion for 15 years !
To compensate for lack of talent, he possessed an exceptional
capacity for work and an iron wilL
So is studying chess useful and, if so, when should one begin ?
Clearly, it is not something to rush into headlong at any serious
level. To play chess seriously can involve considerable stress, and
chess can become a passion that interferes with other studies.
But in moderate doses chess is generally useful. It is usual to
begin at 10 or 12 years old and studies have shown that at that
age chess develops perseverence, increases attentiveness, en
courages the ability to think logically and teaches objectivity.
Indeed, in some schools where chess has been introduced along
side other subjects, the level of achievement has been raised.
I am sometimes asked how to perfect one's game. Learning how
the p ieces move is a simple matter, b ut knowing this is no more
than knowing a few words of a foreign language. You would be
foolish to claim to be able to speak it. And, like a language, chess
can be studied for a lifetime - there are always new things to
learn. Not even World Champions can exhaust the possibilities.
If you have mastered the basic science of chess and want to
take your ability further, it is a good idea to note down your
games to analyze them later. You can do this with a friend or
teacher, but better still by yourself. You should be really thorough
and write a commentary on all your games, whether you have
won or lost. In this way, you can investigate your own thought
processes and discover the errors made by both you and your
opponent.
It is more useful to play with a partner who is better than your
self. If he is much better, you will not understand why you lose.
But if he is much weaker than you, the game will only serve to
boost your ego. The occasional boost to the ego does have its
value, however!
It is worthwhile studying a few games in detail - perhaps in
volving an opening that interests you or the style of a particular
grandmaster. A memorized opening is a weapon you can use in
practical play. And by imitating grandmasters you can bring
yourself up to their level. Don't feel ashamed to copy the play
of Capablanca or Fischer. They, champions of the world, began
the same way .
I t i s only necessary to learn one o r two openings, and perhaps
some essential positions in the endgame. There is no point in
endless learning of countless variations. What is important is the
development of flair, the understanding of your chosen openings
and a feeling for the delicacy of strategy.
Chess is both simple and complex. Armed with this knowledge,
you are ready to proceed to develop your chess skill, with the help
of Leonard Barden' s splendid book.
BeforeYou Start
fig. l
The line-up
2 rooks
8 pawns
Bishop a nd Ro ok moves
fig. 7
fig. 6
Ca ptures
fig. Bb
fig. llb
fig. lOb
Pawn p romotion
fig. 9b
Pa wn m o ves a nd ca ptures
fig. l2a
fig. lla
Mo re o n ch eck
fig. l6b
fig. l5b
fig. l4b
fig. 20b
fig. 17b
fig. 19
fig. l8d
fig. 20a
fig. 24b
fig. 23
adjacent file.
fig. 22
fig. 24c
Notations compared
1 . e2-e4
2. Ngl-f3
3. Nbl-c3
4. Bfl-b S
5. Nf3xd4
6. e4-e5
7. e5xf6
8. Bclxd2
9. 0-0
1 0. Bd2-c3
l l . Rfl-e 1
1 2. Re 1 -e5
1 3. Bb5-d3
1 4 . Qd 1 -g4
1 5 . Qg4xg7+
1 6 . ReS-gS mate
e7-e5
Nb8-c6
Ng8-f6
Nc6-d4
e5xd4
d4xc3
c3xd2+
Qd8xf6
Bf8-e7
Qf6-g5
0-0
Qg5-f6
h7-h6
Qf6-h4
Kg8xg7
l. e4
eS
2. Nf3
Nc6
3. Nc3
Nf6
4. BbS
Nd4
5 . Nxd4
exd4
6. eS
"dxc3
7. exf6
cxd2+
8. Bxd2
Qxf6
9. 0-0
Be7
10. Bc3
QgS
1 1 . Rel
0-0
1 2. ReS
Qf6
1 3. Bd3
h6
1 4 . Qg4
Qh4
1 5 . Qxg7 +
Kxg7
1 6. RgS mate (fig. 26)
1. P-K4
2. N-KB3
3. N-B3
4. B-NS
5. NxN
6. P-KS
7 . PxN
8. BxP
9. 0-0
1 0. B-B3
1 1 . R-K 1
1 2. R-KS
1 3 . B-Q3
1 4. Q-N4
1 5 . QxPch
1 6 . R-NS mate
P-K4
N-QB3
N-B3
N-QS
PxN
PxN
PxPch
QxP
B-K2
Q-N4
0-0
Q-B3
P-KR3
Q-RS
KxQ
Rules o f play
fig. 25
Nota t i o n s compare d
TOP TEN
fig. 27
16
Pi tfall two
Schola r's rook fork
l. e4
2. Bc4
3. QhS
eS
BcS
g6 ? ?
18
Nxe4
3. . . .
N f6 7
4. Qe2
Now Black notices that i f 4 . . . . Qe7
5. Qxe4, but that would be better than
what happens.
5 . Ne6 +
Discovering check from the white
queen, while at the same time the knight
threatens the black queen. White wins
queen for knight.
How to avoid the copycat trap
fig. 31
1.
Qxb2 7
2 . Q e8+ ! Bxe8
3 . Rxe8 mate
How to avoid
the poisoned pawn
How to a v oid
the back row mate
20
fig. 34
3. . . .
exf47
Qe77
4. e 5 !
Black does not like the idea of retreating
his knight back to g8, but the text is
worse.
5. Qe2
Ng8
6. d4
d67
Black should swallow his pride and
play 6 . . . . Qd8.
7. Nd5
Q d8
If 7 . . . . Qe6 8. Nxc7 + wins the queen.
8. Nxc7+ Kd7
If 8 . . . . Qxc7 9. exd6 + wins the queen.
9 . Nxa8 and wins.
How to avoid
t h e hanging bishop
7 . Nd5 1
Black's knight is pinned aga i nst the
queen and can be attacked by two white
pieces. This weakness is made worse
because the pawn front defending the
king will be weakened .
7.
a6?
8 . Bxf6
gxf6
f5
9 . Qd2
1 0 . Qh6
Threatening 1 1 . Nf6 + , winning the
queen or mating by Qxh7 .
10.
f6
1 1 . Nxf6+ Kh8
12. Qxh7 mate
fig. 36
Ho w to a v oid
the pin n e d knight
21
T r a p o n e - T h e master sta n d by
23
How to a void
the master sta ndby
In place of 6. . . . Be7 ? Black should
exchange pieces by 6 . . . . Nxd4 7. Nxd4
exd4 8. Qxd4 Bxb 5 . Strictly speaking,
White's 6. Qd3 is inaccurate and he should
first play 6. Bxc6 and then 7. Qd3. The
problem with that order of moves is that
Black is more likely to notice the threat tt>
his e5 pawn and to take measures to
protect it - so White has to weigh up his
opponent and decide whether to play it
strictly by the book or to maximize the
chances of the trap .
the queen.
There are several variants of this basic
trap - for example if White plays 7. Bd3
(instead of 7. Nd2) Bb4 8. Qc2 Ne4 9. Rc1 ?
(White should play 9. Bxe4) Nxg5 10.
Nxg5 dxc4.
How to a void
t he Ca m b ridge Springs
4.
fig. 38
9 . Bd3 ?
A natural developing move, which
eyes Black's h7 pawn, but . . .
9. . . .
dxc4
Black now w i ns a bishop after both 10.
Nxc4 Qxg5 or 1 0. Bxf6 cxd 3 attacking
24
Caro-Kann knights
. .
Bf5
6 . h4
h6
l . d4
2. e )
don ' t
dS
N f6
If Black bri ngs h is b i shop into action by
BfS W h i te does best to a bandon h i s
projec ted wall forma tion a n d attack on
the quee n ' s s i de by c4, Nc3 and Q b 3 .
3 . Bd3
e6
4. Nd2
5. c3
cS
7.
8. NeS
0-0
8.
c4 7
Bd7
bS
aS
9. Bc2
1 0 . 0-0
1 1 . R f3
12. Rh3
b4 7
How to avoid
the Blackmar Ga mbit
5. . . .
Qh4 +
looks natural to 'punish' White for not
preparing d3 by 5. Nf3 . However, con
trary to appearances, Black's queen check
is a losing blunder.
Nxg3
6. g 3
7. NO
Qh5
8. Nxd5
White counters the threat to his rook by a
counter-threat to the black rook. If Black
now defends his c7 pawn by Na6, Kd8 or
Kd7, White wins the g3 knight by 9. Nf4
Qh6 1 0. Nh3 .
Nxh 1
8.
9 . Nxc7 + Kd8
10. Nxa8 Be7
1 1 . Bg2
Bh4 +
1 2 . Kfl
Nc6
1 3 . d4 !
Less good is 1 3. Bxh 1 NxeS ; but after
1 3. d4 White remains at least a pawn up
with the better position (N2 1 4. Qe 1 and
the black knight remains trapped).
It
fig. 4 2
Q b4 7
6.
7. 0-0-0
Bg4 7
8 . NbS I
e5
B lack i s already lost. I f h e tries to
stop 9. Nxc7 mate by 8 . . . . Na6 then
9. Qxb7 Qe4 (Rb8 10. Qxb8 + ) 10. Qxa6
Qxe 3 + 1 1 . Kb1 Bxd1 1 2. Qc6 + Kd8
1 3. Qxc7 + Ke8 14. Nd6 + Bxd6 1 5.
BbS + wins.
9. Nxc7 + Ke7
10. Qxb7 1
This final coup closes the trap. If 1 0 . . . .
Qxb7 1 1 . BcS mate, or if 10 . . . . QaS
1 1 . Be 5 + Qxc5 1 2. N a6 + wins the queen.
'1 :
& ,w- -
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ot;
. ....-:
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-.
_ _...,
:..
8. . . .
a6 ?
This last is a plausible move, since It IS
normal in the Sicilian Defence for Black
to ad vance his queen's side pawns. The
pawn move also allows the black queen
to go to c7 without risking harassment by
9. Nb5. Nevertheless a6 is a mistake which
falls into another of the mazy Morra 's
traps.
9 . Rd 1
Qc7
Be7
10. B f4
I f 10 . . . . e5 1 1 . Nd5 NxdS 1 2 . exdS Be7
1 3 . dxc6 exf4 1 4. cxb7 Bxb7 1 5 . Rac l
with fine open lines for White's pieces.
If 1 0 . . . . NeS 1 1 . BxeS dxeS 1 2 . Rac l
Bd7 1 3. Bxe6 ! Bxe6 1 4. NdS Qb8 1 5 .
Nc7 + Ke7 1 6 . Qd2 with a winning
attack against Black's exposed king.
0-0
1 1 . Rac1
Rd8
1 2 . Bb3
If 1 2 . . . . eS then again 1 3 . NdS ! with
advantage .
1 3 . Nd5 1
This is a typical idea in the Morra Gambit
White takes advantage of the concealed
attack along the c file by his rook against
the black queen to regain the gambit
pawn with advantage after a temporary
knight sacrifice.
13.
exd5
h6
14. exd5
1 5 . dxc6
dxc6
Bd7
1 6 . Nd4
1 7 . Nxc6 ! Bxc6
1 8 . Ba4
followed by R or Bxc6 with a distinct
advantage for White : he has two bishops
against bishop and knight, while the
isolated black d pawn and especially the
a pawn are targets for the white pieces.
How to avoid
the M o r ra Gambit
28
:
to the Pirc Defence ( 1. e4 d6) and : th
Modem Defence ( 1 . e4 g6l These popar:
systems are often played in contemp:rt
tournaments. Black can and slllould'ava
the queen v piees situation, but
strategy has brought good reults,
when Black has avoided the trap. -' : '
g
l . e4
2 . d4
B g7
d6
3. Nc3
Nf6
4. Bc4
5. Qe2
This position can arise Just the sam:e if
Black begins 1 . . . . d6 and continues
.
.. -
.
.
N f 6, 3
g6 a n d 4
).
B7
:\ e h
11
l' l h J .x c "i d .x c "i I H g "i . a n d i 1
, (l h . c "i J :-: c '1 ;
l x e 'i N J S R B d 2
! < d l < ) \ \ ed h 0 - 0 - 0 , 1 n h o t h c a ses w i th
g( ) ( IJ ,J t t ,l l{ J n g c h a n c e s fo r W h i t e . A n
1 n t c r - L I u h g a m e ( R H a r rn a n --0. H i l l ) w e n t
)
0-0 h . c S d x e 'i 7 . d x e 5 N e8 8. f4 c 6
9 :\ 1' 3 B g 4 1 0 Be 3 B x f3 ? 1 1 . Q x f3 K h 8 ?
( \\'eakcns t h e f7 sq u a r e ) 1 2 . Rd 1 Qc7 1 3 .
e4 b6 1 4 . N g 5 c6 1 5 . Q h 3 h6 1 6 . 0-0 Qe 7
1 1 . B x e 6 ' fx c6 1 8 . N x e6 R g8 1 9. fS ! g x fS
2 0 . N x g 7 Q x g 7 2 1 . R x f5 Q h 7 2 2 . R h S
R e s i gn s .
6. eS
IS
B g 'i
fo l l o w ed by
N f6 + or ( b ) l l .
0-0-0 1 4 . R h e 1
K hH ( 1/ H / 5 1 5 . Bc4 e6 1 6 . fJ in ten ding g4)
l S . B h S c6 1 6 . Ba4 h 5 1 7 . N x e6 fx e 6 1 8 .
B h 3 d S 1 9 . B f4 + Ka8 20. N e4 .
B c6 1 2 . B d ) Q d 7 I 3 .
Nd4
Ho w t o a v o i d this t ra p
B l a c k c a n s i d e s tep t h i s o p e n i n g by p l a y
i ng 4 . . . . N c6 or 4 . . . . c6, al tao ugh White
5.
dS N d4
6.
N ce2 or 4 . . .
c6
1 1 8.)
Tra p t e n Ca t c h i n g t h e m a st e r s
M o st o p e n i ng traps find t h e i r v ic t i ms
am ong pl ayers in c l u b matc hes and
6.
I f 6.
. . .
N x d4 ?
N g4 a ga me N i g el S h o r t- D .
.J e r s e v 1 9 78, c o nt i n u e d 7 . e 6 !
:\ x d 4 8 . Q x g4 N x c 2 + 9. K d 1 N x a l \ 0 .
c :-: G + K f8 1 1 . Q h4 d 5 1 2 . Bd 3 Be6 I 3 .
:\ 1' 3 A x fi 1 4 . R e i d4 1 5 . B g 5 ! B f6 1 6 . N e4
B x g S 1 7 . N e x g S B x a 2 1 8 . N x h 7 + Kg8
I 4 R :-: e7 Q x c l ") (a b e t t e r t ry is B f7 ) 2 0 .
() x c l R x h / 2 1 . QJ Bd 5 2 2 . Qx a l a n d
\ \ ' h i t c s o o n \\ on \\' i th h i s e x t ra p i ec e .
A l so i n s u ffi c i e n t i s 6 . . . . N h 5 7 . B b S !
Sikkel.
dxeS ( Black's
b e s t c h a n ce is 7.
. . 0-0
8
F3.\ d) bxc6 9 . s4 dxC'5 w i th so me
L' P mpe n sa t i o n for t h e k n i g h t ) 8 . d'i 0-0 ( i l
cih 4 . J\ d) cxh 5 1 0 . cxh 7 B.\ h 7 1 I . Qxb5 +
Will ' ) 9 . d :-: c6 h x cb I 0. B x c6 R b8 1 1 . Q d 1
8 .1 6 1 2 . Q x d 8 a nd W h i te won on ma te r i a l
( R ega n -- S h a m k o v i c h . N ew York 1 97 8}
C pnn t h e retreat 6 . . . . N d 7 there can
fo l l ow 7. N f3 d x e '5 ? 8 . B x f7 + ! K x f7
9 Ng 5 + a nd wins.
7 . e x f6 !
N x e2
8 . fx g 7
R g8
9 . N g x e2 R x g 7
10. Bh6
R g8
1 1 . 0-0-0
T h i s p o s i t i o n h a s o c c u r red s e v e r a l
1 1 m es i n
m a t c h and tou r n a ment chess
hLl ,w ..,c p l a ye rs w i th B l a c k have been
,J t t r J L t cJ hy B l a c k ' s t wo e x tra p a w n s in
<; u p pn rt of t h e q u een. B u t p r a c t i c a l p l a y
h ,1 .., '> h n w n t h J t W h i t e c a n u se h i s p i e c e s
1 < 1 b rea k d n w n A l a L" k ' s pa w n b a r r i c a d e .
w e e k e n d c o n g resses.
Ma sters,
better
p r i m e d , u s u a l l y know enough to sidestep
c1 nd a v o i d them . B u t a trap in the Grun
fe l d Defe nce ( w h e re Bla ck a ll o ws W h i te a
pawn c e n t re then tries to u nd e rm i ne it
w i th p ie c e s) i s unusual in that it bagged
four ma sters in n a ti o nal and i n t erna t ional
p l a y in under a yea r. It has the e s sent i al
fea t u re for a ll practical traps. n a me l y that
t h e op ponent falls in to it by making
a p p a r e n t l y natural and
1.
2.
3.
4.
d4
c4
Nc3
cxd s
5 . g3
6. B g 2
7 ; N f3
8. e3
9. 0-0
10. dS
1 1 . e4
g6
dS
NxdS
Bg7
. N b6
N c6
0-(l)
eS
Ne7
Bg4
12. h3?
gnud \\ i n n i n g c h a n c e s .
P t l S S J b lc c o n t i n u a t i o n s a re : ( a )
\\ J t h
c) I 2
h 4 lkh I 3
1 1. . . .
B x e6 fx c6 I 4 . N e4 K d 7
29
TOP TEN
Chec
ate
Attacks
C h e c k m a t e on t h e c h e s s bo a r d is fi n a l
t h e re is no r e c o v e r y . A n d some t y pes o f
m ,l l L' a n d '- n t a m p a t t er n s o f p i ec e s LTO P
u p l r c ej u c n t l y a t a l l l e v e l s o f p l a y . I n
n o \' l 1 e ( h e s s t h e v m a v oc c u r i n a n e l e
m e n t a ry fo r m . fac"i l i ta ted by poor d e fe n c e ;
at t h e m a s t e r a n d e x p e rt l e v e l w h e re bo t h
p a rt i c i p a n t s a rc a l e r t t o t he i m p l i c a t i o n s
of sta n d a rd a t t a c k s, t h e y have to be
( a re fu l l y p re p a r e d l o ng i n a d v a nc e an d
p e r h a p s c r e a t ed by i m a g i n a t i ve fi n e s s e s
-
a n d '>a n i fi c e s
a c c i d e n t t h a t a l most a l l t he
i n \ o l v e t he q u ee n , t he most
p o \\ C r lu l c h e s s bo a rd p i e c e . a s s i s t ed by
( l nt' or m o re l e s s e r u n i t s . T h e seco n d a rv
p l C( C n l l r m a l l y mo\TS i n f i r s t to co n t r o l O'r
lt 1s
,l ! t J ( k s
no
c o n s t e l l a t i o n s is i n p os s ess i on o f a re l i a b l e
po i n t s c o r e r . O n c e the a t ta c ker has h i s
c o m b i n ed fo r c es l i n ed up aga i n st the
k i n g , it i s o ft en i m poss i b le to fi nd a
d e fe n c e .
o L ( u py a k e y s ll u a rc n e a r t h e e n e m y k i n g,
t h e n t h e q u ee n c o m e s i n
fo r t h e k i l l .
' -. ;
fig. 4'8
The
game
Szabo-Hartoch,
AmsterGiam
48 : 1.
mate .
:n
C h e c k m a t e a t ta c k t w o
T h e m a t i n g g6 pa w n
h a s i c pa t t ern o f t h i s s i t u a t io n i s t he
p a \\" n on gb. t h e q u een w i th i n
s t r i k 1 n g ra n ge a n d t h e b l a c k k i ng u n a b l e
I l l r u n ta r . W h i te m a t e s by
1 . QhS +
K gR 2 . Q h 7 + K f8 3 . Qh8 m a t e .
The
,l d , a n c ed
fi g . 5 1
m o re a d v a n ce d e x a m p l e comes from a
l i g h tn i ng game. at H a s t i ngs in 1 94 8 .
T h e re a re m a n y p i eces on t he boa rd a n d
B l a c k . m a t e r i a l a h e a d . t h reatens Q x f2 + .
h u t e v e n a t t e n se c o n d s a m o v e W h i t e
, i s u a l i zed t h e c h a n c e t o fo rc e h i s q u e e n
to h 7 I . R h 8 + K x h 8 2 . Q h 1 + K g8 3 .
fig . 5 3
Qh7 mate.
fig. 54
K8 4. Qx7 mate .
12
fi g . 58
F\ d l77f'/,
C t 1 C h r a n e- - S ta u n to n ,
London
I X 2 . H n \\ Jrd S t a u n t o n . t h e h e s t p l a y e r
i n t lw \ \ t 1 1 1 d .J t t h e t 1 m e . k n e w a l l a bo u t
t he y u l' c n b i s h o p a t t a c k on h 7 ( i n t h i s
( J SC h 2 ) . H e f i n i s h e d t h e g a m e b y l . . . .
x h 3 ! 2. g x h 3 R g 4 + ! 3. h x g4 Q h 2
fig. 57
mate.
C h e c k m a t e a t t a c k fo u r
T h e da r k d i a go na l s
The d a r k - s q u a r ed b i s h op
1.
K u p reychik-Romanishin,
U SSR championship 1 97 6 . Black has
sa c r i fi ced a pawn for th is prom i sing
a t t a c k o n W h i t e ' s k i n g, but the obv ious
ND + a l l o w s N x f3 a n d i t i s not easy for
t h e l i g h t d i ago n al attack to bre a k through .
W ha t B l a c k really wants is to get h i s
qu e en i n fron t of t h e b i shop as in the
basic pattern : so he plays 1 . . . . Qf7 !
(attac k i ng W h i te ' s a7 bi shop) 2. Rxe 8
N f3 + ! a nd W h ite resigned. If 3 . N xf3
Q x f3 4. R x f8 + K x fB wi th no d e fence to
Qh I mate.
Example
l u r k i n g near
t he b l a c k k i ng a t f6 or h 6 , or fu r t h e r back
a l o ng t he o pen d i a g ona l
l -h 8 , p ro v i d es
m a n y o p po r t u n i t i es for ma t i ng attacks i n
c o l l a b o ra t i on w i t h t h e qu een or other
p i ec e s .
W h en
Black
is atta c k i n g, then
u se fu l s q u a re o n t h e a 8- h I d i a g o n a l .
D a r k d i a go n a l a t t a c ks J re pa r t i c u l a r l y
s t r o n g \"\ h e n t h e o p po n e n t ' s b i s ho p o f t h e
s d m l' c o l o u r h a s b e e n c a p t u red or e x -
33
Du bna
C h e c k m a t e a t ta c k fi v e
Queen a nd knight
C h e c k m a te a t t a c k s i x
B a c k r o w m ate
fi.g. (;i 3
Example 1 . M i les-Bennett, Totnes 1 97 4 .
l : g u re
\ \ h e re
l l l . l ( L' cl
fi g . 1 9
) 9 s h o w s t h ree bas i c pa t te r n s
q u ee n ,! rd k n i g h t c o m b i n e to
( J '-. t l eJ k : 1 g .
fi g . 6 2
We
ha ve a l rea d y
seen a n elementa ry
e x a m p le of a b a c k r ow mate in P itfa l l
h ve ( pa g e 1 9 ) . B u t ta k i n g a d v a n tage of a
c ra m p ed k i ng on the b a c k row is an
i m p ort a n t aspect of many mating d e v i c e s .
For e x a m ple , all t h e b a s i c q u een and
k n i g h t ma tes ( fi g . 5 9) show a back row
fi g . 60
r, u mplt' 1 . S p a s s k y -- A v t o n o m o v , Len i n
g r ,1 J 1 9 4 9 . Bo r i s S p a s s k y. wo rld c h a m p i o n
t 1 1 h e . \\ o n t h i s p o s i t i on as W h i te ( t o
nw n j a t t \\' e l v e v e a rs o l d hv a c o m b i n e d
-1 u e cn a n d k n i g h t a t tac k . H e pl a y ed 1 .
R x d 'l ! Q x d 5 2 . Q x e 7 + K g8 3 . Q x f6 a n d
B l a c k re s i g n ed as i f R h 7 ( to s t o p 4 . Q g7
ma t e ) 4 . N e / + w i n s t he q u e e n .
fig. 64
2. Bernstein-Ca pa blanca, St
Petersburg 1 9 1 4. A classic example of the
back row mate . Both kings are vulnera ble,
e . g . i f B lack plays the obvious l . . . . Q.b l +
2. Q fl R d 1 ? 3. RcB + mates . Capa ' s
startl i ng solution was I .
. Q b2 ! If
2. Q x b 2 Rd 1 mate. If 2. Q e 1 Qxc3 3. Qxc3
R d 1 + mates. If 2. Rd3 Q b 1 + 3. Qd 1
Qxd 1 + 4. Rxd 1 Rxd 1 mate .
Example
fi g 6 1
34
fi g .
6 'i
'
be a s i g n a l for a smothe red mate attack
by a k n i g h t . H e re W h ite's kn ight gi ves
t he mo st usual mate - at f7 - while the
b l a c k k n i g h t c an mate because the white
p .n-v n is p i n ned by the queen.
fig. 71
Cads
cannot return. A
and knight may
follow ; White may win b y bringing his
rook i n to t he a t ta c k v ia the thi rd rank .
Somet i mes t h e b l a c k k i ng is driven round
the board so h a rd t h at he has to g i ve up
dec i s i v e m a t e r i a l to stave off mate.
quick m a te by q u een
fig. 74
fig. 7 2
Example 1 . The basic pattern can be seen
from Y a t e s - Marin, Hamburg 1 930. The
pos i t i o n was reached from the opening by
l . e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 N f6 4 . Bg 5 Be7
fig. 77
fig. 7 3
37
TOP TEN
En games
pa wns
off
wron g .
fig. 7 9
E n d ga m e t w o
T h e a ct i v e kin g
fig. 8 3
fig . 80
Fig. 80 is a basic example of how the
more acti ve k i ng wins. Such a king is
usually centralized like White's here so
as to move rapidly to the scene of action.
The action in fig. 80 is on the queen's
side and White simply eats up the black
pawns by Kc5-b6xa6. Black should have
activated his own king earlier to keep the
white monarch out of his position.
fi g . 84
fig. 85
E n dga m e five
The o n e pa wn w i n
A basic endga me w h i ch every p layer
needs to know even at nov i ce l ev el is
king and pa wn a ga i n s t k i n g It can occur
q u i te frequentl y if a game is played out.
The four d iagrams show the essentials.
.
42
O ne o f t h e u ne x pec t ed e n d g a m e draws
can occur w h en o n e player has a bishop
and a rook p a w n (a or h pawn) whose
queen i ng s q u a re i s a different colour to
th at of the b i sh o p . Then there is a real
danger for the superior side that his
oppo n e n t ' s k i ng m ay be a ble to reach t h e
quee n i ng s q u a re from which it can never
be d i s l odged .
prevent
i n fi n i t u m b e t w ee n
o f a l l o w i ng
fig. 8 8
Endgame e i ght
The bad b i s h o p
fig. 92
fig. 9 1
44
a pawn ;
if 1 . . . . fxgS 2. fxgS BcS 3. Kf4 aS 4. KeS
Bg4 5. Kf6 BhS 6. Ke7 Bg4 7. a3 Bd 1 8.
Ne6 + Kb7 9. Kd6 Bxb3 1 0 . Nd8 + Kc8
1 1 . Nxc6 a4 1 2. Ne7 + and wins.
In both variations, what matters is not
e
SO. much the individual mov s, but the
overall method by which White's K and
N combine to squeeze the black K. The
decisive material gain comes only when
Black has no counterplay at all.
Endgame nine The FischerfKarpov endgame.
fig. 9 3
Petrosian-Belyavsky,
1.
Example
USSR Cha mpion ship 197 3 . Petrosian
spots the way to his ending : L Bxe 5 ! (at
first sight this is a mistake because Black
can straighten out his pawn front by fxe 5 .
However, then comes 2. e4 ! and either
dxe4 3. Nd 2 and Nxe4 or 2 . . . . d4 3. Ne 1
followed by Nd3 accentuates the lack of
scope of Black's B) Bxe5 2. 1Ucl ReS 3.
Rc5 (threat 4. Rxd5)' Rd6 4. R1c2 K7
5. Kfl (the active king again !) Ke6 6. Ne 1
d4 (if Black awaits events, White switches
his knight to b4 with decisive pressure
against the weak pawns) 7. f4 d3 8. Rd2
Bb2 9. RxdJ (avoiding the trap 9. Rx b 2 ?
d2) Ra8 1 0. Rxd6 + Kxd6 1 1 . N d3 a5
1 2. Rc4 BaJ.
The Petrosian ending has done its jo b :
White is a pawn up, Black .still has an
inactive bishop and rook together with
pawn weaknesses, while White's three
pieces remain active and in control. The
game finished 1 3 . Ra4 Bc5 14. Nxc5 Kxc5
1 5 . b4 + Kc4 (Kb5 1 6. RxaS + with a
won pawn ending) 16. Rxa5 Rb8 17. a3
Kd3 18. Kf2 Rb7 19. Rc5 Ra7 20. Rxc6
Rxa3 2 1 . KO Resigns.
Test b o a r d 1
W h a tever y o u r s k i l l level at chess, y o u
c a n o bta in an idea of your natural
a p t i t u d e for the game by looking at fig.
97 for ten seco n d s only and then setting
up the pos i t i o n, as far as
s t ru c t it. on a c h es s bo a r d .
fi g . 9 7
T he po s i t i o n
was shown
in Holland
t o fo u r c h e s s p l a y e r s : t o Dr M a x E u w e ,
l o r m c r w or l d c h a m p i o n ; to a c he s s
m a s t e r ; to a n e x p e rt a nd t o w n c h a m p i o n ;
a nd to an a v e rage c l u b p l a y er . E u w e
e a s i l y d i c ta t e d t h e p o s i t i o n without a
s i ngle m i s t a k e ; t h e ma s ter added a pawn
on c2. The l o c a l champion omitted the
black b i shop.
46
to
Test board 3
Test boa r d 2
fig. 99
fig. 98
fig. 1 0 1
Test board 8
Test boa r d 6
Test board 7
Paul Morphy
1 83 7-84
51
nw ,m '>
1 1!
gi \ l ' '> h i s h e s t g a m e s an i m p r e s s i o n
'> i m p l i . i t y a n d fl o w as he fo und t h e
1 11 1 1 .\ 1
,h' . u r a t c m o v e a t e v e r y s ta g e .
\ 1 1 1 1 p h ,. .,
ch : r t n g
thL
m o '> t l a m o u s v i c t o ry w a s
.
t n t cr \ a l o f a n o p e ra
e r f o r
lt
:"
l fw rl l l l \ 1 l L k b r a t cd a n d t n '> t r u l t i \'C
! r t L n d l \ ga me ( ) I a l l t i m e
\\' h i t c : P . .\ l o r p h y B l a c k : D u k e o f
B r u n sw i c k a n d
Cou n t I so u a rd
P h i l i d o r D e fe n ce
( Pa r i s . 1 8 5 8 )
I . e4
N f' J
3. d4
2.
e5
d6
B g 4 '?
f h t '> p t n on t h e k n i g h t . i n d i re c t l y c o n
t n J I ! t n g t h e c e n t r e , i s goo d i n ma n y
< l f' C n t n g'> h u t h e r e a l l o w s \.Y h i te a fo r c e d
'>L'Lj U L' Il l l' ga t n i n g t h e a d v a n t a g e
4. dxc)
H x l3
-I
d :-: l' ) ) () x d K + a n d b N x e ') w i n s a
) . () x f 3
h . Bc4
dxc5
:\ I 6 ?
t l I l L' r
I .
() h ) !
\1 ( 1 \ t n . ,1 p t l' l. c . a n d p a r t t c u l a r l y the
cj ll l' l' n
l \\ l c l' 1 11 t h e u p c n t n g I S u s u a l l y
l i l l l t r a t\
Ill
-,o u n d p l a y . h u t g r e a t c h a m
f' t u n s k n 1 1 \\ \.\ h e n t o b r e a k g e n e ra l r u l e s .
H L rc \\' h t t c t h r ea t e n s b o t h 8 B x fl +
l ( t l l \\ l'li h \ lJ C)eb m a t e a n d a l so 8 Q x h 7
7. . . .
() c 7
8 . :\ d
\ l l i l l l f!, LT t h a n K () x h 7 Q h4 + e x c h a n g 8.
Y.
c6
Bg 5
b5 '?
Paul Morph v. t he 'pride and sorrow o f chess', beat all corners i n a career of only t h ree years.
1 3 . Rxd7 !
14.
Rd 1
Rxd7
Qe6
N o w W h i te c o u l d w i n s i m p ly b y 1 5 .
B x f6 ,
but
Mo rphy
chooses
the
most
artistic fi n i sh .
fi g I O 'i
N o t e t h a t \V h 1 te h a s b e e n b ri n g i ng h i s
p i c . cs i n t o a c t i o n a s q u i c k l y a s p o s s i b l e ,
\\: h i l c B l a c k h a s m a d e q u e en a nd p a w n
m o v e s a n d e x c h a n g e d o fT h i s d e v e l o p e d
h 1 s h o p N mv W h i t e i s a l re a d y s e t u p f o r a
d c v a s t a t tn g sa c r i f'i ce - B l a c k s h o u l d h a v e
pia vcd Y
Qc7
1 5 . Bxd7 + ! Nxd7
N xb8
1 6 . Qb8 +
1 7 . R d 8 mate
s u c c e s ses
were in t h e
1 840s and
11.
Bxb5 +
N bd7
1 2.
0-0-0
Rd8
1 0.
N xb5 !
cxb5
Wilhelnt Steinitz
1 8 36-1 900
fig . 1 06
15. . .
B g4 ?
This cannot be good since the bishop has
to return miserably to c8 twG> moves later.
1 5. .
h6 ! (stopping White's next) 1 6 .
Qb4 b6 and if 1 7. Rfe 1 Be 6 would have
.
17.
Nd4
18. o-o
Nf8
h5 ?
Black fears the a tta c king g4, but this
move places yet another pawn on a
white square and means that gS will be
available as a white knight outpost if and
when Black's dark-squared bish op is
exc hange d .
1 9 . Nc3 !
K7
g6
Nd7
f57
27. . . .
Qb7
On purely strategic grounds, Black would
like nothing better than to. exchange his
dud bishop, but 27 . . . Bxc6 28. Qxc 6
Nf8 29. Nxe6! Nxe6 30. Qd7+ Be7 31.
Rc6 is hopeless. But as played Steinitz
exchanges off Black's 'good' bishop and
makes a decisive invasion on the dark
squares.
.
28.
Nxd8+ Rxd8
Qb8
29. Qc7
30. Bf2
30.
31. NO
32. Rxc7
33. Ng5
so
forcing the ex
Qb6
Qxc7
Ke8
N f8
Nd7
BcS
35. Bd6 !
Resigns
Black is in virtual zugzwang, with no
34.
10 .
11.
12 .
13 .
14 .
15.
16 .
17 .
18 .
19 .
B e3' ?
Q d3
Ra c 1 7
Ba2
Rfe 1
B b1
Qe2
Rfd l
Ba2
Qd2 ?
32 . . . .
Be5 + !
An attractive finish. If 33. QxeS Qh l +
34. Kg3 Qg2 + 3 5 . Kh4 ( 3 5 . Kf4 QO mate)
Qxf2+ 36. Qg3 gS + wins the queen.
3 3 . f4
Bxf4 +
Qhl +
34. Qxf4
3 5 . Kg3
Qg l +
36. Resigns
And now if 36. Kh4 Qe l + 37. Qg3 gS +
w i ns the queen .
Bd 7
Rc8
Qa5
Rfd8
Be8
g6
Bf8
Bg7
Ne7
seems to be
the
Einanuel Lasker
1 868-1 941
'I have only two words, "check" and "mate",' said Tarrasch, left, but his enemy Lasker won.
1 1 . Rd 1
d5
N e4
12. e 5
NxcJ
1 3 . NcJ
1 4. bxcJ
f6 ?
This is a serious mistake which enables
Lasker to gain a great advantage in space
and hams t r ing the bishop. Correct is 1 4 . . . .
Na5 first.
1 5 . h3
Bh5
15 . . . . BxfJ 1 6. Qxf3 loses a pawn, while
15 . . . . Be6 fails to 1 6 . exf6 Rxf6 1 7 . Bg5
Rg6 1 8 . Bc 2 .
1 6 . g4
Bf7
16 . . . . Bg6 1 7 . Nh4 is also good for White.
17 . e6
Bg6
18. Nh4
N a5
1 9. Nxg6 hxg6
f5
20 . Bc2
21. Khl l
Lasker seize s o n the winning idea of
exchanging pawns on f5 and then attack
ing along the open g file.
21.
22. g x f5
2 3 . Qf3
24. Rg1
Bd6
Qh4
gxf5
Bxe7
26. e7!
27. Bxf4
Qe6
and Bla ck resigned without waiting for
the finish 28. Rxg7 + ! Kxg7 29. R g 1 +
and mates.
Lasker had an unequalled record in
set matches, winning 1 9, drawing 2 and
losing only to his successor as world
champion Capablanca. This was partly
due to his skill in choosing opponents,
notorious} y so in the period 1 900- 1 9 14
when three times he took on the weaker
Janowski who had a rich patron, while
ducking the dangerous challengers
Maroczy, Rubinstein and Capablanca.
But the matches he did play showed his
extraordinary skill in man-to-man com
bat, notably his wins over Marshall
and Janowski and his 6-0 victory over
Blackburne.
Lasker was the first chess master to
try seriously to establish the game as a
6. Qe2
Nd6
8. dxe5
Nb7
7. Bxc6
bxc6
e.p.
12. Nbd2
1 3.
Rfe1
14. Ne47
0-0
d5
cxd6
ReS
Bd 7
Harry Nelson
Pillsbury 1872-1906
27 . . . .
Nxg2 !
A neat combination crowns Lasker's fine
play and forces a mating finish .
28. K xg2
exO +
29 . RxO
Bh3 +
30 . Kxh3
or 30. Kf2 Bg4 3 1 . Rxf8 + Rxf8 + 3 2. Ke3
h4 33. Nfl Qe4 + 34. Kd2 R f2 wins.
30 .
Qg4 +
3 1 . Kg2
QxO +
32. K g l
h4
33. N h l
Qe3 +
34 . Resigns
for if 34 Kg2 h3 mate .
Was Lasker the greatest chessplayer of
them all as some commentators claim ?
Certainly - as is supported by Elo's
historical ratings - he ranks in the top
half-dozen world champions alongside
Capablanca, Alekhine, Botvinnik, Fischer
and probably Karpov. It is reasonable to
suppose that the top grandmasters of
today would be able to exploit Lasker's
predictable opening repertoire more than
did his contemporaries. Some of his wins
from dubious positions would have been
unlikely against players familiar with
'playing the man' and psychological
chess. But his judgment of position and
his analytical skill more than held their
own against contemporary players in the
1 9 30s; whether or not Lasker was the
' greatest' he ranks as the first of the
moderns and as a supreme ex ponent of
practical chess.
.
g.
112
57
58
NeS
f4
Bd3
0-0
Bf5
Bb7
a6
c5
c4
b5
RO!
26. Bxg61
fig. 1 14
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
Bb1
fxeS
Bxe7
QO
Rfl
Qf6
Re8
g6
NxeS
Nd7
Rxe7
Nf8
Qd7
b4 7
22.
23.
24.
25.
Na4!
NcS
Rh6
Rf4
Qc7
Bc 8
aS
Rb8
1 5 . Rh3
Jose Raoul
CapablancaJsss-1942
Capablanca was the finest natural chess
p layer in the game's history. His genius
in position play and subtle endgame skill
inspired a legion of contemporaries and
successors from Flohr and Smyslov to
Fischer and Karpov. Uncharacteristically
for chess, where compliments to rivals
are often few and grudging, he gained full
recognition from the other world cham
pions who p layed and knew him. Euwe
called him ' without peer in the endgame
and in pure position p lay ; as a tactician
unsurpassa ble' ; Botvinnik wrote that
'Capa blanca was the greatest talent, he
made the best impression on me of all the
c ha mp i ons I have met' ; Alekhine, though
not on speaking terms with Capa for
fifteen years, praised him as 'the greatest
gen i us of chess. There will never be any
one to equal him'; while Lasker said 'I
have known many chessplayers, but only
one genius, Capablanca . '
Capa blanca came first o r second in 30
out of the 35 tournaments in which he
played, and lost only 35 tournaments and
match games out of a total 567 in his
whole life. This included a period of eight
of
1 9 . f4 !
e x f4
20 . Qd4
t em p o to decis i ve l y strengthen
gaining a
the f- file attack.
20.
21.
22 .
2 3.
24 .
25.
f6
Qc5
Be8
f5
Kf7
Rc6
Not 25
. Qxc4? 26. NeS +.
26. R x f5 + !
A clever sacrifice t o wind up Pi l l s b u r y s
convincing play. The point is not to win
the queen for two rooks b ut to set up the
position for W hite's queen and k n i ght.
Qxf4
NeS
Ng4
Qh6+
Bc4 !
'
5_9
16. Be3
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
Bxd4
a4
a;xb 5
h3
Qxf3
Reel
23. b4
Rac8
exd4
Qb6
axb 5
BxO
Nd7
Nc5
Na4 7
26. e6
R8
27. Ng3
Qb7
29 . dxe6
30. Qc6 1
Qc7
34. Bxd7
35. e7
36. Re l
Rb8
K7
. '" I I
.. 11 1 11 t 1
'
\'HJ,
ll& lit
17. Ke2
fig. ll8
Rhb8!
p reparing to meet 1 8. b4 by bS 1 9. cS aS
opening up the a file with a useful out
post on a4. White chooses a different
tack, but the result is only to switch
Capa's target square to c4.
bS
18. Ne4
19. cS
20. cxd6
e .p.+
2 1 . f4
22. f5
dS!
cxd6
ReS
dS
26. fxe6
27. gS
fxe6
27.
28. RhS
29. Rh3
30. Na2
31. RO +
32. g4
hxgS
Kf6
Rac8
a5
Kg6
32. ...
Nd61
33. Nc3
34. axb4
35. Ndl
b4
axb4
35.
37. Ra1
38. Re2
Rc2
b3
Ne4
R8c61
39. Rbl
e51
24. Rabl
25. Nc3
Rf2
R6c4
40. Ral
Nc5 + I
41. Ra5
42. Resigns
For if 42. dxc5 e4 mate - an attractively
economical finish with such a small
striking force.
Capablanca died in 1942 aged only 54
after a heart attack at the Manhattan
Chess Club in New York. He is commemo
rated in his native Cuba by the annual
Capablanca Memorial tournament, and
his games will always be models for young
players seeking to master the art of
positional chess.
61
5. Bg2
Alexander
Alekhine 1 892-1 946
Al ek h i ne was one of the most original
and tactically bri l l iant grandmasters of
all t ime a n d , w i th the po ssi ble exception
of Fisc her, the most dedicated to chess.
He had the hunger for achievement
possessed by a ll great players . He spent
five yea rs prepa ring for h is v i c tory over
Ca pa bl a n ca and his col lections of his best
games and book of the New York 1 924
tournament are models of strateg ic ap
pra isal and detailed, probing analysis. At
the peak of h is powers around 1 9 30-34 he
d omi na ted his ri vals and at San Remo
1930 and Bled 1 9 3 1 finished respecti vely
1 and 51 points ahead of world class
fiel d s . His later years were c l ouded by
excessive d ri n k ing and his warti me col
la bora t ion with the Nazi s, but h is legacy
of bea uti ful games and his many contribu
tions to ch ess theory make him one of the
most interest ing of the world champions.
Alek h i ne was born in Moscow of ric h,
ari stocra tic stock. His older b rother
Al exsei was a l so a chessplayer and , since
bovs were not a l lowed to attend c hess
d bs at tha t time, they developed thei r
ta lent v ia postal c hess. Alekhine was
not a prod igy by the standards of Morphy
or Ca pa blanca but his game progressed
ra pidly during adolescence and by 1 5 he
was winning matches with masters. By
1 9 1 4, he was already thi rd to Lasker and
Ca pa bl anca in the great tournament at St
Petersburg, but then came the war and
revol ution. He won the first Soviet
championsh i p in 1 920 th en left for the
West and became a French citizen.
Alekhine is said to have been looking
ahead to an eventual match with Ca.pa
blanca even as earl y as 1 9 1 4 and before
Capa pl ayed Lasker. He won a series of big
tournaments in the early and mid dle 1 920s
and gradually won attention, publ ic
acclaim and - most important- financial
backing for a challenge to Capablanca.
The charisma surround ing Alekhine came
from his daring yet logical tactical play
which was often based on exploiti ng his.
opponent's lagging development; his
I uci d and articulate annotations, and his
driving personality w ere the perfect
counterpoint to Capa's lazy elegance. He
was pa rticul arly severe on the conven
tional strategists l ike Rubinstein and
Tarrasch and this game is a typical win
from his peak period.
White : A .K. Rubinste i n . Black : Dr.
A. A. Alekhine
Queen's Indian Defence (Semme ri ng
1 926)
l . d4
2. c4
3. NO
4 . g3
62
Nf6
e6
b6
Bb7
Bb4 +
6. N bd2
Somew hat passive compared with 6. Bd2 .
0-0
6.
7 . 0-0
dS
Be7
8. a 3
9. b4
cS
Typical Alekhine ; when Black he liked a
war of movement, opening up diagonals
for bishops and creating chances against
the w h i te king. White's game is not yet
inferior, but in sharpening the position
Alek h i ne is also playing the man as well
as the board . In his later years Ru binstein
beca me l ia ble to tactical oversights, and
here more calculation is required than
with a blocked pawn centre.
10 . bxcS
11 . dxcS
12. Bb2
bxcS
BxcS
12 .
13 . Ne5
1 4. Bxe S
1 5 . Bc3
Nbd7
NxeS
Ng4
Rb8
QcS
26 . Qc2
aS
27. Kf2
gS
28 . Be2
f4 1
29 . Bd3
Here White overstepped the time limit,
12. Nbd2
13. Nb3
14. e4
Be3
15.
16.
Nxe5
17. Racl
..
Be7
Nd7
N7e5
NxeS
QbS
16. R b1 1
This routine move gives Alekhine the
chance to switch the game into his
beloved tactics. l6. cxdS! would still
keep White well in contention, since Q
or Bxd5 allows 17. e4 a ttacking the knight
while 16 . . . . exdS 17. NbJ again gives
black square counterplay.
.
16.
d4!
1 7 . Rxb7
18. Bxb7
Rxb 7
19. Kxf2
20. e3
dxc3+
cxd2
Qb8
Rd8
Qd6
Nx2!
Ke2
BfJ
Qb 1
a4
2 5 . Rd1
f5
Bb4
18. Bc51
28 . e 5 !
Mikhail
Botvinnik
A p p a re n t l y j u st fu r t h e r s t r e n g t h e n i n g of
t he d a rk s q u a re c o n t r o l : if 28 .
. fxe5
29. Q x e 5 i so l a t i n g B l a c k ' s e p aw n . But
the move a l so sets a n A l e k h i n e t ra p .
f5 ? ?
28 . . .
29 . R c8 !
R esigns
Beca u se d 6 i s n o lo nger a va i la ble to the
black q u ee n , Bl a c k loses at least a roo k .
A l e k h i n e ' s la st great success i n h i s
peak period was a t Zurich 1 9 34, a fter
which h is resu l ts beca me more patc h y .
H i s d r i n k pro b l em b e c a m e more a cute,
and a ffect ed his p l a y and behav iour
d u r i ng h i s unex pected l oss of the world
title to Eu we in 19 3 5 . Shoc ked by d e feat,
he w e n t i n to s t r i c t a nd a bstemious trai n
i ng a n d rega i n ed t h e championsh i p two
y e a rs l a t e r .
H e w a s s t i l l a d i ffi c u l t opponent for
.
a n y o n e . Bo t v i n n i k h a s d e sc r i b ed h o w , a t
N t t i n g h a m i n 1 9 36 w h e n i n c o m p l ex
pos i t i o n s . A l e k h i n e w o u l d g et up a ft e r
m a k i ng h i s m o v e a nd s t a rt c i r c l i n g rou n d
a nd ro u n d t h e ta b l e l i ke a k i te. Playing
Bot v i n n i k . he k e p t up his k i te i m i tation
Mikhail Bot vi nnik, first Soviet chess star. He twice regained the world title.
1 4 . bxc5
1 5 . Re i
16. Nh4
N d7
Qe7
1 6.
Q f7
1 8 . gxf4
1 9 . Qe 1
20. Bh3 1
Rad8
B d5
1 7 . f4
1 5 . axb3
f6 1
16. exd6 7
Nxd6
Rd3
18. Ra 4
exf4
Nf5
g6
Be nk n e r
E n g li sh O pe n i ng (Moscow 1 956)
The opening moves were 1 . . c4 e5 2 g3
N f6 3. B g 2 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. N c 3 Nb6
1 0 . d3
1 1 . N e4
1 2 . Bb2
Be6
h6 ?
f5 ?
fig. 1 2 5
reaches its
2 2 . e4 1
Botvinnik has p repared this advance
admirably and now opens the game with
decisive e ffec t
fxe4
22.
Bxe4
2 3 . dxe4
24. Reel
Qc4
U nfortunately for Bla ck the natura 24 . . . .
Bd5 fails to 2 5 . Rxe7 Qxe7 26. Qxg6 +
fol lowed by mate, but as played he loses
two pieces for a rook and the white rook
reaches the seventh rank with the d ea d l y
threat of R g7 +
2 5 . Rxe4
Qx e4
26. Rel
Qxf4
2 7 . Rxe 7
Resigns
W hite : 0. Neikirch. Black: M . M.
Botvinnik
Sicilian Defence (Leipzig 1960)
The opening moves were 1 . e4 c5 2.
NO Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3
d6 6. Bc4 e6 7. Bb3 Be7 8. ()..() 0-0 9. Kh l .
The stronger move is 1 0. Be3. Bot
vinnik now chooses an economical
me th od of starti ng counterplay, br;inging
his QN a nd QB into active posi tions with
a mini mum of pawn moves.
Na5
9.
1 0 . f4
b6
Ne8
11. e 5
.
best diagonal
11. . . . .
Qel:r
2 1 . Nd6
Or 21. Nc5 Bxg2 + 22. Kxg2 Qc6 + .
21. . . .
Nxd6
22. Rxd6
Rds r
t hreatening Qc6 and exposing Whiti(s
back 'f"ow.
so
hd6
23. Qd2
24. Qxd6
Qd8 !
that if 25. Qx'a8 Rxd 26. BeJ dl+
2 5 . Qxe6 + Rf7
Re7 !
26. Qe l
27 . Resig ns
Salllu el
Reshevs ky 1 9 1 1 Reshevsky, the greatest American player
before the rise of Bobby Fischer, has
established a record for chess longevity
as a strong and active player which sur
passes even Lasker . Born in Poland, he
was touring Europe giving simul tan eou s
d isplays at the age of eight and by the
age of ten was already playing at the
level of at least a national expert. 50 years
later he is still a strong grand -master.
Reshevky \\ J '> t h e s t r o n g e s t \\' e '> t e rn
player between 1 945 a n d 1 9 5 5 and his
outstanding record in set matches would
have given him a real chance against
Botvinnik had he been able to challenge
for the title. He was six times US champion
and a regular high prize winner in the
internationals of 19 3 5- 1 960.
Reshevsky's special qua lities as a player
are his competitive resi lience, his tactical
skilL and his ability to survive time
pressure. The three qualities go together.
At the height of his career Reshevsky
would get into severe clock trouble game
after game and would then outplay his
opponent even from dubious positions.
Reshevsky also became the world
expert in utilizing the white side of
symmetrical openings such as the Engli sh
1 . c4 c5, as well as the sma ll advantages
from the Queen's Gam bit Exchange Varia
tion ( 1 . d4 dS 2. c4 e6 3 . Nc3 Nf6 4. BgS
Nbd7 5. cxd S) and the Nimzo-Indian
with 1 . d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 cS
5 Ne2. He has been called the greatest
player in boring positions and his tech
nique of gradually grind ing down an
opponent after hours of patient manoeuvre
has gained him disciples on the inter
national circuit, e . g. Andersson and Hort.
In playing over the two Reshevsky
games following, note how he is co ntent
to coast along with strategic p lay, aiming
for a small advantage like the p air of
bishops, and how quickly he switches to
tactics when the chance comes.
White : S . Reshevsk y . Black : J . H .
..
Donner
Nimzo-I nd ian Defence (Santa Mon
ica 1966)
The opening moves were 1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. Bd3 d 5
6 . N O 0-0 7 . 0-0 dxc4 8. Bxc4 N bd7
9 . B d3 b6 10. a3 cxd4 1 1 . exd4 BxcJ 12.
bxc3 Bb7 1 3. Re 1 Qc7 1 4 . Bd2 Rfe8
15. Qe2 Rac8 1 6 . Racl Bd5 .
Bb7
Qc6
Bf4
Qxa4
Ra1
Qc6
Rxa7
Ra8
Rxa8
Rxa8
h3
Reshevsky likes such wai ti ng moves,
tucking away an escape square fo r the
king while Black decides how to commit
19.
20.
21.
22.
23 .
himself.
23 . . . .
RaJ ?
moves .
fig. 126
Nd7
16. . . .
e5 1
1 7 . Racl
Miles either underestimated this advance
or missed Reshevsky' s next move. Sud
denly White's king in mid-board is a
vulnerable target.
N c5 1
18. dxe5
2 4 . d5 !
exd5
24. . . .
Qxd5
2 5 . cxd5
or Nxd S 2 6 . BbS Qe6 27. Qb2 winning
material.
26. Bc4
Qc5 .
27 . Bx7 + I Kx7 7
Kg6
29 . Bd6 1
29. . . .
Q a5
30. Ne 5 + I
And here if 30. Nh4 + ? KhS 3 1 . NfS B lack
h as B xg 2
Nxe5
30.
Ra1 +
31. Rxe5
32. Kh2
Qa8
33. Qf5 +
K7
34. Re7 + Kg8
35 . Be5
Re1
36 . Rxg7 + ! Resigns
White :
A.J.
Miles .
Black :
s.
Reshevsky
Queen's Indian Defe nce (Lone Pine
1 979)
The opening moves were 1. d4 N f6 2.
N O b6 3. c4 e6 4. Bf4 Bb7 5 . e3 Be7
6. h3 0-0 7. Nc3 d5 8. cxd5 Nxd5 9.
.
dxe5
19. Qc2
20. Bb5
Within a few moves, White's position
has worsened from favourable to desper
ate. If 20. Nxe5 Qg5 followed by Qxg2
and White's king is wide open. If 20. e4
fS ! again exposes the king further, while
in any case Black threatens . . . e4.
20.
a6
axb5
21. b4
b4
22. bxc5
23. Rb3
If 2 3. Rc4 Ba6.
23. . . .
bxc5
24. Qxc5 7
blundering more material, but Reshevsky
is a pawn up in the better position.
24. . . .
Rc8
25 . Resigns
If 2 5 . Qxb4 Ba6 + Black wins a rook and
soon mates.
65
Paul Keres
1 9 1 6-75
Bb4 7
exd5
17. . . .
18. Ne5
Qe7
f6
1 9 . Qh5
20 . Nxg6 !
2 1 . Bxg6
g6
hxg6
Qg7
2 7 . Qe6 +
28. Rg3 +
K f7
Kg7
Resigns
David Bronstein
1 924Ukrainian-born Bronstein, one of the most
creative and imaginative grandmasters, is
a player whose style is difficult for
ex perts, let alone lesser lights to copy.
His games, like those of other great
tacticians, show that all kinds of strange
sacrifices and unusual positions are pas
si ble on the chessboard as long as a player
keeps the initiative and control of events .
Bronstein nearly became world cham
pion and would have done so with a
little more steadiness and a little better
e nd game technique. Already recognized
as one of the most promising younger
Russians, he won the interzonal and
candidates tournaments in 1 948-50 to
become Botvinnik's official challenger.
Their title match took place in 1 9 5 1 with
Botvinnik completely out of practice
after no tournaments since 1 948, while
his rival played incessantly not only in
regular events but in blitz games in the
Moscow clubs. After a fluctuating
struggle, Bronstein was one up with two
to play, but both his nerves and his end
game technique failed in the vital 23rd
fig. 1 29
0-0-0
a5
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
b5
Nbd2
Nb3
Be 3
Rae 1
Bxe6
Kh1
N b8
Bg4
b6
Nbd7
Be6
Qxe6
Tigran Petrosian
19.
20. Nbd2
21 . Bg l
2 2 . Nc4
Qe7
Ng4
h5
g5
Nxd6 + cxd6
Nd2
f6
Nc4
Kb7
Bx b6 !
30 . b6 + !
Kb7
3 1 . a6 + !
K x b6
68
8. B g5
9 . Rbl
Qb 6
N7
10. Bd2
22. Bxa5
23. Qdl l
0-0
f3
Loss of the h pawn would spell the rapid
collapse of Black's pawn. But n:ow the K
side is blocked and Petrosian can at last
plan to castle.
Nh6
24. b4
2 5 . Rb3
26. 0-0
N g4
Bf6
27. QxO I
fig. 1 3 1
In a similar position, the British master
Hugh Alexander once captured with the
bishop and his opponent Botvinnik sank
in a knight at e4 and made use of it to
dominate the whole board. Bronstein
made a comment afterwards that has gone
down in chess lore : 'Every Russian
school boy knows you have to capture
with the pawn in such positions. ' But
here Black's game is so full of holes that
the Petrosian knights now have a field
day exploiting the weaknesses .
1 6 . Ng5 1
1 7. Na4 1
1 8 . Nb6
19. Bd3
20. Qxd3
2 1 . Ne4
Qf6
f4
Bf5
Bxd3
Rb8
Qd8
27.
28. Qf5
29 . Qxh5
30. 0
Qe7
Rf7
Rg7
3 1 . fxg4
32. Qf5
Rh7
Resigns
1 3 . g4
g5 7
a6
b5
24 . . . .
fig. 1 34
An
25.
25 . 0-0
b4
aS
Nc5
17.
1 8 . Bb5
1 9 . Ne 2
20. Bxe8 1
dxc5
Bb7
Ne8
Nc4
Qb3
Rc l
Ng3
Ba6
Qf6
B8
25.
26. Kg2
27. Rf2
28. R2c2
Rd8
Ra7
Kh7
Qa6
29 . Nxe5
30. Nc4
3 1 . QdJ
32. Rd2
33 . es 1
Rc7
Bg7
Kg8
Re7
14. a4
Bc8
to
reach a winning
Bxe5
34. Nxe5
Rxe5
35. Qxa6
Bxa6
Bc8
36. Rxc5
If Bb7 37. N5 Kh7 38. RxaS RdxdS 39.
RSxdS Rxd S 40. RxdS BxdS 4 1 . aS and the
If
39 . Nx5
40. Rb5
4L d6
Rxf5
Rd8
Rxb5
42. axb5
43. d7
Kf7
Resigns
Viktor l(orchnoi
1 931-
'
16. . . .
Qd8
K fB
1 7 . R c2
A major concession ; Black a bandons
castling. If i n s t e a d 0-0 18. Qg4 fS 1 9 . Qg6
with a powerful attack.
N b6
1 8 . R fc l
1 9 . Qg4
Bd7
R c8
20. Ba 5
2 1 . Rxc8
Bxc8
22. Bb4
g6
23. . . .
g5
Ke8
fig. 1 3 5
2 5 . Bb5 +
Starting a brilliant tactical fini sh - but
the point for the average player to note is
Bd7
fxe6
27. Qh5 +
28 . Rc3 1
KfB
28.
29. Qg6
30. Qxh6
Rh7
Rg7
Bxb 5
31.
RgJ !
Resi g ns
71
fxe4
Bxc3
0-0
R f5 !
The p o i n t . w h i c h L a rs en had prepared
before the game. N ow i f 1 2. Nxe4 h S, s o
W h i te has to open up the cen tre to the
benefit o f La r s e n ' s long d i a g o n a l b is h o p .
12. d5
Rg5
1 3 . Q f4
exd5
Bxd 5
14. cxd 5
l 5 . c4
B c6
T h i s is better t h an B b 7 beca use i t
a l lows the b i shop and d pawn to p rote c t
e a c h other w h i le t h e knight comes into
a c t ion at a 6 . Mutua l l y p rot ec t i ng u n i ts on
8.
9. Nd2
10. bxc3
1 1 . Qg4
t h e c h e s s bo a rd s pe l l good c o- o r d i na t i o n .
1 6 . N x e4
Rg6
Na 6
1 7 . B b2
N ow W h i t e ' s Q - s i d e p a w n s a re s p l i t,
w h i l e B l a c k has c h a n ces of K - s i d e a tt a c k .
72
1 6.
11
..
1 7 . g3
Bxh4
Be7
18. Kg2
A l r e a d y threaten i ng 1 9 . B x h 7 + ' K x h 7
20. Q h 5 + K g8 2 1 . Rh 1 .
18. . . .
g6
19. Rh l
Now the threat is 20. R x h 7 ! K x h 7 2 1 .
Qh '3 + Kg8 2 2 . B xg 6 .
B f8
19 .
20. B g S
Q c7
2 1 . Rxh7 !
sa c r i fi c e has b>een l oom i mg for
several moves a nd i t was proba bly almost
a re l i e f to B lack to see it a c t u a ll y p layed .
The rook still c a n n o t be taken : 2 1 . .
K x h 7 2 2 . R h 1 + Kg8 2 3 . B f'6 N x f6 2 4 .
e x f6 Qe '3 2 5 . B xg6 Qxf6 2 6 . B h 7 + an d
mate.
21.
Qx e 5
22 . R x f7 !
K x f7
2 3 . Bxg6 +
The t h i rd sa c r i fi ce can not be a c c e p ted
be c a u se of 2 4 . B f4 + w i n n i ng the queen
23. . . .
Kg8
24 . Bxe8
Bg7
The b i s h o p i s s t i ll i mm u ne beca u se
of t h e d i s c o v ered c he c k .
T hi s
r,i /
,u
A /, k h PJ C :\1 c rn on u l . M n sco u. / 9 7 /
U n u '-> u ,J I c n J 1 n l c r i u r . l " he t c m p o r .J ry
t h r c ,a t ! 1 > d 1 :-. l u J g c t he vv h 1 Lt k n i gh t i
l'.! S i h <., l u p p n.l .m u t h e s t r .J t c g 1 c r e s u l t
I '- t oo m ,J n \ b L1 d: p <n , n s on l i g h t <> q u a re s
4 . cl l
J x c4
') . '\i x e 4
B f')
Lt > l ' ,1 ! . ! 1 1 v ;-; L h a n gc t h e p t > t c n t i ,l l ' h < d
h i " 'l l l fl
fh:\
f ll' t l
i ll ll l ! l l " l '
i d ea i n s u c h posi t i o n s . .
c '5 h e r e fa ils tlo
.
H x h ') + , and by the ti me Black hroM>
p r e pa r ed t h i s ;;ld v a n e Tal is poi se@ for a
k i ng ' s s i de a ttac k .
:5-@ "7
'J . N'f3
1 0 . Qrdl
'(\"lb<f'Y
@.:.())
1 l . 0-'0
1 2 . l:t1
Re:$
I 3 . N 'J
,\ rw t h er J r a w b-ca c k bo 3 . . . . b'3 ; the c6
" q u < r e is weak . H o w e v e r, !Ma ck ' s ex
l hJ n gc of k n i g h t s on the n e xt mo v e
Llc i l i t <J l es t he a t tack a n d h e sh o u ld t r y
I 3.
IZ c K
1 3.
Nxe5 ?
1 4 . dxe5
Nd5
aS
1 5 . Qg4
1 6 . h4 !
i\ l r c ,J d y i n a h i gh er e n se t h e w i n n i n g
mo v e E i t h e r t he pawn a d v ances to h 6 ,
\'-' i th s e r i o u s weaken ing of t he b l a c k
k i n g ' s d e fe n ce s , or i t i s t a k en a nd Wh i t e
g e t <, h i s ro o k to t h e h fi l e w i th ga i n o f
2 5 . Bd7
Nc7
26. Bxc6
U n u suall y for Ta L his c omb i r.1ative
s eq u en ce ends not w i th a mate but w i th a
s im p l e g a i n of two pawns. The rest is easy .
R f8
26.
2 7 . Rc;i l
28. BD
2 9 . Rd7
Rd8 +
3 1 . Bf6
3 2 . Be4
33. Bg5
34 . Rd7
30.
QcS
Qxc2
R f7
R fB
Qh7
Qh6
Q h8
Resigns
Cor i f 3 4 .
R f7 3 5. R x c 7 ! R x c 7 3 6 .
Q x e 6 + K f8 ( R f7 3 7 . Bg6) 3 7 . Qd6 + . Th is
game s h o w s t h a t , c o n t r a ry to po p ul ar
be l i e f. m o s t of Tal ' s sa cr i fi c ial a ttacks are
ba sed on lo g i ca l posi tional ideas. The
k i ng's s i d e brilliancy was th e natl:lral
w ay to p l a y the p o s i t i o n o n ce W h i te had
li x ed B l a c k ' s ga me i n a p e r m a n e n t sta te of
c ra m p w i th the pa wn on e S .
73
Boris Spassky
1 9 3 7-
1 1 . Rhe l
Be7 ?
A fu n d a m e n ta l
m i s ta ke ; P e t ro s i a n i s
d eceived b y W h i te ' s b u i l d - u p a l ong the
centra l fi l es i n to bel i e v i ng that S pa ssky
d oes not plan a K-side a t t a c k . Better i s Bd 7
and 0-0-0 .
0-0
1 2 . f4
Rc8
1 3 . Bb3
14. K b 1
14. . . .
1 5 . g4 !
B f8
S w i t c h i ng t he a t ta c k Ta k i ng the pawn
opens t h e g fi l e for W h i t e ' s p i e ces, b u t
Pet ros i a n h a s I i t t l e c h o i c e : i f I '5 . . .
b5
W h i te c o n t i n u es s t rongly 1 6 . g 5 h x g 5
1 7 . fx gS N h '5 1 8 . g 6 .
If e5 1 7 .
15.
16.
Nf)
17.
1 8.
. . .
Qg2
d r i ve s
Rg 1
f) !
Nxg4
Nf6
Black into defence.
Bd7
ce n t r e a nd po i sed
1 8.
1 9 . Rdfl
Kh8
Qd 8
. e 5 w o u ld o n l y p ro v o k e 2 0 .
1 9. .
Ne6 ! fxe6 2 1 . fx e6 i n ten d i ng R x f6 .
20 . fxe 6
fxe 6
fi g .
1 39
2 1 . eS !
Blac k ' s k n i g h t is pa rtia l l y t i ed to p re
ven t i ng R x f8 + and Qx g7 mate, a n d a l l
W h i t e ' s p i ec e s a r e now ready fo r the
fi nal assa u l t . S p a ssky now breaks through
w i th a fo rced w i n .
21. . . .
22. Ne4
dxeS
NhS
2 3 . Rx f8 + .
N o t 2 2 . . . . N x e4 ?
Eq ua l l y
2 2. . . . e x d 4 2 3 . N x f6 R e 7 2 4 . Qg6 l ea d s to
ma t e , a nd so d oes 22 . . . . e x d4 2 3 . N x f6 g '5
24 . Q h 3 R e 7 2 '5 . R x g 5 B g 7 2 6 . R x g7 .
2 3 . Qg6 !
exd4
I f 23 . . . . N f4 24. Rxf4 exf4 25. Nf3 Q b6
26. N e 5 wins.
24 . Ng5 !
Resigns
I f 24 . . . . hxg5 2 5 . Qxh 5 + Kg 8 26. Qf7 +
Bobby Fischer
75
1 9 6 2. a n d F i sc her t h en s u c c e s s fu l l y d e
m a n d ed that the s y s tem be cha nged from
a to u r na m ent to a se r i e s of e l i m i n a t i ng
k nock-out ma t c hes between t he fi n a l
eight c h a l l e ngers . I t w a s u n d e r t h i s sy stem
that he rou ted h is r i v a l s i n 1 97 1 a n d
defea ted S p a s s ky t he fol l o w i ng yea r .
The gene ral p u b l i c w i ll remem ber
B o b b y even m o re for his ec cen t r i c i t i es
a nd d i s p u tes than for his g reat p l a y .
H i s m a t c h w i th Reshev sky i n 1 9 6 1 ended
in a s c a n d a l a n d a l a w su i t, and he q u i t the
1 96 7 i n te rzonal when i n the l ead after a
d i s p u te a bout the p l a y i ng sched u l e . He
was o n l y persuaded to fly to Iceland to
meet Sp assky wh en the B r i t i sh fi n a n c i e r
J im S l a ter doub led t h e 5 0 , 000 p u rse ; he
w as only persuaded not to walk out of
t h e Spassky match by the personal i n te r
vent i on of US Fore i gn Sec reta ry Henry
K i s s i nger. And fi n a l ! y Fisc her gave up
h i s world c h a m p i o n s h i p w i th o u t a fi ght
w h en FIDE tu rned down h i s stip u l a ti on
t h at h i s m a t ch w i th Ka rpov shou l d be for
t he fi r s t to w i n ten games, the c h a m p i o n
r e t a i n i n g h i s t i tle a t 9- 9 .
F i sc h e r ' s fi n a n c i a l d e m a n d s were i n
c red i b l e . Both the proj e c ted m a tch w i th
Ka rpov and a comeba ck m a tch w i th
G l igo r i c in 1 9 7 9 , w h i c h a l so c a m e to
n o t h i ng, w e re for a m i l l i on d o l l ars or
m o r e . Desp i te c l a i ms that Fisc her' s figures
benefi ted ord i n a ry c h ess m a s ters, there
was an e n o r m o us contrast be t w een these
s u ms a n d those at s ta ke i n normal i n te r
national . t o u r n a m e n t s . T h en there were
h i s i n c rea s i ngly fi n i c ky d e m a n d s re l a t i ng
to l i ght. spec t a tor n o i se, a nd a s socia ted
p l a y i ng d e ta i l s . It i s ev i dent that F i s c h er
fi n a l l y rea c h ed a s ta te w h e re fear of d e fea t
a nd fear of p l a y i ng in p u b l i c d o m i n a ted
his th i n k i n g. I n d eed, it i s d i ffi c u l t to s ee
how anyth i ng other t h an a v i c t o r i ous
match w i th Ka rpov could e n h a n ce h i s
legen d a ry re p u ta t i o n . Perh a p s stra i te n ed
fi n a n c i a l c i rc u m s ta n ces w i ll o ne d ay fo rce
F i scher to play aga i n , but m o re l i kely he
w i ll r e m a i n a l o ng w i th Morphy as the
only other great m a ster to have given u p
chess c o m p l e tely at t h e height o f h i s fam e .
W hat c a n t h e ordi n a ry p la y er lea rn
from B o b by Fische r ? First, will to w i n .
Fi s c h e r ' s k i l ler i n stinct m e a n t that h e
c o n t i n u ed t o look for w i n n i ng o pportun i
t i es in posi tions which most m a s te rs
would long a go have g i ven up as d ra w n .
H i s reply t o a q u i ck d ra w offer w a s ' Of
c o u r se not ' . It was p h y s i ca l l y d i ffi c u l t to
play a g a i nst h i m ; h i s deep-set and h y p
n o t i c eyes a nd h a w k - l i ke fa ce s ta red
pa s s i o nately a t the board from w h i c h he
ra rely rose to l oo k a t other games. F i scher
has long a r ms a nd fi ngers w h i ch he u s ed
to c l u t ch o p po s ing p i eces w h en c a p t u r i n g,
in the man ner of a b i rd of prey . The w i l l to
win e n a b led h im to fi n i sh a h ead of
o p p o n e n t s by record m a rg i ns a n d a 1 00
per cent s c o re was a l w a y s on t he c a r d s .
O n l y A l e k h i n e h a d a s i m i l a r fa na t i c i s m ,
b u t u n l i ke A l e k h i n e F i sc her kept h i s
76
1 5 . NeS !
Once Fischer's k n ight is en sonced on
t h i s strong outpost square the game i s
strategically decided : B l a c k ' s forces are
effectively cut in two. Petrosian, of
course, k new this b u t he had planned to
p lay 1 5 . NxeS 1 6 . dxeS B c 5 overlook i ng
u ntil too late that 1 7 . a S Qc7 1 8 . g4 wins
the k n ight for insuffic ient compensa tion .
15.
16. h3
1 7 . 0-0
Nf6
Bd6
Kf8
1 8 . f4
19. Bf2
2 0 . Bh4
Be8
Qc7
Ng8
4.
5. c3
6. Bf4
7 . Qb3
Nc6
Nf6
Bg4
Na5 ?
9 . Qc2
e6
1 0 . NO
Qb6
ReS
1 1 . a4 !
Now Black finds that if he goes hunting
the advanced pawn by Qb3 then White
has 1 2 . Qe2 Bxa4 ? 1 3. Rxa4 Qxa4 1 4 .
Bb5 + .
1 2 . Nbd2 Nc6
Nh5
1 3 . Qb1
B l a c k intends another ' wing plan'
w h i ch also fails. Fischer recommends g6.
h6
14. Be3
Petrosia n 's intention was f5 to block
the position, but then comes 1 5. g4 !
fxg4 1 6 . NgS Bd6 1 7 . Bxh7 w i th a strong
i n i t i a t i ve. However Petrosian should h a v e
t r i ed 1 4 . . . . B d 6 ! w hen 1 5 . Bxh7 g 6
1 6 . B xg6 fxg6 1 7 . Qxg6 + Kd8 l e a d s t o an
u n c l ea r position w h e re Black would h a ve
c o u n ter-chances.
fig. 1 40
2 1 . fS !
classical break-through, using the
combined force of white pieces to open
up the black king. Note how even the
distant queen at b 1 plays an im p o rta nt
role in the attack, eyeing the g6 square
soon to become a target. Petrosian now
chooses the best chance in such situations,
exchanging off as many attacking men as
possible.
Nxe5
21.
Bxe5
22. dxe5
23. fxe6
Bf6
Bx7
24. ex7
B xh4
25. NO
25 . . . . gS wouldn't help because the
white B comes back into action by f2-d4
and Black has only weakened his position
further.
26. Nxh4 Nf6
27 . Ng6 +
27. Bg6 to bring the queen rapidly into
the attack might be more precise, but
30. Rae l
31. Khl
QcS +
Rf8 7
Qc6
3 3 . b4 !
34 . c 4 !
The dec i sive l i n e-ope n i n g. The black
k i ng is now ex posed to an overwhelming
attack from t he com bined w h i te pieces .
34 .
d xc4
3 5 . B fS
R ff7
3 6 . Rd l + R fd 7
I f N d 7 n . R fe l i s w i n n i n g .
3 7 . Bxd7
Rxd7
38 . Q b8 + K e 7
or 38.
Qc8 39. R x d 7 + N x d 7 40. Q d 6 .
3 9 . R de l + Resigns
for i f Kf7 40. Qe8 mate. As Petrosian
resigned, two thousand c hess fans in the
hall erupted with applause.
Part of the rea son for the im mense
pu b l ic i n terest in Fischer was his ability
to prod uce his best and most crowd
pl ea s i n g games on the most important
occasions. This happened when he again
met Petrosian the fol lowing year in
Buenos A i re s for the final eliminator i n
the world t i tle s e r i es to challenge Boris
Spassk y . As Fi s c h er w e nt ahead in t h e
m a t c h , g l o b a l p u b l i c i ty i n c re a s e d , a nd
c r o w d s e s t i m a t e d at u p to 10, 000 d a i ly
h e s i e g ed t h e p l a y i ng h a l l for a g l i m p se of
for White.
1 6. BcS !
An important move for the keen chess
student. Elimination by . exchange of the
most active enemy minor piece is one of
the keys to successful posi tional play.
Here White exchanges off Black's dark
squared bishop, leaving him with the
light-squared bishop restricted by the
pawns on d5 and a6.
Rfe8
16.
1 7 . Bxe7
Rxe7
18. b4 !
Prevents . . . aS and so fixes the weak a
pawn firmly where it can be attacked by
White's knight and bishop.
K8
18.
1 9. NcS
Bc8
20. 0 !
Another strong multi-purpose move
which deprives the black knight of a
possible e4 outpost, opens a route for the
white king to advance smoothly to the d4
central square, and keeps Black firmly on
the defensive. The best chance now is
20 . . . . Nd7 so as at least to exchange or
drive back the strong knight, but Petro
sian instead tries to bring his bishop to b5
to neutralize the good-bad bishop
situation.
R7a7
20.
2 1 . ReS
Bd7
22. Nxd7 + !
This move took all the watching grand
masters by surprise, but it is perfectly
logical. White does not want to allow
. . . b5 strengthening Black's defences,
while 22. a4 would permit the defensive
plan Bc6 and N d 7. So Fisc her goes for the
'Fischer endgame' where his bishop is
vastly more powerful than the black
knight and where his rooks are active,
Black's passive. The remaining play is
also analyzed in the FischerjKarpov end
game, page 44.
Rxd7
22. . . .
23. Rc l
Threatens 24. Rc6 increasing the pressure on the a pawn.
23.
Rd6
24. Rc7
Nd7
25 . Re2
fig. 1 42
fig. 1 4 3
77
l n n t ru l t h e
<> n e n th ra n k .
g6
h5
h4 ?
D e m o ra l i ze d , P e t ro s i a n c rea tes a nother
\\Ta k n e s s A better defen ce i s N b6 28.
25.
26. K f2
27. f4
K 2 e 7 1-\ (6
28. K D
pick u p
t h r e a t e n i n g to
JnJ
t he
pa v'.:n by Kg4
so fo rc i n g the re p l y .
28 .
f5
d4 +
29. K e 3
N b6
30 . K d 2
Nd5
3 1 . R2e7
3 2 . R f7 +
K e8
N x b4
3 3 . Rcb7
3 4 . B c4 !
Resi gns
T h e r e i s a d o u ble th reat : to take the
k n i g h t or to w i n by 3 5 . Rh7 Rf6 36. Rh8 +
1-\ fR 37 B fl + Kd8 38 R x f8 ma te.
Anatoly l(ar p ov
1 951-
0-0
b3
dS
h3
N5
Na5
cS
Nh7
Be7
Nb7
fig. 1 44
fi g . 1 4 5
fig. 1 46
19. . . .
c5 !
This is the key move of Karpov's deep
strategy, played just as White was hoping
to gai n space in the centre and keep the
bishop pair under restraint. Now White
is forced to exchange into Karpov's
favourite endgame phase and the black
bishops gain considerably more scope.
20 . exfS
exfS
Rxe7
2 1 . Qxe7
bxc5
2 2 . dxc5
23. R d 1
Bxc 3 !
Another su b tle move. The bishop pair
fig. 1 47
Bxf3 !
31. . . .
Karpov is still a pawn down but can make
this exchange in the confidence that the
R + B v. R + N ending is a clear win. The
white bishop has no scope, his king is
still out of play, and his rook is tied to
passive defence of the Q-side pawns ; on
the other hand Black's rook, knight and
king are all either poised to invade the
white camp or are already doing so.
Ne5
32 . RxO
Kf6
3 3 . Re3
a5
34 . B b 3
3 5 . Ba4
Capitulation - White returns the pawn
with lOO per cent interest in a vain
attempt to get some play. Attempting to
hold the material by 3 5. Ba2 or 3 5 . a4
would fail to Rb l and Rb2.
35.
Nxc4
Rxc3
36. ReS
Ne3
37. Rc8
c4
38. B b 5
39. K g l
Rc2
c3
40 . Bc6
g5
41 . Bf3
f4
42 . g4
43. Resigns
The passed c pawn will soon force the
win of at least the bishop since the white
king is unable to help the defence.
A third, and particularly important,
lesson to be learnt from Anatoly Karpov's
79
c l-.ess ca reer
T o n y M i l e s,
is a l so the
80
fi g . 1 48
2 3 . Re 1 !
Another example of a move which spells
the difference between a grandmaster
and a strong club player. It was possible to
play an immediate 23. Qxc6, but the
pawn will not run away and meanwhile
the pin on the e file will ensure further
exchanges to help Miles win the ending.
23.
Rfe8
24. Qxc6
Qxc6
a4
2 5 . Rxc6
26. Rc4
K8
Bf6
27. Bc3
W hite threatened to simplify into a
pawn ending by R4e4, Rxe7 and Bb4.
28 . Rxe8 + Kxe8
29. Bxf6
gxf6
30. Rh4 1
Without this final touch Black would
still have drawing chances as his a pawn
holds White's two on the Q-side.
30. . . .
Rb8
3 1 . Rxh7 Rxb2
K8
32. Rh4
Ra2
33. Rxa4
34. Kg2
Resigns
P r e i ss m a n n
Opening :
S lav
O l y m p i a d 1 976)
l . d4
D e fe nce
(Hai fa
d5
c6
N f6
d x c4
5 . a4
e67
A poor move which hems in h is queen' s
bi shop just when this piece should be
developed by BfS or Bg4 .
Bb4
6. eJ
N bd7
7. Bxc4
8. 0-0
0-0
9. QbJ !
Forcefully attacking Black ' s weak e6
pawn as well as the bishop. Already there
is a ta ctical trap. for 9 . . . . Bd6 should be
met by 1 0. Bxe6 fxe6 1 1 . Qxe6 + and
1 2. Qxd6.
Qe7
9. . . .
BxcJ
1 0 . e4 !
Accepting the pawn sacrifice is risky.
but otherwi se W h i te has a strong centre .
Nxe4
1 1 . bxcJ
c5
1 2 . BaJ
N ef6
1 3 . R fe 1
2 . c4
3. N O
4 Nc 3
.
9. eS
NdS
Be7
1 0. N e4
1 1 . 0-0
Nc6
12. B d2
Qc7
bxcJ e . p .
1 3 . c4
1 4 . NxcJ
NxcJ
1 5 . BxcJ
N b4
1 6 . Bxb4
By the simplest means, Black gains the
advantage of the b ishop pair, but other
wise his knight has a fine outpost at d 5 .
16.
Bxb4
1 7 . Racl
Qb6
14. . . .
2 1 . Bd6
Rb8 7
bS
fi g . l 5 0
1 9 . NgS
20. Bh7 + 7
0-0
h6
2 3 . Qd3 7
Resigns
1 8 . Be4
Bb7
N f6
e6
cS
fig. 1 5 1
Rxc l
Re 1
Qxd7
Re3
QxdS
Rxc l
Qxb2
QxeS
Bb4
QdS
BxdS
81
Y asser Seirawan
Qe7
aS
axb4
Rxa 1
e4
82
Bd6
1 6 . Qe4
1 7 . h4 1
With ideas of g4 -g5, NgS, or hS and
Rh4.
17.
QfS
Qa 5
I S . Qe2
Ne7
1 9 . Bb3
20 . h5
b6
Ba6
2 1 . Qe4
22. d5 !
Offering two pawns to open up all the
lines against the black king.
22.
exd5
f6
23. Qh7
Bxc4
24. K g 1
Bxb3
2 5 . Rh4 1
Kf7
26. axb3
27. Rg4
R g8
fi g. 1 5 2
22. Rxg7 1
There are o ther ways to win - White
could simply take the c pawn - but the
move played is the most elegant and
forc i ng. The average player is unlikely
to be able to calculate such positions in
advance but should not be d eterred.
Tactical vision is a matter of experience
and training so the sensible policy if you
don't see a clear win is to continue to
increase the pressure or capture material here by 22. Qxc7 .
22 .
Kxg7
23. Qg5 + Kf7
24 . Qxf6 + Ke8
25. Bg6 + Nf7
26. Be 5 !
A fine, original conclusion. If the
queen moves, 2 7 . Bxc7 with unavoidable
mate on d 8 .
26. . . .
Resigns
The important Wijk aan Zee inter
national of 1 980 showed that Seirawan
could become America's greatest player
since Fischer. He tied for first prize with
three-time US champion Browne, reached
the grandmaster score w ith three games
to spare, a nd outplayed Korchnoi.
W h ite : Y. Seirawa n . B la c k : V .
K o rchn o i
Opening : Engl ish (Wij k a a n Zee
1 980) .
The opening moves were 1 . c4 Nf6
2 . N c 3 e6 3 . e4 d5 4. e5 d4 5 . exf6 dxc3
6 . bxc3 Qxf6 7. d4 c 5 .
Book theory i s one o f Korchnoi's
weaker points : 7 . . . . b6 is superior.
h6
8. Nf3
9. Bd3 !
Intending the gambit 9 . . . . Nc6 1 0. 0-0
with active piece p lay for the pawn.
9.
cxd4
Bb4 +
1 0 . cxd4
1 1 . Kfl !
The king is safe here since it is White
who has the initiative and attack.
Nc6
11.
Bc5
1 2 . Bb2
0-0
1 3 . Bc2
1 4 . Qd3
Rd8
K 8
1 5 . Rd 1
.
28. Re l l
The winning move. It cuts off the
black king's escape, and threatens 29.
Bxf6 Kxf6 30. Rg6 + or if 28 . . . . Rad8
2 9. Ra 1 followed by Rxa 7 .
28.
d4
29. Rxd4
Be5
30. Rd7
Qxe 1 +
Korchnoi hopes to fight on with rook,
bishop and pawn against queen, but the
a ttack is too strong. The game ended
3 1 . Nxe 1 Bxb2 32. Nd3 Ba3 3 3 . Nf4
Rgd8 34. Qg6 + Kg8 3 5 . Qd3 Rxd7 36.
Qxd7 ReS 37 . Kh2 Kf7 38 . Ng6 Ra8
39 . Nxe7 Resigns. If Bxe7 40. QdS +
wins the rook.
83
84
fi g . 1 5 5
12. . . .
h6 7
This is one of the critical positions of the
opening and arises naturally from White's
4. a3. More natural for Black than the
obviously weakening h6 is to put pressure
1 9 . Qg4
I n c r ea s i n g his ad v a nta ge w i th the
t a c t i ca l p o i nt 1 9 .
B x e5 20. B x e 5
Q x d 3 1 1 2 1 . Q xg7 m a te, or i f 20 . . . . Qe7
2 1 f4 i n t e n d i n g f S .
19. . . .
Qe8
'
fi g . 1 5 6
20 . N g 6
I n t rod u c i ng t a c t i ca l c om p l i c a t ions i n
v\' h i ch K a s p a rov sees fu rther than h i s
,
Or 25.
Rxc7 2 6 . e6 Qe7 27. Qh5
2 R . B x c 7 wins.
Q :--.: e6
2 6 . Qxh S !
Bh7 +
29 . QfS +
0 . Bg6 +
1 . Rd l +
28.
Kh
K f8
K e8
Kd8
QdS
fig. 1 5 7
1 5 . NdbS !
A manoeuvre to note in similar positions
the knight outpost is strong because
Black cannot easily dislodge it without
losi ng h is d pawn. In the next few moves
2 1 . f5 !
So that if NecS 22. fxg6 hxg6 2 3 . Qf4 with
a winning attack, or if Nd8 22. fxg6 hxg6
2 3 . N f6 + Bxf6 24. Rxf6 cxbS 2 5 . Qc3.
cxdS
21.
Rxe6
22. fxe6
Re7
2 3 . exd5
Nigel Short
24.
B f4 !
for if
25.
cS
BeS 2 5 .
wins.
25.
26.
27 .
28
29 .
30 .
31.
32 .
Nb5
Qe3
b4
a xb 4
Bg5
d6
Be7
Q d8
N c5
b6
a x b4
Na6
Q b8
N x b4
Q b7
fi g . 1 60
Kxf7
Bf6
If 34 . . . Kg7 3 5 . Qe5 + forces mate.
3 5 . B x f6
Resigns
If 3 5 . . . Kg8 36 . Qe6 + Rf7 37. Be7
Raf8 38. Rxf7 R x f7 39. d7 wins.
Going into the 1 980s, Kasparov already
looks on his way to the world title.
International ch ess j ournal ists voted him
into fifth place for the 1 979 Chess Oscar,
ahead of many lead ing grandmasters : and
at the 1 980 European team finals he made
the best score of St out of 6, then went
on to win first pri ze a t Ba k u .
.
1 965-
Ludgate
Opening : Modern Defe nce (British
championship semi-finals, North- West
England zone 1 977)
l . e4
g6
2. d4
Bg7
3. Nc3
c6
d6
e6
Ne7
N d7
1 0 . Bb3
1 1 . h5
g5
1 2 . h6
Bh8
1 3 . Qg3
N igel S h ort ' s only i m p rec ision in th is
game. B lack's knight now reaches f5 with
ga in of t i me so more accurate is 1 3. 0-0-0
a t once .
l 3.
Nb6
dxe4
1 4 . 0-0-0
Nf5
1 5 . Nxe4
Nxe3
1 6 . QO
Nd5 ?
1 7 . fxe 3
fi g . 1 6 1
2 9 . Rh 1 !
In conjunction with the previous dia
gram, this move reveals a refreshing
freedom from dogma. Now it is right to
bring back the rook and regroup for the
fi nal attack.
Rd8
29 .
30. Qc4
f5
f4
3 1 . Rfl
Bd4
32. g3
33. gxf4
Be3 +
34. K b 1
Bxf4
Kg8
3 5 . Qc3
36. Qg7 + ! Qxg7
3 7 . e7 +
Resigns
A poor game by Black, but Nigel's
direct logical play is reminiscent of the
young Capablanca whose games influ
enced his style.
Since his promising debut in the British
Cham pionship, Nigel Short's progress has
continued with few breaks. At the age of
1 2, in his first international event, the
1 978 Aaronson Masters, he totalled S-!
out of lO and only the top players could
beat him. On his second appearance in
the British Championship he finished in
the top half and then he won in successive
years the bronze and silver medals at the
world under- 1 7 championship where he
was one of the youngest competitors.
True he didn't win the gold medal, but
neither did Kasparov .
For a while in late 1 978 and early 1 979
Nigel's progress slowed ; then he suddenly
progressed within a few months from
national expert to international master
strength. The organisers of the Geneva
open invited him to Switzerland for the
publicity. When, on his fourteenth birth
day, he lost to grandmaster Nunn, few
could have guessed what would follow,
for he beat his next five Swiss opponents,
and in the final round defeated France's
No. 1 in the 1 976 world team champion
ship. Victory brought him a share of the
first prize of 3, 500 Swiss francs (about
1 ,000) with Nunn, and the decisive
game once more had the hallmarks of the
style of early Capa blanca - clarity, rapid
development, and a small combination to
clinch the strategic advantage.
White : N igel Short. Black : E.
Preissmann
Opening : Ruy Lopez (Geneva 1 979)
l . e4 eS 2. NO Nc6 3. BbS f5 4. d3
fxe4 5 . dxe4 N f6 6. Qe2 1
fig . 1 62
88
d6
Bg4
Trying to make White lose time by
capturing on D with the queen which has
already moved, but the weakening of the
Nd7 ?
g6
exf4
0-0
1 7 . Qe6 + 7
1 7 . Bh6 ! wins quickly, for if Rxfl + 1 8 .
Rxfl White either invades by Qe6 + and
Rf7, or if 1 8 . . . . Nf8 1 9 . Nd5 and Black is
move bound.
Kg7
17.
Bh4
18. Nd5
1 9 . Nxc7 !
Bxd6
Bxf8 +
Q7 +
Rad 1
QdS
Qd8
Nxf8
Kh8
Qe7
Ra7
f'i g 1 64
A p p a re n t l y
ga me toget h e r,
D c ( i s i \ 'l' , for i f
R x fR -t- a nd 2 8 .
Qxd8 2 6 . R x d 8 B x d8 2 7 .
Rxd8.
25.
Kg7
Q x e4
2 6 . R x f8
Or Q x f8 2 7 . Q x h4 vv i n s .
24. BxcS !
Judging the right moment to switch from
strategy to tactics. With Black's king
opened up in the centre and the black
pieces scattered and passive, the sacrifi ce
- and it is scarcely that when White gets
three pawns for the piece - must be
promising.
24.
bxcS
Qc6
25. NxcS
K7
26. RdS
Hoping to get some play by 27. Rxe5
Qd6, but White has better in mind .
Nxe6
2 7 . Ne6 !
Black returns the sacrificed piece in
desperation. If 27 . . . . Ba6 both 28. ReS
and 28. N dB + are strong.
28 . fxe6 + Kxe6
Ra7
29. Rxb S
30. a4
Rd8
3 1 . RxeS + !
A final elegant touch.
31.
Kxe S
3 2 . Qe7 +
Qe6
3 3 . QcS + Resigns
fig. 1 66
Wh ite : N i ge l S h o rt . B l a c k : P .
Biyiasas ( US )
O pe n i n g : R uy L o p e z ( I CL Hasti ngs,
1 979 - 80)
T h e o p e n i ng m o v e s were 1 . e4 e 5
2 . N O N c6 3 . BbS a 6 4 . Ba4 d 6 5 . d4 b S
6 . B b 3 N x d4 7 . N xd4 e x d4 8 . c 3 .
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Bc2
dS
Qg3
a3
f4
Nd7
g6
Qc7
B g7
N c5
T h i s p ro m i si ng g a m b i t i n c i d e n t a l l y
a v o ids a t r i ck worth k n o w i n g in cl u b
c h e s s a nd so a n c i e n t a s t u he n a m ed t h e
' N oa h ' s A rk T ra p ' . I f 8 . Q x d 4 c S 9. Qd S
Be6 1 0 . Qc6 + B d 7 1 1 . Qd S c4 t r a ps t h e
b i shop a nd w i n s .
8. . . .
Bb7
9.
9. cxd4
N f6
B xe4 ? 1 0 . 0-0 fo l l o w ed by R e 1
puts the bi shop in a near-fa tal pin.
1 0.
f3
Be7
1 1.
12.
1 3.
14.
0-0
Bc3
N c3
Qel
0-0
cS
Re8
An i m m ed i a te 10 . .
c S stops W h i te
conso l i d a t i ng h i s c e n t r e .
S h o r t ' s p a w n c e n tre sh i e l d s h is a t ta c k
ing p i e c e h u i l d - u p a ga i n st t h e king.
14.
1 5 . Rd 1
Bf8
c4
fig . 1 67
2 1 . e5 !
Strategically dec i sive. If 2 1 . . . . dxeS
22. fS ! opens up the black king's defences.
So the grandmaster tries to b lunt the
attack by exchanging one of the dangerous
b ishops.
Nd3
21.
cxd3
22 . Bxd3
dxe5
2 3 . Rxd3
24 . f5 !
Qc4
25 . Rd2
Rad8
26. h4
aS
Not 26 . . . . Bxd S ? 27. Rfd l w ins the
bi shop. W i th the tex t, Black hopes to
91
f:
T h e French D e fe n c e
fig. 1 69
fi g . 1 68
3. Nc3
The Exchange va riati on 3 . e x d 5 exd5
normally i n d icates that White i s playing
for a draw, though there have been some
94
4. e 5
I f 4 . Bd3 c S 5 . exdS NxdS gives Black few
problems.
N fd7
4. . . .
5. Bd3
5. f4 is a modem plan designed to build
fi g . 1 70
5. . .
Bd7
This innovation pioneered by Korchnoi
and others is at least as good as the older
moves Qb6 and N ge7 and carries less risk
to Black of becomi ng embroiled in ta ctical
gambits.
6 . Be2
Other poss i b i l ities are (a) 6. Bd3 cxd4
7. cxd4 Rc8 and if 8. 0-0 ? N b4 gains the
bi shop pa ir or ( b) 6. dxcS Bxc5 7. Bd3 f6
8. b4 Be7 9. b5 N x e 5 1 0. Nxe5 fxe5 1 1 .
Qh 5 + K f8 1 2 . Qxe5 Bf6 1 3. Qd6 + Ne7
(Svesh n i kov-Sa von, Lvov 1 978) when
Black has a strong cen tre to com pensa te
for mov i ng h i s k i n g .
Nge7
6. . . .
A more active and dou ble-edged p l a n is
6 . . . . f6 7 . 0-0 fxe 5 8 . dxe5 Qc7 9. Na3
(Hartston recommends 9. R e 1 fol lowed by
c4) a6 ( Nxe5 is risky) 1 0. Bf4 Nh6 ! 1 1 . Nc2
N t7 1 2 . c4 d4 1 3. Bd3 Be7 1 4. Qe2 g5 1 5 .
Bg3 0-0-0 1 6. b4 h5 w i th a strong attack
for Black (Kupreychik Gulko, USSR cham
pionship 1 976).
7. Na3
O r 7 . 0-0 Rc8 8 . Re 1 c xd4 9. cxd4 N f5.
cxd4
7.
NfS
8. cxd4
N b4
9 . N c2
Nxe3
1 0. N e 3
Be7
1 1 . fxe 3
Better might b e 1 1 . . . a S to stop the
followi ng advance.
Nc6
12. a3
1 3 . b4
W h i te has a sl ight advantage, but
Black eventu a l l y won the game (Spassky
Korchnoi, match 1 978).
The m a in l i ne of the French Defence
from which 3. exd5, 3. Nd2 and 3. e5 are
variants is ( 1 . e4 e6 2. d4 d S ) :
Nf6
3 . Nc3
More fashionable, but too complex and
h ighly analyzed from the ordinary play
er's viewpoint is 3 . . . . B b4, the Winawer
variation. The knight move can also start
a pro m i s i ng counter-attack while Black
can more easily lead the game into lines
he knows well .
4. BgS
Steinitz' s old move 4. eS i s sti l l played,
and after 4. N fd7 5. f4 cS W h i te has two
.
9. Bd3
White' s most promising move. If:
(a) 9 . Bel Nxc3 1 0. Bd3 c5 1 1 . dxc5 Qa5
1 2. Bd2 Qa4 ! (Black offers the queen
exchange to exploit White's weak pawns
in the ending) 1 3. h3 (so that if Qxg4 ?
1 4. hxg4 and Black's h pawn is weak) h5 !
1 4. Qxa4 Nxa4 1 5. BbS + Bd7 1 6. Bxa4
Bxa4 1 7. Rbl Nd7 1 8 . Rx b7 Nxc5 1 9 . Rc7
Na6 followed by 0-0 and Rfc8 and Black
has an endgame edge.
(b) 9 . h4 c5 1 0. Bd3 Nxd2 1 1 . Kxd2 Nc6
1 2 . Rh3 ( 1 2. Nf3 Qa5 1 3. dxc5 Bd7 and
White's tripled c pawns are weak) cxd4
1 3. cxd4 Qb6 1 4. ND (the sacrifice 1 4. Ne2
Qb4 + 1 5. Kd1 Nxe5 1 6. Qj4 Nd7 fol lowed
by Ke7 and Qd6 is unsound) Bd7 1 5 . Qf4
0-0-0 ! ( 1 6 . Qxj7 Nxd4) with the initiative
for Black .
9.
Nxd2
10. Kxd2 cS
1 1 . Rb 1
The best idea - White hopes that Black
w ill swap pawns in the centre after which
he can continue with the plan Nf3, Rhc l
and c4 opening up lines against the black
king. If instead : 1 1 . N O Nc6 1 2. Qf4
cxd4 (Black can also play for a blocked,
drawish position with 12 . . . . c4 as in the
column, but not 1 2 . . . . Qc7 ? 1 3. Qj6 when
White's Q invades on the dark squares)
95
1 3 . cxd4 Bd7
Ke2 h6 ) Rc8 1
1 4 . h4 ( 1 4. Rab1 Qa 5 + 1 5 .
5 . Q f6 Q a S + and Black has
enough central counterplay to meet
W h i te's K-side attack .
11. . . .
N c6
1 2 . N f3
c4
Black can al so go for the more active
but more risky 12 . . . . cxd4 1 3 . cxd4
Qa S + 1 4. K e2 b6 1 5 . Q f4 Ba6 1 6. Rhc 1
Rc8 1 7 . K fl Qa3 (Ma tulovic-Zwetkoff,
Va rna 1 96 5) w h en W h i te can gam bit a
pa wn at a2 or d 3 for atta cking chances.
1 3 . Be2
Qe7
b6
1 4 . h4
1 5 . Q f4
Bd7
1 6 . h5
g5
S i m i lar posi tions occu rred i n some of
Korch noi's early games. Black ' s game is
sol id and he can even castle QR since
the open b fi le is not enough on its own
for W h i te to mount a successful a ttack .
G a m b i t D e fence
\N h i le recommending the French Defence
as a sol id stand by aga i nst stronger
opponents, it is not s u ffi cient on i ts own
as an a n swer to l . e4 . Unless your know
l edge and feel for this openi ng is very
good, playing it every time runs you into
too many special coun ters prepared by
opponents at home .
Aga i nst weaker players it is a l so par
t i c ula rly i m portant to have some tactical,
gambit counter-atta cks which may be
unsound but w h i ch can score quickly
agai nst i mperfect defence. Ma ny people
rej ect inferior open in gs w ithout even
bothering to analyze them, so it is l i kely
t hat your opponent will be unfam i l iar
w i th the resulting positions and w i l l soon
be playing on his own instead of remem
bering grandmaster analys i s .
T h e sha rp g a m b i t nature o f such
c o u n ter-a tta cks means that hesitations or
passi ve moves can quickly enable the
' u nsound' system to blossom i nto a
\"-' inning assault on the k i ng . There is also
the psychologi cal angle to be consi dered :
most a mateurs beli eve that atta cking chess
w i n s . This may be so beca u se so many
publ i shed games a re won by d irect
attacks, perhaps because the ave rage
amateur is a poor d efender and gets
n ustered under pressure. Certa i n l y at the
lo wer levels of compe t i ti ve chess a ttack
i ng play makes an im pression, and can
easi ly ind uce a defeatist atti tude in the
opp o nent, thus lowering h i s resi stance
and m a k i ng errors more l i kel y .
T h e counter-attacks below a re a selec
t i on of possi ble ideas w h i ch can d i scon
cert a weaker opponent. Even m o re than
in the French Defence, deta i l ed knowledge
of t h em will pay off and you a re ad vi sed to
cons u l t other reference sources for any
cou nter-a ttacks you dec ide to take up
regu larl y .
96
N f6
Worth a place in your repertoire because
(a) after l . e4 c5 2. NO is normal for White
and you are less l ikely than in other
counter-attacks to have the frustration of
finding the opponent doing something
qui te different (b) the defence is reputedly
unsound but in practice is difficult to play
for White .
The main line goes ( l . e 4 c 5 2 . Nf3) Nf6
3 . e 5 N d5 4. Nc3 (from the White side
4 . d4 cxd4 5. Qxd4 e6 6 . Bc4 is more
promising) e6 .
.
fi g. 1 74
fi g . l 7 3
5 . Nxd5
If 5 . d4 or 5 . Bc4, Black plays 5 . . . . Nxc3
followed by . . . d 5 and develops easily
against the weakened Q-side pawns. If
5 . N e4 5 6 . exf6 (the retreat 6 . Nc3 is
best, followed by Nc6 7. Nxd5 exd5 8. d4
d6 equalizi ng. In practice a weaker player
is unlikely to think of moving his knight
to e4 a nd then back again) Nxf6 with an
open f file for counterplay, or here 6. Ng3
Nc6 7. b3 Qc7 8 . Bb2 Nf4 and White's e
pawn is weak.
5. . . .
exd5
Nc6 !
6 . d4
Gambitting the d pawn for a complex
attack.
BxcS
7 . dxc5
8 . QxdS d6 !
The older move is 8 . . Q b6 but then
W hite has a direct and strong line in 9.
Bc4 Bxf2 + 1 0. Ke2 0-0 1 1 . R fl Bc5 1 2 .
Ng5 Nd4 + 1 3. Kd 1 Ne6 1 4 . N e4 d6 1 5 .
exd6 Rd8 (Bxd6 ? 1 6. Nxd6 Rd8 1 7. Bf4 !
Nxf4 1 8. Qxj7 + Kh8 1 9. 8 + w ith
smothered m ate, Unzicker-Sarapu, Siegen
1 970) 1 6. Qh5 Bxd6 1 7. Bd3 5 1 8. Nxd6 !
Qxd6 1 9. Qx5 Qxh2 20. Qf7 + Kh8 2 1 .
Bg5 Rg8 2 2 . Be3 with a winning attack
(Pritchett-E. Gonzalez, Buenos Aires
1 978).
9 . exd6
Qb6
.
T h e Me ste l P h ilidor
fi g . 1 7 5
In an
fi g. 1 76
fi g . 1 7 8
fig. 1 7 7
6. . . .
N c6
Though 6 . .
fxe4 looks risky it may
be better : 7 . Qxd4 Nc6 8. Qxe4 + Qe7
followed by B f5 and 0-0-0.
BxfS
7 . e x f5
8 . Re 1 + Kd7
9 . c3
Q f6
Be7
10. Qb3
Adorj a n-MesteL European team c ham
pionship final 1 976. Black's posi tion is
i n ferior, but he still has counterplay : 1 1 .
Ne6 Rab8 1 2. cxd4 Qh4 1 3. Nxg7 Nxd4
and White won only a fter an endgame of
over 80 moves.
.
D e fe n d i n g 1 . d4
In choosing a main l i ne defence to l . d4
the amateur player should again try to
opt for a sol id and rel ia ble plan whose
variations w i ll not change much due to
new theoreti cal d iscoveries. And as with
defend i ng 1 . e4 it is importa nt to have
one or two sharp and ta cticall y-orienta ted
scond -l ine systems which can be used
agai nst weaker opponents. I recommend
as the ma in l i ne plan the 'Old Benoni' 1 . d 4
cS 2 . dS d 6, which d i ffers from the
' Modern Benon i ' where Black only ad
vances . . . c5 when White has pushed c4.
The Old Benoni has become unfashiona ble
in recent yea rs, but this seems to be
beca use t o of its main exponents,
grandmasters Schmid and Szabo, a re now
less active in internati onal chess.
fi g . 1 7 9
4. . . .
N f6
Possi bly more prec ise than 4 . . . Bg7
5. Bb5 + Nd7 (exchange of bi shops
favours W h i te) 6. a4 N f6 7. N f3 w hen the
.
98
fig . 1 80
fi g . 1 8 1
fig. 1 8 2
Bg7
S . NO
0-0
6. g3
Na6
7. Bg2
8. 0-0
Nc7
Black 's plan is c lear : a6, R b8, Bd7 if
necessary, and the space-ga i n i ng . . . b S .
White cannot real ly prevent this and tries
t o counter by a central a d v a n ce a nd/or
probi ng for Q-si de k n i ght o utposts.
9 . a4
Probably best. s i n ce White norma l l y
plays t h i s i r respective o f where h e puts
h is pieces. Some other examples to show
how Black should develop counterplay :
(a) 9 . e4 ( th i s natura l advance w eakens
the d4 square w h i ch often becomes a
target for Black's knights or KB later on)
R b8 1 0. a4 a6 1 1 . Qe2 ( better 1 1 . a5 b5 1 2.
axb6 e.p. R xb6 though Bl a c k's roo k has a
good ou tpost at b4) b6 1 2 . e5 N e8 I 1 . Bf4
b5 1 4. a x b5 a x b 5 1 5 . cx b5 Bd7 1 6. R fe 1
NxbS 1 7. N x b5 Bxb5 (Fil i p-Rad ulescu,
Buc ha rest 1 9 5 3) and Black stands well. He
has pressu re on the b file, and his remain
i ng knight can eventu a l ly transfer to the
d4 square from which Whi te's 9. e4
kindly removed a potential defender.
(b) 9. h 3 a6 1 0. a4 R b8 l l . aS Nd7 (here
1 1 . . . . b5 is less good because of 1 2. axb6
e. p . Rxb6 1 3. Nd2 ! followed by Nb3-a 5)
1 2. Bd2 b 5 1 3. a x b6 e . p. Nxb6 14. b 3 e6
1 5 . dxe6 N xe6 1 6. Ne 1 (or 1 6 . Rc1 d5) aS
1 7 . RaJ Bd7 1 8. NdS N x d 5 1 9. Bxd5 Qf6
w i th a level game (Furman-Korchnoi,
fi g . 1 8 3
fi g . 1 84
fi g . 1 8 5
Q x d 1 B g 7 . W h i t e ' s K - s i d e a t t a c k sh o u l d
be c o n t a i ned a nd B l a ck h a s s o me p l a y
aga i n st the w e a k c e n t r al p a w n s . T h i s p l a n
m i gh t b e fu r t h er i m proved b y 1 1 . . . . R eS
at on ce, s i nce the w h i te knight h a s no
where to go but hom ewa r d s .
(b) 9. e S ! ? ( the G u n d e r a m G a m b i t
dangerous t o t h e i n e x pe r i e n ce d ) d x e S
1 0 . fx e 5 Ng4 1 1 B g 5 Q a 5 ( best : many
books g i ve 1 1 .
. f6 1 2. exj6 Bxf6 a s
equa l i z i ng but t h e n comes 1 3. Bxf6 N.\j6
1 4. cxd5 wi th a d v a n t a g e 1 4 . . . . Ne8 1 5 .
the best
a weaker
player and particularly one who is
d e fe n s i vely mi nded . For the system is
only doubtful if White is pri med in
a d v a nce a n d rea c ts a gg r e s s i v e l y .
dS
l . d4
e6
2 . c4
c5
3 . Nc3
cxd4
4 . cxd5
More usual replies until here are 3 . . . .
N f6, the orthodox Queen's Gambit De
c l ined , and 4 . . . . exd5, the main l i ne
Tarra sch Defence.
5 . Qa4 +
5 . Q xd4 Nc6 6. Q d 1 e x d 5 7 . Q x d 5 B d 7
t ra n s po s es to t h e c o l u m n , w h i l e 5 . d xe6 ?
B x e6 ( b ut n o t dxcJ ? ? 6 . exf7 + Ke7 7.
fxg 8 N + ) 6. Ne4 Nf6 gi ves Black a good
development and a d4 wedge in return
for the pa wn .
Bd7
5.
6 . Q x d4 e x d 5
=
for the e x c h a n ge sa c r i fi c ed ) . Fo l l o w i n g
1 4 . . . N d 7 W h i t e s t i ll h a s some pla y , b u t
B l ack h a s a p a w n to console him a n d I
d o n ' t t h i n k White's compensation ( v ia d6
a nd B e 7 ) i s q u i te enough .
9. . . .
B g4 !
Ga m b i t D e fe n ce t o l . d4
As i n K - s i de o pe n i ngs w h e re the F re n c h
D e fe n ce is recommended as the mai n,
sol i d l i n e , backed up by little-known
ga m b i ts a n d other offbeat l i nes to use
a ga i n st weaker opponents, so playing
Black a g a i ns t l . d4 needs the same tw o
fo l d a p p roa c h . As w i th the recommended
fro m
spec i a l i st
re fe re n c e
7 . Qxd 5
C a u t i o u s so u l s m a y d ec l i n e the p a w n
w i t h 7 . e 3 . Black can then continue to
offer h i s gambit for a few more moves,
and even i f White continues to refuse the
g i ft B l a c k h a s free attacking play : 7 . . . .
Nc6 S. Q d 1 N f6 9. N f3 ( 9 . Nxd5 Qa5 +
a n d . . . 0-0-0 is strong) Bd6 1 0. Be2 ( 1 0.
Nxd5 ? Nxd5 1 1 . Qxd5 Qe7 and . . . 0-0-0)
B f5 ! 1 1 . 0-D Rc8 .
B l a c k ' s plan is simple : to line up his
q u ee n and bishop against h2 and then
fi g . 1 8 8
1 1 . Be2
Natural and safest. Three other moves
have been tried here unsuccessfully :
(a) 1 1 . B c4 0-0-0 1 2. Qe2 g5 1 3 . a3 g4
1 4 . Nd2 Ne5 1 5. b4 Bb6 1 6. Bb2 Bc6 w i th
strong pressure. B . H. Wood-Sutton, Bri
tish Championship 1 960, concluded 1 7 .
R e 1 Kb8 1 8. Rg1 Rhg8 1 9. N b 5 ? Nxc4 20.
Qxc4 Bxe3 ! 2 1 . Bxf6 Bxd2 + 22. Kfl
Qxf6 and White resigned .
(b) 1 1 . a3 0-0-0 1 2. Qc2 Kb8 1 3 . Be2
(1 3. b4 Nd4 1 4. Nxd4 Bxd4 1 5. Be2 Ba4 !
1 6 . Qb2 Be5 1 7. f4 Ne4 ! with a winning
attack) g5 1 4. 0-0 g4 1 5 . Nd2 Rhe8 1 6 . N b 3
Bb6 1 7 . Bd2 Qe5 with strong t h rea ts
(Gurev ich-Safonov, Moscow 1 960).
101
fi g . 1 89
1 3 . N d4
Too slow is 1 3 . a 3 g4 1 4. Nd4 QeS ! 1 5 .
b4 N x d4 1 6. bxcS Nf3 + ! (Borisenko
Spassky. USSR 1 9 59) w ith a winning
atta c k .
The move 1 3. b4 B x b4 tran sposes into
the col umn after 1 4 . B b2 Rhg8 1 5 . Nd4,
while if instead 1 4 . Qb3 Rhg8 1 5 . R b 1 Bf5
1 6 . R b2 Be6 ! 1 7. Bc4 Bxc4 1 8 . Q xc4 Qc5
keeps the game level ( 1 9. Qxj7 R d7) .
'
R hg8 !
1 3. . . .
Most books give 1 3 . . . . g4 followed by
hS but this attack i s too slow, eg. 1 4 .
b 4 B x b4 1 5 . B b 2 hS 1 6. N c b 5 Kb8 1 7 . Q b 3
when Black's b 4 bishop is hanging and
White threatens 1 8. Nxc6 + Bxc6 1 9.
Bxf6 Q x f6 20. Qxb4 . One point of Rhg8
fol lowed by Rg6 is to avoid this variation
by ena bling Black to recapture with the
rook on move 1 9 .
1 4 . b4
If 1 4 . a 3 QeS i ntending Bd6 or Rg6-h6
with good play or 1 4 . B bS N x d4 1 5 .
exd4 Bxd4 1 6. Qxd4 Bxb S .
1 02
14.
Bxb4
1 5 . B b2
Rg6
16. R c 1
Kb8
1 7 . N x c6 +
If 1 7 . Qb3 Nxd4 followed by Bxc3 and
the e2 bishop is hanging. If 1 7. BO N xd4
1 8. exd4 g4 1 9. N d S Qd6 20. N x f6 gxO !
and wins. If 1 7 . N cbS then either 1 7 . . . .
a6 or 1 7 . . . . Ne5 intending a6 or g4 .
Bxc6
17. . .
g4
20 . Q b 3
Black threatens R h 6 fol lowed by Qe5
and then if g3 Rxh2 ! forci ng mate.
Undou btedly White's moves can still be
improved, but this gambit remai ns a
promising idea for the attacking player.
The success or failure of such a gambit
depends in great measure not on the book
analysis but on the tactical abil ity of those
invol ved - particularly Black.
M est e l ' s D e fe n ce
Waiting tactics form an important aspect of
con temporary opening strategy. The
theme of defences l i ke l. . . . g6 or l . . . . b6
is that B lack only commits his central
pawns after seeing how White w i ll deve
lop. These are slow, closed openings
where a si ngle tempo is l ess important
than in the open game with an early clash
in the centre, and i deas are current now
which would have aroused horror among
the theorists of half a century ago .
One example is the move ( l . e4 g6 2. d4
Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Be3) a6 ! ? at first sight a
beginner's push but in fact waiting to see
whether White's formation is based on
N f3 , f3, Qd2 or f4. If White's answer is an
aggressive plan based on Q-side castl ing,
then the a pawn is well posted to support
the counter-attack . . . b5, while if White
prefers a calmer plan Black can himself_
continue . . . b6 when the pawn has the
function of stopping White bishop checks
or pawn advances to b 5 .
One option which Black keeps in the
1 . . . . g6 Modem Defence is to reta in for as
long as possi ble the chance to bring his g8
knight into action at e7 or f6. This might
seem just a psychological move, but the
young Briti sh master Jonathan Mestel
uses the system to reach a standard
position in the better-known King's
Indian Defence with two full moves in
hand. Mestel's idea is not widely publi
ci zed and offers good prospects against
opponents who develop in a routine
way .
d6
1 . d4
g6
2. c4
3. e4
e5
4. d 5
Exchanging pawns and queens gives
White no advantage .
4. . . .
N d7
5 . Nc3
Bg7
Mestel's Defence aims to set up a dark
square blockade on the queen's side and
if possi ble to start K-side operations
6. B e 2
Van der Linde-Mestel, England v . Hol
land 1 97 3, went 6. NO Ne7 7. Be2 0-0
8. 0-D f5 and Mestel won by a similar but
more bri l liant attack to the col umn :
9. exf5 gxfS 1 0. Ng5 N f6 1 1 . f4 e4
1 2. Be3 c6 1 3. Qd2 h6 1 4. Nh3 Kh8
1 5. Rac 1 cS 1 6. a3 Ng4 ! (offering a pawn
to open up squares and d iagonals for the
other pieces hidden behind the pawn
chain) 1 7 . Bxg4 fxg4 1 8. Nf2 N fS 1 9 .
N xg4 Qh4 20. N f2 Nxe3 2 1 . Qxe3 Bd4
2 2 . Qxe4 Rxf4 2 3 . Qe8 + Kg7 24. Rc2
B h 3 ! 2 5 . g3 {25. Qxa8 Rg4 26 . Qxb7 +
Kg6 2 7. g3 Rxg 3 + wins) Rxe8 26. gxh4
Rg4 + 2 7 . Kh 1 Bg2 + 28. Kg 1 Bxd S mate.
6. . . .
a5
Black continues his Q-side play, waiting
for White to develop his second knight.
If at once 6 . . . . N e 7 White has attacking
chances with 7. h4 followed by hS.
7 . N f3
Here the attacking 7 . h4 is ineffective
because of 7 . . . . h5 8. NO Bh6 ! (Hay
garth - Mestel, British championship play
off 1 97 4 - 5) exchanging White's active
bishop and thus helping Black's dark
square play.
A superior plan is 7 . a 3 (planning a
Q-si de pawn advance and so depriving
Black of waiting moves on that flank)
Ngf6 (back into regular lines, but White is
committed to the Q-side at an earlier stage
than he would really like) 8 . Bg5 0-0
9. R b 1 (White delays castli ng, intending
to use the extra move for progress on
both wings) h6 1 0. Be3 Nc5 1 1 . Bf3 !
(1 1 . Bxc5 dxc5 followed by Ne8-d6 and
1 1 . f3 Nh5 followed by . . . f5 are both
good for Black) Bd7 1 2 . b4 axb4 1 3 . axb4
Na4 1 4. Nge2 Ne8 (Speelman-Mestel.
BBC Master Game 1 976) : White has more
space, but Black has counter-play on the
a and f files.
7.
Ne7
8 . 0-0
0-0
'
I
la!'
.J n n u l h u n
Mes t l'i
fi g 1 9 2
I03
bS!
8. . . .
T h e most energe t i c co n t i n u a t i o n . A
. . b6 9. e4 d x e4
sequence l i ke 8 .
1 0 . Nxe4 N xe4 1 1. Qxe4 Qc7 ? 1 2 . B f4 Bd6
1 3. Bxd6 Qxd6 14 . Rad 1 B b7 1 5 . NeS
Nxe5 1 6 . d x eS Qc7 1 7 . Rd6, on the other
h a nd . would g ive W h i te eve ryth ing he
wants - co mmand of central space, an
open fi le . good aga i nst bad b i sh o p, and
no count erplay for B l a c k .
9 . cS
1 04
fig. 1 94
fig. 195
8 . . ..
R b8 ?
Black should adva n ce 8 . ... bS w i thout
delay, though even here there are prob
lems.
Bobby
Fischer - M i agmasuren,
Sousse 1 967, c o n t i n u ed 9 . e5 Nd7 1 0 . h4
aS 1 1 . Nfl b4 1 2 . Bf4 a4 1 3. a3 ( stopp i ng
Black's cou nterplay by . . . a 3) bxa3
1 4 . bxa3 NaS 1 5 . Ne3 Ba6 1 6 . B h 3 d4
1 7 . N fl N b6 1 8 . N gS NdS 1 9 . Bd2 B xg5
20. BxgS Qd7 2 1 . Q h5 R fc8 2 2 . Nd2 N c 3
2 3 . Bf6' Qe8 2 4 . N e4 g6 2 5 . Q g 5 N x e4
26. Rxe4 c4 2 7 . h S cxd 3 2 8 . Rh4! Ra7
29. Bg2 d x c2 30. Qh6 Q f8 3 1 . Qxh7 + !
Resigns because of K x h7 3 2 . hxg6 +
Kxg6 3 3 . Be4 mate - one of the great
Fischer w i n s .
9. eS
Ne8
bS
1 0. N fl
1 1 . h4
aS
b4
1 2. c3
1 3 .Nlh2 B d 7
1 4.c4 !
Because Black retrea ted h i s k n i ght to e8
ra ther than the u sual d7, h is o ne c hance
of counte rplay is N c 7-b5 fol lowed by
Nd4 or a3 and Nc 3. W h i te noti ces the
d i fference and n i ps the plan in the bud .
14. . . .
a4
1 S .B f4
Ra8
A d m i tt i ng h i s eighth move was a m i s
take, but now W h i te is two m oves a h ead
of the usual KI Attack positi ons.
N c7
1 6. NgS
1 7 . QhS
and utilizes it for a d i rect p i ece
attack rather than the slower h 5 - h 6 .
h6
1 7....
1 8.N g4
Threaten ing to sacri fi ce at h6, so B l a c k
must take t h e other k n i g h t .
hxg S
1 8.
1 9. hxgS
Rc8
20.N f6 + ! g x f6
Resigns
2 1 . Be4 !
A pyrotechnic fi n i sh, but easi l y fore
seen hv anvone fam i liar with KT Attack
strat egy. I f 2 1 . . . . d x e4 2 2 . K g2 a nd R h 1
wi ns, or if 2 1 .
fS 2 2 . g6 fxg6 2 3 .
Qxg6 + Kh8 24. Kg2 B h4 2 5. R h 1 fxe4
26. Bg5 w i n s .
Wh i t e : J. Anderson . Bla ck: S . Spi
vac k
fig 196
fig 197
1 07
The Quiet I ta l i an
An ope ning which u sed to be thought
only good eno ugh for routine equa l i ty is
t he calmest form of the G i u oco Piano or
Italian Game. Th is ope ning i s a sequence
\\"hich many novi ces practice i n their
e a rly games only to give it up for a less
routine approa c h . Though it w i l l s urpr i se
many to see it recommended as a winning
wea po n, its increasing popu l a rity results
fr om new ideas des igned to give W h i te
u\crall s pace control .
The opening starts 1 . e4 e S 2 . Nf3 N c6
3. Bc4 .
fig. 198
two lines: ( A ) 3 .
Nf6 follo wed b y (C) Be7 .
tBI 3
Line A
BcS
BcS
3.
4 . d3
N f6
5. c3
In no\ice ga mes, White automati c a l l y
plays t he symm etrical 5 . N c 3 and the
game proceeds somet h i ng l i ke 5 . . . . d6
h BgS Be6 7. B x e6 fxe6 w h en victory
goes to whoever m a k es the la st- b ut-o ne
h i under. Here W h i te's plan is m ore
definite: he i n tends a space-ga i n i ng Q
sJdc adva nce with b4 and a4, and a l so pre
pare'> ll) hring his QN over via Q2 to the
nthcr fla nk to join in a K-side atta c k .
Bla(k h as pro b l e ms i n crea t i ng room for
his pieces to manoeuvre, so that W h i te
(an gra dua l l y b u i ld up pressure without
muc h risk .
5. . . .
d6
T h e freeing 5 . . . . d S i s m e t by 6 . exdS
NxdS 7 . b4 Be7 8 . 0-0 0-0 9. Bb2 Bf6
10. Nhd2 g6 1 1. N e4 w i th a space advan
ta ge
6 . b4
Ano ther good sche me is 6. N bd 2 , aim
ing to b ri ng this k n i g h t to c4 w here it eyes
t he cen tre and menaces the bla ck K B,
Bron stein-Ivkov, A m sterdam 1 96 9, con
tinued 6 . . . . B b 6 7 . Bb3 Be6 ? (a6 is better
to provide a b ishop retreat) 8. N c4 h6
q a4 0-0 1 0 . 0-0 Re8 1 1 . Bc2 Nd7 (if Bxc4
! 2. J\c4 and W h i te plays on the w h i te
syuares by eventually b ringing h i s k night
t11 Js or fS) 1 2 . a S B x c4 1 3 . a x b6 ! Bc6
1()
1 4 . b x c7 Q x c7 1 5 . d4 ! a nd the d elayed
central advance, a theme of this ope ning,
gives W hite the a dvantage. The ga me
went on 1 5 . . . . Bg4 1 6 . dS B x f3 1 7 . Q x f3
Nd4 1 8 . cxd4 Q x c 2 1 9 . B x h 6 ! and W hite
is well on to p, for if gxh6 20. Qg4 + and
2 1 . Qxd 7 .
B b6
6. . . .
7. a4
The l ogi cal fol l o w-up to the l a st move .
N ow B l a c k 's bishop is threa tened w i th
8 . a 5, a nd he has to make an esc a pe
squa re .
7 . ...
a6
M ore ne xible than 7 .... a S 8 . b S when
(a) 8 . . . . N b8 9. 0-0 0-0 1 0. BgS h6
1 1 . B h4 gS (risky) 1 2 . Bg3 ( a l so the sacri
fice 12 . Nxs,5 h xg5 13 . Bxg5 N bd7
14 . Khl followed by f4 gives a strong
atta c k ) Be6 13. N bd 2 N bd 7 1 4 . Ba2 Kg7
1 5 . d4 ! ( Luti kov-van Schelti nga, A mster
d am 1 969) and W h i te has a fi ne game : he
has carried o ut a delayed centra l push ,
a nd still has t h e c4 square for his k night
and p l ay on the K-side. The rest of the
moves show the type of mid d l e-ga me
attack which can resu l t from this open
i n g: 1 5 . . . . Bg4 1 6 . Qc2 N h 5 1 7 . h3 B x f3
1 8 . N x f3 N x g 3 1 9 . fxg 3 Qe8 20. Kh2 Rc8
2 1 . Rad 1 c6 2 2. bxc6 R xc6 2 3. Qb2 Bd8
24. N d 2 ! ( the k n i ght m a k es no more
moves but i ts th rea t to march via c4 or
fl to e 3 a nd dS ind uces Black to com
prom i se his posi tion in a b id for cou nter
play) N b6 2 5 . Bg3 f6 26. Rf3 g4 2 7 . hxg4
Qg6 28 . Be6 ! hS 29. g x h S Qxh S +
30. Bh3 N x a4 3 1 . Q x b 7 + Rc7 3 2 . Q b 3
N x c 3 3 3 . g4 ! a 4 34 . Q x c 3 Resigns.
( b) 8 . . . . Ne7 9 . 0-0 0-0 1 0 . N bd 2 Ng6
1 1 . B b 3 c6 1 2 . N c4 Bc7 ( C a fferty-Bryans,
M a n c hester 1 9 7 9) 1 3 . Qc2 Nh5 1 4 . d4 !
( the d e la yed central push) w i th advantage
for White .
0-0
8 . 0-0
9. Nbd2
Other good moves a re 9. Na3 and
9 . B g S.
9. . . .
Qe7
. h 6 1 0 . Ba2 Ba7 1 1 . b S N a 5
Or 9.
1 2 . Ba 3 R e S 1 3 . Qc2 B e 6 1 4 . B x e 6 R x e6
1 5 . R fb 1 d S ( better Bb6 though W h i te is
fig. 200
Black threatened
b i shop by NaS .
7. . . .
to
exchange the
Be6
fig. 20 1
T h e Karpov Lopez
The Q u iet Italian opening system dis
cussed a bove has a dou b le val u e : n ot o n l y
i s it strong i n itse l f. w i th good pra ctical
res u l t s , but its tec h n iques and strategy
a rc simil a r to, a nd thus a u sefu l i n tro
d u c tory course, before, the more com
plex i d eas of the Ruy Lopez.
The d ra w back for the a ma teur p l a yer
in ta k i ng up the Lopez is the wide range
of defe n ces at B l a c k ' s d isposaL ra ngi ng
from ta ctical coun ters like the Bulga r i a n
variation d i scussed in t h e p r e v i o u s c h a p
ter to the Ma rshal! l i ne w i th a d S pawn
sacrifice. Then there a re the sy stems
from Nxe4 w h i c h Korc h n oi popu l a r i zed
in h i s world title match w ith K a rpov as
well as the c l o sed va riati ons which have
been fa vourites of Ca p a b l a n ca , Ka rpov
and Fischer as W h ite and a re i l l u strated
in the K a r pov b i ogra phy ( p . 7 8 ) .
It is n ot possi ble or even d es i ra b le to
deal w i t h a l l t h ese l i n es here. Rather the
pla yer who i n c l u d es the Ruy Lopez in his
repertoire with VVh i te should try to he
come fam i l i a r w i th them gra d ua l ly, by
c h e c k i n g o ut each one in a theory book
a fter com i ng a c ross it in actual play .
The Cl osed Defence is the most l i kely
fo rm o f the Ruy Lopez to occ u r i n prac
ti ce, a nd the best way to a b sorb i ts i d eas
i s to p l ay over compl ete games by ma s
te rs o r strong a m a teurs in w h i c h W h i te
carries out the Karpov stra tegy shown in
the two biography games.
W h ite's basic i d ea in the Karpov Lopez
is to plug the m i d fi e ld by the a d vance d 5,
then a d va nce h is Q-side pawns to o pen
l i n es for the rooks (as in Karpov-Wester
inen, p. 78), gain space, a nd perhaps
soften up the b l a ck game ready for a l a ter
switch to the K-side (as in Karpov
U n z i cker, p . 78). Black can prevent or
d e lay the quee n ' s w i ng raid by h i m self
cou nte ring in the centre, but this in turn
opens up the board and crea tes chances
for W h i te ' s piec es with their greater
room for m a n oeu vre. It i s general ly im
porta nt for W h i te to preserve h is Ruy
Lopez b i shop - the w h i te-squared one s ince this can become very effec tive in an
end ing or i f the board is opened up in the
l a te m i d d le game. H ere i s an example.
W h i te : Unzic k e r . B la c k : Wester
inen
Ruy L o p e z (Haifa 1 976)
1 . e4 e S 2. NO N c6 3. BbS a6 4 . Ba4 d6
S . 0-0 Bd7 6. c3 N f6 7 . d4 Be7 8 . N b d2
0-0 9. Re 1 Re8 1 0. N fl h6 1 1 . Ng3 B8
1 2. h3 g6 ( if N a 5 1 3 . Bc2 keeps the key
bi shop) 1 3 . Bc2 Bg7 1 4 . Be3 aS ( h o l d i ng
up the Ka rpov-style p a wn advance b 4 )
1 S . Q d2 K h7 1 6 . d S Ne7 1 7 . c4 Rf8
1 8 . Rab 1 ( now aJ, b4 and c 5 cannot be
fig 202
Vi e n n a Gamb it
ln co ntra st to the Quiet Ita l ian a nd the
closed Ruy Lopez, the V ienna is an
attacking open i ng w h i ch gets particul
arly good results agai n st weaker o p
ponen ts. I have used it for m a ny years i n
sim ulta neous displays at chess c l u bs a n d
fi nd that m a ny a verage players g o wrong
in the early stages.
The o p e n i ng s tarts 1 . e4 e S 2 . N c3 N f6
3. f4 d 5 ( for 3 . . . . e x f4 ? s ee Nov i ce Pit
fall N o . 7. A l so i n ferior is 3. . . . d 6
4. N f3 Nc6 5 . Bc4 when B l a c k 's KB has
l i ttle scope with in its o wn pa wn chain)
4 . f x e 5 N x e4 5. d 3 ( 5 . NO is a l so play
a ble but less forcing).
fig 204
1 10
5. . . .
N x c3
5 . . . . Qh4 + is analysed as O p e n i ng
Trap No. 5 earl i er in the book. Another
l i ne, com p l ex though h ardly ever e n
cou ntered in a mateur chess, is 5 . . . . B b4
6. dxe4 Qh4 + 7 . Ke2 Bg4+ B. N f3 B x c 3
9 . b x c 3 dxe4 1 0 . Qd4 ! B h 5 ! ( exfJ + ?
1 1 . g xf3 w i ns the b i shop) ll. Ke 3 ! B x f3
1 2 . B b 5 + ( 1 2. g xf3 Qe1 + 13 . Kf4 Qh5+
is a draw by perpetual check) c6 1 3 . gxf3
Qh6 + (if cxb5 14 . Qxe4 Qxe4+ 15 . Kxe4
Nd 7 w ith fa ir dra w i ng chances for Black,
tho ugh Wh ite's centra l ized K is strong)
1 4 . Kxe4 Qg6 + 1 S. K e 3 ex bS 1 6 . Qe4
(better than 16 . Ba3 Nc6 1 7. Qc4 Qh6 +
1 8 . f4 Na5!) Qh6 + 1 7 . Kf2 Qa6 1 B. Rg1
w i th chan ces for both sides.
If you ta ke up the V ie n na a n d, rarely.
your opponent c hooses th i s l i ne, look
confi dent as you play the moves. In such
a rem arkable variation w h ere the white
k i ng moves quickly to a nd fro over the
ce ntra l squares, a player's u nderlying
confi dence tends to become fragile a nd
your oppon ent w i ll be easily co n v i nced
you know it better than he does.
6 . bxc3
d4
The a lternati ve here is 6 . . . . Be7 ( 6 . . . .
cS pro bably tra n sposes) 7. N f3 (a lso
7. d4 0-0 8. Bd J f6? 9. Qh5 g6 10 . Bxg6
h xs6 1 1 . Qxg6+ Kh 8 1 2. N{ J! Qe8 13 .
Qh6 + Ks 8 14 . 0-0 f xe5 15 . Bg5 with a
strong attack . a n a l y sis by Ea les. but
Black can stop the sacrifice by 8 . . . . f5)
0--0 ( B lack can also try 7 . . . . c5 fo llowed
by c4 a nd castli ng l ong) B. d4 c5 9 . Be2
Nc6 1 0. 0-0 BfS 1 1 . Be3 Qa5 with comp lex
play (Horsema n-Gl igoric. Hasti ngs 1 9 5 67).
7. NO
0-0
9 . 0-0
f6
10. Qe 1
N ot 1 0 . . . . N c6 1 1 . Qg3 Kh. 8 1 2 . Ng5 !
w i th a strong attack. Sax-Ci ocaltea, Vrn
j a c ka Banja 1 974, concl uded 1 2 .
Bxg5 1 3. B xg5 Qe8 1 4. Bh5 dxc 3 1 5 . Rae 1
N d4 1 6 . B f6 RgB ? ( Ne6!) 1 7 . e6! Bxe6
(R xf6 1 8 . exf 7) 1 B. Bxd4 cxd4 1 9 . Bxf7
Qxf7 20. Rxf7 B x f7 21 . Qf4 B x a2 2 2 . Qxd4
and a di scouraged Black res igned.
1 1 . Qg3
Better than 1 1 . e x f6 B x f6 1 2 . Qg3 when
Black can reply 1 1 . . . : N c6 1 2 . Bg5 Ne7
fig 207
f'ig 20R
White
n ow
has g ood
attack i ng
c h an c e s
(a)
usual
3.
Ill
fig. 210
fig. 211
5. . . .
Nc6
6.
7.
8.
9.
Bd6
Ne7
Bxc5
Bd6
Bb5
0-0
dxc5
Nb3
fig. 21 2
1 0. Bg5
fig. 214
3. NO
This is again more fle x i ble than 3 . Ne 3
beca use it lea v es W h i te the opti on to
develop his b i shop at c4 or b 5 , wherea s
the kn ight in this system rarely emerges
at any squa re other than f3. This prin
c i ple of mai nta i n i ng your options is
fu nda mental in accu rate opening pla y .
3. . . .
d6
Both 3 . . . . g6 and 3
Nf6 wi l l nor
m a l ly transpose i nto l ines considered
later, b ut may develop differently. After
3. . . . g6 4. NcJ Bg7 5. Bc4 Black
can reply 5 . . . . e6! so as to advance
. . . 5 in one jump, but Whi te can a void
this by ( 3 . Nf3 g6) 4. Bb5! Bg7 5. Bxc6
b x c6 6. d3 and Bla c k 's pawn front lacks
fle x i bi l ity. An example is Hebden-Leow,
Lloyds Ban k 1 979, which continued
6 . . . . R b8 7. Nc3 d6 8. 0-0 Nh6 ? 9. Qe l
0-0 1 0. f5 e6 ? ? 1 1 . f6 ! a nd wi n s .
Another l i ne is 3
. Nf6 4 . N c 3 d5
5 . e5 d4 6. e x f6 d x c 3 7. fxg7 c xd2 +
8. Qxd2 Bxg7 9. Qxd8 + Nx d8 1 0 . B b S +
Bd7 1 1 . Bxd7 + Kxd7 1 2. c 3 fs 1 3. Be 3
Kc6 1 4 . 0-0-0 Nf7 1 5 . Rhe 1 Rad8 ? (Rh e8
avoids the follow i ng tactic and keeps
White's advantage m i n i ma l ) 1 6 . Rxd8
R x d 8 ? 1 7 . Bxc 5! K x c 5 1 8 . R xe7 RfB 1 9 .
R x b7 with a w i n n i ng endgame for Wh ite
( M i les-G l igoric, T i l burg 1 9 7 7 ) .
In this v a r iation ( 3 . . . . N f6 4 . N c 3 )
e 6? i s du b i ous a fter 5 . B b 5 Nd4 6. e51
.
fig. 213
. . .
N c6
Several other moves a re possi b l e:
(a) 2 . . . . dS 3. exdS Qxd5 4. N c 3 QdB
5. N f3 N f6 ( better 5 . . . . Nc6 6 . Bc4 Nf6
7. Ne5 Nxe5 8. fxe5 Qd4 9. Qe2- 9. B b 5 +
at once may i m p ro ve - Bg4 1 0. Bb5 + Nd7
1 1 . Qe4 0-0-0 with l e v el play, Hodgson
Fra nklin , Lloyds Bank 1 97 7) 6 . Ne5 ! e6
6. Qf3 Be7 7. b.3 a6 8. B b2 N bd7 9. 0-0-0
with good attacking chan ces ( Zinn
Min ev, Halle 1 96 7 ) .
( b) 2 . . . . e 6 3 . N f3 d 5 4 . B b 5 + Bd7
5 . Bxd7 + Qxd7 ( better Nxd7) 6 . N e S Qc7
7 . exd 5 e x d 5 8. N c 3 with a d evelopment
lead for White. Larsen-Br i n c k-Claussen,
Danish c ha m p ionship 1 964, concluded
8 . . . . N f6 9. Qf3 Qd8 ? ( b etter d4) I 0. Qe2
2.
113
N x b 5 7 . N x b 5 N d 5 8. c4 ! ( a n improve
ment on 8 . 0- 0? a 6 w hen Black sta n d s
wel l . Hod gson-Waters. L l o y d s Bank
1 97 7) N x f4 9 . d4 N g6 1 0. 0-0 cxd4 1 1.
N g 5 ! with a winning atta c k . T he ga me
Hod gson-van Baarl e. Lloyds Bank 1 978.
finished 1 1 . . . . f6 12. e x f6 gxf6 1 3 . N e4
Be7 1 4 . N b d 6 + B x d 6 1 5 . N x d 6 + Ke7
1 6 . Q x d4 Qa5 1 7 . c5 e5 1 8 . Qd 5 Qa4
1 9 . Q f7 + Kd8 20. Q x f6 + Kc7 2 1. N e8 + !
R xe8 2 2 . Qd6 + Kd8 2 3 . B g 5 + N e7
24. Bxe7 + Rxe7 2 5 . R f8 + Re8 2 6 . R x e8 +
Kxe8 2 7 . Qxe5 + K d 8 28. Q f6 + Kc7
29. Qd6 + Resigns .
Finally there i s t h e l ine ( 1 . e 4 c 5 2. f4
Nc6 3 . N f3) e6 4 . Ne) d 5 (if 4 . . . . a6
White can switch to a different atta ck
scheme by 5 . g 3 ! e.g. d6 6 . B g2 B e7 7 . 0-0
Nf6 8. d 3 0-0 9. h 3 Qc7 1 0 . g4, H e b d en
Quinn, Lloyds Bank 197 9). 5. B b 5.
Bg7
8. . . .
a6
114
6. . . .
7 . Qe 1
e6
8 . Qh4
9. d 3
10 . B b 3
1 1 . f)
b5
NaS?
11.
1 2.
13.
14.
15 .
gxfS
Qc7
Nxb3
b4
6. . . .
Nf6
7. fS !
fi g . 2 1 8
9. . . .
fx e4
Weak is 9 . . . . N a S 7 s i nce the knight is
vulnera ble a fter 1 0 . Bd 5 ! fxe4 (e6 1 1 . Bg5
exd5 1 2. Nxd5 threatening 13 . Nxf6 +
Bxf6 14 . Bxf6 Qxf6 15 . Qxa 5) 1 1 . Ng5 e6
1 2. R x f6 ! Q x f6 1 3 . Be4 h6 1 4 . N h7 Qd8
1 5 . Qg 3 and W h i te regai ns the sacrifi ced
material with a continuing attack (Bellon
Merino, Orense 1 974) .
1 0. dxe4
B g4
This plan was introduced by the Engl ish
grandmaster John N unn to b l unt the
impact of the Cutty S ark Attack by
piece exc hanges . But his scheme was
bril l iantly refuted in Hod gson-Nunn.
Aaronson Open 1 97 8 : 1 1 . Q h4 B x O
1 2 . R x D N e S 1 3 . R h3 N g6 ( N x c4 ?
1 4. Nd 5 ) 1 4 . Qg3 Qd7 1 5 . N d 5 N x d 5
16. B x d 5 e6 1 7 . B b 3 d 5 1 8 . Q O ! c4
19. Ba4 ! (sacri fi c ing the bi shop for a
winning atta ck) Q xa4 20. Q h 5 R fd8
2 1 . Qx h 7 + K f8 2 2 . Bh6 B x h 6 2 3 . R x h 6
R d 7 24. R fl K e8 2 5 . Qg8 + N f8 2 6 .
Rxe6 + ! K d8 (fx e6 2 7 . Qxf8 m a te or
Re7 2 7 . Q x f7 + ) 2 7 . Q x f8 + Kc7 2 8 .
Q c 5 + K d 8 2 9 . R h 6 R e s i gn s .
Sum ma ry : The Cutty Sark Attack
needs to be known by any bo d y w ho
plays for or a ga inst the S i c i lian Defence
in congress or match play. It scores
around 75 per cent for White on the
British c i rcuit and the basic p l an ( f4-f5,
Qe 1 -h4, B h6, NgS. N d S) is easy to under
stand a nd memorize. H owever there are
a va riety of p lans for White and i m p rove
ments are l i kely to be found in such a
sharp and tac ti ca l l ine. W hether you
take it on for W hite, B la c k , o r both si des,
detailed know l ed ge should prove very
rewarding.
Agai nst the Ca ro-Ka n n :
the I QP system
The ad vantages and d ra w backs of an
isolated d or queen's p a wn (IQP) have
been keenly d e bated for m any year s
among masters a n d tou rnament p layers,
but the pros and cons stil l remain to a
considera ble extent a m atter o f ta ste .
Fol low ing the p rinc i p le of m a x i m i zing
the chance of reaching the prepared sys-
fig. 2 1 9
of
e x c h a n g i n g by N b4 .
1 10
b6
Bb7
fi g . 220
1 30
0 0 0
R e8 ?
T h i s n a t u ra l move i s a l ready a d e c i s i v e
g6
m i s t a k e . A bet ter p l a n i s 1 3 .
1 4 . B h6 R e8 1 5 . Rad I ReS a l though W h i te
s t i l l h o l d s t h e i n i t i a t i ve . Two e x a m p l es :
( a ) 1 6 . B b 3 N a S 1 7 . Ba2 N d S 1 8 . N e4
Rc7 1 9 . N e S B f8 20. Bg S Be7 2 1. B x e7
Rexe7 2 2 . B x d S e x d S 2 3 . Nf6 + Kg7
1 4 Qh 3 1 w i th a s t ro n g attack (Ch ristian
sen- G heorgh i u , Malaga 1 97 7 ) .
( b) 1 6 . h 4 N d S 1 7 . N x d S Q x d S 1 8 . Q d 2
Q d 6 1 9 . B e4 N a S 2 0 . B x b7 N x b7 2 1 . N g S
N a 5 2 2 . d 5 1 ( R i bl i -G heorgh i u . Wa rsaw
1 9 7 9) w he n W h i t e ' s a c t i ve roo ks m a d e
t he d e fe n ce d i ffi c u l t .
1 4 0 dS !
1 So
BgS
1 50
160
Nxe4
exdS
1 7 0 Qxe4
d x e4
g6
1 8. Qh4
hcl l e tcs
1 980 . H e
w a rc:-; u l a r rhyt h m . n u t m or e t h a n
cfu c l o I i m c p ress u re Ka rp o u is a l s o a q u 1 ck
1 /l i l 'L'I , h u t Korc h n1J1 anJ o t h l! r wor/J s t li n
r l / I L'IJ h li t 't' o n ! \' scco nJs t o he a t t h e c l o c k a t t h e
1 1 m c co n t ro l
1 16
22. . . .
Rh8
18. . . .
Qc7
Threa tening 2 0 . B x f7 +
Qxh 7 + Kf8 2 2 . Bh6 m ate .
19. . . .
hS
2 0 . Qe4
Kg7
2 1 . B x f7!
2 2 . B h6
K x f7
To stop 2 1 . Qxg6 + .
Kxf7
6 . Qb3
Bg7
21.
8. . . .
Nbd7
White's p l a n is to u s e t h e ti me Black
spends i n regaining the pawn by speedy
d evelopment and pressure down the e
fi l e . If Black plays 8 . . . . b6 9. Bf3 B b7
1 0. N ge 2 N a6 1 1 . 0-0 Qd7 1 2 . Bg5 Rfd 8
1 3 . R fe 1 N x d 5 1 4 . B x d 5 Bxd 5 1 5 . Q a 3
wins t h e e7 paw n .
9 . B f3
fi g. 222
Nb6
aS
1 0. BgS
Other lines which show how White
keeps up the pressure are 1 0 . . . . B fS 1 1 .
1 17
fig. 2 26
fig . 2 2 5
7. . . .
N c6
Also possi ble is the immed iate 7 . . . . c x d4
8. exd4 Nc6 9. N c 3 Be7 when 1 0 . Qe2
leaves the d pa wn en p rise . Howev er, the
pawn exchan ge seems prematu re s i n ce
W h i te can con t i n ue strongl y . 1 0. R e 1
1 18
3. . . .
Nxc3
If Black tries t o keep h i s k n ight in the
centre by 3 . . . . e6 then 4. d4 d6 S. N O
Nc6 (or dxe5 6. Nxe5 Bb4 7 . QjJ fol lowed
by Bd2 and 0-0-0 w i th a p ro m i s i ng
attack i ng set-up) 6. B b S ! N x c3 7 . b x c 3
dxeS 8. N x e S B d 7 9 . N x d 7 Q x d 7 1 0. Qf3
with pressure. If 3 . . . . c6 4. d 4, or i f
3 . . . . N b6 4 . a 4 a S S . f4 fol lowed by N O
and d4 .
4 . dxc3
The normal rule of thumb is t o make
pawn captures towards the centre rather
than away from i t, but h ere ta k ing w i th
the d pawn is better in the context of ra pid
development . 4 . bxc3 is playable but
Black then has a good l i ne i n 4 . . . . cS
5 . f4 d6 6 . N f3 g6 7. d4 Bg7 8 . Be2 0-0
9. 0-0 d x e 5 1 0 . fx eS N c6 1 1 . B f4 Bg4
when White ' s weak central pawns
pushed h i m on the d efensive in
Henni ngs-G i psl i s, Havana 1 9 7 1 .
4. . . .
d6
If 4 . . . . dS W h i te can d i slocate Black's
em bryo pa wn centre by 5 . c4 ! d4 6. f4 B fS
7. Ne2 Nc6 8. Ng3 e6 9 . N x fS e x f5
1 0. Bd3 g6 1 1 . a3 aS 1 2 . Q f3 (Ghizdavu
Torre, N i sh 1 97 2 ) .
5. NO
fi g . 229
,5 . . . .
N c6
Wh i t e 's set-up l ooks at fi rst s i ght rather
harml ess. but in p ractice B lack fin d s
d i ffi c u l ty i n equa l i z i ng. One example o f
fi g . 2 30
9.
9.
1 19
( b ) 1 2 . . . . K f7 1 3 . Bg6 + Ke7 1 4 . N h 5
Q f8 (again B lack is trapped i n a per
manent p i n ) 1 5 . N d 2 e5 1 6 . 0-0-0 ! N x d 4
1 7 . Rxh 1 N e 6 1 8 . f4 d 6 1 9. N e4 N x g 5
20. Q x g 5 Bh6 2 1 . Q h4 ( t h o u g h m a te r i a l
beh i n d , W h i te w i ns easily as he brings
rei n fo rcements to the p i n) Bg7 22. fx e 5
d x e 5 2 3 . R fl Kd7 24. N 4 x f6 + B x f6 2 5 .
N x f6 + Kc8 2 6 . Be4 c 6 2 7 . Q h 3 + Kb7
2 8 . Bxc6 + ! Resigns ( B row ne-M i les, T i l
burg 1 9 7 8 ) .
( c ) 1 2 . . . . N x d4 1 3 . N g6 + Ke8 1 4 .
Qxd4 Rxh7 1 5 . N e 5 R h 3 1 6 . Bg6 + K f8
1 7 . N c 3 d6 1 8 . 0-0-0 w i th a c lear ad van
tage .
(d) 1 2 . . . . e 5 1 3 . Ng6 + K f7 1 4 . d xe 5
R e S 1 5 . f4 ! d6 1 6. N c 3 d xe5 1 7 . 0-0-0 and
\'\T h i te is on top ( this and the last varia tion
are a na l y s i s by B rowne) .
T hese fa sci nating variations i l l u s tra te
hov..: tact i cs ca n i n fl uence stra tegy at the
chess boa rd . Beca u se they are so fa vour
a b le for W h i te, few w i ll ca re to risk them
again w i th Black and t h is means that
W h i te can counter the Engl ish Defence
with the centre-o c c u p y i ng c4, d4, e4
pawn fo rmat i on w i t hout fea r i n g that
Black w i l l undermi ne i t. And t h i s in turn
red uces Bla c k ' s w i l l ingness to venture
the ope n i ng at al l .
T h e 1 , 200 opening
S l i ghtly offbeat but nevertheless sound
and positi ve open i ng systems can some
t i mes have a rema rka b l e tem porary effect.
Al though in th i s c ha pter we a re largely
anal y s i ng I . e4 openi n gs, the sto ry is
wo rth rec ounting of how a qu iet but
special i zed var iati on hel ped to w in Bri
ta i n ' s r i c he st congress p rize.
It happe ned at the London Even ing
Sta n d a rd congress of 1 9 79, where a
young Y u goslav, K l a r i c, d e c i d ed to u se
the Quee n ' s B i shop A ttack l . N f3, 2 . d4
and 3 . BgS i n all his games w i th W h i te .
The i ntention i s t o fol low u p soon w ith
NeS and K-side atta c ki ng p iece p lay on
s i m i l a r l i nes to the P i l l sbury A ttac k
( page 5 8 ) . This system i s harmless enough
i f Black knows i t well and i s prepared i n
advance.
However, a l t hough Klaric p layed h i s
system i n the very fi rst round of the
to urnament, la ter r i v a ls n eglected to
check u p on his play and e me rged w i th
poor ga mes from the opening. K l aric u sed
his system to win th ree games w i th W h i te
and then had good fortune, w h i c h
to u rnament w i n ners n e e d , w hen he
sco red from a d u b i o u s posi tion agai n st
the grand m a ster fa vourite J ohn N u n n .
The net result - Klaric won the 1 , 200
p r i ze awa rded by the congress ' s major
sponsor, the National Bank of D u ba i .
N f6
l . NO
dS
2 . d4
The sy stem i s a l so playable against 2 . . . .
g6 3. BgS Bg7, al though that i s a s i m pler
equa l i z i ng method for Black.
1 20
3 . BgS
e6
K l a r i c -Shall c ross, Eveni ng Sta n d a rd
1 97 9, went 3 . . . . c6 4. e 3 Bf5 5 . B d 3 B x d 3
6 . c x d 3 N bd7 7 . 0-0 g 6 8 . N e 5 B g 7 9. N d 2
0-0 I0. Re 1 N e 8 1 1 . N x d 7 Qxd7 1 2 . f4
N d 6 1 3 . B h4 N f5 1 4 . B f2 e6 ( Black has
eme rged q u i te well but should prefer
1 4 . . . . f6 i nten d i ng eS or e l se . . . h5 safe
guard i ng the k n i gh t) 1 5 . N f3 Rfe8 1 6 . N e 5
Q e 7 1 7 . Q e l R a c 8 1 8 . K h 1 f6 1 9 . N f3 N h 6
( e 5 w a s sti l l best) 2 0 . e 4 Q c 7 2 1 . e5 fxe 5
2 2 . fxe 5 R f8 2 3 . B e 3 ! (hoping fo r a ta ctical
c ha n ce aga i n s t the underguarded kn ight
. . . ) Q b6 ? 2 4 . Rc2 Qa6 2 5 . R c 3 ! Qxa2 ? ?
2 6 . Qc I ! ( . . . w h i ch co mes w i th the
dou ble th reat of 2 7. Bxh6 and 2 7. Ra J)
R x f3 27 . gxG Resi g n s .
4 . N bd 2 B e 7
5. e 3
fi g . 231
fi g . 2 1 3
fi g . 23 2
fi g . 2 34
'
fi g . 2 3 5
Monke y b u s i n ess
T he p rev ious section on the P i l l s bury
formation a nd i ts contri bution to a 1 , 200
p r i ze i s one suggestion for the club
player who wants a n easy-to-understand
atta c k i ng method . H owever the P i l l sbury
system, l i ke some others, h a s the d raw
back that it can not be completely forced
on an opponent.
The only way to be q u i te sure that c hess
opening h om ework w i l l n ot be wasted is
to have a system w h i ch begins on move
one. A poss i_b le a p p roach w h i ch used to
be con s i d ered eccentric but is now trea ted
w i th more respect is cons i d e red below .
The move 1 . b4 was i n trodu c ed i n to
master play by Dr Tarta kover in h i s game
w i th Ma roczy at N ew York 1 9 24. A sked
by reporters why he had considered such
a stra nge move, the w i tty grand master
repl ied that he had v i s i ted the N ew York
zoo on the rest day a nd had ' fa l l en in
love w i th the ora ng-outang enough to
d ed ica te my next ga me to the a nimal . '
Tartakover had a reputation a s a ga m b
ler both on and off the boa rd. This,
coupled w i th h i s self-mo c k i n g comment
on the new move which became d u b bed
the Ora ng-Outang Opening, ensured that
none of the other masters took the move
1 . b4 seriously .
One p l ayer, h o wever, d i d pay atten
t i o n . The W h i te Russian master, Alexei
Sokol sky from M i nsk, one of a school of
origi nal theorists, started to i n vestigate
1 . b4 in d e p t h . He found that if Black
d e fe n d ed w i th a cautious positional move
l i ke N f6, d5 or e6 W h i te could develop
normally w i th his bishop well posted at
b2 w h i le in the m i d d le game the b4 pawn
cou ld have a c ra m p i ng effect on B l a c k ' s
queen 's s i d e .
Sokolsky m a d e a further i m porta n t
d i sco v e ry. H e fo und that i n many varia
tions after 1 . b4 e 5 the advanced pawn a t
b 4 could b e offe red as a g a m b i t t o lure
B l a c k ' s bi shop from d e fence of the king's
s i d e . Further, a fter 1. b4 e 5 there a re a l so
possi b i l i ties of p l a y i ng a kind of d elayed
K i ng's G a m bit with f4 when the b i shop
at b2 forms a n excellent back-u p .
Sokol sky wrote a complete book i n
Russian d escri b i ng h i s i deas a nd i n clud
i ng many of his successful games. H i s
pe rsonal resul ts with 1 . b 4 were i m p res
s i ve and i n c lu d ed w i n s or d raws w i th
grand ma sters l i ke Flohr and Geller.
Sokol sky 's key variation of the open
ing runs l . b4 eS 2 . B b2 f6 3. e4 Bxb4
4. B c4 .
fig . 2 36
Pro Techniques
for
ateurs
1 S u c c e s s fu l o pe n i ng p l a y means c e n t re
c o n t ro l . At t h e s t a r t , ad v a n c e e i t h e r or
both d or e pa w n . two squa res w i t h
w h i t e . o n e s q u a re vv i th b l a c k . I f you h a v e
a c h a n c e to get both cen tra l pa w n s in l i ne
a h rc a s t 1 n t he ce n t re o l t he boa r d . do i t
u n less y o u s p o t some o b v i o u s s n a g .
2 B r i n g your p i eces i n to a c t i o n a s fa st a s
pll'is i h l c T h i s m e a n s a m i n i m u m o f p a w n
moves
T h r e e pa vvn m o ves s h o u l d b e
y n ur n o r m a l ra t i on d u r i n g t he fi rst t e n
'
m O \" CS o f cl ga m e - t h e r e s t s h o u l d h e
d n e l o p i n g m cl \ e s w i t h p i ec e s .
) B r i n g k n i g h t s a n d b i shops i n to p l a y
h c ! o r e q u e en a n d roo k s . In m a n y open
i ngs t h e q u een b i shop is the l a s t m i n o r
p i ece t o d e v e l o p . E a r l y q u een e x c u r s i o n s
a re u s u a l ly ba d . B r i ng t h e k n i ghts a n d
b i s h o p s to pos i t i o n s w h e re t h ey c o n t r o l o r
lK c u py a c e n t ra l sq u a re. o r e l se rest r i ct a n
e n e m y p i ece \': h i c h a tta c k s t h e c e n t r e .
Ca s t l e e ar l v .
1 A \" l l l d b l u n d e rs ' T h i s go l d en r u le o f
n o \ i ce p la y sepa r a tes t h e beg i n ne r from
t h e fi rst step up t h e c hess l a d d e r to weak
c I u b l e v e l . To avoid b l u n d e r s a nd ta ke
a d \a n t a g e o f th ose o f your o pponen t .
t ra i n vou rse l f t o l oo k round t h e boa rd
hefort; m a k i ng any move. Look to s ee
( a ) i f y o u r o p po ne n t ' s last move c o n ta i n ed
or u n c o v e r ed a n y t h reats aga i nst w h i c h
y ou m u st guard ;
( b) if" your o p ponent has l e ft ungua r d ed
p i e c e s you can take or a ttack ;
(c) i f y o u r p l a n ned move w i l l leave a ny o f
vour p i eces s u bject t o capture .
S When there a re no o b v ious t hreats a n d
\ ' O U don 't know w h a t t o d o n e x t, d e c i d e
v h i ch of y o ur p ieces i s w o r st p l a c ed a n d
1 22
u s u ,1 l l y pa vs to m a ke a h o l e for yo u r
k i n g b y a d v a n c i n g o n e of t h e t h ree pa vv n s
w h ich p rotec t t h e c a s t l ed pos i t i o n .
8 Attack is ea s i er than d e fence, a nd
nov i ces usu a l l y d e fend pa rt i c u l a r l y
ba d l y . S o keep p u s h i n g y o u r fo rces to
w a r d s the enemy k i n g .
9 W h en m a n y p i e ce s, a n d p a rt i cu l a r l y
the q u eens, a re exc h a n ge d t h e k i ng i s i n
l i t t le d a n ge r a n d m u st b e used as a n a c t i v e
it
The S t ei n i t z k n iy,h t
Wh i t e 's Q6 knzy,h t
'
in 1 l- hours, fol l o wed (in Briti sh events)
by a bl itz fi n i sh where all the rema i n ing
moves have to be made in 1 5-20 m i nutes.
Begin ners normally play fa st a nd don't
make use of the avai lable ti me. La ter on
you may find yourself one of the many
who go too far in the other d i rec t i on and
run short o f time near the fi nish. Chess
cl ocks have a flag which fa lls on the hour
and i f you have fa i led to make the
requi red moves by flagfa ll you au to
matically lose the game .
T ime pres sure
A s i mple technique if you get very short
of time is to note subsid iary time l i mits on
your score sheet. Normally the book
opening moves, which may be anything
from the first three on each side up to a
dozen or 1 5, a re made quickly . When you
have reached the end of the opening
and both players a re thi n k i ng hard, work
out the number of moves and time
rem a i n i ng a nd give yourself a schedule
for each ten moves or so. For exam ple
you m i ght find that you have rea ched
the end of your book knowledge after
move 1 0, w i th 30 more to go before the
t i me control and 1 hours left. Then, mark
moves 20, 30 and 40 on the score sheet
a nd note the clo ck t i me when you ex pect
to reach these moves. Al low fi ve or ten
m inutes ex tra for d i ffi c ult situations.
Age and y outh
Chess has become very m uch a young
m a n ' s game i n recent years, a nd this is
particularly so in congress play. Even in a
nov i ce tou rn ament, you may fi nd that the
unknown opponent on the other side
of the board is a stu d i o us and ambitious
looking youngster c l u tching a tome of
o pe n i ng analysis. Whether you are also
young or a re a comparative veteran, the
question is how shoul d you tackle this
type of perso n ?
Young p layers at the chess boa rd have
two a ssets. One is physical : in a four
hour tournament game it is hard for the
older pl ayer to keep h is energy a nd con
cen tra t i on a t fu l l p i tch in that period
when the game a p p roaches its c l i max. In
evening l ea gue games, when the older
player has proba bly had a hard day at the
office w h i le the juni or has been cram m i ng
c urrent master variations, age is sti l l more
of a han d i c a p .
Younger p l ay ers a re usual l y better at
c a lculating tactics. The a b i l i ty to see
ahead at the board, to spot hidden traps
and i d eas in any position, dec l i nes after
the a ge of 30.
But an o lder p layer has h i s a ssets too.
A c anny psychological a p p ro ach, which
is beyond many young p l a yers, c an pay
d i v idends. A mature attitude is valua ble
in d e fence, where a young attacker may
overlook a key resource . If he over
reaches and the ga me sta rts to flow
aga i n st h im then his volatile emoti ons can
8. Re i B e 7 9 . N c3 e x d 4 1 0. N xd4 B d 7
1 1 . Q f3 B g 4 (better 0-0, but Black is try
i ng to be tactical) 1 2 . Qg3 Qd7 1 3 . h 3
Bh5 I 4. N 5 0-0-0 I S . B g S N g8 1 6. Bxe7
Nxe 7 .
fig. 2 3 7
17. Qg5 !
This d ri ves Black compl etely on the
defensive. The toughest way to res ist
now is 1 7 . . . . N c6 1 8. Qxh5 g6, but
Black, di scouraged, overlooks th is re
source and Tal fi ni shes nea tly .
17 . . . . N x 5 ? 1 8 . exfS g6 1 9 . g 4 Qc6
20. f6 ! (clearer than taking the bishop)
d5 2 1 . Re7 h 6 2 2 . QeS d4 23. N e2 RdS
24. Nxd4 ! Resigns. Neither Rxe5 2 5 .
Nxc6 nor Qc4 2 5 . Rxc7 + ! gi ves Black
any chance.
Ch o o sing opponents
For purposes of rapid improvement,
you should try to play w i th sl i ghtly
1 25
R o u lette c h e ss
Blun ders a part, the m ost p ro m i s i ng
chance to beat a s i m u l-gi v i ng ma ster, or
i nd eed to d e feat a ny much stronger
opponent, is by w hat i s k n o wn as ran
d om i zi ng the position or roulette c h ess.
Roulette c h ess is a position w h i c h
a bounds in tac ti ca l chances and w here
n e i ther p l a yer rea l ly knows what is
happening. In such situations, the scien
tific preci sion of c l osed posi tions, stra
tegic play agai nst pawn weaknesses,
tec h n i cal know-how and book endgames
all have less i n fluence. Everything
depends on ta cti cs, and if the expert
m i sses a c heck or a ca pture in the m i d d le
of a c ritical l i ne you have the c ha n c e of a n
upset resul t .
How do y o u c reate roulette situations ?
Normally you d o it by sac r i fi c i ng a pawn
or two so as to give the p ieces attack ing
l i n es and chances for o pportun i st raid s .
Most defea ts for the s i ngle player i n
s i m u l s o c c ur i n m i d d l e g a m e m elees
where the e xpert l oses the thread because
of the p ressure of h av i ng to move quickly.
On the other hand, let him have the
i n i tiative, a quiet position or an ending
and h i s tec h n i cal s k i l l will outplay you
even i f h i s game is o bj ectively worse.
G ra n d master Bent La rsen says a bout
rook e n d i n gs in s i muls that ' pa w n down,
I d raw ; level material, I w i n ' .
Endgames in s i m u l s should in fact be
avoided at a l m ost a ny price. N o t only is
the ex pert's tec h n i que superior to yours,
1 26
chess.
fi g . 2 3 8
1 1 . Q x g 7 + ! K x g 7 1 2 . B h 6 + K g8 1 3 .
Rg6 + fx g6 1 4 . N f6 mate .
Chess books
There are hundreds of c hess books in
print, so any player who w i sh es to im
prove needs to be h ighly selecti v e . Below
is a list of those I think most useful - but
if you browse at a congress bookstall you
may find others you prefer.
General a d v i ce : Th ink like a Gra nd
master ( A . Kotov) ; Chess for Tigers
(S. Webb) ; The Chess Teacher ( A . P h i l
lips) and Chess Mastery by Question and
Answer (F. Rei n feld) .
Openi ngs : How to Play the Openings
in Chess (D. Levy a nd R. Keene) ; Chess
Openings for You ( B . Ca fferty ) .
M iddle G a me : The Pengu in Book of
Chess Posit ions (C. A l e x a nder) .
Endgames : A Pocket Gu ide t o Chess
Endgames (D. Hooper). How to Play the
Endgame in Chess (L. Barde n ) .
Game Col lecti o n s : My 60 Memorable
Games ( R . Fischer) ; La rsen 's Selected
Games of Chess (B. Larsen ) ; The Master
Game (J . James a nd L . Ba rden ) ; Capa
blanca 's 1 00 Best Games (H. Golom
bek) .
Puzzles a n d P r o b l e m s : Leonard Bar
den's Chess Puzzle Book ( L . B a rde n ) .
Re fere nce : The Encyclopedia of Chess
( H . Gol om bek) ; Encyclopedia of Chess
Openings, 5 vols. (Batsford Chess In
formant).
Chess ma g a z i n e s : Chess ( month l y ,
British ) ; Bri t ish Chess Magazine ( mon
thly, B r itish ) ; Chess Life ( monthly, U S ) .
New s pa pe r c o l u m n s : A m o n g t h e
most in teresting weekly c hess columns
in English a re those i n the Specta tor
(R. Keene), the Ti mes (H. Golombek),
the Guardian ( L . Barden) and the New
York Ti mes (R. Byrne). Both London
even ing papers run a da ily featu re .
Eve n i n g
classes
and
indiv idual
fig . 2 3 9
B i y ia sas
Opening :
Queen ' s
Gambit,
Slav
M e ra n ( P et r o p o l is 1 97 3 )
l . d 4 N f6 2 . c 4 e6 3 . N O d 5 4 . N c3 c6
5. e3 N bd7 6. B d 3 d x c4 7. Bxc4 b 5
8 . B d 3 a6 9 . e 4 c5 1 0 . d 5 e 5 1 1 . b 3 B d 6
1 2 . 0-0 0-0 1 3 . R e i R b8 1 4 . B fl R e 8 7
1 5 . a4 !
fi g . 2 4 1
20 .
23.
26.
29.
fi g . 242
16 .
. . .
Bxc 1
1 7.
Qxcl
Rf7
1 8.
f4 !
fi g . 24 3
3. K e7 Re l + 4. Kd6 R d l + 5 . K c6 Kg6
(if Rc l + 6. Kd5 Rd l + 7 . Re4 completes
the ' b ridge ' begun by l . Re4, and W h i te
wi ns) 6. R c4 Kf7 7 . K c7 K e7 8. d 8 = Q +
Rxd8 9 . R e 4 + w i n s .
fi g . 24 5
fi g . 247
fi g . 248
I 3I
1 32
Ga m esma nship
Y ou don't have to be Bobby F ischer,
turning up late to ga mes, or Vi ktor
Korchno i , donning one-way m irror spec
tacles, to u se o ffboard tactics. ln theory
the two protagonists in a game should be
emotionless automata w i th i mpeccable
beha viour ; in p ractice some players adopt
techniques designed to i mprove thei r
o wn perfo r mance and m a r the oppon
ent ' s .
Stopping for tea or coffee i s a frequent
courtesy in friendly games or club c hess,
and it may help to suggest this b reak if
you a re surprised by some unexpected
corn b i nation. If there is no tea or coffee
handy, it is a good plan after an up set
move to spend longer than usual on your
reply, pondering till your calm is res
to red and you can v iew the position
o bj ecti vely. Offeri ng to pay for tea or
coffee c an also be a subtle ind i cation to
your opponent that you l i ke your posi
tion and feel ready to compensate h im for
i m pend i ng d efeat.
Mannerisms can be very d istracting
d u r i ng a game and the problem is that
the opponent never quite knows whether
they are unconscious reactions or ploys
designed to d i sturb him. You will cer
tai nly m eet opponents with unpleasant
manner isms and i t is d ifficult to a im for
real chess success unless you c an seal off
your thi n k i ng enough to avoid b reaks in
your concentration.
Smoking is the most o b vious form of
d isturbance to a sensitive opponent, and
the US Chess Federation now restricts
smokers to a separate room at several
major tournaments. Lasker was one of the
fi rst great masters whose smok ing ha bits
aroused ad verse comment, and some of
h is opponents a rgued seriously that the
aroma of his pungent cigars was a factor
in his successes. Later Botvinnik, a non
smoker, was bothered d u ring tourna
ments by opponents w ho 'accidentally'
blew c igarette smoke towards him ; he
overcame the problem by arranging a
tra i n i ng match w he re his coach Ragozin
was under orders to smoke heavily !
Some masters try to d isgu i se a prepared
o pening by thinking long over the first
few moves as if they faced unexpected
d iffi culties. The same technique can be
u sed a fter a djournment. Botv in n ik on
returni ng to finish an adjo4fned world
c hampionship game that everyone be
l ieved an easy win for his opponent, did
not bring along h is usual _t hermos of
coffee. During his home analysis he had
d iscovered some promising resources
which could nevertheless be stopped if
the opponent played precisely, and he
wanted to give the impression that he
expected the game to last only a few more
moves. His opponent played carelessly
and Botvi n n ik held on to a d raw.
A common practice is symbolic physi
cal aggression . My first experience of
fi g . 250
fi g . 2 5 1
fi g . 2 5 2
34
Rn = Ro + K(W-We)
is the new rating after a tournament.
Ro is your rating before the tournament.
W is the number of points scored.
We is the number of points he was
expected to score, based on the difference
between his rating and the a verage rating
of his opponents.
K is a constant which is used to weight
the most recent performance relative to
past performance. This normally varies
from lO to 30 according to the strength
of the players : the higher figure enables
ratings to change more rapidly, and is
useful in the case of j uniors or of players
who have competed in only one or two
events. The number of expected points
(We) is determined from a table, not
shown here, which shows percentage
expected against rating difference.
Rn
P e rs o n a l chess a udits
The sti mul us of the grading/rating system
is one of the most i mportant assets in
enabling a competition player to monitor
his own improvement and spot weak
nesses in his style. It is important to keep
what I call a personal chess audit, for .
which essential equipment is a good
quality scorebook and a copy of the latest
grading list.
Rati ng lists contain published form
a ssessmen ts for active players. There is a
single list for the United States while each
major region of Britain - North, South,
Midlands, West, Scotland, Ireland and
Wales - has its own list. If you play in
congresses or sufficient inter-club
matches, your name should eventually
appear on the list for your area. If you
have d i fficulty in tracking down your
local list, ask the BCF, a congress official,
or the USCF.
In order to carry out your chess audit,
make a provi sional assessment of your
own rating when starting match games
by asking a couple of strong players to
assess your standard, or find out the
ratings of players a bove and below you
in the club team and assume you are
m i d way between them.
A fter each game, look up the oppo
nent's rating in the list (in well-organized
tournaments you will be able to find it
d irectly from the pairings card or the wall
chart) or ask him direct, then compare
your results with the form expectation.
You should score 60 per cent against
players with British grades 10 points
below yours, 70 per cent against those
20 points below, 90 per cent against those
40 points or more below, and so on. This
should mean in pra ctice that most of your
drawn games will be against players
whose grades are not too d i fferent from
your own.
If you are improving, you should start
to beat lower-graded opponents more
regularly and take more frequent points
and half points from higher graded ones.
Strength
International
players
225
Congress
winners
US
rating
up
US
title
Senior
Master
British Master
2400
2 1 3--224
Candidate
Master
2 300--2 399
US Master
Strong national
player
200--2 1 2
British
Expert
2 200--2 299
U S Master
1 7 5- 1 99
2000--2 1 99
Expert
1 5 0-- 1 74
Candidate
Expert
Class A
1 800-- 1 99 9
Category I
1 2 5-- 1 49
Class B
1 600-- 1 799
Category
Lower board
club players
1 00-- 1 24
Class C
1 400-- 1 599
Category Ill
7 5--99
Class D
1 200-- 1 399
Category IV
Class D
Below
Category V
up
Below
75
1 200
11
1 38
International
sched ule
Age
International
schedule
6.0
6.6
7.0
7.6
8.0
8.6
9.0
9.6
1 0. 0
10.6
1 1 .0
1 1 .6
50
61
70
78
86
94
101
108
1 14
1 20
1 25
1 30
1 2.0
1 2. 6
1 3 .0
1 3.6
14.0
14.6
1 5 .0
1 5 .6
1 6 .0
1 6.6
1 7 .0
17.6
1 35
1 40
145
1 50
1 54
1 58
161.5
165
1 68 . 5
1 72
175
178
Age
In terna tional
schedule
1 8 .0
1 8.6
1 9 .0
1 9.6
20.0
20.6
2 1 .0
2 1 .6
22.0
22.6
2 3 .0
1 80. 5
183
185.5
1 88
1 90
192
1 94
195.5
1 97
1 98 . 5
200
Alekhine
Capablanca
Reshevsky
Botvinnik
Spassky
Fischer
Karpov
M i les
(b. 1 9 5 5)
Seirawan
(b. 1 960)
Chandler
(b. 1 960)
Chi burdanidze
( b . 1 96 1 )
Kasparov
(b. 1 96 3)
Hodgson
(b. 1 96 3)
Benjamin
( b . 1 964)
Wells
( b . 1 964)
Short
(b. 1 96 5)
Conquest
( b . 1 967)
Litvinchuk
( b . 1 967)
Carr
(b. 1 968)
1 50
( 1 800)
175
( 2000)
1 87 . 5
(2 1 00)
200
(2 200)
2 1 2. 5
( 2300)
225
( 2400)
2 37 . 5
( 2 5 00)
250
(2600)
ll
9
7
13
9
9
8
12
13
i1
7
l3
11
12
10
l3
14
12
8
14
12
l3
11
14
14
13
9
14
12
13
12
14
15
16
11
15
14
14
14
15
16
17
19
17
15
14
15
17
19
18
23
19
16
14
19
20
25
20
24
23
18
16
20
22
12
12
l3
14
14
17
19
11
13
14
15
16
19
20
11
12
13
14
16
17
lO
11
12
l3
15
lO
12
12
13
14
11
11
12
13
13
15
11
12
l3
14
10
11
12
12
14
10
11
12
13
10
11
12
12
10
11
15
16
1 39
Life.
141
T o u r na m e n t t e c h n i q u e
Beatin g t h e c l o c k
Han d l i ng the clock i s im portan t in week
end Swi sses not only because the normal
time limit is ra ther fast but because of the
practice in Bri tish events of decid ing the
final moves over a ' b l i tz fi n i sh' where
the game has to be completed a fter four
hours or so with ten or fifteen minutes on
each player's clock . Therefore poi n ts
will be won and lost ac cord i n g to how
well you handle you r own time, can drive
your opponent i n to severe time pressure,
and exploit his time p ressure when it
oc curs .
Techn iques w h i ch can help i f you a re
prone to time pressu re i n clude :
1 In less important games, make the
clock the fi rst consi deration rather
than the qua l i ty of the p l ay : try to
develop an i n ner control mec hanism
which s tops you agon izing too long
over a 5ingle move a n d keeps you
aware of how the time is go i n g .
2 I f you can not decide on a n y p l a n , or i f
you are i n time pressure a n d your mind
goes blank a fter a n unex pected move,
concen trate on improv i ng the position
of your worst posted piece.
3 If you have the chance to repeat moves
any time once or twice d uring the
game before time pressure comes along,
do so - but make sure you u n derstand
the explanation of the th reefold repe
tion rule on page 1 3 1 .
4 Avoid repea ted calculation of the same
l i ne of play - a fter two or th ree attempts
assume you a re not going to fi nd
sign i fi ca nt i m provements .
5 Use your opponent's t i me to keep
track of general strategy, and your
own time for concrete va riations.
6 Look at the clock when it is your
oppon ent's tu rn to move, not yours.
7 If the posi tion is complicated a n d you
don't have time to analyze, simply
make the move which looks best on
gene ral pri n c i ples.
8 Put ticks i nstea d of writing down the
moves - this w i ll save precious seconds,
a l though you must w r i te up the score
properly as soon as the time scramble
is over.
J g 2 ') 4
m o v es
9 I!
d ue to h i s t i me p ressure, cover
up your own sh eet. N e i th er you nor
the co n t ro l ler has any obl igat ion to
t e l l h i m h o w m a ny moves rem a i n u n t i l
t he c o n t roL and if he has a l l oca ted h i s
t i me s o that he has h a r d l y any l e ft for
t he l a st few moves, t h a t ' s h is fa u l t .
A l l these ti me-pressure tec h n i q ues
o n l y apply as maj or weapons w hen the
pos i t i o n o n the board rema i n s u n c l ear or
is a t best only s l i gh t l y i n your favour. But
s c o re
1 44
if y ou a re w i n n i ng h a n d s d own, i gn o re
your oppone n t ' s c l o c k , concen trate on
the most a c c u ra te method to v i ctory a n d
a v o i d h i s t r a p s . S o m e ex perts w i l l d e l i ber
ately get themse l ves short o f ti me, in a
real ly p oo r p os i ti on, w ith the o bject of
h ei gh te n i ng the nervous tension a nd i n
c rea s i ng the c h a n ce of the player on top
b l o w i ng the game. It i s n ' t easy to d e a l
w i th such ta c t i cs a nd you may h a ve to
consc i o u s ly work to keep your coo l .
D i rty t r i c k s
Sea l e d m o v e a n d a dj o u r n m e n t s
I n maj or tourna m e n ts a t i n te r n a t i o n a l
t i me l i m i t s i t i s n or m al for u n fi n i shed
games to be adjou rned a fter fou r or fi ve
hours and res umed e i ther l a ter the sa m e
day or, more rarely, t h e n e x t morn i ng o r
another d a y . The fi n al m ove o f t h e sess ion
is not p l a yed on the board but w r it ten
down on t he score sheet a nd p l aced i n a
sea l ed move env e l o p e for reope n i ng w hen
the game resumes. O ften t he p l a y ers rea c h
the fi rst t i me cont rol r i g h t at the e n d of
the sess ion and the s i de w i th W h i te has to
readj ust h i s thoughts and emotions fro m
t he b a t t le w i th t h e c l oc k to fi n d i ng t h e
best a n d most p re c i se sca l ed m o v e w h i l e
h i s op p o n e n t g oes o tT to a n a l vzc
The pe r i od bet w een the t i m e c o n t r o l
and t h e e a l ed m o \T : s a t n c k v- o n e
b ec a u se t i re d n e s s c a n i m pa i r buth s i d e s '
j udgment O n e of t he c l a s s i c m i sta kes i s
t o r e a c h a '"on ga m e a t t h e t : m e c o n t ro l
a n d t h e n g') , m b l i t Z i n g m o v e s m s t ead o f
s e a l i ng E \en w o r l d c h a m p i o n s a r e n o t
immune.
li g 2 ) ')
Ka rpov - K o rc h n o i . 2 2 n d m J t c h game
1 9 7 8 . This w a s t h e pos i t i o n a ft e r Korc h
noi 's 4 0 th move as B l a ck R x d 6 . N o w
W h i te sho u l d s u r e l y w i n by t h e o b v ious
1. Rxd6 N x d 6 2 . R xa 4 . Black h a s some
cha nces by 2.
h S but they sho u l d n ' t
be e n o u g h : t he w h i te Q - s i d e p a w n s a i d ed
by the w i d e- ra n g i ng b i shop r u n faster
than B l a c k ' s pawns on the other w i ng .
A l l t h i s w a s u n i m porta n t bes i d e t h e
fa ct t h a t t he w o r l d c ha m p i on had the
chance to a dj o u rn a nd w o rk out a win at
l e i sure. Ka rpov was t i r i ng in t he l a ter
st a ge s of the match a nd this m u st have
a ffe c t ed h is norma l l y so u n d j u d gm e n t .
fo r p l a y c o n t i n u ed 1 . R x d 6 ? ( t he ? is
because th i s was W h i te ' s i d e a l o p por-
['i g 2 1 6
a t 7 a . m . fol l ow i ng a ha rd l a te n ight
ma tch the pre v i ou s even ing. Under con
d i ti o n s l i ke that. the e x perien ced pro has
to j ud ge w h ether the poss i b i l i ty of fi n d i ng
a bad sea l ed move i s wo rth the a bsol ute
certa i n t y of ex tra fa t i g u e i n t h e n e x t
rou nd .
C l u s te r t e c h n i q u e
u y ou do u n e x pected ! y wel l in a n v
tou rna m e n t a nd feel you a re in good
fo r m . cons i d er cluster t ech niq ue. w h i c h
m ea ns concen trati ng y o u r p lay so that
you enter a n u m ber of other events in a
h art period . The ra t i o n a le for t h i s
a p proa ch l i es i n t h e mecha n i cs o f chess
i m p rovement demon strated by P rofe s s or
E l o ' s work on perfo r ma n ce measuremen t .
Deeper u n d e r s ta n d i ng o f new stra teg i e s
a nd i d eas i n c hess comes not in a stea d v
flow but in quantu m j u m p s m i xed w i t h
l o n g per iods of steady conso l i d a t ion
w h e re the pl ayer m a y not seem to be
get t i n g be t t e r
At t he m o s t elementa ry l e v e l . q ua n t u m
j u m ps c a n be d e m o n s tra ted by t h e
i m p ro v e m e n t a beg i n ner m a k e s \\ h e n h e
u n d e r s t a n d s scho la r s m a te o r h o \\ t o
m a t e w i th a k i ng a nd roo k . A t a h 1 g h n
a n d more c o m p l e x l evel . t h e c o m p r c h e n
sinn
of
v a n o us c h e s s a t t a c k mg a n d
d e fen s i ve pa t t e rns often seem s t o ' c l i c k '
i n to p l a c e . The player has pro ba bly read
the correct a p p roach or techn ique in a
bo o k but d ue to h i s l i m i t ed ex periences
his fi rst few a t t e m p ts to apply it in h 1 s
own games a re u n s u ccessfu l . Then. ra t h er
in t he wav that a n ov i ce c vc l i st sud d e n h
stops fa l i'i ng off h is ma h i ne. acqui re-s
balance and co-ord i na tion. and in most
ca ses never loses it. so t he ch essp layer
su d d e n l y su cceed s in i ncorpora t i ng t he
n ew techn ique i n to h i s e x i s t i n g game .
Thus the u n e x pec ted l y good to urna
ment resu l t can be a sign of a personal
qua n tum j u m p . a n d it i s i m portant to
ta ke a d va n tage of i t . In E n g l a n d and t h e
US there a re p l enty o f ma tches and
tourna ments o ffe r i ng compe t i t i ve c h e s s .
a n d t h e q u a n t u m j u mp c a n b e ex p l o i t ed
by con cen t ra t ed play - the c l u s ter t e c h
n i q u e - in order to boost a pl a y e r ' s ra t i n g
The conve rse of the c l us ter techn i q ue i s
t h a t a fter an unex pected l y poor res u l t
y o u should take a break. a n a l vze the
"
d e feats. a nd restru c t u re your ga me and
open i ng reperto i re as necessa r y .
H o w m a n y g a m es ?
The Soviet gran d ma ster G e l l er used t n
say he felt rusty a n d out of pra c t i ce if he
p layed fewer than 80 tourna men t and
match games a yea r . Korchnoi has gone
on record w i th s i m i l ar com m e n t s . S u c h ,1
level of act i v i ty i s n ot for every body -- fo r
e x a m p l e, Botvi n n ik kept at h i s peak with
a m u c h lower ou tput of games w h i c h he
compensa ted for by espe c i a l ly meticu lous
prepa ra t i o n . But for most st rong players.
pa rt i c u l a rly if aged u n d er 30. a total of
1 4 ')
RO
t he
'50
g a m e s a y e a r i s n ee d ed to g i ve
( o n c e n t r a ted
e x pe r i e n c e w h i c h w i l l
h e l p i m p ro v e m e n t .
\\" i t h s u c h n u m b e r s o !" g a m e s . c l u s t e r
e x a c t l y w ho y o u w i ll m e e t . b u t it i s s t i l l
p o ss i b l e
to
map
out
s c h ed u l e .
For
e x a m p l e l e a d i n g c o n t e n d e r s in the B r i t i s h
k .1 d i n g p l a y e r B o t t c n l l b e g a n t h e B r i t i s h
C h a m p i o n s h i p t ry to r e a c h at l e a s t p l u s
t wo h v t h e e n d o f t h e f"i r s t w e e k , r e m e m
h e n n g t h a t t h e h a r d e s t ga m es a rc i n t h e
m 1 d d l c ro u n d s
l n l l m \ i ng a p r e v i o u s s u c c e s s ru n w h en he
T h e fi n a l r o u n d
t he s u m mer o f 1 9 7 9 . ! o r e x a m p l e, W a l e s ' s
L l r l' u i t a ft e r a fa l l o w p e r i o d of t wo yea rs
hcc1 n1 e
i n t e r n a t i o n a l m a s te r . T h e
1 9 / LJ c 1 r c u i t i n c l u d e d t h e N a t i o n al Ba n k
t)l D u ha 1 O p e n , t h e B r i t i s h C h a m p i o n s h i p ,
t h e Ll o v d s B a n k a n d B e n e d i ct i ne M a s
l L' r '> . ,1 nd t h e A c1 ro n so n O p e n .1 t o ta l o f ') I
ga me'> i n s e \ - c n \'\C C b a n d ,1 g r u e l l i n g
'>C h cd u l c . B u t B o t t e r i l l s t a r t ed w e l l i n t h e
1 1 r <;t n e n t a n d k e p t g o m g a s l o n g a s h i s
g u od ! "n rm l a s t e d
w h i c h w a s t h e fu l l
p cr 1 o d o l t h e c i r c u i t . A t t h e e n d o f i t a l l h e
h a d t i ed ! or f i r s t p r i ze i n t h e M a n c h e s t e r
l k n L' d J c t J m' e v e n t a n d h a d b e e n i n t h e
r u n n i n g f or a g r a n d m a s t e r re s u l t i n t h e
e a r l ier Ll o v d s Ba n k tou r n a m e n t . U n t i l
t h e n n t) - o n c h a d L' o n s i d e red h i m c1 p o t e n
T i a l C \11 p r o s p e c t - t h e c ] u <, t e r t e c h n i q u e
h t l pcd to m a k e t he q u a n t u m J U m p
an
A c t l i k e a g r a n d ma st e r
T \\ ll p o p u l a r h o o k s b _y A l e x a n d e r K o to v
d r l'
l tT m s
o f t h e n u m ber o f w i n s re l a t i ve to
l t l '> S e s . T h e CM
t h i n k s o f
2/3
as ' p l us
l \\ o ' ( 1 e. t w o m o re v i c t o r i e s t h a n d e fea t s ) ,
'i I a s p i u s t h r e e ' a n d s o o n .
T h e n e x t s t e p i s to c h e c k on t h e ta r g e t
.., n e f o r v a r i o u s e \ e n ts a n d p l a n t h e
fl i .J \" J tl g ( a m p a 1 g n b e f o r e h a n d i n t e r m s o f
\ \ h ,J t v o u c a n r e a s o n a h I y e x p e c t I n t h c
lh i l t '> h C h .l m p 1 o n s h i p cJ p l .1 y c r a i m i n g t o
\ \ i l l t h e e \ t n t \'\ i l l p l a n ! o r p l u s li v e o r
r l u .., '> i :\ ( or ! I l l ) a n d a p l a y e r h o p i n g
1 , 1 l i tl l '> h 1 11 t h e p r i ze l i st at p l u s t h r e e
1 - I I ) t\ t .1 h i g h e r l e v eL g r a n d m a s t e r s
, J i m t n g I l l he o n e of t h e t h ree q u a l i f i e rs t o
t h L \\ t l r l d c h a m p i o n s h i p L' a n d i d a t es a i m
! , ) : J 1 l u s ! "i , e o r p i u '> s i x i n d 1 7 - r o u n d
l t l U r n a m e n t . H l) \\" \ ' o u r e a h s u l h '> l o r e '>
j .l l \ \ ,l \ s a s s u m i n g o u d r c g o od l' n t l u g h )
; .., .1 m .J t l n l l l '> y l e a n d a p p r o a c h
some
h l tl \ l 1 k e P e t r o s i a n w i l l t r v t o a v o 1 d
J , l S '> s .1 n d h e a t a l l t h e t a i l - e n d e r s , a m o re
L' ll l L 'r f ) r i s J n g p l a y e r w i l l r e ( k o n on a
L t l u p k o l l o s '> e s h u t \'\ i l l a i m to heat o n e o r
t
\\ ( l t d h i s r J \' cJ l s .
In
,1
S \\' J SS s v s te m e v e n t . u n l i k e a n a i i
v o u d o n ' t k n o'"
i n adva n ce
Jl l ,l \ - J i l .
1 46
A n o t h e r c h a ra c t e r i s t i c w h e re t he S w i ss
m a y d i !"fe r fro m
i s t he
the a l l - p i a y-a l l
i m p o rt .J n n: o l l a t er ro u n d s a n d e s p e c i a l l y
t h e fl n ,J I o n e T h e s e c t i o n o n L a s k e r
( p a ge
l l l e n t i o n t o h i s s t r e n g t h as d
Lr s t ro t J n d p Ll \T r . a n d t o he a good
l i n i '> h n i '> even m o re 1 m po r t a n t in a s h o r t
') ') ) d re w
fi v e or s i x - ro u n d S w i s s
It
fa r from ca s v
-
IS
t o e n s u re t h i s s i n c e p l a y i n g t wo or t h re e
r o u n d s t h e p r e v i o u s d ay i s v e ry t i r i n g .
H m"- c v cr , t h e se n s i b l e p ro w i l l t a k e
'> n m c p r e , a u t i o n s
for a wee k c nd e v e n t
I C c t a g o o d n i g h t ' s s l e e p on t h e
T h u r s d ,l \' hcfo re t h e t o u r n a m e n t .
the
2 11
is
event
n ot
within
t r , J \' e l l t n g d i s t a n ce o l y o u r h o m e
f o rg e t
to
e a sv
( d o n ;t
a l l o w f o r ! e w e r t r a i n s a n d b u ses
at w ee k e n d s) it i s w o r t h c o n s i d e r i n g a s t a y
a t a h o t e l n e a r t h e e v e n t . O f c o u r se i t a d d s
to y o u r c o s t s e v e n i f y o u do w e l l . h u t i t
m a v h e e s se n t i a l i f v o u co n t i n u a l l ,v fi n d
y o f 1 a g o n t h c !"i n a 1 - da y
Be f"i r m w i t h y o u r sc l l a n d t a k e a t e n
m i n u t e \Y a l k b e t -w e e n r o u n d s t o c i c,J r
\' o u r h r .1 1 1 1 .
4 Wa t ch
I or
Sun day
morn i ng
t he
m o s t rre q u e n t c a u se of d r o p - o u t s f"r o m
w ee k e n d e v e n t s i s o v e rs l e e p i n g on S u n
d a y , a n d t h i s q u i t e o f t e n o c c u rs t o p l a y e rs
w h o a r e s t i l l i n t o n t e n t i on !"o r a p r i z e .
') R e m c m h e r t h a t y o u r o p po n e n t s w i l l
cJ i so he f e e l i n g \' a r_v i n g d e g ree'> o l t i r e d
n e -> s . ,J n d a d .1 pt y o u r t e c h n i q u e J L c o r d
i n g l y . a \ o i d \T ry h l g h l y - a n cJ I ' Zed va r i
a t i o n s a g d i n s t y o u n g o p po n e n t s w i t h
their
a bsorbent
m e m o ry
ba n k s ,
a nd
s h a r p e n u p t he p l a y a g a i n st o l d e r o p p o
n e n ts \v h o w i l l be re l y i n g on s tr a tegy a n d
fee l i ng t h e p a c e o n t he S u n d a y .
T ry t o k e e p c o n t r ol of t h e po s i t i o n
a ga i n s t
p o <; s i h l e
wea ker
h_v
o p p o n e n t s,
t c L: h n i q u e .
w i n n i ng
if
K o t ov
a d v i se s
'> l ro n g r Ll \ c rs e v e n t o go f o r S i m p l i l "i ed
e n d i n g ->. S i n C e t h e n u d n C C<. n f '> U dl
p o s i t i o n s J re h a r d e r fo r t h e w e a k e r
p l a y e r to s p o t .
Fast c hess
L1 st c h e s s i s a t e c h n i q u e for i m p r o v e m e n t
\\ h o se v , J i u c h a s b ee n g r e ,n l y u n d er
l''> l i m a t cd
I ll
B r i t a m L o m p a rcd w i t h
m o re '> LI L. LT S '> I ul L h c '> s c o u n t r i co.; s u lh ,1 o.;
l{ u <, '> J ,l ,J n d t h e l J S I t I S ne ,J L C J d e n t t h ,l l
L1 s k c r . C , r p a h l d n c d , h sc h c r , T,1 L K a r p m
a n d K o r c h n o 1 w e re a l l a m o n g t h e h e st
f"a st p l a y e rs o r t h e i r t i m e, a n d at t h e
Le i p z i g o l y m p i c s o f
Tal
a nd
K o rc h n o i
1 9 60
all
w h e re F i sc h e r ,
p l ayed
t h ey h a d
b l i tz s e s s i o n s i n t h e h o t e l l o b by a l m o st
e v e ry e v n i n g . A ft e r t h e fi n a l ro u n d Ta l
p L1 y ed a l l d a y i n an o ffi c i a l l y o rga n i ze d
1 47
1 48
30 . . . . Qxh2 + ! a nd Wh i te resigned
because of 3 1 . K x h 2 R h 3 mate .
An i l l u stration of ten seconds a move
c hess is t h i s game from the 1 9 77 B r i t i sh.
l i gh tn i ng championship. N igel Short here
l oses to o ne of the country ' s leading
ma ste rs, but the fol lo w i ng year the
youngster won the l i ghtni ng title ou t
right. The game shows the theme em
phasi zed often in th is book that you have
to take your chances for i n itiative chess.
Short made an a utomatic pawn recapture
on move 20 and lost w i thout a real fight :
i n s tead 20 . . . . N fe4 ! would have brought
h im out of d e fence i n to acti ve play.
W h i t e : J. S pee l m a n . B l a c k : N. D.
S h o rt
Eng l i sh O pe n i ng ( B r i t i sh l i g h t n i n g
1 977)
l . c4 c5 2 . N f3 Nc6 3 . NcJ g6 4. eJ Bg7
5. d4 cxd4 6 . exd4 d6 7. Be2 N f6
8 . 0-0 0-0 9 . d 5 N b8 1 0 . N d4 Nbd7
1 1 . R e 1 a6 1 2 . Be3 Ne5 1 3 . h 3 Qc7
1 4 . b3 N 5 d7 1 5 . R c 1 Nc5 1 6 . B fl b6
1 7 . Bg5 Re8 1 8 . Q d2 B b7 1 9 . R e2 e 5
2 0. dxe6 e . p .
fi g 2 5 1\
20 . . . . fxe 6 ? 2 1 . B x f6 B x f6 2 2 . b4 e 5
2 3 . N fJ N e 6 ? 24. N d S ! B x d S 25 . c x d 5
Res i g n s .
T h e p ra ct ica l master
I f you a sk a ma teur c hesspl ayers \v hat
books a nd maga z i n es they read regu larly,
you w i ll get a great variety of an swers.
M ost of them w i l l rely for their open i ngs
knowledge on a l on g-possessed and out
da ted manual such as the ele venth edit ion
of ' M od ern Chess Openings' or some
poc ket compen d i u m . For the middle
ga me some w i l l swear by N i mzc, v ich ,
others l i ke the col lected games of such as
Larsen and Fischer, most w i ll have a store
of wel l - known o p e n i ng trap s .
R es u l ts a n a l ys is