Korchnoi: Move by Move [1 ed.] 1781941394, 9781781941393

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Cyrus Lakdawala

Korchnoi move

by

EVERYMAN CHESS www .everymanchess.com

move

First published in 2014 by Gloucester Publishers Limited, N orth burgh House, 10 North burgh Street, London E C 1V OAT Copyright© 2014 Cyrus Lakdawal a The right of Cyrus Lakdawal a to be identified as the author of this work h as been asserted in accordance with the Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of thi s publication m ay be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or tran smitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, m agnetic tape, photocopying, recording or otherwi se, without prior permission of the publisher. British Library Catalogu i ng-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for thi s book is available from the British Library. I S B N : 978 1 78 194 139 3 Distributed in North America by The Globe Pequot Press, P.O Box 480, 246 Goose Lane, Guilford, CT 0643 7-0480. All other sales enquiries sh ould be directed to Everym an Chess, North burgh H ouse, 10 North burgh Street, London EC1 V OAT tel : 020 7 2 5 3 7887 fax: 020 7490 3 708 email: [email protected] ; website : www.everymanch ess.com Everyman i s the regi stered trade m ark of Random H ouse Inc. and is used in this work under licence from Random H ouse Inc.

Everyman C h e s s Series

Chief advisor: Byron J acobs Comm issioning editor: John Emms Assistant editor: Richard Palliser Typeset and edited by First Rank Publishing, Brighton . Cover design by H oratio Monteverde.

About the Author

Cyrus La kd awa la is an I nternational Master, a former National Open and Am erican Open

Champion, and a six-ti m e State Ch am pion. He h as been teaching chess for over 30 years, and coaches some of the top junior pl ayers in the US. A l s o b y the Author:

Pl ay the L ondon System A Ferocious Opening Repertoire The Sl a v: Move by Move 1 d6 : Move by Move The Ca ro-Kann: Move by Move The Fou r Kn ights: Move by Move Capabl a nca: Move by Move The Modern Defen ce: Move by Move Kram n ik: Move by Move The Coll e: Move by Move The Sca ndina vian: Move by Move B otvin n ik: Move by Move Th e Nimzo-L a rsen A ttack: Move by Move The Al ekh ine Defence: Move by Move ...

Contents

About th e Author

3

Series Foreword

5

Bibliography

6

Introduction

7

1

Korchnoi on the Attack

18

2

Korchnoi on Defence

90

3

Riding the Dyn amic Element

181

4

Korchnoi on Exploiting Imbalan ces

243

5

Korchnoi on Accumul ating Advantages

330

6

Korchnoi on Ending s

398

Index of Openings

4 59

I n dex of Opponents

460

Series Foreword

Th e Move by Move form at is designed to be interactive, and is based on questions asked by both teachers and students. It aim s - as m uch as possible - to repl icate ch ess l essons. All the way through, readers will be ch allenged to answer searching questions and to com­ plete exerci ses, to test their skills in key aspects of the game. It's our firm belief that prac­ tising your skills like thi s is an excellent way to study chess. Many thanks go to all those who h ave been kind enough to offer inspiration, advice and assi stan ce in the creation of Move by Move. We're really excited by this series and h ope that readers will sh are our enthusiasm . Joh n Emms, Everyman Chess

Bibliography

Chess is My L ife, Victor Korchnoi ( E dition Olm s 2005) Karpov-Korchnoi 19 74 , William H artston & Raymond Keene (Oxford Un iversity Press 1974) Ka rpov-Korchnoi 19 78: The Inside Story of the Match, Raymond Keene (Batsford 1978) My Best Ga mes V o1.1: Ga mes with W h ite, Victor Korchnoi (Edition Olm s 200 3 ) My Best Ga mes V o1 .2: Ga mes with Black, Victor Korchnoi (Edition Olms 200 3 ) My Great Predecessors Part V , G arry Kasparov ( Everyman Chess 2006) Play the F rench, John Watson (Everym an Ch ess 2003) Sta rting Out: T he Re ti, Neil Mc Donal d (Everym an Chess 2010) Th e F lexible F rench, Viktor Moskalenko ( N ew in Chess 2008) The W onderf ul W inawer, Viktor Moskal enko ( N ew in Ch ess 2010) Electron ic/Online

Chess Publishing (with annotation s from John E m m s, Joe Gallagher, Rainer Knaak, an d Vic­ tor Mikh al evski) Chess Today (with annotation s from Nigel Davies, Mikh ail G olubev, Tony Kosten , N eil McDonal d, Paul Motwani , Ruslan Scherbakov, and Igor Stohl ) Chesslive datab ase The W eek in Ch ess Acknowledgements

Many th anks as always to my editor and fixer-upper of your writer's g oof-ups, Gran dmas­ ter John Emms; to Jonath an Tait for the final edit; and to gram m ar-mi stress N ancy for proofreading, and her iron -fisted opinions on your eccentric writer's m ade up words. May our i m agination and fighting spirit run amok as a result of studying the m aestro's g ames. Cyrus Lakdawal a, San Diego, February 2014

6

Introduction

"I don' t study; I create."- Victor Korchnoi From the ashes and pain of the Nazi blockade of Leningrad arose the ultimate survivor, the man who I believe was the strong e st chess player never to become World Champion . Victor Korchnoi was born March 2 3 rd, 193 1, the unlikeliest of chess deities. H e never really stood out as a junior an d looked like he was destined to be no more than a high -level grandm aster - but certainly no chess god. Victor Korchnoi proved everyone wrong . In the old Soviet Union, there were two paths t o greatness: lineage, mixed with the fa­ vour of the ruling authority, or the brute force of th e commoner /warlord. Korchnoi, of course, belonged in th e latter categ ory. N ever the obedient son of the ruling communi sts, he was always in trouble with them, and over and over suffered their punishments and veiled threats. He endured a brutal childh ood, faced with crushin g poverty, starvation (hi s grandmother's cat, Machek - tran slating to "Cat" in Polish - disappeared, undoubtedly butchered and con sumed by a hungry neighbour), and a pervading sen se of imperma­ nence from undergoing existence in a war-torn environment. Perh aps th e inten se psych o­ logical agony of the experience shaped his style an d forg ed him into the ultimate survivor. Man Who Would be King

On th e walls of th e San Diego Chess Club h ang the portraits of all the Worl d Champion s. Korchnoi's portrait is not among them and I wish it was. All through my teens and early adulthood, I knew of only one challenger to the worl d chess crown : Victor Korchnoi. It be­ gan with his 1974 Candi dates' Fin al match agai n st then n ewcomer and seemingly un stop­ pable force, An atoly Karpov. Was thi s a Can didates ' Final, or was it in reality a Worl d Champion ship match ? Nobody knew, since the erratic and mentally degradin g Bobby Fischer, havin g retreated deeper into his delusional world, was unlikely to defend his crown . So the stakes coul dn 't have been hi gher for Korchnoi and Karpov. Most American Civil War experts tell us th at Robert E. Lee was probably the superior gen eral, who did more with less. Yet in th e end, Ulysses S. Grant won the war. Th e moral : Superior numbers matter. Now the Soviet authorities saw Karpov as their rising star, and Korchn oi as a member of th e old guard, who really h ad no chance in a head-to-head m atch again st th e god-like ch ess abilities of Fi sch er. The outspoken Korch noi even h ad the audac­ ity to announce th at both he and Karpov would lose a match to Fischer! So th ey gifted Kar-

7

K o rch n o i: M o ve by M o v e pov with the weight of their backing, while Korchnoi was subject to inten se psych ological pressure. At one stage, he couldn't even fin d a second for th e m atch, all the top Soviet G M s having been intimidated by th e ruling authority. The courageous David Bron stein (h im self a candidate for strongest non -Worl d Champion) stepped forward and offered to be Korch ­ noi's second - an act for whi ch he was later punished by th e Soviet authorities. The psycho­ logical pressure proved too great and Korchnoi trailed Karpov 0-3 by mid-m atch . N obody thought he had a ch an ce. But h i s critics failed to appreci ate a hidden, monum ental inner will. Having a low opinion of your opponent i s a psych ological blunder, since the n ext l ogi­ cal step is for you to un derestimate him or h er. Karpov did just th at. After h e deci sively defeated Spassky (who he believed was his m ain threat), Karpov thought - not unreasona­ bly - th at h e could walk over Korchnoi, on his in evitabl e colli sion course with Bobby Fisch er. What Korchnoi lacked in raw talent, he m ade up for through the force of th e en­ ergy concealed within h i s indomitabl e personality. Korchnoi closed in an d won two games, to lose the match by a razor-thin 3-2 m argin at the end. Rivalry, push ed too far, m orphed into full blown enmity. Korchnoi, embittered by th e bl atantly unfair treatment, defected to the N eth erl ands in 1976, at th e excruciatin g cost of severing ties with both wife and son, n ow l eft behind in m oth er Rus sia. H e choose freedom over blood and family. But he was not done with his quest. N ot by a l ong shot. It was Korchnoi who emerged once ag ain as Karpov's challenger in th eir 1978 Baguio match in the Philippines. Once again, the m atch was perm eated with controversy, in cludi n g bizarre protests over the fol­ lowing subjects: 1. Th e X-raying of ch airs. 2. Th e legality or illegality of Jolly Roger fl ags at the table. 3 . Parapsychologi st/hypnotists, with all eged mind-disruptin g powers. 4. The ch anging of flavours of yogurt and the timing of the yogurt Oust in case there were secret messages embedded; e.g. blueberry yogurt, two hours into th e m atch =you stand worse, so play for a draw). Once again, Karpov opened with a seemingly in surm ountable 5-2 lead in a m atch to six g ames. Once again the impossible happened. Korchnoi fought back like a man possessed, to reach a 5-5 tied score. The winner of th e n ext g am e would decide own ership of the title. Audacity som etimes surpasses cunning, but not in thi s in stance. Destiny's ful crum tilted again st Korchnoi when Karpov survived his oppon ent's gusts an d volleys to earn h i s sixth and deci sive victory, an d so retain ed h i s title. Then came Merano, Italy 1981. You guessed it. Korchnoi on ce again emerged as ch al ­ lenger. Thi s time the Soviet m achine didn't m e s s around. It arbitrarily sentenced Korchnoi's son to two and a h alf years h ard labour for evading military service - though everyone knew the crime was really the sin s of the father vi sited upon the child, an d a dirty m ethod of adding another psychological burden to a m an already burdened. The pressure was too great and there was no comeback thi s time. Korchnoi lost by a l opsided 6-2 score. Could Korchnoi have beaten Karpov if the Soviets had n ot applied pressure in all three

8

I n t ro d u c t i o n matches? Who knows ? I, for one, believe h e would h ave beaten Karpov in one m atch i f the psychological deck was even. Korchnoi reached the 99% m ark, yet faltered som ewhere in the fin al , necessary one percent n eeded to be World Champion . Simultan eous respect and contempt for a rival i s commonpl ace in our ch ess universe. In the case of Korchnoi, I got the feeling in my research readings that h e loathed Karpov the man , while deeply admiring Karpov the ch ess pl ayer. Korchnoi's Style: The Great Stretcher of Limits

Imagine gen etically altered Emanuel Lasker-like calculation power and defen sive resource­ fulness, astounding technical endgam e aptitude, and psychological craftiness - combin e it with Bent Larsen's fighting spirit and unbounded creativity, and within thi s hybrid emerg­ es Korchnoi's style. For the elite chosen few - Morphy, Capablan ca and Fischer - their faculty of n ear­ perfect intuition greatly outstripped their calcul ation abilities. Th ey understood at a glance what other G Ms coul d only prove after laboured periods of number-crunchi n g an alysis. Korch noi represents the diametric opposite, relying almost exclusively on his computer­ like power to outcalculate any and all oppon ents. Korchnoi's g ames, unlike those of Mor­ phy, Capa an d Fisch er, lacked the pen ch ant for the perfect. In stead, Korchnoi's moves ap­ pear (to me at least !) as if he randomly shifts from on e folly to the next. Despite encyclo­ paedic opening kn owledge, Korchnoi's fertil e imagination lures him to reject th e safety of th e known , in order to reach out to and grasp the dangerous unrevealed. Through out th e book, we witness some outrageously eccentric opening ideas - not to mention perplexingly inscrutable middlegame and endgame i deas as well. Korchnoi has the nasty h abit of attempting to solve th e un solvable - and if h e can't h ave h i s way, then he resorts to Pl an B: Enter Lasker mode and contrive some bizarro i dea (sound or unsound!) which confuses the livi n g daylights out of his opponents. If you don 't believe me, please fast forward to th e diagram in the introduction to Ch apter On e ! In researching thi s book, as I played through Korchnoi's games, I felt like a child lapping up fairy tales. You experi ­ ence a palpable sen se of wonder, of fantasy, engendered by imagination and willingness to risk all - even his place in history - for experimentation 's sake. So utterly perplexing are his ideas, th at it's difficult to say whether they m erit a " ! ! ", a " ? ?", or maybe both , since we pass through ph antom landscapes and alien architecture - an d I, your befuddled ann otator, at times l ack context to prai se or condemn, even with the computer's assistance. Thi s was probably the most difficult book I h ave ever written . At one point, Korchnoi's preposterous move alg orithms, which wandered in an d out of some netherworld where­ lessness, got so embedded into my head, th at I woke up with a start, at 3 :00 a.m. one m orn­ ing and raced to the computer to look up a Korchnoi game I dreamed and annotated in my sleep ! Unfortun ately, the gam e turned out to be a fi ctional product of REM sleep - he was on the black side of an Exchang e Lopez against an unidentified dream opponent, and won with a cascade of perplexing double exclam s ! - and I was heartbroken to di scover th at my dream l abours were wasted.

9

Ko rch n o i: M o ve by M o ve In th e end, a chess player i s the sum of h i s or her ideas over the board. Unlike Capa or Fischer, wh ose games are imbibed with a quality of simplicity and in evitability, Korchnoi's, in antipodal contrast, feel like fevered dream s, full of night sweats, tossi n g s an d turnings, of ups and down s, double exclams and double question m arks. His pieces dance tarantell as - n ever waltzes. H i s pl ay teem s with convoluted gyration s an d bizarre ch oices, an d th e sin­ gle con stant I observe i s th at h e nearly always rejects th e simple for th e complex. Korchnoi, impervious to suggestion s for a peaceful outcome, invariably injects turm oil, even when trapped in the dullest of position s. So abstruse are Korchnoi's m ental meandering s , th at I often found myself drowning in the attempt to understand th e mysterie s of the m aestro's unfathom able mind. His motivations and secrets are as closely guarded as a priest confes­ sor's, an d the al chemy of his mind is a pl ace wh ere dream s and imagination mingle into a single substance, not quite of thi s worl d. Korchnoi: the Greatest Ever?

Well, yes, as it turn s out, Korchnoi i s probably the all -time g reatest pl ayer when it comes to ch ess longevity. H e ranked 8 5th in the world on the 2007 F I D E l i st, not an achievem ent to write books about - unless you h appen to be a 7 5 -year-ol d ! H e is the only pl ayer ever to h ave made it on to th e top 100 list at that age, and his elder statesman status in th e ch ess world perh aps surpasses achi evements of senior candidate greats, such as Lasker and Smyslov. In thi s book we routinely see Korchnoi in his 70s, still abl e to sm ack down world­ cl ass players. In December of 2012, the then 82-year-ol d Korchn oi suffered a debilitating stroke, probably ending the legendary, 5000+ game pl ayin g career of th e m aestro - though I, for one, woul dn't be shocked at a triumphant return to the battlefield. A "Typical" Korchnoi Game!?

I s there such a thing as a "typical " Korchnoi gam e ? Perhaps the answer i s to look for a game filled with exclam s an d blunders, with outl andish notion s and arcan e mysteries like th e following g ame.

Gamel V.Korchnoi-M.Najdorf

Wij k a a n Zee 1971 Semi- Tarrasch Defence 1 c4 tt::lf6 2 tt::lc 3 e6 3 tt::lf3 ds 4 d4 c s s cxd s tt:Jxd s The Semi-Tarrasch; Black h ands his opponent a Grunfeld-like centre in return for a queenside pawn m ajority. s ... exds i s in advis able, in my opinion, since White g ets a favour­ abl e Tarrasch , where the f6-knight has been devel oped prem aturely, with 6 .ig s JJ.e7 7 e 3 � e 6 8 dxcs .t xcs 9 ii.b S + lt:J c6 1 0 ii.xf6 ! ? (the simple 1 0 o-o looks promising for White a s well) 1 o ... 'i!Vxf6 11 lt:Jxds ..txds 12 'ir'xds JJ.b4+ 13 �f1 o-o 1 4 'i!Vb3 and I 'm not so sure Bl ack

10

I n tro d u c t i o n extracted full compensation for th e pawn, despite h i s lead i n development, B.Macieja­ R.Jedynak, Polish Team Champion ship 2009. 6 e4 ttJxc3 7 bxc3 cxd4 8 cxd4 .tb4+ 9 i.d2 i.xd2+ 10 'ii'xd 2 0-0 11 i.c4

Success or failure of an eventual d4-d5 break con stitutes the universal definer of thi s line. 11 ... b 6 As we discover in the book, Korchnoi is attracted to odd opening ideas - sometimes even dubious ones: 11 ... tiJ c6 12 o-o e 5 ? ! 13 d5 ltJa5 14 .l.:tac1 ttJxc4 1 5 .::!. x c4 f6 16 .!:.fc1 .l:.f7 17 tiJ e1 b6 18 tiJc2 .ia6 19 .l:.C3 .l:.c8 20 liJb4 (now c6 i s a juicy h ol e for White's pieces) 20 ... :txc3 21 .l:.xc3 .i.b7 2 2 ltJ c6 with a clear advantage to White, P.Tregubov-V. Korchnoi, Odessa (rap­ id) 2008 - although Korchnoi, one of the all -tim e great defenders, m anaged to h an g on to score a draw. 12 0-0 In a later g ame Korchnoi played 12 d5 ! ? .i.a6 13 i.xa6 ttJxa6 14 d6 ! ? tt:J c5 15 e 5 , when 15 .. .f6 16 0-0 l:tf7 17 :ad1 l:tc8 18 �e3 :d7 19 exf6 g xf6 20 liJd4! 'ili e8 (20 ... llxd6? i s m et by 21 ttJxe 6 ! } 2 1 l:.fe1 1i'f7 ( 2 1 ... .l:txd6 ? ? h an g s the rook to 2 2 'ii'g 3+) 22 h 4 left Black's king feel­ ing slightly i n secure, V. Korchnoi - H .Mecking, Hastings 1971/72. 12 ... .i.b7 13litfe1 tiJd7 14 l:tad1 l:tc8 1 5 i.d3 l:leS 1 6 'iie 3!?

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Question: Doesn't thi s move walk into ....l:!.c3 ? -

Answer: It does, but Korchnoi factored that move i n . Otherwise 16 i.b 1 tllf8 17 h 4 Zie7 1 8 l:le3 i s normal, when White's strong centre and king side attackin g chances outweigh Bl ack's queenside pawn majority and potenti al pressure on White's centre, T. Engqvist­ V.Golod, Helsingor 2008. 16 . l:t.c3 17 es!? Threatening i.xh 7+. White grabs kin gside space and denies Bl ack's kni ght use of f6, at the cost of weakening ds and d4 an d depl etin g m obility from h i s centre. 11 'iic 7 1Blbgs Korchnoi openly di spl ays h ostile intent towards Black's king . 1 8 ...tllf8 18 ... h 6 19 tll e 4 .t xe4 20 'ii x e4 tbf8 2 1 h 4 i s similar, and at some point White fan s the coming attack by lifting a rook to g 3 . 1 9 tbe4 i.xe4 Bl ack can 't allow tb d6. 20 'ifxe4 .Ud 8 2 1 h4 Korchnoi stakes everything on kingside attacking chances. 2 1 .. :iWe7 22 'i'g4 2 2 lle3 i s possible but perh aps he was worried about 2 2 .. l1a3. 2 2 ..Iita 3 2 3 .ic4 Th e bi shop watches ds with the eyes of a troubl emaker. 23 ... bs! Principle: W hen you a re in possession of a wing maj ority, push it. .

.

•••

.

.

12

24 ..tb 3 1

The beginning of an impossibly deep idea.

Question: Is thi s revelation or simply m adness? I fail tc between thi s move and White's overall plan. Now Wl into ... a7-aS-a4 ! . Shouldn 't he have just taken on b s and Answer: Korchnoi's move was not made with idl e motives. Thi s i his brute-force calcul ation abilities. H e provokes a cri sis and isn' of 24 ..txbs .ll x a2. Just watch wh at h appen s in the g ame. 24 a s 2 5 dSI a4? Bl ack should h ave l et th e offence slide with 2 S ... exds ! 26 .txc bishop free reign on its best square an d White to keep attackin� this was infinitely better for Black th an wh at he got in the game ...

Ko rc h n o i : M o ve by M o ve Wh at now? White's bi shop is pressed ag ainst th e wall with nowhere palatable to run . If he pl ays 26 d6 'i'a7 27 i.c2, then Bl ack simply captures on a2 with two connected passers.

Exercise (combination alert): Despite appearances, Black's last move was incorrect. Find a better line th an 26 d6 for White. Answer: Th e entity, outside our space/time continuum, comes from nowhere, thirsting for the whereness of our m aterial realm. Aberrant action s are often a symptom of di stress, but not in this case. 26 dxe6! ! A s danger for both sides increases, mutual fates hang o n th eir deci sion s with g reater urgency. Korchnoi discards his bishop without trepidation, as easily as a l oose sweater, to attain a crushing future bind. Korchnoi works out an unbelievably deep combination, which to the ordin ary mind (i .e. your writer's ! ) feel s as if it reaches the limits of hum an cog­ itation. I h ad the opportunity to watch Korchnoi ' s an alysis agai n st opponents at the 1983 U S Open in Pasadena. H i s mental clarity and di stance of calcul ation was staggeri n g - be­ yon d what I thought was hum anly possible. 26 ... axb31 The only move. a) 26 ... ttJxe6?? 2 7 i.xe6 fxe 6 2 8l:txd8+ 'fixd8 29 'iVxe6+ �f8 30 'iffs+ �g8 and n ow there are many ways to win, but 3 1 .l:tc1 ! seem s to be the simplest. b) 26 .. .fxe6? ? 27 l:txd8 'it'xd8 28 i.xe6+ �h 8 29 .l:Ic1 ! is the same old story. 2 7 exf7+ �h8! N ajdorf once again sidesteps early l oss. 2 7 ... cli;xf7 ? ? 2 8 l:t.xd8 'ili'xd8 (or 2 8 ...bxa2 2 9.l:.a8 ! .l:lxa8 30 'ii'f3 +) 29 e6+ �g 8 30 e7 'i'e8 3 11i'f3 ! h 6 ! (not 31...lDg 6 ? 32 'ili'ds + c;t;?h 8 3 3 'ili'd8 l:.a8 34 'ii'x a8 ! 'ii'x a8 35 e8'i¥ and m ates) 32 iids + 'i£;lh 7 33 'ili'd8 .l::t a 8 34 'i'xa8 ! (th e same th eme) 34 ...'i'xa8 35 e8'ii' 'iWxe8 3 6 .:xe8 bxa2 3 7 lla8 and White wins. 28 .l:!.xd8 'i'xd8 29 axb3 'ike7 30 e6 l:ta6 1 I f 30 .. J:txb 3 ? then 3 1 'fig s ! 'ifh 4 3 2 'ilfe s ! 'fie7 3 3 l:td1, followed by 'ii'd 4, destroys the bl ockade; e.g. 3 3 ... l:ta3 (or 3 3 ... 'iWxe 6 34 'ii'x e6 ttJxe6 3 5 .:td8 ! and mates) 34 Vi'd6l:.a7 3 5 'it'xe7 .l:.xe7 36 l:t.d8 etc, and 3 4 l:td7 ! ttJxd7 3 5 exd7 ! i s even strong er. Question: I s the outlier on e6 now doomed? Answer: No. 3 1 f4l

14

I n tro d u c t i o n

White plan s a death grip with f4-f5 next. h6 The e6-pawn isn't really h anging, as after 31 ... .l:txe6 ? 32 .l:.xe6 "ifxe6 (or if 32 ... tt'lxe6 then 33 'it'xe 6 ! overloads Bl ack's queen : 33 .. .'ii' x e6 34 f8'ii'+ 'ii'g 8 35 �xg 8+ ci;xg 8 36 'it>f2 and White wins the king and pawn ending easily) 3 3 'ii'x e6 tt'lxe6 34 f5 tt'lg8 3 5 h 5 g 6 3 6 h 6 ! ! (lvkov), Bl ack's king and knight are trapped on the king side, s o White can march h i s own king across to the queen side an d win with h i s b-pawn . 3 2 fs Rational thought and compassion are meaningless abstraction s to a mindless, heartless mob. N ow our inward arguments grow silent and all i s m ade clear. The fruits of Korchnoi's calculation : h e earn ed three choking pawn s for the piece - way too much . Black i s com­ pletely busted. 32 tt'lh7 33 .:tc1 :taB 34 "iif4 tt'lf6 35 'ii'c 7! Sm ashing the e7-blockade. 3S :ili' b4 Not 3 5 ... tt'ld5 ? 36 "Yi'xe7 tt'lxe7 37 �c7 tt'lxfs 3 8 e7 tt'lxe7 39 .l:.xe7 and Black h as no de­ fence to the coming .l:te8. 31

...

...

..

15

Korch n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Neverth eless, Black's defence i s spent, and White's numerous winning solution s are a bit like using a thermonuclear device to heat up a frozen burrito. The e7-square is so larg e an d so inviting, th at we feel the urge to drive through it. It appears as if White has three winning moves: a) 3 6 e7, attemptin g to force a new queen ; b) 3 6 'ifcs, attemptin g to sm ash the dark square blockade; c) 3 6 'ii c 8+, a spectacular queen sac to force promotion .

Exercise (critical decision}: Two of the lines work; one fails miserably. Whi ch one would you play? 36 'WeB+?? The overeager queen, an unexpected and unwanted out-of-town rel ative, presents h er­ self unbidden at Black's door. Justice del ayed is justice denied. Apparently the well of Korchnoi's patience i sn 't as bottomless as we first imagined. I warned you: Korchnoi's games seem to contain a crazy high percentage of both double question m arks and double exclam s ! Occam 's razor advises th at the simplest path (path s in this case ! ) i s usually th e best on e. Korchnoi, with h i s l ove of the dramatic and the arti stic, gets seduced by the most complex and l east sound of his choices. Answer: Both lines a) and b) win easily and either forces Black's immediate resignation. 36 ...�h71 Th e counter-argum ent begins. Perh aps Korchnoi only counted on 3 6 ... l1xc8 ?? 3 7 l:.xc8+ �h 7 ("l et he who is without sin cast th e first..." Black's kin g never gets a chance to finish his speech, since someone in the mob split his h ead open with a flung stone) 38 f8 N+! and Black must h and back his queen, since 3 8 . .. �g8 walks into 39 t2Jg6+ 'it>h 7 40 l:th 8 m ate. 37 'ifxa8 Or 3 7 'ifc3 'i!Vxh4, when 3 8 e7 i s met by 3 8 ... l2Jg4! 3 9 e8'ii (or 3 9 f8 N+ �g 8 ! ) 39 ... 'ii'f 2+ 40 16

I n t ro d u c t i o n �h 1 �4+ with perpetual check. 3 7 .'iid 4+! Suddenly, White's king h as n o safe haven free from Bl ack's h arassing checks. ..

3 8 'iti>fl

We un derstan d Black's dire need, but which path should h e take? Fin d the lost thread which binds Bl ack's dream .

Exercise (critical decision): The position i s drawn if you fin d Bl ack's correct line. Shoul d he play 3 8 . 'ii'f4+, forking kin g .

.

and rook, o r go for a pure pe rp etual check with 38 . 'ii' d3+ ..

-

?

3 8 'iVf4+?? Oops. The wrong one. Answer: N aj dorf mi ssed his miracle chance to swindle a draw after 3 8 ...'i!i'd3 + ! 39 �f2 (39 'it>g 1 'ifd4+ simply repeats th e position) 39 ...tbg4+ (th e point: Black's knight i s allowed to participate in the attack) 40 'it>e1 (40 �g 1 ? ? walks into 40 .. .'ii'e 3 + and m ate n ext move) 40 ... 'ife 3+ 41 �d1 'ii'd 3+ with perpetual check. Such might-have-been lines, after we botch a game, haunt us for days. 3 9 �e2 'ti'es+ 39 .. .'ii' x c1 is met by the old, dirty underpromotion trick: 40 f8 N + ! 'it>g 8 41 tb g6+ 'iti>h 7 42 'ieh8 mate. ...

40 �d 1 1-0

White escapes perpetual attempts after 40 ... 'ii'd 4+ 41 'it>c2 'iif2+ 42 b2. Black's queen wipes away tears, the drops to be equally di stributed between herself and her kin g .

C h a pte r One

Korchnoi on the Attack

The title of this chapter almost seem s like a contradictory statement. Korchnoi in th e role of attacker may at first leave the impression of "imposter" written all over it. And in fact, Korchnoi isn 't a n atural attacker. It is a skill he honed through long experi ence. I would place Korchnoi in th e camp of opportuni stic attackers, m eaning that h e rarely begins a gam e with an attack at the forefront. Yet, when opportunity arises, h e seizes it. Korchnoi's attacks sometimes h ave a strained, seeds-scattered-in -the-wind feel to them, as if con­ ducted by a beginner - or a genius. The game which stands out, to me at least, in this ch apter is the one against Am ason (Game 5). We marvel at Korchnoi's suicidal-lookin g l:tc4! ! , l':th4 and �h 6 ! ? ! ? self-trapping rook lift into th e h eart a congested middlegame, teeming with black pieces eager to stam ­ pede th e offending rook into a paste:

N ow I ask quite reason ably: Who el se but an 800-rated beginner, or a Laskerian g enius, 18

Ko rch n o i o n the A t t a c k o r a madman, would even consider such a n "attackin g " pl an ? S o let's buckle up our seat belts and prepare for a liberal dose of crazy in thi s chapter!

Game 2 E.Geller-V.Korch noi

USSR Cha m pion s h i p, Le n i ngrad 1960 Alekhine's Defence e4lZ'lf6 Played in order to "force him (Geller) to think from the very first moves". Korchnoi was a pioneer of th e combative Al ekhine's Defence, a rarity in the 1960s. This g am e became a showdown between G eller, who led th e 1960 U SS R Ch ampion ship, and Korchnoi, who trailed by a half point. Previously, Korchnoi had never beaten G eller with the black pieces. 2 estZ'ld s 3 d4 d6 4 c4 lZ'lb6 s f4 Th e Four Pawns Attack, White's most ag gressive option. s ... .ifs Normally Bl ack tosses in an exchange on es before developin g the bi shop. 1

Question: Is there any way for White to exploit the move order? Answer: If there is, I don 't see it; the game will most likely tran spose to norm al lines in a few moves. 6 4Jc3 dxes I n the 1980s I experim ented with the stran g e set-up 6 ... e6 7lZ'lf3lZ'la6 ! ? 8 .ie3 cs, as in D. Durham-C. lakdawal a, los An geles 1986. 7 fxe s e6 8 lZ'lf3 i.e7!?

19

K o r c h n o i : M o ve by M o ve I think Korchnoi tried to dodge the theoretical early d4-d5 lines by avoiding ... tt::\ c 6. Oth ­ erwise 8 ... tt::\ c 6 and 8 ... i.b4 are the usual moves here. 9 i.e2 9 .i.e3 tt::\ c 6 10 d5 i s th e line Korchnoi wanted to avoid; e.g. 10 ... exd5 1 1 cxd5 tt::\ b 4 12 tt::\ d4 i.d7 ! (12 ... .i.g 6 ? is m et by the inconvenient 1 3 i.b5+! c;t{f8 14 0-0) 13 e6 (or 13 'ilkf3 c5 14 dxc6 bxc6 1 5 e6!? fxe6 16 a3 tt::\ 4 d5 17 i.d3 tt::\ x e3 18 'ii'x e3 0-0 19 'iVe4 g 6 , D.Velimirovic­ V. Kovacevic, Yugosl av Ch ampion ship, Bjelovar 1979, when the g ame may be dyn amically balanced after 20 tt::\ x e6 i.xe6 21 "iix e6+ 'it>h 8 22 0-0-0 tt::\ d 5) 13 .. .fxe6 14 dxe6 i.c6 15 'iig 4 i.h4+ 16 g 3 .i.xh 1 17 0-0-0 'iff6 18 g xh4 0-0, as in A.Grischuk-P.Svidler, Odessa (rapid) 2009. Depressingly enough, thi s is wh ere theory begin s ! Bl ack i s doing fine - as long as h e or she memori zes 18 moves of theory (and th en som e ! ) to arrive h ere ! 9 0-0 10 0-0 f6 Chipping away at White's enormous centre. Bl ack plays the openin g a bit oddly, refrain­ ing from the tradition al ... tt::\ c 6, but remember th at Korchnoi was intent on dodging the d4d5 lines, which we looked at in the previous note. 11 i.f4?! ..•

An inferior move in th e position and n ever repeated! G eller backs up the head, rather than the base of his pawn ch ain .

Question: What i s White's n ormal continuation here? Answer: White's bishop is better placed on e3, to cover his most sen sitive point: d4. But then after 11 i.e3 tt::\ c 6, Bl ack h as achieved h i s aim of reaching a 6 ... ttJc6 position while avoidin g d4-d5 complications; e.g . 12 exf6 i.xf6 1 3 'ii'd 2 "ile7 14 J:t.ad1 :ad8 with equal chances. 11 tt::\c 6 12 exf6 •..

20

K o rc h n o i o n t h e A t t a c k

Question: Can White go for i t h ere with 12 d S - ? Answer: I 'm really not sure wh at h e i s goin g for, except the di ssolution of his centre after 1 2 ... exds 1 3 cxds .tcs+ 14 'it>h 1lt:\xe s 1 S lDxes fxe s 16 i.xe s 'ile7 1 7 i.. g 3 l:iad8, when Bl ack look s fine. 12 ... .txf6 13 d S No real choice since 13 .ie3 i s a book position a move down for White (see the note with 1 1 i.. e 3 above). 13 ... lDa S ! Suddenly c 4 falls under heavy pressure, which in turn induces G eller into his n ext spec­ ul ation . 14 lt:\es 14 lt:\b S ? i s met by 14 ... lt:\axc4, and if 1S lDxc 7 ? ! then 1 S ... lt:\xb2 16 'iih 3lt:\xds ! an d Bl ack is winning. 14 ... ..txe s?! "A mistake, typical of the early period of my ch ess career: i n striving to win material as soon as possible, I underestimated the opponent's tactical possibilities." - Korchnoi. Black should pl ay 14 .. .'ii' e 7 ! . Now th e threat i s ... .txe s, followed by ... es xd4, while c4 re­ mains h anging. White has no choice but to proceed with the weakening 15 g4 .ixes 16 �xes exds 17 i.. g 3 .te6 18 lt:\xds lt:\xds 19 cxds Wics + 20 lU2 J::t xf2 2 1 i.xf2 'ii'x ds which leaves him struggling. White's bi shop pair in th e open position fail s to fully compen sate for the pawn . 15 ..txes lt:\axc4 16 .ixc4 lt:\xc4

Question: Isn't White just losing?

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

A nswer: Let's do an exerci se to try and solve this one. Exercise (combination alert): Find a tactic which enables White to regain his lost pawn. Answer: 17 ..txg71 Korchnoi confessed he overlooked this trick. 17 ... lLle3 1 I f Black takes the bishop then 17 . . .'iti'xg7 18 �d4+ regai n s the piece with perhaps an edge, due to Bl ack's more exposed king . 18 'i!Ve2 lLlxf1 19 i.xf8 lLlxh2 1 20 ..tcs Or 20 dxe6 lLlg4 2 1 -tcs �4 transposing, but not 20 'iti'xh 2 ? ! 'li'h4+ 21 � g 1 'ii'd4+ 22 �f2 'i!Vxf2+ 23 'iti'xf2 llxf8 24 'it>e3 exds 2 S lLlxds .l:.f7 with an extra pawn for Bl ack. 20 ... lLlg4 21 dxe6 "ii' h 4 22 e7 Threatening to promote and cuttin g off all ideas of .. JUS. Question: Whose king i s in greater dan g er? Answer: On th e surface, both king s look equally exposed. With hindsight, we discover th at Bl ack's king m ay actually stand slightly safer. Pl ay on . 22 ... 1i'h2+ 2 3 'iW1 1i'f4+ 24 �g1?1 Korchnoi criticizes thi s move and sug gests 24 'it>e1 ! , wh en the likely result i s a draw by perpetual check; e.g. 24 .. J:te8 (or 24 .. .'it'g 3 + 2 5 'it>d1l:1e8 26lLlds b6 2 7lLlxc7 l:txe7! 2 8 'i!Vxe7 'iVd3 +) 2 S lLlds �2 26lLlxc7 ! l:txe 7 ! (not 26 .. .'i\t'xc7 ? ? 27 'fic4+! 'it>g7 28 il.d4+, winning the queen) 2 7 i..x e7 (or 27 'ii' x e7 'ii' g 3+) 27 .. .'ii' g 1+ 2 81i'f1 'iVe3 + 29 �e2 'ii' g 1+ 30 'it>d2 'ii' d4+ 3 1 'it>e111¥g1+ etc. 24 ... :esl

Ko rc h n o i o n th e A t t a c k Nyet! No draw ! Brilliantly evaluated - even Houdini is fooled into thinking thi s position is compl etely even at a 0.00 evaluation .

Question: What is the key factor in White's position whi ch m ade Korchn oi think he stood better? Answer: The e7-pawn is chronically weak. Question: Is there any way to win the pawn ? Answer: Let's turn this into a pl anning exercise: Exercise (planning): Take a few minutes and come up with a concrete plan to pick off the stray on e7. Answer: Step 1: Pl ay ... .cte8 (already don e !}. Step 2 : Pl ay ... �7 and block out all checks. Step 3 : Pl ay ... b7-b6, and if .ia3, then shut out the bish op with ... c7-cS ! . Step 4 : Simply take the e7-pawn . The steps may not go in this order but thi s i s the general outline to win e7. In the actual game, Korchnoi never got aroun d to capturing on e7, mainly because he got distracted by pl aying for a deadly mating attack instead! 2 5 'ii'f3 White's queen wastes time appealing to her sister's non-existent humanity. 2 S ... 'i�Hh2+1 Korchnoi, a man of nearly invulnerable con stitution and resolve, is not to be dissuaded so easily out of his attack. He gambles th at White's king is in greater danger th an his own . 26 'it>f1 'ii' h s 21 'i!kd s+ � g7 2 8 �d4+?1 Geller might still have held on after 28 .l:te1 .id3 + ! 29 'jlfxd3 'ii'x cs 30 'ii'g 3 h S 31 'iVf4! (but not 3 1 'ii'h 4?? 'ir'c4+ 3 2 �g1 'ili'd4+ and a di scovered ch eck wins the queen} 3 1 ... l'Ixe7 3 2 l:!.xe7 'ir'xe7 3 3 tt:\ds ! an d White regains th e pawn with a drawn endg ame. 28 ... �g61 Bl ack's king looks around at his unfamiliar surroundin g s, th e way a confused first grade kid does wh en he gets off the bus at th e wrong stop. It isn't easy to rebuil d when you live in a ruin, yet Korchnoi m anages to achieve a m odicum of kin g safety. Just another day on the job in Korchnoi's world. From th e computer's perspective, there is n o perpetual check, and suddenly its·evaluation begin s to swing favourably in Black's direction . I n such ch aotic po­ sitions we would do well to think like machines, rather than human s . 29 tt:\e2 !? 29 tt:\ds 'in1 1+ 30 'ifg 1 .id3+ 31 'it>e 1 'ir'xg 1+ 3 2 .ixg 1..i.c4 3 3 tbe3 I:txe7 leaves Bl ack

23

K o r c h n o i : M o ve by M o ve with an extra pawn in the endi ng; while 29l:td1 b6 30 ii'd8 'iVh l+ 3 1 �g 1 h 2 :.g 6 30 l:.g 1 'i!i'fs 3 1 :i d S 'it'e4 3 2 \i'd3 was White's fin al chance t o offer m eaningful resistance. 2 8 .'i!Vg4+ 29 'iti>h2 26

. . .

..

Chaos to some is a scary pl ace, a g apin g abyss into darkness. To others, such as Korch ­ noi, chaos is embraced, and synonym ous with opportunity.

Exercise (combination alert): White's king position suffers multiple woes, the compound effect of whi ch i s l eth al . Fin d the shot whi ch crumples White's defence. Answer: Interference/overload. 29 lt:lgs!l Dual purpose: Black blocks the l:r.g 1 p i n threat along the open g -file a n d eliminates the only defender of h4. Moves like this, whi ch clearly reflect the white king's unfortun ate reality, almost seem unfair, but as noble an attribute as fairness m ay be, it has no place in a life and death struggle. Korchnoi pries open both king position s an d then, just as deftly, purges and rear­ ranges it so th at only White's kin g is in danger. 30 lt:lxgs f3 ! Zwi sch enzug/interference ! White has n o ch oice but to h an d over his queen, as 3 1 etJxf3 l:!.xf3 32 'i:Vxf3 l:txh4+ or 31 llg1 .Uxh4+ leads to m ate n ext move. 31 it'xf3 l:!.xh4+ 32 'ii h 3 1!t'xg5 ! 0-1 It is in the nature of a vigilante (Black's queen) to settle societal problem s h erself, with­ out involving the law. After 3 3 .l:f.g 1 (a sweet interpl ay of pins, one deadly; the other useless) 33 .. .l';Ixf2+ 34 �h i l:txh 3 m ate, White's king falls, as g raceless as Laurel or H ardy slipping on a ban an a peel . ...

.

35

Ko rch n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Game s V.Korc h noi-J.Arn ason

Beers h e ba 1987 English Opening 1

C4 eS 2 tt'lc3 tt'lf6 3 tt'lf3 tt'lc6 4 g3 dS Question: I s it really possible to allow White a Dragon a full m ove up like thi s ?

Answer: Unanimity of opinion suggests the variation is playabl e t o those who are confident and theoretically well prepared. An open reversed position tends to be far m ore dan gerous from Bl ack's perspective (th an a closed reversed position) since White's extra tempo is more significant. N everth eless, m any top GMs willin gly take on Black's side, so I h ave no doubt th at the line is pl ayable . s cxd s tt:Jxd s 6 .t g 2 tt'lb6

Question: Why did Black, already a move down, retreat a centralized knight? Answer: The extra tempo alters m atters con siderably, so Bl ack must proceed with great care and detail to White's intention s, which include early d2-d4 tricks, as well as tt:Jxe s cheapos, preying on Black's l oose dS-knight. 7 o-o .te7 8 b3!? H ere 8 d3 and 8 a3 are m ore logical th eoretical ch oices and probably White's best shot at an edge, since White can then try and g ain queen side space with an eventual b2-b4. Question: Why woul d Korch noi refuse to enter lines which are his best h ope of an edge? 36

Ko rch n o i o n t h e A t t a c k

Answer: Korchnoi explain s: " I have a sceptical reg ard for attempts t o demon strate a n ad­ vantage for White by th eoretically correct play ... " He admits his move is "less stron g", but there is real value in diverting a theoretically well-prepared opponent into a little pl ayed offshoot. Next gam e we see Korchnoi on the Bl ack side against 8 �b1. s o-o 9 .tb2 .:le8 Black sets up as if White had played the theoretical 8 d3 or 8 a3 lines. In thi s in stan ce, perh aps he should buck the tren d and counter White's passive formation with a m ore am­ bitious set-up of his own, such as 9 .. .fs ! ? 10 d3 .i.f6. 10 z:tc1 1i.g4 11 d3 i..f 8 12 li::ld 2 'ili'd7 ...

Black seeks ... i.h 3 , rem oving White's light-squared bishop and serving two purposes: 1. A swap eases pressure on Black's queenside. 2. A swap slightly weaken s White's kin g safety. Saying this, I would offer 2 - 1 odds th at Korchnoi would have played i.. x c6 ! ? if given the ch ance, tradin g his powerful light-squared bishop to inflict perm anent dam age on Bl ack's structure, in a line like 12 .. .f6 13 i.. x c6 bxc6.

Question: Isn't thi s suicide for White's kin g ? Answer: Not i f you defend like Korchnoi ! I f White survives the coming attack, h e m ay m ake Bl ack pay for allowin g th e weakening of his queens ide. 13 l:te1 Dodging Bl ack's intention . 13 l:Iab8 To enable a future ... lt::l d4 without h anging his b-pawn . 1 4 lt::l c e4 li::l d 4 Korchn oi points out the weird possibility 14 ... lt::lb 4! (double attack on a2 and d3) 1 S li::lf3 .ixf3 16 .ixf3 li::l x a2 17 I1a1 lt::lb 4 18 l:txa7 lt::l c 6 (18 ... lt::l a 6 19 li::l d 2 c6 20 'ii'a 1 looks okay for White, since his "trapped" rook al so exerts pressure on Black's queen side) 19 l:ta1 tt:'ld4 20 ...

37

Ko rc h n o i: M o ve by M o ve �g2 'ifb s 21 l::tb 1 .tb4 2 2 l:tfl l:tbd8 and Black i s doing well here, since h e owns multiple queenside holes, even if Houdin i assesses it as equal . 1 5 lll c s 'ifcB?! Too much of a concession just to h an g on to his bishops. Black l ooks fine after 15 ... -txcs 16 .l:.xcs f6, when his centralized d4-kight and rem aining, powerfully posted g4-bishop compen sate for the loss of bishop pair. 16 lllf 3 !

A clever move which seeks to eliminate th e d4-knight, Bl ack's m ost annoying piece. 16 ... tll d 7 ! Black finds t h e only path which doesn't allow his position to deteriorate: a) 16 ...tll xf3+? drops a pawn after 17 exf3 .ifs 18 l:txes . b) 16 . . ..ixf3 ? ! 17 exf3 al so leaves Bl ack under pressure, since White threaten s t h e undermining f3 -f4 ! . 17 lll x d4 .ixcs 18 lllf 3 ..tb6

38

Ko rch n o i o n t h e A t t a c k First let's asses s: 1. Black's b8-rook and his queen are for now awkwardly placed. 2. Any d3-d4 break is effectively dealt with th e bypass move ... e5-e4. 3. 19 h3 i.h S 20 g4?! i.. g 6 2 1 lt:Jh4 i s well met by 2 1 ... lt:Jf8 ! , when Black's future attacking ch ances easily compen sate for White's bishop pair. 4. If White pl ays too quietly, Bl ack rearranges his b 8-rook and queen to superior loca­ tion s.

Exercise {planning): Come up with a plan for White, based on the principle: The player who holds a tempora ry advantage must create confrontation or attack. Otherwise the adva ntage evaporates. This exercise is very diffi cult and I freely admit I would never be abl e to come up with Korchnoi's plan, even if given three days to work out the position. White must find a way to en gineer d3-d4 without allowing ... e S -e4, and without granting Bl ack's offside queen an d b8-rook time to unravel . What would you pl ay h ere?

Answer: Tran sfer a rook to h4 and go directly after Black's king . Momentous events often have insignificant-l ooking beginnings. Hum ans still understand ch ess on a deeper level than computers (even if they beat us over and over! } and moves like this prove it. Korch­ noi's move is on e which can only be found by a weaker pl ayer who doesn't un derstand strategic principles, or by a genius who simply overrides them . 19 .Uc4!1

Question: But isn't thi s m ove in cl ear violation of the principl e : Don 't lift your rooks into a crowded middlegame?

39

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o v e

Answer: It is a bl atant viol ation - yet Korchn oi, through some hidden sixth sense, sees th at his an om alous idea still works. Don 't ask m e how he knew. He just did. 19 ... i.e6?! The human reply (and the one I would m ost certainly play as Black), which dares th e rook to h4, but greatly underestim ates White's attacking potential . Now White's entire universe rearranges itself into di stin ctly m al evolent pattern s. In stead, Black should pl ay th e psychol ogically difficult move 19 ... �fs ! which, admit­ tedly, is a perplexingly ambiguous, non-committal respon se to Korchnoi ' s provocation . To deliberately delay the arrival of one's desires takes great force of will. N everthel ess, after 20 'i'al f6 2 1 l2Jh4 .i.e6 2 2 l::t c 2, the further d3 -d4 cannot be m et by ... es -e4, unless Bl ack i s willing t o play the ultra-risky 22 ... g s ! ?. Korchnoi adds: "Yes, but pawn s cannot move back­ wards ! " 20 �h41 The tentative rook cl ings to the side, like a non-swim m er taking first steps towards the deep end of th e pool . White threaten s both lt'lxe s and lt'lg s . A violation of principle, true, and yet sometimes one is justified in circumventing the l aw. 20 . .f6 21 d4! Bl ack is un abl e to push past with ... e 5 -e4, unless he is willing to play his next m ove. .

Question: Should Black take the dare and specul ate with ... g7-g 5 , or shoul d he exerci se caution and h old off? Answer: As things turn out in the game, he should h ave h eld off. Though if I were Bl ack, I would bang out 2 l ... g s ? ! without h esitation ! 21 . gs?! Again consi stent, an d in correct. But who can bl am e Am ason ? 2 1 ...exd4 2 2 lt'lxd4 gives White a risk-free initiative, and yet is better than the suffering Bl ack accepted in the g ame. 22 l:th6! .

40

.

Korch n o i o n t h e A tt a c k

Question: A debonair sac, but i s i t perh aps too much so? Answer: A move like thi s can only be attributed to second sight. It shatters all notions of equilibrium . The sudden sunburst of complication s from what, a few moves ago, appeared to be an arid environment is cause for astonishment. Korchnoi suffers twinges of his al ­ most instinctive bellicosity and refuses to back down . The brazen rook attempts unauthor­ ized access into Bl ack's territory, like a South Korean sneaking into the N orth , in order to visit a rel ative. Maybe I 've just ingested too much caffein e today and, as a result, enthusi­ asm bubbl es over with too many excl am s for Korchnoi's side ! Nevertheless, self-trapping the rook is the only path . Korchnoi admitted th at h e almost backed off from his original intent, but then decided, correctly, that th e brave path is al so the best one. Bl ack gai n s counterplay if White chicken s out with 2 2 1::t e 4 .i.d5 23 .l:.e3 e4 24 t'Z:ld2 f5 2 5 lDc4 ltJf6. 2 2 'it>g7 Why not? Seeing that White's sac appears to con stitute a real threat to Black's king, Black consistently decides to perform a vivisection on the now caged rook. Unfortunately, this leads to a losing position, but then so do alternatives. For example: 2 2 ... exd4 2 3 'i'cl ! l:!.e7 (or 23 . c5 24 l:txf6 ! ltJxf6 25 'ii'x g 5+ 'ittf7 26 ltJe5+ with a decisive attack) 24 l:!.xf6 ! ltJxf6 25 'ifxg 5+ .U.g 7 26 'iWxf6 c5 27 lDg S .l:!.g6 2 8 'ife5 (White has a pawn for the exch ange and a raging at­ tack) 28 ... 1\t'c7 29 'ii'x c7 .i.xc7 30 ltJxe6 llxe6 3 1 ..tds leaves White up a pawn in the ending. From the jungle of possible defences, every line seems to work out in White's favour. 23 dxes 'itixh6 23 ltJxe 5 ? ? 24 l:txf6 ! i s crushing. Clear proof th at the weakened dark squares are Bl ack's disease, with f6 as the origin . 24 exf6 ...

..

...

Korchnoi envisioned this position when h e lifted his rook. Houdini un derstan ds now

41

K o rc h n o i: M o ve by M o ve that White is winning - in a position which, to my eyes, seem s completely un clear. 24 ... l:tg8 Korchnoi criticized this m ove but Black's position is indefen sibl e. For example: 24 .. .'�g 6 2 5 'ii'c 2+ �fs 26 e4 �g4 (or 2 6 ... l2Jxf6 2 7 'i!i'c3 llf8 2 8 exfS + 'ii'xfs 29 .l:tes) 27 h4! (leaving Bl ack's king bare of defenders and hope) 2 7 ... l2Jxf6 2 8 hxg s i.xf3 29 i.. xf3 'ifh 3 (29 ... lt:lg4 30 e s + 'it>g7 31 e6+ m ates) 30 eS+ 'iif s 31 'ii'xfS+ 'it>xfs 3 2 gxf6 and Bl ack can resign. 2 5 'i!fd 2 Now h 2 -h4 is coming; e.g. 2 S ... 'iYf8 26 h 4 'ifcs 27 .i.d4 'i!Vd6 2 8 h x g s + 'it>h s 29 'ii'c 2 ! (tar­ g eting h 7) 29 ... lLlf8 30 Jildl .l:rd8 3 1 f7 ! l:.g6 (3 1....i.xf7 32 'iiifS ! m ates) 32 'it>h 2 ! ! foll owed by .l:th l ! finishes Black off. 2 5 /.ii' h 5 Black's kin g hopes t o di sassociate h i m self from the white queen' s influence but, i n do­ ing so, draws yet deeper into her web of power. He awaits abjectly for the help which i s destined never t o arrive. 26 h 3 ! Threatening g 3 -g4+. 26 lLlc5 After 26 ... g4 2 7 f7 .l:.g6 2 8 lLlh 2 lLlf6 2 9 jg_f3 ! ! gxf3 30 'iif4, Black h as n o reason abl e m ethod of dealing with 'ii'h 4 mate. 2 7 g4+ i.xg4 28 hxg4+ 'ii'x g4 Now White is only down an exchange, while his attack rages on . 29 lLle5 'ilfh4 Or 29 ... �e4 30 'ii'd S ! i.. xf2+ 3 1 'it>fl 'i'f4 (threatening m ate) 32 i.xe4 i.xe1+ 33 i.f3+ g4 34 lLld3 + 'ilfg s 35 i.xg4+ ! xg4 3 6 liJe S+ an d m ates or win s the queen. 30 'ii'c 2! Targ eting h 7 ag ain. The queen smiles and thinks to h erself: "You, my subjects, think m e a tyrant? But your terror h as yet t o begin . " 3 0 .. liJe4 •.

...

.

42

Korch n o i o n t h e A ttack A tiny reserve of energy in the critical l ater stag es of a game can tip i t quickly in our fa­ ur. vo

Exercise (critical decision): Should we pause to cover f2 with the calm 3 1 e 3 , or should we ignore it with 31 'ifxe4 - ? Both variations favour White. Houdini h as White up +1.39 in on e of th e variation s and a who ppin g +9.41 in the other. Your job is to find the +9 .41 line! 3 1 'i!!Vx e4?! Answer: In this instance, th e calmer move i s al so the sup erior move: 31 e 3 ! liJxf6 3 2 ctJd7 ! and the deflection shot is a g am e ender. 3 1 .....ltxf2+ 32 �f1 'iVxe4 3 3 ..ltxe4 ii.xe1 34 �xe1 Fortunately, White is still winning the aftermath, as his deeply passed f-pawn chokes all co unterplay. 34 ... Il.bd8 35 f7 l:tgf8

Exercise (combination alert): Thi s one is not so h ard. White to play and win an exchange. Answer: 3 6 �a3 Ilxf7 Bl ack must h ave been in terrible tim e pressure. He gives up a full rook rath er th an an exch ange, though it doesn't really matter. 3 6 .. .h 6 3 7 i.xf8+ l::t xf8 3 8 i.xb7 'it>g7 3 9 ..tds is al so with out hope. 37 lt:Jxf7 l:1d4 3 8 i.xb7 g4 39 liJes �h4

43

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Exercise (combination alert): Black i s hopelessly busted and thin g s just get worse from there! Korchn oi found a way to trap the rook in mid-board. How? Answer: 40 e 3 1 1-0 Since 40 .. J1d8 drops the rook to 41 .lte7+. White can al so invert the m ove order with 40 .lte7+! �h s 41 e 3 .

Game 6 G .Serper-V. Korch noi

G ro n i ngen 1993 English Opening 1 C4 Compare the current g am e with thi s classic: 1 e4 cS 2 ltJf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 ltJxd4 ltJf6 5 ltJc3 g 6 6 .lte2 ii.g 7 7 �e3 ltJc6 8 ltJb3 .lte6 9 f4 0-0 10 g 4 ! ? (so we see th at Korchnoi's ... g 7 g 5 move has a precedent, with colours reversed)

44

Ko rch n o i o n t h e A t t a c k

1 0. . . ds (Principl e : Counter i n the centre when attacked on the wing) 1 1 fs i. c 8 1 2 exds tt'lb4 13 d6 'ii'x d6 14 i.cs ..Wf4 1 5 l;if1 (White win s material but n ot the game - Botvinnik had worked out a forced draw at this point) 1S ... 'ilxh 2 16 i.xb4 lLlxg4! 17 i.xg4 'i!Vg 3+ 18 �f2 'Wg 1+ 19 :tf1 �g 3+ 20 .l:f2 'ii'g 1+, A.Al ekhine-M. Botvinnik, N ottingham 1 9 3 6 . I anno­ tate thi s game in Botvinn ik: Move by Move. 1 lLlf6 2 lLlc3 es 3 tDf3 lLlc6 4 g3 d s Now we see Korchn oi on the oth er side of a reversed Dragon . cxd s lDxd s 6 i.g2 lLlb6 7 o-o i.e7 8 l:.b1 s Slightly offbeat, but l ess so th an 8 b3 which Korchnoi played as White in th e previous game. s gs!? .. .

...

A clear viol ation of White's king side autonomy. Korchnoi lashes out pre-emptively, like some wasp who decides to sting you, just for the h ell of it. Anyway, there it is agai n : Korch -

45

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve Korchnoi's favourite move. H e refuses to play by th e clean rules of accepted th eory, wh ere both sides m arch in lockstep for 17 moves, where th eoretical referees m onitor lines, and where there are beginnings and endings.

Question: H ow can Black get away with a move like thi s ? Answer: Bl ack woul d have a very difficult time getting away with i t i f White h ad a n easy way to blast open the centre - but as it turn s out, he doesn 't. Perh aps Korchnoi rejected 8 ... 0-0 because White can play th e tricky 9 b4!, when he achieves his thematic advance without wasting a tempo on a2-a3. N ow he threatens to undermine Black's e-pawn with b4-b 5 n ext, while after 9 .. lt:Jxb4 10 lt:Jxe s, G . Kasparov­ J .Timman , Wijk aan Zee 2001, White looks better, having swapped off a wing pawn for a centre pawn . 9 d3 White's m ost common respon se, but on e which seems rath er sedate. .

Question: Wh at would you recommend? Answer: Black's l ast move perh aps deserves a more violent reaction, such as 9 b4! ? g4 (th e n aive 9 ... .i.xb4?? is met by the overload shot 10 lt:Jxe s ! whi ch leaves Bl ack's g ame in a sh ambles) 10 lt:Je1 lt:Jxb4 11 lt:Jc2 lt:Jc6 12 .i.xc6+ bxc6 13 d4! , when White's lead in devel­ opment an d superior structure offered him full compen sation for th e pawn, A.Kh alifm an­ C. Lutz, F I D E Worl d Championship, N ew Delhi /Tehran 2000. g ... h s ! ? No goofing around. Bl ack cl early pl ays for m ate. 10 a 3 Thi s move looks too slow a n d doesn't score very well for White. Experiencing existence with lifelong ADH D, th e variety of human being which utterly mystifies m e i s th e one with out a sense of "hurry" in their life. Question: H ow can White play with more urgency here? Answer: I would g o for 10 .i.e3 fs 11 lt:Jd2 ii.e6, as in Bu Xi angzhi-Wan g Li, Chinese Team Champion ship 2011; and now m aybe I'm crazy, but I would risk 12 .i.xc6 + ! ? bxc6 1 3 lt:Jf3 i..f6 14 d4 (Principle: Meet a wing attack with a central counter) 14 ... e4 1 S lt:Jes cs 16 .:tel with uncl ear play. I'm not sure whose kin g is in greater dan ger here, but Houdin i gives White a slight pull. 10 ... h4 11 b4 hxg3 Th e opening of the h -file h as to be troubling for White, who must now be on high alert for ... 'iid 6 and ... 'ifh 6 ideas. 12 hxg3

46

K o r c hn o i o n t h e A t t a c k I f Serper was a bit more worried about h i s king, h e coul d h ave considered capturin g away from the centre with 1 2 fxg 3 ! ? . 1 2 a6 1 3 bS!? tt::l d 41? ...

14 tt::l x d4

An d now Korchnoi, in his notes to thi s game, punishes 14 tt::l x d4 with "??" which I don't really understand. Serper's m ove m ay be inferior, but two question m arks seem overly harsh - I'd say it deserves " ? ! " at m ost. Possibly Korchnoi's stricture was prompted by White h avin g mi ssed 14 tt::l x es ! 'ii'd 6 (con­ templating a swing to h 6) 15 f4! and if 1S ... gxf4 th en 16 tt::l xf7 ! �xf7 (or 16 ... 'it'cs 17 e 3 ! ) 17 i.xf4 �c s 18 e3 tt::lf s 19 tt::l e 4 'ifxa3 20 g4 with a clear advantage to White since the fs­ knight can 't m ove. Black might try 1 S .. .'iih 6 16 �f2 g xf4 17 .i.xf4 'ii'g 7, when h e seem s to g et reason able compen sation for the pawn . All the same, I woul d still prefer White if given a choice. 14 exd4 1 5 bxa6?! There's no reason to grant Black a free rook jump to a6, which m ay in turn be trans­ ferred to h6. Better to pl ay 1 S l'Lle4 fs 16 t'Lld2 axb s 17 l:i.xb s c6 18 l:i.b3 tt::l d s 1 9 �b2 . 1s l:.xa6 1 6 tt::l b sl? Again White might h ave preferred 16 l'Lle4 fS 17 tt::l d 2. ...

. ..

47

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Exercise (combination alert}: Black h as a tricky sequence whi ch forces the win of m aterial . What i s it? Answer: Double attack. 16 ... ltJa4! Bl ack threaten s ... c7-c6 ! , trapping White's wayward knight, with a further complication : if White's knight does m ove, then Black forks on c3. 17 e3 No choice. 17 . . c6 18 CtJxd4 lLlc3 19 'iic 2 ttJxb1 20 'it'xb1 �d6 ! Intending t o swing over t o h 6 . S o Black gets t o attack, with a slight m aterial plus as a bonus. 21 �b3 ?! White's best chance to hang in there l ay in the line 2 1 e4! 'iih 6 2 2 �el 'ii'h 2 + (Black shoul dn 't take the materialism route since the initi ative swings back th e other way after 2 2 ... .txa3 ? ! 23 ttJfs �f6 24 .te3) 23 �fl .th 3 24 .txh 3 'it'xh 3+ 25 �e2 'ili'g4+ 2 6 �e 3 ! 'ii'd 7 27 ttJfs and White's powerfully posted knight gives him ch ances to resist. 2 1 ... 'ii' h 6 22 �e1 White has a pawn for the exch ang e and m ay survive, unless Black fin ds a way to g et at his kin g . .

48

K o rc h n o i o n t h e A t t a c k

2 2 . . . csl

This move, which l ooks weak on the surface since it weaken s b S and b7, i s the only path to White's king. In stead, chasing the king to safety g ives White survival chances: a) 22 .. .'ifh 2+?! 2 3 'it>f1 .ih 3 24 .ixh 3 'ii'x h 3+ 2 5 'i.t>e2. b) 22 ... Ji.h 3 ? 23 'ifxb7 i.xg 2 24 'i.t>xg 2 and there i s no m ate. 2 3 tt:'lf 3 1

White n eeds the knight near h i s kin g . Serper wisely resists th e impul se to go off on an adventure on the other side of the board with 2 3 tt:'lbs ? 'iih 2 + 24 'it>fl i.h 3 (24 ... .l:!.f6 is strong too) 2 5 .ixh 3 'ifxh 3+ 26 'it>e2 1i'g4+ 2 7 'it>d2 (27 'i.t>fl? 'ii'f 3 forces mate) 27 ... :f6 ! 2 8 %1 e 2 Ith 2 and Bl ack crashes through . 2 3 ... .ih 3 1 Now White's king is in grave dang er. The b7-pawn is m erely a decoy. 24 �xb7

Not 24 i.h l ? ?, which walks headlong into 24 ... i.e6 (double attack on b3 an d h l) 2 5 � 5 + .id7 and White must h an d over h i s queen t o avoid mate; while after 2 4 tt:'l e s .ixg2 25 'it>xg 2 (if 25 'ii'xf7+?? 'it>d8 2 6 'it>xg 2, then 26 ... 'ilfh 3 + 27 'it>f3 .l:!.f8 win s at once) .l:te6 26 .ib2 'i'h 3 + 27 'it>f3 1i'fs+ 2 8 �e 2 .l:txe s 2 9 'ifxb7 �h 2 30 'ifh8+ 'it>d7 31 'i'h7+ e2 .

.

Exercise (combination alert): Black to play and win heavy m aterial .

50

Korch n o i o n t h e A t t a c k

A ns wer: Discovered attack: 2 8 . . ..l:txe3+! 2 9 .ixe3 'ifxc8 win s th e queen. 2 7 . . ."ii h 1+

The bl ack queen enters with deci sive effect. 28 'it>f1 �f6 !

White h as no good way to cover his second rank. 2 9 e4

Both 29 f4 and 29 .S.e2 woul d m eet with the same reply. 2 9 .. Jlh 2 3 0 'ite2

30 ..lte3 fails to 30 ... .l:i.fxf2+! 31 ii.xf2 'ifg 2+ an d m ates, while 30 'ii x c5 "fig 2+ 3 1 �e2 .:t:xf2+ i s equally hopeless. 30 ... l:thxf2+ 3 1 �d 1 l:t:d6 3 2 �e3 .l:i.xd 3 + 33 'iii> c 1 l:tc3 +

Not 3 3 ... I:i.xe 3?, intending 34 .l::;t. x e 3 ? 'ifxg 1+ and m ates, due to 34 'ikc6+! �f8 35 'iix c5+ ..\t e 7 36 'ifxe3 and White survives, at least for the tim e being. 34 \t>d1

Scurrying amidst his three tormentors, the white king gets little rest these days. All which remain are vestigial flashes of White's resistance.

Exercise (combination alert}: H aving m ade it to d1 th e king exhales in a gush of relief, believing h e escaped the assassi n ation attempt. He didn 't. H ow did Korchnoi finish the game? Answer: Offer a rook in order to tran sfer h i s queen to its optimal attackin g post: th e third rank - along which she re-enters the fight with vastly m agnified powers. 34 ... "fih6! 0-1

Competence in calculation is a kind of authority Korchnoi wielded. With 34 .. .'t'Nh 6, Korchnoi unleash es dark, terrible forces upon White's world: 35 "fib8 (trying to cover d6; if 35 �xf2 then 35 .. ."i!Vd6+ 36 'it>e2 'iVd3 is m ate) 35 .. J:i.d3+ 36 �c1 "fia6 ! 3 7 .ll. xf2 .l:i.c3+ 38 \t>b2 'i' xa3+ 39 \t>b1 .l:i.b3 + ends th e g am e.

51

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o v e

Game l V. Kupreichik-V. Korch noi

M u n ster 1996 French Defence 1 e4 e6

Korchnoi, along with Botvinnik, Petrosian and Uhlmann, was one of th e all -tim e great French Defence experts. H i s h andling of the opening influenced me deeply as a kid, and I have pl ayed this mysterious opening for over four decades. 2 d4 d s 3 es

The Advan ce French , which Korchnoi called the "critical " continuation in h i s best games book. 3 ... c s 4 c3 'ii b 6 5 'Llf3 'Llc6

s ... Ji.d7, intending to unload the bad bishop via b s , is al so quite popul ar. 6 .ie2

The other two giant branches h ere are 6 a3 an d 6 .id3 (when White l ater g am bits h i s d­ pawn). 6 ... 'Llh61?

Korchnoi, as is h i s usual h abit, refuses to conform to n orm or precedent. Bl ack prepares to add further pressure to d4, th e base of White' s pawn ch ain . Korchnoi ' s choice is slightly more offbeat th an eith er first swappin g on d4 with 6 ... cxd4 7 cxd4 'Llh 6, or 6 ... .id7. I M John Watson covers thi s line in detail in Dangerous Weapons: The French Defence. In fact, I h ad the white pieces again st John in a game back in the early 'gos and was com ­ pl etely thrown by his 6 ... 'Llh 6 ! ?, confusedly messing things up and barely m an aging to limp to a draw. After the game, John, with a mi schievous smile, rem arked: "Cyrus, you really un­ derstand thi s line well ! " 52

Korch n o i o n t h e A ttack

Question: Why can 't White dam age Black's structure with 7 i.xh 6 - ? Ans wer: H e can, but matters are n ot so simple. I n return , Bl ack g ets bish op pair, in creased dark square control an d an open g -file. For example: 7 ... gxh6 (7 .. .'it'xb 2 ? ! isn't con sidered as good for Black, since his queen g ets into trouble after 8 i.e3 li'xa1 9 'ii'c 2) 8 �d2 .1g7 9 0-0 o-o 10 lLJa3 f6 11 exf6 Jaxf6 was V. Kupreichik-A. Huzman, Sverdlovsk 19 87, where most Fren ch exponents, your writer included, would be okay with Bl ack. Presum ably Kupreichik was of a similar opinion and so tried a different variation . 7 cxd4 8 cxd4 ttJfs 9 i.b2 i.d 7 ! ? Norm ally Black plays 9 . . . i.b4+ h ere, which forces White's k i n g t o move t o f1, elimin ating castling privileges. ...

Question: Shouldn't Black entrench his fs-knight with 9 ... hs i n stead? Answer: That is possibl e, but rare. White can later pl ay i.d3 an d i.xfs, after which Black may wi sh he hadn't pushed the h -pawn, since it weakens the g S -square. In any case, Fren ch pl ayers are not afraid of g 2 -g4, since th e move weaken s White's structure.

10 g4!?

The nuclear option. White can (and perh aps should!} refrain from lashing out just yet and opt for the calmer 10 o-o i.e7 11 a3 as 12 h 3 l:tc8, J .Timman -V.Topalov, Wijk aan Zee (blitz) 1998. But players on th e White side of Advance French can hold off for only so lon g and Tim m an played 13 g4! ? anyway. Th en I like Bl ack's position after 13 . . .lLJh4, though a natural attacker may prefer White. 10 lLJfe7 11 lLJc3 h s ...

White doesn't h ave tim e for h 2 -h 3 . Thi s thematic move i s a novelty an d an improve53

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve m ent over 11...tt:'lg6 12 "Yi'd2 f6 1 3 tt:'la4 ii.b4 14 tt:'lxb6 ii.xd2+ 15 �xd2 axb6 16 exf6 gxf6 17 h 4, when White may have an edge due to his extra king side space, L.Yudasin-M.Illescas Cordoba, Leon 199 3 . 12 tt:'la4 'll!Vd 8

It might be worth luring White's bishop to th e more vuln erable c3-square by tossing in 12 .. .'i'a5+ 13 i.c3 an d only then pl ay 13 .. .'i*' d8 . 13 g s ! ?

Question: Isn't White overextendi n g ? Answer: I would love t o pl ay Bl ack h ere, but this is a stylistic bias. Th e position may be clos­ er to dynamically balanced. Kupreichik's idea is to gum up the king side and then focus h i s attention o n t h e oth er win g . As i t turn s out, the king side isn't a s cl osed a s White m ay have beli eved. Korchnoi expected 13 gxh 5 . 1 3 ... tt:'lg61

Stron ger th an m ovin g th e knight to f5, th e obvious square. Bl ack's knight blocks out all g 5-g6 line-opening ideas and al so keeps control over f4 and h4. 14 'i!Vd2 .l:i.c8 1 5 .l:l.c1

Question: Can White pl ay 15 tt:'lc5 in order to pick off the bishop pair? Answer: Tactics interfere after 15 ... tt:'lxd4! (undermining) 16 tt:'lxb7 lL'lc2+ 1 7 'it>f1 \l!Vb6 18 lk1 iixb7 19 .l:l.xc2 l:txc2 20 'iWxc2 tt:'lf4, when Bl ack has managed to swap a wing pawn for a central pawn and now goes after the e2-bish op, guardian of White's light squares, and picking off th e bi shop pair himself. 1S ... i.. b 4 16 i.c3 � a 3 17 l:b1?!

A major concession, moving h i s rook off th e open file to dodge a draw. Keep in mind

54

Korch n o i o n th e A ttack wh at hap pens t o objects wh ich refuse t o bend: They break. Korch noi writes th at both he an d Kupreichik are often "en slaved by th eir fi ghting spirit". Korchnoi said h e woul d h ave agreed to th e draw by repetition h ad Kupreichik played th e correct 17 i.b2 .i.b4 1 8 i.C3, but I bet you if thi s h ad actually h appen ed, Ko rch noi woul d h ave h ad a ch an g e of heart and declined th e draw by with drawin g h i s bis ho p t o e7. 1 7 j_ e 7 18 lbb2 .. .

18 ttJc s ? i s again met by the undermining tactic 18 ... tbxd4 ! . 18 tbh4! .. .

A cl ever tacti c. Principle: The cra mped side benefits from exchanges. 19 l:t g1

19 ltJxh4?? is obviously foolish, as 19 ... �xg s regai n s the piece with interest. 19 ttJxf3+ 20 .txf3 'ii' b 6! ..•

Dual purpose: 1. Black prevents ltJd3, th e knight's optim al spot. 2. Black threatens th e combinational sequence ... lt:Jxe s ! followed by ... l:txc 3 , after which White's queen can 't recapture due to the ... ..tb4 pin.

Question: Woul dn 't it be wise to toss in 20 . g6 just so White can't m ake the move himself? ..

Answer: My instinct would have been to make thi s move as well, but Korchnoi, a m an of unbounded ambition , decides to forego it. His reasoning m ay h ave been to keep the option of .. .f7-f6 later on . Remember, White's king is pretty much stuck in the centre and will be vulnerabl e should it open up. 2 1 tba4

It's very easy to g et caught up in your own plans and pl ay something like 21 g6?, which

55

K o r c h n o i : M o ve by M o ve walks into th e aforementioned combin ation : 2 1 ... tl:lxe s ! 2 2 dxe s J:txc 3 ! when Bl ack's rook i s immune from capture. 21 .. .'t!i'c7 22 .ie2

Question: Why did White retreat? Answer: Bl ack threatened ... b7-b 5 ! , foll owed by tactics down the c-file. H owever, White mi ssed som ething. Exercise (combination alert}: Black has acces s to a mini-tactic which greatly improves his position . What is it? Answer: Tactics enable ... b7-b S ! , so pl ay it anyway. 22 ... bsl 23 i.xbs

No choice since 2 3 tl:lcs ? fails to the now familiar trick 23 ... tl:lxd4, while 23 tl:lb2 ? ? walks headlong into 2 3 ... b4, snaring th e bishop. 2 3 ... tl:lxes l

The point: Black favourably regains his lost pawn . 24 .i.. x d7+

After 24 dxe s ?! .i.. xb s 25 ii.d4 ..txa4 2 6 bxa4 o-o, White is busted, as his pawn structure is in tatters and king remains un safe. 24 tl:lxd7 ..•

Bl ack now threaten s to take on h 2 . 2 5 f4 0-0

In the afterm ath of the combination White again looks busted, with h i s loose structure and insecure king . Surpri singly, Houdini mi sassesses, only giving Black an edge. H ow does a programmer en code the concept of future king safety to a computer, whose sentience only

56

K o r c hn o i on th e A t t a c k exten ds to th e present moment? 2 6 'it> e2 i.d6 2 7 �bf1 .l:Ue8 ! ?

Black dream s of engineering a n Alekhine-like future involving a n . . . e6-e S ! ! break­ th rou gh. 2 8 i.b4?

White should simply do n othing and await events.

Question: Why criticize the exch ange of bad bishop for good? Answer: Because White's "bad" bi shop was al so the guard again st queenside entry into his position, which now evaporates. Th e active 28 g6?! fail s to open lines and revive White's chances, as Black simply bypasses with 2 8 .. .fs, followed by ... lt:Jf6. 28 i.xb4 29 'i'xb4 �C2+ ...

The queen enters with decisive effect. 30 'iid 2 'i'ie4+ 31 �d1

Not much choice in th e m atter since a queen block on e 3 would be met by a deadly rook check on c2.

Exercise (critical decision}: Where i s Black's breakthrough ? Answer: The one he h as been playin g for all along . From virtually the start of the g ame White has claimed sole rights to control over es, but now Korchnoi asserts otherwi se. 31 es!! ...

For a n average pl ayer t o comm it t o such a m ove i s fraught with h igh risk. But t o Korch ­ noi, backed up by astonishing calculation power, there is very little g ambl e involved. 3 2 fx e s

Alternatives fail to ease the pain. 3 2 l:Le l 'iif3+ 3 3 'ii'e 2 'ii'xf4 i s hopeless for White, and

K o rc h n o i : M o ve by M o v e 3 2 dxe5 tt:Jxe 5 ! is much th e same as the game. 3 Z . . .tt:Jxe s !

Th e knight, who manages t o outrag e the ruling authority, stands above t h e law an d cannot be touched, since 3 3 dxe 5 'iib 1+ 34 'it>e2 l:txe 5+ 3 5 'it>f2 l::tf5+! 36 c;t>g 2 'i/Ve4+ 37 �h 3 l:rxfl 3 8 l:!.xf1 �g4 is mate. 3 3 tt:Jc3

White's defen sive l abours are set up ag ainst a backdrop of l ooming m ate threats. 33 .. J�xc3 ! 34 'ii'x c3 lLld 3 !

Threatening mate o n the move. They continue t o pour i n ; quick-breeding predators wreaking havoc on White's fragile ecosystem. 3 5 'it> c 2

35 'ii'd 2 'it'xd4 3 6 a3 (or 3 6 c;t>e2 tt:Jb4+) 36 ... tt:Jb2+ 3 7 'it>cl l:tc8+ win s the queen . 3 S ... lLlb4+ 3 6 c;t>bz 'tli'ez+ 3 7 �b1!

The most stubborn defence in a h opeless position still deserves an exclam . Attackers continue to rain down in torrents, yet Kupreichik m an ages to keep h i s king alive for now. In stead: a) 37 'itt a 3 'ii a 6+! 38 c;t>xb4 .l:.b8+ 39 �c 5 .li:tb5 is mate. b) 37 'it>cl ? ? tt:Jxa2+ drops the queen and gets mated to boot. 37 ... 'ilfxa2+ 38 'it>c1

Exercise (combination alert}: Continue Black's attack. There are several strong continuations. Find one of them. Answer #1: Deflection . 3 8 ... lLld 3+!

Answer #2: 3 8 ... l:!.e6 ! is even stronger, after which 3 9 'ifixb4 .l::t c 6+ 40 'ilfc 5 l:rxc 5+ 41 dxc 5 d4! 42 .Udl d3 ! ends the game. 58

Ko rchn o i o n t h e A t t a c k

3 9 'i!fxd 3 Fin ally, White places the psychotic knight under restraint and orders him to receive tre atm ent for his megalomania. 3 9 J.tc8+ 40 �d 1 'ii'a 1+ 41 �e2 'ii' b 2+ 42 'ii' d 2 The queen falls, no m atter where White moves; e . g . 42 �f3 l:k3 or 42 �e l l:.cl+. ..

42 .i:.c2 43 .l:r.d1 'i!Vxb3 •. •

No rush ; White's queen isn't g oing anywh ere. 44 g 6 fxg6 4S llxg6 l::t x d2+ 46 �xd2

Black's attack is over, but h e h as cashed out into a winning ending, with queen and two pawn s for a pair of rooks. 46 .'tih 3 ! .•

The queen 's hospitality leaves m uch t o b e desired. I f Black wins h 2 it's game over, since it would create a pair of passers on the h - and g -files - too much for the inept rooks to handle. 47 �e1

The king hurries away to avoid the corruptin g desires and touch of his unnatural sister. 4 7 .'�fs 48 l:!.gg2 a s ..

The a-pawn can't get across the a2-square, but i t still h as i t s uses a s a deflection tool to throw White's rooks out of synch . 49 '.t>e2 Wie4+ so 'it>f1 h4!

Threatening ... h4-h 3, followed by ... Wh l+, pickin g up h2 after all. 5 1 'it>g1?

Covering one threat while walking into another. The weary king h as n o idea h ow long his ene my h as detained him, since an interrogation room contains no clocks and no win ­ do ws.

59

K o rc h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Exercise (combination alert}: Well, I don 't know if thi s i s a combin ation alert or typo alert, but apparently both players overlooked something rather obvious. Black to play and m ate. 5 1 a4? ••.

Black's awkward queen doesn 't quite kn ow wh at to do and just stan ds there, like some h omely, date-less teen at a high school dan ce. Answer: I checked several other versions of this g ame, including in Korchnoi's own books, and Sl .. .'i'el mate is not even mentioned. Do we not all despi se others wh ose weakn ess mirrors our own ? A ch ess version of a dual Freudian slip? For White's king, death isn't so much as a tragedy as it is an escape from suffering. Reality can be so intrusive when it pro­ trudes upon our illusion s. The king's in subordinate stance prompts the queen to m ake a mental note: " H ave him executed". Can thi s really be true ? H ow can a pair of strong G Ms each miss a m ate in one ? Kram­ nik, in a drawn position, once mi ssed a m ate in one again st Deep Fritz, so perhaps it can h appen to anyone. We are n ot perfect m achines and from tim e to time it is in our nature to short circuit. 52 ilge2

Whew! Covering the m ate threat ! 5 2 ...'ii'g 4+ 53 �1 �h7 54 l:!.f2 'ii'e 4 5 5 ®g1 h 3

Threatening .. .'ii' e l+, picking o ff a rook. Bl ack's pawn s crawl t o t h e surface, like bug s who happily buzz and float on g reen algae pon d scum . 5 6 l:!.fe2 'ii'g 4+ 5 7 '>ii>f 2 'ii'f4+ 58 �e1 'it'f3 !

Threatening .. .'ii'h l+, winning the h 2 -pawn .

60

Ko rc h n o i o n t h e A t t a c k

59 �d 1!

White's bumbling king hopes to sneak by, anxiou s to avoid detection . He interferes with his rook's coverag e of h 2 , and so g ets out of th e way, hopi ng to make his way to a2. 59 .'iWc3 ! ..

Blocking th e king's furth er escape to the queen side. 60 � e1 g5

Here they com e. 61 '.t>f2 �g6 6 2 .l:!.e6+ 'lt>fs 6 3 l:!.ee2 a 3 64 �f1 'it>g4 6 5 'it>f2

Whenever I see forlorn rooks who h uddle tog ether for safety, my heart goes out to them I can 't help but be reminded of the Brady Bunch epi sode where little Cindy and Bobby got lost in the Grand Canyon . -

Exercise {planning}: Black can force the win of White's h 2 -pawn, creating a lethal pair of passers on the king s ide. H ow did Korchnoi accomplish this goal ?

61

K o rc h n o i: M o ve by M o v e

Answer: Zug zwang. The correct spot for Black's king i s on f4, after wh ich White can 't pre­ vent the tran sfer of th e queen to h l. 6 5 .. .'�f4! 66 'iitg 1 Or 66 l:Id1 a2 ! 67 .l:txa2 'iif 3+ 68 'iit e 1 'ii'h l+ 69 'iit d 2 �xh 2+ 70 'it>c3 'ii'x a2 and th e queen scoops up the rook as well with a daintin ess which belies her actual power. 66 .. �C1+ 67 �f2 'ii' h 11 0-1 The h-pawn finally falls. Th e queen terrifies everyone wh en she flies into one of her rag es - and is even scarier wh en she subsides into a dangerous, sullen silence. .

Game B V.Korch noi-B.Spassky

St Pete rsb u rg ( ra pid match, 6th ga me) 1999 Griinfeld Defence Korchnoi and Spassky's styles differ so starkly, th at they feel like people who speak dif­ ferent languages, tryin g to communicate, with absolutely zero chance of successful trans­ l ation . 1 d4 t2Jf6 2 C4 g6 3 f3

Question: What i s White' s idea behind the early f2 -f3 - ? Answer: E ssenti ally it's an anti-Grunfeld system . It gives Black the option of tran sposing to oth er systems, but if Bl ack h as h i s h eart set on 3 ... ds, th en White angles for a favourabl e Grunfeld. Question: Why favourable?

62

Ko rch n o i o n t h e A t t a c k

Answer: In this version Bl ack is denied the usual kni g ht exchange on c3 , which helps White due to the principle: The side with more space shou ld avo id exchang es. Of course it has its do wns ides as well : f2-f3 isn't a developin g move, it block s the n atural square for the g 1 kn igh t, and may not fit in with all Grunfel d set-up s. Ne vertheless, it was a shrewd ploy by Korchnoi, for two reason s : 1. S passky was clearly geared u p for 3 ... ds, h avi ng alr eady pl ayed the Gril nfeld in the se co nd and fourth games of the match . 2 . Black's main alternative, 3 ... ..tg 7 4 e4, generally lea ds to a Samisch King ' s Indian, a lo ng -tim e favourite of Spassky's from the White side, with which h e ha s sco red many fa­ mous victories, not least against Korchnoi himself. And now, unexpect edly, Korchn oi sug­ ge sts th at Spassky takes on the Bl ack side of thi s position in a rapid game. 3 d5 Spa ssky sticks to h i s Grilnfeld. Another option i s 3 ... cs 4 ds, leading either to Benoni posi­ tio ns or even a Benko Gambit (after 4 ... bs). •• .

4 cxd s lDxd s s e4 l2Jb6

You see? Black i s denied his traditional c 3 -swap. 6 tt:l c3 i. g7 7 i.e3 o-o 8 f4!?

Th e Austri an Attack versus the Grilnfeld ! ? As usual , Korchnoi avoids th e m ain lines and goes for an offsh oot.

Question: Can White g et away with this, since he moved his f-pawn twice? An swer: I am deeply suspicious of thi s sort of variation, but keep in mind that Black's knight al so move d three times out of eight moves, so perhaps White can be allow ed such in dulg ences. I nstead, 8 'ikd2 is th e main line. A recent exampl e : 8 ... tt:lc6 9 o-o-o 'ifd6 10 \tlb1 .l:!.d8 11 tt:lb s 'ii' d 7 12 ds a6 1 3 ctJc3 'i!Ve8 14 "ii' e 1 tt:le s , L.Aronian-F.Caruana, Moscow 20 12 . 63

Ko rch n o i : M o ve by M o ve 8 c6!? ...

Spas sky m eets th e offshoot with an offshoot of his own . His move strikes m e as stran g ely pl aci d in a situation wh ere Bl ack shoul d be feverishly ch ippi n g away at White's centre.

Question: What would you suggest? Answer: Something more vigorous like 8 .. .'�:Jc6 9 d S tt:Jas 10 �d4 es! 11 �xes ..ixes 12 fxes "i¥h4+ 1 3 g3 'Uie7 14 'ii d4 .l:!.d8 (intendin g ... tt:Jc6) 1 5 b4 tt:Jac4 (or still 1 S ...tt:Jc6 16 1\Vc s "ifg s 1 7 tDf3 't!r"h s 1 8 it.e2 tt:Jxes 1 9 0-0 .i.h 3 , A.Botez-T.Gara, Mexico City rapid 2012) 1 6 .i.xc4 'ii' x b4 17 tDf3 'ii x c4 18 "ife 3 c6 with a compl etely unbalan ced situation, G . Kaidanov- Peng Xiaomin, U S-China match , Seattl e 2001. 9 tDf3 ..ie6 Spassky targ ets the weak c4-square. Th e altern ative i s 9 ... i.. g 4. which follows the princi­ ple: The cra mped side benefits from excha nges. 10 'i¥c2 tt:J8d7!

Black waits for i.. e 2 before following up with ... it.c4 so as to gain a tempo. After the i m ­ mediate 1 0 ... i.c4 11 .1t.xc4 tt:Jxc4 12 ..if2 tD a 6 1 3 o-o WJ/c7 14 �e2, White appeared t o extract a slight edge due to his extra space, D. Biro-J .Siroky, Hung ari an Team Ch ampionship 2008. 1 1 �e2 �c4 1 2 g4! ?

Korchnoi is cl early not a believer in th e doctrine that a country i s safer when it has few­ er borders to defend. When sel ecting just 60 or so from a lifetime of nearly s .ooo of Korch ­ noi's games, thi s on e caught my eye, mainly due to h i s almost irrati on al last move. Korch­ noi mentioned in an interview in 2011 th at, even at the ripe ol d age of 80, h e still from time to time found him self un able to resist strategically questionabl e moves. On ce again, h e sheds all preten ce of impartiality when it comes to adoration of his g -pawn s more than all his other pawn s combin ed. Everyon e el se in th e world would have castled kin g side h ere. 64

Korch n o i o n th e A ttack ki n gsid e here. Korchnoi plan s t o go for i t o n the king side with h 2 -h4-h 5 .

Question: It feels t o m e like White's tough guy posturin g resemble s a second grader picking a fight with a sixth grade kid. After all, Black didn't break any principles. Why would Korchn oi think such an outrageous move is capable of overwhelming an essentially solid position ? Answer: Korchnoi doesn't both er with the advice: If you feel lucky one day and decide to play a game of Russian Roulette, m ake certain to inquire just h ow m any bullets the gun's ch amb er hold s. 1 tend to l ean towards your viewpoint - and yet Korchn oi somehow didn't overexten d and won the game. I would say h i s move is high-end aggressive but falls just below the threshold of unsoun d. The key factor in determining whether it i s pl ayable or n ot i s : Can Black rip open the centre? If he can in th e n ext dozen or so moves, White may deeply regret his decision . In the gam e Korchnoi gambled on a th eory, a kernel of truth, th at Black won 't be able to open the centre so easily. As it turn ed out h i s judgm ent was vin dicated. 12 e6! Principle: Counter in the centre when attacked on the wing. ...

Question: H ow is Black's l ast move a central counter? Answer: In order to play a future ... c6-c5, Black m ust first engineer a way of denying a by­ passing d4-d5 by White. 13 h4

Suddenly 12 g4 doesn't look so bad. White foresees h4-h 5 and an eventual �2, barrel­ ling down the h -file. 13 .'i'e7 14 h S cs ..

65

K o rc h n o i: M o ve by M o ve The once in ert c-pawn fights back, disallowing White's bullying centre pawn s to crowd him out. 15 e s ! ?

Question: And now White h ands over dS . Why, when he can castle queen side? Answer: Korchnoi i s not so sure about king safety on the other side. I n stead, h e grabs more space and plans to keep his king in the centre, or castle m anually with f2 l ater on . 1 5 ... Itfc8

I prefer thi s move to 1 S ... lt'lds 16 ..ig 1 ! cxd4 (I like White's ch ances after 16 ... .txe2 17 lt'lxds exds 18 'ifxe2 too) 17 ..txd4 l:!.fc8 18 ..txc4 I:!.xc4 19 hxg6 hxg6 20 � 2 and suddenly I wouldn't mind takin g on White, even if Houdin i still cl aims the game is equal . 16 hxg6 hxg6 17 dxcs lt'lxcs

Thi s may be in accurate. Black should go for 17 ... lt'lds ! 1 8 .td4 �xe2 1 9 lt'lxd s ! exds 20 'ifxe2 lt:'lxcs 2 1 lt'lg s lt'le6 ! , when his position l ooks okay. 18 i.d4

Both sides miss 18 fS ! exfs 1 9 .i.xc4! lt'lxc4 20 lt'lds ! 'ifd8 21 Wkxc4 lt'le6 2 2 �b3, wh en Black doesn 't get full compensation ; e.g. 22 .. .fxg4 2 3 lt'lh4 lt'lc s 24 �xcs lixcs 25 tt:lxg 6 ! .l::!. x ds 26 'iVxds 'ifg s 27 o-o! 'iVxg 6 28 I:.ae1 and White shoul d b e winning . Then again, who but computers can work out such insanely tricky lines? 18 ... �d 5

Spassky has done everything right and opened the g ame. Yet the computers say the po sition remains equal . Despite initial misgivings, it seem s th at Korchnoi ' s loony 1 2 g 4 ! ? wasn't a s bad a s i t l ooked. Th e question is: How did Korchnoi know this at the tim e ? Wh at attracted him to 12 g4! ?, a move nobody else would make? In his autobiography, Korchnoi claims that his po111 er is the product of hard work, not genius. I respectfully disagree. Korchnoi's hidden geniu 66

K o r c h n o i o n th e A t t a c k g e niu s is that h e knows - when others can 't possibly - t o pl ay moves like 12 g 4 ! ?, and that h e won 't be punished for it later on ! 1 9 lid1 �d8? Evil permitted con stitutes another, milder form of evil. This i s the first sign of a crack in Bl ack's almost perfect defence. Both 19 ... ltJe4 an d 19 ... i.c6 held the balan ce. 2 0 tt:J xd s ! Sp assky overlooked a subtl e distinction on his last move. Now a black knight i s kept out d of S, a factor which en ables White to unravel and begin a dan g e rous attack. 2 0 l:t xd s ...

Exercise {planning}: Assess 21 fs, a move which violates the princi pl e : Don 't create a central disturbance when you a re the one attacking on the wing. Would you override the principle and play it anyway? 21 'iii>f 2?

Answer: The move is an exception to th e principle. 2 1 fS ! was very strong : 2 1 ... exfs (21...ltJcd7 22 f6 is hopeless for Bl ack) 22 gxfs gxfs 2 3 'ii' xfs gives White a winning attack, similar to what occurs in th e g ame. 21 ... l:tc8 2 2 'ilfb1 .:cd8 2 3 b3 ltJ a 6 2 4 'i!Ve4 ltJb4 2 5 fs ! exfs 2 6 gxfs gxfs ?

Now Black's structure suffers a l eth al dismemberment. The defen sive pressure over­ comes Spassky, who by now must h ave been very short of time in the rapid game. H ere 26 ... ltJc6 ! 27 �xb6 .l:.xd1 28 J:.xd1 1:txd1 hel d the balance. 2 7 lixfs J:txd4

67

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Bl ack finally receives delivery, but g ets damaged goods.

Exercise (combination alert}: White to pl ay an d win. Answer: N o need to recapture on d4. Simply add another attacker an d Bl ack's position falls apart. 2 8 l:tdg1! 1-0

It isn't necessary to be an expert m arksman if you own a 12 gauge, double-barrelled shotgun . Bl ack's king receives a stag gerin g blow from th e darkn ess, as h e feel s bones sh at­ tering in his body. After 28 l:tdg 1 ! (if you apply for a job and your interviewer abruptly stands up in what you believe to be the middle of the interview, then my guess is you didn 't g et the job) 28 .. .'ife6 29 'i*'h 7+ ( Black's kin g feel s a sense of something being taken from h i s person, like the faint feeling of a pi ckpocket's han d on a wallet as it is being re­ moved) 29 .. !.£i>f8 30 'it'xg 7+ �e7 31 'iig S+ ! (forcin g th e kin g to block the d8-rook's coverage of d4) 31 ... �d7 (if your army is in retreat, it needs a pl ace to retreat to) 3 2 lbxd4, the knight defaces th at which is already dead, like the soldier who steals a dead foe's wedding rin g from a rigid finger.

Game 9 V . Korchnoi-H.Cireta rsson

Reykjavi k 2003 Slav Defence 1 d4 ds 2 c4 c6 3 liJf3 ltJf6 4 e3 ids

Gretarsson's move is quite popular and I sometimes pl ay it myself, but as much as I lovE the London System as White, I 'm beginning to think that defending the reversed position 68

K o rc h n o i o n t h e A t t a c k as Bla ck is a th ankless task. Black's best may b e t o tran spose t o Semi Sl av with 4. . .e 6 . Alter­ n ati vely, he can enter Chebanenko Slav with 4 ... a6, or even th e Schlechter System with 4 . g6. ..

5 liJ c3 e 6 6 tt::l h 4

A topical position from the Slav.

Question: Can White get anything from th e bishop pair? Answer: Probably an edge since the pawn structure rem ains fluid, with possibilities of opening up, and White often extracts a space advantage with kingside and/or queenside expansion later on . Th e trouble (for Black) i s th at White tends to h ang on to this edge for ages, with not too much risk involved for h i s side. 6 i. e 4 .•.

Question: Wh at's the point of playing th e bishop to e4, if it can 't squirm away from White' s knights ?

Answer: Black wants to extract som e kind of concession for handing over the bishop pair, in this case the move f2-f3 . H owever, it remai n s open to question whether f2-f3 h arm s or helps White, since the move m ay l ater boost an e3-e4 or g 2 -g4 push . The immediate 6 ... .ig6 is also played h ere; as well as 6 ... i.g4, which i s met by 7 � 3 . 7 f3 .t g6 8 'ii b 3

It isn't such a bad idea to del ay capturin g on g 6, since this open s the h -fil e for Black's rook s. After 8 tt::l x g6 hxg6 9 g 3 i.d6 (th reatening . ...txg3+) 10 d7 24 i.xf7 leaves Black's kin g helpless. b) 2 2 ... 'ii'f s+ 23 'it>al (Bl ack's unenviable forces mill about i rresolutely, despite his extra rook) 23 ... .l:Ixd4 24 �cl 'it>d8 25 ..te6 ! ! - interference, winning the queen, since 2S .. .'ii x e6 is met by 26 'ii'b 8+ it>d7 (escape is blocked at every turn) 2 7 lic7 m ate. ..

...

Exercise (combination alert}: Find one killing blow and Black resigns. Answer: 2 3 ii.e6+! 1-0 73

K o r c h n o i : M o ve by M o ve Black resigned in view of 2 3 ... :ld7 ( 2 3 .. .fxe6 24 lic1+ win s on the spot) 24 .:tel+ 'it>d8 (or 24 ... .tc5 25 .ixd7+ ttJxd7 26 'ii'xf7 and White reg ains all his sac'ed material plus more, while retaining a bli stering attack) 25 'ii'x b7 .l::t x b7 (the remnants, the fin al survivors, hud­ dle together, awaiting death) 26 .l:tc8 m ate. Perhaps I was a tad h asty in my pronounce­ ment, in the introduction to thi s ch apter, that Korchnoi isn't a n atural attacker!

Game 1 0 V.Korch noi-EI.Liu

La s Vegas 2007 King 's Indian Defence This Korchnoi gam e affected my life directly, since I have taught Elliot Liu since h e was eight years old. He h as two IM norm s, but Stanford University h as put his chess aspirations on hol d for a while! I still remember the excited email h e sent me from Vegas: " I pl ayed Korchnoi ! ! ! " 1 d4 tiJf6 2 c4 g6 3 ttJc3 .ig7 4 e4 d6 s .igs

To my mind this, tog ether with Korchnoi's n ext m ove, i s one of White's m ost dangerous system s again st the King ' s I n dian .

Question: D o you play this way a s White? Answer: Not yet! The trouble i s th at I normally open a game with 1 tiJf3 . In thi s system White's f-pawn tends to go to f3 or f4, so my m ove order m esses it up ! H owever, recently I h ave thought about opening with 1 c4, whi ch woul d allow m e to get to the diagrammed position, since I don't block the f-pawn with a knight on the f3-square. s o-o 6 'it'd2! In stead, 6 .ie2 enters the main lines of the Averbakh System . For exampl e : 6 ... c 5 7 d 5 h6 ...

74

Korch n o i o n t h e A ttack g i.f4 e 6 9 dxe6 ..txe6 1 0 i.xd6 l:te8, when Black g ets adequate compen sation for the sacri ­

fic ed pa wn , according to theory. 6 f3 i s sometimes played too and may tran spose to th e gam e, but I think Korchnoi ' s move i s more accurate.

Question: Why? Answer: I prefer the development 'ii d 2, i.d3 and tt:Jge2 before touching the f-pawn . White may still move it to f3 later. However, if h e can manage to pl ay f2-f4 in one g o, he gains a tempo over norm al lines. So it's best for White to hold it back for n ow. 6 cs ...

The Benoni respon se. Other moves: a) 6 ... tt:Jbd7 7 f3 es 8 ds h 6 9 i.e3 (9 i.xh 6? fails to th e trick 9 ... tt:Jxe4! 10 fxe4 'ii'h 4+) g.)tJh 7 10 0-0-0 and White got an excellent Samisch Kin g ' s In dian since Black had diffi ­ culty generating play on th e queenside without ... c7-c6, V. Korchnoi-P.Biyiasas, Wijk aan Zee 19 80. b) 6 ... tt:Ja6 7 i.d3 es 8 ds 'i!Ke8 9 tt:Jge2 tt:Jh s 10 f3 fs 11 o-o-o tt:Jcs 12 i.. c 2 an d once again 1 prefer White's chances in thi s pseudo-Sam i sch, and for the same reason : th at Bl ack h as trouble playing ... c7-c6, A.Gri schuk-Ma.Carlsen, Nice (blin dfol d rapid) 2010. c) 6 ... c6 7 i.. d 3 (the sam e set-up as before) 7 ... a6 8 a4! ? (committal , but White takes stra­ tegic chances to suppress ... b7-b 5 ) 8 ... a s ! 9 tt:Jg e 2 tt:Ja6 10 0-0 ltJb4 11 i.b1 �c7 12 f4 reach ­ es a very odd version of a K I D Four Pawns Attack where ch ances may be bal an ced, A.Aleksandrov-T.Witek, Warsaw (rapid) 2005.

Question: Can Bl ack pl ay 6 ... e s here? Answer: Th at's a trap ! The m ove loses material to 7 dxes dxes 8 'ii' x d8 .l:txd8 9 tt:Jds, when Bl ack either drops an exch ange or his c7-pawn . 7 d S e6

75

K o r c h n o i : M o ve by M o ve Bl ack can al so play in Benko G ambit style with 7 ... b5 8 cxb 5 a6 9 a4 'ii' a 5 10 lla3 ! (to en­ able recapture on b5 with a pawn if h e chooses) 10 . ..ll:\b d7 1 1 f3 lt:Jb6 with typical Benko compen sation, B.G elfand-V. Ivanchuk, Monte Carlo (rapid) 2007, though I woul d prefer White h ere myself. S i.d3 We reach a normal position from the Samisch King's Indian, with two alteration s : 1. White h a s swapped f2-f3 for i.. d 3, whi ch means that i f he l ater achieves f2-f4 in one shot, h e gain s a tempo. 2 . White's dark-squared bishop sits on g 5 , a m ore aggressive posting th an e3. ( I n deed, there was a case for Bl ack pl aying 5 ... h6 to determine the bi shop's position straight away.) Other moves: a) 8 lt:Jge2 exd5 9 cxd5 (if g tt:Jxd5 ! ? i.. e 6 10 tt:Jec3, A.Miles-G . H artm ann , Germ an League 1987, Black shoul d keep fighting for d5 with 10 ... lt:Jbd7 11 f3 lt:Jb6, which looks balanced) 9 ... a6 10 a4 h 5 ! ? 11 lt:Jc1 (m aybe White can pl ay 1 1 lt:Jg 3 ! ? anyway, since ... h 5 -h 4 isn't yet possible) 11..:i!Ve8 12 f3 lt:Jbd7 13 i.e2 lt:Jh 7 14 i.h 6 f5 15 i£.xg7 �xg 7 16 exf5 .l:f.xf5 17 o-o lt:Jdf6 18 ..td3 .:!.e5 19 lt:J1e2, wh en lt:Jf4 is in the air and I prefer White's chances ag ain st Black's loose kingside, R. Ponomariov-S.Mamedyarov, Foros 2006. b) 8 f3 is al so popular h ere, but it does commit White's f-pawn early. Keep in mind th at, in th e g ame, Korch noi achieved f2-f4 in one shot. s ... exd s 9 cxd s a6 1o a4 �a s After 1o ... :.e8 11 lt:Jge2 lt:Jbd7 12 o-o lbe5 13 i.c2 lt:Jc4 14 'i1Vc1 :b8 15 b 3 lt:Ja5 16 'iff4 ! , White began a n ominous build u p in the vicinity of Black's kin g, V.Milov-O.Cvitan , Bastia (rapid) 2007. Th e text attempts to prepare ... b7-b5 again . 11 lla 3 ! Which White promptly prevents.

Question: True enough, but isn't White's rook out of pl ay on a 3 ? Answer: N o . The rook can later swing into t h e attack o n the kingside via th e third rank. In fact, thi s i s exactly wh at happened in the g ame. 11 ...l:e8 12 lt:Jge2 lt:Jbd7 13 lt:Jg3 ! A move immeasurably more sneaky and accurate than the rote 1 3 o-o ? ! , which allows 1 3 ... lt:Je5 and White i s forced to fork over the bishop pair, S.Skembris-B.Ivanovic, Bar 1997. 13 ... tt:Jes 14 ..lte2 ! N ow w e see point o f Korchnoi's move order. H e fully intends t o h ang o n to his bishop. 14 ... 'il'b4!

76

K o rc h n o i o n t h e A t ta c k

A new move i n the position and an improvement over 1 4. . .h s ? ! , which m akes less sense with the white bi shop on gS (rather than e 3 in a normal Sam isch), since ... h S-h4 i s pre­ vented, leaving the h -pawn as a target for White sacs. For example, after 15 f4 ttJed7 16 0-0 lt:\h 7 17 .th4 i.h6 18 'ii c 2 l:tb8 19 'iii>h 1 "iie 7, White was successful with the specul ative 20 �xh S ! ? gxh s 21 t'Llxh s in A.Nikiti n-D . Hausrath , Dortmund 1 9 9 3 . Houdin i likes the piece sac too. Alternatively, White can ton e it down a bit and sac a pawn with 20 e s ! dxes 21 fS ! g S 2 2 "ii' d 2 'Wb6 (not 22 ... gxh4?? 2 3 "it'xh 6 hxg 3 , when the clearance shot 24 ttJbs ! wins) 2 3 d6 'ib4 24 tt:Jge4 with a huge attack. 15 �c2 !

The queen swallows h e r irritation and backs off, stepping out o f the way o f ... ltJc4 and preparing l:tb3, if required.

Question: Isn't White in full retreat? Answer: Korch n oi astutely deduces the true n ature of Black's queen side counterpl ay: ex­ tern ally intimi dating, yet empty of the capability to inflict real h arm if White pl ays cor­ rectly (wh i ch he doe s ! ) . While it's true th at Korchnoi acquiesced to multipl e strategic re­ treats, he can g ain the tim e back on both Black ' s queen, which is now in some dan ger of bein g trapped, an d e s -knight, wh ich subsequently g ets the boot with f2 -f4. So, in es­ sence, th e retreats produce a coiled spring effect, enabling Korchnoi to recoup h i s lost tem pi l ater on . 15 c4 1S ... ltJc4?? hangs a piece to 16 �b3 . ...

16 0-0 lDfd 7

With ideas of ... tt:Jcs and ... lDd3. 16 ... .td7 would be m et by 17 as. 17 tt:Ja2 'ilfa s 18 ..td2 'ii'd B

K o r c h n o i : M o ve by M o ve

Exercise (planning}: Come up with a concrete plan to generate a kingside attack for White and weaken Black's defences in that zone. Answer: Prepare to swap off Bl ack's best defender: his dark-squared bishop. 19 �c3 ! After the exchange of his key bi shop, Bl ack's game begin s slowly to sink into a deep, counterplayless gloom . 19 .. J!i'b6?! Korchnoi makes it look like a forced loss after this seemingly minor inaccuracy. Black should h ave preferred 19 ... h s ! (once White's bishop vacated g S , thi s di sruptive move becomes more thematic) 20 f4 tt'ld3 ! 21 i.. x d3 cxd3 22 'il'xd3 'ii'h 6 + 2 3 'it>h l h4 24 ..txg7 'it>xg 7 2S llb3 'flia7 26 tt:'le2 tt:Jcs 27 �d4+ f6 28 l1e3 and now the trick 28 ... tt'lxe4! re­ gains the lost pawn , when chances look even. Question: If f2-f4 i s so scary, then why n ot play 19 gs, preventing it? ...

Answer: It al so creates gaping holes on fs an d hS, which will prove disastrous to Bl ack's king after 20 tt'lh s ..th 8 21 i.. x c4! tt:Jxc4 22 ..txh 8 tt:Jxa3 2 3 'i!fc3 and if 2 3 ... tt'les then 24 .tf6 'iYb6 2 5 ..txg s is decisive. 20 b3!? A typical Korchnoi decision, boldly challenging Bl ack's assumptions of superiority on the queen side. The altern ative would be to forego thi s move and pl ay simply 20 as �a7 2 1 'it>h l, intending f2-f4. 20 ... cxb3 2 1 gxb3 'it'a 7 The queen wants to go somewh ere - anywh ere - and yet to leave, shouldn 't one have a desirabl e destination ? Her deification doesn't quite g o as pl anned. She i s shorn of her for78

K o rc h n o i o n t h e A t t a c k mer po wer and glory, and must live out h e r life a s a mortal, subject t o aging, sickness, un ­ fulfill ed desires and death . She would like to head back to d8, to h elp out with defensive ch or es over on the king side. Unfortunately , 21 ... 'ii'd 8? is met by the sim ple 22 f4 tt:lcs 2 3 fx e S tt:l xb3 2 4 it'xb3, which costs Black two kni g hts for a rook and pawn - n ot enoug h .

22 'iii> h 1 Preparing f2-f4. 2 2 ... tt:lcs 23 lia3! The rook still h as plan s t o swing over t o the king side along the third rank. 23 ... h s !? Threatening ... h S -h4, while giving the e s -knig ht an escape square at g4. It looks weakening, but I can't blame Elliot, as 23 ... tt:led7 24 as i s quite passive for Black. 2 4 f4 tt:lg 4 2 5 ..txg4 Houdin i prefers 25 i.xg 7 ! 'iii> x g7 26 fs straight away. 2s ... ..t xg4 2 5 ... hxg4 26 i.xg7 �xg 7 27 fs is even worse for Black. 26 ..txg7 �xg7 27 fs!

White's initiative/attack flows to the roar of a burst of power. Korchnoi twists, kneads and pounds the structure to his will . He strikes directly at Black's king, while the opposing queen rem ains far away on a7. 27 ...l:tes Perh aps Black's best shot in a situation wh ere th ere m ay be no saving move. Otherwi se: a) 27 ... 'ii'b 6 28 'i'f2 tt:ld7 2 9 'iff4 'ii'h 2 30 l:tc3 ! gives White a winning attack after 30 ... 'iix a2 3 1 .Uc7 'ii'x a4 (or 3 1 .. J:tad8 32 h 3 ) 32 'i'xd6 l:r.ad8 33 fxg6 fxg 6 34 h 3 . b) 2 7 ... g s 28 f6+ �h 8 29 h 3 h4 3 0 hxg 4 hxg 3 3 1 .:txg 3 tt:\xe4 3 2 l:th 3 + 'it>g 8 3 3 'ii'd 3 ! (in­ ten din g .l:!.h s and 'ii'h 3 ) 3 3 ...I:tac8 (33 ... 'i¥f2 34 tt:lc3 ! breaks the e4-blockade and wins) 34 'it>h 2 ! 'it'cs 35 Ir.h s an d Black h as no good way to stop White from doubling on the h-fil e. 28 fxg6 fxg6 29 h 3 h4

79

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve A defence doesn't exist. For example : 2 9 ... �d7 30 'ii'f2 'i!Yb8 3 1 'ii'f6+ 'it>h 7 3 2 l:taf3 b5 i s crush ed by 3 3 itJxh 5 ! ! .l:txh 5 34 'ife7+ 'iii> g 8 3 5 'ii'f7+ 'iii>h 8 3 6 'ii'x g6 llh 7 3 7 'iif6+ l:t g 7 3 8 Ug 3 'it'g 8 3 9 .l:tf4 'ikf7 40 l:.h4+ 'iii> g 8 41 'ifh 6 'it>f8 42 .t:tf4 and wins. 30 'iff2 1 If th e white queen can 't have the love of her people, she will make do and settle for th eir fear; wh at she refuses to tolerate is their indifference. Korchnoi offers a piece in order to force entry on the king side. White's numbers may be decreasing, but his ferocity continues undiminish ed. Harmony evaporates from Black's defence and wh at you n ow h ear is the incongruent, wheezing rasps of untuned in strum ents. 30 ... hxg3 Or 30 ... b6 3 1 'iff6+ 'it>g 8 32 'ii' x h4 and Black collapses. 3 1 l:txg3

3 1 ... ltJxe4?1 Th e colony of mice dream of belling th e cat, but who will step up and volunteer the at­ tempt? a) 31 ... �h 5 fails to 3 2 'iif7+ 'it>h 6 (if 32 ... 'iii> h 8 33 .l::!.f 5 ! win s ) 33 'iff6+ 'iii>h 7 (or 33 ... �g 8 34 lhg 6+! and m ates) 34 1Wxd6 l:r.xe4 (or 34 ... ltJxe4 3 5 'ifxe 5 ltJxg 3+ 36 'ii'x g3 with a decisive advantage) 35 .l:!.f7+ 'i2th 6 36 "ikc7 li!.h 8 37 'i&i>h 2 ! and Bl ack h as virtually no m oves, while White threaten s ltJc3 and wins. b) 3 1 ... b5 was marginally better, though after 3 2 'ili'f6+ 'it>h 7 3 3 .:xg4 'ifg 7 34 'iVxd6 ltJxe4 3 5 'ifc6 l'tb8 36 axb5 axb 5 3 7 ltJb4, Black still won't be able to save himself. 32 'ii'f 7+ 'iii> h 8 33 �xg4 gS

80

Korch n o i o n th e A ttack

Exercise (combination alert}: Threats and m ore threats flit before th e bewildered black king 's eyes, like stinging snow in a blizzard. There are multiple m ethods for White to force th e win . All you h ave to do is to find one of them. Answer(s}: Lines 'a', 'b' and 'c' all work. Take your pick! 34 l:xe4 ! 1-0 Deflection /rem oval of a defen der. For the bungling thief, the reward is the security alarm and prison time; only the cl ever thief m akes off with th e loot (e4!): a ) After 34 J:lxe4 ! , Black resigned due to 34 ... J:f.xe4 3 5 'ii'h 5 + 'it>g8 ("You don 't scare me!" the black kin g tells the queen ; but she does, and she knows it - his evasions, sweats, wig­ gles an d blusters are not going to save him) 3 6 'ili'xg 5 + 'it>h 8 37 'ii'h 6 + 'it>g 8 38 'ii' g 6+, wh en the loose e4-rook is the war's first casualty; Black's king will be the second. Other win s were: b) 34 'i!fh 5+ ! (the queen 's voice makes the bl ack king's skin crawl, as if fleas infested his body) 34 ... 'it>g 8 35 'iWg 6+ 'it>h 8 3 6 l:txe4, when .:tf7 i s threatened, among other th ings. c) 34 l'Llc 3 ! l'Llxc3 3 5 'iVh 5 + 'it>g 8 3 6 .l::t x g 5 + .l:!.xg 5 3 7 'ii'x g 5 + 'iiih 8 3 8 l:!f7 mates.

Game 1 1 F.Ca ruana-V.Korch noi

G i b ra lta r 2011 Ruy Lopez Here we see the 79-year-old Korchnoi takin g down one of the top players in the worl d with th e black pieces. Even more rem arkable th an th at i s how he did it, pl aying like a reck­ less high school kid at a coffeehouse! 81

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

1 e4 es 2 liJf3 tLic6 3 �bs a6 4 .i.a4 liJf6 5 d 3

Question: I s e e quite a few top players tossin g thi s move in e arly, but isn't it passive? Answer: It's a bit passive, true, but it h as the great benefit of dodging both the Marsh all Attack and the Open Lopez, the l atter being one of Korchnoi's lifelon g specialties. s ... d6 In my opinion, the best way to exploit White's move order i s to head for a Archangel set up with s ... bs 6 .lib 3 �cs. Black follows with ... d7-d6, ... i..b 7, and sometimes even castles queens ide. Question: How i s thi s line beneficial for Black? Answer: White's usual path to an advantag e ag ainst the Archangel is a quick C2-C3 and d2d4. Here White i s already committed to d2-d3, so h e doesn't h ave that option, unless h e is willing to play the same line a full tempo down . All the same, m atters m ay not be so sim­ ple, given that such players as An an d and Carl sen are willing to take on the White side con si stently and successfully. For exampl e: a) 7 a4 b4 8 o-o d6 9 i.. e 3 .i.xe3 10 fxe3 0-0 11 liJbd2 ttJas 1 2 i.a2 .lte6 looks approxi ­ m ately even , though White l ater won in V.Anand-S. Karjakin, Stavanger (blitz) 2 0 1 3 . b) 7 lt:'lc3 o-o 8 ttJ d s lt:'lxds 9 i.xds l:.b8 10 o-o ti:J e 7 11 ti:Jxe s ttJxds 12 exds .:!. e 8 gave Bl ack decent compen sation for the pawn, but ultim ately it wasn't enough as White went on to win, Ma.Carl sen-L.Aroni an, Lon don 2012. 6 c3 il.. e 7 7 o-o o-o 8 .Ue1 liJd7!?

82

Ko rch n o i o n th e A t t a c k

As is h i s custom, Korchnoi warmly embraces the strang e an d rejects the n orm al, which would be to enter a Chi gorin set-up with 8 ... bs 9 �b3 tt::l a s 10 .Jtc2 c s , when Black can reck­ on to have equalized, since White n orm ally en ds up in this position with his d-pawn on th e fourth rank, rath er than th e third, as in this case. On the other h and, Wh ite has the sort of gam e he wants and scores reasonably well (56%) in th e database.

Question: What i s the idea behind the knight retreat? Answer: Korchnoi seeks to free his f-pawn and play .. .f7-fS . Altern atively, Bl ack can follow up with ....ltf6, and perhaps ... tt::l c s-e6, to sol idify the dark squares. 9 .t e 3 V.G ashimov-E.Najer, G erm an League 2011, saw 9 d4 .tf6 10 �e3 tt::l b 6 ! ? (ri sky; I would just play 10 ... bs here) 1 1 �xc6 bxc6, when Bl ack's bishop pair compensates him for his weakened structure, e.g. after 12 dxes dxe s . 9 tt::l b 6 1 0 � b 3 'lt>h8 Preparing . . .f7-f5 again . 11 tt::l b d2 fs 12 �xb6 Caruan a h ands over the bishop pair to seize control over dS. 1 2 cxb6 13 �d s gs ! ? Korchnoi casually tosses h i s g-pawn forward, with out even a quiver o f apprehen sion . Until this m om ent, the king side represented a vast nothingness, desperate to take form . Korchnoi rejects established practice and follows his basic instinct: doing th e exact oppo­ site of wh at is considered normal ! Not exactly the typical move of an 79-year-old player, but th ere it is. As we h ave already seen in thi s ch apter, Korchnoi just loves to jam h i s g ­ pawn s forward. ...

...

83

K o r c h n o i : M o ve by M o ve

I n this case, Bl ack launches a kingside attack an d threaten s to win a piece with ... g 5-g4. Of course, with the centre still fluid, there i s no need for m e to inform you that thi s is a risky deci sion on Black's part ! To the n aked eye, Korchnoi's move choice seems violently to contradict the essential engineering code of the position - and yet, impossibly, it worked out in his favour, as if out of sheer spite for th e l aw!

Question: How did Korchn oi m anage to beat such a strong player after playin g such a crazy move? Answer: 13 ... g s ! ? isn't as crazy as it first appears, since White has a h ard time applying the principl e: Meet a wing attack with a counter in the centre. 14 h3?1 I think this move i s the root o f White's future troubles, since i t allows Bl ack to pry open the king side. The altern ative was 14 CLlc4! bS 15 CLle3 f4 16 lLlfs ! g4! (16 ... �xfs ? ! 17 exfs l:.xfs 18 d4 offers White excellent light square play for the pawn) 1 7 CLld2, when my defen­ sive in stincts tell me White should be okay - in fact, slightly better - due to his light square control , even after 17 .. .f3 ! ?. 14 ... g4 As we all realize by now, Korchnoi is not a shy man when it com es to moving h i s pawns forward - especially g-pawn s ! 1 5 hxg4 fxg4 16 ctJh2 Th e unfortun ate knight i nserts itself into the uncomfortable, vacant cranny on h 2 - not exactly the ideal location . 16 ... .i.gs l

84

Korch n o i o n th e A ttack

Multi -purpose: 1. Bl ack de-bads his bishop (which is now not so bad). 2. Black cl ears the path for ... 1Wf6. 3. Black continues to protect h i s g4-pawn via tactics. 17 lL'lc4 bS 1B lL'le3 ..txe3

Question: Why did Korchn oi h and over his bishop pair? Answer: It was a reasonable deci sion . Black rids him self of his form ally bad bishop and takes out one of White's best pieces, which was poised to play to fs or dS. 19 I!.xe3 White can 't allow the bl ack g -pawn an extra step; i .e. 19 fxe3 ? ? g3 20 liJf3 ..tg4 2 1 .l:!.f1 i.xf3 2 2 gxf3 'i'h4 2 3 'it'd2 g 2 ! an d White can resign. 19 . .'�f6 The queen 's eyes brush upon f2 with longing . 2 0 �e1 liJe7 Another attacker approaches. I already prefer Bl ack's position . 21 f3! Obviously ri sky, but White must challen g e the attack h ead on or ri sk running out of counterpl ay. If 21 J.b3, then 2 1...liJg6 22 g 3 h S and Bl ack leisurely builds up h i s kin g side attack. 21 ... liJxd s 22 exd s .l:.gB .

85

K o rc h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

2 3 'i'g3 ?! Defensively, White just can 't seem to grab h ol d of anything concrete, the way an up­ turned beetle thrashes and kicks at nothing but air. White may hold h i s own if he initiates exch anges with 23 fxg4! i.xg4 24 'ii¥f2 'ili'e7 2 S ltf1 l:af8 26 'i'd2 �h s 27 llxf8 ltxf8 2 8 .l:tg 3 . 2 3 gxf3 24 'i!Vxf3 �fs ! Another anomalous, yet stron g decision . •.•

Question: A s elf-pinning m ove? Answer: Korchnoi correctly foresees that there i s no way White can exploit the pin. 2 5 l:U1 .l:.g5 ! 2 6 'it>h1 26 g4?? is simply met by 2 6 ... 'it'g6 ! and White drops h i s g -pawn. 26 JIVh6! Triple purpose: 1. Black's queen sidesteps th e h azards of the f-file. 2. Bl ack m ay soon threaten ... l:th s, invading down the h -file. 3. Black's queen keeps an eye open for future tactical possibilities against White's e3rook. 2 7 l:tf2 In order to reinforce g 2 . 2 7 J:tag8 The last, unused attacker approach es, ingenuous as a baby reaching for a toy (White's kin g ! ) . Black had th e option of 2 7 ... .l:Ih s 2 8 g3 .l:tg8, but it feel s to m e as if g 2-g 3 actually h elps White co-ordin ate his defence. 2 8 .:tel? 2 8 'it>g 1 was necessary. 2 8 .. .'ii' g 6 ••

••

86

Ko rch n o i o n t h e A t t a c k Actually 2 8. . .�h 5 ! was stron ger. I can 't tell you why, otherwise I give away the answer to o ur co ming combination alert!

2 9 l:i.e3 ?! Here 29 ltJf1 .txd3 30 ltJe3 was better.

Exercise (combination alert): N ow White's offside knight, a blacksmith i n the 2 1 st century, has n o purpose to his existence. H ow did Korch n oi steal pawns i n broad daylight? Answer: Th e d3-pawn swings pendulous, ripe for the pluckin g . 29....ixd 3 ! 3 0 'it>g1 Th e brazen bishop can 't be touch ed: 30 .l:ixd3 ? ? run s into 30 ... e4. 30 ... e4 31 'i'h3 .l:lxd s Pawn number two falls. 32 'i'd7?! Another mi stake, but nothing would h ave saved White in the long run . 32 ... .:t gs Reminding White about his king's distress. 33 g4 No choice, since 3 3 'ifh 3 lth s 34 'it'd7 'iih 6 ! i s a g ame en der. 33 .. ."i'h6! Black's attackers form a caucus on the periphery to choose a leader for the com ing bat­ tle. Meanwh ile Korch noi looks for discovery tricks again st White's loose e 3-rook. 34 It.f7 The air over White's king side shimmers and tingles with challenge.

87

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Exercise (combination alert): 34 ... :t5g7 covers everything, but does Black really need to defend h ere? Find the killing move that Korchnoi overlooked in his custom ary time trouble. 34 ... :sg7? It's difficult to reconcile this meek m ove with Korchnoi's previously brazen play, but we all do dumb things when our flags are h anging. Answer: Double attack: 34 .. -l:ih S ! . N o n eed for words. The bulging, purple vei n s on the e3rook and knight's forehead tell the story of their un ending frustration - both pieces hang simultaneously. 35 .l:.xg7 ttxg7 36 Wid8+ I.tg8 Korchnoi may h ave m issed White's next move. 3 7 'ii b 6! The secret of survival in the wilderness i s to l et no tool go unused. I n this case, Caruana fashion s a weapon from his bare surrounding s to stay alive, and protect both queen an d rook. It's amazin g how Caruan a m anaged to avoid mate or h eavy materi al loss with such an exposed king, who is the single islan d of tranquillity surrounded by a savage sea of hos­ tiles. Bl ack's queen seem s to hol d all th e power over her desperate sister on b6, yet with White's vulnerability comes h i s correspondingly greater recklessness - which in turn is his own weapon . 3 7 ... 'Wf6 3 8 'i!Vxb7 :fs Threatening invasion on f2 . 3 9 'ii'a 7 b4?! Another in accuracy on the brink of the time control . Black should pl ay 3 9 ...'iff2+ (to pin down White's rook) 40 �h l 'itg 8 ! 41 "ilkd4 l:tf7 when White can barely m ove. 40 �h3 ! 88

Korch n o i o n th e A ttack Ca ruana's once-scattered resistance reform s, organizes and surges into a full -fledged co un te rattack. Suddenly, White i s the one threatening m ate. 40 :iVg1 41 'iie 3 Wh ite can even out the m aterial with 41 "ifxg7+ �xg 7 42 cxb4. Unfortun ately, his posi­ ti on is resignable as there is no reason abl e way to h alt Bl ack's rolling central passed pawn s. 4 1 bxc3 42 bxc3 'ii'x c3 43 :h s I n o rder t o h alt . . . d6-d S . .•

. ..

43

d 51 Anyway!

...

44 g 5

White won 't get the tim e for g S-g6, but there was nothing better: a) 44 .l:txd S ? 'ii'a 1+ 45 �g 2 (it's too l ate to fight wh en the rat is already in the bulldog's mouth ) 4S ... 'iix a2+ hits White with the heartbreak of rej ected first l ove, since the rook hangs on dS. b) 44 'ir'a7 1i'e 1+ 45 g 2 i.fl+ 46 lt:lxf1 'ii xfl+ 47 �g3 .l:.f3+ 48 �h4 'i'e1+ 49 'it'g s 1Wc1+ so �h4 h 6 ! ! 51 1Wd4+ h 7 52 'ii'a 7+ �g6 53 'ii1> 6 + !i.f6 and Black consolidates with an easy win. 44 .'�'a1+ 45 �g2 ..tf1+1 Now White's kin g g ets hunted down . 46 'iti>g3 The white king exits his job interview and he isn't smiling. 46 lt:lxf1 'i'xf1+ 47 �h 2 :tf2+ isn't much of a con sideration . 46 .'�'e 5+ 0-1 Th ere i s no reason for White to play on, since 47 �g4 d4 is crushing. Rem arkable. Korchnoi defies the l aws of physics, pl ayin g so youthfully and powerfully, a few month s before his 8oth birthday! ..

..

89

C h a pte r Two

Korchnoi on Defence

In this ch apter we examine Korchnoi's legendary, indefatig able survival in stin cts, which alm ost con stitute a sixth sense, rivalling defen sive greats like Lasker, Petrosian an d Fischer. Korchnoi's defensive philosophy: I n battle, the underdog in numbers can't afford a tit­ for-tat 1 : 1 ratio of losses with the opponent, who h as the greater supply. So the underdog's trick is to fight lean an d streamlin ed, with minimal waste and m aximum infliction of cas­ ualties upon th e enemy. On the other h and, th e underdog can 't play it too safe, terrified of even the loss of a single soldier. If risks must be taken, then take wise ones. Korchnoi, when on defence or counterattack, had the brilliant kn ack of striking the per­ fect bal ance between the two. Time and tim e ag ain, through a combination of astonishing defen sive intuition, coupled with his stag g ering cal culation power, Korchnoi circumvented near-certain death in the most wretch ed of position s . If I h ad to pick just one chapter in the book to describe Korchnoi's style, then thi s Defence ch apter woul d be it. The m aestro's de­ fensive technique defies description, but if pressed, I woul d call it abracadabrish !

Game 1 2 V.Si magi n-V. Korchnoi

U S S R C h a m pio n s h i p, Le n i ngrad 1 9 5 6 English Opening 1 d4 tt::\f6 2 tLlf3 cs 3 c4 cxd4 4 tt:Jxd4 g6 5 tt:Jc3 d s

Korchnoi's styl e is much better suited t o the dyn amism of G runfeld structures than the stoic solidity of Mar6czy Bind position s after s ... tt:Jc6 6 e4.

90

K o r c h n o i o n D efe n c e

Question: I s thi s really a G rilnfeld? Answer: Let's say the position i s G rilnfeld-like, even if it's more of an English hybrid. 6 i. g 5

White seeks to maintain a l ead in development in the open position. I generally prefer 6 cxds lt'lxds 7 l2'ldbs lt'lxc3 8 �xd8+ �xd8 9 l2'lxc3 Ag7 10 ..ltd2 lt:'lc6 1 1 g 3 ..te6 12 ..tg2 .l:tc8 13 �c1 'it>d7 14 b3 fs 1 5 o-o l:Ihd8 16 ..te 3 'it'e8 1 7 l2'lb s ! , which leaves Black slightly worse, since his queen side is under assault, C. Lakdawal a-J . Friedel, US Championship, San Diego 2004. 6 dxc4 Superior to 6 ... lt:'le4 7 l2'lxe4 dxe4 8 lt'lb s ! , whi ch left White with a dangerous lead in de­ velopm ent in the coming ending, J.Speel m an -L.Alburt, London (7th matchgame) 1986. 7 e3 ..i g 7 8 ..txc4 o-o 9 o - o a6 10 �e2 b S 11 it.. b 3 .i.b7 12 .:fd1 White has only a slight l ead in development, but significant, since the position remains open . 12 'ii'a s ! ? A stran ge square for the queen seeing as ... b S -b4 isn't much of a threat. 1 2 ...'illb 6 looks more natural . ...

...

13 e4! 13

Principle: Create confrontation when leading in development. l2'lbd7? 1 3 ..lt'lc6 prevented White's coming combination.

...

.

91

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Exercise (combination alert): Korchnoi's last move overlooked a trick. How did Simagin exploit it? Answer: Double attack. 14 lLle61 fxe6 15 i.. x e6+ 'it>h8 16 il.xd7 b4 Black responds with a double attack of h i s own, but it doesn 't cause White any real trouble. 17 il.xf6 exf6?! The wrong recapture. Bl ack sh ould rely on piece pl ay and his bishops after 17 ... .l:!.xf6 18 lZJdS .l:.d6 19 i.g4 (19 lLlxe7?? drops m ateri al to 19 ... 'ifc7 ! ) 19 ...lilad8 20 i..f3 e6. 1B lLld s?l White, too, should favour piece activity rather than try and h old on to his extra pawn. Bl ack is in deep trouble at the end of the variation 18 lLla4! 'i!Ve s 19 J:tac1! 'i!Vxe4 20 'i!Vxe4 i.. x e4 21 lZJc s (wh en you comman d influence, then it follows th at you al so g ather power; am azingly, Black's e4-bi shop run s out of squares on an open board) 21 ... il.fs (ugly but forced; after 21 .. .fs material to 2 2 lt:le6 .ltxb2 2 3 litc7 l:Ig 8 24 f3 i.. e s 2 5 .l:.cs ii.b8 26 fxe4 i.. a 7 27 es, White h as a winning endi ng) 22 i.xfs gxfs, since his structure i s a complete wreck. 1s ...fs 1

92

K o rc h n o i o n D efe n c e

Suddenly Black's bi shops com e alive, easily amortizin g the price of a pawn defi cit. 19 tLlf4l "it'es l ? I f 19 .. .fxe4 20 tLle6 l:If7 2 1 a3 .:t e 7 2 2 axb4 'ilfxb4 2 3 l.!a4 'ifh6 2 4 ttJxg 7 llxg 7 2 5 .l:tad4, White' s centrali zed pieces offer him the edg e. 20 ttJe6 'fl.f7 Th e rook should probably h ave been lifted to f6. 2 1 ttJgs?l Simagin could have put the squeeze on Korchnoi after 2 1 l:tac 1 ! fxe4 2 2 l:tcs 'ii'f6 2 3 l:.c7 .U.b8 24 "i¥e3 ! , wh en White's pieces are centralized deep into Bl ack's territory. 2 1 J:te7 22 'ili'c4 The point of White's idea. He threaten s both 'ii'x b4 and lLlf7+. 22 fxe4l •.

••.

Question: Why did Black h an d over th e exchange without a fight?

93

K o r c h n o i : M o ve by M o ve

Answer: Bl ack's defensive force i s already depleted, so h e can't afford to treat any of his dwindling commodity as expen dable - and yet it feel s justified h ere. Korchnoi's move was in fact a far-sighted sacrifice, after which his bishops come alive. 2 3 0.f7+ It looks as if White is winning now, but thi s is purely illusion . 2 3 1lxf7 Black divides his forces into two categories: valuable and expendable, with the f7-rook in the l atter category. 24 'ii'xf7 e 3 ! 2 5 fxe3 ? White holds the balance after 2 5 Ji.h 3 .Jt c 6 26 fxe3 ii'xe3 + 2 7 �f2 'i!Vxf2+ 2 8 �xf2 i.xb2 . 2 S ... lU8 26 'ili'b3 .•.

Exercise (combination alert): How did Korchnoi begin a vicious counterattack at thi s point? Answer: The g2-square is where h ope and reality intersect. Tim e to give th e sh over a shove by sac'ing a bi shop to decimate the opposin g kin g's shelter. 26 ... i.xg2 ! 27 'it>xg2 Houdini suggests 27 .l::t d 2, but it's h ard to believe that White's exposed kin g would sur­ vive after 27 ... i.a8 28 ..lth 3 ..lth 6. 27 ... 'ii'g S+ 28 'it>h1 l:.f2 Threatenin g m ate on th e move. 29 �g4! The light of energy burn s feeble in White's camp, but h e does the best h e can with what he h as. Admittedly, this i s a ban d-aid over a m ortal wound. Question: Why does White just toss away a bi shop when he can pl ay 29 i.c6 instead?

94

Ko rc h n o i o n D efe n c e

A nswer: Your suggestion would be m et by the unan swer able 29 ... � e5 ! . S econdly, White's b ish op isn't really hanging since Black has back rank issu es of his own to deal with ; i.e. 29 .. .'i'xg 4? allows 30 �d8+ ..ltf8 31 'ili'ds and Wh ite defen ds. z g ."i' h4 Adding an other attacker with 29 ... �e s ! was still very strong . Wh ite has nothing better th an 30 l:td4 ! ? which offers only a temporary defen ce, as simply 30 ... �xd4 (30 ... I!xh 2 + ? ! 3 1 � 9 1 'ili'h4 is less clear after 3 2 'ii'g 8 + ! 'it>xg 8 3 3 ..te6+} 3 1 exd4 �xg 4 3 2 'i' g 3 �xg 3 3 3 h xg 3 l:txb 2 gives Black a winning endgame. 30 i.h3?! This isn't desperate enough. A species lacki n g a po werful surviv al drive, soon becomes exti nct. White h ad to toss his opponent a full rook with 30 �d8+ ! �xd8 3 1 �e6 'ii' d 2 3 2 'i'e8+ l:i.f8 3 3 �e4 �xb2 34 �b1 'ii' x a2 3 5 1lfxb4, though even here, Bl ack's extra passed pawn, coupled with his safer king , should be decisive. ..

Exercise (planning): White's bishop only performs a partial function, the way a store security guard isn't a full-fledged law enforcement officer. Black can't take on h3 due to his own weak back rank. How should he solve this problem ? Answer: Triple purpose: 1. Bl ack creates luft for his king . 2 . Bl ack adds a third attacker, targeting h 2 . 3. Black initiates the principl e : Opposite-colou red bish ops fa vour the attacker. 30 �es! 3 1 �d8+ Defle ction. Much like the glitzy Christmas tree in your doctor's office, on e doesn't g et ei­ ther a feeling of warmth or conviction by thi s di spl ay. But there's no ch oice, since every­ thi n g else leads to m ate. 3 1 .'�xd8 32 �e6 ...

..

95

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o v e Black's bishop i s threaten ed and White desperately hopes for tim e to pl ay ii'c8, swap­ ping queen s. He doesn 't g et it. 32 ... ltxh2+ Even more deadly i s 3 2 .. .'it'g 5 ! (if it's a battle between the intelligentsia and an angry mob, put your money on the m ob) 3 3 'ir'c8+ 'it>g7 34 'ilkb7+ 'it>h 6 3 5 .ig 2 'tWh4 3 6 h 3 'ir'g 3 3 7 'it>g l ::!.f6 and mates. 33 'iit g 1 �gS+ 34 �f1

The wreckage of White's army bobs and sinks, nothing but flotsam in the ocean 's cur­ rents. White's king stan ds dumbstruck, stripped even of indignation an d ability to speak.

Exercise (critical decision}: 3 4 .. J:th 1+ win s a rook and pretty m uch ends the game. But m ate i s even better. Does 34 .. .'it'xe3 accomplish the objective? Answer: It doesn't if it allows perpetual check ! 34 ...'i!Vxe3?? A move not exactly engendered to fortify Black with h ope of a happy ending. Korchnoi, un doubtedly in severe tim e pressure, viol ates the most holy of time pressure precepts: Don 't getfa ncy. If you see a simple win , then take it. Th ere is n o extra prize for delivery of checkm ate. Here we witness the repeated m istake of all the Bond villai n s : When you h ave 007 tied up, just shoot him ! Don 't set up some ultra-complicated evil death, requirin g l a­ sers and conveyor belts! 34 ... I:.h 1+! 3 5 'iit e 2 llxal i s admittedly mundane, but a solution to a problem need n ot be elegant. It simply n eeds to achieve its end. 3 5 �eB+ 'iit g7 3 6 'ii'e 7+ A "team " really would be m ore effective if it had more than one m ember, yet h ere it is enough. White's only fun ctional piece secures th e draw. 36 ... h6 37 1i'f8+?? 96

K o rch n o i o n D efe n c e Or does it? Th e queen foolishly places her trust in an unworthy square. The worst mis­ take a b urglar can make after the commission of a crime is to run with the loot. Simagin, h i m self in terrible time pressure, hallucinates big tim e. White's troubles vanish into a h aze of s moke, if h e pl ays the painfully obvious 37 'ii'h 4 + �g7 38 'iie 7+ with perpetual check. 3 7 ,j_ g7 0-1 Hey, I said "secures th e draw"! H aving missed her ch ance, White's queen appears em ­ b arra ssed, an unmasked superh ero. Now Bl ack really does mate. Korchnoi, like Lasker be­ fore h im, had a curious kn ack for producin g such blunderfests, and winning some pain­ ful ly ugly games! ..

Game 1 3 A.G ipsl is-V.Korchnoi

U S S R C h a m pion s h i p, Ta s h ke nt 19 5 8 Sicilian Defence 2 lt.Jf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 lt.Jxd4 lt.Jf6 5 lt.Jc3 a6 6 i.gs e6 7 f4 h6!? Black scores quite well after thi s poisonous (no pun intended!) move, and I'm surprised more Najdorfers don 't take it up. Th e norm al move order for the Poisoned Pawn line run s 7 . .'i'b 6 8 'ii'd 2 'ifxb 2. 8 .th 4 I don 't see any point in swapping on f6, h anding Bl ack the bi shop pair. 8 'i'b6 The standard m ove here is 8 ... .te7, but I think 8 .. .'�'b6 is a better fit with 7 ... h6. 1 e4 c s

.

...

We now h ave a Naj dorf Poisoned Pawn variation with one difference: Black tossed in ...h 7-h 6 earlier on .

Question: H ow does thi s alter m atters?

97

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Answer: White' s bishop, which is norm ally on g 5, has already been driven back on h 4 whe re it fail s to protect f4. This rules out th e quiet tt::lb 3 line for White, since 9 tt::lb 3 ? walks into 9 ... �e3 +, winning a pawn , as both e4 and f4 h an g . Question: C a n White decline t o gambit and play 9 a3 - ? Answer: He can. Then 9 ... i.e7 (9 .. .'ikxb 2 ? ? 10 ltJa4 traps the queen) 10 i.f2 ilic7 11 'ii'f3 lLlc 6 12 0-0-0 .i.d7, A.N aiditsch -M.Vachier Lagrave, Spanish Team Champion ship 2011, i s on e possible continuati on. I am no N ajdorf expert (though I did pl ay it - painfully incompe­ tently, I might add - at age 12, in imitation of Fischer's dazzling handling of the variation) , but it seem s to me that the inclusion of a2-a3 m ay hurt White m ore th an h elps, and h i s bishop h as been driven from g 5 to th e more passive f2-square. Neverth eless, Houdin i still gives White a tiny plus. 9 'iid 2 'ii'x b 2 10 lLlb3 Question: Thi s move looks rather strange to me. Isn't the n atural 10 .:b1 'ii'a 3 superior? Answer: It m ay be.

For example: a) 11 es dxe 5 12 fxe 5 ltJfd7 1 3 lLle4 �xa2 14 l1d1 'iid 5 15 �e3 'i'xe 5 16 .te2 i.c5 17 ..tg: .i.xd4 18 .l:txd4 'ii'a 5+ 19 .l:r.d2 and White receives full compensation for his m i ssing pawns in the form of a giant lead in development, A.Motylev-V.An an d, Wijk aan Zee 2007 (and numerous other games). b) 11 f5 1ie7 12 fxe6 fxe6 1 3 i.c4 ltJxe4! (now we notice an other benefit to tossing in ar early ...h 6 : White's h4-bishop is taken with an all-important check) 14 tZ:\xe4 i.xh4+ 1 5 g 3 i. g 5 16 tZ:\xg 5 h x g 5 17 ltJxe6 ? (17 o-o 'i!\Yc5 leads t o a completely boggling, un clear mess) 98

Ko rc h n o i o n D efe n c e 1 7 � xe6 1 8 il.xe6 'i!Vxg 3+! 1 9 hxg 3 l:txh 1+ 2 0 �e2 l:th 2+! 2 1 �e1 :xd2 2 2 'it>xd2 �a7 and, ...

am a z ingl y, Houdin i cl aims full compensation for White's missing pair of pawn s, F.Vallejo p0n s- A.M orozevich , Reggio Emilia 2010111. The point of 10 lt::l b 3 is to threaten a queen trap with a2-a3 and .l::!. a 2. If you recall, Spas­ sky th rashed Fischer in their World Champion ship match with thi s i dea (9 tt:'!b 3 in their gam e s), so it clearly has some bite to it. 10 .'ti'a3 11 �d3?1 Showing too much respect for the bishops. White shoul d in stead inflict structural dam­ age upon Bl ack with 11 i.xf6 gxf6 12 il.e2 h s (oth erwi se White may pl ay i.h s to Black's disadvantage) 1 3 0-0 li::l d 7 14 fs and White h ad sufficient attacking chances for the pawn, V.Kotronias-Z.Ilincic, Yerevan 2000. u .te7 12 o-ol? 12 i.. f2 avoided Black's coming combin ation. ..

...

Exercise (combination alert): On his next m ove Korchn oi hoped to m ake White regret his decision to refrain from tradin g on f6. H ow did he do.it? (Hint: The same combinational them e i s demonstrated in one of the earlier notes above.) Answer: Th at loose h4-bishop proves to be a tactical h eadache for White. As we all under­ stan d by now, Korchnoi is not averse to sn acking on a pawn or two, even at the cost of de­ vel opm ent. 12 lt::l xe41 13 .txe41 On th e other hand, Gipslis may well have seen Korchnoi's combin ation and all owed it. ...

Question: Why would White all ow a combin ation whi ch drops a pawn ? Answer: White hands over a second pawn, true, but h e al so opens central lines, which ac99

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve centuate his already dang erous lead in development. 13 ..ixh4 14 fs White strain s and yanks on e6, the way I tug to uproot a h ated weed encroaching one of my beloved fruit trees in the backyard. •..

14 ... 'ifb4!? Houdini prefers simply 14 ... exfs 1 5 .txfs i.xfs 16 .l:.xfs o-o. 15 fxe6 ..ixe6 16 lLld4?!

White seems to get plenty of compensation for his missing pawn s after 1 6 .:.ab1. I n ­ stead, Gipslis' last move is in accurate and drops more material , a s Korchnoi forces the win of an exch ange. Step 1: Lure White's queen to d3. 16 i.. g s! 17 'ii'd 3 i.c4 Step 2: Skewer on c4. 18 ii'h3 ! i.xf1!? It shouldn 't come as a surprise to us by now: Th e addict fin ds it next to impossible to disobey a craving. Thi s i s anoth er one of those bewildering Korchnoi decision s, where fear of unknown consequences bows to curiosity and love of adventure. In a startling spasm of raw greed - almost as if a computer were playin g Black's side - Korchn oi allows White a dangerous-lookin g attack for m ere profit. Of course, the computers back up his decision, but which human can play like this, besides Korchnoi ? Early o n in h i s career, Korchn oi took a n almost perverse pride in his m aterial-grabbing deci sion s - often at an appalling safety cost to his own king - and lived to talk about it. Everyone else in the universe would h ave pl ayed th e safe and sane 18 ... 0-0. 19 'i!Vc8+ .tdB 20 l2Je6! With thi s shot, Gipslis seeks to sabotage th e heart of Bl ack's infrastructure. N ow the po sition melts into anarchy. 20 'ilkb6+! ••.

...

1 00

K o r c h n o i o n D efe n c e Not 20. . .fxe6? ? 2 1 1Vxe6+ i.. e 7 2 2 'ili'c8+ �f7 (or 2 2 ... .td8 2 3 i.. g 6+ �e7 24 lt:ld5+ �f8 2 5 'i'xd8 m ate; White's queen lops the black king's head off and then rai ses the dripping red b ouquet in triumph ) 23 i.. d 5+ �g 6 24 li'e6+ i..f6 25 i.. e 4+ forces Bl ack to cough up a queen to app ease White's attack. 21 'it>xf1

A monarch 's wi shes don 't always coincide with the nation's con sent: after Korchnoi's next move, White's king rem ain s exposed for the rem ainder of the g ame. Meanwhile, it appears th at Black's in surgency i s a fractured community fast l osing hope. Annihilation, which Bl ack was threatened with someday, now becom es today. There is no point in merely stavin g off White's endless threats. Black needs an out - a complete defen sive solu­ tion to end all his troubles.

Exercise (critical decision}: In thi s life or death situation Black must find true N orth . Analyze 2 1...fxe6. Can Bl ack g et away with it? If n ot, then come up with an alternate defence. Answer: Deflection . Pain, when self-inflicted, is somehow less painful . Korchnoi, full of con ­ trition , return s all the extra m aterial to co-ordin ate the defence and, most importantly, take over the initiative. As we shall soon see, th e presence of opposite-coloured bishops i s the seed o f White's undoing. 21 ... lt:Jc6 ! ! I f your boss h ands you a n unpleasant assignm ent, your best bet may be t o deliberately misunderstand h er instructions. Defen sively, Korchnoi seems to control a monopoly on comprehension in such seemingly in comprehen sible defen sive situations. If you chose th e unfortun ate 2 1 ...fxe6 ? ?, you would receive punishment after 22 .tg6+ rl; e y (or 2 2 .. .f8 2 3 'ii'x e6) 2 3 lZld5 + ! exd5 24 I!el+ and m ates. 22 lLlxg7+! 1 01

K o r c h n o i : M o ve by M o ve 2 2 'ifxa8 ?? fail s to 2 2 .. .fxe6 2 3 i.g6+ (or 2 3 l:.b1 0-0+) 2 3 . . .'ite7, and if 24 .Ubl ? then 24 . . l:tf8+ leads to m ate. 22 ...Wf8 23 'ifxa8 'it>xg7 24 li:.b1 'ii d 4! Defens ive Principle: Centralize with a vengeance when u n der attack. .

25 "it'xb7

Exercise {planning): How did Korchnoi end White's attack for g ood, take over the initiative, and begin h i s own vicious counterattack? Answer: 2 S tt:la s ! Multi-purpose: 1. Double attackin g White's queen and knight. 2. Black's knight heads for c4, wh ere it eyes multiple forks an d invasions. 3. When Black's knight reaches c4, thi s clears b6 for his bishop, with deadly effect on t dark squares. Concepts like honour and fairness evaporate when it comes to deal i n g with our ene­ mies. Not 2S ... tt:les ? 26 tt:le2 �cs 27 tt:lg 3 tt:lg4 2 8 tt:lfS+ �g 8 29 �e2 ! , when the g ame is drawn after 2 9 ... 'ii'f2+ 30 �d3 tt:les+ 31 �c3 'fic s+ 32 �d2 (or 32 �b3 'ifc4+) 32 .. .'�f2+. 26 'ii"b 4 tt:lc4! Suddenly, White's entire army feels en prise. Black threatens awful knight checks, as well as ... i.b6, playin g on the pri ncipl e : Opposite-colou red bishops fa vour the attacker. 2 7 .td3 Fragment by fragment, Korchnoi, from thi s point on, continues to extract n ew and greater concessions from his opponent. From thi s stage, White's logic g rows circular and all thi n g s return to h i s king safety. 2 7 ... .tb6! Quite egalitarian. Almost everyone in Bl ack's camp participates in the discourse. N ow ••.

1 02

K o rc h n o i o n D efe n ce al l b eco mes clear: Black's forces coal esce around th e dark squares g 1, f2, e3 and d2, the way a flock of birds merges into a single entity. zs tLl e4 'ii"g 1+ 29 'i£i>e2 'iix g2+?! Th e natural m ove i s n ot always the best. Instead, 29 .. .'ile 3 + ! (rinse, lather, repeat) 30 r,t>fl (or 30 'itdl .ta 5 ! ) 30 ... �e8 ! 3 1 �e1 'iif4+ 3 2 �e2 l:txe4+ 3 3 ..txe 4 'iWxe4+ 34 Wdl (or 34 �fl tLl e3+) 34 ... 1Wd5+ 35 c1 'ii'f4+ 3 9 'Ot>b2 'if'xh 2+ 40 a1 l:!. g 1 with two extra pawn s. 33 ... �f8?! Correct was 3 3 ... 'itf6 ! 34 .ixc4 l:te8 ! 3 5 �xd6+ 'it>g 7 3 6 'ii'g 3 + 'Ot>h 8 (simultaneously threatening both .. .'�i'xc4 and .. .'ii' h l+) 37 l:txb6 'ii'd4+ and wins. 34 .ixc4 'ii'd 4+ 3 5 'i¥d 3 'ii'g 1+ 36 'iff1? Returning the favour. After 3 6 'itd2 ! 'ii'x h 2+ ( 3 6 ... 'ifxb1 3 7 'ii'x d6+ leads to perpetual ch eck) 37 'itc3 'ii'e 5+ 38 �b3 �g7 39 .r.:i.f1, White can still put up resistan ce. 3 6 ... l:tg8! The once slumberin g rook tran sform s into anoth er attacker. 37 c3 d s ! 38 .ixa6

1 03

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Exercise (combination alert}: Black to play and win. Answer: 38 ... �xh 2 ! Black's bishop isn't hanging since h e threatens . . ..:tg 1. 39 'iff6 White's exasperated king accuses his queen of being di stant and aloof. She merely an ­ swers "Oh ?" as she wanders away from his crisis. 39 ....:g1+ 40 i.f1 i.e3 ! 0-1 I n vi ew of 41 � 8 + (or 41 'iid 8+ 'it>g 7 and White runs out of checks) 41. ..l:!.g 8, which end the game with multiple threats.

Game 14 R.J. Fischer-V. Korch noi

Ca n d id ates Tou r n a m e nt, C u ra cao 1962 Pirc Defence To Fischer, enduring the private h ell of h i s life was irrelevant. Only th e legacy of his games mattered. I n h i s prime, h e tossed h i s fellow GMs about as if they were eight-year­ olds and he was their 12-year old brother - stron ger, sm arter, meaner, the one wh o just coul dn 't be beaten. In a shocking reversal in thi s game we see a youthful Fischer at his most incompetent, manhandled by the more experienced Korchnoi . 1 e4 d6 Korchnoi wrote that he only played the Pirc "again st weak opponents", so thi s gam e is ; notable exception.

1 04

K o r c h n o i o n D efe n c e

Question: S o why did h e make the exception this tim e? Ans wer: Fischer's one weakness was his clock- like p redictability. He k new his lines unbe­ l i evab ly deeply but was al so vulnerabl e to surprise novelties. Korch n oi had just such a nov­ elty pre pared for him this g ame. 2 d 4 l2Jf6 3 lLlc3 g6 4 f4 Fischer dealt with the Pirc in the most contemptuous fashion, meeting it with th e ultra­ ag gres sive Austri an Attack. 4 .t g 7 5 tLlf3 o-o 6 i.e2 ...

Th e Austrian Attack carries all the romantic trappings of the Morphy era - but not if White pl ays ..te2 here.

Question: Isn't thi s move awfully passive? Answer: It is, but at the time, for some strange reason, it was White's main line. Of course, today White norm ally plays the m ore aggressive and superior 6 .lid3. 6 cs 7 dxcs Instead: a) 7 ds tends to lead to feeble-looking Schmid Benoni positio ns. For exampl e: 7 ... e6 8 0-0 (8 dxe6 .txe6 is about equal ) 8 ... exds 9 exds l2Ja6 10 h3 l2Jc7 11 a4 .U.e8 12 i.c4 a6 13 .l:.a3 i.. d7 14 �b 3 J:lb8 1 5 as lLlbS ! and Bl ack had equality at a minimum, A. Kunte-A.Wojtkie wicz, Dhaka 1999. b) 7 o-o cxd4 8 l2Jxd4 i s a Classical Dragon wh ere White has played f2-f4 sli ghtly too soon, an d either 8 ... l2Jbd7 9 'iiih 1 a6 or 8 ... lLlc6 9 ..ie3 �6 gives Black good pl ay. 7 .'iia s ...

..

Threatening . . .l2Jxe4. 1 05

Ko rc h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

'ikxc5+ 9 'it>h1 t2Jc6 Black achieved a favourable Dragon set-up, since White's pieces are posted rather passively. 10 lDd2 White trans fers his knight to b3, perh aps to challeng e Bl ack on the queenside. 8 o-o

Question: Isn't thi s m ove a bit contorted? Answer: A little, but I 'm n ot sure wh at el se th ere is. For exampl e : a ) 1 0 i. d 3 reposts the bishop t o a superior square, but at the heavy cost o f wastin g a tempo by putting it on e2 in the first place. b) 10 'ii'e 1, inten ding to attack with � 4, al so l ooks out of syn ch sin ce White norm ally needs his bishop on d3 to pl ay for f4-f5 at some point. 10 a s ! ...

Korchnoi's novelty, suggested by G M Evgeni Vasiukov. Black's queen n o w g ets e xtra squares, while a knight on b3 is undermined by ... aS-a4.

Question: But isn't thi s all m oot, since White will play a2-a4 him self, securing th e b S -square? Answer: True, and Fischer did just this; but as it turns out the b4-square i s weakened as well, and White's knight isn't as stable on b 3 as you may believe, as the g ame's continua­ tion shows. 11 tDb3 �b6 12 a4 tt:lb4! Now White experien ces a difficult time ejecting thi s knight. 13 g4?

106

K o r c h n o i o n D efe n c e

I f you are going to start a fight, th en m ake certain it i s about something important. Shades of th e famous Alekhine- Botvinnik Dragon game, except a really horrible version for White. Fischer's psychotic last move reminds us of a Star Trek episode where Spock grap­ ples with human feelings and loses control .

Exercise (combination alert): Korch n oi refuted Fi scher's overly ag gressive pawn spike. How did h e accompli sh it?

Answer: Defl ection /overload/double attack. Now begins Fischer's grim apprenticeship in the fundam ental s of Defence and the art of Counterattack. 13 i.xg4! 14 i.xg4 lZ'lxg4 15 'iVxg4 lZ'lxc2 The point: Black gets a nasty double attack on b3 and a1, regaining all his material , with the bonus of overextending White at the en d of it. 16 lZ'lbs ...

Question: Since White l ooks busted th e way he played, can he go mad dog and keep sac'ing to play for m ate with 16 lZ'lds ! ? - ? Answer: Thi s might be a reasonable practical try but it fails under the clarity of computer an alysis. Thi s fact, backed up by Korchnoi's astonishing defensive skill, m eans a low per­ centage success rate for White after 16 .. .'t!i'xb3 1 7 lZ'lxe7+ �h 8 18 fs lt'Jxa1 19 f6 i.xf6 20 l:txf6 .l:lfe8 2 1 lt'Jds �c4 2 2 lZ'lc3 lZ'lb3 23 .i.h 6 lZ'lcs 24 'iif4 rJr>g 8 2 S llxd6 tt:lxe4, when Bl ack covers everything and wins. 16 lt'Jxa 1 17 lZ'lxa1 'ir'c6 Targeting e4. 1s fs Weakening further, but the time is long gone for a passive move such as 18 'iVf3 . It be...

107

K o rc h n o i: M o ve by M o ve comes quite clear that stalling fail s to diminish the urg ency in White's rotting position.

Fischer taps his final resource: a desperado attack. H owever, it's hard n ot to notice th at White's initiative drooped a trifle since he banged out his unlucky 13th m ove.

Exercise (combination alert}: Black to play and win m ore m aterial . Answer: Fork. White's obvious overexten sion - a film of oil over a patch of the ocean - mars the l andscape. 18 ... 'ifc4! 19 'ii'f3 ,.xa4 Vet another cherished pawn is ripped from White's clutching hands, to be sequestered away in Korchnoi's growing bank account. 20 ttJc7 The passive 20 'tJa3 l ooks completely h opeless. 20 ...'ii'x a1 21 ttJd s ! ? Fisch er takes your advice and goes m a d dog after all . N o better is 2 1 ttJxa8 l::tx a 8 2 2 fxg6 fxg 6 2 3 'iff7+ 'it>h 8 24 'iix e7 li'h1 ! 2 5 'ii'x b7 liteS 2 6 :tel ( 2 6 'it'xg 7+ �xg7 2 7 .ih6+ 'it>xh6 28 J:txbl .l:.xe4 just leaves White i s two pawn s down in the rook ending) 2 6 ...'ikd3 ! (threatening ... 'i¥f3+ followed by ...�d4+) 2 7 'it>g2 'ikc2 + 2 8 �h l i.es mates. 2 1 ...l:tae8 22 i.gs Fischer's rem aining attackers emerge careworn, haggard yet still alive. On 2 2 .i.h 6 Korchnoi planned to respond with 22 .. .'ii' x b2 2 3 ttJxe7+ l:txe7 24 .1Lxg 7 and now the practi­ cal, if ugly, move 24 .. .f6 ! seals Black's victory. 22 ... 'ii'x b2 23 i.xe7 An atheist homeless person m ay enter a church and preten d to pray if it gets too cold outside. Who cares? Black would l ove it if White gave up his dark-squared bishop for the f8rook. Black's citadel, armed and ready for battle, will n ot be so easy to storm . 2 3 ... ..tes 108

Korch n o i o n D efe n c e

The bishop looks down with ill-conceal ed contempt over h i s now demoted subordin ate on hl. For the first time in the game, Black's pieces begin to exude open antagonism in the direction of Fischer's king, threatening m ate. Bit by bit, they reduce White's ambition s with an air of patronizing serenity. 24 J:tf2 'iic l+ 25 l:If1 'ii h 6! Dual purpose: 1. Bl ack threaten s mate on h 2 again. 2. Black's queen enlists as yet another defender of her king ' s dark squares. 26 h3 gxfs ! ? The straightforward 26 ... .l:.xe7 2 7 ttJxe7+ 'ith 8 is al so winning. 27 i.xf8 If 27 exfs, then 27 .. .'�xe7 28 ttJxe7+ �h 8 29 .l:tg 1 'ii'h 4 30 ttJds .l:lg 8 ends White's attack­ ing plans. 27 J:txf8 28 tDe7+ �h8 29 ttJxfs �e6 30 .:tg1 ...

1 09

K o rc h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Exercise (planning): White's "attack" (unfortunately, the quotation marks are now necessary) wanders without destin ation. Come up with a clear plan to convert for Black. Answer: Di stract White's king side fl ailings by escorting the passed a-pawn down th e boar d. 30 ... a4! 31 l:tg4 'ii'b 3 32 'ii'f1 32 "iig 2 'ii'd l+ forces queens off th e board. 3 2 ... a 3 3 3 .l:'i.g3 ! ?

Interesting. The assault which n ever was, presses o n - albeit, o n e senses, with fading determination.

Question: What they h ay ! Didn 't Fischer just h an g a rook? Answer: N o comment. Okay, I will comm ent after all . What are th e opti on s i n a position exhausted of potentiality? Of course Black can simply ch op the rook with h i s bishop. But even better is: 33 .. .'i!Vxg3 ! 0-1 Simplification. You can't kill an enemy extra dead, but thi s comes close! Black's queen inform s the rook: "Sweet words failed to sway you. So n ow let us see how you fair on th e rack." Black gives up h i s queen, and then promptly makes another one: 34 tt'lxg 3 a2 win s.

Game 1 5 B. lvkov-V. Korch noi

U S S R-Yugos lavia match, S u kh u m i 1966 Griinfeld Defence 1 d4 tt'lf6 2 c4 g6 3 tt'lc3 d s 4 cxd s tt'lxd s 5 e4 tt'lxc3 6 bxc3 c s 7 �c4 110

K o r c h n o i o n D efe n ce In those days everyone followed th e development scheme: .ic4 and l'be2. Today, 7 l'bf3, 7 .te3 an d 7 i.bS+ are more popular.

7 cx d4!? ...

A weird offsh oot, played only 14 times in my database, as opposed to 10,699 trials with ] i.. g 7. ...

Question: Is there any benefit to Black's early release of central tension like this? Answer: Not that I can think of, except that it's just weird, and perhaps this lone attribute attracted Korchnoi to the line ! Th e early release of central tension can only be h armful to Black, since he is the one who relinqui shes options. S cxd4 There is no reason for White to get cute and toss in 8 1li'b3 ! ? e6 9 cxd4 l'bc6 10 lLlf3 i. b 4+, when his own king must m ove. 8 .'i'b6?! ..

The queen peels off from the m ain body and decides to h ave a go at White's entire army solo! Matters of opening choice are subjective of course, but in th e case of a dubious vari a­ tion, I just fail to see the justification . Not all theoreti cal n ovelties are good ones. In thi s instance, the queen's obvious vuln�rability stands out o n b 6 . Not only th at, Bl ack falls fur­ ther behind in development. Korchnoi's m oves sometimes feel like an affront to rational thought, even if his opponents must be used to it by now.

Question: What is the i dea behind Black's unnatural move? Answer: All I can think of is that it threaten s the silly cheapo . :iVb4+, but G M lvkov is h ardly unlikely to fall for it. And yet, in a bizarre way, Korchnoi's preposterous move achi eved its inte nt. .

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Question: In what way? Answer: It had a startling psych ological effect on the normally placid lvkov, who went com­ pletely ballistic and tried to blow Korchnoi off the board from thi s point on ! 9 tt:lf3 ! Perh aps Korchnoi had counted on minor concession s on White's part, such as: a) 9 �b3 ? ! , M.Mei ser-He.Marcus, German League 1998, which Bl ack can exploit by 9 .. :ii'b4+ ! an d White must agree to a queen swap (eliminatin g th e problem of Black's ex­ posed queen) or lose castling privileges. b) 9 'ii'h 3 ? ! gives Bl ack just what he wants, a queen swap: 9 ...'ikxb3 10 axb3 i.. g 7, V.Zilberstein-B.Katalymov, Odessa 1972, when Black can look forward to a peaceful future with his queenside pawn majority and slight central pressure compen satin g for White's centre. 9 ... i.g7 H ere 9 ... 'ii'h 4 + makes little sense, being met by the simple 10 tt:ld2, when Black rem ains behind in development and central influence, and his wandering queen i s a target. 10 0-0 0-0 Bl ack would love to put pressure on White's centre with 10 ... i.g4??, but it fall s flat after 11 i.. xf7+ �xf7 12 tt:lg S+ 'it>e8 13 ii'xg4, when Black should stron gly consider resigning. 11 h 3 ! Preventing . . .i.. g 4, and following th e prin ciple: The side with space should a void ex­ cha nges. 11 ... i.e6! 1 1 ... tt:lc6 12 i.e3 l:!.d8 1 3 .:tb1 'ilc7 14 �c1 ! leaves Black struggling without counterplay. 12 d s l

Exaltation seem s t o b e overridin g caution and the l an dscape creeps i nto ever increasin�

K o rc h n o i o n D efe n c e turm oil . lvkov gives notice th at h e will not b e out-crazied by Korchn oi .

Question: Did White h ave to sac l ike thi s ? Ans wer: Not at all , but lvkov, b y n ow burning with a sense of unfulfilled justi ce, decides to p unis h Korchnoi for past indiscretions. Perhaps the true refutation of Black's open ing i s no t t o try and refute i t . Why not just play sane m oves ? White g ets a pleasant strategic ad­ va nta ge after the simple 12 .i.e2 ! ..td7 (or 12 .. .f5 ! ? 13 exf5 j,xf5 14 j,e3) 13 i.. e 3 'ii' a 5 14 'i!Vb3, F.Gheorghiu-M.N acu, Rum anian Championship, Buch arest 1966. 12 .Jtxh3 Black's position offers three potenti al s : Stall, evade or counterattack. Korchnoi opts for the last of those. Acceptin g the sacrifice at once leaves Bl ack struggling after 12 ... j,xa1? 13 dxe6 f6 14 j,h 6 .:!.c8 (or 14 ... .i.c3 1 5 j,xf8 'it>xf8 16 'i'c2) 1 5 iHd3 .i.b2 16 l:.b1, and if 16 ... lbc6 then 17 .i.e3 ! . 1 3 gxh 3 !? I'm not sure wh at lvkov had for breakfast before this g ame, but it must not h ave agreed with him. Rather than continue this path of bravado, White has th e simple 1 3 ..ta3 ! i.g4 14 .i.xe7 ..txa1 (14 ... .ixf3 15 'ii'xf3 i.xa1 16 i.xf8 al so favours White) 15 'ii'x a1 lbd7 ( 1 5 i.xf3 ?? loses on the spot to 16 ..txf8 �xf8 17 'ir'h 8+ g 7 27 1:tc1, though after 27 ... l:l.f8 ! 28 �xd6 :l.f7, he rem ain s a pawn down . 24 .. .'it'xb3 ! 2 5 d6 �dB! 115

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

26 d 7 O n e gets the feeling that lvkov refuses t o adjust t o his new, unfortunate circum stan ces, and is unwilling to go on the defensive just yet. I n stead, after 26 .Uc1 .Ue8 27 '/J.c7 'ii'd s, Black consolidates again. 26 .. .'ii'a 4! 27 'i!i'd 3 27 'ii'd 2 'ii'c 6 28 "ii'h 6 'itt g 8 doesn't bother Bl ack a bit. 27 .. .'ti'c6 This procedure effectively cauterizes his wounds on the light squares. 28 'ii' b 3+ 'itt g 7 29 'ii'd 3 White h as nothing better n o w th an t o await events. 29 . . e s ! A n alert defen sive move, eliminating all schemes involving 'Yi'ds (to swap queen s) fol ­ lowed by Ji.c7. 30 'itt h 2 .

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Exercise (planning): Korchn oi m ay be two pawns up, but White's deeply passed d-pawn ties Black's pieces down. Come up with a clear plan of con solidation . A ns wer: Th e same plan as in h i s game with Fisch er. Principle: Passed pa wns m ust be p ush ed. Eventually, th ey distract White from his stro nghol d on d7. 3 0 a s ! 3 1 'it>g1 a4 32 'it>h2 bs D on't forget about m e ! �d 5 33 Total desperation, but nothing i s any g ood any more. For exampl e: 33 �d2 g S ! (clamp­ g in do wn on all f2 -f4 ideas) 34 -.t>g 1 (White i s almost in zugzwang) 34 ... h 6 35 'ith 2 a3 3 6 'it>g l (" Keep breathing," the suffocatin g kin g says t o himself, but h i s starved lun g s fail to obey ) 36 ... h S ! 37 .i.h 2 h4 (Zugzwan g ! - White's position, now powerless as a ventriloquist's dummy, only speaks when Bl ack speaks through him) 38 �e l .l:txd7 39 l:!.xd7+ 'i!Vxd7 40 i.xes "i&'xh 3 leaves Bl ack too many pawn s ahead in th e queen ending. 33 JWxd s 34 1bd5 b4 3 5 l:Ibs b3 3 6 l:.b4 Itxd7 3 7 �xa4 e4! ...

..

There is no stopping the passed b-pawn . 38 .l:.b4 If 38 Itxe4 then 38 ... .l:!.d1 39 litb4 b2 ends it. 38 b2 39 .if4 l1d1 40 Zib7+ 'itgS 0-1 Only spite checks rem ain for White. ...

Game 1 6 M.Ta 1-V . Ko rchnoi

Moscow 1971 French Defence What happen s when a genius who attacks at any cost, meets a genius who i s willing to 117

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve suffer any indignity for material ? Strangely enough , Tal was a regul ar customer of Korch­ noi's, and accrued an abysmal lifetime s core agai n st him, mainly through games like this, where Tal ' s normally magical attacks, whi ch worked ag ai n st everyone else, just grew ill, coughed and died agai n st his Laskeri an oppon ent. Furthermore, Tal's tactics n ever seemed to work either on the computer-like n umber-crunching Korchn oi, who actually once h ad the colossal n erve to call Tal a weak calculator! 1 e4 e6 2 d4 dS 3 tt::l d 2 cs 4 tt::lgf3 tt::lc 6 5 � b s

Tal's favourite move in thi s position . His style isn't suited t o t h e Karpovian 5 exd5 exd5 (Korchnoi's favourite respon se), when Black g ets freedom, in exchange for a future i solated d-pawn . s ... cxd4 Tal h ad greater success agai n st other moves: a) s ... a6 6 exds axb 5 7 dxc6 bxc6 8 dxc5 i.. x c5 9 'iie 2 tt::lf6 10 lLlb3 �b4+ 11 c3 Ad6 (11 ... �e7 prevents future tt::lfs tricks) 1 2 tt::lb d4 "ikc7 1 3 lLlf5 .tf4 14 i.xf4 "ikxf4 15 tt::l 5d4 i.d7 ? ! (Houdin i sugg e sts 1 5 ... i.a6 ! ? an d if 16 tt::l x c6 th en 16 ... b4 17 'i'e 5 'i!VxeS+ 18 tt::lfxe 5 bxc3 19 bxc3 CLle4, when Bl ack m ay h ave en ough compensation for the pawn) 16 tt::l e 5 and Tal man aged to impose a dark square bind, M.Tal - R . D ebarnot, Las Palmas 1 9 7 5 . b) s ... dxe4 6 tt::l x e4 .i d 7 7 i.g 5 ! 'ili' a 5 + 8 tt::l c 3 cxd4 9 tt::l x d4 .i.b4 1 0 0 - 0 i.. x c3 11 bxc3 'ii'x c3 ? (only Korchn oi could fall behi n d i n development, and go pawn grabbin g again st Tal and get away with it).

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Exercise (combination alert}: After Tal ' s next shot, his attack grew out of control. Can you find it? Answer: Line opening sac: 12 lbfS ! ! exfs 1 3 lle1+ i.e6 14 ifd6 ! a6 1 5 .i.d2 ! (th e deep point behind th e sac - Tal tran sfers his bishop to the a3-f8 diagonal with deadly effect) 1S ... 'ii"x c2 16 .Jtb4! axb s 17 'ii'f8+ Wd7 18 .l::!. e d1+ h 2 'iixf2 0-1 .

1 24

K o r c h n o i o n D efe n c e

Question: I realize that, at the top l evel, White's position is h opeless. But if I h ad Black, I wouldn 't know exactly how to win the queen ending. How can Black push h i s c-pawn without walkin g into perpetual check? Answer: Like this: 40 .. .'i!i'xf2 41 'ii'e 8+ 'it>h 7 42 'ii'x e6 'Ml4+ 43 'it>g 1 'ii'e 4! (th e perfect location for Black's queen, where it prevents all perpetual ch eck attempts, while preparing to shep­ herd the c-pawn forward) 44 'ii'a 6 c4! ( Prin ciple: In queen endings, the number of pa wns ca n be mea n ingless; all that matters is who promotes to a new queen first - here a7 isn't worth the both er to defend, since Bl ack's c-pawn is way ah ead in what is essentially a non-race) 45 'i'xa7 c3 46 'ii"c s c2 47 'it>h 2 "ii'f4+ 48 g3 c1'ii' and wins.

Game 1 7 B.Spassky-V . Korch noi

Ca nd idates fi n a l (8th matc h ga m e), Bel grade 1977 French Defence The Spassky- Korchnoi m atch of 1977 m ay h ave been th e greatest Worl d Ch ampion ship Candidates' m atch of all time. The players went at one another with never-before-seen fe­ rocity and mutually fan atical wills to win . Korchnoi surged to a s-o lead (with five draws), only to see Spassky storm back to 5-4 by winning four con secutive g ames. In th e end, Korchnoi won the match 101/2-7%, which could easily have gone th e oth er way. 1 e4 e6 2 d4 dS 3 ttJc3 �b4 The Win awer Vari ation, one of the most combative positions in ch ess, both strategically and tactically. This m atch was also a French lover's dream come true, as th e players en­ gaged in a series of in cendiary Winawers. Fischer once famously opined th at the Win awer 125

K o rc h n o i : M o ve by M o ve might be unsound for Bl ack. To my mind, an d perhaps to the minds of many Frenchophil es , the opposite may be the case. It feels to us as if White must sometimes take desperate ac­ tion an d frantic ally di srupt, or el se face the spectre of structural dam age in an ending. 4 es c s 5 a3 .ixc3+ 6 bxc3 tiJe7 7 tiJf3 The se days, top l evel pl ayers tend to favour the psychotic complications arising from 7 "fig4, as Spas sky him self tried in the second and twelfth g ames of the match (score: 1-1).

7 ... .id7 7 ... "ilc7, 7 ...tiJbc6 and 7 .. .'ii' a s are al so played here. 8 dxc s !?

Radical stuff. We experience the pull of opposing forces: dyn amic con sideration s versus structural elements. White decides that h e profits by doin g rather th an waiting.

Question: Why would White deliberately deface his own structure? Answer: H e gets the following in return : 1. H e follows th e principle: Open the position when you own the bishop pair. 2. He clears d4 for h i s pieces. In the fourth gam e of the m atch , Spas sky tried 8 a4 (actually 7 a4 .ltd7 8 tiJf3) 8 . . .'it'as 9 i.d2 tiJbc6 10 .ie2 f6 1 1 c4 'ilc7 12 exf6 (here 12 cxds lDxds 1 3 c4 l2Jde7 14 exf6 gxf6 15 dxc s 0-0-0 16 i.c3 e s 17 'ifd6 lDfS 18 'iix c7+ f2 .l::t xf8 (or 43 ... �d4+ immediately) 44 .l:.xc6! "ii' d 4+ ! (if Bl ack still plays for the win , he g ets the opposite result: 44 ...bxc6?? 45 'i¥c5 ! l:tc8 46 Ib3 l:tc7 47 'iff8+ 'it>b7 48 .:b3+ 'it>a6 49 'ii' a 3+ and m ates) 45 'it>g 2 'ii'e 4+ i s perpetual check. 3 9 'Wb 2 The opposite-col oured bishops don't en sure a draw after 3 9 'ikxa5 J:!.xa5, since Black's passed a-pawn will be an etern al worry. 39 ... 'ii'a 2 40 'it'c1! Once again correctly dodging the ending. 40 .'i!Ve2 Threatening ... l:ta2 . 41 l:te3 'ifg4 42 �h2 .l:ta2+ 43 .:.b2 .:.a4 44 l:Lg2 H ere 44 'i¥c2 or 44 'ii'h 1 looks m ore accurate. 44 -tbs! •.

..•

The bishop shines on its new di agonal, a radiant symbol of potentiality. We witness the emergence of th e now, n ot-so-bad cleric, who eagerly awaits participation in Black's as­ sault. Despite 5passky's furious efforts, he fail s to extin guish the growing vitality of Korch ­ noi's counterattack. 45 l:ta 3 lta6 46 .l:.xa6 .ixa6 47 'ii'a 3 ! Makin g i t difficult for Bl ack's bishop t o roam, due t o the m ate threat o n a7. 47 ltc8 48 l:ta2 48 l:d2 ! prevented Bl ack's next move. 48 .'ii' d 1 Shredding away even a pretence th at White's queen still rules. ..•

•.

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K o r c h n o i o n D efe n ce

�b2 1i'f1 50 'i'b3?1 Bl ack has a much h arder time m aking progress after so l:ta4! 'ili'd3 51 'i'a2 . 50 .. .'i!Vc4 Th e irritating bl ack queen is th e new-in -town kid, who tries too h ard to m ake a good i m pression on the local s. 51 �a 3?1 White should probably have exchanged queens at once, although after 5 1 'ii'x c4 dxc4, e th advancing c-pawn will distract the white rook, enabling Bl ack to free his position ; e.g. 5 2 'it'g 2 c3 5 3 'it>f2 c 2 ! 54 l:txc2 b6 55 �a2 (th e only way to save the piece) 5 5 ...i.c4 5 6 Ita4 i. b 5 5 7 l:tb4 i.c6 58 i.d6 .tds, when th e two connected passed queenside pawn s will be very dan gerous. 49

Exercise {planning}: Find an unravelling plan for B l ack . Answer: The key is the removal of White's powerfully posted bish op, at any cost. 51 . . . b61 52 'ili'xa6 Entering a hopeless ending, but alternatives were equally depressing : a) 5 2 i.d6? 'ili'fl ! (threatening ... .!!t e l) 5 3 'ili'xa6? .l:tc2+ win s the queen. b) 52 i.xb6 axb6 53 'i'xa6+ �xa6 54 .l:txa6+ �b7 5 5 lla1 :c4 looks next to impossible for White to save. Black's b-pawn, supported by kin g an d rook should be decisive. 52 . . .'iVxa6 The bl ack queen 's secret desire i s to eradicate her h ated sister's taint from the universe. 53 llxa6 'it>b71 An important zwi schenzug . 5 3 ... bxc s ? throws everything away: 54 dxcs .l:.xcs 55 .l:tf6 .!::t c 7 56 .l:!.xfs as 57 l:txh s a4 5 8 .l:.h 8+ �b7 5 9 .l:.d8 l:tcs 60 h s a3 6 1 h 6 l:.c6 (or 6 1 ... a2 62 h 7 l:.c2+ 6 3 'it>h 3 l:tc1 64 .l:.d7+ ! 'iti>b6 6 5 :c6+ 'iii>b 7 ! with a draw, but not 6 S . . .'iti>c s 66 �g4! J:.h l 67 .l:ta6) 62 h 7 :f.h6+ 6 3 �g 2 .l:txh 7 64 .l:txds .I:!.h6 6 5 l:.dl and White doesn't stand worse. 141

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

54 lia 1 bxcs 5 5 �b1+ Possibl y playin g for a cheapo in Korchnoi's h abitual time trouble. 5 5 dxc 5 .l:txc5 5 6 � g 2 puts up margin ally stiffe r resi stan ce. Nevertheless, Black should win i n th e e n d with h i s two passe d pawn s. s s .. �c6 56 dxcs :as! .

Not falling for 5 6 ... �xc 5 ? ? 5 7 l:!.cl+ etc. In stead, Korchnoi waves his passed a-pawn as a battl e stan dard on the field. Principl e : Rooks belong behind passed pa wns - yours or your opponent's. 57 g4 Absolute desperation. 57 ...fxg4 s s �g3 a s 59 fs a4 60 �f4 a3 6 1 �gs a2 Effectively paralyzing White's rook. 62 Ita1 'i2txcs 63 �f6 �d4! 64 �xf7 64 e6 fxe6 65 fxe6 �c3 is similar. 64 ... �xes 65 f6 �d4! o-1 White resigned in view of 66 'i2fg 7 'i2fc3 67 f7 'i2tb2 etc. "Dance for my amusement, pup­ pet, for I am strings and h ands," Black's king expl ains to White's terrified rook.

Game 1 9 V . Korc h noi-A.Karpov

World C h a m pionsh i p (2 1st m atchga me), Bag u io City 1978 Queen 's Gambit Declined Has th ere ever been a rivalry as inten sely h eated and deeply contentious as Korchnoi versus Karpov? Capablanca-Alekhine and Karpov- Kasparov are two others which come to m i n d. 142

K o r c h n o i o n D efe n c e

1 c4 tLlf6 2 tLlc3 e6 3 tLlf3 d S 4 d4 .i.e7 5 .tf4 Thi s sh arp vari ation of the Queen 's Gambit Declined was contested by the players three tim es in their 1978 World Champion ship m atch . s . .. o-o 6 e3 cs In this instance the sh arpest line may al so be Black's best chance to equalize, rath er th an the duller 6 ... tLlbd7 or 6 ... c6. 7 dxcs

Question: Why does White grant h i s opponent a slight central superiority like this ? Answer: White plans a future c4xds which leads t o a n i solani position. Furth ermore, Black's dark-squared bishop has moved once already, so White in a sense gain s a tempo. Think of th e position as a kind of reversed Queen 's G ambit Accepted, n ot one, but two moves up. 7 ... �xc s 8 'i!Vc2 In stead, 8 a3 may simply tran spose to the g ame after 8 ... tLlc6 9 'fic2 'fias 10 .l::!. d 1. The immediate 8 cxds i s played here as well, but I feel th at White h as a very diffi cult time ex­ tracting anything from the positi on ; e.g. 8 ... ttJxds 9 tLlxds exds 10 a3 lLlc6 11 .td3 �b6 12 o-o .tg4 1 3 h 3 .i.h s 14 .i.e2 i:te8, when Bl ack's freedom and piece activity compen sate for th e isolani, A.Morozevich-Ma.Carlsen, Nice (rapid) 2009. 8 . . . €lc6 9 .l:!.d1 The rook logically reposition s itself on the open d-file, pressurin g ds and making Bl ack's queen n ervous. Here 9 a3 'ii'a s 10 o-o-o! ? i s White's sharpest continuation . Kasparov was quite successful with this line in the early 1990s, but theoretically Black seem s to be hold­ ing his own, in a position where eith er side may get mated. 9 . . :�a 5 10 a 3 Lately, a few top G Ms h ave dispen sed with a2-a3 and dabbl ed with the imm ediate 1 0 �e2. 143

Korc h n o i : M o ve by M o ve

10 l:.e8 ? ! Bl ack has ideas of ... e6-e5 an d ... d5-d4 - a plan which, in my opinion, is inherently in conflict with itself. I don 't think this idea works out well for Black, whose best may lie in th e simpl e 10 ... i.e7 11 lbd2 e s 12 � g 5 d4 1 3 lbb3 'i'd8 14 �e2 as 1 5 exd4 a4 16 lbxa4 lbxd4! 17 lbxd4 exd4 18 b3 'iYaS+ 19 'ii'd 2 .i. xa3 20 'ii' x as l:txas 2 1 i.xf6 .i.b4+ 22 'it>fl gxf6 2 3 .l:txd4 .l:i.e s, whe n Black's bish op pair and fantastic piece activity compen sated for h i s shat­ tered structu re and pawn deficit, V.Korchnoi-A.Karpov, Worl d Champion ship (1 1th m atch­ game), Merano 1981. u lbd2 N ow lbb3 i s a serious threat. ..•

Question: Does Black get compensation for the piece after 11 b4 - ? Answer: Way too much . In fact h e doesn't lose a piece at all . After 11 b4?? lbxb4 12 axb4 i.xb4 13 i.es llJe4 14 .lii c l f6, Black regain s h i s material with a winning position . 11 ... es 12 ..tgs lbd41 ?

Th e tran sition from intent to action begins. G M Raymond Keene writes th at 12 ... lbd4 ! ? came a s a "terrible shock" t o Korchnoi's analytical team . Thi s looks like a powerful shot, but it doesn't really threaten anything and Korchnoi, unphased, simply removes h i s queen from the knight's trajectory. 13 'ii' b 11 Remove your hand from a pool of water and it won 't leave an imprint. No h arm done. White's queen broods on the litany of indignities she h as been forced to endure, and then realizes no physical h arm h as come to h er. A strategic retreat isn't the same thing as back­ ing down . Thi s simple sidestep h as the effect of deflating the knight's power to a great de­ gree.

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K o r c h n o i o n D efe n c e

Question: Can White accept the offer? An s wer: Korchnoi, as we know, i s a player willing to endure great hardships in exch an g e for m ate rial , but even he has his limits. Acceptance of th e knight i s unthinkable: 1 3 exd4?? exd4+ 14 ctJe2 ctJg4! (threatening ... d4-d3 ! an d ... ..txf2 mate) 1 5 'ifd3 dxc4 16 'il'xc4 ctJe5 is awful for White. 1 3 .t fs Seemin gly endless ranks of black attackers sprawl across th e vista in every direction, all with eyes upon White's kin g . But is thi s really the case? Once again, Karpov's move looks crushing, but it's an optical illusion. White's solid position can 't be cracked open so easily. Bl ack achieved his end at th e cost of diverted en ergy, so who really came out the victor? Not 13 ... i.g4? 14 .Jixf6 ! i.xd1 1 5 'it'xd1 gxf6 16 ltJxdS which l eft Black compl etely busted in R . Leitao -H .Mecking, Rio de Janeiro 2009, as White threatens b2-b4, e3xd4 and tt:Jxf6+. 14 i.d3 e4 Th e only move to h ave been played in thi s position. Houdin i cl aims it's weak, in stead suggesting the novelty 14 ... i.xd3 15 'it'xd3 ctJe4, but I don 't see compen sation for the pawn after 16 '2Jcxe4 dxe4 17 �xe4 ctJb 3 18 i.h4 i.b6 19 1i'd3 ! l2Jxd2 20 �xd2. ...

�c2? ! A few years later the l i n e was refuted with th e counter-intuitive 1 5 .tf1 ! (suddenly, d4, f6 an d d5 all destabilize simultan eously) 15 ... lDg4 16 cxd5 ! (White is winning after this calm capture) 16 ... b5 17 exd4 (or 17 'tiel ! and Black i s busted with too m any h anging piec­ es) 17 ... e 3 ? 18 ctJb 3 ! 1-0 P.Cunningham-J.Cooper, Welsh Championship 1982. 1 S tt:Jxc2+ 16 1fxc2 'ila6?! This turn s out to be an inequitable barg ain from Bl ack's point of view. Karpov sacs a pawn, for which he merely receives fishing ch an ces, and h e soon comes to regret his burst of altruistic impul sivity. Black hol ds his own in the line 16 ... dxc4! 17 ..ixf6 gxf6 18 '2Jxc4 15

...

145

Korc h n o i: M o ve by M o ve 'ika6 19 ..Wa4 'ikxa4 20 tLlxa4 �f8. 1 7 �xf6 "it'xf6 18 tiJb 3 i.d6 Perh aps Black shoul d contemp late 18 ... 'ilVg S ! ? 19 ttJxcs 'i!Vxg 2 20 l:t.fl i.h 3 21 'iit d 2, whe n he at least gets practical ch ances for the sacrificed material .

19 :txd s

Question: I s Black losing ? Answer: Bl ack has very compen sation h ere - h i s bishop pair will soon disappear - but even if he is objectively losi n g, he can at l east m ake White's task extrem ely diffi cult over the board. 19 J:tes 20 ltJd4 llc8 21 .:!.xes 'ii"x es 22 ttJxfs Houdin i points out the stronger continuati on 22 f4! 'ii'f6 23 ttJxe4 i.. x e4 24 "it'xe4 !itxc4 25 0-0, when Bl ack h as nothing for th e pawn . 22 .. Ji'xfs 23 o-o! Korchn oi temporarily return s the pawn, tradin g it for th e initiative. ..

Question: Why n ot win a second pawn by takin g on e4? Answer: Black reg ai n s it with a touch of initiative after 23 ttJxe4 (23 'ii'x e4? 'ilt'xe4 24 ttJxe4 llxc4 25 ltJc3 fail s to 2S ... i.xa3 ! ) 23 ... b S ! 24 0-0 I:Ixc4 25 'iid 2 i.f8 2 6 ltJc3 as. Moreover, this would leave White with 4 vs. 3 on th e kin g side, far more difficult to convert th an a queen­ side majority. 2 3 �xc4 24 l:!.d1 'i\Yes 2 5 g3 a6 26 �b3 bs It looks as if White has been outpl ayed. After all , Bl ack has regained his pawn and n ow appears to be fine. H owever, Korchnoi an alyzed the position deeply when h e returned the pawn on his 23rd move. ...

146

K o rc h n o i o n D efe n c e

Exercise {planning}: H ow did Korchn oi once m ore force th e win of a pawn h ere? Answer: Overload/weak back rank. 2 7 a4! There i s a big difference between theft and extortion . In this case, Korchnoi seizes wh at he wants, backed up by threats. White parlays h i s strategic advantage into something more tan gible again. 2 7 J.:.b4 28 'iid s The meek white queen g rows weary o f living in the perpetual sh adow o f h er flam boy­ ant counterpart and decides to boldly issue a ch allenge. 28 JIVxd s 29 l:!xds Double attack. 29 .lii.f8 30 axbs •.

..

...

147

K o r c h n o i : M o ve by M o ve

30 ... a s Altern atives fare no better: a) 30 ... l:txb 2 ? ? 31 bxa6 .l:!.b8 32 a7 l:ta8 3 3 lld7 .tcs 34 li:lbs and Black can resi g n . b) 30 ... axbS 31 l:txb S .l:t xbs 3 2 ttJxb s i s i s a reason able try for Black, but m y in stincts say th at White should be able to extract th e full point. 31 �dB ltxb2 3 2 lla8! Once again, White reg ain s h i s pawn . 32 .. .f5 32 ... I1b3 doesn't help because of 3 3 li:lds ! , threatening lt:le7+ and mates, so White still gets to take on as. 3 3 l:txa s �b4 Doubl e attack? 34 l:ta 8+ Nyet. 34 ... 'it>f7 35 ltJa4! Fighting for control over b6. Korchnoi slowly sheph erds the pawn down the board. 3S ... .l:.b1+ 36 'it>g2 i.d6 37 .l:ta7+ 'it>f6 38 b6 i.bS

Exercise (combination alert}: After the g ame, G M Oscar Panna pointed out a win for White h ere. We m ust find a pattern within the patternless. The answer i s there, h overing on the threshold of understanding. 39 l:ta 8?! Answer: Panna sugg ested the problem-like i dea 3 9 .l:r.e7 ! ! , which seems to win in all lines. For example: 39 . .J::t b4 ( 3 9 ... i.xc7? loses at once to 40 bxc7 l:Ic1 41 li:Jb6 ! �xc7 42 li:JdS+ etc, while 39 ... h s ! ? can be met by 40 l:tc6+, intending li:Jc3-d5) 40 li:JcS ! .l::t x b6 41 li:ld7+ 'ite6 (not 41 ... �g 6 ? 42 lk8) 42 li:Jf8 + ! �f6 43 li:Jxh 7+ g6 44 li:Jf8+ 'ith 6 (if n ow 44 .. .f6, then 45 148

K o r c h n o i o n D efe n c e ti:J d 7+ 'it>e6 46 tLlxb8 :xb8 4 7 :Lxg 7 with two extra pawn s) 4S llf7 .:tbs (the only move) 46 ttJ e6 g 6 47 h4! .tes 48 tLlg s .tg7 49 g4! (threatening tLle6) 49 . .J:I e s so l:tb7 (threatening tDf7 +) so ... l:te8 51 'it>h 3 l:ta8 ( 5 1...fxg4+ 5 2 'it>xg4 i s equally hopeless) 5 2 gxfs g xfs 53 l:.b6+ r,th s 54 tLle6 .ih 6 (54 ... .ies s s l:tb s win s a second pawn) 55 tLld4 l::tf8 56 tLle2 (threatening ttJ g 3 mate) S 6 .. .f4 S7 lDc3 fxe 3 S 8 lDxe4 (and again) S 8 ... .if4 5 9 lDf6+ win s. 39 i.eS?! The wrong square. 39 ... d6 was correct, preventin g White's n ext move. 40 tt:l cs! The b-pawn i s untouch able due to the fork on d7. 40 i.d6 41 b7! The loose knight floats in space but Bl ack can 't touch it, since his pieces m ust guard over the queening square. Now th e fight for control over b8 becom es the crux an d leaven of Black's exi stence or non -existence. 41 'iir> e 7 42 �gB! .tes Bishop and knight exchange in sin cere pleasantries and th en go their own way. Not 42... 'it>f7? 43 .l:.d8 i.es 44 tLld7 ! , winning a piece. ...

...

...

Exercise {planning}: The b-pawn may be deeply entrenched and secure, yet it is unable to go forward. Where lies the catalyst whi ch all ows White to make progress? Answer: Overload. White's kin g must be introduced into the fight, an d the only way to do so is: 43 f4! The sealed move. 43 exf3+ No choice since Black's bi shop i s overloaded, defendin g b8 and g7. 44 '>t>xf3 f7 so .l:tc8 �e7 5 1 e4 g 6 ! (continu­ ing to keep White's king boxed in) 52 exfs gxfs 53 'ifre2 i.xg 3 54 .Uh 8 h4 55 'it>d3 i.. e 5 5 6 l:.h 6 i.b8 5 7 ctJa6 ..ta7 5 8 .l:!.xh4 f4 5 9 .Uh 7+ �d6 6 0 'ifre4 'itt c 6 6 1 h4 .l:.xb7 62 l::t x b7 �xb7 6 3 ctJb4 'ifrc7 6 4 'it>xf4 i.. d 4 i s drawn . 49 g41 Even clearer th an the immedi ate 49 ctJd7 g4+ 50 hxg4 hxg4+ 5 1 �e2 .Ub2 + 5 2 'it>d3 i.. x g 3 53 b8� .ixb8 54 l:xb8 .:a2 55 .l:tb6, whi ch would win as well. 49 ... hxg4+ Not 49 .. .fxg4+ 50 hxg4 h4?, since 5 1 ctJd7 'ifre7 52 b8'ii' i.xb8 53 .Uxb8 win s . 50 hxg4 'it> e 7 5 1 l:tg8 fxg4+ 5 2 'it>xg4 �f7 5 3 :cs i.. d 6

Exercise {planning}: Should White play 54 �xg 5 - ? 54 e41 1 50

K o r c h n o i o n D efe n ce

Ans wer: Th e g 5 -pawn i s poisoned: 54 'it>xg 5 ? ? i.xc5 ! 5 5 b8fi i.xe3+ 5 6 �f5 .U.xb8 5 7 .l:txb8 rJif e7 i s drawn . Question: What i s the technique to draw with bishop versus rook? Answer: Endgame prin ciple: The defending side's king must head for the corner of the oppo­ site colour to h is own bishop. For exampl e : 58 .l:tc8 'it>d7 59 .:te2 'it>d6 ! 60 'it>e4 i.c 5 ! 61 Itcl �c6 62 c.t>e5 'it>b6 6 3 'it>d5 ..if2 64 'it>d6 'it>b7 65 l:tbl+ 'it>a8 66 'i.tc6 .ltg 3 67 �d7 ..if4 68 'it>c8 (th re atening mate) 68 ... .1te3 69 .!:tal+ .i.a7 and White can 't m ake progress. He must give Black's king air, or concede stalemate. 54 ... J:tg1+ 5 5 'it>f5 g4 56 e5 .l:tf1+ 57 'i.te4 .l:te1+ 5 8 'i.td 5 White's king i s drawn forward by inevitability's pull. 5 S ... :td1+

Exercise (combination alert}: Find Korchnoi's pretty gam e ending shot and the position erupts into a fanfare of trumpets. Answer: Interference. 59 lt'ld 3 1 ltxd 3+ 60 'it>c4 1-0 Suddenly all of Bl ack's pieces han g and th e b-pawn goes through.

Game 20 V.Korch noi-Gi.Herna ndez

Merida (5th matc h ga me) 1996 English Opening 1 d4 liJf6 2 C4 C5 3 lt'Jf3

Korch n o i: M o ve by M o ve Korchnoi, alway s slippery in the openings, tends to shift from one line to the other. With thi s m ove h e avoids both his norm al Benoni and Benko Gambit, perh aps simply to dodge Hern ande z' prepa rati on . 3 cxd4 4 ttJ xd4 es ...

Question: Isn't Black's l ast m ove strategically suspect, since he creates a g aping hole on d s ? Answer: This would only be the case if Bl ack avoided his n ext m ove. s ttJbs d s With this pawn sac, Black effectively seal s d s with a white pawn . 6 cxd s .i.cs It is a real sacrifice since 6 ... ttJxd s ? ? h an g s a piece to 7 '1i'xds . 1 ttJsc 3 o - o 8 g3 ! The m ost h armonious devel opm ent pl an . Thi s offshoot is White's best line, who scores 61% from thi s position, as opposed to m erely 47% from the m ain line 8 e3 e4. Question: Is the sac sound? Answer: It m ay be so after 8 e3. Bl ack's score i s quite reason able from thi s point. For the pawn Black gets: 1. A lead in development. 2 . White's knights are tangled, both seeking to m ake the c3 -square th eir home, which has room for only one. 3. Bl ack's e-pawn cramps White and clogs his developm ent further, while offering a hook to launch an attack. 4. White's d-pawn is artificially isolated and m ay be in dan ger in th e future. 152

K o rc h n o i o n D efe n c e

8 lL'lg4!? Falling behind in devel opment is generally a crime which warrants swift execution but not in thi s case, where White presents extenuating circum stances. His position is too solid to bowl over so easily. ...

Question: Isn't thi s m ove a tad too simplistic? Answer: I admit it comes off as a bit Fried Liver Attack-ish, but the idea behind it i s logical . Bl ack seeks to introduce .. .f7-f4 and possibly .. .f5 -f4. Altern atively: a) 8 ... 'i'b6 ! ? 9 e3 i.g4 10 .ie2 .ixe2 11 'ii x e2 e4 12 a3 lL'lbd7 13 tiJd2 l:tfe8 14 b4 i.f8 1 5 o - o 'ilic7 16 ..tb2 and White stands better, who rem ains u p a pawn, L.Aronian -E.Sutovsky, European Team Championship, H eraklio 2007. Note th at Black can 't play ... tiJe 5, as then White simply picks off e4 as well. b) 8 ... e4 9 i.g2 �f5 10 o-o "fle7 1 1 i.g 5 tiJbd7 12 e 3 h 6 1 3 i.xf6 tiJxf6 14 ltJd2 .i'J.ad8 1 5 'ifia4 lUe8 (or 1 5 ... tiJxd5 16 tiJdxe4) 16 .I:.fd1 i. d 6 17 tt:lc4 .ib8, G . Sargissian-I.Sorkin, Dos Herm anas qualifier (online blitz), and now 18 d6 ! .txd6 19 tiJxd6 .!::t x d6 20 l:.xd6 'ii' x d6 2 1 "flxa7 consolidates the extra pawn . 9 e3 Better th an 9 lL'le4 ..tb6 10 h 3 f5 1 1 hxg4 fxe4 12 e3 'ii'f6 13 l:th 2 tiJa6 ! , when Black's open f-fil e and grip on the light squares gave him full compen sation for th e pawn, f . H ausner-R.Mainka, G erm an League 1990. 9 f5 10 .te2 Preventin g .. .fS -f4 and al so th inking about takin g on g4. 10 l2Jf6 11 a 3 Intending b 2 -b4 and i..b 2, while del ayin g castling. After 1 1 0-0 lLlbd7 12 lL\d2 lLlb6 1 3 lLlc4 lL\xc4 1 4 .ixc4 a 6 1 5 a 4 )£;>h 8 16 b3 �d7, S . l onov- E . N ajer, Russian Team Championship 2009, White rem ain s up a pawn but doesn 't have much to do, whereas Black can always ...

...

1 53

Korch n o i: M o ve by M o ve build for a king side attack . 11 ... tiJbd7 12 b4 �d6 13 ttJd2 ttJb6 14 e4! A new move at the time and an improvement over 14 tiJb 3 'it>h 8 1S l:ta2 �d7, G . Pi esina­ R.Vagani an, Moscow 1979, which continued 16 ttJcs ? ! �xe s ! 17 bxcs .

Exercise (combination alert}: It looks a s if Black is crushed, but thi s i sn 't the case. Fin d Black's trick in the position. Answer: 17 ... ltJbxd s ! 18 liJxds �a4 ! 19 'ii d 3 (19 'i!Vxa4?? loses 19 ... ii'xds, forking the two rooks) 19 ... liJxdS 20 o-o i.c6 with advantage to Bl ack, who h as regained th e lost pawn while retaining his strategic benefits. 14... '&t>h8 14 .. .fxe4? 15 ttJdxe4 is clearly better for White, who own s th e e4-square. 1 5 .ib2 Question: Why isn't White castlin g ? Answer: Korchnoi was undoubtedly fearful o f declaring his kin g ' s residency, but he proba­ bly shoul d have castled h ere. I don 't see anything terrifying after 15 o-o fxe4 (or 1S .. .f4 16 �b2 .th 3 17 .l:!.el a6 18 :tel 'ilt'e8 19 i.fl, when I feel White should survive the coming at­ tack and con solidate) 16 liJdxe4 i.h 3 and now 17 �g S ! i.. xf1 18 i.xfl with a pawn, the bish op pair and domination of th e central light squares - more than enough for the ex­ change. 1S ...fxe4 16 ttJcxe4!?

1 54

K o r c h n o i o n D efe n c e

Question: Another bizarre-looking decision . What i s the idea? Answer: Korchnoi unleashes his b2-bishop and i s willing to h an d over th e ds-pawn for the rights, based on the principle : Counter in the centre when assa ulted on the wing. 16 i.. h 3 ! I n order t o keep White from castling. ...

Question: Why n ot regai n the pawn ? Answer: White takes over the initiative after 16 ... tt:Jbxd S ? ! 17 l2'lxf6 'ii' xf6 (17 ... g xf6 m ay be better, but suddenly I don 't like the look of Black's king) 18 lt:Je4 "iif7 19 i.h s ! ii'e6 20 o-o, when Black's pieces appear clum sy and his attackin g chances h ave vanished. 17 tt:Jgs ! The knight crouches over e 6 , the way m y dog s guard a bone. Chaos, t o some, i s a gaping abyss into darkn ess - and to others, syn onymous with opportunity. Korchn oi willingly in­ curs frightful defensive peril in order to win the exch ange. As th e game turn s out, his in­ stin cts prove correct. 17 .ltg2! Hernandez correctly accepts the ch allenge, since h e gets good practical chances for the sacrifice. Whereas after 17 ... .td7? 18 lt:Je6 or 17 ... �d7 ? ! 18 tt:Jxh 3 'i¥xh 3 19 i.f1 ! "iif s 20 �g2, White stands clearly better. 18 lt:Je6 "iid 7 19 I:tg1 ..txd s 20 tt:Jxf8 l:.xf8 White is a full exch ange up but Bl ack isn't without compen sation. His pieces are terribly active an d he threaten s to get into White's underbelly with .. .'it'h3 at some point. ...

1 55

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o v e

21 1:tc1 \\!Ve6 The players agree to a parl ey in n eutral territory, each side feeling out the other for strengths and weaknesses. Alternatively, Black could send his queen in at once with 21 ... 'iVh 3, but after 22 tt:lc4 ! , I suspect White rem ain s better; e.g. 22 ... 'iVxh 2 2 3 lifl i.b8 24 tt:lxb6 axb6 25 �f3 ( Korchnoi) or 22 ... i.b8 23 tt:le3 ! ? ..ic6 24 b5 .1t.e4 25 i.f3 . 22 f3 A wi se precaution. Black shoul dn 't be allowed ... e 5 -e4 any tim e h e pleases. Now if 2 2 ... e4? ! 2 3 fxe4 tt:lxe4 24 tt:lxe4 iixe4 (or 24 ... ..txe4? 25 'iVd4 'ii'g 6 2 6 i.h 5 ! and wins) 2 5 'ii'd4 'ilig 6 2 6 .l:If1 .l:te8 27 l:tf2, i t looks a s though White is beginning t o con solidate. 22 ... a6? Too slow, allowing White to consolidate his king side. Question: Is Black beginning to run out of ideas? Answer: Th ere are n o obvious attackin g plan s for Black, but h e could h ave pl ayed 2 2 ... 'iih 3 (the correct timing for thi s move) 2 3 tt:lf1 ( 2 3 tt:lc4?? just loses now t o 23 ... tt:lxc4 24 .txc4 'ir'xh 2) 23 ... i.b8 ! (Korchnoi), with the imaginative idea of ... a7-a6, ... i.a7 and ... tt:lbd7, target­ ing the g 1-rook. Indeed, it is n ot easy to see how White consolidates here. 2 3 fl.fl! 'i¥h3 24 l:tf2 tt:lg4? A gloved, knife-wiel din g hand emerges from a shadowed alcove and thrusts towards f2. Bl ack decides to serve up a big bowl of crazy. Such sacs are like a salt shaker: a little sprin­ kl ed season s your m eal; too much and your food is ruin ed. Black's previous exch ang e sac may h ave been soun d, but this one crosses over th e line to un sound. If you dare to accept a dire risk, then make certain there is a just reward should you survive the ordeal . Hernandez sends wh o-knows-who, on who-kn ows-wh at mission, to who-knows-where.

156

Ko rch n o i o n D efe n c e

On the other hand, the plan of 24 ... i.b8 (an d ... i.a7) now founders after 2 5 �fl 'ii'h 6 26 tt::l e 4! and 'ir'd2, while 24 .. Jld8 might be m et by 25 i.d3 followed by Ve2 and tt::l e 4, so H er­ nandez chooses death on his own term s, with a defiant fist rai sed and a curse on his lips, before Korchnoi finds a way to unravel . His sac m ay have practical applications, but against a cal culator with defen sive in stin cts like Korchnoi, simply doesn 't bear out. Korchnoi's last few moves l ay bare the deficiencies of Black's m aterial deficit and attack, yet Hernandez clings to his beliefs, despite evidence to the contrary, and sinks great ex­ pense into an essentially un supportable theory. Such is the n ature of faith. 2 5 fxg4 �xf2 26 �xf2 'ii'x h2+ 2 7 �e3 Sometim e s an only move can al so be a good one. White's king isn't the pliant dupe Black's queen imagines and stands his ground. 2 7 .. .'i!t'xg3+ Th e queen issues a dire fiat to White's kin g : all who enter my proximity are condemned to death . But this decl aration turn s out to be premature. White's king has adequate pro­ tection and Black's attack is destined to fizzle out. 2s .i.f3 h s After 28 ... e 4 29 tt::l x e4 .txe4 30 lit>xe4 o r 2 9 ... .i.f4+ 30 'it> d 3 , Black h as no follow-up. 29 'iig l 29 'iih l ! is even stronger. 29 ...'ii'f4+ 30 'it>e2 CDc4 30 ... e4 is m et by the counter sac 3 1 i.xe4! �xe4 32 gxh 5 ! i.e5 33 l:tft ! , regaining th e piece with an easy win .

157

K o r c h n o i : M o ve by M o v e

Exercise (planning}: Hernandez found a clever m ethod of complicatin g on h i s last move. How did Korchnoi refute it? Answer: 3 1 l:!.xc4! To be the underling of a non -entity is even more depressing th an being the non-entity itself. Black's attack vanishes with th e knight's removal . Korchnoi continues to absorb vol­ ley after volley unscathed. 31 �XC4+ 32 �e1 h4 32 ... hxg4 33 'in1 1+ ! 'it>g 8 34 ..tdS+ is a game en der. 33 'iVf2 ..te7 Or 33 ... h3 34 lbxc4 'iVxc4 3 5 'ii'h 4+ c;.t;>g 8 36 'ii'd 8+ .i.f8 37 .idS+ and the chi ef apostle ra­ tion alizes th e murder of Bl ack's queen, thinki n g : "I perform God's holy mi ssion ." 34 lbxc4 'ilfxc4 3 5 'ti'e2 'ikb3 3 6 'ii'x es 1-0 .•.

158

Ko rch n o i o n D efe n c e White's bishops, once thought to be minor functionaries, now reveal their true power: .. 36 . 'iff7 (or 36 ... ..tf6 37 'ifh 5+ 'it>g8 38 �e8+ xf1 ...

Question: Isn't the l oss of castling, coupled with Bl ack's open lines on the queenside, a serious problem for White? Answer: According to current theory White m ay still retain an edge due to th e following factors : 1 59

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve 1. For now, White has more central influence. 2. White isn't behind in development. 3 . White has access to a clear developing pl an with g 2-g 3, �g 2 and l:.e1. 4. The most obvious factor: Wh ite i s a pawn up. 8 ... d6 9 l2Jf3 i.g7 10 g3 More natural than the long -winded development plan of 10 h 3 lL:lbd7 11 'it>g 1 0-0 12 �h 2, though as White often plays h 2-h 3 anyway, it's mostly just a matter of preferen ce. 10 ... 0-0 11 �g2 l2Jbd 7

12 h 3 Question: Why would White play thi s rather than centralize his king's rook? Answer: It's a contain m ent m ove, denying Black plans based on ... l2Jg4 an d ... lL:lge s , but White can try and do without it. For example: a) 12 l:.e1 l2Jg4 (trying to exploit White's omission of h 2-h 3 ) 1 3 lLld2 lL:lge 5 14 'iVe2 lL:lb6 15 f4 lbed7 16 a4 e 6 ? ! (Bl ack can con sider 16 ... .txc 3 ! ?, giving up his most active piece and best defender to reg ain the sac'ed p awn, though after 17 bxc3 l2Jxa4 18 .l:l.a3 I suspect White stan ds better due to his big centre and looming, future dark square threats) 17 dxe6 fxe6 18 as, when I don 't believe in Bl ack's compen sation, A.Naumann-M. Becker, Germ an League 199 5 . b) 12 ii'e2 'ifu6 1 3 a 4 Ufb8 14 lbb s lbe8 (to challenge the b S -knight; in thi s case Bl ack never played ... l2Jg4, so White m ay h ave saved him self a tempo) 1 5 i.g s 'i!Vd8 16 .l:.a3 lbb6 17 b3 'i¥d7 18 .l:!.a2 f6 19 �c1 fS ? ! (mi stim ed) 20 exfs gxfs 21 .l:!.d1 lbf6 22 'ilr'e6+ 'ii'x e6 2 3 dxe6 lLle4 24 lLlh4! C 4 2 5 bxc4 lbxc4 26 lbc7 lLlc3 2 7 lLlxa8 lbxa2 2 8 lbc7 lbc3 29 .l:td3 .l:.c8, Ma.Carl sen-V. Bologan, Biel 2012, and now 30 lbds lbxds 3 1 .l:!.xd5 i.f6 3 2 i.h 6 l:.a8 33 .l:tbS was White's most efficient path to con solidation. 12 .. �a6 13 l::t e 1 'ii'a B 14 ii.gs h6 1 5 i.d2 e61? .

1 60

K o r c h n o i o n D efe n ce Undermining White's impressive centre i s m ore aggressive than 15 ... .l:!.b8 16 b 3 ctJe8 17 l:le2 ctJC7 18 .:c1 l:ta7 19 'ii'c 2 ltJa6 20 ctJa4 ctJb4 2 1 i.xb4 (this leaves Black's dark-squared bi shop unopposed, but White is con soled by the fact that his light squares h ave been forti­ fie d in the tran saction ) 21.. . .l:txb4 2 2 'itd3, A.Karpov- B.Gelfand, Sang h i Nagar (6th match ­ game) 199 5. 16 dxe6 fxe6 17 'ii'c 2 Now e4-e 5 ! is in the air, which shows the value in provoking the earlier ... h 7 -h 6 : Black's soft spot, g 6, blossom s into a target. 17 g 5 The imm ediate 17 ... d5 18 a4 (al so possible i s 18 exd5 ltJxd5 ! 19 ctJxds exd5 20 '!J.e7 I:txf3 2 1 .:xd7 ! d4 22 'itg 1 and White stands better) 18 ... g 5 19 :a3 l:.b6 20 1Lc1 left White with an edge in the complications, L. ljubojevic-V.Topalov, Lin ares 199 5. 18 a4 Enabling a future ltJb5 . 18 g4!7 ...

...

We sense a shift, a slight ch an g e in Black's previous indifference towards White's king . Daring, pushed too far m ay morph seamlessly into recklessness. But I suppose o n e person's rational deci sion is another's m adness. Rather than return to the previous note with 18 ... d5, Spassky pulls out a new, ultra-aggressive move, which Houdini frown s upon .

Question: Wh at i s th e idea? Answer: Bl ack goes directly after f2, at grave cost to his own king's safety.

19 hxg4 ltJxg4 20 i.f4 Houdini prefers 20 ltJb5 ltJde 5 2 1 J:!.a3 c4 22 1Lf4 ctJd3 2 3 ctJC7. 2o d s ! 7 The natural move, after which the advantage swings t o White. O n the other hand, re..•

161

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve m e mber that this was a rapidplay g ame, where active measures com e at a premium. Ob­ jectively, Black should perh aps con sider 20 ... �xc3 21 bxc3 es, though I still prefer White after 22 .i. cl. 2 1 ctJb S H ere 2 1 exds exds 22 l: e 7 was stronger. The text threaten s a knight fork o n C 7 .

2 1 ... e s ! ... which Spassky cleverly allows. 2 2 tlJc7 'ii'a 7 23 ttJxa6 exf4

The point: the a6-knight is stranded, so Black g ets two pieces for the rook. H owever, White picks up several pawns for the deal and sei zes h i s own attacking ch ances, so m ay still stand better. 24 exd s 'ifxa6 2 5 l:te6 Chasing Black's queen to where it wants to go. Th e immediate 25 :te7 ! looks stronger, and if 2S .. .'ifd6 26 'ili"e4 liJdf6, then 27 'ife6+ 'ii' x e6 28 dxe6 with the better endgame, as the passed a-pawn is very fast. 2S ...'iii" b 7 26 �e7 fxg3 27 "i¥g6! The beginning of the incomprehensibly difficult, almost untran sl atable idea. 27 .. .'ii' x b2 28 lla2 ! Very cleverly deflecting, while coverin g f2. Korchnoi rej ects t h e drawin g l i n e 28 'iii"x g4 'ii'x a1 29 'ii'x d7 gxf2 30 'it>xf2 .:txf3 + ! 31 xf3 'iWfl+ with perpetual check. 28 ... liJe3+!? I 'm not certain wh o stands better after 2 8 .. .'ii'f6 29 'ii'xf6 tlJgxf6 30 fxg 3 . Presum ably Spassky rejected thi s due the passed a-pawn, but h ere it m ay not be as dan gerous; e.g. 30 ..J:td8 3 1 d6 'Dds 3 2 .!::t e l liJ7f6 3 3 as liJb4! and Bl ack has th e pawn under control . 29 'it>h3 gxf2 ! The bacillus, a n ew, deadly strain, m anages to enter the bloodstream, targeting f1 an d threatening to queen with check. Black's accelerated growth an d power reminds us of 1 62

Korch n o i o n D efe n c e th o se s ped-up documentaries of a seed, developing rapidly into a mature plant. 3 0 :txb2

Thoughts of terrible futures h aunt White's kin g. No m atter how hard he tries, he can 't unthink them . I'm not so sure the position 's reality fits into my brain. All hell has broken loose - a standard by-product in any Korchnoi-Spassky encounter!

Exercise (critical decision}: Black can promote to a new queen with check, or take the f3-knight with check. One line draws; the other loses. Choose wisely. 30 f11W+? Thi s looks like a no-brainer, but it loses as Bl ack fails to implement his basic agenda: de­ liver checkm ate - or failing that, perpetual check. The attack, a rubber band pulled too tightly, suddenly snaps. Now whether by design or h appy accident, White's king thrives and prospers. The same can't be said for h i s counterpart on g 8 . Answer: Black draws with 30 ... I:!.xf3 + ! 3 1 'it>h 2 ! (n ot 3 1 'it>h4?? lLlfS + 3 2 'it>h s llh 3+ 3 3 'it>g4 l:tg 3+ 34 'it>xfs fl'i'+ and mates) 3 1.. ..l:th 3 + ! (defl ection - Bl ack's disorganized factions sud­ denly unite under the ch arismatic sway of their new leader, who martyrs himself for h i s cause) 3 2 'it>xh 3 fl'ii' + 3 3 'it>h 2 'i!Vf4+ 34 'it>h 3 'ii'f1+ and perpetual check. White can't pl ay for a win with 3 5 l:tg 2 ? ? because of 3 S ... 'Wh 1+ 3 6 :1h 2 'ii'f 3+ 3 7 'iig 3 'ii'h S + 38 'ifl14 'i\Vxh4+! 39 �xh4 i..f6+ and Black wins. 3 1 'it>h2 Black run s out of checks straight away, while his own king n ow faces dire threats. 3 1 tt:lfs Spassky takes his bitter m edicine and abandons his long ch eri shed i deal of an attack. A forced retreat in such a dynamic position i s but a m anifestation of past sins, an unpl easant residue of Bl ack's mistaken pawn promotion. .••

...

1 63

K o r c h n o i : M o ve by M o ve

Exercise (combination alert}: Spassky m ay h ave counted on h i s last m ove, but i t i sn't enough. H ow d i d Korchnoi force the win ? Answer: Overl oad: Add another attacker to g 7 . The e7-rook isn't truly h anging since Black's fs-knight i s burdened with defen sive duties and simply can 't spare the tim e to go on of­ fence. 3 2 l:.g2 ! Rays of strange energy dovetail outward from the wizard's upraised fin g ers. Soon, un ­ n atural, crooked shapes flit through the murk, all the while drawing closer to Bl ack's morti­ fied kin g . 3 2 'ii'xg2+ 3 2 . 'ii a 1 3 3 :t:!.xd7 is equally hopeless for Black. 33 'it>xg2 tt:Jxe7 It appears as if Black's operation proved m oderately successful . After all , he cam e away with two pieces and a rook for the queen . More than enough if it were really true. One simple move from White shatters the illusion . 34 'i!Ve6+ Bl ack's d7-knight is forcibly disassociated from his life, which now feel s distant and ab­ stract. 34 ... �f7 3 5 'i'xd7 tt:Jfs Spassky plays on for a while - but in battle bravery alone is rarely enough to with stan d an overwhelming superiority in forces. 36 'ifc8+ .i.f8 37 tt:Jes :g7+ 3 8 �h3 tt:Jd6 39 'ii' e 6+ 'iii> h 7 40 lt:Jd7 Double attack. 40 ... .i.e7 41 tt:Jxcs 1-0 Bl ack loses his l ast hope. •••

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Korch n o i o n D efe n c e

Game 22 V .Gash i m ov-V .Korchnoi

R u ssia n Tea m C h a m pions h i p 2008 French Defence 1

e4 e6 2 d4 d s 3 tt:lc3 tt:lf6 4 .tgs i.b4 The ultra-provocative McCutcheon Vari ation . Question: Isn't Bl ack worried about his pinned f6-knight?

Answer: Bl ack has adequate counters with ... h 7-h6 and ... g7-g 5, similar to the plan in the Botvinnik and Moscow Vari ation s of the Semi-Slav Defence. s es h6

6 .1d2 Th e main line. Oth er moves include: a) 6 exf6 ? ! hxg5 7 fxg 7 I:tg8, when White h as given up his bishop pair and central influ­ ence for nothing in return. For example: 8 h4 gxh4 9 �5 'i!Vf6 10 llxh4 ttJc6 11 i.b5 i.d7 12 lDf3 0-0-0 1 3 0-0-o .l:lg 7 and Black i s at least equal, J .Timman - H . Ree, Wijk aan Zee 1982. b) 6 ..th4 g 5 7 i.g 3 tt:le4 8 tt:lge2 c 5 9 a3 ..txc3 + 10 ttJxc3 'ii a 5 11 'ifd3 tt:lc6 1 2 dxc5 ..td7 13 o-o-o ttJxc3 14 'ii'x c3 �xc3 15 bxc3 l:tc8, when Bl ack's structural benefits easily compen­ sate for White's bishops, K. Landa-Ara.Minasian, Linares 1999. c) 6 i.e3 (the prim ary alternative) 6 . ..ltJe4 7 �g4 g 6 8 a3 (White offers a pawn to obtain th e bishop pair and the dark s quares) 8 ... ..txc3+ 9 bxc3 tt:lxc3 ! ? (more usually Bl ack declines with 9 ... c5) 10 i.d3 b6 1 1 h4 .taG 1 2 h5 g 5 13 f4 gxf4 14 .txf4 'i!td7 ! ? 1 5 ..td2 tt:le4 16 ..txe4 dxe4 17 'ii'x e4 'i!tc8 ! 18 ltJf3 (not 18 'ifxa8?? .1b7 19 'fixa7 'ii'x d4 and White can resign) 1 8 ... ..tb7 19 'ilff4, when White's space an d open f-file may give him an edge, V.Gashimov1 65

K o rc h n o i : M o ve by M o ve H . N akamu ra, Monte Carlo (rapid) 2011. 6 ii.xc3 1 bxc3 lDe4 8 'il'g4 'it>f81? The king flinches, the way a cowed pet does when it sees an abusive owner enter the • •.

room .

Question: Why would Black deliberately deny him self castling rights? Answer: H e does so to avoi d weakening his dark squares with 8 ... g6, although th at m ove is Bl ack's m ain line. 9 ..i.d3 tt:lxd2 10 lil>xd2 cs

11 h4 Multi-purpose: 1. White prevents ... 'il'g S+ simplification i deas. 2. White gains space on the king side, his theatre of operations. 3. White h as option s to lift the h i-rook to either g3 or f3. After 11 ttlf3 , Bl ack does well to block the centre at once with 11 ... c4! 12 �e2 tt:lc6 1 3 h4 b S 14 a3 �d7 15 hS as 16 l:!.h b 1 l::t b 8 17 'ilff4 �e7! (preparin g to run the kin g over to the queen side, a safer zone wh ere h e control s m ore territory) 18 g4 (18 'i1Yh4+ 'i!?e8 19 'if'f4 c1 "ii'b 6 28 I:tb1 "ii' x d4 29 'i'xd4 tt:Jxd4 30 iL.xh 5 c3 3 1 i.. xf7 iLd7 with an unclear position . 1 69

K o r c h n o i : M o ve by M o v e

2 3 ... iLd1 24 'ifgs Question: What is the point of this move? Answer: Gashimov loads up on his new sacrificial breakthrough targ et: h s . 24 . bxc3+ 2 5 'it> e3 White's kin g is far more exposed after 2 5 'it>xc 3 ? ! . 2 S . .l:!.c7 This looks very odd indeed, puttin g the rook on a completely closed file. ·

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Question: What's the i dea? Answer: Wait and see ! 26 lDxh s l ?

Rag e is an ger spread with a n even h an d, while i t s cousin h atred is ang er pinpointed to a sing l e location - in this case h S . White's thematic breakthrough sac arrives, creatin g a deadly, passed h -pawn, which h e threaten s to promote to a queen in the middlegame.

Question: Why must White sac to break through when he can do it without m ateri al cost with 26 g4 - ? Answer: This is possible, but the position rem ai n s unclear after 26 . hxg4 27 h s .l:!.xh S ! 28 lDxh s g xh s 29 'ii' xh s i.e8 30 'ii'x g4, since White lacks the passed h -pawn with which to ter­ rorize his opponent, while being the exchang e up doesn 't mean much here. 26 . . gxh s ! ! A revelatory insight. Korchnoi decides t o act rather th an react. This atonal respon se, which at first glance seem s to deserve "? ?", i s actually Black's only move in the position. The ..

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1 70

K o r c h n o i o n D efe n c e natural 26 ... .l:lxh s ? loses to 27 i.. x h s gxh s 2 8 'iVxh S and, oddly enough, Bl ack h as no rea­ sonable way to h alt the advance of the h -pawn. For example: 28 ... lbxd4 (28 ... i.. e 8? loses with out a fight after 2 9 'i!fg s .:tc8 30 hs and the pawn goes through easily) 2 9 �xd4 'iVcS+ 30 'it>xc3 d4+ 3 1 �d2 c 3 + 3 2 �e2 (but not 3 2 �c1?? l:tb7 3 3 .l:!.xf7 'ifhs and wins) 3 2 ... ..tb S+ 3 3 �f3 d3 34 'i¥g s �c8 3 5 cxd3 c2 3 6 .li!.c1 ..txd3 3 7 �g 3 'i!fxa3 3 8 ltf3 , when White consoli­ dates and his h -pawn is ready to surge forward. 27 'WgB+ �e8 28 'iVxh7

Exercise (combination alert): I t l ooks like it's time for Bl ack to r e si g n . After all, he is d own th e exch an g e an d faces White 's rag ing h -pawn . Find Korchnoi's trick, which fl ares up Black's counterattack.

Answer: Annihilation of the opponent's pawn cover. 28 lbxd4! It was Jerry Garcia who wrote: "A friend of th e devil is a friend of mine." Black reignites a seemingly counterplayless g ame. Korchnoi's position may creak in complaint, yet it m i ­ raculously continues to adhere. Incidentally, the sam e sacrifice occurs if White takes on hS with th e bishop: 26 ..txh s g xh s ! 2 7 �g 8+ �e8 2 8 'ii'xh 7 lbxd4! 2 9 c,t>xd4 \i'cs+ 30 �xc3 d4+ 3 1 �d2 d3 ! (not 3 1...c3+?? 3 2 �d1) 3 2 lbxe6+ fxe6 3 3 'ii'e 4 and Houdin i rates this wil d position at o.oo - dead even ! 29 'it>f4! The safest spot for White's kin g ! The point of 2 6 . . . gxh S ! ! i s th at accepting the knight sacrifice is now inadvisable : 29 �xd4? �cS+ 30 �xc3 d4+ 31 �d2 C3+ 3 2 �d3 (obviously 3 2 'iii> d 1, a s i n th e previous note, is n ot possible here; while 3 2 �e2 ??, which White was abl e to play in the line with 16 ... I:!.xh 5 ? above, fail s to 32 ... 'ii'x es+ and ... 'ifxf6 since White's queen is n ot defending e s - thi s is th e subtlety Korchnoi saw when he pl ayed 26 . . . gxh S ! ! ) 32 ... 'ii'x es (threatening mate on th e move) 33 'ii'h 8 'ifh S + 34 �e4 �dS+ 35 'it>f4 'ii'xg 2 with a raging ...

Ko rch n o i: M o ve by M o ve attack , which would be very difficult to defend over the board (even if the computer claims a draw after 3 6 iLh S ! es+ 3 7 �xes lle7+ 3 8 �f4 l:te4+ 39 �fs l:txh4 40 l:!.h 6 ! ) . 29 . . :i!fcs? One slip and Black may suddenly be l o sing. H e shoul d play 29 .. .g4 'ilid4+ 3 8 h s cxdlfi+ 39 .l:txdl 'ii'x dl+ 40 'it>h 6 l:txe6 41 1:txe6+ �c7 42 .l1d6 ..We2, when Houdini says White stands better, but in real l ife this is anyone's game. 30 �g3 tiJfS+ 3 1 l:txfs ! exfs 3 2 'ii'xfs l:te7 33 l:lb1 Unl eashing a new white attacker. 33 ... ..id 7 34 'ii'x hs d4 3 5 11Vh8+ :es We arrive at on e of those m addeningly h azy positions wh ere it's eerily difficult to fore­ see th e con sequences of our actions.

Exercise {critical decision): Analyze the variations 3 6 l1b8+ and 38 'ii'f6+. White win s one of them, whereas the other is unclear. Whi ch would you go for? 3 6 'ii'f 6+? Answer: White wins after 36 llb8+! .tc8 { 3 6 .. .'it>e7 37 :xe8+ .txe8 38 hS is even simpler) 3 7 'iVf6+ 'it>c7 3 8 'i'xf7+ �xb8 39 'ii'x e8 d 3 4 0 h S and White's passed h -pawn i s too fast. Th e big difference between this variation and the way the game went is that, in the gam e, Korch ­ noi was all owed to retain rooks, which g ave him chances again st White's king . 3 6. . .� c 7 3 7 f4 �g8+ 3 8 � h 2

Ko rc h n o i o n D efe n c e

Exercise {planning): Find one key idea and Black g oe s from worse to winning. What i s the core element of the position ? Answer: If queen s come off the board, then White falls from "+=" to "-+". 38 .. .'ii' c 61 Powerful leaders emerge, not in g ol den ages, but in times of crisis. The key: White's queen was a terror wh o enabled the h -pawn to run down to the promotion square very quickly. Without the queen, Black is suddenly faster in the race. 39 �XC6+ No choice in the m atter. With great effort White' s queen moulds h er face into an insin­ cere smile. 39 ...'it>xc6 We sen se a palpable shift in the power structure. Houdini assesses this position as equal . It isn't. Black is winning since his central pawn s are actually more deeply entrenched th an White's h -pawn . 40 i.f3+ 'it>cs 41 l:tb7 The revoltingly passive 41 l:.cl ultim ately fails as well: 41...i.. fs 42 hS .:Ib8 43 h6 (not 43 g4?? i.. x c2 44 l:txc2 l:tb2 45 i.. d l d3 and Bl ack win s at once) 43 ... llb2 44 i.dl J:tb6 ! 45 g4 Itxh 6+ 46 'it> g 3 .i.e4 47 .tf3 .i.xf3 48 'it>xf3 'it>ds 49 g s l:th 3+, and if White tries to remain active with so 'it>g4?, th en so .. J:le3 ! 51 'it>fs d3 ! 52 cxd3 cxd3 53 l:txc3 d2 promotes and wins.

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Exercise (combination alert}: White just attacked the d7-bishop in a desperate attempt at counterplay. H ow did Korchnoi respond? Answer: Ignore it. 41 d3! 42 .lac7+ oth er m oves lose quickly: a) 42 .l::t x d7? dxc2 43 l!dS+ �b6 44 �d6+ 'it>bs 45 l:tdS+ �a4! 46 it.dl cxdl� 47 :xdl c2 48 .l:.c1 �b3 and it's gam e over. b) 42 cxd 3 ? is m et by the zwi schenzug 42 . . . ..te6 ! , when the threat of ... c 3-c2 l eaves White hopelessly busted. 42 ... �b6 43 .:tb7+ 43 llxc4 dxc2 44 �xc3 l:tc8 costs White a rook. 43 'it>a6! The kin g scuttles away in crab-like fashion . N o more checks. 44 l:!.b1 .i.a4 45 g4 dxc2 ! The ivy slowly creeps up the side of th e building. 46 .l:tc1 ..•

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Ko rch n o i o n D efe n c e

The players crochet h allucin atory pawn pattern s .

Exercise {planning): In thi s instance, triple p awns are n ot a weakness since they are on an assembly line for promotion. Find a clear plan to promote before White. Answer: Tran sfer the rook to dl.

46 .l:!.d8! 47 hS .ll d 2+! More accurate than 47 ... l:td1 48 h 6 ! lixcl 49 h7 l!h l+ s o ii.xh l cl 'iV 51 h 8'if 'ifxf4+ 5 2 'it>h 3, which all ows White t o fight o n for a while. 48 'it>h3 l:td1! 49 h6 l:txc1 50 h 7 l1h1+! 5 1 �xh1 c1� The triplets are so closely linked, that it becomes difficult to know where one ends and the others begin. We see the point of the preliminary rook check on d2 now: White doesn't have tim e to queen just yet. 5 2 ..tg2 'iVe3+ 53 'iii h 4 .••

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K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Exercise (critical decision): Believe it or n ot, Korchnoi has a method of preventing White's promotion altogether. Thi s one i s really difficult, m aybe beyond what the puny hum an brain i s capable of fin ding . Wh at do the computers see h ere ? 5 3 .. .'iVxf4 This still wins. Answer: But Black h as the amazing idea 53 ... 'ii'f2+ ! ! and then: a) 54 'it>g 5 'it'xg2 5 5 h 8'ii' (okay, White g ets to queen in this line, but it does him no good) 5 5 ... i.d7 ! (preventing all checks) 56 f5 c2, wh en Black will soon h ave two queens, and Hou­ din i already announces m ate in 1 2 ! b ) 5 4 'it>h 3 �c6 ! ! 5 5 .ixc6 'ii'f1+ ! 5 6 'it>h4 ( 5 6 i.. g 2 a n d 5 6 'it>g 3 both allow 5 6 .. .'i¥d3+ and there goes h7, or if 56 �h 2 then 56 .. .'i¥xf4+ 5 7 'iiih 3 'ili'h 6+ etc) 5 6 .. .'it'xf4 57 h 81i' (White queens again) 57 .. .'iVh 2+ (but he doesn 't g et to keep it) 58 �g 5 'i!¥xh 8 and win s . 54 h s 'it' 'li'h 2+ 5 5 �h3 "it'f2+ 5 6 'iii h 5

Exerdse (planning): Find one powerful m ove and White's hopes end. 56 ... .ic6?! Answer: 5 6 .. .'�b7! stops any checks, and there i s no answer to ... c3-c2-cl'Vi'. 5 7 't'ic8+ 'iit b 5 58 a4+ '&tt b 6?1 Th e kin g can escape after 5 8 ... �b4! 59 'it'xc6 c2 60 'li'b 5+ 'iii a 3 ! 6 1 'iixc4 'itb2 ! 6 2 'i1Yh5+ 'it'a1 63 'ii'c 4 'ii¥d 2, when there are n o more checks, and Bl ack queens next. 59 'lidS+ �b7 60 'iix a s? H ere 60 We7+ was necessary, though Black should still win after 60.. .'�a6 6 1 'fkc7 'li'b6 62 'fi'xf7 'ii'c 5 .

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K o r c h n o i o n D efe n ce

Exercise (planning}: Black can again achieve his goal of avoidin g perpetual check and promotin g his c-pawn. How? 60 Ji'b6? Black's king certainly loves his queen, but only in sm all doses. The torrent of complica­ tions gets to Korchnoi as he miscalculates away his front c-pawn . Suddenly, the g ame i s even ! Answer: White i s helpless after 60 . .'Wb2 ! intendin g ... c3-c2 -cl"if. 60 . c 2 ! win s as well. 61 'Wxc3 'i!fb3 Korchnoi's point: White must swap queens. His plan looks like a brilliant i dea you h ad while dreaming, only to di scover it i s pure non sense upon awakening. (Please return to the introducti on to thi s book for m ore on thi s subject ! ) 62 'Wxb3+ cxb3 ..

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K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve When th e idea for the Move by Move books was created, my friend and editor, G M John Emms, sug g ested the critical deci sion exerci ses should be used "sparingly", in h i s words almost like a "super exerci se". Yet here we n otice the third one in a single g am e, with a fourth one to follow! In my defence: this g ame isn't like any other I h ave ever annotated!

Exercise (critical decision}: White must stop the b-pawn from queening. He can play 63 g S, clearing the bishop's way to fS, or 63 .i.fl, intendin g to transfer it to d3. Only one of them works. Which one? 63 .i.f1? The wrong on e! Thi s rendition l eads White into an unwanted, deviant version of h i s original intent. Answer: 63 g S ! draws: 63 ... .i.e4 64 e 6 ! fxe6 65 ..txe6 b2 66 .i.a2 and the pl ayers can sh ake h ands. 63 ... .i.e4 64 ..tc4 b2 The difference is th at Bl ack's f-pawn rem ain s on the board, whi ch should be fatal for White. 6 5 .i.a2 �b6 66 gs �a s ? Korchnoi makes another mistake. H ere 66 ... -tfs ! was n ecessary, in order t o control the e6-square. Then 67 e6 i.xe6 68 ..tb1 �as 69 g6 fxg6+ 70 �xg 6 eliminates the f-pawn, but it h as cost White both his king side pawns, so the b-pawn by itself is now suffi cient for Bl ack to win . For example: 70 ... �xa4 7 1 c.tf6 �g8 72 �es �b3 73 �d4 j_f7 (zugzwang White must give way) 74 i.e4 (74 �e3 leads to equivalent play to that in the g ame; see the position after 84 'it>e3) 74 ... �a2 7 5 �c3 �a1 76 �b4 �a2 77 �a3 i.b1 78 i.ds ..th 7 79 i.a2 i.g6 and Black win s by zug zwang . 67 �h6? White could h ave drawn once more with 67 e6! fxe6 6 8 g 6 �xa4 69 g 7 i.h7, when the bl ack bishop is al so tied down to a passed knight's pawn ; e.g. 70 �g s �a3 7 1 .i.b1 ! i.g 8 72 �f6 �b3 73 �e7 e s ! 74 Wf6 etc. Bl ack's only ch ance i s to try 67 ... -tds ! , but after 6 8 e7 .ltxa2 69 e8'ii' b1 'it' 70 'l'a8+ �b4 71 'i¥h7+ �xa4 72 'i'c6+ �b4 73 g 6 , the g am e will be drawn an­ yway. 67 ... �xa4? Again 67 ... i.fs was correct, when Bl ack win s easily. Can we deduce th at this endgame was pl ayed in mutual time trouble ? 68 g6! Thi s i s White's best shot now - which 6 7 ... -tfs woul d h ave prevented. 68 .. .fxg6! Not 68 ... i.xg 6 ? 69 e 6 ! 'it>a3 70 i.b1 ! and White draws at on ce. 69 e6 �a3 70 e7! i.c6! Korchnoi sidesteps the trap 70 ... �xa2? 71 e8� b 1 'i/ 72 'ili'a4+ �b2 73 'M>4+ �c1 7 4 'i¥e1+ �b2 7 5 'Wb4+ with perpetual check.

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Ko rc h n o i o n D efe n c e

7 1 i.b1 i.e8 ! 7 2 e 3 g s ! Using the g -pawn a s a decoy t o deflect White's kin g . 74 ... g s ! 7 5 'IW3 �d7 .•.

Exercise {critical decision): It looks a s if things are n e arly all over for White but, am az in g ly he can still draw. How? ,

Answer: Produce his own deflection . 76 �e3?? Th e fin al mi stake. This is turning into a nightmare for Gashimov, who coul d h ave h eld on after 76 ..tfs ! ! ..txfs (oth erwi se there follows simply 77 Wg4 and 'it>xg s ) 77 e8� b1� 78 'iVe S+ and White will either give endless checks or safely capture the crucial rem aining bl ack pawn . For exam pl e : 7 8 ... Wc4 79 'i¥c7+ 'it>ds 80 'ii d 8+ �e6 8 1 i:Vg8+ (not yet 8 1 �xg s ? ? 'iffl+ 8 2 �g 3 'ikg 1+ 8 3 �h 2 'i!Vh 2 m ate) 81...'it>f6 (or 81...'it>d6 8 2 �d8+ �c6 and n ow 83 'ti'xg s i s fine) 8 2 'iWf8+ 'it>g6, wh en 8 3 'iVd6+ ! (but not 8 3 'ikg 8+?? Wh S 84 'ikh 8 + i.h 7 and Black escapes the checks) 8 3 ... 'it>h s 8 2 'i!Vh 2 + drives the bl ack king out once more. 76 ...'it>c4 7 7 �e4 Because of White's time-wasting king moves, 77 i.fs is no lon g er good enough : 77 ... i.. e 8 ! 78 Wf3 'it>c s 79 �g4 �d6 80 �xg s 'lt>xe7 8 1 �f4 'lt>d6 8 2 �e3 wcs 8 3 �d2 �b4 84 �c2 �a3, wh en Bl ack defends his b-pawn just in tim e an d wins. n . �cs 78 wes g4 79 'lt>f4 �d6 80 e8'ik Anoth er defl ection . Unfortun ately for White, thi s one is in sufficient to hold th e game. 8o .. i.. x e8 81 'it>xg4 'it>es 82 Wf3 'it>d4 83 e2 �c3 84 'it>e3 ..

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K o rc h n o i: M o ve by M o ve we are down to the fin al sprint and it's going to be close. At first glance th e position might appear to be drawn but, as White discovers, there are many ways to collect an unpaid debt. Th e mutual plan s coalesce into a single question : Who in th e end will seize control over b l? 84 ... ..ta4 8 5 'it>e2 .ic2 The bisho p po unds h i s broth er's back with a h earty, wel coming slap.

86 i.a2 Night and day are m eaningless concepts if you are confined to a tiny, windowless cell. Th e bishop valiantly struggles incommunicado. 86 ... �b4 87 �d2 �a3 1 o-1

White's bishop makes an involuntary bleatin g sound, as the assassin's g arrotte tight­ ens. Black's king severs the bishop's frail tendrils of support to bl. Wh at an an alytical nightmare (perhaps th e tough est one in the entire book ! ) for your exhausted, befuddled annotator! This monum ental struggle, made even more en dearing by the strang e mix of blun ders and fantastic i deas, i s one of my all-time favourite Korchnoi g ames. I ask you: Which player in th e h istory of the g ame was capable of producin g such a m asterpiece (flawed perhaps, but a m asterpiece nonetheless) in h i s l ate seventi es. I can only think of a single n ame: Victor Korchnoi.

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C h a pt e r T h r e e

Ri d i n g the D y na mic E l e m ent

In this chapter, we examine Korchnoi's h an dling of th e initiative. H i s philosophy: An oppo­ nent's unanticipated respon se must always be m et by a counter, even crazier, un antici­ pated respon se. So stran g e are som e of Korch n oi's pl an s to seize th e initiative, th at if a ch ess-pl aying psychiatrist buys thi s book, I'm certain she will whip out h er note pad and jot down : " Patient exhibitin g odd beh aviour ! " Every so often, Korchnoi seems to fall into the grip of a kin d of creativity-psych osis, th e impulse of whi ch he follows without a trace of the normal accompanying remorse. Rather, h e lean s towards such outrageous ideas with the indul g ent eye of an arti st. If Korchnoi spots a semi-sound idea whi ch is rich in confusion potential, it seems he just can 't g et himself to jettison the line. For example, in G ame 30 (against Gabriel), Korchnoi re­ fused to develop a single piece for eight moves. While his opponent was bringing his pieces into play quite sensibly, Korchnoi shot his pawns forward in an outrageous attempt at a bind - and he got away with it! Which player oth er than Korchnoi could survive, confuse the op­ ponent, and then win the following position with the bl ack pieces against a Grandmaster?

181

K o rc h n o i: M o v e by M o ve After playing over thi s game, your addled, flustered writer asked himself: "Was Paul Morphy wrong about rapid development in the openin g ! ?"

Game 23 D.Suttles-V. Korch noi

Sou sse l nte rzo n a l 1967 Alekhine 's Defence To Can adian chess pl ayers in the 1960s, Duncan Suttles was our messiah . H e was the first of my countrymen to reach the exalted rank of G randmaster, and to the l ocal s he seemed to be the second coming of Nimzowitsch . Imagine the sh ock to my eight-year-ol d brain, when I pl ayed through thi s g am e i n Ca nadia n Chess Chat m ag azine the following year. I still recall a sense of utter bewilderment at both sides' m oves - and n othing much has chan g ed as I play over the g ame today! 1 e4 lt:\f6 2 es lt:ld s 3 c4 lt:\b6 4 d4 d6 s exd6 I played Al ekhine's Defence for about two decades, an d then abruptly abandoned it due to this hated Exchan g e Variation.

Question: What i s so awful about Black's position ? Answer: Th e problem i s th at the dyn amic s .. cxd6 has fallen under a theoretical cloud, which only leaves s . . exd6. To me, the positions after s . exd6 are rather Petroff-like for Bl ack. It isn't so hard to equalize, but it is agonizingly difficult to pl ay for a win ag ainst the symmetry and White's extra space. These days, I would say at least half your oppon ents opt for the Exch ange line as White. My dilemma: After the current Korchnoi book, I 'm writin g a one on the Alekhine's Defence ! .

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Question: So are you just going to complain about Black's position in the S . exd6 E xchange Chapter? ..

Answer: I probably will do a little gnashing of teeth. As Caissa i s my witness, I desperately want to revive th e more dyn amic s .. cxd6 and add a ch apter on this long discarded line. My friend, I M J oh n Watson, just m oved to San Diego and lives about three blocks away. J oh n writes the Alekhine's Defence section o f < chesspublishing .com >, and assures me that s ... cxd6 is actually playable for Black. So my devious plan is to invite him over for tea and then promptly force him into an alytical in dentured servitude, working day and night on beh alf of the th eoretically beleaguered, semi-legitimate s ... cxd6 variation - all without pay! s exd6 6 lt:\c3 �e7 6 ... lt:\c6 and 6 ... g6 are al so pl ayed here. .

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R i d i n g t h e Dy n a m i c E l e m e n t

7 �e3

In stead: a) 7 �d3 ttJc6 8 ltJge2 .tf6 9 i.e3 0-0 10 b 3 l:le8 1 1 0-0 i.g4 1 2 �d2 d5 1 3 c 5 ..ixe2 ( I 'm not sure Bl ack sh ould h and over the bishop pair; I would prefer 13 ... ttJc8 and wait for 14 h 3 before playin g 1 4. . .i.xe2) 1 4 ..ixe2 ttJc8 1 5 Itfe1 ltJ8e7 16 i.g4! g 6 17 .l:.e2 i. g 7 18 l:lae1 was V. lvan chuk-Ma.Carl sen, World Blitz Championship, Moscow 2007. Black's position i s slightly worse. This prompted Carl sen t o try the radical 18 ... ltJf5 ! ? 19 �xf5 gxf5 20 i.h 6 .!:i.xe2 2 1 ttJxe2, when White held a slight but pleasant edg e due to h i s superior structure. b) 7 'ii'f3 ! ? was Korchnoi's own try: 7 ... ttJc6 8 ..te3 0-0 9 o-o-o f5 ? ! (9 ... i.e6 is more sensible) 10 g3 f4 11 gxf4 ..if5 12 c5 ltJd7 13 i.h 3 �h 8 14 d5 ttJcb8 15 cxd6 cxd6 16 �xf5 .1:1xf5 17 ttJge2 and White had a massive position (and an extra pawn), V.Korchnoi-A.Miles, Biel 199 2 . 1 ttJc6 8 .l:tc1 8 i.d3 is more usual , wh en 8 ... 0-0 9 ttJge2 i.f6 would tran spose to the previous note, but Bl ack might well prefer 9 ... ltJb4 h ere. 8 0-0 9 h4?! ...

...

1 83

Ko rch n o i: M o ve by M o ve In most Exchange Alekhine's structures, the king side i s White's m arketpl ace to buil d a healthy portfoli o and embark on ventures. But this i s going too far! Suttles, the high priest of weird, simi larly to Korchn oi n ever plays any variati on like the rest of us.

Question: What i s White's idea? Answer: H e plan s a pawn storm, with the h - and g -pawn s racing up the board. But th ere are inherent problem s with thi s pl an . Let's take stock: 1. White falls behind in development. 2. The e-file is open and th e centre may soon be di sturbed, so White's pl an viol ates the principle: Don 't begin a wing attack when your opponent has access to easy central cou nt­ ers. 3. Lastly, Black's kingside i s a solid entity, requiring much time and resources to break it down and expose his king - time and resources which White probably lacks. 9 ..tf6 10 g4!? Con sistent with h i s previous move, albeit still in violation of the position 's core n ature. But if h e doesn't play it, then h i s l ast move m akes littl e sense. 10 i:te8 Threatening ... i.. x d4. 11 Si.e2 ...

.•.

We sen se th at White went overboard with his early pawn storm , but how do we punish his m ad excesses ?

Exercise {planning}: Our choice: We can take his dare and play 11 .. ..txh4, whi ch allows White the open h-file. Or we can sac ourselves with 11 i.. x g4. One i s m ore effective th an the other. Which woul d you play? .

...

1 84

R i d i n g t h e Dy n a m i c E l e m e n t

11 ... .ixg4!? When I was a child, my m other warned m e n ot to pick at scabs or they would n ever heal . Korchnoi's m ove represents a triumph of emotion an d spontaneity over cool logic. He refuses to lose his resolve and specul ates, if not out of duty, then perhaps out of a thirst for reven ge for White's earlier affronts. It m ay not be th e best move, but it's still logical since it follows the prin cipl e: Disrupt a wing attack with a central counter. Question: How is sac'ing on the g -file a central counter? Answer: After the sacrifice, Black g ets to annihilate both White's c- and d-pawn s. N everth e­ less, in this case the simpler route i s al so the superior one: Answer to exercise: 11 ... .ixh4! looks very g ood for Black after 12 li:Jf3 .l:.xe 3 ! 1 3 tt:Jxh4 l:.e8, or 12 �d2 .i.xg4! 13 �xg4? ttJxc4, or 12 'it'f1 �g S ! and White's attack i s a dream , while Bl ack's extra pawn and solid position are very real . 12 .ixg4 ttJxc4 13 ttJd s ! The only m ove. 13 .. .lt:lxe3 14 ttJxe3 After 14 fxe3 .i.xd4 15 �f2 .i.cs, White's king appears decidedly unhealthy. 14 ... ttJxd4 15 �f1 c6!

Triple purpose: 1. Denying White's knight access to ds. 2. Preparing to roll the central m ajority forward. 3. Preparing to activate his queen with .. .'iVb6. 16 ttJh3 "fib6 17 'iVd3 17 tt:Jc4 i s m et by 17 .. .'ii' a 6 ! . 11 ... d s In the afterm ath of the sac, Bl ack picked u p three healthy pawn s for the piece and ex1 85

Ko rch n o i : M o ve by M o ve posed White's king - a bargain. 18 ..t>g2 as It would be foolish to go pawn h unting here and allow White's rook acces s to the sev­ enth rank: 18 .. .'�xb 2 ? ! 19 l:!.b1 �xa2 20 l"Llg 5 g6 2 1 .:txb7.

19 l"Llg5 Suttles hasn't quite given up on his attacking pl ans. 19 ... g6 20 .l:f.h3

2o :iVbs?l Inexplicably an d unch aracteristically, Korchnoi experiences a change of h eart an d offers a queen exchange. If Bl ack wants to play it safe, 20 ... l:!.e7 is a better option, rem aining as unrespon sive as a statue to White's provocations. In any event Korchn oi refuses to enter th e complication s resulting from 20 ... h 6 ! ? 2 1 l"Llf3 (after 2 1 l"Llxf7 rt;xf7 2 2 h 5 l:!.e4 23 hxg6+ �g 8 ! , I like Bl ack's survival chan ces) 2 1 ... h 5 2 2 il.f5 ! g xf5 ( 2 2 .. J:ixe 3 ? ? fail s to 2 3 'ilfxe 3 ! ) 2 3 l:tg 3+ rt;fs 24 l"Llxf5 l"Llxf5 2 5 'ifxf5 l:t e 6 26 l"Llg 5 i.. x g 5 2 7 'ifxg 5 'ii'd 8 2 8 1i'xh 5 'iWf6 2 9 l:!.cC3 rt;e7, when Black com es out a pawn up, but conversion doesn't look all that easy since his king rem ains somewh at in secure. 21 'ii b 1? Suttles sh ould have taken his ch ance and the queen. Houdini analyses 21 'ii'x b5 ! l"Llxb5 2 2 i.d7 ! .ll e d8 23 l"Llxd 5 ! il.xb2 24 -l:tbl il.d4 2 5 .ll d 3 l:!.xd7 2 6 l"Llb6 �ad8 2 7 l"Llxd7 l:txd7 28 l:!.xb 5 (or 2 8 l"Llf3 �d5 29 a4 l"Llc3 30 l:i.xb7 .i.f6 3 1 l:txd5 cxd5 32 J:la7 l"Llxa4 3 3 11xa5 l"Llc3 reaches a compl ex equality) 2 8 ... cxb5 29 l"Llf3 and the pin on the bishop allows White to regain the piece (for three pawn s) with the better chances in the endg ame. 21 .. J:tes Once again Korchnoi rejects th e piece win ; i.e. 21 ... h 6 ! ? 2 2 l"Llxf7 rj;; xf7 2 3 h5 �e4 24 hxg6+ �g 8 ! , wh en I still prefer Black, who holds all strategic trumps (just as long as h e doesn 't g e t mated!). 2 2 f4?1 ••

1 86

R i d i n g t h e Dy n a m i c E l e m e n t Paying too high a price for reinforcing th e knight. I n doing so, White weaken s e 3 . 22 . . ..l:i. e 7 2 3 h S t"De2 ! Simultan eously attackin g c1 a n d f4, while 24 .l::!.f1 ?? run s into 24 ... t"Dxf4+! (undermining) 2 5 .l:!.xf4 .ixg s which l ooks h opeless for White. 24 t"Dxh7 ! White's plan : Commandeer h 7 and from there targ et Black's king . The sac was no sur­ pri se. The knight's continued presence on g s indicated th at it was up to no g ood. 24 ...t"Dxf4+ 25 �hl

2S .. ."i!Vxb2! Fantastic defen sive intuition and/or calculati on power. Korchnoi's choice seems better than the alternatives. For instance: a) 2 S ... Wxh 7 ? ! 26 hxg6+ �g8 2 7 t"Dfs t"Dxh 3 2 8 t"Dxe7+ .ixe7 29 g xf7+ ·�h 8 30 ..txh 3 'ilie2 3 1 .Ug 1 'i�Vf3 + 32 .l:tg 2 ! i s anything but clear. b) 2S ... �g7 26 �f3 Wxh 7 27 .Uxf4 .l:txe3 28 !lxf7 .l::!. e 4 29 .if3 Wg 8 ! 30 J:tfl ! .l:th4+ 31 Wg 2 "Yixb2+ 3 2 'ii'x b2 .ixb2 3 3 l:!.xb7 doesn't look so easy to win for Bl ack. 26 hxg6? After thi s White's kitchen sink attack burns out. H e has to try 26 .l:i.h 2 'ii'x b1 27 t"Dxf6+ 'lt>g 7 2 8 .Uxb1 .l:txe3 29 .l::!.f2 g S 30 t"Dd7 bS 3 1 1::!. c 2 l:!.h 8 3 2 .l:txc6 b4 3 3 l:!.f1 t"D xh s 34 �xh s .l::!. x h S+ and pray he h an g s on again st Black's pawn armada. 26 ... t"Dxh 3 In such situations o f utter ch aos, t o find a pl an, w e must begin with a referent, i f only to orient our own bewildered incom prehen sibility. In this case, Korchnoi goes with his in­ stincts to grab material , enriching him self despite wh at appears to be frightful peril to his king. But as computer analysis bears out, Black's king is safer than it looks. 2 7 gxf7+ 'lt>h8 The human move. The paranoid monarch, em anating di strust and always on the alert for assassination attempts, gives f7 a wide berth . Houdin i scream s for th e suicidal-l ooking 2 7 ... Wxf7 ! ! 2 8 �h S+ 'lt>g8 2 9 W:Vg6+ Wh 8 and wins, since White h as no mate and too many of 187

K o rc h n o i : M o ve by M o ve his pieces hang simultaneously. 28 t'Llxf6

28 ... t'Llf2+1? Throwing in a h andy-looking check. Otherwise 28 .. Ji'xf6 ! 29 t'Llfs l:txf7 30 .i.xh 3 l:th7 31 'ii'd 3 l:tf8 3 2 l:tf1 'iVes should win, as Black owns both the initiative and a m aterial advantage. Whereas your nervous, Woody Allen-like writer would have undoubtedly wanted the queen s off and played 28 ...'iix b1 29 .l:.xb1 t'Llg s, again with excellent winning chances for Black. 29 'ltg2 'iixf6 30 llh1+1? Recapitul ating an already failed argument i s unlikely to profit White, but Suttl es de­ cides to champion a lost cause and go down in a bl aze of unsound glory. The surrender of an exch ang e is a bargain if m ate can be acquired as a result - not so much when mate doesn't exist ! On the other hand, White is unlikely to survive after the superior line 30 t'Llfs l:txf7 3 1 �xf2 l:f.e8 32 l:.h 1+ �g8 eith er. 30 ... t'Ll xh1 31 'ifxh1+ 'ltg7 32 t'Llfs+ 'ltf8

1 88

R i d i n g t h e Dy n a m i c E l e m e n t Korchnoi's king, like a skilled wrestl er, keeps his centre of gravity low to the ground, ready to shift in eith er direction . 33 ttJ xe7 r:tlxe7 34 i.h5 Nailing t h e f7-pawn, his last h ope, t o a door to m ake certain it rem ain s. 34 ... �h8 35 "Yi'e1+ rtlf8 36 �g3 �g7 Black's queen wi sely secures the perimeter to lock out intruders, avoiding the rath er brazen cheapo 3 6 ... llxh s ? ? 37 "ifg 8+ �e7 38 �e8+ r:tld6 39 f8'ii'+ an d win s. 37 j,g6 Suttl es continues to create ever more ch eapos. Of course Korch noi isn't going to fall for one-move mates, so the followin g redundant ph ase m ay be better subtracted from the game. 37 .. ."ii b 2+ Most certainly not 3 7 ... l:th 6 ? ? 3 8 'ii'd 6 m ate. 38 �g1 'ii'a 1+ 39 f2 wouldn't h ave saved White either.

Exercise (combination alert): Bl ack to play and win White's queen : 41 ... 'ii' h 1+! 0-1 Suttles resigned, in view of 42 'it>f2 (White's beleaguered king indulges in a silent, mirthless l augh, as if to a private joke) 42 .. J::th 2 + 43 We3 l:th 3 and there goes his queen.

Answer:

Game 24 M.Ta i-V.Korch noi

Ca n d i d ates (5th matchga m e), Moscow 1968 Ruy Lopez 1 e4 e5 2 lLlf3 tLlc6 3 i.b5 a6 4 i.a4 tiJf6 5 o-o i.e7 6 lle1 b5 1 i.b3 d6 1 89

K o rc h n o i: M o ve by M o v e Korchnoi is not a Marsh all Gambit kind of pl ayer - at least not from Bl ack's side. I bet if he regula rly played 1 e4 an d the White side of a Ruy Lopez, he would be h appy to take the Marshal l on and accept the pawn . s c3 o-o 9 h 3 tt'la s

Chi g orin's variation of the Closed Lopez, Bl ack's m ost comm only played line, from among numerous others. 10 i.. c 2 cs 11 d4 'fic7 12 tt'lbd2 tt'lc6 12 ... cxd4 is the m ain (an d m ore popular) altern ative; e.g . 1 3 cxd4 �c6 14 tt'lb3 as 1 5 i.e3 a4 16 tt'lbd2 i.. d 7 1 7 a3 llfe8 18 ..id3 .l::f. a b8 1 9 .l:.c1 'ii'h 7 2 0 dxe s dxe s 2 1 i.. c s an d White extracted a tiny edge, V.An an d-V. Ivanchuk, Monte Carl o (blindfold rapid) 2011. 13 dxcs A favourite of Fischer's, though I don't really see the logic in refusing to g ain space with a push to ds. If White gets anything at all in a Closed Lopez, it has be th rough the more common 1 3 ds. For example : 1 3 ... tt'ld8 14 a4 .l:.b8 15 axb s axb s 16 b4 tt'lb7 17 tt'lf1 ..id7 18 i.. e 3 .l:ta8 19 'ii'd 2 .l:I.fc8 20 i.. d 3 g 6 21 tt'lg 3 i..f8 2 2 :a2 c4 2 3 .ib1 'ifd8 24 ..ia7 ! (preparing to double or even triple m ajor pieces an d seize the a-file) 24 ... tt'le8 25 i.c2 tt'lc7 2 6 l:Iea1 an d Karpov went on to squeeze h i s way to victory as only he coul d do, A.Karpov-W . U n zicker, Nice Olympiad 1974. 13 ... dxcs 14 tt'lf1

Question: What are the basic plan s in thi s position? Answer: White would l ove to take control over dS, but thi s is highly unlikely to h appen, so he tends to build on the king side, while Bl ack expands on the queenside, often with ... cs -c4 , and hopes to m ake h eadway there. Chan ces are bal anced. 14 ... ..ie6 1 5 tt'le3 l:.adB 16 'iie 2 c4 17 tt'lfs Still following theory. 1 90

R i d i n g th e Dy n a m i c E l e m e n t

17 ... .txfs Now the g ame sh arpens. White gets the bishop pair and increased control over the light squares, at the cost of central influence and some degradation of his structure. The alter­ native i s 17 ... l:tfe8 18 ..t g s l2Jd7 19 ..txe7 l2Jxe7 20 tLJg s h 6 ? ! (in stead, after 20 ... .txfs ! 2 1 exfs h 6, Black stands at least equal and maybe better) 2 1 l2Jxe6 fxe6 22 tDe3 liJg6 2 3 g 3 and Fischer was able to exploit Bl ack's slight pawn weakness l ater on and win, R.J . Fischer­ A.O' Kelly de G alway, Buenos Aires 1970. 18 exfs �feB 19 ..tgs White must keep control over e4 at all costs. 19 ... h6 20 i.. xf6 i..xf6 2 1 liJd2 Now White m akes immediate use of e4, while Black in turn makes good use of dS, re­ posting his knight to the square. 21 ... l2Je7 22 lt'!e4 l2Jd s It's a stand-off, neither side making headway. The black kni ght tells its white counter­ part: "You would do well to get along with me, just as I must learn to tolerate your pres­ ence." 23 b3?! Korchnoi always found Tal ' s candidly open hostility refreshing and preferred such hy­ per-aggressive opponents over, say, the synthetically polite deviousness of Petrosian or Karpov. Actually, Houdin i says thi s move is okay, but I don 't like it.

191

Question: Wh at's wrong with it? Answer: Maybe n othing, but it does violate the principle: Don 't create confrontation on the wing where your opponent controls more territory. 2 3 ... lLlxc31 Deflection /doubl e attack. Question: Did Tal overlook thi s shot? Answer: I doubt it. I think Tal saw an d invited it, turning it into a pawn sac. A crime may have been committed, but Tal feel s as if it was comm itted in another province, well out of his jurisdiction. 24 lLlxf6+1 Tal ' s idea. He dam ages Black's king cover in exch ang e for a pawn . Of course h e isn't in­ terested in grovelling a pawn down in the line 24 lLlxc 3 ? ! cxb3 25 .i.xb3 'ikxc3 2 6 l:tac1 ifas . 24. . . gxf6 2 5 'ii'e 31 Double attack, but Bl ack h a s everything under control . 2 5 ... cxb3 2 6 .i.xb3 Question: H ow can Black defend if White sacs his bishop and plays directly for mate with 2 6 'it'xh 6 bxc2 2 7 l:te3 - ? Answer: It might appear that Bl ack i s in deep trouble, but thi s i s an optical illusion . Bl ack continues 27 .. .lld1+ 28 'it>h 2 e4+ 29 .l:tg 3+ and n ow simply h an ds over h i s queen, realizing he gets a new one after 2 9 .. .'*i'x g 3 + 30 'it>xg 3 :xa1 3 1 'ili'xf6 cl'it' with not even a single check available to White. 192

R i d i n g t h e Dyn a m i c E le m e n t

26 'it>h7 •••

Exercise (combination alert}: How can White regain h i s l ost pawn ? 27 .Uec1? White's coming woes are squarely attributable to this move, as Tal clearly fail s to an ­ ticipate the peril h eading his way, an d inexplicably decides not to regain his l ost pawn . Answer: Overload. 27 .txf7 ! 'ii xf7 2 8 'it'xc3 regai n s the pawn, though I still prefer Bl ack after 28 .'iVds since he has the healthier pawn m ajority and m ay al so m ake something of the open g -file. 27 b4 28 a 3 ..

...

White's disease, for now hidden from th e eyes, l i e s dorm ant in a period o f incubation .

1 93

K o rc h n o i : M o ve by M o ve

Exercise {planning}: Black clearly h ol ds an edge after 2 8 . a5, the m ove would probably play without thinking. Korchnoi's response is infin itely stronger; in fact it leads to a virtually forced win . What did he see? ..

1

Answer: Emerging from the vats comes th e cloned, dark an al ogue of his b4-broth er. 2 8 ... e4! ! Th e in solent e-pawn usurps the white queen's authority t o gain entry t o d 3 an d beyond. Korchnoi grasps the essential core of the position - initiative trumps petty m ateri al con­ cern s. As we have seen, Korchnoi i s n orm ally favourably predi sposed to grabbin g and run ­ ning when m aterial is offered, but n ot thi s time. From thi s moment on h e seizes the initia­ tive and never relinqui shes it. In alm ost j arring fashion, h e tosses Tal's helpless pieces about like rag dolls, peppering them with threats and m ore threats, until there is no one left to threaten. I have a feeling Tal planned for 28 ... a5 29 axb4 axb4 30 l:.a7 ! ? tt'le2+ 3 1 'ifxe2 'Wxcl+ 3 2 'iirh 2 , though even thi s appears rather fishy for White after 3 2 . . J:tf8. 2 9 axb4 l:td3 30 'ii'e 1 Not 30 'ii'c 5 ? ? 'it'xc 5 31 bxc5 tt'le2+ and wins. 30 e3! Th e ulcer on e3 eats away at lining of White' s defen sive barri er. 3 1 .tc2 No better i s 3 1 f3 e2 32 i.. xf7 �e7 33 .1i.e6 �f4! an d White is completely h elpless: a} 34 l:txc3 'ii e 3+ 35 �h 2 l:f.xC3 . b ) 34 b5 .l:.g 7 ! and f 3 (or g 2 } falls n ext. c) 34 �h 1 l:lxf3 ! 35 gxf3 �xf3+ 36 'i!th 2 .:lg 7 37 'ifg 1 l:txg 1 3 8 l:txg 1 liJd1 ! and th e e-pawn goes through. 31 ....ll d 2 Both White's dignity and his kin g ' s safety h ave been compromi sed by the intrusive rook 32 fxe3 tt'le2+ 33 'i!th1 •..

R i d i n g t h e Dyn a m i c E le m e n t

Exercise (combination alert}: Black to play and annihilate! Answer #1: 3 3 lll g 3+1 Before the concluding attack, Korchnoi deals with admini strative business of provi sion­ ing the troops, enabling them to mass at full strength . Tal originally budgeted for a sacri­ fice of one pawn , yet we see th at his debt is about to rise to so much more. Answer #2: Korchnoi's move i s even stronger th an 33 ... .l:lxc2, which i s also good enough to win . But mere materi al is no l onger enough to placate his wrath . 34 'it>g1 l:!.e2 ! Korchnoi herds h i s forces deeper and deeper into White's camp. 35 �d1 'Wb7 1 Con quest of g 2 i s Black's holy grail . White's king, now alone, floats in a dark void. 36 e4 .••

Exercise (combination alert}: Find one m ove and White's position caves in. Answer #1: Clearance of a diagonal. 36 ...ll8xe41 0-1 Black's queen on b7 trails the e4-rook like a comet's tail . 37 ..txe4 'i!Vxe4 i s a clear con­ firmation of White's deepest, secret fear comes to fruition : he can't cover g2. " I ncompetent fools ! rages White's h elpless king to his defen ders. " Everywhere I look, I am beset by fool s ! " Answer #2: I t should b e noted th at 3 6 . . .� 6 + (or 3 6 . . .'ifa7+) 3 7 �h 2 l!Vf2 3 8 'it'g 1 'i!Vf4! i s al so utterly decisive. Thi s almost seem s like overkill. An assassin doesn 't need a th ermonuclear warhead to target a single person . I have n ever seen a Tal g ame which made him l ook so completely out of syn c with th e board's reality. 195

Gam e 2 5

Be. Larsen-V.Korchnoi

Len i n g ra d l nterzo n a l 1 9 7 3 English Opening 1

c4 e s 2 g3 This m ove order has gained popul arity over the l ast few years. Question: Wh at is the point of holding back on 2 ll'lc3 - ?

Answer: By leaving the knight at home for the time being , White deprives Black of any re­ versed Rossolimo lines involving ... �b4. 2 c6 •••

Now it's a variant of a reversed c2-C3 Sicilian . 3 ll'lf3 Instead: a) 3 d4 is th e oth er reversed m ain line (similar to 1 e4 cs 2 c3 ds) - for wh ich see G am e 29, wh ere Korchnoi h a s the white pieces. b) 3 .tg2 ds 4 cxds cxds 5 d4 e4 6 ll'lc3 ll'lc6 7 f3 (or 7 ll'lh 3 .1b4) 7 ... exf3 8 ll'lxf3 .tb4 9 o­ o ll'lge7 10 ll'le s 0-0 and Black equalized, P. Benko-V. Korchnoi, Rome 1982. 3 ... e4 4 ll'ld4 d s s cxd s 'ii'x d s The logical capture since it g ains a tempo on White's knight. But s . . . cxds is al so possi ­ ble. For example: 6 d3 ll'lf6 7 ll'lc3 .tcs 8 ll'lb3 .i.b4 9 dxe4 ll'lxe4 10 .td2 'i¥b6 11 ll'lxe4 dxe4 12 ..tg 2 e3 ! ? 13 fxe3 o-o and th e doubl ed e-pawns m ay offer Black sufficient compen sation for the pawn, l . lvanov-J. Benj amin, US Championship, Seattle 2002. 6 ll'lb3 ll'lf6 1 .tg2 'ith s 196

R i d i n g t h e Dy n a m i c E l e m e n t The usual m ove, redepl oying the queen i n advan ce of d2-d3 or l2Jc3, and preparing . .. �h 3 - which White quickly prevents . 8 h 3 ! "iig 6 9 t2Jc3 lDbd 7 After 9 ... l2Ja6 10 0-0 �b4 11 d3 exd3 12 e4 0-0 13 'ii'x d3 .ixc3 14 bxc3 .l:f.e8, White's bish­ ops an d central control probably m ean m ore than Bl ack's superior structure, B.Gulko­ E .Vasiukov, Moscow 1983. 10 'iWc2

Question: Isn't Black in trouble with h i s e-pawn now? Answer: No, the pawn is in n o dan ger. In fact, l et's turn thi s into an exerci se: Exercise {planning): Black to play and not drop h i s e-pawn. Answer: Discovered attack/zwisch en zug. 10 e3! 11 "it'xg6 White's loose queen m ean s h e has no time to grab on e 3 . 11 exf2+ The correct capture since White' s king safety later plays a role. Weaker i s 1 1 ... exd2+? ! 12 .txd2 hxg6, wh en White l ooks comfortably better with a stron ger centre and lead in devel­ opment. 12 'it'xf2 hxg6 13 d4 ...

...

Question: I sn 't White still better since he controls the centre? Answer: At first glance it appears that way to me too. But looking at the stats, I di scover th at Black actually scores slightly higher than White h ere, which m ean s th at Black h as ac197

Korch n o i: M o ve by M o ve quired hidden compen sation. Perh aps White's central pawn s will later turn out to be tar­ gets on the open d- and e-files. A positional pl ayer like me would be more inclined to h ol d back with 13 d 3 . 13 . . .l2Jb6 14 e 4 .ie6 1 5 .if4 The imm ediate 1S lDcs was tried in S.Smagin - I . N aumkin, Moscow 1984, when Bl ack should just go for 1S ... .ixcs 16 dxcs l2Jc4 17 b3 ttJe s and his grip on es gives him equality at a minimum. 1s ... i.b4 16 l2Jcs l ? Korchnoi suggests t h e simpl e 16 1:!.ad1 ! as a n improvement. White can meet 16 ... l2Jc4 with 17 i.c1 0-0-0 18 g4, when Bl ack doesn 't h ave much to do and must be on a con stant look-out for d4-d5 and e4-e5 ideas. 16 ... 0-0-0! Not now 16 ... -txc s ? ! 17 dxcs l2Jbd7 18 .id6 and Black is getting squeezed. 17 l2Jxe6 fxe6

Korchnoi writes th at Bl ack m ay even stand better here due to the open f-file and White's slightly in secure king . I di sagree an d think White m ay still h ave an edge, since h e own s both the bishop pair and a superior structure. 18 a3?1 Perh aps a n inaccuracy, though n owhere near fatal since it falls within the margin o f er­ ror. Nevertheless, 18 l2Je2 ! is an improvem ent, as in G .Almer-A. Elkov, correspon dence 2005. Then 1 8 ... l2Jh s 19 i.g s l::t df8+ 20 i.f3 l2Jc4 2 1 b3 l2Jd2 2 2 .ixd2 i.xd2 eliminates the bishop pair, but I still prefer White after 2 3 .l:tad1, whose structure remains superior. 18 ... .i e7 Han ding over both bishops with 18 ....txc3 19 bxc3 l ooks excessive for Black. 19 l:tad 1 l:thf8 20 �e2?! Moving off the open file, but as it turn s out the king is vulnerable on e2 as wel l . Larsen should h ave commenced his plan with 20 h 4 straight away. 20 i.f3 l2Jc4 2 1 i.c1 e s ! is in Black's favour. 198

R i d i n g t h e Dyn a m i c E l e m e n t

2 0 tt::l c4 2 1 h41? ...

Question: Why did Larsen mysteriously sac his b-pawn ? Answer: Moves like this are driven in large m easure from dissatisfaction, in an urg e to grasp at counterpl ay where little currently exists. Larsen, in this in stance, is willing pay a high price to go after e6 and activate his light-squared bishop. But the cost of h i s attacking renovations prove to be prohibitively high and he is soon forced to budget. 2 1 tt:J h s t Korchnoi declines, playin g upon White's insecure king . A good practical decision, even if the computers say the pawn can be taken . For exampl e: 2 1...tt:Jxb2 ! ? 22 l:.bl �xa3 23 �h 3 .l:.xd4 24 �xe6+ 'lio'dS 2 5 �es ! :b4 2 6 �d6 .l:teS 2 7 �xb4 .ixb4 2 S .tf7 .l:!.e7! ( 2 S ... �xC3 2 9 �xeS � x e S 30 l:!.hcl tt:Jxe4 3 1 �e3 ! tt::l d 2 3 2 .:txc3 ltJxb1 3 3 :b3 liJc3 34 .d.xb7 is unclear) 29 l:txb2 ..ixc3 30 lldl+ (or 30 l::!. c 3 liJxe4 ! ) 30 ... c7 3 1 llc2 .:txf7 3 2 .l:Ixc3 liJxe4 an d Bl ack's knight and three connected passed pawn s outweigh White's extra rook. 2 2 �h3 ...

Exercise (planning}: H ow shoul d Black continue? Answer: Deprive a predator of its prey and you simultaneously rem ove its source of power. Korchnoi refuses to surrender rights to e6 with out a fight. The exchange sac takes over the initiative. 22 Jbf41 23 1t.xe6+1? The field becomes a symphony of battle cries. White's bishop preten ds to h ave abilities and powers he simply l acks. The unsavoury combination of White's souring position, mixed with his bravado, is highly unlikely to enh ance his kin g's lifespan. Larsen, seemingly almost out of spite, pl ays a possibly inferior move j ust to deny Korch..

1 99

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve Korchnoi his idea. It's a m i stake to get overly enmeshed in the psychological games we all pl ay over th e board. You know the ones I m ean : "My opponent understands th at I under­ stand that he understands th at I will soon play X. But I will call his bluff and turn the tables on him by pl aying V" And so on. Then again, perhaps Larsen just feared the line 23 g xf4 ltJxf4+! 24 'it>f3 ltJxh 3 25 .Uxh 3 ltJxb2 2 6 �d2 (or 26 l:t.g 1 e s ! 27 dS liJd3 an d if 2 8 .Uxg 6? then 2 8 . . . l:tf8+ followed by ... ltJf4) 26 ... ltJc4 27 .tid1 ..txa3, when it is White wh o appears to be struggling - an exchan g e up but down too m any pawn s. 2 3 ... 'it>c7 24 ..txc4 Not now 24 gxf4?? ltJxf4+ followed by ... ltJxe6 with a huge advantage. 24 ... ltJxg3+ 25 'it>e3 .l:tdf8 White's virtues dwindle in excruciating synchronicity with th e decrease of Bl ack's trou­ bles. 26 I:!.hg1 26 l:th 2 ..txh4 l ooks very difficult for White too. 26 ... ..txh4 27 �d 3 ? 27 .l:t g 2 was necessary.

Exercise (combination alert): White i s driven to ever more desperate m easures. How can Bl ack significantly imperil the white kin g and win material ? 27 ...llf2?! Answer: 27 ... ltJf1 ! (trapping th e king uncomfortably in the centre) 2 8 l:tc1 (White's kin g is un able to run : 28 'it>c2 ?? loses to 2 8 ... liJe3+) 2 8 ... �f2 ! (threatening ... .l:t8f3 m ate; White's once sumptuous, manicured grounds now appear as a wastel and, the aftermath of some h olocaust) 2 9 ..te6 as ! (renewing the m atin g n et; i.e. 30 . . .l:t8f3+ 31 �c4 liJd2+ 3 2 'it>c s b6 mate) 30 'it>c4 liJd2+ (forcing the king back again) 3 1 �d3 l:t8f3+ 3 2 c;t>c2 .l:tf6 ! 3 3 dS liJf3 + and Bl ack wins the exch ange. 200

R i d i n g t h e Dy n a m ic E l e m e n t

28 I:f.d2

Exercise (combination alert): Okay, Korchnoi mi ssed the previous one. But how did h e cleverly now force the win of White's e-pawn ? Answer: 28 ... i.gs! 29 lbf2 l:xf2 30 ttJe2 There is n othing better: a) 30 l:txg 3 ? ? run s into 30 ... l:td2 m ate. b) 30 .te6 is met by 30 ... �f4, and if White tries to s ave his b-pawn with 31 b4?? then 31 .. J:tf3+ 32 'it>c2 l:txc 3 + ! 33 �xc3 tiJe2+ wins. 30 JU3+! Disconn ecting White's king from e4. 31 �c2 ttJxe4 32 i.d3 .l:!.e3 33 tiJc3 tiJg3 34 d S ! ? To eliminate his isolated pawn . After 34 i.. x g 6 �f6 3 5 .l:Idl tiJe2 ! 3 6 'it> e 3 ( o r 3 6 ttJxe2 l:Ixe2+ 3 7 'ittb 3 l::t g 2 ) 3 6 ... l:Ig 3 , White h as the same problems as in the g ame, plus the vul ­ nerable d-pawn . 34 ... i..f6 3 5 tiJd1 White shoul d try the imm ediate 35 dxc6, m ainly because 35 ...�xc6? then walks into the cheapo 3 6 .tb 5+! with a knight fork to foll ow: 3 6 ...�b6 (or 3 6 ... 'itt c 7) 3 7 tiJd5+, or 3 6 ... d6 3 7 .l:.xg 3 ! l:.xg 3 3 8 ttJe4+, or 36 ... 'itt c 5 37 b4+ ! d4 38 l:txg 3 ! l:txg 3 39 l2Je2+. 3S ...:tf3 36 dxc6 �xc6 37 i.xg6 Bl ack is only one pawn up with opposite-coloured bishops on the board. Th e decisive factor is th at Bl ack's pieces are posted in domin ant position s. ••

201

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

3 7 .'iit d 6 3 8 .l:.e1 ctJfS ! 39 lle8 White doesn't want to take the knight and l ose his opposite-coloured bi sh op draw l ev­ erage. 39 CLJd4+ Suddenly, th e white kin g is in serious danger. 40 �d2 40 'it>bl (the king moves with the sullen indolen ce of a teen whose mother just ordered him to clean his room ) 40 ... litf1 41 .tc2 allows Black's g -pawn to roll with 41 ... g s , as White i s hopelessly tied down . 40 -igS+ 41 '1t>e1 .Xl.h4+ The cat romps about, chasin g the laser's light. 42 'it>d2 l:lg3 43 .1e4?? Either 43 .th s or 43 ..td3 was n ecessary. •.

..•

•••

2 02

R i d i n g t h e Dyn a m i c E l e m e n t U p to thi s point, White's jostled king has been inconvenienced more th an harmed by the barrage of checks, surviving round after roun d of salvos. But now he succumbs to the poun ding. Th ere is a sense of imminence in th e position, like a loose button on a shirt, just waiting to fall off.

Exercise (combination alert): At l ast, opportunity presents itself. Larsen, exhausted, j ust blundered in a difficult position . How did Korchnoi end the g am e ? Answer: Th e bishop silences White's king with a n uprai sed hand, even before he h a s time to frame a respon se. 43 .igS+! 0-1 White resigned since 44 'lt>e1 l:!.g1+ 45 'lt>f2 l:!:xd1 picks up a piece. ...

Game 2 6 V.Korch noi-L. Lj u bojevic

E u ro pea n Tea m C h a m pion s h i p, Bath 1973 Benoni Defence GM Ljubomir Ljuboj evic cam e to Montreal and won the 1974 Can adian Open, ahead of notables such as Larsen, Browne, Hart, Bisguier and Spraggett. I remember watching his games in awe from the demo boards, m arvelling at his comm and of complication s and tactics. In the current game Ljubo gives it his all but m eets an opponent who thrives on crazy even m ore then he does . Korchnoi h as great respect for Ljubo, describing him as "a grand­ master of distinctive chess thinking and strikin g tactical talent." 1 d4 lt:'lf6 2 c4 e6 3 lt:'lc3 cs 4 d s exd s s cxd s g6 s ... d6 is the usual m ove order, but it doesn't really matter - as long as Bl ack i s not wor­ ried about his opponent playing 6 d6 ! ?. 6 e4 d6 7 i.f4 A sneaky line agai n st the Benoni, and a Korchnoi favourite.

Question: It l ooks pretty straightforward to me. What i s so sneaky about it? Answer: Please see White's next m ove ! 7 i.g7?! Ljubojevic's m ove m ay be pl ayable, but 7 ... a6 ! i s so much simpl er, steering the g ame in­ to more n orm al channels after 8 a4 i.g7 9 lt:'lf3 i.g4 {early swaps tend to help Black's side in the Benoni) 10 �e2 o-o 11 o-o .l::!. e 8 12 lt:'ld2 i.xe2 13 'ii'x e2 lt:'lh s 14 i.e3 lZ'ld7 and the healing exchange all ows Bl ack to equalize - although Korchnoi won twice from this posi ­ tion {V. Korchnoi-E.Torre, Leningrad lnterzonal 1973, and V. Korchnoi -J . Nunn, London 1980). •••

2 03

Korchnoi senses a g olden opportunity for mischief, and h ere it i s : the m onkey wren ch tossed into the factory m achinery. Black experiences early and unexpected worries, n o m atter how h e responds. 8 'ot>e7? Thi s venture fall s flat. Black ends up with trouble, labour and expen se - and n o reward at the end of it. His m ove is an overreaction, after which problems bloom and flourish in lush array for Black's n ewly centralized kin g : The other king move 8 . . .'ot>f8 ? i s little better, since Black essentially then h a s a n orm al Benoni with the atonal and rath er doltish ...'ot>f8 tossed in - in exch ange for 'ili'a4, which doesn 't really h arm White. This positi on i s awful for Bl ack - and yet when I checked the database, I discovered that Black scored 100% from h ere, winning all three g ames. Cai ssa certainly works in mysterious ways. Black's best line is 8 ... .id7 9 'ii'h 3 fkc7 10 lLlf3 0-0 11 l2Jd2 ! (after 11 i.e2, Bl ack can muck things up with 11 ... b s ! 12 i.xbs l2Jxe4 13 lLlxe4 'ii' a s+. R.Vaganian -A. Korelov, Min sk 1972) 1 1 . .. l2Jh s 12 �e3 fs ! (otherwi se Black's pieces on d7 and hs are misplaced) 1 3 exfs gxfs ? ! (13 . . ..ixf5 14 i.e2 l2Jf6 1 5 h 3 isn't s o awful for Bl ack) 1 4 .ie2 ! f4 1 5 .ixcs f3 ? ( 1 S .. .'i!i'xcs 1 6 .ixh s was forced) 16 .ixf3 !lxf3 (or 16 ... 'ili'xcs 17 lLlde4) 17 g xf3 ! fixes 18 'ii x b7 left Black busted, V. Korchnoi-J . Nunn, London 19 84. g lLlf3 :es Black hopes to h ave tim e for m anual castling with ... 'ot>f8. 10 .tbs l2Jbd7 11 o-o a6 Unfortun ately 11...�f8 ? ? now drops the d-pawn . 12 l:tfe1 At first, the interrogator m ay use a gentle tone to elicit inform ation from a prisoner ­ and the hum an move isn't so bad. H owever, Houdini refutes Black's entire line with the bizarre 12 'i*'a3 ! !. ...

2 04

R i d i n g t h e Dy n a m i c E l e m e n t

Question: This l ooks alm ost like a random m ove. What i s the computer's i dea? Answer: Th e incomprehen sible i s outlined in lines of cl arity. 12 'ii'a 3 ! ! , which sets off bizarre reverberation s across the board adopted with such an air of careless negligen ce, is actually deviously crafted - the d6-square is the common denominator, which requires un derm in­ ing. Watch : 12 ...l:lb8 ( 1 2 ... 'i!Th6 1 3 lt::l d 2 ! i s al so g rim for Black) 1 3 l:tfe 1 ! ! 'Llg4 ( 1 3 ... axbs 14 lt:lxbs 'it>f8 1 5 i.xd6+ 'it>g 8 16 i.c7 ! 'ii'e 7 17 .:!.ad1 lt:lg4 18 e s is close to resign able for Bl ack) 14 i.xd7 i.xd7 15 e s ! 'iib 6 16 lL'le4! tDxes 17 lt::l x es i.xe s 1 8 lt::l x d6 ! 'i2rxd6 (the king h opes to blend into the crowd and elude h i s pursuers) 19 i.xe S+ :xe s 20 l:txes 'lii> x es 21 'ii'g 3 + and all that rem ain s lies in an ocean of Black's tears. 12 lt::l b 6! ...

Ljubo i s sues a sweeping comm an d to the entirety of his army: Fight to th e death ! N ow it appears th at White is in trouble as both h i s queen and bishop are en pri se, but he retain s a couple of tempting attacking option s.

Exercise (combination alert/critical decision}: White can either sac a piece with 1 3 �3. or g o psycho and offer the queen with 1 3 e s . Only one of the lines l eads to a clear advantage for White. But which one? Answer: Okay, th en , psycho it i s ! 13 e s ! ! Death him self comes for Black's king, dreaded scythe clutch ed in a skeletal h an d. Th e line between Korchnoi's will and reality, n ow j ust a thread, suddenly snaps. If White plays the inferior 1 3 � 3 axb S 14 lt:JxbS, Bl ack remains the gam e : 14 ... c4 1 5 �b4 'Wtf8 16 lt::l c 7! (or 16 t2Jxd6 l:te7) 16 ... 'it>g 8 ! 17 lt::l x a8 lt:Jxa8. 13 dxe s ! ...

2 05

K o r c h n o i : M o ve by M o ve Other moves are worse: a) 13 ... tt:lxa4?? (Bl ack takes the queen and says to White: " Prove it! " - so he does! ) 14 e xf6+ 'f8 15 .l:!.xe8+ 'ii'x e8 16 fxg 7 + 'it>xg 7 17 �xe8 with two extra pieces in White's ledger. b) 13 ... 'f8 14 �xe8 tt:lxa4 15 exf6 'Yi'xf6 16 1i.xa4! (threatening �e8 m ate) 1 6 ... b s (or 16 ... 1Lg4 17 �g S 'Yi'fs 18 1i.e7+ 'g8 19 tt:lh4) 17 ii.g s an d White's two pieces an d a rook are worth m ore than Black's queen and pawn . 14 'Yi'a3 ! 'it>f8 Not 14 ... axb s ? ? 1 5 'i!t'xcS + 'it>d7 (or 1 S ... �d6 16 .l:.xe s+) 16 tt:Jxes+ �xes 17 .ixe s and Bl ack is crushed. 15 .ixe8 exf4!

N ot 1s ... tt:lxe8 ?? 16 tt:lxes and Bl ack is th e exch ange down, with cs about to fall. Ljubo sees through th e ruse and m anages to stay alive with only moves, negotiating obstacles an d floating chunks whizzing by him with easy g race - the way I used to n avi g ate my sh ip through the rock field an d fend off alien attacks in the old video game Asteroids. 16 't!Wxcs+ 'it>g8 17 .ta4 tt:Jxa4 18 tt:Jxa4 tt:lxd s 19 � ad1 .t e6 The on ce furious pace of White's initiative begins to sl acken and g row more m ech ani­ cal. Materially, Bl ack nearly h as enough for the exchange, with an extra pawn and the two bishops; unfortunately, his pieces now fall under uncomfortable central pressure. 20 tt:lc3?! With thi s inaccurate move Korchn oi all ows h i s opponent some wiggle room . In stead, White continues to apply pressure after 20 tt:ld4! .ltd7 21 i¥xds �xa4 22 'i'xd8+ .l:!.xd8 23 b3 .te8 (not 23 ... .id7 ? 24 tt:lc6! bxc6 2 5 .l::t e 7 win s ) 24 tt:le 2 ! (it is in White's interest to swap off Black's remaining rook) 24 .. Jhd1 2 S l:!.xd1 .tes 26 tt:ld4, when White h as excellent winning chances since Black's extra pawn i s in the form of a crippled kin g si de m ajority. 20 .txc3! 21 bxc3 Itc8 22 'Yi'd4 'iYa s?! It was better to send the queen the other way: 2 2 ... 'i!t'f6 ! keeps White's advantage to a minimal , since he must now nurse an isolated c-pawn . Of course not the bone headed ...

206

R i d i n g t h e Dy n a m i c E le m e n t 2 2 ... 11xc 3 ? ?, wh en 2 3 �xc3 win s on the spot.

Exercise (combination alert): Black's l ast move allowed Korchnoi a deeply hidden opportunity. What would you play h ere? 23 l:es ?! We sense creeping apprehen sion on White's part. Korchnoi rem ains impassive to the provocation and refuses to take precipitous action. His n atural inclination to hang on to his gains works ag ainst him in thi s in stance. Now his attack, rather than ending in trium ­ ph ant, cinem atic conclusion, in stead skids to a h alt. Answer: White win s with 23 l:txe6 ! ! (returning the exchange sends Black's pieces into spin­ ning disarray) fxe6 24 c4 ti:Jc7 (if 24 ... tl:JC3 25 �d7 ! or 24 ... tl:Je7 23 'il'd6 ! ) 25 ti:Je 5 ! (this is the move which i s so difficult to see, or even appreciate - White's knight threaten s a deadly tran sfer to g4 and Black is h elpless) 2 5 ... 'ii'a 4 (or 2 5 ... l:tf8 26 ti:Jd7 .l:tf7 27 ti:Jf6+ 'it>f8 2 8 lt:\xh7+! .l:Ixh 7 29 'ii'f6+ and m ates) 2 6 h4! ti:J e 8 2 7 l:tb1 .l:tc7 2 8 l:tb6 (little by little, White i n ­ filtrates) 2 8 ....:. e 7 2 9 tl:J g 4 (threatening ti:Jh 6+, foll owed b y 'iih 8 m ate) 29 ... e5 30 �d5+ 'i!if8 3 1 4Jxe5 'i:Vxa2 (thi s i s as good as anything) 3 2 ti:Jd7+ ..ti>g7 3 3 l:!.e6 ! .a.xe6 34 'ii'x e6 lt:\c7 3 5 'iff6+ ..ti>h 6 3 6 'i:Vxf4+ ..ti>g7 3 7 'ii'f8 mate. 23 .'�xa2 24 :xds! Even here returning the exch an ge i s the strongest option . After the aggressive altern a­ tive 24 ti:Jg 5 lt:\xc3 25 tt:Jxe6 fxe6 (not 25 ... ti:Jxd1? ? 26 l:te2 ! and th e killing double attack ends the game) 2 6 'i¥d7 l:tf8 27 .:tde1 f3 2 8 gxf3 1:txf3 2 9 :xe 6 ! 'ii'x f2+ 30 'iiii'h 1 .l:.f8 31 'it'xb7, White's king m ay be too exposed for him to h arbour realistic winning chances. 24 'itxd s 2 5 'ir'xd s .li.xd s 2 6 l:txd s .l:.xc3 27 h4 ..

••.

207

Korch n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Question: Who stands better in the endi n g ? Answer: Black would if h i s pawn s were h ealthy, but since his f4-pawn isn't of m uch use, it's almost as if Bl ack has two - n ot three - pawns for th e piece. Therefore White h as a slight edge, though it takes m onumental technical proficiency to win . 21 . . . bs 2s .l:r.d6! Principle: Plant your rook behind enemy passed pa wns. 28 Jla 3 29 llb6! •.

With his last move Korchn oi tries to freeze the queen side pawn s. Black has two pl ans.

Exercise {planning): Black can abandon h i s queen side pawns and go after White's with 29 ...l:ta1+ 30 �h 2 lla2, or play 29 ... l:ta4 and nurse his pawns forward. One plan m ay draw, whereas the other favours White. What does your intuition tell you?

208

R id i n g t h e Dy n a m i c E l e m e n t z g !:f.al+?! •• •

Th e beginning of the wrong plan . Alth ough Ljubojevic continues to offer spirited resi s­ ta nc e, in the end it isn't enough to save him. A ns wer: 29 ... .l:.a4! m ay hold th e g ame. For example: 30 �b8+ 'it'g 7 3 1 lib7 �f6 3 2 tt:lg s b4 33 ttJxh 7+ (or 3 3 .l:.xf7+ 'it>es 34 l::!. x h 7 .:tal+ 35 �h 2 as 3 6 .l:tb7 \t>d4 and the bl ack pawn s are be com ing dang erous) 33 ... �e 5 34 tt:lg s f6 3 5 tt:lf3 + fl al 5 1 g4 fxg4 5 2 fxg4 a2 5 3 �e4 (scurrying back to support his own pawn s)

53 ... !Xxh 6 ( 5 3 ... bl'ii'+ al so works itself out to a draw. 54 tt:lxbl axbl'ii+ 55 l:txbl+ 'itxbl 56 g s �c2 5 7 'it>fs 'it'd3 58 �g6 We4 5 9 �g 7 �fs 60 h 7 'it>xg s 6 1 h 81i' .l:!.xh 8 6 2 'it'xh 8 - the two kings dance in their ceaseless comings and goings, but to what purpose, no one can say) 54 tt:lb3+ Wbl 55 Itxh 6 �c2 ! 56 tt:ld4+ �c3 57 l:.c6+ h2 l:la2 It may be too l ate to switch back to the other plan . After 30 ...l:ta4 31 tt:les b4 32 .l:!.b8 + 'it> g 7 3 3 l:Ib7 J:tas ! 34 tt:lc6 l:ta2 3 5 l:txb4 l:lxf2 3 6 W g l , White should convert h i s extra piece. 31 tt:lgs ! l:txf2 3 2 �xa6 h6 33 tt:lh 3 1 Forcing Bl ack t o surrender either his b-pawn o r f4-pawn . 3 3 ... .l:!.f1 34 !Xb6 f3 3 5 g4! Endgame principle : The piece up side should a void pa wn swaps. The advanced f-pawn will fall later on . 3 5 ...llb1 2 09

Korch n o i: M o ve by M o ve If Bl ack tries to liquidate all the pawn s with 3 S .. .f2 ! ? 3 6 �g 2 .l::f.h l 3 7 lLlxf2 :!xh 4, White plays 38 'it>g 3 gS 39 lLle4! (Tal) and ... h 6 -h 5 is prevente d. 36 'it>g3 b4 36 ... l1b3 is pointless as 3 7 l2Jg 1 just picks off the f-pawn . 3 7 xf3 b3 38 lLlf2 �g7 39 g2 ! ltb2 Black must n ot push too far. 39 ... b 2 ? ? h an g s the pawn to 40 lLld3. 40 �g3 l!b1 41 �f3 �f8 42 �g2 l:tb2 43 l:b7 �g7 44 l:tb6 .l:ib1

Exercise {planning): How does White m ake progress? Answer: Gang up on f7. 45 lLld 3 ! 'iir g 8 46 flb7 �g7 There is nothing better. 47 lLle5 �f6 48 lLlxf7 .l:.c1 Ljubo seizes the opportunity to reposition his rook more actively while Korchn oi is busy wiping out pawn s on the other side. 48 ... hs is no g ood, because of 49 g S+ �fs so l2Jh 8 and g6 soon falls. 49 lLlxh6 A single death i s a tragedy; multipl e death s are merely a statistic. The knight goes for a second h elping . 4 9 ltc2+ 50 �f3 b2 51 �e4 .l:te2+ 5 2 �d4 :l h 2 5 3 g5+ �e6 54 .Ub6+ �e7 55 �c3 ! The b-pawn falls at last. White only n eeds t o retain a sin gle pawn i n order t o win . 5 5 ... �fs Dawn creeps ever so slowly for the insomniac. This must have felt like a 200-m ove game to Ljubojevic. 56 ltxb2 ltxh4 57 :b7 �f4 58 c;!?d3 lU1 59 c;!?d4 1-0 ..•

210

R i d i n g t h e Dy n a m i c E l e m e n t

Black resign ed, as 59.Jlg1 i s m et by 6 0 'iii> e s ! , when 6 0... I::. x g5+ fails to 6 1 f6 ! and White threaten s both th e rook and back rank m ate.

Game 2 7 V . Korch noi-Y.Sei rawa n

U S Open, Pasa dena 1983 Modern Defence I pl ayed in the 1983 U S Open and watched this g ame in awe. 1 d4 g6 2 lt::lf 3 d6 3 g3 i.. g 7 4 .ig2

4

...

i.g4 I'm not a big fan of lines like thi s where Bl ack gives up the bi shop pair for the h ell of it. 211

K o rc h n o i : M o ve by M o v e I n my book on th e Modern Defence, I advocate lines like 4 ... e 5 .

Question: Even i f Black loses castling rights? Answer: Yes. With queens off the board, Bl ack's king belongs in the centre - of course this i s under the assumption that he doesn't get him self mated there ! F o r exampl e: 5 dxe 5 dxe5 6 iixd8+ �xd8 7 ttlc3 ! c6 8 �e3 �c7 9 o-o-o tLla6 10 tLle4 f6 ! , G.Dizdar-G .Timoshenko, Graz 1994, when it isn 't so easy for White to m ake anything of his lead in development, since he lacks an obvious entry into Bl ack's position. 11 tiJd6 doesn't bother Bl ack at all , who just continues 11 ... �e6. Altern atively, 4 ... ttJf6 5 o-o o-o 6 c4 tran sposes to g 2 - g 3 King's Indian lines. 5 h3 �xf3 6 ..itxf3 c6 7 0-0 es? Seirawan isn't a pl ayer bound by protocol or societal expectations either, but in thi s case h e goes too far. This move, which weaken s d 6 , i s the root o f his future difficulties. We sense that Bl ack h as just crossed a forbidden boundary an d Seirawan , like Samson, brings the temple down upon him self. Black may have been better off playing something like 7 ... ttJd7 8 e4 e 5 9 dxe 5 dxe5 10 a4 ttJgf6 11 ..te3 fke7 12 tiJd2 0-0 1 3 'iie 2 with an edge to White due to his bishop pair, but Black's position is far from busted, Z. Doda-A.Maciejewski, Poznan 1983. 8 dxes dxes A n atural move isn't always the best one. Black shoul d try 8 ... i.xe5, which is still clearly in White's favour after 9 tiJd2, yet is superior to the game's continuation . 9 tLld 2 !

Thi s is even strong er than th e imm ediate swap on d8 a n d may b e the m ove Seirawan overl ooked when entering th e position. Korchnoi targets d6 straight away. 9 ttJa6 Or 9 ... tLle7 10 tLle4 and now if Bl ack castles away to escape tLld6+, then White com es at ...

R i d i n g t h e Dy n a m ic E l e m e n t hi m fro m a different direction : 1 0... 0-0? 1 1 �xd8 .l:!.xd8 1 2 ..tg s ! �f8 1 3 tt:Jcs b 6 14 l:tad 1 ! .:f.e8 1 5 ti:Jb7 ! an d Black is in danger o f asphyxiati on . 10 tt:J c4 Threatening tt:Jd6+, followed by tt:Jxb7. Th e d6-square i s a delicate object, a butterfly re sting on a rose petal . 10 ."�e7 11 �d6! Th e queen 's cold stare gives her sister the impression that she is a religious statue rath er th an a wom an . Now Bl ack must deal with multiple strategic issues in order of ur­ gency, many of which carry no g ood answer. Bl ack's unspoken questions: 1. Will his king rem ain safe, despite the absen ce of queen s on th e board? 2. Will he be able to regain control over d6, the core of his con cern ? 3. Will h e be able to stay level on m aterial ? 4. H ow can Bl ack untangle and catch up in development? ..

11

�f8 Black's king nervously begins to voice concern .

...

Question: Why didn't Black g ai n a tempo with 11 .l:.d8 - ? ...

Answer: Because of a trap. Let's do an exercise h ere.

Exercise (combination alert): White to play and refute 11 Jid8??. ..

Answer: 12 ..txc6 + ! bxc6 (12 ... �f8 1 3 'ii'x e7+ tt:Jxe7 14 �xb7 is n o good for Bl ack either) 1 3 'i'xc6+ 'iVd7 14 iixa6 win s two pawn s. 12 .l:td1 'f*'xd6 Trying to make room for th e king with 12 ... i.. f6 is no better. Pl ay m ay continue 13 ..te3 �g 7 14 c3 tt:Jc7 1 5 Wixe7 tt:Jxe7 16 l:td7 tt:Jeds 17 ti:Jd6 .l:!.hf8 18 tt:Jxb7 and White i s winning, 213

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve since 18 ... ltab8? is strongly m et by 19 .ixds lt'lxds 20 ..txa7. 1 3 lt'lxd6 ltb8

Exercise (combination alert}: Black's excessive strategic expenditures h ave, as a consequence, led to famine across his l and. White to pl ay and win a pawn. Answer: 14 .ie31 Bl ack has no good way of defending a7. N ote that 14 ... b6 drops the c6-pawn . 14 .f5 1 5 �xa7 .l:!.a8 16 �e3 lt'le7 ..

Question: Why didn 't Black play 16 e4, going after b 2 ? ...

Answer: The l ast thing a losing g ambler should d o is t o double the stakes. Takin g o n b2 only activates White's pieces further. For example : 17 .ig 2 ..txb2 18 l:tabl .i.g7 19 .l:txb7. 17 �g2 lt'lb4 18 .l:td2 e4 19 c4! Denyin g Bl ack's knights the ds-square. This i s much stronger th an 19 c3 lt'lbdS. 19 J�xa2 20 .l:.xa2 lt'lxa2 21 ..tcs ! ? Targetin g e7, with the threat o f 2 2 lt'lc8 .i.f6 2 3 lt'lxe7 i.. x e7 24 1:1d8+ ! and wins. All th e same, th ere's nothing wrong with the imm ediate 2 1 lt'lxb7. 21 b6?! Absolute desperation . Black can put up m ore resistance after 21 ... lt'lc1 22 ii.a3 lt'lb3 2 3 :d1 b 6 24 lt'lc8 c s 2 S lt'lxb6 �f7. 22 .ixb6 .if6 ..

•.•

214

R i d i n g t h e Dy n a m i c E le m e n t

Exercise (combination alert): Korchnoi's pieces explode in furious activity after his next move. What did h e find? Answer: Th e clogged flotsam in th e middle begins to come loose an d disperses. Only one white piece remained outside the scope of the fight - until now. Korchnoi's sac isn't really a sac since he regains his piece by force, destroying the fin al vestiges of Bl ack's resi stan ce in the process. 2 3 i.xe4! ! Korchnoi once again demonstrates his extraordin ary calcul ation power. In computer­ like fashion, h e accurately works out th at h e regain s the piece with interest in all varia­ tion s. 2 3 .. fxe4 24 t2J xe 4 i.g7 24 ... Wf7 fail s miserably to 25 ttJxf6 and if 25 ... 'it>xf6? then 2 6 i.d4+ picking off the rook in th e corn er. Even th e terrible 24 ... t2Jg 8 doesn't save him, as after 25 t2Jxf6 t2Jxf6 26 l:.d6 t2Je8 (or 26 ...�f7 27 l:lxf6+! etc) 27 l:r.d7, Bl ack h as virtually no moves an d will soon lose ma­ teri al ; e.g. 2 7 ... t2Jf6 28 l:!.a7 t2Jc1 2 9 'it>fl t2Jb 3 30 i.e3 and 3 1 l:ta3 traps a knight. 2 5 �cs ! O n c 5 the bishop i s radiant with power. Parameters continue t o shift with each passing move, all in White's favour, as the rain of Bl ack's mi sery never seem s to let up. He i s caught in a series of pins and wh en he tries to evade one, he simply slides into another. 2s ... �f7 Bl ack's king continues to amass grievan ces again st his torm entors. On 2 5 .. .e 8 26 lt:Jd6+ �f8, Korchnoi fin ally gets to carry out the idea behind his 2 1st move: 2 7 t2Jc8 i.f6 28 lt:Jxe7 i.. x e7 29 �d8+ eS

The king paces to and fro in indecision. 2 7 .. .'�f6 walks into 2 8 f4, followed by 29 �d4+ 'itfs 30 e4 m ate. Th e gun shot wound leaves a red bib on the kin g ' s chest. 28 llc7 h 6 2 9 t"Lle6 White's pieces continue to orbit Black's king . N ow the simple threat is t"Llxf8, foll owed by l:txe7+. 29 ... l:th7 30 t"LlxfS 'it>xfS

Exercise (combination alert): How did Korchn oi manage to pick off a knight h ere? Answer: Attraction/interference. 3 1 .l:i.c8+1

Th e flash of the gun m uzzle briefly illuminates the shocked eyes of th e victim on f8. 3 1 ... 'itf7 3 2 i.. x e7 1 1-0 Uncertainty m elts away into comprehension : Bl ack is un able to recapture due to the skewer along the rank, and so is just three pawn s down .

Game 2 8 Be. La rsen -V. Korch noi

Brussels 1987 English Opening C4 t"Llf6 2 g3 c6 3 t"Llf3 d S 4 b3 1lVb6 1 ? As always, Korchnoi strives to weird it up at th e earliest possible opportunity, with a venom ous idea for Larsen to deal with at th e board. In a strange way, Korchnoi simultane1

216

R i d i n g t h e Dy n a m ic E l e m e n t ously stimulates an d offends our sen sibilities with plan s which spit in th e face of every­ thing we were ever taught! Yet in th e end, impossibly, he succeeds. Such idiosyncratic, un­ likely ideas (and not just in the opening), which som ehow end up working are Korchnoi's hidden genius.

Question: This move l ooks amateurish . What i s Black's point? 5 � g 2?! Answer: First, thi s natural reply may acutely be in accurate. In stead: a) 5 ..ltb2 ? ! is met by s ... dxc4! and White can 't recapture since his b2-bishop is l oose, while after 6 .ixf6 exf6 7 bxc4 Bl ack already looks better with bishop pair in an open posi­ tion . b) 5 cxd5 cxds i s a feeble-lookin g Exchange Slav for White. c) 5 �c2 ! (preventin g Korchnoi's coming trick) s ... il.g4 6 i.g2 lt:lbd7 7 ..ib2 e6 8 o-o i.d6 9 d3 seem s about even, A.Savanovic- D.Solak, Bosnian Team Ch ampionship 2007. s ... es! This clever idea was a n ovelty at th e time. All of a sudden, Black holds a space advan tage and threaten s to play ... e S -e4 with d4 unavailable for White's knight. G M Paul Motwani suggests tossing in s . . dxc4 6 bxc4 before 6 ... e s , but I see no reason Black shoul d swap his d-pawn for a b-pawn, which al so open s the b -file for White. 6 0-0 Korchnoi's idea: Black's e-pawn i s perfectly safe, since 6 ttJxe5 ? ? is met by the embar­ rassing 6 ...�d4 with a deci sive fork. Obviously this trick doesn't work after 5 �c2 ! , since White can just play 7 i.b2 and wins. 6 . e4 7 ltJe1 .

.

.

Question: I'm n ot so sure such politen ess is m an datory here. Did the knight have to retreat?

K o r c h n o i : M o ve by M o ve

Answer: White doesn't have all that much choice: a) 7 l'Lle s ? ? walks into the same trick with 7 ... 'i¥d4. b) 7 'Llh4?? han g s a piece to 7 ... g s . c ) 7 l'Llg s is possible, but then Black might play 7 ... h 6 8 l'Llh 3 g S, or contin ue a s Korc hn oi did in th e gam e with 8 ... h s ! , intending ... h S -h4 next, which looks awfully scary for White. 7

...

hsl

Anoth er brilliant (if barbari c ! ) idea and an other viol ation o f principle: I n the open ing stages of a ga me, develop your pieces and don 't push too many pa wns. Bl ack plan s to pry open th e h -file.

Question: Isn't Bl ack's m ove a blatant violation of an other principle: The side behind in development shouldn 't be the one attacking? Answer: Very true, but thi s position m ay be an exception. Korchnoi follows Steinitz's prin­ ciple: The side with space m ust attack, or risk losing the advantage. 8 l'Llc 3 ? 1

This merely compounds White's diffi culties.

Question: Shouldn 't White toss in 8 h4 to thwart Black's intention ? Answer: Your suggestion i s better than the g am e continuation. Th e trouble i s th at it allows Bl ack's pieces free access to g4 - a very high price. Larsen actually feared 8 ... .1td6, threaten ­ ing to chop on g 3 , but here Korchnoi gives g l'Llc3 ! , intending 9 . . .1l.xg 3 10 'Lla4 ! . For exam­ ple: 10 ... i.h 2+ 11 �xh 2 l'Llg4+ 12 'iit> g 1 'it'c7 13 f4 'it'e7 (thi s l ooks like curtain s for White but he h as a defence) 14 l'Llf3 ! (the only m ove) 14 ... exf3 1 5 exf3 ! l'Llh 6 16 l:.e1 i.e6 17 i.b2 reaches an unclear position rated at dead even by Houdini. Several of my students dis­ puted thi s and claimed a clear advantage for Black. After further analysis, every one of .

218

R id i n g t h e Dy n a m ic E l e m e n t th e m ch an ged their mind and preferred White ! Note th at the attempt to cover g4 as well with 8 h 3 ? run s into 8 ... h4 9 g4 lt:lxg 4 ! , and if 1o hx g4? th en 10 ... h 3 11 ..th 1 ? (here 11 .i.xe4 dxe4 12 'ii'c 2 i s rel atively best, but still awful for White after 12 ... .l:th 4!) 11 ... h 2 + 12 g 2 J.xg4 and White can resi g n . s h 4 9 d4 ...

Question: Shouldn 't White play 9 d3 based on the principle: A wing attack is best met by a counter in the centre? Once again the tactics seem to favour Bl ack: 9 ... hxg 3 10 hxg3 'iifd 4! (heading for h S, via a circ uitous route) 1 1 ..tb2 'i!ke s 1 2 dxe4 dxe4 (now White has to try something desper­ ate) 13 lt:lb S 'ii'x b2 14 lt:lc7+ '3il e7 1 S lt:lxa8 'i!Ve s, when Houdin i only gives Black an edge h ere but to my mind White looks completely busted: 1. H i s aS-knight is a g oner. 2. Black's kingside attack rages on . g hxg3 10 fxg 3 1 ? In the midst of a bloody and losing battle, th e hows an d whys are for l ater. For n ow, Lar­ sen lives day to day, with survival at th e top of his agenda. He decides to compromise structure to boost king safety and open the f-file. He digests the data and comes up with th e following inference: Principle: Capture a way from the centre ifyou fea r mate. As it turn s out, 10 hxg 3 ! is apparently playable. Korchnoi gives the line 10 .. .'ii'a s 11 i.. d 2 i.. b4 12 'it'c2 and now if Black insists on playing for m ate, he gets into trouble : 12 ... dxc4? (better is 12 ... ..te6 ! 1 3 a3 ..txc3 14 �xc3 'ifd8, wh en I still like Black's attacking ch ances) 13 t"Llxe4 'ifhs 14 lt:lxf6+ gxf6 1 S lt:lf3 ..txd2 16 'ii x d2 ..th 3 17 lt:lh4 and White survives the or­ deal and m ay now be winning. 1o .'i!Va s ? l Ans wer:

...

..

Larsen's king faces a terrifying array of threats, which arrive from multipl e direction s . In 219

Ko rch n o i: M o ve

by

M o ve

this case , Korchnoi attacks the c3-knight, which is merely incidental - his true intenti on is to play ... d5xc 4 at an opport une m oment and then tran sfer his queen to h5. Neverth eless, Korch noi is correctly critical of his m ove, since it allows White hidden defences. N ot all of Korchnoi's principle viol ations worked! Thi s time h e woul d be better off devel opin g . 1 1 "ii'c 2

I n stead: a) 11 �d2 ?? e3 ! overloads the bishop. b) 11 i.b2? run s into 1 1 .. .'�Jg4! with a n asty double attack on e 3 and h 2 . c ) Houdini gives the inhuman defence 11 'iWd2 ! �b4 12 �b2 dxc4 13 t2Jc2 ! �xc3 1 4 �xc3 'it'h 5 15 h4 cxb 3 16 axb3 when, miraculously, White's l ead in development, active pieces an d dark square control offer full compensation for the pawn - while his king l ooks reasonably safe for n ow. d) 11 l2Jc2 ! may be best, negating Black's l ast move as a winning attempt, since 11...�xc3 m erely leads to a draw after 12 i.. d 2 'iWb2 13 �c1 'i*'c3 14 i.d2; while if 11 ... l2Jg4 then 1 2 �d2 l2Jxh 2 13 l:.f4 and Black's centre is about to collapse. 1 1 ... i.b4

Th e witch 's demonic familiar trail s along, eager to do her bidding. 12 i.b2 .te6! Korchnoi avoids the trap 12 ... l2Jg4? 13 cxd5 cxd5 ??, which run s into the cheap shot 14 l2Jxd5 ! with a di scovered attack. 13 cxd s l2Jxd s 14 l2Jxd s

After 14 CDxe4 ! ? l2Je 3 1 5 'i*'c1 l2Jxf1 16 .txf1, White fails to get full compensation for the exchan ge. 14 ... cxd s 1 5 a 3 ? !

As it turn s out, the only thing Larsen h as up his sleeves is his arm s. If Wh ite wanted to pl ay a2-a3, he should h ave done so on m ove 1 3 , when th e bl ack bishop was obl i g ed to re­ treat.

220

R i d i n g t h e Dyn a m i c E l e m e n t

Exercise {planning): Korchn oi refuses to allow his opponent t o conjure a pathway out of h i s difficulties. How did he exploit White's last move? Answer: A single traitor in your pay, behind enemy walls, is worth more than an army out­ sid e th e city's gates. Tran sfer the bishop to e3, which entombs White's kin g . 1 5 ... i.d 2 ! 16 'iid 1 ?

Here 16 'iith 1 i.e3 17 'ilr"c3 (if 17 �cs ? ! , then 17 ... �a6 ! 18 tt:'Jc2 'i!Vxe2 wins a pawn , since 19 1tae1?? loses: 19 .. Jhh 2+! 20 ..t>xh 2 'ii'h s + and mates) 17 ... �xc3 1 8 i.xc3 was Larsen 's final , slim hope to save himself, though his position remains di smal . Note th at 16 .tel?? was impossible, as it cuts off the al-rook's communication to e1 an d h an g s a piece. 16 ... .te3 + 1 7 'iit h 1

White's dying king decides to confess h i s sins - which may take a while, since there are so many of them. His derelict worl d is about to crumble all around him.

Exercise (combination alert): Larsen's defensive powers prove unequal to the task of wardin g off the wave of attackers engulfing the kin g side. Black to pl ay and win . Answer: 1 7 .. J\Vc7 ! 0-1 The bl ack queen, the unchallenged universal overlord, casts a meaningful look to her left and targets g3 - for whi ch th ere i s no reason able defence.

Game 29 V.Korch noi-E.Bacrot

Al be rt {4th m atchga me) 1997 English Opening 1 c4 es 2 g3 c6

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve As we saw earlier in the ch apter, Korchnoi has pl ayed thi s m ove him self, and it looks lik e one of Bl ack's best ch oices ag ai n st White's set-up. 3 d4

Larsen played 3 lLlf3 in Gam e 2 5 . 3

...

e4 ! ?

Very ambitious, turning the game into a sort of reversed Caro- Kann Defence, where White has two extra m oves: 'iib 3 and g 2-g 3 . Okay, m aybe it's 1Y2 extra moves since g 2-g 3 is not necessarily very useful h ere. The cruci al question i s wheth er Black's extended centre is a strength or a weakness. I would prefer 3 ... exd4, when I think Black equalizes, no m atter how White plays. For ex­ ample: 4 'ii'x d4 d5 5 i.. g 2 (White m ust be careful not to toss in an early exch ange on d5, as Bl ack then g ains a tempo with ... lLlc6, leaving him in a Queen ' s Gambit Tarrasch a m ove up) 5 ... lLlf6 6 lLlf3 .i.e7 7 cxd5 (h ey, I just said "White must be careful not to toss in an early ex­ ch an g e on d5" - the trouble is th at he has to play thi s m ove at some point) 7 ... cxd5 8 o-o ltJc6 9 'ii'a4 0-0 an d Bl ack has achieved equality since White's queen took two m oves to reach a4. Actually, the two players reached thi s position in a l ater g ame. V. Korchnoi - E . B acrot, Cannes 1998, continued 10 .te3 ltJg4 11 .td4 ltJxd4 12 lLlxd4 .i.c5 13 o-o .id7 14 'ii'd 1 'ii'f6 1 5 e3 � 6 16 ltJf3 11ad8, when Black's activity an d bishop pair balance his weak, isol ated d­ pawn - though Korchnoi l ater won th e g am e anyway. 4 ltJc3 d S 5 cxd s cxd s 6 'ii' b 3

6 lLle7 ! ? ...

Black's pieces m ake up for their odd l ack of grace with boundless optimism.

Question: Developing the knight to e7 l ooks awfully artificial . What is wrong with the m ore natural 6 . .lLlf6 - ? .

222

R i d i n g t h e Dy n a m i c E l e m e n t Black was understandably nervous about i.g 5. The trouble with f6 i s that it fits into White's pl an s to pressure d5. For exam ple: 7 i.g 5 tt::lb d7 (7 ... CLic6 8 e3 ii.b4 9 ctly p e rfe ttJg e 2 i. e6 10 a3 i.xc3+ 11 CLixc3 'ii'd 7 12 �xf6 gxf6 1 3 CLia4 al so gives White a pleasant structural advantage) 8 ctJh 3 'ifb6 ? (Black has to try 8 .. .'�a5 9 i.d2 �b4 10 CLif4 CLib6) 9 ctJf4 (rather than 9 'ifxb6?! CLixb6, which m erely h elps Black defend d5, J .Veal-J . L.Smith, Stillwa­ ter 201 0) 9 .. .'it'xb3 10 axb 3 .i.b4 1 1 �h 3 ! (so g 2-g 3 cam e in handy after all ) 11 ... CLib6 12 ,ixc8 .l:. xc8 13 i.xf6 l:!.xc3 14 bxc3 �xc3+ 15 �d1 .ixa1 16 i.xg 7 l;tg 8 17 lLih 5 t>d1 CLixa1 12 i.e3 i.e6 1 3 i.xa7 lLif6 ! (choosin g rapid development over taking on a2) 14 b 3 ? ! (too greedy: White doesn't h ave tim e for thi s and un derestim ates Black's coming initiative) 14 ... i.. a 3 15 i.d4 g 2 o-o, White suddenly finds him­ self in trouble with vuln erable pieces and an exposed king . 13

. . .

J.xd s 14 ttJxd s

Threatening a big fork on c7. Dark, misshapen creatures h over over Bl ack's kin g, sway­ ing and undul ating like hungry eel s over a wounded fi sh . 14 ..id 6 ! ...

lautier finds the single line which keeps him afloat. Thi s isn't a position conducive t o wild guessti m ates. Precise cal cul ation i s required. a) 14 ... exf3 ? 15 ltJc7+ 'it>e7 16 'i!i'e3 + 'it>f6 (16 ... 'it>d7 17 ..ih 3 + m ates) 17 .i.g 5 + picks off the queen . b) 14 ... .11 c 8? 1 5 ti:Jg 5 leaves White with too m any threats, and 1 5 ... ttJas ? i s m et simply by 16 �a4+ b 5 17 'it'xe4+ i.. e 7 18 .i.e2 ! l::t c 5 19 ttJxe7 1kxe7 20 'ii a 8+, winning. 1 5 'ifxb 7 ! o-o!

lautier keeps fin ding only m oves. At long last, Black's h arassed king, after what feel s like an endless duration, win s free of h i s tormentors. Not 1 5 ... ltJa5 ?? 16 ltJc7+ JJ.. x c7 17 'ifxe4+ ! 1ke7 (17 ...�d7? 1 8 .i.h 3 + and 17 ... �f8? 18 .i.xc7 are even worse) 18 'ii'x e7+ .i.xe7 19 i.xc7 with two bi shops for a rook. 16 i.. x d6 'iix d 6

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Question: I sn 't White completely busted n ow with both knights h an g i n g ? Answer: Actually White h a s t h e advantage, but only if you fin d Korchnoi's tactical solution.

Let's do an exercise.

Exercise (combination alert}: Appearances deceive. H ow did Korchnoi avoid the loss of a piece? Answer: Attraction/knight fork. White's weavin g queen traverses and exits the labyrinth

with ease. 1 7 'ii'x c61 'ili'xc6 18 ti'Je7+ �hB 19 ti'Jxc6 exf3

The complication s fi zzled out into an endgame in which White is clearly better with two pieces for rook an d pawn . It still needs accurate handling of course. 20 �f2 .l:.acB 2 1 ti'Jb41 :tel

226

R i d i n g t h e Dyn a m ic E l e m e n t

Exercise (planning): Can White unravel and interrupt the flow of Black's initiative with the tactical trick 22 ..tg2 - ? 2 2 lZ'ld 3 ! Ans wer:

It's a trap ! 22 i.. g 2 ? ? is met by the embarrassing 22 ... l:tc4! when White drops a

pie ce. 22

...

l:.a1 2 3 J.. g 2 !

Now i t works. Timing is everything in chess. 23

.••

l:!.xa2 24 J.. xf3 :ds 2 5 1Ic1 !

No need to defend the knight just yet. 2s

•••

g 6 2 6 �e3 �g7

Question: H ow would you assess thi s ending ? The only winning ch ances are with White. The elemental goal for Black is to swap his a-pawn for White's b-pawn , after which h e holds the draw. White must prevent thi s from h appening and w i n Black's a-pawn outright - no easy task. I would say Bl ack h as about an 80% chance to hold with correct pl ay.

Answer:

2 7 .l:tc7

Korchnoi didn 't like thi s move later and suggested 27 .:tc s ! , intending ..tds, to regroup an d centralize. 27 J::t a s 2 8 �a7 ••

Now Bl ack can rem ain active. 2 8 .l:f.c6 ! was a superior way to go after a7. 2s .l:td6 29 g4 l:.bs 3o b4 h s ! .••

Endgame principle: The defending side should reduce the number of p a wns on the board whenever possible. At thi s stage all pawn swaps are anathema to White, who desperately 227

Ko rch n o i: M o ve by M o ve requires con scripts for his fadin g winning chances. 31 gxh 5 gx h 5 3 2 i.b7?!

The pl ayers continue to scratch , cl aw and tussle for sol e control over a6. White's bishop continues to aid and abet his partner on a7.

Exercise (combination alert}: Korchnoi's last move was inaccurate and all ows Black to draw. How can he accompli sh thi s move? 32 J�bb6?! ..

Answer: Due to a tactical anom aly, Black can eliminate the queen side pawn s with 3 2 ... a s ! 3 3 b x a s l:.d7 ! 34 .i. c 6 (34 a6?? walks into 34 ... l:.b3 ) 3 4 ... :txa7 3 5 i.xb s .l:xas a n d draws. 3 3 .tcs 'iti>f6?

The careful 33 ... l:.bc6 woul d probably h ave still h el d a draw.

228

R i d i n g t h e Dy n a m ic E le m e n t So far Black has kept him self busy, doi n g nothing in particular. But h ere h e viol ates his own precepts. His once reg al king slips and falls, landing on his royal rear en d, m uch to the won derment and delight of his enemies in court.

Exercise (combination alert): Black's l ast move was a blunder. How did Korch noi force the win of material? Tripl e attack/knight forks. White threatens a6, d7 and e4 simultaneously, handing Black a harsh ultimatum .

Answer:

34 tt:lcs!

The knight's rise to power was swifter than h e ever dream ed. 34 ... c,t>g6?

Black's l ast hope was 34 ... l:txb4! ? 35 tt:le4+ l:txe4+ 3 6 c,t>xe4 ltc6, when White's task i s se­ verely complicated by the need to avoid the exch ange of rooks (since he h as the wrong col­ oured bishop for his rook's pawn). For instan ce, 3 7 .l:.xa6 ? �xa6 3 8 i.xa6 c,t>g7 or 3 7 .txa6? l:!.c2 38 h3 :ta2 ! both draw at once. 35 :xa6

Korchnoi deprives Bacrot of h i s final bargaining tool : the a6-pawn . Meanwhile, Black's rooks can do nothing but witness th e crime in powerl ess fury. 3 s .. . fs 36 h4

Fixing a target on hs. Houdini suggests simply 3 6 bS! at once. 3 6 ...f4+ 37 c,t>f3 ! �f6 3 8 l:.xb6 :xb6 3 9 tt:'ld 3 !

All i s secured - and t o m ake m atters worse, f4 fall s a s wel l . 3 9 Itc6? 40 �b7? .•.

Presum ably both players were bashing out their m oves instantly at this point in order to reach the tim e control, overlookin g that Black's last m ove drops the rook to 40 tt:le s+. 40 .l:tc3 41 ite3 l:!. b1 44 �d4 1lg1 4 5 b s �e6 46 b6 1-0

It isn't possible to ignore the unignorable. White's passed b-pawn surges forward, the way a h orse explodes from her g ate at the Kentucky Derby. Bacrot didn 't need to see any further m oves, such as 46 ... '>itd6 47 b7 ltb1 48 'iti>c4 �b6 (or 48 .. �C7 49 lLlb4 Ita1 so 'it>bs with ltJa6+ to follow) 49 lLlb4 with a fatal zugzwang . .

Question: Wait a minute. Why can't Black allow a fork h ere, and hand White a drawn rook's pawn and wrong coloured bish op ending again with 49 ... 'iti>c7 so ltJdS+ 'iti>xb7 S 1 lDxb6+ 'iti>xb6 - ? Thi s ending is only drawn if the black king reaches h 8 , whi ch it can't. For example: 5 2 'iti>ds 'it>c7 53 �e6 '>itd8 54 i.g 6 ! an d White forces a queen.

Answer:

Game 30 C.Gabriei-V.Korc h n oi

Germa ny-Switzerla n d m atch, Z u rich 1999 Reti Opening 1 ltJf3 dS 2 C4 d4! ?

Thi s is Black's most aggressive option - and one of his best. Long experience has proven to me th at White has a diffi cult time extracting an edge from this position. 3 b4 Other options are 3 e3 or 3 g 3 . For example: 3 e3 lDc6 4 exd4 ltJxd4 s lDxd4 't!ixd4 6 lDc3 230

R i d i n g t h e Dyn a m i c E le m e n t e 5 7 d3 ltJe7 8 .lie3, C. Lakdawala-A.Chernin, Las Vegas 1998, wh en White can pl ay d3 -d4 n ext , but I doubt it offers any advantage. 3 . .f6 In o rder to build a big centre with ... e7-e5. 4 e3 es .

s csl? "Wh at the devil ! ? " writes Korchnoi of thi s move. Perhaps G abriel hoped to out-eccentric Korchnoi thi s game. Question: Doesn 't 5 exd4 give White a nice-lookin g reversed Benoni ? Bl ack isn't pl anning t o recapture. In stead, he replies s ... e4! 6 ..We2 (moving th e knight at once allows 6 ... 'ii'x d4) 6 ... 'ii'e 7 7 lDg 1 (7 ltJh4 ? ! ltJc6 ! i s even better for Black) 7 ... ltJc6 ! , regaining the pawn with advantag e. For example : 8 'ii e 3 ltJxb4 9 ltJa3 ltJh 6 ! 10 �b2 ltJfs 11 'i!Vb3 as 12 ltJc2, J .Granda Zuniga-N.Short, Lim a (rapid m atch, Sth g ame) 2012, and now Bl ack stan ds clearly better after 1 2 ... ltJd3+! 1 3 �xd3 a4! 14 'iVb4 exd3+ 1 5 �xe7+ �xe7 16 ltJe3 ltJxe3 17 fxe3 a3 1 8 .ic3 b6!, when both ... ..ta6 and ...l:.a4 are in the air. A less radical altern ative is s 'i!Vb3 cs 6 bxcs ltJc6 7 �e2 .ixcs 8 .ia3 'i'e7 9 .ixcs 'ii'x cs 10 exd4, R. Kempinski - E . Postny, G reek Team Champion ship 2012, though I still prefer Black's position after 10 ... ltJxd4 11 ltJxd4 'Wxd4 1 2 ltJc3 f:tJe7. s ... d 3 1 ? Wow! Korchnoi unl eashes a Laskeri an, brazenly risky i dea, rife with contradiction of principle, yet still very playable from a practical stan dpoint. The masses generally follow the charismatic over the wise. Thi s pl an indeed looks tempting, granted that Black's origi­ n al premise - that his bind outweighs White's lead in development - is true. GM Tony Kos­ ten gave thi s move two exclamation m arks. On more careful reflection, I believe this radi ­ cal refutation attempt objectively deserves a " ? ! " mark in stead - though I 've upgraded it to Answer:

231

K o r c h n o i : M o ve by M o ve " ! ?" due to Black's enhanced practical chan ces. If White is unabl e to di slodge th e d3 -pawn , he is in danger of asphyxia.

Question: Isn't Black violatin g prin ciple by moving only pa wns in the opening rather tha n pieces? Well, yes - though at thi s point in the book we should be used to thi s from Korch­ n oi's side ! H i s pl an does indeed come close to collapsing under the m erciless g aze of com­ puter scrutiny. But ag ain st a flesh -an d-blood opponent, it m ay not be so bad. Oth erwise, 5 ... a5 l ooks like th e routine reaction, but th en Bl ack must be ready for 6 it:Jxe5 ! ? fxe5 7 'i!Vh 5+, as in L.Van Wely-V. Kramnik, Nice (rapid) 2008, which continued 7 ... �d7 8 'i'f5 + \t>e8 9 'ii'h 5+ 'it>d7 10 'Yi'f5+ rJile7 11 'iHxe 5+ i.e6 (not 11...�f7 ? ? 12 .ltc4+ \t> g6 13 h4! h 5 14 'iVg 3+! and win s ; e.g. 14 ... \t>h 6 ? 1 5 'iVf4+ ! \t>h 7 16 .id3+ g 6 17 '1Wf7+ and 18 1/Wxg6 m ate) 12 .ic4 '1Wd7 13 b5 c6 14 it:Ja3 it:Jf6 1 5 �b2 �f7 16 i.xd4 cxb 5 17 ..txe6+ 'i'xe6 18 'ii'x e6+ �xe6 19 it:Jxb 5 it:Ja6 20 i.xf6 gxf6 21 d4 b6 22 cxb6 �b8, when Black survived the ordeal and achieved dynamic equality. 6 'iVb3 ! ? Gabriel decides t o goad Korchnoi on. Preventin g ... e 5 -e4 b y 6 it:J c 3 would be m ore pru­ dent.

Answer:

6

...

e4

Of course, Korchnoi has no choice but to el aborate on his previous statem ent by back­ ing up th e i ntruder on d3. 1 iLld4 a s Hoping t o undermine c 5 after all . Meanwhile, White's lead i n development keeps grow­ ing. 8 it:Jc3 fs

232

R i d i n g t h e Dyn a m ic E l e m e n t

Question: It i s unbelievable to m e that Black can survive here. Korchnoi has i n dulged in eight pawn pushes in a row, while h i s opponent kept developing . I s Bl ack l ost? Black's pawn arm ada proves to be a more difficult obstacle than we m ay h ave imagined. Intuitively, I would agree with you and do prefer White's chances, but let's not underestim ate Black's. If h e man ages to keep h i s gargantuan centre intact, then White's entire king side rem ai n s in limbo. Interestingly, Houdini only th inks White has a slight edge. Let's do a planning exercise:

Answer:

Exercise {planning}: How would you try and exploit White's massive l ead in development? Answer:

Any move but G abriel's n ext on e!

9 ltJe6? A reaction disconnected from th e task of bringing Black's original offence to justice. This feel s like a time-wasting enterprise by White, who swaps off a powerfully centralized knight for a bishop which has yet to move. (Well, come to think of it, every piece in Black's camp has yet to move ! ) In stead, White might play: a) 9 b S ! (a promising pawn sac, which attempts a direct refutation) 9 ... �xcs 10 ltJe6 ! (this is much stronger now) 10 ... iie7 (or 10 ... i.xe6 11 'ti'xe6+ lbe7 12 g4!) 11 l2Jxcs 'ii'x cs 12 .ia3 'ti'es 1 3 f4 'i!Vf6 (or 1 3 ... exf3 14 �dS ! ) 14 �b2 'iVf7 1 5 ttJds ! (Black can barely m ove) 1s ... ltJf6 ( 1 S ... �e6?? run s into the overload shot 16 l2Jxc7+!) 16 .txf6 gxf6 17 ..txd3 ! exd3 18 .!:tel an d now we begin to n otice the negative implications of Black's risky opening sch eme. I like White's chances h ere. b) Korchnoi, in My Best Ga mes, invests two and a h alf pages analyzing th e consequen ces of the un dermining move, 9 g4! . Thi s looks very promising too, since it follows the princi­ ple: Open the position when leading in development. In any case, both a) an d b) look a lot better than G abriel's move. 9 .'ii'e 7! Korchnoi un derstands that it i s cruci al to retain h i s light-squared bishop. After 9 .. .ixe 6?! 10 'i!Vxe6+ lbe7 11 b S ! , Black has a similar position to that after 9 bS ..txcs 10 lbe6 �xe6 above, without the extra pawn to show for it. But 9 ... a4! ? comes into con sidera­ tion, when 10 'ii'c4 (10 lDxa4?! 'i!i'd7 forks the two knights) 10 ... 'i!Ve7 11 ttJxf8 (or 11 lLlf4 c6) 11...'it>xf8 might give Black a slightly superior version of the game. 10 ltJxf8?! losing a tempo. Korchnoi actually gave this m ove "??", an assessment whi ch seems ex­ cessive. He suggests 10 'ii'a 4+ 'it>f7 ! 11 ltJxf8 with an extra tempo over the game continua­ tion . But even here, I like Black's position after 11...lbf6 ! 12 ltJxh 7 l:!.xh 7. White m ay be a pawn up but h e continues to be denied the participation of h i s entire king side. 10 '.t>xf8 ••

.

•..

233

Korch n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Once again Black m ight con sider the sac 10 . ..lt.'lf6 ! ? 11 tt:Jxh 7 llxh 7 with tremen dous compen sation for the pawn . 11 bs �e6 An d h ere is the free tempo. Suddenly, I like Black, who doesn't seem so far behind in de­ velopment anym ore, yet still retain s h i s m assive central bind. We can pinpoint White's ninth m ove as the source of his coming troubl es. 12 �a4 tt::'ld 7 13 i.a3 Very intimidating, but n ot to Korchnoi wh o g oes into h i s familiar pawn g rabbin g m ode - which in this instance happens to be Black's best plan . Th e i m mediate 13 c6 is m et by 13 ... bxc6 14 bxc6 tt::'lb 6 an d White doesn't h ave tim e for �a3. 13 tt:Jxcs! Everything has been worked out. Korch n oi ' s awesome calculation abilities allowed him to enter such scary-looking lines without fear. 14 'ii'd 4 b6 15 tt::'l a 4 'it>f7! One simple move an d all the pin tricks on the a1-f8 diagon al vanish. 16 tt:Jxcs bxcs 17 i.xcs 'ii'g s ...

234

R i d i n g t h e Dyn a m i c E l e m e n t

18 g 4 1

White's best practical ch ance. Tim e has run out: White must sh ow his cards or fold. Ga­ briel, h aving reached a frustration point of seemingly eternal impasse, tries to appease dying hopes with a jarring, anarchistic lunge. Unfortunately, at thi s stage the point of di­ minishing returns m ay have already been crossed.

Question: This l ooks rather desperate but i s it necessary? I don 't blame White for h i s desperation, because of the following factors: 1. Bl ack has only to play ... lt:lf6 to bring all his remaining pieces out. 2. White's fl-bishop continues to preside over meaningless ritual and his h i-rook re­ mains in a cryogenic state; both are oblivious to the world around them. 3. Th e queen side has opened, whi ch is heavily in Black's favour, since he is in effect a rook an d a bishop up until White discovers a way to activate his kin g side. Conclusion : White m ay actually be busted h ere, despite Houdin i's mild, -0. 3 3 evalua­ tion . So radical, even un sound measures m ay be h i s best shot at complicatin g Black's task. 18 .'1i'xg4 Not 18 .. .fxg4? 19 ..tg 2 lt:lf6 20 o-o and White' s king side emerges. 19 'iie s J:.cs 20 h 3 'ii'g s Neither of White's h l-rook or fl-bi shop can m ove, despite h i s pawn sac. 2 1 i.. d 4 ctJf6 2 2 'ii' h 2 The queen descends to her new throne. Such a retreat i s symptomatic of a position in the throes of decline, but otherwise the rook never gets out. White's once marginal initia­ tive now ever so slowly creeps towards the description of non-exi stent. 22 .l�hd8 2 3 litg1 At last! Th e fl-bishop, though, remain s in stasis. 2 3 .'1i'h4 24 llc1

Answer:

..

..

..

235

Korch n o i: M o ve by M o ve Targ etin g c7. 24 ... tZ'l e 8 25 �c s g6 2 6 a4 .:!. d s 2 7 ltc6 'ii d 8

The lon ger the gam e goes on, the m ore thi n g s rem ain the same. White's position re­ m ai n s as bereft of counterpl ay as it did a dozen m oves ago, whereas Black's plan is simple: open the queenside and White collapses with his pieces still log-jammed on the kin g side. 28 �C3 tZ'ld6 29 h4 Korchn oi isn't going to allow G abriel to open the h -file. 29 ... �d7 3o h s gs Oh, no you don 't. A sobering microcosm of White's probl em all game l on g : his bishop an d rook's names, much to their ch agrin, still don't appear on the guest list. 31 h6?! This m erely speeds up Bl ack's victory. But after 3 1 .l:.a6 h 6, White's position is h opel ess anyway. His king's rook and bishop contin ue to l anguish, and n ow his queen h as been added to the mix, while Black prospers on the other wing . For example: 3 2 �xas is met by 3 2 .. .'t!Vf6 ! 3 3 �c3 �cs ! (weak back rank) 34 f3 .:txc3 3 5 dxc3 'ikxc 3+ 3 6 �d2 'i'a3 3 7 �f2 ttJc4 38 �dl f4! , when Black's central pawn s traffic in human suffering and White's king fin ally grasps the true m easure of his own predicament. 3 1 .ixc6 3 2 'fihs+ 'it>e6 0-1 After 33 bxc6 llb8 34 'i!Vdl (the party return s in absolute disarray) 34 ... g4, White can on­ ly sit and wait as Bl ack's forces rapidly infiltrate th e queen side. .••

Game 3 1 R. Felgae r-V. Korc h noi

Bled Olym piad 2002 French Defence 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d 5 3 tZ'lc3 .i.b4 4 es tZ'le7 5 a 3 .txc3+ 6 bxc3 cs 7 a4 ii'a s 236

R i d i n g t h e Dyn a m i c E l e m e n t

8

'iid 2 Question: Wouldn't 8 .i.d2 be more logical ?

White's move i s very playable. His reasoning: The optimal pl acement for h i s dark­ squared bishop is on th e a3-f8 diagonal , so the queen takes up the task of protecting c 3 . Neverth eless, 8 i.d2 is more comm only pl ayed. For exampl e: 8 . . .tt:lbc6 9 tt:lf3 Si. d 7 10 .1b5 'We? 11 o-o 0-0 12 .Ue1 b6 1 3 .1d3 h 6 ! (alertly preventing a n asty Greek Gift sac on h7) 14 'Wc1 (White his attention to an h6 sac in stead) 14 ... c4 1 5 Si.e2 f6 (Principle: Stage a central counter when menaced on the wing) 16 .tf4 tt:lg 6 17 .ltg 3 fxe5 1 8 dxe5 tt:lge7 19 tt:ld4 tt:lxd4 20 cxd4 tt:lf5 and the position is dynamically balanced, R.Byrne-V. Korchnoi, N ice Olympiad 1974. 8 . tt:lbc6 9 tt:lf3 f6 Here 9 ... .1d7 is seen ten times more often, though the text i s actually Black's best scor­ ing line. Korchnoi wastes no tim e and assaults th e head of White's pawn chain immedi­ ately. 10 .1d3 ? ! Too routine. Felgaer later improved upon h i s play with 10 .1b 5 Si. d 7 1 1 exf6 gxf6 12 o-o o-o-o 13 ii.a3 cxd4 14 tt:lxd4 e5 15 tt:lb3 'Wc7 16 tt:lc5 and I prefer White's chances in his ul­ tra-sharp position, R.Fel gaer-A. Rustemov, Dos H ermanas 2005, and R.Felg aer-Y.Shul m an , Buenos Aires 200 5 . 1o ...fxes 11 dxes o-o 12 o-o?! White should probably go for th e ending after 12 c4.

Answer:

..

23 7

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Exercise (planning): I s the exch an g e sac on f3 worth playing? In a heartbeat. Such a sac, which really isn't much of a ri sk at all, can be m ade on gut in stin ct, without furnishing it with preci se variation s. 12 .l:.xf3 ! White's last move was a serious error. For the barg ain price of just an exchan g e : 1. Black gets the powerful white e-pawn . 2. H e decimates the pawn structure whi ch surrounds White's kin g . 3 . And with numbers #1 and # 2 , a strong attack o n White's king i s sure t o follow. 13 gxf3 c4!

Answer:

•.•

Question: Why an exclamation m ark, when Black places his pawns on the same colour as his remaining bi shop? Positional niceties don 't mean anything in position s where one side i s pl anning to mate th e oth er. The move al so follows the principle: A rigid pa w n structure favours kn ights. Thi s means that with his last move, Korchnoi m anaged to: 1. Send White's attacking bishop to a m ore passive square. 2. Secure fs for his knight. 3 . Prevent any g ame opening c3 -c4 ideas from White. Moreover, Black's supposedly bad bishop soon radiates energy wh en tran sferred to g6 or hS. H e can even pl ay . . . .tc6 an d ... dS-d4, targ eting the weaken ed f3 -square. 14 Ji.e2 t"Dxes 15 i.a3 l"Dfs 16 f4 l"Dg6 17 .ig4 l"Dgh4! The knights begin to exhibit the darker side of th eir n ature.

Answer:

238

R i d i n g t h e Dy n a m i c E l e m e n t

1 8 ..ib4

'Wic7 1 9 a s Wkf7 Korchnoi m ethodically tran sfers an overwh elming force into the vicinity of White's king . 20 f 3 ..td7 2 1 :tae1 'ii'g 6! Threaten ing ... h 7-h 5 . An example of Korchnoi's rem arkable powers of calcul ation can be seen through the lens of thi s unnatural m ove, which on the surface appears sh allow, since White will pl ay �h l and .l:lg l, facin g down Black's queen on the g -file. As it turn s out, Black's queen is perfectly h appy to remain on the file due to hidden tactics. 22 'it'h1 i.c6! A m ove h eavy with dark i m plication. As we noted on m ove 13, the target is now f3 , and White lives in constant fear of ... dS-d4 tricks. 2 3 �f2 d4!

Th ematic and powerful, threatening .. .'ii' x g4. Well, the move arrived sooner th an we all 239

K o r c h n o i: M o ve

by

M o ve

expe cted. Korchnoi continues to pauper him self, yet simultan eously his position grows ever m ore prospe rous. 24 .ltxfs !? Giving up his best defen der of th e light squares i s not a g ood sign. The only altern ative was 2 4 J:tg 1, but then 24 ... d3 ! 2 5 cxd3 (now 2 5 i.xf5 ? ? is m et simply by 2 5 ... 'ii' xf5 2 6 'ir'xh4 Ji.. xf3+ 27 l:tg2 d2 28 l:f1 'ii'd 5 an d White i s crushed) 2 5 ... cxd3 2 6 c4 'i'h6 still l ooks difficul t for White. 24 lDxfs 2 5 cxd4 ii.. d s Just look at the firepower of Black's light square blockade. 26 c3 •••

Question: Seein g as Black's minor pieces run rampant and find th emselves at th e top of the food chain with n ot a single predator to threaten them, can White break the attack by returning the exchange with 2 6 l:r.e5 'ii'h 6 2 7 litxd5 - ? Answer: In doing so, White m erely swaps one problem for another. H e remai n s with an aw­ ful structure and the black knight dominates its minor counterpart after 27 ... exd5 28 �d2 l:!.e8. 26 'i¥ h s Am azin gly, Houdini, i n an example of out of control capitali stic excess, badly mis­ assesses thi s position, awardin g White a slight plus ! No sane human would prefer White h ere. 27 .:es 'i¥h6 28 l:. e4 The rook refuses to take evasive action and parks him self squarely in the bishop's path . H owever, clamping a child's band aid over a badly h aemorrhaging wound, i s at best a tem­ porary solution . 2 8 'ii'h 3 •••

•••

240

R id i n g t h e Dy n a m ic E le m e n t Whit e's queen feig n s indifference, when i n truth she desperately fears her sister. Wh ite 's king can 't m ove a muscle without Bl ack's suspicious queen peering over his shoul ­ der. O f co urse th e offer t o take on e4, which repairs White's structure an d activates his ga m e, i s met by curt refusal. 29 l::t g 1 Whit e's king, with a sixth sense for dan ger, signal s his guard to draw closer. But n ot yet 29 �g 2 ? ? 'it'xg 2+ 30 ..t>xg2 (now Bl ack cash es out) 30 ... i.xe4! (rem oval of a defender) 3 1 fxe 4 tt::l e 3+ and wins.

29 b6 1 Black cheekily seeks entry for his single rook into White's position. 30 'it'g2 'it'h s 31 a 6 :tcs 3 2 i. d6 ? ? Th e long m otionless bishop, tired of sitting in a Zen attitude of contempl ation, fin ally makes his m ove. Felgaer fin ds it difficult to shake off an increasing sense of foreboding, an d logically attempts to reposition a piece to seize the initiative. His last move l ooks like a clever overl oad trick to tran sfer the bishop (which can't be taken due to mate on g7) to a more active position, but it turns out to be a fatal blunder. White should h ave played 32 'i'ig4 ! ir'xg4 (believe it or not, Black is still the one with the initiative, even in the ending, but it seem s White can hol d) 3 3 l:txg4 .l:.c6 (intending ...b6-b5 an d ...l:!.xa6) 34 .:f.g s (threatening :f.xfs ! ) 34 ... g 6 35 �g 1 ! b s (here 3S ... tt::lh 4 36 l:.g s ! tt::lfs re­ peats, but n ot 3 6 ... tt::l xf3 ?? 3 7 IIxd S ! exds 38 l:.e8+, followed by l:te7+ and .Uxa7 an d sud­ denly White is winning) 36 �g 2 l:txa6 (after 36 ... .ltxe4? ! 37 fxe4 tt::l e 3+ 38 ..t>f3 tt::l c 2 39 .ics l:txa6 40 dS ! , White h as dangerous counterplay) 3 7 .l:!.e2 (finally m ovin g the rook out of danger) 37 ... .l::!. a4 38 .:b1 �f7 39 ..tc s a6 40 �f2 i.b7, wh en n either side can do very much . ...

Exercise (combination alert}: The barrier to Black's wishes h ave been l owered temporarily. We must act swiftly and decisively. Black to play and win .

241

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Answer: By simply covering g 7 . Bl ack sets up a deadly double attack. H e threaten s the bish­ op, as well as ...t"Llh4, picking off the f3-pawn, the l odestone to which both sides are drawn. 32 g6! 3 3 �es The bishop is the tragic hero who arrives too l ate to join the battle. 33 t"Ll h 4 0-1 Bl ack's queen and knight stay close together, with the appearance of conspirators hatching a plot. Meanwhile, White's queen, who long cradled f3 like a mother with a new­ born, stands mute, commiseratin g with tears for her child as Bl ack ruthlessly seizes him. Gabriel resign ed, since after 34 'ilke2 'ii'xf3+ (White's king dem ands to know h ow his f­ pawn suddenly vanished; " I am at a loss, your m ajesty," responds Black's queen, with a hint of a Mona Lisa smile) 35 iixf3 t"Llxf3, White crumbles in a tangle of forks and pins. ...

...

C h a pt e r Fo u r

Korchnoi on E x p l oiting I m b a l a n c e s

An imbal ance to Korchnoi is like a toy store to th e six-year-old, whose nose fl attens wh en pressed against the window, wh o g azes with longing at the treasures in side. Once an im­ balance occurs, Korchnoi drinks in the data, not so much with the eye of a logician , but with th at of a poet. He invari ably looks for - and finds - un seen ( to me at least ! ) anomalous methods of enhan cing his own imbalance and, at th e sam e time, negating the potency of his opponent's. My favourites from thi s ch apter are Korchnoi's two battles ag ain st his great nemesis, Karpov. In th e first ( Game 36), Korchnoi, after h an ding over the bishop pair, promptly places all his pawn s on the same colour of his rem aining bishop - a clear violation of pri n ­ ciple. Yet, through hidden incongruities only perceived b y Korchnoi, this still favoured his side and m an aged to strategically confuse a positional player as unconfusable as Karpov.

243

Korch n o i: M o ve by M o ve In the secon d (Game 40), Korchnoi's queen and pieces, with weaving undul ations, ex­ ploitin g th e X-factor of Karpov' s desperately weak king, eclipsed and finally routed Kar­ pov's pair of queen s.

Game 32 V.Korc h noi-M. Botvi n n i k

Moscow- Le n i ngrad m atch 1960 Nimzo-lndian Defence 1 d4 ltJf6 2 c4 e6 3 ltJc3 .tb4 4 e3 The Rubin stein Nim zo- lndian , a bold choice agai n st Botvinnik, who was probably the variation's greatest practitioner of all time. 4 b6 ...

244

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s Bot vinn ik had a fondness for the queen side fianchetto lines. I just finished a book o n th e Nim zo- Larsen Attack, a n d in it White sometimes achieves thi s position with colours rever sed after 1 b3 ds 2 .ib2 cs 3 e3 CiJc6 4 .ib s .

5 CiJ e2 Lo gical - White denies his opponent any kind of doubl i n g . CiJ s . . e4 s ... i.a6, s . .. cs and; s . . . .ltb7 are the most commonly pl ayed moves here. .

6 'i'c2 White contin ues his policy of n ot allowing th e doubli n g of his c-pawn s. 6 .. j.b7 7 a3 The first imbalance: White picks up th e bishop pair. 8 CiJxc3 fs ,,j_xc3+ 7 .

Question: Does Black h ave compensation for h an ding over the two bishops. Answer:

Control over e4 and a lead in devel opment - n ot such a bad deal .

9 b3 In a later g ame Korchnoi diverged here, pl ayin g 9 dS CiJxc3 10 "ii' x c3 0-0 11 dxe6 dxe6 12 b 3 Wile? 1 3 �b2 ctJd7 14 0-0-0 ! ? CiJf6 1 5 f3 l::t a d8 16 ..lte2 l:!.xd1+ 17 �xdl tt'ld7 1 8 .tc2 l:!.f7 19 l:.d1 with a slight edge due to th e bishop pair, which Korchnoi m an aged to squeeze out to a win, V. Korchnoi-P.Markland, Hasti n g s 1971/72. 9 o-o 10 .ltbz d6 11 d s ! ...

The same mech anism, albeit i n a delayed fashion, a s in Korchnoi's g ame agai n st Mark­ land in the previous n ote. 11 ... tt'lxc3 12 'ii'x c3 es Principle: Ifyour opponent has the bishop pair, keep the game closed. I n thi s game it comes in h andy, since White threatens mate on the move. 245

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

13 f4 Korch noi attempts to apply pressure on the long di agonal, but Black has e s adequat ely covered . 13 ...tt::l d 7 14 i.d3 �h4+ 1 5 g3 � h6 15 .. . � 3 would probably induce White to castle l ong, with a sharper position th an the one reache d in the game. 16 0-0 Adding l atent pressure to fS, whi ch later proves to be the hub from which all of Black's sorrows radiate. 16 ... c6!? White's forces continue to throw restive glances in the direction of Black's king. Botvin ­ nik, takin g a slightly diverg ent course, logically wants t o open h i s bishop's diagonal but i n so doing viol ates the principles: Don 't open the g a m efor your opponent's bishop pa ir, a n d don 't create backwa rd pa wns on open files. Question: Why i s Bl ack so afraid to open the a1-h 8 diagonal . H ow woul d White respond if Black continues with 16 ... e4 ? -

Answer: The m ove i s pl ayabl e, since n o immediate peril i s evident in Black's position , but it's unthematic and reduces his counterplay alm ost to zero. H i s bish op, in particul ar, would be a dismal -l ooking piece. White could respond with 17 �e2 and th en has a choice of two pl an s : A: Play for a n eventual C4-c5 break, perh aps b y m anoeuvrin g his bi shop t o d4. B: Play for an eventual g 3-g4 break after �h 1 and .!:tg 1, while if Bl ack tries to prevent thi s with ... tt::lf 6, then White can switch to Plan A. 17 dxc6 ii.xc6 18 'i'c2 !

Korchnoi embarks on a plan innocent o f ostentation o r treachery, yet still quite effec246

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n ce s ti ve . S om etimes the simplest course i s also the best. He works the fs -square, hoping t o in­ duce ... eS-e4 or ... g7-g6, both which weaken Black's position . 1 8 :tae8?! A respon se perh aps disproportionate to the provocation . Botvinnik, who decides to di s­ card a pawn as if a n ail clipping, certainly had a stubborn streak but here he goes too far in attempting to deny his oppon ent's wishes. He refuses to bow to defen sive m easures and, almost petulantly, assumes an in solent posture. .•.

Question: Since you don't much like . . eS-e4 plans, what would you suggest? .

Korchnoi's own suggestion 18 ... ttJcs ? looks incorrect, as after 19 i.xfs ttJxb3 (19 .. .l:tae8 would tran spose to th e g ame) 20 'i'xb3 .l:lxfs 2 1 cS+ 'it>h 8 22 'i'c2 ! , White achieves a cl ear advantage. In stead, I would go for 18 ... exf4! 19 exf4 .!:!.ae8 20 l:tae1 (20 i.xfs ?? l oses in stantly to 20 ... .l:.xfs ! 2 1 'ilfxfs .l:!.e2) 20 ... 1\Vh s, when Bl ack's super-active pieces m ake up for h i s inferior struct ure. 19 i.xfs Of course Korchnoi requires no second invitation to take the pawn . 19 tDcs If now 19 ... exf4, then 20 .!:txf4 ! i s good for White, wh o has options of a later .l:!.h4. 20 b4?! Overeager. After the simple 20 l:tad1, White l ooks clearly better. 20 .1i.a4? Thi s orn amental adjunct isn't necessary to the plot. Botvinnik m i sses another ch ance to play 20 ... exf4 ! , wh en 2 1 l:txf4 ( 2 1 exf4 is ag ain m et by 2 1..JhfS ! 22 'ii'xfs .l:!.e2, wh ile the greedy 2 1 bxc s ? ? gets crushed after 2 1...fxg 3 2 2 ..txh 7+ �h 8 ! ) 2 1 ... lDe6 ! 22 i.xe6+ (forced) 22 .. .'t!Vxe6 23 l:txf8+ l:!.xf8 24 .Ue1 .i.e4 offers Bl ack loads of compen sation for the pawn, due to the principle: Opposite-coloured bishops favou r the attacker.

Answer:

..

.

...

247

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Exercise (combination alert): Korchnoi anticipated Black's l ast move, which walks into a combin ation . What did Botvinnik overlook? Answer: Simplification. The anguished bl ack king and queen, glancing in the direction of their ancestral home, see a column of smoke ri sing from h 7 . 2 1 .ixh7+! 'iix h7 Only with great effort, th e queen restrain s her ton gue, reluctantly swallowing the in­ sult. 2 1...'it>h 8 22 'ifg 6 'i!fxh 7 2 3 'ifxh 7+ �xh 7 simply tran sposes. 22 'it'xh7+ �xh 7 2 3 bxcs Now there's a new imbalance: opposite-coloured bi shops, which in thi s case help Black since he is a pawn down in the ending . 2 3 exf4 other moves lose a second pawn . 24 cxb6! •••

24 axb6 Not 24 .. .fxe3? (Black's debt continues to accrue, as expen ses outpace income) 2 S llxf8 .l:lxf8 26 bxa7 .ic6 27 .id4 e2 28 .l:le1 .i.f3 29 h 3 g s 30 g4 �g6 3 1 cs dxcs 32 .txcs and White should convert this to a win . 2 5 exf4 l:te4 2 6 :Lae1! l:tfe8 Not yet 26 ... l:f.xc4??, since 27 .l:te7 l:tg8 28 fs 'it>h 6 29 f6 is decisive. 27 'it>f2 �xc4 28 .i::t x e8 .ixe8 29 l:!.c1 .Uxc1 30 .i.xc1 The endg am e takes form , built on a lean , ang ular desi g n : White's pl an is to create two connected passed pawn s on the kingside, while Black m ay draw if the pawn s g et split. As it turn s out in the an alysi s, the exact opposite proved to be true ! 30 g6 Black can 't halt g 3 -g4 forever. For exampl e: 30 ... i.d7 31 '>tf3 .ic6+ 32 'it>g4 �g6 33 fS+ •.•

••.

24 8

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s f6 34 i.b2 + �f7 3 5 � g 5 and White's kingside pawn s begin t o roll. 3 1 g4 � g 7 ? !

Chess hi story can be evenly divided into two eras : 1. BC: Before computers. 2 . AC: After computers. As a person wh o lived in both eras, I look back with longing to the good old pre-comp days, wh en players actually read books. Today, it feel s as if we just process data. Of course, we are prisoners of progress and have little choice other than to utilize chess computers, or we risk h avin g the world l eave us behind. Without computers, the following position would h ave taken me who-knows-how-long to work out. Today, with Houdini (who I treat fairly but without affection, like a di sliked stepchild), I can sort out the details in about half an hour. After the game Botvinnik said he mi ssed a deeply hidden draw at this point with 31....i.c6 ! . Clearly, this i s his best chance, whether it draws or n ot. A train of thought down thi s particular avenue leads to n ew, vexing dilemmas for both sides. Let's work out wheth­ er Botvinnik's claim is true: 3 2 �g 3 b 5 3 3 'it>h4 ..tg2 34 �g 5 .i.h 3 ! (the bishop accepts the unglam orous job of babysitting, thinking to him self: " H ey, it's a livin g.") 35 J.b2 d5 3 6 i.d4 �g 8 3 7 f5 gxf5 reaches a critical juncture:

249

Korch n o i: M o ve by M o ve

a) 3 8 'itrxf5 ? is a fumbling step, with which White's king fails to draw nearer to his goal . Yes, it gives White his two conn ected passers but, shockingly, thi s may be the wrong recap­ ture. At thi s point I couldn 't win as White agai n st Houdini. An alysi s ran : 38 ... �7 39 Wg 5 'it>g8 40 Wh4 .tf1 41 �g 3 Wf7 42 h4 'it>g6 43 h 5 + Wg 5 44 i.e3+ '.ttf6 45 g 5 + (45 Wf4 �g 7 46 g 5 �e2 47 i.d4+ '.tt g 8 48 h 6 Wh 7 is drawn) 45 .. :�f5 46 'it>h4 1i.d3 47 g6 (Black must now hand over his d-pawn to prevent White from queening) 47 ... d4! 48 1i.xd4 1i.c4 and despite Houdin i's glowing assessment, White fails to m ake progress. b) The almost impossible to fathom 38 gxf5 ! ! i s correct. Only by splitting the pawns does White win . Th e longer I pl ay chess, the less I understand it! After thi s stunning decision , the magical drawing properties of the opposite-coloured bishops begin to wan e and dim : 38 ... 'it>h 7 39 �b2 i.g2 40 h4 1i.e4 41 .id4 i.f3 42 h 5 .ie4 43 h 6 .tc2 44 �f6 ! ! �xh 6 45 'it>e6 an d th e f-pawn will cost Black h i s bi shop.

However, thi s i s n ot the end of the analysis, since White h as the wrong coloured bishop 250

Ko rc h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s for h i s a-pawn. Thi s means that White must win the piece, while keeping Black's king out of a8. Incredibly, he can m an age both : 4S .. .e7 ! ! (zugzwang ! - not so i.. x d4?? �e4 5 1 i.g 1 �dS and the king m akes it to a8 with a draw) SO .. .'it>e4 5 1 �d6 d3 5 2 ii.c3 an d White wins. 3 2 'i!f g3 ii.c6 33 'it'h4 i.. g 2! 3 4 'it'gs if.h3! How ann oyin g. Botvinnik blocks off h 2 -h4. Korchnoi, undaunted, keeps finding ways to mak e prog ress. 3 5 .ib2+ �f7 3 6 a41 Th e power of the h 3-talisman's m agic charms are not enough for Bl ack to evade rui n . The threat of i.d4 forces him to break h i s blockade of the h -pawn . 36 ... i.g 2

Exercise {planning}: In thi s position Korchnoi m i ssed a quick win . Do you see wh at h e overlooked? 37 h4 Okay, White is still winning after thi s m ove. Answer: But 37 'it'h 6 ! win s m ore quickly. For example: 37 ... .ic6 (or 37 ... i.h 3 38 fs g xfs 3 9 g s ! with similar play) 3 8 i.d4 i.xa4 3 9 f s g xfs 4 0 g S ! b S 41 g 6 + 'iti>g8 42 'i!tg s i.. c 2 43 h4 and Black can 't stop the white h -pawn from getting to h 7 . 3 7 ... if.c6 38 h 5 gxh s 3 9 'iti>xh S I In the clear light of h i s previous m ove, White's intention becomes apparent: H e gets a very favourable version of the conn ected pawns, since h e i s no longer burdened with an h ­ p awn . 39 ... i.xa4 40 fs i.d1 41 �gs bs 42 i.. c 3 1-0 White win s with th e fin al imbalance: the superior m ajority.

251

K o rc h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Question: I don 't get it. Didn't Botvinnik just resign in a drawn position ? Answer: No, White is winning. For example: 4 2 ... i.e2 4 3 Wf4 ..ltd1 44 g S .ih S 4 5 'it>g 3 ! (intending 'it>h4, followed by g S -g 6 + an d 'it>g s) 4S ... 'it>g 8 46 'it>h4 ..ltf7 47 g6 �c4 48 'it>g s i.. a 2 49 ..ltb4 .tc4 so i.. x d6 i.a2 5 1 f6 ..tb3 5 2 ..ltb4 ..ltc4 5 3 'if.if4 �e6 54 'it'e s .ta2 5 5 'if.id6 (threaten ­ ing 'iil e 7, followed by f6-f7+) s s ... 'iilf8 5 6 Wd7+ 'if.ig8 5 7 'iil e 7 and it's game over.

Game 33 V.Korchnoi-M.Ta l

U S S R C h a m p i o n s h i p, Ye reva n 1962 Benoni Defence 1 d4 ltJf6 2 c4 cs 3 d s e6 4 ltJc3 exd s s cxd s Th e first imbalance appears: Opposite win g pawn m ajorities. s ... d6 Question: I s there a difference between thi s and the 2 e6 3 ltJf3 c s 4 dS move order? ...

Answer: After Korchnoi's next m ove, 6 lDf3 , th e two m ove orders converg e - but otherwise, yes, there can be. Many players are only willing to offer the Benoni when White h as pl ayed either an early liJf3 or g 2 -g 3 . The reason m ay be to avoid critical variations like this: 6 e4 g6 7 f4 i.g7 8 .tbs+, an d now if Bl ack plays the n atural block 8 ...ltJbd7, then all h ell breaks loose after 9 es dxes 10 fxe s ltJh s 11 e6 'i!Vh4+ 12 g 3 ltJxg 3 13 hxg3 'ii'x h 1 14 ..lte3. I believe current theory favours White h ere, but the position i s still very complicated, and super­ GMs such as Topalov and lvanchuk h ave been known to take on the Bl ack side. 252

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s

6 tDf 3 g6 7 g3 Kor chnoi has always had a fondness for the g 2-g3 Benoni. 7 .i g 7 8 i.. g 2 0-0 9 0-0 ...

g ttJa6 ...

Question: What is the purpose of decentralizing the knight? Answer: Its position on th e side of the board i s only temporary. The knight som etimes g oes on to cs (after ... cS -c4), or el se it can drop back to c7 to support a queenside expan sion with ... .l:!.b8, ... tDC7, ... b7-b6 (after a2-a4 by White), ... a7-a6, ... .td7, an d ... b6-b S . Nevertheless, 9 .. a 6 (or 9 ..l:!. e 8 first) 1 0 a 4 ttJbd7 i s more common. For example : 11 i.. f4 "fi e7 12 h 3 lDh s 13 i.. g s f6 14 i.. d 2 fS 1 5 e4! ? fxe4 ( 1 S .. .f4 16 g4 l2Jhf6 is al so possible) 16 .l:i:e1 lDhf6 17 i.f4 l:tb8 with a complex battle ahead, Wang Hao-E.Tom ashevsky, Russian Team Championship 2010. 10 h 3 .

..

Question: Why not the immediate 1 0 e4 - ? Answer: White generally wants to avoid swaps in th e Benoni, and here 10 e4 allows Bl ack to dump his worst piece with 10 ... ..ig4. 10 l2Jc7 ...

Question: Why n ot toss in 10 ...lte8 to hold back White's e2-e4? Answer: .. .l:Ie8 is pl ayable but there may be a couple of reason s Bl ack holds off: 1. White can easily enforce e2-e4 anyway, whether Black plays .. Jle8 or not. 2. Sometimes Bl ack may want to defend d6, his most sen sitive point, with ... l2Je8, so he .

253

�

Ko rch n o i : M o ve by M o v e

keeps the square open . After 10 ... .l:.e8, play might continue 1 1 tt:ld2 tt:le7 12 a4 b6 1 3 tt:lc4 (now �f4 i s in the air, so Black hurries to rem ove the coming pressure from d6) 13 . . . i.. a 6 14 'i!Vb3 .lii, x c4 1 5 'it' xc4 a6 16 .:tb 1 tt:ld7 17 tt:le4 h 6 , C.Sandipan -A. Kunte, Subic Bay 2009 . Here White h ol ds a slight edge aft er 18 't!Vb 3 ! (rather than 18 b4 fs 19 bxcs, when Black h as 19 ... b S ! ) 1 8 ... il.f8 19 i.f4.

11 e4 tt:ld 7 12 .l:le1 In so m e version s of the g 2 - g 3 Benoni, White refrain s from his typical tt:ld2-c4 pilgri m ­ age, inst ead keeping the knight on f 3 t o play for a n e4-e5 break (which, admittedly, isn't so easy to pull off). 12 ... tt:Je8?!

Question: Is thi s one of those stories of twi n s switched at birth ? Why did Tal 's b8-knight take the convoluted tour to e8, a square normally reserved for the other knight or a rook? Answer: Tal 's strange m ove is clearly superfluous to the position's requirements. He proba­ bly feared lines like 12 ... .l:.b8 ? ! 13 �f4, when he has to pl ay 13 . . . tt:Je8 anyway; while 12 ... b s ? i s strongly m et b y 13 e s ! tt:Jxe s ? 14 tt:Jxes .lii, x es 1 5 .l:txe s ! b4 16 tt:le4! dxe 5 17 .lii, g s f6 18 tt:Jxf6+! l:txf6 19 i.. xf6 'i¥xf6 20 d6 and White recoups his m aterial with interest. H owever, Tal should have gone for 12 ... tt:Je s ! whi ch m ay be Black's best m ethod of deal­ ing with his problem s. Chances look close to balanced here. 13 .tg s ! A common Benoni di sruptive m echanism. 13 ....tf6 Necessary, but as we will see later, on f6 Bl ack's bishop will be vulnerable to tactics later on . 14 i.e3 l:tb8 15 a4 2 54

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a la n c e s Whit e won 't all ow ... b7-b5 without a fight.

1s . . . a6 Aga in, Tal should probably toss in 1 S ... lLles ! , following the principle: Seek excha nges en wh you a re cramped. 16 i.f1! Dual purpose: 1. Ruling out ... b7-b5 for the moment. 2. Covering d3 an d c4, White's most sensitive squares. 16 .. .'�e7 17 lLld2 ti'Jc7 The c7-square h as a familiar ring to the knight - a basic admission that Bl ack's 12th move was rath er useless. 18 f4 bs?! Tal shoul d have gone retro with th e bishop as well and played 18 ... .i.g7.

Exercise {planning): It appears as if Black i s back on track. After all, h e has fin ally achi eved his thematic ... b7-b5 break. H ow did Korchnoi prove him wrong ? Answer: Pl ay h i s own th ematic break. Despite Black's 4 : 1 ratio o n the es-square, Korchnoi, through tactics, makes the break work. 19 e5! Now White's e- and d-pawn stars shine in ascendency. 19 ... dxes 20 ti'Jde4! This powerful zwischenzug sends Bl ack reeling. White threaten s both dS-d6, winning a piece, and lt::l xf6+, eliminating th e defen der of Bl ack's dark squares. 20 ... 'ifd8 2 1 lLlxf6+ lLlxf6 Not 2 1 .. .'ii' xf6 ? 22 fxe s ! , since eith er recapture loses m ateri al : 22 ... lLlxe s? 2 3 i.f4 l:.e8 24 d6 lLla8 2 5 'i!Yds lL!b6 2 6 .l:!.xe s ! lt::l x ds 2 7 l:!:xe8+ �g7 2 8 i.e s, or 22 ... 'ii'x es? 23 i.f4 ii'd4+ 24 255

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve 'ifxd4 cxd4 2 5 �xc7 dxc3 26 i.xb8 cxb2 2 7 l:ta2 tt'lxb8 2 8 axb s axb s 29 l:txb2 an d Whi te wins with his extra exch ange. 22 d6 tt'l e6 22 ... exf4?? 23 dxc7 'ti'xd1 24 cxb8� l eaves Bl ack blushing.

2 3 fxe s White's d- and e-pawn s have grown in stature by at least a couple of inches. 2 3 ... b4 24 lL'ld s tt:'lxd s 2 5 "i!Vxd s �b7 2 6 'i1Vd2 'ii' d 7 2 7 'ifi>h2

The position stabilizes, with multipl e imbal ances in White's favour: 1. White own s the bishop pair. 2 . Bl ack i s missing his all -important dark-squared bi sh op, which means h e suffers by default on the dark squares for the remain der of the g ame. 3 . White's central maj ority, with his embedded, passed d-pawn, is a lot scarier th an Black's queenside m ajority. 4. Dire threats suspen d in perpetuity over the bl ack king's h ead, again due to his vul ­ nerability on the punctured dark squares h6, g 7 and f6. 2 7 ... b3 28 l;Iac11 Brilliant position al play and a display of gen erosity from Korchnoi, who didn 't want to waste a tempo on 2 8 as. 28 ...'i+'xa4 2 9 i.c4! Targetin g e6.

Question: What do you m ean : "Targeting e6"? Wouldn 't that just h an d over White's advantage of the bishop pair? Answer: Korchnoi relies on the principle: Opposite-coloured bishops (after chopping on e6) fa vour the attacker - in this case White. 29 ... i.c8 30 ILf1 .l:.b4 31 i.. x e6 i.xe6 32 i.h6 .:tea 33 'ii'g s ! 256

Ko rch n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a la n ce s

Threatening t o slip into f6 a n d force m ate. 3 3 ...l:i.e4! Reminding White th at he, too, h as an exposed kin g . 34 l:!.f2 Not yet 34 iif6?? as this Bl ack to save him self with 34 ... l:te2+ 3 5 l:.f2 (forced) 3 S ... Ilxf2+ 3 6 �xf2 'ir'd4 ! , and if 3 7 'ii'f6 ? ! then 3 7 .. .'if'xb2+ 3 8 �g 1 'ifd4+ 39 �h 2 'ilfh2+ with a draw. White's king , for the g ood of his health , m ust rem ain on dark squares. 34...fs ! Tal continues to fin d only m oves to rem ain alive. 3 5 �f6 Now White has two deeply entrenched passers, as well as the stronger attack. 35 .. .'if'd 7 36 l:txcs Threatening l:tC7. 36 ... :c4 Once ag ain, the only m ove. 36 .. .'ii'f7 ?? 3 7 .l:.c7 'ii' xf6 38 exf6 i s hopeless for Black. 37 .l::!. xc4 .ixc4 38 :.d2 ! Ensuring that i f Black's queen ever m oves, then d6-d7 will b e deci sive. 38 ... .ie6 39 .l:ld1 'i'a7 ! Th e dead queen, once a woman, n o w arises tran sformed into something n e w an d n ot quite human . Tal keeps fin ding dirty tricks, even when tied up - th i s time an invasion threat on f2.

25 7

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

40 l:[d2 'ii'd 7 41 l:d1 1i'a7 42 l:ld4! Nyet to your draw offer, buddy! Korchn oi engages in few dirty tricks of his own : N ot only i s the rook immune, White al so threaten s to disrupt communication s to g 7 by push­ ing h i s d-pawn next move. 42 .. J'Nd7 Th e queen failed in her ambition as a righter of wrongs, and returns empty h anded an d chastened, un able to decide which of the two i s the more awful . 43 g4! a s ! Tal avoids a trap and plays o n h i s lone h ope: h i s queenside pawn majority. 43 .. .fxg4?? loses at once to 44 I1.f4! {threatening mate on f8, startin g with a queen sacrifice) 44... i..t s .

Exercise (combination alert}: So far Black's king h as been tantalizingly out of reach - until n ow. White to play and force m ate.

258

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s Overl oad. Three bl ack pieces cover e 6 , and yet they aren 't enough : 4 5 e6 ! ! and ma­ te follows whichever way the pawn i s captured. Thi s turn s into a recurring tactical theme as the g ame goes on. Black can know no peace if White ever obtain s control over e6. 44 �g3 Korch noi certainly takes his time about it, the way a cautious driver on the autobahn refuses to drive over 80 kilom etres an hour. H e begins a somewhat mutated version of the winning idea, pl ayed with the foll owing philosophy: Black's sole asset is White's exposed ki n g , and in losing that Bl ack loses all . So he decides to hide his kin g on h4 before initiating acti on. Korchnoi's move is still winning, but h e missed an imm ediate knockout with 44 g xf5 ! .txfs 45 :c4 'ir'a7 46 l:tc5 ! 'ii'f7 (or 46 ... a4? 47 e 6 ! �xe6 48 :tc7 and Black has n o checks to give) 47 l:te7 'itxf6 48 exf6 ii.e6.

Answer:

Exercise (combination alert}: White to play and force the win . Answer:

Deflection. 4 9 f7+! i.xf7 SO d7 l:td8 5 1 .l:t c 8 etc.

l:tb8 4 5 �h4!? 45 gxf5 ! ii.xfs 46 .l:.c4 'il'a7 47 l:tcs ! i s still deci sive, as White threatens es-e6 again, while 47 ... .l:te8 48 �h 2 ! just tran sposes to the previous note. 4s :ilff7 46 'it>gs ! I s it just me, or do you too feel a certain Dr. Strangelove quality to White's crazy king's ride into th e wild blue yonder? 44

...

..

259

K o rc h n o i : M o ve

by

M o ve

46 .. .fxg4 47 hxg4 i.d7 Tal does his very best to fake confidence in a hopeless situation by playin g for ... aS-a4a3, but it turn s out to be a touch slow. 48 .l:.c4! Still immune. 48 ... a4 49 llc7 a 3 ! The a-pawn's claws extend, sensing prey n earby.

Exercise (critical decision}: Tal just offered a piece, on the basis that he i s about t o promote t o a n e w queen. Should White accept the offer and trade on f7, followed by takin g on d7? Or i s there something better? Answer: Destruction of the blockade. 260

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n ce s

s o lbd 7 ! ! Only by sac'ing does White win. After 50 'ifxf7+? Wxf7 5 1 llxd7+ � e 6 52 .U. e7+ �d5 5 3 d 7 axb2 5 4 l:.e8 blli, it's anybody's g ame. 50 .. .'ifxd 7 5 1 e6! The gravitational pull to e6 fin ally breaks the long hel d blockade. .. 5 1 .'iVa7 Th e queen flutters about, displayin g annoyan ce more than legitimate threats. She con­ ues in vain to try and rectify earlier injust ices inflicted upon herself and her kin g . tin The attempted perpetual with 5 1 . . .lih5+ 5 2 'itth 4 g 5 + fails t o 5 3 �h s ! 'i'e8 + 54 �xg s , an d i f 54 .. .'ii' g 6+ 5 5 'ii'x g6+ hxg6, then 56 d 7 axb2 5 7 e 7 �f7 5 8 d8 1V lt xd8 59 exd8'i!k blli 60 'i!kd7+ Wg 8 6 1 'ii' g 7 m ate. 52 'We5 ! Deadly centralization. White covers against all checks and threatens e6-e7 next. 5 2 ... axb2 5 3 e7 �f7

Exercise (combination alert}: Find the m ove which spell s ominous finality for Black's resi stance and forces m ate.

Interference. 54 d7! 1-0 Until thi s moment, the bl ack king ' s precarious existence was based on the support of powerful patron s, who now suddenly aban don him as if on a whim. Black's hopes die at the han ds of the very property which brought it to birth : promotion threats. In thi s case, White's are the more potent, since 54 .. .'i!Vxd7 (the queen arrives inopportunely on d7 - as the old sayin g goes: in the wron g place at the wrong time) 55 'i¥f6+ �e8 56 "ii'f8 is mate. White's queen poses in triumph over the body of her brother and procl aim s : "Trial by com­ bat has concluded and God adjudged U s as rightful heir." Note how Korchnoi cleverly plugged up the flight square d7.

Answer:

261

K o rc h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Game 34 T.V. Petrosian-V.Korch noi

Moscow- Le n i ngra d match 19 6 5 Ruy Lopez 1 e4!? Question: I sn 't this strang e territory for Petros i an ? Answer: Don 't we all at times uncon sciously ape th e styl e of anoth er? I suppose the unfa­ miliar tends to lend enchantment to thi ngs which, in reality, m ay just be mun dane to an­ other pl ayer. Anyway, to an swer your question : Yes, it certainly is. A certain percentage of unfortunates in this world (your writer included) are just mi sdesigned by nature to open with th e kin g's pawn . If you are in thi s group, it seem s as though th e 1 e4 pl ayers h ave all th e fun , while we wh o open with 1 d4 an d flank openings get all the technical endings. So every once in a while I trot out the dreaded move myself. I actually have a decent score with 1 e4 - higher than all the flank and queen 's pawn openings in fact. (So did Petrosi an for th at m atter, on th e rare occasion s that he played it as a Grandm aster.) Question: Then why on earth don't you play it more often ? Answer: Because I tend to quiver in undignified fashion for the entire gam e, like a pre-teen girl at a Justin Bieber concert. It feels as if I 've already overextended an d it's only move one! Somehow my brain can handle 1 e4, while my n ervous system can 't! 1 ... es 2 tt:lf3 tt:lc6 3 i.bs a 6 4 i.a4 tt:lf6 5 o-o tt:lxe4!

Korchnoi was a leading expert on th e Open Variation of the Ruy Lopez, but it m ay still 262

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a la n c e s have come as a surprise since h e was mostly playing myriad Sicilian Defences at this point in his career. Moreover, thi s i s an excellent psychological ch oice against Petrosian, wh o would likely conduct a Closed Lopez with deadly skill (and sometimes played it from the Black side). Petrosian was a mon ster in closed games, especially adept in the French De­ fen ce and his own variation of the King's Indian . 6 d4 b s 1 .ib3 d s s dxes Imbalance: Opposite wing pawn m ajorities. 9 c3 i.e6 8 ...

9

...

The traditional main line. Currently g lLJbd2 i s favoured at the highest l evel . i.e7

Question: Why wouldn 't Black post his bi sh op on the more aggressive c s -square? That move is played as well. For example : 9 ... .ics 10 lLJbd2 o-o 11 .i.c2 i.fs (Black sh ould probably prefer 11 ... lLJxf2 ! 12 l':txf2 f6 13 exf6 .i.xf2+ 14 'it>xf2 'ili'xf6 - th e notorious Dilworth Variation) 12 lLJb3 ii.g6 1 3 lDfd4! i.xd4 14 cxd4 as 15 ii.e3 with an edge for White, due to Black's potential weakn ess on the c-file, C. Lakdawala-E.Sevilliano, Hawkins Memo­ rial (blitz pl ayoff) 2006 - as well as num erous other more noteworthy g ames. The reason Black sometimes refrain s is that h e seeks to activate his queen side pawn majority with ... tt:Jas and ... c7-c 5 . If he posts the bishop on cs, h e essentially plugs the square with a piece, impeding h i s majority's progress. 10 ii.f4 Thi s move is still being played, but I don 't like it.

Answer:

Question: Why not? It develops a piece and overprotects White's strong point on e s . Answer:

I prefer th e pl an of pl ayin g for l2Jd4 an d th en pushing the f-pawn . For example: 10 2 63

K o rc h n o i: M o ve by M o ve �c2 ttJc s 1 1 h 3 o-o 12 I:te1 'ii'd 7 1 3 lLld4, A. Karpov-V. Korch noi , World Championship (24th m atch g ame), Baguio City 1978. 10 ... ttJc s

Question: E arlier you sai d Black that seeks to activate his m ajority with ... c7-c S . Doesn't this m ove plug the c s -square as well? Only temporarily. This i s a comm on m anoeuvre of the system. Bl ack reshuffl e s his pieces with ... .ig4 and ... lt:le6 next. 11 i.c2 i. g4 12 h3 i. h s 13 \i'e2

Answer:

A one-off m ove, which h as not been pl ayed before or since. Petros ian clears d1 for his rook but rem ain s in an irritatin g pin . More normal i s 1 3 lt:lbd2 . For exampl e : 1 3 ...lt:le6 14 ..tg 3 i.g6 (14 ... i.cs retain s the pin on f3) 1 5 lt:lb 3 o - o 16 lt:lfd4 lt:lcxd4 17 i.xd4, B . l vanovic­ E.Grivas, Nea Makri 1990. 13 ... lt:le6 14 .th2 i.cs ! ? Th e idea i s t o reorganize his pieces with . . .lt:l e 7 an d ... i.b6, in order t o begin rolling h i s queenside pawn majority. 1 S lt:lbd2 ltle7 16 l:tad 1 I would pl ay something like 16 b4 i.b6 17 a4 c6 1 8 .l:Ifd1, which h as the effect of freez­ ing Bl ack's queenside. 16 .. .'�c8!? Understandably, th e white rook's arrival on d1 m ade Korch noi n ervous about retaining his queen on the d-file. 17 ltlb3 i.b6 18 �h1!?

Question: What i s the point of thi s mysterious move?

2 64

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s Petrosian prepares g 2 -g4, perhaps followed by lDfd4 and f2 -f4, rolling his own forward. pawns 1S ... cs

Answer:

Korchnoi's undernouri shed majority receives a much needed infusion.

Question: Why isn't Black castling? This is deliberate on Korchnoi's part: After g 2 -g4 and .....tg6, White will be hesitant to pl ay .i.xg 6, since ... h 7xg6 leaves the bl ack rook facing White's kin g on the h -file. 19 g4 ..tg6 20 lL'lh4 The d4-square is denied, so the knight takes another route. Now White is ready for f2-f4, and lDfs hangs over Bl ack as well. 20 ... ..txc2 21 'iix c2 'ii'c 6 Dual purpose: the queen covers dS and sits on the a8-h 1 diagonal, the sam e one as White's king . 22 f4 22 lDfs is m et by 2 2 ... h s . 2 2 ... d4+ The m ajorities plod on , m ethodically inching towards their respective goal s . H owever, Black shoul d perhaps h ave pl ayed 22 ... h s ! h ere too, since after th e text, Petros ian effec­ tively douses any attacking scheme Korchnoi h ad. 23 'iig 2 ! After 2 3 lDg 2 ? ! h S , Black h a s the more dangerous attack. 23 .. .'ii'x g2+ 24 lL'lxg2 ! dxc3!

Answer:

Question: Can Black try 24 ... d3, seeing as White can't capture due to 25 l:f.xd3 c4 - ?

265

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Answer: That is exactly what I would have played, but th e computers show it to be a blun ­ der due t o 2 5 fs tt:Jg s (or 2 S ... tt:\ d8 26 .i g l ! ll c8 2 7 �f4 ! , win n i n g the d-pawn all th e sam e; while 2 S ... tt:\C7 is m et by 26 i.g l ! , win n i n g the c-pawn) 26 h4 �e4 2 7 l:de1 c4 28 .l:txe4 cxb3 29 axb3 with an extra pawn for White. 25 f5 tt:\c7 26 i.g1!?

Dare I accuse Petrosian of recklessness? H ere he embarks on a high risk venture in his quest for the i nitiative. Safer i s 26 bxc3 c4 with a dynamically balanced position . 26 ... �ed 5 Black can also try 26 ... cxb 2 ! 2 7 �xes �c6. 2 7 �xes cxb2 28 :ld2 White regains th e pawn but it costs him time. 28 ...0-0-0!

Question: Isn't Black's kin g somewhat exposed on the queen side? Answer: Probably n ot with queen s off the board. Korchn oi far-sightedly un derstood that his king was n eeded to h elp push his m ajority forward later on . 29 �e4!? Petrosian gets tempted by the win of an exchange, probably mi sassessing Korch n oi's coming compen sation, which looks m ore th an enough . 29 l:i.xb2 i s the safer alternative. 29 ... .ixg1 H ere Houdini throws out th e impossible to see and impossible to assess 29 ... �c3 ! ! 30 l:xd8+ ftxd8 31 �xc3 .l::!. d 3 3 2 �bl (not 32 .ixb6? .l:.xc3 33 .ie3 �ds 34 i.d2 l:.xh 3+ 35 c;f;lgl �c3 36 �f4 l:lf3 ! and wins) 32 ... .l:!.xh 3 + 33 i.h 2 �dS and White, despite havi n g a piece for two pawn s, is strug gling, since the active black forces and b2-passer badly tie h i m down . 30 �xg1 White n ow threaten s �d6+, but Korchnoi just ignores it. 30 ... �b6! 31 �d6+ Ilxd6! 32 exd6 �c4 33 d7+ �d8 34 .Ud3 266

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n ce s

Both sides foresaw this positi on, which looks dynamically bal an ced, yet i t i s White who must play accurately to maintain the balance. Each side's deep passed pawn ties the other down, but Bl ack's pawn has potenti al infantry support waiting to advan ce. 34 . ./l'laS I

The knight goes retro t o add heat to d7.

35 tLlf4?1 Now Black takes over the advantag e. Houdini works the gam e out to a draw after 3 5 tLle3 ! (White's pl an : trade off a pair of knights, then loosen up Black's queenside structure with a2 -a4 if possible) 3 S ... ttJab6 36 ttJxc4 ttJxc4 37 'ifi>f2 �c7 38 a4 l:td8 39 axbs axb s 40 l:tfdl f6 41 Wg 3 'it>c6 42 'ittf4 b4 43 .l:.d4 �cs (after 43 .. .'ito>b S ? ! 44 lib1 b3 45 'iii' e 4 �b4 46 J:txb2 'it>c3 47 l:!.e2 b2 48 l:.xc4+ 'itt x c4 49 .!::. x b2 .l:xd7 so l:tc2+ �b3 S l llc8, I 'm n ot sure wh ether White can exploit the fact that the black kin g is cut off, but obviously all the chances lie with him) 44 .:ds+ 'itt c 6 45 .l:.Sd4 �c s , repeating the position . 3 S ttJab6 3 6 l:.fd 1 .•.

267

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve Exercise (planning/combination alert}: The currents of a stasi s often turn on a single wave. Black has a forcible path to the advantage. What would you play h ere?

3 6 b4?? Th is looks like tim e pressure, in which th e tormented conjuring of a panicked imagina­ tion can be a more dangerous oppon ent th an the one sitting across the board. Korchnoi waivers in an agony of indecision, and opportunity loses its vitality, like a bullet fired into a body of water. Answer: Bl ack can promote his b-pawn, starting with 36 ... tt'la4 ! 37 'it>f2 lt:Jcs ! (the knights approach with th e cold resolve of assailants wh o don 't care if they live or die) 38 .:d4 (38 .U.f3 ?? fails miserably to 38 ... tt'ld2 ! ) 3 8 ... lt:Ja3 (the vexing knights create fear and di sorder in their wake) 3 9 1Ib4 bl � 40 .Ubxbl tt'lxbl 41 llxbl �xd7 and Black h as regai n ed the ex­ change, leaving him a pawn up in the ending. 3 7 tt'ld s?? Even as World Champion, h e was occasion ally vulnerable to simple oversights, even with plenty of time on the clock (although this one certainly l ooks like a tim e pressure blunder, so n ear the m ove 40 control). In stead, the advantage would swing to White after 3 7 l::t d 4! (threatening tt'ld3, followed by lt:JcS -b7+ or just :tbl) 37 ... as (or 37 ... h S 38 gxh S ! ) 38 lt:Jd3 ! and Bl ack is virtually in zug­ zwang . If 38 ... 'it'c7, then 39 d8'ii + ! J:txd8 40 .l:.xd8 �xd8 41 tt'lxb2+ �e7 42 lt:Jxc4 tt'lxc4 43 l:ds and White wins. ...

Exercise (combination alert}: Petrosian glazes over a threat to h i s position in dismissive fashion and, sh ockingly, Korchn oi i s granted entrance to the previously unattain able. What did Petrosian miss?

268

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s Knight fork. .liJxd 5 3 8 .l:!.xd 5 ttJe 3 7 .. 3 "My will i s the law," decl ares the knight to the rooks. The rooks don 't know wh at to say, like school girls caught smoking in the bathroom by a teach er. Th e edifice of White's au­ th ority comes tumbling down . It's a pretty safe bet th at Petrosian 's norm ally cool demean­ ou r suddenly evaporated right h ere. 39 1:!.5d3 ttJxd1 40 .l:!.xd 1 �c7?! Inaccurate. 40 ... aS ! 41 .l:f.b1 'itlxd7 saves Black a tempo. 41 l:tb1 �xd 7 42 !lxb2 a s An swer:

The rook and pawn ending i s completely lost for White, whose king i s un able t o partici­ pate. 43 a3 Thi s actually does Bl ack a favour, but White couldn 't h ave h eld the position anyway. Th e key factor i s that White's king i s a million miles away. By the tim e it arrives on the queen­ side, Black's passer will be embedded too deeply. 43 ... bxa 3 44 �a2 c.t>c6 45 llxa 3 .l:taB Endgam e principle: Place you r rooks behind your passed pa wns. 46 �f2 White h as nothing better to do but await the consequences of h i s actions, unleashed on his ill-fated 3 7th move. 46 a4 4 7 �e2 �bs 48 'iii d 2 �b4 The black king warn s the rook: "You will conform to th e destiny which I assign you." 49 .l:!.a1 a 3 0-1 Petrosian resigned, understanding that so .l:tbl+ �a4 51 J::t a 1 l:tb8 and ... llb2 {+) next is utterly h opeless. .••

2 69

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Game 35 V.Korch noi-S. Reshevsky

Ca nd idates (6th matchga me), Amste rd a m 1968 Catalan Open ing Sammy Reshevsky, like Lasker and Korchnoi, was a defen sive g enius wh en in h i s prime. Unfortun ately, th e great survivor h ad littl e ch ance at the tail end of his career in a m atch against Korchnoi, who was in a way just a younger, more powerful version of Reshevsky himself. Korchnoi won the m atch comfortably s%-2V2 without losing a single game. 1 c4 t2Jf6 2 tLlf3 e6 3 g3 d S 4 � g 2 i.. e 7 5 o-o o-o 6 d4 c6 7 b3

We reach a Closed Catal an . A warm fuzzy feeling of security is th e lone comm odity Bl ack receives when entering thi s variation.

Question: Black m ay be secure for n ow, but doesn't he also deliberately choose to enter a super-passive set-up? The Neanderth al 's dilemma: He picks up a rock and must decide its use: 1. U se the rock as a weapon agai n st predators to protect his family. 2. U se th e rock to build an impervious shelter to keep predators at bay and protect his family. Pl ayers who go for the Closed Catalan choose #2. 7 ...tt:Jbd7 8 i.. b 2 b6 9 'ir'c2 .tb7 Anoth er, more active option i s 9 ... �a6 10 tt:Jbd2 c s 1 1 e4 l:!.c8 12 exds exds 1 3 l:f.fd1 J:.e8 14 'il'fs (in this line White's queen often takes refug e from Bl ack's c8-rook on fs) 14 ... g6 15 'i!Vh 3 cxd4 16 tt:Jxd4 tt:Jcs with a bal an ced position, E . Bareev-K.Miton, Havan a 2006. 10 ltJc 3

Answer:

2 70

K o rc h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s Sometimes White develops the knight t o d 2 t o reinforce c4. For example: 10 �bd2 l:rc8 cs 12 exds exds 1 3 dxc s dxc4 14 �xc4 bs 15 �ce s �xes 16 �xe s i.xg 2 17 'it>xg 2 1 e4 1 i,xc s 18 .U.ad1 'ii'a s 19 it'fs ! and I prefer White, whose pieces l oom over Black's kin g and are m ore aggressively posted, U .Andersson-Cu. H an sen, Sweden- Denm ark match, Hinnerup 199 5. 10 .l:tc8 11 �ad1 ..

11 cs On 11...b5, White usually bypasses, seizing space with 12 c s b4 1 3 ti:1b1 i.. a 6 14 �e1 i.b s 1 5 �d3 as 16 a4 Si.a6 1 7 �d2 which g ave him an edge due to his extra queen side space, M.Quinteros-S. Resh evsky, Lone Pine 1979. Instead, Korchnoi suggests 11...�a6 ! ?. ...

Question: Doesn't thi s just m ove the bishop twice? Answer: True enough, but White posting his knight on c3 made the c4-pawn slightly weaker, so Korchnoi, in typical atonal fashion and with no residual memory, proposes mov­ ing the bishop again to attack it. Then 12 �d2 (the ambitious 12 e4! ? dxc4 13 �e2 bs 14 bxc4 bxc4 looks at least even for Black, as White m ay or m ay not be able to regain his sac'ed pawn) 12 ...b s l ooks okay for Black, T.Markowski-A. Krainski, Bydgoszcz 2001. Note that 1 3 c s ? ? b4 14 �b1 now loses to 14 ... SLxe 2 . 12 cxd s �xd s?! Korchnoi critici zed this move, wh ich h ands White an initiative. Bl ack sh ould pl ay 12 ... cxd4 1 3 .l:.xd4 �xds 14 'i!Kd1 l:txc3 15 l:txds .ixds, M.Quinteros-M.Stean, Bar 1977, wh ere the pl ayers agreed a draw in thi s equal position. 1 3 ll:lxd s ..ltxd s Now Bl ack gets kicked around. But 13 ... cxds 14 dxcs looks uncomfortable as well, when Black g ets saddled with eith er an isolani (14 ... �xcs 15 'i!kfs) or the hanging pawn s

K o rc h n o i : M o ve by M o ve (14 ... bxcs 1 5 lLles lLlxe s 16 .txe s), his d-pawn looking weak in eith er case. 14 e4 cxd4 15 'ii' e2 ..ltb7 16 lLlxd4

Advantage White for several reason s: 1. Bl ack lags in development. 2. Bl ack's queen i s dangerously placed on the d-file, and .. :ilic7 fail s to li:Jb s tricks. 3. Bl ack must be on con stant watch for sacs on e6, with or without �h 3 in serted. 16 -tcs l? Thi s agitated flutter should lead to difficulties for Black, since it appears that, after a brief respite, his troubles re-emerge redoubl ed. Bl ack can minimize his di scomfort with the contortion suggested by both Korchnoi and Houdini: 16 .. .'ii' e 8 ! - the idea being that 17 li:Jbs can be met by 17 ... .ta6 ! . 17 b41? Right i dea, wrong implem entation . White cements his advantage by th e insertion of 17 a3 ! , and if 17 ... as, only th en 18 b4! axb4 19 axb4 .txb4 20 lt:Jxe6! (effectively ventilatin g the centre to expedite his wishes) 20 ...fxe6 2 1 'iib s 'ireS 22 'ii'x b4, when White h as eliminated his weak a-pawn and left Black with a weak b-pawn . In particular, the continuation seen in the next note, 22 ... .ta6 2 3 I!fel li:Jcs, just drops th e b-pawn at once. 17 .txd4?1 Reshevsky falters, turning his nose up at a chance for real counterpl ay. He embarks on an irreversible course of action, whi ch h aunts him for th e remainder of the game, by mak­ ing a huge concession and handing Korchnoi the two bishops, to go with his greater space and initiative. Moreover, the activity differential between the two camps n ow grows per­ ceptibly. In stead, he should fall into the "trap" with 17 ... .txb4! , as after 18 llJxe6 (or 18 'ifb s ? 'ilfe7 ! ) 18 . . .fxe6 19 1\Vb s 'ili'e8 2 0 'ii'x b4 .ta6 2 1 .!:tfe1 tt:Jcs, Black's n ewly enhanced piece activ­ ity fully compen sates for White's bishop pair. 18 .l:.xd4 'ii'e 7 19 ,l;1fd1 li:Jf6 20 b s l ...

•.•

2 72

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s

Question: What i s the point o f White's l ast move? Answer: He freezes the opposin g pawn s on dark squares, which m eans that Bl ack must watch out for ..tes-b8 tricks should an ending arise. 20 .. JUd8 2 1 'ii'd 3 ::.xd4 22 'ir'xd4 h6 2 3 f3 1

An excellent strategic decision . All the imbalances favour White. Let's take inventory of White's growing resources: 1. White's bishops dominate Black's bishop and knight. 2. White blunts Black's bishop and prepares to redeploy his own bishop to fl. 3. White's rook is m ore dangerous and more active than its counterpart. 4. White enjoys a considerable territori al advantage. 23 ... .l:!.c7 Reshevsky allows the queens to leave the board. His plan is to transfer his knight to c s . Th e active 2 3 . . Jlc2? just l o s e s a pawn after 24 'iVd8+ 'iff8 2 5 11Vxf8+ 'it'xf8 26 1i.xf6 g xf6 2 7 .l:!d7 i. c 8 2 8 .l:f.xa7. 24 �dB+ 'ii'x d8 25 �xd8+ �h7 2 6 .ies l Denying Black h i s intended . . . lt'ld7-c5 m anoeuvre. 26 ... l:tc1+ 26 ... :g_d7 ? ? drops a piece to 27 i.. xf6. 27 .if1 Now White threaten s ..txf6, followed by .l:!.d7. 27 j_c8 28 i.b2 llc7 1 Reshevsky deftly avoids a trap. Again 2 8 . . . l:.c 2 ? ? i s a mistake: here it walks into 29 �d3 .:Ixb2 30 eS+ g6 31 exf6 ..tb7 32 ltf8 �xf3 3 3 l:txf7+ 'it'g 8 34 �xg6, when Black's lone king can 't deal with the surrounding m ob. 29 l:tf8 ..tb7 30 �d3?1 ••.

Innate g amblers are subject to great temptation s. Korchnoi admits he was pl aying for traps in Reshevsky's time trouble. But as we all know by now, it isn't easy for Korchnoi to restrain himsel f from such machination s anyway if the mood is upon him. So he engages in a duplicitous strat egic cheapo which borders upon open piracy. Stronger i s 30 ..i.e s ! l:td7 31 'it>f2 'itg6 3 2 l:tb8, when Black is paralyzed. 30 ....l:!.d7 31 ..i.c2

Exercise (critical decision): Can Black g et away with 3 1. . . .:td2 - ? Analyze a concrete variation whi ch proves or disproves the move's efficacy. 3 1 ... l:.d2? Answer: It's a trap ! A mob boss should n ever order a hit h e i sn 't willing to carry out. N ot all double attacks work. When the weaker side assumes th e role of aggressor, m assive retalia­ tion i s the inevitable con sequen ce. If it's n ot possible to recon struct a h appy past, then th e n ext step should be to in sure a tol erable present to avoid a m i sery-filled future. Reshevsky's pent up frustration cascades down the board. In stead, Bl ack h ad to shuffl e passively and indul g e in a lazy tolerance with 3 1...lk7 3 2 ..i.b3 'it>g 6, though he rem ains cl early worse. 3 2 l:lxf7 ! Now we begin to catch the drift of Korchnoi's m otivation s: White's multiple threats on f6, b7 and g 7 outweigh Black's skewer. 32 ... .:txc2 3 3 �xf6 'it>g6 Forced. "Worst vacation ever! " mutters Bl ack's disgruntl ed kin g . 34 llxb7 ! Not 34 .l:txg 7+? r.t>xf6 3 5 .:.xb7 .:txa2 and White's win won't be so easy with only one ex­ tra pawn. 3 4 ... 'it>xf6 3 5 .U.xa7 2 74

K o rc h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s

3s gs •••

O r 3 S . . .h S 3 6 h4 l:tb2 3 7 a 4 .l:ta2 3 8 f4 l:t e 2 3 9 e S + ! 'it>fs 4 0 .l:.xg 7 'it>e4 4 1 .l:.b7 'it13 (Black's deeply infiltrated king won't save him since he is down too m any pawn s) 42 'it>fl l:.a2 43 'iit e l .:txa4 44 l:txb6 'it>xg 3 45 J;;t x e6 .l:txf4 46 b6 'it>xh4 (or 46 ... :txh4 47 'it>d2) 47 b7 l:.b4 48 .Ue7 'i£ilg s 49 l:.f7 and White win s the rook endi n g easily. 36 .!:f.h7 'iit g 6 37 l1b7 .:txa2 3 8 lbb6 �f6 Bl ack is two pawn s down but th e pariah on g1 is cut off on the first rank, shunned by all . Surprisingly, this fact fails to offer him even remote drawing chances. 3 9 f4 gxf4 40 gxf4 Threatening f4-fS . 40 'it>f7 41 .:tb8 1-0 .••

Question: What is White's winning technique?

2 75

Korch n o i : M o ve

Answer:

by

M o ve

Let's turn thi s into a calcul ation exerci se.

(calculation}: Follow the analysis as far as you can in your mind's eye, without m oving the pieces:

Exercise

White wins after 41..J:tb2 (or 41 ... l:la4 42 b6 l:.xe4 43 b7 l:tb4 44 l:th 8 ! .l:Ixb7 3 5 l:!.h 7+ etc - a standard combination in rook endgames wh en one side h as a pawn on the seventh rank) 42 b6 'iti>g7 43 f5 exf5 44 exf5 h 5 45 b7 'iti>h 7 (or 45 ... 'it>f7 46 .l:.h 8 ! ag ain) 46 f6 (threat­ ening f6-f7) 46 .. .g 6 47 1Ig8+ and th e promoting b-pawn costs Bl ack a rook.

Answer:

Game 3 6 V . Korc h noi-A.Ka rpov

Hasti n gs 1971/72 Torre Attack Korchnoi's and Karpov's mutual dislike was inherited from previous encounters such as this. One might think that a game between the two Soviet representatives in an interna­ tion al event woul d conclude in a prearranged draw. Certainly not in thi s case. The game was pl ayed in the penultim ate round with Karpov leading by a h alf point. Th ere was no chance of Korchnoi agreeing to a quick draw with the white pieces and virtually assuring Karpov the tourn ament victory. I remember my sen se of bafflement when playing thi s g ame over as an 11-year-ol d. Korchnoi brazenly viol ated and defiled every sacred Nim zowitschian precept about colour complexes - and then won ! 1 d4 tLlf6 2 ti:Jf3 e6 3 �gs The Torre Attack - an innocuous-looking line which can lead to sudden attacks for White. I pl ay the Torre myself an d used it in thi s must win g ame again st I M J oel Banawa: 3 ... h6 4 �xf6 'ii xf6 5 e4 d6 6 tLlc3 tLld7 7 'iVd2 c6 8 o-o-o e 5 ? ! (opening the g ame too early) 9 dxe 5 dxe 5 ? (9 ... 'Llxe 5 10 tLld4 g 5 wasn 't pl easant for Black but h ad to be tried).

2 76

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s

Exercise (combination alert): White h a s a way t o flare up a n attack. H ow? 10 lt:Jb s ! (th e knight i s untouchable due to the pin) 10 ...Wd8 (lO . cxb S ? 11 .i.xbs '!We6 12 lt:Jxe s ! wins) 11 'ii'a S+! b6 12 "ili'c3 a6 (once again the knight i s immun e since 1 2 . . cxb s ? 1 3 ..txb s is immediately fatal).

Answer:

..

.

Exercise (combination alert): Now the unretreated knight is attacked twice. H ow does White continue? Doubl e attack. 1 3 lt:Jd6 ! .i.xd6 14 �xc6 and Black resigned in a few moves, C. Lakdawal a-J . C . B anawa, Los Angeles 2010. 3 b6

Answer:

...

K o rc h n o i: M o ve by M o v e Karpov always remained faithful to his Queen's Indian formation against the queen's pawn ope nings. Yet, Korchnoi writes with glee: "Over a period of decades he [Karpov] was pursued by misfortun e in this set-up with Black." 4 e4!?

Question: Why is thi s move given an "interesting" mark? White simply takes advantage of the pin to seize the centre. In pl aying his last move, White actually agreed to h and over the bishop pair. 4 h6 5 i.xf6 The first imbal ance: White's central control and lead in development versus Black's long-term advantage of th e bishop pair. I remember a game again st a h ated childh ood rival (who, although slightly l ower rated, n ever failed to paddle me in humiliating fashion), wh ere he wrote down 5 �xf6 'ii xf6 on h i s score sheet with a h ateful smirk on his ugly face (is it possible that, even to thi s day, your normally mild-m annered writer nurses a wee bit of a grudg e?), even before I had played my fifth move ! So in a fit of pique, I decided to punish him by banging out th e idi­ otic 5 i.h4?, which dropped a pawn to s ... gs 6 i.g 3 tt'lxe4, an d I lost the g am e without a fight. The in san e part was that I saw it dropped a pawn but pl ayed the move anyway, just to m ake him erase his pre-written m oves! Such is the nature of blind hate. Moral : Hatred, when pushed to psychotic l evel s, makes you stupid! s 'i'xf6 6 �d3 i.b7 1 tt'lbd2

Answer: ...

...

Question: Why develop the knight to a passive square when c3 is available ? 7 tt'l c 3 i s quite pl ayable, but Korchn oi undoubtedly wanted t o avoid the annoying pin 7 i.b4.

Answer: ...

2 78

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s

7 d6 Black is a long way behind in development, so Karpov keeps his position flexible and as co nfrontation-free as possible. s �e2 White prepares queen side castling. s a6 Karpov wants to develop his b8-knight without allowing i.a6, which eliminates his bishop pair. H e al so senses White's forth coming queen side castling, so he prepares a fu­ tu re ... b6-b S . 9 0-0-0 The future arrived sooner than we thought. g tDd7 10 'iii> b 1 ..•

...

•. .

1o es!? ...

Bl ack fights back in the centre at a mom ent h e feel s h e won't be punished for it, but I'm not sure thi s is a well-timed thrust. Korchn oi felt it was m ore accurate for Bl ack to continue a policy of non -confrontation with 10 .. 'Wd8 . 11 C 3 Korchnoi maintains th e central pawn tension for now. 11 i.e7 Bl ack's queen looks awkwardly placed on f6, like the big, dumb kid who h as to repeat th e sixth grade, and wh o towers over her n ew classm ates. With hindsight, 11 . g 6 may h ave saved Black som e tim e over the way he pl ayed in th e game. 12 tbc4 Heading for an excellent post on e 3 . 12 0-0 Another m ajor imbalance arises: Opposite wing castling. 1 3 .tc2 .

.••

..

•••

2 79

K o r c h n o i:

M o ve by M o ve

Clearing the rook's view down the d-file. 13 l:tfe8 14 d s ! ? ...

Question: Didn't White just fix a lot o f his pawns o n the wrong colour as h i s rem ain­ ing bishop? Answer: He did, but he received two important compen sating concession s in return : 1. White increased h i s territori al advantage. 2. Wh ite closed the position, which accords with the principle : Ifyour opponent h a s the bishop pair, close the game. 14 cs?! ...

Karpov attempts to lure Korchn oi into a Closed Lopez position, one whi ch h e presum a­ bly felt he understood better than h i s rival. In thi s case he was mistaken an d Korchnoi h ad the deeper understanding. White should h ave kept the position fluid with 14 ... c6 1 5 tLle3 bS 16 dxc6 �xc6. Of course thi s line has its problem s as well, since Bl ack just h anded his opponent a juicy h ole on ds, but this i s superior to the way Karpov pl ayed it in the g ame.

Question: What are the factors whi ch favour White over a norm al Lopez? Answer: Let's assess: 1. Black has the bishop pair, but in a closed position this doesn't constitute an advan ­ tage. 2 . White is weak on the dark squares and it looks as if he m ay h ave to nurse a poten­ tially bad bishop later on . 3 . Black just viol ated the principle: Don 't close the game when you have the bishop pa ir. 4. Black violated another principle too: Don 't close the centre when your opponent at­ tacks you on the wing. 280

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s s . Black's last move h ad the effect of sealing the queen side, whi ch greatly weakens h i s e att mpts t o attack in that sector. 6. White h as castled queen side, which m ean s he is free to attack on th e other win g . 7. An d thi s is the great g am e chan g er: Th e black queen 's awkward posting o n f6 makes it an obvious target for White's coming g 2 -g4-g 5 pawn storm . Conclusion : Despite appearances, White stands clearly better. It seem s th at Karpov is treatin g his dark square control with too much reverence, over­ estimating its potential an d underestimating White's power on the light squares. Korch ­ noi, on the other h and, sen ses an anom aly, an d a deep hypoth esis form s in h i s mind: H i s weakened dark squares don 't m atter, since his initiative a n d attack override such long­ term strategic con cern s. Th e question is: How did Korchnoi understand th at the h oney­ combin g of h i s position, with wh at appear to be irreparabl e dark square punctures, utterly fails to bring Bl ack any benefit wh atsoever? Such is the depth of his almost supern atural understanding of chess. 15 tDe3 �f8 16 g41 The king side is a perfect venue for a fight from White's perspective, h avin g castl ed on the opposite fl ank. 16 Jlfd8 16 ... g 6 17 g S ! hxg s (or 17 ... 'ifd8 18 gxh6, tran sposing to the next note) 18 h4! doesn't look like any improvem ent for Black. 17 g51 •.

Exercise (critical decision}: H ow should Karpov m eet White's last m ove? 11

hs?l After this bypass, Black's g a m e begins to recede in a giant wave. Takin g t h e pawn would be even worse, as 17 ... h xg 5 ? i s m et powerfully by 18 l:!.dg 1, an d if 1 8 ... �e7 th en 19 h4! with ...

281

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o v e

a decisive attack. Black's best hope may be to rule out g 5-g6 ideas by playing 17 ... g6 himself, followed by 1g gxh 6 tiJf6 19 h4 ttJh 5, wh en he remains in the game for the tim e being, although 20 J:Idg 1 (o r 20 ttJ g4! ? ) 20 ... �xh 6 2 1 tiJf5 ! appears to give White a very dangerous attack none­ theless . 18 g6! Clearly, White's attack is n ow growing out of control . 18 fxg6 19 l::t h g1 'ii'f6 20 ttJgs i.e7 21 ttJe6 .•.

Threatening a fork on c7. The dominant knight walks into hostil e territory, contemptu­ ously at h i s ease, a h aughty prince strolling among peasants. 2 1 ... ttJf8! A brilliant defen sive deci sion. Th e rote 2 1 ... l:.ac8? loses quickly to 22 l:.g 3 tiJf8 2 3 l:tdg 1 ttJxe6 24 dxe6 g 5 2 5 .:txg 5 'ii'x g 5 2 6 l:r.xg 5 ..ixg 5 2 7 tiJf5 l:.cd8 2 8 'ii' xh 5 .tf6 29 'ilff7+ Wh 8 30 ttJxd6, and if 30 ... l:te7 then 31 'ii'h 6 + �g 8 32 tiJf7, threatening m ate on h8. 22 tiJc7 'ii'f7 2 3 :df1 Presumably intending future f2-f4 tricks, though in fact the f-pawn never moves at all . 23 bs 24 ttJxaB .txa8?! Karpov attempts to revive counterpl ay wh ich n ever existed in the first place to avoid h aving to m eet c2-c4 with ... b 5-b4, but puttin g his bishop out of pl ay i s too high a price. Korchnoi writes: "This game Karpov treats his bi sh ops without respect." 24 ... %txa8 25 c4 b4 26 .ta4 .tc8 was better. 25 c4! .:.bs Karpov busies him self with a project down the b-file, which in the end proves futile. 26 .td3 Reinforcing c4 and tying Bl ack down to b 5 . 26 .. Ji'e8 2 7 l:.c1 .tf6 28 �g2 .I:tb6 29 Iicg1 l:rb8 Unfortunately Bl ack h as n o tim e to reactivate his bishop with 29 ... i.b7, due to 30 l:txg 6 ! ..•

282

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s (tra ding advantages) 30 ... lt:lxg 6 3 1 'ii'x h s a n d 3 2 .l:f.xg 6 with a winning position. For exam ­ ple: 31...i.. c 8 3 2 l:txg 6 (threatening l:xg 7+) 3 2 .. .'�f8 3 3 i.e2 ! We7 34 cxb s ! axbs 3 5 ..tg4 Wd8 3 6 i.xc8 'itxc8 3 7 lt:lg4. 3 0 'i'f11 b4 30 ... bxc4 3 1 lt:lxc4 only benefits White, while after 30 ... l:tb6 White would carry out th e m sa e pl an as in the game.

Karpov freezes his b-file dream s in a paralysis of irresolution . So the move h e wanted to avoid is played after all .

Exercise {planning/combination alert): Korchnoi n ow found a way to break in on the king side. What did h e see? Aim the bishop at hs and sac back th e exchange on g6. Black has no way to halt this plan . 31 ..te2 1 ! At l ast, w e begin t o g ather an inkling of Korchnoi ' s intent. Queen and bishop engage in an un dulatin g , weaving itinerary to reach their goal . 3 1 h4 3 1...g 5 3 2 l::t x g s i.. x g s 33 �xg s doesn 't h elp Bl ack a bit. 32 .:txg61 'Wxg6 Absolute desperation, seeing th at after 3 2 ... lt:lxg6 3 3 i..h S White's pieces effortl essly seep in on the light squares. The m ad queen, who believes the universe came into exis­ tence upon h er birth an d terminates upon her death, ends up as collateral dam age from the explosion 's recoil. 3 3 .l:.xg6 lt:lxg6 34 i.g4 lt:lf4 35 'i¥d11 b3 Solely to keep the white queen out of a4. 36 axb3 ii.b7

Answer:

...

2 83

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Exercise (combination alert}: Korchn oi, l ookin g deeply into the heart of Bl ack's weaknesses, unearthed a stunning shot on his n ext move. What did h e see? Answer: Deflection/removal of a defender. Bl ack's position collapses if his key defender, the knight, is driven from f4. 37 li:Jg2! ! i.. c B White's knight is immune. 37 ... li:Jxg 2 ? ? 38 i.. e 6+ �f8 39 'ifh s forces mate. 38 i.. x cB l;txcB

Exercise (combination alert): White to play and win a pawn . Answer: Double attack. Th e queen folds h er arm s in smug satisfaction. Sh e rises above oth ­ ers around her, radiatin g power in solitary spl endour.

2 84

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s

39 \i'g4! l!e8 40 lbxf4 exf4 41 'ii'xf4 Karpov was un abl e to offer any kind of resistance here. 41 .i es Or 41 ... l:te5 42 'ii'g 4 and White's queen infiltrates. 42 'iVxh4 ltf8 ..•

Exercise {planning/combination alert): We sense a lack of completion, unfinished business. H ow did Korchnoi overcome Black's fragile dark square blockade? Create a passed pawn . 43 b4! Korchnoi's pawn s and pieces h ave a nasty h abit of unregul ated locom otion - movie­ worthy stuff and the culmination of White's strategy. 43 .td4 43 ... cxb4 44 c5! (White's pawn s slowly trickle forward, the way sweat run s down your back wh en you pump i ron at the gym ) 44 ... dxc5 45 'ti'e7 i.d4 46 d6 is al so game over. 44 bxc5 1-0 White quickly creates passers an d then conveys them up the board. For example: 44 ... i.xc5 (or 44... dxc5 45 d6) 45 'ilfe7 ! .l:f.xf2 46 e 5 .id4 47 exd6 and both d-pawn s will i n evi­ tably promote.

Answer:

...

Game 3 7 O.Rom a nis h i n -V.Korch noi

U S S R Tea m C u p, Tbi l i si 1976 Grunfeld Defence 1 d4 ltJf6 2 c4 g6 3 lbc3 d s 4 lbf3 i.. g 7 s cxd s lbxd s 6 'ii b 3 2 85

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Thi s is a sort of hybrid of Smyslov's variation.

Question: What i s the difference? In Smyslov's line, White plays 5 � 3 . without trading on d5. 6 ... lt:Jb6!? Korchnoi ignores the principle: Swap pieces when cra mped.

Answer:

Question: But doesn't that just strength en White's centre? Answer: It does, but thi s i s the n ature of the G rilnfeld. Black nearly always takes on c3 and then pressures the centre with ... c7-c5. My feeling is thi s trade helps more than h arm s Bl ack. For instan ce: 6 ... tt:Jxc3 7 bxc3 c 5 8 e3 o-o 9 .i.e2 'ii c 7 10 0-0 b6 11 .ia3 lt:Jd7 12 :ad1 e6 13 e4 .i.b7 14 d5 exd5 15 exd5 'ii d 6 16 c4 and Bl ack achieved a satisfactory position, J . Parker-L.Van Wely, Mondariz 2000. 7 e4 White grabs the centre directly. In C. Lakdawala-M . Kh achi an, Long Beach 2002, I tried a more restrained approach with 7 .i.g 5 i.e6 8 'ii' e 2, wh en 8 . . c6?! was awfully passive for Black, who soon got squeezed into a counterplayless future. 8 ... lt:Jc6 9 l:td1 lt:Jb4 is more in the spirit of this opening. 7 ....i g4 If the godfather of pawn grabs declines, then we should all decline! After 7 ... .i.xd4?! 8 tt:Jxd4 (or 8 i.h 6) 8 . 'ii' xd4 9 .i.h 6, White's lead in devel opment, bi shop pair and control over the dark squares offers loads of compen sation for the pawn, A.Kalka-C.Seel, Gel senkirchen 2001. .

..

286

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s

dS The modern interpretation of the line goes 8 �b 5 + c6 g l2Jg 5 ! ? o - o 10 i.e2 i.xe2 11 tt:Jxe2. For example: 11...l2Ja6 12 'iih 3 h 6 1 3 lLlf3 h 5 and now 1 would simply castle; whereas 14 J::!. g 1 ? ! , as in D.Jakovenko- E .Sutovsky, Russian Team Championship 2013, strikes me as artificial and I don 't trust White's position after 14 ... l2Jb4 ! . 8 Jt.. xf3 9 gxf3 c 6 1 0 � e 3 o-o 11 1:!.d1 cxd s 12 l2Jxd s?! It turn s out that thi s natural move i sn't forceful enough. White shoul d try the more rad­ ical 12 exd 5 ! , taking on a weakness in order to cramp Black, R. Buhmann-K.Van der Weide, European Championship, Dresden 2007. 12 l2Jxd s 13 J:.xd s 8

. . .

...

Question: Does White have the zwischenzug 1 3 �xb7 - ? It's a bad idea to go pawn grabbing when lagging behind in devel opment. I don 't like his position at the end of the line 13 ... it"a5 + 14 Jt.. d 2 'iib 6 ! 15 "ikxd5 (15 �xa8? ? l2Jb4! is hopeless for White, who must deal with threats on c2, as well as ...l2J8c6) 1 5 . . .l2Jc6, when Black's lead in development easily outweighs White's rather shaky extra pawn . 13 "ikc7 14 .lte2 t'Llc6 1 5 o-o e6 16 .l:.d3 Both players had thi s position in mind but Korchnoi's assessment was superior. Rom an­ ishin reasoned that White's bish op pair compen sates for his damaged structure, which just isn't the case.

Answer:

...

287

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Exercise {planning): How can Black maximize h i s imbal ance by strategically exploitin g White's structural weakness? Answer: Play for a blockade on e 5 and f4. 16 ... j_es! 17 h 3 i.f4! 18 i.. c s Question: Can White accept the pawn sac n ow? Answer: I wouldn 't. After 18 i.. xf4 �xf4 19 �xb 7 ? ! lt:\e 5 20 l:tb3 l:tab8 21 'it'xa7 l:txb3 22 axb3 ltJxf3+ 2 3 i.. xf3 Wi'xf3 24 'i!Ve3 Wi'xe 3 2 5 fxe3 �b8, Bl ack regains the pawn and White will strug gle to hold the draw due to his wretched structure. 18 ... �fc8!? More ambitious than 18 .. J1fd8. 19 l::i.fd1 'i!i'es ! 20 i.d6 'ilfgs+ 2 1 �h1 lt:\es Black begins to dominate the central and kingside dark squares. 2 2 l:tc3 Question: Can White eliminate some of his troubles by enteri n g an opposite-coloured bishops position with 2 2 i.. x e5 ? -

Answer: Th at would be a serious error, which viol ates th e prin cipl e: Opposite-coloured bish­ ops fa vou r the attacker. 22 ... i.xe5 (threatenin g .. .'ii'f4) 23 l:tg 1 :c1 leaves White h opelessly tied up after 24 �dd1 'ili'f4 25 1:tg 2 l:!.d8 ! . 22 . . .b6 2 3 I!.xcB+ I!.xc8 Advantage Black: 1. He control s the dark squares. 288

Ko rc h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s 2. His pieces h over m enacingly over White's king . 3. White must be watchful for c-file infiltration attempts. 4. White's scarred kingside structure is a sorry sight, with deep fi ssures and precipitous gs cra all around. Houdini mi sassesses this position at close to even . 'ii' a 3 'iWh4 2 5 �2 4 2

Exercise {planning): Should we go for infiltration on c2 now? Answer:

We should refrain .

2 s ... a s

The overh asty 2S ... .l:.c2 ? ? walks into a trap: 2 6 .ie7 ! f6 2 7 'ii'x a7! and Bl ack i s busted. If he takes on e2, then m ate follows: 27 ... .:.xe 2 ? ? 2 8 'ii a 8+ �g 7 2 9 Vi'f8 m ate. 2 6 ..ie7! gS After 26 ... -tg s 27 .id6, Black h as trouble making progress. 27 .l:!.d8+ White's kin g i s safer with the rooks removed from the board. 27 l:!.xd8 28 .txd8 " lowborn filth !" sn eers the bishop to the black b-pawn, as he signs its death warrant. Logic and pl an s of clarity are hidden in sh adow. It seem s as if Korchnoi h as been outplayed. After all , his king side attack appears at an i mpasse, and on the queen side th e time for White's pawn h arvest h as arrived. •••

2 89

Ko rc h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Exercise {planning}: Black m ust fi n d a way to m ake h eadway on the kingside. Fin d one clear idea and the position remakes itself, as if Black's inanimate pieces suddenly came to live and attain ed sentience. Answer: Tran sfer the knight to f4, after which Black's attack fl ares. 2 8 ...lZJg6! 29 i.xb6 .i.es Clearing f4 for th e knight to step in. The preparation s for the attack h ave been lengthy, yet eventful . 30 ..ie3?! Th e bi shops stay close together with an air of complicity. Rom anishin's l ast m ove is an inferior copy of the original pl an . He has better chances at salvaging the g ame if he goes for 30 'ii'x as ! lLlf4+ 31 'it>f1 i.xb2 32 'itt e 1, when th e passed a-pawn at least m akes Bl ack sweat a little. Th e g ame could turn into a queening race between the a-pawn and Bl ack's soon-to-be-passed h -pawn (after he picks off h 3). 30 ...lZJf4+ 3 1 �f1 Romanishin seem s oddly unperturbed by the fact th at h i s king's life h an g s by a thread. Up until n ow, the white king l anguidly continued to ignore the growing mob g athering at th e pal ace gate, citi n g : " We, God's Chosen , cannot be bothered with the petty concerns of the bourgeoisie." Perhaps Romanishin h ad originally inten ded 3 1 i.xf4 'ilfxf4 3 2 �f1 'ifh 2 3 3 'it>e1 �g 1+ 34 i.f1, but then noticed 34 ... i.. d 4! 3 5 'i!Vd3 'ii'xf2+ 3 6 �d1 h 6 ! and White is unlikely to save him self in the queen an d opposite-coloured bishop ending, mainly because his king will n ever know peace and his king si de pawns are fixed on the wrong colour for his bishop. 3 1 ... 'ii'x h3+ 3 2 �e1 Wh1+ 3 3 i.f1 Th e bi shop h ad h oped to evade his implication in th e sorry mess around his king but, un able to do so, grudgingly offered assistan ce. 33 'it>d2 ? 'ii'a 1! is even worse for White. 290

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s

3 3 'ii'xf3 Now White realizes the true extent of the disaster which was once his kin g side. 3 4 �xa s 'ii'x e4 35 'ii'd 8+ �g7 36 'i!Vxgs+ l2Jg6 3 7 'ii'd 8 'i'b1+ 3 8 'i!Vd1 'iVxa2 39 'i!Vc1 ...

Exercise (planning}: Black is a pawn up. Can he just chop on b2 and increase White's deficit to two pawns ? Answer:

Most certainly not! This was a test o f your alertness an d threat awareness.

39 hs! 39 .. .'�xb 2 ? ? walks into 40 �h 6+ �g8 (or 40.. .'it>f6 41 'i'g s m ate) 41 'ii' c 8+ l2Jf8 42 'i1Vxf8 m ate. 40 b4 The passed b-pawn represents White's forlorn hope. 4o JWb3 41 �h6+ White can 't just push th e b-pawn since 41 b S h4 42 b6?? run s into 42 ... i.c3+ 43 �e2 (of course 43 �d2 just drops the b-pawn) 43 ... 1i'c4+ 44 �f3 ctJeS+ 45 �g2 h 3+ ! 46 �h 1 'ii'e 4+ 47 'iith 2 l2Jg4+ 48 �g 3 �eS+ 49 �f4 �d4!, an d if so �xg4 then so ... h2 wins. 41 'iit h 7 42 i.d2 i.d4?! Korchnoi misses a potential g am e ender with 42 ... ctJh4 ! 43 �e2 (or 43 f4 .td4 and White's king can't survive the coming attack; 43 �a6 l2Jf3+ 44 �f1 h4 45 i.f4 h3 al so leaves White h elpless) 43 ... ctJg 2+ 44 'iitf1 'ilfh 3 (Bl ack's queen holds the king's life in the h ollow of her fi st) 45 �d3+ 'ii'xd3 + 46 'itxg 2 h4 and n ot only is Black faster in the race, he retains h i s attacking threats as well. 43 'i'c4 Peril overcome has an emboldening effect. ...

..

...

291

K o r c h n o i: M o v e

by

M o ve

43 ... Vb1+ It feels as if Black's queen has circumnavi g ated virtually th e entire board. Question: Doesn't the side up a pawn norm ally want to take the queens off? Answer: Norm ally, yes, but not in thi s case. Black sh ould keep the queens on because: 1. He controls the more potent attacking chances. 2 . White's b-pawn may g et out of control if th e queens are removed from th e board. Conversely, it isn't so easy for Black to force h i s passed h -pawn through. 44 'iti>e2 'ti'b2 45 1i'c1 'i!Vb3 46 .i.g2 tDes 47 .ie4+?! After 47 'i'h 1 ! 'iti>g 8 (or 47 ... 'i'd3 + 48 'iit d l! 'il'g 6 49 'itt e 2) 48 'iih 4!, it i sn't so easy for Bl ack to make progress. Both sides probably only saw th e line 48 'iVxh s ? ? 'i'd3+ 49 'itt e 1 i.. x f2 + ! . 4 7 ...fs !

292

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s The f-pawn accosts th e marauder, intercepting h i m from h i s goal . Korchnoi correctly w th at his king wasn't as exposed as it appeared. N ow White's bishop is no longer resa fo able to cover both d3 and f3 simultan eously. 48 'it'c7+?! This only helps Black. Rom anishin should quell his frustration and look for a calmer path with 48 'i'c2 'ili'h 3 49 .i.b7 �g4+ so �f1 l2Jf3 5 1 .i.xf3 'iixf3 5 2 'ii' c 7+ �g6 5 3 'i'f4, when White can still put up some resi stance. 48 �g6 49 .ltxfS+!? Playing for tricks. White h as nothing better h ere, since 49 'ifc2 'ii'h 3 so ..tb 7 1i'g4+ 51 'iitf1 lDf3 is n ow completely h opeless. ...

Question: I realize that propriety compels such a dramati c outburst, but is thi s really White's best chance? It seem s th at Korchnoi's "enhanced" interrogation techniques lay waste to even the most determined of wills to resi st. Rom anishin's l ast move of extreme desperation merely accelerates his coming misfortune. But who can blame him ? When one is assail ed with the looming threat of annihilation, our m any thoughts concentrate powerfully into a single one: " H ow can I survive the ordeal ?" H i s m ove is a reason able practical try, even if it fails miserably to Korchnoi's l aser-like calculation skills. Korchnoi h ad probably already worked out that he escaped all perpetual check attempts, even before the sac! 49 .'itxfs Korchnoi is not going to fall for 49 . . . exfs ? ? so 'i'd6+ �f7 5 1 'iix d4. so �h7+ l2Jg6 51 '!Wxh S+ �6 52 ..tgs+ �g7

Answer:

•.

5 3 .i.h6+

Or 53 'ii'h 6 + �f7 54 'Wh 7+ i.g7 and White's checks run out. 5 3 �6 ...

293

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve Probabl y pl ayed to g ain time on th e clock. After 5 3 . . .f7 White's brief fluny of activity stops at once. 54 'ii' b s?! An insign ificant error, since 54 �g 5 + h3 Things are n ot lookin g good. The white kin g ' s situation i s the equivalent of Captain Kirk's, with the Enterpri se surrounded and under attack by three uncloaked Kling on bird­ of-prey warships, and Mr. Scott screaming bloody murder, because shields are down to 12% and failing. Kirk always found a way out, but in real life the rest of us don't fare as well. 39 ...l:.xf2 40 i.xf2 gxf4 41 gxf4 :;txf4 Mecking's fin al prayer is for som e lucky kin d of perpetual ch eck, since the black king is aired out as wel l . He simply lacks the firepower to achieve this result. 42 .tg3 l:.fs Threatening a n asty check on h s . 43 1i'c8+ .l:!.f8 44 'ii'c 4 h s l Anoth er attacker appears. 45 'ii' b s •.•

3 00

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s

Exercise (combination alert}: Perhaps White senses the faintest trickle of counterplay, but if so h i s illusions are quickly dispelled. How did Black end the perpetual check threats and win the bishop to boot? Pin . 4S . . JWg4+ "Oh, look everyone: It's the great and powerful ' King ' ! " decl ares Bl ack's obnoxious queen, as she rudely wiggles her fingers to m ake the air quotes motion . 46 Wg2 h 4 o-1

Answer:

Game 39 J.Ci refe-V.Korc h noi

Lo ne P i n e 1979 French Defence 1 e4 e6 2 d4 ds 3 .!Dc3 i.. b 4 4 es cs 5 .td2

As can be seen several times in thi s book, White usually pl ays 5 a3 here.

3 01

Question: What i s the i dea behind G refe's bishop move? Answer: For starters, White doesn't allow dam age to h i s queens ide pawn structure. And secondly, he threatens a strategic cheapo. Question: What cheapo? Answer: Please see th e g am e continuation ! Korchnoi in explicably fall s into the opening trap ! s ... cxd4?1 Even the greatest goof up from time to time. A legendary GM who just fin i shed a razor­ close m atch for the World Ch ampionship fall s for a simple French trap ! I'm alm ost certain Korchnoi knew about the trap but just forgot - a fact which sh ould give th e rest of us non­ World Champion ship calibre players great comfort ! Correct is s ... ltJe7 6 ttJb s (or 6 a3 �xc3 7 .ixc3 b6 8 �b S + i.d7 9 i.d3 ltJbc6 and Bl ack looks fine, P. Leko-E.Bareev, Wijk aan Zee 199 5 ) 6 ... �xd2+ 7 'ii'x d2 0-0 8 dxc s ltJd7 9 f4 ttJxcs 10 ltJd4 'tlib6 11 0-0-0 ..id7, when I actually prefer Black's chances on th e queenside, since he already own s an open c-file, A.Karpov-J . Nogueiras Santiago, Rotterdam 1989. 6 ttJbs! Targetin g d6. 6 .. ..if8!? .

Question: This looks terribly passive. Why not 6 ... i.cs i n stead? Answer: It doesn 't alter much . White simply tosses in 7 1lfg4 and Bl ack has only painful choices about how to cover g 7 . 3 02

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s 7

'ii"g4

h5! A preamble t o a far-reaching plan, and a n improvement over 7 . tt::l c 6 8 tt::lf 3 a6 9 tt:lbxd4 ! , when White h as m ade an excellent start to the g ame, La.Steiner- I . Kashdan, New Y o rk (4th match game) Brun swick 1930. Note th at 9 tt::l d 6+ ? ! isn't as strong as it first ap­ pears: 9 . . . i.xd6 10 'i¥xg 7 1t.xes 11 tt::l x es 'ii'f6 looks fin e for Bl ack. 8 "iVf4 7

..•

..

Question: Shouldn't thi s g am e be in the Defence chapter? Black h asn't developed a single piece (havin g returned his dark-squared bishop to its starting square) , com­ pared with White's thre e ! I'm beginning to agree with you. But as the g am e g o e s o n , Korchnoi performs am azing alchemy with the stran g e imbalances fate h ands him (along with bad opening preparation ! ) in this g ame. 8 1t.d7 9 tt::lf 3 It m ay h ave been wiser to pl ay the straightforward 9 tt::l x d4 to avoid the subsequent an­ archy. 9 Ji'b6 I have a feeling Korchnoi already foresaw h i s forthcoming i dea. 10 a4 a6 11 a s For now, th e queen side represents ungovern ed, uncultivated land, ripe for the seizing by either sides.

Answer:

...

..

3 03

Korch n oi:

M o ve

by

M o ve

Exercise (critical decision}: Black i s certainly getting pushed around. He can eith er pursue a policy of restraint with ll ..'iMS, or go bonkers and sac his queen with l l . . axb s. Which route would you take? .

.

Answer: The computer says both lines l eads to White's advantage but it mi sassesses on one of them. The queen sac i s absolutely sound - in fact, I feel it is White who has the greater number of problem s. u axbs! Those who serve Black's queen fear her silences more than h er tirades. Thi s universe seem s to be devoid of rul es and there is little certainty in the order of thin g s . Both parties have been roused to maximum tension, whi ch now bubbl es over into open warfare. Some­ how Korchnoi has m anaged to conceal the weakness of his earlier opening moves, and we soon di scover that Bl ack's forces, despite diminutive numbers from a mathematical stand­ point, prove superior to White's less efficient army. Korchnoi's sac is clearly superior to the passive 11 ... 'iWd8 12 ttJbxd4, with a comfortable strategic edge to White, who controls the central dark squares. 12 axb6 A lower ranking officer may daydream of his comm ander being killed in battle, leaving the door open for h i s own promotion . 12 :txa1+ 13 �e2 Korchn oi must h ave been delighted with the unbal ancing turn of events - and G refe correspondin gly ann oyed. Suddenly, White's position doesn 't look so easy to play. H e se­ cured a slight math ematical superiority in the skirmi sh but at dear cost: White's jumbled king side development costs him time and en ergy to ravel and th e perilous positioning of his king provides Bl ack with excellent practical ch ances for his investment. Furthermore, b6 remains weak and is almost certain to fall, which provides Bl ack with rook, kni ght and pawn for the queen - h ardly even a sacrifice from a purely material standpoint. ...

••.

3 04

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a la n c e s

1 3 .t2Je7 Bla ck can al so con sider 13 ... ttJc6 14 ttJxd4 g 5 ! 15 'it'e3 ..tc5 16 c3 ttJge7 17 'iWxg 5 ttJxd4+ 1 8 cxd4 �xd4. 14 tt'l xd4 ttJg6 15 'iie 3 ..tcs 16 'i'c3 �xb6 ..

In the afterm ath I suddenly prefer Black: 1. White's king dangles awkwardly in the middle of the board and will be in danger for some time to come. 2. White i s seriously behind in development, due to his constipated king side. 17 tt'lb3 .l:.a4 18 i.e3 ..txe3 19 �xe3 19 'fkxe 3 ? ? .l:te4 would be a regrettable decision for White. 19 0-0 20 f3? After this passive response White drops his e-pawn as well, while Black's initiative con­ tinues to grow. Perhaps Grefe was better off cutting his losses with 20 'fic7 l:tc8 21 'Wxb7 tt'lxe 5 2 2 'it>d2 ttJbc6 2 3 ..txb5 .l:.b8 24 'ii'x d7 .:txb 5 ! ? (24 ... t2Jxd7 2 5 .txa4 looks okay for White) 2 5 'ii c 8+ 'it>h 7 2 6 'ii'f8, when Houdini says even - though I still prefer Black, whose pieces continue to buzz about and h arass White's kin g . 2o J:tc8! Doubl e attack/overloaded defender. White is unable to cover both c2 and e 5 . 2 1 ii'd 2 ttJxes Korchnoi ' s hit and run strategy begins to take its toll. Black's pieces continue to strike an d th en scuttle away into the safety of sh adow. ...

..

3 05

erves to add to the knight's shame, and yet the strong est re­ oying a2-rook in an attempt to get h i s h ouse in order. On 2 5 ctJa6 ! , h eading for t h e d3-square.

nge Korch n oi decision. Why n ot just develop his knight? tends ... .1i.e8-f7 and ... e6-e S . I think the reason h e m ay be h old­ . to send the knight to d3 (via a6-cS or d7-c5), if White's knight

K o rc h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s Grefe fin ds h i s only source of counterplay in the position : A n open avowal o f cruel i n ­ te n tio n s towards Black's king. 28 .. hxg4 29 .l:.g1J Insi sting on open lines. All of White's motions are compl icit with his h ostil e intent. 2 9 .. lbd 7 2 9 ... gxf3 30 'ii e 3 i.f7 3 1 'i'xf3 gives White attacking chances. 30 .:txg4 tDes Sometimes even as obvious a move as a centralization may not be the best one. Bl ack sh ould counterattack th e weakest point in White's camp - th e b2-pawn - with 30 ....U. cc6 ! , in tending ....l:. a 2 and ... l::b 6 n ext. 3 1 llg3 l:td6 32 h4 l:c7 33 h5 d41? Principl e : Counter in the centre when attacked on the wing. 34 cxd4 lbd 3+1? So the knight arrives at its desired destin ation, if only to be removed at once. The alter­ native is 34 ... l:tcd7 35 'ii c 3 lbc6 36 h6 g S 37 'ii'x c4 lbxd4 38 'Wc8 Ild8 39 'ii'x b7 lbfs, which Houdin i assesses at dead even. 3 5 lbxd 3 cxd 3 36 'ii'x d 3 It's so easy to get caught up in your own plan s and forget the opponent's : 3 6 h 6 ? ? drops the queen to 36 ... .l:!.c2. 36 ... i.xh 5 .

.

Question: Who stands better n ow ? Answer: Let's assess: 1. Bl ack h as rook, bishop an d pawn for th e queen - about even materially. 2 . White's attack has vanished. 3. Bl ack must be on alert for perpetual check attempts as the g ame progresses. 307

K o r c h n o i : M o ve

by

M o ve

4. White must nurse three i solanis - all potential targets. Conclusion : Bl ack has all the ch ances, despite Houdini's claim of a White edge. 3 7 l::t h 3 l::t d s 3 8 �e4 't1e7 3 9 f4 �f7 40 .Mg3

Exercise (combination alert}: H ow did Korchnoi, by means of a tactical expedient, manage to put an end to White's pressure down the g -file once and for all ? Answer: Through the threat o f a fork. The bishop spreads h i s han ds in a "who knew?" ges­ ture. Korchnoi continues to throw obstacle after obstacl e into the path of White's wishes. 40 ...i.g4! 41 i¥117 After 41 l:txg4?! fs (the threatened fork) 42 .l:txg 7+ �xg7 43 i¥g 2+ �f7, I don 't think White will achieve perpetual check, whereas Bl ack's rooks shoul d eventually pick off White's pawn s. 41 . fs 42 .l:td3 l:ted7 43 'ilfl1 1 bs 44 'ilfa1 �f6 45 'It>e3?! Perhaps under the illusion that h e has the initi ative, White defends the d-pawn with the king so as to leave the queen free, whereas he should h ave been thinkin g about con ­ tainment and a draw. In that respect, 45 'i'el i s preferabl e, preventing Black's n ext move (as th e e6-pawn han g s), while if Bl ack tries 4S ... l:t7d6 (not 4S ... .l:rxd4?? 46 'ilfe S+) 46 Wg 3 g S ? ! , then 47 fxg S+ 'it>xg s 48 �e3 + �g6 49 �d2 gives White dang erous counterplay on the dark squares. 4s ... gs! Creating a n ewly passed f-pawn. 46 i¥f1 'it>g6 ..

3 08

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s

47 'iic 1?! A move which forecloses on h i s own chances, since it allows Black a pair of passed pawns. White might still hold the gam e with 47 fxg s e s 48 � 1 ! , i ntending 'ii'h 8, when it won't be easy for Bl ack to dodge the endless checks. Or if 48 ... .ih s , then 49 'Ot>f2 (threaten ­ i n g l:th 3 ) 4 9 ... l:txd4 so l:.xd4 l:txd4 5 1 'ii'c 6+ (getting in an other way) S l...�xg s 5 2 'ii' xb s . If th e queen is denied h er pound of flesh, then she is willing to settle for a few ounces. 47 ... gxf4+ 48 �xf4 lbd4+ 49 .l:.xd4 llxd4+ 50 'it?e5 J:r.c4 5 1 'ii' h 1 l:i.e4+ 52 �d6 �g5 5 3 ct;e7 Probably 53 b4! is White's best chance. 53 .. .l:te2 54 �f7 Grefe fights back with the heroic despair of the damned, but it's probably too l ate to save the game. Even after 54 'iWh 8 es 5 5 b4 'it>f4, it looks like Black i s winning. 54.. .f4 5 5 'Ot>g7 After this move White's emotionally drained forces are utterly incapable of mounting any kind of final stand. 5 5 'ii'h 8 ..lth S+ 5 6 �g7 f3 5 7 '!Wh 6+ �h4 5 8 ct;f6 puts up greater re­ si stan ce, even if it still looks futile after S 8 ... .l:tg 2 ! . s s .. f3 The queen 's lips can be seen silently moving, mouthing curses at the surging f-pawn . Black's pawn s are just too advanced and White l acks a perpetual check mechanism. 5 6 'i'h6+ 'it?f5 57 'it'f6+ �e4 58 'iig 5 .i.f5 59 'ili'h4+ 'itt e 3 6o �f6 f2 Just one step away. 61 �g3+ 'it>d 2 62 11Vc3+ 'Ot>d1 63 b4 .

.

3 09

Exercise (planning): If Black promotes his f-pawn, then White's queen checks on a1. What should Black play? 63 .l!td2 Not all threats should be believed. Korchnoi takes the 'ili'a1+ "threat" at face value. Answer: Promote to a new queen anyway. 6 3 . . .f1�! 64 'ii' a l+ is useless, since 64 ... -tb l+ ar­ rives with check! 64 "ii'f 3+ \tlc2 o-1 Th e queen fail s to exercise the full might of her authority and her checks soon exh aust themselves. " I s it possible for my degradation to sink even further?" asks the queen, to no one in particular. Unfortunately, the answer is "yes". Black forces promotion after 65 "fic6+ �b2 66 ir'f3 .id3. •.•

Game 40 A.Ka rpov-V . Korch noi

Dortm u nd 1994 Queen 's Indian Defence 1 d4 ltJf6 2 c4 e6 3 ltJf3 b6 4 a 3 Petrosian's line of the Queen's Indian. Before developing his queen's kni ght to its most l ogical square, White spends a move to prevent ... i.b4. 4 .i.b7 Sometimes Black plays ... .ia6 to lure White's queen to c2, and only then plays ... .i.b7; i.e. 4 ... i.a6 5 'ii'c 2 i.b7. ...

310

Ko rch n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s

Question: Why would Bl ack waste a tempo l ike thi s - ? The point is that White can't meet ... c7-c5 with d4-d5 anymore, so Bl ack g ets a Si­ cili an-type position after 6 tLlc3 c s 7 e4 cxd4 8 tLlxd4, M.Gurevi ch-V. Korchnoi , Biel lnter­ zonal 1993. s tt:J c3 ds Lately, top GMs h ave been toying around with th e strange s ... g 6 ! ?. For example: 6 'ilic2 i.xf3 ! ? 7 exf3 tt'lc6 8 i.e3 ..tg7 9 o-o-o! ? o-o 10 g4 dS with mutual chances in this sharp, opposite win g castling positi on, B.Grachev-A.Shirov, Jurm ala (rapid) 2013. 6 i.gs The main line runs 6 cxds tt'lxds 7 'i!i'c2 tLlxc3 8 bxc3 cS 9 e4 with about even chances. 6 i. e7 7 'ilia4+

Answer:

...

This line was all th e rage in the 1990s.

Question: What's the idea? White reason s th at any bl ock has a disruptive effect on Black's position. 7 e3 i s the main altern ative. 7 c6 Karpov norm ally finds him self on the Black side of thi s line: a) 7 ... 'ili'd7 8 'iix d7+ tLlbxd7 9 lLlb s �d8 10 cxds tt'lxds 1 1 e4 tLlsf6 12 .i.f4 tLle8 1 3 i.d3 h 6 1 4 o-o-o, when White's central control, coupled with Black's awkward king put Karpov o n the defen sive, L.Van Wely-A.Karpov, Groningen 199 5 . b ) 7 . . . i.c6 8 'iib 3 dxc4 9 ifxc4 o-o 1 0 e3 iLb7 1 1 i.e2 a 6 12 .l:tc1 tLlbd7 13 0-0 b s 1 4 ii'a2 cs and Bl ack equalized, Y. Pelletier-A. Karpov, Biel 1997. c) The most natural-lookin g m ove, 7 . . . tLlbd7, doesn't do so well for Bl ack after 8 ii.xf6 !

Answer:

...

311

K o r c h n o i : M o ve by M o ve .txf6 9 cxd 5 exd5 10 g 3 c 5 11 ..th 3 a6 12 dxc5 bxc5 13 e4! d4 14 tLld5 with advantag e to White due to hi s grip on the light squares, L.Van Wely- B.Jon sson, Akureyri 1994. 8 �xf6

Question: Why did Karpov h and over the bishop pair? Answer: H e foresees a possible h anging pawn s or isol ani future (which, oddly enough, nev­ er comes to pass) and logically plays to reduce the number of bl ack pieces on the board. 8 ... ..txf6 9 cxd s exd s 10 g3 o-o 11 .ig2 tLl d 7 12 o-o

12 ... ..11i. e 7 Question: Wouldn 't ... c6-c5 be m ore logical ? Answer: I t would sharpen th e g am e con siderably. Black's normal plan i s t o g o for thi s move at some point or oth er. For exampl e : 12 ... c5 13 .l:tfd1 cxd4 (13 ... c4? ! 14 e4! dxe4 1 5 tLle 5 fa­ vours White) 14 ttJxd4 tLlc 5 1 5 �c2 "ii' d 7, E.Ghaem Magh ami-M.Ardeshi, Asian Team Ch am ­ pionship 2005, and White stan ds slightly better after 16 e 3 . I n this g ame Korchnoi tries a stran ge experiment: H e never pl ays . . .c6-c5 at all , in stead optin g for .. .f7-f5, which h as the effect of confusing Karpov. 13 lUd1 fs l ? Korchnoi elects t o enter a Ston ewall Dutch style position . H e cl aimed th at th e move is " a b i t unsoun d positionally", yet justifi ed i t by saying that i f Kasparov (World Ch ampion at the time) can play the King's I n dian (an un sound opening in Korchnoi ' s eyes!), then Korch ­ noi can pl ay the Stonewall Dutch ! 14 e3 .td6 15 ttJe2! Reshuffling the knight to d3, after which both white knights eye th e weakened e 5 square. 312

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s

15 ... ii'e7 1 6 tt'lf4 a s 17 tt'ld 3 bs!

Question: Doesn 't thi s move all ow White pressure o n the backward c6-pawn ? In thi s case, no. Black plans to follow with ... a4, ... tt'lb6 an d ... tt'lc4, effectively plug­ ging the c-file. 18 'i'c2 a4! 19 Ile1 g1! ? Karpov waivers, perhaps fearing that h i s th oughts h ave been accurately read by Korch ­ noi. Karpov claimed the correct plan for the position was the set-up l:th l, ii.f3, h 2 -h 3 , l:tcg 1, then move his king to dl, followed by g 3-g4 with advantage. But i s thi s really so? Korchnoi correctly m entioned that in thi s plan White's king would be unsafe, since Black could pl ay for a well -timed ... c6-c S ! break after all . Alternatively, White might l eave his king on the kin g side after .l:tcgl, an d reorg anize with :g 2 and 'ifi>g 1 before playin g g 3 -g4. Even so, it's not clear wh at White really achi eves by thi s plan - give him the moves absolutely for free and Houdin i slightly prefers Black (as long as he doesn't take on g4 of course). 21 "ii'e 8! To free the c8-bishop from babysittin g duties on c6. 28 'ii'c 2 'it>h8 29 ll'lf2 Karpov plays for a g 3-g4 break, but then decides it is too risky wh en Korchnoi sets his pieces up specifically to deal with it. 29 .. .llg7 30 .Ue2 i.c8 3 1 .:f.ce1 lUgS! Thi s pretty much ends White's hopes of g 3 -g4. The position remai n s in stasi s until White's next risky move. 3 2 ll'lxc4? With a throw of the dice, Karpov overpresses, giving up his strong knight, and embarks on a plan inherently at odds with h i s own self-interest. Thi s innocuous-looking move is the driving force which alters White's n atural destiny and drives him to strategic penury. 3 2 ... bxc4 Not 32 ... dxc4? 33 fxg s hxg s (or 3 3 .. Jhg s 34 ll'lh 3) 34 e4, breakin g strongly in the centre. 33 'ti'xa4 White win s a pawn at the heavy cost of ceding the initiative entirely and, in particul ar, allowing Bl ack heavy compen sating pressure down the newly opened b-file. .•.

314

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s 3 3 fl b 7 34 tt::l d 1 Thi s unfortun ate knight, which must now protect the b2-pawn ad infi nitum, operates un de r a sense of estrang em ent - a disconnect - to those around it. 34 h s ! . . .

...

Question: What i s s o risky about White's pawn grab. His king l ooks safe enough, surrounded by so m any defenders. Let's list the position 's i mbal an ces first, in order to assess it properly: 1. White i s a pawn up. 2 . White's a-pawn is passed, meaningless for n ow, but rel evant should pieces be re­ moved from the board l ater on. 3 . Black h as the bishop pair, m eaningless for n ow, but relevant shoul d th e position open up l ater on . 4. Black exerts pressure down the b-file, tyin g down White's kni ght. s. White's exchan g e effectively condemned his e-pawn to th e apparently perm anent status of weak and backward. 6. Bl ack m ay either try and open the kin gside with a future ... h S -h4, or try a slower squeeze play with th e pl an ... g 5-g4, ... h S -h4-h 3, after whi ch the weakened back rank un­ comfortably adheres to White's king like a filthy g arment. Conclusion : Bl ack h as more than enough compen sation for the pawn and I actually pre­ fer his ch ances. 3 5 'iilf2 .td7 36 \Wc2 'ti'g6 Threatening ... g s xf4, followed by ... h S-h4 ! or even ... .Jtxf4 ! . 3 7 �f1 h 4 Scary stuff. White can only await events. 3 8 :tf2 g4!

Answer:

315

A brilliant strategi c decision . N eedless to say, most G Ms would retain the king side pawn tension . In thi s case Korch noi pl an s to continue with ... h4-h 3, with a choking space advan ­ tage, and possible back rank tricks if the other side opens up later on . 39 �g1 .l:rgb8 40 'iVe2 40 gxh4 i.. e 7 simply swaps one probl em for anoth er and is no improvement. 40 ... h 3 ! Condemning White's back rank t o eternal vulnerability. 41 i.f1 i.. c 7 42 b4? A rare in stance of a poor strateg i c decision from Karpov (his second in thi s g ame ! ) . Tal 's most salient characteristic was his utter l ack of remorse for an unsound sac. So how much more jarring i s it when we see Karpov - n ormally a model citizen on such m atters - engage in shady decision-maki n g ? Here we witness a case of degenerage (better n ot to google this "word"): l ashing out upon seeing your position degenerate. Karpov's thinly disguised con ­ fusion attempt i s certainly not an offer made in good faith . White is willing to incur appall­ ing peril to fight the tide. Apparently, resentment reached boiling point as Black's forces continued to prosper upon their l abours.

Question: Desperation ? Thi s looks m ore like insanity. Answer: Korchnoi said he failed to con struct a win in th e analysis if White simply awaited events and sat tight, but added th at the main reason Karpov pl ayed this move is th at he hated, more than anything el se, to g et outpl ayed strategically! And so Karpov l ashed out, allowing his position to degenerate further. 42 ... cxb3? ! Korchn oi says nothing about thi s natural reply, but I feel i t is inaccurate. Much stronger is 42 ... .l:.a7 ! 43 1!ib2 l:tba8, when White's entire queenside structure collapses. 43 lt:lb2 i.d6 44 a4 'ii e 6 4 5 .l:tdl? 316

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n ce s

Exercise (planning): Karpov reels. His l ast m ove was another error. H ow can Black exploit it? l:!.a7? Answer: Principle: Open the position ifyou own the bishop pa ir. Black wins after 4S ... c s ! 46 dxcs i.xcs 47 .:!.d3 .l:.e8 48 lt:Jd1 b 2 ! (deflection) 49 tbxb2 i.xe3 . 4 6 .i:!. d 3 � h 7 He shoul d still go for 4 6 ... c s ! , though i t doesn't have t h e force it did last move. 47 'iVdl cs! Hooray! 48 Itxb3 l:txb3!? 48 ... c4! 49 l:txb8 .txb8 leaves Bl ack with a clear advantage. 49 'ii'x b3 c4 so "it'b6 �as 4S

...

31 7

Exercise (combination alert}: White seem s to be battling a ri sing tide of h elplessness, but appearances deceive. Karpov has an amazin g resource which suddenly takes over the initiative. Wh at did he find? Answer: Karpov wakes up and makes a fight of it with a visually stunning, impossible-yet­ possible pawn break.

51 e4!! "God's rod strikes harder and more painfully to the wicked when assisted by the h and of th e humble," declares th e once backward e-pawn . 5 1 ... fxe4 No choice. 52 f5 'ii e 7 5 3 t2Jd1! Th e knight, once sagging an d in ert, is tran sferred back into the fight on its m ost fa­ vourable post, e 3 . 5 3 ...l:tb8 54 'iia 5 .i.c6 5 5 f6 'itl'e6 56 t2Je3 l1b3 Korchnoi dubbed this move a mistake, preferrin g 56 .. .'�g 6, though in th at case 57 'iid 2 !, followed by 5 8 t2Jf5, i s quite dangerous.

57 'ii'a 7+!? White can al so opt for the chaotic 5 7 f7 i.f8 ! (57 .. Jlxe 3 ? ? loses on the spot to the clever zwi schenzug 58 'ii'd 8 ! ) 58 'ii d 8 'ii e 7 59 'ii' x e7 ii.xe7 60 t2Jxg4 �g7 61 l2Je5 �xa4 62 .i.xh 3 an d it's anybody's game. 5 7 ... .i.b7?! Now th e advantage swings to Karpov. Black holds the bal ance by throwing thin g s at the white kin g : 57 ... i.d7 ! 58 t2Jxd5 ..txg 3 ! 59 hxg 3 .l:r.xg 3+ 60 h l e3 6 1 lLlf4 .l:!.g l+! 62 �xg 1 exf2+ 6 3 �xf2 g 3 + ! 64 �f3 ! 'ii g 4+ 6 5 'it>e3 g2 66 i.xg2 h x g 2 67 t2Jxg 2 'ii' g 3 + 68 �d2 'itl'xg 2+ 69 �c3 'ifd5 70 'ii c 5 .ft.e6 7 1 'ii'x d5 .i.xd5 with a draw, since White simply pushes his a­ pawn down the board to eliminate Bl ack's last pawn .

318

K o rc h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s ss as !

Korchnoi's suggestion 5 8 ii.e2 ? ! runs into S 8 .. .'i!i'c8 ! and White i s suddenly busted again. For example: 59 i.xg4 "ii'c 7 ! (targetin g g 3 ) , 5 9 tbxg4 c3!, 5 9 tbxds e3!, or 5 9 as ! ? i.b8 60 'i'cs 'iVxc s 6 1 dxcs i.a7 ! . s s i.fS? ...

Exercise (combination alert}: Amazingly, Black's l ast move fl at out loses. What did both players miss h ere? 59

l:.f4?

Answer:

White wins by the deeply hidden variati on 59 a6 ! ! (deflection) 59 'i!Vxa6 60 'ifb8 ! ...

i. c 8 61 'i!Vc7+ 'it> g 8 62 tbxds l:tf3 6 3 tbe7+ etc. 59

...

i.h6 60 f7 .txf4!

319

Exercise (critical decision): White m ust deci de: U nder-promote to a kni ght, forking th e black king and queen, or m ake a new queen himself. One line remains even; in the oth er, White loses. Which would you play?

61 fS'iV?? A fatal misassessment. Korchnoi's thinking pattern s contain the rem arkable property of inducing a high percentag e of " ! ! " and " ? ? " m oves from his opponents - all in the sam e game! After thi s move White l acks key defenders for his king , wh o realizes h i s fortunes and his very life are forfeit. Only by underprom otin g does White escape defeat: 61 f8 N + ! 'it>h 6 62 gxf4! ! (no points unless you saw this move as well : th e whole i dea of the knight check was to gain time to take the bishop, not to take th e queen; Karpov must h ave missed this trick and only ana­ lyzed 62 tl:\xe6?? i.xe3+ 63 'it>h 1 .l:!.b 1 ! , when 64 ... ltxf1 m ate cannot even be postponed) 62 ... ii'f7 63 ii'cs :txe3 64 'ii'd 6+ 'it>g 7 (not 64 ... 'it>h s ? ? 65 'ii'e 5 + 'it>h 6 66 'ii'g 5 m ate) 65 tl:\e6+ �g6 66 tl:\f8+ �g7 67 tl:\e6+ is drawn . 61 ... i.xe3+ 62 'ilfh1 i.h6 Houdini assessm ent is now -9.04; i .e. completely resignable for White ! Amazingly, de­ spite his two queens White is h elpless against Black's m ounting threats on th e h opelessly weak back rank. 63 'ii'f 2 i.g7 Why remove the bishop from its powerful diagonal ? 6 3 ... Wg6 ! was stronger. 64 a6 .l::tf3 !

6 5 'ii'e 1 Promotion attempts fail miserably for White: a) 65 axb7?? l:txf2 66 'it>g l 'fif7 forces mate. b) 6 5 'ii'xf3 ?? exf3 66 axb7 f2 ! 67 b8'ii' (a third queen ! ) 67 ... 'ii'e 4+ 6 8 i.g2 fl'ii' mate. 320

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s

ii. xa6 66 .ie2 :!f7 67 'iic s c3! A practical deci sion, swappin g off White's key defender of his weakened l i ght squares. The temptin g 67 ... e 3 ? ! (threatening ...�e4+) would allow 68 'iVb1+!, when thi n g s are less clear, but 67 ... l:.b7 ! first would win . 68 �cxc3 .lit.xe2 69 'ii'x e2 'iif6 70 �c1?! .lit.h6 Return ing to its optimum diagonal with tempo. 7 1 'ii' b 1 The relatives of a n otorious criminal tend to be asham ed, as if they themselves are the c ulp rits. ( I have a di stant rel ative who i s apparently th e reigning mob kingpin of Mumbai wanted for multiple murders, drug smuggling, extortion and a host of other charges! Just goog le " Lakdawala" an d his name norm ally pops up ahead of mine. Well, at l east he is good at what h e doe s ! ) White's queen s act in just such a way towards th eir now desperate kin g . 6s

.•.

Exercise {planning): There are two paths to Black's win . Find either - or both - of them. Answer #1 :

Step 1: Cover g4.

11 .. ."iffs

The simpl e ] 1 ... 1i'f3 + ! al so wins: 72 'it'xf3 gxf3 (White is h elpless ag ain st the pawn armada) 73 'iS.?g l �e3+ 74 'if;fl lk7 and ... .:tel+ follows. 72 'iii> g 1 Step 2: Transfer the rook to the c-file and threaten ... .l:.cl, to whi ch there is n o defence. 72 J�c7 ! 0-1 A shudder run s through the room at the rook's entry, while 73 'ii e el i s met by 73 ... 'ii'f 3, forcing m ate. "I will separate them from all th at they cherish," thinks Black's queen, as she approaches her brother and two sisters. Sh e derives an exquisitely perverse pleasure from

Answer #2:

•.

321

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve the knowledge th at her fam ily remain s h elpl e s s within the n et of h er dark power. Korchnoi' s m agic often grew cold and inert upon entering Karpov's terrible real m , as if froze n in a block of i ce - but n ot in thi s g am e.

Game 41 K.Sasikira n -V. Korc h noi

B led Olym piad 2002 Nimzo-/ndian Defence 1 d4 tt::\f6 2 c4 e6 3 tt::\ c 3 �b4 4 'iVc2 o-o 5 a3 i.xc3+ The first imbal an ce arises: White's bishop pair versus Black's lead in development. 6 'ilxc3 d6 H aving exchanged off h i s dark-squared bi shop, Black logically seeks to switch his struc­ ture to the opposite colour of h i s rem aining bishop with ... d7-d6 and an eventual ... e6-es. 7 f3 ! ?

A n ambitious but risky line. White seeks to annex central territory with e2-e4.

Question: Why risky? Answer: White is already behind in development and n ow, rather than trying to catch up, pursues strategic g oals in stead. 7 i.g s and 7 tt::\f3 are m ore commonly pl ayed here. 7 cs •..

Question: Doesn't thi s viol ate the principl e: Don 't open the game when you r opponent has the bishop pair?

322

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s Answer: I t is possible t o follow and viol ate principles with the same move. Here Black fol­

lows the principle: Open the ga me when leading in development - which, from my experi­ en ce, tends to be the m ore potent of the two. Oth erwi se Bl ack can proceed more cautiously with 7 .. .'�W e8 8 e4 es 9 i.e3 tbc6 10 tbe2 as 11 dS 0.e7 with a rather strang e hybrid of the Nimzo-lndi an and Sami sch Kin g ' s I n dian, where I prefer White's ch ances, B.Gulko-M.Adam s, H astings 1989/90. s dxcs dxcs 9 �gs tbc6 10 e3 In N.Castan eda-V. Korchnoi, Montreal (blitz) 2004, White got too ambitious and played 10 e4?, whi ch weaken s th e d4-square. But thi s isn't the biggest probl em for White.

Exercise (combination alert}: H ere Korchn oi replied with the logical and consistent 10 ... e s , but he m issed a better move. Do you see it? Answer: Unpinning /double attack/excel sior. 10 . ..ltJXe4! steal s a pawn in broad daylight: 11 i.xd8 (or 11 Vxg 7+ �xg 7 12 il.xd8 l:txd8 1 3 fxe4 .l:!.d4 ! ) 11...tbxc3 12 i.. c 7 tbd4! 13 'ittf2 ltJa4.

1o es 11 ..td3 After 11 l:.d1 'i'as 12 tbe2 i.e6 13 ..txf6 gxf6 14 :lc1 l:tfd8 1 5 tbg 3 fS, Bl ack l ooks slightly better since he h as deprived White of his bi shop pair, continues to lead in developm ent, an d own s more space, Zhou Jian ch ao-Zhou Weiqi, Chinese Championship, Xinghua 2013. 11 \I!Va s ! ? The queens trade exasperated glan ces. Thi s was a n e w idea at t h e time. ...

...

Question: What is the point of the queen swap? Answer: There are two: 1. Korchnoi pl an s to add heat to the c4-pawn with a knight on as and bishop on e6. 2 . Bl ack i s unafraid of i.xf6 since ... g7xf6 strengthens his central influence and removes 3 23

K o rc h n o i: M o ve by M o ve the bi shop pair from his oppone nt's hands. Afterwards, Korchnoi suggested th e refi n ement 11...h 6 ! 12 .th4 (or 12 it.xf6 'i!i'xf6 13 �e4 �f5) 12 ...'1i'a5 . Th en 13 liJe2 .te6 (13 ... e4 14 fxe4? ! liJg4 improves on Korch noi's posi­ tion in th e game, but 14 ..tc2 ! still looks good for White, J . Rowson-M. Drasko, French Team Championship 2008) 14 i.xf6 g xf6 15 b3 f5 was equal, M.Mchedlishvili-S.Tivi akov, N a­ khchivan 2013. 12 ttJez e4?1

Question: Is thi s sac sound? After all, White can take queens off the board. Answer: It's probably not such a good m ove, but Korchnoi g ot away with it! H i s thought pattern s differ starkly from the elegance of Capablanca or Fisch er. Korch n oi's move algo­ rithm i s m ore tortured, atonal, and som etimes outright unsound! H ere he offers a pawn sac to damage White's structure an d set difficult practical problems. Objectively the move m ay be dubious but only if White finds the correct response - which he doesn't. Thi s is a typical Korchnoi decision, in that his moves seem to answer our questions with yet m ore questions. The ulterior m otive to Bl ack's gen erosity is to hand White a set of dou­ bled e-pawn s an d take control over e5. The problem is th at White can decline the sac, after which Bl ack stands worse. 1 3 fxe4?1 Houdin i says thi s move i s okay for White, but I don 't like it. I h ave a feeling Sasikiran as­ sessed the position too generously in h i s own favour, whereas the actual assessment is closer to equality, with all the practical chances on Black's side. White's doubled, isol ated e­ pawn s are an eyesore and Bl ack seizes control over the e5-hole on his next move. N on-compliance is White's m ost promising plan, following th e principl e: Ifyou own the bishop pair, then keep the pa wn structure fluid. Th erefore White shoul d prefer 1 3 .tc2 ! (but not 1 3 it.xf6??, whi ch drops a piece to 1 3 ... exd3 14 .txg 7 'i!Vxc3+ 1 5 .ixc3 dxe2 ) 1 3 .. Ji'xc3+ 324

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n ce s (o r 13 ... exf3 1 4 gxf3 'ti'xas 1 S b3) 1 4 CUXC3 exf3 1 S gxf3 cu e s 16 j,xf6 gxf6 17 cuds ! with the in itiative. 13 . .. LZ:l g4! Pr e paring to apply the blockade on es. 14 �f4 � e6 The plausible 14 ... CUge S ? ? h an g s a piec e to 1S �xes . I shudder to think just how m any of my gam es h ave ended in such moments of ignominious boneheadedness. 15 .l:!:d1 It's very difficult to get it right, from White's perspective, but I ask: Just wh at i s "right" in this position ? Altern atives lead to unclear position s as well : a) 1 S '1!!Vx as (to deflect the knight away from e s ) 1 s ... cuxas 16 h 3 cuf6 17 .l:!.c1 .l:.fd8 18 : c3 li:xd3 ! 19 .l:.xd3 cuxc4 offers Bl ack suffi cient compensation for the exchange. b ) 1S b3 (covering the sen sitive C4-point) 1S .. .f6 16 'ifxaS CUxaS 17 h 3 CUe S 18 �c2 bS ! ? 19 �xe s fxe s 2 0 cxb s ..txb3 2 1 ..txb 3 + cuxb3 22 .Ua2 a6 ! and Black may even stand better, th ou gh I feel White should hold the g am e since he remain s a pawn up after all . 1 5 ... f6! " N ow the e s -square is under Black's control and h e has at l east enough compen sation for th e pawn," writes GM J ohn Emms. 16 h 3 lUges 17 .i x es fxe s 18 'iVxa s cuxa s 19 .l!tc1 l!:fd8 20 l:i.c3

Exercise {planning): Black leads both structurally and developmentally. Come up with a plan for Korchnoi to seize the initiative. Answer: Principle: Create confrontation when leading in development. So Korchnoi decides upon a philosophy of m aximum intervention on the queenside, by playing for ... b7-b 5 ! while White i s ill prepared t o deal with the fight. 2o .. .l:.ab8! 2 1 b3 .

325

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve Not 2 1 o-o?! b S ! 2 2 cxb S c4! 2 3 .i.c2 .l:!.xb S 24 l:tb1 l:tdb8 and Black regains h i s pawn with a clear advant age. 2 1 ... b S ! 22 cxbs t:bxb3 2 3 a4 Sasikiran plays without a sense of urgency, spending time on a move th at isn 't yet compl etely necessary. In stead, White may just be h anging on after 2 3 1iif2 (not 2 3 o-o? c4! 24 i.xc4 i.. x c4 25 .:.xc4 t:bd2) 23 ... t:ba5 (or 23 ... c4 24 .txc4 .i.xc4 25 .l:txc4 t:bd2 26 l:.a4) 24 �b1 c4 25 .i.c2 t:bb3 26 a4. 23 .. J�d6! Threatening to double on th e d-file and infiltrate at d2. 24 'it>f2 The hum an move. Houdini found an amazing defence for White with 24 i.. c 2 c4 2 5 t:bg 1 ! ! . For example: 2 5 ... t:ba1 2 6 t:bf3 t:bxc 2 + 2 7 .l:Ixc2 a6 2 8 o-o! axb 5 2 9 axbs l:txb5 3 0 ltJg 5 . White passed a defen sive threshold and life from this point will be a lot easier. 24 ... l:Ibd8 25 JLC2 C4 26 �e1 1Id2 2 7 � g3 ? ! The kin g puts aside h i s crutch and attempts t o walk o n h i s own . Again, thi s pl an feels too laid back, too removed from the dire urgen cies swirling about White's position . H i s king shoul dn't b e running from the action when i t i s needed t o cover critical squares. 27 .l:.b1 ! , intending �e1, m ay yet h old the g ame. Bl ack can try 2 7 ... ltJd4!, but White is under no obligation to accept the sac and continues to h ave chances to draw after the calm 2 8 i.d1! t:bxe2 29 il.xe2 1:ta2 30 'it>e1 l:lxa4 3 1 b6. 27 .. J1f8!

Korchnoi continues to revise and resh ape the position to fit neatly into the m ould of his requirem ents. Sometimes it i s possible to feel our way past th e complications, even if we don't fully understand them. White must fin d a good defen sive line or he collapses.

Exercise (critical decision): White's choices are 2 8 .i.b1, 2 8 i.. x b2, and 2 8 J.d1. Only one offers room for h ope, the other two lose. What would you play h ere?

326

K o r c h n o i on Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n ce s

i.d1? Flyin g blind is disconcerting for any pil ot and White's solution t o h i s troubles evades h im . Bl ack's respon se proves this move to be a waste of time. Korchnoi revel s in such con­ fusio n, where pieces bob and float like ramen noodles, until it becomes difficult to distin­ gu ish friend from foe. No better is 28 �xb 3 ? cxb3 2 9 l:lc6 b 2 ! 30 llxe6 l:r.xe2 3 1 l:.b1 .l:f.ff2, when White is para­ ly sed by the enemy b-pawn . An swer: 28 �b1 ! i s his best shot to save him self. For example: 2 8 . . . ttJcs 2 9 'it>h 2 ! ttJxa4! {2 9 . l:!.f2 is m et by 30 l:te2 ! lbxe4 31 l:.xd2 lbxd2 32 'it>g 1 and White survives) 30 l:la3 lt:\ c s 3 1 lt:\ c3 :ff2 3 2 .l:.g 1, when i t isn't easy for Black t o m ake progress {alth ough I suspect Korchnoi woul d manage to do so!). 2 8 lt:\c s ! 29 �c2 28

..

...

Exercise {planning}: A single truth is verifi able. We all sense a breakthroug h . H ow did Korchnoi force h i s rooks to the seventh rank? Answer:

Step 1 : Force .i.xd3.

29 lbd 3 ! •••

With this move Bl ack l ays bare the underlyin g weakness i n White's position, and Sas­ ikiran has no way to devise any kind of solution to cope with the threat. The preliminary 2 9 .. .l:If6 ! , intending ... lt:\d3 ! next move, was very strong too, since White has n othing useful to do him self. 30 ..txd 3 cxd 3 3 1 lt:\c1 Now White's knight is forced to move, allowing rook entry on f2. Step 2 : Jump in. 3 1 J1ff2 " It's 'seventh heaven ' for th e rooks," writes Emms of this move. .

..

Ko r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

3 2 lbxd 3 capturing th e oth er way with 3 2 .l:i.xd3 allows 3 2 ... .l:!.xg 2+ 3 3 �h4 �f7, followed by ... g 7g 5 mate. Question:

Answer:

How does Black break through if White simply defends g 2 with 3 2 l:lg 1 - ?

The allure of a breakthrough combin ation continues to tantalize. Find it.

Exercise (combinQtion Q/ert}: Black to play and win : Deflection/promotion. 3 2 . . .l:.xg 2+! (anyway!} 3 3 llxg 2 llxg 2+ (the accompli ce shares parti ally in guilt with the one who actually commits the crime} 34 'it>xg 2 d2 and, oddly enough, White has no way to prevent queening. 32 ... .l:.xg2+ 3 3 �h4

Answer:

328

K o r c h n o i o n Exp l o i t i n g I m b a l a n c e s

Exercise (combination alert}: Form a mating n et around the white king, who soon breaks under the questioning of the I n quisition . A nswer:

Korchnoi's solution emerges with merciless clarity. Access to h s is th e key to the

n et. 3 3 ... i.d71 I ntending ... .i e8 and ... g 7-g 5 m ate. 34 tt::lx es gS+ 35 'iil> h s .lteS+ 36 Wh6 l:td6+ o-1

C h a pte r F ive

Korchnoi on Acc u m u l ating Ad v a nta ge s

A Master friend of mine once speculated th at the reason Korchnoi was able to h ang in there again st Karpov - when all others withered under th e Karpovian strategic g aze - was that Korchnoi relied on his power of tactics, cal culation and endgame mastery to make up for his "lousy positional pl ay" ! I was stunned at the last three words of his sentence. In this respect, Korchnoi, like Las­ ker before him, is deeply mi sunderstood. Some players are perfectly capable of excellent positional pl ay, but never seem to get around to it, mainly because some preposterous tac­ tical idea pops into their heads, distractin g from the original strategic theme. In Korchnoi's g ames, tactics and odd (sometimes even unhinged!) ideas always lurk on the periphery, like some angui shed, rejected lover, who continues to stalk a form er sweetheart. I would place Korchnoi firmly in this category. H i s ambition to create always superseded his need for the practical . In this ch apter, we look at examples of Korchnoi's praxis where he actually chooses to beh ave him self and play purely positionally. Take a look at G ame 43 and tell me wheth er you think Black's moves contain even a trace of "lousy positional pl ay"!

330

K o r c h n o i o n A cc u m u la t i n g A d v a n t a g e s

I n thi s position, Korchnoi ( Bl ack ) , doing a perfect imitation of Botvinnik, put a monu­ mental squeeze on Hubner, who was n o strategic slouch himself.

Game 42 A.Mata n ovic-V. Korchnoi

World Student Tea m C h a m pion s h i p, U ppsa l a 1956 French Defence 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d s 3 tDc3 .lib4 4 es b6

The aton al Bron stein Win awer, one of my favourite lines from the Black side. In 1 9 5 6, this variation must h ave come as an affront to rationality to anyone playing White. In thi s game Matanovic looked utterly baffled by t h e th en rel atively n ew i dea. 331

Ko rc h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Question: Why wouldn 't Black chip away at White's centre with the normal 4 ... c 5 - ? Answer: Several reason s: 1. In the main lines, Bl ack h ands over the bishop pair to White, which often produces headaches on the dark squares for the remainder of the game. 2 . Black plans to cover against 'ii'g 4 with the tauntin g ... i.f8 ! , wh en Black rem ains gross­ ly behind in development, yet White, often to his frustration, has no obvious m ethod of opening the position to exploit this fact. Anoth er option is 4 ..."ii' d 7, intending to m eet 5 'ii'g 4 with 5 .. .f5, covering g 7 l aterally, and then follow up with ... b7-bG and ... .taG as in the m ain g ame. 5 "i!Vg4 White goes after g 7 . The m ain altern ative i s 5 a3 and then : a) 5 ... .txc3+ (the sharper respon se) G bxc3 'ii d 7 7 'ii'g 4 f5 (the point: Black covers g 7 lat­ erally, as after 4 . . 'ilkd7 in the previous note) 8 'iVg 3 .taG (Black swaps off his bad bishop and eliminates White' s bi shop pair in one swoop) 9 i.. x aG tt:JxaG 10 tt:Je2 tt:Jb8 11 t2Jf4 g8 14 h4 tt:JbcG 1 5 l:th 3 l:tf8 1G .l:.g 3 .l::tf7, when White's attacking chances balance out Black's superior structure, M . Kh achiyan-C.Lakdawal a, Century City 2002. b) s ... ..tf8 (more consistent ! ) G lDf3 tt:Je7 7 h4 hG 8 hs as 9 .tb 5+ cG 10 .ta4 tt:Jd7 1 1 tt:Je2 b5 12 .i.b 3 c 5 13 c3 tt:JcG 14 0-0 'ilic7 15 1:le1 c4 (Bl ack stakes all his hopes on the queen side) 1G .tc2 tt:JbG 17 i..f4 i.. e 7 18 .tg3 l:tb8 19 tt:Jh 2 "ii' d 8 20 tt:Jg4 b4 2 1 axb4 axb4 22 cxb4? ! (opening the queenside only helps Bl ack; I woul d go for 22 tt:Jf4 b 3 2 3 i.b1 'ilid7 24 tt:Je3 and slowly prepare f2-f4-f5) 22 ... tt:Jxb4 23 .ltb1 .td7 24 b3 .l:!.a8 2 5 .:txa8 'ifxa8 2G bxc4 tt:Jxc4 (no­ tice that White lacks a single target on the king side) 27 tt:Jc1? .

332

K o r c h n o i o n A cc u m u la ti n g A d va n t a g e s

Exercise (combination alert): Black t o play and win m aterial. 27 . . . i.a4! (step 1 : ch ase White's queen from defence of d4) 28 'ti'e2 'ifa7 ! (step 2 : the d4-pawn, which White is now compl etely un abl e t o cover) 29 lt::l e 3 �xd4 3 0 attack tt:lxc4 dxc4 3 1 'iifl? ! 0-0 and White resigned, G . Kaspar ov-V. Iva nchuk, H orgen 199 5 . Thi s game, Kasparov's only l o s s with t h e white pieces in a ten year period, i s a n amazin g exam ­ pl e of the hidden power of Black's system. s .i.fs

Answer:

...

Question: How can Black be okay h ere, so far behind in space and development? H e is yet to develop a single piece ! The position i s deceptive. White m ay h ave space but Bl ack has access to the quick­ er pawn breaks with ... C7-c5 or (a very distant future ! ) .. .f7-f6. Secondly, White's develop­ mental advantage isn 't as wonderful as it appears, since he has no easy way to open the game. 6 tt:lf3 Today, m ost pl ayers go for lines like: a) 6 .i.g s 'ii d 7 7 f4 .ta6 8 lt::lf3 ..txf1 9 .litxf1 lt::l c 6 10 o-o-o lbge7 1 1 'iih s h 6 12 i.. x e7 i.xe7, followed by ... g 7-g6 and ... h 6 -h S , continuing to frustrate White in his attempts to open the game, A.Shirov-M. Rivas Pastor, Leon 1 9 9 5 . b ) 6 a4 lt:Jc6 (to keep a check on a4-as i deas) 7 i.. b s .i. b 7 8 lt::lf3 (8 as a 6 costs White th e bi shop pair) 8 ... a6 9 .i.e2 'ird7 10 0-0 lbge7 1 1 lt:Jd1 lt::lfs 12 c3 and I was h appy with the re­ sult of the opening, E .Sevilliano-C. Lakdawal a, San Diego (rapid) 2007. 6 .'ii'd 7 7 a3 This move seems unnecessary (Bl ack h as already retreated his bishop ! ) ; both 7 i.. g s and

Answer:

..

333

K o rc h n o i: M o ve by M o ve 7 i.bS l ook like superio r altern atives. 7 .ta6 A standard manoeuvre in thi s variation : Black swaps off White's good bishop, while eliminating the bishop pair. Bl ack can also try 7.JiJe7, hoping White moves his f1-bishop, after which ... �a6 picks up a tempo. For example: 8 b4! ? (again 8 .tg s looks better) 8 ... c6 9 .l:lb1 ttJfs 10 .td3 i.a6 11 b s (preventing the exch an g e of bishops but furth er weakening his structure) 1 1 ... cxb S 12 ttJxbS ttJc6 1 3 o - o h S 14 1i'f4 g6 1 5 h4 i.e7 16 g 3 , R. Bogdanovic-T.V. Petrosian , Sarajevo 1972, and here Bl ack h as the trick 16 ... tLlb4 ! 17 axb4 i.xb s with th e advantage due to a su­ perior pawn form ation and greater influence on the light squares. 8 ..txa6 ttJxa6 9 o-o tLle7 10 tLle2 .••

Question: What is the point of thi s retreat? Answer: Dual purpose: 1. White can support the d4-pawn with c2-c3 if Bl ack challenges it l ater with ... a-c s . 2. White tran sfers the knight t o t h e kingside, h i s th eatre o f operation s. 10 tZ:Ib8!? ...

Question: Okay, same question as l ast tim e ! ? Answer: Black, behind in development, i s unwilling t o break with . . . c7-c5 s o soon . S o h e re­ deploys the knight to c6 and pl an s to castl e queenside. Nevertheless, I would probably have gone for 10 ... cs, which looks more n atural . Even if White tries to open it up with 11 dxcs, I don 't see any great problems for Black after 1 1 ... tZ:Ixcs ( 1 1 ...bxcs ! ? 12 c4 would g et m e nervous) 12 ttJed4 lL'lg6, despite White's control over d4. 11 i.gs 334

K o rc h n o i o n A cc u m u la t i n g A d va n t a g e s White fin ally develops his bi shop, intendin g t o cause i rritation in Black's cam p and pro­ vo ke . .. h 7-h 6. 11 ... ttJbc6 12 b3 White logically hopes to open the gam e with an eventual c2-c4 but fails to take into ac­ count th at, when he does, Black won 't be all that far behind in development anymore. Fur­ thermore, Black may generate pl ay against d4. 1 2 ... ttJfs 13 tDg3 I would prefer 13 :tfd1 h6 14 'M1 3 , to try and keep the irritatin g bishop on g S for as long as possible. 13 ... h6 14 .i.d2 g6

Black secures th e fs-outpost. 15 'i!Vf4

Question: Does White g et any structural benefits if h e exchanges on fs ? Answer: It's an idea, but thi s may backfire and actually help Bl ack, since it all ows rolling kingside pawns. Let's look: 1 5 tDxfS ! ? exfs 16 'ii'g 3 gS (16 ... tiJ d8 might be met by the clear­ ance sac 17 e 6 ! ttJxe6 18 ttJes 'ii d 6 19 .l:tfe1 with the threat of ttJxg 6 ! next move) 17 h 3 0-0-0 and Bl ack seems to have benefited m ore.

15 ... ..te7 16 I:tfd1 g5 ! A required prelude t o Bl ack's attacking ambitions. For the first time in the gam e, Korch ­ noi begins to make hostile overtures in th e direction of White's kin g . It's hard to interpret benevolent motivations behind Korchnoi's move, so now open warfare i s un avoidable. 1 7 ifg4 ttJxg3 Rejecting a draw, which was h i s if he wanted after 17 ... hs 18 ttJxh s ti:Jh 6 19 'i¥g 3 ttJfs etc. The powerl ess queen is reduced to a speechless fury and is forced to prance around at Black's whi m . 335

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

18 ifxg3 0-0-0 19 i.. b4?! Matanovic circl es the truth of the position without actually touching upon it. This l ooks like a cl ever way to exch ange bi shops but in actuality turn s out to be a waste of time. 19 ...fs!

20 exf6?! Now Black's position begins to generate startling activity. It is understan dable that Ma­ tanovic wanted to avoid 20 i.xe7 'Wxe7, which woul d allow Black's king side pawn mass free reign to surge forward, while White's queen rem ains in sullen silence on g3. All the same, I think White's chances were better i n thi s version . 20 ... i.xf6 2 1 .:tac1 As it turn s out, White's attack is slower. 2 1 ... h s More accurate i s 2 1 ...'ii g 7 ! , which slows White down further by forcing h i m t o block his c-pawn with 2 2 i.c3. 2 2 C4 22 l2Jxg s ? is foolish since it only opens lines against h i s own kin g an d doesn 't even win a pawn after 2 2 ... l2Jxd4. 22 ... g4 2 3 t2Jes Thi s allows Black to plug th e e s hole with a pawn . But 2 3 cxds ? ! 1\Vxd s ! i s even worse for White, whose retreatin g position begins to spin out of synch . 2 3 ... i.xe s l 24 dxe s d4

336

Ko rch n o i o n A c c u m u l a t i n g A d va n ta g e s

Ruling out any possibility of a n open c-file. What was once a single issue dilem m a (White's weak light squares), n o w blossom s into two more: 1. There can be no action without an actor. White's attack i s now at a standstill, where­ as Black's attack is just beginning . 2. Bl ack acquired a passed d-pawn, destined t o roll forward with terrible, constricting force. 25 'i'f4

Question: Why can't White continue his attack with 25 cs - ? Answer: The cost of h an ding Bl ack control over d S is too high after 2 S ... 'i'ds ! 2 6 cxb6 axb6, when e s i s loose and Black al so threatens ... h S -h4-h 3 ! with deadly effect.

as!? Korchnoi ' s reckless n ature displays itself. Bl ack would be better o ff omittin g thi s move, which only makes him vulnerable to future b 3 -b4 line-opening ideas. 26 .id2 Th e bi shop hopes to disengage from the dissension and secure d2. 26 .. .'i' h 7 ! Taking control over d3 and the light squares. Korch noi prepares the push of both h i s h ­ and d-pawn s. 2 7 l:te1 If 27 b4 l:Idf8 28 iVg 3 'iif s (threatening ... h S-h4 ! ) 29 iih4 (or 29 �el h4 30 'i¥d3 'ifxd3 3 1 I!.xd3 axb4 3 2 axb4 1:.f4 and e s falls) 2 9 . . .ltJxes 30 bxas bxas, White i s in no position t o ex­ ploit Bl ack's queen side weaknesses since h e faces far greater threats on the other side. 2 7 Ithf8 2 8 'iig 3 d 3 ! I t become s painfully clear that Matanovic i s h opelessly out of h i s depth h ere strategi­ cally. Let's take stock: 2s

•..

•..

337

1. Black's advanced d-pawn h as a suffocatin g effect on White' s position . 2 . The stain of White's weakened light squares remains indelible. 3 . Bl ack's kingside attack i s far m ore potent than White's non-existent attack on the other side. We dig est the raw data and a con sen sus em erg es: White is strategi cally busted, beyond hope of repair. 29 cs bS Stymied ag ain. Bl ack n aturally keeps the queen side as blocked as possible. Houdini, which lives in a strange universe, recom m ends the baffling 29 ... bxc s ! ? - a m ove no sane hum an would con sider, even if computer an alysis backs it up. It looks far better to stay simple and go with Korchnoi's hum an choice. 30 'i'e3 �d s l Bl ack's pieces m ake them selves a t h o m e on the light squares. 3 1 i.. c 3 b4 Seizing more territory, even in White's backyard. It is a bad sign when an oppon ent be­ gins to get ambitious on your strong wing ! 3 2 axb4 axb4 3 3 .id2 'iffs Absolute domination . es falls. The queen m oves from the fringes of society to its central hub in one swoop, while h opi n g to open doors an d win dows to catch a glimpse of White's weakness at f2. 34 .l:lf1 l'!xes 3 5 1i'h6 �b7 Note h ow absolutely safe an d carefree Black's king remains. 36 :c41 The rook eng ages in a bit of sophi stry, threatening a last-ditch cheapo with �f4, which fails to fool Korchnoi . 36 ... .Uf7 3 7 i.xb4 Technically an error but not really since everything el se l oses as well. 338

K o r c h n o i o n A cc u m u la t i n g A d v a n t a g e s

Exercise (planning): Come up with a clear attackin g plan for Black. Target f2. 3 7 lle2 ! Now the white kin g ' s isolation grows m ore acute with each passing move. 3 8 il.. d 2 e s ! Houdini says thi s i s even stronger th an taking o n f2, though everyone el se o n plan et earth would h ave pl ayed 38 . . . Itxf2 (sh ared grief often creates an inseparable bond in a family - in th is case, White ' s ! ) 3 9 l::tf4 .l:xf4 40 :Ixf4 'ii'x c S+ 41 'it>fl Itxf4+ 42 �xf4 'ii'd s with a completely winning position . 39 i.e3 d2! 40 l:ta4 If 40 i.xd2 (the bishop takes umbrage at the d-pawn 's intrusion ), then 40 ... J::t xf2 now mates, since White l acks the .l:.f4 defen sive m ech anism. N ow we see the idea behind Korchnoi's super-accurate 3 8th move.

Answer: ...

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Exercise (combination alert}: White's brief glimmer of h ope is destined to end abruptly and with absolute fin al ity. How did Korchnoi break through ? Answer: Annihil ation of king's cover/o verload.

40 ... :txf2 ! 0-1 After 41 �xf2 ("th e heart of hum anity is a wicked abode," bemoans th e bishop) 41 ... 'ifxf2+ ! , Black promotes the d-pawn and forces mate in two m oves.

Game 43 R. H u bner-V. Korchnoi

Sol i ngen (1st matchga me) 1973 English Opening 1 lL.lf3 lZ:lf6 2 c4 g6 3 lLlc3 d s 4 cxd s lZ:lxd s

Th e Neo-Grilnfeld. Question: What is the "neo" part of the opening ? Answer: The opening i s a Grilnfeld, with White h aving withheld d2 -d4. I actually prefer this version to the Grilnfeld proper, since it denies Bl ack the n orm al pawn target on d4.

5 g3 Altern atives: a) 5 �a4+ .i.d7 6 'tWh4 (6 'Wb3 i s al so played h ere) 6 ...lL.lxc3 7 dxc3 e5 8 �g 5 i.e7 9 e4 lLlc6 10 �c4 and I prefer White, who is ready to seize th e open d-file. b) 5 e4 lLlxc3 6 dxc 3 ! ? (I h ave h ad great success with this cowardly system ; my philoso340

Korch n o i o n A ccu m u la ting A d van tages ph y - i f queens come off the board then i t becomes difficult for m e t o hang mine ! ) 6 . . . 'ifxd1+ 7 'iif.? x d1 f6 ! (more accurate than 7 ... .1g 7 ? ! 8 .if4 cs 9 'iif.? c 2 0-0 1 0 a 4 and White h as an edg e. especially after 10 ... a6?! 11 as, intending t2Jd2-c4, C.Lalxe3 �e7 was equal , V.lvanchuk- I . Nepomniachtchi, H avan a 2010) 10 'i.t>c2 'iif.? e 7 11 lb d 2 tLld7 12 b4 lbb6 1 3 ..ltb3 ..te6 14 a4 as 1 S i.xe6 'i.t>xe6 16 ..ltxb6 cxb6 17 'iif.?b 3 an d White h ad th e better chances in the ending, C. Lakdawal a-M. Duesterwald, San Diego (rapid) 2007. s . .. i.g7 6 i.. g 2 es 1 o-o Here 7 tLlxdS 'Wxds 8 d3, as in H.Mecking-V. Korchnoi, Augusta ( 10th m atch game) 1974, White's most accurate move order since it lures th e black queen to ds. perhaps is 7 ... t2Je7!

Question: Why would Black retreat an already developed piece? Answer: Two reason s : Firstly, he follows th e principl e : The side with more space should a void exch a n ges . Secondly, he doesn't want his queen forced to dS after all, as in the previous

note. 8 d 3 t2Jbc6 9 i.d2 o-o 10 l::tc l t2Jd4!

A new move at the time - an d a good one.

Question: But doesn't it viol ate the pri n ciples: Don 't move a piece more than once in the open ing; and: Don 't s wap when you own more space? Answer: Opening precedent - even centuries old - should be discarded like old rags if you discover it counter-productive. Korchnoi's move does indeed violate both principles, yet it is still good. His idea: White has difficulty tolerating the knight sitting on d4 and may swap it away at some stage (in fact straight away in the game). When this happen s, Black increases his space advantage with ... e sxd4 and creates a backward pawn on e2 on an open file. 341

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11 tt:Jxd4 Every g ame bar one in the database has White exchanging on d4 h ere. I would probably opt for 11 tt:Je4 ! ? and just try and ignore the kni ght, as in E.B.Meyer-M.Vukcevich, US Team Champion ship 1979. 11 ... exd4 12 tt:Je4 h6 In order to avoid i. g s tricks. 13 �b3?! Hubner g ets lured into a temptin g yet in correct hypothesis. A pure piece-pressure plan again st th e bl ack queen side doesn't work out well for him, since h e simply g ets pushed back. Question: Wouldn't it be m ore n atural for White to seize queen side space with 13 b4 - ? Answer: Th e move is playable and i s what I would h ave chosen - th e troubl e i s th at it weaken s c3. White woul d n eed to be on con stant alert for ... lLldS-C3 tricks. 13 ... b6! 14 �C4 Not 14 tt:Jf6+?? �xf6 15 �xa8, since 1S ... �e6! 16 iVa4 'ii'x a8 17 .l:i.xc7 i..h 3 is clearly hope­ less for White. 14 ... c6 15 ..ltb4 ..id7! The best response, after which White g ets push ed back big time. Instead: a) 1S ... c s ? ? fail s to 16 tt:Jxcs bxcs 17 'ii'x cs ! and White regains his lost piece with interest. b) 1S ... �e6 16 �xe7 �xe7 17 'i'xc6 i.. x a2 18 'ii'd 6 looks about even . c) 1 5 ... 1Lg4 16 h 3 ! �d7! i s similar to the game, except th at White has achi eved h2-h3 for free. (16 ... �xe2?? l oses to 17 �fe1.) 16 'Yi'a6 cs 1 7 ..ia3?! With hindsight, 17 j_e1 may h ave been the best method of minimizing Bl ack's edge.

342

K o r c h n o i o n A c c u m u la t i n g A d va n t a g e s

Exercise {plonning): ft seems White's strategy h as been successful, targeting the queens ide and preparin g b2-b4 to chip away at the p awn ph alanx. H ow did Korchnoi shake off the pressure and increase his territorial g ains ? Step 1: Chase White's queen from a6. 1 7 ... �c8! This move m ay seem arbitrary but, as we soon discover, it's al so necessary. Trying to prev ent b2-b4 with 17 .. .'�:Jc6 ?? fail s to 18 tt:Jxc s ! bxcs 19 i.xc6.

A ns wer:

18 "Wa4

Step 2 : Clamp down on White's b2-b4 break. 19 'ifc2 Hubner decides not to reciprocate or respon d in any way to Bl ack's taunts and so enters upon a policy of selective exclusion. In this in stance, White's dark-squared bishop soon langui shes in irrelevance on a3. Hubner probably feared the line 19 tt:Jxc s ! ? bxcs 20 i.xa8 i.d7, wh en Bl ack picks off the second piece (on a8) for the rook, leaving White's king in etern al danger on th e surroundin g light squares. 18 ... a5!

Question: Shouldn't White go for this line over the slow death which Hubner chose for himself? At least in thi s one, Black's queen side pawns begin to fall and White g ets a m odicum of counterpl ay. Computer an alysi s proves thi s line m ay even be worse for White than the game. For exampl e: 2 1 'i'c4 (perhaps 2 1 ..ic6 ..ixc6 sh ould be con sidered - at least it lures Black's bishop away from h 3 ) 21 ... 'i!fxa8 2 2 l:tfe 1 (not 22 'ii' x cs? ..ih 3 an d wins) 22 .. Jk8 2 3 ..ixcs h s ! 2 4 a 3 ..ih 3 2 5 f3 tt:Jfs i s awful for White. 19 ... tLid s White experiences serious difficulties and we begin to fathom the magnitude of Korch­ noi's vast ambition s : 1. Bl ack h as greatly increased his space advantage. 2 . White's dark-squared bishop i s badly out of play, and attempts to revive it with b2-b3 only weaken the c3-square. 3. White's e2-pawn rem ains backward on an open file, and therefore a perpetual target. If he tries e2-e3 to swap it off, Black will indeed exchange and saddle White with weak pawn s on d3 an d e 3 . 4. Th e consequences of 1-3 are th at White h a s little option oth er than t o await events passively. 20 l:!.ce1 .U.eS 21 b3 White picks his poison, deciding to free his a3-bishop at th e cost of weakening c3. 21 ... lla7 ! Methodical play. Black prepares t o swing h i s queen's rook over to e 7 , targ eting e 2 .

Answer:

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K o rc h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

2 2 .tb2 �ae7 2 3 'ii'd 1 fs l Pushin g White' s only well-pl aced piece back, while clearing th e e-file and weakening White 's control over C 3 . 24 lLld 2

24 ... bsl? Another brilli ant strategic deci sion. Wh at a squeeze ! Black intends ... b5-b4 a n d . . .lLlC3 with a crushing bind. There i s something to be said for simplicity too: Black al so g ets a fan­ tastic position after 24 ... ctJc3 2 5 .ixc3 dxc3 2 6 ctJc4 b s 2 7 ctJe3 l:txe 3 ! 28 fxe 3 .l:i.xe 3 29 l:!.f3 .td4. 2 5 i.xd S+I A surreal panorama. The voices in the mad bishop's h ead are not happy about his deci ­ sion to commend his soul to the chess gods and fling him self off the l edge. Intuition i s that miraculous process that overrides logic and extern al an alysis. Hubner's pent up rage burns h otter and hotter, until he has no choice but to l ash out. H e vetoes his previous way of life an d decides to fight back, in curring appalling risk, with a fin al sh ake of the dice, realizing that only blind luck can save him at this stage. Yet thi s anomalous move turn s out to be White's best shot at saving the g ame. It was either this or await the in evitable ... 'Llc3 . 2 S 'ii'xd s 2 6 f 3 a41 Black's territorial ambition s surpass those of any dictator's dreams. Korchnoi turn s his g aze to the queen side. 27 ltf2 The a4-pawn can never be taken , as th at woul d allow ... c 5-c4-C3, when White can re­ sign. 2 7 .l:.a7 2 8 'ilfc2 �e6 29 l:!.b1 gS Gulp! Korchnoi h as gone m ad with power and clearly wants to take over the entire world. 30 i.c1 a 3 1 31 'Lif1 • • .

•••

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K o r c h n o i o n A cc u m u l a t i n g A d va n ta g e s

Exercise {planning): White's cowering pieces are not a pretty picture. How did Korchn oi increase his advantage and win m aterial ? Answer: Pawn breakthrough - how el se? By seizing more space ! The position shifts from one context to another, yet in the end nothing really changes for White, who rem ains

busted. 31 ... c4! It isn't wise to be too tightly bound to a single ideal . Psychol ogically, I would h ave great difficulties in playing such a move.

Question: Why? Answer: Bl ack's position is so awesome an d so pretty, I would be fearful of any ch ange which might alter it. To decl are that Korchnoi feel s comfortable acting on impul se is a

gross un derstatement. Yet here h e worked out the ramifications and after-effects to per­ fection. 32 bxc4 bxc4 3 3 lll d 2 cxd 3 ! The point: a 2 falls. 34 exd 3 34 'ii x d3 'it'xa2 is equally miserable for White. 34 ... 'ii'x a2 35 'ifxa2 .ixa2 36 l:!.a1 Regaining his lost pawn ? 3 6 ... l:l.c8! No. Bl ack h angs on to his extra pawn, as we shall soon see. 37 lllf1 .id s 3 8 .!:.xa 3 White relied on this trick, but Korchnoi h ad seen deeper. The game wandered into a 345

K o rc h n o i :

M o ve

by

M o ve

pure calculatio n battle, Korchnoi's dom ain, where all who dare enter are subject to h i s law and his rules.

Exercise (combination alert): Both sides worked the position out to thi s point after Black's 31st move. How did Korchn oi en sure that White didn't regain h i s pawn ? Answer: Double attack. 38 .. Jba3 39 ..txa3 l:tc3 Simple and effective. 40 ..ib2 l:txd 3 41 ltd2 ! A strong defen sive m ove. White utilizes a trick t o exchan g e o ff Black's m ost active piece. 41 ... l:.xd2 42 tt:lxd2 f4! Fixing a pawn weakn ess on f3 . 43 gxf4 gxf4 44 ..ic1 44 'itf2 d3 ! 45 ..ixg7 xg 7 leaves White h elpless, as the bl ack king stroll s over to d4. 44 ... d 3 ! N o reverse gear. Through out thi s gam e, Korchnoi's dream i s boun d by a single wish : I want more ! Thi s game is one of the most m agnifi cent examples of th e art of seizing and exploiting a space advantage I have ever seen . It takes great judgment to appreciate that the d-pawn will not become weak l ater on . Th ere i s no realization more painful than to see with absolute cl arity your own bl eak and unavoidabl e future. Hubner must h ave under­ stood at thi s stage th at his position was beyond salvation . 45 �g2 �f7 46 tt:lb1 Hoping to reorg anize by mean s of a discovered attack on f4. 46 .. i.a2 ! "The power o f th e bi shop pair compel s you! Return from whence you came, vile, un ­ natural creature ! " i ntones the bishop, who fancies him self a GM-strength exorcist. Note .

346

K o r c h n o i o n A c c u m u l a t i n g A d va n t a g e s that 4 7 tDa3 ?? walks into th e clever overload 4 7 . . .i.b2 ! , winning a piece, since 4 8 �xb 2 ? allows t h e d-pawn t o promote.

lDd2 The itinerant knight stops to rest, but only for a mom ent, until the forces of zugzwang drive him away once more. 47 .ltd4 48 ttJf1 .ies 49 lDd 2 �d s so lDb1 Compared with the position at move 46, Black has th e extra move ... i.es, defending his f-pawn. s o 'it>e6 51 SLd2 h 5 Korchnoi i s determined t o push every single pawn he own s a s far a s they'll go! H e i n ­ ten ds to prod this o n e all the way t o h 3 . 52 .ib4 � d 4 5 3 ttJd2 i. e 3 54 � c 3 'it>f5 5 5 tDf1 h4 56 ttJd 2 �g6! Clearing the path for ... .ie6 and ... h 4-h 3+. 57 i.a s .ie6 5 8 tDe4 58 h 3 stops Black's intention, but then he acquires yet another target in White's h 3 pawn. Play m ay follow: 5 8 . . .�6 5 9 .lt c 3 + d7 63 ..tc3 'it>d6 64 .i.b4+ �c6 65 i.c3 �bs Zug zwan g . 66 \tel .tg1 l Overloading the knight. 67 'Llf1 i.xf3 68 .td2 1 Hubner continues t o put up stron g resi stance, like a m an walking into th e wind. Sub­ mi ssive sufferance can be tough on the ego, yet is sometimes a necessary tool to increase our survival chances. H ere he m an ages to reduce the number of pawns on th e board, which is generally desirable for the defending side. 68 ... .ie21 69 i.xf4

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K o r c h n o i o n A c c u m u l a t i n g A d va n t a g e s

Exercise (critical decision): Wh at should Black d o n ow? I s it worth chopping the knight on his next move? Ans wer: Yes. Simplification i s the best way to consolidate.

. J.xf1! Acc urately calculated. Bl ack gives up th e "correct" bishop for his h-pawn, so White migh t draw if he can sacrifice his own bish op for the d-pawn . But Korch noi has worked it all out and, with th is sequence, forces through a brand new queen . 70 'it'xf1 The entire foundation of the white king ' s life has been ripped from him, th e way a sin­ gle survivor of a fatal car crash m ay lose his entire family and be left alone in th e world in the flash of a single terrible in stant. 70... i.cs 71 'it>e1 'ot>c4 72 �d2 i.b4+ 73 �e3 Staying in front of the pawn is no good either, as after 73 �dl �d4 74 ..ic7 'it>e4 75 ..ib8 ..ic3 ! 76 i.d6 ..ie 5 ! , Bl ack wins. 73 .. .'�C3 74 'it>f2 'itt c 2 0-1 There is no defence to ... ..id2 n ext move: a) 75 'it>g 3 i.d2 76 i.c7 ..iel+ and Bl ack promotes. b) 7 5 �f3 (or 75 �fl) 75 ... ..id2 76 i.d6 (76 i.g 3 ..ic1 77 i.el ..ib2 ! is the same theme) 77 i.cl 77 i.b4 i.b2 !, followed by ... i.C3 and wins. 69

.

.

Game 44 V.Korch noi-B.Spassky

Ca n d i d ates fi n a l (7th m atch ga me}, Belgrade 1977 Queen 's Gambit Declined 1 c4 e6 2 lDc3 ds 3 d4 �e7 4 lDf3 lDf6 5 ..igs o-o 6 e3 h6 7 ..ih4 b6

349

K o r c h n o i: M o v e by M o v e

The Tartakower variation of the Queen 's G ambit Declined is one of Black's m ost solid choices again st the queen 's pawn openin g s - and Spas sky is one of the system 's all-time great pract itione rs. 8 �c1 i.b7 9 i.xf6 This delayed exchan ge on f6 was very popul ar at th e tim e of thi s game - an d all throu gh the 1980s .

Question: It appears to me as if White simply lost a tempo by playing i.h4 and then �xf6. What is the point in the delay? Answer: You are correct. White did i n deed hand Bl ack a full tempo - th e point of which is to lure Bl ack's bishop to b7. If White h ad chopped on f6 immediately, Black's bishop could be devel oped to the more active e6-square. g i.xf6 10 cxd s exd s 11 b4 Clamping down on Black's ... c7-c5 break. 11 ... c6 Or maybe not ! - after 1 1 ... c 5 ! ? 12 bxc5 bxc5 1 3 dxc 5 (13 i.b5 ! ? scores well here) 1 3 ... tt:ld7 14 tt:lbs l:tc8 15 i.e2 tt:\xc5 16 o-o, Wh ite's control over d4 and play against the d5i solani are compensated by Black's bishop pair an d active pieces, V.Akopian - N . Sh ort, Lina­ res 1995. Spassky prefers the restrained approach , h oping to m ake good use of h i s bi shop pair later. This way he can prepare a future ... c6-c5 or hold back on it. 12 i.e2 tt:ld 7 13 o-o as 14 bS .•.

Question: Why doe s allow Black a bypass like this when White can simply pl ay 14 a3 to retain the bind?

350

K o r c h n o i o n A cc u m u l a t i n g A d v a n t a g e s No o n e has ever tried your suggestion I assume because Black can trade o n b4 at some stag e, followed by ... b6-bS and ... ltJb6, though White can then play for e 3 -e4. Let's lo ok: 14 ... l:te8 1 5 .id3 axb4 16 axb4 b S 17 e4 ctJb6 18 e s i... e 7 (now b4 is under attack) 19 e6 ! ? (speculating) 19 .. .fxe6 20 i.b1 ii.xb4 2 1 'ii'd 3 'ii'f6 22 ctJe S and if 22 .. .'�i'fs 2 3 'ii' e 2 'it'f6, White can either go for it with 24 f4 or offer a draw by repetition after 24 'ii'd 3 . 1 4 ... cs 15 dxcs Now dS h an g s so Black i s forced into an i solani position, but not such a bad one since is h pieces remain active. 1s ... ltJxcs 16 ctJd4 Eyeing c6. 16 .. 'ii'd 6 Black can't simply dissolve his i solani away with 1 6 ... i.xd4 (16 ....l:.c8 1 7 .ig4 .l:tc7 18 �a4! also offers White an edge) 17 'ilfxd4 ctJe6 1 8 'ii'e s d4, since White pin s with 19 .l:tfd1 and I don 't believe Black has full compensation for the pawn . 17 .t g4 Ruling out ... l:Ic8. 17 .. J1fd8 18 .l:!.e1 ltJe6! Principl e : The side with the isola ni should fight for the blockading square immediately in front of it. 19 i.xe6! ? O n c e mischief enters Korchnoi's head, h e just can 't seem t o restrain himself. 1 9 ctJce2 i s the safe alternative. 19 . .fxe6 20 ltJc6 Korchnoi reveal s his clever idea. 20 . . i.xc6 2 1 bxc6 Answer:

-

.

.

.

21 ... .txc3!?

Black isn't abl e simply to wave away his worries in thi s m anner. After Spassky's move 351

Korch n o i: M o ve by M o ve Black's position becomes h arder to navigate, since White's passer is more deeply embed­ ded than Black's prospective counterpart on the d-file. He should meet Korchnoi's inten ­ tion head on with 2 1 .. .'it'xc 6 ! 2 2 lLle4 ii'd7 (or 22 .. .'it'b7 2 3 lLlxf6+ gxf6 24 ii'g4+ c3iff7 2 5 'ifh 5 + �g 7 with a draw) 2 3 lLlxf6+ gxf6 2 4 'ij'd4, when White reg ai n s the pawn with a dou­ bl e attack, but Black looks okay after 24 ... �g 7 2 5 'it'xb6 l:tdb8! 2 6 'ifd4 .l:!.b4 27 'ii' c 5 .l:.a7, as it isn't easy for White to exploit Black's slightly weakened kin g . 2 2 l:txc3 .:tacS 2 3 'i'c2 e s Spassky prepares t o create his own passed d-pawn . 24 c7 l:d7 2 5 l:tc1 d4? From tim e to time we all freak out when we sense control over our fate slippin g from our grasp. After this move Spassky retreats from the correct pl an into th e awaitin g arm s of anguish . In stead, 25 ... 'it>h 8 ! 2 6 .:tc6 ii'e7 27 g 3 d4 28 'ifc4 d3 (help arrives, as wel com e as a fragrant breeze through a rose g arden) 29 'ti'a6 l:cxc7 30 .J:.xc7 l:.xc7 3 1 .l:.xc7 'ij'xc7 3 2 'ii'x d3 i s a likely draw. 26 l:.c6 'ii'd s 27 'ikb1! d3 28 'ii'x b6 d 2 Passers on both sides, humming with reproductive energy, race for the eighth rank spawning grounds. 28 .. .'ii x a2 29 h 3 ! d2 30 l:.d1 comes to the sam e thing, or if 29 ... .l:.f7 then 30 'ii'a 6 ! 'ifxf2+ 31 'iti>h 2 'ii'f5 32 e4! 'ir'f4+ 33 'it>h 1 �ff8 34 'ir'xd3 and Bl ack has l ost h i s passed pawn . 29 .l::!. d 1 'iix a2 30 h 3 ! White creates luft for his k i n g and threaten s ii'h7 ! . Not yet 30 'ifb7? because of 30 ... 'ii a4! , when pl ay works out to a draw after 3 1 'i¥xc8+ 'iii>h 7 3 2 h 3 ! 'ii'x c6 ! 3 3 �xd 2 ! "ii'c1+ 34 'iii>h 2 'iix d2 35 'i'b8 l:txc7 36 'ti'xc7 ( Donev) . 30 .'Wa4 Nor can Black save him self with 30 .. 5.th 8 3 1 'iib 7 'ii g 8 3 2 �c2 a4 3 3 I1dxd2 .Ucxc7 34 'it'xc7 ! .:txc7 35 .l:txc7, as White's rooks should be able to m op up the advanced a-pawn and then target Black's king , without walking into perpetual check. ..

352

Korch n o i o n A ccu m u la ting A dvan tages A chess player's life - at least when at the board - i s o n e of endless deception. oi 's resourcefulness of discovering unorthodox solution s to exceedingly difficult rchn Ko probl ems is l egendary.

Exercise (combination alert}: Korchnoi found a hidden tactic in the position. With one powerful stroke h e lays bare Black's long concealed weakness. Where? Answer: Temporarily give up a rook to eliminate Black's passed d-pawn .

31 l:.xd 2 ! Black carried th e freight o f all h i s h opes o n h i s d-pawn , which n o w ceases t o exist. 31 ... l:!.xd2 3 2 �b7! A move which reveal s White's expectations. H e regains th e l ost material with a winning p osition at the end. 3 2 ... :f.dd8 33 cxdB'iV+ l:txd8 34 l:.c7 ! Black suffers from a deviated septum in his position, with g 7 at its root. Spassky must cough up h i s e-pawn, and his once vibrant activity vanishes, the way the memory of a vivid dream seeps away upon awakening. 34 .. .'i16a 1+ 3 5 'it'h2 e4 3 6 'ilfxe4 'iVf6 3 7 f4 'ii'fB 3 8 lla7 Let's assess: 1 . Korchnoi methodically targets the a-pawn by mingling threats on g7. 2. His king is safe and free from any worries about perpetual check. 3. Black's kin g , on the other h and, isn't so safe, and h i s queen and rook are relegated to passive posts in order to defend him. We arrive at an inescapable conclusion : Bl ack is busted. 38 .. .'ifcs 39 'ili'b7 'i'c3 40 �e7 .l:.fB

Exercise {planning}: Come up with an attacking plan for White.

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M o ve

Answer: Push the king side pawn majority forwar d. 41 e4! Threatening to cut off Black's queen n ext move with e4-e 5, which al so m ean s the fpawn is imm un e. 41 ... 'ii'd 4! 42 fs h s O r 4 2 . . a4 4 3 l:rd7 ! �f6 (not 4 3 .. .'ilc3 ? 44 e s with the sam e interference theme) 4 4 'ii'xf6 gxf6 45 .l:ta7 wins. 43 l:txas Pawn number two falls. White's only rem aining concern is to avoid perpetual check. 43 .. JWd2 Threatening both .. .'i¥xas and ... 'ii'f4+. 44 'ii'e s ! Multi -purpose centralization : Korchnoi defends the rook, protects again st the perpetual check, while retaining his own coverage on g 7. The peripatetic queen seem s to exist in multiple locations simultaneously, as if there were two of her. She is a powerful presence and the centre of the position ' s gravity, with all others g athering in respectful orbit around h er. 44 ... 'ii'g s 45 l:!.a6! .l:tf7 46 :g6 'ilt'd8 .

Exercise (combination alert}: How did Korchnoi put an end to Spassky's resistance? Answer: Pin /overload. 47 f6! All of White's attackers, who h ave transformed into mon sters from a child's nightmare, point to g 7 in accusation . Black's king cal l s them awful names - all of which are true. 47 ... h4 N othi n g can save Black at thi s stage: if 47 .. J:txf6 48 'i!Vxf6 'ilfxf6 49 l:txf6 g xf6 so �g 3 , 3 54

Ko rch n o i o n A c c u m u l a ti n g A d v a n ta g e s Wh ite easily wins the king and pawn endi ng . 48 fxg7 1-0 It doesn't matter that 48 'ili'e6 ! was even stronger: 48 ... 'it'c7+ 49 es �f8 (th e kin g's grim­ ace is th at of a man who must bear misery too heavy to be borne) s o fxg 7+ litxg 7 51 'ii'f6+ (or 51 l:.f6+, forcing another winning pawn ending) 5 1 ... .l:tf7 5 2 'iih 8+ h 2 i.d6+ 3 1 .ig 3 IU2+! an d White i s unlikely even t o hold a draw) 29 . . .lDf3+ (otherwise two pieces h ang simultaneously) 30 lt>h 1 ! .i.d2 (or 30 ... lDxg s 3 1 'ii'x gs 'i!i'f3+ 3 2 l::t g 2 'ii' x d3 3 3 axb4) 3 1 .:rf2 .i.e1 3 2 g 6 'ilff6 (not 32 ... hxg 6 ? 3 3 .i.xg6 'ii'f6 34 Wih s , winning immediately) 3 3 gxh 7 + �h 8 34 .l:tfl i.xg 3 3 5 'fixg 3, followed by .te2. 28 hxg6 29 i.g3 Not 2 9 .i.xg 6 ? ? lbh4+! an d wins. ...

3 59

Ko rch n o i: M o ve by M o ve

29 ... .te7? Karpov contaminates the variation, burying opportunity deeply under the position 's topsoil. With his last move he con structs a barrier between him self and the solution, after which his troubl es follow in ceaseless flow. As to h i s motivation behind the move, we only catch fleetin g specul ation s. Was Karpov playin g for a win ? Or did he simply overlook th at he could deliver perpetual check ? Bl ack resolves all dilemmas a n d draw's, but only if h e finds 29 ... ctJh4+! 30 �h 2 ! (the only m ove; 30 i.xh4? 'ii'fl+ 31 �h 2 i.d6+ 32 i. g 3 l:t.f2+! is even worse th an before, while 30 'ii' x h4? '1Wf3+ 3 1 c.t>h 2 'ii'x d3 3 2 'ifg4 n ow fails to 3 2 ... .td2 3 3 'ii' x e6+ �h 7, when Black up a pawn with the safer king) 30 ... ctJf3+ {the meddling knight continues to irritate those in his life by pryin g into everyone's business) 31 �g2 ctJh4+ is perpetual ch eck. 30 l:.f2! Truth i s the great purifier of our delusions. Now White i s winning once again. 30 ... ctJe1+ 3 1 �hll Double attack: threatening Bl ack's queen as well as i.xg 6. As always in Korchnoi's g ames, one feels a palpable sense of theatre, of the dram atic. Not 3 1 �f1 ?? as thi s walks into 3 1 ...Vi'xf2+! 32 i.xf2 ctJxd3 33 'ii' x e6+ Itf7 34 'ifxds ltJxf2 and Black gets too much ma­ terial for the queen . 3 1 ...'ii'xf2 3 1 ...lLJxd3 3 2 l:txf7 �xf7 3 3 'iWxe6 com es to the same thi n g . 3 2 i.xf2 ttJxd 3 3 3 'iWxe6+ .l:.f7 34 i.g3 ltJxb2 3 5 'Wxd s i.f6 36 i. d 6 gS 3 7 iib3 ! i.xd4

3 60

Ko rch n o i o n A cc u m u l a t i n g A d va n t a g e s

Exercise (combination alert}: Korchnoi proved a forced win at thi s point by unleashing a withering version of one of h i s patented counterattacks. Take your tim e and try to duplicate h i s result. Answer: Step 1: Threaten 'i!Ve8+, which forces Black's n ext move.

38 'ife6! g6 Step 2: Drive Bl ack's king to the tacti cally vuln erable g 7-square. 39 'i!te8+ We witness Gulliver's carnage upon th e citizenry of Lilliput. Black's scattered pieces are no match for White queen and bishop. 39 �g7 Step 3 : I n duce a deadly fork, which picks off Black's knight. 40 ii.es+! Bl ack's king emits an involuntary g asp at the offending bishop's brazen entrance into h i s chamber. 40 �xes 41 'ii'x eS+ Double attack: Black's knight h angs. 4 1 .'it>h7 1-0 ..•

.••

•.

Game 4 6 V.Korc h noi-V.Sei rawa n

Luga no 1986 English Opening 1 C4 e5 2 g3 li:'Jc6 3 Ji.g2 g6 4 li:'Jc3 il.g7 5 d3 d6 361

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve Reach ing an English position which is actually a Closed Sicilian in reverse. 6 .l:tb1 fS

Both sides prepare to expan d on their respective strong wings. N orm ally Bl ack tosses in 6 ... as. 7 b4 White often del ays thi s in favour of 7 e 3 , foll owed by 8 tt:'lge 2 an d 9 o-o; or 7 tt:'lf3 and 8 0-0. 7 . tt:'lf6 8 bs tt:'le7 9 'i¥b3 Korchnoi discourages ... d6-dS ideas. g . h6 10 e3 The alternative development scheme for White, who clamps down on .. .fS -f4 breaks in thi s version. 10 tt:'lf3 .te6 11 a4 (or 11 tt:'ld2 "iVc8) 11 ... 0-0 12 .ta3 'ii'd 7 13 tt:'ld2 l:.ab8 14 tt:'lds is probably dyn amically balanced, V.Gavrikov- I .Morovic Fernandez, Terrassa 1992. 10...0-0 11 tt:'lge2 'it>h7 Seirawan's king wisely g ets off the b3-g8 diagonal to avoid any c4-c5+ surprises l ater on . 12 a4 l:tb8 1 3 i.a3 Making certain ... d6-dS won 't work for Black. 13 ... ..te6 14 o-o ..

..

362

K o r c h n o i o n A c c u m u la ti n g A d va n t a g e s

Question: Isn't White simply castling into a n attack? Answer: Maybe so but there really is n o safe spot anywhere for his king. Thi s i s Black's com ­ pen sation for White's m assive territorial advantage on the oth er side of the board. Anyway, White's king is surrounded by friends and relatively well protected for now.

14 g5 15 d4!? Principl e : Meet a wing attack with a central counter. ...

Question: Wasn't White intendi n g to m eet the ... g 6-g 5 advance with f2-f4 in stead? Answer: Correct, but Korchnoi n otes a ch an g e in thi s circum stance: his e3-pawn is slightly weaker than norm al, due to his bishop's posting on a3. So 15 f4 ltlg4 is slightly in conven­ ient for White, who has to drop his bishop back to c1 again.

1 5 ltld7 ! ? Seirawan opts t o retain the central ten sion, but I think thi s plan i s not in his best inter­ ests. Bl ack should probably go for 15 ... e4! 16 dS i.f7 17 lLld4 lLlg4, intending ... ltle s, with dyn amically bal anced chances. 16 .l!tfd1 An other option was 16 dxes ltlxes 17 ltld5 at once, as we all feel more comfortable with an open centre when our king is under fire. 16 i.f7 It m ay be too late for the 16 ... e4? ! plan : 17 dS i.f7 18 ltld4, and if 18 ... ltle s then 19 ltle6 ! i.xe6 20 dxe6 b6 2 1 c s ! looks promising for White, whose attack progresses more quickly th an Black's on th e other side. 17 dxes Following th e same principle as above. ...

...

3 63

Ko rch n o i: M o ve by M o ve

11 ... ttJxes 18 ttJds ttJxd s Question: Doesn't this h elp White, who now can apply pressure down the c-file, as well as play for lL!d4 an d lL!e6 - ? Answer: It does, but Bl ack can't tolerate 18 ... lLI7g6 19 f4 lL!g4 20 h 3 (no need to drop the bishop back now) 20 ... lL!f6 2 1 ltJd4 'ifd7 2 2 lL!xf6+ ..txf6 2 3 'ii'd 3 ltJe7 24 cs, when White ex­ erts tremendous central pressure. 19 cxd s ..thsl?

The first rul e o f combat is t o avoid a n open fight with a n enemy wh o possesses superior weapon s. Black's idea is seductive with promise - yet, when analyzed with dispassion ate eyes, we see leads nowhere. Black's l ast m ove only h ad the effect of provoking Korchnoi's ire, rather than the inflictin g of any actual dam age.

Exercise {planning): By all appearances, it l ooks like Black us beginning to generate king side counterplay. After all , e 2 is attacked an d his pieces eye f3 as well. How did Korchnoi deal with his light square dilemma? Answer: Turn a weakn ess into a stren gth by offering the exch ange in order to dominate the light squares. 20 lL!d41 Computers may be terrific at siftin g out variables from complex, org anized data, yet what they l ack is a gut feeling about a move because they require hard evidence, whereas human intuition doesn 't. 20 ii.xd1 "Your action s are contrary to the l aws of God and m an," scolds the bishop. 2 1 l:.xd1 .•.

3 64

Ko rch n o i o n A cc u m u la t i n g A d va n t a g e s

Question: What did White receive for the exchange? A lot ! 1. Domination o f t h e light squares. 2. Pawn targets on fs and c?. 3. The e6-square, from which his knight may now enter. 4. Th e bi shop pair in an open positi on . s . Suddenly Black's king looks uneasy. White veers wildly to th e chan ging circum stances, the way a virus mutates into a n ew, m ore powerful form as it adapts to its environm ent. 21 ....Uf7 2 2 �C2 �d7 Not 22 ... �f6? due to 2 3 tt:lxfs ! and Black can 't recapture because of .ie4.

Ans wer:

23 tt:Je6 g4?!

Black's disease takes an inward, circul ar path , feeding upon itself. The idea is to h alt f2f4 line-openers but it only h elps White. Seirawan should probably sit tight and passively await events - a plan which most G M s loathe, since this is the chess equivalent of Batman an d Robin callously ignorin g Commissioner Gordon 's bat signal from Goth am City. 24 e4! Principle: Open the position ifyou own the bishop pa ir. 24 ...fxe4 2 5 �xe4+ 'it'h8 26 .tb2! Threatening the defender of g 4. 2 6 ...'lie7 26 . . . tbf3+ 27 i.xf3 ..ixb 2 2 8 .txg4 i s of n o help to Bl ack. 27 .ixes dxes!? Creating anoth er weakness. Seirawan p erhaps hoped for counterpl ay based on .. .'lia3, but thi s never m aterialized. Bl ack should probably prefer 27 ... �xe s 2 8 'tiix g4 'ii'f6 29 f4 .ib2 3 65

Korch n o i: M o ve by M o ve 30 .Jte4 l:tg 8 3 1 'ilfh s .Ue7, inten ding ... c7-c6 next. 28 'ii'x g4 'it'f6 29 'i'e2 .itf8 30 .ile4 The bish op decid es to deliver one of his tiresom e homilies to Black's king, who just tun es him out for now. 30 ... i.. d 6 3 1 h4! Pl anning h4-h 5 and possibly �g6 to work over the tender light squares in Black's camp. 3 1 J�g8 This time th e g eometry is wrong for Black's ... c7-c6 trick: 3 1 ... c6?? loses to 3 2 dxc6 ..Wxe6 33 .it ds. 3 2 h s l:l d 7 n .:td3 ! White's forces weave their way i n . 3 3 . . .l:tf7 34 .l:.f3 ile7 3 5 �e3 Targetin g the vulnerable h 6-pawn, and incidentally th e a7-pawn as well , though Korchnoi is not to be distracted by th at. 3 s ...IU6 .•

Exercise (planning): Dreadful threats bloom in profusion before Black's bewildered kin g , whose position is pressed to its limits. How can White push it over the edg e ? Answer: Interference. 36 i.g6 Thi s bi shop is the enforcer, who n ot-so-subtly nudges Seirawan 's king into compliance with Korchnoi's wishes. 36 J:!.gxg6 The rook collapses on g 6, like exhausted prey after a l ong chase. There is n othing better, as after 36 ... l1g 7 37 'i1Vxh 6+ l:Ih 7 38 iie3 .l::. xf3 39 "ii'xf3 .:.h 6 40 'i'e3 , Bl ack must return the exchan g e all the same. ••.

366

Ko rch n o i o n A cc u m u l a t i n g A d va n tag e s

3 7 hxg6 �xg6 38 l:tf8+ � h 7 39 'ii'e 4! Materi al is now equal but the position i sn't. White dominates, threatenin g �fs and .l:!f7+, as his un stoppable army prepares to swallow up and annihil ate all who oppose it. So Se irawan stakes his entire universe on the thinn est of chances, hoping to ride it out with rook and bishop versus queen and pawn . 39 ... 'i'xf8! Trying for a fortress i s Bl ack's best chance; indeed, it's the only way to continue playing. Yet the plan i s doomed, due to a congenital defect. 40 ttJxf8+ White swallows material in a vast bite. 40 ...txf8 41 'iVxes i.d6 42 'iffs b6 Now follows the technical stag e. 43 �g2 �g7 44 f4 White pushes his king side m ajority forward, but it won 't be easy to break the blockade. 44 .. �f6 45 'ikg4+ �h7 46 'ii'd 7+ �g6 .

.

Exercise (planning): What is White's m ost efficient winning plan in the position? Deduct another pawn from Black' s already depleted funds. The a7-pawn i s the weak link in Seirawan 's defen sive form ation an d is doomed to suffer for th e sins of his king. 47 'i!Ye8+! �g7 48 'ila8 l:!f7

Answer:

Question: Why must Black lose a pawn when h e can counterattack d S ? If 48 .. .U.fs 4 9 'ii'x a7 .l:txds then so a S ! produces a fatal queenside passer, n o matter how Black responds.

Answer:

.

367

Korch n o i: M o ve by M o ve

'flixa 7 Far from useless, th e a7-pawn provides White with extra coll ateral in his efforts t o overcome Black's resi stance . 49 ... i.b4 so 'iVbB i.. c s 5 1 'ikdS! Nobo dy loves the cold queen . She desperately wants to be perceived as human, m uch like Com m ander Data, or Pinocchi o. 49

5 1 ... 'it>h7

Exercise (combination alert}: Black's rook, bishop and king murmur prayers destined to go unanswered. How did Korchn oi break the blockade and force the creation of a second deadly passed pawn ? Answer: Deflection/attraction /overl oad. 52 a s ! bxa s 53 b6! Black's pieces trip over each other, hopelessly out of sync h. 5 3 ... cxb6 53 .. . Ji.xb6 54 d6! creates the passer all the same. 54 d6 The d-pawn 's advance is decisive. s4 ....l:!.g7 s s d 7 bs 56 �c7 1-o

Game 4 7 J . De I a Vil l a G a rcia-V.Korchnoi

Pa m p lo n a 1990/9 1 French Defence 1 e4 e6 2 d4 ds 3 es 368

Ko rch n o i o n A c c u m u l a t i n g A d v a n t a g e s Th e Advance Variation, which we've seen earlier in Game 7. D e l a Vill a adopts the same m oves as White (c2-c3, lDf3, il.d2), but Korchnoi goes for a completely different plan . 3 c s 4 c3 lDc6 5 ctJf3 �d7 6 .ie2 lDge7 7 lDa 3 ...

Intending lDc2 to bol ster the defence of d4. 7 lDg61? ...

Question: Doesn't Bl ack's knight n ormally develop to f S in the Advance French ? Correct, but this is a strange, n ewer idea. One of Bl ack's big gest h eadache s in the Advance i s where to post the g8-knight. If Black stations it on fs, then g2-g4 i s always in the air. So in this version, Korchnoi posts on g6, but this virtually begs White to play h 2 -h4-h S at some point. (If White refrains, then an eventual .. .f7-f6 should equalize for Black.)

Answer:

Question: But when White plays the inevitable h 2 -h4-h 5 , where can Black's knight g o except back t o e 7 ? Believe it o r not, the knight th en h eads for h 8 and returns to the centre v i a f7. A s it happens, I once indulged in thi s m anoeuvre myself: 7 ... cxd4 8 cxd4 "ifb6 (8 ... lDfs is th e normal move here, but I'd already played ... Wi'b6 earlier on) 9 0-0 .l:tc8 10 b3 lDb4 1 1 .ib2 lDg 6 ! ? 1 2 g 3 .ie7 1 3 h4 0-0 14 h S lDh 8 (surreal stuff) 1 5 "iid 2 f6 and Black's wayward knight emerges on f7, B. Baker-C. Lakdawal a, San Diego (rapid) 2011. 8 h4 White logically seeks to punish the exposed g 6-knight with tempo loss. 8 .ie7 9 g3 Black doesn't mind 9 h s lDh4 10 lt:Jxh4 .ixh4, as piece exchanges usually ben efit the cramped side, A.Grosar-S.Baum egger, Austrian Team Championship 1999. 9 cxd4 10 cxd4 o-o 11 h S lDh8

Answer:

.. .

...

3 69

K o rc h n o i : M o ve by M o ve

Mission accomplished!

Question: Isn t Black busted? He wasted three m oves to develop his knight to h 8 ! '

Answer: Black is far from busted. In fact, m y database shows h i m scoring a healthy SO% from this position . Black's idea i s to follow with .. .f6-f6 an d ... 0l7, where the knight appears ideally posted, coverin g th e key es-, g S - and h 6-squares. 12 lLlc2 Question: Aren 't the dark squares around Black's king terribly weal< after 12 h6 g6 - ? Answer: Weakened dark squares are endemic to the variation, almost an unfortunate ge­ netic trait. But think about this: Black still retain s a dark-squared bishop and a knight on f7 covers virtually all the key squares. So it's really not such a terrible weakness for Bl ack. For in stance, after 13 �e3 f6 14 exf6 i.xf6 1 S lLlb1 lLlf7, Bl ack's pieces are perfectly positioned to cover e s and gS, Al .Zaitsev-E.Gleizerov, Kaluga 2003. 1 2 f6 13 exf6 Alternatively, White can try and m aintain a pawn on es with 1 3 .if4, but I like Black's position after 13 . ..ltJf7 and 14 ... dxe s , since the white e-pawn must then be etern ally guard­ ed. 13 .ixf6 14 b3 1:i:Jf7 15 i. b2 Thi s m akes the d-pawn secure and goes some way to discouraging ... e6-eS, but other­ wise the bi shop has littl e to do on b2, and in fact never moves ag ain until th e end of th e game. 1 5 .. .'�a 5+ 16 'ii'd 2?! An incorrect deci sion . Bl ack stands better in the endi n g due to the weakness of d4. In­ stead, White shoul d castle by h an d with 1 6 Cit>f1. ...

.•.

3 70

K o rch n o i o n A cc u m u la t i n g A d v a n t a g e s

1 6 . . JWxd2+ 17 tt:'lxd 2 ! ? 17 c.t>xd2 h a s its risks a s well, despite the absence o f queen s, since White's k i n g is somewhat exposed in the centre. 1 7 ... tt:'ld6 18 .1i.g4 De la Villa targets e6, Black's single vuln erability. 18 .l:i.fc8! •••

Question: Isn't thi s the wrong rook? Shouldn't thi s one be on the e-file to defend the e6-pawn ? A nswer: As Korch noi plans queenside play and to doubl e rooks on the c-file, it doesn 't really matter, but I think it's the correct rook anyway. By leaving the other rook on a8, Black maintain s options of ... a7-a5 and conceal s h i s true intentions temporarily. 19 o-o �c7 20 �fe1 Attacking e6. 20 .l:tac8! •••

Whi ch Korchnoi ignores ! 21 �g2 De la Villa resi sts temptation . Black emerges superior in both lines if White captures on e6: a) 2 1 .1i.xe6+ .Yi.xe6 2 2 l:.xe6 tt:'ld8 23 :txf6 (the only move) 24 ... gxf6 24 tt:'lb4 as, the b-pawn will cost a piece. 3 6 ... 'it>xa7 37 f3 lZ'lg5 3 73

Korch n o i: M o ve by M o ve The clever 3 7 ... 4::\ c s ! wins m ore quickly. 38 ..ig4 r;i;a6 Bl ack's king accrued power within a short span of time an d his influence continues to enhan ce with each passing move. 3 9 i.. c 3 ..ixa4! Black's forces continue to migrate to the queen side. White is unabl e to exploit the looseness of eith er the b4-knight or the e6-pawn . 40 liJd1 Hoping to con struct a fortress where nobody enters or leaves. 40 ... �b5 41 'ittf2 If 41 4Jb2 then 41 ... t2Jc2 win s the d-pawn . 41 ... �c4! 0-1

Question: Isn't White's resignation prem ature? Answer: Th e words " I resign", when uttered by your opponent, are so beautiful that I al­ ways h ear th em accompanied by celestial music. But no. Bl ack's l ast move points to an el­ emental truth : White's attempted blockade fails. For example, 42 'itt e 3 .te8 43 'itt d 2 t2Jc6 44 t2Je3+ (White repels the invading party for the m om ent) 44 ... 'ittb s 45 'it>d3 'itt a 4 (aiming to enter by th e side door) 46 ii.b2 (or 46 l2Jd1 e S ! ) 46 ... t2Jxd4! i s decisive.

Game 48 V . Korchnoi-O.Renet

Paris (ra pid) 1990 English Opening 1 lt:Jf3 lt:Jf6 2 C4 g6 3 b4 3 74

K o r c h n o i o n A c c u m u l a t i n g A d va n t a g e s

D o w e not all occasionally indulge in secret vices?

Question: What i s the n am e of thi s opening ? Well, since 1 b4 i s the Orang-utan, then the delayed version must be th e N ee­ Orang-utan !

Answer:

Question: What i s White's aim ? I feel as if h e sprays the wall with bullets and yet still misses the target. For th e moment, there is no target. He simply seeks to blanket the queen side with pawns to seize useful space there. If White push es far enough, at some point contact oc­ curs. 3 ..tg7 4 J.b2 o-o 5 e3 Richard Reti, who developed this system , used to pl ay 5 g3 h ere. For example: s ... b6 6 i.g2 .tb7 7 o-o d6 8 d3 lbbd7 9 lbbd2 e s 10 �c2 was R. Reti-J . R.Capablanca, New York 19 24. White went on to win this g ame, h anding Capa his first loss in a decade of pl ay ! s c6 Sometimes Black swipes at the queen side with s . as, as in a couple of my own g ames: 6 a3 (6 bs i s al so possibl e) 6 ... axb4 7 axb4 flxa1 8 ..txa1 d6 (or 8 ... b6 9 .te2 ii.b7 10 o-o lbc6 11 b s lbas 12 d3 l:r.e8 13 lbbd2 ds ! ? 14 'ifc2 dxc4 1 S lbxc4 lbxc4 16 'ii'x c4, wh en White's supe­ rior central influence and pressure on c7 give him the advantage, C. Lakdawala-B.Baker, San Diego rapid 2010) 9 d4 lbbd7 10 ..te2 c6 11 0-0 'ii c 7 12 lbbd2 e s 13 'ili'c2 .l:te8 14 l:td1 and White has a minute edg e due to h i s queenside space, C. Lakdawal a-L.Sussm an, San Diego (rapid) 2013. 6 i.e2 d6 7 o-o

Answer:

...

...

.

.

3 75

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

7 .. .'iYb6?! Thi s adventure viol ates the principle: Don 't challenge the opponent on you r weak wing. More natural is 7 ... es 8 d3 (I would be m ore inclined to opt for a kind of reversed French with th e straightforward 8 d4) 8 ... ttJbd7 9 ttJbd2 'fie7 10 1Wh 3 ltJe8 11 Itfe1 �h 8, but then 12 c s ! dxcs (or 12 ... ds ! ? 13 e4 and Black's intended counterpl ay with .. .f7-f5 is pretty much gone) 1 3 bxcs liJC7 ( 1 3 ... ltJxcs 14 'i'a3 ! �f6 15 .Uac1 ltJd7 16 ltJe4! gives White tremendous pl ay for the pawn) 14 .Uac1 was good for White, who l ater utilized the d6-square with ltJc4, ttJfd2, liJd6 and lZJ2c4 manoeuvres, I .Csom - M . H ebden, H astin g s 1983/84. 8 a 3 as 9 ltJc3 ! Korchnoi ignores the threat t o h i s b-pawn . g axb4 10 ltJa4! 'flc7 ...

Question: Why doesn't 10 ..'ii' a s win a pawn ? .

Answer: Th e move just wastes time. After 1 1 axb4, Black can 't recapture with 11...'ii x b4?? as gets h i s queen trapped by 12 i.c3. 11 axb4 ttJbd7 12 'ii' b 3 The opening has gone well for Korchnoi, who gathered queen side territory without a corresponding in crease from Black on the other side of th e board. 12 ... es 13 d 3 ! ? The fl exible, laid back approach . As I m entioned earlier, the altern ative i s t o go for a re­ versed French versus King's I n di an Attack with 13 d4. 13 Jie8 14 liJc3 :bs Maybe he should swap rooks, followin g the principle: The cra mped side should seek ex­ changes, since White g ets th e a-file in any case. 15 .l:tfc1 liJfS •.

3 76

Ko rch n o i o n A cc u m u la t i n g A d v a n t a g e s

Wh en a n oppressed people fear a powerful en emy, th ey have but a single recourse: band together and fight as a team . Bl ack h opes to gather enough force on the kin g side eventually to laun ch an attack ag ai n st White's king. 16 l:!.a 7 i.g4 I'm n ot so sure about th is move. Bl ack should probably retain thi s bishop. He might try 16 ... h 6, inten ding ... i.e6 next. 17 'ifa 3 h S Bl ack's kin gside attack l ooks painfully slow. 18 bS At l ast, contact. 18 ... cs There are no pal atable choices here. Renet, fearing a fight on the queenside, attempts to clog it up but in doin g so l oses the ability to pl ay for ... d6-ds. Perhaps 18 ... �d8 shoul d be con sidered. 19 tt:'ld2 1 All o f Black's central pawn s are fixed o n dark squares, so Korchnoi offers t o swap o ff the light-squared bishops. 19 tt:'l8h7 20 tt:'lde4 tt:'lxe4?1 Bl ack's defence becom es too heavy a burden to bear after this move, which only results in him ending up with a backward d-pawn, redoubling his sorrows. Black would be better off pl ayin g th e calm 20 ... i.. e 6 and awaiting matters. 2 1 dxe4 �xe2?1 N ow Black trades away a cruci al piece which contributes the most to his survival : the steward of his light squares. 2 2 tt:'lxe2 h4 2 3 h 3 tt:'lgs 24 �d3 .Us 2 5 tt:'lc3 .•.

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

White's amassed strategic stock i s overwhelmin g : 1. Black has a bad bishop, with all central pawn s fixed o n the same colour. 2. We note a clear causal relationship between Black's degeneration on the light squares and the absence of his light-squared bishop. 3. A gaping hol e exists on ds, whi ch White m ay occupy with a knight. 4. Bl ack's d6-pawn is backward and on an open file. s . White still own s the a-file. 6. White has the only viable break in the position : f2-f4. Conclusion : A curtain open s slowly in a long-darkened room, allowing sunlight to stream in and reveal th at Bl ack is irreparably l ost. 2 s ... l:.e6 26 f4 li'lh7 Exchanging i s out of th e question. 26 ... exf4? 2 7 exf4 li'lh 7 2 8 t'Llds 'ii'd 8 2 9 'ii'c 3 is imme­ diately decisive. 2 7 t'Lld s 'ii'd s 2 8 .tc3 Simply 2 8 fS ! at once was even stronger; presum ably Korchnoi deci ded there was no re­ al hurry. 28 . i.g7?1 On this path Black receives asphyxi ation, rather th an th e deliveran ce h e hoped for. His position i s too rigid to endure such a pummelling and l acks the whiplash flexibility to or­ ganize a counterattack. Bl ack risks rigor m orti s if he can 't open th e centre. He shoul d seize his ch ance to open th e window an d breathe and activate his bishop - wh atever the risk to his kin g . Renet probably recoiled at the th ought of opening the a1-h8 diagonal with 28 ... exf4 29 exf4 .tg7, but this was h i s only chance. 29 ..tas b6 30 .ie1 30 fS ! was still possible. For example: 30 ... g xfs 31 exfs e4 3 2 'i!Vd2 .l:te8 33 t'Llxb6 ! and if 33 ... .l:.xb6? then 34 l;la6 wins. 3o...gs!? .

.

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Ko rch n o i o n A c c u m u l a t i n g A d va n t a g e s O r 30. . . exf4 3 1 exf4 i.d4+ 3 2 'it>h l ll'lf6 3 3 i.xh4 ll'lxe4 34 'ii' x e4! 'ii'xh4 (after 34 ... .l:!.xe4 3 5 .txd8 ..ixd8 3 6 ll'lxd6, the b-pawn win s the g am e easily for White).

Exercise (combination alert}: White h as a devastatin g trick in the position. Do you see it? Removal of a defender/knight fork. After 35 'ii' x e6 ! fxe6 36 ll'le7+, Black must re­ turn the queen to reach a lost position the exch an g e down . 3 1 fS At last. White responds to an unfed hung er, which continues to grow. Korchnoi's pieces flow in, filling up empty space, until there i s no pl ace for Black's pieces to hide. 31 .l:.h6? As awful as it looks, 3 1.. . .I:te8 was forced, when White builds up his position at leisure.

Answer:

...

3 79

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve Wh ere to turn wh en there are n o rational option s ? The answer i s th at we th en take ref­ uge in the irratio n al . Black builds a walled compoun d, rather than the bridge h e n eeds. Perh aps he still h opes for some kind of ... g 5 -g4-style kingside attack, but thi s simply never mater i alizes.

Exercise (combination alert}: White to play and win material : Answer: Knight fork. Bl ack can comfortably resign h ere, though I h ave a feeli n g th at both

sides, in thi s rapid game, had very littl e time on their clocks. So Renet contin ued. 32 tt:le7+ �h8 33 tt:lc6 'iig 8 34 tt:lxb8 �xb8 35 l:.ca1 Threatening .t:ta8. There was nothing wrong with 35 .l:txf7 eith er. 3 5 .. .'t!kg8 36 1i'd 5 llf6 3 7 :as ..tfs This sorry bishop finds him self excluded from th e societal power structure. 'ifd1 lth6 39 l::t d 8 'it>g7 40 .Uaa 8 J!tf6 41 1i'h5 .Uh6 42 'ii'g 4 f6 43 .Ud7+ 'it>h8 44 'tlie2 g4 45 38 "ii'xg4

45 ... tt:lg5 4S ... iVxc4 (the black royals' tentative embrace ends with their inevitable parting i n cruel h aste) 46 'i¥g 7 is m ate. 46 .i.xh4 l:.h7 47 llxh 7+ 1-0

Game 49 V.Korchnoi-P.Th i psay

Ca l c utta 2000 King 's Indian Defence 1 d4 tt:lf6 2 c4 g6 3 tt:lc3 i.g7 4 e4 d6 5 f3 o-o 6 tt:lge2 3 80

K o r c h n o i o n A c c u m u l a t i n g A d va n t a g e s White generally pl ays 6 � e 3 h ere - more th an ten times a s often in fact. The point of Ko rchnoi's early knight development is seen after Black's next move. 6 es Thi s line, albeit theory, scores poorly and probably deserves a " ? ! " mark. Bl ack does much better taking the Benoni route with 6 ... c 5 . 7 il. gS I ...

Developing the bishop more actively, an d exploiting Bl ack's inaccurate move order. The point is that, while 6 ... e 5 is the most popular reply to 6 �e3 (though 6 ... c5 may be better here too), again st 6 J.g 5 Black usually plays 6 ... c5. Simply by h olding his c1-bi shop back for one move, Korchnoi h as tricked Thipsay into an inferior variation, where White scores over 7 5%. 7 c6 Bl ack has also tried 7 . ..CiJc6 (after 7 ... h 6 8 .ie3 and 'it'd2, White g ains a tempo attacking th e h 6 -pawn ) 8 dS 0.e7 9 'ii' d 2 h5 (otherwise g 2-g4 is strangling ) 10 tt:Jc1 0.h 7 1 1 J.e3 f5 12 tt:'ld3 c6 1 3 0-0-0, I.Sokolov-I .Smiri n , Groningen 1993, but I always prefer White in such King's Indian positions. 8 'li"d 2 0.bd 7 In a n earlier gam e Korchnoi faced 8 ... exd4 9 0.xd4 0.bd7 10 o-0-0 "it'b6 11 0.c2 ! 0. c 5 12 i.e3 (not only i s d6 h anging, White al so threaten s b2-b4, which Black in his desperation allows) 12 ... .te6 13 b4 l:tfd8 14 .te2 Wic7 15 bxc5 dxc 5 16 "fie1 and Bl ack didn 't get enough for the piece, V. Korchnoi - F.Olafsson, Wijk aan Zee 1971. 9 o-o-o "it' a s Th e immediate 9 ... a 6 is somewhat better, though still not g reat for Bl ack after 10 d 5 ltJb6 11 0.g 3 cxd5 12 cxd5 .t d 7 1 3 'ito>b1, T. Hillarp Persson-P. Konguvel, Am sterdam 2000. 10 �bl a6 Bl ack follows the standard blueprint on whi ch his future attack i s built; i.e. with ... b7-b5. As it turns out, h e never has time to unleash it. . ..

3 81

K o rc h n o i : M o ve by M o v e u ttJd s !

Reality's blade cuts deeply. Bl ack i s jolted from h i s attack-induced reverie and derailed from its n atural continuum . This was a theoretical novelty at the time, an d a good on e. Korch noi gives Black a choice: accept an unpleasant en ding, or a disagreeabl e mi ddlegame. 11 :ifxd 2 Thipsay picks the ending and begins to question his original premise of attack. •.

Question: I fail to see the problem in Black's position. Where does White's advantage lie? Answer: First off, White picks up the bi shop pair, startin g with his next move. Secondly, Black rem ains tangled and short on space. 11..J!id8 is th e route I would have taken as Black, though 12 liJxf6+ ..txf6 13 h4 still favours White. 12 lDe7+! Zwischen zug . White en sures him self the two bishops. 12 �h8 13 �xd2 lDb6 Bl ack must defend a th ankless ending. Believe it or n ot, the blame may be laid to his sixth move. I find it astounding that a G M would willingly re-enter this line as Bl ack, yet Thipsay tried it again in A. Dreev-P.Thipsay, New Delhi 2007, which continued 13 ... .l:te8 14 t:Dxc8 l:taxc8 15 d5 cxd5 16 cxd5 lDg 8 ! ? 17 lDg 3 ..th 6 and Thipsay m anaged to trade off one of the bishops, though he l ost anyway. White might al so improve with 15 dxe 5 dxe5 16 g 3 ! , intending i.h 3 with a clear advantage, due t o the bi shop pair an d control over t h e n ewly opened d-file, P. Bodiroga-M.Kukina, Senj 2008. 14 dxe s ! ...

Question: Aren't these exchan g e variations h armless for Black in the Kin g ' s Indi an ?

3 82

K o rch n o i o n A c c u m u l a t i n g A d v a n t a g e s Answer: Wh ether they are o r not depends entirely o n the parti cular positi on . A n action which is benign in one line doesn 't necessarily tran sfer over to a similar-looking yet differ­ ent one. The exch ange certainly isn't h armless h ere. In thi s in stance, Korchnoi extracts m ax imum benefit from the decision, since Bl ack's b6-knight is destined to get tossed by C4-

cs . 14 dxes 15 cs! ...

White continues to acquire easy territori al g ains, along with control over d6. tt'lbd7 The knight, h aving mispl aced his sen se of direction, wanders about aimlessly. 16 ..te3 .lae8 17 lt::lx c8 .l:.axc8 18 lt::l c 1 White's advantages: 1. He own s the bishop pair. 2. The cS-pawn binds Black's queen side. 3. The d6- and as-squares beckon White' s knight with silent invitation . 4. Bl ack l acks an active plan . 1S

.••

Question: I disagree about Black h aving n o active plan. What about ... tt'lf8-e6 to exploit White's hole on d4? Answer: IM Andrew Martin explains: "You m ay feel th at White i s only slightly better h ere, but th e problem is th at Bl ack has no active pl an . Traditionally he would manoeuvre a knight to d4, e.g . ... tt'lf8-e6, but with a white knight appearing on b3 very shortly, with �e2 and l:.hdl to follow, even thi s i s n ot so great." 18 i_f8 19 tt'lb3 'i.t>g7 ...

3 83

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Exercise (planning): How did Korchnoi strengthen his position still further, infusing it with a burst of energy? Answer: Tran sfer his bishop to h 3 , which greatly magnifies White's light square power. 20 g3! .l:.c7 21 .ih3 Optically quite intimidating. The bishop helps push Black's knight away from d7, covers e6, and limits the scope of the c7-rook. 2 1 .ie7 21...a5 22 :thdl a4 23 .ixd7 l:txd7 24 l:txd7 liJxd7 25 .l:.xd7 axb 3 26 .:r.xb7 bxa2+ 27 �xa2 leaves White a cl ean pawn up. 22 .:.hdt l2Jf8 The knight must submit to White's control over d7. 2 3 l2Ja s Black begins to detect an enemy intrusion along the western borders. l2Jc4 is coming. 2 3 ltJe6?! After 23 ... h5 24 ltJc4 ltJ6h7 25 l2Jd6 (even better than 25 ltJxe 5) 25 ...l::t d 8 2 6 f4, Bl ack was strategically lost in any case. ...

...

3 84

Korch n o i o n A cc u m u la ting A d van tages

The greatest gamble o f all is t o declare open rebellion against a more powerful author­ ity. In thi s case, White's barrage of strategic threats weighs upon Bl ack's mind. Thipsay fights madly for the right to determine his own agen da, yet there i s no method available, and to attain a goal at immeasurable cost i s no victory.

Exercise (combination alert}: Find Korch n oi's answer and Black's fragility is l aid bare. Answer: Step 1: Chop on e6, dam aging Black's structure.

24 .i.xe6 The bishop, who always h ated the e6-knight, denies a blessing and refuses to g rant a prayer. 24 fxe6 Step 2: Transfer the knight to c4, after which es can't be defended. So White win s a pawn, while retaining a dominant position. 2 S lLlc4 1-0 Black's position recedes like the tide. Is chess really this easy? .••

Game 50 V Korchnoi J G G a l lagher .

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.

.

Swiss Tea m C h a m pion s h i p 2003 King 's Indian Defence 1 l2Jf3 lL\f6 2 c4 g6 3 lL\c3 i.g7 4 e4 d6 5 d4 o-o 6 i.e2 es 7 i.e3 The Gligoric Variation of the King's Indian. 7 lt'la6 ...

3 85

The main line run s 7 ... lL'lg4 8 li.g 5 f6 9 �h4. We will see this in th e next game. s ds!? H ere 8 0-0 and then 8 ...lL'lg4 9 �g 5 etc i s normal. 8 lL'lg4 Anoth er possibility i s 8 ... tL'lh 5, which has only been tried a few tim es. 9 i.. g s f6 10 �h4 ...

Question: Isn't White' s dark-squared bishop out of play? For now it is, but it can emerge later on via f2. 10 tL'lh6 The trend today i s for Bl ack to pl ay 10 ... h5 h ere. For example: 11 lL'ld2 c5 12 a3 "ii' d 7 1 3 h 3 tL'lh 6 14 "ifa4 Wi/e7 1 5 b 4 tL'lf7 16 g4 h xg4 17 hxg4 .ih 6 with a complicated g ame, R. Ponom ari ov- Ba.J obava, Kh arkov 2010. 11 tL'ld2 cs Gallagher wi sely deviates from 11 ... tLlf7 12 f3 c 5 1 3 a3 h5 14 o-o .ih 6 15 l:tb 1 li. g 5 16 li.f2 f5 17 b4, I . Smirin-J . G . G allagh er, London 1999. It i s a safe bet th at Korchnoi h ad some new move ready in thi s line. 12 a 3 'ifd7

Answer: •••

Question: Thi s looks artificial . What i s Black's idea? GM G allagher explains: "I cam e up with a different plan to the Smirin g am e, just playing for f5 . Still, th e text i s rath er clum sy and 12 ...'ilie8 i s more n atural, alth ough I am not the first person to h ave pl ayed in this fashion ." 13 h3!?

Answer:

386

Korch n o i o n A cc u m u la ting A d van tages

The sign of intelligence in a species: how quickly can i t adapt t o change? Korchnoi hits back with a new move in th e position, intending g 2-g4. " It's never easy to guess Korch n oi's moves," writes Gallagher, with vast understatem ent ! 13 f3 and 13 1:tb1 fS 14 f3 had been played before. 13 ... f5 14 �c2 �h8

Question: Can 't Black g enerate g ood piece pl ay with .. .fSxe4, followed by ...lbfs - ? Answer: The trouble i s that White i sn 't obliged to recapture immediately. After 14 . . .fxe4 ? ! White h as the zwischen zug 1 5 g4 !, denying Black's knight use of fs . The e4-pawn isn't run­ ning away.

15 f3 fxe4?1 A strategic misjudgement - perh aps induced by seeing that White can no longer meet it with g 2-g4 - after which Black's pieces run out of useful posts. N ow G allagher enters a sh abbily dressed version of the correct plan and soon finds the cost of strayin g from the correct version quite heavy. Bl ack shoul d probably h ave gone for 1S .. .f4, followed by kin g side expan sion or reorg an­ izing manoeuvres such as ... lbg8-f6-h 5 , but was wary about bl ocking the position with White's king still un affiliated to one side or the other. 16 fxe4 ..tf6 17 ..tf2 White dodges the trade of his good bishop. 17 . �e7 Black i s unable to seize the c1-h 6 diagonal with 17 ... -tg s, as after 18 tt::lf3 th e bishop has neither h 6 nor f4 available. 18 ltJf3 tDf7 19 �d2 ttJgs 20 tDg1l An adroit evasion , which follows the principl e : The side with greater space should reta in pieces on the boa rd. Black's g S -knight soon g ets the boot with h 3 -h4. ..

387

K o rc h n o i : M o ve by M o ve

20 .. .tL'lf7 21 h4! Preventin g ...� g s . White's space advantag e begins to take effect. Black covets that which h e lacks an d can n ever h ave: king side entry for his minor pieces. 21 ... h s ! ? Preventing g2-g4 at the cost of weakening h i s kin g . G allagher writes that he al so con­ sidered the super-ri sky 21 ... g S ! ? 22 h x g s �xg s 23 'Yid3, when his pieces would at least be­ come more active, albeit at even greater cost to his kin g ' s security. 22 tLlf3 �g7 Intending .. J�h 8, followed by ... l2Jh 6 an d ... l2Jg4. 23 �e3 �hS 24 g3! t2Jh6 25 tLlh2! Another parry; another feint. Korchnoi refuses to ben d, despite Gallagher's constant prodding and poking. N ow Korchnoi makes ... l2Jg4 unpal atabl e, and Black's king side coun ­ terplay grows still and insubstantial . 2 S . . lLlc7 26 o-o-o ..td 7? .

3 88

Ko rch n o i o n A c c u m u la t i n g A d v a n t a g e s

Exercise (combination alert): Bl ack' s l ast move overlooks a tactic. Wh at did h e miss? Answer: Deflection /double attack. After the tactic White's forces com e alive. G allagher says th at Korchnoi played the move in stantly and with "a look of utter contempt in my direc­ tio n". 21 i.xcsl dxcs Black was under no obligation to act upon the provocation . Instead, h e might try to turn his dil em ma into a semi-sound g ambit with 27 ... b 5 ! ?, playing as if he m eant it. Although in my heart I believe in White's defen sive resources over Bl ack's attacking potenti al , the sac's soundness rem ains an open question in practical term s. E ssentially, with thi s continuation , Bla ck hovers in th at netherworld between desperation an d m ere worry. 28 d6 Regaining the piece and opening d5 for his knight. The centre i s n ow a fertile fi eld for White's ambitions. 28 ... 'i+'f7 29 dxc7 .i.e6 30 .l:r.hftl l:IhfSI Gallagher fin ds the best defen ce under heavy duress. 30 .. .'ii' x e7 ? walks into 3 1 l!txf6 ! 'it>xf6 3 2 liJb5 Wie? 3 3 'ii'g 5+ �f7 34 liJd6+ �f8 3 5 l::tf l+ Ji..f7 3 6 'ii'x g 6 .Ud8 3 7 ttJxf7 ttJxf7 3 8 i.xh 5 I:.xh 5 3 8 'ii'xh 5 with two extra pawn s for White and a continuing attack; while 30 ... i.xc4?? 3 1 llxf6 ! i s even worse, as Black has no g ood recapture at all . 3 1 �d6 l:!.ac8? Black had to try 31 ... 'i!ie7, when he rem ains injured but i s n ot yet broken and still retains ch ances to fight on; for in stance, after 3 2 'ii' x e7+ .txe7 3 3 liJd5 l:!.xf1 34 ttJxfl �xd5 3 5 cxd5 i.d6 36 liJe3 .l:tc8 37 ltJc4 lbf7, or 32 l:.xf6 �xd6 33 I:txg 6+ 'it>xg6 34 l:!.xd6 .!:tf6 3 5 liJd5 �xd5 36 l:td8 ! (the sh adow of c7 l oom s darkly upon Bl ack's mind) 36 .. J:tf8 37 :.xd5 l:tac8 38 J:txe 5 l:!.xc7 39 ii.xh 5+ 'it>g7.

3 89

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Exercise (combination alert}: G allagher, nursin g copious troubles across th e board, was short on time h ere as well and blundered. Find Korch n oi's decisive shot. Answer: Attraction /queen trap. In a single, deft stroke, Korchnoi strips Bl ack's queen of her authority. 32 .l:txf6! ..,xf6 32 ... �xf6 (the kin g takes a peek from the n arrow confines of h i s bunker) 3 3 .l:tfl+ lLlfs 34 exfs i s equally hopeless for Black. 3 3 l:tf1 The rook's impure eyes fall upon the black queen 's body with forbidden desire. Korchnoi's point: Bl ack must h and over a piece to save his queen, who realizes she h as be­ come redundant to th e realm. 3 3 ... .ifs 34 "ifxf6+ &txf6 3 5 exfs lLlxfs 36 g4 Ci:Je7 Black can't save him self after 36 ... lZJxh4 3 7 lLlds .l:txfl+ 3 8 lLlxf1 hxg4 39 .i.xg4 lZJfs 40 lLlfe3 eith er. 37 l::!. xf6 'it>xf6 38 lLle4+ 'it>g7

Exercise (combination alert}: Korchnoi g ot slightly careless (as we all occasion ally do in winning positions) and missed the best continuation. What is White's m ost accurate move h ere? 39 Ci:Jxcs 1-0 Answer: Fork. 3 9 lLld6 ! k:txc7 40 lZJe8+ win s the rook, while lines such as 39 ... .l:f.h 8 40 g xh s g xh s 41 lLlf3 'it>f6 42 lLlg s b 6 4 3 iLf3 lLlc8 44 lLlgf7 are alm ost even more painful for Black. Gallagher writes: " I was getting ready to resign after the obvious 39 lLld6 and didn 't see any reason to ch an g e my mind after the text." Albeit not the best, Korchnoi's move is quite 390

Ko rc h n o i o n A cc u m u l a t i n g A d v a n t a g e s sufficient. After 39 lZlxc s, th e gam e mi ght conclude 3 9 .. .'it'f7 4 0 lt:Jf3 l:txe7 41 lZlxeS + �f6 42 lt:Jed7+ �f7 43 gxh s ! an d if 43 ... b6, White's knights unravel nicely by 44 lt:Jes+ 'iti>f6 4S lt:Ja6 .:!.c8 46 lt:Jxg 6.

Game 51 V. Korchnoi-V. Neved n ichy

Pa ks 2004 King 's Indian Defence 1 lt:Jf3 lt:Jf6 2 c4 g6 3 lt:Jc3 i.g7 4 e4 d6 5 d4 o-o 6 .ie2 es 7 i.. e 3 The Gligoric Vari ation again, and thi s tim e we will follow the m ain line - at least for a littl e way. 1 l2:lg4 s .tgs f6 9 i.. h 4 ...

9 lt:Jc6 Bl ack's most popul ar continuation . Oth ers: a) 9 ... gs 10 i.. g 3 lt:Jh 6 11 ds l2:ld7 12 lt:Jd2 fs 1 3 exfs l2:lf6 14 lZlde4 lt:Jxe4 1 S lLlxe4 i.. x fs 16 .id3 g4 17 o-o, when White's grip on e4 gives him the edge, L.Aroni an-T. Radjabov, More­ lia/Lin ares 2006. b) 9 ... lt:Jd7 10 dS as 1 1 lt:Jd2 lt:Jh 6 12 g4 lt:Jf7 13 f3 .ih 6 14 i..f2 lt:Jcs 15 h4 ..tf4 16 'iVc2, again with an edge for White due to h i s extra space, C . Lakdawala-B. Baker, San Diego (rap­ id) 2013. c) 9 ... lt:Jh 6?, seemingly as in th e previous g am e, i s just a mistake h ere, as after 10 dxe s ! dxe s 11 1i'xd8 .l:.xd8 12 lt:Jds, White win s a pawn for nothing. 10 dxe s ! ? A s usual, Korchnoi veers away from the m ain l i n e s into a little-kn own side issue. 10 d S i s pl ayed 9 0 % o f th e time. ...

391

Korch n o i: M o ve by M o ve

10 ... dxes 10 ... tt:Jgxe s is al so playable but gives White th e advantage in the centre. 11 tt:Jd s ! ? The devil always shields him self by cloaking all action s a s i f they would b e of ben efit to others. Korchnoi hands Bl ack original problems with an innocent-looking move. Question: Won't White's knight eventually get evicted with ... c7-c6 - ? Answer: Th e position gyrates in rhythms, difficult to comprehend. Th e key word is "eventu­ ally". lt takes Bl ack time to implement ... c7-c6, and th en the c6-knight must abandon its best post. Korchnoi pl an s to make trouble in the centre with a quick queen side castlin g . This idea looks like a n improvement over 11 'ir'xd8 tt:Jxd8 1 2 ttJd2 h S 1 3 h 3 ttJh 6, wh en ch ances look l evel, J .Granda Zuniga-M . H ebden, Seville 1990. 11 lt:Jh6! An improvement in turn . Bl ack threaten s ... �g4 and ... �xf3 , to fight for th e d4-square. In stead, R.Milovanovic-M.Kamin ski, Dallas 2001, saw 1 1...h 5 ? ! 12 h 3 ttJh 6 and it's n ot cl ear wh at Bl ack has achieved by in serting ... h 7-h 5 h ere, apart from weakening his own king side. 12 h 3 ! Alert play. Korchnoi prevents t h e . . .� g 4 pl an . 12 ... i.e6 13 'ir'b3! Dual purpose: threatening b7 and preparing queen side castling. 13 ... 'itc8 Protecting the b7-pawn, while moving the queen off the open d-file. 14 0-0-0 •••

14 ... �h8?! Black feel s a touch of anticipatory h esitance and backs off from .. .f7 -fs . His plan (if he has one ! ) lacks unity of purpose, an d h e decides on thi s tentative respon se. But by trivializ392

Ko rch n o i o n A c c u m u l a t i n g A d va n t a g e s i n g th e problem, he allows i t t o fester and g row, like mould in a damp environment. I t i s human n ature t o question oth er people's beliefs an d yet rarely question those w e our­ selves cling to. I am almost certain I woul d h ave avoided .. .f7-f5, fearing th e creation of weakn esses, exactly as N evednichy did. And yet, as an ann otator, I h anded him a " ? ! " for a move I would h ave played myself! GM Victor Mikh al evski sugg ests 14 .. .f5 ! , adding sauce to an otherwise boring meal . Bl ack must strive for compen sating central counterpl ay. For example: 15 .te7 ! ? (after 1 5 i. d 3 fxe4 16 .txe4 lL'lf5 17 �xf5 ..txf5 18 'iVe3, the game l ooks dyn amically balanced) 1 5 . . l:if7 (not 15 ... .:e8 ? ! 16 lL'lf6+ and Bl ack must give up key bishop) 16 �c5 b6 17 i.. e 3 (Korchnoi) might be met by 17 .. .fxe4! ? 18 lL'lg 5 lL'ld4 19 i.. x d4 exd4 20 ltJxf7 'St>xf7, when the strong centre gives Black reasonable compen sation for the exch ange. 1 5 g4! The mask of White's nonch al ance is rem oved. Korchnoi clamps down, discouraging .. .f7f5 . Note as well how difficult it i s for Bl ack to eject the d5 intruder. 1 5 lL'lg8 Very slow, but it is objectively too l ate for 15 .. .f5 ?, since White g ets a far superior version with th e open g -file after 16 gxf5 gxf5 17 l:tdg 1 ! , wh en play follows alien lines of thought: .

...

a) 17 .. .fxe4 18 .l:.xg 7 ! ! (the variation s now grow both parenthetical and convoluted in th eir gyration s and it becomes a chore to keep track of them in our befuddled heads) 18 ... �xg 7 (18 ... exf3 19 l:.xc7 is winning for White) 19 l:tg 1+ 'it'h 8 20 lL'le7! ltJxe7 (moving th e queen doesn't h elp: 20 ... 'i!i'd7 2 1 lL'lxe5 ! ltJxe 5 2 2 'ii'c 2 or 20 ... 1i'e8 2 1 lL'lxc6 exf3 22 'ii c 3 ! lL'lg4 ! ? 2 3 lL'lxe 5 ! wins) 2 1 'ii'c 3 ! ! a n d Bl ack's king i s caught in th e crossfire. b) 17 ... .i:tg8 18 'iVe 3 ! (even stronger than 18 l:.xg 7 l::t x g 7 19 .if6, which win s as well) 18 .. .fxe4 (or 18 .. .f4 19 'i!Vb3 lL'lf7 20 lL'lf6 ! ) 19 I1xg 7 ! lhg 7 20 'iVxh 6 l:tg 6 2 1 �f6+ �g 8 22 .Ug 1 ! ! 'ii'e 8 (or 22 ... :xg 1+ 2 3 lL'lxg 1 'iid 7 24 lL'le7+ etc) 2 3 'ii g 7+! l:txg 7 24 l:txg 7+ 'St>f8 2 5 lL'lg 5 ! �f5 26 lL'lxc7 iVc8 27 .ih 5 ! with the decisive threat of i.f7 and l:tg 8 mate. Such positions stretch and test the boundaries of comprehension . Of course, it's diffi393

Ko rch n o i:

M o ve by M o ve

cult to glean practical conclusion s from such computer simul ation s, wh ose artifici al con ­ structs engender in us the fal se belief that we human s, if given th e ch an ce, could find all these excl am s and do uble excl am s over the board. In real life, who knows how th i s varia­ tion would h ave pl ayed out in the g ame?

16 Wb1 liJd 8 At l o n g last, Black i s ready for ... C7-c6. 17 �g3 ! Korch noi focuses on e s , which h e intends to undermine with g4-g 5 ! . 1 7 ltJf7 1 8 'ii'c 3! cs? ...

Question: I don 't get it? Why did Bl ack avoid ... C7-c6 - ? Answer: I don't understand Black's motivation either, and neither did Mikh alevski in h i s notes. Som etimes w e chess players h e ar strang e voices which lead us astray. Bl ack h ad to try 18 ... c6 19 liJe3 .th 6, attemptin g to h alt Korchnoi ' s plan, even if only temporarily. 19 g5! f5! ? Black attempts t o muck things u p after all, n ot liking th e l ooks o f 19 .. .fxg 5 20 ltJxe s l:.e8 2 1 liJxf7+ i.xf7 2 2 1!Vc2, when White threatens liJC7 and exerts strong pressure.

Exercise {planning}: The biggest an d riskiest bet one can make i s t o put u p your own life a s collateral . Black did just th at with his l ast move. How did Korchnoi generate an attack from thi s position ? Answer: Pry open the h -file. 20 h4! 20 ltJxe s ltJxg s or 20 i.xes ltJxe s 2 1 liJxe s fxe4 would be far less clear. 20 f4 ...

394

K o r c h n o i o n A c c u m u l a t i n g A d va n t a g e s If 20 .. .fxe4 then 2 1 tZJxe s, followed by h4-h 5, i s now decisive. 21 h S ! gxh s The bishop can 't be taken, since Bl ack won't survive 2 1 .. .fxg 3 ? ? 2 2 hxg6. 2 2 i.h4 N evednichy 's position i s envel oped in gloom . He soon drops his h s -pawn, after which the attack al ong the h -file once again flares up. 22 ... i.xd s?! This just surrenders the light squares. Bl ack h ad t o try 2 2 ... .i.g4, though h i s position i s probably strategically lost in any case. 23 cxd s lZJe7 24 ttJd2! Making way for the light-squared bishop to enter the g ame. 24 ...l2Jd6 2 5 i.xh s l2Jg6 26 1::!. c 1 Improving the rook's position with tempo. 26 ... b6 2 7 'iff3 !

Question: What is the purpose of thi s m ove? Answer: Mikh al evski explains: "White brings the queen into the attack and prepares to re­ group the pieces. In particul ar, the light-squared bishop will move to the c8-h 3 di agon al vi a g4, leaving the h s-square for the queen." 27 ...l:f.es 28 �g4 'i'b7 29 ..tfs! Clearing a path to h s for the queen . 29 .. .'ifo>g8 30 ctJC4 �adS

Exercise (critical decision): The position i s an ocean of untapped possibility from White's perspective. He can play 3 1 'it'h s or 31 l2Jxd6. One win s ; the other allows Black back into the g ame. Which one would you choose?

395

K o r c h n o i : M o ve by M o ve

3 1 'ii' h S ? Now White's attack l acks th e mom entum t o carry h i m over the boundary. Answer: Correct was 3 1 tt::l x d6 ! .l:txd6 32 'i¥h 3 with a decisive attack for White, who inten ds moves like f2-f3, i.. e 1-c3, i.. e 6+, l!Vf5 and so on . 3 1 ...'iif7? Black blun ders right back, mi ssing his chance for serious counterplay after 31...tt::l x f5 ! 3 2 exf5 'ii' x d5 3 3 fxg6 'i'e4+ 34 'it a 1 h x g 6 3 5 'ii g 4 b 5 . I t shoul d b e noted that both players were in tim e trouble at thi s point. 3 2 .ie6?! Here too 3 2 ctJxd6 ! l:.xd6 3 3 f3 was strong er, followed by i.. e 1-c3 etc. In stead, Korchn oi trades h i s attack for a comparatively meagre advantage of being the exchang e for a pawn up - which n evertheless proves to be sufficient. 32 ... .l:txe6 It's a terrible feeling to sacrifice everything for th e sake of a cause, an d th en realize it was all for nothing. Black l acks compen sation, and Korchnoi gives him no more ch ances. 3 3 dxe6 'ii'x e6 34 tt::l x d6 l:txd6 3 5 f3 ! litd3 3 6 i..f2 tt::lfS 3 7 l:thd1 1!f'd7?! Here 3 7 ... l:lxd1 3 8 :xdl 'ii'c 4 would put up m ore resistance. 38 'i¥h1 tt::l e 6 39 'i'f1!

Principle: Exchanges fa vour the side with more material. 39 ... c4 40 lii x d3 cxd 3 41 :d1 tt::lxg s 42 'if'xd 3 1 Excellent judgment, an d following the same principle. Korchnoi correctly assessed th at he can deal with Black's passed h -pawn in the ending. 42 .. .'ii' xd3+ 43 l:.xd3 i..f6 44 'oti>c2 �f7 45 :a 3 Or 45 J:l.d7+, which comes to the same thing. 4S ...'oti>e6 46 Ii!.xa7 tt::lxf3 47 Wd 3 ! 47 l:txh 7 ? would complicate things, a s after 47 ... tt::l g s an d ... tt::l x e4, Bl ack gets two con ­ nected passed pawn s in stead of j ust one. 396

K o r c h n o i o n A c c u m u l a t i n g A d va n t a g e s 47

...

h s 4 8 �h 7 h4 4 9 a4 1-o

Exercise (calculation}: Black's queenside lies in tatters. All that remains i s to h alt h i s kingside queening attempts. Work out the following line in your mind's eye, without m ovin g the pieces. Answer: 49 ... �d8 so l::th 6+ Wf7 5 1 .i.xb6 .txb6 5 2 1Ixb6 Wg7 53 �e2 tLlg s 54 .l::!.b 4! (the rook denies the knight's auth ority, coverin g the key e4-pawn ; n ow White's king is agile enough to handl e the opposing passers, wh ereas Bl ack g ets swept away by the might of th e a­ pawn 's mindless urge to advance) 54 ... h3 5 5 ..t>f2 f3 56 '.tg 3 and Black's queening race has en ded, while White's is just beginning. The a-pawn slides out to the promotion square, like an i nfant emerging from the womb.

C h a pt e r S i x

Korchnoi on End g a m e s

Korchnoi was never destined to be a world champion but, in my opinion, he orchestrated endings better than the maj ority of worl d ch ampi on s. I rank Korch n oi's endgame skills in th e top handful of all time, alongside those of lasker, Capabl anca, Fischer, Kramnik and Carl sen . Korchnoi 's strength was in his stag g eringly deep problem-solving abilities.

This position arose in Korchnoi's can di dates m atch again st Karpov in 1974 (see Game 53). Black's pawn is close to queening, while White, though a rook up, is in constant danger of perpetual check. The mystery of the position's truth has yet to be revealed, and behind the veil lie yet other obscuring veils. The solution moves from conception, to incubation, to implem entation. Korchnoi h as a nasty habit of dem andi n g the impossibl e from reality. When 2+2 fails to add up to the number he desires, Korchnoi simply ch anges the equation to suit h i s percep­ tion of reality. In his case 2 + 2 = 5 . We arrive at a circul ar paradox. How to erase the barrier 398

K o r c h n o i o n E n dg a m e s between White's desire to punish the black kin g , an d Bl ack's fierce resi stance? Somewh ere within the bubbling stew lies our an swer.

Exercise (planning/combination alert}: White to play and force m ate in 18 ( ! ) moves. Answer: 70 .l:tb8 ! ! , intending ltb2 ! to ruthlessly hunt down Black's king, who finds himself taken unawares. Korch noi unearthed this incredibly hidden idea over the board. I wonder h ow many pl ayers in the hi story of chess could m atch this feat if th ey arrived in the same position, with a possibl e world ch ampionship on the line. From thi s point on, if you pl ay through the moves with a computer turned on, you discover th at Korchnoi's moves virtually m atch Houdin i's analysis, move for move, for the remainder of the game. Such was his impossibly high, computer-like l evel of accuracy in technical endings.

Game 52 V.Korch noi-T.V. Petrosian

Ca n d i d ates ( 3 rd m atchga me}, Odessa 1974 English Opening 1 c4 4Jf6 2 tt:\c3 e6 3 tt:\f3 b6 4 e4 i.b7 5 'ii'e 2 c5 6 e5 tt:\g8 1 d4 i.xf3 8 'it'xf3 lDc6 9 d 5 tt:\xe5 10 'ti'g3 d6 11 i.f4 tt:\g6 12 dxe6 fxe6 13 0-0-0 tt:\xf4 14 'ikxf4 g6 15 Ve4 t!Of6 16 'ii'x e6+ �e7 17 Itxd6 'ilr'xe6 18 �xe6+

Question: Which factor has m ore impact upon the position : White's extra pawn and l ead in development, or the fact that Black m ay hold the draw due to opposite-coloured bishops?

399

K o rc h n o i: M o ve by M o ve Answer: Let's assess: 1. White i s a pawn up and leads in develop ment. 2 . Th e presence of opposit e-coloured bish ops weighs heavily on White's winning ch an c-

es. Both of these you noted, but th ere are other factors too: 3. Black's queenside pawn s are fixed on dark squares, the sam e colour as his rem aining bishop, and are vulnerable to attack by tt:lb5, while the white kin g m ay gain entry vi a the queenside light squares. 4. The c4-pawn i s fixed on the same colour as White's rem aining bi shop, which weakens his dark squares. Conclusion : This one may be a 50/50 proposition, though the odds are perh aps slightly White's favour, since Bl ack can 't afford a single slip. in 18 .. :;io>f7 1 The best defence. 18 ... Ji.e7? would allow White to support his rook: 19 g 3 ! �f7 20 i.h 3 l:'.th d8 (or 20.J!the8 2 1 tt:lb5) 2 1 .l:the 1 .tf8 22 .l::. c 6 (threatening infiltration at c7) 2 2 ... tt:'le8 2 3 tt:'lb5 and White dominates. 19 .l:f.c6

Exercise (combination alert): It appears as if White's rook entry on the seventh rank will be decisive. However, Petrosian found a clever defensive tactic whi ch effectively cauterizes the wound. What is it? Answer: Discovered attack. Black's rook isn't really hanging.

19 ... l:.c81 The rook's bored gaze slides right over th e intruder on c6, as if h e were invi sible. 20 l:r.xc8 White's rook notes the diminution of h i s authority, of wh at he on ce was to what he is 400

K o r c h n o i o n E n dg a m es now, an d has no choice but to agree to the swap with begrudging acquiescen ce. 20 i.h6+ 2 1 �c2 l:.xc8 22 i.e2 l:td8 23 'iii> b 3! Thinking about 'it>a4-b 5 . 2 3 . . J::t d 2? Petrosian, anxious to g et rooks off the board, wastes time in doing so. Black's best pl an may be to centralize with 2 3 ... ..tf4! 24 g 3 i.es 2 5 .l:!.dl l:txdl 26 tLlxdl i.d4 27 i.f3 tLld7, when White's win i s an iffy proposition as he h as many problems to solve: 1. His king side pawn s are under fire, whi ch fixes his knight on dl for now. 2. Even if he does unravel, Black can meet any tLlbs with ... .tes and ...i.b8, or he can even post a knight on d6, which prevents tLlbs . Thi s mean s it won 't be easy for White to force a weakening of Black's queenside pawn s. 24 :d1 tLleB 2 5 :xd 2 i.xd 2 26 tLlbs! Creatin g weakness on the queenside. 26 ... a6 2 7 tLlc3 •.•

27 ... .i.xc3 Unfortunately forced, as White threatened both tLlds and tLla4. The only other possibil­ ity was 2 7 ... tLlc7 28 tLla4 .ias, whi ch leaves Bl ack's pieces completely offside. White would pl ay 29 .i.g4, bring h i s king back to the centre, an d then advance the king side pawn s. Question: Why unfortun ately? Doesn't White h ave a bad b i sh op with his c4-pawn fixe.d on th e sam e colour? ,

Answer: We are remin ded of Tartakower's statem ent about the worst bishop being better than the best knight. In endings, the long-ran g e power of the bishop is often deci sive, as in thi s game. The c4-pawn is a hindrance, but n ot enough of one for Black to save the game. 2 8 �xc3 as

401

K o rc h n o i: M o ve by M o ve

Question: Won 't White's kin g infiltrate via bS n ow? Answer: N o. Black sim ply posts a knight on d6, preventing kin g entry. 2 9 i.d3 l2Jf6 30 f4 Activating his king side pawn maj ority. 30 ... l2Jhs 31 g3 l2Jf6 32 'it>d 2 l2Je8 33 g4 l2Jd6 34 'ite3 �e6 N othing in the worl d spawn s deep, lasting rel ation ships more than two peopl e with a shared enemy. Black's king and knight simply l ack the necessary weapon s to deal with their counterparts' attempts to infiltrate. 35 h4 'it;f7 36 b3! Question: Why did White place his queenside pawns on the same colour as h i s bishop? Answer: An un avoidabl e evil. Sometimes we must twist, distort an d viol ate principle to serve our ends. White's bishop must be activated at any cost, which means it must be re­ leased from its menial job of covering c4. 36 ... 'it;g7 37 gS Endgam e principl e: Place as many pa wns as possible on the opposite colour to your re­ main ing bishop. Alternatively, White coul d play 37 fs gxfs 38 i.xfs h S 39 �f4 h xg4 40 i.xg4, when the extra pawn i s decisive. For example: 40 ... 'itf6 41 a4! (zugzwang trumps the fl agrant viola­ tion of principle) 41 ... l2Jf7 42 'it;e4 l2Je s 43 �dl! 'it;e6 44 hS l2Jf7 4 5 �g4+ and White's king comes in vi a dS or fS . 3 7 . .'it;f 7 .

402

Ko rch n o i o n E n dg a m e s

Exercise {planning}: Tim e to enforce justice. H ow can White's king g ain entry into Black's position ? Answer: Sac a pawn temporarily to clear f4. 3 8 f5 1 This self-inflicted dismemberment i s n ecessary to White's winning strategy. 3 8 ... gxfs Or 3 8 ... l2JxfS + 39 .txfs gxfs 40 h S ! h s and evaluate the consequences without moving the pieces. Answer: In position s requiring brute force cal culation it sometimes feels as if Korchn oi is in full sight of the board, while his opponents are blindfolded. In my opinion, h e is th e third greatest pure cal cul ator of all time, behind Kasparov and Lasker. White wins the pawn end­ ing by a tempo. 40 a41 l2Je4 40 ... 'it>h S 41 i.xfs ! ltJxfs 42 xg6 'it>g4 We hear the roarin g silence, as if alone in a cathedral . One tempo is all that separates Black from his cherished dream of a draw. Such life an d death variation s make zero all ow­ ances for our analytical frailties. ..

46 �6

White's king attempts to redefine himself in his n ew role of Olympic sprinter. Both sides furiously race for the base of the oth er's pawn chains. 46 . �4 47 �e6 �e4 48 'it>d6 "Coward! Small -hearted coward! Come back ! " impl ores Black's sweating, out-of-breath king , as his enemy remain s one step ahead to the finish line. 48...�d4 49 'it>c6 'it>c3 50 Wxb6 'it>xb3 ..

4 04

K o r c h n o i o n E n dg a m e s

Exercise (combination alert}: Unearth White's single path to victory. Answer: Zug zwan g . 5 1 ..t> b s ! 1-o Avoiding the trivial traps 51 xa 5 ? ? xc4 and 51 xc 5 ? ? �xa4, both of which work out to draws. Wh ereas now, nothing shields Bl ack's king from his sh ame. His attempted inter­ vention fail s and he realizes he faces a more formidable enemy, stan ding across from him at b5. This i s the position Korchnoi envisioned on his 40th move - 2 3-ply ago !

Game 53 V . Ko rch noi-A.Ka rpov

Ca n d id ates fi n a l (19th m atchga me), Moscow 1974 Trompowsky Opening 1 d4 l2Jf6 2 .tgs e6 3 e4 h6 4 .i.xf6 'it'xf6 s lLif3 d6 6 lLic3 g6 7 'ii'd 2 'ike7 8 o-o-o a6 9 h4 .i.g7 10 g3 bs 11 .i.h3 b4 12 t2Jd s exd s 13 .i.xc8 o-o 14 .lib7 .l:Ia 7 1 5 .i.xd s c6 16 �b3 'i!Vxe4 17 'iid 3 'i!Vxd 3 18 J:.xd3

Question: An assessment? Answer: 1. Th e fact that there is only one open fil e on th e board signals rook swaps whi ch h elp Bl ack. 2. White's bi shop contai n s more power than Black's. 3 . Black's queenside structure i s just a shade l oose.

405

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve 4. I n the endgame, opposit e-coloured bishops help the defender: Black. con cl usion : GMs Averbakh , Byrne, Furm an and Kotov all predicted a draw as the only logical outco me. Houdin i calls it even at thi s stage too. What the G M s failed to factor in was Kor chnoi 's indom itabl e will to win - even when there should be no win. He was trail­ ing in the m atch 10V2-1V2 and desperately needed a full point as White to keep his ch ances alive. 18 ... t2Jd 7!?

Question: Why didn't Black seize the e-file? Answer: H artston and Keene leave thi s m ove unann otated in their match book as well. Karpov m ay h ave been concern ed about 1 8 ... .ll e 8 19 �a4 ds 20 .l:.e1 J:.xe1+ 2 1 t2Jxe1 .l::t e 7 2 2 bs and 'it>xas . 30 c2 l l:!.d2+ Principles don 't always apply. In this case, Bl ack's control over the seventh rank proves to be meaningless. 31 ct>b3 �d1?1 A reduction in the number of pieces often helps the defender, but not in thi s i n stance. 40 7

K o r c h n o i : M o ve by M o ve Black's queen s ide pawn s become h arder to defend with a pair of rooks off the board. In­ stead, he might h ave thwarted Korchnoi's plan by playing 3 1 ... .:tb8+ 3 2 i..b s C4+ ! 3 3 'it>xc4 J:tb2, wh en th e white kin g is exposed to the attention s of the black rooks. 3 2 �xd 1 l::t x d1 33 i.bs Dual purpose: coverin g a4 and clearing c4 for his king. The queen side light squares be­ gin to flower in furious bloom for White. 3 3 lld s?l H ere Botvinnik proposed 3 3 ... l:.c1 ! as th e simplest defence, tying White to the defence of his crucial c3-pawn. In stead, Karpov opts for an active continuation based on White's need to avoid the exch ange of rooks. 34 1le3 34 �c4! :fs 35 l:td3 was a quicker route to the g am e position, but Korchnoi doesn't mind wasting a few moves in order to reach the adjournment. 34 .. �es ..•

.

3 S .l:id 3 1 Oh, no you don 't! White must retain the fin al pair o f rooks t o nurse winning chances, since the pure opposite-coloured bi shops ending i s drawn . For example: 35 .l:txe s ? i.xes 36 '>ii> c 4 fs 3 7 f4 i.f6 38 i.c6 'it>f7 and White's kin g i s impri soned by the n eed to defend c 3 . 3 5 ... l:!.e2 3 6 �f3 l:.es 3 7 �c41 l:tfs 3 8 l:.d 3 1 White's only prayer for victory, turni n g th e game into a race with opposite wing pawn m ajorities. 38 ....l:txf2 Again Karpov takes the active path , even if it mean s h anding Korchnoi a passed c-pawn . The passive 3 8 ... ii.e7 39 l:td7 '>ii>f8 (or 39 ... i.f6 40 l:.d2 l:If3 41 .l:tc2, followed by i.c6) 40 .Ua7 ii.d8 41 f4 leaves Bl ack badly tangled up. 39 ..ti>xcs Bl ack now has a choice between raw aggression (39 ... .tes) or submissive defence 4 08

K o rc h n o i o n E n dg a m e s (39 ... .Uc2). Both path s should l ead to a draw. 39 ... ..tes Karpov targets the g 3 -pawn . The restrained 3 9 ...:c2 should hol d the draw as well, but Black needs to see - and see quickly with th e adjournment approaching - th at h i s blockade after 40 c4 .i.C3 41 �b6 ..tb4 cannot be overcome. For instan ce, 42 l:!.ds �f6 ! 43 cs �e6 ! 44 l:td6+ 'it>e s 45 :c6 �d4 46 .l::tf6 !txcs 47 .li!.f4+ �c3 48 l:txf7 is drawn . White best ch ance is 43 g4! \t>e6 44 h S, but Black should survive anyway after 44 ... .l:.d2 ! 45 l:txd2 ..txd2 46 cs ..te3 47 g S ! (trying to overload the bishop) 47 ...hxg s (not 47 ... Ji.xg 5 ? 48 c6 and wins) 48 h 6 �ds 49 .te8 (or 49 h7 ..txcs+ so \t>xas .td4 5 1 'it>b4 g4 5 2 as g 3 5 3 .tf1 �c6 etc) 49 ... i.xcs + so �xas g4 S l .txf7+ �d6 5 2 h 7 .td4 5 3 ..txg 6 �cS ! 54 �a6 g3 55 .te4 �b4 56 as .i.f6 5 7 �b6 .td4+ 5 8 �a6, as White i s tied down to as and unable to m ake progress. 40 'it>b6 �g2

The g am e was adjourned here. Despite the fact that the race looks so tight to th e n aked eye, Karpov and his team , to their chagrin, could fin d no saving defence for Black. Botvin ­ nik, o n the other hand, found two drawing l i n e s for Black (at moves 4 8 and SO), whi ch Houdin i, in today's computer age, i s abl e to verify. 41 c4 l:.xg3 N ot 41 ... .txg 3 ? because of 42 .l:txg 3 ! .l:Ixg 3 43 cs l:lc3 44 c6 g s 45 h xg s hxg s 46 c7 .:txc7 47 \t>xc7 fs 48 �b6 and White win s. 42 :d7 gs This is going to be close ! Both sides roll their respective majorities. 43 hxgs hxgs 44 cs l:tc3 45 c6 g4 46 c7 g3 47 .tc6 Dual purpose: interference and coverage of g 2 . Karpov h as no choice on his next move. 47 ... i.xc7+ 48 .l:txc7 �h6?! Botvinnik first draw involves Black giving up his rook right h ere with 48 ... J:.xc6+ ! . For ex­ ample: 49 l:txc6 fs so lkl \t>f6 S l l:t g l f4 52 'it>cs �e s 53 .l:ie1+ �5 54 d3 �g4 55 .!:g 1 (but not 5 5 �d3 ? ? g 2 56 .l:le8 - Botvinnik, due to S6 .. .f3 ! 5 7 l:.g 8+ �f4 58 l:tf8+ '.t>e s ! and Black 4 09

K o rc h n o i : M o ve by M o v e wins) S S .. 5it'h 3 5 6 �e4 �h 2 5 7 l:tcl g 2 5 8 'Wt>xf4 g 1 'iV S 9 l:txg 1 'Wt>xg 1 60 'it>e4 g 2 61 �d4 f3 62 c4 �e4 6 3 'Wt>bs 'Wt>ds 64 xas c6 and the black king m akes it back across in time. The text makes things more difficult as it allows the white rook to become m ore active, but Bl ack is not lost yet. 49 J:tc8 N ot falling for the cheapo 49 l:txf7 ? ? .l:.xc6+ s o �xc6 g2 and Black queen s. 49 fs so :fs ...

Exercise (critical decision): Black is in desperation m ode. He can play so . . . �g s h oping to n urse h i s pawns forward, or play the desperado s o ... l:.xc6+. One line h ol ds a draw; the other loses. Choose carefully. ,

so l:.xc6+? ...

Question: It looks to me like thi s move deserves " ! ! " and that Black's pawn s are too fast. Am I mi staken ? Answer: Karpov ignites a mom ent of extreme cogn itive dissonance with a twistedly deep, yet un sound i dea, so subtl e th at it comes across as an untruth within a lie. He tries to di­ vert funds for his expen sive war on the king side with a sizeable investment he really can 't afford. Overreaction to a threat is n ever a good thi n g ; overreaction to a ph antom threat i s even worse.

H artston and Keene called this "A desperately ingenious resource, trusting in th e stren gth of his passed pawns to outwit White's rook." H owever, it isn't so much of a sacri ­ fice as it is the nihilistic act of a m an who already considers him self dead. Korchnoi's sub­ sequent pl ay proves it to be the decisive mistake. I n stead, Botvinnik's calm so ... �g S ! enabl es Bl ack to hold th e game. For exam ple: 410

K o rch n o i o n E n dg a m e s a) S 1 .i.d7 .l:.d3 ! ! draws after either capture: 5 2 �xfS+ �g6 or 5 2 i.xfs ltf3 . b) 5 1 i.a8 f4 5 2 'it>xas l1b3 ! (fencin g in the white king to retard the a-pawn's advan ce) 53 �a6 (or 53 .tds l:.b2) 53 ... �g4 54 as f3 55 �a7 g2 56 .l:tg 8+ 'it>h 3 57 a7 �h 2 and all three pieces will h ave to be sacrificed to stop one of the pawns promoti n g . c) 5 1 .l:f. g 8 + 'iti>f6 5 2 i.a 8 'ifi>f7 (drivin g the rook off the g -file) S 3 lld8 We 7 54 .l:.d1 .:!.b3+! (ag ain curtailing the white king ' s movement) 55 'iti>xas 'iti>f6 5 6 i.ds l:!.b2 57 c;t>a6 f4 5 8 as 'iti> g s 5 9 'ifi>a7 �g4 60 a6 g 2 etc. 51 'iti>xc6 'it>gs 52 J:tg8+ �f4 53 'iti>bs 'ifi>f3 54 c;t>xa s f4 GM Yuri Balashov mistakenly claimed Black could still draw h ere with 54 ... g 2 5 5 'it>b4 'iiff2, but Botvinnik showed that White win s after 56 'iif c 3 ! (rather th an Balashov's 56 a s ?, which does indeed allow Black a draw)

S6 ... g 1'iV 57 l:txg 1 'iti>xg1 58 'iif d 3 ! �g 2 (or S8 ... �h 2 59 as f4 60 a6 f3 61 'it>e 3 ! 'ifi>g 3 62 a7 f2 63 c;;f,;> e 2 'iif g 2 64 a8'ii'+ etc) 59 as f4 60 a6 f3 61 a7 f2 62 a8�+. Normally a bishop's pawn draws ag ain st a lone queen, but not h ere. White's kin g is too close and assists in the win after 62 ... 'ifi>g 1 63 'Wg 8+ 'ifi>f1 (or 63 ... 'it>h 1 64 �e2) 64 'ii'g 4 �e1 65 'iVe2 m ate. 5 5 'ifi>b4 �g2 N ot SS ... g 2 ? 56 'ifi>c 3 �f2 57 c;;f,;> d 3 f3 58 �e4 and White win s quickly. 56 as f3 57 a6 f2 58 a7 f1'Vi' 59 a 8'iV+ 'ii'f3 1 A surreal position. " 1 , who am the l aw, violate the law. Yet who among you dares to ex­ tract penalty from me?" taunts Black's free-spirited queen, as she thumbs her nose to the crowd. Karpov, a rook down, proposes to swap queens since his lone pawn holds the draw. White must now be careful not to allow perpetual check (or drop h i s rook!). Incidentally, computer table bases play these six-piece endings absolutely perfectly. While Korchnoi didn 't m anage quite that l evel of accuracy (nobody coul d), he didn 't m ake a single mistake either from thi s point on.

411

Korch n o i: M o ve by M o ve

60 'ii'a 2+ 'ii'f2 61 'i'd S+ 'ii'f 3 Accordin g to the tabl ebase, 61 ... \t>g l ! makes things more difficult, when White h as to play 62 'ii'd l+! �g 2 63 'ii'g 4! and allow a multitude of checks after 63 ... 'i'b6+, which ulti­ m ately turn out to be futile. 62 'ilfd2+ �f2 6 3 �c31 Thi s shorten s proceedings con siderably. Now Black can 't swap queens, as White's king i s too close: 6 3 ...'i'xd2+?? 64 �xd2 �2 6 5 l:lf8+ �g l 66 �e2 g 2 67 l:tg 8 'ith 2 68 �f2 i s cur­ tains. 63 ...'itg1 64 'i'dl+ 'iiti> g 2 6 5 'iid 3 'ifcS+ 66 �b31 'ifb6+ 67 h3 The king's trembling han ds are the equivalent of a full confession. 76 'ii' h 8+ 'iti>g4 77 l:Ib4+! 'i.ii>f3 78 'ii' h 1+! 'itf2 Or 78 ... g 2 79 l:tb3+ 'i2tf2 80 'ii'e l m ate. 79 .l::f. b 2! 1-0 Black's king flops about in its death throes, like a goldfish that jumped out of its bowl . White's renewed threat of discovered check i s now decisive. For example: 79 ... 'iVf6 80 'itr>cl+ .•

413

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve 'it>e3 81 'iVel+ 'itlf4 82 J:.b4+ 'itlfs 83 .l:tbS+ 'ito>g 6 (if 8 3 .. .c6 Korchnoi immediately goes after c 5 . 22 �Xd4?J Timman contradicts his own purpose by handing back the bishop pair in order to pick off b7. Wh atever ch ance White h ad of seizing the initiative now goes inert. This isn't mere­ ly a side i ssue which interferes with his overall goal . If White is to thrive, then he must adapt to ch anging circum stances. H i s last move just feel s wrong . It would be more the­ matic for White to play 2 2 f4 (Principle: Ope n t h e position when you o w n t h e b ishop pair) 2 2 .. J::th g 8 2 3 fxe 5 fxe 5 , which Houdin i still assesses as even . 2 2 ... exd4 Tim man greatly underestim ated the damaging potential of thi s pawn, now a running sore which can never be excised from his position.

2 3 �f3+?1 White finds a way to pick Black's pocket, but at too high a cost. H e would do better to play 2 3 .l:tbl before ...�f5 prevents it. Indeed, 2 3 ... �f5 ?? would now lose to 24 �f3+ r;i;lxc5 (or 24 .. .f4 42 'itd3 'itxg4 43 h 6 ! (White has to push both rooks' pawns as far as possible, to give his king tim e l ater to rush across to the opposite corn er) 43 'it>g s 44 �xd4 �xh 6 45 a s ! g s 46 a6 ! hS (or .

.

...

417

Ko r c h n o i : M o v e by M o v e

46 ... 'it>g4 47 �cs ! h S 48 'it>c6 h4 49 �b7 h 3 so 'it>xa7 h 2 5 1 b8 h 1'i!t' 5 2 a7 etc) 47 'it>e3 �fs (47 ... 'it>g4 48 �f2 doesn 't help Black) 48 'it?f3 e s 49 'it>g 3 ds so 'it>h4 'it>cs 5 1 �xh s b6 (it looks as if White must surely lose this race, but no ... ) 52 'it>g4 'it>xa6 53 f3 'it>b s 54 �e2 'it>b4 55 d1 'it>b3 56 \t>c1 and the king m akes it just in time. That's 24 moves after th e exercise diagram. As I said, it's a very difficult draw, which probably nobody could work out over the board. b) 36 ... e4 36 h4 d3 38 gs 'it>d4 (a switchback to try and stop the white pawn s) 39 hs 'it>e s 40 g 6 ! hxg6 41 hxg6 f6 42 �d2 xg 6 43 f3 ! 'it>fs 44 fxe4+ xe4 45 a S ! (following the same principle as in line 'a') 4S ... a6 46 'it>d1 ! Wd4 (or 46 ... We 3 47 We1) 47 '>t>d2 Wc4 48 d1! 'it>b4 (with the white a-pawn on a4, thi s move would win) 49 Wd2 'it>xas so Wxd3 'it>b4 5 1 Wc2 etc. 3 3 ... Wxc4 34 llc2+ We sense a bit of bluff behind this move, which is perhaps more theatre th an men ace. But what else i s White to do? Everything else loses as well. White's cut-off king n ods di s­ tantly to his minister's frantic warnings about the impending dangers of Black's d-pawn, but clearly his mind is el sewhere. Th e gulf between the kin g and his l iberation i s too wide, too deep. Black threaten s ... c3, followed by ... d4-d3, and n ot much can be don e about it. 34 ... b3 35 l:tc7 d3 A fly in your soup defiles the entire bowl, n ot just th e pinpoint location of the fly's float­ ing corpse. Of course, the wing pawns (of eith er colour) are irrelevant to Korchnoi's plan . He focuses with single-minded intent on promotion of his passed d-pawn . 36 .l::f. x h7 l:d s l

The shepherd's dilemma: should he leave the other sheep unguarded t o attempt a res­ cue for one l ost l amb? In thi s case, absolutely. Bl ack's entire universe rises or falls upon th e strength of his d-pawn . Principle: Post you r rooks behind you r passed pa wns. White's powerless king shakes his head, as if to expunge thoughts too terrible to contempl ate. 37 .l:f.b7+ 418

K o r c h n o i o n E n dg a m e s 3 7 'it>e4 can be met by 3 7 d2. 37 ...'iti>c2 3 8 1Ic7+ 'it>b1 3 9 l:lb7+ rJI>a11 N o more checks. Th e d-pawn tugs petul antly at White's peace of mind, the way a small child harasses h er mother as they pass by the toy store at the m all. 40 .�:tbs I:!.ds o-1 White has no way to h alt the pawn 's prom otion ; in fact he can n o longer even manage to sac his rook for it. ...

Game 55 A.Ka rpov-V. Korch noi

World C ha m pions h i p (28th matchga me}, Baguio City 1978 Ruy Lopez Things looked grim for team Korchnoi before thi s game. H e was trailing 5 - 2 in wins, with Karpov only requiring one more for victory. Th e pressure was unbelievable, since a sin gle blunder for Korchnoi could end the m atch . Then something amazing h appened. A tiring Karpov, who may h ave underestimated his opponent's monumental will to win, lost three games out of four (beginning with thi s on e) to leave th e match tied at S - 5 . Korchnoi had not managed to win a single g ame a s Black in their first (Candidates' Fi­ nal) match , an d th at record continued into this match as well , so that Karpov h ad been un ­ defeated with the white pieces for 2 5 games in a row - until thi s game. 1 e4 es 2 ltJf3 ltJc6 3 ..ibs a6 4 i.a4 ltJf6 5 o-o ltJxe4 6 d4 bs 7 .ltb3 ds 8 dxes i.e6 9 c3 ltJcs 10 .ltc2 ..ig4 11 �e1 ..ie7 12 ctJbd 2 1i'd7 13 ctJb3 ctJe6 14 h3 ..ihs 15 .ltfs lt::l c d8 16 ..ie3 as 17 ..ics a4 18 il.. x e7 'i'xe7 19 ctJbd2 c6 20 b4 ctJg5 2 1 "Yi'e2 g6 2 2 i.g4 i.. x g4 23 hxg4 ltJde6 24 �e3 hs 2 5 ltJxgs 'i'xgs 26 �xgs ltJxgs

419

K o r c h n o i : M o v e by M o v e

Question: Wh o stands better? Answer: Let's assess: 1. We have opposite wing pawn majorities. 2 . The h -file i s opening in Black's favour. 3. White's queen side structure is slightly weakened by the b2-b4 thrust. 4. Black h as th e superior majority, with more vi able pawn break option s : ... d S-d4 and ... c6-cs. s. Bl ack's king can rem ain in th e middle, h elping to slow down White's king side m ajor­ ity. 6. White's e s-pawn is more a liability than a strength . Conclusion : An edg e for Black, though it should be well within drawing ran g e for Kar­ pov. 27 gxh s Unpleasant but necessary. Karpov avoids 2 7 f4 liJe6 2 8 fs ltJg s , rightly fearin g overex­ ten sion . 27 ....l:.xh5 2 8 liJf1 1:h4! Eyeing the c4-square, as well as the ... dS-d4 break. 29 l:1ad1 rtle7 30 f3 liJe6 Th e ideal post for his knight, wh ere it watches over cs, d4 and f4. 3 1 liJe3 l:tdS 32 liJg4 ltJgs 3 3 liJe3 liJe6 34 liJg4 ltJg7 After repeatin g moves to gain time on the clock, Korchnoi declines the offer of repeti­ tion, despite h aving barely five minutes to reach move 40. 3 S liJe3 liJfs ! 3 6 liJc2? Karpov inexplicably allows Black's rook entry to c4. After thi s mistake, White loses th e mandate of heaven and, with it, his position imm ediately begins to degenerate. Question: Why wouldn't White trade on fs, rupturin g Black's pawn s ? Answer: 3 6 liJxfS+? gxfs 3 7 l:td4 f4! leaves the e s-pawn artificially isolated and in grave dang er. I n stead, while Korchnoi naturally refused the repetition, Karpov could still h ave re­ peated his own moves. 3 6 liJg4 was correct, wh en it's h ard to see how Bl ack can make pro­ gress. 3 6 .. J:tc4 3 7 l!d3

420

K o r c h n o i o n E n dg a m e s

Exercise (planning/combination alert): The time has arrived to call White to account for previous transgression s. H ow would you continue as Black? Answer: Engag e in a themati c pawn break, despite White's superior force on the d4-square. As always, Korchnoi succumbs to the temptation to simultaneously weaken /alter/tamper with th e structure in order to ch ase after some abstruse (well, abstruse to your confused writer, at l east ! ) notion . In thi s instan ce, Korchnoi's move i s dead on . 3 7 ... d4! ! Question: Doesn't Black's l ast move drop a pawn to 3 8 g4 - ? 38 g4 Answer: G M Ray Keen e thought th at Korchnoi h ad overl ooked thi s move in tim e trouble, but as it turns out, Korchnoi h ad seen deeply into the position ' s core. He regai n s th e pawn favourably a few moves down the road, as White h as trouble dealing with the resulting pin on the d-file. 38 ... lbg7 39 lbxd4 lbe6 40 l:!.ed1 lbxd4! Bl ack regains his pawn with advantag e. 41 cxd4 l:r.xb4 42 'iltf2 cs!

421

K o r c h n o i : M o v e by M o v e

Korchnoi is a player who lacks a sense of enoughness. Absolutely confrontational , he never seems to back down or play it safe and is n ever satisfied with previous gains. There is no sense of a job well done. As long as h i s opponent i s among the living, Korchn oi rem ain s in a perpetual state o f agitation. 42 ... cs was the sealed move and a very strong (albeit risky ! ) one. Keene gave it a "?", call­ ing it a blunder, and recomm en ding 42 ... e6. Thi s i s a good move too, but not as strong as Korchnoi's choice - at least n ot accordin g to Houdini. On the other h and, Kasparov suggested th at Black should exch an g e a pair of rooks first: 42 .. J:tb2+ 43 lhd2 (not 43 l:t3d2? .:txd4 ! ) 43 ... l:.xd2+ 44 l:txd2 and then play 44 .. .'itr>e6 45 'it>e3 cs, but after 46 f4! (not 46 dxc s ? �xd2 47 xd2 'it>ds ! 48 f4 b4! and the pawn endgame is winning for Black) 46 ... b4 (46 ....:txd4 47 l:[xd4 cxd4+ 48 e4 fS+ 48 exf6 xf6 49 ds b3 so axb3 axb3 5 1 1:tb2 .:tb8 ( Kasparov), White m an ages to draw with du­ al deflection s: 52 d6 ! e6 53 fS + gxfs 54 gxfS+ 'it>xd6 55 d3 �ds 56 'it>c3 c4 57 f6 ! .l:i.b7 5 8 l:th 2 etc. S o today's computer analysis proves Korchnoi's judgment correct. 43 ds?! Tempting, but probably not best. a) N ot 43 dxcs ? .l:!.xd3 44 l:txd3 .l:.b2+ 45 e3 l:txa2 and Bl ack's two connected queenside passers win th e day; or if 46 c6 .l:tc2 47 .!:tds l!xc6 48 l:.i.xb s l:a6 49 .!:f.b2 a3 50 .l:.a2 l:ta4, the single passed pawn (immobilizing White's rook) i s suffi cient. b) The stoic 43 �e 3 ! m ay just save the game: 43 ... .:tdxd4! 44 .l:!.xd4 cxd4+ 45 .l:txd4 l1b2 46 'it>e4! a3 (after 46 ... l:txa2 47 .l:.b4 .l:.e2+ 48 'it>f4 a3 49 :txb s a2 so .:tas, the differen ce from line 'a' is readily apparent) 47 l:tds g S ! (Black tries to buy him self som e time by slowing White's m ajority) 48 fs b4 49 l:tbs d7 so 'it>xg s �c6 5 1 l:tb8 'it>cs 52 l:tc8+ �ds 53 l:.b8 .l::!.b 1 ! (threatening 54 ... b3 ! ) 54 l:ta8 ! �xe s 55 f4+ 'it>d4 ( S S ... 'it>e6 56 fS+ 1;e7 57 .l:.a6 .l:.b2 5 8 .l:i.b6 shoul d al so b e drawn) 56 �6 llb2 5 7 .l:l.b8 c s 5 8 .l:.c8+ (keeping th e bl ack king from defending the b-pawn) S 8 ... xa2 64 g6, White's pawns are just as dan gerous as Black's) 63 axb3 J:g 2 64 422

K o r c h n o i o n E n dg a m e s

l:!.a8 �b2 65 g S .l:!.g4 66 g6 Ibf4+ i s drawn . Of course, such a len gthy, computer-generated line is impossible to work out over the board; it coul d only be found through intuition, if on e is lucky enough to have it! 43 .. Jib2+ 44 g3!?

Desperation . Karpov feels his plan is in dire n eed of revi sion . H e l ets his a-pawn go and allows Korch noi three connected passed pawn s. Thi s move i s to White's attack as a hydro­ gen atom is to the sun : a minute speck of th e whole. One can't help but feel a sense of too­ little-too-l ateness. Then again, the altern ative looks g rim as wel l : 44 113d2 shoul d eventually fail, mainly because an exch an ge of rooks removes White's power to attack Black's king. I n contrast to the 42 ... .l:.b2+ variation s above, h ere after 44 ... .!:!.xd2+ 45 l:txd2 a3 46 'it>e3 b4 47 d6+ 'it>e6 48 d3 'it>dS ! (th e pl ayers begin to battle on th e queenside, a sector of th e board wh ere White is m arkedly deficient in fighting ability) 49 .l:.c2 .l:.a8! (threatening ... b4-b3 ag ain ) so :tel g S ! , White is too tied down to save him self. 44 ... .U.xa2 Played to th e horror of Team Korchnoi, who h ad an alyzed 44 ... g s . It seems Korchnoi for­ got (or misremembered) the adjournm ent an alysis an d pl ayed a different m ove, which as it turns out wasn't so bad. 45 lie3 ! Failure t o act leads t o unthinkable con sequences. Karpov recogn i zes that h i s only ch ance is to crash through in the centre and generate counterplay against Black's king . He refuses to go down without a fight and exerts m aximum l evel s of resistance. One of the marks of great players isn't they don 't m ake errors, but rather that they adapt seamlessly to the errors and begin course corrections the in stant th ey identify their mistakes. 45 ... b4 46 e6!

423

K o r c h n o i : M o ve by M o v e

Death looms from th e sky with the clear threat of 47 d6+ ! . White's game m ay seem bro­ ken on the outside, yet in its hidden depths the fire of resistance still glows. For instance, 46 ... a3?? 47 d6+! and White unexpectedly wins. 46 .. .I1a 31 The most deceptive aspect of thi s position i s its false aura of easy compreh en sion . Korchnoi's consolidation glides along, pushed by the breeze of some mysterious agency which i s hard to put into words. H ere h e takes tim e out to pin the f-pawn, realizing th at the exch ange of rooks on a3 is no g ood for White. Otherwise, the immediate 46 .. .fxe6 ! ? 47 l:.xe6+ rJi1f7 shoul d be good enough, since the f­ pawn doesn 't ultimately ch ang e anything. For example: 48 .l:.c6 l:td7 ! 49 d6 (49 .l:.xcs b3 i s hopeless) 4 9 .. .'iti>e6 so f4 b3 S l .l:!C7 b2 (but n ot 5 1 . . ..l:txd6? 5 2 fS+ ! gxfs 5 3 g xfS+ 'it>xfs 5 4 .:txd6 b2 s s l:!xcs+ �e4 56 l:tbs a 3 and Bl ack only draws) 5 2 fS+ gxfs 5 3 gxfs+ Wf6 54 l:txd7 :tal s s ltb7 .:txdl 56 .:txb2 'it>xfs (again not S6 ... 2:txd6 ? 57 .l:r.bs J:ds 58 'iitf4 l:lxfs + 59 �e3 a3 60 :as .l:th s 61 �d2 �e6 62 l:txa3 with another draw) 5 7 l:tc2 (or 57 �f3 'it>e6) 57 ...llxd6 5 8 .!:txcS+ 'it>e4 5 9 l:.as l:.d4 with a book win . 47 J:.e2 Keene cl aimed that 47 I!xa3 bxa3 48 exf7 i s drawn , but I couldn 't hold White again st the computer from thi s position : 48 ... .l::tb 8 ! (not 48 ... �xf7 49 l:ta1 ! ) 49 lla1 l:tb3 so �f4 �xf7 51 �e s �e7 52 d6+ �d7 53 'it>ds l:txf3 54 �xc s l:lg 3 5 5 'it>ds .:txg4! 56 .l:txa3 .l:tg S + 57 'it>e4 'it>xd6, followed by ... J:tas an d Black win s with th e two extra pawn s, since 58 �xa4 l oses at once to S 8 ... l:tg4+. 47 ... fxe6 48 l:!.xe6+ 'it>f7 49 :del White hopes to build a littl e zoo to contain Black's king, who can only pace back and forth in his enclosure. 49 ... �d7 Preventin g :e7+. so .l:!.b6 .

424

K o r c h n o i o n E n dg a m e s

If so l:tc6 b3 5 1 d6 (threatening l:Ic7). th en S l ...�f6 ! wins; while so g S (tryin g to prepare this further) is met simply by so . . .l:.d3 . 50 .:td 3 Now it's all over. 5 1 .l::t e e6 l:t3xd 5 52 J::t x g6 a3 53 I1bf6+ rJ;; e 7 54 :e6+ rJ;;fS 55 l:.ef6+ �e7 56 l:le6+ rJi;d S 57 :a6 l:tb7! .

••.

Korchnoi's h appily-ever-after begins, effective immediately. The rook move has two ob­ vious purposes: 1. Black avoids perpetual check. 2. Black prepares to push his b-pawn towards the promotion square. 58 l:tg8+ Bob Dyl an woul d agree: "When you ain't got nothing, you g ot nothing to l ose." The rest is futile effort, like a moth beatin g its wing s endlessly on a closed window with no chance of g etting to the other side. 58 rJ;;c 7 59 l::t g 7+ �d 7 Black's king i s a perfectly well-protected celebrity, fl anked b y a pair of beefy body­ guards. 60 l:tg5 b3 61 l:txcs+ rJ;; b s 0-1 .••

Game 5 6 V . Ko rchnoi-A. Karpov

World C h a m pions h i p ( 3 1st m atchga me), Baguio City 1978 Queen 's Gambit Declined 1 c4 e6 2 t'LJc3 d5 3 d4 t'LJf6 4 cxd s exd 5 5 i.g5 i.. e 7 6 e3 o-o 7 .id3 t'LJbd7 8 l'LJf3 l:.e8 9 'i!fc2 c6 10 o-o t'LJfs 11 i.. xf6 .txf6 12 b4 i.. g4 13 l'LJd2 .l:lc8 14 .if5 i.xfs 15 'i!Vxfs 'i'd 7 16 'iix d7 ttJxd7 425

K o r c h n o i : M o v e by M o v e

We reach a classic minority attack ending wh ere, in thi s case, Black's resources are fully adequate.

Question: What i s a minority attack? Answer: The minority attack com es in m any forms and incarnations. Here th e most likely scenario is for White to pl ay b4-b 5 at some point. If Bl ack takes it th en his d-pawn turn s into an i sol ani. If Black allows b sxc6 ... b7xc6, then h e g ets stuck with a hole on c s and a backward c-pawn on the open file. 17 a4 Question: Given what you just said, why n ot 17 bs immediately? Answer: That is a possibility but it is slightly prem ature. Bl ack looks okay after 17 ... l2Jb6 18 .l:tac1 (or 18 bxc6 1.:txc6 with pl enty of play down the open c-file) 18 ... i.e7 19 bxc6 l:txc6 20 tLlbs l:txc1 21 Jlxc1 a6 22 tLlc3 .l:f.c8 23 l:tb1 .ll x c3 2 4 ktxb6 l:l.c1+ 25 tLlf1 .:tc7. 11 ... il.. e 1 18 lUb1 tLlf6 19 a s ! ? Question: What does thi s move have t o d o with Korch n oi's overall plan ? Answer: Maybe nothing; perhaps everything. Korchnoi feel s th at the standard minority at­ tack won't lead to anything here, so he tries a more unorthodox idea, based on occupation of cs. 19... a6!? Black m ay h ave considered doing without thi s move. Karpov fi xes the white pawns and prevents b4-b 5 for good; the trouble is th at h e still leaves cs for White's knight. If Black chops it off, then White responds b4xcs with pressure down th e b-file. 20 tLla4 il.. f8 2 1 ttJcs .l:te7 22 'iittf1 426

K o r c h n o i o n E n dg a m e s

Korchn oi begins to centralize his king. 22 ll:le8! The d6-square i s the ideal post for Black's knight, where it watches over bS, c4 and e4. 23 'it>e2 ll:ld6 24 'it>d3 I:!.ce8 25 l:.e1 .•.

Korchnoi prepares an eventual f2-f3 and e3-e4, expanding in the centre. 25 ... g6 26 l:.e2 f6 27 l:tae1 i.h6 28 ll:ldb 3 ..tfs Karpov is content to wait and is happy for a draw, since every drawn game with Black in a match represents a minor victory. It should be noted that his confidence h ad probably been shaken by losing two of the previous three games. From a seemingly unassailable 5-2 lead in win s, with Karpov needing just one more to take the match, the score was suddenly S-4. 29 ll:ld2 i.h6 30 h3 c:j;f7 31 g4 As we have seen in oth er games in this book, Korchnoi h as an insatiable and incurable appetite for expansion . 3 1 ... i.f8 3 2 f3

42 7

K o r c h n o i : M o v e by M o v e

Confining Black's pieces in a sphere of worry over White's impending e 3 -e4 break. 3 2 ... lid8 Prophylaxi s. Black warns h i s opponent: play e 3-e4 and your d4-pawn g ets targeted. Karpov has littl e interest in allowing a central skirmish, and so he labours to di scourage the pawn break. If now 3 3 e4, then 3 3 ... dxe4+ 34 fxe4 lbb5 3 5 t2Jdb3 l:r.c7 (Black suddenly threaten s ... .txc5 followed by .. Jlcd7) 36 'it>c4 tb a3+ 37 'it>d3 l2Jb5 with a repetiti on of moves. 3 3 t2Jdb3 lbbs 34 l:f1 i.. h 6 35 f41 ? Still not 3 5 e4, since 3 S ... ..tf4 3 6 .l:.fe 1 ..tg 3 i s annoyin g for White. 3S .....tf8 36 l2Jd2 tbd6 37 J:lfel 3 7 fS ? ! only allows Bl ack winning chances after 3 7 ... gxfs 3 8 g xfs ..th 6 3 9 :l.f3 l:tg 8. 37; .. h6!? An unnecessary weakening which Bl ack might h ave done without. 38 .l:tfl l:Ib8 Feinting at a possible ... b7-b6. 39 .l:ta1 .l:.be8 Pieces shift about, gazing this way an d th at way, like bored children trying to g et through the seemingly endless Sunday church serm on . But don't be fooled. Korchn oi i s dis­ inclined to agree to an early truce an d continues to press for the win , even if the pace i s at a crawl . 40 .U.ae1 l:tb8 41 e4!?

Korchnoi made little headway again st Karpov's impenetrabl e defensive barrier. So n ow he ups the ante and presses on. 41 ... dxe4+ 42 t2Jdxe4 lbbS! Bl ack may be struggling for the draw after 42 ...t2Jxe4 43 lixe4 1:lxe4 44 .l:!.xe4 ..txc5 45 bxcs l:td8 46 liel. GM Ruslan Scherbakov explains: " It i s not easy to prevent the followin g plan : c4 l:ld7 57 'i!?d3 .!:!.ds ! 5 8 .!:!.xf6 (or 58 .l:Ixh 6 .l:f.xfs 59 'i!?d4 'i!?c6} S8 ... .l:txcs 59 'it>xd4 1Ixas 60 'it>e4 bS with a drawn endgame. 49 'i!?c3?! Still willing to risk all for the win , Korchnoi, unrepentant, decides to double down by sac'in g h i s h -pawn. Korchnoi's thought processes are part of an almost transcendental universe, previously inconceivable to m e before study of h i s games. For in stance, I would n ever in a million years take such appalling ri sks to play for a win in a position which, ob­ jectively (before Black's last move anyway}, sh oul d be drawn. Yet here we see him confuse no less a legendary player than Karpov to steal the full point. N evertheless, Korchn oi later worked out that 49 l!te6 ! was stronger, intending 49 ... .l:Ia8 so l:td6 ! e3 .l';Ih 3 + 5 3 'i£i>f4 bxa6 54 I:!.xc6 as 5 5 'it>e4 .!:!.c3 5 6 'i!?ds.

430

K o r c h n o i o n E n dg a m e s

In the l atter case, while both sides n ow h ave dang erous connected passed pawns, White's pawn s are supported by the king which seem s to be enough to tip the bal ance. The subsequent variation s are still very complicated, but it seems that 49 l:!.e6 ! might h ave won by force. The immediate 49 d s ? i s refuted by 49 ... .l:f.d8 ! so d6 .l:te8 51 l:!.xe8 'it>xe8 with a drawn king and pawn endgame. 49 .. J:te8!? Karpov declines to take th e bait, which perhaps h e should h ave accepted. Thi s time 49 ... :g 3 + ! forces a draw after so 'iii'b 4 l:!.xh 3 5 1 a 6 ! (51 ds fails to 5 1 .. J:th4+ ! 52 �b3 .l:th 3 + 5 3 �b2 cxds, driving the kin g back before takin g the pawn ) 5 1 ... bxa6 5 2 d s ! cxds 5 3 c6 and now 5 3 ... d4! (here 5 3 ... llh4+? 54 �cs l:!.c4+ 5 5 'it>xds only h elps White) 54 l:tc2 d3 5 5 c7 ! llh4+ 5 6 �as dxc 2 ! 5 7 c8'ii' llc4! 5 8 'ii'e 6+ �g7 5 9 'ii"e 7+ �g8, when White has nothing bet­ ter than to take perpetual check. so :Id 2 l:!.e4! Not n ow so ... I:!.e3+ 51 �b4 .!:!.xh 3 ? 52 a6 ! bxa6 because of 53 �aS ! , intending �b6 and 'it>xc6, or if 5 3 .. .'it>e7 then 54 'it>xa6 'iii' d 7 5 5 a s 'it>d7 54 b6! We begin to form judgm ent as to Korchnoi's m otivation behind his sac. The premise: His dominant king's position more than compensates for Black's extra material . Thi s is an analogue, a near-identical twin, of the plan we examined previously in the notes. Not 54 �xa6 ? ! �c7 5 5 lig 2 Itxd4 S 6 l:tg7+ lid7 and Bl ack h olds easily. 54 ... b4 55 d 5 The breakthrough. Korchnoi clears the way for h i s c-pawn, h opin g that Black's b-pawn represents m ere background noise, irrelevant to the issue at h and. 5 5 ... cxd 5 56 .:xd 5+! White must not get carried away. After 56 c6+? ? c;2td6 ! S 7 l:!.c2 b3 (not so irrelevant after all ! ) 58 c7 l:.e8 ! 59 l:Lc6+ d7 60 'it>b7 b2 6 1 llb6 l::t c 8 62 llxb2 llxc7+ 63 'it>xa6 'it>d6, Black i s up a pawn with White's king h opelessly cut off. 56 ... 'it>c8 Black's king, an old man with gout, takes careful guarded steps and is relegated to a menial role. 5 7 .l:td 3 ! Karpov threatened ... b4-b3, foll owed by . . .lib4+. 57 ... a5?! The passed pawn s are Bl ack's obvious source of counterpl ay, but this advance i s slightly mistimed. At thi s moment it was simpl er to concentrate on th e b-pawn : 5 7 .J::t c 4! 58 c6 (if 432

K o r c h n o i o n E n dg a m e s

now 5 8 l:f.g 3, then S 8 ... .l:.c3 ! holds) S 8 ... l:.c3 5 9 �d2 b 3 60 .l:te2 'iSI>d8 6 1 'ittb 7 as ! (the right mom ent) 62 l:rd2+ 'it>e8 6 3 c7 a4 64 l:td8+ �e7 65 c8'ii :xc8 66 'iSI>xc8 a3 and the pawn s on the sixth cannot be stopped, so White has to take perpetual check again : 67 l:.d7+ 'iSI>e8 68 .l::[ d 8+ etc. S8 llg3 !

Exercise (critical decision}: Before us i s no easy task. Should Black play S 8 .:td4 to block a back rank check? Or should he play a deflection sac with S 8 . . b3 ? Only one path s aves him. ...

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ss b3? Answer: Karpov could still h ave held on with S 8 ... .l:d4! 5 9 c6 (59 �xas 'itt c 7 60 �b s .l:.h4 ! 6 1 :b3 lth s shoul d draw a s well) 59 ... b 3 ! 60 l:!.g 8+ (not 6 0 .l:txb 3 ? ? J::tb 4+ 61 J:.xb4 axb4 and White can 't stop the surging b-pawn) 60 ... .l:.d8 6 1 .l:.g 7 b2, when 62 !tc7+ �b8 6 3 l:tb7+ i s another perpetual check. 59 'iSI>c6! Threatening mate, as well as Bl ack's b-pawn . Not yet 5 9 .l:xb 3 ? ? l::tb 4+ and we already know all about this rudim entary trap. 59 ... 'iPb8?! Capitul ation . 59 ....l:.d4 60 :xb3 a4 61 �g3 �b8 puts up more resistance, though White is still winning. For example: 62 .l:.a3 ! hS 63 'iSI>b S l:th4 64 l:txa4 l:txh 3 6 S l:ia6 l:!.b 3+ 66 'it>c4 :tf3 67 I:txf6 h4 68 'iittb s h3 69 lih 6 and if 69 .. .l:1xfs th en 70 'it'b6 ! etc. 60 llxb3+ 'iSI>a7 61 l::t b 7+ 'lt>a6 62 l1b6+ rj;a7 63 'lt>bs! Black i s completely busted and the m aestro converts with ease. .•.

433

Ko rc h n o i : M o v e by M o v e

63 a4 64 .l:txf6 :f4 65 l1xh6 a 3 66 lta6+ 'it'b8 67 :txa 3 .l:.xf5 68 .:!.g3 .l:.f6 69 l:.g8+ h3 One glance tells us White i s finished. Do you ever g et the feeling th at you are being watched? White's king i s not paranoid, since h e really is being watch ed. ..•

••

436

K o r c h n o i o n E n dg a m e s

EKercise (combination alert}: H ow did Korchnoi force mate? Answer: Clearan ce. The interest of Black's king an d a8-rook coin cides on h 8 . 29 'it>f7! 0-1 "Justice is wh at We decide, not wh at you believe i s fair," lectures Black's king to his i m ­ pri soned, condemned brother o n h 3 , whose pleadings trail o ff into nothingness. H e can do no more than contemplate a future he will never see. The fact th at Black's kin g simply walks over the invi sible, erected barrier can 't have been a comfortin g sight to Sigurjon sson . Mate follows down the h -file. •••

Question: This doesn 't l ook like a Korchnoi gam e ! Matters proceeded too smoothly. Why didn't he try and play like thi s all the time? Answer: I agree. One might believe that Capablanca at his best was playin g the Black side. In Capa's games, we sense cohesion, elegance and singularity of intent. Not so from Korchnoi, who is, in a way, the anti-Capa. Korchnoi's games are laboured, baroque and, above all, struggles, full of exclams and double question marks. If the former is Mozart, then Korchnoi is Prokofiev. Anyway, the simple answer to your question is that we all sometimes play in a style antithetical to our normal, and this game is an exception to Korchnoi's normal .

Game 58 V Korchnoi L Portisch .

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Ca n d i d ates (3 rd matchga m e), Bad Kissi n ge n 1983 English Opening 1 c4 cs 2 tt::lf3 tt::lf6 3 tt::lc 3 tt::lc 6 4 d4 cxd4 5 tt::lx d4 e6 6 tt::l d bS d s 7 .tf4 es 8 cxd s exf4 9 dxc6 437

Korch n o i: M o ve

by

M o ve

bxc6 10 'ifxd8+ es 2 1 tt'lxcs .l:.ad8 22 f4+ �f6 2 3 .l::t x d8 .l:!.xd8 24 tt'lxa6 win s . 16 tt'la41 1Lxf2+ And here 16 ... �xc6 17 l:txcs Wd6 18 .l:.xc6+ ! 'it>xc6 19 .ig 2 + Wd6 20 .ixa8 l:txa8 leaves White a clean pawn up with a winning position. 17 �xf2 tt'le4+ Still not 17 ... �xc6, because of 18 �g 2 tt'lg4+ 19 'lt>g 1 tt'les 20 .l:.h s ! and wins.

44 0

K o r c h n o i o n E n dg a m e s

18 'it>g1!! A mind-bendin g decision of unrevealed depth. The time h as come to abandon all cau­ tion and embrace chaos. Korchnoi's combin ation reaches its sublime apex as he cleverly sidesteps, having seen through every Black subterfuge and evasion . The norm ally material­ istic maestro this time spurn s taking the loot imm ediately, realizing that the initiative and attack trump m ere worldly concerns. His l ast move i s merely a tran sition al process, n ot an end product, since Korchnoi knows the material is not running away. But it requires vast level s of concentration (not to m ention incredible self-confidence) to work out the details of such a tricky position accurately, and Korchn oi m anages to do just that. The less artistically inclined, m ore cowardly player (your writer included) would h ave gone for the safe - but not as strong - line 18 �e3 .i.xc6 19 .l:r.xc6+ �xc6 20 'iti>xe4. 18 ... .i.xc6 19 .i.g2 The material m ay be even at the m oment, but Black's exposed king is under fire. 19 ....Uae8 20 .l:Ih4! Both e4 and c6 come under heavy fire. 2o. . .fs

K o rc h n o i : M o ve by M o ve

Exercise (planning}: Find the move whi ch keeps White's initiative raging. How can h e wren ch control of e4 from Black's grasp? Answer: Underminin g . 21 g4! Pressure from both sides of the aisle wear out Black's exhausted defenders. 2 1 ...f4 Th ere i s nothing better: a) 21 ... g 6 ? 22 gxfs gxfs 23 J:h 6 ! is curtains for Bl ack. b) 21 .. .fxg4 22 l:xg4 �d6 23 .li!.xc6+ �xc6 24 i.xe4+ is a winning endgame for White. c) 2l .. .'i!o>b7 22 gxfs i.xa4 23 i.xe4+ �b6 2 4 i.f3 leaves White a pawn up with a raging attack.

442

K o rc h n o i o n E n dg a m e s

Exercise (combination alert}: We just solved one exercise, but thi s i s n o tim e to rest. White to play and win material . Answer: Pin. 22 l:xc6+! �xc6 23 'Dc3 When someone we love dies, life ends but n ot the love. Black's knight falls and, with it, Bl ack's hopes. We arrive at the inevitable outcome of White's l abours: he win s another piece, going from m aterial down to m aterial up. 23 .. .'it>cs ! ? 24 �xe4 'it>d4!? Bl ack's desperate king wipes a tear from his cheek and hardens his resolve, thinki n g : "If I am to die, then I will take you, my broth er, with m e ! " His prediction turn s out to be only SO% correct. Portisch tries to tum a vice into a virtue by going for a risky kin g raid. 2 5 Ji.f3 .l:tb8 2 6 ltJa4 l:tb4?!

Exercise (combination alert}: Rarely do we see so m any combination alerts in an ending. Black's king i s i n m ore danger than h e believes. Korchnoi reveals a sorcerous mystery, deeply hidden withi n the grai n s of the position. What did h e see? Answer: Mating net/double attack. 27 l'lh s ! ! The net ari ses after 2 ] . . ..l:txa4? 2 8 lld5+ �e3 ? 29 .l:td3 mate, while 28 . . .'it>c4 29 b3+ leaves White a full piece up. 27 ... �d8 Or 27 ... �e3 28 .l:tas and White picks off a7, after which his two connected queen side passers easily take the day. 28 b3 h6 29 'itJf2 l!d6 30 l:!.fs gs 3 1 llf7 ! �es 443

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o v e Th ere is n o good way for Black t o protect h i s a-pawn : 3 1.. . .l:ta6 ? 3 2 I1 e 7 threatens a nasty skewer on e4, and if 3 2 .. Jlb5 (or 3 2 ... J:rb8 3 3 l:Le4+ 'it>ds 34 l:te8+) 3 3 l:te4+ 'it>ds 34 .l:.b4+ win s the rook anyway. Or simil arly 31 ... a6 ? 32 .Ue7 ! and the coming .l::t e4+ is devastatin g . 32 llxa7 l:t d 2 3 3 tt:l cs l:I bd4

Exercise (combination alert}: Sorrow's g ash is carved upon the black king's face. White has a forcing method of winning more m aterial . Try and fin d it. Answer: Mate threat/attraction/discovered attack. 34 .l:ta6! Threatening mate on the move wh ich lures Bl ack's rook to the fatal d6-square. 34 .l:.d6 35 :a s ! 1-o Black has no an swer to the num erous discoveries and forks. Anxiety, fuelled by under­ mined self-confidence, once ignited tends to spread. Th e higher rated Portisch never recov­ ered from thi s defeat and went on to lose th e m atch by a l opsided 6-3 score, which Korch­ noi attributed directly to the shock of this g ame. •••

Game 59 G . Kasparov-V . Korchnoi

Ca n d idates (1st matchga me), Lo ndon 1983 Queen 's Indian Defence 1 d4 tt:lf6 2 c4 e6 3 tt:lf3 b6 4 tt:lc3 ..tb7 5 a 3 d S 6 cxd s tt'lxd s 7 e3 g6 8 i.bS+ c6 9 .id3 J.g7 10 e4 tt:\xc3 11 bxc3 cs 12 i.. g s 'iWd6 13 es 'ii'd 7 14 dxcs o-o 1 5 cxb6 axb6 16 o-o 'flc7 17 .ibs J.xes 18 .ih6 J.g7 19 .ixg7 'it>xg7 20 'ii'd 4+ c;tJg8 2 1 tt:lgs h6 2 2 tt:\e4 i.. x e4 2 3 'i'xe4 tt:\a6 24 'iWe3 'i'cs 25 'i!Vxcs lDxcs 444

K o r c h n o i o n E n dg a m e s

Question: I s White's extra queenside i solani a cause for worry? Answer: Not too much . Black's b6-pawn is isolated as well an d won't be so easy to protect on the open file. If White m an ages to swap his a- and c-pawns for Black's single b-pawn , and force the exch ange of bishop for knight in the process, h e should attain the draw in th e resultin g rook endgame. 26 l1fb1 l::tfd8 27 �f1 Not 27 ii.c6 .l:tac 8 ! 28 l:txb6?, as after 28 ... .U.d6 29 .i.b7 .l:f.xb6 30 .txc8 l:c6, th e bishop is trapped. 27 ... .l:.d6 28 : b4 'iWB 29 a4 l:.a s 30 g3 rJie7 31 �g2 fS The queen side i s at a standstill, so Korchnoi begins to mobilize his kin gside pawn m a­ jority. 32 ii.bs .l:.d2 !

445

K o r c h n o i: M o ve

by

M o ve

Threaten ing ... t'Lle4, with a double attack on f2 an d c 3 . An astute assessment. As well as the a4- and c3 -pawns already under pressure, Korchnoi adds f2 as a third targ et, g reatly increa sing White' s worrie s. 3 3 l:!.d4? In time trouble Kasparov contradicts his earlier excellent defence, an d the g entl e breeze which once propelled resistance, suddenly g rows still. In stead: a) 33 �c6? tiJd3 34 l:xb6 ttJxf2 3S l:Ibs, as suggested in the ChessBase annotations, fails to 3S ... I1a6 36 �b7 (or 3 6 �f3 tiJ dl+ 37 �g l ltJxc3 3 8 l:tb7+ �f6 39 aS �e2+! 40 i.xe2 .l::t x e2 and White i s busted, since the king side pawn s are too strong) 3 6 ... .l:tad6! 3 7 as .l:.6d3 ! 38 a6 ltJd1+ 39 �fl .lite 3 ! (now White has to dance to Bl ack's con stant mating threats) 40 :xdl .l:ixdl+ 41 'it>f2 .!:txc3 42 l:tas ltd2+ 43 'it'e1 l:r.xh 2 44 l:tal .l:.xg 3 4S 'ifilfl l:l.hh 3 ! 46 a7 :ta3 an d although the a-pawn costs Black a rook, his four king side pawns easily defeat White's bish ­ op. b) 33 .l:.ab l ! was the hidden path to salvation : 33 ... ltJe4 34 1hb2 .l:.xb2 3 S l:txb2 ltJxC3 36 .tc6 l2Jxa4 (or 3 6 ... .l:ta6 37 .:.b3 l2Jds 38 i.b7 :xa4 39 .txds exds 40 :xb6) 37 ..txa4 l:ha4 3 8 l:txb6 (Dvoretsky) should draw, a s White h as achieved his aim outlined i n the first note.

Exercise (combination alert}: Kasparov's m ove allows a combin ation. We must discover the elemental constant within the dismantling flux whi ch swirl s about us. How did Korchn oi exploit it to slice White's queen side to ribbons? Answer: Pin /undermining. 3 3 ... I1xd4! 34 cxd4 l2Jxa4! After thi s shot, White's chances trickle away, like time. 3 5 .:txa4 3 S .txa4? bS regains the piece with a winning position, since White's rook is tied down and d4 remains a chronic weakness. 3 s ... l:.xbs 3 6 l:ta7+ �d6! 446

K o r c h n o i o n E n dg a m e s

Black's kingside pawn s don 't matter right n ow. His king is needed to help push forward his passed b-pawn. 3 7 .l:.h 7 h S 3 8 .l:.g7 l:.d S 39 lbg6 bS 40 �f3

40 ... b4! A typically contrari an Korchn oi decision . His choice is actually the cleanest path to vic­ tory. Most players would h ave g one for th e obvious 40 .. J::t x d4. 41 xb2 l::i.d 2+ 45 f3 'it> g 6 45 'it>g 3 'it>f6 4 6 449

K o r c h n o i: M o ve

by

M o ve

'it' f3 �e ? 47 �e4 �d6 48 i.c4 i.g6+ 49 e3 �cs so 'it>d2 �b4 5 1 i.ds i.bl 5 2 'it>c1 i.h7 5 3 �d2 g S ! (zu g zwan g : White's bisho p i s tied t o d S , since h e can't all ow ... i.e4- g 2, and h i s kin g is glued t o d 2 i n order t o preven t ... 'itt c 3) 5 4 e3 .i g 6 5 5 e 4 i.e8! and there i s n o defence to ... i.b S-f1, since 56 i.c4? walks into S 6 ... a4. 44 ... 'it'g8 45 i.d S+ �f8 46 'it>f3 r3ife7 47 h4 This atte mpt by Tal to switch the colour of his kingside pawns merely weakens the one on g4. But as we have just seen, n ot playin g h 3 -h4 loses as well, so it's a case of damned-if­ you-do and damned- if-you-don 't. 47 ... �d6 48 .ig8 i.c6+ 49 We3 g 5 N o w White must worry about the defence o f g4 for the remainder o f t h e g ame. so hxg5 hxgs 5 1 .tc4 i.b7 5 2 i.f7

We arrive at a crossroads, where Black has a choice of two plans: Plan A: Play 5 2 ...-tds to force a pawn ending with a more advanced kin g position . Plan B : Play 5 2 ....tc8 to attack g 4 and lure White's king away from b3.

Exercise (planning/critical decision}: Think carefully. The two plans are unable to reconcile and only one works. Which would you play? Answer: Pl an B win s. Now we begin to realize the true gravity of Tal's misguided deci sion to swap queens. 5 2 ... i.c81 Sn apping the bond between White's forces and his b3 -pawn . This m ove i s only one fac­ et to Bl ack's multi-tiered path to victory. Plan A ends in m iserable failure for Black after 52 ... -tds?? 53 .ixds lt>xds 54 'itt d 3, when the ch ai n s which bind White are broken : a) 5 4. . .e4+ 5 5 'it>c3 WeS 5 6 e 3 r3itds 57 b 4 a4 5 8 b S �cs 5 9 b 6 Wxb6 6 0 �b4 Wc6 6 1 �xa4 'it>cs 62 'it>b3 Wb S 63 �c3 wcs is drawn . b) 54 ... 'it>cs 5 5 e4 'it>b4 5 6 �c2 a4 (not S 6 ... 'it>a3 ?? which actually loses to 5 7 r3itc3 Wa2 5 8 450

K o r c h n o i o n E n dg a m e s

b4 a4 5 9 b5 �b1 60 b6 a3 6 1 b7 a2 6 2 b8'ii' check ! ) 5 7 bxa4 �xa4 5 8 �c3 �b5 5 9 �b3 'it>c5 60 �c3 is al so a draw. 5 3 �3 5 3 �h 5 ? loses at once to 5 3 ... �e6, so White's kin g is deflected away from b 3 with deci­ sive effect. 53 ... �C5

54 e3 Passing with 54 �g8 is n o good either: 54 .. .'iltd4 (threatening 55 ...e4+) 5 5 e3+ �c3 56 .i.d5 �d7 5 7 'it>e4 (or 55 �g8 �c6+ 58 c3 5 8 i.e6 �d3 5 9 �f2 i.c2 60 �f3 �xb3 61 �xb3 �xb3 62 'it>e4 a4, White i s miles behind in the queening race. 56 .i.c8! Forcin g White's bishop into a thankless defence of g4 after all . 57 �h5 White's bi shop is a fl awed clone of his brother, copied in correctly at the genetic level . Tal must h ave realized by now th at h e h ad n o h ope of saving the position . 57 ... � b4 There is no defence to ... �e6. 58 �d 3 �e6 59 �e4 �xb3 The b 3-pawn falls, as if a tear. 60 i.e8! ..•

...

451

Ko rch n o i: M o ve by M o ve

White's last move shows a nobl e sentiment, albeit one which fail s to alter the n atural course of th e g ame. Tal hopes to swindl e h i s way to the draw. If Bl ack plays 60 ... a4? ? White receives an ill -de served respite from his sufferin g , simply sac'ing his bishop on a4, taking th e oth er pawn s with his king, and securing a draw.

Exercise (planning}: So the question i s : How can Black advance his a-pawn without all owing White to sac his bishop for it? 60 ..ia4! 61 ..if7 .i.c2+! Zwi schen zug ! 62 'iit x es a4 0-1 After 6 3 �f6 .ib3 64 .tg6 'it>c3 6 5 'lt>xg S a3 6 6 �b1 �b2, th e a-pawn g oes through.

Answer:

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Game 61 J . N u n n -V.Korch noi

World Tea m C h a m pion s h i p, Luce rne 1 9 8 5 French Defence 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d s 3 tt:lc3 tt:lf6 4 es tt:Jfd7 5 f4 cs 6 tt:lf3 tt:lc6 7 .i.e3 cxd4 8 tt:lxd4 i.cs 9 'ili'd2 i.xd4 10 .ixd4 tt:lxd4 11 ifxd4 'i'b6 12 'i!Vxb6 tt:lxb6

452

K o r c h n o i o n E n dg a m e s

Question: Why would a player as dyn ami c as Korchnoi all ow himself to be backed into such a thankless defen sive position as Bl ack? Answer: Korchnoi, like Lasker before him, was a crafty psychol ogist over the board. John Nunn (who h as since retired from tourn ament pl ay) was phenomenal on the attack, so Korchnoi l eads the game into realms of technical tedium, an endgame realm whi ch he rul es. Question: Are we in agreement th at the endi n g promises a clear advantage for White? Answer: White m ay stand better, but Korchnoi asks: "how much better, or to put it thi s way, h o w real are White's winning ch ances ?" So he cl early believes t h e position i s quite pl ayable for Black. Let's assess: 1. White enjoys a slight space advantage and greater freedom of movement, due to the advanced e-pawn. 2. White controls d4, where a white knight m ay l ater sit pretty. 3. Black is burdened with a slightly bad bishop for now. 4. Black is virtually weaknesses free, except for an overall debility on dark squares. s . Black has access to an open c-file for his rooks. 6. Black may engage in both . .f6-f6 and ... g7-g 5 pawn breaks, th ough he must be very careful not to pl ay either too early, since White l eads slightly in development. Conclusion : White has a small edge, but Black's chances to draw are much higher th an White's to win . 13 0-0-0 Th e 11...1Vb6 variation h ad just been revived by GM Alexander Chernin, a few weeks .

453

K o r c h n o i: M o ve by M o ve earlier. J .Timman-A.Chernin, Montpellier Candidates 1985, contin ued 1 3 tt'lb 5 rti;e7 14 0-0-0 (14 ..ltd3 .id7 1 5 tt'ld6 isn't so scary: Black m eets it with 15 ... l:.ab8 an d 16 ... tt'lc8) 14 ... .id7 1 5 tt'ld4 tt'la4 ( 1 5 . . . h 5 16 .id3 tran sposes t o the m ain game) 16 .i.d3 tt'lc5 17 .Ude1 h 5 18 g 3 �ag 8 19 l:thf1 g5 2 0 f 5 g4 2 1 f6+ 'iir d 8 22 .l:te3 h 4 2 3 b4 h x g 3 24 h x g 3 t2Jxd3 2 5 cxd3 l:th 2 2 6 tt'l e 2 'iir c 7 27 rti;d2 d4! 2 8 l:te4 .i. c 6 with strong play for Black, who shoul d later have won . Since Korchnoi was at Montpellier as well, it might be guessed th at he saw this g am e and liked Chernin's play. 13 ... .td1 14 .id3 h s

Question: Isn't Black violatin g the principle: Don 't place you r pawns on the same colour as your remaining bishop? Answer: Correct. In this in stance Korchnoi willingly violates the principl e to slow down White's king side mom entum . 15 tbe2 x c6 .:ta6+ 34 'iii> c 7 exfs 3 5 �xds f4! 3 6 l:td1 (36 gxf4?? .l!k3+ forces mate) 36 ... tt:\f8 37 .l:te4 fxg 3 38 l:tf4 l:te6 ! 39 �b7 tt:\g 6 40 l:txg4 :xes 41 'iii> x a7, when Houdini says equal and it's anybody's game. 28 a6 A useful move to h ave for free, discouraging b4-b5 ideas which strand Black's bishop. 29 .l:.gg2? With ideas of fsxe6, followed by .l:th 2 to swap off Bl ack's irritatin g rook, but it allows him anoth er possibility. In stead, after 29 a3 I 'm n ot crazy about White's position, but it may be enough to hold it together. 29 �d1! ...

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457

K o rc h n o i : M o ve by M o ve An annoying intrusion which forces White to undoubl e h i s rooks again, since both 30 l:tef2 ? ttJxe5 an d 30 :d2 ? �f3 are terrible. 30 �e3?! Better was 30 l:l.e1 .if3 !, when it appears as if White either surrenders his second rank or drops his g-pawn, but he still commands some resources. For example: 3 1 l:tf2 .:!.xg 3 32 fxe6 fxe6 3 3 .if5 ! CiJb6! (not 33 ... exf5 ? 34 ltJxf5+ etc) 34 l:th 2 ctJc4+ 35 �b1 Ith 3 3 6 l:txh 3 gxh3 37 .ixh 3 .ie4+ 3 8 �al ltJxe5 39 .txe6 l:txc3 40 .ixd5 ! holds the draw. But this is obviously a computer line - not so easy to find from White's side with only a puny human brain. 30 ... ctJb6! 3 1 .:tf2 White begins to lose control of th e position, the way an epileptic enters a seizure. Per­ haps his l ast chance was to play 31 �cl 1:th 1 32 �d2 i.a4. Even then, I don't think he can save himself. 31 ...l:.h1! 3 2 fxe6 32 .l:tfl ctJa4+ 3 3 'it>a1 .l:txfl 34 .txfl ltJxc3 was also hopeless. 3 2 ...fxe6 The immediate 32 . . . ctJa4+ ! was more accurate. 33 .l::!.f1 ctJa4+! 34 �c1 All oth er moves lose as well: 34 �a3 ? .l::!. x c3+ 35 ctJb3 :xfl, or 34 �a1 llxf1 3 5 i.. xf1 lU8 3 6 i.d3 .l:.h 8 3 7 ltel .!:.h 2 ! and 3 8 . . . ltJxc3 is decisive.

Exercise (combination alert}: The white king ' s erratic actions forfeit all considerations for clemency. Find one powerful move and you force White's resignation. Answer: Pin/overloaded piece. A predator's n ature is to take without giving in return . H ere c3 fail s to pass through the fire of n atural selection and, as the weakest of the pack, falls. 34 ...lixc3+! 0-1 After thi s cruel blow, White loses material, no matter how h e responds: 35 Wxdl I!xfl+; 3 5 �d2 .l:txd3+ 3 6 l:txd3 .l:i.xf1 or 3 5 ctJc2 l:txf1 3 6 .ixf1 !:f.xc2+ 3 7 �xd1 l:txa2. 458

Index of Openings

(numbers refer to pages; bold type indicates that Korchnoi had the black pieces) Al ekh ine's Defence Benko Gambit Benoni Defence Catalan Opening English Opening 1 ... c 5 1 ... e 5 1 'Llf6 Fren ch Defence Advan ce Classical Tarrasch Winawer Grilnfeld Defence Kin g ' s Indian Defence Modern Defence Nimzo-lndian Defence Pirc Defence Queen 's Gambit Declined Queen 's Indian Defence Reti Opening Ruy Lopez Semi-Tarrasch Defence Sicilian Defence Slav Defence Tarrasch Defence Torre Attack Trompowsky Opening . . .

19, 182 158 203, 2 5 2 270 90, 1 5 1, 4 3 7 3 6 , 44, 196, 2 2 1, 3 6 1 2 16, 3 40, 374, 399 52, 308 165, 4 5 2 117, 434 125, 134, 236, 294, 301, 3 31, 414 6 2 , 110, 285 74, 380, 3 8 5 , 3 9 1 211 244, 3 2 2 104 142, 349, 3 5 5, 42 5 26, 31, 3 10, 444 230 81, 189, 262, 419 10 97 68 448 276 405

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Ka rpov.A- Korchnoi.V, World C h a m pionsh i p (28th ga m e), Bagu io City 1978 Korchnoi.V-Arnason.J, Beers h e ba 1987

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Korchnoi.V-Ka rpov.A, World C h a m pion s h i p (13th ga me), Mera n o 1981.. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 5 5 Korchnoi.V-Ka rpov.A, World C h a m p i on s h i p (2 1st game), Baguio City 1978 Korchnoi.V-Ka rpov.A, World C h a m p i o n s h i p (3 1st game), Bagu io C ity 1978 Korchnoi.V-Li u.EI, La s Vega s 2007

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Korchnoi.V-Lj u bojevic.L, E u ropea n Tea m C h a m pion s h i p, Bath 1973 Korchnoi.V-Najdorf.M, W ij k a a n Zee 1971 Korch noi.V-Neved nichy.V, P a k s 2004

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Korchnoi .V-Sei rawa n.V, U S Open, Pasadena 1983

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Korchnoi.V-Spassky.B, C a n d i d ates fi n a l (7th game), Belgra d e 1977

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Roma nishin .O-Korch noi.V, USSR Tea m C u p, Tbi l i s i 1976 Sasikira n .K-Korchnoi.V, B l ed Oly m p i a d 2002

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