The Moment of Zuke: Critical Positions and Pivotal Decisions for Colle System Players

Critical Positions and Pivotal Decisions for Colle System Players

by

David Rudel

Tl}illl{ers' Press. IllC. Bool{s 2009

Davenport, IA

©2009 David Rudel

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, except as may be permitted by the

1 97 6

Copyright Act or in writing from the publisher. This also includes e-Books ( and

associated publishing ) and information stored or used on or by internet services.

ISBN:

1 -8 8 8 7 1 0-38- 1

First Published June Version

1.1

2009

Published December

2 009

Contact the author David Rudel at: [email protected]

Requests for permissions and republication rights should be directed to: Thinkers' Press, Inc. Books

1 5 24

LeClaire St.

Davenport, IA

5 2 803

[email protected]

To Wayne Weaver and Irving Chernev, who introduced me to the Colle

3

Table o f COIlteIlts Introduction

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5

1

Move Order Quandaries

2

Slaying the b7-Monster . .

3

Putting Down an Errant Knight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4 A Kite of Doom - Double-Bareled Fun 5 The Game-Changing Retreat 6

Charge ! (When to Play g4 ! ? )

7

Classic Greek Gifts

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Bonus Tract 1 : Anti-Colle Lines

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Bonus Tract 2 : The Phoenix Attack - A New C-K Line About the Author Colophon

. . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11 23

69

101 1 39 151 245 249 255 256

5

IIltroducP.OIl

T • • •

hree obj ectives guided my writing of Zuke 'Em: Promote the Colle-Zukertort and help those who play it. Give my own model for the organization and format of opening books. Write in a way that untitled players could understand.

Those same goals informed the writing of The Moment oJZuke (TMoZ), but this work is a very different animal from Zuke 'Em. TMoZ is an effort to help Colle players make difficult decisions at the chess board. If Zuke 'Em is a banquet, TMoZ is a Golden Corral™ buffet. It is a practical guide to situations Colle players (both C-Z [b3-Colle] and C-K [c3-Colle] players) often run into. Some of these, like when your opponent lu mbers his Knight to e4 on move 5, are endemic to class play. Others, like knowing when to play g4 ! ? or responding to . . . Nfd7 (threatening . . . f5 and the end of all happiness), are ques­ tions all Colle players must face, but class players are much less likely to have cultivated a feel for these pivotal points in a game. The Bishop sacrifice material is so common that I plan on extracti ng and re-releasing it as a separate book for a general audience. (Just to be clear - you should not buy that upcoming book if you have already bought this one . ) Format a n d Use It should be evident from the above that this book is not intended to be any­ one's first guide to the Colle. I'm assuming you already play the Colle and have a book on whichever variation you prefer. I am hopeful TMoZ will contribute to the training of a new crop of titled Colle

7

The Moment of Zuke players. I ndeed, it started out as a simple exercise book sim ilar to Chang's Prac tical Chess Exercises, but dedicated to positions from Colle games. H owever, while pre­ paring these exercises I realized that I really wanted to add lessons as well . The book developed into a collection of modules. Each module contains a lesson, exercises, and solutions to the exercises. (The shape and size of the book was chosen to ac­ commodate the huge diagrams I wanted used for the exercises . ) Zuke 'Em readers who requested private lessons on the Colle now have a fair substitute. The exercises within each module are distributed more or less randomly with regard to difficulty ( after all, in OTB play no one tells you whether a given position is hard or easy) . H owever, the modules themselves have been placed in a rough chronological order based on how far into the game you are most likely to confront the featured situation. Modules 1 and 3 are aimed at dubious moves encountered in lower-level play while the other modules treat decisions germane to all players. The vast maj ority of exercises for modules 4-7 come from positions between strong (sometimes quite strong) players. Weaker players ( 1 000- 1 3 00 Elo) m ight j ust want to figure out the best move or answer the question in each case, but I recommend even modestly skilled players take time and write down all their ideas, analysis and variations in a j ournal. This is a very useful way to improve your game, even if your analysis ends up being totally wrong. You will get much more from this book if you write out all your ideas and compare them with the analysis in the solutions than if you just try to figure out the best move or answer the question related to the diagram. The exercises and solutions have been selected not only as opportunities for practice, but also as fodder for pattern training. I very much suggest you repeat the exercises and re-read the solutions as part of your ongoing chess practice. Usi ng G u idel i nes I t will not take long for the reader to see I have a certain affinity for giving guide­ l ines to follow. I'm hopeful the principles I've distilled in the various lessons will prove useful for Colle players, but I would caution you not to treat them as gospel . I have tried hard to publish rules that really are true in almost all normal situations, especially up until the early middle game. H owever, the farther a position is away from what m ight be considered orthodox, the more likely some tactical exception

8

The Moment of Zuke occurs. You can trust that the maxims here are true most of the time. In each case I've tried to give an explanation as to why the rules work. Some people may use the information as a heuristic for finding candidate moves to analyze, others will trust them more and save clock time by doing so. More advanced players can use them for middle-game planning as they get a better and better feel for what attacks Black's pieces are ( and are not ) set up to meet. It is up to you to incorporate them into your play in a manner consistent with your particular style, opponents, and demeanor. A Note on the Sol utions All modules have exercises for students to put into practice the information from the lesson. With the exception of the first module and a few exercises of the second, they all include notes and analysis. By no means should these be consid­ ered exhaustive. They are meant simply to defend the solution. They may not even include best play if that "best play" clearly validates the given answer. For example, if I claim " Bxh 7 + is a val id sacrifice and . . . KfS leaves Black clearly worse, I'll only analyze . . . Kxh7, even if it ends up being a forced mate. Some solutions include a fair amount of information in them, so many players should not feel the need to re-read the lessons on their second or third run-through of the exercises. /I

C-z versus C-K Coverage The two Colle variations share nothing in the way of main l ines, but practitio­ ners of each often find themselves facing similar strategic decisions. This is particu­ larly true when meeting pet defenses and variations, which normally deviate before the two variations diverge. H owever, this is not to say that each module is equally useful to both players. C-Z players and C-K players may both have to contemplate Bxh7 +, but C-K players contemplate it more often. They both have to deal with the threat of . . . Ne4, but it comes up more frequently in C-Z games. Thus, I figured it made sense to indicate how important each module is for the different variations. The chart on the next page is based on the content of the module and the frequency of the featured situation. The percentages add to more than 1 00% due to overlap.

9

The Moment of Zuke

#

Top i c

Pages

C-K Rel eva ncy

1

Move Order Issues

12

400/0

75%

8

2

Early ... b6

20

1000/0

50%

12

3

Early ... Ne4

21

400/0

850/0

12

4

Kite Formation

30

5%

1000/0

16

5

Knight Retreat

35

350/0

800/0

20

6

g4 Charge

35

450/0

1000/0

20

7

Classic Bishop Sac

66

850/0

250/0

60

C-Z Releva ncy Exercises

I hope to see you at the Colle-Zukertort Players Forum ( www .zuke-dukes.com/ forum) . Even you C-Kers are welcome, j ust don't be surprised if we try to convert you. David Rudel [email protected] Charlottesvile, VA

10

Module 1: Early Move Order Quaqdaries

I

t can be frustrating playing people who Orleans. I suppose I should have known don't know what they're doing. How better, walking into a chess club having many times have you sat down across three very large men at the door whose from someone, ready to show them the black windbreakers had SECURIlY sten­ gospel according to your d3-Bishop, and ciled upon them. the following happens: 1 .d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 Th e d i sturb i ng th i ng i s that now d S ( phew, no King's I ndian Defense ! ) you have to think. A cruel chess reality 3 .e3 e6 (great, his Bishop is locked in) - your opponent's errors end up pl ac­ 4.Bd3 c61! ing an obl igation on you rather than on him. H e has taken a misstep, but you know you are going to stab yourself with a plastic knife later at the food court if you don't figure out how to take advan­ tage of it. Of course, you could j ust play S .b3 or S . c3, figuring . . . c6 didn't give Black any new opportunities. It might not be the best way to punish your opponent, but chewi ng up five m i nutes of your This isn't i n The Book. own t i m e o n m ove 5 h a rd ly s e e m s wise . . . especially if you don't come u p Doesn't he know 4 . . . cS is the move? with anyth ing better. No. Evidently he does not. U n for­ Unfortunately, this type of thinking tunately, chess etiquette does not smile in chess can get your goose cooked . . . . c6 upon counsel ing your opponent to take may not have given Black any new active back a move and play one you'd prefer. options, but it certainly deprives you of I learned that the hard way once in New the ab il ity to play dxcS on some later

11

Module 1 : Early Move Order Quandaries move compared to the normal 5 . . . c5 . cause Black is able to push his e-pawn Do you really want to think through all before you can push yours. Just push the variations and move-order options yours in response (perhaps exchanging to see if this is an issue? off your d-pawn first) and you should No. Not at the board you don't. always be set to come out ahead. So, i n our first n itty-gritty module, Players who play the C- K and only we'l l discuss how to deal with odd move the C-K can skip forward to the Compli­ orders or novelties assuming the game cations with ... c5 section. has already started I .d4 Nf6 2 . Nf3 d5 3 .e3 e6 4 . Bd3 ( actually, I'll be suggesting Zu kertort Players Have to Think in module 2 that C-K players no longer S i n ce the Zukertort i s a bit m o re play thei r Bishop out on move 4, but ambitious with regard to its opening pretend you don't know that yet. ) These designs, those who use b3 instead of c3 guidelines are designed to engage either must be more careful about move-order simple transpositions or dub ious play tricks. by Black. There are several viable pet de­ fenses that fit neither of these categories F ive Early Prio rities (you wil l find one in the next module) . General ly White plays the moves b3, Bb2, 0-0, and Nbd2 ( i n some order) Koltanowski Players Have It Easy during moves 5 through 8. To painlessly Because fireworks tend to happen in determine the correct order, use the fol­ the C-K earlier than i n the C-Z, players lowing l ist of priorities. who utilize the c3-version of the Colle 1 . Prevent . . . c4 . generally h ave an easy time knowing 2 . Castle i m mediately after Bl ack what they need to do when their oppo­ puts support on the e5 square nent deviates: Castle (if you have not al­ (e.g . . . . Nc6, . . . Nbd7, . . . Bd6 ) ready), play e4, and if that is i mpossible 3 . Preven t early ch ecks ( . . . Q a 5 + play Ne5 or prepare it with Re I . o r . . . B b 4 + ) , o r m a ke them unappealing. Meeting ...eS 4 . Make sure Black cannot play . . . e5 I f Whi te h as played accurately, he unless he uses 3 pieces (Queen, never has to worry about Black getting Knight, Bishop) . . . e5 in. Do not turn timorous j ust be5. Prevent . . . Ne4 .

12

Module 1 : Lesson Wait, something seems odd here. Isn't item 4 more important than item 2?

Ah, I was wondering when you were going to show up ! You b ring up a good point. I t cer­ tainly seems that p reventing . . . eS i s pretty important. The short answer is that no move order guarantees you can accomplish all S goals. It turns out that you can guar­ antee three of them, but the repertoire move order needed for that leaves you in worse shape when Black accompl ishes one of the two you cannot prevent. It is better to pick a repertoire move order that prevents only two of these, but leaves you well off even when Black gets to play a move we would generally want to prevent. Prioritizing as I have gives better results than i f you make stopping . . . eS an absolute priority. An alternative is to switch goals 1 and 3 if you are happy playing against 1 . d4 NfG 2.Nf3 dS 3 . e3 eG 4 . Bd3 cS S .O-O c4 ? ! I prefer not to deal with it.

That's a great question. To answer it, let's remove item 2 from the l ist and see where it would lead us. In fact, we can use the game that began this lesson: 1 .d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d 5 3 .e3 e 6 4.Bd3 c61!

Black's l ast move did not give any support to eS . He is certainly not threat­ ening . . . c4, so that leaves two ideas we want to p revent: . . . Ne4 and an early check. 5 . N b d 2 stops both of these, so that would be our logical choice. Assume Bl ack responded with 5 N bd 7 . He now has one piece supporting eS but can b ring in another on his next move. This means it's time for 6.b3 so that after 6 Bd6, White can respond with 7.B b2, adding a third defender to the eS-square. But then Black could play 7 Qc7, wh ich puts a third supporter to eS . •••

•••

•••

A Demonstration

Okay, I get that you have to prioritize, but I still don't see what support for

•••

eS

White Wishes H e Had Castled.

has to do with castling. What's going on there?

The ab ove position is not bad for

13

Module 1 : Early Move Order Quandaries White. He can still get a good game by either playing c4 immediately or castling a bit too late. But he would be much bet­ ter equipped to handle Black's setup had he been less concerned about stopp ing . . . eS and more focused on making sure he was castled before it happened. Then he could take advantage of B lack's un­ castled King by opening up the middle. I believe you, but show me anyway.

S. Thus 5.Nbd2 is our move ( Note, this business about Nbd2 preventing a check does not work in the 4 . . . cS line due to a combination of a weak c3-square and a lack of a e3-pawn after Black exchanges . For example l . d4 N f6 2 . N f3 d S 3 . e3 e6 4 . Bd3 cS S .b 3 Nc6 6 . Nbd2 ? ! cxd4 ! 7 . exd4 Bb4, and White is on his heels. ) After S . Nbd2, let's assume Black con­ tinues with 5 . . . N bd 7 . Priority two makes our next move, 6.0-0, pretty clear. After 6 Bd6 7.Re 1 , Black is already in trouble. •.•

Fai r enough. Let's step through the same moves and see what moves our prioritized goals indicate. 1 .d4 N f6 2.Nf3 d5 3 .e3 e6 4.Bd3 c61!

Black Wishes He Had Castled.

Clearly Black is not threatening . . . c4, and we can castle any time. So priorities 1 and 2 seem safe. Black has noth ing hitting eS currently, so number 4 isn't at risk. Both Nbd2 and 0-0 will prevent a check, but Nbd2 also fulfills priority

14

7 . . . eS ? drops a pawn to 8 .e4 regard­ less of how Black responds (e.g. 8 . . . dxe4 9 . Nxe4 Nxe4 1 0. Bxe4 0-0 1 1 .dxeS BxeS 1 2 . NxeS NxeS 1 3 . Bxh7+ ! ) 7 . . . Qc7 and 7 . . . 0-0 are not qu ite as b ad, but they both al l ow White a tremendous attack on Black's King after 8 .e4.

Module 1 : Lesson Respon se to ...eS

Th e ab ove d i scuss i o n sh ows that we cannot stop . . . e5 co mpl etely, nor should we be overly concerned about it. The more important thing is to prepare for it appropriately. If you have pl ayed b3 & Bb2 early on, and B l ack is threatening e 5 , you should play e4 . I f you have not played b3 & Bb2 yet, then prepare to meet . . . e5 by playing Nbd2. I f you have already played Nbd2, then play Re I .

Th e co rrect m ove h ere i s 7 .e4. I f Bl ack plays 7 . . . c4, then White simply takes with 8. Bxc4. Now, i f Black takes the B i s h o p , W h i te h a s e 5 . B e tter i s Com p l ications with . . . cS 8 . . . dxe4, when White has 9 . N gS, and You m i gh t b e a l l set to p u s h e 4 Black will not be able to hold onto h is when your opponent plays a very late advanced e-pawn . H ad White i nstead . . . c5 . The natural question is whether p l ayed the natural 7 . c3 ? ! , B l ack can you should ignore this play ( ramming vi ndicate himself with 7 . . . cxd4 8 . exd4 through with e4 anyway) or respond and natural moves will get him equality with your normal Col l e move ( b 3 or (or he can mix things up with . . . Ba6 ! ? soon ) . I f White were a C-Z player and c3 ) . This can b e a more critical decision went with 7 .b3, he would likely end up than you m ight bel ieve. For example, in a normal and decent position, but consider the p o s i t i o n sh own bel ow. nothing nearly as nice as what he gets Black is obviously playing a bit whacky, after the immediate 7 . e4 ! Th e c r i t i c a l p o i n t i s that B l ack's but if White makes the wrong choice, his Bishop was on d6, p reventing B l ack advantage will evaporate completely. from taking the B ishop on c4 due to the forking e5 ! H ad the Bishop been on e7 or f8, that would not have worked and c3 or b3 would be the indicated play.

15

Module 1 : Early Move Order Quandaries Exerci ses

There are 8 diagrams on the follow­ ing pages. For each one, determine the best move for White. H alf the diagrams are relevant to b oth variations (b3 or c3 ) , and the other half are only relevant to one or the other.

16

Exercises Exercise 1

Exercise 3

Last Moves: 3 .e3 e6 4.Bd 3 c5

Last Moves: 4.Bd3 c5 5. b3 N b d 7

Exercise 2

Exercise 4

Last Moves: 5.b3 Nc6 6.0-0 Be7

La st Moves: 5.b3 Nc6 6.0-0 Bd6

17

Module 1 : Early Move Order Quandaries

18

Exercise 5

Exercise 7

La st Moves: 3 .e3 e6 4.Bd3 Bd6

Last Moves: 7 .exd4 Be7 8.0-0 Qc7

Exercise 6

Exercise 8

Last Moves: 5 . N bd 2 N bd 7 6.0-0 Bd6

Last Moves: 5.Bd3 a6 6.0-0 c5

Solufioqs Exercise 1

Exercise 2

Last Moves: 3 .e3 e6 4.Bd3 c5

Last Moves: 5.b3 Nc6 6.0-0 Be7

Best Move: 5.b3 or 5 .c3 (or 5.0-0)

Best M ove: 7.Nbd2

Commentary

Commentary

We'll start off with an easy one that is not a "quandary" at al l . This is the main l i n e ! Wh ite s h o u l d d i scou rage Bl ack from playing . . . c4 . I f White is playing the alternate rep­ ertoi re ( switching priorities 1 and 3 ) , then castling i s fine here a s well .

After Black moves the Bishop to e7, there is little concern about his advanc­ ing his e-pawn any time soon. Thus, it is best to play Nbd2 to prevent . . . Ne4 .

19

Module 1 : Early Move Order Quandaries Exercise 3

Exercise 4

Last Moves: 4.Bd3 c5 5. b3 Nbd7

La st Moves: 5.b3 Nc6 6.0-0 Bd6

Best Move: 6. 0-0

Best Move: 7. Bb2

Commentary

Commentary

Based on priority number 2, Wh ite castl e s . I t m i gh t s e e m l i ke 6 . N b d 2 makes more sense, a s i t stops . . . Ne4 . H owever, after 6 . . . Bd6 White would be in a fix. Responding with 7 . Bb2 would hold off . . . eS temporarily, but after 7 . . . Qc7, White would prefer to have already been castled to open up the middle. On the other hand, responding with 7 . 0-0 would allow Black to get . . . eS in before Wh ite coul d p l ay Re I . Furthermore, blocking the possible check with 6 . Nbd2 is dubious after . . . cS and b3 have been played. 6 . . . cxd4 7 . exd4 Bb4 8 . 0-0 Bc3 is annoying. It is better to play 6 . 0-0 now, and White is well-positioned to meet all the various threats.

The need to stop . . . eS is more critical than the need to prevent . . . Ne4 .

20

Exercise 5 Last Moves: 3 .e3 e6 4.Bd3 Bd6

Best m ove: 5.0-0

Module 1 : Solutions Commentary

Exercise 7

pl ayers should castle because priority two says so. C- K should castle because they need to do that b e fo re pushing forward with e4 . ( Nbd2 would have been fine for C-K players as wel l . I don't recom mend this t o C-Z players unless they develop a way to avoid Prie's antidote to the mainline; see next mod­ ule for more information. )

Last M oves: 7 .exd4 Be7 8.0-0 Qc7

c-z

Exercise 6 Last Moves: S . N bd 2 Nbd7 6.0-0 Bd6

Best Move: 9.Re1 Commentary

Black has exchanged on d4, so the correct plan is to post a Kn ight on eS . Currently th is would l ose a pawn, so White needs to prepare it with Re 1 . Exercise 8 La st Moves: S.Bd3 a6 6.0-0 cS Best Move: 7. Re1 Commentary

White cannot stop Black from ad­ vancing h i s e-pawn, fo r i t takes two moves to get a Bishop on b 2 . Wh ite should play his Rook to e 1 and get ready to blast forward with e4 ! Best Move: 7.c3

or

7.b3

21

Module

1:

Early Move Order Quandaries

Commentary

B l ack h as p l ayed a l ate . . . cS right when White was planning on pushing his e-pawn. Since Black's B ishop is not on d6, White should meet the threat of . . . c4 using c3 or b 3 ( depending on which kind of Col l e he p l ays) rather than pushing forward with e4.

22

Module 2: SIayiIl8 tile b7-Mollster �e last module was devoted to

.1

move order

q ua ndar ies.

The P roblem

In this

The problems that plague C-K play­

module we will treat the special case

ers after an early ...b6 are many, organic,

of an early ...b6, the venom of which

and discouraging on both a theoretical

q ua ndary

and a practical level. For starters, the

for the Colle-Koltanowski player. Think

move is a harbinger of ...Bb7, threaten­

how you would describe running your

ing ...Ne4. Koltanowski players do not

Dad's new pickup (or "pickup truck"

often have to worry about such a play

as people outside Texas insist on call­

in the early game, for they generally

ing them) into a telephone pole. That's

play Bd3 and Nbd2 very early. However,

roughly what an early ...b6 is for the

should Black actually get ...Ne4 in, C-K

Colle-Koltanowski.

players are less equipped to handle it

eclipses any label as tame as

c-z players can benefit from some of

than C-Z players. For one thing, the

the analysis of this chapter (see notes in

standard response (c4) would represent

the subsection under the heading Line

a lost tempo. For another, C-K players

A),

but it is a lower priority. If they do

are unable to target g7 with a Bishop on

not want to mess with another variation,

b2, a tactic their C-Z playing brothers

they should be fine after: 1 .d4 Nf6 2.Nf3

can do easily.

d S 3 .e3 e6 4.Bd3 b6 S . N bd 2 Bb7 6.0-0,

Furthermore, C-K players' standard

when Black is not able to make any use

methods of engaging opening devia­

out of the e4-square and White can con­

tions have a hard time getting a foothold

tinue with b3, etc. It isn't the most thrill­

against an early ...b6. As mentioned in

ing position for White, but it's blueberry

the last module, a quick e4 or Stonewall

cobbler compared to what a C-K player

formation are the bread and butter for

can come up against.

C-K players going up against a non-stan­ dard move order. Unfortunately, e4 is obviously going to be hard to get in, and

23

Module 2 : Slaying the b7-Monster playing a Stonewall when your oppo­ nent can do the same generally gets you only equality. For example, after 1 .d4

the next move, and then Black can play . . . Ne4 safely. I 've been using the move order 1 .d4

N f6 2 . N f3 d5 3 .e3 e6 4 . B d 3 b6! 5 .0-0

Nf6 2.Nf3 d 5 3 .e3 e6 4.Bd3 b6! 5.0-0 Bb7

Bb7 6.Ne51! Be7 7. Nd2 0-0 8.f4,

to display these problems, but White has similar trouble even when Black delays a move or two. Black can play 4 . . . c5 5.c3 b6 as wel l as other, more exotic orders.

Black can simply plop his Knight into e4, as Zarnicki did against Yusupov in 2005 . As Pall iser mentions in his annotations to that game, there is not much White can do to punish this. Worse, Black does not even have to trade Stonewall formations. All he re­ ally has to do is play . . . Be7 after White pl ays Nes, and White has equal ity at best. After 1 .d 4 N f6 2 . N f3 d5 3 .e3 e6 4 . B d 3 b6! 5 .0-0 Bb7 6 . N e 5 1 ! Be7, the gam e will l i kely drift i nto 7 . N d 2 0-0 8.f4 c5 9.c3 Nbd7 1 0.Qf3 Qc7, a posi­ tion where White has had great practical success with 1 1 .g41!, but in reality he is not threatening anything ( as we will find in module 6 ), and Black is already sign i fi c a n tly b etter a fter 1 1 . . . Rad 8 ! , 1 1 . . . Rac8 ! , or 1 1 . . . as ! I 've given 6.Ne5 a " ? ! " i n the l i nes above, but it is not as though other plays give White much either. Both Pall iser and I have suggested this move in the past. 6 . c4 takes White into a lackluster line of the Q I D and leads to a type of game most Colle players are unlikely to either enj oy or be prepared for. 6 . Nbd2 can be met by simply 6 . . . Be7 now or on

24

The Idea

To determine a solution to this prob­ lem, we have to go back to the root of it. Let's ask ourselves Wha t gives Black the right to make s uc h a n ugly, arroga nt move so early? Playing a Knight to such an advanced post ( as Black no less ! ) so early seems somehow unj ust, and we think White should have some way of punishing Black's brashness. To understand why Black can make these m oves safely, we must l o o k at what weaknesses his play i ntroduces and ask ourselves why White is unable to target those weaknesses. Then the an­ swer becomes rather clear. Black's play has softened the a4-e8 diagonal (you know, the one Black's King is on . . . since Black has not taken time to castle) . I n particular, playing . . . b 6 has weakened c6 and the Knight that j u m ped to e4 used to cover d 7 . Unfortunately, normal Colle play is particularly ill -suited to taking advan-

Module 2 : Lesson tage of this weakness. White would like to play NeS, BbS ( + ) , and perhaps Qa4 to cause problems along this diagonal, but such plays cut against the grain of the Koltanowski variation. Obviously, Wh i te has al ready pl ayed h i s Bishop to d3, so now BbS + would represent a wasted tempo in some sense. Secondly, the Colle is quiet enough that Bl ack m ay del ay . . . cS, mean i ng he h as the . . . c6 "biff" in his pocket as a response to Bb S + . Lastly, the cruel, tragic truth is that White generally needs to play Qe2 to push e4 (to prevent . . . Ne4 ), but it is this exact move that often leaves h i m unable t o meet . . . Ne4 because once the Queen moves to e2, she cannot go to a4 ( o r even c2 to at least pressure the Knight after it lands on e4 ) . F a s h i o n i n g a s a t i s fa c t o ry s o l u ­ tion involves making use o f a few key observations: White's opportunity for play along the a4-e8 diagonal increases significant­ ly once Black plays . . . cS . Black is unl ikely to play . . . Nc6 if he is trying to make use of an early fian­ chetto, this means there is less pressure on d4 and no chance of . . . Nb4, hitting White's Bishop. If Black plays . . . b6 and later plays . . . bS, it represents a loss of tempo.

The P l a n

Now, what kind o f stew can we make from the three observations above ? Good Question! My pot is empty.

Don't feel bad. You have to knock down a few walls and rip up some floor­ ing to find the solution, which involves two maj or principles: 1 . When possib le, we will disrupt Black's Q-side by playing BbS+ imme­ diately after . . . b 6 . To get the most from this play, we switch up the Colle move order and play Nbd2 before Bd3 . 2 . I f Black plays . . . b 6 before playing . . . cS, we do not play c3 in response. We welcome . . . c4 because we will now be a tempo up on those lines where Black had not played . . . b 6 . Explain that second one.

•

•

•

After . . . c4, Black will have to play . . . b S soon to defend the pawn. H ow­ ever, he has al ready played . . . b 6 . The tempo lost in movi ng the b-pawn twice turns out to be rather critical. Doesn't playing Nbd2 so soon have some other problems?

I d o n ' t t h i n k so, not fo r the C- K

25

M odule 2 : Slaying the b7-Monster p l ayer at l east. I ndeed, it all ows them

Oh, you have some lines? Show me.

greater flexibil ity in meeting deviations because the extra defense given to the

I ' m about to, but first let's discuss

Kn ight on f3 can be useful against . . . Bg4

how the general plan unfolds and why

deviati o n s and the option of p l aying

it works .

c4 and retaking with the Knight ( rather

Keep in mind that the goal here is

than retaking with the B ishop that has

not necessari ly to get a great position.

al ready moved ) should be quite usefu l .

Th e goal i n these l i n es i s to d o dge a bullet and make Black think and sweat

You said "not for the C-K player at least, "

a b it for equality. Even when Bl ack gets

does that mean C-Z players should stick

an equal position, it will be the kind of

with their normal move order?

p ositi o n that C- K pl ayers are used to . H opefully, he will also have a good deal

Yes . P l aying an early N b d 2 i s s ig­ nificantly more del icate a matter for the c-z p l ayer. The biggest issue is that i f

he p l ays main-line moves he w i l l fi n d

more ti me on his clock too ! Wh ite's strategy i s b ased o n a few po ints: •

After Bl ack has played . . . b6, Wh ite

h i mself i n the j aws of Prie's trap after,

does not need to castle before playing

say, 1 . d4 Nf6 2 . Nf3 dS 3 . e3 e6 4 . Nbd2

e4 if either of the two co nditions below

cS S . b 3 Nc6 6 . Bd3 Bd6 7 . Bb 2 0-0 B . O­

are true:

o Qe7 9 . NeS Qc7 ! , when 1 0 . f4 ? ! cxd4

o Black has also played . . . Bb 7 .

1 1 . exd4 Nb4 forces White to p art with

o Wh ite has not played c3 .

his Bishop. In a

Chessville

article, I gave

•

With a proper move order, Wh ite

the improvement on this l ine, but it gets

c a n p ro v o k e . . . cS a ft e r . . . b 6 . Th e n ,

ruined if White plays an early Nbd2 .

White need n o t worry about . . . c4 . (See

On the other hand, as I mentioned earli e r, C-Z p l ayers are not in n early

discussion on previous page . ) •

B l ack must either p l ay . . . N b d 7 ,

as much o f a p ickle when it comes to

. . . cS o r . . . B e 7 / d 6 b e fo re h e c a n safely

meeting . . . b6. Even better, C-Z players

p l ay . . . Ne4 due to the th reat o f N e S

can transpose i nto one of the l ines I give

& BbS .

here without changing their move order

Th e ab ove, w h e n taken togeth e r,

with 1 . d4 Nf6 2 . Nf3 dS 3 . e3 e6 4 . Bd3 b 6

mean that White can always safely play

S . Nbd2 ! B b 7 6 . 0-0 c S 7 . NeS .

e4 before Bl ack can play . . . Ne4 .

26

Module 2 : Lesson

I see how developing his Bishop helps

castled because B . . . cxd4 9 . Nxd4 ! NcS ? !

him get away with

(which would typ ically b e a prob l e m

quickly), and how

•••

•••

Ne4 (he can castle

Nbd7 helps (he can

here) can be answered b y 1 0 . Bb S + !

lop oHthe Knight that comes to eS), but how does

•••

cS help?

And how does c3 make it harder for White to play e4 safely?

. . . Qc7 lets Bl ack hit the Kn ight that j ust carne to eS while putting an extra

If White is in a position where he has

d e fe n d e r o n the c 6 - squ are, a l l ow i n g

to rely on eS ! as an answer to . . . cxd4, he

Black t o bl ock the check Wh ite's Bishop

ends up l osing the pawn marauding war

will give on b S .

because Bl ack's pawn has a clear path to White's King via c3 and d2. If there is

And how does

•••

Bb7 help White play e4

safely even if he has not castled?

no pawn on c3, Bl ack's pawn becomes stranded on d4 in this continuation. Thus, White will end up doing one

It weakens the d7 -square. Th is only

of three things:

comes up i f B l ack is focusing on get­

1 . Play NeS with advantage, either

ting . . . Ne4 in as quickly as possible. An

because B l ack p l ayed . . . Ne4 at a b ad

exa mple would be 1 . d4 Nf6 2 . N f3 dS

time or because Black has been coaxed

3 . Nbd2 e6 4 . e3 cS S . c3 Nbd7 6 . Bd3 b6

into playing . . . Bd7.

7 . Qe2 Bb7, planning . . . Ne4 afterward .

2. P l ay e4 a fter preparing it with N b d 2 , Bd3, and perhaps Q e 2 . ( N ote that in this case Wh ite will delay castl ing to make sure he can get e4 in. ) 3 . Obtain a very good position after Bl ack plays a misco nceived . . . c4 .

Okay, enough generalities. Show me those lines! Fine. We really only need to look at White can b e at h i m to the punch

how the Bb S + fi nesse unfo l d s . White

by playing B . e4 ! even though he hasn't

should p l ay th is any time Bl ack p l ays

27

Module 2 : Slaying the b7-M onster . . . b 6 b e fo re deve l o pi n g his Q u e e n' s

7 . Qe2!, when Bl ack should know better

Knight. If Black plays his Queen's Knight

than to rid himself of his "thorn in the

out before . . . b6, the moves for White are

flesh " with 7 . . . Bb 7 ? ! , for after B . Bxb 7

pretty easy to find up until at least e4.

Rxb 7 9 . e4 , the u n d e fended Ro o k o n

Thus, we wil l look at two lines:

b7 adds extra color t o exchanges on e4.

A. 1 .d4 Nf6 2 .Nf3 d5 3 .e3 e6 4.N b d 2

More circumspect lines are also pleasant

b6

for White - Not a huge surprise given B. 1 .d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d 5 3 .e3 e6 4.N bd2

c5 5.c3 b6

that both pawn b reaks ( c4 and e4 ) are available to him.

The first is the only line that is rel­

S . . . Bd7 ?! 6 . Bd3! might l o o k odd,

evant for C-Z players, who can transpose

but is actually quite i ntel ligent. After

to it without changing their move order.

6 . . . cS , White can ei ther advance his

Th at transpositi o n a l line is l . d 4 N f6

e-pawn immediately or revert to a typi­

2 . Nf3 dS 3 . e3 e6 4 . Bd3 b6 S . Nbd2 ! Bb 7

cal C- K setup. To see why White would

6 . 0-0 cS 7 . NeS . See notes to move 7 of

want to do the latter, see Line B.

the Line A commentary.

6.Bd3 c5 O f course, other pl ays are possible,

line A

but they are unlikely to pose White any

1 .d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d 5 3 .e3 e6 4.N b d 2 b6

difficulties. White's plan is to ignore this

5.Bb5+!1

move, which means he has fewer op­ tions ( for example, Qe2 is more or l ess impossible now ) . If White finds himself " out of moves " in this line, he should play NeS . He wil l likely find himself up one move on a more normal variation by not having pl ayed c3 .

7.0-0 c4 The other way of h o l ding b ack e4 ( 7 . . . Bb 7 B . N e S c 4 ) s h o u l d l e a d t o something similar t o what w e wil l see

5

c6

here. N ote that this is where Zukerto rt

Anything else is fine for White. S . . .

pl ayers wil l find themselves after 1.d4

N b d 7 a l l ows the ann oying 6 . Bc6 Rb B

Nf6 2 . Nf3 dS 3 . e3 e6 4 . Bd3 b 6 S . Nbd2 !

28

•••

M odule 2 : Lesson Bb 7 6.0-0 cs 7.Nes . Wh ite's plan is to

retake with his b-pawn, but would not

threaten Bl ack's Q-side pawns and then

be able to after 8 .. . Nbd7 9.c3 Bb7 1 0.b 3

either lock them up or grab an advantage

bS I l .bxc4. Wh ite's position after 1 1 . . .

there. Either way he will likely trade off

bxc4 ? ! 1 2.Q a4 i s excell ent fo r Wh ite.

Bishops with Ba3. He should try to get in

9.b3 b5 1 O.a4 a6 1 1 .Ne51

Nes before Bl ack covers that square with a Kn ight. If Black devel ops with ... Nc6 or . . . Nbd7 before playing . . . c4, White should immediately play Nes ( not wait­ ing for . . . c4 ) , and he'll be fine.

8. Be2 Bb7 We will soon see that Bl ack ru n s into d ifficu l ty b ecause h e is sti l l two moves away from castl ing, so it might seem like . .. Be7 or ... Bd6 is the smarter pl ay; h owever, Bl ack can get into b ig

Th is last move might seem a b it op­

trouble because his a-Rook lacks protec­

timistic, but B l ack does not have time

ti on ( e.g.

to play ...c3 due to his under-defended

8 . . . Bd6 ? !

9.b3 b S ? ! 1 0 . a4 a6 ?

1 1 . axbs ) .

8 . .. Qc7

Ki ng. ( 1 1. . . c3 ? ! 1 2 . Ndf3 b4? 1 3 . Ngs ! ) . i s really Bl ack's only other

Nor is Bl ack in a position to take those

option here, as it requires White to play

pawns on the Q - s i d e b ecause Wh ite

9 . c3 before playing b 3. H owever, Black

can put significant pressure down the

would sti ll have to play 9 . . . Bb7 to give

a- and b-files. The diagram position is

his Rook protection, and play would be

quite rich in possibil ities due to threats

similar to the l i ne given here ( and l ikely

on both sides of the board. If nothing

will transpose) because

else, Wh ite can lock up the Q-side, play

8 . . . Qc7

has not

stopped White from playing Nes .

8 ... N b d 7

would a l s o req u i re 9 . c3

and would put the brakes on Nes, but

f4 , and use his space advantage on the K-side to mount an assault on Bl ack's King.

it doesn't matter because Bl ack needs to

lineS

have a piece supporting a possible ... Bc6 to prevent a future Qa4+ should Wh ite

1 .d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d 5 3 .e3 e6 4.N b d 2 c5

take on c4. Bl ack would really prefer to

5.c3 b6 6.Bb5+

29

Module 2 : Slaying the b7-Monster eS-square and stops his positi on from being generally passive. H owever, trying to get b oth of those moves in the near future allows White to sacrifice the mi­ nor exchange for excellent control of the center and play against Bl ack's K-side. Bl ack players going for a win might start down that road, but it is unlikely to take them where they want to go. The rest of t h i s l i n e is devoted to

6

Nbd7

an exa m p l e of how such p l ay might

S h o u l d B l ack play 6 . . . Bd7 i nstead,

unfold.

.•.

White has already won a small victory.

11

•••

Bd6

The Bishop there not only gets in the way

Th i s makes d S l es s o f a c o n ce rn .

of Bl ack's forces but also gives White an

Note that Bl ack cannot get around what

easy plan of retreating the Bishop to d3,

is co m i ng by p l aying 1 1 . . . h 6 ? ! si nce

stonewal ling with NeS & f4, and looking

White can play 1 2 . d S !

for a g4 ! break.

1 2 .Bg5 0-0 1 3 .0-0 Nf6?!

7.e4! dxe4 7 . . . cxd4 8 . Nxd4 wil l allow White to

There is nothing that says Black has to play this, but otherwise White has a

play eS with advantage.

pretty free hand.

8.Nxe4! Nxe4 9.Bc6 Rb8 1 0. Bxe4 Qc7!

1 4.Bxf6! gxf6 1 5.d5! f5

The only move. Otherwise Bf4 makes

C l e a rly, th i s is the way to refute

Bl ack's Rook cry .

White's play if such a refutatio n is to be

1 1 .Qe2

found.

White threatens d S . The problem for Black from this position is that he would like to play both . . . Bd6 and . . . Nf6 soon. The Knight move helps unwind his posi­ tion. In addition to putting his Knight on a natural square, it shoos White's Bishop from e4, allowing Bb 7 . A Bishop o n d6 al lows Bl ack to continue contesting the

30

1 6.Bc2 exd 5 1 7.Rfe 1 Qd8 Covering gS to allow his next move.

1 8.Ra d 1 Be6 1 9.g 3 ! B l ack cannot enj oy t h e prospect of seeing Nh4 come down .

Module 2 : Lesson

Sa m p le Exercise O n e l i n e I h ave not menti o n ed is shown below.

1 .d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 dS 3 .e3 e6 4.Nbd2 cS S.c3 N bd 7 6.Bd3 b6

There are three chief candidates: e4, Qe2, and 0 - 0 . Let's l o o k at each o n e . Note that Q c 2 is generally not a good play in the C-K. White will be pressured down the c-file and often has to make concessions to keep his Queen safe o n c2.

W h ite Adva nces The obvious candidate is 7 .e4. C- K players should be quite at h o m e with the sort of game one expects after this central pawn b reak. The problem is that Wh ite's uncastled position gives Black seri ous tactical options. Remember the W h a t s h o u l d Wh i t e p l ay h e r e ?

two criteria indicating when White can

Analyze the various options and defend

p l ay e4 without h aving castl ed. N o te

your choice.

that neither applies: White has p l ayed

(Solution begins at the top of the nex t column.)

c3, and Bl ack has not played . . . Bb 7 . After 7 . . cxd4, White would rather .

not take back wi th a pawn, l eading to what looks l ike either a l i fel ess IQP or one with a bit too much l i fe to it (e.g., 8 . cxd4 dxe4 9 . Nxe4 Bb7 I O . Nxf6 + Qxf6 I l. BgS Bxf3 ! ? ) Unfo rtunately 8 . Nxd4 ? ! NcS ! can not b e adequately an swered with 9 . Bb S + (which is often a resource in such l i nes) . Bl ack can s i m p ly meet t h i s with 9 . . . B d 7 , after which Wh ite has l i ttl e better than I O . Bxd 7 + Qxd 7 I I . exd S , when Bl ack can p l ay the an­ noying I l . . . Nd3 + or try for more with

1 1 . . . eS ! ?

( Note that Nd3 + would not be

31

Module 2 : Slaying the b7-Monster an option if White had castled, and this

between the cal m 10.cxd4 dxe4 1 1.Nxe4

is also the move that stops 1 1.eS from

Bb7 12.Nc3 and the considerably less

working as well.)

calm 12.NegS ! ? h6 13.Nxe6 ! ?

Thus, White may be tempted to play

8.eS?! But this does not work out well

White Castles

for him either because his King is in the

Wh ile it is generally smart to castle

way of B l ack's m arau d i n g p awn as it

before opening up the center, it is hard

threatens to zig-zag to c3 and then d2.

to see how White can get anything bet­ te r th an a tra n s p o s i t i o n of an e a rlier

White Conti n u es Prepa rations

l i ne by castling now. Castl ing i s also

The b e s t m o ve i s 7 . Q e 2 , v i r t u­

discouraged as it allows Black to make

ally assuring White can play e4 at some

up for be ing a b it lazy in his moves ear­

point.

lier. After 7.0-0 Bb7 8.Qe2 Bl ack has the

I f B l a c k i g n o re s t h i s a n d p l ays

option of p l aying 8

•••

Ne4!? s i n ce the

7 ... B b 7 anyway, we h ave 8 .e 4 cxd 4

c7-square is available for his Queen, and

9.Nxd4, and now 9 ... NcS can be met

he appears to be fine after 9.NeS NxeS

with 10.BbS ! because Black's Bishop is

1 0.dxeS Qc7!

no l onger on its home square. Of course, Bl ack has far better 9th moves, such as

Exe rci ses

9 ... Qc7. H oweve r, White w i l l be able

On the following three pages are 12

to grab the central files, and that should

diagrams testing your tactics and stra­

count for something.

tegic understanding in positions where

I f Black instead pl ays 7 ... Be7, plan-

Black plays an early ...b 6. The first four

n i ng to castle and avo id any nasti ness

only have general co mmentary in their

on the e-file, White should fol l ow suit.

solutions ( as in the solutions to exercis­

After 8.0-0 0-0 9.e4, Black sti ll has to do

es in module 1 ) . I have provided addi­

something about that e-pawn, and after

tional notes and variations to the l ast 8.

9 ... dxe4 10.Nxe4 B b 7 1 1.Nxf6 + Nxf6

The exercises in the rest of the modules

12.dxcS BxcS 13.BgS, I think Wh ite can

all have these additional analyses.

sti l l claim some slim pull. 9 ... cxd4 is far less common in practical play from th is position, but might be better. On the other hand, it gives White the choice

32

Exercises Exercise 1

Exercise 9

Last Moves: 5 .c3 b6 6.Bb5+ Bd7

La st Moves: 5.Bb5+ N bd 7 6.Bc6 Rb8

Exercise 2

Exercise 4

Last Moves: 6.Bd3 c5 7.0-0 Be7

Last Moves: 5.Bb5+ c6 6.Bd3 c5

33

Module 2 : Slaying the b7-Monster

34

Exercise 5

Exercise 7

Last Moves: 5 .c3 Be7 6.Bd3 b6

Last Moves: 5.c3 b6 6.Bb5+ N b d 7

Exercise 6

Exercise 8

Last Moves: 7 .0-0 c4 S.Be2 Qc7

Last Moves: 5.Bb5+ c6 6.Bd3 N b d 7

M odule 2 : Exercises

Exercise 9

Exercise 1 1

Last Moves: 3 .e3 b6 4.BbS+ N b d 7

Last Moves: 9.Bc6 R b 8 1 0. Bxe4 N f6

Exercise 1 0

Exercise 1 2

Last Moves: 7.0-0 c4 8. Be2 Bd7

Last Moves: 4.Nbd2 N b d 7 S.Bd3 b6

35

SolutiOilS Exercise 1

Exercise 2

Last Moves: S .c3 b6 6.BbS+ B d 7

Last Moves: 6.Bd3 cS 7.0-0 Be7

Best Move: 7.Bd 3 !

Best Move: S.NeS

Commentary White retreats his Bishop and now

Commentary Black has run W hite out of moves,

plans on establishing a Knight on eS.

so N e S is the appr o priate p l ay h er e.

He will look for an opportunity to break

Remember, you should not play c3 in

with g4.

response to ... cS after Black has already played ...b 6.

37

Module 2 : Slaying the b7 -Monster

Exercise 3

Exercise 4

Last Moves: 5.Bb5+ Nbd7 6.Bc6 Rb8

Last Moves: 5.Bb5+ c6 6.Bd3 c5

Best Move: 7.Qe2 Commentary

Best Move: 7.0-0 Commentary

Th is was the move given in Li ne A

N ow t h a t B l a c k h as p l ayed . . . c S ,

if Black b locks the check with a Knight.

neither Q e 2 n o r e4 are possible ( . . . c4

It gives Wh ite an excellent position by

squashes b oth ) . Thus, cast l i n g is the

supporting b oth pawn b reaks ( e 4 and

move White has left.

c4 ) while discouraging . . . Bb 7 ? ! due to tactics involving White's Queen h itting

Exercise 5

the undefended Roo k on b7 when she

Last Moves: 5 .c3 Be7 6.Bd3 b6

retakes o n e4 .

Best M ove: 7.e4

38

Module 2 : Solutions

Commentary

Commentary

Since Bl ack has not played . . . Nbd7 (the source of White's frustration in the

White needs to stop Black from play­ ing . . . c3 .

sample exercise discussed in the mod­ ule), White can play e4 immedi ately.

Analysis, Variation, and Notes

9 Analysis, Variation, and Notes

7

•••

Bb7

Based on the resu l t s of t h i s l i n e, i t

dxe4

m ight seem l ike gua rd i ng eS with a m i n o r

7 ... cxd4 8.Nxd4, a n d B l a ck h a s to be

piece i s more i m portant, but that does not

•••

ca reful about how the center resolves.

work out wel l fo r B l a ck. One probl e m is

S.Nxe4 N bd 7

that Black knows moving his Ki ng's Bishop

8... Bb7 9.Nxf6+ Bxf6 1 0.dxcS. 9.Nxf6+ Nxf6

i s a wa sted m ove, but at the sa m e ti m e he has t o b e ca reful about Wh ite openi ng

9...Bxf6 1 0.Be4. 1 0.dxeS BxeS 1 1 .Bf4 0-0 1 2 .Qe2

Black's Queen wi l l have a bit of an i s­ sue find i ng a good squa re.

up the ga m e with h i s King sti l l two m oves away from ca stli ng. 9 ...Nbd 7 1 0.b3 cxb3 ( 1 0...bS? 1 1 .a4) 1 1 .Qxb3 Bd6 ( 1 1 ...Bb7 1 2.c4) 1 2.Ba3 0-0 1 3.Rfc 1 ;

Exercise 6 Last Moves: 7.0-0 e4 S.Be2 Qe7

9...Nc6 1 0.e4! dxe4 1 1 .NgS. 1 0.NeS

It is i m p o rta nt to get th i s in befo re B l a ck covers eS. Otherwise you ca n e n d up w i t h a position t o o l ocked up t o get a nyt h i ng fro m . Th i s move gives Wh i te some extra space he w i l l use later. 1 0.b3 cxb3 1 1 .Qxb3 Nc6 i s okay fo r Wh ite but n ot great. 1 0.Qc2 Nbd 7 1 1 .b3 bS 1 2.a4 a6 a n d i t l ooks l ike Wh ite w i l l have t o l ose t h e te m po wa r a n d p l a y B a 3 befo re B l a ck Best Move: 9.e3

m oves h i s o w n B i s h o p. De p e n d i ng o n your technique, you may find this position quite pro m i s i ng o r quite dul l. Th i s i s why I

39

Module 2 : Slaying the b7-Monster

suggest playing Ne5 ea rlier. 10

•••

N b d 7 1 1 .f4

1 0... b5 1 1 .exf6. 1 1 .Nxe4 dxe4 1 2 . Bf4

Black wi l l have to play pretty scra p p i l y

Black ca nnot make use of the e4-squa re due t o the pressure on c4.

to manage some sembla nce of equa l ity.

Exercise 7

Exercise 8

Last Moves: S.c3 b6 6.BbS+ N b d 7

La st Moves: S . B b S + c 6 6 . B d 3 N b d 7

Best Move: 7.e4

Best Move: 7.0-0 Commentary

Commentary

Bl ack has decided to play his Kn ight

Th is makes good use of the unde­ fended Rook.

out befo re pushing the c-pawn, th is is the s o rt of i n accu racy strong p l aye rs

Analysis, Variation, and Notes

7

•••

know how to punish.

cxd4 Analysis, Variation, and Notes

7 . . . d xe4 8 . Nxe4 Nxe4 9 . B c 6 Rb8 1 0.Bxe4 (th reate n i ng Bf4!) 1 0... 0c7 1 1 .0-0

7 .e4 d xe4 8 .Nxe4 Nxe4 9 . Bxe4 O c 7

B d 6 1 2.Bg5 h6 1 3. B h4 i s about eq u a l, but

d oe s n 't l o ok too ba d fo r B l a ck. 1 0.Ne 5

Black has to play some awkwa rd m oves.

N xe 5 1 1 . B f4 B d 6 . Co m pa re t h e s i m i l a r

He wou l d l ike t o p l a y . . . Nf6 b u t wou l d

l i nes bel ow.

rather not have to reca pture with a pawn

7

after Bxf6. 8.Nxd4 Bb7 9.eS a6 1 0.Ba4 Ne4

40

cS

•••

Not h i ng else puts u p much of a fight aga i nst e4.

Module 2 : Solutions

Commentary

7 ... Be 7 8.e4 dxe4 9.Nxe4 Nxe4 1 0.Bxe4

B l ack p u s h e d h i s b - p awn a m ove

Q c 7 1 1 .N e 5 B b 7 ( 1 1 ... N x e 5 1 2 . B f4 )

b e fore h e pr o b ab ly s h o u l d h ave. H e

1 2.Qg4! 7 ... Bd6 8.Qe2 gets good use out of the

then compounded this by making the

un protected c-pawn. 8 ...0-0 9.e4 dxe4?!

natural beginner error of blocking with

1 0.Nxe4 Nxe4 1 1 .Qxe4.

his Knight. W hite should take advan­

8.e4!

tage of the locked in Queen and weak

W h ite ca n p l a y e4! because B l a c k 's

c6-square.

pawn ca n not d o a Sherman's M a rch to the Analysis, Variation, and Notes

Ki ng (. . . cxd4, . . . dxc3, . . . cxd 2+)-there is no c3-pawn to ta ke. 8 ... c4

S

•••

Bb7

5 ...c 5 6.e4 e6 (6... cxd4 7.exd 5 Bb7

8...cxd4?! 9.e5. 9.Be2 c3

8.Qxd4 a6 9.Bc6 Bxc6 1 0.Nxc6 Qc8 1 1 .0-0) 7.exd 5 Nxd 5 (7...exd 5 ? 8.Nc6 Qc7 9.Qe2+)

9...b5 ?! 1 0.a4. 1 0.bxc3 dxe4 1 1 .NeS Qc7 1 2.BbS Be7

1 2 ...a6 1 3.Bc6.

8.c4 Nc7 9.Bc6 cxd4 1 0.Qxd4 f6 1 1 .Nxd 7. 6.Qf3 ! c6 7.Nxc6 Bxc6 8.Bxc6 Rc8 9. Bxd S

1 3 .Rel .

Exercise 10

Exercise 9

Last Moves: 7.0-0 c4 8.Be2 Bd7

Last Moves: 3 .e3 b6 4.BbS+ N b d 7

Best Move: 9.e4 Best Move: S.NeS

41

Module 2 : Slaying the b 7 -Monster

Exe rcise 1 1

Commentary Black has moved his Bishop to d7 in

Last Moves: 9.Bc6 Rb8 1 0.Bxe4 Nf6

an effort to reach a stab le Q-side. Th is Bishop puts support on b S and a4. I n particular a future Qa4 ( as described i n the lesso n ) i s now out o f the question. H owever, Black has overlooked the over­ worked nature of his d-pawn, which has to both protect c4 and stop e4 .

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

9

•••

N c6

Consistent with Black's ea rlier p l a n a s

Best Move: 1 1 .Bf4!

n o w t h e Queen ca n protect t h e Rook o n a8. Sti l l, a l l owing White t o get eS i n must a l ways be considered ca reful ly. 9 . . . dxe4 1 O . N e S and Bl ack cannot hold the c-pawn . 1O . . . b S 1 1 . a4;

Commentary Black has made a natural move, try­ ing to unwind his position by playing . . . N f6 with tempo against the B ishop

9 . . . Nxe4 1 O . Nxe4 dxe4 gives Wh ite a

on e4. G iven the compromised state of

choice between a stabl e advantage ( 1 1 .

his Q-side, this is a luxury he could not

NeS ) or an active one after 1 1 . NgS Bc6

afford . . . . Qc7 was needed instead with

1 2 .£3 Be7 1 3 . Nxf7 !

an interesting game ahead ( see lesson

1 0.eS Ng4 1 1 .b3 bS 1 2 .a4 a613 . N b 1

for analysis of that variation ) .

White has options on both sides o f t h e b oard . H i s l ast move foresees push­ ing the Knight back to h6 and then tak­ ing him to introduce doubled, isol ated h-pawns in Black's camp .

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 1 .Bf4 Bd6 1 2. Bc6+ Ke7

1 2 ...B d 7 1 3 .Bxd6 Bxc6 1 4.Bxb8. 1 3 .NeS Qc7

1 3 ...Bb7? 1 4.Bxb7 Rxb7?? l S.Nc6+; 1 3 ...BxeS 1 4.BxeS d rops the excha nge (for some compensation). 1 4.0-0 Rd8 1 S .Qe2 Kf8 1 6.Rad 1

B l a ck h a s ma d e i t u n s c a t h e d , but

42

Module 2 : Solutions

Wh ite sti l l has much the better position.

fo r Wh ite and h a s performed quite wel l

He w i l l l ikely take o n c 5 soon, giving h i m

i n practice.

ta rgets on the Q-side.

9. Bxe4 Bxe4 1 0.Qxe4 h 6

If Black wants to play Bd6, he should

Exercise 12 Last M oves: 4. N b d 2 N b d 7 S.Bd3 b6

play t h i s first to stop Bg5. 1 1 .0-0 Bd6 1 2 .dS NcS 1 3 .Qe2 Qf6

1 3 ...0-0 1 4.b4. 1 4.QbS+ Kf8 l S .dxe6 a6 1 6.Qc6 Rd8 1 7 .Be3

1 7.exf7?? Bxh2+ 1 B.Kxh2 Qxc6. 17

.•.

Nxe6 1 8.c3

Wh ite reta i n s an advantage.

Best Move: 6.e41 Commentary Si nce Wh ite's c-pawn is stil l on c2, Wh ite can push e4 safely without having castled first. This leads to a position that has favored White in the past.

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

6 ... dxe4

6...c5 7.e5 c4 B.Be2 Ng4. 7.Nxe4 Bb7 8.Qe2 Nxe4

B... B e 7 h a s been p l ayed on severa l occa sions fro m here. The text i s a sharp try to i mp rove si nce n o rma l p l a y gives White a good a ga me. 9.0-0 0-0 1 O.R d 1 Nxe4 1 1 .Bxe4 Bxe4 1 2.Qxe4 looks good

43

Module 3: PuttillS Dowll all Errallt �lliSqt

A

s you almost certa inly know, the Argh . Colle has the uncommon feature You know it isn't a good move. I t that its deviati ons are as i mportant to doesn't even qual ify a s a pet defense. It's study as its m a i n l i n e . We all heave a more like an " i maginary friend " defense. small sigh of rel ief when . . . e6 graces the But you also know that if you j ust go score sheet. lumbering away with normal C-Z moves Col le players know these deviations he is go ing to secu re the Kn ight with come with the territory, and learn i ng . . . f5 soon, and you will start wondering how to respond to them is like preposi­ whether the Blackmar- Diemer gambit is ti ons or to ilet paper-someth i ng you all that bad. cannot go very long without. Books don't have sections on early It can be rather disconcerting, then, . . . Ne4 plays because no one above 2000 when B l ack fi rst p l ays n i cely i n to a would be caught dead playing such rub­ standard Col l e structure, and then all bish. (This l ine is one of the better tries of a sudden th reate n s to take away for Bl ack, and I found only 1 master­ Christmas: level game with it. ) 1 .d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 dS 3 .e3 e6 (yay! ) 4.Bd3 S t i l l , c h a n ces a re you are n o t a cS S.b3 Nc6 6.0-0 cxd4 7.exd4 Ne47! m aster. And that you w i l l face such filthy knight sall ies considerably more frequently than Anand. I n this module I ' l l discuss the ideas relevant to these positions so you are better equipped to punish your opponent for marring the chessboard with such ugly and arrogant moves. ( For we all know that you are the only one who has the right to play ugly and arrogant moves. ) U g ly, Arroga nt, and An noyi ng.

45

Module 3 : Putting Down an Errant Kn ight

P r i m a ry Ta rgets

One target for White is always the

C o l l e - K o l ta nowski pl ayers w i l l i n g

Knight itsel f. The steed on e4 in itial ly

t o use the move order I gave in the last

has o n ly one defender, the dS p awn .

m o d u l e [ 1 . d 4 N f6 2 . N f3 d S 3 . e 3 e 6

B l ack has p l enty of ways o f s u p p o rt­

4 . Nb d 2 rath e r t h a n 4 . B d 3 ] h ave t h e

ing the Knight. That isn't the issue. The

l uxury o f s i mply exch anging i f B l ack

rules of chess allow him to advance his

plays . . . Ne4 very early. Black then has

f-pawn immediately afterward, and he

to hustle to p rotect the p awn after re­

could c o n te m p l ate . . . b6 a n d . . . B b 7 .

capturing on eS, l eaving him behind i n

The p robl e m i s that Bl ack has al ready

development.

put h i m s e l f b e h i n d in deve l o p ment,

Col le-Zukertort players do not have this luxury, and most of this module is dedicated to the targets and ideas they should have in mind when facing this threat.

and these moves only put him further behind.

Furthermore, no te tha t bo th these op tio ns ( . . . f5 a nd . . . Bb 7) remov e a de­ fender from the e6-paw n. To make matters worse for Bl ack, he

There is no set- in-stone c o l l ection

cannot i n general want to exchange this

of principles that dictate exactly how to

Kn ight. After a l l , h e has i nvested two

respond to an early . . . Ne4, but under­

moves in putting it on a useful square.

standing your primary targets in such

The second maj or target for White is

positions should put you o n the right

the d S -pawn. The Knight that moved to

track.

e4 used to defend that pawn, but now it is defended

by the pawn . The pawn might

seem adequately guarded. Currently the e6-pawn and the Queen on dB protect it. The issue is that any attack on the pawn is really an attack on the Knight until the Knight gets more protectio n . Thus, Nc3 is a triple attack of sorts. I t hits the pawn on dS directly and h its the Knight on e4 b oth directly and indirectly. G iven that White woul d be h appy to h ave B l ack

Primary Ta rgets

take on c3, Nc3 is a very powerful move for White i n these l ines.

46

Module 3 : Lesson

But my guess is that it would be too

set of three threats you will rarely get to

simple tojust say "always play Nc3 when

execute .

Black plays

•••

Ne4" right? How can they be "nearly as important" if

Qu ite so. I n fact, that is almost never

you rarely get to use them?

the right response. It is better to play c4 first. This move not o nly h its the pawn

I didn't say you rarely get to

use them.

on d S , b u t co n trib utes in general to

I said you rarely get to

opening up the game so White can pun­

wi l l be

ish Black for neglecting development.

the time because your opponent has to

I f these were the only targets, Bl ack would be o kay. But there is always a

using

execute them. You

them ( i n some sense) all

take them into considerati o n as h e i s responding t o your moves.

th ird target. I f Bl ack has exchanged on

It's l i ke warnings on cigarettes. My

d4, W h i t e has a s e m i - o p e n e - fi l e to

gu ess i s M ar l b o ro wou l d n ever h ave

target the pawn on e 6 . I f Black has

not

unil aterally decided " H ey, here's a great

exchanged o n d4, then Wh ite has the

idea for marketing our product - Let's

threat of dxcS fol l owed by Bxg7 .

put a big warn ing l abel apprising any­ one who has been on Pluto for the last 2 0 years that wi l l fu l ly i n h a l ing l a rge quantities of tar and carbon monoxide is perhaps not the healthiest thing in the world. " They would rather be using that sp ace for any number of things . H ow­ ever, the threat of being fined mill ions of dollars requires them to package their cigarettes in a sl ightly different way than they would l ike.

Standard Piece Placements and Ta rgets

Same th ing here. These threats wil l dictate h o w your opponent responds,

Th reats The targets from the last section are th e fu ndamental b ricks fo r building a response, but nearly as important are a

and if he fails to adequately consider all these options, then BOOM he's going to get smoked . 1. Uncovering the Bishop

47

Module

3:

Putting D own an Errant Knight

2. The Anti -Stonewall Assault

3.

The ds-pin

The Lo ng Dista nce Bishop I f B lack has n o t tr aded p awns o n d4

before

putti ng his Knight on e4, he

has to keep in mi nd the possibili ty of White capturing the g7 pawn, which is no longer shielded by the Knight on f6 from the Bishop on b 2 .

The Danger of an Early Stonewa ll.

Roya l P(a ) i n on d5 The ds -pawn enj oys support fr o m the pawn o n e6 and the Queen. It may appear a poor target si nce White does not have an easy way to put a third at­ tacker on the pawn. However, you always have to be co ncerned when a Queen is required as a defender, especially whe n

U nveiling t h e Bishop with a Ca ptu re

you are behi nd in development. Black may think he has dealt with his

The Sta ndard

problems after castli ng and playing . . . fS .

Anti-Sto newa l l Assa u lt

I n reality his Queen can find herself the

Since the pawn on dS and Knight on e4 are standard targets for White, Black gener ally d e s i res to p l ay . . . fs , taki n g some of the defensive burden off the em­ battled dS pawn. H owever, if Black has not castled, White can contemplate Qhs+ prepared by Nes . The point being that . . . g6 can be met by Nxg6! as the h-pawn is pinned to the unprotected Rook.

48

victi m of a nasty pin after cxds exds ; Nxds Qxds; Bc4!

Module 3 : Lesson Thi s c o n figurati o n b o d e s p o o rly for Black in an astounding number of ways : •

Black can no longer play ... Bf6 to

defend the g7 pawn. •

dxcs ( o r cs ) n o w c o m e s wi t h

tempo against the Bishop. •

The Bishop can fi nd itsel f pinned

to the Queen down the d-file. •

Why the d-pawn is Fragile

Th e Bishop is vulnerable to Nc4,

which very well may come about due to the sequence Bxe4 dxe4; Nd2 fs; Nc4

This Bishop can be supported either by a pawn on b3 or a Knight on es.

•

on the Bish op. •

A Very M i s p la ced B i s h o p

Any Nxe4 now comes with tempo The Bishop cuts the Queen away

from the pawn on dS.

Should Black play ... B d 6 before o r soon after playing ... Ne4, you will gen­

The only option the Bishop on d6

erally have reason to cackl e with glee

gives Black is the possibility of a co mbi­

(but on the inside, of course).

nation based on ... Bxh 2 + .

Genera l Advice These guidelines should help you as you determine the specific ways of using the targets and tactics described earlier. •

Be patient! The earlier Black pl ays

... Ne4 the less likely he is going to be able to make up fo r his lack of develop­ ment soon. It is not the end of the world if he gets to castle or play ...fs. O ften

A "Good" Bishop on a Bad Square.

these just present him other problems. •

K n o w t h a t B l ack c a n m ove his

Bishop to f6 via e7.

49

Module 3 : Putting D own an Errant Knight •

O ften it is advisab l e to take the

Knight on e4, not only to give yourself an u n m oving target o n e4 after B l ack recaptures with the dS-pawn, but also

on a chess board, you'll get a good feel for the ab ove principles as

well as an un­ derstanding of the development advantage you can expect in these lines.

to stop the Knight from going anywhere more usefu l . This is particularly true if you plan to take the cS -pawn or i f Black has j ust taken on d4 with his c-pawn, which opens the cS -square. •

If B l ack takes o n d4 after h aving

al ready p l ayed . . . Ne4, you w i l l m o re or l ess never want to recapture with the e-pawn . Take with the Knight if you are unsure which p iece to recapture with . •

After 7

I f B l ack c a p t u r e d t h e d 4 - p awn

. . .

cxd4

before playing . . . Ne4, try to figure out how to use the open e3 square. This can

B l ack p l ayed . . . N e 4 b e fo re Wh i te

either be by p l aying a Queen to e2, a

had castled, so White wisely ( remember,

Roo k to e 1 , or l o o king to play Bf4 if you

be patient) castled to prevent any nasti­

have not already played Bb2 .

ness with . . . QaS + . Then Bl ack took on

•

Any p i ece o n d 6 o r d 7 cuts the

b l ack Queen fro m defending dS. •

The longer Black goes without cas­

tling, the more l i kely NeS is good. •

When all else fails, and you can­

not think o f a good variation, p l ay c4

d4 . H ow should White respond? Figure out the important variations. It wouldn't hurt to write your conclusions i n a prac­ tice j ournal . In fact, take as much time as you need and write down everythi ng.

and Nc3 !

[Solution begins on next page. J Princi p l es in Action Th e d i agram b e l ow t i e s togeth e r much of this chapter's guidance. I f you work on this exercise yourself and then play through all the solution's variations

50

The first thing that came i nto your

M odule 3 : Lesson head should have been

Don 't retake with the pawn because that closes the long diago­ nal while the g7-pawn is still a target. That makes Bxd4 and Nxd4 the most immediate candidate moves . Bxd4 al­ l ows Black to take the Bishop, putting a

defin ite ki nk in the plan to target g7 , so Nxd4 presents itself. Nxd4 is a perfectly good move that gives White a good position, but it allows Black to find a more intelligent square for

U s i n g the f-p awn in this p o s i t i o n

his advanced Knight. In general we never

can not possibly be good d u e t o QhS +

l i ke to see Black play . . . NcS, and here

( e . g . 9 . . . fS ? 1 0 . Q h S + g 6 I l . Nxc6 ! ) .

Black could also simply play . . . Nf6 . This

Instead Black can play his Queen to gS,

yields a position that most masters would

whence it can sally to fS or g6 . An option

love to play against, but many class play­

promoting more develop ment involves

ers will l ikely prefer more clear advantag­

playing the Bishop to c6 after p l aying

es before abandoning the C-Z structure.

. . . Nxd4 .

In particular I would suggest opening the board up to make use of White's immi­ nent development advantage.

Defe n d i n g with t h e Queen Trying to defend with the Q u e e n

W i t h t h e a b ove i n m i n d , W h i t e

leaves Black terribly behind a s h e address­

should snip off that Kn ight before i t can

es Wh ite's fusillade of threats. He should

go anywhere and

exchange on d4.

play 9 . . . Nxd4 immediately to stop NbS,

After 8.Bxe4! dxe4 9.Nxd4 Black is faced

hitting c7 . After 1 0 . Bxd4 QgS I l . Nd2

with the question of how to defend the

Qg6 ( . . . Q fS is met by 1 2 . f3 ) , 1 2 . Qe2

e4-pawn after White pl ays Nd2 .

threatens a fork on b S . 12 . . . Bd7 1 3 . Nc4

then

eyes a fork on eS, and 1 3 . . . f6 1 4 . Rad l threatens BeS ! ! (e.g., Be7 ? ! I S . BeS ! ! fxeS ? 1 6 . Rxd7 Kxd7 ? 1 7 .NeS + . ) Sane players should prefer 1 4 . . . QfS because 1 4 . . . eS ? ! I S . BxeS ! Bg4 can be met by 1 6 . Q d2 ! and there is a heavy

51

Module 3 : Putting D own an Errant Knight price on the material White appears to

13. Ndb 5 Bxb 5 14.Nxb5 RcB 15.c4 Nc6

be giving away. Afte r 14 ... Q f5 1 5.f4,

16.Rad 1 looks terrible for Black.

White should still eventually get Be5 in with good effect.

The direct 10.N d 2 is fine as long a s y o u re a li ze that a ft e r 1 0 ... Nxd4 1 l.exd4 Bc6 12.Qe2 you are not actu­

Defend i ng with the Bishop

ally assured of winning a p awn as Black

Thus, the most reasonable plan in­

might find 12 ... Bd6 ! , all owing him to

volves defending with the Bishop. I n

meet 13.Nxe4 with 13 ... Bxh 2 + 14.Kxh 2

this case Bl ack should not exchange the

Q h 5 + 1S.Kg 1 Qxe4. This doesn't make

Knight immediately because

9 . .. Nxd4

10.Nd2 a bad p l ay. White has a great

1 0. B x d 4 B d 7 a l l o w s W h i te to p l ay

game after 13.c4 and may well take on

1 1.Q h 5 ! , making ro o m fo r th e Ro o k

e4 soon anyway.

t o attai n t h e p owerfu l d 1 p o s t whi l e

Si n c e B l a c k i s n o t c a p t u ri n g t h e

leaving t h e black Queen with very few

Knight, though, White can also answer

squares. ( l l.Qg4 ! ? wins the e-pawn im­

9.

mediately, but Bl ack can cause White a

the d6-square when Black would really

bit of a headache afterward.)

rather not exchange his Bishop, which

.

. Bd7 with 10.Nb S, threatening to hit

is defending the g7 -pawn under attack by the Bishop on b2. Thus, Black may answer in kind with 10 ... Nb4, hitting c2 and essentially pinning the Knight on d2 before it even gets there ! ( 1 l .N S c3 Bc6 12.Nd2 Be7 1 3.Ndxe4 ? ! Qxd 1 14.Rfxd 1 Nxc2.) Unfo rtun ately for Bl ack, White has more important things on his mind than c2 and a l . After 1 l .N d 6 + ! Bxd 6 12.Qxd 6 Nxc2 13.Qg3 , Bl ack's Knight After 9

. . .

Bd 7, White has three prom­

ising plans.

is not doing him any favors. Since 10 ... Nb4 has flaws, it l o o ks

1 0.Qh 5 is still quite good since 10 ...

like Black has to settle for 10 .. . eS, when

Qf6 appears to j ust give a worse version

1 l.Nd 6 + Bxd 6 12.Qxd 6 f6 13.Nc3 BfS

of the early Defending with

14.Q a3 cannot be comfo rtable.

the Queen line

while 1 0... Qa5 1 l.Qxa5 Nxa5 12.Nc3 f5

52

Module 3 : Lesson

N otes on Com p leting the Exe rci ses My guess is th at your j ournal shows a substantially different answer than the ab ove . That's okay. Both the solving of the problem and seeing a thorough solu­ tion improve your chess. Th e s o luti o n s to the exe rcise di a­ grams shown on the next two pages are not nearly as tho rough, but I do try to give the important variations you can c o m p are with your own a n swers . I n each diagra m try to find the best move and write out the variations you see. Pl ayers under 1600 might just want to focus th e fi rst ti me around on the gen eral co m m e n tary describing why the best move is called fo r. All players s h o u l d eventua l ly p l ay th rough a n d thi n k a b o u t t h e

and Notes

Analys is, Variations,

portion o f the so lutions to

build up their understanding of these positions. D on't be discouraged if you r solutions do not match mine. I promise you that if you take these problems seri­ ously and write down all your analysis and ideas when working th rough them, you'll start seeing improvement.

53

Exercises Exercise 1

Exercise 3

La st Moves: 6.0-0 Bd6 7.Bb2 N e4

La st Moves: 3 .e3 e6 4.N b d 2 Ne4

Exercise 2

Exercise 4

Last Moves: 4.Bd3 cS S.b3 Ne4

Last Moves: 3 .e3 e6 4.Bd3 N e4

55

Module 3 : Putting Down an Errant Knight

56

Exercise 5

Exercise 7

Last Moves: 6.0-0 Ne4 7.Bb2 Be7

Last Moves: 4.Nbd2 cS S.c3 Ne4

Exercise 6

Exercise 8

La st Moves: 6.0-0 Bd6 7.Bb2 N e4

Last Moves: 9.Nc3 fS 1 O.cxd S exd S

Module 3 : Exercises Exercise 9

Exercise 1 1

Last Moves: 8.c4 f5 9.cxd 5 exd 5

Last Moves: 7.exd4 Ne4 8.c4 B d 6

Exercise 1 0

Exercise 1 2

Last Moves: 7.Bd3 Bc6 8.0-0 N e4

Last Moves: 9.b3 cxb3 1 0.axb3 N e4

57

Solutioqs Exercise 1

a strong co mputer would d o, but sma rt

La st Moves: 6.0-0 Bd6 7.Bb2 N e4

practica l play given that White is goi ng to be a whole pawn up.) 1 1 ...Nxd 8 1 2.Rd 1 !? (perhaps Wh ite w i l l take on g7 now a n d pick up g 2 later.) 1 2 ...f6 1 3. Kxg2 1 0.QxdS+ NxdS

1 0... Kxd8? 1 1 .NgS. 1 1 .Nfd 2 fS 1 2.Bxg 7

Exercise 2 Last Moves: 4.Bd3 cs s.b3 N e4 Best Move: S.Bxe4 Commentary With only one minor piece on the d-file, Black has very few options once Wh i t e b e g i n s exch a n g i n g . S i n c e t h e Bishop is on d6, dxcs is the natural play. H owever, it is better to take the Knight on e4 before taking on cS .

Best M ove: 6.0-0 Analysis, Variations, and Notes

8

•••

dxe4 9.dxcs Bxcs

Commentary

9 ...exf3?! l eaves B l a ck no compensa-

White h a s to be carefu l here. Be-

tion for a whole pawn lost once the dust

fore he can start bl asting through with

settles. 1 O.Qxd6 fxg2 1 1 .Qxd8+ (not what

c4, Nc3, etc. he needs to put his King

59

Module

3:

Putting D own an Errant Knight

to safety or else ... QaS + is a pr oblem.

11

•••

Bd6 1 2 .Nb5 Bb8 1 3 .Qd2

Bl ack's difficulties wil l still be around

Th reate n i ng Nxc6 by d efe n d i ng the

after White has castl ed. Catch the ball

Bishop. Black has th ree pieces h itti ng the

first; then you can start looking at the

Knight, but wi n n i ng a pawn by kicki ng the

end zone.

Kn ight o n bS away gives White a violent attack.

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

6

•••

f5 11

Other m oves a re better, but t h i s i s the

13

•••

a611

Oth e r m oves, l i ke Q d 8, Qe7, o r Qh4 a re wiser but a d m it B l a c k' s whole setu p

o n l y rea s o n abl e o n e t h a t offe rs s o m e-

is bad .

t h i ng with a d ifferent flavor t h a n what i s

1 4.Na3 Nxe5 1 5 . Bxe5 Bxe5 1 6.dxe5

fou n d in other exercises.

Qxe511 1 7.Nc4 Qc7 1 8.N d6+ Kf8

7. Bxe4 dxe4

7 . . .fxe4 gives Wh ite a com p l etely open

l 8 . . . Ke 7 ? Th i s gets t h e Ki ng off t h e ba c k-ra n k, p reventing a s kewer aga i n st

f-fi le before Black has castled.

the Rook, but the King i s more v u l nerable

8.Ne5 Qf6 9.Nc31

here a n d g7 n ow has no defe n se.

Hitti ng e4 w h i l e t h reate n i ng NbS, a natura l reply t o Black' s Queen sortie. 9

• • •

cxd4

1 9.Ra d 1

Th reate n i ng to ta ke a pawn with the Kn ight a n d then i nvad e o n d8.

9 ... a 6 sto p s NbS , but a t t h e cost of e v e n m o r e d e v e l o p m e n t : 1 0 .f3 e xf3 1 1 .Qxf3 Be7 l 2.Qe2 with Ne4 in m i n d .

Exercise 3 Last Moves: 3 .e3 e6 4.N b d 2 N e4

1 0.exd4 N c6! A tactica l way of d i ss u a d i ng NbS d u e

t o t h e un protected natu re o f t h e a-Rook s h o u l d l i q u i d a t i o n o c c u r on e S . Note that Black i s essenti a l l y meeti ng Wh ite' s early NeS i n m uch the sa me way I suggest W h i te a d d ress an early ... Ne4, ta rgeti ng the a p p ropriate center sq u a res. 1 1 .Bf4

1 1 .NbS Lea d s to exceed i ngly i n teresting and unclea r p lay.

60

Best M ove: 5.Nxe4

Module 3 : Solutions

Commentary Whi l e N e 5 is appealing, it s h o u l d lead t o b oth Knights getting snipped off without White h avi ng much to s h ow for it. I n stead, White simply exchanges, betting Black cannot make anything of the space advantage he wil l get on the K-side.

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

5

•••

dxe4 6.Nd2 f5 7.Be2

Best Move: 5.c4 Commentary

Th i s l eaves c4 open for the Kn ight or

Wi th n o c 5 - p awn to take a n d n o

pawn wh i l e givi ng Wh ite a n other option for reca pture after a later f3.

immediate vu lnerab ility t o a check by

7.Bc4 Qh4 8.0-0 Bd6 i s a n noyi ng.

Black's Queen, White should just imme­

Qg5

diately attack the pawn the errant Knight

A bit bold, but Black has trouble devel­

had p reviously defended, which also

opi ng. He wants to move his Bishop to d6,

happens to be the only thing defending

but the th reat of Nc4 d i scourages t h i s for

the Knight.

7

•••

now. P l ayi ng h i s Bishop to e7 blocks h i s Queen a n d makes it harder for h i m t o use the one asset he has, h i s K-side space. 7 ... Qh4 8.Nc4; 7 ... c5 8.Nb3 . 8.0-0 Be7 9.Kh 1 !

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

5

•••

f5

S ... Be7 6.Nc3 Nxc3 7.bxc3 a n d Wh ite has gotten what he wa nted . S . . . Nc6 (If B l a ck p l a n s o n d e l a y i ng

W h i te p re p a r e s n. I w o u l d t h i nk

castl i ng a n d wants to snap up a n y Kn ight

m o st p l ayers wou l d be h a p p y sta rti ng

that a rrives on eS, he m ight choose to go

every ga me of chess with Wh ite' s current

this route.) 6.Nc3 fS (6 ... Bb4 7.Qc2) 7.0-0

position.

a n d White should strongly consider Qb3 soon . It a d d s an attacker to d5 a n d would

Exercise 4 Last Moves: 3 .e3 e6 4.Bd3 Ne4

support a later Bc4, bea ring down on e6. Pressure on b7 i s i c i ng on the cake.

61

Module 3 : Putting D own an Errant Kn ight

6.Nc3 c6

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

B l a c k h a s c reated a Dutch Ston ewa l l

8

•••

0-0 9.Nc3 cxd4 1 0.Nxe4 dxe4

1 1 .Bxe4 dxe3 1 2 .fxe3 Qb6 1 3 .Qd3 f5

formation. 6 ... B b4 7.Qb3; 6 . . . B e 7 7 . N e S 0-0 8 . c x d S N x c 3 ( 8 . . .

1 4.Bxc6 bxc6 Ta ki n g w i t h t h e p a w n p r e s e rv e s

exd S ? ! 9.NxdS Qxd S ? 1 0.Bc4) .

B l ack's hope of cou nterplay with a fut u re

7.Ne5

... a s a n d m a kes Wh ite's i m m i nent Qd4 at

After B l a c k a d d r e s s e s the t h reat of Q h S +, Wh ite can castl e a n d play f3 .

l ea st a l ittl e less d o m i nati n g . 1 4 ... Qxc6 l S .Rad 1 b6 1 6.Qd4.

1 5 .Qd4 Qxd4 1 6.exd4

Exercise 5 last Moves: 6.0-0 Ne4 7.Bb2 Be7

Exercise 6 last Moves: 6.0-0 Bd6 7.Bb2 N e4

Best M ove: 8.c4 Best m ove: 8.Bxe4

Commentary B l ack is one move away fro m cas­

Commentary

tli ng, and you m ight b e feel ing antsy,

After the exchange on e4, the pawns

thinking you've missed the boat since g7

on e4 a n d g7 are awkward to h o l d .

is soon to be defended. You have to stay

8 . Nbd2 i s a perfectly good alternative

patient here. If you play dxcS , B lack will

but it's a bit harder to see a way to make

resp o n d . . . B f6 . B l ack's p rob l e m s w i l l

use of the advantage it gives.

not g o away after he castles.

62

Module 3 : Solutions

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

8

•••

advanced c-pawn really hurts Black be­

dxe4 9.Nfd 2

cause not only is . . . c6 (to block the check

Si nce Wh ite c a n hit t h e e4 pawn with

from BbS ) impossible, but the c-pawn

two m o re pi eces q u ic kl y, B l a c k ca n o n l y

itsel f can become a target.

h o p e t o h o l d t h e pawn t h ro u g h tactics.

9

•••

0-0!

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

9 .. .fS ? 1 0.dxcS;

6

•••

7 . N d 2 i s certa i n l y o ka y a s wel l , b u t I

9 ... Nf6 1 O.dxcS BxcS 1 1 .Nc3; 9 ... cxd4 1 0.Nc4 BcS ( 1 O ... Be7?! 1 1 .0xd4) 1 1 .exd4 B b4 ( l 1 ...Be7 1 2. Og4) 1 2.0g4.

dxe4 7.NeS

t h i n k Wh ite ca n press t h i s position m o re.

7

•••

1 0.Nxe4 Bxh2+ 1 1 .Kxh2 Q h 4 + 1 2 .Kg 1

Nd7 7 ... Bd6 8.0g4.

8.BbS

Qxe4

White's a b i l ity to p i n the Kn i g ht that i s

Exercise 7

th reate n i n g t o exc h a n g e o n eS g ives l ife

Last Moves: 4.Nbd2 cS S.c3 N e4

to a position that oth e rwise m i g h t offe r Wh ite few i m med iate attacki n g o pti o n s.

8

•••

Bd6 8 . . . a6 9 . B x d 7 + B x d 7 1 0 . d x c S B x c S

1 1 . N xf7 Kxf7 1 2.0 hS+

9.Nc4 N o w it i s c l e a r that W h ite wi l l w i n a pawn ( a ss u m i n g ... Bf8 c a n not be good ) . The o n l y q u esti o n i s what compensation Bl ack can get.

9 Best Move: 6.Nxe4

•••

Bc7 9 ... Be 7 1 0.Og4 0-0 1 1 .0xe4 Nf6 1 2.0f3

N d S 1 3 . N d 2 a nd the boa rd is sta rti ng to

Commentary Of course, taking the Knight is fine. The question is what happens afterward.

look l i ke a norma l Col l e set u p with Bl ack a pawn down.

1 O.dxcS 0-0 1 1 .b4

H opefully some of what sh ows up here

1 1 . Bxd 7 ? ! i s n o t s o m u c h g re e d y

occurred to you a s you were trying to

(th o u g h i t is t h a t) b u t s i m p l y d o e s n ot

figure o u t h o w p l ay s h o u l d go . Th e

p a y e n o u g h a tte n t i o n to t h e a va i l a b i l -

63

Module

3:

Putting Down an Errant Knight

ity of d ecent sq u a res fo r W h ite's o t h e r

Exercise 9

pieces after the exchange. 1 1 . . . Bxd 7 1 2.b4

Last Moves: 8.c4 fS 9.cxd S exd S

B b 5 1 3 .Qxd8 Rfx d 8 a n d i n t h e word s of Socrates "l swa l l owed what?"

1 1 ... QgS 1 2 .0-0 NeS 1 3 . NxeS QxeS 1 4.g3 Wh ite i s safe eno u g h and a pawn to the good.

Exercise 8 La st Moves: 9.Nc3 fS 1 O.cxd S exd S Best Move: 1 0.NeS

Commentary Black closed the a l-hB diagonal be­ fore pl aying Ne4, so White has delayed Bb2 to see if perhaps there is a better p l ace ( l i ke f4 ) fo r h i s d a rk- s q u a red Bis h o p . With the c l o su re o f the l o ng diago nal, Ne5 should be strongly con­ Best Move: 1 1 .NxdS

sidered after .. . f5 . The threats of Q h 5 + and Bb5 encourage Bl ack t o take on e 5 ,

Commentary This diagram shows a classic example

which re moves White's isol ated pawn while exp osing his own .

of why Bl ack has trouble consolidating his Kn ight on e4 with .. . f5 . The Queen cannot recapture due to the open a2 -gB diagonal .

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 0 ... NxeS We' l l look at 1 0 . . . g6 sepa rately.

1 1 .dxeS BcS 1 2.Ba3 Qa S 1 3 . BxcS QxcS Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 1 ... Qxd S 1 1 2.Bc4

64

1 3 ... Nxc5 1 4.Qc2.

1 4.Q hS+ g6 1 S.Qh6 Be6 1 6.Nd2

Module 3 : Solutions Let's consider 1 0 . . . g6 now, which is not a bad move, but Black has to be very careful that Wh ite does not open the e-file and kill him before he has cas­ tled. We will consider this as a separate mainline with bold notation for ease of reading. 10

• • •

g6 1 1 .BbS Qb6

In a d d i t i o n to atta c k i n g the B i s h o p ,

p rotects c6. F u rthermore, a6 i s n o l o n g e r ava i l a b l e t o the c8-Bishop. 1 3 . Bxc6+ bxc6 1 4 .f3 N d 6 ( 1 4 . . . B g 7 l S . a S Q a 7 1 6 . B f4 ) l S .Re 1 .)

1 3 .Bxc6+ bxc6 1 4.aS QbS 1 S. Bf4 0-0 Th i n g s g et c razy here, but the critica l l i ne a p pears to be:

1 6.f3 Ba6 1 7 . Re 1 g S 1 8 .fxe4 gxf4 1 9.exfS RxfS 20. N d 2 .

t h i s p r e- p i n s t h e d - p a w n ( s i n c e W h ite p l a n s o n p l a y i n g f3 o r f4) , t h e o n l y de­ fender of the K n i g h t o n eS.

Exercise 1 0 Last Moves: 7.Bd3 Bc6 8.0-0 N e4

1 2 .a4!! Th i s s u p po rts the B i s h o p and th reat­ e n s to k n o c k t h e Q u ee n off b6, w h i c h removes the p re- p i n fro m t h e d4-pa w n . Th i s i s i m porta nt beca u se White can p l ay f3 fo l l owed by Re l to m a ke B l a ck's K i n g very u n comfo rta ble. I n stead , 1 2. Bxc6+? ! attem pts to ta ke a d va n ta g e of t h e B l a c k K i n g ' s c e n t r a l p l a cement too e a rly. You m u st be ca re­ fu l of yo u r o p p o n e nt's c o u nte r p l ay, es­

Best Move: 9.NeS

pec i a l l y w h e n yo u r f- p a w n has m oved ! 1 2 ... bxc6 1 3 .f3 B g 7 ! ! 1 4. Bf4 0-0 l S .fxe4?

Commentary

Oth e r m oves a re better, b u t t h i s is t h e

Th is position could co me about if Bl ack decides to post a Kn ight on e4 after Wh ite uses the anti- . . . b6 idea from the last module. Since White's Bishop is now on d3, taking with the Knight is ob­ viously not a good idea. White threatens to undermine the Kn ight by taking the exposed Bishop.

p l a y White wo u l d m a ke if he thoug ht he wa s o n top here. l S .. .fxe4 1 6. B g 3 ? Rxfl + ! 1 7.Kxfl Ba6+ 1 8.Kg 1 Rf8.

12

•••

Bg7

1 2 ... a6 doesn't solve B l a c k's p ro b l e m s beca u s e W h i te ca n p rotect h i s K n i g h t via Bf4 a n d the Q u ee n o n a 7 no l o n g e r

65

Module 3 : Putting D own an Errant Kn ight

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

Analysis, Variations, and Notes 9 . . . N x d 2 1 0. Bxd 2 B d 6 1 1 . N xc6 Nxc6

9

•••

N b4 9 .. 0-0 1 0.Nc3 Nxc3 1 1 .Bxc3 b6 1 2.cxd 5

1 2.e4. Wh ite h a s a n excel lent positi o n .

.

exd 5 1 3 . N e 5

Exercise 1 1 la st Moves: 7.exd4 N e4 8.c4 Bd6

1 0. N c3 Nxc3 1 1 .Bxc3 Nxd3 1 2 .Qxd3 0-0 1 3 .c5

Exercise 1 2 last M oves: 9.b3 cxb3 1 0.axb3 N e4

Best Move: 9.Bb2

Commentary White would prefer to get some use

Best Move: 1 1 .Nxe4

fro m the o p e n e 3 -square. 9 . Q e2 ? ! i s tempting, since after 9 . . . £ 5 1 0 . cxdS exds,

Commentary

the Knight on e4 is p inned to the b l ack

This is a line you could find yoursel f

king, allowing 1 1 . Nc3 without prepara­

in should you use the anti- . . . b 6 plan o f

tion by Bb 2 . H owever, after 1 1 . . . B b 4 ,

t h e l ast module a n d B lack accepts your

White's Knight does not have anywhere

invitation to push his c-pawn . It is in­

to go and B l ack has rid h i mself of his

structive to see how deadly a Knight on

worst l iab ility, the misplaced Bishop o n

es and a Bishop touching bs can be.

d 6 . I nstead, White wil l proceed a s normal and should stil l arrive at an advantage because Black cannot force through es, so he will eventually play b 6 ; that is the correct time to exchange on ds .

66

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

11

•••

dxe4 1 2 .Ne5 a6

T h e o n l y w a y t o stop B b5+. H owever, n o w both p a w n s a re l i a b l e to beco m e

Module 3 : Solutions ta rgets. The ava i l a b i l ity of 1 2 ... Qc77 can often l et B l a c k g et away with an ea rly ... N e4 be­ ca u se the Q u een h its Wh ite's Knight o n eS w h i l e d efe n d i n g both c6 and d7 (neutra l ­ i z i n g the potency o f B b S ) . H e re, t h o u g h , Wh ite has the a b i l ity t o play d S, putt i n g yet a n other attacker o n c 6 . 1 3 . B b S + Bc6 1 4. N xc 6 N xc6 1 S . d S exd S 1 6 .Qxd S R c B 1 7.Ra4.

1 3 .f3 1 Wh ite casts i nto sta rk rel i ef how over­ worked that B i s h o p on b7 i s. Kee p i n g the f-fi l e c l o sed i s i m p o ss i b l e, and n o w the Kn i g ht o n eS (su rveyi ng f7) i s sta rti ng to look m o re l i ke a N o rse god.

1 3 ... Nd7 1 3 ... exf3 1 4. Bxf3 Bxf3 1 S .Qxf3; 1 3 ... Bd6 1 4. N c4; 1 3 ... Be7 1 4.fxe4 Bxe4 1 S . N xf7. 1 3 .. .f6 fo resees t h e d a n g e r of N xf7 with the f-fi l e a bout to open, but Bla ck's p o s i t i o n h a s a h o st of ot h e r p ro b l e m s, a n d s p e n d i n g a n ot h e r m ove w i t h o u t d eve l o p i n g i s u n l i kely t o fix them. 1 4. N c4 Be 7 1 S .fxe4 Bxe4 1 6. B h S + g6 1 7. Bf3 Bxf3 ( 1 7 ... Bc6 1 B.e4 t h reate n i ng d S .) 1 B.Qxf3 R a 7 ( l B . . . N d 7 1 9.Qc6 bS 20. N d 6 + B x d 6 2 1 .Qxd6 l ooks terri b l e fo r B l ac k) 1 9. B b 2 a n d White h a s a d o m i nati ng positi o n .

1 4.Nxd7 Qxd7 1 5.fxe4 Bxe4 1 6. Rxa6 Black a p pears to s u rvive "on ly" a pawn down.

67

Module 4: � I{ite of Doolt}-Double-Barreled FUll

L

et's break away from the depressing business of examining monkey wrenches Bl ack can throw at us - instead it is time to start havi ng some fun ! Th is module is dedicated to the attacks that can come from a setup C-Z pl ayers often ai m for. To start th ings off, we'll exa m i ne an i n famous game where a computer overl ooked the most enj oy­ able tactic in the C-Z player's kit bag. Krabbe - Dappet (Computer) 1 992 1 .d4 d S 2.b3 e6 3 . Nf3 eS 4.e3 N e6 S.Bd3 Nf6 6.0-0 Bd6 7.Bb2 0-0 S.NeS Qe7 9.f4 b67!

The same position was reached in 2004 between a class pl ayer and an ex-

pert. The cl ass player did not see the op­ portunity to win a tremendous upset. 1 0.Nxe6! Qxe6 1 1 .dxeS BxeS 7!

( . . . Be? lets Black off just down a pawn ) 1 2 .Bxf6 gxf6 1 3 . Bxh7+ Kxh 7 1 4.QhS+ Kg 7 1 S .Qg4+ Kh7 1 6.Rf3 Bxe3+ 1 7.Kh 1 1 -0

Whew ! Wasn't that fun ? Sort of the th ing you impress women with on a first date, especially those you do not want bothering you for a second. Th i s d o u b l e - b a rre l ed sac fl owed fro m a standard setup that I cal l The Kite. Th e m i n i m a l req u i re m e n ts a re shown below.

Kite Skeleton

69

Module 4 : A Kite of Doom-D ouble-Barreled Fun Note that the Knight does not have to be on f6 . If there is no Knight on f6, White can make it a true double-sac by playing Bxg7 . Unfo rtunately, the condi­ tions for that version of the sacrifice to work are a b i t m o re p articul ar, as 1 M Shereshevski found out against future GM Vladimirov in the 1 9 7 8 USSR cham­ pionship qualifier:

Shereshevski - V/adimirov 7 978

16

•••

fS

Even if Black takes the B ishop, White

1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3 .e3 cS 4.Bd3 d S S.b3 Be7 6.Bb2 0-0 7.Nbd2 b 6 8.0-0

won't win . Not only is there the annoy­

Bb7 9.NeS Nc610.a3 aSl l l .f4 N d 7

ance of . . . Bxe3 +, but more importantly Black can get his Queen to f6 and sacri­ fice her for White's Rook. 1 6 . . . Bxe3 + immediately is not good since a later Rf3 would come with tempo against the Bishop.

17.Bh6? 1 7 . Rf3 holds the draw. The text loses and Black was on the right path until he self-destructed on move 2 0 .

17 W e w i l l d i scuss l ater w h y B l ack's 1 0th move was so useful . I n any event, the game continued

• . •

Bxe3+18.Kh l Qf619. Rf3 .Qxa l +

20.Nfl Bd4? Letti ng W h i t e ' s Q u e e n l o o s e l i ke a Wh irl i ng D ervish . B l ack had to find

12 .Nxc6 Bxc6 13 . dxcS BxcS

2 0 . . . Bf2 ! ! , removing the g3 -square from

14.Bxh7+?1

the Rook. I f the Roo k takes (which he

This is o n ly a good move i f White wants to force a draw.

14

. . •

Kxh 71S .Qh S+ Kg816.Bxg 7

will h ave to d o sooner o r l ater given that White is threatening Qxf1 # ) , it gives B l ack a crucial couple tempi to put a maj or p iece o n f6 .

70

Module 4 : Lesson

2 1 .Qg6+ 8g7 22.8xg7 Qxg 7 23 .Qxe6+

there is no Knight is on f6 , you can use

Rf7 24.Qxc6 Qf8 2S.Rg3+ Kh8 26.Rh3+

the following practical guidance:

Kg8 27.Rg3+ 1/2-1/2. I n th is module I'll show you when the sacri fi ce works, the attacks to use when the sacrifice is called for, and how to pick a good move when the sacrificial options are not going to work.

(The below refer to the b oard posi­ tion •

after Black has recaptured on c5) I f Bl ack's Queen is on d8, e8, d7, or

e7, the sacrifice does not force a wi n. •

I f Bl ack's Queen is on c7, the sac­

rifice generally works as long as there is a Kn ight on d7 or a Bishop on e7 but

When it Works: Kn i g h t on 16 After White pl ays dxc5 and Bl ack re­ captures, if there is a Knight on f6 whose only defender is the g7 -pawn, the sacri­ fice will practically always work.

not b oth . •

I f Bl ack's Queen is anywhere else,

the sacrifice should work.

N ote: if Bl ack recaptures on c5 with the Queen, White general ly has to play

I s ay " p ractica l l y always " b ecause

B d 4 to stop Qxe 3 + . I n that case you

you stil l have to check obvious things.

should assume Black's Queen will run

For example, if there is a Knight on f8 or

back to c7 .

e8 defending the g7- or h 7 -pawns, then clearly the sacrifice won't work. The only

H ere are a few i l l ustratio n s s how­

non- obvious thing to keep in mind is

ing examples where the sacrifice works

that a Knight on e7 can rui n your day

without any special effort.

by hopping to g6 . Remember, part of the Kite forma­ tion i nvolves B l ack h aving a Ro o k on f8 . If there is no Rook on f8, the doub le­ barreled sac wil l al most never work be­ cause not only does the b l ack King have an extra flight square, but he l i kely has the defensive resou rce of . . . Bf8 as wel l .

When it Works: No Kn i g ht on 16 To determ i n e w h e n the standard

One piece between O/c7 and f7

double-b arreled sequence works when

71

Module 4 : A Kite of Doom- Double- Barreled Fun

Queen not on a ny of the magic S squa res

After dxcS QxcS; Bd4 Qc7

Now, if the above were all there was to it, we could stop here and you'd have a weapon that required little study and you could use rarely. The reality is that if you are will ing to study a bit more, you get an attack far more often than the above rules suggest. There are three reasons for this: 1. Th e ru l e s I gave are p ra ct i c a l gu i d e s a b o u t w h e n a w i n cou l d b e

72

forced. They take into consideration the standard sequences and positions. There are times when those rules will make it look l ike Black can survive when he re­ ally cannot. 2 . Even when Black can stop mate, Wh i te o ften h a s a p ro m i s i n g attack and a wonderfu l p o s i ti o n . Knowing those attacks increases significantly the frequency you can use the sacri ficial sequence. 3. Knowing when and why there are promising attacks from the Kite position in general helps you make smart plays during moves 7 through 9 as you decide whether the Kite formation is what you should be going for or if you need to do someth ing else to maxi m ize your ad­ vantage. I t gives you a stepping stone to help organize your th inking when there are too many branches to keep track of otherwise. 4. With only one significant excep­ tion, Wh ite can always force ( or prac­ tical ly fo rce ) a draw if he kn ows the proper attack. In practical play, this can be quite useful to know ! Defe n ses a nd Attac ks

Now for the nitty-gritty. There are several p o ss i b l e defe n s ive res o u rces Bl ack h as when there is no Kn ight on f6 . We will describe each one and how

Module 4 : Lesson to react. I'll also describe what outcome you can hope for. The four maj or defenses you need to know, keyed to the placement of Bl ack's Queen and minor pieces, are: 1 . I f Black's Queen is on d8 or e7, he can general ly get a piece on f6 or g5, blocking the attack or exchanging one of White's maj or pieces. 2 . I f Black's Queen is on d7 (or e8 ) and he has a Bishop on e7, he can set up the defensive formation P/f5, B/e7, Q/e8, removing a bunch of real estate from White's Queen. 3. I f Black's Queen is on c7 and there is a Bishop on e7 and a Knight on d7, Bl ack can counter-sac these p i eces to defend. 4. If Black's Queen is on d7 or c7 and nothing blocks it from the f7 -pawn, she can defend adequately by simply sweep­ ing across the 7th rank after pushing the f-pawn. Queen on d8 o r e7

The first defensive resource showed up in the earl ier Sheres hevski - Vladim­ rov match . I f Bl ack has a Queen on the d8-h4 diagonal that can get to f6, Black can successfully defend. White can still get a draw unless Bl ack happens to have a Queen on d8 and Bishop on e7 after retaking on c5 .

Th is l ast point is i m perative ! You have to visual ize what the board looks like after Black retakes the Knight and then the p awn o n c5 . If B l ack had a Queen on d8 but then had to use that Queen to recapture after Wh ite pl ays Nxd7, then the Queen is no longer on the diagonal . Similarly, if Black had a Bishop on e7 but uses that Bishop to recapture the pawn on c5 after White plays dxc5, then that Bishop is no longer on e 7 . Often Black has multiple options for retaking, and each must be considered. Th is is why it is so useful to know these defenses cold. Instead of working through the sacri fi ce in each separate configuration, you can tell immediately whether the sacri fice works in a given l ine by knowing each defense. Th is defense is totally sol id, so i f Bl ack's Queen can stay o n this diagonal ( after whatever exchanges happen ), you should not go in for any sacrificial com­ bination. Instead I recommend playing a3 if there is any danger of . . . Nb4. As­ suming that consideration is taken care of, Qe2 is probably a safe bet. Queen on d 7 (or e8)

If Black has a Queen on d7 or e8, he can decl ine the second sac and quickly grab most of the squares on the K-side.

73

Module 4 : A Kite of Doom- Double- Barreled Fun Before seeing how this l ine should play out, l et's make two observations:

square from Wh ite's Queen and threat­ ens . . . Bf6, which would severely cripple

I t is much more likely for B lack's

White's attack by not only attacking the

Queen to be on d7 than eB . She p roba­

Bishop but also putting defense on the

bly arrived at d7 by capturing a Knight.

crucial g7-square. All of Bl ack's hopes

Black must have a p iece on e7 or

are b ased on at l east threatening . . . Bf6,

•

•

else we would be in the

Queen Sweeps 7th

and it's worth pointing out that if Black's

Defense. The natural p iece to be

Roo ks are not connected, th is whole de­

on e7 is a B ishop (which is fortunate for

fense fails. Then . . . B f6 would leave the

White since if it were a Knight or Rook,

Rook under-defended and White would

there would be practically no hope of a

play QhB + fol lowed by QxfB + .

Rank

theoretically sound attack. )

N ote that 1 6 . . . f6 ? all ows Wh ite to

H ence, if we are tal king l ate-open­

p ick either of two wins. The brute-force

ing or early-middle game, the position

option is simply to play 1 7 . Bh6 and then

has to look pretty close to the diagram

murder Bl ack on g7 either via Rf3 -g3 or

shown below. Wal king through the at­

Qg4 (the square that would be covered

tack and defense here should prep are

h a d B l ack p l ayed . . . f5 i n stead ) . Th e

you for similar positions.

more artistic win makes use of the lack of space around Black's King: 1 7 . Rf3 QeB I B . QhB+ Kf7 1 9 . Q h 7 and Black's Queen has to move to allow an escape route for the King, but then 2 0 . Q h 5 + coaxes the King b ack to the g-fi l e to get stomped on by White's Rook. These l i nes show important motifs that are useful in other double-Bishop sac scenarios, so it pays to be mindful of them. White needs to play 1 7.Qg6 to stop

After 14.Bxh7+ Th e n ext m oves are n o s u rp r i s e :

14

. . •

Kxh 7 1 5 .Qh 5+ Kg8 1 6.Bxg 7

Taking the Bishop is suicide, so Black p l ays 1 6

74

• . .

f51 Thi s takes away the g4-

B l ack fro m p l aying . . . Bf6 . Th is is a con­ cession because now White cannot play Q h B + in one play. You saw in the above lines how that move can cause problems fo r B l ack. B l ack then p l ays 1 7

• • •

Qe8,

Module 4 : Lesson wh ich chall enges Wh ite's Queen and

he could instead have si mply retreated

lim its further the places she can go with­

his Bishop b ack to, say, b 2 , threatening

out being exchanged .

Qg6#

The critical g-file squares have been taken away.

Now, with the Queen o n d7, there i s n o real d a n ge r b ec a u s e B l ack can play . . . Bf6 , and he is total ly safe since

What about g3?

his Queen can get to g7 in case Wh ite played Qg6 + . H owever, if Black's Queen

If White goes all the way b ack there,

were not on d 7, he would have no such

B l ack can j u st p l ay . . . Q h S a n d t h e n

defense and Qg6 + would put a second

perch ( i f need be) on g4 .

attacker on f6 . The results would be di­ sastrous for Bl ack.

You said earlier that Black's Queen

So, to make this defense work, Black

should be on d7 when Bxh7+ is played,

needs to be ab l e to see the g7 -square

but it seems to me that the only thing

with his Queen once the B ishop moves

that matters is that she can get to eB.

and he has to be able to get his Queen

Why wouldn't this work if, say, she were

to e8. That is why d7 is the magic square

on cB instead of d7 and moved to eB from

for this defense. It also happens to be a

there?

very common square for the Queen to be on.

Nothing gets by you, does it? Let's

Oddly enough, it is better for Bl ack

rol l b ack the position a b it. Instead of

for his Queen to be on d7 and then move

White playing his Queen from hS to g6,

to e8 than it would be for the Queen to

75

Module 4 : A Kite of Doom- Double- Barreled Fun have already been on e8. The issue being And that's when it's time to show that then Black's King can be blocked in your ace in the hole: by his own pieces after Qh8+ Kf7; Qh7, 20.Ne4!! threaten i ng a discovered checkm ate . There are other ways to keep some Black wou ld rather get Wh ite to play advantage, but this move is the best and his Queen to g6 before playing his own one you have to remember. Taking with Queen to e8 to prevent this. the d-pawn allows Wh ite to first close Since Qg3 does not wo rk wel l for the back door with 2 0 . Rad l and then White, 1 8.Qh6 is the only place for him. simply run the g-pawn up Black's gullet. White once again has the option of play­ If Bl ack takes with the f-pawn, Wh ite ing Qh8+, so Black plays 1 8 . . . Kf7 with wi l l exchange on f8 and advance the the idea of . . . Rh8 . Anythi ng else allows f-pawn with power. Ignoring the Knight White to win easily with Rf3 . is practical ly not an option due to the As i s rath er co m m o n after B l ack threat of Nf6 after Bxf8 . moves his King to f7, White should then play 1 9.Qh7, threatening mate, so Black Co u nter-sac Defense opens an escape route with 1 9 . . . Qd7. I f there i s a B i s h o p o n e 7 a n d a B l ack has to keep his Queen o n the Knight on d7, he can transfer the Knight 7th rank to contest White's Queen (e.g. over to draw. H ere's how: 1 9 . . . Qc8 ? 2 0 . N f3 Ke8 2 1 . Bxf8 ! Kxf8 2 2 . Ng5 ! ) And now it looks like Black is going to l ive.

Wh ite has pl ayed Bd4 to kick the Queen b ack to c 7 . Now the double­ Bishop sac only bri ngs a draw due to 1 5 . Bxh7 + Kxh 7 1 6 . Q h 5 + Kg8 1 7 . Bxg7

76

Module 4 : Lesson Kxg7 1 B . Qg4 + KhB 1 9 . Rf3 Nf6 2 0 . Rh 3 + N h 7 . H ere it is best for Wh ite to take with the Rook and accept the draw. Go­ ing after more with 2 1 . Q h S ? is met by 2 1 . . . Bh4 ! 2 2 . Rxh4 f6 . Note that it required both the Bishop and the Knight to make this work. With­ out the Bishop on e7, White could have played QgS instead of Qg4, and then Nf6 would have dropped the Knight. There is no real attack White can get here ifhe wants to go for a win (but hav­ ing a forced draw might be useful ) .

cracks. This attack does not work if Black has a pawn on as . Here is a standard example.

1 4.Rf3

Q ueen Sweeps 7th Ra n k

This sets up threats against both g7 and h7, since White can choose where to put the Rook. I nstead of the text, a couple of strong players have gone in for the double-barreled sacrifice and ended up losing.

I f Bl ack winds up with h i s Queen on the 7th Rank and there is noth i ng between the Queen and the f7 -pawn, he can draw by advancing his f-pawn to let his Queen get to g7 or h7 as needed. This plan would work pretty well if 1 4 . . . f6 This is a most logical choice, plan­ White all owed him to carry it out. H ow­ ever, the prepared player has a couple ning on using the f-pawn to bl ock the dark-squared Bishop and the g-pawn tricks up his sleeve. to block the l ight-squared one. Strong players have opted for 1 4 . . . fS instead, Pins and Needles I f Bl ack has a Bishop on cS and a but after 1 S . Rg3 Rf7 1 6 .b4 Be7, White Knight on c6, the other Kn ight having hits the Knight with 1 7 .bS ! ! before Black been exchanged, then Wh ite can take has played . . . Bf6 . It might look l ike the advantage of this momentary diversion point is to push the Knight while the of Black's minor pieces by playing Rf3 Bishop is still on e7, but the real point is and forcing Bl ack to defend with j ust to knock the Kn ight away so that White his Queen and pawns until his K-side can respond to . . . Bf6 with NeS : 1 B . Nf3

77

Module 4 : A Kite of Doom-D ouble- Barreled Fun Bf6 1 9 . NeS . This b S -pawn push is not

Note how Black's pawns are all tied

available i f Bl ack has played . . . a6, but

up with pins against Black's royalty and

White stil l has a good game.

mating squares. Black has not managed

l S.b41

to get any of h i s minor pieces over to

This is the reason I made the com­ ment about the . . . as play in the

shevski - Vladimirov

Shere­

help due to the need to meet immediate threats.

game. Th is whole

attack fal l s apart i f Wh ite can not p l ay b4.

The Phantom Knight White can ge neral ly win i f the f6

l S . . .Bd6 I f Black h a s t o decide which square to put the Bishop on without knowing

square is not protected by any pieces by pretending there is a Kn ight on f6 and playing Bf6 ! ! instead of Bxg7 .

beforehand which square White's Rook goes to, then th is is the cho i ce he has to make. Otherwise we h ave 1 S . . . B e 7 1 6 . Rh3 h 6 ( 1 6 . . . g6 1 7 . Rxh7 ! ) 1 7 . Qg4 and Bl ack's days are numbered .

1 6. Rh3 96 1 7.Q94 Qf7 Th is is the only decent way to get another defender on f6 since White is threatening Qh4.

1 8.Rf1

Play Bf6!!, not Bxg7?

This threatens fS .

Th is sacrifi cial maneuver is an ex­ a m p l e of

A lekhine's B lock,

a sacri fice

pl ayed to j am up l ines by manipulating the pl acement of pawns. Don't trust th is tactic if your oppo­ nent can play Bxe3 +, and it never works if B l ack h a s a Knight on c6 to swi ng around to g6 via e 7 .

Is that a K-side or a pin cushion?

78

M odule 4 : Lesson

Other Defenses

There are two maj o r ideas b e h i n d

These are the standard defenses . It

Q e 2 . Th e fi rst i s that Wh ite can p u t

is possible that b izarre play wil l allow

p ressure o n the d- a n d c- fi l es, h o p e ­

others. For exa m p l e, it is conceivab l e

fully causing Black discomfort if he has

that Bl ack will wind up with a Queen

no place to put his Queen . This works

on d6 that could defend sideways after

hand-in-hand with knowing these sacri­

playing . . . eS . It possible that a Queen

ficial plays because a Bishop on e7 tends

on c7 could first run down the c-file to

to make sacri fi ces less l i kely to work,

hit c2 then fly up the and across to sac­

and that is exactly the square the Queen

rifice herself on h 7 . It j ust does not tend

would l ike to be on if she is hiding from

to happen in n ormal play. For example,

White's Rooks.

the types of positions that would tend to

The second maj or point behind Qe2

leave a Queen on an open c-file after a

has to do with the e4 square. If Black is

double-barrel sac happen to occur in se­

threatening to play Ne4, then Qe2 works

quences where White has al ready played

against that strategy. General ly, B l ack

Nbd2, allowing him to bl ock any such

would prefer to exchange on d4 imme­

martyrdom streak with e4 .

di ately before placing a Knight o n e4,

I n general, if something l o o ks odd

but with the Queen on e2 exchanging on

a b o u t the b o a rd c o n figurat i o n , you

d4 all of a sudden adds a third defender

should recheck the attack, but also re­

to e4, making . . . Ne4 impossible.

check lines that normally do not work. If

Sa m p le Exe rcise

Black has played his p ieces on ab normal squares, chances are there is something

Before working the exercises, analyze

b etter to be had to take advantage of

completely in your j ournal the position

them.

shown below. It does not require any of the special attacks o r defenses ( except

When in Doubt: Qe2

Alekhine's bl ock, which is just an exotic

I f you cannot find a sacrificial option

version of the double-b arreled sacrifice ) .

or see how the various exceptional attacks

Indeed, the configuration of Q/c7, N/c6,

can be worked into a given situation, first

N/d7, and B/d6 is the standard forma­

make sure that Black cannot play . . . Nb4 .

tion indicating the sacrifice works in all

As long a s that tactic is stopped, Q e 2 is

lines without knowing any of the fancy

almost always a good play.

stuff.

79

Module 4 : A Kite o f Doom- Double- Barreled Fun 1 2 .Nxc6

There are two possible recaptures. We will analyze each separately. Black Reca ptu res with Bishop 1 2 . . . Bxc6 1 3 .dxcS BxcS

[Analysis begins at top of next column]

1 3 . . . NxcS Connects the Queen to the K-side pawns, but removes defense from f6 . 1 4 . Bxh7+ Kxh7 I S . QhS+ KgB 1 6 . Bf6 ! ! And nothing Black tries works. ( 1 6 . Bxg7 ? fS is only good for a draw. ) 1 6 . . . gxf6 ( 1 6 . . . Nd7 bl ocks the Queen, a l l owing Wh ite to retu rn to the n o r­ mal sequence. 1 7 . Bxg7 ) 1 7 . Qg4 + Kh7 I B . Rf3 . 1 3 . . . bxcS seems the worst of all possi­ bil ities - not only is the Queen blocked down the c-file, but she is still blocked along the 7th-rank and now the Bishop cannot even p l ay . . . Bxe3 + . 1 4 . Bxh 7 + Kxh 7 I S . Q h S + K g B 1 6 . Bx g 7 Kxg 7 1 7 . QgS + KhB I B . Rf3 with mate i n 4 . 1 4.Bxh7+ Kxh 7 1 S .Qh S+ Kg8 1 6.Bxg 7 Bxe3+ 1 7.Kh l f6 1 8.Bh6 NeS 1 9.fxeS Bxh6 20.Qxh6

Black Reca ptu res with Queen 1 2 ... Qxc6

Taking with the Queen means that Bl ack has the p ossib l e future defense o f . . . Qxc2 -g6 o r . . . Qxc2 - h 7 . I n th i s case, though, these defenses are i rrel ­ evant because White h a s already played

80

Module 4 : Lesson Nbd2, wh ich allows h i m to block the diagonal with e4 later. (See Wh ite's 20th move. ) . 1 3 .dxcS QxcS

1 3 . . . BxcS 1 4 . Bxh 7+ Kxh7 l S . Qh S + Kg8 1 6 . Bxg7 Bxe 3 + 1 7 . K h l Kxg7 1 8 . QgS + Kh8 1 9 . Qh6+ ( 1 9 . Rf3 ? White is still ahead here, but not as convincingly. 1 9 . . . Qxc2 20. Rh3+ Qh7 2 1 . Rxh7 + Kxh7 2 2 . Qh 4 + Kg7 2 3 . Qg3 + Kh 7 2 4 . Qxe3 ) 1 9 . . . Kg8 2 0 . Rf3 Qxc2 2 1 . Rg3 + Q g 6 2 2 . Rxg6+ fxg6 2 3 . Qxg6+ K h 8 2 4 . Qh6+ Kg8 2 S . Qxe6+ Rf7 2 6 . Qxe3 +1 3 . . . NxcS 1 4 . Bxh 7 Kxh 7 l S . Q h S + Kg8 1 6 . Bxg7 Kxg7 1 7 . QgS + Kh7 1 8 . Rf3 with mate to follow.

Exerci ses

The exercises on the following pages allow you to practice your decision-mak­ ing skills with the Kite. In each case, you should determine whether a sacrifice is available ( and if not, why) . I have selected these with the idea that you will be revisiting them several times as part of your study. Thus, there are some diagrams that come straight from the chapter, others that come from your open ing repertoire as standard po­ sitions, others that allow you to apply basic Kite analysis techniques, and one that is a pretty good challenge !

1 4.Bxh7 Kxh 7 1 S .Bd4!

D o n ' t fo rget this move ! After the Queen moves, Black can no longer play . . . Qxe3+. l S . QhS + ? ? Kg8 1 6 . Bxg7 ( 1 6 . Bd4 ? ? too late now. Black will get her Queen to the c2-g7 diagonal before White plays his key QgS + check. 1 6 . . . Qxc2 1 7 . Bxg7 Kxg7 1 8 . QgS + Qg6 ) 1 6 . . . Qxe3+ 1 7 . Kh l Kxg7 . Now al l Wh ite h a s i s a draw. 1 8 . QgS + Kh7 1 9 . Rf3 Qxf3 20. Nxf3 . 1 S ... Qc7 1 6.QhS+ Kg8 1 7 .Bxg7 Kxg 7 1 8.Qg S+ Kh8

Black cannot stop mate. 1 9.Rf3 Qxc2 20.e4

81

Exercises Exercise 1

Exercise 3

Last Moves: 1 0.a3 Qe7 1 1 .f4 Nd7

La st Moves: 9.Bb2 Be7 1 0.f4 0-0

Exercise 2

Exercise 4

La st Moves: 1 0.f4 ReS 1 1 .a 3 N d 7

Last Moves: 1 0.f4 Bb7 1 1 .0-0 RaeS

83

Module 4 : A Kite of Doom- Double- Barreled Fun

84

Exercise 5

Exercise 7

La st Moves: 1 O.Nd2 a6 1 1 .f4 bS

Last Moves: 1 2 .Rae1 RaeS 1 3 .f4 Bd6

Exercise 6

Exercise 8

Last Moves: 9.NeS Bb7 1 0.f4 ReS

La st Moves: 9.Nd2 b6 1 0.f4 Bb7

Module 4 : Exercises Exercise 9

Exercise 1 1

La st Moves: 9.NeS Nc6 1 0.f4 Rc8

Last Moves: 1 0.NeS Nd7 1 1 .f4 Qc7

Exercise 1 0

Exercise 1 2

Last Moves: 1 1 .NeS Rad8 1 2 .f4 Bd6

Last Moves: 1 0.NeS Be8 1 1 .f4 Qb6

85

Module

86

4: A

Kite of Doom- Double-Barreled Fun

Exercise 1 3

Exercise 1 5

Last Moves: 1 0.NeS ReS 1 1 .f4 eS

La st Moves: 1 0.f4 Ba6 1 1 .e4 QbS

Exercise 1 4

Exercise 1 6

La st Moves: 9.f4 eS 1 0.Bb2 ReS

La st Moves: 1 1 .dxeS QxeS 1 2.Qf3 Nd7

Solu tioqs Exercise 1

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

Last Moves: 1 0.a3 Qe7 1 1 .f4 N d 7

1 2 .Q h S ? ! g 6 1 3 . Q h 3 Rac8 1 4. N x d 7 Qxd 7 l S . d x c S bxcS 1 6. Q h4 ( 1 6 . Q h 6 f6) 1 6 ... Be7 1 7.Qh6 d4 a n d Black has su ccess­ fu l ly b ro ken Wh ite's d a rk-sq ua red wa l l .

12

.••

Qxd 7 1 3 .dxeS BxeS

1 3 . . . b x c S 1 4 . Q h S ( 1 4 . Bx h 7 + Kx h 7 l S.QhS+ Kg8 1 6. Bxg 7 f6 1 7.Bh6 i s dyna m i ­ ca l ly eq u a l .) 1 4 .. .fS l S . N f3 a n d Wh ite sti l l h a s some attacking pros pects.

1 4. Rf3 Bette r t h a n Q h S b e c a u s e i t reta i n s Best M ove: 1 2 .Nxd7

more fl exi b i l i ty. Wh ite can fo l l ow u p with Rg 3 or Rh3, and then Wh ite's Queen ca n

Commentary

The Queen on e7 makes it unlikely that any quick attack, sacrificial or oth­ erwise, will work. D i rect attacks l i ke QhS should be discouraged since they allow responses l ike . . . g6 which blunt the attack, require White to use a move in retreat, and open up space for Black's King. White should instead make Black defend his King with just his Queen and pawns, and eventu­ ally the Queen wil l become overworked and the pawns will be pinned.

go to g4 or h S . 1 4. B x h 7 + ? wa s p l a yed i n t h e actu a l game. 1 4 ... Kxh 7 l S .QhS+ Kg 8 1 6.Bxg7 fS 1 7 . Bxf8 a n d Wh ite wi l l e n d u p w i t h o u t e n o u g h t o s h o w fo r h i s lost B i s h ops.

1 4 .f6 ••

S i n c e Wh ite has the a b i l ity to tra i n a B i s h o p a n d Rook on both g 7 a n d h7, the best d efe n sive set u p fo r B l a c k i s to use each of the f- a n d g-pawns to b l ock one. 1 4 .. .fS l S .Rg 3 Rf7 1 6. b4 Be7 1 7.bS with Nf3 to fol l ow

1 S .b4!

87

Module 4 : A Kite of Doom- Double- Barreled Fun M a k i n g B l a c k d e c i d e before p l a c i n g

Commentary

I hope this was not too hard to see.

t h e Rook. It i s then a n easy d ec i s i o n .

15

•••

Bd6

l S ... Be 7? 1 6. R h 3 g6 1 7 .Rxh 7 !

1 6.Rh3 g6 1 7 .Qg4 Qf7

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

13

•••

Qxd7 1 3 .dxe5 bxe5

The o n l y g o o d way to g et a n ot h e r

1 3 ... BxcS 1 4. Rf3 f6 l S . b4 Bd6 1 6. R h 3

d efender o n f6 si nce Wh ite i s th reate n i n g

g6 with the "pi n s a n d n eed l es" attac k d e-

Qh4.

scri bed in the cha pter.

l S.Rf1

1 4.Bxh7+ Kxh 7 1 5 .Qh 5 + KgS 1 6.Bxg 7

Th r e a te n i n g fS . N o te h o w W h i t e ' s B i s h o p s a n d a l l h i s m aj o r p i e c e s a r e

f5 1 7 .Qg6 QeS 1 S.Qh6 Kf7 1 9.Qh7 Qd7 20.Ne4!1

tra i ned o n the pawns, p i n n i n g t h e m to the King, Q u een, a n d mati ng s q u a res. 1 B. N f3 is natu ra l , but leads to an u nc l e a r p o s i t i o n after 1 B ... eS 1 9.fxeS NxeS 2 0 . N xeS BxeS 2 1 . BxeS BcB 2 2 . Q g 3 B x h 3

T h e key p l a y t o re m e m b e r i n t h i s atta ck.

20

fxe4

•••

2 0 . . . d x e4 2 1 . R a d 1 N d 4 ( 2 1 . . . Q c 7 22.BeS+) 22.Bxd4+ 2 0 . . . K e B 2 1 . B x f B fx e 4 ( 2 1 . . . B x fB

2 3 . Rf1

22.Nf6+) 22.Bxe7 N x e 7 ( 2 2. . .Qxe7 2 3 .Qh6

Exercise 2

and W h i te w i l l a d va n ce t h e f- pawn a n d

Last Moves: 1 0.f4 ReS 1 1 .a 3 N d 7

g ra b t h e f-fi le.) 2 3 .Q h B+ Kfl 24.Q h S + Kg 7 2 S .g4 a n d Wh ite wi l l eventu a l l y play QeS and fS .

2 1 .BxfS+ KxfS 22 .f5 KeS 2 3 .QhS+ BfS 24.fxe6

Exercise 3 Last Moves: 9.Bb2 Be7 1 0.f4 0-0

Best M ove: 1 2 .Nxd 7

88

Module 4 : Solutions open. It also highl ights how the option of . . . bS should change your middlegame planning. Analysis, Variations, and Notes

11

•••

Bxc6 1 2.a4

Sto p p i n g bS. Why d oes it stop bS? The th reat of a d o u b l e-barreled sac. 1 2.Qe2 i s not the cu re-a l l here beca u se B l a ck's fut u re . . . bS w i l l mea n h i s Q u ee n Best Move: 1 1 .Nxc6

h a s extra Q-si d e p l a ces t o roost. Th i s i s a n i m porta nt n ua n ce t o rem e m ber. M u c h of

Commentary

the benefit to Qe2 comes fro m poss i b l e

We have here a standard position except Bl ack has played . . . a6, showing an interest in . . . bS, rather than the more normal . . . Nb4 . The placement of Black's Bishop and Queen suggest that there is still no sacrifice to be had. Nor do I sug­ gest the Rf3 attack since Black's double control of e4 allows him to totally close the diagonal should he choose. There is also the real concern of a slowly build­ ing attack on the K-side being compro­ m i sed by an al ready moving Q - s i d e pawn rol ler. Si nce the . . . N b 4 l i ne is a pretty serious try for equality by Black, simply exchanging the Knight comes as a natural option. Th is move also frees Wh ite to p l ay a4 ( rather than a3 ) to dissuade . . . bS. The solution to this exer­ cise illustrates nicely how the sacrificial options influence what possibilities are

press u re d own t h e c-fi l e a n d d -fi l e, where Bla c k's Q u een i s very l i kely to w i n d u p if t h e re is a B i s h o p o n e7. W i t h the extra Q-s i d e spa ce, that merit eva porates.

12

•••

N e4

Th i s i s the l o g i c a l p lay, but the Kn i g ht on e4 i s u n l i kely to be of m u ch u se. Wh ite w i l l s i m p l y post h i s own on eS if Black l ets h i m , a n d both Knig hts wi l l be exc h a n g e d . There i s a s i g n ificant d ifference between the K n i g ht o n e4 a n d the K n i g ht Wh ite can post o n eS - Wh ite ca n reta ke with the f-pawn. 1 2 ... bS? 1 3 .a x b S axbS 1 4. Rxa8 Qxa8 l S .dxcS Bxc S ? ? Th e K n i g h t that u sed to h a ve two p i eces d efe n d i n g it n ow h a s zero. 1 6.Bxf6! a n d it's a l l over b u t t h e c ry­ i n g . 1 6 ... gxf6 1 7.Bxh7+

1 3 .Qe2 Nxd2 1 3 ... Bf6 1 4. N f3 B b 7 1 S . N eS;

89

Module

4:

A Kite of Doom-Double-Barreled Fun 1 3 ... Nxc5 1 4.Bxh 7 + Kxh 7 1 5 .Qh5+ Kg8

1 3 ... Bb7 1 4. Nxe4 ( 1 4.Nf3 f6) 1 4 ... dxe4 1 5 .Bc4 i s p l easant for White.

1 6.Bf6!! and the goose i s cooked.

1 4.Qxd2

1 4.Bxh7+ Kxh 7 1 S .Qh S+ Kg8 1 6.Bxg 7

W h i t e s t i l l h a s h o p e of a K-s i d e

Bxe3 + 1 6 ... Kxg 7 1 7.Qg 5+ Kh8 1 8. Rf3 +-

attack.

1 7 .Kh 1 f6 1 8.Bh6

Exercise 4 Last Moves: 1 0.f4 Bb7 1 1 .0-0 Rae8

Th reate n i n g Qg6+

18

•••

NeS

1 8 ... Qxc2 1 9.Rf3 .

1 9.Bxf8 Bxd2 1 9 ... Rxf8 2 0 .fx e 5 Bxd 2 2 1 . Rxf6 Rxf6 2 2.exf6 Qf7 2 3 .Qe5 a n d t h e re i s no rea l solution t o Rd 1 -d3, etc.

20.Bb4 A n d B l a c k ca n n ot w i n d u p w i t h o u t materi a l d eficit.

Exercise 5 Best Move: 1 2 .Nxd7

Last Moves: 1 0.Nd2 a6 1 1 .f4 bS

Commentary

After a bit of p ractice, you should be able to easily recognize this a simple win for White. This diagram also gives a good exa m p l e o f h ow Nxd 7 forces . . . Nxd7 when the Knight on f6 is not de­ fended by a piece because otherwise we have an easy win due to a later Bxf6 . Analysis, Variations, and Notes

12

•••

Nxd7

1 2 ... Qxd 7 1 3 .dxc5 Bxc5 1 4. Bxf6+-

1 3 .dxeS BxeS

90

Best Move: 1 2 .dxeS

Commentary

You should take this position as a

Module 4 : Solutions warning against go ing i nto auto-pilot during the fi rst B moves of the game. Inaccuracy has robbed White of any real opening advantage because the threat of . . . c4 has to be dealt with . The text is the proper choice, but then Wh ite h as to deal with the threat to his e-pawn . 1 2 . c4 dxc4 1 3 . bxc4 cxd 4 1 4 . Nxc6 Bxc6 does not look good for White. Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 2 ... BxeS 1 3 .Qe2 NxeS 1 3 . . . d 4 1 4 . N e4 N x e4 l S . B xe4 N x e S 1 6 . B x b 7 d 3 1 7 .Q h S B x e 3 + 1 B . K h 1 N g 6 1 9.Bxa8 Qxa8 20.Rf3

1 4.fxeS N e4 l S .b4 Be7 1 6.Bd4

Commentary

Since Black's Queen can stay on dB, White has l ittle hope of a double-Bishop sacrifice. I ndeed, Black's setup is pretty sol id, and in Zuke 'Em I did not suggest going into the Kite formation here. Still, it is good exercise to see what can be made from a dynamically equal posi­ tion. Qe2 cuts through Black's general desire to exchange on d4 and place a Knight on e4. I f Black exchanges fi rst, then White has three pieces hitting e4. I f Black plays . . . Ne4 fi rst, White gener­ ally does fine by taking on e4 with his Bishop, playing a Knight to c4, exchang­ ing on d7, then exchanging on cS .

T h i s p o s i t i o n is p ro b a b l y a b o u t a s g ood a s Wh ite ca n hope for g iven h i s ear­ l ier i nacc u racies.

Analysis, Variations, and Notes 1 1 .N xd 7 i s the move if you want yo u r o p ponent t o sweat a l ittle, b u t o n l y if yo u

Exercise 6

a re okay ta k i n g a m e re d raw. 1 1 . .. N x d 7

Last Moves: 9.NeS Bb7 1 0.f4 ReS

( 1 1 ...Qxd 7 1 2.dxcS wins a pawn si nce B l a c k ca n n ot reta ke. 1 2 . . . B x c S 1 3 . Bxf6 ) 1 2 . d x c S BxcS ( 1 2 . . . N x c S 1 3 . B x h 7 + Kx h 7 1 4.Q h S + Kg 8 l S .Bxg7 does not q u ite g ive the sa m e attack as when the B i s h o p is on e7, but Wh ite wou l d have at l ea st a d raw) 1 3 . B x h 7 + Kx h 7 1 4. Q h S + K g 8 l S . B x g 7 B x e 3 + 1 6 . K h 1 Kxg 7 1 7 . Q g 4 + K h 7 a n d Wh ite o n l y has a d raw.

1 1 ... Qe7 Proba b l y the most l o g i c a l m ove, fo r Best Move: 1 1 .Qe2

often W h ite p l a ys Q e 2 s pe c i fi c a l l y be-

91

Module 4 : A Kite of Doom- Double- Barreled Fun ca u se B l a c k ca n n ot safe l y p u t h i s o w n Q u een on e7. 1 1 . . . N e4 1 2 . N xe4 d x e4 1 3 . B b 5 N f6 1 4.Rad 1 .

1 2 .a4!

l S . . . dxe4 1 5 . . . Nxe4? 1 6.Nxe4 a nd Wh ite th reatens both N g 5 a n d Q h 5 .

1 6.Ndc4 Ba6 1 7 .Qf2 To dea l with the th reat t o b6, Black has

On the su rface, th i s move threatens to

to l et Wh ite o pen u p the l o n g d ia g o n a l ,

merely pu nch a h o l e d own the a-fi l e a n d

so there i s s o m e sti l l s o m e rea l attacking

t r y to g et s o m eth i n g fro m B l a c k' s e a r l y

potenti a l fo r Wh ite here.

vacation o f the a 8-sq u a re. But there i s a d ee p e r, m o re i m p o rta nt i d ea . At s o m e

Exercise 7

p o i n t i n t h e futu re, B l a c k wi l l need t o play

La st Moves: 1 2 .Rac1 Rac8 1 3 .f4 Bd6

. . . cxd4. W h i te d e s i res to reta ke (Bxd4) with tempo a ga i n st the b6-pawn.

1 2 ...a S l! 1 2 ... N e4 i s a m o re c i rc u m s pect p l ay, but I th i n k m o st peo p l e wo u l d be fa i rl y ha ppy with t h e aftermath. 1 3 . Bxe4 dxe4 1 4. N d c4 B b8 1 5 . N x d 7 Qxd 7 1 6.dxc5 bxc5 1 7.Rad l .

1 3 . Rf3 ! N e4 1 4.Rh3 Ndf6 Ot h e rwi se, B l a c k fi n d s h i m se l f a fa i r a m o u nt of tro u ble.

Best Move: 1 4.Nxd7

1 4 ...cxd4 1 5 . N xe4 d xe4 1 6. N x d 7 Qxd 7 1 7. B b 5 Qe7 1 8. Bxd4 i l l u strates the a bove point a bout b6. 1 4 . . .f5 1 5 . N x d 7 Qxd 7 1 6 . d x c 5 b x c 5 ( 1 6 . . . N xc 5 1 7 . N f3 and t h e re i s b l o o d i n t h e w a t e r . ) 1 7 . N x e 4 fx e4 1 8 . B b 5 Q e 7 1 9. R h 5 ! ?

l S .Bxe4 T h i s b e g i n s a p r etty st a n d a r d s e q u e n c e I a d v o c a t e fo r d ea l i n g w i t h a Kn i g ht pla nted on e4.

92

Commentary

This problem is a good example of one that would take a wh i l e to work through i f you did not have confidence in the basic rules and motifs described in the chapter. There are many lines to consi der, but each can be easily dismissed if you know what to look for.

Module 4 : Solutions Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 4 . . . Nxd7

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

T h e g a m e , fro m t h e 1 9 3 4 R u s s i a n

1 4 ... Qxd 7 mea ns Bxf6 is letha l . l S.dxcS

C h a m p i o n s h i p, conti n u ed : 1 1 ... N e4

BxcS 1 6. Bxf6.

1 2.cxd S exdS 1 3 . N xe4 dxe4 1 4.Bc4 Nf6.

l S .dxcS NxcS

At that p o i n t I t h i n k Wh ite co u l d h a ve

A l I 4 ca ptu res a l iow the dou ble-Bishop sac! J u st re member "Alekhine's block."

e x e c u t e d t h e b a s i c s t r a t e g i c g o a l of 1 1 .c4 by p l a y i n g l S .dxcS QxcS (. . . Bxc S ?

l S . . . BxcS 1 6.Bxh7+ Kxh 7 1 7.QhS+;

1 6. N g 4 ! ) 1 6. Qe2. P ro m i s i n g m oves fo r

l S ... QxcS 1 6.Bd4;

Wh ite s p r i n g u p l i ke b l uebon n ets a l on g

l S . . . bxcS 1 6. Bxh7+.

Texa s roa d s i d es.

1 6.Bxh7+ Kxh 7 1 7 .Qh S + Kg8 1 8.Bf6

Exercise 9 Exercise 8

La st Moves: 9.NeS Nc6 1 0.f4 Rc8

La st Moves: 9.Nd2 b6 1 0.f4 Bb7

Best Move: 1 1 .a3 Best Move: 1 1 .c4 Commentary Commentary

Th is is a standard setup, and the suggested idea is to play c4 and look for c-fiIe tactics. There are no sacrificial lines to be had.

White plays to stop Nb4. There is no hope of any sacrifice right now given the lineup on d8 and e7. See Zuke 'Em for a discussion of Bl ack's options here.

93

Module

4:

A Kite of Doom- Double-Barreled Fun

Exercise 1 0

game, a n d Black won 35 moves l ater.

Last Moves: 1 1 .Ne5 Rad8 1 2 .f4 Bd6

17

•••

Nd7

Everyt h i n g e l s e obvi o u s l y fa i l s: 1 7 . . . gxf6 ? ? 1 B.Og4+ Kh7 1 9. Rf3; 1 7 . . . Be7? 1 B. Bxg 7. Most others can be m et by Rf3 .

1 8.Bxg 7 Kxg 7 1 9.Qg5+ Kh8 20.Rf3 Qxc2 B l a c k has m a n a g ed to sto p m ate by t h e rare d efe n s e . . . O x c 2 . H owever, a s i n d i cated i n the lesson secti on, when t h i s happens i n practica l play, it a l most n ever Best M ove: 1 3 .Nxd 7

mea n s Bl ack g ets fu l l eq u a l ity.

2 1 .Rh3+ Q h 7 22.Rxh7+ Kxh 7 23 .f51 Be5

Commentary I n this game, played in the

1 952

Rus­

s i a n Champ i o n s h i p s e m i - fi n a l , B l ack origi nally played his Bishop to e7 before

23 ... RgB? 24.0h4+ Kg7 25 .fxe6.

24.Nf3 Bg7 2 5 .fxe6 fxe6 26.Qh4+ Kg8 27.Ng5

moving it to d 6 . It should be clear to you now why this was a grave mistake.

Exercise 1 1 Last M oves: 1 0.Ne5 N d 7 11 .f4 Qc7

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

13

•••

Nxd7

A n y oth e r c a p t u re a l l ows a later Bxf6, b l o c ki n g u p t h e K-s i d e . T h e p res­ e n ce of the Rook on d B does n ot c h a n g e a n yth i ng .

1 4.dxc5 Nxc5 1 5.Bxh7+ Kxh 7 1 6.Qh 5 + Kg8 1 7 .Bf61 If B l a c k ta kes the B i s hop, he is h ope­ l es s l y l o st. T h i s is the " A l e k h i ne's B l o c k" tactic mentioned in the mod u l e. 1 7.Bxg 7 ? was the move played i n the

94

Best Move: 1 2 .Nxd 7

Module 4 : Solutions Commentary

You should be able to tel l that the double-barreled sacrifice does not lead to a win regardless of which Knight you take. However, hopefully you found that White can execute one of the special at­ tacks described in the chapter. 1 2 . Nxc6 is definitely the wrong cap­ ture. Either recapture allows Black to get to a position where he can survive a dou­ ble-barreled sac and leaves White with nothing to show for his extra move.

Best Move: 1 2 .dxeS

Commentary Analysis, Variations, and Notes

12

•••

Qxd7 1 3 .dxeS BxeS

1 3 ... bxcS g ives the sta n d a rd atta ck fo r when a B i s h o p sepa rates the Q u een from the K-si d e but the Queen ca n sti l l get to t h e e8 s q u a re. 1 4. B x h 7 + Kx h 7 l S .Q h S + K g 8 1 6.Bxg 7 f S 1 7 .Qg6 Q e 8 1 8. Q h 6 Kf7

Th i s m ight l o o k l i ke a l u d icrous position, but be advised that an Inter­ national Master was playing the Black pieces. White, a strong master, upset his opponent by finding the correct p l ay OTB. I give the entire game continua­ tion here.

1 9.Qh 7 Q d 7 20.Ne4.

1 4. Rf3

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

And now Wh ite ca n use the attac k d e­

1 2. N xc6 is the safer o pti o n . If you d i d

scri bed i n the lesson sectio n when B l ack's

not trust you r a n a lysis o f what happens if

pieces have been d iverted away from the

a Queen got to e3, then t h i s l i n e is for you .

K-si d e, l eavi n g o n l y the Queen o n d7 to

H owever, it d oes a l l ow B l a c k t o scra pe out

h e l p d efe n d .

with j u st t h e l o s s of a pawn. Either way, you d i d need to make s u re that the Bishop

Exercise 1 2

o n e8 did not change a n yth i n g . 1 2 ... Qxc6

La st Moves: 1 0.NeS Be8 1 1 .f4 Qb6

( 1 2 . . . c4 1 3 . N xa 7 Qxa 7 1 4. bxc4) 1 3 .dxcS Be7 ( 1 3 . . . Q xcS 1 4.Bd4 Qc7 l S . Bxf6; 1 3 . . . BxcS 1 4. Bxf6).

12

QxeS 1 3 .Nxe6 Qxe3 + 1 4.Kh 1 Bxe6

•••

95

Module 4 : A Kite of Doom- Double- Barreled Fun 1 5 .Bxf6 Bxf4 1 6.Qg4 Bh6 1 7 .Ra e 1 Qxd2 1 8.Re2 Qa 5 1 9.Re3 K h 8 20.Qh5 [ 1 -0]

Exercise 1 3 Last Moves: 1 0.Ne5 Re8 1 1 .f4 e5

tion was pul led, Wh ite, a n 1 M playing someone 200 points below him, pl ayed " Rh3, as George Koltanowski did decades earl ier. H owever, rather than pl aying for a K-side sacrifice, he played for e4, and when the dust settled his advantage had evaporated. I'm including notes to that game just to show that one has to respect the strength of Black's position. Analysis, Variations, and Notes

12

•••

Re8

Th i s move m a kes a ny Bishop sac m uch h a rd e r to p u l l off beca u s e the Ki n g now h a s a retreat path.

1 3 .Rh3 Best M ove(s): 1 2 .Rf3 (or Qe2)

W h i te ' s p l a y m i g h t l o o k a b i t ove r­ method i c a l a n d s l ow, but it fo rces B l a c k

Commentary

t o deal w i t h a n o n-sacrificia l th reat. G iven

When you checked the double-Bish­ op sac, I hope you real ized that it was only good for a draw because Bl ack can maintain his Queen on d8 and recapture with a Bishop on c5 . Assuming you are not interested in a mere draw, Qe2 is a good solid move and White has a great position. Black will probably eventually play his Bishop back to b7 since White now has three pieces on c4 . 1 2 . Rf3 is also a perfectly good move, but be aware that Black's position is a good deal more resil ient than it might look. In the game from which this posi-

that B l a c k has u sed a co u pl e tem p i to play

96

... Ba6 a n d ... Rc8, a n yt h i n g that fo rces Black to react rat h e r than d eve l o p i s proba b l y worthwh i l e. In the act u a l g a m e, Wh ite played fo r the e-pawn advance with 1 3 . N x d 7 ? ! N x d 7 1 4.e4, but it d i d n o t g ive h i m a nyth i n g . It s h o u l d be n oted, though, that the sacri­ fi c i a l l i ne d oes n ot wo rk either: 1 4.Bxh7 Kx h 7 1 5 . R h 3 + Kg 8 1 6 . Q h S Kf8 1 7 . d x c S BxcS 1 8. Bxg 7+ K e 7 a n d Bla ck's connected maj o r p i eces a l o n g the l a st ra n k as wel l a s h i s control of c4, d4, a n d e4 m a ke i t h a rd fo r White to b r i n g i n a d d iti o n a l reso u rces

Module 4 : Solutions due to th reats to his Queen. Aft e r the e - p a w n a d va n ce, the a c ­ t u a l g a m e c o n c l u d e d 1 4 . . . cxd 4 l S . e S d xc4 1 6.Bxc4 Bxc4 1 7 . N xc4 B c S 1 B. R d 3 b S 1 9.Nd6 Bxd6 20.exd6 e S 2 1 .fxeS NxeS 2 2 . R x d 4 Q b 6 2 3 . K h 1 R c d B 2 4 . Q d 2 f6 2 S . Rd 1 Re6 26.h 3 R d 7 2 7.Bc3 Nf7 2B.BaS Qxd 4 ? ? when a d raw wa s a g reed . I can only assu m e Wh ite did not see 29.Qxd4 Rexd6 30.Re 1 ! Best Move: 1 1 .Qe2

1 3 ... h6

1 3 ... N fB r e m o v e s t h e K i n g ' s fl i g h t sq u a re a n d ma kes fl a n d g7 hard to defen d after 1 4. N df3. 1 3 ... g6 1 4. N df3 th reaten s N g S . 1 4.Rg3

Th i s s h o u l d m a ke B l a c k a l ittl e worried a bout the d efense of h i s K n i g h t on f6. White a l so now has the option of Nxfl fol l owed by Bg6. 1 4 ... exd4 1 5 .exd4 Bb7 1 6.a3 Qe7

1 6 ... N e4 1 7 .Bxe4 dxe4 1 B.QhS. 1 7.Qe2 I wou l d t h i n k most players wou l d be

happy with White's positio n.

Exercise 1 4 Last Moves: 9.f4 e5 1 0.Bb2 ReS

Commentary

There is no way to conjure up the co nditions fo r a doubl e-b arreled sac, nor any real hope of any in the future unless Bl ack decides to play . . . Bd6 for no reason. Si nce there is no threat of . . . . Nb4, the ge n e ral - p u rp o s e Qe2 i s called for. This discourages Black from exchanging on d4, which would bring an extra defender to e4. It also pres­ ages future veiled threats against Black's Queen whose safe haven on e7 is cur­ rently occupied. Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 1 ... N e4 1 2 .Nxe4 dxe4 1 3 .Be4

Th i s is the sta n d a rd l i n e I suggest for dea l i n g with . . . N e4.

97

Module 4 : A Kite of Doom-Double- Barreled Fun

Exercise 1 5

of that opti o n here, l ead i n g to h i s doom.

Last Moves: 1 0.f4 Ba6 1 1 .c4 Qb8

1 4.Bxh7+ Kxh 7 1 S .Qh S+ Kg8 1 6.Bxg 7 fS 1 7.Rf3 It's c e rta i n l y te m pt i n g to j u m p i n to t h e sta n d a rd seq u e n c e beg i n n i n g with 1 7. 0 g 6 ? , b u t t h e a b n o rm a l boa rd c o n ­ fig u ration s h o u l d m a ke y o u pa u se t o do you r own a n a lysis. I n t h i s ca se, Bl ack has a n extra piece h itti n g f6, so you have to come u p with someth i ng el se. 1 7.0g6 i s th u m ped b y 1 7 ...0 e B 1 B.Oh6 Bf6.

17 Best M ove: 1 2 .Nxd7

•••

Nf6 1 8.Qh6 Ng4 1 9.Qxe6+ Rf7

20.BeS With cxdS to fo l low.

Commentary I h ave included this as an exercise where some rather non-standard moves

Exercise 1 6 Last Moves: 1 1 .dxcS QxcS 1 2.Qf3 N d 7

have b e e n p l ayed . Th is means certai n ideas that normally work might not. . . and certai n ideas that n ormally fail can succeed.

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

12

•••

Nxd7 1 3 .dxcS bxcS

1 3 ... BxcS 1 4.Bxh 7 +! Here we see a n exa m p l e of why B l ack's decl i n i n g the sacrifice does not work we l l i f he h a s n o d efense a l o n g t h e 7th ra n k.

Best Move: 1 3 .Na4!!

1 4 . . . Kxh 7 1 S.0hS+ KgB 1 6.Bxg 7 fS 1 7.Bb2 th reaten s Og6#.

Commentary

In a typical boa rd layo ut, Black wo u l d

I consider this a challenge prob lem.

be i n a position t o b l o c k u p the l o n g d i­

Na4 ! ! is a resourceful way to use knowl ­

agona l . B u t h i s m i s p la ced p i eces ro b h i m

edge a b o u t t h e d o u b l e - b arre l e d s a c .

98

Module 4 : Solutions Where can Black's Queen go ? Analysis, Variations, and Notes

13

•••

Qc7 1 4.Bxh7+ Kxh 7 1 S.QhS+

1 5 . N xd 7 wou l d have a l so wo rked .

lS

•••

Kg8 1 6.Nxd7 Qxd 7

Black h a s to recaptu re, sett i n g h i m self u p for a fo rk ( N b6). 1 6 . . . B x d 7 1 7 . B x g 7 f6 1 8 . R f3 Q x c 2 1 9.Rg3 a n d there i s n o d efen se.

1 7.Bxg 7 fS 1 7 .. .f6 1 8. Bxf8 Bxf8.

1 8.Bxf8 Bxf8 1 9. N b6

99

Module 5: Tile Gallle-C llaIlSiIlS l\.etreat

! took considerable trouble in Zuke 'Em 1 .d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d S 3 .e3 e6 4 . B d 3 c S

Rich a rd Pal l i ser m a kes a s i m i l a r point i n his excellent, cram med-to-the­ brim-with-useful-i nformation book on the c3-Co l l e . After 1 .d4 d S 2 . N f3 N f6

S . b 3 N c 6 6.0-0 B e 7 7 . N b d 2 0-0 8.Bb2

3 .e3 e6 4.Bd3 cS S .c3 Nc6 6.Nbd2 Be7

b6 9.NeS N b4 1 0.Be2

7.0-0 0-0

to ensure Wh ite would avoid the fol­ lowing variation:

he points out that White can amble forward with a stonewall forma­ tion (8.NeS) if he absolutely wants to, but when Black responds with 8 . . . N d 7 about the best White can do is 9.f4 fS and White's face might resemble that of a child waking up Christmas morning to find no presents under the tree.

Th e re a re seve r a l reas o n s why I warned agai nst all owing th is l i ne, not the least of which being that Black could ( were he of a mind to ) simply play 1 0 . . Nd7, and White is not able to make any use of the temporary retreat. I t's h ard to see how White is going to stop Black from playing . . . f5 or . . . f6 and take the game in a direction White cannot pos­ sibly desire ( barring any masoch istic tendencies ). .

Sa nta is Not Ha ppy with White

You c a n h ave c o n fi d e n c e that a Knight retreating from f6 marks an im-

1 01

Module 5 : The Game-Changing Retreat p o rtant moment in al most any Co l l e

to get off the c- and d-files? If she has

System game. B l ack departs from gen­

no good square (in particular if e7 is oc­

eral o p e n i ng p r i n c i p l e s to d e a l very

cupied) elsewhere, then Qe2 is favored

directly with Wh ite's opening strategy.

b ecause White can o ften s l ide Ro oks

Th is module will hone your ab i l i ty to

to b oth c1 and d1 and open up those

ferret out the p roper resp o n s e . There

files.

are several plans and ideas here, and I

•

I s f7 defended by something other

recommend rereading this chapter and

than the King? If Bl ack has moved his

reworking the exercises several times.

Ro o k fro m f8 and nothing else is de­ fending f7 , o ften a Bishop sacrifice is

Th ree Q uestions Your best play must be based on the specifics of the position, but you can at

extra deadly due to Qh5 hitting both h7 and the under-defended f7 -square . •

Do you have a Rook or Kn ight on

least sort the candidates from most likely

f3 ? I f so, that p iece is one move closer to

to least l i kely using three questions.

Black's K-side than normal, and a Bishop

1 . What are my assets ? 2 . Can Black take my Knight without negative consequences ? 3 . Can Black advance his f-p awn ?

sacrifice might lead to easy victory. •

ous sacrificial o p t i o n s b e c o m e m o re plausible. •

Assets M any are t h e ga m e s l o st b e cause

H ave you p l ayed f4 ? I f so vari ­

Does Black have a B ishop on d6? If

so, it is unlikely he will take on e5 . •

Would Qh5 be a useful move? I f

someone did not realize the usefulness

so, there i s l i ttle danger of B l ack play­

of a resource. The fol l owing questions

ing . . . f6 . If Black plays . . . f6 and White

can help expose p otentially useful de­

responds with Qh5, Black almost always

tails you should not ignore.

has to play f5 . Assuming Qh5 had some

If I am i n a kite formation, can one

value in itse l f, then White w o u l d b e

of the attacks from the l ast module be

better off than h ad Black simply pl ayed

used?

. . . f5 i mmediately.

•

•

I s the e-file half-open ? If so Qe2 is

a very l i kely candidate, pressuring the e6-pawn. •

1 02

H ow easy it is for the bl ack Queen

O ptions Wh ite s h o u l d c o n s i d e r one of six pl ans when Bl ack retreats his Knight:

Module

1.

Use a Kite formation attack from

the l ast module.

5:

Lesson

with engaging the Knight o n eS than th inking about a sacrifice.

2. Sacrifice the Bishop. 3. Target e 6 . 4 . Target the Queen.

Under-defended f-pawn The easiest attack comes if the f- pawn

S. Exchange the Knight.

is only defended by Black's King. This is

6. Ignore it.

one of those nuances that weaker play­

The l ist of questions and assets gives

ers are less likely to appreciate, though

you a good start toward picking which

to be honest some rather stro ng o n es

option is best. The last module was de­

h ave overl o o ked the danger as wel l .

voted to the first option. Let's look at the

I n p racti cally any s e m i - n o rmal C o l l e

rest in more detail .

System game, such a n under-defended f-pawn by itself is enough to warrant a

S i n g l e Bishop Sacrifice When most people th ink of the sac­ rifice Bxh 7 + , they envision a pawn o n

Bishop sacrifice. White does not even have to have a Knight on f3 or any other help.

eS a n d a Kn ight ready t o j u m p t o gS .

To show how far-ranging this prin­

That is the classical version of the Greek

c i p l e is, I 've c o n c o cted a rath e r s i l ly

Gift, which we will discuss i n Module 7 .

diagram.

H owever, Bxh 7 + can work with a Knight on eS instead of a pawn if the board is right. We w i l l describe three possib l e attacks for White here. They a l l assume that B l ack h as castled K-side and h i s pawns are on their h o m e squares. They also assu me White's Queen can get to hS safely (perhaps after moving a Knight from f3 ) . These attacks are unlikely to b e avail­ ab le in high-level games. Most masters

W h i t e h a s n o t even m o v e d h i s

have a enough danger sense to prevent

Q-side Knight, h e put h i s Ro o k on a

them. H owever, at l ower levels your op­

rather unavailing square, and he has not

po nent will often be more concerned

played the often useful b3-move ( many

1 03

Module 5 : The Ga me-Changing Retreat are the sacrifices where an earl ier b3 ends up sealing Black's coffi n because White plays Ba3 at some point, closing the back door on Black's King. ) The fact is that White won't need any of these pieces to reap materi al gains here. After 1 1 .Bxh7+ Kxh 7 1 2.Nxf7 the best Black can do is p l ay 1 2 . . . Bxh2+ 1 3 .Kxh 2 Qc7+ 1 4.Kg 1 Kg 8 because the more knee-j erk 1 2 . . . Qc7 ? leaves h i m down a n Exchange and two pawns after 1 3 . Nxd6 Qxd6 1 4 . Qh 5 + Kg8 1 5 . Qxe8 .

Okay, maybe I'll take your word for it.

That sounds good. You could con­ coct a position, by giving Black several free moves where the sacrifice would not lead to material gain, but in any semi­ normal position where Wh ite is using those moves even somewhat rationally, he should always find some way to get an advantage. Even in the worst-case sce­ nario you can draw by perpetual check. The Knight Assassination Attack

If she had been somewhere else the Roo k woul d h ave no p rotection and Qxf7 + forks the King and the Rook.

The second kind of attack requi res White to have a Knight on f3 and either a pawn on f4 or a Bishop that sees the g5-square. I will once again show an ul­ tra pared-down version, which occurred in Bucher-Barbueda, 1 9 9 3 .

What if she were on el, protecting the

1 .d4 dS 2 . Nf3 Nf6 3 .e3 e6 4.Bd3 cS

Rook?

S.c3 N c6 6.Nbd2 cxd4 7.exd4 Bd6

But didn 't that just work because the Queen was on dB?

8.Qe2 0-0 9.NeS Qc7 1 0.N df3 N d 7

Then f7 is not "under-defended " and you wouldn't be using this attack. Okay, but what if the Queen had vacated the back rank and the Bishop were pro­ tecting the Rook on dl?

Then how did the Knight retreat to d7 if the Bishop were already there?

1 04

Module S : Lesson Wh i te co rrectly p l ayed 1 1 . B x h 7 + Kxh 7 1 2 .N g 5+ KgS, but then he played the very typ ical 1 3 .Q h 5 ? after which there was nothing much for him to do after 1 3 . . . Nf6. Bl ack's 1 3th move is a typical way to deal with a QhS assault. That is one reason why we normally see a pawn on eS when White plays Bxh7 + . That pawn takes away the f6 -square from Bl ack's Knight. But, we don't have a pawn on eS, so instead we capture ( Nxd7 ) before playing QhS. With Black's Knight in the box, White's attacking prospects are sig­ nificantly enhanced. Wh ite's Queen and Knight are sur­ prisingly adept at dancing around the King. After 1 3 .Nxd7 Qxd7 1 4 . QhS ReB l S . Q h 7 + KfB 1 6 . Q h B + Ke7 1 7 . Qxg7 KdB 1 B . Nxf7 + Kc7 1 9 .Nxd6, White has three pawns for his piece and stil l NbS+ and Bf4 in reserve. A better defense would be to sl ide the Queen past the Rook and eventually to hB by playing 1 4 . . . RdB l S .Qh7+ KfB 1 6.QhB+ Ke7 1 7 . Qxg7 QeB 1 B . Nh7 QhB 1 9 . BgS+ Kd7 20. Qxf7 + Ne7 .

All Tied U p

Notice how neither Bl ack's Queen nor his Rook on dB can move due to the Kn ight o n h7 ( keep i ng in m i n d the threat of Nf6 + ) . H is Knight is also p i n ned. I t's uncl ear how much of an advantage White has here, but my point is that the sacrifice leads to a decent po­ sition even when White has no maj or pieces to hel p . I magi ne i f Wh ite had castled and had the option of Re 1 or f4-fS at some point. My general guidel ines for using this sacrifice are: Black needs to have his Rook on fB . I f there is no Rook on fB, then hopefully the f7 -pawn is undefended and you can use the attack in the earlier subsection. You need to either h ave p l ayed f4 or have a Bishop that can see the gS square. We saw the value of the Bishop in the above example, the power of the •

•

1 05

Module 5 : The Game-Changing Retreat f-pawn l ies in the trouble it causes with a wel l-timed f5 . •

Nxd 7 needs to e l i m i n ate Bl ack's

ability to play . . . Nf6 . For example, if he can retake with a Knight then he'll sti l l be able t o play . . . Nf6

Looking at that last bullet, what if Black retreats . . . NeB instead of . . . Nd7? Our Knight on eS cannot reach eB. H ere, White played 13 .bxc4 and after And th at, of c o u rse, is where the third option might co me in.

recapturing B l ack p l ayed . . . f5 . Wh ite could make no headway against Black's position and the game was drawn 14

The Impending Doom Attack

moves later.

The final attack should be considered

H ad White instead pl ayed 1 3 .Bxh7+

any time the Knight on: e5 is very solidly

Kx h 7 1 4 . N g S + K g 8 1 S . Q h S t h e o n ly

defended. At the very least White should

move for Bl ack ( as is normal in these

have pawns on d4 and f4, and probably

attacks ) is l S

at l east one more defender (depending

play the absurdly cal m 1 6.Qh4! and ask

on h ow many pieces B lack has trained

Black how he plans on stopping Rf3-h3,

on e5 ) . To see the idea behind this at­

threaten ing mate on hB.

.•.

Nf6 but then Wh ite can

tack, l et's look at a game from the 2 0 0 7 World U- 10 Champ ionship.

1 .d4 d S 2 .e3 e6 3.Bd3 Nf6 4.f4 eS S.e3 Ne6 6.Nf3 Bd6 7.0-0 Bd7 8.NeS 0-0 9.Nd2 e4 1 0. Be2 Re8 1 1 .N df3 bS 1 2 .b3 Ne8

Imprisoned by the Knights

1 06

Module S : Lesson Black's position is hopeless because e7, but then the B ishop cannot get to fB . the Knight on f6 is stuck and Black can­ And if the B ishop cannot get to fB, it is not break through to counter-attack be­ hard to eject the Queen from h6. I f B lack's Queen is bl ocked down cause the eS-Knight is sol idly defended. The l ast th ing Bl ack wants is a pawn the c-file and cannot be traded along the d B - h 4 d i agonal, Wh i te ge nerally showing up on eS ! I n these s i t u a t i o n s, B l ack's o n l y has enough time to eat up Black on the defense i s t o play . . . g6, preparing i m ­ K-s i d e . N o te that Col l e- K o l tanowski mediately . . . NhS, blocking u p the h-file, players will often have this situation for but also starting the process of getting free, since the c3-pawn supported by a his Bishop to g7 . After Black plays . . . g6, pawn on b2 is pretty hard to break down White must make a decision. He has two in time. In the case on the board, play should ways of continuing the attack, and it is i mportant to know which works when. then go 1 6 . . . g6 1 7 .Qh6 Qe7 1 8. Rf3 and O n e option is to p l ay Q h 6 , with there is really no hope. the threat of Nxg6 . Of course, Qh6 also Ta rget i n g e6 makes . . . NhS impossible unless Black Bishop sacrifices are fun, but at high­ can capture the Kn ight on gS ( gener­ ally i mpossible) or scare White's Queen er levels they are more often threatened away (by playing BfB ) . With this reason­ (to accomplish some other goal ) than ing, we can say this option works as long actually executed. Another plan you can as Black cannot defend g7 without blocking threaten often ( and execute sometimes) is the targeting of e6. If Black is playing his Bishop from getting to f8. The other option is to simply allow standard l ines, he will generally have . . . N h S and p l a n on p l aying g4, etc. exchanged on d4 before having retreated That option generally works as long as his Knight. ( I f he hasn't, you may well Black cannot shoot his Queen down the find yourself in a Kite formation ! ) I f e6 c-file or exchange her by opening up is not defended by anything other than the dB-h4 diagonal. Note that if Black's the f-pawn, then simply playing Qe2 can Queen is on this diagonal, that should be a simple, powerful response. One example where I" suggested this mean she cannot defend g7 without blocking the Bishop from getting to fB, in Zuke 'Em was after as in the diagram above. She can go to 1 .d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3 .e3 e6 4.Bd3 c5

1 07

Module 5 : The Game-Changing Retreat S.b3 Nc6 6.0-0 Bd6 7.Bb2 0-0 S.NeS Qc7 9.f4 cxd4 1 0.exd4 b6 1 1 .a3 Bb7 1 2 .Nd2 Nd7

ule, is that e7 i s the safest square fo r Bl ack's Quee n . I f there is so meth i ng al ready there, White should strongly consider simply tucking his own Queen into e2 and playing his Rooks to c1 and d 1 before p l aying to open the c- and d-files. Exc h a n g i n g the Kn i g h t

1 3 .Qe2

Since advancing the f-pawn would drop eG, Black has essentially retreated the Knight for nothing.

You may be able to exchange your Kn ight fo r one of Bl ack's ponies and then domi nate the board while Bl ack re-organ izes his pieces. You can often aim for an invisible fence along the dark squ ares h o l d i ng b ack h i s p awns. An example is shown below where White has exchanged on d 7 and then taken on c5 .

Ta rget i n g the Queen

We touched on this tactic in the last module, and it generally provokes White to make the same move as targeting eG. I ndeed, the two ideas are often devel­ oped i n tandem. For example, i n that last diagram, White will probably end up playing Rac l and c4 . H owever, the idea of targeting the Queen works even if there is still a pawn on e3 . In fact, it can be a bit more effec­ tive in that case since White's Queen is protected on e2 wh ile B lack's Queen, presumably, has trouble finding cover. The basic idea, j ust as in the Kite Mod-

1 08

An I nvisi ble Fence

While the center is not quite as stable as a typ ical C-Z game, Wh ite enj oys for now the best of both worlds. Black

Module 5 : Lesson is restrained and stil l has troub le get­ ting h i s p ieces over to h i s K-side, yet White's dark-Bishop is free ( and rather powerful ! ) It's worthwh ile to note that th is is really only an option for Colle-Zukertort p l ayers. I had troub l e fi nding even a single normal Colle-Koltanowski game where White chose to exchange a Knight in th i s situati o n . Th is should not be too surprising given the power of that Bishop we see on b2 in the diagram. I g no r i n g Black

O cca s i o n a l ly, Wh i te c a n s i m p l y ignore the Kn ight retreat. White might bel ieve that e6 wi ll eventual ly become indefen s i b l e if B l ack p l ays . . . f5 , and . . . f6 is seldom much of a threat si nce after Qh5 since Black generally has to advance the f-pawn to block mate. If Wh ite decides to ignore the retreat, he should probably play f4 if he has not already done so. This will likely threaten one of the other attacks mentioned in th is module or the last. Otherwise, con­ sider an immediate Qh5 or Ndf3, eyeing g5 (and putting more pressure on the e6 pawn at the same ti me . )

Spec i a l Case: The Cava l ie r Defe n se

O n e defensive try by Black merits special consideration for the si mple rea­ son that none of the above ideas work against it ! Those horsemen who were loyal to King Charles during Britain's Civil Wars ( 1 64 1 - 1 65 1 ) were called Caval iers. I give that name to a type of defense where Bl ack slips a Knight in to f8 and then retreats his other Kn ight to d7 (where the first Knight had earl ier been ) . This idea comes up relatively frequently in both variations of the Colle. An example played against Colle himself is shown below: 1 .d4 d 5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3 .e3 e6 4.Bd3 c5 5.c3 N b d 7 6.Nbd2 cxd4 7.exd4 Bd6 S.O-O 0-0 9.Re l Qc7 1 0.Qe2 ReS 1 1 .Ne5 NfS 1 2.N df3 N6d7

The Cava lier Defense

1 09

Module S : The Game-Changing Retreat If you consider this formation a bit, you should see that it rather defies most of the strategies d iscussed so far. The Knight on fB defends both e6 and h 7, the two squares that many of our various strategies target. White needs something different here. The good news is that White gener­ ally does very well from these positions. Black's problem l ies in the acre of space on the K-side where he has no influence whatsoever. White should therefore sim­ ply transfer as many pieces to that region as possible. Here are some guidelines: Avoid trades and sacrifices. Black will generally want to play . . . f6, so make that move awkward. Black only wants to play . . . g6 if he can transfer a Bishop to g7 easily. •

•

•

Sa m pl e Exercise

As a sample exercise, determine the best move i n the Cavalier Defense posi­ tion shown on the last page. Analysis begins at the top of the next column.

110

1 3 .Ng4!

I n the actual game, C o l l e p l ayed 1 3 . NgS ? ! instead . He won that game pretty quickly after 1 3 . . . f6 1 4 . QhS g6 l S . Nxg6 fxgS 1 6 . NxfB N f6 1 7 . QxgS + Qg7 1 B . Nxh 7 , but had B l ack p l ayed 1 3 . . . Re7 i nstead, I th i n k Wh i te can cl a i m o n ly a s m a l l a dva n t age a fter 1 4 . Qh S g6 l S . Qh4 f6 1 6 . Nxd7 Bxd 7 1 7 . Nf3 Rf7 . You should n o t take this aspersion as an indication that NgS is generally a bad play here. I would say simply that White should only make that move if he has played f4 already. My suggested m ove ( 1 3 . Ng4 ! ) i s o n e of several ideas you should keep i n your k i t bag. Black is rather restrained because . . . Nf6 now involves disruption of the King's pawn cover while the more natural 1 3 . . . f6 can be met with 1 4 . Ne3 ! threate n i n g N fS ! ( Recal l my re mark about making . . . f6 awkward . ) 1 3 . . . Be7

It is hard to say what is obj ectively best here for Black. White is not target­ ing specific squares yet, and his vague threats are hard to fully analyze. The text is at least natural, trying to get some­ thing on f6 . It also unpins the e-pawn by putting a buffer between the Queen on e2 and the Rook on eB. 1 3 . . . Ng6 would only invite 1 4 .h4.

Module 5 : Lesson The i m med i ate 1 3 . . . fS is perhaps Black's safest play, but one can hardly look at the position after 1 4 . Nges Nxes I S .dxeS Be7 1 6 . BgS BxgS 1 7 . NxgS and want to be on Black's side of the table. I f Black has ice (or silicon) running through his veins, he m ight call White out on his previous retreat, believing he is in no immediate danger. After 1 3 . . . Nb6 ! ? , h e could maneuver h i s Bishop to c6, at which point Black has connected Rooks, central pressure and a clear 7thrank for his Queen to defend along. In that case we might see something l i ke 1 4 . Bgs Bd7 1 s . h4 Bc6 1 6 .hs h6 1 7 . Bh4. Note that Black cannot really play . . . h6 until White pushes his pawn all the way to hs due to various threats against the f6 and h6 squares coupled with Q h s when the dust settles. When the pawn reaches hs, that last idea is removed and Black can safely play . . . h 6 .

quite good for White. 1 4 . . . BxgS I S . BxgS is fine for White, leaving Black's K-side rather bare. 1 5 .f4 f5 1 6.Ne5 Nxe5 1 7.fxe5

White still has more than a little initiative with g4 and/or Qhs in mind. Exerc ises

As i n the l ast module, determ i n e White's best response for each position sh own on the next five p ages . Write down your reas o n i ng and wh atever variations you calculate.

1 4.Ng5

This move makes more sense now that es needs less support. I t also threat­ ens si mply Nes, when the f7-pawn is hard to defend. 1 4 . . . Qd61

This adds protection to e6, preparing . . . fS (which White cannot really stop ) . 1 4 . . . e s backfires due t o the vul ner­ ability of the Rook on e8: I s . Nxes Bxgs 1 6 . Bxgs f6 1 7 . Q h s ! Rxes 1 8 . dxes is

111

Exercises Exercise 1

Exercise 3

Last Moves: 9.NeS 0-0 1 0.0-0 N d 7

Last Moves: 1 1 .NeS Re7 1 2 .Ndf3 N d 7

Exercise 2

Exercise 4

Last Moves: 9.Nbd2 Bb7 1 0 .NeS N d 7

Last Moves: 1 2 .0-0 N d 7 1 3 .N df3 RacS

1 13

Module 5 : The Game-Changing Retreat Exercise 5

Exercise 7

Last Moves: 1 0.f4 ReS 1 1 .a 3 N d 7

Last Moves: 1 0.NeS Q e 7 1 1 .N df3 N d 7

Exercise 6

Exercise 8

Last Moves: 1 0.f4 NfS 1 1 .0-0 N6d7

Last Moves: 9.Re 1 Qe7 1 0.NeS Nd7

1 14

Module 5 : Exercises Exercise 9

Exercise 1 1

La st Moves: 1 1 .Ndf3 Qc7 1 2 .c3 NeS

La st Moves: 1 0.NeS Bb7 1 1 .0-0 N d 7

Exercise 1 0

Exercise 1 2

Last M oves: 1 2 .N df3 ReS 1 3 .Bd2 N d 7

Last Moves: 1 1 .f4 Q c 7 1 2 .Ndf3 N6d 7

1 15

Module 5 : The Game-Changi ng Retreat Exercise 1 3

Exercise 1 5

Last Moves: 1 0.0-0 N c6 1 1 .a 3 N d 7

Last Moves: 1 3 .f4 cxd4 1 4.exd4 N d 7

Exercise 1 4

Exercise 1 6

La st Moves: 1 1 .Qe2 0-0 1 2 .NeS N d 7

Last Moves: 1 1 .NeS Bd6 1 2 .Re 1 Nd7

116

Module 5 : Exercises Exercise 1 7

Exercise 1 9

La st Moves: 1 0.Qe2 ReS 1 1 .NeS Nd7

Last Moves: 9.c3 Nc6 1 0 .f4 N d 7

Exercise 1 8

Exercise 20

La st Moves: S.a3 Q e 7 9 . N e S N d 7

Last Moves: 1 0.Qe2 a6 1 1 .NeS N d 7

117

SolutiollS Exercise 1 La st Moves: 9.NeS 0-0 1 0.0-0 N d 7

moves have gone poof. The text d efe n d s e 6 a l l owing the f-pawn t o adva n ce.

1 2 .a4 Th i s i s n ot merely a t h reat to fu rther e m b a r r a s s B l a c k' s K n i g h t . I t s u p p o rt s ma ny fut u re idea s, s u c h a s Ba3 a n d B b 5 . B l a c k ' s a - p a w n c a n a l so b ec o m e wea k l ater, es peci a l ly if Wh ite takes o n c6 a n d B l a c k reca ptu res with the b-pawn.

12

•••

a S 1 3 . Rf3 fS 1 4.Rh3

S i nce B l a c k tra n sfe rred h i s K n i g h t to the Q-s i d e, the h 5-sq u a re is u ng u a rded, Best Move: 1 1 .Qe2

so t h i s p l a n i s exceptio n a l l y stro n g .

14 Commentary

The Bishop on e7 puts the kibosh on the Bishop sacrifice. The Knight on e5 is solidly defended, so freezing the f-pawn with Qe2 is the natural choice. Analysis Variations and Notes 1 1 . Rf3 f5 1 2 . N x d 7 Bxd 7 was the g a m e

NxeS 1 S.fxeS Rf7

•••

1 5 . . . B g 5 ? 1 1 6. N f3 Bxc l 1 7 . Rxc l N xa4 1 8.c4 with c5 to fol l ow i s h a rd l y a ba rga i n for w i n n i n g t h e pawn.

1 6.Nf3 A sto rm i s b rew i n g .

Exercise 2 Last Moves: 9.N bd2 Bb7 1 0.NeS N d 7

c o n t i n u a t i o n a n d i s eq u a l . A d ra w w a s ag reed u pon 30 moves l ater.

11

•••

N b6

Black co u l d j u st move h i s Kn i g ht back, but that i s rather a n a d m i ssion that two

1 19

Module 5 : The Game-Changing Retreat fi repower to m a ke Bxh 7 + wo rk, but the th reat of mate does force Black to a d m it h i s last move was more or less a wa ste of a tem po. White can then p u l l Black' s pieces to poor places a n d tra i n more pieces on the K-s i d e with 1 2 . . .fS 1 3 .Nxd 7 (1 3 .Qe2 tra nsposes to the text l i ne, which i s a l so good fo r Wh ite.) 1 3 ... Qxd 7 1 4.dxcS BxcS l S .Rf3 . 1 2 .Qe2!

Best Move: 1 1 .f4

A shad owy ha lf-move. Wh ite sets h i m­ self u p to use the e-fi le i n case it ever g ets

Commentary

o pen, a n d vacates the d l -sq u a re.

White does not have enough piece 1 2 ... Nf6 Th i s is a n a m biti o u s try, bel ievi n g that transport to allow a single-Bishop sacri­ fice, and the double-barreled sac cannot he ca n settle back i nto his configuration work because the f-pawn is still at home. (a n d probably try for ... Ne4) with o u t the It is prob ably not a great idea to play two te m p i he u sed to g et .. .fS making a Nxd7 i mmediately since the Queen has difference. 1 2 ... cxd4 1 3 .Nxd 7 Qxd 7 1 4.exd4 lets good lateral play along the 7th rank and the Bishop on d6 m ight become useful Wh ite ta rget the e-pawn. for Black. Exchanging on c6 would likely 1 3 .c4 Ne4 1 3 ... Be 7 th reatens to take o n eS, cl os­ lead to a small advantage that is hard to make anything of. White's best hope is i ng u p the e-fi l e, a n d i s proba b l y Black' s to allow Black to do whatever he is go­ best o pt i o n . T h o u g h o bv i o u s l y i t a l s o i ng to do with his f-pawn and prepare m ea n s B l a c k i s th rowi n g a n other tempo multiple problems for the future. Wh ite overboa rd, Wh ite has to t h i n k hard to fi n d ends up preparing threats to Bl ack's the best conti n uation. Let's look at what m i g ht h a p pen then. K-side and along the e- and d-files. 1 4.dxcS NxeS l S .fxeS Ng4 1 6.b4 bxcS Analysis Variations and Notes

1 1 ... f5

1 1 . . .f6 1 2 .Q h S . T h e re ' s n o t e n o u g h

1 20

1 7.cxd S B g S 1 8.d6 Bxe3+ 1 9.Kh l a n d I ' m m o re t h a n h a p py t o t a ke W h i t e ' s position.

Module 5 : Solutions Commentary

1 4 . N xc6 Bxc6 1 5 . N f3 g i ves W h i te a safe, sma l l a dvanta g e since B l a ck' s Bishops a re m i l d ly m i s p l a ced . 1 4.cxd 5 ? ! N x e 5 l S .dxeS N x d S 1 6.e4 fxe4 1 7 .Bxe4 Rxf4 is messy. Taki n g with the f-pawn i n stead doesn't hel p: l S .fxe5 NxdS 1 6.e4 fxe4 1 7.0xe4 g6 l B.RxfB+ BxfB 1 9.0g4 Bh6 and White has l o st control. 1 4.cxd S exd S 1 S .BbS NxeS 1 6.dxeS a6

1 6 ... Nxd2 1 7.0xd 2 Be7 l B.Be2 l eaves t h e d S - p a w n h a r d to h o l d w h i l e t h e eS-pawn is d a ngero u s . 1 6 . . . B e 7 1 7. Nxe4 d xe4?? l B.Rfd l +-; 1 6 . . . B c 7 1 7 . N xe4 fx e4 (1 7 . . . d x e 4 ? ? l B. Rfd l and Black' s O u een ca n n ot defend a g a i n st both Rd 7 a n d O h S + e6) l B.Og4 With e6 100m i ng . 1 7 .Nxe4 fxe4 1 8.exd6 axbS 1 9.BeS

W h i t e h a s a d efi n i t e p o s i t i o n a l advanta g e.

Exercise 3 Last Moves: 1 1 .NeS Re7 1 2 .Ndf3 N d 7

The Rook on e7 should make White th ink twice about simply planning to pressure e6. If Bl ack pl ays f6 or f5, the e6-pawn would remain quite safe. On the surface, it looks like a single- Bishop sac would work fine, especially with the extra help of the Bishop on c 1 . But the Rook on e7 manages to thwart that as wel l . Since the Rook on e7 is the odd feature o f this position, and the aspect that's stopping the sacrificial options, it makes sense to seek to capital ize on its placement. I ndeed, the Bishop on d6 h as few p l aces to go, and that m ight i m p e l you to move the Kn ight so Black cannot s i mply get rid of this cooped-up Bishop with Bxe5 . The mass of Bl ack pieces might also lead you to find the alternative attacki ng option Ng5, which Edgar Colle himsel f pl ayed in this very position. Analysis Variations and Notes

1 3 . B x h 7 + ? ! Kx h 7 1 4. N g S + (1 4 . N xd 7 Bxd 7 l S . N g S + Kg6! a n d we have some­ t h i n g c l oser to a n o r m a l G reek sac, but Wh ite d oes not have the crucial pawn o n eS.) 1 4 . . . KgB l S.0hS (l S . N x d 7 f6!) l S . . . Nf6 1 6.0h4 BxeS 1 7.Re3 a n d after 1 7 . . . Bxh2 B l a ck w i l l a d va n ce t h e e-p a w n and be q u ite safe. Best Move: 1 3 .Nxc6

121

Module 5 : The Game-Changing Retreat 13

•••

17

bxc6

•••

Nxe5

1 3...Qxc6 1 4.cS B bB ( 1 4...Bc7?

As fa r a s l know, no one has sugg ested

l S . B b S !+-) l S . b4 a n d Wh ite is th reate n-

t h i s d efe n s e befo re . It's ra t h e r a m o o t

i n g t o p u s h B l ack o ff the boa rd .

p o i nt, s i n ce eve ryo n e a g rees 1 7 . . . f6 i s

1 4.c5 Bf4 1 5 .Bxf4 Qxf4

a l so s u ffi c i e n t to effect a d ra w b y per­

W h ite enj oys extre m e l y good boa rd contro l .

pet u a l c h ec k . However, c o m m e n tators have va ried widely o n their vi ews of other

•

L e t ' s t a ke a l o o k a t C o l l e ' s a c t u a l

d efe n ses, a n d I'd l i ke to th row m y two pesos i n .

m ove, w h i c h i s o n l y good t h e o retica l l y

1 7 . . .g6 1 B.Qh6 BxeS (Pa l l i ser i n d icates

fo r a d ra w b u t d efi n i t e l y p u t s p re s s u re

that . . . fS i s the best d efense here, when

on Black to d efend accurately. We' l l con­

Wh ite ca n only end a pawn u p i n a messy

sider this a secon d main l i n e (with bol ded

position after 1 9. R h 3 BxeS 20.dxeS QxeS

notation) to m a ke it easier to fol l ow the

2 1 .Qxg6+ Qg 7 2 2 . Q h S N e S 2 3 . R g 3 N g 4

a n notation.

24.h 3 , but d oesn't 23.Bh6!, w i t h the t h reat

1 3 . N g 5 Nf8

of a later BfB!, win outright?) 1 9.dxeS Rd 7

1 3 ... N dxeS yiel d s Wh ite a very p rom­

foreseei n g the need fo r h i s King to esca pe

ising attack: 1 4. B x h 7 + KfB l S .dxeS BxeS

if t h e Q u ee n i nva d es. 20.f4! a n d B l a ck's

1 6. B d 3 g 6 1 7.Qg4! Black d oe s n ot h a ve

tro u bles a re not over. (A note on that last

t i m e to go g ra b b i n g a pawn i n t h i s l i n e

move: I p refer adva n c i n g the f-pawn over

with 1 6 . . . . Bxh2+ i n stead beca use Q h S has

the Rook s l i d e beca use after 20. Rh3 QxeS

to be sto p ped.

2 1 .Qh7+ KfB 22.Bh6+ Ke7 1 d o n 't see a ny

1 4.Nxh7 Nxh7 1 5.Bxh7+ Kxh 7

knock-out b l ow a n d it seem s fi n d i ng the

1 6.Qh5+ K g 8 1 7. Re3

right attacking moves i s not much easier than fi n d i n g the best d efe n se.) 1 7 . . . R e B ? ? wa s t h e m ov e i n C o l l e ' s g a m e, g o i n g fro m a d ra w n p o s i t i o n to a forced mate i n 6: 1 B. R h 3 KfB 1 9. B g S f6 20.Bxf6. 1 7 . . . BxeS 1 B.dxeS NxeS 1 9.Rh3 f6 a n d n o w Pa l l i se r c l a i m s W h ite h a s n ot h i n g better t h a n a perpetua l c h eck, b u t I d i s­ ag ree. After 20.QhB+ Kf7, Wh ite can s i m -

1 22

Module 5 : Solutions ply play 2 1 . R g 3 !, forc i n g 21 . . . Ng6. At that

Commentary

point both 22.Q h 5 a n d 22.Q h 7 a re g ood

I n the module I mentioned that a pawn on f4 was all it took for the Bishop sac to work in this situation. This exer­ cise shows why.

for Wh ite. The fi rst restores materi a l w h i l e a l lowi ng Wh ite to reta i n the i n itiative with 22.Q h 5 Qxg 3 23.fxg 3 dxc4 24.Bg 5 with Rfl to fo l l ow. The latter mai nta i n s the attac k a n d te n s i o n w i t h 2 2 .Q h 7 N fB 2 3 . Rx g 7 +

Analysis Variations and Notes

14

KeB 24.Qh5+.

1S.Rh3

•••

Kxh 715 . N g 5 + KgS

1 5 ... Kh6 1 6.Qd 3 N f6 1 7. N g4+

l B.dxe5 Bxe5 l ets B l a c k safe l y g et a

16.Nxd7

s m a l l a d va ntage. W h ite's atta c k ca n n ot

1 6.Q h 5 ? ? th rows t h e g a m e away

w o r k as l o n g as B l a c k ' s d a r k - s q u a r e d

beca u se neither atta c k fo r W h i te works.

B i s h o p i s a l ive. Ta ki ng the B i s h o p now a l ­

B l a c k's Q u ee n ends up with both move­

l ows B l a c k t o pick u p the c-pawn.

m e n t d o w n t h e c-fi l e a n d a c r o s s t h e

1S

•••

f6

7th ra n k. 1 6 . . . N f6 1 7 .Qh4 g 6 l B. Rf3 N e 7

l B . . . N g 6 1 9. Q h 7 + KfB 20.QhB+ N x h B

1 9. R h 3 N h 5 20.Rc l (20.g4 Qxc2) 20 . . . Nf5 2 1 .Qg4 Nf6 22.Qf3 N e4 is a "Knig ht Ma re"

2 1 .RxhB#

19.dxe5 Bxe5 20.Qh7+ Kf7 21.Qh5+

fo r Wh ite.

16

KfS D rawn

•••

Qxd717 .Qh5 RfeS 1 S.Qh7+ KfS

1 9.f5

Exercise 4 La st Moves: 12 .0-0 N d 713 .Ndf3 RaeS

A n d now the f-pawn shows how very powerfu l it rea l l y i s i n these attac ks.

19 .f6 ••

1 9 ... Ke7 20.fxe6 fxe6 2 1 . Rf7+

20.fxe6 Rxe6 21.Rae1 Rxe1 22.QhS+!

Exercise 5 Last Moves: 10.f4 ReS11.a3 N d 7

Best Move: 1 4.Bxh7+

1 23

Module 5 : The Game-Changing Retreat 1 2 ... NcxeS ca n not be good since Wh ite wi l l th reaten to open the center a n d g ra b t h e d-fi l e. B l a c k's pieces a re te m pora ri l y conta i n ed b y White's pawns. 1 3.dxeS c 4 i s a n i nteresti ng g a m bit, but Black d oes not get e n o u g h activity. Anyth i ng else a l l ows Wh ite to play c4 a n d ta ke advantage of Black's poorly placed pieces. 1 4.bxc4 NcS (1 4... dxc4?! l S. N xc4 with Rfd 1 to fol l ow.) l S .Bd4 Nxd3 1 6.cxd 3 . Best Move: 1 2 .Qe2

1 2 . . . N dxeS 1 3 .dxeS w i t h a p l a n s i m i l a r t o t h e other Knight captu re l i ne. White wi l l

Commentary

play Rad 1 a n d c4.

1 2 ... Qc7 a l lows an i nteresti n g maneu­ With no open e-file, no reasonable Bishop sacrifices available, and Black's ver where Wh ite fei nts at a d o u b l e-Bishop Bishop on e7, White's cho ice of plan sac a n d then u ses h i s Queen's placement should be easy. H e wil l put his heavy o n e2 to bump Black's Bishop back with pieces on the c- and d-files and let Black powerfu l effect. I wou l d recommend play­ i n g t h ro u g h t h i s attac k a n d a d d i n g it to play "hide the Queen. " you r kit bag. 1 3 .Nxd 7 Qxd 7 1 4.dxcS BxcS Analysis Variations and Notes

12

•.•

f5

1 2 .. .f6 1 3 . N xc6! is t h e r i g h t ca pt u re

l S . b4! Bd6 (l S ... Be 7 a l lows a sta n d a rd Kite attac k) 1 6.QhS fS 1 7.Rf3 Qf7 1 8.Rg3 QxhS 1 9.Rxg 7+ Kh8 20.RgS+ BeS 2 1 .BxeS+ NxeS

here. The Queen o n d8 i s more hemmed

22.RxhS Nxd 3 2 3 .cxd 3.

i n than s h e wou l d be o n d 7, where she

1 3 .Nxd7 Q x d 7 1 4.dxc5 bxc5 1 5 .Rad 1

cou l d sweep sid eways o n c e the B i s h o p moved . As i s, t h e f6-pawn i s i n t h e way of

Exercise 6

half of Black's a rmy. (1 3.QhS is not as good

Last Moves: 1 0.f4 NfS 1 1 .0-0 N 6d 7

in this positi o n beca use it i s White who l oses a tempo after 1 3 . . . fS . The Queen is better placed on e2 than it i s o n h S .) 1 3 ... Bxc6 1 4.Rf3 fS l S.Rg3 and White has pros­ pects of a K-side attack.

1 24

Module 5 : Solutions 1 S ... b6 1 9.BhS

Exercise 7 Last Moves: 1 0.NeS Qc7 1 1 .N df3 N d 7

Best M ove: 1 2 .Qh S

Commentary

This move is even better when Black's Queen has flown the coop, leaving the Ro ok on e8 u nguarded . H owever, i n any Cavalier Defense situation, Qh5 i s a strong candidate if White can play it. Analysis Variations and Notes

Best M ove: 1 2 .Bxh7+

Commentary

White's Bishop can see g5, and that is general ly all that is needed for the Bishop sac to work in this situation.

1 2 ... fS 1 3 .Ndf3 Qe7 1 3 . . . N x e 5 1 4 . fx e 5 B e 7 1 5 . g 4 Q d 7

Analysis Variations and Notes

( 1 5 . . . g 6 1 6 . Q h 3 ) 1 6 . Rf2 B d 8 1 7 . R g 2 Qf7

1 2 ... Kxh 7 1 3 .NgS+ KgS 1 4.Nxd7 Qxd7

1 8.Qxfl+ Kxfl 1 9.Rfl .

1 S.QhS RdS

1 4.NgS Nf6 1 S.Qh3

1 1 5 . . . Re8 p re s e rves d 8 fo r a K n i g ht,

The th reats of Ngf7 and Ba3 tog ether

b u t t h e n the Q u ee n is st u c k, b l oc k i n g

req u i re B l a c k t o yield h i s good Bishop fo r

the Ki n g later: 1 6.Qh7+ KfB 1 7.QhB+ Ke7

one of Wh ite's Knig hts.

l B . Q x g 7 N d B ( l B . . . Kd B 1 9 . N xf7 + K c 7

1 S . . . BxeS 1 6.dxeS Ne4 1 7.Nxe4 fxe4

20. N xd6+) 1 9. N h 7.

1 S.Be2

1 6.Qh7+ KfS 1 7.QhS+ Ke7 1 S.Qxg 7

A n u m be r of rea so n a b l e p l a n s p rese n t themselves for White, s u c h a s si m p l y d o u b l i n g u p o n the d -fi l e.

QeS 1 9. N h 7 For t h e sa ke o f Black's Q u e e n , I hope h e r h u sband had good l ife i n s u ra nce.

1 25

Module 5 : The G ame-Changing Retreat

Exercise 8

N c4 1 5 . N g S Bxg S 1 6 .Qxg S B d 7 1 7 . Q g 3

last Moves: 9.Re1 Qc7 1 0.NeS N d 7

Q a S 1 8 . B h 6 Rf7 ) 1 4 . . . Rf7 l S . R g 3 l o o ks q u ite p ro m i s i n g for White.

14.Qh6 N b61S.Nf3 With five p i eces on B l a c k' s K-s i d e o r with i n e a s y tra n s po rt thereto, Wh ite has to have somet h i n g here.

Exercise 9 last Moves: 11.N df3 Qc7 1 2 .c3 Ne8

Best Move: 1 1 .f4

Commentary Since the e-file is al ready open and White has a Roo k on it, there is l ittl e danger o f B lack advancing h i s f-pawn . O nce White defends the Knight, the fu ­ til ity of Bl ack's retreat is evident. Best M ove: 1 3 . Bxh7+

Analysis Variations and Notes I d o n o t l i ke s u p p o rt i n g w i t h t h e

Commentary The single- Bishop sac works here be­

Kn i g ht a s m u c h . I f not h i n g el se, 1 1 . N df3 N cx e 5 1 2 . d x e 5 N c 5 m a ke s f4 a n e a s y

cause e5 is doubly defended by pawns.

m ove t o choose i n stead .

11

•••

N cxeS 1 2.fxeS fS 1 3 .QhS g6

1 3 ... N b6 a l lows the Q u ee n to s h uffl e

Analysis Variations and Notes

13

•••

Kxh 7 1 4.NgS+ K g 8 l S .QhS

a l o n g the 7 t h ra n k, but a l so t h reate n s

l S . N xd 7 ? d o e s not work, o b v i o u s l y,

... N c4, w hi c h can o bstruct Wh ite's attac k­

since there a re two Knig hts that can h o p

i n g p l a n s if he is not a l ert. Wh ite m u st get

t o f6. l S ... Qxd 7 1 6.QhS Nf6.

in 1 4.Re3 i m m ed i ately before the s q u a re

lS

i s ta ke n over by B l a c k's K n i g ht. ( 1 4 . N f3

1 26

•••

N d f6

l S . . . N e f6 1 6 . Q h 4 B a 6 1 7 . R f3 B e 2

M odule

5:

Solutions

1 B. R h 3 Bhs 1 9.94 Be7.

Analysis Variations and Notes

1 6.Qh4

14

White wi l l get his materi a l back p l u s

•••

Kxh 7 1 S . N g S + Kg8 1 6.QhS N d 8

1 7 .N exf7

i nterest beca u se Black h a s no good way

Exercise 1 1

of g u a rd i ng the h B-sq u a re.

La st Moves: 1 0.NeS Bb7 1 1 .0-0 N d 7

1 6 ... g6 1 7.Rf3 Beca use Black's Queen ca n slide across the 7th ra n k but i s blocked d own the c-fi l e, t h i s i s the i n d i cated play. It turns out that W h ite has a fo rced win with 1 7 . Q h 6 as wel l , but he has to know exactly what to play o r else Black wi l l successfu l l y d efend with . . . N g 7, . . . RfcB, a n d . . . BfB o r . . . KfB.

17

•••

N h S 1 8.g4

Exercise 1 0 La st M oves: 1 2.N df3 Re8 1 3 .Bd2 N d 7

Best Move: 1 2 .f4

Commentary No sacri ficial options are go i ng to work here . With the e-fi l e open, Qe2 is the natural play. H owever, here it al­ l ows Black to ru in Christmas by getting a Knight on cS .

Analysis Variations and Notes 1 2.Qe2 Bxes 1 3.dxes Ncs is someth ing Best Move: 1 4.Bxh7+

Wh ite genera l l y wa nts to avoid.

1 2 ...fS T h i s a p p e a r s to p l a y i n t o W h i t e ' s

Commentary Th e single Bishop Sac works here because B lack's pieces do not defend

f7.

h a n d s, but other respon ses tend to g ive h i m a n d ea sy, stro ng K-side i n itiative. 1 2 ...f6 1 3 .Qhs fS l ets Wh ite tra n spose

127

Module 5 : The Game-Changing Retreat at the very least.

t i m e kicki ng her off that s q u a re.

1 2 ... NdxeS 1 3 .fxeS Be7 1 4.QhS g6 ( 1 4...

A sa m p l e l i n e to see what White ca n

h6 l S . b4! sto ps Black from ki l l i ng Wh ite's

do when he d oes not need to worry a bout

B i s h o p w i t h . . . as fo l l o w e d b y . . . B a 6 .

h i s d - p a w n i s 1 3 . . . N c x e S 1 4 .fx e S B e 7

Wh ite wi l l try t o p l ay Nf3, Rae l , then Bc l

l S .g4 f4 1 6. g S BxgS 1 7.Qg4 Qe7 1 8. N f3

to p u t m o re pressu re o n B l a ck's K-s i d e .

B h 6 1 9.a4 Qe8 20.Ba3 Rf7 2 1 . N g S !

[ l S.Qh3. It i s u sefu l t o see h o w t h e K n i g h t

1 4.dxeS

o n c6 m a kes the . . . as- . . . Ba6 play more of

O n e "critica l decision" that d i d not

a concern. l S ... a S 1 6.Ra e l Ba6 1 7.c4 Nxd4

m a ke it i nto this book i s the q u estion of

1 8.Bxd4 dxc4] ) l S .Qh3

w h i c h pawn to reca ptu re with after yo u r

1 2. . . N cxeS 1 3 .fxeS B e 7 1 4.QhS g6 ( 1 4...

opponent ta kes the K n i g h t o n eS. In t h i s

h6 a l so a l l ows Wh ite a K-si d e attack. Here

case, 1 4.dxeS ma kes more sense beca use

t h e c o n ce r n over ... Ba6 i s less. Let's see

it fu rthers the plan that ofte n goes a l o n g

w h y . l S . Q h 3 a s 1 6 .Rae l Ba6 1 7 .c4. Th i s

with Qe2: the domi nation of the cen­

p l a y does n ot work a s wel l when th ere i s

tra l fi l e s a n d d i sco mfo rt i n g o f t h e B l a c k

a K n i g h t on c6 t o ta ke o n d4.) l S .Qh3.

Q ueen . The text m ove o p e n s t h e d -fi l e .

1 2 . . .Q e 7 i s a c l ever h a lf-m ove, putti ng

Ta ki n g w i t h t h e f- p a w n i s not b a d , a n d

a d efender on e 6 without tota l ly comm it-

m i g ht work wel l with a strategy based o n

t i n g to p u s h i n g t h e f- p a w n . Th i s m o v e

locki ng u p the Q-si d e a n d s l owly b u i l d i ng

l ea d s to a p o s i t i o n t h a t W h i t e p l a y e r s

u p a n atta ck on the K-side.

n eed to be fa m i l ia r with, so we will a na-

1 4 . . . Be7

Iyze it sepa rate l y o n the n ext page.

1 3 .Qe2 NdxeS Most oth er moves l et Wh ite ta rget the

1 4 ... BcS+ l S.Kh 1 and Bl a ck has s i m p l y cha sed White's K i n g to a better sq u a re.

l S . Ra d l

e 6 p a w n . Ta ki n g w i t h t h e o t h e r K n i g ht

G e n e ra l l y W h i t e p refe r s t o p l a y h i s

removes a l l pressu re o n the d4-pawn. Th i s

f-Rook t o d 1 a n d h i s a-Rook t o c l , but here

i s c ritica l beca u se t h e n W h ite ca n foc u s

W h ite n e e d s to b e m o re c a r efu l a b o u t

a l l h i s p i eces o n the B l a c k K-side. I n pa r-

protect i n g h i s f-pawn si nce Black ca n eas­

ticu l a r, the B i s h o p o n b2 i s freed to g o to

ily play an a n noyi ng . . . Qh4.

a 3 , l i m i t i n g the p l a cement of B l ack's Rook

l S . . . Qc7

a nd Queen a s they d efe n d aga i n st Wh ite's

l S ... Qe8 1 6.c4 is an i m porta nt l ever to

attac k. In th i s position, White wants to get

remember a ny t i m e yo u can a p ply p res­

h i s Q u e e n to g4 s i n c e B l a c k h a s a h a rd

s u re to both pawns on d S a n d fS .

1 28

Module 5 : Solutions 1 6.c4

1 4.Nxd7

It is n ot pa rti c u l a rl y s i m p l e to defe nd

If yo u a re h a p py with a d raw a n d wa nt

Black's d-pawn, which i s only d efended by

you r o pponent to sweat j u st for that, then

the over-worked e-pawn.

you can go in fo r the Bishop sac. The basic

1 6 ... Rad8 1 7.cxd S Rxd S

attacking plan i s the sa m e a l most no mat­

1 7 . . .exd 5 g ives B l a c k t h e onerous ta sk of stopping the e-pawn w h i l e m a i nta i n i ng defense of h i s f-pawn.

1 8.8c4

ter what B l ack d oes: Qh5+, N g 6, Rae l , f5, a n d if needed Nf3 a n d B c l . 1 4.Bxh7+!? Kxh 7 1 5 .Qh5+ Kg 8 1 6. N g 6 Q e 8 ( 1 6 ... Qd8 1 7.Rae l R e 8 w i l l a l so h o l d

A n i n t e re s t i n g p o s i t i o n t h a t l o o k s good for White.

t h e d raw, b u t 1 7 . . . N e 7 ? ! i s n o t nea r l y a s c l ea r.) 1 7 .Rae l Ne7 1 8.f5 exf5 ( 1 8 ... N xf5

•

1 9.Rxf5 exf5 20. Rxe8 Raxe8) 1 9. Rxe7 Bxe7

Let' s ta ke a look at the 1 2 . . . Qe7 op-

2 0 . R e l Bd6 2 1 . Rxe8 Rfxe8 2 2 . N f3 R a c 8

t i o n a s a sepa rate m a i n l i n e, creati ng the

and it i s proba b l y time for Wh ite to ca l l it

boa rd shown next:

a d raw.

1 4 ... Qxd 7 1 S.Rae1 Rae8 P l a y i n g 1 5 . . . Rfe8 cou l d res u l t in the R o o k s g etti n g d i s co n n ected by a later . . . N d 8 . That i s frowned u po n i n genera l , but i s wo rse here d u e t o the th reat o f a fut u re Qh4(+).

1 6.b4 B l a c k w i l l n eed to m ove h i s K n i g h t away from t h e center, a n d then White ca n b reak with c4. B l a c k has dealt with the th reat to e6, but now ta ki ng on e5 is awkward since the

Exercise 1 2

e 7-sq u a re i s not ava i l a b l e fo r h i s Bishop.

La st Moves: 1 1 .f4 Qc7 1 2 .N df3 N6d7

Hence B l a c k wi l l want to play . . . f6 soon .

1 3 .Qe2 f6 Any more s i l ent d eve l o p ment s h o u l d l et Wh ite get a g o o d game by adva n c i n g b4-b5 or c4.

1 29

Module

5:

The Game-Changing Retreat

Exercise 1 3 Last Moves: 1 0.0-0 Nc6 1 1 .a 3 N d 7

Best M ove: 1 3 .Ng5

Commentary

Best Move: 1 2 .Nxc6

This is definitely the way to go in this Cavalier Defense position, freeing the

Commentary

Queen and preventing . . . f6 .

H e r e w e h a v e a g o o d e x a m p l e of White n ot havi ng a Kite formati o n but set­

Analysis Variations and Notes

13

•••

f5

ting up the possi b i l ity for a d o u b l e-Bishop s a c w i t h o u t g i v i n g B l a c k m u c h in t h e

1 3 .. .f6 1 4.Qh5 !+-;

way o f pleasant a l ternatives. It i s a l so a n

1 3 ... Re7 coops up Black's Bishop. 1 4.c4

exa m p l e o f h o w a position that does n ot

f6 ( 1 4 ... Qb8 1 5 .c5 Bc7 a n d Black's Q u een i s

l oo k very d a ngero u s fo r Black ca n ra p i d l y

w a y t o o fa r away from the Ki ng's defen se.)

beco m e so.

1 5 . c 5 N x c 5 1 6. d x c 5 B x c 5 + 1 7 . K h 1 fxg 5 1 8.fxg 5 i s fa r too d a n g erou s for B lack.

1 4.Be3

Analysis Variations and Notes

12

• • •

Qxc6 1 3 .f4 Bb7

As m u c h a s I'd l i ke j u st to b u m r u s h

1 3 . . .f5 1 4. Nf3 and it i s h a rd fo r B l a c k

the K-side, the adva nce o f t h e f-pawn h a s

t o fi nd a g o o d p l a c e for h i s Q u e e n . Wh ite

c h a n ged t h e g a m e consid era bly. B l a c k i s

ca n o p e n up the c-fi l e a n d/o r the d -fi l e

sti l l i n a b i t of d a n g er, a n d h e k n o w s i t .

a n d p u t R o o k s on e i t h e r o n e . W h ite

I s u g g est fei n t i n g a bit at c-fi l e play a n d

s h o u l d play a 4 someti me soon t o sto p a ny

i ncrea s i ng the genera l i nfl u e n ce o f yo u r

chance of B l a c k cou nter-play there.

pieces.

1 4.dxc5 Qxc5

130

Module 5 : Solutions The only move, for it a l l ows the Queen

p ro b l e m s. T h e Q u ee n w i l l m a ke a later

event u a l l y to g et b a c k to t h e 7th ra n k.

Rook l ift come with tem po. For exa m p l e

Other ca ptu res ea s i l y fa i l t o Bxh7+.

2 1 . R a d 1 B a 6 2 2 . Bxa6 ( 2 2 . . . Qe3+ 2 3 . K h 1

1 5 .Bd4 Qc7

Rxa6 24.Rf3 Qe2 2S.Rg 1 i s n o better) Rxa6

H o p e fu l l y y o u k n o w b y n o w t h a t l S . . . Q c B i s t h e w ro n g retreat beca u se

23.Rd3 Qb2! 24.c3 RfcB 2 S . N x h 7 !

1 7.g4 Ba6

B l a c k need s h i s Q u ee n o n t h e 7th ra n k

Yo u a bsol utely m u st ta ke t h i s option

for d efen se. 1 6.Bxh 7 + Kxh 7 1 7.QhS+ Kg B

i nto acco u nt when Black has p l ayed . . . a s

1 B. Bxg 7 f5 1 9. Bd4 Rf6 20. Rf3 BfB 2 1 . R h 3

a n d you r B i s h o p is sti l l on d 3 . Th i s i s one of

B g 7 2 2 . Nf3 R h 6 2 3 . Q g 5 Rf6 24.Qh4 a n d

those ea sy-to-overlook d efen ses that ca n

B l a c k i s l eft t h e u n e n v i a b l e ta s k o f t ry­

turn yo u r bruschetta into sog gy toa st.

i n g to h o l d o n to h i s B i s h o p a ft e r 24 . . .

1 7 . . . N f6 is p roba b l y what Wh ite ex­

Kf7 2 S . N g 5 + Ke7 26. N h 7 s i n ce 2 4. . . R h 6 ?

pects, after which 1 B.Qh 3 N e4 1 9.Nf3 Bc5

a l l ow s 2 S . Q e 7 a n d o t h e r m ov e s a l l o w

20.gS Bxd4 2 1 . N xd 4 kee p s B l a c k on t h e

Q h 7 (+} fol l owed b y Rg3.

h o t seat.

16.Qh5 As you proba b l y reca l l fro m t h e l a st

1 8.g5 Bxd 3 1 9.cxd 3 hxg5 1 9 ... BcS 20.Rac 1 ;

mod u l e, the sacrifice d oes n ot work when

1 9. . .eS 20.g x h 6 g 6 2 1 . B x e S N xe S

the Queen i s o n c7 a n d Black h a s both a

22.QxeS QxeS 23.fxeS RacB a n d Black o n l y

B i s h o p on e7 a n d a Knig ht on d 7 .

gets one o f h i s p a w n s back.

1 6.Bxh7+ Kxh 7 1 7.QhS+ KgB 1 B.Bxg 7

20.fxg5

Kxg 7 1 9 .Qg4+ K h B 20. Rf3 N f6 2 1 . R h 3 +

Wh ite i s o n the verge of wi n n i n g by

N h 7 2 2 . R x h 7 + ( 2 2 . Q h 5 B h 4 2 3 . Rx h 4 f6

s i m ply playing a Rook to h 3 . Black's Queen

a n d Black is safe.) 22 ... Kx h 7 23.QhS+ with

i s rather stuck o n c7 to d efend a g a i n st the

a d raw.

sti l l poss i b l e sacrifice Bxg 7.

1 6 ... h6

Bl ack's o n l y fea s i b l e way to avoid t h i s

1 6 ...g6 1 7.Qh6 Bf6 1 B.Nf3 Bxd4 1 9.exd4

i g n o b l e d eath i nvolves a com b i nation of

Nf6 ( 1 9 . . . Qc3 2 0 . Ra d 1 RfcB 2 1 .fS [2 1 .g4

. . . eS ( sto p p i n g Bxg 7 a n d h e n ce free i n g

m i g ht be even better.] ) 20. N g S poses a

u p B l a ck's Queen) a n d Bxg 5, p u l l i ng the

rea l th reat to B l ack's Ki ng s i n ce h i s Q u een

Q u een off the h-fi l e to gain a critica l tem­

i s cut-off. The poss i b i l ity of f5 and sacrifi c­

po. T h e re a re two va riati o n s that m a ke

i n g the Rook afte r ... exf5 is fo rm i d a b l e .

Wh ite work fo r h i s poi nt:

Note t h a t 2 0 ... Q c 3 d oes n o t solve Black's

20 ... eS 2 1 . Rxf7 Bxg S ( 2 1 ... Rxf7 22.g6;

131

Module 5 : The Game-Changing Retreat 2 1 . . . N f6 2 2 . R x fB + R x fB 2 3 . g x f6 B x f6 24.e4!!) 22.RxfB+ RxfB 23 .QxgS Qc2 (23...

Analysis Variations and Notes

13

e x d 4 2 4 . Q x d S + Rf7 2 S . Q x d 4 ) 2 4 . B x e S NxeS 2S.QxeS Qxd2 26.Qxd S+;

• • •

Qe7

If Black is going to adva n ce the f-pawn, t h i s a p pears necessa ry.

20 . . . N e S 2 1 . R f4 N g 6 2 2 . R f 3 B x g S

1 3 ... ReB? 1 4.Bxh 7 + Kxh 7 l S .Q h S + KgB

2 3 . Q x g S eS 24. B b 2 Q c 2 2 S . B x e S N x e S

1 6.Qxf7+ Kh7 1 7.Rf3 .

( 2 S . . . Qxd 2 2 6 . B d 4 a n d W h ite's h - p a w n

1 4.Rf3

b e c o m e s a rea l m o n ster!) 26.QxeS RaeB

Wh ite th reaten s R h 3 , but h i s rea l p l a n

2 7 .Qd4 Qxd2 2B.Kh 1 ! and Wh ite p l a n s o n

i s to p re s s u re t h e e 6 - p a w n aft e r B l a c k

d o u b l i n g u p o n the g-fi le after picking u p

dea l s with h i s obvi o u s th reat.

the d-pawn.

14

• • •

fS

1 4 .. .f6 l S . R h 3 fS;

Exercise 1 4 La st Moves: 1 1 .Qe2 0-0 1 2.NeS N d 7

1 4 ... g6 l S . R h 3 a n d Wh ite w i l l s i m p l y play N df3-g S a n d R h 6 i f possible. It's hard for Black to do anyt hing provocative with­ out m a k i n g h i s s i t u a t i o n even worse. A b i g p ro b l e m i s that m ov i n g t h e f-pawn removes protection from g6, but l eaving it there keeps the Queen from helping on de­ fense. l S .. .f6 ( l S ... Nf6 1 6.N df3 N h S 1 7.Rxh S g x h S 1 B. N g S ; l S .. .fS 1 6. N d f3 Nf6 1 7. N g S N d B 1 B.Nxh 7 N x h 7 1 9.Nxg6) 1 6. Nxg6.

1 S.Nxd7 Qxd7 1 6.93 Re3 i s com i n g soo n . Best Move: 1 3 .f4

Exercise 1 5 Commentary

Th i s exercise features an al ready open e-file and White al ready having played Qe2 . These facets allow White to execute an interesting feint.

1 32

Last Moves: 1 3 .f4 cxd4 1 4.exd4 N d 7

Module 5 : Solutions 1 5 ... Rfe8? 1 6.Bxh 7+; 1 5 ... Nd8 a rather awkwa rd way to de­ fen d e6 if Black is tryi ng to o u st the Knig ht. 1 6.c4 N xe5 ( 1 6 .. .f6 1 7.cx d 5 fxe5 1 8. Ra c l Nc5 1 9.dxe5) 1 7 .fxe5 Be7 1 8.Qg4. 1 5 . . . f5 1 6 . N xc 6 Bxc6 1 7 .Qxe6+ K h 8 1 8. Ra e l Bxf4 1 9. Rxf4 Qxf4 20.Qxc6 Qxd 2 2 1 . B c 3 R a c 8 2 2 . Bxd 2 Rxc6 2 3 . B b 5 , a n d B l a c k i s not advi sed t o h o l d onto the Ex­ c h a n ge, fo r 23 . . . Rxc2 ? ! is met by 24. B b4 Best Move: l S .Qe2

w h i l e 23 . . . Rc7?! Bf4 i s even less p l ea sa n t. I n d eed, Wh ite s h o u l d not let B l a ck off the

Commentary

hook with 23 . . . N b8 24.Bxc6. I n stead h e

Th is should not have been a hard move to find. The sacrificial options are clearly not on tap here. There is l ittl e danger of Bl ack taking the e 5 - K n ight given that the Bishop is on d6, so mov­ ing the Queen to the already-open e-file to pressure e6 is the natural play. From there White can either open up the c-file or build up a K-side attack.

s h o u l d p l a y 24.c4 a n d ta ke t h e d - pa w n next.

1 6.c4 dxc4 Black wo u l d rather not l et Wh ite play cxd 5 . 1 6 ...f5 g i ves up both the e5- a n d g 5 -sq u a re s . 1 7 .cxd 5 exd 5 1 8. R a c l Q d 8 1 9.Qf2 Ne7 20.Ndf3 . 1 6 .. .f6 i s c o n s i stent w i t h B l ack's p l ay, b u t W h i t e i g n o re s t h e t h r e a t . 1 7 . Q h 5

Analysis Variations and Notes

l S ... Rae8 B l a c k d efe n d s the e6-pawn w i t h o u t g ett i n g h i m se l f i nto a m aj o r j a m . How­

f5 1 8 . Ra c l N f6 ( 1 8 . . . d xc4 1 9 . Bxc4 Bxe5 20.fxe5) 1 9.Qe2.

1 7 .Ndxc4 NdxeS 1 8.fxeS Be7 Wh ite's position i s very p l easa nt.

ever, Black i s not rea l l y able to play f6 or f5 with adva ntage a nyway, so t h i s m ove

Exercise 1 6

is not as u sefu l as it m i g ht oth e rwise have

Last Moves: 1 1 .NeS Bd6 1 2 .Re l N d 7

been. 1 5 ... g6 1 6.c4; 1 5 ... Ra c8 1 6.c4;

1 33

Module 5 : The Game-Changing Retreat Commentary

This position has come up a surpris­ ing number of times given that it is ter­ rible for Black. Analysis Variations and Notes

12

•••

Kxh 7 1 1

1 2 .. KfB l ets B l a c k su rvive, but i s o bvi­ .

o u s l y not a positi o n h e enjoys.

13 .Q hS+ Kg8 1 4.Qxf7+ Best Move: 1 3 .Bxh7+

Noth i n g can sto p Re3-h3#

Commentary

Exercise 1 8

The l ack of defense for f7 and the half-open e-file make the Bishop sac a lead-pipe cinch.

Last Moves: 8.a3 Qe7 9.NeS Nd7

Analysis Variations and Notes

13

•••

Kxh 7 1 4.QhS+ Kg8 1 S .Qxf7+ Kh7

16. Re3

Exercise 1 7 Last Moves: 10.Qe2 Re8 1 1 .NeS N d 7 Best Move: 1 0.Nxd7

Commentary

White has gone a bit astray, and his i mprecision has cost him his first-move advantage. However, it is stil l a good po­ sition to practice with . . . because some­ times you j ust have to find what small advantage is there rather than look for Best M ove: 1 2 .Bxh7+

1 34

Module 5 : Solutions a larger one that does not exist. Since f4 1 3 .Nd2 f6 has not been played, there is no hope of 1 3 . . . es i s a bit na·ive a n d ta kes away a double- Bishop sac. There is certainly his Kn i g ht's o n l y g ood sq u a re . 1 4.c4 e4 not the firepower for a single- Bishop 1 s .Bc2 Be6 1 6.cs Bc7 1 7.f4 and Wh ite sti l l sac, and Black is already defending the h a s a s m a l l advantage. H e wi l l p l a y N b 3 e6-pawn, so Qe2 is not as likely to be a a n d Q d 2 , a n d fi n d d ecent p l a ces fo r a l l good choice. h i s p i eces. It's true that Black is unlikely to ex­ 1 4.e4 as change the Knight with the Bishop on 1 4 ... Nes 1 s . Be2 Rac8 1 6.cs Bc7 1 7.Rc 1 d6, but with the e-file closed . . . f6 is no a n d B l a c k's extra c e n t ra l p a w n s d o n ot longer a bad play for h i m . The idea is q u ite m a ke u p for h i s l i m ited m o b i l ity. to disorganize Black's pieces and setup 1 S .exd S exd S 1 6.bxaS NxaS an invisible wall along the m iddle dark I wou l d c l a i m we have chaotic eq u a l ­ squares, hemming his pieces in. A hid­ ity here. den resource here is that Black's d-pawn does not have any defenders other than Exercise 1 9 the e-pawn . Thus keeping a firm grip on Last Moves: 9.e3 Ne6 1 0.f4 N d 7 d4 and having the ability to hit ds can hold back Black's entire center. Analysis Variations and Notes 1 O.f4 f6 1 1 .QhS fS a n d I t h i n k it wi l l end u p bei ng Wh ite who has wa sted a move.

10

•••

Bxd 7

1 O . . . Qxd 7 wo u l d o n l y m a ke s e n s e i f B l a c k thoug ht t h a t t h e extra d efense o n d S wo u l d a l low h i m t o adva n ce . . . eS. It doesn't q u ite work that way. 1 1 .dxcS BxcS

Best Move: 1 1 .b3

1 2. b4 Bb6 1 3 . b S .

1 1 .dxeS BxeS 1 2.b4 Bb6 1 2 ... Bd6 1 3 .f4 Rac8 ( 1 3 . . . e S ? ! 1 4. N c 3 ) 1 4.Qf3 g ives Wh ite at lea st t h e h o p e o f a n atta ck i n pra cti ca l p l ay.

Commentary

Th is is the kind of position Colle­ Koltanowski pl ayers can get into if they are trying to play a " s l i m med-down "

1 35

Module 5 : The Game-Changing Retreat repertoire (for example, meeting the Be­ Exercise 20 noni with e3 or not having a special ized Last Moves: 1 0.Qe2 a6 1 1 .Ne5 N d 7 response for an early . . . b6 by B l ack) . None of the plans suggested in the mod­ ule j ump right out here. The f7 -pawn is defended and the e-file is not open. White could play for a K-side attack with Rf3 or Qhs, and indeed several strong players have done exactly that. However, since Black can easily play . . . fs , these tries are going to be hard fought lines. I ' m propos i ng another opti o n . I f White were playing a C-Z here, h e would Best M ove: 1 2 .f4 ( o r Ndf3 ) simply open up the c- and d-files here - a standard option when Bl ack's e7 Commentary square is not available to his Queen. I White needn't worry about . . . fS or say White should j ust do the same thing . . . f6 yet, but does have to defend the here, getting some use out of his perhaps Kn ight again. White has some reason m isconceived earl ier Qe2 . H is Queen to hope for a good game since Black's is already off those files, let's make the . . . a6 is not going to help him defend his most of it and transform the position K-side and White would be reasonably into a latent C-Z of sorts. happy for his Knight on es to be taken since the pawn that would end up there Analysis Variations and Notes is pretty useful. 1 1 f5 White has two ways of putting an ex­ 1 1 . . . N d x e S 1 2 . d x e S f6 1 3 . Q h S fS tra defender on es, and they both allow 1 4.Qe2 should a l low fo r a s i m i l a r i d ea . for a future K-side offensive. Ndf3 would 1 1 .. .f6 1 2. N xc6 Bxc6 1 3 .e4. likely lead to a situation where White 1 2 .Bb2 Nf6 1 3 .Rfd 1 may play Bgs hoping to exchange it for Th i s may not yield a n yth i n g to write Black's B ishop, allowing a Bxh7 + sacri­ h o m e a bo u t, but at l ea st g ives Wh ite a fice. A sample l ine for that scenario is reasona b l e p l a n . 1 2 . Ndf3 Ndxes 1 3 . dxes Be7 1 4 . Bc2 Bd7 I s . Bgs Bxgs 1 6 . Bxh7 + Kxh7 1 7 . Nxgs + . •••

136

Module 5 : Solutions The motivation for a l l this i s that Wh ite

Analysis Variations and Notes

12

•••

N b6

w i l l l i kely wa nt to play b3 at some poi nt,

If B l a c k i s h o p i n g to a d va n ce t h e

l etti n g h i s B i s h o p get to a3 a nd/or locking

f-pawn, t h i s i s one way of d o i n g it. I hope

u p the Q-si de. When that h a p pens, Black

you can see w h y 1 2 . . . Re8? is d efi n i tely

cou l d ruin the pa rty with . . . N a S . If Black

not the way.

i s going to play that move, Wh ite wa nts

B l a c k o b v i o u s l y h a s o t h e r o pt i o n s here. Two a p pea r somewhat natu ra l . B l a c k m i g ht p l a y 1 2 . . . N e 7, t h i n ki n g

to fo rce h i m to d o it w h i l e his p i eces a re a ro u n d t o s u p po rt b 4 i n respon se.

13

•••

aS

that i t ma kes . . . f6 poss i b l e beca u se n ow

1 3 . . . N a S 1 4. N df3 with Qc2 a n d b4 to

Wh ite ca n n ot p l a y N xc6 w h i l e u n cove r-

fo l l ow ta kes the g a m e i n a co m p l etely d if­

i n g the Queen's atta ck o n e6. That seems

ferent d i recti on, but it i s good fo r Wh ite.

d u bi o u s to me. Ng4 a n d N c4 can both be

1 4.QhS g6 1 S. Qh4 f6 1 6.Ng4 Qg7

pretty powe rfu l u ncovering moves, a nd in

1 7 .N h6+ Th i s holds ba ck hS.

a n y event it i s not l i ke B l a c k can ta ke the Kn i g ht i m mediately a n yway beca use the B i s h o p o n d6 wou l d have no p l a ce to g o after Wh ite reca ptu res fxeS.

17

•••

Kh8 1 8.Nf3 Bd7 1 9.b3

The Q-si d e i s l oc ked u p n ow, so Wh ite's B i s h o p s can m ove a ro u n d m o re.

B l a c k ca n c h o o s e to s h u t d ow n t h e

W h i l e there i s sti l l a fa i r a m o u nt o f work

B i s h o p sacrifi ce by p l ayi n g 1 2 . . . h6. That

to be d o n e, Wh ite h a s every rea son to be

a l l ows B l a c k . . . Re8, d efen d i n g e6. How-

h a p py with his positi o n .

eve r, after 1 3 . N d f3 Re8 1 4.g4 f6 1 S . B g 6 Re7 1 6. Bf7+ Kf8 1 7 . B h S , B l a c k i s p roba b l y won d e r i n g what he g o t h i m self i nto.

1 3 .a4! Col l e P l ayers of a l l st r i p e s wou l d d o we l l t o c o n s i d e r t h i s m ove befo re t h e i r K-side attacks, especia l l y when Black h a s a Kn i g ht on b6. Wh ite i s th reate n i ng to ta ke the a s-sq u a re away fro m B l a ck's p i eces. The only way to sto p this i s to play . . . N a S , w h i c h m oves t h a t K n i g ht eve n fu rt h e r away fro m t h e K-s i d e.

137

Module 6: Cqar8e! (WqeIl to play 84 ! 9 )

W

hen it comes to moves that do not i m mediately gain or l ose mate­ rial, few tend to radically transform the timbre of the game as frequently as the advance of a g-pawn to the 4th rank. Let's look at an example of such a play between two of the strongest American players of the early 20th century. Sammy Reshevsky h ardly needs an i n troduc­ tion, but Alexander Kevitz may be a new name to you. Kevitz was ranked third on the first USCF ratings l ist (behind Reu­ ben Fine and Reshevsky) with a rating of 2610. He beat two world champions on Black in simul play, contributed to the theory of many openings, and won the Manhattan Chess Club championships multiple times. He also happened to be Arthur Bisguier's coach.

1 3 .g41 1 NfS

Black makes a hole for his Knight and puts a defender on the h7-pawn that it is about to abandon. H ad Black pushed his h- or g-pawns instead, White could respond h4, threatening hS or gS . 1 4.g5 N6d7 1 5 .Nfl Re7 1 6. N g 3 f6

Reshevsky-Kevitz 1 936 U.S. Championship 1 .d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3 .e3 c5 4.Bd3 d 5 5.c3 N bd 7 6.Nbd2 cxd4 7.exd4 Bd6 S.O-O 0-0 9.Re1 Qc7 1 0.Qe2 b6 1 1 .Ne5 Bb7 1 2 .f4 RfeS

1 39

Module 6: Charge ! (When to Play g4 ! ? ) This move is not bad (though it ap­ pears to have been played for the wrong reason). Black can hope his Queen and Rook will be usefu l along his second rank. 1 7 .gxf6 gxf6?!

I t's hard to say whether Bl ack j ust really wanted the Knight to vacate (per­ haps to allow the King to escape via f7 ) , or whether he honestly wanted h i s Rook and Queen to be able to defend the h7H ad B l ack been a fan o f S a m u e l pawn. The former is unlikely since Black Tayl or Coleridge, his th oughts m ight has no real hope of playing . . . Kf7 any have been something like "Air, air, every­ time soon, even if White p l ays rather where, and not a drop to b reathe. " passively on his next move. The l atter 21 ... KhS 22.Bh6 BeS 2 3 . Rf1 Qe7 seems naive. My guess is that Black had Black goes in for a Queen trade, but something else in mind entirely. his pawns are too hard to hold. 1 7 . . . Nxf6 I B . Qg2 NBd7 1 9 . Bd2 RfB 24.Qxe7 Bxe7 2S.BxeS RxeS 26. RfS RdS 27.Nf4 Ng6 2S.Nxd S N h 4 29.Nxe7 is much better. l S.Nxd 7 Rxd 7 1 9. N h S!

Rxe7 30.Rf4 Ng6 3 1 . Rxf6 RgS 3 2 .Kf1

Th is m ove causes m o re p roblems than you might think. Black has to relegate a Rook to defend a lowly pawn in a position where h is Rooks want freedom to roam.

Re4 3 3 . Rf2 N h 4 34. Bf4 h S 3 S . Bg3 Reg4

19

•.•

Rf7

1 9 . . . f5, all owing White to win the Exch ange, is probably better. I would actually suggest 1 9 . . . KhB, giving away the p awn, but White probably would not have been bought off so easily. 20.fS exfS 21.BxfS

1 40

36.Re1 Ng6 3 7 . Rf3 h4 3S.Bf2 Kh7 39.h3 Rf4 40.Re7+ KhS 4 1 .Rxf4 Nxf4 42.Re3 RfS 43 .Rf3 Kg 7 44.Be3 [ 1 -0]

That win illustrates many basic ideas, and I would recommend you play through it a few times because I'll be referencing it now and again as we explore the question as to when g4 is appropriate. I do n o t want to give an i m p res­ sion that the above is a " model game. " I n d eed, there i s n o such th i n g as a

Module 6 : Lesson "model " for how the g-pawn march is supposed to work (an observation the reader would do well to keep in mind ) . Had Black chosen a different 1 3th move, the game would have looked very differ­ ent. Similarly for move 1 7 . I n additi o n to the many possib le eventu a l i ties a g-pawn advancement might beget, White may have any of sev­ eral possible reasons or goals in mind when making the play. A casual study of games involving g4 can leave you hope­ lessly perplexed, seeing little in the way of recurring themes or basic principles. So, rather than attempt the Hercu­ lean task of distill ing guiding principles for playing g4 in all situations, in this module we will focus on the use of g4 in the early-middle game. This makes sense for two reasons. First, the earl ier g4 is played, the greater the risk to your own Ki ng. Hence, it is particularly important to know when not to play g4 during this ph ase. Secondly, there is generally only one reason to play g4 in the early­ middle game, so it is easier to study that decision. Later on g4 might be indicated due to any number of motivations, or some amalgam thereof. Trying to cod­ ify and understand these systematically wou l d require a much larger module (and likely a desire for self-inflicted psy­ chosis as wel l ) .

For the rest o f this module, when I refer to the g-pawn advance, it should be assumed I'm referring to the advance be­ ing played in the early-middle game, in particular when no more than one pair of pieces has been exchanged and the c-, d-, and e- files are not all locked up. Much of what I say becomes less and less appl i­ cable (or even flat-out wrong) later.

U ndersta n d i n g g4 Before giving more specific guidance, I want to make sure you have a general grasp of this tactic. The Need fo r 94

What niche does g4 claim in the eco­ system of chess moves? What's its role? Let's first start with a simple obser­ vation: Your attacking options are dic tated mos t direc tly by the placement of your oppo­ nent's K-s ide paw ns and the nearby pieces. Okay, noth ing earth-shattering there. But how do we proceed when Bl ack's defenses do not allow us to mount an attack on his King? You could simply attack elsewhere, where the pastures may be greener. You may also exchange a defender. This is especially disruptive for Black if he has to retake with a pawn, as in the Bxf6 play that figured prominently in the attacks of the last module. If the board (or, if we

1 41

Module 6 : Charge ! (When to Play g4 ! ? ) are being honest, our disposition) does

I n short g4 leads to both sides hav­

not lead us to such choices, we can also

ing more K-side space. The expectation

generally coax Black into modifying the

is that White's pieces will get there first

structure by targetting certain squares. I f

and use that space better. Lo ok at the

you play Rf3 -h3 and then Qe l -h4, you

third diagram from the Reshevsky game.

can be reasonably confident that your

The entire K-side is open pasture, but

opponent will do

Bl ack's pieces are all stuck in his home

something.

The trouble is, these piece maneuvers often take time and generally the p ieces

court because sending them out to hit White would be suicide.

you moved were doing something else

Th is understanding of the g-p awn

useful earl ier. While you are busy repo­

advance should clarify why it is such

sitioning your p ieces, Black is l i kely to

a useful weapon for Colle players. I t is

cash a big reality check at your ATM .

very co mmon for Bl ack to have a pawn

When you are in this situation, when

on e6 for a long time while White gener­

there are no weaknesses you can feasibly

ally can get rid of his e-pawn . White also

assail and no time to make new ones by

tends to have an easier time advancing

piece maneuvers, that's when g4 should

his f-pawn and moving his Knight from

be considered. I t p rovokes changes in

f3 . These all contribute to White being

your opponent's defensive configuration

able to transfer pieces to the K-side more

while al l owing your p ieces to maintain

easily than Black.

their current duties until such time that

G u ideli nes

they can shift to more aggressive posts without fear of counter-attack.

A l ittl e reas o n i ng goes a l ong way

To see j ust one example of th is, look

when it comes to formulating some ba­

at t h e Res h evs ky g a m e . Wh e n B l ack

sic pri nciples describ ing when g4 might

retreated h i s Kn ight, it freed White to

make sense and when it is a terrible idea.

m ove his own to fl . P revi o u s l y that

Note the U might. u Eventually you have

Knight was needed to patrol e4 .

to look hard at the details regardless of what these principles say.

What g4 Acco m plishes The description of what g4 accom­

I n particular, there are five questions you should ask yourself:

pl ishes is much simpler than the above

•

D oes g4 cause a reactio n ?

discussion of when it is needed.

•

Does it fi t Black's skeleto n ?

1 42

Module 6 : Lesson Are there other options? Is there a Bishop on d 7 ? Are my pieces ready? In this section, we'll discuss each.

•

•

•

g4 right after Black had placed his Rook on eS, meaning the Knight on f6 had no plausible moves. Eva l u ate Black's S keleton

Ca using a Reaction

Playing g4 almost always causes a re­ action. Generally your opponent either has to do something to stop gS or needs to make arrangements so that gS is not a problem. We saw this in Reshevsky's game when Kevitz played NfS, which opened up the d7-square for his other Kn ight. Someti mes it is not gS that is the threat but rather fS, supported by the g-pawn that was j ust advanced. It is a bad idea to play g4 if your op­ ponent is not compelled to react. For ex­ ample, if you are chasing a Knight on f6 to a square he wants to go to anyway (say e4), then that's a red flag. Often gS or fS would only pose a minor inconvenience for Black - for example he has a satis­ factory retreat or he has played h6 or g6 and an exchange on gS or fS would not allow an immediate rampage by White. In those cases g4 might stil l be okay so long as Black cannot quickly dissolve the center and attack White's King. In general, the more awkward it is for your opponent to deal with the i m­ pending threat of gS (or fS ), the better. In the Reshevsky game, Sammy played

The above is probably obvious. But what is not so obvious is to consider the likely p awn advances Black will make in reaction. I f those pawn advances have sign i ficant side benefits, l i ke opening up spaces for Black's pieces or increas­ ing the scope of pieces that are already placed, then that is a mild argument ( at least) against g4 . Some examples might clarify what I mean about considering future pawn moves. Consider the next position:

Pawn Moves M u lti-Purpose

It does not take much effort to see t h at B l ack's p awns con strict h i s d e ­ fensive p i eces. The f-p awn blocks h i s Bishop a n d Rook while his g-pawn i s

1 43

Module 6 : Charge ! (When to Play g4 ! ? ) on a square where his Knight or Bishop A Ti me for All Th i n g s might want to be. I f he shifts his pawns As Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes, "To in response to g4 (or if those pawns get everything there is a season, and a time rem oved ) , h i s p i eces wou l d become to every purpose under heaven. " Before more active and find homes they earlier you play g4, make sure that it is, in fact, did not have. the season for it. Thus, rather than g4 (which Bl ack As I d e s c ri b ed e a rl i e r, g4 m a kes met well in the actual game by playing s e n s e when t h e re are no l e s s - c o m ­ f6 soon), White should look elsewhere. mittal options to explore. I f you see a Now consider this diagram: reasonable plan that does not requ ire g4, you should probably take it. I f you can easily get to decent squares on the K-side, there is likely l ittle need to play g4 in the early-middle game. Note how Reshevesky p l ayed g4 at a time when the Knight on f6 was guarding the entry points for his Queen and his Rook was unable to lift out. Don't let this guidel i n e deter you if the variations that wil l ensue can be B l ack's K-side p awns do not con­ seen with a fai r degree of confidence strain his pieces here. I f Black finds it and those lines are pleasant ones. This is necessary to move or exchange pawns, especially likely in the case where Black doing so will not be doing much in the has two pieces on the K-side in front of way of side benefits. his pawns. I t is p arti cu l a rly useful if Bl ack's pawns are pinned or otherwise difficult Bishop o n d7 to advance due to specifics of the posi­ You should be particularly mindful of tion. I f Black has to meet a K-side pawn the g4 lunge if your opponent has placed thrust without being able to move his a Bishop on d7 rather than on b7. The own pawns, he can run into problems most obvious reason is that this Bishop very quickly. takes away a retreat square for Bl ack's Knight on f6 . Furthermore, the Bishop

1 44

Module 6 : Lesson has a hard time not getting in the way of Black's major pieces if it is on d7 when White plays g4 . Such a Bishop also will require at least one extra move to coun­ ter-attack White's King should the center dissolve. Finally, the lack of pressure on e4 can end up ruining what would oth­ erwise be good defensive resources for Black. We will discuss that more soon.

on f1 ( if that Rook has been moved to e I , be careful that you do not get hoisted on your own petard by Black open ing and contro l l ing the f- fi l e ! ) H owever, i f you h ave moved that Ro ok to the h-file al ready, a g-pawn advance can be particularly strong. H aving a Rook on h 3 can make up for having less easily transferred pieces elsewhere.

Be Ca refu l What Yo u Wish For

Ana lysis G u ides

The final gu iding principle for de­ ciding whether g4 makes sense is to ask yourself whether you are in a position to benefit from the resulting space. As I mentioned earl ier, g4 tends to increase the space for both pl ayers on the K-side. If your pieces are not in a position to make use of that space, then you might find you rself staring down the wrong end of your own bayonet. Ask you rse l f "which of my pieces wou l d take more than two moves to hit Bl ack's K-side? " Generally, if more than one minor piece or more than one maj or piece falls into this category, the attack is dub ious. You are u n l i kely to have enough power to force Black on the defensive and wil l be unable to imme­ diately util ize the li nes you have broken open and the spaces that will likely form as his pawn-structure shifts. It is expected that you have a Rook

I'd l ike to offer three bits of advice to consider as you are doing the analysis. Th ree Sta ndard Fo l l ow- u ps

Wh i l e there are n o te m p l ates fo r g-pawn advances, there are three stan­ dard plans to consider. The first option i s gS . That is w h at B l ack most com­ monly must react to. I f h is resp onse prevents this (or it would be unwise for some other reaso n ) , the second most common continuation is h4, supporting a possible gS while threatening h S . This also in creases dramatically the space you have, a l l owi ng you to reposition and deploy your heavy units. Your final alternative is to dominate the entire board by appropriate play on both fl anks. Th is l ast, boa-constrictor method is most common when Bl ack holes up on the K-side, using his pieces to discourage further pawn advances.

1 45

Module 6 : Charge ! (When to Play g4 ! ? ) Unless one of these three plans looks promising, you should probably recon­ sider g4 .

Th i n k Th ro u g h Centra l Exchan ges Since White is b anking on claiming most of the space that opens up on the K-side, B l ack may find it to his advan­

Bewa re the Piece on e7

tage to trade p ieces. If he captures your

As your pawns advance, they can be­

Knight on eS, you may find your f-pawn

come weak. This may not be a big deal

overworked (since normally you would

since you were hoping to exchange them

not want to recapture with your d-pawn,

to open up lines, but sometimes these

opening the center and a whole new can

weaknesses can ru i n a n attack. S i nce

of worms) . If Black plays . . . Ne4, several

Bl ack typically has a p awn o n e6 and

pieces can co me off. I f one of them is

White has something ( Knight or pawn )

t h e B/b 7 , t h e n B l ack h a s e s s e n t i a l l y

on e S , the p iece that is most l i kely to

traded off an attacker with a p iece that

exploit these weaknesses is whatever is

White had hoped would be completely

on e7 (or a Queen/ Bishop on dB should

useless.

e7 be vacant) .

This latter play ( . . . Ne4) is more dan­

I t's a good idea, then, to think care­

gerous when combined with the former

ful ly about whatever piece is on e 7 . If it

( . . . NxeS ) . To see an extremely common

is a Knight, then think through its sup­

example of this, consider the diagram:

p o rt of ( and access to ) the fS -square, especially weak after a l ater gS .

If the

piece is a Bishop or Queen, be aware of the difficulties this might pose in l ater advancing h4 ( i f need be) or gS . A dose of . . . QxgS + can deport you from dream­ l and to the real m of painful reality very quickly.

But don't you normally have a pawn on '4 covering g51

This position has occurred in many games, and White h a s an excepti o n ­

That l eads us i nto the next specific.

ally strong record with 1 l .g4, including several upsets. B l ack has tried 1l . . . h 6 ,

1 46

Module 6 : Lesson

H . . . g6, and H . . . NxeS here with some

1 4.g4 Qe7

A clever move that does many things. frequency, b u t n o n e h as given good The possible entry of the black Queen results. I ronically, Bl ack does not need to to gS is a yellow flag. This also freezes do anything provocative at all . gS is an White's a-Rook for the moment. White empty threat. After a developing move still has better placed pieces and should like l l . . . Rac l ! or H . . . Rad l ! ( H . . . aS ! is take his time building up his position even better, threatening . . . Ba6) White on both sides of the board. 1 4 . . . Rac8 is met by l S . Rf2, which appears to have noth i ng b etter than 1 2 .gS NxeS 1 3 . fxeS ( 1 3 . dxeS is asking not only p repares to m ove the Rook fo r tro u b l e, bo th b ecause B l ack can sideways to the g-file, but also puts cru­ open the center, loosing his Bishop, and cial added defense to c2 in case exchang­ because he can maneuver h i s Kn ight es on e4 remove defenders fro m that to cS via d 7 . ) 1 3 . . . Ne4 1 4 . Nxe4 dxe4 square. Of course, the option to double l S . Bxe4 Bxe4 1 6 . Qxe4 BxgS, and Black's up on the f-file is another benefit. K-side pawns are still in their virgin state 1 4 . . . Be7 foresees an exchange on while the minor pieces White had ready eS, but White gets the upper hand with to leap into action are now in the box. l S . g S N d 7 1 6 . Nxg6 hxg 6 1 7 . Ra e l . H e has plenty of time to make use of h i s m ass ive s p ace advan tage on the Practice Problem I n Zuke 'Em, I suggested g 4 in the K-side. Black's position has almost no position below. Work out as many of mobility. the l i nes as you can i n you r p ractice l S .a4 Th is allows the possibil ity of Ba3 j ournal . later, moves the a-pawn from danger, and shows a willingness to slowly take advantage of Black's rather defensively pl aced pieces. As I mentioned in one of the l ast modu le's exercises, always consider this move before moving your pieces from the center to the K-side. l S .gS allows Black to get equality by the tactic described in the Think Through

[Solution begins top of next column.} 1 47

Module 6 : Charge ! (When to Play g4 ! ? ) Exchanges subsection: l S . . . BxeS 1 6 . fxeS ( 1 6 . dxeS QcS + ) 1 6 . . . Ne4 1 7 . Bxe4 dxe4 I B . Nxe4 Bxe4 1 9 . Qxe4 QxgS +.

tween two squares. 2 3 . Rae l (23 .dS exdS 2 4 . Qd4 Qg4 is not what White wants ! ) 2 3 . . . RfS 2 4 . QbB RfB 2 S . QeS.

1 5 . . . Rac8 1 6.c3!

1 7 ... Rc7 1 8.Rafl Rfc8

Wh i t e s e a l s o ff t h e Q - s i d e fro m B l ack's p i eces ( t h e b 4 - s qu are i s n o longer avail able) and allows Wh ite to threaten as and BbS (since the Bishop no l onger needs to p rotect c2 ) wh i l e leaving open the option of gS .

No Q-side Squares for Black 1 6 ... a6 1 7.Rf2

Now White can dominate the f-file and play gS . With the Rooks doubled up and defending the Bishop on b2 later­ ally, it is no longer a big deal if Black's Queen gets to play QxgS + 1 7 .gS BxeS I B . Bxg6 ? ! gives Black a crazy draw by "perpetual check" against White's Queen ! I B . . . fxg6 1 9 . QxeS Ne4 20. Ba3 Qd7 21 . Nxe4 dxe4 2 2 . BxfB RxfB and the white Queen i s trapped b e -

1 48

I B . . . Ba3 1 9 . Ba l . 1 9.95 Bxe5 20.fxe5 Ne4 2 1 .Bxe4 dxe4 22.Nxe4 Bxe4 23 .Qxe4 Qxg 5+ 24.Kh l Qe7 25.c4 Qb4 26.Qd 3

White looks good here.

I l l u strative Exercise All exercises for this module come from actual games where g4 was played. Determ ine whether you th i n k g4 is a good move or n ot. Write down you r reasons a s well a s your analysis. Remem­ ber that th is is a complicated tactic, and there are lots of things to consider. The exercises are not easy, and you may end up l ea r n i n g m o re fro m the s o l u t i o n notes than you do from your own ef­ forts . . . at least the first ti me. These exer­ cises can be revisited again and again. Th e exercises fo r th is module are special in that I have included the con­ cl usion of each game so you can see the aftermath of the g-pawn advances. Th ink of it as a miniature pack of illus­ trative games on this topic.

Exercises Exercise 1

Exercise 3

Last Moves: 1 4.Rf3 h6 l S .Rh3 Ne8

Last Moves: 1 1 .f4 cS 1 2.c3 Qc7

Exercise 2

Exercise 4

Last Moves: 1 2 .Qe2 Bc7 1 3 .f4 NfS

Last M oves: 1 1 .Qf3 Bd7 1 2 .Qh3 Qe8

1 49

Module 6 : Charge ! (When to Play g4 )

1 50

Exercise 5

Exercise 7

Last Moves: 9.Qf3 cS 1 0.c3 Qc7

Last Moves: 1 7 .Rae 1 Bb8 1 8.Qf2 NfS

Exercise 6

Exercise 8

La st Moves: 1 3 .c3 Ne8 1 4.Qh3 fS

La st Moves: 22.Bb2 g6 2 3 . Re 1 Qc8

Module 6 : Exercises Exercise 9

Exercise 1 1

Last M oves:12.Qe2 Ne7 1 3 .f4 Ng6

Last M oves: 1 1 .Be2 cxd412.exd4 N a 5

Exercise 1 0

Exercise 1 2

Last Moves: 2 7.Qc1 Be7 28.Bd3 N f8

Last Moves: 1 4.f4 Qb6 1 5.Qf3 0-0

1 51

Module 6 : Charge ! (When to Play g4 ) Exercise 1 3

Exercise 1 S

La st Moves: 1 3 .Qe2 Qc7 1 4.Rf2 Qb8

Last Moves: 1 1 .f4 a6 1 2.a4 Bd7

Exercise 1 4

Exercise 1 6

Last Moves: 1 3 .f4 Ne7 1 4.Rc1 NfS

Last Moves: 22.Nxd 7 Rxd 7 23.Rc1 Bf6

1 52

Module 6 : Exercises Exercise 1 7

Exercise 1 9

La st M oves: 1 3 .f4 Ne7 1 4.Qf3 NfS

Last M oves: 1 1 .NeS 96 1 2 .f4 Ne8

Exercise 1 8

Exercise 20

Last M oves: 1 2 . Rf3 Qc7 1 3 .Rh3 h6

Last M oves: 1 1 .NeS Be8 1 2 .Ndf3 h6

1 53

Solutioqs Exercise 1 La st Moves: 1 4. Rf3 h6 1 S.Rh3 N e8

Queen has easy entry to g4 and h5 so long as Black's Knight can be kept from f6 . The Rook on c1 helps keep the center stable because dissolution on the c-fie can turn ugly for Bl ack's Queen given the possibility of Bh7+, uncovering the Rook. Finally, even the Bishop on b2 has a hope of getting i nto the action due to exchanges along the main diagonal . Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 6 ... NxeS Verd ict: 1 6.g4!

Th i s g ives Black at l east a g l i m me r of hope that h e can adva n ce his f-pawn.

Commentary

The Rook on h3 is the real key here, and I'm not j ust talking about the pos­ sibil ities on h7 or h8 should the h-pawn be diverted. I'm also referring to how the Rook holds the g-pawn back (since the g-pawn has to protect the h-pawn) . Add to this the defense of the e3-pawn block­ ing possible counter-attacks along the a7 -g l diagonal. In addition to the Rook on h3, there are other p ieces in White's camp that are better pl aced than you might imagine for a g4 thrust. White's

1 6 .. .f5 1 7. N g 6 Rf7 1 8.g5.

1 7.dxeS Wh ite d oes n ot often have this l ux u ry (ta king with the d-pawn) beca u se h i s King safety depends o n sta b i l ity i n the center. W h i te ca n tha n k h i s Rooks beca u se t h e one o n c 1 takes the sti ng from . . . d4 w h i l e t h e one o n h 3 , b y s u p porti ng e 3 , removes t h e d a n g e r of . . . c4 (after w h i c h B l a c k co u l d otherwise g a n g - u p on the e3-pawn a l o n g the a 7-g 1 d iagona l ) . Wh ite d oes wel l kee ping h i s f-pawn to s u p po rt a n d defend the g5 sq u a re. For ex-

1 55

Module 6 : Charge ! (When to Play g4 ) a m pl e 1 7 .fxe5 ? ! wo u l d a l low . . . Bg5, m a k­ i n g Wh ite's attac k s i g n ificantly h a rder.

1 7 . . . f6 1 S.Nf3 I wo u l d say t h i s is a bad m ove except it's h a rd to see what Black ca n d o to deal with the th reats to h i s King. White's Queen can no l o n g e r q u i c k l y get to g4 o r h 5 , b u t she can n o w g e t t o d 3 a n d d 5 . 1 8 . exf6 h a s to b e g o o d n o m a tt e r what B l a c k reca ptu res w i t h . N o t o n l y i s g 5 g o i n g t o h u rt, b u t n ow t h e B i s h o p o n

Verd i ct: 1 4.g4?!

b2 may wel l show u p fa s h i o n a b l y l ate, b u t w i t h a bazooka.

l S ...f5 Th i s l e a d s to q u i c k d efeat. Pe r h a p s, t h o u g h , there was a s ma l l c h a n ce Wh ite wou ld d o someth i n g s i l l y a n d a l l ow B l a c k to s u r v i v e . C o m p a re t h a t w i t h ot h e r moves that d o noth i n g to stop the th reats to Black's K-side.

1 9.9xf5 BeS 1 9 . exf5 20.Qxd 5 + .

.

Commentary

White had a rather promising game against his much h igher-rated oppo­ nent. H owever, all he is doing with this lunge is forcing Black to get a valuable outpost on e4 by using the d 6-square Black j ust vacated. The rest of the game shows this rath­ er clearly, and I do not have anything to add to that.

20.f6 gxf6 2 1 .Rxh6 Rf7 22 .Qfl Rg7+ 23 . Kh l f5 24.Q h 3 BfS 25.Qh5 [ 1 -0]

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 4 ... Nd6 1 5.g5 N fe4 1 6.Nxe4 dxe4

Exercise 2 Last Moves: 1 2.Qe2 Be7 1 3 .f4 Nf5

1 7 .Ba6 Bxa6 l S.Qxa6 Nf5 1 9.Qe2 Bxe5 20.dxe5 Qd5 2 1 .Rael e3 22 .e4 Qe4 23.Bel RfdS 24.Bxe3 Rd3 25.Bel Qd4+ 26.Qf2 RdS 27.Qxd4 Nxd4 2S.Re3 Nxb3 29.Kf2 Na5 30.Rxd3 Rxd 3 3 1 .Ke2 Rh3 3 2 . Rd l h5 3 3 .gxh6 Rxh 6 34.Rd7 Rxh2+ 3 5. Kd 3 Rh3+ 36.Be3 Nxe4 3 7 . Kxe4 Rxe3 3S.Rxa7 g5 39.fxg 5 Rxe5

1 56

Module 6 : Solutions 40.Rb7 Rxg S 4 1 .Rxb6 Rg 1 42.a4 Ra 1 43.KbS Kg 7 44.a S eS 4S.a6 e4 46.Ke4

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 3 ... e411

f6 47.Kd S e3 4S. Re6 Kg6 49. Rxe3 Rxa6

I d on't see what Black g a i n s by l ocki ng

SO.Rg 3+ KfS S 1 . Rf3+ Kg S S2.Rf1 Ra4

up t h e cente r. G e n e ra l l y B l a c k wants to

S 3 . Ke6 Re4+ S4.Kf7 fS S S . Rg 1 + Rg4

b rea k open the center to cou nter-attack.

S6.Rf1 f4 S7.Ke6 Rg3 SS.KeS Re3+

1 4.Be2 NeS 1 S .gS fS 1 6.N df3 11

S9.Kd4 ReS 60.Kd 3 Kg4 6 1 .Kd2 f3 62.Rg 1 + Kh3 63 .Rg7 f2 64. Rf7 Kg 2

Wh ite shou l d be h a p py with exc h a n g i n g .

6S.Rg7+ Kf1 66.Ra7 RgS [0- 1 ]

1 6.gxf6 N xf6 1 7.Qg2 B e B 1 B.Q h 3 a n d Wh ite sti l l h a s s o m e fu el t o a d d t o t h e fi re

Exercise 3 Last Moves: 1 1 .f4 eS 1 2 .e3 Qe7

with no d a n g e r to h i s King.

1 6 ... bS 1 7.a3 a s 1 S.h4 g611 B l a c k a l l ow s W h i t e to open up t h e posit ion, w h i c h h a s t o be t h e l a st t h i n g h e wa nts. 1 B ... BxeS 1 9. N xeS and Wh ite has the better positi on, but Black can lock t h i n g s u p.

1 9. Kg211 1 9 . h S g x h S 2 0 . K h 1 a n d W h i te g ets d efi n ite p l ay d own the g-fi l e by prepa r­ i n g g6. Verd i ct: 1 3 .g41

1 9 ... N g 7 20.Rfb 1 b4 2 1 .Nxd 7 Qxd 7 22.NeS Qe7 23.Ba4 BxeS 24.dxeS b3 Commentary

The perfect way of making some­ th ing out of the small advantage White has. Notice the Bishop on d7 fai l s to support the e4-square and gets in the way of Black's other pieces. Also note how Bl ack's p i eces do not appear to gain much from the K-side pawn moves Black will end up making.

2S.Qd 1 Qb6 26.Qd4 RfbS 27.Rd 1 Kf7 2S.Bd71 Th i s m ove, tryi n g to w i n i n a n eq u a l position manages to create a l o s i n g o n e.

2S ... a4 29.Rd2 Qxd4 30.Rxd4 Ke7 3 1 .Rad 1 Kxd 7 32.Rxe4 ReS 3 3 .Rb4 RebS 34.Rbd4 RbS 3 S .e4 ReS 36.exd S exd S 37.Rxd S+ Rxd S 3S.Rxd S+ Ke6 39.Rd6+ Ke7 40.Rb6 Ra7

157

Module 6 : Charge ! (When to Play g4 ) 40 ... Rc8 wo u l d have d ecided matters.

4 1 .Kf3 Ne6 42 .e4 Rd7? 42 .. .fxe4+ 43 . Kxe4 Rc7.

43 .exf5 N d4+ 44.Ke3 44.Kg4! ? d oes n't save White. 44 ... N xf5

checked) . Note how awkward and help­ less Black's position is due to the Bishop on d7 b locking movement of p ieces. White's King is safe and Black's K-side pieces get smothered.

45 . h 5 Ne3+ 46. Kf3 N c4.

44 ... Nxf5+ 45.Ke2 Ra7 46.Rf6 Nxh4 47.Kd3 Nf5 4S.Kc3 Ne3 49.Rd6 Nc2 50.Kd 3 Rd7 5 1 . Rxd7+ Kxd 7 52.Kc4 Kc6

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

13

••.

g6

1 3 ... B c 6 sto p s the g - p a w n a d va n ce

53 .e6 Kd6 54.e7 Kxe7 5 5 .Kb5 Nxa3+

by a l l ow i n g fo r . . . N e4, b u t t h e n Wh ite

56.Kxa4 N c4 57.Kxb3 Nxb2 [0- 1 ]

ca n s l ow l y d o m i nate the e n t i re b o a r d . 1 4. N xc6 Qxc6 1 5 .c4 B b4 1 6. N f3 Wh ite c a n

Exercise 4 Last Moves: 1 1 .Qf3 Bd7 1 2 .Qh3 QeS

n o w adva nce on the Q-side, play N e5, a n d prepa re f5 .

1 4.N df3 Kg 7 1 5. N g 5 NegS 1 5 ... h6 had to be p layed.

1 6.Qg2 1 6.c4 100ks p retty powerfu l here. Black ca n n ot affo rd to l et the d ia g o n a l open u p g iven h i s K-si d e confi g u ration. I t l oo ks l i ke Wh ite ca n stuff h i m i nto a box!

1 6 ... N h 6 1 7 .h3 b6 l S.Rf3 N h gS 1 9. Rafl S u bt l e it i s n ot, but wo rk it d oes. Verd ict: 1 3 .g4!

1 9 ... h6 20.Ngxf7 Rxf7 20 ... N e4 2 1 .f5 .

Commentary

2 1 .Bxg6 Bxe5 22.Bxf7 Kxf7 2 3 .fxe5

B l ack has given h i s Kn ight o n f6 no breathing room with his last move. Th i s i s a great t i m e to stri ke b e fo re Black can untangle his pieces. White's pawn advance does not help Black do th i s ( someth i ng that always must be

Qe7 24.exf6 Qd6 25.g5 QfS 26.Qg4

1 58

KeS 27.f7+ Kd S 2S.fxgS=Q Qxg S 29.RfS+ QxfS 30.RxfS+ [ 1 -0]

Exercise 5 Last M oves: 9.Qf3 c5 1 0.c3 Qc7

Module 6 : Solutions

Verd ict: 1 1 .g41!

Verd ict: l S .g41!

Commentary

Commentary

Th i s is the position I warned you about in the lesson. In all honesty, you might very wel l do fine in an OTB game here since the best move is not easy to find for Black. White has had very good practical results here, but there is no get­ ting a good position if Black finds the right continuation.

The p rob lem with g4 here i s that Black does not really need to do any­ thing about it. The space he already has around his King lets him defend along his 7th rank after the Knight on eS is exchanged. gxfS is not a maj or threat, especially if Black is allowed to retake with a Knight. Ndf3 woul d h ave p re­ served a promising position for White with several possible plans.

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

11

•••

g6 1 2. Rf2 NxeS 1 3 .fxeS N d 7

1 4.Qh 3 f6 l S .exf6 Rxf6 1 6.Nf3 Rf7 1 7. N g S Bxg S 1 8.Rxf7 Kxf7 1 9.Qxh7+ Ke8 20.Qxg6+ Ke7 2 1 .Qxg S+ Kd6

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

lS

•••

N ef61!

After t h i s one error, Wh ite was a b l e

22 .e4 Qd8 2 3 .Bf4+ Kc6 24.exd S+ exd S

to b u i l d u p a n attac k even t h o u g h B l a c k

2S .Re 1 c4 26.Bxc4 NcS 27.Qg6+ [ 1 -0]

played very wel l for severa l m oves there­ after. Let's look at what co u l d have h a p­

Exercise 6 Last Moves: 1 3 .c3 N e8 1 4.Qh3 fS

pened if Bl ack had n ot erred here. 1 5 ... Nxe5! I t i s i m po rta nt to get t h i s m ove i n be-

1 59

Module 6 : Charge ! ( When to Play g4 ) fore Wh ite can play Ndf3 . As l o n g as Wh ite

White now should d o wel l i n all l i nes by

has to reca ptu re with a pawn, B l a ck's de­

simply excha n g i n g o n e4 a n d then p u s h­

fen sive tas k i s ea sier beca u se g6 i s under

i n g d 5 or f5 (wh ichever Black's reca ptu re

l ess p ressure a n d the fl-sq u a re beco mes

a l l ows) . The g a m e conti n u ed with :

ava i l a b l e for Black's Rook.

20

1 6.fxe5 N g 7, and there i s l ittl e Wh ite c a n h o p e fo r w i t h f5 d e fe n d e d fo u r

i s worse. After 1 6 . . . fxg4 1 7 .Qxg4 N g 7,

Bf8 2 1 .Bxe4 dxe4 22 .dxcS Bg7

23 .Rd 1 Rd8 24.Rg d 2 Rxd 2 2S.Rxd2 bxcS 1 25 ... Bc8 wo u l d have kept B l a c k a l ive.

times. U nfo rtu n atel y, the rec kless 1 6.dxe5 ? !

•••

26.Rd7 Qc8 2 7.Qh4 Bc6 28.Rxg7+ Kxg 7 29.Ng4 [ 1 -0]

Wh ite wo u l d have to play 1 8.Bxg6? if he were tryi ng to m a ke a n someth i n g of his

Exercise 7

i n itiative. The p ro b l e m fo r Wh ite b e i n g

Last Moves: 1 7.Rae 1 Bb8 1 8.Qf2 NfS

t h a t a nyth i n g e l se a l l ows B l a c k to p l a y . . . N f5 , at w h i c h p o i nt t h e re i s n o h o pe of a ny attac k, at least n ot a g a i n st B l a ck's K i n g . 1 8 ... hxg6 1 9.Qxg6 d4 i s j u st too easy to fi n d to put a ny hope i nto t h i s attack. Wh ite wo u l d l i ke to g et a Rook o n g 2 so that h e can play Qxe6+, uti l izing the pin a ga i n st the K n i g ht. U nfo rtu nate l y, there i s j u st noth i n g t h e re. 20.e4 B h 4 2 1 . R g 2 Rxf4 c r u s h i n g W h i te's h o p e . 2 2 .Qxe6+ Qf7 2 3 .Qxfl + Kxfl 24.cxd4 cxd4 25.Bxd4

Verd ict: 1 9.941

Bxe4. Co m i ng back to the actual g a m e . . .

1 6.gxfS exfS 1 7.Ndf3 Ne4 1 8.Rg2 NxeS 1 9.NxeS N ote the p ressure a g a i n st g6.

19

•••

Rf6 20.c4

Commentary

This was played in a game between two IMs and is a good reminder that one must always look at the consequences of immediate chaos in the center.

Both p l ayers have p l ayed we l l s i nce the m i sta ke o n B l a c k's 1 5t h , b u t B l a c k's p o s i t i o n i s b e co m i n g h a rd to d efe n d .

1 60

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

19

•••

dxc4 20.bxc4 BxeS 2 1 .gxfS

Module 6 : Solutions 2 1 .fxe5 Nxg4 22.Qf4 Qh4 and Wh ite i s n o t d e a d , but p l ayi ng g4 a n d then havi n g fo u r of B l a c k's pi eces a l l h i tti n g sq u a res a ro u n d you r King i s a fa i rly re l i a b l e s i g n t h a t s o m eth i n g h a s g o n e wro n g - b e ­ yo n d " p i c k l e-flavored i ce c ream" wro n g . M o re l i k e " m a r m a l a d e - a n d -t u n a -fi s h ­ sandwich" wrong. 2 1 . Bxf5 Bxd4; 2 1 .Rxe5 Nxg4.

21 ... Ng4 22 .fxeS Nxf2 2 3 . Rxf2 bS 24.cS RxcS 2S .f6 g6 26.h4 Rd S 27.Re4 Kh8 28. B b 1 Qc7 29.Rh2 Rg8 30.hS gxhS+ 3 1 .Kf1 Rg S 3 2 . Reh4 Qd8 3 3 .Nf3 RdxeS 34.NxeS RxeS 3 S .Bc1 QdS 36.dxeS Qd 1 + 37.Kf2 Qxc 1 38.Bd3 Qb2+ 39.Kf1 Qa 1 + 40.Kf2 QxeS 4 1 .RxhS Qxf6+ 42.Ke 1 Qc3+ 43.Ke2 Bf3 + [0- 1 ]

Commentary

As l o ng as White is fully aware of the complexities of this position, the g4 play is a good one. Note that none of Black's heavy pieces are on the 7th rank, and it is unlikely for any transformation of Black's K-side pawns to significantly help his pieces defend his King. H owever, Wh ite needs to be a b it cautious. The Rook on eS means that advancing the f-pawn is unlikely to work any time soon. Black is also threatening the annoying . . . Ba6 . I n the game, White fi nds the perfect solution to these is­ sues, but then does not quite harvest his gains. He allows the focus of the game to drift to the Q-side, where he has less influence.

Exercise 8 Last Moves: 22.Bb2 g6 23.Re1 Qc8

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

24 ... Nd6 2S.Ba3! A n exce l l e nt m ove, d ra w i n g B l a c k's Queen off cS. Th i s removes the i m m ed iate th reat of ... Ba6, a l l ow i n g Wh ite to m a ke the K-side the p ri m a ry stage.

2S ... Qc7 26.Bxd6?! I t h i n k this i s where White went wrong. I t 's h a rd fo r B l a c k to i m p rove h i s p i ece p l a c e m e n t w i t h o u t g i v i n g Wh ite s o m e rea l atta c k i n g c h a n ces, so I th i n k W h i te s h o u l d m a i nta i n the ten sion h e re. Verd ict: 24.g4!

26.g 5 ! B g 7 2 7 . R h 3 fe i n ts at Qf2 - h 4 . Then:

1 61

Module 6 : Charge ! ( When to Play g4 ) 2 7 . . . B c B , t h reate n i n g . . . e S , i s n o t a c o n c e r n fo r Wh ite s i nce B l a c k 's Q u e e n ca n b e a b u sed. (E.g., 2B.Qf2 e S ? ! 29.Bxd6! Qxd 6 30.fxd 6); 27 ... RacB frees W h i te's Q u e e n s i n ce now ... Ba6 i s not a n o pti o n . 2B.Qf2 Qd 7 29.Rc l with ... Qh4 soo n. 2 7 ... RadB d efe n d s the K n i g ht, resu r­ rect i n g the th reat to c3. 2B. B b l is p rob­ a b l y the best way to ma i nta i n the ten s i o n . (2B.Rc l i s a fi n e response but a l lows Black

Verd ict: 1 4.g41!

t o fi n d a d raw: 2B ... NfS 29.Qf2 f6 30.BxfS exfS 3 1 .Qh4 fxg S 3 2.Qx h 7 + (32.fxg S B h B

Commentary

3 3 . Re l , w i t h p l ay d own the e-fi le i s worth

Even with two pieces on the K-side and a Bishop on d7, this move is dubi­ ous because Black can force White to let him open up the center enough to cause problems. H owever, the game illustrates wel l how even very strong players can h ave p roblems defending against the g-pawn march .

a t r y ) 32 . . . Kf7 3 3 . R h 6 Re6 3 4 . N f3 Qxf4 3 S . N e S + RxeS 36.Qxg6+ Kg B 3 7 .dxeS.)

26

•••

Qxd6 27.g5 Bg7 28.Nf1 Rec8

29.Qd2 Rc7 30.Bb 1 1! See m s Be2 (su pporti n g h4-hS) makes m o re s e n se g iven the q u a rry of g ra n ite the B i s h o p bites o n cu rrently.

30

•••

Rac8 3 1 . Ree3 Ba6 32.Bd3 Bxd 3

3 3 . Rxd 3 b5 34.axb5 Qb6 3 5 .Ne3 Qxb5 36.c4 dxc4 37.bxc4 Qb7 38.d 5 exd 5 39.Rxd 5 a4 40.Ng4 Qb6+ 4 1 .Qe3

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

14

•••

Bb5 1 5 .c4 dxc4 1 6.bxc4 Bc6

I t m i g ht not seem l i ke m uch, but Black

Qxe3+ 42.Nxe3 Ra8 43.Rd2 Rb7

n ow has e n o u g h access to the K i n g to

44.Ra2 Rb2 45.Rf2 Rxa2 46.Rxa2 Bd4

p rovid e rea l hope of cou nterplay.

[0- 1 ]

1 7 .g5 Bxe51! 1 7 . . . N d 7 ! i s p owerfu l beca u s e n o n e

Exercise 9

o f t h e th ree u n its d i rectl y d efe n d i n g the

La st M oves: 1 2 .Qe2 Ne7 1 3 .f4 Ng6

K n i g ht o n eS co u l d actua l l y reca ptu re if the K n i g ht were ta ken due to the threats of QxgS a n d BcS. Wh ite s h o u l d then play

1 62

Module 6 : Solutions l S. N xc6 when l S ... Rxc6 1 9.Bxg6 hxg6 is

40.Rf4 Ne3 4 1 .NfS Ng2 42 .Bxe7 Nxf4

eq u a l .

43 .N h4+ [ 1 -0]

l S. N e4 ? ! B x e 5 1 9.fxe5 Bxe4 20. Bxe4 Qxg 5+ 2 1 .Kh 1 N b6 and the b u rd e n i s re­

Exercise 1 0

a l ly o n Wh ite to show he can d ru m up a n

Last M oves: 27.Qel Be7 2S.Bd3 N fS

atta c k w i t h o u t g i v i n g B l a c k d a n g e ro u s cou nterplay; l S. N xg 6 ! ? hxg6 1 9. Bxg6 Qc7 20. B h 5 Bxf4 2 1 .Qf2 Bxg 5 2 2 . Bxf7 + K h S 2 3 . R a e 1 Q d S 24 . d 5 exd 5 2 5 . Q f5 d4 2 6 . N e4 B h 6 2 7 . B x d 4 Q h 4 p r o b a b l y fa vo r s W h i t e a tad ; l S.Qf2?? i s t h e sort o f move you m i g ht ma ke to s u p port h4 if yo u d i d not know the d a n g e r to W h i te's K i n g . l S ... N d xe 5 1 9. d x e 5 ( 1 9.fx e 5 N x e 5 2 0 . d x e 5 Q xg 5 +

Verd i ct: 29.g41

2 1 .Qg3 Bc5+ 22. Rf2 Bxf2+ 2 3 . Kxf2 Qxd 2+) 1 9 ... Bc5 20.Qxc5 N xf4 2 1 . Rxf4 Qxg 5 +)

l S.fxeS N d 7 1 9.Qe3 b S 1! I t i s n ot a n overstatement to say that this i s the game e n d i n g m i sta ke, ced i n g t h e centra l pawn m a s s t o Wh ite. I n stead, 1 9 ... N b6 restra i n s Wh i te's pawns.

20.eS Nh4 2 1 .Ne4 NfS 22.RxfS exfS 23.Nd6 Re7 24.BxfS Qe7 2 S .e6 KhS 26.Rel fxe6 27.Bxe6 Rf3 2S.Qd 2 QfS 29.Bg4 29.g6! opens g 5 to White's Queen a n d wou l d have ended t h e ga me.

29

•••

Commentary

I hope th i s one was a p retty easy one for you . Not only are White's pieces poorly p l aced to use wh atever space becomes available on the K-side, but Black can more or less ignore this ad­ vance. On top of all th is, White has an easy way to net a material gai n ! Given the odd nature of the rest of the game, I'm assuming one or both players were in time trouble. Instead, 2 9 . Bf4 wins the Exchange.

BdS 30.Bel hS 3 1 .gxh6 Qf6

32.Bxf3 Bxf3 3 3 .Qf4 Qg6+ 34.Qg3 Qxg 3+ 3 S.hxg3 Nf6 36.Rfl Be6 37.hxg 7+ Kxg 7 3S. Bf4 Kg6 39.BeS Ng4

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

29

•••

QaS

29 ... e5 i s more tha n adequate.

1 63

Module 6 : Charge ! ( When to Play g4 ) 30.Bb1 g5 3 1 .Be4 [ 1 -0] I a s s u m e Black's flag d ropped.

1 3 ... B h 7 1 4.g 5 hxg5 1 5 .fxg 5 N d 7 1 6.g6 fxg 6 1 7 .RxfS+ N xfS l S. N df3 N c6 1 9.Qg3 i s eq u a l .

Exercise 1 1 Last Moves: 1 1 .Be2 cxd4 1 2.exd4 Na5

I n t h i s l a st va r i a t i o n , m o v i n g t h e K n i g ht o n move 1 4 i s not a s good: 1 4 ... NeS 1 5 . g x h 6 Bh4 1 6 . Q d 1 g x h 6 1 7 . K h 1 s h o u l d sti l l h a v e s o m et h i n g fo r Wh ite. Th e o t h e r K n i g ht m ove, 1 4 . . . N d 7, i s worse. O n eS, the K n i g ht ca n reac h both g7 a n d d6. 1 5 .gxh6 gxh6 ( 1 5 ... Bh4 1 6.Qd 1 gxh6 1 7 . N d f3 th reate n i n g f5 . lf the K n i g ht h a d been on eS, t h e n ... N d 6 wo u l d sto p t h i s.) 1 6.Qg 3+ KhS 1 7. K h 1 looks g ood for the fi rst player.

1 4.g5 hxg 5 1 5 .fxg 5 N d 7 1 6.Nxd 7

Verd ict: 1 3 .g4!

Qxd 7 1 7.Qh4 1 7. N xe4 d xe4 l S.Qh4 Q d 5 1 9. R e 1 a l ­

Commentary

Th i s m ove m akes a l o t o f s e n s e . N o t only are White's p ieces reasonably situated to try to make something of the thrust, but it's also rather hard to find anything else in this position for White. A b-pawn lunge is unl ikely to end well after the dust settles. Wh ite may only theoretically get equality here, but that is better than what he would have with tamer tries.

l ows Wh ite t o wi n a pawn, but B l a c k wi l l have some co m p e n sation g iven t h e open position of his K i n g .

17

•••

Bg6

Th i s i s g ood, but ... Bf5 i s better.

1 8.Bh5?! I m u st a d m it t h a t I d o n ot s e e w h a t i s wro n g w i t h Rf3 here. I t i s n't wi n n i ng, but I d o n't see what the text does fo r White.

18

•••

N c6 1 9.Rf3 e5 20.Bg4 f5 ? ?

20 . . . Qd6 2 1 . R h 3 f5 2 2 .g xf6 Bxf6 wo u l d

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

13

•••

Be4

1 3 ... Bc2!? 1 4. N df3 wo u l d be i n teresti n g to see play out over the boa rd .

1 64

have put a n e n d to a n yth i n g rese m b l i n g an attack.

2 1 .gxf6 Qd6 22 .fxe7 Rxf3 23.Nxf3 exd4 24. N g 5 Nxe7 2 5 . Be6+ Kf8

Module 6 : Solutions 26.QhS+ NgS 27.Qxg S+ Ke7 2S.Qxg 7+

1 7.Q h 3 gxf4 1 S.Nxd7 Nxd7 1 9.Qxh6

KdS 29. Bf4 Qe7 30.Qxg6 [ 1 -0]

Nf6 20.gS N e4 2 1 .Nxe4 dxe4 22. Bxe4 fS 23 .Qg6+ KhS 24. Rf3 [ 1 -0]

Exercise 1 2 Exercise 1 3

Last Moves: 1 4.f4 Qb6 1 S .Qf3 0-0

Last M oves: 1 3 .Qe2 Qc7 1 4.Rf2 QbS

Verd ict: 1 6.g41! Verd ict: 1 S.g4! 1

Commentary

At fi rst gl ance th is d i agra m l o oks Commentary like it has good gS potenti al . There is a While all the general signs point to Bishop on d 7 and no obvious way for this diagram being one where g4 is a fine Bl ack to open up the center. Fu rth er­ pl ay, Wh ite has to be wary of the Knight more, Wh ite's pieces are in reasonably on e7 m a k i n g use of the fS - s q u a re. decent positions. However, the Bishop This game gives an excellent display of on e7 ru i n s thi ngs, much l i ke taking how Wh ite should ( and should not) your 3-year-old on a first date. proceed . Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 6 ... g S 1

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 S ... Qc7

1 6 . . . N xeS 1 7.fxeS N h 7 a n d not o n l y i s

l S ... h 6 i s a l u re. I f Wh ite a m b l e s fo r­

Whi te's K-s i d e p l ay stu nted, b u t t h e re i s

wa rd, then Black g ets eq u a l ity. H owever,

not m u ch to b e d o n e about Black p l ayi ng

if W h i te s h ows m o re fo ret h o u g ht, t h e n

.. .f6, i n c rea s i n g the scope of h i s pi eces.

p u s h i n g t h e h-pawn ends u p s i m p l y hel p-

1 65

Module 6 : Charge ! (When to Play g4 ) i n g h i m by provid i n g a hook he ca n u se

It's u n d ersta n d a b l e that Bl ack did not

once proper p repa ratio n s a re made. Let's

wa nt to put h i s Bishop back i n its coffi n on

look at those two options:

d6, but alas it was necessa ry.

1 6.Raf1 Q c 7 1 7. R g 2 . N ote how h a rd

2 1 .b4?

it i s fo r B l a c k to i m prove the p l a cement

2 1 . N xf7! Rxf7 22.Qxe6 Ng6 23.Ne5 Nd6

of a n y of his p i eces. His Knight o n e 7 i s

24. N xf7 N xf7 25 .Bxg6 hxg6 26.Qxg6.

the o n l y t h i n g that i s m a k i n g White t h i n k

21

twice a b o u t g 5 . None o f h i s other pieces

•••

Bb6 22.Nd2 Nd6 2 3 .QhS NefS

The position of B l a ck's Knig hts s h o u l d

or pawn s a p pea r to rea l ly h ave u sefu l re­

g ive Wh ite l ittl e hope fo r a K-si d e attack.

deployments. Wh ite has a l l the time in the

24.Ng4 a s 2S.Rf3 ?1

world to reposition his K-side pi eces. 1 6 . g 5 h x g 5 1 7 .fxg 5 N e4 ( 1 7 ... B xe 5 ? 1 B .g xf6 Bxf6 1 9. R xf6 g xf6 20.Qg4+ N g 6

W h i t e s h ow s a l a c k of re s p e c t fo r B l a c k's d efe n si ve res o u rces, pa rtic u l a rl y h i s Kn i g ht o n f5.

2 1 .Bxg6 fxg6 22.Qxg6+ K h B 23.Qh6+ KgB

25.Re3! i s the m ove. B l ack's entire de­

24. K h 1 Kf7 2 5 . R g 1 KeB 26.a4 is actua l l y

fense c u rrently depends on his K n i g hts.

q u ite good fo r Wh ite beca u se Black can­

White offers the exc h a n g e fo r a h ost of

n ot ta ke o n c2.) 1 B . N xe4 d xe4 1 9. B xe4

short- a n d l o ng-term a ssets. 25 ... h6 (25 ...

Bxe4 20.Qxe4 Bxe5 2 1 .dxe5 Nf5 .

axb4?? 26. N f6+ gxf6 2 7 .gxf6 Rfd B 2B.Rg2

1 6. Re 1

[o r yo u ca n s h ow off with 2 B . Qx h 7 ! + ] )

1 6.g 5 wea ke n s f5 too ea rly.

16

•••

bS

Th i s i s a bold m ove, b u t i t comes back to h a u n t B l a c k o n ce W h ite m ov e s t h e

26.g x h 6 g 6 2 7 . Q g 5 N xe3 2B. N xe 3 a x b4 2 9 . c x b4 Q d B 3 0 . Q e 5 N e B 3 1 . N b 3 B c 7 3 2.Qg5 g ives Wh ite more than a d eq u ate co m pe n sati o n a n d a n i nteresti ng g a m e.

K n i g ht o n d 2, a t w h i c h p o i n t h i s h eavy

If Wh ite d oes n ot see this move, s i m ply

p i eces can s u p p o r t t h e p a w n t h a t c u r­

b5 wo u l d g o a l o n g way towa rd d efu s i ng

rently o n l y h i s B i s h o p on d 3 g u a rds.

B l a ck's i m med iate Q-side play.

1 6 ... g6 1 7.Qf3 NeB 1 B.Qh 3 f6 1 9. N df3

2S

•••

axb4 26.Rh3 h6 27.gxh6?

27.Bxf5 N xf5 2B.gxh6 g6 29.Qg5 Kh 7 i s

puts u p good res i sta n ce, but shows o n e o f the p ro b l e m s Black h a s b y m a i nta i n i n g

n o t nea rly a s bad for Wh ite.

t h a t K n i g h t o n e7. H i s B i s h o p o n d 6 h a s

27

nowhere t o g o if h e captu res o n e5.

30.Nf6+ Kh8 3 1 .Ba3 c2 32.BxfS exfS

1 7 .gS Ne8 1 8.Ndf3 b4 1 9.axb4 Bxb4

33 .Bb2 BaS 34.Rc1 N e4 3 S .Nxe4 fxe4

20.c3 Ba S ?

36.Qxd8 Rfxd8 37.NeS Rc7 38.Ra 1 Bd2

1 66

g6 28.QgS bxc3 29.Nf3 Qd8

•••

Module 6 : Solutions 39.Bc1 e3 40.Nf3 RaS 4 1 . RxaS+ BxaS 42.Nxd2 exd 2 43.Bxd 2 c1 =Q+ 44.Bxc 1 Rxc 1 + 4S.Kf2 Bc6 46. Ra3 B d 7 47.Ra7 Be6 4S.Kg3 Kh7 49.fS gxfS SO.Kf4

played Qe2 i nstead of Re 1 , the situation would be drastically different. A related issue is that Black's Kn ights have per­ fectly fine squares to j ump to.

Kxh 6 S l .Ra2 Re1 S2.Rd2 Re4+ S 3 . Kf3 Kg S S4.Rg2+ Kf6 S S . Rd 2 f4 S6.Rd 1 KfS S7.Rd2 Re3+ SS.Kf2 Ke4 S9.Rd 1 f3

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

lS

60.Rd2 Bg4 6 1 .h4 Re2+ 62.Rxe2+ fxe2 [0-1 ]

.•.

Ne7

1 5 ... N h4 1 6.g5 N e4 1 7 . N xe4 ( 1 7 .Bxe4 d xe4 1 8. N xe4 Bxe4 1 9.Rxe4 f6) 1 7,..d xe4 1 8.Bxe4 f5.

Exercise 1 4

1 6. Re3

Last Moves: 1 3 .f4 Ne7 1 4.Rc1 N fS

Th i s a l l ows B l a c k to use the e4-sq u a re d u e to the wea kness on f4. White cou l d t r y re-posi ti o n i n g h i s h eavy p ieces with Q e 2 a n d Rf1 , but t h a t g ives B l a c k t i m e t o p u t h i s Q u ee n o n e 7 , at w h i c h p o i nt exc h a nges i n the center wi l l u n derm i n e g 5 i f Wh ite ever adva n ces it.

16

.••

N e4 1 7.c4

I n a d d i t i o n to t h reate n i n g t ro u b l e d own the c-fi l e, t h i s move ta kes away the d 5-sq u a re, which may beco m e ava i l a b l e Verd ict: l S .g41!

after exchanges o n e4. 1 7 . N xe4 dxe4 1 8.Bxe4 Bxe4 1 9.Rxe4 f5

Commentary

20.gxf5 Rxf5 d oes not work wel l beca use

Don't let the mere existence of two pieces on the K-side coax you into pushing your g-pawn . In this case, Wh ite's pieces are simply not in good positions to use the space. The lack of a Rook on f1 really hurts White, not only is the f-pawn without protection, but Wh ite cannot grab the f-file when it opens. H ad White

the lack of a d-pawn delays too m u c h the open i n g of the c-fi le.

1 7 ... QdS1! B l a c k s h o u l d h ave s i m p l ifi ed by ex­ c h a n g i n g on e5 a n d d 2 . The text m ove r u n s h i m i nto pro b l ems.

l S.Nxe4 dxe4 1 9.Bxe4 Bxe4 20.Rxe4 fS 2 1 .gxfS RxfS 22.Qe2 Qc7

1 67

Module 6 : Charge ! ( When to Play g4 ) Black wo u l d have p referred to be a bl e

te rri b l e fo r Wh ite. 3 1 . R d 2 g 5 i s d e c i s ive,

t o p l a y . . .N d 5 .

th reate n i n g ... ReB.

23.Rc3 11

29

White's position i s not stro n g e n o u g h t o a l l ow t h i s l uxu ry, momenta rily m a k i n g

QgS+ 30.Kh 1 Qg4 3 1 .dS Qd 1 +

•••

32.Qg 1 Qf3 + 3 3 .Rg2 Nxg 2 34.Qxg 2 Qd 1 + [0- 1 ]

two o f h i s pieces usel ess. Defe n d i n g t h e f-pawn o r u n locking the B i s h o p w i t h d 5

Exercise l S

wo u l d have mai nta i ned a s i g n ificant a d ­

Last M oves: 1 1 .f4 a6 1 2.a4 Bd7

va ntage. N ow w e s e e a stu d y i n h o w the i n security of White's K i n g ca n be u sed.

23

•••

BxeS 24.RxeS Rxf4 2S.Rxe6 Ref8

B l a ck's owners h i p of the f-fi l e, a s wel l a s t h e m i s p l a c e m e n t o f W h i te's c-Rook, g i ve Wh ite tro u b l e i n all l i nes.

26.Rc2 26.Rg 3 wo u l d be a fi ne move, i n c reas­ ing s i g n ificantly the power of two pi eces, except there is noth i n g sayi ng Black has to take White's Queen. 26 ... Nf5 (26 ... Rfl +

Verd ict: 1 3 .g41 1

2 7 .Qxfl Rxfl + 2 B . Kxfl N f5 29. Rf3 Qx h 2 3 0 . R eB+ Kf7 s h o u l d b e a d ra w ) 2 7 . R g4

Commentary

Rxg4+ 2B.Qxg4 Qf7 29.Qe2 (29.Re l N e 3 )

When Black places his l ight-squared Bishop on d7 instead of b7, it is often particularly appropriate to advance the g-pawn because it takes away a retreat square from the Kn ight on f6 . It also means Bl ack probably has no real con­ trol over e4 .

29 ... N h4 a n d t h i n g s look p retty g r i m once Blac k plays ... Qf5 on h i s next move. 26.Rce3 N d 5 ! ! 27.cxd 5 Qf7; 2 6 . R d 3 Rf2 2 7 . Q xf2 Rxf2 2 B . Kxf2 Qxh2+ 29.Ke l Qc2.

26

•••

Qd8 27.Re411

2 7 . Rxe7 Rfl + 2B.Qxfl Rxfl + 2 9 . Kxfl Qxe7 30. Re2 fo rces Black to fi g ht ha rd e r for the w i n .

27

•••

N g 6 28.Rxf4 Nxf4 29.Qe3

29.Qe4 Qg5+ 30.Kh 1 Qh5 i s sti l l p retty

1 68

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

13

•••

g6

1 3 ... R b d B . We' l l ta ke a l o o k a t t h i s move (sugg ested b y a powerfu l com put-

Module 6 : Solutions er) to g et a feel fo r what happens if Black d o e s n 't pay m u c h m i n d to t h e g-pawn adva n ce.

Th i s c a u ses too m u c h of a p i n c h i n Black's positio n . 1 7 . . . Bf6 1 B . N d f3 B g 7 1 9 . N g 5 N e 7

1 4 . g 5 N e B 1 5 . Q h 5 f5 1 6 . g xf6 N xf6

l ooks to be a pretty sol i d d efen se. I f Black

1 7.Qh3 leaves Wh ite with plenty of attack­

gets h i s Kn i g ht to f5, it s h o u l d ice White's

i n g ideas.

attack.

Adva n c i n g the g-pawn i n stea d of the

1 8.fxeS Kg 7 1 9.Rg2 Rh8 20.Nf3 bS

f- pawn (o n m ove 1 5 ) i s worse s i nce h e

2 1 .axbS axbS 22.NgS Bxg S 2 3 .Bxg S

h a s n o w a y o f sto p p i n g Rf3 - h 3 w i t h o u t

Rh7 24.Qf3 b4 2 S .Rfl BbS 26.Bf6+ Kg 8

s i g n ifi c a n t concess i o n : 1 5 ... g 6 ? ! 1 6. Q h 6

27.BxbS71

f 5 1 7 . N xg6 hxg6 1 B.Qxg6+ N g 7 1 9.Qh6

27.Bxg6 i s the m ove here.

BeB 20.Nf3.

27 ... RxbS 28.Qd3 Rb7 29.cxb4 Rxb4

1 4.Rf2

30.Rc2 Rc4 3 1 .Rxc4 Qxc4 7

1 4.h4 h 5 1 5 . g x h 5 N x h 5 1 6. Q g 2 BeB

Black shou l d not swa p off h i s o n l y ac­

1 7 . N d f3 N g 7 1 B . N g 5 i s p r o b a b l y w h a t

tive piece.

Wh ite s h o u l d be shooti ng fo r here.

32 .Qxc4 dxc4 3 3 .Be7 Ng3 34.Ra l fS 71

1 4 ... Be8 l S .h4 hS

1 5 . . . b 5 ! m i g h t have t u r n e d t h e t i d e here. In that case, Wh ite wou l d rue h i s Rf2. I t ta kes a bit longer to develop the atta ck on the K-si d e si nce B l a c k h a s set up the l i g ht-sq uared razor-wi re. 1 6.gxhS Nxh S 1 7 .Qg4

Th i s is a good sq u a re for the Queen i n general, particu larly beca u se the press u re

34 ... g 5 3 5 . Bxg5 N e4 gives Black better chances. 3 S .exf6 Rf7 36.Rel NfS 37.Re471

37.Rxe6 3 7 ... Rh7 38. Rxe6 Nxd4

3 B ... R x h 4 B l a c k s h o u l d a c t i vate h i s Rook a n d l et h i s Ki ng d efend with ... Kf7. 39.Re4 NfS 40. Rxc4 Nxe7 41 .fxe7 Rxe7 42.b4 Rel + 7

on e6 m a kes it h a rd to p u s h the f-pawn .

Black's Rook does belong beh i n d the

T h e text c ra m ps B l a c k 's position, but he

Wh ite pawn, but it wou l d be better for it

can free h i m self using the dark sq u a res.

to wind u p on b2, restra i n i n g White's King,

I t a ppea rs a better strategy fo r White

than on b 1 .

i s N df3 w i t h Q c 2 a n d R g 2 (so t h a t t h e

43.Kf2 R b l 44.Ke3 Kg 7 4S.Kd4 Kf7

Queen i s t h e 4th piece h itti ng g 6 i n stead

46.KcS Ke6 47.bS Kd 7 48.Kb6 Rfl

of the 3 rd ) .

49 .Rc7+ Kd8 SO.Kb7 [ 1 -0]

1 7 ... Nxe S 7

1 69

Module 6 : Charge !

( When to Play g4 )

Exercise 1 6

tion to a l l owi n g Wh ite to j u st m a rc h the

La st Moves: 22 .Nxd 7 Rxd 7 23.Rc1 Bf6

h-pawn up the boa rd, it wo u l d a l so a l l ow W h ite t i m e to p l a n t a K n i g ht o n f6 v i a h 2-g4. M o re d i rec t l y, t h e B i s h o p o n e 7 g ets i n the w a y o f t h ree o f Black's pi eces. (Th o u g h it s h o u l d be noted that playing the B i s h o p b a c k to dB d o e s a l l ow t h e fl a s hy QfS s i n ce t h e e6-pawn i s m o re o r less a bsol utely p i n ned to eB.)

2 S .g S N e7 26.NeS Rdc7 27.h4 Ng6 2S.Qg3 2B.Nxg6 hxg6 29.Kg 2 ! i s more d i rect, Verd ict: 24.g41

t h reate n i n g R h 1 .

2S

•••

BbS 29.BxbS axbS 30.Ng4

N otice how B l a c k, half a d ozen moves

Commentary At first this looks l ike a b ad play. The

l ater, has sti l l not ma naged to m ove a ny

expected change in the pawn formation

K-side pawns to a l l ow those major pieces

wou l d a l l ow B l ack to defend beauti­

to hel p o n d efen se. The threat now i s h S .

ful ly. The o n ly prob l e m

30

( for

B l ack ) is

•••

Re7 1

that White's board control makes those

Th i s o p e n s c 7 but i s a m i sca l c u lation

pawn moves rather hard to pull off! The

a s it rem oves o n e of the K n i g ht's retreat

g7 -pawn has a h ard time moving with­

s q u a re s a n d b l o c ks t h e B i s h o p's c o m ­

out dropping the dark-squared Bishop.

m u n ication with f6. I f B l a c k i nten d ed to

M oving the f-pawn drops the e6-pawn.

d efe n d by atta c k i n g White's Q u een, ... Rc6 i s the m ove needed. 3 0 ... h S 3 1 .gxh6 Bxh4 3 2.Qe3 i s q u ite

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

24

•••

BdS

comfo rta b l e fo r the fi rst playe r.

M ov i n g the B i s h o p a l l o w s B l a c k to

30 ... Rc6 3 1 . h S Bc7 3 2 .Qf3 N h4 3 3.Qh 1

play ... g6, but u n less h e can adva n ce the

NfS 34.Rce 1 .

f- p a w n as we l l , a l l h i s ot h e r w i s e w e l l ­

31.f41

p l a ced pi eces wi l l b e u seless o n d efen se. 24 ... Be7, tryi ng to re-route the B i s h o p t o g 7 after ... g6, d oes not work. I n a d d i -

1 70

3 1 . h S i s c r u s h i n g . 3 1 . . . N fB ( 3 1 . . . B c 7 3 2 .cxb6) 3 2 . N f6+

31

•••

Bc7

Module 6 : Solutions Co n s i stent, but sti l l n ot good.

cept a d raw as wel l. But it wou l d certa i n l y

32.Rf1 Qb8 3 3 .Bc1 Ree8 34.h S Ne7

b e fu n t o beat a n 1 M w h e n you a re a 2 1 00.

3S.Nf6+ Kh8 36.Nxe8 Rxe8 37.Qd3

18

bxcS

•••

Re7

1 B . . . RfB 1 9 . N x h 7 ! ! i s t h i s t h e m o v e

37 ... N f5 g ives tou g h e r d efe n se.

B l a c k d i d not wa nt t o g a m b l e o n W h i te

38.bxcS Qb7 3 9.fS exfS 40.QxfS Bh2+

fi nd i n g ? 1 9 ... Bxe5 ( 1 9 ... Nxh 7 20.Nxg6 RfeB

4 1 . Kxh2 [ 1 -0]

(20 .. .fxg6 2 1 . Bxg6 Nf6 22.g5) 2 1 . N e 7 + KfB 2 2 . N x d 5 ) 2 0 . B x g 6 fxg 6 2 1 . N xfB B x d 4 +

Exercise 1 7 La st Moves: 1 3 .f4 Ne7 1 4.Qf3 NfS

22.cxd4 RxfB 23.95 N h 5 24.Qxe6+

1 9.Nxg6 fxg6. 1 9...hxg6 20.Rfl ! and it's surprisingly hard to do much about the slow Qh4, Rf3, etc.

20.Nxe6 B l a c k has l ittle for h i s pawn.

Exercise 1 8 Last Moves: 1 2 .Rf3 Qc7 1 3. R h 3 h6

Verd i ct: 1 S.g4!

Commentary

We wi l l never know i f the expert would have upset the 1M here. Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1S

• • •

Nh4

Verd ict: 1 4.g4!

1 5 . . . N e 7 1 6.Qh3 N g 6 tra n sposes.

1 6.Qh3 Ng6 1 7.Ndf3 Rfe8 1 8. N g S

Commentary

The g a m e was a g reed d rawn h e re. I

Th i s i s a model g a m e with reg a rd to

s u p pose if I were playi n g someone 3 00

the power of a Rook o n h3 in these posi­

poi nts a bove me, I m i g ht be wi l l i ng to ac-

tions. It's u n clear what Black co u l d d o d if-

1 71

Module 6 : Charge ! ( When to Play g4 ) ferently over the n ext 6 moves.

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

14

•••

Kf8 1 S.gS hxgS 1 6.Nxc6 bxc6

1 7.fxgS Nd7 1 8.Nf3 Ke7 1 8 ... g6 1 9.Qf2 Ke7 20.R h 7.

1 9.96 f6 20.Rh7 e S ?

Commentary

With the Knight having al ready re­ treated, Black has extra time to deal with Wh ite's threat. I n this case that means Wh ite's K-side o ffe n sive can be shut down simply by freezing all of White's pawns.

Theoreti ca l ly t h i s move loses fa ster fo r B l a c k, but it i s certa i n ly u n d e rsta n d a b l e that he wo u l d try to c reate somet h i n g out

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

13

not g ive B l a c k m u c h to hope for.

fS ?!

1 3 ... Nd6 with ... f5 to fo l l ow a p pears to

of noth i ng . I wo u l d too. 20 ... Kd8 2 1 . Rxg 7 Qb6 22.R h 7 Kc7 d oes

•••

s h ut d own the atta ck: 1 4. N d f3 f5 1 5 .gxf5 ( 1 5.Qg2 N e4) 1 5 ... N xf5 .

2 1 .dxeS BcS+ 22 .Be3 Qb6 2 3 . BxcS+

I n stead, Wh ite cou l d try to p l ay o n the

NxcS 24.Rxg7+ Kd8 2 S .Kh 1 Nxd 3

Q - s i d e w i t h 1 4. N b 3 , tryi n g t o g et s o m e

26.Qxd 3 fxeS 27.Qd2 Re7 28.Rxe7

u s e o u t of t h e n o n -sta n d a rd ( b ut effec-

Kxe7 29.Qg S+ Kd 7 30.NxeS+ Kc7

tive) p l acement of the K n i g h t on d6. The

3 1 .Qe7+ Kb8 32.Rf1 a s 3 3 . N d 7+ Bxd 7

i d ea i s that N c 5 m i g ht l ead to someth i n g .

34.Qxd 7 Q c 7 3 S . Rf8+ [ 1 -0]

H owever, I d o n't th i n k t h i s l i n e goes a ny­ w h e re. 1 4 ... Bc8 1 5 . g 5 Q b6 1 6. N d 2 N xe 5

Exercise 1 9 Last Moves: 1 1 .NeS g6 1 2 .f4 Ne8

1 7 .fxe5 N f5 .

1 4.gxfS exfS 1 S .Qg2 B l a c k's m i sstep h a s a l l owed Wh ite to g et a rea l i n itiative from his d u b i o u s pawn a d va n ce. N ote how m ovi n g the f- pawn w h i l e the K n i g h t i s sti l l o n e8 d oe s n ot a p p recia b l y i ncrease the scope of Black's p i eces.

1S

•••

Be6 1 6.N df3 Ng7 1 7.Kf2 ?!

The i d ea of moving the King to g et a Rook on g 1 is good. Th i s execution is not very ci rcu m spect given the th reat of ...Qb6. Verd i ct: 1 3 .g4?!

1 72

Kh 1 wa s m u ch the bette r c h o i ce.

Module 6 : Solutions 17

•••

Bf6

Commentary

1 7 ... Q b6 1 8.B b S N xe S 1 9. N x e S (1 9. fxe S ? ! f4!?) 1 8.Rg 1 Bxe5 1 9.fxe5 Qb6?

I t 's too late now! Black need s to vacate fS for a piece. 20.Qg5 Rae8 2 1 .h4

Th i s i s a good position to set u p a n d p l a y o n yo u r c o m p u t e r ove r a n d ove r

I t i s p e rfectly acceptab l e to h ave shied away from this. H owever, if you worked out the i mp o rtant vari ations and were happy with them, then this is a reasonable move. I can see why White might have wanted to play this. He has well-placed pieces but Black's h-pawn is shutting down his play.

a g a i n to work on you r attacking a b i l ity. Analysis, Variations, and Notes

2 1 .Q h 6 R e 7 2 2.N g S N h S l o o ks very bad for Black as wel l. 21

•••

Nd8

13

•••

Bxe5

1 3 ... N e4 is the myste ry l i n e h e re. I t

2 1 ... B d 7 ! 2 2 . h S N xe S 2 3 . N xe S R x e S

looks l i ke B l a c k h a s t o cede s o m e material,

24.hxg6 hxg6 2S.Qxg6 Qxg6 26.Rxg6 Re6

but the cou nterplay he gets shou ld not be

is the best defense I th i n k, but White sti l l

u n d eresti mated. F u rthermore, w hatever

has a g reat position.

advanta g e White has i s h a rd to convert.

22.h5 Nf7 2 3 .Qh4 g5 24.Bxg 5 Qxb2+

1 4.Bxe4 dxe4 l S.Qxe4 NxeS 1 6.dxeS (1 6.

25.Bd2 Nxe5 26.dxe5 Qb6+ 2 7.Qd4

N xeS f6 1 7.Nf3 Rf7 a n d it is Wh ite w h o

Qxd4+ 28.cxd4 [ 1 -0]

s h o u l d be wo rried a bo u t h i s Ki n g.) 1 6 ... BcS 1 7.g S is a stra n g e position. Black has

Exercise 20

to g ive up yet a n other pawn it a p pears

Last Moves: 1 1 .Ne5 B e 8 1 2 .N df3 h6

(or else White g ets a powerful attack), but then White's own pawns get i n the way of h i s attack and Black ca n m a ke h i s l ife d if­ ficult w h i l e g ra b b i n g the centra l files. P re s s u re o n e6 m a kes t h e ot h e r va riation g o White's way: 1 3 ... N d 7 1 4.g S h S l S . N xc6 bxc6 1 6.g 6 N f6 (1 6 .. .fx g 6 1 7. N g S ) 1 7.gxf7+ Bxf7 1 8.Bg S ! with the idea of Bh4-g 3 a n d slowly ta king over the boa rd. 1 4.Nxe5 Nxe5 1 5.dxe5 Nd7 1 6.g5

Verd ict: 1 3 .g4! ?

1 73

Module

6:

Charge ! (When to Play g4 )

hxg S 1 7.BxgS NxeS 1 8.QxeS QxeS 1 9. RxeS f6 20.Rxe6 fxgS 2 1 .ReS Be6 22 .Rxg S Rf4 23.Re1 Kf7 23 ... Raf8 is better.

24.Re3 Rf8 2S .b4 a6 26.ReeS Rh8 27.BfS ? Wh ite's g a i n s eva porate beca u se Black w i l l o bta i n control of too m a n y s q u a res a l ong White's 5th ra n k, essenti a l l y freez­ i n g White's Rooks fo r a w h i l e.

27 ... Kf6 28.Be2 g6 29.a4 Rhh4 30.h3 Rxh 3 3 1 .bS ? 3 1 .Re3 Rxe3 3 2 . Rxg6+ s h o u l d h o l d a d raw.

31

•••

axbS 32.axbS BxbS

Th i s l ets Wh ite off ea sy. Ba sed o n the n ext few m oves, I 'd say there wa s s o m e time tro u b l e here. 3 2 ... Be8.

3 3 . Rxd S Be6 34.Rg 3 ? 34.Rxg6+

34

•••

Rh6 3 S . Rxg6+

3 5 .Rd6+

3S

•••

1 74

Rxg 6+ [0- 1 ]

Module 7: Classic Gree� Gifts

I

n our final module we will discuss a decis ive tactic that is so usefu l it merited an entire chapter in Vukovic's classic Art of Attack in Chess. Consider the position below, from a 2000 Olym­ piad game.

view of 1 6 . Rh 3 + Nh6 1 7 . Rxh 6 + gxh 6 1 8 . Qh7# Black has allowed White to execute one of the most common sacrificial com­ binations in chess: the Greek Gift, also known as the G reek Bishop Sacrifice, Greco's Sacrifice, or Colle's Sacrifice. You said Black should have known better than to play KgB??, but it certainly looks safer than putting the King out in front of the pawns.

After 1 0

. . .

0-0

Different people see different things in this position. What do you see? H arpa Ingol fsdottir, playing White, saw I l . Bxh 7 + ! , a n d after 1 1 . . . Kxh 7 1 2 . N gS + , B l a c k re a l ly s h o u l d h ave known better than to p l ay 1 2 . . . Kg8 ? ? 1 3 . QhS (threatening mate o n h 7 ) 1 3 . . . Rfc8 1 4 . Qxf7+ Kh8 I S . Re3 (threatening Rh3 # ) I S . . . Ng8 and Black resigned in

Looks are often deceiving in chess. It is very often the case that . . . Kg6 or even . . . Kh6 is the critical move in these l i nes . For example after 1 2 . . . Kg6 ! the game would likely continue 1 3 . Qg4 fS 1 4 . Qg3 f4 I S . Qh4 (threatening Qh7+ ! ) Rh8 1 6 . Qxf4 Raf8 1 7 . Qg4 Qb8, when Bl ack's King is not exactly safe, but is also not yet in the box. As common as this sacrifice is, it's pretty uncommon for a master to get mopped up l ike this with one. It's more common at higher levels for Black's King to be flushed out where White can hope

1 75

Module 7 : Classic Greek Gifts to bring more pieces to bear on him. For example, consider th is position from a Norway team championship i n 2006

2 2 . Q h 8 + Ke7 2 3 . Qxg 7 + Kd6 2 4 . Kh 1 Bd7 2 s . Nf7+ Kc7 26 . Qes + Kc8 2 7 . Rac 1 + Nc6 2 8 . Rg 1 , when B l ack resigned i n view of Rg8 #. I t's also rather frequent for Wh ite si mply to come out of the sortie with a net material gain as seen in another 2 1 00+ game, th is time from the 2007 Slovakian team championsh ip:

After 1 5.g3

With his Knight and e6-pawn both under attack, Bl ack p l ayed 1 5 . . . Nxf2 here. I assume he had in mind 1 6 . Kxf2 Nxd4 1 7 . Nxd4 Qxd4+ 1 8 . Kg2 Qxb 2 + . Instead White played 1 6. Bxh7+ ! , and after 1 6 . . . Kxh7 1 7 . Ngs + Kg8 1 8 . Qhs, B l ac k w a s fo rce d to p l ay 1 8 . . . Rxf4 since White is threatening mate on h7 18 . . . Rd8 could be answered by 1 9 . Q f7 + K h 8 20. Ng6#. After 1 9 . 9xf4 , Wh i te i s th reate n ­ i n g Qe8#, so Black had t o throw some more material overboard- 1 9 . . . N h 3 + 2 0 . Q x h 3 Nxd 4 , t h o u g h 2 0 . . . Q x d 4 would have been a l ittle better, allowing the Queen to transfer to the K-side and protect g7 for a b it. The game concluded 2 1 . Qh 7 + Kf8

1 76

After 1 5 . . . Rxf6

After 1 6 . Bxh 7 + Kxh 7 1 7 . Ngs + Kg8 1 8 . Qhs Ne7 ?, White picks up two Ex­ changes with 1 9 . Q h 7 + Kf8 2 0 . Q h 8 + N g 8 2 1 . N h 7 + K f7 2 2 . N x f6 N x f6 2 3 . Qxa8 . Black soon resigned . H ad Black played 1 8 . . . Qxd4 things would not be so clear since trying to win that a-Rook allows Black to put White's Queen under lock and key: 1 9 . Qh7+ Kf8 20.Qh8+ Ke7 2 1 . Qxa8 Nd8 ! 1 8 . . . Rf4 ! ? also casts m o re than a l ittle doubt over White's operation.

Module 7 : Lesson In this final module we will discuss the ins and outs of this classic sacrifice. When Ca n Black Retreat?

As I re marked earl ier, after Wh ite plays NgS +, often . . . KgB is not the best move. The first thing to understand is when and why this retreat fails.

Nowhere to Run

Who Did What?

Clearly the White Queen and Knight do most of the wo rk, as they wreak havoc on the f7 and h 7 squares. What roles do the other men play? Th e eS p a w n h a s o n l y o n e j o b , stopping the King from going to f6 o r Classic Sac Model Position d 6 . Th i s means a Wh ite Ro ok on a n The diagram shows a p ared-down open e-file would d o the same j ob due version of the standard sacrifice setup. to the option of Rxe6 ( so long as e6 is The e6-pawn does not actually need to undefended ) . The B i s h o p on c l 's only purpose be there, but it often is, so I put it in the here is to protect the Knight, any other diagram. Play th rough the following moves meth od of protecting gS works. h4 is several times, noting the importance of common but has some problems [ see later discussion. ] Obviously, if gS is not the f7- and h7-squares. 1 . Bxh 7 + Kx h 7 2 . N g S + K g S 3 . Q h S under attack, no support is needed. If you don't understand the role of ReS 4.Qxf7+ K h S S . Q h S + K g S 6.Q h 7 + the B ishop on d3, perhaps you should KfS 7.QhS+ Ke7 S.Qxg 7# take up tic-tac-toe. But Black's men also play a role. In

1 77

Module 7 : Classic Greek Gifts particular, the Rook on f8 takes away a

What if not 01/ 6 are true?

fl ight square fro m the King ( meaning Bl ack has to use a move to push it to e8 to avoid mate on f7 ) . The Black pawns also played a role.

All is not lost. I t generally j ust means that you will need one or two more men to help you in the assault.

In p arti cu l a r the f7 - p awn m e a n t t h e

Even i n these cases, these guidel ines

R o o k o n l y h a d o n e p l ace to go a n d

will help because you will know what

could n o t stay on the f-file.

to watch for.

I t turns out that the Queen's being o n d8 simply made the mate quicker.

Ta ki ng Acco u nt of Defects

H ad the queen not been on the board,

If Bl ack's Roo k starts off on e8 i n ­

Wh ite wou l d stil l h ave gotten B l ack's

stead of f8, he'll get o n e extra move, but

King with his Queen and Knight.

it only really matters if he can use that move to protect f7 or g7 .

Critica l Elements So, what was important about this position ? •

White can safely get a Knight t o gS

and a queen to h S .

I f the fifth bullet fails, you know you can concentrate on lines where Black de­ fends h 7 instead of moving the Rook. If the fourth bullet fails, you know you can concentrate on options where

•

White controlled f6 and d 6 .

Bl ack bl ocks check from Qh8+ by inter­

•

Bl ack has a pawn o n f7 .

posing a piece on g8 .

•

Black h as no p iece t o put o n g8 .

•

B l ack had n o way to defend the

h7 -square . •

Black h a d t o u s e a tempo t o move

his Rook.

I f the third b u l l et fails ( l i ke in the second exa m p l e o f this secti o n ) , you know you have to consider the option of Black moving the Rook along the f-file. I f the second bullet is the only one

These l ast three points are important

that fai l s , you know you can at l east

and intertwined. If Bl ack had a way of

flush the King out to the center and at­

defending h7, he would not h ave need­

tack him there.

ed to move his Rook. I f a l l 6 b u l l e t s are true B l a c k i s doo med i f he retreats with . . . Kg8 . That is very useful information to know !

1 78

Module 7 : Lesson Stabled Horses

Since Zukertort players typically end up with their dark-squared B ishop on b2, they often lack any way to support a Knight on gS . For this reason, a special opportunity is presented if Black plays a Knight to e7, transferring it from c6. This has particular relevance not only because it allows the Zukertort player to contemplate the sac in the early middle­ game, but also it makes the option of retreat particularly dubious.

That's okay, neither did Elia Liitiain­ en, a Finnish 2200+. In 1 9 9 6 he took the black pieces against Olli Hyvarinen. 1 . e4 e6 2. d 3 d S 3 . N d 2 Nf6 4. Ngf3 N c6 S. eS N d 7 6. d4 B b4 7. Bd3 0-0 S. c3 BaS 9. 0-0 Ne7 1 0. b4 Bb6

The i mportant aspects of the posi­ tion now match the model d i agram above.

1 1 . Bxh 7+ Kxh 7 1 2 . N g S+ KgS?

A Very Badly Placed Knight

Of course, it is quite possible that Elia saw what was coming . . . it is not like 1 2 . . . Kg6 is any picnic. 1 3 . QhS ReS 1 4. Qxf7+ KhS 1 S. Nxe6

Why? Doesn 't the option of . . . Ng6 help?

In addition to the obvious b locking of the Queen, the Knight ends up get­ ting in the way of both the Rook and the King !

Note that if Wh ite had continued with the standard procedure, the fact that Bl ack has . . . Ng8 available m ight be important ( it wouldn't have saved Black in this particular game, more on that later) .

Sorry, I still don't see it.

1 79

Module 7 : Classic Greek Gifts

The Knight Blocks the Rook

White has forked the Queen and the mating square g7 . White could also have pushed the King to f7 and forked him and the Queen by playing I S . Qh S + Kg8 1 6 . Qh7+ Kf8 1 7 . Nxe6+ Even if there is nothing valuable to be forked, the Knight on e7 takes away a retreat square for Bl ack. Th is is par­ ticularly useful if White has played Ba3, pinning the Knight to the f8-square. An example of this showed up in a game by Steinitz when the World Cham­ pion did not catch the combination !

1 80

Steinitz played 1 4 . NgS and went on to win 4S moves later while 1 4 . Bxh7 + ! i s far stronger because after 1 4 . . . Kxh 7 I S . NgS+, the retreat I S . . . Kg8 ? allows 1 6 . QhS Re8 1 7 . Qh7+ Kf8 1 8 . Qh8#. Of course, this whole motif would work any time the e6-pawn has no pro­ tection. It's j ust particularly common if Black has played . . . Ne7 . H owever, even i f t h e e 6 - p awn i s protected, the Knight on e7 can cause problems if White can get his Bishop to gS . The reason is that when White gets his Queen to h8, Black's only available move is . . . Ng8. At that point Nh7+ followed by BgS+ (hitting the King who likely ran off to e7) is a real crusher if White still has a pawn on eS . An example of that shows up in the next section. Why . . . Kg6 Ra rely Wo rks

The vast maj ority of the time, White has a winning position if Black chooses to advance his King to g6 rather than retreat it to g8 . Taking a look at the po­ sition after White plays Qg4 gives some clues as to why.

Module 7 : Lesson generally has the option of Qxg7 + im­ med i ately after he p l ays Nxe6 + . The b l ack K i ng o ften takes th e Kn ight i n response a n d then White ( if h e controls f6 and Black does not) can play Qf6 + . If Black survives this, then e6+ is a further option, etc. To see an example of th is in action, let's take a look at a 1 9 7 9 game. No entry to the f-file

Bellucco G Longo M, Italy J 979 -

1 . e4 e6 2. d4 dS 3. eS cS 4. c3 Qb6 S.

The most i m p o rtant p o i n t i s that B l ack's K i n g c a n n o t m a ke it to t h e f-file. Since any movement t o the h-file typical ly all ows Wh ite to play Qh4+ fol­ lowed by Qh7+, pushing the King up the board to be ground into Monarch-burg­ er by Wh ite's pawns. This means White w i l l al most always get to p l ay Nxe6, discovering an attack on the King while hitting the g-pawn with two pieces. This leads into the next layer of un­ derstanding about th is position. The I m porta nce of f6

Nf3 Nc6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7 . cxd4 B b4 8. Nc3 Bd 7 9. a 3 Bxc3 1 0. bxc3 Nge7 1 1 . 0-0 0-0 1 2 . Bxh7+ Kxh 7 1 3 . NgS+ Kg 6

1 3 . . . KgB ? ? loses because of the BgS + idea mentioned earl ier. 1 4 . QhS RfbB I S . Q h 7 + KfB 1 6 . Q h B + NgB 1 7 . N h 7 + Ke7 I B . BgS + . 1 4. Qg4 f S 1 S . Q g 3 Rh8??

White normally has to coax Black into doing this, which removes protec­ tion from the f6 square. 1 6. Nxe6+ Kf7 1 7. Qxg 7+

H ere Bl ack resigned since 1 7 . . . Kxe6 allows I B . Qf6#

Black al most always dies if he loses control of f6 . In other words, if White has some­ thing hitting f6 and Black has nothing but his King defending it, most of the ti me it is curtains for Black. O n e reason fo r this is that White

1 81

Module 7 : Classic Greek Gifts immediately after White plays Qg4 . The b iggest exception is . . . NxeS ( p o ssibly played as a sacrifice) .

G u idel i nes Tips a n d Tricks U n l i ke the . . . Kg8 l ine, there is no standard maneuver for kil l ing the King in this line. H owever, the fol l owing wis­ dom should help you bri ng home the ful l point most of the time.

Cooped u p Base Decisions on Health of eS Now, this sequence does n o t occur

You can get a g o o d fee l fo r h o w

in master l evel games very often because

much you should expect from the attack

masters know better than to l et the f6

by how solid your center pawns are . If

square go .

your opponent has

The importance of the f6 square in this variation has two side-effects

2

or 3 pieces bearing

down on your pawns, he very wel l may sacrifice one to destroy your eS pawn.

U n l i ke in the . . . Kg8 variation, a

I n this case, not only should you keep

rook on a half-open e-file is not quite a

such sacrifices in mind when analyzing

perfect substitute for a pawn on eS .

the position, you should also consider

•

•

B lack may wel l sacrifice a Knight

on f6 to pull the pawn off e S . Bl ack's 1 4th move i n the Bellucco­

doing something unorthodox or ignore much of what I have to say here. Once eS goes, everything changes.

Longo game should n ow make sense . H e is opening up the f7 -square so the

Patience and Imagination

King does not have to go to the h-file af­

I n the . . . Kg6 l i ne, you are p ract i ­

ter Nxe6, and the pawn advance all ows

cally assured two pawns for t h e p iece,

the Rook on f8 to see the f6 square.

s i nce you w i l l get to take on e6 with

This fS advance is practically a Pav­

your knight, uncovering a check by your

l ovian response after Qg4 . I n l iterally

Queen. I t is generally a b ad idea to sim­

percent of all games featuring . . . Kg6

ply take this pawn and assume you have

90

after the B ishop sac, B l ack p l ays . . . fS

1 82

an attack as compensation.

Module 7 : Lesson Find a way to b ring another piece . . . KgB is not going to work. Coric cer­ into the battle if you cannot find a way tainly knew it wouldn't work, and in­ of getting a satisfactory advantage with stead played 22 . . . Kg6. There followed 2 3 .Qg4 f5 24.Qh4! j ust the Knight, Queen, and eS pawn. I would even say not to settl e for (threatening Qh7+, which Black really picking up merely the exchange (giving cannot stop) QdS 2 5 .Qh7+ you a Rook and one or two pawns for the Bishop and Knight) . There is almost always some way of getting more out of the attack. h-file Assassination

I f your opponent's f-rook does not have support along the Bth rank from either his Queen or his other rook, you can almost always kill h i m by simply threatening Qh7 +. For illustration, consider the position after 22.Nxg5+ in a game between CM Yemelin and 1M Coric from 200 1 :

His Kingdom for a Horse 25 . . . Kxg 5 26.h4+! Kg4

H ere Black resigned. Often Black will i m mediately p l ay the sacrificial . . . Nf6 when White threat­ ens this plan. Note: Even when B l ack has con­ nected maj or pieces, playing Qh3 [ in­ stead of Qg3 ] can lure the f-Rook over to hB, and then you can play Qg3 . Now Black has to decide whether to push the f-pawn (which has no support) or take a move to defend the now undefended f6 square. I would not recommend this . . . Kg8 Not an Option if Black can use it as an opportunity to H opefully you can quickly tell that get . . . Qg7 or . . . Qe7 in.

1 83

Module 7 : Classic Greek Gifts Consider Qd3 Instead of Qg4

Frequently, Wh ite p l ays Qg4 i m ­ mediately after B l ack p l ays . . . Kg6 a s a knee-j erk reaction. I n reality, giving check from d3 is often better. I f Black responds with . . . f5 then White can get back to the l ine he would have had any­ way with Qg3 . This option is particularly useful in two situations. Bl ack has a useful alternative to . . . f5 (e.g., . . . Nxe5 ) that you do not want to allow. Since Qd3+ is a check and Qg4 is not, Black has fewer legal options. The e6-pawn is not defended by anything other than the f-pawn . The usefulness of Qd3 + in this sec­ ond instance is pretty straightforward and more or less formulaic. H ere's an il lustration from the 1 9 82 Welsh Championship between a pair of 2 3 00+s. •

Fro m here White pl ayed 1 8 . Qg4 ? ! and a draw was agreed on move 3 1 . Instead, White should have played 1 8 . Qd3 + !

•

Doesn't that just allow Black to take the Knight?

As in the last game (Yemel in - Gor­ ic), the King j ust cannot survive after 1 8 . . . Kxg5 ? 1 9 . Qh7 !

FM Williams - 1M Cooper, 7 982

1 . d4 d 5 2 . c4 e6 3 . Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. e3 N bd 7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7 . Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 Bb7 9. 0-0 b4 1 0. N e4 Be7 1 1 . Nxf6+ Nxf6 1 2. e4 0-0 1 3 . e5 N d 7 1 4. Be4 Qb6 1 5. Bg5 Bxg 5 1 6. Bxh7+ Kxh 7 1 7. Nxg5+ Kg6

Based on the principles from earlier in the chapter, you should be able to tell that . . . Kg8 fails. ( Can you ? )

1 84

Do You See the I nvisible Fence?

Module 7 : Lesson I know it sounds odd, but even with his center pawns under attack and no pieces to the help the Queen, White is totally winning here. Th e biggest reason for th is is that Bl ack cannot get back to safety without taking on es, which walks into f4 and a whole new mess of pain. As an exercise, I would suggest you take Bl ack in the ab ove di agram and play a bunch of quick games agai nst a computer over and over again to get a feel for the difficulty even when White seemingly has noth ing to attack with . Back to the position after 1 8 . Qd3 + !

Fro m h ere W h i te p i cks u p t h e e6-pawn without losing any attacking force, and most of the time can pick up more due to some variation on: 1 8 . . . fs 1 9 . Nxe6 Rae8 2 0 . Qg3 + Kf7 2 1 . Ngs + Ke7 2 2 . Nh7

Consider h4 Before Qg4

If your dark-squared Bishop can hit h6 after your Kn ight moves consider playing h4 before Qg4, particul arly if you have not yet castled and/or Black's Queen is no longer on the back rank. This can easily present Black with a problem for which there is no good so­ lution. He will want to stop the h-pawn, but doing so generally means playing . . . Rh8 ( and even that won't work if you have a Rook on the h-file. ) But playing . . . Rh8 means giving up control over the crucial f6-square. Here's an i l l ustration where a strong j u n i o r beat a stronger o n e in 1 9 9 5 :

After 1 3

• • •

Kg6

The ga me co ntinued 1 4 . Qg4 ? ! fS l s . Qg3 f4 1 6 . Qg4 Kh6 ? ? W h a t p o ssessed B l ack, a l ready a master-level player, to make this move is beyond me. Had she played 1 6 . . . Nxd4 ! ,

1 85

Module 7 : Classic Greek Gifts weakening the key eS-pawn, he would

this position, such as 2 0 . Qh4 or 20. Bd2 .

have easily survived the attack after, say

I f you want to come out with a clean

1 7 . Nf3 + Kh7 I B . Nxd4 NfS 1 9 . Nf3 KgB .

material advantage, the move fo r you

White's 1 4th move should have been

is 2 0 . Rb3 (threatening Rg3 ) . This more

1 4 . h4 ! , when 1 4 . . . RhB is the only move

or less forces 2 0 . . . Nxd4. After 2 1 . Nxf3 +

that stops h S +, but it allows a pretty easy

Kh6 2 2 . Nxd4 . White is a clear pawn up .

round-up: I S . Qg4 fS 1 6 . Qg3 f4 1 7 . Qg4

Th i s e a rly h - p awn m a rch i s even

RafB ( Bl ack has to keep f6 under con-

stronger when White h as a Ro o k on

tro l l I B . hS + ! when I B . . . Rxh S ? all ows

h I , since then there is no stopping the

1 9 . Nxe6 + Kf7 2 0 . Qxg7 + Kxe6 2 1 . QxfB .

h-pawn . You should stil l only do this

Thus B l ack would h ave to go with

i f you have your d ark-squared Bishop

l B . . . Kh6, which is never pleasant when

around, otherwise playing h4 is gener­

White sti l l has his Bishop on c l . After

ally very bad, as the Black King can be-

1 9 . Bxf4 , B l ack h a s to p l ay 1 9 . . . RhgB

come quite safe-ish on h 6 .

to adequately deal with t h e threats o f

Beat i n g

Nxe 6 + a n d Nxf7 + .

. . .

Kh6

The . . . Kh 6 option is the l east com­ mon possib ility, and generally comes up i n only one specific type of position:

After 20

. . .

Rhg8

At that point I would o nce again not suggest White " cash in " with 2 0 . Nxe6 +

Standard

. . .

Kh6 Situation

K h 7 2 1 . NxfB + RxfB . With so many of Black's p ieces tied down, there are several better moves in

1 86

What's going on here? Why is this the only position where ... Kh6 matters?

Module 7 : Lesson It's possible for . . . Kh6 to work in other cases, but very rarely. Let's look at why this is generally the only time . . . Kh6 comes up. The h4 pawn is more or less critical. Playing . . . Kh6 if White has not played h4 is almost always a fatal error because Qg4 threatening Q h 4 often wins the game i mmediately. The exception to this is if the crucial f6-square is open for Black's King. If f6 is open ( meaning that White does not control it and there is no piece on it), then the threat of Qh7+ is much less. It is also typically suicidal for Black to try to play . . . Kh6 if White still has h is dark-squared Bishop. Finally, it is important that Wh ite has not castled. So long as White has a Rook on h I , the h4 pawn by itself can support a NgS + move because Bxh 7 + Kxh7; NgS + BxgS ? ?; hxgS + KgB; Q h S is likely fatal . Th e m o s t c o m m o n w ay fo r t h i s variation t o come up i s for Wh ite to exchange a Bishop for a Knight on f6 . This could happen, for example, if you are one of those players who use a Torre against certain move orders. I ndeed, if there is not a Bishop on f6, White has to strongly consider the option of . . . f6 by Black at some point.

Sta ndard Plans

Wh ite will practically always push his h-pawn, even if it means giving up his Kn ight tem p o rarily. H e wants to open the h-file to flush the King out. Black has a straightforward way of surviving (with his material advantage intact) . H e will play g6 and then mosey toward the left, generally by way of the f6 square. If he can pull this off, White is going to have a hard time even getting a draw. Here is an illustration how this can work for Black. We'll start with the posi­ tion after 1 3 . . . Kh6 from the 1 9 9 1 GM clash in H ungary between Czebe and Zagrebelny.

Not Good for White 1 4.Qg4 g6 l S .hS Bxg S 1 6.hxg6+

These are pretty standard moves, and now Zagrebelny makes a very common error by playing 1 6 . . . Kg 7 1

187

Module 7 : Classic Greek Gifts Black's position, even after this error, is still better theoretically, but it's harder to play. After 1 7.Rh7+ Kxg6 1 8. QhS+ Kf6 1 9 . f4 Ke7 20.fxgS Ke8 2 1 . Kd2 Qe7 (this is often a good square for the Queen in these positions, even with the Rook on h7. Black wants his Rooks free to sweep the b ack row in case the g-p awn ad­ vances. I n other variations he may also want to exchange Rooks without having to recapture with his Queen . ) 2 2 . Rfl Rc8 2 3 . RfS cxd4 24.exd4 Rc4 2 S . Nb S Rc6 2 6 . Rf2 th reate n i ng Re2 . And here Black did not find . . . Qe4, the point being that 2 7 . Re2 can be met by 27 . . . Rc2+ ! That is what I meant about Black's position being better but hard to play. He j ust has to be concerned about too many things. I nstead, Bl ack should have pl ayed 1 6 . . . Kxg6 . Most of the time Bl ack can afford to take this pawn because White j ust has too much trouble getting to h i m . I n this case, after 1 6 . . . Kxg6 we have the following position:

1 88

White Lacks Fi repower

After 1 7 . f4 Kg7 we have a position like in the 1 6 . . . Kg? ? ! l ine, but without the Rook on h7. Black is hard to get to because he can play . . . Rh8 and . . . Kf8 . Why White's Attack F a i l s

The game in the l ast secti on il lus­ trates White's problems i n t h i s l i n e . Black's safety depends o n 2 things: White did not control f6 Wh ite can not hit gS with a piece. Change either of these, and Wh ite easily ki lls Black. If Black cannot move his King to f6, then QhS+ at some point spells disaster. The pawn that appears on gS after White takes the Bishop allows Black's King to roost on g7 for a while until Black can shuffle his Rooks over. H ad White been able to take that pawn off the board, things would have turned out different. •

•

Module 7 : Lesson Too l s, Ti ps, and Tricks

I f everything i s set u p to use the . . . Kh6 l ine at all, it is general ly a pretty tough nut to crack. Often it just comes down to how good a defender Black is. H owever, here is a l i st of items to leverage, in order of lethalness. Missing f7-pawn

I f B l ack i s m i s s i n g h i s f7 - p aw n , White often has a quick kill b y playing Qc2, threatening Qxh7 +. If Black plays . . . g6, then hS should end th ings. Knight to e4

If you can safely get a Kn ight to e4, hitting both gS and f6, look to sacrifice your other kn ight and mate the King by opening up the h-file. Moving Queen to Dark Squares

I f the e3 -square is clear, consider playing your Queen to d2 (or another square along the dark diagonal ) , th is sets up a d i scovered check when the Knight moves away and puts more pres­ sure on Black to do someth ing. Knight to f3

A pretty standard option is to play your Queen to g4 and Knight to f3 . I n addition to the Kn ight possibly going to eS , you have the ab il ity to recapture on

gS with a piece rather than a pawn . No Dark-Squared Bishop?

If Black is missing his dark-colored Bishop as wel l, stro ngly consider sup­ porting the gS Knight with f4 and then playing h S . Of course, you'll have to consider the option of . . . f6 by Bl ack, si nce there won't be a Bishop blocking that pawn. Pri nci pa l Va riation

When considering a Bh7+ sacrifice, you'll have to give some consideration to all options, but it helps a lot to know beforehand which one needs the most calcul ation. You can normally dismiss . . . Kh 6 as an opti on unless you have pl ayed h4 and you h ave l ost your dark-squ ared Bishop. There are exceptions of course, in particular if Bl ack can play . . . NfS and the f6 square is available to his King. If . . . KgB will lead to a quick kill, then the l ine to look hardest at is . . . Kg6 . If . . . KgB is not going to lead to obvi­ ous checkmate, it is probably the one to look deepest at unless Black has tons of pressure against your pawn center (or if you do not have a pawn center) . I f Black has Knights on d7 and dS, . . . Kg6 can be particularly hard to refute.

1 89

M odule

7:

Classic Greek G ifts

Exerci ses

I

have assembled 6 0 ( ! ) examples of

practical play where the B ishop sacrifice was used. Decide in each case whether it was a good sacrifice and defend your an­ swer with appropriate analysis. Weaker p l ayers s h o u l d focus on determ i n i n g which of t h e three defenses is t h e most important to consider.

1 90

Exercises Exercise 1

Exercise 3

Last Moves: S .h4 0-0 6.eS N d S

Last Moves: 8.h4 Bb7 9.eS Be7

Exercise 2

Exercise 4

Last Moves: 1 4. RxcS 0-0 1 S.Bd3 Nfe7

La st Moves: 1 1 .Ba3 Ne7 1 2.0-0 0-0

1 91

Module 7 : Cl assic Greek Gifts Exercise 5

Exercise 7

La st Moves: 9.Nxe4 Rxe4 1 0.Bd3 ReS

La st M oves: 1 1 .0-0 c5 1 2 .dxc5 Nxc5

Exercise 6

Exercise 8

Last Moves: 1 7.Nxd5 exd5 1 S.Bxe7 Nxe7

Last Moves: 1 2 .dxe5 Nd7 1 3 .Nf3 ReS

1 92

Module 7 : Exercises Exercise 9

Exercise 1 1

La st Moves: 9.Bd3 ReS 1 0.h4 c5

Last Moves: 7 . Nf3 Nge7 S.Bd3 0-0

Exercise 1 0

Exercise 1 2

Last Moves: 1 2. Bxe4 Bd7 1 3 .Re l 0-0

Last Moves: 1 O.Nxe4 Nxe4 1 1 .Bxe4 cxd4

1 93

Module

7:

Cl assic Greek Gifts

Exercise 1 3

Exercise 1 5

La st Moves: 1 7. Ra e 1 Nxe3 1 8.fxe3 8g3

Last Moves: 1 0.c5 dxc5 1 1 .e5 Nd5

Exercise 1 4

Exercise 1 6

La st Moves: 1 4.axb4 dxc3 1 5 .bxc3 Qc7

Last M oves: 1 1 .Nfl cxd4 1 2. N g 3 8 b4

1 94

Module 7 : Exercises Exercise 1 7

Exercise 1 9

La st M oves: 1 1 .Bd2 0-0 1 2.Bd3 Ba6

Last M oves: 1 0. Re 1 0-0 1 1 .bS N a S

Exercise 1 8

Exercise 20

La st Moves: 1 2 .Bd3 Q a S + 1 3 .c3 d 4

Last Moves: 2 1 . R b 1 N a 4 22.Rc2 Qxa 3

1 95

Module 7 : Classic Greek Gifts Exercise 2 1

Exercise 2 3

Last Moves: 1 3.exd6 Nxc3 1 4.bxc3 Bxd6

Last Moves: 1 7.BxfS cxd4 1 8.Nxd7 Nxd7

Exercise 22

Exercise 24

Last Moves: 1 3 .Qe2 0-0 1 4.eS NfxdS

Last Moves: 1 4.Nf1 cS 1 S.dxcS BxcS

1 96

Module 7 : Exercises Exercise 25

Exercise 2 7

Last Moves: 20.b3 Nxa3 2 1 .Bxa 3 Bxa 3

Last Moves: 1 3 .Re 1 Nc6 1 4.Bc2 Ne7

Exercise 26

Exercise 28

Last Moves: 1 3 .Qe2 N a 5 1 4.Bg5 Bxg 5

La st Moves: 1 1 .Qe2 0-0 1 2 .e5 Ne8

197

Module

7:

Classic Greek Gifts

Exercise 29

Exercise 3 1

Last Moves: 1 2 .Nb3 Ba7 1 3 .Re1 Bb7

La st Moves: 1 2 .Bd3 Nf5 1 3 .Ngf3 Ne3

Exercise 3 0

Exercise 3 2

Last Moves: 1 1 .Nf3 b 6 1 2.h4 Ba6

Last Moves: 1 7.Be3 Qc7 1 8. Bxc5 Bxc5

1 98

Module 7 : Exercises Exercise 3 3

Exercise 3 5

Last Moves: 1 4.e5 N d 5 1 5 .Bg5 Bxg 5

La st Moves: 1 1 .b5 bxc5 1 2.dxc5 Bxc5

Exercise 34

Exercise 3 6

La st Moves: Q d 6 24.b3 N a 3 2 5 .c4 Qb411

Last Moves: 1 3 .Re1 0-0 1 4.Re3 RfdS

1 99

Module 7 : Classic Greek Gifts Exercise 3 7

Exercise 3 9

La st Moves: 1 8.Nxd7 Nxd7 1 9.dS Re7

La st Moves: 1 2 .eS dxeS 1 3 .fxeS N d S

Exercise 3 8

Exercise 40

Last Moves: 9.0-0 Bd7 1 0.Rel 0-0

Last Moves: 1 4.Re 1 Rfd 8 l S .exd6 Bxd6

2 00

Module 7 : Exercises Exercise 4 1

Exercise 43

Last Moves: 1 6.eS NcS 1 7 .exd6 Bxd6

La st Moves: S.Bd3 d6 9.exd 6 0-0

Exercise 42

Exercise 44

Last Moves: 6.Nf3 Ne7 7.Bd3 0-0

Last Moves: 1 3 .Nf3 QcS 1 4.h4 Ba6

201

Module

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Classic Greek G ifts

Exercise 45

Exercise 47

La st Moves: 1 3 .Bd3 d6 1 4.h4 N d 7

Last Moves: 1 4.bxc3 0-0 1 S .eS N d S

Exercise 46

Exercise 48

La st Moves: 1 1 .Na3 0-0 1 2 . N b S Qb8

Last Moves: 9.0-0 Bb7 1 0.Bf4 cS

2 02

Module 7 : Exercises Exercise 49

Exercise 5 1

Last Moves: 9.Bd2 0-0 1 0.Bd3 N d 7

La st M oves: 6.Nf3 0-0 7 . B d 3 c 5

Exercise 5 0

Exercise 52

Last Moves: 1 2.Nf3 B b 7 1 3 .Bd3 N c4

Last Moves: 1 5 .Bf4 Nc5 1 6.Bc2 Ne7

2 03

Module 7 : Classic Greek Gifts Exercise 5 3

Exercise 5 5

Last Moves: 1 0.Rbl 0-0 1 1 .Bd3 Rd8

La st Moves: 1 0.exf6 Bxf6 1 1 .Qe2 dS

Exercise 54

Exercise 56

Last Moves: 9. Bxf6 Bxf6 1 0 . h 4 c S

La st Moves: 1 3 .eS N d 7 1 4.Bxe7 Nxe7

2 04

Module 7 : Exercises Exercise 5 7

Exercise 59

Last Moves: 9 . B d 3 N d 7 1 0.0-0 0-0

Last Moves: 7.Bd3 N e6 8. Bf4 0-0

Exercise 5 8

Exercise 60

Last Moves: 1 S.Re1 Qb8 1 6.eS N d S

La st Moves: 1 6.Bd3 Bd7 1 7.Bf4 Na6

2 05

50lutio115 Exercise 1 La st Moves: S.h4 0-0 6.eS N d S

p l ayer in th is game, G reco, l iteral ly "wrote the book" on this sacrifice. Analysis, Variations, and Notes

7

•••

Kxh 7 8.NgS+ Bxg S B ... Kh6 9.Nxe6+; B ... Kg6 9.h S+; B . . . K g B 9 . Q h S N f6 1 0 . e x f6 g x f 6

1 1 .Q h 7 #

9.hxg S + Kg 6 9 ... Kg B 1 O.Q h S fS 1 1 .g6.

1 O.QhS+ KfS 1 1 .Qh 3 + Kg6 1 2.Qh7# Verd i ct: 7.Bxh7+!

Exercise 2 Commentary

The only differences between this and the standard setup are the Bishop on e7 and the pawn on h4. The pawn on h4 only hurts White if Black plays . . . K h 6 , but that vari ation fai l s s i n ce White still has his Bishop on c l . The Bishop on e7 cannot help Black in any other variation since taking the Knight on gS opens the h-file. So we see that the . . . KgB and . . . Kh6 defenses will not work. Playing . . . Kg6 with the pawn already on h4 makes little sense. Note, the White

Last Moves: 1 4. RxcS 0-0 1 S .Bd3 N fe7

Verd i ct: 1 6.Bxh7+!

207

Module 7 : Classic Greek Gifts could make use of your dark-colored We fi rst do a quick check to see if Bishop by p l ayi ng h4 afterward . The . . . KgB is a possible defense. Black has a King just has no way to meet the threat way of moving a piece to the gB-square, of h5 given the l o o m i n g Bc l ! I n the so we wi l l h ave to consider that l i ne actual game, Wh ite played Qg4, giving more closely. When Black has the . . . NgB Bl ack the opportunity to equal ize im­ move available, the first thing to look for mediately with .. . f6 . is the ability to play Bg5 in one move. Analysis, Variations, and Notes White does not have that, but if you look deeply enough you will find another way 1 6 ... Kxh 7 1 7 .NgS+ Kg6 1 7 ... Kg B 1 B . Q h 5 Rfd 8 1 9 .Qxf7 + K h 8 to deal with this variation. It is important that you look for it BEFORE committing 20.Rc3. 1 8.Qd3! to the sacrifice, though. 1 B . Q g 4 ? f6 ! 1 9 . N x e 6 + Kf7 2 0 . N x c 7 S i n ce t h e h - p aw n h a s n o t b e e n pushed, . . . K h 6 looks l ike i t cannot go Bxg4 2 1 . N xa 8 Rxa8 l eaves B l a c k s l i g htly anywhere. What about the . . . Kg6 op­ better. In the actu a l game B l a c k re p l ied tion? White has very good control of f6, 1 8 . . . f5 ? and l ost after 1 9.Qg 3 Qc8 20.Rc3 so this line looks promising. H owever, f4 2 1 .Qg4 Nf5 2 2 . R h 3 Rh8 2 3 . N xe6+ Kf7 there are two minor warning signs. First, 24.Qxf5+ Ke7 25.Qg5+ Kxe6 26.Qg6+ Ke7 White has not castled and has no way 2 7.Qxg 7+ of quickly moving a Rook to the e-file. 1 8 .. .fS 1 9.h4!! 1 9.Qg3 f4 20.Qg4 Q b8±; Secondly, even th ough Nxe 6 h its the 1 9. Q h 3 ! Rh8 20.Qg3 f4 2 1 .Qxf4 Raf8 Queen on c7, it also all ows a sel f-pin against White's own Queen due to the 22.Qg4 Qb8 23 .h4. Bishop on d7. Exercise 3 Th ese two warn i n g s i g n s s h o u l d Last Moves: 8.h4 Bb7 9.eS Be7 cause Wh ite t o real ize that the . . . f6 ! ? option ( instead of the more normal . . . f5 play) might b e a real concern . Wh ite should thus be drawn to consider Qd3+ instead of Qg4 in the . . . Kg6 line because Qd3+ forces f5 . Bonus p o i nts i f you real ized you Commentary

2 08

Module 7 : Solutions Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 O . Kxh 7 1 1 .NgS+ Kh6 .

.

1 1 ... Kg8 1 2.Qh5; 1 1 ... Kg6 1 2 . Q d 3 + f5 1 3 . e xf6 + Kxf6 1 4.Qf3 +

1 2 .Qd2 Qc8 1 2 ... Qe8 1 3 . Nxe6+ Kh 7 1 4.Nxc7; 1 2 ... Bxg 5 1 3 . hxg5+ Kg6 1 4.Qd 3 + Kxg 5 ( 1 4 .. .f5 1 5.gxf6+) 1 5 .Q h 7 .

1 3 .0-0-0! Verd i ct: 1 0.Bxh7+!

1 3 .Nxe6+ Kh 7 1 4. N xf8+ Bxf8 ;!;

Commentary

Exercise 4

You should be able to tell immedi­ ately that Black has no hope of surviving after . . . KgB ? ? With the h-pawn advanced and the Rook still on h I , playing . . . Kg6 is also fatal (though that was the game continuation, but White did not react as he should have ) . Two th ings p o i n t t o Wh ite having an advantage after . . . Kh 6 . First, the lack of an e3-pawn all ows White to cause threats with Qd2 . Second, controlling f6 with a pawn removes many options that wou ld otherwise a l l ow Bl ack to come out with an advantage. Still, White should real ize he has the King cooped up, but cannot i m mediately kill h i m . I n stead of cash i n g i n , Wh ite s h o u l d maintain the tension.

Last Moves: 1 1 .Ba3 Ne7 1 2.0-0 0-0

Verd i ct: 1 3 .Bxh7+!

Commentary

The Kn ight on e7 normally puts a wrinkle in the . . . KgB line, but in this case the Knight is pinned to the fB-square, so the Knight will not be able to hop to gB later. The . . . Kh6 option obviously makes no sense as h4 has not been played.

2 09

Module 7 : Classic Greek Gifts When looking at the . . . Kg6 option, you should note that the e6-pawn will have no protection after Black pushes his f-pawn, but the real problem is that the black Queen has no good place to go . On dB she will be in danger after White plays Nxe6. On eB she wil l be in danger after a l ater Nxg7 . On any other square, she cannot protect the e7-Knight. Analysis, Variations, and Notes

Verd ict: 1 1 .Bxh7+!

1 3 ... Kxh7 1 4.NgS+ Kg6 1 4 . . . K g B l S . Q h S R e B 1 6 . Q h 7 + Kf8 1 7.Qh8#

l S .Qg4 fS 1 6.Qg3 QeS 1 6 ... Qc8 1 7. N xe6+ Kf7 1 B.Qxg7+ Kxe6 1 9.Qxe7#

1 7.Nxe6+ Kf7 l S.Nxg7 1 8.Qxg 7+? Kxe6-+ My d a ta b a s e s a y s B l a c k l o s t a ft e r 1 B.Qxg 7 ? I a s s u m e t h i s h a d t o b e d u e to t i m e s i n ce he wou l d be wel l ahead after 1 8 . . . Kxe6.

l S ... RgS 1 9.NxeS Rxg 3 20.Nd6+

Commentary

The Bishop on fB norm a l ly spells doom for Black in these situations be­ cause it defends the wrong square and can block up Black's King. In this case, though, White is missing the pawn on eS, so we have to be extra careful about the . . . Kg6 option. H owever, White has one trump, the B ishop on c 1 . To make this work you have to use the early h4 trick. White missed this and Black could h ave escaped because White does not control f6 .

Exercise 5 Last Moves: 9.Nxe4 Rxe4 1 0.Bd3 ReS

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

11

.••

Kxh 7 1 2 .NgS+ Kg6 1 3 .h4!

1 3 .Qg4? fS 1 4.Qh4 d S l S .Qh7+ Kf6=; 1 3 .Qd 3+ fS 1 4.d S ! ( 1 4.Qg 3 Bd6 l S .f4 Qe7=) 1 4 ... N e S l S . Q h 3 Be7 1 6. Q h 7 + Kf6 1 7.Qh S g6 1 8.Q h3±

1 3 ...fS

21 0

Module 7 : Solutions 1 3 .. .f6 ? ? 1 4. h S + Kh6 l S .Qd 3 .

1 4.hS+ Kf6 l S .d S!

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

19

•••

NeS 1 6.f4+-

Kxh 7 20.N g S + Kg6

2 0 . . . K g B 2 1 . Q h S RcB 2 2 . Q xf7 + K h B

l S .h6? Kg 6 +

lS

•••

2 3 . N e6.

2 1 .Qg4 fS 22 .exf6!

Exercise 6 Last Moves: 1 7.Nxd S exd S 1 8.Bxe7 Nxe7

22.Qg3 is a l so q u ite stro n g : 22 . . . N c6 2 3 . Re l o r 22 . . . N h B 2 3 . N f3 + . The text i s fa ster, tho u g h .

22

•••

gxf6

22 ... Rxf6 2 3 . N e6+ Kfl 24.Qxg 7+ Kxe6 2S .Re l ++-; 22 ... Kxf6 2 3 . R e l +-; 22 ... NfS 2 3.fxg 7 Kxg 7 24.Re l +-

23.Ne6+ Kf7 24.Qg7+! Kxe6 2 S . Re 1 ++-

Exercise 7 Last Moves: 1 1 .0-0 cS 1 2 .dxcS NxcS Verd ict: 1 9.Bxh7+!

Commentary

This is an odd position due to the vast amount of space Black has to run around i n . Normally there are m o re squares blocked up by his own pieces. Th e Knight on e7 can get to gB, but b ecause the e 6 - square is u nguarded, Wh ite should have no problem in the . . . KgB l ine. White is running short on attacking pieces in the . . . Kg6 l ine. To make that line work, White needs to play the rather uncommon exf6 to allow his Rook to work on the open e-file.

Verd ict: 1 3 .Bxh7+?

Commentary

Capablanca must not have thought much of his opponent when he made th is m ove . Without the p awn on e S

21 1

Module 7 : Classic Greek Gifts o r an open e - fi l e o r rea l l y a nyth ing else to help the attack, it's j ust overly optimistic. Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 3 ... Kxh 7 1 4.Ng5+ Kh6!

Commentary

Th e sacrifice does not work here. Because the Rook has al ready moved, Bl ack gets one free move to save h i s hide. The strong . . . NfB manages t o put support on both h7 and f7 .

With n o d a rk B i s h o p s o n the boa rd and noth ing b l ocki ng movement t h rough f6, this i s actua l l y best beca use Black g a i n s a m o v e s i n c e W h i t e h a s to s h u ffl e h i s

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 4 ... Kxh 7 1 5 .Ng5+ Kg8 l S ... Kg 6 ? ? 1 6.Qd 3 + fS 1 7 .exf6+ Kxf6

Q u een back a n d fo rth to g et a t the black

l B.Qf3 + Kg 6 1 9.Qf7+ Kh6 20. N xe6+

monarch.

1 6.Qh5 Nf8 +

1 4 ... Kg6 l S .Qg4 fS 1 6.Qg3 Kf6 1 7 . b4 N d 3 ! ? ( 1 7 ... N e4 l B . N cxe4+ Bxe4 1 9.Qf4!

Exercise 9

NdS 20. Nxe4+ Kf7 (20 ... Ke7 2 1 .Qh4+ Kd 7

La st Moves: 9.Bd3 Re8 1 O.h4 c5

2 2 . N g S±) 2 1 .Qf3 Kg B 22. N g 3 Nxb4 � ; 1 7 ... N d 7 ? wa s p l ayed in the actua l ga me, los­ i ng.) l B.Rcd l QbB!oo

1 5 .Qg4 Nd5 1 6.Qh4 Kg6 1 7 .Qh7+ Kf6 1 8. Rfd 1 Qb8 1 9. N ce4+ Nxe4 20.Nxe4+ Ke7 2 1 .Qxg 7 Rg8 22.Qd4 +

Exercise 8 Last Moves: 1 2 .dxe5 N d 7 1 3 .Nf3 Re8 Verd ict: 1 1 .Bxh 7+?

Commentary

With fB open, Black has a free move. An extra tempo plus al ready controlling g7 should give Wh ite pause. Here Black can also defend f7 with his Bishop, so the sacrifice is quite unreliable. Verd ict: 1 4.Bxh7+?!

212

Module 7 : Solutions Analysis, Variations, and Notes

11

•..

Kxh 7 1 2.NgS+ Kg8

1 2 ... Kh6?? 1 3 . N xf7+

1 5 ... Kg 8? 1 6.0h 5 Oc2 1 7. Re4!

1 6.h4 1 6.0g4? Bxh2+ 1 7.Kh l f5-+

1 6 ... Bh2+ 1 7.Kh l Bf4 +

1 3 .QhS Be6 +

Exercise 1 0

Exercise 1 1

La st Moves: 1 2 .Bxe4 Bd7 1 3 .Rel 0-0

Last Moves: 7.Nf3 Nge7 8.Bd3 0-0

Verd ict: 1 4.Bxh 7+?

Verd i ct: 9.Bxh7+!

Commentary

Commentary

Normally a Queen on an open c-file is troub le fo r White b ecause she can get to c2 to defend h7. It turns out that White has a way of stopping that. How­ ever, White cannot counter the effect of the Queen-Bishop battery along the dark squares. Of course, White should expect probl ems with the . . . Kg6 l ine because he has no pawn on e5 .

The only aspect of this position that is different from the standard version is the Kn ight on e7. That Knight can block a later Queen check on h8 by moving to g8 . H owever, any time Wh ite can play his Bishop to g5 in one move, you can be assured Bl ack is toast in that line. Th at leaves . . . Kg6 to consider. The key there is to play an early h4, which is always someth ing to consider when your Bishop is sti ll on cl and can "see " the h6-square through the g5-Kn ight.

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 4 ... Kxh 7 1 S .NgS+ Kg6

213

Module 7 : Classic Greek Gifts Analysis, Variations, and Notes

9 ... Kxh7 1 O.Ng5+ Kg6 1 0 . . . K g 8 1 1 . Q h S R e 8 1 2 . Q h 7 + Kf8 1 3 .Qh8+ N g 8 1 4. N h 7+ Ke7 1 S .Bg S++-

1 1 .h4!+1 1 .Qg41 fS 1 2.Qg3 f4 1 3.Qg4 �

11

•••

Black wil l h ave one extra move in the ... Kg8 l i ne because his Rook is al­ ready on e8 . He has 3 ways to defend critical squares ( . . . Qf6, . . . NeS, . . . BeS ) , so you should have thought through each one.

Nxd4 1 2.Qg4 f5 1 3 .h5+ Kh6

1 4.Nxe6+ g 5 1 5 .hxg6#

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 2 ... Kxh 7 1 3 .Ng5+ Kg8

Exercise 1 2 Last Moves: 1 O.Nxe4 Nxe4 1 1 .Bxe4 cxd4

1 3 ... Kg6 1 4.h4 fS ( 1 4 ... Rh8 l S.Rxe6!!++­ N f6 1 6 . h S + K h 6 1 7 . Rx d 6 Q a S 1 8 . N xf7+ Kh 7 1 9. N g S + Kg8 20.Q b 3 + ) l S . h S + Kf6 1 6.Qxd4 BeS 1 7.Qh4!+-

1 4.Qh5 Qf6 1 4 . . . N e S l S . RxeS BxeS 1 6.Qxf7 + Kh8 1 7 .Q h S + Kg 8 1 8. b 3 !+-; 1 4 ... BeS l S .Qxf7 Kh8 1 6.Re4+-

1 5 .Qh7+ Kf8 1 6.Ne4 Qe5 1 7.cxd4=

Exercise 1 3 La st Moves: 1 7.Rae1 Nxe3 1 8.fxe3 Bg3 Verd i ct: 1 2.Bxh 7+!

Commentary

Stri ctly s p e a k i n g, B l ack c a n sur­ vive (with equality) if he finds perfect defense. Colle won the brilliancy prize for this game. You should notice first the lack of any eS-pawn; that means the . . . Kg6 l ine is going to be a bit tricky. However, since White still has his Bishop on e l , he can use the early h4 idea.

214

Verd ict: 1 9.Bxh 7+!?

Module 7 : Solutions Commentary

Exercise 1 4

Th e sacri fi ce does n o t wo rk, b u t White was in trouble. I personally find it strange someone as good as Cecil Purdy did not find the correct defense here ! The prob l e m with the sacrifi ce i s pretty obvious. Black h a s a free move and is already defending the f7 -pawn. With his free move, he will want to de­ fend one of the other pawns ( and make sure that the open f-file does not give White any options he might not other­ wise have ) . Note there are several ways for Black to use his free move to defend the im­ portant squares, make sure you look at each one.

La st Moves: 1 4.axb4 dxc3 1 S.bxc3 Qc7

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 9 ... Kxh 7 20.NgS+ Kg8 20 ... Kg6? 2 1 .Qg4 B h 2 + 22.Kh 1 Q g 3 ? ? (22 ... Bxg 2+ 2 3 . Kx g 2 Qg 3 + 24.Qxg 3 Bxg 3 2 S . Kx g 3 K x g S 2 6 . R x f7 ;J; ) 2 3 . Q f S + K h S 24. N xf7+

2 1 .QhS Bd S!-+ 2 1 ... R d 7 ? ? 22.Qh7+ Kf8 2 3 . Q h 8+ Ke7 24.Rxf7+; 2 1 . . . f6 ? 2 2 . Q h 7 + Kf8 2 3 . Q h 8 + K e 7 2 4 . Q x g 7 + K d 6 2 S . Qxf6+ Kd 7 2 6 . Q fS +

Verd ict: 1 6.Bxh7+!

Commentary

The sacrifice is not absolutely win­ ning, but even with perfect defense it leaves White wel l off. H owever, it does require a fair amount of analysis. Black has two pieces hitting the criti­ cal eS-pawn. This means the . . . Kg6 l ine takes extra care. White needs to make sure Black cannot destroy the e-pawn . The . . . Kg8 l ine does not lead to an ob­ vious win, but it should be easy to see that White easily gets his material back with a good position. Because the Rook is stil l on f8, the only defense for Black involves defending h7 with . . . Be4 .

Kc6oo; 2 1 ... g6?? 22.Qh7+ Kf8 2 3 . Rxf7+; 21 ... Re7?? 22.Qh7+ Kf8 23.Qh 8#; 21 ... Be4? 22.Nxf7 B h 7 ! +

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 6 ... Kxh 7 1 7 .NgS+ Kg8 1 7... Kg6 1 8.Qd 3+! ( 1 8.h4? QxeS=;

215

Module 7 : Classic Greek Gifts 1 8 . 0 g 4 ? N x e S = ) 1 8 . . . fS 1 9 . 0 g 3 O x e S

1 6.0h4 e S 1 7.Rac 1 b 6 t

20.Bf4!+-

1 4.Qc2+

1 8.QhS Be4 1 9.Nxe4 QxeS 20.Qf3 ±

1 4 . 0 g 4 fS l S . 0 g 3 ( l S . 0 h4 ? T h i s i s typica l l y a ve ry strong move when Black's

Exercise 1 5

maj o r pi eces a re not co n n ected o n the

Last Moves: 1 0.cS dxcS 1 1 .eS N d S

back row, but h e re it fa i l s beca u se not only does Black have two Knig hts tra i n ed o nto f6, but h i s O u een ca n sweep across the 7th ra n k to hit the crucia l h 7-sq u a re a l l owi n g B l a c k to re s p o n d to 1 4 . . . N f6 ! l S . N xf6 ? ! w i t h l S . . . exf6 ! i n stead of t h e m o r e n o r m a l . . . N xf6 . ) l S . . .f4 1 6 . 0 g 4 ( 1 6 . 0 h 3 N 7f6 t ) 1 6 . . . N 7f6 1 7 . exf6 N xf6 1 8.N xe6+ Nxg4t

1 4 ...fS 1 4 ... Kxg S ? ? l S .0h 7+Verd ict: 1 2 .Bxh 7+!

1 S .exf6+ Kxg S l S ... Kxf6 1 6.0 h 7±

Commentary

With Kn ights o n d S a n d d 7 a n d a Queen bearing down on e S , Wh ite should not expect to get a forced win out of the sacrifice. Black can easi ly give back the material by playing a Kn ight to f6 . H owever, White does come out with a good position in all lines. As you play through these l ines note how White's at­ tack j ust loses its pep once the exchange occurs on f6 .

1 6.fxg7 Kh6 1 7 .gxf8=Q+ Nxf8

Exercise 1 6 Last Moves: 1 1 .Nf1 cxd4 1 2 .Ng3 B b4

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 2 ... Kxh 7 1 3 .NgS+ Kg6 1 3 . . . K g 8 1 4 . 0 h S N 7f6 l S . exf6 N xf6

21 6

Verd ict: 1 3 .Bxh 7+!1

Module 7 : Solutions Commentary

Exercise 1 7

The sacrifice doe not "work, " but it is the best option White has. With perfect defense Black keeps an advantage, but not a decisive one. Th e Kn ight on g3 makes anything other than . . . Kg8 impossible. There are several ways fo r Bl ack to use his free move (since the Rook is al ready on e8 ) to defend the various squares. The key is for Wh ite to figure out how to best use his extra Kn ight on the K-side.

Last Moves: 1 1 .Bd2 0-0 1 2 .Bd3 Ba6

Verd ict: 1 3 .Bxh 7+? Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 3 ... Kxh 7 1 4.NgS+ Kg8

1 4 ... Kg6?? l S .0hS#; 1 4...0xg S ? ! l S .BxgS Bxe 1 1 6.0xe 1 NdxeSoo 1 S.QhS NdxeS

l S ... N fB 1 6.0xf7 + KhB 1 7 . 0 h S + KgB

Commentary

White probably should have real ized his extremely stro ng opponent ( Boris Gulko) would not have left hi mself open to an easy kill. Black has an often-over­ looked way of putting a piece on h7.

1 B.Of7+=; l S ... N cxeS 1 6.0h7+ KfB 1 7.0hB+ Ke7 1 B.NfS + Kf6 1 9.0xg 7+ KxfS 20.g4++-; l S ... Nf6 1 6.0xf7 KhB 1 7.Re4+-;

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 3 ... Kxh 7 1 4.NgS+ Kg8 1 S.QhS Qxc2-+ 1 6.g4 Qd3

l S ... Re7 1 6.0h7+ KfB 1 7.0hB# 1 6.RxeS NxeS 1 7.Qh7+ Kf8 1 8. N h S

1 B.OhB+?! Ke7 1 9.0xg 7 Kd 7 20.N xf7

Exercise 1 8 Last Moves: 1 2.Bd3 QaS+ 1 3 .c3 d4

N xfl 2 1 .0xf7+ Kc6 2 2 . B g S Od 7 2 3 . 0f6+ Re6 24.0xd4 BcS-+ 1 8 ... Ke7 1 9.Qxg 7 Kd 7 20.Nf6+ Kc6

20 ... Kc7? 2 1 . Bf4. 2 1 .Nxe8 Qxe8 22. Bf4oo

21 7

Module 7 : Cl assic Greek Gifts

Verd i ct: 1 4.Bxh 7+?

Verd ict: 1 2.Bxh 7+?

Commentary

Commentary

I h o p e this exercise d i d n o t catch

I

must admit that I don't know what

you . It is true that Black's Roo k is stil l

White, a

on f8 and he h a s no way of defending

going to get here. I hope you saw that

h7 in one move, but you have to check

Black can easily defend h 7 .

2 3 00+

player, thought he was

for checks !

Analysis, Variations, and Notes Analysis, Variations, and Notes

14

•.•

Kxh 7 1 3 . N g S + Kg8 1 4.QhS BfS-+

Exercise 2 0 Last Moves: 2 1 .Rb 1 N a 4 22.Rc2 Qxa3

Qf5-+ •..

••.

Kxh 7 1 S.QhS+

1 5 . N g 5 + ? Kg8 1 6. Q h 5 Qxe5+ 1 7 . Kfl

lS

12

Kg8 1 6.0-0 f6

Exercise 1 9 Last M oves: 1 0.Re1 0-0 1 1 .bS N a S

Verd i ct: 2 3 .Bxh7+!?

218

Module 7 : Solutions Commentary

This sacrifice is theoretically broken, but B l ack has a formidab l e and easy plan of advancing his connected passed pawns, so Wh ite had to try something. Plus, he's a whole pawn down . I'm putting the actual game l ine here so you see for yourself how even very strong players can lose won games when they have to defend. Note that Black is around 2400 and White is around 2 1 00 Elo.

Verd ict: 1 S.Bxh 7+?

Commentary Analysis, Variations, and Notes

23

•••

Kxh 7 24.N g S + Kh6

24 ... Kg 8 ? ? 2S.QhS Qd3 26.e4+-; 24 ... Kg6 2 S .Qg4 fS 26.Q h4. Th i s tri c k d o e s n o t work a s wel l w h e n f6 i s ava i l a b l e for the b l a c k K i n g . 26 . . .Qe7-+.

2S .Qg4 Qe7 26.Qh4+ Kg 6 2 7.f4

B lack has ful ly viab l e ways of de­ fending his h7-square, so this sacrifice cannot be good. White has a perfectly good game and should have just contin­ ued with c4 here. In the actual game, Black decli ned the sacrifice ! !

27.Qh7+ Kxg S 28.Qxg 7+ KfS-+

27

•••

fS

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

B l a c k i s t h e o re t i c a l l y safe a n d w e l l

1S

•••

Kxh 7 1 6.NgS+ Kg8 1 7.QhS Bd3-+

a h ead, but he has to be ca refu l .

Exercise 22 Exercise 2 1

Last Moves: 1 3 .Qe2 0-0 1 4.eS NfxdS

Last Moves: 1 3 .exd6 Nxc3 1 4.bxc3 Bxd6

219

Module 7 : Classic Greek Gifts

Verd i ct: l S .Bxh7+!

Verd ict: 1 9.Bxh 7+?

Commentary

Commentary

It's easy to tell there is no hope i n the . . . KgB line. Th is game sh ows well the usefulness of playing an early h4 in the . . . Kg6 line when you have a Bishop that can "see " h 6 .

Wh ite has no pawn on e5 or Rook on e 1 , so he lacks the basic setup for this sac. Furthermore, Bl ack can defend h7 via Be4 . Worse, Bl ack can easily bring his queen in after . . . Bxh2+ and . . . Qg3, so this sacri fice is very poor.

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

l S . . . Kxh 7 1 6.NgS+ Kg6 1 6 ... KgB 1 7.Qh5 Qxg 5±

1 7 .h4 Rh8 1 8.hS+ Rxh S . Now w e s e e t h a t Q g 4 wou l d h a v e j u st

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 9 ... Kxh 7 I n the a c t u a l ga me, B la ck d ec l i ned t h e sa cr ifi ce ! My a s s u m pt i o n i s that he o n l y

been a wa sted m ove.

ca l c u l a ted ... Kg 8 rath e r t h a n t h e ot h e r

1 9.Qe4+ f S 20.exf6+ Kxf6 2 1 .Qf3+

o pti o n s.

Ke7

20.N gS+ Kh6!

21 ... Kg6 22.Qf7 Kh6 2 3 . N xe6+

22 .QxhS

The sta n d a rd way of d ea l i ng with t h i s fa i l s m i sera bly. 20 ... Kg6 i s safe a s wel l , but not q u ite a s

Exercise 23 Last Moves: 1 7.BxfS cxd4 1 8.Nxd 7 Nxd7

good. 2 1 .Qg4 7 1 B x h 2 + 22.Kh 1 f5; 20 ... Kg 8 ? 2 1 .Q h 5 B x h 2 + 2 2 . K h 1 Be4 2 3 . N xe4 Qc6 24. N g S Qh6 2 S .Qxh6 gxh6

22 0

Module 7 : Solutions 26.Kxh2 hxg 5 27.exd4 g ives White a good

1 9 ... Qxg 5

position.

I n t h e g a m e , 1 9 . . . R e B wa s p l a ye d ,

2 1 .Qg41

which you s h o u l d recog n ize a s mate i n 5 .

2 1 . N xf7+ Rxf7 2 2 . Rxf7 B x h 2 + 2 3 . Kfl

It i s i nterest i n g t o see w h y B l a c k can not get his material back.

Qg 3-+ 21 ... Bxh2+ 22.Kh 1 Qg3

1 9 ... ReB 20.Qxf7+ KhB 2 1 . Q h 5 + Kg B 22.Qh7+ KfB 23.QhB+

Exercise 24 Last Moves: 1 4.Nfl c5 1 5 .dxc5 Bxc5

20.Bxg 5 Bxe 1 2 1 .Bf6!! gxf6

2 1 ... N xf6 2 2 .exf6 g xf6 2 3 . Rxe l RaeB 24.Qg4+ KhB 2 5 . RxeB RxeB 26.Qd7. 22 .exf6 Nxf6 2 3 .Qg5+ Kh7 24.Qxf6-+

Exercise 25 La st Moves: 2 0 . b 3 N x a 3 2 1 .Bxa3 Bxa 3

Verd ict: 1 6.Bxh7+! Commentary

Th e o n ly va riati on that has to be l o o ked at is the possib i l i ty of Bxf2 + , which might throw a spanner into the works.

Verd ict: 22 .Bxh7+?! Commentary

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 6 ... Kxh 7 1 7 .Ng5+ Kg8 1 8.Qh5 Bxf2 1 9.Kh 1

1 9.Kxf2? Qb6+ a l l ows Black to get his Queen to g6 or h6, after which there is no attack.

White is not in a very good position, but he should have known th is sacrifice would not work. Bl ack has two ways of defending the h7 -square. H e can play Nf6 or Qxc2, either of which would allow adequate defense.

22 1

Module

7:

Cl assic Greek Gifts 1 6 . . . K g 6 1 7 . Q g 4 fS 1 8 . Q g 3 ( 1 8 . Q h 4

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

22

•••

Kxh 7 2 3 . N g S + Kg8 24.QhS Nf6

2 S .Qh4 Qxc2-+

N f6 ) 1 8 . . . Q e 7 1 9 . N xe6+ Kf7 . N o rm a l l y I d o n ot s u g g est ca s h i n g i n l i ke t h i s, b u t here Wh ite can merc i l essly t i e u p Black's

Exercise 26

pieces ba sed o n the pin d own the d-fi l e.

Last Moves: 1 3 .Qe2 NaS 1 4.BgS Bxg S

2 0 . N x d 8+ Qxd 8 2 1 . R d 1 Be6 2 2 . Qf3 Q d 7 2 3 . N c3 R d 8 24. R d 3 N c 6 2 S . R a d 1 N ce7 26.N e4 Kf8 2 7 . N d 6.

1 7.Qh S + N b3 1 8.Qh7+ Kf8 1 9.Qh8+ Ke7 20.Qxg 7 Rf8 2 1 .Nc3 Nxc3 22.bxc3 Nxa 1 2 3 . N h 7 T h e n B l a c k c r a c ke d , n o t wa n t i n g a d raw.

23

•••

Bd7? 24.QgS+ Ke8

I n t h e a ct u a l g a m e , W h i t e p l a y e d 2 S . N f6 + , l ea d i n g to a n e q u a l p o s i t i o n Verd i ct: l S .Bxh7+!

h e l a t e r l o st . 2 S . R d 1 W i t h N f6-d 7-f8 t o fol l ow.

Commentary The sacrifice does not b ring a winn i n g position, b u t it a l l ows Wh ite to

Exercise 2 7 Last Moves: 1 3 .Rel Nc6 1 4.Bc2 Ne7

move his poorly pl aced Queen (poorly placed due to the threat of . . . Nb3-c l . ) Because B l ack's Ro o k a n d Q u e e n have b oth moved, B l ack h a s plenty of time to s ave h i s king, but he stil l has to be carefu l . In the actual game, Black blundered and White missed his oppor­ tunity to win.

Analysis, Variations, and Notes l S .NxgS h6 1 6. N h 3 N b3 .

lS

•••

222

Kxh 7 1 6.Nxg S+ Kg8

Verd ict: l S. Bxh 7+! ?

Module 7 : Solutions Commentary

Black can put double defense on h7, but White can foil that defense i n the . . . KgB l ine. H owever, the . . . Kg6 l ine leads to an unclear position.

he accepts the sacrifice and then retreats. H owever, given the fragility of the eS pawn, White has to be careful that . . . Kg6 does not save Black. In the actual game, Black simply al­ lowed White to keep the pawn.

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

lS

•••

Kxh 7 1 6.NgS+ Kg6!

1 6 ... Kg B ? 1 7 . Q h S Bxf2+ 1 B . K h 1 Q c 2

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

13

1 9. N d e4 Bxe4 20.Rxe4 RfcB 2 1 .Qxf7+ K h B 22.Q h S + K g B 2 3 . Q h 7 + (23. Be3 i s n o t q u ite as g ood s i n ce Black cou l d p l a y ... NfB a n d

•••

Kxh 7 1 4.NgS+ Kg6

1 4 ... Kg B l S . Q h S N f6 1 6.exf6 is mate i n six.

l S .Qd3+!

p ray.) 23 . . . KfB 24.QhB+ N g B 2 S . Be3

l S .Qg4 Qc6 forces Wh ite to be satis­

1 7 .h4 Rh8 1 8.Qg4 fS 1 9.exf6 Bxf2+

fi ed w i t h a m i n o r m a t e ri a l a d v a n t a g e :

20.Kxf2 QcS+ 2 1 .Kf1 QfS+ 2 2.QxfS +

1 6 . N xe 6 + K h 7 1 7 . N d B Qxg 2 1 B . Qx g 2 +

NxfSoo

Bxg2 1 9.Kx g 2 .

lS

Exercise 28 La st Moves: 1 1 .Qe2 0-0 1 2.eS N e8

fS 1 6.Ne2 QxeS 1 7.Nf4+ Kxg S

•••

1 7 ... Kf6 1 B.Bc3.

1 8.Qg3+ Kf6 1 9. N h S + Kf7 20.QxeS

Exercise 29 La st Moves: 1 2 .Nb3 Ba7 1 3 . Re 1 Bb7

Verd ict: 1 3 .Bxh7+!

Commentary

Black is too cooped up to survive if

Verd ict: 1 4.Bxh7+!

223

Module

7:

Cl assic Greek Gifts 1 6 . . . K g 6 1 7 . Q g 4 fS 1 8 . Q g 3 ( 1 8 . Q h 4

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

22

•••

Kxh 7 23.NgS+ KgS 24.QhS Nf6

2S.Qh4 Qxc2-+

N f6 ) 1 8 . . . Q e 7 1 9 . N xe6+ Kf7 . N o rm a l l y I d o not s u g g est ca s h i n g i n l i ke t h i s, b u t here Wh ite ca n merc i l essly t i e u p Black's

Exercise 26

pieces ba sed o n the pin d own the d-fi l e.

La st Moves: 1 3 .Qe2 NaS 1 4.BgS Bxg S

2 0 . N x d 8 + Qxd 8 2 1 . R d 1 Be6 22.Qf3 Q d 7 2 3 . N c 3 R d 8 24. R d 3 N c6 2 S . Ra d 1 N c e 7 26. N e4 Kf8 2 7 . N d6.

1 7.Qh S + N b3 1 S.Qh7+ KfS 1 9.QhS+ Ke7 20.Qxg7 RfS 2 1 .Nc3 Nxc3 22.bxc3 Nxa 1 2 3 . N h 7 T h e n B l a c k c ra c ke d , n o t wa n t i n g a d raw.

23

•••

Bd7? 24.QgS+ KeS

I n t h e a ct u a l g a m e , W h i t e p l a ye d 2 S . N f6 + , l ea d i n g to a n e q u a l p o s i t i o n Verd ict: l S.Bxh7+!

h e l a t e r l o st. 2 S . Rd 1 W i t h N f6-d 7 -f8 to fol l ow.

Commentary The sacrifice does not b ring a winning position, but i t a l l ows White to

Exercise 27 Last Moves: 1 3 . Re 1 N c6 1 4. Bc2 Ne7

move his poorly pl aced Queen (poorly pl aced due to the threat of . . . Nb 3 -c 1 . ) Because B l ack's R o o k and Queen h ave b oth moved, B l ack has plenty of time to save h i s ki ng, but he stil l has to be careful . I n the actual game, Black blundered and White missed his oppor­ tunity to win.

Analysis, Variations, and Notes l S .NxgS h6 1 6. N h 3 N b3 .

lS

•••

222

Kxh 7 1 6.NxgS+ KgS

Verd i ct: l S.Bxh7+!?

Module 7 : Solutions Commentary

Black can put double defense on h 7, but White can foil that defense in the . . . Kg8 l ine. H owever, the . . . Kg6 l ine leads to an unclear position.

he accepts the sacrifice and then retreats. H owever, given the fragility of the eS pawn, White has to be careful that . . . Kg6 does not save Black. In the actual game, Black simply al­ lowed White to keep the pawn.

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

l S ... Kxh 7 1 6.NgS+ Kg61 1 6 . . . Kg B ? 1 7 . Q h S Bxf2+ 1 B . K h 1 Q c 2 1 9. N d e4 Bxe4 20.Rxe4 RfcB 2 1 .Qxf7+ K h B 22.Q h S + KgB 2 3 . Q h 7 + (23.Be3 i s n o t q u ite as good s i n ce Black cou l d p l a y ... NfB a n d p ray.) 23 . . . Kf8 24.QhB+ N g B 2 S . Be3

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 3 ... Kxh 7 1 4.NgS+ Kg6 1 4 ... Kg B 1 S . Q h S N f6 1 6.exf6 is mate i n six.

l S .Qd3+1 1 S .Qg4 Qc6 forces Wh ite to be satis­

1 7 .h4 Rh8 1 8.Qg4 fS 1 9.exf6 Bxf2+

fi ed w i t h a m i n o r m a t e ri a l a d v a n t a g e :

20.Kxf2 QcS+ 2 1 .Kf1 QfS+ 2 2.QxfS+

1 6 . N xe 6 + K h 7 1 7 . N d B Q x g 2 1 B . Q x g 2 +

NxfSoo

Bxg2 1 9. Kxg2.

l S ...fS 1 6. N e2 QxeS 1 7.Nf4+ Kxg S

Exercise 28 La st Moves: 1 1 .Qe2 0-0 1 2.eS N e8

1 7 ... Kf6 1 B.Bc3.

1 8.Qg3+ Kf6 1 9. N h S + Kf7 20.QxeS

Exercise 29 La st Moves: 1 2 .Nb3 Ba7 1 3 . Re 1 Bb7

Verd ict: 1 3 .Bxh7+1

Commentary

Black is too cooped up to survive if

Verd ict: 1 4.Bxh7+1

223

Module 7 : Classic Greek Gifts Commentary

Commentary

This was played by the Norwegi an w u n d e r k i n d M a g n u s C a r l s e n . Th e Kn ight on e7 more or less means the . . . KgB option is not going to work wh ile the poor placement of the Queen and lack of protection of e6 means . . . Kg6 is simil arly doomed (since Nxe6 will hit the Queen . ) Obviously, . . . Kh6 i s not hard to beat either, though it represents Black's best option.

I f Wh ite had followed up correctly, he would have had an interesting game, but it is not clear that even then the sac­ rifice is worthwh ile. I n any event, the ab ility fo r B l ack to defend h7 should have made him calcul ate deeply before doing th is. Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 3 ... Kxh 7 1 4.NgS+ Kg8 1 S .fS

l S .Qh S ? Bd 3 + 1 S ... Bd3 1 6.f6 gxf600

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 4 ... Kxh 7 1 S .NgS+ Kg6

l S . . . KgB 1 6 . Q h S R e B 1 7 . Qxf7 + K h B 1 B.QhS+;

Th i s l e a d s to r i c h p o s i t i o n s d efy i n g clea r eva l uati o n . 1 6. . .dxeS 1 7.fxe7 (1 7.fxg7 Kxg7 1 B.Qg4 KhB a n d Black i s stra ngely safe.) 1 7 ... Qxe7

l S ... Kh6 1 6 . Bf4 Q b6 1 7 . N x e 6 + Kh 7

1 B.Qf3 Bc4 (l B ... e4 1 9. Nxe4 Bxe4 20.Qxe4

1 B.NgS+

N d 7 100ks a l ittle better for Wh ite.) 1 9.QhS

1 6.Qg4 NxeS 1 7.BxeS fS 1 8.Qg3 f4

(1 9.QxaB?? BdS) 1 9 ... Bd 3 20.Qf3 Y2-Y2.

1 9.Qg4 NfS 20.Nxe6+

1 7 .exf6 Bxf6 1 8.Qf3 Qc4

1 B ... BfS 1 9.94.

Exercise 30

1 9 .Qxf6 N d 7

La st Moves: 1 1 .Nf3 b 6 1 2 .h4 Ba6

Exercise 3 1 Last Moves: 1 2 .Bd3 NfS 1 3 .N gf3 Ne3

Verd i ct: 1 3 . Bxh7+?!

224

Module 7 : Solutions

Verd i ct: 1 4.Bxh7+!

Verd ict: 1 9.Bxh7+!

Commentary

Commentary

Th is position is abnormal in that the Queen is already on the K-side, which gives Wh i te an o p t i o n he n o rm a l l y would not have.

It should not be too hard to see that the sacrifice should work here, even if some of the l i nes that come out of it are longish. Black has no way to defend the important K-side squares. Whatever small help is given by the Queen having vacated dB is more than cancelled by the open f-file and the extra Knight Wh ite has on the K-side. Thus . . . KgB should not work. . . . Kg6 is the natural defense but once again the extra Kn ight is too much to handle.

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 4 . . . Kxh 7 1 S .QhS+! There i s n o n eed to play Ngs+ if t h e Queen can g e t t o h s w i t h o u t it. 1 s . N g s + White can sti l l g et an attack here, but it i s by no mea n s co n c l u sive. 1 5 ... Kg6 1 6.Qg 3 Nfs 1 7.Qf3 with a pawn storm com i n g .

l S . . . Kg 8 1 6.NgS+ QxgS 1 7.Qxg S f6 1 8.exf6 Rxf6 1 9.Nf3 Black cannot get enough for his Queen.

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 9 ... Kxh 7 20. N g S + Kg6 20 ... KgB 2 1 . Q h s + RfcB 2 2 .Q h 7+ Kf8 2 3 . N xe6+! The fa stest way to victo ry, but

Exercise 32 La st Moves: 1 7.Be3 Qc7 1 8.BxcS BxcS

there a re severa l others.; 20 ... Kh6 2 1 . N g4+ Kg6 (21 ... Kxg s 22.Nf6 gxf6 2 3 . h4+ Kxh4 24. Rf4+ Kg s 2 s .Qg4+

225

Module 7 : Classic Greek Gifts Kh6) 2 2 .Qe4+ fS 2 3 .exf6+ Kxg S 24. h4+

the e6 pawn change all that.

KhS 2S.Qh7+ Kxg4 26.Qg6 Kxh4 27.Rf3 .

2 1 .Qe4+!

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

S i n c e B l a c k c a n d e st r o y e S , t h i s i s m u c h better than Qg4.

1 6 ... Kxh 7 1 7.Nxg5+ Kg6 1 7 . . . KgB 1 B . Q h S N 7f6 1 9 . exf6 N xf6

21 ... f5 22.exf6+ Kxg 5 2 3 . N h 3 + Kh6

20.Qh4 a n d the th reat of Ra3-h3 ca n n ot

24.Qh4+ Kg6 25.Nf4+

be m et.

1 8.Qd3 +

Exercise 3 3 Last M oves: 1 4.e5 N d 5 1 5.Bg5 Bxg 5

1 8.Qg4 N 7f6 1 9.exf6 N xf6 20.Nxe6+

1 8 ...f5 1 9.Qg 3 f4 20.Qd3+ Rf5 2 1 .Nxe6 Nxe5 22.dxe5 Qf7 23.Nc5

Exercise 34 Last Moves: Qd6 24.b3 Na3 25 .c4 Qb41!

Verd ict: 1 6.Bxh7+!

Commentary

Generally speaking, this position does not look like one where the sac­ rifice works. The Knights on dS and d7 generally suggest . . . Kg6 will prove an okay defense, and ( if that proves insuf­ ficient), Black can at least get material equality after . . . Kg8 by sacrificing on f6 . However, the ability to play Ra3, the un­ fortunate placement of the black Queen, and the under-defended condition of

22 6

Verd ict: 26.Bxh7+!

Commentary

This position is from a GM clash in the 2006 Russian championships. Black's Bishop on f8 takes away a fl ight square, as a Rook there typically does. The protection given to g7 is irrel­ evant. ( I t might be relevant if the Bishop

Module 7 : Solutions were on f6 instead. ) However, to make certain the . . . KgB option fails, White has to check that Black's ability to protect h7 with his Queen does not spoil things. The extra Knight on g3 should make t h e . . . Kg6 o p t i o n i m p o s s i b l e, eve n though White has no pawn on eS.

would have gotten much more out of it since after Bl ack replies . . . NxcS, the . . . KgB is no longer an option. I nstead, Black has a more difficult time defend­ ing after . . . Kg6 . 1 3 . N x c S N x c S 1 4 . B x h 7 + Kx h 7 l S . NgS + KgB 1 6 . QhS and Black has to give up his Queen for the Knight.

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

26 ... Kxh 7 27.NgS+ Kg8 2 7 ... Kg6 28.Q h S + Kf6 29.Qxf7+ Kxg S 30.QfS +

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 3 ... Kxh 7 1 4.NgS+ Kg8 1 S .NxcS Nf6 ;';; B l a c k fa i l ed to see what s h o u l d have

28.QhS Qxe 1 + 29.Kh2 Q b 1 30.Qxf7+

b e e n o bv i o u s d a n g e r h e re . I n st ead of

Kh8 3 1 .NfS

... Nf6, h e p layed ... NxcS? l S ... NxcS? 1 6. Q h S .

Exercise 3 5 La st Moves: 1 1 .bS bxcS 1 2.dxcS BxcS

Exercise 36 La st Moves: 1 3 .Re1 0-0 1 4. Re3 Rfd8

Verd ict: 1 3 .Bxh7+?! Verd ict: 1 S.Bxh7+!

Commentary

This sacrifice should give White only a small (but definite) advantage. H ow­ ever, had White played NxcS ! first, he

Commentary

The sacri fice wo rks here, but you have to play some i n-between moves

22 7

Module 7 : Classic Greek Gifts to prevent monkey wrenches. You also have to calcul ate the l ine where Bl ack can put protection on the f7 -pawn with his Queen . This game illustrates a useful sacrifice in the . . . Kg6 l ine that is avail­ able when the e-file is open . Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1S

•••

Kxh 7 1 6.exd 6

1 6. N g S + ? Bxg S .

16

•••

Bxd6 1 7.NgS+ Kg8

1 7 ... Kg6 1 B . N xe6 fx e6 1 9 . 0 g 4 + Kf7 20.0xe6+ KfB 2 1 . R h 3 .

1 8.Bxd6 Qxd6 1 9.Qh S Qf4 1 9 ... Nf6 20.0xf7+ KhB 2 1 . R h 3 +

20.Qh7+ Kf8 2 1 . Rxe6

Commentary

It's hard to resist the sacrifice here, and it certai n ly makes good p racti ce chess (even at very high levels . . . in this game Alexander Baburin, the I rishman who has taught countless people how to play with I Q P and hanging pawn posi­ tions, was playing Wh ite. ) It is worth noti ng, if only as a les­ son in prudence, that the sacrifice is not totally sound, even with the powerful Bishop on b2 and open f-file. Anytime the stock conditions are not met (as is the case here - the Kn ight on d7 can h o p to f8 without prep aratio n ) , you must take i nto consideration all your opponent's resources.

Exercise 3 7 Last Moves: 1 8.Nxd7 Nxd7 1 9.dS Re7

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

20

•••

Kxh7+ 2 1 .NgS+ Kg 8

2 1 .. Kg6? i s s u i c i d e g iven the open a 1 .

hB d ia g o n a l a n d the open f-fi le.

22.QhS Nf8 2 3 . Rf3 Bxh2+ 24.Kh 1 Rd6 2S .Bxg 7 Kxg7 26.Rcf1 fS!! 26 ... Bf4 wa s played i n the actua l ga me, but with B l ack's pieces enta n g l ed, Wh ite has time to tig hten the noose. 27.Rh3 Ng6 2B.Rxf4 Nxf4 29.0hB+ Kg6+-

27.Rh3 Verd ict: 20.Bxh 7+I?

27.RxfS ? ! Bf4 + with ... Rh6 to fo l l ow.

27

•••

Ng6 28.Rxh2

I t ' s a n yo n e ' s g u e s s w h i c h s i d e i s better.

22 8

Module 7 : Solutions Exercise 38 Last Moves: 9.0-0 Bd 7 1 0.Re1 0-0

1 3 . . . 0 c 8 1 4 . h 5 + K h 6 1 5 . 0 g 4 N f5 1 6. N xf7+ K h 7 1 7 .0g6+ Kg8 1 8. N g 5 .

1 4.Qg4 f S 1 S.exf6 eS 1 6.Ne6+ Kf7 1 7 .dxeS

Exercise 39 Last Moves: 1 2 .eS dxeS 1 3 .fxeS N d S

Verd i ct: 1 1 .Bxh7+!

Commentary

It should be obvious that Black can­ not survive after . . . Kg8 . For the . . . Kg6 l i ne, the interesti ng thing about this diagram is the presence of the Bishop on d2. This suggests that playing h4 before Qg4 has more than a little bite. Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 1 ... Kxh 7 1 2 . N g S + Kg6 1 2 . . . Kg 8 1 3 . 0 h 5 Rfc 8 1 4 . 0 xf7 + Kh8 1 5 .Re3 N g 8 1 -0 wa s the g a m e conti nuation.

1 3 .h4! 1 3 .0g4 f5 ± is not q u ite as good fo r Wh ite.

1 3 ... Rh8

Verd i ct: 1 4.Bxh7+!

Commentary

Th e sacrifice wo rks, but there are many places for White to go wrong. In the . . . Kg6 line, White must avoid playing the standard Qg4 . In the . . . Kg8 l ine, he has to throw everyth ing at Black and use all his resources. If you man­ aged to see the entire critical line in that variation, you should go buy yourself a chocol ate sundae. (Note: If you are allergic to chocolate sundaes, ignore that last part. I won't be held responsible for any harm caused by my dietary advice. )

229

Module 7 : Classic Greek Gifts Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 4 ... Kxh 7 1 S .NgS+ KgS 1 5 ... Kg6 1 6.Qd 3 ( 1 6.Qg471 N 7f6) 1 6 ... f5 1 7.exf6 Kxf6 1 B. Rf1 +

Commentary

Th e sacrifice does n o t wo rk here because Black can safely protect f7 with his Queen.

1 6.QhS NfS 1 6 . . . N 7f6 1 7 . Qxf7 + K h B 1 B . R e4 Bf5

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 9.Rh4+ B h 7 was the g a m e conti n uation,

16

w h e n Wh ite p l ayed 2 0 . exf6 i n st e a d of

1 9.QhS Qf4 20.Qh7+ KfS 2 1 .QhS+ Ke7

20.Qg6I, w i n n i n g a piece without opening

22 .Qxg 7 +

..•

Kxh 7 1 7.NgS+ KgS 1 S.Bxd6 Qxd 6

the e-fi l e.

1 7.Qxf7+ KhS 1 S.QhS+ KgS 1 9. Rf1 Be6 20.RxfS+ KxfS 2 1 .QhS+ BgS 22.Bd2

Exercise 4 1 Last M oves: 1 6.eS NcS 1 7 .exd6 Bxd6

Qd7 23 .e6 23.Rf1 +? Ke7 24. N e4 Kd B 2 5 . B g 5 + Nf6 26. N cd 6 Bxd6 2 7 . N xd 6 Kc7 2B.exf6 Kb6!! 29.NxeB Qxd4+ 30.Kh 1 RxeB.

23

.••

Rxe6 24.Rf1 +

Exercise 40 Last Moves: 1 4.Re1 Rfd S 1 S .exd 6 Bxd6

Verd ict: 1 S.Bxh 7+!?

Commentary

Verd ict: 1 6. Bxh 7+?

23 0

This position requires a certain de­ gree of perseverance. Bl ack's King starts off with a little extra space, and the f7 -pawn is already defended once. The problem is that it is hard to keep it defended given the pres­ sure of White's Rooks down the central files. The threat of a Rook lift is the straw

Module 7 : Solutions Exercise 42

the breaks the camel's back. It's good to keep in mind the power of the p i n on the e-pawn here fo r a critical move or two (when White has the prospect of Qh8 # ) . White's f-pawn throws a maj or wrench into Black's hope of playing . . . Kg6 because it stops his own f-pawn march ... f5-f4.

Last Moves: 6.Nf3 Ne7 7.Bd3 0-0

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

lS

•••

Kxh 7 1 9.NgS+ KgS

1 9 ... Kg6 20.Qg4 f5 2 1 .Qg 3 .

20.QhS N d S

Verd ict: S.Bxh7+1

20 . . . Kf8 2 1 . N d 5 ! exd 5 22.Qh8#; 20 .. .f5 2 1 . N d 5 .

2 1 .fS I Th i s m a kes use of two sepa rate p i n s. The h i d d e n point to t h i s move is actu a l l y t o g e t pawn s u p po rt o n e 6 beca use even though Black has th ree pieces h itti ng that sq u a re, one of them (th e pawn o n fl) i s

Commentary

G iven t h a t Wh i t e c a n p l ay B g 5 , Black's Knight on e7 more or less spells doom in the . . . Kg8 variation. That same Bishop means . . . Kg6 can be met with h4 (especially since White has not castled) and . . . Kh6 is out of the question.

p i n ned t o t h e R o o k o n e8, a n other (th e K n i g ht o n d 8) i s needed t o p rotect f7. 2 1 .Qh7+?! Kf8 22.Qh8+ Ke7 23 .Qxg 7 Kd 7 24.b4 s h o u l d n ot l ea d to a nyth i n g

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

S

•••

Kxh 7 9.NgS+ KgS 9 ... Kg6 1 0.h4.

g reater tha n a sma l l adva ntage for Wh ite

1 0.QhS ReS 1 1 .Qh7+ KfS 1 2 .QhS+ NgS

so long a s Black plays a wel l-ti med . . . Qxc2

1 3 . N h 7+ Ke7 1 4.BgS+

o n ce the Knig hts l eave the c-fi le.

21

•••

Qc6

21 ... e5 22.Re3 Kf8 (22 ... N d 7 2 3 . R h 3 Kf8

Exercise 43 La st Moves: S.Bd3 d6 9.exd6 0-0

24.N e6+) 23.N h 7+ Ke7 24.f6+ gxf6 25.Nxf6 Qb8 26. N c d 5 +

22.Rf3

23 1

Module 7 : Classic Greek Gifts Commentary

With no pawn on eS ( or a surrogate Ro o k o n an open e-fi l e ) and Bl ack's bishop already on f6, defending g7, I can o n ly assume that Wh ite thought his pawn storm would smother Black. No such luck. Black's King has plenty of time to simply move toward the center. Analysis, Variations, and Notes Verd ict: 1 0.Bxh 7+?

1 S ... Kxh 7 1 6.NgS+ KgS 1 6 ... Kh6 1 7.Qc2 96 i s fi ne fo r B l ack as

Commentary

The sacrifice does not work here at all because Black can defend h 7 easily.

wel l .

1 7 .Qc2 1 7 .Q h 5 B d 3 .

1 7 ... ReS 1 S.g4 cxd4 1 9.Qh7+ KfS Analysis, Variations, and Notes

10

.••

Kxh 7 1 1 .NgS+ KgS 1 2 .Qd3

1 2.Qh5 Bf5 .

12

..•

20.cxd4

g6 1 3 .Qg3 ReS+ 1 4.Kf1 Qa S

Exercise 45 Last Moves: 1 3 .Bd3 d 6 1 4.h4 N d 7

1 S .Bf4 QbS+ 1 6.Kg 1 Nd4

Exercise 44 Last Moves: 1 3 .Nf3 QcS 1 4.h4 Ba6

Verd ict: 1 S.Bxh7+!?

Verd ict: 1 S.Bxh7+?

232

Module 7 : Solutions Commentary

Commentary

This is not a real sacrifice since Black has to give back the material immedi­ ately. The Bishop on d2 makes . . . Kh6 i mpossible. Furthermore, that Bishop plus the advanced h4-pawn plus White's Rook on h I mean . . . Kg6 is equally im­ possible. So the only defense is . . . KgB followed by . . . Be4 .

The sacrifice fails for three reasons. Th e b i ggest p ro b l e m is t h a t t h e es-pawn i s undefended and under at­ tack. The fact that Black's Queen is safely out of the range of a Kn ight hitting e6 plus the option for Black to . . . NfS mean that B l ack c a n d e fe n d even t h o ugh White still has his Bishop on c 1 .

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 S ... Kxh 7 1 6.NgS+ Kg8

1 6 ... Kg6 1 7. h s +; 1 6 ... Kh6 1 7. Nxe6+ 1 7 .QhS Be4 1 8.exd6 Qxd 6

1 B ... Bxd6 does not g ive Black m uch for

1 3 ... Kxh 7 1 4.NgS+ Kg6

1 4 ... Kg B ? ? was p l a yed i n t h e g a m e. l s . 0 h s R d B 1 6. 0 h 7+ KfB 1 7 . 0 h B + N g B 1 B. N h 7+ Ke7 1 9.Bgs+ 1 S .Qd 3 +

l s .h4 i s genera l ly a good play when

h i s materi a l . 1 9.Nxe4 Qc6

yo u r d a rk-s q u a red Bishop i s sti l l o n the

Black has active play for the pawn. 20.Qf3

c 1 - h 6 d i a g o n a l . H owever, w i t h the e s p a w n s o wea k, i t d o e s n ot w o r k h e re . l s . . . RhB 1 6.0g4? ( 1 6.hs+?! R x h s 1 7. Nxf7

Exercise 46 Last Moves: 1 1 .Na3 0-0 1 2 . N b S Qb8

Nxes!) 1 6 ... N xes; l s . N d 6 ? ! is an i nteresti n g i d ea , b u t Black h a s a sacrifice o f h i s o w n that m a kes t h i s l i n e n o better t h a n the text. l s .. .f6 1 6.Ngfl Nxes 1 7. N xes+ fxes 1 B.Og4+ Kh7 1 9.0 h4+ KgB 20.0xe7 Rxf2 ! 2 1 . Rxf2 OfB 22.0f7+ Oxf7 2 3 . N xf7 RfB. 1 S ... NfS 1 6.g4 NxeS 1 7.gxfS+ exfS

Exercise 47 Last Moves: 1 4.bxc3 0-0 1 S.eS N d S Verd ict: 1 3 .Bxh 7+?

233

Module 7 : Classic Greek Gifts

Verd ict: 1 6.Bxh 7+!

Verd ict: 1 1 .Bxh7+!

Commentary

Commentary

Black has ways of defending h7, but they i nvolve too much material loss. And ... Kg6 ends up failing due to the h4 idea. The key to White's success i n the . . . Kg6 l ine is that none of Black's p ieces are hitting the undefended e5-pawn.

The "stabled horses " on d7 and e7 m e a n that . . . KgB c a n n o t work. Th e . . . Kg6 l i n e requ i re s s o m e t h o u g h t, though. Analysis, Variations, and Notes

11 Analysis, Variations, and Notes

16

•••

Kxh 7 1 7.Ng5+ Kg6 1 8.h4 Qe7

1 B . . . R h B 1 9 . h S + R x h S 2 0 . 0 d 3 + f5 2 1 .exf6+ Kxf6 2 2.0f3+

1 9.h5+

•••

Kxh 7 1 2 .Ng5+ Kg6

1 2 . . . K g B 1 3 . 0 h S R e B 1 4 . 0xf7 + K h B l S . Nxe6.

1 3 .Qg4 1 3 .h4?! i s n o t a s g ood a s it n o r m a l l y i s w h e n White sti l l h a s h i s d a rk-sq u a red

1 9.0g4 f6 20.h S + Kh6 2 1 . N xe6+ Kh 7 2 2 . N xfB+ OxfB 23.0e4+

B i s h o p . S i n ce B l a c k has t h ree p i eces h it­ t i n g f6, he ca n afford to m ove h i s Rook over to hB. 1 3 ... R h B 1 4.0g4. Th i s i s espe.;.

Exercise 48 Last Moves: 9.0-0 Bb7 1 0. Bf4 c5

cia l l y potent with a piece o r pawn o n f4 to sto p Black fro m playing .. .f4-f5, 1 4 .. .f5 .

1 3 .f5 1 4.Qg3 ••

T h e th reat of ... N xe6 ca n n ot b e a d ­ eq u ately m et.

234

Module 7 : Solutions 14

•••

Qc8 1 5 .Nxe6+ Kf7 1 6.Nxg7

1 3 .h4 1 3 .Qg4. The i d ea of Qg4-h4 can work

e6 looms.

a s wel l, but if Black plays accu rately, Wh ite

Exercise 49

h a s to be very ca refu l . 1 3 ...f6 ( 1 3 .. .fS was

La st Moves: 9.Bd2 0-0 1 0.Bd3 N d 7

t h e m o v e p l a ye d i n t h e a ct u a l g a m e , which a l lows Wh ite t o ca rry o u t h i s p l a n . 1 4 . Q h 4 f4 1 S . Q h 7 + K x g S 1 6 . h 4+ K g 4 1 7 .f3+ Kg 3 1 B. Kf1 ) 1 4. N xe6+ Kf7 1 S .cxd S Qxd S 1 6.Nc7 NxeS 1 7.QhS+ N 7g6 1 B.NxdS B g 4 1 9 . Q h 7 N d 3 + 2 0 . Kf1 RhB 2 1 . Q x h B RxhB 2 2 . N e 3 .

13

f5

•••

P roba bly the best d efen se. At least it keeps Wh ite's Q u een off g4. 1 3 .. .f6 1 4.Qc2+ fS 1 S . h S + Kh6 1 6.Qd 3; Verd ict: 1 1 .Bxh7+!

1 3 ... NfS 1 4. h S + Kh6 1 S .Qg4.

1 4.Qf3 ! Commentary

Black has all sorts of problems here. White stil l has his dark-squared Bishop, Black's maj or pieces are not connected along the back-rank, the d7-Knight cuts off protection from e6, White still has h i s Ro o k on h I , and B l ack's Q u e e n coul d c o m e under fire should Wh ite switch to the Q-side. In short, Black is toast.

A u sefu l ta ctic to rem e m be r, it g ives Wh ite's Queen access to the g-fi l e and the d 3 -sq u a re.

Exercise SO Last Moves: 1 2.Nf3 B b 7 1 3 .Bd3 N c4

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

11

•••

Kxh 7 1 2.Ng5+ Kg6

1 2 . . . KgB 1 3 . Q h S R d B 1 4 .Qxf7+ K h B 1 S .Nxe6 ( 1 S .Qxe7 i s better, b u t t h e text i s more thematic.) 1 S ... NfS 1 6.QxfS . Verd ict: 1 4.Bxh7+!

235

Module 7 : Classic Greek Gifts Commentary

H ere we see a good example of the p rob l e m s caused by a Kn ight on e 7 when the e6-pawn is not defended .

. . . KgB (with a later . . . NgB ) nor the . . . Kg6 options are going to suffice. Analysis, Variations, and Notes

S ... Kxh 7 9.NgS+ Kg6 Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 4 ... Kxh 7 1 S.NgS+ Kg6

l S . . . KgB 1 6 . Q h S ReB 1 7 . Q xf7 + K h B l B.QhS+ KgB 1 9.Qh7+ KfB 20.Nxe6+

9 . . . K g B 1 0 . Q h S R e B 1 1 . Q h 7 + KfB 1 2.QhB+ N g B 1 3 . N h 7+ Ke7 1 4.BgS+ 1 0.h4 QeS 1 1 .Qg4 NfS 1 2 .hS+ Kh6 1 3 .Nge4+ Kh7 1 4.h6 g6 1 S .Nf6+

1 6.Qg4 fS 1 7.Qg3

1 7.exf6 works a l so, showi ng the fel ici­ tou s placement of the K n i g h t o n bS i s not

Exercise 52 Last Moves: 1 S .Bf4 NcS 1 6.Bc2 N e 7

req u i red for the sacrifice to be va l i d . 1 7 ... Qd7 1 S.Nxe6+ Kf7 1 9.Qxg 7+ Kxe6 20.N d4#

Exercise 5 1 Last Moves: 6.Nf3 0-0 7.Bd3 cS

Verd ict: 1 7.Bxh7+1 Commentary

Verd ict: S.Bxh 7+1 Commentary

S i nce Wh i te's B i s h o p h i ts gS and h6, he can be pretty certain neither the

23 6

Th is is a textb ook example of the problems in the . . . Kg6 l ine when Black's maj or pieces are not connected on the back row. He si mply has no good way to meet Qg4-h4 unless he can take on eS or defend h7 somehow. It also sh ows the thematic use of BgS whenever Black's only hope in the

Module 7 : Solutions . . . Kg8 variation is an eventual Ng8 play Th e an alysis of the . . . Kg6 l i ne shows how resilient the black position can b e to block a check from a Queen on h 8 . b y simply destroying the White central pawn center. Analysis, Variations, and Notes Normally the Bishop on c8 (cutting 1 7 Kxh 7 1 8.NgS+ Kg6 1 8 . . . K g 8 1 9 . Q h 5 R d 8 2 0 . Q h 7 + Kf8 commun ication along the back rank of Bl ack's maj or pieces) would mean that 2 1 .Qh8+ Ng8 22. N h 7+ Ke7 23.Bg5+ the Qg4-h4 plan works, but here Black 1 9.Qg4 fS 20.Qh4 can sacrifice on e5 to muzzle it. Simi­ larly, the Bishop on c1 plus the Rook on Exercise S 3 hI would normally mean that simply Last Moves: 1 0. R b 1 0-0 1 1 .Bd3 Rd8 pushing the h-pawn would defeat the . . . Kg6 option, but the pawn on f4, block­ ing the co mmunication of the Bishop to h6, means that knee-jerk tactic must also be rethought. •••

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

12

..•

Kxh 7 1 3 .NgS+ Kg6

1 3 . . . K g 8 1 4 . Q h 5 N f8 1 5 . Qxf7 + K h 8 V2-Y2.

Verd ict: 1 2 .Bxh 7+?!

1 4.Qg4

1 4. N dxe6! ? is an i nterest i n g way of Commentary

h a rvesti n g a m a t e r i a l a d va n ta g e . 1 4 . . .

Whether th is is a desirable sacrifice or not depends on your aims. If you are happy with a draw, the sacrifice is good since you can get your material back in the ... Kg6 line and the ... Kg8 looks like a forced draw. I n t h i s g a m e , Wh i t e h a d g o o d prospects and was a more highly rated player, so the sacrifice is not a good idea.

N dxe5 ( 1 4 .. .fxe6?? 1 5.Qc2+ K h 5 1 6.Qh 7+) 1 5 .Qc2+ f5 1 6.Nxd8 N g4 1 7.h3 Nf2 1 8.Rfl N e4; 1 4.h4 N xd4 1 5 .h5+ Kh6 1 6. Nxf7+ Kh7 1 7.cxd4 Qb4 ( 1 7 ... Bxd4 1 8.Qd 3+±) 1 8.Qd 2 Qxd 2+ 1 9.Bxd 2 Be7 20.Nxd8 Bxd8= 14

•••

fS

1 4 . . . N cx e 5 1 5 .fx e 5 N x e 5 1 6 . Q g 3 f6 { 1 6 . . .f5 1 7 . N g x e 6 + N g 4 1 8 . N x c 5 R e 8 +

23 7

Module 7 : Classic Greek Gifts 1 9. Kd 1 } 1 7. N gxe6+ Kf7 1 B.Qxg 7+

l S .Qh4 NdxeS 1 6.fxeS NxeS 1 7.g4 RfS

1 9.94 fxg6 20.Qxg6 Qf6 2 1 .Qh5-+

1 9 ... Qf6-+

l S.QhS+ Kf6 1 9.Ne4+ Ke7

Exercise 5 5

1 9 ... dxe4?? 20.Bg5#

20.BgS+ Kd7 2 1 .NxcS+ QxcS 22.Qh 7

Last Moves: 1 0.exf6 Bxf6 1 1 .Qe2 d S

Rf7 23 .gxfS exfS±

Exercise 54 La st Moves: 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 1 0.h4 cS

Verd ict: 1 2 .Bxh7+1

Commentary Verd ict: 1 1 .Bxh 7+?

This diagram shows the problems Black has in the ... Kh6 l ine when he is missing his f7-pawn.

Commentary

Everything is set up for Black to be safe i n the . . . Kh6 l ine, so there is really l ittle hope that White will convert his initiative against the b lack King i nto anything. Note how safe the black King is, even without pawns.

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

12

•..

Kxh 7 1 3 . N g S + Kh6

1 3 . . . Kg B ca n n ot be good si n ce B l a c k has t o ta ke o n g5, g i v i n g White a Q + R bat­ tery d own the open h-fi l e; 1 3 ... Kg6 1 4.Qd 3 + mate i n 3 .

1 4.Qd3 g6 1 S . h S Ne7 1 6.Nf7+ Rxf7 Analysis, Variations, and Notes

11

•••

Kxh 7 1 2 .NgS+ Kh6 1 3 .Qc2 g6

1 4. h S Kxg S l 1 S .f4+ Kh6 1 6.hxg6 Kg7 1 7.Rh7 KgS 1 S.0-0-0 Bg7 1 9. Rd h 1

23 8

1 7.hxg6+

Exercise 56 La st Moves: 1 3 .eS N d 7 1 4.Bxe7 Nxe7

Module 7 : Solutions Exercise 5 7 La st Moves: 9.Bd3 N d 7 1 0.0-0 0-0

Verd ict: l S .Bxh 7+?

Commentary

Th e u n d e fe n d e d n a t u re o f t h e e6-pawn makes the . . . KgB option impos­ sible, but the . . . Kg6 defense is another thing entirely. Even with the pawn on f4 (typically an element in White's favor since it stops . . . f5-f4 ) , the control Black exerts on f6 and the pressure on e5 prove more than adequate for Black's defense. Analysis, Variations, and Notes

l S ... Kxh 7 1 6.NgS+ Kg6 1 6 ... Kg B 1 7 . Q h 5 RfeB 1 B. Qxf7 + K h B 1 9.Qh S + Kg B 20.Q h7+ Kf8 2 1 . Nxe6++-

1 7.Qg4 fS 1 8.Qg 3 dxeS 1 9.Ne2 P roba b l y t h e best Wh ite h a s, n e a r l y

Verd ict: 1 1 .Bxh7+! ?

Commentary

Th e K n ights on e 7 a n d d 7 make . . . KgB s u i ci d e , but . . . Kg6 h a s to be looked at carefu lly. White should be fine here since Black's Queen is not on a good square. Furthermore, after she vacates ( to avoid being hit when White plays Nxe6 + ) , Black's heavy pieces will be disconnected. Also, White's control of e5 and f6 is pretty solid. Even with all these fundamentals going White's way, he still has to know how to play this position. In the actual game, Wh ite made a natural m istake costing him the game.

reta i n i ng eq ual ity. But it i s n o t pa rtic u l a rl y thematic o r d a n gero u s.

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 9. N xe6 Kf7 20.N xf8 (20. N g S Kg 8);

11

1 9.fxeS f4 20.Rxf4 NfS .

1 4.Qg3

..•

Kxh 7 1 2 .NgS+ Kg6 1 3 .Qg4 fS

239

Module 7 : Classic Greek Gifts 1 4.exf6 ? wa s p l ayed i n t h e g a m e . I t i s s o tem pti n g t o do t h i s, b u t it i s a l most n ever good to rel i n q u i s h pawn control of f6 without a knock-out punch i n m i nd . 1 4 . . . N xf6 1 S. Bxf6 Kxf6 1 6. Rfe 1 NfS + 1 4 ... f4 1 5 .Qg4 Qb6 1 6.Bd4

Once Black's Queen ca n n ot defend e6, Wh ite has the option of Qxe6+! ( i n a d d i ­ tion t o the more normal N xe6+) 1 6.Qh4. Ta king adva ntag e of the u n­ co n n ected m aj o r p i eces works h e re a s wel l . 1 6. . . NfS 1 7.Qh7+ Kxg S 1 8.g4!! 1 6 ... Qxb4

1 6 ... Qxd4 1 7. N xe6+;

Com mentary

With the Bishop on f8 , Bl ack h as no hope of surviving if he pl ays . . . Kg8 . The . . . Kg6 l ine looks interesting because Bl ack has Kn ights on both dS and d7 and a wel l - p l aced Quee n . H oweve r, Wh ite has a firm grip on f6 . The analysis here shows the plan of playing Nxe6+ Kf7, NgS +, allowing the advance of the e-pawn . Bl ack is about 400 Elo points higher than Wh ite, who could have scored an upset over a 2400+ pl ayer had he better understood the critical motifs.

1 6 ... Qc6 1 7.bS. 1 7 .c3 Qc4 1 8.Qxe6 Kxg 5 1 9.Qxe7 Kg 6 20.e6 Nf6 2 1 .Qxf8 [0- 1 ]

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 7 ... Kxh 7 1 8.Ng5+ Kg6 1 9.Qd 3 +

Th i s i s the move Wh ite wants to m a ke

Exercise 58

h e re. B l a c k h a s too m a n y a n n oyi n g op­

Last Moves: 1 5.Rc1 Q b 8 1 6.e5 N d 5

tions (e.g., .. .f6, ... dxeS) he c o u l d play after the sta ndard Qg4.) 1 9.Qg4?! f6! 2 0 . N xe6 ? ! was the c o n ­ tinuation played i n the game, a n d Black is a l ready o kay. Black correctly attacked the eS-pawn a n d fou g ht for control of f6. Play conti nued 20... Kf7 2 1 .Nxg7 Bxg 7 22.Qxd 7+ Re7 a n d W h ite d i d w h a t m a n y p l ayers wou l d d o, assume 4 pawns for a piece was a good enoug h reason to exchange down towa rd an endgame. After 23 .Qxd6? Qxd6

Verd ict: 1 7.Bxh 7+!

24.exd6, Wh ite had a terri ble position and l ost 27 moves later.

240

Module 7 : Solutions Wh ite c o u l d have p u l l ed out of h i s tai l sp i n by pl ayi ng 20.Qe4+. 1 9 ... f5 20.Qg3 dxe5 2 1 .dxe5 N 5f6

2 1 . . . N 7 f6 2 2 . N d f3 + - t h r e a t e n i n g

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

9 ... Kxh 7 1 0 . N g 5 + Kg 6 1 1 .Qd3+

1 1 .Qg4? Th i s, the m ove played i n the g a me, a l l ows Black to spend a move on

N h4+

d e s t royi n g W h i t e ' s pawn c e n te r . 1 1 . . .

22.Nxe6 Kf7 2 3 . N g 5 Kg S

N cxeS 1 2.Qg3 fS 1 3 . N xe6+ N g4 1 4. N xcS

2 3 . . . Kg6 24. N d f3 Bxf3 2 S . N xf3 + Kf7 26.e6 Kxe6 (26 ... Rxe6 2 7 . N g S+) 2 7.Qg6. 24.exf6 Nxf6 2 5 .Qh3 Re7 26.Qxf5 QdS 27. Bxf6 gxf6 2S.Nge4+-

Qe 7 + l S . Kf1 QxcS 1 6. h 3 RhB 1 7 .Rg 1 Qxf2 1 B.Qxf2+ N xf2 1 9.Kxf2 Nf6 20.Rad 1 Be6; 1 1 .h4 N dxeS + 1 1 ... f5 1 2 .Qg3 Ndxe5 1 3 .Nxe6 Ng4 1 4.NxdS Bxf2+ 1 5 .Qxf2 Nxf2 1 6.Nxc6

Exercise 59

Nxh 1 1 7 .Ne5+±

Last Moves: 7.Bd3 Nc6 S. Bf4 0-0

Exercise 60 La st Moves: 1 6.Bd3 Bd7 1 7.Bf4 Na6

Verd ict: 9.Bxh7+!? Commentary

Th e un der-defended nature of the e - p awn ( a s we l l as the u n fo rtu nate pl acement of Black's Queen ) all ows the sacri fice to wo rk, but Wh ite h as to be very accurate due to the pressure on eS. Black cannot viably defend h7, so the . . . Kg8 option is easy to dismiss.

Verd ict: 1 S.Bxh7+! Commentary

Th e B i shops will end up smother­ i ng the Ki ng if Bl ack retreats. The . . . Kh6 variation should go White's way because there is no f-pawn .

24 1

Module

7:

Cl assic Greek G ifts

Analysis, Variations, and Notes

1 8 ... Kxh 7 1 9.NgS+ Kh6 1 9 . . . B x g S 2 0 . h x g S Kg8 2 1 . Q h S Rxf4 2 2 . Q h 8 + Kf7 2 3 .g6+ Ke7 24.Qxg 7 + K d 8 2 S .gxf4±; 1 9 . . . Kg 8 2 0 . Q h S B x g S ( 2 0 . . . RfS ? ? 2 1 .Qh7+ Kf8 22.Qh8#) 2 1 .hxgS tra n s poses to the a bove l i ne.

20.Qd3 Th i s a l m ost a l ways works when Black h a s n o f-pawn.

20 ... RfS 20 ... g6 2 1 .h S+-

2 1 .Ne2± P rotect i n g the c e n t ra l p a w n m a s s . Wh ite wi l l fol l ow u p with g4.

242

BOllUS Tracts 1:

2:

�Ilti-Colle Lilles

Tile Piloellix Jdtacl{ - � New C-I{ Lille

BOllUS Tract

1:

�llti-Colle Lilles

Much of Zuke 'Em was devoted to solutions to various pet defenses and challenging deviations Bl ack can use to avoid the Colle. These recommendations are generally equally useful to C- K and C-Z players, and I am providing a digest of these antidotes here. The interested reader can decide if it is worth buying a copy of Zuke 'Em to read the analysis, side variations, and reasoning behind them. Early Bishop Deviations 1 .d4 d S 2.Nf3 BfS 3.e4 e 6 4.exd S exdS S .Qb3 N e6 6.Ne3

6 . . . Bb4 7 . a3 Bxc3 8 . Qxc3 Nf6 9 . Bg5 6 . . . Nf6 7 . e4 ! ? ! ( 7 . Bg5 for those with high blood pressure) 1 .d4 dS 2. Nf3 Bg4 3.NeS

3 . . . Bh5 4 . Qd3 ! Qc8 5 . Nc3 ! ( 5 . c4 f6 6 . N f3 for more cowardly types) 3 . . . Bf5 4 . N c3 ! Nf6 5 .g4 ! ! ? ( 5 . f3 for cal mer spirits) 1 .d4 d S 2.Nf3 Nf6 3 .e3 BfS 4.e4 e6 S.Ne3 e6 6.Nh4

6 . . . Bg6 7 . Nxg6 hxg6 8 . Qb3 Qc7 9 .g3 Nbd7 1 0. Bg2 Be7 1 1 . 0-0 0-0 1 2 . cxd5 exd5 1 3 . f3 planning to push e4 6 . . . Be4 7 . f3 Bg6 8 . Qb3 Qb6 ( . . . Qc7 9.g3 ) 9 . Nxg6 hxg6 1 0. Kf2 ! 6 . . . Bg4 7 . Qb3 and play g4-g5 at a time when there are no central squares available to the Kn ight on f6 1 .d4 d S 2.Nf3 Nf6 3 .e3 Bg6 4.h3

4 . . . Bh5 5 .g4 Bg6 6 . Ne5 4 . . . Bxf3 5 . Qxf3 e6 6 . c4 c5 7 . cxd5 Qxd5 8 . Qxd5

2 45

The Moment of Zuke Queen's I n d ia n Defense 1 .d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3 .e3 c5 4.Bd3 b6 5.0-0 Bb7 Two Options

6 . c4 Be7 7 .Nc3 cxd4 B.exd4 ds 9 . cxdS NxdS 1 0. Bb S + Bc6 1 1 . a4 ! 6 . Re l Nc6 7.c4 Be7 B . Nc3 ds ! ? 9 . cxdS exds 1 0. dxcs bxcs 1 1 .e4 1 .d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3 .e3 b6 4.Bd3 Bb7 Two Options

5 . 0-0 Be7 6 . c4 0-0 7 .Nc3 ds B.b3 s . Nbd2 cs 6 . 0-0 Nc6 7 . c3 Be7 B . e4 ! ? 1 .d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3 .e3 c5 4.Bd3 N c61! 5 .0-0

S . . . b6 6.c3 s . . . Be7 6.dxcS Bxcs 7 . a3 with a reversed Meran (two moves up) in mind Modern Ben o n i 1 .d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c 5 3.e3 96 4.dxc5 Qa 5+ 5 . N c3!! B 9 7 6.Qd4 N c 6 7 .Qc4 N e4 8.Bd2 Nxd2 9.Nxd2 d 5 1 0.Nxd 5 Bxb2 1 1 . R b l

1 1 . . . Bg7 1 2. Qbs 1 1 . . . Bes 1 2 . Be2 0-0 1 3 . Rb S QdB 1 4 .Nf3 1 1 . . . Be6 ? ! 1 2 .e4 ! ? Sneaky G ru nfeld 1 .d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d 5 3 .e3 9 6 ! 4.c4! B97 5 .cxd 5 N x d 5 6.e4

6 . . . Nf6 7 . Nc3 0-0 B . Be2 b6 9 .0-0 Bb7 1 0. Qc2 6 . . . Nb 6 7 . a4 ! ! The Queen's Gam bit Reversed 1 .d4 d 5 2.Nf3 c5 3 .c4! 1

3 . . . e6 4 . cxds exdS s.g3 ! ( heading for a Tarrasch flummoxed by White de­ laying Nc3 ) 3 . . . dxc4 4 . ds ! 3 . . . cxd4 4 . cxds

246

The Moment of Zuke 1 .d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 dS 3 .e3 cS! 4.c4 e6 S.a3!

s . . . Nc6 6 . dxcs Bxcs 7 .b4 s . . . cxd4 6 . exd4 Be7 7 . Nc3 0-0 B . cs ! ? Ne4 9 . Bd3 ! ! is my improvement over theory in what has now become a Caro-Kann. The point here is that the obvious threat of 9 . . . Nxc3 ? is nothing to be concerned about because after 1 0 .bxc3 b6 I l . h4 ! , White has a monster attack. The E rrot 1 .d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d S 3 .e3 c6 4.c4 B94 S.h3 Bxf3 6.Qxf3 e6 7.Nc3 N b d 7 8.Bd2

B . . . Bd6 9 . cs ! B . . . Bb4 9 . Bd3 0-0 1 0. a3 The Anti-Anti-Slav a n d Anti-Anti-Errot These lines are played with the idea of omitting . . . Nf6, which spoils certain antidotes to early Bishop plays. 1 .d4 d S 2 .Nf3 c6 (with the idea of answering 3 . e3 with . . . Bg4 or . . . Bfs ) 3 .c4 Now 3 . . . BfS is known to be dubious, 3 . . . Bg4 is worse, 3 . . . Nf6 will transpose back to a normal Slav, and White can answer 3 . . . e6 with 4 . Nbd2 ! (which Kasp­ arov beat Deep Blue with and some other nose-bleed-high ELO types have also played) . The

. • .

a 6 Slav

1 .d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d S 3 .e3 c6 4.c4 a6 S.Qc2! B94 6.Nbd2 e6 7.Bd3 N b d 7 8.h3!

B . . . Bhs 9.b3 Bd6 1 0. Bb2 B . . . Bxf3 ! 9 .Nxf3 Bb4+ ! ? 1 0. Bd2 Bxd2+ 1 1 . Nxd2 0-0 1 2 .0-0 es 1 3 .cxds cxds 1 4 .Nb3 ! The Black Lion Lion players should be at a loss when . . . es is prevented: 1 .d4 d6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3 . N c3 N b d 7 4.Bf4!

4 . . . c6 s . e4 Qc7 6 . es 4 . . . g6 s . e4 Bg7 6 . Qd2 0-0 7. 0-0-0

247

The Moment of Zuke K-Side Fianchetto Zuke 'Em contained no antidote to an early fianchetto. Instead I recommended the 1 5 0 and Barry Attacks. H owever for those looki ng for something novel, I pro­ visionally suggest: 1 .d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3 .e3 Bg7 4.c4 0-0 (4 . . . d5 transposes to the Sneaky Griinfeld) S.Be2 d6 6.Nc3 N bd7 7.0-0 eS 8.Qc2!

In a typical KI D variation (where Wh ite has not pl ayed e3), Black could ex­ change on d4, opening up the diagonal . But here, Wh ite could recapture with a pawn, making the exchange rather poor for Black. White's plan is to exchange on e5 and play Rd l . For example: B . . . ReB 9 . dxe5 Nxe5 1 0. Nxe5 dxe5 1 1 . Rd l Qe7 1 2 . Nd5 ! Black may go with 7 . . . c5 instead, leading to an interesting game, but not one that White should fear.

248

BOllUS Tract

2:

Tile Plloellix AJtacl{ - � New C-I{ Lille

The Col le-Koltanowski mainline needs rethinking. Let me explain why. After 1 .d4 d S 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Bd3

sponds . . . Ng4, he is actually add i ng two attackers to the battl e for eS, not just one.

cS S.c3 Nc6 6.N bd2 Bd6 7.0-0 0-0 8.dxcS BxcS

White is fi nally able to play 9.e4, and after 9 . . . Qc7 1 0.Qe2, he has freed his dark-squared Bishop ( kinda) and is th reatening to play eS ( kinda ) .

What do you mean " kinda"?

Well, Wh ite "kinda" frees his c- Bish­ op because the e-pawn is no longer in its way, but the Kn ight still is. And that Kn ight is stuck for now defending the e 4 - pawn . Second ly, he only " k i n d a " th reate ns eS because when B l ack re-

What are you talking about?

When the Kn ight ju mps to g4 , he is clearly in a position to hit eS . Th e deeper point is that the Kn ight on g4 allows the Bishop on cS to have a say in th ings because now White cannot add a defender to eS via Re 1 due to the threat of . . . Bxf2 ! So, White's "freeing" move has really done nothing at all to free his position. In fact, if anyth ing, it is even more re­ stricted since the pawn on e4 blocks the prize Bishop on d3 . No wonder Colle h i mself enj oyed the simple l O . exdS ? ! once upon a time. Unfortunately, that move gives Black too much activity. But if . . . Ng4 adds two attackers to the fight for eS, why doesn 't White just play h3 to stop it?

249

The M oment of Zuke Certainly a reasonable idea, but once

might not b e s o bad. The Colle System,

h3 is played, the Bishop on cS ends up

e s p e c i a l ly t h e C o l l e - K o l t a n o w s k i , i s

gaining importance for another reason

often billed a s o n e where White some­

- the pin on the f-pawn . Bl ack can play

times settles for comfortable equal ity in

a wel l-timed . . . NhS threatening to hop

a position they understand. U n fortu­

to the g3 -square (quite p ossibly forki ng

nately, it turns out that 1 0 . . . h6 ! ( a good

a Rook on f1 and a Queen on e2 ) . Kh 1 is

move to be sure) is not even needed.

no solution either since the other Knight

Wh ite's attack is hampered by Bl ack's

hop ( . . . Nf4 ) can also be rather painful .

Queen coming immediately to eS, the l ac k of an e S - p awn or Ro o k on t h e

But can't White take advantage of the

e - fi l e ( recal l from the last module how

Knight's vulnerability on g4? Doesn 't

important those co mponents generally

that just mean the "Colle Sacrific e "

are ) , and the fact that Wh ite's Queen

(Bxh7+) is n o sacrifice a t all?

first must take a move to recapture the Knight ( Qxg4 ) rather than going imme­

Q u i te s o . W h i t e d o e s get Bxh 7 +

diately to h S .

" for free " after, for example, 1 0 . . . ReS ? !

In particular, Black can get away with

l 1 . e S Ng4 1 2 . Bxh 7 + ! Kxh 7 1 3 . NgS +

simply playing 1 0 . . . b 6 ! ! , and White is

KgS 1 4 . Qxg4 QxeS . White gets an attack

al ready worse. In the obvious l i n e, l l .

on Bl ack's King without having to pay

eS Ng4 1 2 . Bxh 7 + Kxh 7 1 3 . NgS + KgS

the B ishop as a fee. And that is why p re­

1 4 . Qxg4 Qxe S , B l a c k ' s d e fe n s e s a re

p ared pl ayers began p l aying 1 0 . . . h 6 ! ,

adequate. P a l l iser quotes an alys i s by

a d e fense fi rst a n a lyzed by Reyn o l ds

Broznik that goes l S . QhS QfS 1 6 . Ndf3

and l ater popul arized by Silman. Theo­

B a 6 ! ( o n ly avai l ab l e due to 1 0 . . . b 6 )

retical ly, B l ack gets equal ity here, but

1 7 . Rd 1 ( attempting t o remove a bunch

in practice he has been crushing White.

of s q u a re s fro m B l a c k ' s Q u e e n a n d

Among games played by 2000+ p layers,

then play . . . g4, forcing a n exchange on

Bl ack has scored 64% and won outright

g6 that leaves the e6-pawn vul nerable)

over hal f! ( I t must be admitted, though,

1 7 . . . Be2 l S . Re 1 Bxf3 1 9 . Qxf3 Qxf3

that often practical results are unfair to

2 0 . Nxf3 , saying the position is " about

the Colle side since more often than not

even . " Th at might be so, but I th i n k

the Colle player has the l ower rating. )

White is on t h e wrong s i d e o f " ab out

I f this were the whole story, things

250

even " and perhaps Black has better ways

The Moment of Zuke of responding to the threat of g4 . For example, 1 7 . . . Bd3 threatens Bc2 while allowing for the Bishop to retake on g6 instead of the pawn . 1 7 . . . Rae8 may be best si nce then Black would l o o k forward t o 1 8 .g4 ? ! Qg6 1 9 . Qxg6 fxg6, when . . . Be2 ! is a real threat. For th is reason, Bronzni k has sug­ gested Wh ite consider I I . b 3 i nstead, reasoning that after the natural 1 1 . . . Bb7 1 2 . B b 2 , he is p repared fo r wh atever Black may attempt. This would at least put Wh ite b ack in the " c o m fo rtab l e equal ity" category. The problem i s that Black does not need to play nice. I nstead of 1 1 . . . Bb7, he could play 1 1 . . . as ! Threatening to open the a-file with . . . a4?

N a h , t h a t ' s a th reat, o f c o u r s e . B u t 1 1 . . . a s causes a more profou nd problem. It comes back to that blasted Bishop on cs again. I n the l i nes that wou l d naturally arise after the m o re tame 1 1 . . . Bb7 1 2 . Bb2, White depends on the disrupting b4 ! -bs ! pawn incur­ sion to displace Black's well-positioned Q-side pieces. This can be rather power­ ful if White does it after getting a pawn on es, removing the d6-square from the Bishop. So, not only does Wh ite have to consider his response to a possible

. . . a4, but B l ack's a-pawn keeps h i m from executing a key b-pawn lunge and severely constricts his play in the corning middlegame. I n retrospect, it should not be so sur­ prising that White runs into a brick wall here. Knowing what we know now, one has to wonder whether 1 0 . Qe2 really makes much sense. After all, White is preparing a "freeing" e-pawn march that i nitially ( e4 ) man ages to restrict h i m instead. And then it turns o u t there i s n o advantage t o playing es . I ndeed, the savvy opponent can even punish him for doing so. Finally, Qe2 represents a loss of a tempo if White is banking on the Bxh7+ attack, for the Queen can reach g4 or hs j ust as easily from d l as she can from e2 . I believe it is time for Colle players to put 9 . e4 on the burn pile, allowing a new Colle Attack to rise from its ashes. What do you have in mind?

Well, I've hinted a bit at what I see as an underesti mated facet of Bl ack's setup. I believe players have not given due respect to the power of that Bishop on cs . I've given some examples so far, and there are more I haven't mentioned, as to why that Bishop is really a thorn in White's side. The key is for White to

251

The Moment of Zuke put the question to this Bishop before he plays e4 and commits his Queen . In fact, in the new attack I'm proposing White delays devel o p i ng h i s Queen, wh ich can be rather well-placed on her home square. Furthermore, if Black chooses to play his Queen to c7, Wh ite' ability to play f4 (supported by the pawn stil l on e3 ) can be pretty critical . Let's go back to the position after 8 . . . BxcS:

can match White's threat of e4 with his own e-pawn march . H owever, putting the two together favors White because the dissolution of the center makes the c4-break (when it finally comes) more deadly. I'm writing a book devoted to this new attack, but I wanted to put it out there early for the Colle community to try out a bit. To give some idea of the l atent ferocity of th is attack, let's step through what has typically occurred in practice: 9 . . . Bd6

I h ave n o t fo u n d a s i n g l e ga m e where a strong p l ayer put h i s B i shop anywhere else. 9 . . . Bb6 allows White to cramp Black's position with 9 .bS wh ile 9 . . . Be7 looks passive. 1 0.Bb2 eS

I nstead of 9 . e4 , Wh i te should i n stead play. . . 9.b41

White p l ans on turn i ng the posi­ tion into something closer to a reversed Meran. It is actually not too far off from the solution I proposed for fixi ng the Colle-Zukertort mainline. Rather than play solely for an e4-break, White will put his Bishop on b2 and threaten both c4 and e 4 . Black can make it difficult to pull c4 off any time soon, and he

252

Th is natural m ove was chosen by GM Sakaev, GM Karlsson, 1 M Sax, 1 M Raif, and the strong German D i rk Sebastian all with in the last decade. It is more frequent than all other moves here combined. 1 1 .e4 dxe4

1 1 . . . Bg4, the other move seen in practice, is met well with 1 2 . h 3 . 1 2 .Nxe4 Nxe4 1 3 . Bxe4 fS 1 4.BdS+ Kh8

The Moment of Zuke

In general, White should respect the strength of Bl ack's elf-pawn phal anx. H owever, in th is particu lar situati on, Black is kept too much on his heels to do much with it. Wh ite has a couple promising possibil ities. Simply playing c4 is strong, or he could go with Bc 1 , threatening NgS . I n some rel ated varia­ tions (where there is no Bishop on dS), White can often play NgS ! without hav­ ing played Bc 1 , since the Queen is tied down to defending the Bishop on d6. 1 3 . . . Be6 has also been seen. After 1 4 . Q d 3 ! fS l S . Bd S , Wh i te p l ans o n maki ng use o f the relatively under-de­ fended Bishop on d6. Of course, there are plenty of other ideas and plans in this line, but I sincere­ ly believe that 9 .b4 ! , which I'm dubbing The Koltanowski- Phoenix Attack, is the battlefield upon which the C- K players must wage war in the coming decades.

253

David Rudel is a prize-winning problem solver in math­ e m atics and p hysics, winn ing multiple sch o l astic and collegiate state-level competitions as a youth in Iowa and Texas. He was also on the highest ranking team (among un­ dergraduate institutes) in the 1 9 97 national collegiate math championship (the Putnam Competition) and shared win­ ning honors in the "world championship " of mathematical modeling in 1 9 9 9 , captaining one of the winning teams in the international MCM competition. He works as a senior editor for ExploreLearning, a lead­ ing math & science software company. When not support­ ing the development of the Colle, he writes on Christian theology and church reform.

Coloplloll The Moment of Zuke was typeset in ITC Giovanni, Myriad Pro, and TPi's c. R. H orowitz® diagram font. Layout and design : Bob Long &. David Rudel Cover: Rob Long Editing: John Wright, Graham Stevens &. Bob Long Proofing: John Wright, Graham Stevens, David Rudel Bob Long

&.

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