A Matter of Endgame Technique (Grandmaster Knowledge) 178483162X, 9781784831622

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A Matter of

Endgame Technique By

Jacob Aagaard

Quality Chess www.qualitychess.co.uk

First edition 2022

by Quality Chess

UK Ltd

Second print 2022

Copyright ©

2022, 2022

Jacob Aagaard

A MATTER OF ENDGAME TECHNIQUE All in

a

rights

reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,

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electrostatic,

magnetic tape, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher. Hardcover ISBN 978-1-78483-162-2

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Quality Chess

UK Ltd,

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Series Introduction Knowledge series, which is going to be a series of books where middlegame endgame topics are explained in depth. The first overarching theme of the series will be an unapologetic attention to detail. The second is that the books will be textbooks, not workbooks, unlike the previous books I wrote in the Grandmaster Preparation series, which were predominantly workbooks.

Welcome

to

the Grandmaster and

various

The title of the series should

not

be understood in the

same

way

as

the series of videos Alex

Yermolinsky once did, which were about what Every Russian Schoolboy Knows. While I think books that explain themes and ideas that are commonly known to grandmasters are great, and I do work on ideas for such books, there is an unquestionable need and desire for books that can teach even grandmasters something. Although it should be said that two of the all-time greats were not informed about the knowledge Yermolinsky considered common, as you can see on page

446. rated 2300 and

Players on

will be

to

these

an earlier stage of their progress as well. Although you are not the has also been reserved for you. the material in this series will be advanced, the intention is to make it as accessible as

focus audience,

Although

smaller part of the market for instructional material, so based this book is bound to be a commercial fiasco. But I hope this series

over are a

players alone, accessible to players at

sales

a seat

possible. I am of the firm conviction that chess is a difficult game to play, but not too difficult to explain once you have analysed the games thoroughly. The difference is that during a game, you will have competing rationales pulling you in different directions. In the analysis you work out which direction was preferable, leaving you with the task of

explaining why one

The first book

in this series is

model for the series

publisher. Jacob

rationale

A volume

Aagaard Glasgow, May 2022

as a on

was

superior.

really

five

or

six books in

whole, although I refuse

to

middlegame technique will

one.

This size is

not

going

to

be the

make any promises, despite threats from the follow, although not as the next volume.

Contents You don’t have

Exercises to

Chapter 1

2 3

4 5

6 7 8

9 10 11

1

-

read

everything!

9

Chapter 1 Endgame Elements

27

to

15

Promotion and

underpromotion Underpromotion Unstoppable promotion The importance of passed pawns Using passed pawns as a distraction Creating passed pawns Protected passed pawn Breakthrough Distant passed pawns Creating passed pawns Spread passed pawns can be stronger

27 31

40 42

44 45 52

55 58 62

than connected pawns

66 68

14

Eliminate all the pawns King blocking the passed pawn Attacking the pawns from behind

15

Pawns in the way

74

16

82

19

Zugzwang Triangulation Losing a tempo Unnecessary pawn

20

Mutual zugzwang

21

Opposition Distant opposition

12 13

17

18

22

73

74

86 90

94

moves

99 102 103 110

25

Corresponding squares Shouldering Provoking weaknesses

26

Domination

121

27

Mate in the

23 24

113

119

124

28

endgame Defending against attacks

29

Stalemate

138

30

143

31

Stalemate escapes Shortest stalemate

32

Newest shortest stalemate

148

on

the

king

138

148

Contents

33

rook

149

34

Perpetual Perpetual

35

Counterplay

154

36

Fortresses and passive defence Positional draw

156

37

check and pawn

153

endings

159 162

39

The 50-Move Rule Activate the strongest piece first

40

King activity

166

41

King penetration

169

42

King

flexibility Cutting off the king

171

43

44

Checks

178

45

The

46

diagonal diagonals The power of the two bishops

182

204 204

51

Knight paths Knight in the corner Kings are better than knights

52

The fourth

207

38

47

48

49

50

king belongs

Bishop Bishop

164

175

in front of the

passed

pawn

on one

179

183

on two

189

206

53

phase Simplifications in

54

Weaknesses

222

55

The

56

principle of two weaknesses Prophylaxis

226

57

The Shankland Rule

230

58

Schematic

231

59 60 61

the fourth

thinking key squares Fighting Knowing when to act and when Timing

223

for

63

The importance of the critical Anticipating the race

64

Active

62

218

phase

234 to

squeeze

moment

239

242 250 255

65 66 67

passive defence Capablanca shuffling Winning without doing Plus equal

258 275 277

68

Small details

283

69

Mechanical

70

The

or

290

manoeuvre

endgame

is

deeply

280

tactical

294

Jacob Aagaard

—

A Matter of Endgame

Technique

Deep calculation Deep resources

298

72 73

Miracle escapes

300

Exercises

307

71

to

2

Chapter

-

299

Chapter 2 Lack of Technique

311

Opposition and triangulation Being practical

311

2 3

Distractions

321

4

325

5

Pattern recognition Knights and flank pawns Basic principle of exchanges

6

Maximise your

347

7 8

Domination

1

9 10 11

317

-

advantage

before

striking

327

348

Micro-domination

356

Cutting off the

362

king

364

Shouldering Allowing counterplay Exercises

367 400

Solutions

402

12

Necessary and unnecessary complications

409

13 14

Overpressing Passed pawns

416 must

be

pushed

control

420 424

15

Losing

16

Pushing passed pawns Hanging on to material Overestimating dynamics Endgame theory Surprising endgame theory

428

Exercises to

Chapter 3

449

Fortresses

451

17

18 19

20

too

3

Chapter

-

far

431

433 440

447

of fortresses

1

Types

2

Fortress

3

4

Ways to Wrong bishop

for the

5

A

fortress

6

A fortress that relies

7

Fortress

8

The role of pawns in

9

Six fortress exercises

471

10

Solutions

473

11

vs

shouldering

Queen

451

defensive strategy break fortresses

as a

as a

corner

on

square

452

453 454

458

counterplay

surprise defence

breaking fortresses

rook and pawn

459

460 466

479

Contents

480

13

Expanding on a generic fortress Fortress in a complicated setting

14

Control

colour of squares

486

15

A stalemate and restriction fortress

488

16

Fortress

489

17

Breaking

defensive strategy down a fortress

18

Brute force

break down

500

19

Breaking a

12

over one

481

as a

to

fortress

Five advanced

a

494

fortress

slowly

502

examples

505

20

Blockade

21

509

22

Fighting stay alive A fluid fortress

23

A restriction fortress

527

24

Understanding fortresses

534

505 to

Exercises

Chapter

to

4

-

514

Chapter 4 Rook vs Bishop

545

547

3

breaking filmed backwards Symmetrical pawns Symmetrical h-pawns on the 4th and 5th Two symmetrical pawns

4

Three pawns

5

f-pawns only

564

6

565

7

g-pawns in the middle The game

8

Asymmetrical

580

9

Flank pawns

1

2

10

11 12 13

A fortress

547

-

on

the

same

flank

555

rank

555 560

563

568

pawns

583

back...

Looking Adjacent pawns

586

A few games in conclusion A passed pawn each

594 615

Exercises to

621

Chapter

5

-

589

Chapter 5 Exchanges

623

Going deep Comparing resulting endings

625 632 644

4

Same story more or less Guidelines for exchanges

5

A

646

1 2

3

6

-

with

value

guideline Exchanging one set of rooks only more

646 648

Jacob Aagaard

—

A Matter of Endgame

Technique 662

7

Transition into

8

664

19

Exchanging queens Pawn exchanges Don’t exchange your opponent’s weaknesses Transposing into pawn endings Looking for the pawn ending Broadening Loss of flexibility The transformation of advantages through exchanges Exchanges/Prevention of counterplay Clarity Exchanging for penetration Exchanges for king safety

20

On the other hand

702

21

A

9

10 11

12 13 14

15 16

17

18

22 23 24

Chapter 1

winning ending

complex example Exchanges from the defender’s Exchanges to make a draw Relying on strategic principles

Exercises to

2

a

6

-

668 676

677 678 681

684 686

690

691 699 701

704 point of view

714 716

721

Chapter 6

731

Illustrative Games

739

An illustration of opening

740

play

for

Fighting key squares Exploiting an advantage

745

The annoying small details Fortress

772 790

10

Breaking a fortress Plus equal Exchanges and the flow of the game Exchanges and clarity Creating passed pawns

11

Rook

vs two

minor

845

12

Rook

vs two

minor

13

The

3

4 5 6 7

8 9

14 15

pieces pieces

762

-

779

another

803 814 828 841

example

856

bishop pair Attack in the endgame Timing

864

Name Index

890

Bibliography

896

872 878

You don’t have to read everything! Looking

at a nine

hundred page book may be a daunting experience. On the one hand, it is a on the other, it is a big challenge as well. At our online academy, www.

lot of information, but

daily classes, leading to 40-50 hours of chess training available teenager with a deep passion for chess, this may be the greatest thing ever. But if you are a working professional, you may feel you are missing out, because there is no way you can ever watch even half the classes. Most find their own rhythm quite fast, but some do struggle with the idea of zoning in on the few things that are of especial interest to them and not feeling that they are losing out. We always wanted the academy to be a way to pool our resources so that our students can get the training they need, always, at an affordable price, thus making it killerchesstraining.com, each month. If you

we

have

are a

available to everyone.

principle. Rather than looking to maximise income, it seeks to convey possible. In the process of writing it, I decided to give up on the idea of what a chess book usually looks like and allowed it to be its own thing. I am trusting readers to understand that this book is many things, and you do not have to read all of it, simply stick to This book follows the as

much information

same as

the sections that pique your interest. The book contains

only six chapters, all of which could have been published as individual volumes. play in the endgame, in all its facets, with two notable exceptions. This is not a book about rook endings, although a few examples of rook endings are included, and it is not a book about endgame theory, although a few examples do discuss this topic as well. The original idea of the book was to include only examples where people misplayed their good positions, but as I got deeper into the writing of the book, this constraint became obviously artificial. The book still contains the idea that the endgame is difficult, and these are the ways we mess up, but it is only one dimension. It is

a

book about technical

The themes and

examples

in this book

are meant to

be multidimensional. To

some

readers,

a

lot

of the themes and ideas will be new, while others will be reacquainting themselves with existing knowledge. Learning something new is always a good thing. But so is the reminder of existing

knowledge, particularly through new examples. Those readers who are following top tournaments religiously may recognise a few examples, especially from the last chapter. But the explanations and thematic investigation should still make them fresh and revealing. I don’t use famous games to explain chess ideas. When I see a book full of examples I already know, because they have been

in many books

already, I mentally turn

off. I do

not want

this experience for you.

10

Jacob Aagaard

-

A Matter of Endgame

Technique

The examples are as important as the themes Learning anything involves

a lot of repetition and looking at it from different angles. Most will of two weaknesses. But principle seeing a new example explaining it will only expand In of the theme. chess your understanding nothing is absolute. We have a lot of ideas and concepts that can help our decision making during the game. Evaluating the strategic reach of them better

know the

is

an

important part of improvement.

make

sense

them will on

explanation can fully cover the themes, they only a lot of examples. Hopefully some of a understanding concept and seeing how it works

No verbal

in context. For this reason, this book contains

help

you

bridge

the

abyss

between

the board. How to deal with the

It is

deep analysis in this book

for readers of chess books to prefer verbal explanations over lots of variations. Often disregarded with the contemptuous description of “computer analysis”. Not always without justification. It is easy to press the space bar and fill the white spaces on the page. This is not what has happened in this book. The variations are meant to be an illustration of possible play, or to explain the tactical or technical nuances of the games. I find that it is easy to make a statement and get the approval of the reader. Usually, those who read a book are willing to believe that you know what you are talking about and will accept the evaluations as valid. But I am not looking for approval. I am wishing for you to improve your game. The variations and analysis in this book are thus illustrations and explanations and going through them will be a part of the educational process. The thematic explanation can be easy to follow conceptually, but without seeing what it means in practice, I doubt it will have any positive common

is

analysis

influence

on

your game. There

if you want, you

can

skip

are a

them. The

few times where the variations will be quite extensive and more

experienced you

are, the less this should be the

case.

If you are a less experienced player and some variations seem overpowering, you should skip whatever you feel you need to skip. As with our academy, it is never the intention that everyone

should understand

everything,

but that everyone will learn

something.

If you can, I recommend that you go through the variations in your head. This is good for your training in visualisation in general and where chess should be played. If you need to play

through

the games

your head.

others would

depending

on a

board, I recommend that you still try

Many strong players on

not

consider

reading

a

to

go

through

the variations in

board when going through a book; book without it. Personally, I am somewhere in-between,

would

never

think of using

a

the book and my mood.

Why the games are truncated explained to me his love of unannotated moves, as they reduced the need probably one of the reasons I dislike them so much? Larsen said: “Save me from unannotated games!” So, if you are one of the few readers times ask us why we start the game halfway and don’t include the first 30-40 moves?

A fellow author

for him Bent who

at

to

once

work. This is

You don’t have

to

read

The answer is: the parts of the games that are relevant for the

If you

want

included,

unannotated games, you

topic of the book

find them

can

had

many would believe that

are

If the first 30

everywhere. they play through these they should spend improving their endgame technique.

too

wasting time

11

everything!

to

moves

included.

moves

were

and would be

The organisation of the book The six

1.

chapters

are

organised

like this:

Endgame Elements

There

are

many small themes in the

endgame.

In this

chapter

we

shall deal with

a

lot of them.

Over the six months of writing this book, these are the main topics I could think of. To a strong player, most of them will be familiar, which is where the freshness of the examples is important. To

a

less

experienced player,

there will be

a

lot of new information.

2. Lack of Technique

chapter we shall look at common ways for things to go wrong. The core of the chapter big section on allowing counterplay, but on top of this, some topics are repeated from Chapter 1 and some topics are considered from both angles, such as hanging on to material and overestimating dynamics. In this is the

3. Fortresses

endgames and difficult to understand for a lot of the players I have worked special type of thinking, as rarely are the games decided on a move by move rather on schematic thinking and a special sensibility for fortresses. but basis,

A topic unique to with. It requires a

4. Rook vs

Bishop chapter we shall go deeper into an endgame that most of the time ends with fortresses. This chapter definitely goes from the simple to the advanced, with details that will stretch the imagination of any grandmaster. The cornerstone game, Aronian Dubov, is close to impossible to understand fully. I have done my best to do so, and explain what I have understood, but not certainly every aspect of this six-piece ending has been uncovered. In this

—

5. Exchanges When and what

chapter was

we

to

exchange

is

a

difficult topic in chess and no less so in the endgame. In this depth, and why the strategic concept I was taught when I

shall debate this topic in

younger is debateable. In

into this

going deep

topic,

I

hope

I

can rescue

you from

some

of

the disasters that befell my friends. 6. Illustrative Games The final

endgame

chapter

includes

a

few

battles. The concept is

to

recent

games and

show the

endgame

two

lesser-known games that feature

in its natural habitat and go

big deep. I enjoy

both small clear examples with one-dimensional explanations, and deep analysis of complicated games that tries

to

address all the elements

we encounter on

the battlefield.

12

Jacob Aagaard

The book has been

designed

to

-

A Matter of Endgame

be read in order. Start

at

Technique 1 and progress

Chapter

through

the

book. However, there will be many times where you encounter a point explained again, yet explained as if seen for the first time. This is intentional. Repetition is good. There is a lot of information in this book and at times

I presume you have

said, you do

as

not

done

not

have

read

to

However, I hope you will find the themes and explanations

A few general truths about the

Throughout some

years, Above them

this book you will be faced with

obvious, but are some

never

general

really

everything

to

benefit from it. And

so.

a

perhaps

endgame play,

read

to

on.

endgame

lot of thematic ideas:

written about, and

truths about

revealing and want

which

a

known for

some

a

hundred

few that I have noticed first.

are

well established.

Most games are won or lost incrementally Throughout this book, you will find many examples where one side has a significant advantage already. Either they will win with accurate play, or the other side is facing their last chance(s) to the game. This is not how

save

advantage.

This

endgames

most

simply

means

work.

Usually,

one

that the other side has

side

more

enters

the

problems

decades, defensive skills have increased, but the experience is still that to more than average results.

endgame

a

with

a

slight

solve. In the last few

to

slightly

better position

will lead A

big part of modern chess is to play for this technical advantage. At the top level, the days big novelties out of the opening leading to large advantages are behind us. If you get any advantage out of the opening, it is a cause for celebration. In my generation there were a lot of players who loved the opening more than anything else and dived deep, trying to win or draw straight from the opening. When I talk to these people today, some of them feel that chess has been played out to some extent, and all there is left is to attempt some “bluff”. Chess changes throughout the ages and in our age technique is more important than it has been for a while. of

Most blunders

come

from poor positions. So, if you

want to

rely on luck, you need

to create it.

this book you will find examples where games are won slowly. One side manages few problems for the opponent and keep up the pressure, until more mistakes occur.

Throughout to create a

The

zone

of one mistake

This concept arises from Lev Psakhis and has become Gelfand,

as we

explained

What it focuses

on,

in Technical Decision

rather than

looking

an

important part of the thinking of Boris

in Chess. The idea is

Making objectively

for the

best line,

or a

simple, yet powerful. forcing line leading to

win, is to get the opponent into an environment where he is likely to make fatal mistakes. This can be psychologically difficult, as those seeking control will tend to go for forcing lines. But, if a

you

want

The

following is

your opponent

an

to

example

make mistakes, you need of allowing the opponent

to

to

give him enough

rope

escape from the

zone

to

hang himself.

of one mistake.

You don’t have

Sam

Shankland

read

to

-

Jorden van Foreest

Prague

Sam

played

13

everything!

2021

the timid:

27.h3? The

sort

of

move

you make when you

are

disappointed

with the

of your main

outcome

intentions.

28.&gl £>e4 Black has enough counterplay. The game took many twists and turns, before move 62, but only because Black was trying to win the game along the way!

27.. .®d5t

White

won on

Stronger was: 27.Sb7! This was the

move

Sam wanted

squeezing after 27...^d5, but 26...h5!?,

was to

be expansive

to

was

on

the

play on thinking kingside.

intuitive

grounds.

He

was

happy

to

continue

that the intention behind Black’s last He thus calculated the

following

move,

variation:

28.Sc7 28.^?gl! would be an additional option for White, keeping flexibility. 28.. .ffd5t 29.&gl Sxb7 30.Sxb7 g4 31.Sxb6 ^e4 The knight is aiming for g5. White is pressing, but Black will hold with decent defensive play. 27.. .g5!?

But was was

seeing this variation

and to automatically extrapolate that the opponent was intending it and confident in it, and that he would have defended the endgame well over the next 30 moves, impractical. Better to allow the opponent to live in the zone of one mistake, than see your

advantage

die...

14

Jacob Aagaard

-

A Matter of Endgame

Technique

Depth of the analysis This book has been

deeply analysed and I

understand that there will of 2030 will have

a

mistake, please get editions

-

never

scope that

have done the best I could

be such

cannot

in touch with the

a

thing

be matched

publisher

to minimise

mistakes. Please

error-free book and that the computers the computers of 2021. If you do find a

as an

by

and corrections will be made for future print

should there be any...

Using this book as an exercise book I have written several exercise books and will write instructional book and the positions I want to cover.

However, there I do believe that

are

are

those who will wish

“thinking”

is the most

So, before each chapter I have created with

a

1-5

realistic

assessment.

in the years to

to use

this book

ability as an

important component a

the exercises

and in

in

to

come.

explain

Instead this is

an

the ideas and themes

exercise book and I respect that. improving in this game of ours.

list of exercises and marked them

As I have used many of the

feeling for how difficult

more

selected for their

positions with

according to difficulty hopefully have a

my students, I

are...

attempt not to make the book too long (I do get the of the of the exercises has been abandoned. You can refer to them by idea that) irony numbering their chapter number and page reference, if you need to remember where you were.

With the inclusion of the

stars

I should also say that the exercises

There

are

positions with

should make some

a

more

than

are one

an

mixed. A lot of them require accurate play, but not all. reasonable way to play. There are positions where you

positional/technical decision,

ways it simulates the

and there are positions you need to calculate. In of experience sitting at the board. You will not know how to approach

the position. The only hint you are offered is how difficult it is. I offer this mainly because I know that some people will spend 20 minutes being confused, after seeing the solution in 30 seconds. And others will spend 30 seconds on positions that even seasoned GMs would need to take far

seriously. Also, please accept that because this is not an exercise book, it is possible there are other sound ways to play than I have indicated in the text. Most often there will not be, but if you believe you more

have found

an

alternative solution, then check it and prepare

to

give yourself a

pat

on

the back.

Exercises to Easy.

Based

Friendly.

on a

Chapter 1

simple

Can be solved

Mid-range.

You need

Challenging.

to

idea

by most think, but

You will need

Brain crusher. After

not too

to concentrate

solving,

see a

much for these

ones

neurologist...

Solution

on

page 30

Solution

on

page 35

Solution

on

page 38

Solution

on

page 34

Solution

on

page 37

Solution

on

page 40

16

Solution

Jacob Aagaard

on

page 43

—

A Matter of Endgame

Solution

on

Technique

page 50

irikik

abcdefgh

abcdef

gh

abcdefgh

Solution

on

page 44

Solution

on

page 55

Solution

on

page 58

Solution

on

page 45

Solution

on

page 56

Solution

on

page 59

Solution

on

page 61

abcdef

gh

a

Exercises

to

Chapter

Solution

on

page 66

b

c

e

d

f

g

17

1

Solution

on

page 70

abcdefgh

Solution

on

page 63

Solution

on

page 67

Solution

on

page 72

Solution

on

page 64

Solution

on

page 70

Solution

on

page 73

18

Jacob Aagaard

-

A Matter of Endgame

AA

A 8

8

7

7

6

6

5

5

4

4

3

3

2

2

1

abcdefgh Solution

on

A Solution

on

A Solution

page 83

on

abcdefgh

abcdefgh Solution

page 76

on

gh

page 97

A

A

abcdefgh on

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20

Jacob Aagaard

-

A Matter of Endgame

Technique

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Jacob Aagaard

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24

Jacob Aagaard

-

A Matter of Endgame

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26

Jacob Aagaard

A Matter of Endgame

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Technique

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Chapter 1 Endgame Elements Introduction The topics within this book will come across as quite challenging, but hopefully also comprehensible. But before we dive into the great depths to follow, let s dip our toes in the water with

few basic observations about the

a

A disclaimer: I will advance with the

endgame. So, although

the

some

endgame

in chess.

assumption that this is not the book where you first encounter

of what follows is

explaining pretty basic things,

the material is

somewhat advanced and included because it felt interesting. The

endgame is characterised by a through exchanges; playing

armies active

few for

commonly-agreed factors: the diminishing of the two diminishing as a strategy; the king becoming an

mate

piece and relatively safe; the importance of pawns increasing, especially with the

view of

advancing and promoting them. We are always talking about a sliding scale. In this way chess mimics life, where there are transition stages between childhood and adulthood, and adulthood and old age. Laws aside, we all know that childhood ends at different ages for different people, as it is with the opening in chess. The same with the beginning of old age, and the end of the middlegame. You may feel the transition, but you were not aware of when it started and when it ended. Only one day you find yourself old and grey, with no pieces left and no

ability

There

to move.

middlegame. This does not mean that they do not exist there. But just as mating attacks are far less frequent in the endgame, the promotion of pawns is far less common in the middlegame. It happens, but rarely. Even underpromotion happens. And our first theme is indeed those: are

many themes in the

endgame

which

1. Promotion and

Although is a

queens

or more.

to

hardly

ever seen

in the

underpromotion

ends with checkmate, the strategic path to achieving this for mate”. Rather, the goal of a large majority of endgame play is to promote We all know this from our early days in chess, when you needed at least two

all successful

rarely “playing pawn

are

endgame play

deliver checkmate!

28

Chapter

Obviously, hoping that extra

later in

our career, we are

the weakness will

pawn, then

a

turn

1

simply

into

an

pawn and then,

passed

Elements

Endgame

-

finally, winning piece, which will then decide the game. a

high-level spectrum, there is the scenario with multiple promotions, entering what Romanovsky called the Fourth Phase: an endgame with queens and rooks, with both passed pawns and attacks on the king. I cannot see a better way to start this book than a completely bonkers endgame involving plenty of promotions.

33.&xg6

b5

b4 34.f4! The the

passed pawns

are

White is

making sure pushed, keeping flexibility.

most active move.

34.d3 d5 47.'xc3

1

-

Endgame

Elements

44.&dl &e4

h5 48.&b4!

would win easily for White.

&x6 47.&d3 &e6 48.JLd4 JLg5 49.&xc3 d5 50.&b3 &d6 51.&a4 &c6 52.&a5 ie7 46.b4

abcdefgh 58.1c5 It

simpler to exchange light squares

was

control of the

pawns and take in the process:

58.&e3 ih2 59.ig7 &b6 60.&d4 &xb5 6l.&xd5 White’s next move is Ag7-d4!, off the black

cutting retreat.

abcdefg

h

loses

53.b5t?

exchange White is in

Truly poor technique. certainly comes in under

This

unnecessary pawn be happy. Slow

on

moves.

no

the category of

Steinitz would

not

58.. .1e5 59.ie3

next move is

&c7 60.id4 ig3 61.&e3

6xd5 36.exd5 £>xd5

abcdefgh abcdefgh

248

Chapter

1

-

Endgame

45.&d5?

40. a8=®t? Move 40. It is easy

to

forgive

a

player

for

making mistake when time is running out. Right? Not so fast. Vaishali had 18 minutes a

37.a7, and she still had about 18 minutes when she played this move.

when she A

move

played

it

diminished, but only with this

move

is

actually ruined.

position. to analyse the position for hour and will give you the winning line it

I allowed Fat Fritz 2 an

suggested. 45.£>d3t &d4 46.£>cl The point of this strange manoeuvre is to attack the b3-pawn and prevent the black

Instead, White should have exploited that the black king is unable to join the game, as long as

®d5t

It turns out that objectively, only this mistake throws away the winning position. With one minute now on the clock, Vaishali had no chance to work out the nuances of the

she made in 2 seconds. Remember

that she had to put the queen on the board too, so this leaves far less than a second for active thought. Already, the white advantage is much

Elements

is in the air and the pawn still

rank. White wins

on

the 7th

her position

by improving before giving up this advantage. 40.&g2 &e8 41. d5 ^d8 23.Sxd5!? ®xd5 24.ftcxe6t 22.ftxg7t &d7! 25.£k7 ®xd6 26.ftxa8 ®c5 27.^>xb6t ^c6 with a drawn ending approaching.

following variation

21 Jfe5

Sg8! The intermediate

is

abcdefgh

a

At this point Black has a lot of options and, obviously, MVL spent a lot of time.

disaster.

a

scary

on

move

22...Sg8?!

21...®xc3t? 22.^£1

23.Shel ftf6 24.®f5! is

proposition. White

e6. The black

is about to sacrifice

king is stuck in

22...ftf6 is better, but after still in grave

danger.

He is

not

the centre.

23.®e2! Black

managing

to

is

get

the pieces into the game. This is

objectively the that there is

best

move.

But it does

easy ride ahead. 19..Jbcd4 20.Bxd4 ®a2 21.0—0 looks very

not mean

an

dangerous for Black. Using an engine, find a path through the labyrinth that leads to a slightly better endgame for White, which is

we can

not

easy

The

to

hold in practice. practical solution is also the

most

imaginative. Black could play: 19...f5! 20.ftxc5 &f7!!

22.^dxe6! White has

to

go all in. Caruana was

obviously

still in preparation. 22...fxe6 23.^xe6

8

most

naan

7 6 5 4 3 2 1

mjKU0k inf, wmww

W

m

jliMS

|f§f ifH I ill |§fi fi abcdefgh

23..Jfxc3t!? abcdefgh Black has returned the piece

and is

It is very hard

ready

to

the pieces into the game. White does not have anything better than 21.ftxf5!? (21.4^d3

desperately

4k6

off at the first

bring

22.0-0

S=?e8

Black

is

absolutely safe)

21...exf5 22.S=?d4 ®a2 23.Sd2 ®c4 with

a

draw.

to

fault MVL for this decision.

If you were under combined attack from Stockfish and Caruana, you would also be attracted

to

possibility.

chopping

the queens

Chapter 6

782

-

Illustrative Games

Black would have been closer

to solving his when 23...^>f6!, problems played after the knight reacts, for example with 24.ftf8t> Black will play: 24..Jke6!!

if he had

abcdefgh The

success

of

Nepomniachtchi in the first was closely connected

half of the tournament to

White

cannot

play 25.^xe6 &f7,

and Black

to

exchange

while his preparation was With Black he got into

not

big great trouble twice in the French Defence. But he

wins. So instead, he has

playing well;

a

queens, but

this time on Black’s terms. 25.®xe6f ®xe6t 26.ftxe6 &f7 27.£k7 Sa7 and White has to

play a few accurate moves not to be worse. Certainly, Caruana knew of this and was prepared for it, so he would have shown a straight path to a draw, for sure. 28.0-0 29.ikc5 Bxdl 30.Bxdl b6 3lJbcb6 Sb7 32.£a8 £c6 33.ie3 Se7 34.ic5 Sb7 Xu Xiangyu 35J^e3 Se7 36.jkc5 Sb7 Sd8

success.

managed to outplay his opponents in three games, especially through practical and welltimed choices. Against Ding Liren he played

superficially, as he is known to do. But in general, the thing that gave him first place after eight rounds is good play. 26...&e4? Played after two

minutes.

-

Lu

Shanglei, Xinghua Jiangsu

2021.

24.®xc3 ^xc3 25.^c7t &f7 26.Sd3 Considering the onslaught he has been faced with, MVL has reacted well and in decent time. At this point he had 34 minutes and is almost out of the woods. And this is the time where I would like to revisit my claim about the danger of too deep preparation. What can

happen

is that

their time time

on

on

a

player

and his

team

spend

all

opening preparation and limited

practical

skills.

MVL is

dynamic player,

a

rook in the

corner must

But this is

not

the

not as relevant in

so

exchange, seriously at:

the

middlegame. Activity is the endgame. Obviously

MVL had decided in advance

but still it

sacrificing

have been tempting.

was

the

to

right

give

up the

time to look

26...Sa7! After 27.Sxc3 there

are

all kinds of tricks with 0-0t and £>d5-e7 to worry about. If MVL had tried to solve these

problems,

he would have.

783

5. Fortress

This is

a

good

moment

endgame.

material. But in

glance, reality it will

talk about the in

equal

be very difficult

the

queenside. The the kingside, eventually belong

to defend the pawns

will

to

Black is

At first

on

knights they will not be lost. But g7 is a weakness and the opposite-coloured bishops, which so often are a drawing factor, or a good way to ensure compensation for an exchange, are here really just the absence of a dark-squared bishop on

where

abcdef The

simplest way to

gh

do this is:

for Black.

27...&g6!

The strongest for White is now 28.0-0 &h7, a balanced position. It is time to look for

with

final

the brakes. If White

the point

hard, 28.ftd5 £k6! 29.Jkc5 Se8f 30.&f2 b6! and there is space for a check on f7

of the

king

pushes

too

we see

move:

and White will have

to

defend

an

endgame

a

pawn down. 27.0-0t It

g6

&g6?!

turns out

after the

that the

exchange

king is

was a

28.^xa8

not better off on

sacrifice.

27...£T6 28.ftxa8 Jke6 with White

All of these considerations, if we approach them in the spirit of Swedish endgame legend Ulf Andersson, leave Black scrambling for a

a

small

edge

better go. 29.^b6

for

not

endgame where too long to

take

with

two

Black is

drawing.

It does

conclude that it may be each on the pawns kingside.

watching the Chess24 broadcast with Magnus Carlsen, David Howell and Tania Sachdev. I felt they were a little too busy idolising MVL’s defensive skills, rather than debating the properties of the endgame. Those who followed the broadcast would probably be surprised that my view is so different from that of the World Champion and his co-hosts, but they simply did not get past the first glance. I

was

29...Sd8?! As it is hard

the

to

imagine

many set-ups

on

where Black will draw with

a kingside vs it made a lot of sense to knight, keep the bishop. 29...Jkg4 with a very dangerous position was thus better.

rook

30.^xc8! §xc8

Everything has gone wrong for Black. At this point Caruana had to slow down and work the best way to convert the advantage.

out

31.1a3!? abcdefgh

This is still winning, but it was worth for

simplicity.

looking

784

Chapter 6

-

Illustrative Games

31 .He 1! would have been

a strong intermediate 31...He8 (31...£>xd6 32.Hxd6t &h7 33.Hd7 will soon mean the end of the black move.

queenside, weakness

as

on

he will have

defend the second

to

g7.)

abcdefgh 35.h4?? Quick,

abcdefgh 32.jka3! Threatening Hde3, winning

a piece. 32.. .ftf6 33.Hxe8 ftxe8 34.Hd7 b5 35.Hb7 White wins the queenside and later the game.

31.. .Hc7 32.Hf4 White

confident and bad.

Steinitz

which

Rule,

more

weaknesses in Blacks

Don’t

make

unnecessary pawn moves in the endgame. It is clear that Caruana is dreaming of playing

h4-h5 and that he believes that the tactics

are

in his favour.

33.1b2!

creates

the

Violating

states:

35. h3!? makes

of

sense, controlling then bringing out important squares the king. But the strongest move is 35.Hd6!, some sort

and

position.

where 35...He It is met with 36.Hfl! and after

33.. .fce7 White is also winning after 33...^>a5 34.jtxf6

gxf6 35.Hd6 either

Hf7

36.Hg4t &f5

37...&g6 38.Hd3!

with 39.Hd7. Black and the

split

or

cannot

pawns

on

37.Hh4 and

37...&g5

38.Hhd4

hold the

the

queenside kingside are easy

36.Hb6 the queenside

35.. .£>f5

White will still have to

picks

is doomed.

play accurately, as he example: 36...h5

off the pawns. For

37.h3 a5 38.&h2! Hc2 39.Hf3 White is in control and will pick off the black pawns one

by one.

targets.

34.Jbcftj gxft) Everything has worked as it should for Caruana. The position is winning and he has over

50 minutes

move

40 and

on

the clock

to

take him

to

beyond. So, what does the World

Number 2 do? He makes

after 29 seconds.

a

committal

35.. .h5! MVL

luck. A

must

have found it hard

to

believe his

ago, his pawns were scattered they work beautifully together

moment

and weak, now with the knight, which either f5

or

move

can

be well

placed

on

g4.

36. Hg3t There

obviously

are

other

the idea.

36...&f7 37.Bg5

options,

but

this

was

785

5. Fortress

abcdefgh

abcdefgh 37.. .5clt! Caruana had was

understood that this

45...&f7! It is important

to

keep

the white

king out.

coming.

It is safe

for

by

now

to assume

37...^g6?

the check

on

that Caruana had

planned

38.Bxh5!, winning because of

45...^e5? This would lose and

cannot

as

the white

be kicked

king penetrates

out:

46.&h4! &f7 47.&h5!

the 7th rank.

39.S£2 ^xh4 expected this to be leading to was an Caruana easy draw, expecting a more Frenchman: from the dynamic approach 38.&h2

While MVL

39.. .6g7 40.Bxh5 ^e5 the

This is

queenside.

hoping to advance misunderstanding

a

of the position entirely. Caruana wanted to play 4l.^f3, but even stronger is 4l.Hf4! and Hhf5, after which the pawns will advance on the kingside and Black will be unable to do

anything on

the

abcdef

47...&g7

queenside.

If Black tries

40.Sxh5 43.Sb6f

4l.§h7t Sc6 44.Sxc6f ^xc6

gh

42.§xb7 ^e5!

45.&g3

to

defend with the

king

from

the other side, White wins with: 47...&e6 48.Sa2 &d3 49.Sxa6t &f7 50.&h6 £ie5 51.Sa4 £)c6 32.Sf4 &e5 53.g4 &e6 54.&g7

&e7

Chapter 6

786

abcdef

-

Illustrative Games

gh

White needs

to lose a tempo. 55.Se4 &e6 56.Sa4 &e7 57.Sf4 ftd7 58.Se4t &d6

59.Sd4t White takes

48.Sa2

on

Caruana

7

was

unsure

evaluation of this

to

go for the

48...ftd3

49.Sxa6

51 .Se6 the

knight

Trying

abcdefgh

d7 and wins.

g2-pawn

also fails. After

fcf4t

50.&g4 ftxg2

is

trapped. 51.g4 &f8 52.&g6

49.Sxa6 £ie5 50.Sa7t £if7

fte5t

not see

is

a

how

to

about

endgame,

endgame to play, players played.

no means

as was apparent from how the What Black needed to work out

organise the pieces. take

to

care

correct

make progress. This

draw, but it is by

idea is

the

but could also

It

turns out

easy

was

how

that the

to

key

put the knight on g7. The pawn will of the e5- and g5-squares, so the king

knight will take care of the light squares. Thus, the knight on g7.

and

51.&e4 &h6 52.Sa5 It is

key

to

understand that the

king

cannot

penetrate from the back. After' 52.&d5 fcf5

almost any knight move will hold the fortress, while Black can even go for

abcdefgh And

now

either

the

technically

53.&f5! or: 53.&xf6!? ftxg4t 54.&f5! The black knight is far assistance of the

protective 54...£>h6t 55.&g6 For

ftg4

correct

counterplay with 55...^g5?!,

which is

56.^f7 £>h4 Black holds nonetheless. unnecessary, but after

away

king.

from

56.Sa5!

46.Sc2 &b4 47.Sd2 &c6 48.&f4

&g4

entirely

57.&xf6

the

White wins.

example...

49.Sd6 ^e5 50.Sxa6

fcg7t 54.&e7

53.&e6

£T5t 55.&f8

&g6

52...&f7 53.Sa3 &d6f 54.6 55.Sd3

787

5. Fortress

60...&g6 61.&6t &f7 62.&e4

abcdefgh 55...&h6?

55...^g7!

was

a

draw

as

press conference, MVL said that he expected this to lose, but Caruana assumed, correctly, that it would be a draw.

56.Sg3t

7

abcdefgh

described. In the

57.&e4 &g8 58.&B £>e7t

62...£>e7? Knowing

where the

knight belongs

make

this position easy. If you do not know where it belongs, you might consider that 62...ftc7! being the only is an act of digital wizardry. But actually, 63.&f4 £>e6t 64.&g4 ftg7! with a fortress, is move

not so

difficult

to

understand.

63.&f4 &d5t 64.&B! £>e7t

abcdefgh 59.&f4?! 59.&g4? e7t 6l.^e4!

the

right

65.&e4! This time Caruana finds the winning line.

Chapter 6

788

-

Illustrative Games

65...^g8

79...£le4 80.Sxe4f and the

65...&e6 66.Sa3 &f7 67.Sa7 &e6 68.&f3! The right path to the kingside is avoiding

wins.

checks. 68...ftd5 69.Sa5 £>e7 wins after

66.Sh3

a

70.&g4

White

pawn

ending

80.&f8 &e4 81.&g7 £ig3 82.&g6 &e2 83.Sa2 Qftf 84.&h6 &h3 85.Sh2 Qf4 86.Sf2 &e4

lot of more action.

&g6 67.Sa3

87.5fl!

87.

The necessary concession.

Black had

16.if4®d7 This is

to

typical

a

mode. White has

scenario in the to

work

out

improve his position and keep The

worst-placed pieces

are

the fl -knight. As Black is

...Sae8 and

can

up the pressure.

the

a

a

to

play

there is little point Se2. So White needs to bring the

But which path it takes is

not

obvious.

to

reduce the pressure with

White has

serious way

no

apply real pressure. As we shall see, Black has number of chances to defend in this game,

but the failure

to

he will later have

take the easy ones means that to defend difficult positions.

18 Jbtd6 ®xd6 19.£}f5 ®d7 20.®h3

Threatening £}h6t> gaining an important tempo to make it possible to apply pressure. Nepomniachtchi said he remembered his preparation

to

around here.

abcdefgh

abcdefgh

20.. .6h8!

17.&g3?I An inaccuracy of

importance

no

to

the

course

of the game, but it did offer Black

chance

to

The best 20.. .§e6

equalise immediately.

correct

path

for the

knight

to

f5,

was

17.®e3!, when Black should play 17...Sae8, transposing to the game, as 17...g6?! does not work here. (And 17...^e4? would leave Black under pressure after 18.f3 5^e6 \9.&h2 5^d6 20.ge2.) 18.h5 and after

18...&g7

move.

a

This

The

chance

1-rook and

planning

exchange rooks,

playing knight to f5. to

plus equal

how he

a

18.h5 &f7.

17.. .g6!

or

18...&F7

could

intending

to

also

be

play ...g6

considered. or

Black

is

...Sfe8.

21. h5!g6 Without this,

nothing makes

21...Sfe8 22.§e3! also does to

relieve the pressure.

22. hxg6

hxg6

sense.

not

allow Black

806

Chapter

6

—

Illustrative Games

Here the strongest move is: 23.f4! (23.§e3 ®d6 24.§ael £}g5 holds, although Black is still under

some

pressure.)

One of the

important attacking techniques more

wood

Black

now

is to

most

bring

the fire whenever you can. has to play the very sad 23...gxh5, to

when after 24.§e3 Black is

unlikely

to resist

the pressure. 21.h5!

abcdefgh Black is

to

find

knight

preventing

...g6. 21...Sxelt 22.Sxel Se8

way to increase the pressure.

a

26.§g7t

24.gg3t

&f7

25.®h5t

&e7

wins the queen.

Sfe8

24.. .®xh3 move:

is

met

with

an

intermediate

25.§xg6f

25.Sfl! Sel 26.^d6 ffxh3 27.gxh3 Black is under serious pressure with pawns

and

®h7

23.. .gxf5

24.gg3

take the

up the pressure and

would relieve the pressure. White has

retreat

23.Se3!!

threatening

to

Keeping

two

currently hanging.

Black had another option. 20...^le6?, which is unpleasant for Black after: 21.h5 g6 22.£}h4!

Putting best

pressure

move

on

the weak

g6-square. The clearly

abcdefgh

is to take on h5, but this has

gone wrong.

22...xc4? would lose directly ®xc4

to:

30.£>xc4

abcdefgh 31.. .6b5 Black also had

a

fantastic active defence

with: 31.. .6e4!?32.@b8 32.©f4

&e7!

33.a4

&d7

also

holds.

Apparently. abcdef

gh

where the queen plans to penetrate the black position, while keeping the defence of the h6-pawn up. 31...&g8 The only move. 31. @h2!,

(31...@g8 32.@d6! leads to a direct mate) 32. @b8t &f7 33.©xb7t &e6 34.@xh7 ©xd4 35.@xg6

and White wins.

The best way

to

neutralise the pressure was is ready to deal with

29...^if71. The knight

problem in Blacks position, which h6-pawn. If White plays @h2, Black has ...@d6 with full equality. Thus, the most dangerous option is 30.c5!?, where Black is entirely OK in many ways. The most direct the main

is the strong

is 30...®xa2 31.@h2 @alt 32.&g2 ©xd4 33. ©b8t ©d8 34.@xb7 ©e8 and White has no

advantage

30Jfh2!

at

all.

&f7 31.c5

32...@xa2!! This is

a

defend f2

bit surprising. But White cannot conveniently after he picks up the

h7-pawn with

check.

34.@g7t &e8 35.©h8t &e7 36.©xh7t &d8 37.©h8t &c7 38.©g7t &d8 39.£>dl ©e2 40.©xg6 ©xdlt 4l.&g2 @xd4 33.©xb7t &f8

Black survives because of the counterattack against f2. 32.®b8

7. Plus

Black has

The fact that importance.

811

equal

plenty of problems left to solve. they can be solved is of much less In the game Wang Hao tried his

best and failed.

32.. JM7?

Finally, the

pressure

mistake. Black had

leads

two

ways

to

a

decisive

of saving the

game, but both

required some accuracy and understanding. Spending the last five minutes of his time, Wang Hao was not able to see in which direction he had

to

abcdefgh 34.. .@e4!!

go.

34...@xc5 35.a4 is

Black had another computer defence after: 32.. .^xd4!?

unpleasant for Black, although counterplay. 36.a5 fxg4 37.©b7t &e6 38.a6 g3! Black has enough counterplay, even though White can still create problems for him. 35...f5! still offers him

35.©b7t &e6 36.®xh7

Nepomniachtchi was a true professional, telling the journalists exactly what he was thinking, holding nothing back. He believed that there

was

no

way Black could deliver

with the

perpetual everything. But actually,

knight

on

e3

a

defending

there are several ways for Black the necessary counterplay. One way is ...©bit then ...£>e2.

to create

abcdefgh

33.©xb7t 33.©h8 leaves Black with smartass one

point that where it

I

has saw

a

very

two

defences. The

important illustrative

in another game

really was

the

yesterday, only option available

to hold the game. 33...&e7U 34.®xh7t ©f7 35.©h8 @f8 Black draws.

obviously 33...£>f3t 34.&g2 £>g5, defending the h-pawn, when

The human defence is after

35.©g7t &e8 36.®xb7 ®e4t

it is not

surprising that Black makes the draw with a

combination of counterplay and

perpetual

Another is 36...£>f3t 37.&fl £>d4. And finally 36...£>e2t 37.&fl, when the knight can nicest is

The

retract to

threaten ...@hl

mate.

But

37...£>g3t! 38.fxg3 ®f3t with a draw.

more

human

attempt

But White could still

create

was:

32...@e7

problems

for his

opponent. a) 33.£>c4 ©elt

34.&g2 @e4t 35.&h2 looks

bad for Black, but after 35...®f3! Black has enough counterplay to ensure the draw.

check. 33...®e7 34.@xa6

b) 33.®h8 &e6 34.^c2! This is more dangerous accurate

34.. .6c3

defence holds.

35.®g8t

for Black,

but

Chapter 6

812

-

Illustrative Games

abcdefgh 35...&d7! 35..JK7? 36.d3t! £>xd5 (36...cxd5 37.£>d4t &e7 38.©c8 and White wins) 37.£>d4t &e7 38.©b8 @e8 39.©xb7t @d7 40.&xc6t &e8

abcdefgh 34.f4! £ixd4 34...@xd4 35.©e8#

4l.@a8t &f7 42.&hl where White is close to

winning,

on account

as

Black

cannot

play 42...@xg4

of 43.^d8t and 44.®xd5.

36 Jfb3 £>b5 37.a4 £>c7 38.&e3 6! f4 40.£c4

39.©g8

@elt4l.^g2

34...@e7 35.f5t &d7 36.^£2! leaves Black utterly lost. The main threat is 37.hxg6 fxg6

38.©g7! and the h-pawn queens. And if Black plays 36...g5> he will face down the secondary threat 37.c4! when it is So, he has

to

at

least checkmate.

play 36...gxf5,

when after:

37.&xf5 ®f7 38.a4

abcdefgh 4l...f3t! Black survives by perpetual check: 42.^xf3 ©dlt 43.&e4 @xg4t 44.^d3

45.&e2 @g4t 46.&e3 ©g5t

abcdefgh

©f5t

Blacks position is disintegrating. He cannot knight to land on d6. It will hurt too

allow the

33 Jfh8!

&e6

much.

35.®g8t®f7 35...&e7 36.©xh7t and the h -pawn queens.

7. Plus

36.1fc8t®d7 36...&e7 37Jfxb7t &f8 38.®b8t

®e8

39.©d6f and White picks up the knight.

37.&g8t At first

believed that he

Nepomniachtchi

winning after 37.f5t gxf5 38.gxf5t &e7 39.®h8, but then realised that Black can

was

defend the pawn with 39...£lf3t! 40.2542 and Black is not worse at all.

£}g5

37...m

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

abcdefgh 38Jfd8!

Wang

Hao had missed this

threat of mate

on

move.

d6, Black has

38..Jfd7 38...£lb5 39.a4 also

wins

a

no

With the

options left.

piece.

39.f5t gxf5 40.gxf5t &xf5 4l.1=fxd7t &xd7 42.&xf5 &e6 43.£ie3 1-0

equal

813

814

8.

The following

game

seeds in the the

was

B-group, grandmasters.

Exchanges and the flow of the game

played

at

the 1999 Danish

Championship.

I

was

where I think I finished second, rather than getting

This game offers a chance general flow of the game.

to

learn

a

lot about how

to

manage

a

sadly

one

chance

exchanges

to

of the top play with

of pieces and the

We have talked about both topics earlier in this book, but seeing them in the context of complicated struggle between two strong grandmasters is still something we will benefit from. The first

a

phase of the game will see Black misjudge every possible exchange available to him and a good position out of the opening, to a more and more difficult position, until finally

drift from

it will be up to his opponent to show his skills in the conversion. There we shall see the importance of understanding when a

good position, incrementally improved, does not win by itself. At some point we have to show concrete play in order to defeat a grandmaster. This is not a skill we can conjure when we need it, but one we need to hone through regular training. follow the game live and see the players discussing it in the commentary room afterwards. I will not be able to quote them, but the impression of Black creating all his own I had

a

chance

difficulties

to

stayed with

me

and has

now

brought

Lars Bo Hansen

-

®H6 2.&B d5 3.c4 e6 4.$k3 le7

back

to

look

at

the game in detail.

Peter Heine Nielsen

Aarhus l.d4

me

1999

5.1g5 h6 6.!h4 0-0 7.e3 b6

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

abcdefgh 8Jfb3 Even 22 years ago, this move felt horribly artificial to me. The plan is to create a slightly beneficial pawn structure and slowly manoeuvre around to create long-term pressure. But the queen is not well placed on b3 and Black will be able to solve his problems with active play

8.

Exchanges

rather than wait around until White is to

exploit

the structural

815

and the flow of the game

ready

of the

advantages

position. An even weaker version would be the following:

8.ibcf6 Jbcf6 9.cxd5 exd5 10.©b3 After 10...jkb7,

we would transpose to the game. But Black does not put the bishop on b7 and then play ...exd5 because he wants to

organise the pieces

in this way, but because

White does not take

on

on

10.. .jLe6! ll.Sdl c5 12.dxc5

13...bxc5 This is lead

White has little choice. 12.^e2 c4 followed

abcdefgh

f6 and d5 until the

b7. In this constellation, Black bishop has the chance to seize the initiative. is

what most would

to a serious

It is unnatural

by

a

rapid queenside

expansion would be bad news Black is already slightly better.

for White.

12.. .6d7!

but

play

and it does

advantage.

to

give

up the

I4.exd4

13..Jbcd4!

good bishop,

bxc5,

was

also

very strong. Black is ready to fight for the d4-square and to put his rooks in the open files. It has all the my eyes,

even

makings of a miniature to objectively not stronger

if it is

than the game continuation. I4.^xe6fxe6 15.^e2§b8 I6.@c2@b6 17.§bl

abcdefgh The thematic

scheme. The

developing

tactic here is to block the

d-file,

so

key

...d4 is

threatened.

abcdefgh

13.&d4? 13.^xd5

^xc5

I4.^xf6t ©xf6

15.@a3

(15 .©c3 was played in Allan Askarova, corr. 1985. After 15...@xc3t I6.bxc3 Jbca2 Black

17...&xc3t! Black has

to

exploit

his

advantage

before

-

would the and

already be passed a-pawn, a

small lead in

I6.§xd8t

somewhat better, with the strong

knight on c5 development.) 15...Sfd8

§xd8 17.ie2

19.^h4 @c2 with full

@g6

18.0-0 ih3

compensation.

White manages

to

solve 90% of her problems

by castling. 18.©xc3 d4 19.©d2 dxe3! Keeping up the momentum. 20.©xe3 20. fxe3 c4! would bring in the knight via e5. 21. @xd7? §bd8 would win the queen and end the game

as a contest.

816

Chapter 6 8

-

Illustrative Games

21.. .@xd2t 22.^xd2 §xf2

mmjmm nf

7

Black has

m

6

game 20

jjiij

5

8.. .1.7

3

The

1

afl U,km,hm mMw,

White

The critical

moment

9.Jbcc4

of the game.

a

chance

10.. Jbcg2? would move

and

a

move

-

JT)7

10.£>e5

would

give

initiative, develop Black is not in trouble desperate yet. although But he has to be cautious, as something like

abcdefgh

20..JTa5t?! The natural

advantage and won the Cramling E. L’Ami,

later. P.

most consistent move.

8.. .dxc4

is

m

solid

Stockholm 2013.

4

2

a

moves

to

meet a

an

swift end:

that should

have been

punished. 20...©b4t! Comparison!

White does

not

have the option of giving up the pawn and now has to play 21.@d2, transposing to the game, as after 21.&fl £>f6! 22.@xe6t &h8 23.a3 ©f4 (23...©xa3!? also works.) 24.g3

©d4 25.©e3 £>e4 26.©xd4 cxd4 Black wins. The threat to f2 and of ...£>d2t is decisive. 21.@d2? White

misses

complications. cxb4

the

chance

to

create

23.§bcl! White

is

able

to

create

For example 23...§fc8? 24.Jlc4! and White wins material. If Black does

counterplay.

fall for any tricks, he will still have an advantage, but getting a full point from that not

will

not

abcdefgh

After 21.b4! ©xa2 22.0-0

jbchl 12.jbcf7t Sxf7 (12...^h8 would win on the spot due to the threat of smothered mate.) 13.@xf7t ^h7 14.0-0-0 kc6 15.Sgl ©f8 llJbce6!

13.@c2

be easy.

abcdefgh

I6.@g6t &g8 17.©xh6 abcdefgh

With

a

devastating attack.

8.

Exchanges

and the flow of the game

give White Huss

-

817

initiative. For

an

example,

in

Neuchatel 1998. Notice

Brugger,

quite common strategic concept here. Often in positions where one side gets the a

bishops,

two

it has been at the cost of giving

the opponent

lead in

development. correctly pointed out that although the two bishops will prefer to roam freely in an open position, we will need to complete the development before seeking to open the position; aligning

slight

a

In such situations

the

9Jhcft> executes

his strategic

player with

a

lead in

development.

I6.e5 ie7 17.id3 c5 18.dxc5

plan.

9..Jhcft> 10.cxd5 exd5 ll.Sdl White is playing according to

Watson

ourselves with another strategic concept, that opening the position most often favours

abcdefgh

White

John

his idea. Safer

was:

ll.ie2 c6 12.0-0 §e8 13.Sfel &d7 l4.Sadl £if8 15.e4

abcdefgh 18.. .^xc5 A tad imprecise. 18...d4!N 19.£>e4 jbi5 20.©c2 bxc5 would have

equalised comfortably. Compare powerful bishop on d5 to how it was in game just five

moves

the the

hence.

19.©c2 £xd3 20.§xd3

15...fce6! The knight is perfectly placed here matter

how the

play

Black would be able

continues. But to

play

any

White is no

really,

move

that

improves his position. All he has to avoid is opening up the position for the white pieces

with: 15...dxe4?

16.Jlc4

©c7

17.^xe4

would

a

bit better.

20.. .1b4? This is poor positional play. Black has not yet finished his development, but still seeks to

exchange his good bishop for White’s knight achieving any strategic concession

without

whatsoever. 21.a3

Jbcc3 22.@xc3

Chapter 6

818

—

Illustrative Games

abcdefgh White has

knight

vs

a

pawn and does

not

options

significant advantage. Good play against the isolated small lead in development. It

bad bishop, a

surprise

me

provided

that

to us

of the main

one

by

the engine is

to

38.f6 g6 39.e6 §a7 40.©b8 1-0 Yilmaz Batchuluun, Moscow 2015. -

11.. .5e8 12.1d3 In this pawn structure,

this is the

But the white

optimal king is still

up the pawn with ...d5-d4 around here. The game below is not annotated in detail.

square for the

Even

target for Black to exploit for his strategic ends. For this reason I am wondering if the bishop is

give

though

every

is still useful to

see

move was not

precise,

it

how White converted the

in the centre and the

not better

advantage.

bishop.

placed on

bishop

becomes

e2 for the time

a

tactical

being.

22...§c8 23.©d2 @c7 24.§c3! ©d7 25.&d4 §xc3 26.©xc3 £c8 27.©d2 ia6 28.h3! ©a4

12.. .c5 13.dxc5

&d7!

abcdefgh 29.f4!?

Preparing

this with 29.&h2!

&h7 30.f4

was

perhaps

or

even

makes little difference; the beyond doubt all the same.

29.©e3!

stronger. It

advantage

is

&h7 32.@e3 ic8 33.f3 ©a4 34.§el ©e8 35.©d3 35.e6 was another natural move. 29.. .©c4 30.§dl §c7 31.&h2

35.. .6g8 36.b3 a5

37.©g3 &h8

abcdefgh I4.c6! A thematic way

black

knight

to

wants

give back the to

go

to

c5,

pawn. The so

it is

no

inconvenience for it to have to take the pawn. But after this move, the bishop is somewhat

placed on c6 than it was on marginal, but so many things in chess

worse

b7. It is are.

8.

To illustrate the need for this

Exchanges move,

three alternatives that will show the

819

and the flow of the game

here

are

15.. .d4! I6.^xd4

would be bad for White: l6..Jbcf3! 17. gxf3 §e6 and Black is already better. 16. Jd>5

potential

of the black position.

16.. .1bcd4 17.exd4 £>xd3 18.§xd3 a5! I4.cxb6? So optimistic it borders on the naive. Black will gain important tempos and the white

king is

still

trapped

Creating space bishop. White

another

on

has

diagonal for the satisfactory way to

no

meet the threat of ...jLa6.

in the centre.

I4...ftc5 15.@c2 £>xd3t I6.@xd3@xb6

abcdefgh 19.£e3!

White the

abcdefgh

19.§d2?

is unable to castle without

19. §fdl is

giving

good

not

moves.

much better. Black has many One of them is:

19.&dl,

Black will take

because of the weakness of the g2-square. 20. ©c5 b4 21.^b3 ^e4 Energetic play.

22.§3d2?! Natural,

on

g2.

be

heading

for

a

winning

on

the

7

endgame for Black. 14.0- 0 &xc5 15.©a3 15.@c2 §c8 is very comfortable

ig6

losing

24.@f3

IP! IP IlP#!i

8 soon

but also

And after:

19.0-0 ia6 We will

met

spot. 22...§c8 23.©h5

17...d4!? 18.&xd4 §ad8 If

and Black wins.

with another strong blow: 19...b5!! The pawn is indirectly defended

up

exchange.

17.£d2 This is

Jbcg2

6

jll

5 4

for Black.

3 2 1

11

11x1*1

jMjsumm Jll

0%-,, Am O .,

BAB ||j|P

||pp

abcdefgh

24...@g5!

The double attack

and the rook wins

a

on

the

19...©xd4 20.©a4! The best move by far. White seeks an

inferior

ending,

knight

piece.

with

hopes

to enter

of survival.

Chapter 6

820

-

Illustrative Games

After I4.©c2, the simplest solution for Black would be l4..Jbcc3t 15.®xc3 bxc5, with total total failure, but also not equality. would choose to play with something anyone White in their preparation. This is

not a

16.. .a5 17.^e2 ^xd3!? 18.ffxd3 18.§xd3 ikb5! 19.Sd2 £ie7 looks

for White and would be favour of this

being

18.. .1b7 19.ffd2 §c8 20.fced4 ia6 21.Sfel le7 22.a3 Af6 23.h3

l4..Ac5? 15.cxb7 would give White many

pieces for the

Se7 24.^e2 §ec7

25.5^fd4 a4 26.5^c3 §c4 27.§cl

I4...ibt:c6 too

queen.

unpleasant

argument in the superior move order. an

g6

28.§edl

Ig7 29.fcde2 ib7 30.&d4 ffd7 31.®d3 S4c5 32.§c2 §a5 33.Scd2

15.0-0 %hc5 16.®a3

abcdefgh 33...ia6 34.ffbl ffb7 35.&hl ic4

36.&gl

38.&gl b5 39.^a2 Sd6 40.^b4 1fe7 4l.Sel ffe4 42.ffdl h5 43.®cl Sd7 44.ffdl Sc7 45.Sc2 gcc8 46.ffd2 §e8 Sd8 37.&hl Saa8

abcdefgh

47 M3 lf6 48.§ccl

16...ib7?! The bishop but not

is heading for a6 necessarily.

in the

long run,

8

M

MM

7

The

following game shows a great performance Simon Webb, a strong correspondence by and the author of Chess for Tigers, whom player I

played

twice in the Swedish

league. Sadly,

died in tragic circumstances and there will be a third game.

6 5 4

he 3

not

2 1

The game shows how Black and involves some clever

creation of weaknesses

can

play

for

a

win

manoeuvring and the

on

both flanks.

abcdefgh

48...g5 49.5^d4 g4 50.hxg4 hxg4 51.^e2

53.^g3 ffh7 54.fcd4 Ie5 55.fcdf5 Sf6 56.e4 d4 57.ffg5t ffg6 58.®d2 d3 59.Sedl Sfe6 60.ffb4 Sad8 52.fcc6 §d6

8.

Exchanges

821

and the flow of the game

17.. .£>xd3?! I do

piece

not

like this

is the rook

square is freed up

all. White’s

at

on

only inactive exchange, a Compare this

fl. With this

on

dl for it.

with the Webb game and you will see that Black does not have a ...Jib5 follow-up.

17.. .a5! would be analogous to the Webb game, but without the

same

tricks. It also

creates

trap in 18.jkbl?! being poor, on account of: 18..Jka6 19.Sfel lke7! The beginning a

abcdefgh

60...®g5 6l.§xc4 bxc4 62.WXC4 d2 63.®xa4 Jkxg3 64.5^xg3 §c8 65.&fl Scl 66.^e2 Sxdl 67.®xdl ffb5t 68.&e3 Sd6 69.^f5 ffc5t 70.&f4 ffxf2f 0-1 Merilo-Webb,

corr.

of

kicking the queen around. 20.®c3 §c8 2\Md4 (2\Md2 5^a4 with ideas of ...,S,b4, would be unpleasant.) 21...JT6 White is worse, but there is a lot of play remaining.

1999.

18.Sxd3 17. ^e2 17.ikc4 is

probably best met with

17...dxc4!?

18. §xd8 Sexd8 with compensation for the queen. I doubt White has a serious chance of

playing for an advantage.

abcdefgh 18..Jfe7?! Objectively even

does

abcdefgh With the opening

over,

the actual game

this game, Black will take a lot of decisions concerning exchanges and get more or less all of them wrong. Both when choosing

Throughout

make

exchanges

and when

choosing

not

not to.

make it less of

a

poor decision. The

play for an place is on the This is far more kingside. advantage to with the still on the likely happen queens main

starts now.

to

this is fine. Your engine may consider it first among equals. This where Black

can ever

board. Without queens, the importance of king safety diminishes to almost nil.

It

was

time for Black to look for

be able

to create one.

an

active

b5!?, he would 20.5} f4 b4 21.fd4 And

we

should mention that White is

actually threatening anything. £>d4-b5 easily be prevented, but even if it comes, not that dangerous.

not can

it is

23.£>xd4 24.B A typical technical move. Lars Bo Hansen has a good understanding of where to put the pieces

to exert

slow pressure.

Peter’s tactical point is that 24.b5 could met with 24...§c2, even though White is better after 25.£3. be

abcdefgh

8.

Exchanges

abcdefgh

abcdefgh

27.. .6f6?

24.. .a6 Another concession. Black has and is starting

to

a

bad

bishop

brick it in.

Black has made several decisions that have left him fighting for a draw, with little to no chance of

25.&£2

ever

to

evaluate if

25.g4

was

stronger. is that it should be. The key idea is

White

can

to see

to prevent Black from playing ...h5, where he will later be able to exchange this weak pawn,

hard

achieve.

when White tries

Thus, the

to

gain space on the kingside.

to

right

White has 25.. .g6 not

for

is the thematic

limit the

move

here. This

move

possibilities of the bishop, likely that any kingside

advantage or for the dangers

an

present him with. At this moment, the h4-h5 ideas and make them

he had

My feeling

does

fighting

win. Now he has to look out

It is hard

25...h5

823

and the flow of the game

move

some

was

27...Sell, where

advantage,

but

Black is

clinging on. In practice it is hard to defend a position like this, but this is the path Black has chosen. And

now

he has

to

walk it.

but would make it

would see Black getting rid of the outside pawn, which is the one most likely to become a weakness later on.

28.Sd3

26.g4! &e7 27.h4

28. h5!

expansion

White is initiating the

kingside.

a

serious mobilisation

on

Played a

with the idea of

introducing

§b3

as

threat.

was

already possible

now.

Black

cannot

the

advance, as after 28...gxh5?! exploit 29. §hl!, White has a serious attack and Black a lot of weak pawns. 29...hxg4 30.§xh6f &e7

(30...6 £>f6 2.d4 e6 3.e3 d5 4.id3 b6 5.0-0 kb7 6.b3 kd6 7&b2 0-0 8.£>bd2 c5 9.dxc5!? Traditionally; White played 9.®e5 £>c6 10.f4, but after 10...Sc8 1 l.a3 ®e7, Black is not worse.

9..Jbcc5 10.®e2 ^bd7 ll.c4 dxc4 12.^xc4®e7 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

abcdefgh 13.Sadi

is

At the time of the game, this was a novelty. A non-event in the not better and one move is not much different to another.

history of opening theory. White

A famous game went: 13.a3 a5 I4.^d4 §fd8 15.Sfdl Sac8 l6.Sacl £>f8 Black

was not worse

and later, when his impatient opponent over-pressed, he was even able to win the game and take the lead in the World Championship match. Carlsen Karjakin, New York (8) 2016. -

13...Sfd8 I4.£d4 &e4

under pressure, but just has a6?, when I6.^bd6 gives a big advantage. Black is

not

to

avoid

falling for small

traps like l4...Sac8 15.^b5

13. The

I5.&I1I a

the

A strange move. It is hard for me to imagine situation where the king is better placed

in the corner, but

apparently,

clumsy 20.®e4,

when Black is better in

many ways. The best being 20...jU)4, the advantage of the two bishops.

keeping

this is what

19.ie5

Kramnik did. The position is

865

bishop pair

equal

after almost any normal

White could §xd8

move.

a

pawn with 19.Sxd8t

20.®xa7, but after 20...j^a6! he will have

find

to

grab

a narrow

path

decent position.

to a

15...®h4 19...£>d5 20.e4 £>f4 21 Jfc2

®g5 22.ic7

Sdc8

abcdefgh I6.ibce4?! This I really dislike. I still believe that the is stronger than the knight, situation where most of the

bishop in

a

still

on

especially pieces

are

the board. It is clear that Kramnik is

looking for ways to

make the game interesting. played around 18 months

This game was before his retirement from competitive chess in January 2019. He later explained that he had lost the passion for chess and was trying to do whatever he could to make his games more

abcdefgh Kramnik has played

longer say

that.

23.ixf4? Kramnik will have known that this strategic

concession

It is hard for

bring the position out of balance, by giving up bishop for knight and then fighting for the light squares with the

way turned him

he seeks

to

pawns.

18.^b5 £>f6

Black has a strong consolidating move in based on the trick 19.®bd6?! jka6!,

18.. .9e7!?,

when White is about

to

lose material

or

play

me

to

on.

was

a

of great consequence. estimate if this in some

The

challenge

of

playing

inferior position may fill most of us with dread. But Kramnik, feeling his fighting passion wane, may have been tempted by an

fighting with the disadvantage of knights against bishops. And who could say that he was wrong. The game is thrilling and in the end, Kramnik had plenty of chances to the thrill of

16.. Jfxe4 17.f3 ®h4

strange moves, has insulated

move

him from getting into a worse position up to this point. With the next move, he can no

interesting. Here, rather than playing the best moves,

some

but the benefit of the first

win it.

866

But seen

6

Chapter

the other hand, he may just have anything better...

on

-

Illustrative Games

not

29.£>bd6 Sd8?! Later

we

will understand that the rook

would be better

One of the

key tactical points is that 23.J,d6? would get into trouble after 23...«S,a6!, with a vital point being that 24.a4 Jbcb5 25.axb5 Jhcd6 26.§xd6 ®xb5

nets a

pawn for Black.

But White could have

played

looks shaky, but has

no

23 J^e5!,

which

the

most

placed on c7.

important

moment

But this is

hardly

of the game.

30.Sfdl?! 30.g3 9f6 31.Scl! would have been an important way to fight for the key squares in the

centre.

discernible tactical

downside.

30...h4! Black takes control of the dark squares.

23.. .®xf4 24Jfe2 24.®bd6?

was not

the idea. After 24.. Jbcd6

31.®d2 ®xd2 32.B3xd2

25.§xd6 9xd6!, Black wins. 24.. .1c6 25.a4 h5! 26.£>d4 ie8 27.£>b5 M,c6 27...Jbcb5!? would also have been interesting. The white pawns would be targets long term. One of the powers of the two bishops is of that you

course

can

decide when

to

make

exchanges. 28.Sd3

abcdefgh 32...f6! Another

good positional

move,

fighting

for

the dark squares. As White has spent all his resources on controlling the light squares and

stabilising his

structure on

the

light squares.

Having said this, Oparin probably just prevented ®c4-e5.

33.Sd3 Sa7! Bringing the

abcdefgh

rook into the game.

28...a6!? 28...h4!, squares in

tighten

to a

doing anything choice.

the grip

on

the dark

situation where White is

not

apparent, would have been my

34.e5 Sad7 The white position is close to collapse. Kramnik decides to act before his opponent is able to do so.

13. The

867

bishop pair

35.b4!? Jbtb4 36.^xb6

abcdefgh 40...ie8! 41 .&xe6 §a6 42.&c7 Sxb6 43.&xe8 §c6! Dominating the knight. 44.&gl ^f7 abcdefgh

after 49...§xh2 Black has

36...5.7? A no

43.Sd8 Self 46.&E2 ic5t 47.&e2 gc2t 48.&d3 §xg2 49.®c7 The knight escaped, but

typical

business

time-trouble on

move.

a

technical win.

The rook has

a7.

36.. .§e7? would

drop the exchange to 37.®f5!.

36.. .§c7! would have been winning for Black. The centre is unravelling. If White takes on f6, the bishops will roam free and White will

struggle long

term.

And after 37.f4 fxe5

38.fxe5 §f8 Black would attack the g2-pawn with great power. 37.exfi6

another try. But after 38...§xd4 39.§xd4 §b7, Black stays in 37.Sd4 a5! 38.^dc8

abcdefgh

was

38.. .a5

control.

38.. .5c7!

37.. .gxft> 38.h3

wins with

was

probably

accurate

still strong.

But Black also had

better try, but after 38.. .a5 39.®b5 §xd4 40.®xd4, Black still

38.§d4

was

play:

a

to

a

tempting tactic, leading

simplifications:

38.. Jbca4!? 39.®xa4 Sad7 40.Sb3 Sxd6! 40.. 1bcd6? 4l.Sbd3 is Whites trick. 4l.Sxd6 J,xd6 42.§d3 J,e7!

would however fail to 43.®c5 &e7 44.ftb7! (44.®xa6? Sa8 would trap the knight) 44...§d7 45.®xd6 Sxd6 46.Sa3, when White will survive the rook ending 42.. .(&f7?

with

good play. 43.§xd8t Jbcd8 44.£>c5

868

Chapter

6

-

Illustrative Games

42.^gl J,g3 43.®xa5 Jbca4

44.§c4 jkb5

45.§xc7 Jbcc7 46.®ac4

abcdefgh 44.. .1e7! Black wins. If White takes

on

e6, the a-pawn

the finish line with great fervour. And if 45.®xa6 J,d6, the knight is trapped.

abcdefgh

runs to

The

knights

are

horribly

connected

to

each

other.

39.Sd4 Sa6? Black was still winning after: 39.. .§c7! 40.®dc4 §xd4 4l.§xd4

46..M7 47.&f2 &g6 48.&e3 &g5 49.&e4 ia6 50.&e3 f5 51.®a8 Af4t 52.&d3 ib8 53.®ab6 &f4 54.&C2 J,a7 Black wins.

abcdefgh 4l...iel!

key move. The bishop dominates the king, leading to a technically winning position. During a game, this is all we would need to see and if Oparin had seen this, he

The

abcdefgh

white

would have played it. But

this time, half the clock. at

of his gaze was focused on 41...J,d5? 42.§xh4 is still better for Black, but White has real drawing chances.

An interesting variation happens if we get into

analyse is what clean bishops vs

to a

40.^dc8! Sort of

have one

trapping the rook

slowly

on

a6. The tables

turned and Black should be the

who is careful from

now on.

40...Bxd4 4l.Bxd4 e5 4l...,i,c5? would lose 43.Sxc6.

knights endgame. 42.Sxh4 e4! 43.fxe4 M,c5

to

42.§c4!

J,xb6

43..J^b7!

the

bishop pair

stronger, threatening to trap White would have to give up

46.§g4t

was

knights.

the e-pawn

knights

13. The

get the rook in keep the balance.

to

and

to

support the

869

Another option

was:

7 47.Sf4 Black could hold with active play:

abcdefgh

abcdefgh 44.e5!? 44.§h5!

bit more dangerous for a (44..Jbcb6?! 45.®e7t would be really dangerous for Black.) 45.e5 JU)7 (45...fxe5 46.gxe5 again would be good for was

Black. 44...J,b4

White.) 46.exf6 Jbcc8 47.®xc8 §xf6

47...f5! 47...^d8 is passive, but should also hold in the long run.

48.gxf5t &e6 49.gf6t &d5 50.e6 &d4 51 .gh6 jkxa4 Black will get a lot of counterplay with the a-pawn. Even if he loses a bishop to the e-pawn, the a-pawn will secure a draw. 52.e7 id7 53.ga6 a4 54.ga8 &c4 55.e8=9 ibce8 56.gxe8 a3 The a-pawn will draw

by claiming the

rook.

abcdefgh

Although White is two pawns up, Black still drawing chances. The a4-pawn is in danger and the black a-pawn would be far away. But most importantly, the white knight is going to struggle to find a decent role or

has reasonable

abcdefgh 46...ile3? A

square.

horrible

problems. 44...Sxb6!

45.^xb6 ibtb6 46.exft>

mistake

that

leads

to

huge

Chapter 6

870

46...stf7\ 47.Sh7t &f8! The threat of taking We should

note

was

-

Illustrative Games

holding easily.

a4 is important. that both 47...&g8? 48.f7t on

defence

successful,

was

probably

have been

a

strong

would

one

so too.

then 49.Sh6, and 47...&g6 48.f7 £ic5 49.Sh8!

Black could have offered