Irrational Chess

Cyrus Lakdawala

EVERYMAN CHESS
www.everymanchess.com
First published in 2023 by Gloucester Publishers Limited, London.

Copyright © 2023 Cyrus Lakdawala

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About the Author
Cyrus Lakdawala is an International Master, a former National Open and American Open
Champion, and a six-time State Champion. He has been teaching chess for over 40 years, and
coaches some of the top junior players in the U.S.

Also by the Author:

1 ... b6: Move by Move
1 ... d6: Move by Move
A Ferocious Opening Repertoire
Anti-Sicilians: Move by Move
Bird’s Opening: Move by Move
Botvinnik: Move by Move
Capablanca: Move by Move
Carlsen: Move by Move
Caruana: Move by Move
First Steps: the Modern
Fischer: Move by Move
Korchnoi: Move by Move
Kramnik: Move by Move
Larsen: Move by Move
Opening Repertoire: ... c6
Opening Repertoire: Modern Defence
Opening Repertoire: The Slav
Opening Repertoire: The Sveshnikov
Petroff Defence: Move by Move
Play the London System
The Alekhine Defence: Move by Move
The Caro-Kann: Move by Move
The Classical French: Move by Move
The Colle: Move by Move
The Four Knights: Move by Move
The Modern Defence: Move by Move
The Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Move by Move
The Scandinavian: Move by Move
The Slav: Move by Move
Contents
About the Author 4
Bibliography 6
Introduction 7

1 Attack 11
2 Defence and Counterattack 73
3 The Dynamic Element 97
4 Exploiting Imbalances 139
5 Irrational Endings 171
6 Opening Shockers 177
7 Crazy Draws 193
8 Promotion Races 200

Index of Games 210

Bibliography
The games for this book were all chosen either from my personal databases or online
resources, these being chessgames.com and random Facebook posts. A few of the games have
notes that are based on those by Savielly Tartakower, Alex Baburin, Tony Kosten, Jack Peters,
Ruslan Sherbakov, Andy Soltis, Garry Kasparovand Boris Spassky.

6
Introduction
Disorder: an Examination of Irrational Positions

You, what do you own the world? How do you own disorder? Disorder, now somewhere
between the sacred silence, sacred silence and sleep; somewhere, between the sacred silence
and sleep. Disorder, disorder, disorder! – System of a Down, “Toxicity”.

Have you ever taken a random word-association test? If they say “dog”, you respond with
“bone”, “leash”, “bark”, or even “cat”. You aren’t likely to associate “dog” with “origami”, the
Japanese art of paper-folding. In this book, we look at the “origami” games, which tend to be
devoid of strategic – or even tactical – markers for us to orient ourselves. In this book we
explore the idea: is darkness merely the absence of light, or is it a separate entity by itself?
Tal taught us that our idea doesn’t need to be grounded in truth to actually work. The
attempt to confuse is not obligated to be steeped in meritocracy, if the goal is simply to
confuse the opponent and win. You cannot execute a plan or combination unless it contains
truth, but don’t believe for a second that lies are of no use, since lies have a way of
deceiving/confusing opponents.
The child is the extension of the parent. The childhood heroes who moulded my style –
Nimzowitsch, Capablanca, Botvinnik, Petrosian, and Fischer – were all great strategists who
excelled in positions of clarity. None of them felt comfortable in super-complex, irrational
positions, where disorder reigns, and neither do I. This book is an attempt to tackle a natural
strategist’s demons, by plunging into exactly the kind of positions where we are at our
weakest. We examine games of the great chaoticists – like Tal, Kasparov, Carlsen, and others
– in the hope that they will help us orient ourselves in positions which defy logic.
An athlete doesn’t normally choose their event. The body chooses it for them. If you are
five feet tall and weigh 95 pounds, you aren’t going to fare well if you dream about entering
the NBA, or aspire to become an Olympic weightlifter. On the other hand, you may turn out
to be a brilliant jockey, or marathon runner. The patterns of our move choices are completely
unique. There is nobody else on Earth who plays exactly like you. In the same way, we don’t
choose our chess style; it chooses us. And if we are natural strategists, then positions filled
with disorder will be our Kryptonite. This book is mainly written for such players, to face their
fears and study the part of chess which they dread most.
My old student professor, Joel Sneed, once asked GM Boris Gulko: which element attracted
him to chess the most? Boris replied, “The adventure!” In other words, the thrill of not
knowing. This is the mind-state all great chaoticists have embedded within their DNA. In this
book we look at games where the most common thought internally uttered is: “Huh? What?”
We play so many forgettable games and so few which remain within our minds as long as
we live. The ones we remember often come with a fearful level of confusion and irrationality.
In such positions there is no clarity and no disclosure of its inner truth. We must keep in mind:
how many of our games go exactly as scheduled? The answer is: not many.
In one respect we chess players are devolving since, during study, we hate using our own
brains, preferring instead to suckle on the comforting teat of chess engines. Why use the
flawed human brain when the instant-answer genie is available? If you are going through
these games, I encourage you to disconnect the engine and only use it later for verification.
Computers are designed to do all the brain-work for us, so we don’t have to. And therein lies
the problem. This book can be used as a manual to work on tactics and calculation, just as
long as the engine is turned off.

7
 How to Identify Positions of Disorder/Irrationality
1. A lack of continuity, in that one thing doesn’t necessarily logically lead to what we
expected. In this book we try to decode the “without words” positions, which cannot be
accessed logically/verbally broken down and explained easily. In such positions the logical
mind tends to transform atavistically into a kind of animal consciousness, where nothing is
fixed and we are engulfed in a deep realization of terrifying impermanence, where all which
matters is our survival.
2. You are lost in the woods and hungry. Then you come upon a patch of unfamiliar berries
and mushrooms, which could be edible or could be poisonous. The question is: are you going
to risk eating them? This book examines the mechanics of risk. Go too far and you overextend;
play too safely with too strong a self-preservatory instinct and you may suppress opportunity.
3. Just because something is impossible to prove doesn’t mean it is impossible to believe.
We also examine the element of intuition, the mechanism which finds the solution despite
a desert – or a complete overload – of data.
4. There exists one great disruptor of a position’s logic: our opponent’s (or ours, for that
matter) capricious free will and its capacity to generate chaos from order. The deferential
following of orthodoxy tends to keep us safe, at the high cost of stifling imagination. In this
book we look at games which essentially give the finger to orthodoxy! The fact that no
previous person ever thought of a certain idea, means one of two things:
a) Nobody ever thought of it before.
b) It’s not played because it’s a bad idea.
In this book we try to understand the nature of imagination.
5. There are two types of blindness:
a) Those who are unable to see.
b) Those who deliberately refuse to see.
We examine the nature of what it means to make mistakes – and in this book, they are
myriad since the complexity level of the games is so high. We must deconstruct chaos and
rebuild it back to reality. The way we do this is first to gather as much data as possible and
then – even if the position is insanely complicated – make an educated guess, better known
by its other name: intuition.
6. “I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer.” Crazy positions are stress-inducers in our
games. If we acclimatize ourselves in such positions, we will (hopefully) be less stressed at
the board when they arise in our own games.
7. When all our physical resources are depleted, we still have access to a final weapon:
treachery! There are three steps in evading an opponent’s ambushes and traps:
a) Suspecting that one exists.
b) Correctly guessing its vicinity.
c) Pinpointing its exact location.
In this book we see some of the most devious tactical minds in chess history at work. We
observe how they ensnared opponents. The hope is that we will then appreciate the signs of
danger in our own games, before it’s too late to do anything about them.
8. Any attempt at computation made within an irrational position is certain to be
embedded with multiple disturbing unknowns, which we won’t be able to foresee in advance.
Yet we must understand that, in chess, the words “disorder” and “irrational” actually mean
irrational only to us flawed humans and not to engines which, if left on to analyse, accurately
break down even the most nightmarish position and make perfect sense of it.
9. The fact that our crazy idea shouldn’t work doesn’t make it any less dangerous, since
we are playing a flawed and often easy to confuse human, rather than an engine.
10. While the Sesame Street Muppets taught us that learning can be fun, in this book we
look at games so irrationally complex that it is actually difficult to learn from many of them.

8
Nonetheless, in a position’s confusion, just because we lose our faculty of sight, doesn’t mean
we also lose our power of reason. The idea behind this book is: any position, no matter how
complex, can still be broken down (at least to some degree!) into points of data, from which
we hope to come up with the correct idea. So before most of the examples, I try my best to
“explain” that which is often unexplainable. In such positions when we think: “I have a strong
intuition on the matter”, it won’t be code for “I’m taking a wild guess!”
11. There seems to be an unspoken “rule” where every chess book written must educate
and teach us something. We sometimes forget that chess is also our form of entertainment,
so some of the games are placed in the book solely for their enjoyment value. A blunder
doesn’t mean that we are weak; it means that we are human. Games with numerous double
question mark moves (in this book there are many double exclam moves as well) can be a joy
to play over, since they demonstrate to us that in insane complications even the greatest
players in chess history are human and make a load of errors, just like we do.
12. After more than a half century in chess, I finally learned the secret to navigating
irrational positions: let go of our obsession with knowing the position’s future and even let
go of the game’s outcome. Just let the law of karma decide whether you win, lose or draw.

It’s not so easy to place disorder into orderly categories, yet we must do so, otherwise this
will be a single-chapter book.
The chapters:
1. Irrational Attack: This is the crowd-pleaser chapter, with some of the most complex
attacking games in chess history.
2. Irrational Defence: “He who attacks must vanquish; he who defends must merely
survive,” said Master Po, from the 1970’s show Kung Fu. The will to survive is our most
elemental drive. In this chapter we examine Houdini-like escapes, where creative defensive
ideas triumph.
3. The Dynamic Element: We examine the nature of what it takes to seize and, more
importantly, keep hold of the initiative.
4. Exploiting Imbalances: In this book we look at some of the most zany imbalances we
have ever seen.
5. Irrational Endings: When working on the games selection, I attempted to find some of
the most tangled endings ever played.
6. Opening Shockers: The first twelve or so moves of the opening in our games tend to be
a solemn ritual, requiring little or no thought, since we previously reached the same position
dozens or even hundreds of times. So how refreshing when something anomalous occurs in
the opening phase. Opening theory is not a fixed entity but one subject to constant
amendment. Yet there are limits to what can be changed. I very much doubt that a GM game
will open with 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Ba6??, then to be called the Accelerated Ruy Lopez. In this
book we look at some of the craziest theoretical novelties ever concocted by the human mind.
7. Irrational Draws: We normally equate draws as incomplete events and disappointment.
Not in this chapter though, where every draw is the result of bedlam.
8. Irrational Promotion Races: So scary are some pawn promotion races that they may be
the leading cause of heart attacks and strokes among chess players. In this chapter we look
at a few of these nail-biters, where second place in the race is not an option.

I give you a written promise that there are zero boring games to make your eyes glaze
over in this book. Here are a couple of examples:

9
 Game 35 Mikhail or Magnus. The object of this book
S.Matveeva-A.Skripchenko is to help us find a path of hidden logic,
Krasnoturinsk 2003 when it doesn’t appear to exist.

Game 66
I.Graudins-L.Sandström
Correspondence 2012

Welcome to the swamp. Black’s

candidate moves are 44 ... Qb4+ or 44 ...
Rg6+. One line leads to a clear win, while in
the other the assessment drops to almost
even. Imagine playing Black in this position
in one of your tournament games. Would
you find the right line? Normally when
most of us enter such positions, we
become the high school student who is
happy with a C grade and delighted with a
B minus, meaning we take a wild guess.
The problem is that intuition doesn’t work
in such positions, unless your name is
We have clearly reached the Lord of the
Flies point in the game. Can you tell me
what is going on here? I don’t have a clue
either. It’s White, who is a rook up, to play.
Yet Black has this armada of pawns all
sailing for their respective promotion
squares. How would you assess this
position without an engine? Is it even, is
White winning, or is Black winning?

The written word is merely a diluted substitute for actual experience. Still, my hope is that
analysing the games in this book will help us all maintain our bearings when we arrive in
irrational positions. Good luck. May you survive the storm!

Cyrus Lakdawala,
San Diego, February 2023

10
 Chapter One
Attack
In this chapter we look at some of the
craziest, most brilliant and blunderful
attacks in chess history.
Game 1
F.A.Hoffmann-Al.Petrov
Warsaw (match) 1844
I selected this game for sentimental
reasons. It was the first one I ever played
over in a chess book. At age eight I was
blown away by Black’s brilliance. At age 62,
however, it becomes clear the game was
closer to a comedy. Yet it is in a weird way
a cult classic brilliancy, in the same way
that Plan 9 from Outer Space had a shot to
win an academy award – not much.
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Bc5 4 c3 Nf6 5
d4 exd4 6 e5 Ne4?
Today, we know to play 6 ... d5 7 Bb5
Ne4 8 cxd4 Bb6 or 8 ... Bb4+.
Exercise (critical decision): How can
White exploit Black’s last move?
Answer: Move the bishop to d5, which
prevents a defence with ... d7-d5.
7 Bd5! Nxf2
This sacrifice is relatively best, even
though Black doesn’t get enough for the
piece, since White remains well developed.
7 ... f5 8 cxd4 Bb4+ 9 Bd2 is wretched for
Black, who is unable to castle.
8 Kxf2 dxc3+ 9 Kg3!
11
This way White doesn’t block f1 with his
king and allows his rook the square.
9 ... cxb2
This picks up a third pawn for the piece,
at the cost of helping White develop.
10 Bxb2
Black’s three pawns for the piece are
not enough, since White was handed a
lead in development and the potential for
an attack on Black’s king.
10 ... Ne7
10 ... 0-0 11 Nbd2 d6 12 Ne4! is terrible
for Black.
Exercise (critical decision): On his last
move Black threatens to swap away
White’s powerful light squared bishop,
while also adding ... Nf5+ into the mix.
How should White respond?
Answer: Simply making luft for the
white king leads to a winning position.
11 Ng5??
Principle: Whenever you spot a
combination, you would be wise to take
Murphy’s Law into account. White’s idea is
unsound, since he forgets about his own
king’s safety. Instead, 11 h3! leaves White’s
king safe and Black clearly standing worse.
The threat to check on f5 should not be
ignored: 11 Bb3? Nf5+ 12 Kf4 g5+!! 13 Ke4
(if 13 Nxg5?? Be3+ 14 Ke4 Qxg5 wins; or
13 Kxf5?? d5+ 14 e6 Bxe6+ 15 Ke5 Qd6+
16 Kf6 Rg8 and mates) 13 ... Qe7 14 Kd3
d5 and the advantage swung to Black.
11 ... Nxd5 12 Nxf7
The sacrifice on f7 was the point. Now
Black’s queen and h8-rook hang
simultaneously and if Black’s king takes
the knight, then Qxd5 comes with check.
If 12 Qxd5? (not check) 12 ... Qxg5+
check, White doesn’t have time to pick up
the loose c5-bishop, and 13 Kf3 (13 Kh3
d6+ is also fatal) 13 ... Qe3+ 14 Kg4 h5+ 15
Kf5 g6+ 16 Kf6 Be7+ 17 Kg7 Qh6 mate
has shades of the famous Lasker-Thomas
game, but with colours reversed.
Exercise (combination alert): White’s
combination is horribly flawed and the
engine points out no less than four (!)
different ways for Black to win.
For this exercise, find Black’s optimal
response.
Answer: Queen sacrifice by simply
castling.
12 ... 0-0!
The sacrifice is absolutely sound. And
the answer to your question is: yes,
castling is indeed a legal move, since the
black king didn’t pass through a check.
The less optimal lines are also winning:
a) 12 ... Qe7 13 Qxd5 Rf8 14 Nd2 Rxf7
15 Nf3 d6 with an extra pawn.
b) 12 ... Ne3 13 Qf3 Qe7 14 Nxh8 d5
(threat: ... Qg5+) 15 h4 Nf5+ 16 Kh2 Qxh4+
17 Qh3 Qf4+ 18 g3 Qe3 with a winning
attack for Black, although it’s still quite
complicated.
c) 12 ... Rf8 13 Nxd8 Bf2+ 14 Kh3 d6+
15 e6 Nf4+ 16 Kg4 Nxe6 17 g3 Nd4+ 18
12
Kh5 Rf5+ 19 Kh4 Rd5! and the dual threats
of ... g7-g5 mate and ... Nf5+, winning
White’s queen, are decisive.
13 Nxd8 Bf2+
The remainder is wholesome, family
entertainment and it’s fun to watch
White’s king squirm.
14 Kh3 d6+ 15 e6
White is bloody lucky to have this block.
15 g4? Nf4 is mate straight away.
15 ... Nf4+ 16 Kg4
In such positions we fight for our king’s
life, as if it were our own at stake.
16 ... Nxe6
Threatening mate in two, starting
with ... Rf4+.
17 Nxe6
Tartakower and Du Mont give a
different finish: 17 g3 (cutting off the rook
check; 17 Bc1 Nxd8+ also leads to a quick
mate) 17 ... Nd4+ 18 Ne6 Bxe6+ 19 Kh4
Nf5+ 20 Kh3 Ne3+ 21 Kh4 Ng2+ 22 Kh5
g6+ 23 Kg5 Be3 mate.
Exercise (calculation): As a simple
calculation exercise, work out Black’s
forced mate in four, without moving the
pieces.
Answer: Start with the obvious capture
on e6, with check.
17 ... Bxe6+ 18 Kg5 Rf5+ 19 Kg4 h5+ 20
Kh3 Rf3 mate
Mate, with double check!
Game 2
J.R.Capablanca-O.Bernstein
St. Petersburg 1914
 The first chess books we read shape our
minds and styles. As a child I devoured
every Capablanca game I could lay my
hands on, and the dream was to one day
transform myself into a poor-man’s Capa.
This game is an un-Capa version, since it
displays his ability to calculate and attack.
We feel that Bernstein has misplayed
the position for the following reasons:
1. Black’s king is uncastled and in the
middle.
2. Black’s queen is uncomfortably
placed on c7, since it meets the glare of
White’s c1-rook. This opens possibilities of
Nd5 and also a piece sacrifice on b5, with
either bishop or knight.
3. Black’s knight on g4 is loose, so
maybe we can look for discovered attacks
based upon moves like Ng5.
Exercise (critical decision): It’s clear that
if we allow Black to castle then he may
survive, so we must take decisive action.
How would you continue if you had
Capablanca’s position?
Answer: Sacrificing the bishop on b5 is
strongest and produces a potent attack for
White.
17 Bxb5!
Capa goes with a pulse-thudding
decision which requires precise calculation.
17 ... axb5
The alternatives are even worse:
a) 17 ... cxb5 18 Nxb5 Qb8 19 Nc7+!
(confession: for practical reasons I would
go for the sub-optimal 19 Rxc8+! followed
by a knight fork on d6, mainly since it’s a
13
lot easier to calculate, and also my
intuition gravitates to the least interesting
continuation in any position!) 19 ... Ke7 20
Ng5! Ndf6 21 Qb3 (threatening to
infiltrate on f7) 21 ... Rf8 22 b5!
(threatening a devastating queen check on
either a3 or b4) 22 ... Ne8 23 Nd5+ Kd8 24
b6 and Black can resign.
b) 17 ... Ne3 doesn’t work: 18 fxe3
Bxe3+ 19 Kh1 Bxc1 20 Nd4!! (something
malevolent emerges from the terrible
darkness; Black is unable to save himself)
20 ... cxb5 21 Nd5 Qc4 22 Ne6 Bf4 23
Nxg7+ Kf7 24 Bxf4 Kxg7 25 Bh6+! Kxh6
26 Qd2+ Kg6 27 Ne7+ and mate in two.
18 Nxb5 Qd8
18 ... Qb8 19 Nd6+ Ke7 20 Nf5+ Ke8 21
Rxc6 is also decisive. As a reminder: Black
can’t castle since his king has already
moved.
19 Nd6+ Kf8
19 ... Ke7 20 Nf5+ Kf8 21 Nxe5! is a
winning attack for White.
20 Rxc6 Nb6 21 Bh4!!
The bishop is brought into the attack
with tempo. The move is given exclams by
Capa, Golombek, Kasparov, and me (in
Capablanca: Move by Move). I like it better
than the engine’s prosaic 21 Nxe5 Nxe5 22
Bxe5 with a winning position for White
here too.
You might think that such a chaotic
position would be inhospitable for a great
strategist like Capa. What many in his time
didn’t appreciate was that he was also a
great calculator, who could go toe to toe
with Lasker or Alekhine in a pure number-
crunching battle.
 21 ... Qd7 22 Nxc8!
Now Capa gives up an exchange to
enter a forcing line which drags Black’s
king up the board. The engine prefers the
quiet 22 b5 Nf6 23 Qc1, again with a
winning position.
22 ... Qxc6
Black is now a full rook up, but the
growing wealth gap obviously doesn’t
bother Capa, who plays for mate. 22 ...
Qxd1 23 Rxd1 Rxc8 24 Rxc8+ Nxc8 25 Rd8+
Kf7 26 Rxh8 is a hopeless ending for Black.
23 Qd8+
The immediate 23 Be7+!! is even
stronger. 23 ... Kf7 (or 23 ... Kg8 24 Qd8+
Kf7 25 Ng5+ Kg6 26 Qxh8) 24 Ng5+ Kg6
25 Qxg4 Qxc8 26 Ne6+ Kf7 27 Qxg7+!
Kxe6 28 Rd1!. Principle: When attacking,
don’t chase the enemy king. Instead, cut off
flight squares. White threatens mates on
both d6 and f6, which can only be stalled,
not avoided.
23 ... Qe8 24 Be7+ Kf7 25 Nd6+ Kg6
Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.
25 ... Ke6? 26 Ng5 is mate at once.
26 Nh4+ Kh5
Exercise (critical decision): To claim that
Black’s position is awful is to state the
obvious. How should White continue his
attack?
Answer: Counter-intuitively, by
allowing an exchange of queens.
27 Nxe8! Rxd8 28 Nxg7+
Queens have been removed from the
board, yet the ferocity of White’s attack
remains.
28 ... Kh6 29 Ngf5+ Kh5 30 h3!
14
I’m pretty certain Capa visualized and
correctly assessed this position when he
played 21 Bh4!!.
30 ... Nc8
30 ... Rdg8 31 hxg4+ Rxg4 32 Kh2!
(threat: f2-f3, followed by g2-g4+) 32 ... Nc8
33 f3 Nxe7 34 fxg4+ Kxg4 35 Nxe7 Kxh4
36 a4 is also completely lost for Black, while
30 ... Nh6?? allows 31 Ng3 or 31 Ng7 mate.
31 hxg4+ Kxg4
Bernstein breaks his own record: in his
1911 San Sebastian First Brilliancy Prize
loss against Capa, his king was driven to
g5!.
32 Bxd8 Rxd8
Black is three pawns down and should
just resign.
33 g3 Rd2
33 ... Kh3 is met by 34 Nf3.
34 Kg2 Re2
Or 34 ... Rxa2 35 Nf3 and if Black
attempts to save his e-pawn with 35 ...
Bb8?? then 36 Rh1! mates quickly.
35 a4! Nb6
Nope, 35 ... Rxe4?? doesn’t work: 36 f3+
picks off the rook.
36 Ne3+ Kh5 37 a5 Nd7 38 Nhf5 Nf6
Of course nobody resigned in 1914. An
annoyed Kasparov writes: “Bernstein
‘forgets’ to resign.”
39 b5 Bd4 40 Kf3 Ra2 41 a6 Ba7 42 Rc1
Rb2

Exercise (combination alert): White has
a way to pick up a piece. How?
Answer: Step 1: Give check on g4.
43 g4+! Kg6
43 ... Kg5 44 Rc7 is the same.
44 Rc7!
Step 2: Double attack. White threatens
mate on g7, as well as Black’s bishop.
44 ... Rxf2+
There comes a time when we grow too
old for unfunny jokes. Black’s forlorn
position is a study in dejection, mixed with
false defiance. Sigh. Yes, giving up a full
rook for nothing against Capablanca
should easily solve all his troubles.
45 Kxf2 Nxg4+ 46 Kf3 1-0
Game 3
G.Maróczy-S.Tartakower
Teplitz-Schönau 1922
You and your new-agey friend are
walking through the woods. “My intuition
tells me that this mushroom is edible,” says
the friend. The question is: are you going to
eat it? I just described Black’s dilemma.
15
Exercise (planning/critical decision):
Black’s build-up on the kingside should be
a cause for alarm for White and we must
decide on a slow or violent temptation.
Would you sacrifice the rook on h2, or
play quietly with 17 ... Qf5 - ?
Answer: Sacrificing isn’t the answer to
every problem. The rook sacrifice is
promising yet clearly weaker than the
simple building move 17 ... Qf5!.
17 ... Rxh2!?
The human capability to rationalize is
that powerful tool which conveniently
turns wrong into right. I too would almost
certainly sacrifice the rook on h2, rather
than go for the slower (but stronger) path,
since we salivate if we feel the proximity of
a potential brilliancy. Such a deceptively
quiet response as 17 ... Qf5! is alien to our
normal sense of convention when we are
attacking. White’s problem is that he has
no counterplay in the middle to distract
Black from his attack. So Black can take his
sweet time. After 18 Bg2 Nf6 19 Nf1 Rg6!
(it’s difficult to find such a move, yet when
we think about it logically we realize that
with White’s knight on f1 Black’s rook is
useless on the h-file; the idea is ... h7-h5, ...
Nh7!-g5, when the knight sinks into f3
with devastating effect) 20 c5 Bc7 21 b4 h5
22 a4 Nh7! 23 b5 Ng5 24 Kh1 Rh6! Black
got a risk-free and completely winning
attack.
18 Kxh2
It isn’t easy to maintain a poker face
when your teeth chatter like the sound of
thrown dice. Maróczy could not have been
comfortable here, despite his extra rook for
three pawns.
18 ... Qxf2+ 19 Kh1 Nf6!
I like this move slightly more than 19 ...
Qxg3 20 Nxe4! Qh4+ 21 Kg1 dxe4 22 Qg2
Nf6 23 Qh1 Qg5 24 d5. It always makes me
nervous when I am attacking and the
opponent is allowed to counter in the
centre. Black is still clearly better here,
according to the engines, yet not as much
as in the game.
 20 Re2 Qxg3 21 Nb1?!
Why retreat when there is nothing to
go back to? White should try 21 c5! Bc7 22
Nc4! (principle: meet the opponent’s
attack with a central counter – even a
desperate one!) 22 ... dxc4 23 bxc4, when
d4-d5 is in the air and it’s not so easy to
prove Black’s advantage.
21 ... Nh5 22 Qd2 Bd7 23 Rf2
After 23 Qe1 Qf3+ 24 Rg2 Ng3+ 25 Kg1
Nf5 White is busted. Exercise (combination alert/planning):
23 ... Qh4+ 24 Kg1 We reach the eve of the white position’s
destruction. Black has two ways to force
the win. Find one of them.

Answer #1: White is devastated if Black

sacrifices an exchange on f1, since this
removes the last defender of the light
squares around White’s king.
28 ... Rxf1+!
Answer #2: Also winning is the non-
dramatic 28 ... Qg5! 29 Qd2 e5! 30 dxe5 Rf2!
31 Qxf2 (or 31 Bxf2 gxf2+ 32 Kxf2 Qg3+ 33
Exercise (critical decision): White’s king Ke2 Bg4 mate) 31 ... gxf2+ 32 Kxf2 Bg4 33
officially entered the “Somebody, please Rd2 Bf3! and White is mated.
save me!” moment. Should Black play 24 ... 29 Kxf1
g3 or move his bishop to g3 instead? Not 29 Qxf1?? Qh2 mate
29 ... e5!
24 ... Bg3?! Threat: ... Bh3.
Answer: The pawn push is far stronger: 30 Kg1 Bg4! 31 Bxg3
24 ... g3! 25 Rg2 Rf8 26 Nc3 Rf6 27 cxd5 Rh6! Desperation.
28 Nxe4 exd5! and if 29 Nxd6 Nf4 31 ... Nxg3 32 Re1 Nf5
(clearance, threatening ... Qh1 mate, to Threatening White’s rook.
which there is no reasonable defence) 30 33 Qf2
Rxg3+ Qxg3+ 31 Bg2 Nh3+ 32 Kf1 (32 Kh1 If 33 Re2 exd4 34 exd4 Nxd4, White is
Nf2+ 33 Kg1 Rh1 mate) 32 ... Rf6+ 33 Ke2 crushed.
Bg4+ 34 Kd3 Nf2+ 35 Kc2 Nxd1 and ... Rf2 33 ... Qg5
is coming, when White will be massacred.
25 Bc3?!
White defends better with 25 Rh2! Qg5
26 Rg2.
25 ... Bxf2+ 26 Qxf2 g3 27 Qg2 Rf8
Threat: ... Rf2.
28 Be1
If 28 Rd2 Ng7 29 Bb4 Rf3 30 Re2 Nf5 31
Bd2 Qg5 32 Nc3 Nh4 33 Qh1 Rf6!, there is
no remedy to the coming ... Nf3+, followed
by ... Rh6.

Threat: ... Bf3+.

16
 34 dxe5
Instead:
a) 34 Qg2 Nxe3 35 Qg3 Nf5 36 Qg2
Nxd4 is also completely hopeless for White.
b) 34 Kf1 exd4 35 exd4 e3 36 Qh2 Nxd4
37 Qb8+ Kg7 38 Qc7+ Kg6 39 Qd6+ Be6
and there is no perpetual check. The
engine calls a mate in 14 for Black.
34 ... Bf3+ 35 Kf1 Ng3+ 0-1
Since 36 Kg1 Nh1+! wins the queen
and quickly mates.
Game 4
M.Tal-Ma.Pasman
Latvian Championship, Riga 1953
One delightful aspect of Tal was the
worse he behaved over the board, the more
he was loved by his fans. By the rise of the
Botvinnik/Smyslov chess-is-logic era, the
chess world expected to be ushered into an
Age of Reason. Then came chaos-monger
Tal. The crazy upstart rudely pushed
Reason aside and introduced us to the Age
of Miracles. You are about to witness one.
In this position Tal has been completely
strategically outplayed (or far more likely,
he outplayed his own position!) and is on
the verge of collapsing. Black threatens to
disconnect the d5-knight, when White is
losing a piece for virtually no
compensation. The fact that Tal won either
stems from witchcraft or that he signed a
deal with the devil, because no other
human would have escaped and won from
this wretched position.
23 exf5!
17
We are reminded of the lyrics from
Nirvana song Smells Like Teen Spirit: “With
the lights out, it’s less dangerous, Here we
are now, entertain us!” which makes
perfect sense since, when we are losing,
the plunge to darkness and confusion may
actually be our safest and most comforting
option. After 23 Qg5 fxe4 24 Rxf8+ Rxf8 25
Rxf8+ Nxf8 Black wins a piece all the same,
due to White’s simultaneously hanging
knight and bishop.
23 ... Qxd5 24 fxg6 Rxf3 25 g7+
If 25 Rxf3 e4 26 Rf5 Qe6 27 g7+ Kg8 28
Be2 Re8, White’s attack stalled.
25 ... Kg8 26 Bxh7+!
Such a move is freighted with a kind of
madness which arises when one attacks
without fear of consequence, since the
attacker already considers himself dead.
Tal’s reasoning: if he doesn’t sacrifice a
second piece now, Black will shut the
bishop out with ... e5-e4. Now saying this,
Black should win this quite comfortably, if
the opponent is anyone but Tal!
Instead, 26 Rxf3 e4 27 Rf5 Nxd3! 28
cxd3 (28 Rxd5? Nf2+ 29 Kg1 Nxg4 30 Rxd7
Rc8 is an easy conversion for Black) 28 ...
Qxd3 29 Rg5, threatening Qe6 mate, is
easily met by 29 ... Re8 and Black wins.
26 ... Kxh7 27 Rxf3 Ne4
Still winning, yet Tal’s position remains
alive, if on life-support. After 27 ... Qe6! 28
Qh5+ Qh6 29 Qf5+ Qg6 White can resign.
28 h5 Ndf6
This is probably the wrong knight, since
the other one blocks his e-pawn. If 28 ...
Nef6! 29 Qg6+ Kg8 30 h6 e4 31 Rh3 Nh7,
White’s attack is at an end.
 29 Qg6+ Kg8 30 h6
Not 30 Rxf6?? Nxf6 31 Qxf6 Qd1+ 32
Kh2 Qxh5+ and wins.
30 ... Ra7
This slightly weakens Black’s back rank.
30 ... Rd8! is a better way to consolidate.
31 Kh2 Re7??
Following 31 ... Qd2! 32 h7+ (or 32 Rh3
Qf4+ 33 Kg1 Ng5) 32 ... Nxh7 33 Qxe4 Qd6
34 Rd3 Qe6 35 Rd8+ Kxg7 36 Qe3 Re7
Black’s king is safe and he will convert.

Exercise (combination alert): Can you

find Step 3 in Tal’s combination?

Answer: Queen sacrifice/weak back

rank (again!).
34 Qxe4!
What the hell? Where did that come
from?
34 ... Qxe4
Black’s position convulses from the
blow. If 34 ... Qe8 35 Qd5+ Rf7 (35 ... Re6 36
Exercise (combination alert): More than Qxe6+! wins) 36 Rf3 Ng5 37 Rg3 Nh7 38
a half century of getting swindled has Rg6! (virtually zugzwang, as Black only has
taught your innocent writer that nothing pawn moves) 38 ... a5 (or 38 ... e4 39 Rxa6
is straightforward. Black’s position looks e3 40 Ra8 and wins) 39 Rd6 (threat: Rd8)
safe and he is two pieces up. Prove why his 39 ... Nf8 40 gxf8Q+, either recapture loses
last move was a giant blunder. Black’s queen.
35 Rd8+ Kf7 36 g8Q+ Kf6
Answer: Step 1: Decoy Black’s knight to
h7.
32 Rh3!!
Threat: h6-h7+, which seems trivially
easy to prevent.
32 ... Nh7
The desperate 32 ... Ng5 also fails: 33
Qxf6 (with threats on e7, g5 and a queen
check on f8) 33 ... Nxh3 34 Qxe7 Nf4 35
Qf8+ Kh7 36 Qh8+ Kg6 37 g8Q+ wins.
33 Rd3!
Step 2: Weak back rank. But can’t Black
easily defend with ... Qa8 - ? Tal promoted to a new queen and is still
33 ... Qa8 a piece down! Black’s problem, of course, is
his unfortunate king.

Exercise (calculation): As a visualization

exercise, without moving the pieces, work
out a way to win Black’s queen.

18
 Answer: 37 Rd6+ Kf5 38 Qg6+ Kf4 39
g3+! Ke3
It’s generally considered a red flag
when the opponent is on the attack and
your king is on the sixth rank!
40 Rd3+
Congratulations if you accurately
visualized to his point.
40 ... Qxd3 41 Qxd3+ Kf2 1-0
Black won’t have time to push the e-
pawn down the board: 42 Qd2+ Kf3 43
Qd6 Ra7
Exercise (combination alert): White has
a trick which either wins Black’s rook or
forces mate.
Answer: Give a queen check on d1.
44 Qd1+! Ke4 (if 44 ... Ke3 or 44 ... Kf2
then 45 Qg1+ skewers Black’s rook) 45 Qd3
mate. After a murder, the lead detective’s
first question is: “who benefits most from
the death?” and there you have your killer.
White’s queen benefits most.
Game 5
L.Polugaevsky-R.Nezhmetdinov
Russian Championship, Sochi 1958
Two factors which define a chess
player are strength and style. Rashid
Nezhmetdinov, perhaps the strongest IM
of all time, was not a world-class player –
although he had a disconcerting habit of
beating world champions over and over, as
if they were patzers! – yet his style was so
entertaining that even today he has an
army of fans (including myself). The
world’s most successful YouTuber, Antonio
19
Radic, aka the Agadmator, who has over a
million followers last time I looked,
resurrected Nezhmetdinov from obscurity
by revealing to the chess world the
brilliance of Nezh’s games. Warning: this
game is a candidate for greatest attacking
game of all time, which automatically
translates to a fearful level of
complications.
Nezhmetdinov has whipped up a
promising-looking attack, while White’s
counterplay is just a flea bite of a threat to
chop the c7-pawn. The vast majority of us
would pause to play 16 ... Rf7, which is
indeed engine’s first choice. But
Nezhmetdinov didn’t play chess this way.
His next move plunges the position into
absolute chaos.
16 ... g4!?
Win or lose, there is no such thing as a
Nezhmetdinov game which is devoid of
fanfare and theatrics. Now you know why
his colleagues nicknamed him “No reverse
gear Nezh”. 16 ... Rf7 is the choice of the
sane, after which I don’t like White’s
position at all, since Black’s attack
continues, while White’s is slow in the
centre and queenside.
17 g3!
Polugaevsky finds White’s best shot to
survive the assault. 17 Nxc7?? allows 17 ...
g3 18 h3 Bxh3, when White is mated.
17 ... fxg3
If 17 ... Qh3!? 18 Nexf4 Bxf4 19 Nxf4
Rxf4 20 Bxe5! Nxe5 21 gxf4 gxf3 22 Rf2
Qg4+ 23 Kh1 Qxf4 24 c5, Black has
compensation for the sacrificed exchange
but no more.
 18 hxg3 Qh3 19 f4
Exercise (critical decision): Black’s
knight is attacked and so is his c7-pawn.
What is his best continuation?
Answer: 19 ... Be6!!
Nezh ignores both threats. Not only
that, he deliberately invites a fork on c7. If
instead 19 ... Nf3+?? 20 Kf2 (threats: Rh1
and Nxc7) 20 ... Qh2+ 21 Ke3 Qh5 22 Rh1
Qg6 23 Nxc7, Black is busted because
White’s king is perfectly safe in mid-board.
20 Bc2?
Polu is the first to crack under the
intense pressure.
White is still okay if he finds the
continuation 20 Bxe5! (principle: when
under attack, reduce the enemy’s forces
with swaps) 20 ... Nxe5 21 Kf2! (running
away; 21 Nxc7? Rxf4!! 22 gxf4 g3 23 Nxg3
Qxg3+ 24 Kh1 Bg4 25 Be2 Qh3+ 26 Kg1
Rc8 27 Nd5 Qg3+ 28 Kh1 Kh8! gives Black
a winning attack now that ... Rg8 is on the
table) 21 ... Qh2+ 22 Ke3 Bxd5 23 Rh1!
(zwischenzug) 23 ... Rxf4!! 24 gxf4! Bxf4+
25 Nxf4 Qg3+ 26 Kd4 Bxe4! and the
engine unhelpfully calls this mess of a
position equal.
Note that taking the c-pawn is suicide:
20 Nxc7? Rxf4!! 21 gxf4 g3 22 Nxg3 Qxg3+
23 Kh1 Qh4+ 24 Kg1 Bh3! 25 Qe2 Rf8 26
Bxe5 Nxe5! 27 Rf2 (27 fxe5? Be3+! 28 Qxe3
Qg4+ forces mate) 27 ... Kh8! and Black’s
attack is decisive. Stockfish already calls it
mate in 13. We chess players are losing our
jobs to robots, who play 700 rating points
above any human mind, including Magnus
20
Carlsen’s. The question remains: would
Nezh have found all this over the board?
20 ... Rf7?
Rather than defending c7 (which Black
doesn’t care about), this move has the idea
of doubling rooks on the f-file, while pre-
empting a queen check after a trade on d5.
Nonetheless, the immediate swap was
stronger: 20 ... Bxd5! 21 Qxd5+ Rf7
(threat: ... Nb4) 22 Bc3 Re8 23 Rad1 Kf8!
(unpinning the f7-rook) 24 c5 (principle:
meet the opponent’s wing attack with a
central counter; unfortunately, principles
don’t always work) 24 ... Bxf4!! 25 Rxf4
Rxf4 26 cxd6 Rf5!! 27 d7 (27 exf5 is met by
27 ... Nf3+ forcing mate) 27 ... Nf3+ 28 Kf2
Rxd5 29 dxe8Q+ Kxe8 30 exd5 Ne7 and
Black is winning.
21 Kf2?!
Polu misses his second chance to play
21 Bxe5! Nxe5! (not 21 ... dxe5? 22 Rf2!,
when the threat of Rh2, trapping the
queen, leaves Black in terrible trouble) 22
Kf2! (running again) 22 ... Qh2+ 23 Ke3
Bxd5 24 cxd5 Qh3! 25 Rh1 Bxf4+! 26 Kd4!
and White escapes: 26 ... c5+ 27 Kc3 Be3 28
Rxh3 gxh3 29 Qh1 Rf2 30 Qxh3! Rxe2 31
Qe6+ Kg7 32 Qe7+ Kg8 33 Qe6+ with
perpetual check.
21 ... Qh2+ 22 Ke3 Bxd5 23 cxd5 Nb4!
24 Rh1?
The best defence was 24 a3! Nxc2+ 25
Qxc2 Qh3! 26 Kd2! Nf3+ 27 Kd3 Qg2 28
Rh1 Re8!! 29 Rxh6 Rxe4! 30 Qd1 ( White is
unable to play 30 Kxe4?? due to the simple
discovered attack 30 ... Ne1+, winning the
queen) 30 ... Rfe7 31 Re6, which is in Black’s
favour, but not completely winning.
 Exercise (combination alert): In this
position Nezh pulled off one of the greatest
king hunts in chess history. You should find
this combination, since the theme has
already been demonstrated multiple times
in the previous notes. What would you play?
Answer: Queen sacrifice.
24 ... Rxf4!!
Nezh is done with knocking politely on
White’s door. Polugaevsky said that during
the game he had a horrible premonition
that he was going to be a victim to a
memorable attacking masterpiece. He was
right.
25 Rxh2
We must be occasionally reminded that
in chess acquiring wealth is not our
ultimate goal. There is nothing better than
to accept the queen. If 25 gxf4 Bxf4+! 26
Nxf4 Nxc2+ 27 Qxc2 Qxc2, White won’t
survive.
25 ... Rf3+ 26 Kd4 Bg7
This is a bit unnerving, with White’s
king unable to dodge the black bishop’s
malicious gaze.
27 a4
This leads to a forced mate in eight. 27
Nc3 a5 wouldn’t have saved White.
Exercise (combination alert): White’s
luck-forsaken king ran out of safe havens.
Proceed with Black’s attack.
Answer: Push the c-pawn, either one
square or two.
27 ... c5+!
Or 27 ... c6 28 dxc6, transposing, as
otherwise ... c6-c5 will be mate.
21
28 dxc6 bxc6!
Renewing the threat to deliver mate
with the push of the c-pawn.
29 Bd3
There is nothing better.
29 ... Nexd3+ 30 Kc4 d5+ 31 exd5 cxd5+
32 Kb5
Exercise (calculation): White’s king
enters another country. This one is not so
tough. Find Black’s forced mate in three,
without moving the pieces.
Answer: 32 ... Rb8+ 33 Ka5 Nc6+ 0-1
After 34 Ka6 Black has no less than
three separate mates in one: 34 ... Nc5
mate, 34 ... Ndb4 mate, and 34 ... Rb6 mate.
Game 6
M.Tal-Di.Keller
Zürich 1959
In a lifetime of crazy, if I had to pick
Tal’s craziest game, this one would be my
choice.
1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 d5 4 d4 c6 5 Bg5
dxc4 6 e4 b5
Thank God that covering this opening is
outside the jurisdiction of this book.
Keller’s game plan: “Okay then, I’m playing
Mikhail Tal in his invincible prime, in the
year 1959, Anno Domini. My best shot may
be to play the Botvinnik Semi-Slav, one of
the most complicated openings in chess.
He is certain to get confused!” Did Keller
commit the Van Helsing/Harker error?
Oh, you don’t know what that is? Then
let me explain. I remember watching
Dracula: Prince of Darkness at age 8.
Professor Van Helsing and Jonathan
Harker were about to ram a wooden stake
through Christopher Lee’s dark heart and,
just then, the sun went down, allowing the
enraged, undead count to burst out of his
coffin and start kicking butt with his super
vampire strength. The obvious question
arises: why did the professor and Mr.
Harker attack so close to sunset, when they
could have waited until the next morning,
at 9:00 a.m., after a leisurely pancake
breakfast at IHOP?
7 a4 Qb6 8 Bxf6 gxf6 9 Be2 a6
9 ... Bb7 is Black’s main move today.
10 0-0 Bb7 11 d5!?
Principle: Create confrontation and
open the game when leading in
development.
11 ... cxd5
11 ... Nd7! is now considered to be in
Black’s favour.
12 exd5 b4?
In my minority opinion, the opening is
the least creative stage of a chess game.
Even “our” novelties are, 99 times out of
100, not really ours, since we merely copied
Overlord Engine’s suggestions with cult-
like obedience. Not so in 1959, when
novelties – strong or weak – were products
of the human mind. Rather than continue
normally with 12 ... Nd7, Keller chases
material and neglects his development,
which is exceedingly reckless, especially
considering his opponent is Tal!
13 a5!
13 Ne4?! exd5 is slightly better for Black.
13 ... Qc7
22
Exercise (critical decision): White is a
pawn down. How should he proceed?
Answer: The only thematic
continuation is to offer a piece to open
central lines and expose Black’s king.
14 dxe6!
Engagement cannot be delayed. In
irrational positions Tal never attempted to
control chaos. Instead, the great chaoticist
tended to ride the complications, the way
a hawk glides upon the wind, in search of
prey. Instead:
a) 14 Ne4?! Nd7 is just fine for Black.
b) 14 Na4 is not as strong as the move
Tal played in the game. After 14 ... Nd7 15
dxe6 fxe6 16 Nd4 Rg8 17 Bh5+ Ke7 18 g3
Qxa5 19 Nxe6! Kxe6 20 Bf7+ Kxf7 21
Qxd7+ Be7 22 Rfe1 Rge8 23 Qxb7 Rad8
White only has a small edge.
14 ... bxc3
There is no turning back. If 14 ... fxe6?
then 15 Nd4! bxc3 16 Bh5+! Ke7 17 Re1
Bd5 18 Qg4 Qd7 19 Nxe6! Bxe6 20 Rad1!
Qc6 21 Qf5 Nd7 22 Bf3 wins.
15 Nd4! Rg8
Menacing g2. 15 ... cxb2 16 exf7+ Ke7
(both captures lose to 17 Bh5) 17 Re1!
bxa1Q 18 Bxc4+ Kd8 19 Nc6+ Kc8 20 Re8+
Qd8 21 Rxd8+ Kc7 22 Qxa1 Nxc6 23 Rxa8
Bxa8 24 Qxf6 wins the h8-rook and the
game.
16 Qa4+! Kd8
Blocking with knight or bishop allows
e6xf7+ and wins. For example: 16 ... Nc6 17
exf7+ Kxf7? (but 17 ... Qxf7 18 Nxc6
regains the piece with a winning position)
18 Qxc4+ Kg7 (18 ... Kg6 drops the rook) 19
Ne6+ with a deadly fork.
17 g3 Bd5
Exercise (critical decision): The position
screams for a white rook on d1, but which
one? One choice leads to a winning
position, while Black can draw against the
other.
Answer: The a-rook is correct.
18 Rfd1?
This is the case of the wrong rook. Tal
logically didn’t want to move the a1-rook
because then the f1-rook isn’t working. The
problem with Tal’s choice is that Black
gains a crucial tempo by chopping the b2-
pawn.
18 ... Kc8?
Black can save himself with 18 ... cxb2!
19 Rab1 c3 20 exf7 Qxf7 21 Bc4 Rg5!, when
22 Qb3 Nd7 23 Nc6+ Kc7 24 Bxd5 Rxd5 25
Rxd5 c2! 26 Rxd7+ Qxd7 27 Qxc2 Qxc6 28
Qxh7+ Qd7 29 Qc2+ Qc6 is perpetual
check.
19 bxc3?
Is there such a thing as a position which
is too complicated for Mikhail Tal?
Apparently there is, since even Tal is
confused in the swirl of complications. In
the engine world, simply 19 Qe8+! Kb7 (or
19 ... Qd8 20 exf7, when 20 ... Rh8 21 Ne6 is
fatal for Black) 20 bxc3 Ka7 21 Bf3 fxe6 22
Nxe6 gives White a crushing attack.
19 ... Bc5 20 e7!?
Everyone else in the world would have
played 20 Bxc4 fxe6 21 Bxd5 exd5 22 Qb3
with full attacking compensation for the
sacrificed piece.
23
20 ... Nc6
That e7-pawn would make me nervous.
I would chop it straight away with 20 ...
Bxe7.
21 Bg4+!?
Tal is under no obligation to make
sense to us. After 21 Nf5 Qe5 22 Bxc4
Bxf2+ 23 Kf1! Qxf5 24 e8Q+ Kc7!! (24 ...
Rxe8? 25 Rxd5 Qh3+ 26 Kxf2 Qxh2+ 27
Kf3 is lost for Black) 25 Qaxc6+ Bxc6 26
Qxf7+ Bd7 27 Qxd7+ Qxd7 28 Rxd7+ Kxd7
29 Bxg8 Rxg8 30 Kxf2 Rc8 31 Ra3 Rc5,
Black can probably hold the draw.
21 ... Kb7
The bishop obviously can’t be touched
in view of 21 ... Rxg4?? 22 e8Q+.
Exercise (critical decision): Should
White try 22 Nb5 or refrain in favour of a
more natural move like 22 Rab1+ ?
Answer: The knight sacrifice is
completely unsound. Of course that didn’t
discourage Tal one bit!
22 Nb5?
On our front porch we have a
“Welcome!” sign and then, on the
windowsill, another sign which ominously
reads: “No Solicitors!” Unfortunately,
solicitors (like Tal’s obnoxious knight)
choose to see the “Welcome!” sign, while
wilfully ignoring the other one which tells
them to go away.
Objectively 22 Rab1+ Ka7 23 Nf5 is
correct, when 23 ... Be6 24 Bf3 Bxf5 25
Qxc6 Qxc6 26 Bxc6 Bxb1 27 Rxb1 Rab8 28
Rxb8 Kxb8 29 e8Q+ Rxe8 30 Bxe8 reaches
a drawn ending.
22 ... Qe5!
 Threat: ... Qe4. Tal may have expected
22 ... axb5?? 23 Qxb5+ Bb6 24 axb6 Qxe7
25 Ra7+! and wins.
23 Re1 Be4?
Here 23 ... Qg5! leaves White busted: 24
Rad1 (or 24 Rab1 Qxg4! since White lacks a
useful discovered check with the b5-knight)
24 ... Rae8 25 Bh3 Qh5 and White’s attack
has run out of gas.
24 Rab1! Rxg4
Exercise (combination alert): The
position drifts upon an ocean of chaos,
occasionally passing by islands of lucidity.
How should White continue?
Answer: Sacrifice the exchange on e4,
in order to remove Black’s most potent
piece.
25 Rxe4! Qxe4!
Keller finds the best defence, giving up
his queen for close to sufficient
compensation. Instead, 25 ... Rxe4? 26
Nd4+ Nb4 27 Qd7+ Qc7 28 Rxb4+! Bxb4 29
Qd5+ Kb8 30 Qxe4 Bxe7 31 Nc6+ Kb7 32
Nxe7+ Ka7 33 Nc6+ Kb7 34 Nb4+ Ka7 35
Qd4+ Kb7 36 Qxf6 leaves Black fighting for
his life.
26 Nd6+
Double check.
26 ... Kc7
Not 26 ... Ka7?? 27 Rb7 mate.
27 Nxe4 Rxe4 28 Qd1
Cutting off ... Re2 ideas, while opening
the queen’s avenue to h5.
28 ... Re5??
One of the cruellest aspects of chess is
the fact that just because our cause is just,
is no insurance that we will actually win (or
24
not lose) the game. Black would be fine had
he played 28 ... Bxe7! 29 Qh5 Rf8 30 Qxh7
Re5 and it’s anybody’s game. When, oh
when are people going to realize that it’s
unwise to allow Tal a pawn on the seventh
rank?
Exercise (combination alert): What did
Black miss on his last move?
Answer: Decoy rook sacrifice to b7.
29 Rb7+!
Of all the people who made a pact with
Satan, Tal was clearly the devil’s favourite.
29 ... Kxb7 30 Qd7+ Kb8 31 e8Q+
White’s two queens believe they are
Bonnie and Clyde, or maybe Bonnie and
Bonnie. “Why didn’t I take the e7-pawn
when I had the chance??” Keller must have
lamented at this stage.
31 ... Rxe8 32 Qxe8+ Kb7 33 Qd7+ Kb8
34 Qxc6 1-0
The queen’s hunger is finally abated.
Game 7
B.Spassky-L.Polugaevsky
USSR Championship, Moscow 1961
We all experienced sickening losses in
important games, where we were
completely winning and yet somehow
blew it. This game is perhaps the most
heartbreaking loss of Spassky’s life.
Spassky said Polugaevsky was “dying
and didn’t even try to hide that. He paced
back and forth at the board, the time was
almost up. The flag was hanging. And then
– I was totally paralysed. I call this state
‘Begone, demons!’ I strained myself too
much, and my thinking slowed down. I counterplay with ... g7-g6, ... Bg7 and ... f7-
couldn’t even hold on to draw! As a result, f5.
the whole chess landscape changed. If I 10 Kf1!
defeated Lyova, I would automatically
qualify to the Interzonal, and then to the
Candidates’. Even back then, I could have
competed for the world title.”
Despite this crushing disappointment,
Spassky once cited this game as the “best
game” he ever played.
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6 4 Nc3 Bb7 5
Bg5
White more often plays 5 a3 today.
5 ... Be7 6 e3 Ne4!?

Spassky doesn’t mind losing castling

privileges since he plans to push his h- and
g-pawns to attack Polugaevsky’s king.
White’s advantage is smaller in the line 10
Ke2 Bxf3+ 11 gxf3 Bd6 12 Bg3 f5 13 Qc2
Nc6 14 a3 Qe8 15 b4 Qh5.
10 ... Bxd3+ 11 Qxd3 Be7 12 h4! f5 13
Ke2!
Spassky makes room for the a1-rook
into his attack.
13 ... d6 14 g4!
This move is not the normal
representative view in the line. Polu,
perhaps playing upon Spassky’s
desperation to win the game, decides to
simplify, at the cost of a touch of time. 6 ...
0-0 7 Bd3 is more normal.
7 Nxe4 Bxe4 8 Bf4!
Principle: The side with more space
should avoid swaps. White got nothing
from 8 Bxe7 Qxe7 9 Be2 Qb4+ 10 Qd2
Qxd2+ 11 Kxd2 and the game was drawn
in a few moves, Y.Balashov-M.Taimanov,
Skopje 1970. This is not a good position to defend
8 ... 0-0 Black when you face one of the greatest
8 ... Bb4+?! wastes time, and 9 Nd2 Bb7 natural attackers of all time. Despite some
10 Be2! 0-0 11 0-0 Be7 12 Bf3 is in White’s simplification, Spassky managed to whip
favour. up a dangerous initiative.
9 Bd3 Bb4+?! 14 ... Nd7
After 9 ... Bxd3 10 Qxd3 d6 11 0-0 Nd7 Taking the g-pawn is suicidal: 14 ...
12 e4 e5! 13 Be3 (if 13 dxe5 dxe5 14 Nxe5 fxg4?? 15 Ng5 Bxg5 16 hxg5 g6 17 Rh6 Qe7
Nxe5 15 Qxd8 Bxd8 16 Bxe5 Re8, Black 18 Rah1 Nd7 (18 ... Rf7? allows 19 Qxg6+!)
regains the pawn with equality) 13 ... Bf6 19 Qe4 e5 20 dxe5 dxe5 21 Bg3 Qf7 22
14 d5, White’s space doesn’t mean that Qxg4 (threat: Rxh7!) 22 ... Rad8 23 Rxh7!
much since Black will generate

25
(anyway) 23 ... Qxh7 24 Rxh7 Kxh7 25
Qh4+ Kg8 26 Qh6 and Black is lost.
15 Rag1 fxg4?!
He should delay this one turn with 15 ...
Qe8 16 h5 fxg4 17 Rxg4 Kh8, when White’s
advantage is less than in the game.
16 Rxg4 Nf6 17 Rg5?!
Not best. He should play 17 Ng5! Qe8
18 f3, and if 18 ... Bd8 (intending ... e6-e5),
then 19 Be5!! dxe5 20 dxe5 g6 21 exf6 Bxf6
22 Qe4 Bxg5 23 hxg5 Rf7 24 Rd1 leaves
Black struggling.
17 ... Qd7?!
Black defends better with 17 ... Qe8 18
h5 Rd8.
18 h5 Ne8 19 Rg2 b5!?
This move already smacks of
desperation. 19 ... Bf6 was a sounder try.
20 c5!?
Spassky is interested in mate, not a
pawn. So he goes with the Malcolm X “by
any means necessary” path by offering a
pawn of his own. The engine likes Spassky’s
move best, yet it involves a fearful level of
complications. If Spassky had grabbed
Polu’s offered pawn, there could only be
two results:
1. Spassky wins.
2. The game is drawn.
There would be no chance of a third
category where Polugaevsky wins. So, from
a practical aspect (and since the game was
of such critical importance for Spassky), he
may have been better off with the safer
version.
A more materialist player would have
opted for 20 cxb5 a6 21 bxa6 Qc6 22 Rhg1
Qxa6 23 Qxa6 Rxa6 24 a3 Rf5 25 h6 g6 26
26
Rc1, when I don’t believe in Black’s full
compensation for the sacrificed pawn.
20 ... dxc5?
A conjured phantom threat may not be
real, yet that doesn’t mean it is ineffective,
mainly since our opponent may believe it
is real. Spassky’s gamble seems to be
paying off. It’s fatal to allow White’s pieces
use of e5. Black should try 20 ... Bf6.
21 h6!
Spassky’s evil h-pawn moves to h666,
the number of the beast.
21 ... Rf5!
His best practical chance in an
objectively lost position. After 21 ... g6?? 22
Ne5 Qd5 23 Rxg6+ hxg6 (or 23 ... Kh8 24
Rg7!) 24 Qxg6+ Kh8 25 Rg1 Black is mated
in five at the most.
22 Be5!
Also winning is 22 Ne5 Qc8 23 Nc6 Qd7
24 Qe4 (threat: Nxe7+ and Qxa8) 24 ... Bf6
25 hxg7! with too many threats for White.
22 ... c4
22 ... g6? fails to 23 Rxg6+! with a
winning attack, since the rook can’t be
touched.
23 Qe4 Qd5 24 Qg4 c3 25 b3!
There are three points to this quiet yet
powerful defensive move:
1. It cuts out ... Qc4+.
2. ... Qxa2 is also eliminated.
3. White now threatens e3-e4, winning
Black’s rook.
25 ... b4
Black isn’t bailed out by the exchange
sacrifice 25 ... Qxf3+ 26 Qxf3 Rxf3, since 27
Kxf3 g5 (27 ... g6?? allows 28 Rxg6+!) 28
Bf4 is lost for Black.
 26 e4 Qb5+ 27 Ke3
Steinitz approved!
27 ... Rf7 28 hxg7 Nf6 29 Bxf6 Rxf6
29 ... Bxf6 is met by the same
combination Spassky had in the game.
Exercise (combination alert): White can
force mate here. How?
Answer: Annihilation of defensive
barrier with a rook sacrifice on h7.
30 Rxh7!
The engines call a forced mate in 11
from here.
30 ... Rxf3+
No choice. 30 ... Kxh7? 31 g8Q+ is mate
in two.
31 Kxf3!
Spassky avoids the trap 31 Qxf3?? Bg5+
32 Rxg5 Qxg5+ 33 Kd3 Kxh7 and it is Black
who wins, since 34 Qf8 fails to 34 ... Rd8.
31 ... Qd3+
Black’s king is all alone, devoid of
defenders. Black’s queen is his virtual,
internet girlfriend who lives on the other
side of the world and who he has never met
in person.
32 Kf4 Bd6+ 33 Kg5!
Much stronger than 33 e5 Qxd4+ 34
Kg5 Qxg4+ 35 Rxg4 Kxh7, although 36
Kf6! (threatening mate in two with Rh4+)
36 ... Bxe5+ 37 Kxe5 c2 38 Rc4 Kxg7 39
Rxc2 Rc8 40 Kxe6 is still lost for Black.
33 ... Kxh7
27
Exercise (critical decision): It’s clear that
White’s king should shift out of the way.
But to which square? Find the correct
one and White forces mate in seven.
Answer: The king should go to f6.
34 Kh5??
You can try all day but you still won’t
manage to fit a square peg into the
contours of a round hole. Spassky, one of
the greatest attackers of all time,
uncharacteristically misses a mate and
picks the wrong square for his king! Now
Black can draw. In high pressure situations
it isn’t easy to separate an apparition from
the real.
Spassky’s dream would have been
fulfilled had he found 34 Kf6! Qxd4+ 35
Kf7, when Black can only give a few spite
checks before getting mated.
34 ... Qb5+ 35 Kh4!?
The hell with empirical evidence, when
we have the comforting option to go with
wild emotion. Spassky, possibly realizing
that he blundered on his last move, may
still be playing for the full point out of pure
frustration. If he wanted, he could halve
out with 35 e5 Qe8+ 36 Kh4 Kg8! 37 exd6
c2 38 Qg5 Qd8 39 Rg1, when 39 ... Qxg5+
40 Kxg5 Kxg7 41 d7 Kf7 42 Rc1 Ke7 43
Rxc2 Kxd7 44 Kf4 should end in a draw.
35 ... Be7+ 36 Kh3
If 36 Kg3?? Qg5, Black forces queens off
the board and wins.
36 ... Qg5!

Returning the piece is the only way to
defend. Certainly not 36 ... Rg8?? 37 Qg6
mate.
37 Qxg5 Bxg5 38 Rxg5 Rd8
This ending should be drawn.
39 f4??
This move is a violent contradiction of
the position’s requirements. Spassky,
desperate for the full point, overpresses.
Instead, 39 Kg4! Kg8 40 Rc5 Rxd4 41 Rxc7
Rxe4+ 42 Kg5 Kh7 43 Rxa7 Re2 44 f3 Rg2+
45 Kf4! (45 Kf6?? Rg6+ 46 Ke5 Rxg7 leaves
White busted) 45 ... Rxg7 46 Rxg7+ Kxg7
47 Ke3 Kf6 48 Kd3 Ke5 49 a3 bxa3 50
Kxc3 Kd5! 51 b4 a2 52 Kb2 Kc4 53 Kxa2
Kxb4 54 Kb2 is drawn.
39 ... Kg8!
Suddenly Black’s rook is free to move
and White is busted.
40 Rc5
40 Kh4 Rxd4 41 Kh5 fails to 41 ... e5!
(41 ... Rxe4 42 Kg6 Rxf4 43 Rb5 Rg4+ 44
Kf6 Rxg7 45 Rxb4 is only a draw) 42 f5
(both 42 fxe5 c2 and 42 Rxe5 Kxg7 are
hopeless) 42 ... Rd6!, when Black wins by
pushing the queenside pawns, while
28
White can do nothing: 43 Rg2 a5 44 Rg1
Rf6 45 Rg2 c5 46 Rg1 c4 47 bxc4 a4 and so
on.
40 ... Rxd4 41 Rxc7 Rxe4 42 Kg4 e5! 43
a3
If 43 Kf5 Rxf4+ 44 Kg6 Rg4+ 45 Kf6
Kh7!, Black is winning.
43 ... Rxf4+ 44 Kg5 a5 45 axb4
Some sources give 45 Kg6 at once
without the preliminary exchange of
pawns. It makes no difference to the
resulting play, except to give Black the
option of throwing in ... b4xa3 at any
useful moment.
45 ... axb4 46 Kg6 Rg4+ 47 Kf6
Exercise (planning): White threatens
Rc8+ and Rh8 mate. There are two ways to
avoid this. Drive the white king away with
47 ... Rf4+, or step off the back rank with
47 ... Kh7. Only one of these plans wins.
Which one would you play?
Answer: Move the king to h7.
47 ... Kh7!
Instead, 47 ... Rf4+?? throws the win
away: 48 Kxe5 Rf7 49 Rc4 Rb7 50 Kd6
Kxg7 51 Kc6 Rb8 52 Kc7 Rb5 53 Kc6 is a
repetition draw. A treadmill creates the
illusion that we are going somewhere.
Black can’t win, despite his extra pawn,
since his king is way offside.
48 g8Q+
48 Kxe5 Rxg7 49 Rc4 Rg1! is similar to
the game.
48 ... Kxg8 49 Kxe5 Rg1! 50 Kf6
50 Kd4 Rb1 wins since the b3-pawn
falls.
50 ... Rf1+ 51 Ke5
 If 51 Kg6 Kf8, Black’s king walks over to
the queenside and then his rook picks off
the b3-pawn.
51 ... Rb1 0-1
Spassky’s mind must have been
tormented here since he is plagued by a
cruel geometric anomaly. In similar
positions White can often force a draw by
perpetual threats against the black king,
but not here: 52 Kf6 Rxb3 53 Rc8+ Kh7 54
Rc7+ Kh6 55 Rc8 Kh5 56 Kf5 Kh4 57 Kf4
Kh3 58 Kf3 fails to 58 ... c2+ (aargh! it’s
check!) 59 Ke4 Rc3 and Black wins.
Game 8
Wl.Schmidt-Je.Lewi
Warsaw Olympiad 1968
Sometimes we “feel” a combination or
a plan before we actually see it. We reach
the point where we see vague outlines,
unable to clearly see its features or details.
First, let’s assess and investigate:
1. Black has four pawns for a piece,
which normally would be a good deal.
29
2. Three quarters of Black’s pieces are
away on the queenside, leaving his king
inadequately protected.
3. The light squares around Black’s king
are breezy and vulnerable to infiltration by
White’s forces.
4. The most dangerous/delusional
thought in a winning position is: “I don’t
need to do anything to win, since my
opponent’s position is sure to die of
natural causes.”
Clearly the position calls for vigorous
action from White, probably with a
sacrifice. Three come to mind:
a) We can sacrifice an exchange with 34
Rxc5, which opens d5 for the queen.
b) We can try to bulldoze our way
through with 34 Rxd6, sacrificing a full
rook.
c) We can sacrifice our bishop on h6.
Exercise (critical decision): Now I’m
going to tell you in advance that all three
are in White’s favour. Your job is to pick the
most promising of the three lines.
Answer: Line b), the rook sacrifice on d6,
is White’s optimal continuation.
34 Rxd6!!
Alternatively:
a) 34 Rxc5 Rxc5! 35 Bxc5 Qxc5 36 Qb3+
d5 37 Rxe4! Rxe4 38 Bxe4 c6 is winning for
White, though he still has work to do to reel
in the full point.
c) 34 Bxh6 gxh6 35 Rxd6! Re5! (35 ...
cxd6?? 36 Qd5+! wins at once) 36 Rxf6+!
Kxf6 37 Qd8+ Kf7 38 f6! (threatening a
mating attack with Rg7+, followed by Re7+)
38 ... Ke6 39 Rg7 Nd7 40 g4! (denying
Black’s king a potential escape square on f5)
40 ... Rc2 41 Qe7+ Kd5 42 Qxd7+ Qxd7 43
Rxd7+ Kc6 44 f7 Kxd7 45 f8Q Re6 is again
winning for White, yet Black continues to
resist.
34 ... cxd6
Declining fails to save Black. For
instance, 34 ... Re5 (covering against a
queen check on d5) 35 Rd8 h5 36 Bxc5!
(threat: Rf8 mate) 36 ... Qxc5 37 Rd7+ Re7
38 Rxe7+ Qxe7 (38 ... Kxe7 39 Rxg7+ Kf8
40 Qd7 forces mate) 39 Qd5+ Kf8 40 Qxc4
hxg4 41 hxg4 is an easy win for White.
35 Qd5+
The vacuum on d5 is promptly filled.
35 ... Kf8 36 Rxg7!
Annihilation of defensive barrier, Part II,
with a second rook sacrifice! The quieter 36
Bf4! Rd8 37 Bxh6! Qd7 (37 ... Rd7?? 38
Qa8+ forces mate) 38 Qxc4 also wins
comfortably.
36 ... Kxg7 37 Bxh6+!
Annihilation of defensive barrier, Part
III!
37 ... Kh8
This one must be declined. Both 37 ...
Kh7?? 38 Qf7+ and 37 ... Kxh6?? 38 Qf7
force mate.
38 Qf7 Qd7
If 38 ... Rg8 then 39 Qxf6+ Kh7 40 Qh4!
Rc8 41 Bf4+! Kg8 42 Qg5+ Kh8 43 Bxd6
(threatening a deadly check on e5) 43 ...
Re8 44 f6 (threat: Qg7 mate) 44 ... Qd7 45
Qh5+! Kg8 46 Qg6+ Kh8 47 f7 forces mate.
Exercise (calculation): When we were
children and our mothers made us clean
up our room, we did it grudgingly and
30
always expected to be praised. Let’s clean
this position up by visualizing White’s
forced mate in six.
Answer: Start with the obvious, a
bishop check on g7.
39 Bg7+ Kh7 40 Qg6+ Kg8 41 Bxf6+
Kf8 42 Qh6+! 1-0
Halt, in the name of the law! The black
king runs out of defensive wiggle room.
Mate follows with 42 ... Kg8 (or 42 ... Kf7
43 Qg7 mate) 43 Qh8+ Kf7 44 Qg7 mate.
Game 9
M.Tal-A.Vooremaa
Tallinn 1971
14 Qg3!?
Tal had a way of summoning some
supernatural agency which acted as a
guardian angel against his own suicidal
instincts. Intuition comes in one swooping
computation which leaps from almost no
data to the final answer. A second version
of intuition is when we sacrifice and guess
as to its soundness. There is no way in hell
that Tal could have known at this stage
that his knight sacrifice was fully sound
(more than likely he didn’t care if it was
sound or not!). The engine confirms that it
is indeed absolutely sound, yet not White’s
best course. The sacrifice shouldn’t yield
White anything with correct defence –
which in turn is no easy task when facing
Tal.
Objectively best is 14 fxe5! Bxe5 15 c3
with a promising position for White. Black
is unable to go pawn grabbing with 15 ...
Qxb2?? due to 16 Nc2!, when there is no
remedy to the coming Rfb1, trapping the
queen.
14 ... exd4?
Now White gets a powerful initiative
for the sacrificed piece. After 14 ... Nxd4! 15
fxe5 Bc7 16 Qxg7 Rf8 White has nothing
better than to take perpetual check with 17
Rxf7! Rxf7 18 Qh8+ Rf8 (18 ... Ke7?? loses
to 19 Nc3! with a deadly knight check on
d5 to follow) 19 Qxh5+ Kd8 20 Qg5+ Ke8
21 Qh5+.
15 Qxg7 Rf8 16 e5 Be7 17 f5
Black’s queenside pieces are dormant
and his king is unsafe.
17 ... f6?!
The plan to free the queenside pieces
with 17 ... d6 fails to 18 e6! Qa5 (if 18 ... fxe6
19 fxe6 Rxf1+ 20 Rxf1, the e-pawn can’t be
touched due to a queen check on the back
rank, picking off Black’s rook, and 20 ... Kd8
21 Nf4! is a winning attack) 19 Nf4 Qe5 20
Qh7 Kd8 21 Rae1 Qh8 22 Qxh8 Rxh8 23
exf7 Rf8 24 Nd5 Rxf7 25 f6 Bf8 26 Nb6 Rb8
27 Bg6 with a winning position for White.
The engines suggest 17 ... Qxb2! 18 Nf4
Qa3 19 Rae1 Kd8 with an unclear mess,
which they rate at even.
18 Nf4! Rf7?
It couldn’t have been psychologically
easy for Tal’s opponents to un-deify him.
Black should try 18 ... Nxe5 19 Qxe7+! Kxe7
20 Nd5+ Kd6 21 Nxb6 Rb8 22 Be4,
although White stands clearly better.
31
Exercise (combination alert): Find
White’s strongest attacking continuation.
Answer: Queen sacrifice.
19 exf6!!
It was Hunter S. Thompson who
claimed there is no such thing as paranoia,
mainly since our worst fears may come
true in our lifetime. Vooremaa surely must
have agreed with Thompson’s statement.
The position is a creature arisen from a
nightmare and therefore perfect for Tal!
19 ... Ne5
We should expect insincerity when Tal
offers a “gift”:
a) 19 ... Rxg7 20 fxg7 Kf7 21 f6 Bxf6 22
Nd5 Qd8 23 Rxf6+ Kxg7 24 Rg6+ Kh8 25
Rf1 gives White a deadly attack, mainly
since Black offers odds of rook and bishop,
which continue to lie dormant.
b) 19 ... Bxf6 20 Rae1+ Ne7 21 Qg6
(threat: Nd5) 21 ... Qc6 22 Bc4! Qxc4 23
Qg8+! Rf8 24 Qxc4 wins.
20 Bc4?!
In positions this sharp, the shift of a
single decimal point can mean the
difference between a win or a loss. Tal can’t
resist giving stuff away. White’s advantage
is decisive had he played 20 Qh8+! Bf8 21
Rae1 d6 22 Bc4 with a winning attack.
20 ... Nxc4 21 Qg8+ Bf8 22 Nxh5
Threat: Ng7+, followed by Qxf7.
22 ... Nd6! 23 Rae1+ Kd8

Exercise (combination alert): How
should White fuel his initiative?
Answer: Move the rook into the
position’s belly, on e7.
24 Re7! Qb5!
Threatening ... Qxf1 mate, which gains
Black a tempo.
25 Rfe1 Qd5?
Black’s only chance was to enter the
line 25 ... Qa5 26 c3 Qxa2 27 cxd4 Kc7 28
Qg3, when he still has chances to survive
the storm.
26 Nf4! Qxa2
Exercise (combination alert): Continue
White’s attack.
Answer: Sink a knight into e6, which
short circuits the defence.
27 Ne6+!! Qxe6
Desperation. 27 ... dxe6 28 Rxf7 Nxf7 29
Qxf8+ Kc7 30 Qxf7+ Kb6 31 fxe6 is
decisive.
28 fxe6 Rxf6 29 Rf7! 1-0
32
After 29 ... Rxf7 30 exf7 Kc7 31 Qxf8
Black will lose yet another piece due to the
advanced f-pawn.
Game 10
D.Bronstein-L.Ljubojevic
Petropolis Interzonal 1973
Just today on Facebook I was delighted
when someone produced a photo from
1992, where in a blitz tournament
(probably the American Open G/5) the
great David Bronstein was playing on the
board next to me. I clearly need to take
Ginko Biloba, since I had forgotten all
about this.
In irrational positions, beware of
making natural moves. What could be
more natural than playing 15 Bg5 - ? After
all, it gains a tempo on Black’s queen and
threatens the dark squares around his king.
Now let’s look deeper. Where will Black
move his queen? Maybe to c7, gaining a
tempo on the c4-bishop. Then Black has a
secondary threat: ... Bc5, skewering
White’s queen and g1-rook. So perhaps we
should play the less forceful 15 Be3 - ?
Exercise (critical decision): The key
question is: should White fight with his
mind or his heart? Can we get away with
15 Bg5, or should we play it safe with 15
Be3 - ?
Answer: The bishop moving to g5 gives
White a decisive attack, despite the loss of
the rook, whereas moving it to e3 throws
away the bulk of White’s advantage.
 15 Bg5!!
The safer version is also the inferior one:
15 Be3?! 15 ... N8d7 16 Bb3 Bc5 17 Qf4
Bxe3 18 Qxe3 Qh4+! (stronger than
chopping the e5-pawn with the knight and
allowing White to castle) 19 Kd1 Qxh2 20
Re1 and Black looks okay.
15 ... Qc7!
Double attack. As noted above, Black
now threatens the c4-bishop and also ...
Bc5, skewering queen and rook.
16 Bb3?
What could be more natural? The
bishop covers d5 and, when White later
plays d5-d6, it aims at Black’s sensitive f7-
square. Nonetheless, the move throws
away most of White’s advantage.
The engine pointed out the totally
inhuman, counter-intuitive idea 16 Be2!!,
intending 16 ... Bc5 17 Qh4!. Bronstein
couldn’t play this move in the game due
to ... Qxe5+, but here it isn’t check: 17 ...
Qxe5 (17 ... Bxg1?? 18 Bf6 h5 19 Qg5 is
completely lost for Black, since 19 ... Kh7
fails to the simple 20 Bd3!, threatening
Qxh5+ and then mate on h8) 18 Bf6 Qe3
19 Rg4! (threat: Nd1!, followed by Qh6)
19 ... Re8 (19 ... N8d7? 20 Nd1 Qe8 21
Qxh7+! leads to Lolli’s Mate: 21 ... Kxh7 22
Rh4+ Kg8 23 Rh8 mate) 20 Ne4 h6 (20 ...
N8d7? 21 Bg5! wins Black’s queen) 21 Qg3!,
threatening Rxg6+ with a winning attack.
16 ... Bc5 17 Qf4
As mentioned above, 17 Qh4 is not
playable since 17 ... Qxe5 comes with check.
17 ... Bxg1 18 d6 Qc8?
Black can still defend with 18 ... Qc5! 19
Ne4 Qd4 20 Rd1 Qxb2 21 e6 N8d7. From
33
the other side, after 22 e7! Bxh2 23 exf8Q+
Rxf8 24 Qh4 White’s initiative is fully
worth the missing two pawns.
19 Ke2?
I’m not sure why Bronstein chose to
keep his king in the middle when he has a
winning position with 19 0-0-0. The pin on
the c3-knight is only a temporary
inconvenience.
19 ... Bc5?
Right square, wrong piece. The bishop
will soon be pinned on the c-file. Instead,
after 19 ... Qc5! 20 Rxg1 Qxg1 21 e6 N8d7
22 exf7+ Kg7 23 Bh6+ Kh8 24 Bg5 (threat:
Bf6+) 24 ... h6! 25 Bxh6 Qc5 26 Bxf8 g5!
(zwischenzug) 27 Qg3 Rxf8 Black will
survive and consolidate.
20 Ne4 N8d7 21 Rc1! Qc6
Exercise (planning): Continue White’s
attack.
Answer: Give up the exchange on c5 to
destroy the steward of Black’s dark squares.
22 Rxc5!
Such a sacrifice can be played without
analysing even a single variation, since our
intuition tells us it is both thematic and
that it should work.
22 ... Nxc5?
He had to try 22 ... Qxc5 23 Nxc5 Nxc5
24 Bf6 Ne6 25 Qh6 Nd4+ 26 Kf2 Nf5 27
Qg5, which is also lost for Black.
23 Nf6+ Kh8 24 Qh4
Black’s grossly under-defended king is
threatened with annihilation.
24 ... Qb5+
Black will soon run out of checks and
then his king gets fried. 24 ... h5? 25 Nxh5
Qb5+ 26 Ke3!! is similar to the game but 32 ... fxe6+ 33 Kxe6
an even worse version for Black.
25 Ke3!!
What incredible tactical alertness.
Bronstein deliberately moves on to a
square where Black’s queen can give check.
In doing so he evades a devious defensive
trap. 25 Kf2? h5 26 Nxh5 Qb4!! offers Black
chances to survive.

Look at that king!

33 ... Rf8 34 d7 a5 35 Ng4
White mates faster with 35 Nh5+! Kh7
36 Qe7+ Kh6 37 Nf6.
35 ... Ra6+ 36 Ke5! Rf5+

25 ... h5 26 Nxh5
We file such a sacrifice under the “no-
brainer” heading. No need for calculation
for this one either.
26 ... Qxb3+
If 26 ... Qd3+ 27 Kf2, the checks run out
and Black is mated.
27 axb3 Nd5+ 28 Kd4!

Not such a great combination since

White gets his queen right back, and with
interest.
37 Qxf5 gxf5 38 d8Q fxg4
For White, this is Shangri-la, Christmas,
Disneyland and Costanza Festivus, all
compressed into one joyous position. The
remarkable thing about Black’s last move
is that he played it on purpose. I strongly
suspect that Bronstein’s flag was hanging
by the barest of threads and Ljubo was
The king rudely calls a double attack on hoping for a miracle win on time before
the black knights. the 40th move.
28 ... Ne6+ 29 Kxd5 Nxg5 30 Nf6+ Kg7 39 Qd7+ Kh6 40 Qxb7
31 Qxg5 The time control has been reached for
Ljubo could have comfortably resigned White.
here. 40 ... Rg6 41 f4 1-0
31 ... Rfd8 32 e6
Good enough. 32 Ng4 is a quicker path
to mate.

34
 Game 11
M.Stean-W.Browne
Nice Olympiad 1974
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6
5 Nc3 a6
I no longer play the Najdorf, since I suck
at it. While it served Bobby Fischer and
Walter Browne faithfully, I always
regarded my brief, sorrowful infatuation
with the Najdorf as one with a malicious
and untrustworthy girlfriend, since she
hurt me every chance she got. I routinely
got mated before move 30 and then she
would taunt me by laughing in my tearful
face. The other problem is the obligatory
memorization of long lines, which is so
daunting that after a week of playing it I
was shopping around for a nursing home
with a good memory-care unit, and I was
only 12 years old.
6 Bg5 Nbd7!?
6 ... e6 is the more common entry way
into Najdorf main lines.
7 Bc4
7 f4 is White’s main move.
7 ... e6 8 0-0 h6 9 Bxf6!?
Big Brother Theory is always watching
us. With this interesting decision Stean
informs us that he values time and the
initiative more than his bishop pair and
potential for future lack on the dark
squares. After 9 Be3 Ne5 10 Bb3 g5!? 11
Qe2 Nfg4 12 Bd2 Bd7 13 Rad1, T.Radjabov-
E.Sutovsky, Baku (rapid) 2010, call me old
fashioned but I still prefer the better
developed side, which in this case is White.
9 ... Nxf6 10 Bb3 b6?!
35
What the hell are you doing, Walter?
Black is really asking for it in this game.
There is no justification for a non-
developing move. 10 ... Be7, as in C.Hevia
Alejano-A.Shabalov, Greensboro 2016, is
both more natural and superior.
11 f4 Bb7 12 Qd3 Be7
If 12 ... Qc7 13 Rae1, then now what for
Black? Maybe he should castle long, since
13 ... Be7? is devastated by 14 Bxe6! fxe6
15 Nxe6 Qc6 16 Nd5! (tactically covered
via a future knight fork on c7) 16 ... Rc8 17
Nxg7+ Kf7 18 Nf5 with a winning attack
for White.
Exercise (critical decision): A sacrifice on
e6 beckons. But with which piece?
Answer: White should go for a
positional piece sacrifice to seize control
over Black’s central light squares.
13 Nxe6!
Stean comes armed and dangerous.
This is a promising sacrifice, made that
much more so by the fact that Black’s
coming moves are not going to be easy to
find.
Giving up the bishop is worse since
White doesn’t, as it first appears, get three
pawns for the piece: 13 Bxe6?! fxe6 14
Nxe6 Qc8 15 Nxg7+? (correct is 15 f5 Kf7,
though White doesn’t quite get enough for
the piece) 15 ... Kf8 16 Nf5 Bxe4!
(undermining) 17 Nxe4 Qxf5 18 Rae1 d5
and queens come off the board, after
which White is busted.
13 ... fxe6 14 Bxe6 b5?
He had to try 14 ... Kf8! 15 Rae1 g6! 16
e5 dxe5! 17 fxe5 Qxd3 18 cxd3 Kg7 19
exf6+ Bxf6 20 Bd5 Bxd5 21 Nxd5 Bd4+ 22
Kh1 Rae8, when Black should save the
game.
15 e5!
Opening the queen’s access to g6. Now
White’s pieces have the feel of hungry
sharks, on the prowl for dinner.
15 ... Qb6+!
Browne clears d8 for his king. Strong
GMs don’t fall for idiotic cheapos like 15 ...
dxe5?? 16 Qg6+ Kf8 17 Qf7 mate.
16 Kh1 dxe5 17 Qg6+ Kd8 18 Qf7!
Threat: Rad1+ and Qxe7+. Not 18 fxe5??
Qxe6 and Black is winning.
18 ... Qc5
18 ... Kc7 19 Qxe7+ Kb8 20 fxe5 Re8 21
exf6! is lost for Black.
19 fxe5 Bxg2+!?
Desperado, why don’t you come to your
senses? 19 ... Rf8 20 Qxg7 Nh5 21 Rxf8+
wins since Black can’t recapture due to the
mate on d7.
20 Kxg2 Rf8 21 Rad1+ Kc7
Exercise (critical decision): Should
White’s queen move to g6 or chop the g7-
pawn? One line is much considerably
stronger than the other:
36
Answer: The queen should chop the g7-
pawn, allowing ... Rg8.
22 Qxg7!
At first this looks like a terrible blunder
since White loses his queen. When we do
the accounting, we see that White gets
way too much for it. 22 Qg6? Qxe5 is not
nearly as clear.
22 ... Rg8 23 exf6! Rxg7+ 24 fxg7 Bd6
25 Rf7+!
If 25 g8Q?? Rxg8+ 26 Bxg8 Qg5+ 27
Kh1 Qxg8, Black should hold the draw.
25 ... Kc6
Any king move to the back rank allows
White to promote with check on g8, and
25 ... Kb6 26 Nd5+ Kc6 27 Bd7+ Kb7 28
Bc8+! Kb8 (or 28 ... Kxc8 29 g8Q+) 29 Bf5!
prepares promotion on g8, while covering
c2.
26 Bd5+ Kb6 27 Bxa8 Qg5+
There isn’t even a prayer for perpetual
check since White’s light-squared bishop
easily guards against it and h2 can also be
covered with ease.
28 Kh1 Be5
If 28 ... Bxh2 29 Rb7+ Ka5 30 g8Q! Qxg8
31 a3!, Black must hand over his queen to
prevent immediate mate on b4.
Exercise (combination alert): Stean
found a forced mate. How would you
proceed?
Answer: Push the b-pawn two squares,
which follows the principle: When
attempting to deliver mate to the enemy
king, don’t chase him. Instead cut off
escape squares.
29 b4!
 Threat: Nd5 mate. The move cuts off
the black king’s escape routes to c5 and
especially a5.
29 ... a5
The king is desperate for air. 29 ... Bxc3
30 Rd6 and 29 ... Qh4 30 Nd5 are instant
mate.
30 Rb7+ Kc6
The condemned convict is led to the
scaffold, step by step. 30 ... Ka6 31 a4!
(threat: a4xb5 mate) 31 ... axb4 32 axb5+
Ka5 33 Ra1 mate.
31 g8Q
A little quicker is 31 Nxb5 axb4 (or 31 ...
Bxg7 32 Rd6 mate) 32 Rb8+ Kc5 33 Rd5+
Kc4 34 Rc8+ Bc7 35 Rxc7 mate.
31 ... Qxg8 32 Rb8+ 1-0
The simple discovered attack picks up
Black’s queen and forces mate in seven.
Game 12
A.Beliavsky-J.Nunn
Wijk aan Zee 1985
I wasn’t sure if this game should be
placed in the Attack chapter or the
Dynamic Element chapter, since I couldn’t
decide whether Black’s play equates to a
mating attack or a wicked initiative.
37
Black is considerably ahead in
development and has three separate ways
to recapture on f5:
a) 11 ... gxf5 is the safe route which
maintains material equality.
b) 11 ... Bxf5 is met by 12 g4.
c) 11 ... Rxf5 is also met by 12 g4.
Exercise (critical decision): The question
is: are lines b) and c) playable?
If so, which one is best?
Answer: Only line c) 11 ... Rxf5! is sound
and leads to a winning attack for Black.
11 ... Rxf5!
This is one of those infant-shaking-the-
rattle, attention-seeking moves, where
Black is just begging to provoke g2-g4.
Instead:
a) 11 ... gxf5 12 f4 Ng6 13 g3 looks okay
for White.
b) 11 ... Bxf5? 12 g4 Nf4 13 gxf5 Rxf5 14
0-0-0 and Black doesn’t have enough for
the sacrificed piece.
12 g4
White pretty much has to take the
plunge and accept the piece offer.
a) 12 Nge2? is met by 12 ... Rxf3 with an
extra pawn and a winning position.
b) 12 Bd3? Nxd3+ 13 Qxd3 Nf4 14 Qf1
Qa5 is horrible for White.
c) 12 0-0-0 Qf8! 13 Kb1 Bd7 sees Black’s
attack about to launch on the queenside
and White has no play. 14 g4? is impossible
due to 14 ... Nxf3 15 Nxf3 Rxf3 and White
doesn’t win a piece since his own bishop
hangs on f2.
12 ... Rxf3 13 gxh5 Qf8!
 White experiences great difficulty in
untangling.
14 Ne4?
If 14 Rh2? then 14 ... Bh6 15 Qc2 Qf4 16
Rg2 Bf5 wins. 14 Rd1 is relatively best,
though 14 ... b5! 15 cxb5 a6 16 a4 is still
rough for White, who hasn’t managed to
untangle.
14 ... Bh6 15 Qc2
coordinated are White’s forces that he
never can untangle, nor secure his king’s
safety. The engine prefers the eerily quiet
move 16 ... Qf7! 17 N2g3 Bf5 18 Nxf5 Qxf5,
when ... Rf8 is coming and White is unable
to survive.

17 Nxf2 Nf3+ 18 Kd1 Qh4! 19 Nd3

Covering the mating threat on e1. Not
19 Ng4?? Qe1 mate.
Two candidate moves pop up: 19 ... Bf5 20 Nec1
a) 15 ... Qf4, entering White’s camp 20 Bg2 Ne5 21 Nec1 Bxc1 wins.
with the queen. 20 ... Nd2!
b) 15 ... Be3, entering White’s camp Threat: ... Nxc4, followed by ... Ne3+. In
with the dark-squared bishop. this game the black knight’s wingspan is
that of a Stealth bomber.
Exercise (critical decision): One line 21 hxg6
wins, while the other allows the evaluation If 21 b3 Qe4 22 Rg1 (or 22 Rh2 Nxf1)
to swing to White’s favour. Analyse both 22 ... Qe3!, White’s rook has no safe square
and pick one. and Black wins.
21 ... hxg6 22 Bg2 Nxc4 23 Qf2 Ne3+ 24
Answer: The bishop entry of line b) is Ke2 Qc4!
correct.
15 ... Qf4?
15 ... Be3! wins after 16 hxg6 hxg6 17
Qe2 Rxf2! 18 Nxf2 Qf4, threatening ...
Bxf2+, followed by ... Qe4+ and ... Qxh1. If
19 Bg2 then 19 ... Bxf2+ still wins since the
bishop can’t be captured due to the knight
fork on d3.
16 Ne2?
Now White’s position surpasses its pain
threshold. 16 Nxf3! Nxf3+ 17 Kd1 Bf5 18
Bg3! Qe3 19 Qd3! Qxe4 20 Qxe4 Bxe4 21
Bg2 leaves White the exchange up. Black The disturbing image of swarming rats
has some pressure for it, but not enough. in a sewer just popped into my mind. Good
16 ... Rxf2!! God, what a kingdom of misery for
This second sacrifice will leave Nunn a Beliavsky. Nunn is relentless in his pursuit
rook down for only a pawn. Yet so dis-

38
of White’s king, who must now watch out
for ... Qc2+.
25 Bf3 Rf8 26 Rg1 Nc2
Intending ... Nd4+. 26 ... Be4 is also
deadly.
27 Kd1 Bxd3 0-1
White’s position, by now way past
saving, is a tsunami of bad karma, ripening
all at once. If 28 Nb3 Ne3+ 29 Ke1 Qb4+ 30
Nd2 (or 30 Qd2 Qh4+! 31 Qf2 Nc2+) 30 ...
Nc2+ 31 Kd1 Rxf3! 32 Nxf3 Ne3+!, Black
wins the queen and also forces mate.
Game 13
V.Kupreichik-J.Sunye Neto
Palma de Mallorca 1989
We sense the gathering of the coming
mayhem.
Exercise (combination alert): Simply 15
Bxg7 is tempting. Do you see anything
better for White?
Answer: Offer another piece in order to
pry open the a-file and force Black’s queen
to the tactically disastrous d6-square.
39
15 Bb5!!
Does Black’s queen know any prayers?
Or should the b5-bishop recite one for her?
15 Bxg7 exd5 16 exd5 Qb6 17 a5?? Qd6 18
Qf3 Ng4! 19 Qxg4 Rhg8 is less clear.
15 ... axb5
Acceptance is obligatory since 15 ...
Qd6?? loses instantly to 16 Nxf6.
16 axb5 Qd6
So Black’s queen is forced to move to a
square which allows White a discovered
attack.
17 Nxf6 Qf8 18 Bxg7!
Not 18 Bg5? gxf6 19 Bxf6 Rg8 and
White is busted. But 18 Qc4! is also
effective: 18 ... gxh6 (or 18 ... d6 19 Bxg7!
Qxg7 20 Rxd6! Qg5 21 Nd5! – interference)
19 e5 (Black is weirdly helpless; White
threatens Rd6!, to which there is no
effective remedy) 19 ... Kb8 20 Rxd7 and
Black is unable to survive.
18 ... Qxg7 19 Qc4! d6
a) 19 ... Qxf6 20 Qxc5+ forces mate,
most simply by 20 ... Kb8 21 Qd6+ Kc8 22
b6.
b) 19 ... Qf8 20 e5! is almost zugzwang;
if 20 ... Kc7 then 21 Rd6! wins.
Exercise (combination alert): Continue
White’s attack.
Answer: Annihilation of defensive
barrier/undermining/pinned piece.
20 Rxd6! Qg5
20 ... Rxd6 21 Qxc5+ Kb8 22 Qxd6+ Kc8
23 b6 again forces mate.
21 Nd5!
Interference.
21 ... exd5
 If 21 ... Rxd6 22 Qxc5+ Kd7 23 Qc7+
Ke8 24 Qxd6 (threat: Nc7 mate) 24 ... exd5
25 Qb8+ Qd8 26 Qxb7, there is no remedy
to the coming Ra8.
22 Qxc5+ Kb8 23 Rc6! 1-0
This move cuts off the black king’s
escape squares on the c-file, enabling Qa7
mate. After 23 ... Bxc6 24 Qxc6 Black’s king
is painfully short on defenders and is soon
mated. It’s never a good sign when the
engine’s top choice is to give away a free
queen with 24 ... Qc1+.
Game 14
V.Ivanchuk-A.Yusupov
Candidates match (Game 9), Brussels 1991
This is one of the wildest
attacking/defensive games I have ever
played over. Both sides displayed
staggering ingenuity, in Yang as well as Yin.
1 c4 e5 2 g3 d6 3 Bg2 g6 4 d4!? Nd7
4 ... exd4 5 Qxd4 Nf6 6 Nc3 Bg7 7 Qe3+
Qe7 8 Qxe7+ Kxe7, as in G.Kasparov-
N.Short, Barcelona 1989, offers White a
tiny edge in the queenless middlegame.
5 Nc3 Bg7 6 Nf3 Ngf6 7 0-0 0-0
In youth, I played such King’s Indian
structures as Black, in pitiful imitation of
Bobby Fischer. That was when I made an
agonizingly painful discovery: I was no
Bobby Fischer.
8 Qc2
8 e4 is White’s main move.
8 ... Re8 9 Rd1 c6 10 b3!?
10 e4 prevents Black from playing ... e5-
e4.
10 ... Qe7
10 ... e4!? 11 Ng5 d5 12 cxd5 cxd5 13
Nb5 Rf8 14 Ba3 Ne8 was B.Socko-F.Vallejo
Pons, Spanish League 2020, which the
engine assesses at dead even, even though
White can win the exchange.
11 Ba3 e4!?
Black’s most ambitious move. 11 ...
exd4 12 Nxd4 Nc5 is slightly in White’s
favour.
12 Ng5 e3 13 f4?!
Here are the problems with this
decision:
1. By pushing to f4, White weakens
both the e4- and g4-squares.
2. White’s rook is no longer on f1, which
is where it probably belongs with the f-
pawn on the fourth rank.
Instead, White may have an edge after
13 f3!.
13 ... Nf8!
Multi-purpose:
1. Black begins to mass pieces for a
future kingside assault.
2. Black clears the path for the tempo-
gaining ... Bf5.
14 b4!
Black is going to attack on the kingside,
so White needs either central or queenside
counterplay. This move also anticipates
Black’s coming ... Bf5 and opens a square
for White’s queen on b3.
14 ... Bf5 15 Qb3 h6 16 Nf3 Ng4!? 17 b5
17 d5! looks more accurate. White looks
okay after 17 ... Nf2 18 Nd4!, offering the
exchange for central play and a reduction
of Black’s kingside attacking potential.
17 ... g5
17 ... Nf2! is also a consideration.
18 bxc6 bxc6 19 Ne5!?

40
 This move leads to horrific
complications, which I suspect are actually
in Black’s favour.
19 ... gxf4! 20 Nxc6 Qg5 21 Bxd6 Ng6
Scary stuff. White deals with five
attackers and two attacking pawns around
his king!
22 Nd5 Qh5!
22 ... Nxh2 can be met by 23 Bxf4.
23 h4
Exercise (critical decision): Darkness is
coming. Do you want to attack sensibly
with 23 ... fxg3 - ? Or do you want to go
bonkers with the piece sacrifice 23 ... Nxh4
-?
Answer: In this case the safer route was
also the sounder and stronger path.
23 ... Nxh4?!
Lack of inhibition tends to be a natural
gambler’s trait. Okay then, bonkers it is.
There are two opposing emotions which
are difficult to conceal: love and hate. The
funny thing is, when we go on a sacrificial
binge, we experience both, in that we love
the intoxicating effects of being on the
attack, while simultaneously sinking into a
rage to deliver mate to our opponent’s king.
More simply, 23 ... fxg3! 24 Bxg3 Rac8!
25 Nxa7 Rcd8 is a strong attack for Black. If
26 Nc6? Rxd5! 27 cxd5 Bf6! 28 Rf1 Bxh4,
it’s unlikely White can survive the coming
storm.
24 gxh4 Qxh4?
This move is a potentially losing
blunder. 24 ... Be4! was necessary.
41
Exercise (critical decision): White has a
choice of knight checks on e7. Play the
correct one and the engine has you up by
more than +7 00; pick the wrong one and
the evaluation flips to -3.03! That is a big
swing, so be careful.
Which knight should give the check?
Answer: The c6-knight is the winner.
25 Nde7+?
This is a strange decision since it’s more
logical to move the c6-knight, which is less
centralized than the d5-model.
Instead, 25 Nce7+! Kh8 26 Nxf5 Qh2+
27 Kf1 Be5 (or 27 ... Re6 28 Bxf4 Qh5 29
Nfxe3) 28 dxe5 Re6 29 Rd3!! Rg8 30 Rxe3!
fxe3 31 Nfxe3 Reg6 32 Ke1 wins for White,
since Black’s attack is at an end.
25 ... Kh8 26 Nxf5 Qh2+ 27 Kf1 Re6?
Missing 27 ... Bf6!! 28 Rd3 (28 Nce7 Rg8!
29 Nxg8 Rxg8, when White must give up
his queen by moving it to b8, since a
natural defensive move like 30 Rd3?? is
mated after 30 ... Qh1+! (clearance) 31
Bxh1 Nh2+ 32 Ke1 Rg1.
28 Qb7?
The position sloshes with garbled,
misinterpreted data, which continues to
confuse the living daylights out of both
players. 28 Nce7! saves White: 28 ... Rg8! 29
Qb7 (29 Nxg8? Rg6!, threatening ... Qh1+!,
is deadly) 29 ... Rxe7 30 Nxe7 Qg3 (threat: ...
Qf2 mate) 31 Kg1 Qf2+ 32 Kh1 Qh4+ is
perpetual check.
 combination, White is mated. What would
you play?

Answer: Queen sacrifice/attraction/

knight fork/removal of a key attacker.
30 Qg8+!
What happens if you throw your enemy
into the fire and he refuses to burn. This is
an expensive way – but the only one! – to
evade mate and keep playing.
30 ... Kxg8 31 Nce7+ Kh7 32 Nxg6 fxg6
33 Nxg7
Exercise (planning): What is the best
way to continue Black’s attack?

Answer #1: Transfer the rook to the g-

file.
28 ... Rg6!!
Yusupov goes with the Hollywood,
dramatic version of moving the rook to g6,
giving the a8-rook away with check!
Answer #2: The less dramatic 28 ... Rg8!
wins as well:
a) 29 Qxf7 Bf6! (threatening the now
familiar mate with ... Qh1+, followed by ... Exercise (planning): It appears as if
Nh2+) 30 Qxg8+ Kxg8 31 Ne5 Bxe5 32 Yusupov has given too many of his pieces
Bxe5 Nf2 33 Nxe3 Nh3! 34 Ke1 Qg3+ 35 away and his army exists on half-rations.
Kd2 fxe3+ 36 Kc3 Qxg2 and wins. Ivanchuk must have believed that his
b) 29 Nce7 Bf8!! 30 Nxg8 Rg6! (threat: ... opponent would be forced to settle for
Qh1+!) 31 Nxe3 Nxe3+ 32 Ke1 Rxg2 33 perpetual check with ... Qg3, ... Qf2+ and ...
Kd2 (forced) 33 ... Nxc4+ 34 Kc3 Nxd6 35 Qh4+. This assessment is incorrect. Look
Qf3 Rxe2 and White is completely busted. closer and you may spot Black’s winning
29 Qxa8+ Kh7 plan.

Answer: Move the knight to f2 with

deadly mating threats.
33 ... Nf2!!
The immediate threat is 34 ... Nh3! 35
Bxh3 Qh1 mate; or if 34 Rdb1 then 34 ...
Ne4! 35 Rb7 Nd2+ 36 Ke1 Qg1+ and mates.
34 Bxf4
The angry gnome fails to intimidate
Black’s queen.
34 ... Qxf4 35 Ne6 Qh2
Threat: ... Nh3! again.
Exercise (combination alert): It seems 36 Rdb1 Nh3! 37 Rb7+
there is no good defence to Black’s threat 37 Ke1 Qxg2 38 Kd1 Qe4 39 Nc5
of ... Qh1+!, ... Nh2+ and ... Rg1 mate. If you Qxd4+ wins, since 40 Nd3 is met by 40 ...
don’t find Ivanchuk’s defensive Qc3 41 Rb7+ Kg8 42 Rb8+ Kg7 43 Rb7+

42
Kf6 44 Rb2 Nf2+! (removal of the guard)
45 Nxf2 exf2 and White is mated in two.
37 ... Kh8 38 Rb8+
This is a move of supreme desperation.
38 ... Qxb8 39 Bxh3
Exercise (calculation): The screams in
the white king’s head are getting louder.
Here is an easy one for you. Black mates
in two.
Answer: Simply move the queen to g3,
after which there is no way to stop ... Qf2
mate.
39 ... Qg3 0-1
This queen’s obnoxious presence has
been a continuing assault on the white
king’s dignity for a long, long time.
Game 15
E.Tate-L.Yudasin
US Masters, Chicago 1997
I could fill a book with stories about the
late IM Emory Tate, but only have room for
one. We played in a tournament in Los
Angeles in 2001. I was on the black side of
a Modern Defence when Emory went on a
sacrificial binge, throwing in the
proverbial kitchen sink. I won the game,
taking all his pieces, while he failed to
deliver mate. After the game I attempted
to console him by saying how inventive his
attack was. He was a touch offended that I
didn’t praise it further and proclaimed: “It
was extraordinary!”
43
Emory was kind of a mini-Tal, who
could one round beat a strong GM and
then in the same tournament, lose to a
1990 player. In this position against GM
Leonid Yudasin, Emory found White’s most
promising attacking continuation.
19 Nf5!
The engine approves and actually
prefers White’s chances after this piece
sacrifice.
19 ... exf5
Forced, since 19 ... Bd8?? hangs a piece
to 20 Nxa4; while the zwischenzug 19 ...
Nxc3?? loses to the counter zwischenzug
20 Nxe7+ Kh8 21 Rxc3 and White’s knight
can’t be trapped. If 21 ... Nb8 22 Rh3 Qd8
then 23 Rxh7+! (Anastasia’s Mate) 23 ...
Kxh7 24 Qh5 mate.
20 Nd5 Qd8 21 exf5 Re8?
Black needed to break up White’s
kingside pawn mass with 21 ... Bxg5! 22
Bxg5 Qxg5 23 Rg1 Qh4 24 Qf3! g6. Not 24 ...
Nab6?? 25 Qg2 g6 26 Rh3 and White wins
since 26 ... Qd4 fails to 27 Ne7+ Kg7 28
Rxh7+! (annihilation of defensive barrier)
28 ... Kxh7 29 fxg6+ Kg7 30 Nf5+, when
Black loses his queen and soon gets mated.
22 Qh5!
Now Rh3 is coming. Not 22 Rxa4? Nb6!
23 Ra5 Nxd5 24 Rxd5 Bxg5 25 Bxg5 Qxg5
26 Qd3 Qe7 and Black looks okay.
22 ... Nab6?
Black resists better with 22 ... g6 23 fxg6
fxg6 24 Qh3 Nab6 25 Qb3! Nxd5 26 Qxd5+
Kh8 27 Bb2+ Ne5 28 f4 Bf8 29 fxe5 Bg7.
23 Rh3 Nf8

Exercise (combination alert): How
should White continue his attack?
Answer: Give up a second piece with f5-
f6!, intending f6xg7.
24 f6!
In this game White’s knights are the
equivalent of a farmer’s draft horses, since
both sacrifices enhanced the attack.
24 ... Nxd5
There is no defence. 24 ... Bxf6 25 gxf6
Re5 26 Ne7+ Rxe7 27 fxg7! also gives
White a winning attack. If 27 ... Kxg7 28
Qh6+ Kg8 29 Rg1+ Ng6 30 Qxh7+ Kf8
then 31 Qh8+! (clearance/removal of the
guard) 31 ... Nxh8 32 Rxh8 mate.
25 fxg7! Kxg7
Or 25 ... Bxg5 26 Bxg5 f6 27 gxf8Q+
Kxf8 28 Qh6+ Ke7 29 Qxh7+ Ke6 30 Re1+
Ne3 31 Rexe3+ Kd5 32 Qb7+ Kc4 33 Rh4+
Re4 34 Rhxe4 mate.
26 Bb2+ Kg8
Exercise (combination alert): Do you see
White’s shot?
44
Answer: Line opening/discovered
attack.
27 g6!!
This is the killing blow. Neither black
pawn, nor knight can capture White’s g-
pawn.
27 ... Bf6
White’s notion of obedience is on the
level of a hungry, approaching wolf in the
forest, when you issue the commands: “Sit!
Stay!” Black’s move is the only way to
prolong the game:
a) 27 ... hxg6? 28 Qh8 is mate.
b) 27 ... fxg6? 28 Qxd5+ Ne6 29 Qxe6+
Kf8 30 Rxh7 mates next move.
c) 27 ... Nxg6? 28 Qxh7+ Kf8 29 Qg7 is
mate.
d) 27 ... Nf6? 28 gxf7+ Kg7 29 Rg1+ Ng6
30 Qxh7+ Kf8 31 Qxg6 mates next move.
28 gxf7+ Kh8
28 ... Kg7 29 Rg1+ Ng6 30 Qxh7+ Kf8
31 Qxg6 is also a forced mate.
Exercise (combination alert): Emory
missed a mate in six here. Can you find it?
29 Rg1
Good enough. The threat to mate on g8
forces massive concessions from Black.
Answer: The mate in six was 29 Qg4!
(threat: Qg8 mate) 29 ... Ne6 (or 29 ... Nd7
30 Qxg6 and mate next move) 30 Rg1!
(threat: Rxh7+ and Qh5 mate) 30 ... Ng5 31
Qxg5 Re5 32 Rxh7+ Kxh7 33 Qg6+ Kh8 34
Qh6 mate.
29 ... Re1!
The only move to evade mate.
30 Rxe1 Bxb2 31 Re8
 Threat: Qxh7 mate. The engine prefers 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Be3 Bg7 5
31 Qxd5 Bg7 32 Qh5. Qd2 c6 6 f3 b5 7 Nge2 Nbd7 8 Bh6
31 ... Nf6 32 Rxd8! This isn’t as scary as it looks since
Simplification. The remainder is an Black’s king hasn’t yet committed to
easy win for White. castling kingside. I would try 8 g4.
32 ... Rxd8 8 ... Bxh6! 9 Qxh6 Bb7 10 a3 e5 11 0-0-
Or 32 ... Nxh5 33 Rxa8 Kg7 34 Rxh5 and 0 Qe7 12 Kb1 a6
Black can resign. Reinforcing b5 to counter with a
33 Qh6 Ne4 future ... c6-c5 break.
Threatening a fork on f2.

Exercise (combination alert): How can
White force a win?
Answer: Step 1: Start with a simple
double attack.
34 Qh4!
The engine prefers the more complex
34 c3 which no human would play.
34 ... Nf6
Forced.
35 Rg3!
Step 2: Shift the rook to g3, threatening
Qxf6+, followed by Rg8 mate.
35 ... N8d7 36 Qg5! 1-0
Step 3: Shift the queen to g5,
threatening Qg7 mate. Or if 36 ... Ne4 then
37 Qg8+ (Step 4: Weak back rank). I prefer
this showoffy version to the crass chopping
of Black’s rook on d8.
13 Nc1
Kasparov adds a defender to his king.
The knight may also head for a5 if Black
castles queenside.
13 ... 0-0-0 14 Nb3 exd4!?
Topalov counters in the centre.
15 Rxd4 c5 16 Rd1 Nb6
The fight is for control over the d5-
square.
17 g3
The light-squared bishop would be
vulnerable to ... d6-d5 tricks if it were
placed on e2. Alternatively, 17 Qe3
discourages Black’s intended ... d6-d5
break.
17 ... Kb8 18 Na5
The engine prefers 18 Qf4.
18 ... Ba8 19 Bh3 d5!

Game 16
G.Kasparov-V.Topalov
Wijk aan Zee 1999

This mindboggler may be the front

runner for the title of greatest attacking
game of all time.

45
 Topalov has played a model Pirc and I
actually slightly prefer his position at this
point.
20 Qf4+ Ka7 21 Rhe1 d4!
21 ... dxe4?! 22 fxe4 Rhe8 23 Nd5!
Nbxd5 24 exd5 is clearly in White’s favour
since 24 ... Qxe1?? is impossible due to 25
Qc7+ Bb7 26 Qxb7 mate.
22 Nd5!?
Tal showed us that chess is not always
about revealing the truth. It can also be
about which side’s lie sounds more
convincing. This is the precursor of a
slightly unsound rook sacrifice. It isn’t in
Kasparov’s nature to go passive with a
move like 22 Na2.
22 ... Nbxd5 23 exd5 Qd6
Topalov seems to be taking control over
the game. Now watch Kasparov’s next
move.
24 Rxd4!?
Well, MLK did warn us that you can’t
legislate morality. It’s always jarring when
our opponent lashes out without
hesitation from what we believe was an
inferior position. Kasparov operates under
the cover of confusion. Is this the start of
the deepest combination ever played, or is
it the start of the deepest cheapo ever
played?
Exercise (critical decision): Should Black
accept the rook, or should he decline and
strengthen his position with a move like
24 ... Kb6 - ?
Answer: The world seems such a kind
place when we believe our enemy is telling
46
the truth. Although acceptance is
incredibly tempting, Black should decline.
24 ... cxd4?
Avoidance of a trap is not our
inalienable right. We must still weave our
way through our opponent’s lies. The
engines found 24 ... Kb6!!, ensuring that
Black stands better in the ending: 25 b4
Qxf4 26 Rxf4 Nxd5 27 Rxf7 cxb4 28 axb4
Nxb4 29 Nb3 Bd5 30 Rf6+ Nc6 with an
edge for Black due to the slightly superior
structure, outside passed a-pawn and king
position, A.Bürger-G.Juarez,
correspondence 2012.
25 Re7+!!
Topalov surely missed this move or he
would have refused the gift. Kasparov
offers a second rook, which must be
declined. Topalov perhaps only considered
25 Qxd4+? Qb6 26 Re7+ Nd7!, after which
Black is winning.
25 ... Kb6!
Topalov finds his only chance to stay
alive.
Acceptance is suicide: 25 ... Qxe7?? 26
Qxd4+ Kb8 27 Qb6+ Bb7 28 Nc6+ Ka8 29
Qa7 mate; while 25 ... Kb8?? 26 Qxd4
(threat: Qa7 mate) 26 ... Nd7 (Black still
can’t touch the loose rook on e7, due to the
Qb6+ and Nc6+ sequence) 27 Bxd7 Bxd5
(27 ... Rxd7 drops the h8-rook) 28 c4!! (this
shot disallows ... Ba2+ cheapos) 28 ... bxc4
29 Nc6+! is catastrophic for Black.
26 Qxd4+ Kxa5!
There is no choice but to move his king
up the board. 26 ... Qc5?? 27 Qxf6+ Qd6
fails to 28 Be6!! Bxd5 (28 ... Kxa5? allows
29 b4+ Ka4 30 Qc3 Bxd5 31 Kb2! fxe6 32
Qb3+ Bxb3 33 cxb3 mate; while 28 ... fxe6??
29 Rxe6 Qxe6 30 Qxe6+ Kc7 31 d6+! Rxd6
32 Qe7+ Rd7 33 Qe5+ picks off the h8-rook)
29 b4! (threat: Qd4+ and mates) 29 ... Bc6
30 Qxf7 (threat: Rb7+) 30 ... Qd1+ (if 30 ...
Rb8 31 Nxc6 Qxc6 32 Qf4!, Black is mated,
curiously helpless to prevent a queen check
on e3 or d4) 31 Kb2 Qxf3 32 Rc7! Rhf8 33
Qe7 Qf6+ 34 Qxf6 Rxf6 35 Rxc6+ and wins.
27 b4+ Ka4

This is not a comfortable place for a
king in what is essentially still a
middlegame.
Exercise (critical decision): Should
White play 28 Qc3, intending to deliver
mate on b3, or should he pause to play 28
Ra7 first?
Answer: Moving the rook to a7 is a clear
win, whereas Kasparov’s move allows Black
survival chances.
28 Qc3?
The immediate 28 Ra7! is a killer: 28 ...
Bb7 (if 28 ... Bxd5 29 Qc3 Rhe8 then 30 Kb2!
Re2 31 Qc7! wins, in view of 31 ... Qxc7 32
Rxa6+ Qa5 33 Rxa5 mate) 29 Rxb7 Qxd5 30
Rb6!! (this is the difference; 30 Qc3? would
transpose to the game) 30 ... a5 31 Ra6 Ra8
32 Qe3! (not 32 Qc3? Qc4) 32 ... Rxa6 (or
32 ... Rhe8 33 Rxa8! Rxa8 34 Kb2) 33 Kb2
(threat: Qb3+!) 33 ... axb4 34 axb4 (threat:
Qa3 mate) 34 ... Qa2+!? 35 Kxa2 Kxb4+ 36
Kb2 (threat: Qc3+) 36 ... Kc4 37 Qe5, when
the threat of Bf1+ is decisive.
28 ... Qxd5 29 Ra7 Bb7!
Thanks to White’s inaccurate 28th
move, giving up the bishop now gives Black
enough time to defend the mating threats.
Not 29 ... Rd6?? 30 Kb2! (threat: Qb3+) 30 ...
Qd4 31 Qxd4 (overloading Black’s rook)
31 ... Rxd4 32 Rxa6 mate.
30 Rxb7! Qc4!
Topalov continues to find the best
defensive moves. The queen guards the b3-
square.
31 Qxf6 Kxa3?
47
Even the toughest defenders have their
endurance limit. The law of averages says
Black won’t survive, since he must find too
many “only” moves in a row. Instead, 31 ...
Rd1+! 32 Kb2 Ra8 puts up more resistance,
when White would have to find 33 Qb6!
(threat: Qa5 mate) 33 ... Qd4+ 34 Qxd4
Rxd4 35 Bd7!! (preventing the freeing ...
a6-a5) 35 ... Rd6 36 g4!, aiming to win by
zugzwang, as Black will not be able to keep
the white bishop from threatening mate
indefinitely. For example: 36 ... Rf6 37 f4 h6
38 h4 Rd6 (or 38 ... Rxf4 39 Bc6 Rc4 40 Bd5)
39 f5 g5 40 h5 Rf6 41 Rc7 (threat: Bc8-b7)
41 ... a5 42 Bc6! Ra6 (42 ... Rxc6 leads to a
lost rook ending) 43 Bb7 Rab6 (or 43 ... Ra7
44 Bd5) 44 c3!, threatening any of Bd5, Be4
or Bf3 and wins.
32 Qxa6+!
Kasparov correctly avoids 32 Qb2+?
Ka4 33 Qa1+ Kxb4 34 Qb2+ Ka4, when
there is nothing better for White than to
take perpetual check. Black can even play
for a win with 34 ... Ka5 35 Kc1 Rc8 36
Qa3+ Qa4 37 Qxa4+ Kxa4 38 Bxc8 Rxc8 39
Rxf7 in an even ending.
32 ... Kxb4
Attacks die without nourishment and it
feels as if White just doesn’t have enough
firepower to take the full point. The finish
from here resembles a composed study by
Kasparian or Wotawa. It’s astonishing that
someone created it over the board.
Exercise (combination alert): How
should White continue his attack?
Answer: Push the c-pawn.
 33 c3+!!
This little move packs an enormous
wallop, as Black’s king is sent sprawling.
33 ... Kxc3
33 ... Qxc3? allows 34 Qxb5+ Ka3 35
Ra7+ and mate next move.
34 Qa1+! Kd2
Not 34 ... Kb3? 35 Qb2+ Ka4 36 Ra7
mate, or 34 ... Kb4? 35 Qb2+ and Black
loses his queen.
35 Qb2+ Kd1
Threat: ... Rd2!. Instead, 35 ... Ke1 36
Re7+ Kd1 is much the same, while 35 ...
Ke3 36 Re7+ is mate after 36 ... Kxf3 37
Qg2 or 36 ... Kd3 is met by 37 Bf1.
b) 37 Bf1! is similar to the game’s finish.
36 Bf1!
I recall a line Alekhine once lamented in
one of his losses to Capa: “Playing loosely,
Capablanca produced one blow after
another.”
36 ... Rd2!
Topalov finds what appears to be a
saving defensive move. 36 ... Qxf1? 37
Qc2+ Ke1 38 Re7+ mates at once.
Exercise (combination alert): How did
Kasparov finish off the future FIDE world
champion?
Answer: Pinned piece/decoy.
37 Rd7!! Rxd7 38 Bxc4 bxc4
Now we understand Black’s fate with
bleak clarity. Of all the rotten luck for
Topalov. At the end of it, his h8-rook is
loose.
39 Qxh8
The remainder was not difficult for
Kasparov.
48
39 ... Rd3 40 Qa8 c3 41 Qa4+ Ke1 42 f4
f5 43 Kc1 Rd2 44 Qa7 1-0
Is it my imagination or do you also hear
the celestial choir?
Game 17
J.Polgar-I.Smirin
Istanbul Olympiad 2000
I loved watching and listening to
Judit’s commentary during the Carlsen-
Nepo world championship match. She may
have retired but her insights are as sharp
as ever, especially when it comes to
initiative and attacking possibilities.
In this position Polgar showed excellent
judgment when she launched her plan on
her next move.
Exercise (critical decision/planning):
What is more important? The preservation
of White’s dark-squared bishop by
retreating it? Or to swap the bishop for
Black’s f6-knight, thereby gaining time, at
the cost of the bishop pair and light
squares? Which plan would you go for?
Answer: 10 Bxf6!
A move like this one feels less and less
heretical, when we considered the time
gained in a position of opposite wings
castling. Whereas after 10 Bf2?! Bb7
chances look even. Having said that,
exchanging away such a powerful steward
of the dark squares is no small matter.
10 ... Bxf6 11 h4!
Judit the Barbarian is a fearsome
opponent when given the attack.
11 ... Bg4!
 Daring White to sacrifice the exchange
is Black’s strongest path of resistance:
a) 11 ... h5? 12 f5 Kg7 13 Nd5 Bb7 14
Nf4! (threat: f5xg6, going after the e6 fork)
14 ... Qc8 15 Rh3! Ne5 16 Rg3 gives White
a fearsome attack.
b) 11 ... Bb7? (allowing the opening of
the h-file gives White a winning attack) 12
h5 Rc8 13 hxg6 hxg6 14 f5 Bg7 15 fxg6 Nb4
16 Kb1 fxg6 17 a3 Na6 18 Ng5 Qd7 19 Bb5
Qg4 20 Nd5 Bf6 21 Nh7 and Black is
completely busted.
12 h5!
Once “A” is uttered, “B” naturally
follows. The coming exchange sacrifice is
completely sound. Ambition isn’t always
the bad friend our mothers warned us
about, who whispers dangerous
suggestions which are best left unheard
and uncontemplated.
12 ... Bxh5
If 12 ... gxh5 13 Nh2! Bxd1 14 Qxd1 h4
15 Qh5 e6 16 e5! dxe5 17 Bd3 Re8 18 Ng4
Bg7 19 fxe5 Kf8 20 Rf1 Re7 21 Be4 Rc8 22
Bxc6 Rxc6 23 Qxh7 (threat: Nf6), White
has a winning attack.
13 Rxh5!
It’s unreasonable to provoke a cobra
and then be shocked when it rises to strike.
13 ... gxh5
Exercise (planning): White gave up an
exchange and pawn to weaken Black’s king.
What is the best attacking plan?
Answer: Transfer the queen to d5, in
order to move to h5.
14 Qd5! Rc8
49
Smirin wants to retain his dark-
squared bishop for defence. White doesn’t
need to worry about her king since Black is
in no position to attack. If 14 ... Bxc3 15
bxc3 Qc8 16 Qxh5, threats include Ng5 as
well as Bc4, followed by Rh1 and Qxh7
mate.
15 Qxh5 Bg7 16 e5
Enabling Bd3.
16 ... Qe8 17 Qh3!
17 Bd3 f5! offers Black some defensive
chances.
17 ... h6
Now if 17 ... f5 then 18 Ng5 h6 19 Bc4+
Kh8 20 exd6 exd6 21 Ne6 Rf6 22 Nxg7
Kxg7 23 Nd5 (clearing the path for Qc3)
23 ... Rg6 24 Qc3+ Ne5 25 Ne3 b5 26 fxe5
Qxe5 27 Nxf5+ Kh8 28 Qxe5+ dxe5 29 Ne7
wins.
18 Bd3
Threat: Qf5.
18 ... Nb4 19 Be4 e6 20 f5! Rxc3
You give money to charity not realizing
that, after rent of the building, salaries,
mailing costs and accounting, only 5% of
the money you sent actually goes to the
cause. This gift is ineffective and fails to
contribute to the counterattack.
21 f6!
Even stronger than taking the rook.
21 ... Qb5
This allows mate.
a) 21 ... Kh8 22 fxg7+ Kxg7 23 Qg3+
Kh8 24 Rh1 also forces mate.
b) 21 ... Qa4 is the only way for Black to
keep playing, but then 22 bxc3 Nxa2+ 23
Kb2 Qxe4 24 fxg7 Rc8 25 Qxh6 Qh7 26
Qxh7+ Kxh7 27 Kxa2 wins.
 22 Qg3 1-0
After 22 ... Rxc2+ 23 Bxc2 Nxa2+ 24
Kd2! (certainly not 24 Kb1?? Nc3+
followed by mate or 25 Kc1 Ne2+, forking
king and queen) 24 ... Qa5+ 25 Ke3 Qc5+
26 Rd4 Black has run out of viable checks
and is mated in two.
Game 18
Y.Vladimirov-V.Mikhalevski
Calcutta 2001
I misassessed this position when first
analysing it, thinking:
1. White’s king looks more exposed
than Black’s, should queens remain on the
board.
2. White’s g-pawn is hanging, as is the
c4-bishop.
3. Black has two isolanis on the
queenside, so White has the superior
structure should an ending arise.
So I incorrectly concluded that White’s
best course was to swap queens, which is
based on the misassumption that White
lacks access to a tactical solution.
Exercise (combination alert): If you find
White’s combination, you whip up a
powerful attack.
Answer: Sacrifice the bishop on f7.
19 Bxf7+!!
As some are connoisseurs of fine wines
or art, I am a connoisseur of safety and
missed opportunities, which does tend to
keep me alive in chess games, yet at the
same time I miss the chance to grasp glory.
19 Qxd8? would have been my mistaken
50
choice, when 19 ... Bxd8 20 Be2 Rxg2 21
Bd6 (21 Bg3? is met favourably with 21 ...
f5!) 21 ... Bf6! 22 Bxf8 Kxf8 gives Black full
compensation for the exchange.
19 ... Kxf7
Not 19 ... Kh8?? 20 Qxd8 Bxd8 21 Bxg6
and Black can resign, a full exchange
behind.
His best defensive option may have
been 19 ... Rxf7 20 Qxd8+ Bxd8 21 Rxd8+
Rf8 22 Rxf8+ Kxf8 23 Bg3 albeit with a
difficult ending for Black, who is a pawn
down.
20 Qf4+ Ke6!
20 ... Kg8? loses to 21 Rxd8, since Black
can’t recapture White’s queen.
The position’s darkness begins to
expand, as if peering into a tunnel.
Exercise (combination alert): After
Black’s last clever move it doesn’t look like
White has much for the sacrificed piece.
Look deeper. He does. White must find one
stunning move, otherwise he is busted.
What would you play?
Answer: Clearance/interference.
21 Bf6!!
This appears to be a bit of a splurge for
someone who lives on a tight budget, yet
hard calculation reveals that White stands
better in all lines.
21 ... gxf6?
The wrong recapture.
a) 21 ... Rgxf6?? is even worse, since 22
Ng5 is mate.
b) 21 ... Qb8?? also loses to 22 Ng5+!!
(zwischenzug, which is even stronger than
a rook check on e1) 22 ... Rxg5 23 Rhe1+!
Kf7 24 Rxe7+ Kg8 25 Qxg5 and Black is Answer: Queen sacrifice/simplification.
mated. 28 Qxf8+! 1-0
c) 21 ... Rfxf6 22 Qe3+ Kf7 23 Ne5+ Ke8 The queen brings to mind Glenn Close
24 Rxd8+ Kxd8 25 Nxg6 hxg6 was in Fatal Attraction, except that in this
relatively best. Three minor pieces for a version it is the black king, played by
queen and a pawn is normally a good deal, Michael Douglas, who ends up dead. 28 ...
but here the queen has way too many Kxf8 29 Rxd8+ Ke7 30 Rb8! leaves Black an
targets to go after. After 26 Rd1+ Black is exchange and a pawn down in the ending.
still fighting for his life.
22 Rhe1+ Kf7 23 Ne5+?! Game 19
Reversing the move order is more L.Van Wely-A.Morozevich
accurate: 23 Rxd8! Bxd8 24 Ne5+, when Wijk aan Zee 2001
24 ... Kg7 25 Nxg6 hxg6 transposes to the
game.
23 ... Kg7 24 Nxg6 hxg6?!
Why give up the queen when he doesn’t
have to? After 24 ... Nd5! 25 Rxd5 Qxd5 26
Nxe7 Qg5! 27 Qd2 Qxd2+ 28 Kxd2 Bxg2
29 Nf5+ Kh8 30 Kc3 Rb8, with four
isolanis Black is in trouble in the ending
but can keep fighting.
25 Rxd8 Bxd8 26 Rd1 Bd5
The assessment favours White:
1. Black got three pieces for White’s
queen and pawn, not such a bad deal
materially. When you are 99% certain, it’s the
2. Black’s king doesn’t look safe. pesky 1% remaining you need to worry
3. There are loose black pieces and about. Sigh. I did it again, misassessing,
pawns everywhere which will all be targets thinking that White stands better, when in
for White’s queen. reality it’s the opposite. In this position I
27 Qd6 Bb3 incorrectly believed that:
27 ... Bxg2 28 Qxc5 (threat: Rxd6 1. White’s king is safe (he isn’t).
followed by Qe7+, Rxd6, followed by Qxb6) 2. Black is either going to lose material
28 ... Nd5 29 Rxd5 Bxd5 30 Qxd5 a5 is a or end up in a difficult ending (which won’t
technical win for White. be happening, either!).

Exercise (combination alert): Black

appears to have a problem. White
simultaneously threatens the simple Nxg2
as well as Nxf5, enabling Be6 next move.
Your job is to find a solution to Black’s
troubles. What would you play here?

Answer: Ignore both of White’s threats

and counterattack with 15 ... Ne5!!,
intending ... Nd3+. Shockingly, Black’s
threats are more potent than White’s.
Exercise (combination alert): How does 15 ... Ne5!!
White end all resistance?

51
 Most of us (and yes, probably me too)
would panic and attempt to bail out with
the compliant 15 ... Rg7? 16 Nxf5 Rxf7 17
Rd1! Qxd1+ 18 Qxd1 Rxd1+ 19 Kxd1 with
the clearly superior structure for White in
the ending.
16 Nxf5?
This doesn’t put up much resistance. 16
Bxe5?? Qd2+ 17 Kf1 Qxf2 mate and 16
Nxg2?? Nf3+ 17 Ke2 (or 17 Kf1 Bd3 mate)
17 ... Bd3+ 18 Kd1 Bc4+ are even worse.
The best try was 16 Rd1 Nd3+ 17 Rxd3
Qxd3 18 Nxf5 Qb1+ (not the boneheaded
18 ... Qxf5??, walking into the simple 19
Be6+ fork) 19 Ke2 Qxh1 20 Bxf6, when it
looks as if White has whipped up a
dangerous attack. Once again, Black is first
with 20 ... Rd2+! 21 Kxd2 Rxf2+ 22 Kd3
Qb1+ 23 Kc3 Kb8!! 24 Be5+ Ka8 25 Be6
Re2 and White is busted, too tied down to
attack.
16 ... Nd3+ 17 Kf1
17 Kd1 Kb8! (this calm defensive move
leaves White helpless) 18 Be6 Qc6 19 Rf1
Qf3+ 20 Kc2 Qe2+ wins.
17 ... Rxf2+ 18 Kg1 Kb8
Covering against Be6+.
19 Qe6
This is the white queen’s “How was the
play, Mrs. Lincoln?” moment. Van Wely
desperately returns his extra piece to
remove queens from the board. If 19 Be6
Qc6 (threat: ... Qg2 mate) 20 Nh4 Qe4 21
Be1 Re2 22 Bg3+ Ka8, there is no
reasonable remedy to the coming ... Qxe3+.
19 ... Rxf5 20 h4 Bd6! 21 Rf1
21 Qxd7 Rxd7 22 Be6 isn’t much of a
fork since 22 ... Rg7 is mate.
52
Exercise: How did Black force mate in
two?
Answer: Decoy/clearance.
21 ... Rg8+! 0-1
In view of 22 Bxg8 Qg7 mate. It would
be untactful to ask White’s king how
business is going.
In the next two examples let’s take a
look at a couple of Hikaru’s King’s Indians.
Game 20
A.Beliavsky-H.Nakamura
Amsterdam 2009
This one is difficult to assess and even
more difficult to visualize without moving
the pieces. As an exercise, let’s try:
1. Despite being a pawn up, Black is
strategically busted in the centre and on
the queenside; it’s clear that White’s attack
is out of control in those sectors.
2. This means that Black must play for
mate. In such positions, the white king is
guilty until proven innocent.
3. White will probably soon be material
up, yet we all understand that greater
numbers don’t automatically confer an
advantage, especially when our king is
under attack. So many times in chess,
quality overcomes quantity.
4. 20 ... g3! looks forced. If White goes
for our rook with 21 Nxc7, we have line
opening tricks like 21 ... Nxe4!, intending ...
Qh4 to force mate. But is it mate if White
doesn’t chop on a8? White has a couple of
defensive options: either 22 Ne6, or the
sequence 22 fxe4 Qh3 23 h3 Bxh3 24 gxh3
Qxh3 and now 25 Rf2 gxf2+ 26 Kxf2,
giving a rook back. Can you visualize that
far? It isn’t easy. Try and figure out who
stands better in this variation.
20 ... g3!
Nakamura votes: “Hell yes!” and offers
the a8-rook in the name of his attack. This
is Black’s best practical try in an objectively
lost position. Overlord Engine says White is
close to winning, if not already there, but
there is a kind of adventurous thrill in not
knowing. At the board, the players could
only guess at who is winning and who is
losing.
21 Nxc7!
A soldier is about to leave for war. His
wife makes him promise to return safe and
uninjured. He promises he will, with the
realization there are some promises we
just can’t keep, since events are out of
control and therefore out of our hands. I
have a feeling Beliavsky vaguely knew he
must be winning here, yet wasn’t all that
confident since he still must escape the
maze of Black’s mating ideas, which is not
so easy to do with the clock ticking. It is
correct to grab the rook since Black is
unable to force mate against accurate
defence.
21 ... Nxe4!
Threat: ... Qh4. Still, no need for White
to panic, since we saw this coming.
Should White play:
a) 22 Ne6, smothering Black’s powerful
c8-bishop, which will no longer be able to
sacrifice itself on h3?
53
b) Or the line we visualized, 22 fxe4
Qh4 23 h3 Bxh3 24 gxh3 Qxh3 25 Rf2
gxf2+ 26 Kxf2 - ?
Exercise (critical decision): Your task is
to pick the superior option.
Answer: Option b) should win, whereas
a) is even.
22 Ne6?!
After 22 fxe4! Qh4 23 h3 Bxh3 24 gxh3
Qxh3 25 Rf2 gxf2+ 26 Kxf2 Qg3+ 27 Kf1 f3
28 Nxa8 fxe2+ 29 Kxe2 Nf4+ 30 Kd2 Qd3+
31 Kc1 Qxc4+ 32 Qc2 Nd3+ 33 Kb1! (but
not 33 Kd2?? Bh6+ 34 Kd1 Qxe4 and Black
wins) 33 ... Qxe4 34 d6! White is winning.
22 ... Bxe6 23 dxe6 gxh2+!
Not 23 ... Qh4?? 24 h3 Ng5 25 Ra2!
Nxh3+ 26 gxh3 Qxh3 27 Bd3 e4 (threat: ...
Bd4+) 28 Bxc5! exd3 29 Qxd3 Qxe6 30 Re2
and White’s rook will beat Black’s three
extra pawns since White’s king is safe.
24 Kxh2
24 Kh1?? Ng3+ 25 Kxh2 Qh4+ 26 Kg1
e4! is similar to the game but an infinitely
worse version.
24 ... Qh4+ 25 Kg1 Ng3 26 Bxc5 e4!
White’s weak dark squares spread like a
communicable disease.
27 Ra4! Rc8?!
According to the engine, 27 ... Rd8 is
better.
28 Bxa7?
White’s defensive stamina begins to
decline. This most natural of moves loses.
He had to try 28 e7! Nxe7 29 Nd6! exf3!
(29 ... Rxc5?? 30 Nxe4 leaves Black busted)
30 Bc4+ Kh8 31 Nf7+ Kg8 32 Ng5+ Kh8 33
Nxf3 Qh1+ 34 Kf2 Ne4+ 35 Ke1 Qxg2 36
Bd4 with a mess which the engines assess
at just a miniscule edge for White.
 Even stronger is 29 ... Rd8!, and if 30
Qc2 exf3 31 Bd3 then 31 ... Rxd3! 32 Qxd3
bxc4 33 Rxc4 Ne2+ 34 Qxe2 fxe2 wins.
30 Bxc4 Qh1+ 31 Kf2 e3+ 32 Bxe3
fxe3+ 33 Kxe3
Not 33 Kxg3? Qh4 mate
33 ... Nxf1+ 34 Bxf1
34 Qxf1 Qh4 35 e7+ Kh8 is a winning
attack for Black.

Exercise (combination alert): In this

position Black actually has two ways to win.
Find one of them.

Answer #1: Push the b-pawn two

squares.
28 ... b5!!
Double attack/interference. Sometimes
we find the perfect move and sometimes Exercise (calculation): Work out Black’s
the perfect finds us, where it just jumps to win.
the forefront of our mind. I don’t know if
Nakamura saw this instantly, or whether it Answer: Begin with a queen check on
was the product of analytical labour. At g1.
first it appears almost to be a random 34 ... Qg1+! 0-1
move which has nothing to do with the White resigned in view of 35 Ke2 (or 35
position’s requirements. In any case it’s a Ke4 Rc3! 36 Qe1 Qc5) 35 ... Rc3! (threat: ...
stunning winning move, since our Qe3 mate) 36 Qd2 Qc5 (dual threats: ...
attention would not normally be focused Qxb4 and ... Rc2) 37 Rb8+ Kh7 38 Kd1 Qg1!
on the queenside at this stage. 39 Qe2 Qd4+ 40 Qd2 Qa4+ 41 Ke1 Rc2!,
Answer #2: 28 ... Rd8! isn’t quite as winning the queen.
strong yet also wins: 29 e7 Qxe7 30 Qc2 b5!
(sort of a variation upon a theme) 31 Bb6 Game 21
bxa4 32 fxe4 Rc8 and White is in deep B.Gelfand-H.Nakamura
trouble. World Team Championship, Bursa 2010
29 Rb4
The horror, the horror! Suddenly
nothing works for White.
a) 29 axb6? interferes with the a7-
bishop’s ability to cover d4, so 29 ... Bd4+!
forces mate.
b) 29 Nd6 (the counterattack option
also fails) 29 ... exf3! 30 Rxf3 (or 30 Bxf3 Rc2!
31 Qxc2 Qh1+ 32 Kf2 Qxf1 mate) 30 ...
Qh1+ 31 Kf2 Rc1! wins the queen, while
retaining a decisive attack.
29 ... bxc4
Black’s position appears to be
crumbling both in the centre and on the

54
queenside and, just like last game, Black is
desperate to get at White’s king before it
all falls apart. White’s position, on the
other hand, is a beautiful body in
desperate need of a bath. Gelfand’s sole
problem is his king’s safety. If he gets a
handle on that issue, he will probably win.
Once again, the position is almost
impossible for a human to assess
accurately over the board, unless our
intuition is on par with Tal or Magnus. The
engine shockingly calls it dead even! When
I first looked at this position I considered
three logical candidate moves for Black:
a) A sacrifice of Black’s knight on g2
screams out to be played. But is it sound or
can White’s king grab the knight and
escape without harm?
b) We could try and shore up our
queenside and centre first by giving up a
move with 23 ... Bxd6.
c) We could ignore White’s central and
queenside threats and build for our attack
with 23 ... Rg7, intending ... g3xh2, followed
by ... Rxg2.
Exercise (critical decision): One of the
lines keeps Black even, while the other two
allow White to seize the advantage. Which
line do you choose?
Answer: Only line a) 23 ... Nxg2! will do.
23 ... Nxg2!
The good old American entrepreneurial
spirit still lives. Nakamura’s attacking
intuition doesn’t let him down and he
correctly offers his knight to fuel his attack.
b) 23 ... Bxd6?! is the safe, passive
response, which doesn’t fit the position’s
needs. It’s the philosophy of the meek: “If I
never try anything new or risky, then I can
never fail.” 24 Nxd6 cxd6 25 Bc4 Rxa5 26
Rb1 is clearly in White’s favour.
c) 23 ... Rg7?! is too slow: 24 dxc7 Bh3!
(clever doesn’t always equate with victory)
25 Bf1 (with this strong/forced defensive
move White has everything under control)
25 ... Qxc7 26 Qb3 Qf7 27 Nd5 Nxd5 28
Nxe5! (zwischenzug) 28 ... Qf6 29 Qxd5+
Be6 30 Qb5 Rxa5 31 Rxa5 bxa5 32 Nd3 and
55
Black is in some danger, according to the
engine.
24 dxc7??
Gelfand blunders. The game remains
harrowingly uneven after 24 Kxg2! Rg7 25
dxc7 Qe7 26 Nxe5! gxh2+ 27 Kxh2 Qxe5
28 Bf2! (covering against ... Qg5) 28 ... Qxc3
29 Rc1 Qe5 30 Qd8! (threat: Bc4+, followed
by Qxf8) 30 ... Rg3 31 Rg1! Kh7 32 Qxf8
Qe6 33 Rxg3 fxg3+ 34 Kg1! gxf2+ 35 Kxf2
and it’s anybody’s game. The engine still
calls it even here.
Exercise (combination alert): Prove why
White’s last move was an error.
Answer: Queen sacrifice/zwischenzug.
24 ... Nxe1!
Of course, this is a sham queen sacrifice
since it can’t be taken due to 25 cxd8Q??
g2 mate.
25 Qxe1
If 25 hxg3 Qxd1 26 Rxd1 Nxf3!, White
is busted, no matter how he continues. For
example, 27 Nxb6 is met by 27 ... Rxc7 28
Nxa8 Rxc3 29 Bxf3 Rxf3, leaving White a
piece down.
25 ... g2+!
This second zwischenzug ensures the
opening of the g-file. 25 ... Qxc7?! 26 hxg3
is less accurate.
26 Kxg2 Rg7+ 27 Kh1
Not 27 Kf2?? Bc5+ and mate in two, or
27 Kf1?? Bh3+ 28 Kf2 Bc5+ 29 Ne3 fxe3
with a David and Goliath Mate.
27 ... Bh3!
Threatening mate on the move.
Maddeningly, Black’s queen still can’t be
touched.
 28 Bf1
Exercise (combination alert): Most club
players would go for 28 ... Qxc7?!
automatically here. Look deeper and you
may find Nakamura’s combination.
Answer: Queen sacrifice.
28 ... Qd3!!
Hikaru is doing the best he can to give
his queen away this game, but without
success. Once again, Black’s mocking
queen cannot be captured, in view of 29
Bxd3?? Bg2 mate.
29 Nxe5
It isn’t easy to ignore an opponent’s
derision.
29 ... Bxf1!
Another queen sacrifice!
30 Qxf1
30 Nxd3?? Bg2 mate is the same old
story.
30 ... Qxc3 31 Rc1
31 Nd3 Qxc7 leaves Black a rook up.
31 ... Qxe5 32 c8Q Rxc8 33 Rxc8 Qe6! 0-
1 Black’s goals are the cultivation of
Since ! 34 Rd8 bxa5 35 Bc5 Nd7 leaves
White a piece and a pawn down without
any compensation.
Game 22
V.Topalov-V.Anand
World Championship (Game 12), Sofia
2010
This was one of the most dramatic
World Championship games in chess
history. It was the final slow game of the
match, with the score tied. There was
56
immense pressure on both sides. Anand
needed to hold a draw with Black (no easy
task against Topalov) to push the match
into the rapid tie-breakers. Topalov too felt
a sense of desperation to win, since Rapid
God Vishy instantly became the favourite
at a quicker time control.
1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 Nc3 Be7 5
Bg5 h6 6 Bh4 0-0 7 e3 Ne4
“I condemn this opening and all those
who play it!” I lamented after Vishy made
this move. I was certain that the game was
going to end in a boring draw. Man, was I
off on that prediction! This is Lasker’s
Variation of the Queen’s Gambit Declined,
which is the chess version of a chastity belt,
whose sole purpose is to lock all the fun out
of life. Actually, it’s a great choice if Black
only wants a draw, since it’s a tough line to
beat.
8 Bxe7 Qxe7 9 Rc1 c6 10 Be2
This is rare. 10 Bd3 is normal, although
the game soon transposed to the main line.
10 ... Nxc3
simplicity and boredom.
11 Rxc3 dxc4
11 ... Nd7 is also played here.
12 Bxc4 Nd7 13 0-0 b6
The idea is to fianchetto and then
equalize with a ... c6-c5 break. 13 ... e5 is
another option.
14 Bd3 c5 15 Be4
This way White disrupts Black’s smooth
plan to play ... Bb7.
15 ... Rb8 16 Qc2
16 Qa4 a5 17 Rfc1 e5 doesn’t offer
White much either.
 16 ... Nf6!
Sin away strategically, my friend. At the
time this was a rare continuation; today it
is Black’s main line, undoubtedly due to
the influence of this dazzling game.
Nobody wants to be pushed out of their
comfort zone. Vishy is an aggressive player
by inclination and tired of defending
passively. So he bravely allows damage to
his structure in order to pick off White’s
powerful bishop and generate activity on
the queenside. 16 ... a5 is a major
alternative.
17 dxc5
17 Bc6 Qc7 18 Ne5 cxd4 19 exd4 Qd6
looks balanced, V.Pekar-P.Sabuk, Czech
League 2014.
17 ... Nxe4 18 Qxe4 bxc5 19 Qc2
White’s queen removes herself from
the h1-a8 diagonal, protects b2 and adds
pressure to Black’s weak c5-pawn. Instead,
19 b3 Bb7 20 Qf4 Bxf3 21 Qxf3 Rfd8 22
Rfc1 Rd2 23 R3c2 Qd6 24 h3 Rd8 25 Rxd2
Qxd2 26 Rxc5 Qxa2 was soon drawn in
N.Grandelius-H.Nakamura, Douglas 2016.
19 ... Bb7 20 Nd2
Six months later, Mamedyarov tried 20
e4!? f5!? 21 exf5 Rxf5 22 Nd2 Qf6 23 Nc4
Ba6 24 b3 Rf4 25 Rc1 Rd8, when Black’s
activity compensated for White’s superior
structure and Black held the draw,
S.Mamedyarov-H.Nakamura, Moscow
2010.
Note that 20 Rxc5?! fails to win a pawn
after 20 ... Bxf3 21 gxf3 Rxb2 or 21 ... Qf6
with a double attack on f3 and b2.
20 ... Rfd8 21 f3
57
This push blunts the power of Black’s
bishop on its diagonal.
a) 21 Rxc5?? loses instantly to 21 ...
Rxd2.
b) 21 Nb3 can be met by 21 ... c4 22 Rxc4
Ba6 23 Rc7 Rbc8! 24 Rxe7 Rxc2 25 Re1
Rxb2 26 Rxa7 Rxa2 27 Nc5 Bc4 and draws.
21 ... Ba6!?
Black’s bishop is shifted to a more
potent diagonal and the b-file is cleared.
The only previous game to reach this
position saw 21 ... Qd6 22 Nb3 (22 Nc4 Qc7
23 Rc1 Ba6 24 b3 Rd5 looks okay for Black)
22 ... Ba6 23 Rd1?? (what the hell!? –
apparently White had set up the wrong
position, with 20 ... Rfd8 21 f3 omitted) 23 ...
Qxd1+ 0-1 H.Bellmann-G.Schulze,
correspondence 1998.
22 Rf2
22 Rc1 may be an improvement,
although 22 ... Rbc8 23 Ne4 c4 24 Qa4 Qb7
also looks okay for Black.
Let’s try and assess this position:
1. Black is saddled with a pair of isolanis
on the queenside.
2. Black has left a hole on c4, which can
be occupied by White’s knight.
3. White’s position appears weakness
free.
It would be very easy to conclude that
White stands clearly better. This would be
a misassessment. Let’s keep looking.
4. White’s last move was the choice in
all three games in my database. It looks
logical, yet upon deeper examination it
creates vulnerability in White’s back rank,
due to the disconnection of rooks.
 5. Black’s bishop looks superior to
White’s knight since the game remains in
a state of semi-openness.
6. Black’s pieces are more active than
White’s.
7. As the game shows, the isolated c-
pawn is far more resilient than it appears
and Black continually has access to tactics
which keep the pawn alive.
I believe the true assessment is that the
game is dynamically balanced, although I
slightly prefer Black’s position.
22 ... Rd7!
Anand prepares to double on the d-file.
23 g3
This is not a move Topalov wanted to
play with Black’s nasty light-squared
bishop on the board. The problem is that
his king needed luft and I don’t see a plan
to improve his position otherwise. 23 h3
weakens the dark squares instead, while
the c5-pawn remains tactically safe, since
23 Rxc5? Rxb2! is clearly in Black’s favour.
23 ... Rbd8 24 Kg2 Bd3!?
Here 24 ... h5 25 Nb3 c4 26 Na5 Qg5 27
Nxc4 Bxc4 28 h4 Qh6 29 Rxc4 Qxe3 is at
least equal for Black, but Anand is not in a
hurry to push. Note that the careless 24 ...
Bb7? loses a pawn after 25 Nb3.
25 Qc1 Ba6
This is a tacit repetition draw offer,
which White accepted in the other two
games. Topalov preferred to decline, since
facing Vishy in a rapid match was not a
tempting prospect.
26 Ra3 Bb7
27 Nb3
58
Up to here White’s position has
remained solid enough, even if his strategy
looks a bit suspicious. World champions
don’t fall for shallow traps like 27 Rxa7??
Bxf3+ 28 Nxf3 Rxa7, while 27 e4 f5! offers
Black good play.
27 ... Rc7 28 Na5
If 28 e4?! c4 29 Nd2 then 29 ... Rd3! 30
Rxa7 Qb4 31 Qc2 f5! offers Black a strong
initiative for the sacrificed pawn.
28 ... Ba8
Anand’s bishop retains a bead on f3
and White’s king.
29 Nc4
Here 29 e4 might be met by 29 ... g5!
with thoughts of undermining with ... g5-
g4 at some point
29 ... e5
29 ... g5!? is a bit more radical. Since
everything was on the line, Anand took the
safer route, at least for now.
30 e4
Topalov feels he needs to fight back in
the centre.
Exercise (planning): What is Black’s
most dangerous plan here?
Answer: Go reversed King’s Gambit
with 30 ... f5! to break down the light
squares in front of White’s king.
30 ... f5!
Is the book King’s Gambit Reversed:
Move by Move coming soon from
Everyman? Anand’s last move brings forth
a decidedly Talish interpretation.
31 exf5?
Optimism is overrated. Just because we
believe things will get better doesn’t mean
they actually will. After this reckless move,
karma is about to have a field day. Topalov
misjudges the danger to his king. He
should have declined with 31 Nd2! fxe4 32
Nxe4 Rd4 33 Re3 c4 34 Rfe2 Rcd7, when
White should be okay.
31 ... e4
The e-pawn shoots forward with the
force of a catapult.
32 fxe4?
Topalov is intent on winning and
willing to take borderline insane risks to do
so. Here he continues to underestimate
Black’s attacking potential. His only chance
was 32 Re3 (b) 32 f4?? walks into 32 ... e3+
33 Rf3 e2 and wins) 32 ... exf3+ 33 Kf1 Qg5
34 Qc2 Rcd7 35 Re1, which is certainly
uncomfortable for White, yet he may not
be losing outright.
32 ... Qxe4+ 33 Kh3
Not 33 Kg1?? Qh1 mate, or 33 Kf1??
Qh1+ 34 Ke2 Qxc1.
33 ... Rd4!
Threat: ... Qg4 mate, as well as ... Rxc4.
34 Ne3
34 Rf4 fails to 34 ... Qg2+ 35 Kg4 Qe2+!
(zwischenzug) 36 Kh4 (or 36 Kh3 Bg2+ 37
Kh4 Qe7+ 38 f6 Qxf6+ 39 Kg4 Qg5 mate)
36 ... Qxh2+ 37 Kg4 Bg2! (threat: ... Qh3
mate) 38 Rxd4 Bh3+ 39 Kf3 Qg2+ 40 Ke3
Re7+ 41 Kd3 Bxf5+ 42 Kc3 Qxg3+ 43 Kd2
Qf2+ 44 Kc3 Qxd4+ 45 Kb3 Rb7+ 46 Ka4
Qd7+ 47 Ka5 Qb5 mate.
Exercise (planning): Topalov
undoubtedly foresaw this position and
perhaps believed himself to be a pawn up
with a relatively safe king. Anand’s next
move demonstrates that White’s king is
59
anything but safe. Come up with an
attacking plan for Black.
Answer: Transfer the queen to e8,
threatening ... Qh5 mate. This forces White
to weaken his king fatally with g3-g4.
34 ... Qe8!
It’s psychologically difficult to find a
powerful retreating move when attacking.
35 g4 h5!
Bit by bit, the white king’s cover is
slowly undermined.
36 Kh4!?
This is a clever defensive try, yet in the
end still fails.
a) 36 g5 has the problem that the black
queen simply returns with 36 ... Qe4!, after
which White is mated in six moves at the
most.
b) 36 Nc2 hxg4+ 37 Kg3 Qe5+ 38 Rf4
Re4 39 Rd3 Rf7! 40 Rd8+ Kh7 41 Rxa8 Rxf5
42 Re8 Qxf4+ 43 Qxf4 Rfxf4 is a completely
lost ending for White.
36 ... g5+!?
Vishy goes with the flashy path.
Instead, 36 ... Qd8+! is deadly: 37 f6
hxg4! (now is the right moment) 38 Nxg4
gxf6 (threat: ... f6-f5+) 39 Kg3 Rxg4+! 40
Kxg4 Rg7+ with mate in four, no matter
where White’s king goes.
Note that 36 ... hxg4?? throws the win
away, as after 37 Nxg4 White’s king will
soon be surrounded by defenders with the
queen on g5 and rook on g3.
37 fxg6
The only move.
a) 37 Kh3? hxg4+ 38 Nxg4 Qh5+ 39
Kg3 Qh4 mate.
 b) 37 Kg3? Qe5+ 38 Kh3 hxg4+ 39
Nxg4 Rh7+ 40 Nh6+ Rxh6 mate.
c) 37 Kxg5? Rg7+ 38 Kh4 hxg4 and
there is no defence to the coming ... g4-g3,
since 39 Kg3 Qe5+ is mate in two more
moves.
37 ... Qxg6 38 Qf1!
Topalov eyes infiltration to f8.
38 ... Rxg4+ 39 Kh3
And not 39 Nxg4?? Qxg4 mate.
39 ... Re7!
Threat: ... Rxe3+ followed by ... Rh4+
and ... Qg4 mate. Alternatively, 39 ... Qg5!
(threat: ... Qh4 mate) 40 Rf8+ Kg7 41 Qf2
Re4 (threat: ... Rxe3+) is also deadly. White
has no defence since 42 Qg3 hangs a rook
to the simple 42 ... Qxg3+ 43 hxg3 Kxf8.
40 Rf8+ Kg7
40 ... Kh7! is slightly more efficient.
Anand didn’t want to bother calculating 41
Rh8+! Kxh8 42 Qf8+ Qg8 43 Qxe7 Qc8! 44
Qf6+ Kg8, when White is unable to
prevent a fatal discovered check.
41 Nf5+!
Exercise (critical decision): Should Black
chop the loose rook on f8, or should he
play ... Kh7 - ? One line wins, while the
other blows it.
Answer: The rook is poisoned, so the
king should move to h7.
41 ... Kh7!
Threat: ... Bg2+, winning White’s queen,
and also ... Rh4+! forcing mate next move.
Instead, 41 ... Kxf8?? throws the game
away: 42 Nxe7+ Kxe7 (42 ... Qf7 is met by
43 Ng6+! Rxg6 44 Qxf7+ Kxf7 45 Rxa7+,
when it is Black who must fight for the
60
draw) 43 Rxa7+ Kd6 44 Qf8+ Ke5 45
Qxc5+ Bd5 46 Re7+ Qe6 47 Rxe6+ Kxe6 48
Qc2 (covering the mate threat on g2) 48 ...
Kf6 (threat: ... Be6) and White can take
perpetual check. If robots are programmed
to serve us humans, then why does it feel
the other way around when it comes to
chess? The engine pointed out this lengthy
line, which wouldn’t have been easy for
even the strongest humans to find over the
board.
42 Rg3
Forced. 42 Nxe7?? Rh4+! 43 Kxh4 Qg4
is mate.
42 ... Rxg3+ 43 hxg3 Qg4+ 44 Kh2 Re2+
45 Kg1 Rg2+
There goes White’s queen. The
technical task wasn’t too tough for Vishy
from this point on.
46 Qxg2
Maybe euthanasia is less painful: 46
Kh1 Qh3 mate.
46 ... Bxg2 47 Kxg2
The only way to stay in the game.
Topalov can get the queen back with 47
Rf7+, yet Black still wins easily: 47 ... Kg6!
48 Rg7+ Kxf5 49 Rxg4 hxg4! 50 Kxg2 Ke4
51 Kf2 Kd3 (Black’s massive king position
decides the game in the pawn ending) 52
b3 Kd2! 53 a3 a5 54 a4 Kc2 and White is
way too slow in the race.
47 ... Qe2+ 48 Kh3 c4!
More accurate than allowing 48 ...
Qxb2 49 Kh4.
49 a4 a5 50 Rf6 Kg8!
White is close to zugzwang.
51 Nh6+ Kg7 52 Rb6 Qe4
Threat: ... Qh1 mate.
 53 Kh2 Kh7!
Zugzwang.
54 Rd6 Qe5!
With the triple threats: ... Qxd6, ...
Qxb2+, and ... h5-h4.
55 Nf7 Qxb2+ 56 Kh3 Qg7! 0-1
White resigned. After 57 Nd8 Qg4+,
either ... c4-c3 or ... h5-h4 is coming next.
Game 23
A.Giri-A.Morozevich
Beijing (rapid) 2012
I’m a devoted Girite, who loved Anish’s
brilliant commentary to the Carlsen-Nepo
World Championship match, astonished at
his analytical speed. He kept finding ideas
for both sides in dry positions. In this
incredible attacking game, Anish treats us
to a prime example of how to retain clarity
when the world around you is in chaos.
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 d5 4 g3 dxc4 5
Bg2 b5?!
Normally, I’m pro-greed and grab such
pawns all the time in Slav versus Catalan
structures, yet I don’t like this version
since ... c6-c6 hasn’t been tossed in first. 5 ...
a6 6 0-0 Nc6 is Black’s main line.
6 a4 c6 7 Ne5 Nd5
Black is falling behind in development
and will lose even more time if White later
plays e2-e4. I’m not so sure the extra pawn
should provide comfort for the concessions
and don’t at all trust Black’s position.
8 0-0 a6 9 axb5 cxb5 10 b3!
This is all-or nothing stuff, since White
will be a pawn down. His lead in
61
development and control of the centre
easily compensate.
10 ... cxb3 11 Qxb3 Bb7?!
Black’s position is already on the critical
list.
a) 11 ... f6 was tried in another game,
without much success.
b) 11 ... Ra7 12 e4 Nb6 is maybe Black’s
best, with a shaky and still playable game.
12 e4 Nf6
12 ... Nb4 is met by the line opening 13
d5!.
13 d5!
Principles: Create confrontation and
open the position when leading in
development.
13 ... Bd6
Exercise (combination alert): How can
White exploit his lead in development?
Answer #1: Annihilation of defensive
barrier.
14 Nxf7!
If this game was a Stephen King novel,
this would be the point where blood begins
to trickle down the walls.
Answer #2: Perhaps even clearer is 14
dxe6! Bxe5 15 exf7+ Kf8 16 Ba3+ Bd6 17
Rd1 Nd5 18 Rxd5! Bxd5 19 Qxd5 Ke7 20
Qe5+! Kxf7 21 Bxd6, when Black’s chances
of survival are close to zero.
14 ... Kxf7 15 dxe6+ Ke8 16 e5!!
A person has to be bloody competent in
math (“maths” to you UK readers) to make
a move like this. The engine backs it.
16 ... Bxg2!
Moro finds Black’s best shot to confuse
the issue. 16 ... Bxe5?! 17 Bxb7 Ra7 18 Rd1
Qb6 19 Bg2! Bxa1 20 Be3 Qc7 21 Rc1 Qd8
22 Bxa7 is a completely winning position
for White.
17 exf6! Qxf6!
If 17 ... Bxf1 18 fxg7 Rg8 then 19 e7!
Kxe7 20 Bg5+ wins.
18 Kxg2 Qxa1
Otherwise Black suffers without any
material advantage.
19 Bb2
19 Nc3! Nc6 20 Bb2 Qa5 21 Ne4 Be7 22
Qf3 Kd8 23 Rc1 looks even rougher for
Black.
19 ... Qa4
20 Qf3?
This gives Black a chance. After 20 Qd5!
Qc4 21 Qxa8 Qc6+ 22 Qxc6+ Nxc6 23 f4!
Rg8 24 Nc3 Ke7 25 f5 Rc8 26 Nd5+ Kf8 27
f6 Black is busted.
20 ... Ra7?
Missing 20 ... Qc2! 21 Qf7+ Kd8 22 e7+
Bxe7 23 Qd5+ Kc7 (23 ... Ke8? 24 Rc1! wins)
24 Rc1 Qc6! 25 Rxc6+ Nxc6 26 Bxg7 Rhd8
27 Qf5, when White still stands better, yet
it’s easy to see scenarios where Black wins
due to those two scary queenside passed
pawns.
21 Rc1! Kd8
62
Exercise (combination alert): Nothing
focuses our concentration more than a life-
threatening crisis. White is a full rook
down and needs something forcing before
Black consolidates. Find White’s optimal
attacking continuation.
Answer: Bang the bishop down on f6
with check.
22 Bf6+!
When will people learn? I already
explained earlier in the book: Dracula
always wakes up and crashes through the
lid of his coffin, a split second before his
enemies are able to punch a wooden stake
through his heart.
22 ... Be7
22 ... gxf6 23 Qxf6+ Re7 24 Qxh8+ Re8
25 Qf6+ Be7 26 Qe5 forces mate.
23 Qd5+ Nd7 24 Bd4! Rc7 25 Qa8+ 1-0
It’s mate in two.
Game 24
L.Aronian-V.Anand
Wijk aan Zee 2013
I didn’t know if this game should be
placed in the Attack or Opening Shockers
chapter. In the end, so impressive was
Anand’s attack, that I placed it here. As a
kid, I was entranced by the game Rotlewi-
Rubinstein, Lodz 1907, where Rubinstein
went on a sacrificial/combinational binge
and won brilliantly. In this game we see the
modern version, which is all the more
brilliant since Aronian was an infinitely
stronger opponent than Rotlewi.
1 d4 d5 2 c4
 Let’s look at preceding events, more
than a century ago and compare Anand’s
game to Rubinstein’s Immortal: 2 Nf3 e6 3
e3 c5 4 c4 Nc6 5 Nc3 Nf6 6 dxc5 Bxc5 7 a3
a6 8 b4 Bd6 9 Bb2 0-0 10 Qd2 Qe7! 11 Bd3?
(this wastes a tempo; he should play 11
cxd5 exd5 12 Nxd5 Nxd5 13 Qxd5 Rd8,
after which Black gets reasonable
compensation for the sacrificed pawn) 11 ...
dxc4 12 Bxc4 b5 13 Bd3 Rd8 14 Qe2 Bb7 15
0-0 Ne5 16 Nxe5 Bxe5 17 f4? (17 Rfd1 was
correct) 17 ... Bc7 18 e4? Rac8 19 e5? Bb6+
20 Kh1 Ng4! 21 Be4 Qh4 22 g3
Exercise (combination alert): How
should Black continue?
Answer: Queen sacrifice. 22 ... Rxc3!! 23
gxh4 (if 23 Bxb7 then 23 ... Rxg3 24 Rac1
Re3 25 Qg2 Rh3 wins) 23 ... Rd2!! (decoy) 24
Qxd2 Bxe4+ 25 Qg2 Rh3! and White is
mated in three.
2 ... c6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 Nc3 e6 5 e3 Nbd7 6
Bd3 dxc4 7 Bxc4 b5 8 Bd3 Bd6 9 0-0 0-0 10
Qc2 Bb7 11 a3 Rc8 12 Ng5
The previous year saw the stunning
novelty 12 b4 c5!!. Nothing is more fierce
than the timid, who are suddenly
emboldened. It’s amazing that Black can
lash out like this from what appears to be
a cramped, meek position. After 13 bxc5
Bxf3 14 gxf3 Nxc5! 15 dxc5 Rxc5 16 f4 Nd5
17 Bb2 Nxc3 18 Bxc3 Qc7 19 Rfc1 Rc8 20
Bxh7+ Kh8 21 Bd3 Rxc3 22 Qxc3 Qxc3 23
Rxc3 Rxc3 24 Bxb5 Bxa3, the game ended
in a draw, V.Topalov-R.Kasimdzhanov, FIDE
Grand Prix, London 2012.
12 ... c5!
63
Novelty! Anand had to have channelled
this idea from the Kasimdzhanov game.
Here he offers both h7- and b5-pawns to
activate his pieces. Shockingly, the engine
can’t find a single path for White to even
get an edge.
The question is: can Black get away
with a Greek Gift sacrifice on h2? Analysis
says no. After 12 ... Bxh2+? 13 Kxh2 Ng4+
14 Kg1! Qxg5 15 f3! Ngf6 16 b4 White isn’t
worried about recouping material loss
since he got monster compensation for the
sacrificed pawn: the bishop pair, stronger
centre, a clamp on the c5-square, with a
bad bishop and weak dark squares for
Black, R.Wojtaszek-P.Negi, German League
2012.
13 Nxh7
If 13 Bxh7+ Kh8 14 f4 g6 15 Bxg6 fxg6
16 Nxb5 Bb8 17 Nxe6 Qb6 18 Nxf8 Nxf8
19 Nc3 cxd4 20 exd4 Ne6!, Black’s
ferocious piece activity fully compensates
for White’s material advantage of a rook
and millions of pawns vs. two minor pieces.
White can’t play 21 Qxg6?? Qxd4+ 22 Kh1
Rg8 23 Qh6+ Nh7 24 Rg1, since Black
forces mate with 24 ... Rxg2! 25 Rxg2 Qf2.
13 ... Ng4!
Material is not given away out of
altruistic disposition. Black’s last move also
opens the path for ... Qh4, when his pieces
suddenly flood the kingside. Aronian is still
okay here, but with the clock ticking it’s
almost impossible to find the right moves,
whereas Vishy is obviously still in his home
preparation, remembering, rather than
finding or solving.
14 f4!?
 While it’s natural to try and limit the
scope of Black’s dark-squared bishop, this
is White’s second best move. He was better
off going for 14 h3! Bh2+ 15 Kh1 Qh4 16
Be4 Bxe4 17 Qxe4 f5 18 Qxe6+ Kxh7 19
Qxd7 Bb8 20 Kg1 Bh2+ 21 Kh1 Bb8 with a
repetition draw.
14 ... cxd4 15 exd4?
Aronian should have played 15 Nxf8!,
based upon the thought: “If I am destined
to suffer, then I may as well be paid for it.”
Nonetheless, after 15 ... Bxf8 16 h3! dxc3 17
hxg4 Qh4 18 g5 Nc5 19 bxc3, Black’s
activity fully compensates for White’s
extra material, according to the engine.
Exercise (combination alert): Vishy has
exploited a series of geometric quirks in
the position, which conspired to frustrate
White’s attempts to survive.
What would you play as Black?
Answer: Clearance. Shockingly, move
the bishop from d6 to the en prise square
of c5.
15 ... Bc5!!
I have no doubt that Vishy was still in
his home prep and that this was engine
analysis, because no human in the
universe could find such a bizarrely
powerful move. The direct 15 ... Qh4?! gets
nowhere after 16 h3 Ndf6 17 Qe2.
16 Be2?
So confusing is the situation that there
is simply a blank space where the plan
should be. Aronian’s head had to be
spinning at this stage and he undoubtedly
missed Anand’s next move. He should
accept the sacrifice with 16 dxc5! Nxc5 17
64
Nxf8 Nxd3 (threat: ... Qd4+ followed by a
knight check on f2) 18 h3 Qd4+ 19 Kh1
Ndf2+ 20 Rxf2 Nxf2+ 21 Kh2 Nd3!
(White’s knight is trapped on f8) 22 Nxe6
fxe6 23 Qd1, when Black stands better,
despite being a pawn down, due to the
incredible activity level of his pieces,
juxtaposed with White’s non-functional
bishop and rook who slumber on the
queenside, yet White can still hope to
defend.
16 ... Nde5!!
Clearance! Clearly, Vishy is ill-suited for
a job at the post office, UPS or Amazon,
since he has a tendency to handle
breakable goods both carelessly and
roughly.
17 Bxg4
Aronian desperately tries to reduce his
opponent’s attacking force. Not 17 dxc5??
(principle: if it looks too good to be true,
then it probably is) 17 ... Qd4+ 18 Kh1 Nf2+
19 Rxf2 Qxf2 and mates due to the dual
threats on g2 and e1.
17 ... Bxd4+ 18 Kh1 Nxg4 19 Nxf8
19 Ng5 doesn’t save White: 19 ... f5 20
h3 Rf6! (Black’s queen has been denied
access to h4, so the rook takes the queen’s
place on the h-file, by shifting to h6) 21 Bd2
Rh6 (threat: ... Qxg5! followed by ... Rxh3
mate) 22 Nf3 (22 Rf3 Bxf3 23 Nxf3 a6
leaves White a full exchange down without
compensation) 22 ... Rxh3+!! (annihilation
of defensive barrier) 23 gxh3 Qh4 24 Kg2
Bf2!, threatening mate, starting with ...
Qg3+, to which there is no good remedy.
19 ... f5!
 It’s shocking that Black has time for
such a move. Vishy smells blood and goes
for the kill, rather than enter a won ending
with a line like 19 ... Kxf8 20 Qh7 f5 21
Qh8+ Kf7 22 Qxd8 Rxd8 23 h3 Rh8!
(threat: ... Rxh3 mate) 24 Rf3 Bxf3 25 gxf3
Rxh3+ 26 Kg2 Rh2+ 27 Kf1 Rf2+.
Instead, this natural-looking 19 ... Qh4?
is a blunder which allows White to escape
after 20 Qh7+! Qxh7 21 Nxh7 Kxh7 22 h3
Nf2+ 23 Kh2 a6. Black still has full
compensation for the exchange but
probably no advantage.
20 Ng6
Saving the knight, while covering
against ... Qh4.
20 ... Qf6
The engine likes the inhuman line 20 ...
Kh7 21 Qe2 Kxg6 22 Qxe6+ Bf6 23 Be3
(intending Bg1, to cover against ... Qh8)
23 ... Rc6! 24 Qd5 Nxe3 25 Qxd8 Bxd8 with
an easy win for Black.
21 h3
If 21 Qd3 Qxg6 22 Qg3 then 22 ... Nf2+!
23 Rxf2 Qxg3 24 hxg3 Bxf2 (threat: ... Kf7!
and ... Rh8 mate) 25 Nd1 Bxg3 26 Nc3 Rd8
27 Kg1 a5! wins.
21 ... Qxg6 22 Qe2
22 hxg4?? Qh6 mate makes Black’s job
easier.
22 ... Qh5
Threat: ... Qxh3 mate.
23 Qd3
He had to try 23 Rf3 but the hopeless
are in no position to bargain. 23 ... Nf2+! 24
Kh2 Bxf3 25 Qxf3 Qxf3 26 gxf3 Nd3 is still
a lost ending for White.
65
Exercise (calculation): White’s position
entered the state which is between the
living and the dead. Work out Black’s win.
Answer: Interference.
23 ... Be3! 0-1
There is no good way to stop ... Qxh3
mate without giving away a ton of
material.
In this game Vishy clearly channelled
Shiva the Destroyer, because no mortal
could have conducted an attack this
brilliantly perfect.
Game 25
T.Radjabov-O.Bortnyk
World Rapid Championship, Doha 2016
Exercise: Black has just attacked
White’s c1-rook. The question is, should we
block the threat with 11 e3 or go for a
strategic exchange sacrifice with 11 d5 - ?
Answer: We shouldn’t fear ... Bxc1,
which is no “threat” at all, and should go
for the exchange sacrifice.
11 d5!
This is an impulse dictated by
Radjabov’s stylistic programming. There
was a zero percent chance he would back
down with the feeble 11 e3?! Nb4! (now
White must contort to cover infiltration to
d3) 12 Bf1 Ne4 13 a3 Nxc3 14 Rxc3, when
the engine says White has only a microbe
of an edge.
11 ... Bxc1!?
Well, I suppose the essence of business
is to follow the profits. The problem with
grabbing material is that Black willingly
enters a place where violators of the norms
are executed without trial. I believe this
move a violation of the principle:
Consistency isn’t a virtue when you are on
the wrong path to begin with. In this case
White’s attack becomes exponentially
stronger upon acceptance.
While it’s psychologically difficult to
back down and lose face, maybe Black
should just do that with 11 ... Ne5,
although after the simple 12 Nd2 Black’s
central pieces will get pushed all over the
place with a coming f2-f4 and e2-e4. Tal-approved. This is one of those
12 Qxc1 Nd4 attacks the defender can see from far off,
Let’s audit the books. Submerged yet there isn’t much he can do about it. The
within Radja’s sacrifice are multiple engine prefers the more careful 17 Rg1 Rf7
meanings: 18 h4 Nc7 19 Qf4 Qf8 20 g5 also with a
1. White sacrificed a full exchange. winning attack for White.
2. Black’s dark-squared bishop is gone, 17 ... Bxg4 18 h5 gxh5!
which automatically means that he must 18 ... g5?? is met by 19 Nxg5!.
be on high alert about the now weakened 19 Ng5!
dark squares around his king, especially It’s worth a piece to open the a1-h8
since White’s unopposed dark-squared diagonal for White’s dark-squared bishop,
bishop takes aim. who transforms into something unholy.
3. White is clearly about to launch a 19 ... fxg5 20 Qxg5+ Kf7
direct attack on Black’s king.
The key question is: does Black have
time to open the centre and generate
sufficient counterplay? The answer is no
and the engine thinks Black is completely
busted here.
13 g4!
Here we go. White’s attack surges
forward.
13 ... Bd7 14 Qh6
Threat: Ng5 and e2-e3.
14 ... Nxf3+
At least that is one potential attacker Exercise (combination alert): Stockfish
off the board. calls a mate in 13 from this position.
15 Bxf3 Ne8 How does it begin?
After 15 ... Qd8 16 Ne4 e5 17 dxe6 fxe6
18 h4! (White is interested in mate, not Answer: Queen sacrifice/annihilation
merely recouping the exchange) 18 ... e5 19 of defensive barrier.
h5 Be8 20 g5 Nxe4 21 Bxe4 Black has no 21 Qxh5+!!
chance of survival. The “safe” 21 Rxh5?? is tempting, yet a
16 Ne4 huge blunder. Black can save himself with
Threat: Ng5. 21 ... Qf5! 22 Bxg4 Qb1+ 23 Qc1 Qxc1+ 24
16 ... f6 17 h4!? Bxc1 Nf6 25 Be6+ Ke8 26 Rf5 Ne4 27 Rh5
Nf6 with a repetition draw.

66
 21 ... Bxh5 22 Bxh5+ Kg8 23 Rg1+ Ng7
24 Rxg7+
One glance shows that Black’s pieces
have abandoned their king in his desperate
hour of need. A devastating rook/bishop
windmill begins.
24 ... Kh8 25 Rxe7+ Rf6
Forced, since Black’s king needs an
escape hatch on f8. 25 ... Kg8? loses more
quickly to 26 Rg7+ Kh8 27 Rg6+ Rf6 28
Bxf6 mate.
26 Bxf6+ Kg8 27 Rg7+ Kf8 28 Rxh7
Threat: Rh8 mate.
28 ... Qf5
I said: “Threat: Rh8 mate”! The
humiliating 28 ... Qg4 is Stockfish’s no-so-
effective choice. Black is mated in five
anyway.
29 Rh8 mate
This game could easily have been filed
in the Imbalances chapter, if not for Radja’s
spectacular attacking play.
Game 26
Jinshi Bai-Ding Liren
Chinese Team Championship 2017
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Nf3 0-0 5
Bg5 c5 6 e3 cxd4 7 Qxd4!?
7 exd4 d5 is more normal.
7 ... Nc6 8 Qd3 h6 9 Bh4 d5 10 Rd1 g5!
67
Ding correctly senses that he must act
forcefully if he is going to exploit his slight
lead in development, even if he creates
pawn weakness in attempting to seize the
initiative.
11 Bg3 Ne4 12 Nd2 Nc5 13 Qc2 d4! 14
Nf3 e5! 15 Nxe5 dxc3!
Queen sacrifice! Now there is no way
for White to ignore Black’s lack of affability.
The position is a maze of mirrors and a pair
of contradictory proposals are put forward
for our judgment: which side stands better,
White’s material or Black’s potential for
attack? The engine says White is okay.
From the human perspective, White’s
position becomes dreadfully difficult. Then
again, the position isn’t so easy for Black
either, since there isn’t much distance
between daring and reckless.
16 Rxd8 cxb2+
Exercise (critical decision): White has a
difficult decision set before him. Should he
move his king to e2 or preserve his rook
with a self-pin by 17 Rd2 - ? One line is
balanced, while in the other Black is
winning.

17 Ke2?
Answer: White should self-pin with 17
Rd2! Rd8 18 Nf3 (not 18 Qxb2? Bxd2+,
when White must move his king to e2,
since 19 Qxd2?? loses to 19 ... Rxd2 20
Kxd2 Ne4+ 21 Ke1 Nxg3 22 hxg3 Nxe5
with an extra piece for Black.) 18 ... Bg4 19
Qxb2 Bxf3 20 gxf3 Rxd2 21 Qxd2 Rd8! 22
Qxb4 Nxb4 23 h4 f6, which the engine
assesses as even. In practical terms I still
prefer Black, due to White’s uncoordinated
state.
17 ... Rxd8 18 Qxb2 Na4!
The knight is about to infiltrate to
White’s underbelly on c3.
19 Qc2 Nc3+ 20 Kf3
The defendant takes his place on the
witness stand, on f3. Let’s attempt to
assess this mess:
1. The material count of queen and
pawn vs. rook and knight is clearly in
White’s favour.
2. White’s king is getting bounced
around and in danger, although it
certainly isn’t obvious just how Black plans
to go after him.
3. White’s rook and light-squared
bishop are jumbled in an undeveloped
state.
Conclusion: Black must act now,
otherwise White will develop and unravel.
Exercise (combination alert): Ding
found in incredible attacking idea here.
How would you continue for Black?
68
Answer #1: Move the rook to d4, where
it is tactically protected and threatens ...
g5-g4+ next.
20 ... Rd4!!
This move brings to mind Jimmy
Cagney’s line from Angels With Dirty Faces:
“Good morning, gentlemen. Nice day for a
murder.” Ding plans to give White’s king a
mob-style farewell party. Of course, in such
positions the variations extend far past the
range of vision of even the best players in
the world. They feel their way through via
intuition, mixed with deadly calculation
and combinational ability.
Answer #2: Reversing the order with
20 ... h5! 21 h3 Rd4!!, transposing, is
equally powerful.
21 h3
Black cannot be allowed to play the
deadly ... g5-g4+ and there is no other
solution:
a) 21 exd4?? Nxd4+ 22 Ke3 Nxc2+
leaves Black with an extra piece.
b) 21 Bf4??, vacating g3 for White’s
king, fails to 21 ... Rxf4+! 22 exf4 Nd4+ 23
Kg3 Nxc2 with the same result.
21 ... h5!
The threat is renewed.
22 Bh2
Giving his king air on g3. The
alternative 22 e4, blocking the black rook
and clearing the e3-square, is no better
because after 22 ... Rxe4 23 Qxe4 Nxe4 24
Kxe4 f5+ 25 Kd5 (or 25 Kd3 f4 26 Nxc6
bxc6 27 Bh2 Bf5+) 25 ... Ne7+ 26 Kd4 f4 27
Bh2, three of White’s pieces aren’t even in
the game. If 27 ... Bf5 (threat: ... Rd8+,
frying White’s king) 28 c5 Rc8 29 Nd3 Nc6+,
the engine declares a forced mate, such as
with 30 Kd5 Bd2 31 Be2 Rd8+ 32 Kc4
Na5+ 33 Kb5 Bd7+ 34 c6 Bxc6+ 35 Kc5
Rd5 mate.
22 ... g4+ 23 Kg3

Exercise (combination alert): Ding
found another shot in the position. How
would you continue?
Answer: Transfer the rook to d2 where,
frustratingly for White, it still cannot be
taken, while e4 is secured for Black’s knight.
23 ... Rd2!
The immediate 23 ... Ne4+? is a misstep:
24 Kf4 Rd2 25 Qxe4 Rxf2+ 26 Nf3! gxf3 27
gxf3 Be6 and the engine suddenly prefers
White’s chances.
24 Qb3
The queen is chased away from her
protection of the e4-square. 24 Qxd2??
loses trivially to 24 ... Ne4+ 25 Kh4 Bxd2
with an extra piece for Black.
24 ... Ne4+ 25 Kh4
If 25 Kf4 Rxf2+! 26 Nf3! (or 26 Kxe4
Bf5+ 27 Kd5 Rd8+ and mate in two) 26 ...
gxf3 27 gxf3 Nd2! 28 Rg1+ Bg4!
(interference) 29 Qc2 (trying to save the
queen), then 29 ... Bd6+ 30 Kg5 Nxf3+ 31
Kh6 Bf8 mate.
25 ... Be7+ 26 Kxh5
As you may have already guessed, the
h5 spot is a bit uncomfortable for White’s
king.
26 ... Kg7!
Intending ... Bf5, followed by ... Rh8
mate. The simple 26 ... Rxf2, threatening to
transfer the rook to f5, wins as well: 27 Bf4
Nxe5 28 Qb5 (or 28 Bxe5 Rf5+ 29 Kxg4
Bg5! 30 Bd3 Rf6+! 31 Kh5 Rh6 mate) 28 ...
Ng6 29 Bd3 Rxf4!, and if 30 exf4? then 30 ...
Nxf4+ 31 Kh6 Bf8 mate.
27 Bf4 Bf5
69
Threat: ... Rh8+. Again 27 ... Rxf2! is also
deadly: 28 Bd3 Rxf4! 29 Bxe4 (or 29 exf4
Ng3 mate) 29 ... Be6!, when ... Rh8+ is
coming and White is mated.
28 Bh6+
If 28 Nxf7 Kxf7 29 c5+ Kf6, White is
mated, since there is no reasonable way to
stop the rook check on h8.
28 ... Kh7 29 Qxb7
Exercise (combination alert): Several of
Black’s pieces hang, while a path to White’s
king isn’t so easy. What should Black play?
Answer: Ignore the hanging pieces and
chop the f2-pawn with the rook.
29 ... Rxf2!!
Rook sacrifice/clearance. With the
removal of the f2-pawn, ... Ng3 mate is
now on the table.
30 Bg5!
Concepts of virtue and vice have no
meaning to the desperate. Jinshi tries his
best to confuse the issue. Taking anything
allows 30 ... Ng3 mate, except for 30 Qxe7,
which gives the queen away, while 30 Bf4?
Rxf4! renews the threat and White is
mated in four moves at the most.
30 ... Rh8!
Threatening mate in two, starting
with ... Kg7+.
31 Nxf7 Bg6+! 32 Kxg4
 Luckily for White’s king, a condemned This move is rare and a bit of a theory
person can only be executed once, even if dodge. The idea is to induce Black into
multiple crimes were previously playing ... d5xc4.
committed. 9 Nc3 is White’s main line. In our
database world, the new aristocracy are
Exercise (combination alert): Find the players with bottomless memories. I
Black’s forced mate in four. have written two books on Petroff’s
Defence and can testify that the lines after
Answer: Decoy. this move are dizzyingly confusing, since
32 ... Ne5+! they all look alike, yet aren’t.
This way Black usurps the white 9 ... dxc4
knight’s authority over h8. More often Black ignores the
33 Nxe5 Bf5+! 34 Kh5 Kg7+ provocation in favour of 9 ... Na6.
Do you see now why Black sacrificed a 10 Bxc4 Nd7 11 Re1 Ndf6 12 Nbd2
knight on e5? Without that White would Instead, 12 Nc3 Nxc3 13 bxc3 b5! 14
have had Nxh8 on this move. Bd3 Be6 15 Qc2 h6 looks fine for Black.
35 Bh6+ Rxh6 mate 12 ... Nxd2 13 Bxd2 Qb6
Games between top players ended like Principle: Swaps favour the side playing
this in 1817 and maybe even 1917. But not against the isolani.
so often in 2017! 14 Qd3!
Same principle, but in reverse. White
Game 27 retains queens on the board with his
D.Paravyan-S.Golubov isolani, all the while tempting Black with
St. Petersburg 2018 the b2-pawn.
14 ... Qxb2!?
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nf6 Natural risk takers believe that heaven
“Come on, baby, light my fire!” The would be a dull place to spend eternity,
Petroff isn’t known for its charisma and due to the absence of the devil, who would
can sometimes lead to dull positions. Not surely liven things up. Contrary to popular
in this game though. belief, not all b-pawns are poisoned and
3 Nxe5 d6 4 Nf3 Nxe4 5 d4 d5 6 Bd3 taking this one is fully playable. 14 ... Nd5
Bd6 7 0-0 0-0 8 c4 c6 9 Qb3!? is a decent, if chickenish, option.
15 Rab1 Qa3 16 Qc2
White has full attacking compensation
for the sacrificed pawn but no more than
that.
16 ... Nd5?

70
 The last thing Black should be doing is
move defenders away from his king. After
16 ... b5! 17 Bb3 (now White is deprived of
a rook lift to b3) 17 ... Qa6! (protecting c6
while Black’s exiled queen slowly tries to
make her way back to relevance) 18 Ne5
chances look about even.
17 Rb3!
White’s rook heads to the other side of
the board.
17 ... Qa4 18 Bxd5
Also tempting is 18 Ng5 g6 19 Ne4 Be7
20 Bh6 Rd8 21 Qc1! Bf5 22 Nc5 Bxc5 23
dxc5 Re8 24 Rxe8+ Rxe8 25 h3, when Black
is busted on the dark squares around his
king.
18 ... cxd5 19 Ng5
Threatening mate on the move.
19 ... g6
Exercise (combination alert): The
position is conducive for those with
fevered imaginations. How should White
proceed?
Answer: Piece sacrifice/annihilation of
defensive barrier.
20 Nxh7!!
White feels the call of anarchy.
20 ... Bf5?!
Black precipitates his own downfall
with this natural yet incorrect move. His
best shot to survive was 20 ... Qc4! (20 ...
Kxh7?? 21 Rh3+! wins the loose queen on
a4) 21 Rc3 Qxd4 22 Nxf8 Bf5 23 Ne6! fxe6
24 Qc1 Kh7, when White still has to work
for the full point.
21 Nf6+ Kg7
71
Exercise (combination alert): White’s
queen and knight are simultaneously
threatened and if he does nothing special,
his position will bleed out. Yet a nameless
unease swells within Black’s. What now?
Continue White’s attack.
Answer: Attraction.
22 Bh6+!!
This move leaves Black with only
unhappy choices.
22 ... Kxf6?
It’s hard to fault Black for playing this
way since 22 ... Kxh6 23 Rh3+ (discovered
attack) 23 ... Bxh3 24 Qxa4 Be6 25 g4! Kg7
26 g5 should be a technical win for White.
Still, this was Black’s only way to play on.
23 g4!!
When someone threatens you, there
are three ways to deal with it:
1. Offer a bribe.
2. Run away and hide.
3. Kill your attacker.
This move, which seems to be number
three on the list, is the unbelievably deep
point to White’s combination. The
question we ask is: “Why don’t dazzling
combinations like this one appear in my
dull games?”
23 ... Bf4!
This is a good try, even if Black’s
attempt to interfere with White’s Rf3+
tricks fails. Instead:
a) 23 ... Bxc2? allows 24 Rf3+ Bf5 25 g5
mate.
b) 23 ... Be6? 24 Rf3+ Ke7 25 Qxa4 wins
the queen.
 c) 23 ... Bxg4? 24 Qd2! forces mate in We who have gone over any of
three moves. Morphy’s wins understand: when BNCA’s
(bumbling Nineteenth Century Amateur)
king finds itself on g5, matters generally
don’t go well for the defence. In this case,
though, Black is no amateur.

Exercise (calculation): We all realize

there must be a mate. The question is:
what is the quickest one?

26 h4+!
Quick, but not the quickest.
Answer: The engine found the faster 26
Exercise (combination alert): Find Rg3! Rfe8 27 f4+ Kh4 28 Qf6+ g5 29 Qxh6
White’s dazzling shot. mate.
26 ... Kxh4
Answer: Queen sacrifice/overloaded Or 26 ... Kxg4 27 Rg3+ Kh5 28 Qe2+
defenders. Kxh4 29 Qf3! (threat: Qh1+) 29 ... Qd7 30
24 Qc7!! Bxh6 Re5! Bg5 31 Rxf5 Qxf5 32 Qh1+ Qh3 33
Everything else leads to mate as well: Qxh3 mate.
a) 24 ... Bxc7? 25 g5 mate. 27 Rh3+!
b) 24 ... Rfe8 25 g5+ Bxg5 26 Qd6+! Attraction.
(zwischenzug) 26 ... Re6 27 Rxe6+ fxe6 (or 27 ... Kg5
27 ... Bxe6 28 Rf3+) 28 Qe5+! Ke7 29 Rxb7+ Or 27 ... Kxh3 28 Qg3 mate.
with mate in two moves. 28 Qe7+! 1-0
c) 24 ... g5 25 Qe7+ Kg6 26 gxf5+ Kxf5
(or 26 ... Kh6 27 Qf6 Rg8 28 Qxf7+ etc) 27
Re5+ Kg6 28 Rxg5+ Kh7 29 Bxf8 and
mates in three.
25 Qe5+ Kg5

It’s mate everywhere we look:

a) 28 ... Kxg4 29 Qh4 mate.
b) 28 ... Kf4 29 Qe3+ Kxg4 30 Qg3 mate.
c) 28 ... f6 29 Qe3+ Kxg4 30 Qg3 mate.

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 Chapter Two
Defence and Counterattack
There is an intolerable boredom
associated with defence, where you feel
you are a high school dropout, now
doomed to factory assembly-line work for
the next 40 years. We must avoid this
mindset. A better one is that of a desperate
survivor, who is willing to do anything –
even kill – to remain alive.
Let’s start with an old game which
displays just how reckless the Great
Romantics were when on defence.
Game 28
M.Chigorin-H.Caro
Vienna 1898
1 e4 e5
Hey, shouldn’t you be playing the
opening named after you with 1 ... c6 - ?
2 Nc3 Nf6 3 f4 d5 4 d3?!
This is the modified DNA version of the
Vienna Game. 4 fxe5 Nxe4 is the main line.
4 ... Bb4
4 ... exf4! scores well for Black.
5 fxe5 Nxe4!
The idea is to open a path for a queen
check on h4.
6 dxe4 Qh4+
7 Ke2!
Not 7 Kd2? d4 8 Nf3 Qxe4, which is
clearly in Black’s favour; or 7 g3? Qxe4+ 8
73
Qe2 Qxh1 and White doesn’t have enough
for the exchange.
7 ... Bxc3 8 bxc3 Bg4+ 9 Nf3 dxe4 10
Qd4!
Chigorin finds White’s best move.
Believe it or not, this kind of position was
business as usual for the Great Romantics,
who played chess as engaged beasts,
determined to bite and claw the life’s
blood out of the other.
10 ... Bh5!
Not 10 ... exf3+?? 11 gxf3, which wins
the pinned bishop; or 10 ... Nc6? 11 Qxe4 0-
0-0 12 h3 Bxf3+ 13 gxf3 Qe7 14 Rb1 and
Black doesn’t have enough for the piece.
11 Ke3 Bxf3 12 Bb5+!?
Chigorin plays for the full point. 12 gxf3
Qe1+ 13 Kf4 Qh4+ is perpetual check.
12 ... c6 13 gxf3
This position had been reached three
times before this game. Steinitz shocked
Blackburne in the first game of their
lopsided match (Steinitz won 7-zip!).
Blackburne was so impressed that he
played it twice himself, against Shiffman
and Zukertort.
13 ... Qh6+
Novelty! 13 ... cxb5 14 Qxe4 Qh6+ 15
Kf2 Qc6 was approximately even,
W.Steinitz-J.Blackburne, 1st matchgame,
London 1876.
14 Kxe4?!
 Chigorin takes Steinitz’ advice, on After 24 ... Rd7! 25 Rcd1 Ne7! 26 Qb4 h5!
making the king a fighting piece, a bit too Black begins to unravel, with a vastly
far! 14 Ke2 is correct. superior position.
14 ... Qg6+ 15 Ke3 cxb5 16 Ba3 25 Kd5
This was Chigorin’s idea. He mistakenly
believed that Black’s king, which is unable
to castle, was in greater danger than his
own.
16 ... Nc6 17 Qd5
17 Qe4 0-0-0 was heavily in Black’s
favour, P.Dominguez Lorenzo-E.Delaire,
correspondence 2006.
17 ... Qxc2
17 ... b4!? 18 Bxb4 Nxb4 19 cxb4 Rc8 20
c4 0-0 was also worth consideration. I don’t
like the look of White’s exposed king in this
line. Such was the Never Never Land world
18 Rac1 Qf5 19 Rhe1 Rd8 of the Great Romantics. White’s king is
Here 19 ... b4! 20 Bxb4 Nxb4 21 cxb4 0- oddly safe and the engine now has the
0 was even stronger. assessment only slightly in Black’s favour.
20 Qxb5 a6?! 25 ... Qg2+
25 ... Rc8! discourages the white king
from crossing the c-file. White can’t play 26
Qxb7?? due to 26 ... Qf3+ 27 Kc5 Ne7+ 28
Kb6 Rc6+ 29 Ka7 Qf2+ 30 Ka8 Rxd6! 31
exd6 Kf7+, winning the queen and forcing
mate in eight.
26 Kc4! b5+ 27 Kd3?
What? Why did you go back to the
centre? After 27 Kb3! Na5+ 28 Kb4 Nc4 29
Qxf5 Qd5 30 Qh5+ g6 31 Qd1 a5+ 32 Kb3
Qe6 33 Kc2 Kf7 34 Kb1 chances look
balanced again.
This inaccuracy lets White back into the
game. After 20 ... h5! 21 Rcd1 Rxd1 22 Rxd1
Qxe5+ 23 Qxe5+ Nxe5 24 Ke4 Nc6 25 f4 h4!
Black’s rook will come out, when White is
just a pawn down in the ending.
21 Qb1! Qg5+
Not 21 ... Qxe5+?? 22 Kf2 Rd2+ 23 Kf1
and Black loses his queen.
22 f4 Qg2 23 Bd6 Qh3+ 24 Ke4?
Caution is a trait which keeps us alive;
the graveyards are littered with the
corpses of the reckless. 24 Kf2 Rd7 25 Qe4
Qxh2+ 26 Kf3 was Chigorin’s best Exercise (planning): What is Black’s
defensive try, when it isn’t so easy for Black most efficient way to go after White’s king?
to claim a winning position, mainly since
his h8-rook remains frozen out. Answer: Simply activate the knight by
24 ... f5+?! transferring it to a5 and then c4.

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 27 ... Qf3+?
This move is in violation of the
attacking principle: When hunting the
opponent’s king, don’t chase him. Instead,
cut off flight squares. 27 ... Na5! gives Black
a winning position, since ... Nc4 arrives
with tremendous force.
28 Kc2 Qf2+ 29 Kb3 Rc8 30 Rc2! Qxf4
One whiff of White’s structure and you
may look upon Limburger cheese as
perfume. Despite the structural carnage of
White’s four isolanis, the engine calls the
game dead even. Exercise (combination alert): What did
31 Kb2 Black overlook on his last move?
White’s king is safe and he has some
compensation for the missing pawn, Answer: Decoy.
mainly since Black’s king continues to lack 36 Rxg7! 1-0
a secure home. And wins since 36 ... Rxg7 37 Qxh5+
31 ... Na5!? mates in two, while 36 ... Rh8 is met
This is risky. Black should go for anyway by 37 Qxh5+! (decoy part II!) 37 ...
perpetual check with 31 ... Nd4! 32 cxd4 Rxh5 38 Rg8 mate.
Qxd4+ 33 Kb3 Qd3+ 34 Kb2 Qd4+. I just love the reckless, childlike way the
32 Ka1 Qc4 33 e6! Nc6? old guys played. Our modern era of
After 33 ... Rd8 34 Ba3 Qf4 35 Rf1 Qe4 strategic consideration represents how I
36 Re1 Qf4 White can either take a draw or feel when a historic building is torn down
go for the full point with 37 Rcc1 Nc4 38 to make way for a parking lot.
Bb4.
34 Qd1! h5?? Game 29
Black had to try 34 ... Rd8 35 Kb1 Ne7 E.Geller-Al.Kotov
36 Rd2! Qxc3 37 Ree2 Rxd6 38 Rxd6 0-0, USSR Championship, Moscow 1955
albeit with advantage for White.
35 Rg1?
White wins with 35 Bb4! (threatening
mate in two, starting with Qd7+) 35 ... Rc7
36 Rd2! Qg4 37 Ree2 Rh6 38 Rd7, since 38 ...
Rc8 is met by 39 Rf7! with dual mating
threats on d7 and f8.
35 ... Rh7??
Nothing demonstrates our supreme
command for expletives more than a
double question mark blunder – especially
when it’s your second one in a row! 35 ...
Nd4 was forced, and if 36 Rxg7 then 36 ... White is a pawn down, yet his intent is
Nxc2+ 37 Qxc2 Qxe6 38 Re7+ Qxe7 39 distressingly obvious. Just look at that
Bxe7 Kxe7 40 Qxf5 with a likely draw. massive array of force aimed at Black’s
king.
Black has two logical-looking choices:
a) Swap rooks on e1 and then take the
g5-knight.

75
 b) Hold ground by sacrificing the
exchange with 24 ... Rae8.

Exercise (critical decision): Which path

should Black take?

Answer: A key defensive principle: Take

with one hand, while giving back with the
other.
24 ... Rxe1+?
Black only survives by sacrificing the
exchange: 24 ... Rae8! (after this move, the
magic amulet to ward off Geller’s evil Exercise (combination alert): 27 Rh3
spirits, the defence is obedient to Kotov’s still wins. But a forced mate in six is even
touch) 25 Nxe7+ Rxe7 26 Rxe7 Qxe7 27 better. Work out White’s mate.
Nf3 Nd3 28 Bd4 Nf4 29 Qf5 Ne2+ 30 Kf1
Nxd4 31 Nxd4 g6 32 Qf3 Qe5 33 Rd1 Bxd5 Answer: Annihilation of defensive
and the position’s about-face is as barrier by sacrificing the bishop on g7.
shocking as if Greta Thunberg changed her 27 Bxg7!
stance and declared: “Climate change is a This is far more efficient than 27 Rh3 f6
hoax!” Black gets two central pawns and a which transposes to the 26 ... f6 line above.
powerful pair of bishops for the exchange, 27 ... Bxg7 28 Re8+ Bf8 29 Rxf8+! 1-0
which translates to excellent winning Step 2: Attraction/weak back rank.
chances. Black’s king is shifted to f8, after which
25 Rxe1 hxg5 White delivers mate on h8
There is nothing better. If 25 ... c3 then
26 Ne7+! (interference) 26 ... Bxe7 (26 ... Game 30
Qxe7 27 Rxe7 cxb2 28 Qxf7+ Kh8 29 Qf5 R.Nezhmetdinov-M.Ujtelky
hxg5 30 Rxb7 is also hopeless) 27 Qxf7+ Sochi 1964
Kh8 28 Ne6 with deadly dual threats to
take Black’s queen while also threatening
mate on g7.
26 Re3!
Threat: Rh3 and Qh8 mate.
26 ... Bc8
If 26 ... f6 then 27 Rh3 Bc8 28 Qh7+ Kf7
29 Nh6+ Ke8 30 Re3+ Kd7 (or similarly
30 ... Kd8 31 Bxf6+! gxf6 32 Nf7+ Kd7 33
Qf5 mate) 31 Qf5+ Kd8 32 Bxf6+! gxf6 33
Qxf6+ Be7 34 Nf7+ Ke8 35 Nxd6+ Kd8 36
Nf7+ Ke8 37 Qg6 with a decisive attack,
despite Black’s two extra pieces. Let’s assess:
1. We note dark square punctures in
Black’s position, on c5 and b4.
2. Black’s pitiful pieces huddle together
for safety on his first two ranks.
3. White enjoys a territorial advantage
on both wings.
4. While Black’s king is surrounded by
defenders, is he really safe? If we can find a

76
way to pry open the kingside/centre, even
sacrificially, then maybe White can go after
him.
Conclusion: White has a strategically
won position with multiple promising
options.
26 Bf4!?
It shouldn’t come as any shock to you
that Nezh is most attracted to the forcing,
sacrificial option.
Trying to pry open the kingside with 26
e5! is also highly promising. For example,
26 ... f5 (Black won’t survive if White’s
pieces are allowed access to e5) 27 h5! g5
28 Bxg5! is winning for White since the
sacrifice can’t be accepted: 28 ... hxg5?? 29
Nxg5+ Kg8 30 h6 and Black must return
the piece with a dead lost position, since
30 ... Bh8?? is crushed by 31 h7+ Nxh7 (or
31 ... Kg7 32 Qh5 and mates) 32 Rxh7,
when Qh5 is coming and Black’s king
doesn’t have a prayer.
26 ... Qxa5 27 e5 f5 28 Bd2! Qb6 29 Ra1!
Threat: Ba5, winning the exchange.
29 ... Nh7!?
This sacrifice smacks of desperation.
29 ... Rd7 30 h5! g5 31 Bxg5! gives White a
brutal attack, as in the notes above.
30 Ba5 Qa7 31 Bxd8 Rxd8 32 Qd2!
Seizing control over the hole on a5.
Black is completely busted, down an
exchange for a pawn, his queenside
riddled with dark square holes, and his
pieces without purpose. This is so
disorienting, since I’m hard pressed to find
games where Nezhmetdinov is up material!
32 ... Bb7 33 Qa5 Ra8 34 Nc5 Bc8 35 c3
Nf8 36 Ne1?
77
Nezhmetdinov was normally a deadly
finisher in winning positions. Here he
stumbled, allowing Black counterplay.
Instead, after 36 Bc2! Nd7 37 b4 Nxc5 38
bxc5 Bd7 39 Ne1! Bf8 40 Nd3 White has a
grip on the position and it’s unlikely Black
survives.
Exercise (combination alert): What did
White miss (or mistakenly allow) on his last
move?
Answer: Undermining. Black wins a
second pawn for the exchange by taking
the e5-pawn.
36 ... Bxe5! 37 dxe5!?
Inciting of terror was always Nezh’s
business model. So he gives up the strong
knight in order to remove Black’s bishop,
the steward of the kingside dark squares
around his king. If 37 Nxe6 Bxe6 38 dxe5
c5, suddenly Black’s queenside majority
begins to move and he organizes
counterplay.
37 ... Qxc5 38 Nd3 Qa7 39 Bc2?!
This is a further error. He shouldn’t give
Black control over c5. Therefore correct is
39 Qb4! a5 40 Qf4 Kg7 41 Bd1!, intending
to attack with g2-g4 next. If Black plays 41 ...
c5?!, it can then be met by 42 b4! cxb4 43
cxb4 a4 44 Rc1 Bd7 45 Nc5 with decent
chances for White.
39 ... c5
Ugh! Nezh lost his monopoly on the
queenside dark squares. Suddenly Black
stands better since he got two healthy
pawns for the exchange.
40 b4?
 People with the temperament of Nezh
or Tal really should switch to decaf or,
better yet, maybe drink an herbal infusion
of camomile and dried flowers. Predictably,
Nezh goes crazy and gives up a third pawn.
He should play 40 Re1.
40 ... Nc6 41 Qa3 c4
Chasing away the defender of e5.
42 Nc5 Nxe5
That is pawn number three for the
exchange. I have a feeling that Nezh
overestimated his attacking chances and
deliberately sacrificed his e-pawn to open
lines against Black’s king.
43 Qc1 h5 44 Rg3
44 Qh6 fails to accomplish anything.
After 44 ... Qe7 all the key squares are
covered for Black.
44 ... Ned7
Challenging White’s c5-outpost.
45 Nxe6!?
Keep in mind that an unsound assault
is not so easy to defend, if your opponent is
one of the greatest attackers of his day.
There is no way Nezh is going for the meek
45 Nxd7 Qxd7 46 Qf4 Qe7, when White is
78
down too much material and doesn’t have
an attack.
45 ... Nxe6 46 Qh6 Ndf8 47 Bxf5!?
An enemy’s distance doesn’t always
insulate us from harm. The sacrifice of a
second piece is the only way for White to
proceed. The problem is that three minor
pieces for a single rook is rather a lot of
material to be down, on top of which White
has run out of pieces to sacrifice, so it
won’t be easy to feed his attack against
Black’s admittedly exposed king.
47 ... gxf5 48 Re1 Bd7 49 Qxh5+ Ke7 50
Qxf5 Kd6 51 h5!
Nezh’s only prayer is to push the h-
pawn down the board toward the
promotion square.
51 ... a5!
Black wants to create passers of his own.
52 Qe5+ Kc6 53 Rd1 Nc7
Covering d5.
54 Ra1 Qb8!?
He is willing to hand a pawn back to
create passed pawns. 54 ... a4 was a safer
option.
55 bxa5 b4 56 cxb4 Qxb4
 Now it becomes a race between White’s
two passed a- and h-pawns, and Black’s
central c- and d-pawns.
57 Rf3!
Indirectly protecting his a-pawn.
57 ... Nce6
57 ... Rxa5?? would be an awful blunder.
After 58 Rxa5 Qxa5 59 Rxf8 it’s anybody’s
game, in fact probably White’s.
58 a6 Qc5
Intending ... d5-d4.
59 Qe1
59 h6 d4 is also in Black’s favour. Exercise (combination alert): How can
59 ... Nd4! 60 Rf6+ Nfe6 61 Ra5 Qb6 62 Black best end White’s resistance?
h6 Kd6!
Adding support to the e6-knight, while Answer: Clearance sacrifice on f3.
preparing ... c4-c3, so that Qxc3 won’t 67 ... Ne2+
come with check. This wins, but the best option was 67 ...
63 h7 c3! Nf3+! 68 gxf3 Qg7+ 69 Kf1 Bb5+ and
White is mated in five.
68 Kh2 c1Q 69 Rxc1 Nxc1 70 Qa5 Bc6!
Black’s three extra minor pieces
certainly do come in handy. Nezh isn’t able
to milk his passed a- and h-pawns.
71 Qa6 Qe5+ 72 g3 Nb3 73 f4
Promoting the pawns fails to recoup
sufficient material: 73 a8Q Rxa8 74 Qxa8
Bxa8 75 h8Q Qxh8 76 Rxh8 Bc6 is an easy
win for Black.
73 ... Qb2+ 74 Kh3 Nbc5 75 a8Q 0-1

Black’s c-pawn is safe, due to the knight

fork on e2.
64 Ra1 c2
There is no way for White to generate
threats on Black’s king while the c2-pawn
is so close to the promotion square.
65 Rg6
Intending Rg8. 65 Rh6 loses to 65 ... Nb3
and if 66 h8Q Rxh8 67 Rxh8 Nxa1 68 Qxa1
then 68 ... Qb1+ wins.
65 ... Rh8! 66 a7 Qb2! 67 Rh6
67 a8Q fails to 67 ... Rxa8 68 Rxa8 c1Q Nezh made his move and resigned,
69 Qxc1 Qxc1+ 70 Kh2 Ne2! 71 h8Q Qg1+ seeing that after 75 ... Nxa6 76 Rxe6+ Kxe6
72 Kh3 and White is mated in four moves 77 Qxc6+ Ke7 there is no perpetual check.
with 72 ... N2f4+ 73 Kh4 (or 73 Kg3 Qxg2+
74 Kh4 Qh3 mate) 73 ... Qh1+ 74 Kg4 Some of my younger students believe:
Qxg2+ 75 Kh4 (or 75 Kf5 Qxg6 mate) 75 ... if something happened before they were
Qh3 mate. born, then it probably didn’t happen. They
all have a vague recollection of some guy

79
named Bobby Fischer, while the vast
majority have no clue who Bent Larsen was,
unless his name was mentioned in a
YouTube video. How much sharper than a
serpent’s tooth, a historically ignorant
student? Sorry, I’m getting depressed and
threatening to morph into rage, so let’s
move on to the game.
Game 31
R.J.Fischer-Be.Larsen
Candidates semi-final (Game 1) Denver
1971
1 e4 e6!?
Hey, it’s a free country. This must have
come as a shock to Fischer.
2 d4
This indicates that Fischer is unafraid of
Larsen’s pre-match preparation. Fischer
himself said he switched to the King’s
Indian Attack, 2 d3 d5 3 Nd2, when he was
“chicken”.
2 ... d5 3 Nc3 Bb4
Why did Larsen choose the Winawer?
Probably for two reasons:
1. It was well known that in the past
Bobby experienced trouble against the
Winawer.
2. It’s unlikely that Fischer had prepared
for it since, according to my database,
Larsen only played the French Defence
three times in his entire career, before this
game.
But then Larsen messed up the opening
big time, very quickly reaching the frontier
of his knowledge, since he had almost no
experience on the black side of the French,
and none at all with the Winawer. Past this
point was only guesswork. Meanwhile,
Fischer understood the white side with
greater depth. So maybe the Winawer
wasn’t such a brilliant opening choice on
Larsen’s part after all.
4 e5 Ne7 5 a3 Bxc3+ 6 bxc3 c5 7 a4
The ultra-sharp 7 Qg4 is White’s main
line.
7 ... Nbc6 8 Nf3 Bd7 9 Bd3 Qc7!?
The queen normally goes to a5 first,
and more often on the previous turn.
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10 0-0 c4 11 Be2 f6
Larsen hits e5 at its most under-
protected state.
12 Re1!
This pawn sacrifice had only been
played in one obscure game prior to this.
Today it is White’s main move. Bobby
doesn’t mind eventually losing his e-pawn,
since then he can open lines and central
squares for his bishops.
12 ... Ng6
12 ... fxe5 13 dxe5 Nxe5?? 14 Nxe5
Qxe5?? would be colossally stupid, since 15
Bh5+ wins Black’s queen.
13 Ba3!
Cutting off kingside castling and
daring Larsen to take the e5-pawn.
13 ... fxe5?!
When we want something we
shouldn’t have, our mind conveniently
comes up with convoluted logic as to why
we should indeed have it. Grabbing the e5-
pawn is rash, since White’s bishops will get
out of control in the open position. 13 ... 0-
0-0 is a better try.
14 dxe5 Ncxe5?!
Black scores zero from five games from
this position, according to the database.
It’s not too late to wimp out with 14 ...
Nge7 (the word “retreat” tends to be
charged with negative connotations, but is
it really negative when retreating is linked
to our survival?) 15 Nd4 Nxd4 16 cxd4 Qd8
17 Qd2 0-0 18 a5, when Black has a
strategically awful position, yet still one
better than what he reached in the game.
15 Nxe5 Nxe5 16 Qd4!
 This move was played in every game.
The engine indicates 16 Bh5+! as a possible
improvement. After 16 ... g6 (or 16 ... Ng6
17 Qxd5) 17 Qd4 0-0-0 18 Rxe5 gxh5 19
Rxh5 White won his pawn back, while
having the superior attacking chances.
16 ... Ng6 17 Bh5 Kf7?!
Larsen is intent upon suicide. His king,
drowning in defensive debt, is completely
unsafe on the kingside. On top of that,
White’s bishops dominate.
He had to try 17 ... 0-0-0 18 Qxa7 b6 19
Qa8+ Qb8 20 Qxb8+ Kxb8 21 Bxg6! hxg6
22 a5 with an admittedly lousy ending for
Black, yet the presence of opposite-
coloured bishops gives him some hope of a
draw.
Exercise (planning): Come up with
White’s strongest attacking plan.
Answer: Push the f-pawn, intending to
blast the centre open with f4-f5 next.
18 f4!
Stockfish 14 has White up by +5.86, at
depth 30, so we can safely declare that
Larsen completely bungled the opening.
18 ... Rhe8 19 f5! exf5 20 Qxd5+ Kf6
Forced. 20 ... Be6? 21 Rxe6! Rxe6 22
Qxf5+ Rf6 23 Qd5+ Re6 (23 ... Ke8 24 Re1+
is mate in four) 24 Rf1+ picks up Black’s
pinned rook.
21 Bf3?
Some of my Facebook friends equate
Fischer’s chess with omniscience. The fact
is he too, like the rest of us, made errors. He
just didn’t do it as often. The evaluation
drops from almost +6 to dead even after
this mistake, which loses two tempi.
81
Instead, 21 Bd6! was deadly: 21 ... Qb6+
(21 ... Qc5 22 Qd4+ and 21 ... Qc8 22 Bf3
Bc6 23 Qd4+ are much the same) 22 Bc5
Qc6 then 23 Qd4+ Kf7 24 Bf3 Qc8 25 Rxe8
Qxe8 26 Qd5+ Kf6 (26 ... Be6 hangs a rook
to 27 Qxb7+) 27 Qd6+ Be6 28 Re1 Nf8 29
Bd5 and White wins.
21 ... Ne5!
Principle: Centralize your pieces when
your king is under attack. White’s precious
bishop pair is threatened. Now White’s
attack/initiative begins to sag and droop.
22 Qd4
22 Qxb7 Qxb7 23 Bxb7 Rab8 24 Bd5
Bxa4 is fine for Black.
22 ... Kg6! 23 Rxe5!
This little combination picks up two
minor pieces for the rook, yet no advantage
for White. In fact, the future variations
from this line look like White is losing by
force. Bobby had seen deeply into the
position and realized he was still okay.
23 ... Qxe5!
23 ... Rxe5?? loses on the spot to 24 Bd6.
24 Qxd7 Rad8! 25 Qxb7 Qe3+! 26 Kf1
Going to h1 walks into back rank mate
on e1.
26 ... Rd2
Exercise (planning): White’s position
appears to be unstable terra firma. Is it
time for Bobby to resign? Mate is
threatened on f2. Find a defensive plan
which foils Black’s intent.
27 Qc6+!
Step 1: Give check on c6.
27 ... Re6
 Yipes. Now White is threatened with
mate in one and his queen hangs.
28 Bc5!!
Step 2: X-ray defensive move. By a
defensive miracle, White remains even.
Bobby must have worked out this resource
well in advance of reaching it. Maybe
Larsen expected 28 Qc5?? which fails to get
the job done. 28 ... Rf2+ 29 Kg1 Rxf3+ 30
Qxe3 Rfxe3 and Black wins easily since he
is a full exchange up in the ending.
28 ... Rf2+!
The only move. If 28 ... Qe2+?? 29 Bxe2
Rxc6 30 Bxa7, the a-pawn wins easily for
White after 30 ... Rxc2 31 Bd4.
29 Kg1
How frustrating for Larsen. Oddly
enough, there is no deathblow discovered
check here, even though it looks like there
should be a combination for Black.
29 ... Rxg2+!
Not 29 ... Rxf3+?? 30 Bxe3 Rxc6 31 gxf3
or 29 ... Rxc6?? 30 Bxe3 and White emerges
a piece up, since the black rooks are
simultaneously attacked.
30 Kxg2 Qd2+
This wins White’s queen, but not
necessarily the game.
31 Kh1 Rxc6 32 Bxc6 Qxc3 33 Rg1+ Kf6
34 Bxa7
This completely unbalanced position is
not easy to assess. Let’s collect the data:
1. The material count is two bishops
and a rook for the queen and two pawns
(since the c2-pawn will fall).
2. Clearly, Black’s single issue is: how to
halt White’s a-pawn which, if left
82
unattended, is a slow-acting poison on
Black’s position?
3. White’s king is relatively safe and I
don’t see any way for Black to deliver
perpetual.
Intuitively, the passed a-pawn factor
looks to be decisive for White. However, the
engine says Black can save the game, as
long as he finds a correct plan next move.
34 ... g5?
This natural move loses. Black had two
ways to defend:
a) 34 ... Qxc2!? 35 a5 Qd2 (previously I
gave 35 ... Qa2?? 36 Bb6 Ke6, overlooking
36 Bd4+! Ke6 37 Ra1 Qd2 38 Bg1 Qb2 39
a6! Qxa1 50 a7 and White wins) 36 a6 c3
37 Bb8 (even 37 Bb7 c2 38 Rf1 f4! 39 Bg1
Qe2! 40 Rxf4+ Kg5 41 Rf2 Qxa6! 42 Bxa6
c1Q would be difficult to win) 37 ... c2 38
a7 c1Q 39 a8Q Qxg1+! 40 Kxg1 Qe1+ 41
Kg2 Qe2+ 42 Kg3 g5! and the engine
claims a draw, despite the two extra
bishops. For example, if 43 Qa1+ Kg6 44
Qb1 Kf6 45 Qb4 f4+ 46 Bxf4 Qd3+! 47 Bf3
gxf4+ 48 Qxf4+ Qf5, exchanging queens is
no good for White, since he has the wrong
bishop to promote his h-pawn.
b) 34 ... Ke6! 35 Bb6 Qxc2 36 a5 Qa2
(we have now transposed to analysis in
Fischer: Move By Move) 37 Bb7 Qb3! (the
white a-pawn is kept at bay for the
moment, which gives Black time to
generate sufficient counterplay) 38 Ra1 c3
39 a6 Qxb6 40 Bd5+ Kxd5 41 a7 Qb7 42
a8Q Qxa8 43 Rxa8 (this time White is a
rook up, yet not winning) 43 ... Kd4 44 Rc8
Kd3 45 Kg2 c2 46 Kf2 Kd2 47 Rd8+ Kc3
48 Rc8+ Kb2 49 Rb8+ and draws.
35 Bb6
Now the a-pawn roars down the file to
the promotion square.
35 ... Qxc2 36 a5
White’s a-pawn is too fast – thanks
mainly to the black king’s unfortunate
position on f6.
36 ... Qb2 37 Bd8+!
Zwischenzug, which gives White a
precious tempo to advance the passed
pawn.
37 ... Ke6 38 a6
 38 ... Qa3
Maybe Black should try 38 ... Qf2,
hoping for 39 Bxg5? c3 40 Ra1 f4!. However,
39 Rb1! wins for White. For example: 39 ...
Qa2 40 Re1+ Kd6 41 Bb7 c3 52 Bb6 c2 53
Bg1! Qb1 54 Rxb1 cxb1Q 55 Bg2! and the
a-pawn promotes safely.
39 Bb7 Qc5
If 39 ... Qb4 then 40 Bxg5 c3 41 Be3 f4
42 Bf3! fxe3 (or 42 ... Qa4) 43 a7 is one way
to win.
40 Rb1!
Threat: Bb6, followed by the push of the
a-pawn.
40 ... c3 41 Bb6! c2 42 Re1+ 1-0
This check hits with the impact of a
gong. Black’s queen falls and the c-pawn
won’t promote. At this point Larsen’s face
undoubtedly increased in temperature,
until it reached the level of a kiln.
I still remember as a kid reading, in
Canadian Chess Chat, an angry article by
Larsen on how he blew this key game of the
match – and quite outrageously – Larsen
then claimed that Fischer wouldn’t have
won the match had there not been a
heatwave in Denver at the time, which
negatively affected Larsen’s blood pressure!
Game 32
L.Ljubojevic-A.J.Miles
Malta Olympiad 1980
83
Sicilian Dragons were scary creatures in
the pre-engine days, since we had to check
all the tactics with our flawed human
brains. Both sides saw this position coming
and Miles assessed it more accurately. He
correctly surmised that his king could
survive the weakening of ... f7-f6, and that
Black stands slightly better in the coming
complications.
18 ... f6!
Forced moves can also be strong ones. A
martyr’s job is to reconcile himself to abuse
and suffering, without complaint. For the
moment Black’s position is on the
defensive, yet there is that trapped bishop
on g5, which ensures a material advantage
as compensation.
19 Rhe1
Threat: d6xe7, followed by Nxf6+,
winning Black’s queen.
19 ... exd6
Black must take time out for this
capture. 19 ... fxg5?? 20 Nxg5 exd6 21
Qxg6 Nf6 22 Nde6 Qe7 23 Rxd6! gives
White a winning attack.
20 Nxd6 Kh7!
The base g6-pawn must be covered.
Still not 20 ... fxg5?? 21 Nxc8 Qxc8 22 Qxg6
Be8 23 Bxc4+ bxc4 24 Qe6+ Bf7 25 Qxc8
Rxc8 26 Nf5 Bf8 27 hxg5 and White’s rook
and three extra pawns will beat Black’s two
bishops.
21 f5?!
This is unsound, yet not so easy to meet
at the board. Ljubojevic sacrifices material
to go after Black’s king and complicate the
game even further. From an objective
standpoint, White’s attack is more spectre
than actual flesh and blood. 21 Bxc4! bxc4
22 Qf3 Qb6 23 Nxc8 Bxc8 24 Re7 fxg5 is
only slightly in Black’s favour.
Exercise (critical decision): Our main
candidate moves are 21 ... Nxd6 and 21 ...
fxg5. One leads to a clear advantage for
Black, while the other leads to dynamic
equality. Which would you play?
Answer: White’s d6-knight should be
removed from the board.
21 ... Nxd6!
The other option 21 ... fxg5? 22 fxg6+
Kh8 23 Nf7+ Rxf7 24 gxf7 Nge5 25 Qe4
Qf8 26 hxg5 Qxf7 is balanced, in a crazy
way.
22 fxg6+ Kh8 23 Bf4 Ne5!
Not 23 ... Nc4? 24 Nf5 Bc6 25 Bxc4 bxc4
26 Qa3 Qb6 27 Qe7 Rg8 28 Nd6 and Black
is busted.
24 Bxe5 fxe5 25 Nf3
If 25 Ne6 Bxe6 26 Bxe6 Rc6 27 Qe2
Qxh4 28 Rh1 Qg5+ (without this
zwischenzug, Black would be losing) 29
Kb1 h4, Black should consolidate with
careful play.
84
Exercise (critical decision): White exerts
unpleasant pressure on the d-file.
Our choices are to defend with 25 ... Rc6
or 25 ... Rf6, or counterattack by returning
the piece with 25 ... e4. Only one line leads
to a winning position for Black. Which one?
Answer: Black should return the piece
and counterattack.
25 ... e4!
Trying to defend is inferior:
a) 25 ... Rc6? 26 Nxe5 Qf6 27 Qd4!
(suddenly the e5-knight is free to take
loose pieces) 27 ... Be8 28 Nxc6 Bxc6 29
Qxf6 Rxf6 30 Re7 Rxg6 31 Bd5 and the
ending is heavily in White’s favour.
b) 25 ... Rf6?! 26 Rxe5 Bg4 27 Rd5! Rc6
28 Ne5! Bxd1 29 Qxd1! Bh6+ 30 Kb1 Qf8
(if 30 ... Rc7? 31 Nf7+ Rcxf7 32 gxf7, White
has a powerful attack for the sacrificed
piece) 31 Nxc6 Rf1 32 Rxd6 leaves White
with the better chances.
26 Qxd6 exf3 27 Re7
27 Qxd7? fails to 27 ... Qf6! 28 c3 (or 28
gxf3 Qxb2+ 29 Kd2 Rcd8, winning the
queen) 28 ... Rxc3+! 29 Bc2 Rxc2+ 30 Kxc2
Qxb2+ 31 Kd3 Qc3+ 32 Ke4 f2 33 Rh1
Qc4+ 34 Ke3 Bh6 mate.
27 ... Bg4 28 Qe5
Exercise (combination alert):
How
should Black react to Ljubo’s spectacular-
looking last move?
Answer: Simplification/queen sacrifice.
28 ... Qxd1+!
Certainly not 28 ... Bxe5?? 29 Rh7 mate.
29 Kxd1 fxg2+ 30 Kd2 Rfd8+ 31 Bd5
 Or 31 Ke3 g1Q+ 32 Kf4 Rd4+ 33 Kg5
Be6+ 34 Kxh5 Qg4 mate.
31 ... Rxd5+! 0-1
Step 2: Decoy. This breaks the mating
threat on g7, which allows Black time to
promote the g2-pawn. 32 Qxd5 g1Q 33
Rxg7 is too slow in view of 33 ... Qd1+ 34
Ke3 Qxd5, winning White’s queen, while
simultaneously removing the mating
threat on h7.
Game 33
J.G.Gallagher-S.Conquest
British Championship, Blackpool 1988
The position flashes before us in
images which are difficult to translate.
Exercise (critical decision): Assess this
position. Should Black accept a draw with
25 ... Kf8 26 Rf7+ Ke8 and so on? Or should
he give a rook back with 25 ... Kd8 and go
for the full point?
Answer: Objectively, Black should
acquiesce to the draw since playing for the
win swings the advantage to White’s side,
yet in the end Conquest was rewarded for
his bravery. It was Tal who showed us that
chess didn’t always need to follow a logical
course.
25 ... Kd8?!
Have you ever met a person who
gleefully looks for the faults of others,
while simultaneously is blissfully oblivious
to their own? I just described Black’s last
move, which is in violation of the principle:
85
Do not tamper with that which is already
fixed. This is a touch of an overreach.
Objectively, Black should opt for 25 ...
Kf8!. The engine demands that Black play
this meek move and not the more
ambitious one he played in the game. It
goes against our instincts to allow our
opponent a discovered check. In this case
White’s (future) check is toothless and
there is nothing better than to take the
draw with 26 Rf7+ Ke8 27 Rg7+.
26 Rxg8+ Ke7?
Now Black should be in deep trouble.
He had to try 26 ... Kc7 27 Rxc8+ Kxc8 28
Rb3 Qxb3! 29 cxb3 Be3 30 Bg4 Bxd2+ 31
Kxd2 Ne7 32 Ne2 Nxd5 33 Be6! Nc7 34
Bxd7+ Kxd7 35 Nxg3, when White is a
pawn up and the outside passer offers
winning chances.
27 Qe2+?
Right idea, wrong square. After 27
Qe1+! Ne5 28 Rxc8 Bxb2+ 29 Kd2 Bxa3 30
Qe4 (covering the d4-square from a black
queen check) 30 ... Qxg1 31 fxe5 Qf2+ 32
Be2 Black is busted. For example: 32 ... g2
(32 ... Kd7 33 Rg8 consolidates and wins)
33 exd6+ Kf6 (capturing on d6 is mate in
one) 34 Qe6+ Kg5 35 Rg8+ Kh4 36 Qf6+
Kh3 37 Rh8+ Kg3 38 Qg5 mate.
27 ... Ne5
Avoiding the double question mark
move 27 ... Kf6?? 28 Qe6 mate.
28 Rxc8 Bxb2+
This seems to be one of those wars
which refuses to make distinctions
between soldiers and civilians.
 Exercise (critical decision): Should
White’s king go to d2 or d1?
Answer: Paradoxically, d1 is the correct
square, even though it allows Black to chop
the g1-knight with check.
29 Kd2?
Now White’s initiative lapses into
silence. After 29 Kd1! Bxa3! (stronger than
29 ... Qxg1+?! 30 Qe1 Qd4+ 31 Rd3 Qxf4 32
Rg8 Qc1+ 33 Ke2 Qxe1+ 34 Kxe1 Nxd3+
35 cxd3 with a level position) 30 fxe5 Qd4+
31 Qd2 Qxg1+ 32 Qe1 Qd4+ 33 Qd2 Qa1+
34 Ke2 Qxe5+ 35 Kf3 Kd7 36 Re8 Ne7 37
Rxe7+! Qxe7 38 Qf4, the game would likely
be drawn, though if anyone stands better,
it is Black.
29 ... Qxg1!
Taking the knight is now correct, even
without check. Instead, 29 ... Bxa3? 30 Qe4!
is winning for White, since we transposed
to the 27 Qe1 line we already examined
above.
30 fxe5
There is no salvation to be found:
a) 30 Rb3? Qc1 is mate.
b) 30 Qe1? Qh2+ 31 Qe2 g2 wins.
c) 30 Qe4 Qc1+ 31 Ke2 Nd4+ forces
White to give up the queen, and 32 Qxd4
Bxd4 33 Rxg3 Qh2 34 Re8+ Kd7 35 Rg7+
fails to 35 ... Nf7!, when both white rooks
are en prise.
Exercise (calculation): As a visualization
exercise, try and work out Black’s forced
mate in six, without moving the pieces.
Answer: Start with a bishop check on c1.
30 ... Bc1+!
86
Gallagher was undoubtedly hoping for
30 ... Bxa3?? 31 exd6+ Kf6 (or 31 ... Kxd6 32
Qe6 mate) 32 Rf8+ Kg7 33 Rf7+ Kh6 34
Qe6+ and mate in two.
31 Kc3
Or 31 Kd3 Qd4 mate.
31 ... Qd4+ 32 Kb3 Qb2+ 33 Kc4 b5+
The persecution of White’s king is
unending. We chase him to d3, the mating
square.
34 axb5 axb5+ 35 Kd3 Qd4 mate
Game 34
V.Bologan-A.Nadanian
Moscow 2002
Black’s position is a disconcerting sight:
1. His king is in deep trouble and
coverage of his punctured kingside light
squares is conspicuously absent. As soon as
his knight moves, the white queen can slip
into h7.
2. Black’s entire queenside is
undeveloped. so he is essentially playing a
rook and a bishop down.
The situation is hopeless and, what is
worse, Black faces a strong GM. He
therefore goes into bluff mode and plays
for tricks.
22 ... Nh3!
Of course this is bravado more than
true belief. Still, it’s a good attempt to
confuse the issue, even though it shouldn’t
work. Black threatens smothered mate,
starting with ... Qg1+!. If White takes the
knight, then Black has ... Qf3+ followed by ...
Qxd1+.
23 Qh7+
 Not 23 gxh3?? Qf3+ 24 Kg1 Qxd1+ 25
Kf2 Rf7 26 Qh7+ Kf8 27 Bg6 Qh1 28 Qh8+
Ke7 29 Bxf7 Qxh2+ 30 Ke1 Qg1+ 31 Ke2
Qg2+, when Black can take perpetual
check. And 23 Rf1?? completely misses the
point: 23 ... Qg1+! (well this isn’t really an
exclam since every player in the world
rated over 1000 knows the standard
smothered mate theme) 24 Rxg1 Nf2 mate.
23 ... Kf7 24 Bg6+ Kf6 25 R4d2! Nxf4!
Again, Nadanian finds Black’s only
prayer for a swindle. 25 ... Nf2+? loses
without a fight after 26 Rxf2 Qxf2 27 Nd2!
(threatening a fork on e4) 27 ... d5 28 Bh5!
Qd4 29 c3! Qa4 (29 ... Qxf4 30 Rf1 wins on
the spot) 30 Qg6+ Ke7 31 Qxg7+ and
White will take the f8-rook with check next
move.
26 Rf1 b6
Our candidate moves are:
a) 27 Be4, seizing control over the h1-a8
diagonal, before Black has a chance to
play ... Bb7.
b) 27 Rdf2, piling on the pinned knight.
c) 27 Re2, attempting to overload
Black’s queen.
Exercise (critical decision): Two of the
three choices win, the other loses, so
choose wisely.
Answer: Lines a) and b) both win, while
unfortunate line c) loses for White.
27 Re2??
We all dread when we pull a double
question mark and then are forced to reap
what we sow. Instead:
87
a) 27 Be4! d5 28 Bd3!, threatens Re2, to
which there is no defence.
b) 27 Rdf2! also wins: 27 ... e5 28 Bh5!
Bb7 29 Qg6+ Ke7 30 Qxg7+ Kd6 31 Rd1+
Bd5 32 Rxf4! exf4 33 Rxd5+! Kxd5 (thank
goodness Black’s king has a good dental
plan, since he is about to lose six of his
teeth) 34 Qxd7+ Ke5 35 Qe7+ Kd5 36 Bf3+
Kc4 37 Qc7+ Kb4 38 a3+ Kb5 39 Qc6+ Ka6
40 Qa4 mate.
27 ... Qxe2!
Merry Belated Christmas! White forgot
about his own weak back rank and his
position suddenly folds like an accordion at
a German Octoberfest.
28 Rxf4+
Suddenly, White’s tawdry cluster of
would-be attackers isn’t so intimidating to
Black’s king, who is perfectly safe on g5.
28 ... Kg5! 0-1
Black is not about to squander a
miraculous opportunity. White resigns, in
view of:
a) 29 Rxf8 Qe1+, mating on the back
rank
b) 29 g3 Rxf4 30 gxf4+ Kxf4 31 Kg1
Ke3! 32 Bd3 Qf2+ 33 Kh1 Bb7+ mates
again.
c) 29 h3 Kxf4! (not 29 ... Rxf4?? 30 Qxg7!
and White wins) 30 Qxg7 Qe1+ 31 Kh2
Qg3+ 32 Kg1 Bb7 and wins.
Game 35
S.Matveeva-A.Skripchenko
Krasnoturinsk 2003
 31 Qxc4 Bxh3 32 Qc7
White has no way to protect her g-
pawn. 32 g3?? Rxg3+ is immediately fatal,
while after 32 Qd5 Nf6 33 Qf3 Bxg2 34
Qxg2 Rxg2+ 35 Kxg2 h5 White‘s a-pawn
is slower than Black’s attack.
32 ... Qa8 33 Kf1
White’s king must seek refuge on the
other side of the board.
33 ... Qxg2+ 34 Ke2 Bg4+ 35 Kd3 Bf5+
36 Ke2 Bg4+ 37 Kd3 Qxf2

This is one of the most crazy, head-

spinning games in the book. White has
sacrificed a piece for a lot of pawns. The
only issue is defence of her king since Black
threatens ... Bxh3.
White’s candidates are:
a) 30 Kh1, evading Black’s threat to
chop the h3-pawn.
b) Sacrifice the h3-pawn by countering
in the centre with 30 Bd5.
c) Ignore the threat and play 30 Qxb3,
intending to meet 30 ... Bxh3 with 31 No draw.
Bxf7+, followed by 32 Bxg6. 38 Qf4
38 Re1 h5 leaves White busted.
Exercise (critical decision): Only one of 38 ... Qe2+ 39 Kc3 Be6 40 b3 Nb6
the lines keeps White afloat. Which one? Threatening to fork on d5.
41 Nc7 Rg2
Answer: Line b) is correct since it Threat: ... Qd2 mate. Alternatively, 41 ...
follows the principle: Meet the opponent’s Nd5+! 42 Nxd5 Bxd5 43 a5 Rc6+ 44 Kb4
wing attack with a central counter. Qd2+ 45 Ka4 Rxc1 wins.
30 Qxb3?? 42 Kb4 Qd2+ 43 Kb5!
This tempting choice overlooks Black’s White’s best practical chance is to race
reply. her king into the heart of Black’s queenside.
a) 30 Kh1?? fails to 30 ... Rxc4! 31 Qxc4 43 Ka3?? Bxb3! is an immediate game-
Be4 32 f3 Bxf3! 33 gxf3 Qg3 34 Qf1 Rh6 35 ender.
Qg2 Rxh3+ 36 Kg1 Qh4 and White is 43 ... Bd7+! 44 Kxb6
busted.
b) 30 Bd5! is the only saving move. After
30 ... Rxc1+ 31 Rxc1 Bxh3 32 Qe7 Be6 33
Be4 Rh6 34 Nd6 and White stands no
worse.
30 ... Rxc4!
Destroying White’s light square
protector, while simultaneously
eliminating the threat against f7. Did
White really expect her opponent to play
the feeble 30 ... Bxh3??, allowing 31 Bxf7+
Kh8 32 Bxg6 and wins.

88
 Exercise (critical decision): Black has
two logical choices: Give a queen check on
b4 or a rook check on g6. Only option is
immediately decisive while the other
allows White back in the game. Take your
pick.
44 ... Qb4+?
Answer: The rook check on g6 is fatal for
White: 44 ... Rg6+! 45 Kc5 (if 45 Kb7 Qa5,
White is mated) 45 ... Rc6+ 46 Kd5 Rxc1 47
Rxc1 Qxc1 and Black is faster in the race.
For example: 48 Qd6 h5 49 a5 h4 50 a6
Be6+ 51 Nxe6 fxe6+ 52 Ke4 Qb1+ 53 Kf3
Qf1+ 54 Kg4 Qg2+ forces mate after 55
Kxh4 Ng6+ 56 Kh5 Qf3+! 57 Kxg6 Qf5.
45 Ka7?
Missing 45 Nb5! Rg6+ 46 Kb7 Qe7 47
Rc7 Ne6 48 Qe5, which is not so clear since
White’s simple plan is to push the a-pawn
down the board.
45 ... Rg6?
In irrational positions we play the role
of the witch doctor who tosses chicken
bones to interpret their random sprawl
into a prediction. The complexity level is
just too high.
Black should insert 45 ... Qa5+!
(blocking the white a-pawn) 46 Kb8 and
only then play 46 ... Rg6! with a mating
attack: 47 Qe4 Rb6+ 48 Qb7 Bf5 49 Rc5
Nd7+ 50 Kc8 Rxb7! 51 Rxa5 Rb8 mate.
46 a5 Bc6 47 a6?
Here 47 Rxc6! Rxc6 48 Nd5 wins quickly.
White threatens both Nxb4 and Ne7+,
winning the rook. The only way for Black to
prevent both is with 48 ... Qd6, but then
White swaps queens and promotes the a-
pawn.
89
47 ... Bg2?
The evaluation swings wildly on each
turn! Black can win with 47 ... Nd7!
(threatening mate on b6 or b8) 48 Nd5 Qf8
(threat: ... Qa8 mate) 49 Rxc6 Rxc6 50 Kb7
Qc8+ 51 Ka7 Kh8!! 52 b4 g5! 53 Qg3 f5! 54
b5 f4! (Black seizes control over b8) 55
Qxg5 Qb8 mate.
48 e4?
Now after 48 Na8! Bxa8 49 Qb8! Qxb8+
50 Kxb8 Be4 51 Kc7 White is winning
again.
48 ... Qb6+
48 ... Qxd4+ is even stronger.
49 Ka8 Rd6!
The position is a toddler’s crayon
scribble in a colouring book, where your
guess is as good as mine as to the subject
of the drawing. Black threatens ... Rd8
mate, forcing White’s next move.
50 Qxd6 Bxe4+??
This misplaced zwischenzug throws the
win away. Black should just take the queen:
50 ... Qxd6!, when the game might – but
probably wouldn’t – end 51 d5 Nd7 52 a7
Qf8+ 53 Kb7 Qb4+ 54 Ka8 Nb6+ 55 Kb7
Nxd5+ 56 Kc6 Ne7+ 57 Kd7 Bh3+ 58 Ne6
Qb7+ 59 Kd6 Qb6+ 60 Ke5 f6+ 61 Kf4 Qf2
mate.
51 Qd5! Bxd5+ 52 Nxd5 Qd8+ 53 Kb7
Qxd5+
Exercise (critical decision): Should
White allow perpetual check after 54 Kb8
Qd8+, or go for the full point with 54 Rc6 - ?
54 Rc6?
 Answer: Objectively, White should
allow the draw with 54 Kb8 Qd8+ 55 Kb7
Qd5+ etc.
54 ... Ne6?
It is too soon to bring the knight out. For
now Black can cause more problems just
with her queen. For example: 54 ... Qd7+!
55 Rc7 Qb5+ 56 Kc8 Qd5! (threat: ... Qa8
mate) 57 Kb8 Qxb3+ 58 Kc8 (or 58 Rb7
Qe6, intending 59 a7? Qe8+ 60 Kc7 Qd7+
61 Kb6 Qxd4+ 62 Kb5 Qxa1 and wins) 58 ...
Qd5 (back again) 69 Kb8 Qd8+ 60 Kb7 (or
60 Rc8 Qb6+) 60 ... Qxd4 61 Rac1 (not 61 a7?
Qb2+) 61 ... Qb4+ 62 Kc8 Ne6 (now is the
right moment) 63 a7 Qf8+ 64 Kb7 Nd8+!
(driving the white king out and blocking
the back rank) 65 Ka6 Qa3+ 66 Kb5 h5 67
Rd7 Kh7 68 Rc8 Qb2+ 69 Ka4 Ne6 70 a8Q
Nc5+ 71 Rxc5 Qa2+ 72 Kb5 Qxa8 73 Rxh5+
Kg6 and the tablebases confirm that Black
is winning.
55 a7?
55 Rac1! gives White chances to save
the game.
55 ... Nd8+?
Missing 55 ... Qb5+! 56 Rb6 Qd7+ 57
Ka6 Nc7+ 58 Kb7 Nd5+ 59 Ka6 Nxb6 60
Kxb6 Qxd4+ 61 Kb7 Qxa1! (simplest) 62
a8Q+ Qxa8+ 63 Kxa8 h5 64 b4 h4 65 b5 h3
66 b6 h2 67 b7 h1Q 68 Ka7 Qxb7+! 69
Kxb7 g5 and wins.
56 Kc7 Qxc6+ 57 Kxd8 Qa8+ 58 Kc7
White intends simply to push the b- or
d-pawn to the seventh rank and then
promote.
Black has two plans to try and combat
this:
90
a) Play on the principle: Use your king in
the ending and bring it across, starting
with 58 ... Kf8.
b) Make it a pawn race with 58 ... h5.
Exercise (planning/critical decision):
Which one should Black go for?
Answer: The king is needed on the
queenside.
58 ... h5?
This is too slow. 58 ... Kf8! 59 b4 Ke7 60
b5 Qd8+ 61 Kb7 Qd7+ 62 Ka6 Qc8+ and
the white king can’t escape the checks.
59 b4?
The wrong pawn. 59 d5! Kf8 60 d6 wins
for White, since the black king can’t come
any further.
59 ... h4
59 ... Kf8! 60 b5 Ke7 61 b6 Qd8+ 62 Kb7
Qd7+ 63 Ka6 Qc8+ still draws, since 64 b7??
loses to 64 ... Qc6+ 65 Ka5 Qxb7.
60 b5 h3??
It wasn’t too late for 60 ... Kf8! 61 b6
Ke7 62 b7 (62 Re1+ Kf8 doesn’t help White
at all) 62 ... Qd8+ 63 Kc6 Qd7+ 64 Kb6
Qd6+ and draws.
61 b6 h2 62 b7 h1Q 63 b8Q+ Kh7 64
Rxh1+ Qxh1 65 a8Q
Math isn’t my strong suit, yet I’m
almost certain two is better than one.
65 ... Qh2+ 66 Kd7 Qh3+ 67 Ke7 Qe6+
68 Kf8! 1-0
Black’s checks have run out.
Game 36
H.Nakamura-J.Fluvia Poyatos
Barcelona 2007

I wish I had access to one of those Star
Trek tricorders, which analyses the planet’s
data. On the surface, Black’s position
radiates menace. It would be easy to
convince ourselves that White is losing,
due to the unfortunate position of his king
on h4. This assessment is incorrect, mainly
because White’s king sits on a dark square
and Black lacks sufficient dark square
power to endanger him.
Exercise (critical decision): For now,
Black threatens ... Qg5 mate, so our options
are limited to two responses: 33 Rf4,
blocking the black queen’s access to g5; or
33 Qb5, keeping the g5-squared covered.
One line leads to a clear advantage for
White, while the other allows Black to
equalize. Which would you play?
Answer: White’s queen was out of play
on b2 and needs to be activated to b5, and
then to e5, based upon the principle:
Centralize your pieces when under attack.
33 Qb5!
If 33 Rf4? Bd7! 34 Bh7 Rg4+ 35 Rxg4
hxg4 (threat: Qh6 mate) 36 Kh5 Be8+ 37
Bg6 Bxg6+ 38 Kxg6 c3 39 Qc2 Qxd4 40
Be1 Qf6+ 41 Kh7 (not 41 Kh5?? Qe5+,
picking up the bishop) 41 ... Qf7+, Black has
at least a draw by perpetual check.
33 ... Qxd4
Black has four pawns for the piece and
White’s king looks endangered, yet Black is
the one who is borderline losing.
34 Qe5! Qd8
Black wants to keep queens on the
board and ... e7-e6+ options open. In any
91
case, swapping queens doesn’t solve his
problems. For example: 34 ... Qxe5 35 Bxe5
c6 36 Bh7! Rd8 37 Be4 Kb7 38 Rf7 Re8 39
Rg7 Bd1 40 Bg6 Rd8 41 Rxe7+ Ka6 42 Bf7
Bxa4 43 Bxc4+ b5 44 Be6 b4 45 Kxh5
(White is going to be faster in the
promotion race) 45 ... Rd2 46 h4 Kb6 47
Kg5 b3 48 h5 b2 49 Bf5 Rg2+ 50 Kf6 c5
(50 ... Bc2 51 Bxc2 Rxc2 52 Re8! wins the
passed b-pawn) 51 Be4 Rf2+ 52 Kg5 Ka6
53 h6 Bc2 54 Re6+ Kb5 55 Bxb2 and White
wins.
35 Rd2?!
The rook was better where it was for the
moment. Although it can’t be touched on
d2 due to the mating threat at c7, in reality
Black isn’t too bothered by being forced to
self-pin his bishop right now.
Instead, White should play 35 a5!,
which has the deep threat of 36 Rd2 Bd7 37
Rxd7! Kxd7 (37 ... Qxd7 38 Bf5 wins the
queen) 38 Qd5+ Kc8 39 Qa8+ Kd7 40 Ba4+!
(this is the point of pushing the a-pawn)
40 ... Ke6 41 Qe4+ and mates. The
discovered check 37 ... e6+ can be met by 38
Rf6! Rg7 39 h3 Rf7 40 hxg4 Qxf6+ (or 40 ...
Rxf6 41 g5) 41 Qxf6 Rxf6 42 gxh5, when
White’s h-pawn will eventually cost Black
his rook.
35 ... Bd7 36 Rd4?
This is a serious error which endangers
White’s win. Nakamura assumed that ...
Rg4+ was an actual threat, when it isn’t. He
should return the rook to the f-file with 36
Rf2!, since 36 ... Rg4+? simply drops the h5-
pawn.
36 ... e6+ 37 Kxh5
 Exercise (critical decision): Black can
give either a queen or a bishop check on e8.
Only one version holds a draw. Which
one?
Answer: The queen should give the
check since Black has a future combination,
but only with this version.
37 ... Be8+?
37 ... Qe8+! 38 Kh4 Qd8+ 39 Kh3 Rg5!
40 Qe4 e5+ 41 Kg2 Bh3+! (discovered
attack; not 41 ... exd4?? 42 Qa8 mate) 42
Kxh3 Qxd4 and Black stands no worse.
White should probably just offer a
repetition draw via 43 Qa8+ Kd7 44 Qf3
Kc8 45 Qa8+.
38 Kh6 Qe7
Optically, this appears fatal for White. It
isn’t, since White’s king is bizarrely well
covered by his defenders.
39 Rf4!
Covering against ... Qf8+, while
preparing Qf6.
39 ... Bf7
The idea is to force ... Qf8+ all the same.
Amazingly, the queen check on f8 is
toothless.
40 Qf6?
It’s understandable that Nakamura felt
an urgency to swap queens. The problem is
that Black is not obliged to do so and has a
combination to hold the game.
White should just take the rook with
the cool 40 Rxc4!. Now if 40 ... Qf8+ (40 ...
c5 41 Qb8+ Kd7 42 Qxa7+ and 43 Qxe7+
leaves Black dead lost in the ending due to
White’s passed h-pawn) 41 Kh7, Black
doesn’t have even a single beneficial check
and his own king gets fried.
40 ... Qf8+ 41 Kh7
92
Exercise (combination): Find the
combination which saves Black.
Answer: Move the rook to g6, a square
which allows the rook to fulfil a crazy
messianic dream.
41 ... Kb8?
Don’t put duct tape on the leaking pipe
to save money. Just call the plumber. Both
sides missed the shocker 41 ... Rg6!!. I wish
there was a double-take emoji. Black
threatens both ... Qg8 mate and ... Qh6
mate, so White has to take the rook: 42
Bxg6 (42 Qxg6!? Bxg6+ 43 Bxg6 Qc5 looks
risky to me, even if the engine calls it dead
even) 42 ... Bg8+! 43 Kh8 Bf7+ 44 Kh7
Bg8+ and we witness a startling ecological
transformation, since Black delivers
perpetual check.
42 Rf2?
He allows the combination again! The
cute move 42 a5! short circuits Black, since
42 ... Rg6 can now be met by 43 Qxg6!
Bxg6+ 44 Bxg6 Qc5 45 a6 (playing upon
the weak back rank) 45 ... Kc8 46 Rf7 b5 47
h4 b4 48 h5 b3 49 h6 c3 50 Bf4 c2 51 Kg8
b2 52 h7 c1Q 53 h8Q Qd1 54 Kh7+ Qd8 55
Qxb2 and Black is busted. The engine calls
a forced mate in 17 here!
42 ... e5??
A final blunder. 42 ... Rg6!! should still
save Black.
43 Qxe5 1-0
Black is unable to defend c7 without
hanging his bishop or handing over the
exchange with ... Rxg3.
 Game 37
C.Lakdawala-A.Morshedi
San Diego (rapid) 2013
12 Qc2!?
Although a chicken most of the time, I
tend to be reckless when it comes to my
own king’s safety. “Never trust anyone over
30,” counselled the hippies of my 1960’s
childhood. So what happens if I’m 32 years
past the “don’t trust” date? Here I’m
provoking my opponent into a promising
piece sacrifice which I misassessed during
the game, thinking it was unclear, when
Black was slightly favoured. 12 0-0 was
both safer and probably wiser.
12 ... Ndb4!
In a single turn the position’s
complexity level rises exponentially.
13 axb4 Nxb4 14 Qb1 Nxd3+ 15 Kf1
Nothing is more terrifying than when
an unwise wish comes true. This is the
position I envisioned when I allowed my
opponent to sacrifice a piece. Now that I’m
here, I deeply regret the decision!
15 ... Nc5
93
I thought he would go for 15 ... Bxb3??
16 Ba3! Bc4 17 Bxe7 Qxe7 18 Bd5+! Bxd5
19 Nxd5 Qf7 20 Qxd3 Rfd8 (or 20 ... Rad8
21 Rxa5 b6 22 Rb5 c6 23 Rxb6 Rxd5 24 Qb3
and Black doesn’t have enough for the
piece) 21 Nec3 c6 22 Qxf5! cxd5 (there is no
course other than for Black to put on a false
smile and pretend the fiasco never
occurred) 23 Qxf7+ Kxf7 24 Ke2 with a
won ending for White.
Rather than either that or the text, if
Black plays steadily with something like
15 ... Qd7! 16 h4 Bb4 17 Qc2 Ra6! 18 Kg1
Rd6, he stands clearly better since White is
tied up.
16 Ba3! Nxb3
Threatening a knight fork on d2 as well
as ... Nxa1.
17 Bxe7 Qxe7 18 Nd5! Nd2+ 19 Ke1
The engine prefers 19 Kg1!.
19 ... Qd6 20 Qxb7!
White threatens Qxc7, as well as Kxd2.
20 ... f4?!
If you liberate your imagination, don’t
be surprised if it goes wild. My opponent
embraces his inner anarchist. As you may
have guessed, Black’s last move is not
based upon a sober assessment of the
position. While the engine hates this start
of a sacrificial binge, it wasn’t so easy to
deal with from my side of the board,
especially with my customary no-time-left-
on-the-clock issue.
Nonetheless, Black should have played
20 ... Ne4! 21 Bxe4 fxe4 22 Ndc3 Rab8 23
Qxe4 Bf5 24 Qc4+ Be6, when White can
either take the repetition draw by moving
the queen back to e4, or go for the full
point with the risky 25 Qa4!?.
21 Qxc7
Even stronger was 21 gxf4! Rfd8 22 fxe5
Qxe5 23 Rd1 Rab8 24 Qxc7 Rxd5 25 Qxe5
Rxe5 26 Rxd2 a4 27 Nd4, when White will
consolidate and win.
21 ... Qa6
If 21 ... Qxc7? 22 Nxc7 f3 then 23 Bf1!
fxe2 24 Bg2! and Black loses material.
22 gxf4 Bg4
Threatening mate on the move.
Exercise (critical decision): Should
White defend with 23 Nec3, or make air for
the king with 23 f3 - ?
Answer: The calm 23 Nec3! gives White
a winning position.
23 f3?
Sigh. Well, I never claimed to be the
LeBron of the chess world. The evaluation
drops heavily for White after this error.
Instead, 23 Nec3! exf4 24 Kxd2 fxe3+
25 Kxe3! Rae8+ 26 Be4 is winning, as after
26 ... Rf3+ 27 Kd4 Rxe4+ 28 Kxe4 Qd3+ 29
Ke5 Qf5+ 30 Kd6 Qe6+ 31 Kc5, Black’s
attack has run out and he is left a rook and
a piece down.
23 ... Nxf3+ 24 Kf2 Nd4?
Now Black is re-busted! 24 ... Nh4! 25
Bf1 Qe6 26 Rxa5 exf4 27 Nexf4 Rxa5 28
Qxa5 Qe4 29 Rg1 Qf3+ 30 Ke1 Qd1+ 31
Kf2 Qf3+ is perpetual check.
25 Nec3
I should do everything possible to
reduce Black’s attacking force. Therefore
94
25 Nxd4! exd4 26 Kg3! was best with a
winning position.
25 ... Qd3
If 25 ... exf4 26 exd4 Qd3 27 Rhd1 Bxd1
28 Rxd1 Qc2+ 29 Kg1 f3 30 Bf1, White will
consolidate.
26 Ra2?!
Covering the second rank isn’t White’s
best. 26 Ne7+! Kh8 27 Qxe5 wins.
26 ... exf4 27 exf4?!
Here I missed 27 Be4!! fxe3+ 28 Kg3
Qa6 29 Kxg4 and should still win. Not 27
exd4?? Qxd4+ 28 Ke1 f3, when White’s
king gets fried.
27 ... Nf5?
27 ... Rae8!, threatening ... Ne6!, offers
Black full compensation for his material
deficit.
28 Re1
We’re back to winning for White!
28 ... Qd4+ 29 Kf1 Rac8 30 Qxa5 Nh4
Going after my light-squared bishop,
while opening the f-file for his rook.
31 Qa4
After 31 Ne2! Qe5 32 Ng3 Qd4 33 Rd2
Black is busted. White should avoid the
greedy 31 Ne7+?, since Black’s c8-rook isn’t
hanging because of the threat of ... Rxf4+.
31 ... Rc4 32 Qc2 Qc5
 hxg3, or decline and sidestep with 42 Kf1
-?

Answer: The rook should not be taken.

White is winning if the rook is declined.
42 Kf1!
This move is the insincere, deferential
smile of a pretend-friend, who secretly
plans malice against you. If 42 hxg3?
Qxg3+ 43 Kf1 Rh1+ 44 Ke2 Bxf3+ 45 Nxf3
Qg2+ 46 Ke3 Qxb2 47 Rxh1 Qb3+ 48 Kf4
Qxe6 49 Rh4!, White is lucky to save the
Exercise (planning): Black now game.
threatens ... Rcxf4+. Find a defensive plan 42 ... Rxh2
to deal with it. If 42 ... Rg1+ 43 Kxg1 Qxh2+ 44 Kf1
Qh1+ 45 Ke2 Bxf3+ then 46 Kd3! Be4+ 47
Answer: Simplification. Move the Kc4 Bd5+ 48 Kc5 wins.
queen to f2, which threatens to swap 43 Qxf6+ Qf7 44 Qe5!
queens, and also threatens Qxh4. Threat: Rf6. Not 44 Ne4? Qxf6 45 Rxf6+
33 Qf2! Rxc3 34 Nxc3? Ke7 46 Nxg3 Kxf6 47 f4 Ke6 and the game
My knight is too important to give away. will almost certainly end in a draw.
I should take on h4 at once. 44 ... f4
34 ... Qxc3? Now if 44 ... Rgg2 then 45 Ne4! and the
Missing 34 ... Qc4+! 35 Kg1 Nxg2 36 threat of Rd8+ is decisive.
Qxg2 Qxc3 37 Qd5+ Kh8 38 Qe5 Qc6, 45 Rf6 Ba6+!
which won’t be so easy to convert for White.
35 Qxh4 Qc4+ 36 Kg1!
Not 36 Rae2?? Bxe2+ and White is
unable to recapture due to the
threatened ... Rxf4+.
36 ... Qxa2 37 Qxg4 1-0

Game 38
S.Mamedyarov-R.Rapport
Sinquefield Cup, St. Louis 2021

A good practical try which just doesn’t

work against exact defence. The problem is
Black’s debt continues to follow him.
46 Rxa6 Rh1+ 47 Kf2 Rh2+ 48 Ke1!
No perpetual checks since White’s
knight can block on f1.
48 ... Rh1+ 49 Nf1 Rxf1+!
Black’s attack hasn’t grown sleepy just
yet. This may look scary, but Mamedyarov
worked out that his king escapes.
Exercise (critical decision): Should 50 Kxf1 Qc4+
White accept Black’s rook offer with 42 ...

95

Exercise (critical decision): White has
three choices: a) 51 Ke1; b) 51 Qe2,
blocking Black’s check; and c) 51 Kf2. One
96
wins, another draws, and the third unlucky
pick loses.
Answer: Only line a) wins.
51 Ke1!
Instead:
b) 51 Qe2? Rxf3+ 52 Ke1 Re3 53 Rf6+
Ke7 54 Qxe3+ fxe3 55 Rdd6 Qxb4+ is a
draw.
c) 51 Kf2?? (it’s never too late to totally
blow it) 51 ... Qc2+ 52 Qe2 Rg2+! 53 Kxg2
Qxe2+ 54 Kh3 Qxf3+ 55 Kh4 Qxd1 56 Rf6+
Kg7 57 Rxf4 Kg6 and White won’t hold the
game. The tablebase declares mate in 23.
51 ... Rg1+ 52 Kf2 Qc2+ 53 Kxg1 Qxd1+
54 Kf2 1-0
Since Black’s checks soon run out.
 Chapter Three
The Dynamic Element
I like to grasp the initiative and not give my opponent peace of mind. – Mikhail Tal

In this chapter we examine games

which teach us how to grab hold of and
then maintain the initiative.

Game 39
P.Morphy-A.Anderssen
Casual game, Paris 1858

All traces of childhood are missing in

the chess prodigy. Paul Morphy was the
very first recognized child prodigy in
recorded chess history. Even before his
teens, he was already beating the Instead, 8 Rh2? is horribly passive and
strongest adults in the New Orleans of his Black easily gets a winning position with
day. 8 ... Qe7+ 9 Kf2 d5 10 Bxf4 Rg8 11 Ne3 Qf6!
1 e4 e5 2 f4 12 Qf3 (12 Nxd5? Qd4+ wins a piece) 12 ...
One era’s orthodoxy is another’s heresy. Qxb2 13 Bxg3 Qxa1 14 Nd2 Bb4! and
Today, we would be shocked if the King’s White doesn’t have enough for the
Gambit were played in a Candidates’ sacrificed material.
tournament or a World Championship 8 ... Nxh1
match. Yet it refuses to be driven off its After 8 ... Qe7+! 9 Be2 Rg8 (9 ... Nxh1??
ancestral lands and is still played loses to 10 Bg5!) 10 Bxg3 Rxg4 11 Bf2 (not
enthusiastically at club level. During the 11 Kf2?? Rxg3! 12 Kxg3 Qe3+ 13 Bf3 d5!,
Anderssen/Morphy era, the opening was when ... Bd6+ is coming and White is
routine and even expected. It’s no surprise mated) 11 ... Rxg2 12 Nc3 d5! the position
the King’s Gambit was so popular then is messy and possibly equal.
since it’s an opening which leads to 9 Qe2+! Qe7
positions which lend themselves to both Not 9 ... Be7?? 10 Nf6+ Kf8 11 Bh6 mate.
creativity and violence, factors the Great
Romantics cherished most in chess.
2 ... exf4 3 Nf3 g5 4 h4 g4 5 Ne5 Nf6 6
Nxg4 Nxe4 7 d3 Ng3 8 Bxf4!
The only move. Behind this seemingly
random event lies organization. The
sacrificial spree pauperizes Morphy’s
position, but only temporarily. While the
sacrifice is empirically sound, it shouldn’t
offer White any advantage against exact
defence. Still, this is a high-rent district,
since most opening lines don’t commit us
to being down a rook by move 8! Exercise (combination alert): How does
White win back material?

97
 Answer: Step 1: Drive Black’s king to d8.
10 Nf6+!
Symbiants need each other to exist.
Watch White’s bishop and knight team in
action.
10 ... Kd8
Answer: Step 2: Attraction.
11 Bxc7+! Kxc7 12 Nd5+
Step 3: Knight fork. “I rob banks,
because that is where the money is,” said
that great philosopher and thinker, John
Dillinger.
12 ... Kd8 13 Nxe7 Bxe7
White got a queen and pawn for two
minor pieces and a rook – not such a bad
deal. Stockfish calls it dead even, while Fritz
very slightly prefers Black.
14 Qg4
Threat: Qh3, trapping Black’s knight.
14 ... d6 15 Qf4
Threat: Qh2.
15 ... Rg8 16 Qxf7 Bxh4+
The position is being devoured, as if by
an out-of-control California wildfire.
17 Kd2 Re8 18 Na3!
White covers e1, while leaving air for
his king on c3. Now it becomes a fight to
see whose king is the more endangered.
Not 18 Nc3? Bg5+ 19 Kd1 Ng3 20 Be2 Nc6
21 Bf3 Bd7, when White experiences
trouble untangling.
18 ... Na6?
This move is the culprit which loses the
initiative. After 18 ... Bg5+ 19 Kc3 Nc6 20
Qg7 h6 21 Nb5 Bd7! 22 Nxd6 Re7 23 Qg8+
Kc7! 24 Qxa8 Kxd6 25 Qf8 Kc7 the engine
says dead equal!
19 Qh5
98
19 Qf4 is also promising for White.
19 ... Bf6 20 Qxh1 Bxb2??
It wasn’t too late for 20 ... Bg5+! 21 Kc3
Be6 22 b3 Bf6+ 23 d4 Rc8+ 24 Kb2! (not 24
Kd2?? Bg5+ 25 Ke1 Nb4 and White is
busted) 24 ... Bxd4+ 25 Kb1 Re7, when the
engine only slightly prefers White. From
my human perspective, White’s position
looks difficult to play since his pieces are
tied up.
Exercise (combination alert): Anderssen
shouldn’t have snapped at the bait on b2.
Find a defensive combination which saves
White from material loss.
Answer: Step 1: Give check on h4.
21 Qh4+!
The most pleasant trip in the world is
the one to your enemy’s funeral, which is
the white queen’s destination.
21 ... Kd7
21 ... Kc7 22 Nb5+ Kb8 23 Rb1 Bh8 24
Nxd6 leaves Black completely busted.
22 Rb1 Bxa3 23 Qa4+! 1-0
Hateful fingers reach out for the a3-
bishop’s throat.
Step 2: Double attack. Black failed to
win a piece and is busted.
Game 40
P.Morphy-A.Anderssen
Paris match (Game 9) 1858
It’s a one-mile race between a rabbit
and a tortoise. You give the tortoise a 24-
hour head start. The tortoise wins the race
and then you conclude that the tortoise is
way, way faster than the rabbit. This illogic
is no different than when a delusional,
infuriating, 2100 rated Facebook friend
claims that Morphy was a hack and that he,
the 2100 player, would slaughter him in a
match.
First of all, I think Morphy would still
win the match, despite not having the
luxury of a century and a half head start in
theory, books, articles, databases and
coaches. If Morphy was 25 years old today,
he would be playing Magnus for the world
championship and be the slight favourite
to win, at least in my opinion. Thank you.
Diatribe completed. If you forced me to
pick my favourite Morphy game, this one
would be it.
1 e4 c5!?
It’s weird to see Anderssen hobnobbing
with the then eccentric Sicilian Defence.
This must have come as a surprise to
Morphy. 1 ... e5 was almost automatic in
the olden days.
2 d4 cxd4 3 Nf3
3 c3 is the Smith-Morra Gambit, which
hadn’t even been invented at the time of
this game.
3 ... Nc6
3 ... e5 4 Nxe5?? is a catastrophic
blunder, as 4 ... Qa5+ wins White’s knight.
But 4 c3! gives White a favourable version
of the Smith-Morra, since the early push to
e5 creates a hole on d5 and weakens
Black’s light squares.
4 Nxd4 e6 5 Nb5
5 Nc3 is played more often now.
5 ... d6 6 Bf4
The idea is to induce ... e6-e5 and then
exploit the hole on d5. The space-gaining 6
99
c4, first played by Capablanca, was
probably not even considered in the
Morphy/Anderssen era.
6 ... e5 7 Be3 f5?
Anderssen is in flagrant violation of
two principles with this move:
1. Don’t create confrontation when
lagging in development.
2. Don’t open the game when behind in
development.
Today, of course, we demand a return
to morality and decency, which is why 7 ...
Nf6 would be an automatic choice for any
player in our time.
8 N1c3
Intending Nd5.
8 ... f4
One benefit of having the white pieces
is that our extra move grants us a certain
degree of leeway with dubious eccentricity,
without too much fear of punishment. Try
and pull this from the other side and we
are in real trouble, since Black is not
designed to seize the initiative from the
get-go. Anderssen brushes aside White’s
Nd5 and Nc7+ implication with lofty
contempt, creating a threat of his own.
Unfortunately, it’s not the restorative tonic
he hopes it to be. That said, Black was in
trouble anyway:
a) 8 ... a6 can be met by 9 Nd5! axb5 10
Bb6 with a fork on c7 to follow.
b) 8 ... Nf6 9 Bg5, threatens both Nd5
and also Bxf6, followed by Qh5+.
9 Nd5!
Now it’s clear that Black’s aggression is
devoid of substance.
9 ... fxe3
 9 ... Rb8 10 Bd2 Nf6 11 Nbc7+ Kf7 12
Nxf6 Qxc7 13 Nd5 Qd8 14 g3! is lost for
Black. So Anderssen gives up an exchange
to disrupt Morphy’s king, with the
incorrect assumption that Morphy is
actually going to take the a8-rook!
10 Nbc7+ Kf7
Exercise (critical decision): Should
Morphy just grab on a8, or ignore the rook
and go after Black’s king with either 11
Qf3+ or 11 fxe3, opening the f-file?
11 Qf3+?!
This attempt at a shortcut was
predictable since Morphy was one of the
least materialistic players of his (or any)
day.
Answer: Taking the rook at once is
objectively best. After 11 Nxa8! exf2+ 12
Kxf2 Qh4+ 13 g3 Qxe4 14 Bg2 White’s
king is safe and he even leads in
development, so he should consolidate his
extra exchange.
Not 11 fxe3? Rb8 12 Bc4 Kg6! 13 0-0 h5!
and White doesn’t have enough
compensation for the sacrificed piece.
11 ... Nf6 12 Bc4
Threat: Nxf6+. It’s too late to have
buyer’s regret and play 12 Nxa8?? since
Black seizes a decisive initiative with 12 ...
Nd4 13 Qd1 Bg4! 14 Qc1 (if 14 f3 Nxd5 15
exd5 Nxf3+! 16 gxf3 Qh4+, it’s going to be
an unpleasant ride for White’s king) 14 ...
Qa5+ 15 Nc3 (or 15 c3 exf2+ 16 Kxf2
Nxe4+) 15 ... e2! and White can resign.
12 ... Nd4!!
Friends of art, may I have your
attention? With this stunning move,
100
Anderssen refuses to flinch and finds the
only path to dynamic equality. Black loses
without a fight if he chickens out: 12 ...
Kg6?? 13 Qg3+ Kh6 14 Qxe3+ Kg6 15
Qg3+ Kh6 16 Nxa8 wins.
13 Nxf6+ d5! 14 Bxd5+
The correct defensive plan begins to
unfold, yet the crucial details remain
unsuggested. Believe it or not, Black is
perfectly fine in this position, provided
that he finds the only move. His head-
spinning choices are: a) 14 ... Qxd5; b) 14 ...
Kg6; and c) 14 ... Ke7.
Exercise (critical decision): Two out of
the three choices lose. Which one would
you play?
Answer: Only line c) saves Black.
14 ... Kg6?
I wish the pharmaceutical industry
would come up with an anxiety-
preventing amnesia pill which we could
pop, immediately after our blunders.
Anderssen was one of the greatest
calculators of his day, yet it wasn’t enough
for him to see his way through this mess,
since the correct defensive plan is only half
in/half out of his perception.
a) 14 ... Qxd5? 15 Nfxd5+ Nxf3+ 16 gxf3
exf2+ 17 Kxf2 Rb8 leaves White with an
extra pawn in the ending. Black’s bishop
pair is no compensation due to White’s
grip on d5.
c) 14 ... Ke7!! (this weird – impossible
for a human to find – engine move saves
Black) 15 Qh5 (if 15 Ng8+?! Kd6!, Black is
at least even) 15 ... gxf6 16 Qf7+ Kd6 17
Nxa8 Nxc2+ 18 Ke2 Nd4+! (Zukertort and
Maróczy didn’t consider this non-capture
in their annotations of this game) 19 Kd3!
(19 Kxe3? Bh6+! is good for Black) 19 ...
exf2 20 Bc4 Bh6 and White has nothing
better than to take perpetual check with 21
Qd5+ Ke7 22 Qf7+ etc, as noted by GM
Franco Ocampos.
15 Qh5+! Kxf6 16 fxe3!
Morphy reveals all with majestic
simplicity: Black is unable to survive the
opening of the f-file. Not 16 Ne8+?? (falling
for Black’s trap) 16 ... Qxe8! 17 Qxe8 Bb4+
18 c3 Rxe8 and White must resign; or 16
Qf7+?? Kg5 and Black’s king is safe on the
kingside dark squares.
16 ... Nxc2+
16 ... g6 17 Qh4+ g5 18 Rf1+ and 16 ...
Qxc7 17 0-0+ Ke7 18 Rf7+ also win for
White.
17 Ke2 1-0
Since 17 ... Qxc7 18 Raf1+ Ke7 19 Rf7+
wins Black’s queen.
Game 41
M.Euwe-W.Schelfhout
Amsterdam 1927
To many players, Euwe’s reign as world
champion was merely a footnote. He was
supposed to be the next Bogoljubow, in a
long line of defeated Bogos. Instead, he
came from 5-2 behind to defeat an over-
confident Alekhine by 15½-14½ and claim
the title. Furthermore, Euwe’s
contributions to chess were staggering:
with his opening theory contributions,
prolific writing (especially on planning and
strategic themes) and later chess
organization, he helped popularize the
game. So I scold any student who dismisses
Euwe as an insignificant champion.
101
The fact that we embraced an unsound
plan and then won the game isn’t a
vindication of its soundness. Euwe, who
previously overpressed, is a piece down
and if the pin on Black’s b5-bishop is
broken, then the f1-rook hangs as well.
Euwe’s single positive in the position is his
lead in development.
Exercise (planning): In this difficult
position, what is White’s best shot at
complicating the game, while seizing the
initiative?
Answer: Give up another exchange to
disrupt Black’s development.
14 axb5!
Once set in motion, such a mechanism
cannot be halted. Is this an attack, or is it
desperation, masquerading as an attack?
The answer is it’s a little bit of both.
14 ... Qxa1! 15 Qc7 axb5!
Black cleverly plays upon White’s weak
back rank.
16 Rd1
Threatening mate on d7. Obviously not
16 Rxa1?? Rxa1+ and White is mated in
two moves.
16 ... Nc5?!
This move allows White to generate
attacking chances. After 16 ... Qxd1+! 17
Nxd1 Be7 18 Bxe7 Kxe7 Black stands a
shade better, with a rook pair for White’s
queen.
17 g3!
Now Rxa1 is on the table, as well as
Rd8+, forcing mate.
17 ... f6!
 Avoiding the trap 17 ... Qa5?? 18 Qxa5
Rxa5 19 Rd8 mate.
18 Rxa1 Rxa1+ 19 Kg2
Black is material up with two rooks and
a pawn for the queen, on top of which he
can win another piece next move. His only
issue is his lack of kingside development
and his slightly aired out king.
Exercise (critical decision): Should Black
take the en prise white bishop with 19 ...
fxg5, or counterattack with 19 ... b4 - ? One
line keeps Black even, while he is in trouble
in the other.
Answer: Black should counterattack.
19 ... fxg5?
After 19 ... b4! 20 Be3 bxc3 21 Bxc5 cxb2
(or 21 ... Bxc5 22 Qxc5 cxb2 23 Qc8+ Kf7 24
Qxb7+ Kg6 25 Qxb2 Rha8) 22 Qb8+ Kf7 23
Qxb7+ Be7! 24 Qxb2 (24 Qxe7+ Kg6 25
Qxe6 b1Q 26 Qg4+ is perpetual check) 24 ...
Rha8 25 Qb7 Re8 Black can’t lose.
20 Qc8+ Kf7 21 b4!
Undermining the piece which supports
the b7-pawn.
21 ... Na6
Maybe Black should go into
desperation mode with 21 ... Nd3!? 22 cxd3
Bxb4, though after 23 Qxb7+! (stronger
than 23 Qxh8 Bxc3 24 Qxh7 Bf6, when
Black may have drawing chances) 23 ... Be7
24 Ne4 Black remains in danger.
22 Nxb5!
Euwe won’t allow Black’s kingside
pieces to emerge.
22 ... h5
102
The idea is to develop his h8-rook via h6.
If 22 ... Nxb4 23 Qd7+ Be7 24 Nd6+ Kf6 25
Ne4+ Ke5 (25 ... Kf7? loses to 26 Nxg5+) 26
Qxe7 Kxe4 then 27 Qxe6+! Kd4 28 Qe3+
Kc4 29 Qe4+ Kc3 (29 ... Kb5 30 Qe5+ is
similar) 30 Qe5+ Kxc2 31 Qxa1 wins.
23 Nd4!
Targeting Black’s tender e6-pawn.
23 ... Rh6
Exercise (critical decision): White must
find a way to keep Black off balance.
Which move is stronger: 24 Qxb7+ or 24
Nf3 - ?
Answer: White’s knight should be
rerouted to the kingside by way of f3.
24 Qxb7+?
After Euwe’s move, Black has chances to
survive. Instead, 24 Nf3! Kg8 25 Nxg5 Rg6
26 h4 Nxb4 27 Qe8 Rxg5 28 hxg5 Nc6 29
Qxe6+ Kh8 30 Qc8 Kg8 31 Qxb7 leaves
Black busted since White picked up too
many pawns and Black’s king remains
unsafe.
24 ... Kg8 25 Qa8?!
Once again 25 Nf3 was necessary.
25 ... Ra3
After 25 ... Ra2! 26 Nxe6 Rxe6 27 Qd5
Kf7 28 Qxa2 Nxb4 Black won’t lose.
26 b5 Nc7 27 Qc8 e5?!
If 27 ... Rc3! 28 b6 Nb5! 29 Qd7 Nd6 30
b7 Nxb7 31 Qxb7 Rf6, Black looks okay.
28 Nf5 Rf6 29 b6 Na6 30 b7 Kh7
 37 ... Nb8 38 h4!
Second time lucky, though it’s not as
strong now.
38 ... gxh4??
The final, fatal mistake. After 38 ... Ra1+!
39 Ke2 Rh1! 40 Qe4 Rh3 41 hxg5 Rh5 42
Nxe3 Rhxg5 43 Nf5 Rxf5! 44 Qxf5 Bxg3
Black holds the draw.
39 Qh5+!

31 Ne3!
White doesn’t win a piece after 31 b8Q??
Nxb8 32 Qxb8 Rxf5, so has just given the
valuable b-pawn away.
31 ... Bd6 32 Qe8! h4 33 Ng4?!
White should pick up a pawn with 33
Qh5+ Kg8 34 Qxg5.
33 ... Rg6 34 Qc8 hxg3 35 fxg3!?
Euwe wants to retain h2-h4 options. In
doing so he exposes his king. Capturing A hamster can never relax under the
towards the centre with 35 hxg3 is safer. cat’s stare. Now White’s initiative
35 ... e4 36 Qf5 e3?? reawakens with terrible purpose.
Anything but this. 39 ... Rh6 40 Nxh6 gxh6
If 40 ... Bxg3 41 Nf7+ Kg8 42 Ng5,
White forces mate.
41 Qf7+ 1-0
In view of 41 ... Kh8 42 Qf6+ (picking off
Black’s bishop to begin with) 42 ... Kh7 43
Qxd6 Ra1+ 44 Ke2 h3 45 Qc7+ Kg6 46
Qxb8 h2 47 Qg8+ Kf5 48 b8Q Re1+ (or 48 ...
h1Q 49 Qf4 mate) 49 Kd3! Rd1+ 50 Kc4
and mate in two.

Game 42
N.Mannheimer-A.Nimzowitsch
Exercise (combination alert): What did Frankfurt 1930
Black miss?

Answer: Pinned piece. White should

play 37 h4!, threatening h4-h5 next.
37 Kf1?
Euwe must have been in extreme time
pressure to miss 37 h4! gxh4 38 Qh5+!.
(much stronger than 38 gxh4? e2! 39 Kf2
e1Q+ 40 Kxe1 Ra5! 41 Nf6+ Kh6 42 Qxa5
Rxf6, when Black has chances to hold the
draw) 38 ... Rh6 39 Nxh6 gxh6 40 Qf7+ Kh8
41 Qf6+ and wins.

103

Let’s first take stock. It’s clear that
White’s position is under heavy strategic
distress:
1. White’s forces are completely tied
down to defence of g3, a square Black
hammers away at.
2. The minor piece situation is
completely lopsided in favour of Black,
since he has two monster knights
occupying holes on c4 and e4 against
White’s tied down knight and pathetically
bad bishop, who is hemmed in by so many
of his own pawns.
3. Weak light squares impair White’s
defensive ability.
4. Despite Black’s aggressive stance,
White’s king looks safe for now.
5. The queenside is deserted by both
sides.
Exercise (planning): Believe it or not,
number 5 on the list is a key factor in
Nimzo’s coming plan. If you were Black,
what would be your plan to win the game?
37 ... Qg6!!
Answer: Nimzowitsch’s completely
atonal winning plan is the following:
Step 1: Transfer his queen to a6 and
then pick off White’s undefended “who
cares?” a2-pawn.
Step 2: With White’s forces too tied up,
he is helpless to halt promotion of Black’s
a-pawn in the middlegame!
38 Be3 Qa6! 39 Bf2
If White covers his a-pawn with 39
Nc1?, Black switches his focus to the other
flank: 39 ... hxg3 40 Rxh6+ Qxh6
104
(threatening to infiltrate h2) 41 Bg1 Rh4!
(renewing the threat) 42 Ne2 Rh2+! 43 Kf1
g2+ 44 Ke1 Qh4+ 45 Rf2 (45 Kd1 Nb2+
forks king and queen) 45 ... Rh1 46 Qf3
Nxf2 47 Qxf2 Qh3 48 Kd1 Nd6! 49 Kc1
Ne4 50 Qe1 Qf3 51 Kb2 Qf1 and wins.
39 ... Qxa2!
Waste not, want not! At first glance it
almost seems petty for Black to take a
worthless a-pawn, when he has such
power arrayed on the other side of the
board. Then we look deeper and see that
the pawn is anything but “worthless”,
since its removal clears the way for Black’s
own a-pawn to promote. Black’s c4-knight
is more valuable than White’s f3-rook. So
Nimzo rejects the line 39 ... Nb2 40 Qe3
Nd1 41 Qd3 Ndxf2 which should win
easily too, but is a bit of an anti-climax.
40 Be1 a5!
White’s defensive impotence is put on
display. The awful truth emerges and it’s
worse than Mannheimer could even
imagine: he has no way to halt Black’s a-
pawn from roaring down the board.
41 Kf1
If 41 Rf1 a4 42 Bf2 a3 43 Nc1 Qb2 44
Nb3 hxg3 45 Rxh6+ Kxh6 46 Bg1 Rh4 47
Re1 a2 48 Na1, sure, White has found a
way to prevent promotion. The only
problem is that Stockfish 14 assesses the
position at -17.46! – almost two queens up
for Black, who can win as he pleases.
41 ... Qb1 42 Ng1 a4 43 Ke2 a3 44 Rf1
a2 0-1
And the a1-square, here I come!
Game 43
 Be.Larsen-D.Bronstein
Moscow 1962
Let’s see what happens when two of
the most creative players in chess history
meet. The result was an almost surreal
game.
1. Bronstein is a pawn down.
2. He has power on the light squares,
with his rook planted in the e4-hole.
3. If Black can swap bishop for knight,
White will be left with a bad bishop versus
good knight.
Exercise (planning): Come up with
Black’s most resilient plan.
Answer: Offer a second pawn with ...
g6-g5!! which, if accepted, gives Black the
superior minor piece and increases his
domination on the light squares.
27 ... g5!!
Nimzowitsch approved!
28 Nxg5?
Larsen’s best chance to try and win is 28
Qh2! g4 29 Ng5. Black would offer an
exchange with 29 ... Nc8! and, believe it or
not, the engine says White only holds a tiny
edge.
28 ... Bxg5!
Now Larsen is saddled with a terrible,
rotten, no-good bishop, versus Bronstein’s
killer knight.
29 Qxg5+ Kf7 30 Qh4 Rg8 31 Rf3 Rg4
32 Qf2 Ng8!
105
Black is two full pawns down. Let’s try
and assess the compensation:
1. White’s major pieces are passive.
2. White’s embarrassment of a bishop
is a disgrace to minor pieces everywhere.
3. Black’s knight will be rerouted to f6,
after which it can either move into e4, g4
or, if White exchanges on e4, then to d5,
after playing ... d5xe4.
4. Black dominates the light squares.
Conclusion: I would be delighted to play
Black, despite White’s two extra pawns.
33 Rxe4!?
Larsen could not have been happy to
give his opponent a protected passed
pawn on e4, but if he didn’t swap now,
then Black’s knight would later enter e4,
which Larsen didn’t want to allow.
33 ... dxe4
A hold emerges on d5 for Black’s knight
or queen.
34 Rh3 Nh6
This way White’s h-pawn is blockaded.
35 Qe2 Rg8 36 b3!?
Larsen plays for the full point. In doing
so, he also risks a loss. Let’s say Larsen
dreams of freeing his bad bishop via h4.
Watch how easy it would be for White to
lose: 36 Qf1 Ng4 37 Be1 Qd5 38 Bh4 e3 39
Bg5?? Qe4 and White is completely busted
due to Black’s e-pawn, supported by queen
and knight.
 36 ... cxb3!?
Maybe Bronstein is also going for the
full point. 36 ... Qa3 37 bxc4 Qxa2 38 cxb5
axb5 39 Qxb5 Qxd2 40 Qd7+ is perpetual
check.
37 axb3 Qd5!
Inducing more of White’s pawns on the
same – and therefore wrong – colour
squares as his remaining bishop.
38 b4
White’s bishop, hemmed in by four of
his own pawns, is not a handsome man.
Let’s say White attempts to open lines with
38 c4!? (not 38 Qd1?? e3 with a fatal
double attack on g2 and d2) 38 ... Qxd4+ 39
Qe3 Qa1+ 40 Be1 Rd8!. Black stands no
worse.
38 ... Qa2 39 Kf1 Ke6!
Maybe Bronstein dreams of a future
where his king may penetrate via c4 if
queens are removed from the board.
40 g3 Kd5!
Steinitz was right after all.
41 Be1 Qb1
It looks as if magic is forbidden in this
kingdom and a draw looks completely
inevitable since neither side has a prayer of
making progress. This fact, however,
doesn’t stop Larsen from trying!
42 g4!?
106
The mind of ambition tends to remain
serenely undisturbed when the board’s
reality screams: “Don’t do it!” The correct
ChessBase symbol should be “!?!?”
Unfortunately, my annotation pallet lacks
this much needed option. Our chess
decisions reveal truths about ourselves.
Larsen, refusing to accept a subservient
stance, embarks on a course of no return.
This is the start of a triple (!) pawn sacrifice,
the idea being to open the position and go
after Black’s king, which the engine says is
sound, yet still equal! Just watch.
42 ... Rxg4 43 c4+!
Principle: There is no such thing as a
partial commitment. Either you are in, or
you are out. And Larsen is in! Somehow,
Paul Morphy’s line opening sacrifices
looked a lot different than Larsen’s!
43 ... bxc4
43 ... Kxd4?? is suicidal: 44 Qe3+ Kxc4
45 Qc5 mate.
44 Ra3!
Now we see Larsen’s deep point: He
laterally shifts his once-sleeping rook into
an attacking stance, planning to go to a5
next. “Bronstein was famous for his
original ideas in wild positions. Yet even he
could not cope with Larsen’s shocking
three-pawn sac!” writes IM Jack Peters.
44 ... Rxf4+
Bronstein has gone from one pawn
down to two pawns up!
45 Kg2 Rg4+
45 ... Ng4?? is met by 46 Ra5+ Kd6 47
Bg3 Qc1 48 Rxf5 Ne3+ 49 Qxe3!, winning.
46 Kh3
 Stockfish’s evaluation: 0.00!
46 ... Rf4!?
Instead, 46 ... f4 47 Ra5+ Kxd4 48 Ra3
e3 49 Bc3+ Ke4 50 Qxc4+ Kf3 51 Qd5+ Kf2
52 Ra2+ Qxa2 53 Qxa2+ e2 54 Bd4+! (it
would be folly to play for the full point with
54 Qd2??, since 54 ... Rg3+ 55 Kh4 Nf5 or
55 Kh2 Ng4+ 56 Kh1 Rh3 is mate) 54 ...
Kf1 55 Qa1+ e1Q 56 Qxa6+ Qe2 57 Qa1+
is perpetual check.
47 Ra5+ Kxd4!
Threatening ... Qd3+. Bronstein avoids
47 ... Kd6?? 48 Qxc4 Qd3+ (otherwise Black
is mated) 49 Qxd3 exd3 50 Bg3 and wins.
48 Bf2+! Rxf2
Black must hand the exchange back
since 48 ... Kc3?? hangs a rook to 49 Qe3+
Kc2 50 Qxf4.
49 Qxf2+ e3 50 Qf4+
Again, 50 Qg2 Ng4 51 h6 Nf2+ 52 Kh4
Qxb4 53 Qg7+ Kd3 54 Qd7+ Ke2 55 Ra2+
Ke1 56 h7 c3+ 57 Kg5 Qg4+ 58 Kf6 Qh4+
59 Kg6 Qg4+ is perpetual check.
50 ... Qe4 51 Qxe4+!?
You have to be kidding me. This is pure
faith, rather than scientific reason. There is
no way Larsen could have calculated the
consequence of the coming promotion
race. The engine still says it’s even. Every
other player in the universe would have
taken a draw: 51 Qxh6 Qh1+ 52 Kg3 Qg1+
53 Kh3 (anywhere else is mate on the
move) 53 ... Qh1+ with perpetual check.
51 ... Kxe4 52 Rxa6
107
Exercise (critical decision): An extreme
climate sets the level of survival of those
who live within it. In this case there is no
leeway for error. Which pawn should Black
push: his c-pawn, or e-pawn, or f-pawn?
Answer: Both 52 ... c4-! and 52 ... f4 are
fine for Black. The unfortunate push of the
e-pawn loses.
52 ... e2?
After playing such a brilliant game,
Bronstein gets Charlie-Browned, where the
position’s Lucy pulls the football away at
the last second. This is the wrong pawn
push.
a) 52 ... c3! 53 Rxh6 c2 54 Rc6 e2 55 Kg2
Ke3! 56 h6 e1Q 57 Re6+ Kd2 58 Rxe1 Kxe1
59 h7 c1Q 60 h8Q is drawn.
b) 52 ... f4! 53 Rxh6 c3 (or 53 ... Kf3) 54
Rc6 f3 55 h6 (not 55 Rxc3?? e2 56 Rc1 f2)
55 ... e2 56 h7 f2 57 Rc4+ Kd3 58 Rxc3+ Ke4!
59 Rc4+ Kd3 60 Rc3+ is also drawn.
53 Kg2!
Since ... e2-e1Q isn’t a threat yet,
White’s king helps out.
53 ... Kd3
Nothing else is any better:
a) 53 ... e1Q? loses to the simple 54 Re6+
Kd3 55 Rxe1.
b) 53 ... Ng4 54 Re6+ is similar to the
game.
b) 53 ... c3 fails to 54 Re6+ Kd3 55 Kf3!
c2 56 Rd6+ Kc3 57 Kxe2 c1N+ 58 Kd1,
when one of Black’s knights falls and White
wins.
54 Kf2 Ng4+ 55 Ke1 Ne5
 Exercise (combination alert): How does
White deal with the threat of ... Nf3+ - ?
Answer: A rook check on d6 forces
Black’s knight into a pin.
56 Rd6+!
This forces Black’s king to e3, after
which White paralyses him with an e-file
pin.
56 ... Ke3 57 Re6! Kd4
Threat: ... Nd3+, followed by ... Nf4+,
forking.
58 h6!
... which Larsen allows.
58 ... Nd3+
58 ... Nf7 59 Kxe2 is an easy win for
White.
59 Kxe2 Nf4+
Forks and loses since White’s h-pawn
can’t be stopped.
60 Kd1 Nxe6 61 h7 1-0
What an adventure! History teaches us
that those who win a war, get to decide
what truth is. Can you imagine the
criticism Larsen would have received if he
ended up losing his game due to his crazy,
unsound/sound triple pawn sacrifice?
Game 44
M.Taimanov-Be.Larsen
Vinkovci 1970
108
Ho hum, we reach a boringly placid,
typical isolani position, with chances for
both sides. I’m offering the reader 10:1
odds that your move choice for Black is not
going to match Larsen’s.
14 ... g5!!
Once again my ChessBase palette lacks
the infinitely more accurate “!?!?”
annotation. Faith is to “know” something
is there, even though we can’t see, hear or
touch it. When I wrote Larsen: Move by
Move, the book really should have been
called Purgatory: A User’s Guide. What the
freaking hell!? Principle: Don’t weaken the
pawn front around your king, without
good reason. Unbelievably, there actually
is hidden “good reason”.
Now you may be asking why the move
isn’t just a beginner’s strategic double
question mark. First of all, such a thrust
wouldn’t even occur to us; secondly, if it
did, we wouldn’t have the nerve to play it
against a category d-player, much less a
top-ranked GM. The truly shocking part of
this almost unhinged move is that it is
Stockfish’s and Fritz’s top choice here. Just
because a position is muddled, doesn’t
mean we cannot see its truth. Besides the
engines, only master detectives like
Sherlock Holmes and Nancy Drew are able
to solve the motivation behind Black’s
strategic crime:
1. Despite appearance, after 14 ... g5!!
the laws of physics begin to unravel for
White since, against all odds, Black seizes
the initiative.
2. It is infuriatingly difficult for White
to find a concrete line which punishes the
weakening of Black’s position. The engines
only see equality at best for White.
3. Larsen is essentially willing to trade
structural integrity and future king safety
for possession of the initiative in the
present.
4. I challenge any Zen master to remain
calm after Larsen’s last move. The
psychological effect on Taimanov was
devastating, since he suddenly felt obliged
to punish Larsen for a move which
empirically wasn’t bad at all.
15 Bg3
The g5-pawn can’t be touched: 15
Bxg5?? Bxg5 16 Nxg5 d4! or 15 Nxg5?? d4!
wins a piece.
15 ... g4 16 Nd4?!
This most natural of moves is actually
inaccurate. The only path to dynamic
equality is 16 Ne5! (yes, it is White who
fights for equality, not Black!) 16 ... d4!
(principle: open the game when leading in
development) 17 exd4 (17 Nxc6 bxc6 18
exd4 Ba6 is obviously dangerous for White)
17 ... Nxd4 18 Qd5 Qxd5 19 Nxd5 Bg5 20
Rc4 Nb3 21 Nxg4 (21 Nc7 b5! 22 Nxb5 Be6
23 Rc6 Rac8 is at least even for Black) 21 ...
Be6, when Black’s bishops and lead in
development offer loads of compensation
for the missing pawn.
16 ... Nxd4 17 exd4 Bg5!
Suddenly, Black threatens White’s c1-
rook and simultaneously menaces a
disruptive rook check on e8.
18 0-0!?
The engines don’t like this exchange
sacrifice, which would be completely
natural to a human. It’s difficult to fault
Taimanov for fighting for the initiative, at
the cost of material. Yet caution is a form
of self-preservatory intelligence which
keeps us alive. Maybe he should have tried
the meek 18 Rd1 Re8+ 19 Kf1 Qa6+ 20 Kg1
Qc4 21 Qxc4 dxc4, though again Black
stands no worse.
18 ... Bxc1
Greedy? Yes, yet the bishop realizes that
a journey to spiritual awakening is so
much smoother with cash in his pocket.
19 Rxc1 Be6!
109
“The exchange ahead, Black does not
begrudge giving up his b7-pawn,” writes
Kasparov. Looking at those ghastly dark
square holes around Black’s king, I would
assess this position as being heavily in
White’s favour. The engines say I’m way off
and that Black stands clearly better, since
the majority of White’s attacking force is
on the queenside, away from the black
king.
20 h3?!
Taimanov, in full punishment mode,
bangs out the prelude to an incorrect
sacrificial idea. Correct was 20 Qxb7! Qb6!
21 Qxb6 axb6. Even here, White is the one
fighting for the draw.
20 ... gxh3 21 Be5?
Even now he should go for 21 Qxb7.
21 ... f6 22 Ne4?!
The idea is to swing the queen over to
g3 and deliver mate. The move looks like a
double exclam. It isn’t. Petrosian and
Bronstein observed this game as it was in
play. Petrosian asked: “What can he (Larsen)
do? Take the bishop? But then a queen
check on g3 and White wins.” Bronstein,
who displayed deeper insight into the
position, replied: “Larsen is winning.”
Objectively, White should move the bishop,
but then he is just the exchange down.
22 ... fxe5!
Larsen correctly plays into Taimanov’s
“win”. Not 22 ... dxe4?? 23 Qxe6+ Kg7 24
Rc7+ and White wins.
23 Qg3+
 Queens being removed from the board
is not what Taimanov had in mind when he
began his sacrificial binge.
28 Qxg2 hxg2 29 dxe5
29 Kxg2 e4 is equally lost for White.
29 ... Rac8!
The only black pawn which matters is
the one on g2.
30 Rxb7
30 Rxh7+ Kg8 31 Rxb7 Rc4 is winning
for Black.
30 ... Rc2 31 Nf7+ Kg7
Exercise combination alert): If you find
Larsen’s shocking defensive combination,
it is Black who is winning.

Answer: Interference/decoy. White’s

queen gets rudely bumped off her dark-
squared trajectory.
23 ... Bg4!!
The bishop is willing to embark upon a
suicide mission which saves his king. Not
yet 23 ... Kh8?? 24 Qxe5+ Kg8 25 Qxe6+
Kh8 26 Qe5+ Kg8 27 Rc3! and Black must
hand over his queen. Or if 23 ... Kf7?? then White lacks an effective discovered
24 Ng5+ Ke7 25 Qxe5 Rf6 26 Rc7+ wins. check.
24 Qxg4+ Kh8 32 e6 Kf6 33 e7 g1Q+!
Suddenly White’s attack no longer The immediate 33 ... Rg8! is even
operates at 100%, since Larsen stronger.
miraculously regained control over the 34 Kxg1 Rg8+ 0-1
dark squares around his king. White’s knight is taken next move.
25 Ng5 Qd2!
Game 45
A.J.Miles-A.Beliavsky
Interpolis, Tilburg 1986

Larsen’s counterattack begins in

earnest.
26 Rc7
Or 26 Rf1 hxg2 27 Kxg2 Rae8 and
White is busted since his attack is no more. First, let’s assess:
26 ... Qxf2+ 27 Kh2 Qxg2+ 1. White has a huge lead in
development. If we don’t count Black’s

110
queen as a developed piece, then Black’s
development is at zero, with every
remaining piece on its original square.
2. White’s queenside structure has
sustained damage and the c4-pawn could
later become weak.
3. Black has access to a hole on c5,
which could be occupied by a knight.
Conclusion: Black has all the strategic
pluses, so White must take vigorous action.
Exercise (planning): Most club-level
players would bang out 18 e4?, thinking it
is forced. The problem is that Black gets an
excellent position by just chopping the
knight with the c8-bishop. Do you see a
more violent option for White?
Answer: Sacrifice the knight by pushing
the f-pawn to the fourth rank, which blasts
open the centre.
18 f4!!
Tony, much like Facebook’s mean-
spirited algorithm, delights in seeking out
confrontation.
Much worse than not understanding is
to believe you do understand, when in
reality you don’t. I can just see one of my
students banging out the rote and
incorrect 18 e4? instantly at the board, as if
no other options existed. After 18 ... Bxf5
19 exf5 Nd7 Black stands better due to his
superior pawn structure.
Instead, 18 Nd4 exd4 19 cxd4 0-0 20 e4
is an inferior version of the sacrifice. White
has full compensation for the piece, yet not
the advantage. The position looks
genuinely unclear.
18 ... Qxf5
Nothing else is any better:
a) 18 ... Bxf5 19 e4 and if 19 ... Bh7 then
20 fxe5 Qg6 21 exd6 cxd6 22 Qd4 Rg8 23
Rf6 Qg7 24 Bxd6 with a crushing position
for White.
b) 18 ... gxf3 (declining the piece offer
isn’t all that tempting either) 19 Rxf3 Nd7
(or 19 ... Bxf5 20 Rxf5 Qe7 21 Bxe5! dxe5 22
Qe4 with the dual threats of Rxe5 and d5-
d6) 20 Raf1 Nc5 21 Qc2 Bd7 22 Nxd6+!
Qxd6 23 Rf6 Qe7 24 Rf7 Qxf7 25 Rxf7 Kxf7
111
26 Bxe5 and White is winning since Black’s
h8-rook can’t move.
19 e4 Qh5 20 fxe5 dxe5
If 20 ... Nd7 21 e6 Nc5 22 Qd4 Rg8 23 e5,
Black is busted.
21 c5!
Miles ruthlessly generates more energy
for his pieces. The engine prefers 21 d6! c6
22 d7+! Bxd7 23 Rad1 Rh7 24 Qd6 Re7 25
Rf6 Na6 26 Rdf1 Kd8 27 Rf8+ Re8 28 Bxe5
and Black’s position is hopeless.
21 ... Kd8
If 21 ... Nd7 22 Qb5 Kd8 (or 22 ... bxc5
23 Rf5) 23 Rf5 Qe8 24 Qc6 Rb8 then 25
Bxe5! Nxe5 26 Qf6+ Kd7 27 c6+ Nxc6 28
dxc6 mate.
22 d6
I love positions which mindlessly play
themselves! This move is not so difficult to
find, yet it’s still brutally powerful since it
strips Black’s king of pawn cover in the
centre.
22 ... Qe8
Doctors in past centuries would “cure”
patients racked with fever and already
weakened by their illness by bleeding them.
Then they would add maggots to feed on
the wound. Black’s last move is a “cure” on
par with this treatment since it allows
more lines to open.
Then again, 22 ... c6 is of no help either,
since the position has passed the point of
viability: 23 d7! Bxd7 24 Qd6 Re8 (24 ... Kc8
loses to 25 Bxe5, threatening mate on c7 as
well as the h8-rook) 25 Rf5 (Black’s queen
runs out of safe squares) 25 ... Re6 26 Rxh5
Rxd6 27 cxd6 is an easy win for White.
23 dxc7+ Kxc7 24 Qd5!
 White’s queen makes a compelling case
that she is the true and rightful ruler of the
Seven Kingdoms. We don’t need Stockfish
or Fritz to see that Black is fried, since not a
single piece is developed! White’s last
move threatens:
1. Black’s rook on a8.
2. Bxe5+, winning Black’s queen.
3. Rf7+, seizing the seventh rank.
24 ... Nc6 25 Rf7+ Bd7 26 Raf1!
Threat: R1f6!, followed by chopping
Black’s knight.
26 ... Rd8 27 R1f6! Kc8 28 cxb6 axb6 29
Qb5! 1-0
The threat of Rxc6+ forces Black to give
up his queen. If he doesn’t, say with 29 ...
h5, then White forces mate after 30 Rxc6+
Bxc6 31 Qa6+ Kb8 32 Qxb6+. The simple
29 Bxe5! was winning too.
Game 46
N.Short-J.Timman
Tilburg 1991
The problem with covering a famous
game is that around 75% of the readers
will simply remember the answer, rather
than actually solve it. This one is for the 25%
minority who aren’t familiar with Short’s
incredible idea, which is so deep that even
the most powerful engines require a lot of
time before they see it.
112
Exercise (planning): Black is tied down
and weak on his kingside dark squares.
How does White exploit these factors?
Answer: Bring the king into the attack!
31 Kh2!!
Onward and upward with the arts. The
king wants to slip into h6.
31 ... Rc8
31 ... Bc8 allows 32 Ng5!! Bxd7 33 g4!!,
when Stockfish 14 already announces
mate in 16. For example: 33 ... hxg4 (or 33 ...
Qc5 34 Rxd7 hxg4 35 h5 gxh5 36 Nxf7) 34
h5! (threat: h5-h6, followed by Qg7 mate)
34 ... gxh5 35 Qh6 and Black is mated.
32 Kg3!
This is a slow moving coup, so quiet,
that it doesn’t make it into the headlines.
32 ... Rce8
32 ... Qxd7 33 Rxd7 is hopeless for Black.
33 Kf4! Bc8 34 Kg5! 1-0
Threat: Kh6 and Qg7 mate. Or if 34 ...
Kh7 then 35 Rxf7+ Rxf7 36 Qxf7+ Kh8 37
Kh6! and mate in two.
Crumbling bridges, decaying roads,
leaking water pipes and flooded sewers. I
just described the current state of Black’s
infrastructure. I still remember the feeling
of complete disbelief at Short’s plan, when
first playing over this game in 1991.

Game 47
G.Serper-I.Nikolaidis
St. Petersburg 1993

I have fond memories of playing my

friend GM Greg Serper endless online blitz
in the mid to late 1990s. This sac-fest may
be the most brilliantly played game of his Exercise (combination alert): Exploit
(or anybody’s!) life. Black’s last move.

Answer: Offer a second piece sacrifice

Exercise (planning): White is better
developed for the moment, yet if he plays
passively, then Black will be okay after ...
a6-a5 and ... Ne6. Intuition tells us that
robust action is required. Find an effective
plan for White.
on b5.
20 Bb5! axb5 21 axb5 Qxb5
Black returns material out of
desperation. If 21 ... Qb7 22 c6 Qb8 then 23
Qd5! Rxa1 24 Rxa1 Rh7 25 b6 Bf6 26 d7+
Bxd7 27 c7! Qc8 28 Ra8 wins.
22 Rxa8 Qc6
With dual threats of ... Qxa8 and ... f5-
f4, trapping White’s bishop.
23 Rfa1!!

Answer: A piece sacrifice on d5 exerts a

powerfully disruptive influence on Black’s
position.
17 Nd5!! cxd5
Acceptance is obligatory. If 17 ... Qb7 18
Nb6 Rb8 then 19 Qd6! Ne6 20 Bxa6!
(overloaded defender) and White wins.
18 exd5 f5
Cheap threat: ... f5-f4, trapping White’s
bishop. He may also want to make room for
his king to run over to f7. Instead, 18 ... Ne6
19 dxe6 Bxe6 20 Qxb4 0-0 21 Qxh4 just
leaves Black two pawns down.
19 d6 Qc6
19 ... Qa5 20 Nh3 is also miserable for
Black.
In this game Greg plays with an almost
spiritual disdain of material. He gives away
yet another piece, ignoring the ... f5-f4
threat to activate his sleeping f1-rook. It
wouldn’t have occurred to me to give up
the bishop. I would have automatically
played the rote and less strong 23 Ra7
(intending Rc7) 23 ... Ne6 24 Nd3.
23 ... f4 24 R1a7 Nd7
If 24 ... fxe3 then 25 Rxc8+! Qxc8 26
Re7+ Kd8 27 Qxb4! exf2+ 28 Kxf2 Ne6 29
Qb6+ Nc7 30 Rxc7 wins.

113
 25 Rxc8+! Qxc8 26 Qd5!
Following the golden rule of real estate,
Greg secures the best location, location,
location for his queen. Now c5-c6 is about
to hit Black hard.
26 ... fxe3 27 Qe6+ Kf8 28 Rxd7
Threat: Qf7 mate. The engine line is
even more crushing: 28 Ne4! e2 29 Kf2
Nhf6 30 Ke1! (threat: Ng5 now that ...
Qxc5+ is avoided) 30 ... Qe8 31 Qxe8+ Kxe8
32 Ra8+ Nb8 (or 32 ... Kf7? 33 Ng5 mate)
33 c6! Nxe4 34 fxe4 Kf7 35 c7 and wins.
28 ... exf2+ 29 Kf1!
Serper avoids 29 Kxf2?? Qxc5+ 30 Kf1
Qc1+ 31 Kf2 Qd2+ 32 Kf1 Ng3+! 33 hxg3
Qd1+ 34 Kf2 hxg3+ 35 Ke3 (or 35 Kxg3
Qe1+ 36 Kg4 Qh4 mate) 35 ... Bh6+ and
White is mated.
29 ... Qe8
Exercise (combination alert): Has
White’s initiative run dry? Or does he have
a way to extend it?
Answer: Decoy, with a rook sacrifice on
f7.
30 Rf7+!
We live in an age where we click on a
website and can get anything in the world
we desire and have it delivered to our door
the next day – as long as we have money.
As indicated earlier, Greg seems to be
oblivious to the concept of money in this
game.
30 ... Qxf7 31 Qc8+ Qe8 32 d7!
This pawn will cost Black a full queen.
32 ... Kf7 33 dxe8Q+ Rxe8 34 Qb7+ Re7
35 c6!
114
Oh no, not again! It becomes clear this
pawn is destined to cost Black more
material.
35 ... e4 36 c7 e3
Exercise (critical decision): Black
threatens ... e3-e2+, forcing mate. What
should White play?
Answer: First give a queen check on d5.
37 Qd5+!
Instead:
a) 37 c8Q?? completely misses the point:
37 ... e2+ 38 Kxf2 e1Q mate.
b) 37 Ke2?? Nf4+ also leads to mate.
c) 37 Qxb4? allows 37 ... Rxc7 or 37 ...
e2+ 38 Kxf2 e1Q+ 39 Qxe1 Rxc7! and Black
shouldn’t lose.
d) 37 Qe4? Rxe4 38 fxe4 fails to 38 ...
Be5! 39 c8Q Bxh2 with the devastating
threat of ... Ng3 mate, so White has
nothing better than to deliver perpetual
check with 40 Qd7+ Kf6 41 Qd8+ Ke6 42
Qd5+.
37 ... Kf6
If 37 ... Re6 then 38 Qxe6+! (attraction)
38 ... Kxe6 39 c8Q+ wins.
38 Qd6+ Kf7 39 Qd5+ Kf6 40 Qd6+
Come on Greg, my readers lead busy
lives, so get on with it!
40 ... Kf7 41 Qxe7+!
There we go. Black doesn’t have enough
for the queen, despite some scary-looking
passed pawns.
41 ... Kxe7 42 c8Q Bh6
Black’s only prayer is to try and hang on
to his e-pawn. 42 ... Be5 is now too slow: 43
Qc5+ Kf6 44 Qxe3 wins.
 43 Qc5+ Ke8 44 Qb5+ Kd8 45 Qb6+
Kd7
Exercise (critical decision): Calculate the
consequences of 46 Qxg6.
Should White play it?
Answer: It works and Black’s attempted
combination fails.
46 Qxg6! e2+ 47 Kxf2 Be3+ 48 Ke1! 1-
0
After 48 ... Nf4 49 Qe4 Bc1 50 g3 Black’s
e-pawn, his final swindling hope, finally
falls.
Serper, a former Russian schoolboy,
avoids the “every Russian schoolboy
knows ... ” cheapo 48 Kxe2?? Nf4+ 49 Kxe3
Nxg6, when the game should end in a
draw.
Game 48
G.Kasparov-V.Kramnik
Novgorod 1994
1 e4 c5 2 Nc3 Nc6 3 Nge2 Nf6 4 d4 cxd4
5 Nxd4 e5
So theoretically challenging are some
openings that they essentially exclude
“outsiders”. Nobody should enter a
Sveshnikov Sicilian without massive home
preparation. Kramnik, along with Peter
Leko, were the two kingpins of the line at
the time.
6 Ndb5 d6 7 Bg5 a6 8 Na3 b5 9 Nd5 Be7
10 Bxf6 Bxf6 11 c3 0-0 12 Nc2 Rb8 13 h4
Ne7!?
Kramnik is willing to weaken his king in
exchange for central dominance and the
115
removal of White’s powerful d5-knight.
13 ... Be7 is normally played here.
14 Nxf6+ gxf6 15 Qd2
15 Bd3 and 15 Qh5 are serious options.
15 ... Bb7 16 Bd3 d5
Black’s thematic central break is
achieved. One curious trait about the
Sveshnikov is how often the d5-hole
switches control, from White to Black, after
which White’s pain is that of an amputee’s
phantom pain, in place of the missing limb.
17 exd5 Qxd5 18 0-0-0!
Kasparov isn’t worried about his a2-
pawn. 18 f3 would have been a routine
continuation.
18 ... e4
18 ... Qxa2?? is too slow, as White’s
attack gets out of control: 19 Rh3! e4 20
Rg3+ Kh8 21 Qh6 Ng6 22 Be2 Rg8 (or 22 ...
Qe6 23 h5) 23 h5 and wins.
19 Be2 Qxa2
19 ... Qxd2+?! 20 Rxd2 is a pleasant
ending for White.
20 Qh6 Qe6 21 Nd4 Qb6 22 Rh3!
Threat: Rg3+, followed by h4-h5 when
Black’s knight blocks on g6.
22 ... Kh8 23 Bg4!?
23 Rg3 Rg8 24 Rxg8+ Rxg8 25 g3 looks
dynamically balanced.
23 ... Rg8 24 Ne6!?
Slightly dubious, yet not so easy to
refute! After 24 Bf5 Nxf5 25 Nxf5 Qe6!
(not 25 ... Rg6?? 26 Qf4 Bc8 27 h5 Rxg2 28
Rg3 Rxg3 29 Nxg3 and Black is unable to
defend d8, f6 and g7 simultaneously) 26
Nd6 Bc6 27 Qf4 b4 Black looks okay.
24 ... Rg6
 Covering f6. 24 ... Rxg4?? runs into 25
Ng5!, when Black loses his queen or his
king.
25 Qf4
White’s knight is kept alive via the
queen’s attack on the b8-rook.
Black’s choices are between:
a) 25 ... fxe6, which is an exchange
sacrifice after 26 Qxb8+.
b) 25 ... Rc8, covering the threat to the
rook.
c) 25 ... Bd5, allowing Black’s queen to
cover the rook.
Exercise (critical decision): Only one
variation is in Black’s favour. Which would
you play?
Answer: Variation c) is Black’s strongest.
25 ... Re8?
This move, which wasn’t even in our list
of candidates, is a major error that allows
White’s initiative to flare out of control.
Instead:
a) 25 ... fxe6?! 26 Qxb8+ Rg8 27 Qd6
Qxd6 28 Rxd6 Rxg4 29 Rd7 regains the
piece, when Black stands worse in the
ending.
b) 25 ... Rc8?! is met by 26 Ng5! Rf8 27
Nxe4 Nd5 28 Qd6! Qxd6 29 Nxd6 f5 30
Nxb7 fxg4 31 Rhh1 Rb8 32 Rxd5 Rxb7 23
Rhd1, when White has a tiny edge.
c) 25 ... Bd5! 26 Nd4 b4 leaves White in
trouble since Black just took over the
initiative.
26 Rd6! Nd5
116
26 ... Qa7 27 h5 Rxg4 28 Qxg4 fxe6 29
Rg3 Nf5 30 Rxe6! overloads the black rook
and White wins.
Exercise (combination alert): In this
position Kasparov found a blistering shot.
What would you play for White?
Answer: Ignore both hanging queens
and push the h-pawn, attacking Black’s g6-
rook.
27 h5!!
Kasparov’s message: You do your job
and I will do mine. Kramnik probably
expected 27 Rxb6? Nxf4 28 Nxf4 Rxg4 29
Rxf6 Kg7 30 Nh5+ Kf8 with an even
ending.
27 ... Nxf4
There is nothing better:
a) 27 ... Qa7? is met by 28 hxg6! Nxf4 29
Rxh7+ Kg8 30 gxf7+ Kxh7 31 fxe8Q and
Black is mated in four.
b) 27 ... fxe6 28 hxg6! Nxf4 29 Rxh7+
Kg8 30 Rxb6 Bd5 31 Rxa6 f5 32 Bd1 Nxg6
33 Raa7, when Black lacks compensation
for the exchange.
28 hxg6! Qxd6 29 Rxh7+ Kg8 30 gxf7+
Kxh7 31 fxe8Q Nxe6
 32 Bf5+! Sometimes we hide our fears behind a
This deadly zwischenzug disrupts the wall of aggression. Have you read the
defence. teachings of my Facebook friend and great
Black still has a prayer if White plays the philosopher, Mohandas Shirov? A piece
automatic/inaccurate 32 Bxe6?! Qe5 down, his attack stalled and sensing
32 ... Kg7 oppression, his last act of civil
Black’s king plays a deadly game of disobedience was to move his rook to an en
hide-and-seek with Death. Not 32 ... Kh6?? prise square on e4. It’s a bluff which
33 Qg6 mate. shouldn’t have worked. Remember what
33 Qg6+ Kf8 34 Qxf6+ Ke8 35 Bxe6 Tal taught us: never underestimate the
Qf8? power of wilful confusion. Still, the move is
35 ... Qe7 36 Qe5 is also hopeless for a bit of a reach and it’s almost
Black. unimaginable that it had the power to
confuse Kramnik to the point of losing
with White in a completely winning
position.
32 Nxd5!!
This is a complete refutation of Shirov’s
rook sacrifice. Kramnik could even accept
with 32 fxe4 fxe4 33 Ne2! exd3 34 Qxd3
Re6 35 Ra3 Ne3+ 36 Qxe3 Rxe3 37 Rxe3
and Black is busted since White will have
promotion tricks on the queenside.
32 ... cxd5 33 c6! Rxf4
33 ... Rxc6 34 fxe4 (threat: Rh3!,
Exercise (combination alert): Finally, trapping Black’s queen) 34 ... Qh5 35 exd5
you get an easy one. White to play and is completely lost for Black.
force the win. 34 cxb7 Re4
The b8-promotion square is covered for
Answer: Decoy/overloaded defender. now.
36 Bd7+! 1-0 35 Rc1
Black’s queen falls. Threatening a rook check on c8,
followed by promotion.
Game 49 35 ... Kh7!
V.Kramnik-A.Shirov
Linares 1994

117
 36 b8Q?!
Utilizing this decoy straight away gives
Black swindling chances. After 36 Rb3!
(simply safeguarding the rook) 36 ... h5 37
b8Q! (the right moment) 37 ... Qxb8 38 Rc7,
White threatens to take either hanging
piece, while Black’s attack is at an end. For
example: 38 ... Qd8 39 fxe4 (or 39 fxg4
fxg4+ 40 Kg1) 39 ... fxe4+ 40 Kg1 Qd6 41
Rh3 and White wins.
36 ... Qxb8 37 fxg4!
Instead:
a) 37 Rc7? is met by 37 ... Qe8! 38 b7
(obviously 38 fxe4 fxe4+ regains the rook
at once) 38 ... Qb8! and if 39 Rdc3 then 39 ...
Ne3+! 40 Kf2 Rg6 41 Bh3 Qd8 42 fxe4
Qh4+ 43 Ke2 Qh5+! 44 Ke1 (forced) 44 ...
Rg1+ 45 Kf2 Qxh3 46 Kxg1 Qf1+ 47 Kh2
Qf4+ with perpetual check.
b) 37 fxe4? fxe4+ 38 Ke1 Rf2 (White
must now give up his queen) 39 Rb3 Qh2!
40 Qxf2 (forced) 40 ... Nxf2 41 Bf1 e3 42
Rxe3 Ne4 43 Rxe4 (forced) 43 ... dxe4 44
Bxa6 Qb2 and Black has at least a draw.
37 ... Qh2 38 Rf3
This is the second best move. After 38
Bf3!! Qxd2 39 Rxd2 fxg4 40 Rf2 gxf3 41 b7
Rh4 42 Rfc2 White wins.
38 ... Rxg4
118
Exercise (critical decision): Should
White play 39 b7 straight away or make a
defensive move like 39 Rf2 first?
Answer: Pushing the b-pawn is
premature and loses.
39 b7??
A won game is not an inheritance from
rich parents. We must earn it. Kramnik
must have hallucinated, misbelieving that
he was certain to promote his b-pawn
down the road.
After 39 Rf2! Rfg6 40 Bxd5, White is still
a piece up, still with the dangerous b-pawn.
The players believed Black would still have
chances, but the engine isn’t concerned.
For example: 40 ... Qh3+ 41 Ke2 Rd6 42
Qe3! (returning the piece and relying on
the b-pawn) 42 ... Qxe3+ 43 Kxe3 Rxd5 44
Rb1 Re4+ 45 Kf3 Re8 46 Rc2 Rb8 47 Rc5!
Rxd4 48 Rc7 (threat: b6-b7, Rc8) 48 ... Rdd8
49 b7, followed by Rb6 and wins.
39 ... Rfg6 40 Rc2
40 b8Q Qxb8 41 Rf2 f4!, threatening ...
f4-f3, also leaves White in serious trouble.
40 ... Rxg2 41 Qxg2 Rxg2 42 Rxg2 Qh1+!
43 Kf2 Qb1! 0-1
In every high school – while you are a
forlorn, dateless, chess-playing loser/nerd
– there is this handsome, charismatic guy
who is popular with the girls and captain
of the football team. You assume big
things lie ahead for this born winner. Then
at your 30th high school reunion, you find
out that he is still single, living in his
mother’s basement, 200 pounds
overweight, and the night manager at
Burger King. I just described the tragic life
of White’s b-pawn, which falls, leaving
Black with a decisive material advantage.
Game 50
V.Anand-A.Karpov
FIDE World Championship (Game 2),
Lausanne 1998
Exercise (combination alert): Karpov,
who was previously in trouble, fought back
brilliantly with the inventive audacity of
the desperate to reach this position.
Although a full exchange down, we
sense he is winning due to the power of his
c-pawn. What is Black’s strongest
continuation?
Answer: Play on White’s weak back rank
with 33 ... Nc3!, intending ... Ne2+ and ...
Nxc1.
33 ... Nc3!
Now the e2-fork square begins to glow
like a nuclear reactor core meltdown. If 34
Rxc2? then 34 ... Ne2+! exploits White’s
weak back rank and wins.
34 Rf3
119
Anand goes after Karpov’s back rank;
Qf7+, followed by Qf8+ is the threat. The
desperado 34 Rxg7+ fails to 34 ... Bxg7 35
Rxc2 Ra8 and if 36 Qe7 Re8, White can
resign.
34 ... h6??
A clever argument is unable to alter the
nature of a position’s inner truth. Inaction
in some cases can be as fatal as incorrect
action. This unnecessary defensive move
throws away a crucial tempo and turns a
win into a loss.
Black should remain persistent in his
demands with 34 ... Ne2+! 35 Kf1 and then
either 35 ... Qe8 36 Kxe2 Bb8+ 37 Re3
Qb5+ or 35 ... Bf4 36 Rxf4 Nxf4 37 Be3
Qc4+! 38 Kg1 Ne2+ wins. Maybe Karpov
only considered 35 ... Nxc1?? 36 Qf7+ Kh8
37 Qf8+, when Black is mated.
35 Qf7+ Kh8 36 Re3!
Suddenly ... Ne2+ is off the table.
36 ... d4!?
Black’s economy is dependent upon a
single product: pawn promotion. So
Karpov desperately gives up another piece
in order to push his passers. Instead:
a) 36 ... Bf6 37 Rxc2 leaves Black busted.
b) 36 ... Ne4 forces White to find some
strong moves to win so is a reasonable
practical try. 37 Re2! Qb5 38 Qf5! (not 38
Rexc2?? Rxc2 since 39 Rxc2?? is back
ranked with 39 ... Qb1+) 38 ... Rc6 39 Ree1
d4 40 Qxe4 d3 41 a6!! (overloaded
defenders/pawn promotion) 41 ... d2 (or
41 ... Qxb6 42 Qxd3) 42 a7 and wins.
37 Rxe5 d3 38 Bd4!
Clearer than 38 Be3 Ne2+ 39 Kh1 Nxc1
40 Bxc1.
 38 ... Rg8
Not 38 ... d2?? 39 Re8+ Qxe8 40 Qxg7
mate.
39 Re6!
Threatening Black’s queen, and if it
moves, White has Rxh6 mate.
39 ... d2
His only prayer.
40 Rxc6 dxc1Q+ 41 Kh2 Qd2
Exercise (combination alert): White has
two ways to force mate in seven.
Find one of them.
Answer: Either 42 Rc8! or 42 Bxg7+ gets
the job done.
42 Rc8! 1-0
There can be no more a schadenfreude-
lishous situation than swindling the
opponent in a world championship game,
by turning a loss into a win.
a) 42 Rc8! leads to mate in six at the
most: 42 ... Qf4+ 43 Qxf4 c1Q (or 43 ... Rxc8
44 Qxh6+) 44 Qxc1 Kh7 45 Qc2+ g6 46
Rxg8 Kxg8 47 Qxg6+ Kf8 48 Bc5 mate.
b) 42 Bxg7+! also works: 42 ... Rxg7 43
Rc8+ Kh7 44 Qf5+ Rg6 45 Rc7+ Kh8 46
Qf8+ Rg8 47 Qf6+ Rg7 48 Qxg7 mate.
c) 42 Be3?! isn’t best, but even this path
wins with accurate play: 42 ... c1Q 43 Qf4!
(threat: Rxh6+ etc; instead, 43 Bxd2 Qxd2
is even – undoubtedly Karpov was praying
to reach this position) 43 ... Qxe3 44 fxe3
Re8 45 a6 and Black is curiously helpless
against the push of the a-pawn.
Game 51
J.Houska-A.Harley
British League 2001
120
Exercise (critical decision): On her last
move, IM Houska transferred her rook from
e1 to e5, tempting her opponent into
winning the exchange at the cost of
weakening the dark squares in his own
camp. Should Black take the rook?
If not, then what should he play?
Answer: The rook should be ignored
and Black should keep developing.
16 ... Bxe5?
Money is useless if it is unable to
purchase what you need. In this position,
Black’s need is king safety. After accepting
the exchange offer, the kingside dark
squares will be Black’s scarlet “A”.
He should just ignore the threat to the
c5-pawn and offer a pawn himself with
16 ... Bb7! 17 Rxc5 Bxg2 18 Kxg2 a5! 19
Ne4 Nxb3 20 cxb3 (or 20 axb3 Nxe4 21
dxe4 Bxb2) 20 ... Qb7 21 Qf3 Bxb2, when
Black has regained the sacrificed pawn and
stands no worse.
17 fxe5 N6f5
The engine wants to give up a piece
here with 17 ... Bb7!? 18 exd6 Bxg2 19
Kxg2 Qc6+ 20 Kh3 e5 21 Qh1 Qxd6 22
Qd5 Qf6 23 Ne4 Qf5+ 24 Kg2 Nxc2 25 Rf1,
though Black doesn’t have quite enough
for the sacrificed exchange.
18 Ne4
Also to be considered is 18 g4 Nxb3 19
axb3 Nd4 20 b4!, undermining support for
Black’s knight.
18 ... Qc7 19 g4
Stronger is 19 Nbxc5! Qxe5 20 c3 Nc6
21 g4! Nfe7 22 Bg3 Qg7 23 g5! Rb6 24 Nf6+
Kh8 25 Bxc6! Nxc6 (or 25 ... Rxc6? 26 d4,
intending Be5 next) 26 Bc7 and Black is
busted.
19 ... Nxb3 20 axb3 Nd4?
He should try 20 ... Ne7 21 Bxc5 Bb7,
with an admittedly rotten position.
21 c3 Nc6 22 Bxc5
Worrying Black about both Bd6 and
Bxf8.
22 ... Qxe5 23 Bd6 Qg7 24 g5!

Exercise (planning): Come up with

White’s optimal plan.

Answer: Give up the exchange for

Black’s bishop and a-pawn.
31 Rxa7! Nxa7 32 Bxb7 Qd6 33 Qf3 f5
34 c4
Here 34 Qe3! keeps the d3-pawn safe. If
34 ... e5?! 35 Nd5 (threat: Qxa7) 35 ... Nc8
36 d4!, Black is collapsing on the dark
The paradox is that White’s dark- squares, since 36 ... e4 37 Bg3 is fatal.
squared bishop is worth more than either 34 ... Qxd3 35 Qxd3 Rxd3 36 c5 Rxb3 37
of Black’s rooks. Nc8! Nxc8 38 Bxc8 e5 39 c6 Rxb2 40 c7
24 ... Rb6 25 Nf6+ Kh8 26 Bc5 Bb7 It’s clear that the deeply passed c-pawn
At this point Black wants the bishop to will cost Black a rook.
take one of his rooks. 40 ... Rc2 41 Bb6 Kg7 42 Be6 Kh6 43
27 Nd7 c8Q Rxc8 44 Bxc8 Kh5 45 Bd8 Kg4
There is no rush to win the exchange
back. 27 b4! is stronger.
27 ... Rd8 28 Nxb6?!
This inaccuracy allows Black
counterplay. It’s never too late to say you
are sorry. 28 Nf6! is better than taking the
exchange.
28 ... Qe5!
This zwischenzug keeps Black in the
game for now.
29 Bf2 Qxg5
White must be careful for tricks
affecting g2. I don’t think this is what they mean by
30 h4 Qf4 the term: bishop and pawn ending. Black’s
pawns are all doomed to fall and he could
have resigned here.
46 Kf2 h6 47 Ba6 b4 48 Bc4 g5 49 hxg5
hxg5 50 Be7 e4 51 Bxb4 f4 52 Be6+ Kh4 53
Bf5! e3+ 54 Kf3 Kh5 55 Bc3 Kh4
55 ... Kh6 lasts a bit longer but the
result is not in doubt: 56 Bf6 Kh5 57 Bg7!

121
Kh4 58 Bg4! e2 59 Bc3 and mate next
move.
You are a WWI soldier separated from
your regiment and now accidentally in
enemy territory. You have been shot and
are lying in a cold, wet trench, with the
temperature dropping. Your wound is
infected and your fever on the rise, in an
era where penicillin hasn’t been
discovered yet. I just described the black
king’s situation.
Exercise (calculation): This isn’t the
most difficult exercise in the book.
White to play and mate in two.
Answer: Moving the bishop to g4 traps
the black king.
56 Bg4 e2 57 Be1 mate
Game 52
Le Chess Club-R.Jedynak
Internet Chess Club 2004
Exercise (combination alert): Although
White is temporarily a piece up, it appears
122
that it must be returned. This evaluation is
not accurate. Prove why.
Answer: Strategic queen sacrifice. It’s a
case of shared suffering, White down
material with a wicked initiative/attack,
yet the degree is unequal, since strategic
poverty tends in most cases to be a bigger
problem than material poverty.
14 Qxg6!!
Ladies first. Don’t wait for a miracle
when you can produce one yourself. The
transition from placid to crazy can appear
in the space of a single move. For the queen,
White gets two minor pieces, a huge lead
in development, and endless
initiative/attacking chances. The
lacklustre 14 Qg3?! dxe4 is okay for Black.
14 ... fxg6
Otherwise Black is left a piece down.
15 Bxg6+ Kd8
Black’s king isn’t safe on either side of
the board. If 15 ... Kf8 16 c4 Qc7 17 cxd5
exd5 18 Rfe1 Be6 19 Nd4 Qd7 20 f4!, with
f4-f5 in the air Black is busted.
16 c4!
White opens the game for three
reasons:
1. To enhance the power of his bishops.
2. To make his lead in development that
much more menacing.
3. Black’s king becomes more
endangered.
16 ... Qa4 17 cxd5 exd5 18 Bf7!
Possible is 18 Rfe1 (intending e5-e6)
18 ... Bg4 19 Ng5 and Black is unlikely to
survive.
18 ... Bg4 19 Bxd5 Kc7
 He should probably reduce White’s
attacking material with 19 ... Bxf3 20 Bxf3
Rf8 (intending ... Rxf3), though after 21 e6!
Rxf3 22 gxf3 Qh4 23 Rab1 Black remains in
trouble.
20 Rab1 b6?
Black had to try 20 ... Rad8 21 Rxb7+
Kc8 22 Rb4 Qxb4 23 Be6+ Bxe6 24 axb4.
21 Rb4!

With a profound grasp of the obvious, I

point out that Black is busted. If 30 ... Ra7
31 Rd8+ Rxd8 32 Rxd8+ Qxd8 33 Bxd8 Kc8
34 e7 Kd7 35 Bf5+, White forces
promotion.

The rook is lifted into the attack.
White’s position is on cruise control, with
good moves easy to find.
21 ... Qd7 22 Rc4+ Kb8
Black is playing without his a8-rook,
who is at the bottom of the social hierarchy.
23 Rd4! Bxf3 24 gxf3 Rd8 25 c4 Qe7 26
h4!
Now Bg5 is in the air.
26 ... Qxa3
26 ... Rxd5 27 cxd5 Kb7 28 Re1 Qxa3 29
Kg2 is also lost for Black, who won’t be able
to stop White’s central passers.
27 Bg5 Re8
On 27 ... Kc7 White isn’t going to take
either black rook and will play 28 Rfd1.
28 Rfd1! Qf8
If 28 ... Rxe5 then 29 Bf4 Qd6 30 Be4
wins.
29 e6 a5 30 Be4! 1-0
Game 53
I.Sokolov-A.Morozevich
Wijk aan Zee 2005
When we think of a gambit, it is
normally a vision of childhood. So how
strange to see a kid’s opening played by an
adult. Morozevich dared to give a pawn
away with Black against a strong GM, by
opening with the Albin Gambit. They
reached this position, where we strain to
listen, yet all which is emitted is the crackle
of static.
Let’s try to make sense of it:
1. Counting up, we see that Black has
managed to win a pawn back.
2. Black’s d-pawn is deep and a serious
threat.
3. The dark squares around Black’s king
are tender.
4. White’s queen is tied down to
defence of her rook.

123
 Exercise (combination alert): How
should Black continue?

Answer: Play upon the fact that White’s

queen must protect her rook, by
transferring the knight to e4.
28 ... Ne4!
Alexander Morozevich is one of those
players who knows how to reach positions
where geometric oddities flourish. In this
game his tactical shots pulse with the
power of the supernatural. Exercise (combination alert): Sokolov’s
29 Bxe7 Nxf2! position is of frail constitution.
Again, White’s queen is overloaded. What is Black’s simplest path to a win?
30 Qxf2
Not 30 Rf1?? Nh3 mate, and 30 Bd6? is Answer: Step 1: Swap queens.
too slow: after 30 ... Qxd1+ 31 Kxf2 Qc2+ 33 ... Qxf2+ 34 Kxf2 Rh8! 0-1
32 Kg1 d2 and White doesn’t have time to Step 2: White loses one of his pieces due
transfer the queen to f6, since Black to the pile-up on the h-file, and then a
promotes with check. second one due to Black’s deeply passed d-
30 ... Qxd1+ 31 Kg2 Qc2! pawn.
Practical considerations should bend to
the imperative of survival. There is no Game 54
reason to risk 31 ... Kxe7 32 Qf6+ Kd7 33 Y.Pelletier-E.Rodriguez Guerrero
Qxf7+, when White can at least play on. La Roche-sur-Yon 2006
32 Bd6
When you are having a crappy day at
work and take a coffee break, does the
inspirational quotation on your Starbuck’s
cup really change your day for the better?
This is fake counterplay. White attackers
may bay for the black king’s blood, yet they
can bay all they like, since he is completely
safe.
32 ... 0-0-0
32 ... d2 also works: 33 Qf6 d1Q+ 34
Kh3 Qxh1+ 35 Kg4 Qce4+ 36 Qf4 Qh5
mate. My heart is thudding, as if watching a
33 Kg1 Quentin Tarantino movie while on the
treadmill. This position is difficult to assess
accurately since it isn’t clear which factor
holds more sway: White’s surging h-pawn
or Black’s potential for attack on the
kingside light squares. The engine likes
White’s chances, but not by much.
18 h7!
A wanter is still far from a getter. The h-
pawn is tantalizingly close to promotion,
yet its own bishop blocks the way, stalling

124
the dream. It remains to be seen if this lag
gives Black enough time to generate
sufficient counterplay for being down a
(future) queen.
Taking the knight is a really bad idea: 18
Kxg2?? Qg5+ 19 Kf1 Bxf3 20 Rg1 Qxh6
and White has lost his most precious
resource, the advanced h-pawn.
18 ... Qd5
If 18 ... Bxf3 19 Be5 Nh4 20 Rxh4 Qxh4
21 h8Q Qg4 22 Bg3 Nc6 23 Qxc4, White’s
extra queen is more important than
Black’s minor pieces.
19 Qd1!
Not 19 Be5?? Qxf3 20 h8Q Ne3+ 21
Ke1 Nxc2+ 22 Kd2 Qd3+ 23 Kc1 Nxa1 and
Black wins.
19 ... Qf5!
After 19 ... Qxf3? 20 Qxf3 Bxf3 21 Be5
Nf4 22 Bxf4 Bxh1 23 h8Q, Black doesn’t
have enough for the queen.
Exercise (planning): Both sides have
been sucked into a dark vortex.
Black threatens ... Bxf3. White has lots
of ways to go wrong and only one way to
an advantage. What should he play?
Answer: The d-file must be opened with
the disruptive push 20 d5!.
20 d5!!
A couple of ways to go wrong:
a) 20 Ne5?? Ne3+ 21 Ke2 Nxd1 wins.
b) 20 Be5? Ne3+! (clearance) 21 fxe3
Bxf3 22 e4 Bxe4+ 23 Ke1 Bxh1 24 h8Q Bf3
25 Qd2 Nd7 and Black stands better,
despite White’s extra queen.
20 ... Bxd5
125
20 ... Nd7, intending to castle long, is
met by 21 Bf6! Nxf6 22 h8Q 0-0-0 23 Qh3
Rxd5 24 Qb1 and White stands better in
this mess of a position.
21 Bf6!
By now this should be a familiar theme.
21 ... Nd7!
The point of White’s opening the d-file
is that Black is unable to play 21 ... Bxf3??
because of 22 Qd8 mate. 21 ... Qxf6 22 h8Q
Qxf3 23 Qxf3 Bxf3 24 Rh7 Nd7 25 Qg8 Ne5
26 Qg5 is also slightly in White’s favour.
22 h8Q Ne3+?
“Damn, it feels good to be a gangster!”
Black refuses to use his inner voice and
bellows out a belligerent challenge to
White’s king. Objectively, he should play
22 ... Nxf6 23 Qh3 (or 23 Kxg2 Qg4+ 24 Kf1
Bxf3) 23 ... Qxh3 24 Rxh3 Nf4, when Black
can still put up some resistance.
23 fxe3 Bxf3 24 Qd6! Bxh1+ 25 Kg1
Threat: Qe7 mate. Oh lord, what a
colossal mess.
25 ... Qg4+
25 ... Qxf6 can be met by 26 Qdxf8+!
(removal of the guard/simplification) 26 ...
Nxf8 27 Qxf6 Bd5 28 Rf1 with a winning
position for White.
26 Kxh1 Qf3+ 27 Kh2 Qf2+ 28 Kh3!
A sniper’s accuracy is seriously
compromised when they aim at a moving
target. Pelletier has worked out that Black
is unable to deliver perpetual check.
28 ... Qxe3+ 29 Qg3! Qe4
Black has only one minor piece for the
queen and it’s clear that White’s exposed
king isn’t sufficient compensation.
30 Rf1 Rb8 31 Qxf8+!
 There are many ways for White to win. In this position White is a pawn down,
This is the most forcing and therefore the for which it has:
clearest path. 1. A massive number of attackers
31 ... Kxf8 congregating around the black king.
Not 31 ... Nxf8? 32 Qxb8+ and Black is 2. Black’s kingside and central dark
soon mated. squares are punctured.
32 Qd6+ Kg8 21 Rd6!
The problem is that this allows White’s Calgon, take me away! AlphaZ prepares
rook into the attack with check, but 32 ... an exchange sacrifice for the dark squares
Ke8?? 33 Qe7 is already mate. around Stockfish’s king.
33 Rg1+ Kh7 34 Rg7+ 1-0 21 ... Ng7
Black’s king is on the “Do not If 21 ... Nxf4? 22 gxf4 Bg7 23 Ng5 Bxg2
resuscitate” list, and 34 ... Kh6 (34 ... Kh8 24 Qxg2 h6 25 Ne4, White has a winning
35 Rg4+ Nxf6 36 Qxb8+ Kh7 37 Rxe4 wins) bind.
35 Qd2+ is mate in two. 22 Rf6!? Qb7
22 ... Nd5 23 Nxd5 Bxd5 24 Rd1 Bc6 25
Ng5 offers White loads of pressure for the
sacrificed pawn.
Game 55 23 Bh6 Nd5!
AlphaZero-Stockfish Principle: Swaps benefit the
London (match) 2017 cramped/defending side.
24 Nxd5 Bxd5 25 Rd1 Ne6!
“Thou shalt not make a machine in the Looking for more swaps. Not 25 ... Be6?
likeness of a man’s mind,” declares the 26 Qh4 Qc7 27 Bf4, when Ng5 is coming
bible of the Dune universe, yet we did just and Black is busted.
that when a heretic created AlphaZero, the 26 Bxf8
God Emperor of the computer chess world. Sure, swaps benefit Black, yet this one
AlphaZ is without question the strongest also removes the best defender of the
“player” of all time and its advent has kingside dark squares.
completely altered the way chess is played 26 ... Rxf8 27 Qh4
today, especially at the highest levels. Threat: Ng5, with a double attack on h7
and d5.
27 ... Bc6 28 Qh6 Rae8 29 Rd6!

126
 Now h3-h4-h5 is on the way and it’s
clear that White’s dark square bind takes
precedence over Black’s extra pawn.
29 ... Bxf3!
Another potential attacker is removed
from the board.
30 Bxf3 Qa6
Attacking a2.
31 h4!
The plan is to chip away at Black’s
kingside pawn cover with h4-h5 and then
sacrifice either rook or bishop on g6.
31 ... Qa5!
Threatening ... Qe1+ and ... Qxe5, which
forces White into a concession. Black
doesn’t have time to grab the a2-pawn:
31 ... Qxa2?? 32 h5 Qxb2 33 hxg6 hxg6 34
Rxg6+! fxg6 35 Qxg6+ Ng7 (or 35 ... Kh8 36
Rxd7) 36 Rxd7 Qxe5 37 Bd5+ forces mate.
32 Rd1 c4
Threatening ... Qxe5 again.
33 Rd5 Qe1+ 34 Kg2 c3 35 bxc3 Qxc3
36 h5
Clearly, White is making progress.
36 ... Re7
Covering against Rxd7 as well as rook
sacrifices on g6.
37 Bd1!
127
The bishop is switched to a more
efficient diagonal on b3, where it will take
aim at e6 and, behind that, f7.
37 ... Qe1 38 Bb3 Rd8 39 Rf3 Qe4 40
Qd2 Qg4 41 Bd1
Threat: Rxf7.
41 ... Qe4
Not 41 ... Qxh5?? 42 Rxf7 and Black’s
queen is trapped.
42 h6!?
AlphaZ isn’t interested in drawing with
42 Bc2 Qg4 43 Bd1 Qe4.
42 ... Nc7 43 Rd6! Ne6
Black can’t take the e-pawn:
a) 43 ... Qxe5?? 44 Re3 Qg5 45 f4 sees
Black’s queen disconnected from the e7-
rook.
b) 43 ... Rxe5? 44 Rxd7 Rxd7 45 Qxd7
Re7 46 Qd8+ Ne8 47 Ba4! (Black is almost
in zugzwang) 47 ... g5 (threat: ... g5-g4) 48
Bc6! (kicking the queen off the diagonal)
48 ... Qe6 49 Bd5 Qe2 50 Rf5! g4 51 Qc8
and Black is paralysed.
44 Bb3 Qxe5 45 Rd5 Qh8 46 Qb4! Nc5
Exercise (planning): How can White
make progress?

Answer: Strategic exchange sacrifice.
47 Rxc5!!
Just because you have never given
someone offence, doesn’t mean that the
person won’t imagine an offence and view
you as an enemy. Black’s most potent
defender is removed with this brilliant
strategic sacrifice.
47 ... bxc5 48 Qh4!
The goalpost shifts rapidly. The idea is
to seize control over f6 and then entomb
Black’s queen.
48 ... Rde8
48 ... Qe5?? isn’t possible due to 49 Rxf7!
(even stronger than 49 Re3) 49 ... Qe4+ 50
Qxe4 Rxe4 51 Rxd7+ and wins.
49 Rf6!
Now we see the incredible idea behind
the exchange sacrifice:
1. The black queen is buried alive.
2. The black rooks are completely tied
down to defence of f7, which means that
Black is close to zugzwang.
49 ... Rf8?
Stockfish takes a dim view of its earlier
incarnation’s defence, suggesting 49 ... Kf8!
(clearing g8 for the queen) 50 Qf4 (or 50
Bd5 Rc8 51 Qf4 Qg8!) 50 ... Qg8! 51 Qc7 c4!
52 Qxc4 (not 52 Bxc4?? d5, while 52 Ba4 is
met by 52 ... Qh8! again) 52 ... Rd8 with the
further idea of ... Ke8 and ... Qf8, when
Black is far better off than in the game.
50 Qf4 a5 51 g4!
The idea is, when White plays g4-g5, its
queen is free to roam the board and inflict
damage. Now Black’s position, up a full
exchange and two pawns, is the 99-year-
128
old billionaire who gleefully counts his
money, oblivious to the fact that the hour
of his death draws closer and closer, and
could even be later today.
51 ... d5
Black no longer has a defence:
a) 51 ... Re1? 52 Bxf7+ Rxf7 53 Qb8+ is
mate in two.
b) 51 ... Re6 52 Bxe6 dxe6 53 g5 Rc8 54
Qd6 c4 can be met simply by 55 Qd7 Rf8 56
Qc7 and Black’s pawns fall.
52 Bxd5 Rd7 53 Bc4 a4 54 g5
Philosophers have long pondered the
question: Why do bad things happen to
good machines? Black’s position is one of
picturesque disrepair. Have you ever seen
a more pathetic-looking queen than the
one on h8?
54 ... a3 55 Qf3 Rc7
If 55 ... Ra7 56 Qc6! (zugzwang), both
black queenside pawns drop.
56 Qxa3 Qxf6
Even a machine can dream, can’t it?
Well, this queen “sacrifice” is a bit of a
buzz-kill, since now the finish is anti-
climatic. 56 ... Rd7 57 Qxc5 is equally
hopeless for Black since the a-pawn will
surge forward.
57 gxf6 Rfc8 58 Qd3 Rf8 59 Qd6 Rfc8 60
a4 1-0

In view of 60 ... Ra7 61 a5! Rf8 (61 ...
Rxa5 62 Bxf7+! forces mate in four) 62 a6
Raa8 63 Qxc5 Kh8 64 Qe7 Kg8 65 a7 Rac8
(65 ... Rad8 loses to 66 Bxf7+) 66 Bd5
(zugzwang) 66 ... Rcd8 67 Bxf7+! and mates.
Game 56
Vl.Fedoseev-Ma.Carlsen
FIDE World Cup, Krasnaya Polyana 2021
Let’s take stock:
1. Magnus sacrificed a pawn earlier for
the initiative and an open f-file.
2. If White is given time to play Bg3 and
f3-f4-f5, he will take over the initiative and
potentially expose Black’s king.
3. White’s pieces look awkwardly
placed. If given time, they will unravel.
Exercise (planning): Come up with a
plan for Black to exploit his development
and activity lead.
Answer: Strategic exchange sacrifice.
18 ... Rxf4!!
Nimzowitsch approved! Magnus takes
the “I refuse to negotiate with terrorists!”
129
stance. If it feels right, he sacrifices. To
demand proof of its soundness, he
considered a presumption. In this case
Magnus’ almost infallible intuition and
ability to assess positions is backed up by
the engine, who heartily approves. For the
exchange, Magnus:
1. Eliminates White’s most important
defensive piece.
2. Black suddenly rules the dark squares
and the g7-bishop is actually worth more
than either white rook.
3. After White’s queen recaptures on f4,
Black can occupy the f4-hole with ... Bh6, ...
Qf8 and ... Bf4.
4. Number three on the list means that
White can never eject Black’s powerful
knight from e5 with f2-f4, since Black has
an unshakeable grip on f4.
5. White becomes chronically weak on
the dark squares.
6. After Black plays ... Bf4, White’s
queen will be driven back to g2 and will be
out of play.
7. Number 6 on the list means that
White’s queenside will be under-protected,
so Magnus can take over the c-file with his
rook and even open the queenside, where
White is outgunned.
8. White has zero potential targets to
attack.
9 White’s king is suddenly endangered.
19 Qxf4 Bh6! 20 Qg3 Qf8!
A bishop will land on f4 and it will take
an act of congress to remove it from its
new post.
21 Ne3
Maybe he should give his queen air
with 21 f4 Bxf4 22 Qb3.
21 ... Bf4
Black’s bishop on f4 is the $10,000 Rolex,
while White’s minor pieces are the sad,
wannabe $50 knock-offs.
22 Qg2
This is a crappy place for the queen. The
engine says the game is close to even. I
don’t believe that assessment for a
moment and sense that White is fighting
for his life.
22 ... Rc8 23 Rc3
 White’s unpleasant alternative is 23 0-
0!? Qf6 24 Rfa1 Qxh4 25 Qh1 Qf6 26 Rc3
Rxc3 27 bxc3 Nf7!, when I still hate White’s
position.
23 ... Rxc3 24 bxc3 Qc8!
Like Paul Atreides in his knife fight
against the Fremen warrior Jamis, Magnus’
blade, with lightning speed, suddenly
shifts to his other hand. White’s queenside
is devoid of protection.
25 c4
If 25 Kd2 Nc4+! 26 Bxc4 Qxc4 27 Qf1
Qa2+ 28 Kd3 Bb5+ 29 c4 Qb3+ 30 Kd2
Bxc4, no sane human would ever consider
deliberately taking on White’s position,
despite the engine’s assertion that White is
okay(ish).
25 ... b5!
Clearance!
26 axb6
Not 26 cxb5?? Qc1+ 27 Nd1 (or 27 Bd1
Bxb5 28 Rg1 Qc3 mate) 27 ... Qd2+ 28 Kf1
Bxb5! 29 Qh3 Qxd1+ 30 Kg2 Qxe2 and
White can resign.
26 ... axb6 27 Qg1?
He had to try 27 Kf1! b5! 28 Kg1! bxc4
29 Qf1 c3 30 Qb1 Qc5 31 Nc2 Ba4 with
massive pressure for Black, despite the
engine’s ridiculous even assessment.
27 ... Qa8!
The queen is determined to enter.
28 Kf1 Qa2!
Preventing Kg2.
29 Ng2
Where do you think you are going?
Nope. The blockade of f4 will not be
undermined. Magnus’ next move sends
the knight right back to e1. If instead 29
130
Bd1 then 29 ... b5! 30 cxb5 Bxb5+ 31 Kg2
Bxe3 wins.
29 ... Qa1+ 30 Ne1 Qb2
Here 30 ... b5! threatens to push the b-
pawn all the way to its promotion square.
Now if 31 cxb5 then 31 ... Bxb5! 32 Bxb5
Nxf3 33 Kg2 (forced) 33 ... Nxg1 34 Rxg1 is
a technical win for Black.
31 Ng2 Qc1+ 32 Ne1 Qd2!
Have you ever asked someone way out
of your league on a date, only to be met by
a look of amused contempt and a
consequent brush off? Well, Black’s queen
is that hateful someone.
33 Qg2
White has been driven into complete
helplessness and can only shuffle. If 33
Ng2 then 33 ... Nd3! 34 Ne3 (or 34 Bxd3
Qxd3+ 35 Ke1 Bd2+ 36 Kd1 Ba4 mate)
34 ... Qe1+ 35 Kg2 Qxe2 wins.
33 ... Kg7 34 Rg1 Kf8 35 Qh1
Exercise (planning): Come up with a
winning plan for Black.
Answer: Play ... e7-e6!, followed by
exchanging on d5. This activates Black’s
light-squared bishop, which is fatal for
White.
35 ... e6! 36 Rg3
A mixture of defiance and despair.
Forget it. Black isn’t even going to consider
taking this pathetic rook.
a) 36 Qg2 exd5 37 exd5 Bf5 38 Qh1 Kf7
39 Qg2 Nd3 40 Nxd3 Bxd3 wins, since 41
Bxd3 Qd1 is mate.
b) 36 dxe6 Bxe6 37 Qg2 Qc1 38 Qh1
Bxc4 39 Bxc4 Qxc4+ 40 Kg2 b5 41 Qh3 b4
42 Kh1 b3 43 Ng2 Nd3 (threat: ... Nxf2
mate) 44 Rf1 Ke7! (preventing Qd7) 45
Ne1 Ne5 46 Rg1 b2 47 Ng2 Nd3! 48 Rf1
Nxf2+ (removal of the guard/pawn
promotion) 49 Rxf2 b1Q+ forces mate.
36 ... exd5 37 exd5
If 37 cxd5 b5, you know the rest, as
Black simply marches his b-pawn down the
board.
37 ... Bf5!
The bishop’s entry into the attack
pushes White’s position past tolerable
defensive limits.
38 Rg1 Kf7 39 Rg3
Exercise (planning): Find a plan which
forces White’s position to collapse.
Answer: Transfer the knight to d4, after
which White’s bishop falls.
39 ... Nd7!
Onward to d4, via c5 and b3. Black’s
knight becomes a symbol of White’s terror.
40 Rg5
If White just passes, then 40 Rg1 Nc5 41
Rg3 Nb3 42 c5!? (since 42 Rg1 Nd4 wins)
44 ... Nd4 43 Ba6 Qa2! runs his bishop off
the diagonal, when 44 Bb7 Bxg3 45 fxg3
Qe2+ 46 Kg1 Qxe1+ forces mate.
40 ... Bxg5!
This is the optimal time to chop the
rook.
41 hxg5 Ne5 0-1
In view of 42 f4 Qxf4 43 Qg2 h4 44 Kg1
Qc1 45 Qf1 (or 45 Kf1 Nd3!) 45 ... Qxg5+ 46
Kh1 Qf4 with complete domination for
Black.
Did Magnus foresee all this when he
sacrificed the exchange on move 18? Of
course not. This is an example of a purely
131
intuitive strategic exchange sacrifice and
Magnus guessed correctly. So there
actually was nothing “irrational” about his
decision.
Game 57
S.Karjakin-Ma.Carlsen
Stavanger 2021
For over a year-long period occurring
between 2018 and 2020, Magnus
discovered the elixir of eternal life, since he
went a staggering 125 classical time
control games without a loss. I put this
game in, not only for the irrational
positions which arose within it, but also to
show you that even a candidate for
greatest chess player of all time can still go
off the cliff and lose. And that nobody, not
even masters of the irrational, like Tal and
Carlsen, can play such positions over and
over and remain loss free.
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6
5 Nc3 e5
Complex opening lines are no longer
synonymous with high ranking. Patzers (i.e.
over the hill IMs like me) play the
Sveshnikov just as often as world-class
players do. I know of two super-instructive,
excellently written and reasonably priced
books on the Sveshnikov from Everyman.
Only extreme modesty prevents me from
revealing this writer’s name. So I strongly
urge you to order your copies today!
6 Ndb5 d6 7 Nd5
Caruana and Vachier-Lagrave also
favour this line.
7 ... Nxd5 8 exd5 Ne7
Magnus popularized this move by
using it as a devastating weapon in the
rapid playoff of his championship match
against Caruana. A few years ago most
players went for 8 ... Nb8.
9 c4 Ng6
A Magnus specialty. 9 ... Nf5 is also an
option.
10 Qa4 Bd7 11 Qb4 Qb8

12 h4
The idea is to chase the knight with h4-
h5. 12 Be3 is played in equal proportion.
12 ... h5
Magnus has been in this position four
times. 12 ... a6 13 h5! axb5 14 hxg6 Ra4 15
Qb3 fxg6 16 cxb5 is supposed to be in
White’s favour.
13 Be3 a6 14 Nc3 Be7 15 g3 0-0!?
This pawn sacrifice scores poorly for
Black in the database, yet the engines give
it top billing. Instead, after 15 ... b5!? 16
cxb5 axb5 17 Bxb5 0-0 18 a4 f5, the engine
says Black gets full compensation,
E.Mehmed-J.Hilwerda, Paracin 2021.
16 Be2 b5!
Magnus expedites the Talification
process. At first it appears as if Black is just
giving away pawns for very little. This is an
illusion, since his coming activity
compensates.
17 cxb5 axb5 18 Bxh5 Bd8!
Both ... Ba5 and ... Bb6 are in the air. I
wrote Opening Repertoire: Sveshnikov
Sicilian based on Magnus’ games in this
line, and now you know why. No player in
132
the world can match his understanding of
the opening’s subtleties. Magnus’ new
move may be an improvement over the
previously played 18 ... Rc8, since retaining
his rook on f8 keeps options open for ... f7-
f5-f4.
19 0-0
Instead:
a) 19 Be2 Ba5 20 Qb3 f5! offers Black a
nasty initiative for the pawn.
b) 19 Bxg6 Ba5! 20 Qb3 Bxc3+!
(principle: opposite-coloured bishops
favour the attacker) 21 Qxc3 fxg6 and I
prefer Black’s attacking chances on the
light squares over White’s pawn.
19 ... Ne7!
Now ... f7-f5 is on the table, as well as ...
Nf5.
20 Bg5?!
This move actually loses the initiative.
The engine gives the zany line 20 Be2 f5 21
Nxb5 f4 22 gxf4 Ba5 23 Qxd6 Bxb5 24
Qe6+ Rf7 25 Bh5 g6 26 d6 Qe8 and in this
irrational position, Black’s chances look
slightly better.
20 ... Ba5! 21 Qb3 Nf5!
Intending ... Nd4. Magnus’ initiative
outweighs Karjakin’s extra pawn.
22 Ne2 Bb6!
Targeting f2.
23 Rac1 Ra4!
Now ... Qa7 is coming. Magnus is
wringing every drop of power from his
pieces, which reached alarming activity
levels.
24 Rc6!
From third grade on, I learned that
violence is such a wonderfully liberating
way to express feelings when things are
not going your way. Apparently, Karjakin
shares my view. How are we to interpret
such a move?
1. Maybe Karjakin is feeling the heat
and correctly offers a defensive exchange
sacrifice to ease the pressure on his
position.
2. Maybe Karjakin misassesses and
believes he is seizing the initiative with this
sacrifice, perhaps forgetting that the heart
of comedy is when a powerless person
attempts to intimidate a powerful one.
I’m inclined to believe number 1 on the
list as Karjakin’s motivation.
Exercise (critical decision): White’s
radical last move was indeed his best
practical chance, yet Black still stands
better, provided that you make the correct
decision on your next move. Do you want
power or money? Magnus can grab the
exchange on c6, which would offer White
some initiative while defanging Black’s
initiative in return. Or he can ignore the
rook and play for the initiative with a move
like 24 ... Bc5. Which one would you play?
Answer: In this case initiative
supersedes cash.
24 ... Bxc6!?
What? Has Magnus renounced his
religion of initiative over material? This is
possibly a misjudgment which
overestimates the value of winning the
exchange and allows Karjakin back into
the game. It’s also a rare kind of decision
from Magnus, who normally almost
always opts for energy over material.
Instead, 24 ... Bc5! maintains a
powerful initiative for Black: 25 Qc2 f6 26
Bd2 Rxa2 27 Qb1 Qa7 28 Nc3 Bxf2+!! 29
Kg2 (29 Rxf2?? runs into 29 ... Ra1) 29 ...
Nxg3 30 Nxa2 (if 30 Qxa2? Qd4 31 Rxf2
Qxh4, White’s king is on the cusp of being
vaporized into atoms.) 30 ... Qd4! 31 Rxf2
Qxh4 32 Bf3 e4!, when Black is a rook and
minor piece down, yet Stockfish has him
winning.
25 dxc6 Rc4 26 a4!
133
Karjakin does his best to distract on the
queenside.
26 ... Nd4!?
Ay caramba! In his mania for the full
point, Magnus recklessly allows Karjakin
two deeply connected passed pawns.
It may be presumptuous for a puny IM
like me to point out the weakness of a
world champion, but I will do it anyway. If
Magnus has but a single weakness, it is his
tendency to overpress. But is this fact really
a shock? If you are the most gifted player in
the world and perhaps the greatest chess
player of all time, any game which you
don’t win – even with the black pieces
against a world-class opponent –
represents a type of little defeat. Also, I
have seen Magnus overpress and then win,
when he shouldn’t have, so maybe his
tendency to go off the cliff occasionally
isn’t a weakness at all.
Magnus undoubtedly saw that 26 ...
Rxa4 offers White sufficient counterplay
after 27 Bg6 Nd4 28 Nxd4 Bxd4 29 Rc1.
27 Nxd4 Bxd4 28 axb5 d5?!
Magnus refuses to heed to reality’s
limitations and his position keeps getting
worse, the more he attempts to avoid
drawish lines. Here 28 ... Rc5! 29 Be7 Rxb5
30 Qf3 e4 31 Qxe4 Re8 32 Qxd4 Rxe7 33
Bf3 Rxb2 is a likely draw.
29 Rc1!
Now White gets to keep his b5-pawn.
29 ... Rxc1+ 30 Bxc1 Qb6 31 Be3 Bxe3
32 fxe3 Rd8

Let’s assess:
1. White has two deep and connected
passed pawns for the exchange.
2. Black will soon attempt counterplay
with ... g7-g6, followed by ... d5-d4, creating
a passed d-pawn.
3. White’ king is a touch aired out and
possibly vulnerable to either an attack or
perpetual check, later on.
While watching this game live, I
completely misassessed the position,
thinking it was unclear, or balanced.
Stockfish hates Black’s position and has
White up by+4.37 at depth 33, while Fritz
has White up by just over +2.
33 Kg2 g6 34 Be2 Kg7 35 Qc3
It may seem strange for Karjakin to
provoke ... d5-d4. The idea is that he wants
a resolution in the centre, rather than
allowing Black’s centre to remain mobile.
35 ... d4 36 exd4 exd4
36 ... Qxd4?? loses instantly to 37 c7.
37 Qd3 Qa5 38 Qc2?!
The assessment drops after this move.
38 h5! exposes Black’s king. For example:
38 ... Qb4 (or 38 ... gxh5 39 Bxh5 Rd5 40 Qf3)
39 hxg6 fxg6 40 Qa3! Qd2 41 Qe7+ Kh6 42
c7 Rc8 43 b6 d3 44 Qh4+ Kg7 45 Qd4+ Kh6
46 Qxd3 and White wins.
38 ... Qb4?!
The position’s high complexity level is
too much, even for such great chess minds.
Instead, 38 ... Re8! 39 Bc4 Re3 40 Qf2 f6 41
Qf4 Qd2+ 42 Kh3 Qd1! (a queen check on
h1 is a serious threat) 43 Bd5 Qh5 44 Bc4
Qd1! is either a repetition draw or White
can take perpetual check with 45 Qc7+.
39 b3
134
Here 39 Qe4! Qxb2 40 Qe5+ Kh7 41 h5!
leaves Black in deep trouble.
39 ... Re8!
Exercise (critical decision): Should
White push forward with 40 c7, or activate
his bishop to a stable square with 40 Bc4 - ?
Answer: Only by pushing the c-pawn
can White retain winning chances.
40 Bc4?
Now Black should hold the draw. 40 c7!
Rc8 41 Bg4 f5 42 Bxf5! gxf5 43 Qxf5 wins,
as after 43 ... Qf8 44 Qe5+ Kh7 45 b6 the
pawns overwhelm Black’s rook.
40 ... Re7?
The correct move order was 40 ... Qc3!
41 Qf2 Re7, transposing below.
41 Qf2?!
Here 41 Qd3! Qc3 42 b6 Re3 43 Qxc3
dxc3 44 b7 c2 45 b8Q c1Q 46 Qf4 leaves
Black busted.
41 ... Qc3!
Now Black should save the game.
42 Qf3
If 42 b6 then 42 ... d3 43 c7 Re2 44 c8Q
Rxf2+ 45 Kxf2 Qd2+ 46 Kf1 (not 46 Kf3??
Qe2+ 47 Kf4 Qf2+ 48 Ke4 d2 and wins)
46 ... Qe2+ 47 Kg1 Qe1+ 48 Kh2 Qf2+ 49
Kh3 Qf1+ is a draw, since 50 Kg4?? loses
to 50 ... f5+ 51 Kg5 Qc1 mate.
42 ... Qb4?
After 42 ... f5! 43 Qd5 Kh6 44 Qg8 Qd2+
45 Kh3 Qd1 46 Qh8+ Rh7 47 Qf8+ Black
must accept the draw since 47 ... Kh5??
loses to 48 Bd5! eliminating Black’s own
perpetual check.
43 Kh3?
 Here 43 Qd5! Qd2+ 44 Kh3 Qd1 45 b6
wins, since Black doesn’t have a way to try
for perpetual check.
43 ... Qd6?
The queen should go forward: 43 ...
Qe1!, intending 44 b6 d3! 45 Bxd3 Re3 46
Qxe3 Qxe3 47 c7 Qe6+ 48 Kg2 Qc6+ 49
Kh2 Qb7 50 g4 and weirdly enough, the
game is drawn.
44 Qf4?
It feels as if the players have made 100
mistakes in a row, so just imagine us in the
same position. Our blunder level would be
in the billions! After 44 b6! d3 45 Bxd3
Qe6+ 46 Kh2 Qxb3 47 b7 Qb6 48 Be4
White is winning.
44 ... Qxf4?
This is a serious misjudgment since
Black has no chance with queens off the
board. 44 ... Qc5 was his only prayer.
45 gxf4 d3 46 Bxd3!
Of course. White can happily hand over
his bishop for the black d-pawn since
Black’s rook will be overwhelmed by
White’s queenside passers.
46 ... Re3+ 47 Kg2 Rxd3 48 b6 Rxb3 49
b7 Rb6
Magnus is still praying for some kind of
fortress draw.
Exercise (critical decision): What is
White’s best move?
Answer: Postpone pawn promotion
and play h4-h5 first. This avoids Magnus’
trap to reach a fortress draw.
50 h5!
135
I have a feeling the vast majority of us,
including me, would have fallen for 50 c7??
Rxb7 51 c8Q Rb5!, which is a case of
Paradise Lost. Incredibly, Black will hold a
draw, as his king is secure behind the two
pawns, and there is no way past his rook on
the fifth rank.
50 ... gxh5 51 Kh3! Rxc6 52 b8Q Rc5 53
Qb2+ f6 54 Kh4 1-0
Let’s take a look at the winning
technique: 54 Kh4 Kf7 55 Qd4! (Black’s
rook is vulnerable on every square on the
fifth rank, so must back off) 55 ... Rc7 56
Kxh5 Re7 57 f5 Rc7 58 Qd8 Ra7 59 Kh6
Re7 60 Qxe7+! Kxe7 61 Kg7 Ke8 62 Kxf6
Kf8 (the opposition fails when the pawn
up king is on the sixth rank) 63 Ke6 Ke8 64
f6 Kf8 65 f7 and White wins.
Game 58
Ma.Carlsen-W.So
Meltwater Tour Final (online rapid) 2021
Magnus’ rivals seek to overthrow the
tyranny of their cruel king; as of this
writing, no one has yet succeeded. Best a
world champion and you can be certain he
will come at you next time with an intense
grudge. Wesley So has done well in the
past against the world champion, so
Magnus had something to prove here.
Irrational games don’t necessarily need to
be tactical ones. In this game both sides
played eccentric chess and, even though
the position was both original and odd,
there were hardly any tactics involved.
Magnus simply placed his pieces on better
squares and won bloodlessly.
 1 b3
Knowledge, which crawled so slowly in
the chess world when I was a child, is now
available to the masses on an industrial
scale. In the olden days the top players
played topical, sharp theoretically heavy
openings like the Najdorf, while club-level
players winged it with weird stuff. Today,
it almost feels as if this trend has flipped:
weird openings are now synonymous with
high ranking, while club-level patzers play
Najdorfs, memorizing positions to move 25,
which they will never actually get in their
games.
When Everyman offered me a contract
to write The Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Move by
Move, I felt a sense of dread, fearing that I
would drop at least 50 rating points by
playing it. To my utter confusion, 1 b3!!
turned out to be my highest scoring
opening with White, since it leads to weird
positions (which I suppose favours weird
people, like me). It has the great benefit of
throwing most of your opposition out of
their opening theoretical comfort zones,
since most of the people you face don’t put
much study time into an opening they
don’t fear.
1 ... b6
Wesley goes for the shorthand version.
The thing about 1 b3 is that it allows Black
to play virtually any first move and still get
a reasonable position.
2 e4!?
Out of the genetic bloodline, a mutant
creature arises. The position is already
strange and it’s only move 2! Another
weapon in Magnus’ deadly arsenal is his
136
uncanny ability to evade detectable
habits/patterns in the opening stage. Why
does this matter? Because it becomes
damned-nearly impossible to prepare
engine-generated lines against him. The
auto-pilot 2 Bb2 is played in 90% of games.
2 ... Bb7 3 Nc3 e6
3 ... e5 4 Bb2 Nf6 can be met by 5 f4!?
with a weird kind of King’s Gambit.
4 Bb2 Nf6
Here 4 ... c5 5 Nf3 Nc6 6 d4 is a strange
kind of Open Sicilian in which Magnus
would feel perfectly at home, since one of
his specialties is this very type of Sicilian
with a queenside fianchetto.
5 e5 Nd5 6 Nxd5 Bxd5 7 Qg4!
Magnus makes it difficult for Black to
develop his f8-bishop without weakening
the kingside dark squares with ... g7-g6.
7 ... h5!
A novelty by this move order, and a
good one since it should allow Black
equality.
8 Qf4 g5!?
Wesley refuses to show deference for
Magnus’ higher rating! One of the great
delusions we humans believe is that we
should take no risks if we want to remain
safe. Yet risks also lead to opportunity. In
view of the game’s result, it would be easy
to criticize such a move as reckless and
claim that power devoid of
accomplishment is the very definition of
failure. I would file Black’s move in the
ambitious-yet-playable category. Wesley
wants the initiative, even at the cost of
potentially weakening his kingside pawns.
8 ... g6 is safer.
 9 Qe3 a5!?
So attempts to discourage Carlsen from
castling queenside.
10 a3!
So that ... a5-a4 can be bypassed by b3-
b4.
10 ... Bb7
Principle: when you make a concession
in return for one from your opponent, be
certain that your pain doesn’t outweigh
your pleasure. The push 10 ... a4?! helps
White more than Black, as after 11 b4 c5 12
b5 Black has trouble developing his b8-
knight and I like White’s position.
11 Nf3 g4 12 Nd4 Nc6 13 Nb5 Bh6 14
Qc3!?
Let’s first gather data:
1. The idea of White placing his queen
on the awkward c3-square is that it
disallows ... Na7.
2. It’s clear that Black must chip away at
White’s e5-point, but the question is: how?
Black’s two logical plans are:
a) Play 14 ... Bg7, followed by ... d7-d6.
b) Play 14 ... Bf4 and if 15 Qc4, offer an
exchange sacrifice with 15 ... Qg5, allowing
16 Nxc7+.
Exercise (planning): Which plan is the
superior one?
Answer: Black maintains dynamic
equality with Plan b).
14 ... Bg7
The engines don’t agree, yet your
human writer believes that this natural
move soon gets Black into strategic trouble.
Whereas after 14 ... Bf4! 15 Qc4 (15 d4?! h4
137
16 Qc4 Rb8 is in Black’s favour) 15 ... Qg5!!
(this sacrifice is completely sound) 16
Nxc7+ Ke7 17 Nxa8 Bxd2+ 18 Kd1 Rxa8
19 Qb5 Bf4 20 Qxb6 Bxe5 Black gets full
value for the exchange, with the following
compensation:
1. Black destroyed White’s once
imposing e5-pawn.
2. Black has a pawn for the exchange.
3. White’s king is unable to castle and
vulnerable to both attack and perpetual
check in the middle.
4. White’s central dark squares are
weak.
The engines slightly prefer White, while
I would take Black, since from a human
perspective White’s position is more
difficult to play without blundering.
15 d4 d6?!
Black is better off trying 15 ... 0-0 16 0-
0-0 f6.
16 exd6 cxd6 17 h3!
Principle: Create confrontation when
leading in development.
17 ... f5?!
17 ... Ke7 is clearly unpleasant for Black,
yet probably his best option.
18 hxg4 hxg4
18 ... fxg4 19 Qg3 Ke7 20 0-0-0 is also
awful for Black.
19 Rxh8+ Bxh8
Exercise (planning): Castling long is
highly favourable for White. Do you see an
even stronger plan?
Answer: Shifting the queen to g3 comes
with devastating force.
20 Qg3!
 Threat: Nxd6+. Magnus, much like Both 23 ... d5 24 0-0-0 and 23 ... Bxe5 24
Morphy, Capablanca and Fischer before Bxe5 dxe5 25 0-0-0+ are hopeless too.
him, possesses that mysterious quality in 24 Qh6!
his play where his pieces harmonize and
flow to perfect spots, as if extensions of his
own mind.
20 ... e5
Black’s position pulls him down, like
our demanding, emotional, high-
maintenance college ex-girlfriend. It is too
late for 20 ... Ke7 21 0-0-0 Bf6 (21 ... Na7 22
Qh4+ Kd7 23 Qxd8+! wins material) 22 d5!
Bxb2+ 23 Kxb2 Qh8+ 24 Kb1 Ne5 25 dxe6
and Black’s king won’t survive his ordeal.
21 Qh2!
Step 2: Transfer the queen to h2 to Targeting d6 again.
infiltrate down the h-file. 24 ... Qg6
21 ... Kd7 If 24 ... Bxe5 then 25 Bxe5 dxe5 26 Qd6+
21 ... Qf6 is met by the overload shot 22 Ke8 27 Nc7+ Kf8 28 Qh6+! wins Black’s
Nxd6+!, winning, while 21 ... Bf6 22 0-0-0 queen.
Qe7 23 dxe5 leaves Black completely 25 Qd2! 1-0
busted. Since 25 ... d5 26 0-0-0 is again hopeless
22 Qh7+ Ne7 for Black.
Everything loses: 22 ... Qe7 is met by 23 It’s a rare event when two world-class
Qxf5+, and 22 ... Ke6 just hangs a piece to opponents meet, and one of them gets a
23 Qxb7. wicked initiative/attack without having to
23 dxe5 sacrifice so much as a single pawn, yet it
Black’s king is horribly caught in the happened in this game.
middle.
23 ... Qg8

138
 Chapter Four
Exploiting Imbalances
In this chapter we look at asymmetrical
imbalances, where navigating the
positions is a bit like trying to hear a colour,
or perhaps a blind person from birth
attempting to imagine the colour blue:
how do you even come up with an analogy
when one grasps for strategic context?
Game 59
V.Smyslov-V.Makogonov
USSR Championship, Moscow 1944
W The h2-pawn is untouchable: 51 ...
Let’s first gather the data before
attempting to assess the confusion in this
anarchist’s paradise:
1. Black threatens ... Qe1 mate and
simultaneously White’s bishop hangs. This
isn’t a problem since the issue is solved by
Kf2.
2. White is a full exchange up.
3. Both sides own a set of three
connected passed pawns, so the game may
turn into a promotion race. To my mind
Black’s pawns looked faster in the race.
4. White’s a2-rook, although a useful
defensive piece, still appears inactive.
5. Both kings appear insecure.
6. Black’s rook is pinned and White
threatens to add heat with Rg7.
How would you assess the position? I
incorrectly concluded that it was even,
which was way off. My misassessment
139
arises from a complete misinterpretation
from number 5 on the list. In reality Black’s
is far less safe than White’s. I was shocked
by Stockfish’s assessment of + 8.74 and
Fritz’s +5.83.
49 Kf2
Covering both the mate on e1 and he
loose bishop. Now Black is out of checks
and White threatens Rg7.
49 ... Qa5
The coming Rg7 needed to be
addressed. 49 ... Kc7 50 Qe5+ Kc8 51 Qxb5
is lost for Black.
50 Qe6
The engine goes for 50 Rg6!, with the
idea 50 ... b4 51 Rc6+ Bc7 52 Qf8+! Rd8 53
Qf7! (dual threats: Rxa4 and Qxc4) 53 ...
Rd7 54 Qxc4, when Black’s passed pawns
are kept in check and White wins.
50 ... Qc7 51 f5!
Smyslov seeks to turn his bad bishop
into a monster on the h2-b8 diagonal.
51 ... Kb7
Qxh2? 52 Qa6+ Kc7 53 Qxb5 Qh4+ 54 Kf1
Qh1+ 55 Bg1 White wins.
52 Rg6!
Threatening Qa6+ followed by Qxb5+.
52 ... Kc8 53 Qxe4
Both Bf4 and Qa8+ are in the air.
53 ... Qb7 54 Rc6+!
Smyslov was not a one-trick pony who
only won in the endgame. It’s an ominous
indicator when one of the all-time greatest
endgame players violates the tenets of his
religion and is disinclined to swap down
into a won ending.

54 ... Kb8 55 d5
Solidifying his c6-rook, while
enhancing the energy of his bishop.
55 ... Na5
55 ... Re7 can be met by 56 Re6.
56 Qe5+ Ka8
If 56 ... Bc7 then 57 Qe6 Rd8 58 Rb2!
(threat: Rxc7_ 58 ... a3 59 Rxc7! Qxc7 (59 ...
Kxc7 60 Bf4+ forces mate) 60 Rxb5+ Nb7
61 Qa6 wins.
57 Qe6 Kb8 58 Rb2!
Threat: Rxb5!. For example: 58 ... a3 59
Rxb5! Qxb5 60 Qxd7 and wins.
58 ... Nb3
Exercise (planning): Come up with a
winning plan for White.
Answer: Step 1: Push and endanger
Black’s king via a bishop check.
59 Bf4+! Ka7 60 Ra6+! 1-0
Step 2: Decoy/overloaded defender.
After 60 ... Qxa6 61 Qxd7+ Qb7 62 Qxd8,
White has won a piece, leaving him a rook
up. All that remains is to make certain that
Black’s passed pawns don’t get out of
140
control following 62 ... a3 (Godspeed, little
a3-fellow).
Exercise (calculation): Work out White’s
forced mate in six (not seven or eight).
Answer #1: Eliminate Black’s knight: 63
Rxb3! cxb3 (or 63 ... Qb6+ 64 Be3) 64 Be3+
Ka6 65 Qd6+ Qc6!? (or 65 ... Ka5 66 Qa3
mate) 66 dxc6 b4 67 Qc5, followed by 68
Qb6 mate.
Answer #2: 63 Be3+! also works: 63 ...
Ka6 (or 63 ... Nc5!? 64 Bxc5+ Ka5 65 Rb4!
a2 66 Qf6+ Ka5 67 Qb2 and mate next
move) 64 Qd6+ Qc6!? (or 64 ... Ka5 65 Qxa3
mate) 65 Qxc6+ Ka5 66 Bc5! Ka4 67 Qa6+
Na5 68 Qxb5 mate.
Game 60
Y.S.Gusev-E.Auerbach
Chelyabinsk 1946
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6
5 Nc3 g6 6 Be2 Nc6 7 Nb3 Bg7 8 0-0 Be6 9
f4 Rc8 10 f5 Bd7 11 g4?!
No, no, I am not okay with such a
reckless thrust! Objectively, this move can’t
be good, because Black’s king hasn’t even
committed to the kingside.

11 ... Ne5?!
Not the best reaction since the f6-
knight is sent into the gulag on g8. Instead,
11 ... Qb6+! 12 Kh1 Ne5 13 g5 Nxe4! 14
Nxe4 gxf5 15 Nc3 Rxc3! 16 bxc3 Bc6+ 17
Rf3 Qf2 18 Nd4 Be4 19 Bf4 Nxf3 20 Nxf3
Be5 21 Bxe5 dxe5 looks promising for
Black.
12 g5 Ng8 13 Nd5?!
He should try 13 f6 Bf8! (13 ... exf6!? 14
Qxd6 fxg5 15 Nd5 is dangerous for Black)
14 Bf4 h6!. This mess is called dead even by
the engine.
Exercise (planning): Our candidate
moves are 13 ... gxf5, planning 14 ... h6 next,
or 13 ... f6. Both lines challenge White’s
kingside space. One leads to a clear
advantage for Black, while the other leads
to a promising position for White.
Which one would you play?
Answer: The correct way to dismantle
White’s kingside is with 14 ... gxf5!.
13 ... f6?
After 13 ... gxf5! 14 exf5 h6! 15 h4 hxg5
16 hxg5 Rh4 17 c3 e6! 18 f6 Bc6! 19 Nb4
141
Nxf6! 20 Nxc6 bxc6 21 gxf6 Bxf6 Black has
two pawns and decent attacking chances
for the sacrificed piece.
14 Be3 b6?
This is way too slow. Black should react
vigorously with an exchange sacrifice to
ease the pressure: 14 ... fxg5 15 Bxa7!
(threat: Bb6) 15 ... Rc6 16 Nd4 Nf6 17 Nxc6
Bxc6 and Black generated some activity for
the exchange.
15 Nd4!
Now Ne6 is in the air.
15 ... Kf7
The engine doesn’t like this, but I’m not
thrilled with its suggested line either: 15 ...
fxg5 16 Ne6 Bxe6 17 fxe6 Nf6 (17 ... Bf6
also stinks) 18 Bb5+ Kf8 19 Bxg5 with a
wretched position for Black.
16 c3 Qe8
16 ... Nc4 can be met by 17 Qb3! and if
17 ... Nxe3 18 Nxe3+ Ke8 then 19 e5!! dxe5
20 Ne6 Bxe6 21 Qxe6 Rc7 22 fxg6 hxg6 23
Nd5 Rb7 24 gxf6 Nxf6 25 Rad1 and Black is
crushed. The engine already announces a
forced mate in 12.
17 Ne6
Even stronger is 17 Qb3! Ba4 18 Nxf6+!
Bxb3 19 fxg6+ hxg6 20 Nxe8+ Kxe8 21
axb3, when Black can resign.
17 ... Bxe6 18 fxe6+
18 ... Kf8
18 ... Kxe6 19 Qb3 Kd7 20 Bb5+ Nc6 21
Qa4 (threat: Nb4) is hopeless for Black.
19 Nxf6!?
Dramatic doesn’t always equate to best.
Here 19 Qb3! h6 20 Bb5 Qd8 21 gxf6 Nxf6
22 Bd4 is deadly. If 22 ... Kg8 23 Rxf6 Bxf6
24 Nxf6+ (the knight can’t be touched due
to the e6-e7 discovered check) 24 ... Kg7 25
Nd7, Black must resign.
19 ... Nxf6
19 ... exf6 20 Qxd6+ Qe7 21 Qxe5 wins.
20 gxf6 Bxf6 21 Bh6+ Kg8
Exercise (planning): Come up with
White’s most effective plan.
Answer: Strategic exchange sacrifice.
22 Rxf6! exf6 23 Qxd6
Stronger was 23 Qd5! (threat: Qb7 and
Qg7 mate) 23 ... Qe7 24 Rd1 Rd8 25 a4,
when Black is close to zugzwang and his
position is completely hopeless since the
h8-rook is useless and his king remains in
grave danger.
23 ... Rc6! 24 Qxe5!!
This is Gusev’s “Like hell I’m going to
back down!” moment. Retreating the
queen gives White nothing: 24 Qa3 Rxe6
25 Qxa7 Qe7 and he might as well take the
draw with 26 Qa8+ Qe8 27 Qa7 Qe7 28
Qa8+ etc.
24 ... fxe5 25 Rf1
Black is horribly tied down.
25 ... Rc8 26 Bd1!
142
The bishop heads for the a2-g8
diagonal.
26 ... Rc4 27 Bb3 b5 28 Bxc4??
This is a catastrophic error, where the
evaluation drops from almost +7, to nearly
even! It is too soon to take the rook. White
believes he is getting a sweetheart deal. He
isn’t, if Black plays correctly.
Instead, White should first strengthen
his position to the maximum, while Black
is reduced to passing moves with his queen.
For example: 28 ... a6 29 h4 Qe7 30 Kg2
Qe8 (30 ... Qg7!? 31 Bxg7 Kxg7 32 Bxc4
bxc4 33 Rf7+ is a winning rook endgame
for White) 31 Kg3 Qe7 32 Ba2 Qe8 33 Rf3
Qe7 34 axb5 axb5 35 b4 Qe8 and only then
36 Bxc4 bxc4 37 b5!, when the advancing
b-pawn wins.
28 ... bxc4 29 b3
The position is still quite incredible
since White only has a bishop for a queen,
yet Black is so tied up that it is he who is
fighting for the draw.
Exercise (critical decision): Should Black
exchange pawns with 29 ... cxb3, or
temporize with 29 ... a5 - ? One move holds
the draw, while the other loses.
Answer: Exchanging pawns holds the
draw.
29 ... a5??
After 29 ... cxb3! 30 axb3 a5 31 c4 Qe7
32 Kg2 Qa3! (anywhere else on the a3-f8
diagonal and 33 Rf7! wins for White) 33
Rf7 (or 33 Rd1 Qe7 34 Rf1 Qa3 repeats) 33 ...
Qa2+ and White cannot escape the checks
without retreating the rook again. If he
tries 34 Kg3 Qxb3+ 35 Kh4 then 35 ... g5+!
36 Kg4 (not 36 Bxg5?? h5 or 36 Kxg5??
Qe3+ 37 Kh3 Qh3+ and Black wins) 36 ...
Qd1+ 37 Kg3 Qg1+ forces a draw.
30 bxc4
Whereas now White is completely
winning!
30 ... Qe7 31 Kg2 Qa3 32 Rf2 Qe7 33
Rf1 g5
Here 33 ... Qa3 fails to 34 Rf7! Qxa2+ (or
34 ... Qb2+ 35 Kg3 Qxc3+ 36 Kg4) 35 Kg3
Qa3 36 Rd7! (threat: Rd8+) 36 ... Qxc3+ 37
Kg4 and, having no good checks, Black is
mated after 37 ... Qd4 38 Rxd4 exd4 39 Kg5!
d3 40 Kf6 d2 41 e7 d1Q 42 e8R mate.
34 Rf5!
If White’s position is a crime family,
then the f5-rook is a “made guy”.
34 ... g4 35 c5
The c5-pawn can’t be taken due to 35 ...
Qxc5 36 Rg5 mate, and otherwise it just
keeps on coming.
35 ... Qd8 36 c6 Qe7 37 c7! 1-0
This wasn’t quite a new idea, since a
single game precedes it, as far back as 1931.
Black is willing to give up a piece for a mass
of central pawns, which doesn’t look like
such a bad deal.
8 dxc6!
Tell me what you hate and I will tell you
who you are. The piece must be accepted.
It’s a bit disorienting to see one of the least
materialistic players in chess history grab a
piece, since Nezh loved to give away
material for either attack or initiative, not
the other way around. In this case it’s a
matter of necessity.
In the original game White went into
shock, incorrectly declined with 8 0-0? Ne7
9 Qe2 c6! 10 d6 Nf5, and was already
busted, E.Colle-M.Vidmar, Bled 1931.
8 ... bxc6 9 Be2 d5 10 Nb3 0-0 11 0-0 c5

Overloaded defender/weak back rank.

The Beatles were right: money really can’t
buy you love. Black’s extra queen is the
poster child of defensive impotency.

Game 61
R.Nezhmetdinov-L.Myagmarsuren
Ulaanbaatar 1965
So Black got two pawns and a monster
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 Bc5 4 c3 f5!? centre for the piece. The engine still prefers
If this variation is still considered White by a shade.
within the realm of blue-blood openings, 12 a4! a5 13 Be3
then it is a minor house among the royalty I would play 13 Bg5.
of major houses of the Ruy Lopez. 13 ... Qe7!
5 d4 fxe4 6 Nfd2 Bb6 7 d5 Nf6!?

143
 I like this move more than pushing the
d-pawn, since it doesn’t give up control
over c4, as in the line 13 ... d4?! 14 Bc4+
Kh8 15 Bg5.
14 Na3 Be6 15 Bg5 c6 16 c4 h6
17 Bh4
Nezhmetdinov the greedy? He probably
should have returned the piece with 17
cxd5!? cxd5 18 Be3 d4 19 Bc4!? dxe3 20
fxe3, when Black’s extra pawn isn’t all that
impressive and chances look balanced.
17 ... Kh8
I would play 17 ... d4 because then
White is unable to utilize c4 for a piece.
18 Bg3
I would play 18 Nd2.
18 ... Bg8?!
18 ... d4! keeps the game in balance.
19 Re1?!
The advantage swings to White after 19
Nd2!.
19 ... d4
Myagmarsuren could also try a
clearance sacrifice with 19 ... e3!? 20 fxe3
Ne4 21 Nd2 Nxg3 22 hxg3 e4, when ... Qg5
is coming and I would not want to defend
White’s position, despite the engine’s even
assessment.
20 Qc1
He can also try untangling his
queenside pieces with 20 Nb1 Rad8 21 Qc1.
20 ... Bh7 21 Nd2 Bc7 22 Bd1 Rad8
The e8-square is probably a better one
for the rook.
23 Bc2?
Nezh wants to force Black to make a
decision about his pawns, but this was too
144
impatient. 23 Nab1 keeps the game
balanced.
Exercise (critical decision): Should Black
push his d-pawn or his e-pawn?
Answer: Pushing the e-pawn is the
stronger move.
23 ... d3?
It’s so tempting to gain a tempo. The
trouble is that it takes the flexibility out of
Black’s structure.
Instead, 23 ... e3! 24 fxe3 e4! creates
serious problems for White. For example:
25 Bxc7 Qxc7 (threat: ... Ng4) 26 Bd1 Nd7!
27 Nf1 (not 27 Nb3? Ne5 28 Nxc5 Qf7 29
Qd2 d3!, intending ... Rd6-f6 with deadly
threats) 27 ... Ne5 28 Qd2 Nd3 29 Bc2 (not
29 Re2?? Rxf1+! 30 Kxf1 Qxh2! and wins)
29 ... Nxe1 30 Rxe1 Qe5 and Black stands
clearly better.
24 Bd1
Now all Black has done is create holes
on c3 and e3 for White’s pieces.
24 ... Qf7 25 Qc3
White’s biggest issue is his useless a3-
knight. He should therefore try 25 Nab1!
Rd4 26 Nc3 Bf5 27 Re3 h5 28 h3 g5 29 f3!
(principle: meet the opponent’s wing
attack with a central counter), when White
stands clearly better.
25 ... Rd4 26 Nb3 h5!?
Black goes all-in for his attack, ignoring
threats to the a- and c-pawns, as well as his
d4-rook. The engine has it at dead even
here.
27 Qd2?
 Defending f2 was not a priority. It was
more important to blockade the black
pawns with 27 Re3.
27 ... h4! 28 Nxd4
Not 28 Bxh4? e3! and the discovered
attack by the d4-rook picks off White’s h4-
bishop next move.
28 ... cxd4 29 Bxh4
Exercise (combination alert): Work out
Black’s most promising continuation.
Answer: Step 1: Clearance. Push the e4-
pawn, clearing the square for Black’s
knight.
29 ... e3! 30 fxe3 Ne4?
Right idea, wrong move order! Black
needed to toss in 30 ... g5! and then:
a) 31 Bxg5? Ne4 wins White’s queen, or
forces a back rank mate after 32 Qxd3
Qf2+ etc.
b) 31 Bg3? Ne4 also wins the queen,
since 32 Qxd3 Nxg3 is quickly fatal.
b) 31 Rf1 dxe3 32 Qxe3 gxh4 favours
Black.
d) 31 exd4 gxh4 32 Qf2 e4 33 Qxh4 Qd7
and Black stands better in this terrible
mess.
31 Qxd3 Ng3
Discovered attack/weak back rank.
With this continuation Black does indeed
win the queen. However White gets a load
of pieces for it and has a clear advantage at
the end of the line.
32 Qxh7+!
No natural carnivore, stomach
rumbling with hunger, ever had this
thought: “I no longer want to inflict harm,
so from this point I will go vegan.”
145
Nezhmetdinov was one of the great
carnivores in chess history and he must
have been delighted to switch from
defence to offence, especially as he was
given no choice. 32 Qd2?? walks into 32 ...
Qf1+ 33 Rxf1 Rxf1 mate.
32 ... Kxh7 33 Bxg3 e4!
Black threatens ... Bxg3 followed by ...
Qf2+ and Qxe1+.
Exercise (critical decision): White needs
to cover his back rank, so the two obvious
candidates are 34 Bg4 or the tactic 34 Bh5.
One line gives White a winning position,
while he is busted in the other. Which one
would you play?
Answer: h5 is the correct square for
White’s bishop.
34 Bg4?
Welcome to round two of right idea,
wrong move order! 34 Bh5! Qxh5 35 Bxc7
gives White a winning position. For
example: 35 ... d3 36 Nb1 Qf7 37 Bg3 Qxc4
38 Nd2 Qb4 39 Red1 Qb6 40 Bf2 Qxb2 41
Nxe4 and White should slowly convert,
since Black’s passers are blockaded and
White’s two minor pieces and rook are too
much for Black’s queen.
34 ... Bxg3 35 hxg3 Qf2+ 36 Kh2 d3! 37
c5 Rf6! 38 Nc4 Rh6+ 39 Bh3
 Exercise (combination alert): White
looks safe now. He isn’t: prove why.
Answer: Step 1: Sacrifice the exchange
to bring White’s king to h3.
39 ... Rxh3+! 40 Kxh3 Qf7!
Step 2: Double attack. Black
simultaneously threatens ... Qh5 mate
and ... Qxc4, so White must give up his
knight.
41 Kg4!?
Nezhmetdinov obviously believed in
the Dune Fremen saying: “Any man who
retreats into a cave which has only one
entrance deserves to die.” His hope is that
his king will help pick off Black’s e4-pawn,
which just isn’t going to happen.
41 ... Qxc4 42 Kf4 Qd5 43 Rf1
43 g4 g5+ 44 Kg3 Kg6 is a technical win
for Black since White’s c5-pawn will fall.
43 ... g5+! 44 Kg4 Kg6
Threatening mate in one.
45 Kh3 Qe5! 46 Kh2
Not 46 Rab1? Qh8+ 47 Kg4 Qh5 mate.
46 ... Qxb2
White’s pawns are stationary targets.
47 Rab1 Qe2 48 Rfe1 Qh5+ 49 Kg1 d2!
50 Red1 Qe2
146
The rooks are defensively paralysed.
51 Kh2 Kf5! 0-1
Since ... Kg4 and ... Qxe3 is coming.
Game 62
B.Spassky-R.J.Fischer
World Championship (Game 13),
Reykjavik 1972
There are some games which blow
your mind so much that you never forget.
My father and I played over this game,
which we extracted from the Montreal
Gazette, on my 12th birthday. Even a half
century later, I remember my father asking
with great incredulity: “How on earth
could a world champion lose with the
opponent’s rook entombed?” Fifty years
have gone by and I still couldn’t give you an
answer! If I had to pick just one Fischer
game as my favourite, this one would be a
serious candidate for pole position.
1 e4 Nf6!?
This was the first ever Alekhine’s
Defence employed in a World
Championship match game. It was highly
unlikely that Spassky was ready for it. In a
single move, Fischer evaded the Soviet
team’s collective preparation. Oh, the
sweet good old days. In today’s world
championship games, there is about a 90%
chance that 1 e4 will be met by 1 e5, with
the sole intent to hold a draw with the
black pieces. This is perhaps the greatest
Alekhine’s Defence battle of all time, so you
are in for a treat.
2 e5 Nd5 3 d4 d6 4 Nf3
 The Alekhine’s was my home for almost
two decades, until everyone began to play
the hated Exchange Variation, which goes
4 c4 Nb6 5 exd6. I don’t much like Black’s
position after either pawn capture. So now
I rarely play the opening.
4 ... g6
In the 19th game, Fischer deviated with
4 ... Bg4.
5 Bc4 Nb6
5 ... c6 is playable too.
6 Bb3 Bg7
7 Nbd2!?
Having been thrown off his home
preparation, and probably fearing
Fischer’s prep, Spassky dodges the sharper
theoretical lines with an over-the-board
novelty. As a result, his choice is too tame
to extract an edge. The only tries for an
advantage are 7 Ng5 and 7 a4.
7 ... 0-0 8 h3!?
More hypercaution. After something
normal like 8 0-0 Nc6 9 Re1 dxe5 10 dxe5
Bg4 Black looks okay.
8 ... a5!
Threat: ... a5-a4. Fischer attempts to
shift the focus to the queenside.
9 a4!
Spassky reverts to type and offers a bold
pawn sacrifice. The passive 9 a3?! cedes the
initiative after 9 ... dxe5 10 dxe5 a4 11 Ba2
Nc6 12 Qe2 Ra5!, when White lags in
development, and 13 e6 Bxe6 14 Bxe6 fxe6
15 Qxe6+ Rf7 is slightly in Black’s favour.
9 ... dxe5! 10 dxe5 Na6! 11 0-0 Nc5 12
Qe2 Qe8!
Fischer was in that rare category of
pawn grabbers, joining Korchnoi and
147
Lasker before him. Spassky will be given
the initiative, at the cost of his a-pawn.
Fischer isn’t willing to settle for 12 ... Nxb3
13 Nxb3 Be6 14 Rd1 Qc8 15 Nc5 Bd5,
when the engine slightly prefers White’s
chances.
13 Ne4
The engine prefers to centralize the
other knight with 13 Nd4.
13 ... Nbxa4!?
13 ... Nxb3 14 cxb3 Nd5 looks close to
even.
14 Bxa4
14 Bd2 Qc6! is in Black’s favour.
14 ... Nxa4 15 Re1 Nb6 16 Bd2
What did Spassky get for his pawn?
1. White’s e5-pawn severely cramps
Black.
2. Its existence also means that White
has chances for a kingside attack.
3. Spassky’s knights are active and look
dangerous, negating Black’s “advantage”
of the bishop pair.
4. Spassky’s position looks slightly weak
on the light squares, since he is missing
that bishop. Conclusion: It’s pretty close to
full compensation, if not quite there. Yet as
a card-carrying member of the
International Society of Pawn Grabbers, I
would still take Black, if given a choice.
16 ... a4 17 Bg5?!
This looks like a waste of time, White
may have been better off with 17 Bb4 Be6
18 Rad1.
17 ... h6 18 Bh4
Daring Black to play ... g6-g5.
18 ... Bf5
 I would go for 18 ... g5!? 19 Bg3 Qc6!.
White’s sacrifices on g5 are not so scary, as
long as Black has the defensive resource ...
Bf5.
19 g4!?
Our collective mothers told us never to
frown, because our faces could get
perpetually stuck that way. But we can’t
help frowning right now, can we? I
suppose it’s futile to try and debate
rationally with a zealot. Stockfish dislikes
this move, as do I, but what else is there? If
19 Nd4 Bxe4 20 Qxe4 c5 21 Nf3 Qd7 22
Rad1 Qe6 23 Qxb7 g5 24 Bg3 Nc4, Black
has returned the pawn and seized the
initiative himself. This line just doesn’t suit
Spassky’s aggressive style.
19 ... Be6 20 Nd4 Bc4 21 Qd2
Exercise (critical decision): Would you
grab a second pawn on e5, or is it better to
try and unravel with 21 ... Qd7 - ?
Answer: Black removes one of White’s
most important assets if he plays 21 ...
Bxe5!.
21 ... Qd7?!
This is a missed opportunity. After 21 ...
Bxe5! 22 Nc5 f6! 23 Nce6 Bxe6 24 Nxe6
Bxb2 25 Rad1 Nc4 26 Qxh6 Qf7 27 Nxf8
Rxf8 White is strategically busted. Black
has two pawns for the exchange and the a-
pawn is certain to tie White down. Note
that 28 Rd7? is met simply by 28 ... Ne5,
forcing White to return the exchange.
22 Rad1 Rfe8!?
White’s e-pawn is strangling Fischer,
who should again have played 22 ... Bxe5!
148
23 Qxh6 Bg7 24 Qe3 Nd5, when I don’t
believe in White’s compensation.
23 f4!?
The idea is to play f4-f5 one day.
Spassky goes for an all-or-nothing strategy,
when he really doesn’t need to. 23 b3! c5 24
Nxc5 Qc7 25 Qb4 is about even. On the
other hand, Spassky was two points down
in the match, so presumably was wanting
more than “even” at this stage.
23 ... Bd5!
Principle: Centralize your pieces when
attacked on the wing.
24 Nc5 Qc8 25 Qc3?!
White begins to lose the initiative after
this move. 25 e6! is more thematic: 25 ...
Nc4 26 Qe2 Ra5 27 b4 Rxc5! 28 bxc5 fxe6
29 f5! (29 Nxe6 Qxe6 30 Qxe6+ Bxe6 31
Rxe6 a3 is in Black’s favour) 29 ... e5 30 Nb5
c6 31 Nc3 gxf5 32 gxf5 Qxf5 33 Rxd5! cxd5
34 Nxd5 which is again even, according to
the engine.
25 ... e6!
Now White has lost his e5-e6 options.
26 Kh2
Spassky continues to play for f4-f5.
After anything like 26 Bf6 Bxf6 27 exf6 Nc4
28 Nxa4 c5 29 Nb5 Rxa4 30 b3 Ra3 31
Nxa3 Nxa3 32 Qb2 Nb5 33 c4 Nd4 34 cxd5
Nf3+ 35 Kf2 Nxe1 36 Rxe1 exd5 Black is
winning.
26 ... Nd7 27 Nd3?!
The evaluation now rises heavily in
Black’s favour. Spassky had to try one of the
admittedly depressing lines 27 Nxd7 Qxd7,
when I don’t see compensation for White,
or 27 Ne4 a3! 28 bxa3 Ra4!. 29 Nf6+ Nxf6
30 Bxf6 Rc4 and Black has seized the
initiative.
27 ... c5! 28 Nb5
28 Ne2 b5 is completely lost for White.
28 ... Qc6! 29 Nd6

Exercise (combination alert): How did
Fischer end Spassky’s dreams of attack?
Answer: Simplification/sham queen
sacrifice.
29 ... Qxd6! 30 exd6 Bxc3
He gets it right back.
31 bxc3 f6!
Fischer skilfully reclaims the dark
squares, his weak colour. Spassky’s
position is hopeless for the following
reasons:
1. White is a full pawn down in the
ending.
2. White’s queenside structure is weak
and he is on the verge of overextension.
3. Black passed a-pawn is about to sail
down the a-file, tying up White.
4. White’s passed d-pawn is firmly
blockaded.
32 g5!
Spassky realizes he cannot allow ... g6-
g5!.
32 ... hxg5
Also strong is 32 ... Bf3 33 Rb1 c4 34
Nb4 hxg5 35 fxg5 f5 36 Bg3 Ra5! 37 Re3
Be4, when White can resign.
33 fxg5 f5
Black now owns three passed pawns!
34 Bg3
Spassky plays for his only prayer: the
central dark squares.
34 ... Kf7?!
He should play on the principle: Passed
pawns should be pushed. 34 ... a3! 35 Ne5
Nxe5 36 Bxe5 Red8! and if 37 Rf1,
intending Rf4 and Rh4, then 37 ... Ra4!.
35 Ne5+!
149
White’s drawing potential rises with
the advent of the opposite-coloured
bishops.
35 ... Nxe5 36 Bxe5 b5?!
Uncharacteristically, Fischer is
botching the ending. He missed 36 ... Red8
37 Rf1 Ke8!, intending 38 Rf4 Kd7 39 Rh4
Kc6 40 Rh7 Rd7 41 Rh6 Bf3! 42 Re1 Bh5,
when White has no prayer of survival with
his rook shut out of play on h6 and Black’s
a-pawn about to surge.
37 Rf1!
Principle: Opposite-coloured bishops
favour the attacker – even in endings.
Suddenly, Fischer’s king is in some danger
due to the coming Rf4, Rh4 and Rh7+.
Black has two candidate plans against
White’s rook manoeuvre:
a) Ignore White’s coming rook lift and
push the a-pawn with 37 ... a3.
b) Get proactive and sacrifice the
exchange with 37 ... Rh8.
Exercise (critical decision): One plan
wins, while the other allows White to stay
in the game. Which one would you play?
Answer: The exchange sacrifice is an
overreaction, Black should keep pushing
the a-pawn.
37 ... Rh8?
The way Fischer’s legend works is we all
believe that, like the Buddha, his chess was
seated by the tree of enlightenment, at one
with the chess universe. Admittedly, that
was normally the case, but Fischer was also
human and therefore made mistakes. His
last move is actually a case of right idea,
wrong move order.
Black should play 37 ... a3! 38 Rf4 and
only then go for 38 ... Rh8! 39 Bxh8 Rxh8.
Do you see the point? White’s rook is now
misplaced on f4, so sacrificing the
exchange with this move order essentially
earned Black two tempi over the version in
the game. After 40 d7 Ke7 41 c4 bxc4 42
Ra1 Ra8 43 c3 Kxd7 44 Rf2 Kd6 45 Rfa2
Ke5 46 Rxa3 Rb8 47 R3a2 Kf4! 48 Rg1 e5
49 Rf2+ Bf3 50 Rgf1 e4 White can resign.
38 Bf6?!
Spassky believes that his bishop is at
the moment more valuable than Black’s
rook, and that he needs it on the board to
help blockade the passed a-pawn. He was
wrong and should just have taken the rook:
38 Bxh8! Rxh8 39 Rfe1 Ra8 40 Re5! a3 41
c4! Bxc4 (41 ... bxc4 42 c3 Ra6 43 d7 Rd6 44
Ra1 Rxd7 45 Rxa3 is equal) 42 Rxc5 Ke8 43
Rc7 a2 44 h4! Bd5! (not 44 ... a1Q?? 45 d7+
Kd8 46 Rc8+! Rxc8 47 dxc8Q+ Kxc8 48
Rxa1 and Black is busted since White can
create a passed pawn on the kingside) 45
Ra1 Ra4 46 Kh3 Rb4 (46 ... Ra3+ 47 Kh2
Ra4 48 Kh3 repeats) 47 h5! Rb1 48 Rxa2
Bxa2 49 hxg6 e5 50 Re7+ Kd8 51 Rxe5 is a
draw, according to the engine
38 ... a3 39 Rf4?
Even now 39 Bxh8 Rxh8 40 Rfe1 is
correct.
39 ... a2 40 c4
Exercise (critical decision): Should Black
capture on c4 with bishop or pawn?
Answer: Only capturing with the
bishop holds on to the win.
150
40 ... Bxc4!
The correct capture. After 40 ... bxc4? 41
d7 c3 42 Bxc3 Rhd8 43 Rh4 Ke7 (forced) 44
Bf6+ Kxd7 45 c4 Re8 46 cxd5 e5 47 Ra1
Kd6 48 Rc4 Ra3 49 Rc2 Rea8 50 Re2 e4 51
h4 Stockfish calls it dead even.
41 d7 Bd5?
Putting the bishop back on d5 means
White has effectively gained a tempo (d6-
d7) at the meagre cost of a doubled c-pawn.
Instead, Black can win a crucial tempo
himself by playing 41 ... e5! (41 ... Be2!? 42
Ra1 e5! 43 Bxh8 Rxh8 44 Rh4 Bh5! should
also win) 42 Bxe5 (or 42 Bxh8 Rxh8 43 Rh4
Rd8 44 Rh7+ Ke6 45 Rg7 f4 46 Rxg6+ Kf5)
42 ... Rhd8 43 Bf6 Be2! 44 Rd2 a1Q 45 Bxa1
Rxa1 46 Rxe2 Rxd7 47 Rh4 Kg7 with a won
double rook endgame, as indicated by
Garry Kasparov.
42 Kg3 Ra3+ 43 c3 Rha8
Promoting the a-pawn with 43 ... a1Q?
fails to 44 Rxa1 Rxa1 45 Rh4!.
44 Rh4
Threatening perpetual check.
44 ... e5!
Black’s king is given necessary luft. 44 ...
a1Q?? allows the perpetual with 45 Rh7+
Kg8 46 Rh8+.
45 Rh7+ Ke6 46 Re7+ Kd6 47 Rxe5!
Black has only one path toward
winning chances. Our choices:
a) Promote immediately with 47 ... a1Q.
b) Pick off the d7-pawn with 47 ... Kxd7.
c) Play 47 ... Rxc3+, creating three
connected queenside passers.
Exercise (critical decision): Only one of
the moves gives Black a prayer to win.
 Which one?
Answer: Only line c) offers Black
winning chances.
47 ... Rxc3+!
Instead:
a) 47 ... a1Q?? loses to 48 Rexd5+ Kc6
49 Rd6+ Kb7 50 Rxa1 Rxa1 51 d8Q.
b) 47 ... Kxd7? 48 Rdxd5+ Kc7 49 Rxc5+
Kb6 50 Rxb5+ Ka6 doesn’t succeed either
because 51 Rb2! a1Q 52 Re6+ Ka5 53 Re5+
Ka6 (53 ... Ka4?? is helpmate after 54 Rb4
mate) 54 Re6+ is perpetual check.
48 Kf2
Not 48 Kf4?? Rf3 mate!.
48 ... Rc2+ 49 Ke1!
Spassky defends perfectly for the
moment, finding only moves. Not 49 Ke3??
Ra3+ 50 Rd3 f4+! 51 Kxf4 Rf2+ 52 Ke3
Rxd3+ 53 Kxd3 Kxd7 54 Rxd5+ Kc6 55 Rd8
Rxf6! (removal of the guard) and Black
wins.
49 ... Kxd7! 50 Rexd5+ Kc6 51 Rd6+
Kb7 52 Rd7+ Ka6
Now there is no perpetual check and
Black’s three pawns are more valuable
than White’s extra bishop.
53 R7d2!
White’s best chance.
53 ... Rxd2 54 Kxd2 b4 55 h4!
Spassky reminds his opponent that
Black isn’t the only one threatening to
promote. I allowed Stockfish to run to a
luxurious depth 59 and it concluded that
the position is a dead even assessment of
0.00, which means that Spassky’s position
came back from the dead.
55 ... Kb5 56 h5 c4 57 Ra1!
151
Evading the trap 57 hxg6?? c3+ 58 Kc2
a1Q 59 Rxa1 Rxa1 60 g7 Ra8 and Black
wins, since neither g-pawn is going
anywhere.
57 ... gxh5 58 g6 h4!
It’s Black’s armada of passed pawns
versus White’s bishop and g-pawn. The
game is still even.
59 g7
Not 59 Bxh4?? Rg8 60 Rxa2 (or 60 Rg1
c3+ 61 Kd3 Rxg6!) 60 ... Rxg6 and Black’s
pawns are too much for White to deal with.
59 ... h3 60 Be7!
Threat: Bf8, followed by g7-g8Q.
60 ... Rg8 61 Bf8
If you don’t have the money to buy,
then rent. White can’t win Black’s rook
outright, but he can place it in a state
eternal paralysis.
61 ... h2
If Fischer’s pawns are an athlete’s body,
then his rook represents the love handles. I
am no longer capable of distinguishing
between good and evil. How on earth is a
human supposed to assess such a position?
We note that deprivation is both sides’
inheritance:
1. Black is playing a rook down, since
White’s bishop and g-pawn are its jailers.
2. Black still has five passed pawns and
king versus the white rook and king.
The assessment remains at dead even.
62 Kc2
Spassky transfers his king to b2 to
activate his own rook.
62 ... Kc6!
 Fischer’s near perfect intuition seizes
upon his only chance to extract a full point:
Transfer his king to the centre and kingside.
63 Rd1
The more accurate path to the draw lies
in the following line: 63 Rh1! Kd5 64 Kb2
b3 65 Rxh2 c3+ 66 Ka1 Ke4 67 Rh3 c2 68
Rh1 Ke3 69 Kb2 f4 70 Kxb3 f3 71 Kxc2 f2
72 Kb2 Ke2 73 Kxa2 f1Q 74 Rxf1 Kxf1 and
draws.
63 ... b3+ 64 Kc3 h1Q!
Decoy. This is Black’s best practical
chance. Fischer gives up a pawn to allow
his king to cross over to the kingside.
65 Rxh1 Kd5 66 Kb2!?
Simpler is 66 Re1! f4 67 Rd1+ Ke4 68
Re1+ Kf3 69 Ra1! and Black can’t make
progress. If 69 ... Ke2 White can play 70
Kxc4! f3 71 Kxb3 f2 72 Rxa2+ and draws.
66 ... f4 67 Rd1+ Ke4 68 Rc1 Kd3
Exercise (critical decision): Spassky’s
two candidate moves are 69 Rd1+ or 69
Rc3+. One draws, the other loses. Which is
your pick?
Answer: Only the check on c3 draws.
69 Rd1+??
I’m sorry to inform you that this is not a
teachable moment. This blunder, which
waves bye bye to the draw, comes from a
mix of the unimaginable strain of playing
for the world championship, mixed with
fatigue. The lateral rook check saves the
game: 69 Rc3+! Kd4 (or 69 ... Ke2 70 Rxc4
f3 71 Rc1 f2 72 Kxb3 f1Q 73 Rxf1 Kxf1 74
Kxa2) 70 Rf3 c3+ (70 ... Ke4 71 Rc3 Kd4
repeats) 71 Ka1 (not 71 Rxc3?? a1Q+ 72
Kxa1 Kxc3 and wins) 71 ... c2 72 Rxf4+ Kc3
152
73 Rf3+ Kd2 74 Ba3! (Gligoric) 74 ... Rxg7
75 Rxb3 Ra7 76 Rh3!? (or just 76 Bb2) 76 ...
Rxa3 77 Rh2+ Kd3 78 Rxc2! Kxc2 with
stalemate.
69 ... Ke2! 70 Rc1 f3! 71 Bc5
“Who cares about this useless
appendage?” says the French nobleman, as
he begins his walk to the guillotine. It must
have been incredibly painful for Spassky to
let his once powerhouse g-pawn go. Taking
the c-pawn loses as well: 71 Rxc4 f2 72
Re4+ Kf3 73 Re7 (or 73 Rb4 a1Q+! 74 Kxa1
f1Q+) 73 ... f1Q 74 Rf7+ Kg2 75 Rxf1 Kxf1,
when the kingside pieces cancel each other
out so the game is in reality a king and
pawn ending, with Black two pawns up) 76
Ka1 Ke2 77 Kb2 Kd3 78 Ka1 Kd2 (here
48 ... Kc2! with zugzwang is faster) 79 Kb2
a1Q+ 80 Kxa1 Kc3 81 Kb1 b2 82 Ka2 Kc2
and wins.
71 ... Rxg7
Who let him in here?
72 Rxc4 Rd7!
The simple 72 ... f2! also wins: 73 Bxf2
Kxf2 74 Rb4 Rg1 75 Ra4 Rb1+ gets the job
done.
73 Re4+
If White passes with 73 Bb6 then 73 ...
Rd2+ 74 Ka1 Rd1+ ends the game.
73 ... Kf1! 74 Bd4 f2! 0-1
Spassky understands that playing on
would be a profitless exercise: 75 Rf4 (or 75
Bxf2 Rd1! 76 Ra4 Rb1+ 77 Kc3 Kxf2) 75 ...
Rxd4! 76 Rxd4 Ke2 77 Rf4 f1Q 78 Rxf1
Kxf1 wins in the way we we’ve already
seen above.
 Game 63
Ig.Belov-V.Prohorov
Chelyabinsk 1991
This disorienting mandala
distressingly difficult to assess:
1. White is material up with an extra
queen for Black’s extra rook and two
pawns.
2. The problem is that Black has three
connected passed pawns on the kingside,
while White’s lone passed pawn is not so
easy to advance because, for now, Black
has control over the a4-square.
3. White’s king looks less safe than
Black’s and may be vulnerable to future
perpetual check attempts.
4. Black’s position is virtually target free
and his plan is simple: push the kingside
pawns to their respective promotion
squares.
5. Meanwhile, what is White’s plan?
The only two I see are to try and push the a-
pawn, or to go after Black’s well-protected
king. Neither is easy to achieve.
Stockfish has White up by a whopping
+ 5.29, which may or may not be the
objective evaluation, yet it misses a hidden
factor: White’s position looks much harder
to play than Black’s. We live in an era of
engine-worship and I see this in many of
my younger students who see the engine’s
evaluation as a pronouncement of a deity.
In the opening, they refuse to make any
move without the engine’s holy validation.
This game should teach us that a position
which is winning for a machine may not be
so easy for us flawed humans to win.
White has a choice of two candidate
plans:
a) Play defensively and attempt to
slowly consolidate with 53 Qc4.
b) Counterattack with 53 Qbb8.
Exercise (critical decision): So complex
is this position, that you probably won’t be
able to work out a clear line in either plan.
So use your intuition. Which plan do you
choose?
Answer: White should counterattack
with Plan b).
53 Qcc4?!
is Already the evaluation drops to +2.77,
after this completely natural move. Instead,
53 Qbb8! Bh4 (or 53 ... Qa4 54 Qcc8 Qa5+
55 Kc2 Ba4+ 56 Kb2) 54 Qcc8 Qxf1 55
Qxe8 Qe1+ 56 Kc2 Qxe4+ 57 Kb2 Qg2+ 58
Ka1 Qh1+ 59 Qb1 Qxb1+ 60 Kxb1 is
winning for White.
53 ... Qa7!
This is uncomfortable for White, who
must now watch for queen infiltration to
f2.
54 Qf3?
The evaluation just dropped again, to
nearly even. White should play 54 Kc1! and
if 54 ... f3 55 Qe3 Qa5 56 Qcc3 Qb5 57 Nd2
Bh4 58 Nxf3 Qf1+ 59 Kd2 (not 59 Kb2??
Rb7+) 59 ... Bb5 60 Nxh4! Rf2+ 61 Qxf2
Qxf2+ 62 Kc1 (White threatens mate,
starting with Qc7+) 62 ... Bd7 63 Qf3! Black
is busted, whether he exchanges queens or
not.
54 ... Bh4! 55 Qh3 g5
Black’s passers begin to roll forward.
The evaluation remains at 0.00, but I will
tell you up front that I would lose with
White and probably win with Black, since
White lacks a clear plan.
56 Nd8??
153
 Qxd8 Qxf3 and White doesn’t have
perpetual check, so the advanced g-pawn
will promote.

The evaluation just plummeted to -

5.48!. White should play something like 56
Nh2! Qf2+ 57 Qe2 Qb6 58 Kc2 Rb7 59
Exercise (combination alert): How can
Qf5+ Kg8 60 Qf8+ Kh7 61 Qf5+ with
White hold a draw?
perpetual check.
Answer: Queen sacrifice.
Exercise (combination alert): Prove why
62 Qc8?
White’s last move was a mega-error.
Now the opportunity foreclosed on
White. After 62 Qc7! Rxc7 63 Qxc7+ Kg8 64
Answer: Now you know. In positions
Qxd6 the game will end in perpetual check.
this complex, even GMs get disoriented
For example: 64 ... Be8 65 Nd7! Bxd7 66
and hang pieces.
Qg6+! Kf8 67 Qxh6+ Kf7 68 Qh7+ Ke8 69
56 ... Bd7??
Qh8+ Ke7 70 Qxe5+ and so on.
This game is the Facebook argument I
62 ... Qg2?
see all the time on my home page, where
Black should be focused on promotion.
both sides go for the kill-shot by putting
62 ... g3! is still correct.
their incomprehensible argument in all
63 Nd7!
caps, as if making their ridiculous point
Threatening a deadly knight check on
irrefutable.
f8.
The FM just missed a golden chance to
63 ... Be7
take down a GM with 56 ... Qa5+!, picking
63 ... Bxe4+ doesn’t help Black at all.
off the loose d8-knight.
64 Nxe5?!
57 Qhc3?
There was no need to sacrifice the
White should put the knight back on e6.
knight. 64 Kb3 was better, with ideas of
57 ... Rg7 58 Nc6 Qg1
Qb4-b8, while keeping the option on Nf8+.
Stronger is 58 ... Qf2+! 59 Qe2 Qxe2+!
64 ... dxe5 65 Qxe5 Bxa3??
60 Kxe2 g4 and White is completely
Why is Black grabbing a meaningless
busted, since Black’s pawns are too fast.
pawn? As before, he should be trying to
59 Kc2 g4 60 Nb8 Be8 61 Nd2 Bg6?
promote a pawn, in this case starting with
The evaluation swings wildly and is
65 ... f3.
now back at dead even. Black wins by
66 Qcc3??
keeping on pushing, followed by some
This is the wrong way to combine the
nifty queen manoeuvres: 61 ... g3! 62 Qc8
queens. Correct was 66 Qeb8! Bxe4+ 67
g2 63 Qxe8 Qa7! 64 Nf3 (64 Qcc8? loses to
Kb3 Bxd5+ 68 Kxa3 Qh3+ 69 Ka4 (the
64 ... Rc7+) 64 ... Qf2+ 65 Kb3 Rb7+ 66 Ka4
checks have run out so Black must retreat)
Qa7+ 67 Qa5 Qe3! (threat: ... Qb3 mate) 68
69 ... Bg8 70 Qf5+ Kh8 71 Qf6 (threat Qbf8
Qab5 Qxe4+ 69 Ka5 Rxb5+ 70 Kxb5
and wins) 71 ... g3 (enabling ... Qd7+ as a
Qxd5+ 71 Ka6 Qd3+ 72 Ka5 Bd8+! 73
defence) 72 Qc7 Qg4 (forced) 73 Qxh6+

154
Bh7 74 Qd8+ Rg8 75 Qhf6+ Qg7 76 Qxg7+
Kxg7 77 Qd4+ Kg6 78 Qxf4 and White is
winning, as the endgame tablebase
confirms.
66 ... Bf8 67 d6 f3 68 d7! f2 69 d8Q f1Q
The Sesame Street word of the day is:
“Confusion”. You don’t see this too often –
five (!) queens on the board!
70 Qde7 Qf7
It isn’t too difficult to see that 70 ...
Bxe7?? allows 71 Qxg7 mate.
71 Qxf7 Bxf7
The position only got slightly less
confusing with a pair of queens removed.
72 Qf5+ Kg8 73 Qfc8?
After 73 Qff6! h5 74 Qc8 Qg3 75 e5 Qe1
76 Qcf5 Be7! 77 Qc6 Qe2 78 Qfe4 White
shouldn’t lose.
73 ... Qf2! 74 Qb4 Bg6 75 Qbc4+ Kh7 76
Qxg4 Bd6
King safety is the deciding issue.
White’s is exposed, while Black’s is well
protected.
77 Qce6?
77 Qf1 was forced.
77 ... Bb4! 78 Qd5 Rc7+ 79 Kd1
155
Exercise (combination alert): It’s time to
draft articles for impeachment against the
white king. How does Black win decisive
material?
Answer: Step 1: Chop the knight with
the bishop.
79 ... Bxd2! 80 Qxd2 Qf1+!
Step 2: Attraction. Force White’s queen
to the tactically unfavourable e1-square.
81 Qe1 Rc1+!
Second verse, same as the first.
Step 3: Removal of the guard with a
rook sacrifice, winning one of White’s
queens.
82 Kxc1 Qxe1+ 0-1
Game 64
V.Kramnik-G.Kasparov
PCA Grand Prix (rapid), Moscow 1994
1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5
d4 0-0 6 Be2 e5 7 d5
This is Petrosian’s System, advocated in
that instructive, well written, and
reasonably priced book, Opening
Repertoire: 1 d4/ 2 c4. One great benefit is
that White pretty much always gets the
same structure each game, no matter how
Black sets up. This way we inoculate
ourselves against opening surprises.
7 ... Nbd7
7 ... a5 is played most often.
8 Be3!?
This is now a bit of a hybrid, in that
White’s d-pawn has been pushed early to
d5, as in Petrosian’s System, while the
bishop posts on e3, as in Gligoric’s System.
8 Bg5 is a pure Petrosian, for which see the
next game in the book.
8 ... Ng4
Of course White’s last move invited this,
which clears the way for ... f7-f5.
9 Bg5 f6 10 Bh4
10 Bd2 allows 10 ... f5 straightaway.
10 ... h5
White must be on alert for ... g6-g5
and ... h5-h4 tricks. 10 ... Nh6 is Black’s
main line.
11 Nd2 Nh6 12 f3
Now the game really does look like a
Petrosian System.
12 ... Nf7
Here too 12 ... a5 is played slightly more
often.
13 Qc2 Bh6
Kasparov logically debadifies his
former bad bishop on an active diagonal.
14 0-0-0!?
Novelty. Kramnik declares war with his
last move. I still prefer the older move 14
Bf2 which disallows ... Be3.
14 ... c5!?
14 ... Be3 seems more logical since ... c7-
c5 can be postponed.
15 dxc6!?
That newly opened b-file would make
me nervous. Lack of curiosity has kept
many people alive throughout human
history. Therefore, your
incurious/unenterprising writer would
again go for 15 Bf2.
15 ... bxc6 16 Kb1 a5
I just don’t get it. Why isn’t Garry
playing 16 ... Be3 and why is Kramnik
allowing it? The engine constantly wants
156
to shift Black’s bishop to e3 and, less
importantly, so do I.
17 Na4! c5!
Now 17 ... Be3?! comes a bit late, in view
of 18 c5! Nxc5 19 Nc4 Bd4, when White
can try 20 Nxe5! dxe5 21 Nxc5 Qe7 22
Rxd4! (I like this strategic exchange
sacrifice to seize control over the dark
squares and eliminate Black’s most
powerful piece) 22 ... exd4 23 Rd1 Rd8 24
Bf2. The engine says even, whereas I
slightly prefer White’s position.
18 Nc3 Be3
At long bloody last!
19 Nd5 Bd4 20 Nb3 Bb7
21 Nxd4!?
Eliminating this powerful bishop
comes at the cost of opening the c-file and
allowing Black’s knight access to c5. I prefer
the immediate 21 f4.
21 ... cxd4 22 f4! Rb8 23 Rhf1!
Kramnik begins to target f6.
23 ... Nh6 24 c5!
White’s bad light-squared bishop is
debadified as well, at the cost of a pawn,
which looks like a good bargain.
24 ... Bxd5?
This is a serious error which allows
White to exploit Black’s temporarily weak
light squares. He should have played 24 ...
dxc5 25 Bc4 (or 25 fxe5 Bxd5! 26 exd5
Nxe5) 25 ... Kh7 26 fxe5 Bxd5! (now is the
correct comment) 27 Bxd5 Ng4! (Black
needed to foresee this follow-up and
assess the consequences correctly) 28 e6!
Ne3 29 Qc1 Nxf1 30 Rxf1 Nb6 31 Qxc5 Rc8
32 Qxd4 Rc4! 33 e7! Rxd4 34 exd8Q Rxd8
35 Bf2! R4xd5! 36 exd5 Nxd5 and the
engine finally assesses the position as level.
Nonetheless, I slightly prefer White’s
chances in the ending, due to a potentially
superior minor piece and pawn majority.
25 exd5 Nf5
Exercise (combination alert): Now ...
Ne3 is not a danger since g6 would hang
with check, but ... Nxh4 is a threat. What is
White’s strongest continuation?
Answer: Piece sacrifice.
26 fxe5! Nxh4 27 exd6 Ne5 28 Rxd4
White got a cluster of three really scary
central pawns for his sacrificed piece.
28 ... Nf5 29 Rxf5!
The further exchange sacrifice leaves
White a rook down, yet it’s a bargain, since
Black’s pawns are shredded, as is his king’s
cover.
29 ... gxf5 30 Qxf5 Kg7 31 Bxh5?!
31 Re4! was more accurate.
31 ... Rh8?
After 31 ... Rb5! (better than 31 ... Rb4 32
Rd2!) 32 Qf2 Rh8 33 Rh4 f5! 34 Rh3 Qf6 35
Rg3+ Kh6 the engine still slightly likes
White, while to my human brain the
correct assessment is a mystery.
157
Exercise (combination alert): How did
Kramnik take advantage of Kasparov’s
exposed king?
Answer: Sham exchange sacrifice.
32 Rg4+! Kf8
32 ... Nxg4?? is a monumentally unwise
decision: 33 Qg6+ Kf8 34 Qf7 mate.
33 Qe6!
The d6-pawn is covered, which means
that White threatens c5-c6 next.
33 ... Rb7
33 ... Rxh5?? is monumentally unwise
decision number two: 34 Rg8 mate.
34 c6 Rxb2+!
It’s a delusion to believe that Reason is
elevated above all else in chess, since Chaos
is a rival for ultimate power. Kasparov
attempts a desperate lunge at perpetual
check. It’s a good practical try, which fails
to Kramnik’s exact defence. Everything else
loses without a fight. For instance: 34 ...
Rg7 35 c7 and Black is forced to resign.
35 Kxb2 Qb6+ 36 Ka3!
How annoying for Kasparov. ... Qb4
mate isn’t mate at all, since the square is
covered by White’s rook. Kramnik avoids
the drawing trap 36 Kc2? Qf2+ 37 Kb3 a4+!
38 Kxa4 Qa7+ and Black delivers perpetual
check, since White’s would-be defenders
are relegated to the gloomy periphery.
36 ... Qc5+ 37 Ka4 Qc2+ 38 Kb5!
White’s king, like Dorothy, is desperate
to return to Kansas. He uses Black’s own a-
pawn as a shield against queen checks.
38 ... Qb2+ 39 Ka6 Qe2+ 40 Kb7 Rh7+
41 d7 1-0

What a cool final position! Kasparov
resigned in view of 41 ... Qb5+ 42 Kc7!
Rxd7+ 43 cxd7 Qc5+ 44 Kb7 Qb5+ 45 Ka8!,
when there are no more checks and Black
is soon mated.
Game 65
V.Kramnik-G.Kasparov
Intel Express (blitz), Munich 1994
We tend to stereotype great players,
when in reality they can play in any style.
In this game we see Kasparov the tactician
completely strategically outplay one of the
greatest strategists in chess history.
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6
Kramnik-Kasparov KID, round 2.
5 Nf3 0-0 6 Be2 e5 7 d5
Petrosian’s System again, and this time
the real one.
7 ... a5 8 Bg5 h6 9 Bh4 Na6
9 ... Qe8 and 9 ... g5 are also played.
10 0-0 Bd7 11 Nd2 Nc5 12 b3 Nfxe4!?
Kasparov’s philosophy: If you dream,
then make it a big one. On the other hand,
an itchy trigger finger isn’t a valid legal
defence in court. The engine, our
computer-generated avatar, isn’t crazy
158
about the instant gratification route of a
speculative queen sacrifice, while my
human eyes love it. Why? Because the
position becomes more difficult for White
to play than Black, who seizes the initiative.
13 Bxd8 Nxc3 14 Qe1!
Not 14 Bxc7? Nxd1 15 Raxd1 Ra6! 16 a3
Rc8 17 b4 axb4 18 axb4 Rxc7 19 bxc5 dxc5,
which leaves Black a pawn up and with the
bishop pair.
14 ... Rfxd8 15 Rc1?
A novelty, and a poor one. Kramnik
should not surrender his a-pawn, since this
creates a hole on b4. Instead, he stands
better if he gives up the exchange with 15
Nb1! Nxe2+ 16 Qxe2 e4 17 Na3, which is
slightly in White’s favour, whether Black
accepts the exchange or not.
15 ... Nxa2 16 Ra1 Nb4
Threat: ... Nc2, forking queen and rook.
17 Bd1 e4! 18 Rb1
The engine likes the unnatural 18 Ra3,
when Black should ignore the temptation
to win the exchange with 18 ... Bb2 and
instead centralize with 18 ... Bd4!, after
which chopping the e4-pawn with White’s
knight allows a deadly pin on the e-file.
18 ... Re8
18 ... Bd4! is stronger, preventing
Kramnik’s next move. After 19 Nxe4 Re8 20
Qd2 Rxe4 21 Bf3 Bg7 22 Bxe4 Nxe4 23 Qe2
Nc5, in this bizarre imbalance I take Black’s
four (!) minor pieces and pawn over
White’s extra queen and rook.
19 Qe3
Kramnik seizes control over the
important d4-square, while unravelling a
bit.
19 ... f5
 What did Black get for the queen
sacrifice?
1. Two minor pieces and two pawns for
the queen, not such a terrible material
disadvantage.
2. Black’s grip on the dark squares is
unshakable, with a monster bishop on the
long diagonal and two entrenched knights,
sitting on holes on b4 and c5.
3. Black owns a kingside pawn majority,
which means that White’s king may later
come under attack.
4. Black’s knights can jump into the d3-
hole any time they please.
5. The white minor pieces are inactive,
with sad futures ahead for both.
6. White doesn’t have a single
weakness to go after in Black’s camp.
Conclusion: We reached the Mad Max
situation where Black’s minor pieces and
pawns are roving bands of post-
apocalyptic gangs who vie for control over
precious resources. One gang is way, way
more dangerous than the other and White
is strategically busted.
20 h4
Kramnik is understandably nervous
about Black’s expansion with ... g6-g5 and ...
f5-f4. The problem is that he will now need
to play g2-g3, which further weakens his
king. Instead, 20 f4? loses material to 20 ...
exf3 21 Qxf3 Bd4+ 22 Kh1 Be3 23 Rb2
Ncd3.
20 ... Rf8
Intending ... f5-f4, while making room
on e8 for the other rook.
21 g3 Rae8 22 Kg2
As already noted, White has no active
plan.
22 ... Nbd3 23 Rg1
Perhaps trying to discourage Black
from playing ... f5-f4.
23 ... f4!
It didn’t work, since Kasparov opens the
f-file anyway.
24 gxf4 Rxf4 25 h5 g5
Both 25 ... Re5 and 25 ... Rxf2+ 26 Kh1
g5 are also depressing for White.
26 Rf1 Rh4
Threat: ... Bh3+.
159
27 Rh1 Rf4
Going back for a moment. Alternatively,
27 ... Nf4+ 28 Kg1 Nh3+ 29 Kg2 Rf8 looks
very unpleasant.
28 Rf1 Ref8
Now f2 is getting hammered.
29 f3
29 ... Rh4
We all fear the creatures of the night.
Kasparov renews the ... Bh3+ threat. The
engine opts for 29 ... exf3+! 30 Nxf3 g4 31
Nh2 Bd4 32 Qg3 Rxf1 33 Nxf1 Bf2 34 Qh2
Ne1+ 35 Kh1 Ne4 36 Rb2 g3 and Black
wins the house.
30 fxe4 Nf4+ 31 Kg1 Ncd3 32 e5
The idea is to free e4 for his tangled up
knight.
32 ... Nxe5 33 Rc1 Rh3 34 Nf3
Something tells us this is highly
unfavourable feng shui, since it walks into
a self-pin, which loses the knight. 34 Qa7 is
met by 34 ... Ned3 and if 35 Rb1 then 35 ...
b6! 36 Qxc7 Bd4+ 37 Rf2 Bxf2+ 38 Kf1 Rh1
mate.
34 ... g4
When will this lawless looting, burning
and pillaging end?
35 Nxe5 Rxe3 36 Nxd7 Nh3+ 37 Kg2
Rxf1 38 Kxf1 g3
White lacks the defensive firepower to
stop the g-pawn.

39 Kg2 Nf4+ 0-1
Kramnik has finally had enough. If 40
Kf1 g2+ 41 Kf2 Rh3, there is no way to
prevent ... Bd4+ and wins.
Game 66
I.Graudins-L.Sandström
Correspondence 2012
My buddy, Composition IM Steffen
Slumstrup Nielsen, sent me this game for
the book, which is one of the most insanely
irrational ever seen by human eyes.
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5
Be2 0-0 6 Nf3 e5 7 0-0 Nc6 8 d5 Ne7 9 Ne1
Nd7 10 f3 f5 11 g4!?
Believe it or not, White’s king is actually
safer after such a move, since it creates
more room for defensive manoeuvring. 11
Nd3 is the main line.
11 ... Kh8
Black wants to retain the kingside
tension which may be more logical than
sealing with the also played 11 ... f4.
12 h4!? Nf6
12 ... Ng8 is Black’s main move.
160
13 Nd3 c6 14 Be3 b5!
Chipping away at White’s centre.
15 c5!?
Depressingly, we are still within
Overload Theory’s sphere.
15 ... cxd5 16 cxd6 Qxd6 17 Bc5! Qd7
After 17 ... Qd8 18 g5 Nd7 19 Bxe7 Qxe7
20 Nxd5 Qe6 21 Nf2 Rb8 the engine
assesses it at dead even, D.Rost-
A.Ponomarev, correspondence 2009.
18 exf5 gxf5 19 g5!?
Another game went 19 Nxe5 Qe6 20 f4
Nxg4 21 Bxg4 fxg4 22 Nxb5 Bxe5? (it is
crazy to give up this bishop; 22 ... Qf6 is
equal, according to the engine) 23 fxe5 and
Black was strategically wobbly on the
weakened dark squares, S.Glushenkov-
I.Vraimakis, correspondence 2009.
19 ... Qe6!?
To sacrifice in the King’s Indian is as
obligatory as the apparent universal law
which states that all teabags must come
with a tag with a picture of Buckingham
Palace on them. Black offers his f6-knight,
which should not be accepted. Instead, 19 ...
b4!? 20 Bxb4 Nh5 21 f4! Nxf4 22 Nxf4 exf4
is a god-awful mess of a position which is
probably dynamically balanced.
20 Nxb5!
20 gxf6?! Bxf6 21 f4 Rg8+ 22 Kh2 d4
offers Black huge attacking compensation
for the sacrificed piece.
20 ... Rb8!
Black continues to offer a piece. 20 ...
Ne8 21 Re1 looks slightly better for White.
21 Rf2!?
No thanks! If 21 gxf6 Bxf6 22 Nd6 Bd7
23 f4 e4 24 Nf2 Rxb2, the engine still
slightly prefers Black, whose central pawn
mass is imposing.
21 ... Nh5!
After 21 ... Rxb5?! 22 Nf4! exf4 23 gxf6!
Rxc5 24 fxg7+ Kxg7 25 Qd4+ Rf6 26 Qxc5
Rg6+ 27 Kf1 Qe3 28 Rc1 I don’t believe in
Black’s compensation for the exchange.
22 Qa4 Rb7 23 Bxa7!?
Threat: Nc5, forking queen and rook.
The a7-smash and grab gives White two
connected passed pawns on the queenside,
yet not without heavy compensatory cost
on the other side of the board. I would
challenge Black’s imposing centre with 23
f4!, which maintains approximate equality.
23 ... f4!
In this game neither side did much to
regulate their appetite for adventure.
Now ... e5-e4 is a scary strategic threat. At
the same time Black allows a knight fork
which costs an exchange. It’s still a good
bargain.
24 Nc5 Qh3 25 Nxb7 Qxh4!
The physics of such chaotic positions
tend to be beyond human comprehension.
Black is willing to pay dearly to purchase
his wish: a full rook in exchange for a
wicked attack and killer central pawns
screaming down the board.
Exercise (critical decision): For White,
which knight should he move to d6?
Answer: White maintains the balance
only by using the one of the fifth rank.
26 N7d6?
We sometimes confuse freedom from
pain, with happiness. Yes, the knight is
161
now safe, yet by moving the other one to
d6 White would have generated future
tactical threats: 26 N5d6! Bh3 27 Bf1
Qxg5+ 28 Bg2 Ng6 (28 ... e4 29 Nd8! Kg8
30 N7f7 Qg3 31 Qb3 e3 32 Re2 looks better
for White) 29 Nd8! (threatening to fork on
f7) 29 ... Qxd8 (forced) 30 Bxh3 Qxd6
probably offers equal chances. For example:
31 Rc1 Qf6 32 Qd7 e4 33 fxe4 dxe4 34 Rc8
Ng3 35 Kh2 h5 36 Rxf8+ Nxf8 37 Qc7 Ng6
38 Be3 Qe5 39 Bxf4 Nxf4 40 Qxe5 Bxe5 41
Kxg3 Nd3+ 42 Kg2 Nxf2 43 Kxf2 Bxb2 44
Ke3 with a draw.
26 ... Bh3
Now Black has a strong attack for the
sacrificed rook.
27 Bf1 Qxg5+ 28 Bg2 Ng6
Threat: ... Nh4.
29 Kf1 Ng3+ 30 Ke1 Bxg2 31 Rxg2 e4!
32 Kd1!
32 fxe4? f3 33 Rd2 dxe4 leaves White
dangerously placed.
32 ... Nh4 33 Rc2 Qh5! 34 Rc3 Nxf3
Those three central passed pawns look
pretty scary.
35 Kc2 e3 36 Kb3 d4 37 Rc7 e2
The passers creep ominously closer and
closer to their respective promotion
squares.
38 Bc5 Qd5+ 39 Ka3 h5!
The board divides into an East/West
axis and the engine calls it approximately
even. Black still has only two pawns for a
rook, yet a flood of black pawns stream
down the board.
40 Bb4 Ne5
In the unimaginable likelihood that I
ever reached such a position, I would
probably bail out with 40 ... Ra8
(eliminating White’s dangerous c7-rook)
41 Ra7 Rxa7 42 Qxa7 d3, when 43 Ne8 Be5
44 Nbd6 d2 45 Nf7+ Kg8 46 Nh6+ Kh8 47
Nf7+ is perpetual check.
41 Rxg7?
This is not a case of ambition
outrunning its power to implement it. It’s
a bargain to hand over the exchange to
weaken Black’s dark squares.
Unfortunately, it’s another instance of
right idea, wrong move order. White
should play 41 Rg1 h4 and only then 42
Rxg7! Kxg7 43 Nc7 Qc6, when 44 Ne6+
Kg8 (or 44 ... Kf6 45 Nxf8 Qxa4+ 46 Kxa4
f3 47 Nh7+ Kg7 48 Ne4! Kxh7 49 Nf2,
halting the pawns) 45 Nxf8 Qxa4+ 46
Kxa4 h3 (here 46 ... f3?? loses to 47 Ne4) 47
Ne6! h2 48 Rc1 f3 49 Rc8+ Kh7 50 Rc7+ is
a draw, according to the engine. For
example: 50 ... Kg6 (or 50 ... Kh6 51 Bd2+)
51 Nf4+ Kg5 (or 51 ... Kf6 52 Nd5+) 52
Rg7+! Kf6 (not 52 ... Kxf4?? 53 Bd2 with an
unexpected midboard mate) 53 Ne8+ Kf5
54 Nd6+ with perpetual check.
41 ... Kxg7 42 Nc7 Qc6 43 Qa5!
Now 43 Ne6+? Kg8 44 Nxf8 (or 44 Qxc6
Nxc6 45 Nxf8 Nxb4 46 Kxb4 f3!) 44 ...
Qxa4+ 45 Kxa4 f3 leaves White busted.
43 ... Kf6!
The king is recruited to support Black’s
knight.
44 Nd5+ Kg5 45 Nb6 Rf5! 46 Nxf5
Kxf5
The position is a candle with lit wicks at
both ends. How would you assess it? In
truth, Black’s army of pawns is worth more
than the white rook and Black is up a
162
whopping -5.57 according to Stockfish,
since Black’s king is perfectly safe.
Conservative Fritz has it closer at -1.63. Yet
both engines agree that White is the one in
trouble.
47 b3 Ke4! 48 Na4 Nd3!
Covering against a knight check on c5.
49 Nb2 Nxb4 50 Qxb4 Qa6+ 51 Na4
Ke3!
Seizing control over d2. Black’s king
seems to have some kind of natural
immunity from getting checkmated, since
he wanders about wherever he pleases.
Note how useless White’s pieces are when
it comes to going after him, and there is
not much he can do about Black’s coming
pawn pushes either.
52 Qc5
A check on e7 can be blocked by the
knight.
52 ... h4 53 Kb4
This way the knight is unpinned and
ready to transfer to c4.
53 ... Qd3! 54 Ka3
 54 Nb2 is met by the simplifying 54 ...
Qc3+! 55 Qxc3+ dxc3 56 Kxc3 f3 57 Nc4+
Kf4 58 Kd2 f2, forcing promotion.
54 ... f3 55 Nb2
If 55 Qg5+ Kf2 56 Qxh4 then 56 ... Kg2!
57 Nb2 Qa6+ 58 Na4 Qd6+ 59 b4 f2 wins.
55 ... Qa6+ 56 Kb4 f2
Is this a case of trickle-down economics?
Black’s e- and f-pawns punch in the
coordinates of their intended destinations,
which are tantalizingly near.
57 Nd1+
Unfortunately for White, this return of
a piece is pitifully inadequate.
57 ... exd1Q 58 Rxd1
58 ... Qf6!
Not 58 ... f1Q?? 59 Qxd4+ Ke2 60 Rxf1
Nxf1 61 Qxh4 with a draw.
59 Qc1+ Kf3
The king will hide on g2.
60 a4
The fairy tale notion of a happy ending
is not about to take place for White.
60 ... Kg2 0-1
More black queens are about to appear.
Exercise (planning): How can White
obtain a decisive advantage?
Answer: This one is tough for a human
to find. Sacrificing a piece on b5 is strong,
yet ever better is to postpone it for a turn.
29 Nxb5!
Wow. This really is a case of fear and
loathing in Las Vegas! In this still
favourable human version, White’s rook on
the seventh rank, coupled with the a-pawn,
offers more than adequate compensation
for the piece.
However, the engine shows that the
preliminary 29 Qd1!! strengthens White’s
idea considerably, since Black has no good
way to prevent the sacrifice. For example:
29 ... g5 30 Nxb5! Qxb5 (30 ... axb5? 31 Rc7
is decisive) 31 Rc7 Rxc7 32 Rxc7 (dual
threats: Rxb7 and Ba4) 32 ... Qxb4 33 Rxb7
and Black is strategically crushed.
29 ... Rxc2 30 Rxc2 Qxb5
30 ... axb5?? loses instantly to 31 Rc7.
31 Qxb5 axb5

Game 67
D.Aldama Degurnay-H.Akopyan
Millionaire Open, Las Vegas 2014

My sacrificially hot-headed friend IM

Dio Aldama pulled me aside at one of our
local Saturday Gambito G/40 tournaments
and showed me this game, which really
blew my mind.

32 Bc7?

163
 Dio gets too cute. White is strategically
winning after the straightforward 32 Rc7
Ba8 33 Ra7 Nf6 34 Nd2 Bf8 35 Bc7 Rc8 36
a6, when Black can barely move and White
threatens simply Bd1, followed by Be2 and
Bxb5.
32 ... Nc8 33 Nd2 Ng5?!
This wastes time. 33 ... Nf6 34 f3 Bf8
holds everything together for Black.
34 f3 Nf7 35 Nb1!
Hesitation and a calculated strategic
retreat are two very different things.
Aldama intends to target the b5-pawn
with Nb1 and then to the third rank.
35 ... Ne7 36 Nc3?!
It doesn’t make sense to block his own
rook. After 36 Na3! Ba6 37 Rc1! (intending
Bd1-e2 and then chop the b5-pawn) 37 ...
Rc8 38 Bd1 Nxd5 (this counter sacrifice is
Black’s only prayer) 39 exd5 e4 (threat: ...
Bb2) 40 Rc2 exf3 41 Bxf3 Ne5 42 Bg4 Nxg4
43 hxg4 Black is still in deep trouble.
36 ... Ba6 37 Nxb5!
Dio’s muse never falls silent, which
means that his creativity never remains
mute. On the chess board I’m not the
charitable type and if I give something
away, I want my money’s worth. IM
Aldama is the opposite and is a kind of
chess Santa Claus, who never fails to offer
generous gifts to his opponent in virtually
every game he plays. “Dude, are you crazy?
I strongly urge you to stay on your meds!” I
joked to Dio, when he showed me this
second piece sacrifice. He banks everything
on his two passed pawns, which came at
the expensive price of two pieces. Such a
sacrifice arises from pure intuition and
isn’t really bound by the laws of
measurement, since I’m sure that Dio was
unable to fully work out its ramifications
to their end. A saner man would have
played 37 Kf1?!, which the engine says
isn’t as good.
164
37 ... Bxb5 38 Bc4 Ba4?
The only thing worse than our
opponent’s crude practical joke is to fall for
it. Dio’s gamble immediately pays off. After
38 ... Bxc4! 39 Rxc4 Ra8 40 b5 Bf6 41 Rb4
Nd8 42 a6 Kf7 43 Ra4 Nc8 44 b6 Nxb6 45
Bxb6 Ke7 46 Bf2 it’s unlikely Black can
untangle and win, but White certainly
won’t win either.
39 Rc1!
Not 39 Ra2? Rc8! 40 Rxa4 Rxc7 41 b5
Nc8 42 b6 Nxb6 43 axb6 Rb7 44 Rb4 Nd8
45 Ba6 Rb8 46 b7 Bf6 and if anyone is
going to win, it will be Black. 47 Rc4? fails
to 47 ... Nxb7 48 Rb4 Ra8! 49 Bxb7 Ra1+ 50
Kf2 Bh4+ 51 Ke2 Rg1, when White is in
deep trouble since his base g2-pawn falls.
39 ... Nf5?
We can only ignore our opponent’s bad
manners for so long until temper flares.
Then comes the desire to bloody a nose and
loosen a few teeth. This dramatic lash-out
is a mistake. Black misidentifies the source
of the danger. He can put up greater
resistance with 39 ... Rc8! 40 Ba6 Ra8 41 b5
Bxb5 42 Bxb5 Bf6 43 Ra1 and even here
White stands better.
 40 exf5??
What on earth?! I’m not sure what
caused Dio suddenly to start accepting
sacrifices instead of offering them, not
least because it’s a terrible decision. His
entire strategy was validated by 40 b5! Ne3
41 b6 Nxc4 42 Rxc4 Bb5 43 Rb4 Ba6 44 b7
Bxb7 45 Rxb7 Bf6 46 a6 Ra8 47 a7 Bd8 48
Bxd8 Nxd8 49 Rb8 Rxa7 50 Rxd8+ Kf7 51
Rxd6 with a winning rook ending for White.
40 ... gxf5?
Missing 40 ... e4! with the idea 41 fxe4??
Bb2 42 Rb1 Bd4+ followed by 43 ... Rc8,
skewering the two bishops on the c-file.
White would have to acquiesce to 41 fxg6
Bd4+ 42 Kh2 Ne5 43 Bf1! (not 43 Be2??
exf3 and White is busted, no matter which
way he recaptures) 43 ... exf3 44 Bxd6 fxg2
45 Bxg2 Nd3 46 Rc4 Be3, when Black has
the winning chances.
41 b5 e4 42 b6 Bd4+ 43 Kf1 Ne5 44 Be2
Bc5??
Black blunders at the last. Instead, 44 ...
exf3 45 gxf3 Kh7! should enable him to
hold. For example: 46 Bxd6 Rg8 (threat: ...
Rg1 mate) 47 Rc7+ Kh8 48 Bxe5+ Bxe5 49
Rc4 Bb3 50 Rb4 Bxd5 51 Bc4 Bc3 52 Bxd5
Bxb4 53 Bxg8 Bxa5 54 b7 Bc7 and draws
with the opposite-coloured bishops.
Exercise (combination alert): What is
White’s most efficient way to consolidate
his power?
Answer: Removal of the guard/pawn
promotion.
45 Rxc5! dxc5 46 Bxe5! 1-0
After 46 ... Rxe5 47 b7 Re8 48 a6 White
soon promotes both pawns.
165
Game 68
C.Lakdawala-D.Aldama Degurnay
San Diego (rapid) 2016
Do you want to develop a natural
immunity to botched games? If so, my
advice (which I never seem to take myself!)
is to stay out of time trouble, especially in
rapid games where there is no time control
to reach and where no time can be added
to the clock. This was an incredibly
frustrating game, since I was perfectly
aware that I was winning in the final
position, yet living off my five second time
delay and with only three seconds on my
clock, I just didn’t have time to work it out.
Exercise (combination alert): Find one
powerful move and Black’s position should
collapse.
Answer: Annihilation of defensive
barrier.
38 Nxd6!
I’m a manly man, who never backs
down. At long last, your eyes have finally
been opened to my intensely high bravery
level. Actually not. Intuition tells us that
White gets loads of compensation for the
piece, without the need of analysis, since
black pawns begin to fall all over the place
if the piece is accepted.
38 ... Rxb1
38 ... Rxd6 loses to 39 Qxc5 Rxb1 (or 39 ...
Be7 40 Qxb4 Rxd5 41 Qb7) 40 Qxd6+ Be7
41 Qh6+ Kg8 42 Rxb1.
39 Nxc8 Rxa1 40 Qxc5+ Kg7 41 Ne7!
 I was now living off the time delay and
the power prayer.
41 ... Rxg3 42 Qd6! Rg2+ 43 Be2 Nb5!?
What the bleeping hell!? This shouldn’t
work yet predictably had the effect of
confusing the hell out of me.
44 Qxd7
One of two ways to win. The other is 44
cxb5 Bxa5 45 Qxd7 Ra2+ 46 Ke3 Bxc3 47
Nf5+ Kg6 48 Qc6+ f6 49 Qxc3 (simplest;
the engine points out that 49 Qe8+! leads
to a more complicated mate in 12) 49 ...
Raxe2+ 50 Kd3 axb5 51 Qc1! and Black is
busted.
44 ... Nxc3 45 Nf5+ Kg6 46 Kxc3 Bxa5+
47 Kb2 Re1 48 Qc6+!
Normally, me pretending to be an
attacker is exposed as an affectation, but
in this case so far so good.
48 ... f6 49 Qe8+ Kh7 50 Qxh5+ Kg8 51
Qe8+ Kh7 52 Qf7+ Kh8 53 Qxf6+ Kh7 ½-
½ game against Lenderman) to claw his way
Apparently my bravery level is on par
with that of US Senate and House
representatives – not very much. Have you
ever felt that the universe is testing you
166
and that you are flunking the exam
miserably? That’s how I felt here. As a
certified Zen master, I don’t lose my cool
too often, but here I got really flustered
since I knew perfectly well that White was
winning, but just didn’t have time on the
clock to work it out. So I checked him a
bunch of times and then sullenly agreed to
a draw.
Exercise (calculation): Can you do
better than your forlorn writer and work
out White’s forced win?
Answer: Having now removed the black
f-pawn, the white queen can go round
again: 54 Qf7+ Kh8 55 Qh5+ Kg8 and now
56 Ne7+! Kf8 (or 56 ... Kg7 57 Qxe5+) 58
Qf3+ Kxe7 59 Qxg2 wins. If only I had seen
this!
Game 69
A.Lenderman-F.Caruana
US Championship, St. Louis 2021
Top seed Fabiano Caruana had a
disastrous first half of the 2021 US
Championship, losing back-to-back upset
games against GMs Daniel Naroditsky and
Sam Sevian. The second half was a
completely different, phoenix-from-the-
ashes story. Caruana went on a 4 out of 5
games winning streak (including this
to a three-way tie for first, although he did
lose the rapid playoff to Wesley So.
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 g3 Bg7 4 Bg2 d6
Fabi rarely plays the King’s Indian, an
opening suited for treasure hunters who
are unafraid of adventure/danger. Every
time in the past I tried to play the King’s
Indian, I had the urge to check myself into
a seniors memory-care facility, which was
all the more awkward, since I played the
KID in my twenties. There are just too
many lines to learn!
5 Nc3 0-0 6 Nf3 c6 7 0-0 Bf5!?

Be warned: strange genetic outcomes
can result from inbreeding. This odd
provocation was championed by Bent
Larsen.
8 Ng5 e5
8 ... h6 is met by 9 e4.
9 d5 a5 10 e4 Bc8 11 h3 cxd5 12 cxd5
Na6 13 Be3 Bd7 14 a4 Rc8 15 Nf3
Exercise (planning): Black has emerged
from the opening reasonably well, since his
hole on b5 is counterbalanced by White’s
hole on c5. Now 15 ... Nc5 looks fine for
Black. Do you see a more adventurous
possibility which may actually be in Black’s
favour?
Answer: Strategic exchange sacrifice on
c3, followed by ... Nxe4.
15 ... Rxc3!
This is a matter of income
redistribution.
16 bxc3 Nxe4 17 Qc2 Nec5
I prefer Black’s position for the
following reasons. For the exchange Fabi
received:
1. An important central pawn.
167
2. A hole on c5, occupied by a black
knight.
3. The knight, in conjunction with
Black’s light-squared bishop, ties White
down to defence of the a4-pawn.
4. White’s c3-pawn is backward and on
an open file. This may by balanced by the
fact the Black’s b7-pawn is also backward
and on the open b-file, yet maybe not, since
intuition tells us that Black’s b-pawn isn’t
all that weak and can be easily defended.
5. Black’s position is almost target free
(except for the b7-pawn) and it’s not easy
for White to come up with a plan.
Conversely, Black has access to a no-
brainer to expand with ... h7-h6, ... f7-f5
and ... g6-g5, going after White’s king.
Conclusion: I don’t believe Stockfish
and Fritz’s assessment of 0.00 and sense
that Black holds at least an edge.
18 Nd2 Qc7 19 Ra3
The rook is indentured to unpleasant
defensive duty, covering weak pawns on
a4 and c3.
19 ... f5 20 f4
This is probably wise since Black should
not be allowed to expand on the kingside
unchallenged.
20 ... Re8
20 ... Rc8 is a tempting option.
21 fxe5 Bxe5
Now the g3-pawn is tender and
requires defence. There is no reason for
Black to recapture on e5 with the d6-pawn
and give White a passed d-pawn.
22 Bf2 b5!?
Black receives the following benefits
from this move:
 1. No more backward b7-pawn to worry
about.
2. After the exchange on b5, Black gets
a passed a-pawn.
3. After the exchange, Black’s light-
squared bishop enhances in power.
Black also takes on the following
problems:
1. Playing ... b7-b5 opens queenside
lanes for White’s rooks to try and infiltrate
later.
2. Black’s soon to be passed a-pawn
may actually be vulnerable.
23 axb5 Bxb5 24 Rfa1 Nd3!?
24 ... a4 25 Bf1! Bxf1 26 Rxf1 Qb7 27
Qa2 is still about even.
25 Qb1!?
After the immediate 25 Rxa5! Nxf2 26
Rxb5 Qa7! 27 Nf1 Ng4+ 28 Kh1 Nf2+ the
players should perhaps agree to a draw by
perpetual check, since 29 Kh2 f4! looks
dangerous for White.
25 ... Nab4! 26 Rxa5
Not 26 cxb4? Nxf2 27 Kxf2?? Bd4+ and
White is busted.
26 ... Qxc3 27 Be3?
Here 27 Nf3! Nxf2 28 Nxe5 Qxg3 29
Rxb5 Nxh3+ 30 Kh1 Nf2+ 31 Kg1 Nh3+ is
perpetual check again.
Exercise (critical decision): Should Black
chop the g3-pawn with 27 ... Bxg3, or
remove the defender of White’s dark
squares with 27 ... Bd4 - ?
Answer: It’s better to take the g3-pawn,
after which White’s king is more exposed
than in the 27 ... Bd4 variation.
27 ... Bd4?!
168
Instead, 27 ... Bxg3! 28 R1a3 Bf2+! 29
Bxf2 Qxd2 leaves White in deep trouble.
His only resource is to return the exchange:
30 Ra2 Nxa2 31 Rxa2, when 31 ... Qc1+ 32
Qxc1 Nxc1 leaves him two pawns down.
28 Bxd4 Qxd4+ 29 Kh2 f4!
Caruana continues to erode the dark
squares around White’s Lenderman’s king
with a sham sacrifice of his bishop.
30 g4
Taking the bishop walks into mate: 30
Rxb5?? fxg3+ 31 Kh1 (or 31 Kxg3 Qf4
mate) 31 ... Nf2+ 32 Kg1 Nxh3+ 33 Kh1
Nf2+ 34 Kg1 Nd1+! 35 Kh1 Re1+ 36 Nf1
Qh4+ 37 Kg1 Qh2 mate.
30 ... Re2 31 Ra8+ Be8!
It’s psychologically difficult to self-pin,
yet necessary since 31 ... Kg7?? 32 R1a7+
Kh6 33 g5+! or 31 ... Re8? 32 Qg1! leaves
Black busted.
32 Qg1! Qb2 33 Nf3 Kf8 34 R1a7 h6?
Now the advantage should swing to
White. After 34 ... Nxd5! (threat: ... Ne3) the
engine shows correct play leads to a draw:
35 Ra2 (or even 35 Kh1!? Ne3 36 Ng5 Nxg2
37 Nxh7+ Kg8 38 g5! Nh4 39 Nf6+ Kf8 40
Nh7+ and so on) Qxa2 36 Rxa2 Rxa2 37
Qd4 Ne3 38 Qxd3 Rxg2+ 39 Kh1 Rf2 40
Qxd6+ Kg8 41 Qb8 Rxf3 42 Qxe8+ Kg7 43
Qe7+ with perpetual.
35 Rb7
Instead, 35 g5! puts Black in trouble. If
35 ... h5?? then 36 Rxe8+! Rxe8 37 Qb6
Nxd5 38 Qxd6+ Ne7 39 Qxd3 wins.
35 ... Ne5! 36 Kh1 Nxf3 37 Bxf3 Re5?
Here 37 ... Re3! 38 Qa1 Qxa1+ 39 Rxa1
Nd3 40 Bg2 Ne5 is just a touch better for
White.
 38 Rc8?
This move fails to prove White’s thesis.
After 38 Qa1! Black must swap queens
since 38 ... Qf2?? loses to 39 Rxe8+! Rxe8 (or
39 ... Kxe8 40 Qa8 mate) 40 Qg7 mate.
38 ... Qd2!
Threat: ... Re1.
39 Rc1?!
There was no need to retreat the rook
just yet. After 39 Qg2 Qe1+ 40 Kh2 White
is safe enough, and if 40 ... Nd3 then 41 Rb3
Re3 42 Rcc3 Bb5 43 Rc8+ Be8 repeats.
39 ... Re3?!
No player is all-knowing and all seeing.
So complex is the position that we reach
one of those gerbil-in-the-wheel situations
where both sides grope blindly for the
correct plans, without making progress.
39 ... Nd3! 40 Rf1 Re3 transposes to the
game.
40 Rf1?!
White should bail out with 40 Rd1! Qc3
41 Rc1 Qd2 42 Rd1 and a repetition draw.
40 ... Nd3!
Threat: ... Ne5.
41 Qg2?
41 Rb3 was forced, though 41 ... g5
leaves White quite tied up.
41 ... Qc3!
Threat: ... Ne5!.
42 Qh2 g5 43 Bg2 Ne5
Probably still winning, yet not best.
After 43 ... Kg8! (sidestepping 43 ... Ne1? 44
Rxf4+ and draws) 44 Qg1 Ne1 45 Qf2 Nxg2
46 Kxg2 Rg3+ 47 Kh2 Rxh3+ 48 Kg2 Bf7
White is completely busted.
44 Rbb1
169
A necessary evil should still be kept on
tight restraint, otherwise it may slip the
leash and turn on us. He had to try 44 h4!
Nxg4 45 Rxf4+! gxf4 46 Qxf4+ Qf6 47 Qxg4,
even if 47 ... Qa1+! 48 Kh2 Qe5+ 49 Kg1
Re1+ 50 Bf1 Re4 still leaves White in
trouble.
44 ... Bf7!
Targeting the d5-pawn.
45 Rbc1 Qd4 46 Rcd1 Nd3!
White’s pieces have been driven to
grovelling passivity.
47 Rd2
“I never get tired of this job!” said no
factory assembly line worker ever.
Lenderman’s position must have been a
miserable, dreary job to defend, since he
can do nothing but await his opponent’s
intent.
47 ... Kg7!?
Wasting time. There is nothing wrong
with the immediate 47 ... Bxd5!.
48 h4!
Lenderman’s only prayer is to reach
Black’s king and somehow deliver
perpetual check, which admittedly is a
long shot.
48 ... Qc4
Caruana insists on keeping complete
control. 48 ... Bxd5 49 hxg5 hxg5 50 Qh5
Bxg2+ 51 Rxg2 Qd5 is also winning for
Black.
49 Rfd1 Ne5 50 hxg5 hxg5
How frustrating for White, whose
queen is denied access to either h5 or h6.
51 Rd4 Qc3 52 Qg1 Nxg4
Black threatens mate, starting with ...
Rh3+!.
 53 R1d2

Exercise (combination alert): Let’s try it

Exercise (planning): Find a plan where again. Find Black’s optimal path either to
Black forces mate. reach White’s king or win heavy material.

Answer: A check on the h-file should be Answer: Clearance sacrifice.

quickly decisive. 56 ... Rf3+!
53 ... Qc8! This move clears both the second rank
Caruana uses his queen. Using the rook for Black’s queen and e3 for the knight.
is even stronger: 53 ... Re8!, when there is 57 Bxf3
no defence to the coming ... Rh8+, and the Keep away from me, spawn of Satan!
engine declares mate in ten. The bishop is forced to confront his
54 Qa1! demons. 57 Ke1 Qg1+ 58 Ke2 Re3 is
Clearing g1 for White’s king, while already mate.
menacing discovered checks with the d4- 57 ... Ne3+ 58 Ke1 Qg1+
rook. White’s queen falls.
54 ... Qh8+ 55 Kg1 Qh2+ 56 Kf1 59 Ke2 Qxa1 0-1

170
 Chapter Five
Irrational Endings
In this chapter we’ll take a look at a few
head-spinningly complex endings.
Game 70
J.R.Capablanca-D.Janowski
San Sebastian 1911
The result of this game altered the
course of chess history. In 1911 Rubinstein
was Lasker’s logical choice as challenger to
his crown. Had Capa lost this ending (as
objectively he should have, since he was
dead lost earlier in the game), then
Rubinstein would have been the winner of
the San Sebastian super-tournament and
would surely have gotten a shot at Lasker
in a world championship match. By
flipping the result of a loss to a win, Capa
won clear first in his baptismal
international and, by doing so, stole the
spotlight, so that it was he who became
Lasker’s natural challenger.
Exercise (critical decision): How do we
extract dynamism from this soulless void?
Capa can win Janowski’s passed h-pawn
with 59 Ng5+ and Nxh3.
Is this White’s best course? If not, then
do you see something better?
Answer: Move the queen to d3,
threatening discovered checks with the
knight.
59 Qd3!!
171
Double attack. With a sense of
accusation in his last move, Capa threatens
Black’s h-pawn and also a mating net,
starting with Ng5+. Note that Black lacks
even a single check on an open board,
despite White’s completely exposed king.
Not yet 59 Ng5+? Kg6 60 Nxh3, since 60 ...
Qd2+ 61 Kb3 Qe3+ 62 Qc3 Qb6+ 63 Ka4
Qxb7 is a near-certain draw.
59 ... g6??
An opportunity is missed and Janowski
is destined to mourn for that which may
have been. He blunders tragically in a
position which demands obedience to the
mathematics. Black’s position straddled
the border of a draw and a loss, and this
one pushed it into the loss category.
a) 59 ... h2?? doesn’t work either since
with sparse material White forces mate in
seven: 60 Ng5+ Kh6 61 Nf7+ Kh5 62 Qf5+
Kh4 (Black’s king will not find shelter from
the storm) 63 Qf4+ Kh3 (or 63 ... Kh5 64
Qg5 mate) 64 Ng5+ Kg2 65 Qf3+ Kg1 66
Nh3 mate Wow!
b) 59 ... g5! offers Black’s king much
needed air and should save the game: 60
Qxh3+ (now if 60 Nxg5+ Kh6 61 Nxh3
Qe6+ White’s king is too exposed for him
to win) 60 ... Kg7 61 Qf3 Qc1 62 Qf6+ Kg8
63 Qxg5+ Qxg5 64 Nxg5 Kf8 65 Kb3 Ke7
66 Ka4 Kd7 67 Kxa5 Kc7, when the b7-
pawn falls and Black draws.
60 Qxh3+ Kg7 61 Qf3!
Note that Black lacks a single safe check.
61 ... Qc1
Or 61 ... Qh4 62 Qc3+! Kf7 63 Qc4+ Ke7
64 Qc7+ Ke6 65 Qxb8 Qxe4 66 Qe8+ Kf5
67 Qxe4+ followed by promotion next
move.
62 Qf6+ Kh7 63 Qf7+ Kh6 64 Qf8+!
Kh5
64 ... Kh7? allows 65 Nf6 mate!

Exercise (combination alert): Black’s
king is a part of some kind of sadistic,
sensory deprivation experiment. How did
Capa put his opponent away?
Answer: Simplification. Janowski is
circumscribed by “only” moves.
65 Qh8+! Kg4
Answer: Simplification/pawn
promotion.
66 Qc8+! 1-0
Queens are removed from the board,
removing Black’s dream of perpetual check.
It’s unbelievable to see just how much
Capa extracted from a position with so few
resources at the start.
Game 71
V.Topalov-A.Shirov
Linares 1998
Assessing the position:
1. Black is two pawns up.
2. Black’s win is far from certain, due to
the presence of bishops of opposite colours.
3. When we begin to analyse deeper, we
see that all the reasonable candidate
moves allow White to hold a draw.
172
Exercise (combination alert): “Normal”
doesn’t cut it here. Look for an
extraordinary solution. Black to play and
win.
Answer: Clearance sacrifice/tempi gain.
Play the least likely move on the board, by
shifting your bishop to h3, placing it en
prise.
47 ... Bh3!!
It’s time for shock therapy. Not only is
this move incredibly difficult to spot
(especially when nobody tells you there is a
combination available), it also comes with
risk. Even the finest tactician must still
consider the error factor, since no human
calculates perfectly. In this case Shirov’s
calculation was perfect. He said on
Facebook that he saw only draws in other
lines and found this move by process of
elimination after around 15 minutes of
analysis.
One of the wonderful things about our
internet age is that every misinformed fool
earned the right to declare their idiotic
opinion on every subject in the universe. I
once posted this game excerpt on my
Facebook page and a self-proclaimed
genius B-player friend announced that
Black’s move was painfully “obvious” and
that he would easily have found it almost
instantly, even in a bullet game! It was my
unpleasant duty to inform the genius that
he was full of crap, that all great mysteries
become “obvious” after they are explained
to us, and that he wouldn’t have a one in
billion chance of finding such a move in a
tournament game, much less a bullet
game. Then he told me that the reason I
think the move is so brilliant is because I’m
an over-the-hill IM, whose best days are
long past. I don’t know what my now ex-
Facebook homey said after that, since I
unfriended him in a rage!
Anyway, why did Shirov move the
bishop to h3, a square where Topalov can
simply capture his bishop?
1. White wastes an all-important
tempo by taking the bishop on h3.
 2. After g2xh3, Black’s f-pawn is
upgraded to a status of passed pawn.
3. The f5-square is cleared, enabling the
black king to advance with ... Kf5 and ...
Ke4. Doesn’t this hang the f6-pawn? It
does, but when Bxf6 is played White loses
yet another precious tempo. If White
declines to capture, then Black’s three
passed pawns roar down the board.
Shirov avoids the logical but incorrect
line 47 ... a3? 48 Kf2 a2 49 Ke3 Be4 50 g4
f5 51 Kf4 fxg4 52 Kxg4 Kd6 53 Kf4 Kc5 54
Ke3 Kc4 55 Bd4 Kb3 56 Kd2, when Black
is unable to make progress.
Incidentally, Stockfish finds 47 ... Bh3!!
in about seven seconds.
48 gxh3
Delaying or declining capture is of no
benefit. For example: 48 Bb2 Kf5 49 Kf2
Ke4 50 Bxf6 a3 (threat: ... d5-d4, blocking
White’s bishop from the promotion square)
51 Ba1 Bg4 52 Ke1 Ke3 53 g3 d4 54 Kf1 a2
55 Ke1 d3 56 Bc3 a1Q+! (decoy; removal of
the guard) 57 Bxa1 d2+ and mate in three.
48 ... Kf5 49 Kf2 Ke4! 50 Bxf6 d4 51
Be7
He can’t allow Black’s a-pawn to move
forward.
51 ... Kd3 52 Bc5
Or 52 Bf8 Kc2 53 Bb4 d3 and wins.
52 ... Kc4 53 Be7 Kb3 0-1
After 54 Ke2 Kc2 55 Bb4 d3+ 56 Ke3 a3!
one of Black’s pawns will promote.
Game 72
J.Polgar-E.Bacrot
Rapid match (Game 2), Bastia 1999
173
How would we assess this ending?
1. Black has four pawns for a minor
piece, normally a great deal for the piece-
down side.
2. Black’s big problem is that White has
a grip on the light squares. This means that
Black’s pawns are essentially blockaded
and not easily able to advance.
3. White has king position.
4. White has a passed e-pawn which if
pushed to e6 is protected by the
blockading knight.
White’s choices:
a) Move her king to d4, protecting e5.
b) Move her king to f4, protecting her e-
pawn.
c) Try 46 Nd4, with the idea that 46 ...
Rxe5 is met by a knight fork on c6.
Exercise (critical decision): Which line
would you play?
Answer: Lines a) and b) lead to positions
close to equality, while White is losing if
she is tempted by line c).
46 Nd4?
Polgar is seduced by what outwardly
appears to be a profitable venture and, in
a single move, squanders her strategic
inheritance. Instead:
a) 46 Kd4 Rde8 47 Ra3 h5 48 g3 Rxe5 49
Rxa6 e3 50 Kc3 g5 is judged even by the
engine.
b) 46 Kf4! looks best. Black is unable to
double rooks on the e-file in this line, since
then the d5-pawn falls. After 46 ... Rb6 47
Ra3 h6 48 g3 g5+! 49 Ke3 (not 49 Kxf5?!
Rf8+ 50 Kg4 Kg6 51 Nd4 h5+ 52 Kh3 Rf2
53 g4 h4 54 Nf5 Rxf5! 55 gxf5+ Kxf5 56
Rxd5 Re6 57 Rd8 g4+! and the h4-pawn is
immune due to the threat of ... Rh6+, ...
Rh3+ and ... Rxa3) 49 ... Kg6 50 Nc3 f4+ 51
gxf4 gxf4+ 52 Kd4 (taking the f-pawn is
still inferior due to 52 Kxf4?! Rf8+ 53 Ke3
Rf3+ 54 Kd4 Kf5) 52 ... f3 53 Rg1+ Kf7 54
Nd1 Rc6 55 Ne3 White has the slightly
better chances according to the engine.
46 ... Rxe5!
Bacrot embraces his inner Harkonnen
with this devious exchange sacrifice. This is
excellent judgment. He will be a rook down
for only four pawns, since the a6-pawn
soon falls. More importantly, the black
pawns become unblockaded and will soon
move forward. Instead, 46 ... f4+? 47 Kxf4
Rf8+ 48 Ke3 Rxe5 49 g4 is slightly in
White’s favour.
47 Nc6 d4+!
I suspect that Polgar either missed or
underestimated this zwischenzug. She
may have expected 47 ... Ree8? 48 Nxd8
Rxd8 49 Kd4, when Black is busted.
48 Kf4
48 Rxd4 Rxd4 49 Nxd4 h5 50 Rh1 Kf6
51 g3 Kg5 52 Ra1 Kg4 53 a4 g5 54 axb5
axb5! (54 ... f4+? is premature. 55 gxf4
gxf4+ 56 Kf2 axb5 57 Rg1+ Kh4 58 Re1
Threat: Nf3+! 58 ... Kg4 59 Rg1+ Kh4 is a
repetition draw.) 55 Rg1 c3! 56 Rg2 Kh3 57
Rg1 Rd5 White is in zugzwang. 58 Rc1
Kxg3 59 Rxc3 h4 60 Rc5 f4+! 61 Kxe4
Rxd4+! 62 Kxd4 g4 63 Rxb5 f3 64 Ke3 h3
65 Rh5 h2 66 b5 f2 67 Ke2 Kg2 68 Rxh2+
Kxh2 69 Kxf2 g3+ Black promotes first and
wins.
48 ... Red5
174
49 Nxd8 Rxd8 50 Ra3 d3
Not 50 ... Rd6?? 51 Ke5 and the
advantage suddenly swings to White.
51 Rxa6
If 51 g4 fxg4 52 Kxe4 h5 53 Rxa6 then
53 ... g3 54 Kf3 c3 55 Rc6 c2 56 Rh1 h4! and
Black wins.
51 ... c3 52 Rc6
52 Ra7+ Kf6 is much the same and
would likely transpose.
52 ... c2 53 Rc7+ Kf6 54 Rc6+ Kf7 55
Rc7+ Kf6 56 Rc6+ Kf7 57 Rc7+ Ke6!
No draw. Black’s pawns are too deep for
White to stop.
58 Rh1 d2
This looks clear enough to me. The
engine prefers the nonchalant 58 ... h5.
59 Rxc2 d1Q 60 Rxd1 Rxd1 61 Rc6+ Rd6
62 Rc5 Rd2 63 Rxb5 Rxg2
White’s position is choked with grief.
Even a person as math-challenged as me
realizes that 4 is higher than 2. In this case
it’s a race, so speed matters more than
numbers. Unfortunately for Polgar, she is
behind in that category as well.
64 a4
Or 64 Rb6+ Kd5 65 a4 Rg4+ 66 Ke3 f4+
67 Kd2 Rg2+ and Black’s pawns are faster.
64 ... g5+ 65 Ke3 Rg3+ 66 Kd4 Rd3+ 67
Kc4 Ra3!

Principle: Place your rook behind your
opponent’s passed pawns.
68 a5 g4
We hear soft scratching, as if from mice
within the walls. Polgar has no way to
eradicate the infestation of black pawns,
who have bred out of control.
69 Rb8 g3 70 Rg8 Ke5 71 Kb5 f4 72 a6
e3 73 Kb6 Ke4 74 a7 e2 75 b5 0-1
Since 75 ... Kf3 76 Re8 g2 wins.
Game 73
H.Nakamura-V.Kramnik
Istanbul Olympiad 2012
Exercise (combination alert): Black
threatens to promote on d1 with check.
If White’s king captures on e2, then
Black draws with 1 ... f3+!, followed by 2 ...
Bxc7. Can White play for a win?
Answer: Underpromote to a knight,
which comes with check.
62 c8N+!
The blow strikes Black’s position like a
slap from an enraged, jealous college
girlfriend who catches you flirting, soon to
175
be your ex-girlfriend. Instead, 62 Kxe2? f3+
63 Kxd2 Bxc7 is dead drawn.
62 ... Kf6
An annoying point for Black is that the
c8-knight is secured by the bishop on h3.
63 Kxe2
This is a strange material imbalance.
Black is two pieces down and his pawns
will fall, but if he can leave White with just
a pair of knights, then Black draws.
Unfortunately for Kramnik, there is no way
to achieve this.
63 ... Ke5 64 Nb6 Kd4 65 Bg2 Be1 66
Nd5 Ke5 67 Nb4
Threat: Nd3+ and Nxe1.
67 ... Bh4 68 Nd3+ Kf5 69 Kxd2
One down, one to go. The tablebases
confirm that Black is definitely losing.
69 ... Kg4 70 Ke2 Bf6 71 N1f2+ Kg3
A cheapo attempt which is trivial for a
player of Hikaru’s calibre to see. The
problem is that, by attempting the cheapo,
Black is mated unless White misses it!
Stockfish calls it mate in 10 from here. 71 ...
Kf5 would have prolonged the game but
would not alter the final result.
72 Bf3!
Black’s king is boxed in. Not 72 Ne4+??
Kxg2 73 Ne1+ Kh3 74 Nxf6 (you guessed
it: White can’t win with a pair of knights)
74 ... f3+ 75 Kxf3 Kh4 and the game is
drawn.
72 ... Bd8 73 Ne4+ Kh4
Or 73 ... Kh2 74 Kf1 Bf6 75 Nxf4 Be5 76
Ng6 Bc3 77 Ne7 Ba1 78 Bg2! Bb2 79 Nf5
Ba1 80 Nh4 Bb2 81 Nf3 mate.
74 Ne5
74 Nxf4! forces mate more quickly.
74 ... Bc7 75 Ng6+ Kh3 76 Ne7! Bd8 77
Nf5 Bb6
 attackers seem to be as grata can be.
Without moving the pieces, can you work
out White’s forced mate in six?

Answer: The mating net requires the

help of White’s king.
78 Kf1! Kh2
Or 78 ... Ba7 79 Nf6! Bb6 80 Bg2+ Kh2
81 Ng4 mate.
79 Bg4! f3 80 Nh4! 1-0
In view of 80 ... f2 81 Nf3+ Kh1 82 Ng3
mate.
Exercise (calculation): Black’s king is
persona non grata, while White’s joyful

176
 Chapter Six
Opening Shockers
The first twelve or so moves of the isn’t interested in a typical, ho-hum
opening in our games tend to a solemn version of the King’s Indian. Let’s see where
ritual, requiring little or no thought, since his crazy idea leads.
we reached the same position dozens of
times previously. So how refreshing when
something strange happens in the
opening phase. Rather than being a fixed
entity, opening theory is subject to
constant amendment. Yet there are limits
to what can be altered. In this chapter we
look at some outrageous novelties.

Game 74
B.Spassky-D.Bronstein
Candidates Tournament, Amsterdam
1956 11 Qxh4 Nxe3 12 Kf2
Today’s engines regard Spassky’s move
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f3 as best, assessing 12 Ke2 Nxc4 and 12 Qf2
e5 6 d5 Nh5 7 Be3 Na6 8 Qd2 Qh4+!? Nb4! 13 Ke2 Nxc4 as only a slight edge for
Theoretical novelty, the point of which White.
is seen from Black’s next two moves. 12 ... Nxc4 13 b3 Nb6
9 g3 Retreating the knight is the most
The most principled reply, as Black loses natural and human move. Two games in
material if he plays ... Nxg3 next. Instead, 9 2021 between Stockfish and Leela
Bf2 Qe7 benefits Black, since White’s dark- preferred 13 ... Na3!? 14 Qg5 b5! and Black
squared bishop has been lured from the c1- managed to defend successfully both
h6 diagonal. times.
9 ... Nxg3!?
What the hell!? Did Bronstein just hang
a piece to a simple tactic?
10 Qf2
Spassky isn’t going to fall for 10 Bf2??
Nxf1 11 Bxh4 Nxd2 12 Kxd2 with a solid
extra pawn and the bishop pair for Black.
10 ... Nxf1!?
One of the effects of advancing
technology is that it gets easier and easier
to kill a large number of people. It works
the same way in chess, where a super-
prepared player can win many games, just Have the lunatics taken over the
from doing their homework or finding a asylum? Well, not quite. Let’s discuss the
startling new idea. Eccentric is so much imbalances:
more fun than ordinary. Such a shocking 1. Black gave up his queen for two
give-away of a queen, signifies a lack of bishops and two pawns, which isn’t all that
acceptance of one’s lot in life! Bronstein much of a sacrifice.

177
 2. Black’s position is weakness free.
3. What is the situation of the kings?
What I hate most about engines is that
they have a way of exhausting an
opening’s possibilities, until we know
everything there is to know. The increase in
knowledge is counterbalanced by the fact
that the machine does it, leaving us
humans obsolete. Today, we know that
White stands better in this line. At the
board and in a pre-engine era, Spassky
could not have known that.
14 Nge2 f5
Bronstein is not going to play in a
conservative fashion, with castling and
then ... f7-f6.
15 Rhg1
15 Kg2 is more flexible. If Black ever
exchanges on e4, then one of White’s rooks
will challenge the open f-file.
15 ... 0-0 16 Kg2 Bd7 17 a4! Bf6 18 Qg3
Nb4 19 a5 Nc8 20 exf5?!
This is as dangerous as an umpire
calling the point for John McEnroe’s
opponent. He is certain to scream: “You
cannot be serious!” and then a racquet is
thrown their way. Spassky’s move is in
violation of the principle: Don’t open the
game when your opponent owns the
bishop pair. 20 Kh1 is better.
20 ... Bxf5
Believe it or not, this obvious recapture
is inaccurate. Black gets tremendous play
with 20 ... Ne7! 21 fxg6 Nf5!. The position
is almost unreadable without the help of
the engine, which in fact calls a forced
draw: 22 Qe1 (apparently the only move
which doesn’t lose) 22 ... Nd3 23 Qd2 (and
178
again) 23 ... Nh4+ 24 Kg3 (and again; not
24 Kf1?? Bh3+ or 24 Kh1?? Nf2 mate!) 24 ...
Nf5+ 25 Kh3 Ne3+ 26 Kg3 Nf5+ and the
game ends with perpetual check. There is a
95% chance that I would have lost this as
White!
21 Ra4! Nd3 22 Rc4!
Spassky targets Black’s only weakness:
c7.
22 ... Nc5?
Retreating again is a mistake. Black
should try 22 ... b5!! 23 Nxb5 (or 23 Rxc7
Bd8 24 Rc6 Ne7 25 Rxd6 Bxa5 26 Ne4 Rac8)
23 ... Rb8 24 Nbc3! Rxb3 25 Rb1 Rxb1 26
Nxb1 Ne7 27 Nbc3 c5! 28 dxc6 Be6 and the
position is a complete mess, which the
engine rates at even.
23 Ne4 Na6
Now Black’s knight has been thrown
offside and White’s next move eliminates
the dangerous bishop pair.
24 Nxf6+ Rxf6 25 f4!
Spassky realizes that Bronstein’s king is
under-defended.
25 ... e4 26 Nc3
Covering against ... b7-b5 tricks, while
reinforcing d5. Bronstein has been
outplayed and Spassky achieved a winning
position.
26 ... Ne7 27 Re1
Possibly 27 Rd1! is more accurate,
discouraging ... c7-c6.
27 ... Raf8 28 b4 c6! 29 Nxe4
29 dxc6 d5 30 Nxd5 Nxd5 31 cxb7 R6f7
32 b5 Nab4 33 a6 is winning for White, but
it’s incredibly complicated.
29 ... Bxe4+ 30 Rcxe4 Nxd5 31 Re8!
 Every piece off the board reduces 37 a6! bxa6 38 Qe8+ Kg7 39 Qxc6 Kh6
Bronstein’s attacking/cheapo chances. 40 Qxa6 Nxb4 41 Qb7 Nd3 42 Re7!
The hunt for Black’s king begins.
42 ... Nxf4 43 Rxh7+ Kg5 44 Qe7+ Kg4

31 ... Nac7?!
When you are materially down, get
greedy! 31 ... Naxb4 was better.
32 Rxf8+ Kxf8 33 Kh1 Rf5
After 33 ... Nxf4 34 Qf2! a6 35 Qa7
White’s queen gets into the underbelly and
Black is busted.
34 Qh4
Threatening to slide into d8, while
attacking h7.
34 ... Nf6 35 Qf2!
Principle: When it’s a queen versus
pieces scenario, the queen requires targets.
In this case it’s a7 and Black’s whole
queenside, coupled with threats to his king.
35 ... Nb5 36 Qe2!
Threatening entry to e7.
36 ... Nd5
Exercise (planning): What is White’s
strongest attacking continuation?
Answer: Move the queen to e3, rather
than chase Black’s king with check.
45 Qe3!
Threat: Qg3 mate. The move follows the
attacking principle: When hunting the
enemy king, don’t chase him. Instead, cut
off avenues of escape. Spassky’s move is
therefore stronger than 45 Rh4+ Kf3 46
Qe1 g5.
45 ... Kg5 46 h4+! Kg4 47 Kh2!
White’s king and h-pawn are added to
the attack. The threat to mate on g3 is
renewed.
47 ... Nh5 48 Rh6! 1-0
Since 48 ... Rf6 49 Qg5+ Kf3 50 Qxb5
picks off a piece.

Game 75
C.Van der Loo-M.Hesseling
Netherlands 1983

We are taking votes on the craziest

game in the book. This one is a strong
candidate for first place.
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Nf6 4 Ng5
Exercise (planning): Find White’s Going for the Fried Liver Attack, which
optimal plan. is even suitable for vegetarians like me.
4 ... Bc5!?
Answer: Pushing the a-pawn throws
the defence off kilter since it punctures the
queenside.

179

This is the Wilkes-Barre or Traxler
Counterattack, an ideal choice for those of
us who are mentally unstable, and/or with
suicidal tendencies. It used to be great fun
in the good old pre-computer days of not-
knowing. But, of course, the engines came
along and ruined all our fun by working
out clearly favourable lines for White.
Needless to say, 4 ... d5 is far safer.
5 Nxf7?!
Consistent, yet not as good as either 5
Bxf7+! or 5 d4!?, which the engines show
are both good for White.
5 ... Bxf2+!
Black is actually okay in this line.
6 Kxf2!?
The alternative is 6 Kf1 Qe7 7 Nxh8 d5!
8 exd5 Nd4. Black scores well from this
position, even though the engine assesses
it as at 0.00.
6 ... Nxe4+ 7 Ke3 Qe7?
7 ... Qh4 was necessary, and seemingly
balanced after 8 g3 Nxg3 9 hxg3 Qd4+ 10
Kf3 0-0! 11 Rh4! e4+ 12 Kg2 d5.
8 c3?
180
Why not grab the rook? After 8 Nxh8!
Qg5+ 9 Kxe4 d5+ 10 Bxd5 Qf4+ 11 Kd3
Bf5+ 12 Ke2 Nd4+ 13 Ke1 Nxc2+ 14 Qxc2
Bxc2 15 Bxb7 Black stands worse, since
White has almost a whole army for the
queen, E.Blom-S.Lifshitz, correspondence
2006.
8 ... Nd4?
What?! Principle: Create confrontation
and open the game when leading in
development. After 8 ... d5! 9 Bxd5 Qc5+!
10 Kxe4 Bf5+! 11 Kxf5 Qxd5 12 Nxh8
Ne7+ 13 Kg5 Qxg2+ White is in deep
trouble since he must hand over the h1-
rook to evade mate.
9 Kxe4?
I strongly urge both players to switch to
decaf. Clearly, both sides are greedy for
danger and confusion, and I wonder if
anyone but Tal could truly be “at home” in
such a position. In truth, a lot of these
moves deserve two question marks rather
than one. Black is busted after 9 d3!.
9 ... Qh4+?!
Again 9 ... d5+! is much stronger: 10
Bxd5 Qh4+ 11 Ke3 (11 Kxe5 0-0! doesn’t
look like much fun for White either) 11 ...
Qf4+ 12 Kd3 Bf5+ 13 Kc4 b5+ 14 Kc5 Qh4!
15 Nxe5 0-0-0 leaves Black with a decisive
attack.
10 Ke3?
White had to play 10 Kd3, though 10 ...
d5 11 Bb5+! Nxb5 12 Kc2 Bf5+ 13 d3 Kxf7
14 Rf1 Ke6! is still in Black’s favour, due to
the lead in development, safer king, and
extra pawn.
10 ... Qf4+ 11 Kd3 d5!
At last, and with the threat of ... Bf5
mate.
 12 Bxd5
Or 12 cxd4 Bf5+ 13 Ke2 Bg4+ and wins.
12 ... Bf5+ 13 Kc4

The tension level has risen to the point

where an explosion is imminent.
18 ... Nc6?
You asked for irrational chess in this Black needs to remove the white king’s
book, so here it is! Our mental muscles are escape hatch on b4, but not like this. 18 ...
going to be taxed beyond their natural a5! is correct, intending 19 Nxb5 (or 19 Nf3
limits. Qe7+ 20 Kxd4 c5 mate) 19 ... Rxd5+! 20
13 ... b5+! 14 Kc5 Kc4 Rc5+! 21 Kxc5 Ne6+ 22 Kd5 Qe4 mate.
14 Kb4? just gives Black a free move in 19 Qa4?
14 ... a5+. White’s king must move up to c5 Keep in mind that Vegas icons Liberace
all the same, since 15 Ka3?? allows 15 ... and Elvis never, ever said: “I can’t wear that!
b4+ 16 cxb4 Nc2+! (clearance) 17 Qxc2 It’s too out there!” GM Andy Soltis called
Qxb4 mate. this “Probably the most stunning
14 ... Qh4! theoretical novelty on record”, and I must
Threat: ... Qe7+ and ... Qxd6 mate. agree. It’s also a bad one! The solution lies
15 Nxe5 dormant, at the edges of White’s
The only move. awareness.
Instead, 19 Qg4!! is White’s best chance
to survive. 19 ... Bxg4 20 Nxc6 even led to a
win for White in T.Szafranski-D.Dudzik,
correspondence 1998, while after 19 ...
Qf2+! 20 d4 Bxg4 21 Nxc6 a6 (threat: ...
Qf8+) 22 Kb4!, White’s king is suddenly
safe and it’s not so clear who stands better
or worse. (The engine still thinks it’s Black.)
19 ... Qe7+!
19 ... bxa4?! 20 Nxc6 Bd3 21 b3 Rd6 22
Nxa7+ Kb7 23 Nc6 is a complete mess. I
would be okay taking White, despite the
15 ... 0-0-0! engine’s claim that Black has an edge.
Stockfish already calls a forced mate in 20 Kxb5
25 for Black!
16 c4 Rxd5+!
Eliminating White’s only active piece.
17 cxd5
Not 17 Kxd5? Qd8+ 18 Nd7 Qxd7+ 19
Ke5 Qd6 mate.
17 ... Rd8! 18 Nc3

181

Exercise (critical decision): Are you
going to take on e5 with your queen or
your knight?
Answer: Capturing with the knight
wins.
20 ... Qxe5??
It’s a laughable delusion to believe we
are in control over our destinies in
irrational positions. All we can do is to
grasp intuition, make an educated guess.
Oh, and it may also be helpful to pray, even
if you are an atheist. Black goes from
completely winning to clearly worse in a
single move.
Black missed 20 ... Nxe5! 21 Qa6+ (if 21
Qxa7 then 21 ... Bd7+ 22 Ka5 Nc4+ 23 Ka6
Qd6+ mates) 21 ... Kb8 22 Ka4 (or 22 d4
Bd3+ 23 Ka5 Bxa6 and wins, since White
is mated if he takes either piece) 22 ... Rd6!
23 Qa5 Rb6 (threat: ... Bd7+ or ... Qh4+) 24
Nb5 a6 25 Qc3 axb5+ 26 Kb3 Qd6 and
White is busted, P.Kloskowski-T.Szafranski,
correspondence 1995.
21 Qc4?!
Stronger is 21 Qa6+! Kb8 22 Qxc6! Bd7
23 Qxd7 Rxd7 24 Kb4! Rxd5 25 a4!, when
White stands better because he is up
material, while Black lacks the firepower to
get at White’s king.
21 ... Nd4+?
Here 21 ... Qd6! 22 Qxc6! Bd7 23 Re1
Bxc6+ 24 dxc6 a6+ 25 Ka4 Qxc6+ 26 Kb3
Qxg2 27 Re2 Qg6 28 a4 is close to balanced.
22 Ka4?
This gives Black another free move.
Instead, after 22 Ka5! (intending Re1!) 22 ...
Qf6 23 Qa6+ Qxa6+ 24 Kxa6 Bd3+ 25 Ka5
182
Nc2 (threatening White’s rook, as well as ...
Rd6) 26 b4! Nxa1 27 Re1 Nc2 28 Re5 Rd6
(threat: ... Ra6 mate) 29 b5 Black’s attack is
at an end and White’s two extra pawns
should win eventually.
22 ... Bd7+ 23 Ka5!?
23 Ka3 Nc2+ 24 Kb3 Nxa1+ 25 Ka3
Nc2+ is perpetual check.
23 ... Nc6+
This is only possible because the knight
is now defended by the bishop.
24 Ka6
White must have been comforted that
he finally carved out a certain measure of
security for his king. I’m kidding of course.
If I were playing White, my phone would be
on speed dial to my cardiologist.
24 ... Nb8+
What level of risk are you willing to take
to settle a score? Should White accept a
draw after 25 Ka5 Nc6+ etc, or go for the
full point with 25 Kxa7 - ?
25 Kxa7??
White should accept the draw by
perpetual since taking on a7 allows mate
in five!
Exercise (combination alert): Okay, find
Black’s forced mate.
25 ... c6??
Threat: ... Qc7 mate. Now is not a good
time to falter! I’m getting writer’s cramp
from pushing the “?” and “??” on my
annotation pallet this game. Obviously the
players’ complications-addled brains were
overloaded by mass stimuli from all sides.
Answer: 25 ... Qd6! gets the job done.
The threat is ... Qb6 mate, while if 26 Na4
(or 26 Qd4 Qa6 mate) 26 ... Bxa4 27 Qg4+
Bd7, it’s mate in two since b6 and a6
cannot both be covered.
26 Nb5!
How annoying for Black. There is no
mate since c7 is covered.
26 ... Bf5 27 d4
The engine nonchalantly trots out 27
Re1!! Qxe1 28 dxc6 Bd3 29 Kb6!! Bxc4 (or
29 ... Qf2+ 30 Qc5 and White wins) 30 Na7
mate.
27 ... Rd7+
If 27 ... Qe7+ 28 Kb6 Qb7+ 29 Ka5 Rxd5
then 30 Kb4! Rxb5+ 31 Kc3 and White will
consolidate.
28 Ka8 Qe7
29 dxc6
29 Bf4! is more accurate.
29 ... Be4 30 d5
While noting that it’s a relative term,
“simpler” is 30 Qg8+! Rd8 31 Na7+! Qxa7+
(31 ... Kc7 32 Bf4+ Kb6 33 Qb3+ is mate in
two) 32 Kxa7 Nxc6+ 33 Kb6 Rxg8 34 Re1
with an extra exchange and pawns for
White and an easy win.
30 ... Bxd5 31 Qxd5!
The only move, but one which should
win.
31 ... Rxd5 32 Na7+ Kd8 33 Kxb8??
There is no time to grab the knight.
Now White’s diet is missing a desperately
needed nutrient and his position becomes
king-safety-deficient.
Correct is 33 Re1! (the rook is tactically
protected due to a discovered check on g5)
33 ... Qb4 34 a3! Qd6 35 Bg5+! Rxg5 36
Rad1 Rd5 37 Rxd5 Qxd5 38 Kxb8 Qb3+ 39
Ka8 (threat: Re5, followed by Rb5) 39 ...
183
Qxb2 40 Rd1+ Ke8 41 Rd7, followed by Rb7
and Black is busted.
Exercise (planning): White just walked
into a mate in six. Try and find it.
33 ... Qc7+??
With this blunder Black goes from mate
in six to being down by +7 07!.
Answer: The mating net is constructed
with 33 ... Qb4+! 34 Ka8 Kc7!,
threatening ... Qb8 mate as well as ... Rd8+,
which White can only stall with spite
checks.
34 Ka8 Ra5
It still appears that White is mated. He
isn’t!
35 Bg5+!
A person lost in the desert and dying of
thirst can still dream of a soft drinks
vending machine, even though it will only
appear as a mirage. In this case, White’s
miracle counterattack is no mirage and it
is Black who is now completely busted.
35 ... Rxg5
Or 35 ... Ke8 36 Rae1+ Kf8 37 Rhf1+
Kg8 38 Re8 mate.
36 Rad1+ Ke8 37 Rhe1+ Kf8 38 Rd7!
Qxh2 39 Ree7
Or 39 Rf1+ Ke8 40 Rb7 Rc5 41 Rff7 and
wins.
39 ... Qxg2 40 Rb7

Miracle of miracles. Despite White’s
suicidal king walk, it is Black who is now
dead lost due to his own insecure king and
White’s threat to promote the c-pawn.
40 ... Rc5 41 c7
This wins, if not as easily as 41 Red7!
(threatening mate two separate mates in
one) 41 ... Re5 42 Rd8+ Re8 43 c7 and it’s
game over.
41 ... Qg4 42 Rf7+ Ke8 43 b4 Rc2 44 a4
h5 45 a5 h4 46 b5 h3 47 Nc6 h2 48 Rxg7 1-
0 many, many free tempi. Objectively, 9 Nd5
Or 49 Re7+ Kf8 50 Rb8+ and mate next
move. Damn! What a game!
Game 76
J.Granda Zuniga-Y.Seirawan
Buenos Aires 1993
1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 c5 3 Nc3 e6 4 g3 b6 5
Bg2 Bb7 6 0-0 Nc6!?
Normally this knight is developed to d7,
after ... d7-d6.
7 e4 e5?!
My friend Yasser, in an experimental
mood, isn’t exactly bringing his A-list
opening here. I don’t like this move since it
represents a pure loss of tempo, Black
having taken two moves to push his e-
pawn to e5, rather than one. 7 ... d6 8 d4
leads to more normal Hedgehog positions.
8 d3 g6
Novelty! Yasser goes for a set-up that
had given him a good game two years
earlier, although in Pr.Nikolic-Y.Seirawan,
Belgrade 1991, he had in fact played ... e7-
e5 in one go, so was able to answer 8 d3
184
with 8 ... Bg7. In the current game Black’s
bishop sits on f8 for another 21 moves.
9 Nxe5!?
Granda Zuniga refuses to dial it back
and goes with the WWE smackdown
version! Is Yasser being pranked? Not quite.
What is mindboggling is that both
Stockfish and Fritz say this sacrifice is
totally sound and rate the aftermath at
dead even. For the piece White gets a key
black central pawn and, more importantly,
is probably better and White has indeed
scored two wins in the database with that
move.
9 ... Nxe5 10 f4 Nc6
Black can’t return the piece and hopes
for a quiet game with 10 ... d6??, as after 11
fxe5 dxe5 12 Bg5 Be7 13 Bxf6 Bxf6 14 Qf3,
Black’s dark-squared bishop is unable to
move due to the mate threat on f7.
11 e5 Ng8
11 ... Nh5?! 12 f5! is a slightly inferior
version for Black.
12 f5!
Principles: Create confrontation and
open the position when leading in
development. The engines say the game is
even. In reality, humans will have a lot
more trouble playing Black, who needs to
find all kinds of defensive resources to
survive.
12 ... Nh6?
There is such a fine line between
keeping our position under control and
allowing it to get away from us. In order to
defend, Black already had to find the coldly
precise 12 ... Rb8! (freeing the c6-knight
from the pin on the long diagonal) 13 Bf4
(13 Ne4? just allows 13 ... Nxe5) 13 ... Nd4!
(13 ... gxf5? 14 Qh5! Nd4 15 Bxb7 Rxb8 16
Be3! gives White a strong attack) 14 e6!
Bxg2 15 exf7+ (or 15 Kxg2 f6) 15 ... Kxf7 16
fxg6+ hxg6 17 Kxg2 (17 Bg5+? Bxf1 18
Bxd8 Bh3 is good for Black) 17 ... Nf6 18
Bc7! Qxc7 19 Rxf6+! Kg8! (the rook is
immune from capture, while 19 ... Kg7? 20
Qg4! Rh6 21 Raf1 leaves Black in deep
trouble) 20 Rxg6+ Bg7 21 Rxg7+ Kxg7 22
Qg4+ Kh6!, when the game will end in
perpetual check.
13 Ne4!
Granda Zuniga targets the sickly dark
squares d6 and f6.
13 ... Nxf5
This is Black’s best in the position.
14 Nf6+ Ke7 15 Nd5+ Ke8 16 Nf6+
Ke7 17 g4?
No draw. But this is the wrong way to
play for the win. After 17 Bg5! Qc8 18 Rxf5!
gxf5 19 Qh5 Nd4 20 Nxd7+! Ke6 (20 ...
Kd7?? 21 Qxf7+ mates next move) 21
Nxf8+ Rxf8 22 Qh6+ f6 (forced) 21 Bxf6
White has a wicked attack for the sacrificed
piece and it’s unlikely Black will survive.
17 ... Nfd4 18 Qe1
Now 18 Bg5 Qb8 19 Nd5+ Ke8 20 Nf6+
is the discarded draw again, while 20 Bf6!?
Rg8 just leads to balanced chances.
18 ... Qb8!
Black defends strongly by clearing a
path for his king while targeting the e5-
pawn. 18 ... Nc2?? would be madness: 19
Qf2 (threat: Nd5+, opening the line to f7)
19 ... Nxe5 20 Bxb7 Nxa1 21 Bg5 gives
White a winning attack.
185
19 Nd5+ Kd8 20 Bg5+ Kc8 21 Rxf7
Variable upon variable, piles upon even
more variables and the position is filled
with a wild sense of indeterminacy. Black is
okay, provided he finds the correct
response.
Exercise (critical decision): The
candidates:
a) 21 ... Nxe5;
b) 21 ... Qxe5;
c) a defensive retreat with 21 ... Ne6.
Which one would you play?
Answer: Black retains dynamic equality,
only by taking the e5-pawn with the knight.
21 ... Ne6?
As they call it in tennis, this is an
“unforced error”.
a) 21 ... Nxe5! 22 Rxf8+ Rxf8 23 Ne7+
Kd8!! (walking calmly back into the
discovered check) 24 Nc6+ Kc8 and White
must take perpetual check with 25 Ne7+
etc, since 25 Nxb8?? loses to 25 ... Nef3+ 26
Kh1 Nxe1 27 Rxe1 Rxb8, leaving Black a
rook up.
b) 21 ... Qxe5?? is no good, as after 22
Bf6! Ne2+ (forced) 23 Kh1 Qe6 24 Bxh8
Qxf7 25 Qxe2 White has regained his piece
with a crushing position.
22 Bf6!
This move has a paralysing effect on
Black, who can no longer unravel.
22 ... Ncd8
If 22 ... Rg8 23 Rxh7 Ncd4 24 Qh4 Bc6
25 Rf7 Kb7 26 Qh7, Black must hand a
piece back to save his g8-rook and remains
busted.
 23 Re7?
This is too cute. Granda Zuniga’s idea is
that, first, the rook can’t be taken and,
secondly, if it can’t be taken, then the rook
will reach e8. All logical, except that the
move is incorrect! Alekhine was right when
he said that chess is not all logic.
The strongest option was to grab a
pawn and open up the black king: 23 Rxd7!
Kxd7 24 Bxh8 Nf7 25 Bf6 Qe8! (not 25 ...
Ke8? 26 Qh4 h6 27 Rf1 b5 28 Bg7! Neg5 29
Bxf8 Kxf8 30 e6 Nxe6, when 31 Rxf7+!
forces mate in four) 26 g5, with ideas of
Bh3 or Qh4, when Black remains in serious
trouble. For example: 26 ... Kc8 27 Qh4 h5
28 Qe4 (threat: Nxb6+ and Qxb7 mate)
28 ... Nfd8 29 Rf1 Nc6 30 Bh8! (threat: Rf6)
30 ... Be7 31 h4! a5 32 Nxe7+ Qxe7 33 Qxg6
(threat: Rf7) 33 ... Ncd8 34 Qxh5 and White
now has four pawns for the piece, while
Black is yet to sort himself out.
23 ... Rg8?
One good turn deserves another. The
rook can’t be taken immediately in view of
23 ... Bxe7? 24 Nxe7+ Kc7 25 Bxh8 Bxg2 26
Kxg2 Qb7+ 27 Nd5+ with a winning
position for White. However, it could if 23 ...
Bxd5! is thrown in first, after which 24
cxd5 Bxe7 25 Bxh8 Nf4 26 Be4 d6 27 e6
Kc7 28 Qe3 Nb7 29 Bg7 Qg8 30 Bh6 g5 31
h4 Bf6 sees Black consolidate with the
better position.
24 Re8!
186
For the piece White has achieved a
crushing bind, from which Black can never
unravel.
24 ... Bc6 25 Bxd8!
White’s clearest continuation.
25 ... Nxd8 26 Nf6! Rh8
26 ... Bxg2 27 Nxg8 Bc6 28 Rxf8 leaves
White an exchange up with a crushing
position.
27 Bxc6 dxc6 28 Qe4
Threat: Qxc6+.
28 ... Qc7 29 e6!
There is no stopping the coming e6-e7.
29 ... Bg7 30 e7 Rxe8 31 Nxe8 Bd4+ 32
Kh1 Qd7
Exercise (combination alert): White has
something far stronger than capturing
Black’s knight.
Answer: Clearance/pawn promotion.
33 Nd6+!
33 Nf6! Bxf6 34 e8Q is also deadly.
33 ... Qxd6 34 e8Q
I have never written a book with so
many games where there are more than
two queens on the board at the same time!
Yasser only has two minor pieces for a
queen and could have resigned here.
34 ... a5 35 Rf1 Ra7 36 Rf8 Rd7 37 Q4e6!
The vulture, tired of waiting, takes
another hop closer to her future meal.
Threat: Qxd8+. This simplification removes
any prayers Black may have had of
delivering perpetual check.
37 ... Qxe6 38 Qxe6 Kc7 39 Qe2 Bg7 40
Rf2 Bd4 41 Rf3 Nf7 42 Rf4 Nd6 43 Kg2 Nc8
44 b3 Re7 45 Re4 Rf7 46 Qe1 Rd7
46 ... Rf2+? 47 Qxf2 Bxf2 48 Kxf2 “wins”
the queen at too high a cost. Black is still an
exchange down and dead lost.
47 Qg3+ Kb7 48 h3 Rf7 49 h4 Rd7 50
Re6 Bc3 51 Qf3 Nd6 52 Qf8! Nc8 53 Re8!
Rc7
If 53 ... Nd6? then 54 Ra8 forces mate.
54 Rd8 Bg7 55 Qe8 Bf6
Everything loses.
Exercise (combination alert): How did
White win more material?
Answer: Decoy Black’s rook off the
second rank by sacrificing the exchange.
56 Rxc8! 1-0
187
As after 56 ... Rxc8 57 Qf7+ the black
bishop falls.
Game 77
V.Topalov-V.Kramnik
Wijk aan Zee 2008
1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 Nc3 e6 5
Bg5 h6
This is the Moscow Gambit of the Semi-
Slav, covered in that instructional,
brilliantly written and reasonably priced
book, Opening Repertoire: ... c6, written by
former student IM Keaton Kiewra and me.
The opening can be accurately described as
a kind of Queen’s Gambit Accepted with a
personality disorder. Its equally unstable
cousin, the Botvinnik System, arises after
5 ... dxc4 6 e4 b5 7 e5 h6 8 Bh4 g5 9 Nxg5
hxg5 10 Bxg5 Nbd7.
6 Bh4
A player as aggressive as Topalov is
unlikely to go with the more strategic,
safer version 6 Bxf6 Qxf6.
6 ... dxc4 7 e4 g5 8 Bg3 b5
This is the tabiya starting position of
the Moscow, a ridiculously difficult-to-play
system.
9 Be2
The most popular move. Other options
include 9 Ne5 and 9 h4.
9 ... Bb7 10 0-0 Nbd7 11 Ne5 Bg7
So far so book.
12 Nxf7!?
Matt Damon’s quote from Good Will
Hunting comes to mind: “How do you like
them apples?” Topalov’s second, GM Ivan
Cheparinov, came up with this new idea
and Topa lay in wait for a full three years,
until he could spring it upon his great rival,
Kramnik. What does White get for the
piece?
1. One pawn, which is clearly not
enough from a purely material standpoint.
2. Black’s king can no longer castle and
it becomes obvious that he remains in
grave danger for a long time.
3. White will play e4-e5 next, giving up
control over d5, in exchange for the more
important e4-square, with Ne4 coming.
4. With a knight on e4, Black must be on
constant alert for tricks on the d6-hole.
5. There is a potential for White to open
the f-file with f2-f4.
6. If Black’s king runs to the queenside,
not only does that plan eat up many tempi,
it doesn’t at all guarantee a safe king since
White has access to pawn moves a2-a4
and/or b2-b3, prying open the queenside.
7. White’s position is far easier for a
human to play, despite the engine’s
assertion that the game is balanced, so the
sacrifice is probably sound. I played this
line against students in lessons who had a
difficult time defending.
12 Nxd7 was normally played here
before this stunning novelty.
12 ... Kxf7 13 e5 Nd5
13 ... Ne8!? covers d6 at the high cost of
placing the knight on a super-passive
square.
14 Ne4 Ke7!
Kramnik’s defensive abilities don’t let
him down. He realizes that Black’s king is
better off in the centre or on the queenside
than on the kingside after 14 ... Kg8?!.
15 Nd6 Qb6 16 Bg4
16 a4! scores better.
16 ... Raf8
This is theory today, yet I feel it’s
inferior to the lesser played
counterattacking 16 ... h5! 17 Bxh5 Raf8. I
prefer Black’s position in this version, over
the one Kramnik got in the game.
17 Qc2
Threat: Qg6, with dual attacks on g7
and e6.
17 ... Qxd4?!
188
Kramnik returns the piece to chip away
at White’s central pawns. Analysis shows
that it’s not Black’s optimal plan. He should
try 17 ... Rhg8 18 Qg6 Nc7 19 Qe4 c5! 20
Nxb7 cxd4 21 Rae1 Nc5 22 Nxc5 Qxc5.
Even here White has loads of
compensation for the sacrificed pawn.
18 Qg6! Qxg4
If 18 ... Bf6!? then 19 Nxb7 Nxe5 20
Bxe5 Qxe5 21 Rae1 Nf4 22 Rxe5 Nxg6 23
Rxe6+ Kf7 24 Rxc6 with advantage for
White.
19 Qxg7+ Kd8 20 Nxb7+ Kc8
This is the position Kramnik envisioned
when he gave the piece back. He probably
felt his king was safe enough and that,
with White’s bishop being so inactive on g3,
Topalov would take a perpetual check.
Topalov’s next move shows this was a
misevaluation on Kramnik’s part.
21 a4!
Of course, Black can’t allow the opening
of the a-file. This in turn forces ... b5-b4,
which loosens Black’s queenside pawns to
a dangerous degree.
21 ... b4 22 Rac1 c3 23 bxc3 b3
Kramnik is desperate to close
queenside attacking lanes. Captures of the
pawn also fail:
a) 23 ... bxc3 24 Nd6+ Kc7 25 Rfd1 Qxa4
26 f3! Rb8 27 Rxd5! cxd5 28 Rxc3+ Kb6 29
Rc1 and White has a winning attack since
the bishop enters via f2.
b) 23 ... Nxc3 24 h3 Qd4 25 Rfd1! Qxd1+
(after 25 ... Nxd1? 26 Nd6+ Kd8 27 Rxc6
Black is mated) 26 Rxd1 Nxd1 27 Nd6+
Kd8 28 Qg6 Nc3 29 Qxe6 and Black is
busted.
 24 c4!?
The engine prefers 24 Nd6+! Kc7 25
Rb1 Rb8 (on 25 ... Rfg8, White conducts a
little dance with his queen: 26 Qf7 Rf8 27
Qg6 Nf4 28 Qg7! Rfg8 29 Qf7 Rf8 30 Qe7
Nd5 31 Ne8+! Rxe8 32 Qd6+ and wins) 26
f3 Qxa4 27 Ra1 Qa2!? 28 Rxa2 bxa2 29 Qg6
Nxc3 30 Qd3 Rb1 31 Qxc3 a1Q 32 Qxa1
Rxa1 33 Rxa1, when White emerges a piece
up.
24 ... Rfg8 25 Nd6+ Kc7 26 Qf7 Rf8 27
cxd5?
Topa decides to put on a show and opts
for a spectacular queen sacrifice, which
was unnecessary and actually reduces
White’s advantage considerably. An
invigorating move isn’t necessarily the
best one. Objectively stronger is 27 h3!
Rxf7 28 hxg4 Nf4 29 Nxf7 Ne2+ 30 Kh2
Nxc1 31 Rxc1! (not 31 Nxh8?? b2, when
Black promotes and wins) 31 ... Rb8 32 f4
gxf4 33 Bf2 and White will consolidate, as
Black doesn’t have enough for the piece.
27 ... Rxf7 28 Rxc6+ Kb8 29 Nxf7
White’s position pulses with
resentment and Kramnik’s situation
appears hopeless. However, there is an
important principle which states: Don’t
assume your opponent is dead until you
actually view the corpse.
Exercise (combination alert): The
engines found an incredible defensive
combination which would have saved him.
How would you play with Black?
Answer: Queen sacrifice/pawn
promotion.
189
29 ... Re8?
29 ... Qe2!! (the most dangerous enemy
is the killer with the manners of a sheep;
this creeping move threatens: ... Qxf1+,
followed by ... b3-b2 and then on to a new
queen) 30 Nxh8 (or if 30 Rcc1 Rc8 31 Rb1
Nc5 32 dxe6 Re8 33 f3 Rxe6 34 Nd6, the
engine assesses at dead even) 30 ... Qxf1+!
31 Kxf1 b2 32 Ke2 b1Q 33 dxe6 Nb6
(threat: ... Qe4+ and ... Qxc6) 34 Rd6 Qc2+
35 Ke3 Nc4+ 36 Kd4 Qxa4! 37 Kc3 Na3 38
e7 Nb5+ 39 Kd3 Nxd6 40 exd6 Kc8 41 Ng6
and Stockfish wants to take a perpetual
check here with Black.
30 Nd6 Rh8 31 Rc4!
Now Black is busted again.
31 ... Qe2 32 dxe6 Nb6 33 Rb4 Ka8 34
e7 Nd5 35 Rxb3 Nxe7 36 Rfb1 Nd5
White is winning for the following
reasons:
1. He has rook, bishop and two pawns
for the queen, which is a decent deal.
2. White’s remaining e-pawn is
potentially very dangerous.
3. Black’s king remains in dire straits.
37 h3
Both king and bishop are given luft.
37 ... h5 38 Nf7 Rc8
38 ... Re8 is met by 39 e6! (threatening
back rank mate) 39 ... a6 40 Ne5 Qc2 41
Nd7 Qc6 42 Nb6+ Ka7 43 Nxd5 Qxd5 44
f3! and Black remains busted. If 44 ... Qxe6
(not 44 ... Rxe6? 45 Bf2+ Ka8 46 Rb8 mate)
45 Rb7+ Ka8 46 Bf2, the threat of Ra7
mate forces Black to hand over his queen
for a rook, leaving him a piece down.
39 e6!
 Topa plays upon his opponent’s weak
back rank to push his second e-pawn
towards its promotion square.
39 ... a6 40 Nxg5 h4 41 Bd6 Rg8 42
R3b2 Qd3 43 e7!
How annoying for Kramnik. White’s e-
pawn creeps closer and closer to its goal
square.
43 ... Nf6 44 Be5! Nd7
Exercise (combination alert): It’s time
for closing arguments. You force Black’s
resignation if you find White’s
combination.
Answer: Move the knight to e6,
threatening Nc7+ and Rb7 mate.
45 Ne6! 1-0
Now it’s a mock trial, where the black
king’s guilt is predetermined. The engine
declares a forced mate: 45 ... Rxg2+ (or 45 ...
Nxe5 46 Nc7+ Ka7 47 Rb7 mate) 46 Kxg2
Qd5+ 47 Kg1 Qxe6 48 Rb8+ Nxb8 49
Rxb8+ Ka7 50 e8Q and wins.
Game 78
D.Bocharov-A.Morozevich
Kazan (rapid) 2015
A chess writer should not tailor their
message to the audience, and instead is
sworn to reveal the truth about an opening
without sugar-coating, so I sincerely hope
that Everyman doesn’t one day ask me to
write the book ... g5!!: Move by Move, based
on Morozevich’s games!
1 Nf3 d5
Here is the accelerated version, which is
outright dubious: 1 ... g5?! 2 Nxg5 e5 3 d4
190
Be7 4 Nf3 e4 5 Nfd2 d5 6 c4. I don’t believe
in Black’s compensation, yet in the
database I see Black drawing two and
winning one from this position, so let it
never be said that the wicked of the world
never prosper!
2 c4 d4 3 b4 g5!?
Let the carnival begin. This crazy
kingside Evans Gambit seems to be placed
to the side of Logic’s requests! Moro’s
philosophy has always been: The secret of
agitating the mind of orthodoxy is to
disrupt routine. I looked up the stats and
White scores barely 30% from 141 games
after this move! So can it really be as bad as
it looks?
4 Nxg5!?
This most natural of moves may
actually be a touch inaccurate. What is
really incredible is that Stockfish 14 slightly
prefers Black after the acceptance! Maybe
White would be better off playing 4 g3 g4
5 Nh4 e5 6 Bg2. I’m not really afraid of 6 ...
Be7 7 d3! Bxh4 (Black loses a lot of time
after 7 ... Bxb4+ 8 Nd2) 8 gxh4 Qxh4 9
Qa4+ Nd7 10 Qa5! and I like White’s
compensation for the pawn, with a lead in
development, the initiative, and the bishop
pair.
4 ... e5
Ah ha! It isn’t a real gambit, is it, since
Black regains the “sacrificed” pawn with a
double attack on g5 and b4.
5 d3 Bxb4+ 6 Bd2 Qxg5!?
It’s risky to hand White the dark-
squared bishop, in exchange for some time.
After 6 ... Bxd2+ 7 Qxd2 b6! I like Black’s
position.
 7 Bxb4 Nc6 8 Ba3
In a later game GM Bocharov tried 8
Bd2 Qe7 9 g3 e4 10 dxe4 Qxe4 11 f3 Qe7
12 Qb3 Nf6 13 Bg2 Nd7 14 0-0 Nc5 15 Qa3
Bf5 16 Bg5? (16 e4 looks about even) 16 ...
Qxg5 17 Qxc5 Qe3+ 18 Kh1 Qe5 19 Qxe5
Nxe5 20 Nd2 0-0-0, when Black stood
better and went on to win, D.Bocharov-
A.Pridorozhni, Taganrog (rapid) 2018.
8 ... h5!

At this point Stockfish has White

Moro anticipates g2-g3 and plans to
meet it with ... h5-h4.
9 Nd2?!
After this White has trouble developing
his light-squared bishop. Better choices are
9 h4 or 9 g3 (anyway) 9 ... h4 10 Bg2.
9 ... h4!
Now g2-g3 is highly unappetizing and
e2-e3 can’t be played. So how does White
complete development of his kingside?
10 Rb1
The evaluation keeps moving in Black’s
favour, but what else is there?
10 ... b6! 11 Qa4 Qg6
11 ... Bb7 is more natural.
12 c5?!
White attempts to seize the initiative
from a position of weakness. 12 Rg1,
intending g2-g4, is a better try.
12 ... Bb7 13 Nc4 0-0-0!
It takes brilliant assessment to see that
Black isn’t just castling into an attack.
14 cxb6 axb6
busted. Just look at that inert kingside,
where White essentially gives rook and
bishop odds.
15 Rb5
15 Nxb6+ cxb6 16 Rxb6 is not so scary:
16 ... Kc7 17 Bc5 Rb8 18 g3 hxg3 19 fxg3
Nf6 20 Bg2 Nd7 21 Rb5 Ba8 and Black
consolidates.
15 ... e4
Black can also just develop with 15 ...
Nf6!, since White can hardly grab the e-
pawn: 16 Nxe5 Nxe5 17 Rxe5 Ng4 18 Rb5
Rhe8 and if 19 h3? then 19 ... Nxf2! 20 Kxf2
Qg3+ 21 Kg1 Rxe2! forces mate.
16 Qc2
Or 16 dxe4 Qxe4 17 f3 Qe6 18 e4 dxe3
19 Be2 Nf6 20 0-0 Nd4 21 Rb2 b5! and wins.
16 ... Nf6 17 dxe4 Nxe4 18 Rb3 Qe6 19
f3 Nc3
This is not a pretty picture for White,
who is still playing a rook and a bishop
down.
20 e4!
White’s only prayer to attempt to
unravel.

191
 20 ... f5 21 Bd3 fxe4 22 fxe4 h3
Moro weakens the light squares around
White’s king.
23 g3 Nxe4!
Stockfish prefers the calmer yet no less
strong 23 ... Rh5! 24 0-0 Ne5 25 Nxe5 Rxe5.
A line like this is based upon the
philosophy: If your enemy is terminally ill,
there is no need to rush the process with
violence.
24 0-0
24 Bxe4? allows 24 ... d3, winning on
the spot.
192
Exercise (combination alert): How
should Black go after White’s king?
Answer: Annihilation of defensive
barrier.
24 ... Nxg3! 25 Rf3
White walks away from the offer, as if
from a hummus sample at Costco. If 25
hxg3 then 25 ... h2+ wins.
25 ... Qe1+ 26 Bf1 Nxf1 0-1
In view of 27 Rxf1 Rdg8+ 28 Rg3 Rxg3+
29 hxg3 Qxg3+ 30 Kh1 Nb8+ and mate in
two.
 Chapter Seven
Crazy Draws
We equate draws as incomplete events
and disappointment. Not in this chapter,
where every draw is the result of bedlam.
Game 79
C.Hamppe-P.Meitner
Vienna 1872
1 e4 e5 2 Nc3 Bc5 3 Na4?!
Hey, a knight on the rim is dim! Okay,
look, I know it’s 1872, but surely you were
aware of that radical principle: In the
opening, develop rapidly and don’t move
the same piece twice, unless necessary.
3 ... Bxf2+!?
Who among us has not succumbed to
the lure of opportunism? Stockfish says
this sacrifice is sound, yet shouldn’t offer
Black an advantage. I would be more
inclined to play 3 ... Be7 and then ask White
why he moved his knight to the ridiculous
a4-square.
4 Kxf2 Qh4+ 5 Ke3!?
This is awfully greedy. Now I actually
prefer Black’s attacking chances to White’s
extra piece. Maybe White should consider
5 g3 Qxe4 (double attack on h1 and a4) 6
Qe2! (both games in the database went 6
Nf3?? Qxa4 and White lost both, since
Black is two clean pawns up – the e5-pawn
is untouchable due to ... Qd4+, winning the
other knight) 6 ... Qxh1 (6 ... Qxa4 7 Qxe5+
Ne7 8 Qxg7 Rg8 9 Qc3 is slightly in White’s
193
favour due to the bishop pair and superior
structure, which outweigh Black’s slight
development lead) 7 Qxe5+ Kf8 8 Qxc7
Qxh2+ 9 Bg2 Nc6 10 Qd6+ Nge7 11 d3,
when I prefer White’s initiative and
development to Black’s extra exchange
and pawn, even if greedy Fritz still slightly
prefers Black.
5 ... Qf4+ 6 Kd3 d5! 7 Kc3
Not 7 Nc3?? dxe4+ 8 Nxe4 Bf5 9 Qf3
Bxe4+! 10 Qxe4 Qxf1+ and wins. 7 Qe1
Nf6 also looks dangerous for White.
7 ... Qxe4?
Now White should be winning. After 7 ...
d4+! 8 Kb3 Qf6! 9 Nf3 Qc6 10 c3 Bd7! 11
Kc2 (White must return the piece since 11
Ka3? Qd6+ 12 b4? a5 is decisive) 11 ...
Qxa4+ 12 b3 Qa5 Black has the advantage
with an extra pawn.
8 Kb3?
Simply 8 d4! leaves Black without
enough compensation for the missing
piece.
8 ... Na6?
Again 8 ... d4! is in Black’s favour.
9 a3
9 d4! is even stronger.
9 ... Qxa4+!
Somehow we get the feeling that
adherence to caution is not Meitner’s
strong suit in life! This attempt at a
brilliancy shouldn’t work, yet it’s a good
practical try, since it is certain to thrust a
blade into his opponent’s uncertainty.
Black probably didn’t like the look of 9 ...
d4 10 Ka2 Bd7 11 b3 Bxa4 12 Nf3!, which
is in White’s favour. If 12 ... Bd7? (or 12 ... f6
13 bxa4 Qd5+ 14 c4 dxc3+ 15 Qb3) 13 Bxa6
bxa6 14 Re1 Qb7 15 Rxe5+ Kf8 16 Nxd4
Qxg2 17 Bb2 Black is in deep trouble.
10 Kxa4 Nc5+ 11 Kb4?
This is the wrong square for White’s
king and allows Black to draw.
Instead, 11 Kb5!! is in White’s favour,
yet the move is utterly unnatural, since the
last direction the king wants to move is up
the board! Nevertheless, after 11 ... Ne7 (if
11 ... b6 then 12 d4 cxd4 13 Qxd4 Ne7 14
Qxc5! breaks the mating net and wins) 12
c4! (12 Kxc5? a5! transposes to the game)
12 ... d4! 13 Kxc5 a5 14 Qa4+ Kd8!
(threat: ... b7-b6+, followed by ... Bd7 mate)
15 Qxa5 (the only move) 15 ... Rxa5+ 16
Kb4 Nc6+ 17 Kb3 e4 18 Kc2 d3+ 19 Kc3
Rf5 20 Nh3 Black’s bind doesn’t fully
compensate for the piece since White’s
king is relatively safe.
With the text White threatens to
escape with a3-a4 and Ka3, so Black’s next
move is forced.
11 ... a5+! 12 Kxc5 Ne7!
If White’s position was a face, then it
would be one of a petulant, pouting
toddler, whose favourite toy has been
taken away as a punishment.
Exercise (combination alert): Black
threatens mate in two with ... b7-b6+ and ...
Bd7 mate. White desperately needs a
defensive combination to save him.
194
How should he continue?
Answer: Step 1: Give check with the
bishop.
13 Bb5+!
White calls in a much needed defensive
reinforcement. 13 d4?? is way too slow, as
Black just carries out his threat: 13 ... b6+
14 Kb5 Bd7 mate.
13 ... Kd8!
Threat: ... b7-b6 mate.
14 Bc6!
This defensive shot gives White’s king
air on b5, while sealing the ... Bd7 mate
idea with a cork.
14 ... b6+ 15 Kb5 Nxc6
Exercise (critical decision): Should
White play 16 Kxc6, or run with 16 Ka4 - ?
One line earns White a draw, while he
gets mated in the other, so choose wisely.
Answer: White must take the knight.
16 Kxc6
If 16 Ka4?? Nd4!, it’s mate in 2, since
Black threatens both ... b6-b5 mate and ...
Bd7 mate.
16 ... Bb7+! 17 Kb5!
The second piece offer must be also
declined. If 17 Kxb7?? Kd7! 18 Qg4+ Kd6,
there is no remedy to the coming ... Rhb8
mate.
17 ... Ba6+ 18 Kc6!
Back again, as after 18 Ka4?? Bc4! there
is no way to stop ... b6-b5 mate.
18 ... Bb7+ ½-½
Black’s bishop chases White’s king like
a preacher, casting out the devil from a
sinner. Have you ever seen a perpetual
check this zany? I haven’t either!
Game 80
R.Steel-R.Ross
Calcutta 1884
1 e4 e5 2 Nc3 Nc6 3 f4!?
This line of the Vienna Game is to my
mind, a shadier version of a normal King’s
Gambit. 3 Bc4, 3 Nf3, and 3 g3 are the main
alternatives.
3 ... exf4 4 d4!?
Go ahead, make my day. White invites
a queen check on h4, which displaces his
king. Another violent option is 4 Nf3 g5 5
h4 g4 6 Ng5 h6 7 Nxf7 Kxf7 8 d4 d6 9 Bc4+
Kg7 10 Bxf4 Be7 and I don’t believe in
White’s full compensation for the
sacrificed piece.
4 ... Qh4+ 5 Ke2
Forced.
5 ... d5
This return of the pawn is a natural
attempt to increase development to go
after White’s king. 5 ... b6! scores the best
for Black and is Stockfish’s top choice.
6 exd5
Not 6 Nxd5?? Bg4+ 7 Nf3 0-0-0 8 Bxf4
Nf6!, when Black has a decisive attack.
6 ... Bg4+ 7 Nf3 0-0-0!?
Black goes all-in with a dangerous piece
sacrifice.
8 dxc6 Bc5 9 cxb7+ Kb8 10 Nb5!
The idea is to reinforce d4 with c2-c3
next.
10 ... Nf6
195
If 10 ... Bxf3+ 11 gxf3 a6 12 c3 axb5,
W.Wayte-J.Zukertort, correspondence
1881, then 13 Qd2! looks to offer
approximately even chances.
11 c3 Rhe8+ 12 Kd3!
12 Kd2!? Qf2+ 13 Kd3 Ne4 seems more
dangerous for White, although the engines
say it’s playable.
12 ... Bf5+
12 ... Qf2 is also met by 13 Kc4!.
13 Kc4!
The appearance of White’s king as a
vulnerable lizard, crawling along exposed
desert sand in open view of hungry
predators, is an illusion and White is the
one who has the better chances. Not 13
Kd2?? Qf2+ 14 Be2 Ne4+ 15 Kc2 Nxc3+ 16
Kxc3 Rxe2 and Black has a winning attack.
13 ... Be6+ 14 Kxc5!
The things people are willing to do for
money. The engine says White’s two extra
pieces should beat Black’s attack. Of course,
for us flawed humans, this isn’t such an
easy task with a king floating on c5 and
numerous attackers hounding him.
14 ... a5!
Black cuts off the white king’s b4-
escape route.
Exercise (critical decision): Should we
take Black’s queen, or give our king
renewed air with 15 Nxc7 - ?
Answer: Taking the queen walks into
mate.
15 Nxc7!
By moving the knight and removing the
black c-pawn, White’s king is given more
potential escape squares. 15 Nxh4?? is a
monster miscalculation, in view of 15 ...
Ne4+ 16 Kc6 Bd5 mate.
15 ... Qh5+
Not 15 ... Kxc7?? 16 Nxh4 Rd5+ 17 Kc4,
since Black has no mate and White wins.
16 Ne5 Nd7+!
Still not 16 ... Kxc7?? 17 Qxh5 Rd5+ 18
Kc4 Rxe5+ 19 Kd3 Rxh5 20 Bxf4+ Kxb7 21
Re1 and Black is busted.
17 Kb5 Qxd1
Exercise (critical decision): What
happens when heaven (our best case
scenario) begins to look like hell? White has
a lot of ways to lose and only one way to
win.
Our options are: a) 18 Na6+; b) 18 Nc6+;
c) 17 Nxd7+; d) 18 Bxf4.
Which one would you play?
Answer: Line c) is the only path to a win
for White, whereas the others should lose.
18 Bxf4?
Instead:
a) 18 Na6+? gets nowhere fast: 18 ...
Kxb7 19 Nc6 Qh5+ 20 Nc5+ Nxc5 21 dxc5
Bd7 White is mated.
b) 18 Nc6+? Kxb7! 19 Nxa5+ fails to
19 ... Kc8! (19 ... Kxc7?? hangs Black’s
queen to 20 Bxf4+) 20 Nxe8 Rxe8, when
White doesn’t have enough for the queen,
since his king remains unsafe.
c) 18 Nxd7+! is correct: 18 ... Bxd7+?
(but if 18 ... Kxb7 19 Nc5+! Ka7 20 Kxa5!
Re7 21 Nb5+ Ka8 22 b3, White has three
minor pieces and two extra pawns for the
queen and his king is safe, which adds up
to winning) 19 Kb6! (threat: Na6 mate)
196
19 ... Re6+ 20 Nxe6 (threat: Bxf4 mate) 20 ...
Qg4 21 Bxf4+ Qxf4 22 Nxf4 leaves Black a
rook, a piece and three pawns down.
18 ... Qxa1 19 Ka6!
Damn, this guy has nerves of steel!
Sorry. That pun was uncalled for, but I just
couldn’t stop my fingers from typing it.
With his king on a6 it is White, not Black,
who threatens mate in one!
19 ... Nxe5
19 ... Qxb2?? 20 Nc6 mate would be an
amusing finish.
20 Nxe8
Exercise (critical decision): White
threatens to mate with Bxe5+. Should
Black play 20 ... f6 or 20 ... Rd5 - ? Only one
line wins.
Answer: Covering the e5-knight with
the rook wins, whereas using the f-pawn
only draws.
20 ... f6?
This natural move has the effect of
subtracting from his strengths. Instead,
20 ... Rd5! 21 c4 (or 21 Bxe5+ Rxe5 22 dxe5
Qxb2 23 Nd6 Qxc3) 21 ... Qxb2! 22 cxd5
Qxb7+ 23 Kxa5 Qxd5+ 24 Bb5 Qxa2+ 25
Ba4 Qd5+ 26 Bb5 Qd8+ leaves White
completely busted.
21 dxe5 f5 22 Be3! Rxe8 23 Bb5!
Decoy. The tumult has yet to die down,
despite some simplification.
23 ... Qxh1

24 Bc5
Threat: Bd6 mate. Alternatively, White
can force the draw immediately with 24
Ba7+ Kc7 25 Bb6+ Kb8.
24 ... Rd8 25 Ba7+ Kc7 26 Bb6+ ½-½
Game 81
I.Johannesson-Sn.Bergsson
Icelandic Championship, Reykjavik 2007
An attack can be a gift, a curse, or a bit
of both. White, perhaps drunk on fumes of
the desire to attack, went on a mad
spending spree and found himself in the
unenviable position of being two rooks
and a minor piece down.
Exercise (combination alert): Problems
cling to White’s position like mists and his
only hope is to get at Black’s king somehow
to force either mate or perpetual check.
Can we accomplish one of these goals?
Answer: We can indeed, with a
dramatic queen sacrifice.
14 Qxe6+! Kxe6 15 Bc4+ Kf5
197
15 ... d5 16 Bxd5+ fails to alter anything
and simply transposes to move 20.
16 Bd3+ Kg4 17 Be2+
Back you go!
17 ... Kf5 18 Bd3+ Ke6 19 Bc4+ d5 20
Bxd5+ Kf5 21 Be4+ Kg4
Exercise (critical decision): An
unanswered question looms: should White
settle for perpetual check with 22 Bf3+, or
can he execute the black king without trial
and actually force mate after 22 h3+ - ?
Answer: White should take the draw
since playing for mate actually loses.
22 Bf3+!
The attempt to force mate with 22 h3+??
fails miserably to 22 ... Qxh3! (not 22 ...
Kh5?? 23 g4 mate) 23 gxh3+ Kxh3 24 Bg2+
Kh2! 25 Ne4 Nc5 26 Nd2 (threat: Nf1 or
Nf3 mate) 26 ... Nd3+! 27 cxd3 Bc5+ 28 Kf1
Bh3 29 Nf3+ Kg3 30 Bh4+ Kg4, when
White’s attack has run out of gas and he
must resign.
22 ... Kf5 23 Be4+ ½-½
Game 82
W.Kurth-D.Fleetwood
Correspondence 2019
Not all draws are stories with
inconclusive endings. This one is as loony
as it gets. Professor Dan Fleetwood has
been a Facebook friend for years. I always
knew he was a very strong player from his
responses to my chess posts, yet I had no
idea of just how strong he is until he sent
me this game where, to my utter shock, I
discovered he is a correspondence
Grandmaster! Note to self: never agree to
play Dan, unless it’s a one-minute bullet
game!
1 d4 d5 2 Bf4 Nf6 3 e3 c5 4 dxc5!?
4 c3 and 4 Nf3 are the main moves here.
4 ... e6 5 b4!?

White is a man after my own heart,
since he plays the London System and his
last move proves that he, like me, is a fan of
raw greed.
5 ... a5 6 c3 Bd7!
The immediate 6 ... axb4 7 cxb4 b6? is
refuted by 8 Bxb8! Rxb8 9 Bb5+ Ke7 (if
Black blocks with a piece then 10 c6 wins at
once) 10 c6, when White is a clear pawn up
with a winning position.
7 Nd2 axb4 8 cxb4 b6
Now is the correct timing.
9 cxb6 Bxb4!
9 ... Qxb6 10 a3 looks a shade better for
White.
10 Bc7 Qe7!
“Give yourself to the Dark Side,”
advised Luke Skywalker’s dad. Dan
sacrifices a piece for a lead in development.
Instead, 10 ... Qc8?! 11 Ngf3 0-0 12 Qb1!
Ra4 13 Bd3 Bc3 14 0-0 Bxa1 15 Qxa1 gives
White a big bind for the exchange.
11 b7 Ra3 12 Bxb8 0-0 13 Be5 Ba4!
According to the engine Black has full
compensation for the sacrificed piece.
14 Qb1!
Not 14 Qc1? Qxb7 15 Ngf3 Rc8 16 Qb1
Ne4 17 Bd3 Rxd3! 18 Qxd3 Nc5 19 Qd4
Bb5! 20 a4 Ba6 21 Kd1 Nd3 22 Rf1 Qc6
and Black has a winning attack.
14 ... d4!
Black ruthlessly opens lines against
White’s king, who as of this moment
remains a million miles from castling to
safety.
15 exd4
Not 15 Bxd4? e5 16 Bb2? Bxd2+ 17
Kxd2 Qb4+ and wins.
15 ... Bxd2+! 16 Kxd2 Ne4+!
The knight cannot be touched as then
17 ... Qb4+ forces mate.
17 Ke1
The only move. 17 Ke2?? Nc3+ forks
king and queen, while 17 Kc1?? Rc3+
forces mate.

Exercise (combination alert): Black

appears to be lost since White threatens to
promote on b8 next move and Black
doesn’t seem to have an avenue of attack
on the white king. Look closer and you may
find Black’s brilliant attacking idea.

198
 Answer: Interference. Move the bishop
to b3, threatening a deadly queen check on
b4.
17 ... Bb3!! 18 Qxe4!
Another only move. After either 18 axb3?
Qb4+ 19 Ke2 Nc3+ 20 Ke3 Rxb3! or 18 b8Q?
Rxb8 19 Qxe4 Qb4+ 20 Ke2 Bc4+ 21 Kd1
Bxa2 22 Bd3 f5 23 Qe3 Bb3+ 24 Ke2 Rxa1
25 Kf3 Re1 26 Qf4 Qc3!, White is busted.
18 ... Qb4+ 19 Ke2 Bc4+ 20 Kd1 Bxa2!?
Threat: ... Bb3+ and ... Rxa1. But
perpetual with 20 ... Bb3+ 21 Ke2 Bc4+ is Three minor pieces and a rook are
possible. normally way too much for a lone queen.
21 Qc2! Not here, since White’s massive
White shockingly walks into a development lag allows Black perpetual
deliberate pin of his queen, which saves check.
the game. 25 ... Qa2+ 26 Kd1
21 ... Bb3 22 Rxa3 Bxc2+ Not 26 Kd3?? Qa6+! 27 Ke3 Qxf1 28
When an unbeliever dies, are they sent Kf3 (trying in vain to defend the g2-pawn)
to the heaven or hell they didn’t believe in? 28 ... Qd3+ 29 Kf4 g5+! 30 Ke5 (or 30 Kxg5
White’s queen dies for a good cause: the Qg6+ 31 Kf4 Qxg2) 30 ... Qf5+ 31 Kd6
safety of her king. Qd5+, followed by ... Qxg2 and wins since
23 Kxc2 Qxa3 24 b8Q Rxb8 25 Bxb8 White’s rook is trapped.
26 ... Qb1+ 27 Ke2 Qb5+ 28 Ke1 Qb4+
29 Ke2 Qc4+
After 29 ... Qxb8 30 Nf3 White can’t lose.
30 Ke1 ½-½

199
 Chapter Eight
Promotion Races
So scary are pawn promotion races,
they may be the leading cause of heart
attacks and strokes among chess players.
In this chapter we look at a few of these
nail-biters, where second place in the race
is not an option.
Game 83
A.Lutikov-B.Gurgenidze
Sverdlovsk 1957
Exercise (critical decision): White’s king
is in check. He can block three different
ways, or he can move his king. What should
he play?
Answer: Only blocking with the knight
on e4 saves White.
39 Rd3?
Instead:
a) 39 Qe4?? releases the pin on Black’s
bishop, enabling 39 ... Rxd6 40 Qxh7+
Kxh7 41 Ne4 Rxd1 42 Kxd1 Kh6 and
White can resign since he will soon be two
connected passed pawns down.
b) 39 Kb3?? allows 39 ... Qg8+ 40 Kc2
Rxd6 and Black wins.
c) 39 Kc1?? also loses to 39 ... Qg8!
(threatening a discovered attack with ...
Bh6+, followed by ... Qxa8) 40 Qc6 Qc4+ 41
Kb1 Qe2 42 Rc1 Rxd6 43 Qc8 Qe7 and
White is busted in view of Black’s deeply
passed pawns.
200
d) 39 Nd3?? is the wrong block in view
of 39 ... Qf5! 40 Qc8 g3 41 Kb3 Qd5+ 42
Ka4 Rf7 43 Qc5 Rf5 44 Qxd5 Rxd5 and
Black’s kingside passers will win.
e) 39 Ne4! is the only move, both
blocking the check and defending the d6-
pawn, while Black’s passed pawns are kept
under check. If 39 ... Qf5 (or 39 ... Qf7 40
Rd2 Qc4+ 41 Kb1) 40 Qd5! Qxd5 41 Rxd5
Bxd6 42 Kd3!, Black has to give up a pawn
to save his bishop: 42 ... f2 43 Nxf2 g3 44
Nh3 Rd8 and the game is drawn.
39 ... Rf7! 40 d7 f2 41 d8Q f1Q
Gulp! Four queens on the board – an
automatic analytical nightmare.
42 Qad5
Or 42 Qe4 Qhf5 43 Qxf5 43 ... Qe2+ 44
Kb3 Rxf5 45 Rd6 Rf3+ 46 Nd3 Qd1+ 47
Kxb4 g3 48 Ka5 Rf5+ 49 Kb6 Qd2 50 b4 g2
51 Rg6 Qe3+ 52 Nc5 g1Q and Black wins.
42 ... Qf2+?
42 ... Qe2+! is stronger, after which 43
Kb3 Rf2! 44 Qd4+ Qg7 45 Qxg7+ Kxg7 46
Qd4+ Kh6 47 Kxb4 Rf5! wins easily.
43 Kb3 Qg7
Threatening b2.
44 Rd2
Lutikov rejects 44 Qd4 Qgxd4 45 Qxd4+
Qxf4 46 Rxd4 Bxc5 47 Rxg4 a5, when
defeat is just a matter of time.
44 ... Rf3+ 45 Ka4?
White had to try 45 Kc2 Qe3 46 Ne4 (46
Qd4 Qgxd4 47 Qxd4+ Qxd4 48 Rxd4 Bxc5
49 Rxg4 is similar to the previous note but
even worse for White) 46 ... g3 47 h6, even
though it fails to 47 ... Qexh6! (not 47 ...
Qgxh6?? 48 Qe5+ Kh7 49 Qdd5! and Black
is suddenly in trouble) 48 Rg2 Qh1 49 Rxg3
Rxg3 50 Nxg3 Qh2+ 51 Kd1 Qg1+! (not yet
51 ... Qhxg3?? 52 Qh5+ Kg8 53 Qdd5+,
when Black is mated) 52 Kc2 Qf2+ 53 Kd1
Qg4+ 54 Kc1 Qgf4+ 55 Kb1 Qe1+ 56 Qd1
Qxd1+ 57 Qxd1 Qxg3 and Black is a piece
up and winning.

Exercise (combination alert): Is there a
way Black can go after White’s king?
Answer: Queen sacrifice.
45 ... Qxb2!!
Otherwise Black has nothing. 45 ... Qf1??
46 Nd7 is equal according to the engine.
46 Rxb2
White’s position gets a bounce.
Unfortunately, it’s the bounce of a suicide
victim, who jumps off a building, hits the
concrete below, bounces up a foot, and
then hits the concrete one last time.
46 ... Ra3+!
This way the rook will be taken with
check.
47 Kxb4 Qxb2+ 48 Qb3
White must return the queen and enter
a dead lost ending.
a) 48 Kc4? allows 48 ... Qc3 mate.
b) 48 Nb3 would be a great move, if
only it were legal! The knight is pinned.
48 ... Rxb3+ 49 axb3 Qf2!
Dual-purpose:
1. The queen move covers the f8-bishop.
2. Black threatens to take the knight
and simplify into a pawn ending where the
g-pawn wins.
50 Ka4
Hey, whatever makes you happy. If 50
Qd5 then 50 ... Qxc5+ 51 Qxc5 Bxc5+ 52
Kxc5 g3 promotes and wins.
50 ... g3 0-1
It’s bad enough to come second in a
two-horse race. Coming third in a two-
horse race is something else. Black is
promoting and White isn’t, while 51 Ne6
fails miserably to 51 ... Qa2 mate.
There was nothing wrong with 50 ...
Qxc5 either, as White is not destined to
deliver perpetual check: 51 Qf6+ Bg7 52
Qd8+ Kh7 53 Qd3+ Kg8 54 Qd8+ Bf8 and
the checks ran out.
Game 84
Z.Mackic-An.Maksimenko
Yugoslav League 1994

201
 It’s a promotion race between Black’s
central pawn cluster and White’s passed a-
pawn. White can try:
a) 43 Qa5, intending to push a6-a7 next.
b) 43 Re1, trying to slow Black’s
attempted promotion.
c) 43 Qxd4, picking up a pawn.
Exercise (critical decision): Which is the
strongest of these choices?
Answer: 43 Re1! is equal, whereas the
two queen moves both lose.
43 Qa5?
This looks logical, yet it’s incorrect.
Instead:
b) 43 Re1! should save the game. For
example: 43 ... Rd7 (or 43 ... e2 44 Qc4) 44
Qc6 h5 45 Qc5 d3 46 cxd3 exd3 47 Rxe3 d2
48 Re7+ Rxe7 (forced) 49 Qxe7+ Kh8 50
Qd8+ Kg7 51 Qxd2, when 51 ... Qg6+,
followed by ... Qxa6 is drawn.
c) 43 Qxd4?? loses to 43 ... e2 44 Re1 Rd7!
45 Qb4 Rd1+ 46 Ka2 Qe6+ 47 c4 Rxe1 48
Qxe1 Qxc4+ 49 Kb1 Qxa6 and White is
busted.
43 ... d3
Black is faster in the race.
44 a7 d2 45 a8Q
This is a rare case where the person
who promotes first actually loses. Why?
Because Black is about to promote twice.
45 ... e2 46 Rf6
46 Rh1 d1Q+ 47 Rxd1 exd1Q+ 48 Ka2
is hopeless due to 48 ... Qe6+ 49 Ka3 (or 49
b3 Qxc2+) 49 ... Qa1+ 50 Kb4 Qxb2+ 51
Kc5 Rg5+ with mate arriving next move.
46 ... d1Q+ 47 Ka2
202
Exercise (critical decision/calculation):
If Black plays 47 ... e1Q, White can try 48
Rxh6+. Does this line lead to perpetual
check? Or can Black get away with the
promotion to a new queen?
Answer: There is no perpetual check, so
Black can safely promote.
47 ... e1Q!
Why is life so complicated? Five queens
on the board! However, it isn’t the food
fight scene from the movie Animal House
this time, since Black is just clearly winning,
despite the excess of royalty on the board.
48 Rxh6+ Kxh6 49 Qh8+ Kg6 50 Qa6+
Or 50 Qb6+ Kf7 51 Qb3+ Qe6.
50 ... Kf7 51 Qb7+ Qdd7 0-1
When it comes to queens, three are
better than two. After 52 Qb3+ Qge6 53
Qh5+ Kg8 White only has time-wasting
checks left.
Game 85
J.Hickl-I.Sokolov
Mainz (rapid) 2005
Let’s assess:
1. Black is two pawns down in the
promotion race.
2. White’s b- and e-pawns are split and
not so easy to push forward. He won’t have
the time to push his a-pawn all the way
down the board.
3. Black’s deep, connected passed
pawns on c3 and d2 are nearing their goal.
4. It’s clear that Black’s plan is to seize
control over c2 to achieve the ... c3-c2 push.
Black’s options are:
 a) 50 ... Qc5, threatening both ... c3-c2 Kh7 60 Qg8+ Kh6 61 Qh8+ Kg5 62 f4+!
and ... Nxg3. Nxf4 63 Qh4 mate.
b) 50 ... Qf5, fighting for control over c2.
c) 50 ... Nxg3 attempts a combinational
solution, since if White captures the knight,
Black can give a queen check on c5,
followed by ... c3-c2.

Exercise (critical decision): One line is

crushing, one line is favourable, while the
third swings the advantage to White.
Which one do you pick?

Answer: Line c) is the crusher, line a) is

should also win for Black, while line b) is
the worst choice.
50 ... Qf5?
After this mistake the advantage
swings to White.
b) 50 ... Qc5! is favourable but not as
strong as line c). After 51 e7 Re8 52 Qc2
Nxg3 53 Rxd2! (this shot offers White a
prayer to survive) 53 ... cxd2 54 Qxc5 d1Q+
55 Kh2 Nf1+! (not 55 ... Nf5? 56 Qe5+ Kh7
57 b7, when Black has nothing better than
57 ... Qh5+ 58 Kg1 Qd1+ with perpetual
check) 56 Bxf1 Qxf1 57 Qd4+ Kf7 58 a4,
Black has to find 58 ... Qc1! to maintain the
win, according to the engine, yet White is
still alive and can at least play on.
c) 50 ... Nxg3!! is the most forcing move:
51 Qc4 (if 51 fxg3 c2! 52 Qxc2 Qe3+, White
is mated in five, whether he moves his king
to the f-file or h-file) 51 ... Qe5! 52 b7 Ne2+
53 Kf1 Nf4 54 e7 Rh8! (threat: 55 ... c2! 56
Qxc2 Qe2+ 57 Kg1 Qe1+ and mates) 55
Be4 Rh1+! 56 Bxh1 c2! 57 Qxc2 Qe2+ 58
Kg1 Qg4+ 59 Kf1 Qh3+ 60 Kg1 Ne2 mate.
51 e7! c2?
Have you ever awakened from a deep
sleep with the confusion of a newborn who
doesn’t know their name or where they are?
a) 51 ... Re8! was necessary. After 52
Qd4+ (or 52 Qc6 Qc8) 52 ... Qf6 53 Qc5
Rxe7 54 b7 Re8 55 Rf1! Kh6! it’s anybody’s
game. The engine slightly prefers White.
b) 51 ... Qxe4? loses to 52 exd8Q Qe1+
53 Kh2 Qxd1 54 Qe7+ Kh6 55 b7 Qb1 56
Qf8+ Kh7 57 Bd5! with forced mate. For
example: 57 ... d1Q 58 Bg8+ Kh8 59 Be6+
52 Rf1?
If this game is a monster truck rally,
then both sides are driving 1987 Ford
Pintos, the ones where the gas tank kept
blowing up. Here 52 exd8Q! wins for White:
52 ... cxd1Q+ 53 Kh2 Qxe4 54 Bxe4 Qe2 (or
54 ... Qe1 55 Qe7+ Kh6 56 Qf8+ Kh7 57
Qf7+ Kh8 58 Bxg6 and mates) 55 Qe7+
Kh6 56 Qf8+ Kg5 57 b7 d1Q 58 Qc5+! Kh6
59 b8Q (threat: Qh8 mate) 59 ... Qa1 60
Qe8 Qf6 61 Qcf8+ Kg5 62 Qxf6+ Kxf6 63
Qxg6+ and Black is busted.
52 ... d1Q
Now Black is winning again, at least for
the moment.
53 exd8Q Qxd8 54 Qb4 Qd1??
This final turnaround has to be given
two question marks. Black had various
ways to win, the most conclusive being 54 ...
Qdf6! 55 b7 (or 55 Qc4 Qxb6 56 g4 Qf4)
55 ... c1Q 56 Rxc1 Qxf2+ 57 Kh1 Nxg3+ 58
Kh2 Nf1+ 59 Kh1 Ne3 and White is mated.
55 b7 c1Q 56 b8Q
Just another humdrum day: five
queens on the board with the queen down
side winning!

203

56 ... Qxf1+
Desperation. After 56 ... Qf6 57 Rxd1
Qxd1+ 58 Bf1 Qd7 59 a4 Black is busted.
57 Bxf1 Nf6?
This walks into mate in two. 57 ... Qcc5
58 Qxc5 Qxc5 59 a4 was just a technical
win for White.
58 Q4f8+ 1-0
It’s mate on h8 next move.
Game 86
V.Anand-V.Topalov
Sofia 2005
This is one of those moody races which
is almost impossible for humans to assess
without engine help. Pieces and pawns on
both sides roam dark corridors:
1. The material balance is two minor
pieces and a rook versus a queen and pawn.
2. Both a- and h-pawns are attempting
to promote.
3. Black actually has four connected
passed pawns, although the h-pawn is so
far forward that for now it’s almost an
isolani and potentially weak.
204
4. White’s passers are broken, yet there
is a clear plan to engineer a6-a7, followed
by Rb8 and a8Q.
5. White’s king is somewhat exposed
and may later be vulnerable to perpetual
check.
Exercise (critical decision): Black’s
choices are:
a) 44 ... Rd5;
b) 44 ... Qd5;
c) 44 ... Rxf2, followed by promotion on
h1. Only one of the three offers Black
winning chances.
Answer: Line a) is Black’s best shot at a
win.
44 ... Qd5?
Centralizing the queen looks like a
reasonable decision, yet she actually
achieves less here than she did in the
corner. Instead:
a) 44 ... Rd5! is the only way to flush the
rebel army from the forest. For example: 45
Be3 Ra5 46 Rh1 Qg2 47 Rd6 e4 (threat: ...
Qg3!, forking bishop and rook) 48 Rd4
Rxa6 49 Rxe4 Kg8! and Black is winning.
b) 44 ... Rxf2?! is tempting yet fails to
win: 45 Bxf2 h1Q 46 Rxh1+ Qxh1+ 47 Kb2
Qf1 48 a7 Qxf2 49 Ra6 and Black has
nothing better than perpetual check.
45 Be3 Re2 46 Rb3 f5?
After 46 ... Qa5 47 a7 Rxe3 48 Rxe3
Qxa7 49 Rh3+ Kg8 50 Rxh2 e4 Black should
hold a draw.
47 a7?
As a noted anthropologist who spent
more than half a century observing an odd
species, called chess players, I am
eminently qualified to speak on the matter
of our inclination toward confusion. In this
case the position’s complexity level
overwhelms even the towering intellects of
two world champions, and the game
proceeds misstep by misstep.
The engine, which has no problems at
all with complexity, proposes 47 Bb6! g5 48
a7 g4 49 Bc5! Rxf2 50 Bxf2 f4 51 Bc5 g3 52
Kb2 Kg6 53 Rd1! Qe4 54 Rb8 g2 55 Re1!
Qd5 56 a8Q Qxa8 57 Rxa8 h1Q 58 Rxe5
and White wins.
47 ... Rxe3!
Black sacrifices the exchange to pick off
White’s dangerous a7-pawn.
48 Rxe3 Qb7+ 49 Rb3 Qxa7
This is a tough ending to judge since
Black’s passers look ominous, but White
has everything under control.
50 Nh1!?
This is a declaration of war and Anand
plays for the full point. Instead, 50 Rh3+
Kg8 51 Rxh2 Qb6+ 52 Ka1 Qe3 53 Rg1
Qc3+ 54 Kb1 Qb4+ is perpetual check.
White’s king can’t move to c1 since that
would hang a rook to ... Qf4+.
50 ... f4 51 c4!
A second race begins.
51 ... e4 52 c5 e3 53 c6 e2 54 c7
54 Rbc3 Qg1 55 c7 e1Q 56 c8Q Qe4+ 57
Ka1 Qed4 should also end in a draw.
54 ... Qxc7! 55 Rxc7 e1Q+ 56 Rc1 Qe4+
White’s king is too exposed to play for a
win and the game ends in a draw.
57 Ka1 Qd4+ 58 Kb1 Qe4+ 59 Ka1
Qd4+ 60 Kb1 Qe4+ ½-½
205
Game 87
K.Miton-Jo.Benjamin
World Open, Philadelphia 2005
Let’s compile information:
1. White has two passers on the sixth
rank, to Black’s one.
2. It is White to play, which in races is
normally the equivalent of both wealth
and power combined. Here, however, Black
threatens mate in one and therefore gains
time since White must lose a move
defending it.
Exercise (critical decision): It’s clear that
White should play Qd5, either immediately
or after the preliminary 46 Qd3+ g6. Only
one version wins.
Which one should he go for?
Answer: The zwischenzug version
should be avoided, while the immediate 46
Qd5! wins.
46 Qd3+?
It looks logical to weaken Black’s second
rank with this check, yet weirdly enough
the zwischenzug queen check actually
allows Black to hold the draw.
After 46 Qd5!! Qa7+ (46 ... a2 47 Qxb7
Rxb7 48 d7 Rb1 48 d8Q a1Q 49 Qd3+ is
trivial, while 46 ... Qxd5 47 Rxd5 Rb1+ 48
Kf2 a2 49 Ra5 a1Q 50 Rxa1 Rxa1 51 e7 Rd1
52 e8Q Rxd6 is a technical win for White)
47 Kh1 a2 48 d7 a1Q 49 Qd3+ g6 50 d8Q
Rb7 51 Rxa1 Qxa1+ 52 Qd1 Rb1 53 Qc7+
Kg8 54 Qb8+! (this move is incredibly
difficult to visualize from the initial
position at move 46) 54 ... Rxb8 55 Qxa1
wins.
46 ... g6 47 Qf1
47 Qd5 no longer wins: after 47 ... a2!
48 Qxb7+ Rxb7 49 d7 Rb1 50 d8Q a1Q
there is no winning Qd3+ because White
already wasted it on move 46, while 51
Qc7+ (if 51 Rxb1?! Qxb1+ 52 Kf2 Qf5+ 53
Kg3 Qxe6, only Black can win) 51 ... Kh8
leaves White with no choice other than to
take perpetual check, since the 52 Qb8+?!
trick no longer works either: 52 ... Rxb8 53
Rxa1 Re8 54 Ra6 f5 and the advanced e- Exercise (combination alert): It looks as
pawn will fall, when White will be forced to if White is forced to take the perpetual
defend a drawn two versus three ending. anyway. He doesn’t. Do you see White’s
47 ... a2 48 e7 Rb1 49 e8Q a1Q 50 d7 win?

Answer: Step 1: Start with a queen

Oh no, not again! Four queens on the
board, with the potential of a fifth coming
soon.
check on e7.
52 Qe7+ Kg8 53 d8Q+!
Step 2: Overloaded defenders. The new
queen is a disposable part of a more
important whole, where White wins heavy
material.
53 ... Qxd8 54 Qxd8+
Blood calls for blood. Black loses his
queen and will not be able to achieve a
fortress draw in the rook versus queen
ending.
54 ... Rxd8 55 Qxa1

Exercise (critical decision): Black can

play 50 ... Qba7+ or 50 ... Qb6+. Only one of
the queen checks draws. Which one?

Answer: The check on a7 draws,

whereas the one on b6 loses.
50 ... Qb6+?
Joel could have forced the draw with
50 ... Qba7+! 51 Kh1 Rxd1, when White
must take perpetual check with 52 Qf7+
I read that close to 50 million
Kh8 53 Qf8+.
Americans live in poverty. Now we can add
51 Kh1 Rxd1
Joel’s position to the list. The ChessBase
game score soon goes haywire due to some
clearly erroneous move entries, so we
won’t see the remainder. Miton won
smoothly, since Black’s second rank has
been weakened and there is no hope of a
fortress.

206
 Game 88
D.Anton Guijarro-A.Franco Alonso
Elgoibar 2011
What is your assessment? It’s looking
like both sides will promote. The fatal
difference is the level of king safety, which
Black lacks. Stockfish has White up by
nearly +75, while conservative Fritz says
White is only up by +13.36!
58 Qg6!
I like this multi-purpose move:
1. The queen covers e4, protecting
White’s king.
2. She also has easy access to cover f2,
via a check on f5.
3. White’s queen gets out of the way of
her h-pawn to allow it to advance.
4. When White promotes to a new
queen on h8, there will be an instant
double attack on Black’s f6-pawn.
Throwing in 58 axb4?? wastes a tempo,
so that after 58 ... a3 59 Qg6 a2 50 h6 a1Q
White has nothing better than to make a
hurried draw: 60 Qe8+ Kd6 61 Qd8+ Kc6
62 Qd5+ Kb6 63 Qc5+ and perpetual check.
58 ... bxa3 59 h6 a2 60 h7 a1Q
207
Exercise (critical decision): Should
White promote to a new queen straight
away, or first toss in a queen check on f5?
Answer: White forces mate by
promoting at once, whereas the queen
check on f5 endangers the win.
61 Qf5+??
Principle violation: When hunting the
enemy king, don’t chase him. Instead, cut
off flight squares. The immediate 61 h8Q!
forces mate: 61 ... Qd4 (if 61 ... Qxf2+ 62
Kxf2 Qd4+ 63 Kg2 Qd2+ 64 Kh3, Black’s
checks end and he is busted) 62 Qgxf6+
Kd7 63 Qhd8 mate. Black’s once beloved
king lies rotting beneath the ground.
61 ... Kd6 62 h8Q
Or 62 Qxf6+ Kc5 63 h8Q Qd4.
62 ... Kc5!
Suddenly, there is no immediate mate
and Black gets decent practical chances to
survive.
63 Qf8+ Kc4 64 Qe6+
64 Q8xf6 may be better, with the idea
of pushing the g-pawn as quickly as
possible.
64 ... Kd3 65 Qfxf6 Qd4 66 Qf3+ Kd2
67 Qh6+ Kc2 68 Qc6+
Here 68 Qe2+ Kb3 69 Qe6+ Ka3 70
Qe7+ Kb3 71 g4 looks more accurate.
68 ... Kb1
After 68 ... Kb2! it is less clear how
White makes progress.
69 g4!
White goes for queen number three.
The problem is so does Black!
69 ... Qab2 70 g5 a3 71 g6 a2 72 g7 a1Q
73 g8Q
 Ah, yes, we reach our standard six
queens on the board situation! The
position’s key question: is Black’s
bigamous king tossed out in the open, or is
he well protected by his three wives?
73 ... Qaa3 74 Qgg3?
Objectively, 74 Qgg4 was White’s only
prayer for a win.
Exercise (combination alert): Do you see
Black’s brilliant drawing combination?
Answer: Queen sacrifice.
74 ... Qxf3+?
This auto-swap offers White winning
chances once again.
Instead, Black draws with the shocking
74 ... Qdxf2+!! 75 Qgxf2 Qxf3+ 76 Kxf3
Qc3+! 77 Qxc3 stalemate! 77 Qe3 Qxc6 is
also drawn. In 2019 GM Max Illingworth
and I began a Facebook group called Chess
Endgame Studies and Compositions,
which is nearing 30,000 members. If you
want to spot combinations like 74 ...
Qdxf2+!!, then add solving endgame
studies and composed mating problems to
your routine
75 Qxf3
Now White gets winning chances again.
75 ... Qc2 76 Qb5+ Qcb2?
76 ... Kc1! puts up more resistance.
77 Qfd3+!
208
The human move. White’s idea is to
swap one pair of queens and then go after
Black’s final pawn with king and queen.
Instead, the showoffy engine gives long
and confusing variations of the type 77
Qf1+! Ka2 78 Qf7+ Ka3 79 Qf8+ Qbb4 80
Qc1+ Kb3 81 Qf3+ Ka4 82 Qc6+ Qb5 83
Qc2+ Ka5 84 Qf8 and then unhelpfully
announces a forced mate in 24!
77 ... Qxd3
Black has to go along with White’s plan,
since moving the king gets mated:
a) 77 ... Kc1?? 78 Qc6+ picks off one of
Black’s queens.
b) 77 ... Ka1?? 78 Qa5+ Qa2 79 Qe1+
Kb2 80 Qed2+ Ka1 81 Qc1+ mates.
c) 77 ... Ka2?? 78 Qa5+ is mate in two.
78 Qxd3+ Kc1 79 Kf3!
The idea is to get the king to f5. The
tablebases confirm that White is winning.
79 ... Qd4 80 Qe2
Not 80 Qxd4?? exd4 81 Ke2 Kc2 and it
is Black who wins, while 80 Ke2 achieves
nothing after 80 ... Qb2+, followed by ...
Qd4 again, or 81 Ke3 Qb6+.
80 ... Qd6 81 Qc4+ Kd2??
Everything is normal, until it suddenly
isn’t. A move like this can only be the result
of:
1. Extreme fatigue.
2. Extreme time pressure.
3. Low blood sugar.
4. A combination of any of the causes
listed above.
After 81 ... Kb2 White would still have
to prove the win.
82 Qd5+ 1-0
I read that people in the Middle Ages
would salt the ground over which an
accused witch walked to purify it from the
her evil touch. White’s queen is no witch,
and it doesn’t take witchcraft to find this
painfully obvious move. After 82 ... Qxd5
83 exd5 the new d-pawn promotes to
White’s fourth queen.
Game 89
A.Eswaran-C.Baginskaite
US Women’s Championship, St. Louis
2014
This race is even according to the
engine.
54 Qg7 Qd5! 55 h7
Instead, 55 Kg3 Qd1 (threat: ... Qg1+)
56 Kf4 b3 57 h7 Qf3+ 58 Kg5 Qg2+ 59 Kf6
Qxg7+ 60 Kxg7 b2 61 h8Q b1Q is a likely
draw.
55 ... e3+ 56 Kg3!
56 Kf1?? loses on the spot to 56 ... e2+!
57 Kxe2 Qd3+ 58 Ke1 Qd1 mate.
56 ... e2 57 h8Q e1Q 58 Qb2+ Kd3 59
Qh7+ Qde4 60 Qb3+
After 60 Qxe4+ Kxe4 (not 60 ... Qxe4??
61 Qb1+ Kd4 62 Qxb4+, followed by Qxe4+,
when the two white pawns win as in the
game) 61 Qc2+ White should hold a draw.
209
Exercise (critical decision): Should Black
block the check with 60 ... Qc3 or move her
king to either d2 or d4?
Answer: She should block with her
queen since moving her king loses!
60 ... Kd4??
When we are about to blunder, two out
of three voices in our head urge us: “Go for
it!” and we haplessly listen to the advice of
the majority. After this move Black’s
position is mired in misfortune.
a) 60 ... Kd2? loses as well, albeit more
slowly: 61 Qa2+! Kd1 (61 ... Kd3 62 Qxe4+
Qxe4 63 Qb1+ wins as in the previous note)
62 Qh5+ Kc1 63 Qh6+ Kd1 64 Qxd6+ Kc1
65 Qh6+ Kd1 66 Qb3+ Qc2 67 Qf3+ Qee2
68 Qd6+ Qcd2 69 Qb3+ Kc1 70 Qc5+ Qc2
71 Qbxc2+ Qxc2 72 Qxb4 is a winning
queen endgame for White, who is two
pawns up.
b) 60 ... Qc3! is correct, after which 61
Qxe4+ Kxe4+ 62 f3+ Kd4 63 Qe6! Qc5 64
a5 Qxa5 65 Qxd6+ is drawn.
61 Qxe4+
Good enough, yet terrible things lie
within the shadows: 61 Qa7+! Ke5 62
Qg7+! Kf5 63 Qbf7 mate is considerably
faster.
61 ... Qxe4
Camilla’s trauma can be condensed
into a single, regretful word: “Dammit!”
since both recaptures on e4 lose. Here 61 ...
Kxe4 drops the queen to 62 Qe6+.
62 Qxb4+ 1-0
Black’s b-pawn is most certainly not
expendable. After 62 ... Kd3 63 Qxe4+
Kxe4 64 a5 Kd5 65 f4 Kc5 66 f5 d5 67 Kf3
one of White’s pawns will promote,
whereas Black’s won’t.
Index of Games
Aldama Degurnay.D-Akopyan.H, Millionaire Open, Las Vegas 2014
AlphaZero-Stockfish, London (match) 2017
Anand.V-Karpov.A, FIDE World Championship (Game 2), Lausanne 1998
Anand.V-Topalov.V, Sofia 2005
Anton Guijarro.D-Franco Alonso.A, Elgoibar 2011
Aronian.L-Anand.V, Wijk aan Zee 2013
Beliavsky.A-Nakamura.H, Amsterdam 2009
Beliavsky.A-Nunn.J, Wijk aan Zee 1985
Belov.I-Prohorov.V, Chelyabinsk 1991
Bocharov.D-Morozevich.A, Kazan (rapid) 2015
Bologan.V-Nadanian.A, Moscow 2002
Bronstein.D-Ljubojevic.L, Petropolis Interzonal 1973
Capablanca.J-Bernstein.O, St. Petersburg 1914
Capablanca.J-Janowski.D, San Sebastian 1911
Carlsen.M-So.W, Meltwater Tour Final (online rapid) 2021
Chigorin.M-Caro.H, Vienna 1898
Eswaran.A-Baginskaite.C, US Women's Championship, St. Louis 2014
Euwe.M-Schelfhout.W, Amsterdam 1927
Fedoseev.V-Carlsen.M, FIDE World Cup, Krasnaya Polyana 2021
Fischer.R-Larsen.B, Candidates semi-final (Game 1) Denver 1971
Gallagher.J-Conquest.S, British Championship, Blackpool 1988
Gelfand.B-Nakamura.H, World Team Championship, Bursa 2010
Geller.E-Kotov.A, USSR Championship, Moscow 1955
Giri.A-Morozevich.A, Beijing (rapid) 2012
Granda Zuniga.J-Seirawan.Y, Buenos Aires 1993
Graudins.I-Sandström.L, Correspondence 2012
Gusev.Y-Auerbach.E, Chelyabinsk 1946
Hamppe.C-Meitner.P, Vienna 1872
Hickl.J-Sokolov.I, Mainz (rapid) 2005
Hoffmann.F-Petrov.A, Warsaw (match) 1844
Houska.J-Harley.A, British League 2001
Ivanchuk.V-Yusupov.A, Candidates match (Game 9), Brussels 1991
Jinshi Bai-Ding Liren, Chinese Team Championship 2017
Johannesson.I-Bergsson.S, Icelandic Championship, Reykjavik 2007
Karjakin.S-Carlsen.M, Stavanger 2021
Kasparov.G-Kramnik.V, Novgorod 1994
Kasparov.G-Topalov.V, Wijk aan Zee 1999
Kramnik.V-Kasparov.G, Intel Express (blitz), Munich 1994
Kramnik.V-Kasparov.G, PCA Grand Prix (rapid), Moscow 1994
Kramnik.V-Shirov.A, Linares 1994
Kupreichik.V-Sunye Neto.J, Palma de Mallorca 1989
Kurth.W-Fleetwood.D, Correspondence 2019
Lakdawala.C-Aldama Degurnay.D, San Diego (rapid) 2016
Lakdawala.C-Morshedi.A, San Diego (rapid) 2013
Larsen.B-Bronstein.D, Moscow 1962
Le Chess Club-Jedynak.R, Internet Chess Club 2004
Lenderman.A-Caruana.F, US Championship, St. Louis 2021

210
Ljubojevic.L-Miles.A, Malta Olympiad 1980
Lutikov.A-Gurgenidze.B, Sverdlovsk 1957
Mackic.Z-Maksimenko.A, Yugoslav League 1994
Mamedyarov.S-Rapport.R, Sinquefield Cup, St. Louis 2021
Mannheimer.N-Nimzowitsch.A, Frankfurt 1930
Maróczy.G-Tartakower.S, Teplitz-Schönau 1922
Matveeva.S-Skripchenko.A, Krasnoturinsk 2003
Miles.A-Beliavsky.A, Interpolis, Tilburg 1986
Miton.K-Benjamin.J, World Open, Philadelphia 2005
Morphy.P-Anderssen.A, Casual game, Paris 1858
Morphy.P-Anderssen.A, Paris match (Game 9) 1858
Nakamura.H-Fluvia Poyatos.J, Barcelona 2007
Nakamura.H-Kramnik.V, Istanbul Olympiad 2012
Nezhmetdinov.R-Myagmarsuren.L, Ulaanbaatar 1965
Nezhmetdinov.R-Ujtelky.M, Sochi 1964
Paravyan.D-Golubov.S, St. Petersburg 2018
Pelletier.Y-Rodriguez Guerrero.E, La Roche-sur-Yon 2006
Polgar.J-Bacrot.E, Rapid match (Game 2), Bastia 1999
Polgar.J-Smirin.I, Istanbul Olympiad 2000
Polugaevsky.L-Nezhmetdinov.R, Russian Championship, Sochi 1958
Radjabov.T-Bortnyk.O, World Rapid Championship, Doha 2016
Schmidt.W-Lewi.J, Warsaw Olympiad 1968
Serper.G-Nikolaidis.I, St. Petersburg 1993
Short.N-Timman.J, Tilburg 1991
Smyslov.V-Makogonov.V, USSR Championship, Moscow 1944
Sokolov.I-Morozevich.A, Wijk aan Zee 2005
Spassky.B-Bronstein.D, Candidates Tournament, Amsterdam 1956
Spassky.B-Fischer.R, World Championship (Game 13), Reykjavik 1972
Spassky.B-Polugaevsky.L, USSR Championship, Moscow 1961
Stean.M-Browne.W, Nice Olympiad 1974
Steel.R-Ross.R, Calcutta 1884
Taimanov.M-Larsen.B, Vinkovci 1970
Tal.M-Keller.D, Zürich 1959
Tal.M-Pasman.M, Latvian Championship, Riga 1953
Tal.M-Vooremaa.A, Tallinn 1971
Tate.E-Yudasin.L, US Masters, Chicago 1997
Topalov.V-Anand.V, World Championship (Game 12), Sofia 2010
Topalov.V-Kramnik.V, Wijk aan Zee 2008
Topalov.V-Shirov.A, Linares 1998
Van der Loo.C-Hesseling.M, Netherlands 1983
Van Wely.L-Morozevich.A, Wijk aan Zee 2001
Vladimirov.Y-Mikhalevski.V, Calcutta 2001

211