Chess Digest, Inc. - Strategy For Advanced Players - Eric Schiller

Strategy for
Advanced
Players
by Eric Schiller
Chess Digest
1992
2
Copyright © 1992 by Eric Schiller
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ISBN: 0-87568-202-2
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Author: Eric Schiller
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3
Contents
Introduction .................................................... ................. 7
Lesson 1
Exchanging pieces • Michell-Leonhardt.. ...................... 10
Lesson 2
Spatial disadvantage • Forgacs-Tartakower .................. 11
Lesson 3
Doubled pawns • Janowski-Capablanca . . ....................... 13
Lesson 4
Control of the center • Capablanca-Bogoljubow .......... 16
Lesson 5
Infiltration • Wolf-Rubinstein ........................................ 20
Lesson 6
Coordination • Blechschmidt-Flohr ............ . . . . .............. 24
Lesson 7
Kingside attack • Winter-Colle ........................................ 27
Lesson 8
Kingside attack • Botvinnik-Vidmar ............................. 28
Lesson 9
Queenside majority • Keres-Fine .... . . . . ................. ........... 30
Lesson 10
Open file • Alekhine-Book ........ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... . . . . . . . .. . . . 34
Lesson 11
Quiet move • Alekhine-Capablanca . . . .. .......... .......... .... 37
4
Lesson 12
Pin • Keres-Euwe ................................................................ 39
Lesson 13
Discovered check • Botvinnik-Euwe . . . .. ................ . ....... 44
Lesson 14
Active position • Smyslov-Reshevsky ..........................45
Lesson 15
Isolated pawn • Spassky-Aftonov ............. . ............. . ...... .48
Lesson 16
Control of the diagonal • Smyslov-Botvinnik ............ 50
Lesson 17
Flexibility • Spassky-Smyslov .......................................... 51
Lesson 18
Control of the Center • Evans-Larsen . . . ... . . ... .. . ....... .. ..... 52
Lesson 19
Cramped position • Nyezhmetdinov-Sakharov ...... . .. 55
Lesson 20
Pressure • Smyslov-Spassky ................. .. ............ . ....... . ..... 58
Lesson 21
Outpost • Smyslov-Simagin ............................................59
Lesson 22
Seventh rank • Reshevsky-Larsen .......... . ............ . .
.. ... . 62
..
Lesson 23
Blockade • Spassky-Petrosian . . ........ .. .
. .. . . . .... . ...
. ....... . ... ....65
Lesson 24
Zugzwang • Fischer-Petrosian ........... . ... ........ .................. 67
Lesson 25
"Man-on-man" coverage • Gligoric-Portisch ........... . 70
...
Lesson 26
Bishop pair • Karpov-Hort .. . ...... ..... . .
.. ....... . . .
.. .. .... ........ . 75
..
5
Lesson 27
Fortress • Najdorf-Huebner .............................................78
Lesson 28
Good knight • Gligoric-Kavalek. .....................................82
Lesson 29
Pin • Pavlenko-Furman.............................. ......................85
Lesson 30
Diagonal • Reshevsky-Schiller ........................................87
Lesson 31
Exchange sacrifice • Karpov-Spassky..............................89
Lesson 32
Bad bishop • Karpov-Uhlmann ......................................92
Lesson 33
Bishops of opposite color • Hort-Kurajica ....................95
Lesson 34
Counterattacks • Reshevsky-Vaganian .........................97
Lesson 35
Open files • Hort-Alburt .................................................100
Lesson 36
Space • Ribli-Portisch....................................................... 103
Lesson 37
Exploiting the light squares • Speelman-Larsen ........106
Lesson 38
Doubled rooks • Kasparov-Hjorth................................ll0
Lesson 39
Outpost • Hort-Karpov.............................................. ......111
Lesson 40
Weak light squares • Kasparov-Yusupov ...................114
Lesson 41
Open file • Borik-Hort ............................................. ........117
6
Lesson 42
Rook on the 7th rank • Hort-Miles .............................. 120
Lesson 43
Spatial advantage • Timman-Kasparov ...................... 123
Lesson 44
Pressure • Schiller-Shannon..........................................126
Lesson 45
Outpost • Yermolinsky-Fedorowicz .............................127
Index of Themes ................................................ ......... 131
Index of Openings..................................... ..................133
Index of Games............................................... ............. 134

Strategy for Advanced Players 7
Introduction
The art of strategic planning is not easily acquired

from most teaching materials, yet it is one of the most
important aspects of practical play. I think that the reason
for this is primarily because the pedagogical technique
applied in most cases mimics that used in the teaching of
tactics. Tactical skill can be obtained by studying individual
elements of a position using a small set of stock maneuvers.
Positional factors have also been approached in this

way, with examples showing how a certain positional
weakness can be exploited by specific means. This is a fine
introduction to strategic play, and suitable for beginners.
The major difficulty, however, lies in combining the
appropriate methods with a solid positional evaluation and,
importantly, recognizing that one's opponent is likely to
counter any plan that arises. In a real game, therefore, a
player has to be prepared to switch plans frequently, to
constantly re-examine the strategy to see if it is still
appropriate under new circumstances. Often a change of
plan is required every few moves. Sometimes a plan which
was countered at one point in the game is made possible
again later in the game. For this reason the .games are
presented in chronological order, as each contains multiple
themes. To study individual ideas, use the index to find
games containing a particular theme.
This book contains complete games where the

strategic and positional factors that you have already
acquired are seen in the complex interplay of the
middlegame and endgame. There are few quick
knockouts-most of the games feature a fascinating ebb and
8 Strategy tor Advanced Players
flow of strategic plans. In some cases a single motif runs

throughout the game, in others many ideas are required in
order to achieve victory.
A few words of general advice are in order regarding

both studying the games and putting the knowledge gained
into action in tournament play. If tactics are the down-to
earth business of chess, then strategy is its fine art. As such,
creativity is needed. It is well-known that computers do not
do well at long-term planning in chess. They can crunch
numbers, but they cannot dream. And indeed it is dreaming
that is necessary in order to amalgamate th.e positional
characteristics one sees on the board and to create a concrete
plan.
At the board, and especially when the opponent is on

the move, it is useful to fantasize about the position.
Imagine tactical operations which could be carried out if it
were not for the presence of a certain piece. Forget about the
laws of chess for a moment and think about where you
would like to put your pieces if you could simply pick them
up and move them to any square you wish without any
intervention on the part of your opponent. These mental
exercises help to focus your mind on the strategic goals of
the position. Once you know what you want to do, it is
simply a matter of figuring out some way of getting your
opponent to cooperate. The desired result can often be
achieved by such tactical operations as deflections and
sacrifices.
As you study the games in this book, constantly ask

yourself what each player is trying to accomplish and what
means are available to counter these plans. In some games a
player achieves his goal quickly because his opponent is
caught napping, in others the immediate threats are parried
and others take their place. In your own games, do not get
frustrated when your opponent sees what you are up to and
takes measures to prevent it - that is the normal course of a
SrrategytorAdvancad�ay� 9
chess game. Indeed, if you think about the constant

references to chess by sportscasters covering football,
baseball or basketball games it is this aspect of the Royal
Game that they usually have in mind. Instead, simply ask
what price your opponent has paid for his defense, and try
to come up with a plan which will exploit any new
weakness that may have been created. You will see this
concept at work in many of the games in this collection.
10 strategy tor Advanced Players
Lesson 1 ing pieces. But this is an

Exchanging pieces; pressure error since that strategy only
Michell-Leonhardt works when one is elim
Brighton. 1904 inating an attacking piece,
Spanish Game preferably for a non
defender. Here t h e opposite
l.e4 eS
is the case!
2.Nf3 Ne6
12... Qxd1?? would be a
3.BbS a6
b lu n d er because of
4.Ba4 Nf6 13.Nxe7+ KhS 14.Rxdl.
5.0-0 Be7
13.Qe21
6.d4 exd4
The defence of the Bg5
7.eS Ne4 falls partly to the Black
8.Nxd 4 0-0 queen, which lacks room to
maneuver . Appreciating
9.Rel NeS
this fact, White switches the
10.Bxe6 dxe6 files of his own queen and
n.Ne3 Ne6 rook.
This move not only locks 13... Re8

in the BcS, but also concedes 14.Rdl Bd7
control of e4. With n .. ReS, .
IS.Qg4
Black could have laid claim
to equality. A very clever m o ve,
indirectly increasing pres
sure on the d-file, while
making threatening ges
tures toward the enemy
king.
15... Bxel
16.Rax el g6
17.Ne4
12.NfS BgS
Now there is no defence.
Black hopes to limit
17 ... NfS
White's attack by exchang-
18.Nf6+ Kh8 6.Nxe4 Bxg5
White now wants to play 7.Nxg5 Qxg5

his queen to the h-file and This line is no longer
give mate at h7. But he can't seen, since Black has no
do that, because the knight compensation for h is bad
defends h7. Fine, but the bishop and spatial disad
knigh t is also needed to vantage.
defend d7. This gives rise to 8.g3 c5
a forced win.
9.c3 Nc6
19.Qh4 gX£5 10.f4 Qe7
1l.Nf3 Bd7
12.Qd2 0-0
1 3 .Bd3 c4
14.Bc2 b5
15.0-0 as
16.Rael b4
And now the Nf8 is

overworked, so White has a
quick kill.
20.Rxd71 1 -0
Lesson 2
Spatial disadvantage; open
lines
Forgacs-Tartakower Black's attack is pro
St. Petersburg. 1909 ceeding rapidly, so White
French Defense must open lines quickly.
17.Ng5 is met by 17... g6,
l.e4 e6
while 17.g4 runs into 17...f5.
2.d4 d5 Time for a sacrifice!
3.Nc3 Nf6 17 .f5! exfS
4.Bg5 Be7 Black was in no position

to allow 18.f6. And there
5.e5 Ne4
was no other defense. 17...f6 by increasing the pressure at

1B.fxe6 Bxe6 19.exf6 Rxf6 fl.
20.Bxh7+!! Kxh7 21.Ng5+ 21.Ref1 Be8
KgB 22.Rxf6 Qxf6 23.Rxe6.
An important conces
After Black captured, White
sion, since now the RaB
needed to open the f-file
cannot assist in the defense.
and the b1-h7 diagonal.
22.Qf4 Nd8
Once again, a sacrificial path
is available.
18.g4! ixg4
If Black had not captured,
but played 1B... f4, White
could have ignored the
pa wn and played 19.95!,
further c onstricting the
Black position and setting
up sacrifices at f6. Black has carefully
19.Ng S g6 overprotected f7. But the
solution here is simple
19...h6 20.Nh7! is a pretty
when one realizes that if
way of swinging the knight
the pawn were absent from
to f6!
f7, then Rf6xfB would be
20.R£6
playable.
White envisions a
23.e61 Ra6
mating attack with Qd2-f2-
A counter pin, which
h4, but first this square
White meets by setting up a
must be occupied so that
deadly discovered check.
Black will not be able to
23... Nxe6 24.Nxe6+
obtain any breathing room
with f7-f5. 24.QeS! Kh6
20... Kg7 Here it is important to

recognize the power of the
Now Black will be able to
pin of the Pg6 by the rook. If
defend against that plan by
the White knight is re
playing RfB-hB. So White
moved from g5, and a
must find a continuation
White rook is placed at h5,
that will remove that
then mate follows quickly.
option. He achieves his goal
2S .R IfSI fx e6
26 .Nf7+ Qxf7
27.RhS+
And the desired position
is reached.
27... Kg7
28.Rxg6+ 1-0
A classic question con
fronts White early in the
game-will the doubled
pawns resulting from the
Lesson 3
exchange of queens be weak,
Doubled pawns; weak pawns
or is the open a-file useful?
Janowskl-Capablanca
6.Qxb6?1 axb6
New York (Rice), 1916
Slav Defense 7.cxdS NxdS
8.NxdS cxdS
1.d4 Nf6
2.Nf3 dS
3.c4 c6
4.Nc3 D fS
Not a particularly effec
tive move in this line. The
control of e4 comes at a
high price, if White re
Already we have an
� ponds correctly by captur
interesting endgame. Black
mg at dS before developing
has control of e4 and the a
his queen at b3.
file while White has targets
S.Qb3?!
at dS, b6, and b7. But the
This is not as effective
pawns are hard to get at.
since Black can respon d 9.e3 Nc6
symmetrically.
10.Dd2 Dd71
S... Qb61
A tremendously insight
ful move! Capablanca sees
14 Strategy for Advanced Players
that he must tum his weak A s Black increases his

pawns into fighting pressure on the Queenside,
pieces-and the idea is to Janowski correctly decides
play NaS then bS-b4 which to react in the center. But
will constrict the White Capablanca is aware of his
queenside. White should opponent's plans.
prevent this with 11.BbS! 16... fS!
11.Be2?1 e6 This slows down the
12.0-0 advance e3-e4 for some
If White had played time, and makes White

11.BbS, he would have been waste a few moves in
able to play 12.Ke2, keeping preparation.

the king centralized in the 17.g3 bS
endgame. As it turns out, 18.f3 Ne4
the king becomes a target!
19.B xe 4 bxe4
12... Bd6
20.e4 Kf71
13.Rfc1 Ke7
With e4-eS coming,
14.Be3 Rhc8 Black makes room for his
IS.a371 bishop to retreat along the
Better was lS.Nd2. Now a3-f8 diagonal.
there is an additional hole 21.e S Be7

on the queenside, and the 22.f4 bS
b4-square belongs to Black The plan all along has
in any event. been to advance this pawn,
15... N as but now it takes on a new
16.N d 2 significance. White must
keep an eye on the queen
side, and his less mobile
pieces are therefore iII
equipped to defend the king
against a direct assault.
23.Kf2 Ra4
24.Ke3 Rea8
The threat of bS-b4 is
renewed. Keep this position
strategy for Advanced Players 15
in mind as we continue. It this piece was dedicated to

is in stark contrast to the the protection of the queen
position we will see in side, guarding against b5-b4.
seven more moves. What is 32... b4!
most important is that the
33.axb4
White pieces can't defend
Now Black's fantasies in
the kingside!
vo l v e B d 7-e 4 +. Not
2S.Rabl h61
allowed by the rules, but
26.Nf3 gS Black finds away to work
27.Ne l Rg81 around the rules. 33.Bxb4
Bxb4 34.axb4 hS 3S.h4 Rg3+
28.Kf3 gxf4
36.Kf2 Rd3 37.Rgdl Rgg3
29. gxf4 Ru8 was an unacceptable alter
30.Ng2 Rg4 native.
31.Rgl Rag8 33... Ba4 1
Black's play requires no 34.Ral

comment-Capablanca saw Completely mlssmg the
that White's pieces were out point. 34.Rcl was needed,
of play and simply switched but then after 34...Bb3 Black
sides of the board. His would have been able to
greater mobility enabled invade on the a-file.
him to achieve a winning 34... Be2
position with great ease.
3S.Bg3 Be4+
32.Be1
36.Kf2 hS
37.Ra7 Bxg21
38.Rxg2 h4
And the rest is simple:
39.Bxh4 Rxg2+
40.Kf3 Rxh2
41.Bxe7
41.R x e 7+ KfS 42. B f6
White tries to get his
RghS! 43.Bxh8 Kxe7
bishop involved in the
defense. But we recall that 41... Rh3+
42.Kf2 Rb3 Is this a loss of time? Not

really, since the knight will
43.BgS+ Kg6
eventually be forced back
44 .Re7 Rxb2+ with b2-b3 and then the
4S.Kf3 RaS bishop can be profitably
employed at b2.
46.Rxe6+ Kh7
13... cS
0-1
Lesson 4
Control of the center;
pawnstorm
Capablanco
Bogoljubow
London (m/6), 1922
Spanish Game
l. e4 eS Classical Spanish play
Black will expand on the
2.Nf3 Nc6
queenside and White will
3.BbS a6 attempt to keep control of
4.Ba4 Nf6 the center and attack on the
kingside.
5.0-0 Be7
14.b3 N as
6.Re1 bS
IS.Bb2
7.Bb3 d6
As promised. It would
S.c3 0-0 have been wrong to push
9.d4 e x d4? ! the d-pawn, because then
The release of tension in Black would simply swing
the center is premature. his knight from f6 to d7 and
9 . Bg4 is the contemporary
. .
stick the bishop on the long
reply. diagonal.
10.c xd4 Bg4 15 ... Nc6
n.Be3 NaS 16.dS Nb4
12.Bc2 Nc4
13.Bel
Strategy tor Advanced Players 17
19... h6
If Black was worried
about e4-eS, he could have
played Nf6-d7, but White
isn't ready for such action
yet.
19 ... Nd7 20.eS Bxf3
21.Nxf3 dxeS 22.NxeS NxeS
Black has lured White 23.BxeS Bd6 24.Bxd6 Qxd6
into playing d4-dS, but it 25.Radl is not likely to be
has cost him some time. He enough to win, given the
now attempts to eliminate blockade of the pawn.
the Spanish bishop, which
20.Nf1 Nd7
can be dangerous after eS.
2 1.h3 BhS?!
17.Nbd2 Nxc2
Black is a little too
18.Qxc2
attached to his bishop pair.
Black now has the bishop He should have captured
pair, but White controls the and then played Bf6, to take
center and has a strong control of the eS square
bishop at b2. Should he play which has been the center
on the kingside, as usual, or of attention for some time.
perhaps undermine the
22.N3d2! Bf6
Black pawn structure with
a2-a4. Or both? And how to 23.Bxf6 Qxf6
time all of this?

18... Re8
19.Qd3
A very nice move which
increases the pressure on
the queenside while
making it easier for the
queen to get to the kingside
via the third rank. Before Black seems to have
making a concrete plan, secured the central squares,
White strives to improve but now White deflects the
the position of his pieces. Black knight to the queen-
side, and then launches his This is a passive move

attack. which creates further holes
24.a4! c4 in Black's position. Since all
of his chances lay on the
25. bxc 4 N c5
queenside, he should have
26.Qe3 bxa4 continued with his infiltra
tion of the White position.
32...Rb2 33.Rxb2 Qxb2 34.Rbl
Qc2 3S.Kf3 Nb3 36.Ngfl f6
would have been appro
priate, since in this position
the White pieces cannot
occupy any of the holes on
the kingside. Indeed, Black's
advanced pawn can be
The position has changed
dangerous, and the Bh7
considerably. Black has
might eventually enter the
some valuable assets on the
game via a4.
queenside and a seemingly
33.Nf31 Rb2+
well-placed knight-but it is
actually offside. 34.R xb2 Qxb2+
27.£4! 35.R e2
White is prepared to This is a muc h more
bring a pawnstorm against comfortable position for
the enemy king. The NcS White. The hole at e6 will
cannot corne to the aid of its be a nice landing site for the
monarch. The attack can be Nf3, and the passed pawn is
repelled, but only by going not important.
into a complicated end 35... Qb3
game.
36.Nd4! Qxe 3
27... Qe7
36 ...Qxc4 37.Ne6! is good
28.g4 Bg6 for White. Black cannot
29.f5 Bh7 take the knight, because
30.Ng3 then the bishop at h7 is

Qe5
permanently out of the
31.Kg2 RabS
game. The best continuation
32.Rabl f6?! would be to seize the open
file. 37...Rb8 38.Nxc5! dxc5 Of course Black cannot

39.Rd2 Rb3 40.Qf2! and even think about ex
White has a powerful changing at e6 and
passed pawn, which cannot entom bing the bishop.
be stopped by the Black king 41 ... Nxe4 42.Kxe4 Rxe2+
since 40...Kf8 would be met 43.Kd4 is a winning end
by 41.Qf4! game for White, since the
3 7.Rxe3 RbS bishop is absolutely useless
and the king is close
enough to pick off the a
pawns even if the rooks
leave the board.
4 2.c511 dxc5
43.Nxc5 Nd2+
44.Kf2 Ke7?!
Again Black finds him
At first sight it seems that self unthinking ly following
Black has al l the chances conventional wisdom by
with his open file and moving his king to the
passed pawn. But White center. But he needed to
sees the potential of a invest more thought in his
passed d-pawn! queenside advantage.
3 8.Rc3 Kf7 44 ... Nbl! 45.Rc 4 ! a3
46.Ne6! Ke7! (46...a2 47.Rc7+
39.Kf3 Rb2
Ke8 48.d6 with a mating
40.Nge2 Bg8 net.) 47.Rc7+ Kd6 48.Rc6+
Now White, keeping in Ke7 49.Rxa6 (49.Rc7+ Kd6
mind the theme of the draws.) Bxe6 50.Rxe6+ Kd7
previous variations, sees 51.Ra6 a2 52.Kel and the
that he can achieve his goal king gets over in time.
of a passed d-pawn. He 45.Kel Nbl
notices that the pawn at e4
4 6.Rd3 a3? !
is not a material consider
And here Black should
ation in this position.
have stuck to his plan,
41.Ne6! Nb3
instead of belatedly switch-
20 strategy for Advanced Players
ing to the queenside ad- l.e4 eS

vance.
2.Nf3 Nc 6
46 ...Kd6! 47.Nxa4
Rb4
48.Nac3 Nxc3 49.Nxc3 Bf7 3.Nc3 Nf6
SO.Kd2 g6 51.Ke3 gxf5 52.gxf5 4.Bb S Bb4
Be8 with drawing chances,
5.0-0 0-0
altho ugh the kingside
6.d3 d6
pawns remain very weak.
47.d 6 + KdB 7.BgS Bxc3
B.bxc3 Qe7
9.Rel NdB
10.d4 Bg4
1 l .h3 BhS
12.g4 Bg6
13.Nh4
At the time, 13.d5 was
At this point White is considered the best move,
concentrating on mate but all of this was still
rather than a longwinded within well-known theory
endgame. The idea is that a at the time.
knight at c6 would force the 13... h6
king off the queening
14.Nxg6
square.
An innovation, and a
4B .Nd4! Rb6
poor one. Black's light
49.N de6 + Bxe6 squared bishop had no effect
SO.fxe6 RbB on the game and it was silly
to give up a useful knight
SI.e7+ KeB
for it. Rubinstein failed to
S2.Nxa6 1-0 achieve equality against
Drewitt at Hastings 1922
Lesson 5 after 14.Bc4!.
Infiltration; passed pawns 14... fxg6
Wolf-Rubinstein
IS.Bc4+ Kh7
Teplitz Schonau. 1922
Spanish Four Knights 1 6 .B h4 gS
17.Bg3 are the only Black pieces

which can do anything in
the position.
21... Nh81
22.a5 N g6
Is Black ignoring the
queenside? No, Rubinstein
appreciates that an open
line on the queenside is a
Black, his dark-squared double-edged sword, and
bishop gone from the board, later he may be able to turn
can be delighted with his it to his own advantage.

position, since the knights 23.f3 Nf4
operate effectively in the 24.B£1 Kh8
garden of pawns. Just to free up h7 for the
17... N£'1 knight, should it prove
18.Qf3 Rae 8 useful. Black is in no rush.
19.Qe3 b6 25.Bxf4 gxf4
Does Black's strategy in 26.Qf2 g5

volve giving up the light
square? Hardly. Rubinstein
understands that the bishop
can do no harm if it has no
targets, and now White can
gain time by moving a rook
to the b-file. The kingside is
what counts.
20.Bb5 Rd8
Black is preparing some
21.a4 tactical shots if White gets
Time to start planning! ambitious and tries to open
The obvious post for a Black up the kingside.
knight is f4, since if White 27.d5
captures it the safety of the 27.h4 Qe6! 28.Qg2 (28.Be2
Black king is guaranteed. d5! 29.exd5 Qxd5 30.dxe5
And let's face it, the knights Qxe5 and Black can starting
munching on his oppo

nent's pawns.) gxh4 29.Qh3
RgB 3O.Qxh4 Nxg4! 3Uxg4
Rxg4+
27... hS
Thanks to his tactical
diversions, Black has taken
over the initiative on the
kingside. White's bishop White seems to be coping
moves to an even more with the threats, but here
pathetic post. Rubinstein looks deep into
2S.B g2 Kg7 the endgame and recognizes
29.Qe2 RhS the value of a passed h
pawn.
30.Kf2
34... Rh4!
Here Rubinstein demon
strates his strategic mastery 3S.Rxh4
of the game. Just as all of White would have liked
the attention is focused on to resolve matters on the
the Kingside, he prepares to queenside with axb6 but this
act on the queenside as well, was not possible because the
posting his "extra piece" at opening of the c-fiIe would
O. expose the weakness of the
30... RaS ! doubled pawns.
31.Rebl 3S... gxh4

Nd7
36.Bh3 bx aS!
32.QbS hxg4!
With White's heavy 37.QxaS QdS
artillery forced to defend the Now Black has estab
queenside, thanks to the lished dear superiority with
impotence of the bishop, passed pawns on both sides
Black switches to the king of the board. But he still
side again to open an must find a way to convert
imp ortant line for this advantage into victory.
infiltration. 3S.Rbl R bS
33.hxg4 NcS
39.Rb4
34.Rhl
strategy tor Advanced Players 23
39.Rxb8 Qxb8 followed by The more prosaic Rb2

Qb6 would have been much was playable, but Rubinstein
easier for Black. appreciated the superior
39... a6 possibilities offered by this
pseudo-sacrifice.
40.Ke2 Rb6
4S.Bg2
41.Qal Kg61
Sticking with the original
The king will pull his
plan. Taking the pawn
own weight by defending
would have proved fatal.
the pawn at h4.
45.Qxa5 Rb2 46.Qa3 Nb3+
42.Kd2 KgS 47.Ke2 (47.Kd3 Qb5+ 48.c4
43.Rbl Qb8 Qb6 and the queen mates on
The b-file is secured. the dark squares.) Qb5+
White regroups his forces, 4B.Kf2 Rxc2+ 49.Kgl Qe2.
using the rook on the h-file 45... a4
which both frees his bishop 46.Qe1 QhS
for action on the queenside
47.Q cl Ra6
and also creates the threat of
Qel. 4S.Bfl RaS
44.Rhl 49.Bc4
Finally the bishop is back
in the game, doing some
thing useful. Blockading the
pawn with the queen would
have been disastrous. 49.Qa3
Qb8 50.Bc4 (50.Be2 Qb6 51.c4
Rb8 52.Ral Nb3+! 53.cxb3
Qe3+ 54.Kd1 axb3 55.Qb2 h3)
Qb6! 51.Qcl Nxe4+!! 52.fxe4
Black must now find a
Qe3+ 53.Kdl Qxe4.
way to keep White occupied
49... a3
on the queenside. He sees
the potential of a fork at b3, SO.Ba2 Qh7!
but that won't work until S1.Rh3 Nd7
there is a pin at c2. 51...Nxe4+ 52.fxe4 Qxe4
44... as! 53.Qg1! stops the attack.
52 .QI1 QhS Lesson 6

53.Rhl Nc5
Coordination; flight sqllares;
presslire
54.Qc1
Blechschmldt-Flohr
Zwickau.193O
English Opening
l.c4 Nf6
2.g3 c5
3.Bg 2 g6
4.Nc3 Bg7
5.Nf3 Nc6
This is the c r itic a I
6.0-0 d6
position. Black must find a
way to get at the White 7.h3 Bd7
king, since the pawns are S.e3
blockaded. The solution is The immediate 8.d4 was
to sacrifice both of them! called for, opening up the
54... RbSl game. The quiet 8.d3 would
55.Qxa 3 RaS also have been reasonable,
but the text simply creates
56.Qb2 h31
weaknesses on the light
With the White queen squares.
tied to the defense of the
S... QcS
bishop, Black carves a path
to the enemy king via the 9.Kh2
h4 -e 1 diagonal.
..
57.Bc4 Qh4
5S.Be2 Qf2!
59.Rxh3 Qe3+
60.Kel Na4
And White resigned. A
brilliant strategic game from
the famous tactician. 0-1 Many playe rs would
automatically castle here,
Strategy for Advanced Players 2S
but if so, then how would a

kingside attack be carried
out? Instead, Flohr counts
on safety in the center.
9... hS!
10.d4 h41
11.gxh4
White must try to keep Black seems to have an
the h-file blocked in order unstoppable attack, but
to p r otect the king. because his own king is
I1.Nxh4? gS I 2.Nf3 Bxh3 stuck in the center his
I3.KgI Bxg2 I4.Kxg2 Qh3+ pieces do not coordinate
IS.KgI QhI+ well. White must stop
11... gSI IS...0'{){).
And Black must strive to lS.dS! NeS
open up the h-file! The 16.Qa4+ Nfd7
pawn cannot be captured.
17.NxeS Bxe S
12.Rh1
18.e4 Qg6
I 2.NxgS Rxh4 threatens
the d-pawn as well as Bh6. 19.Kfl
I2.hxgS Bxh3 I3.gxf6
(13.Bxh3 Qxh3+ I4.KgI
QhI+) Bxg2+ I4.Kxg2 Qh3+
IS.KgI QhI+.
12... g4
13.hxg4 Bxg4
14.Kg1 Qf S
White has lost the

initiative, as the threat of
Bf3 had to be met. Now
Black needs a plan. He can
force the win of the e-pawn,
a good first step.
19 •.. Bxc31 the Black king emerges at

e6, after which his pawns
20.bxc3 Be2+
decide.
21.Kxe2
25... Qxc4+
2I.Kgl is met by Bf3 .
26.Kf3
21... Qxg2
22.Be3 Qxe4
23.Rab1
Black needs to find a way

to continue the attack with
out the participation of his
A deceptive position. rooks. He will require the
White seems to be making services of the pinned
real progress on the queen knight. 26.Kd2 O-O! 27.Qxd7
side. But if Black can open a Qxa2+ 2B.Kd3 QxdS+ 29.Kc2
line on the queenside then Qe4+.
the king is vulnerable. 26... fSI
23... bSI The point of this move is
Exploiting the pin at c4 not merely the threatened
and the pressure at hI. mate at g4, but more
There is no need to go after significantly, a flight square
the h-pawn when the for the king, so that the pin
enemy monarch is a much can be broken.
more attractive target. 27.Rxb8+
24.QxbS RbS 27.Rbgl Qe4+ 2B.Ke2
Rb2+.
2 S.Qc6
27... Kf7
25.QxbB+ NxbB 26.RxbB+
Kd7 27.RxhB Qxhl 2B.hS Qe4 Now White must attend
29.h6 Qxc4+ 30.Kel QxdS to the threatened mate at g4.
3I.h7 Qhl+ 32.Ke2 fS and 28.Bd4 NeS+!
The knight finally joins

the attack-with decisive
results.
29.Bxe 5 Qe4+
And Whit e resigned
beca use of 30.Kg3 Qg4+
31.Kh2 Rxh4 mate.
Clearly in this position

Black is going to want to
Lesson 7
attack on the kingside. But
Kingside attack
first he takes time out to put
Wlnter-Colle
some pressure on the c-file.
Scarborough, 1930
Nlmzoindlan 13... Re8!
This rook could not be
1.d 4 expected to take part in the

Nf6
attack. Therefore it lines up
2.e4 e6
on the c-file, in order to
3.Ne3 Bb4 keep some of White's
4.Qb3 e5 potential defenders t ied
down. This ma kes the
5.dxe5 Ne6
attack easier to achieve.
6.Nf3 Ne4 14.Rfd 1 Qe7
7.Bd 2 Nxe5 15.b4 Ne4
8.Qe2 f5 16.B e1
9.e3 0-0 Wh it e preser ves the
10.a3 Bxe3 bishop because his plan is to
advance his b-pawn and
1l.Bxe3 b6
then pla y Bb4, creating
12.Be2 Bb7 tremendous pressure on the
13.0-0 da rk squ a r es. His king
seems safe enough, since
there are no attacking pieces
in sight.
16... Rf6!
Simultaneously lessen 18.f3QgS!

ing the effect of Bb4 and 18.Bf3 NeS!
starting the offensive. 18.g3 NeS 19.Qb3 Qh4
17.Nd4? 18... Ng5!
White is oblivious to the 19.Kh1
danger-though in reality In order to avoid the
he has but a few moments check at f3. But Black
left to live. 17.B£1 would doesn't need a check!
have defended the g2-
19... Nxd4
square, and the defense of f3
could have been entrusted 20.exd4 Nf3!!
to a queen at e2. This is the posit ion
17... Rg6! envisioned back at move 18.
The threat is simply Qh4:
21.dS Qh4 22 h3 (22.gxf3
QgS) 22... Qxh3+! 23.hxg3
Rgl#.O-1
Lesson 8
Kingside attack;
interdependence
Botvinnik-Vldmar
This position is winning Nottingham, 1936
for Black because his minor Queen's Gambit Declined
pieces can strike quickly and
l.c4 e6
White is not able to defend
in time. 2.Nf3 d5
18.B£1 3.d4 Nf6
Given that the Black 4.Bg5 B e7

queen can get to the 5.Nc3 0-0
kings ide via h4, the pre
6.e3 Nbd7
sence of a Black knight at f3
should be decisive. Al 7.Bd3 c5
though the Pg2 is pinned, 8.0-0 cxd4
White can use his Nd4 to
9. exd4 d xc4
defend the square. But the
Nd4 can be eliminated. 10.Bxc4 Nb6
11.BbJ
The interdependence of
Black's forces is both an
White already enjoys a asset and a liability. White
comfortable position, and is going to attack on the
Black should have taken kingside, so Black must
some measures to reduce strive for activity.
the pressure. 11...Nfd5 is 14... Nb4?1
called for.
Continued development
11... Bd7 was called for, with either
12.Qd3 NbdS 14 Qa5 or 14 . RcB. The
... . .
Black blockades the knight will not accomplish

pawn, which is the correct anything more t ha n
positional reaction, but encouraging White's queen
some commentators sug to move to a more effective
gested that the other knigh t post on the kingside.
would have been the correct lS.Qh3 BdS
one. After 12... Nfd5 13.Bc2 Black spends more time
g6 White would still have jousting with the Bb3, but
enjoyed a small advantage. this problem is easily
13.NeS Bc6 solved. On the other hand,
15...Nfd5 16.Bc1! would also
14.Rad1
have been very strong for
White.
16.NxdS NbxdS
Now it is time for White
to create a concrete plan
based on his positional
advantages. The target is fl.
One would like to have a 21.Bxf6 Bxf6

semi-open f-file, and also 21...Nxf6 22.Rxf6! Qxf6
eliminate the pawn at e6. 23.Qxc8+ Bf8 24.Bxf7+ Qxf7
Two conce pts equal one 25.Rfl Qe7 26.Rxf8+ Qxf8
plan! 27.Qxf8+ Kxf8 28.Kf2 is an
17.f4! Re8 easy win.
17...g6 is not playable 22 .Rxd5 Qc6
b e cause of 18.Bh6 Re8 22...Bxd4+ 23.Kh1!
19.Ba4 and the bishops com
23.Rd6
bine from a great distance to
Avoiding the final trap of
win the exchange.
23.Rc5?? Bxd4+!
18.f5 exfS
23... Qe8
Forced, since 18.Qd6
19.fxe6 fxe6 leaves the pawn 24.Rd7 1-0
at e6 much too weak.
19.Rxf5 Qd6?!
This allows White to Lesson 9
achieve his strategic goal by Qlleenside majority; kingside
tactical means, but 19 ... Rc7 attack
20.Rdfl and 21.Qh4 would Keres-Fine
have left Black in despair. Ostend. 1937
Seml-Tarrasch Defense
1.Nf3 d5
2.d4 Nf6
3.c4 e6
4.Nc3 c5
5.cxd5 Nxd5
6.e4 Nxc 3
20.Nxf7!!
7.hxe3 cxd4
The combination of pins
8.cxd4 Bb4+
on the file and on the
diagonals reap rewards. 9.Bd2 Bxd2+
20... Rxf7 10.Qxd2
20...Kxf7 21.Bxd5+.
13.Radl Bb7
14.Rfel Re8
15.Bb3 Nf6
This is the active con
tinuation, which targets the
e4-square and keeps an eye
on dS, thus directly aimed at
A common position in countering White's strategy.
the Semi-Tarrasch. Black This knight could also have
aims for an endgame, been posted at fB (after RfS
where he can take advan eS), adopting a purely de
tage of the queenside fensive plan.
majority. White controls 16.Qf4 Qc7
the center. Black would be delighted
10... 0-0 to see the queens leave the
11.Be4 board, but White is still
Part of White's strategy interested in a kingside
lies in advancing his d attack.
pawn at the appropriate 17.Qh4 Rfd8
time. The other component
is a kingside attack. The two
plans can be joined if the a2-
gB diagonal is part of the
attack.
11... Nd7
This is the more flexible
move, which allows the
knight to participate in the The d e v e l opme n t a l
defense. 11...Nc6 places pres phase of the game i s
sure on the center , but concluded, and i t i s time for
eventually the knight will decisions with regard to
be attacked by an advance of long-term strategy.
the d-pawn. Both moves are 18.Re3?!
played these days.
White has a difficult time
12.0 -0 b6
planning here. The im-
mediate advance of the d pares b6 for the queen, so

pawn fails, but White sees that immediate pressure
that it can be made to work can be placed at d4 if White
once the Rdl is removed advances e4-e5.
from the d-file. Yet the 19.Rde1 as?!
correct plan is a kingside But this is overambitious.
attack, so he should kick the All Black has to do is
knight. eliminate the kingside
a) IB.d5? exd5 19.e5 attack and he can enjoy his
would be a reasonable plan, queenside superiority at his
coupled with an exchange leisure.
sacrifice. But it doesn't
20.a4! b4?
work. 19...Ne4 20.Rxe4 dxe4
A critical strategic error.
leaves the Rdl loose. 21.Ng5
Here or at the last turn
Rxdl+ 22.Bxdl h6 and
Black should have played
White has no compensation
h7-h6, so that White would
for the exchange.
not be able to use the g5-
b) IB.Ne5 Qc3! 19.Re3?
square. Of course at this
Qxd4! 20.Rxd4 Rc1+.
point 20...bxa4 would have
c) IB.e5! is correct, de
to be interpolated, but after
priving the kingside of its
20.Bxa4 h6 it is better for
only defender. Keres dem
Black.
onstrated the effectiveness
of this plan with the follow 21.dS!
ing concrete variations: Nd7
(lB...Nd5 19.Ng5 h6 20.Ne4
Nc3 21.Nf6+!) (lB ... Bxf3
19.exf6! Bxdl 20.Qg5 KfB
21.Qxg7+ KeB 22.Rxe6+!)
19.Ng5 NfB 20.Ne4 Bxe4
21.Qxe4 and White has a
positional advantage thanks
to his bishop and the ready
The same theme returns.
availability of d4-d5.
After Black captures, White
18... bS!
will push the e-pawn and
Black correctly anticipates then play Ng5 with a strong
White's strategy and pre- attack.
21... exd5 27.Qxg5 Qc3 2B.h3! Qf6

21...e5 22.Ng5 Rd6 23.f4 29.Bxd5+ Bxd5 30.QxdS+
with a strong attack. KhB 31.Rxd7 Rxd7 32.Qxd7
RfB with an advantage to
22.e5 Nd7
White, although it will not
22 ... Ne4 is helpful to
be easy to win the position.
White in that it allows him,
via an exchange sacrifice, to
open the diagonal for the
Bb3. This has no immediate
effect, but with a prelim
inary pawn sacrifice White
adds considerable force to
the attack. 23.e6! fxe6
24.Rxe4! dxe4 Now Bxe6+
fails to recover the material, 24.Nxh7!
but the kingside, deprived
White single-mindedly
of its principal defender, is
carries out his attack. The
now vulnerable to a material is not important
powerful zwi s c henzug. because neither the Bb7 nor
25.Ng5! Qc3! This move
the RcB can participate in
almost turns the tables, by
the defense, but the Bb3 can
attacking both the Bb3 and
play a role. In any event, the
ReI while simultaneously material is r e c ou p e d
defending g7. But the quickly.
bishop escapes with check.
24... Nxh7
26.Bxe6+ KfB 27.Rf1! Here
White will at least recover 25.Rh3 Qc1
his exchange, or can aim for Obviously the knight
f7 via f4. cannot move because of
23.Ng5 NE8? mate at hB.
This was Black's last 26.Qxh7+ KE8

chance to defend with h7- 27.Rhe3 d4
h6, though this is already
28.Qh8+ Ke7
too late to achieve equality:
23 . . . h6 2 4 . e 6! hxg5 29.Qxg7 RE8
25.exf7+ Kxf7 26.Re7+ KgB 29 ... Bd5 3 0.Qf6+ KeB

(30 ... Kd7 31.Bxd5) 31.e6!
Bxe6 32.Rxe6+ fxe6 33.Qxe6+ 8.a4 would lead to more

Kf8 34.Qe7+ common lines.
30.Q£6+ Ke8 8... bS
31.e61 9.Bb3
Alekhine correctly keeps
the bishop on the queen
side, as the lack of a rook at
d1 means that 9.Bd3 leaved
d4 without sufficient protec
tion.
9... b4
This came as a surprise to
And Black resig ned Alekhine, who expected
because of 31...dxe3 32.exf7+ Black to play 9... Be7, as in an
Rxf7 33.Bxf7+ Kd7 34.Qe6+. encounter with Euwe.
The combination of d4-d5
and a kingside attack was
played to perfection. 1-0
Lesson 10
Open file; light squares
Alekhine-Book
Margate, 1 938 9...Be7 10.dxc5 0-0 1l.e4
Queen's Gambit Declined and White stands better
1.d4 dS 9...Bb7?! 10.Rd1 Qc7 11.d5!
exd5 12.Nxd5 Nxd5 13.Bxd5
2.c4 dxc4
followed by e3-e4 and the
3.Nf3 N£6 eventual placement of the
4.e3 e6 Ra1 at c1 would provide
S.Bxc4 cS lasting pressure.
10.dS!
6.0-0 Nc6
Alekhine's judgement is
7.Qe2 a6
probably correct, though
8.Nc3 T a i m a n o v's preferred
10.Na4 is a worthy alterna

tive. White's goal is to
advance the e-pawn, and to
do this he must somehow
release the pressure at d4.
10... N aS
10... exdS l1.NxdS NxdS
12. Rdl followed by e3-e4
gives a clear advantage to 13 ... Be7 14.Bxd7+ Nxd7
White. lS. NeS Ra7 16. QhS+ g6
17.Nxg6 is a line given by
1l.8a4+ Bd7
Brinckmann.
White has achieved quite
14.Rxd71 1
a lot, but wouldn't it be
great if he also had a rook Alekhine describes this as
on an open d-file? With the highpoint of the
this idea in mind, we can combination. The main
easily see how Alekhine reason why the White
creates one of his impres attack is consequential is the
sive combinations. position of the NaS which
cannot participate in the
12.dxe6 fxe6
play.
12...Bxa4 13.exf7+ Kxf7
14... Nxd 7
14.Nxa4.
l S.N e S Ra7
13.Rd1
And here we are! The 16. bxc3
advance d4-dS has borne
delicious fruit! 13.Bxd7+
Qxd7 14. Rdl Qc6! lS.Nbl
Be7=.
13... bxc3
Taking stock of the

position, it is clear that if
the Bel can get into play
then Black will be in serious a) 19 ... KdS 20.Nc6+ Qxc6

difficulty. (20 ... Nxc6 21.Bxc7+ Kxc7
16... Ke7 22.e5 Nd7 23.f4) 21.Bxc6
A strange looking move, Nxc6 22.Rdl+ Nd7 23.e5 and
but the alternatives are not the queen will pillage on
pleasant. 16...Be7 17.Qh5+ g6 the light squares.
lS.Nxg6 hxg6 19.QxhS+ BfS b) 19 ... Qb7 20.Qe3! KdS
20.Bc2 (20.e4 Nc4 21.Bh6 Qe7 (20 . . . Nxe4 21.Bg5+ Kd6
22.Rbl!?) Qf6 21.Qxf6 Nxf6 22.Rdl+ Qd5 23.Rxd5+ exd5
22.Bxg6+ KdS 23.Bd2 Nc4 24.Qf4+-) 21.Qd3+ KcS
24.Bel and it is not clear 22.Rbl Qxe4 23. Nf7 Rxf7
that the three pawns and 24.RbS+#.
bishop pair will be enough 20.Rd1 g6
to win though White is not a) 2O ...Nb7 21.Nc4.
likely to lose this position, b) 20... RaS 21.Bg5 RdS
which follows analysis by 22.Nd7 Qc7 23.e5+-.
Brinckmann. c) 20 ... RgS 21.Bg5 h6
16 ... Bd6 1 7.Qh5+! g6 22.Qh5 g6 23.Nxg6+ Rxg6
lS.Nxg6 hxg6 19.QxhS+ BfS 24.Qxg6 hxg5 25.e5! Nd5
2O.e4 Qe7 21.Bh6 Nc4 22.Rbl 26.QeS+# was pointed out
with t w o pawns and by Brinckmann.
enormous pressure for the 21.BgS Bg7
piece. Note that 22... Kf7
loses to 23.Qh7+ KeS
24.RbS+!'
17.e4!
This sets up tricks with
Bg5+.
17... Nf6
18.BgS
And now Qh5+ is in the 22.Nd7!
air.
The decisive, thematic
18 ... Qc7 thrust that brings the game
19.B£4 Qb6 to a swift conclusion.
22... Rxd7
23.Rxd7+ KfS 11.a3 NfS
24.Bxf6 Bxf6 12.b4 Bd7
25.e5 13.Be3 NdS?!

And Black resigned, Black does have a plan
rather than walk into the to play BbS and exchange
obvious line: 2S ... Qb1+ the light-squared bishops.
26.Rd1 QfS 27.exf6 Qxf6 But this is easily parried,
28.Qxa6 Qxc3 29.Qxe6 to and turns out to be just a
which there is simply no waste of time.
defense. 1-0 14.Nc 3! as
Lesson 1 1
Qlliet move
AlekhlnEK:apablanca
AVRO. 1 938
French Defense
Black challenges White's
queenside formation and
1.e4 e6
forces White to determine
2.d4 d5 his s h o r t-t erm plans.
3.Nd2 Nf6 Alekhine decides to plant a
pawn at bS.
4.e5 Nfd7
15.Na4 Qa7
5. Bd3 c5
16.b5
6. c3 Nc6
Now the scope of the Bd7
7.Ne2 Qb6 is severely limited, a�d
S. Nf3 c x d4 Black's plan, beginning with
9.cxd4 Bb4+ 13 ... Nd8?!, is exposed as
faulty.
10.Kfl Be7?!
16... b6
In this sharp line of the
French, opening lines with
10...£6 is a wiser move.
20 .h 4 Nh7
21 .h 51
The p i c t u re is quite
di fferent from that of the
previous diagram. With the
queenside secured, White E x c e l l e n t j u d geme n t .
now tums his attention to Ale khine sees that the
the kingside. enemy knight will get to e4,
1 7 .g31 but reasons that the hole at
I n order to achieve g6 will be more important.
resu l ts on the kings ide, 21 . . . Nfg5
White may need to use both 22.N h 4 N e4
rooks, so he takes time out
to prepare a nice safe hole 23 .Qb2 Kt?
for his king. A lekhine 23 Bxh4 24.gxh4! keeps
...
always prepared his attacks control of critical squares on

well. That's why he was able the kingside, and now 25.f3
to play so many combina will prove fatal to the Ne4.
tions. 24.£3 N eg5
1 7 ... £5 Looking at the position,
18 . K g2 N t? we can see that if the Pf5
were out of the way White
1 9 .Qd2! could lau nch a powerful
Alekh ine is not so attack. Alekhine wastes no
captivated by his own plan time in achieving this goal.
that he forgets to keep an 25 .g41 fx g4
eye on his opponen t.
Capablanca was preparing 26 . B g6 + !
g7-g5 and N fB-g6. This A useful interpolation,
must be stopped! which cuts off the com-
19.. . h6
strategy for Advanced PIoyers 39
munication of the enemy 32 . . . Ng5 33.fxg5 Qf5+

rooks. 34 . Kg3 and the king is
26. . . KgS perfectly sa fe, while the
White rooks eye the f-file
27.f4 N f3 ? !
lustily.
M o re r e s i s t a n t was
33 . N x h 4 Qxh S+
27 Nf7, but after 28.Bd3
...
Black would still have been 34.Kg3 Qf7

in deep trouble. 3 S .N f3 hS
Capablanca exceeded the
time limit here, but his
position was hopeless in
any event. 1'{)
Lesson 12
Pin; overprotection
2 S . B xh 7 + ! Rxh 7 Keres-Euwe
Holland (6th match
29 .N g 6 BdS game). 1 939
30 . R a c l! Nlmzolndlan
Such a quiet move is easy
to miss. But if White had 1 . d4 N f6
left the c-file unguarded, 2. c4 e6
Black might have been able
to establish some counter 3. N c3 B b4
play by swinging his heavy 4. Qc2 N c6
artillery there. S N f3
. 0-0
30.. . BeS
6. BgS! h6
31 .Kg3!
7. B h 4 d6
His majesty attends to the
Th e pin may be
invasive knight personally!
annoying, but it cannot
The threat is simply Kxg4
e a s i l y be b r o k e n , as
and Kxf3.
B o t v i n n i k po inted out:
31 .. . Qf7 7... g5? 8.Bg3 g4 9.Nh4 Nxd4
32 .Kxg4 N h4
l O.Qd2! Nf5 1 1 . Nx f5 exf5 able to attack with a

12.Qxh6 pawnstorm on the kingside.
B. e3 Qe7 11 .. . N bd 7
9. B e 2 eS 12.0-0 as
13 .R ae l !
The Rfl should rema in
in place because it supports
the advance of the f-pawn.
There is no need to worry
abou t a c t i o n on the
queenside, because White's
pieces enjoy such freedom
Black has treated the of movement that they can
center with classical respect, switch sides quickly.
and White must dec ide 13... R eB
whether he should capture, This is aimed at pre
advance, or maintain the venting White from going
status quo. a fter the weak square c7
1 0 . d S! N bS w i t h N c3-b 5 . 1 3 . . . N c 5
The correct move. Now would have been consistent
tha t White has conceded with Black's p lans and
control of c5, that square might have been better than
will be the natura l outpost the text.
for the knight. From b8 it 14 .f4
only takes two moves to 14.Nb5 Bxd2 1 5.Qxd2 Ne4
reach c5. 1 6.Qc2 Qxh4 1 7.Nxc7 Qd8
11 .N d 2! 1 8.Nxa8 Ndc5 and the
This move serves many knight is trapped.
purposes. It breaks the pin 14... Bxe3
on the Nc3, and over IS .Qxe3 N e4
protects e4. N o w if an
1 6 . N x e4 Qxh 4
eventual g7-g5, Black can
not gain more time with 17 .g3 Qe7
g5-g4. White will a lso be
strategy for Advalced Plavers 41
Now White must think After aVOiding 21.Qxa5?

of a long term plan. Clearly exf4! (intending Qxb2),
his bishop is not a long White must reconfigure his
term asset, and if Black position so that his rooks
plays f5-f5, it will be will be effective on an open
difficult to exchange. line. Which file?
1 8 . B g4 ! 21 . R f2!
This assures that the This exploits the pin on
bishops will come off the e5, since the double-rook
board, and then the pawn endgames favor White.
structure will favor White. Now Keres will gain more
The threat of 19.Bxd7 Bxd7 space on the kingside by
20.f5! is quite strong and playing f 4-f5, after which he
therefore Black must can concentrate on the
exchange both sets of minor queenside.
pieces. 21 . . . b6
18... N f6 22 . R efl Qg6
1 8... Nf8? 19.Bxc8 Raxc8
23 .£51 Qf6
20.f5 secures a significant
spatial advantage 24 . e 4 !
1 9 .N x f6+ Qx£6 Given t h e fact that
White's pieces enjoy
20 .B xe8 R ax e8
superior mobility, it is
possible for him to preserve
chances on both sides of the
board by locking the center.
The threat of a kingside
pawn storm will trouble
Black for some time.
24 . . . c6 71 30.h 4 Kc1
This approach to the 31 .Kfll
problem is too radical. or at The king crawls out of
least premature. since the way. so that the rooks
White has not yet can do their job.
weakened his queenside by
31 ... Kb1
advancing the pawns there.
2 5 . d xc6 Rxc6 32 . Ke2 RSc1
33 .R h 2 OdS
34 .g4 f6
3 5 . R gl R eS
White has opened some

lines and useful light
squares. and Black now has
to defend the weaknesses at
It is easy to see that the
b6 and d6. But Black
only way White can win is
threatens 26...b5!
by a properly timed g4-g5
2 6 . a 41 Kf8
but at the same time he
21.R dl Red must make sure that Black
2S .b3 Ke1 is tied to the defense of d6.
Black has now secured 3 6 . R g3 Od1
his queenside. but the 31.Qd3 ! 0f'7
kingside is defended only by 3S . R h l RhS
the queen. Before under
taking action there. White 39 .R h h3 R cc S I
will have to bring his own Black now offers the d6-
queen into play and ensure pawn as a sacrifice. since he
that his rooks can move will receive more than
freely on the f- and g-files. enough compensation if
29 .013 Kd1 control of the d-file is
granted to him. But White

correctly keeps the position
closed in the center, and
breaks on the kingside.
40 .gSI h xg S
41 .h xgS Qc7
41...Rxh3 42.Rxh3 fxg5
would allow White to
White has achieved a lot,
capture at d6, since the d-file but he must now find a way
could not be contested. to exploit his spatial
42 .QdS+ Ka7 advantage. He needs open
43 .R d3 R xh 3 lines against the Black king!
The sealed move. The 4S .b4! ax W
alternative was to go into a Both 48... Qc7 49.bxa5 bxa5
rook endgame. 43...fxg5 SO.RhB and4B. .. Qb7 49.Qxb7+
44.RxhB RxhB 45.Qxd6 Qxd6 Kxb7 SO.b5 Rc7 51.Kxg5 Rxc4
46.Rxd6 Rh4 47. Kf3 Rh3+ 52.Rxg7+ KcB 53.f6 Rxe4
4B. Kg4 Rxb3 49.Rd7+ Ka6 54. 17 Rf4 55. RgB+ Kd7 56.fSQ
50. Rxg7 and the f-pawn RxfB 57.RxfB are hopeless
decides. for Black.
44.R xh3 £XgS 49 . a S I
4S . R h 71 White relentlessly forces
The threat of f5-f6 forces open lines, knowing that
Black to adopt a passive the rook on h7 only appears
defense, and that allows the to be out of play. In fact, it
White king to take an active can get to the queenside in
part in the game. two moves, via hS or hI.
45.. . Qe7 49 .. . Qb7
46 .Kf3 R fS SO . a xb6+ Kxb6
47 . K g4 Rf7 Sl .Qxd6+ Ka7
S2 .Qxe S b3
S3 .R h 31
A fine move, which
prevents the advance of the
44 strategy tor AcJvcnced Players
b-pawn because of Ra3+ . 1 7 .N e S Bxe S

Now Black cannot afford to
18.dxeS Qxe S
exchange queens, because
when the b-pawn falls the 1 9 . B c3 Qe7
endgame is an easy win for 20 .£3 N dS
White. 21 .Qxe 7 N xe 7
53 . . . Rf6
22 .fxe 4 b6
S4.Qd4+ R b6
S S . R xb31 1-0
Lesson 13
Discovered check; pressllre
Botvinnlk-Euwe
World Ch. 1 948
Semi-Slav
l . d4 dS Despite the doubled
2 . c4 e6 White pawns, Black is in a
difficult position because of
3 . N £3 N f6
the activity of White's
4. N c3 c6 pieces. To exploit this,
S . e3 Nbd7 White first grabs the d-fiJe.
6.Bd3 Bb4 23 . R dl
7 . a3 BaS Now we examine the
position, b u t mentally
8 . Qc 2 Qe7 remove the RfS from the
9. B d 2 dxc4 board. That gives us a
1 0 . B xc 4 eS simple mate in one with
RdS. Given this, it is easy to
1 1 .0-0 0-0
understand White's main
1 2 . R ae l Bc7 threat: Rxf7!, using the
13 .N e 4 N xe 4 power of the &2.
23 . . . Ng6
1 4 .Qxe4 as
Okc'y, the first plan must
I S . B a2 Nf6
be abandoned. But now
16.Qh4 e4
Strategy lor Advanced Players 45
White can infiltrate the 2B... fxe6? 29.Rxe6!

enemy position with tempo. 29 . R xb6 B c6
24 . R d6 B a6!
A good reply. Black will
reposition the bishop at bS,
where it more actively
defends the Pc6.
2 5 . R f2 Bb 5
Tlte pressure on the f-file
is more important than
doubling rooks on the d Here is another simple
file. example of our technique.
26 . e 5 We imagine the position
White's p l a n is t o with the knight gone from
advance the e-pawns, using e7, and see that the
one to eliminate the discovered check with e6-e7
opposing pawn at fl, and is good.
allowing its brother to 3 0 . R xc6! N xc6
become a passed pawn.
31 .e7+ RfT
26 .. . N e7
32 . B d5
Now that White has
temporarily conceded con The most effective move.
trol of dS, the Black knight The pin on the Nc6 is even
hopes to find a new home stronger than the one at fl,
there. and if 32. RcS, then on
. .
26...RaeS would permit 33.Bxc6 the bishop cannot be

White to carry out his plan: recaptured because the
27.e6 fxe6 2S.Rd7 Re7 pawn would queen. So
29.Bxe6+ KhS 30.RxfS+ NxfS Black resigned. 1-0
31.Rxe7
Lesson 14
2 7 . e 4!
Active position;
This regains control of
Smyslov-Reshevsky
dS. World Ch. 1 948
27 . . . c5 Spanish Game
28 . e 6 f6 1 . e4 e5
2. N £3 N c6 l7.Nxf6+ gxf6 l8.fxeS fxeS

19.Bxh6
3. BbS a6
14.N x e S dxe S
4. B a 4 d6
Not only has White
S. c3 N ge 7 secured the bishop pair, but
6. d4 B d7 he has reduced the Black
7. Bb3 h6 knights to passive functions
while his own steed oc-
8 . N bd2 N g6 cupies a magnificent post at
9. N c4 Be7 dS. The d- file is where the
1 0 .0 - 0 0-0 action is, so White transfers
a rook there.
1I.N e 3 B £6
1 S .Qf3 ! Be6
1 6 . R d1 Bxd S
Black's play has been
pretty much forced, but now
White has both the central
file and kingside pressure.
1 7 . R xdS Qe7
Both sides have de

veloped comfortably and
Black is putting pressure on
the center. White deals with
that matter quickly and
decisively.
1 2 . N d S! Re8
13.dxeS! Bxe S The d7-square would be a
nice home for the rook, and
a) l3 ..dxeS l4.Nxf6+ wins
.
White uses the threat of

material .
infiltration to secure a more

b) l3 ... NgxeS l4.NxeS
active position for his
NxeS lS.f4 Nc6 l6.eS! gives
queen.
Black a lot to worry about.
For example: 1 6 dxeS. . .
18 .Q£S I N fS
IB . . . Rad8 looks logical, The cheap trick at h6 is

but White can obtain an not the real point of the
advantage by exploiting the move, which has the far
indirect pin at fl. 1 9 . Bxh6! more subtle goal of enabling
gxh6 (19... RxdS 2O.BxdS gxh6 the queen to ge t to the h4-
2 1 . Q xg 6 + ) 20. RxdB RxdB dB diagonal. Already
21 .Qxg6+ KfB 22.Qxh6+ KeB Smyslov sees the potential
23.BdS power of a bishop at b6!
19 . B e3 N e6 23 . . . Kh8
20 . R ad1 Red8 24 . B b6 ! NbS
Black also appreciates
White's last move and
hastens to drive the
offending cleric from its
new post. Reshevsky would
no doubt have preferred to
play RcB first, but that was
not possible. 24. .. RcB 2S.Rd2
NbB 26.Qd l! Rc6 2 7.Ba7Nd7
White's position i s very 2B.BdS! Rc 7 29 . Bxe6 fxe6
strong, and now he makes a 3O.Rxd6
quiet move which deprives
2 S .B xe6 fxe6
Black of the use of f4, and
puts him in near zugzwang .
21 .g3 Rd6
A commital move which
leaves Black with a back
ward pawn but there was
little else available. If the
backward pawn were the
only drawback, it wouldn't
be too bad, but the resulting 26 .Qh41
weakness at b6 will tum ou t Taking ad van tage of the
to be important. fact that Black cannot
22 .R xd6 ex d6 exchange at h 4 without
23.Qg4 1 dropping the d-pawn. But as
48 Strategy for Advonc:ed Players
it turns out White forces 4 2 . K g3 R e2

the exchange at d8, and still
43 .Kf3 Ra2
gets his prize.
26... Qd7 44 .Ke3 K£8
27.Qd8+ Qxd 8 4 5 .£3 Ra1
28 . B x d 8 N d7 46 .Kf4 a2
28 . Nc6 29.Bb6 and Black
..
47.eSI
cannot defend d6 An important move
29 .Bc7 NcS because it secures the f6-
square, so that when Black
30 .R xd6 R e8
trades the a-pawn for the f
30... Nxe4 31.Rxe6 and the pawn White will be able to
e-pawn falls. place his king at g6.
31 .B b6 N a4 47... Kg8
32.R xe 6 N xb2 4 8 . K fS Rfl
33 . R x e S N e4 49 . R x a 2 R xf3+
34 . R e6 N xb6 SO.Kg6 Kf8
3 S . R xb6 Rxe3 Sl .R a8 + Ke7
3 6 . R xb7 S2 .R a 7 + 1-0
And the endgame is
reltively straightforward. Lesson 15
36... R e2 Isolated pawn; blocknde
37 . h 4 Rxa2 Spassky-Attonov
as leningrad, 1 949
3 8 . K g2
Queen's Gambit DeClined
39.h S a4
1 . d4 dS
4 0 . R a7
2 . e4 dxc4
The rook is properly
behind the pawn and also 3.N £3 N f6
controls the 7th rank, so the 4. e3 cS
kingside pawns can advance 5. Bxc4 e6
easily.
6.0-0 a6
40... Kg8
7. Qe 2 b5
41 .g4 a3
strategy fOl Advanced Play8l$ 49
8. Bb3 Nc6 1 4 . B xf6 gxf6

9. N c3 a d4 ? 1 14 ...Bxf6 lS.Nxd S BxdS
This i s a positional mis 16.BxdS QxdS17.RxdS
take, because the isolated 1 5 . N x d5 Bxd 5
pawn which it creates will lS ... exdS 16.Nd4 would
be able to quickly satisfy its have also led to a crushing
lust to expand. Better was position for White.
9...c4. 16 . B xd 5 ex d5
1 0 . R d1 B b7 1 7 . N d4
1l . e x d 4 N b4 This position can already
Black i s obeying a be considered winning be
classical principle of estab cause of the weakness of
lishing a blockade in front Black's pawn structure and
of the isolated pawn. But the strong position of the
thanks to the pin on the e Nd4. The simple threat is
file, White has a resource. Rdl-el and Nd4-c6.
17... KfS
1 8 .N f5 h5
1 2 . d 5! N bx d5
13 . B g5 1
Black's position is a vir 19 .R xd 5 1
tual pin-cushion (BgS on The overworked Black
Nf6, Qe2 on Pe6, and Rdl queen is deftly exploited to
on NdS). The simple threat bring a rapid conclusion to
is 14.NxdS BxdS lS.BxdS, the game.
since lS... QxdS loses to 16.
19... Qxd 5
RxdS.
20.Qxe 7+ K g8
13 . . . Be7
21 .Qxf6 1-0
50 strategy tor AdVanced Players
Lesson 16 This knight b elongs o n

Conlrot of Ihe diagonal c6 . N o w White w i l l execute
Smyslov-Botvinnlk a v ery simpl e plan: advanc e
Moscow (9th Match t he h-pawn until it b ecom es
Game) . 1 954 a qu een! Of course he will
French Defense hav e to be ca r efu l in th e
execution of the strategy.
1 . e4 e6
1l .N f3 N fS
2. d4 dS
Botvinnik p r o p o s ed
3. N e3 B b4 1 1 . . . Qc7as an improvem ent,
4. eS eS but Smys lov corr ectly
points out that White has a
S. a3 BaS
strong reply: 1 l ... Qc712.Bb 5!
Normally Black captur es
Rxg2?! 1 3.K fl Rg8 1 4 .Rg1
at c3, but this retreat l eads to
Rxg1 + 1 5.Kxg1 and th e pin
complications w ith a v ery
makes it v ery hard for Black
unba lanc ed pawn structur e.
to d ev elop.
6. b4 cx d4
12 .Qd3 Qxa S
7.084 N e7
13.h 4
8. bx aS dxe3 Here we go! It turns out
t ha t Black's pawn at c3 just
g ets in th e way.
13 . . . B d7
14 . B gS !
Black is p r ev ent ed from
cast ling , and th e control of
the h4-d8 diagonal k eeps
Black p i n n ed d o w n.
Whi t e's qu eensid e pawns Smyslov us es this fact and
a r e v ery w eak, and t h e his h-pawn to win th e gam e
pawn at c 3 i s an a nnoyanc e, in flOe styl e.
but White will pick up g 7
14... R e8
an d h 7and hav e a n outsid e
passed pawn. 1 S .N d 4!
9 . Qxg7 R g8 Black was going to try
and wigg l e out w i th a
1 0 .Qxh 7 N d7?!
strategy for Advanced Ployers 51
combination of RcS-<4-e4+ I f W hite is t o move i n

and the p lacement of a this position then RcS+ i s
knight at f5. This stops both fata l. That's rea lly a l l one
plans. needs to know in order to
15... N fS finish the game brilliantly.
19 .Qxe 41 1 dxe 4
20.R b8 + Bc8
21 . B bS + QxbS
21 . ..Nd7 22.RxcS+
22 .R xbS
Now the game is over,
not because of the exchange,
but rather because of the
N o w W h i te does not flying h-pawn which was
want t o capture imme the cornerstone of White's
diately, because the NfS strategy.
would occupy the new hole
22 . . . N e6
at e6. But how to answer the
threat of Nf5xd4 and Bb5? 23 . B f6 R xg2
1 6 . R bl l Rc4 ? 1 24.h S Ba6
Smyslov considers 1 6 . . .b6 2 S .h 61
best, but it is hard to blame I t is only fitting that the
Botvinni k, for what follows pawn has the final say.
is truly inspired. After the bishop captures
1 7 .N x fS exES the rook there is no way to
1 8 . R xb7 Re4+ stop the pawn from
queening. 1-0
Lesson 17
Flexibility
Spassky-Smyslov
Bucharest. 1 953
Nlmzolndlan
l . d4 N f6
2.c4 e6
3. N e3 BW 19 .Qa4 ! B eS
4.BgS h6 20 .e 4 Qg4
S. Bh4 eS 21 .Qe2 hS
6. dS 22 .R13 bS
23 .e S h4
24 .N fl BfS
2S.Qd2 dxe S?
26.fxe S Bg6
27 .Rel h3
2S . d 6 Be4
29.Ne 3 Qe6?
This red uces the flexi-
bility of White's center and 3 0 . R f4 Bxg2
should not lead to any 31 .N fS R fe S
advantage for White.
6. . . d6
7. e3 exdS
S. cx dS Nbd7
9. BbS 0-0
9 Bxc3+
. . . l O .bxc3 a6
1 l .Bxd7+ Bxd7 would have
equalized quickly.
32 .Re3 ! Rad8
1 0 . N g e2 NeS
33 .N x g7 R xd6
11 .0 -0 N g6
34.N x e6 1-0
1 2 . B g3 NhS
13 . B d3 N xg3 Lesson 18
1 4 .N x g3 NeS Control of the Center; isolated
pawns
I S . B e2 Bxe3
Evans-Larsen
1 6 .bxe3 Qh4 Dallas. 1 957
1 7 .f4 N g4 ! Tarrasch Defense
I S. B xg4 B xg4 l . d4 dS
2.e4 e6
3.Ne3 eS
4. e3 Nf6
S. N f3 N e6
6. cx dS exdS
7. BbS a6
8 . B x e6+ bx e6 14 . . . Qxe S
9. 0-0 B d6 1 5 . N x c6 Qxg S
10.dxeS BxcS 16.Nxe7+ Kh8
1 1 . e 4!
Cre a t i n g the famous
isolated d-pawn.
11 . . . 0-0
1 1 . . . Nxe4? I2.Nxe4 d xe4
I3.Qxd8+ Kxd8 I4.Ng5 is a
trick only a beginner would
fall for.
12 . B gS Be7 Perhaps Ev a n s was
13. N d 4 Qd6 counting o n capturing a t d5,
but then 17 . .. Rd8 would
1 4 . e S? cause trouble, so instead he
This is a much t o o clever eliminates Black's bishop.
method o f isolating the
1 7 . N x e8 Ru e8
pawn. The straightforward
I4.exd5 cxd5 I5.ReI would 1 8 .Qd3
h a v e b r o u g h t W h i te a This position is not easy
significant advantage. to evaluate objectively. I f
Black plays passively then
White will dominate the e
file and go to work on the
weak isolated pawn. B u t
Larsen rea l i zes that by
giving up some material, he
can get the e and c files.
18... R Ed 8 1 ? pawn since he now has

So Black's plan is c1ear kingside attacking chances
give up the a-pawn and let in add ition to the open
White enjoy two connected lines.
passed pawns, but in return 22.N g3
Black is going to take all of 22.Nc1 Ng4! 23.g3 QhS
the files in the center and 24.h4 Nxf2 ! ! 25.Rxd4 Nh3+
advance his own pawn. 26.Kh l Rdc8 was demon
19 .Qxa 6 d4 strated by Brondum, in
response to a pub lished
20 .N e 2 R c2 !
note that 22.Ncl would
have improved White's
chances!
22... h 5!
Black has a c h ieve d
complete control o f the
center of the board, and the
laws of chess say that when
you have the center, and
21 . R a d1 the enemy forces (in this
White is of course case the queen) are offside, a
prepared to g i v e up his b flank attack is in order.
pawn for the powerful Pd4, 23 . R Ee 1 Qd5
but Larsen does not oblige. 24.R e2 d3!
21 . . . Qe5! 2 5 . R e3
And now we must look
at the potential fork of f2
and e3 via Ng4. When we
see this tactical idea, then
B l a c k's next move is
o b v i o u s! I n fe r i o r was
25.Rxc2 dxc2 26.RxdS c l Q+
27.Nfl RxdS
A powerful centralizing 25 . . . R xE2!
move which brings Black 26. N e4
fu ll compensation for his
Of course not 26.Kxf2 Qgl + 33.Rxgl Nf2 mate and

because then 26 ... Ng4+ picks the k n o w l e d g e of the
up the stray rook with familiar motif pays off.
mul tiple t hreats. 28 . . . Qc 5 +
26 . . . N xe 4 And Ev ans reSigned,
27 .R exd3 b e cause 29.Khl is met by
N f2 + and either the
smothered mate or a back
ran k mate follows. 0-1
Lesson 1 9
Cramped POSitiOIl; spatial
advalltage
Nyezhmetdlnov
Sakharov
Now if the rook weren't Leningrad . 1 957
in the way Qc5 check would Sicilian Defense
be effective. And if the Rf2 c5
1 . e4
were a knight we would
have a fork. Put i t a l l 2. N f3 Nc6
together 27.Rdxd3 might
... 3 . d4 c x d4
have maintained equality 4. N xd4 e5
for example: Qg5 (27... Rxb2
5. N b5 a6
2S.Rxd5 Rbl + 29.Qfl Rxf 1 +
3O.Kxfl Rxd5 3 1 . Rxe4 Ra5=) 6. N d6 + Bxd6
2S.RxdS+ Kh7 29 . RhS+ ! ! 7. Qx d 6 Qf6
KxhS 3O.QaS+ Kh7 31.Qxe4+
8 . Qc 7
f5 32.M! Rxg2+ 33.Qxg2
Qxe3+=. The retre a t to dl is the
current reCipe here, but in
27... Rf1+!1
the 1 950s t he e n t i re
28 . R xfl variation w as in vogue and
2 S . Kxfl Qf5+ 29. Kgl many replie s were being
(29.Rf3 Rxdl + 3O.Ke2 Nc3+!) tested.
Qc5+. This is what Larsen 8. . . N ge 7

had in his mind . 30. Khl
9. N c3
Nf2+ 3 1 . Kg1 Nh3+ 32 Kh1
.
56 Strategy for Adl/ooced Players
The location of the queen 13... Nexc6 14.Nb6 Rb8

at c7 is useful in that it lS.Nxc8 Rxc8 there is no
provides support for an way for White to make
infiltration at b6 and also progress.
can sometimes threaten the 13 .cxd3 gS I 7
pawn at eS, though that Nyezhmetdinov awards
remains well-defended for an exclamation point for
the moment. sharpness, but notes that
9 . N b4
. .
13... Nc6 was better, because
Generally considered the kingside weakness is too
best, since it attacks c2 and great. Yet a decade later
supports the advance d7-dS White found an easy path
which is typical of the to the advantage: 13... Nc6
Sicilian. 14.f4! Qe7 1S.Qxe7+ Kxe7
1 0 . B d3 dS 16.fxeS NxeS 17.b3! and in
Lukin-Ghizdavu, Bucharest
11 .0-0 d4
1968, White delayed the
1 2 .N e 2 capture of the pawn to great
Theory prefers 12.Na4 effect, since 17...Nxd3 would
with a small initiative for have been met by 18.Ba3+
White. Ke8 19.Rad1 and White
would trap the knight!
14.B d2 Nc6
l S . R ac1 0-0
1 6 .N g3
Now we see the effect of
the weakening move g7 -gS.
White will sink the knight
into fS, and when it is
12... N xd 3 7 1 captured, will establish
Black fails to appreciate strong pawns at g4 and fS,
the danger of an open c-fiIe. which will eliminate any
Two dozen years later the counterplay.
plan of exchanging queens 16... h6
with 12... Qc6! was establ
17.h4 !
ished as best, as after
White must delay Ng3--fS the Black rook, knight, and

until the Black queen has queen.
been d isplaced. Meanwhile, 19 . . . Qg7
he expands on the queen
20 . R dS Bg4
side and kicks the Nc6 back,
after which the Rc1 can 21 .R c1 Kh7
become active on the c-file. T h i s s t range l o o ki n g
17... Re8 move w a s inspired b y the
If Black tries t o exchange fa i l u re of the obvious
transfer of the RaS to the c
queens with 17...QdS, then
file, which meets with a
l S.Rx c 6 ! is a p ro m ising
s t rong sacri fice . 2 1 .. . RcS
exchange sacrifice. After
22.QxcS BxcS 23. RxcS QfS
lS . . . bxc6 19.QxeS! White has
(23 . . . Q f 6 24. N h S Qe7
plenty of compensation.
25 . Rd7! ! ) 24.NhS f6 2S.Rd7
1 8 .a4 N d8 ?!
and a s Nyezhm e t d i n o v
This deprives the PeS of a notes, Black is almost in
d e fe n d e r , a n d a queen zugzwang.
retreat to dS was called for
22.N fS !
since the exchange sacrifice
With the queen displaced
would have less effect with
from £6 White's original
the PeS guarded by the ReS.
strategy can be carried out.
22.. . BxfS
23 .e xfS Qf6
24 .g4 Re7
2 S . R d7 Rxd7
26 .Qxd7 Kg7
19 .RcS!
The point of this move is
not merely to double rooks.
It is also designed to transfer
the rook to dS, a plan based
on the interdependence of
58 Strategy tor Advanced Playen
White's spatial advan 2. N f3 e6

tage is obvious. With Black
3. d4 c x d4
tied down, White prepares
to atta ck the PeS which was 4 . N xd4 a6
left without sufficient p ro S.c:4 N c6
tection when the knight Spassky leaves the well
retreated to dB. known paths of S Nf6.
...
27 .Rc:S I b6 6. N c:3 B c: S
Otherwise 28.Qc7 would
7. N b3 B b4
have been strong. But now
a path has been cleared to 8. B d 3 N ge 7
the a-file. Again, this is the 9 . 0-0 0-0
sort of factor which cannot Both sides have been
be exploited soon but the develo p ing, but now Black
Black position is so cramped adopts a typical plan for this
that a zugzwang will clear type of fo r m a t i o n . H e
the a7-square .
captures o n c3, and then
28 . Rc:7 bS advances his d-pawn. But
29 . a S I his artificial position (Ne7)
help s White.
B y keeping lines closed,
Black will soon run out of
10.Q«:2 Bxc3
moves. 1l.Qxc: 3 dS
29 .. . Kg8 12 . B e3 dxc:4
30.QdSI RbS 13 . B xc: 4 Qc:7
31 . B el Qg7 14. R ac: l Rd8
3 2 . Q c:S Qf8 IS .f4 Bd7
33 .Qa7 1-0
Lesson 20
Pressllre; diagonal
Smyslov-Spossky
Moscow v Leningrad. 1959
Sicilian Defense
l . e4 cS
Black seems rea d y to the target. They prove to be

claim equality, a fter Ra8-c8. the last moves!
But the weakness of the 19. N d41 N xd 4
dark s qua res on the a ) 19 ... eS opens a line, but
queenside give White an more importan tly a llows
inviting target for the Be3. White to advance the f
1 6 . Qell pawn further. 20.Nxc6 Nxc6
W hi t e transfers his 21. BdS.
queen to f2, where it w i ll b) 19 . . . exfS 20. e x fS b S
n o t only support the gl -a7 21.f6!.
d iagona l, but also gives 20 . B x d 4 N c6
more impetus to an ad
21 .fxe6 Bxe 6
vance of the f-pawn, since f7
is no longer guarded by the 22 . B xe6
Black rook.
16... b6
16 . . . bS 1 7. Be2 Be8 1 8.Qf2
Rab8 1 9.NcS exploits the
dark squares in a d ifferent
way.
1 7 . QfZ R ab8
1 8 .f51 Qc8
And B l a c k reSigned,
because mate is inevitable
after 22 ...Qxe6 23.Rxc6 Qxc6
24.Qxf7+. 1�
Lesson 2 1
Olltpost; central cormterattack
Smyslov-Slmogln
USSR, 1 967
Examining this diagram Modern Defense
we see that the pressu re I . N f3 g6
point is e6, and the next few
moves are aimed directly at
2. d4 Bg7
3. e4 a6
60 strategy for AdvCJ'lced Players
An unusual plan, playing

on both wings. The normal
move is 3 .. . d6, w hi le the
m o v e 3 . . . c 5 ! ? is also
popular.
4. Bd3
4.Nc3 b5!? gives Black an
early initiative, Savage
Schil ler, electronic mail Both sides have com
1990. pleted their development,
and White's pieces are
4. . . d6
better placed. But now Black
5.0-0 weakens h i s kingsi de,
Now Black could trans allowing a central counter
pose to a Pirc with 5 ... Nf6 attack.
but Simagin prefers a more 12 ... h6
original p lan of develop
13 . B f4 gS
ment.
5. . . Bg4 1 4 . B gl N g6
6. c3 N d7 l S .e St
I have played these sorts
7. Nbd2 e6
of formations for Black and
8. Qb3 Bxf3 always find the advance of
9 . N xf3 R bS the e-pawn an effective
Simagin seems inspired method of u ndermining
by C higorin, w ho often my position. In the present
moved his rook to b S in game Black suffers even
support of the pawn. more because he has not
1 0 . B gS Ne7 gained space o n the
queenside.
1l . R adl 0-0
15 ... dS
1 2 . R fel
1 6 . Qc2 Nf4
16 . QeS 17.h4 g4 l S . Nh2
. .
h5 19.f3 gxf3 20.Nxf3 would

allow White to build a
strong attack on the f-fiIe,
using g5 as an outpost for

the knight.
1 7. B xf4 pM
White's attack cannot

achieve m u ch-s ince i t
involves only two pieces.
But the Black pieces are so
White must now tied down that White has
develop a p lan. Smyslov time to extricate the queen.
anticipates that Black will 27 .h 41 R e6
have to advance his f-pawn
2S .h 5
in order defend the pawn at
f4. That will weaken the The point of the last two
pawn at e6, so doubling moves becomes clear if one
rooks on the e-fiIe is called mentally removes the pawn
for. at e6. If White had not done
this, Black could have
18. Re2 1 e5
complicated matters with
1 9. Qd2 f6 e6-e5!
The only way to avoid 28... R e4
dropping the pawn at £4.
29. B d3
20 .e xf6 Qxf6
White tries to get the
21 .R del Rbe8 rook to leave the c-file, so
Now there is a weak that it can be used as an
diagonal to be exploited. expressway to the 8th rank.
22 . B bl ! cx d4 29... R e6
23 .exd 4 R f7 30.B g6 R e4
24. Q e2 Rfe7 Obviously Smyslov has
2 5 . Q h 7+ K£8 to come up with a better
plan. He does so with a very
2 6 . B g6 R eS clever and u nexpected
62 Strategy tor Advanced Plovers
move. Since the bishop is Lesson 22

not effective in attacking Seventh rank; kingside al/ack
the rook from d3, Smyslov Reshevsky-Larsen
creates another possibility Lugano Olympiad . 1968
at a2! Nlmzolndlan
31 .0131 R c6 l . d4 N f6
32 .B bl Bh8 2. c4 e6
32 . . . Rc4 ? ! 33. Ba2 Rc6
3 . N c:3 B b4
34.BxdS! exdS 3S.Rxe7 Qxe7
36.Rxe7 Kxe7 37.Qxg7 + 4.e3 0-0
33 .Qd3 S. Bd3 cS
FinaUy! Now Black has to 6. N f3 dS
keep an eye on h4, o ther 7. 0·0 dxc4
wise White will play Nh4-
8. Bx c4 N c6
g6.
33 . . . R g7 9.013 BOIS
34.Qb3 1 R b6 10 .Qd3 016
n.R dl bS
1 2 . B a2 c4
1 3 . Qe2 Qe8 1
14.h3
White has finally suc

ceeded in driving the rook
from the c-file, and now the
queen rushes in to end the
game.
3 S .Qc3 Rg8 B l a c k h a s succesfully
3S Rc6 36.Qb4+ KgB
.. .
navigated the opening and
37 Qxb7
.
now must try to open a line
36 .Qc8 + 1-0 in the center so that his
Strategy tor Advanced Ployers 63
p ieces can maneuver to

White's queenside.
14... e5!
U p t o this point Larsen
had been in familiar waters,
but now he was playing i n
unknown territory. Reshev
sky, with a fme feel for such
positions, keeps the center A critical position. Black
dosed. is preparing to advance his
queenside pawns, and so far
15.d5 N d8
White has shown little
Although this may seem counterplay. Thus Reshev
artificial, it is quite logical, sky acts definitively.
since the knight will find a
22 .b41? cx b3
home at d6, blockading the
advanced pawn. 23 .N x b3 N xb3
1 6 .e 4 N b7 24.B xb3 Qe7 ! ?
1 7 . B b1 N d7 An interesting choice.
Most players would opt for
1 S . B e2 N d6
24 .f5, but Larsen decides to
..
Black's position is very invest in the future. The

solid, and Reshevsky comes basic motivation for the
up w ith a pretty feeble move is the ability to
plan-the exchange of dark transfer the queen to gS.
squared bishops. While he This gives rise to a standard
is engaged in this, Larsen motif involving Bxh3.
improves the position of
2 5 . R ac1? !
his pieces.
Prosaic, and probably a
1 9 .N a 2 N e5
resu l t of time pressure.
20 . B d2 Bxd 2 25.Nb4! Rfc8 is given b y
21 .N x d2 Bd7 B ron d u m , t h o u g h h i s
fo l l ow-up w i th 26 . N c6
strikes me as dubious.
25... R fd
26.N b4
handle any aspirations on

the queens ide, and the
center is locked.
30.R c3 h4
31 .R d e l gS
32 .N a 7 R xc3
33 .R xc3
A simple ov e rsi g h t .
Perhaps Reshevsky simply
never apprec ia ted the point
of 24...Qe7. In any event, the
c1 square is underprotected.
26... B xh 3 1
27.Qe3
27.gxh3? Rxc1 28.Rxcl
Qg5+ The Na7 is defended by
27.Rxc8+ Bxc8! the Qe3, and White threat
27... Bd7 ens to infil trate on the
28 .N c 6 Qf6 seve n th rank.
Black has emerged with 33 . . . N e8 !
an extra pawn, b u t more 34.N e6 R e8
importantly, the k i n g s ide 3 S . R c2 Kg7
has been deprived of an
Black wants to play his
impo r ta n t d e fender, so
rook to c7, to guard the
Black can go on the attack.
seventh rank. But he wants
Notice that White's pieces
to make sure that there will
are not well p laced for
be no problems a l o n g the
defense.
back rank, and also wishes
28 . . Bxc6 29. dxc6 would
.
to avoid any future tricks

have g ive n White some
with Ne7+ .
counterplay.
36 .Qc3 R c7 !
29 .f3 hS!
The kingside attack is the 37 .Khl
only correct pl a n White's
.
AVOi d i n g 3 7 Qx e5??
.
forces are well posted to Rxc6 ! The h-fi le seems safe

Strategy tor AdvalC8d Players 6S
enough, for the moment, An d Black resigned. since

but in fact this move seals Qxe5+ followed by N xg4+
White's fate. was threatened. 0-1
37... Kh 7 1
38 .Qe3
With the pawn removed
from f3. Black can simply
play Qf1 + followed by Nf6-
Lesson 23
g4. Blockade
38 . . . g'l Spassky-Petroslan
39 .fxg ' Qf1+ World Championship (5th
match game) . 1 969
'0 . K h 2
Semi-Tarrasch Defense
4O.QgIQd3
40 . . . N f6
1 . e4 N f6
And Black realizes his
plan! 2. N c3 e6
41 .N x eS Rxc2 3. N f3 dS
42 . B xe 2 4. d ' eS
S.cxdS N xd S
6. e4 N xe 3
7. bx c3 a d4
8. a d4 Bb4+
9.Bd2 Bxd2+
10 .Qxd2 0-0
11 . B e4 N c6
A final application o f the
1 2 .0-0 b6
procedure. If there were no
Nf5. then Nxg4+ wins. And 1 3 . R ad1 Bb7
if the Ne5 were the White This Is a very typical
queen. then Nxg4+ s ti l l Semi-Tarrasch pOsition.
wins. 1 4 . R fe1 R e8
'2 . . . Qa1 11
18 .QiS Bxd S
The p re s s u re was
building a t f7 , s o Black
trades a piece which is not
involved in the defense for
an attacking p iece-almost
always a good idea.
1 9 .exd S
A simple glance at the
a2-g8 diagonal is sufficient
to encourage White to build
a plan based on
unde rmining the p a w n
chain f7-e6.
l S. d S
B u t this may be pre
mature. I f Black p l a y s
l S . . . N aS ! , then the bishop With the bishops gone,
will have to retreat, since the passed pawn is some
the sacri fi c i a l attem p t what harder to b lockade,
16.dxe6 does not work. But and B l a c k ' s k n i g h t is
Petrosian m is s e d this definitely offside. 1 9 Nb7...
chance. might have been best here.

15... ex dS? ! 19... Qc2 ? !
1 6 .B xd S! Black simply has n o right
to play so ambitiously when
This is the correct
his position is inferior and
capture. 1 6 .exdS would have
White can afford to ignore
created a passed pawn, but it
the threa t at a2. On the
would be easily blockaded .
other hand, White has no
And, m o re important, the
desire to see the queens off
light squared b i shop now
the board, as the lady plays
has r o o m to m aneuver
escort to the PdS.
without having to worry
about Nc6-aS. 20.Qi4 ! Qxa 2
16... N aS 21 . d 6 R ed 8
1 7 . Q f4 Qc7 22.d7
Strategy tor Ad\l<rlced Players 67
Spassky has achieved the 28 .N c 6

goal of advancing his pawn A n d the knight reaches
to the seventh rank, where the desired square, after
i t severe l y res tricts the which Spassky finishes the
mobility of the Black forces. game beautifully.
He now needs a new plan to
28.. . N d6
exploit his advantage, and it
will involve infiltration via
the c-file.
22 . . . Qc4
23.QfS h6
24 . R c1 1 Qa6
2 S . R c1
The next phase has been
accomp lished. Now the 29 .N x d8 ! 1 N xfS
knight has to get into the
30.N c6 1-0
act. Again, it is important to
consider a seemingly
impossible goal. The knight Lesson 24
belongs at c6. Although that Zrlgzwang
seems difficult to achieve, it Flscher-Petroslan
is not. Buenos Aires (7th match
game). 1 97 1
25.. . bS Sicilian Defense
26.N d 4 Qb6
l . e4 cS
26 . . . b4 27.Qe5 ! (with the
threat of Nf5) 27. . Nc4 .
2. N f3 e6
2S.Qc5 3. d4 cx d4
2 1 . R c8 ! N b1 4. N xd 4 a6
Black had to do this, as S. Bd3 N c6
the alternatives fail:
6. N xc6 bx c6
a) 27 ... Qxd4 28.Rxd8 Rxd8
29. ReS+ 1. 0-0 dS
b) 27 . . b4 28.Re8! Qxd4
.
8. c4 N f6
29.RxfS+ Rxf8 30.RxfS+ KxfS
9. cx d S cx d S
31.Qc5 + ! ! Qxc5 32.d8Q+
68 Strotegy tor Advanced Players
1 0 . e xd S exdS moment, is also a potential

weakness.
14... Be6
l s . B e3 0-0
1 6 . B cs l
This i s the key move.
W i t h the da rk-squared
bishops off t h e board, the
rooks can attack the isolated
Clearly the isolated queen pawn from the side. I n
pawn is going to play a add ition, the c5-square will
significant role in the game. be more easily secu red for
Part of White's strategy will occupation by the knight.
be to dominate the adjacent 16... R fe 8
files.
1 7 . B xe 7 Rxe7
1 1 . N c3 Be7
1 8 .b41
1 2 .Qa4+ Qd7
Now we can observe the
1 3 . R e1 ! weakness of the pawn at a6,
Fischer doesn't engage in which will come under the
cheap theatrics : 13.Bb5?! watchful eye of the knight
axb5! 1 4.Qxa8 00{) and the from its new outpost at c5.
follow u p with Bb7 and an This, combined w i th the
eventual advance of the d power of the Bd2, will tie
pawn wil l give Black an down Black's forces.
excellent game. 18... Kf8
13... Qxa 4 19.N es B e8
1 4 . N u4 Mission accomplished.
The isolated pawn i s Now White must find a
even weaker in the way to increase the pressure
endgame, a n d W h i te i s on dS but how can he do
halfway toward achieving this?
his goa l of dominating the 20 .f31
c- and e-files. The pawn at Fischer's plan is almost
a6, defended doubly for the brutal in its simplicity-he
threatens to exchange rooks,
Strategy tor Advcnced Players 69
m a rch his king up the 24 . R c7

diagonal to d4, chase the The sixth is p rotected
knight from f6 and grab the but the seventh rank is now
weak pawn at dS. available. B l a c k q u i c k l y
20 . . . Rea 7 runs out of moves.
21 .Re5 24 . . . N d7
Just as p lanned back at 2 5 . R e2 g6
move 1 3 !
2 6 . K f2 h5
21 . . . B d7
27 .f4!
2 2 .N x d7 + 1
A precise move which
There comes a time in fu rt h e r l i m it s Black's
every p la n when the options.
immediate goal is achieved,
27 . . . h4
and it is time to capitalize.
The knight, though well 28 . K f3 £5
placed, has done its job and 29 . Ke3
now the domination of the
remaining open file Is the
primary objective.
22 . . . Rxd7
23 .R c1
Black is virtually in zug

zwang, so he ad vances his
prized pawn, and opens up
more lines for White.
29 . . . d4+
The w e a kness of the 30 . K d2 N b6
pawns continues to plague
31 .Ree 7 N d5
Black, who must now worry
about the threat of Rc1-c6. 32 .R f7 + Ke8
23 . . . Rd6 33 .R b7
Strategy for Advanced Players
This appears to drop a Black switches strategy to

pawn, but in fa c t it take aim at the center, since
guarantees victory. h i s queenside ambitions
33 . . . N xb4 have been stopped for the
moment.
3 4 . B e4 1
7. . . N e6
And Petrosian resigned,
because after 34... Nc6 35.Rh7 8. Qe 2 cx d4
Rf6 36.RhS+ RfS 37.Bf7+. 1 -0 9. Rdl
A typica l theme in the
Lesson 25 opening. White transfe rs
HMan-on-",anH coverage; the rook to a file where it
pressure w i l l have " man-on-man"
Gligorlc-Portisch coverage o f the enemy
Pula, 1 97 1 queen. Bu t eventu a l l y
Queen's Gambit Accepted White will recap ture with
1 . d4 dS the pawn, reducing the rook
to a supporting role.
2 . e4 dxc4
9. . . Be7
3. N E3 N f6
10.exd4 0-0
4.e3 e6
n .N e3
S. B x e4 cS
6. 0- 0 a6
The Q u e e n ' s G a m b i t
Accepted is a n opening rich
in strategic themes, but the
most im p o rtant one is
queenside e x p ansion by
Black against central occu
pation by White, who ca n
take time out to delay b7-bS White will use his
if he chooses. con trol o f t h e center t o
attack the kingside, and the
7. a4
move d4-d5 may be use ful,
This move slows down
so Black acts quickly to
Black's plans, but i t costs
blockade the pawn.
time and weakens b4. Now
11... N dS
strategy for Advanced Players 7t
12 .B d3 ! White restores the threat

This bishop will find a by a t ta c k i n g t h e B d 7,
haven at b l , where it can guardian of a4.
pressure the kingside from 15... b uS
a safe distance.
12 .•. N cb4
13 . B bl b6 !
I n general, the p layer
with the isolated pawn will
station rooks on the files
immediately adjacent to the
pawn. Then minor p ieces
can b e stationed on the 15 . . . b5 1 6 . Ne4 takes the
squares diagonally in front other road to c5.
of the pawn. Black's move 1 6 . R a3 1
takes control of c5. White's short term plan
14.aS! involves the knights, but in
With the preceding posi the long run it is the enemy
t i o n a l considera t i ons i n king which is the ta rget .
min d , White decides t o try Since there is no good
to place his knights a t e5 discovered attack from the
and c5. His rook will use the Be7, Black decides to cut off
a-file instead of the c-file. To the powerful Bbl .
do this he must d ivert the 16... £5
b-pawn from b6. Once the
1 7 .N x dS N xd S
outposts a re established,
1 7. . . exd5 1 8 . Nxd7 Qxd7
White will have the basis
19. Bf4 gets the bishop to a
for an attack.
wonderful outpost at d5,
14... Bd7
and the weak Black pawns
Robbing White of a n are also juicy targets for
access pOint to c5 (with White's bishop.
Na4).
1 8 .N x d7 Qxd 7
I S .N e S
1 9 . R xa S
The knight was w e l l
placed at e 5 but that w a s a
Strategy tor Advanced Players
temporary condition and

Black could have eventually
attacked it with a minor
piece. But after the exchange
at d7 White can now attack
pawns that have no clerical
support.
19... N c7
Black has taken care of
20.B a2 1
the p roblem on the a-file,
One of the themes we see
but the bishop has given up
in this game col lection is
control of the b8-h2
that of shifting plans. It is to
diagona l, allowing White to
be expected tha t the
realize an earlier goa l.
opponent will counter a
24. B f4 1 N d5
strategy most of the time, so
one must be prepared to 25.Be5
develop new plans in new We saw this idea in the
situations. note to move 1 7 . This
20... Bd6 bishop will dominate the
O r else R e S . White has dark squares for the rest of
given up on the idea of a the game. The pressure at g7
kingside attack and now ca n n o t be exploited
concentrates his efforts on immediately, but i t will play
the weak pawns. Black has a role later.
just defended the Pe6, so 25 ... Rfc8
now the p a w n at a6 26.Qe2 Qb7
becomes the target.
27 .h 31
21.B c4 1 Kh8
Wh ite has no imm e diate
A defensive move with a breakthrough and may need
tactical point. to worry about back-rank
22.Q£3 1 mate in the future, so he
22.Bxa6? Bxh2+ ! 23. Kxh2 takes time out to create a
Qd6+ 24. Kgl Nxa6 flight-square. Thi n ki n g
22... Bb4 about potential threats from
the opponent is an
23.R a1 as
important part o f planning!
Strategy tor Advanced Player.
27 . . . R e6 undertake alone. We return

to the fu l f i l l m e n t of
2S .R ac1 Rac8
White's strategy i n the
Decision time. How im
game.
portant is the NdS relative
32 .R g3 B fS
to the Bc4? Clearly the Be5
is stronger than the Bb4. 33.b3!
Gligoric p lots his strategy This not only prevents
well-a im for p o s i t i o n s a5-a4, but it also places the
with e a c h side hold ing Q,R pawn in a position where it
and B, and a t t a c k the is defended by the rook,
kingslde. which is m o re l i kely to
29 . B xd S! ex d5 remain in place than the
queen.
30 .R xe6 Qxe 6
33 .. . R aS
31 .R d3!
Black's plan is obvious
e l i m i n a t e the queenside
pawns and concentrate on
defense.
34 .Qe2
Threatens Rf3.
34... R eS
35 .Qd2 RaS
31 . . . Qd7 36.Qg5 KgS

If this were a book about 37.R B !
sacrificial atta cks we would White exploits the same
a l lo w ourselves t o be theme. I t will not win a
diverted by the fireworks pawn this time, but it does
which would have been fo rce Black t o c r i t i c a l l y
seen had Black offered to weaken h i s defensive for
excha nge queens instead mation.
with 3 1 . . . Q c 2 32.Bxg7+ ! ! 37 •.. g6
Kxg7 33.Qe5+ KI7 34.Qxd5+
3 S . R e3
with compl i cations which
favor White-an analytical
task which the reader can
74 strategy tor Advooced Players
Here Black must try to Black is going to recover

exchange p ieces. W h i t e one of the pa wns. White
must retain as much retains the b-pawn, a better
attacking force a s possible. long-term asset, even
3S .. . QdS though it means h i s rook i s
38 Rc8? 39. Rxc8 Qxc8
...
temporarily passive.
4O.Qf6 46.R a3 R b4
39 .Qc1 f 47 . d S Kg7
This takes control of the 4S . K fl K f6
c-file. Black succeeds in
49 . K e2 KeS
removing the bishops from
the board but White retains SO . K d3 Kxd S
both a spatial advantage and S1 . K c3 R e4
attacking chances. This is a classical rook
39... Bd6 endgame. White will
40.Q f4 Bxe S maneuver his rook to d2, in
order to defend the pawns
41 .Qxe S R a7
a l ong the second rank.
42 .R cS Re7 Then he will use his king to
B l a c k coul d not a v o i d gain additional space.
losing a pawn. 42 . . . Rd7 S2 .R a4 ! Re2
43.Rb5 Q e7 44.Rb 8 + Kf7
S3 .R d4+ KcS
45.Qh8
43 .R xdS I Qe7 S4 .b4+ KbS
44 .Qxc7 Rxe7 SS.R dS+ Kc6
4S . R x a S R b7 S6 .R d2 R eI
S7 .f3 K gI
Strategy ror Advanced Players 75
58 .K d41 Lesson 26
White rea lizes tha t he Bishop pair; open lines in the
cannot make progress on center
the queenside without Karpov-Hort
g i v i ng up his kingside Moscow. 1 97 1
pawns, but with the Black Slclallan Defense
king tied down keeping an 1 . e4 c5
eye on the b-pawn,
2. N f3 d6
W h i te sends his own
monarch a fter the Black 3. d4 cx d4
pawns. 4. N xd 4 N f6
58 . . . R e1 5. N c3 e6
59 .R c2 + Kb6 6. g4 N c6
59... Kb5 60.Rc7 7 . g5 N d7
60 . K d 5 1 R e3
S.Be3 a6
61 .R c6 + Kb5
9 . f4 Be7
62 . R c7 h5
1 0 . R g1 N xd 4
62. . . Re2 63.g4 would also
Hort p layed this reluc
have won for White.
tantly, since it concedes the
63 .R b7 + Ka4 ? 1 center to White, who now
6 3 . . . Ka6 64. Rg7 would has better control of e5.
have lasted longer. Therefore Black will have
64 . K c4 1 to occupy that square while
And now the b-pawn will he can.
be able to advance. 1l .Qxd4 e5 1
64 . . . Ka3 12 .Qd2 exf4
65.R a 7 + 13 .B xf4 N e5
And Black resigned, since Black has executed his
his king can no longer keep plan to take over the e5-
pace with the pawn. 1-0 square, but has had to accept
a weak pawn at d6 in
return .
This is an error o f
j udgement. Black reasoned
that W h i t e w o u l d not
capture, because that would
result in a disp lacement of
his king. But with the d-file
sealed, the White king will
rest comfortably at d l .
1 4 . B e2 B e6 18 .gxh 6 Bh4+
l S .N d SI 1 9 . K d1 gx h 6
W h i t e correctly estab 20 . B xh 6
lishes a blockade at d5. If he
had castled first, then Black
would have been able to
t h w a r t this plan w i t h
15 . . . Qa5!
15... Bxd S
1 6 .e x d S
A d ifficult choice.
Generally, one uses a piece Black now had to recon
to blockade a pawn, but here sider the situation. White's
the weakness at d6 would extra pawn at c2 is not the
have a counterpart at e4. most important factor. The
Karpov's choice also gives question is, where should
more scope to his Iight the Bh4 be posted?
squared bishop.
20... Bf6
1 6 .. . N g6
21 .c3 BeS
H ort, recognizing the
This is clearly a good
passivity of his position,
square for the bishop, and
strives to create counterplay
there is a serious threat here
by tactical means. The threat
of kingside infiltration with
is the capture at f4 followed
22 . . . Qh4, e . g . , 23. Bg5 Qb6
by Qa5+.
24. Be3 Qc7. But Karpov,
1 7 . B e3 h 6? !
recognizing the danger, puts
a stop to Black's plans.
Strategy tor Advalced Players 77
22 . R g4 ! Qf6 ? 1
Desp i te White's advan
tages (bishop pair, open
lines in the center) H ort
should have taken the
opportunity to restore the
material ba lance with
22 . Bxh2. Instead, h e chose
. .
to play for complications. Black is almost out of the

woods. All he has to do is
23 .h 41
castle. But the central files
A strong positional
can still cause him p ro
move, saving a n d advanc
blems.
ing the h-pawn. It is based
27.R f3 ! N xd S
on the tactical p oint that
23 . . . N x h 4 ? would be 2 8 . R d3 Rxh 6
countered b y 24.Bg7. No better was 28 . . . Ne7
23 . . . QfS 29.Bf4!
24 .R b4 29 .R xdS I
This rook performs the White had to avoid the
double duty of protecting tactical trick 29.Qxh6 BgS
the fourth rank and attack when 30 ... Ne3+ would have
been very powerful.
ing on the queenside.
24 . . . 29 . . . Qe4
Bf6
2 S .h S N e7
N o t 2S . . . N e S ? , w h i c h
drops a piece to 27.Rf4!.
26 .R f4
26.Rxb7?? Rxh6! 27.Qxh6
QxdS+ picks up the Rb7.
26... QeS
Material equilibrium has
been resored, but Black's
pieces are not well placed.
White's roaming rook now
red e p l o ys to a most S. D d 3 N c6
menacing position.
6. N f3 Dxc3+
30.R d3! Qhl +
7. bx c3 d6
The threa t o f Re3,
combined with pressure at
h6, force Black to take this
desperate measure. He was
in time pressure as well .
31 . K c2 Qxa l
32.Qxh6 DeS
33 .QgS
Here Hort's flag fell, but it Black gives up the bishop
didn't really matter. 1 -0 pair without provocation,
in order to double the
Lesson 2 7 pawns. Then, instead of d7-
Fortress; pressure d5 which allow s lines to
NOjdort-Huebner open, d7-d6 is played.
Wljk oon Zee, 1 97 1 8 . e4
Nlmzolndlon
This is the logical reply,
1 . d4 N f6 since Black has refrained
2. c4 e6 from d 7-d5. This gives
3. N c3 D b4 Black the opportunity to
create a totally blocked
The N imzoindian i s one
center, and that will favor
of the most deeply strategic
the knights. That is why
of all chess openings, in
8 .0-0 is a more common
keeping with the spirit of
move.
Aron N imzowitsch, who
8. . . eS
was one of the best planners
in chess history. 9.dS N e7 !
4. e3 cS I n the near term, this
Robert Huebner's patent knight has work to do on
-and it is only fitting that the kingside. Eventually, it
the strategy of this opening may return to the queenside
is exhibited in one of his (a5) to pressure the pawn at
finest games. c4, but the kingside balance
strategy for Advooced Players
is of greater significance in
the early stages of the
middlegame.
10. g31 I
An experiment. 10.Nh4 is
the normal move, leading
to a compl icated game
which favors the better
player! H u ebner reacts 13 .Qb3
calmly, as if l O .NM had This seems like a sensible
been played, and the game reply, but the more prosaic
transposes to more typical 1 3.Bd2 would have been
play. better, as the White queen
1 0.. . h6 has somewhat more of a
future at O. Now Black can
1l. N h 4 g5
complete his development
Black is not going to quickly and secure his king
castle to the kingside, and on the queenside.
this move takes over the
13 . . . Bh3
initiative.
12.Ng2 1 4 .0 - 0 0-0-0
1 2.QO Nfg8! 13.NfS NxfS 1 5 .R bl Qe7
14.exfS Nf6 would be very Black has nothing to fear
comfortable for Black. on the b-file, as the best
1 2... Qa5 White can do is to play Rf2
Black could also have and Rf2-b2. But with KbS
achieved e q u a l i t y w i t h and BcS Black will have an
1 2 . . . Bh3 1 3 . Ne3 Qd7, as i n impenetrable fortress.
Huebner-Timman, played a 16 .£3 KbS
decade later 1 7 . R f2
17.g4 hS is bad for White
17... Rhg8
lS.Ne3 BeS
W h i te ' s position is Now Black must shift

strategically bankrupt and plans. His pawn structure is
he can do little but return superior in all areas, but his
his king to a safer posit ion best chances l i e on the
in the center. kingside-for the moment.
1 9 . K fl 22 . . . f6
Black needs t o carve a 23 .g4 RhBI
path into the White
24 .B e3 hS
position. The best candidate
for this is the f-fiIe, which 2 S . B fl R f1 !
can be opened with 0-f5. I n order to b e able t o
White can prevent this, but double rooks at the appro
that will only create oppor priate time, and also to be
tunities on the e-file and h able to use the rooks any
file. where on the 7th rank.
19... R dfBI 26.h 3 Qd7
20 . K e1 N eB 27 .Kd2 N c7
21 .N f5 2B . a 4? 1
Forced, unless White is White was tired of wait
willing to allow O-fS. ing around doing nothing,
21 . . . N xfS but this m o v e s i mp l y
crea tes a weakness which
22.e xf5
will p rove embarassing
later.
2B . . . R e7
29 .R e1
strategy tor Advooced Players 81
endgame by excha ng i n g
major pieces.
3 6 . K c2 h xg4
37.h xg4 B d7
38 .Qa2 Rh2
39 .Kd2 R xf2+
40 .B xf2 Qh 2
Now Black, recogmzlng
the weakness at a4, comes 41 .Ke2
up with a wonderful win W h i t e ' s m o n a rch has
ning stra tegy . He will attack been in a g i t a t e d motion
the pawn, lure it forward throughout the game!
and exchange it for the Pb7. 41 . . . N a4
29 . . . N a8 ! 42 .Qd2 Be8
The threat is Nb6. So the 43 .R b1 Rxb1
pawn marches forward.
44 . B xb1 Qf4 !
30.a S Qd8 !
4 S . B d3
31 .Qa3 Rhh7
45.Qd3 Nb2
To b e able to bring both
45... Qxd2+
rooks to the queenside, if
needed. There is n o rush, 4 6 . K xd2 N b6
because W h i te has no 47 . K c1 B a4
counterplay.
48 . B e2 Bd7!
32 .R b1 b6 !
A s ma l l t r i c k- t h e
33 . B d3 R b7 te m p t i ng exchange o f
34 .a xb6 bishops would not turn out
34.a6 Rbd7 and NaS-c7 well.
will pick up the pawn. 4S ... Bxc2 49. Kxc2 Nxc4
SO.Kd3 Nb6 5 1 .c4 a5 52.Bel
34 . . . N xb6
a4 53.Ba5 a3 54. Be3 Ka7
Now Black has a passed
55 . Ba l Ka6 5 6 . Kc3 Ka5
pawn and the rest is simple.
57.Kb3 Ka6 5S.Be3 draws!
3 S . R al Qh 8 !
49 . B d3 Ke7
And the h-file will be
SO . K b2 B e8
used to set up a w inning
82 Strategy for Advooced Ployers
S1 . K b3 B a6 This position had already

appeared in the widely
S2 .B e3
discussed 3rd game of the
52. Kb2 Nxc4+ 5 3 . Kb3
Fischer-Spassky match and
Nd2+ 54. Kc2 Bxd3+ 55. Kxd2
Gligoric was read y to im
Bc4 56. Ke3 Bxd5 57.Bel Kb6 prove on 1 l .Qc2.
and Black wins easily.
1l . a 4 1 N eS
52 . . . N xd SI
Better is 1 1 . . .a6. Kavalek
0-1 is trying to emu late Fischer
and will post his knight at
Lesson 28 h5.
Good knight; scope 1 2 . Q c2 N h S? 1
Gligorlc-Kavalek 1 2 . . . g5! ? intending g4 is a
Skopje Olympiad. 1 972 proper preliminary to this
Modern Benoni mane u v e r . Ta tai-Povah,
1 . d4 N f6 London 1 978 continued
2 . c4 cS 1 3.Ra3 g4 1 4.b3 and here
14 . . . N fd7 would have been
3. d S e6 interesting.
4. N c3 exdS G l igoric-Fischer, Palma
S. cx dS d6 de Mallorca Interzonal 1 970
saw 13.Nd3 Nxf3+ 1 4. Bxf3
6. e4 g6
h6? 1 5.Bd2 a6 1 6 . Be2 Qe7
7. N f3 B g7 1 7 . Rae1 Qe5 1 8 . Khl Qd4
S.Be2 0-0 1 9 . f3 and Gligoric had a
clea r advantage, though
9. 0-0 ReS
Fischer pulled out the
10.N d 2 N bd 7 victory a mere 16 moves
later. Still, 14 . . . Nd7 is a
major imp rovement as the
knight can be transferred to
e5. This is a more e ffective
stra tegy than the queen
journey Fischer used, an
opinion which was con
firmed in Ogaard-Engklaar,
Oslo 1974.
13.BxhS gx h S Taimanov, Leningrad Inter

A l t h o u g h B l a c k has zonal 1 973. Here, according
weakened his kingside his to Jon Speelman, White can
king is not easily attacked, return the material with
and he counts on the com in teres t ! 20 . Rxg7! Kxg7
bination of NeS, a powerful 2 1 .Qc3+ Kg8 (21 ...Kf8
bishop at g7, and a strong 22.Bh6+ Nxh6 23.Qh8+ Ng8
PcS to p rovide sufficient 24.f6 Qd7 25.Ng5) 22.Nf6+
counterplay. Kf8 23.Nxh7+ Kg8 24.Qg3+!
Kxh7 25.Qg6+ KhB 26.f6
1 4 .N d l l
Re l + 27. Kxel QgB 2B.Qxh5+
This i s the key idea Qh7 29.Qxh7+ Kxh7 30.g4
behind 1 1 .a4. White w i l l and White has too many
simply challenge t h e NeS pawns.
w i th Nd2-c4 . If W h i te
I S .N e 3 N g4
didn't place the pawn at a4,
this c o u l d have been 1 6 .N x g4 h xg4
stopped by 1 4...bS. 1 7 .N c:4
14... Qh 4
Later attempts were made
to improve here for Black
by playing an immediate
14 ... b6, since this move will
have to be played even
tually. But even so White
retains the better game.
14 ... b6 15.Ra3 fS 1 6 .exfS
Black has no real a ttack
Ba6 1 7.Ne4! sacrifices the
on the kingside and the BcB
exchange for a strong attack
has no scope at all. White's
against the Black king. The
basic p lan is ReI and Bf4,
Ba6 is probably stronger
increa sing the pressure at
than the Rf1 here, since at
d6.
least it deprives the White
queen o f some transfer 17... Qf6 ? 1
squares to the ki ngsi d e . Relatively best was 1 7 ... g3
1 7... Bxfl 18.Kxfl Nf7 19.Rg3 I B.fxg3 Qxe4 19.Qxe4 Rxe4
Kh8 was played in Gligoric- 20.Nxd6 Re5. Now White
can force the dark-squared cannot afford to weaken e6

bishops off the board, after by playing f7-f6.
which his good knig ht is 24 ... RhS
better than the enemy
2 S .Qf2 Qf6
bishop.
l S .B d2 Qg6 26.R e3 ReS
1 9 . B c3 Bxc3 27 .R ae 1 Qf4
b6 2 S . e S! dxe S
20 .bxc3
20 . . . Qxe4 21 .Qxe4 Rxe4
22. Nxd6 gives White a
powerful passed pawn.
21 .R fe 1
We have entered a new
stage of the game. White
will aim for the advance
e4-eS and Black w i l l do
everything in his power to Now White wants t o
stop it. capture with the knight, but
21 . . . Ba6 does not want to a llow
Black to exchange queens,
2 2 .N d 2 ReS
so first the enemy queen is
23 .f4 ! gxf3 driven back.
24.N x f3 29 .R e4 ! Qf6
30.Qg3 + KhS
31 .N x e S R gS
32 .R g4 R xg4
33 .N x g4 Qg6
34.c41
The tactical trick
3 4 . . . Bxc4 ? ? 3S .Qc3+ gives
Now White will bring this move exceptiona l re
his strategy to a successful sults, since now the bishop
conclusion, since Black is completely out of play.
This, combined with the
Strategy for Advalced Players 85
weakness of the back rank, 7 . £5 i s the main line, but

. .
brings the game to a swift 7 ... Bf6, putting pressure on

conclusion. d4, is probably the best
34 . . . R £S move here.
3 S .N h 6! 8. cx dS ex dS
9. B £4 0-0
1 0 . Q c2 N xc3
1 l .Qxc3
3S... R 16
3 S . . . Qxg3 3 6 . Re8+ Kg7
37.NxfS+ Kf6 38.Nxg3
3 6 . R e8 + Kg7 White hopes to use the
3 7 .R g8 + Kxh 6 open file to put pressure on
the queenside, but Black has
38 .Qh4+ 1-0
a simple plan of advancing
the c-pawn to c4.
Lesson 29 11 . . . c5 !
Pin; press ure
Pavlenko-Furman 12.0-0
Moscow , 1 972 12.dxcS d 4 ! gains space for
Queen's Indian Black, thanks to the pin at
S.
1 . d4 N 16
12... N d7
2 . c4 e6
1 3 . R fd l
3. N £3 b6
Given that the Nd7 sup
4 . g3 B b7 ports the cS-square, and that
S. Bg2 Be7 the power of t he Bg2 is
6. N c3 N e4 limited by the N f3, White
should have played 13.NeS!,
7. B d 2 dS which would have led to an
86 Strategy tor Advcnced Players
equal position a ft e r memory. The e- and f-files

13 . . . Nxe5 14.Bxe5 c4. are the loci of future action
13... c4 and the f4 and e2 squares
Now the Rd l looks will play especia lly impor
rather silly. tant roles.
1 4 .N e S bS I 20 . K h 2
IS .Qc2 N b6 1
W h i te has n o m o re
defense at f2. This means
Black has now organized
that Black has the oppor
his p ieces optim ally. His
tunity to adva nce his f
plan now is to chase the
pawn.
Ne5 a n d then try to
20 . . . fS l
exchange dark-squared
bishops. 21 . B £3
1 6 .h 47 1 Covering u p the critical
White must aim for e2- square. 21 .NxfS? Qf6 22.Bh3
e4 here. Was he really con (22.g4 g6 23. Nh6+ Kh8 24.g5
cerned about the possibility Qxf2 and h4 falls anyway.)
of 16 . . . g5?! ? Be8 23.g4 BxfS 24.QxfS Qxh4
16... f6 21 . . . 14 1
1 7 . N g4 Bd6 22.Ng4 N d7 1
White has a plan here
IS.Bxd6 Qxd 6
to plant the knight at eS and
1 9 .N e 3 RaeSI interrupt the attack. Black
Between White's mis must continue to concen
guided play a nd Black's trate on the key squa res,
solid response the option of which a re now f2 and e2 ,
e2-e4 is now but a d istant even though White can
"remove" his d-pawn and

attack the weakness at dS.
23 .b3 h5
24 .N e 5 N xe 5
2 5 . d xe 5
Does the bishop defend

the e-pawn? No, it is
pinned. Does the rook? No,
since if it slides to the left
then B x f3 + is strong.
Combine ingredients and
win!
Now if Black captures the
30 . . . Rxe21 1
pawn it will be hard for him
to make progress, b u t 31 .Qxe 2 Qxe 2
Furman h a s not forgotten 32 . R x e 2 Bxf3 +
about his principal targets at
33 . K fl Bg4 +
e2 and f2.
25 . . . Qb6 [ 34.Kel B xe 2
26 . K g2 Ex g3 3 5 .Kxe 2 bx c4 0 - 1
27.fxg3 R xe 5
Lesson 30
Al though the pawn is
Diagonal; pin
gone, the vacant square at f2
Reshevsky-Schlller
remains an inviting target.
Simut 1 972
White now transfers a rook Queen's Gambit Accepted
to guard the weak squares
on the f-file and also at e2, l . d4 d5
while Black opens lines and 2 . c4 dxc4
increases the pressure. 3. N f3 N f6
28 .R fl d4
4. e3 g6
29 .bxc4 Qe6 [
5. B x c4 Bg7
30 . R fl
6.0-0 0-0
10 .. . B b7 20 .R adl
1l .N bd2 N bd 7 Karpov carefu l l y com
p l e t e s his m o b i l i z a t i o n
1 2 .N fl ReS
before launching h i s attack.
1 3 . N g3 N cS More importantly, he recog
1 4 . B c2 BfS nized the potential useful
ness of this rook on the d
file, despi te the fact tha t the
file is almost filled with
pieces!
20 . . . Bg7
This i s the main starting

p o s i ti o n for the l O . d 3
variation. White w i l l now
spend some time a ttending
to the queenside before
attacking the enemy king. Now Karpov must create
l S .b4 N cd 7 his plan. The center is still
16.d4 filled with tension. The Rdl
h6
has distant "man-on-man"
1 7 . B d2 N b6 coverage against the Black
l S . B d3 86 1 1 queen.
Too passive. Black 21 . d xe SI
should stake a claim on the A well-timed exchange.
queenside before it is too Black should now recapture
late and the best way o f w i t h the knig h t , even
doing so would be to aim though a fter 22.NxeS BxeS
for c7-c5 with a preparatory 23. f4 White w i l l have a
ReS. That p la n is not strong central positon.
without risk, but it is better 21 . . . dxe S? 1
than treading water. 22 .c4!
19 .Qc2 N fd 7
Thi s forces the weak

ening of Black's queenside
pawn structure.
22 . . . bx c4
23 .B xc4 Qe7 ? !
Spassky wants to play c7-
c5 a s soon a s p o ssible,
eliminating his weak pawn.
27.a 51 Ba4
But he should have taken
the opportunity to exchange 28 .Qcl N c8
his knight for White's 29 . B xh 6 1
p o w e rful l i g h t - s q u a r e d The superior activity of
bishop. White's forces which results
24 .B b3 1 c5 from the sacrifice of the
25.a4! exchange will enable him to
Karpov already h a s the attack on the kings ide.
idea of a plan in which he 29 . . . Bxd l
will sacrifice the exchange 30 . R xdl N d6 ? 1
by allowing Black to play Unders tandably, Black
Bb7-c6-a4 after the Bb3 is wants to get this knight into
chased back to a2. This plan a position to help with the
is based on an evaluation of defense of the king. Best
the Ret as relatively useless. was 30 ... Ra7, though that
25 . . . c4 would have parted with the
25 . cxb4 26.a5 Rac8 27.Qa2
.. c-pawn after 31.Bxg7 Kxg7
NaB 2B.Bxb4! is a decisive 32Qxc4.
blow. 31 . B xg7 Kxg7
2 6 . B a2 B c6
White now observes that 2. d4 dS

the horses are guarded only
3. N d2 cS
by the queen, which can be
deflected. 4. exdS exdS
3 2 .QgS l S . N gf3 N c6
With the amusing point 6. BbS Bd6
that 32 . . . Qxg5 3 3 . N xg5
7 . d x cS BxcS
leaves Black with no way to
stop the loss of one of the 8 . 0-0 N ge 7
knights, while 32 . . . Nf6?? 9. N b3 Bd6
drops the queen to 33.Rxd6
Qx d6 34. N f5 +.
32.. . f6
33 .Qg4
Maintaining the threat of
Nf5+.
33 .. . Kh7
3 4 .N h 4
In isolated d-pawn posi
And Black r e s i g n ed
tions like these White has
rather than invite 34 . . . Rg8
two main objectives-the
35.Bxc4! or 34. . . NfS 35.Nxg6!
blockade o f the isolated
Nxg6 36.Qh5+ Kg7 37.Rxd6!
pawn and the elimination
and the thematic N f5 +
of B l a c k ' s da rk-squared
follows. The entire plan was
bishop.
based on play a long the d
file which Karpov antici 1 0 . B gS l
pated with 20.Rad1 ! 1-0 This move d i rectly im
p lements White's plan by
transferring the bishop to a
Lesson 32 post from which i t can
Bad bishop; isola 1M parulis reach the h2-bS d iagonal
Karpov-Uhlmann (via h4 to g3).
Madrid, 1 973 10... 0-0
French Defense n .Bh4 Bg4
1 . e4 e6 12 . B e2
strategy tor Advoocecl Players 93
The immediate 1 2.Bg3 is we will see, the control of

a l s o p layable, a l though the e-file p lays an important
Black can equalize with 1 2... role in the remainder of the
Bxg3 1 3 .hxg3 Qb6 ! . 12.Rel is game.
a reasonable a lternative to 16... B e4
the text.
1 7 . B g3 !
12... Bh571
Now that all o f White's
The superior 1 2 . . . Re8 ! pieces have been properly
had already been introduced positioned, the exchange of
by U hlmann, but he was bishops is appropriate.
probably afraid of a prepared
17... B xg3
innova t i o n .
13 .R el Qb6 1 8 . h xg3
14 .N fd4 1
N o t o n l y does W h i te
achieve half of his goal, but
he also places Black in a
position w here he faces a
difficult decision concerning
the fate of the BhS.
1 4 .. . Bg6
White need not worry
I f Black had exchanged
a b o u t th e d o u b l e d g
bishops the isolated pawn
pawns-they are actua l l y
would have less protection.
strong from both offensive
Uhlmann decides that the
and defensive perspectives.
bishop may be of use at e4,
since any eventual f2-f3 18... as!?
w i l l weaken the a7-g1 The weakening of b S is
diagonal. probably more Significant
1 5 .c3 R fe 8 than Black's mild initiative,
but perhaps the move was
1 6 .B £1 1
played without taking into
Karpov realizes that this consideration White's po
is the best square for the tential sacrifice of the b
bishop, since on 13 it could pawn.
be attacked by Nc6-eS. As
19.a4 N xd 4
20.N x d4 1 Thi s i s a major positional

Karpov correctly main concession, since it leads to
tains the blockade with the an endgame where black
piece, since if 20... Qxb2 then has a bad bishop and White
2 1 . N b 5 ! threatens both controls the e-file.
22.Nc7 and 22.Re2. 23 .Qxd4 Qxd 4
20 ... N c6 24 .cxd 4 R ad
24 ... KfS would not have
prevented infiltration by
the White rooks: 25.Re2
RacS 26. f3 Bg6 27.Rael Rc7??
28.ReS+ RxeS 29.Rxe8+
2 5 . f3 B g6
26 . R e7
The immediate objective
The position remains has now been achieved, and
rather closed, and the e-file after the doubling of rooks
is the only line which can on the e - f i l e Karpov
be exploited. To do this, i l l u s trates his fa m o u s
White must drive the ReS e n d g a m e techn ique t o
away. secure the point.
21 . B b5 ! 26 . . . b6
The p i n encourages 27 .R ae l h6
Black's rook to leave the e
28 . R b7 R d6
file. Probably 21 ...Bg6 would
have been best here. 29 . R e e 7 h5
21 ... R e d 8? 1 30.gxh 5 B xh 5
22 .g41 31 .g4 B g6
A very clever move, the 32 .f4 R c1 +
point of which is to create 33 . K f2 R c2 +
threats of trapping the
enemy b ishop should i t 34 . K e3 B e4
retreat t o g 6 (with f2-f4-f5). 3 5 . R xf7 Rg6
22 . . . N xd 4 36.g5 Kh7
37 .R fe 7 R xb2
38 . B e 8 ! R b3 + and Hort has no desire to

part with his gem.
3 9 . K e2 R b2 +
8. a4 as
40.K e1 Rd6
9. N a3 N e7
41 .R xg7+ Kh8
This must be played right
4 2 . R ge 7 1-0 away, o r else White w il l
station h i s knight at c 4 and
Lesson 33 thereby m a k e it very
Bishops of opposite color; difficult for t h e k n i g h t t o
overprotect ioll enter the game.
Hort-KuraJlca 1 0 .N c4 N dS
Vlnkovcl. 1 976
Sicilian Defense
l . e4 cS
2. N f3 N c6
3. BbS e6
4. 0-0 a6
S. Bx c6 dxc6
6. d3 Qc7 1 1 . R el
7.eS Typical overprotection.
Already the outline o f This i s clearly the appro
White's strategy i s c1ear priate position for the rook,
the d6 square is mine and I since nothing is going to
will occupy it with a piece! happen on the f-file. Now
Of course nothing can come one can dream of positions
of this immediately, but this where, after Nc4--<i6+, Bxd6
is the central notion out of and exd6, the " ma n-on
which plans are built. man" coverage Rel / Ke8 can
7. . . fS be exploited.
Inviting White to capture 11... N b6 7 !
at f6, after which Black's K u raj i c a is playing
forecourt will be a bit weak. without m u c h o f a plan,
But this would mean giving and should have left the
up the valuable d6 pOint,
knight alone, as it was well behind t h e retrea t of the

placed. Black queen.
1 1 . . . b 5 1 2.axb5 cxb5 14 . . . cx d4
13.Nd6+ Bxd6 14.exd6 Qxd6
l S .Qxd4 b6
15.c4 Nb4 1 6.Ne5! gives
White the strong threat of Black has succeeded in
Qh5+. taking control of c5, so that
Bel-a3 will no longer be
1 2 .N x b6 Qxb6
effective. Still, the queen
side pawns are now loose,
so serious consideration
should have been given to
15 ... Be7, as suggested by
Unzicker.
1 6 .Qc4 1
A clever move, recog
nizing that B l a c k was
Black is clearly worse, getting ready for Be8-a6,
with a very bad Bc8. But which now would lose the
how can White take advan e-pawn.
tage of d6? Somehow, the 16... Qd7
Bel has to get into the act.
1 7 . B e3 B a6
13 .b31
1 8 .Qh4 c5
Although the path from
a3 to d6 is currently blocked, Black's queenside posi
that can be changed by a tion is now solid, but his
timely d3-d4. In addition, pieces have limited scope.
the Bel is now free to White has not forgotten
develop at e3, since the 1> about the weakness at d6,
pawn will no longer be however.
hanging. 1 9 . R ad1 Qf1
13 . . . Qc7
14.d41
1 4 . Ba3 b5! 1 5 .d4 b4!
demonstra tes the p o i n t
counterpart on the dark

squares.
22 . . . Qb7
22 . Qf6 23.BgS
. .
23 . B g5 Qd5
24 .B e1 Bb7
25 .f3
1 9 . . . Qb7 20.QhS+ g 6 Here Black is completely
( 2 0 . . . Qf7 21 .Qxf7+ K x f7 busted, with no way of
22. NgS+ Ke7 23.Rd6 is a contesting the d7-square.
deadly infiltration.) 21 .Qh4 25... Qd2
and the dark squares are
very weak, e.g., 2 1 . . .Be7 26.d1 R fbS
22.BgS Rd8 23.Bxe7 Qxe7 21.c4 Qc3
24.Rxd8+ Qxd8 25.Qxd8+ 2 S . K fl Qd2
Kxd8 26.Rd l + Ke7 27.Rd6
Rb8 28.NgS and White wins 29 .Qg5
material. A n d Black resigned,
20 .R d61 because of 29... QxgS 30.BxgS
Ki8 31 .Rdl Rd8 32.Rd6 and
Finally Hort realizes his
29 Qc3 3O.Bf6 g6 31.Qh6. 1 0{)
.. .
dream-the occupation of
d6. Black has nothing better
Lesson 34
than accepting the material.
COllnterattacks; pressllre
20... Bxd6
Reshevsky-Vaganian
21 . e xd 6 0-0 Skopje . 1 976
22.N e 5! French Defense
The combination of the 1 . e4 e6
powerful knight outpost 2 . d4 d5
and the advanced pawn
3. N d2 N f6
provides more than enough
compensation for the ex 4. e5 N fd 1
change. Here the bishops of 5. £4
opposite color help White In this system White
too, since the BgS has no gains a lot of space, but his
forma tion can be under-
mined by counterattacks Black returns to the main

involving c7-<5 and 17-f6. theme of t he opening
5. . . cS pressure at d4 combined
with 17-f6, which he will
6. c3 � c6
play on the next move.
7 . � d f3 QaS ? I 10.� e 2 £6 1
This system i s no longer
1 1 . e xf6
considered playable, as it
can be met by the strong When Black sees a m o v e
reply 8.dxc5! Qxc5 9.Bd3 and li ke that, h e can s i t back and
then White will occupy d4 plan his victory speech.
with a knight, and there Now the pressure at d4 will
w i l l b e no sou rce of become unbearable, and
counterplay for Black. Vaganian gives a textbook
lesson on how to com
8. Kf2? 1
p letely fulfill the strategic
This radical method of goal. 1 1 .Rf1 cxd4 1 2.cxd4 fxe5
breaking the pin is not 1 3 . fxe5 N d xeS 1 4.NxeS?
needed. Nxe5. 1 1 .Kg3 is a wild alter
8. . . Be7 native, and it may be the
Black can also p l a y best White can do in the
expansively with b7-b5, but position. Vaganian defeated
the text is safe and good. Adorjan when the latter
9. B d 3 tried the plan against him
Speelman suggests that in 1974, but the game was
9.g3 is more logical, making very complicated. Still, it
room for the king. hard l y seems safe for
White!
11... B xf6!
When one understands
the strategic goal, the choice
of recapture is simple.
1 2 . K g3
Perhaps Reshevsky had
prepared this as an im
9. . . Qb6 1 provement on the afore
mentioned Adorjan game,
strategy for Advanced Play811 99
which saw Black pry open

the kingside with g7-gS. But
with the f-pawn gone, this
is no longer a reasonable
plan. So all eyes on d4!
12... a d4
13 .c:xd 4 0-0
1 4 . R e1 7 Imagine, if you will, both
the Nf3 and Bf6 removed
from the board. Then Qf2 is
mate. Consider, as well, that
the Nf3 is the only defender
the king has.
16... B h4 + 1 1
17 .Kxh4
17.NxM Qf2+
White should have 17... Rxf31 1
attended t o his king safety
1 8 . R fl
by advancing the h-pawn.
Now Black sees that with 1 8.gxf3? Qf2+ 19.KgS h6+
the d-pawn gone, the king 20.Kg6 NxeS+ 21.Kh5 Qxh2+
cannot retreat. 14.M Nxd4? is a pretty mate. Notice how
l S . Ne x d 4 B x d 4 16.Nxd4 the Bc8 plays an important
Qxd4?? 1 7.Bxh7+ role w i thout ever leav ing
home!
14... eS!!
18 . . . Qb4 +
I S .fxe S N dx e S
1 9 . B f4 Qe7 +
1 6 . d xe S
20 . B gS Qe6 1
100 Strategy fOl Advooced Players
Lesson 35
Open jilts; pin; outpost
Hort-A1burt
Oecln . 1 977
Benko Gambit
1 . d4 N f6
The attack has not led to 2. c4 cS
mate, but since 21 .h3? is 3. dS bS
met by 21 .. .Qxh3+ ! 22.gxh3 4. cx bS a6
Rxh3 mate, White must
retum the piece, and then it S. bx a6 g6
is just mopping up time. 6. N c3 B xa 6
21 . B fS RxfS 1. N f3 d6
22.N f4 8. g3 Bg1
22. Rxf5 Qxf5 23.Qxd5+ 9.Bg2 N bd 1
Be6 24.Qf3 Qxe5 25.Bf4 g5+!
10.0-0
26.Bxg5 Qxh2+- Speelman.
22... Qxe S
The Benko Gambit is a
deeply strategical opening,
23 .Qg4 R f7 with Black simply putting
24.Qh S N e1 1 as much p ressure a s
The a d d ition o f the possible on the queens ide,
knight to the attack is more using the two open files and
than White can bear. the power of his
2S .g4 N g6 + fianchettoed bishop o n the
diagonal. He can also target
26.Kg3 B d1 the pawn at d5.
21.R a e l Qd6 10 .. N b6
. n .R e1
28.B h6 R af8
And with the entry of the
last of Black's forces, White
resigned. 0-1
Strategy for AdVoooed Plavers 101
11 ... 0-0 Black has eliminated the

d-pawn and can go after the
12.N d 2
queenside b its. Natu ra lly
White needs to
Black would l i ke to play
reorganize his pieces in Nc3, and even · though the
order to pro tect the weak
queen hangs, he does!
PdS. But it is likely the
16.Ne4 Rad8 1 7.Bb2 Bxb2
straightforward 1 2 e4, sug
1 8 . Rxb2 Qb4 ! is relatively
gested by Jon Speelman, is
best, and leads to unclear
the most logical move.
complications, according to
Schwarz's 12.Bf4 NhS leads Kasparov.
to untested complications.
16... N e3 1 1
12... Qe7
1 7 . B xb7 B xb7
13 .R bl Qb7 1
This leads to a profound
queen sacrifice based en
tirely on positional factors
which a llow him to carry
out his strategy effectively.
14 .b3 N fx dS I
I S .N x dS N xd S
1 6 .N fl Black does not have fu l l
material compensation, but
he has enough p ieces to
eliminate the queens ide
pawns, while White's forces
sit idly on the back rank .
18 .Qd3? 1
102 Strategy lor Advanced Players
1 8 . Qd2 might have been 29.Bxd4 Nc2 30.Rdl Nxd4

better, because i t would 31 .Rxd4 Bxfl 32.Kxfl Rd8)
have forced Black to capture 26 . . . Rxd2 27.Nxd2 (27.Bxd2
at bl because otherwise exd4 28.Bxc3 dxc3 29 . Rcl
19.Bb2 would threaten the Bxfl 30. Kxfl Rb8 3 1 . Rxc3
supremacy of the Bg7. Now Rxb4) 27 . . . Bd3 28.dxe5 dxe5
Black keeps the knight in its 29.Bb2 Ne2+ 30.Kg2 e4.
outpost at c3, using the Bb7 22 ... RIb8
instead.
23 .b4 ex b4
18 ... B e4 1
24 .a xb4 R xb4
19 .Qe3 Bd4!
2 S .N f3 Bg7
20 .Qh 6 Bxbl
26.Qh3 Be6
27 .Q£1 B e4 1
Almost a l l o f Black's
pieces are aimed at the
White pawns, and the other After demolishing the
roo k will soon get into the queenside and kicking the
act. White tries to preserve White forces back to the
his pawns, but fails. home rank, Black pins the
2l . a 3 Ba2 e-pawn, completely
paralyzing his opponent.
22 .N d 2
28 .Kg2 R aI l
22.b4 cxb4 23 .axb4 Bc4
A n a d d i t i onal p i n to
24.Qd2 e5 and the Pe2 is
cause White trouble.
gone: 2 5 . e3 Ra2 26.exd4
(26.Bb2 Rxb2 27.Qxb2 Ne2+ 29 .N gl R bbl
28.Qxe2 Bxe2 29. Rxe2 &3 30 . K h 3
30.b5 Rb8) (26.Qxa2 Nxa2
27.exd4 exd4 28.Bb 2 Nxb4
White is a lm o s t in S. . . bS
zugzwang, s o Black reduces
6. a4 b4
his options.
30 . . . hS 7. N bl
3 1 . £4
Now the pin at cl means
that the Black knight can
head for e3.
31 . . . B e6 + !
32 .Kg2 N dS
33 . K f3 B e3 1
I f 33 . . . Bb2 immediately, White's general strategy
then White could escape is clea r-go a ft e r the
with 34.Bd2. overextended pawns.
34.R dl B b2 7. . . Ba6
0-1 8. Qe2 b3 ? 1
A surprisingly poor inno
Lesson 36 vation from Portisch. The
Space normal continuation is
Rlbll-Portisch 8 e6 9.Bxc4 Bxc4 10.Qxc4
. . .
Hungary, 1 978 Qd5 where the pawn at b4

Slav Defense hinders the development of
White's forces.
1 . c4 e6
9 . Qdl e6
2. d4 dS
10.N bd2 BM
3. N £3 N f6
n . B e2 N e4
4. N e3 dxe4
Black's pressure is only
S. e3 temporary and once White
5.a4 and 5.e4 a re more castles Black is forced to
common here, since the text choose between capturing at
allows Black to expand on d2 and retreating. Perhaps
the queens ide without 1 1 . . .Qd5, keeping the e4
W h i t e o b t a i n i n g central squa re under contro l and
territory in return .
104 Strategy for Advanced Player,
defending c4, would have would be the one laughing,

been wiser. as 19 ... cxb2 2O.Rbl wins both
12 .0-0 Bxd2 of the advanced pawns, and
Black cannot use his RfB to
13 . B x d 2 0-0
go after the PcS because of
14.B W I the back rank mate.
Now i f the rook moves, IB . . . cxb2 1 9 . Rabl Bb7
then l S.NeS and 1 6 . Bf3 20.Rxb2 BdS 21 .Nd2 and the
would have placed tremen Pb3 falls.
dous pressure on Black's IB ... c2 19.Rd3 RcS 20.Rxb3
underdeveloped position. RxcS 21 . Rc3! Rxc3 22.bxc3
So Portisch sacrifices a pawn Bb7 23.Nd4 a6 24.Bd3 Nd7
to loosen things up. 25.Bxc2 RcB 26.Rbl BdS 27.e4
14... cS with a comfortable extra
IS.B xeS N xe S pawn.
19 .bxc3 Be4
16 .dxeS Qxd l
20 .R d2 N c6
1 7 . R lx dl e3
There is no point i n
posting the bishop a t c 2
since W h i t e c a n always
move his Ral away
(avoiding b3-b2) and then
play Nd4.
Black probably reasoned

that White would capture at
a6 here, but the advanced
pawns remain as weak as
they were in the opening,
and Ribli understands this.
21 .N d 4 1 N aS
1 8 . B bS I B b7
Black could not afford to
I B . . . BxbS 19.axbS would
exchange knights because
have created a humorous
White can always return his
pawn structure, but White
Ska� for Advanced �ave� 105
bishop to the b l -h7 Taking the only o ther

diagonal. open file.
22 .f3 D dS 29 . . . N b6
23 . e 4 D e4 30 . a S N a4
24 .R h2 1 31 .N e 2 1
N o w W h i t e w i l l ex Th e pseudo-sacrifice of
change his pawn a t c5 for the c -p a w n would be
the pawn at b2, and Black decisive for White i f Black
will have no rea l compen were to accept.
sation. Yet there is still a lot 31 . . . a6
of work to do before the 31 . . . Nxc3 32.Nxc3 Rxc3
game can be declared as a 33. Rd7 a6 34. Rbb7 Rf8
win. 3 5 . Ra 7 Ra3 3 6 . Rxa6 Rc8
24 . . . R fe S 37.Raa7 Ra2+ 38. Kg3 was
2 S . D xe4 N xe4 given by Ugrinovic as a win
for White, and this seems to
2 6 . R xb3 RxeS
be the case since his king is
27 . R bS R ee S p e r fe c t l y s a f e . 38 ... Rcc2
2S . K f2 86 39. Rx17 Rxg2+ 40. Kf4 Rxh2
41 . Rfd7 and mate follows.
32 .R b3 R e7
33 .R dbl Raa7
3 4 . K e3 1
By using h i s king to
defend the pawn, White
frees the rooks for more
important tasks, the first of
In this p o s i ti o n it is which is to d rive out the
important to note that enemy knight.
White has p o s i t i o n a l as 34 . . . N eS
well as material advantages,
3S R a3
. N d7
and it i s important to
exploit them! 36.R a4 N eS
29 .R dl ! 37 . R bb4 R eS
3S .h 31
White is now ready to 46.N b3 N xb3

gain more space by advanc
47 .R xe7 N a1 +
ing the f-pawn, and then
the e-pawn, but first he 48 . K b2 Rxe7
covers the g4-square.
38.. . R ac 7
39 .f4 N e4 +
40.K d3 R d7 +
41 .N d 4
Now it is clear why it was
important to take control of
e5! N o w White should w in
41 .. . N d6 any rook ending by simply
42 .R b6 N b7 advancing his pawns. Since
the Nat has no effect on the
43 .R e4
game, Ribli ignores it!
49 . R xa 61 h4
50 .R a8 + K g7
51 . a 6 R e4
52 .a 7 R a4
53 .e41 1-0
Lesson 37
Now if Black exchanges
£"Ploiting the light squares
rooks his position is hope
Speelman-Larsen
less, s o he tries another
Lone Pine . 1978
plan, b u t it meets w i th Old Indian
refutation. (by transposition)
43 . . . N e5 +
t.e4 e6
4 3. . .Rxc4 44.Kxc4 N xa5+
45.Kb4
2 . e4
This v ar i at i on has g rown
44 . K e2 R de7
in popularity in the past
4 5 . e 51 h5 decad e . P u re Caro-Kann
players usually continue good-I don't think that it

with 2. . d5, but Larsen, who
. is very s p e c ia l . " wrote
likes the Old Indian, prefers Speelman, who noted tha t
to advance the e-pawn. 8 . . . a5 was by no means
2. . . es necessary.
3. N f3 d6 8. . . 0-0
4. d4 Bg4 9. R e l R e8
Black places i n d irect
pressure a t d4. W h i te
should now develop calm
ly, as rash action in the
center wiD not be effective.
s. B e 2
5.dxe5? Bxf3! 6.gxf3 dxe5
7.Qxd8+ Kxd8 8.f4 f6! is fine
for Black, si nce W h i te's Now Speelman decides
bishop pair is limited in that an exchange of Iight
effectiveness by h i s bad squared b i sh o p s w o u l d
pawn structure, Seirawan work to his advantage, so
Nikolic, Tilburg 1990. after developing the Bel he
5. . . N d7 extends the s ta n d a r d
invitation.
6. N c3 Be7
I O . B e3 Bhs
7. 0-0 N gf6
Larsen wants t o keep his
The g a m e has n o w
options open.
transposed to a t ru e Old
1l .N d 2 Bg6 !
Indian position, but with
the twist that Black has The pin o n the pawn at
already developed his Iight e4 gives rise to p ossible
scenarios for a d 6-d5 break,
squared bishop. Speelman
noted that it was difficult to so Speelman w i sely closes
the center.
come up with a g o o d
strategy here, so h e fakes it. 12 . d s ! a6
8 . R bI I3 .b4 hs
"I decided to wait whilst Larsen, who hates
kidding Black that b4 is passive play, realizes tha t
h i s has no chances to little m o re room to

achieve anything o n the maneuver. B u t i n add ition
queenside, and so he makes to g i v i n g W h i t e easier
a threatening gesture on the access to the c-file, it allows
other wing. White to use the g4-square.
14.a4 h 4? 1 19... R ec 8
It turns out that by ceding 20 . B g4 1
g4 to White, Black gets into And now the advance of
serious d i fficulties later in the h-pawn comes back to
the game. haunt Black. The Nd7 can
I S .h 3 Qc7 no longer leap to c5 without
1 6 . R b3as?1 wasting m o re t i m e , b u t
A quiet waiting move Black has n o better plan.
like shift ing a rook to b8 20 ... R fS
would have been preferable. 21 .Qcl
17 .bS
Now moving a rook to c8

A critical position. One loses material a fter the
might think that it makes exchange of queens and b5-
no difference whether the b6, so Black must allow
capture is made at b5 or d5, White a passed pawn.
but it does. 21 . . . N cS
17... adS?1 22 . B xc S dxcS
1 8 .N x dS I N xd S The plan now is to nail
19 .cxd S down the queens ide and
The elimination of a pair then continue to exploit the
o f knights would seem to light squares on the h3-c8
help Black, who now has a diagonal, the theme that
runs throughout the game. The resu lt of White's

White's nex t move pre correct decision at move 23.
vents the conso l idating b7- 30 . . . Qc8
b6.
31 .R xa S R f4
23 .b61 QdS
The threat was Ra8!
24.N c 4 32 .Qxc8 Rxc8
Black's position i s hope
33 .R xf4 ex f4
less, so he introduces some
tactical complications. 34 .R a7
24 . . . Bxe 4 The b-pawn falls and the
game ends quickly .
2S.Rxe4 fS
34... Re8
2 6 . B xfS
34 Rb8
. . . 35.a5 K f7
In keeping with the 36.Rxb7+ ! ! Rxb7 37.a6 and
general st ra tegy. 26.d6 Bg5 there is no stopping the
27.Qdl fxe4 28.Qd5+ Kh8 pawns.
29. Nxe5 would have been
3 S . R xb7 Kh7
more effective, as suggested
And now White exploits
by Seirawan.
the theme o f the previous
26 • . • R xfS
note to bring the game to a
27.d6 B f6 brilliant conclusion.
2S .Qdl Qd7
3 6 . R e7 1
29.Qg4 1 RdS And Blac k re s i g n e d
29... Qxa4 30.Ra3 Qd7 becaus of 36 Bxe7 37.dxe7
...
31 N e3
.
Rxe7 38 a5 etc. 1 �
30.R bS
ltO Strategy for Advanced Players
Lesson 38 13 . B x e 1 N xc3
Doubled rooks; pin 14 .bxc3 Qxe 1
Kasparov-HJorth
The only strategy avaiJ-
World Junior Ch, 1 980
able to White is to try to
Tarrasch Defense
eliminate Black's pawn at
l . d4 dS d5 so that the central pawns
2. c4 e6 can advance. Black will try
to t h ru s t the queenside
3. N f3 cS
pawns forward as quickly as
4. cx dS exdS possible.
S . g3 N c6 I S .e 4 1 Qd1
6. Bg2 N £6 1 6 .a 4 1
1. N c3 B e1 A very important move,
re st ra ining Black's queen-
8.0-0 0-0
side play. That accomp-
9. BgS c4 lished, White can tum his
1 0 .N e S Be6 attention to the kingside.
11 .f4 N xe S 16 . . . Rfd 8
1' .Qh S RacS
12 .fxe S
Kasparov introduced this T h e b a t t le l i nes a re
move in the present game. drawn. Now White doubles
The idea is that the i-file rooks on the f-file. This will
will be a useful asset in the leave the a-pawn hanging,
attack and that a pawn at d4 but if the a ttack is fas t
may be helpful too. enough it won't matter.
12... N e4 1 8 . R f4 Rc1
Strategy lor Advanced Players 111
1 9 . R afl Qxa4? from f7. In fact, however, it

Black should be worrying opens up the d5-square so
about the defense of his that the White pawn can
kingside, so 19 QeS was
...
chase the bishop from the
best, although White would key square.
retain a strong initiative. 22 . . . Bxe6
20 . e xd 5! Rxd 5 23 .d 5 Qb5
Forced, since otherwise f7 23 Rc5 24.Rxf7!
...
loses its m o s t valuable 23 g6 24 .Qh4 with the

. . .
defender. The f7-square is threat of QdS+

the cornerstone of Black's 24 . R h 4!
p o s i t i o n , and obviously The simultaneous threats
Whi te would like to play at e6 and h7 force victory.
Rxf7 as soon as feasible.
24 . . . Qc5 +
21 . B xd 5 Bxd 5
2 5 . R £2 Bxd 5
2 6 . R d4J
This breaks the pin at f2
while exploiting the p i n
along the 5th rank.
26... Rd1
21 .R £5 1-0
The m a t e r i a l is not Lesson 39

important. I f White does Olltposl; pin o n the long
not break through quickly diagonal
Black will make a new Hort-Karpov
queen on the other flank. Amsterdam, 1 98 1
The goal is achieved Queen's Gambit Declined
effectively. 1 d4 . N f6
22 . e 6 !
2. N £3 e6
What i s surprising about
this move is that it seems to
3 . c4 d5
contribute nothing to the 4. N c3 Be1
task of deflecting the bishop 5. Bg5 h6
112 Strategy for Advooced Players
6. B h 4 0-0 A full question mark for

this positional blunder. The
7. e3 b6
advance b6-b5 has become
B.Rel B b7 an idee fixe for Karpov,
9. a dS e x dS notwi thstand ing Hort's
10 . B e2 anticipation. While Black
N bd 7
has eyes only for the
1 1 .0 -0 cS queenside, H ort has not
12 .Qc2 a6 forgotten about the center!
1 3 . R fd 1 l S .N e SI
White can occupy this
outpost since the base of
Black's pawn chain at d5 is
without sufficient support.
If Black captures at e5, he
loses a pawn. But as things
stand, White threatens to
re m o v e a n i m p o rtant
defender.
The Tar takower Varia 1 5 .. . Qc7
tion requires good posi
15 ... Bb7 keeps the defense
tional sense and an under
temporarily intact, but after
standing of the dynamics of
16.Bf3 the threat of Ne5xc4
this particular pawn struc
is quite real, and even after
ture.
16 ... Rac8, an eventual break
13... c4 11 with e3-i!4 is inevitable.
Although White d i d n o t 1 6 .N x c6 Qxc6
capture at c5 on move 1 2 , he
is now ready to do so, and 17 . B f3
that is why Karpov a d
vanced the p a w n . H i s
strategy will prove correct if
he can also play b6-b5, but
Hort puts an end to that
idea.
14.a41 B c6 1
There is an immediate H ort found this move

threat o f l S. Nxd5 Nxd5 because he was exam ining
19.Bxe7!, exploiting the pin pOSitions w i t h the RfS
on the long diagonal. moved off the f-file. This
17... B b4 move opens the c-file, and
This m o v e not only forces the RfS to move.
removes the threat a t e7, 21 . . . ex b3
but also creates the possi 2 1 . . . Qb5 22.bxc4 Qa4
bilty of eliminating the Nc3 23.Ral and the Nd7 is
which is putting pressure unable to escape.
on d5. But Hort realizes that 22 .R xe8 Rxe8
the p i n can be effective
23 .Qx£7+ Kh8
immediately.
1 8 .N x dS I I 24.B xb3 Qb5
Nxd5
19 .Q£5 1 2S . B e6
White reg a i n s his And the p in wins!
material, since 1 9. . .N7f6 is 2 5. . . R ES
met by 2O.Bxf6 and the Nd5 26 . B xd 71
falls. And Karpov resigned,
19... Qxa 4 since after 26 ... Rxf7 27.Bxb5
20 . B xd 5 Rae8 a xb5 2S.RbI his endgame is
Karpov should have lost, while 26 ... Qe2 is met by
defended along his second 27.Qb3. H)
rank with 20 . Ra7, but he
. .
must have overlooked

White's next move.
21 .b31
114 Strategy for Adllanced Players
Lesson 40 not be appropriate because

Weak light squares; sacrifice of the pos i ti on of the White
Kosporov-Yusupov queen, putting pressure on
USSR Ch, 1 98 1 the c-file.
Bogolndion 14.N fd2
1 . d4 N f6 A stro ng move which
2 . c4 threatens to post the knight
e6
e ffective l y at e4, while
3. N f3 B b4 + opening up lines for the Bg2
4. B d 2 as and threatening to disrupt
5. g3 0-0 Black's pawn structure. In
addition, the Pc4 is guarded
6. Bg2 b6 so that the other knight can
7.0-0 Ba6 enter the game.
8. Bg5 Be7 14... g5 1 !
9. Qc2 N c6 Black overreacts to the
p o s it i o n a l s t r en g t h of
10.a3 h6 White's game. 1 4 g6 would
...
1 l . B xf6 B xf6 have been more solid.

1 2 . R d1 Qe7 1 5 .N c3 Bg7
13.e3 White should p robably
bring B l a c k ' s extended
fianchetto into question by
p lay ing 1 6 . f4, but he is
concentrating on the queen
side, and in pa rticular, on
the c-fiIe.
1 6 .N b5 Qd8
17 .f4 N e7 1
Black has taken
13 . . . Rae 8? I
advantage o f White's faulty
In this s l ow opening, plan by reorganizing his
Black has actually out pieces so that the Ne7 can
stripped White's develop take part in the defence.
ment. But White controls U n fortuna tely, Yusupov
the center, and d7-d5 will
strategy tOf Advooced Players 115
soon forgets why he wanted 22... N d6 7

the knight at e7. 22 Ne7 23.Khl ! f5 24.e5
. . .
1 8 .N f3 N fS brings W h i te sufficient
19.Qf2 7 ! compensation for his pawn,
Kasparov notes that this because Black's kings ide is
was not the correct square very weak. The di fference
for the queen-it would between this position and
have been better placed at the game is tha t here the
e2, where it could protect knight participates in the
the pawn at c4. defense . In the game, it
watches from c8.
19... c6
23.N e S fS
20 . N c 3 gx f4
24.N x c4 N xc4
21 .gxf4 Bxc4
Black does not m i n d
Although White is a parting with h i s bishop, but
pawn down, he is at the the problem is that the Nc4
same time almost a piece is far a w a y from the
ahead, because Black's Jight kingside. Kasparov now
squared bishop is incapable chases i t to an u t terly
of reaching the kingside to useless position on the back
help in the defense. I n rank.
addition, White n o w takes
2S .b31 N d6
charge of the center.
22.e4 26.e S N c8
N o w Yusupov makes a At this point White must

major strategic error. He determine his strategy for
must return the knight to the rema inder of the game.
its defensive post at e7. His goa l is to infi ltrate the
kingside, and exploit the while the Nc8 is still out of

weak light squares. play
26 . . . Ne4 27.Bxe4 fxe4 30 . K g1 Bh8
28.Nxe4 is clearly better for
White, with a SuperKnight
at e4 and threats along the
g-file.
2 7 . B £3 !
Clearly the bishop must
get involved in this task.
27 . . . Kh 7
Black escapes the g-file, I f White's queen stood on
and hopes to use it to f5, and were not attacked,
exchange roo ks, lessening then mate in two. But how
White's attacking force. do we realize this fantasy?
28 . B h 5 Ke7 The solution is stunning!
29 . K h 1 K g8 ? ! 3O .Bf8? 31 .Qh4 sets up a
..
Although this i s consis very nasty pin!

tent with Black's plan, he 31 .N e 41 1
chooses the wrong rook. Because of the threat of
The correct stra tegy was Nf6+, the knight must be
29. . . Bh8! followed by Re7- captured. But this gives
g7 . White access to the f5-
29 . . . Bh8 30.Rgl Kg7 square. The sacrifice of
31 .Rxg7+ Bxg7 32.Rgl Qe7! material is not so important
The point. This square is because Black's knight is so
now a v a i l a b l e fo r the out of play.
queen, which can hold the 31 . . . lx e4
position together until the
32.f5 Kg57
other rook reaches gS.
33.Qg3 Rg8 34.Nbl ! is given An error in time pres
by Kasparov, with the com sure. According to Kaspa
ment that White stands rov, Black shou ld have
better, since he will be able brought the queen over to
to swing his knigh t to h4, help w i th the defense:
Strategy lor Advanced Plavers 117
32 ...Qf8 33.Rxg8 Kxg8 34. f6 ! White needs to get his

Rg7! queen and rook into the
33 . R xgS h xg S game in order to mate . The
best route is via h4, but that
34.f6
is covered by the Black
queen.
37... dxe5 38.Qe2
3 8 . B x e 6 1 1 Qxe 6
39 . Q h 4+ Kg7
And here Black resigned
before Kasparov could play
4O.Rf6. 1-O
34... Kh6 Lesson 4 1

3 4 . . . Q f 8 3 5 . fxe7 Qxfl Open file; doubled pawns;
36.e8Q wins because Black pawns/orm
has no checks. Borik-Hort
3S .fxe 7 Qxe 7 Bundesllgo. 1 982
35 . . . Nxe7 3 6 . Q f7 Bg7 Modern Benoni
37. R fl Bh8 38.Rf6+ Bxf6 l . d4 N f6
39.exf6
2. c4 cS
36.8 " 1 d6
3.dS e6
3 6... g4 37.h4! gxh3 38.Rg1
Bg7 39.Qf4+ Kh7 40.Qxe4+ 4. N c3 ex dS
Kh8 41 .Qg6 S. cx dS d6
37.R fl g4 6.e4 g6
7 . £4 B g7
8. BbS+ N fd 7
9.Be2 Qh 4 +
Black spends a tempo in
order to weaken the White
kingside.
1 0 .g3
Th i s a d v a nce is a n
important component o f
Black's strategy in the
Benoni. It frees the c5-
square for occupation by the
knight, and opens the a7-g1
diagonal w h ich can be
useful for attacks on the
10... Qd8 1 ? White king.
A n original move b y 1 6 . e S7 1
Hort. Th e positional basis is The timing of this ad
that the usual plan with vance is critical, and here
Qe7 leaves the queen on the White acted prema turely.
e-fiIe, which will eventually The big center will soon be
be pried open with eHS ,so liquidated, and Black's ac
her majesty re turns home tivity on the queenside will
instead. proceed unchallenged.
lI . N f3 0-0 1 6. Be3!? Nb4 1 7.a3 Nd3!
takes advantage of the over
12.0-0 Re8
worked Btl , which has the
1 3 . R e1 N a6 responsib ility of holding
1 4 . B fl both d3 and h3. 1 8.Bxd3 cxd3
A logical move, s ince 1 9 .Qxd3 Bxh3 is fine for
White will be attempting to Black.
advance his e-pawn and 16... N b4
free the e4-squ a re fo r The ideas are the same as
occupation by a knight. In in the prev ious note, but
addition, it protects h3, here the simpl ification will
which will be important if bring into focus the lack of
White wants to launch a support o f the advanced
pawnstorm on the kings ide. White pawns.
14 . . . N b6 l S .h 3 1 7 .g4 dxe S
White might have 1 8 .fxe S N 6x d S
productively inserted a2-a4
1 9 .N x d 5 Qxd SI
here, as suggested by Borik.
15... c:4 1
The endgames are clearly sing threat of Bh2+ as well

better for Black, with or as Bxb2.
without the extra pawn. 26... N xe S
20 .QxdS N xd S 27.B xe S Bxe S
21 . B xc4 28 .N x e S R xe S
29 .R xe S Rxe S
30.R d7 RbS
Material balance is
restored, b u t White has a
very weak pawn at eS, the
res u l t of his premature One extra pawn is often
advance at move 16. insufficient for a win in
21 .. . N b6 single rook endgames, but
despite good play by White,
22 .B b3 Be6
Hort manages to win with
23 . B e3 N d7 good technique.
23 . . . Bxb3 24.a xb3 only 31 .b3 Kg7
works to White's advan
32 . K fl K 16
tage, since the open a-file
ties down the Ra8 and the 33 . K f3 as
doubled pawns a re not 34.R c7 h6
weak. In fact, the Pb3 limits
3S.Kg3 Ke6
the acti v i t y of the enemy
knight.
3 6 . K f3 h SI
24 . B xe 6 Rxe6 Black must try to create a
passed pawn.
2 S . B d4 Ru8
3 7 . K g3 h xg4
2 6 . R ad1
38 .h xg4 gS I
26. Bxa7 NxeS 27.NxeS
It is t oo soon to play f7-
BxeS! creates the emb a rras -
IS. The pawn at f7 limits the

mobility of the White rook, 44 .Kg2 R et

while the pawn at g5 hin Only in this way can
ders the movement of the Black insure that he will be
White king. able to defend both of his
39 . K f3 f6 pawn chains with his rook,
40 .R h 7 R b4 freeing the king. Endgames
Because the Black pawns like this need the support of
are located near the edge of the monarch if one hopes to
the board, White does not achieve victory.
have sufficient maneuver 4S . R e2 + KdS
ing room for his rook. Now 4 6 . R f2 R c6
the Black rook will be able
47 .Kg3 Kd4
to infiltrate.
b6 1
4 8 . K f3 Kd3
41 .Kg3
And White reSigned,
A n essential move, as
otherwise the Rb4 Is tied since Rc2 will be fatal. 0-1
down to the defense of the
pawn. Lesson 42
Rook on the 7th rank;
42 .R h 2 R f4
interlocking knights
43 .R d2 Hort-Miles
POll 198 1 -82
Nlmzolndian
l . d4 N f6
2. c4 e6
3 . N c3 Bb4
4. BgS cS
S. dS d6
This is an instructive 6. e3 Qe7
endgame. Even t ho u gh
7. N ge 2 exdS
there are no obvious targets
in the White pOSition, the 8 . •3 Bxc3+
occupation of the back rank 9 . N xc3 dxc4
is critical.
I O . B xc4
43 . . . R fl l
1 0.Nd5 Qd8 1 1 .Bxc4 Be6 is 14 . . . b5? 1 5 . Q d 6 ! bxc4

unclear. 16.Qxc6 and Black has no
10... Be6 compens a t i o n f o r his
The theme of this game shattered pawn structure.
will also be the weakness at l S .Qd6+ Qxd 6
d6. 1 6 .N x d6 b6
11 .NbSI Bxc4 White has achieved his

1 1 . . . 0-0 would have been primary plan-the occupat
wiser, in retrospect. After ion of d6. His bishop is
12.Bxe6 fxe6 13.Qxd6 Qxd6 more powerfu l than the
14.Nxd6 b6 Black would enemy knight. Now he
have had a structural weak needs a new plan.
ness, and knight versus 1 7 . R ac11
bishop in the endgame, but H o w d i d H o r t arrive at
there would have been this move? H e may have
more chances than in the come up with a fantasy
game. about a rook on the 7th
1 2 .N x d6 + KfS rank, which would be
1 3 .N x c4 N c6 devastating. That may have
seemed far-fetched in the
1 4 .0-0 Qe6
diagrammed position, but
Miles, an excellent end now the threat of b4 makes
game player, no doubt saw it a real possibility.
that the ensuing endgame
17... N d7
has l ittle joy for Black, but
the alternatives were even 17 . . . Nd8 1 8.b4 Ne6 would
worse. be a possible alternative, but
White emerges on top by
s m a s h i n g the kingside Even though the inter

pawn structure. 19.Bxf6 gxf6 locking knights provide a
20.f4! and the knight will defensive barrier for the
soon be driven from the king, Black still suffers from
coverage of c7: 2O cxb4 2l.f5
... lack of space.
Nd8 22.axb4 Ke7 23.Rfd1 23 . . . hS
with Rc7+ to follow.
24.h 3 gS
l S .R fd 1
Black had to do this
With the obvious threat before White played Bh2
of Nxf7. and f4.
lS... f6 2 S . B xe S N xe S
19 . B f4 N ce S 26.f4 gx f4
1 9 . . . g51! 20. N f5 ! gxf4
27.e xf4 N g6
21 . Rxd7 Ne5 22.Rb7 fxe3
23 . fxe3 a n d B l a c k i s 2S .N fS
paralyzed. White's contol o f the
20.b4! seventh rank is the most
This returns to the theme important feature of the
of Rc7 t h a t has been pOSition, but his freedom of
b o u n c i ng a ro u n d in movement and control of
White's head for the past space help to guarantee the
win.
few moves.
20 . . . 2S . . . N xf4
cx b4
21 . a xb4 29 .R d6 R gS
as
22 .bxa S 30.R xf6+ KeS
bx aS
23 . R c7 31 .N d 6+ KdS
3 2 . R ff7 R xg2+
33 . K fl 1-0
Lesson 43 the Spanish Inquisition.

Splltilll IIdVll n tllge; White has two options
symmetrical pllwn structure quiet play with 1 6.Qbl or
Tlmman-Kasparov aggressive queenside action.
Hllversum (1 st match 1 6 .c41 7
game), 1 985 Timman has played this
Spanish Game bold l ine against both
1 . e4 eS Karpov and Kasparov.
2. N f3 N c6 16... ex d4
3. BbS a6 17 .cxbS ax bS
4. B a 4 N f6 l S .N x d4 c6
s.o-o Be7
6. R e 1 bS
7. Bb3 d6
S. c3 0-0
9.h3 B b7
10.d4 R eS
1 l . N bd2 BfS In this position, White
12.a3 h6 aims a t the targets on the
13 . B el N bS queens ide, and therefore
the best move is probably
1 4 .b4 N bd 7
19.Bd3, but that hadn't been
l S . B b2 g6 discovered yet.
19.a4 bx a4
20 .B x a 4 Qb6
Kasparov's innovation,
p repared fo r this game.
Black's plan is illustrated
nicely by the present game.
He w i l l a i m for the
liberating advance d6-dS
A typical position in the when his pieces will be
Zai tsev /Smyslov hybrid of
better placed than their A strange sight-most of

White counterparts. the p ieces remain on the
21 .bS7 1 board but the queenside
With this move White pawns have been swept
hopes to highlight the clear. One would assume
weakness at d6, but the plan that the position is equal,
fails and in the third game but in fact Black still holds a
of the match Timman i m slight initiative.
proved with 21 .Nc2 which 27 .N c4? 1
became the standard move Timman fa ils to appre
in 1986. ciate the danger and tries to
21 . . . ex bS regain the initiative. The
best move here would have
2 2 . B xbS dS!
been the double retreat
This move eliminates 27.Ba1 Nf4 28.Bf1 !, with a
Black's only weakness and solid defensive formation.
puts strong pressure on the Now Black expands his
center. White a lready domination of critical lines.
suffers from a p i n on the b
27 . . . Qc7
file and his p ieces do not
seem to be doing anything. 28.N e S? 1
23 .R x a 8 Bxa8 The fi nal chance for
equa l i ty l ies in 28 . Re8,
24.Qa4 N cS I
exchanging o ff the dan
More p ressure o n the gerous Black rook. But now
center. And i n addition, Kaspa rov was able to de
Black has taken the velop a plan to exploit his
initiative. spatial advantage , based on
2 S . Q c2 R b8 control o f the b-file and the
Because o f the pin, this hS-a1 diagonal.
move al lows the rook to 28 . . . Bg7 1
escape without losing time,
29.N e c6
because sooner or later
White will have to waste a 29.Bc61 would have met
move to b reak it. with an impressive refuta
tion: BxeS! 30.QxcS Rxb2
26.exd S N xd S
31 .QxdS Bxd4 32.Re8+ Kh7
33.Qxd4 Rbl +
29 . . . Bxe6 33 .f3 Qxb5

30.B xe6 NU And Black has a decisive
material advantage. But
with the symmetrica l pawn
structure the w i n s t i l l
requires the creation o f an
effective plan. It is easy to
see that a knight planted at
g3 would be nice, but it
needs support.
34 . B xg7 Kxg7
Black's control o f the b
35 .Qe3 + KgB
and c-files, combined with
the pin on the diagonal and 36.Qe5 N fe 6
more active knights gives 37 .R al Qb7
him a decisive advantage! First Black organizes his
31 . B b5 defense. The next step is to
Timman tries to cut off advance the h-pawn so that
the b-file, establish his own the eventual infiltration of
pin on the c-file, and free the knight to g3 can be
his game with RcI . Black accomplished.
would just love to get his 3B.Qd6 h5
queen o n t o the as-hI
39 . K h l Kh7
diagonal with deadly threats
at g2. This is easily done! 40 .R et Qa7
31 . ReS+ Rxe8 32.Bxe8 4l .R bt N g7
Nce6 exploits the pin at d4, 42 .R bB N ee 6
with a little help from the
threatened fork at e2. 43.Qe5 N d4
33.Qxc7 Nxc7 34.Bd7 Bxd4 44 . R bl h4
35.Bxd4 Ne2+ Wa tching this game
31 .Qxc5 Rxb2 32.Nb5 Qa5 remember being impressed
33.Qe3 meets with quiet by the ease with which the
refutation: 33 Kh7!
...
World Champion achieved
31... R xb5! his objectives. The maneu
32 .N x bS Qe6 vering of the knights makes
sense only in hindsight.
126 Strategy for Advanced Playen
45.Qb8 Qe7 4.N xd 4 Qh 4

46.Qb4 Qf6 S. N bS Qxe 4+
47.Q£8 N e2 6. B e 2 B b4 +
48 .R d1 N f5 7. B d 2 Kd8
49 .Qb8 N e3 8.0-0 Bxd 2
50.Qd8 Qf4 9. Qx d2 a6
Black has properly
declined all offers t o ex
change queens-it is mate
he is after!
51 -R eI
White has emerged from

the opening with a clear
advantage, since he is better
developed and Black has
fo r fe i t e d his castling
privilege.
51 . . . N fl l
10.B £3 1
And Timman, seeing
that inevitable Nfl-g3--e 4- Not only does this gain
12, gave up. 0-1 time, but it creates the
pressure at c6 which will
Lesson 44 eventu a l l y p rove to be
Pressllrt; overworked knights decisive.
Schiller-Shannon 10... QeS
Correspondence 1l .N S c3 N ge 7
(electronic), 1 990 White must now find a
Scotch Game way to proceed against the
1 . e4 eS well-defended Black king.
2. N f3 N c6 Although the e-file beckons,
it is useful to restrain
3. d4 exd4 Black's queenside so that he
cannot free his game with

b7-bS and Bc8-b7.
12 .a4!
N o t o n l y d oe s this
achieve that goal, but it also
provides a convenient way
to develop the NbI.
1 2 .. . d6
White has a simple p lan
1 3 .N a 3 Be6 in mind: Pb2-b4-bS. This
1 4 . R adl Kd7 does not seem implement
Black hopes to slide his able, at present, but i t does
Ra8 to a more useful square in fact work.
and then manually castle 19 .b4! Qxb4
queenside, after which his Now the overworked
position will be no worse. knights can be exploited in a
I S . R fe l QaS most brutal manner.
White n ow moves to a) 19 . Nxb4 20.Bxb7 Rb8
..
p re v e n t that plan by 21 .Ne4 creates nasty threats

improving his control of of NcS+ in a variety of
the e-fil e and making settings
possible Na3-c4. b) I9 . QgS 20M followed
. .
1 6 .Qe2 ! Rae8 by b4-bS

20 . R x e 7+ ! 1
1 7 .N c4 Bxc4
And Black resigned, since
1 8 .Qxc4 capturing with knight or
Now there is a clear rook drops the queen, and
target at fl, and if the pawn 20 ... Kxe7 21 .NdS+ is equally
advances then the l ight effective. 1 -0
squares will be very weak.
The interdepend ece o f Lesson 45
Black's p ieces i s n o t a plus. Olltpost; Control 0/ the d-file
Rather, the knights a re Yermollnsky-Fedorowlcz
overworked. USA ch, 1 99 1
18... R h f8 Klng's Indian
l . d4 N f6
128 strategy for Advanced PIoyers
2. t4 g6 Typical King's Indian

White will attack on the
3.N d B g7
queenside, Black will go
4. e4 d6 king -hunting on the other
S. Be 2 0-0 flank. The key move for
Black is a well-timed g5-g4.
6. N f3 eS
13 . . . Be6 !
7. Be 3 N g4
As Seira w a n astutely
8. Bg S f6 notes, the immed iate ad
9.Bh4 gS vance o f the g-pawn is
1 0 . B g3 Nh6 tempting but ill-advised.
13 . . . g4 1 4 . hxg4 Bxg4
11.h3
15.Nh4 Qxdl 1 6. Raxdl and
White has a n alternative the control of the d-file plus
strategy with 1 l .dxe5 d xe5 safe king gives White the
12Qd5+ w hich is also quite advantage.
popular.
1 4 . Q t1 Qe8
11 .. . N c6 1 4 ... g4 is still slightly
12 .dxe S dxe S premature: 1 5.hxg4 Bxg4
Given that Black's 1 6.Nd5! and the strong
strategy involves an attack outpost makes Seirawan's
along the f-fiIe, one might eva luation o f "chances for
prefer 1 2 . . .fxe5, and that is a both sides" a bit optimistic,
popular alternative. But by perhaps, from Black's point
keeping the f-pawn Black of view.
can use it to cause some l S .N d S R cS
damage on the kingside.
16 .b4
1 3 .0 - 0
strategy for Advanced Players 1 29
Now that White has All along we have been

thrown the b-pawn forward waiting for this advance,
Black can carry out his plan. which is perfectly timed.
16... g4 1 22 .R xd4
1 7 . h xg4 B xg4 22.exf5 Nhxf5 23.Bh2 c6
24.bxc6 bxc6 25.Ne3 Nxf3+
lS .bS Bxf3 !
26.gxf3 Qg6+ 27. Khl Nh4
The point. With the Nf3 2S.Rgl Qf7 was hardly
gone the d4-square is desirable.
available as an outpost for
22 . . . ex d4
the knight.
19 . B xf3 N d4 23 .e xfS
23.Nxc7 Qd7! 24.Nd5 fxe4
20.Qa3
25. Bxe4 Rxc4 would have
White plays as if there given Black a very impres
were no danger whatsoever sive passed pawn.
on the kingside. Though
23 . . . N xfS
the two clerics bravely stand
guard, they are easily 24 . B xc7
diverted, and the f-pawn Though White does not
will play a decisive role in want to use one o f his
the attack. palace guard to go pawn
20.Bdl c6 21 .bxc6 bxc6 hunting, he doesn't have
22.Ne3 Qg6 was suggested by much of a choice.
Seirawan. Even here Black 24.Nxc7 Qd7 25.Nd5 Nxg3
seems to have a much more 26.fxg3 Rxc4 gains the pawn
active game. and s t i l l rem oves the
20 . . . KhS bishop. (Analysis by
One musn't allow Ne7+ ! Seirawan)
21 .R ad1 24 . . . Qf!
21 .Qxa7 would have been 2 S . B g4
a most foolhardy move: f5!
22.exfS Nxf3+ 23.gxf3 Nxf5
24. Kg2 e4! with a very short
life-expectancy for White.
21 . . . fS I
31 . B £4
31.Kel Re8+ 32.Kdl Re2
31 . . . d2
32 . K e2 N aS I
Now we just mentally

remove the pawn at 12 and
the knight at f5, and voila!
Of course, to make this
fantasy a reality we must
find the right move.
The point o f this i s to
25.Bh2 Rxc4 26.Qxa7 Nh4
remove the defender of the
27.Be4 d3! 28.Bxd3 Qxd5 and
Nd5 after which Black lures
the threatened mate at g2 is
the � nemy king to the d-file
decisive.
by queening, and then pins
25.. . N e3 1 the knight.
2 6 . B xc8 33 . B e6 N xc 6
26.Nxe3 dxe3 27.Bxc8 e2! 34.bxc 6 dlQ+
26... N xfl
3S .Kxdl Rd8
27.Qf3
3 6 . K c2 Rxd S
27.Bf4 Rxc8 28. Kxfl Rxc4
-+ 37.c7 R cS +
27 . . . Qxf3 38 . K d3 B e3
28 .gxf3 N d2 1 39 . B d6 R c6
The knight, which has 40 . K e4 BaS
a l re a d y infiltrated the 0-1
White position, is more
valuable than the Bc8,
w h i c h rem a i n s under
attack.
29 .B xb7 N xe4
3 0 . K fl d3
131
I ndex of Themes
7th rank 48 exchanging pieces 10

access point 7t expand on the queenside 16
active position 46 exploit the light squares 108
attack on the kingside 27, 29, 1 6 flexibility 52
backward pa wn 47 flight square 26
bad bishop 1 1 , 94 flying h-pawn 51
bishop pair 17, 77 fork 54
bishops of opposite color 97 fortress 79

blockad 23 good knight 84
blockade 17, 24, 49, 66, 70, 76, 92, 94 greater mobility 1 5
central counterattack 60 infiltration 22
connected passed pawns 54 interdependence of Black's forces
control 13 29
control of files 1 24, 1 28 interlocking knights 1 2 2
control of the center 16, 1 7, 31. 54 isolated pawn 49, 53, 92
coo r dinate 25 kingside attack 31, 32, 34, 64
counterattacks 98 kingside infiltration 76
(Tamped 58 light squares 36
defenders tied down 27 Hman-on-man" coverage 70, 90, 95

diagonal 1 2, 24, 33, 47, SO, 59, 72, 88, mobilization 90
100, 1 1 8 offside 18
discovered attack 71 open files 12, 1 3, 18, 1 9, 25, 35, 56,
discovered check 1 2, 45 100, 1 1 9
doubled pawn. 13, 22, 1 1 9 open lines 1 1, 26, 37, 41, 43, 5 4, 62,
doubling rooks 61 , 94, 1 1 0 77

endgame 3 1 oUlpoSt 61, 68, 102, 1 1 2, 129
exchange o f queens 1 3 overprotection 1 2, 40, 95
exchange sacrifice 33, 9 1 overworked pieces I I , 1 27

132 Index of 1hemes
passed pawns 218, 19, 2 seventh rank 64
pawnslOnn 18, 1 18 space 106
pin 1 2, 26, 30, 39, 41, 49, SO, 85, 89, spatial advantage 41, 43, 58, 74, 124
102, 1 1 1, 1 1 3 spatial disadvantage 1 1
pressure 10, 1 2, 1 4, 26, 27, 29, 32, 34- superior mobility 41
45, 46, 59, 71, 72. 711, 83, 85, 88, 98, symmetrical pawn structure 125
100, 107, 114, 1 26 tension in the <enter 16
queenside expansion 70 time pressure 1 1 6
queenside majority 31 weak diagonal 61
queenside superiority 32 weak pawns 14, 72. 75, 121
quiet move 39 weak sq...,re 24, 40, 116

rook on the 7th rank 121 zugzwang 69
sacrifice 116
KOpe 76, 83, 96

1 33
I ndex of Openings
Benko Gambit .......................................................... 100

Bogoindian ............................................................... 1 14
English Opening . . . ... ..... . . ..... .
. .. .. 24. .... ......... .. ...... .. . .....
French Defense ... ... . . . . . . 1 1 , 37, SO, 92, 97

..... . . . . . . . .. .. . . ...
King's Indian .......................................................... 127

Modern Benoni ................................................ 82, 1 1 7
Modem Defense . .. ...... . ... . .... ...... .
.. .......... . .. 59 . . .. . . .. ...... .
Nimzoindian ... . .. . ... . . . . 27, 39, 51, 62, 78, 120

... . .. ..... ... .
Old Indian ................................................................ 106

Queen's Gambit Accepted .. ..... . .. . .. 70, 87 . . .... ......... ... .
Queen's Gambit Dec li ned ................... 28, 34, 48, 1 1 1

Queen's Indian .. . . . . . . ..... .. . .. .
...... .. ... . 85
. . . . .. .... .. . .. ......... . .
Scotch Game ............................. .................. ............ 126

Semi-Slav 44
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Semi-Tarrasch Defense ... . . . ..... . 30, 65 . . ..... . . .......... .. .....
Sicilian Defense . . . . .. . . . .. .. 55, 58, 67, 75, 95

... . .. . .... . . .. . . . .
Slav Defense . . . . . . .. .. ..... .. . . . . . . 13, 103

.. .. ... . ... . . .. . . .. .. . .... ....
Spanish Four Knights ......................................... . . . . 20

Spanish Game . . ..... ..... . . .... . .. 10, 16, 45, 89, 1 23
.. . . . . . .. . ..
Tarrasch Defense . . .. . . . ... . . .

. . . .. 52, 1 10
. . .. .. . . . .. .... . ... . ....... .
1 34
I ndex of Games
Alekhine-Book . . ... .... .

. . . . . 34
...... .. .. . . ..... . .
.. ..... . . .
Alekhine-Capab lanca 37
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Blechschmidt-Flohr . 24
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bori k-Hort 1 17
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
B o tv i nnik-Euwe .
...................... . . 44 ......... ..... ....
Botv innik-Vidmar . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

. . . . . . . . . ........ . . . .
Capablanca-Bogoljubow . .. . . . . . 16 ... . . .......... . . .. .. ..
Evans-Larsen . . . . ... .. . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fischer-Petrosian . . . . ... . . . . . . ... . . 67 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .
Forgacs-Ta rtakower . . ... .. . .. ...... . ll ... ...... . .... ..... .
Gligoric-Kavalek . . . . . ..... ...

. . . . . 82
. . . . . . .. .... ...... ... .
Gligoric-Portisch . . .
. . . . . . . . . 70
. . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .
Hort-A l b u rt. .. . . . . .
........... . ... . . 100 ... . . . . . . . . . ...... . . . . .
Hort-Karpov . . .
................ . .1 1 1
..... . . . . . . . . . ...........
Hort-Ku raj ica . . .

...... .. ....... 95 ............................
Hort-Mi les . .
.................... . 120 ............... ...........
Janowski-Capablanca . . . .. . . . 13
. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Karpov-Hort .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ka rpov-Spassky . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . 89
. . . . ..... .... . .. .. . . . .
Karpov-Uhlmann . . . . . . . . . . . ..
. . 92
... . . . . . .......... . . . . . . .
Kasparov-Hjorth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 10
. . . . . .. .... . . ... . ....
Kasparov-Yusupov . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . 114. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Keres-Euwe . .
.......... . . . . . 39
. . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Keres-Fine ................................................... 30
M ichel l-Leonhardt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
. . . . . . . .... . . . ... . . . .
Najdorf-Huebner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Nyezhmetd inov-Sakharov . . . . . 55 ......... ....... . . ...
Pavlenko-Furman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R5
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .
Reshevsky-Larsen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. ..
. 62 . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Reshevs ky-Sch i l l e r . . . . . . . . . .. . . . 87
. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Reshevsky-Vaganian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Index of Gomes
Ribli-Portisch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... ...... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Schil ler-Shannon ............................ ........... 126
Smyslov-Botv innik ...... ................................ 50
Smyslov-Reshevsky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Smyslov-Simagin .................. ...................... 59
Smyslov-Spassky .............. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Spassky-Aftonov ........... ........ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Spassky-Petrosian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
Spassky-Smyslov 51
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Speelman-Larsen ............. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . l06

Timman-Kasparov ...................................... 123
Winter-Colle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........ ....................... 27
Wolf-Rubinstein . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Yermolinsky-Fedorowicz ........... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Chess Digest, Inc. - Strategy For Advanced Players - Eric Schiller

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Chess Digest, Inc. - Strategy For Advanced Players - Eric Schiller

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Strategy for

Copyright © 1992 by Eric Schiller

All rights reserved under Pan American & International

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a

Author: Eric Schiller

Manuscript preparation: M.L. Rantala for Chessworks Unlimited

Typeset in Palatino, Avant Garde, and Reykjavik LaserfonlS.

Cover: Elaine Smith

Proofreading: Hugh Myers

Publisher: Chess Digest, inc., 1601 Tantor, Dallas, Texas, 75229.

Introduction .................................................... ................. 7

Index of Themes ................................................ ......... 131

Index of Openings..................................... ..................133

Index of Games............................................... ............. 134

The art of strategic planning is not easily acquired

Positional factors have also been approached in this

This book contains complete games where the

flow of strategic plans. In some cases a single motif runs

A few words of general advice are in order regarding

At the board, and especially when the opponent is on

As you study the games in this book, constantly ask

chess game. Indeed, if you think about the constant

Lesson 1 ing pieces. But this is an

This move not only locks 13... Re8

18.Nf6+ Kh8 6.Nxe4 Bxg5

White now wants to play 7.Nxg5 Qxg5

And now the Nf8 is

4.Bg5 Be7 Black was in no position

was no other defense. 17...f6 by increasing the pressure at

20... Kg7 Here it is important to

that he must tum his weak A s Black increases his

If White had played time, and makes White

able to play 12.Ke2, keeping preparation.

there is an additional hole 21.e S Be7

in mind as we continue. It this piece was dedicated to

31.Rgl Rag8 33... Ba4 1

Black's play requires no 34.Ral

42.Kf2 Rb3 Is this a loss of time? Not

10.c xd4 Bg4 15 ... Nc6

n.Be3 NaS 16.dS Nb4

time all of this?

side, and then launches his This is a passive move

30.Ng3 then the bishop at h7 is

file. 37...Rb8 38.Nxc5! dxc5 Of course Black cannot

ing to the queenside ad- l.e4 eS

17.Bg3 are the only Black pieces

Black, his dark-squared double-edged sword, and

bishop gone from the board, later he may be able to turn

can be delighted with his it to his own advantage.

19.Qe3 b6 25.Bxf4 gxf4

Does Black's strategy in­ 26.Qf2 g5

munching on his oppo­

31.Rebl 3S... gxh4

39.Rxb8 Qxb8 followed by The more prosaic Rb2

52 .QI1 QhS Lesson 6

but if so, then how would a

White has lost the

19 •.. Bxc31 the Black king emerges at

Black needs to find a way

The knight finally joins

Clearly in this position

1.d 4 expected to take part in the

Simultaneously lessen­ 18.f3QgS!

Does Black's strategy in 26.Qf2 g5

munching on his oppo

Simultaneously lessen 18.f3QgS!

mediate advance of the d pares b6 for the queen, so

10.Na4 is a worthy alterna

Both sides have de

White's spatial advan 2. N f3 e6

White has finally suc

Black is virtually in zug

13.BxhS gx h S Taimanov, Leningrad Inter