The Alterman Gambit Guide: White Gambits

The Alterlllan Gantbit Guide \Wj.bh9 By Boris Alterman Quality Chess www.qualitychess.co.uk First English edition ...

Author: Boris Alterman

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The Alterlllan Gantbit Guide

\Wj.bh9 By

Boris Alterman

Quality Chess www.qualitychess.co.uk

First English edition 2010 by Quality Chess UK LLP Copyright © 2010 Boris Alterman and Quality Chess

The Alterman Gambit Guide -White Gambits All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher. ISBN 978-1-906552-53-4 All sales or enquiries should be directed to Quality Chess UK LLP, 20 Balvie Road, Milngavie, Glasgow G62 7TA, United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)1412276771 e-mail: [email protected] website: www.qualitychess.co.uk Distributed in US and Canada by SCB Distributors, Gardena, California, US www.scbdistributors.com Distributed in Rest of the World by Quality Chess UK LLP through Sunrise Handicrafts, Smyczkowa 4/98, 20-844 Lublin, Poland Typeset: Jacob Aagaard Proofreading: Colin McNab Editing: John Shaw and Jacob Aagaard Cover design: Adamson Design Printed in Estonia by TaBinna Raamatutriikikoja LLC

Contents Acknowledgments, Bibliography & Key to symbols used Foreword by the Author

4

5

1 2

The Danish Gambit The Urusov Gambit 3 The Philidor 4 The Cochrane Gambit 5 The Morphy Attack 6 The Max Lange Attack 7 The Evans Gambit 8 The Panov Attack 9 The Morra Gambit 10 The Milner-Barry Gambit

7 45 79 117 159 203 231 303 367 409

Games Index Variations Index

443 445

Acknowledgments I would like to offer my respect and thanks to the people without whom this book would never have existed. The book is in memory of my first chess coach, Soviet Master Vitaly Appolonovich Marchenko, who nurtured my chess talent. Thank you to: Honored coach of Ukraine, Alexander Naumovich Vaisman, for being not only my chess coach for many years but also my friend, adviser and patron. My close friends: Zohar Olpiner, Shmuel Fridman, Moty Bank, Aviv Friedman, Shay Bushinsky, Watson Tay, Antonio Palma and Harvey Mandell for providing extremely useful comments and help with the project. My student Kelvin Wee for his invaluable help. My classmate Oleg Aliferov for supporting the project. My mother Dora, sister Inna, my wife Luba and my children Ariela, Lior-Israel and Ben-Osher for their love, devotion, encouragement and amazing support throughout my chess career. Special thanks to Jacob and John of Quality Chess for their startling help with my first chess book.

Bibliography Capablanca - Chess Fundamentals Estrin - Gambits Kasparov - My Chess Predecessors Volumes 1-5 Koblentz - Chess Strategy Lessons (Russian edition) Neishtadt - Catastrophe in the Opening, Win in the Opening, Wilhelm Steinitz Nimzowitsch - My System Razuvaev & Murakhveri - Akiba Rubinstein Reti - Modern Ideas in Chess Roizman - Chess Miniatures - 400 combination games Suetin - How to play the Opening (Russian edition)

Key to symbols used +

=

; ±

+ +-+ CD

+± CD

White is slightly better Black is slightly better White is better Black is better White has a decisive advantage Black has a decisive advantage equality with compensation with counterplay unclear

?? !! !? ?! #

a weak move a blunder a good move an excellent move a move worth considering a move of doubtful value mate

Introduction My relationship with the 64 squares began at an early stage in life. I first learned to play checkers at the age of 3, and when I became quite good at it, my father decided to teach me a more complicated game. Chess was the most natural choice. The first lessons were very tough for me, but I eventually picked up the most important principles of the game. At the age of 10 I was going to join a football team until surgery on my appendix put an end to that idea. With no better option, I joined the ''Avangard'' chess club in my home town of Voroshilovgrad (which is called Lugansk nowadays) one of the largest towns in the east of the Ukraine. Students in my group had to memorize the most brilliant tactical examples from the games of Morphy, Anderssen and other great players, and then show them in class to our coach, Master of Sport Vitaly Appolonovich Marchenko. This was a useful start to my life in chess, as to become successful we must develop our tactical skills. As the old saying has it: Chess is 99% tactics. You may come up with a deep strategic idea, but your opponent will punish you if you make just one tactical slip. Our coach taught us to play aggressively and energetically, and not to fear sacrificing material for an attack. His lessons were so instructive and interesting that I did not want to miss a single session, even when I was sick with fever. It will be no surprise that as a young player I loved to play gambit systems. A few years later, when I was quite a strong player, I started to play solid but rather passive lines as White. I was extremely lucky to be able to join the famous Botvinnik-Kasparov chess school when it started in 1986. After the very first session Kasparov wrote in my homework: "Improve your White opening repertoire; play aggressively." This valuable judgment from a great player helped me a lot to improve my chess. Later, while reading the great books of Grandmaster Richard Reti, I found the following expression which every chess player and instructor should note: ''A knowledge of tactics is the foundation of positional play. This is a rule which has stood its test in chess history and one which we cannot impress forcibly enough upon the young chess player. A beginner should avoid the Queen's Gambit and French Defense and play open games instead! While he may not win as many games at first, he will in the long run be amply compensated by acquiring a thorough knowledge of the game." Why do I recommend that the reader studies aggressive and attacking openings? After reading Reti's views, the reasoning should be clear. When you play gambit openings you quickly learn the most important principles of opening strategy: the importance of development, the timing of combinations, the meaning of the initiative, utilizing a lead in development, and other important issues. Instead, some club players try to memorize, for example, the best games played in the Sicilian by Kasparov, Anand or Topalov, but this is just a waste of time and energy. When you try to make use of what you have memorized, then after the first move that was not in your home preparation you will lose your way and probably the game. Let me share an example from my own tournament experience. Once, when I was already a

6

The Alterman Gambit Guide

strong grandmaster, I wanted to study a new opening to play in the 1998 Olympiad in Elista. I was short of time, and my plan was to memorize the main line and some side variations in the opening I had chosen. A few weeks later I had the chance to show the world my fine preparation. Playing a new (for me!) line in the King's Indian Defense, I mixed up the move order and found myself in a tough position after just 15 moves and lost almost without a fight! This was a very unpleasant lesson for me. The conclusion from this interesting story - when you learn a chess opening, you should study ideas not just moves! When I started to give lessons I realized that there were few books which could help players to progress from Beginner to Intermediate and Advanced level. You could try studying the great books of Mark Dvoretsky, however these books target mostly Master-level players (2200 and up). Most of the books I looked at started with "How to" then continued "Win in chess", "Trap your opponent", "Beat the Sicilian" (or Ruy Lopez, French or whatever). However, these books never explained the basics of opening principles, which are critical for moving from BeginnerIntermediate level to Advanced. As I gained more coaching experience I saw that, at the Beginner and Intermediate level, playing the opening correctly brings many dividends. Many of the games at that level are decided because one of the players (or both!) does not follow the basic opening principles. The players: Do not fight for the center, keep playing with the same piece, move the queen too early in the opening, leave the king in the center, try to win material instead of developing, and so on. This gave me the idea of developing a course of lectures on the Internet Chess Club called "Gambit Guide". For this reason I also practiced the gambits in my ICC blitz and Simultaneous events. By playing gambits I had the chance to demonstrate the most important ideas behind the opening moves and explain the purpose of playing this or that move. Many of the games in this book were played between me and ICC members (some of them not so highly rated!) and these games have the important purpose of showing the most typical opening mistakes and how to punish them. Finally, after editing and combining a lot of material, the course has been transformed into this book, which I hope will help the readers become more familiar with the most important opening and positional principles, teach about tactics and typical combinations in the opening, as well as explaining how to evaluate a position and how to study the principles of attack. I suggest that the readers can also use this book as a starting point in building their opening repertoires - just a starting point, though, since you will have to refer to. other sources to create a complete repertoire. Having said that, in places I have pointed out the latest trends in theory. In general, the lines and games have been chosen for their instructional value. They are not necessarily the most popular according to theory, since giving a complete theoretical overview is not the purpose of this book. However, in my analysis I have tried to be objective and of course all the lines were checked with the latest software. I hope you enjoy my book and learn from its exciting gambits. Boris Alterman Rishon Le Zion, March 2010

Chapter 1 The Danish Gantbit

abc

d

e

f

g

h

1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.~c4

Introduction I recall that when I was a child everyone was talking about the strength of the Danish Gambit. Some even claimed that it was winning! It was very popular, and highly aggressive. Black was getting blown away by the ferocious attacks on an open board, sometimes not even escaping the opening alive! And so, I would like to introduce you to the popular and famous Danish Gambit!

1.e4 Remember that the fight is directed at controlling the center (d4, e4, d5 and e5) in the opening. You also have to bring out all your pieces as quickly as possible, naturally to where they control the greatest number of central squares. A good way to achieve these aims is to march the e-pawn two squares forward to occupy the center, when it also opens the diagonals for his queen and fl-bishop. White's next move, ifhe is allowed, will be 2.d4, when he not only controls the center, but also prevents Black from moving his pieces there. Preventing your opponent from using the center, while your own pieces have full access to these central squares, is an ideal to aim for, since the quickest route from one sector of the board to another is through the center.

1...e5 Black does likewise, and tries to make d2-d4 more difficult for White, since after 2.d4 exd4 3.'lWxd4 ttJc6 Black would benefit from the early development of White's queen as it will have to move again. After 1.e4 e5, we often get very sharp and open positions, and the Danish Gambit is no exception.

2.d4 White launches another pawn into the center, challenging Black's e5-pawn. Has White not read our comment after 1...e5? Let's see:

2... exd43.c3 Surprise! White has something else in mind.

3... dxc3 If Black does not take the pawn on offer then White would capture on d4 with his pawn, and get a two-abreast pawn center.

4..tc4 White sacrifices another pawn (!), and develops his bishop to its most aggressive outpost, where it exerts pressure on the center. The bishop also targets Black's weakest spot before castling - f7 - as it is protected only by the king, and sacrifices at precisely this spot would draw the king out and expose it to attack. This energetic opening system is called the Danish Gambit.

4 ... cxb2 5.hb2

The Danish Gambit

9

White, however, has serious positional dividends such as: .:. •:. •:. •:.

A huge advantage in development and greater mobility of his pieces . Significant control over the most important central squares (d4, d5, e4, e5) . His bishops are nicely placed to put pressure on the center and the kingside . Open lines and diagonals which are avenues along which White could develop very unpleasant threats.

Illustrative Games Black has a wide selection of options, which we will now examine. But let's start with an exercise that arrives after Black's fifth move:

White to play! - How should he exploit the early development ofBlack's queen?

10


In the following games, we will learn how we should think during the game. More importantly, we will see in full force the power of having a lead in development. The first two games are instructive in the clash between the police and the thief-the side who follows the rules of development, against the materialist who violates the principles of opening play.

Gamel l.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.d dxd 4 ..ic4 cx:b2 5..hb2 Yfg5? An obvious and greedy attempt, aiming to exploit the weakness on g2 created by the development of the bishop to c4. But this move has major drawbacks. Remember the important opening principle: don't develop your queen too early. This "rule" may be broken only when you can achieve a good target for the queen. Now, is the g2-pawn such a great target? No!

.! ....

8 ~.~4Il~~ 7 6 %",,%~ "',,%~ ~~ '''''%.'~

i6i"_r_'iY-_'i

T

5~~~~~~.

4

~.,.!.!~

~

~~ ~~~~

3 ~m.'0 ~~ ~W'0 ~~r~ 2 8~ • ¥~8¥~ 1

~~~;~""%B: abc

d

e

f

g

h

White develops his knight with tempo by attacking Black's exposed queen, and also controls the central squares d4 and e5. Remember the main opening principle: develop all your pieces rapidly. If White instead defended with 6.g3?, he would allow Black to follow a well-known principle for the side with a material advantage: exchange pieces (not pawns) and enter an endgame where you can make your material advantage count. An advantage of "7 pieces against 6" is significant, but the advantage of "2 pieces against 1" is much proportionally greater. So, after 6 ... iLb4t 7.lLld2 'lWxd2t! (forcing the exchange of queens) 8.'lWxd2 iLxd2t 9.~xd2 lLlf6 White's attacking chances have disappeared together with the queens, while Black remains 2 pawns up.

The Danish Gambit

11

Remember: opening with an attacking gambit system and then playing cowardly moves is a sure recipe for disaster.

6•••VNxg2 Capturing on g2 leads Nevertheless, after:

to

a very instructive position. Currently, Black is 3(!) pawns up.

7J~gl

There are not many squares available to the black queen. Incidentally, may I also point out that White is developing his rook with tempo - to an open file.

7".VNh3

8 7 6 5

4 3 2 1

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

White to play! - How should White utilize his lead in development? In my experience, many inexperienced chess players get too concerned about such positions with White. Yes, Black is 3 pawns up, but take a look at his minor pieces - they are all sleeping! Out of 7 moves, Black has played 4 with his pawn, and 3 with the queen. White, on the other hand, has concentrated on developing his pieces, and undoubtedly has a clear lead in development. This should be converted into something more, but therein lies the difficulty. Many of you might simply play 8 ..ixg7 .ixg7 9J~xg7 tLlh6! (covering 0), later asking, "Where did I go wrong? Where did I spoil my huge initiative, and why did it bring me only a pawn?" The solution is simple. Before calculating, ask yourself: what/where is my target? Usually, correctly identifYing your aim leads you halfway on the road to success. In this position, we see that: .:. the g7 -pawn is threatened .:. the queen is badly placed on h3 .:. the f7 -pawn is weak

12


These clues lead us to 8.tLlg5, with a double attack on the f7-pawn and the black queen. Alas, after 8 ... Wfxh2 Black counterattacks by attacking the gl-rook. But White has an improvement on this idea.

8.hf7t! 8 7 6

5 4

3 2 1

White captures the f7-pawn with check, forcing Black to move his king. After 8 ... @xf7 9.tLlg5t - fork! - White wins the queen.

8... c;!;>d8

White's attack now converges on Black's other weakness - g7. Exploiting the fact that Black's rook is stuck on h8, White performs a nice tactical blow:

13

The Danish Gambit

9Jhg7! Also pretty good is the simple 9 ..txg7 .txg7 lOJhg7 when White is only 1 pawn down and Black has not solved all his problems yet. However, after 1O ... ttJf6 Black is still in the game. Now, Black has 2 replies but both lead to a hopeless position. 9 ....txg7 1O ..txg7 wins the rook on h8 while:

9••• c!LJe7 This doesn't help either. 10J~g3!

White creates dual threats against the exposed queen on h3 (which is a result of bringing out her majesty too early into the game), and the hanging h8-rook.

8 7 6

5 4

3 2

1

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

1-0 What we have learned:

.:. •:. •:. •:. •:.

Don't develop your queen too early; it should be an option only when you can achieve a good target . Develop all your pieces rapidly. With a material advantage, exchange pieces and enter an endgame where you can make your material advantage count . Opening with an attacking gambit system and playing cowardly moves is a sure recipe for disaster. Regarding your thought processes: 1) Evaluate the position. Discover your opponent's and your strengths and weaknesses. 2) Find a plan. Usually, correctly identifying your aim leads you halfway on the road to success. 3) Calculate your candidate moves. 4) Choose a move, and execute the plan.

14


Game 2 l.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.d dxd 4..ic4 cx:b2 5.hb2 .ib4t

With this tempting move - the bishop develops with check! - Black intends to complete the development of his kingside as soon as possible. White has two obvious answers: 6.ltJc3, which we will see later, and:

6.c!Lld2 White elects to keep the long diagonal open, when the g7-pawn remains under attack. Dubious is 6 ..ic3?!, which only reduces White's attacking chances on the kingside after 6 ....ixc3t 7.ltJxc3 d6. The rule governing play in such positions is as follows: while you possess the initiative, it is better to avoid simplifications. Only exchange when it would bring about some positional or tactical dividends.

6 ...~g5? Again, Black openly flouts the principle of not bringing the queen out too early. Here, however, Black has very aggressive intentions. The queen attacks both g2 and d2, and it seems that nothing can prevent the exchange of queens after 7.g3 Wxd2t!, going into an ending 2 pawns up.

7.c!Llgf3! Of course not the cowardly 7.g3? - see the comments on White's 6th move in Game 1. White is prepared to sacrifice another pawn for speedy development and a strong initiative. This utilizes one of the most important attacking principles of the first World Champion, Wilhelm Steinitz: "If you have the advantage, you not only have a right to attack, but also a dury to attack, otherwise there is a risk of losing the advantage."

7 ...~xg2?

15

The Danish Gambit

8 7 6

5 4

3

2 1

abc

d

e

f

g

h

Even after the best 7 ....ixd2t 8.~xd2 ~xd2t 9.mxd2, according to the computer, White has full compensation for the sacrificed material. For example, 9 .. .f6 lO.e5 bee5 11..ixe5 lLlf6 12.E:hel md8 13.lLlg5, or 9 ... lLlf6 10.lLlg5 0-0 11.e5lLle8 12 ..ia3 d6 13.E:hel - intending lLlxf7. One possible line is 13 ... h6? 14.lLlxf7 E:xf7 15.exd6 .id7 16.E:e7. 8.E:gl! Once again, Black is 3 pawns up, but the g7-pawn is defenseless against the threat of .ixg7, for example 8... ~h3 9 ..ixg7 and White wins the rook, gaining a decisive material advantage.

8....bdlt This is Black's last chance to try to mix things up.

abc

d

e

White to play! - What should White do? If 9.mxd2? then Black escapes with 9 ... ~xf2 check!, while 9.~xd2? leaves the f3-knight unprotected: 9 ...~xf3. 9.lLlxd2? is also bad, because of9 ... ~xgl t. White, however, has prepared an effective refutation.

16


9.@e2!! A strong intermediate move! Black has a huge material advantage, but his only developed pieces are under fire.

6 5 4

3 2 1 9 ...'iNh3 lO.'iNxd2 White's advantage consists of: .:. Superior development. Take a look at Black's ugly pieces still sleeping on the back rank. .:. A clear superiority in the center. •:. Nice targets on f7 and g7 for his powerful bishops.

lO ... ttlf6 Black hastens to develop his pieces.

abc

d

e

f

g

h

White to play! - How should White utilize his lead in development? 11.hf7t! A very natural combination.

The Danish Gambit

17

Frankly speaking, we have seen such tactical shots before, but we must always be careful - the immediate 11.~g5? fails after 11...Wh5t!, and Black may survive. 11...<j;ld8 If Black tries to hide on the kings ide with 11...~f8, then after 12.Wg5 Wh6 13.Wxh6 gxh6 14.ixf6 he would suffer huge material losses.

8 7

6 5 4 3 2 1

12Jhg7 Collecting another pawn. See how easily White recovers his material deficit due to his better development. Also take note that in both games White carried out his attack on Black's weaknesses (f7 and g7), after correctly evaluating the position.

12 ... tlhe4 Black's knight was hanging, and he captures the pawn in desperation. It is time to evaluate the position again: while both kings are centralized and exposed, it is Black's monarch that is in greater danger. It is cramped by its own pieces and pawns, and if White manages to bring another piece into the attack, the game would be over.

8 7 6

5 4

3 2 1

a

c

e

f

g

h

White to play! - How does White exploit the unfortunate position ofthe enemy king?


18 13.~g5t!!

...

8

7 6

5 4

3 2 1 a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

A beautiful queen sacrifice! White distracts the knight from the defense of f6, when after:

13.. )l~xg5 14..if6# It's mate!

1-0 What we have learned: .:. When you possess the initiative, it is better to avoid simplifications. Only exchange when it would bring about some positional or tactical dividends . •:. If you have the advantage, you not only have a right to attack, but also a duty to attack, otherwise there is a risk of losing the advantage . •:. Do not be afraid of being down on material! You can easily recover your material deficit due to the lead in development. In many tactical puzzles the motif of the bishop pair controlling adjacent diagonals is well known. In the Danish Gambit too, we are able to feel the latent power of the bishops, which after just 5 moves in the opening occupy adjacent diagonals with aggressive intentions.

Game 3 l.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 dxc3 4 ..ic4 cxb2 5.,ixb2 .ib4t 6.~c3 White completes his queenside development. The knight is well placed on c3 where it controls the central squares e4 and d5, and very soon the centralizing move lLlc3-d5 could become a reality.

6 ... ~f6 Black courageously fights for the center, where White has a clear superiority in forces. He threatens the e4-pawn, and invites it to cross the equator, since after 7.e5 Wie7 8.ttJf3 d6, thanks to the pin on the e-file, White would gain nothing.

19

The Danish Gambit

abc

d

e

f

g

h

7.ti)ge2 White opts for the sharpest line, offering another pawn. 7 ... ti)xe4? Better is 7 ... d6 or 7 ... 0-0, with a playable position.

Black thinks he is following a rule which states that a center pawn should always be taken if this can be done without too much danger. Each position must be evaluated based on its individual merits, and we must not blindly follow any rule - there are always exceptions! In this case the rule is fine, but Black misjudged the danger, which is too great. Black will find himself in a losing position, in spite of being 3 pawns up. The reason is well known - lack of development.

8

7

6 5 4

3 2

6

1 a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

White to play! - How does White refute Black's misguided concept?

20


8.0-O! By simply completing development, and bringing the rook into play. The same could not be said of Black; he failed to develop all his pieces and to castle quickly, and he moved his knight twice just to gobble a pawn. As a result, his other pieces have no chance of joining the battle.

8... tLlxc3 9.tLlxc3 Black has a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea. Ifhe leaves his majesty in the center, it will come under fire from White's heavy artillery (the rooks and queen); while castling walks into the volley of White's bishops.

9...,bc3 This cannot be recommended as it removes Black's only developed piece, an ideal situation for the side with the better development. But also, after 9 ... 0-0 1O.ttJdS! White centralizes the knight and creates more threats than Black can handle. White already has 3 minor pieces looking at Black's kingside, while the b4-bishop is in trouble. It is impossible to simultaneously plug all the holes in Black's position, for instance 1O ...~d6 11.Wg4 g6 l2.ttJf6t ~h8 13.Wh4 and nothing can save the king. If l3 ... hS then l4.ttJxhSt!.

10..bc3 The bishop pair in an open position confers a serious advantage. Here, they are lethal. White already threatens to capture on g7, or to start a mating attack with :gel t, preventing the opponent's king from castling. 10••• 0-0 "The worst is over," Black's monarch thinks, but in reality the bishops are breathing fire down the diagonals towards his residence, while White's queen is only one step away from joining in the fun. If we look at the position carefully we discover certain combinational motifs, based on the weakness of Black's kingside.

21

The Danish Gambit

At first sight Il.Wd4 looks very powerful, targeting the frail g7-pawn. However Black has the defense 11 .... Wg5 or even 11 ... Wf6, shielding the dangerous attack along the long diagonal. This gives us a clue about how we can prepare the killer blow. White has to provoke a weakness along the al-hB diagonal, and only then set up a battery on the long diagonal, after which nothing can come to the defense of the king.

1l.'?Ng4! g6 The only way to prevent mate. Now that the long diagonal is horribly exposed, White reveals his main threat.

12.'?Nd4

8 7 6

5 4

3 2 1

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

Black wants to play 12 ... f6, but unfortunately the f7 -pawn is pinned by the c4-bishop. A triumph of the bishops! There is no defense against the inevitable 13.Wg7 or 13.WhB mate. 1-0

What we have learned: .:. A center pawn should always be taken if this can be done without too much danger. •:. The bishop pair in an open position confers a serious advantage . •:. An ideal situation for the side with a lead in development is when the opponent has no developed pieces at all.

Game 4 l.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 dxc3 4 ..tc4 cxb2 5..bb2 J.b4t 6.ttlc3 ttlf6 7.ttlge2 ttlxe4? 8.0-0 ttlxc3 9.ttlxc3.bc3 10..bc3 We have just seen how 10 ... 0-0 leads to grave problems, and now let's check another defensive resource.

10...VNg5

22


8

7 6

5 4

3 2 1 a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

This early queen sortie cannot be compared to those seen in Games 1 and 2. Here, Black desperately tries to castle, but first defends the g7 -pawn. Usually, however, fixing one problem (the weakness of g7) leaves another unresolved; Black's king is stuck in the center for one more move, and White easily takes advantage of this factor. lU~elt

Remember that open lines and diagonals benefit the side that is better developed. White's rook joins the attack, and Black's king has to give up his right to castle, after which White easily extends his influence over the whole board. Imagine Black now tried 11...'J1f8:

8 7 6

5 4 3

2 1

abc

d

e

f

g

h

White to play! - How should White continue the attack? 12.j,b4t! (once again we feel the power of the bishops) 12 ... d6 13.j,xd6t! cxd6 14.\1;Vxd6t Wg8 15J~e8 It's mate! Thus, Black instead played:

23

The Danish Gambit

11...xf7 6.\1%3t with a double attack.

8

7 ;::,

6

~

;::,

~

...,

5

1::' ~

4

;::,'

~

3

~

2 1

a

c

d

e

f

g

h

After 6 ... 'tt>e8 7.Wxb4 cxb2 8.i.xb2 White has good compensation for the pawn since Black's king can no longer castle. Moreover, White has a nice post for his dark-squared bishop which attacks g7. He plans to complete his development with liJf3, 0-0 and liJc3, keeping a long-term advantage. White has another interesting plan with: 5.bxc3 i.e7 The bishop's maneuver to b4 and back looks dubious; firstly, because the bishop moved twice in the opening, which is not recommended, and secondly, White has full control over the center (e4, e5, d4, d5).

33

The Danish Gambit

If White does not act quickly, Black will complete his development with ... d6, ... ltJf6 and ... 0-0, so hQW does White make use of his advantage?

8

7 ;:, ;::t ;:,

6

~ ....

5

/::.

~ ~

4

3

;:!

2

6.

1 a

c

e

f

g

h

White to play! - How does White make use ofhis advantage? 6.~d5!

It looks as if White is playing like a beginner, moving his queen out to threaten mate-in-one. But, as in all open games, f7 is the weakest spot in Black's position, and this weakness proves to be decisive. 6 ... ltJh6 Defending f7. 7.ixh6 0-0 8.if4 White is a piece up. After:

4... cxb2 5..ixb2 We reach a position which was encountered in all the games above. Now, Black has a wide selection of options: A) 5 .•. tllc6, B) 5 •.•.ib4t and C) 5 ..• d5. For 5 .. JWg5?, see Game 1. A) 5 .•• tllc6 6.tllf3 tllf6 Black brings out his knights before his bishops. For 6 ...~e7?, see Game 5.

7.e5 The obvious and strongest continuation for White. White forces the enemy knight to move again. 7 ..• tlle4 Black centralizes his knight, because he remembers that after 7 ... ltJh5, knights on the rim are dim, while 7 ... ltJg8 is as bad as it looks. However, White has very strong control of the center and Black's centralized knight lacks support.

34


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White to play! - How should White continue?

8 ..bf7t! It looks as if 8.'11;;li'd5 wins by force, with a double attack on the hanging knight on e4 and the f7-pawn, but tactics come to Black's rescue: 8 ....tb4t 9.c;t>f1lLlg5! 1O.lLlxg5'Mfxg5 11.'Mfxf7t c;t>d8 and White must be very careful even after winning the f7-pawn and displacing Black's king. For example, 12.f4 'Mfh4 with the terrible threats of ... 'Mfel# and ... :gf8xf4. As always, be careful!

8 ... ~xf7 9.'Mfd5t A typical tactic; White regains his piece with this double attack, and wins a pawn in the process.

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9 ... ~e8 lO.Y;Yxe4 White has full compensation for his pawn deficit - Black's king is unable to castle and will come under fire from White's pieces.

B) 5...i.b4t 6.tLld2 6.lLlc3 is also good - see Games 3 and 4.

The Danish Gambit

35

6 ... tLlf6 For 6 ...Wg5?, see Game 2.

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White to play! - How should White continuer You probably spotted Black's bishop was hanging on b4, and wanted to play 7 ..ixf7t. Well done! But, when we calculate more concretely, after 7 ...'if:lxf7 8.Wb3t d5! Black counterattacks in the center and opens up the diagonal for his light-squared bishop to enter the game. Moreover, after 9.Wxb4 E:e8 the uncastled position of White's king begins to tell, whereas Black can hide with the simple ... ~g8-h8. And so, as in the previous line, White first dislodges the knight:

7.e5! tLle4 8.Li'7t! Now this works, with White having the option of9.Wb3t or 9.Wf3t in case of8 ... 'if:lxf7.

8 ... i>f8! Black declines the offer, and puts the onus on White to extricate himself from the threats faced by his f7 -bishop and d2-knight. White must not panic; after all he has not yet made any mistakes,

36


so why should he be in trouble? First, he has to calmly evaluate the position. He need not worry about losing the f7 -bishop as long as he can regain a piece with a check, as shown above. So, how is he to deal with the threat to his knight? The normal 9.lLlgf3? would lose as after 9 ... lLlxd2! (threatening a discovered check, and so forcing White's next move) 1O.lLlxd2 .ixd2t! 11.'lWxd2 Black has gotten rid of all his hanging pieces, and can calmly capture White's bishop with 11...~xf7.

9..ta3! "What is this madness? The bishop moves to a square where it is unguarded!" Perhaps, but White is just using tactics: 9 ... lLlxd2 10 ..ixb4t ~xf7 11.'lWxd2 and White has compensation. And 9 ... ~xf7leads to the same thing after 10 ..ixb4lLlxd2 11.'lWxd2.

9 •••.ba3 lO.~xe4 The position remains complicated: Black's king has lost his right is still immune:

to

castle, and White's bishop

lO .•• i>xf'711.'lWb3t And White regains his piece, keeping full compensation for his pawn, again due to the poor placement of the enemy's monarch. C) 5... d5! This is one of the strongest continuations, and was found almost 100 years ago by one of the strongest players at that time, Carl Schlechter. In the event of 6.exdS? lLlf6: Black simply continues developing, while White's bishop on c4 is blocked by his own pawn on dS. In spite of White's better development, practice has shown that Black can maintain an advantage due to his extra pawn.

6.,bd5 An example of the dangers Black faces is seen after the careless move 6 ... c6??, trying to force the bishop away from dS in the hope of exchanging queens.

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The Danish Gambit

37

7 ..txf7t! The only piece that defends the queen is the king, so White seeks to divert the latter. 7 .. .'Jde7 (if7 ... s!lxf7 8.Wxd8 and Black loses his queen) 8..ta3t! Black loses his queen anyway.

6... ~f6 The knight develops with tempo, attacking both the bishop and the e4-pawn. 8

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7.tLlf3? simply allows Black to capture his bishop with 7 ... tLlxd5. White has no time for 7 ..txf6? Wxf6 when he has lost his initiative. He needs to guard his alrook, while Black will simply develop his fB-bishop and then play ... 0-0, remaining a pawn up. White can try to use a tactic that we learned about earlier: 7 ..txf7t ~xf7 (7 ... ~e7 8 ..ta3t forces Black to capture the bishop) 8.Wxd8

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Black to play! - Can Black save himselfafter losing his queen?

38


Yes he can: 8 ...i.b4t! A brilliant discovered attack on the queen that forces White to return material. 9.W!d2 (not 9.ltJd2? ~xd8 and Black is a piece up) 9 ...i.xd2t 1O.ltJxd2 ~e8

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After a series of tactical blows, material is equal, but Black's queens ide majority is more important than White's extra pawns on the kingside. According to theory, only Black can play for a win. That is why Schlechter's line is one of Black's best defenses. Thus, White should simply continue developing and support his center.

7.tlk3 Again, Black must be careful; not 7 ... c6??:

8 7 6

5 4

.. 'iY-_'i

K_jJiif./~ ~ ; ~ ~ ~ ~ ~i"~ h"'%~

~~ ~

g8 14.lt:lce4! and with the removal of Black's f6-knight, checkmate on h7 is on the way.

The Urusov Gambit

59

A more serious alternative is 11...:!::Ie8. White has a draw ifhe likes with 12.~h7t 'it>f8 13.~d3 'it>g8. Naturally White could also choose to play on, for example with 12.f4!? supporting the g5-knight. This looks promising, but there is no obvious forced win. 12.~h7t 'it>h8 13.ttJxf7t :!::Ixf7 14.Wxh5 ~g5t 15.'it>bl :!::Ixf2 16.~e4t ~h6 17.Wg6 Threatening mate. 17 ... Wg8 18.:!::IhfI Exchanging off Black's only active piece. 18 ... :!::IxfI 19.:!::IxfI ttJd7 And now White forces perpetual check: 20.ttJd5 ttJe5 21.ttJe7 ttJxg6 22.ttJxg6t 'it>h7 23.ttJf8t=

10.hit6! gxh611.Wxh6 ~h7 Intending to trade pieces with ... ~g5.

12.h4! Preventing Black's idea while securing g5 as an outpost, when an exchange of pieces there would lead to the opening of the h-file for White's rook. Now Black's kingside cracks under White's powerful attack.

12... ~c6 13 ..id3

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13 ... f5 After 13 ... ttJf6 14.ttJd5! :!::Ie8 (even easier is 14 ... ttJxd5 15.Wh7#) we will see the well-known mating mechanism: 15.ttJxf6t ~xf6 16.~h7t! Sending the king to h8 to create a discovered check (not 16.Wh7t 'it>f8). 16 ... 'it>h8 17.~g6t! The discovered check is given on this square to support the attack on f7. 17 ... 'it>g8 18.Wh7t 'it>f8 19.Wxf7#

14..ic4t c,t>h8 15.~g5! And Black cannot capture twice on g5 because his h7-knight is pinned: 15 ...~xg5t 16.hxg5 and now 16 ... Wxg5t 17.Wxg5 or 16 ...We7 17.g6, both winning for White. 1-0

60


What we have learned: .:. h2-h4 is an attacking move, supporting g5 for White's minor pieces (15.tLlg5) and also allowing White's h I-rook to join in the attack. .:. tLld5, even as a sacrifice, is a typical way of diverting Black's f6-knight from its vital defense ofh7 . •:. The discovered attack mating mechanism.

Game 11 Jurjevich - Cater USA 1994

If Black captures White's bishop, his defensive task is also not easy.

1.e4 e5 2 ..ic4 tLlf6 3.d4 exd4 4.tLlf3 tLlxe4 5.~xd4 tLlf6 6.i.g5 i.e7 7.tLlc3 0-0 8.0-0-0 c6 A strong defense involving ... d7 -d5; Black will set up a wall of pawns to block the c4-bishop's threats to f7 and reduce the rook's influence on the d-file. 9.~h4 d5 10..id3

Also possible is the move order lO.!!hel ~e6 11.~d3.

10... h61U!hel! Playing according to the principles: White simply completes his development! White could already consider: 11.~xh6tLle4! I2.~h5! g6! {or I2 ... tLlxfl 13.~f4tLlxd3t I4.Ei:xd3 and the attack continues} I3.WI'e5 ~f6 I4.WI'f4 With great complications.

11...hxg5 Black should consider 11 ... ~e6 when White could, ifhe wants, force a draw with: 12.:!':i:xe6 fxe6 13.~xh6 gxh6 14.WI'g3t 'it>h8 15.WI'g6 ~d6 I6.WI'xh6t 12.tLlxg5

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61

The Urusov Gambit

Please pay close attention to White's set-up. All his pieces are in the game and looking towards the kingside - that is why his attack is so powerful. These are the main aims of all gambit lines: to gain better development; to keep your initiative alive by continuously pressuring your opponent; and not be afraid to sacrifice again to open lines for your pieces to reach the main target - the enemy king. In the dangerous Urusov Gambit all these ideas crystallize, all according to the principles that we are studying. 12••.ie6? The best defense is: I2 ... g6 Shutting White's bishop out, but allowing: 13.'lWh6 White sets up a mating net around Black's king and paralyzes his kingside defenders due to the threat of mate on h7 and a sacrifice on g6. 13 ... id6 I4.g3 Preventing ... if4. White's threats on the kingside are quite unpleasant. I4 ... 'lWc7 And here the computer shows a brilliant idea:

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I5.ic4!! ie5 Also losing is 15 ... dxc4 I6Jl:xd6 'lWxd6 I7.ttJce4, removing the defender ofh7 by force. I6J!:xd5! ixc3 I7.l'k5! Black's situation is hopeless. I7 ... ifS I7 ... ixeI I8.'lWxg6t r;t>h8 I9.'lWxf6t ~g8 20.'lWg6t r;t>h8 2l.\Wh7# I8Jl:xfS gxfS 19.bxc3 'lWd8 20J~e8!! This grandiose move forces mate in four moves!

13.i.h7t ~h8 14.i.f5t White could also have chosen: 14.l'!xe6! fxe6 I5.if5t r;t>g8 16.ixe6t l'!f7 I7.ixf7t r;t>f8 I8.'lWh8t ttJg8 I9.'lWxg8#

62


14... g8 15J:~xe6 g6 Another exit route was 15 ... fxe6 16 ..ixe6tE!:f7 17 ..ixf7t c;t>f8 18.1Mih8t lOg8 19.1Mixg8#.

16Jhf6 J.xf6 17.Yfh7# 1-0 What we have learned: .:. The bishop sacrifice on g5 . •:. The strong attacking maneuver 13.1Mih6 (in the event of 12 ... g6) .:. Watch out for tactical shots to remove key defender(s) in the position, even if it entails sacrificing material.

Game 12 Keidanski - Em. Lasker Berlin Simultaneous 1891 In the Urusov Gambit, White may not always play for a mating attack. He could aim for positional suffocation, and when the time is ripe, begin a combination.

1.e4 e5 2..ic4 ~f6 3.d4 exd4 4.~f3 ~xe4 5.Yfxd4 ~f6 6 ..ig5 .ie7 7.~c3 0-0 8.0-0-0 d6 9J:~hel ~c6 10.Yfh4 This was one of the earlier games played in the Urusov Gambit and since Lasker was seeing the opening for the first time, I guess he was unsure about his position. He has no good squares to develop his light-squared bishop and, as is typical for the Urusov Gambit, White's pieces are firing towards the center.

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10•.•.1£5 Intending to go to g6, fortifying the kingside. The other squares are obviously wrong: 10 ....ie6? loses Black's extra pawn after 11 ..ixe6 fxe6 12.E!:xe6. Pinning the knight with 1O ....ig4?? is a blunder: 11..ixf6 Getting rid of the- g4-bishop's only defender. 11.. ..ixf6 12.1Mixg4

The Urusov Gambit

63

11.'?Nf4 The positional way, but it was also possible to begin tactical operations immediately: 11.l'!xe7!?

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When White has such powerful domination of the center, it is possible to start shifting the attack to the Ranks. 11 ... tDxe7 Black must avoid 11...WExe7? as after 12.l'!el WEd7 13.i.xf6 gxf6 14.tDd5! he could hardly hope to survive. 12.i.xf6 gxf6 13.WExf6 i.g6 14.WEf4 Aiming to start pushing the kingside pawns with h2-h4 and g2-g4, when Black's defensive opportunities are limited.

1l ...ig6 12.g4 White has strong control of the center and so he can start a kingside attack. As White has all his pieces in the game already, he now includes his pawns in the action. The threat is h4-h5 and, despite being a pawn up, Black has no useful moves.

12... ~a5 Trying to get rid of the powerful c4-bishop.

13.id3 Keidanski is not afraid of exchanges, since it would help increase his central control.

13 ...'?Nd7 If 13 ...i.xd3 then 14.l'!xd3 followed by l'!de3 and next White will occupy the central outpost with i.xf6 and tDd5. If Black plays 14 ... h6 White would most certainly capture with 15.i.xh6! using similar ideas to what we were studying in the previous games.

14.ixf6 By getting rid of Black's f6-knight, White gains the outpost on d5.

64


14....ixf6 15.tOd5

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15 ....tdS Almost forced.

16..tf5 Another great move.

16...J.xf5 17.gxf5! The point of 16 ..tf5 is now clear - the g-file is opened for White to utilize in his attack: ~gl, f5-f6 and 'lWh6. Note where Lasker's pieces are situated - far from the center - while White's pieces are still controlling the most important central squares. Of course White should not trade queens with 17.'lWxf5? 'lWxf5 18.gxfS as after 18 ... tOc4 Black is fine.

17... f61S.h4 Black's idea was 18.~gl ~f7 covering the 7th rank, and only then to eject White's knight from d5 with ... c7-c6. But 17 .. .f6 created a hole on e6, which White could have exploited with 18.tOd4! tOc6 19.tOe6 ~f7 20.~e3 tOe7 21.tOxe7t .txe7 22.~h3 with decisive threats on the kingside.

IS ... b5 19.tOd4 tOc4 Eyeing the outpost on e5. 20.~e4

Setting up a discovered attack on the a8-rook and also planning to kick Black's knight away with f2-f4 should it try to settle on e5.

20 .. J~cS 21.tOc6 Now we can understand that Lasker was facing a very strong player; if 21.tOeG ~e8 and Black could still survive.

The Urusov Gambit

65

21. .. tLle5 21...'lWxc6? fails to the discovered attack 22.ltJe7t. 22.ltJxa7 ga8? It is easy to explain this blunder as the game was played in a simul, and Black's task was already very difficult. After the best defense 22 .. .!l:b8 23.f4! c6 (or 23 ... ltJc4 24.'lWe6t gO 25.'lWxd7 E:xd7 26.ltJc6 E:a8 27.ge8t O 28.E:del and White is dominating) 24.fxe5'IWxa7 25.ltJb4 White keeps a huge advantage.

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23.tLlb6! A simple combination, freeing the diagonal for the queen. 23 ... cxb6 24.~xa8 ~xf5 25.~d5t ~h8 26.~xd6 ~f4t 27.~bl Black decided to call it a day, since after 27 ... E:g8 White has a simple mating line: 28.'~xd8 E:xd8 29.E:xd8# Without a doubt, after this game the Urusov Gambit became more and more popular. 1-0 What we have learned:

.:. Post your pieces to aim towards the center, and only when you have firm control of the center can you shift the attack to the flanks . •:. When all your pieces are mobilized, bring your pawns into the attack. .:. As in many open games, the knight wants an outpost on d5 (14 ..txf6, 15.ltJd5) . •:. Remember to constantly re-evaluate the position. Your opponent may have foiled one plan (17 .. .f6 helped Black deal with E:gl and the open g-file) but in doing so he could have created another weakness (17 ... f6 weakened the e6-square) . •:. You should make it more difficult for your opponent to implement his plan (20.~e4 with the idea of fL.-f4) . •:. Tactics, tactics and more tactics!

66


Would the Urusov Gambit be effective in high-level modern chess? Well, it is not common at grandmaster level, but when one 2600+ GM played the Urusov it worked beautifully:

Game 13 Avrukh - Skripchenko Linares 2001

1.e4 e5 2.i.c4 ttlf6 3.d4 exd4 4.ttlf3 ttlxe4 5.~xd4 ttlf6 6.ttlc3 c6 7..ig5 d5 8.0-0-0 i.e7 9.~h4

We will mainly look at games with 9.Elhel, but a little variety is always interesting.

9... ttlbd7 Blocking the e-file with 9 ....ie6 looks safer, when after 1O.Elhel the game transposes to the usual lines we shall look at below. The text move unpins the d5-pawn and so renews the threat to the c4-bishop, but the downside is that Black's queens ide pieces are tougher to develop with the c8-bishop locked out of the game. 10J:~hel!

Absolutely in the spirit of the Urusov!

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10... dxc4 Black accepts the challenge and the piece! 10 ... 0-0 would not necessarily be castling into safety after 11..id3. For example, 11...h6 12 ..ixh6 gxh6 13.~xh6 when White obviously has a draw whenever he wants it, and numerous winning tries to consider first. If Black's king instead tries to step out the way with 10 ... i>f8 then Avrukh suggested 11 ..ixd5! cxd5 12.Elxe7 W1xe7 13.lLlxd5 W1e4 14 ..if4, which is certainly interesting, but instead of 12.Elxe7 stronger looks 12.lLlxd5 lLlxd5 13.Elxd5 f6 14 ..id2, when Black is in desperate trouble.

1l ..ixf6 gxf6 12.ttle4 White's threats are firing straight down the open e-file.

67

The Urusov Gambit

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12 ... 0-0 The black king will be insecure no matter where it tries to hide. For example, if 12 ... i>f8 then 13.ttJd4 builds up the pressure. The fS-square is a wonderful outpost and hopping-off point.

13.tLlg3 c,!,>h8 A natural defensive try is 13 ... :ge8, making a square on f8 for the bishop. White can cut across this plan with the pinning 14.We4 when 14 ... f5 is a tricky reply. White would like to bring his knight into fS, but in this case that would drop the queen to a sneaky check on g5. So 15.Wxf5 is the right response. Black's exposed king means that White has at least a draw, but I see no clear lines that prove there is more than that. 14.tl~f5 J.c5

Avrukh suggested 14 ...~b4 with the idea 15.c3 ~xc3 16.bxc3 Wa5 when Black tries to counterattack in search of a perpetual check, but White has a clever solution: 17.ttJ3d4! Wxc3t 18.bl Wb4t 19.ttJb3!

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And the pin along the 4th rank wins the day for White.

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15.~h5

Afterwards, in his annotations, Avrukh preferred 15 .:B:e4, and gave the following lines: 15 ... :B:g8 16.tt:lh6, and now either 16... W'f8 17.tt:lxg8 W'xg8 18.:B:g4+- or 16 ... :B:g7 17.tt:le5!!+-.

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This is indeed a beauty.

15 ... c3 16.:B:e4! ~b6 17.b3 8

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17.. J~g8 The rook tries to come to the king's aid, as it is too late to develop the queens ide pieces with 17 ... tt:le5 18.tt:lxe5 fxe5 as after 19.:B:h4! .txfS 20.W'xfS Black will be mated. 18.~xf7!

Avrukh pointed out a pretty idea he rejected because Black can draw: 18.W'xh7t? It>xh7 19.:B:h4t mg6 20.g4.tfB 21.:B:h5 W'xf2 22.tt:l3h4t W'xh4 23.tt:lxh4t It>g7 24.tt:lfSt It>g6 That is a good enough reason not to play 18.W'xh7t but instead of20 ....tf8 Black could also consider the bizarre defense 20 ....te3t 21.fxe3 W'xe3t 22.tt:lxe3 tt:le5, when Black may even be a little better. After a queen sac, all sorts of weird and wonderful moves must be considered, since the material imbalance is so huge.

69

The Urusov Gambit

18 ...ti'a5 The threat of mate-in-two forces White to be careful.

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19J~xd7!

Now if the black queen checks on a3 the d I-square is available. 19....ia3t 20.g;,bl The bishop check on a3 demands a different answer, as it's never too late to blunder away a winning position: 20.~dl?? Wlxf5 21.1'%e8 Wlxd7t Unlike the game continuation, that is a check!

20 ...ti'xfS 2U~e8

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Black resigned as checkmate is on the way. For example: 21...Wlg6 22.1'%xg8t Wlxg8 23.Wlxf6t and mate next move.

1-0 What we have learned:

.:. The Urusov Gambit can fell even grandmasters!

Theoretical Overview Dictating the play in the center is the leitmotif of the Urusov Gambit, since White's centrally posted pieces provide sufficient compensation for the sacrificed pawn. This can also translate into a powerful kings ide attack, as we have observed from the previous games. As Black had lots of trouble trying to find a suitable defense, players nowadays often steer the game into safer channels (2 ... tik6 or 4 ... lLlc6), using the possible transpositions offered by White's move order.

l.e4 e5 2.i.c4 lLlf6 The main move. Also possible is 2... lL'lc6, heading for the Italian Game or Two Knights Defense after 3.lL'lf3. If 2 ... d6 then 3.lL'lc3 is the aggressive reply.

3.d4exd4 The alternatives are clearly weaker: Remember that Black cannot play 3 ... d6? because of 4.dxe5 dxe5 5.ixf7t as explained in the Introduction. After 3... lL'lc6 White can take more space with 4.d5 (or perhaps even 4.dxe5). After 3 ... c6 4.dxe5 lL'lxe4 5.1Mfe2 White has strong central control. Black probably cannot get away with capturing 3... lL'lxe4?! due to 4.dxe5. Most likely the best reaction then is 4... lL'lc5, when 5.1Mfd5 can be met by 5... lL'le6 (instead after 4... lL'lc6 5.ixf7t! cj;>xf7 6.1Mfd5t cj;>e8 7.1Mfxe4 White has an extra pawn and Black's king has lost the right to castle.) Instead White answers 4... lL'lc5 with 5.if4lL'lc6 6.lL'lf3 ie7 7.lL'lc3 when he has strong control in the center. If Black tries to relieve the pressure with 7 ... d6 then after 8.exd6 he will get an isolated pawn, and White keeps a serious positional advantage.

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The Urusov Gambit

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4. ttl f3 White cannot play 4.e5 immediately because of the standard counterattacking response 4 ... d5! when after 5.exf6 dxc4 6.'We2t .ie6 7.fxg7 (otherwise White loses another pawn) 7 ....ixg7 Black has a strong pawn center protected by his bishop pair, which also keeps an eye on White's queens ide. Black also keeps an extra pawn!

4... ttlxe4 This is Black's last chance

to

deviate.

A common choice here is 4 ... ttJc6, reaching a normal position from the Two Knights Defense1.e4 e5 2.ttJf3 ttJc6 3 ..ic4 ttJf6 4.d4 exd4. Black might also immediately counterattack in the center with: 4 ... d5!? A suggestion of the Russian master Panov (creator of the Panov Attack in the Caro-Kann Defense). 5.exd5.ib4t

6 ..id2! Or 6.c3 'We7t 7.';t,lfl (7 ..ie2 dxc3 8.bxc3 .ic5 "is not dangerous for Black" - Neishtadt) 7 ... dxc3 8.ttJxc3 0-0 9 ..ig5 h6 10 ..ih4.ifS 11.'Wd4 ttJbd7 and "the chances are approximately equal" - Neishtadt. 6 ....ixd2t 7.ttJbxd2 0-0 8.0-0 ttJxd5 9.ttJxd4 And the position is fairly equal. 4 ....ib4t 5.c3 dxc3 6.bxc3 and White is threatening style to the Danish or Evans Gambit.

to

push e4-e5 with an initiative in similar

4 ....ic5 5.e5 d5 6 ..ib5t and White is better. For example, 6 ....id7 7.exf6 .ixb5 8.fxg7.

5.VNxd4 ttlf6


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Instead Black can try to keep the knight on e4 with: 5 .. :~e7 But the drawback is that the f8-bishop cannot develop. 6.0-0 ttJc6 7.Wldl! This is even more precise than: 7.Wld5 (threatening l'!el) 7 ... ttJf6 (not 7 ... d6? 8.l'!e1 f5 9.ttJc3 and Black is losing) 8.Wldl! d6 9.l'!el ~e6 10.ttJc3 0-0-0 11.~g5 Black's pieces are all pinned and it is not so easy to playa move.

7...Wlc5 Black would rather not move his queen once more, but otherwise l'!e 1 would be decisive. 8.~d5

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9.ttJc3! White wants to open the e-file anyway. 9 ... ttJxc3 1O.bxc3 ~e7 11.l'!el Black's king faces unpleasant threats such as ~g5 or ttJg5, while castling is prohibited. 11...~f8 12.c4 ~f6 13.l'!bl ttJe7 14.Wld3 Planning ~a3; Black is helpless. Recall that both 5 ... ttJd6? as in Polzin - Fritzsche, Berlin 1996, and 5 ... ttJc5 as in Estrin Taimanov, Leningrad 1949, lead to very difficult positions for Black.

6.tOc3! An important nuance and the most accurate move, taking control of d5. White should not change the move order: 6.~g5?!

This looks natural and is the most common move, but it leads nowhere after: 6 ... ttJc6! Instead 6 ... ~e7 7.ttJc3 would transpose to our main line, but Black can do better: 7.Wlh4

The Urusov Gambit

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7 ... d5! By hitting the bishop, Black denies his opponent the time he needs to reinforce his attack. 8.j,xf6 Or 8.j,d3 j,b4t 9.c3 Wfe7t is also good for Black. 8 ... gxf6 Instead 8 ... Wfxf6 9.Wfxf6 gxf6 1O.j,xd5 ttlb4 11.j,b3 j,e6 12.0-00-0-0 is level. 9.j,b3 Wfe7t! This important nuance puts a big question mark on the 6.j,g5 move order. White does not have a lead in development, and when his king loses the right to castle it will be hard to pretend he has any compensation for the sacrificed pawn.

6 ... c6! If Black accepts the risk of entering Urusov territory, he has to choose between three main defensive schemes: ... ttlc6 and ... d6, ... ttlc6 and ... d5 & finally just and ... c6 and ... d5. 6 ... j,e7 7.j,g5 and then: The first scheme is slightly passive: 7 ... 0-0 8.0-0-0 and White gets good attacking chances, as shown in the games: 8 ... ttlc6 9.Wfh4 d6 1O.j,d3 Neishtadt - NN, Soviet Union 1950 8 ... h6 9.Wfh4 Hausner - Szymczak, Prague 1989 8 ... c6 9.Wfh4 d5 1O.j,d3 Jurjevich - Cater, USA 1994 The second way was recommended by Neishtadt: 7 ... ttlc6 8.Wfh4 d5 (or 8 ... d6) in order not to "determine prematurely the position of his king" although White still manages to exert considerable pressure in the center after 9.0-0-0 followed by lOJihe 1, as in the game Tereschenko - Rotlewi, St Petersburg 1909 (note, for 7 ... c6 see 6 ... c6). Instead 6 ... ttlc6 7.Wfh4 d5?! would not have the same effect, since after 8.ttlxd5 ttlxd5 9.Wfxd8t followed by capturing on d5, White regains the sacrificed pawn.

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10.YNh4 Dissuading Black from castling into an attack on the kingside. Also possible is 10.i.d3 as Hugo Fahndrich played against Wilhelm Steinitz in Vienna 1897, when after 10 .. .'I&a5 (instead, 10 ... lLlbd7 11.~h4 simply transposes to the positions after 10.~h4) White could have utilized the great concentration of his pieces in the center with 11.i.f5! - a recommendation of Paul Keres, one of the greatest players of the last century. 11 ... 0-0! The only move (instead 11...i.xf5? loses instantly to 12.i.xf6 gxf6 13.~xf6). 12.i.xe6 fxe6 13.~e3 lLlbd7 14.~xe6t Winning back a pawn and keeping slightly better chances.

10.. .c!t~bd7 Black completes the development of his minor pieces, and only then thinks of where he should move his queen - to b6, c7 or a5.

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The Urusov Gambit

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This is the most important theoretical position of the Urusov Gambit. Many analysts and players have tested this position, for both White and Black. For example, the great Anatoly Karpov played this position with the black pieces, so let's see how he did: 11. .. c5?!

Black starts playing in the center since he cannot evacuate his king to the kingside, but this is misguided. We should consider a range of alternatives: 11. .. 0-0? 12.~xh7t This diverts the f6-knight and opens fire on the e7-bishop, which is only protected by the queen. After 12 ... tOxh7 13.~xe7 Black loses material. 11..:~a5 12.tOd4! is unpleasant for Black.

11...h6 12.tOd4 0-0 13.tOxe6 fXe6 14.~xh6 gxh6 15.'1Wg3t mh8 16.~g6! and Black's kingside is destroyed. White has at least a draw and could continue playing for an attack. For example: 16 ...~d6 17.~xh6t mg8 18Jhe6 tOe5 19.~f5! Black is helpless against the forthcoming f2-f4. Maybe Black's best choice is: 11 ... tOc5 This can also be met by: 12.tOd4! tOfd7 Or 12 ... tOxd3t 13.l'hd3 ~d7 14.f4! keeping strong pressure. After 12 ... h6 13.~f5! Black's position is quite suspicious. 13.~xe7 ~xe7 14.~xe7t mxe7 15.f4 Now the threat of f4-f5 is not easy to prevent.

abc 12.tC!e5 Missing an immediate shot: 12.~xf6! tOxf6

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12 ...i.xf6 13.~hS! wins a pawn back, when White continues to dominate the center. 13 ... g6 14.~xdS with the better game for White: 14 ... 0-0? lS.l'!xe6! fxe6 16.~xe6t 13.ltJgS! Black is in big trouble as the following three lines show: 13 ... ltJe4 14.i.bSt ~f8 lS.ltJcxe4+13 ... ~c8 14.ltJxe6 fxe6 lS.i.fS! exfS 16.ltJxdSltJxdS 17.l'!xdS Black's e7-bishop is gone, while White's attack continues. 13 ... ~b6 14.ltJxe6 fxe6 lS.i.fS! exfS? 16.l'!xe7t!! and White is winning.

12 ... tLlxe5 13.~xe5 It is far too early to say Black is OK, because he still cannot castle kingside.

13 ... d4 The previous sentence is justified by 13 ... 0-0? 14.i.xf6 and the h7-pawn is unprotected.

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14.£4! When all your pieces have developed to their optimal squares and no immediate punch is available, you need the help of pawns to continue the attack.

14 ... tLld7 White was not forced to move his knight yet, since after 14 ... dxc3? 15.i.b5t Black loses his queen.

15.i.b5 hg5 16.fxg5 Y!fc7 Karpov is trying to save his pawns, but White's initiative becomes too dangerous. It was better to remove his king from danger with 16 ... 0-0! 17.i.xd7 ~xd7 18.l'!xc5 b6 19.1'!xd4 ~b7 20.l'!e5 ~xg2 when Black has a solid position.

17.hd7t ~xd718.Y!fe4! White retains a strong initiative, and his pieces are totally dominating the center.

The Urusov Gambit

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18.. ,'~c6?! Missing White's next move. Also no good was 18 .. .1'hc8?!l9.b4! cxb4 20.l'!xd4t ~e8 21.ttJb5 when White wins. Black's last opportunity was quite difficult to spot: 18 ... l'!ae8! 19.ttJb5 lMrc6! 20.ttJxd4 lMrxe4 21.ttJxe6t 'iflc6 22.l'!xe4l'!xe6 Black escapes to a drawn rook endgame.

19.1'!xc5! Wlxe4 There is no time for 19 ... lMrxc5 20.lMrxb7t lMrc7 21.l'!xd4t and White wins.

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2U!xd4t White methodically developed his initiative in the center in accordance with what we have examined in this chapter. He managed to win a pawn and later converted his advantage into a win in G. Timoscenko - Karpov, Moscow 1967.

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Conclusion The Urusov Gambit (l.e4 e5 2.ic4 lLlf6 3.d4 exd4 4.lLlB lLlxe4) has much to commend it. It leads to open gambit play where one slip by Black can be fatal. Also, by selecting 2.ic4 instead of 2.lLlB White avoids the solid and potentially dull Petroff Defense (2.lLlB lLlf6). It is vital to remember that instead of 4 ... lLlxe4 Black has the option of 4 ... lLlc6 transposing to the Two Knights Defense. In fact, the database shows that this is Black's most common choice. So the real problem with the Urusov Gambit is that Black may not let you play it!

Chapter 3 The Philidor 7 6

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Introduction In this chapter we will study how to: .:. .:. .:. .:. .:.

Use your tactical opportunities with the classical ~xf7 sacrifice Use your forces to checkmate the king in the center Use the weakness of the back rank Use your space advantage and the cramped position of your opponent's pieces Use the advantage of the two bishops

Franc;:ois-Andre Danican Philidor was the greatest chess player of his time, even though his formal occupation was not as a chessplayer but a musician. In fact, in the 18th century Philidor was a famous music composer. At that time, the attacking Italian style of chess was dominant: giving up a pawn or a piece for just one tempo was the usual way a chess game was played. Many encounters were decided in this manner - this was due to the strong tactical and attacking abilities of the players, and also because nobody knew how to defend! Everybody dreamed only about conducting a brilliant attack with sacrifices ... Then along came Philidor, who looked at the "Italian style" and analyzed deeply. He realized that pawns played the most important role in the game of chess: .:. Pawns help control the center. •:. They storm the bastions of your enemy. •:. The pawn structure also dictates your plan in positions where there are many possibilities to choose from. His well-known motto, "Pawns are the soul of chess" is immortal! Philidor's book on chess strategy was published and translated into most major European languages, including Russian. For a hundred years it was the most important chess book, and no significant addition or modification was required! (It was only much later that the positional rules were developed by Steinitz and Capablanca.) Philidor preached about understanding the relative value of the pieces, the correct pawn formations, and the value of having a strong pawn center. He believed that only with a strong pawn center could one reach an equal or a better position, since the pawns help the pieces to reach better locations. In this way, based on his own understanding of chess, Philidor solved his opening problems and the Philidor Defense was born!

l.e4 e5 2.xd8 and there is no longer a pin, thus 6.tLlxeS.

5.%Yxf3 The Czech grandmaster Ludek Pachman recommended S.gxf3 dxeS 6.Wxd8t It>xdB 7.f4 and this is another good option. White opens the game in order to use the power of his bishops.

5... dxe5 Even though Black has managed to maintain material equality, White already has his queen in the game, and with:

6.i.c4 White immediately puts his bishops to work in an open position. Coupled with White's superior development, it is clear that Black faces an uphill battle.

6•••%Yd7 Trying to defend all his weaknesses at the same time. The aforementioned Morphy game continued: 6 ... tLlf6 7.~b3! Targeting both the weak spots, f7 and b7; the latter was weakened by the disappearance of Black's light-squared bishop. In fact, after just seven moves, Black is already lost!

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Defending the more important pawn and also intending to exchange queens with B... Wb4t. Instead 7 ... b6? leaves f7 unattended and loses instantly: B.~xf7t i>d7 9.We6# B-Alterman Picapiedra, Internet Chess Club 200S. Perhaps not a contender for my best games collection. 7 ...~d7? does not help either after B.Wxb7 Wc6 9.~bS and Black's queen is gone. B.tLlc3 Perhaps because this game was played at an opera house in Paris, and his opponents were not so strong, Morphy decided to follow his own rules and played for development, preventing

B3

The Philidor

the exchange of queens. I guess in a normal tournament game Morphy might have gone for B.Wxb7 Wb4t 9.Wxb4 ~xb4t lO.c3 and converted his extra pawn in the endgame. But even better is B.~xf7t! diverting Black's queen from the potential check on b4. B... i>dB (or B...Wxf7 9.Wxb7 wins the rook on aB) 9.Wxb7 Wb4t 10.Wxb4 ~xb4t 11.c3 White is two pawns up with a better position. For example: 11...~c5 12.~g5lLlbd7 13.lLld2 l'!fB 14.~e6 h6 15 .~xd7 hxg5 16.~c6 l'!bB 17.lLlf3 l'!xb2?

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IB.O-O-Ot! This was the end of the game Tenk - Egert, Brno 1930. Let's return to Morphy: 8 ... c6 Taking away d5 from White's knight. 9.~g5

The most active square for the bishop, pinning Black's knight. 9 ... b5? 9 ... Wc7 was the only defensive try.

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After Black's slip how should White continue?

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1O.lLlxb5! In accordance with one of Steinitz's principles - when holding the advantage, one must attack or else risk losing the advantage. White has no time for the timid 10.~e2? Wfb4! and Black escapes with the trade of queens. 10 ... cxb5 11.~xb5t lLlbd7 White's bishops exert a crippling effect on the pinned enemy pieces. Not only are Black's knights immobilized, his remaining pieces are also unable to develop. Of course 11...~d8 was no improvement due to 12.0-0-0t. 12.0-0-0 Connecting the rooks to bring more forces to bear upon d7. White's simple aim is to have more attackers than there are defenders, which would allow the capture of the pinned piece. 12 .. J::\d8

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13.E:xd7! E:xd7 14.E:d1 Nimzowitsch called this maneuver an "exchanging combination on the pinning square". This is what he had to say regarding this matter in My System: "Before 13.E:xd7, White had two attackers against two real defenders because the f6-knight is half dead and the queen is too important a piece to do well in a rough-and-tumble involving minor pieces. After 13.E:xd7, White loses an attacking piece, but immediately after that he replaces it with a fresh rook, whereas Black's defensive rook on d8 is irretrievably lost. So White has gained a fighting unit and secured the superiority of numbers in the struggle against the pinned piece." 14 ...Wfe6 Desperation. Black hoped to salvage something in the endgame despite being two pawns down: 15.~xd7t

Also possible was 15.Wfxe6t fxe6 16.~xf6 followed by capturing the rook, but instead Morphy came up with a brilliant combination. 15 ... lLlxd7 Black's knight is still pinned due to the danger of E:d8 mate.

The Philidor

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White to play! - How should he continue? 16.'lWb8t!! Forcibly removing the knight, and mate follows: 16 ... liJxb8 17.:gd8# This famous game is Morphy - Consultants, Paris 1858. The Consultants, the Duke of Brunswick and Count Isouard, did not play especially well, but Morphy put them away in style. After this immortal game, nobody used 3 ... i.g4? in serious competition anymore, even though later analysis showed that Black could have improved with: 6 ... 'lWf6 It is unappetizing to go for a position where you do not have counterplay, and your opponent has the two bishops and the clearly better prospects.

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For example: 7.'lWb3 Avoiding the exchange of queens and putting pressure on b7.

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7 ...i.c5 Counterattacking f2. 8.0-0 i.b6 9.a4 Aiming to dislodge the bishop with a4-a5, renewing the threat to b7. 9 ... a5 1O.lLlc3 lLle7 11.i.e3 A typical move (for either side) in the Open Games. The queen's bishop, having no useful outpost, is considerably less active than the king's bishop, which puts pressure on f2 (or f7 for White). Thus, players aim to get rid of their weaker bishop, not fearing the doubled pawns after ...i.xe3 (or i.xe6) since it would open the f-file for the rook.

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11...0-0 After 11...lLld7 12.:B:adl White keeps a serious advantage. 12.:B:adl First taking control of the open file ... 12 ... lLla6 12 ... i.xe3? is still bad: 13.fxe3 'lMlg6 Now White utilizes the open d- and f-files, and the weakness of the back rank, with 14.i.xf7t! 'lMlxf7 15.'lMlxf7t :B:xf7 16.:B:d8t :B:f8 17.:B:dxf8#. 13.i.xb6 cxb6 14.i.xa6 bxa6 ... and after a series of exchanges the rook can invade the 7th rank: 15.:B:d7! White has a clear advantage, Bernard - Bloemink, Varna 1972.

7.tLlc3 Continuing with development a la Morphy.

7 ... c6 8.i.g5 a5? Unable to find a satisfactory way of mobilizing his forces, Black continues moving only his pawns, allowing White to display the power of his better development. 8 ... f6 was the best try to prevent White's main threat, but even then after 9.i.e3 i.d6 10.0-0-0

'lMlc7 11.'lMlh3! Black is helpless to stop 12.'lMle6.

The Philidor

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9J~dl

The rook tak~s control of the only open file.

9.•.Y!Jc7 What should White play? White has strong pressure on f7, and his rook is itching to invade on d8. Black's queen is overloaded trying to defend both weaknesses, and so, by decoying the queen from her defense of one of these key squares, White manages to breakthrough:

10.Y!Jxf7t! Or 1O.!l:d8t! Y!Jxd8 l1.Y!Jxf7#. 10...Y!Jxf7 lU~d8# 1-0 What we have learned:

.:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:.

Open the position when you have two bishops Methods of utilizing a pin: 1O.ltJxb5! in Morphy's game The power of a preponderance of forces An exchanging combination on a pinning square The mating pattern ig5 and !l:d8 The benefits of ie3 (or ... ie6) in the Open Games A rook has to take control of an open file before invading on the 7th or 8th rank

The Philidor Counterattack We continue our coverage by looking at Philidor's original recipe: after 2 ... d6 attack the center with 3 .. .f5.

1.e4 e5 2.~f3 d6 3.d4! Aiming at f7 with 3.ic4 only works if Black plays a dubious reply:

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a) 3 ... h6? Preventing White from playing ltJg5, but this move is just a waste of time and permits White to reach a better position. 4.ltJc3 White simply continues developing. Now if Black tries to pin the knight after: 4 ...~g4? White clearly has the upper hand, but his next blow is certainly unusual.

5.ltJxe5!! White sacrifices his queen! But the offer should not be accepted. White takes aim at the weakest spot in the Black's position - the f7 pawn. Also, Black's bishop is hanging on g4, so he has a sad choice.

5... ~xdl Better is 5 ... dxe5 but after 6.Wxg4 White gains a pawn and is clearly better. 6.~xf7t rj;;e7 7.ltJd5#

A fantastic mating construction!

The Philidor

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Instead of the helpful 4 ... ig4?, better is 4... ltJc6. Then a possible line runs: 5.d4 ig4 6.dxe5 ltJxe5?? More-sensible was 6 ... dxe5, this is losing to a similar combination to the one above ...

b) All these combinational motifs only worked because of Black's wasteful 3 ... h6? If Black discovered the strongest reply: 3 ... ie6! This would destroy White's aggressive plans. After the bishop trade: 4.ixe6 fxe6 5.d4 exd4 6.ltJxd4 ~d7 Black is fine, with a good pawn formation in the center.

3...f5? This was Philidor's idea. Unfortunately this attempt to wipe out White's center runs foul of the critical move:

4..ic4! White immediately takes aim at the weakened a2-g8 diagonal, and already threatens 5.ltJg5.

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4.exf5 is weak after 4 ... e4! and Black is OK. 5.lLlg5 .ixf5 6 ..ic4 d5 Black closes the diagonal, then plays ... h7-h6 and ... lLlf6. White has no advantage. However 4.dxe5! fxe4 5.lLlg5 d5 6.e6 also leads to an advantage.

4...fxe4 Just for a moment Black's position looks OK, but now comes a thematic blow: 5.~xe5!

This sacrifice helps White keep the initiative, clearing the diagonal for the queen to reach h5 where it can harass the enemy king. Note that there was no time for 5.lLlg5? d5. After the text move Black faces a tough choice - should he accept the knight sacrifice?

5... dxe5 Let's see what happens if Black declines: 5 ... d5 Black tries to prevent an invasion on f7 and shuts out the c4-bishop, but disaster strikes from the other side of the board. 6.'IM'h5t The queen lands on an ideal attacking spot. 6 ... g67.lLlxg6! Thanks to the fact that the h7 -pawn is pinned, White blows up the kingside. 7 ... lLlf6 Black's counterattack is unsuccessful, because of his undeveloped pieces and lack of control of the center. Of course Black cannot capture the knight: 7 ... hxg6 8.'IM'xh8 is winning. 8.'IM'e5t .ie7

9.~b5t!

9.lLlxh8 allows Black to escape dry from the storm after 9 ... dxc4, when the knighr is trapped on h8, and Black plans the counterattacking ... lLlc6.

The Philidor

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The immediate 9.'Wxe7t 'Wxe7 1O.ltJxe7 leads to an endgame with an extra pawn, but White wants more~ 9 ... c6 This takes away the c6-square from Black's knight, and so only now does White initiate exchanges: 10.ltJxe7 'Wxe7 11.'Wxe7t rJdxe7 12.i.e2 Black is a pawn down without any compensation. So declining the sacrifice is no good, but after accepting it the black king will be drowned in the deep end.

6.Wh5t d7 There is no good alternative as 6 ... rJde7leads to an immediate loss after 7.'WxeSt rJdd7 8.'We6# and 6 ... g6 7.'WxeSt picks up the hanging rook on h8.

7.'1Wf5t! It is important to draw the king out to c6, where it will be even more vulnerable to attack.

7••• c68.Wxe5 The rest is very instructive. Black has no way of opposing White's threats.

8 ... a6 Trying to make an escape square for the king. Moving the other pawn does not work: 8 ... b6 9.'Wxe4t cj;Jd6 10.i.f4t rJdd7 11.'We6#. Also hopeless is 8 ... ltJf6 9.'WbSt rJdd6 1O.i.f4t rJde7 11.'WeSt i.e6 12.'Wxe6#.

9.d5t b6 Wandering up the board would not be a good idea: 9 ... rJdcS lO.i.e3t rJdxc4 (or 1O ... cj;Jb4 11.'Wc3t cj;Ja4 12.b3#) 11.'Wxe4t rJdbS 12.ltJc3t rJdaS 13.'Wa4# lo.ie3t

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The game has entered its final phase. Black's king is under heavy fire from White's artillery. 10•••.tc5 Once again the king walk would not end well: 10 .. .'~a5 ll.a3! (threatening 12.b4 and mate!) 1O ... c5 ll.dxc6t 'kt>xc6 I2.ltJc3 (less accurate is I2.Wfxe4t rt;c7 13.i.f4t i.d6) 12 ... ltJf6 13.i.b5t axb5 I4.Wfxb5t 'kt>d6 I5.0-0-0t 'kt>e7 I6.i.c5t 11.,bc5t Everything is forced. Black has no time to bring his queenside pieces into the game, thanks to all the trouble his king is in. White is willing to sacrifice plenry of material to keep the attack going. 11 ••• ~xc5

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12.h4t! Now it's time for White's pawns to play their part in the kill. 12.•. ~xc4 The other way out is: I2 ... 'kt>xb4 I3.ltJd2 Wff6 I4.E1bI t 'kt>c5 (or I4 ... rt;a5 15.Wfxc7t b6 I6.i.e2, clearing c4 for the knight, and mate is coming) I5.Wfxc7t ltJc6 I6.Wfb6t 'kt>d6 I7.ltJxe4t White wins the queen. 13.Wfxe4t ~b5 14.a4t Mate is inevitable. 14.•. ~b6 15.~d4t c5 16.~xc5# 1-0 A picturesque sight! White sacrificed his minor pieces to enable his pawns to weave a mating net around the enemy king! These lines show that the old move 3 ... f5 is not playable. I recommend that the reader studies these variations carefully, because White must play -accurately after sacrificing the piece.

The Philidor

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PhUidor - Hanham Variation overview Apart from exploiting the weakness of fl (as in all the Open Games), another combinational motif characteristic of the Hanham variation is the cramped position of Black's pieces, caused by the moves 2 ... d6 and 3 ... tLld? This can be seen most clearly in the traps awaiting Black.

Game 15 B-Alterman - uturn Internet Chess Club 2005

l.e4 e5 2.'!t~f3 d6 3.d4 ttJd7 This is the Hanham Variation, named after the American player James Moore Hanham. By maintaining his e5-strongpoint, Black prepares to complete his development with ... i.e? and ... tLlgf6. Then, with his solid pawn structure, he hopes for a bright future.

4 ..ic4! From now on Black has to defend very carefully. White's pieces are actively posted and the c4-bishop eyes the traditional weak square on fl. In this popular position Black has a few continuations. The main choices are: a) 4 ... h6, b) 4 ... ttJgf6, c) 4 ....ie7 and d) 4 ... 00.

a) 4... h6? This looks like a loss of tempo. Black is preventing any funny business with tLlg5, but instead runs into other serious problems. By the way, this move was analyzed by Jose Raul Capablanca in his well known Chess Fundamentals, but Capablanca missed White's best line, which we will look at now:

5.dxe5! Opening the position to make use of White's superior development.

5...dxe5 Weaker is 5... tLlxe5? 6.tLlxe5 dxe5. At the moment Black's king covers both his weaknesses: the attack on fl and his queen on d8. This tells us the king is overloaded, and the bishop, imbued

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with courage, runs into the thick of the action: 7.~xf7t! Winning a pawn, since the bishop is taboo because taking it would distract the king from defending the queen. After the text move, at first glance it is not so clear how to take advantage of the time-wasting 4 ... h6. But when we carefully look at the various tactical options, we can see the weakness of the h5-e8 diagonal and that the black queen is protected only by the king. Combining these nuances, White comes up with a nice tactical shot:

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6.hf7t!! White unexpectedly cracks open Black's kingside.

6 ... ~xf7 7.tihe5t The point of the combination! Black cannot capture the knight due to the hanging queen on d8.

7... ~e8? This move loses on the spot. We shall return to this position later. 8.~h5t

This game demonstrates the downsides of 4 ... h6. Due to the weakening of the critical diagonal h5-e8, Black's king falls into a mating net.

8 ... ~e7 9.~g6t 9.Wi'f7t! would be more precise: 9 ... 'kt>d6 lO.tt:.lc4t 'kt>c5 11.Wi'd5t c;t>b4 12.a3t c;t>a4 13.b3#

9 ... ~f6 Or 9 ... 'kt>e6 1O.Wi'f5t 'kt>d6 11.Wi'd5#.

lo.tihh8 1O.Wi'f5# was more to the point!

The Philidor

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10... ~e5 11.i.f4 i.d6 12..txe5t i.xe5 13.~f7t c;t;>g5 14.h4t c;t;>g4 15.~f3# 1-0 Let's go back and consider defenses other than 7 ... '>i?e8. 7 ... '>i?e7? is also losing to 8.ttJg6t, so the best defense is: 7 ... @f6! And now White has a wide choice, but the strongest is: 8.ttJc3!! White switches from "checking mode" to calm development! After this brilliant move Black's position can no longer be saved. Black must accept the sacrifice of the second piece, when his king gets only a one-way ticket. It was possible to go wrong with 8.'Wd4? when after 8 ... c5! 9.ttJxdlt '>i?e7 the black king would run away from the worst of the danger.

8 ... @xe5 Fighting to the bitter end. Instead 8 ...i.b4 is strongly met by 9.'Wd4! when the black king is in a mating net. 9 ... i.xc3t 1O.bxc3 @e6 11.'Wd5t '>i?f6 12.'Wf7t! Bang! Black has to accept the knight, which allows White to develop the bishop with an important tempo and mate becomes inevitable. 12 ... '>i?xe5 13.i.f4t '>i?xe4 14.f3 mate! After the text move the following line is pretty forced: White is going to draw Black's king to the queens ide, where he will meet his death. 9.'Wd5t @f6 10.'Wf5t @e7 11.ttJd5t The knight comes very strongly into play. 1l...@d6 Black could end it all at once with 11...'>i?e8 12.'Wg6#. 12.i.f4t Now it's time for the bishop to get involved; White has three pieces attacking Black's lone king. 12 ... @c6 13.'We6t! i.d6 This is the critical position.


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White to play! - How should he continue the attack? 14.l2Jb4t!! Only this nice move fuels the fire of White's attack. The black king will be attacked (briefly!) by all White's forces. 14 ... \tb6 The alternatives do not help: 14 ... \tc5 15.a4! l2Jgf6 16.i.e3t \txb4 17.'I&b3t \ta5 18.'I&b5# 14 ... \tb5 15.a4t! \ta5 16.'I&c4 c6 17.l2Jd5 and mate is coming. 15.i.xd6 Getting rid of the only defender. 15 ... cxd6 16.'I&xd6t cj;Ja5 The end is near. Sometimes during an attack, after many checks in a row, you reach a moment when only a "quiet" piece improvement will finish the attack successfully. In the current position White has to regroup his forces and control the rest of the squares around the black king. The next move solves the task. 17.l2Jd5! b6 18.c4 White's pawns advance, leaving Black with fewer and fewer options. 18 ... \ta619.'I&c6 The trap is closed! There will be no escape.

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97

The Philidor 19 ... tt:lgf6 20.tt:lb4t 'kfia5 2l.Wb5#

In spite of the fact that all these variations are not easy to remember, I would ask you to study the ideas in this section very carefully. White is doing well, but his early sacrifices mean that he is committed to getting it right, as otherwise the material deficit will tell. The line we have just examined shows once again that to use his positional advantage White has to attack according to Steinitz' positional principle which we studied in the Danish gambit chapter. The next two variations show the importance of having control of the center, since Black finds himself in trouble after just four moves ... b) 4••. ~gf6?

This natural developing move allows White's knight to reach g5 easily, piling the pressure on f7.

5.dxe5! The attack on f7 gains in strength after this capture.

5... ~xe5 This is Black's best chance, as the alternatives fail in a hurry: 5... tt:lxe4? loses to the double attack 6.Wd5. Also weak is 5 ... dxe5 as after 6.tt:lg5 Black has no way to defend f7. For example: 6 ...We7 7.~xf7t 'kfid88.tt:le6t 6.~xe5

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What would you playas White?

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7.i.xf7t! White picks up the pawn with check, converting his positional advantage into a material one. And not 7."WxdBt @xdB B..txf7 when Black regains the pawn after B... tDxe4. After the text move it looks as if the bishop cannot be taken due to the loose queen on dB, but ...

7 ... ~xf7 Anyway!

8."Wxd8 i.b4t The only chance, uncovering a discovered attack on the queen with check.

9."Wd2 White has

to

return the queen for the bishop.

9...i.xd2t 10.~xd2 After a very sharp battle with attacks and counterattacks, with sacrifices and counter sacrifices, we have reached a calmer position, where White has gained a pawn and Black's e5-pawn is isolated and weak. White has a huge advantage, and he can continue with b2-b3, .tb2, f2-f3 and tDc4, to exploit the weakness of e5. c) 4•.•i.e7? Another natural move, preventing tDg5 and preparing ... tDgf6 followed by castling. But look at what happens:

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5.dxe5! It is important to open the d-file for White's queen.

5... ~xe5 Even worse is 5 ... dxe5?? due to 6."Wd5!. It is hard to believe, but Black loses a piece after just five moves! 6 ... tDh6 7 ..txh6 And f7 is still undefended. This nice variation once again emphasizes the importance of controlling the center.

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The Philidor 6.~xe5 dxe5

Black's queen is defended by the bishop and so ixfl will not have the same effect as before, but the exchanges on e5 have created a weakness there which White can exploit:

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7.VNh5! Forking the fl - and e5-pawns. 7 ...g6 8.VNxe5 White is simply a pawn up. We have reached Black's best option: d) 4 ... c6!

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Showing no fear of the formidable bishop at c4, Black calmly completes his main idea - to take control of the most important center squares with his pawns. As a result, Black is planning to continue with his development - 5...ie7 6.dxe5 dxe5 - since the killer 7.VNd5 is no longer possible. Moreover, the aggressive thrust of the knight:

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Can be calmly met by:

5... ~h66.a4 A common pawn move in the Philidor Defense, preventing Black from expanding on the queenside with ... b7-b5. Incidentally, White also sets a hidden trap. The usual move is 6.0-0. This is also venomous, as after the developing 6 ....ie7? (Black once again falls into a trap. Correct is to first ease the congestion by 6 ... tOb6!.) 7.tOe6!! Opening the h5-e8 diagonal that leads right to Black's king. 7 ... fxe6 8 ..ixh6

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Removing the last defender offl. Now Black has three options: 8... gxh6?? loses on the spot to 9.Wfh5t ~f8 10 ..ixe6 and Black is helpless against the dual threats of l1.Wffl and 11.Wfxh6 mate!' 8....if6 9 ..ixe6 Wfe7 1O ..ixd7t .ixd7 11..ie3 And Black has no compensation for the pawn. The best try is 8 ... tOb6, defending e6 while attacking White's bishops. 9 ..ixg7 tOxc4 (or 9 ... l'!g8 1O.Wfh5t ~d7 11..ixe6t! ~c7 [11...~xe6 12.Wff5#] 12 ..ixg8 and wins) 1O ..ixh8 cJJfl Trying to get two bishops for the rook. 11.b3 tOb6 12.f4 Wfxh8 13.Wfh5t White has a strong attack (Kmoch).

6 ....i.e7?? This "plausible" developing move actually cramps Black's queen. Correct is 6 ... exd4! 7.Wfxd4 tOe5! and Black rebuffs White's aggressive intentions. Also possible is to use the free f6-square with 6...Wff6 when the queen escapes from her cramped position and also prepares for possible kings ide operations. For example, the game Leonhardt Nimzowitsch, Hamburg 1911, continued 7.c3 .ie7 8.0-0 tOb6 9 ..ia2 Wfg6.

The Philidor

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7.i.xf7t!! Creating an entry point for the knight on e6.

7... tLlxfi 8.tLle6 %Yb6 8 .. :~a5t loses in similar fashion: 9 ..id2 Wb6 1O.aS Wxb2 11..ic3 WbS and now 12.lL'lc7t.

9.a5! %Yb4t 10.c3 %Yc4 1l.tLlc7t c,t>d8 12.b3 And the queen has no escape squares! 1-0

Game 16 Shredder - Woodpusher Tel Aviv 2004

You probably would not be able to find the following game in any database, since it was played in the Computer World Championship in 2004 where I assisted the Deep Junior program and commented on the games. This particular encounter surprised me not by the result, but by the inevitable and neat realization of White's positional advantage. Even now, using the latest software, I am unable to find any serious improvement of White's powerful and precise play, which is a model for playing against the Hanham Defense.

1.e4 e5 2.tLlf3 d6 3.d4 tLld7 4•.ic4 c6 As explained previously, only this move retains Black's position in the center.

5.0-0 The main move and also the strongest.

5....ie7 Preventing lL'lgS.

6.dxe5!?

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As we have observed so many times before, this intermediate exchange of pawns is a strong prelude to the tactical exploitation of the weakness of f7. Instead, after the standard developing moves 6.tOc3 tOgf6, White plays 7.a4. An important move, preventing Black's queens ide expansion starting with ... b5, which is standard in the Philidor Defense.

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7 ... 0-0 Black has a solid, but slightly passive position. Still, this type of position has been employed by some top grandmasters with Black, such as for example the Ukrainian GM Eljanov.

6... dxe5 6 ... tOxe5? With less space, Black tries to exchange pieces, but this is tactically flawed: 7.tOxe5 dxe5 and White uses the cleared d1-h5 diagonal to spring a double attack S.Wh5! winning a pawn: S... g6 9.Wxe5 Black has no compensation for the lost material.

7. tLl g5! Thanks to this tactical resource, White wins the long-term advantage of the bishop pair. White would not achieve anything special with other moves: 1) 7.c3 tOgf6 S.~xf7t? And this sacrifice fails after S... 'i!fxf7 9.Wb3t cj{eS 1O.tOg5 l"i:fS 11.tOe6

tOc5! 2) 7.tOc3 This slow development allows Black to achieve counterplay on the queenside. 7 ... tOgf6 S.~g5 0-0 9.We2 Wc7 10.l"i:adl tOc5 11.h3? Better is 11.a4!. 11...b5! This is one of Black's main intentions in the Philidor Defense, grabbing more space on the queenside. Suddenly, White's pieces lose their coordination.

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The Philidor

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12.ib3 a5 13.a3? b4 14.axb4 axb4 15.ltJblltJxb3 16.cxb3 ia6 White resigns, AndreLundin - B-Alterman, Internet Chess Club 2004. 3) 7.'We2!? This tricky move was recommended by Bobby Fischer so it deserves to be mentioned. Here we have 3a) and 3b) 7 ... h6!. 7 ... b5 is less attractive: 8.ib3 a6 9.!!dl 'Wc7 1O.ltJg5ltJh6 11.a4! Keeping the tension. 11...ltJc5 12.axb5 White wins the fight for the d5-outpost. 12 ... ltJxb3 13.cxb3 cxb5 14.ltJc3 White was better in Karalkin - Pogosjan, St Petersburg 1998. 3a) 7 ... ltJgf6 8.!!dl Now there is a split between 3al) 8 ... 'Wc7 and 3a2) 8 ... b5: 3al) 8 ...'Wc7 9.ltJg5 Now Black would be in trouble after 9 ... 0-0?:

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10.ixflt! And Black resigned in the famous friendly game Fischer - Fine, New York 1963. The problem is that after 10 ...!!xfl 11.'Wc4 Black cannot save his rook.

lO4


3a2) B... b5 9 ..ib3! (White could continue in gambit style with 9.lLlxe5!? bxc4 10.lLlxc6 Wfc7 11.lLlxe7 mxe7 12.lLlc3 with two pawns and a strong initiative for the sacrificed piece) 9...Wfb6 10.a4 With the better game. 3b) 7 ... h6! Only this move solves the problem. Black stops lLlg5 forever and White can hardly use the extra tempo because of the closed nature of the position. B.E:dl Wfc7 9.a4lLlf8 Also possible is 9 ... lLlgf6 and Black is ready to castle. 1O.b3lLlg6 11..ib2lLlf6 12.lLlbd2 0-0 Black's position even looked slightly better in Kleiman - Panchanathan, Philadelphia 2006.

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7•••.ixg5 Once again defending with the knight is not enough: 7 ... lLlh6?! Black is hit by the same tactical shot: B.lLle6! fxe6 9 ..ixh6lLlb6 The alternatives are even less inspiring: 9 ....if6 10.Wfh5t g6 11.Wfg4lLlc5 12.b4! Black is almost lost. 9 ... 0-0 10.Wfg4 .if6 11 ..ixe6t mhB 12 ..ie3 White was simply a pawn up in Akopian - Radulov, Cannes 1993. 10.Wfh5t mfB Or 10 ... g6 11.Wfe2 lLlxc4 12.Wfxc4 and Black avoids immediate defeat, but will suffer from doubled pawns and a passive light-squared bishop. l1.f4! White's attack is difficult to stop. S.Y!¥h5 Y!¥e7 9.Y!¥xg5 9 ..ixg5 lLlgf6 1O.~e2;j; is another good option. 9...Y!¥xg5 lO •.ixg5 tLlgf6

105

The Philidor

A game between two top grandmasters took a different course: 10 ... ttJc5 II.fJ i.e6 Also trying to get rid of the bishop pair, but not getting the doubled pawns. 12.i.e2 ttJf6 13.ttJd2 ttJfd7 14.b3! This keeps Black under more tension. Anand - Ivanchuk, Monte Carlo 1996, continued 14.ttJc4 f6 15.i.e3 i.xc4 16.i.xc4 me7 and, due to the bishop pair, White was better. 14 .. .f6 15.i.e3 mf7 16.a4 a5 17J::!:fdl White keeps a pleasant advantage, for instance: 17 .. .l::!:hd8 18.i.c4! b6 19.i.xe6t ttJxe6 20.ttJc4 Black is struggling to defend his queens ide.

11.£3 ~b6 11...ttJf8 would not change much after 12.ttJd2 ttJe6 13.i.e3 with a clear edge for White in Givon - Yaacov, Herzliya 2008.

12.i.b30-O?! It was probably not the best idea to remove the king from the center. 12 ...i.e6 could be tried since after 13.i.xe6 fxe6 14.b3 the black king is closer to his weak pawns than if he had castled. But stronger is 13.ttJd2! forcing Black to decide where to move his king. Ifhe castles, then as in the game, White will capture on e6; if Black does not castle, he has to capture on b3. 13 ...i.xb3 14.axb3! Gaining the open a-file. 14 ... ttJfd7 15J::!:fdl With a clear advantage on the queens ide, Hagesaether - Trevelyan, Telford 2005.

13.a4! White gains more space on the queens ide, before moving to take full control over the d-file .

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13 ... J.e6 Black decides to get rid of one of White's powerful bishops at any cost, but the resulting weakness in his pawn structure will paralyze his own pieces.

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14..be6 fxe6 15.tlld2 From here the knight hopes to go to c4, taking aim at Black's weaknesses on d6 and e5, while instead on c3 the knight would lack good prospects.

15 ... a5 Necessary, otherwise after a4-a5 White's knight would become too active on c4.

16.i.e3 Repositioning the bishop to a more useful diagonal where it targets the newly-created weakness along the gl-a7 diagonal.

16 .. JUd8 17JUdl tllfd7 Black will not allow the white knight to reach c4.

18.b3! Having mobilized all its forces, Shredder starts to methodically improve its position, safe in the knowledge that Black will not be able to hold his position together with so many weaknesses. First, a4 is defended and Black's knight is deprived of the c4-square.

18... ~e8 The b6-knight cannot move, since that would allow White's knight to reach c4.

19.tllf1! ~e7 Black's knights are crippled, and his rooks have no targets of attack. 20.~d3

Naturally doubling rooks and seizing the only open file.

20 ... ~f8 21.~adl ~ef7 22.c4 The pieces have done their job; now the pawns too will have a role to play. The-threat is c4-c5, winning a piece.

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The Philidor

22 ... cS 23J:~d6! The weak spot on d6 (the move 4 ... c6 is to blame!) has been captured, and the decisive invasion has begun! Black's material losses are just a matter of time. 23 •. J:~e8 How should White press home his positional advantage?

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24.i.f2!! A dual-purpose move: the only inactive piece, the knight, will begin a long trip from fl-e3-c2a3-b5-c7, and the bishop now has the options of attacking from el, f2, g3 or h4. 24 .. J3ee7 2S.i.h4! Shredder is focused till the end! Instead, after the impatient 25 ..iel lLlc8! and 26 ... b6, Black is still alive. 2S .• J3e8 26.c!Lle3 hS Preventing lLlg4 and .ig3, but the white knight treads along its intended path:

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27.tLlc2 It is clear that Black's pawns will drop like fresh apples. Black's moves in the rest of the game are rather silly-looking, but they show that even a strong computer is unable to find any way to save the game, or even make it look close ...

27.. JlaS 2SJ::1xe6 One down ...

2S.. J::1f4 29 ..ig5 gf'7 30.tLle3 gaf8 31.tLlf5 gbS 32.tLle7t ~h7 33.tLlg6 tLlaS 34.tLlxe5 Two down ...

34... tLlxe5 35.gxe5 b6 36..idS g6 37.ge6 gfb7 8 7 6 5

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3S.e5 ... and the passed pawn starts the victory march.

3S ... gf'7 39.gc6 gg7 40.e6 g5 41.e7 1-0 After playing through this game again and again, it is reminiscent of the brilliant positional technique of Akiba Rubinstein and Anatoly Karpov.

What we have learned: .:. White uses the weakness of the f7-pawn in many situations . •:. The bishop pair in an open position is a potent force which is unpleasant to deal with . •:. Controlling the only open central file could bring many dividends.

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The Philidor

Game 17 B-Alterman - Peacenick Internet Chess Club 2006

1.e4 e5 2.~f3 d6 3.d4 exd4 Obviously 3 ... exd4 is an act of positional capitulation from Black. White gains a clear space advantage after either 4.ttlxd4 or 4.1Mi'xd4. However White has to play carefully to gain an opening advantage.

4.tLJxd4 Also reasonable is 4.1Mi'xd4. White develops his queen and is ready to meet 4 ... ttlc6 with 5.~b5 ~d7 6.~xc6 giving up the two bishops, but after the further 6 ... ~xc6 7.ttlc3 ttlf6 we reach a critical position. White has to choose between 1) 8.0-0 and 2) 8.~g5. 1) 8.0-0

This move keeps only a slight edge for White, but it became famous due to a fancy combination that occurred in the game E.Z. Adams - C. Torre, New Orleans 1920. Some have questioned whether this was a real game or whether it was composed. We shall leave that debate to the historians and instead enjoy the moves: 8 ... ~e7 9.ttld5 ~xd5 1O.exd5 White retains a long-term advantage due to his extra space, and it is not so easy for Black to get rid of White's pressure. The plan is :gel and ~g5 then double rooks on the e-file; Black can only defend. 10 ... 0-0 11.~g5 c6 12.c4 Also possible is 12.dxc6 bxc6 13.c4 with the usual edge. 12 ... cxd5 Later analysis showed that the typical combination 12 ... ttlxd5 does not solve Black's problems: 13.cxd5 ~xg5 14.ttlxg51Mi'xg5 15.dxc6 bxc6 16.1Mi'xd6 It would not be easy for Black to make a draw. 13.cxd5 :ge8 14.:gfel a5?! It was essential to get rid of the pin with 14 ... h6 15.~h4 1Mi'b6! and Black is close to equality. 15.:ge2! White's best chance is to create pressure on the e-file.

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15 ... ~c8 16.~ael Please note how White improves his position step by step. 16 ...§,d7 Now the combination starts. The motif is the weakness of Black's back rank. 17 ..ixf6 .ixf6 Instead 17 ... gxf6 would not help after 18.§'f4 planning tLlh4-f5 with a decisive advantage. White to move! How can he use the weakness of Black's back rank?

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18.§'g4! §'b5 Black's queen is overloaded. 18 ...§'xg4 19.~xe8t ~xe8 20.~xe8# 18 ... ~xe2 19.§'xd7 19.§'c4!! Not 19.~xe8t? ~xe8 and the position is quite drawish. Even worse was the blunder 19.a4?? as after 19 ... §'xe2! 20.~xe2 ~cl t 21.tLlel ~xel t 22.~xe1 ~xe 1# the wrong king is mated! 19 ...§'d7 Black has no choice, as 19 ... ~xc4 20.~xe8t and 19 ...§'xc4 20.~xe8t demonstrate. 20.§'c7!! Once again using the same motif. 20 ...§'b521.a4! The point of the combination; White draws the black queen onto the 4th rank. Of course not 21.§'xb7? allowing 21...§'xe2!-+. 21 ...§'xa4 22.~e4!! The rook leaves the exposed e2-square, and now Black is doomed. 22 ...§'b5 The alternatives 22 ... ~xc7 23.~xe8t and 22 ... ~xe4 23.§'xc8t hammer home the back rank theme. 23.§'xb7! The final shot. Black resigned (allegedly) due to 23 ... §'xb7 24.~xe8t ~xe8 25.~xe8#. 1-0

111

The Philidor

2) B.i.gS i.e7 9.0-0-0 0-0 1O.l:%he1 White gains a strong grip on the center. Despite Black's two bishops, there is no clear way for him to get rid of White's space advantage. White plans a kingside attack with h2-h3 and g2-g4. A good move in the near future would be the prophylactic @b1 to avoid any checks along the c1-h6 diagonal.

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4 ... li)f6 5.li)c3 i.e7 The most natural way. Against the old fianchetto plan 5... g6, White simply plays a la Fischer: 6.i.e3 i.g7 7.'IWd2 0-0 B.O-O-O! l:%eB 9.f3 Keeping the better game. Thanks to White's easy piece development and space advantage, Black can hardly organize effective counterplay.

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9... a6 10.h4 bS 11.i.g5 (Or the immediate 11.h5!? lOxhS 12.g4 lOg3 13.l:%h3 lOxfl 14.l:%xfl cS IS.lOb3 b4 I6.lOd5 lOd7 I7.i.h6 i.hB IB.l:%fhI with enormous compensation, Acs - Biro, Budapest 199B.) 11...i.b7 I2.hS lObd7 13.hxg6 White has unpleasant threats on the kingside.

6.g3


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Of course White has various other possibilities, but we shall concentrate on 6.g3 and see what it can teach us. White intends to seize control of the e4- and d5-squares, avoiding the ... d6-d5 break. The bishop will also be useful on g2 to protect its king, especially later when White's kingside pawns roll up the board, pushing Black's minor pieces into passivity.

6 ... 0-0 At GM level the critical move is considered to be 6 ... d5, getting in the break before White clamps down on it. A complete theoretical survey is not my intention, so I shall just give a few pointers. 7.e5 tLlg4 (After 7 ... tLle4 8.tLlxe4 dxe4 Black's e-pawn looks weaker than White's. Then an interesting tactical option is 9.e6!?, for example 9 ... fxe6 1O ..tc4 and Black's extra pawn will not last.) 8 ..tg2 White does not need to defend his pawn. 8 ... tLlxe5 (or 8 ... 0-0 9.f4 c5 10.tLlde2 d4 11.tLld5 and White was better in Anand - Morovic Fernandez, Santiago [rapid] 2009) 9."We2! There is no rush to regain the pawn. 9 ... tLlec6 (after 9 ... tLlbc6 1O.tLlxc6 tLlxc6 11.tLlxd5 White has a pleasant initiative) 10 ..te3 White calmly develops and secures an edge. Black's extra pawn is sure to drop off in the next couple of moves, when White will be forcing the pace in a symmetrical position. Win some, draw some ...

7 ..ig2.ig4 The standard alternative is: 7 ....td7 8.h3 A necessary prelude to a kingside expansion starting with g3-g4, and also to disallow ... tLlg4. 8 ... tLlc6 9.tLlde2 Avoiding exchanges as White has more space, and also because this knight can be aggressively reposted on the kingside after g3-g4 and tLlg3. 9 .. J'3:e8 10.0-0 .tf8 11.g4! This leads to a clear positional advantage for White. 11...tLlb4 12.tLlg3 .tc6 Black managed to free d7 for his f6-knight, but after: l3.a3 tLla6 14.b4!

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Black is cramped. White's domination was soon decisive in Gelfand - Beim, Odessa 2008.

8.£3 .ih5?! Now the bishop gets stranded on the kingside. Better is 8 ....td7 with play similar to Gelfand - Beim above.

9.0-0 ti:'Jbd7 10.ti:'Jf5 ge8 11.J.e3

The Philidor

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Continuing development. The opening has concluded in White's favor: he has more space, controls 75% of the center (d5, d4, e4), and has a strongly posted knight on 5. Black's minor pieces lack outposts and his light-squared bishop is misplaced. It is clear that Black still has a long way to go to solve his problems.

11. ..i.f8 12.g4 Grabbing even more space.

12...i.g6 13.ttlg3 Avoiding exchanges since White has more space. The misplaced g6-bishop also faces the prospect of f4-f5.

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13 ... ttle5 14.~e2 Preventing ... lDc4 ideas and connecting the rooks.

14... c615J3adl White simply centralizes his forces, but 15.g5 lDh5 16.f4 was also very strong.

15 ...~c7 16.~hl ttlfd7?? With a space disadvantage it is easy to lose your pieces since they are stepping on each other's toes.

17.f4! Black's centralized knight is trapped.

17... ttlxg4 18.~xg4 ttlf6 19.~f3 1-0 What we have learned: .:. When you have a space advantage - avoid exchanges . •:. Pushing your pawns (at the right moment!) will increase your space advantage and cramp your opponent pieces.

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Game 18 Ionov - Yandemirov Russian Championship 1994

1.e4 e5 2.tLlf3 d6 3.d4 tLlf6 A patent of Aeon Nimzowitsch. By counterattacking against the e4-pawn Black plans to rapidly finish his kingside development.

4.dxe5! The text move punishes Black's move order. Instead White can allow Black to reach the standard lines of Hanham's Defense with: 4.lZk3 lLlbd7 5 ..ic4 (Recently Grandmaster Alexey Shirov has employed a pawn sacrifice with 5.g4!? which leads to a sharp and interesting game.) 5 ....ie7 Black is completing his development and avoiding immediate danger. If White attempts to catch a big fish immediately then it will backfire: 6.lLlg5?! 0-0 7 ..ixf7t E:xf7 B.lLle6 WleB 9.lLlxc7 'WdB 1O.lLlxaB (Note that 1O.lLle6? is not a repetition, as with the c7-pawn gone, Black can win with either 10 ...Wlb6 or 10 ...Wla5.) 1O ... b5! This leads to a messy position, where Black's first idea is ....ib7. 11.dxe5 lLlxe5 White has a temporary material advantage, but Black's initiative is a much more significant factor. 12.f4 (12.lLlxb5 Wla5t 13.lLlc3 lLlxe4 is also better for Black.) 12 ... .ig4 13.Wld2lLlc4 14.Wld3 WlxaB Black's pieces are very active, Herzog - Bezold, Austria 2000.

4... tLlxe4 5.~d5! This energetic move keeps the better game for White. Instead after the natural 5..ic4 c6! 6.lLlbd2lLlxd2 7 ..ixd2 d5 B..id3 .ie7 White is only slightly better.

5... tLlc5 Instead 5 ... f5 weakens Black's position too much, and after 6 ..ic4! Wle7 7.0-0! White is much better.

6.J.g5 J.e7 It is also not so simple for Black after 6...Wld7, as following 7.exd6 .ixd6 B.lLlc3 0-0 9.0-0-0 lLlc6 10.lLlb5! White was definitely better in Tiviakov - Barbero, Imperia 1993.

7.exd6 ~xd6 8.tLlc3 tLle6 Trading queens with B...Wlxd5 9.lLlxd5 .id6 10.0-0-0 led to the better game for White in J. Howell- Tepper, Pardubice 1994.

9..ixe7 ~xe7 10.0-0-0 White has the better development and more space; Black has difficulties bringing his bishop into the game.

10... tLlc6 11.~e4! Freeing the d5-square for the c3-knight.

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The Philidor

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Development! Black has to spend more time moving his strongest piece, so White is gaining more tempos.

12... 0-0 13.~d5 Y:Vc5 14.Y:Vh4 Keeping an eye on the kingside.

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Centralization! Black's bishop is still stuck on c8, so White is dominating.

15 ... b5 16.~b3 ~b7?? Black has finally completed his development, but this move leads to an immediate disaster. White to move! Please find the decisive combination ...

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White to play! - How to execute the attack?

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Or 17 ... fxe6 IB.lt:lg5 exd5 (lB ... h610ses to 19.1t:lxe6 Wd6 20.lt:lxdB) 19.Wxh7t \t>fB 20.lt:le6t with a winning fork.

18.tt)g5 h6 19J:hh6!

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The black king cannot survive against the mating threats, therefore Black resigned. A couple of possible lines are: 19 ... gxh6 20.Wxh6 and now 20 ...WfB 21.lt:lf6# or 20 .. .!M6 21.Wh7t \tJfB 22.Wxf7#. 1-0

Conclusion In the Philidor Defense Black often intends to support his e-pawn to retain a presence in the center, but the position of his minor pieces remains passive. In the 3 ... exd4 lines White automatically gains space and accurate play will translate this into a lasting edge. In general, although White has slightly better chances, Black's position is rather solid. Such an approach with Black evidently will not appeal to players who have a sharp, attacking style. Black also has to play extremely carefully in the opening stage to avoid immediate disasters, and especially watch our for tactics on the f7-square.

Chapter4 The Cochrane Gatnbit 7 6

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Introduction In this chapter we will study how to: .:. Surprise the opponent with a unique piece sacrifice .:. Use your pawn center .:. Exploit the vulnerable position of the opponent's king .:. Attack the Petroff Defense

l.e4 e5 2.lLlf3 lLlf6 Black meets the threat to his e-pawn with a counterattack on White's e4-pawn. In the 19th century the strong Russian player Alexander Petroff analyzed this move in depth, so it is appropriate that the opening is named after him. In fact, in many countries the Petroff is known as the Russian Defense. Today, the Petroff Defense is highly respected as a sound opening that gives Black excellent chances of equalizing. Vladimir Kramnik, Viswanathan Anand, Boris Gelfand and Michael Adams are just a few of the top grandmasters who occasionally rely on the Petroff. Its popularity can be attributed to the great difficulties White faces in trying to force an advantage. The main idea is that after:

3.lLlxe5 Black avoids 3 ... lLlxe4? 4.'1Mfe2 when the ugly trap 4 ... lLlf6?? 5.lLlc6t, winning Black's queen, has ensnared many victims. The right way is the intermediate move:

3 ... d6! Sending White's knight away before capturing on e4. In fact 3 ... d6 is the move that Alexander Petroff really developed rather than the previous 2 ... lLlf6. Normal now is 4.lLlf3 but White does have an alternative. In the 1840s the Scottish player John Cochrane decided he did not want to retreat, so he developed a brilliant idea:

Surprise! So, what does White get in return for sacrificing a piece for just two pawns?

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The Cochrane Gambit

4... c826J::k7t.

25.hd6t And mate follows. 1-0

The Best Target - The King Attacking the king is of course the most popular theme in chess. Let's study a few great miniatures (games that last less than 20 moves). White exploits his better development, the bad position of the black king and pawn-power to demolish Black while we are still in the opening! In the next two games Cochrane faced the same opponent, and swept him aside very energetically.

Game 20 Cochrane - Moheschunder Calcutta 1855

1.e4 e5 2.«!l~f3 ttlfG 3.ttlxe5 d6 4.ttlxf7 @xf7 5 ..ic4t?! .ie6 6.he6t @xe6 7.0-0 g6 8.d4 .ig7 9.c4 ~f8? This tempo loss is the decisive mistake; Black had to move his king out of the center with

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The Cochrane Gambit

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10.eS! The king is-the best target. By opening the central files White creates decisive threats_ Now Black loses without a fight. 10•.. dxeS H.dxeS c!Llfd7? 12.~dSt q;e7 13.i.gSt q;e8 14.~e6t Mate is inevitable, so Black resigned. 1-0 Let's see one more example from the same players:

Game 21 Cochrane - Moheschunder Calcutta 1855

l.e4 eS 2.c!Llf3 c!Llf6 3.c!LlxeS d6 4.c!Llxf7 q;xf7 S.i.c4t?! i.e6 6.i.xe6t q;xe6 7.0-0 c!Llc6 8.d4 q;f7 9.c!Llc3 g6 Right now White does not seem to have any clear threats, however... 10.f4 i.g7 H.dS! Now White's attack develops easily, as the black pieces are pushed around by the pawns. 11...c!Llb4 12.eS c!Lle8 White's pawn storm has already brought many dividends. Cochrane can choose from several good options, and once again he goes with the most direct:

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13.f5! gxf5 14.~hSt q;g8 IS.~xf5 ~e7? A blunder, but even after the better 15 ... h6 White replies 16J:l:f4 and the game is impossible to save. 16.i.gS Both the queen and king cannot be saved, Black resigned. 1-0

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Game 22 Galyas - Pasztor Hungary 1999

l.e4 e5 2.~f3 ~f6 3.~xe5 d6 4.~xf7 c.i?xf7 5.d4! The modern way of playing, aiming to create a broad pawn center (d4, e4, f4).

5... g6 Blocking the h5-e8 diagonal leading to his king, and aiming to complete kingside development with ....ig7, ... ~f8 and then ... \!,lg8. Once again Black cannot capture White's e4-pawn. Why not? 5 ... lLlxe4? Black's knight will be hanging and White easily exploits this factor. 6.Wh5t! A typical move to consider when playing against an exposed king. There are four replies to consider, but White is winning in all cases: 6 ... \!,lg8 7.Wd5t .ie6 8.Wxe6# 6 ... \!,le7 7.We2 d5 8 ..ig5t! Black loses his queen. 6 ... \!,lf6 7.Wh4t Not only attacking the e4-knight, but also skewering Black's queen on d8. In fact it was later found that 7.lLlc3! is even stronger: 7 ... lLlxc3 8 ..ig5t and the queen is gone. 6 ... g6 7.Wd5t With this double attack, White regains his piece and remains a pawn up.

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7.i.c4t Developing with tempo and forcing Black to spend even more time evacuating his king, which will be drawn closer to the center.

7...i.e6 Virtually forced. With White's knight already on c3, 7 ... d5 is no good, since after 8.lLlxd5 White already has three pawns for a piece, while Black's problems are still unsolved.

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The Cochrane Gambit

8.ixe6t ~xe6 9.0-0 Having castled and developed his kingside, White is ready for a pawn storm.

9 ... ~f710.f4 Only now does Black realize that his original plan with 10 .. J%e8 (see the next game) is not realistic and so he decided to try to challenge White in the center:

10... d5? H.e5! Improving the position of the pawns as Philidor taught. White gains space, ejecting the knight from its central post, and the pawn chain locks Black's bishop out of the game. The threat of f4-f5 is also in the air. Evidently, White's central pawns are starting to give Black headaches.

H ... tLle412.£5! White launches his attack on Black's fianchetto position.

12... tLlxc3 13.bxc3 tLlc6 Black has managed to complete his development, but his king is still in a precarious state. 14.~a

Piling on the pressure down the f-file; White already threatens 15.fxg6 with a decisive attack.

14.. J~e8 Black is ready to sacrifice some material to allow his king to make a run for it.

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White finds a new target (h7), and sees no need to give up his pawn center. However, the direct 15.fxg6t mg8 16.~f7t mh8 17.ih6! l::i:g8 18.gxh7 was also winning.

15 ...gxf5 16.~xh7 tLle7 17.1g5! Pinning Black's last defender, while also continuing to develop.

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17•• J~h8 No better is 17 ... ~d7 IB ..ixe7 ~xe7 19.~xf5t meB 20.~gBt .ifB 21.~xf8#. 18.~xf5t

Black resigned as after 18 ... me6 (or IB ... lt:lxf5 19.~xf5t when White's queen gets away with check, while Black's queen is dropping) 19.~xg7 mxf5 20.~f6t mate is coming soon. For example, 20 ... me4 21.~f3# or 20 ... mg4 21.h3t mh5 22.g4#. Black's position was wrecked after just one mistake: 1O ... d5? What we have learned: .:. Black has great difficulties completing his development . •:. It is difficult for Black to destroy White's pawn center. •:. In the Cochrane Gambit, White's light-squared bishop is extremely strong, thus the best reply to .ic4 t is ....ie6 . •:. White's main plan is to move his d-, e- and f-pawns forward, building a massive pawn center. By doing so, he takes control of the most important central squares, gains space and his pawns also restrict the enemy pieces . •:. Then White will push his e- and f-pawns to open up the position. Black's weakened kingside and the exposed position of his king enables White to mount a ferocious attack by opening lines there.

Game 23 Roman - Moulain Paris 1989

l.e4 e5 2.c~~f3 tClf6 3.tClxe5 d6 4.tClxf7 @xf7 5.d4 g6 6.tClc3 .ig7 7.i.c4t i.e6 8.,ixe6t @xe6 9.0-0 @f7 1O.f4 The same position as in the previous game, but now we vary. 10•.• ~e8 This plan looks a bit better then 1O ... d5? but White's pawn center is still fearsome.

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The Cochrane Gambit

The pawn armada is set in motion, conquering more territory and preventing Black's minor pieces from oc.cupying central positions.

11...ttlfd7 Black must avoid 11...dxe5 12.fXe5+- which opens the f-file with decisive effect, as White regains the piece due to the pin. 12.£5 Another advantage of White's pawn roller is that it can break down the enemy defenses and free the attacking forces behind them.

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Here instead of 15.ltJd5 as playing in the game, right path was: 15.i.h6! White gets rid of the king's only defender. 15 ...i.xh6 16.'<Mfxh6 :8:e7 17.:8:xf5 White's pieces have easily invaded on the opened front. Black's position does not inspire much confidence. 17 ... ltJc6 IB.ltJd5! Black is lost, for example:

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IB .... :8:g7 19.e6ltJfB 20.:8:£7! And mate is coming soon. The knight goes to h5 via f6.

Sample games Black must prepare accurately if he is to be successful in counterattacking White's center.

Game 24 Messinger - Rack Berlin 1989

l.e4 e5 2.h8 13 ..ig5 .ig7 14.e5!. With 12.e5 White blasts open the position, aiming to use the disorganization in Black's camp. Understandably, White does not wish to wait till the enemy king is safe before launching his attack, but this move gives Black the chance to return some material (don't forget he is still a piece ahead) to beat back White's attack and coordinate his forces. 12••• dxe5 13.dxe5 ttld7? But not like this, throwing away a playable game. If he had found the best move Black would have had defensive chances after navigating a minefield - not a pleasant prospect blit nonetheless necessary.

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The Cochrane Gambit

13 ... ~xe5! 14.~d4 ~d6! The only move, as 14 ... ~e6 15.ttJd5! and 14 ... ~a5 15.ttJd5! 1l*'xd5 16.~xf6t are both hopeless. It seems likely that both players had calculated the variation up to here, and considered 14 ...~d6 to be impossible because of the "decisive" move: 15.ttJe4 However Black has a miracle save:

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15 ...~f5! 16.ttJxf6 No better is 16.ttJxd6 ~xd3 or 16.~xf6t ~xf6. 16 ...~xd3 17.ttJe8t ~h6 18.ttJxd6 Even though Black's king looks as though it is caught in a mating net, it is impossible to find the decisive shot after: 18 ...~xfl 19.ttJf7t Wh5 As is often the case in sharp positions, just one slip loses a game. By using his trumps - the passed pawn on e5 and more active pieces, and exploiting Black's weaknesses - c7 and his king - White readies himself for the final combination. What should our first step be?

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14.~d5!

Attacking one target.

14... ~c5 15.ti'd Now threatening the other.

15 ... ~e6 Blockading the passed pawn and preventing the opening of the diagonal leading to Black's king. Instead 15 ... tOa4 16.Wfxc7t Wff7 17.i.h6t wins the queen. 16.~xc7!

The point is not to trade knights, but to allow the passed pawn to be pushed! Black was probably hoping for 16.tOf6 Wfc6 17.Wfxc6 bxc6 18.tOxg8 ~xg8 with a playable position. Although he has two pieces for a rook and two pawns, with a strong knight on e6 and the possibility of ... h5 to block the advance of White's kingside pawns, he can look forward to counterattacking.

16...ti'd7 A more aesthetic finish was 16 ... tOxc7 17.e6 Mate!

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Facing huge material losses, Black soon resigned. Once again, Black was lost in less than 20 moves! Black's king could hardly find a safe place on the board - from f7 it tried to escape from the center by going to g7, but White easily found a way to continue his attack: he opened the center, and finished the game with a nice combination. One player who was ideally suited to playing gambits was International Master Vitolinsh from Riga. Vitolinsh was a close friend of Tal, and one of the greatest attackers of the previous century. His name is connected with many ideas which were used by bold players such as Tal, Shirov and Shabalov. Vitolinsh not only played aggressively, he also had a unique chess style. His games were filled with positional sacrifices and fantastic combinations, reminiscent of the brilliant games of Morphy and Andersson.

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In the next example Vitolinsh teaches us that: .:. •:. •:. •:.

Before looking for an attack we have to complete our development . A strong center will help us to move our pieces to the best outposts . It is necessary to open files when attacking. Passed pawns should be pushed to create lots of tactical opportunities

Game 26 Vitolinsh - Meijers Latvian Championship 1989

l.e4 e5 2.ttle ttlf6 3.ttlxe5 d64.ttlxf7 A natural choice for Vitolinsh, who always tried to develop his own theory and avoided fashionable lines. It would not be surprising then, that this positional piece sacrifice suited his style perfectly.

4... xf7 5.d4 g6 6.ttlc3 g7 Black hopes that his king is safer here than on f7, and plans to develop his kingside with ...il.e7 and ... :9:f8.

7•.te2 Vitolinsh is not going for an immediate break with f2-f4 and e4-e5, but instead he follows a simple strategy to complete his kingside development and castle, before pushing his pawns up the board. Note that after 7.il.c4?! lLlxe4 8.lLlxe4 d5! Black is fine.

7... d5?! Let's see other opportunities:

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7 ... ,ie7?! This is also quite dubious, since after 8.0-0 l':i:e8 9.f4 White gets play similar to that of in the previous game. White destroys Black's kingside, and with his better development, he can launch an attack on the enemy king. Stopping White's attack is extremely difficult, since the kingside is only protected by the g6- and h7-pawns, and once they are gone the kingside is totally exposed. 7 ...We8! 8.Wd3 Today, the critical positions in the Cochrane Gambit arise after Black plays the move ... c7-c5, aiming to destroy White's center and reducing the impact of e4-e5. A prime example is Topalov - Kramnik, Linares 1999, which will be analyzed later.

So it is no surprise that 8 ... c5! deserves serious consideration, trying to dismantle White's center.

8.e5! Avoiding any exchanges and retaining his strong pawn chain in the center.

8... ~e4 9.~xe4 dxe4 10.0-0 Simply finishing his development. In general, do not think about winning material (in this case, the e4-pawn) before completing your own development.

10... ~c6 Black intends to attack White's center with his pieces rather than pawns. 11.i.e3 Again, White plays a developing move - this is clearly better than 11.c3. 11...h5 Continuing in the same vein, aiming to trade off the dark-squared bishops after ... <j;Jh7 and ... ,ih6. This plan, however, is rather time-consuming. The position has become very sharp and the value of each move is extremely high. Vitolinsh decides to open the position and start his operations on the kingside via the f-file.

The Cochrane Gambit

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12.£3! exf3 13.gxf3 i.e6? It was better to play 13 ... ,ig4 immediately. 14.c4 White sets up his central pawn armada with tempo, threatening to smash Black with 15.d5. 14...i.g4 Trying to trade some pieces. 15.gf4.be2? A poor move in a positional sense, as Black had to keep this bishop to protect the kingside: 15 ...,ifS 16.'1Wb3 ~h7 But even here Black's task is not so easy, for instance: 17.gafl.th6 18.l'!xf5! A powerful exchange sacrifice that demolishes Black's kingside. 18 ...,ixe3t 19.'lWxe3 gxf5 20.d5 liJe7 21.,ixh5 With the unpleasant threat ofl'!f3-h3. 16.'lWxe2 In spite of the exchanges, White's initiative has merely increased. The threats are d4-d5 and l'!afl. 16••. ~h717.d5! The pawn is untouchable, and Black's position becomes critical.

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17...'I'e8 Desperation. Black returns the piece, but White's attack continues, and this time with a material advantage to boot ... If 17 ... tLlxe5 IB ..id4 .ig7 (or IB ... tLlg4 19.1'l:f7t \t>gB 20.%Ve6 %Vd6 21.1'l:g7#) 19 ..ixe5 %Ve7 09 ...1'l:eB will be met by 20.1'l:f7) 20.1'l:el Black is lost.

18.meG'I'xe5 19.'I'fl Intending .id4 with an immediate win; Black has to cover the d4-square.

19.. J!:d820.cxb7 Now White has both a positional and a material advantage.

20 ... e5 Preventing .id4. 2IJ~f7t .ig7 22.he5 'l'g5 23 ..id4

When you have such a great material advantage, just trade pieces.

23 .. J~hg8 24..ixg7 gxg7 25.gxg7t i>xg7 8

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White's position is winning, but how can he finish the game immediately?

2G.b8='I'! Highlighting another important principle: passed pawns must be pushed! 26 ... 1'l:xbB 27.%Vxa7t is curtains. 1-0

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The Cochrane Gambit

What we have learned: .:. In the opening, White plays positionally, aiming to complete his development and set up a strong pawn center. Once that is done, he can set his sights on attacking the enemy king . •:. The plan with ... c7-c5, introduced as early as the game Cochrane - Mohishunder, Calcutta 1848, is critical for the Cochrane Gambit . •:.... d6-d5 is not the best option for Black, because it allows e4-e5 when White's center is very strong . •:. When defending, it is useful to eliminate the attacking pieces. But you must also have sufficient defenders left to protect your king. •:. Despite having a piece for two pawns, Black finds it difficult to counter-sacrifice his piece, since his king is still stuck in the center, and doing so would only help open lines that would contribute to his demise . •:. When you have a material advantage, exchange pieces! .:. A passed pawn creates great tactical opportunities! The Cochrane Gambit has many fans around the world, as the following letter I received shows: "Dear Mr. Alterman, Some time ago I enjoyed your three videos on the Cochrane Gambit, and decided to give this gambit a try in a serious tournament game as soon as someone would dare to play the Petroff. It just happened today, July 27, in the last round of the Canadian Open. I thought you would be happy to see the score of my very first game with this gambit.

Game 27 Louis Morin - Alex Ferreira Canadian Open 2008

1.e4 e5 2.ru 15.WfBt! and the d5-knight is gone.

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15.dxc5! Pins and wins the knight since the black queen is not protected anymore. I give the remaining moves only to show that I did not waste this opportunity.

15••• tLlc6 16.Wfxd5t Wfxd5 17.tLlxd5 tLlxe5 18.b3 tLlg4 19.J.d4 And White won easily. "Should you like this example, please feel free to use it in future videos or chess lessons. With all my thanks, Louis Morin, Montreal Canada"

The Power of the Pawns In the opening we always try to take control of the center. The simplest way is to march our pawns to e4 and d4, as together the pawns control a lot of territory and would allow our pieces to reach good positions behind the pawn chain. A strong pawn center will often allow us to start action on either side of the board. However if we bring even more than rwo central pawns to the 4th rank we may already create a strong pawn mass which takes most of the squares under control and prevents the opponent's pieces from reaching the center. If this armada reaches the 5th rank then we can conclude that the pawns are dominating the whole board.

Game 28 Kersten - Lerch Germany 1989

1.e4 e5 2.tLl£3 tLlfG 3.tLlxe5 d6 4.tLlxf7 rJlxf7 5.d4 c6 6.J.d3 J.g4 7.£3 J.e6 8.0-0 J.e7 9.f4 rJlg8

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The Cochrane Gambit

In the opening Black decides to move the king from the center, but as usually happen in such a situation, by solving one problem Black faces another one - White's pawns gradually roll straight through the middle of the board.

10.ti)d2 ti)bd7 1l.h3 c5 12.d5 i.f7 13.c4 a6 14.ti)a h6 15.e5! Black has just completed his development, but White's pawns are already exploding into his territory!

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15...dxe5 16.fxe5 ti)xd5 Sad, but Black had no choice.

17.cxd5 Ld5 18.i.e3 La?? Black was trying to exchange White's dominating pieces, but this is a fatal mistake. Why?

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19.~b3t

This simple intermediate move underlines that the black king is still vulnerable. After 19 .. .'it)f8 White's rook joins the attack with decisive effect. I called the winning move simple, and

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so it is, but how many club players would have recaptured on f3 automatically? I fear there would be more than a few. Remember - always think before making an "obvious" recapture.

1-0

Game 29 Savko - Silva European Junior Championship U-20, 1993

l.e4 e5 2.~f3 ~f6 3.~xe5 d6 4.~xf'7 i>xf'7 5.d4 fie7 6.~c3 ge8 7.fic4t i>f8 8.0-0 ~c6 9.fie3 A typical situation; White has just protected his center, finished his development and is now ready to push his f-pawn. The exposed position of Black's king and the lack of a good square for his light-squared bishop forces Black to spend more time.

9...fig4 10.f3 fih5 1l.g4 fif7 12.hf7 i>xf'7 B.g5 ~d7 The mighty pawns are ready to smash the kingside; Black's position is hopeless.

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14.f4! i>g8 15.~g4 ~b6 16.f5 ~c4 17.f6! If Black takes the bishop with 17 ... ~xe3 then 18.~e6t forces mate in a few moves.

17... i>h818.g6 The mate is inevitable, so Black resigned. 1-0 There are many famous chess games that demonstrate the power of the pawns. For example, in 2000 I played a remarkable game against the computer program Deep Fritz that reached the following historic position, which has come to be known as the ''Alterman Wall":

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The Cochrane Gambit

Game 30 Alterman - Fritz Internet 2000

1.f4 d5 2.tLla tLlf6 3.e3 g6 4 ..ie2 .ig7 5.d4 0-0 6.d .if5 7.tLlbd2 e6 S.h3 tLle4 9.g4 tLlg3 10.~gl tLlxe2 11.c;t>xe2.ie4 12.tLlg5 tLla6 13.b4 c6 14..ib2 Y!!e7 15.tLldxe4 dxe4 16.tLlxe4 ~adS 17.Y!!b3 Y!!h4 lS.~hl ~feS 19.~agl f6 20.tLld2 tLlc7 21.tLla Y!!h6 22.h4 ~f8 23 ..ic1 ~deS 24.a4 tLld5 25.c4 tLlb6 26.e4!

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A picturesque and unprecedented position where all White's pawns are on the fourth rank! This illustrates White's complete domination. Interestingly, I didn't notice this curiosity during the game!

26... f5 27.g5 Y!!h5 The black pieces are completely offside. 2S.e5 ~f7 29 ..ie3 ~d7 30.c;t>fl ~edS 31.~dl tLlaS 32.b5.if8 33.a5 .ie7 34.b6 axb6 35.axb6 c;t>g7 36.c5!

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142

Black is completely frozen! I won this game after the computer struggled on for another 50 moves. After Cochrane introduced his piece sacrifice, it was played occasionally. Its surge in popularity only began in the 1990s, when players decided to take a closer look at Cochrane's ancient idea. The next game shows a lot of ideas that are fundamental to the Cochrane Gambit. White's main ideas are to rapidly complete development, seize a space advantage by pushing his d-, e- and f-pawns, forming a strong pawn center. By doing so, White takes control of the most important central squares, when the powerful pawns restrict the enemy pieces. Finally, the pawns will help White organize a decisive attack against the black king. In the next game White followed this standard plan and created a strong pawn armada which proved unstoppable. Playing through such a game provides enormous aesthetic pleasure. White's play was exceptionally logical, and as simple as it was inevitable. I am sure both Philidor and Cochrane would have been very happy to see this performance.

Game 31 Nalbandian - Perl Batumi 2003

1.e4 e5 2.~f3 ~f6 3.~xe5 d6 4.~xf7 ~xf7 5.d4 i.e7 Perhaps this is a more forthright continuation than 5... g6, as in the previous games. Black does not weaken his kingside any further, and is ready to castle artificially with ... E!:f8 and then ... ~g8. 6.~c3

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7.i.c4t Of course, White does not allow the enemy king to get out of trouble so easily.

7....ie6 8..L.:e6t ~xe6 9.£4 The usual 9.0-0 is too slow: 9 ... ~f7 1O.f4 ~g8 and Black managed to "castle".

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The Cochrane Gambit

9... 'i!lf7 10.'~f3 Putting pressure down the long diagonal and the f-file; White threatens 11.e5.

10 ... c6 11.J.e3 'i!lg8 8 7 6

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12.g4! Another pawn comes into the attack, but White has not yet disclosed his plans. He could castle either side (though queens ide seems more probable), and he can conduct his pawn storm on the kingside in various ways - the plan with h4, g5, f5, and e5 merely being one of them. It is clear that Black has an unpleasant position. Even with an extra piece, he has no counterplay. While it would be easy to recommend the calm 12 ... %Va5 or 12 ... ttJbd7, Perl noted that his minor pieces do not have any good outposts, and White's pawns look very threatening. Thus, after long consideration, Black decided to sacrifice a pawn and exchange queens, avoiding White's kingside attack:

12 ... d5 13.e5 ~e4 14.~xe4 dxe4 15.'~xe4 Y;Yd5 16.Y;Yxd5t cxd5 All forced. Usually three pawns are better than a piece in the endgame, however there are still many pieces on the board and Nalbandian starts improving his position step by step.

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17.£5! An important move, avoiding a potential blockade of White's pawns after ... g7-g6. 17... cl[jc6 Now 17... g6 would be met by 18.f6!. 18.c.be2 The best place for White's king is in the center, where it can support his pawns. 18 ... cl[ja5 19.9af1 White's play is on the kingside where he has a pawn majority, while Black has to seek counterplay on the queenside. 19 ... cl[jc4

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2o.Ac1 The correct strategy, covering his weak spot on the queens ide while not creating any weaknesses there for Black to exploit. Since the bishop is a long-range piece, it still keeps an eye on the kingside, where White prepares the h4, g5 and f6 pawn-avalanche - yes, even in the endgame!

20... gac8 21.c3 It was better to avoid Black's only counterplay on the queenside with 21.~d3!, keeping all the pawns on the second rank. 21. .. gc6?! Aiming to force a weakening on the queenside with ... ga6 and then ... ~b6, when Black would have a target to attack. This plan, however, is rather slow. Black had to follow the standard recipe of playing against the pawn chain - 21...b5!? 22.g5 b4 - of attacking the base, which is the c3pawn. This plan would have also aimed to open lines on the queens ide in search of counterplay. 22.g5 ge8

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The Cochrane Gambit

Preventing f5-f6. Instead 22 ... :ga6 does not change anything after 23.a3 :ge8 24.d3 and White continues with his plan of pushing his kingside pawns. 23.:ga But not 23.f6? gxf6 24.gxf6 .ixf6! and the e5-pawn is pinned. 23 ...~d8 24.h4! Another soldier enters the battle. The position is unbelievable - White has 8 pawns against Black's 5, and Black simply cannot move!

24... lLld6?! Taking the knight back to the center to put pressure on White's pawns, but this makes Black's defense more difficult. Black had to continue his counterplay with 24 ...:ga6! 25.a3 :gb6 26.b4. Finally, Black has managed to fix the queenside pawns. Now 26 ... a5! opens up the position on the queenside. Although White has a clear advantage, the game has become sharper, and White would have to play very precisely to make his advantage count.

25.£6!

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The decisive breakthrough.

25 ...gxf6 The centralizing 25 ... lLle4?? drops a rook to 26.f7t. 25 ... lLlf7 is more problematic, but after the accurate 26.dl! .ib6 27.h5! White's pawns should have the last word.

26.gxf6lLlti Trying to sacrifice on e5.

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27J~gl t h8 28.d3 Once again, avoiding any counterplay.

28 •• J~~g8 Black can try other moves, but no defense will hold. For example: 28 ... lL\xe5t 29.dxe5 ~xe5 30.0 with mate to follow. Or 28 ... ~xe5 29.dxe5 lL\xe5t 30.@c2 lL\xf3 31.0! and White wins due to the dual threats of 3l.f8=W' and 31.~g8. 29.~fg3

gxg3t 30.gxg3

White wins control of the only open file, ready to invade on the 7th and 8th ranks.

30...i.b6? It was more stubborn to give up a piece for two pawns with 30 ...i.xf6 31.exf6 ~xf6 when White still needs to display some endgame technique to win: 32.~e3! Taking another open file under control. 32 ... lL\d6 33.~e7 Invading. 33 ... ~0 34.~e6 And White should realize his material and positional advantage.

31.gg7 ttld8 32.ge7 Black resigned, since there is no way to stop the threat of i.h6, f6-0 followed by ~e8. Once again, White used all the ideas developed by John Cochrane.

1-0 What we have learned: .:. A strong center secures a space advantage and permits you to push pawns into the attack. .:. When advancing a pawn majority, make sure you don't allow the opponent to blockade it

07.f5!) . •:. In the midst of building your attack, remember to keep an eye on your opponent's counterplay and avoid his threats . •:. And the converse point of view: When you are defending, searching for ways of gaining counterplay is more unpleasant for your opponent than when you adopt passive defense.

Theoretical Overview In Linares 1999, for the first time in chess history, the Cochrane Gambit was successfully utilized in a top-level tournament - and Kramnik, as Black, perhaps needed a little luck to escape from an unpleasant situation. Veselin Topalov used our 19th century bombshell against Vladimir Kramnik in the latter's favorite Petroff Defense. In this game I will also explain the main ideas from Black's side and will give you a theoretical overview of the Cochrane Gambit.

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The Cochrane Gambit

Game 32 Topalov - Kramnik Linares 1999

1.e4 e5 2.~f3 ~f6 3.~xe5 d6 Instead of the normaI4.ttJf3, Topalov went for the bold and aggressive: 4.~xf7

Perhaps a psychological choice from Topalov: Kramnik, one of the best players in the world, now has an extra piece after just 4 moves. But as compensation, Topalov will have Strong pawns in the center, and Kramnik's king will constantly be under fire. The line suits Topalov, as he is very sharp and creative, and is better at attacking than defending (of course the latter point is true for most players). Kramnik probably had to start finding the best moves over-the-board, because I do not believe Vladimir had ever seriously analyzed 4.ttJxf7.

4... ~xf7 5.~c3!? Topalov plays a rare move, instead of the normal5.d4 which can be met by 5 ... c5!. This is best according to theory, immediately attacking White's center. The point is that after 6.dxc5 Black is not going to recapture the pawn, since the queen is hanging, but is instead going to develop with 6 ... ttJc6!. Black follows the classical rule which states that developing pieces is more important than material. Now White has a decision to make.

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Poor is 7.cxd6 j,xd6 when White loses all his initiative. Black is ready to bring his rook to e8, and the rest of his pieces are all very active. White's pawns are not so dangerous. White has three pawns for a piece, but in spite of that, Black's position is clearly better. This is a very sensible way for Black to play against the Cochrane Gambit. Of course, White does not allow that, and theory recommends: 7.j,c4t j,e6 8.j,xe6t 'kt>xe6 9.0-0 Wf7 10.Wi'e2 With similar ideas to the original game.

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5 ... c5! Challenging for the d4-square. Kramnik knows that if he allows White to play d2-d4, then after a later £1-f4 and ~d3 or ~c4, White would develop a serious initiative. Thus 5 ... c5 is positionally more or less forced.

6 ..tc4t Thanks to this check, White does not lose any time. Also interesting was 6.f4, trying to break up Black's position with e4-e5, but White's c1-bishop is not in the game. Even so, after 6 ... lLlc6 7.~c4t ~e6 8.~xe6t i>xe6 9.0-0 White keeps some compensation.

6 ....te6 Eliminating White's powerful bishop. 6 ... i>e8 only helps White, as after 7.0-0 he intends f2-f4 and e4-e5. Don't forget that Black's king cannot castle, and it is extremely difficult to complete development with a centralized monarch. Even if the bishop goes to e7, then what about the rook on h8? It is also not so easy to bring the a8-rook into the game. White has, at the very least, full compensation for his material deficit.

7 ..txe6t ~xe6 Black's most important piece is dragged closer to the center - this would be a fine thing for a knight, but not so much fun for a king.

8.d4 Clearing the c1-h6 diagonal for the c1-bishop and also opening the center to exploit the shaky position of Black's king. Kramnik has a difficult choice.

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The Cochrane Gambit

8 ... i>f7! After serious consideration, Kramnik preferred to allow White to win the c5-pawn. Less clear is 8 ... cxd4 9.'lMfxd4 lLlc6 1O.'lMfc4t. White's attack continues, while Black's king cannot find a safe place on the board. White is planning to develop his bishop, followed by 0-0-0, then attacking the d6-pawn, which is the only shelter for Black's king. Then E!:hel and White intends to play e4-e5 later. This is extremely unpleasant for Black, despite White having just two pawns for a piece. Let's see a couple of possible lines: 10 ... d5? loses to 11.exd5t lLlxd5 12.0-0L This move is even stronger then 12.'lMfe4t winning a piece back. Now Black's position is a complete disaster: rooks are coming to the center, the bishop is going to be developed very soon. There is no hope. 10 ... ~d7 11.if4 'lMfa5

8.1 m ~ ~ ~~ 7 ~t~:~';"'~_'.~

"'~_'"~ ~.""~_ ~~~~""~~/""''';~ ~

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t~

'''''/.~ ~~ ~~7~~~ ~

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~~r~""';~ ~~r~~~r~ 8w~8~ w~8w[!j

~""/.~ ~~""/.~ '~ 6 abc

d

e

f g h Sarunas Sui skis is a Lithuanian grandmaster who plays the Cochrane Gambit quite often, and considers it to be a serious and correct opening line. In a rapid game versus Mikhail Rytshagov in Estonia in 2004 he tried 12.0-0-0 E!:e8 13.cjjb1 but after 13 ... cjjc8! Black had solved his problems.

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But White can do better: 12.~f7t! This improves on Sulskis's move. Black has two plausible replies: 12 ....ie7 13.0-0-0 ttJe8 14J'!d5! White has a significant initiative. 12 ... ~c8 Now the a8-rook is trapped out of the game. One possible continuation is 13.0-0-0 ~c7 14.~e6t ~d7 15.~c4 a6 16.e5! when Black still has to work hard to avoid being crushed.

9.dxc5 lLlc6 10.Yfe2 Completing development and aiming to go to c4 to harass Black's king. Less attractive is 10.cxd6? .ixd6 when even though White has three pawns for a piece, all Black's pieces come into the game easily. And of course that is not what Topalov is looking for.

10 ...Yfd7 Kramnik follows the rules and develops, waiting for White to capture on d6. After 10 ... dxc5? White can simply continue Il.e5! ttJd4 12.~c4t when Black would have many problems to solve.

1l.Ae3 A funny situation has arisen: both sides are offering a sacrifice, but neither will accept it. White is now ready to castle queens ide, and so Black has to capture. The immediate II.O-O!? was also worth considering.

11...dxc512.£4 White's attack continues. We have a standard situation in the Cochrane Gambit - White is trying to create threats not only with his pieces but also his pawns. Although here we do not have the traditional center, the e4- and f4-pawns are still extremely dangerous. White already intends e4-e5, then ~dI and f4-f5. However, we must be realistic and think why the Cochrane Gambit is rarely seen in grandmaster chess. Objectively, we have to accept the fact that Black has enough resources to defend against White threats, since his pieces are developed and active.

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The Cochrane Gambit

12••. E:e8?! The right move was 12 ...i.e7!. Development is everything, or at least close to it. This would have stopped White's progress. We can consider three possible continuations: 13.E:dl Wi'g4 14.Wi'c4t Wi'e6! Maybe this was the move Kramnik missed, and after 15.Wi'e2 E:hd8 Black is dominating. 13.h3 E:hd8 and Black's king escapes to g8. If White tries 14.e5 then Black replies 14 ... lLld5 15.0-0-0 Wi'e6. 13.f5 E:he8 and it is hard for White to develop an attack.

13.e5! Now White gains an important tempo.

13 ..• ~g4 Kramnik has to play actively; otherwise White would easily achieve f4-f5 with a clear superiority. All the time, Black is trying to exchange pieces to get rid of White's initiative.

14.E:dl Wff5 15.0-0 It's funny (although perhaps not surprising) that two 2700+ players are playing a classical position in the Cochrane Gambit with such great imagination. White is a piece down for 2 pawns, Black's king is in the center. White intends h2-h3 followed by g2-g4, and then to support the e- and f-pawns, making unpleasant threats on Black's kingside. We can see that Black does not have an easy choice in this position, but Kramnik came up with a great solution.

abc 15 ... h5! Fixing White's pawns! The most natural move was 15 ... i.e7:

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16.h3 lLlxe3 17.W'xe3 E:hf8 18.lLle4 ~g8 19.94 and here Black has a strong defensive idea: 19 ... W'e6! 2o.lLlxc5 .ixc5 21.W'xc5 g5!!

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This demolishes White's pawn structure and all that we love about the Cochrane Gambit just disappears. White has to find a better way of keeping the initiative: 16.lLld5! lLlxe3 (not 16 ... E:hf8? 17.lLlxe7 lLlxe7 18 ..ixc5) 17.W'xe3 White keeps strong pressure.

16.J.cl Topalov decides to keep his bishop from being exchanged and now threatens h2-h3 and lLle4g5. The main point is that after 16.h3 lLlxe3 17.W'xe3 White can no longer play g2-g4. Black's rook is also liberated via h6 - it can come to e6. Black's king is quite safe, as it can go to g8, and the fE-bishop is not forced to develop.

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The Cochrane Gambit

16... lild4 Black has tQ start his counterattack. 17.Wfc4t c,t>g6 Black's king is one move away from finding a safe place on h7. White has to find a way to complicate the situation, otherwise Black will play ... ~h7, ... ie7, ... :ghfB and White's compensation would disappear. I believe Topalov spent a long time here, trying to find a way to keep his initiative alive.

18.h3 White needs

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chase the knight away from its dangerous outpost on g4.

18... lilh6 The knight is not so well placed on the side of the board, where it attacks only 4 squares, however it could be very important to keep some control over the f5-square.

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19.1ilb5 For White it is extremely important to get rid of the d4-knight and regain control of the d-file. The attempt to move the bishop back after 19.ie3lLlxc2 2o.if2 lLld4 leads to a similar situation to the game. 19... a6 In classical fashion, Kramnik is trying

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Mter 19 ...Wxc2? it looks like White has to exchange queens, but he has a tactical trick: 20.:gxd4 Removing the defender of Black's queen, while defending White's own queen. White wins a piece. 19 ... lLlxc2 was perhaps the best continuation, after which White has to play 20.Wa4 :ga8 21.e6 lLlb4 22.:gfel with enormous complications.

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20.tLlxd4 cxd4 21.Y*ixd4 Black has a choice, but Kramnik opted for: 21..J~c8

Preparing to bring his bishop to c5. Instead 2 1.. JWxc2! was also worth serious consideration. White has to play 22.:1'U2 \Wc6 23.\Wd3t ltJf5 24 ..te3 .te7 25.:1'k2 \Wb5 26.\We4, however Black looks to be better after 26 ... h4!.

22.Y*ib6t cJJh7 23.Y*ixb7 We have seen a remarkable transformation. White started with just two pawns for a piece, and now, after Kramnik has sacrificed some material, White has four pawns for a piece. In return, White lost some time, and now Black counterattacks. 23 •• J~xc2 Black's rook invades on the 2nd rank, planning a decisive raid against White's king.

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The Cochrane Gambit

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26.E!d2 Now White's pawn on f4 is only protected by the fl-rook. 26 ... E!xc1! Diverting the rook. 27.E!xd 'lWxf4t 28.~hl 'lWxd2 29.E!xc5 White wins back the bishop, but after 29 ... 'lWel t 30.~h2 E!d8! the last piece enters the game, threatening ... E!dl with deadly threats against White's king.

24... \Wg6 Freeing f5 for Black's knight. It looks like Black has the advantage, but White has a plan ...

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25.:gcl! Trying to exchange off Black's dangerous rook, and thus following an important chess principle: Exchange the opponent's most active piece. Instead after 25.E!f2 lOf5! 26.E!xc2 lOxe3 27.E!cd2 lOxdl 28.E!xdl .tc5t there is no doubt who is better here. Black's bishop is coming into the game, freeing the rook, and the black queen is strongly posted on g6. White does not have any chance of advancing his pawns. Thus Black has a significant advantage.

25 ... :gxcl?! Better was 25 ... E!e2! trying to keep Black's active rook in the game. 26.:gxcl Suddenly, White's rook is ready to invade on c6; Black has

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solve new problems.

26 ... lllfS 27..ifl h4 28.:gc7 Black's bishop cannot move, but this move leads to an immediate draw. It is quite interesting that from the start, Topalov was trying to attack Black's king, and Kramnik, in preventing White's attack, sacrificed two pawns to win back the initiative and try to complete the development of all his pieces. Despite the fact that White's position on the kingside looks dangerous, there was no reason to reject 28.E!c6 'lWh5 29.'lWxa6!. Now facing four pawns for a piece, Black has to prove that his

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attack compensates for his lack of material. 29 ...Wd1 t 30.Wfl Wa4 31.Wc4! And the resulting endgame is clearly better for White.

28 ... c!Llg3 Black creates threats with only his knight and queen, which is a strong combination. Black's rook is still stuck on h8. The fB-bishop defends g7, which allows Black's queen to create mating threats. Instead 28 ...i.e7? is bad after 29.%1xe7 0.xe7 30.Wxe7 when White has three pawns for the exchange and the h4-pawn is going to fall. Only White can play for a win. 29.~h2 c!Llf1t Not so good is the obvious 29 ...Wbl? 30.i.xg3 hxg3t 31.i>xg3. Black's attack has disappeared and White already has four pawns for a piece, and a big advantage. 30.~gl Luckily (I am not sure iffor Kramnik or Topalov) the game ends in a draw: 8

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30...Yfbl White cannot escape from perpetual check.

31.hl4 i.c5t Kramnik chooses to avoid complications. The point of the variation is: 32.%1xc5 0.g3t 33.';f;lh2 (the king can no longer go towards the center as 33.'it>f2? would be met by 33 ... 0.e4t and White is losing) 33 ... 0.fl t 34.i>gl 0.g3t This forces a perpetual. Neither side can escape from the repetition, so a draw was agreed.

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The Cochrane Gambit

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What we have learned:

.:. This game illustrates why it is so important to fight for the initiative when playing gambits . •:. Every move played by Kramnik and Topalov was intended to win the battle for development and the initiative, and to do so, both players were willing to sacrifice material. .:. Top players understand that material is often worth less than the initiative . •:. Remember: In the opening you must develop your pieces as quickly as possible! Better development is often more important than a slight material disadvantage. Conclusion

The Cochrane Gambit is a wild answer to the solid Petroff Defense. White gives up a knight and in return gets two pawns, the chance to build a big center, and a wandering black king as a target. As ever, our focus is on what the gambit can teach us, rather than trying to build a repertoire for White. In this case, we can learn especially about the power of a mobile pawn mass, as White's center often sweeps everything before it. For all that, as a repertoire choice the Cochrane Gambit is in danger of becoming a respectable choice. GM Sulskis has used it so often that is clear he is not relying on surprise, and we have just witnessed that John Cochrane's 19th century gambit is tricky enough to trouble a 21st century ex-World Champion.

Chapter 5 The Morphy Attack 7

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Overview l.e4 e5 Now, instead of playing the super-aggressive Danish Gambit with 2.d4, some of you might prefer: 2.c~f3

Then the most logical continuation, as we know, is:

2 ••• ttlc6 Protecting the e5-pawn while increasing Black's control over the key central square of d4. On the third move White has a few interesting options, but first let's study the outcome of one of the most popular moves.

3.i.c4 3.ib5 leads to the Ruy Lopez. 3.d4 to the Scotch Game and 3.ttJc3 to the Three {or Four} Knights Defense.

3 ... ttlf6 With his last move, Black not only counterattacks the e4-pawn, but also ignores the threat to f7.

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We have reached one of the oldest known openings, called the Two Knights Defense. Generally speaking, in chess theory the term "defense" is given to rather passive openings. The Two Knights, however, is no passive defense. Anyone who dares enter the dark territory of the Two Knights Defense must be well prepared for the amazing tactical complications that ensue. For example, after either 4.ttJg5 or 4.d4 - the Morphy Central Attack - we reach extremely sharp positions where gambit themes are ubiquitous. White now has several options:

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a) Protecting e4 with the developing 4.lLlc3?! allows Black to take advantage of the position of White's minm pieces:

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4 ... lLlxe4! Now 5.lLlxe4 d5 equalizes easily, so White may chose a more complicated line: 5 ..ixf7t xf7 6.lLlxe4 Accepting an exchange of minor pieces which favors Black, but causing the black king temporary discomfort. 6 ... d5 7.lLlfg5t Now Black must choose carefully between his two king moves: al) 7 ... Wg6? 8.Wf3! dxe4 9.Wf7t Wxg5 lO.d4t! h4 11.h3 g6 12.g3t h5 13.g4t h4 14.Wb3! and White is winning. a2) 7 ... g8 8.Wf3 Wd7 (8 ... We8 or 8 ...We7 both allow 9.lLld6) and having regained his piece and achieved 5 ... d5, Black equalizes comfortably. b) 4.lLlg5, immediately assaulting the weakest spot in Black's position, leads to the variations outside the scope of this book. c) Ignoring the threat to the e4-pawn by 4.0-0? is bad because of 4 ... lLlxe4 5J'!el d5 and it is difficult for White to regain the pawn. d) Fighting for the center with 4.d4 leads to the Morphy Central Attack e) 4.d3 gets a Steinitz-like set-up from the Ruy Lopez, with slow maneuvering. After 4 ... .ic5 the position is approximately equal, since White does not have more control of the center than Black.

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Introduction l.e4 e5 2.c!Lla c!Llc6 3•.ic4 c!Llf6

4.d4 Breaking in the center. Remember that the 4 central squares (d4, e4, dS and eS) are the most important squares to control on the chess board, because the quickest route from one sector of the board to another is through the center. Therefore, you want your pieces to have access to these central squares, while preventing your opponent from using them. Although 4.d4 was played and analyzed before Morphy played it in a famous simultaneous blindfold game in New Orleans 19S8, I would still call this line the Morphy Central Attack of the Two Knights Defense.

4••• exd4 The best continuation. Now a popular line goes S.eS, however after S... dS! White has to move his bishop with 6.i.bS which leads to a complicated variation, which however is outside of the scope of this book. Morphy in the above-mentioned game played S.lLlgS and won brilliantly, but Black players have since found ways to parry White's aggressive attack.

5.0-0 Here, the developing move S... .icS transposes into the Max Lange Attack, while S... dS? 6.exdS lLlxdS 7.lLlgS leads us right back into Morphy's game in the Fried Liver Attack.

5••• c!Llxe4! Black follows the rule which states that a center pawn should always be taken if this can be done without too much danger. On the other hand, this looks risky, since both Black's knight and king are placed on the newly-opened file, which White immediately exploits with a pin.

The Morphy Attack 6J~el

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d5!

The only move. Black executes his desired central break to support his e4-knight, while also attacking the c4-bishop. Now it looks as if Black's "risk-taking" was justified; not only is White 2 pawns down, he also has to meet the threat to his bishop. What is White to do?

7..ixd5! Wasting no time, White destroys Black's center, and undermines the defense of the precariouslyplaced knight on e4. In fact, White has one more spectacular option here: 7.ttJc3!? - see the Theory section for more information.

7.:.'lWxd5

8. c!Ll c3! Thanks to the pin down both central files - 8 ... dxc3?? 9.'lWxd5 wins the queen - White regains his piece with a gain of tempo. A tactical skirmish has ensued, even before either side has completed development. This is life in the Central Attack of the Two Knights Defense - sharp, imbalanced positions, where the worth of every move is very high.

White's main ideas Combinations based on the weak f7 -square When Black deviates from the main line (4 ... exd4), he can find himself in trouble very quickly.

Game 33 l.e4 e5 2.c!Lla c!Llc6 3.i.c4 c!LlfG 4.d4 d6?! This is strongly met by the Fried Liver Attack move:

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S.lilgS! Less clear is 5.dxe5 dxe5 6.Wfxd8t lLlxd8. Now Black has to spend another tempo pushing his d-pawn.

S... dS 6.exdSlilxd4 7.c3lilS 8.d6! Opening the bishop's diagonal to target fl again.

8... lilxd6

9.lilxf7! Black is in trouble.

9 ... lilxf7 lO..ixf7t White has the advantage, since Black's king must move to e7 to save the queen.

What we have learned: .:. Attacking in the center with 4.d4 does not mean that White forgets about Black's weak fl-square: 5.lLlg5! .:. To open the bishop's diagonal, you can sacrifice a pawn: 8.d6! .:. We have just looked at a more complicated example of exploiting the weakness of fl.

Two traps l.e4 eS 2.lila lilc6 3..ic4lilf6 4.d4 lilxd4? This is a mistake.

S..ixf7t! Drawing out the enemy king.

S... i>xf7 6.lilxest

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Removing the defender of Black's d4-knight with check, leaving White a pawn ahead after 7.~xd4.

Here is the other trap:

l.e4 e5 v!l:lf3 tLlc6 3.i.c4 tLlf6 4.d4 tLlxe4?! 5.dxe5 White regains his pawn and gains more space and attacking chances on the kingside. Black cannot continue with normal development by:

5...i.c5?? 6.Y;Yd5! White's unrivalled access to and control of the most important central squares enables him to mount a decisive attack through the center, as e4, cS and f7 are simultaneously attacked. After:

6 ..•Lnt 7.~e2! White wins material.

1-0 Thus, we can see the dark side of Black's deviation; faced with the threat of ~xf7 and ~dS, the knight has to make another move: S... ltJcs

Central domination Game 34 Dzhangobegov - Levchuk Russia 2004

1.e4 e5 2.tLlf3 tLlc6 3.i.c4 tLlf6 4.d4 tLlxe4?! 5.dxe5 tLlc5 6.0-0 i.e7 7.tLlc3 d6? Opening the position is premature, since White will be able to make use of the open files and diagonals with his better development.

8.exd6! Y;Yxd6 9.tLlb5 Attacking the weak spot c7, whose defender, the queen, will soon be exchanged off.

9.••Y;Yd8 10.i.f4 Developing with tempo.

10... tLla6 1l.Y;Yxd8t! Removing the defender of c7.

11...hd8 12.:afel t tLle7 13.:aadl Note that exchanging queens did not douse White's initiative because of his dominating, centrally-posted pieces. White clearly has absolute control of the center and the open d- and e-files.

13••. 0-0

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Black struggles to complete the development of his pieces.

14.t2hc7! White reaches his target! 14J:'!xdS !!xdS 15.!!xe7 was also good, getting 2 minor pieces for a rook, and c7 is also about to fall.

14... tLlxc7 15 ..!xc7 .!xc7 16.!!xe7 White is a pawn up, dominates the center files, and controls the 7th rank. It is not surprising that Black loses quickly.

16...i.dS? 17.!!xf7! Black's rook is overloaded, having to defend fl and dS.

17...i.b6 17 ...!!xfl IS .!!xdS# ISJ:U6t A discovered check, driving Black's king away from the defense of his rook.

IS ... @hS 19.~xf8#

1-0 What we have learned: .:. Be wary of opening the position when you are behind in development: 7 ... d6? .:. Other than £7, c7 is another possible target in the Open Games . •:. This game is a strong advocate for the cliched tLlc3, tLlf3, ic4, if4, !!adl, !!fe1 deployment of pieces recommended to beginners in the opening, which does take full control over the center. •:. In the Central Attack, as long as White can maintain his initiative, Black will suffer from heavy pressure down the center files . •:. How to attack:

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a) Bring up reserves: 9.tt:.lb5, 10.if4 b) Exchange off the key defenders: 11.Wxd8 c) Use tactics to break through.

Game 35 Marshall- Esser London 1899 l.e4 e5 2.~f3 ~c6 3.i.c4 ~f6 4.d4 exd4 5.0-0 ~xe4 6J~el d5 ?i.xd5 Y«xd5 8.~c3 Y«d8?! This is no good since it "undevelops" Black's queen, when it is likely she will have to move once more from her starting square later in the game. 9Jhe4t ie? 10.~xd4 The situation in the center has cleared, and White's pieces occupy dominant, central posts. 10... ~xd4? 10 .. .f5, intending to annoy the actively placed rook, is met with: 11.l'!f4! 0-0 (after 11...g5? 12.Wh5t 'it>f8 13.l'!xf5t ixf5 14.tt:.lxf5 White has an enormous attack) 12.ie3! Black has an unpleasant position due to the lack of a suitable developing square for his c8-bishop and White's strong central control. For example, 12 ...id6 13.tt:.lxc6 bxc6 14.l'!d4! and now 14 ... f4? 15.ixf4 l'!xf4 16.l'!xf4 would be an effective exploitation of the pin. If instead 10 ... 0-0, after 11.if4 White has strong positional pressure that is similar to the variation seen above. He threatens both tt:.lxc6 and the c7-pawn, while Black's c8-bishop still cannot find a developing square. These variations illustrate the essence of the position; as long as White can maintain his initiative, Black will suffer from heavy pressure on the center files. 1l.l'!xd4 Marshall has gained a promising position: the center is under control, the rook on d4 is very powerful and Black's king is still in the center.

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1l •••i.d7 Mter 11.. ..id6 12 ..if4 Black loses a pawn. 12.i.f4! A developing move, and at the same time White intends ltJd5!. Black is in big trouble. 12•••Wlc8 Another line goes 12 ... c6 13.Wld2! WlcB. Otherwise White just triples pieces on the d-file and Black is done. 14.ltJe4! .ie6 15 ..id6 Black's king cannot escape from the center. 13.~d5!

By moving the knight to this great outpost White gains a decisive advantage.

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13...AdS 14.Wlh5 Developing the queen to the most active square, putting pressure on Black's kingside. But more precise was 14 ..ixc7! getting rid of the last defender of the e7-square. 14 ....ixc7 15.Wle2t .ie6 16.Wlb5t .id7 (I6 ... 'kt>fB 17.Wlc5t with a smothered mate on the way after collecting Black's queen) 17.~elt 'kt>dB IB.ltJxc7 'kt>xc7 19.~e7 ~dB 20.~c4t And mate is coming soon. 14...0-0 15 •.ixc7 White wins a pawn, while remaining dominant. In the rest of the game Black missed a few opportunities to make White's task harder, so the following moves are less interesting for us. 15 •••i.e6 16.i.xdS .ixd5 17•.if6 Marshall turns his attention to attacking Black's king, but better was 17.Wlxd5!? ~xdB IB.WlxdB WlxdB 19.~xdB ~xdB with a rook endgame where White is a pawn up. 17•••Wlc6? The final mistake. After 17 ... gxf6! the game is still far from clear.

IS.i.xg7! ~xg7 19.Wlxd5 Wlxc2 20.Wle5t

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Black's king is terribly exposed and cannot withstand the pressure from White's heavy pieces.

20 ...£6 21.~e7t c;t{g6 22.gh4 c;t{g5 23.~g7t c;t{xh4 24.~h6t c;t{g4 25.h3t c;t{f5 26.~xh7t A skewer that wins Black's queen.

1-0 What we have learned: .:. Another case of White's central domination leading to a successful attack on c7 . •:. The attacker has more options than the defender: he won despite choosing 17..if6 instead of 17.~xd5 . •:. When defending, you must play very accurately, since one slip could cost you the game immediately.

Black's main ideas Return the extra material at a favorable moment to complete development

Game 36 Max Euwe - Richard Reti Amsterdam (1) 1920

l.e4 e5 2.tLlf3 tLlc6 3.i.c4 tLl£6 4.d4 exd4 5.0-0 tLlxe4 6.gel d5 7.,ixd5 ~xd5 8.tLlc3 ~a5! Best. The queen is safe here, invulnerable to attack from White's pieces. In the game White perhaps went too far in trying to keep his initiative alive. To try to exploit the vulnerable position of the uncastled king, White plunged into complications by sacrificing a piece:

9.tLlxd4?

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9 ... ~xd4 10.Y;Vxd4 5! Instead of returning the piece to quickly complete his development, as would happen after 1O ...ie6 11.~xe4 (1 Uhe4 !'&d8) when Black's chances are not worse, Reti protects his strong, centralized knight. The further course of this game justifies this decision. 11..ig5 White must avoid l1.f3?? ic5 or l1.ltJxe4?? ~xel#. White has to develop - and the bishop has arrived at its most active square, threatening ~d8. Now, ltJxe4 is also possible since the rooks are connected. White's initiative looks dangerous, but Black has enough defensive resources, which Reti convincingly proved in the game. 11...Y;Vc5! An important move; the strongest piece gets involved in the thick of the action, when White has to be on the lookout for an exchange of queens which would extinguish his attack. 12.Y;Vd8t c.!7f7 13.~xe4 fxe4 White's attack seems to have lost its momentum; apart from his queen, none of his pieces can threaten Black's king, which is safely placed on fl. Now 14.!'&xe4 runs into 14 ...if5 15.~xa8 ixe4 when White's attack has disappeared, and so he adds more fuel to the fire: 14J~adl

Can you find how Reti managed to refute Euwe's concept?

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14....id6!! Black gives up a whole rook! Let's delve deeper and consider the alternatives: 14 ... ie7? is bad due to 15.ixe7 !'&xd8 16.ixc5. 14 ...~xf2t? does not work either after 15.~xf2 ic5t 16.ie3 !'&xd8 17.!'&xd8 and White wins. Deserving of attention was 14 ...ih3!? 15.~xa8 ~xg5, however things are nor- so clear after 16.g3.

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15.'!WxhS 'lWxg5 It is clear that Black wanted to get rid of White's bishop so that his own bishops can target White's king. Also, White's queen is ambushed deep within Black's territory, and already the threat of 16 ....ih3 puts her survival in doubt. It is useful to note that Reti did not hang on to all his extra material, but instead found a way to return some of it to reach a favorable position.

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16.£4 Forced in view of Black's threat of ... .ih3. The white queen does not escape after 16.1l«xh7 .if5.

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save White: 17 ... i>f6! and no matter what, Black ends a piece up.

16...'lWh4! Avoiding any counterplay. This move is much stronger than 16 ....ixf4 17.1l«d8 when White's queen manages to get away. 17.:gxe4 For a moment it seems as if White has actually managed to obtain some counterplay.

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Black to play! Can you find how Reti managed to conclude his attack?

17....ih3!! In the style of the 16th and 17th century, Black continues his attack with another rook sacrifice! The main point of this move is to exploit the weakness of g2, which leads to an irresistible attack against the white king. Less inspired but also strong was 17...iJ5 18.'1Wxa8 i.xe4-+.

18.'i;YxaS ~c5t 19.i>hl There was nothing better, as 19.~ed4 i.xd4t 20.~xd4 Wi'e1# and 19.\t>f1 Wi'f2# demonstrate.

19...~xg2t Blowing apart the last shelter and White's king is caught in a mating net.

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20.i>xg2 'i;Yg4t Slower but also getting the job done was 20 ... Wi'f2t 21.\t>h3 Wi'f3t 22.'kt>h4 i.f2t 23.'kt>g5 h6t 24.\t>f5 Wi'h5#.

21.i>f1 21.\t>h1 Wi'f3#

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21...WBt 2Vi!lel Wf2# 0-1 This miniature proved that 9.lDxd4 is inferior to the theory's favorite 9.lDxe4.

What we have learned: .:. .:. •:. .:.

You must be very concrete in your calculations, especially in the Central Attack. When you have extra material, you can return some of it to reach a favorable position . The double rook sacrifice as an instrument of attack. How to attack with bishops.

Black's kingside threats In the main line Black returns the extra pawn to develop his pieces, and if White is not careful he can run into trouble quickly. For example:

A trap 1.e4 e5 2.~B ~c6 3.d4 exd4 4.J.c4 ~f6 5.0-0 ~xe4 6J~el d5 7 ..bd5 Wxd5 8.~c3 Wa5 9.~xe4

White regains his piece and threatens a discovered check.

9 ...J.e6 Black is ready to castle queens ide.

10.tDeg5 Utilizing the open e-file and pinning Black's e6-bishop. Remember to watch out for back rank tricks: lo.lDxd4?? lDxd4 11.Wxd4 Wxe1#

10... 0-0-0! Black returns the extra pawn in order to castle and quickly complete his development. 11.~xe6 fxe6 12J'he6

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12....id6 Black's bishop is most actively placed here, where it has the unimpeded h2-b8 diagonal to target White's king. Now, White's best chance is 13.i.g5!, displacing Black's rook from d8, and then White can take control over the only open file available to him, the e-file. White, however, mixed up the move-order, and after:

13.vge2? vgh5 14..ig5? White is in for a rude shock. 8

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14...i.xh2t! The only defender of the g5-bishop is the f3-knight, and by diverting the knight Black wins a pawn: 15.~xh2 vgxg5

What we have learned: .:. You must play precisely with the correct move order. Otherwise, punishment can be swift. In the next game, White was more cautious, but he barely managed to avert disaster:

Game 37 Jakymov - Mamedyarov Halkidiki 2001

l.e4 e5 2.~f3 ~c6 3.d4 exd4 4..ic4 ~f6 5.0-0 ~xe4 6J~el d5 7 ..ixd5 vgxd5 8.~c3 vga5 9.~xe4 .ie6 10.~eg5 O-O-O! 11.~xe6 fxe6 12J~lxe6 .id6 13.vge2? vgh5

The Morphy Attack

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14..td2? In the last 2 moves Black's queen and bishop were menacingly placed to target h2, but this seems insufficient to trouble White, as in addition to his king, he has the f3-knight, which means Black's attacking forces do not outnumber the defenders. However, after: 14... d3!! Black clears the way for his knight to d4 in order to exchange off White's key defensive piece: 15.VNe4 15.cxd3lLld4! 16.lLlxd4 VNxh2t 17.c;t>fl VNhl# or 16.VNellLlxf3t 17.gxf3 VNxh2t 18.c;t>fl VNh3t 0-1 Janevska - M. Mitkov, Struga 1993. The alternative 15.VNxd3 .txh2t wins the queen.

15.tLld4 The best reply, but Black is still much better. What we have learned: .:. When the target of attack is h2 (or h7) in the castled king's position, all sorts of tactics are possible . •:. One example we saw is removing the key defender - the f3-knight - by 14 ... d3 and 15 ... lLld4.

Game 38 I. Rogers - M. Adams Germany 1996 l.e4 e5 2.tLla tLlc6 3.d4 exd4 4 ..ic4 tLlf6 5.0-0 tLlxe4 6J~e1 d5 7 ..txd5 VNxd5 8.tLlc3 VNa5 9.tLlxe4.ie6 10.tLleg5 O-O-O! 1l.tLlxe6 ne6 12Jhe6.td6 13.VNe2? VNh5 In this dubious position White's next move is necessary to try to wriggle out of trouble. 14.h3 ghe8

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It is Black, not White, who controls the e-file.

15 ..id2 Clearing the back rank for White's aI-rook to join the game. The active-looking 15 ..ig5? lLle5! -like in the game continuation! - 16J:he8 :gxe8 forces White to retreat with 17..id2 anyway, when 17 ... lLlxf3t 18.Wfxf3 Wfxf3 19.9xf3 is worse than what happened in the game.

15 ... ~e5! Interfering with the connection between White's queen and rook. Unfortunately, this nice tactic does not clinch the game, because White can exchange off his hanging rook:

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gxe8 And now White unpins with:

17.~xd4! ~xe2 18.~xe2 ~c4!

Uncovering an attack on b2, d2 and e2. The pawn has to be returned, when Black has the better endgame. What we have learned:

.:. The interference tactic (15 ... lLle5!), interposing a piece between the attacked piece (the e6rook) and its defender (the queen on e2) . •:. A surprising way to unpin is by moving the "pinned" piece (the f3-knight) to a square (17.lLlxd4!) where it protects the piece it was supposed to be pinned to (the queen on e2). These 3 examples show us that White must be wary of Black's ... Wfh5 maneuver, which puts strong pressure on the kingside.

~e concrete nature of the Two Knights Defense Game 39 Kapengut - Antoshin Moscow 1965

l.e4 e5 2.tLla tLlc6 3.i.c4 tLlf6 4.d4 exd4 5.0-0 tLlxe4! 6J~el d5! 7.i.xd5! YlYxd5 8. tLl c3! YlYh5 Black's last move deserves serious attention. Black pins White's f3-knight, thus neutralizing lLlxd4 or lLlg5 ideas since they would only lead to an exchange of queens. With no better alternative, White must go for:

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A critical position. What should White play?

lO.i.g5! The only way castling.

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maintain the imitative; White's bishop develops and prevents Black from

White should definitely avoid the "standard" 10.lLleg5?! 0-0-0 11.lLlxe6 fxe6 12.Ei:xe6 ~d6 with an inferior version of the main line, where Black's queen is actively posted on h5. I believe the section on Black's kingside threats provides sufficient warning of the dangers that White faces.

lO... h6? In making another pawn move, Black plays with fire by neglecting development. After 10 ...~b4 White has rwo main options: a) 11.lLlxd4 Wlxdl 12.Ei:exdl lLlxd4 13.Ei:xd4 ~e7 14.Ei:el leads to a slightly better endgame for White.

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b) 11.c3 An aggressive attempt. 11...dxc3 12.bxc3 White sacrifices a pawn for the initiative, while all his pieces are centrally posted. The game Jurkovic - Callier, Schwarzach 1999, continued: 12 ...i.a5 13.~d2 13.E!:b1!? deserves attention, as after 13 ...i.b6 14.E!:b5 White has increasing threats against Black's queen. In reply to the game move, essential was 13 ... h6! when it is not so clear how White could develop his attack. Instead Black went for: 13 ...i.b6??

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14.lt:lg3! Black resigned since he loses his queen: 14... ~g4 15.E!:e4 or 14 ... ~g6 15.lt:lh4.

11 ..if6! The bishop further restricts Black's development since g7 is under attack. Worse still, this strong bishop cannot be eliminated. 11 ...~a5 Black cannot live with that bishop, and so sets out to kill it. Of course not 11...gxf6?? 12.lt:lxf6t and Black is lost. 12.tt:Jxd4! White starts an attack while Black's king is still stuck in the center, having already completed his own development. He willingly gives up a piece, since the reward is much greater - the king! 12 ... gxf6 12 ... lt:lxd4 does not help much, since it increases White's lead in development. 13.~xd4 gxf6 14.lt:lxf6t rtle7 15.lt:ld5t We8 16.~e5! And there is no way to avoid a devastating discovered attack.

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13.~xf6t rile7

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Now White has a choice: 14.ttJf5t W'xf5 and White has lost his advantage. 14.E!:xe6t fxe6 15.ttJxc6t bxc6 and White's attack disappears. 14.ttJxc6t bxc6 15.W'd7t ~xf6 16.W'd4t ~g6 17.W'xhB and here White is not better anymore. Instead, in the game White played a fourth option: 14.~xe6

This led to a spectacular king hunt, but White had a brilliant fifth option: 14.b4!! This shot destroys the harmony between Black's forces, and distracts the queen from the central squares.

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14 ... W'xb4 15.ttJd5t wins the queen due to the pin. 14 ... ttJxb4 15.ttJxe6 fxe6 (15 ... ~xf6 16.W'd4t The pointof14.b4!. Black's knight is not controlling the d4-square anymore. 16 ... cj;>g6 17.W'xhB+-) 16.W'd7t This leads to similar play to the game. 16 ... cj;>xf6 17.E!:xe6t ~g5 IB.f4t (similar lines are possible after IB.h4t) IB ... ~xf4 19.W'd4t ~g5 20.W'f6t ~h5 21.W'g6t ~h4 22.E!:e4#

180


14 ...Wa4 Now that Black's queen has left the 5th rank, White's cavalry easily complete the attack. 15.ltJd5t ~d7 (l5 ... ~e8 loses to 16.ltJxe6 fxe6 17.E!:xe6t ~e7 18.ltJxc7t) 16.ltJxe6 fxe6 17.ltJb6t 14 ... Wg5 15.ltJxe6 fxe6 16.Wd7t Checkmate quickly follows: 16 ... ~xf6 17.E!:xe6t rj;Jf5 1B.Wf7t rj;Jg4 19.Wf3t ~h4 20.Wh3# 14••• fxe6? Correct was 14 ... ~xf6! with defensive chances. 15.Wldlt
i8I

~j}Jf;~. ~Wf; ~%'" ~/!l~~~~~!l/itJ[j

3"

2 1

~

~V~

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h

A new path in an old variation; Black centralizes his queen immediately, intending both ... d4d3 and activating his dark-squared bishop via c5.

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13.~e2.ic5

Black reached an active position after 13 ... h6 14 ..id2 .icS IS.a3 E!:hf8 16.c4 dxc3 17 ..ixc3 gS! in Wittmann - Kozakov, France 2007. 14..ig5 14 ..id2 d3! IS.cxd3 ~xd3leads to immediate equality. 14••• E!:df8

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15 •.ih4 IS.E!:el is another option, but Black is fine here: IS ....ib6 16.a3 a6 17.~e4 ~xe4 18.E!:lxe4 E!:f5 19 ..ih4 h6 20.ltJeSltJxeS 21.E!:6xeS E!:hf8 22.Wfl Y2-Y2 Ghannoum - Nickoloff, North Bay 1994. 15 ••• h6 16.~e4 ~xe4 The resulting endgame is relatively equal, Guid - Abramovic, Sozina 2004. Conclusion

The Central Attack line of the Two Knights leads to extremely sharp positions, where both sides have to play very precisely to avoid opening traps and problems, as we have examined in this chapter. If you would like to include the Two Knights Defense in your opening repertoire, you must be well prepared for these tactical complications, as Black especially has to avoid many tricks. But do not fear - Black has enough resources to parry White's aggressive attack.

Chapter6 The Max Lange Attack 7 6

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l.e4 e5 2.~f3 ~c6 3.Ac4 ~f6 4.d4 exd4 5.0-0 Ac5

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1.e4 e5 2.~f3 ~c6 3..ic4 ~f6 4.d4 exd4 5.0-0 .ic5

This move reaches the starting point of the Max Lange Attack. By developing his bishop to the center, Black defends his d4-pawn and prepares to castle. Black plans to counter White's aggressive pawn assault with his own powerful counterattack. This complicated system has been analyzed by many famous chess players, including Staunton, Chigorin, Tarrasch, and Rubinstein. The Max Lange Attack can be reached from various move orders: l.e4 e5 l.e4 e5 l.e4 e5 l.e4 e5

2.~c4ttJf6 3.d4 exd4 4.ttJf3 ttJc6 5.0-0 ~c5 2.d4 exd4 3.ttJf3 ttJc6 4.~c4 ~c5 5.0-0 ttJf6 2.ttJf3 ttJc6 3.d4 exd4 4.~c4 ~c5 5.0-0 ttJf6 2.ttJf3 ttJc6 3.~c4 ~c5 4.0-0 ttJf6 5.d4 exd4

Because the position can be reached by so many move orders, knowing this line is particularly useful, as you may frequently be able to steer the game into familiar territory. Moreover, the Max Lange Attack offers great opportunities to trap and surprise your opponent!

6.e5 d5!

8 7

6 5 4

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The Max Lange Attack

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This is the key idea of the variation: Black allows his opponent to destroy his kingside, but in return gets a. powerful pair of center pawns to compensate for the compromised safety of his king.

7.exf6 dxc4 8J~el t

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A natural move, bringing the rook to the open e-file with check. Now there is a split: Black has a weaker option in A) 8 ••• . ;:s I:>.

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This is the best way to keep the initiative. 12 .. .r.!;'x£1 13.tt:lg5t i>gS Much worse is 13 ... i>g6? For example, 14.tt:lxe6 gxf6 15.g4 Wa5 16 ..id2! c3 17.bxc3 dxc3 IS ..if4.id6 19.Wd3t i>£1 20.Wc4 1-0 Immer- Rothacher, Germany 1993. 14.g4 Wg6! The only move, as the other tries are hopeless: 14 ... Wxg4t?? 15.Wxg4 .ixg4 16.£1# 14 ... Wxf6?? 15.!%xe6 WdS 16.Wf3 Black is doomed. 16 ... Wd7 17.~e7!! And mate is inevitable. 15.~xe6! gxf6 16.Wf3 Keeping unpleasant threats against Black's king.

12.fxg7 Lunging with 12.g4 looks risky, but it demands a precise response: 12 ...Wg6 13.f4 O-O-O! (after the careless 13 ... gxf6? White gains a decisive attack with 14.f5 Wg7 15.fxe6 fxg5 16.ex£1t i>x£1 17.Wf3t) 14.f5 .ixf5 15.gxf5 Wxf5 White's king is in real danger. 12 ... gg8 The position is not so simple and once again White could reach for his g-pawn ... 13.g4!? If White goes into an ending after 13.tt:lg3 Wg6 14.Wh5 0-0-0 15.Wxg6 hxg6 16.tt:lxe6 fxe6 17 ..ih6 then Black would push his passed pawn with 17 ... d3!, which leads to enormous complications.

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....

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13 ...Y!Vg6! This accurate move avoids immediate disaster, unlike 13 ...Y!Vxg4t? which allows 14.Y!Vxg4 i.xg4 IS.tLlf6t.

14.tihe6 fxe6 Black plans to collect the g7 -pawn and then castle long.

15 ..ig5 By taking control of the h4-d8 diagonal, White keeps the black king exposed. Now Black has to capture the g7-pawn, after which all of White's pieces storm over to the kingside.

15 .. Jhg7 Now White has to play very calmly.

8 7 6 5 4

3 2 1

16.Y!VO White is well-positioned to launch an attack and tLlf6t becomes very hard to meet. Instead the immediate 16.tLlf6t is tempting but premature. 16 ... c;t>f7! 17.Wf3 White has prepared a tactical trick, but: 17 ... WxgS! Surprise! 18.tLlxh7t WfS 0-1 Dus-Chotimirsky - Schiffers, Kiev 1903.

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White resigned, as the g4-pawn is pinned and after 19.~xf5t exf5 he is already one piece down and the trapped knight on h7 will soon make it two. 16•• J~f7 Another historic battle continued: 16 ... e5 17.ltJf6t ~f7 18.h4 h6 19.1tJe4t ~e6 After 19 ... ~e8! it is hard to find anything better than 20.ltJf6t repeating moves. For example, if20.h5 ~e6 21.ltJf6t ~e7 22.J.h4 E!:f7 and Black is fighting back. 20.h5 ~f7 21.J.f6 E!:gg8? Black had to try to survive with 21...E!:ag8! 22.~f5t ~d5 23.8 ~d7!.

8 7 ;::. ;;:! ;::.

6

~ ...,

5

1:::.

~ ~;:§

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22.~f5t

Now White finished the game convincingly. 22 ... ~d5 23.b3 E!:xg4t 24.~xg4 E!:g8 25.bxc4t ~xc4 26.J.g5 hxg5 27.~g3ltJa5 28.~xe5 1-0, Chigorin - Teichmann, London 1899. The most promising continuation for Black seems to be 16 ... ~d7!? 17.ltJf6t It>c8 18.E!:xe6 ~xg5.

17.ttlf6t ~f8? The game move is no good, so Black needs to find an alternative: 17 ... ~e7 is not the answer as it still allows 18.E!:xe6t! when both 18 ... lt>f8 19.1tJd7t and 18 ... lt>xe6 19.E!:el t ltJe5 20.E!:xe5t ~xe5 21.~d5# are terminal. Sacrificing the exchange was the only way for Black. 17 ... E!:xf6! But even so, Black cannot pretend he is doing anything more than trying to survive. 18.~xf6 ~xf6 19.J.xf6 ~f7 20.g5 With some advantage for White.

18.E!:xe6 The invasion of the rook decides the game; Black's pieces lack coordination.

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IS ••. @g7 18 ... Wixg5 would not help either. For example, 19.1iJxh7t 'it?g7 20.Wixf7t 'it?xf7 21.liJxg5t 'it?g7 22.h4 :!':i:f8 23.:!':i:xc6 1-0 Miles - Dennis, RhyI1969. 19.ttlh5t @hS If 19 ... Wixh5 then 20.~f6t saves White's queen before collecting Black's.

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20.:!':i:xg6 20.Wid5 was even stronger, but White is winning anyway. 20 ... :!':i:xa 21.i.f6t :!':i:xf6 22.~xf6 1-0 The above game once again shows how dangerous it is for Black to have his king in the center, under the fire of all of White's pieces. It is clear that it is extremely difficult for Black to survive in the 9 ... Wid5 line. Even if the verdict of the theoreticians is that Black holds, it is practically impossible to play perfectly over-the-board.

Game 46 Hanus - Duras Pisek Simultaneous 1912

l.e4 e5 2.ttla ttlc6 3.i.c4 ttlf6 4.d4 exd4 5.0-0 i.c5 6.e5! d5! 7.exf6 dxc4 S.~e1 t i.e6! 9.tilg5 g6! This sharp continuation rejects the old methods of playing the main lines of the Max Lange Attack. Black prevents the white queen from reaching h5 once and for all - unlike the 9 ... Wid5 line where Black's queen had to do the job, but was vulnerable to attack by White's forces.

1O.lWa Activating the queen and preventing Black's ... Wid5 maneuver, which would help to solve his remaining development problems. We can also consider a couple of other options:

224


a) Black is ready to return his extra pawn after 10.lLlxe6 fxe6 11.~xe6t 'it>f7. Then he will douse White's failing initiative with a quick ... ~e8, and Black gets a very nice position. Instead ofll.~xe6t ifll.%Vg4 then 11...%Vd5! 12.lLld2 %Vf5 and Black swaps queens and reaches a much better endgame. b) The sacrifice 1O.%Vg4 %Vd5 11.~xe6t fxe6 12.lLlxe6, trying to break into Black's position with the knight, fails due to White's lack of development. 12 ... 'it>f7! 13.lLlxc7 %Ve5 14.%Vd7t ie7 (but not 14 ... 'it>xf6? 15.lLld5t+-) 15.id2 ~ad8 16.%Ve6t %Vxe6 17.lLlxe6 'it>xe6 18.fxe7lLlxe7 Black is simply an exchange up.

8 7 6 5 4

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lO ... V9d7?? Completely underestimating White's threats. We will consider three alternatives: a) 1O ... %Vd6 11.if4 %Vd7 leads to similar problems as in the main game: 12.~xe6t! fxe6 13.f7t 'it>f8 14.lLle4 In Miralles - Fontaine, France 2004, White had two pieces for a rook, and he eventually won. b) 10 ... ~d7

22S


11.ltJxf7! In classic Morphy/Anderssen style. 11...~xf7 12.'1Wg4t <j(d6 13.~f4t ltJeS 14.:B:xeS Material is level and the black king is on the run. 14 ... <j(c6 IS.ltJd2 ~d6 16.'tMff3t <j(b6 17.:B:b5t! c;t>xbS IB.'tMfxblt <j(a4 19.b3t <j(a5 20.ltJxc4t 1-0, Logar - Brnas, Dubrovnik 200B. c) Black's correct choice is 1O ... 0-0!. For example: 11.:B:xe6 fXe6 12.f7t <j(hB 13.ltJxe6'tMfe7 And all these complications are not in White's favor. 14.~g5'tMfxf7! (of course not 14 ...'tMfxe6? 15.~f6t 'tMfxf6 16.'tMfxf6#) 15.'tMfxf7 :B:xf7 16.ltJxc5 :B:eB White's back rank problems do not allow him to keep his material advantage. 17.ltJd2 :B:f5 IB.ltJce4 <j(g7! (avoiding IB ... c3? 19.bxc3 dxc3 20.~f6t) 19.94 :B:b5 20.~f6t <j(f7 After this forced sequence, Black's chances in the resulting endgame are not worse. nJhe6t! A powerful sacrifice that creates a passed pawn and allows it to reach the 7th rank. 11. .•fxe6 12.f7t <j(e7

~~~,.~,~~~ 7 ~'f~if.8.' 6 "',,%~ Ii~ 'l%~ r~ ~%W0 ~~ ~%'''/~ 5~ ~ • m ~~~i_~~~~'''''~~ 4 ~~~,~~~ 3 ~Y!%~~ ~!~Y!% 2 ~/!l~~~~!l~!fj 8

1

~ltJ~ abc

~

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The f-pawn is one step away from promotion, and the connection between Black's rooks will be cut if the exposed king is forced to occupy the fB-square. On top of all that, the c5-bishop is loose. How can White make use of these facrors? 13. tt:J e4! Immediately targeting all of Black's weaknesses. The biggest threats are 'tMff6t then ~h6t, or ~gst then ~h6t. This move was probably what Black missed in his calculations; White gains a decisive advantage. 13...VNd5 14•.tg5t VNxg5 Giving up the queen only delays resignation, but if 14 ... <j(fg then 15.'tMff6 threatens Black's hanging rook and exposed king; mate is imminent. 15.tt:Jxg5 gaf8 16.tt:Jd2 h6 17.tt:Jde4 21.tt:Jgh7.te7 22.tt:Jxf8 gxf8 23.gel 1-0

AM

18.VNf6t ~d7 19.VNxe6t ~d8 20.tt:Jf6 tt:Jb8

226


What we have learned: .:. It is a good idea to return extra material to defuse the opponent's initiative . •:. Sacrifices on e6 or f7 (or e3 and f2) are common techniques to pry open lines to attack an uncastled king. •:. When your king is uncastled, the rooks are vulnerable to attack since they tend not to be defending each other. •:. All sorts of tactics are possible when a passed pawn is close to promoting!

Game 47 Mueller - Hoffmann Germany 2007 l.e4 e5 V~:lf3 ~c6 3..ic4 .ic5 4.0-0 ~f6 5.d4 exd4 6.e5! d5! Black could instead decide to move his knight. The split is between a) 6 ... lUe4? and b) 6 ... lUg4!?: a) 6 ... lUe4? should certainly be avoided by Black. nWe2! (avoiding any 7.l'!el lUxf2 business, even though that is still good for White) 7 ... d5 8.exd6 f5 9.lUg5! And White is winning. b) 6 ... lUg4!? This is more respectable than 6 ... lUe4?, but it is still a poor relation to 6 ... d5. 8

7 6

5 4

3

!:> ~

!:> ~ ....

t;.

~

~!:i ~

2 I

L

a b c d e f g h 7.if4! The best move, protecting White's strong e5-pawn and preparing to drive the enemy knight away with h2-h3. White's other options are less promising: The tempting 7.h3? lUgxe5 8.lUxe5 lUxe5 9.l'!el d6 1O.f4 seems to win the knight due to the pin. But after lO ... d3t 11. cj;>h2 Wi'h4 suddenly White is in trouble, due to the threat of 12 ... if2 followed by 13 ...ixh3 14.gxh3 Wi'g3 15.cj;>gl Wi'xh3 mate. 7.c3!? will be met by 7 ... d5!. The combinative 7.ixf7t cj;>xf7 8.lUg5t cj;>g8 9.Wi'xg4 nets a pawn due to the discovered attack. But after 9 ... d5 Black activates his remaining forces and the defense of White's e-pawn becomes problematic. For example, 10.e6 Wi'f6 and Black will follow up with ... h6.

227


7... d6 Undermining White's strong center pawn. If7 ... 0-0 8.h3 ttJh6 then White should continue 9.ig5! forcing 9 ...ie7 when Black's bishop is less actively posted, and only now 10.ixh6 gxh6 when Black's kingside is totally ruined. Il.id5 Preventing ... d5. This is Bernstein - Fine, France-USA (cable match) 1948. 8.exd6 Opening the e-file for the rook. 8... ixd6 Or 8 ... cxd6 9.~el t ~f8 (White is clearly better after 9 ... ttJge5 10.ixe5 dxe5 11.ttJxe5) 10.h3! lLlge5 (or 1O ... ttJf6 Il.ttJbd2 and White has an edge) 11.ixe5 ttJxe5 12.ttJxe5 dxe5 13.~xe5 and Black's king is still misplaced. 9.~elt c;t>f8 After 9 ... ie7 10.c3 White retains the initiative. 1O.ixd6t ~xd6 11.c3! Opening the position further to utilize White's better development. 11...if5 If 11...dxc3 then 12.ttJxc3 ~xdl 13.~axdl if5 14.ttJb5 ~c8 15.id5 and White is dominating. 12.cxd4 White has won a pawn back and stands better since the enemy king is misplaced, Rossolimo O'Kelly de Galway, Czechoslovakia 1949.

7.exf6 dxc4 8.fxg7!? The latest theoretical discussion has focused on this move. White avoids the new 9 ... g6 line, which as we know gives Black a comfortable position.

8 ... ~g8 9.~el t Nonetheless, the rook still has

to

move to the open file.

9....ie6 8

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lO ..ig5! Having destroyed Black's kingside, White also strives to make queenside castling more difficult for Black to achieve. This way of developing is more logical than the lLlg5 lines, since White avoids moving an already developed piece. lO ...i.e7 A necessity, without which Black cannot hope to castle. The alternatives are unappealing: 1O ...Wd5? l1.lLlc3 Wf5 12.lLle4 allows White to activate all his pieces with decisive effect; after 12 .. .l'hg7 13.lLlh4!+- Black loses material, Klauser - Jenni, Biel2008. 1O ...Wd7 l1.lLlbd2 :B:xg7 12.lLle4 i.e7 This move is forced anyway. 13.i.xe7 Wxe7 14.Wd2 Wd5 15.Wf4 White has unpleasant threats, as Black's king is too exposed.

1l.i.xe7

8

....

7 6

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1 g a c e 1l ... i>xe7 This is a critical position. As compensation for his king's potentially shaky position, Black has two strong center pawns and latent pressure down the g-file, offering him serious chances of counterplay. White has to complete his development, neutralize Black's trumps, and attack the black king if possible. And, of course, a transition to an endgame would favor Black, who would be left with all the advantages of his position, and none of the downsides. However, the following line also deserves attention: 11...Wxe7!? 12.lLlxd4 Now there is a split: a) 12 ... 0-0-0 is dubious. What should White do about the pin? 13.lLlxc6! He should charge forward and attack Black's unprotected queen! 13 ... bxc6 14.Wf3 :B:xg7 15.lLlc3 Black has too many weak pawns. b) 12 ... :B:d8 13.c3lLlxd4 14.cxd4 :B:xg7 15.lLlc3 Wf8 Black has active pieces and open files for his rooks. White's chances are on the kingside, where Black's monarch is looking for safe home. Overall, it is a sharp and interesting position, which would be fun to play with either color.

a


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12,1~~bd2!

The most natural continuation, however 12.1'l:e4!? is also possible, as in Fahrni -Tartakower, Baden-Baden 1914. 12.••VNd5! After the inferior 12 .. .1'hg7 13.ltJxc4 White is clearly better since Black's king is exposed. 13.b3 Chipping away at Black's dangerous center pawns. 13... cxb3 14.axb3! Opening the a-file for the rook. After 14.ltJxb3 E:ad8 Black was doing fine in the old game Mieses - Teichmann, St Petersburg 1909. Even though Black's king has lost the right to castle, his pieces - especially the queen - are strongly posted in the center, which solves all his problems 14... E:xg7 15.~e4 Even though White is a pawn down, all his pieces are extremely active, and Black's king is still stuck in the center. 15 ... E:ag8 16.g3 b6 17.E:a4 E:d8

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18.VNc1! With the dual threats of 19.'I&a3t or 19.'I&f4 to attack c7 and f6. 18... f6 19.VNf4 E:O 20.c4 Gaining more central control, since opening the position with 20 ... dxc3? 21.ltJxc3 would be suicidal for Black's king, but even stronger was 20.VNxclt. 20...VNd7 21.E:a2 d3 22.E:d2 a5 23.VNh4 VNe8 24J~e3 VNg8 25.~c3 ~d7 26.VNe4 Black was unable to withstand White's central pressure and resigned. 1-0

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What we have learned: .:. Black should answer 6.e5 by striking back in the center in classical style with 6 ... d5 . •:. In this new line with 8.fxg7!? Black's centralized pieces and pawns clash with White's attempts to attack the black king. Naturally this leads to a very sharp battle. Conclusion The Max Lange Attack was a regular battleground of top players for more than 50 years, but now it is rarely seen in tournament chess. Nowadays the most common reaction is 5 ... ltJxe4 - see Chapter 5 on the Morphy Attack. Players avoid the Max Lange Attack for practical reasons. Mter 5 ....ic5 very unbalanced positions occur and the players have to know the lines inside out, since one inaccurate move can cost the game. Nevertheless, studying this line is extremely valuable, whichever side of the board you are sitting. As White, after 5.0-0 nothing can stop your opponent from playing 5... .ic5. And if you like to play very sharp chess, then 5 ... .ic5 can certainly be recommended as Black.

Chapter7 The Evans Gatnbit 7

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l.e4 e5 2.~f3 ~c6 3..ic4 .ic5 4.h4

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The Evans Gambit was invented by and named after William Davies Evans, a Welshman who was the first player to employ this opening more than 180 years ago! Apart from being a strong amateur, did you also know that Captain Evans was also a professional ship master? Of course you did.

It is a testimony to the soundness of the Evans Gambit that it has been played since the 1820s, but no direct refutation has been found. Throughout the years, Anderssen, Chigorin, Morphy, Fischer, Kasparov, Timman, Shirov, Short, Morozevich, and many others have successfully played this opening, which occurs after the moves:

1.e4 e5 2.c!CJa c!CJc6 3.~c4 ~c5 In this position Captain Evans discovered the amazing idea of sacrificing the b-pawn.

4.h4!? 8 7 6

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The basic intention behind this move is to give up a wing pawn in order to secure a strong pawn center, and bear down on Black's weak point on fl. Often, the idea of~a3, preventing Black from castling, is also in the air. We will see these ideas in action in the following games.

Typical ideas and plans -Weakness of f7 I would like to start with two games played by the eleventh world champion, Bobby Fischer. Fischer needs little introduction, but I would still like to say a few words about his play. Firstly, he was a universal player who mastered every phase of the game. As such, his play was harmonious and instructive. Secondly, winning was everything to Fischer, so his choice of opening should be taken very seriously. In the first game, Black crumbles after Fischer attacks the Achilles' heel in his position - the square.

fl

233

The Evans Gambit

Game 48 Fischer - Boatner Houston Simultaneous 1964

l.e4 e5 2.~f3 ~c6 3..ic4 i.c5 4.b4 hb4 5.d White wins a tempo to build a two-abreast pawn center after d2-d4.

5...i.e76.d4 White immediately challenges the center.

6... d6? This leads to an immediate disaster. In the open games, Black cannot afford such liberties without taking White's threats into account. This is because there are many vulnerable points in Black's position: f7, g7, and in many situations even h7 are targets for sacrifices. Watch how Fischer punishes Black for his impudence.

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7.Wib3 A typical move in the Evans Gambit; White attacks Black's weakest spot before castling - the f7-square. But directed against the Wib3 and .ic4 construction is the move ... ltJa5, which White must always watch out for. Black seeks to exploit the exposure of White's queen, in gaining a tempo to get rid of one of White's attacking bishops.

7 ... ~h6? Putting the knight on the edge of the board is not recommended, and here Black incorrectly does that - in the hope of defending f7.

As suggested above, correct is: 7 ... ltJa5! 8 ..ixf7t Regaining the sacrificed pawn while keeping White's positional advantages.

mfB

8... Here, White has to play: 9.Wa4! r;!(xf7 lO.Wxa5

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8

~~~)1i~.~')1

%_"'~.w~i . y._ . . .

7 ~iw~ 6 ..... %~ ..... 5

%~

~~.N'.~. ~

4 ' .. "x~

%ft8~~ %~

~~r~""%~ ~~

3 2

~~ 8~ ~~~~»" 8. ~~.%~~.J~~~~

l~ttJ~ abc

~

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Giving up his light-squared bishop for Black's knight. However, Black's problems are not over: he will find it difficult to complete his development while keeping his king safe. He will need to spend a lot of time and energy to manually castle with ... lLlf6, .. .l'!fs and ... c;tJgS. White also has strong pressure on Black's center, especially on e5, and at some point Black will have to make a concession by adopting a defensive set-up by capturing on d4, for example 10 ... exd4 11.cxd4. White controls more space and has easy development. With the disappearance of the b2- and c3-pawns, White can play ib2 and lLlc3, comfortably developing his queenside pieces to their best squares.

8.i.xh6 Fischer eliminates the defender of fl, after which his attack crashes through. 8 •••gxh6 9 •.Lf7t c,t>m Going the other way was no better: 9 ... c;tJd7 1O.'I&e6 mate.

5

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The Evans Gambit

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Confronted with the threat of mate, Black must play lO ... d5 when White will soon be at least a couple of pawns up with the black king in his sights. Black found another option - he resigned.

1-0 Later on, Fischer introduced the intermediate capture:

7.dxe5!

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This sharply increases the strength ofWfb3. For example: 7 ... ttJa5? 8.j,xf7t! 'it>xf7 9.Wfd5t With a double attack on the hanging a5-knight and Black's king. 9 ... j,e6 lO.Wfxa5 White is winning. He is a pawn up, ro say the least. The game Fischer - Celie, Davis (simul) 1964, continued 7 ... ttJxe5 8.ttJxe5 dxe5 9.Wfh5! when White gained a huge advantage, which led to a win. Black is unable to save his e5-pawn due to the threat ofWfxf7t. 7 ... dxe5 8.Wfb3! ttJa5 (not 8 ... ttJh6? 9.j,xh6 gxh6 10.j,xf7t 'it>f8 1l.j,h5 and White wins as in the above game) 9.j,xf7t 'it>f8 lO.Wfa4 With a clear advantage for White. Compared with the variation shown on Black's 7th move in the game, here Black's e5-pawn is likely to drop. What we have learned:

.:. Attacks on f7 are an integral part of the Evans Gambit . •:. The attack on f7 gains in strength if the intermediate dxe5 capture is made . •:. A typical way to meet the Wfb3 and j,c4 battery attack on f7 is ... ttJa5, returning the pawn but removing White's strong light-squared bishop. The attack on f7 may succeed even after castling. For example:

236


Games 49 B-Alterman - GotChess Internet Blitz 2006

1.e4 e5 2.c!L)a c!L)c6 3..ic4 J.c5 4.h4 i.xb4 5.d i.a5 This retreat is considered to be the main line of the Evans Gambit Accepted.

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7.0-0 White is ready to give up another pawn to develop his pieces rapidly. The alternative is 7.~b3.

7... c!L)ge7 The main response according to today's theory. The greedy 7 ... dxc3?! will be examined later.

8. c!L) g5 Aiming to exploit the weakness of Black's kingside, especially given the absence of Black's knight on f6.

8 ... 0-m?

The Evans Gambit

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9.~h5

Black resigned. The attacks on 0 and h7 cannot both be met, and Black will have to lose an exchange after 9 ... h6 1O.tt'lxO ~xO 11.~xOt. 1-0 Without a white knight on f3, the centralizing 8... ttle5? comes to mind. However, it does not work due to a clever trick:

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9.ttlxfl! Proof that White's threats to 0 have not diminished!

9... c!Llxfl 10.i.xf7t @xfl 11.~h5t And White picks up the hanging bishop on a5, with compensation for the pawn due to Black's exposed king. What we have learned: .:. Without the key defensive knight on f6, Black's kingside is very vulnerable to attack. .:. Be alert for combinations on 0, especially when your pieces are trained towards this focal point. In the next example, by utilizing the weakness of f7 in the opening, White draws the enemy king out with a combination. Then White starts to attack the exposed king. It is also worth noting White's tactics to try to trap the black queen in the variations on Black's 9th and 10th moves.

Game 50 B-Alterman - whv Internet (rapid) 2006

l.e4 e5 2.ttla ttlc6 3..ic4 .ic5 4.b4 hb4 5.d .ic5 Another possible retreat of the bishop.

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6.d4 exd4 7.0-0 White has no time to worry about pawns. His initiative will be more dangerous when all his pieces have been rapidly developed.

7... dxc3

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8.i.xf7t! A standard combination in the open games, exploiting the weakness of f7 and the hanging position of Black's bishop. Then, even with a pawn deficit, White will have huge compensation because of Black's exposed king. Other options are less convincing, for instance: 8.VNb3 VNe7 (or 8 ...VNf6) 9.ttJxc3 ttJa5! Trading the powerful bishop. 8.ttJxc3 d6 9. VNb3 VNd7 White keeps some compensation, but has nothing concrete.

8 .•. ~xf7 9.VNd5t

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The Evans Gambit

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The king is more exposed here than on f8. So far in this chapter Black has not managed to survive with his king stuck in the center, and he will not do so in this game either. Better is 9 ... <j;Jf8 IO.Wxc5t d6 11.Wxc3 when Black's king is still exposed and this provides sufficient compensation for the pawn. Then 11 ...Wf6, trying to force the exchange of queens by exploiting the weakness of the al-h8 diagonal, leads to interesting tactics: 8

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f g h White has the spectacular 12.Wb3!. He threatens to bear down on the long diagonal with .ib2, and aims to grab the outpost on d5 with ttJc3-d5, without allowing Black easy development of his queens ide due to the pressure on b7. After 12 ... Wxal 13 ..ib2! .ie6! (and not 13 ... ttJa5 14.Wc2! Wxa2 15 ..ixg7t!) 14.Wc3!, threatening g7, White keeps a strong position.

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10.~xc5 d611.~xc3

Black's king has to spend lots of time and energy to find a safe haven. 1l ... tl)f6 Again, there will be no exchange of queens: 11...Wf6 8

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12.~b3!

The rook is just as immune as before: 12 ... ~xal 13.lLlc3! But not 13 ..ib2?!, which can be met with 13 ... lLla5! 14.~c3 (if 14.~b5t then 14 ... .id7) 14 ...~xa2 15.~xg7 lLle7 16.~xh8t ~g8 with an unclear game. However, now White is threatening 14 ..ib2. 13 ... lLlge7 13 ... lLla5 does not improve Black's prospects after 14.~b5t when the black queen is still trapped. 14 ..ib2 White wins the queen without losing any of his initiative.

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The rook is dreaming of a world after e4-e5, when the e-file will open.

12....tg4 13.~bd2 White opts to bring more pieces into the game before playing e4-e5. Nevertheless, the immediate breakthrough was possible: 13.e5! dxe5 14.lLlxe5 lLlxe5 15.23xe5t ~d7 16.h3 .ih5 17 ..if4 And Black is in trouble.

13....bf'3? Black does not help his own prospects by exchanging his developed piece. 14.~xf3~d7

Black hopes to run to the queenside with ... ~d8-c8, ... b7-b6 and ... mb7.

15.e5! But it is too late! 15 ... dxe5 16.~xe5 ~xe5 17J3xe5t

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The Evans Gambit

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17... d8 then the most powerful option is a rook lift to the 3rd rank with 16.l"ie3! when the g7-pawn remains the target.) 16.l"ixel t Wherever Black runs, doubling the heavy pieces on the e-file with Wfd decides the result. For example: 16 ... i>d8 17.Wfd Threatening Wfe7 mate. 17 ... Wfxh4 18.g3! Removing Black's queen from the defense of e7, after which White wins at once. 15.ixg7 l"ig8

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246


Black desperately defends with his meager army, but it is insufficient. The critical position of his king will tell.

16JUe1t i>d8 Or 16 ... i.xel 17J:'1:xelt is similar: 17 ... ~d8 18.~g3! ~xg3 19.i.f6 mate.

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17.~g3!

A beautiful finish! White's queen is sacrificed to distract Black from the defense of f6: 17... ~xg3 18.i.f6 is mate.

1-0 What we have learned: .:. Do not worry about giving up material; your initiative is more dangerous when all your pieces have been developed . •:. Do not allow your opponent to easily complete his development . •:. Black's bishop on a5 prevents him from employing the typical ... ttJa5 to counter the attack on fl . •:. Black's bishop on a5 is hanging in many variations . •:. Centrally posted pieces (for example, a white knight on d5) often have to be exchanged since they are so strong, and a file is opened in the process.

Game 52 l.e4 e5 2.~f3 ~c6 3 ..ic4 .ic5 4.b4 .ixb4 5.d .ia5 6.d4 exd4 7.0-0 dxd?! 8.~b3! ~e7 9.~xc3

In the previous game we saw 9 ... ttJf6, so let's try another defense for Black:

9...~b4 This attempt to trade queens does not work either, but there is no longer a good solution for Black. Of course Black's earlier greed is to blame for his problems.

247

The Evans Gambit

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K~.i.~.~~~~ '~ %~F %~ %~J.r~/'"''

z~iw~i ~iw~i "',,%~ 4i~ %~ ,,,,,z~

.~~~~~~~~

·r·i~~~~~~

I~~j~~ !.'.~~~!~ '8 ~ifi';"i ~."!",i:( D,. ~ ~ Mm abc

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lO.i.xf7t Starting the attack on the uncastled king, lO... r;!,>d8 Not 1O ... c;!{f8?? 11.i.a3 and White wins at once. 1l.i.g5t! Bringing the bishop into the attack with tempo, and avoiding 11.i.xg8? ~xb3!' 1l ... tLJf6 After 11...4Jge7 12.4Jd5 ~xb3 13.axb3 White has a clear advantage. 12.tLJd5! Inviting another piece to join the attack. Trading queens does not save Black because White's developed pieces totally dominate the position even in the endgame: 12.••~xb3 13.axb3 The a-file is also opened for White's rook! Now White threatens to capture on f6. 13.. JUS If 13 ... h6 14.i.h4 g5 then 15.4Jxg5! - insisting the diagonal remains open for White's bishop.

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14.~xf6!

Trading the opponent's developed pieces.

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16.E:xa5! Getting rid of the defender of c7 wins immediately. 1-0

Gamex53 Morphy - Hampton London 1858

Paul Morphy was one of the brightest ever talents in chess history. At a young age, Morphy became the best player in the United States. He then set out to conquer Europe, where all the top players then were. When he was only 21, he shocked the world by defeating every player who was brave enough to face him in a match, including Lowenthal, Harrwitz, and Anderssen. Unfortunately, even though he was the best player in the world, Morphy soon gave up playing chess completely, leaving behind many disappointed fans, and hundreds of brilliant games. I will now look at three examples of Morphy's play with the Evans Gambit. Like Fischer, Morphy fought for the initiative on every move, presenting his opponent with problem after problem until the game was his. The following game is no different, and Morphy displays great ingenuity in keeping the enemy king in the center - an idea which has become standard in the Evans Gambit.

l.e4 e5 2.~f3 ~c6 3 ..ic4 .ic5 4.b4 hb4 5.c3 .ia5 6.d4 exd4 7.0-0 .ib6 Black is content to spend an extra tempo to secure his bishop from its hanging position on as. Black could also play 7 ... d6 8.cxd4 .ib6, which transposes to the game.

8.cxd4d6

The Evans Gambit

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Black needs to restrain White's pawn center, lest they advance with d4-dS, e4-eS and dS-d6, when the d6-pawn would be a bone in Black's throat.

9.tLlc3 White has easy development and a strong pawn center. Black remains a pawn up, but he must still play carefully. Note that it is roo early for 9.'Wb3 since after 9.. :r!Je7 Black is ready to get rid of White's lightsquared bishop with ... ltJaS. 9... tLlf6? Black develops his knight to its most natural square, preparing to castle ... and finds himself in big trouble! Try and see if you can find the sacrifice Morphy made, which has become a classic in the Evans Gambit.

lO.e5! The salient feature about the position is that White's king has castled, while Black is still one move away from doing so. With this pawn sacrifice, Morphy opens up lines around Black's king, preventing him from escaping from the center! Instead lO.ltJdS does not promise anything special: lO ... ltJxdS 11.exdSltJe7 and Black will soon castle short.

lO... dxe5 For lO ... dS, see the next Morphy game.

abc d e f g h 1l.i.a3!! This is the main point of lO.eS!. The bishop prevents Black from castling, since no black piece can block the diagonal without losing material. In return for his sacrificed pawns, White has huge positional compensation. In my 'calm' analysis at home, I still could not find a way for Black to shake off White's terrific initiative. It is thus not surprising that Hampton, with his clock ticking, resigned just seven moves later! And again, the bishops attack on adjacent diagonals ...

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11.. ..ig4 Too little, too late. White easily frees his knight from this pin, which is aimed primarily at preventing lLlg5. Let's consider a couple of alternatives a) 11 ... lLla5 and b) 11 ... ~xd4: a) 11...lLla5This is better, but still not good enough after 12.lLlxe5! lLlxc4 13.'lWa4t!. One more piece joins the decisive attack. We will look at a couple of ways Black can end it all: al) 13 ...~d7 14.'lWxc4 ~e6 15.d5!

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More files are opened; Black is in a hopeless position. 15 ...~xd5 16.'lWa4t c6 17.1'hd1! White wins at least a piece. 17 ... lLld7 18. lLlxd7 'lWxd7 19.1Llxd5 cxd5 20.l'!xd5 Black had had enough and resigned. 1-0 Lehmann - Mueller, Luzern 1952. a2) 13 ... c6 14.lLlxc4! ~c7 15.l'!ab1! Looking at the b7-pawn and preventing ... ~e6. 15 ... b5 (after 15 ... 'lWxd4? 16.lLld6t and the queen is gone) 16.lLlxb5! cxb5 17.'lWxb5t 'lWd7 18.l'!fe1 t ~d8 19.~e7t 'lWxe7 20.l'!xe7 Wxe7 21.'lWc6 Black is dead. b) 11...~xd4 Another greedy attempt. At least Black is trying to keep the e-file locked. 12.'lWb3!

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251

The Evans Gambit The classic idea. Now we have a further split into two:

bI) 12 ...ie6? Morphy's opponents were always scared of his attacks! 13.ixe6 fxe6 14.'1Wxe6t COe? 15.COxd4 exd4 16.~fe1 White won in Morphy - Golmayo Zupide, Havana 1864. b2) 12 ... 'Wd? This was the best chance, but White still has the initiative. 13.~ael! (less accurate is 13.~fe1 due to 13 ... COg4) 13 ... 'ifid8! Such a move became standard only in the Steinitz Era. (after 13 ... COa5 14.COxe5 COxb3 15.COxf7t White wins material) 14.~dl White keeps an enormous initiative. 12.'Wb3!

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Black does not find a moment's peace! He will not find the time he needs to evacuate his king to the queenside. 12....ih5 Defending the weak spot on f7.

13.dxe5 The d-file is opened for the rook with tempo. White's pawn also crosses the equator, unabashedly aiming to hammer down Black's defenses by advancing to e6.

13... t£J g4 Black somehow manages to finish his queenside development; however, it is easy to see the drawbacks of his position - complete disharmony amongst his pieces and a fatal weakness on f7 to boot. 14J:~adl!

It is important for White to bring his rooks to the center. Their ideal squares are on el and dI, as from there they support a potential breakthrough in the center. Morphy also displays an important lesson about how to play the opening: with rapid development, he creates strong pressure on the center.

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14...Y!Yc8 8

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15.e6! Very direct! After this move, Black's position collapses.

15 ...£6 16.Y!Yb5 White threatens the h5-bishop and advances into Black's camp.

16 ...i.g6 Perhaps not the best move, but it was already difficult to find a good continuation for Black.

17.i.d5 Black has no defense against the killer I8 ..ixc6, so he resigned. 1-0 What we have learned:

.:. •:. •:. •:.

It is necessary to restrain the advance of a pawn center. The sacrifice e4-e5 ... dxe5, .ia3 is classic in the Evans Gambit . After sacrificing material to keep the enemy king in the center, you must play energetically. The ideal squares for the rooks are on el and dI, from where they support a potential breakthrough in the center. •:. In the opening, develop quickly and create pressure in the center.

In the next game Morphy once again keeps the enemy king in the center with energetic play, and he finishes the game in style.

The Evans Gambit

253

Game 54 Morphy - De Riviere Paris (3) 1858

l.e4 e5 2.tLlf3 tLlc6 3.i.c4 J.c5 4.b4 hb4 5.d J.c5 6.0-0 d6 7.d4 exd4 8.cxd4 i.b6 Via a different move order, the same position as in the previous game has been reached.

9.tLld tLlf6? 10.e5! d5? For comments on the play up to here, see the previous game.

1l.exf6! Opening up the position while Black's king is still stuck in the center. Only with energetic play will White be able to achieve something, as after any other move Black would be given a chance to complete his development.

1l ... dxc4 12.fxg7

2S4


The brand-new g-pawn (which was born as an e-pawn) pierces the heart of the enemy position and destroys his kingside. The squares f7 and h7 are both weak, and Black has to stop the g7pawn, which is just one square away from promotion.

12.. J:~g8 13.~el t .le6 Black's king starts to feel uncomfortable in the center. If instead Black blocks the check with his knight, 13 ... ltJe7, then after 14 ..tgS White develops with tempo, attacking e7, and Black's next move is forced: 14 ....te6

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Now with IS.dS! White exploits with devastating effect the vertical pin against Black's king and the diagonal pin along the h4-d8 diagonal. After IS ... .txdS 16.ltJxdS White wins a piece, and Black's problems are not over yet.

14.d5! Thanks to the pin on the e-file, White is virtually winning. 14.. JWf6

The Evans Gambit

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Black counterattacks the only unprotected piece in White's camp and tries to prove that White's pin is insufficient for victory.

15.i.g5! Morphy sacrifices his knight! When conducting an attack against the king, material does not matter. Especially with a king devoid of shelter, the attacker would have no problems recovering the sacrificed material. With this move, Morphy brings another piece into play, and prevents Black from castling.

15 ...~xc3 16.dxe6 Material is now equal, but Black is in a hopeless situation. White has his pieces fully mobilized and can focus on checkmating the enemy king, which he does in just a few more moves.

16...~d3 Black seeks to exchange queens to reduce the strength of White's attack. At the very least, White would be deprived of the use of the d-file, if only temporarily.

17.rolf @xf'7 The position is torn open and Black's king is forced to take his chances out in the open. How should White continue the attack? He needs to bring his pieces into the vicinity of Black's king. Morphy does this by exploiting the exposed position of Black's king and queen.

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18J~e7t!

The rook enters the fray!

18... @g6 IB ... ltJxe7 would mean that the knight no longer covers the e5-square, and so 19.1tJe5t forks and wins.

When attacking the king, it is ideal to "invite everyone to the party". Morphy's queen and alrook have not yet joined in on the fun. How should he activate them?

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19.Wfel! Morphy's queen clears dl for his rook, and uses el as a springboard to invade on e6. 19•••Wfd5 Black's queen is trying to divert White's pieces, alas without much success. 20J~dl

This is a dream position, with absolute control of the d- and e-files. In what follows note how White's attack rolls down these center files.

20 ... tild4 With all of White's pieces coordinating harmoniously in the attack, it is time for tactics to erupt. How would you continue the attack?

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21.:Sxd4! Black's hopes are dashed by this sacrifice. Morphy eliminates the only piece that was able to protect the enemy king from a decisive check. -

The Evans Gambit

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21.. ..L:d4 22.~bl t Now the only- piece that can shield the black king is the queen, but d3 is inaccessible and f5 is no good, as we shall see below.

22 ... i>h5 22 ... ~f5 could be refuted in various ways. One tactical feature about this position is that Black's king and queen are susceptible to a knight fork on h4. Another feature is that the queen is pinned - yes, pinned! - to Black's king. The latter characteristic allows White's rook to move with impunity to a square attacked by the pinned queen: 23.E:e6t .if6 and then 24.E:xf6tL 23.~xh7t i>g4 24.~h3 mate

1-0 What we have learned: .:. •:. .:. •:. •:.

Energetic play is required to exploit the position of the uncastled king. When attacking the king, do not be afraid to give up material. Involve all your pieces in the attack against the king . Having absolute control of the d- and e-files is a dream to strive for . When all your pieces are attacking, search for tactics.

After several tough games, which hopefully have become clearer as you work your way through the material, we finish this mini-collection of Morphy's games with a game against his father! For those of you who have diligently worked your way through the previous material, Morphy's moves will probably come naturally to you. Still, it is worth watching how Morphy emphasizes the need to control the d- and e-files, and the power this brings.

Game 55 Paul Morphy - Alonzo Morphy New Orleans 1849

l.e4 e5 2.c~~f3 ttJc6 3.i.c4 i.c5 4.b4 i.xb4 5.c3 i.c5 6.d4 exd47.cxd4 Morphy decides not to sacrifice another pawn with 7.0-0, as in B-Alterman - whv, Internet (rapid) 2006.

7 ...i.b6?! Too passive. Black should have preferred 7 ....ib4t, forcing White to either accede to a trade of minor pieces, or lose the right to castle.

8.0-0 White's strong position in the center compensates for the sacrificed pawn. In the previous games we have seen, by transposition, 8.lt:lc3 d6.

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8... tL:!a5?! Black is worried about the threats to 0, but moving the same piece twice in the opening is definitely not recommended. Better is B... d6, heading the same way as the previous two games.

9..ld3 d5? This typical move tries to eliminate White's dangerous e4-pawn (recall how Morphy's e4pawn landed up on g7 in the previous game), while also freeing Black's cB-bishop. However, it is too early for this move due to Black's backward development. Morphy Senior seems to have underestimated White's resources, and he is duly punished.

10.exd5 The game opens in Paul Morphy's favor.

10 ...Y:Vxd511.i.a3! White does not forget about development! He places his bishop on the most aggressive outpost, preventing Black from castling kingside - just like in his game against Hampton. Also strong enough was 11.ltJc3! WEd8 (l1...WEd6 allows 12.ltJb5) 12.~el t ltJe7 13.ia3 with a winning initiative.

1l ....te6 Black develops his bishop to cover d5, preparing ... 0-0-0.

12.tL:!c3 Developing with tempo; Black's exposed queen has to move again.

12 ...Y:Vd7 Other than his rooks, White's pieces are ideally placed. How should White continue?

13.d5! A breakthrough at Black's most defended spot! White's big lead in development permits him to sacrifice another pawn to further open up the position.

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The Evans Gambit

13 ...i.xd5 14.~xd5 Exchanging.the opponent's developed pieces.

14...~xd5 15J:~elt White's rooks enter the game, and as Black has his son. 1-0

to

give up his queen or allow mate, he resigned

to

After 15 ... md8:

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16.ic4! is curtains: 16 ... 'Wxdl 17J'l:axdlt ~c8 18.l"1e8 mate. The coordinated action of White's pieces, with firm control of the key d- and e-files, culminates in mate. What we have learned:

.:. •:. •:. .:.

When the enemy king has not castled, open up the center. Utilize the principles of how to play with a lead in development . Do not forget to develop your pieces! Control the d- and e-files with your rooks.

In the next section I will explain the modern ideas in the Evans Gambit, as developed by one of the greatest ever chess players - former World Champion Garry Kasparov. Kasparov started to play the Evans Gambit in the mid-1990s. At that time, few strong players believed in the Evans Gambit, with one exception being Grandmaster Evgeny Sveshnikov, who had a memorable game against World Championship contender Nigel Short. It was therefore a surprise when Kasparov included the Evans Gambit in his repertoire, and he even played it against one of his main rivals in 1995.

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Game 56 Kasparov - Anand Tal Memorial, Riga 1995

1.e4 e5 2.tLla tLlc6 3 ..ic4 Kasparov deviates from his usual weapons (the Ruy Lopez or the Scotch) and I guess Anand already sensed that Kasparov had something up his sleeve.

3 ....ic54.b4 I know Garry quite well: between 1985 and 1988 I was one of his students in the BotvinnikKasparov school. In the late 1990s I was his second for a few years, and I helped him in the famous match "Kasparov vs. the World". As such, I know that Garry took such surprise moves seriously. So, when Garry sacrifices a pawn, you know that he had cooked up some home preparation. One of his 'bombs' at that time was the Evans Gambit. Garry was much better prepared for this fight, even compared to such a brilliant player as Vishy Anand, who was not able to withstand Kasparov's attack, and lost in just 2S moves!

4 ...,hb45.d A grandmaster, with Black in this position, would ask himself where he should move the bishop to avoid walking into the opponent's preparation. Anand already knew Kasparov well, and he immediately understood that retreating the bishop to as or cS would walk into the main lines Kasparov's team had prepared. Therefore, he decided to play it safe with:

5...i.e7 In fact, this had been played several times already. Black's idea is that after:

6.d4 He has the standard counterattack:

6 ... tLla5 Returning the pawn but destroying White's chances of creating a kingside attack. This line was quite popular in the 1980s, especially thanks to Sveshnikov's efforts with White. In his famous game against Short, the play continued: 7.ltJxeSltJxc4 8.ltJxc4 dS! Black destroys White's center and keeps the bishop pair. 9.exdS WfxdS 1O.ltJe3 White follows up with c2-c4, ltJc3 and 0-0. Black has a slight problem with his c8-bishop, as it cannot find a good developing square. However, since Black has the bishop pair, his prospects do not seem so bleak... Instead Kasparov came up with a surprise:

7 ..ie2!? The bishop retreats from its aggressive stance on c4, but Kasparov asks Black what he is going to do about the pawn on eS. Kasparov played the Evans Gambit not for the sake of getting a position where White is slightly better, or perhaps even equal; he was looking for more.

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7 ... exd4 I believe Anand was not too concerned, and he simply captured on d4. Later analysis showed that this was one of the best continuations. Now White has a pleasant choice. Kasparov's preparation was based on: 8.~xd4!

This is very similar to Morphy's games, where the American did not care about nice-looking pawn structures, but instead went for a sharp and complex battle where he had better development. After the alternative 8.cxd4 d6, even though White has a pawn center, it is not enough for a strong player; we are always looking for more.

8... tLlf6 The natural continuation, preparing to castle. But we should also consider other moves. 8 ... f8?! has the drawback that Black loses the right to castle. 8 ...if6? will be met by 9.e5 ie7 10.0-0 and it is still not easy for Black to complete his kingside development. Analysis after the game revealed that Black's best response was 8 ... d6!, returning the pawn and preparing to castle queenside.

9.e5 The pawn advances with tempo and Black has no time to castle.

9... tLlc6 Bringing his knight back into the center and attacking White's queen. Not 9 ... lLlh5 10.g4 and White wins a piece. 9 ... lLlg8 is also not a great move, as developing the pieces is after all the main purpose of the opening. 10.~h4 tLld5

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Black seems to be doing fine, but Kasparov's next move shows that Black's problems are far from being solved. 11.~g3

Once again, with a series of aggressive moves White keeps his initiative alive, not allowing Black to complete his development.

11...g6 Mter 11...0-0 12.i.h6 Black would have

to sacrifice the exchange with 12 ... g6.

12.0-0

Kasparov decides not to go too far and just completes his development when White is a pawn down, but his initiative is quite significant.

12... tLlb6?!

Anand decided that the safest place for his king was on the queenside and so he moves his . knight away, intending ... d7-d5 or ... d7-d6.

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The Evans Gambit

12 ... 0-0! This was clearly better, but this move is hard to calculate, since White has many attacking opportunities. 13.~dl!

Kasparov recommended 13.~h6 ~e8 14.c4?, but 14 ... lLlf6! changes the picture. Black creates the unpleasant threat of ... lLlh5 and after 15.exf6? ~xf6! the rook on al and the bishop on e2 are both hanging. 13 ... lLlb614.a4

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White puts pressure on Black on both the kingside and queenside. How can Black stop a4a5? 14 ... d6! If instead 14 ... a5 then White dominates after 15.~h6 ~e8 16.c4!. 15.a5 lLld7 And it is not so easy for White to keep the initiative.

13.c4! White's pawn move is not only aimed at controlling the center, but also to prepare lLlc3-d5. Kasparov is a pawn down, but he has more space. Moreover, his pawn on e5 prevents Black's pieces from becoming active. 13 ... d6 14J~dl Kasparov gains more time since the d6-pawn is pinned. It is not so easy for Black to complete his development. I guess Anand realized that this position was not what he was looking for in the opening, and instead of 14 ... ~d7, he went for a more aggressive move:

14... tlld7 Trying to solve his problems more concretely by getting rid of the e5-pawn, but Black has played too many moves with his knight.

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15.~h6!

Kasparov develops his bishop and happily sacrifices another pawn.

15 ... ttlcxe5 16.ttlxe5 Exchanging one of the opponent's developed pieces.

16 ... ttlxe5 17.ttlc3! Development is more important than material. Anand was hoping that Kasparov would play 17.ig7, a move that many players would have chosen, because it not only threatens the h8-rook but also the e5-knight. But the point of Anand's idea was: 17 ... if6! Sacrificing the exchange, and after 18.ixh8 ixh8 White's attack has disappeared. Black has rwo pawns for the exchange, his king is quite safe, and he has the bishop pair.

17...f6 Black defends his e5-knight and prepares ... lLlf7 and maybe ... 0-0. 8

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18.c5! Kasparov ignores Anand's threats and continues his own attack in accordance with the rules we have studied - with a huge lead in development we have to open up the center. This not only destroys Black's center, but also opens the fl-a6 diagonal for White's bishop. 18.•• tDf7 19.cxd6 cxd6 20.Y;Ve3! White does not allow the black king to escape, while threatening the unpleasant i.c4 and ttJd5. 20 .•• tDxh621.Y;Vxh6 After long consideration Anand played quite a funny move: 21. •.i.f8 It looks as if he is setting up his pieces for a new game, but in fact Anand is trying to force White's queen away from its dangerous outpost. We can understand why Anand chose this move if we look at an alternative: 21...mf7 22.i.c4t i.e6 23.i.xe6t ~xe6

24J%el t! White does not play 24.~g7 immediately, as after 24 ...~f8 the queen would have to be exchanged. 24 ... mf7 25.ttJd5 White's attack is rolling. He threatens the e7-bishop, while ~acl-c7 is in the air. 25 ... i.fB Or 25 ... ~eB 26.~xh7t. 26.~f4

This simple move seals the deal. White's attack is unstoppable. 22.Y;Ve3t!

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An unpleasant move to meet. Anand's idea was 22.~b5t 'it>f7 followed by ... 'it>g7 and Black's king escapes from the center.

22 ... c.t>f7 Black is still rwo pawns up, but White's domination decides the game. Against 22 ...Wie7 White plays 23.tLle4 Wie5 24.tLlxf6t 'it>f7 25.tLle4, keeping all his threats (such as ~c4 and f2-f4) while Black is fatally undeveloped. 23.~d5

The knight jumps into the center to join the attack. White intends ~c4 next.

23 ...i.e6? This loses by force, but it is quite understandable that Black wanted to block the a2-g8 diagonal, as he knows his opponent intended ~c4 with strong threats against the king. Later 23 ... ~d7 and 23 ...~g7 were recommended, but Black is clearly struggling. 24.~f4 Y!fe7

Other moves were not good enough either. For example: 24 ...~d7 25.Wib3t 'it>g7 26.Wixb7 White regains a pawn and keeps a strong attack

24 ...Wid7 25.~b5! White deflects Black's queen from the defense of the e6-square. After 25 ...Wixb5 26.Wixe6t White will play ~acl-c7, when mate is coming. 25J~el!

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A strong quiet move. White posts all his forces towards the critical e-file. After long consideration Anand resigned. 1-0 There was no way out. For instance:

The Evans Gambit

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a) 2S ... dS 26.i.f3 !!e8 27.lL'lxe6! WExe6 28.i.xdS! Amazingly the queen is pinned both vertically and diagonally! b) 2S ... WEd7 26.i.bS! With a discovered attack on e6, and distracting Black's queen from the defense of that square. 26 ... WExbS 27.WExe6t 'tt>g7 28.!!abl WEfS 29.!!xb7t Black seems to be playing half his moves with his king, but it still cannot find a safe place. 29 ... 'tt>h6 30.WEd Black is lost. c) 2S ...i.h6 26.i.c4! White uncovers an attack along the e-file, and Black will lose his e6-bishop. He cannot capture on c4 as that would blunder his queen. d) 2S ... i.d7 26.i.c4t! 'tt>e8 27.WEd2 Black loses his queen Following the example of Kasparov, many top grandmasters such as Shirov, Morozevich and Short included the Evans Gambit in their repertoire - and not without success. For example, at the 2008 Wijk aan Zee tournament Short played the Evans twice in the same week and beat grandmasters rAmi and Sargissian, while at the 2009 World Cup Jobava used the Evans to down Grischuk, a player who is usually in the Top 10 in the world. What we have learned:

.:. It is normal to eschew a pretty pawn structure for better development in the Evans Gambit . •:. Keep your initiative alive by playing aggressively. •:. Do not allow your opponent to complete his development easily. •:. In the opening, pawn moves should only be made to control and support the center, or to aid in developing the pieces . •:. Pay attention to your opponent's ideas when regaining sacrificed material. .:. Utilize the principles of how to play with a lead in development - material is insignificant if your pieces dominate the position. Since the Evans Gambit is quite popular in tournament praxis, I would like to offer a more in-depth overview of the theory in various lines on the following pages:

Theoretical Section Evans Gambit - Declined GameS7 Kan - Botvinnik Soviet Championship, Odessa 1929

l.e4 e5 V~~f3 c!Llc6 3.i.c4 i.c5 4.b4 i.b6 Many years ago Neishtadt gave an apt description of this retreat: "According to modern theory the Declined Evans Gambit is not entirely satisfactory for Black."

5.a4 White gains space on the queenside and threatens to capture the dark-squared bishop with 6.a5 id47.c3.

5... a6 Black might try 5 ... a5 6.b5 ltJd4 setting a cheap trap:

b) 7.c3 does not achieve anything special after 7 ... ltJxf3t 8.Wxf3 Wf6 with an equal game. c) 7.ltJxd4! is the best continuation, exchanging the opponent's strong knight. 7 ...ixd4 8.c3 A critical position. White gains a tempo to build a pawn center by attacking Black's bishop. 8 ...ib6 9.d4 exd4 1O.0-0! ltJe7 Black continues his kingside development. 11.ig5 White qevelops and pins Black's knight, increasing the strength of the intended ltJc3-d5. 11...h6 12.ixe7 (12.ih4

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The Evans Gambit

maintaining the pin was also possible, since Black cannot break it with 12 ... g5? as this would weaken his kingside too much.) 12 ... llBxe7 13.cxd4 White controls more space and the threatened tLlc3-d5 gives him an appreciable initiative, Kasparov - Piket, Amsterdam 1995. Deciding to accept the gambit (after initially declining it) is risky: 5 ... tLlxb4?! 6.a5 ~c5 7.c3 Once again 7.tLlxe5? is too greedy, as 7 ... llBf6! wins a piece: 8.0-0 llBxe5 9.c3 ~d6! 7 ... tLlc6

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Play is similar to the Gambit Accepted, but the additional a4-a5 favors White as it gains space on the queenside. Now White has two good continuations: a) 8.0-0 First tucking the king away, so that after d2-d4 Black does not have the option of ...~b4 with check. 8 ... tLlf6 9.d4 exd4 10.cxd4 ~b4 11.e5! White has a clear advantage. b) 8.d4 exd4 9.0-0! Of course this is the right way, offering another pawn in accordance with the ideas we have studied. 9 ... dxc3 1O.llBb3! (This seems to be the strongest, but even 1O.~xf7t 'it>xf7 11.llBd5t 'it>f8 12.llBxc5t d6 13.llBxc3 llBf6 14.llBa3 gives strong compensation for the pawn.) 10 ... llBf6 (lO ... llBe7 is met strongly by 11.tLlxc3 tLlf6 12.tLld5!) 11.tLlxc3 tLlge7

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12 ..ib2! Bearing down on the long diagonal, with potential threats of a discovered attack on Black's queen. White has kept an unpleasant initiative.

6. tl"k3 The knight is on its way to d5. Instead 6.c3 tOf6 7.d3 d6 transposes to the Italian Game.

6... tLlf6 Black sensibly develops, and is ready to capture on d5 should White's knight invade there. Let's see a couple of alternatives: Mter 6 ... d6 7.tOd5 White has the better game. 6 ... tOxb4 7.tOxe5 Wi'g5 This attempt to muddy up the play should be met by: B.Wi'f3! tOxc2t 9.~dl Wi'xe5 10.Wi'xf7t ~dB 11.Wi'fBt Wi'eB 12.Wi'xeBt ~xeB 13.~xc2 .ixf2 14.tOd5 .id4 (l4 ....ib6 15 ..ib2 wins for White) 15 ..ia3! White has a huge initiative that makes Black's position difficult to defend. For example: 15 ....ixal 16J::\xal ~dB 17.:1W tOf6 IB ..ie7t ~eB 19 ..ixf6 gxf6 20.tOxc7t White wins.

7.tLld5! tLlxe4?! This pawn is poisoned. It was essential to get rid of White's strong knight with 7 ... tOxd5. After B.exd5 Black has to find the best option from three plausible moves:

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B... tOxb4 9.a5 .ia7 1O ..ia3 is unpleasant for Black. B... e4?! 9.dxc6 exf3 10.cxd7t! (decent but less clear-cut was 1O.Wi'xf3 Wi'e7t 11.~dl dxc6 when White could develop his initiative with .ib2 or :gel) 10 ....ixd7 11.Wi'xf3 This leaves Black with no compensation for the pawn. Best is thus B... tOd4! 9.a5 .ia7 10.0-0 when White is only slightly better, as he controls more space.

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The Evans Gambit 8.0-00-0? Black had.to play the following line: B... ltJf6 9.ltJxb6!? cxb6 10.d4!

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10 ... e4 11.d5 0-0 (not 11...exf3 12.l'~e1 t ltJe7 13.d6 and White wins) 12.ltJd2 ltJe5 13.d6 b5 14.i.e2 bxa4 15.i.b2! With strong pressure, as advocated by the computer.

9.d3 ~f6 We should also look at a couple of other knight moves: After 9... ltJxfL. 10J~xfL. i.xf2t 11.'it>xfL. White's minor pieces are dominating. 9 ... ltJd6? This would leave Black's queens ide totally shut out of the game. White should play the aggressive: 1O.i.g5 Developing another piece with gain of tempo! 10 ... 'WeB Black is hugely outnumbered on the kingside so it is entirely logical that White can unleash a tactical blow:

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11.ltJf6t! gxf6 12.i.xf6 White's knight sacrifice rips open Black's kingside. 12 ... ltJxc4 (l2 ... ltJf5 loses to 13.ltJd4!) 13.ltJg5! h6 14.'Wh5! And mate follows.

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It should be said that all of these nice variations are not strictly necessary, as White also has 11.a5, when Black cannot save the bishop without losing his queen.

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lO.i.g5 This pin is almost decisive, as it usually is when Black has castled kingside and is unable to unpin with ... fie7.

lO ... d6 11.~d2! The knight is heading to e4 to apply more pressure to the pinned piece.

11 ...i.g4? Black had a difficult choice and chose a move that loses immediately. 11...fif5 is a logical try, but it only delays the disaster on the kingside. 12.ltJe4! fixe4 13.dxe4ltJd4

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14.:E1a3! The rook joins the attack. 14 ... ltJe6 15.fixf6 gxf6 16.'\Wh5 WhB (White also wins after 16 ... c6 17.ltJxb6 ~xb6 IB.:E1g3t WhB 19.~h6 with mate to follow) 17.~h6 :E1gB IB.ltJxf6 :E1g7 19.:E1g3! ~f8 20.:E1h3 Black is helpless against the coming ~xh7t, checkmating. .

The Evans Gambit

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II ...ie6! was necessary, as Black should try to exchange the nasty knight at dS. But even so, White's initiative after 12.tUe4 ixdS 13.ixdS tUd4 14.tUxf6t gxf6 Is.ih6 should cost Black the exchange.

12.i.xf6 ~c8 This was Black's idea. Instead 12 ...ixdl 13.ixd8 ends with an extra piece for White.

13. tlhb6 cxb6 14.£3! White won a piece and later on the game.

Evans Gambit Accepted with 5...ia5 l.e4 e5 2.lLl£3 lLlc6 3.i.c4 i.c5 4.b4 .ixb4! The best way to refute a gambit is to accept it!

5.d Black has a few relevant replies including S... iaS, S...ie7 and s ... ics, and indeed recently the move S... id6!? has been revived and become popular.

5...i.a5 The classical defense. Now White must choose between 6.0-0 and 6.d4. The former allows Lasker's Defense and the latter is the Modern Main Line. 6.0-0 d6! 6 ... tUf6?! was what Dufresne played against Anderssen in their matches in 18S1 and 18SS. White plays: 7.d4 d6 (7 ... exd4 is covered under 6.d4 exd4 7.0-0 tUf6) 8.dxeS tUxeS 9.tUxeS dxeS 10."Wb3 0-0 Il.ia3 And Black loses an exchange. 7.d4 ib6!

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a) 8.dxe5 dxe5 9.'lWb3 Or 9.'lWxd8t lLlxd8 1O.lLlxe5 .ie6 with an equal game - this is the main idea of Lasker's Defense. 9 ... 'lWf6! 9 ... 'lWe7 is met with the unpleasant 1O ..ia3. lO ..ig5 'lWg6 White's initiative has disappeared. In one game White insisted on attacking ferociously: 11..id5 f6 12 ..ixg8 fxg5 13.lLlxg5 'kt>f8! It looks as if this just loses a rook, but there are bigger fish to fry. 14.lLle6t 'kt>xg8 15.lLlxc7t 'kt>f8 16.lLlxa8

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b) 8.Wb3 ttJa5! This is an important nuance. If Black played 8 ... We7? first, he would be in trouble after 9.dxe5 ttJa5 1O.Wa4t ~d7 11.~b5 ~xb5 12.Wxb5t c6 13.Wa4 dxe5 14.~a3 Wf6 15.ttJbd2, and White has an unpleasant initiative. Black's knight is stuck on the edge of the board. 9.Wa4t White has to play this, as after 9.~xf7t? 'it>f8! he would be losing. 9 ...~d7 10.~b5 exd4 11.cxd4 a6 White's attack has disappeared.

As Lasker's Defense is deemed satisfactory for Black by current theory, the main line is considered to be:

6.d4! White immediately challenges the center.

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6,..exd4 Black has a number of other options to consider here, but none of them as good as the text move. a) 6 ... We??! This allows White to play ~a3 with tempo at the right moment. 7.0-0 ~b6 (of course not 7 ... exd4? 8.cxd4 Wxe4? 9.~xf7t) 8.~a3 d6 9.~b5 ~d7 1O.~xc6! ~xc6 11.ttJxe5± By utilizing the pin on d6, White regained his sacrificed pawn and stands clearly better. b) 6 ... d6 Black is hoping to transpose into Lasker's Defense after 7.0-0, but White plays with greater vigor. 7.Wb3! Forcing Black to tread carefully to avoid losing his bishop. It is also for this reason that 7.dxe5 has less bite: 7 ... dxe5 8.Wb3 Wf6! and Black is OK. 7 ...Wd7

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The only way, as other moves enable White to exploit the open a4-e8 diagonal and the position of the a5-bishop. For example, 7 ... Wf6? is met with 8.d5, followed by 9.Wa4t. 8.ttJbd2! Completing development. Less convincing is 8.dxe5 ~b6, intending to trade the bishop after ... ttJa5, when the position is merely unclear. 8 ...~b6 9.a4!

bI) 9 ... ttJa5 1O.Wa2 We7 11.0-0 ttJf6 12.~a3! And Black was still under unpleasant pressure in Solodovnichenko - Obukhov, Khanty-Mansiysk 2008. b2) 9 ... exd4 1O.cxd4 ttJxd4 is met strongly with 11.Wc3! ttJxf3t 12.gxf3, which opens the g-file for the forthcoming assault: 12 ... ttJf6 13.E:gl! White had strong compensation for the pawn in T. Petrosian - Minasian, Yerevan 2008. b3) 9 ... ttJh6 10.0-0 0-0 11.dxe5 ttJg4 12.exd6 cxd6 13.~a3 White has won his pawn back and had the advantage in Short - Sargissian, Wijk aan Zee 2008 (and we already know Short converted his advantage into a win!). Returning to the main line, after 6 ... exd4, White has two main options: A) 7.0-0 and B) 7.~b3!'

(l.e4 e5 2.c!l~f3 ~c6 3.~c4 .ic5 4.b4 hb4! 5.c3 .ia5 6.d4 exd4) A) 7.0-0 All these moves are not new. They had already occurred in 1858 in the game between Morphy and Hampton, and later in Fischer against Fine in 1963, as we have seen. We now have a major split between AI) 7 ••• dxc3, A2) 7 ••• d6, A3) 7 ••• ~f6, and the best defense A4) 7 ••. ~ge7!.

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The Evans Gambit

7 ... d3?! occurred in the famous "Evergreen" game, played in 1852 between Anderssen and Dufresne. I do not intend to cover this game here, as it is so famous that it can be found almost everywhere.

AI) 7 ... dxc3?! 8.~b3 ~e7 If Black's queen steps out one square further then White can whip up an instant initiative: 8 .. :~Mf6 9.e5! White increases his space advantage, taking away f6 from Black's knight. If Black is too greedy and has no regard for development, he will be duly punished: 9 ... ~g6 9 ... ttJxe5? loses too much time. After lOJ!el, developing the rook with tempo, Black's knight is caught in a nasty pin. 1O ... d6 1 UWa4t Once Black's knight has vacated c6, the hanging position of Black's bishop begins to tell. With this double attack, White wins a piece: 11...mfS 12.ttJxe5 dxe5 13.~xa5 10.ttJxc3 Developing the knight to its favorite square, where it hopes to join the fray by hopping in to d5 one day. 10 ... ttJge7 The knight has to accept this less active deployment, making room for castling. 11.'!a3! The bishops apply fearful pressure on adjacent diagonals once more!

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11.. ..!xc3 12.~xc3 0-0 13.l'!adl White has a myriad of unpleasant threats.

9.c!£Jxc3 hc3? Preventing the knight jump to d5, but Black exchanges off his already developed piece. For 9 ... ~b4 see the illustrative game on page 246. 9 ... ttJf6? leads us to the Fischer - Fine game on page 243.

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10.'ilYxc3 Black has no respite whatsoever. He has to meet the threat to his g7 -pawn, but that will enable White to complete the mobilization of his pieces. 10... £6 An ugly move, making castling kingside a problem while pushing another pawn instead of developing.

lo ... lZlf6 11 ..ia3! Developing with tempo to the most aggressive outpost. 11 ... d6 12.e5! Not giving Black time to castle, White kicks the knight away and opens up the position. 12 ... lZle4 13.1,Wb2 The queen retreats, still keeping an eye on the al-hB diagonal while putting pressure on b7. White has compensation for rwo pawns: his rwo bishops are radiating power on an open board; his rooks will easily find targets down the open files; and all his pieces are actively posted. It is likely that Black will not be able to hold on to his material advantage for long. 13 ... lZlxe5? Black is too greedy. 14.lZlxe51,Wxe5 15.l"Ifel! White wins the e4-knight due to the pin along the e-file.

l1.e5!? Immediately forcing open the position in the center; White will complete his development using the open lines to gain tempos.

11...tihe5 Let's see what happens if Black takes with the pawn: 11...fxe5 12.lZlxe5! Getting rid of Black's developed piece by force. 12 ... lZlxe5 13.l"Ie1 d6 14.f4The exposed position of Black's king provides more than sufficient compensation for the material deficit.

12.l"Iel! Pin!

12 ... d6 13.i.a3! Developing with tempo; White's merciless threat is to capture rwice on e5.

279

The Evans Gambit 13 .•• c5? Blocking the pin along the diagonal, but allowing a deadly tactic. 14.~xe5

Exchanging the opponent's developed piece. As ever, we see the same standard ideas reappearing in a huge variety of settings. 14•.. fxe5 14 ... dxe5 15.i.xc5! 'lWxc5? is bad because of 16.i.f7t and the queen is gone.

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15 •.bc5! This ruins Black's position. It is very difficult for Black to avoid :gxe5 with a devastating attack. For example: White will play :gadl and the d6-square is under terminal pressure. (1.e4 e5 2.~f3 ~c6 3 •.ic4 .ic5 4.b4 .bb4! 5.c3 .ia5 6.d4 exd4 7.0-0) A2) The most natural 7 •••d6 8.cxd4leads to a critical position where there is a 4-way split.

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1) 8 ...i.b6 is covered under 5 ...i.c5 6.d4 exd4 7.0-0 d6 8.cxd4 i.b6. 2) 8 ... tLlge7?

If Black does not develop his knight to its natural square on f6, then his kingside will be very bare. White can exploit this factor with a series of accurate moves: 9. tt.'lg5 ! Threatening the V-pawn. 9 ... 0-0 10.Wh5!

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Putting pressure on both V and h7. Black is unable to defend. 1O ... h6 Preventing mate on h7. l1.tt.'lxV White wins. 3) 8 ... h6? Having seen the power of tt.'lg5, Black decides to rule out this option altogether.

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281

The Evans Gambit

According to Nimzowitsch, "a pawn move must not in itself be regarded as a developing move, but merely as an aid to development". As this pawn neither helps Black develop in any way, nor does it build or support his own center or attack the enemy's center, this move can rightly be labeled as a mistake. White must act energetically, as otherwise Black would simply develop his knight to e7 or f6 and castle. So, what are Black's weaknesses? They are: the uncastled king, the pawn on 0 and the hanging position of the a5-bishop if Black's c6-knight can be induced to move away. 9.'lWb3! This typical move targets the weakness on 0. 9 ... 'lWe7 After 9 ... 'lWf6 lO.d5 (if lO.e5 Black can sidestep with lO ... dxe5 1 l.dxe5'lWg6) lO ... tOe5 11.tOxe5 dxe5 12.'lWb5t the bishop is gone.

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lO.d5! White goes for Black's other weakness. lO ... tOe5 11.tOxe5 'lWxe5 12 ..ib2 Developing, and neutralizing the threat of ... 'lWxal. 12 ... 'lWe7

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13.'lWb5t The bishop is dead. White successfully exploited his opponent's weaknesses to bring a successful conclusion to the game. 4) 8 ...'lWd7 9.i.b2! Black will not be able to complete his development. A3) 7 ... ~f6 Developing the knight normally. 8.eS

8 ...dS Let's see what happens if the knight advances: 8 ... ltJe4 9.~el! (not 9.cxd4? d5) 9 ... ltJxc3 (If 9 ... ltJc5 1O.cxd4! i.xel ll.'lWxe1± and White is doing well. For example: 11...ltJa6 12.d5 ltJe7 13.d6 ltJc6 Black should have sacrificed the knight here or one of the previous moves, but now comes 14.i.g5+- and Black's queen is in trouble.) lO.ltJxc3 i.xc3 1l.i.g5ltJe7 12.ltJxd4! i.xel (if 12 ... i.xal then 13.ltJf5 is winning) 13.ltJf5!± White has a clear advantage. 9.exf6 dxc4 10.fxg7 gg8 11.gel t Just like in the Max Lange Attack! 11 ...i.e612.i.gS! Instead 12.ltJg5?! would spoil everything after 12 ...'lWf6!' 12 ...'lWdS 13.~bd2 White's idea is ltJe4 and if:

13... gxg714.~e4! White has a strong initiative. A4) 7 ... ~ge7!

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The Evans Gambit

Black aims to complete his kingside development and strike back in the center with the typical freeing move ... d7-d5.

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8.c!iJ g5 Aiming to exploit the weakness of Black's kingside caused by the absence of a black knight on f6. White needs to be direct as the simple pawn capture misses the mark: 8.cxd4 d5! Anyway. Black's main idea is that after: 9.exd5 tLlxd5 White cannot play 1O.l:!el t? because of Black's a5-bishop. 1O.ia3 Trying to prevent castling. 10.WEb3 is met with: 1O ...ie6! Il.WExb7 tLldb4! A powerful defense. (l1...tLlce7?! is met with 12.ib5t! <j;>f8 13.ia3 l:!b8 14.WEa6 with the better game) 12.ib5 (or l2.d5 l:!b8) 12 ... 0-0 13.ixc6l:!b8 14.WExa7 tLlxc6 15.WEc5 id5! Black's pieces are dominating. 10 ... ie61l.WEb3 Il.tLlbd2 will be met by 11...ib4!. 11 ... WEd7 Black is planning ... 0-0-0. 12.tLle5 l2.WExb7? blunders the queen: 12 ... l:!b8 13.WEa6l:!b6 and Black wins. 12 ... tLlxe5 13.WExb7 WEc8! Black douses White's initiative and reaches a slightly better endgame.

8,..d5! Countering an attack on the wing by striking in the center in classical fashion. Black willingly returns material to complete his development. He is not afraid of the "dreaded" opening up of the position as he believes he has sufficient resources. 8 ... tLle5? would be premature, as explained on page 237.

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9.exd5 ~e5! Black centralizes his knight, simultaneously boosting the defense on f7 and attacking White's aggressive c4-bishop.

10.~b3

Other attempts include: 1O ..ib5t c6 11.dxc6 bxc6 12.cxd4 cxb5 13.dxe5 And Black is better after either 13 ... 0-0 or 13 .. :~~lrxdl. 1O.~xd4 f6!

An important defensive move: Black plans ....ib6 when the white queen has no good escape squares. Other moves are less attractive, for instance: 10 ... ttJxc4? 11.~xg71'l:f8 12.ttJxh7 and White wins. Or 1O ... ttJ7g6 11.1'l:el! 0-0 12.1'l:xe5 ttJxe5 13.~xe5 1'l:e8 14.~f41'l:elt 15 ..ifl ~xd5 16 ..id2 1'l:e7 17 ..ic4 White is better as he has two pieces for a rook. 11 ..ib3.ib6 Black is fine according to theory. 12.~e4.ifS 13.~a4t ~d7 14.~xd7t ~xd7

Black is slightly better. 10 ... 0-0 As mentioned earlier, Black is not interested in grabbing material and simply castles.

1l.cxd4 Instead 11.ttJxh7 does not promise anything after 11...@xh7 12.~h5t @g8 13.~xe5ttJf5! and now White has problems with his queenside development, Short - Adams, Sarajevo 2000. 11...~g4 12.Y!lrf3

Putting pressure on f7.

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The Evans Gambit

12 ... c!Llf6 Black retreats his knight to its natural square, bolstering his kingside against an attack.

13.Aa3 h6! With a double-edged game, where Black's chances are slightly better, Morozevich - Adams, Wijk aan Zee 2001.

(l.e4 e5 2.c!Lla c!Llc6 3.Ac4 .ic5 4.b4 hb4! 5.d Aa5 6.d4 exd4) B) 7.~b3!

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This was played way back in the 19th century and now the trend is heading back towards this move. For example, Nigel Short has played it three times, against Piket, P.H. Nielsen and Gupta. The split now is determined by whether the black queen defends f7 from e7 or f6, so it is BI) 7 ...~e7 and B2) 7 ...~f6:

BI) 7 ...~e7 8.0-0

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S....tb6 The usual solid approach, but Black has a few other options: The greedy 8 ... dxc3 9.tLlxc3 would transpose to a game we know well, Fischer - Fine, p 243.

8 ... d3 is the sort of move played by those who are scared of gambits. In general it is a reasonable idea to return the pawn and avoid opening lines and accelerating the opponent's development. However, this is not a good version of the ... d4-d3 idea. Mter 9.~a3 d6 1O.tLlbd2 White has the monstrous threat of e4-e5 targeting Black's major pieces. 8 ... tLlf6 This is a sensible developing move, provided e4-e5 is not an issue. Now the immediate 9.e5 looks a little speculative after 9 ... tLlxe5 lO.tLlxe5 ~xe5 , so I suggest: 9.l!el! This fine developing move prepares e4-e5. 9 ... d6? This allows White's plan to be seen in full effect, but even the cautious 9 ... tLlg4 does not stop lO.e5!. The idea is that after lO ... tLlgxe5 11.tLlxe5 tLlxe5 White cannot exploit the pin immediately due to tricks with ... tLlf3t, but the clever 12.l!e4! leaves Black with problems that are impossible to solve.

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10.e5! tLlxe5 After 1O... dxe5 11.~a3! the queen cannot stay defending against both tLlxe5 and ~xf7t, so Black's position collapses. 11.tLlxe5 dxe5 12.~a4t The a5-bishop drops. Another plausible move is: 8 ... d6 White could certainly play the obvious 9.cxd4, but let's have a look at the wilder: 9.e5!? This was once played by Sveshnikov and, although he lost, it is very interesting.

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The Evans Gambit

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9 ... dxe5 Also possible is 9 ... tLlxe5 but after 10.tLlxe5 both recaptures have drawbacks. Taking with the d6-pawn drops the a5-bishop to a queen check, so the lesser evil is 1O ... Wxe5 even though it loses the f7-pawn with check. 1O.E\e l!? Instead Sveshnikov played 10.i.a3 which was messy after 1O ...Wf6. I think it is better to keep i.a3 in reserve, and instead create pressure straight down the e-file. The point is to play flexibly: the rook certainly belongs on e1, but perhaps as the position changes the bishop will be better on g5 than a3. White has excellent prospects after 1O.:i::!:e1, which, incidentally, was played by the great Mikhail Chigorin in a correspondence game in 1884!

9.cxd4

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9,..tLlxd4 In this rare case the greedy approach may be best, as after: 9 ... tLla5 10.Wa4 tLlxc4 11.Wxc4

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White's big center offers superb compensation. For example, Sutovsky - Smagin, Germany 2001, continued: 11...d6 12.a4 c6 13.ltJc3 ~d8 14.aS!? This is certainly not forced, but it shows a modern grandmaster version of an idea we have seen many times - Sutovsky wants to stop Black castling! 14 ....ixaS lS ..igS f6 Now the a2-g8 diagonal is open, making castling illegal. However, the point of 14.aS becomes clear if we consider lS ... ltJe7 when after lS ..ixe7! Black must recapture with his king, as his queen must stay defending the as-bishop. Thus the black king will be vulnerable in the center. 16 ..id2ltJe7 17.:B:fel White eventually won a complicated game.

lo.c!ihd4.hd4 11.c!l)c3 c!l)f6 8 7 6

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d e f g h Black just needs to castle, when he could begin enjoying his material advantage, so White must cause trouble right now! So the high-level game Short - P.H. Nielsen, Denmark 2003, continued:

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289

The Evans Gambit 12.c!t~b5!

d5

This sort of move is almost automatic for strong modern players, who understand that it was the refusal to return any material (even a pawn!) that led to so many of the rapid mating brilliancies of the 19th century. Let's see a couple of alternatives: Black can allow an unusual exchange of rooks with 12 ...i.xal 13.tDxc7t ~ffi 14.tDxa8 i.e5.

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Black is only a pawn up and his king can no longer castle, which makes developing the h8-rook troublesome. The a8-knight is only trapped for the moment and Black cannot win it. White can soon dig out the knight with ideas such as ~a4 attacking the a7-pawn. If Black tries to play safe with 12 ...i.b6? then it has the opposite effect. After 13.i.a3 d6 14.e5!:

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Black is blasted off the board. We should be familiar with this sequence by now.

13.exd5 This leads to a sharp forcing line:

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B ...ha1 14.Aa3 'lWe5 15.f4 Ad4t 16.~h1 'lWe3 17.tLlxd4! White should play for the attack rather than grab material, as 17.ttJxc7t ct?d8 18.ttJxa8 ~xb3 19.ii.xb3 ttJe4 surrenders the initiative and leaves Black much better.

17...'lWxb3 The knight is not really hanging on d4 as if 17 ...~xd4? then 18.~b4 is killing. White threatens mate and ii.bSt winning the queen, and 18 ...~e4 19.:B:el is easy.

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18J:~elt!

Never recapture automatically, even when it's a queen! The check keeps White's initiative rolling along.

18... ~d8 19.J.e7t ~d7 20.tLlxb3

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The threat is ttJcst and 20 ... b6? fails to 21.ii.bSt, so Black has to create space for his king on c7:

20... c621.d6! Keeping the black king tied up. It is the usual battle of ideas - Black tries to build-a safe haven, White says no.

291

The Evans Gambit

21...b6 22.Lf7 White has superb compensation for the exchange with his strong bishops and big passed pawn. The black king is still in danger despite the absence of queens. A wild game eventually ended in a draw. B2) 7 ...V9f6 8.0-0

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8 ...i.b6 Black plays solidly in the style of Lasker's Defense. Other moves have also been tried, for example: The bold 8 ... b5 was tested in Short - Gupta, India 2006. This advance was popular in various situations in the 19th century, but seems to have gone out of fashion, as modern players see no reason not to take it. Indeed, after 9.ixb5 ltJge7 1O.ig5 Wg6 11.ixe7ltJxe7 12.cxd4:

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White was doing well. Black has the bishop pair, but White's big center and lead in development are more significant.


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Developing and castling is logical, so let's consider: 8 ... lt::lge7 9.cxd4 0-0

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The aggressive, tempo-gaining answer is: 1O.~g5!

Surprisingly, no one has played this natural move. 1O ...Wfg6 10 ... Wfd6 is clearly ugly and after 11.e5 Wfb4 12.d5 Black is getting pushed off the end of the board. 11.~xe7!

Surprising at first, but White has a tactic in mind. 11...lt::lxe7 12.Wfa3 Double attack. Now since 12 ... lt::lc6 fails to 13.d5 Black has to get creative with: 12 ... d5 13.exd5 b5 When the idea is 14.~xb5 Wfb6, but instead after: 14.~d3 b4 15.Wfxa5 Wfxd3 16J!el White is clearly better. Black has saved the piece, but White has a huge initiative.

9.e5 Wfg6 lO.cxd4 ~

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The Evans Gambit

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10... c!tla5 By now, we should be immediately suspicious of the greedy 10 ... lt'lxd4 and indeed after 11.lt'lxd4 ixd4 12.lt'lc3 White has a raging initiative against the uncastled black king. After: 12 ... lt'le7 13.ia3

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Black still cannot castle. The following line is just one possible continuation: 13 ... lt'lc6 14J!acl! Just keep on developing! 14 ... lt'la5 15.~a4lt'lxc4 16.~xc4 ixc3 (or 16 ...ib6 17.lt'lb5 is nasty) 17J:hc3 c6 18.~h4 ~e6 19.f4 g6 20.f5 gxf5 21.E!:xf5 Four against one is not a fair fight. The black king will soon be beaten up. 11.~a4

Moving the queen to b4 or c3 would most likely lead to the same thing. 11...c!tlxc4 12.~xc4 Black has the two bishops, but is lagging well behind in development. 12•.• c!tle7 13..ia3 Stopping Black castling makes a huge amount of sense, but also possible is 13.a4 harassing the b6-bishop before going after the king. For example, after 13 ... c6 14.ia3 White may reach an improved version of the main line, since a hole has appeared on d6. 13...~e6 14.~cl!? A tricky idea that has yet to be tested over-the-board. The black queen is left on e6 as a target and Black still cannot castle. In Short - Piket, Zurich 2001, White lunged with 14.d5 but after 14 ...~xd5 15.~e2 It'lg6 16.lt'lc3lt'lf4! Black was getting away, and it went further downhill after 17.~b2 ~d3 18.E!:ae1 %Vg6 19.1t'lh4 %Vg4 20.g3lt'ld3. After the text move the point is that Black cannot castle as after 14 ... 0-0? 15.lt'lg5! White wins material.

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If Black tries 14 ... h6 then after 15.ttJc3 White has fine play. For example, if 15 ... 0-0 then White has various options and one forcing line is: 16.d5 ttJxd5 17.ixfB ttJxc3 18.'1Wxc3 'it>xfB Black has a bishop and two pawns for a rook, which is normally enough, but the b8-bishop and a8-rook are unable to join the game.

Sidelines l.e4 e5 2.c!Llf3 c!Llc6 3 ..ic4 .ic5 4.h4!? .hb4! 5.d Instead of the main line where the bishop retreats to a5, we also have to consider: A) 5 ••..id6, B) 5 •.•.ic5 and C) 5 •.•.ie7. ~

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A) 5 ....id6!? This odd-looking move was played many times in the 19th century, and has been tried in the 21st century by strong grandmasters such as Grischuk, Ivan Sokolov, Volokitin and Harikrishna. Black wishes to complete his kingside development and castle quickly, under the overprotection of his e5-pawn. I find this retreat rather artificial and do not believe it is entirely correct to play in such a manner. The d6-bishop shuts the queens ide out of the game. 6. d4! c!LlfG 7.0-0! Less dear is the immediate assault 7.dxe5 ixe5 8.ttJg5. Here Black can play 8 ... d5! 9.exd5 ttJa5 lO.Wfa4t c6 Il.dxc6 O-O! and White is in trouble. Also playable is 8 ... 0-0 9.f4 id6 lO.e5 ttJxe5 11.fxe5 ixe5 when White wins a piece for three pawns, but his pieces have lost coordination. 7 •••0-0 8J:~el h6 9.c!Llhd2 ge8 10.~h3 ~e7 Black could also try lO ... l'!e7, but Il.id3 still looks a promising reply. 11..id3 The game Felgaer - Harikrishna, Dos Hermanas 2005, confirmed that White possesses rather strong compensation for the sacrificed pawn. Black is struggling to complete development and White has ideas such as ttJc4 or ttJh4-f5

The Evans Gambit

295

B) 5 ••..ic5 This move-was criticized by Kasparov. The bishop is at first sight more active here than on a5, but the downside, that after d2-d4 the bishop is under attack, is the more compelling argument in the debate.

6.d4! White needs to be vigilant. 6.0-0 d6 7.d4 .ib6 allows Black to transpose into Lasker's Defense.

6 ... exd4 7.0-0 7.cxd4 should be met by 7 ....ib4t when White has to accept an exchange of pieces (8 ..id2?! i.xd2), allow a pin (8.ltJbd2), or lose his right to castle (8.mfl). But definitely not 7 ...i.b6 8.0-0 ltJa5?! 9.i.d3 d5? as in P. Morphy - A. Morphy, New Orleans 1849 (p 257).

7... d6 For 7 ... dxc3 see B-Alterman - whv, Internet (rapid) 2006 (p 237).

8.cxd4.ib6

9.lilc3 lila5 Black has a few alternatives: 9 ... ltJf6? leads to the games Morphy - Hampton and Morphy - De Riviere (pages 248-257). 9 ... ltJge7? is also bad, this time because of 10.ltJg5!. 9 ...i.g4 10.i.b5! According to theory, White is slightly better, in spite of his pawn deficit. 10 ...i.xf3 (weaker is 1O ... ltJge7? 11.d5 a6 12.i.a4! i.a5! 13.dxc6 b5 14.ltJxb5! axb5 15.i.xb5 with a dear advantage for White) II.gxf3 White has good prospects on the kingside. 10..ig5!

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Mikhail Chigorin's variation which according the theory leads to an advantage for White. Two games between Chigorin and Pollock in USA 1889, continued 1O ... f6 11.if4 ttJxc4 12.Wa4t ~fl 13.Wxc4t with full compensation for a pawn. C) 5....ie7

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6.d4 ttla5 The text move is the main idea of this line, but of course other moves are possible: For 6 ... d6? see Fischer - Boatner, Houston (simul) 1964, (p 233). 6 ... exd4!? This also does not prevent White from carrying out his threat: 7.Wb3! The alternatives are inaccurate: 7.cxd4 allows 7 ... ib4t! as shown above, and also interesting is 7 ... d5!? 8.exd5 (if 8.ixd5 then 8 ... ttJf6 9.ixc6t bxc6) 8... ttJa5 (or 8 ... ttJb4) 9.Wa4t c6 1O.dxc6. 7.0-0 allows Black to escape unharmed after: 7 ... ttJf6! (not 7 ... dxc3? 8.Wd5 ttJh6 9.ixh6 0-0 1O.ie3+- or 7 ... d5? 8.exd5 ttJa5 9.Wa4t c6 10.dxc6) 8.e5 ttJe4 9.cxd4 d5+ 7 ... ttJa5 8.ixflt ~f8 9.Wa4 c6 Or 9... ~xfl 10.Wxa5 with compensation. 1O.ixg8 ~xg8 11.Wxd4! d6 12.0-0 White again has the initiative because Black's king is exposed.

7..ie2 exd4 After 7 ... d6 Black decides to return the pawn to gain easy development of his pieces. 8.Wa4t! With this intermediate check, White wants to keep the knight out of the game for several more moves. 8 ... c6 9.dxe5 dxe5 10.ttJxe5 White has regained his pawn. 1O ... ttJf6 11.0-0 b5 12.Wc2 0-0 13.a4 White has the initiative. 8.~xd4

For comments up to here and 8 ... ttJf6, refer to the game Kasparov - Anand, Riga 1995.

The Evans Gambit

297

8... d6! Again, Black returns the pawn, allowing his kingside structure to be shattered. In return, he gains time to develop his queenside so that he can castle there. 9.~xg7 .if6

The only move, as otherwise Black will lose his h8-rook. lO.~g3

This interesting variation has been tested many times in practice. White keeps an initiative as Black has problems completing his development. This is the end of the theoretical section, but please take a few moments to look at the exercises on the next few pages.

Tests The following 8 test positions are designed to build your tactical skills. They are typical positions that could arise from the Evans Gambit, and some of them are from my own games.

Exercise 3

Exercise 1

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White to play! Black's king has stayed too long in the center. How does White punish him?

Exercise 2

Exercise 4

White to play! Black has wasted far too much time. How can White take immediate advantage?

White to play! The black queen looks awkward on d7, but in fact it is even worse than it looks. Why?

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The Evans Gambit

Exercise 5

Exercise 7

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White to play! How can he punish Black's greedy play?

White to play! The white queen is attacked, but does that need to slow White down?

Exercise 6

Exercise 8

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White to play! White's pieces are hyperactive, but it will take a surprising move to end the game. Can you find it?

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White to play! The black king is already on the ropes, but can you knock him out?

Solutions Exercise 1 B-Alterman - Ben85, Internet Blitz 2006 1.e4 e5 2.ltJf3 ltJc6 3.~c4 ~c5 4.b4 ~xb4 5.c3 ~a5 6.d4 exd4 7.0-0 ltJge7 8.cxd4 d5 9.exd5 ltJxd5 10.ltJg5 h6? 11.1tlxf7! In the spirit of the Fried Liver Attack! 1l ••. xf712.YNf3t! e8?! l2 ... e6 was a better try but after 13.ltJd2! Black cannot stop the forthcoming :gel with a decisive attack. (Less clear is 13."\We4t f6 l4.~xd5 ~f5 when Black has some hope.) 13.J.xd5 YNf6 14.J.xc6t bxc6 15.YNh5t The bishop on a5 falls. 1-0

Exercise 2 B-Alterman - Cartucho, Internet Blitz 2007 1.e4 e5 2.ltJf3 ltJc6 3.~c4 ~c5 4.b4 ~xb4 5.c3 ~a5 6.d4 exd4 7.0-0 ltJge7 8.cxd4 f6? 9.d5 ltJb8 10.d6ltJg6? 1l.YNd5! Black resigned. Lightning strikes on f7 again, and the bishop on a5 hangs. 1-0

Exercise 3 B-Alterman - Pushkin, Internet Blitz 2004 1.e4 e5 2.ltJf3 ltJc6 3.~c4 ~c5 4.b4 ~xb4 5.c3 ~a5 6.d4 exd4 7.0-0 d6 8.cxd4 h6 9."\Wb3 "\We7 10.d5! White removes the defender of Black's a5-bishop, and opens the a4-e8 diagonal towards Black's king. 1O.e5 is also interesting, with the idea that 1O ... dxe5? is met with 11.~a3! "\Wf6 l2.ltJxe5 with a decisive attack. 10••• ltle5 11.Itlxe5 YNxe5 12•.tb2 Black cannot avoid material losses as both his bishop on a5 and the g7-pawn are hanging. 1-0

Exercise 4 B-Alterman - Raisingthebar, Internet Blitz 2007 l.e4 e5 2.ltJf3 ltJc6 3.~c4 ~c5 4.b4 ~xb4 5.c3 ~a5 6.d4 exd4 7.0-0 d6 8.cxd4 h6 9."\Wb3 "\Wd7 1O.~b2 White has great control over the center and better development. 10 ... ~b6? Black's last move has the unfortunate consequence that the pin cannot be broken by ... a6 and ... b5. 1l •.tb5! White is winning, since there no way to avoid d4-d5 with an immediate disaster. White had to avoid the inaccurate 11.d5 ltJa5! and 11.ltJbd2ltJa5!) 1l ••• f8 After l1...a6 l2.~a4 ~a7 l3.d5 b5 the simple l4.dxc6 is good, but the tricky l4."\Wc3, exploiting the weakness of g7, is even better. 12.d5 ltla5 Counterattacking White's queen. 13•.txg7t! An important nuance, White has to decoy Black's king into a check. 13••• xg7 Or 13 ... e8 l4.~xd7t. 14.YNc3t The queen is lost. 1-0

Exercise 5 M. Muller - N. Klipper, France 2002 l.e4e5 2.ltJf3ltJc63.~c4~c5 4.b4~xb4 5.c3~c5 6.d4 exd4 7.cxd4~b4t 8.ltJbd2~c3? 9 ..txf7t! xf7 After 9 ... f8 10.~a3t d6 11.~c4 ~xal l2."\Wxal White has fantastic compensation for the sacrificed exchange. The white bishops are firing at Black's wandering king. 10.YNb3t White

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regains his pawn with the better position since Black's king is exposed. If Black attempts to counterattack with: 10••• dS 11.'!Wxc3 dxe4 IV!t~xe4 '!We7 This should fail to 13.0-0! VNxe4? 14.lLlg5t winning the queen with a fork. 1-0

Exercise 6 Steinitz - Pilhal, Vienna 1862 1.e4 e5 2.lLlf3 lLlc6 3.ic4 ic5 4.b4 ixb4 5.c3 ia5 6.d4 exd4 7.0-0 lLlf6 8.ia3 White develops his bishop to a3 to prevent Black from castling. 8... d6 9.e5 Giving up another pawn to open the a3-bishop's diagonal. 9 ... dxe5? Black should not have captured on e5 and left his king stuck in the center. 10.VNb3! White continues developing with tempo (the weakest spot f7 is under attack), creating threats against Black's exposed king. 10 ... VNd7 11.E:el! Bringing the rook into the game. 11 ...VNf5 Now it is a question of how White can open access for his rooks on the dand e-files, and to achieve this aim he has two good options. 12.ib5!? White pins the c6-knight, thus threatening the e5-pawn. (also good enough is 12.lLlxe5 lLlxe5 13.VNb5t lLlfd7 14.VNxa5 c5 15.cxd4 b6 16.VNd2 cxd4 17.f4 and White wins) 12 ... lLld7 13.VNd5 This move attacks the e5pawn and also has the threat of playing ixc6, winning the a5-bishop. Black's pieces have been moving backwards while White keeps advancing, waiting for the decisive combination. 13 ... ib6 (instead 13 ... lLle7 allows 14.E:xe5) 14.lLlxe5 lLle71S.ttlxd7! Mate is coming. IS .•.'!WxdS 16.ttlf6t d8 17.he7 mate

Exercise 7 Staunton - Cochrane, London 1842 l.e4 e5 2.lLlf3 lLlc6 3.ic4 ic5 4.b4 ixb4 5.c3 ia5 6.0-0 ib6 7.ia3 d6 8.d4 exd4 9.cxd4 lLlf6 10.e5! dxe5 I1.VNb3VNd7 12.dxe5 lLla5 13.exf6! Opening the e-file, and bringing the pawn into the attack. 13•.• ttlxb3 The queen sacrifice is only temporary... 14.E:el t d8 (l4 ... VNe6 loses in similar fashion: 15.ixe6 ixe6 16.fXg7 E:g8 17.axb3+-) IS ..te7t e8 16.fxg7 gg8 17..tf6t White's beautiful coordination forces Black to return the queen, but after: 17•••'!We6 18.Le6 Le6 19.axb3 White remains a piece up. 1-0

ExerciseS Anderssen - Mayet, Berlin 1865 l.e4 e5 2.lLlf3 lLlc6 3.ic4 ic5 4.b4 ixb4 5.c3 ic5 6.0-0 d6 7.d4 exd4 8.cxd4 ib6 9.d5 lLlb8 1O.ib2 f6? l1.e5! A typical pawn sacrifice to open up the position! 11...dxe5 12.lLlxe5! Clearing the dl-h5 diagonal for the queen to reach the key attacking square h5. 12 ... lLle7 (The sacrifice cannot be accepted: 12 ... fXe5 13.VNh5t 'itlf8 [or 13 ... g6 14.VNxe5tl 14.ia3t Two bishops attacking on adjacent diagonals usually spells disaster. 14 ... lLle7 15.d6 This is decisive, as it clears the c4-bishop's diagonal and the pawn also attacks Black's knight.) 13.VNh5t g6 14.lLlxg6! The suicide bomber clears the path for White's remaining forces. 14 ... lLlxg6 (If 14 ... hxg6 then of course 15.VNxh8t.) 15.E:elt 'itlf7 (or 15 ... 'itld7 16.VNf5t 'itld6 17.E:e6t!! with mate on the way) 16.d6t 'itlg7 17.ge7t! '!Wxe7 18.dxe7 ge8 19.ttlc3 gxe7 20.ttldS geS 21.heS fxeS 22.ttle7 ttld7 23.gdl ttlf6 24.ttlfSt .txf5 2S.'!Wxrs gf8 26.g4 h8 27.gd8 g7 28.gS ttle8 29.gxe8 1-0

Chapter 8 The Panov Attack 7 6

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Introduction l.e4 c6 The Caro-Kann Defense, named after two little-known players - an Englishman called Horatio Caro and an Austrian, Marcus Kann. Its basic idea, to play ... d7-d5 with the support of a pawn and then to attack White's center and eliminate the e4-pawn, is similar to that of the French Defense. Perhaps the major difference is that Black's light-squared bishop enjoys more mobility in the Caro-Kann.

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The c8-h3 diagonal is open, whereas in the French after 1...e6 2.d4 d5 Black faces problems with his light-squared bishop hemmed in and passive. The Caro-Kann has enjoyed popularity throughout the years: Capablanca utilized it to great effect with his well-known win over Nimzowitsch in 1927, and it was one of Botvinnik's main weapons against Tal, a legendary attacker, in their World Championship matches. The CaroKann also formed a significant part of the 12th World Champion Anatoly Karpov's repertoire. Today, stars such as World Champion Vishy Anand and Veselin Topalov also play the Caro-Kann Defense regularly. In this position, White has several possibilities: The main theoretical continuation is 3.ltJc3, and after 3 ... dxe4 4.ltJxe4 we reach the classical position of the Caro-Kann Defense. Black then usually chooses between 4 ....if5 and 4 ... ltJd7, although 4... ltJf6 is also possible. Of course 3.ltJd2 leads to the same position after 3 ... dxe4 4.ltJxe4. Another possibility is the Advance Variation with 3.e5, but in this chapter we shall instead concentrate on the immediate pawn capture:

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3.exdS adS This is sometimes called the Exchange Variation, for obvious reasons. The most important move now is the aggressive:

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In the early 1930s Soviet master Vasily Panov developed this interesting opening line. White is trying to destroy Black's center by getting rid of the important d5-pawn. White is not afraid of getting an isolated pawn, as often occurs in the Panov Attack, since the activity of White's pieces fully compensates for the slight weakness of the isolated d4-pawn. This line became one of the most popular choices against the Caro-Kann Defense. For example, in the late 1930s up until the Second World War, Mikhail Botvinnik, the greatest Soviet player in those years, used to play the Panov Attack very successfully. Before that, in the early 1920s, World Champion Alexander Alekhine also used 4.c4. Sometimes the line is called the Alekhine Attack, but the popularity of 4.c4 only started after Botvinnik played a few instructive games in this variation. It is thus appropriate that many refer to this line as the Panov-Botvinnik Attack. Attentive readers may be thinking: where is the gambit? I could bluff and claim that since White often ends up with an isolated queen's pawn, he is sacrificing the soundness of his pawn structure. However, I will instead go with the truth: early gambit lines against the Caro-Kann are not as interesting and sound as the Panov Attack, which leads to open attacking play for White that is very much in gambit-style. Also, one of the sub-variations of the Panov that we shall look at later, Alekhine's Gambit, is a genuine pawn sac, so I am remaining true to the title of this book. Incidentally, Bobby Fischer occasionally played the Exchange Variation with 4 ..id3, which nowadays is not so popular at the top level.

4•.. lllf6 The most natural continuation, fortifying the d5-pawn that White hopes to destroy. This also begins to clear the back rank so Black can castle short. Let's briefly check out a couple of alternatives:

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After 4 ... dxc4 S..txc4 White's pieces come into the game very quickly. 4 ... lOc6 Trying to counterattack against the d4-pawn, but I would not recommend this for Black, because after S.lOc3 dxc4 (instead S... lOf6 is almost forced, transposing to a line we shall look at later) 6.dS White gains territory and has a good initiative.

5.tt:Jc3 Increasing the pressure on dS. In this position Black has several options, and his main moves are S... lOc6, S... e6 and S... g6.

Fighting for the d5-square l.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 tt:Jf6 5.tt:Jc3 g6 This move is not so popular in today's practice. Botvinnik discovered that after: 6.~b3

Black is almost forced to sacrifice the pawn on dS.

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6 ....ig7 If 6 ... e6 White creates a strong initiative after 7 ..tgS, pinning the knight and increasing the pressure on Black's position. White also has a good alternative in 7.cxdS, since Black has weakened his dark squares on the kingside. 7 ... lOxdS (once again, after 7 ... exdS 8 ..tgS is very unpleasant) 8.lOf3 White intends .tgS and .tbS, with a very active position.

7.cxd50-O Black may keep some compensation. However, after 8.lOge2 intending lOf4, .te2 or .tc4, and 0-0 completing development, Black will have to work very hard to regain his pawn on dS. What we have learned: .:. The white queen can involve herself in the fight for dS - 6.1Mfb3.

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Game 58 B-Alterman - Pawntastic Internet Chess Club 2004

l.e4 c6 2.d4 dS 3.exdS cxdS 4.c4 tLlf6 S.tLlc3 .is?! A rare option that can easily be dismissed.

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By utilizing the open h3-c8 diagonal, Black develops his bishop outside the pawn chain which will be sealed after ... e7-e6. However, this is an inaccuracy, and after the typical response:

6.VNb3! Black is in trouble. There is no good way to protect the b7- and d5-pawns at the same time. 6 ... b6? It would be better to continue in gambit-style, sacrificing a pawn for development: 6 ... tLlc6! 7.cxd5 (the exceptionally greedy 7.VNxb7? loses to 7 ... tLlxd4, with the terrible threat of ... tLlc2t) 7 ... tLla5 (now not 7 ... tLlxd4?? because of the double attack 8.VNa4t and c6 is unavailable as a retreat square for the knight) 8.'lWa4t .id7 9 ..ib5 But the key point is that White is still a pawn up! Liquidating would not help: 6 ... dxc4? 7 ..ixc4 e6 8.'lWxb7 and White wins a pawn without allowing any compensation.

7.cxdS e6 8 ..ibSt Development ... 8 ... tLlbd79.tLlf3 ... and yet more development! The pawn does not really matter, because Black will not be able to maintain material equality when White is so well-developed. 9 ... exdS 10.0-0 .ie7 11.~el 0-0

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If Black tries to hold on to his d5-pawn with 11...i.e6, then after 12.lDg5 he will lose a pawn on d5 or e6 anyway. 12.c~~xd5 It is clear that Black has no compensation for his pawn deficit.

12...~e6?? Pin and win - but not this time!

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White to play! How would you continue?

13.tihe7t VNxe714.d5 How ironic that Black loses a piece thanks to a pin, this time on the e-file.

14...tihd5 15.VNxd5 Black resigns.

What we have learned: .:. A typical response to the development of the enemy queen's bishop is to bring your queen out to b3 . •:. Continuing developing your pieces is more important than holding on to extra material.

Game 59 B-Alterman - thejudge Internet Chess Club 2006

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 ad5 4.c4 ttlf6 5.ttlc3 Now we can have a look at one of Black's main moves:

5... tik6 Putting pressure on the d4-pawn while keeping the h3-c8 diagonal open.

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The Panov Attack

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In a famous clash between a future World Champion, Bobby Fischer, and an ex-World Champion, Max Euwe, at the 1960 Olympiad, the former played: 6.lt'lf3 i.g4 Black piles more pressure on d4, and is ready to support his center with ... e7-e6, now that his light-squared bishop has developed outside the pawn chain. White's only try for an advantage IS:

7.cxd5 It'lxd5 8.WTb3 Unpinning and attacking both d5 and b7. 8 ... i.xf3 9.gxf3 e6 1O.WTxb7 It'lxd4 But Black nonetheless has strong counterplay. This forces White to head into complications with: 11.i.b5t It'lxb5 12.WTc6t! A key intermediate check. 12 ... 'it>e7 13.WTxb5 Now, not 13 ... lt'lxc3 14.bxc3 as Euwe played, which allowed Fischer to fight for an advantage, but the theoretical recommendation: 13 ...WTd7! Trying to exchange queens because otherwise Black's exposed king would be a target. 14.lt'lxd5t WTxd5 15.WTxd5 exd5 In spite of his isolated pawn, Black is very close to equality, because the reduced material limits White's options. He plans ... c;t>e6 followed by either ...i.c5 or ...i.d6, when all his pieces would swiftly enter the game. As White has little chance of gaining an advantage large enough to force a win, this line has gradually become less popular. While learning how to play the endgame well is important, our focus is on getting an active game and playing interesting chess. Therefore, we will look at the aggressive:

6.Ag5 This follows the main idea of fighting for the d5-square in the Panov Attack.

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Black develops his bishop before playing ... e7-e6, and gets into trouble once more.

7.J.xf6 Removing a defender of d5.

7 •.•gxf6 8.cxdS Now 8 ... ltJb8 was the only move, but Black panicked and played: 8 •.• tLlb4? When after: 9.~a4t

White picks up the hanging knight due to a double attack. Black resigned.

What we have learned: .:. In the variation with 5 ... ltJc6, Black plans to exert strong pressute on White's d4-pawn, when the most aggressive response is to counterattack with 6 ..ig5! fighting for the center.

1.e4 c6 2.d4 dS 3.exdS cxdS 4.c4 tLlf6 S.tLlc3 tLlc6 6.i.gS .ie6!? A non-classical idea, supporting d5 with yet another piece! The downside is that the darksquared bishop is blocked. More usual is to support the center not only with pieces but also pawns: 6 ... e6.

7.tLla dxc4?? This greedy move loses. More usual would be 7 ... \Wd7 or 7 ... g6, but 7 ... ltJe4 is also possible.

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8.Lf6! Exchanging the defender of d5. Now if 8 ... exf6 or 8 ... gxf6 then 9.d5 wins a piece for nothing.

White's development advantage Game 60 Mikhail Botvinnik - Rudolf Spielmann Moscow 1935

In this game Rudolf Spielmann decided to use an interesting gambit line (6 ... "Wb6) for the first time against Mikhail Botvinnik, and this was what happened:

l.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 ad5 4.c4 tilf6 5.tilc3 tilc6 6 ..ig5 V;Vb6 A typical reply to the development of the enemy queen's bishop, escaping from a possible pin and also attacking the b-pawn which is no longer protected. On the flip side, Black violates one principle of opening play that recommends not bringing the queen out early in the game, when the other pieces are undeveloped.

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7.cxd5! Botvinnik picks up the gauntlet. Instead 7.lOb5 a6 B.c5 'lWdB keeps the tension.

7 ...~xb2? This is already the decisive mistake. According to Botvinnik, 7 ... lOxd5 B.lOxd5 'lWa5t 9.lOc3 'lWxg5 1O.lOf3 is also insufficient. It was later discovered that Black could still fight for the initiative with 7 ... lOxd4 B.i.e3 e5 9.dxe6 i.c5 1O.exf7t ~xf7, when Black manages to gain a lead in development at the cost of a pawn. Most chess players, however, are unwilling to play with an exposed king on f7 which can become an easy target for the enemy pieces. For example, the developing 11.i.c4 t is with a check. Theory evaluates that Black's compensation is insufficient and White has a clear advantage, which is why 6 ... 'lWb6 has disappeared from high-level praxis. Returning to the game move, according to Spielmann's home analysis, if now B.lOa4 Black gains a good initiative. For example: B... 'lWb4t 9.i.d2 'lWxd4 1O.dxc6 lOe4 11.i.e3 'lWb4t 12.'kt>e2 (or 12.i.d2 lOxd2 13.'lWxd2 'lWxa4) 12 ... bxc6 Unfortunately, Botvinnik's novelty provides the cold shower:

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Development! Another piece comes into play.

8 ... ttlb4 The alternatives were no better. For example, B... lObB 9.lOb5 'lWb4t 1O.i.d2 and the game is over, or B... lOa5 9.'lWa4t winning on the spot. 9.ttla4 ~xa2 lO ..tc4 After a series of strong and accurate moves, Spielmann found his queen trapped - that's the price he had to pay for his early queen sortie. lO ....tg4

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Spielmann tries his last chance. Instead after 10 ... Wa3 1 Uk3 the queen has no escape squares.

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White to play! Can you find how Botvinnik finished offthe game? 11.~f3

Spielmann's dream was 11.f3? Wxg2 and Black wins!

11. ••i.xf3 12.gxf3 After just 12 moves, Spielmann resigned, since he cannot avoid losing material: 12 ... Wa3 13.l:k3 and 13 ... tt'lc2t 14.Wxc2 is forced in order to save the queen. What we have learned: .:. This miniature reminds us of the importance of considering basic principles in the opening. Although ... Wd8-b6 is a typical response to .icl-g5, Black's queen ran into trouble because it entered the game too early.

Alekhine's Gambit I Game 61 Alekhine - Strazdins Riga Simultaneous 1935

l.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 ad5 4.c4 ~f6 5.~c3 ~c6 6.i.g5 dxc4 Black decides to give up the center and uncover an attack on d4.

7.d5 White managed to occupy d5, gaining space with tempo.

It was only later that Alekhine came to the conclusion that it is possible to sacrifice the d4-pawn with 7 ..ixc4, which we will take a look at later (see Alekhine's Gambit II, page 322).

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7 ... ttle5 This position is currently quite interesting from a theoretical point of view. 7 ... lLIa5 should be met by 8.lLIf3 when if 8 ... e6 9 ..ixf6 and Black cannot play 9 ... Wxf6 because the knight is hanging after 1O.Wa4t! but Karpov's idea of 8 ... a6! deserves attention, keeping an extra pawn.

8. ttl f3 Continuing with development, which is a more important factor than trying sacrificed pawn.

to regain the

Against Flohr, Borvinnik played 8.Wd4, see page 318 later in this chapter.

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8 ... ttld3t? Black wins the bishop pair, but is left with an undeveloped army. Also unsatisfactory is 8 ... lLIxf3t? since Black loses time - his knight took cwo moves to enter the game while White's took only one. After 9.Wxf3 White will regain his pawn with play similar to the game continuation. For example, 9 ... g6 10 ..ixc4 followed by castling and bringing the rooks to the center, or if9 ... e6 then 10.0-0-0 with a clear advantage. Probably the only move here is 8 ....ig4!. Then after: 9 ..ixc4 lLIxc4 1O.Wa4t (double attack!) 1O ... Wd7 11.Wxc4 E:c8 Black keeps an equal game.

9.,bd3 cx:d3 lO.Y;Vxd3 White's superior development is obvious. All that remains is to castle and bring the rooks to the center files, when the game would effectively be over. Compounding Black's problems is the difficulties he faces in developing his pieces. lO••• a611.0-0 e6 12J::1adl Now if l2 ....ie7 then 13.d6 with a winning position.

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12 ... exd5

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White to play! - How should he make use ofhis lead in development?

13.i.xf6! Exchanging the opponent's only developed piece.

13 ...~xf6 14.ttlxd5 ~d8 With all of Black's pieces undeveloped, Alekhine finished the game with an elegant combination. Can you find it?

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15.tl~f6t!

The point is that after 15 .. .'IWxf6 05 ... gxf6 16.'?9xd8#} with the important intermediate check 16J::!:fe1 t! White forces mate with 16 ...i.e7 17.'?9d8# or 16 ... i.e6 17.'?9d7#. This miniature highlights once again the importance of development and following basic chess principles when playing the opening. 1-0

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Games 62 B-Alterman - carnex Internet Chess Club 2007

l.d4 c6 2.e4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 lLIfG 5.lLIc3 lLIc6 6.~g5 dxc4 7.d5 lLIe5 In this game I decided to follow Alekhine's recommendation: 8.lLIa Now my opponent decided to hold on to his extra c4-pawn for as long as he could. 8 ...~c7?! 9.~d4 White is ready to accept doubled pawns after 9 ... liJxf3t, but in return his pieces will develop rapidly on the open lines: .ixc4, 0-0-0 and so on. 9 ...lLIfd7?! Undeveloping the knight from the center...

10.0-0-0! Unfazed by Black's artificial play, White calmly develops. 10... lLIxf3 Or 1O ... a6 11..if4liJxf3 12.gxf3 with a lasting initiative 11.gxf3 lLIb6 12..if4 The bishop has done its job on g5 and is relocated to a more active post, bearing down on the open h2-b8 diagonal.

12.liJb5! was also powerful, targeting c7 while Black's king is still uncastled. After 12 ...'\Wd7 13.'\Wc5 f6 14.liJc7t i>f7 15.liJxa8 White is simply winning. 12...~d8

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13..hc4? White is playing for development, but that is no excuse for missing the killing 13.lLlb5!.

13... ~xc4 I4.~xc4 A picturesque sight - all Black's pieces are undeveloped and on the back rank!

I4...,td7I5J::!:heI White has played according to the principles: develop, castle, attack the center, bring the rooks to the center, and so on. It is simply impossible for Black to develop. Now White needs to find a way to infiltrate into Black's camp and convert his overwhelming development into something more. The most obvious way is to bring his knight to c7, but first he needs to get his queen and king off the c-file before ... 1'l:c8 causes trouble. The simple Wbl would do the trick, and then White's attack would be irresistible.

I5 ...~cS Trying to dampen White's initiative with a queen trade, but White refuses: I6.~b3 e6

This looks suicidal, but how else is Black going to develop his kingside?

I7.i>bI b6? 17 ....ie7 was a slightly better try, but still not good enough after 18.lLlb5 0-0 19.1Llc7 1'l:b8 20.dxe6 with a decisive advantage.

IS.dxe6 fxe6 I9.~d5 Black is lost, as there is no way of stopping 20.lLlc7.

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White to play! - Can you find the decisive combination?

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2Uhd7t! Removing the defender of e6.

21. ••%Yxd7 2V~::Jxe6 Clearing the f4-b8 diagonal, while also setting the scene for a devastating discovered check.

22 ... c;!;>f6 23 ..bb8 Black resigns.

What we have learned: .:. Development is more important than material in the opening . •:. Do not be afraid of accepting long-term weaknesses such as doubled pawns (lO ... lt:Jxf3) ifin return you can get strong enough short-term advantages, such as development . •:. Other than the usual f7-square, c7 is also a target when Black's king is uncastled . •:. To convert your overwhelming development advantage, look out for tactical possibilities.

Botvinnik's 8.Wd4 Game 63 Mikhail Botvinnik - SaIo Flohr Moscow-Leningrad match, Leningrad 1933 This game is of historical interest: 7.d5 was played for the first time in Moscow in 1933 berween the young Soviet Champion, Mikhail Botvinnik, and the famous Czech Grandmaster, Salo Flohr. Botvinnik lost the first game, but in the second he was well prepared, and this was what happened:

l.e4 c6 2.d4 dS 3.exdS cxdS 4.c4 tLlf6 S.tLlc3 tLlc6 6•.igS dxc4 7.dS tLleS 8.%Yd4

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Centralizing the queen to the square cleared by the pawn on the previous move. Since there is no way for Black to make use of the queen's position, this can be considered a developing move.

8... tLld3t? Once again trading off Black's developed piece. Today's theory says Black can instead play 8 ... h6! and the position is not so simple, because White has to solve the question of what to do with his bishop. If9 ..ixf6 then Black replies 9 ... exf6. Possible is 9 ..if4 or 9 ..ih4, but the position is still not as promising as it would be after 8 ... liJd3t? Also the position after 9.'lWxe5 hxg5 is playable for Black.

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Improving on his previous game with Flohr (where he played the premature lO ..ixf6) Botvinnik played:

10.tLlf3! Completing the development of his minor pieces. This is considered the strongest even today. All of White's pieces are in the game, and he is one move away from castling, while Black has some problems in the center since White is controlling the most important squares. Also the d3pawn will soon be lost, and White has a clear initiative. It is extremely difficult for Black to find a solution ... The problem is that after:

10 ... g6 11.i.xf6 Getting rid of the opponent's only developed piece. 1l ... exf6 12.0-0

It is extremely difficult for Black to complete his development, despite having the two bishops and an extra pawn. Flohr decided to counterattack with: 12...'lWb6

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13J:Uelt Now his king is forced to stay in the center.

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14.'iNh4! White has an enormous attack.

14... g5 15.'iNh5 J.d6 16.'iNxf7 ~H8 17.'iNxh7 White just collects the pawns, and with the black king in the center, Black cannot do much about it.

17...g4 18.tLldl 'iNc7 19.'iNh6 With Black's king so exposed, there is no point in exchanging queens.

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20 ...i.e5 21.~xe5 fxe5 22J~Yg5t Yfle7 23.Yflxe5 White has taken so many pawns that trading queens is now an easy way to win.

23 ...Yflxe5 24J:~xe5 .if5 25J~f1 'it>d7 26.£3 b5 27.fxg4 hg4 28.h3 b4 29.~e4 gxf1 t 30. 'it>xf1 gfSt 31.'it>e1 i.f5 32.g4 i.g6 33.ge6 1-0 This game is a nice example of how to use a lead in development. After completing his development, White did not have too many difficulties in regaining the sacrificed material, and he even emerged with a material advantage in the end. Since this game, 8 ... tLld3t has been recognized as an error.

Game 64 Jozsef Szily - Kovach Budapest 1936

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 ~f6 5.~c3 ~c6 6.J.g5 dxc4 7.d5 ~e5 8.Yfld4 ~d3t? 9.i.xd3 cxd3 1O.~£3 g6 1l.i.xf6 exf6 12.0-0 All as in Botvinnik - Flohr, as we have just seen. Now, Black decided to "improve" on Flohr's play with:

12...i.d6?

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White to play! - How should he exploit his better development? B.~e4

Attacking f6 and supporting the potential d5-d6 push by his passed pawn.

B ...i.e7 14.d6! Black is in a critical position.

14...i.f5

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The last chance to mix things up. Now if 15.dxe7 Wxd4 16.ltJxd4 ixe4 and Black survives. ISJ~ael

Sadly for Black, after the text move he has to resign, since after 15 ... ixe4 16J:he4 Black will lose his pinned e7-bishop.

1-0

Alekhine's Gambit II Game 65 Popivoda - Morozova Soviet Union 1977

l.e4 c6 2.d4 dS 3.exdS cxdS 4.c4lLlf6 S.lLlc3 lLlc6 6.AgS dxc4 Because of Black's possible improvements, nowadays White usually avoids 7.d5 and instead prefers:

7.hc4 This was suggested by Alekhine, and is now considered the main continuation. The main point is that White has such great development that it is possible to sacrifice the d4-pawn. Black has two principled options: to capture on d4 with the knight or the queen. Today, this sacrifice is known as Alekhine's Gambit, but we should remember that Alekhine liked many pawn sacs in various openings! So, the full name is Alekhine's Gambit in the Panov Attack of the Caro-Kann Defense.

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7... lLlxd4? This is incorrect since it allows White to bring all his pieces into the game very quickly. If instead 7 ... e6 then White simply continues developing his pieces with 8.ltJf3 and reaches a typical isolated queen's pawn (or IQP) position.

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8.lLlf3! Developing and getting rid of the Black's active knight.

8••• lLlxf3t The attempted pin 8 ... ig4? loses a piece to 9.'1Wxd4.

9.%Yxf3 White is a pawn down, but all his pieces are very active. He has open files in the center, and the position of Black's king in the center is quite dangerous, since the threat of ibSt is always in the air.

9... a6 The only move, preventing ibS. The importance of this is shown by the line: 9 ... e6? lo.ibSt id7 11.ixf6 gxf6 (or 11..."Wxf6 12.ixd7t 'it?xd7 13."Wxb7t+-) 12.~dl and Black is lost. 10.0-0%Yd4 After 1O... e6 11.~ad 1 White's lead in development is enormous - he has so many pieces in the game that Black's extra pawn does not matter. 11..."Wc7 (or 11..."We7 12.lLle4) 12.ixf6 Exchanging Black's only developed piece. 12 ... gxf6 13.lLle4! And White has a decisive advantage. For example: 13 ... "Wxc4 14."Wxf6 id7 lS.lLlgS! Black has to give up before he loses all his pieces.

11..tb3 e6 12J:~adl %YeS Black is playing with only his queen.

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White to play! - How should he make use ofhis excellent development?

13.hf6 Removing the last defender of Black's king before beginning the final assault.

13... gxf6 Or 13 ... "Wxf6 14.ia4t 'it?e7 (if 14 ... bS then lS."Wxa8) lS."Wd3 and White wins.

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14JUel Bringing the final piece into the game with tempo. Instead Black could stumble on after 14.it.a4t We7 15.lLld5t exd5 16J!fel it.e6. 14•••%Yg5 15•.ia4t The bishop wreaks havoc once more! 15 ••• i>e716.%Yd3 Mate is inevitable, so Black resigned. 1-0 What we have learned: .:. This is another great example of how to use a lead in development . •:. When Black's king is uncastled, it can be vulnerable to an attack along the open a4-e8 diagonal!

Positions with an Isolated Pawn 8

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The isolated pawn can arise from many different openings: the Panov Attack in the Caro-Kann, the Alapin C2.c3) Sicilian, both the Queen's Gambit Accepted and Declined, the Nimzo-Indian Defense, and various others. So in this section we will look at the typical strategies and tactics when playing with an isolated pawn, even though some of the following games may not directly arise from the Panov Attack.

The breakthrough d4-d5! In middlegames with an isolated queen's pawn the d5-square is critical for both sides' strategy. For White, a timely breakthrough in the center with d4-d5 can allow his pieces to d~minate the board.

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Game 66 J. H. Jones - O'Byrne England 1966

l.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 dxc4 5.i.xc4 a6? Black is breaking the basic principles - what happened to developing?

6. tZH3 tLlc6 7.0-0 7.d5 was already quite strong.

7 ...e6 8.tLlc3 tLlf6 Black lost an important tempo with ... a7-a6, so White can now break through in the center: 9.d5! Opening the position while Black's king is still uncastled. 9 ... tLla5 Counterattacking the c4-bishop. If instead 9 ... exd5 1O.lLlxd5 lLlxd5 then White has a pleasant choice: 11.i.xd5 i.e7 12.i.f4 0-0 13.1'l:e 1 White's central pressure is really unpleasant, or 11.Wxd5 Wi'xd5 (if 11...i.e6 then 12.Wi'e4) 12.i.xd5 i.e7 13.1'l:el lLlb4 14.i.e4 and Black cannot solve all his problems.

10.dxe6! An unpleasant surprise! 10...Wixdl Understandably, Black tries

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dampen White's initiative by exchanging queens.

Taking the bishop with 1O ... lLlxc410ses to l1.exf7t @e7 12.1'l:el t when 12 ... @xf7 13.Wxd810ses the queen, while after 12 ... i.e6 13.We2 Black must return the extra material and suffer with his exposed king.

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1l.exf7t This intermediate check wins a pawn.

1l ... 'i!?e7 12.~xdl tLlxc4 13.b3 Chasing the knight from its active position and also opening other avenues for the bishop (a3 or b2).

13 ... tLlb6 After 13 ... ttJd6 14 ..ta3! White regains the sacrificed piece with a pawn surplus.

14... h6?? 15.i.a3# What we have learned:

.:. Black paid for just one mistake in the opening - 5 ... a6? - which allowed White to break through in the center very, very quickly. White's well-developed pieces dominated the open lines . •:. A bishop on the a2-g8 diagonal puts strong pressure down that diagonal all the way to fl . •:. A bishop on the a2-g8 diagonal also supports the d4-d5 break. .:. It makes sense to exchange queens when defending. •:. 13.b3 - the dark-squared bishop can develop via other diagonals too!

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Game 67 B-Alterman -TheKnight Internet Chess Club 2005

1.e4 c6 2.d4 dS 3.exdS cxdS 4.c4 tLlf6 S.tLlc3 dxc4 Once again, giving White an isolated pawn. 6.,bc4 e6 7.tLlf3 tLlc6 8.0-0 i.e7 9J~~el 0-0 Both sides have developed logically: knights towards the center, bishops out, and castle. What is left is to solve the problem of the sleeping queenside pieces. 10.a3 This important pawn move cannot be considered a waste of time, since it is one of the keys to the upcoming middlegame struggle. With b4 under control, Black's standard maneuver ... ltJb4-d5 to blockade White's isolated pawn and overprotect the d5-square, is no longer possible. Now the breakthrough d4-d5 will always be on the cards. White can also build the battery ~d3 with '!b3-c2 or '!a2-b1 without worrying about ... ltJb4. In conjunction with .!c1-g5, the pressure on h7 can assume menacing proportions. If Black decides to neutralize the pressure on the b1-h7 diagonal with ... g7-g6, then the dark squares around Black's king are weakened, and White's bishop can occupy the outpost on h6. More worrying would be a mating attack started with sacrifices on g6 (as in Keene - Miles in part 2d). Alternatively, if the sacrificial attack does not work, then the light-squared bishop could return to the a2-g8 diagonal, keeping an eye on d5 once more.

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10... a6 Aiming for a queenside expansion with ... b7-b5 and allowing the light-squared bishop to develop to its most active diagonal, a8-hI.

As an example of different possible move orders, note that the same position after White's tenth move was reached in the game Ostermeyer - Jacoby, Germany 1982, after: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4

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3.tUf3 tUf6 4.e3 e6 5.i.xc4 c5 6.0-0 cxd4 7.exd4 tUc6 8.tUc3 i.e7 9.l'%el 0-0 10.a3 Now instead of 10 ... a6, Black chose 10 ... b6 with the same idea of developing the bishop on the long diagonal.

11.J.a2 The bishop is a long-range piece, so it can fire from afar; on c4 it was vulnerable to attack, for example with ... b5, ... tUa5 or ... l'%c8. 11..J~e8

11...b5 could be met by 12.d5, with similar ideas to what happens in the game.

12 ..ig5 Finally, the bishop develops to the most active square, pressuring the knight which defends both d5 (d4-d5!) and h7 (Wd3 and i.bl). 12 ...h5?

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Black is trying to complete his development in the most natural way, but weakening the a8-h 1 diagonal gives White a major advantage after the central break.

13.d5! White has to open the position in the center to make the most of his active pieces.

13 ... tCJxd5 Taking with the pawn makes it even easier for White: 13 ... exd5 14.i.xf6 Exchanging the key defender. 14... i.xf6 15.Wxd5 White is attacking c6, f7 and the back rank - material losses are inevitable.

14.tCJxd5 hg5 No better is 14 ... exd5 which opens the e-file to White's advantage: 15.i.xd5 i.xg5 (It is too late for: 15 ...i.b716.i.xc6Tradingthedefenderofe7. 16 ...i.xc617.i.xe7Whitewinsapiece.) 16.i.xc6 l'%xelt 17.Wxel White wins after 17 ... l'%a7 18.tUxg5 since 18 ... Wxg5 19.We8 is checkmate!

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15.tLlxg5 ~xg5 Or 15 ... exd5 16.Wxd5 once again wins. 16.tLlc7 Fork! 16... gd8? Black had to use his last trick by playing 16 ...~b7! after which White has to find 17.~8! to keep his material advantage (too greedy is 17.ttJxeS?? ttJd4 lS.g3ttJf3t-+).

17.~c1!

Black has too many pieces hanging.

17...~xc1 18.gaxc1 Both as and c6 are under attack.

18...~b7 19.tLlxa8 has 20.gedl White has an easily winning endgame. What we have learned:

.:. •:. •:. •:.

10.a3! stops the useful move ... ttJb4 . ~g5 hits the f6-knight that covers d5 and h7 . d4-d5! opens lines for White's better-developed pieces . White's light-squared bishop on the a2-gS diagonal played an important role in supporting the d4-d5 push . •:. By using all his pieces and opening lines in the center, White easily converting his advantage into extra material.

The Weakness of the exposed hI-aS diagonal Black, wary of d4-d5, will blockade the isolated pawn on d5 and overprotect this important square: ... i.b7 or ... i.c6, ... lLld5 and ... lLlf6, or ... lLld5 and ... lLle7. How Black goes about getting to one of these set-ups is very important, since the wrong move order could immediately be disastrous.

Game 68 B-Alterman - Haftred Internet Chess Club 2004

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 ad5 4.c4 ~f6 5.~c3 The most classical and standard way for Black to play in this position is:

5... e6 Black supports the center with both his pawns and pieces. In most cases White will eventually get an isolated queen's pawn on d4.

6.~f3

The strongest choice: knights before bishops as usual. Black now has several options: 6 ... i.e7, 6 ...i.b4 and 6 ... dxc4. You can see from my games the problems that Black faces. The isolated pawn on d4 is not just a weakness - in many cases it also helps increase the activity of White's pieces in the center and on the kingside, creating unpleasant threats against Black's castled king.

6 ....ie77.ad5 White exchanges on d5 to avoid losing time after 7.i.d3 dxc4 8.i.xc4. In this line the knight often goes back to f6.

7... ~xd5 Now we get a standard IQP position.

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8.i.d3 The bishop moves to an open diagonal, targeting h7, next to where Black's king is sure to castle. Also possible is 8.ic4, putting pressure on the center squares and especially d5.

8 ... 0-0 9.0-0 b6?! Black tries to get the ideal arrangement of his forces with ...ib7 and then ... lLld7-f6, overprotecting the blockader on d5, but this move is premature, because of the weakness of the exposed long diagonal.

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10.~xd5!

The standard reply. If Black recaptures with the pawn, then developing the bishop to b7 is pointless, and the light squares on the queenside have been weakened. For example, 1O ... exd5 Il.lLle5 (or Il.if4) when White dearly has the better game, though this was now Black's best hope.

10 ...VNxd5? Taking with a piece leaves the long diagonal exposed. 11.VNc2 With the dual threats of ie4 and ixh7. Now 11 .. .f5 leads to other problems: the e6-pawn would be very difficult to defend after ic4 and :B:e 1, but this was the best chance for Black. The only active move in such a situation is 11...ib7, forgetting about the pawn on h7. 12.ixh7t 'it>h8 13.id3 But Black does not have enough for the pawn.

11. ..VNh5?? Covering the lesser threat and missing the real killer:

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12..ie4! Black resigns, since he will lose at least a piece.

What we have learned: .:. Mter 9 ... b6?! White must immediately exploitthe weakness of the h I-a8 diagonal. Otherwise, Black will complete his development and get the ideal arrangement of his minor pieces without any difficulties.

Game 69 M. Brodsky - A. Kobelev Russia 1997

1.e4 c6 2.d4 dS 3.exdS cxdS 4.c4 tLlf6 S.tLlc3 e6 6.tLla !i.e7 7.cxdS tLlxdS 8.!i.d3 tLlc6 9.0-0 0-0 10J~el b6? Weakening the h I-a8 diagonal as well as the pieces on that diagonal.

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11.~xd5!

Once again we see the standard reaction against a premature ... b7-b6.

1l ...~xd5 l1...exdS allows the tactic 12.~xh7t! mxh7 13.'1Wc2t winning a pawn - the knight on c6 was left hanging by Black's 10th move.

12 ..le4 Immediately attacking the exposed long diagonal. 12...~d6 I3.~e5! Bringing another piece to attack the pinned c6-knight.

I3...i.b7 14.i.f4! Developing with tempo! The threat is a discovered attack with lS.ltJg6, winning an exchange.

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If Black tries to retain the exchange with 14 .. .l''1:fe8 then White has at least two ways of starting a sacrificial attack on the kingside, exploiting that the black king is the lone defender of fl and h7: lS.'IWg4 f5 16.WhS g6 17.~xg6 with a huge advantage. lS.~xh7t 'kt>xh7 16.WhSt mg8 17.Wxflt mh7 and now another typical attacking device, the rook lift, is decisive: 18.l''1:e3!

15.~g6! ~xd416.~xf8 c;!;>xf817.~xd4 When you have a material advantage, exchange your opponent's pieces!

17....lxd4 lSJ3adl gdS

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Black steps into a self-pin, but it is difficult to suggest anything better. For example, 18 ...i.xb2 allows White to invade on the 7th rank with the winner 19J1:d7.

19..ixc6 Exchanging the defender of the pinned d4-bishop. After 19 ...i.xc6 20.i.e5 Black loses a piece.

What we have learned: .:. After 10 ... b6? both the hI-a8 diagonal and the pieces on that diagonal are exposed . •:. This game is another example of how to use a lead in development: develop with tempo and create threats . •:. Bring as many pieces into the attack as possible (14 ... l'l:fe8 15.i.xh7t! and so on). Thus, like in any other opening, you must play very carefully with the most accurate move order, as otherwise you could immediately land in an inferior or even losing position.

White's kingside attack Sacrifices on the kingside Game 70 B-Alterman - kingphisch Internet Chess Club 2006

1.e4 c6 2.d4 dS 3.exdS adS 4.c4 ttlf6 S.ttlc3 e6 6.ttlf3 i.e7 7.adS ttlxdS Black wants to capture on d5 with his knight, since then White has an isolated pawn. An interesting question arises: does the isolated pawn help White in the attack, or does he need to protect the pawn and play for equality?

8.i.d3 ttlc6 9.0-0 0-0 10J~el The most natural continuation, moving the rook to an open file, which also increases the pressure on e5, an important central square. In some cases the rook can be lifted via e4 to g4, or from e3 to g3, increasing White's pressure on the kingside.

10... a6?! Wasting a tempo since, as we have seen earlier, Black cannot push the b-pawn when his knight is still on d5: ... b7-b5? would be met by tLlxd5!, with play similar to the Brodsky - Kobelev game above.

11.a3 A standard move, preventing ... tLlb4 in preparation for the i.c2 and Wd3 battery, an~ preventing Black from blockading the isolated d4-pawn on the d5-square.

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11..J~e8?!

Another badly chosen move: the rook is not even brought to an open file, nor does it help to develop of the bishop from c8. 12..ie2 '!We7? This move is a serious mistake, because Black releases his control of the important d5-square, which allows White to immediately smash Black's position on the kingside. Another tactical nuance is that the e8-rook is hanging in many variations.

Much better was 12 ....td7 or 12 ... llJf6, trying to cover Black's weaknesses on the kingside, where all of White's pieces are poised to attack - both bishops, the f3-knight, the el-rook and even the c3-knight are aggressively posted.

13.tLlxd5 Exchanging the key defender of Black's kingside (the knight could have gone back to f6 to defend).

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14.til g5! Bringing the knight into the attack, and clearing the dl-h5 diagonal for the queen to move to the kingside. Black is already in big trouble.

The dark side of Black's 11 th move (misplacing the rook) is clearly seen in the following variation: 14 ... h6

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15.lLlxf7! Now f7 was defended only by the king and lightning strikes once again! 15 ... 'kfixf7 16.Wf3t 'kfig8 17.Wxd5t 'kfih8 All forced. 18.Wh5 Repositioning the queen to the kingside with tempo. 18 ....id7 And now we conclude with another typical combination: 19 ..ixh6! (Threatening 20 ..if4t winning the queen, while taking the bishop allows a standard mating set-up.) 19 ... gxh6 20.Wxh6t 'kfig8 21..ib3t And mate next move. 14... g6

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15.tl)xh7! Another typical sacrifice, wrecking Black's kingside.

15 ... 'it>xh716.ti'h5t

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Thanks to the pin, White is able to bring his queen into the attack with tempo.

16 ... 'it>g7 17.ti'h6t 'it>g8 White is now ready for the second sacrifice:

18.i.xg6 fxg6 19.ti'xg6t 'it>h8 19 .. .'~f8, protecting the e8-rook, fails to 20 ..ih6#.

20.ti'xe8t 'it>g7 21.ti'h5 ti'd6 The only way to stop .ih6.

22J3e3 Bringing another piece into the attack and Black is helpless to stop E!:g3. Black resigns.

What we have learned: .:. •:• •:. •:.

a2-a3 is useful to stop ... ttJb4 . ... E!:f8-e8 leaves f7 weakened . White must be willing to sacrifice to open lines towards the black king. A rook lift is a powerful way of bringing another piece into the attack

This game helps us to understand the kind of problems Black faces in the Panov Attack, when White's isolated pawn also secures a space advantage. Let's look back at the position after the opening (say, the position after 12 ..ic2). Despite the fact that White has an isolated pawn, which sometimes can be weak (as no other pawn can defend

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it) in this case all White's pieces are active, and Black cannot simplifY the position by exchanges. Thus White keeps a pleasant initiative on the kings ide and the center. Black's main task in such a situation is to exchange pieces, especially the queens, to lessen the importance of White's extra space and make the black king safer.

Moving the Queen to the Kingside Garne71 B-Alterman - Anglosphere Internet Chess Club 2003

l.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 ad5 4.c4 dxc4 5.i.xc4 e6 6.~f3 ~f6 7.~c3 a6 Aiming for an early queens ide expansion with ... b7-b5.

8.0--0 fie7 9J~e1 0-0 10.a3 The standard way of developing, as we have seen in previous games. Learning to tell the difference between a useful pawn move and a tempo-wasting irrelevancy is a key skill to develop. A couple of questions may help as guidelines. Does the pawn move help my pieces become active? Does it weaken my king's position? In this case we get the "right" answers - "Yes" and "No", in that order!

10... b5 1l.fia2 fib7 12.~e5 Taking the e5-outpost and building White's initiative in the center and on the kingside.

12... ~bd7 13.fig5 Putting pressure on Black's important f6-knight, which both protects the kingside and keeps an eye on d5.

13 ... ~b6 Heading for the overprotected d5-square to blockade the isolated pawn.

14.i;Yd3 Connecting the rooks and activating the queen, which can now jump to either g3 or h3 to put pressure on Black's kingside.

14...i;Yd6 Black also connects his rooks while his queen still keeps an eye on d5. 15J:~adl

White has completed the mobilization of all his forces.

15 .. J~ad8 Not 15 ... l'!fd8 because of the possible sacrifice 16.ltJxf7!? when 16 ... ~xf7 17.~xe6 forces 17 ...1!;;I!xe6 18 ..ixe6t ~xe6.

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The mOSf threatening option, as the queen is keeping an eye on both the h7- and e6-pawns

16... ~fd5? Trying to exchange some pieces, but overlooking a tactic:

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This is the start of a decisive attack.

17...~b818.Le7 ~xe719.~g5! Aiming at h7, f7 and e6, so the forthcoming sacrifice is impossible to parry. 19...h6

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20.~gxf7!

This is much simpler than 20.itJxe6 ~c8. Black resigned, as the following line is barely worth playing out:

20.. J~xf7 21.~xf7 ~xf7 22.~xe6t ~f8 23.~f7#

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What we have learned:

.:. If Black's rook leaves f8 then f7 may be vulnerable to sacs (15 ... B:fd8 16.lLlxf7) .:. From h3 White's queen hits both e6 and h7 . •:. The moves lLle5, .ia2, B:el and Wh3 combine to put pressure on e6 and f7.

The Rook lift Game 72 B-Alterman - ndynamite Internet Chess Club 2007

l.e4 c6 2.d4 dS 3.exdS cxdS 4.c4 tLlf6 S.tLlc3 e6 6.tLlf3 i.b4 7.J.d3 dxc4 Once again we reach an IQP position. S.J.xc40-0 9.0-0 a6 10.i.d3 Relocating the bishop to where it puts pressure on h7 before it gets hit by ... b7-b5. 10 ... tLlc6 1l.J.gS J.e7 The d4-pawn is poisoned: 11...lLlxd4?? 12.lLlxd4 Wxd4 13 ..ixh7t And the queen is lost. 12J:~el bS 13.~e2

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Clearing dl for the aI-rook and connecting the rooks. Because the white queen no longer indirectly covers d4, this move entails a pawn sacrifice

13 ...J.b7?! Black had to accept the sacrifice: 13 ... lLlxd4 14.lLlxd4 Wxd4 15.B:adl Wb6 16.lLle4 White must continue to build up, because the immediate punches miss the target, as the following couple of examples show: 16 ..ixf6 .ixf6 17.We4 g6 or 16.Wf3 .ib7 17.Wh3 h6 18 ..ixh6 gxh6 19.Wxh6 Wxf2t.

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The Panov Attack 16 ... lLld517 ..ixe7lLlxe7 And now-White has only one way to keep the attack going: IB.lLlg5 g6 19.~e4 .ib7 20.~h4 h5 21.g4 However the complications are still double-edged. 14J~~adl

White has completed the mobilization of his forces. Now the d-pawn is safe again due to the discovered attack tactic we saw in the note to Black's 11 th move.

14... ~b4 15 ..tbl ~bd5 16.~e5 The e5-square is the best outpost for the king's knight, as we saw in the previous games .

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16... :Bc817.:Bd3 Using the open lines available to lift the rook to the kingside, and so boosting the power of White's attack.

17 ... :Bc7? 18.:Bg3 '!Wc8? White's attack was already unpleasant, but after this mistake the game can no longer be saved ...

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19. t2hd5! itlxd5 The other recaptures would change nothing of significance. For example: 19 ... exd5 20.i.xf6 Removing the key defender of Black's kingside. 20 ... i.xf6 21.i.xh7t! And mate follows in the same way as the game. Now that the pivotal kingside defender has been distracted, White can execute one of the main ideas of his rook lift: 20.J.xit7t! ~xh7 Black resigns, since 21.'lWh5t 'it>g8 22.:§:h3 forces checkmate.

Game 73 B-Alterman - Sakarius Internet Chess Club 2006

l.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 ad5 4.c4 itlf6 5.itlc3 e6 6.itlf3 i.b4 7.ad5 itlxd5 8.'lWc2 0-0 9.J.d3 h6 9 ... g6 to blunt the bishop's power down the bl-h7 diagonal would have been more prudent, even though the dark squares around Black's king are weakened. 10.0-0 i.e7 1l.a3 As usual, preventing any funny business with ... lLlb4. 11...b612J~~eli.b713.W!e2 itlf6 14•.if4

The most active deployment of the bishop, since going

to

g5 is no longer possible.

14.•• itlbd7 15J:!:adl a616.i.bl Getting ready for a queen and bishop battery, or a rook lift via the 3rd rank. 16••• b517.itle5 Taking possession of the e5-outpost and clearing the 3rd rank for the rook. ~

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17... ttJb6 Black would like to get rid of the strong knight on e5, but this is not possible: 17 ... ttJxe5 18.dxe5 and now whether the knight chooses d5 or d7 as a retreat, then 19."Wd3 is killing.

18J!d.3! The same standard idea, lifting the rook to the kingside.

18... ~bd5? Black obviously missed my next move:

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19 ..ixh6! Remember the cliche about not pushing pawns in front of your king unnecessarily, since each pawn move there weakens the castled position? Well, there's always some truth in a cliche. With h6 as a convenient target for White's bishop, the priest goes berserk and destroys the wall around the black king, giving White a decisive attack. 19 ... gxh6 20J3g3t ~h8 Black resigned, anticipating the following line: 21."Wd2! Bringing the queen into the attack. 21...ttJg8 22.l'hg8t! Removing the key defender. 22 ... i>xg8 23."Wxh6 f5 24."Wxe6t i>g7 25."Wg6t 'it>h8 26.ixf5This forces 26 ... Elxf5 27."Wxf5 with four pawns for a piece and a hopeless position for Black, since his king is going to be a punching bag. What we have learned:

.:. The usual way to blunt the bishop's power down the bl-h7 diagonal is with ... g7-g6 even though it entails a weakening of the dark squares around Black's king. •:. Otherwise, when Black weakens his castled position with ... h7-h6, the bishop sacrifice ixh6 is a rypical attacking device in the attack against the enemy king.

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Game 74 Keene - Miles Hastings 1976 This game is another good example of how White attacks in the Panov variation. As we already know, the Panov structure can be reached by various move orders, but the following game may seem a particularly unusual route.

1.ti)f3 ti)f6 2.c4 c5 3.ti)c3 ti)c6 4.e3 e6 5.d4 d5 6.ad5 ti)xd5 7.old3 ad4 8.exd4 ole7 And we reach the standard isolated pawn position of the Panov Attack, which normally arises via l.e4 c6 and so on.

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10... ti)f6 Black gets the knight out of the firing line before playing ... b7-b6 and ... ~b7. Black could also try 10 ... ~f6 when the best reply is 11.~e4!. Intending 'lWd3 and not allowing Black to play ... ~d7 or ... b7-b6. For example, 11...b6? I2.4Jxd5 exd5 I3.~xh7t <j;>xh7 I4.'lWc2t winning a pawn.

1l.i.g5!? After Black's knight goes to f6, White tries to increase his pressure on d5. At the same time, removing Black's f6-knight could also pave the way for a kingside attack, for example with the typical ~c2 and 'lWd3 attack on h7. A second standard plan could be considered: II.a3!? The b4-square is controlled and White is ready to build the usual battery with ~c2 and 'lWd3. 11...b6 I2.~c2 ~b7 13.'lWd3

The Panov Attack

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Now let's consider three possible continuations: a) 13 ... :§:cB?, b) 13 ... :§:eB? and c) 13 ... g6!. a) 13 ... :§:cB? 14.d5! This break gives White an enormous attack: 14 ... exd5 15.j.g5 Trying to get rid of the only defender of the h7-pawn: 15 ... ttJe4 05 ... g6? weakens the f6-knight and is flattened by 16.:§:xe7! Wixe7 17.ttJxd5+-) 16.ttJxe4 dxe4 17.Wixe4 g6 1B.:§:adl! (after 1B.j.xe7 Wixe7 19.Wixe7 ttJxe7 20.:§:xe7 j.xf3! Black escapes) 1B ...Wic7 19.j.f4 White wins. b) 13 ... :§:eB? This is certainly not an improvement on the previous line. In fact it is crushed in similar fashion. 14.d5! exd5 15.j.g5! ttJe4 16.ttJxe4 dxe4 17.Wixe4 g6 Now the e7-bishop is defended. Nevertheless, White can still break down Black's defenses: 1B.Wih4 Transferring the queen to attack the kingside. 1B ...Wic7 19.j.b3! Threatening to take on f7. 19 ... h5 20.Wie4! (Threatening 21.Wixg6, utilizing the pin on the f7-pawn.) 20 ... 'if?g7

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21.j.xf7! Boom! Despite Black's efforts, this works anyway! 21 ... 'if?xf7 22.j.h6! Black has to suffer huge material losses to save his exposed king. 22 ...Wid7 23.Wic4t 'if?f6 24.Wic3t ttJd4 25.ttJxd4 @f7 26.ttJf3 j.fB 27.j.xfB 1-0 Stoica- Flis, Poland 19B3. c) 13 ... g6! is the best defense, but White can keep some pressure: 14.j.h6 :§:eB 15.:§:ad1 :§:cB

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16 ..ib3!

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Black still has to work hard to equalize. Mter that digression, let's get back to the game.

11...ttlb4 Aiming for the blockading square d5 before White gets a chance to play a2-a3.

12.i.bl b6 B.ttle5 i.b7 We have already studied these ideas in the previous games, so the next move should not be a surprise ...

14J~e3!

Keene employs a rook lift to increase his attacking power. White is already threatening .ixf6 and a decisive mating combination. For example: 14 ... l::k8?? 15 ..ixf6 .ixf6

The Panov Attack

347

15J~g3

Including the h-pawn in the attack was also tempting: 15.h4!? tLlbd5 (or 15 ... tLlfd5 16.:B:g3) 16.:B:g3 But now 16 ... tLlxc3 17.bxc3 tLle4! would decrease White's attacking potential.

15 .. J~c8? This move is almost a decisive mistake, and also bad was 15 ... tLlh5? 16.~xe7 Vf1xe7 17.Vf1xh5.

It was absolutely necessary to give up an exchange to trade White's most aggressive pieces: 15 ... tLlc6! 16.~h6

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16 ...Vf1xd4! The only way, as the two alternatives are much weaker: 16 ... tLlxe5 17.~xf8 and White is clearly better. 16 ... :B:e8? loses to 17.tLlxg6! hxg6 18.~xg6 fxg6 19.Vf1c2 tLle5 20.dxe5 tLle4 21.tLlxe4.

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17.~xd4ltJxd4 18 ..ixf8 .ixfB

This is playable for Black as he gets a pawn for the exchange. 16•.ih6 geS 17.a3! But not immediately 17.ltJxg6? which is refuted by 17 ... hxg6 18 ..ixg6 fXg6 19.~bl ltJe4 20.ltJxe4 ~c2-+ 17•.• tLlc6 Now White decides the game with sacrifices on the kingside:

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IS.tLlxg6! hxg6 19•.ixg6 fxg6 20.Y:Vbl! The g6-pawn is the final target for the strongest piece, but White must be careful how to get there. For example, not 20.~d3? as this allows 20 ... ltJe5 exploiting the new pin on the d4pawn. 20••• tLle5 21.dxe5 tLle4 22.tLlxe4 All forced. 22 ••• @h7

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The Panov Attack

23.ti)f6t Clearing the bl-h7 diagonal... 23 .••i.xf6 24.%Yxg6t ... and White's queen finally enters the attack, bringing his kingside attack to a successful conclusion: 24 ..• h8 2S.i.g7t .txg7 26.%Yxg7# Black certainly made some inaccuracies and had better opportunities for defense, but this game once again shows how White can use the advantage of the isolated pawn: thanks to his active pieces and space advantage, he brought all his pieces to the kingside when Black's position soon became dangerous.

Game 75 Alterman - Postny Israel 2009 The game was part of the final stages of an Israeli Rapid Chess competition. My opponent is a well-known 2600+ grandmaster, but he did not manage to solve his problems on the kingside.

l.c4 c6 2.e4 dS Yet another move order that reaches the Panov Attack. 3.exdS cxdS 4.d4 ti)f6 S.ti)c3 e6 6.cxdS ti)xdS 7.ti)a ti)c6 8.i.bS This move is less popular than the standard development to c4 or d3, but it has seriously. 8 ••.i.e7 9.0-0 0-0 10J~el

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10... ti)c7?! Too passive. My opponent did not want to follow one of the standard lines:

to be taken

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10 ... a6 11..ixc6 bxc6 12.lLle5 .ib7 13.lLla4;!; White keeps long-term positional pressure, thanks to his control over the c5-square. After 10 ....id7 11..id3 White has stopped Black's bishop developing to its best square (b7) Other serious theory lines are 1O ... lLlf6 and 10 .. .'IWd6. 1l ..id3 ~b4 Black is trying to seize control of the d5-square, but now the e5-square will belong to White. Of course 11...lLlxd4?? would lose to the usual 12.lLlxd4 ~xd4 13 ..ixh7t.

12 ..ibl ~bd5 13.~e5! A typical move: e5 is the best square for the knight, and this clears a path for the queen the fight.

to

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13... ~f6 Preventing ~h5 and ~f3 ideas (the d4-pawn is hanging), however Black has played many moves with the same knight...

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14J~e3!

Now the patterns should be familiar: the rook lift to the third rank adds fuel to the attack. Yet another piece is ready to explode Black's kingside.

14....id7 15J:~g3 Taking aim at the g7-square and preparing .ih6.

15 .. J~~e8?? White has almost all his pieces looking towards the kingside and so Black is preparing to protect the g7-pawn with ....if8 in reply to .ih6, but now the f7-pawn becomes the critical weakness. No better was 15 ... g6? as it would be met by 16 ..ih6 ~e817 ..ixg6! hxg618.~xg6t fxg619.~d3 when mate is inevitable. Instead 15 ....ic6! was the only way to continue the fight.

The Panov Attack

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16..ixh7t!! At a stroke Black's position is in ruins! Also tempting, but less conclusive, was: 16.E1xg7t!? c;t>xg7 17.ih6t ~xh6 (not 17 ... ~gB?? IB.'Wf3 and White is winning) IB.lt:lxf7t ~g7 19.1t:lxdB E1axdB White is better, but Black has a more playable position than he deserves.

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17 ..ixf5 1-0 L.B. Hansen - K. Larsen, Denmark (rapid) 200S.

14.tLlxh4 Y!Yxh4 15.Ei:e3! White is a pawn down, but his two bishops, strong center, and open lines on the kingside provide sufficient compensation. Of course there is an immediate threat to the h7-pawn with Ei:h3.

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15 ... g6 16.gg3 Already threatening i.g5. Note that after 15 ... g6 all the dark squares in Black's camp are very weak.

16•.•Wid8? Black should not remove his queen so far from the action. More normal is 16 ... 'Wf6 when White has at least a couple of options:

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17.i.g5 'Wg7 18.'Wd2! l:!fe8 19.'Wf4 e5 20.'Wh4 h5 21.i.f6 'Wh7 22.d5ttJd8 23.i.b5l:!f8 24.l:!dl Black had no pieces in the game in Seeman - Nei, Tallinn 2000. Also interesting is 17.'Wg4, with a further split: a) 17 ... e5 18.i.g5 'Wg7 19.'Wh4 f5 20.i.c4t mh8 Here a draw was agreed in Skytte - Malakhatko, Cappelle la Grande 2003, however 21.l:!h3! h5 22.i.e2 mg8 23.d5 offered White a strong attack. b) 17 ... 'Wg7 18.'Wh4 f5 19.i.h6 'Wf6 20.i.g5 'Wf7 21.l:!el with a long-term initiative for White, Anand - G. Morrison, Blackpool1988.

17..ih6 White's pieces are all entering the game very quickly. 17... ge818.Wih5 Another strong move. White is now threatening to destroy Black's position with sacrifices on g6, with checkmate to follow. Black now has to be very careful. For example, 18 ...'We7? 19.i.xg6 hxg6 20.l:!xg6t fxg6 21.'Wxg6t mh8 22.i.g5 wins the queen, or 18 ...'Wf6 19.i.g5 'Wg7 20.'Wh4! with an enormous initiative. 18... tLle7? This is a serious blunder, because for an instant Black loses control of the dark squares, which White immediately exploits:

The Panov Attack

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19.Y:Ve5! This is decisive.

19... c!t)f5 20.hf5 f6

21.,txg6! 21.~xe6t was also possible, but why not try to mate the opponent!

21...fxe5 21...hxg6 22.~xg6t would lead to mate. For example: 22 ... t>f7 23.~g7t t>f8 24.~d7t t>g8 25.Wfg3t rJih8 26.Wfg7#

22.,txe8t ~h8 23.i.g7t t>g8 24..if6t ~f8 25 ..ixd8 Black has lost too much material while avoiding mate, so he resigned.

Recent Developments in Alekhine's Gambit Game 77

v. Korchnoi -

D. Fridman Baku 2008

l.c4 c6 2.e4 d5 By now we are used to this move order.

3.exd5 tCJf6 4.d4 ad5 5.tCJc3 tCJc6 6..ig5 Now, as we know, Black has various options: 6 ...~b6 was dealt a crushing blow in Botvinnik - Spielmann, Moscow 1935 (see page 31l). 6 ...i.f5? is bad as was explained on page 309. 6 ... e6 is not consistent with Black's previous move, but is also a legal move. However, we will not look at it now.

6... dxc4 7.i.xc4 This is the starting position of Alekhine's Gambit.

7...~xd4 The latest trend is 7 ... h6!? when Black is trying to deactivate White's bishop. Now White has three main options: retreat to f4 or h4, or take on f6.

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8.J.f4 Now the bishop is not so actively posted and Black just switches to an anti-isolated pawn plan, instead of going for complications after accepting the sacrifice on d4. 8 ... e6 9.tLlf3 (9.tLlb5 does not work due to 9 ...i.b4tO 9 ...i.d6 White was slightly better in Aronian - Wang Yue, Linares 2009. 8.i.h4 ~xd4 9.~xd4 tLlxd4 10.0-0-0 e5 11.tLlf3 tLlxf3 12.i.xf6 gxf6 13.i.b5t <j;;e7 14.tLld5t

The Panov Attack

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8.i.xf6 exf6 9.tLlf3 i.d6 10.0-0 0-0 11.h3 i.f5 12.i.d3 ~d7 13.i.xf5 ~xf5 White had only a slight edge in the game Ivanchuk - Atonian, Nice 2009.

8.Wfxd4 ttlxd4 9.0-0-0 Winning another tempo.

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1 a b c d e f g h 9 ... e5 White's position is extremely strong: his bishops are active, his king already castled, and compare the activity of the dl-rook with its black counterparts. Black had to avoid immediate defeat with either 9 ... tLle6? 1O.i.xf6 or 9 ... tLlc6? 10.tLlb5.

10.£4 Theory says that after this move White gains massive compensation. The alternative is less promising: 1O.tLlf3 This only works if Black goes wrong: 10 ... tLlxf3 11.gxf3 a6?

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It was much better to continue developing with 11 ... ~e7 12.l'!hel and now 12 ... h6! rather than 12 ... 0-0 13.l'!xe5 ~d8 14.ltJe4ltJd7 15.l'!f5 when White was dominating in Sveshnikov - 011, Moscow 1992. 12.l'!helltJd7? 13.l'!xe5t ltJxe5 14.l'!d8# 8

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10....ig411.tLla Sacrificing another pawn!

l1...tLlxf3 12.gxf3 i.xf3

Now I would like to draw your attention to: 13J~hel!?

This was introduced only in 2008. The main theoretical dispute starts after 13.fXe5 ~xhl 14.exf6 when the position looks absolutely lost for Black, but in reality it is not so simple. 14 ...~c6 cannot be recommended because of 15.ltJb5 ~b4 16.fXg7 l'!g8 17.ltJc7#, but theory says that 14 ... l'!c8! is the best move, after which White still has to prove he has the advantage.

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The Panov Attack

13...,hdl14..ib5t @d8 15J~xdl t White is -now an exchange down but Black's king is in the center. White has an enormous attack.

15 ... @c7 16.fxe5 The f6-knight cannot move, since otherwise ~d7 or ttJd5 would lead to a decisive attack for White.

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16... h6?! Mter 16 ... ttJh5 17.~d7t Black's position is unpleasant, but 16 ... a6! deserved attention.

17.i.e3 ~g4 18.gd7t @c8 19.i.d4 Somehow in this game Black managed to escape, but his position looks extremely dangerous. I would never recommend that anyone go for such a situation as Black, because the black king is in the center and White's pieces are all poised to attack.

19... a6 20.~d5! axb5 21.~b6t @b8 8

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2V~xaS?

Missing 22.l"id8t rJ:;c7 23.l"ixa8 .ic5 24 ..ixc5 l"ixa8 25.tLlxa8t and White is almost winning.

22 ....tc5! 23.,hc5 gcs Now Black has equalized.

24.b4 c.t;xaS 25.gxf7 b6 26.gf8 gxf8 27..ixf8 tt'Jxe5 2S.,hg7 tt'Jf3 29.h3 h5 30..ih6 c.t;b7 31.c.t;dl ¥2-¥2 Conclusion Alekhine's gambit line against the Caro-Kann is still seen in grandmaster practice today. I know some grandmasters who are willing to play this line as Black, but believe me it is an extremely dangerous line to playas Black. Alekhine's brilliant idea is alive and kicking, giving White chances to build an enormous attack.

Typical pawn structures What we have covered on the isolated pawn is merely the tip of the iceberg. The theory of such positions is vast, especially as they occur from many different openings. Finally, I would like to summarize the general ideas we have covered in this chapter, and to show some other typical and related positions and ideas not mentioned before. As you might have observed, the isolated pawn is part of a family of pawn structures: .:. Symmetrical pawns on d4 and d5 .:. Isolated queen's pawn .:. Hanging pawns

Symmetrical pawns on d4 and d5 8

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This type of position occurs when Black recaptures on d5 with the pawn, for example after a series of exchanges on d5, or from the move orders l.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 tLlf6 5.tLlc3 e6 6.tLlf3 ib4 7.cxd5 exd5 and 6 ... ie7 7.cxd5 exd5. White has a long-term positional pull when Black is left with his bad light-squared bishop against White's good knight or light-squared bishop. Ideally, White would want to get rid of his own bad dark-squared bishop, cementing the advantage of his superior minor piece.

Isolated queen's pawn

White's main question is whether to develop the bishop to c4 - in preparation for a centrally oriented middlegame battle, perhaps with the d4-d5 break included - or to d3 - with the main idea of attacking Black's kingside. These plans have already been covered, and I would like to point out that they are not exclusive, since at any point of time the bishop could be relocated to the other diagonal. Black will aim to complete the development of his pieces while over-protecting and blockading d5, or change the character of the struggle by capturing on c3, which leads to a position with hanging pawns.

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The most common way of continuing is to push the pawn up to c4 (see the diagram below). Leaving the pawns on c3 and d4 risks having them blockaded and immobilized, as in the famous game G. Thomas - Alekhine, Baden-Baden 1925. This game did indeed show the dark side of hanging pawns, even though the opening Alekhine chose was not the Caro-Kann, but his own Alekhine's Defense! (Check your database to play through this classic game). However, sometimes White deliberately retains this pawn structure - if only temporarily deeming the tempo otherwise spent on the move c3-c4 could be more efficiently used in building up a kingside attack.

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Apart from the typical kingside attack, White's focus could be on pushing either the c- or d-pawn. Mter c4-c5, White plans to put pressure on b7 down the half-open b-file, having nearly immobilized this target of attack. However, he runs the risk of getting his center pawns blockaded on c6 and d5. On the other hand, in the case of d4-d5 White would get a passed pawn which could prove either decisive or fatally weak. Of course, we must not forget that the push d4-d5 also opens lines, which could potentially lead to a devastating kingside attack, as in many of the examples we saw throughout this chapter.

Tests The following 4 test positions are designed to build your tactical skills. They are typical positions that could arise from the Panov, and some of them are from my own games.

Exercise 3

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White to play! How can you exploit the weakness of the h I-a8 diagonal?

White to play! How can he demolish Black's kingside?

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Exercise 4

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White to play! White has the chance to play a standard tactical trick. Can you find it?

Solutions Exercise 1 B-Alterman - Qn, Internet Chess Club 2007 l.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4lLlf6 5.lLlc3 e6 6.lLlf3 .tb4 (Pinning the c3-knight that attacks d5. Note that 7,1Mfa4t? does not win the 'hanging' bishop due to 7 ... lLlc6.) 7.cxd5 lLlxd5 Once again we reach an IQP position. 8 ..td2 A less active square for this bishop than usual, but it is unpinning and protecting c3. 8 ... lLlc6 9 ..td3 lLlb6?! Black uncovers an attack on the isolated pawn, but the main point is that he is moving the knight once again and to a less favorable square. 1O.a3 (Now if lO ....txc3 then l1.bxc3 fortifies White's center.) 10 ....te7 Keeping the bishop but retreating to a less active square. 11 ..te3 Simply protecting d4; so far this bishop has adopted a modest role. 11...0-0 12.0-0 h6? This is the sort of move the reader should now instinctively recognize as suspect - Black voluntarily weakens his kingside and forgets about development. 13.'1We2 (Also strong was 13 ..tc2 to build a typical battery with 14.1Mfd3.) 13 ... lLld5 Black admits his mistake and brings the knight back. 14 ..te4 lLlf6 15 ..tc2 As a result of White's maneuver, he can build the queen and bishop battery after 1Mfd3. 15 ...1Mfd6 16J'hdl Centralizing the rook and overprotecting the isolated pawn. 16 .. J''1:d8 17 ..tc1 A surprising move, but White wants to give his heavy pieces a clear view of the e-file. 17 ... a6 18J'l:fel b5 Finally, Black gets around to developing his light-squared bishop, but it is too late! 19.1Lle4 Having mobilized all his forces (even the c1-bishop is active, attacking h6), White starts the attack. The first step is to exchange the key defender of Black's kingside, the f6-knight. 19 ...1Mfd5? The decisive mistake (Black should exchange on e4) placing the queen on the exposed long diagonal. 20.~xf6t Clearing the e4-square for the bishop. 20 ...i.xf6 21.i.e4! Y!Yd6 22.d5! White opens the position in the center where his pieces are dominating. 22 •.• exd5 23J~xd5 Y!Yb8 (23 ...1Mfc7 meets a similar fate: 24J''1:xd8t Exchanging in order to clearing the hl-a8 diagonal without losing a tempo. 24 ....txd8 25 ..txc6 Another exchange to clear the e-file without losing time. 25 ...1Mfxc6 26.1Mfe8t A decisive invasion on the 8th rank! 26 ...1Mfxe8 27.l:'1:xe8t h7 28.l:'1:xd8 White wins a piece.) 24J~xd8t Clearing the hl-a8 diagonal by force. 24•.• ~xd8 25.ha8 Black resigns as he would be an exchange down with a passive position. 1-0

Exercise 2 B-Alterman - OlaNiisson, Internet Chess Club 2005 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4lLlf6 5.lLlc3 e6 6.lLlf3 .tb4 7.cxd5 lLlxd5 8 ..td2lLlxc3?! Giving White hanging pawns on c3 and d4 is premature in this instance. 9.bxc3 .te7 1O ..td3lLld7 Black sees the need to shore up his barren kingside with ... lLlf6. 11.0-0 b6? 12.i.e4! Taking advantage of the weak diagonal. 12.. J~b8 13..if4.ia6 14.l:'1:e1 gc8 Black is wriggling, but now comes the last shot ... 15.Y!Ya4! Displacing the bishop from its defense ofb7, after which: 15•.•i.c4 16.i.b7 White wins the exchange and the game. 1-0

Exercise 3 B-Alterman - SUNTZU76, Internet Chess Club 2007 l.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4lLlf6 5.lLlc3 e6 6.lLlf3 .te7 7.cxd5lLlxd5 8 ..tc4 0-0 9.0-0 lLlxc3 Not the strongest continuation according to theory. This capture is too early. 10.bxc3 White

The Panov Attack

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now has a more solid center, which is a strong basis for starting his kingside aggression. 10 ... Wa5 11.Wd3 Protecting the pawn on c3, and also with ideas of .ib3-c2 creating threats to h7. 11...b6? A self-inflicted weakness. 12.E!:el! (Unfortunately it is not possible to make use of the exposed long diagonal with 12.We4 because of l2 ....ia6! l3.WxaB .ixc4 l4.E!:el .id5 and White's queen is trapped.) l2 ....ib7 (And now strongest would be l3.E!:e5! Wa4 l4 ..ib5 trapping Black's queen. Black's only defensive try is l4 ....ia6 but then l5.Wxh7t i>xh7 l6 ..ixa4 nets a pawn.) However, White instead brought his knight to the outpost: l3.ttJe5 And was immediately rewarded with a blunder: l3 ... E!:dB?? As we know, before castling, 0 is weak, as it is defended only by the king. Mter castling, 0 is given additional protection by the rook. However, if any of the enemy's heavy pieces stand on an open file, or the enemy bishop puts strong pressure on the a2-gB diagonal, or if the enemy knight hovers on e5 or g5, then Black has every reason to fear a catastrophe on 0. In such situations, the rook should be left on f8 to shore up the defenses. Thus, with White's pieces trained towards e6 and 0, Black's rook move is clearly a mistake. 14.ti)xf7! ~xf7 15 ..ixe6t ~f8 16.Wxh7 Threatening checkmate; Black can avoid the mate-in-one but that only delays the inevitable. 16...i.f6 17.Wg8t ~e7 18.Wf7t ~d6 19.i.f4t ~c6 20.'lWc7t ~b5 21.'lWc4# 1-0

Exercise 4 B-Alterman - jaguar07, Internet Chess Club 200B l.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 ttJf6 5.ttJc3 e6 6.ttJf3 .ie7 7.cxd5 ttJxd5 B..id3 ttJxc3 Again, this is premature. 9.bxc3 ttJd7 10.0-0 ttJf6 Black brings his knight to support his kingside and now White no longer threatens g7 or h7. However, White now takes control of the center. Exploiting the absence of a black knight on c6 or d7, White occupies the outpost on e5 and clears a line for the queen. 11.ttJe5 h6? Preventing .ig5, but the weakening of the kingside is irreversible. l2.Wf3! It is easy to see that Black will find it difficult to develop his remaining pieces. Black decided to play: l2 ... Wc7 By covering the b7-pawn Black makes developing his bishop to d7 possible, and the queen also puts pressure on the c3-pawn. (Instead the natural 12 ... 0-0 is quite dangerous, since after l3.Wg3 White threatens to take on h6.) l3.c4 White increases his grip on the center, taking control of the d5-square with his pawn. Now, other than going to f4, White's bishop can also develop to b2. l3 ... 0-0?? Black is oblivious to the imminent storm. 14.i.xh6! A classic combination. 14.•• gxh6 15.'lWg3t Attacking the king and creating an X-ray attack to c7. 15•.. ~h8 16.ti)xf7t Clearing the diagonal to reach c7, and Black loses his queen. 1-0 Remember: You should avoid needlessly moving pawns in front of a castled king, as this creates a hook the attacker can use to open lines towards the king. In the game above it was a piece sacrifice on h6 that did the trick, but such spectacular means are not always required - sometimes a simple pawn advance is good enough. For example, the move ... h7-h6 may later be punished by g4-g5, especially if White has castled queenside.

Chapter 9 The Morra Gatnbit

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Introduction The Sicilian Defense is one of the most popular openings and it is quite difficult to cope with the many lines and theory. As an antidote the Morra Gambit was one of the first opening lines shown to me by my first chess coach. I remember being given some photocopied pages from an old article in a chess magazine from the Soviet Union, where the ideas of the Morra Gambit were explained in depth. We seriously studied these pages and then played the Morra Gambit quite successfully. The Morra Gambit combines lot of tactical ideas (such as a sacrifice on f7, the e4-e5 break, the ltJc3-d5 sacrifice) with many positional ideas (such as strong control over the center, a space advantage, attacking via open files, dominating pieces). Let's start with the main ideas of this famous opening line.

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cx:d4 3.c3 In the Morra Gambit White offers a pawn in exchange for speedy development and the opening up of the c- and d-files.

3.•. dxc3 4.t£!xc3

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White's position already boasts several trumps: a) An actively placed pawn on the e-file. b) One developed piece while Black has none. c) A space advantage. d) Pressure over the important central squares e4, d4 and d5, with which White hopes to develop an initiative and also to prevent the mobilization of Black's pieces.

ixf7 combinations One characteristic of the Morra Gambit is that it develops along the lines of the Open Games. Combinations in the Morra Gambit also involve the weakness of fl, which we know to be the weakest spot in the opening.

Game 78 l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.tl~xc3 a6 Black intends to fianchetto his bishop and is ready to hit White's bishop with ... b5 should it land on c4.

5.J.c4 b5?

6.J.xf7t xf7 7.'i«d5t e6 8.'i«xa8 'i«c7 Black's only chance lies in trapping the enemy queen, but this doesn't work. Instead 8 ... tt:lc6 9.tt:lf3 VNc7 lO.if4 d6 11.e5! and White is winning easily.

9.J.e3! White is alert and saves his queen.

9 ...J.b7 10.'i«a7 ttlc6 1l.'i«b6 1-0 The queen escapes and White is an exchange up.

What we have learned: .:. Many tactics involve the weakness of fl . •:. Be alert and use tactics to save your queen which could be trapped after capturing a rook in the corner.

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Game 79 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.d dxd 4.~xc3 d6 5.~f3 J.g4 6.J.c4 ~f6? 6 ... ttJc6 covers the e5-square, but leaves the bishop unprotected on g4. f7 is also weak, defended only by the king. By exploiting these factors, White can begin a combination with the smashing:

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~/tlwxf7 1O.ttJf3, preventing Black from castling, White can also play: 9.ttlf3 Reserving the option to exploit the weakened a2-g8 diagonal later, for example: 9••• g6 With the idea ...ig7 and ... 0-0.

10.0-0 i.g7 11.Y;¥b3!

Game 82 l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.ttlxc3 d6 5.i.c4 ttlc6 This move, keeping an eye on e5, is a much better continuation. 6.ttlf3 White completes the development of his kingside and prepares to castle. 6 ... ttlf6 7.e5! While both sides' knights developed and took aim at e5, it is still Black's pawn which should execute the e5-pawn. This soldier knows the aggressive posting of the light-squared bishop grants him immunity from the c6-knight.

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7 ... ~xe5?? This leads to the usual theme of diverting the defender: 8.~xe5 dxe5 9 ..bf7t i>xf7 lO.Y*ixd8 White gains a decisive material advantage.

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.~xc3 d6 5..ic4 ~c6 6.~f3 ~f6 7.e5 Capturing with the pawn directly is also a mistake:

7 ... dxe5? The problem is this opens up the position for White's better developed pieces. The best move is 7 ... ltJg4 and this will be studied in the Practice & Puzzles section.

8.Y*ixd8t! Considering White wants to attack, this exchange of queens is surprising, but White's initiative grows as he puts more pressure on Black's position. Black has two possible recaptures: 8 .. .rJ;'xd8 is hoping for 9.~xf7? which would throwaway White's initiative after 9 ... e6! when the bishop is trapped, but much stronger is 9.ltJg5!. Black is facing a serious problem - how to stop the ltJf7 fork. 9.. .'J;;c7 1O.ltJxf7 l:!g8 And now White unleashes another blow: 11.ltJxe5! ltJxe5 12.~f4 Black's position is hopeless.

8 ... ~xd8 So, with no better choice, the queen has to be captured with the knight. Now White could capture the pawn after 9.ltJxe5, but his fine mobilization allows an even more powerful punch. 9.~b5!

White intends ltJc7 winning a whole rook. Suddenly Black has no good answers. After 9 ... ltJe6? White immediately eliminates the knight with 1O.~xe6 ~xe6 and invades with the decisive fork 11.ltJc7t picking up the a8-rook.

The Morra Gambit

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9... j,e6? also loses immediately to 1O.tLlc7t i>d7 l1.tLlxa8 j,xc4 12.tLlxe5t 1-0 D. ThompsonD. Levadi, Detroit 1983. The attempt to cover c7 with 9 ... i>d7? simply leads to mate after 10.tLlxe5t i>e8 l1.tLlc7#.

9.. J~b8 The only defense.

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lo.tihe5 White creates the threat of tLlc7 checkmate and 10 ... tLle6? does not help: 11.j,xe6 j,xe6 12.tLlc7t i>d8 13.tLlxe6t fxe6 14.tLlf7t i>e8 15.tLlxh8+- B-Alterman - morriss, Internet Chess Club 2003. lO ... e6 Now White could simply take the pawn after tLlxa7 or continue the attack by:

11.c![}c7t @e7

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Let's evaluate the position. White has completed his development, while the black pieces are mainly still on the back rank. Thus White can easily exploit the ugly position of the king on e7 by increasing his pieces' activity and building up the unpleasant pressure.

12.i.e3 Also good is 12.b3, gaining more development due the mating threat of ia3. For example, 12 ... lt>d6? when after 13.if4 Black is lost as 13 ... i>xc7 14.ltJxf7t wins. 12••• tLlc6 13.0-0-0 tLlxe5?? A blunder. After 13 ... ltJd7 14.ltJxf7ltJdeS? (better is 14 ... i>xf7 lS.ixe6t i>g6 16.ixd7 ixd7 17.:!:'!xd7 with a clear advantage for White) lS.ltJxhB Black resigned in the game Alikhanov Brineva, Cherkessk 2007. 14.i.c5# What we have learned: .:. •:. .:. .:.

e4-eS can open up the position for White's pieces to exert their power. Watch out for tactics, those of your opponent and your own! Black, especially, has to be very careful. One slip could lead to immediate disaster, as we have seen.

Morra Accepted - Developing the bishop to g7 Game 83 B-Alterman - claymore Internet Chess Club 2003 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.tLlxc3 tLlc6 5.tLla g6 This set-up looks solid, since Black is going to develop the bishop on the long diagonal hB-al. However this is not as easy as it looks. 6.i.c4 i.g7

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The Morra Gambit

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Planning to continue developing with ... d6 and ... tLlf6. But White can stop this plan by the aggressive pawn thrust: 7. e5! Offering this pawn sacrifice is the only way to keep White's initiative alive. White is gaining space and preventing ... tLlf6. Black is doing fine after 7.0-0 d6! followed by ... tLlf6 and ... 0-0 when it is hard to see any compensation for White's pawn deficit. Mter 7.0-0 less clear is 7 ... tLlf6 8.e5 tLlg4 9 ..ixf7t c;t>xf7 1O.tLlg5t and Black's king has lost the right to castle. 7 ... tLlxe5 8.tLlxe5 i.xe5 9.i.xf7t! Just like in the Open Games, White finds a combination to exploit the weakness of f7. Instead the obvious 9.Wfd5 would be met by 9 ....ixc3t 10.bxc3 e6! when White's attack is gone. 9 ..• <j;lxf7 10.~d5t e6 Better is 10 ... '>ffg7 whereas 1O ... c;t>f6 could be met by 11.tLle4t c;t>f5?? 12.g4t! and mate is coming soon. 11.~xe5

White keeps a great initiative. 11. •• tLlf6 12.0-0 d6 13.~e2 ge8 14.i.g5 d5 15.~e5 tLlg4 16.~f4t tLlf6 17.gfel <j;lg7 18.gadl By centralizing all his pieces White has created enormous pressure, and it is easy to miss the next threat ... 18•.• a6?

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How can White finish the game on the spot?

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19. tlhd5!! Also good enough was 19.1Lle4!. The knight cannot be captured: 19 ... exd5 20.E:xe8 Wixe8 21.Wixf6t i>g8 22 ..ih6 with inevitable mate 19 ... lLlxd5 20.Wie5t and the black queen is dead. So all Black could do was to resign immediately...

1-0

Game 84 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cx:d4 3.c3 dxc3 4.tLlxc3 tLlc6 5.tLlf3 g6 6 •.ic4 .ig7 7.e5! 7 ... .ixe5 leads to a line that is similar to 7 ... lLlxe5, after: 8 ..ixf7t i>xf7 9.lLlxe5t lLlxe5 10.Wid5t

7 ... tLlh6 Black decides to accept some temporary discomfort, waiting until after castling to get rid of the intruder on e5. 8.0-00-0 And not 8 ... lLlxe5? 9.lLlxe5 .ixe5 10 ..ixh6.

9 ..if4! Supporting the e5-pawn and taking more control over the d6-square. Now Black must forget about playing ... d6.

9 ... tLlf5? 10.g4 tLlh6 1l.h3 The knight is trapped ...

The Morra Gambit

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11 ... ~h8 Otherwise-after 12.'1Wd2 the h6-knight is a goner, for instance: 11.._b6? 12.'iMfd2ltJxg4 l3.hxg4 1-0 Hennings - Basta Sohair, Lucerne 1982.

12.'iMfd2 ttlg8 13JUel f6 14J~adl fxe5 15.ttlxe5 ttlxe5 16.he5 he5 17J!he5 ttlf6 18.Wld4 Total centralization; Black can hardly move. Let's see one losing example: 18 ... e6? 19.il.xe6! After all the exchanges, White is left with a clear superiority in development. His rooks are effectively situated on the open d- and e-files, his bishop is aggressively posted and looking at Black's weakened kingside, and the knight controls the central squares.

An early ... e5 is almost always bad! 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.ttlxc3 e5? This move cannot be recommended. Instead of developing, Black dramatically weakens his d5-and d6-squares.

5.i.c4 d6 6.ttlf3 h6?

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7.hf7t! ~xf7 8.ttlxe5t The d6-pawn is pinned; Black's king must start a hopeless journey. There are various options but no escape: 8 ... cj;le6 9.'iMfd5t cj;lf6 1O.'iMff7t! cj;lxe5 11.i.f4t cj;ld4 12.'iMfd5#, 8 ... cj;le7 9.ltJd5t c;;t>e6 1O.'iMfg4t c;;t>xe5 Il.il.f4t cj;lxe4 12.ltJc3t cj;ld4 l3.il.e3t c;;t>e5 14.il.d4# and 8 ... cj;le8 9.'iMfh5t c;;t>e7 10.'iMff7#.

8 ... ~f6 9.ttld5t ~xe5 lo.Wlh5t g5 10 ... c;;t>d4 does not help: 11.il.e3t c;;t>d3 12.E!:d 1t cj;lc4 l3.'iMfe2#

l1.Wlf7! The key move of the plan; Black's king won't make it back home.

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11. ••.te6 Now White is ready to sacrifice another piece.

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12•.tf4t gxf4 13.Y;Vxf4t ~d4 14.Y;Ve3t ~c4 15.Y;Vb3t ~d416.Y;Va4t ~e5 17.f4# 8

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All these lines once again show that a king in the center has no hope against a well-developed army.

Game 85 B-Alterman - Switters Internet Chess Club 2005

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.tihc3 e5? 5.i.c4 We know 5 ... h6 loses by force, so Black has tried other moves: 5...i.b4? allows the same motif: 6.i.xf7t! i>xf7 7.Wb3t. 5 ... i.e7?? loses immediately after 6.Wd5! and Black resigned in B-Alterman - lauchinis, Internet Chess Club 2006. 5 ... d6 6.Wb3 Wd7 7.ttJf3 ttJf6? B.ttJg5 d5 9.lLlxd5 i.e7 1O.ttJxf7 1-0 B-Alterman - captain, Internet Chess Club 2003. 5 ••• lLlc6 This move is definitely better, but even here Black is in trouble after: 6.Y;Vb3! Forcing Black's queen to move. 6 •••Y;Ve7 7.lLld5 lLld4 After 7 ... Wd6 B.ttJc7t Wxc7 9.i.xf7t i>dB 1O.i.xgB White regains the material and keeps the better chances. For example, attempting to start a counterattack with 10 ... ttJd4?? would be punished by 11.i.g5t! i.e7 12.i.xe7t i>xe7 13.Wf7t i>d6 (13 ... i>dB 14.WfB#) 14.WfBt i>c6 15.:1:kl t and Black loses his queen. 8.Y;Vd3 Y;Vc5 9 •.te3 .td6 10.lLle2 Increasing the attack on the d4-knight.

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The Morra Gambit

10... ~e711.b4! The decisive strike.

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1l ...'We6 12.~xd4 exd4 l3.b5 'We5 14.i.xd4 Black is losing at least a rook.

14...'Wa3 15.'Wxa3 i.xa3 16.~e7t

Black can try move orders: 1.e4 e5 2.d4 cxd4 3.d dxd 4.~xd ~e6 5.~f3 e6 6.i.e4 'We7 It should be noted that 6 ... d6, now or anytime later, would transpose into the lines with ... d6.

7.0-0 ~f6? With this move order Black deliberately avoids ... d6, leaving the h2-b8 and a3-fB diagonals open for his queen and bishop.

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It is vital to note that typical Morra development with 8.'<Mfe2 is just what Black wants: 8 ... lLlg4! Preparing a fine trap. Now if White plays the obvious 9.h3?? then unexpectedly the beautiful 9 ... lLld4! diverts the only defender of the h2 square - the f3-knight - which leads to mate after 1O.lLlxd4 '<Mfh2#. 9 ..ig5?? leads to the same problem: 9 ... lLld4! 0-1 Boulard - Hawelko, Paris 1990. 9.l'!dl? does not fix the problem, since after 9 ....ic5! White cannot comfortably protect f2.

8...Y*1b8 9.e5! White is going to sacrifice another pawn, and the main target is the unprotected c7-square. After sacrificing 2 pawns, White must play very accurately, since one false move could turn the tables immediately. On the other hand, Black has to play several only-moves in order to survive. 9 ... ~xe5 Also not good enough is 9 ... a6 1O.exf6 axb5 l1.fxg7 .ixg7 12 ..ixb5, when White wins back a pawn, keeping a positional advantage thanks to Black's exposed kingside. If instead 9 ... lLlg4 1O ..if4 then Black has to be very careful when choosing his next move: a) 1O ... lLlgxe5? loses to a neat tactic: l1.lLlxe5 lLlxe5 when White has a choice of wins. 12 ..ixe6! is a knockout punch. Whichever way Black recaptures, he is doomed: 12 ... dxe6 13.l'!cl f6 14.lLlc7t or 12 ... fxe6 13.'<Mfh5t g6 14.'<Mfxe5 '<Mfxe5 15 ..ixe5. In both variations Black's rooks are murdered in their beds. Also strong is the simple 12.l'!cl! d6 13 ..ixe5 dxe5 14.lLlc7t '<Mfxc7 15 ..ib5t and White wins the queen. b) 10 ... a6 is better but not good. After l1.lLld6t .ixd6 12.exd6 Black's position is very cramped. lO.~xe5

After 1O ..if4 d6 11.l'!cl .id7 there are no more lLlc7 tactics. lO...Y*1xe5 11.l'!el Black keeps moving his queen, while White steadily increases his lead in development by bringing more and more pieces into the attack. 1l ...Y*1b8 Black's pieces are under nasty pressure and virtually all restrained to the back rank!

If 11...'<Mfc5 12 ..ifl a6 13 ..ie3 '<Mfc6 14.lLla7! '<Mfc7 15.l'!cl '<Mfd8 16.'<Mfc2 and Black's c8-bishop must die.

The Morra Gambit

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12.Y~M4!

The decisive move; suddenly Black has no good defenses against the coming 13 ..if4!. Even at this early stage of the game, Black is already lost.

12.•. d6 13•.if4 e5 The only way to stop lOxd6. Since White has a huge lead in development the following combination is "as natural as a baby's smile". 14J:he5t White ruins Black's fragile shelter with this simple rook sacrifice. Black has to accept the rook but after: 14..• dxe515.i.xe5 The queen is trapped.

Game 86 Mayers - Rutter Lloyds Bank Open 1993

l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.tLlxc3 tLlc6 5.tLlf3 e6 6.i.c4 V!fc7 7.0-0 a6 Black decides to secure his queen from any nasty lOb5 business. 8.V!fe2 White continues developing in Morra-style. He frees dl for the king's rook, which could exert serious pressure on the d-file. 8 ... tLlf6?! A careless move. Black would do better to prevent White's aggressive operation, so I would recommend 8 ... d6 as the best response (which transposes into systems with ... d6 - 8 ... d6 9J!dl lOf6 1O ..if4.ie7).

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9.e5! This interesting move leads to a very sharp battle. Here we can see another useful point of the move 8."lMfe2. White gains even more space, and challenges Black's counterplay, which is based on a direct assault on the e5-square.

9... tOg4 IO ..tf4 White increases his piece-activity, while also bringing more power to bear on the e5- and d6squares. From Black's point of view, the e5-pawn is too strong and so he tries to destroy it immediately. However, this is premature and opens up the position, a factor which Black's uncastled king can ill afford. It is not so easy to escape from the pressure: 10 ....te? Il.h3 ttJh6 12.l'!fdl and the further ttJe4! will lead to a huge positional advantage for White. 10 ... f5!? Il.h3 ttJh6 12.l'!ac1 is also not so pleasant. However, one idea that deserves attention is: 10 ... d6 Il.exd6 .txd6 12.ttJd5 "lMfd8 13 ..txd6 "lMfxd6 14.l'!adl "lMfb8 15.ttJb6l'!a? 16.h3 ttJf6 1?"lMfe3 0-0 18.l'!d2! Taking more control over the d-file. 18 ... "lMfc? 19.1'!fdl The black rook looks and is ugly on a?, and Black is unlikely to escape from White's positional pressure.

IO ... f6? Now White cannot capture at once with Il.exf6? because of 11..."lMfxf4. The e5-pawn cuts Black's position in half! The queenside is completely "out of the loop" about what's happening on the kingside. Using the bad position of the black king, which is still stuck in the center, White unleashes a fine tactical blow, which immediately demolishes Black's position. With White's minor pieces

The Morra Gambit

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fully developed and his queen placed on the same file opposing the enemy king, the time is ripe for a sacrifice to open up the position. 11.~d5!

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The point! Black fears accepting the sacrifice, since after 11.. .exd5 the e-file can be opened to create a massive strike. 12.exf6t Discovered check, and a discovered attack on the black queen, forcing Black's next move. 12 ... tOge5 13.tOxe5 tOxe5 14 ..txe5 Wlxc4 It seems that Black is still alive, however after

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I5.fxg7!! the smoke clears and Black is lost after either: 15 ...Wlxe2 16.gxh8=WI which leads to huge material losses, or I5 ....txg7 16.WlhSt 1i?f8 17.WlfSt with a mating attack: 17 ... li?eS (17 ... li?gS IS.WlgS) IS ..txg7 ~gS 19.~fel t Ii?dS 20 ..tf6t Ii?c7 21.~acl 11. ..Wlb8 If 11...WlaS then I2.exf6 and tOc7 is inevitable.

12.exf6 J.d6 13..hd6 %Vxd6 14J~adl

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14.fxg7 Elg8 15.Elfdl is even stronger.

14...~b8 15.fxg7 Black's kingside is totally demolished, so the rest is easy:

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15 ... Elg8 16.h3 b5 17..ib3 tt:Jge5 18.tt:Jxe5 tt:Jxe5 19.~h5t tt:Jg6 20.tt:Jf6t i>f7 21.tt:Jxg8 i>xg8 23 ..ixe6t 1-0

22.~h6 ~f4

Sample Games GameS7 Begin - Delorme Paris 1999

l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.tt:Jxc3 d6 5..ic4 tt:Jf6 6.e5! d5?!

The Morra Gambit

387

This "freeing" pawn move will not solve Black's problems.

7.ib5t! ~fd7 8.e6! A typical pawn sacrifice, breaking up the enemy pawn structure and exposing his king along the h5-e8 diagonal.

8,..fxe6 9.~h5t g6 1O.~e5 The queen swings to exploit the newly-created weakness of the unprotected rook in the corner.

10.. J~g8 11.~xe6 gh8

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The mass of pieces surrounding Black's king is impressive, and White brings another piece into the game. 12.~f3 a6

And here White has the strong move: 13.~g5! Weaving a mating construction that forces Black to resign, since he cannot avoid: 13 ... W!c7 14.W!f7t ~d8 15.ttJe6#

1-0

Game 88 B. Damljanovic - D. Leskur Novi Sad 1989

l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.~xc3 d6 5.J.c4 ~c6 6.~f3 ~f6 7.e5! ~g4 The strongest continuation, however White has enough power to keep a strong attack.

8.e6!

388


This move has similar ideas to lines that we have already studied. Black is forced to make an unpleasant choice:

8 ...fxe6 Or 8 ....ixe6 9 ..ixe6 fxe6 10.lOg5 lOf6 11.1Oxe6 with a strong attack. 9.~g5 ~f6

9 ... lOge5 10.lOxe6 and Black cannot escape from White's powerful pressure. 10.~xe6 %Va5 11.0-O.boo 12..be6

8.i~ 7

~.~

~~ ~

~r~~_'~'''~_'i

'''''~~ ~~t.""~~

6

if~~'"~"'~

3

~m%"~ ~m0 ~m''''

: "~~~m~~~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ 2

~1~Wd8 14.l'i:c1, 13 ... l'i:c8 14.tLlxa7 or 13 ... f6 14.l'i:c1 'Wb6 15 ..ic7t, all with terrible problems. 12 ... 'Wb6! This is the strongest move and it will be analyzed later...

[email protected] White also has 14.'Wh5 or 14.J.d2 - see the Sample Games section.

14 ... a6? Better is 14 ... tLlf6.

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gxcl 17.gxcl

The big challenge for Black is to develop without allowing his king to be slaughtered in the center.

17... axb5 Instead 17 ... tLlf6 18.'Wa5t and Black has no hope.

18.YlYa8t @d7 No better is 18 ... ~e7 19 ..ic5 and White wins the queen.

414


19.%Yxb7t cJ?d8 Black would only delay the inevitable with 19 ... i>e8 20J'k8t ~d8.

20J3c8#

B) 11. ..%Yb8 With this move the black queen is less vulnerable to attack than on d6, but of course there is a drawback - the d5-pawn is hanging. 8

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IVtxdS White wins a pawn back while moving the knight further into the center. Instead 12.~f3 intending if4 could be met by 12 ...id6.

12 ...J.d6 The only way. Black returns his remaining extra pawn, but in return gets all his pieces out and soon will be able to castle. The alternatives are asking for trouble: Of course 12 ... lLle7?? loses at once to 13.if4 and the weakness of the c7-square reappears as a theme. 12 ... ic6 13.if4 id6 14.~g4! Keeping the initiative. 14 ... mf8 (or 14 ... g6 15.l'!xe6t! sacrificing the rook for a mating attack: 15 ... fxe6 16.~xe6t lLle7 17.ixd6) 15.~g3 ixf4 16.lLlxf4 lLlf6 17.l'!adl Black's king is still misplaced and White, with his better development and control over the open files, retains a powerful initiative. After 12 ... ~d8 13.if4l'!c8 14.l'!cll'!xcl? 15.~xcl Black is in big trouble. 15 ... ie7 (not 15 ... lLlf6 16.lLlc7t i>e7 17.~c5# or 15 ... ~a5 16.lLlc7t) 16.~c3! With an enormous initiative for just a pawn.

13.%Yg4 With the c7-square well covered, White switches to attacking the g7-pawn.

The Milner-Barry Gambit

415

13.Wh5 is another interesting option which has been tested in a few games. After 13 ... tOe7! 14.tOxe7 il.xe7 15.il.e3 Black still cannot castle, but it is not so easy for White to prove he has clear compensation for the pawn.

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13... ~f8 The recommendation of the latest theory. Black defends the g7 -pawn, but White still has interesting attacking opportunities after:

14..id2 exd5 to

Black can capture the knight, but of course White wins back a piece at once. The alternative is take a pawn with check, which sounds tempting but of course White has a scheme in mind:

14 ... il.xh2t After White simply continues: 15.c;!;>hl The idea of a quick il.b4t is tricky to meet, for example: 15 ... h5 16.il.b4t il.d6 17.Wf4 And suddenly Black is in a mating net. 17 ... il.xb4 18.Wxb4t 'it>e8 19.1'he6t! This sacrifice ruins Black's last shelter. 19 ... fxe6 (or 19 ... il.xe6 20.il.b5t il.d7 21.~el t c;!;>d8 22.Wf8t il.e8 23.~xe8#) 20.il.g6t c;!;>d8 21.WfSt il.e8 22.Wxe8# 1-0 Lebrun - Talamon, Paris 2002.

15.Y;Vxd7 White still has strong compensation: Black's king is unprotected and White has rwo bishops in an open position. If we manage to bring the white rooks into the game Black's position would become hopeless.

Sample games The King in the Center In the Milner-Barry Gambit White sacrifices two of his central pawns in order to use his better development. As a result, White has two open files and rapid development of all his pieces. Black suffers from his undeveloped kingside and his king has to stay in the center for longer than is prudent. These factors permit many tactical opportunities and traps against Black's king. However, to get a real attack against Black's king, White sometimes needs to break through the center files, so in this section I would like to teach you not to fear sacrificing a minor piece or even a rook to achieve the ultimate aim - checkmating the black monarch.

Game 99 Mendoza - Mella Defranchi Argentina 200 1

1.e4 e6 2.d4 dS 3.eS cS 4.c3 tLlc6 s.tLlf3 ~b6 6 ..id3 .id7 7.0-0 cxd4 8.cxd4 tLlxd4 9.tLlxd4 ~xd4 10.tLlc3.ib4

Instead of capturing on e5 Black prefers to continue developing.

l1.tLlbS ~xeS Black now intends to bring his knight to the center and complete his kingside development, however: 12.~g4!

Since the b4-bishop is under attack, Black has no time to get his king out of the center.

12 ....iaS 13 ..if4 A typical method - White is willing to sacrifice another pawn on b2 to obtain a super-aggressive posting of his pieces.

417


13••• tLlh6?? Black is trying to counterattack by continuing development, but he misses White's next move. 13 ... Wfxb2? was also not good enough after 14J:l:abl Wff6 lS.Wfg3! and Black can hardly stop the forthcoming .ieS. 13 ... hS was the last chance to survive.

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14.Wfg3! Black is a in hopeless situation, as he cannot avoid material losses.

14...YlYh5 This is not the first time this position has been reached. In fact there have been at least seven games that reached the position after 14.Wfg3. For example, the game Ayas Fernandez - Cherto, Manresa 1996, concluded 14 ... Wff61S ..ieS Wfd8 16.ltJd6t rJJe717.Wfgst 1-0. 15.YlYxg7 gg8 16.YlYxh6 YlY6 The last try. White's king is threatened and the d3-bishop is under attack, but ...

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17.~d6t

Black resigned, anticipating lines such as 17 ... ~e7 IB.'lMfh4t 'kt>f8 19.i.h6t or 17... ~dB IB.'lMfh4t ~c7 19.~acl t i.c6 20.lLle8t when the end is nigh: 20 ... ~cB 21.~xc6t bxc6 22.i.a6t ~d7 23.lLlf6t Black is losing everything. 1-0

Game 100 Gimenez Martinez - Aboy Nieto Spain 2003

l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 ~c6 5.~f3 %Yb6 6.i.d3 i.d7 7.0-0 cxd4 S.cxd4 ~xd4 9.~xd4 %Yxd4 10.~c3 %Yxe5 11.~e1 %YbS 12.~xd5 i.d6 13.%Yg4.bh2t Black has captured the pawn immediately, whereas the recommended move is 13 ... ~fB. 14.~hl.ie5 14 ... ~fB is too late now as after 15.g3 the bishop is trapped on h2.

15.i.f4 Now the best 15 ...i.xf4 will be met with 16.'lMfxg7 and White is better.

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One slip and Black is losing. Why:'

16.%Yg5! The threat of checkmate on e7 wrecks Black's position.

16... exd5 The alternatives are just as bad: 16 .. .f6 loses to 17.'lMfxg7, 16 ... i.xf4 17.'lMfe7# Or 16 ...i.f6 17.lLlxf6t and White is winning.

17.he5 %YeS IS.i.d6t i.e619.%Ye7# 1-0

419


Game 101 Darras - Rivet France 2002

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 tDc6 5.tDa ~b6 6 ..id3 J.d7 We know this is not the correct move order (6 ... cxd4!) and that White could take advantage of this slip with 7.dxc5! but our interest in this game really starts at move 13, so we shall forgive the players for the mutual lapse.

7.0-0 cxd4 8.cxd4 tDxd4 9.tDxd4 ~xd4 10.tDc3 ~xe5 llJ~e1 ~b8 12.tDxd5 .td6 13.~g4

g6?

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The latest theory, as we know, recommends 13 .. .'ittf8!. We shall look at this move in more detail later. 14.~d4!

Aiming at the h8-rook and forcing Black to push a pawn, after:

14... e5 15.J.f4 f6 16.tDxf6t! tDxf6 17.,ixe5

420


17•••.L.:e5 IsJlxe5t Black's king is in an awful position, under fire from all White's pieces.

IS •• .c.t>dS 19J1e6 c!LleS 20.J.b5 V!!c7 2IJ~dllHB 22 •.ixd7 Checkmate is inevitable, so Black resigned.

1-0

Game 102 Sindik. - Ivarsson Hallsberg 1973

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 c!Llc6 5.c!Lla V!!b6 6.J.d3 cxd4 7.cxd4 J.d7 S.O-O c!Llxd4 9.c!Llxd4 V!!xd4 10.c!Llc3 V!!xe5 llJle1 V!!bS 12.c!Llxd5 .id6 13.V!!g4 Cit>f8 14..id2 exd5 15.V!!xd7 Black has headed for the line we were studying in the Introduction, however his position is extremely dangerous as we shall see.

15••• c!Llf6 16.V!!f5 V!!cS Black is trying to swap queens as soon as possible, but this is not enough to solve all Black's problems.

17.J.f4! An important intermediate move.

17.••.ixf4 IS.V!!xf4 V!!bS 19.V!!b4t Cit>gS 20.ge7 This position is a typical result of White's aggressive play. He is a pawn down but all his pieces are very active. His rook has arrived on the 7th rank where the black pawns on b7, a7 and f7 could be great targets.

20 •••g6 21.gc1 There is no need to capture, so continue the aggression.

421


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21...a5 22.~d4 c;t>g7 23J:~cc7 ~H'8 24.g4 h6 25.h4 Black is doomed. Look at how strong White's pieces are: both rooks on the 7th rank, his centralized queen, and active bishop.

25 ...~a7 Instead 25 ... g5 26.hxg5 hxg5 27.Wie5 leads inevitably to checkmate. White's pieces are totally dominant. 26.~e5

1-0

Game 103 Terasti - Maki Torkko Kemi 2000

l.d4 Not our usual starter, but we get back to normality in a hurry... 1. ..e6 2.e4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 ti)c6 5.ti)a .td7 6 ..td3 ~b6 7.0-0 c:x:d4 8.c:x:d4 ti)xd4 9.ti)xd4 ~xd410.ti)c3 ~xe5 lU~e1 ~b812.ti)xd5 .id613.h3 Not best according to the theory (l3.Wig4!) but even here Black has problems ...

13... ti)e7 14.ti)xe7 he7 15.~g4! O-O? A mistake, as better was 15 ... if6.

16..ih6! Now after 16 ...if6 17.Wie4 g6 18.ixf8 ic6 Black would have kept some compensation for an exchange ...

16... g6??

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White to play! When you see a good move - 17.J.xj8 -look for a better one: 17.%M4! Black cannot save his d7-bishop because of mate on g7. And 17 ... e5 18.~xd7l"1d8 fails because Black's other bishop is also hanging: after 19.~xe7l"1xd3 White remains a piece up and 20.~f6 leads to mate ... 1-0

Game 104 Rozmbersky - Skorpik Czech Republic 1997

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 tLlc6 5.tLlf3 VNb6 6•.id3 cxd4 7.cxd4 .id7 8.tLlc3 tLl ge7 9.0-0 tLlxd4 10.tLlxd4 VNxd4 From a slightly different moves order we reached a similar position to our usual lines. Black has collected just one pawn instead of the usual two, and intends to quickly complete his development, but it is still not so easy for him to equalize. 1l.tLlb5 VNxe5 12J~e1 VNb8 13.VNf3

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423


White plans to keep his initiative going with ~f4. In this position was shall consider three moves for Black: A) 13 ...f6?, B) 13 ... ~c6 and C) 13 ... e5.

A) 13 ... f6?

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14Jhe6! A brilliant sacrifice. Instead 14.Wfh5t g6 is not good enough.

14...he615.i.f4 ~d8

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16.i.c7! The decisive move, which was possibly missed by Black. Totally wrong is 16.tLlc7t?? black queen is the target, not a sleeping rook on a8.

16...~d7 Or 16 ...Wfc8 17.tLld6t and wins. 17.~d6t Black loses his queen and the game.

mo. The

424


17...~xd6 IS ..ixd6 f7 19..ixe7 .ixe7 20..tfS.txf5 21.~xf5 gadS 22.gdl d4 23.~e4 .tc5 24.~xb7t g6 25J~d3 .td6 26.f4.txf4 27.~e4t g5 2S.h4t g4 1-0 B) 13... ~c6

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This is possible, but it still does not solve all of Black's problems.

14..tf4 e5 15.~xd5 In most cases White's next move would be l::i:ad1, with a huge initiative. For example, 15 .. .f6 16.l::i:ad 1 intending .tg6 with mating threats. So Black naturally tries to interrupt the flow:

15....te6 8

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16..ixe5! ~xe5 17.gxe5 Black cannot survive this any which way. For example, 17 ....te7 18.l::i:xe6 fxe6 19.~xe6 l::i:f8 20.ttJc7t with the .tb5 and l::i:dl on the cards. -


425

C) 13 ... e5

14.lhe5! A similar sacrificial idea; White badly needs control over the h2-b8 diagonal.

14...'i'Nxe5 15 ..if4 'i'Nf6 16.~d6t 'ii?d8 17.~xb7t 'ii?e8 18.l~e1 Black's pieces are paralyzed and helpless against White's growing attack.

Game 105 Mavrikakis - Dermentzis Greece 2004

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 'i'Nb6 5.~f3 ~c6 6..id3 cxd4 7.cxd4 i.d7 8.0-0 ~xd4 9.~xd4 'i'Nxd4 10.~c3 'i'Nxe5 llJ~e1 'i'Nd6 12.~b5 hb5? This is the wrong reaction as we already know from the Introduction.

13.hb5t 'ii?d8

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14.~h5!?

An interesting resource; Black will have trouble protecting his kingside.

14...g6 Counterattacking with 14 ...~b4 runs into 15.i.g5t i.e7 16.Wxf7! when Black's situation is terminal. 15.~f3 f6 16.J.f4

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16...~e7 The text move clogs up Black's kingside development, but the alternatives were no walk in the park: 16 ...Wb6 The cramped position of Black's king plus White's great development suggests a quick kill may be on, and sure enough: 17.Wxd5t! exd5 IB.l'!eB# 16 ... e5 also loses immediately: 17.l'!xe5 Exe5 IB.i.xe5 Wxe5 19.WxfBt rtlc7 20.l'!cl t And mate is coming soon. 17J~adl

Black has no way to stop White's mating attack.

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17...V!!f7 White to play and win!

18Jhd5t! Simply by destroying Black's center, when the king is exposed and vulnerable.

18... exd5 19.V!!xd5t J.d6 20.V!!xd6t 1-0

Game 106 Brandao - Wellington Brazil 1999

l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 ~c6 5.~f3 i.d7 6.J.d3 cxd4 7.cxd4 V!!b6 8.0-0 ~xd4 9.~xd4 V!!xd4 10.~c3 V!!xe5 lU~el V!!d6 12.~b5 hb5 13..bb5t dB 14.~e3 413 14.lMfh5!? 426 14.lMff3?! tLlf6! 439 (l4 .. .f6? 427) 14.~d2! 439 12 ...lMfbB?! 428 13.'~f3! ~d6 14.'~xd5 430 (l4.tLlxd6t 429) 12 ...lMfb6! 439 11...lMfbB 414 12.tLlxd5 ~d6 13.'~g4 (l3.h3 421) 13 ...~xh2t 418, 439 13 ... g6? 419 13 ... 'it>f8 14.~d2 exd5 15.'~xd7 415,420 1O ... a6 11.'~e2 435 11. .. f5?! 436 11. .. g6!? 440 11..:~Va7

440

11. .. ~c5?! 440

11. .. 1'!cB!? 440 11 ... tLle7 440

I

9781906552534

The Alterman Gambit Guide: White Gambits

The Alterman Gambit Guide: White Gambits

Gambits

The Gambit Guide to the Modern Benoni

The Gambit Guide to the Torre Attack

The Gambit

Gambit

Playing the Queen's Gambit: A Grandmaster Guide

Gambit

Gambit

Gambit

Gambit

Gambit

Gambit Guide to the Bogo-Indian

Gambits 1983-06

The Hutt Gambit

The Hutt Gambit

The Doppelganger Gambit

The Baltic Gambit

The Hutt Gambit

The Ivanhoe Gambit

The Brazen Gambit

The brazen gambit

the hutt gambit

The Chigorin Queen's gambit

The Alterman Gambit Guide: White Gambits