Issue 19

Magazine
Understand the
French Isolani

The Power of the

Quiet Moves

Brilliant Missed Opportunities

Overlooking perpetual
check Typical Structures
after 1.d4 d5
Endgame Series 19
Opposite-colored Bishops
Part 2
CONTENTS
The Power of the Quiet Moves (GM Pavel Eljanov)
3
3 Ivanchuk,Vassily (2726) - Lei,Tingjie (2531) / Gibraltar Masters 16th (9) 31.01.2018
5 Khismatullin,Denis Rimovich (2653) - Eljanov,Pavel (2727) / EU-ch 16th Jerusalem (10) 06.03.2015
6 Meier,Georg (2650) - Eljanov,Pavel (2711) / Wch Rapid Riadh (9) 27.12.2017
7 Eljanov,Pavel (2741) - Shirov,Alexei (2679) / Douglas IoM op (6) 06.10.2016
8 Harikrishna,Pentala (2763) - Eljanov,Pavel (2765) / Gashimov Memorial (5) 30.05.2016
9 Carlsen,Magnus (2851) - Eljanov,Pavel (2765) / Norway Chess 4th (9) 29.04.2016
10 Maze,Sebastien (2615) - Rambaldi,Francesco (2556) / FRA-chT Top 12 (3.7) 28.05.2018
11 Eljanov,Pavel (2681) - Malakhatko,Vadim (2558) / Chigorin Memorial 20th (7) 02.11.2012

Endgame Series 19 Opposite-colored Bishops: Part 2 (GM Davorin Kuljasevic)

12
12 jTopalov,Veselin (2740) - Shirov,Alexei (2710) / Linares 15th (10) 04.03.1998
18 Volkov,Sergey (2612) - Tomashevsky,Evgeny (2701) / EU-ch 11th Rijeka (6) 11.03.2010
29 Andreikin,D..(2723) - Malakhov,V..(2702) / TCh-RUS Blitz 2015 (8.1) 10.05.2015
40 Anand,Viswanathan (2770) - Karpov,Anatoly (2735) / FIDE-Wch k.o. f (8.4) 06.01.1998
49 Exercise 1 - 5

Brilliant Missed Opportunities - Overlooking Perpetual Check (IM Yochanan Afek)

51
51 Introduction + Question 1 - 14
57 Test 1 - 14
63 Conclusion

Understand the French Isolani (GM Mihail Marin)

64
64 Kortschnoj,Viktor - Karpov,Anatoly
66 Karpov,Anatoly - Kortschnoj,Viktor / Moscow (m/18) 1974
69 Suetin,Alexey S (2400) - Uhlmann,Wolfgang (2525) / Barcza mem Debrecen (4) 1987
70 Pogats,Jozsef - Portisch,Lajos / HUN-ch 14th Budapest (16) 19.12.1958
72 Baches Garcia,Guillermo (2389) - Marin,Mihail (2548) / Andorra Erts (154)24.07.2012
73 Salazar Jacob,Hernan (2315) - Campora,Daniel Hugo (2415) / Santiago Santiago de Chile 1980
74 Gayson,Peter - Botterill,George Steven (2365) / BCF-ch Swansea 1987
74 Tomczak,Rafal (2339) - Jussupow,Artur (2570) / Warsaw AIG Life rapid 8th (6) 20.12.08
75 Panov,Vasily N - Bondarevsky,Igor / URS-ch10 Tbilisi 1937

76 Typical Structures after 1.d4 d5 (GM Renato Quintillano)

77 Svane,Rasmus (2445) - Zieher,Hartmut (2300) / GER-ch 84th Saarbruecken (3) 08.09.13
80 Kovalyov,Anton (2617) - Shabalov,Alexander (2529) / Foxwoods op Mashantucket (6) 25.01.14
83 Nogueiras Santiago,Jesus (2556) - Pozo Vera,Sandro (2457) / CUB-ch KO 5th-6th (3.2) 11.04.2006
87 Giri,Anish (2714) - Wang,Yue (2697) / Beijing Sportaccord blitz (14) 13.12.11
91 Tregubov,Pavel V (2586) - Sychev,Klementy (2445) / RUS-chT rapid (5.5) 05.10.2016
95 Wacker,Peter (2312) - Stenzel,Thomas (2112) / Regionalliga Mittelrhein 1213 (9.1) 14.4.13
98 Nikolov,Momchil (2559) - Henris,Luc (2149) / Lille Luce op 7th (7) 13.04.2016
 Modern Chess Magazine 3

The Power of the Quiet Vassily blindfolded and in a very

entertaining way tells about his
Moves calculations in the game against Lei
Tingjie. One of his thoughts interested
me especially. Vasily said that
"according to his experience the most
difficult thing in chess is to see the
moves with knights back". Let's see
what he had in mind 14...Nxe4
was the critical move according to
Vassily's calculations
[ The game went 14...Qxb2 15.Qd3
Na6 16.Rab1 Qa3 17.Bf3 Nb4
18.Qc4 Bd7 19.Ncb5 Qa5 20.Bf4
Bxb5 21.Nxb5 Nbd5 22.Bg3 Rac8
23.Qb3 a6 24.Na7 Rc3 25.Qxb7
If you have not seen Ivanchuk's Qc5 26.a4 h6 27.Qxa6 and Vassily
interview after the 9th round of the successfully converted his advantage
Gibraltar-2018 tournament then I later ]
strongly recommend to find it in 15.Nxe4 f5
YouTube (enough to google: "Ivanchuk
Gibraltar r9")! a b c d e f g h

8 8
Ivanchuk,Vassily 2726
7 7
Lei,Tingjie 2531
Gibraltar Masters 16th (9) 31.01.2018 6 6

5 5
a b c d e f g h
4 4
8 8
3 3
7 7
2 2
6 6
1 1
5 5
a b c d e f g h
4 4

3 3 16.Nd2! Vassily was very happy and

2 2 proud after finding this move and having
in mind another quiet and decisive move
1 1 after the obvious question: what if rook
a b c d e f g h takes?!
www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 4

[ 16.Nxf5 Bxf5 17.Bxb6 Rxd1 a goal where the usual patterns do not
18.Raxd1 it's a bit better way for white work, and the chess player must look
comparing to what Vassily saw during more for quiet and subtle moves in
the game. But black is fine anyway order to implement his plans or
( 18.Rfxd1 axb6 19.c3 Bxe4 20.Re1 neutralize the opponent's plans. Based
Bxg2 ) 18...axb6 19.Rfe1 Nc6 ] on my personal experience - very often
[ 16.Ng3!? leads to a complicated play the unexpected and quiet moves with
and with some edge for white f4! the king (as well as knights moves back)
17.Ndf5 Qf6! 18.Bd4 Rxd4 in the middlegame fall out of sight!
19.Nxe7+ Qxe7 20.Qxd4 fxg3 Apparently, since instinctively we are
21.Rfe1 Be6 22.hxg3 Nc6 23.Qe4 inclined to use other pieces in the
Re8 24.Rad1 ] middlegame, we often do not consider
16...Rxd4? moves with the king before the
[ better is 16...Qf6! here white has endgame. Of course, the quiet moves of
only slight advantage 17.c3 other pieces could be powerful and
( 17.N2f3!? f4 18.Bc1 Nc6 19.c3 unexpected as well, but this article is
Qf7 20.Re1 ) 17...f4 18.Ne4 Qg6
devoted more to the knight and the king!
19.Bd2 Nc6 20.Re1 Nxd4 21.cxd4
In general, it's a special skill (and even a
Rxd4 22.Qb3+ Qf7 ( 22...Be6
gift) to see all the hidden possibilities of
23.Nf6+ ) 23.Qxf7+ Kxf7 24.Bxf4 Bf5
25.Ng5+ Kf8 26.g3 ]
pieces maneuvers. But in any case, a
[ 16...Qxb2 17.N2f3 Qb4 18.c3 Qc4 knowledge of common ideas helps a lot
19.Re1 ] here. Because better knowledge of
[ 16...f4 17.Nf5! fxe3 18.Nxe7+ Kh8 standard plans, I believe, gives you a
19.Nxc8 exf2+ 20.Rxf2 Rxc8 better chance to intuitively find those
21.c3 ] positions when it is necessary to look for
17.Qe1!! that's the point. In my opinion exceptions to the rules. I also believe
this one is even tougher to find. Black is that resolving chess studies also helps
unable to save a whole rook. a lot in this and many other cases. It
[ 17.Qe2? Qe6 ] develops an ability of finding non-
17...Nc6 standard solutions and imagination
[ 17...Qf6 18.Bxd4 Qxd4 overall. There a few not so difficult
19.Qxe7+- ] studies I propose to solve. But in
18.c3+- Vassily's thoughts are always general, it's easy to find much more in
very original and deep, and I decided to chess books and different chess online
think over what he meant. In general, services. I like especially such
chess is a more tactical game where a composers like Kasparian, Pervakov,
clean and short calculation of moves is Bazlov, and Afek. But it's not the
the most important skill from my point of complete list of composers whom I
view. But often, there are situations admire.
when a straight-line play doesn't lead to 1-0

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 5

Khismatullin,Denis Rimovich 2653 [ 44...Qxc6 45.Qxf7 Rf6 46.Qe7

Eljanov,Pavel 2727 Kh6 47.Rxd3+- should be winning
EU-ch 16th Jerusalem (10) 06.03.2015 for White. ]
[ 44...Rd5!! absolutely inhuman
move. It turns out that one tempo and
a b c d e f g h
possibility to keep an eye on "c"
8 8 passer is much more important than
7 7 the rook! 45.Kh2! ( 45.Qxf7 Qxd1+
46.Kh2 Rf5 47.Qe7+ Kh6 48.c7
6 6
Qc2 49.Qh4+ Kg7=; 45.Qe7+ Kh6
5 5 46.c7 Kg7!= and again the only way
but enough fo a draw ) 45...Kf6!!
4 4
Another king retreat and clearly the
3 3 only path to save the game
2 2 ( 45...Qxd1? 46.c7; 45...Qxc6?
46.Qg7!! ) 46.e4 ( 46.Qh8+ Ke7
1 1
47.e4 Rd6 48.Qe5+ Re6 49.Qc7+
a b c d e f g h Kf6 50.Qd8+ Kg7 51.c7 Rc6= )
46...Rc5 47.Qd6+ ( 47.e5+ Kxe5
This position became famous! I'm not sad 48.Re1+ Kd4 49.c7 d2 50.Qd6+ Kc4
at all that I'm just co-author of such a 51.Ra1 Kb5= ) 47...Kg7 48.Rxd3 Rxc6
masterpiece. I consider myself as worthy 49.Qe5+ Rf6 50.Rf3 Qc6
51.g3 h6 52.h4 b5! 53.Qb2 g5
co-author as it was penultimate round of
54.h5 b4 55.g4 ( 55.Kg2 g4! 56.Rf4
European Championship and we both
Qc3 ) 55...b3 56.Kh3 Qe6 57.Rf5
tried hard to win this game to
Qb6 58.Kg2 Qe6 59.f3 Qb6 60.Rxf6
preserve chances in fighting for the
Qxf6 61.Qxb3 Qd4= This is a clearly
podium. I could force a draw a lot of
drawish endgame despite the extra
times before but all in all, there is
pawn. ]
nothing to regret. 44.Kg1!!
[ 44...Rxc6 45.Qd8+ ( 45.Qxf7!? )
Objectively, this move leads to just a
45...Kh5 46.Rxd3+- ]
slightly better endgame for White in
45.Kh2 There is no rescue for Black
case of best play. But who cares as it's
now. 45...Rxc6
practically impossible to perform for
Black. [ 45...d2 46.Qxd6 Kh6 47.c7 Qc2
48.Qf8+ Kg5 49.f4+ Kf6 50.Qh8+
[ 44.f4+ Kh4 45.Qxd6 Qxd1+
Ke7 51.Qd8+ Ke6 52.c8Q++- ]
46.Kf2 Qe2+ 47.Kg1 Qxe3+ 48.Kh2
[ 45...Rd5 too late 46.c7 Qc2 47.c8Q
Qg3+ 49.Kg1= ] Qxc8 48.Qxc8 d2 49.f4+ Kf6
44...Qxd1+? Black should have 50.Qc6++- ]
rejected the gift.

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 6

46.Qe7+ Kh6 47.Qf8+ Kg5 48.Qxf7! a b c d e f g h

a b c d e f g h 8 8

8 8 7 7

7 7 6 6

6 6 5 5

5 5 4 4

4 4 3 3

3 3 2 2

2 2 1 1

1 1 a b c d e f g h

a b c d e f g h
17...Rb6!?
After the game Denis told me that only [ 17...Nb6!? was also interesting,
here he realized that's it was winning but I had in mind`a different setup ]
for White. At the beginning, he saw 18.Bf1
only perpetual. It does not detract his [ 18.Qxd8 - was most precise way
achievement of course as we are not Rxd8 19.Rc7 Nc6 but Black's
engines and from a practical point of position is still to be preferred. ]
view his decision was brilliant in any
18...Bxf1 19.Kxf1 Nb8! was totally
case. 48...Rf6
unexpected for my opponent. There
[ 48...Kh6 49.Qf8+ Kh5 50.g4++- ]
is no way to save the a6-pawn, and
49.f4+ Kh6 50.Qxf6 Qe2 51.Qf8+
my knights are building up a strong
Kh5 52.Qg7 h6 53.Qe5+ Kh4
teamwork. 20.Qxd8 Rxd8 21.Rc7
54.Qf6+ Kh5 55.f5 gxf5 56.Qxf5+
Nbc6 22.b3 Kf8 23.Rb7 Rxb7
Kh4 57.Qg6
24.axb7 Rb8 25.Ne1 Rxb7 26.Ke2
1-0
Ke8 27.Nc2 a5-+ Gradually, my
position become technically winning,
Meier,Georg 2650 but I was unable to convert it in time
Eljanov,Pavel 2711 trouble (time control was 15+10 sec).
Wch Rapid Riadh (9) 27.12.2017 1/2

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 7

Eljanov,Pavel 2741 is a positional mistake here d4!

Shirov,Alexei 2679 Black can sac a pawn 14.Bxb7 Rb8
Douglas IoM op (6) 06.10.2016 15.Bg2 Nc5 and I would prefer black
here as in return for the pawn he has
a b c d e f g h a great control of dark squares and
8 8 much more space. ]
13...Bb4 This looks artificial but I was
7 7
unable to find a decent way how to
6 6 neutralize White's play without many
concessions.
5 5
[ 13...d4 14.Bxb7 Rb8 15.Bg2 Re8
4 4 16.Na3 ]
[ probably the lesser evil was 13...Nc5
3 3
14.Nc3 d4 15.Nb5 Re8 16.c3
2 2 but black under serious pressure
anyway ]
1 1
14.c3 Bd6
a b c d e f g h
[ 14...Be7 15.Na3 Re8 16.Nb5 e4
17.Be3 ]
Black's position looks OK at first sight.
He is even leading in development with a b c d e f g h
a good control of the central squares.
13.Nb1! but it turns out that after such a 8 8

modest knight retreat it's not easy for 7 7

Black at all to hold the center.
6 6
[ and it's really important to note that
the "typical" 13.c4? 5 5

4 4
a b c d e f g h
3 3
8 8
2 2
7 7
1 1
6 6
a b c d e f g h
5 5

4 4
[ 14...Bc5 15.Na3 Re8 16.Nb5 h6
3 3 17.Re1 Qb6 18.Re2 ]
2 2

1 1

a b c d e f g h

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 8

15.Na3 Bxa3 16.Rxa3 Rc8 17.Rb3 b6 Pervakov

18.Rb5 Nc5 19.d4
a b c d e f g h
a b c d e f g h
8 8
8 8
7 7
7 7
6 6
6 6
5 5
5 5
4 4
4 4
3 3
3 3
2 2
2 2
1 1
1 1
a b c d e f g h
a b c d e f g h

I won the game eventually without many 1.Bh7!! g3!

troubles. [ 1...Bxd3 2.Bxd3 0-0+ 3.Kb7+- ]
1-0 2.hxg3 Bh5 3.a6 Bg6 4.Bg8!! Kf8
[ 4...Rxg8 5.a7+- ]
5.Bh7!! Bxh7 6.a7!+-
Votava

a b c d e f g h
Harikrishna,Pentala 2763
8 8 Eljanov,Pavel 2765
Gashimov Memorial (5) 30.05.2016
7 7

6 6
a b c d e f g h
5 5
8 8
4 4
7 7
3 3
6 6
2 2
5 5
1 1
4 4
a b c d e f g h
3 3

1.Kg3! Rxb3+ 2.Kg2! it's important to 2 2

clear "b" file first 2...Rbb1 3.Ba5+! Ka6
1 1
[ 3...Kxa5 4.Ra2+ Kb5 5.Rb2++- ]
4.Bb6! Kxb6 5.Rb2++- a b c d e f g h

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 9

22...Kh8! The only, but sufficient Carlsen,Magnus 2851

defence. Eljanov,Pavel 2765
[ 22...Qxb2? 23.exf6 Qc3 24.Qg4+ Norway Chess 4th (9) 29.04.2016
Ng5 25.Rxh6 Qe3+ 26.Kh1 Nd5
27.h4+- ] a b c d e f g h
[ 22...fxe5? 23.Rf6! Qxb2 8 8
24.Rg4++- ]
23.Bc1 Ng8! 24.Qg6 7 7
[ 24.a4 Qxa4 25.Qg6 dxe5 26.Rxf6 6 6
Qa1 27.Rf1 Nd6 28.Rxh6+ Nxh6
29.Qxh6+ Kg8 30.Qg6+= ] 5 5

24...dxe5 25.Rxf6 Once again, Pentala 4 4

chooses the most tricky continuation.
[ 25.Bxh6 Nfxh6 26.Rxh6+ Nxh6 3 3

27.Qxh6+ Kg8 28.Qg6+ Kh8= ] 2 2

25...Qb1 26.Rf1 Nd6!
[ Unfortunately, I made a decisive 1 1

mistake 26...exd4? 27.Bxh6 Qxf1+ a b c d e f g h

28.Kxf1 Nfxh6+ 29.Kg1 The exposed
king doesn't allow Black to advance I was under pressure in this game but
the kingside pawns. Rab8 ( 29...Rad8 here I wasted a chance to save the
30.Rxh6+ Nxh6 31.Qxh6+ Kg8 game. 27...Qa7! no time for knight ot
32.Qxa6 c3 33.Qc4+ Kh8 king retreats here :)
34.Qxc7+- ) 30.Rxh6+ Nxh6 [ 27...Ndf6? 28.Bxd6 Qxd6
31.Qxh6+ Kg8 32.Qg6+ Kh8 33.h3 ( 28...Nxd6 29.Ne5 ) 29.Qc8+ Kh7
d3 34.Qh6+ Kg8 35.Qxa6 30.Ne5 Qe7 ( Black needs to control
A) 35...Rf7 offered equally little f7 as after 30...Nd2 31.Bd3 Nde4
hope: 36.cxd3 ( Only not 36.Qxc4? White gets a decisive attack with
d2 37.Qg4+ Kf8-+ ) 36...c3 32.Nf7 Qe7 33.Qh8+ Kg6 34.Ne5+
37.Qc4+-; Kh5 35.Be2++- ) 31.Qc6 ]
B) 35...dxc2 36.Qxc4+ Kh8 [ 27...Nf8? which is a second line of
37.Qc3+ Kg8 38.Qxc2+- ] my engine but equally bad 28.Bxd6
27.Rxh6+ Nxh6 28.Qxh6+ Kg8= Nxd6 29.Ne5 black is struggling ]
Great example with a king and knight 28.Bxd6
moves at the same time! [ 28.Be1 Kf7 29.Nd2 Ke7 ]
1-0 [ 28.Bd3 Bxb4 29.Qxe6+ Kh8
30.Qxd5 Nd6= ]
28...Qa2!= 29.Bg2 Qa1+!
[ 29...Qb1+! ]

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 10

30.Bf1 Qb2 from the classical game Winter-

[ 30...Qa2 ] Capablanca, 1919, this kind of structure
31.Kh1 Nxf2+ with a trapped bishop on g3 are very
[ 31...Qxf2? 32.Bg2+- ] strategically dangerous. In this
32.Kg2 Ne4+ 33.Kh3?! Ng5+ 34.Nxg5 particular case there is no exception.
hxg5 35.g4 White is doomed to joyless defence
[ 35.Qxd7 g4+ 36.Kh4 Qxh2+ [ Francesko ruled out this
37.Kg5 Qh6# ] continuation as he felt that it could
35...Qf2 be dangerous. He was partially right.
1-0
White has compensation but it's only
sufficient for a draw 16...g5!?
Maze,Sebastien 2615 17.Bxg5 hxg5 18.Qxg5 Rg8!
Rambaldi,Francesco 2556 19.Qh4+ Kg7
FRA-chT Top 12 (3.7) 28.05.2018 20.Rg1+ Kf8 21.Qh6+ Ke8
22.Rxg8+ Nxg8 23.Qh8 Kd7
24.Qh3+! Ke8 ( 24...Kc6?? 25.Ba4
a b c d e f g h + Kc5 26.f4+- ) 25.Qh8 Qf8
8 8 26.Rg1 Ne7 ( 26...Nh6 27.Qf6!
white threating 28.Rg7 and there is
7 7
no better way but comeback Ng8;
6 6 26...Ke7 27.Rg7 d5 28.exd5 )
5 5 27.Bxf7+! key point Kd7
( 27...Kxf7
4 4
28.Qh5+ Ke6 29.Qh3+= ) 28.Qf6
3 3 Bxf2 29.Rg2 Be3 30.Qe6+ Kd8
2 2
31.Qf6= ]
[ Francesko made a wrong choice.
1 1 Although he made a draw, his
a b c d e f g h position was clearly worse later
16...Qd7?17.Bxf6 Qh3 18.Qe2 gxf6
I was witnessing this game as I played 19.Rg1 ][ another way to prepare g5
for Nice Alekhine chess club as well as has a drawback 16...Rg8 17.f4! that's
my teammate Francesko Rambaldi. the drawback: black is unable to
Very important moment because an make a "fork" due to king's position
evalution of this position depends on the on h7 g5!( 17...exf4? 18.Qxf4 g5
possibility to execute g7-g5-advance. 19.Qf5+ )
16...Kh8!! great move and the only
possibility to prepare g5. As we know

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 11

18.fxg5 hxg5 19.Bxg5 Nxe4 only forced lines and failed to find a win
20.Rxe4 Qxg5 21.Qxg5 Rxg5 [ The game went 30.Qxe4?
22.Bxf7= ] I won later but it's objectively drawish
17.Rg1 Qxe3+ 31.Qxe3 fxe3= ]
[ 17.c3 g5 18.Bg3 ( 18.Bxg5 hxg5 [ 30.Kh1 Qh5 ]
19.Qxg5 Rae8!-+ ) 18...Nh5 ] [ 30.Qh6 Rg8+ 31.Kh1 Qf5 ]
17...Rg8! now it's fine and just in time 30...Qg5
18.c3 [ 30...Qf5 31.Qe7 Rg8 32.Rxf4+- ]
[ 18.f4 exf4 19.Bxf6 ( 19.Qxf4 g5 31.Rg1 Rae8 32.Qd6+-
20.e5 dxe5 21.Rxe5 Qd6-+ ) 1-0
19...Qxf6 20.c3 g5 ]
18...g5 19.Bg3 Nh5
1/2

Eljanov,Pavel 2681
Malakhatko,Vadim 2558
Chigorin Memorial 20th (7) 02.11.2012

a b c d e f g h

8 8

7 7

6 6

5 5

4 4

3 3

2 2

1 1

a b c d e f g h

29.Rd7!
[ no king retreats yet 29.Kh1? Rae8 ]
29...Qc5 30.Kh2!! but now it's just in
time! Unfortunately I was calculating

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 12

Endgame Series 19 that it can be difficult for the weaker side

to calculate or judge which pawns to
Opposite-colored Bishops: exchange and which to leave on the
Part 2 board; whether to defend passively or
actively, etc. Despite their drawish
tendencies, it is not easy to defend
endgames with opposite-colored
bishops accurately in practice. For a
start, I will let you marvel at one of the
most beautiful endgame moves ever
from the game Topalov-Shirov, 1998.

Topalov,Veselin 2740
Shirov,Alexei 2710
Linares 15th (10) 04.03.1998

a b c d e f g h

8 8
Hello, Dear chess friends! You might
remember that in the previous issue of 7 7
Endgame Series we laid down the
6 6
groundwork for a discussion of
opposite-colored bishops endgames. In 5 5
the current issue, we will examine
4 4
somewhat more complex examples of
such endgames. It may not be a bad 3 3
idea to refresh your memory with the
2 2
basic guidelines that we listed in the
previous issue as you go through the 1 1
new examples. I have mostly picked a b c d e f g h
examples where the stronger side tries
to win based on the principle of two Shirov's brilliance is both instructive and
weaknesses. In other words, it already aesthetically pleasing. Shirov is up two
has an outside passed pawn (the first pawns in this opposite-colored bishops
weakness), but in order to win, it has to endgame, but, as we know, sometimes
create and take advantage of the this is not enough to win the game. In
second weakness, usually a weak pawn this case, the white bishop can control
on the other flank. Penetration of the both passed pawns on the same
king is often the guiding idea for the diagonal (a1-h8). Another thing white
stronger side, and the defender does has going for him is that these pawns
everything in his power to prevent it. In are only 2 files apart, increasing his
some of these examples, you will see drawing odds. Therefore, black needs to

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 13

to penetrate with his king quickly. After 54.Bxd4 Kxh4 55.Bf6+ g5 56.Kd2= This
analyzing the alternatives, Shirov comes would be winning for Black if
up with an ingenious idea, which is also his bishop was of the opposite
the only winning move: 47...Bh3!!There color... ) 54.Ke3 Kg4 ( 54...a1Q
are two points to this move: firstly - it 55.Bxa1 Kxh4
opens up the route for the king: f5-e4- a b c d e f g h
d3, etc. and secondly, it wins the crucial
tempo by creating contact with the g2 8 8

pawn, so that white king is not in time to 7 7

reach the critical e3 square. The difficulty
with this move is that it requires a lot of 6 6

imagination to come up with it in the first 5 5

place, because how often do you put a
4 4
piece on a square where it can directly
be taken, without any "obvious" threat? 3 3
[ Quieter alternatives miss the win by a
2 2
tempo. GM Karsten Mueller analyzed
king's breakthrough toward the 1 1
kingside, starting with: 47...Be4 48.g3 a b c d e f g h
Kf5 49.Kf2 a3 50.Ba1 Bh1 51.Ke3
Kg4 52.Bxf6 Kxg3 53.Ke2 Black's pawns are only two files apart,
the White king is positioned well, and it
a b c d e f g h is not difficult for him to hold a draw. For
8 8 example: 56.Bf6+ g5 57.Kd4 Kg4
58.Ke5 Kh5 59.Be7 g4 60.Bf6 g3
7 7
61.Kf4 g2 62.Bd4 Kh4 63.Bg1= )
6 6 55.Ke2 Kf5 56.Ba1 Ke4 57.Kd2 d4
5 5
58.Bb2 Bf3 59.Ba1 d3 60.Bf6
Both passed pawns are safely blocked
4 4 and Black's last attempt is to give up
3 3 the a-pawn for White's h-pawn. First,
he secures the d-pawn with bishop
2 2
maneuver: Bg4 61.Ba1 Bf5 62.Bb2
1 1 Kf4 Now he proceeds with the plan.
a b c d e f g h
63.Bc3 Kg4 64.Bf6 a1Q 65.Bxa1
Kxh4
and now White can not successfully
trade any of his passed pawns for
White's h-pawn: a2 ( 53...d4

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 14

a b c d e f g h
A) It would be a mistake to play
8 8 69.Kf4? instead, because of Kh4!
7 7
70.Be1+ ( 70.Kxf5 g3 71.Be1 Kh3
72.Ke4 g2 73.Bf2 d2-+ ) 70...Kh3
6 6 and g4-g3 can not be stopped.
5 5 71.Ke3 g3 72.Kf3 g2 73.Bf2
Kh2-+;
4 4 B) 69.Be1! Blocking both the pawn
3 3 and Black king. 69...Kg5 70.Bg3
2 2
a b c d e f g h
1 1
8 8
a b c d e f g h
7 7
We saw that a similar endgame with
6 6
the Black pawn on d5 is easily drawn.
Naturally, with the same pawn on d3, 5 5
white has to be more careful. GM
4 4
Mueller shows how White holds this
endgame with precise moves: 66.Bf6+ 3 3
g5 67.Ke3 Kh5 68.Bc3 g4 2 2

a b c d e f g h 1 1

8 8 a b c d e f g h

7 7 and this is a theoretical draw as we

6 6
discussed in the previous issue.
Black king can not break through
5 5 when his pawns are only 2 files
4 4
apart from each other, as the
following variation illustrates: Kf6
3 3 71.Bh2 Ke6 72.Bg3 Kd5 73.Bf2
2 2
Kc4 74.Be1 Bc8 75.Ba5 Bb7
76.Kf4 Bf3 77.Ke3 Bg2 78.Kf4
1 1 Bh3 79.Ke3 g3 80.Kd2 Kd4
a b c d e f g h 81.Bc7 g2 82.Bb6+ Ke4 83.Bg1=
(Karsten Mueller) ]
[ Another attempt for Black is to
penetrate via queenside: 47...Kd6

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 15

a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h
8 8 8 8

7 7 7 7

6 6 6 6

5 5 5 5

4 4 4 4

3 3 3 3

2 2 2 2

1 1
1 1
a b c d e f g h
a b c d e f g h

and now 55.Kc1! sets up the typical

48.Bxf6 Kc5 49.Kf2 d4 Cutting of blockade. Compared to the game, we
White bishop. 50.Ke2 Kc4 ( 50...a3? can see how Black's bishop is basically a
is not good because of 51.Be7+ ) useless piece as it can not help any of its
51.Be7 Kb3 ( or 51...Kc3 52.Kd1! ) passed pawns move forward. ( White
52.Kd2 a3 can not afford to get clever with 55.Bc5?
because wins with a nice triangulation:
a b c d e f g h
Kb2 56.Bd4+ Kb1!+- stopping Kc1. )
8 8 The last thing Black can try is 55...d2+
56.Kxd2 Kb1 57.Ke3 a2when he does
7 7
win the bishop but will have insufficient
6 6 remaining material to win. 58.Kf4= ]
5 5
48.gxh3 A significant detail about the
bishop sacrifice is that after accepting it,
4 4 White has doubled pawns, which means
3 3 that he can not create a passed pawn of
his own anymore!
2 2 [ Unfortunately for White, he can
1 1 not bring his king to the center in
time:
a b c d e f g h
48.Kf2 Kf5 49.Kf3
53.Bc5! Only this move draws,
keeping an eye on both pawns.
( 53.Bf6? loses because of Kc4
54.Kc1 Kc3 and a-pawn can not be
stopped. ) 53...d3 54.Bd4 Ka2

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 16

a b c d e f g h Bg4! "Wasting" a tempo with the

8 8
bishop like this was worth it because
now White king is one file further away
7 7 from the center. ( because now
6 6 48...Kf5 might does not work due to
49.Kxh3 Ke4 50.g4! d4 51.Bb4 f5
5 5 52.g5!
4 4 a b c d e f g h

3 3 8 8

7 7
2 2
6 6
1 1

a b c d e f g h 5 5

4 4
48.Bxf6 Kc5 49.Kf2 d4 Cutting of
White bishop. 50.Ke2 Kc4 ( 50...a3? 3 3
is not good because of 51.Be7+ ) 2 2
51.Be7 Kb3 ( or 51...Kc3 52.Kd1! )
1 1
52.Kd2 a3
a b c d e f g h
because of Bxg2+! which is one of
the points of Shirov's combination. and White suddenly obtains
50.Kxg2 Ke4-+ (Shirov,A) and we counterplay with h4-h5 and g5-g5
can see how Black wins after: 51.Bxf6 pawn breakthrough. ) 49.Kg3 Kf5
d4 52.Be7 Kd3 53.Bc5 Kc3 54.Kf2 50.Kf2 Ke4! and Black king reaches
d3 55.Ke1 Kc2 56.Bb4 a3-+ ] the critical squares first. 51.Bxf6
[ There is one more possibility that is ( 51.Ke1 Kd3-+ ) 51...a3 52.Ba1 d4
worth analyzing: 48.Kh2 53.Ke1 Ke3-+ ]
a b c d e f g h 48...Kf5
a b c d e f g h
8 8
8 8
7 7
7 7
6 6
6 6
5 5
5 5
4 4
4 4
3 3 3 3

2 2 2 2

1 1 1 1
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 17

Black king is headed toward the c2 square. would allow White to set up the
If he could reach it, there would be nothing blockade after 51.Ba1 Kd3 52.Ke1
that White could do to stop Black's passed d4 53.Kd1 Ke3 54.Ke1 d3 55.Bc3
pawns. 49.Kf2 Ke4 50.Bxf6 White might a2 56.Be5 d2+ 57.Kd1= ]
as well take the pawn, 51.Be7
[ since the endgame with 3 passed [ Alternatively, 51.Bg5 is still met by
pawns against the bishop is Kd3! 52.Ke1 Kc2-+ ]
absolutely hopeless for him: 50.Ke2 51...Kd3 52.Bc5
a b c d e f g h [ 52.Ke1 Kc2-+ ]
8 8
a b c d e f g h
7 7
8 8
6 6
7 7
5 5
6 6
4 4

3 3 5 5

2 2 4 4

1 1 3 3
a b c d e f g h
2 2
f5-+ (Shirov,A) ]
1 1
[ or 50.Bb4 Kd3 51.Ba3 d4 52.Bb2
f5 53.Kf3 Kc4! 54.Ke2 d3+ 55.Kd2 a b c d e f g h

f4 56.Be5 f3 57.Ke3 f2 58.Kxf2

Kb3-+ ] 52...Kc4! All of this must have been
50...d4! Naturally, we should cut off the foreseen by Shirov before he played 47...
bishop first. Bh3. With this small detour, Black
[ 50...a3? chases away White's bishop, so that his
a b c d e f g h
d-pawn is not hanging when he reaches
for the c2 square.
8 8
[ 52...Kc3? would be giving up the
7 7 precious tempo and after 53.Ke2
6 6 black could even lose if he plays d3+?
( 53...Kc4 is still a draw. 54.Bd6
5 5
Kc3= ) 54.Kd1+- ]
4 4 53.Be7 Kb3 and Topalov resigned,
3 3 Shirov has shown how sometimes the
bishop can be successfully sacrificed in
2 2
such endgames and that pawns
1 1 supported by an active king can win the
a b c d e f g h fight against the bishop.
www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 18

[ 53...Kb3 Now, let us take a look at several

a b c d e f g h more "mundane" examples, which are
nevertheless quite instructive. We
8 8
start with the endgame from Volkov-
7 7 Tomashevsky, 2010. in which White
6 6 was also two pawns down, but not
without drawing chances. Can Black
5 5
capitalize on his two extra pawns in
4 4 this endgame? Everything depends on
3 3
whether White can maintain the
blockade on the dark squares and
2 2
avoid further weaknesses. If his king
1 1 manages to keep the Black king away
a b c d e f g h from his pawns, he should be able to
hold. Tomashevsky played 37...g5
as after 54.Bc5 ( 54.Ke2 Kc2!-+ ) preparing to break via the g6-f5 route.
54...d3 55.Ke3 Black king reaches c2
[ I also looked at two alternatives.
square and the pawns can not be
blocked any more: Kc2 56.Bb4 a3-+ ] Firstly: 37...a5 intending to create
a passed pawn on the queenside.
0-1
However, after 38.Bc3 b4
39.axb4 a4
Volkov,Sergey 2612
Tomashevsky,Evgeny 2701 a b c d e f g h
EU-ch 11th Rijeka (6) 11.03.2010
8 8

7 7
a b c d e f g h
6 6
8 8
5 5
7 7
4 4
6 6
3 3
5 5
2 2
4 4
1 1
3 3
a b c d e f g h
2 2

1 1

a b c d e f g h

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 19

white gets a passed pawn of his own a b c d e f g h

40.b5 that ties down Black bishop as 8 8
well. White should have sufficient
7 7
counterplay for a draw. Below is a
sample line: a3 41.Ke2 g5 42.b6 6 6
Bd5 43.Ke3 Kg6 44.g4 Kf7 45.Kd2
5 5
Ke8 46.Bf6 a2 47.Kc1 Kd7 48.Kb2
Kc6 49.Bxg5 Kxb6 50.Bf6 Kc5 4 4
51.h4 Kd6 52.g5 e5 53.h5 Ke6
3 3
54.Bh8 Kf5
a b c d e f g h 2 2

8 8 1 1

a b c d e f g h
7 7

6 6
and now White should hold the
defensive setup with full control over
5 5 e5 square: 42.Bf4! The point is that
4 4 this endgame is drawn even when
black creates a passed pawn on the
3 3 queenside, as we will see shortly. a5
2 2 43.Kc3 Bf1 44.Kd4 b4 45.axb4 a4
( Black also gets nowhere with
1 1
45...axb4 46.Be5 Kb5 47.Bf6 Ka4
a b c d e f g h 48.Ke3 Kb3 49.Kd2 Ka2
a b c d e f g h
55.g6 hxg6 56.hxg6 e4 57.Bd4= ]
[ Secondly, there is a more modest 8 8
move with the g-pawn: 37...g6!?Black
7 7
does not want to leave the pawn
exposed on g5 and plans to swing his 6 6
king over to the queenside to support
5 5
his pawns. White should, naturally,
centralize his king as well: 38.Kf2 Ke7 4 4
39.Ke3 Kd7 40.Kd4 Bg2 ( 40...Kc6
3 3
41.Bf4 Kb6 42.h4 a5
43.Be5 is similar. ) 41.h4 Kc6 2 2

1 1

a b c d e f g h

50.Kc1= and White holds the

blockade. ) 46.g4 Kb5 47.Kc3 h5
48.gxh5 gxh5
www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 20

a b c d e f g h 55.Kf4!= Black king "shall not pass".

8 8
This is an important position to
remember because the pawns are 3
7 7 files apart, which is normally winning.
6 6
The problem for the stronger side is
not only that there is only one
5 5 defensive diagonal (a1-h8), but also
4 4
that one of his passed pawns is on
rook's file, which makes it impossible
3 3 for the king to support it from the
2 2
side. ]
38.Bc3 Kg6
1 1

a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

8 8

49.Be5! only like this can Black hold a 7 7

draw. ( 49.Bc1? e5 should gradually 6 6
lose as Black stretches White's
defenses with the e-pawn. ) 49...Bc4 5 5
50.Bf4 a3 51.Be5 a2 52.Kc2 Kxb4 4 4
Black won the pawn back, and he is
two pawns up again. He also has a 3 3
passed pawn on the second rank, but 2 2
to no avail - Black holds the blockade
comfortably: 53.Kd2 Kc5 54.Ke3! 1 1
Kd5 a b c d e f g h

a b c d e f g h
39.g4! In principle, the weaker side
8 8
should avoid putting his pawns on the
7 7 color of opponent's bishop. However, in
this case, Volkov correctly judges that it
6 6
would be more dangerous to let Black
5 5 king penetrate via f5.
4 4
[ In case of 39.Kf2 Kf5 40.Ke3
Black can first clarify the situation on
3 3 the kingside with Bg2! 41.h4 gxh4
2 2
42.gxh4 h5 43.Be1 e5 44.Ba5

1 1

a b c d e f g h

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 21

a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

8 8 8 8

7 7 7 7

6 6 6 6

5 5 5 5

4 4 4 4

3 3 3 3

2 2 2 2

1 1 1 1

a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

and now Black obtains another

passed pawn with a typical
and then he wins by sending his breakthrough sacrifice: 50...b4+!
king to the queenside: Ke6! 51.axb4 a4 Black's b-pawn is
45.Bc7 Kd5 safely guarded by the bishop and
46.Kd3 Stopping Kc4, but not for Black wins technically by bringing
too long. Bh3! This simple move his king to the kingside: 52.Bd4
puts white in a sort of a zugzwang. Bb5 53.Bc5 Ke5 54.Be3 Kf5
Both his king and bishop are on 55.Bd2 Kg4 56.Bg5 Kf3-+
ideal squares and now one of a b c d e f g h
them has to move. 8 8
A) or 47.Ke3 Bf5 48.Bb8
7 7
( while
6 6
48.Bd8 allows Kc4-+ ) Now
Black can move forward: 48...a5 5 5

49.Bc7 b4-+; 4 4
B) 47.Kc3 e4! Using white 3 3
king's position on c3. Now e-
2 2
pawn has to be blocked by the
bishop: 48.Bf4 Bf1 49.Be3 1 1
( 49.Bc7 e3-+ ) 49...a5 50.Bb6 a b c d e f g h
( Similar is 50.Kb3 Bc4+ 51.Kc3
39...Bd5 40.Kf2 h5 Logically, this pawn
b4+ 52.axb4 a4-+ ) should be pushed while the king is still on
g6. 41.Bd4?! It is tempting just to play
"pass" moves as it seems that Black can
not improve his position without the
www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 22

help of his king.

a b c d e f g h
[ However, I see nothing wrong with
41.gxh5+ Kxh5 42.Kg3 8 8

a b c d e f g h 7 7

8 8 6 6

7 7 5 5

6 6 4 4

5 5 3 3

4 4 2 2

3 3 1 1

2 2 a b c d e f g h

1 1
Tomashevsky's patient strategy has paid
a b c d e f g h off. Volkov let down his guard for a
when it is hard to suggest a second, thinking Black could not improve
convincing way forward for white. Due his position. 43...a5! This is the right
to the weakness of g5 pawn, he can time for the long-awaited pawn break.
not bring his king to the queenside so 44.Bc3 b4 45.axb4 a4 This was the
easily. A sample line is: Kg6 43.Kf2 point of 42... Bc4 - the b-pawn is
Kf5 44.Bd2 e5 45.Kg3 e4 46.Kf2 blocked. Black has definitely benefited
Be6 47.Ke3 Kf6 48.Bc3+ Kg6 from the pawn breakthrough as the
49.Kxe4 Bxh3 50.Ke5 Bf5 51.Ba5 passed pawn on the a-file will be a
g4 52.Kf4 Bd7 53.Bc3 Kh5 54.Bd4 headache for White. 46.Bb2?
a6 55.Bf2 a5 56.Be1 b4 57.axb4 A decisive mistake.
a4 58.Kg3= ] [ Grandmaster Krasenkow analyzed in
41...a6 Tomashevsky follows the golden depth the drawing continuation
endgame rule: "Do not hurry." 46.gxh5+ below: Kxh5 47.Bb2 , e.g.
[ Instead, 41...a5?! immediately would Kg6 ( 47...Kh4 48.Bc1 e5 49.Kf3
allow 42.Bc3 b4 43.axb4 a4 44.b5 Bf1 50.Ke4 Bxh3 51.Kxe5 g4
with counterplay. ] 52.Kd4 g3 53.Kc3 g2 54.Be3= )
42.Bc3 Bc4!? A cunning move, as we 48.Kg3 Kf5 49.Kf3 Bf1! 50.Kg3 e5
will see shortly. 43.Bd4? ( 50...Ke4 51.Kg4 Kd5 52.Bc1 Kc4
[ Again, there was nothing wrong with 53.Bxg5= ) 51.Bc1! e4 52.Kf2 Bxh3
the exchange on h5: 43.gxh5+ Kxh5 53.b5 Kf6 54.Bb2+! Ke6 ( 54...Ke7
44.Kg2 Kg6 45.Kf2 Kf5 46.Bd2 e5 55.Bc1 ) 55.b6 Kd7 56.Bc1 g4
47.Kg3 with draw as the most likely 57.Ba3 with a curious position, in
result. The weakness of his g5 pawn which the white king paralyses the
handicaps Black. ] black bishop and two pawns! Kc6

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 23

a b c d e f g h against g5 and h4 pawns. But more

8 8 mutual weaknesses usually favor the
attacker and we will see how
7 7
Tomashevsky proves this point right.
6 6 47.Ke1 Kf7 48.Kf2 Bb5 49.Ke1
5 5
a b c d e f g h
4 4 8 8

3 3 7 7

2 2 6 6

1 1 5 5
a b c d e f g h
4 4

58.Bc5!= is now a reciprocal 3 3

zugzwang! (M.Krasenkow) ] 2 2
46...h4!
1 1
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

8 8
One of the problems for white is that he
7 7
can not leave the f1 square undefended
6 6 due to Bf1-Bxh3, etc. Black, on the
other hand, needs to figure out how to
5 5
break forward with his king.
4 4 Tomashevsky's solution is very elegant:
49...e5! Another pawn sacrifice. 50.Bc1
3 3
This is the most stubborn defense.
2 2 White will keep his bishop on c1 and
king on e1, forcing black to sacrifice the
1 1
g5-pawn.
a b c d e f g h
[ Accepting the sacrifice 50.Bxe5
This is the point. Black fixes two white would allow black to push his a-pawn
pawns on the light squares which gives all the way to a2: a3 51.Bh8
him a great new target. I think that white ( It is too late to bring the king: 51.Kd2
underestimated this position as it seems Ke6 52.Bd4 Bf1 53.Kc2 Bxh3
like he always has sufficient counterplay 54.Be3 and Black king is perfectly
placed: Kf6-+ ) 51...a2 52.Bd4 Ke6

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 24

a b c d e f g h Kd5!? Tomashevsky's move is natural,

8 8 [ although the most convincing way to
victory was 53...e4! which we will
7 7
actually analyze in the variation 55.
6 6 Kf2! Kd5! ]
54.Ke1
5 5
[ This time, the g5 pawn is the
4 4 poisoned one. 54.Bxg5 Again, Black
continues a3 55.Bc1 a2 56.Bb2
3 3
but here we have a new motive: e4!
2 2 a b c d e f g h

1 1 8 8

a b c d e f g h 7 7

6 6
This endgame is trivially winning for 5 5
Black as white king is tied to the
defense of f1 square. Black simply 4 4
marches his king forward and picks 3 3
up everything in his way. 53.Bh8 Kd5
54.Kd2 Bf1 55.Kc1 Bxh3 56.Kb2 2 2

Bxg4-+ ] 1 1
50...Kg6 51.Kf2 Kf6 52.Bb2 Ke6
a b c d e f g h
53.Bc1
A) 57.Ke3 would allow Bf1
a b c d e f g h and Black wins the pawn race after:
8 8 58.g5 Bxh3 59.g6 Be6 60.b5 h3
61.b6 h2 62.b7 h1Q 63.b8Q
7 7 a b c d e f g h

6 6 8 8

5 5 7 7

4 4 6 6

3 3 5 5

2 2 4 4

1 1 3 3
a b c d e f g h
2 2

1 1

a b c d e f g h

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 25

White king will find himself in the a b c d e f g h

mating net after Qf3+ 64.Kd2 Qf2+ 8 8

65.Kc1 Qc5+! 66.Kd2 e3+ etc.; B)
7 7
White can not use his passed pawn
successfully, as we can see in the 6 6
line: 57.g5 Bd7! 58.g6 ( or 58.Kg2
5 5
Bf5 59.b5 Kc5-+ )
58...Bxh3 59.g7 Be6-+; 4 4
C) 57.Ba1 and here Black has a
3 3
great winning motive, somewhat
reminiscent of Bh3!! in Topalov- 2 2
Shirov: 57...Bd7 58.Bb2 1 1
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

8 8
because it blocks the bishop's
7 7
diagonal (Bb5-f1) and White gets an
6 6 opportunity to "switch the workload"
among his pieces with: 55.Kd1! Kxb4
5 5
( 55...Kb3 56.Bxg5 a3 57.Bf6= )
4 4 56.Bxg5 a3 57.Kc1= ]
55.Bxg5 White goes down fairly easily
3 3
after this move.
2 2 [ 55.Kd1
1 1
a b c d e f g h
a b c d e f g h
8 8

Bxg4! 59.hxg4 h3-+ and black's 7 7

pawns are unstoppable. ]
54...Ke4! Tomashevsky chooses the 6 6

most flexible route with his king, which 5 5

testifies about his high class in the
endgame. 4 4

[ It would be wrong to play the 3 3

tempting 54...Kc4?
2 2

1 1

a b c d e f g h

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 26

also does not work for White as a b c d e f g h

Black can penetrate with his king: 8 8
Kf3!
7 7
56.Bxg5 Kg3 57.Bf6 e4!
Black should, of course, keep as 6 6
many pawns on the board as 5 5
possible. 58.g5 Kxh3 59.g6 Kg4
4 4
60.g7 Bc4 and the pawn race,
similar to one of the lines above, is 3 3
won by black: 2 2
61.b5 h3 62.Be5 a3!-+ 63.b6 a2
1 1
64.b7 h2 65.b8Q h1Q+
a b c d e f g h

a b c d e f g h when, in fact, Black would need to

8 8 "admit the mistake" and retreat with
his king to e6! I will explain shortly why
7 7
this paradoxical retreat is the only way
6 6 forward for Black. Kd5!
( Instead, the "natural" 55...Kd3
5 5
56.Ke1 Kc3
4 4 a b c d e f g h

3 3 8 8

2 2 7 7

1 1 6 6
a b c d e f g h
5 5

4 4
66.Kc2 Qg2+ 67.Kc1 Qf1+
68.Kc2 Qe2+ 69.Kc1 a1Q+ 3 3
70.Bxa1 Qe1+ 71.Kb2 Qd2+
2 2
72.Ka3 Qa2+ 73.Kb4 Qb3+ wins
the queen and the game. ] 1 1

[ However, a far more stubborn a b c d e f g h

defense was 55.Kf2! leads nowhere after 57.Bd2+! and if
Kc2 then Black can finally take on g5:
58.Bxg5 a3 59.Bf6 e4 60.g5 Be8
61.g6 Bxg6 62.b5 Be8 63.b6 Bc6

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 27

a b c d e f g h
Kf4!-+ is the point. ) 59...Kd5 60.Kd2
( 60.Kf2 Ba6!
8 8
a b c d e f g h
7 7
8 8
6 6
7 7
5 5
6 6
4 4
5 5
3 3
4 4
2 2
3 3
1 1
2 2
a b c d e f g h
1 1
64.Bxh4!= and everything works out
a b c d e f g h
perfectly for the defender. ) 56.Ke1
Ke6! 57.Kf2 ( We have seen in the
analysis to 54.Bxg5 why 57.Bxg5 puts white in zugzwang. He can not
does not work: a3 58.Bc1 a2 59.Bb2 keep control of all 4 squares: f1, e3,
Kd5 60.Kf2 e4!-+ etc. ) 57...e4 d4, and e3! ) 60...Bf1 White king was
58.Ke3 ( In case of 58.Ke1 finally out-maneuvred and black gets
Black has a nice winning idea e3! his bishop on the juicy f1 square.
59.Bxe3 a3 60.Bd4 a2-+ 61.Bf6
with a well-known winning position. )
a b c d e f g h
58...Ke5! ( 58...Kd5 59.Kd2 )
a b c d e f g h 8 8

8 8 7 7

7 7 6 6

6 6 5 5

5 5 4 4

4 4 3 3

3 3 2 2

2 2 1 1

1 1 a b c d e f g h

a b c d e f g h

A precise move, keeping options open Now Black wins with a pretty
for the king. 59.Bb2+ ( 59.Kd2 combination with some study-like

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 28

motives: e3+! ( 61...Bxh3? 62.Bxg5 Be8! This is the ultimate precision that
Bxg4 63.Bxh4 a3 64.Kc2= ) 62.Kxe3 was required from Black.
a3 63.Bxg5 ( White is one move too
slow with 63.Kd2 a2 64.Kc2 Ke6! [ 58...Kxg5? would throw away all
65.Bd4 Bxh3 66.Kb2 Bxg4-+ ) of the good work from before:
59.Bxe5 Bd7 60.b5! Bxb5
a b c d e f g h ( 60...Bxh3 61.b6 Bg2 62.Kf2
8 8 Bb7 63.Kg1= ) 61.Kd1 Bd7
62.Kc2 Bxh3 63.Kb2=
7 7
and white draws thanks to the
6 6 wrong-colored bishop. ]
5 5 59.Kf2
4 4 [ Now the sacrifice 59.b5 does not
work. Black keeps his e-pawn alive
3 3
and after Bxb5 60.g6 e4 61.g7
2 2 Bc4!he wins easily. ]
1 1 59...e4 The g5 pawn is
a b c d e f g h hanging, practically forcing...
60.Bf6
and now, behold: 63...Ke6!! 64.Bh6 [ 60.Bc1+
Kf6!-+ and a-pawn can not be
stopped. ] a b c d e f g h
55...a3 56.Bc1 a2 57.Bb2 Kf4 58.g5
8 8

7 7
a b c d e f g h
6 6
8 8
5 5
7 7
4 4
6 6
3 3
5 5
2 2
4 4
1 1
3 3
a b c d e f g h
2 2

1 1
e3+! 61.Bxe3+ Ke4-+ ]
a b c d e f g h

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 29

60...e3+ 61.Ke2 Bb5+ 62.Ke1 Andreikin,D.. 2723

Bd3! Malakhov,V.. 2702
TCh-RUS Blitz 2015 (8.1) 10.05.2015
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

8 8 8 8

7 7 7 7

6 6 6 6

5 5 5 5

4 4 4 4

3 3 3 3

2 2 2 2

1 1 1 1

a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

A nice maneuver to improve the

In the next example, we will see an
bishop's position. White's position is
endgame in which the defender made a
hopeless. 63.Bd4 Kg3
similar principled mistake as Volkov did
[ 63...Bf5 64.Ke2 Bxh3 was winning, in the previous game, leaving a weak
too. ] pawn on the color of opponent's bishop.
64.g6 Bxg6 65.Ke2 Kxh3 Black will If he had arranged his pawns on the
play Kg2 next, shielding the h-pawn color of his bishop instead, he would
and white will not be in time to hold both have held a draw easily. Black's
passed pawns. 66.b5 Be8 67.Kxe3 advantage is minimal - only a pawn in a
Kg2 68.b6 Bc6 White resigned. I think fairly symmetrical opposite-colored
that the most useful takeaway from the bishops endgame. If this was a classical
previous example is the role that pawn or even rapid game, we would probably
sacrifices have in creating winning not have even talked about it as a
chances in opposite-colored bishops strong player like Grandmaster
endgames. Tomashevsky sacrificed a Andreikin should be able to hold this
pawn three times in the game and every position easily. However, this being a
time he did, his position improved. This blitz game, he made a big principled
is also a fundamental idea to have in mistake, but also an instructive one for
mind when you are the weaker side in our purposes. 25.c4 Not a bad move in
these endgames. Then, you can itself - in fact it makes sense to trade a
anticipate your opponent's most pair of pawns with the next c4-c5.
dangerous winning attempts and deal [ Even simple passive defense would
with them appropriately. work here: 25.c3
0-1
www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 30

a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

8 8 8 8

7 7 7 7

6 6 6 6

5 5 5 5

4 4 4 4

3 3 3 3

2 2 2 2

1 1 1 1

a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

f5 26.f3 Bd5 27.a3 Kf7 28.Bf2 c5 and similarly to Volkov-Tomashevsky,

29.Be1 Ke6 30.Kf2 Bc6 Clearing the black has a g5 pawn to worry about.
route for black king: d5-c4-b3 etc. The last winning attempt, inspired by
31.Bd2! Tomashevsky's non-materialistic play
a b c d e f g h
in the previous game is Kd5!?
34.Bxg5 Kc4 35.Bf6 a5 Still, White
8 8
draws by bringing his king back:
7 7 36.Kf4 Kb3 37.Ke3 Kxa3 ( or 37...d5
38.Be7 d4+ 39.cxd4 c4 40.Bd8 a4
6 6
41.Kd2 c3+ 42.Kc1 Bxf3 43.Ba5= )
5 5

4 4 a b c d e f g h

3 3 8 8

2 2 7 7

1 1 6 6

a b c d e f g h 5 5

4 4
White is signaling that it is not going 3 3
to be easy for Black to get his king to
the queenside. f4 ( 31...g4 32.fxg4 2 2

fxg4 33.Bf4 Kd5 34.g3 Ba4 1 1

35.Ke3= ) 32.g3 fxg3+ ( 32...Ke5 a b c d e f g h
33.gxf4+ gxf4 34.Bc1= ) 33.Kxg3

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 31

and now the precise move is 38.c4! a b c d e f g h

fixing the pawn on d6. White can 8 8
afford to lose both his remaining
7 7
pawns if he wins the one on d6 as
the resulting endgame is drawn: a4 6 6
( 38...d5 39.cxd5 Bxd5 40.Be7 5 5
Kb4 41.Kd2 a4 42.Kc2= ) 39.Be7
4 4
Kb4 40.Kd3 a3 41.Kc2 Kxc4
42.Bxd6 Bxf3 3 3

2 2
a b c d e f g h
1 1
8 8
a b c d e f g h
7 7

6 6
since after f4 he has the intermediate
5 5 move 27.cxd6! cxd6 ( 27...fxg3??
28.d7+- ) 28.Bh2 Now, the bishop
4 4
does look ridiculous on h2, but this is
3 3 only temporary as it will get out in
about 2 or 3 moves. Kf7 29.f3 Bd5
2 2
30.a3 Ke6 31.Kf1 followed by Bg1,
1 1 should be an easy draw. ]
a b c d e f g h
26...Bb1 27.a3 f4 28.Be1
a b c d e f g h

8 8
43.Kb1= ]
25...f5 26.f3? This is the real 7 7
mistake. It looks like an automatic 6 6
move, especially for a blitz game, but it
allows black to fix his c-pawn on the 5 5

light-square by force. In the previous 4 4

example, white had similar problems
3 3
with his pawns fixed on h3 and g4.
2 2
[ Instead, White should have
completed his liquidation idea: 1 1
26.c5 a b c d e f g h

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 32

c5! A strong move that was maybe [ 30...Ke6!

missed by white. Three of White's a b c d e f g h
four pawns are fixed on the color of a 8 8
Black bishop. Same is true for Black 7 7
pawns with regard to a White bishop,
6 6
but, as we explained in the previous
5 5
example, this favors the attacking
side. 29.Ba5 Kf7 30.Bd8 4 4

3 3

a b c d e f g h 2 2

8 8 1 1
a b c d e f g h
7 7
Somewhat surprisingly, black obtains
6 6
a winning position by giving up both
5 5 g5 and f4 pawns! The point is that his
connected pawns in the center will be
4 4
stronger than white's kingside duo.
3 3 Let us see how: 31.Bxg5 Ke5
2 2
A) An interesting attempt to
establish a blockade is 32.Kf2!?
1 1 Ba2 33.g3 fxg3+ 34.Kxg3 Bxc4
a b c d e f g h 35.f4+ Ke6 36.Bh6!
a b c d e f g h

g4?! A high-class idea by strong 8 8

endgame player Vladimir Malakhov, 7 7
only it does not fully work. We will
6 6
come to the "why" part in just a
5 5
second, but for now, it is important to
understand that black can not defend 4 4

all his pawns, so Malakhov decided to 3 3

give up one of them in such a way 2 2
that it doubles white's pawns.
1 1
However, there was a stronger
a b c d e f g h
alternative.
White is hoping to slow down black
pawns by attacking them from
behind. While black gets his pawns
moving, white will bring his king to
the center and stop them by
www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 33

threatening to sacrifice the bishop,

which is met by 40...Ke5!!
leaving black only with the rook
Not allowing Kg5-f4-e3.
pawn and the wrong-colored
bishop (read: draw). Still, black can ( Instead, greedy
win with precise play: Bb5 37.Bf8 40...Bxf5?
Bd3 38.Kg4 41.Bg7 Bh7 allows White king
a b c d e f g h to get back 42.Kf4= ) 41.Bg7+
8 8 Ke4
42.f6 Bg8-+ and Black pawns
7 7
will prevail.;
6 6
A2) 39.Kf3 on the other hand
5 5
is too passive and loses
4 4 eventually after Bf5 40.Ke3
3 3 Kd5 41.Be7 Kc6!-+ similar to
2 2 the mainline.; A3) 39.Bg7
Kd5 40.Bf8
1 1
( There is no use for 40.f5
a b c d e f g h
Kc4 41.f6 Bg6 42.Kg5 Bf7-
Bh7! The best diagonal for the +)
bishop and White is in a small
zugzwang.
a b c d e f g h
A1) If the king goes forward
39.Kg5 then c4! threatens to 8 8

promote. White can try to get 7 7

back with the king by sacrificing
a pawn: 40.f5+ ( 40.Bg7 6 6

is hopeless due to Kd5-+ 5 5

followed by Ke4, d5-d4 etc. )
4 4
a b c d e f g h
3 3
8 8

7 7 2 2

6 6 1 1

5 5 a b c d e f g h

4 4

3 3
and here is an important
maneuver worth remembering:
2 2
40...Kc6! Only like this can
1 1 Black
a b c d e f g h

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 34

start moving his pawns. 41.f5 d5 a b c d e f g h

42.Kf4 d4 43.Ke4 Kb5 44.Bd6
8 8
( 44.a4+ is also a possibility but
does not change anything after 7 7
Kc4 45.a5 a6 46.Be7 Bg8
6 6
47.Bf8 Bd5+ 48.Kf4 Bc6 49.f6
Be8 50.Ke4 Bg6+! kicking the 5 5
king out of e4. 51.Kf4 Kd5-+
4 4
followed by c5-c4, etc. ) 44...Kc4
45.Be7 It seems like White has 3 3
achieved another annoying
2 2
defensive setup. But Black can
break it with the help of some 1 1
nice tactical motifs. Firstly, he a b c d e f g h
takes d5 square under control:
Bg8 46.Bd8 ( If white stays put Now, White does hold the
with 46.f6 Bf7 47.Bf8 blockade on the dark squares,
Black demonstrates a strong but he has another weakness on
idea: a5! 48.Be7 d3 49.Ke3 a3 and if black wins that pawn,
Kc3! 50.Bxc5 d2-+ and here we he will have a winning position.
see the point of 47...a5 - there is Please note how White's passed
no check on b4! ) 46...d3 47.Ba5 pawn is virtually useless. Ka4
50.Ke3 a5 Again, this move is
a b c d e f g h very important for Black. 51.Be7
Kb3 52.Kd2 and here Black
8 8
finally seals the deal with Bh7!
7 7 53.Bd8 ( 53.f6 c3+ ) 53...a4
6 6
54.Ba5 Bxf5 55.Bb4
a b c d e f g h
5 5
8 8
4 4
7 7
3 3
6 6
2 2
5 5
1 1
4 4
a b c d e f g h
3 3

White played the only move, but 2 2

it allows Black to win the crucial
1 1
tempo with Kb5! 48.Bd2 c4
49.Bb4 a b c d e f g h

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 35

Bg6! White is in zugzwang, and we have a pawn race of sorts, but

he loses the a-pawn as well. Black is clearly ahead. The
56.Ba5 Kxa3 57.Kc3 following variation confirms that
The blockade does not help Black's connected pawns are
anymore. One of these pawns stronger: 38.Ke1 c4 39.Kd2
will queen. Ka2 58.Kxc4 a3-+; Bg6 40.Kc1 c3 41.Bg3 Kd5
B) 32.Bh6 Ba2 33.Bg7+ Ke6 42.Be1 Kc4 43.f4 Be4 44.f5
( 33...Kf5 34.Bf8 ) 34.Bh6 Bxc4 d3 45.f6 Bg6 46.g5
a b c d e f g h
a b c d f g h
8 8 e
8 8
7 7 7 7

6 6 6 6

5 5 5 5

4 4 4 4

3 3
3 3
2 2
2 2
1 1
1 1
a b c d e f g h
a b c d e f g h

Kb3! puts White in zugzwang.

B1) Taking immediately 35.Bxf4 ( Just not 46...d2+? 47.Bxd2
speeds up Black's pawns. After
cxd2+ 48.Kxd2 Kb3 49.Kc1
d5 36.Kf2 d4 37.g4 Bd3
Kxa3 50.f7 Bxf7 51.Kb1= )
47.a4 a5-+;
a b c d e f g h
B2) 35.Kf2!? Probably the
8 8 most
7 7

6 6

5 5

4 4

3 3

2 2

1 1
a b c d e f g h

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 36

accurate move. 35...Bb5 a b c d e f g h

( 35...d5?? 36.Bf8= is the 8 8
point, of course. ) 36.Ke1 Ke5
7 7
( 36...d5? is still premature.
White establishes the blockade 6 6

with 37.Bf8 c4 38.Bg7= ) 5 5

37.Bg7+ Kd5 38.Bh6 Kc4! 4 4
No more beating around the
3 3
bush - Black needs to go
2 2
forward. 39.Bxf4 d5 40.Kd2
d4 1 1
a b c d e f g h

a b c d e f g h 45.Bxc3 dxc3 46.Kxc3=

8 8 is obviously White's
idea. )
7 7
B2a) 45.Kb2
6 6
a b c d e f g h
5 5 8 8

4 4 7 7

3 3 6 6

2 2 5 5

4 4
1 1
3 3
a b c d e f g h
2 2

1 1
compared to the similar position a b c d e f g h
in 35. Bxf4 variation, here
White's king is placed better, is also possible, taking away
and he can try to meet Black's the b3 square from Black king
while keeping c3 under control.
pawn avalanche with an
However, Black can create
attempt to sac the bishop on
another route for his king: Bd1!
c3. Thus, 41.Bb8 a6 42.Bc7 46.Be1 Be2 47.Ba5 Bf1
Kd5 43.Ba5 c4 44.Kc2 Ba4+ 48.g3 Bg2 49.f4 Bh3
( 44...c3? By provoking White pawns to
move one rank forward, Black
cleared the e4 square for his

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 37

king. 50.Kc2 Bf5+ 51.Kb2 c3+ 51.Kd3 Be4+!

( or 51.Kd2 Kc5-+ 52.Kxe4 c2-+ is the tactical
as in the main line. )
point. ) 50...Be4 51.f6 This
51...Ke4-+;
is White's only hope, but
B2b) 45.Kd2 Be8 46.g4
Black will get a winning
a b c d e f g h
queen's endgame after c3+
8 8 52.Ke2 d3+ 53.Ke3 d2
7 7
54.f7 d1Q 55.f8Q Qd3+-+
6 6
a b c d e f g h
5 5
8 8
4 4
7 7
3 3
6 6
2 2
5 5
1 1
4 4
a b c d e f g h
3 3
It was high time for white to
mobilize his kingside capital. 2 2
But Black is just faster: Kc5! 1 1
47.f4 Kb5 48.Bb4 a5 49.Be7
a b c d e f g h
Bc6! A precise and strong
move. Black bishop will be
placed excellently on e4; followed by some checks
defending and attacking at the and c3-c2 at the right
same time. 50.f5 ( 50.Bf6
a b c d e f g h
moment. ]
31.fxg4 Bd3 32.Kf2? Trying to
8 8
snatch the f4 pawn, but this loses
7 7 quickly.
6 6 [ In fact, White still had a way to
save the game, with an incredibly
5 5
strong resource: 32.Bc7!
4 4

3 3

2 2

1 1

a b c d e f g h

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 38

a b c d e f g h 37.Ke2 c3 38.Ba5 c2 39.Kd2 Kf7

8 8 40.Bc3 Be4 41.Bd4 Bxg2
42.Kxc2=; or 36...Kd7 37.Bb8 a6
7 7
38.Ke2= ) 37.Bxf4 The material
6 6 balance has been re-established,
5 5
but just as in the game, Black's
connected passed pawns are much
4 4 more potent than White's doubled
3 3 pawns. Here, however, White save
the game thanks to an important
2 2
tactical detail that will be revealed
1 1 soon: d4 38.Ke2 c4
a b c d e f g h
a b c d e f g h

Ke6 33.g5! It is crucial that White can 8 8

push this pawn all the way to g7 in 7 7
order to tie down Black bishop. Bxc4
34.g6 Bd3 35.g7 Bh7 36.Kf2 6 6

5 5
a b c d e f g h
4 4
8 8
3 3
7 7
2 2
6 6
1 1
5 5
a b c d e f g h
4 4

3 3
39.Bd2!= This move is the key!
2 2 Black can not move his pawns
1 1 forward because White can sacrifice
a b c d e f g h
the bishop and deflect Black's
bishop with g8Q, entering the drawn
and now it becomes clear why White endgame with the wrong-colored
did not have to go for the f4 pawn on bishop. Here are some variations for
the 32nd move. With the bishop on c7, illustration: Kd5 ( 39...c3 40.g8Q+!
the "x-ray" attacks it through the d6 Bxg8 41.Bxc3 dxc3 42.Kd3= )
pawn. Black has to play d5 40.Bb4 Kc6 41.g4 Kb5 42.g5 Ka4
( Otherwise, it is simply drawn: 36...c4 43.g6 Bg8 44.Kd2 Kb3

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 39

45.Bd6! c3+ 46.Kd3 c2 47.Bf4= ] 41.g6 d4 42.g7

a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

8 8 8 8

7 7 7 7

6 6 6 6

5 5 5 5

4 4 4 4

3 3 3 3

2 2 2 2

1 1 1 1

a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

32...Bxc4 33.Kf3 Ke6 34.Kxf4 d5

35.Bc7 A pretty useless move. Bb3-+ ]
[ Somewhat better was 35.g5 35...d4 36.Bb8 a6 37.Ke4 Ba2
although after Bd3 36.Ke3 Bg6 38.Kd3 Kd5-+
37.Bf6 Kd6 38.Bb2 Kc6 39.a4 Bc2 a b c d e f g h
a b c d e f g h
8 8
8 8
7 7
7 7
6 6
6 6
5 5
5 5
4 4
4 4
3 3
3 3
2 2
2 2
1 1
1 1 a b c d e f g h
a b c d e f g h

and the rest is a matter of technique.

the result would be the same. For Black just needs to make sure that
example: 40.Kd2 ( 40.g6 Bxg6 he does not allow white to give up
41.Kf4 Bc2 42.a5 Kb5 43.Ke5 Bb3 the bishop for two central pawns.
44.Bc3 Kc4 45.Bd2 d4-+; 40.a5 Kb5
41.Bc3 Kc4 42.Be5 a6-+ ) 40...Bxa4

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 40

39.Kc2 Kc6 40.Be5 Bf7 41.g5 Kd5 Finally, let us take a look at an
42.Bc7 Bg6+ 43.Kd2 c4 44.Ba5 instructive endgame from the game
Kc5 45.a4 between two ex-world champions:
a b c d e f g h Anand and Karpov. Karpov has been
8 8
recognized as one of the greatest
masters of opposite-colored bishops
7 7
endgames (a classic game of his that
6 6 comes to mind is an "impossible" win
5 5 against Kurajica with Black pieces). In
this game, he also demonstrated a
4 4
perfect technique. In Anand's defense,
3 3 the endgame was probably lost even
2 2 with the best defense. Black's outside
1 1
passed pawn on the a-file is a
a b c d e f g h
tremendous asset, but it is not enough
to win the game itself. Black is
Bh7! Zugzwang. Nice. 46.Bd8 c3+ planning to win the h5 pawn, which
47.Kc1 d3 and White resigned. would give him a potential to create
0-1 another passed pawn (second
weakness for White) on the other side
Anand,Viswanathan 2770 of the board. However, Anand did not
Karpov,Anatoly 2735 want to allow this and decided to
FIDE-Wch k.o. f (8.4) 06.01.1998 sacrifice the c-pawn instead: 39.c6
Grandmaster Ftacnik awarded this
a b c d e f g h move a question mark. Although it
8 8 does make Black's job easier, the
7 7
alternatives would probably not be
enough to hold the position anyway.
6 6
[ Firstly, 39.f4 a4 40.Bb2 Bxh5 41.c6
5 5 Be8 42.c7
4 4

3 3

2 2

1 1

a b c d e f g h

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 41

a b c d e f g h A) In case of 47.Bc1 Kg6 48.Ke3

8 8 Kh5 threatening to penetrate to g4.
7 7
49.Kf3
a b c d e f g h
6 6
8 8
5 5

4 4 7 7

3 3 6 6

2 2 5 5
1 1
4 4
a b c d e f g h
3 3

The point of this defense is that Black 2 2

bishop will be passive as it has to
1 1
control c8 square at all times. Bd7
43.Kf2 Kg6 44.Ba3 Bc8 45.Ke3 Kf7 a b c d e f g h
46.Kd4
Kh4! is very strong. 50.g3+
a b c d e f g h ( 50.Ba3 g4+ 51.Kf2 g3+ 52.Kf3
8 8 Bb7+ 53.Ke3 Kg4-+ and Black
7 7 wins by pushing his h-pawn. )
50...Kh5!
6 6

5 5 a b c d e f g h

4 4 8 8
3 3
7 7
2 2
6 6
1 1
5 5
a b c d e f g h
4 4
is given as "slightly better for Black"
by Ftacnik. In my opinion, this is an 3 3

inappropriate assessment for a type 2 2

of endgame that can be analyzed
almost until the end. I looked a bit 1 1

deeper and could not hold White's a b c d e f g h

position. Before sending his king to
the queenside, Black will create the
second weakness on the kingside After provoking g2-g3, black king
with: g5! retreats. White does not have the

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 42

g3 square for his king anymore, a b c d e f g h

so he has to allow 51.Ba3 Bb7+ 8 8
52.Ke3 Kg4-+;
7 7
B) It should also be noted that
White can not win black bishop 6 6

with 47.Kc5 Kg6 48.Kd6 5 5

because black pawns are 4 4
stronger: h5 49.Ke7 h4 50.fxg5
3 3
h3 51.gxh3 f4-+;
2 2
C) 47.g3 Bb7! Accurate.
1 1
( The immediate exchange 47...gxf4
a b c d e f g h
48.gxf4 opens up a corridor
for White king: Ke8 49.Bd6 Now, only after the second
Kd7 weakness has been created, Black
king approaches queenside: Ke8!
49.Ke2 ( White is too slow to block
a b c d e f g h black king in the center now:
8 8 49.Kd4 gxf4 50.gxf4 Kd7 51.Bd6
Kc6 52.Ke3 Kd5-+ ) 49...Kd7
7 7
C1) The other attempt is 50.fxg5
6 6 hxg5 51.Bc1
5 5 a b c d e f g h
8 8
4 4
7 7
3 3
6 6
2 2
5 5
1 1
4 4
a b c d e f g h
3 3

2 2
50.Ke3! and White draws by a 1 1
single tempo: Kc6 51.Kf2 Kd5 a b c d e f g h
52.Kg3 Kc4 53.Kh4 Kb3 54.Kh5
a3 55.Bc5 a2 56.Bd4 Kc4 However, it does not save White
57.Ba1 Kd5 58.Kxh6 Ke4 after Ba6+!
59.Kg5!= ) 48.Ke3 C1a) or 52.Kf2 Kxc7 53.Bxg5
Kc6 54.Be7 Kd5 55.Ke3
( 55.Bd6 Kc4 56.Ke1 Kb3-+ )
55...Kxe5-+ and Black should

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 43

gradually convert his 2 extra Bc8! An extremely strong

pawns.;
idea worth remembering. As
C1b) 52.Kd1 f4!
we explained in the previous
a b c d e f g h
issue, the bishop should be
8 8 placed on the diagonal on
7 7 which it simultaneously blocks
6 6
opponent's passed pawn(s)
and protects its own pawn(s).
5 5
( It would be wrong to play
4 4
55...fxg4? 56.Kxg4 a3
3 3 57.Bc5 a2 58.Bd4= followed
2 2
by Kh5, etc. ) 56.gxf5 exf5
57.Bxh6 a3-+ ]
1 1
[ The other, more flexible
a b c d e f g h
defensive possibility is 39.f3
A typical pawn breakthrough preparing g2-g4.
to create the second outside
passed pawn (as in Volkov-
A) It would be wrong not to take
Tomashevsky). 53.gxf4 the pawn. After 39...Kg8 40.g4
g4-+; fxg4 41.fxg4 a4 42.Bb2 Bc6
C2) 50.Bd6 Kc6 51.Ke3 Kd5 43.Kf2 Kf7 44.Ke3 Ke7 45.Kf2
52.Ba3 Kc4 Now White has the Kd7 46.Ke3 Bd5
last attempt to achieve a draw:
53.Bf8 Kb3 54.g4! but this is
a b c d e f g h
met with gxf4+ 55.Kxf4
8 8
a b c d e f g h
7 7
8 8
6 6
7 7
5 5
6 6
4 4
5 5
3 3
4 4
2 2
3 3
1 1
2 2
a b c d e f g h
1 1

a b c d e f g h

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 44

it might seem like Black is winning Bxc6

with Kc6-b5-c4, etc. since there is a b c d e f g h
a second weakness on the kingside
8 8
and White king can not leave f3
square. However, White is not the 7 7
only one with weaknesses, as the
6 6
next move shows: 47.Ba3!
White is ready to give up the c- 5 5
pawn at the right moment and pick
4 4
up kingside pawns with Bf8. Kc6
48.Ke2 Kb5 ( The alternative is 3 3
48...Bc4+ 49.Ke3 Bb5 50.Kd2 Bf1
2 2
51.Ke3 Bh3 in order to lure White
king as far away from a-pawn as 1 1
possible: 52.Kf4 Still, after Kd5 a b c d e f g h
a b c d e f g h

8 8
now White draws with 51.Kc2! Bf3
7 7 52.Bf8 Bxg4 53.Kb2 Bxh5
54.Bxg7 Kd5 55.Bxh6 Kxe5
6 6
and he can just give up his bishop
5 5 for the e-pawn.;
B) 39...Bxh5 40.c6 Be8 41.c7
4 4
Bd7
3 3 a b c d e f g h

2 2 8 8

1 1 7 7
a b c d e f g h
6 6

5 5
White is still in time with his idea:
4 4
53.c6! Kxc6 54.Bf8 Kb5
thanks to the well-known diagonal 3 3
movement of the king: 55.Ke3 Kc4
2 2
56.Kd2 Kb3 57.Kc1 a3 58.Kb1= )
49.Kd2! The king needs to stay 1 1
close to the a-pawn. ( It would be a a b c d e f g h
mistake to guard kingside pawns
with 49.Ke3 Kc4 as 50.c6
does not work now due to Bxc6 Here White has several defensive
51.Bf8 Kb3-+ ) 49...Kc4 50.c6 setups, but I do not think that any of

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 45

them can hold against the mix a b c d e f g h

of plans: Kg6-f7-e8-d7-c6
8 8
and g7-g5 (-f5-f4).
B1) 42.g3 takes away 7 7

penetration squares from 6 6

Black king, but it is not a stable
5 5
pawn structure. a4 43.Bc5
Kg6 44.Kf2 Kf7 45.Ke3 Bc8 4 4
46.Kd2 g5 47.Bd6 Bb7 3 3
48.Ke3 Ke8 49.Ke2
2 2

1 1

a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

8 8 Bc8-+ white is in zugzwang as

Black king breaks in.;
7 7
B2) 42.f4 would lead to variations
6 6 similar to analysis of 39. f4.;
B3) 42.Kf2 White does not touch
5 5
his kingside pawns and accepts
4 4 passive defense. 42...a4 43.Bc5
3 3 a b c d e f g h

8 8
2 2
7 7
1 1

a b c d e f g h 6 6

5 5
If white wants to keep his
4 4
pawns like this, his king will
remain passive. Kd7 50.Ke3 3 3
Kc6 and now after 51.g4 ( In 2 2
case of 51.f4 Kd5 52.Be7
gxf4+ 53.Kxf4 Kc4 54.g4 we 1 1

have the well-known motive a b c d e f g h

Bc8!-+ from 39.f4 line.; but now black can use Karpov's
51.Kd4 h5-+ ) 51...fxg4 idea from the game: f4!
52.fxg4 Kd5 53.Kd3 fixing white pawns on the light
squares, as well as isolating the
e5 pawn. This must be winning,
just going by intuition. The

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 46

following variation confirms it: a b c d e f g h

44.Ke2 Kg6 45.Kd2 Kf7 8 8

46.Ba3 Bc8 47.Kc3 ( Passive 7 7
defense
6 6
47.Bc5 Ke8 48.Bd6
5 5

a b c d e f g h 4 4

8 8 3 3

7 7 2 2

6 6 1 1

5 5 a b c d e f g h

4 4 h4! a strong move, preparing one

of the breaks on the kingside. The
3 3
game could continue 52.Bd2 Kf7
2 2 53.Kc3 Kg6 54.Kd3 Kh5 55.Bb4
1 1 a b c d e f g h

a b c d e f g h 8 8

7 7
fails to h5 49.Bc5 g5 50.Bd6 6 6
Kd7 51.Ke1 Bb7 52.Ke2 g4
5 5
53.Kf2 g3+ 54.Kf1 h4 55.Ke2
Ba6+ 56.Ke1 Kc8 57.Be7 4 4

Kxc7 58.Bxh4 a3-+ ) 47...Ke8 3 3

48.Kb4 The most active
2 2
defense, which prevents the
Black king from penetrating via 1 1

d7 and c6. However, it should a b c d e f g h

not be sufficient after Bd7 h3! The final breakthrough.

49.Bc1 g5 50.Bd2 h5 51.Bc1 56.gxh3 Kh4 57.Be7 Kxh3
58.Bxg5 Kg3 59.Ke4
and Black wins with Bc6+
60.Kd4 Bb7!-+ ]

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 47

39...Bxc6 40.f3 Kd5 51.Ke3!= with a drawing idea we

a b c d e f g h have already seen. ]
41.Bb2 Be8 42.Bc1
8 8

7 7 a b c d e f g h

6 6 8 8

5 5 7 7

4 4 6 6

3 3 5 5

2 2 4 4

1 1 3 3

a b c d e f g h 2 2

f4! Exellent judgement by Karpov. He 1 1

realizes that the exhange of f-pawn for a b c d e f g h
White's h-pawn will yield him a winning
endgame. a4! A precise intermezzo.
[ The alternative 40...Be8 41.g4 fxg4
42.fxg4 Ba4 43.Kg2 Bd1 44.Kg3 a4 [ The immediate 42...Bxh5?! 43.Bxf4
45.Bc5 Kg8 looks like it is winning, a4 44.Bc1 would put Black's winning
but after 46.Kh4 Kf7 47.Bd6 Ke8 chances in jeopardy as his passed
48.Kg3 Kd7 49.Kf4! pawn would be stopped on the fourth
rank. ]
a b c d e f g h

8 8
43.Bxf4 a3 44.Be3 Bxh5

7 7 a b c d e f g h

8 8
6 6
7 7
5 5
6 6
4 4
5 5
3 3
4 4
2 2
3 3
1 1

a b c d e f g h 2 2

1 1
it turns out that Black can not make
a b c d e f g h
progress as Kc6 is met by 50.Bf8

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 48

Black pawn will reach the second rank. a b c d e f g h

After that, Black will combine the 8 8
familiar idea of king's penetration with
7 7
the possibility of creating another
passed pawn on the kingside, which 6 6
would lure White king away from the 5 5
center. 45.Kf2
[ In case of the aggressive 45.g4 a2 4 4

46.Bd4 Be8 47.f4 3 3

2 2
a b c d e f g h

8 8 1 1
a b c d e f g h
7 7

6 6 and Black king breaks in. ]

48...h5 49.g4
5 5
[ Alternatives are no better: 49.Kg2 g5
4 4 50.Kf2 Kg6 51.Ke3 h4 52.Kf2
3 3 h3-+ ]
[ or 49.f4 Kg6 50.Ke3 Kf5 51.Bb2
2 2
Kg4 52.Kf2 h4 53.gxh4 Kxf4-+ ]
1 1 49...h4! and White resigned
a b c d e f g h
[ 49...h4 due to 50.f4
a b c d e f g h

black proceeds to create the h- 8 8

passer: g6! 48.Kf2 h5 49.Kg3 Ba4 7 7
50.Kh4 Kh6 51.Bc3 Bd1! 52.gxh5
6 6
gxh5-+ followed by king's march
toward the center. ] 5 5
45...Be8 46.Bd4 Bc6 47.Bc3 a2
4 4
48.g3
[ Completely passive defense: 48.Ke3 3 3
g5 49.Bd4 Kg6 50.Bc3 is broken 2 2
simply with: h5 51.Bb2 h4 52.Kf2
1 1
Kh5 53.Bc3 g4 54.fxg4+ Kxg4-+
a b c d e f g h

g5! The most convincing. 51.f5

( 51.fxg5 Kg6 52.Ba1 Kxg5-+ )
51...exf5 52.gxf5 g4-+ and Black's
connected passers are faster: 53.e6
g3+ 54.Ke3 h3 55.f6 g2 56.Kf2 h2
www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 49

opponent's king by moving diagonally,

rather than vertically or horizontally. 5.
a b c d e f g h
"Two-on-one" pawn breakthrough
8 8 sacrifice is a standard maneuver to create
a passed pawn and improve winning
7 7
chances. 6. In principle, the defender
6 6 should avoid putting his pawns on the
color of the opponent's bishop (there are
5 5 exceptions, sometimes). 7. Mutual
4 4
weaknesses and asymmetrical pawn
structure usually favor the stronger side.
3 3 8. When the stronger side has a passed
pawn on rook's file and a wrong-colored
2 2
bishop, the defender should look for a
1 1 way to get his king in the square of that
a b c d e f g h
pawn and try to liquidate into a B + 2p vs
B endgame, which is drawn because the
and Black promote on the next move. bishop can always be sacrificed for the
We have just scratched the surface of second pawn. ]
this interesting and practically important 0-1
type of endgame. I hope that the
analysis provided in the last two issues Exercise 1
of Endgame Series will be useful in Anand - Karpov
improvement of your understanding of a b c d e f g h
opposite-colored bishops endgames, 8 8
and endgames in general. In addition, I
would encourage you to solve practice 7 7
exercises below. As usual, we will make
6 6
several conclusions and rules of thumb,
based on the presented material. They 5 5
could guide you when you get such
4 4
endgames in your own practice.
Conclusions: 1. King's penetration is a 3 3
crucial strategy for the stronger side and
for that purpose he has to be ready to 2 2

sacrifice pawns or even the bishop. 2. It 1 1

is often difficult to win based on one a b c d e f g h
weakness only (such as an outside
passed pawn), so it may be necessary In a drawn position Anand played 70.Kf4
to create the second weakness, usually Bxh4 71.Bf5 with an apparent draw due
on the opposite flank. 3. Defender's
to the wrong-colored bishop. Was his
chances increase if his bishop can block
calculation correct? Black to move.
two passed pawns on a single diagonal.
4. Defender's chances improve if his Find the answer in the PGN and website
king can prevent penetration of versions of Modern Chess Magazine.
www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 50

Exercise 2 Exercise 4
Tomashevsky - Franco Alonso Martinovic - Stevic

a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

8 8 8 8

7 7 7 7

6 6 6 6

5 5 5 5

4 4 4 4

3 3 3 3

2 2 2 2

1 1 1 1

a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

White to move and win. White to move and draw?

Find the answer in the PGN and website Find the answer in the PGN and website
versions of Modern Chess Magazine. versions of Modern Chess Magazine.

Exercise 3
Exercise 5
Lampert - Kasimdzhanov
A. Cheron
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h
8 8 8 8

7 7 7 7

6 6 6 6

5 5 5 5

4 4 4 4

3 3 3 3

2 2 2 2

1 1 1 1
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

White to move and draw. White to move and win.

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 51

Though a pretty common practice

Brilliant Missed perpetual check has occasionally been
Opportunities. overlooked, in the heat of the battle,
Overlooking Perpetual even by experienced masters and
grandmasters. Players. Here we
Check present 14 a selection of competitive
episodes in which brilliant opportunities
to employ a perpetual check were
missed. It's your task to improve on the
masters! White, presumably in horrible
time pressure, continued here:

Braun,Arik 2475
Siebrecht,Sebastian 2487
Introduction + Question 1

Move repetition is a common fashion of a b c d e f g h

positional draw, preventing the stronger 8 8

side from converting his material or
7 7
evident positional advantage. Perpetual
check is a particular case of a positional 6 6
draw. The enemy king is chased by
5 5
repeating checks from which he can find
no hiding. The most frequent piece to 4 4
inflict perpetual check is naturally the
3 3
stronger one, the queen, as capable of
covering, often on her own, a large part of 2 2
the board. Nevertheless, the other
1 1
pieces, except for the King and the pawn,
a b c d e f g h
have also starred in numerous
combinations ending up in perpetual
check. The perpetual check is a common 38...Qb5+?? 39.Kf3 Qxb1 40.Rd8#
defensive device that may be seen in two In fact he had a narrow tactical
main forms: The much more common
escape which most of you would
direct chase of the enemy king or
probably not have missed. Do you
alternatively the less common and more
see it?
sophisticated one: Forcing the opponent
to settle for a perpetual check as the only 1-0
defence against one's threat(s). .
www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 52

Shirov,Alexei 2580 Steinitz,William

Spraggett,Kevin 2540 Janowski,Dawid Markelowicz
Question 2 Question 3
a b c d e f g h

8 8
a b c d e f g h
7 7
8 8
6 6
7 7
5 5
6 6
4 4
5 5 3 3

4 4 2 2

3 3 1 1
a b c d e f g h
2 2
The first world champion was already
1 1
far from his peak. In the following
a b c d e f g h position, he saw a check: 42.Rxh6+
just to find out that after 42...Kg7
[ 42...Kg8 is equally good ) ]
White has created an immediate mating 43.Rh7+ Kf8 44.fxe5 Qc1+ 45.Qd2
threat against which black comes up Rb3+ 46.Bd3 Nf5+ 47.Ke2 Rb2
with the most direct defence. 33...Rh4? It's game over. What did he miss?
The black king is exposed to deadly 0-1
threats on more than one open file:
34.Rf2+ Ke8 35.Qf1 Rf4 36.Rxf4 Burn,Amos
Bxf4 37.Qb5+ Kf8 38.Rf7+ Kg8 Chajes,Oscar
39.Rg7+ Kf8 40.Rf7+ Kg8 41.Rxf4 Question 4
The time pressure is over and Black, a a b c d e f g h
piece down and no counterplay 8 8
whatsoever
7 7
threw in the towel. Can you improve on
the Canadian grandmaster? 6 6
1-0 5 5

4 4

3 3

2 2

1 1
a b c d e f g h

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 53

In this rare ending of 4 queens black Torbin,Kirill 2337

tried to hold by 88...Qa3+? 89.Qdf3 Yevseev,Denis 2540
Qh1+ 90.Kg3 Qd6+ 91.Qe5 Qe1+ Question 6
92.Kh3 but now had to settle for queen
exchanges and as expected eventually
lost. Could you suggest him a more
promising saving option? a b c d e f g h
1-0
8 8

7 7

Henrichs,Thomas 2463 6 6
Op den Dries,Johan 2118
5 5
Question 5
4 4
a b c d e f g h
3 3
8 8
2 2
7 7
1 1
6 6
a b c d e f g h
5 5

4 4
White, materially far behind, tries to
3 3 take advantage of Black's weakened
2 2 kingside's pawn formation. The game
continued: 27.Qf4? Qe6 28.d5 cxd5
1 1
29.Bxd5 Qb6+ 30.Kh1 Bh3 31.Bxa8
a b c d e f g h
Bxf1 32.Be4 Bh3 33.Qh4 Qe6 White's
efforts meet a dead end, and he
The knight pair seems helpless against resigned. Was it indeed his best
the advanced passed pawn. Black went defensive attempt?
for the natural 38...Nf2+ 39.Kg2 Ne4
0-1
40.c7 Nd6 but had to lay his arms
following 41.Rb8+ Kf7 42.Rd8
Was the situation indeed that hopeless?
1-0

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 54

Leko,Peter 2707 Black faces a double lethal threat: mate

Krasenkow,Michal 2641 or pawn promotion. Black went for the
Question 7 tricky pin: 36...Qe4 37.Bxg6
a b c d e f g h [ Attention! Not 37.e8Q? g5+ 38.Kg4
8 8 Nf2# ]
7 7 37...Qd4 38.e8Q Bf6+ 39.Kg4 Ne5+
6 6 40.Qxe5 Qd1+ 41.Kf5 Black resigned.
Could you spot a better saving chance
5 5
for him?
4 4 1-0
3 3

2 2
Gagunashvili,Merab 2580
1 1 Zelcic,Robert 2540
a b c d e f g h Question 9
The attacked knight should choose its
flight 34...Nc2? The wrong choice. a b c d e f g h

35.Bc4+- Ne3 8 8
[ Or 35...Nd4 36.Nd8! h6 ( 36...Bxc4
7 7
37.Qxc4+ Kh8 ) 37.Nxe6 Nxe6
38.c7! ] 6 6
36.Bxe6+ Qxe6 37.Qf4 h6 38.Nc5
5 5
Qe8 39.Nd3 Kh7 40.c7 Qe6 41.Qe5
Qc6 4 4
1-0
3 3

Sagalchik,Gennadij 2 2
Kovalev,Andrei
Question 8 1 1

a b c d e f g h
a b c d e f g h
8 8
White is materially in an inferior position,
7 7
and his continuous attempts to trouble
6 6 the black king led him to a lost position
5 5 even if he eventually miraculously was
saved. 38.Qg3+ Kc6 39.Rh7 a3
4 4
40.Qd3 Qb6 41.Qc2+ Qc5 42.Qd2
3 3 Ra7 43.Rxa7 Qxa7 Black has obtained
2 2 an overwhelming advantage but later
spoiled it into a drawing fortress position
1 1
of a rook & 2 pawns vs. a queen and & a
a b c d e f g h

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 55

pawn drawing on move 103. How could 46.Ra6 Rb7 47.Kf1 Can you propose
white save a lot of suffering and force a Black a more active defensive resource
draw in the first place? . in the initial difficult position?
1/2 1-0

Ivanchuk,Vassily 2757 Hamdouchi,Hicham 2588

Kramnik,Vladimir 2810 Tiviakov,Sergei 2600
Question 10 Question 11

a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

8 8 8 8

7 7 7 7

6 6 6 6

5 5 5 5

4 4 4 4

3 3 3 3

2 2 2 2

1 1 1 1

a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

The former world champion, a pawn down White, an exchange down, seeks
and positionally inferior rushed to protect counterplay against the enemy king by
another attacked pawn but after an intuitive sacrifice. 26.Rxh5+? gxh5
35...Rc8? 36.Rh1+- He is clearly worse. Several lines are open to allow white
With a pair of bishops, superior rooks and attacking chances, however, those lines
space advantage on both sides of the are open against his own king too.
board his opponent won the game in a 27.Qe4+ Kg8
dozen or more moves. And yet in the [ Natually not 27...Kh8?? 28.Qxf4
diagrammed position black could actively Qc6+ 29.Kg1 Qe4 30.Qxe4 Rg8
impose a forced draw! How? 36...Rc7 31.Qxb7 Rxg4+ 32.Kf2 Rf8 33.Qe7
37.Bxe6 Rxe6 38.b5! Rb7 Kg8 34.b3 And white should win. ]
39.b6 c5 40.Rb1 Bf8 41.Qd5! Qb8 28.Ne3
42.Rba1! Rd6 43.Ra8 Rxd5 44.Rxb8 [ Or 28.Qxf4 Qc6+ 29.Kg1 Qc5+
Rxb8 45.exd5 Bd6 30.Kf1 Ra5-+ And black 's kingside is
[ 45...Rxb6 loses to 46.Ra8 Kg7 under good control. ]
47.Rxf8 Kxf8 48.Bxc5++- ]

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 56

28...Qxb2 Palac,Mladen 2495

[ The last hope 28...Qxe3? 29.Qg2+ Afek,Yochanan 2325
has faded away. What did white Question 13
wrong? How could improve on his
own idea to save his day? ] a b c d e f g h

0-1 8 8

7 7

Barczay,Laszlo 2415 6 6
Pokojowczyk,Jerzy 2390
5 5
Question 12
4 4
a b c d e f g h
3 3
8 8
2 2
7 7
1 1
6 6
a b c d e f g h
5 5

4 4 To conclude with here are 2 brilliant

3 3 opportunities to force a superior
2 2
opponent to inflict his own perpetual
check. Sadly they were both missed
1 1
in the moment of truth and yet I find
a b c d e f g h
them original and instructive. White's
Black last move 23...f6!! has shocked last move 30.Bxg5 threatens the
white to such extent that he fell for the terminating 31.Rh8+! Bxh8 32.Bh6+
trap replying 24.Rd1?? g5+ 25.Kg4 etc. Horrified I delivered a desperate
h5+! 26.Kxh5 Qh7+ 27.Kg4 fxe5!
check 30...Rd1+?? 31.Rxd1 Qc7
This "quiet" move opens up the last key
file to avoid any king flight. 28.g3 32.Bh6 Bxh6 33.Qxh6+ Facing a
[ No defence against the multiple mate mate in a few more moves I resigned
threats, for instance 28.Bf2 Rf4+ here blowing away an IM norm I
29.Kxg5 Rf5+ 30.Kg4 Qh5+ 31.Kg3 would have gained if I drew this last
Rg5# ] round game. Could I force that draw
28...Qf5+ 29.Kh5 Qh3+ 30.Kg6 Qh7+ had I not panicked in the initial
[ White resigned, or else it's mate in
two. 30...Qh7+ 31.Kxg5 Rf5+
position?
32.Kg4 Qh5# How should have 1-0
white done better? ]
0-1
www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 57

Giri,Anish 2523 Braun,Arik 2475

Afek,Yochanan 2294 Siebrecht,Sebastian 2487
Question 14 Test 1
a b c d e f g h
a b c d e f g h
8 8
8 8
7 7
7 7
6 6
6 6
5 5
5 5
4 4
4 4
3 3
3 3
2 2
2 2
1 1
1 1
a b c d e f g h
a b c d e f g h
Can you find how Black could save the
To conclude this test here is the game? 38...Re1+!! 39.Kxe1 Qxb1+
40.Rd1 Qe4+ 41.Kd2 Qd4+
critical position from my game against
forces perpetual check on the entire
the would be Netherland's No.1 player. lower half of the board.
White's last move was 28. f5 and I saw 1-0
no better than the unfortunate retreat:
28...Bh7??after which I could not
Shirov,Alexei 2580
recover and even was mated in just 10 Spraggett,Kevin 2540
more moves: Test 2
29.Qf4 Qxf4+ 30.Nxf4 Nd7 31.Nce2 a b c d e f g h
Nxe2 32.Bxe2 Rb8 33.g4 f6 34.g5 8 8
fxg5 35.Ne6+ Kf7 36.Rh1 Bg8
7 7
37.Rh6 b5 (?) Resignation was
stronger, but that is how one surrender 6 6

in the Netherlands sometimes. 5 5

38.Bh5# Not a very pleasant
4 4
experience especially in view of the
incredible alternative which was left 3 3

behind the scenes. Would you look out 2 2

for it ? 1 1
1-0 a b c d e f g h

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 58

Can you find how Black could save the Burn,Amos

game? 33...Ra2+! The Canadian GM Chajes,Oscar
overlooked this 34.Kxa2 Qa6+ 35.Kb2 Test 4
Qb5+ where the white king cannot
escape the annoying checks since
moving to the back rank would be met by a b c d e f g h
Rf1+ for instance: 36.Kc2 Qa4+ 37.Kb1 8 8
Qb5+! 38.Ka2 Qa6+! etc.
7 7
1-0
6 6

5 5
Steinitz,William
Janowski,Dawid Markelowicz 4 4

Test 3 3 3

a b c d e f g h 2 2

8 8 1 1

a b c d e f g h
7 7

6 6

5 5 Can you find how Black could

4 4
save the game? 88...Qc3+!
89.Qdf3
3 3
[ 89.Qef3? would be the wrong
2 2 piece to the right square owing to:
1 1 Qh1+ 90.Kg3 Qce1+ 91.Qf2 Qh4
a b c d e f g h + 92.Kf3 Qhxf2# ]
89...Qh1+ 90.Kg3 Qg1+
Can you find how White should continue? 91.Kh3 Qh1+ and black draws
4.fxe5!! This was the correct order of despite his evident material
moves. Now the square c1 is temporarily
covered! 42...Rb3 43.Rxh6+! Kg7
inferiority.
44.Rh7+ Kf8 45.Rh8+ Ke7 46.Rh7+ 1-0
Ke6 47.Rh6+
It's perpetual check as by now
47...Kxe5?? is met by 48.f4#!
0-1

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 59

Henrichs,Thomas 2463 Torbin,Kirill 2337

Op den Dries,Johan 2118 Yevseev,Denis 2540
Test 5 Test 6

a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

8 8 8 8

7 7 7 7

6 6 6 6

5 5 5 5

4 4 4 4

3 3 3 3

2 2 2 2

1 1 1 1

a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

Can you find how Black could save the 27.Bf8!! The amazing move does the
game? 38...Ne3! The only way to trick thanks to the threat 28. Qh6
insert harmony in the knight pair 39.c7 mating. 27...Rxf8
[ Or 39.Kg1 Nd5 40.c7 Nxc7 [ The only move to avoid losing:
41.Rb8+ Kf7 42.Rb7 Ke6 27...Rxe4 still fails to 28.Qh6
43.Rxc7 a5 44.Rc4 Nb2 45.Rc5 Rxf8 29.Qxf8# ]
Kd6 28.Qh6 f5 29.Qf6+ Kg8 30.Qg5
46.Rxa5 Kc6 47.Kf2 Kb6 48.Ra8 + Mission accomplished!
Kb7 Posiional draw! ] 0-1
39...Nf2+ 40.Kg1 Nh3+ 41.Kh1 Nf2
+ with perpetual check
1-0

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 60

Leko,Peter 2707 Sagalchik,Gennadij

Krasenkow,Michal 2641 Kovalev,Andrei 2400
Test 7 Test 8

a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

8 8 8 8

7 7 7 7

6 6 6 6

5 5 5 5

4 4 4 4

3 3 3 3

2 2 2 2

1 1 1 1

a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

The only way to save the day is Can you find how Black could save the
sacrificial 34...Nxg2!! 35.Kxg2 Bd5+ game? 36...Nxf4!! 37.Qxf4+ Kh7
36.Bf3 38.Bxg6+!
[ Black is not worse after 36.Kf2 [ 38.Qf7 Qe4+ 39.Bg4 d4
Bxc6 with a double threat on both 40.e8Q ( The alternative 40.Qe6
knight and White's last pawn. ] Qxe6
36...Qg5+ 37.Kf2 Bxf3 38.Kxf3 41.Bxe6 Bf6+ 42.Kg4 Bxe7 even
Qf5+ with perpetual check: 39.Ke2 leaves black with a pawn up. )
Qe5+ 40.Kd2 Qb2+ 41.Ke3 Qe5+= 40...Qxe8 41.Qxe8 Bf6# ]
1-0 38...Kxg6 39.Qg5+ Kf7 40.Qxd5+
Kxe7 41.Qxc5+ Kf7 42.Qh5+!
with a variety of repeated checks
along the fifth rank!
1-0

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 61

Gagunashvili,Merab 2580 Ivanchuk,Vassily 2757

Zelcic,Robert 2540 Kramnik,Vladimir 2810
Test 9 Test 10

a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

8 8 8 8

7 7 7 7

6 6 6 6

5 5 5 5

4 4 4 4

3 3 3 3

2 2 2 2

1 1 1 1

a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

Can you find how White could force a Try to find how Black could save the
draw? 38.Rxd5+! White could force game? 35...Rxa6! Kramnik could
the draw with no need for any miracles have forced a marvelous draw
by 38...Kxd5 36.Rxa6 Nf4+!! 37.Bxf4 exf4
[ The alternative is: 38...Rxd5 38.Bxf7+ Kh8!
39.Ra6+ Ke7 40.Ra7+ Rd7 41.Qh7 39.Qd3!
+ Kd6 42.Qd3+ Ke7 43.Qh7+ [ The careless 39.Bxe8?? Qd2+
with perpetual check. ] is even winning for Black:
39.Qg5+!! Deflecting the queen to the 40.Kf1 Bd4 ]
fifth rank 39...Qxg5 to allow the skewer 39...Qxh4! 40.Bxe8 Qg3+
40.Rxa5+ And White draws a few 41.Kf1 Qh3+ with perpetual
moves later without too much trouble. check.
1/2 1-0

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 62

Hamdouchi,Hicham 2588 How White could save the game?

Tiviakov,Sergei 2600 24.exf6! is the correct move 24...Qxd4+
Test 11 25.Kg3 and black has no better than
a b c d e f g h repeating checks by, for example,
8 8
25...Qe5+ 26.Kh3 Qh5+ etc.
0-1
7 7

6 6 Palac,Mladen 2495
5 5
Afek,Yochanan 2325
Test 13
4 4

3 3 a b c d e f g h

2 2 8 8

1 1 7 7
a b c d e f g h
6 6

Can you find how White could save the 5 5

game? 26.Ne5!! The more subtle way to
4 4
carry out the rook sacrifice is to introduce
it by the preliminary quiet sacrifice 3 3
26...dxe5 27.Rxh5+! Kg8 28.Qg5
2 2
forcing black to his own perpetual check
against white's threat of mate in three. 1 1
0-1 a b c d e f g h

Barczay,Laszlo 2415 Can you find how Black could save the
Pokojowczyk,Jerzy 2390 game? 30...Rd6! Had I not panicked in
Test 12 view of the threat I might have noticed
a b c d e f g h this saviour. Persuading White to force
8 8 a perpetual check by: 31.Rh8+ Bxh8
32.Bh6+ Bg7 33.Bxg7+
7 7
[ 33.Qxg7+ Obviously leads the black
6 6 king to safety.following Ke8 34.Qg8+
5 5 Kd7-+ ]
33...Kg8 34.Bf6+ Kf8 35.Bg7+ Kg8
4 4
Positional draw by repeated checks!
3 3 1-0
2 2

1 1
a b c d e f g h

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 63

Giri,Anish 2523 Missing it may be minimized by

Afek,Yochanan 2294 adopting the regular practice
Test 14 + Conclusion
which might be applied to all
tactics: A constant scan of all
forced elements in the position
a b c d e f g h notably captures in general and
8 8 exchanges in particular, attacking
7 7 enemy pieces and checking his
king in particular. Scanning and
6 6
then calculating candidate
5 5 options. ]
4 4 1-0
3 3

2 2

1 1

a b c d e f g h

Can you find how Black could save the

game? 28...Bxf5!! I could have forced
the next brilliant positional draw
29.exf5 Rxd5!! The deadly threat
30...Rxf5+ forces white's response:
30.Qh6+
[ Since 30.Nxd5? loses to Ne4+ ]
30...Kg8 31.Qg5+
[ And now 31.Nxd5? is met by Ne4
+ 32.Ke3 Nxf5+ ]
31...Kf8 32.Qh6+ Draw.
[ Again! 32.Nxd5? Ne4+ Positional
draw is owing to 3 different forks.
What a shame to miss such a
wonder! Conclusion: Perpetual
check is one of the basic tactical
motives and thus also a highly
common defensive weapon.

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 64

Understand the French structures. For illustrating how the minor

differences change the evaluation from
Isolani close to losing to equal I have chosen
two games played between the same
players featuring the same material. The
first game became a classical model of
how to exploit the relative weakness of
the Isolani.

Kortschnoj,Viktor
Karpov,Anatoly
a b c d e f g h

8 8

7 7

The French Isolani is one of the 6 6

structures that have intrigued me most 5 5

since my early teenage years back in the
4 4
'70s. I used to play 1.e4 and meet the
French with 3.Nd2, when 3...c5 4. exd5 3 3
exd5 frequently gave me headaches and
2 2
had Kortschnoj, a specialist of this line,
as my greatest hero. Later, when I 1 1
switched to 1.d4 I found the Queen's a b c d e f g h
Gambit Isolani much easier to play
against. Since I never again switched Caught by surprise in the opening,
back to 1.e4, I did not ask myself Kortschnoj allowed (actually even
whether this was due to my already provoked) the exchange of almost all
better strategic skills or to specific the minor pieces, which is precisely
differences between the two similar what the player with an Isolani should
structures. At the moment of writing avoid. The next move, considered by
these lines, I believe that, while the Karpov a mistake, completed this
former may have played a part, the latter unfavourable process, but as shown
is doubtlessly true. Since the French below it was hard to give Black a good
Isolani structure is an important part of advice already. 27.Bxd5
the repertoire I built up in the theoretical [ Karpov recommends 27.a3,
databases, I find it useful to prove that preventing Black from winning a pawn
even when things go relatively badly for with ...Nb4. But Kortschnoj probably
Black, his Isolani is safer than in the felt that this would doom thed-pawn
closely related Queen's Gambit quicker than in the game:
www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 65

Ne7 28.Ba2 Nc6 29.d5 Ne5 it makes some sense to play in this
30.Re3 The rook needs to defend f3, way because Black would at least
thus the abandoning of the defence of weaken his king a bit, too, offering
the d-pawn. By the way, had White White some practical surviving
played 28.Kg2 instead of 28.Ba2, chances. ]
30.Rd4 would still not have been 28...Qc6 29.Qc3 Qd7 30.f4
possible in the current position as the White cannot do without this move,
bishop would be hanging. Ng4 which seriously weakens the king.
31.Rd3 Nf6 Black wins the d-pawn. ] 30...b6!? Very typical for Karpov. He
tries to avoid any shadow of white
a b c d e f g h counterplay.
8 8
[ Of course, 30...f6 would have won
the pawn soon, but Karpov prefers to
7 7 refrain from such weakening moves. ]
6 6 31.Rb4
a b c d e f g h
5 5
8 8
4 4
7 7
3 3
6 6
2 2
5 5
1 1
4 4
a b c d e f g h
3 3
27...Rxd5 This is the dream position 2 2
when playing against the Isolani. All
minor pieces are off the board offering 1 1

the major pieces the comfort of pinning a b c d e f g h

and attacking the weak pawn at the b5! Continuing the same policy, but this
same time. The aspect referring to the time also objectively the best move.
pin is essential because Black has the [ The point is that after 31...f6?!
permanent threat of ...e6-e5. 28.Rb3 32.Rc4! White's counterplay might
Kortschnoj tries to distract Black's become real. ]
attention from the weak pawn by a 32.a4 Kortschnoj tries to maintain the
queenside diversion. actual setup.
[ White could have kept the actual [ The alternative was 32.Qd2 a5
piece placement with 28.f4, 33.Rb3 b4 34.Rd3 f6 With respect
preventing ...e6-e5. Although this is to the similar lines above, Black has
only a temporary solution in view of made considerable queenside
Qd6 29.Kg2 Qd7 30.Kg1 f6, progress, which may count in a rook
ending with an extra pawn. ]
www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 66

32...bxa4 33.Qa3 a5 34.Rxa4 Qb5 Rad8 19.Rad1 Rd7 20.Nf5 Nxf5

35.Rd2 21.Qxf5 Rfd8 22.Re3 g6 23.Qf3 Bf8
24.Red3 Qc6
a b c d e f g h
a b c d e f g h
8 8
8 8
7 7
7 7
6 6
6 6
5 5
5 5
4 4
4 4
3 3
3 3
2 2
2 2
1 1
1 1
a b c d e f g h
a b c d e f g h
White seems to have defended, but his
coordination is awful, allowing Black to
start an attack without inserting ...f7-f6.
We have an identical material situation
35...e5! 36.fxe5 Rxe5 37.Qa1 Qe8! as in the previous game. The only
important difference is that White has a
Black has decisive threats against the
weakened king and won quickly: pawn on c3 instead of e3. This implies a
38.dxe5 Rxd2 39.Rxa5 Qc6 40.Ra8+ series of consequences: First of all,
Kh7 41.Qb1+ g6 42.Qf1 Qc5+ after the desirable minor piece exchange
43.Kh1 Qd5+ Time has come to compare the Isolani undermining plan will be
based on c3-c4. This allows Black to
with a very similar game, played during the
first official match between the samedefend with ...b7-b5 which, unlike ...f7-
players, in which Kortschnoj had no f5 (similar to f2-f4 in the previous game)
does not weaken the king. Secondly, the
problems defending his French Isolani.
0-1 e-file is open, meaning that Black could
get counterplay closer to the enemy
Karpov,Anatoly king (unlike his hypothetical play along
Kortschnoj,Viktor the c-file). Besides, a similar rook lift to
Moscow (m/18) 1974 the fifth rank with Rb4 above would be
safer, as White would hardly consider
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 weakening his king with f2-f4. Finally,
exd5 5.Ngf3 Nc6 6.Bb5 Bd6 7.0-0 after a2-a3 provoked by Black's next
Nge7 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.Nb3 Bd6 move, the queenside weakening will be
10.Bg5 0-0 11.Re1 Qc7 12.c3 Bg4 more significant than with the pawn on
13.h3 Bh5 14.Be2 h6 15.Bxe7 Nxe7 e3. 25.Nd4 Qa4 26.a3 h5 27.R1d2
16.Nfd4 Bxe2 17.Qxe2 a6 18.Qf3 Bh6 With the actual material, we notice

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 67

a further positive aspect: the bishop can tension.; 31...Rbd6?! 32.Nb3

fight against the major pieces' tripling on planning Nc5 leads to a position
the d-file. In the Queen's Gambit Isolani where the absence of the queen can
structure this would not be available. be felt. If on the board, she could
28.Qd1 defend both d5 and b7 from c6. After
[ In view of the next comment, 28.Re2 the suggested move, White cannot
may be more consistent, even though approach with his king and has no
White would have to work harder to effective plan against the Isolani as c3
reach the game position without minor is also weak. ) 32.Nb3 ( 32.Ne2
pieces: Qc4 29.Rd1 Bg7 30.g3 b5 runs into Rbe6; Or if 32.h4 Bg7
31.h4 ] 33.Ne2 Rc6 the mutual weaknesses
compensate for each other. ) 32...Rc8
a b c d e f g h 33.h4 Bf8 34.Na5 Rc7 35.g3 Re6 ]
8 8 29.Re2 Qc7 30.Nc2 b5
Taking measures against White's
7 7
thematic c3-c4. 31.Ne3
6 6 [ White does not achieve much with
31.Nb4 trying to prove the knight's
5 5
superiority over the bishop. Qb7
4 4 32.Re5 Otherwise .. .a6-a5. d4!
( But now 32...a5? is met with
3 3
33.Rexd5! ) 33.cxd4 Bg7
2 2 with preferable play already. We can
1 1
notice that the bishop is very active,
actually. ]
a b c d e f g h
31...Qc5 32.Red2
28...Qc4 a b c d e f g h
[ Botvinnik evaluates the position after
8 8
28...Qxd1+ 29.Rxd1 as slightly better
for White. But actually exchanging 7 7
major pieces is part of Black's
6 6
defensive plan. The following analysis
suggests the position is just equal. 5 5
Rd6 30.Kf1 Rb6 31.b4
4 4
( Another effect of the bishop's activity
as there is no other reasonable way 3 3
of defending b2. 31.Rb1 2 2
is too passive, of course. ) 31...Re8!?
( 31...a5 is premature due to 32.Nb3 1 1
axb4 33.cxb4!? keeping some a b c d e f g h

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 68

Black cannot avoid the minor pieces' a b c d e f g h

exchange anymore. 32...Bxe3 8 8
33.Rxe3 Re7! Kortschnoj chooses a 7 7
similar plan as in the previous 6 6
example, intending to place one rook
5 5
on the fifth rank. This is the most
effective method now, as the e-file is 4 4

closer to the enemy king. 3 3

2 2
[ 33...d4? would lose a pawn to
34.Red3± ] 1 1
a b c d e f g h
[ But it is instructive to check what
would happen if Black defends 34.Rxe7
[ 34.Red3 Re5 does not pose
passively as in some cases he
problems either: 35.g3 ( Only not
might not be in time to fight for the 35.h4? Qe7 attacking h4 and
e-file: 33...Kg7 34.g3 Rd6!? threatening ...Re1+. ) 35...Qe7 36.Kg2
35.Red3 Kg7 37.Rd4 Qe6 38.h4 Rd7 39.a4
( The point behind Black's previous Rd8 40.axb5 axb5 41.b3 Rc8!
move is revealed after 35.h4 d4! 42.R2d3 ( 42.Rxd5 Rxc3=
36.Red3 dxc3 37.Rxd6 Rxd6 is drawish. ) 42...Rd8!? 43.c4
( What else? If 43.Qf3 Re4=
38.Rxd6 c2= In this line it is essential or 43...Rf5 and else Black could think
that the d6-rook is hanging. This of using the e-file with ...Re1 and if
tactical operation would not work with Qf3 then ...Re4. ) 43...bxc4 44.bxc4
the rook on d7. ) 35...R8d7 36.Rd4 dxc4= with an obvious draw. ]
Qc6 37.h4 Qc5 38.a4 This reduces 34...Qxe7 35.g3
the number of queenside pawns and [ In the QG Isolani structure 35.Rxd5
would win a pawn but here Rxd5
Black's worries in general, but
36.Qxd5 Qe1+! 37.Kh2 Qxf2=
otherwise b2-b3 would not be retrieves it at once. ]
possible. Qc6 39.axb5 axb5 35...Qe6 36.h4 Kg7 37.Kg2 Qe4+
40.R2d3 Qc5 41.Qd2 ( 41.b3 Re6! 38.Kh2 Qf5 39.Kg2 Qe4+ 40.Qf3=
possibly followed by ...Qe7 would [ Botvinnik recommends 40.Kg1!giving
the following line: Qe6 41.Rd4 Qc6
allow Kortschnoj's game regrouping. ) 42.Qd2 Rd7 43.a4 Rd8
41...Qc6 42.b3 Ra7 43.Rxd5 ( 43...bxa4 44.c4 ) 44.axb5 axb5
( White also needs to be careful. 45.b3 Rc8 46.Rxd5 Qxc3 47.Qxc3+
If 43.c4? Ra1+ 44.Kh2 dxc4-+ ) Rxc3 48.Rxb5 ]
[ 40.Kg1 But Black can avoid reaching
43...Ra1+ 44.Kh2 Rf1 45.Kg2 this worse (even though most likely
Rc1!= ] drawn) ending with: Re8! 41.Rxd5
www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 69

( 41.Kh2 Re5= consolidates the Suetin,Alexey S 2400

pawn avoiding any further pin. ) Uhlmann,Wolfgang 2525
41...Qe1+ Once again we notice that Barcza mem Debrecen (4) 1987
the control of the e-file is very useful.
The control over the open e-file can be
42.Qxe1 ( 42.Kg2 Qxd1 43.Rxd1 useful not only for defensive or
Re2 44.Rb1 Rc2= does not offer counterattacking purposes as in the
White any winning chances either. ) previous example but also for launching
42...Rxe1+ 43.Kg2 Re2 44.Rd6 the own initiative. Here is an illustrative
( 44.b4 Ra2= ) 44...Rxb2 45.Rxa6 example of another great classical
Rb3= expert of this structure: 1.e4 e6 2.d4
d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.Ngf3 Nc6 5.exd5
with an obvious draw. ]
exd5 6.Bb5 Bd6 7.0-0 Nge7 8.dxc5
40...Qxf3+ 41.Kxf3 Kf6 42.Kf4 Bxc5 9.Nb3 Bd6 10.Bg5 0-0 11.Re1
Re8! Bg4 A typical way of starting the fight
[ 42...Re8 The simplest. In view of against the blockade on d4. 12.Be2
43.Rxd5 Re2 44.Rd6+ Ke7 45.Rxa6 a b c d e f g h
Rxf2+ 46.Ke3 Rxb2= the players 8 8
agreed to a draw. ]
7 7

a b c d e f g h 6 6

8 8 5 5

7 7 4 4

6 6 3 3

5 5 2 2

4 4 1 1

3 3 a b c d e f g h

2 2
Re8 To non-specialists this may look
1 1 mysterious, as for the time being the
a b c d e f g h knight blocks the e-file. But Black has
several possible plans for his knight,
depending on the ulterior course of the
1/2 game so starting with the game move is
the most flexible move order. 13.Nfd4
Bxe2 14.Rxe2 h6 15.Bh4 Qb6 16.c3

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 70

Nxd4 17.Nxd4 Nc6! Everything but also achieving at least some

becomes clear now. White cannot symbolic advantage. 22.Qf3
defend d4, b2 and the e-file [ 22.cxd4 Bb4 wins the exchange as
simultaneously. 18.Nf5 Bf8 19.Rd2 moving with the rook loses to ...Re1. ]
Against the QG Isolani such a [ Or if 22.Nxd4 Nxd4 23.Rxd4
regrouping would be very effective. But ( 23.cxd4 Bb4 is less deadly now due
in the French Defence, it allows Black to to 24.f3 defending e1, but Black still
activate his rooks along the e-file, while retains a large advantage after Bxd2
the d5-pawn is basically taboo as ... 25.fxe4 Be3+ 26.Kh2 Bxd4 )
Qxb2 would leave White with an 23...Qxb2 with the better structure
annoying weakness on c3 (once again and active play. ]
typical only for the French). 22...dxc3 23.bxc3 Re1+ 24.Rxe1
[ White could have reached a draw by Rxe1+ 25.Kh2 Qb1 26.Bc7 Qe4
force with 19.Rxe8 Rxe8 20.Nxh6+ 27.Qxe4 Rxe4 Black has converted his
( 20.Qd2 offers Black active play after initiative into a slightly better ending due
Qa6 planning ...Re2. 21.Qxd5?! Re5 to his better queenside structure and
22.Qf3 Qb5 followed by ...Qxb2. ) eventually won on move 60. 28.Bd6
20...gxh6 21.Qg4+ Kh7 22.Qf5+ Bxd6+ 29.Nxd6 Re7 30.c4 b6 31.Nb5
with a draw by perpetual. But an Kh7 32.Kg3 Na5 33.Rc2 a6 34.Nd6
attacking player like Suetin probably Rc7 35.Kf4 Rc5 36.Ke4 Kg6 37.Kd3
thought it would be below his dignity f5 38.g4 fxg4 39.hxg4 Rc7 40.Ne4
level to play for a draw so soon. ] Nc6 41.a3 Ne5+ 42.Kd4 Nxg4
19...Re4 20.Bg3 Rae8 21.h3 43.Rb2 Rd7+ 44.Kc3 Kf5 45.f3 Ne5
a b c d e f g h
46.Rxb6 Rd3+ 47.Kc2 Rxf3 48.Nd6+
Kf4 49.Rxa6 h5 50.c5 h4 51.Ra4+
8 8
Kg5 52.Re4 Nc6 53.a4 h3 54.Re1
7 7 Kh4 55.Ne4 g5 56.Nd2 Rf2 57.Kd3
h2 58.Ke3 Rxd2 59.Kxd2 g4 60.Re6
6 6
Kg5
5 5 0-1
4 4

3 3
Pogats,Jozsef
2 2
Portisch,Lajos
1 1 HUN-ch 14th Budapest (16) 19.12.1958
a b c d e f g h
In the normal Isolani structure one of
Black's main resources is placing a minor
d4! Black's overall activity allows him to piece on e4, using the central pawn for
carry out the thematic Isolani break, supporting it. In the French
thus not only solving all his problems

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 71

Defence this remains valid, but Black much: N7g6 18.Bg3 Nc4 19.Bxd6
has an additional square on c4, as Qxd6 20.Bxc4 dxc4 21.Ne2!?
controlling it with b2-b3 would weaken The only way of avoiding being
the c3-pawn. Here is an example where pushed back completely. Qc6
Black made good use of both outposts: 22.Nbd4 Qd5 23.f3 Bd3 ]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 17...Bh7 18.Bf4
exd5 5.Ngf3 Nc6 6.Bb5 Bd6 7.0-0 a b c d e f g h
Nge7 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.Nb3 Bd6
8 8
10.Bg5 0-0 11.Qd2 Qc7 12.h3 h6
13.Be3 Bf5 14.c3 7 7

a b c d e f g h
6 6
8 8
5 5
7 7
4 4
6 6
3 3
5 5
2 2
4 4
1 1
3 3 a b c d e f g h

2 2

1 1 N7g6 19.Bh2
a b c d e f g h [ More or less forced. With the kingside
dark squares weak exchanging on e5
makes little sense, while 19.Bg3
Be4 Black's pieces are quite active and Nxf3+ is good for Black, too. After the
apart from the obvious threat ...Bxf3 he game move the similar trick does not
may consider ...Nf5 and ...Ng6. This work due to Nxf3 defending the
leaves White little choice. 15.Nfd4 bishop. ]
[ Both 15.Be2 Nf5 16.Bc5 Bf4 ] 19...Rac8 20.Rf2 Nc4 21.Bxd6 Qxd6
[ and 15.Nbd4 Ng6 followed by ...Nf4 22.Bxc4
offers Black the initiative. But the [ This yields Black a space advantage
game move, preventing ...Ng6 in view and conceals him the d3-square
of f2-f3 trapping the bishop, opens entirely, but after 22.Qc1 Nf4
new horizons for the other knight. ] Black's pressure would be
15...a6 16.Be2 Ne5! The knight is en overwhelming. ]
route to c4. 17.f3 Consistent with the 22...dxc4 23.Nf5 Qf6 24.Nbd4
previous move, even though it weakens Unfortunately for him, White's initiative
e3. The bishop is forced into is only superficial as his f5-knight is
passiveness but only temporarily. unstable. 24...Ne5 25.Ne3 Nd3
[ 17.Bf4 would not have changed

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 72

a b c d e f g h Black is very active and thought this

8 8 was a good moment to exchange in the
7 7 centre with 12...Nxd4 White did not like
6 6
the prospect of defending a slightly
worse symmetrical position after
5 5
13.cxd4 Qd6 and went for the
4 4 principled 13.Nxd4 Was this a good
3 3 decision?
2 2 ***No, it was not! 13...Rxe2! wins more
1 1
or less by force. 14.Nxe2
a b c d e f g h [ The intermediate 14.f3
does not work: Qe7 15.fxg4
Black is completely dominating and the d4- Qe4 16.Rf2 Re1+ ]
knight cannot compensate for the passivity
of the rest of the army. 26.Ng4 Qb6 14...Qe7 15.Re1
27.Re2 Rfe8 28.b4 Rxe2 29.Qxe2 Nxb4
[ A better practical chance would
30.Re1 Bd3 31.Qe7 Nc2 32.Qd7 Rd8
33.Re8+ Rxe8 34.Qxe8+ Kh7 35.Qxf7 have been 15.Be3 Bxe3 16.fxe3
Nxd4 36.cxd4 Qxd4+ 37.Kh2 c3 38.f4 Qxe3+ 17.Rf2 Ne4 18.Qd4 Qxf2+
c2 39.Qc7 Bc4 40.Nf6+ Qxf6 41.Qxc4 19.Qxf2 Nxf2 20.Kxf2 Bxe2
Qc6 42.Qd3+ Kg8 43.Qb3+ Kh8 21.Kxe2 f6∓ even though Black
0-1
has every reason to count on
winning. ]
Baches Garcia,Guillermo 2389 15...Re8 16.Kf1
Marin,Mihail 2548
Andorra Erts (154) 24.07.2012 [ I was slightly worried by 16.Bg5
Bxe2 17.Qd2 but it appears that after
a b c d e f g h
Qe4 18.Bxf6 ( 18.Rac1 Ng4-+; 18.h3
8 8
Re5-+ ) 18...gxf6 White is not in time
7 7 to use the pin along the e-file while
6 6 Black can start an attack along the g-
5 5 file. 19.Rac1 Kh8 20.Rc2 ( 20.Qh6
4 4
Rg8 21.Qxf6+ Rg7 22.g3 Kg8
followed by ...Rg6-+. ) 20...Rg8 21.g3
3 3

2 2

1 1
a b c d e f g h

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 73

Bxf2+! 22.Kxf2 Qf3+ 23.Kg1 Rxg3+ [ 24.Rxd5 Re2 ]

24.hxg3 Qxg3+ 25.Kh1 Bf3+ 26.Qg2 24...h5 25.Nh2?! This is too passive to
Qxe1+ wins. ] be good.
16...Ne4 17.Be3 Bxe3 18.fxe3 Qf6+ [ 25.Nd4?! is premature: Nxd4
19.Kg1 Qf2+ 20.Kh1 Qxe3 21.Qd4 26.cxd4 ( 26.Rxd4 Re2 ) 26...g4
Nf2+ 22.Kg1 Nd3+ 23.Qxe3 Rxe3 27.h4 ( White needs to keep the
24.Red1 Bxe2 25.Rd2 h5 26.a4 Bg4 kingside blocked as after 27.hxg4
27.a5 a6 28.Kf1 h4 hxg4 followed by ...Kg7 and ...Rh8
0-1 Black's attack would be unstoppable. )
27...Re2! 28.Rxe2 Qf3+ 29.Kg1
Salazar Jacob,Hernan 2315
Rxe2 30.Qf1 Rxb2-+ ]
Campora,Daniel Hugo 2415
[ A neutral move such as 25.Rc1
Santiago Santiago de Chile 1980
fails to keep troubles away: g4
a b c d e f g h
26.Nd4 Nxd4 27.Rxd4? Re1!
28.Qxe1 Qf3+ 29.Kg1 Rxe1+
8 8 30.Rxe1 gxh3-+ ]
7 7 [ The only surviving chance was
25.Kg1! removing the king from the
6 6
exposed square. g4 26.Nd4 Nxd4
5 5 27.Rxd4 Rxd4 ( The point is that
27...Re2 runs into 28.Rf4 ) 28.Qxd4
4 4
Qxd4 29.cxd4 Re2 30.Rc1
3 3 with every chance to hold the rook
ending. ]
2 2
25...g4 26.hxg4 hxg4 27.Kg1
1 1 [ 27.Nxg4 Qg5 28.Nh2 Re1!
a b c d e f g h
wins material as the rooks are
hanging. The only way to limit the
damage is 29.Qg4 Qxg4 30.Nxg4
Black has done everything right,
Rxa1 31.Nf6+ Kf8 32.Nxe8 Kxe8
doubling rooks on the e-file and
33.Rxd5 ]
controlling the blocking square on d4.
27...d4-+ 28.Nxg4 Qg5 29.Rd3 Rxg4
But he still needs a plan to increase his
30.cxd4 Nxg3
pressure. 23...g5! A multi-purpose
0-1
move, continuing the fight for the d4-
square and aiming at clearing the f-file
to create threats against f2. 24.h3

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 74

Gayson,Peter 39.Ke1 Rb2 40.Kf1 Rh2 41.Kg1 Rxh3

Botterill,George Steven 2365 42.R8d7 Rg3+ 43.Kh1 Rbxb3 44.Rxf7
BCF-ch Swansea 1987 Rg4 45.Rd8 Rh3#
0-1

a b c d e f g h

8 8
Tomczak,Rafal 2339
7 7
Jussupow,Artur 2570
6 6 Warsaw AIG Life rapid 8th (6) 20.12.08
5 5
a b c d e f g h
4 4
8 8
3 3
7 7
2 2
6 6
1 1
5 5
a b c d e f g h
4 4

3 3
White tried to reduce Black's pressure
2 2
with 28.Rd4 Was this a good idea?
***Not quite as the queen and bishop 1 1
are exposed: 28...Nh4! 29.Qg3 a b c d e f g h
[ 29.Qe2 Qg6 offers Black a winning
attack: 30.g4 ( 30.Qf1 Nf3+; 30.g3 White tried questioning Black's stability
Rxe3 31.fxe3 Qxg3+ 32.Kh1 Qxh3+ in the centre with 16.Ng5 when Black
33.Qh2 Qf3+ 34.Kg1 Re6 ) 30...Rxd4 correctly answered with 16...Nxd4,
31.cxd4 Qe4-+ ] the only move avoiding trouble. How
[ 29.Qh5 R8e5 forces the queen back should White deal with the tensioned
anyway, gaining an attacking tempo situation? 17.Qxd4? This loses
for Black. ] material.
29...Qxg3 30.fxg3 Rxe3 31.gxh4 [ 17.cxd4 Rc2 would also be
Rxc3 32.Rad1 unsatisfactory after the forced
[ 32.Rxd5 Re2 followed by ...Rcc2 is 18.Qe1 ]
hopeless. ] [ The only move to keep White in the
32...Re2 33.h5 Rg3 and Black won. game was 17.Bg4!! Bxg2!?
34.Kf1 Rgxg2 35.Rxd5 Ref2+ 36.Ke1 ( The most interesting continuation.
Rxa2 37.Rd8+ Kh7 38.Kf1 Raf2+

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 75

17...Nc6? leaves Black hanging:

Black is very active but the voluntary
18.Nxe4 dxe4 19.Bxc8+-; 17...f5
retreat 16.Ne2? made things worse.
leads to simplifications and a probable
Why? 16...Bxh3! With the g1-a7
draw: 18.Nxe4 dxe4 19.Qxd4 fxg4
diagonal available to the other bishop
20.Qxd6= ) 18.Kxg2 Nf5 19.Qxd5
this sacrifice wins. 17.Bf4
( 19.Bxf5 Nh4+ retrieves the knight
with an advantage. ) 19...Rc5 [ 17.gxh3 Rxe2! ( 17...Bxf2+
20.Qxc5! ( 20.Qd2 Nxe3+ is also strong since 18.Kxf2 Qh2+
followed by ...Rxg5 is bad the same 19.Kf1 Re3 or 19.Kf3 Re3!+ 20.Bxe3
as; 20.Bxc5 Nf4+ ) 20...Bxc5 21.Rxd8 Ne5#. ) 18.Rxe2 ( 18.Bxe2
Nxe3+ 22.fxe3 Rxd8 23.Nxf7 Rd2+ does not change much: Qg3+ 19.Kh1
with interesting play and even Qxh3+ 20.Kg1 Bxf2+ 21.Kxf2 Ne4+
chances. ] 22.Kg1 Qg3+ 23.Kh1 Nf2# )
17...Bc5 18.Qd2 Bxe3 19.Qxe3 18...Qg3+ 19.Kh1 Qxh3+ 20.Kg1
Bxg2! A small trick winning at least a Ng4 21.Bf4 g5!-+ ]
pawn. 20.Kxg2? Re8 21.Nxf7 17...Qd7
[ 21.Qd2 Rxe2-+ ] [ This is strong enough but the
21...Rxe3 22.Nxd8 Nf4+ 23.Kg1 spectacular 17...Rxe2!! is even more
Rxe2-+ convincing: 18.Bxc7 Bxf2+ 19.Kh2
0-1 Rxe1 Now or on the next move White
has to return the queen, as 20.Qc2
Ne3 21.Qd2 allows Bxg2 threatening
...Nfg4#. ]
Panov,Vasily N 18.gxh3
Bondarevsky,Igor [ 18.Bxc4 dxc4 19.gxh3 Qxh3
URS-ch10 Tbilisi 1937 20.Nbd4 Re4 also offers a decisive
attack. ]
18...Qxh3 (...Nxb2) 19.Bxc4 Qg4+
a b c d e f g h 20.Kf1
8 8 [ 20.Bg3 Rxe2! ]
20...Bxf2
7 7
[ 20...Qf3! is even stronger: 21.Nbd4
6 6 Bxd4 22.Qxd4 Rxe2 23.Bg3
( 23.Rxe2?? Qh1# ) 23...Rxb2
5 5
White has no time to save the c4-
4 4 bishop due to the threat ...Qh1#. ]
21.Kxf2 Ne4+ 22.Kf1 Qf3+ 23.Kg1
3 3
Qf2+ 24.Kh1 Re6 25.Bxd5 Qf3+
2 2 26.Kh2 Rg6 27.Bxf7+ Rxf7 28.Qd8+
Rf8 29.Qd5+ Kh8 30.Ng3 Qf2+
1 1
0-1
a b c d e f g h

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 76

Typical Structures after This is a typical structure arising from the

Tarrasch Defense in which White
1.d4 d5 refrained from taking on c5 by dxc5, and
Black did not take on d4 with cxd4 which
would have both led to classical isolated
queen pawn positions. Black tried to
close the center with c5-c4 in order to
keep the d5-pawn safe and in the hope to
reach an endgame in which Black's
queenside majority would be useful.
White's has two different plans in this
structure: 1) Play Ne5, since Black cannot
trade knights in the center as the d5-
pawn would be under too much pressure.
Then next Nxc6 which only helps Black to
Dear Reader, improve his structure by means of bxc6
In this article, I deal with some of the most which overprotects d5 and opens the b-
important structures which arise after 1.d4 file. But the point comes in the next step;
d5. In particular, I examine the following 2) Right after the exchange on c6, White
openings: Tarrasch Defense, Semi-Tarrasch continues with b2-b3! This practically
Defense, Chigorin Defense, Albin Counter- forces Black to play cxb3. In this way,
Gambit, and Baltic Defense. Every structure White opens the important c-file to put
is presented in the following way: pressure on the newly created weakness
-Explanation of the main plans and ideas on c6. White can recapture with the a-
-Model game pawn and, despite the pawn being slightly
-Test exposed on b3, White also has the semi-
Below, you can take a look at the coverage
open a-file at his disposal to exert
of the following structure:
pressure on the a-pawn. For White, it is
Structure 1 useful to keep at least one rook on the
board to put pressure on the queenside
a b c d e f g h pawns. Minor pieces exchanges are
8 8 welcome, especially of the dark-squared
7 7
bishops, as the Black one is very
important to protect c5, a sensible square
6 6 in such structures. This is another
5 5 advantage behind axb3 as White can now
4 4
trade the dark-squared bishops with Ba3.
The last operation would be to bring one
3 3
knight to c5, from where it protects b3 and
2 2 exerts an annoying pressure against
1 1 Black's queenside, providing a a pleasant
a b c d e f g h
and long-lasting advantage for White.

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 77

Svane,Rasmus 2445 11.Nxc6! bxc6 12.axb3 Now White can

Zieher,Hartmut 2300 play against the c6 and a7 pawns.
GER-ch 84th Saarbruecken (3) 08.09.13 12...a5 13.Ba3!
a b c d e f g h
1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 c5
8 8
5.cxd5 exd5 6.g3 Nc6 7.Bg2 c4
If Black wants to play this move it 7 7
should be done as soon as possible as
6 6
otherwise White can prevent this resource.
[ for example 7...Be7 8.0-0 0-0 5 5
9.dxc5 ]
4 4
8.0-0 Be7 9.Ne5!
3 3
a b c d e f g h
2 2
8 8
1 1
7 7
a b c d e f g h
6 6
A very important positional operation for
5 5 White. After this exchange he get rid of
4 4 Black's good bishop and can use the
important c5-square which gives him a
3 3 small but pleasant advantage. 13...Re8
2 2 14.Qc2 Ba6 15.Rfc1
[ even simpler was 15.Bxe7!
1 1
preventing the idea that Black tried in
a b c d e f g h the game Rxe7 ( 15...Qxe7?
16.Rxa5 Bd3 17.Qa2! Rxa5
As after c5-c4 it is harder to create 18.Qxa5 Bxe2? 19.Re1 ) 16.Rfc1
pressure against the d5-pawn, White White can continue with e3 and Na4-
changes the structure in order to have c5, with easier play and a pleasant
new targets in Black's camp. 9...0-0 advantage. Black faces a difficult
10.b3!? I like the move order chosen by choice: the passive defense will be
White in this game. long and unpleasant, but active
[ 10.Bg5 would transpose to the main measures don't work either, for
lines ] example Rc8 17.e3 c5 18.Bh3! Rc6
10...cxb3 ( 18...Rcc7 19.Qd2 cxd4 20.Qxd4 )
[ 10...Qa5 11.Bb2 Bb4 12.Rc1 cxb3 19.Na4! c4 20.Nc5 Bc8 21.Bf1!cxb3
13.axb3 Be6 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.Na4 22.Qxb3 and Black only succeeded to
;Khenkin,I (2638)-Vilar Lopez,M make things easier for White. The
(2145) Andorra op 21st 2003 (1) 1-0 knight has achieved its excellent
also gave a typical edge for White in ] outpost on c5 and the pawns on d5
www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 78

and a5 remain weak. It is likely that 27...h4? Maybe Black misevalueted this
the a5-pawn will be lost in some move and the arising position.
moves, leaving Black suffering. ]
[ 27...g5! 28.Be5 Kg6! was still totally
15...Bb4! Getting rid of the knight is the playable ]
best chance for Black. 16.e3
[ 16.Bxb4 axb4 17.Na4 Rxe2 28.gxh4 Qg4 29.Qa1! Qxh4 30.Be5
18.Qxc6 Re6 19.Qc5 Rb8 The main problem for Black is that he is
seems ok for Black ] almost paralyzed now. 30...Bd3?!
16...Bxc3 17.Qxc3 Bb5 [ 30...Qg5 31.Qd1 Qf5 32.h3!
The bad bishop protects a good pawn! ( 32.Qf3? Qb1+ ) 32...g5 33.Qf3!
18.Bc5 a4! Black managed to deal with Qxf3 34.Bxf3 Kg6 35.Bd1!
his queenside problems. and Black is still under heavy
pressure ]
[ 18...Ne4 was an interesting option
too 19.Qc2 Ra6 Black can mobilize 31.Rc7! Kg8
his forces on the queenside and [ 31...Bb5 32.Qa7 Rf8 33.h3! Kg8
prepare to push a5-a4 under better 34.Qb7+- ]
circumstances. ] 32.Bg3 Qg5 33.Rxc6
19.bxa4 Rxa4 20.Rxa4 Bxa4
With only one weakness remaining, and a b c d e f g h
well protected by the bishop, Black is 8 8
probably able to equalize. 21.Ra1
7 7
[ 21.Bf1 Ne4 22.Qb4 Qf6! 23.f4
( 23.Qxa4? Qxf2+ 24.Kh1 Qf3+ 6 6
25.Bg2 Nf2+ 26.Kg1 Qxe3-+ )
5 5
23...Nxc5 24.Rxc5 Qe7! 25.Qxa4
( 25.Qc3 Rb8 ) 25...Qxe3+ 26.Kg2 4 4
Qe4+= ]
3 3
21...Bb5 22.Qc2 g6?! A strange move
which creates unnecessary weaknesses 2 2
on the dark squares on the kingside.
1 1
[ 22...Ne4 would be good, initiating a
a b c d e f g h
good defensive maneuver 23.Bb4 h6
24.f3 Ng5! covering c5 ]
23.Ra7 Kg7 24.Qa2! h5 25.Qa3! The rest is simple technique. 33...Ne4
White makes excellent use of the open 34.Qa4 Rd8 35.Qa5 Nxg3 36.hxg3
lines. In addition to the a-file, he can Rb8 37.Rb6 Rc8 38.Qxd5 Rc1+
also use the weakened dark-squares. 39.Kh2 Qh6+ 40.Bh3 Bf5 41.Rb8+
25...Qc8 26.Bd6 Qf5 27.Qb2!
Attentive.
[ 27.Be5?? Qb1+ and White is mated ]

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 79

Exercise 1 This unbalanced structure arises from

variations in which after a quick dxc5,
a b c d e f g h Black opts for d4!? instead of Bxc5,
8 8 allowing White to keep the pawn with
Na4. The position is not so harmless,
7 7
though: Black sacrifices the pawn to
6 6 have more freedom for his pieces and
5 5 more space in the center, leaving White
with the misplaced Na4 and not allowing
4 4
the typical plans that would give an
3 3 advantage for White against the
2 2 Isolani. In the end, White should be
1 1 better, but it is important to be careful
a b c d e f g h to avoid trouble. Black looks for full
centralization of his forces, with Bf5-
How can White obtain a favourable Ne4-Bf6 or Bf5-Be4-Qd5 and to bring
structure? the rooks to the central files with an
active position. If White doesn't
Find the answer in the PGN and manage to develop his pieces or keep
website versions of Modern Chess the pawn, Black achieves enough
Magazine. compensation for the pawn, or even
more. With some care (and active play,
when required) White can solve his
Position 2 development problems while keeping
a b c d e f g h the material advantage at the same
time. One important advice here is to
8 8
NOT PLAY e2-e3, as after d4-d3!
7 7 Black would create a dangerous
6 6 passed pawn. He could follow up with
Ne4-Bf6, for example. White would
5 5 face terrible problems to continue
4 4 developing the pieces on the
3 3 queenside leading to a lack in
development of all of his pieces. The
2 2 first step for White is to protect the
1 1 pawn with a2-a3 and b2-b4. After this,
a b c d e f g h White has good plans against both of

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 80

Black's set-ups: 1) Ne4-Bf6 looks 11...Be4 Aiming for quick centralization.

attractive for Black now because White [ the direct 11...b5 12.cxb6 axb6
weakened the c3-square. However, White 13.b4!N gives better chances for
has Bb2 with the threat of b4-b5, after White ]
which the d4-pawn is hanging, or Rc1 is [ 11...d3? is also a direct approach,
increasing the control over c3. It is but after 12.Re1! White is better
important to note that even when Black
again dxe2 13.Qxe2 Qa5 14.Qc4
manages to play Nc3, the passed pawn
that arises is easily blocked and attacked,
Be6 ( 14...Rad8 15.Bd2! Rxd2?
and also exchange sacrifice ideas come in 16.Nxd2 Qxd2 17.Bxc6+- ) 15.Rxe6!
consideration, as White obtains material now the initiative passes to White's
compensation and a strong queenside hands fxe6 16.Bd2 Qd8 17.Qxe6+
majority, supported by the Bg2.2) If Black Kh8 Demir,G (2239)-Adams,N (2205)
chooses the centralization by means of Budapest FS12 IM 2008 (5) 1/2
Be4-Qd5, then both squares which would 18.Be3 White is a pawn up on both
be used by the knight to reach c3 are sides, he has good pieces and the
occupied, and White can continue with Bf4 opponent's king is weak, which is
(or d2) and bring the knight back to the more than enough compensation for
game with Nb2-d3, with a good position. It the exchange ]
is important for White to take some care [ 11...Ne4 is another possible set-up
and pay attention to how Black is going to
for Black, winning time by attacking c5
develop the pieces, but in the end, I don't
believe this sacrifice is entirely sound, and
12.b4 and now Bf6 Black pieces are
White is better with correct play. looking very active, but White is in
time to keep the control ( 12...Nc3N
actually is an improved version only
Kovalyov,Anton 2617 for White 13.Nxc3 dxc3 14.Qb3 Bf6
Shabalov,Alexander 2529 15.Be3 The c3-pawn is simply
Foxwoods op Mashantucket (6) 25.01.14 harmless for White, even if the game
follows the line a6 16.Rac1 Re8
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 c5 4.Bg2 Nc6 17.Rxc3! Bxc3 18.Qxc3 again, White
5.0-0 d5 6.cxd5 exd5 7.d4 Be7 8.Nc3 has pawns up on both sides and the
0-0 9.dxc5 d4!? 10.Na4 Bf5 11.a3!? queenside majority supported by the
This is safe and reliable, White intends to Bg2 is very strong, for example Be4
protect the pawn first and 19.Qa1! Qe7 20.Bf4 Rad8 21.Bd6
only then to solve the development Qf6 22.Qxf6 gxf6 23.Rc1 ) 13.Bb2
problem. Nc3 14.Bxc3 dxc3 15.Qb3
Black is forced to advance the pawn
[ 11.b4 d3! creates some
complications, exactly what Black is c2 16.Rac1 Re8 White can consider
looking for ] exchange sacrifice ideas, but there's
[ 11.e3? is not only bad but it is actually even an easier and very forcing path
losing: dxe3 12.Qxd8 ( 12.Bxe3 Qxd1 to the advantage 17.Nc3! a5
13.Rfxd1 Bc2-+ ) 12...exf2+ 13.Rxf2 ( 17...Bxc3? 18.Qxc3 Rxe2
Raxd8 ] 19.b5+- ) 18.b5 a4 ( 18...Nd4

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 81

19.Nxd4 Qxd4 20.e4! ) 19.Qd5!very Having the rook on c1 makes all the
precise Ne7 20.Qxd8 Rexd8 difference, now White is much
21.e4! White eliminates the pawn and better. 15...b5
keeps the material advantage Rac8 [ 15...Bxd6 16.cxd6 Qxd6
22.exf5 Bxc3 23.Rxc2 Rxc5 24.Rfc1 ( 16...b6 17.Rxc6! Qxc6 18.Qxd4
Rdc8 25.Ne1! L'Ami,E (2627) -  ) 17.Nc5 and White is going to
Berelowitsch,A (2565) NED-chT 1213 have a
2012 (7.1) 1-0 ] material advantage again. ]
12.b4 Qd5 Black has centralized the
pieces, but now the knight has no 16.Bxe7 Nxe7 17.Nb2
access points to reach c3, so White can Nc6 [ 17...Qa2 18.Qxd4+- ]
simply continue developing the pieces 18.Nd3 Rfe8 19.Qd2 Already from this
onto good squares. 13.Bf4! h6? point we can call White's position
Too slow. winning: He is up a healthy passed pawn
[ The direct 13...g5!? looks like Black's and has nice squares for the pieces.
best attempt, but is still bad 14.Bd2! Black can put some resistance, as he
Nd7 15.Nb2 Nce5 16.Nd3! Nc4 did, but objectively speaking, White
Benjamin,J (2255)-Todorovic,G should convert his advantage.
(2410) London Peace 1987 1/2 19...Rad8 20.h4!Nh7
( 16...Nxd3 17.exd3 Bxd3 [ 20...g4 21.Nfe1 ]
18.Nxg5+- ) 17.Qb3! and White 21.a4!
manages to develop the remaining
pieces with an excellent position Rfd8
a b c d e f g h
( 17...g4? 18.Nf4! Nxd2 19.Nxd2+- )
18.Rfd1 Bf6 19.Rac1 ] 8 8
[ 13...Rfe8 14.Rc1 ]
7 7
14.Rc1 g5 15.Bd6!
6 6
a b c d e f g h
5 5
8 8
4 4
7 7
3 3
6 6
2 2
5 5
1 1
4 4
a b c d e f g h
3 3

2 2

1 1

a b c d e f g h

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 82

White's use of both rook pawns to Structure 3

improve the position is very instructive.
21...a6 22.axb5 axb5 23.Ra1 Re6
a b c d e f g h
24.Ra6 Qf5 25.Rb6+- Bd5 26.Ra1
Rde8 27.Re1 Qg6 28.hxg5 hxg5 8 8
29.Rxb5 Bxf3 30.Bxf3 g4 31.Nf4 Qh6 7 7
32.Bxc6 Rxc6 33.Kg2 Ng5 34.Rh1
Qg7 35.Rb6 Rxb6 36.cxb6 Qf6 37.b7 6 6
Ne4 38.Qc2 5 5
1-0 4 4

3 3

2 2
Exercise 2
1 1

a b c d e f g h
a b c d e f g h

8 8
This is a classical structure with the
7 7 isolani on d5. The best version for White
6 6 is with the bishop on g2 as from there it
exerts constant pressure on the d5-
5 5
pawn. There are already a lot of books
4 4 and Modern Chess articles that explain
3 3 how to play this structure for both sides,
but it is always good to remember the
2 2
common ideas: Black should actively
1 1 develop his pieces, as in return for the
a b c d e f g h Isolani he has two open files for the
rooks, space and more freedom to
develop the pieces. It is advisable for
In this position, Black sacrificed a pawn Black to avoid exchanges and play for
to activate his pieces. How can White
centralization or to look for initiative on
solve his problem and keep an
advantage? the kingside. White, on the other hand,
should have a more static and technical
Find the answer in the PGN and website approach. It is essential to take control
versions of Modern Chess Magazine. of the d4-square, which is a key square
in such structures, especially for the
knight, that becomes very strong there.
White can also fight for the c-file.

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 83

A good strategy is also to try to Nogueiras Santiago,Jesus 2556

provoke new weaknesses in Black's Pozo Vera,Sandro 2457
camp. For this reason, other squares CUB-ch KO 5th-6th (3.2) 11.04.2006
around the pawn can also be useful
for the pieces: f4,c5 and e5, mainly
1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.d4 c5 With the
the last two, as the idea is to provoke other knight still on b1, this move order
further commitments in Black's gives more options for White. 4.cxd5
structure with b7-b6 or f7-f6. In that exd5 5.g3 Nc6 6.Bg2 Nf6 7.0-0 Be7
case, White would have more entry 8.Nc3
points available for the pieces, and [ Another interesting set-up would be
8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.Nbd2 establishing a
Black's position would become
quick blockade on d4. ]
unpleasant. As a general rule, 8...0-0 9.dxc5! Bxc5 10.Na4 Be7
exchanges are welcome for the first 11.Be3
player, who is looking for endgames
in which the isolani would leave Black
in a passive defense, although with a b c d e f g h

accurate play Black should be ok in 8 8

many of them, White would retain 7 7
reasonable chances. Also here, the
6 6
dark-squared bishop is very important
for Black. White can make great use 5 5

of the knights in the endgames, but it 4 4

is also possible to get an advantage 3 3
with the bishop pair, due to the
weaknesses on the dark squares. 2 2

Usually, White can trade queens as 1 1

this would decrease Black's chances a b c d e f g h

of counterplay, but if Black makes
unnecessary pawn moves to create
weak squares, the queen could be White's plan is clear and easy to
useful to take advantage of them. understand. He wants to obtain as much
control over the very important d4- and
c5-squares. The first one is an
important blockading square. For White
it would be nice to land a knight on c5

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 84

from where it would put further pressure 1-0 due to the back rank ideas White
on Black's position. 11...Bg4 12.Rc1 is a pawn up. ]
Re8 Black continues to develop the 18...Ne5 19.Bf4 White is still looking for
pieces actively. 13.Nc5!? White tries to exchanges. 19...Qe7
force Black to give the important dark- [ 19...Nc4 doesn't changes much after
squared bishop. 13...Bxc5 20.b3 ]
[ 13...Qb6!? is an option to avoid that 20.Bxe5! Now White has a practical
exchange for now. White would advantage with no risks. In general, this
answer with 14.Nb3 keeping Nd4 and is what White players should look for
Nc5 at his disposal. ] when fighting against an isolated pawn.
14.Bxc5 Although the knight was useful 20...Qxe5 21.e3 Rd6!? Black is looking
on c5, the bishop pair also gives White for a play on the kingside. 22.Rc2!
a nice position. 14...Qd7 15.Re1 Nice prophylaxis by the Cuban GM. He
The next step is to prepare Nd4. protects the second rank and prepares
15...Bh3 to double rooks on the c-file. 22...Rg6
[ 15...Rac8 looks good to prevent Nd4, 23.Qe2 a6 24.Rec1 h5 Apparently,
but White can still fight for an Black is doing well and has a dangerous
advantage 16.Bd4!? initiative coming on the kingside, but
A) 16...Nxd4 17.Qxd4! Rxc1 now White made a very instructive
18.Rxc1 Rc8 ( 18...Rxe2? decision: 25.Bxe4! Qxe4
19.Ne5+- ) 19.Rxc8+ Qxc8 20.h3! [ 25...dxe4? 26.Rc5 ]
Bxh3 21.Bxh3 Qxh3 22.Qxa7 26.Qf3!
White keeps the better position, a b c d e f g h
besides the isolani he can work
8 8
with the queenside majority now;
B) 16...Ne4 17.Be3 after spending 7 7
a tempo on Bd4-e3, White is finally
6 6
ready for Nd4. h5!? Pigusov,E
(2455)-Lputian,S (2530) Chigorin 5 5
Memorial-19 1985 1/2 18.Qa4 Bh3
4 4
19.Bxh3 Qxh3 20.Qb3 Qd7
21.Red1 Red8 22.Kg2 ] 3 3
16.Bh1! Keeping this bishop also looks
2 2
like a correct decision. 16...Ne4 17.Be3
Rad8 18.Nd4 1 1
[ 18.Qa4!? is not only interesting but a b c d e f g h
also provocative as it tempts Black to
push d4? when he would suddenly
find himself in a lost position after This leaves Black with a difficult choice.
19.Nxd4! Nxd4 20.Qxd7 Rxd7 26...Qe5?!
21.Bxe4 Mindlin,A (2450)-Novik,M [ 26...Rf6 was possibly the best option,
(2482) Maccabiah GM-B 2017 (4) with an almost forced sequence

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 85

27.Qxe4 dxe4 28.Rc7 ( 28.Rc5!? ) Slowly but steadily, White improves his
28...b5 29.R1c6! Rxc6 30.Rxc6 Rc8! position. 32...Kf8 33.a3 Bf5 34.R1c3
31.Rxc8+ Bxc8 32.Kf1 Ke7 35.Kf2 Kf6 36.Rc7 R8d7 37.Ke3
with an endgame that usually should Rxc7 38.Rxc7 Rd7 39.Rc5!
be unpleasant for Black due to his It is often good to trade one pair of rooks,
many weaknesses on the dark but now White should avoid it because
squares, but there are chances to his rook is better than Black's one,
hold. But going into such an endgame which is passively placed. 39...Be6
is a difficult decision to make during a 40.a4 Ke7 41.a5 Fixing the pawns on
game. ] the same square as the bishop is an
27.Rc5 Rd8 28.Qf4! This is a model advisable strategy, but White had an
game on how well-timed, correct idea that was stronger.
exchanges can yield an advantage. The [ It was 41.Nc2! Kd6 42.Kd4!
arising endgame is notably easier to play with a nice regrouped to press the d5-
as White. 28...Qxf4 29.exf4 pawn. A nice concept to remember is
a b c d e f g h
that the d4-square is good for the
knight for the most part of the game,
8 8
especially during the middlegame. But
7 7 the fewer pieces are left on the board
in the endgame, the more likely it will
6 6
be that the king should be on that
5 5 square. ]
41...Kd6 42.Rc3
4 4
[ 42.f5!? ]
3 3 42...Re7 43.Kd2 In the end White lost
the chance to improve his set-up, and
2 2
Black is holding. But as a rule of thumb,
1 1 such endgames always provide
a b c d e f g h practical chances for the first player,
and the defense is a difficult and tiring
job. 43...Bd7 44.Re3 Be6 45.Rc3 Bd7
White has the open c-file under control, 46.Rc1 Re8 47.Rc5 Rb8 48.h4 Re8
he can bring the king to the game using [ 48...b6!? 49.axb6 Rxb6 50.Kc3
f3-Kf2, and the Nd4 is a monster, Be6 would give drawing chances for
protecting the important e2-square. Black ]
Black's position is unpleasant which 49.Rc3 f6 50.Nb3 After shuffling
often leads to further mistakes in such around for a while, White tries
endgames. 29...Rb6 something. 50...Rg8?! As it was said,
[ 29...h4? doesn't prevent White's plan the defence requires a lot of attention in
30.f3! hxg3 31.hxg3 and now g4 is a such cases.
serious threat Rxg3+? 32.Kh2+- ] [ 50...Re7 was a safer option 51.Nc5
30.b3 g6 31.f3 Rbd6 32.b4 Bc6 52.Re3 Rxe3 53.Kxe3 d4+!= ]

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 86

51.Nc5 Bc8 63...Rc6 64.Kd3+-

[ 51...Rb8 52.g4!? hxg4 53.Nxd7 a b c d e f g h
Kxd7 54.fxg4 and White has some 8 8
chances in this rook endgame ]
52.Re3 g5!? Black should try something 7 7

active, or White would just play Ke3-d4 6 6

with an already clear advantage.
[ 52...Rd8 53.Kc3 Kc6 54.Re2! 5 5

Black is in a sort of zugzwang. d4+ 4 4

( 54...Kb5 55.Nb3! Kc6 56.Re7 )
3 3
55.Kc4 Bf5 56.Ne6 winning the
pawn ] 2 2
53.fxg5 fxg5 54.hxg5 Rxg5 55.f4
1 1
Rg8 56.Re5!?
[ 56.Kc3 Rf8! ] a b c d e f g h
56...Rxg3 57.Rxh5 Rf3 58.Rh6+ Kc7 The pawn is lost, the king comes to the
59.Rf6 Black's position seems still a bit game, basically it is over. 64...Bf1+
unpleasant, as the Bc8 is not playing [ 64...Bg2 wouldn't be better 65.Kxd4
much, due to the pressure on b7, but Bxe4 66.Kxe4 Rc4+ 67.Ke5 Rxb4
with correct play he should be able to 68.f5 Rb5+ 69.Kd6 Kb8 70.f6 Rxa5
hold. 59...d4 60.Nd3 Bh3 61.Rf7+ 71.Rg7 Rf5 72.f7 Ka7 73.Ke6 Rf2
Kc8? The decisive mistake. 74.Rg5!+- ]
[ It was important for Black to play 65.Kxd4 Rc4+ 66.Kd5 Rxb4 67.Nd6+
actively with 61...Kd6! 62.Rxb7 Bf5! Kb8 68.f5 Bg2+ 69.Ke6 Bc6 70.Rf8+
taking advantage of his better 1-0
coordinated pieces and the passed
pawn 63.Nc5 Kd5! 64.Nxa6 Rf2+
Exercise 3
65.Ke1 Ra2 66.Nc5 Ra1+ 67.Kf2
Ra2+ because of the passed pawn
a b c d e f g h
on d4, the White king cannot go so far,
and the result should be a draw 8 8
already ]
7 7
[ 61...Kb8 would be better too ]
62.Nc5 Rc3 63.Ne4! Now Black's 6 6
position becomes really difficult.
5 5
[ 63.Nxb7 was also good ]
4 4

3 3

2 2

1 1

a b c d e f g h
www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 87

Black just played Ne4 to control the A similar structure to the Position 3,
c5-square and preparing Bf6 to but this one arises from openings
improve the pieces, how should White with the Isolated Pawn in which
play? White develops the light-squared
Find the answer in the PGN and bishop on the diagonal f1-a6 instead
website versions of Modern Chess of h1-a8. In that case, the bishop is
Magazine. not putting pressure on d5, but it
gives the additional option of playing
Bb5xc6 for White, and we reach this
a b c d e f g h typical structure. In this particular
8 8 case White waited for a7-a6 before
taking on c6, but even without that
7 7
move the exchange is a good idea.
6 6 White's goal in such positions is to
5 5 establish a firm control over d4 and
c5, as well as to build a long-term
4 4
pressure against the pawns. As
3 3 Black has some vulnerable squares
2 2
in his camp, the ideal plan for White
is to keep both knights on the board,
1 1 while exchanging at least one of
a b c d e f g h Black's. Generally, the configuration
NN x NB usually gives better
chances to White, as the only Black
Structure 4 bishop is not able to protect c6 and
c5, and the knights can continuously
a b c d e f g h
change the point of pressure.
8 8

7 7

6 6 Giri,Anish 2714
Wang,Yue 2697
5 5 Beijing Sportaccord blitz (14) 13.12.11
4 4

3 3 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c5

2 2 5.cxd5 cxd4!? 6.Qxd4 exd5 7.Bg5
[ 7.e4!? promises a small advantage
1 1
for White ]
a b c d e f g h

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 88

7...Be7 Played only twice, but a very logical

[ 7...Nc6? is bad due to 8.Bxf6 ] move, as after the exchange on c6
8.e3 0-0 the arising structure is well known as
[ 8...Nc6 seems a more precise move slightly favourable for White.
order 9.Qa4 0-0 10.Rd1 transposes 11...Qb6
to the game ] [ 11...Na5 is the only way to prevent
9.Rd1 White's development aims to keep
Bxc6 12.0-0 a6 13.Bd3 Rc8
d5 under pressure since the very first
Najer,E (2522)-Pinkas,K (2362)
moves
Swidnica op 1999 (5) 1-0 14.Qc2
[ 9.Bd3!? is a very interesting move, h6 15.Bh4 Nc6 16.Qb1 still offers
played by Nisipeanu ] some ideas for White ]
9...Nc6 10.Qa4 Be6
12.0-0 a6?! Forcing matters,
[ 10...Qb6 11.Qb5 leads to some but probably not a good idea.
equal endgames, with some small
chances for White ] [ better was to keep developing with
12...Rfd8 13.Rd2 Rac8 14.Rfd1
11.Bb5!?
with a lot of play ahead, but the
[ 11.Be2 is the main move ] important thing for Black is to keep
as many pieces as possible on the
board as he can then look for active
a b c d e f g h
and dynamic ideas and avoid the
8 8 unpleasant endgames. ]
7 7 13.Bxc6 bxc6 14.Qc2! After the
6 6
exchange, White regroups his pieces
in order to fight for the important
5 5 squares d4 and c5. 14...Rfd8?! This
4 4 natural move is the beginning of
Black's problems.
3 3
[ Black should have played actively
2 2 with 14...Bg4! 15.Rd2!? Bxf3
1 1 16.gxf3 Rfd8 17.Rfd1 Rac8
a b c d e f g h and the position looks dynamically
balanced as White's weaknesses on

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 89

the kingside prevent him from still White has a nice position due to the
exploiting Black's queenside in an beautifully placed knights.
easy way. ] [ 18.Rd3! would be more precise ]
15.Na4 Qa5 16.Nd4 Things are already 18...Qb6? Now Black is doomed to a
looking unpleasant for Black. 16...Bd7 passive defense.
[ after 16...Rac8 White has the [ 18...Qxa2! was the only chance to
interesting idea 17.e4!? that works keep fighting. 19.Nxd7 Rxd7
well because in the end Black still has 20.Qxc6 Rdd8 21.Rd2 Rab8 ]
a weakness to worry about Qc7 19.a3?! We shouldn't forget that this was
( 17...dxe4 18.Bxf6 Bxf6 19.Nxe6 a blitz game; so instead of concrete and
fxe6 20.Qxe4 ) 18.exd5 Bxd5 forcing variations, White started to
( 18...cxd5 19.Qxc7 Rxc7 20.Rfe1 ) consolidate his positional advantage by
19.Nf5 and Black's position is playing strong and practical moves.
unpleasant ] [ but winning material was already
17.Bxf6! possible 19.Nxd7 Rxd7 20.Qxc6
[ as this was a blitz game, White Qxc6 21.Nxc6 Bxb2 22.Rxd5! ]
probably didn't like the position after 19...Be8! At least Black is not losing
17.Nxc6 Bxc6 18.Qxc6 Rac8 material anymore. 20.Na4 Qb7 21.Rc1
as Black gets counterplay, but Rdc8 22.Rfd1 g6 23.h3 a5 24.b3
19.Qb7! is still better for White Qxa4 Be7 25.Nc5 Qb6 26.Rd3!
20.Qxe7 Re8 21.Qa7! Ne4 a b c d e f g h
22.Rxd5 ]
8 8

a b c d e f g h 7 7

8 8 6 6

7 7 5 5

6 6 4 4

5 5 3 3

4 4 2 2

3 3 1 1

a b c d e f g h
2 2

1 1

a b c d e f g h Slowly increasing the pressure on the

queenside. After this, there was a series
of moves in which nothing really
Another good exchange, this time happened and both sides just moved
winning the c5-square. 17...Bxf6 around. Despite White keeping a small
18.Nc5 This gives Black a chance, but advantage, Black is solid now. The

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 90

position should be objectively equal. Find the answer in the PGN and website
26...Ra7 27.Rc3 Rac7 28.Rb1 Qa7 versions of Modern Chess Magazine
29.Re1 Bf8 30.Rc1 Qb6 31.Na4 Qa6
32.Nc5 Qb6 33.Qd2 Qa7 34.R3c2 Structure 5
Qb6 35.Qd3 Ra8 36.Qd1 Rac8
37.Qg4 Rb8 38.Qf4 Rd8 39.Rc3 Bd6
40.Qf6 Be7 41.Qf3 Rcc8 42.g3 Qa7 a b c d e f g h
43.Kg2 Qb6 44.Qf4 Qb8 45.Qf3 Qb6 8 8
46.Qd1
7 7
[ 46.h4 h5 47.g4!→ ]
46...Qa7 47.Qd2 6 6

[ 47.b4!? ] 5 5
47...Rb8 48.Qc2 Rbc8 49.Re1 Bf6
50.Rd1 Qb6 51.Qd2 Rb8 52.Rdc1 Be7 4 4

53.Na4 Qb7 54.Qb2 Rbc8 55.Nc5 3 3

Rb8?? Very strange, but apparently in
2 2
this equal position, Wang Yue
blundered his queen. 1 1
1-0 a b c d e f g h

This structure is very fashionable

Exercise 4 nowadays, as the Semi-Tarrasch
became very popular in the last few
a b c d e f g h years. Black's strategy is similar to
8 8
other openings such as the Grünfeld
or the Queen's Indian (Petrosian
7 7 Variation): giving the center to White
6 6 in return for a quick development and
chances of counterplay against the
5 5
central pawns in the future. White's
4 4 plans are: 1) He enjoys a bit more
3 3
space due the central pair e4/d4, and
has two main plans involving pawn
2 2
breaks, either with a4-a5-xb6, looking
1 1 to create a weakness in Black's camp,
a b c d e f g h or d4-d5, opening lines in the center,
activating the pieces and creating a
dangerous passed pawn on the d-file.
How can White take advantage of his Usually, when White goes for the first
better development? plan, he abdicates of the d4-d5
www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 91

advance and the best way to proceed games show that the best way for
is Ne5 followed by f2-f3, securing the Black is to take on a5 and develop
center and restricting both Black's pressure against the e4/d4 pawns, as
minor pieces, with a small but this prevents White from
pleasant advantage. If instead he opts consolidating his position in the
to create a passed pawn with d4-d5, centre and exploit the a7-pawn. 2)
then it is important to be sure that the Regarding the d5-break, Black should
advance d5-d6 is also possible, when place the rooks on the c and e-files,
the pawn would become very waiting for d4-d5, when his
dangerous and Black would have centralized pieces will have nice
problems. Another possibility, with the squares and become active. An
pawn still on d5, is Nd4-c6, with some adequate way of preventing the ideas
pressure for White in the endgame. 2) associated with h4-h5, is to play the
Another common and more prophylactic h7-h6, protecting g5 and
aggressive idea for White is the preventing some sacrifices on h7.3)
thematic pawn sacrifice with d4-d5 In the long-term, Black should not
and after exd5 by Black, White forget about his queenside majority
answers with e4-e5, preparing the which is his biggest trump. If White
maneuver Nd4-f5 and thereby does not manage to exploit his
creating attacking ideas with moves pluses, often Black keeps improving
like Qd2-f4 and e5-e6. This plan is the pieces and at some point starts to
exceptionally strong when Black move the pawns, with better chances
places the knight on c6. A typical way in the endgame. Also, if White
to support the kingside attack is advances or attacks in the wrong
advancing the h-pawn with h2-h4-h5, way, often Black pieces gain life by
which gives White many tactical occupying the weakened squares in
possibilities. For Black: 1) Despite the center or in White's camp.
having less space, Black manages to
exchange a pair of pieces in the very
first moves. Then he continues with Tregubov,Pavel V 2586
quick development and places all his Sychev,Klementy 2445
remaining pieces on good squares RUS-chT rapid (5.5) 05.10.2016
which is an indication that his position
is not really cramped. Against the
positional plan of a4-a5, recent 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 c5
5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 cxd4
8.cxd4 Bb4+ 9.Bd2 Bxd2+ 10.Qxd2
0-0 11.Bc4 Nd7

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 92

[ There's a famous game which [ 14.Rfe1 Rc8 15.Bb3 Re8

illustrates White's attacking chances has been the main option on a top
pretty well: 11...Nc6 12.0-0 b6 level. ]
13.Rad1 Bb7 14.Rfe1 Na5 14...exd5 15.Bxd5 White hopes to keep
( 14...Rc8 15.d5 Na5 16.Bd3! some pressure in the center with this
transposes to the text. ) 15.Bd3 Rc8 bishop, and, after an eventual exchange,
16.d5! exd5 17.e5! This typical pawn to have a strong passed pawn on the d-
sacrifice gives very good attacking file.
prospects to White. He has ideas like [ 15.exd5 seems harmless for Black
Nd4-f5 or Ng5; even e5-e6 would after Rc8 16.Bb3 Nc5= and the d-
leave Black's king more exposed. pawn is not dangerous here ]
Black tried to force exchanges with 15...Nc5
Nc4 18.Qf4 Nb2? but then 19.Bxh7+! [ of course 15...Bxd5? is bad because
Kxh7 20.Ng5+ Kg6 21.h4!! after 16.exd5 Black is not able to
Polugaevsky,L-Tal,M URS-ch37 prevent the advance d5-d6, then the
Final 1969 (2) 1-0 gave White a pawn becomes very annoying in
powerful attack in Nxd1? loses to Black's camp. A nice classic example
22.h5+! Kxh5 23.g4+ Kg6 24.Qf5+ of this is the famous game Spassky-
Kh6 25.Qh7+! Kxg5 26.Qh5+ Kf4 Petrosian from the 1969 World
27.Qf5# ] Championship Match ]
16.Qf4! The d6-square is very important
a b c d e f g h
in such positions, as after an exchange
on d5, White would be able to advance
8 8
the pawn one step ahead. There's also
7 7 the threat of Bxf7+. 16...Qe7 This move
looks pretty natural, but it leads to a
6 6
slightly unpleasant endgame for Black.
5 5 [ 16...Qb8! fighting for the d6-square
should be better. ]
4 4
17.Nd4! A move that puts some
3 3 problems for Black.
[ 17.Rfe1 Also gave a tiny advantage
2 2
for White in a rapid game Rad8 18.h4
1 1 Bxd5 ( 18...Rfe8 ) 19.exd5 Qd6
a b c d e f g h 20.Qe3 Nd7 21.Ng5 Nf6 22.Ne4
Nxe4 23.Qxe4 ;Le Quang Liem
(2737)-Kravtsiv,M (2672) World Rapid
The most solid variation. 12.0-0 b6 2017 (13.10) 1-0 ]
13.Rad1 Bb7 14.d5!? White tries to 17...Bxd5 Simplifying into an endgame
break in the center immediately and in which White has a small advantage.
avoids giving Black time to develop the [ 17...g6N was another option, but
pieces. after, for example 18.Rfe1 Rad8

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 93

19.Nf3 Rfe8 20.h4!? White has some 27...Nc4+ 28.Kd4 Nb2 White still kept
ideas on the kingside. Probably Black some advantage thanks to a tactical
is fine, but practice will have to show idea: 29.axb5! Nxd3 30.b6! Rab8
how good White's position really is. ]
[ 30...Nf4 31.b7 Re8 32.Kc5! Rab8
18.exd5 Qe4 Now, after 19.Qxe4 Nxe4
33.Nxb8 Rxb8 34.Kb6 Nxd5+
20.Nc6!
35.Ka7+- ]
a b c d e f g h [ 30...Rcb8 31.Rxa6! Rxa6 32.Nxb8
8 8 Ra1 ( 32...Ra8 33.Nc6 ) 33.b7 Rb1
34.Nd7+ Ke7 35.b8Q Rxb8
7 7 36.Nxb8 ]
6 6 31.Nxb8 Rxb8 32.Kxd3? White missed
5 5
a nice alternative.
[ 32.Rb1! was very annoying for Black
4 4
Nf2 ( 32...Nc1 33.Kc5!; 32...Nf4
3 3 33.Ke5 Nd3+ 34.Kd6 ) 33.Kc5! Nd3+
34.Kd6 Rd8+ 35.Kc7 Ke7 36.b7
2 2
Rd7+ 37.Kb6 Rd8 38.Ka7
1 1 White should be winning ]
a b c d e f g h 32...Rxb6 33.Kc4 White still has some
chances, but objectively Black should
The team d5+Nc6 considerably restricts hold the endgame with precise play.
Black's position, thus giving White some 33...Ke7 34.Kc5?! A bit inaccurate.
advantage in this endgame. 20...Nd6 [ 34.Ra3! would be prophylatical and
21.f3! Bringing the king to the action. good, if Kd6 35.g5! and Black will be
21...Rfe8 22.Kf2 Kf8 23.Rd3 b5?! always in a sort of Zugzwang, allowing
Black tries to make use of his queenside White to make further improvements
majority. 24.a4! But this gives White a Kc7 36.Kc5 Rb5+ 37.Kd4 Rb6
good chance of creating some pressure 38.Ke5 ]
and open lines there. 24...a6 25.Ra1 34...Rf6? Too passive, after this Black
Rec8 26.g4! Since Black's position is a has problems again.
bit paralyzed White takes time to make [ 34...Rb3! was the right way, as in
improvements and seize some space on rook endgames it is very important get
the kingside too. 26...g6 27.Ke3!? the rook as active as possible 35.f4
Now White threatens to make serious Rc3+! forcing the White king to go
improvements as his idea is to activate back 36.Kd4 Rc2 37.Rxa6 Rd2+!
the king by invading Black's queenside. 38.Kc5 Rc2+! 39.Kb5 Rb2+ 40.Kc6
This practically forces Black to seize the Rc2+ and it is a draw thanks to the
only resource available. rook activity ]
[ Instead, 27.Ra2! would have 35.Ra3 Kd7?
prevented this idea, with good [ 35...g5! was needed, preserving the
prospects ] rook in its ideal position ]

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 94

36.g5 Rd6 Exercise 5

[ 36...Rf5 37.Rxa6 Rxf3 38.Ra7+
Ke8 39.Kd6 and White is winning ] a b c d e f g h
37.Rb3 Kc7? When the pressure came,
8 8
Black defended pretty badly.
[ 37...Ke7 38.Ra3 Kd7 39.f4 Ke7 7 7
40.Re3+ Kd7 41.Rh3+- ] 6 6
38.Rb7+!
5 5
a b c d e f g h
4 4
8 8
3 3
7 7
2 2
6 6
1 1
5 5
a b c d e f g h
4 4

3 3
Is there some way to fight for an
2 2 advantage as White?
1 1
Find the answer in the PGN and website
a b c d e f g h versions of Modern Chess Magazine.

White found a nice way to convert his

positional advantage by forcing a Structure 6
winning queen endgame. 38...Kxb7
39.Kxd6+- a5 40.Ke7 a4 41.d6 a3
a b c d e f g h
42.d7 a2 43.d8Q a1Q Both sides
promote their pawns, but White is the 8 8

first one to give the checks, and his 7 7

king is also very active, winning Black
6 6
pawns one by one. 44.Qd5+ Kb6
45.Qd6+ Kb7 46.Kxf7 Qc3 47.Qd5+ 5 5
Kb6 48.Kg8 Qc7 49.h4 Qe7 50.Qf7
4 4
Qe1 51.Kxh7
1-0 3 3

2 2

1 1

a b c d e f g h

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 95

This structure arises from the main line Wacker,Peter 2312

of the Chigorin Defense in which Black Stenzel,Thomas 2112
gives up the bishop pair in return for Regionalliga Mittelrhein 1213 (9.1)
quick development and pressure 14.4.13
against White's center. This opening
represents a complex strategic battle 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6!? 3.Nf3 Bg4
in which some critical points should be 4.cxd5 Bxf3 5.gxf3 Qxd5 6.e3 e5!
considered: 1) White has the bishop In the Chigorin Defense, Black goes for
pair which means that he should look immediate pressure against the center.
for ways of opening the position. 7.Nc3 Bb4 Black should part with the
However, it is important to note that if bishop pair to continue with fast
he carelessly advances the central development and to keep the position
pawns, this will result in weak squares active. 8.Bd2 Bxc3 9.bxc3
that Black will love to occupy with his This position is one of the tabyias of this
opening, and much depends on the
knights who would lead in a pleasant
strategy adopted by both sides from now.
and reliable position. A common idea
White's position, at first sight, looks
for White is the sequence f3-f4 exf4
great and easy to play, with a mass of
e3-e4! capturing on f4 with the bishop
central pawns, supported by the bishop
and keeping a healthy and mobile pair, and open lines for his pieces. But
pawn centre. 2) With the bishop pair appearances can be deceptive, and
and a strong center White's position White should be cautious: He is still
may look perfect at first sight. But he behind in development, and any wrong
has a slightly damaged pawn structure advances by the pawns would leave
and is usually behind in development. weak squares in his camp which Black
Having this in mind, naturally, he would be more than glad to occupy with
should look for active play in the first the knights. 9...Qd6! Anticipating c4-d5
place, using the bishop pair to create ideas.
attacking threats, and then open files [ 9...exd4?! Is the second most played,
for the rooks. Often White is ready to but to be honest I don't like this
sacrifice the a2-pawn, for example, to approach as I think that keeping the
finish the development as soon as central tension is in Black's interest. ]
possible and to take the initiative. [ 9...Qd7 was played recently by
Even going into some endgames with Rapport, but after 10.Rb1 0-0-0
a pawn down, White is able to regain 11.Bg2 Nge7 Nakamura,H (2785)-
the material due to the pressure of his Rapport,R (2692) Sharjah FIDE GP
pieces against Black's forces. If Black 2017 (3) 1-0 12.f4! exf4 13.0-0!
manages to stop White's initiative, White has excellent compensation by
then he should be fine, but as the the pawn sacrifice ]
games show, it is not an easy task. [ 9...Nge7? is simply bad as after
10.c4! Qd6 11.d5! Nb8 12.Rb1

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 96

White becomes very active ] to remember that White is still behind in

[ 9...Nf6?! is similar to 9...Nge7 10.c4! development. 13...0-0 14.Qf3 Qa3!?
Qd6 11.d5! Ne7 12.Rb1 ] Black's attempt of counterplay on the
10.Bg2 queenside is useless, as White is more
[ the move order 10.Rb1 b6 11.f4! than fine finishing the development by
exf4 12.e4! is most often seen, and sacrificing the a2-pawn.
probably most precise. After Nge7 [ better was 14...Ng6 15.h4 ( 15.e5?
13.Qf3 0-0 ( 13...Ng6 14.h4! Rd8 Ncxe5! 16.dxe5 Nxe5 17.Qxa8 Rxa8
15.h5 Nge5 16.Qxf4+- ) 14.Bxf4 18.Bxa8 Qd3!-+ ) 15...Rad8! 16.h5?
Qa3 15.Bg2 we reach the same Nge5! this is the sort of problems that
position as in the game, without White can face being behind in
giving active chances for Black ] development. ]
10...Nge7 11.Rb1 Usually this is a good 15.Bxf4 Ng6
move as it forces some commitments in [ 15...Qxa2 wins the pawn, but the
Black's position. 11...b6 queen is misplaced now 16.0-0 Ng6
[ 11...0-0-0 12.f4! exf4 13.0-0 ] 17.Bg3! ( 17.Bxc7 Nh4! ) 17...Na5
The following idea is very nice and 18.h4! c6 19.h5 Ne7 20.h6!
should be remembered: 12.f4! exf4 gives a pleasant initiative for White on
13.e4! the kingside. ]
[ 13.0-0!? was also interesting ] [ 15...f5 16.0-0 Kh8?! ( 16...Ng6?
17.exf5 Nxf4 18.Qxf4 Qxc3 19.Rbc1
a b c d e f g h
Nxd4 20.Rxc3 Ne2+ 21.Kh1 Nxf4
22.Bxa8 Rxa8 23.Rxc7+- ) 17.d5!
8 8
Ng6 ( 17...Na5 18.Bxc7+- )
7 7 18.Bc1!+- Gershon,A (2562)-Pirrot,D
(2421) Bayern-chI Bank Hofmann 6th
6 6
2002 (5) 1-0 Qxa2 19.Rb2 Qc4
5 5 20.dxc6 with a technically won
position ]
4 4
16.Bg3 Preventing Nh4. 16...f5!?
3 3 Black should play as actively as he can
and try to make use of his development
2 2
lead. Otherwise, White's advantage
1 1 would become evident. Despite this, the
a b c d e f g h position looks a bit scary for White, but
he can obtain an advantage with the nice
move: 17.Qd3!
This is the right plan to put White's [ Instead, 17.exf5? played the initiative
pawns in movement, without leaving into Black's hands after Rae8+ 18.Kf1
weak squares in his camp. Now, the Nce7 19.Bh3 Qxa2 Tomczak,M
position seems to offer a great potential (2395)-Lalith,B (2530) Warsaw
to White's bishop pair, but it is important Najdorf Memorial op-A 15th 2017 (7)
www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 97

0-1 ] [ more advisable was 21.Rb5 Qa3

17...Nxd4!? The best practical chance. 22.Qb3 when White is fighting to end
[ 17...f4 18.Qc4+ Kh8 19.Qxc6 fxg3 Black's initiative Qa6 23.Rc1! Rac8
20.hxg3 Qxa2 21.0-0 24.Ke1 ]
seems clearly better for White ] 21...Rae8? Playing again into White
[ 17...Qxa2 leads to a forced variation: hands.
18.exf5! Rae8+ 19.Be4! which is [ 21...Rad8! 22.Be4 Nxe5!-+ ]
better for White, for example Rxf5 22.Be4!
( 19...Qd5 20.f3 Qxf5 21.0-0+- )
a b c d e f g h
20.0-0 Rf6 21.Rbe1 Nce7 22.d5
8 8
Qa4 23.Bxc7 and the passed pawn
gives a nice advantage for White ] 7 7
18.Qc4+! A necessary intermediate 6 6
check, to take on d4 with the pawn.
5 5
18...Kh8 19.cxd4 Qa5+?!
[ 19...f4 regains the piece, but White is 4 4
enjoying his advantage after 20.0-0 3 3
fxg3 21.hxg3 c5 22.Rb3! Qxa2
2 2
23.d5 Rac8 24.Qc3! Qa4 25.Ra3
Qd7 26.f4 b5 27.Qa1! Rc7 28.e5 1 1

the central passed pawns are always a b c d e f g h

stronger and very powerful ] White is better again. 22...Nxe5
20.Ke2? There was no necessity to [ 22...fxg3 23.hxg3+- ]
leave the king in such an exposed 23.dxe5 Qxe5 24.f3 fxg3 25.hxg3 h6
position. White is simply a piece up and winning
[ a much better and forcing option was with correct play, but somehow he didn't
20.Qb4! solve his problems and even lost the
A) 20...Qxa2 21.Bxc7 Qf7 22.Bg3 game. 26.Rhg1 Rf6 27.Rb5
( 22.Bd6 Nh4!? ) 22...f4 23.0-0 [ 27.Rbe1 ]
fxg3 24.hxg3; 27...c5 28.Rbb1 Qh5 29.Kf2 Qg4
B) 20...Qxb4+ 21.Rxb4 f4 22.0-0 30.Qd5?? A huge blunder.
fxg3 23.hxg3 White's edge is out of [ 30.Rge1 is the right move, as Rxf3+?
the question here: He has a strong is met by 31.Bxf3 Qxc4
centre, and the pawns might 32.Rxe8++- ]
advance at any moment. 30...Qxe4-+ 31.Qxe4 Rxe4 32.Rgd1
Furthermore, White can exert Re7 33.a4 Kg8 34.a5 Kf7 35.Rd8
annoying pressure against Black's Rc7 36.Rb8 bxa5 37.R8b5 c4
queenside. One possible 38.Rxa5 c3 39.Rc1 c2 40.Ra2 Rfc6
continuation could be c6 24.Rc1 41.Ke2 Rc3 42.g4 g6 43.Ra6 R3c6
Ne7 25.e5 Rac8 26.Rbc4 b5 44.Ra2
44. Kf6 45.Ra5 Rc5 46.Ra2
27.Rc5 ] 47.gxh5 gxh5 48.Kf2 Kf5 49.Kg3 h4+
20...f4 21.e5?! 50.Kf2
50. Kf4 51.Ra4+ Rc4 52.Ra5
53.Ra4+ R7c4 54.Rxa7 Rxf3+ 55.Kg2
www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 98

h3+ 56.Kh2 Ke3 57.Rd7 Ke2 58.Rd8 This structure is characteristic of the
Rd3 59.Re8+ Kd2 60.Ree1 Kc3 Albin's Counter-Gambit. Black has tried
0-1 to create some weaknesses in White's
queenside by means of a7-a5. But this
Exercise 6 is actually in favour for the first player,
as the presence of the pawn on b5
a b c d e f g h
cramps Black's position and allows to
8 8 attack the c7-pawn as well the a5 one
7 7 potentially. Another important point is
that there is always a White bishop on
6 6
d4, exerting pressure over on sides and
5 5 making Black's position unpleasant,
especially the kingside. Besides these
4 4
advantages, White also has the kingside
3 3 majority that can be useful to seize
2 2 space in the center in some positions.
Black has no real compensation for all
1 1
of these White advantages. His best
a b c d e f g h option is to look for active play, but often
he has no real chance as White can
This position arises from the Chigorin
force some endgames, and Black ends
Defense and is the second most often
up in a passive and unpleasant defence.
played line for Black against the main
Objectively it is fair to say that White's
variation. Find the best idea for White.
play is more natural and he has an
Find the answer in the PGN and
advantage.
website versions of Modern Chess
Magazine.

Structure 7
Nikolov,Momchil 2559
a b c d e f g h Henris,Luc 2149
8 8 Lille Luce op 7th (7) 13.04.2016
7 7

6 6 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3
[ the common move order is 2.c4 e5
5 5
3.dxe5 d4 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.a3! ]
4 4 2...Nc6 3.c4 e5!?
3 3 [ 3...Bg4 is the Chigorin Defense ]
4.dxe5 d4 5.a3! A move that not just
2 2
prevents the check on b4, but also
1 1 prepares to follow with b4-b5,
a b c d e f g h weakening the d4-pawn.

www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 99

[ 5.e3 would be perfect if Black did not can dream of counterplay chances.
have Bb4+ 6.Bd2 dxe3! with already Of course, White is still ahead, but I
an easier game ] think the endgame provides a free of
5...Nge7 risk advantage and is very easy to
[ 5...a5 There's no time to stop White's work ]
expansion on the queenside: 6.e3! 9...Qxd4 10.Bxd4 Nxc4 11.e3 Nd6
since the check was prevented now ] [ 11...Be6 12.Ng5! is unpleasant for
6.b4 Ng6 7.Bb2 a5! Black ]
[ anyway, after 7...Ncxe5 8.Nxe5 12.Nbd2 White has more than one way
Nxe5 9.e3! Be6 10.Bxd4 Nxc4 to create problems for Black here, but
11.Qc2 Nd6 12.Bd3 the main issue is that such positions are
White's advantage is also very not the sort of play that Albin's players
pleasant ] are looking for. 12...Bd7
a b c d e f g h [ 12...a4? seems natural, fixing
White's queenside pawns, but wastes
8 8
some precious time 13.Rc1 Kd8
7 7 ( 13...Nf5 14.Bb2+- ) 14.h4!
6 6
White makes an instructive use of his
strategical plusses h5 15.Bd3 Bf5
5 5 16.Bxf5 Nxf5 17.Ng5! Nh6
4 4 ( 17...Bxa3 18.Nxf7+ Kd7 19.Nxh8
Bxc1 20.Nxg6+- ) 18.Nc4 Ke8
3 3 19.Bb2 Bluebaum,M (2643)-Trent,L
2 2 (2435) Bundesliga 2017-18 (11.4)
1-0 Black is very cramped on the
1 1 kingside, and White had a
a b c d e f g h comfortable advantage in ]
[ 12...Nf5 13.Bb2 ]
This is played to force some advances in
13.a4 Nf5 Black has also tried another
White's position, but although it is a more
option here, although none of them
precise way to play before taking on e5, it
managed to solve his problems.
is not enough to equalize. 8.b5 Ncxe5
[ 13...b6? seems simply bad, fixing the
9.Qxd4!? Despite not being the
c7-pawn as a permanent target
most played option, I think the
14.Bd3 f6 15.0-0 Be7 16.Rfc1 Rc8
endgames that arise by force are much
17.Rc2! 0-0 18.Rac1 Bd8 19.Bb2!
easier for White, with a good pressure
; Macedo,M (2357)-Albuquerque,W
against Black's queenside and no risk.
(2168) Joao Pessoa Fischer Memorial
[ 9.Nxe5 is the main move Nxe5
8th 2017 (6) 1-0 and Black is in big
10.e3 Be6 11.Bxd4 Nxc4 12.Qc2
trouble - ]
Nd6 is similar to the game, but here
[ 13...c6!? seems also natural, getting
Black managed to get rid of the
rid of the c7-pawn 14.bxc6 Bxc6
misplaced Ng6, and some games
15.Bc3!? preventing b7-b5 f6 16.Be2
show that with queens on board Black
www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 100

Be7 17.0-0 0-0 Scott,G (2198)- 17.Ke2 c5

Larsen,A (1976) Hastings Masters op [ 17...Ne7! was a better move 18.Nc4!
92nd 2016 (5) 1/2 White would have ( 18.Rhb1 Nd5 ) 18...Nd5 19.Nxd6+
preserved an advantage now through cxd6 20.Kd2 Nc3 21.Nd4
18.Nc4! Nxc4 19.Bxc4+ Kh8 and White keeps the advantage Rxa4
20.Be6! ] ( 21...0-0 22.a5 ) 22.Rxa4 Nxa4
[ 13...f6 14.Be2 Ne7? 23.Ra1 Nb6 24.Ra7 Bc8 25.Kc2
this manoeuvre was too slow 15.0-0 With some pressure for White,
Nd5 16.Rfc1 c6 17.bxc6 Bxc6 although it seems that with correct
18.Bc5 Nf5 19.Nb3 Nb4 20.Bb6+- play Black should hold ( 25.Nc2 Kd8
;Peralta,F (2574)-Perez Candelario,M 26.Nxb4 Kc7 27.Ra1 )]
(2496) Iberoamerican-ch GpC 1st 18.bxc6 bxc6
2006 (5) 1-0 ] [ 18...Bxc6 19.Rhb1 Rxa4 20.Rxa4
14.Bc3 Bb4?! There's no easy way to Bxa4 21.Rxb4 Bc6 22.Nd4! Bxg2
continue Black's development. 23.f3 ]
[ 14...f6 15.Bd3 Bd6 16.Be4! c6 19.Nb3 Ke7 20.Rhc1
17.Nc4 Bc7 18.Rd1! and Black is a b c d e f g h
under annoying pressure ] 8 8
15.Bxb4 axb4 16.Bd3 Black has
7 7
serious problems with the b4-pawn Now,
and after the forced c7-c5, he is also 6 6

creating weaknesses on the queenside. 5 5

16...Nd6 4 4
[ 16...0-0 17.0-0 c5 Rodriguez
Lopez,R (2244)-Revilla Rio,F (2127) 3 3

ESP-chT CECLUB Div1 Final 2 2

Permanencia 2012 (1.4) 1-0 18.bxc6 1 1
bxc6 19.Nb3 White establishes a firm
a b c d e f g h
blockade against Black's queenside
pawns, with a stable advantage Nd6 Once that this position is reached, it is
20.Rfc1 Rfd8 21.Nc5 Bf5 22.Bxf5 clear that White is better: He is not only
Nxf5 23.a5 ] blocking but also soon exerting pressure
against Black's queenside pawns, and the
[ 16...Ke7 is an option 17.Ke2 c5
distant passed pawn is also a worthy
18.bxc6 bxc6 19.Bxf5! a very well-
advantage. Black's defense is very
timed exchange, as White keeps the two
unpleasant and difficult from now.
knights to exploit the weak dark-squares 20...Rhc8 21.Nc5 Bf5 22.Nd4! Bxd3+
on Black's queenside, and the bishop 23.Nxd3 The last exchange left the c6-
will be useless in this fight Bxf5 20.Nd4 pawn unprotected. 23...Kd7 24.Rab1
Bd7 21.Rhc1 Rhc8 22.N2b3 White has Rab8
a very nice advantage here, and it [ 24...Rxa4?? 25.Nc5+ ]
seems unlikely the Black will be able to 25.Nc5+ Ke8 26.Nc2 The pawn is lost
withstand the increasing pressure. ] and also is the game. 26...Nb7 27.Nxb7
www.modern-chess.com
 Modern Chess Magazine 101

Rxb7 28.Rxb4 Rxb4 29.Nxb4+- Ra8

30.Ra1 Ne7 31.e4 Ra5 32.Kd3 Kd7
33.Kc3 Nc8 34.Nd3 c5 35.Ne5+ Ke6
36.Nc4 Ra6 37.a5 Ne7 38.Rb1 f5
39.f3 fxe4 40.fxe4 Nc6 41.Rb5 Ne5
42.Rxc5
1-0

Exercise 7

a b c d e f g h

8 8

7 7

6 6

5 5

4 4

3 3

2 2

1 1
a b c d e f g h

In this position from the Albin's

Counter Gambit, Black did not force
White to commit his structure with
7...a5. Now, he tried it 12...a5 but
White replied with the simple 13.0-0
and the game went 13...axb4
14.axb4 Rxa1 15.Bxa1 c6 16.Nd2
Qg5?!Black wants at the same time
create ideas like Bh3, and prepare to
develop the Bf8. But he is behind in
development, and White has a nice
way to take advantage of it. How?

Find the answer in the PGN and

website versions of Modern Chess
Magazine.

www.modern-chess.com