King power in chess 9780679134503, 0679134506

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Edmar Mednis:

Practical Endgame Lessons How Karpov Wins How to Beat the Russians

To Baiba, my

COPYRIGHT©

1982 BY

Queen

EDMAR MEDNIS

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or parts thereof, in any form, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Mednis, Edmar, 1937King power in chess. 1. King (Chess) GV 1451. 5.K5M42

ISBN:

I. Title.

794. 1 '47

80--12142

0--679-13450-6

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 MANUFACTlJRED IN THE

UNITED

STATES OF AMERICA

Preface

Feel like tucking your King in some corner in the beginning of the game and letting it remain there forevermore? A natural enough feeling, since losing the King means losing the game. Yet to play without the King means playing without one potentially useful piece. Mikhail Tai, a former world champion, has in­ triguingly suggested that in many positions the value of an active King is about "3 points," i.e. equivalent to a minor piece . The experienced player is generally familiar with the concept that most of the time it is profitable to activate the King in the endgame. But how about the opening and middlegame? Much less is known and understood about the role of the King during these phases. Yet already in the last century Wilhelm Steinitz demonstrated that in the context of King's Gambit type openings the King can often be both active and safe. More recently, the current world champion Anatoly Karpov has added much in­ sight into the successful utilization of the King during mid­ dlegamc play. This book, then , is about the role of the King throughout the three phases of a complete game : opening, middlegame and end­ game . It is about what to do to be successful-and almost equally important, what not to do. Since this is the first book on the subject, I have tried to impart as much instruction as seemed practical. '.'\everthcless , to be truly useful, a book must also be enjoyable and entertaining. Otherwise the student simply will not tackle it! Therefore, even though I have tried to be scien­ tifically rigorous , the major emphasis throughout is on readability.

v

Preface

vi

So that the reader and author are on the same wavelength regarding the characterization of moves, the following list contains the presently accepted meanings: I = lI = ? = ?? = I?

=

?I

=

a strong move a very strong move; a fantastic move a bad move; a weak move a horrible move; a blunder an enterprising move; a move worthy of consideration a dubious move for theoretical or practical reasons

Since the book's subject is an original one, of necessity the exposition and analysis of the concepts is my own . The specific examples have been chosen from the following standard sources : personal knowledge, personal contacts, leading chess books and periodicals . When appropriate, direct credit is given in the text. As for all of my previous books , my partner here too ha� been my wonderful blonde wife Baiba. My deepest gratitude goes to her for typing the entire manuscript and for continuous moral support. Because chess is both complicated and inexhaustible, some errors of analysis are almost inevitable. The author accepts responsibility for all of these. Your a�sistance in bringing them to my attention will be appreciated .

New York,

1982

Edmar Mednis

Contents

Preface

PART I: Chapter

THE OPENING 1:

Section

Castling

3

When to Cast! e 2: Where to Put the King 3: Keeping the C astled King Position Safe 4: Castling "by Hand" 5 : Castling as a Surprise Weapon 6: Closing the Door on Castling: Does It Create a Serious Disadvantage? a) Direct Result of Enemy Action 1:

3 8

15 18

22 26 27

b) Voluntarily to Prevent Exchanges

Chapter 2: King in the Center-Open Positions

Section

1:

The King Is Unsafe

2: The King Is Safe

32 38 38 43

Chapter 3: King in the Center-Closed Positions

49

Chapter 4: Coping With Sacrifices

55

Section 1 : The King Accepts the Sacrifice 2: The King Declines the Sacrifice vii

55 61

Contents

viii

Chapter 5: The King on a Forced Flight

Section

1:

The King Is Dead

2: The King May Live Chapter 6: The Active King Chapter

7:

as

a Power

King Moves to Prevent Threats

Chapter 8: King Moves to Prepare Action

Section

King Moves Beyond Kingside Castling 3: King Moves Beyond Queenside Castling

65 65 70 76 80 84

1:

84 89

Chapter 9: Correct and Incorrect King Moves

94

PAR T II:

THE MIDDLEGAME

99

Chapter 10: The Contained King

l 00

Section

The Handicap of the Contained �ng 2: Creating "Air" for the King 1:

Chapter 11: King Moves to Prepare for Action

Section 1: Unpinning: King, Pieces and Pawns 2: Mobilizing Pieces 3: Pawn Advances : Opening Lines and Other Goals 4 : Offering Exchanges 5: Preventing Possible Counterplay 6: Preparing Specific Continuations and Combinations Chapter

12:

King Moves to Mark Time

100 106 110 110 113 118 126 1 30 135

143

Contents Chapter 13: To

Be

or Not to

Be

Afraid

ix 148

Chapter 14: King M oves to Prevent Threats

156

Chapter 15: Performing Various Defensive Tasks

164

Section 1: Protectin g M aterial 2: Protecting Territory 3: Consolidating the Position

164 173 177

Chapter 16: Active in Defense

187

Chapter 17: The King in the Open

194

Section 1; The King Is Unsafe 2: The King Is S afe 3: The Situation Is Unclear

194 202 208

Chapter 18: The King on a Forced Flight

215

Chapter 19: The Aggressive King

222

Section 1 : Forming Part o f a n A ttack 2: Entering the Enemy Camp 3: Generally Unafraid

222 229 234

Chapter 20: Erroneous King Activity

241

Chapter 21: Voluntary King Repositioning

247

Chapter 22: Correct/Incorrect King Moves

256

PART III:

263

THE ENDGAME

Chapter 23: The Helpless King

Section 1: King Cut Off from Specific Field of Action 2: King Generally Imprisoned

264 264 269

Contents

x

Chapter 24: The Active King Wins

Section

1:

King and Pawn Endgames

2: Minor Piece Endgames 3: Rook Endgames 4: Queen Endgames 5: Mixed Endgames

276 276 281 289 295 299

Chapter 25: The Active King Achieves a Draw

308

Chapter 26: King Activity for the Defense

313

Chapter 27: The King as a Generall y Useful Piece

318

Chapter 28: Technical King Movements

324

Section

l:

Opposition

2: Triangulation Chapter 29: Various Im portant Activities

Section

1:

2: 3: 4: 5:

Preventing Threats Marking Time Gaining Time Preparing Action Weaving Mating Nets

Chapter 30: Correct/Incorrect King Moves

324 329

334 334 338 341 345 347 352

Part I THE OPENING

Everything must have its beginning and in chess this is called "the opening." The basic purpose of opening play is to get ready for the fight. Therefore in general the following three goals and principles should be observed: (1) Castling, (2) Development of pieces towards the center, (3) Control of the center, either by actual possession or short or long range action of pawns and pieces. There is no sharp dividing line between the end of the opening phase and the start of the middlcgamc. Technical books on the opening quite often give variations more than twenty moves long. In such cases, however, it is quite clear that the middlegame has been reached. Once the primary development activities have been completed , the game can be considered to have passed into the middlegame stage . As a broad range, this should occur within the first 10-20 moves. Usually no later than Move 15 the players have to start paying particular attention to middlcgame factors . It is in the opening that the King has the least absolute power. This docs not mean that it is not important . On the contrary, great care must be taken in regard to King status and movements. It is just that correct King play consists of many more defensive con­ siderations than opportunities for active play.

C HAPTER l

Castling

SECTION l . When to C astle By far the most unique and important King movement is castling. Though a relatively recent ( 1 5th century) addition to the rules of chess, its introduction quickly revolutionized some m ajor facets of opening play. This is due to the two significant benefits that castling provides: ( 1) King safety (the castled King is generally safer than the King left in the center) and (2) The castled Hook is activated for central play . From this it follows that early castling is a generally desirable part of good opening play. Examples from modern chess theory abound . For instance, in the normal variations of the Ruy Lopez, White castles on Move 5 (1 P-K4 P-K4 2 N·-KB3 N-QB3 3 B-N5 P-QR3 4 B-R4 N-B3 ,5 0-0) . And if Black chooses the Berlin Defense to the Huy Lopez by playing 3 ... N-B3, then most accurate for White is the immediate 4 0-0!. A look at the Scheveningen Variation of the Sicilian Defense shows both sides castling early in one main line: l P-K4 P-QB4 2 N-KB3 P-K3 3 P-Q4 PxP 4 NxP N-KB3 ,5 N-QB3 P-Q3 6 B-K2 B-K2 7 0-0 0-0. Similarly, watch the castling in the Normal Variation of the Pirc Defense: I P-K4 P-Q3 2 P-Q4 N-KB3 3 N-QB3 P-KN3 4 N-133 B-N2 5 B-K2 0-0 6 0-0. Both sides have mobilized their Kingsidc forces as quickly as possible, with castling having been an integral part . For an example of maximum speed of ca�tling for Bl ack in a QP opening, consider this popular line in the Nimzo-Indian Defense: l P-Q4 N-KR3 2 P-QB4 P-K3 3 N-QB3 B-N5 4 P-K3 0 -0 . Maximum flexibility in early opening play is one of the characteristics of modern master 3

4

The Opening

strategy and there is no better illustration of this than the beginning moves of the various Reti/King's Indian Reversed co mpl exes : 1 N- KB3 N-KB3 2 P-KN3 P-KI\3 3 B-N2 B-;\2 4 0-0 0-0-with both sides castled before Move 5! Yes, early castling as a general goal is incontrovertible. Yet there is a corollary to this p rinciple which goes as follows: "Castle only when you have nothing better to do." ln other words---when in the position there is so m ethi n g specific that requires immediate attention-do that first, instead of "auto­ matic" castling. DIAGRAM I BLACK

WHITE

Mednis- Boskovic Manhattan Int 1976 after Rlack '.� 9th move

A good example is Diagram 1, E. Mednis-M . Boskovic, Manhattan I nternational 1976, after Black's 9t h move. In an English Opening Black had commi tted an inaccuracy (the previous moves were: 1 P-QB4 P-K4 2 P-KI\3 N-KB3 3 B-N 2 N-B3 4 N-QB3 B-N.'frl!. 5 N-Q5! B-B4 6 P- QR31 P-QR 4 7 P-K3 0-0 8 N-K2 NxN 9 PxN N --K 2) and the diagram shows White with a noticeable advant age in the center. White's next step should be to safeguard it and if possible enlarge on it. Therefore the active, forcing 10 P-Q4! suggests itself. Black has nothing better than 10 . . . PxP and after 11 NxP! White's central superiority is secure si nce after e . g . 1 1 . . . P-QB3,

5

Castling

White can play 12 N-N3 B-Q3 13 P- K4 or perhaps even t he im m ediate 12 P-K4!? ( 1 2 . . . Q-N3 13 B-K3 Qxl' 14 0-0 seems a promising p aw n sacrifice). I of c ou rse saw 10 P-Q4, but the thought struck me, What's the hurry-I'll play it next move ! '" and with no uctuuf thi11king I automatically pl ayed 10 0-0? ! . It was only after my opponent had played the active 10 . . . P-QB3! that I started to rue my t houghtless castling. Now 1 1 P-Q4 KPxP 12 NxP?! allows 1 2 . . . NxP, and 12 KPxP leads to nothing after 12 . . . B-N3. There fore I continued with 11 Q-B2 P-Q3 12 P-Q4 KPxP 13 KPxP, but accurate play by Black allowed him to neutralize White's sli ght advantage and achieve a draw (13 . . . B-N3 11 PxP NxP 1.5 R-K3 B-N5! 1 6 N-B3! NxP 17 Q- K4 H--KB4 18 QxP R-Nl 19 Q-Q5 B-K3 20 Q-K4 N-1\6! 21 QR-Ql Bx B 22 QxKB N-B4 23 R Q2 N-1\:6 24 H/2- Q l N-B4 25 R-Q2 N-N6 26 R/2-Ql N-B4 27 R-Q2 draw) . ..

-

DIAGRAM 2 BI.ACK

WHITE

Foguelman-Reshevsky

Buenos Aires 1960 after White'.� 12th

At first glance the situation in Diagram 2, Foguelman­ Reshevsky, Buenos Aires 1960, after White's 12th move, ap­ pears less capable of giving a clearly defined sense of direction for Black. Yet with the benefit of the actual moves up to then ( 1 P-K4 P-QB4 2 N--KB3 P-Q3 3 P-Q4 PxP 4 NxP N-KB3 5

6

The Opening

P-KB3? ! P-K4 6 B-N5ch QN-Q2 7 N-B5 P-Q41 8 PxP P-QR3 9 B-R4 P-QN4 10 B-N3 N-N3 1 1 N-K3 B-QB4 12 N-B3) the analysis is considerably simplified. White has chosen against the Sicilian Defcnse the non-developmental 5 P-KB3?1 (instead of the normal ,5 N-QB3) and Black has reacted with the theoretically recommended pawn sacrifice, thereby freeing his position at the temporary cost of a pawn . At the moment White already has four defenders protecting the QP and thus it appears logical that Black has nothing better than first to complete his development in a riskless way by playing 12 . . . 0-0 and then go about regaining the QP. However, a concrete analysis shows that after 12 . . . 0-0?l 13 0-01 Black lacks a good followup, e . g . 13 . . . B-N2 14 I\-K4 ! or 13 . . . P-�5 14 N-K4 NxN 15 PxN P-B4 16 PxP BxP 17 K-Rl and in each case the regaining of the pawn by Black leads to positional advantage for White. Therefore Reshevsky goes directly into action: 12 . . . B-N 2!

Now after 13 0-0 QNxP 14 QNxN NxN 15 R-K l 0-0 Black has regained the pawn while retaining a slight initiative . Even so this was the best that White had. 13 N-B5?! Of course, here 13 N-K4? fails to 13 . . . I\xN 14 PxN Q-R5ch 15 P-1' l:J . . N / 5-Q4? and lost quickly : 1 6 N - KB3 Q- K5ch 17 K- B2 B-:\2 1 8 N-B3! Q-B7ch 1 9 13 -K2l B-QB l (The t hrea t was 20 r\-Q4, trapping the Queen) 20 P-Q7ch ! BxP 21 N -Q4 B-- QBl 22 Q-B6ch B-Q2 23 Qx Rch Black resigns . .

1 6 N-KB3 Q-1\'5

I7 N-B7ch

76

Active King as a Power

77

DIAGRAM 25 BLACK

WlllTE

Belova-Ramane USSR 1976 after White's 15th

After 1 7 Q · 87 quite 1 m plcasant 17 . . . K-Q2

18

is

17 . . . :r\-R.'3 ! (Gipslis) .

N-Q5ch K-K3

19

N-B7ch K-B4! and

Black wins

Black"s King is quite secur e on KU4, and White can't prevent he avy material damage. If 20 P- KR3 Q-N6 2 1 N-Q4ch , Black's King continues his acti\'i ty with 21 . . . KxP. The i d e a of the "active King" led to a change in the theoretical judgmcnt of the following variation of the Quec11's Cambit Dec l ined : l P-Q4 P- Q 4 2 P-QB4 P- K3 3 N-QB3 N-KB.'3 4 U-N5 13-K2 .5 P-K3 0-0 6 N-B3 P-QN3 7 BxN BxB 8 PxP PxP !} B - Q.'3 H-N2 10 P- KR4 ? ! P B4! . Based on some ea r l ie r games hy Marshall (where Black had played 10 . . . P-N3?) and a later one ( R . Spiel mann-S. Huhinstei n , Vienna 1923) , the whole variation was judged good for White. Finally, i n R. Teschnc r- R . Spassky, Riga 1 959 , Black showed that active and cool play c a n r