Tactical ideas in chess 9780713512526, 0713512520

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Tactical Ideas in Chess

Tactical Ideas in Chess JOHN LOVE

BELL CHESS BOOKS London

First published in 1981 by

BELL & HYMAN LIMITED Denmark House

37-39 Queen Elizabeth Street London SE1 2QB ©John Love 1981

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be repro­ duced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, elettronic, mechanical, photocopying, record­

ing or otherwise, without the prior permission of Bell & Hyman Limited

ISBN 0 7135 1248 2 (cased) ISBN 0 7135 1252 0 (limp)

Composition in Baskerville by Filmtype Services Limited, Scarborough, North Yorkshire Printed in Great Britain by Camelot Press Ltd., Southampton

Contents Introduction

1 2

Part One: The Tactics Attack and defence The fork

Interlude

Characteristics of pieces and pawns

Interlude

The partnership of pins and forks

3

4 5 6

The pin

The skewer Discovered attack, Part One Discovered attack, Part Two

Interlude

Discovered attack and the king

Interlude

Ghosts

7

Overload

Part Two: Illustrative Games

Introduction Game One

Wicker- Nunn

Game Two

Zukertort- Steinitz

Game Three

Reshevsky- Treystman

Game Four

Borisenko- Keres

Game Five

Alekhine- Euwe

Game Six

Keres- Botvinnik

Game Seven

Van Steenis- Tartakower

Game Eight

Petrosian- Kotkov

Game Nine

Pachman- Bronstein

Game Ten

Rubinstein- Vidmar

page 1 3 9 25 31 47 51 61 73 89 95 105 109 109 113 117 121 126 133 138 141 145 149

Introduction It is vain to divide the chessplaying world into strategists and tacticians . There are those who display a greater ability in one sphere or the other, but all good chessplayers must be strategists enough to plan obj ectives and tacticians enough to achieve them. Tactical possibilities lie in almost all positions. Scatter a handful of pieces across a board, and likely enough it will be possible to discern tactical ideas somewhere in the position. They are there because of the relationship between a piece, or group of pieces, and the situation as a whole . The lines or points of force emitted, as it were, by all the pieces affect the total position, and the blending of the characteristics of the individual pieces admits the chance of significant, even harmonious, activity. The player must always be aware of this and constantly seek the greater concord and cohesion of the forces at his command. Most positions contain more resources for both attack and defence than ever see the light of day or a line of actual play, because of the limitations of time or perceptions blinkered by concentration on a restricted theme or plan. But these will always be the exigencies und er which chessplayers work, for the exhaustive analysis of a position at each turn of play is impossible if any games are ever to be finished . And so some compromise between the superficial and the complete insight has to be made. It is vital, then, that a familiarity with the wonderful array of tactical weaponry which the game offers is acquired, and with it an experience of what kinds of position are likely to give rise to what kinds of tactics, and an awareness of what particular disposi­ tions of forces require what treatment. This is the objective of this book: not only is it designed to sharpen your tactical teeth, but also t o heighten your awareness of position. When you begin to use the tactical elements treated here in your own games, you will be employing them for their own sake. This is fair enough initially; it is a phase of learning that most must pass through, but make sure you do pass through ! Tactics are a means to an end. The end, stated in the most general terms , is the improvement, in some way, of your position. If your sally is easily handled by your opponent and you are no better off than you were before, you should probably not have done it. You must think, 'Does the use of this tactic, after my opponent has made provision for its immediate threat, advance my

c ause in gain of tempo, or material, or spac e, or initiative?' If the answer is no, look for something else. In this book there are many examples of master play. They serve as useful demonstrations of the basic ideas being studied, and the aesthetic qualities they possess should inspire and give pleasure to the reader. But they should not be regarded as masterpiec es hung on a gallery wall to be held in awe and admiration . The author would feel that he was doing a disservic e to his reader if they were looked at simply in this way. Certainly they have been given for enjoyment, but, as importantly, to display the func tional aspec t of basic ally simple tac tic al ideas whic h are not the prerogative of the master but the c ommon possession of all players. Experienc e, c onstant awareness of their likely existenc e in the c urrent position, and exploration of what might l ie below the surfac e, will help every player in the harmonious blending of the elements into beautiful and satisfying c ombinations . Eac h tac tic is treated in the following way: it is defined , illustrated , and followed by sets of exerc ises in rec ognition, c reating opportunities, and solving positions from ac tual play, so that gradually the reader is made aware of the relationship between position and tac tic s, and learns how to look for, engineer and finally resolve those ideas. In the sec ond part of the book, illustrative games are given whic h have been c hosen to embed the tac tic al elements j n the solid bac kground of a game with its c onstantly c hanging position, needs and opportunities . By the end it is hoped that the reader will possess new weapons ac quired in terrain appropriate to their use.

Part One: The Tactics 1

Attack and Defence

Attack is the active pursuit of an obj ective to gain some material or other advantage over an oppo­ nent. I n diagram 1 White has a varie­ ty of attacking moves at his dis­ posal. We shall consider these in turn without any attempt, at the moment, to indicate their sense or soundness . 8

7

6

5

4

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a b c d e f g h � c4 attacks the pawn presently undefended at c5. .i, e5 threatens a rook and, although it is already defended, the attacker is an inferior piece. White, therefore, could gain rook for bishop, the win of the ex­ change as it is called . ,ll ad 1 attacks the queen along

the open file. n e 7 uses another open file to invade enemy territory and also attack the queen, this time along the rank. � g3 is even more aggressive, threatening a quick finish next move with �xg7 mate. Although it does not attack a piece, a6, with its dreams of promotion, could be described as an attacking move. All these are direct efforts to gain advantage. They vary in kind, force and direction, and de­ fences must be found to meet the demands of each situation. The variety of resources which a defender can adopt is not always appreciated by the inexp€ rienced player. An attack against a piece or pawn can usually be treated in one or more of the following ways. 1 . Capturing the attacking piece. 2. Otherwise rendering harm­ less the attacker. 3. Moving the attacked piece or pawn to a safe square. 4. Giving support with another pt ece or pawn . 3

5. Interposing bet ween t he att acker and t he att acked . 6 . Ignoring t he t hreat should you have an equal or st ron­ ger t hreat elsewhere. These are all direct met hods - a reassuringly long list for t he de­ fender - but in addit ion t here are many indirect ways which will emerge lat er in t he book. Ret urning t o diagram 1 , we shall look for possible defences t o each o ft he att acks. I �c4 Black's choice of defence is res­ t rict ed almost ent irely t o support of t he c5 pawn by anot her piece . This can be done in a number of ways: 1 . �d6, . . . �f5 , . . . �a7 or . . . Z;I b5. A more aggressive defence would be 1 . . . �d5, not only prot ect ing t he pawn but t hreat ening 2 . . . �xg2 mat e. He could ignore t he att ack on t he pawn by l . . �d2, t hreat en­ ing mat e again in t he same place. To t his, 2 l::t e2 would be a good reply, and t hen 2 . . . �g5 prot ect s t he pawn again. There is anot her met hod: 1 . �h3! and t he queen cannot be capt ured because oft he check on t he long diagonal from t he bishop. I �e5 Here a minor piece att acks a major one and, alt hough t he rook is support ed already, it will still have t o move, ot herwise t he ex­ change is lost . Here ignoring t he .

.

.

.

4

.

t hreat does not work as you can easily see by carrying your analy­ sis t o t he second move, for if 1 . . �d5 (t hreat ening mat e) 2 �g3 ! prot ect s t he mat ing square and in t urn int ends mat e at g7 . Black would have t o defend wit h , say, 2-. . . g6, and t hen, looking one more move ahead, 3 �xb8 wins a whole rook. The need for analysis, for look­ ing ahead, is already apparent . What may seem good one move hence can become doubt ful aft er t wo and a disast er aft er t hree. Don't t ry t o see t oo far. If, in t he early st ages, you can see t wo or t hree moves ahead in all varia­ t ions and keep t he result s in mind t o make a final choice you are doing very well . Great er dept h will come wit h more experience. .

I Z;Iadl A minor against maj or piece again and so any support ing met hods are usually, as here, use­ less. Black could int erpose 1 . j, d5, but t he bishop would t hen be dangerously placed as one more move reveals : 2 c4. The queen would be wise to move to a safe square such as b7 or 5. .

.

I a6

This t hrust does not pose an immediat e problem but Black must ensure t hat he keeps enough pieces wat ching t he queening square, a8 , to be able to capt ure a new queen as it appears or t o

blockade the pawn by placing a well-defended piece at a7 or a8 as an obstacle to the pawn' s prog­ ress.

I Z:te7 Clearly there is no alternative to moving the queen to some safe square. 1 . . . 'i:V d5 , with its coun­ terthreat, is one of a number of possibilities. I 'i:V g3 An altogether different kind of threat. Mate threats make an im­ perative demand upon the defen­ der. All other considerations must be dropped and attention focused on the point g7. I t is not immediately obvious how Black can cope with the menace. He cannot move another piece to the defence of g7, and to interpose the queen in the attack­ ing line of the White bishop or White queen would be to lose it. But there is a resource, 1 . . . f6 ! , which reveals a new mode o f de­ fence. Protection of the vital square is unmasked from the queen as the pawn moves for­ ward . T his would be sufficient in itself, but in this position there is a bonus, for the f-pawn interposes on the opposing bishop line pro­ ducing a most effective cover for the king. There is another way of defend­ ing which is most instructive, 1 . . g6 ! By m oving forward, this pawn gathers strength from adja.

cent companions and blockades the g-file against frontal intrusion. From this consideration of attack and defence so far, it can be seen that there are many kinds of attack and a wide choice of means of meeting them. Beginners' games reveal restricted use of both attack and defence, and you should now begin to use more variety and sophistication. All these attacks were simple, single attacks . Each time Black was able to counter with a defence of the piece or point, and in gener­ al this will be the case unless there is a great imbalance between the White and Black positions . Now, from diagram 1 again, we will look at another attac king move . I 'i:V g5 The queen threatens mate in just the same way as when going 1 'i:V g3, and attacks the pawn at c5 as it did after 1 'i:V c4. White has combined the two attacks into one move. This double or dual att ack is quite different from all the others we have seen so far. Before, each single attack could be coun­ tered; now, faced with simul­ taneous threats, Black will be hard pressed to cope in a single reply. There appears to be no w ay to meet the dual attack, and so Black must decide which is the most pressing problem. In this case it is 5

clearly t he mat e, and t he game could cont inue:

I ...

£6

A good defe nce since it att acks t he queen at t he same t ime.

2 �xc5 winning a pawn and giving Whit e t hree powerful pawns o n t he queenside. Double att ack: t his is t he t heme oft he book. There are many ways in which double att acks can be made, and it is wit h t he se fun­ dament al t act ical ideas t hat we shall deal in det ail. But before we begin, j ust one more look at t he posit ion in dia­ gram 1 . Supposing Whit e had again played :

I �g5 it would seem t hat

I

.

.

.

g6

is an adequat e reply t o t he mat e t hreat , but t his i s not s o because Whit e would not now play 2 �xc5 , but :

2 �£6! t hreat ening mat e at g7 and h8. A careful look will det ermine t hat t here is now no way of defending eit her of t hese squares . Black's only met hod of st opping t he mat e IS

2 ...

�d4

whereupon

3 i,xd4 wins t he queen. Again it is clear t hat one must 6

see beyond t he one move reply. Quest ions such as 'What does he do next if I defend in th is way? ' become necessary, and as you be­ gin t o ask t hese quest ions you will begin t o look for ot her met hods of defence and arm yourself wit h more sophist icat ed resources . Some readers will already, for in­ st ance, have found t hat aft er

I �g5 Black has a double defence against t he double att ac k wit h

I

•

..

£5!

masking t he Whit e quee n as he unmasks his own. A fine idea, but unfort unat ely it will only st and up t o one move analysis for t he reply 2 n e7 is devast at ing. It would have worked magnificent ly, however, if t he Whit e rook had not been t here. The chessplayer must acquire some of t he qualit ies of t he poet . I n composing, t here may be many quit e sat isfact ory words for t he poet t o use, but he chooses t he one wit h t he great est cont ent and associat ions relevant to his t heme t hat will spark off in t he reader a mult ip licit y of responses. The good chessplayer chooses his move in t he same spirit , seeking t he one t hat is mult iple-edged, t hat will have t he widest infl uence on his posit ion as a whole. The great er economy he can employ, t he great er concent rat ion of force he can compress int o each move,

t he great er difficult y his opponent will expe rience in meet ing t he mult iplying point s of st ress.

It is wit h t his t hought in mind t hat t he rest of t his book is writt en.

7

2

The Fork

The fork is a very common and effective form of double or multiple attack, in which one piece simultaneously threatens two- or more - pieces. All pieces and P awns can fork. The next four l s a r i g r t o . s has been put on to each diagram to save space, and they are unlikely to appear in such combinations in a real game.

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b

c

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I n diagram 2, White's knight forks two rooks. Black can choose which to save, but must give up one of them for the knight. The Black knight forks king and queen, a p owerful fork be­ cause White cannot choose. He

must move the king and lose the queen . 8

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In diagram 3, White's bishop for ks knight and rook, and whichever moves the other is lost. White's queen forks pawn and bishop. Notice how widely spaced those threats are. One must keep a sharp eye on the whole of the board to avoid such surprises from the queen . In diagram 4, on the queenside, a White pawn forks rook and knight. Notice how close together the attacked pieces have to be for a pa\\' n fork to work . In the mid­ dle, a Black king forks two pawns, and again close points of attack are required . 9

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Now that you have some idea of the appearance of forks, look at the next set of diagrams and t ry t o

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On the kingside, a Black pawn at tacks only a rook. Its other fork­ ing line is off the board . Therefore a rook' s pawn, whilst it remains on that file, cannot fork.

g

h

In diagram 5, t he rook at g7 forks t wo pawns on a rank, whilst the one at d2 forks along a rank and a file. These are t ypical rook forks, especially in t he endgame when pos�t ions are open and the pawns are hanging loose. The rook at c5 att acks a knight and bishop . Notice how t he rook, like t he queen and bishop, can fork pieces widel y separat ed . 10

8

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find a forking move. In each it is A. White to play and fork; B. Black to play and fork.

9

Solutions A. 1 tLlb5, forking two r ooks and two undefended pawns as a bonus. The knight, because of the nature of its move, being able to j ump and alight in the middle of an enemy position, is adept at s uch multiple forks . Black could have prevented this with . . . a6. B. White's king and knight on an open diagonal cry out for attention . Has Black a white­ squared bishop? Yes, and so 1 . . .i, e4ch wins a piece. White could have guarded against this by 1 f3 . Diagram 7 A. Black's b ishop and knight on c5 and a5, on the same rank and separated by one square, offer a perfect target for a pawn fork, the danger of which you should soon become instinc­ tively aware and able to guard against. 1 b4, and the support of the a-pawn ensures that White will win one of the minor pieces. This is a typical opening and . middlegame fork by a pawn. B. Black has a knight fork which is all too common . 1 . . l2J c2ch wins the exchange. T his occurs frequently from the earlie st part of t he game throughout, and often on the squares, c2, c7 , f2 and f7 , forking king and rook or queen and rook or two rooks . Knights' natural developing moves arc to c3, c6, f 3 and f6, from where it is only one step to

Diagram 6

.

a

b

c

d

e

f

g h

.

a

b

c

d

e

f g h

11

such t hreat s being made. Be possible forks . One w ins a bishop aw are of t hese all t he t ime, for by 1 'iVg7 ch. The ot her, 1 'iVb7 , t hey w in more beginners ' games forking tw o rooks, looks bett er but isn't because of t he defensive re­ t han any ot her t act ic. sources . Black could choose from Diagram 8 A. The queen show s her reach along open lines w it h 1 several w ays of mut ually support ­ 'iVf6, highlight ing th e apparent ly ing his rooks: 1 . . . n ac6 or n aa8 w eaknesses disconnect ed of and 1 . ll cc6 or n ca8 and Whit e w ins not hing at all. Com­ Black's bishop and rook. B. Anot her paw n fork. 1 . . . f4 pare t his w it h t he Black fork t hat show s t he care one must exercise follows. B. 1 . . i. c2 forks t he Whit e w hen placing pieces a square apart on a rank. rooks i n much t he same w ay Diagram 9 A. Whit e has a choice as t he Black rooks w ere forked, of rook forks : 1 n c4ch w inning a w it h t he vit al difference t hat be­ paw n next t ime, or 1 n c7 forking cause t he bishop is inferior to it s a similar defence, bishop and paw n w hich doesn't vi ct ims, w in anyt hing at all . Black could 2 n ( eit her) b 1 st ill loses mat er­ ' reply 1 . . . i.,d5 w hich show s how ial, in t his case t he exchange. somet imes t he w orst effect s of a fork can be avoided by moving Relative values one t hreat ened piece t o prot ect The relat ive values of forked and t he ot her. forking pieces is impo' rt ant as w as B. Rooks become highly man­ seen in t he previous diagram. oeuvrable in open endgame posi­ A t ions . In t he earlier part of t he 8 game and in closed posit ions it is seen less frequent ly as a forking 7 w eapon, but in sit uat ions such as 6 t his, w oe bet ide enemy pairs lying 5 unprot ect ed on ranks and files . 4 Here Black clearly w ins a knight 3 w it h 1 .. 1l g5ch. 2 Diagram A. Kings can fork pieces as well as paw ns . Whit e w ins a piece w it h 1 e8

£5

The rook at e7 cannot move because of 8 n h8ch , winning the other one. After 8 . . . 'txe 7 9 l:l h8ch d 7 41

8 ftjxe7

Resigns

10 l:l h7 with a final, fatal rook pm. A last example (diagram 6 1) shows the use of a pin to get a piece on to what would normally be an inaccessible square.

61

1

�g3!

When the pawn at f2 (or Black's pawn at f7) is pinned, the opposition can often extract some advantage. Here the queen plunges with impunity into the heart of the White king's position, and at the same time pins the g-pawn, threatening . . . . .i,xh3 ! 2 .i,£5 Best. If 2 � h l , to remove both pins, he loses the f-pawn.

2 ...

and threatening to win the queen and the rook. At first glance it seems to refute completely Black's strategy.

White can capture either the knight or the queen . If 4 cxd4 .i, xd4 ( renewing the pin) 5 .i_xc8 (winning a piece, but . . . ) .tl xf2 6 l:l xf2 �xf2ch 7 � h2 ( he is mated if � h l ) .i,e5ch 8 � h i �e l ch and mate after the knight interposes. The alternative, 4 fxg3 tt:Jxc2, giv­ ing check from the bishop, leads to heavy loss of material. You should now be ready to attempt the following positions . In each the player indicated has to create a pin and then exploit it. You will probably not be able to find corn plete solutions for them all, but this does not matter pro­ vided you familiarise yourself with the possibilities and the dif­ ficulties and then you will play

l:l e2

Thrice attacking f2 and tying up the White pieces with a pin of the knight at d2.

3 ttJd4

.

Blocking the crucial diagonal 42

ltjxd4!

3 ... 4 Resigns

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

White to play

h

over the solutions given with grea­ ter understanding.

ing the pin) 4 l:t xf6 n xf6 5 tt:Jxf6 � xf6 6 � e4! � e6 7 �xd4 and White wins a pawn again in a clearly won king and pawn endgame. Diagram 63 If only Black could get his queen or bishop to d5 for a pin of the rook. 1 i.,xc4 2 l:t xc4. The rook is now awkwardly placed and some use can be made of it. 2 . iVb5 3 l:t e4 iVd5 and the rook is pinned; 4 iV e3 f5 and the rook is doomed . White had another line at his third move which is very interesting: 3 iV£1 . The rook is now pinned against the queen, but this is perfectly safe provided that White's king remains in contact with his queen to protect it. 3 . . n d2ch 4 �g 1. If he moves away from the queen, . . n d4 wins the rook for the pin then becomes effective. 4 . . . iVd5 ! and White is helpless against the new pinning threat of . . n d 1 . There were three kinds of pins involved in this apparently simple position . Diagram 64 White's positionclearly h as fine attacking potential, with the rooks on adj acent files and bishops and queen on diagonals all driving straight into the enemy king's position, if only one could clear the clutter in between. The pawn at f7 is pinned and the bishop at g7 would be if the obsta­ cles could be removed. 1 f4 lt:Je6. The blockade of the a2-g8 43 .

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Solutions

Diagram 62 1 ll c7ch �g6 ( he

must hold the bishop) 2 n c6 (pin) ll ffi 3 l:t xb6 and White quickly collects a bonus. An even better continuation, which shows that it is not always advisable to take the profit im­ mediately, is 3 � f3 �g7 ( remov-

a

b c d e f g h Reshevsky- I vanovic Skopje, 1 9 76

a

-

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-

7 - 6 - �5

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4

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3

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a

,f,

b

,

c

,

d

e

f g h

Miller-Berns tein U . S.A. , 1 97 7 Black t o play C lue: use a pin to eliminate. 44

c

d

e

f g h

Vidmar-Christoffel Basle, 1 952

Black to play C lue: on the third move a pin allows a knight on to a normally inaccessible square

8

b

66

White to play diagonal is only temporary. 2 f5 4)g5 . The alternative, 2 . . . gxf5 3 gxf5, opens up the g-file, pins the bishop and wins the knight. 3 fxg6 hxg6 4 �xg6! A reminder of the Korchnoy game. Now the bishop is pinned, the knight threatened and there are three attacks on f7 . 4 . . . tt:J e6. White must now be careful since the pawn is no longer pinned and his queen is in danger. 5 It, xf7 ! Maintaining the pin by removing obstacles from the di­ agonal. 5 . . . It xf7 6 i_xe6. Already the attack can be cons­ idered successful, since he can re­ cover his exchange when he wishes and remain two passed pawns up. It is interesting to look a little further. 6 . . . �f6 (6 . . . � f8 7 It f1 wins more material) 7 �xf6 i.xf6 8 n f1 - don' t take off a pin until you have to. Now if the

bishop moves, White wins the piece behind for nothing. g5 fol­ lowed by g6 was also good. 8 . . . � g7 (unpinning the rook and protecting the bishop) 9 i,xf7 �xf7 (a new pin appears) 10 g5 . White emerges two pawns and a piece up. You were not expected to see all this from the initial position, nor would White have done so. The pins were there in the position; White sought means of bringing them to the surface. Diagram 65 A potential pin on the pawn at f2 is again the nub of Black's thinking. lvanovic finds a violent means of exploiting the theme. 1 . . �xh2ch 2 �xh2 ll h4ch 3 �g 1 l2Jg3 ! A beautiful move to finish with. Mate with the rook at h 1 cannot be stopped . Notice how the knight restricts the g-pawn, preventing White from making a flight square. Diagram 66 This is not an easy one, although the hint should .

make it clear that the general s trategy is for Black to eliminate pieces to allow the passed pawn to run through. 1 . n h3ch! 2 �xh3 �xf3ch 3 i,g3. Black has m ade a good start on his plan, removing a pair of rooks and establishing the first pin. 3 . . . i, fl ! The vital pin and the key to the position . Whatever White does now, Black will exchange twice on g2 and his pawn will go through . Diagram 67 White is a piece ahead but Black has three pawns for it. However, White can reduce to an endgame and pick up more mate­ rial on the way because of the potential pin on the pawn at a7. 1 �xd4 n xd4 2 axb5 cxb5 3 l2J b6! At which point Black res­ igned . Unless he wishes to give up a whole rook he must play 3 . . . axb6 when 4 ,ll xa8 ,ll d8 5 i_xb5 gives White a rook for two pawns and continuing pressure . .

.

45

Interlude The Partnership of Pin.$ and Forks The fork is essentially a sudden death tactic. If you do not extract an advantage from it immediately, the opportunity will vanish. Sometimes this is also true of the pin although generally the pin in more enduring, as we have seen, even to the point of becoming permanent. Although we have studied them in isolation, we have noticed here and there that tactics of all kinds work together, and there is a special partnership between the pin and the fork. The immediacy of the fork's effect is undoubtedly its strength but, under quickly changing conditions, fork threats do not always come to fruition. This is where the pin comes in, for we have seen how it can constrict the opposing forces, hold up movement, suspend the natural flow j ust long enough for a fork to deal its blow. In a quite unsportsmanlike manner the pin holds down the opponent whilst the fork administers the finishing punch. 8

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Karpov-Korchnoy

The position in diagram 68 is from the 20th game of the 1 978 World Championship Match be-

tween Karpov and Korchnoy. For much of the game Korchnoy had been under pressure, but now he finds a neat way to draw, combin­ ing a pin and a fork in a most instructive manner.

1 ...

ll xb7!

He must not play 1 . tL!xb7 because he becomes the victim of a pin himself: 2 ll b4 �e7 3 i.,c6 etc. The text eliminates the dan­ gerous pawn and temporarily gives up a piece. .

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The key. A draw was agreed 47

here as Karpov saw what his opponent had in mind. If White keeps Black's rook off the cl-file by �e3 or � e l , his last pawn at g2 is lost and with it any prospects of winning the game. He must go 4 �£3 and allow

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The pin is on . This fixes the rook and bishop and, in this sim­ plified position the naked power of the pin is vividly seen, com­ pletely paralysing the two White pieces. All Black has to do now is to bring his king to e 7, forking the pieces the pin has held down for him and winning back material whilst White looks on helplessly. The game would then be drawn. In diagram 69 White would like to keep a target on dS for as long as possible to make use of a knight fork at e7. At the moment it is the wrong piece there. Can he induce Black to change it?

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Unpinning and supporting. 2 .,t xd5 :a. xd5

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A simple idea. Nothing violent; j ust a moment's gentle restraint on dS was all that was required .

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gaining a piece and a powerful attack. Sometimes the pin is used to dis turb the disposition of pieces and create j ust the configuration the forking piece is waiting for, as in diagram 7 1 .

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White's only good move is to go back home with the queen, but players are reluctant to lose time in this way and so he attacks a bishop:

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Botvinnik-Ca pablanca Moscow, 1 936

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The pin could not have been more briefly applied , but it is long enough and makes j ust that sim­ ple change in the position that the knight requires .

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winning the queen. This particu­ lar bishop pin and knight fork partnership is a very common one. Watch out for it. Finally, a position from a mas­ ter game. In diagram 72, Black's cl-pawn is pinned and so his knight is really the only protector

of the e-pawn. White removes it and adjusts the position for a fork .

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White regains his exchange and keeps a good pawn, the pawn maj ority on the queenside being sufficient to win . However, Bot­ vinnik later got into terrible time trouble, made several bad moves in a row, which no one could do against Capablanca, and actually lost.

49

4

The Skewer

Look at the pieces which lie on the two diagonals marked with arrows (diagram 7 3) . I n 1 a bishop pins a knight against a queen. I n 2 there is the reverse situa­ tion. I t is not a pin; the superior Black piece is in front, but it is very like a pin in appearance. I n 1 the knight cannot move because of the loss of the queen. In 2 the queen must move or be lost, and give up the inferior piece behind . This is -called a skewer, and it is well-named since the bishop in 2 cuts through the enemy with coldblooded force. There is none of . t h e su b t 1ety o f th e pm a b out 1t, no gradual build up of advantage or increase of pressure. It is quick death, butchery. A crude weapon perhaps, but powerful and one to which you should become instinctively alert both in prevention and execution. You should find little difficulty in picking out the skewers in the following diagrams. Each player with the move has a skewer. .

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Diagram 130 None of White's pieces looks loose enough for col­ lection, but there is more to be gained than material in this posi­ tion. With the bishop at g5 Black can play l . . . i_e3 dis eh and mate! The bishop pins the knight which would otherwise have in­ terposed at g4. Before going on to consider how to create opportunities for disco­ vered check, we will examme a closely related idea.

here because, like the discovered check, it restricts the defender's choice. Go back to diagram 1 24 to see another example. White could have won a pawn another way from the one given, which is simi­ lar to the example above: l i_xh7ch xh7 2 ,ll xe7 . Two types of discovered attack with check are shown in diagrams 1 32 and 1 33 .

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Here White has a discovered attack on the rook at e5 as soon as he moves the bishop. xh7 1 i,xh7ch 2 ,ll xe5 This is not a discovered check because check is given by the un­ masking piece. Strictly speaking, this tactic belongs to the disco­ vered attack section and is an extension of it, but it is treated 76

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The position in diagram 1 32 could arise in the French Defence. White's d-pawn is under attack, and a quick count suggests that Black can win it. 1 . . . cxd4 2 cxd4 ct:Jxd4 3 ct:Jxd4 �xd4, but then comes 4 i,b5ch, a check with a discovered attack on the queen. White set a trap into which Black should not have fallen in his anxi­ ety to win a pawn . But White, in playing i,d3, was not merely trap-setting, for it had the merit of indirectly guarding the d-pawn, saving time and letting him get on

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Diagram 1 33 shows the other aspect of the tactic. Here 1 .i_xh 7 eh has not only the aim of gaining material ( though natural­ ly if the discovery was onto a queen or an unguarded rook this would be a primary obj ective in itself) but also an offensive against Black's king, breaking up the defending pawns. The bishop can do this happily because it isn't really being sacrificed and doesn't require the follow up of an assured mating attack, or even a clearly continuing attack, since the uncovered rook will recover the piece. This kind of discovered attack with check is a powerful and mali­ cious weapon which can be flung at the enemy king's position with­ out fear of material disadvantage. The mobile piece frequently goes in close to the enemy king and is often captured by a defender or

even the king itself. Compare this with the discovered check we have been considering. There, the sta­ tic piece gives check and is usually lying well inside friendly lines, skulking safely away among his own pieces and only infrequently has fear of capture. Discovered Check continued

We now return to our main theme, and look into the matter of how discovered check can arise or be engineered from the position. An excellent example was sup­ plied by Capablanca, playing Black against Gotthilf in Moscow, 1 925. Capablanca, capable of pro­ ducing brilliant games of asto­ nishing complexity, nonetheless had a predilection for simplicity, developing his game on sound and simple ideas such as he dis­ plays here. In diagram 1 34, Black has a

77

dominating pawn centre; White is seeking compensation on the b­ file where he is preparing to dou­ ble his rooks and advance his b-pawn. �b7! 1 ... A very sharp move, both tactic­ al and positional. He threatens a discovered check and the unmask­ ing knight could reach the White queen via b4. He does not, how­ ever, expect White to overlook this; the tactical threat gains time in obtaining possession of the long diagonal and so reaching down into the heart of White's king's position. l:l bd8 2 �h2 Preparing the next thrust whilst . . . 3 b4 . . . White attempts to further his own plans. d3 ! 3 ... 4 Resigns A resignation which needs some explanation. Black's last move had two obj ectives: to clear d4 for the knight and to deflect the White e-pawn from its watch on f3 . And again the idea is carried out with tempo, White's queen being attacked. We shall play on a little further. l2J d4 4 exd3 A move with tempo yet again. 5 �cl The queen would be no better placed at c3, and would be lost on 78

the seventh move at b l . l2Jf3ch 5 .. How rapidly the knight seems to have travelled across the board to menace the king. Compare this with the Capablanca game on page 72. 6 �g2 He is forced into a discovery position. l2J xd2 dis eh 6 ... Winning a piece, enough to account for White's resignation, and the attack would go on un­ abated. A beautifully clear appli­ cation of basic chess tactics. .

135

Kochiev-Maric Kapfenburg, 1 976 I n the next example, diagram 1 35, White is a piece down for three pawns. His advanced pas­ sed pawn at e6 is both weak and strong; weak because it is isolated from the support of other pawns; strong because of its nearness to promotion.

However, Black has it well blockaded with the bishop and no doubt considered that, though a thorn in the flesh, it presented no immediate danger. A second look reveals a White queen and a Black king on the same diagonal with that same passed pawn interveni ng. This situation should have alerted Black earlier but now it is too late. He may have expected 1 .i,xf6 .i,xf6 2 e 7 dis eh � h8 when the pawn is left high and dry for Black to pick up later. 1 J:t d7 ! White engineers new targets for the pawn and finds a forcing line with this fork of queen and bishop. Black must either take the rook or interpose his own at c7. 1 ... J:t e7 The alternative: 1 . ttJxd 7 2 exd7 dis eh �h8 3 dxc8= � eh iVxc8 gives White his piece back and leaves him with two pawns up. The text looks satisfactory u ntil: 2 J:t d8eh! A bolt from the blue forcing immediate resignation. There would have followed: .i,xd8 2 ... There would be the same reply to 2 . . . .i,f8. 3 e7 dis eh � h8 I nterposing at d5 makes little differen- c e. 4 exd8=� eh .

.

with mate to follow. A very satisfying ending, since White revealed two ways of using the mobile piece and avoided a third that led to nothing. This was played fifty years later than the Capablanca game. Many things have changed in chess over the years, but not the use and effec­ tiveness of basic tactical concepts. 8

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g8 3 �xe5 dis eh and mate. Notice how the 82

bishop prepares the discovery and how, in its final stroke, removes the knight which would otherwise interpose at g6. Diagram 142 This well-known game is worthwhile looking at again even if you have seen it before. The great Lasker was

already getting the worst of it agai nst the almost unknown Torre when this happened: 1 �£6! �xh5 . There is no choice. Now the see-saw begins. 2 l::t xg7ch � h8 3 l:l xf7 dis eh �g8 4 l:I g7ch � h8 5 l::t xb7 dis eh �g8 6 l::t g7ch

� h8 7 l::t g5ch �h7 (released at last) 8 l::t xh5 �g6 ( the king fork wins his piece back) 9 n h3 �xf6 1 0 l::t xh6ch. With his extra pawns White won the ending easily. It was his twenty-first birthday.

Smyslov-Botvinnik World Championship, 1 958 White to play and win

Black to play and win

Diagram 143 Even Botvinnik can be caught in the middle. 1 �xb7ch nd7 2 l::t de l ! If now 2 . . . l::t xb7 3 �b l dis eh recovers the queen, and his bishop pair and extra pawn ensure him the better game. However, can't Black first get his own queen away with a check and then col­ lect the White one? 2 . . . �a l ch 3 � b l dis eh. Evidently not. The mobile piece is very versatile, giv­ ing check for check. Black res­ igned. If 3 . . . �d8 4 �b8 is mate, 83

of course. If 3 . . . �d6 then 4 n xffich lt:Jxffi 5 .i,f4ch �d5 6 'Yi'b3 mate. Diagram 144 1 . . . .i,f5! This must have been a great surprise in a position where the players would have been concentrating more on tactical shocks along diagonals and files than along a rank. White - who had been threatening mate in two - resigned. His reasons were: 2 'Yi'x£5 ct)xe3ch 3 fxe3 'it'x£5; 2 'Yi'h4 .i_xd6 3 e4! g5 ! ; 4 �h5ch .i,g6, keeping the piece; 2 b4 lt:Jc3ch (or 2 . . . 'Yi'a4ch 3 .i,b3 �xb3) 3 �e 1 (other moves are worse) 3 . . . lt:Jxe4 4 bxa5 .i,xd6 and Black comes out of each with at least a piece. Diagram 145 The pin on White's rook against his queen seems to regain Black's lost material, but Fischer has prepared a neat re­ futation. 1 .i,d7! Black resigned. If 1 . . . 'Yi'xd7, White wins the queen with 2 ll xg6ch. Black must protect his bishop with, say, 1 . . . �d8, when White holds every­ thing by 2 ll xe5. Double Check

One final aspect of double attack has now to be considered, and this is double check in which both unmasked and unmasking piece give check. In diagram 1 46, it is White to play and the action is clearly on the e-file. 84

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White could win a piece with 1 ct)c5 dis eh, capturing the bishop next time. In this, a discovered check, the check is made so that the mobile piece, the knight, can enter forbidden territory quite re­ mote from the king's field. The attack on the king is a conveni­ ence to achieve obj ects elsewhere and in no way signals a mating attack. Now look at White's other choice of attack. I ct)d6 double check The focus of attack for both pieces is upon the king and is therefore more likely to lead to a continuing pressure against the king. (Not always, of course. Tac­ tics should be adapted to meet the demands of the situation. For in­ stance, if the Black queen was at f5 supported by a pawn at g6, say, the text move could be construed as an attack upon the queen. But the point is this: the double check operates very much within the king's field and is therefore fre-

quently employed as an assault upon the king itself. ) There are, in general, three ways of replying to a check: cap­ turing the checking piece, inter­ posing a piece and moving the king. It is clear that the first two cannot apply in the case of a double check. The king is conse­ quently much restricted in deal­ ing with the tactic; he must move, and it is this that distinguishes the double check from all other tactics and imbues it with that extra power. To return to the diagram. White has j ust played 1 lZ:Jd6 db 1 eh, and there is only one reply 1 ... d8 and now 2 ,tieS mate Black is mated largely by his own pieces. Normally, to be sur­ rounded by defensive pieces and particularly a row of pawns to the front is good. But here, in this cluttered position, the compulsion to move deprives the defender of other resources and uses up the dwindling stock of flight squares very quickly. The ability of the mobile piece of the double check­ ing pair to enter heavily trooped areas makes it a most effective weapon against the most, appa­ rently, well-defended king. It can go through the palace guard like a scythe, and we often see it operat-

ing in this way as the following examples show. 8

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Schulten-Horwitz London, 1 846 From diagram 1 4 7, lift Black's bishop for a moment and then you will see that 1 . . . 1::1 fl is mate. Unfortunately for Black this is not the position, and in any case his queen is under attack. But it can be created. 1 ... �fl ch! i.,d3 dbl eh! 2 xfl It is important that it is double check; a simple discovered check would have been easy to deal with by interposing the knight. 3 e 1 1::1 fl mate I n diagram 1 48, White, to play, is not without his problems. His rook is unpleasantly pinned against his queen, and if he hopes for relief from 1 i.,xf7 eh ll xf7 2 �xf7 eh etc . , he would be most disturbed when Black chose 1 . . . 85

�h8 instead, leaving the bishop pinned as well. However, he can carve through these complications by I l:;Ixf7! letting the queen go for the sake of a double check. 1 ... i.x£5 2 n xg7 dbl ch �hs 3 l:;Ig8 dbl ch and mate It is worth mentioning Philidor's Legacy, as it is sometimes known (although Greco gives the essential idea much earlier) , since a double check is necessary for its execution. Only the bare necessities appear in diagram 1 49; it can arise in many different situations with different approach routes for the knight and queen. The sequ­ ence of moves needs no comment. I ttJxf7ch �g8 2 ttJh6dbl eh � h8 3 'ifg8ch! Z;I xg8 4 ttJ£7 mate 86

Black is mated mainly by his own pieces, a smothered mate. There are many examples of this strategem in the history of chess, so much so that it is sur­ prising that players still fall for it. Diagram 150 shows a very mod­ ern version of it.

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Vogel-Nunn London, 1 977 N unn is one of our leading grandmasters and that is a re­ markable thing to say in itself; a few years ago there were no Brit­ ish grandmasters at all .

White's king's position ap­ pears, on the surface, to be well defended, surrounded by pawns and pieces with still some space left to move in. But . . . �xf2ch I ... was enough to force V ogel 's res­ ignation immediately. His reason is contained in the following pos­ sibility. 2 �xf2 To refuse the offer is to give up the exchange. t2Jg4ch 2 ... 3 �gl If 3 �£1 i¥e3 also wins. 3 ... i¥e3ch t2Jf2ch 4 �hi 5 �gl t2Jh3 dbl eh 6 �hi iVglch t2Jf2 mate 7 n xgl

Capturing with the knight in­ stead would have made no differ­ ence. In the examples which follow, the player to move engineers a double check and then finds the best means of exploitation.

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Matanovic-J anosevic Yugoslav Championship, 1 953

Kern an ( I reland) Darakorn (Thailand) i-I aifa Olympiad, 1 976

Black to play and win

White to play and mate 87

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Re ti-Tartakower Vienna, 1 9 1 0 White to play and win Solutions

Diagram 151 Black can capture the f-pawn in any of three ways. 1 . 'iVxf2 would allow a queen exchange when White's numeric­ al superiority in pawns would tell; 1 . . . tt)xf2 would improve but permit White to counter with 2 h8= 'iY eh and then if 2 . . . 'i!txh8 3 tt)g6ch or 2 . . . ll xh8 3 'iVxf2 . Best is 1 . ll x£2, threatening a discovery with a tempo attack on the queen. 2 'iVxe4 ll fl dbl eh! 3 Resigns. Black mates however White responds. Diagram 152 The direction of dis­ covery is clearly along the cl-file and a fork by the knight opens it up. 1 tt)xe5ch dxe5 2 .,tc6 dbl eh 'i!te6 3 'iYb3 mate.

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88

White to play and mate Diagram 153 White has exchanged queen for minor pieces although, since the knights are loose, Black appears to be getting one back. However, the cl-file is ripe for discoveries. 1 .,tc6 ! and Black res­ igned. If he moves his queen to safety at e6, 2 .,ta5 dbl eh and mate next move, and the same applies if he captures the knight at e5. Giving up the queen for mate­ rial_ by 1 . . . bxc6 2 .,ta5ch 'i!tc8 3 ,Uxd5 cxd5 leaves him a piece short. Diagram 154 This was not a game played by a master against a novice. Tartakower was a superb tactician of great imagination. 1 'iVd8ch 'i!txd8 2 .,tg5 dbl eh 'i!tc7 3 .,td8ch and mate.

Interlude Discovered Attack and the King This tactic, with its sharp associ­ ates, depends on open lines into a vital area, acting as a fulcrum of leverage to expose new routes in to the enemy position. When two of these open or opening lines con­ verge on the opposing king's posi­ tion, we see some of the sharpest of mating attacks. In diagram 155, with White to move, after I _t h6 threatening mate, Black is well able to hold the situation with I £5 and further probing by White by, say, 2 'YW£6 is met with 2... and Black survives. Supposing White was allowed two consecutive moves in the dia­ grammed position. He could then go 1 j, h6 2 'iVg7 mate. Now, again from the initial position, change the placing of the . . •

155

two White pieces by putting the bishop at g5 and the queen at g3 . White has, playing legally this time: I j,h6 dis eh �h8 2 'iVg7 mate In effect the discovered check endows White with God's gift to the chessplayer: two consecutive moves . Consider the position of the king throughout the opening and middlegame. It is usually on the back rank, close to one corner or other with some pawns in front of it, a knight or bishop in front of 89

those and a rook or so at its flank. The king has little room to move about in, one or two squares, gen­ erally, in addition to the one it occupies. Usually, with vigilance on the part of its owner, it is quite safe in such a situation. Create more breathing space around the king and you create open lines for enemy action. Nothing is perfect; compromise is the philosophy of survival. With so little freedom of move­ ment for the king, the defender in a congested position places great reliance on his ability to capture or interpose against an invading, checking piece. His early warning system against coming danger must be acutely tuned to the pos­ sibility of discovered attack. This is even more important with dou­ ble check, when his king has to move, for the danger is that however well intentioned was the defensive array, the king finds that he has nowhere to go. This book is not intended to treat something as specific as king attack. We are considering throughout a wide range of tactics grouped under the general head­ ing of dual attack. However, with this large section on discovery, so much is relevant to activity in the king's field that we are looking briefly at certain kinds of attack upon the king. In diagram 156, both kings are 90

caught in the centre and White, to play, must force his attack though quickly. It would seem that his queen is now compelled to leave the e-file j ust when he was ready for a discovered check, but lurk­ ing beneath the surface is a dou­ ble check as well. I t2Jxd7 dis eh t2Jxe2 2 ttJ£6 dbl eh and mate Diagram 157 shows a compli­ cated position in which castling has taken place on opposite sides and each player looks for a break­ through by advancing pawns . White's attack is clearly ahead. I t is noticeable that only one pair of pawns has been ex­ changed, and the only half-open file for White's rooks is the g-file. How does he continue? 1 h6ch � g8 tends to blockade rather than open the game for the major pieces. Obviously more pawns must be exchanged. 1 hxg6 hxg6,

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White to play the simple attack and counter, only encourages rook exchanges, reducing the attacking force, without significantly altering the pawn pattern. But the needs of the White attack demand that the equilibrium be disturbed and the pawn structure radically changed. There is a way : �xh6 1 i_h6eh! O therwise he loses the ex­ change. 2 hxg6 dis eh What a difference. Now the g­ file is opened, because Black can­ not recapture pawn with pawn and maintain his configuration. �g7 2 3 gxh7 dis eh Mate follows after Black inter­ poses the bishop. Time and again, the stripping of the guardian pawns and the opening of lines in to the king's position is accomplished by some form of the discovered attack. • •

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Ashby-Selby Correspondence, 1 977 In diagram 158 White is a piece down, which he has obviously given up for an attack. He is clearly winning and the simple 1 i. d2 i. xf5 ( to stop the mate ) 2 'iVxf5 g5 3 i,. xa5 would do the trick. Instead, creating a disco­ vered check leads to mate much more quickly and neatly. �xh7 1 'i¥h7eh 2 i,.xg7 dis eh �g8 3 l::l h8 mate. Here again the tempo gain gave White the time to reorganise his pieces into a new and more potent pattern without interference from the other side. You may wonder at the number of times the queen is given up in making the opportunities for dis­ covery. This is not for show. When a queen is offered close to the opposing king it usually has to be taken since the king has no­ where else to go, which is not 91

always true of the other pieces. Now follow examples of the same ideas for you to solve.

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Posch-Dorrer White to play and win

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Romanishin-Pou tianen Erevan, 1 976 White to play and win

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Smollny-Asafov Leningrad, 1 956

Geller-Ree Wijk an Zee, 1 969

White to play and win

White to play and win

Solutions

Diagram 159 Black has just played . . . �h4 in an attempt to rid himself of the troublesome queen and 92

reduce the force of the attack, but: 1 �xg7ch! r:bxg7 2 ,ll g5 dbl eh and mate . Diagram 160 The Black king is surrounded by defensive pieces,

but White's discoveries peel them queen) is 1 . . . i,xd5 whereupon 2 away. 1 'iVxg6ch! (drawing the i,xd5 'iV e 7 (otherwise 3 n xf7 king towards the open h-file) etc) 3 nxf7 nxf7 4 nn , and the �xg6 2 i, h5ch � h 7 3 i,f7 dis eh threat of n xf7 regaining mate­ ' ( notice that the mobile piece goes rial and renewing the discovery, to a carefully chosen square) i, h6 cannot be met. 4 g6ch Resigns, because 4 . . . �g7 Diagram 162 White played 1 'iVb3 5 i,xh6ch � h8 6 i,xf8 dis eh. A and Black resigned, another Phili­ delightful echo of the earlier dor victim. 1 . . . bxc3 2 et)h6dbl theme with the other bishop. eh � h8 3 'iV g8ch t2Jxg8 and he is Mate follows the interposition at still protecting f7 with the rook, h3. but Geller out-Philidors Philidor Diagram 161 The Black king is because of 4 t2J (either)f7ch nxf7 well attended by major pieces, but 5 et)xf7 mate. Trying to clear movement is restricted: a prime some space around the king target for discovery. The line of would be a sensible idea but there approach is clear - the a2 - g8 isn't time: 1 . . . h5 2 t2Jxe5 dis eh diagonal. 1 'iVg6! Resigns. Evi­ � h8 3 et)g6 mate. Or 1 . i,h8 2 dently Black, too, had seen that if t2Jxe5 dis eh ri;; g 7 3 et)e6ch ri;; h6 4 1 . . fxg6 2 et)ffi dbl eh is mate and c4 and the queen's entry along the that the only way to stop 2 ct:Jffich third rank will soon decide. (forcing Black to give up his .

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7 Overload Diagram 1 63 shows a simple example of overload. Black's king has a double duty, the protection of the knight from a bishop attack and of the bishop from White's king. With White to play, he cannot do both. 1 .,txc6 �xc6 x winni g ce and the game. Black's king was over-burdened, protecting two pieces which were both under pressure. In diagram 1 64, White's knight has too much work to do. The battery of Black's queen and bishop is threatening mate at h2 and the knight is required to watch that vital square. However,

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it has another duty in supporting the bishop at d4 and it cannot adequately do both. Black, to play, wins a piece with 1 . . ll xd4. The knight was overloaded, protecting a piece and an important square. .

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In the position of diagram 1 65 it is Black's rook which is overstretched. It protects the queen and also the back rank, one of the most vulnerable lines on the board. White, to play, wins the queen or mates with: 1 i¥xc7 ll xc7 2 llb8ch ll c8 3 ll xc8 mate. The three pawns forming the king's shield at f7, g 7 and h 7 are an important part of any king's defence, but can also be a trap when the flank, the back rank, is . l efit unwatch ed . M any tactica l s t n t s a ul ld p r w its ance. You will notice that White has taken precautions against this happening to himself by, at some time, playing h3. Had he not done so then in this position, with Black to play, he would have been mated in a similar manner: 1 . . . iYc l ch! 2 ll xc l l::t xc l mate. The rook was overburdened by back rank duty and the protection of a piece. In diagram 1 66, the White bishop must keep a close eye on Black's passed pawn. Unfortun­ ately it is also expected to took after the b-pawn and it cannot do both. Black to play wins a pawn with 1 . . . i,xb5. Finally, an example where a piece is covering two squares at once. 96

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I n diagram 1 67, Black's big guns have moved into the White position leaving only the knight behind for defence. That knight is guarding two vital squares: White's point of entry to the back rank( d8) and that common mat­ ing square for a queen, g7. With the move, White forces mate with 1 ll d8ch fL)xd8 2 i¥g7 mate. The knight was overworked in watching too' many important squares . Overload is essentially a double attack tactic because it exploits a dual role assumed by a defensive

piece. The attacker has applied pressure in more than one area, to the point where the defence is so overstretched that one piece has had to take on more than it can

cope with. I n the following set of dia­ grams, try to identify the second player's overloaded piece.

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Solutions

Diagram 168 White's queen is clearly overstretched here, de­ fending rook and bishop which are both attacked. Black simply takes off the bishop with his rook and, if White recaptures, the rook

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Black to play at a 7 is lost. Diagram 169 Black's rook has to protect the back rank as well as the bishop and so 1 t2Jxc4 wins a piece. Notice the effective pawn barrier operating against the Black king. Diagram 170 This may not be so 97

obvious. It is the Black pawn at c6 which is overloaded with the dou­ ble duty of guarding knight and bishop. 1 �xb5 cxb5 2 ll xd5 wins a piece. Diagram 1 1 White depends on 7 his g-pawn remaining on that file to prevent Black's g-pawn becom­ ing passed and dangerous. But it

is supporting the rook as well, and the problems become too great. 1 .. . ll xf3 2 gxf3 g2 and queens next move. Now that you are familiar with the idea, use it to introduce new pieces into the following positions so as to render one of the opposing pieces overburdened.

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Where, on the a-file, would a Black pa,wn overload the White pawn? 98

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What White piece on e3 would be overloaded and how would Black win?

Solutions

Diagram 172 The queen would be suitably placed at c l or c2 when 1 .i_xe5 tt:Jxe5 2 tt:Jxe5 'i¥xe5 3 'i¥xc6 wins a piece. A series of exchanges can often uncover the weakness of an overloaded piece when this is not obvious in the initial position. It is well to ex­ amine exchanges with this in mind, for the weakness is then laid bare. Diagram 173 At a3 . The White pawn at a2 would then be both blockading Black's pawn and sup­ porting his own bishop. Black wins with 1 . . . ll xb3 ! , winning a piece or queening, since the White rook is unable to control the a-file in time. If 2 axb3 a2 3 ll h6ch l2Jg6 shuts him out. Diagram 174 Black's bishop at f7 is protecting queen and rook and so a White queen at d3 would put it under pressure. White then has 1 e6! , a new way of exploiting overload by attacking the over­ loaded piece itself and therefore making its task even more dif­ ficult. Now the bishop could pro­ tect the rook with l . . . Jl,xe6 but not the queen, or the queen with 1 . . . Jl,e8 but not the rook. If 1 . . . 'i¥xd3 , trying to shed the bishop's bu.rden, then 2 cxd3 , leaving two pieces en prise after which 2 . . . n c2 is no good because 3 exf7 threatens to qu een. Diagram 175 It would have to be a

queen protecting knight, rook and the back rank. Three loads to carry are too much even for a queen. Black must have a choice of winning lines. 1 . . . 'i¥xa 7 2 'i¥xa 7 n c l eh and mate next move. Or 1 . . . 'i¥xf3 2 'i¥xf3 ll c l ch etc. 8

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When a piece becomes overbur­ dened, the defender will do all he can to redistribute the load, and so the attacker must take advan­ tage of the situation as quickly as possible. In the position of dia­ gram 1 76, Black's bishop protects the knight, which is attacked, and the g-pawn which at present is not. It wo uld seem that Black has sufficient time to look after both pieces, but White fixes the knight with a pin: ,t! c8 1 Jl,b2 which Black defends a second time so that a balance at c3 is achieved . White can bring no more pieces to bear in time - the king would have far too long a 99

JOUrney - and so he turns his attention to the Black bishop's other care: � g7 2 � g4 Black responds by preparing � h6, relieving his bishop of one of its duties. But it is too late. 3 i_xc3 Jl xc3 4 n xc3 .i,xc3 5 �xg5 One piece defending two others is the complement of double attack, where one piece hits at two weaknesses, and displays the same economy of effort. Why, then, does its use so frequently lead to loss? Because double attack is dynamic, it comes from the hand of the player with the initiative and frequently leads to a quick resolution of its effort; on the other hand, dual defence is often the product of exigency and implies a commitment over a lon­ ger period of time in which cir­ cumstances change, stresses in­ crease and the defender becomes vulnerable to tactical surprises. Clearly it is good to extract the maximum effort out of pieces, but one must always be aware of their limitations and avoid overloading them. It is often a pawn which is at least one of the burdens of the overloaded piece. Generally, if the attacker is attempting to take long term advantage, the defender can shed one of his responsibilities 1 00 .

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and survive. If a pawn is involved this is not so easy because pawns tend to be slow-moving targets, which are easy to hit, and some­ times fixed targets, which are easier still. The overload theme with pawns is a common one in the endgame.

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Reti-Marshall The ending in diagram 1 7 7 was reached between these two famous players in the great tour­ nament in Baden-Baden, 1 925. Reti has knight for pawn, but it is not always a win with this mate­ rial. Here it is. The Black king has two duties to perform: defending the g-pawn and preventing the White pawn from promoting. If Black could exchange g- for e­ pawn he would of course be hap­ py, since White's only hope is in promotion. I t is White to play, but 1 d6 � e6 would be useless. But sup­ posing it was Black to play. He

would have to go 1 . . . � g6 to protect the pawn, too far away in these circumstances to stop White's pawn; 2 d6 � f7 3 d 7 ! cutting o ff Black's access t o the queening square. Hence Black loses if it is his turn to play in the position of the diagram. White must lose a move, and can do so by I � g3 �f5 2 ·�£3 �f6 3 �g4 We are back to the initial posi­ tion and it is Black to play. This idea is called triangulation, a most important theme in the end­ game and worth remembering. 3 ... � £7 4 �xg5 and White has no further prob­ lems, with the king to shepherd the pawn through. Examination of the position, particularly in the endgame where fundamental weaknesses, like weak pawns, do not go away, for symptoms of overload, is fre­ quently the means of changing a half point into a full one. When you detect signs of strained loyal­ ties in the opposing king or other pieces, seek means to stretch them further and you will often find the breaking point. Overload is a difficult concept to describe in some brief phrase for it could be construed as all­ embracing. After all, the capital-

isation of advantage presupposes that some point will be reached when the defender can no longer cope, when the components of de­ fence have been stretched beyond the call of normal duty that the exigencies of the position have imposed. But is is useful to be aware of particular kinds of over­ load so that you automatically have an eye for pieces coming under stress and so be able, in your planning, to look to means of intensifying the division of loyalty in enemy pieces. It would be helpful to summa­ rise what the defensive duties of the pieces are. Duties of both point and line pieces 1 . Defence of another piece or pawn. 2. Defence of a particular square. 3 . Blockading ambitious pawns. 4. Controlling queening squares of passed pawns. 5 . Preventing mate. 6. Control of possible points of entry by the enemy force. In addition, line pieces have the task of watching: 7. Open diagonals. 8. Open files. 9. Ranks, particularly the back rank. Any combination of two of these duties assumed by a single piece creates potential overload. There follows a set of positions from master play for you to solve. 101

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Knorre-Anderssen Berlin, 1 864

Capablanca-J affe New York, 1 9 1 0

White played 1 'iVxcS. How did Black reply?

White to play and win

Diagram 178 Caph4 (mate on the other square) 'iYxf2ch 1 6 'iYg3 g5ch and the king is obliged to desert the queen. 13 i,xf4ch! The fork forces the recapture. 'iYh1ch 14 'iYxf4 'iYg1ch (198) 15 c;t> g3 White resigned. There would

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follow 1 6 c;t> h4 'iYe 1 ch 1 7 'iYg3 g5ch etc., an idea we have seen before. It was most important that Black chose 1 5 . . . 'iYg 1 eh and not 1 5 . . . 'iYg2ch, since from the latter square he would not have had access to e 1 . The study of the handling of these powerful, long-reaching pieces in an open position will be rewarding and you will be able to examine more complex variations at a second reading. It is not difficult to go wrong in such situa­ tions, as both players demons­ trated, and it would be valuable experience to explore other lines for yourself. * * * We have to consider first how Black would have played after 3 'iYe2 exd4 4 'iYxa6 bxa6 5 lZJe4 in the note following Black's second move. The difference is that the knight is not attacked by Black's rook on this square; on the other hand White is not threatening the fork at e7. Black does not ex­ change rooks on the c-file, for this would leave his other rook unpro­ tected. I nstead he plays 5 . . . ltJxe4 and after 6 i.xd8 n xd8 he has two pieces for a rook and, with the well-supported passed pawn, an excellent game. In the note after Black's eighth move, White could have answered 8 . . . i.xb2 by 9 'i¥c5 . Black would then have continued 9 . . .

fj'd l ch 1 0 �h2 i.. e 5ch 1 1 �g2 'iVxd5ch! 1 2 'iVxd5 i., c6, regain­ ing the queen and winning the ending with the extra pawn. In this White could have tried 1 1 f4, giving the position of diagram 1 99.

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Black qow has the devastating 1 1 . . . i,d4, threatening the queen and mate by . . . 'iVg l . White could resign, but in such situa­ tions always look around for a possible resource. After all, there is nothing to lose. What about the desperate throw 1 2 i.. x f7ch? Black has four replies . He can capture the bishop with king or bishop, or move his king to g7 or h8. One of these moves loses, another draws and two will win. Try to find them before looking at the solutions below. 1 . 1 2 . . . � h8 1 3 �f8 is mate, of course. 2 . 12 . . . �xf7 13 �e7ch �g8 1 4 'it'xe8ch �g7 1 5 �e7ch and

d raws by perpetual check. 3 . 1 2 . . . i.. xf7 1 3 'iVc8ch �g7 1 4 .i,h6ch! �xh6 ( 1 4 . . . �f6? 1 5 g5ch � e 7 1 6 i. ffi mate! ) 1.5 'iVffich i.. g 7 1 6 g5ch �h5 1 7 'it'xg7 threatening the bishop and mate by 'iVxh7. But it is not good enough for Black has the initiative now, forces White's king on to a white square with queen checks then checks with the bishop and wins, as you can work out for yourself. But even in this line there were chances for Black to go wrong, as was noted in parenth­ eses. 4. 1 2 . . . �g7 1 3 i.h6ch! �xh6 (other moves are clearly worse) 1 4 �f8ch i.g7 1 5 'iVxe8, and what­ ever White is doing, Black is cer­ tainly not winning. These variations show the sur­ pnsmg resources positions can contain. * * * 3 Reshevsky -Trey stman

Samuel Reshevsky began his chess career as a boy prodigy, and although since the thirties has al­ ways been a formidable opponent, he has never quite fulfilled that early promise, perhaps because he was not able to commit himself wholly to the life of a professional chessplayer. He is a sound player in all departments of the game, being a particularly strong tacti1 17

cian and displaying a remarkable the queenside, with his control of patience in exploiting small the open b-file and operations on advantages, and it is these two the half-open c-file. There is a qualities which are the feature of fundamental weakness in the Black position due to pawn struc­ the present game. We see here the use of tactics ture, and this is the backward for other than immediate gain of pawn at c6. A backward pawn is material or direct attack upon the one whose advance cannot be king; they are employed to supported by another pawn . This achieve spatial advantages and leaves a square in front of it which favourable exchanges. Tactics are the enemy can occupy with little not solely attacking weapons. fear of disturbance, and it is also They are often seen in defence as vulnerable to frontal attack. This in this game, which is another is the focus of White's activities. Some of Black's pieces will be reason why it has been chosen. heavily committed to the defence 200 of that pawn, whilst others could be used in mounting a kingside attack. In fact Black has a threat already there. You will notice that White's g-pawn is overloaded in defending both knight and h­ pawn, and 1 . . . .i, xh3 2 gxh3 �xf3 . is in the air. However, it is White to play, and it is interesting to see how b c d e f g h a Reshevsky so engaged his oppo­ Reshevsky-Treystman nent's attention on the other side U . S. Championship, 1 936 of the board that Black had no opportunity to try it out. Attack is After twenty-three moves, the the best defence! position of diagram 200 was 1 tt:Jb5 ! reached . Before we look at the Fork and pin work in harmony. continuation, it is important to The pin on the c-pawn allows the understand the position and what knight to fork pawn and rook, and was in the minds of the players. I t then we realise that overload i s White to move. comes into it too, for Black would Material is exactly equal. not be able to move that rook into White's interests obviously lie on safety without abandoning one of 1 18

the pawns in its care. Black is forced to exchange knights, and it is this that White wished to accomplish. 1 ... t2Jxb5 2 axb5 His point is made clear: more pressure is brought on the c-pawn, and White's a-pawn, which would only have become blockaded against Black's if it had stayed on its file, changes file and becomes more flexible with a more ambitious future. ll b8! 2 ... A counter-pin against the White queen which shows the de­ fensive aspect which a tactic can assume. But Black had a threat against h3. Could he have ex­ ploited this instead? Try 2 . . . �xh3 3 n xc6 (forking rook and queen) ll xc6 4 bxc6. A passed pawn emerges and Black's queen has too much else to do to take it off. By overloading the queen Black helped to create the passed pawn. 3 �a3 Unpinning and threatening n xc6, as well as improving the position of the queen. i.,f5 (201 ) 3 ... Unmasking the queen for the defence of c6. Could he have used this idea for both attack and defence with 3 . . . J.xh3? There would follow, as before, 4 n xc6 n xc6 5 bxc6 and

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the passed pawn appears again. However, the position of the Black rook on the open file makes a difference, and could pose prob­ lems for White which you can examine during a second reading. * * * Supposing Black now tries 5 . . . i._c8. White must be careful. 6 �c5, forking pawns, looks good but he would be most unpleasant­ ly surprised by 6 . . . i._xa6 7 n xa6 n b 1 ch 8 �h2 t2Jh4! when the apparently devastating discovery 9 c7 is defeated by 9 . . . l2Jxf3ch. White can either take the knight or play his king to g3 - at h3 it would be mate. A. 10 �g3 �g5ch 1 1 �xf3 �£5ch 1 2 �g3, submitting to a draw by perpetual check because the only other way, 1 2 �e2 n b2ch, leads to a quick mate. B. 10 gxf3 �h4ch 1 1 �g2 �h 1 ch 1 2 �g3 ll g 1 ch 1 3 �f4 �h2ch! (keeping the king from e5 and hopes of a haven among his own pieces) 1 4 �f5 �h5ch 1 5 �f4 �g5 mate. 1 19

Fascinating variations in which queen and bishop. the White king was winkled out 5 ... i, e6 like an oyster from its shell, and This deals with both threats . this in face of immediate catas­ 6 l;l ac l 1I h6 trophe on the back rank. Beware. There were three attacks on the One cannot say it too often: c-pawn. 7 bxc6 (202 ) tactical resources lurk below the surface in the most unlikely cir­ 202 8 cumstances. _ _ _,_ White would have proceeded 7 M �a a t J� t more calmly after 5 . . . i. c8 by 6 6 �- ft �.t.. -� c7 l:l a8 7 i_xc8 ,ll xc8 8 �c5! M'· -).�--.§---(; t�-� • �Now Black does not have an open s �� 4 a B - a file to work on and the passed pawn is well-established. It is bet­ - fl€)-ft ter for the rook rather than the 2 a - �:t1 1t a queen to capture the a-pawn. - r- � ,§- � · Now 8 . . . �b6 would be met by 9 a b c d e f g h ll xa 7 and if Black exchanges Black has the choice of captur­ queens, knight and rook shepherd ing with either rook. If 7 . . . the passed pawn home . * * * W e return t o the game position .ll cxc6 then 8 i, b 7 ! (Black cannot capture because it leaves the other of diagram 20 1 . rook loose) g xc5 (forced, produc­ 4 l;l c5 The weak square in front of the ing another passed pawn) 9 dxc5 backward pawn is now occupied. (fork) �c7 (countering the fork White prepares to double rooks with a pin and creating a nasty on the file, and also exerts rank discovery . . . ll, xb 7 ! ) 10 c6! This looks good for Black since the pressure against the cl-pawn. c-pawn is still pinned, but after �d6 4 ... A defensive tactic. The rook at 1 0 . . . n xb 7 there would follow 1 1 c5 will be pinned once White has cxb7 ! offering queen or rook. If 1 1 . . . �xa5 1 2 b8= �ch and played n ac 1 . White has won the exchange. If 5 �a5 At once avoiding the pin and 1 1 . . . �xc l ch 1 2 � h2 'iYb1 1 3 building up the rank pressure �d8ch ltJf8 1 4 b8 = 'iY is decisive. � bxc6 against the cl-pawn. White actual­ 7 ... 8 i.h7! ly threatens 6 bxc6 n xc6 7 ll xd5, The same reply, which again winning a pawn and forking 1 20

3-

V/!ie7 14 Cijd4 forces a passed pawn. The point is 15 Cijb5 (203) that the rook at c6 is half pinned: it can move on the file without Full circle. Compare this with loss, but not on the rank because diagram 200 and we see the re­ of the rook behind it. Since it is currence of precisely the same knight fork of pawn and rook now attacked it must capture. which initiated White's winning J:l xc5 8 ... plan, as if to emphasise the effica­ 9 dxc5 The passed pawn appears, the cy of simple tactical ideas. And in culmination of White's tactical the same spirit, Black chose this moment to resign. play. A delightful and instructive V/!ie7 9 ... � c8 game which sheds new and more 1 0 c6 His rook is hemmed in and he sophisticated light on the use of must release it before White tactical ideas. brings his knight across to b5. J:l xc8 4 1 1 �xc8 Borisenko-Keres 12 V/!ixd5 The pressure on the rank also worked in the end, and he collects This game was played between Borisenko and Paul Keres in the a pawn . 1 955 Russian Championship. V/!ie6 12 . . . He hopes for a queen exchange Keres, the great Estonian player, so that his rook and knight can first came into the international attack the passed pawn, but m limelight in 1 936 when he tied with Alekhine for first place in the any case his game is lost. Bad Nauheim Tournament. He is 1 3 V/!ic5 c7 1l one of a number of Grandmasters like Rubinstein, Reshevsky and, more recently, Korchnoy, who have never won the World Cham­ pionship and yet possessed so many of the qualities required to do so. The game displays the dangers that uncastled kings are prey to when caught in the middle, and the long term effect of a pin on the open e-file. 121

1 d4 tLJ£6 2 c4 e6 3 t2Jc3 d5 4 .tg5 c5 A vigorous move of uncertain soundness. cxd4 5 cxd5 .te7 6 iVxd4 7 e4 t2Jc6! Permitted by the pm on the d-pawn. 8 iVe3 (204 )

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Borisenko-Keres White is a precarious pawn up, but to obtain this he has neglected the development of the kingside, so that castling there will be de­ layed. He could, of course, castle long, but the situation on that side is open and Black could probably mount a quick attack. However, if all else failed, it might provide a suitable bolt hole. Black has given up the pawn for rapid development, he is ready to castle and his main interest lies on 1 22

the e-file. If he can prevent White from slipping away with his king, this should produce good returns. But his play must be relentless; any relaxation would give White j ust the breathing space he needs. His first thought is for the knight, which is now en prise after White unpinned his pawn. 8 ... t2Jb4! Keres does not expect his oppo­ nent to overlook the triple fork on c2, but plans the following should White choose the automatic re­ sponse of castling: 9 0-0-0 ( threatening an unpleasant dis­ covery dxe6) t2Jg4! 1 0 .Jixe7 (moving the queen loses the bishop) t2Jxe3 1 1 .txd8 tLJxd 1 and Black comes out with the exchange . 9 .tb5ch White looks for castling chances on the other side, and this is a useful device to develop with tempo. .Jid7 9 iVxd7 10 .txd7ch 1 1 iVd2 The fork was still on. exd5 11 . . . Notice how the e-file is being cleared of pawns and pieces. 1 2 .Jix£6 Destroying a protector of the d-pawn and so trying to keep a pawn ahead. .tx£6 (205) 12 . . . White hopes that the reduction

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knight, and so 14 . . .

tZ:Jxd5 (206)

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in forces will ease his position, as is often the case, but the position is deceptively simple. White's basic problem - the king in the middle - remains, in fact becomes more sharply defined in the thin­ ning ranks . The c-file is open; the d- and e-files are likely to clear any mo­ ment with the threat of heavy Black pieces occupying them. The situation is tense, every move tells; there is no time for relaxa­ tion and the loss of a single tempo can be overwhelming. * * * Could White now win a pawn in a str:aightforward manner by 1 3 lZ:Jxd5 lZ:Jxd5 1 4 exd5? How would Black reply? * * * 1 3 exd5 He expects to be able to play tLl ge2 foHowed by 0-0 and away from trouble; however . . . 13 . . . �xc3 must have been unexpected since 14 �xc3 looks good, forking a pawn and

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would undoubtedly have been an unpleasant shock. He has to worry about castling, about his threatened queen and about whether he dare take the g-pawn or not. * * * We will look at what happens if White accepts: 1 5 �xg7 0-0-0. Now 16 Zd c l ch �b8 1 7 �g3ch would be trivial, merely driving Black to safety on a8. Nor has he improved his position, and the central files are ready for Black's invasion. If instead 16 0-0-0, in the mistaken belief that what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander, there would follow 1 6 . . . '{ic6ch 1 7 � b l lZ:Jc3ch, with a discovered attack on the rook. The pawn is clearly untouch­ able . * * * 1 5 �e5ch He removes the queen from danger with gain of time, hoping that Black will interpose on the 1 23

e-file and so delay a Black rook appearing there. f8! 15 . . . But Black gives him no rest, giving up his own right to castle for the threat of . . It e8. White cannot escape on the queenside: 16 0-0-0 .tl c8ch 1 7 b l Qjc3ch etc. 1 6 QJe2 One more move and White is safe, and it will be Black who has the awkwardly placed king. � e8 16 1 7 �g5 (207) .

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Black must now be a little care­ ful. 1 7 . . . �b5 looks very good, but the queenside could still be a haven for White if he can find the tactical means to support it. 1 8 0-0-0. Black seems to have three good attacking lines now, but each is inadequate as the follow­ ing shows . A. 1 8 . . . �xe2 1 9 �xd5 and then if he is greedy and takes the f-pawn, 20 ll hfl and it is mate if 1 24

the queen moves. B. 18 . . . l::t xe2 (threatening mate at b2) 1 9 �d8ch . Black must interpose queen or rook, in either case removing the threat of mate, whereupon White takes the knight with his queen and obtains a satisfactory game. C. 18 . . ll c8ch 1 9. Qjc3 ! QJxc3 (making a discovered attack on the rank and creating another on the c-file, but White demolishes both) 20 ,ll d8ch ,Il xd8 2 1 iVxd8ch iV e8 2 2 �xe8ch xe8 23 bxc3 and all White's troubles are over. Precision is as indispensable as vigour in situations such as this. f6! 17 . . . Clearing a square for the king so that the rook in the corner can soon join in the game. 18 �d2 The knight needs further pro­ tection. It may be obvious but it is worthwhile stating that a piece when pinned against a king intent on escape through castling (hence no longer offering its support) needs one more defender than attackers to accomplish the man­ oeuvre. The queen must also watch the important square f4 to keep out the Black knight. iVb5 18 . . . Now this is good, and the espe­ cially fine point about the move is that it anticipates the possibility 1 9 fl which would leave .

White's knight pinned on the di­ agonal - out of the frying pan, into the fire. 19 0-0-0 would not work: 1 9 . . . ll xe2 and White can­ not capture the knight in return because of mate at b2. 19 �f1 What else can he do? . . . ttJf4 is coming, which means that a rook must come to the aid of the knight, and the only square which a rook could reach in time is e 1 . 19 .. . �f7 (208) 8

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- - · - - 208 • --� t � �t • - - ·liP� - -ik-� - - - - -

3 - -o:t:;r.... �� � ��

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Black piece into play; White's king's rook is still idle, another consequence of a king caught in the middle. 20 h4 Not the beginning of a kingside attack but a means of developing the rook; a slow and clumsy method, it is true, but better than leaving it to rot in the corner. ll e5 20 . . . Preparing to double, and the control of the knight gives the q ueen more freedom of movement. l:l he 8 21 ll h3 � c4 22 l:l e l . . . ttJf4 is now imminent. 22 b3 (209)

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What would be wrong with 1 9 . . . ttJf4 immediately? A possible continuation gives the answer: 20 ll e 1 ttJd3 2 1 ll d 1 ttJxb2 22 ll b l - pinning - ttJc4! - neatly unpin­ ning - 23 n xb5 ttJxd2ch 24 �e 1 lb moves 25 l:l xb7 and White is out of the wood. I t is important to avoid such eliminating lines which so reduce pieces that force and initiative disappear. And, of course, to seek such lines when under pressure. The text neatly brings the final

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22 g3 would as effectively keep away the knight as it would shut out his own rook. * * * The idea should, however, be looked at since such moves have allowed players to slip out of the net before. 23 g3 �g4 24 n h2 �f3 ! There is now nothing White 1 25

can do to improve his position. His knight is pinned against his rook at e l , and his f-pawn is blockaded so that the other rook cannot come to the rescue. His pieces are almost immobile, and the only way he could drive away the Black queen would be to get his own to b3 . To do this the queen would have to travel via d 1 or c2. (How would this be fatal?) Black threatens . . . ltJe3ch and, when the king moves, . . . ltJg4 after which pieces must tumble.* * * 23 . . . 'iYg4 24 l::t d3 Here 24 f3 ltJe3ch! would be interesting and introduces a new tactic. 25 'iVxe3. White must cap­ ture or allow mate. White's queen can be taken, but not straight­ away since he would lose his own in turn and leave White with the exchange ahead. Both queens lead charmed lives for a while, each seeking to collect more mate­ rial than the other. 25 . . . 'iVxh3! 26 'i¥xe5! Unpleasant. White is still ahead. 26 . . . 'iVh l ch 27 �f2 (not 27 ltJ g l because the Black queen is no longer en prise and he simply takes White's) 27 . . . '11Vxe 1 eh 28 �xe 1 n xe5 and Black is the exchange up with an easily won ending. An instructive sideline. ttJ £4 24 . . At last. White, as if to acknow1 26 .

ledge that there was really only one square they were fighting for, chose this moment to resign. White has only 25 l::t g3 and after 25 . . . 'iVxh4 26 l::t h3 ltJxh3 27 gxh3 'iVxh3ch there is nothing to look forward to. An excellent ex­ ample of the long term effect of the pin. * * * We go back to the note follow­ ing Black's 1 2th move, and find out what would happen if White went for the win of a pawn by 1 3 ttJxd5 ttJxd5 1 4 exd5. Play would continue 14 . . . 0-0 1 5 ltJe2 l::t fd8 1 6 l::t d 1 l::t ac8 1 7 0-0 l::t c5. Black will then not only regain his pawn but establish his heavy pieces in a dominating position on the cen­ tral files. In the note after diagram 209 it was asked why d 1 and c2 were fatal for the White queen. Clearly because of the fork . . . ltJe3ch. 5 Alekhine-Euwe

The next game was the first in the series for the World Champion­ ship between Alekhine, the hol­ der, and Euwe, and was played in Amsterdam in 1 935. Alekhine was a great attacking player with enormous zest for the game. Like Shakespeare, he possessed a rest­ less imagination and his career was one of continuous creation. The key to his success was prob-

ably his painstaking preparation, The more aggressive method of and it was upon this solid founda­ regaining the pawn which estab­ tion that he could allow his crea­ lishes the knight at a good post on tive genius to erupt yet rarely c4. The other system is 6 e3 . make an unsound combination. 6 ttJbd7 The whole game hinges on a 7 ttJxc4 (210) pin which appeared in the open­ ing, and it is fascinating to watch how Euwe accepts the disadvan­ tage of the pin for compensation elsewhere, how Alekhine begins to exploit it and, as Euwe strives to free himself, how Alekhine con­ centrates all his ingenuity to maintain it and finally resolve it into material profit. 1 d4 d5 a b c d e f g h 2 c4 So it is to be a Queen's A position for decisions, espe­ Gambit . . cially for Black. Certainly he has c6 2 ... solved one problem, the develop­ met by a Slav Defence. ment of the queenside, but now 3 ttJ£3 his attention must turn to the ttJ £6 4 tb c3 dxc4 other wing. He needs to castle, 5 a4 which means developing his This prevents Black from be­ king's bishop. If he plays 7 . . . e6, coming too ambitious on the White, now that he has moved a queenside and attempting to hold knight from its usual post on f3, is the gambit pawn. White is in no able to go f3 and then e4, estab­ hurry to regain that pawn. lishing a powerful pawn centre. 5 ... The same observations would �£5 Best. 5 . . . e6 would shut his apply should Black fianchetto. bishop in. Black's white-squared But supposing he could some­ bishop is always a problem in the how get in . . . e5. This would free orthodox queen's Gambit, which his king's bishop, be less embar­ is one of the reasons for playing rassing for his queen's bishop and the Slav, 2 . . c6 as opposed to offer open lines in the centre for 2 . . . e6. the rooks to operate on at a later 6 tbe5 stage. This is the plan Euwe 1 27 .

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adopts and prepares with: VJi/ c 7 7 e5 8 g3 A critical commitment. He has foreseen White's tenth move, but is willing to accept it for the advantages given in the previous note. l2Jxe5 9 dxe5 10 i.,£4 The pin appears and becomes the central issue of the rest of the game. l2Jfd7 10 Black, for the time being, has adequate supplies of pieces to prop up the pinned knight. i.,e6 1 1 i.,g2 This must be the inaccuracy which leaves him in permanent trouble. 1 1 . . . f6, solidly protect­ ing the knight, was good, and 1 1 . . . n d8, making immediate use of the file he has j ust opened, was an alternative. In fact Euwe played the latter move in the 2 1 st game of the same match and won. The text challenges one of the attackers of the pinned piece, but . . . l2Jxe5 1 2 l2Jxe5 leaves the essential position un­ changed. i.,e7 13 0-0 1 4 VJi/ c2 A fine square for the queen, which had to move off the open file before long. From here she keeps a watchful eye on important 1 28 • • •

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squares in the centre, on the queenside and in the c-file; in fact it is such a good station that the queen does not move again until one move before Black's resigna­ tion. l:l d8 14 Occupying the open file, and enabling Black to answer the threat 1 5 l2J b5 with 1 5 . . . VJi/b8 without shutting in the rook. If then White thinks he can win a pawn by 1 6 i.,xe5 VJi/xe5 1 7 ttJxa 7 , h e will b e disillusioned when Black replies 1 7 . . . VJijb8 ! , for the knight is trapped. 0-0 1 5 ll fd1 Successfully completing his de­ velopment, but the pinned knight is still there and must nag like a sore tooth . 1 6 l2Jb5 (21 1 ) • . •

For some time Black has been looking for the moment to play . . . VJi/a5, a convenient way to rid himself of the pin. Could he do so now? After all, he could collect the

nent weakness on white lines ow­ ing to the disappearance of the queen's bishop. * * * 18 . . . ..td5, trading white­ squared bishops, would be good for Black if it did not lose a pawn. Can you see how? * * * The text a t least leaves Black free, at last, from the pin . . . or does it? From diagram 2 1 2 A1ekhine continued, 1 9 b4! A superb move. White is moti­ vated by an obsession with the knight pin theme; he knows that it will ultimately repay his efforts handsomely if only it could be recreated and sustained. With this fine pawn offer, he gives Black the choice of captur­ ing on b4 or returning to thral­ dom on c 7. Black cannot, of course, take with the queen, but 212 8 supposing he plays 1 9 . . . i,xb4? -·-� z� -.�. - LJ White would reply 20 tt)b3, when 7 �ff� t a - t tr� � �----� �- � .t 20 . . . 'iV c 7 would be forced . Now 6 -t- - � the queen fork, 2 1 'iV e4, against 5 � - - knight and bishop seems to be 4 ·� . • .. .rQJ . . neatly countered by 2 1 . . . i,d6, 3 one threatened piece finding safe­ 2 ty in the support of the other, but ��/""'"' l1'ltY� "-····--� �------"' then 22 'iVd4 wins a piece. Here it - - § - &t1� is the bishop which needs protec­ a b c d e f g h tion and the only method, 22 . . . I t is unfortunate that the n d8, is defeated by 23 .,txe5, bishop has to go home, but if since the bishop at d6 is then White is allowed to capture with found to be pinned. his knight a square weakness 'iVc7 19 . . . appears at e6, as well as a permaReluctantly the Black queen re1 29

White knight in exchange for the one he deserts . 1 6 . . . 'li'a5 1 7 n xd8 n xd8 1 8 .,txe5 cxb5 1 9 .,tc7! (forking queen and rook) .Il c8 (pin) 20 'li'xh7ch �xh7 2 1 i,.xa5. White has a clear pawn up and good prospects on the queen­ side. According to Ragosin, 1 6 . . . 'li'b6 was better than the text since White would not be able to follow the line above because the Black queen is protected . 16 . . . ll xd l ch Now there can be no fork at c7. 17 n xd 1 'li'a5 Taking his first chance to unpm. 1 8 tt)d4 Naturally he has little desire to ease Black's problems with ex­ changes. 18 . . . i,.c8 (212)

ft - r£1 � -� a a n ft H:1I�l1 ,. . . . . . /

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turns to assume the old burden. 20 b5 With so much concentration on the pin of the central piece, the potential pin on the c-file, so far only hinted at, now suddenly appears in an offensive light. The pawn at c6 is now under attack from no less than four pieces; it is defended by a pawn but hardly the queen and knight, which are transfixed by the White bishop at f4 like moths in a museum. 20 c5 A good idea as well as the only way of saving it. The pawn is now passed, and should Black find time for . . . b6 it would become secure and powerful. U nfortun­ ately, it improves the scope of White's bishop at g2 and uncov­ ers another weakness, the pawn at b7. Though adequately protected .at the moment, should it fall, White would have a dangerous potential passed pawn out of the pair at a4 and b5. . . .

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2 1 QJ£5 £6 (213) If Black tries to rid himself of this disturbing intrusion by 2 1 . . . i.xf5, there would follow: 22 1fxf5 f6 ( * * * Black could play also . . . i.f6 or . . . i.d6, against which you are invited to find good lines for White on a second read­ ing * * * ) 23 i. e4 (forcing a further loosening of the kingside) g6 24 1fe6ch �g7 (it is sometimes bet­ ter to use the king to prop up a crumbling pawn defence instead of skulking away in the corner; of course, not 24 . . . ld f7 because of 25 i,d5) 25 ,ld d5! White has now the most unpleasant threat of 26 ld xe5 fxe5 27 i.xe5ch, and there is no way of avoiding loss, for Black's queen cannot find safety without giving up at least the bishop. 22 tt:Je3 Alekhine's handling of the knight is a joy to watch in this game. He now threatens a fork at d5, or more pressure on the pin­ ned piece from c4. 22 . . i. e6 Defends both those squares but weakens b7. i.xd5 23 i.d5 24 n xd5 ! (214 ) Much better than recapturing with the knight, for Black is now reminded that it is still the pinned knight that matters. There are two attacks and two defences, but White can bring two more pieces .

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to bear on the same point whereas Black is unable to summon more reserves. * * * There are three ideas that Black could try: . . . ll d8, . . . g5, or . . . 'i¥a5. We will look at the first two; the third is the text. 24 . . . n d8 25 'i¥f5, a penetra­ tion sufficient to win a pawn however Black replies, for there are three attacks on the pinned knight. For example, 25 . . . i,.d6 26 'i¥e6ch � moves 27 ll'lf5 driv­ ing the bishop away and picking up a pawn after exchanges on e5. Or 25 . . . 'i¥c8 26 i,.xe5 ! winning a pawn or more if Black overlooks the fork in the line 26 . . . iVxf5 27 tt:Jxf5 ,ll xd5 28 tt:Jxe7ch ! Again 25 . . . ll xd5 26 �e6ch �f8 27 tt:Jxd5 'i¥d6 28 'i¥c8ch, followed by �xb7, holding the knight with continuing pressure, is clearly winning for White. Upon 24 . . . g5, a more violent way of throwing off the pin, there would follow 25 i,.xe5 fxe5 26 'i¥e4. The e-pawn then soon falls

and Black's kingside is badly torn . * * * Having anticipated the above, Euwe chose iV a5 24 . . . hoping for some initiative and a chance for White to go wrong. 25 tt:J£5 iVe l ch 26 �g2 Black has an eye on f2, and there might be a chance there if White opens up the f-file by ex­ changing on e5. i,.d8 26 . . . If 26 . . . tt:Jg6 27 i,.e3 b6 (pro­ tecting his only asset, the passed pawn) 28 ,ll d7 ,ll e8 29 iVc4ch �f8 (29 . . . �h8 30 iVf7) 30 tt:Jh6 ! ! and mate is not to be stop­ ped. Even if there had not been this violent end available, 30 iVe6 would have left Black completely tied up with his stray queen biting on nothing. 27 i,.xe5 He must not take the c-pawn because of . . . i,. b6. The pinned knight now disappears, leaving Black with shattered pawns and a hopeless position. fxe5 27 . . . 28 ll d7 (215) The irony of this move is that White, having spent most of the game playing against a pinned piece which eventually resulted in the weak pawn at e5, is able to ignore it now for weaknesses that have appeared in other places. 131

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i.,f6 28 Protecting g7 and the bishop, for White was threatening 29 ltj h6ch � h8 ( the knight cannot be taken because of 30 �xh7 mate) 30 ltJf7ch �g8 3 1 I! xd8 ( not 3 1 t2Jxd8 because of 3 1 . . . �x£2ch) 3 1 . . . �xf7 32 �f5ch etc. * * * An alternative is 28 . . . g6 29 ltjh6ch � h8 which presents you with some analytical practice. Tempting for White would be manufacturing a fork: 30 � xd8 ll xd8 3 1 t2Jf7ch �g8 32 t2Jxd8 and winning a piece. Is this analy­ sis sound? If not, how should White proceed after 28 . . . g6? * * * 29 t2Jh6ch! The g-pawn is pinned on the rank. � h8 29 30 �xc5 (216) The queen makes her second move and Black resigned. Black must move his rook, and after 30 . . ld e8 (30 . . n d8 and White mates in two moves) 3 1 • • •

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8 - - -. - 7 lfl� t � ��� t � �• 6 - � 5 � �� - :fi: � L.,� 4 ft - - - 3 - - - � � � 2 ft 6\t>ff - �� � � ��� - - t�J -

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a b c d e f g h t2Jf7ch �g8 32 �c4 �f8 (if he moves the rook out of danger of the discovered check, Philidor's legacy appears again) 33 t2Jh6 ! and mate i s unavoidable. The whole game was a splendid example of the exploitation of a pin. * * * I n the note after Black's 1 8th move, we have to find out how 1 8 . . . i.,d5 loses a pawn. 1 9 i.,xe5 i.,xg2. The discovery along the rank keeps Black level in pieces, but now White can go 20 i.,xg7! not only winning a pawn but wrecking Black's kingside. In the note following Black's 2 1 st move, we looked at the alter­ native 2 1 . . . i.,xf5 22 �xf5 . Black has now two choices other than the one analysed. A. 22 . . . i.,d6 23 i.,xe5 i.,xe5 24 ll d 7 and Black's problems are too obvious for further comment. B . . . . i.,£6. White could now choose a kingside attack or turn his advantage into material straight away with 23 i.,xb7

�xb 7 24 .i,xe5 .i,xe5 25 �xe5, and with the dominating position of his major pieces it will not be long before another pawn falls. Now we move on to the analysis after Black's 28th move. The alternative considered was 28 . . . g6 29 l2Jh6ch � h8. Now, if White continues 30 Il xd8, Black does not capture immediately. His rook is pinned, but he is still able to play 30 . . . �xf2ch and after 3 1 � h 3 n xd8, the queen holds f7 and so he keeps the material and develops an attack. Correct for White was 30 �xc5, protecting f2 and winning quickly with the dual attack on rook and e-pawn, e.g. 30 . . . I::t e8 3 1 Il xd8 Il xd8 32 �xe5 mate.

6 Keres-Botvinnik

Steinitz, Lasker, Capablanca, Alekhine . . . this is the natural line of succession of the supreme grandmasters, and it continues with the name Botvinnik. He is an all round master accomplished in all departmen is of the game; a hard fighter with nerves of steel who will accept the most difficult of tasks in his efforts to win; self­ critical and more objective in the analysis of his games than anyone before him and generous in his praise of others. An admirable

man as well as a chessplayer. In this game, a remarkably short one for Botvinnik, we see him pounce on a misguided plan with a vigour that must have been unnerving even to Paul Keres who, particularly in his early days, was an energetic, even wild, attacking player. There is nothing routine in Botvinnik's play; he responds always to the demands and opportunities of the immedi­ ate position. It was played in 1 94 1 in the Russian Championship. 1 d4 ttJ£6 2 c4 e6 .i,M 3 ltjc3 This is the characteristic move of the Nimzowitsch Defence (or Nimzowitsch-I ndian or Nimzo­ lndian according to your taste in names) . The pin on the knight is a restraining factor on White's game. Nimzowitsch was the archpriest of restraint, and under his influence and advocacy the defence has been held in high esteem among many masters until the present. Botvinnik is an adhe­ rent; its essentially sound and aggressive qualities naturally appealing to him. He has said that it is doubtful whether there is a refutation to the Nimzo-Indian. 4 �c2 Other ways of meeting the de­ fence are 4 a3, which is sharper, or 4 e3, the Rubinstein Variation. The text is the classical variation, 1 33

problems for both sides. But Black can improve with 8 . . . g5 9 .i,g3 l2J e4 1 0 0-0-0 (if 1 0 .txb8 not 1 0 . . . n xb8 because of the queen fork at a4, but 10 . . . .i,xc3ch first) 1 0 . . . .i_xc3 1 1 bxc3 .i,f5 and Black develops rapidly . * * * 8 0-0-0 .txc3 9 �xc3 g5 Freeing his knight. cxd4 10 .tg3 Black can keep ahead only by finding the sharpest move each time; any relaxation and the in­ itiative could easily pass to White. It is worth noting that Black's previous three moves have given White little choice of response, and so gathered momentum for the attack. a b c d e f g h 1 1 ifxd4 l2Jc6 No dignified preparations for Again keeping things moving. eventual battle are likely between Black's pawn structure is ragged two such players. It is tooth and and he cannot allow a counter­ claw straight away. This sharp attack. move reveals how the simple pin 12 i¥a4 becomes the principal considera­ The queen is being harried, for tion already for both players. 8 e3 suddenly we notice that she has would now be White's safest difficulty in finding a good square. course. There would be no sense in play­ * * * Can White take off the pawn, ing to the c-file, in front of the or would it lose a piece to . . . d4? king, with a Black rook likely to It is a line worth looking at. 8 move on to it at any moment. 1 2 dxc5 d4 9 0-0-0. If this is safe it �e3ch might be better, but after must also be good, for in one 1 2 . . . .te6, Black has nearly com­ move he unpins the knight and pleted his development and pins the attacking pawn. The White's is hampered by the posi­ situation is complex and full of tion of his own queen. 1 34

and the pawn exchange which follows, a quiet continuation. 4 ... d5 5 cxd5 exd5 Black can reply 5 . . . ifxd5 or 5 . . . l2Jxd5 but the former, though sound enough, is too well trodden for Botvinnik. 6 .tg5 h6 7 ,th4 c5 ! (217)

i_f5 knight) 1 5 t2Jc3 b5 ! 16 �xa6 b4! 12 . . . This occupation of the b l -h7 (White dare not expose his king diagonal, cutting the king off by moving his knight) 1 7 i_b5 when he would wish to find safety (pinning again) i_d7 ! (unpinning in the corner, will be decisive if and protecting) . White, having no White fails to find a means of more spiteful moves left, loses the knight. blocking the line. ll c8 (218) B . 14 f3 (aiming at blocking the 13 e3 The knight might be pinned at vital diagonal by e4, in which he the moment, but once freed, what is assisted by the pin on the cl­ 0-0 (unpinning the violence there would be on the pawn) knight) 1 5 e4 t2Jd4 dis eh 1 6 ® b l c-file. dxe4 (beautiful; notice how the 8 �·� 218 knight, the unmasking piece in - - ��-· ""-//. �� the discovered check, momentari­ 7 ly masks the cl-file to permit this ·� ·· �' [•_.· � 6 �� capture) 1 7 fxe4 (if, say, 1 7 �xd4 exf3 dis eh 1 8 ® a l �xd4 1 9 4 �- - - ll xd4 ll c 1 i s mate; or, i n this, at • • r� �t�. move 1 8, if White attempts to use his bishop to block the diagonal, 2 ft �'"'"% l1 - �'""� H ft �li ?"""� 1 8 i,d3, then 18 . . . �xd4 wins; � EX .. -�ftJ . � �' � or again, if 1 7 ll xd4, the same a b c d e f g h idea for Black wins: magnificent) Looking at the position now, 1 7 . . . t2Jxe4 ( threatening a double Black's aims seem obvious and check with forks all over the simple. Anyone, surely, would place) 1 8 i,d3 t2Jc5! A glorious have played in that way. But then fork and discovered attack leaving we remember the precision that White helpless. was required, the correct sequ­ C. 14 i_e5 0-0 15 i_c3 (the other ence of moves that the game de­ way of masking the c-file) t2Je4, manded, and realise that Botvin­ with a winning position. Black is nik has concealed a deal of art. developed and castled; White is 14 i_d3 half developed and exposed, and * * * There are three alternatives, the fork threat at f2 is the least of and we can do no better than to White's troubles . * * * give Botvinnik's own analysis. �d7! 14 . . . A remarkable move; it protects A. 14 ttJe2 (destined to mask the c-file) a6! (preparing to unpin the the bishop, unpins the knight, 1 35

� t- -t -

s a - t -IW

3 - - �� �

threatens a discovered check and reveals an interesting composite tactic. If Black goes . . . tLJ b4 dis eh, the discovered check is on the file and the discovered attack against White's queen is on the diagonal. The knight, therefore, is unmasking simultaneously two lines of fire, a most powerful com­ bination of unleashed force. 15 �b1 Clearly the only response. 15 i,.xd3ch �f5 (219) 16 ll xd3

8 7 6 5 4 3 2

219

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

Revealing another point to his fourteenth move by neatly manu­ facturing a pin which is hard to cope with. The only piece, apart from the king, which is able to defend the rook is the queen. If l 7 'iVc2 or d l then 1 7 . . . tLJ b4 wins. I t is also a good reply to 1 7 'iVb3, because after 1 8 �xb4 'iVxd3ch 1 9 � a l there i s a mate on the back rank. In all these, if the White queen returns to a4 for a check, . . . n c6 1 36

renews the threats. White could try 1 7 'iVb5, main­ taining the pin on the knight as well as defending the rook, but . . . a6 will drive her away and . . . t2J b4 is not to be stopped. *** Desperate circumstances need desperate measures. It is sometimes possible to take a king through the fire to find safety else­ where. It does not work here, but it is worth giving it a thought: 1 7 �c2, whilst the knight is still pin­ ned. 1 7 . . . 0-0 18 �d2 t2Je4ch 1 9 �e2 t2:)c5. This is again Botvin­ nik's analysis. Now the queen and rook are forked. After 20 'iVd 1 , say, Black can simply eliminate: 20 . . . t2:)xd3 21 'iVxd3 'iVxd3ch 22 �xd3 lt)b4ch 23 �d2 ll c7ch, picking up pawns. * * * 1 7 e4 Hoping for respite from this fleeting closure of the diagonal. t2:) xe4 17 . . . 1 8 �a1 Escape for the king and rook for the moment. Now White can answer 1 8 . . . lt) c5 (fork) by 1 9 n e3ch, and 1 8 ltJxf2 by 1 9 ll f3 . 0-0 18 . . . Someone once said, 'Castle when you must, not when you can' . Botvinnik rarely makes mechanical moves, and castling now is aggressive since it unpins the knight. It is interesting to note, in the game line and varia.

.

.

tions, how many times and ways in which this knight has been unpinned. 19 l:l d1 (220)

�--7 mtB ata 6 -� - - Id 8

-· -

220

5 - - � -it4 �- - � - -

3 - - - g

2 ft �� • • H ft �11 � B B �§ 1 �� .§. >------�

a

b

'------�

c

d

'"""�

,.. . . . . . /

e

f

g

h

What else can White do? The fork ( . . . tt:J c5) was now a real threat. 19 l:l f3 is met by 19 . . . l2Jd4! and the rook falls after White has attended to the back rank. 1 9 iVd 1 l2J b4 20 n f3 tt:J c2ch 2 1 W b 1 l2Jd2ch (Black has too many knights on the diagonal and so sheds one with tempo) 22 �xd2 and Black mates in two by a variant of an idea you have seen often enough to find for yourself. 19 b5 Since the eighth move, Black has compelled his opponent to respond within such narrow limits of choice that he has not had a moment to make a simple de­ veloping move such as l2Jf3 , which would have been s o useful in guarding central squares as well as making the king's rook the . . .

back rank watch. 20 �xb5 Any queen move could have been treated in the same way as the text. tt:Jd4! 20 tt:J c2ch 21 �d3 tt:Jb4 (221) 22 wht

BE - EC'B �-�6 - - � 5 - - � -�4 - -� - 8 7

3 - -t(y- �

221

2 ft �11 - H ft ��� 1 B\t'B � B [J § ;�

, _____

a

b

'------�

c

d

e

f

g

,._____

h

White resigned, because to keep that vital diagonal closed would cost him his queen. To move the queen off the diagonal would allow mate in two or a double check and fork. You can easily work out the possibilities for yourself. Simple tactics, beautifully blended, poured from the Black position in a relentless stream: pins - especially pins - forks, dis­ covered checks, double checks, discovered attacks, masking and unmasking moves and back rank threats were all part of Botvin­ nik's remarkable display. A su­ perb game. It was not a game of sacrifice, you will observe; mate137

rially the position was equal at the the advantages of the King's end. A minor piece here, a pawn Gambit without its risks. there, was offered and not always d5 3 taken and, indeed, not expected to A good way to meet it is this be taken. It was a game of basic vigorous counter-thrust m the tactics, of lines of force and points centre. of pressure; there could be no 4 �£3 better testimony to the worth of Early sallies by the queen can all we have been studying in this sometimes demolish the opposing position quickly, but they are book. more often regretted. However, they must always be defended 7 with care. Van Steenis-Tartakower d4 4 ... I t is better to avoid the whole­ Tartakower's enormous enthu­ sale exchanges beginning 4 . . . siasm for the game, his passion for dxe4, and 4 . . . tt:Jc6 would be met tactical complexity, his constant by 5 i,b5. 5 tt:Jd5 chess activity over the board and in his writings, enlivened by his The immediate opening of the own brand of wit, have enriched f-file by 5 fxe5 would be prema­ the chess world for much of this ture, for Black would play . . . l2Jg4! and regain his pawn with a century. The following game has been splendid post for his knight at e5. 5 chosen not because it is his finest ex£4 achievement, but because it illus­ This is better than 5 . . . c6 6 trates the use of simple tactical tt:J xf6ch �xf6 7 f5, when White is ideas from the earliest moments . 1 e4 tt:J£6 2 tt:J c3 e5 This is the Vienna Game, nor­ mally arrived at by Black revers­ ing his move order. Of this open­ ing Tartakower has said, 'The strength of 2 tt:Jc3 - paradoxically - is that it threatens nothing' ! 3 £4 White now employs the gambit a b c d e f g h form, which is an attempt to gain 1 38 . . .

. • •

gaining space. 6 ct:Jx£4 "V/ii e 7 (222) White already has some prob­ lems. The e-pawn is under press­ ure and if 7 d3, Black has 7 . . . ct:J c6 with the threat of 8 . . . ct:Je5, as well as 7 . . . "V/ii b4ch. White's queenside is denuded of defenders and his kingside, though rein­ forced for an attack, becomes clut­ tered and he finds that his pieces get in each other's way. The cul­ prit in all this is the queen. 7 ct:Jge2 I ndirectly protecting the e­ pawn by attacking the cl-pawn, and if Black captures with the knight, 8 ct:Jd5 would be most embarrassing. 7 ... ct:J c6 Simple and best. 8 d3 Black has a clear spatial advan­ tage and seeks to disrupt White's development further with: 8 ... Cij b4 threatening the ancient fork at c2 . 9 �d2 The only way to protect the c-pawn. If 9 ct:Jxd4 then 9 . . . c5 ! , and i f 9 �d 1 there i s a pin to watch on the d 1 -h5 diagonal . 9 ... i_g4 "V/ii c5 (223 ) 10 "V/ii f2 Compare the two positiOns . Black has four well-placed pieces developed, and no problems at all in bringing the rest into play. White can move neither bishop,

· - B