Chess Success: Planning After the Opening E-Book

Neil McDonald

• Herausgeber: Batsford
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 353

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2013

Beschreibung

There are plenty of chess books that cover openings, but not so many that tell you what to do next. Every player has encountered problems once the opening phase of the game has ended, and this book provides solutions. Renowned chess author Neil McDonald guides you through a selection of over 40 recent instructive and entertaining Grandmaster games, all of which illustrate how sound planning and a clear head can help you through that crucial post-opening phase.

Leseprobe

First published in the United Kingdom in 2007 by Batsford 10 Southcombe Street London W14 0RA

An imprint of Anova Books Company Ltd

Copyright © Batsford 2007 Text copyright © Neil McDonald

The moral right of the author has been asserted.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

First eBook publication 2013 eBook ISBN: 978 1 8499 4097 9

Also available in paperback Paperback ISBN: 978 0 7134 9071 8

Cover reproduction by Spectrum Colour Ltd, Ipswich

The paperback of this book can be ordered direct from the publisher at the websitewww.anovabooks.com

Contents

Introduction

Chapter One: The smiting style

Chapter Two: Delaying the moment of tactical truth

Chapter Three: Super symmetry

Chapter Four: The support point centre

Chapter Five: A prickly customer

Chapter Six: Dr Jekyll and Mr Steinitz

Chapter Seven: The dilemma of d5

Chapter Eight: Roaring lion and crouching tiger

Introduction

So why do we need a long term plan? Didn’t Capablanca show that you can become World Champion by taking it easy and playing natural moves?

If your philosophy is ‘put pieces on good squares and don’t worry about an overall plan or tactics!’ you are in effect playing Russian Roulette. Sooner or later someone will be mopping bits of brain off the chess board, which is bad news even for someone who doesn’t like to think too much.

Even if you have a good intuition when it comes to picking moves with the capacity to be good, in each position as a game progresses you will probably encounter five or more moves that ‘look right’. Sooner or later you will pick one that ‘looks right’ but is actually a disguised tactical/strategical blunder.

Capablanca is dead; and the rest of us need to play with our brains as well as our hands.

Having said that, we can make things a lot easier for ourselves. Everyone learns variations in the openings, but rarely do they pause to reflect on the connection between the moves played and the underlying strategic demands of the position. Instead it’s moves and moves and more moves! But surely a grasp of the chess principles at work would not only make you a better player but also make the learning of theory easier and more enjoyable.

In Chapter Six we shall see that even the great Steinitz, the first World Champion, is clueless when confronted with an unfamiliar pawn formation. So you might think that there isn’t much hope for the rest of us.

Fortunately (or unfortunately if you wanted to be a pioneer yourself) more than a century has passed since Steinitz played his chess. That’s an awful lot of tournament and match chess. The never ending ‘arms race’ of ideas, (or less grandiosely trial and error) has bequeathed to modern players the knowledge of how to play various pawn structures.

In writing this book I’ve tried to take a step back from opening theory: to forget for a moment the endless reams of analysis of the Sicilian and King’s Indian, and simply ask myself: what does the pawn structure require – and how does the placement of the pieces, including the king, ‘warp’ this requirement?

Move by move coverage has been given to the most important phases of each game, during which the long term plan unfolds. Sometimes the game is of such value that every step along the way after the opening has been carefully considered.

I hope you enjoy the games. Let me wish you a lot of success and joy in learning the art of strategy from these great minds.

Neil McDonaldGravesend August 2007

Chapter One: The smiting style

Chess is 99% tactics.

Richard Teichmann

Examine moves that smite! A good eye for smites is far more important than a knowledge of strategical principles.

Cecil Purdy

Many years ago I recall that Karpov and Korchnoi were asked to comment on the above quotation from Teichmann. Korchnoi more or less agreed, while Karpov replied ‘rubbish!’ (or maybe it was ‘nonsense!’ but you get the meaning). You can draw your own conclusions from this.

But no one can deny that it is essential for any serious player to train their tactical eye. The Viennese Grandmaster Richard Reti wrote two famous books on chess strategy in the 1920s, called New Ideas in Chess and Masters of the Chessboard. In these brilliant tomes Reti kept variations to a minimum and explained things in words wherever possible. And yet he was anxious to point out that:

Tactics are the foundation of positional play!

And rightly so. A player needs to proceed from the simple to the complex: if you haven’t mastered basic tactical devices such as forks and skewers there is no hope of ever playing a good strategic game.

By ‘smites’ Purdy means moves that attempt to land a combinative blow on the opponent. He is giving excellent advice in recommending a bold, forceful method of play to those keen to deepen their awareness of possibilities on the chess board: nothing can develop the imagination as much as experimenting with ideas.

For this reason the King’s Gambit with its scope for sharp attacks and sacrifices should be the opening of choice for a player seeking to learn the ropes of tactical chess.

‘Every chess master was once a beginner’ – Chernev

To begin at the beginning, let’s look at some youthful smiting:

Game 1Two schoolboys in battle

1e4e5

201;f301;c6

301;c3

So far so good: sensible developing play by both players. But at this point theory seems to come to an end for Black.

3 … b6?

Black plans an attack on the white e4 pawn, but it is a luxury he can’t really afford. He should develop with 3 … f6 or 3 … c5.

4d4

Not the best: 4 b5! would threaten 5 xc6 dxc6 6 xe5. Black cannot reply 4 … d6, his normal move in this type of position to bolster e5, as that would leave the knight on c6 hanging. Hence we see that 3 … b6 has not only squandered a tempo but also undermined the ability of the black pieces to hold onto the e5 pawn.

White’s 4 d4 move is typical of this variation – it is for example a standard response to 3 … f6. It also makes sense to break open the centre seeing that Black has wasted a move with 3 … b6. But it also shows a certain rigidity of thinking.

In forcing the exchange of pawns on d4, White is rather generously ridding Black of the pawn on e5 which it would have been hard for him to defend after the superior 4 b5.

The obvious moves aren’t always the best moves!

4 … exd45xd4xd4

Bringing the white queen to a powerful square. He should settle for 5 … b7.

6xd4b77h4

Now it is White’s turn to neglect his development, though the plan of 7 g5, attacking the black queen, is a noble one. But a simple, direct developing move such as 7 f4 was to be preferred.

7 … c5?

In his eagerness to attack the white queen, Black forgets about the g7 square.

8xg7f6

The only way to save the rook in the corner.

9h6?

White sees that he wins the rook after 9 … xg7? 10 xg7 or 9 … xh6 10 xh8. But like most players, he is better at seeing combinations favourable for himself than his opponent. Instead after the simple 9 g3 Black has little to show for his missing pawn.

9 … xf2+10d1

Now Black could save himself with 10 … d4+, but he saw something stronger:

10 … d4??11f8 mate!

Game 2 Schoolgirl versus schoolboy

1e4e5

2f3c6

3b5a6

4xc6dxc6

5xe5

Has the Ruy Lopez finally been refuted in a school match after surviving 400 years of Grandmaster scrutiny? No: Black can regain the pawn with 5 … d4! 6 f3 xe4+ with the better of it.

5 … d66c4f6?

Evidently Black was disorientated by the unexpected loss of the e5 pawn, as he blunders a piece as well.

7e5e6

8xd6+cxd6

9exf6xf6

10e2?

White should develop her pieces with 10 c3, 11 d4 and 12 e3 etc. when Black has no compensation for his piece. Instead she moves her queen out for no good reason.

10 … 0-0

110-0g6

12a3

A pitiful waste of labour to defend the c2 pawn against capture by the black queen! The same end could have been achieved far more efficiently with 12 d3, followed by 13 c3. Incidentally, if White had avoided the time wasting 10 e2, the pawn on c2 wouldn’t have needed to be defended.

12 … h3?

Black is unable to resist the threat of mate on g2. It would have been so much better to have brought up reinforcements with 12 … ae8, introducing a ‘real’ threat: 13 … d5! when the white queen is attacked and cannot save herself and prevent mate on g2. Though it must be admitted that 13 f3 would all the same leave White a piece up for nothing …

13f3!

In the style of Capablanca-Marshall, New York 1918. All Black has succeeded in doing by attacking g2 is to force his opponent to play a good move.

13 … d7

The unlucky bishop has to beat a retreat.

14e1

White is playing with fire in putting her rook on the e-file where it can be challenged by the black rooks. Simple was 14 d3 and 15 e3 etc. What is the point in White having an extra piece if she refuses to develop her queenside?

14 … fe8

15xe8+?

If you can take something, and give check at the same time, it must be a good move … It wasn’t too late for 15 e3! and 16 d3 etc.

16g3?

White has to choose an escape square for her king. As she has been threatened with xg2 mate in the past, she assumes the best way is to put a barrier between the black queen and the white king on the g-file: hence 16 g3. But she has completely forgotten about the h3 square.

Essential was 16 h3, even though Black can attack the white king and leave the white queenside tied up after 16 … e1+.

16 … h317d3

If 17 d1 e4 – threatening mate on g2 – 18 f3 d4+ 19 h1 f2 20 g1 xf3+ and mate next move.

17 … e1 mate.

White’s queenside pieces proved entirely irrelevant.

Believe it or not, the errors we see in the games above are repeated in the Grandmaster games that make up this collection: impulsiveness, becoming obsessed with one aim, playing according to rote ideas learnt before the game, and not seeing the big picture.

The most noticeable feature in the context of planning was that no regard was given to the pawns at all, beyond the clearing of lines for the pieces (and White even omitted to play 12 d3 in the second game).

In this context I’m reminded of an English amateur player who always replied to 1 d4 with a plan that didn’t involve the pawns at all, except as bait on the first move. His winning strategy might be broken down into stages as follows:

Game 3 Mr Naïve versus Mr Chancer

1d4

Step One: I’ll offer a pawn which my opponent being an honest fellow is sure to take:

1 … e52dxe5

Step Two: I’ll threaten to regain the pawn.

2 … e73f3

Step Three: now I’ll lure his bishop to f4 by attacking the pawn again.

3 … c64f4

Step Four: now I’ll attack the bishop and the b2 square it left undefended.

4 … b4+5d2

Drat, he saw 5 d2 xb2 6 c3 b4.

Step Five says I’ll take on b2 anyway and attack a1.

5 … xb26c3

He’s defended his rook and attacked my queen, but Step Six will upset him as I can pin the bishop against his king:

6 … b47d2

He seemed relieved when he found that move!

Now Step Seven takes the bishop.

7 … xc38xc3

Well, he’s defended the rook in the corner and I don’t really want to exchange queens, so it’s time for Step Eight:

8 … c1 mate

Black had his plan and followed it impeccably. And you try suggesting to a player that his neglect of the pawns is open to criticism when he has just won a game in this style!

Incidentally, if you are starting to feel that 1 d4 is refuted by 1 … e5, I would recommend after 1 d4 e5 2 dxe5 e7 3 f3 c6 the simple 4 g3, when upon 4 … xe5 5 xe5 xe5 6 g2 you can develop with 7 0-0, 8 c3 and 9 f4 etc. when Black has no excuse for the time he has lost with his queen.

‘No price is too great for the scalp of the enemy King.’ – Koblentz

In the game above Black’s plan might be regarded as one extended tactical trap, albeit a successful one, which contradicted the strategic requirements of the position. However, there are circumstances in which the correct strategy depends almost exclusively on the use of the pieces with little input from the pawns beyond the opening of lines. We are talking about games in which a player sacrifices material to exploit a lead in development or an advantage in firepower in a key sector of the board.

Game 4White:M.AhnBlack:T.Ruck Belgium 2007

The duel opens as a Scotch Game:

1e4e52f3c63d4exd44xd4c55b3

A rather passive retreat. More active is 5 xc6 or 5 e3.

5 … b66c3f67g5h68h4d69a4?

White takes time out from developing his kingside in order to gain space on the queenside. With hindsight, the quiet 9 e2 should have been preferred. It appears that Black must deal with the threat of 10 a5, embarrassing his bishop, but Ruck has something completely different in mind:

9 … xe4!!

A fantastic queen sacrifice.

10xd8

If 10 h5 f6 and White is a centre pawn down. In such cases it is almost always sensible to take the material on offer, as there is more chance of the opponent going wrong in a tactical melee than in a quiet position where he has an extra pawn. Unless, of course, you see a forced mate …

10 … xf2+

If an early disaster occurs for White in the opening it is usually on the f2 square. For Black, the mirror image square f7 is the usual victim.

11e2

The white king will be carried by a whirlwind all the way up the board.

11 … g4+

A second black bishop comes into the attack with gain of time.

12d3

But surely the attack on the black knight will slow down the tempo of the attack?

12 … e5+!

Not at all: more wood is thrown on the fire. It is no time to be faint hearted as after 12 … xd1? 13 xd1 Black is left a piece down with a failing attack.

13xe4

Nimzowitsch once memorably described a feast of this kind as ‘a lunch under dangerous conditions’.

13 … f5+

The white king is driven forwards as if 14 g4 g6 mate.

14d5

At least Ahn hasn’t had to think too much as his last four moves have all been forced. But I expect the quiet move that follows gave him a headache:

14 … xd8!

By capturing on d8, Black defends the d6 pawn so that the finish 15 … e7 and 16 … c6 mate is on the cards.

15xg4

The only way to stay alive is by offering back the queen.

15 … c6+

The last check in an amazing sequence that has forced the white king all the way from e1 to e6 in only six moves.

16e6

It’s very generous of the white king to come so far to visit his opposite number at home, but then Black did pay the travel costs.

16 … 0-0!!

A brilliantly nonchalant move. Black ignores the white queen’s offer as he is after bigger game: the threat is 17 … f6 mate.

17d5

Or 17 c4 when 17 … f6+? fails to 18 e7 discovering check from the white queen. But 17 … f7! does the trick, when the threats include 18 … g6 and 19 … f8 mate. For example 18 d5 e8+ 19 e7+ (if 19 xd6 d7 mate) 19 … fxe7+ 20 xd6+ xc4+ 21 xc4+ f8 and after the flurry of checks White is defenceless as he can only delay the threat of 22 … d8 mate.

17 … fxg4

It’s finally time to nab the white queen.

18d3

There’s no way to extricate the king, so Ahn develops a piece and hopes for better weather.

18 … g6

Quite good enough to win, but 18 … de8+! would have finished things off more artistically:

a) 19 xd6 d8+ 20 xe5 xd5+ 21 e4 g5!! cutting off the white king’s access to f4, after which it is mate with 22 … e8.

b) 19 e7+ h8 20 xd6 f6+ 21 c7 xe7+ 22 d8 d7+ 23 e8 e6+ 24 f8 f7 mate.

19hf1

Good centralisation by White, but his king has too far overleaped his fellow pieces.

19 … g7

Threatening 20 … de8+ 21 xd6 d8+ 22 e6 xd5 when 23 … e8 mate is looming.

20d4

Both knights put themselves en prise in a noble attempt to save their king.

20 … fe8+

Not 20 … cxd5 21 xd5. Ruck wants to win the knight and keep the white king trapped.

21e7

Boldly they rode and well, Into the jaws of Death, Into the mouth of Hell.

21 … h4

Mate in one is top of the menu.

22xg6

There was no alternative, but making an escape hatch on f5 will cost White two pieces and still shouldn’t save the king.

22 … xe7+

Now there is a forced mate in five moves if Black discovers it.

23f5

Hoping for 23 … xg6 24 e6+ and White can fight on.

23 … f8+

But this check effectively concludes the game.

24e4

The white king is forced back into the firing line on the e-file.

24 … xg6+

We can’t really blame Ruck for taking a piece with check any more than his opponent for not resigning. Nevertheless, the purists would prefer to see mate: 24 … d5+ 25 e3 c4+ 26 d3 e3 mate.

25d3

A lucky escape for the white king, but it brings no joy to return home to a land bereft of clergy.

25 … e5+

After all his disdain for materialism, Ruck can start counting the pieces with a smile.

26c3

A wearying journey for the white king finally comes to an end. Ahn waits to see if he will get to play 27 f5+ and then resigns.

26 … f2

0-1

That was an exciting game!

Laying the foundations for an attack on the king

In the game above, the surprising stroke 9 … xe4 blew open the centre, after which White’s piece deployment proved insufficient to safeguard his king. If he had only found time to play the developing move e2 Black’s combination would never have got off the ground.

A sacrifice to catch the opponent’s pieces napping is a common positional theme, though very rarely is the queen used as bait. The far smaller investment of a pawn is the typical lure; however even here the sacrificer can’t be too complacent, as if it goes wrong then a pawn down for nothing against a good opponent usually spells defeat.

When a sacrifice is made, long term positional considerations peculiar to a type of centre might suddenly become irrelevant. In the following game, after Black’s ninth move, the only question that matters is: does Galliamova win with her extra material or does her king get mated?

Game 5White:A.GalliamovaBlack:S.Dvoirys Samara 2000

The game began as a Grunfeld Defence, Russian Variation:

1 d4 f6 2 c4 g6 3 c3 d5 4 f3 g7 5 b3 dxc4 6 xc4 0-0 7 f4 f5!?

Black offers the c7 pawn for the sake of the initiative. Key factors behind the decision are that the white king is still two moves away from being able to castle kingside, and also that the knight on b8 can aim very quickly at the soft underbelly of the white position on c2.

8xc7

Alisa Galliamova courageously accepts the challenge. The alternative was 8 e3 with a solid centre and a small plus.

8 … c6

If now 9 xd8 fxd8 10 e3 b4 11 c1 ac8 with ample pressure on the queenside for the pawn. For example if 12 e2?! fd5! threatening both 13 … xc3 followed by pocketing the a2 pawn, and 13 … xf4, gaining the two bishops and weakening the d4 pawn.

9xb7

Not satisfied with the queen exchange, White grabs a second pawn and goads Black into capturing on d4.

9 … xd4

There’s no turning back. It is often the case that one pawn down a player can afford to play slowly and methodically, as we saw here in the note to 8 … c6; but two pawns down is much worse and requires strenuous action.

Therefore Dvoirys takes on d4 with the threat of 10 … c2 mate.

100-0-0

The struggle is no longer ‘positional’ in nature: now it is a case of do or die for both players. The black knight is pinned and threatened with loss by 11 e3, so the Russian Grandmaster has to prove that the white king is vulnerable or lose valiantly trying to do so. No half measures are permissible.

10 … e4!

Putting a second knight in the danger zone. Dvoirys unleashes the bishop on g7 and threatens both 11 … xf2 forking the white rooks and 11 … xc3 splitting up the white king’s defences.

11xe4?

White becomes confused and takes the wrong knight. We shall return to this position to see what might have happened after 11 xd4.

11 … xe4

Black eliminates the white knight that was performing a vital defensive task in blocking the c-file.

12xe4

Even so, it looks as if Dvoirys might be resigning soon. He is already a knight and a pawn down and to add to his woes is suffering from the pin on the d-file. If 12 … c8+ 13 b1 and Black is hopelessly lost.

However, it turns out that Dvoirys has prepared a ‘smiting’ move of which Purdy would have greatly approved.

12 … b3+!!

Solving the problem of the pin in some style.

13axb3

White takes the second black knight, as if 13 c2 c8+ 14 xb3 xd1+ 15 a3 c5 and Black has a withering attack on the king.

13 … c8+

This is the point: if white king parts company with the rook on d1 then 14 b1 xd1+ 15 a2 c5 is decisive e.g. 16 a4 – to cut out the check on a5 – 16 … c2 17 a3 a5! 18 xa5 xb2 mate. Or 16 b4 a4+ 17 b1 b3 18 e5 xe5 19 xe5 d8! 20 bxc5 d1 mate. Such variations make White pay heavily for her lack of kingside development.

14c4

White tries to hold on by sacrificing her queen to keep the c-file blocked.

14 … b6!

Dvoirys remembers that the game ends when you mate the opponent’s king rather than take his queen.

The threat is 15 … xc4+ 16 bxc4 xb2 mate and if now 15 xc8 then Black gets a winning attack after 15 … xc8+ 16 b1 xb3 17 d2 xb2! 18 xb2 d1+ 19 a2 c4! for example 20 b8+ g7 21 e5+ f6 22 b2 a4+ 23 b1 c2+ 24 a2 a4 mate.

15d2

Hoping for 15 … xc4+ when after 16 xc4 the knight defends the b2 point. Black would still have a huge initiative, but White has a rook and two pieces for a queen and can afford to give back some material after say 16 … xb3 17 e4 c8 18 d2.

Black has no need to get involved in such lines.

15 … f6!

An absolute triumph for the Indian bishop. There is the brutal threat of mate in one and after 16 e1 xb2+ 17 d1 a1+ 18 c2 xc4+ 19 bxc4 xe1 Black has both a crushing material advantage and attack. Therefore White resigned.

Why did Black have so much fun? Just take a look at the ‘stalemated’ bishop on f1 and the rook on h1.

White tried his luck again in this variation five years later – or perhaps he stumbled into it unawares.

Game 6White:M.MiljkovicBlack:P.Popovic Vrnjacka Banja 2005

The first ten moves were as above in Galliamova-Dvoirys.

11xd4!

A much better chance than 11 xe4?

11 … xd4

The bishop will prove a less slippery customer on d4 than the knight.

12e3

Black is in the familiar pin along the d-file, and this time there is no rook check on the c-file to save him.

12 … xc3!

All the same the removal of the defensive knight gives Black a strong attack.

13xd4

After 13 bxc3 a5! 14 xd4 xc3+ 15 d1 ad8 16 xa7 Black has the luxury of forcing a draw with 16 … c2+ 17 e1 c3+ or playing to win.

13 … a5

Threatening mate in one.

14a6?

He had to transpose to the variation at move 13 with 14 xd4 xc3+ 15 d1 when most likely the game would end in perpetual check.

14 … xa2+

No doubt Miljkovic had seen this check but thought it pointless. Indeed what harm can the black knight do stuck on the a2 square …?

15d1

In contrast to the Dvoirys game, White has found time for the e2-e3 move, which means the bishop on f1 is involved in the game. The white rook is doing stout defensive duty on d4 while the black rooks are as yet inactive. It appears 15 … xa6 is forced in view of the hanging knight on a2. Still, Black hasn’t sacrificed anything so the endgame after 16 xa6 fd8 is unclear. Popovic found something much stronger.

15 … c2+!!

A smiting move comparable to 12 … b3+ above.

16xc2

If 16 e2 the bishop is shut out so 16 … xa6+ wins the queen.

16 … ac8+

As in the game above, a piece sacrifice wins time to put a rook on the c-file with check.

17c4

And like Galliamova before him, Miljkovic has to offer his queen on the c4 square, as any other blocking move on c4 allows 17 … xa6, while 17 b1 c1+ mate would be rather amusing.

17 … e5!

0-1

The fork on e5 is the final straw for White.

The psychology of opening play

It is well known that a player feels less assured when confronted with an unfamiliar pawn structure. He will have to work out a good strategy ‘from scratch’ with no help from his previous games; and he will also be more likely to misjudge the ‘weight’ of tactical themes.

Game 7White:M.CarlsenBlack:S.Dolmatov Moscow 2004

The game began as an offbeat Dutch Defence:

1f3f5

2d3

A shrewd move to take his opponent out of the typical Dutch pawn structure that arises after 2 d4 f6 3 c4 g6 (or 3 … e6 according to Black’s taste).

2 … d6?

After this I think White already has good chances. Dolmatov is hoping for something like 3 g3 e5 4 g2 f6 5 c4 c6 6 c3 g6 7 0-0 g7 when he is in standard ‘English versus Dutch territory’.

However he isn’t allowed this so 2 … c6 looks more accurate when if 3 e4 e5 4 c3 b4 (or 4 … f6 and later b4) and Black has an active game. Shutting in the bishop on f8 with 2 … d6 makes a poor impression compared to this.

It seems to me that Dolmatov couldn’t quite bring himself to renounce the Dutch and direct play into a 1 e4 e5 style centre typical of the Schliemann or Latvian Gambits – see the note to 4 c3. Carlsen’s astute opening psychology has therefore hit the mark.

3e4!

Now White gets a pleasant attacking position.

3 … e5

Taking up the centre space on offer, but it is soon removed from him.

4c3

If now 4 … f6 5 exf5 xf5 6 d4 transposes to a kind of Latvian Gambit, for example it might arise after 1 e4 e5 2 f3 f5 3 c3 f6 4 d3 d6 5 exf5 xf5 6 d4. Perhaps White has wasted a move with 4 d3 and then 6 d4; but when he answered 1 f3 with 1 … f5 Dolmatov wasn’t ready to play the Latvian; and how many would want to play this risky defence, even if White hasn’t reacted in the most aggressive way?

4 … c6?!

Dolmatov tries a different track, but he ends up under siege.

5exf5

Not allowing the line 5 d4? fxe4 6 xe4 d5.

5 … xf5

Perhaps Black hoped the potential attack on c2 would deter White’s next move.

But no strong player is going to miss the chance of this enterprising pawn sacrifice – especially not a young tactical wizard.

6 … xd4

Let’s take a quick look at M.Krasenkow-S.Kindermann, Panormo 2001, which went

6 … b4

The attempt to counter attack against c2 rebounded:

7 b5+ c6 8 a4 e4

Trying to keep it closed, but …

9 g5 d5 10 f3! exf3 11 0-0!

White breaks open lines in King’s Gambit style. The finish was sparkling:

11 … f6 12 a3 a6 13 xf3 g4 14 d3 d7 15 h3 h5 16 e1+ e7 17 e6 f7

18 xd5!!

A brilliant stroke against what seemed the safest point in the whole black centre.

18 … xd5

If 18 … xd5 19 b3 a5 20 d2 b6 21 xg7+ xg7 22 xe7+ f8 23 ae1, threatening 24 h6 mate, is utterly overwhelming.

19 f5+ f6 20 b3 g6 21 xg7+ f8

White is two pawns up after 21 … xg7 22 xd7 xd7 23 xe7+ f6 24 xd7.

22xd7xd7

23h61-0

Amongst other winning moves, White threatens 24 f5+ picking up the bishop on e7, and if Black saves it with 23 … f6 then 24 f5+ all the same and mate next move.

That was the smiting style taken to its extreme, and helps to explain why Krasenkow has been rated over 2700 Elo!

We should return to the Carlsen-Dolmatov game where Black has just taken on d4.

7xd4

Carlsen will make great use of the open e-file that results from this exchange.

7 … exd4

Black is obliged to concede space in the centre.

8xd4

The queen takes up a strong and safe post in the centre (that’s why after 1 e4 c5 2 f3 c6 3 d4 cxd4 4 xd4 Black doesn’t go 4 … xd4? allowing the queen to d4).

8 … f6

After 8 … xc2 9 c4 White can build up in the centre with 9 0-0 and 10 e1+. Then once the bishop vacates c1, there is the idea of putting pressure on c7 with ac1, driving the bishop away from c2 followed by d5 (looks best in conjunction with a g5 pin on the knight on f6) or b5 (perhaps combined with f4, so that if c7-c6, xd6 follows).

9c4

All the white pieces are taking up ‘smiting’ squares.

9 … c6

Hoping to erect a pawn barrier with d6-d5 to curb the bishop on b3 and secure the d-file, but he never finds the moment for it.

10g5

The pin on f6 will cause Black huge problems in conjunction with pressure along the open e-file.

10 … b5

Dolmatov’s position is very uncomfortable and the stab at the bishop doesn’t do much good – in fact quite the opposite: Black won’t be able to gain any respite in the future with d6-d5, attacking the bishop on the c4 square.

If at once 10 … d5 11 0-0-0 follows when 11 … e7 (if 11 … dxc4 12 e5+ e7 13 xf5 leaves Black with no defence to 14 he1) 12 he1 dxc4 (or 12 … 0-0 13 e5 attacking both f5 and e7) 13 xf6 gxf6 (13 … xd4 14 xe7+ and 15 xd4) 14 xf6 and Black has a queen, rook and bishop all hanging. If he believed in percentages, he might try 14 … xd1+!? But I don’t think the odds are only one in three that White would find 15 xd1 rather than 15 xd1?? (15 … xf6!) or 15 xd1?? the latter move allowing the neat 15 … 0-0-0+! breaking the pin on the e-file with check and then grabbing the black queen.

Taking the pawn on c2 with 10 … xc2 is still risky after 11 0-0 but looks like the most resistant move, as at least White’s build up in the game along the d-file with 0-0-0 etc. has been hindered.

11b3

The bishop stays on the strong diagonal with no fear of being trapped by c5-c4, as if 11 … c5 then simply 12 e3+ e7 13 xb5.

11 … e7

Black develops and breaks the pin on f6. The bishop does a stalwart job in holding together the black centre, a fact that won’t escape the attention of the eagle eyed Carlsen.

120-0-0

Very economical: White safeguards his king and brings the queen’s rook to bear on the d6 point. The alternative 12 0-0 doesn’t have the same force as the rook on f1 would still have to be put on a centre file.

12 … d7

Making an escape route for his king via d8.

13he1

Carlsen’s position is a model of perfect development. He has both rooks centralised whilst Dolmatov’s are still asleep on a8 and h8 – no wonder Black proves hopelessly outgunned now that the centre has opened up.

The immediate threat is 14 xf6 gxf6 15 xf6.

13 … d8?

The king slips out of the pin on the e-file but promptly falls into one even deadlier. The only chance was 13 … 0-0-0, though 14 f4 (threat 15 xe7 xe7 16 xf5+) 14 … f8 (as if 14 … he8 15 f7 wins the exchange, and 14 … g6 15 e6 is even worse) 15 a4!? White can break up the black king’s defences with a massive advantage. Seeing this, Dolmatov thinks the king will be safer on d8, but the d6 barrier isn’t as solid as it might appear …

14xe7!

A powerful exchange sacrifice that removes the vital defender of the d6 and f6 squares.

14 … xe7

Too much for flesh to bear is 14 … xe7 15 xf6+ gxf6 16 e1+ d8 17 xf6+.

15f4!

Black’s centre is going to collapse as both d6 and f5 are hanging.

15 … d7

The bishop makes the best of things by blocking the check on d6.

16e4!

Now Black is facing disaster on either d6 or f6.

16 … d5

After 16 … f8 17 xd6, f6 is going to drop soon anyway.

17xf6!

Crunch. The black queen is of course a goner after 17 … gxf6 18 xf6, while 17 … f8 18 xd5! xf4 19 xe7+ also ends matters.

17 … h6

Dolmatov tries to save himself by cutting off the white bishop from the defence of f6.

18h4

An unruffled retreat with the horrible threat of 19 xd5.

18 … g5

The fork trick is his last hope, but the alert Carlsen has spotted that the rook on h8 becomes a target.

19d4!1-0

Black must either stay two pieces for a rook down and facing a decisive attack or have his pawns ripped apart after 19 … gxh4 20 xd5 cxd5 21 xh8+.

A great game by Magnus Carlsen that is full of youthful energy. Forcing his opponent into an uncongenial opening structure worked a treat. On the other hand, it is possible to go too far in an attempt to make the opponent think for himself.

Game 8White:H.NakamuraBlack:A.Volokitin Lausanne 2005

The Opening was a Sicilian (and that’s all I have to say!)

1e4c52h5

I guess this counts as a smiting move as the c5 pawn is attacked!

White manages to break two opening principles with one move: namely don’t bring your queen out early and don’t neglect the centre by decentralising your pieces. The only purpose of this move can be to surprise the opponent – not necessarily a bad idea when you are facing a player like Andrei Volokitin who is armed to the teeth with sophisticated opening theory. However, the young Ukrainian player rises to the occasion: his play from now on is an admirable mixture of restraint and energy that makes White’s opening experiment look rather foolish.

2 … f6

So there won’t be a checkmate with 3 c4 and 4 xf7 …

3h4

An awkward retreat as the queen doesn’t want to be tied down to the defence of the e-pawn, but 3 xc5 xe4 4 e3 d5 is very pleasant for Black.

3 … c6

Already White has to worry about 4 … d4, hitting the c2 square which is no longer defended by the white queen – a secondary drawback to 2 h5 in other words.

4e2

Or 4 c3 d5 and Black breaks up the centre in the style of the game. I guess that Nakamura was hoping for 4 … d4 5 d1 when he can push back both black knights with 6 e5 and 7 c3 etc. But Volokitin isn’t to be distracted from his systematic build up in the centre.

4 … e5

Solidifying his space advantage and intending 5 … e7 when the white queen will find herself facing a possible discovered attack.

5d3

Nakamura solidifies the e4 point to free his queen from defensive duty.

5 … e7

Simple development but painful all the same for White: the lurking bishop makes life on h4 uncomfortable for the white queen who feels compelled to move again.

6g3

Hoping to get some pieces developed and a kingside initiative after the obvious 6 … 0-0?! with 7 h6 e8 8 f3. Incidentally this shows that ‘bizarre’ moves like 2 h5 can’t always be refuted with straightforward development: sometimes you have to seize the moment with vigorous play.

6 … d5!

Bravo! Volokitin ignores the attack on g7 and presses ahead with his centre action

7d2

Black’s lead in development and the parlous state of the white centre give him a powerful attack after 7 xg7 g8 8 h6 xg2 or if 7 exd5 d4 8 d1 0-0 9 c4 (not 9 h6? f5) 9 … e4! with massive pressure for the pawn as more lines can be opened with b7-b5 or even a xd5 sacrifice.

7 … 0-0

Now that the bishop on c1 is blocked in Black can castle with no fear of h6.

8c3

Nakamura has less space and is behind in development. However playing Black isn’t so bad, even if you started off the game with the white pieces (if I may be allowed the digression, your author has won a couple of games with 1 a3!? so as to get the Dutch Defence after 1 … d5 2 f4 against players who have never played 1 d4 in their lives). What really kills White here is the awkward position of his queen: the natural and obvious developing move 8 gf3 is hit by the super-smite 8 … h5! and it’s goodbye to the white queen.

8 … b5!

Black seizes space on the queenside and in the centre and leaves the white queen in limboland on g3.

9h3

White is paying a heavy price for his exuberance on move two. It’s heartbreaking to put the knight on h3 when Black is building up an initiative against the white centre, but as we said 9 gf3 loses on the spot.

9 … d4

The first invasion into White’s half of the board.

10c4?

Played to block the centre, but in fact by handing over the b4 square and delaying his development White is actually inciting an attack. It was better to simply castle.

10 … e8!

Creating a tactical threat against the white queen.

Volokitin had to assess the resulting position carefully as his knight is going to be trapped on b4. On the other hand, half measures would have been unsatisfactory. Gazing at his big centre with wrapt admiration and waiting for the win to fall into his lap wouldn’t have done Black any good, as Nakamura is hardly the sort of player to buckle under without being subjected to intense pressure.

According to a positional principle worked out by Steinitz more than 100 years ago, when you have built up a significant advantage you must attack – otherwise the advantage will dissipate.

11cxb5

If 11 0-0 h4 12 f3 f6 and there is no defence to 13 … g4 – see the awkward way the white pieces are bunched together.

11 … h4

Forcing the queen to a square where she will become a target of the rook on f8 after f7-f5.

12f3

White’s travails show the dangers of attacking with the queen in front, as she always has to flee from attacks by lesser pieces.

12 … b4

Aiming for a big fork on c2. White can give up his queen for three pieces plus a passed pawn after 12 … f6? 13 bxc6 g4 14 xg4 xg4 15 xg4.

13d1

Whereas if 13 0-0 there is still the killer reply 13 … f6 and 14 … g4.

13 … f5!

The black pieces are all coming to life, whilst there is a loud sound of snoring on White’s back rank.

14a3

If instead 14 b3+ h8 15 g4!? trying to shut up shop on the f-file 15 … d6 16 gxf5 xf5! 17 exf5 xf5 18 0-0 d7 with an overwhelming attack for Black.

14 … d6!

White’s last move trapped the black knight and so raised the stakes: Volokitin is required to break through and win or else he will spend a lifetime stuck on 0/1 against 2 h5.

15axb4

There is no answer to the pressure on the f-file, so he might as well take the piece and try to defend with the grittiness of a computer program.

15 … fxe4

Black’s pawns as well as his pieces will play a crucial role in the assault on the white king.

16h5

The white queen’s second trip to h5 will prove no more auspicious than the first.

16 … xh3

Eliminating the defender of the f2 square, whereupon 17 gxh3 xf2 sets up a murderous discovered check on the white king. If then 18 b3+ c4 would be decisive.

17g3

Therefore Nakamura blocks the attack on f2 and hopes to pick up one of the two black bishops jammed together on the h-file.

17 … f6!

I’m reminded of David Bronstein’s words: ‘along with witty and subtle finesses aimed at provoking weakenings of the king’s pawn cover, one should not forget such things as one-move mate threats.’ On every move Volokitin creates a tactical threat that allows White no time to develop his pieces and organise a defence.

18b3+

Making a hole for his king on d1.

18 … h8

Both kings are now a good advertisement for the virtues of castling.

19f3

He has to block the black queen’s attack on f2.

19 … exf3

Perhaps simpler was 19 … g2 e.g. 20 g1 exf3 21 f2 g5 22 c4 xc1 23 axc1 (or 23 gxc1 e4) 23 … e4! when the white king is a Canute like figure in trying to stem the pawn tide against him.

20f2

The pawn reaches f1 after 20 xh4 f2+.

20 … g5

The bishop heads for e3 to remove the blockade.

21xf3

If 21 xh3 e3+ 22 f1 (or 22 e1 c4! 23 xc4 xc4 24 dxc4 f2+ 25 f1 g6 26 d1 xc1 27 xc1 e4! and the double threat to e1 and h1 ends the game) 22 … g6 23 c2 c4 24 a3 xb5 and White’s position crumbles away.

21 … g6!

This simple pawn move does the trick as the white queen can’t stay defending f3.

22xg5

Nakamura had relied on this strong looking move that grabs a piece and attacks the black queen. But after Black’s calm reply it proves a mirage.

22 … f5!

White’s tactical tricks have come to an end.

23xh3