|
Walking the king Steinitz-Tchigorin (Havana, 1892) Wilhelm Steinitz became the first official world chess champion when he defeated Johannes Zukertort in 1886. The Russian champion Mikhail Tchigorin unsuccessfully challenged Steinitz in 1889 and again in 1892. Steinitz-Tchigorin 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 d6 5. c3 g6 6. Nbd2 Bg7 7. Nf1 0-0 8. Ba4 Nd7 9. Ne3 Nc5 10. Bc2 Ne6 11. h4 Ne7 12. h5 d5 13. hxg6 fxg6 14. exd5 Nxd5 15. Nxd5 Qxd5 16. Bb3 Qc6 17. Qe2 Bd7 18. Be3 Kh8 19. 0-0-0 Rae8 20. Qf1 a5 21. d4 exd4 22. Nxd4 Bxd4 23. Rxd4 Nxd4 24. Rxh7+ Kxh7 25. Qh1+ Kg7 26. Bh6+ Kf6 27. Qh4+ Ke5 28. Qxd4+ Kf5 29. Qf4+ # May 15-6, 2004 In yesterday's BLOG, I thought that I was providing all of Pal Benko's Benko Gambit games. But of course, just a bit of research showed up a few more. In 1973, Benko wrote the first book on the gambit. It's well out print but still available used, albeit at more than the original $5.95 price. Here are all 20 of the annotated games in the book, including seven of Benko's that were not in my database. GM John Fedorowicz became the heir to the Benko legacy by taking up the gambit and publishing The Complete Benko Gambit in 1990 with a significantly reworked second edition in 1994. Here are all of the games in his second edition as well as a nice win of Fedowowicz's in 1989. Andruet,G - Fedorowicz,J [A58] Wijk aan Zee (5), 1989 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 The Benko Gambit 4.cxb5 a6 5.bxa6 g6 The modern move order, avoiding lines with an early b3 and Bb2 6.Nc3 Bxa6 7.f4 Another modern try, with the idea of setting up a broad center with e4 7...Bg7 8.Nf3 Qa5 Pinning the Nc3 to prevent e4 9.Bd2 0-0 10.e4 Idea Bxf1 Rxf1 and castling by hand with Kf2-g1 10...d6 To inhibit e5 and develop the Nb8-d7 11.Bxa6 Qxa6 Preventing 0-0 12.Qe2 Nbd7 13.Qxa6 Rxa6 14.Kd1 With the queens off the board, idea Kc2 to defend the b-pawn 14...Ng4 15.Kc2 Avoiding Nf2+ 15...c4 Idea Nf2-d3 or Nc5-d3 and Rb8 16.Rhe1 Nc5 17.Re2 Nd3 18.h3 Diagram 18...Nf6 [18...Ngf2!] 19.Ne1 Challenging the advanced Nd3 19...Nc5 20.e5 Nfd7 21.Be3 Rb8 22.Bxc5 Nxc5 23.Rd1 Na4 24.Nxa4 Rxa4 25.Ra1 [25.a3! c3 26.Kxc3 Rxf4] 25...Ra5 26.Kc3 Rxd5 27.Kxc4 e6 Holding the Rd5, preparing Rc8 with a mating net! 28.Nf3 Rc8+ 29.Kb3 Rb5+ Walking the king to the a-file 30.Ka4 Rcb8 threat R5b7-a7 mate 31.exd6 R5b7 0-1 May 14, 2004 Benko's Benkos. In 1967, Pal Benko invented the Benko Gambit. Bored with the idea of memorizing opening systems, Benko sought rather to assemble a set of interrelated ideas and strategies. Celebration of a great player's creative legacy. One chapter, my favorite, discusses the emergence of the Benko Gambit and several of Benko's games in his pet opening system. It will be a long while before I can share all the games and compositions in this 688 page book. White has all the chances36.e5+! fxe5+ [36...Nxe5 37.Nxe5 fxe5+ 38.Ke4 a5 39.f6 Ke6 40.f7 Kxf7 41.Kxe5+-] 37.Ke4 Any move by the Black king of knight cedes the e5-pawn 37...a5 38.Nd2 a4 39.Nxc4+ Ke7 40.a3 bxa3 41.Nxa3 Kf6 42.Nc4 Ne7 43.Ne3 [43.Ne3 Nc6 44.Nd5+ Kf7 45.Nb6 and black's queenside pawns both fall.] 1-0 May 7, 2004 Aron Nimzovich's first published book? Most might say My System but in fact, earlier in 1925, Nimzovich published Blockade. It was a short work and was quite scarce until my uncle, Dr. Joseph Platz, translated it from the original German into English. My System has completely overshadowed this little book, but Blockade is quite a gem. I originally found the idea for my five steps to victory right here (page 56), as well as another key concept that I swear by. Using central "holes" not just for knights, but to shuttle all of my pieces from a After the standard opening moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6, Fischer, Timman, Shirov and others have helped to champion a line that rewards understanding, not just rote memorization. Kinsman provides 60 games and, more important,when itsyourturn a thematic introduction that summarizes the main ideas. Most important, of course, is that the endgame often reached in this line is highly favorable to white because black is unable to create a passed pawn, the result of the exchange on move 4! Here are all of the games in the book including the positions examined in the introduction. And here is an example of an endgame won by white from this variation. Adorjan,A - Perecz,L [C69] Hungary, 1975 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 The Spanish Exchange 4...dxc6 White exchanges the light-squared bishop early on to nick the black pawn structure 5.0-0 Threatening Nxe5 [5.Nxe5 Qd4] 5...Bg4 Pinning the Nf3. ...f7-f6 is the more common response 6.h3 h5 7.d3 [7.hxg4?? hxg4 8.Nxe5 Qh4 9.f3 g3] 7...Qf6 Applying more pressure to the pinned Nf3 8.Nbd2 [8.hxg4 hxg4 9.Ng5 Qh6 10.Nh3 Qh4] 8...Ne7 idea Ng3-f4 or h4 9.Re1 Ng6 10.d4 [10.hxg4 hxg4 11.Nh2 Bc5 12.Ndf3 gxf3 13.Nxf3 Rh5 14.Be3 Nf4 15.Bxc5 Qh6-+] 10...Bd6 [10...0-0-0? 11.hxg4 hxg4 12.Nh2 Rxh2 13.Qxg4+ check!] 11.hxg4 hxg4 12.Nh2 [12.Nxe5 Qh4 13.Kf1 Nf4] 12...Rxh2 [12...exd4 13.e5 Bxe5 14.Nxg4+-] 13.Qxg4 Rh4 [13...Qh4!?] 14.Qf5 recommended by Fischer in his 60 Memorable Games 14...Ne7 [14...Rf4 15.Qxf6 Rxf6 16.Nf3 Kd7 17.Bg5+/=] 15.Qxf6 gxf6 16.Nf3 White clearly has the better pawn structure 16...Rh5 17.Be3 Connecting the rooks and aiming to exchange the rooks on h1 after g3 and Kg2. 17...0-0-0 18.g3 Rdh8 19.dxe5 fxe5 20.Kg2 Kd7 Anticipating the endgame, bringing the king into the center 21.Rh1 Rxh1 22.Rxh1 Rxh1 23.Kxh1 The enfgame in the Spanish Exchange favors white because only white can create a passed pawn. 23...c5 24.Kg2 Nc6 25.c3 Stopping Nd4 25...b5 26.Nd2 c4 27.f4 idea f5 and g4-g5 27...exf4 28.gxf4 f6 29.Kg3 Ne7 To prevent Kg4-f5 30.Kg4 Ke6 31.Nf3 c5 32.f5+ Kd7 33.Bf4 Nc6 Aiming for a blockade on e5 34.Bxd6 Kxd6 35.Kf4 b4 Diagram A typical endgame in the Spanish Exchangend to. As Nimzovitch put it: "All pieces must be directed towards the entry point (hole) to maintain the pressure and eventually to invade the enemy camp across this point." Here are all of the games in the book, and here is one of Nimzovitch's own illustrative games. Nimzowitsch,A - Nilson,A Copenhagen, 1924 Diagram 1.Ra5 Identifying the a6 weakness, and fixing it. 1...Kc6 Two attacks on a6, two defense. Black rushes over a third defender to free a rook 2.Kg3 Threatening to infiltrate with Kf4-e5 2...Kb7 To activate the Ra8 3.Rf1 Taking the f-file 3...Kc6 Expecting Rf5, defending the d-pawn 4.Rf5 Re7 Idea Re6 and Kb7, to activate the Ra8 5.h4 The Ra5 may join the game via a1-f1, but black must first cope with the threat of h5-h5 opening the Rf6 entry square. 5...Raa7 6.h5 Idea h6 6...Re6 7.Rf8 Taking the Rf8 entry square, wit he idea of Rb8-b6+ 7...g6 Hoping for counter-play 8.h6 g5 Diagram idea Rxh69.Rb8 Coach's third law. Sometimes the best way to respond to a threat is with a bigger threat (here Rb6 and Rxb5) 9...Kc7 10.Rbxb5 axb5 Rxh7 +- 10...Rxh6 11.Ra4 Idea Rba5 and b5 11...Rf6 12.Rba5 Two attacks on the backward a6-pawn 12...Kc8 13.Kg4 Fixing the g-pawn 13...h6 14.Ra2 threat b5 ("then and only then attack the weakness with a pawn!") 14...Raf7 15.Rxa6 The queenside pawns will easily decide the game 1-0 May 6, 2004 Yesterday, I gave some tips on fighting against isolated pawns. If only it were that simple. It's complicated enough that GM A. Mikhalchishin and two other authors have provided an impressive tour of the issues related to isolated pawns. For starters, I offer all of Benko's games in which he actually played the Benko Gambit (some on the white side!). And here, with my annotations, is his first game in this line. Vukic,M - Benko,P [A58] Sarajevo, 1967 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 The only way to test Black's set-up [3.dxc5? e6 4.b4 a5 5.bxa5 Na6!; 3.Nf3 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6] 3...b5 The Benko Gambit, challenging white's central pawn structure by attacking the rear pawn in the chain. 4.cxb5 "winning" a pawn but lessening white's contro l over the key d5-pawn. 4...a6 Offering a trade to activate the Bc8 5.bxa6 [5.e3!?; 5.Nc3!?] 5...Bxa6 A key part of the gambit. Moving the e-pawn will result in Bxf1 and white will have spend time disentangling the kingside 6.Nc3 Natural development, often with the idea of supporting e2-e4 6...d6 7.Nf3 Preferring a kingside fianchetto to the exchange of bishops on f1 7...g6 8.g3 Bg7 Black is down a pawn but his bishops are very strong and the rooks will control the key a- and b-files. 9.Bg2 The bishop is not well placed on g2, placed behind the fixed d5-pawn. 9...0-0 Black's inaccurate move order gives white a good game, but imagine having to beat back this new idea. 12...Rfb8 Reaching the ideal opening set-up 13.Rb1 Ne8 Activating the Bg7. The knight will head to c7 where it can support e7-e6 14.Bg5 A common idea tday, an annoying attack on the e7-pawn 14...Qd8 [14...Kf8!?] 15.Bf1 Idea e4 to exchange Black's more active light-squared bishop 15...h6 To drive back the Bg5 and activate the Qd8 16.Bd2 Nc7 17.b3 Nb6 Two attacks on the d5-pawn 18.e4 The bishops will now come off the board. Often, after e4, black will aim a knight towards the key d3-square. 18...Bxf1 19.Rxf1 Qd7 Preparing e6 20.Rfe1 Kh7 21.Kg2 e6 22.dxe6 Nxe6 23.Ne2 To prevent Nd4 23...d5 Counting on his activity to compensate for the gambit pawn 24.Nf4 dxe4 25.Rxe4 Nd4 26.Nxd4 cxd4 27.a4? Diagram [27.Rbe1] 27...Qb7 With two threats, f5 and Nxa4 28.f3 Nxa4 The key to the gambit, winning back the pawn without giving up the initiative 29.Rbe1 [29.b4] 29...Qxb3 30.Qxb3 Rxb3 An easy win now for Black, though the technique is careful and instructive 31.Re7 Rb2 Coach's third law: "Sometimes the best way to counter a threeat (Rxf7) is with a bigger threat (Rxd2+)" 32.R1e2 Nc3 33.Bxc3 dxc3 34.Rxf7 Raa2 35.Kf1 [35.Rfe7 g5-+] 35...g5-+ 36.Rxg7+ Kxg7 37.Ne6+ Kf6 38.Nd4 Rxe2 39.Nxe2 Ra1+ 0-1 May 13, 2004 The third chapter of my book, the Chess Analyst, focused on a piece sacrifice in the Najdorf Sicilian that became popular during the 1980s. "When Push Comes to Shove" was the title I selected for the article. White plays when itsyourturn a very sharp pawn push on move 6 that leads quickly to a piece sac and then another. I mention all this because one of the proponents of this modern system, GM Alexei Shirov, continues to use this system with great success. Today, I offer all of the games in Sergei Soloviov's Shirov's One Hundred Wins, exciting, complex games all, as well as one of the two games in the book that involve the Perenyi Variation. Shirov,A (2718) - Topalov,V (2718) [B81] It Wijk aan Zee (1), 13.01.2001 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 The Sicilian Najdorf 6.Be3 The fashionable English Attack, idea f3, Qd2, 0-0-0, and g4 6...e6 7.g4 The Perenyi Attack. Like the Keres Attack, with the idea of a quick g4-g5 7...e5 This appears to win the g-pawn straight away 8.Nf5 Blocking Bxg4 8...g6 If the Nf5 moves, Black will win the g-pawn. 9.g5 Here's the point. White sacs the Bf5 for quick development. 9...gxf5 10.exf5 d5 idea d4. If instead Ng8 11.f6 traps the white kingside. 11.Qf3 Or Qe2 [11.gxf6 d4 12.Bc4 Qc7] 11...d4 12.0-0-0 Delaying the loss of a second piece, but black can block or sidestep the pin on the Qd8 12...Nbd7 13.Bd2 Offering a second piece. 13...Qc7 OUt of the line of fire, and defending e5 14.gxf6 dxc3 15.Bxc3 Qc6 The f-pawns will remain weak. Up a piece, Topalov seeks an exchange of queens. [15...Nxf6 Giving white hope for an attack on e5] 16.Qg3 Bh6+ [16...Qxh1 17.Bg2 Bh6+ 18.Bd2 Bxd2+ 19.Kxd2 Qxd1+ 20.Kxd1~~] 17.Kb1 Bf4 [17...Qxh1 Black trails too much in development to go after the Rh1 18.Bxe5 Qe4 19.Bc7] 18.Qd3 Rg8 [18...Nxf6 19.Qd8#] 19.Bh3 Diagram 19...Kd8 idea Kc7-b8 [19...Qxf6!?] 20.Bb4! idea Kc7 Bd6+ 20...Qxf6 21.Qc4 Keeping the king on the center, and idea Rd6 21...Rg5 Preparing Qg7 [21...b5 22.Ba5+ Ke8 23.Qc7] 22.Rd6 Qg7 23.f6 [23.Ba5+ Ke8 24.f6 Rg1+ 25.Bf1] 23...Rg1+ 24.Bf1! [24.Bf1 Qg2 (24...Rxf1+ 25.Rxf1 Qg2 26.Ba5+ Ke8 27.Re6+ fxe6 28.Qxe6+ Kf8 29.Bb4+) 25.Ba5+ Ke8 26.Re6+ fxe6 (26...Kf8 27.Qb4+ Kg8 28.Re8+ Nf8 29.Rxf8#) 27.Qxe6+ Kf8 28.Bb4+] 1-0 May 12, 2004 Many of you may never have heard the name Victor Kupreichik, perhaps the fiercest fighter amoung all Russian GMs. That says a lot when you consider names like Keres and Tal, but Kupreichik's games stand apart. A relentless desire to win, in every game, and enormous creative talent, finding original ideas in positions that others have dismissed. In 1986, Gene McCormick authored Uncompromising Chess: The Games of Victor Kupreichik, a collection of 82 of his most extraordinary games. Continued Click to part 2 |