The Grunfeld Defense – Set 2

GM Sam Shankland

Question 25.

White is ready to deliver mate

in 2 or 3. Unfortunately for him,
Black executes his attack first.

Can you spot the right

continuation?

Question 26.

Can you find a way for White to

drum up a mating attack?

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Question 27.

Black is in a hurry to open up

lines and punches White’s bishop
in the face with b5.

How can Black counter this,

considering Black’s undeveloped
queenside and back rank
weakness?

Question 28.

White has just played Rc5

intending to win the e-pawn.

How can Black strike again using

GM Shankland’s principles?

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Question 29.

When you have a material

advantage, it’s usually a good
idea to consolidate the position.

How can Black gets rid of the

pressure along the d-file and at
the same time create a favorable
position?

Question 30.

Black’s king is trying to escape

from White’s upcoming attack.

How can White hold the King right

where he wants it and at same
time open up more lines of
attack?

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Question 31.

White has wasted too many

moves with the queen and is way
behind in development.

How can Black quickly open up

some lines to create some
threats?

Question 32.

In this position, e4 is hanging, d5

is attacked and pinned.

How can White create a “short

circuit” and emerge with the
superior position?

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Question 33.

White has just recaptured on e5

with the knight and now threatens
to take on c4 and win a pawn.

How should Black react to this?

Question 34.

In this position Black goes pawn

hunting with Queen.

How can White punish such an

act of disrespect?

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Question 35.

White’s position looks solid but

there are a couple of loose
pieces.

Can Black capitalize on this?

Question 36.

White isn’t afraid of …Rxd1+ as,

after Ke2, the king will attack the
Rook and White recovers the
piece.

Does Black have better?

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Question 37.

White has developed his light-

squared bishop with tempo by
attacking the d7 rook.

What’s the best continuation

according to Sam?

Question 38.

White’s b2, c2 and c3 squares

are kind of weak.

Can you spot the right move

order for Black to win some
material?

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Question 39.

How can Black make use of a x-

ray theme in this position?

Question 40.

In this situation White tries to

weaken the dark squares with
Bh6.

How should Black react?

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Question 41.

White insists in holding on to his

material advantage and is now
over-stretched.

How can Black punish him for

being so greedy?

Question 42.

Here White looks very happy with

the bishop pair and that monster
on d6.

What’s the right move for Black,

keeping in mind that fork on c3?

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Question 43.

After the thematic …c5 advance,

White decides to advance and
gain more central space with d5.

Can you figure out what Black

had in mind when he played c5?

Question 44.

Sometimes is just best to slow

down and hold on to our plusses.

What’s the right move for Black?

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Question 45.

White has just played Bxb7.

How should Black respond?

Question 46.

White intends to create some

weaknesses in Black’s camp by
eliminating the fianchettoed
bishop.

How can Black apply the concept

of a compromised piece to
improve his position?

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Question 47.

White has just walked into a

serious Rook fork.

How can he get out of this one?

Question 48.

White’s monarch looks confident

in the center, surrounded by all
his pieces and those central
pawns.

Can you find a way to demolish

that central fort?

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 Solutions

25 1...Rxf2 2.Bf6 Rcxf3+! 3.gxf3 Rxf3+ 4.Kg4 Rxf6! 5.exf6 Bxf6 and Black will emerge
with bishop and 3 pawns for the rook.
26 1.f4! avoids exchanges and buys time to set up the Bf6/Rh8 mating net.
27 1.dxe6! Rxd2 2.e7+ and White promotes to a queen before capturing the rook on
d2.
28 1…Nxd4! 2.Rxa5 Nxb3 3.axb3 exf4 or 2.exd4 Rxc5 3.dxc5 exf4.

29 1…Nxe5! 2.Rxd8 Nxf3+ 3.gxf3 Qg5+ regains the rook.

30 1.Nxf6! Qxf6 2.Rc7+ Kg8 3.e5 Qxe5 4.Qxg5+ or 1…Kxf6 2.Rh3 Rg8 3.Rh6+ Kf7
4.Rh7+ Rg7 5.Rxg7+ Kxg7 (…Qxg7 6.Rc7+) 6.Qxg5+. If 4…Ke8 5.Rcc7.
31 1…c5! 2.dxc5 Qc7! 3.cxb6 Qxe5 4.bxa7 Qa5 with the threat of Nxa2.

32 1.Nd4! blocks the d-file, releasing the pin and allowing dxc6.
33 1…Bxe5 2.fxe5 Nd2! 3.Rfd1 Qg5 4.Qe3 Nf3+ 5.Kh1 Qxe3 6.fxe3 Nxe5. Black is a
pawn up with better structure.
34 White traps the queen with 1.Ra1 Qb2 2. Rfb1 Qxc3 3.Nc4! with Ra3 to follow.
35 1…Nxd4! 2.exd4 Qxd4 wins material with threats to 3 pieces.
36 1…Nxd5! 2.exd5 Rxe1+ 3.Ke2 Rxd5!
37 This fantastic line of threat and counter runs 1…Qxg2! 2.Rh8+! Kxh8 3.Qf8+ Kh7
4.Bxd7 Qf3 5.Bxd4 Bxd7 6.Qxa8 Bb5 7.Rc2 exd4.
38 1…Ba4 2.Rd2 Rxc3! 3.bxc3 Rb1+ and Black wins a piece.
39 1…Nc5! threatens bishop and pawn. If 2.e5? Nxb3 3.Qxb3 Bxe2. The knight
cannot be taken because of Bxa1.
40 1…e5! breaks up White’s center. If 2.d5 Qxe4 and if 2.Bxg7 Kxg7 3.Nxe5? Rxe5
takes advantage of the pin on the d-file.
41 1…Rad8 2.Qb2 c5! and White cannot do anything about 3…g5.
42 1…Rxd6! 2.Rxd6 Nxb1 or 2.Bxd6 Rd8! 3.Ra1 Nxd1 4.Rxd1 Bf8 and Black comes
out on top.
43 1…Nxe4! 2.Nxe4 Bxd5 with threats of …Bxe4 and …Qxb2.
44 1…Re8! maintains the tension. 2.e5 Bd5.
45 1…Nc4 2.Qc1 Rb8 3.b3 Rxb7 4.bxc4 c5 5.0-0 Rb4.
46 1…c3! 2.Nxc3 Nc4 3.Qf4 Qd6 gets Black a comfortable position.

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47 1.Qa6 Qxa6 2.Bxa6 and White emerges intact, keeping his extra pawn.
48 1…Nxf4! 2.Bxf4 Nxd4! 3.Qe3 Nxe2 4.Bxh6 Nxc1 5.Qxc1 Qe4+ wins the h1 rook
and Black will have an extra exchange and a few pawns too.

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