FIDE TRG ACS 10 Strategy Evaluation Plan Decision Book

FIDE Trainers’ Commission
Advanced Chess School

Volume 10
Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision
Georg Mohr
Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 1
First Edition in Pdf - 2017
English Copyright © FIDE 2017 ([email protected] - www.fide.com)
Copyright © Georg Mohr 2015 ([email protected])
The rights of Georg Mohr to be identified as the author of this work have been asserted in
accordance with the International Copyright, Designs and Patents Act.
All rights reserved. This book is distributed for free to FIDE certified and licenced trainers, subject
to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, sold, hired out or otherwise
circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a
similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent owner.
Limit of Liability and Disclaimer of Warranty: FIDE makes no representation or warranties with
respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaims any
implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose and shall in no event be
liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damage, including but not limited to special,
incidental, consequential, or other damages.
ISBN-13: 978-618-83035-2-2
ISSN-13: 978-618-81200-2-0
Cover by Efstathia Saltamara
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Commissioning Editor: Efstratios Grivas (www.GrivasChess.com)

English Proofer: Andrew Burnett
Contents
Title-Description …………………………………………………………………………………… 1
Colophon …………………..……………………………………………………………………….. 2
Contents ……………………………………..…………………………………………….............. 3
Foreword - FIDE Presidential Board .…………….……...……………………………………. 4
Symbols ………………………………………………………………………..…………............... 4
Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Introduction ………………………..…………............. 5
Open Files ……………………………………………………………………..…………............... 7
Long Range Bishops ..………………………………………………………..…………............... 10
Knight Outposts ……………………………………………………………..…………................. 14
Control of the Centre .………………………………………………………..…………............... 19
Backward Pawn ..……………………………………………………………..…………............... 25
Passed Pawn ...………………………………………………………………..…………............... 27
Central Isolated Pawn ..……………………………………………………..…………............... 29
Pawn Majority on the Flank ………………………………………………..…………............... 32
Bishops and Knights ..………………………………………………………..…………............... 34
Opposite-coloured Bishops ..………………………………………………..…………............... 46
Dynamic Strategic Elements ………………………………………………..…………............... 52
Position of the King ...………………………………………………………..…………............... 53
Advantage in Development ..………………………………………………..…………............... 56
The Fight for the Initiative in the Middlegame …………………………..…………............... 66
Methods and Principles of Defence ………………………………………..…………............... 71
Exchanges ……………………………………………………………………..…………............... 86
Evaluation of the Position - Choice of a Plan …………………………………...…............... 91
The Plan ..……………………………………………………………………..…………............... 96
Typical Positions ……………………………………………………………..…………............... 106
Index of Games ..…………………………………………………………………………………… 109
CV - Georg Mohr .…………….…………………………………………………………………… 112

Foreword
FIDE Presidential Board
Chess has existed as a sport played at a competitive level for centuries. The common code
governing the Laws of Chess is relatively recent, and the foundation of Fédération Internationale
des Échecs (FIDE), in Paris in 1924, is even more modern. FIDE currently has 186 member
federations spread across all continents. Titles for players were introduced by FIDE in 1950, and
titles for Arbiters and Organizers followed. From 2005 we moved to a new phase, with titles for
Trainers.
Chess is on the increase in schools across the world. It is part of the mainstream curriculum in
many countries. It is a goal of FIDE to make chess an educational tool, and generate worldwide
popularity for the game. Examples of the many educational advantages of chess are: it shows the
need to make people realize the importance of advance planning; develops analytic and accurate
thinking; shows the necessity for a combative spirit; teaches fair play and emphasizes the need for
preparation and hard work for success. However, with the increasing population of chess players,
comes the need for trainers to assist with their development.
This is a new concept of the ever-active FIDE Trainers’ Commission. This series is dedicated to
advanced subjects, consisting of 80-page books. We hope that we will be able to deliver 3-4 such
books annually, increasing the level and the education of our trainers worldwide. This series will
provide excellent manuals for trainers and fulfils a considerable need in modern chess literature,
concentrating on the technical side of the game, but also covering various other topics and
providing information. The best trainers will contribute to this series, which will be an essential
tool in the preparation of trainers at all levels for the future. It will ensure that the next generation
of players will be at a great advantage over those that have gone before.
Symbols
+ check = equal position
++ double check oo unclear position
# checkmate oo/= with compensation
!! brilliant move =+ Black is slightly better
! good move -/+ Black has a large advantage
!? interesting move -+ Black is winning
?! dubious move 1-0 the game ends in a win for White
? bad move ½-½ the game ends in a draw
?? blunder 0-1 the game ends in a win for Black
+- White is winning (D) see next diagram
+/- White has a large advantage ○ White to play
+= White is slightly better ● Black to play

Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision
Introduction
To write a book about chess strategy is both difficult - and not difficult. For a long time, chess
history simply didn't include the concept of strategy - all that mattered in chess were attacks and
spectacular sacrifices; play was without any real plan.
The rules of honour, which brought to chess the title of the Royal Game, were blocking the
development of any serious chess theory. The famous Frenchman Andre Danican Philidor was the
first to combine specific chess elements into theory.
Philidor's attention was focused mainly on the pawns, which were until then thought to be mere
'cannon fodder', units that needed to be removed as soon as possible and replaced with stronger
officers.
For a long time his wise words didn't find any suitable successors. It wasn't until half a century
later that the famous Howard Staunton started to acknowledge the importance of chess strategy,
but his findings were also relegated to history by the romanticists, led by Adolf Anderssen.
Even the sudden explosion onto the scene of Paul Morphy didn't open the eyes of chess players
around the world.
He was mistakenly believed to be one of the most important representatives of chess
romanticism, even though the American leaned heavily on the foundations of chess strategy.
He was the first one who understood the tactics and the strategy of open games, but
unfortunately he didn't leave behind anything much in written form.
The first official World Champion, William Steinitz, was the first to approach the questions of
positional play and strategic rules scientifically and, even more importantly, he defended his
claims and findings very stubbornly in practice - and with what success!
He raised the game of chess to a completely new level, put it on a pedestal of mind-games and
laid the foundations for a rapid development in the 20th century.
Soon you will see some of the points that Steinitz warned us about and which are - in most cases
- still valid for the framework of chess strategy:
- Developmental advantage in the openings.
- The position of the king.
- Control of the centre.
- Better mobility of the pieces (control of open files with major pieces, control of diagonals with
bishops, setting outposts for knights).
- Better pawn structure.
- Pawn majority on the flanks.
- Weak squares in the opponent's camp.
- Open files.
- Bishop pair.
Steinitz's precepts still apply as the basis for static evaluation of the position. This kind of
evaluation helps us to create a plan, it helps us to be able approximately to evaluate the position at
any moment and it works as a compass, pointing our strategic thinking in the right direction
(Koblencs).
Of course this is only the first of the tasks which are required for precise and accurate planning
and for the correct choice of moves. Later on, one dynamic element after another was discovered
by other great chess thinkers.
These elements often had a significant impact on the process of static evaluation. At this point
the game is already switching to tactics that also decide most games.
However, many other concepts, which were not known by Steinitz, also joined the group of
strategic elements over time.
The concepts of initiative and defence are among them. Some others are preventive/prophylactic
play, the correct way of exchanging, limitation of the opponent's counterplay, the relative value of
the pieces and, linked with that, compensation for material.
Steinitz's nine elements were in time joined by a number of brothers and sisters and many of
them were closely researched by other great masters of chess strategy.
Let us see for example the knowledge about the centre, for which Steinitz used the concept of
control of the centre.
Hyper-modernists later found out that the centre can be controlled indirectly, from a distance and
not only by its direct occupation.
Even later, the masters of chess strategy came to the conclusion that we know many kinds of
centres, which are, as a rule, defined by pawn structures and that each one of them demands
specific knowledge.
Similarly, knowledge about those pawn structures and some other things was being developed.
Nowadays, the knowledge about chess strategy is so vast that it cannot be properly covered or
even introduced in one place.
However, I will try to realise this difficult task in this book with the help of the following
pattern:
- Basic Strategic Elements.
- Dynamic Strategic Elements.
- Evaluation of the Position.
- Choice of Plan.
- Correct Choice of Moves.
Let those guidelines make your journey through the book, and the numerous examples that can
be found in the individual chapters, easier.
I have tried to write a book in a way that it can be read from the first page until the last (which I
highly recommend), but it can also be opened at any random page and you can study that random
chapter.
Knowledge of each sub-chapter will help you improve your level of play, but only the
knowledge contained in the entire book will really raise your results.
The book is suitable for chess players of different strengths and for their trainers as well. I wish
you pleasant reading, successful study and an improvement of your knowledge!
Georg Mohr
Chess Grandmaster, FIDE Senior Trainer.

Open Files
□ Smeets Jan from e2 and the other one comes in to e2).
■ Grischuk Alexander 24.Rac1 R8e7 25.Rc3 Ra2
Wijk aan Zee 2011 ○ An attack on the a-pawn provides Black
XABCDEFGHY with the necessary tempo for his next
operation. Doubling of the rooks along the
8r+-+r+-+( seventh rank will hang in the air from now
on, but first Black needs to take care of his
7+pzp-+pmkp' weak c-pawn.
6p+-zp-+p+& 26.b4 Kf8 27.Rfc1 Ree2!
White has to accept the doubling, but he
5+-+P+-+-% mustn't let go of the f2-pawn.
4-+q+-+-+$ 28.Rf3
After 28.Rxc7 Rxf2 the rooks would
3zP-zP-+-zP-# establish a brilliant mechanism, one which
2-zP-+-zP-zP" we will see in the next example.
28...Rec2!
1tR-+Q+RmK-! After the exchange of one pair of rooks, the
remaining black rook will dominate the
xabcdefghy game completely.
In the diagram we are faced with an 29.Rxc2 Rxc2 30.Re3 b6 31.Kg2 a5
instructive position: both players have two 32.bxa5 bxa5 33.Rb3 Rc4 34.Kf3 Rxd4
rooks, a queen and seven pawns. White is to 35.Rc3 Rxd5
move and even though many people might Black was left a pawn up in an endgame and
think that the game should end in a draw, he realised his advantage without trouble.
White's position is actually already 0-1
practically lost! There is only one open file
on the board, which is occupied by the black □ Botvinnik Mikhail
rook, and White cannot prevent Black from ■ Levenfish Grigory
controlling the e-file. The possible exchange Leningrad 1937 ○
22.Re1 Rxe1 23.Qxe1 Qxd5 would leave
him a pawn down and, since the queen needs XABCDEFGHY
to protect that d5-pawn, the exchange cannot 8-+-+-trk+(
even be prepared. Black is threatening
21...Re5, and even worse is the positional 7+-tR-tR-zp-'
threat 21...Re2, with ...Rae8 to follow, with 6-zp-+-+-zp&
complete control over the open file and the
7th rank as well. Therefore White had no 5+-+-+-+P%
choice but to play: 4Ptr-+p+P+$
21.Qd4+ Qxd4 22.cxd4 Re2!
The power of the rook will soon be doubled 3+P+-+p+-#
on the open file, while at the same time it
also takes over White's 2nd rank. 2-+-+-+-+"
23.b3 Rae8! 1+-+-+K+-!
A multifunctional and typical move! This
mechanism needs to be remembered: xabcdefghy
doubling of the rooks prevents exchanges on In the diagram we can see a famous position,
the open file and at the same time prepares one from an even more famous match,
penetration to the 7th rank (one rook moves which marked the pre-war balance of power
in chess in Russia. M.Botvinnik was XABCDEFGHY
challenging a politically less-correct national
champion and his desire was to win at all 8-tr-+-tr-+(
costs. In this endgame he forced events and
managed to double his rooks on the 7th rank,
7zp-+q+-mk-'
for the price of one pawn. A deadly 6-+nzp-zp-zp&
combination?
44...Rd8 5+pzp-zpPzp-%
Black didn't have much to choose from. He 4-+P+P+PzP$
was threatened with 45.Rxg7+ Kh8 46.Rh7+
Kg8 47.Rcg7 mate. Remember this 3+-+P+-+-#
mechanism! On the other hand, the rooks 2PzP-wQN+K+"
alone cannot win the game. Now, after
45.Rxg7+ Kf8 46.Rcf7+ Ke8 there is no 1+R+-+R+-!
winning check 47.Rg8+, due to the rook on
f7 being undefended. If White first removes
xabcdefghy
the rook (somewhere from d7 to a7) with the An open file is such an important chess
threat of mate on g8, then the black king element that it is the subject of many hidden
simply returns to f8 and, after the possible and complex fights. We have already come
48.Rh7, also to g8. Therefore White's only to know some wonderful things that one can
opportunity is to push one of his pawns to achieve by controlling the open file, and
the 6th rank, from where it will defend one of now we will see how players fight for
the rooks on the 7th rank. If he should control over an open file.
succeed, the other rook would deliver the 25.Rh1!
final blow: An important moment: White moves his
45.g5! rooks to the h-file before making the capture
White offers a poisoned pawn, which Black hxg5. After 25.hxg5 hxg5 26.Rh1 Rh8
cannot accept. White would achieve nothing more than
45...Rd1+? numerous exchanges on the only open file
After 45...hxg5 46.Rxg7+ the story ends, for and the game would most probably end in a
example 46...Kf8 47.Rh7! Kg8 48.Rcg7+ draw. Now the plan is simple: double the
Kf8 49.h6! and there is no defence against rooks on the h-file and then take on g5,
the upcoming checkmate on h8. Black only threatening penetration to h7. If Black first
has one option in such positions: active puts his rook on the h-file, then White can
counterplay, where he mustn't forget about also add his queen (Rh3 - Qh2 - Rh1) and
his king. The correct sacrifice would be strike on the h-file three times.
45...e3 (deflecting the rook from the 7th 25...bxc4 26.dxc4 Nd4 27.Nc3 Rh8 28.Rh3
rank) 46.Rxe3 Rf4! 47.g6 f2 48.Rc1 Rf5 and White follows his plan. Black's knight has a
the game would logically end in a draw. good position on d4, but cannot stop White's
G.Levenfish, however, incautiously left the plans. He has less space so will find it
defence of his back rank: difficult to oppose White on the soon to be
46.Kf2 Rd2+ 47.Ke1 Re2+ 48.Kf1 hxg5 open/semi-open file.
49.Rxg7+ 28...Rbg8 29.Rbh1 Qd8 30.Nd5
And now there is no defence against White White increases the pressure. With his last
winning using the mechanism described move he has prevented the possible defence
above. with ...Rh7, ...Rgh8 and ...Qg8 because there
1-0 would now follow Ne7 and Ng6.
30...gxh4
□ Reti Richard Black caves in, even though he had no real
■ Carls Carl Johan Margot defence in any event. He was threatened
Baden-Baden 1925 ○ with the retreat of the king and Qh2, but
now the weak h6-pawn will decide the bigger in the endgame. When there is only
game. one open file in a rook endgame, the
31.Rxh4 Kf7 32.Kf2 position is usually winning for the player
Removing the king from the check on g4. who controls it. After
Premature would be 32.Rxh6 Rxg4+. 1.Rd7
32...Qf8 33.Rxh6 Rxh6 34.Rxh6 Qg7 White is practically winning. The rook
35.Qa5! controls everything: the only open file and
1-0 the 7th rank on top. Black cannot get rid of
the dominant rook without material loss.
Example 1 ○ After ...Rb8 and ...Kf8-e8 White's rook can
XABCDEFGHY move to c7, where nothing can touch it and
from there it paralyses Black's whole
8-+-+r+k+( position. The game is decided by the
penetration of the white king.
7zpp+-+pzpp' 1-0
6-+p+p+-+&
5+-+-+-+-%
4-+-+-+-+$
3+-zP-zP-+-#
2PzP-+-zPPzP"
1+-+R+-mK-!
xabcdefghy
The importance of an open file grows even

Long Range Bishops
Every chess player has been taught that the □ Klovsky Rafail
bishop and the knight are approximately ■ Gufeld Eduard
equal pieces. Riga 1968 ●
A bishop has, without doubt, stronger XABCDEFGHY
fighting power when it is placed in the
centre of the board (on let's say the e4- 8r+-tr-+k+(
square) from where he can attack 13
squares, whereas on the other hand, a knight
7zppwqn+pvlp'
in the same position attacks only 8 squares. 6-+p+p+p+&
An even bigger difference occurs in the
corner, where the bishop's diagonal still 5+-+-zP-+-%
consists of 7 squares while a knight's 4-+L+-zP-+$
fighting range consists of only 2 squares.
But a bishop also has its weak points. For 3+-wQ-vL-+-#
starters, it can only move on the squares of 2PzPP+-+PzP"
one colour and due to this it can be
completely helpless in certain blocked 1tR-+-tR-mK-!
positions.
A unique quality of the knight is its ability
xabcdefghy
to jump over pieces, which adds even more The dark-squared bishop is seemingly shut
to its value. Practically, we cannot compare in and is not involved in the play. To
these two pieces, even though we place them awaken it, E.Gufeld decided on a piece
in the same category. sacrifice. It will be interesting to see the
We will get to know more about the real dance which the bishop performs on the
value of these two pieces in the chapter diagonals to face up to the white king.
about relative values of the pieces. For now, 16...Nxe5! 17.fxe5 Bxe5 18.Qb3 Bxh2+
let's get to know the bishop's working area - 19.Kh1 Bg3 20.Rf1 Qe7!
the diagonals. The power of the bishop is The queen and the bishop are extremely well
greater on the long diagonals, even more so synchronised.
when the diagonal on which the bishop lies 21.Rf3 Qh4+ 22.Kg1 Qh2+ 23.Kf1 Qh1+
strikes the opponent. 24.Bg1 Bh2 25.Qe3 Rd2
It is best when the bishop is striking the The continuation of the dark-squared
opponent's king directly from its diagonal or strategy.
the king's direct surroundings, where the 26.Qxd2 Qxg1+ 27.Ke2 Qxg2+ 28.Rf2
bishop creates pressure with the help of Qg4+ 29.Ke3 Bc7!
other pieces. Black is playing a rook down, but his bishop
We know many openings which forcibly is able to make up for it.
create this kind of position. The ‘Dragon 30.Qe2 Bb6+ 31.Kd2 Rd8+ 32.Bd3 Qb4+
Variation’ of the ‘Sicilian Defence’ is one of 33.Kc1 Rxd3! 34.cxd3 Qc5+ 35.Kd2 Qxf2
them and we like to call the bishop, which 0-1
attacks on the dark-squared diagonal, the
Dragon bishop. The diagonals can provide a very powerful
The dark-squared bishop was an especially attacking weapon; the most efficient ones
powerful weapon in the hands of the Soviet are those which are pointing at weak
Grandmaster Eduard Gufeld, who squares.
appreciated this piece more than anything If, after castling, the fianchettoed bishop
else. Let us see one of his numerous games disappears from the board (fianchetto is a
on this theme! development of the bishop on the long
diagonal, as a rule in front of the king, the Here as well, White's bishop is attacking one
most typical fianchetto being the bishop on pawn only (indirectly also the rook) and
g2/g7), the opponent can get in trouble on with it is paralysing all of Black's play.
the weakened diagonal. 1-0
For this reason, many strategic plans (and
later, tactical ones) are linked with removal Example 4 ○●
of the bishop in front of the king. Of course, XABCDEFGHY
the bishops even more commonly participate
in strategic battles. 8-+-+rtrk+(
The bishop on a diagonal can put pressure
on a pawn or even on a square and dictate
7zppzp-+-+p'
play by doing so. 6-+-zp-wqp+&
Example 2 ○● 5+-+-vl-+-%
XABCDEFGHY 4-+P+Pzp-+$
8-+-+-trk+( 3+P+-+-+-#
7+R+-+pzp-' 2P+Q+-zPPzP"
6-+-+-+-zp& 1+-vLRtR-mK-!
5zp-+Lzp-+P% xabcdefghy
4P+-vlP+-+$ Black's dark-squared bishop is seemingly
not doing anything: on the long diagonal it
3+-+-+-zP-# has no objects to attack, and on the b8-h2
2-+-+-zPK+" diagonal, it is pointing at its own pawns.
Despite this, it is completely paralysing
1+-+-+-+-! White's play and setting the foundations for
xabcdefghy a successful continuation by Black
(advancing the pawns on the kingside). We
White's bishop is attacking one pawn only,
will talk more about good and bad bishops
but despite this Black is completely
in the chapter about relative values of the
paralysed and practically lost.
pieces.
1-0
0-1
Example 3 ○●
XABCDEFGHY Let's see how the power of the bishops
increases when one of the players has two
8r+l+-trk+( bishops and the other one is without them.
In such cases, we talk about a strategic
7zpp+-+pzpp' element of superiority of the bishop pair,
6-+-+p+-+& which was highly valued already by
W.Steinitz. But why is this so?
5+-+-+-+-% We already know that a bishop moves
4-+-+-+-+$ only on the squares of one colour and in this
case a good bishop can only control half of
3+P+-+-zP-# the board. But in the case of two coordinated
2P+-+PzPLzP" bishops, their power can be more than
doubled.
1tR-+-+RmK-! But be aware! Two bishops are only strong
in open positions when they have enough
xabcdefghy space to work. In the endgame, it is
important that the pawns are placed on both a space advantage with very systematic play.
flanks - only in this way can the two bishops 48.Bf2 Ke7 49.g4 Nh6 50.f5 Nf7 51.Bg2!
demonstrate their superiority over the And the story reaches its end. The outcome
knights or over bishop and knight. is that White will stay a pawn ahead, with a
And one more important old rule: the winning position.
biggest advantage for the player with the 51...Nf4 52.Rxd6 Nxd6 53.Bxb6 Nc4
bishop pair is the possibility of a favourable 54.Bc5+ Kd7 55.Bf1 Nxb2 56.Bb5+ Kd8
exchange and the transition to an even more 57.Bb6+ Ke7 58.Kh2 Nd5 59.Bxa5+-
favourable position! 1-0
□ Carlsen Magnus □ Botvinnik Mikhail

■ Adams Michael ■ Furman Semen Abramovich
Khanty-Mansiysk 2007 ○ Moscow 1961 ●
XABCDEFGHY XABCDEFGHY
8-+-tr-+-+( 8-+-+-+k+(
7+-+-+kzpp' 7zp-+-+pzpp'
6-zp-+-zp-+& 6-zp-zpnsn-+&
5zp-+nsn-+-% 5+P+-+-+-%
4P+-+-+-+$ 4-+LzPp+-+$
3+-+-+P+-# 3zP-+-zP-+-#
2-zP-+-vLPzP" 2-vL-+-zPPzP"
1+-+-tRLmK-! 1+-+-+-mK-!
xabcdefghy xabcdefghy
Here White's advantage is clear, even if not 1...d5 2.Ba2
visible at first sight. The two bishops are The position is partly closed, but White's
much stronger than the two knights, but the advantage here is not in question. The pawns
advantage will only be shown after some are placed on both flanks and the bishops
period of time. have enough space to keep restricting the
42.Rd1 Ke7 43.f4! manoeuvres of the black knights.
White starts to chase the knights from their 2...Kf8 3.a4 Ke7 4.Ba3+ Kd7 5.f3
active positions in the centre. The pawn is A very unpleasant move for Black to face.
considered taboo: 43...Nxf4 44.Rxd8+ Kxd8 The move puts pressure on the black wedge
45.Bxb6+ and Bxa5. in the centre, and at the same time opens a
43...Ng4 44.Re1+ Kf8 45.Bd4 Rd6 path for the white king. The king is a very
The capture is still not good: 45...Nxf4 powerful piece in the endgame!
46.Bxb6 Rd5 47.b4! axb4 48.a5 and the 5...Nc7
pawn is unstoppable. After fxe4, Black would like to recapture
46.h3 Nh6 with a piece, and in doing so keep a certain
After 46...Nxf4 M.Carslen had prepared blockade.
47.Re4 Ne6 48.Rxe6 Rxe6 49.hxg4 and the 6.Bf8 g6
bishop pair would be favourite in the battle The repetition of moves would be better:
against the rook and pawn. 6...Ne6.
47.Rd1! Nf5 7.Kf2 Ke6 8.Kg3 Nd7 9.Bh6 f5
Once more it wasn't good to take: 47...Nxf4? Black has finally set up a complete pawn
48.Bc5 +- when White has already achieved wedge, but at a high price: his dark squares
now have holes like Swiss cheese! instrument of favourable exchanges and
10.Bf4 Ne8 11.fxe4 fxe4 12.Kh4 Nd6 (D) transition to an even better position
XABCDEFGHY represents a very important strategic element
when we are dealing with the advantage of
8-+-+-+-+( the bishop pair. Here M.Botvinnik forces the
transition into a winning bishop against
7zp-+n+-+p' knight endgame:
6-zp-snk+p+& 13...Kxd6 14.Kg5 Ke6 15.h3 Nf6 16.Kh6
Nh5
5+P+p+-+-% Black cannot wait any longer - a simple
4P+-zPpvL-mK$ advance of the g-pawn was threatened.
White still needs to be careful though,
3+-+-zP-+-# because Black is threatening the tactical
2L+-+-+PzP" 63...Nf4.
17.Bb3 Ng3 18.Kxh7 Kf5 19.Bxd5
1+-+-+-+-! The game is practically over here and after
some more moves Black resigned.
xabcdefghy 1-0
13.Bxd6!
In the introduction, we said that as an

Knight Outposts
Just as lines and ranks are important for advance of its pawns.
the rooks, and diagonals for the bishops, so Black will sooner or later try to get rid of
are outposts for the knights. the knight by playing ...c6. After the retreat
First of all, we have to ask ourselves what of the knight, the position will change
an outpost actually is. We can define it as a drastically. From then on there will be (on
defended square in front of or in the middle the semi-open d-file) a weak backward pawn
of the opponent's camp, from where it is on d6, which was until now successfully
very hard to get rid of the knight. blocked (with coordination of the pawns d6-
When it is possible, it is usually linked c7).
with a high cost. The great teacher of chess From now on, only pieces will be able to
strategy Aron Nimzowitsch was the first to defend the pawn. White will double his
approach the question of the outpost rooks on the d-file and keep pressuring it.
scientifically. In the position in the diagram, The power of the outpost is not only to be
he explained it like this: found in the piece on this square but also
and even more in the pawn, which is
Example 5 ○ defending the piece, and in the (semi) open
XABCDEFGHY file behind the piece.
If in our position a white pawn was placed
8r+-+-trk+( on d3, then the move Nd5 would not be
dangerous. In this case, the pawn on d6
7zppzp-+pzpp' would not be weak after ...c6.
6-+-zp-+n+& The same would apply without the e4-
pawn: Black would solve all his problems
5+-+-+-+-% after 1...c6 2.Nc3 d5.
4-+-+P+-+$
3+-sN-+-+-#
2PzPP+-zPPzP" A weak square is a completely different
1+-mKRtR-+-! story when the opponent has no pawn which
might get rid of the outpost piece.
xabcdefghy In this case, we can talk about a weak
The key to the position is the move square: a weak square is a square that can
1.Nd5 never be attacked by a pawn. The only way
The d5-square is in this case a point, and to get rid of the piece from the outpost in
the piece, which takes over the point, is this case is to exchange it.
called an outpost. Here we again know two different
So an outpost is a piece in the opponent's strategic elements: in the case that there is a
camp, which is placed on a semi-open file pawn behind the outpost, we will recapture
and is defended by a pawn. The most the piece with another piece and place the
suitable piece for an outpost role is the new piece in the outpost.
knight. In our position, the knight will be a And when there is no pawn behind the
never-ending threat to Black. outpost in the opponent's camp, we will
From the d5-square, the knight is working retake the piece with a pawn and thus create
in all directions: it is attacking the c7 pawn, a passed pawn, which will become the
preventing possible actions on the e-file, source of a new strategic power in the
restricting the knight and preparing the position. Now let us see both examples!
Example 6 ○● Black has a weak square on d5, where
XABCDEFGHY White will sooner or later place a piece,
most likely his knight. But beware! If Black
8r+-+r+k+( takes the piece on d5 (with the knight on f6),
White must take it back with a piece and
7zppwq-+pvlp' continue pressuring on the semi-open file.
6-+-+nsnp+& Only in this way will the pawn on d6
remain weak: After 1.Nd5 Nxd5 2.exd5 the
5+-zp-zp-+-% weakness on d6 disappears, Black's pawns
4-+P+P+-+$ on the kingside are now free and Black is
already better. In similar positions - we
3zP-sN-vL-+P# come across them in many variations of the
2-zPQ+-zPP+" ‘Sicilian Defence’ - the plan is as a rule
linked with control of the d5-square.
1+-+RtRLmK-! White will try to attack it with all
necessary pieces (so that he will be able to
xabcdefghy keep a piece on the square after each
In the diagram, we can see a typical exchange). Black will try to do the same.
position from the ‘King's Indian Defence’. If he has the same number of units (or
The player to move will jump to d5 (d4) and more) striking d5, he will in the end force
from there will exert pressure. White to take with the pawn. Many times we
Neither knight can be attacked by a pawn, will also witness a certain square being weak
so the only way to get them away from the permanently from where a knight (in most
outpost is to exchange them. A pawn will cases) cannot be banished at all.
recapture on d5 (d4) - the player will decide Just imagine the previously shown diagram
which one at the right moment. without the black knight on f6 (and without
Now a new strategic element will emerge the white bishop on b3).
on d5 (d4): a central passed pawn that will The knight on d5 would be eternal: Black
have to be monitored constantly. The could only get rid of him at a high material
defending player usually does that with a price, for example with a rook sacrifice. Of
piece, and again the most appropriate piece course, the eternal knight on d5 doesn't
for this is the knight, which we will explain mean immediate victory, but it can
later. contribute greatly on the path to it.
Example 7 ○ Example 8 ○
8-+r+-trk+( 8-wqr+-trk+(
7+pwq-vlpzp-' 7+p+-vlpzpp'
6p+-zp-sn-zp& 6p+-zp-sn-+&
5+-+-zp-+-% 5+-+-zp-+-%
4-+-+P+-+$ 4-+-+P+-+$
3+LsN-+-+-# 3+-sN-vL-+-#
2PzPPwQ-zPPzP" 2PzPPwQ-zPPzP"
1+-+RtR-mK-! 1+-+RtR-mK-!
If you have understood this chapter about defeat, due to the weak position of his king.
the knights and their outposts, then you will 20.Qh5 Kg8
have no problems finding the correct move The only defence that makes sense for Black
for White. After is taking on e5 at the right moment, and then
1.Bg5! an immediate ...f5 push! In any case, it is
The white bishop will remove the black better for the black king to be safe at the
knight on f6, the only piece which is still time.
defending the outpost on d5. Later he will 21.Rae1 a6 22.Nd6 fxe5 (D)
achieve a big positional advantage with a XABCDEFGHY
knight jump to d5.
1-0 8-+-wq-trk+(
Outpost on the 6th Rank - Until now we
7+p+-+p+p'
have been getting to know outposts on the 6p+nsNp+-+&
5th rank, from where the knight exerts
pressure all over the board. 5+-+-zp-+Q%
If we move the weak square one rank 4-+P+-zP-+$
further forward, then the knight becomes
even more unpleasant: if it is close to the 3+-+r+-+-#
opponent's king, it can in many cases be a 2P+-+-+PzP"
decisive factor in an attack on the king.
Even when there is no king nearby, the 1+-+-tRRmK-!
position of the knight on the 6th rank can be
very unpleasant.
xabcdefghy
Black chose this moment, because White's
□ Mamedyarov Shakhriyar outpost doesn't look stable: 23.fxe5 Nxe5!
■ Bluvshtein Mark 23.c5!
Mallorca 2004 ○ But of course the great Azerbaijani foresaw
this outcome way in advance! After
XABCDEFGHY 23...exf4 24.Qg4+ Kh8 25.Qxf4 f5 (the f7-
8-+-+-tr-+( square is otherwise indefensible) 26.Rxe6
the position around the black king falls
7zpp+-+pmkp' apart.
6-+n+pzp-+& 23...f5 24.fxe5 b5
The position has stabilised and the
5wqN+-+-+-% evaluation is clear: White has a huge
4-+P+PzP-wQ$ advantage. The knight on d6 is the main
cause of confusion in the opponent's camp
3+-+r+-+-# and Black can no longer connect his pieces.
Pawn weaknesses (b7, e6) are more and
2P+-+-+PzP" more obvious and on top of that, the black
1tR-+-+RmK-! king cannot feel safe. An active queen and a
knight can quickly become dangerous, but if
xabcdefghy one of the rooks were also to join them...
19.e5! 25.Rf3! Qa5
White starts to build the outpost on d6, from After 25...Rxf3 26.gxf3 +/- White would
where his knight will control all parts of the open the g-file, from where the rook on e1
board. would join the attack.
19...Qd8 26.Re2 Qb4 27.Rxd3 Qb1+ 28.Kf2 Qxd3
Black of course mustn't take! The opening of 29.Qg5+ Kh8 30.Qh6!
the f-file would for sure contribute to his Look how uncoordinated Black's pieces are!
All this confusion caused by the knight on □ Bilek Istvan
d6, which takes on different tasks: it is ■ Smyslov Vassily
looking towards the king, preventing the Polanica Zdroj 1968 ●
queen from returning to defence, and it also XABCDEFGHY
takes all the key squares away from the
black rook. 8r+-tr-+k+(
30...Qd4+ 31.Kf1 Kg8
The manoeuvre which helps the king - with
7zp-+-+pvlp'
the help of the rook - to avoid perpetual 6-+p+-+p+&
checks, is very instructive: 31...Qd1+
32.Re1 Qd3+ 33.Kg1 Qd4+ 34.Kh1 +-, as 5+-+-zp-+-%
the checks end. 4-wq-+-+-+$
32.Qxe6+ Kh8 33.Qh6 Kg8 34.Qg5+ Kh8
35.e6 3+-sNlzP-zP-#
1-0 2PzP-+-zPLzP"
The role of the outpost on the 6th rank can 1tR-wQ-tR-mK-!
also be easily and successfully played by
other pieces. It depends which ones remain
xabcdefghy
on the board. Now let's take a look at how the 7th World
The rook in many cases anchors itself on Champion placed his bishop on an outpost.
the 6th rank during the fight for a file and it The final effect is the same as in the
forces the opponent to make an unpleasant examples with knight or rook.
choice: to give up the file or to exchange, 21...e4!
which creates for the opponent an extremely Black fortifies the d3-square, though the
dangerous passed pawn: bishop doesn't need support at the moment.
22.Rd1 Rab8 23.Rd2 c5 24.Qe1 Bxc3
Example 9 ○● 25.bxc3 Qa5!
Exceptional positional understanding. Even
XABCDEFGHY though 25...Qxc3 wasn't good, because of
8-+-trr+-+( the tactical defence 26.Bxe4 Bxe4?
27.Rxd8+, Black decides to exchange his
7+p+-mkpzpp' seemingly very powerful dark-squared
6-+ptRp+-+& bishop for a passive knight.
26.Rc1
5+-zP-zP-+-% With the move 26.c4 White could prevent
4-zPK+-zP-+$ Black from making his outpost even
stronger, but after some exchanges another
3+-+-+-+-# positional element would take the leading
role - an open file and penetration to the 7th
2-+-+-+PzP" rank: 26...Rb4 27.Bf1 (27.Rc1 Ra4)
1+-+R+-+-! 27...Bxf1 28.Rxd8+ Qxd8 29.Qxf1 Qd2
30.a3 Rb2 31.Rd1 Qc3 and White's pawns
xabcdefghy are very weak. A nice example and proof
The position is seemingly equal (material), that knowledge of strategic elements is
but the truth is that Black is practically lost, extremely important!
due to the already described factors. If 26...c4 27.Qd1 Rd5 28.Qg4 Rdb5
White's rooks were placed on d1 and d4 in White has definitely chosen an even worse
the same position, then Black would place version - one where he is completely
his rook on d5, build an outpost for it and stymied. He cannot go to the open b-file,
continue the game without problems. because it is controlled by the very strong
bishop on d3, which also disables any and takes his time and does not hurry. With each
all reasonable counterplay. move, he pushes Black's pieces further back
29.Qf4 Qa3 30.Rdd1 Re8 and he doesn't - even for a second - think
Black only has one weakness, the e4-pawn, about any exchange which might offer
which he can protect in different ways. White the slightest chance for counterplay:
V.Smyslov chose the one where he doesn't 33...Qxa2 34.Ra1 Qb3 35.Qd6.
create any additional weaknesses in his 34.Qf6 Qe5 35.Qa6 Kg7
position. Anyway, he has all the time in the Next follows an excellent entrapment of the
world: White is completely paralysed in white queen.
defence. 36.a4 Rc7 37.a5 Rb5 38.Ra1 Rbc5
31.Bh3 Rb2 32.Bd7 Re7 33.Bg4 Qc5 There is no good defence against R5c6, so…
It is interesting to watch how V.Smyslov 0-1

Control of the Centre
Chess masters or chess trainers are often Therefore play in the centre requires
asked the following question: 'Why is the special attention and a good understanding
centre so important in chess?' of possible future developments.
We are talking about the middle part of the
□ Furman Semen Abramovich
board, about the squares in the smallest
■ Lilienthal Andor
central square (d4-e4-d5-e5 = the 'small
Moscow 1949 ○
centre') or in the second smallest, which is
limited by the squares c3-c6-f6-f3 (the XABCDEFGHY
'expanded centre'). 8-+rwqr+k+(
But we don't win games here. Also, the
kings are not placed in the centre; therefore 7zp-+-+pzpp'
there are no checkmates here. A material
advantage can be achieved in any part of the
6-zp-+-snn+&
board. 5+-+-+-+-%
It is true, the centre is not directly
connected with the final result, but it is still 4-+-zPP+-+$
very important and most probably the most 3zP-+-+-sN-#
important element of chess strategy.
Pawns, especially, can be extremely 2-+-wQ-+PzP"
dangerous in the centre and the fight for the 1+-vL-tRRmK-!
centre begins in the early stages of the
opening. xabcdefghy
Control over the centre brings us a space White has a clear advantage. The central
advantage and restricts the opponent. 'The pawns provide him with space and because
centre is the soul of chess,' were the words they are well defended, Black has no
of the 4th World Champion Alexander corresponding counterplay. In such cases,
Alekhine. the play usually moves to the flank - now the
goal of course is the king.
21.e5!
With this move, White opens the f-file and
at the same time builds the outpost on d6 whe-
re the white knight wants to anchor itself.
21...Nd5 22.Nf5 Re6 23.Qf2 Qd7
There was a threat of Nh6+, then Qxf7+ and
Qxe6.
24.h4!
We talk about the pawn centre when The action moves to the flank.
White places his pawns on d4 and e4 (Black 24...f6 25.Qg3 fxe5 26.dxe5 Nde7 27.Nd6
on d5 and e5). Black's position is difficult - the rook is
If the pawns are superior there and if the under attack, and he is threatened with h5,
centre is well-protected, then the player has Rf7. Therefore he decided on an exchange
an advantage, but the game can also end sacrifice, which unfortunately didn't save
differently. him either.
In modern chess, we know many openings 27...Rxc1 28.Rxc1 Nxe5 29.Qf2 h6
where a player deliberately gives up the 30.Qf8+ Kh7 31.Nf5
centre and starts to attack it later with pawns And White won.
and/or with pieces. 1-0

□ Keres Paul 19...g6 (D)
■ Geller Efim 19...fxe5 20.Bxh7+ Kh8 21.Bg6+.
Curacao 1962 ○ XABCDEFGHY
XABCDEFGHY 8-+r+-trk+(
8-+rwq-trk+( 7zpl+-wq-+p'
7zpl+-+pzpp' 6-zp-+-zpp+&
6-zp-+p+-+& 5sn-+PsN-+Q%
5sn-+-+-+-% 4-vl-+-+-+$
4-vl-zPP+-+$ 3+-+L+-+-#
3+-+L+N+-# 2PvL-+-zPPzP"
2PvL-+QzPPzP" 1+-+R+RmK-!
1+-+R+RmK-! xabcdefghy
xabcdefghy 20.Nxg6! hxg6 21.Bxg6 Qg7
In the position seen in the diagram, White This move loses quickly, but Black was
also has two pawns in fantastic positions in already lost, for example 21...Ba6 22.d6! or
the centre, but Black has set up some kind of 21...Rc7 22.Bf5!
half-blockade with the e6-pawn. It is 22.Rd3 Bd6
important for you to understand that White's 22...Ba6 23.Rg3 Bxf1 24.Bh7+ Kh8
centre is very well defended and for this 25.Bf5+ +-.
reason we can talk about an advantage for 23.f4 Qh8 24.Qg4 Bc5+ 25.Kh1 Rc7
White. The position of the pieces will dictate 26.Bh7+ Kf7 27.Qe6+ Kg7 28.Rg3+
the ensuing play: the white pieces are facing 1-0
towards the black king. It is only necessary
But we don't always win the game with a
now to open the diagonals for the bishops.
rough attack on the king like we saw in the
Look at the position of the black pieces:
first two examples.
White's centre has driven them to the
Far more often, it is control of the centre
queenside, where they can only stand by
that provides us with positional dominance,
helplessly and observe the play, especially
a space advantage and the possibility of long
the knight.
manoeuvring, while the opponent is
16.d5! exd5 17.exd5 Qe7
condemned to long and tortured waiting. In
It is hard to offer Black good advice:
the next classic game, Mikhail Botvinnik
17...Bxd5 18.Qe5 f6 19.Qh5 g6 20.Bxg6
managed to take full control of the centre.
hxg6 21.Qxg6+ Kh8 22.Qh5+ Kg7 23.Rxd5
is bad. Or 17...Bc3 18.Bf5! Rc4 19.Ne5. The
best choice is 17...Re8 18.Ne5 (with the
White even left it willingly, without even
threat of 19.Bxh7+) 18...Qh4 19.Bb5 Red8
thinking about ruining it. Black first took
20.Bd7 but White has the advantage in all
control of the centre and then gradually took
cases.
over the flanks also.
18.Ne5
White had nothing left to do but to wait
'After this move there is no defence' -
and to play without a real plan, because his
G.Kasparov.
suffocating position didn't allow one.
18...f6 19.Qh5!
After this move, it is clear that White will be □ Lisitsin Georgy
forced to sacrifice, but he didn't need to be ■ Botvinnik Mikhail
asked twice. Leningrad 1932 ●
XABCDEFGHY 32.Kh2 Bd6 33.Bh3 Qd8 34.Rab1 Rfe7
35.Ng1 Bc7 36.Na3 Bb7!
8-+rtr-+-mk( With the threat of 37...Qd5.
37.Bg2 Bxg2 38.Kxg2 Nd5 39.Nc2 Qd6
7zp-+qvl-zpp' A known approach: after taking control of
6-zpn+lzp-+& the centre, play moves to the flank. There is
no appropriate defence against 40...Ne3.
5+-zpnzp-+-% 40.Na3 Ne3+ 41.Kh1 Ng4 42.Qf4
4P+N+-+-+$ If 42.Rf1, then 42...Qd5+ while on 42.Kg2
Nxf2! wins.
3+-vLP+-zP-# 42...Qxf4 43.gxf4 Nxf2+ 44.Kg2 Nxd3
2-zPQ+PzPLzP" 0-1
1tR-tR-+NmK-! If the pieces are the muscles of the

position, then the pawns are its skeleton. The
xabcdefghy placement of the pawns is called a pawn
20...Nd4! (D) structure and it is the pawn structure that
defines the position and dictates the plans.
XABCDEFGHY We know many pawn structures, and
8-+rtr-+-mk( many placements and plans linked with
them. We also know that numerous books
7zp-+qvl-zpp' have been written about the subject. Here,
6-zp-+lzp-+& we will only get to know some of the most
typical ones: positions with an isolated
5+-zpnzp-+-% pawn, doubled (tripled) pawns, pawn
4P+Nsn-+-+$ islands, backward pawns, and positions with
a passed pawn.
3+-vLP+-zP-# We will also get to know those positions
where one side has a pawn majority or a
2-zPQ+PzPLzP" pawn minority. But be aware! Just because a
1tR-tR-+NmK-! pawn is isolated or backward, it doesn't
necessarily mean that it is also weak.
xabcdefghy Doubled pawns can be extremely strong
Black's plan is clear and concrete. With a and a passed pawn can be a decisive
well-prepared jump into d4, he wants to advantage, or the worst weakness. In some
force his opponent to take the knight on d4 positions, it is better to have a pawn majority
and, after ...exd4, Black will start pressing on the flank and in others a minority.
on the e-file. It is true that the pawn structure can help
21.Qd1 Bg4 22.Bxd4 us to evaluate the position more easily, but
It is hard for White to play the move e3, we must never forget about the muscles
because it would fatally weaken the d3- (pieces), which are the real power in the
pawn. Black's pieces are so strong in the position.
centre that they don't allow White any
counterplay.
22...exd4 23.Qd2 Bf8 We can talk about pawn islands when one
Clearing the e-file. or both players have pawns placed in groups
24.Re1 Re8 25.h4 Bh3 26.Bf3 Re7 27.Nh2 that are not connected with each other.
Rce8 28.Kh1 Be6 29.b3 Nb4! 30.Bg2 Bd5! We can have a maximum of four pawn
31.Nf3 Rf7 islands (for example, pawns placed on the
Black wants to include the bishop on f8 in files a, c, e and g), but we rarely see this in
the play. practice.
Usually we have two or three pawn the knight or 35...Kf7 36.Rxf5 check!).
islands. The unwritten rule says that at least 36.Nxe6 dxe6 37.Rxe6+ Kf7 38.Rh6 Kg8
one of the pawn islands will be weak. Or 38...Kg7 39.Bd4+.
For this reason, good players always want 39.Rf6 Rxa3 40.Bh6! Rd3+ 41.Ke2 Rd8
to keep their pawns connected. It is easy to 42.Rxf5
attack a weak pawn island and we have no And White won the game after some moves.
problems deciding on the plan. 1-0
Pawn island weaknesses get worse as we
approach the endgame. In the middlegame, □ Gligoric Svetozar
pawn weaknesses are more or less covered ■ Keres Paul
by the pieces: we have already said that the Zuerich 1953 ●
activity of the pieces plays a more important XABCDEFGHY
role in the middlegame than the position of
the pawns. 8-+-+-+-+(
That is why in the endgame, when we
have few pieces left, we can no longer hide
7+kzp-+-+-'
our weaknesses so effectively. 6-zp-snp+-tr&
□ Averbakh Yuri 5zp-+p+p+-%
■ Taimanov Mark 4P+qzP-zP-+$
Moscow 1948 ○
XABCDEFGHY 3+-zP-+QsNP#
8-+-+ksn-+( 2-+-+-+P+"
7+-+psn-+p' 1tR-+-+-mK-!
6-zpr+-+-+& xabcdefghy
Here is another example from a classic
5+-+-+p+-% game. Who has the advantage? Without a
doubt, Black. His pieces are more active and
4-+-+-sN-+$ his pawn structure is more compact. All his
3zP-+RvL-+-# pawns are connected, while his opponent,
S.Gligoric, has three pawn islands - the
2-+-+-zPPzP" pawn on the a-file is especially weak and
1+-+K+-+-! also the pawns c3-d4 demand attention.
We can go even further and state that
xabcdefghy Black has a very strong outpost on e4, where
Black has four pawn islands and White only he will sooner or later place his knight. If at
two. Because there is a small number of some point White decides to exchange it,
pieces left on the board, White's advantage Black will create a strong passed pawn on
is unquestionable - it is only necessary to e4.
attack Black's weaknesses and he will 40...Qb3 41.Ne2 Qc2
sooner or later run out of defensive P.Keres, with simple moves, makes his
possibilities! pieces stronger and squeezes White more
33.Rb3 Nc8 34.Rb5 Rc3 35.Re5+! Ne6 and more. S.Gligoric finally lost patience
Black tried to defend with a counter-attack, and decided on a suicidal move:
but White surprised him with an 42.g4 fxg4 43.hxg4 Rh4 44.Rc1 Qh7
intermediate check (remember this From now on the game is unimportant for
element!). If Black were now to move his our concept - Black won with some tactical
king, then the f5 pawn would fall with play.
tempo (35...Kd8 36.Rxf5 with an attack on 0-1
□ Atalik Suat Bxf3 35.Kxf3
■ Iordachescu Viorel The fact that Black has doubled pawns on
Bratto 2005 ○ the kingside, which White will easily deal
XABCDEFGHY with, will decide the game.
35...Kd6
8r+lwq-vlk+( 35...f5 36.Ke3 Kd6 37.Kd4 Kc6 38.Ke5 +-.
36.Ke4 Kc6 37.Kf5 Kb6 38.Ra3 Rxa7
7+-zp-+pzpp' 39.Rxa7 Kxa7 40.Kg6 Kb6 41.Kxg7 Kc5
6-+p+-+-+& 42.Kxf6 Kd4 43.Kxg5 Kd3 44.h4 Kc2
45.h5 Kxb2 46.h6 Kc1 47.h7
5zp-+ptr-+-% 1-0
4-+P+-+-+$
□ Smyslov Vassily
3+-+-zP-+-# ■ Stahlberg Gideon
2PzPQvL-zPPzP" Zuerich 1953 ○
1tR-+-mKL+R! XABCDEFGHY
xabcdefghy 8-+-tr-trk+(
14.Bd3 7zppwq-+p+p'
White has the advantage: he will exert 6-snp+pzp-+&
pressure with his pieces on the c-file, where
the doubled pawns are condemned to 5+-+-+-+-%
defence. Black will search for counterplay
on the kingside, by activating his pieces.
4-+PzP-+-+$
14...h6 15.Bc3 Bb4 16.0-0 Re8 17.Rfd1 3+Q+-+N+-#
Bg4 18.Rd2 Qg5!?
A pawn sacrifice with the hope of an attack 2PzP-+-zPPzP"
or complications. 1+-+RtR-mK-!
19.cxd5 cxd5 20.Bxb4 axb4 21.Qxc7 d4
22.Qf4! xabcdefghy
Precisely calculated! White is willing to When a player has doubled pawns in front of
return the pawn in exchange for a transition his king (and with that one open file near it),
into a better endgame. matters can become especially dangerous.
22...dxe3 Suddenly a new, more dangerous, motif
Or 22...Qxf4 23.exf4 Be6 24.a4 bxa3 appears: checkmate!
25.bxa3. 19.Qe3! Kg7
23.fxe3 b3 After 19...Nxc4 20.Qh6! Qe7 21.Nh4! or
23...Rxe3 24.Qxb4 and White defends 19...Kh8 20.Qh6 Nd7 21.d5!
against all the threats with the simple move 20.Ne5! Qe7
Bf1. The knight is taboo: 20...fxe5 21.Qg5+ Kh8
24.Qxg5 hxg5 25.a4 22.Qf6+ Kg8 23.Re3 with checkmate.
White's a-pawn is turning into a decisive 21.Ng4! Rg8 22.Nh6
factor. And White won the exchange (if the rook
25...Rxe3 26.a5! Kf8 27.a6 Re5 28.Ra3 moves, then 23.Nf5+) and soon also the
Be6 game.
28...Rd5? 29.Be4 Rxd2 30.Bxa8 Rxb2 1-0
31.Bd5 +-.
29.a7 Bd5 30.Ra5! f6 31.Re2! We also know of some exceptions, where
Every exchange is favourable to White. the doubled pawns can become an
31...Rxe2 32.Bxe2 Bb7 33.Kf2 Ke7 34.Bf3 advantage. Let us see a famous example,
where the 6th World Champion, Mikhail black bishop on e6. Therefore White
Botvinnik, used them as an outpost. prepares f5.
14...Nd7 15.f5! Nf6 16.Ne4
□ Botvinnik Mikhail First an exchange of the knight on f6, which
■ Kan Ilia Abramovich is defending the critical square.
Leningrad 1939 ○ 16...Qd8 17.Nxf6+ Qxf6 18.Be4 Rb8
XABCDEFGHY 19.Rad1 b6 20.h3 Ba6
Black was faced with a difficult choice:
8rsnl+-trk+( whether to leave the outpost or the d-file
after 20...Bb7 21.Rd7.
7zpp+-+pzp-' 21.Bd5 b5 22.cxb5 Rxb5
6-+-+-+-zp& After 22...Bxb5 23.c4, White would firmly
settle in the centre. Black would sooner or
5wq-zp-zp-+-% later have to take on d5 and White would
4-+P+-+-+$ have to decide (depending on the position)
whether to take with the pawn and create a
3zP-zPLzP-+-# passed pawn, or to take with a piece and
2-+QsN-zPPzP" continue dominating the open file.
23.c4 Rb6 24.Rb1 Rd8 25.Rxb6 axb6
1tR-+-+RmK-! 26.e4 Bc8 27.Qa4 Bd7 28.Qa7 Be8 29.Rb1
Rd6 30.a4 Kh7 31.a5 bxa5 32.Qxa5 Ra6
xabcdefghy 33.Qxc5 Ra2 34.Qe3 Qa6 35.Rb8 Qa4
14.f4! 36.Kh2 Ra3 37.Qc5 Ra2 38.Ra8 Qxa8
Fighting for the outpost on d5, where White 39.Bxa8 Rxa8 40.Qxe5 Bc6 41.Qc7
wants to place his bishop. The only piece 1-0
which can defend this square properly is the

Backward Pawn
A backward pawn(s) is a pawn which is □ Lilienthal Andor
left behind the other pawns and has no ■ Makogonov Vladimir Andreevich
pawns on the neighbouring files to defend it. Moscow 1936 ○
It can be a big weakness when it is on a XABCDEFGHY
semi-open file, where the opponent can
attack it, and an even bigger one when the 8-sn-+k+-+(
opponent controls the square (which is
usually weak) in front of it.
7+-tr-+rzpp'
Now let's see a classical position, one 6p+p+p+-+&
which we encounter many times in modern
chess. 5zPp+-zPp+-%
The pawn on d6 is a backward pawn (such 4-zP-zP-zPP+$
positions are especially common in the
‘Sicilian Defence’) and the d5-square in 3+-+-mK-+P#
front of it is weak. 2-+R+-+-+"
□ Smyslov Vassily 1vL-tR-+-+-!
■ Denker Arnold Sheldon
Moscow 1946 ○
xabcdefghy
White has an enormous advantage - Black's
XABCDEFGHY only chance is to set up a blockade on the
8-+-tr-vl-+( light squares. But of course, White had
foreseen that and he decided the game with a
7zp-+-+r+k' typical break.
6-zp-zp-+pzp& 40.d5!
A wonderful pawn sacrifice, with which
5+-+Rzp-+-% White opens the path for his king and
4-+P+N+q+$ bishop. Black's pieces are passive and
running out of space.
3+P+-wQ-zP-# 40...exd5 41.e6 Rf8
A sad necessity. After 41...Rfe7 42.gxf5 or
2P+-+-zP-zP" after 41...Rce7 42.Rxc6 Nxc6 43.Rxc6 Kd8
1+-+R+-mK-! 44.Bd4 and Black is completely stymied.
42.Be5 Kd8 43.Kd4!
xabcdefghy With the threat 44.e7!
White has an enormous positional 43...Kc8 44.Bxc7 Kxc7 45.Ke5 g6 46.e7
advantage, due to the d6-pawn being Re8 47.Ke6
practically lost. But he still needs to be 1-0
careful: after 31.Nxd6 Bxd6 32.Rxd6
Qxd1+! 33.Rxd1 Rxd1+, Black would still
have a chance to save himself.
31.R1d3! Be7
Or 31...Qe6 32.Qd2 Rfd7 where White wins
with the help of a typical break 33.c5 bxc5
34.Nxc5.
32.Nxd6 Bxd6 33.Rxd6
And V.Smyslov convincingly won later.
1-0
Very often we come across a backward Rec8 20.e3 Qb7 21.Nc5 Nxc5 22.Rxc5 Rc7
pawn on the c-file. The correct plan of play 23.Rfc2 Qb6 24.b4 (D)
was first introduced by one of the greatest XABCDEFGHY
masters of chess strategy of all time, Akiba
Rubinstein. 8r+-+-+k+(
□ Rubinstein Akiba
7zp-tr-+pzpp'
■ Salwe Georg 6-wqp+l+-+&
Lodz 1908
XABCDEFGHY 5+-tRp+-+-%
8r+l+kvl-tr( 4-zP-wQ-+-+$
7zpp+-+pzpp' 3+-+-zPPzP-#
6-wqn+-sn-+& 2P+R+-+-zP"
5+-+p+-+-% 1+-+-+LmK-!
4-+-sN-+-+$ xabcdefghy
The second part of the plan is also finished.
3+-sN-+-zP-# Now follows the concluding, third, part
which consists of an attack on Black's two
2PzP-+PzPLzP" basic weaknesses (c6 and a7). Right here is
1tR-vLQmK-+R! where the principle of two weaknesses was
born! White will help himself with
xabcdefghy undermining moves (b5 and e4) and in this
9.Nxc6! case the move e4 would once again lead to
A.Rubinstein was the first to introduce us to an isolated pawn for Black, but this time
the plan for White in this game: transition with fewer pieces on the board, which
from a position with the isolated pawn (d5) means that the weakness will be highlighted
for our enemy, to a position with hanging even more.
pawns (c6, d5). Today this is a well-known 24...a6 25.Ra5 Rb8 26.a3 Ra7 27.Rxc6
plan, but back in 1908 it was a real Qxc6 28.Qxa7 Ra8 29.Qc5 Qb7 30.Kf2 h5
revolution. The other part of the plan is a 31.Be2 g6 32.Qd6 Qc8 33.Rc5 Qb7 34.h4
blockade on the d4- and c5-squares. a5 35.Rc7 Qb8 36.b5 a4 37.b6 Ra5 38.b7
9...bxc6 10.0-0 Be7 11.Na4 Qb5 12.Be3 0-0 And White won. The rest of the game is
13.Rc1 Bg4 14.f3 Be6 15.Bc5 Rfe8 16.Rf2! irrelevant for our concept.
Nd7 17.Bxe7 Rxe7 18.Qd4 Ree8 19.Bf1! 1-0

Passed Pawn
A passed pawn is a pawn which has no XABCDEFGHY
opposing pawns placed on its file or the
immediate neighbouring ones and thus has a 8-+r+-trk+(
free path to promotion.
The value of a passed pawn increases in
7zp-wq-+pzpp'
the endgame, where the passed pawn often 6-zp-+-+-+&
plays a decisive role. Passed pawns in the
centre, particularly on the d- and e-files, are 5sn-+P+Q+-%
especially important in the middlegame. 4-+-+-+-+$
The passed pawn will receive special
support from its 'owner', who will try to 3+-+-+N+-#
advance it as far as possible. This kind of 2P+-+-zPPzP"
pawn literally paralyses the opponent and
breaks all co-ordination among his pieces 1+-+RtR-mK-!
and also between flanks.
The player with the passed pawn usually
xabcdefghy
has a space advantage. Different tactical A wonderful position! White has a pair of
possibilities go hand-in-hand with the passed centralised rooks, an active queen and a
pawn, especially on the neighbouring files passed pawn on d5 that is threatening to
and adjacent squares. advance.
The defender has a seemingly simple task: 19...Qc2
the passed pawn needs to be blocked with a A very logical decision. Black's best chances
piece and it needs to be done very early - a would lie in an endgame, where he would
blockade is usually set on the 5th or the 6th firstly try to blockade the passed pawn and
rank. The most appropriate piece for the job then afterwards start to attack on the
is the knight. The second defensive method queenside. 19...Nc4 20.Ng5 g6 21.Qh3 h5
is an attack on the passed pawn, but that 22.Ne4 is worse, or 19...Qd6 20.Ng5 Qg6
depends on the position. 21.Qxg6 hxg6 22.d6 Nb7 23.d7 Rcd8
The smaller the number of pieces on the 24.Re7 Nc5 25.Rd5! +/-.
board, the easier it is to attack the pawn. 20.Qf4!
White offers the a-pawn, betting on the
attack. Later analysis showed that he would
also have the advantage after 20.Qxc2 Rxc2
21.Re7! +/-.
20...Qxa2 21.d6! Rcd8 22.d7
The pawn on d7 paralyses Black, who is
already practically lost.
22...Qc4 23.Qf5 h6
Or 23...Qc6 24.Ne5 Qe6 25.Qc2.
24.Rc1 Qa6 25.Rc7
White activates his pieces maximally.
25...b5 26.Nd4 Qb6
Black would have better chances to hold
Now let's see some practical examples! after 26...Qd6 27.Nxb5 Qd2 28.Rf1 Nb3!
27.Rc8!
□ Spassky Boris Now the story is finished, White is winning
■ Petrosian Tigran in all variations.
Moscow 1969 ● 27...Nb7
Or 27...b4 28.Re8 Qxd4 29.Rxf8+ Rxf8 would have more chances for counterplay
30.Rxf8+ Kxf8 31.Qc5+!! or 27...g6 after 21.g4 Qg6 22.Ne7+ Rxe7 23.Rxe7
28.Rxd8 Qxd8 29.Qxb5 or 27...Qxd4 Rd8, where Black would keep his
28.Rxd8 Rxd8 29.Re8+. advantage, due to the threats ...Nc2 and ...d2.
28.Nc6 Nd6 29.Nxd8!! Nxf5 30.Nc6 21...Qxh4 22.Rxe8+ Rxe8 23.Ne3 Qg5
1-0 The exchange sacrifice was also interesting:
23...Rxe3!? 24.fxe3 Nc2, with a strong
When a passed pawn is blocked, the first
attack for Black.
task for the attacker is to break the blockade.
24.Nxf5 Ne2+ 25.Bxe2 dxe2 26.Nxh6+
We can help ourselves in this effort by:
Qxh6 27.Qe1 Re5
1. Deflection of the blockading piece with
0-1
the help of tactics.
2. Exchanging off the stronger blockading
□ Ilincic Zlatko
piece for a weaker one.
■ Georgiev Kiril
3. Playing against the weaknesses on one
Cacak 1995 ●
of the flanks, using open and semi-open files
and advancing with the pawns also helps us XABCDEFGHY
in the process. 8-+rtr-+k+(
□ Ortega Lexy
■ Tal Mihail
7zp-+qsnpzp-'
Yerevan 1986 ● 6Qzp-+-+-zp&
XABCDEFGHY 5snR+P+-+-%
8r+-+-trk+( 4-+-+-vL-+$
7zpp+-+pzp-' 3zP-+-+P+-#
6-+n+-wq-zp& 2-+-+N+PzP"
5+-+-+l+-% 1+-+R+-mK-!
4-+Pzp-+-+$ xabcdefghy
3+-+N+-+-# 22...Nb7!
The move is tactically possible, because
2PzP-+LzPPzP" White's rook on b5 is undefended. Black
1tR-+Q+RmK-! will try to put this knight on d6.
23.Be3 Rc2 24.Nf4 Nf5! 25.Bf2 Nbd6
xabcdefghy The knight dominates from the blockading
16...Rfe8 17.Re1 square, controlling all parts of the board.
If 17.Qd2 then 17...Qg5! 18.Qxg5 hxg5 26.Rb4 Re8 27.g4 Ne3
19.Nc1 Nb4 and Black will have a big The game now unraveled in tactical play,
advantage. where the weaknesses around White's king
17...Qg6! 18.Nf4 contributed to the final result.
After 18.Bf1 Rxe1 19.Nxe1 d3 Black shows 28.Qd3 Rxf2 29.Kxf2 Nxd1+ 30.Qxd1 Qc7
some tactical skills; the pawn is taboo owing 31.Rb3 Ne4+ 32.fxe4 Qxf4+ 33.Qf3 Qxh2+
to a subsequent pin on the d-file. 34.Ke3 Qg1+ 35.Kf4 g5+ 36.Kf5 Qd4
18...Qg5 19.Nd5 0-1
19.Nd3 Re7! wouldn't help. Black would
double rooks on the e-file.
19...d3 20.Bf1 Nd4 21.h4
White would lose after 21.Rxe8+ Rxe8
22.Bxd3, due to tactics: 22...Re1+! He
Central Isolated Pawn
In structures with an isolated pawn we □ Zukertort Johannes Hermann
usually understand that to mean positions ■ Steinitz William
where White has an isolated d4-pawn (or United States of America 1886 ○
Black an isolated d5-pawn). XABCDEFGHY
We can talk about the isolated pawn when
one of the players has a pawn that has no 8rsnlwq-trk+(
pawns of the same colour on the
neighbouring files to support it: with the
7zpp+-vlpzpp'
isolated d-pawn it is necessary that there are 6-+-+psn-+&
no pawns on the e- and c-files.
This characteristic immediately defines the 5+-+-+-+-%
biggest weakness of the isolated pawn: we 4-+LzP-+-+$
cannot defend it with another pawn, which
makes it chronically weak and a target for 3+-sN-+N+-#
the opponent's attacks. 2PzP-+-zPPzP"
Even worse than the weakness of the
isolated pawn itself are the weaknesses that 1tR-vLQ+RmK-!
surround it and are even placed in front of it:
the d5-square in front of the isolated pawn
xabcdefghy
on d4 is terribly weak and this is where the A classic and classical position with the
opponent can manoeuvre with his pieces isolated pawn. W.Steinitz understood that an
without worry. isolated pawn defines a special pawn
The square will become a sort of outpost structure, which requires play by established
for his pieces; very similar to the positions and well-known patterns.
with a passed pawn. 9.Qe2 Nbd7 10.Bb3
Isolated pawns are especially weak in the J.Zukertort put his trust in the white pieces,
endgame, where the opponent's pieces can which seemingly offer much more active
attack them freely and without fear of any play - linked with a possible attack on the
counter-attacks. king. This was the goal chess romanticists
Of course, the position with the isolated aimed for. White could have chosen 10.d5 =
pawn also has its advantages: a space with an untangling in the centre and an equal
advantage, an advantage in development, the game.
attacking position of the pieces, and an 10...Nb6 11.Bf4
outpost on e5 (c5), open and semi-open files. Nowadays we know that plans involving the
Strategically speaking, White often development of the bishop to g5 are better.
decides - besides the attacking play - on 11...Nbd5
positional play, for example on the c-file or Blocking the square in front of the isolated
for the move d5, which turns the pawn pawn.
structure upside down once again. 12.Bg3 Qa5 13.Rac1 Bd7 14.Ne5 Rfd8!
For starters, let us see a pioneering game 15.Qf3 Be8!
by the father of positional play, and first W.Steinitz studied the position deeply and
World Champion, William Steinitz, who he understood it completely. The technique
was the first to show us how we should fight of placing the pieces on the appropriate
with the isolated pawn. squares is extremely important in pawn
Even though an entire century has passed structure play. It is also necessary to know
since his time, the rules introduced are still how many pieces we need for the attack and
valid! And what’s more; they are still how many for the defence - the bishop on e8
kicking! is doing both.
16.Rfe1 Rac8 17.Bh4 Nxc3! 15.Qh3!
Today the positional ideas of fighting In the position with the isolated pawn, a
against the isolated pawn are known to many white rook often moves to d1, from where it
people, but in 1886 this was pioneering defends the weak pawn and at the same time
work. Black first set up an unbreakable supports a possible break in the centre.
defence on the kingside and then he turned 15...Bd5 16.Nxd5 Nbxd5?
the isolated pawn into a pair of hanging A serious positional mistake - obligatory
pawns. The d4-pawn is of course defended, was 16...Nfxd5 when White would have
but now White has a new weakness on c3. only a slight advantage after 17.Bc1 Rc8 But
18.bxc3 Qc7 after this capture, White has a free hand for
Today many players would play 18...b5 and the advance of the f-pawn, which will decide
fix White's pawn, but W.Stenitz believed the game!
that the pawns would become even weaker if 17.f4! Rc8
the c-pawn were to move to c4. Black will There is no real defence against f5: 17...g6
not be against exchanges - this also was a 18.Bh6 Re8 19.Ba4 +- or 17...Ne4 18.Nxf7!
result of his preparations at home: the Kxf7 (18...Rxf7 19.Qxe6) 19.Rde1! with a
smaller the number of pieces, the harder it is decisive attack.
to defend the pawns... 18.f5 exf5
19.Qd3 Nd5 Black would resist longer with 18...Qd6
And Black took the initiative and finally 19.fxe6 fxe6 20.Nc4 Qc6 21.Rfe1, although
turned it into a full point... his position would become untenable sooner
0-1 or later.
19.Rxf5 Qd6
Now let's take a look at a game where
Or 19...Rc7 20.Rdf1 Nb6 21.Qh4 Nbd5
White, after some active play, got a chance
22.Nxf7 Rxf7 23.Bxd5 Nxd5 24.Rxf7 Bxg5
for an attack on the king and didn't let Black
25.Qxg5, with a mating attack.
manoeuvre or play positionally.
20.Nxf7! Rxf7 21.Bxf6 Bxf6
□ Botvinnik Mikhail 21...Nxf6 22.Rxf6 Bxf6 23.Qxc8+ +-.
■ Vidmar Milan Sr 22.Rxd5 Qc6 23.Rd6 Qe8 24.Rd7
Nottingham 1936 ○ 1-0
XABCDEFGHY □ Petrosian Tigran
8r+-wq-trk+( ■ Balashov Yuri
Moscow 1974 ○
7zpp+lvlpzpp'
6-sn-+psn-+& XABCDEFGHY
5+-+-+-vL-% 8-+rwqr+k+(
4-+-zP-+-+$ 7zpl+-vlpzpp'
3+LsN-+N+-# 6-zpn+psn-+&
2PzP-+-zPPzP" 5+-+-+-+-%
1tR-+Q+RmK-! 4-+-zP-+-+$
xabcdefghy 3zP-sNQ+N+-#
12.Qd3! 2-zPL+-zPPzP"
White still doesn't reveal his plans, but he is 1tR-vL-tR-mK-!
setting up a battery Bc2-Qd3. There are
preconditions for the attack. xabcdefghy
12...Nbd5 13.Ne5 Bc6 14.Rad1! Nb4 The next typical plan in such positions is
linked with the push d5. 21.Bxf7+. After 20...Bf8 21.Bf4 and
15.d5! exd5 16.Bg5! 22.Ng5, while after 20...Bd6 comes 21.Bf6,
This is a standard attacking mechanism, one with a quick decision.
which is useful to remember. It threatens 20...h5 21.Qe4 Kg7 22.Bxf7! Kxf7 23.Bh6!
17.Bxf6 and Black has no defence, e.g. The point of White's attack.
16...g6, due to 17.Rxe7! Qxe7 18.Nxd5. 23...Qd6
16...Ne4 17.Nxe4 dxe4 18.Qxe4 g6 19.Qh4 Or 23...Bd6 24.Ng5+ Kf6 25.Nh7+ Qxh7
Qc7 26.Qf3+.
The move 20.Bb3 is hanging in the air. 24.Qc4+ Kf6 25.Rad1 Nd4 26.Qxd4+
20.Bb3! Qxd4 27.Rxd4 Rc5 28.h4
Black is already defenceless. The threat is 1-0

Pawn Majority on the Flank
A pawn majority is a very important 34...Ke5 35.c6 bxc6 36.Rxc6 Be6 37.Bd1
positional element, and a tremendous help Rb1 38.Rc5+
for us to evaluate the position and to choose After 38.Kd2 e3+ 39.fxe3 fxe3+ 40.Kc2
the correct plan of play. Bf5+ Black wins.
We can talk about a pawn majority when a 38...Kd4 39.Rc2 e3 40.fxe3+ fxe3 41.Rc6
player has a pawn (or, exceptionally, two) Bg4 42.Rd6+ Ke5 43.h3 Bh5
more on one flank. We use the pawn 0-1
majority to create a passed pawn as quickly
as possible and force our opponent's pieces □ Golod Vitali
to battle with it. ■ Kosashvili Yona
In most cases, the opponent also has his Beersheva 1998 ●
pawn majority (on the other flank) and we XABCDEFGHY
usually witness a positional battle and the
enforcement of the advantage of one or other 8-+-+-+-+(
pawn majority.
7+-+-+-zpp'
□ Yates Frederick Dewhurst 6-+-mkpzp-+&
■ Alekhine Alexander
The Hague 1921 ○ 5zp-zp-+-+-%
XABCDEFGHY 4-+P+-zPP+$
8-+-tr-+k+( 3zPPmK-+-+-#
7zpp+-+-zpp' 2-+-+-+-zP"
6-+-+l+-+& 1+-+-+-+-!
5+-+-+p+-% xabcdefghy
4-zPP+p+-+$ Whose majority is better here? An
interesting question! And the answer? Black
3zP-+-+-+-# is better, because he has, after the possible
b4, the response ...cxb4 - and after axb4,
2-+-+-zPPzP" then ...a4!
1+-tR-+LmK-! 31...Kc7
The immediate 31...e5? would be bad:
xabcdefghy 32.fxe5+ Kxe5 (32...fxe5 33.Kd3 and Ke4,
26.g3? with a draw) 33.b4 cxb4+ 34.axb4 axb4+
White missed two better possibilities: 35.Kxb4 g6 36.c5 f5 37.gxf5 gxf5 38.Ka5 f4
26.f3!? and 26.f4. 39.c6 f3 =.
26...Kf7 27.c5 Kf6 28.Bc4 Bc8! 32.Kd3 g6 33.Kc3 Kd6 34.h3 f5 35.gxf5
After 28...Bxc4 29.Rxc4 Ke6 30.b5 White gxf5! 36.b4 cxb4+ 37.axb4 a4! 38.b5 e5!
will have no problems: 30...Kd5 (30...Rd1+ 39.fxe5+ Kxe5 40.Kb4 Kd6 41.c5+ Kc7
31.Kg2 Kd5 32.c6!) 31.Rc1 Rc8 32.Rd1+! 42.Kxa4 f4
29.a4?! g5 30.b5 f4 31.Kf1 Rd2 32.Ke1 0-1
Rb2 33.gxf4 gxf4 34.Be2
34.Rd1 is not good: 34...Bg4 35.Rd6+ Ke7
36.Rd4 Bf3 37.Bd5 Rb1+ 38.Kd2 e3+! □ Ljubojevic Ljubomir
39.fxe3 Rd1+ 40.Kc3 Rxd4 41.Kxd4 Bxd5 ■ Ivanchuk Vassily
and Black wins. Buenos Aires 1994 ○
XABCDEFGHY 27.Rxd5 Rxd5 28.Rxd5 exd5 29.Qd2 Qc4
(29...Qe5) and the queen's position in the
8-+-tr-+k+( centre offers Black a chance for counterplay.
Or 26.Qd2? Bc6! 27.Rxd7 Rxd7 and the a5-
7+pwqr+pzp-' pawn is lost.
6p+-+p+-zp& 26...Bxg2 27.Rxd7 Rxd7 28.Rxd7 Qxd7
29.Kxg2
5zP-+l+-+-% In the queen endgame, White has a clear
4-wQ-tR-+-+$ advantage.
29...Qc6+ 30.Kg1 f5
3+-+-+-zPP# With the idea of ...g5, ...f4, ...Qe4!?
2-zPP+-zPL+" 31.Qb6! Qe4
31...Qxc4 32.Qxb7; 31...Qxb6? 32.axb6 Kf7
1+-+R+-mK-! 33.c5 Ke7 34.c6.
32.b4
xabcdefghy With the idea of b5.
White is better, despite Black's pieces being 32...g5 33.b5 f4 34.gxf4 gxf4 35.bxa6 bxa6
active and it not being easy for White to find 36.Qxa6 f3 37.Qc8+ Kf7 38.Qc7+ Kf6
the correct plan. 39.Kh2
26.c4! 1-0
The second option was 26.Bxd5?! Rxd5
(26...exd5? 27.Qd2, with the idea c4)

Bishops and Knights
The bishops and knights are the so-called The third World Champion, Jose Raoul
'minor pieces'. Their value is approximately Capablanca formed the following rule:
3 units (if the pawn is worth 1, the rook 5 When the opponent has a bishop and we
and the queen 9), though many players, don't, then we have to place the pawns on
especially Grandmasters, disagree with this. the colour of the opponent's bishop. But
There is an unwritten belief among the when we have the bishop, then we have to
better chess players that the bishop is a place our pawns on the opposite colour of
slightly better piece when there are no our bishop, no matter which pieces the
special circumstances on the board. opponent has.
But in cases where there are, the knight The bishops can be bad immediately out of
steps out, a magical piece, which is the only the opening, which is typical for some
one that can jump over the others and opening systems: - bad Bc8: the ‘French
doesn't move in a regular way. Many young Defence’, the ‘Queen's Gambit’, the ‘Dutch
players are fascinated by the knight, which Defence’ - bad Bf8: the ‘King's Indian
was also greatly loved by numerous chess Defence’ (the lines with ...e5) - bad Bc1: the
masters. Mikhail Chigorin, the legendary ‘French Defence’, the ‘Nimzo-Indian
father of the Soviet chess school, was one of Defence’...
them.
The position and evaluation of the minor □ Kramnik Vladimir
pieces is a very important tactical element. ■ Polgar Judit
There are many combinations possible, but Dortmund 1997 ○
each one of them has its own characteristics XABCDEFGHY
and its own correct positional approach.
In the following chapters, we will get to 8-+rtr-+k+(
know the concepts of a good and bad bishop,
we will see examples of when a bishop is
7+l+-wqp+p'
better than a knight and we will also get to 6p+p+p+p+&
know the exceptional positions where a
knight is better than a bishop. 5+-zP-+-+-%
We will also talk about the dangers and 4RzP-zPL+-+$
traps in positions with opposite-coloured
bishops. 3+-+-+QzP-#
But what about good and bad bishops? 2-+-+-zP-zP"
The activity of the bishops usually depends
on the position of the pawns. The bishop 1+-+R+-mK-!
which is not being restricted by its own
pawns is called the 'good' bishop.
xabcdefghy
On the other hand, the 'bad' bishop is the In front of us we can see a typical position
one which is restricted by its own pawns. In with a huge superiority of one bishop over
other words: if your bishop is staring at its the other one. White's pawns are placed on
own pawns, then the bishop is bad and if the the squares of the correct colour, all six of
bishop is looking at the opponent's pawns, them being on dark squares. On the other
then the bishop is good. hand, we can see that the black pawns are
This rule applies in the majority of cases placed on the light squares and are
and it becomes very important in the restricting their own bishop. White has a
endgame. In the middlegame, we have many couple of plans to choose from:
other elements which can successfully 1. Pressuring the a6-pawn with the help of
replace this weakness. Qe3, Bf3-e2 etc.
2. Firming up the d4-square and then □ Averbakh Yuri
playing on the kingside. In both cases, White ■ Furman Semen Abramovich
is happy to exchange queens. Odessa 1960 ●
25.Ra2 XABCDEFGHY
It is obvious that V.Kramnik has chosen the
plan which involves play on the kingside. 8-+r+-+k+(
25...Rc7 26.Rad2 Kg7 27.Qf4 Rcd7
28.Qe5+ Qf6
7+p+-wq-zpp'
Or 28...f6 29.Qf4 and 29...Rxd4? is bad: 6p+rvllzp-+&
30.Rxd4 Rxd4 31.Rxd4 e5 32.Bxc6!! exf4
(32...Bxc6 33.Qe3 +-) 33.Rd7 Qxd7 5+-+p+-+-%
34.Bxd7 +-. 4-+-+-+-+$
29.f4 h5
A bad idea, due to the opening of the h-file 3+P+-zPLzP-#
being good for White. White would also be 2PvL-+-zP-zP"
better after 29...Qxe5 30.fxe5 f6 31.exf6+
Kxf6 32.Kf2 +/-. 1wQ-tRR+-mK-!
30.Kf2 h4?! 31.Ke3 hxg3 32.hxg3 Ba8?!
(D)
xabcdefghy
32...Rh8 33.Rh1! We have to be extremely careful when it
comes to exchanges. Not every exchange
XABCDEFGHY necessarily means an easier defence,
8l+-tr-+-+( therefore every decision needs to be
carefully thought through.
7+-+r+pmk-' 24...Ba3?
6p+p+pwqp+& An incorrect exchange of the good bishop
for the bad one.
5+-zP-wQ-+-% 25.Rxc6! bxc6 26.Bxa3 Qxa3 27.Rd4 Qa5
4-zP-zPLzP-+$ 28.Ra4 Qb6 29.Qf1
With pressure on the weak pawn, White
3+-+-mK-zP-# pushes the black pieces into defence.
29...Ra8 30.Qd3 Bf7 31.b4
2-+-tR-+-+" An instructive fixing of the weakness.
1+-+R+-+-! 31...Be6 32.Qd4 Qxd4 33.exd4 Kf8 34.Be2
Bc8 35.f3
xabcdefghy White has forced a superior endgame, which
33.Rh2! was easily won by him.
The a6-pawn won't run away. 1-0
33...Qxe5 34.fxe5 Kf8 35.Rf1! Rxd4
35...Kg7 36.Rfh1.
36.Rh7 R8d7
Black gives up the bishop, but 36...Rxb4
37.Rfxf7+ Kg8 38.Rhg7+ Kh8 39.Rxg6
Rb3+ 40.Kf4 Re8 41.Rh6+ Kg8 42.Rfh7 +-
and 36...R4d7 37.Bxg6 were equally
hopeless.
37.Rh8+ Ke7
37...Kg7 38.Rfh1.
38.Rxa8 Rxb4 39.Bxc6 Rb3+ 40.Kf2 Rd2+ □ Tylor Theodore Henry
41.Ke1 ■ Alekhine Alexander
1-0 Hastings 1936 ●
8-+q+-trk+( 8-+-tr-+k+(
7+-+-vlpzpp' 7+-+-+pzp-'
6-+-+p+-+& 6lzp-+-wq-zp&
5zp-+-+-+-% 5+-zpLzpP+-%
4-zp-+-+-+$ 4-+P+-+-+$
3+Q+-zP-+-# 3zP-+-zP-+P#
2PzP-vL-zPPzP" 2-+Q+-+P+"
1+-+-+RmK-! 1+-+-+RmK-!
In this example we will see how a bad 26.e4!
bishop can be turned into a good one! White Even though the white bishop is fixed, with
has seemingly achieved what he wanted. If the pawns placed on the squares of its
he can manage to play e4, he will free the colour, White still has the better position.
bishop and, in the endgame, he will be able The white bishop has a strong position in the
to count on the better positioning of the centre of the board and the black bishop
pawns (the black pawns a5 and b6 are cannot become active.
placed on squares of the 'wrong' colour). In 26...Bc8
this dynamic position, time is very 26...b5 27.cxb5 Bxb5 28.Rb1 is bad for
important. Let's see how Alexander Black.
Alekhine took control of the situation on the 27.Qa4 Bd7 28.Qa7 Be8 29.Rb1 Rd6 30.a4
board. Kh7
20...Qd7 21.Bc1 30...Qg5.
21.Qc2 is bad: 21...Rc8 22.Qd1 Rd8 and the 31.a5 bxa5 32.Qxa5 Ra6 33.Qxc5 Ra2
pin on the d-file is decisive. 34.Qe3
21...a4! 22.Qc2 Preventing Qg5.
The endgame after 22.Qd1 Qxd1 23.Rxd1 34...Qa6 35.Rb8 Qa4 36.Kh2 Ra3
Rc8 would be very difficult. 36...Qc2 37.Qg3 Ra1 38.Rxe8 Qd1
22...Rc8 23.Qe2 Qd5! 39.Qg6+! fxg6 40.Bg8+ Kh8 41.Bf7+ Kh7
Black forces the move a3. 42.Bxg6 #.
24.a3 b3! 37.Qc5 Ra2 38.Ra8 Qxa8
Of course - fixing the weak white pawns and Black would also lose after 38...Qc2
condemning the bishop on c1 to passivity. 39.Rxa2 Qxa2 40.Qe7 Qa4 41.Qxe5.
25.e4 Qc4 26.Qe1 Qc2 27.f4 Bc5+ 28.Kh1 39.Bxa8 Rxa8 40.Qxe5 Bc6 41.Qc7
Bd4 29.f5 Bxb2 30.Bxb2 Qxb2 1-0
0-1
Of course, things in chess are not always
so simple. The power of the bishop is indeed
determined by the position of the pawns on
the corresponding squares, but sometimes
some other elements are more important.
□ Botvinnik Mikhail
■ Kan Ilia Abramovich
Leningrad 1939 ○
We can most easily spot the difference The first breakthrough. It is important for
between the good and bad bishop in the White to create some more weakness in
endgame. Let us see an instructive example Black's camp. This can only be the g7-pawn,
from a famous trainer - Efstratios Grivas. so White plans f4-f5 to fix it as a target of
his dark-squared bishop.
Example 10 ○
5...f6
XABCDEFGHY 5...exf4 loses in 'quick' fashion: 6.Bxg7 h5
8-+-+-+k+( 7.e5 Bb6 8.Bh6 Be3 9.Bg5! Bb6 (9...Bd2
10.Bd8) 10.Bxf4 Bc7 11.Kd4. Then White
7+-vl-+pzp-' will create a passed pawn on the kingside.
6.f5
6-+-+-+-zp& Fixing the new weakness, the black g7-
5zp-+-zp-+-% pawn, as well the light square weaknesses
on the kingside. Now all the black pawns are
4Pzp-+P+-+$ placed as potential targets of the dark-
3+P+-+-+-# squared white bishop.
6...Bb6 7.Bc1 Bg1 8.h3 Bf2 9.g4
2-vL-+-zPPzP" White prepares the second breakthrough: g5.
1+-+-+-mK-! 9...Bc5 (D)
Black cannot preserve his bishop on the e1-
xabcdefghy h4 diagonal: 9...Bg3 10.Be3 Bf4 11.Bc5 +-,
This type of endgame is always very as Black cannot protect his a- and g-pawns
pleasant for White. Black's bad bishop and at the same time.
his weak a5- and e5-pawns make his life XABCDEFGHY
miserable and put him in long defensive
duties. White is not risking losing at all 8-+-+-+-+(
(only if he overdoes it!) but of course the 7+-+-+-zp-'
main question is if he can win. In such
endgames it is 'hard' to claim that White is 6-+k+-zp-zp&
better; it must be proved that he either wins 5zp-vl-zpP+-%
or draw.
In my opinion White wins, following a four- 4PzpK+P+P+$
step plan:
1. Activate his king and place him on the c4-
3+P+-+-+P#
square, from where he will threaten to 2-+-+-+-+"
penetrate Black's camp, through the weak
light squares. 1+-vL-+-+-!
2. Activate his bishop. xabcdefghy
3. Move his king to the kingside, trying to
10.Kd3!
penetrate.
It is too early to advance the kingside pawns
4. Use his kingside pawns to breakthrough
with 10.h4? Bf2 11.g5 and now:
on the kingside.
a) 11...fxg5? 12.hxg5 hxg5 (12...h5 13.f6 g6
Let's examined it in practice:
14.f7 Bc5 15.Bb2 +-) 13.Bxg5 Bb6 14.Be7
1.Kf1 Kf8 2.Ke2 Ke7 3.Kd3 Kd6 4.Kc4
+-.
Kc6
b) 11...Bxh4? 12.gxh6 gxh6 13.Bxh6 Bg3
Forced. Allowing the white king to enter the
14.Bg7 Bh4 15.Bf8 Bg5 16.Be7 Kd7 17.Bc5
queenside is an instant loss: 4...g6 5.Kb5 f5
Kc6 18.Bf8 Bh4 19.Kd3 Kd7 20.Ke2 Kc6
6.Bc1 f4 7.f3 Kd7 8.Bd2 Kd6 9.Be1 Kd7
21.Kf3 Kd7 22.Bg7 Ke7 23.Bh6 Kd7
10.Bf2 +-.
24.Be3 Kc7 25.Kg4 Be1 26.Kh5 +-.
5.f4!
c) 11...hxg5? 12.hxg5 Bc5 (12...Bh4 13.g6
Bf2 14.Bh6 +- or 12...Bg1 [the most White succeeded in entering with his bishop
stubborn defence] 13.Bd2! Bf2 [13...Bd4 on the critical a3-f8 diagonal. Why is this
14.Kd3 Kd7 15.Ke2 Ke7 16.Kf3 Kf7 diagonal so critical? Because from there the
17.Kg4 Bf2 18.Kh5 Bg1 19.Be1 Be3 20.Bh4 white bishop can attack the weak g7-pawn
transposes to the main line] 14.Kd3 Kd7 (in case the black king goes to the
15.Ke2 Bg1 16.Be1 Ke7 17.Bh4 +-) and queenside) and at the same time the d6-pawn
now: (in case of a future ...fxg5) or the a-pawn (in
c1) 13.g6? and Black is holding as there is case the black bishop leaves the a5-d8
no entrance for the white king on the diagonal). This means that the white king is
kingside. free to act: 21.Kg4! (returning to the
c2) The same applies for 13.gxf6? gxf6 queenside!) 21...Ke8 ((alternatives such as
14.Bh6 and now: 21...g6 22.gxf6 Kxf6 23.fxg6 Kxg6 24.Bxe5
c21) 14...Be7? 15.Bg7 Bd8 16.Bf8 +-. +- or 21...Bd8 22.Kf3 g6 23.gxf6 Bxf6
c22) 14...Bf2? 15.Bf8 Bh4 16.Kd3 Kd7 24.Bc7 +- are easily losing) 22.Kf3 Bd8
17.Ke2 Bg5 18.Kf3 Bh4 19.Bc5! [19.Kg4? (22...Kd7 23.Bf8 fxg5 24.Bxg7) 23.Bc5!
Bf2 20.Kh5 Ke8 21.Bd6 Kd7 22.Bf8 Ke8 =] (Placing Black in zugzwang. Wrong would
19...Kc6 20.Be3 Be1 21.Kg4 Kb7 22.Kh5 be the 'attractive' 23.g6? Be7 24.Bc7 Bd8 =)
Kc6 23.Kg6 Bh4 24.Kf7 Bg5 25.Ba7 Bh4 23...Bc7 (D) (unfortunately for Black he
26.Ke6 Bg5 27.Bf2 +-. cannot go on with the bishop's exchange:
c23) 14...Bd6! 15.Bg7 Be7. White should 23...Be7 24.Bxe7 Kxe7 25.Kg4 and the
avoid an early exchange on f6 at any cost. pawn ending is won for White, as now his
c3) 13.Kd3! (now, as there is not much hope king can enter the g6 square)
on the queenside, the white king starts his XABCDEFGHY
journey in trying to enter the critical g6-
square) 13...Be7 14.Ke2 Kd7 (14...fxg5 is 8-+-+k+-+(
not helping: 15.Kf3 Kd7 16.Kg4 Ke8
17.Bxg5 Bc5 [17...Bxg5 18.Kxg5 Kf7
7+-vl-+-zp-'
19.Kg4 Kf6 20.Kh5 Kf7 21.Kg5 Ke7 6-+-+-zp-+&
22.Kg6 Kf8 23.f6 +-] 18.Kh5 Bb6 19.Kg6
Kf8 20.f6 gxf6 21.Kxf6 Bd4 22.Ke6 +-. The 5zp-vL-zpPzP-%
same goes on for 14...Kc5 15.Be3+ Kc6 4Pzp-+P+-+$
16.Kf3 Kd7 17.Kg4 Ke8 18.Kh5 Kf7
19.Bb6; 15.Be3 Bd8 16.Kf3 Ke8 17.Kg4 3+P+-+K+-#
Kf7 18.Kh5 Bc7 19.Bc5! Bd8 20.Bd6 Bb6 2-+-+-+-+"
(D)
XABCDEFGHY 1+-+-+-+-!
8-+-+-+-+( xabcdefghy
24.gxf6! gxf6 25.Ke3 Kd7 26.Kd3 Bd8
7+-+-+kzp-' (26...Kc6 27.Be7) 27.Kc4 Kc6 28.Bf8! and
6-vl-vL-zp-+& now Black is in zugzwang. Either he will
lose his f6-pawn or he will allow the
5zp-+-zpPzPK% entrance of the white king. In both cases
4Pzp-+P+-+$ White will easily win. It must be noted that
even if it was White's turn to play, Black
3+P+-+-+-# could not avoid defeat: 29.Bh6 Bc7 30.Bg7
Bd8 31.Bf8. The above analysis is very
2-+-+-+-+" important, as it will guide us to the winning
1+-+-+-+-! process, used in the correct line with
10.Kd3.
xabcdefghy d) 11...h5! (D)
XABCDEFGHY 15.Bf2! (D)
8-+-+-+-+( XABCDEFGHY
7+-+-+-zp-' 8-+-+-+-+(
6-+k+-zp-+& 7+-+-+-zp-'
5zp-+-zpPzPp% 6-+k+-zp-zp&
4PzpK+P+-zP$ 5zp-vl-zpP+-%
3+P+-+-+-# 4Pzp-+P+P+$
2-+-+-vl-+" 3+P+-+-mKP#
1+-vL-+-+-! 2-+-+-vL-+"
xabcdefghy 1+-+-+-+-!
This saving resource cannot be xabcdefghy
underestimated. The white king loses his 15.Bd2 also seems to be winning: 15...Kd7
entrance on the kingside: 12.g6 Bc5 13.Bh6 (15...Bd4? 16.Kh4 Kd6 17.Kh5 Ke7 18.Kg6
Bf8 14.Be3 Be7 =. Kf8 19.h4 +-) 16.Kh4 Ke7 17.Kh5 Kf7
But now, after 10.Kd3, the white king 18.h4 Bd4 19.g5 hxg5 20.hxg5 Bc5
intends to enter h5-square, from where he (20...fxg5 21.Bxg5 Bb6 22.Bh4 Bc7 23.Bf2
will help the advance of his kingside pawns. Bd8 24.Be3 Bc7 25.Bc5 Bd8 [25...Kf6
10...Be7 26.Ba7 Kf7 27.Kg4 g6 28.Bf2 Bd8 29.Kf3
'Forced', as after 10...Bf2? 11.Be3! Bxe3 Bc7 30.Bh4 Bb6 31.Bg5 Bc7 32.Ke3 Bb6+
(11...Bg3 12.Kc4 Bf4 13.Bc5 +-) 12.Kxe3 33.Kd3 Bc7 34.Kc4] 26.Bd6 Kf6 27.Kg4
White wins the pawn ending as he has kept and the white king comes back to c4,
two tempos in hand (h4 and h5). entering the queenside) 21.Be1 Be3 22.Bh4
11.Be3 Bd6 12.Ke2 Bf8 13.Kf3 Be7 Bc5 23.Kg4 Ke7 24.Kf3 Bb6 25.Ke2 Bd8
14.Kg3 (D) 26.Ke3! (D)
8-+-+-+-+( 8-+-vl-+-+(
7+-+-vl-zp-' 7+-+-mk-zp-'
6-+k+-zp-zp& 6-+-+-zp-+&
5zp-+-zpP+-% 5zp-+-zpPzP-%
4Pzp-+P+P+$ 4Pzp-+P+-vL$
3+P+-vL-mKP# 3+P+-mK-+-#
2-+-+-+-+" 2-+-+-+-+"
1+-+-+-+-! 1+-+-+-+-!
14...Bc5 This puts Black in zugzwang: (26.gxf6+?
The key to this ending lies in controlling the gxf6 27.Ke3 [27.Bf2 Kd6 28.Kd3 {28.Kf3
important g1-a7 diagonal. If White gets it, Bc7 29.Kg4 Ke7 30.Kh5 {Kf7 31.Bc5 Bd8
he is winning. So, Black's try is 32.Kg4 Ke8 33.Kf3 Kd7 33...Be7 34.Bb6
understandable. Bd8} 34.Ke2 Be7 35.Bb6} 28...Kc6 29.Kc4

Be7 30.Be3 =] 27...Kd7 28.Kf3 Ke7 29.Bf2 In this game J.R.Capablanca's rule once
Bc7 30.Bc5+ Kd7 31.Ke3 Bd6 =) 26...Kd7 more showed its power.
27.Kf3 Ke7 28.Bf2 and we get one of the 39...Bc7
winning positions, examined previously. Black's advantage is not significant at first
15...Bd6 sight, because there is no visible way of
Black cannot keep his bishop on this penetrating into the opponent's camp. But
diagonal anymore: 15...Bd4 16.Kf3 Kc5 the fact is that White is paralysed and can do
17.Be3 Kc6 18.Ke2 Bc3 19.Kd3 Bb2 nothing but wait. First Black needs to create
20.Kc4 Bc3 21.Bc5 +- or 15...Kd6 16.Kf3 additional weaknesses in the white camp.
Bd4 17.Ke2 +-. 40.Bd2 Bd8 41.Bb4 f5 42.Bd2 h4!
16.Kh4 Bc5 17.Bg3! Kd7 18.Kh5 Ke8 The idea is simple: White mustn't take,
19.Kg6 Kf8 20.h4 (D) because he would free the way for the black
XABCDEFGHY f-pawn, which would squeeze him
completely after advancing to f4. Black
8-+-+-mk-+( wants to play ...h3! and fix the weak h2
pawn. But: how to get at it?
7+-+-+-zp-' 43.Bf4 h3! 44.Bd2 Bc7 45.Be3
6-+-+-zpKzp& 45.Bc3 f4! with the idea ...fxg3 and ...Bxg3!
45...Ba5 46.Bf4 Be1 47.Be3 Kd6
5zp-vl-zpP+-% A necessity. What follows is the famous
4Pzp-+P+PzP$ triangle.
48.Bf4+ Kd7! 49.Be3 Kc6
3+P+-+-vL-# A repeated position, only now it is White to
2-+-+-+-+" move!
50.Kd3 Kd5 51.Ke2 Bc3 52.Kd3 Bb2
1+-+-+-+-! And Black won easily.
0-1
xabcdefghy
Now White is ready for the g5 breakthrough. Nowadays it seems that the historic duel
20...Be3 21.g5! hxg5 22.hxg5 Bxg5 23.Bxe5 between the bishop and knight has been won
1-0 by the former.
The chapter about which is better or which
□ Pritchett Craig William piece we love more was closed by Garry
■ Beliavsky Alexander Kasparov: 'Even a very bad bishop is always
Novi Sad 1990 ● better than the very best knight'.
XABCDEFGHY It may be a joke, but there is a lot of truth
in every joke. It is a classical approach,
8-+-+-+-+( proved by most World Champions. The
7+-+-+-+-' ability to play correctly with the bishops is a
part of classical chess knowledge and it is
6p+kvlpzp-+& hard to imagine any good player being
5+-+-+-+p% without it.
The bishop is a piece which is dominant in
4P+KzP-+p+$ positional play. Its eternal challenger, the
knight, is a tactical tool and is therefore
3+-+-vL-zP-# easier to play with.
2-+-+-zP-zP" The master of play with the bishops,
especially with the light-squared bishops,
1+-+-+-+-! was the 11th chess king Robert Fischer. Let's
xabcdefghy take a look at how he schooled his
predecessor Tigran Petrosian.
□ Fischer Robert James A year before, on the same path towards
■ Petrosian Tigran the World Championship, he beat yet
Buenos Aires 1971 ○ another famous Soviet player, Mark
XABCDEFGHY Taimanov.
8r+-+-mk-+( □ Fischer Robert James

■ Taimanov Mark
7tr-+l+pzpp' Palma de Mallorca 1970 ○
6p+-+-sn-+& XABCDEFGHY
5+-sNptR-+-% 8-tr-+-+k+(
4-zP-+-+-+$ 7+-+-+p+-'
3+-+L+P+-# 6-zp-+-snpzp&
2P+-+-+PzP" 5zpR+-+-+-%
1tR-+-+-mK-! 4P+Ptr-+-zP$
xabcdefghy 3+-tR-+L+-#
White without a doubt stands better. He has 2-zP-+-+P+"
more active pieces, the 'correct' bishop and
he is without weaknesses. Despite this 1+-+-+-+K!
B.Fischer decided on: xabcdefghy
22.Nxd7+!
Black has seemingly achieved a lot. The h4-
A shocking exchange for that time!
pawn is attacked, and if White defends it,
B.Fischer exchanges his seemingly best
the move ...Nd7-c5 will follow. Then the
piece for his opponent's worst piece. The
knight would dominate. But apparently
answer as to why is simple: B.Fischer
M.Taimanov forgot about B.Fischer's
believed in the magical power of the bishops
bishop, which is extremely dangerous in
and in his career he won countless games
conjunction with the passed pawn!
with bishop against knight.
42.c5! Rxh4+ 43.Kg1 Rb4
22...Rxd7 23.Rc1 Rd6 24.Rc7 Nd7 25.Re2
After 43...Rxa4 44.Rxb6 or 44.cxb6 the
White is too strong: his rooks are actively
game would be decided by the passed pawn.
placed on the open files and the bishop
44.Rxb4 axb4 45.Rc4 bxc5 46.Rxc5 (D)
dominates the knight. On top of which, the
black pawns are also weak. XABCDEFGHY
25...g6 26.Kf2 h5 27.f4 h4 28.Kf3 f5 8-tr-+-+k+(
29.Ke3 d4+ 30.Kd2 Nb6 31.Ree7 Nd5
32.Rf7+ Ke8 33.Rb7 Nxf4 34.Bc4 7+-+-+p+-'
1-0
6-+-+-snpzp&
5+-tR-+-+-%
4Pzp-+-+-+$
3+-+-+L+-#
2-zP-+-+P+"
1+-+-+-mK-!
xabcdefghy
A typical position; one which we will often
see or encounter. White's lightsquared black king is in danger and both pawns on
bishop is, in conjunction with the a-pawn, the queenside as well.
incredibly dangerous - and the knight, as the 23.Be3!
defender, is completely helpless. Precisely! After 23.Be5 Nd6 with the idea of
46...Kg7 47.a5 Re8 ...Nf7 and ...e5, when Black would be able
With the idea of defence 'from the rear'- to patch himself up.
48.a6 Re1 and 49...Ra1. 23...Rc8 24.Ra6 Nd6
48.Rc1! Re5 49.Ra1 Re7 50.Kf2 Ne8 51.a6 Or 24...e5 25.Qd5+ Kg7 26.Re6 +-.
Ra7 52.Ke3 Nc7 53.Bb7 25.Qe5 Nf7 26.Qxe6 Qxe6 27.Rxe6
The black rook is imprisoned. Exchanging into a winning endgame.
53...Ne6 54.Ra5! 27...a5
Of course White is not going to allow the Or 27...c4 28.b4!
move ...Nc5. In addition, Rb5xb4 is 28.Bd2
threatened. In similar positions, the superiority of the
54...Kf6 55.Kd3 Ke7 56.Kc4 Kd6 57.Rd5+ bishop over the knight is very clear. The
Kc7 58.Kxb4 bishop can clearly play on both flanks (it can
I recommend to everyone interested in the attack and defend), while the knight needs
bishop's superiority over the knight to two or three moves to move from one flank
examine B.Fischer's games, where one can to the other.
find a host of similar examples. 28...Ra8 29.Rc6 a4 30.bxa4 Rxa4 31.Rxc5
1-0 Nd6 32.Rc6 Nc4
Black made the correct decision to exchange
In the next example, White demonstrates
a pair of pawns. Remember: when you stand
throughout the game the superiority of his
worse, try to exchange pawns, but not
bishop over the opponent's knight.
pieces!
First in the middlegame and then later in
33.Bg5 Kf7 34.Kf2 Ke8 35.Rc7 Nd6
the endgame, where the bishop's superiority
36.Ke2 Rc4 37.Rxc4 Nxc4 38.Kd3 Na5
was extremely clear.
39.Kd4
□ Dolmatov Sergey And White won easily...
■ Smirin Ilia 1-0
Rostov on Don 1993 ○
XABCDEFGHY □ Karpov Anatoly
■ Anand Viswanathan
8-+-+r+k+( Linares 1991 ○
7zp-+-wq-+p' XABCDEFGHY
6-+-+p+p+& 8-+-+-+-+(
5+nzp-+-+-% 7+-+-+-+-'
4-+-+QvL-+$ 6-+-zp-mk-+&
3+P+-+-+P# 5zp-zp-+p+p%
2-+P+-+P+" 4PzpP+lzP-zP$
1tR-+-+-mK-! 3+P+-sN-zP-#
xabcdefghy 2-+-+-+-mK"
White has the advantage, despite being a 1+-+-+-+-!
pawn down. The bishop is dominating over
the knight and Black has many weaknesses, xabcdefghy
which will be easy for White to attack. The In the endgame, when we have pawns
placed on both flanks, a bishop usually psychological advantage.
performs better. The bishop can rapidly The knight is a tactical piece and it
cross from one part of the board to another operates better than the bishop in many
and it also has the ability to completely closed positions. The bishop in general does
paralyse the knight. Here, the black bishop not like closed pawn structures, especially
dominates the board and White can do when its own pawns are placed on the same
nothing but defend. The manoeuvre ...Bb1- squares as its own colour.
a2 is threatened and White can defend his b3 The knight might be strong in positions
pawn only from the d2-square... with fixed pawn structures, especially when
40.Kg1 Bb1 41.Nf1 Bc2 42.Nd2 Ke6 it has good outpost square(s).
43.Kf2 d5
A decisive blow. Taking on c4 is threatened, □ Lasker Emanuel
therefore White needs to capture. ■ Cohn Erich
44.cxd5+ Kxd5 45.Ke3 St Petersburg 1909 ○
Or 45.Nc4 Bxb3 46.Nxa5 Bxa4. XABCDEFGHY
45...Bd1!
A fantastic demonstration of the bishop's 8r+-+-trk+(
superiority over the knight! The white king
can prevent Black from breaking through
7zp-zp-+-zpp'
only from the e3- and d3-squares; therefore 6-+p+l+-+&
the following move is obligatory.
46.Kd3 Bxb3! 5+-wqpzPp+-%
0-1 4-+-+-zP-+$
Knights against bishops is another story! 3+PsNQ+-+P#
Chess history includes many chess players 2P+P+-+PmK"
who adored knights.
The most famous among them was without 1+-+-tRR+-!
any doubt the father of the Russian chess
school, Mikhail Chigorin. Especially
xabcdefghy
important were his fights on this subject A typical position, where most of the
with the first World Champion William conditions for the knight's superiority over
Steinitz. the bishop are met. The black bishop is bad,
Even though M.Chigorin was very good at as it is closed in by its own d5- and f5-
proving himself right in practice, the truth pawns, both placed on light squares. The
was closer to W.Steinitz's beliefs this time. black pawns can be easily blocked and the
We can talk about the good knight and bad c5-square can be turned into an outpost for
bishop in numerous positions. the knight.
We have already learned what a good 20.Na4!
bishop is. But when can we say that the A typical approach - a multiple attack on the
knight is good? Some conditions need to be weak square.
fulfilled for this to become true. 20...Qe7 21.Qd4 Rfb8 22.Nc5
Especially important is that the knight is The knight is already well-placed on c5. The
able to actively participate in the attack and next few moves will determine whether
that its manoeuvres are not too restricted. White will be able to definitively back it up
Outposts and eternal squares are also very with the move b4.
important - these are the squares from where 22...a5 23.a3! Kf7 24.Ra1 Rb5 25.b4 Rab8
it is impossible - or at least extremely hard - 26.c3
to banish the knight. White has set up a blockade. Black soon
From there the knight is able to pressure discovered that he would not be able to get
his opponent, which also gives that player a rid of the knight without a sacrifice.
26...Rxc5 27.bxc5 Rb5 28.Rab1 Qxc5 This knight is not necessarily a winning
29.a4 advantage, the game usually revolving
1-0 around the fight for the d5-square or White's
attempts to try to realise this advantage.
□ Pilnik Herman In the endgame the knight's power
■ Geller Efim increases if the pawns are left on only one
Gothenburg 1955 ● side of the board or pawns are fixed on the
XABCDEFGHY same colour as the opponent's bishop, with
no passed pawns on either side.
8r+-wq-trk+(
□ Henneberger Walter
7+-+n+-+p' ■ Nimzowitsch Aron
6-+-zp-vlp+& Winterthur 1931 ●
5+-zpPzpp+-% XABCDEFGHY
4p+P+-+-+$ 8-+-+-+-+(
3+-vL-+P+-# 7+-+-+-+-'
2PzPL+Q+PzP" 6-+k+psn-+&
1+-+R+RmK-! 5+-+-+p+-%
xabcdefghy 4p+pzP-zPp+$
22...e4!! 3+-zP-mK-zP-#
A famous sacrifice, which we commonly see
nowadays, but it was Efim Geller who first 2P+-+-+-+"
introduced it to the chess community. The 1+-+-vL-+-!
idea is simple: exchange the dark-squared
bishops and, after f3xe4, advance with ...f4! xabcdefghy
The white bishop is shut in by its own pawns The position is blocked and therefore much
and the black knight will rule on e5. The more favourable for Black. The white bishop
game will be decided by action on the is hemmed in by its own pawns, but the
kingside, against which White has no good question is: can White break through?
defence. 46...Ne4
23.Bxf6 Qxf6 24.fxe4 f4! 25.Rf2 Ne5 We know many positions from the ‘Sicilian
26.Rdf1 Qh4 27.Bd1 Rf7 28.Qc2 g5 Defence’ where Black, sometimes
White is completely helpless and can only intentionally and sometimes because he is
watch Black’s advance. forced to, weakens the d5-square, where
29.Qc3 Raf8 30.h3 h5 31.Be2 g4 32.Rxf4 White is more than happy to place his
An attempt at a tactical solution, but Black knight. This knight is not necessarily a
had foreseen it. winning advantage, the game usually
32...Rxf4 33.Rxf4 Rxf4 34.g3 Nf3+ 35.Kf2 revolving around the fight for the d5-square
Qxh3 36.gxf4 g3+ 37.Kxf3 g2+ 38.Kf2 or White's attempts to try to realize this
Qh2 advantage. In the endgame the knight's
0-1 power increases if the pawns are left on only
We know many positions from the one side of the board or the pawns are fixed
‘Sicilian Defence’ where Black, sometimes on the same colour as the opponent's bishop,
intentionally and sometimes because he is with no passed pawns on either side.
forced to, weakens the d5-square, where 47.Ke2 Kd5 48.Ke3
White is more than happy to place his First a small triangulation, with which
knight. A.Nimzowitsch, keeping the position the
same, passed the move to White: 58...Kd5 59.Kc2 Ke4
48...Kd6 49.Ke2 Kc6 50.Ke3 Kd5! 51.Ke2 Next follows a classical race and a well-
Nd6 calculated finale from A.Nimzowitsch.
Next follows the second part of an amazing 60.Kxb1 Kf3 61.Bb2 axb2 62.a4 Kxg3
plan: the knight is going to b1 with the idea 63.a5 Kh2 64.a6 g3 65.a7 g2 66.a8Q g1Q+
of pushing the white bishop to the only 67.Kxb2 Qg2+
possible defensive square, a1! With transition to a winning pawn endgame.
52.Ke3 Nb5 53.Bd2 Na3 54.Bc1 68.Qxg2+ Kxg2 69.Ka3 Kf3 70.Kb4 Kxf4
Or 54.Be1 Nb1 and White is in dire 71.Kxc4 Ke3 72.d5 exd5+ 73.Kxd5 f4
straights; if he moves the king, then the 74.c4 f3 75.c5 f2 76.c6 f1Q
black king can come to e4, but after 55.Bd2 0-1
Nxd2 56.Kxd2 Ke4 the pawn endgame is lost.
54...Nb1! 55.Bb2 a3! 56.Ba1 Kd6 So, there are many if's to consider, but it
Followed by another triangulation, by which always comes down to the same thing: to
Black will force the white king to withdraw. evaluate the relative strength of the piece(s),
57.Ke2 Kc6 58.Kd1 evaluate the pawn structure first...
58.Ke3 Kd5.

Opposite-Coloured Bishops
We can talk about opposite-coloured XABCDEFGHY
bishops when there are only two bishops left
on the board, one on each side and when the 8-+-+-+-+(
bishops are on squares of the opposite 7+-+-+-mkP'
colour.
For these kinds of position, it is believed 6-+-+KvlP+&
that they lean towards a draw. We all know 5+-+-+P+-%
that endings with opposite-coloured bishops
usually end in a draw; many times even a 4-+-+L+-+$
material advantage doesn't help us, even
when it is greater than a single pawn.
3+-+-+-+-#
2-+-+-+-+"
1+-+-+-+-!
xabcdefghy
In this position White is even three pawns
up, but Black can save himself:
1...Kh8!
Taking advantage of the stalemate motif.
½-½
Things can get more complicated when
there are still other pieces besides the
□ Barle Janez bishops on the board. The bishop and rook
■ Tratatovici Moshe can be very dangerous when they cooperate.
Kaunas 2012 ○ The following example is from a World
XABCDEFGHY Championship match, where the attacker did
not need his queen to complete the attack
8-+-+-+-+( successfully.
7+-+-+lzP-' □ Bogoljubow Efim
6-vL-+-+-+& ■ Alekhine Alexander
Germany/Netherlands 1929 ○
5+-zp-+k+P% XABCDEFGHY
4-+-+-+-mK$ 8-+-+-trk+(
3+-+-+-+-# 7tr-+-+pzp-'
2-+-+-+-+" 6-+-+-+-zp&
1+-+-+-+-! 5zpR+Lzp-+-%
xabcdefghy 4P+-vlP+-+$
White is on the move and two pawns up, but
he can only dream about winning. 3+-+-+R+P#
54.Bxc5 2-+-+-zPP+"
½-½
1+-+-+-mK-!
Example 11 ● xabcdefghy
White's advantage is clear: his rooks are kings in the position, there are many motifs
active and the bishop is attacking f7. Next for the attacker and the defender usually has
follows a well-known rule: the pawns should difficulties with his defence.
be moved to squares of the same colour as The attack can be even more successful
the opponent's bishop. For now Black is than one with the same-coloured bishops.
successfully defending the critical square For this reason, in positions with opposite-
and that is why White needs to exchange a coloured bishops the main motif is - an
pair of rooks. attack on the king!
29.h4 h5 30.Rb7! To begin with, let's see a game from the
It is good if we understand this position. The 1985 match between Anatoly Karpov and
white bishop and a rook will pin down the Garry Kasparov. A.Karpov demonstrated
black pieces: the king and a rook will have most of the motifs very clearly and
to defend the f7 pawn and meanwhile his precisely.
bishop won't be doing anything productive.
30...Rxb7 31.Bxb7 Rd8 32.Bd5 Rd7 □ Karpov Anatoly
33.Rb3 Kf8 34.Rb5 ■ Kasparov Garry
The black rook needs to be on a7. Moscow 1985 ○
34...Ra7 35.Bb7 Ke7 36.g3 Kd6 37.Kg2 XABCDEFGHY
Kc7 38.Bd5 Kd6 39.f4 f6 40.Bb3
Black has no useful moves and has to let 8-+r+-+k+(
White in.
40...Ra6 41.Bf7 Rc6 42.Rd5+
7zpptr-+-zp-'
This needs to be played accurately. After 6-wq-+pvl-zp&
42.Rxa5 Rc2+ 43.Kh3 Rc3 Black has some
counterplay. 5+-+p+-+-%
42...Ke7 43.Bxh5 Rc5 44.fxe5 fxe5 45.Bf3 4-+-+-+-+$
Kf6
After 45...Rxd5 46.exd5 White would be 3+-+-zP-+-#
winning with two passed pawns. 2PzP-tRLzPPzP"
46.Rd6+
After 46.Rxc5 Bxc5 the position is equal. 1+Q+-+RmK-!
46...Ke7 47.Rg6 Kf8 48.Bh5 Be3 49.Kf3
Rc3 50.Ke2 Bc5
xabcdefghy
Black forgot about the threat Re6? It would 22.Bg4!
have been better to play 50...Bd4 A very accurate move - the black queen
(E.Bogoljubow). needs to defend the e6-pawn and so cannot
51.Re6 g6 52.Bxg6 Re3+ 53.Kd1 Rxg3 be activated.
54.h5 Kg7 22...Rc4 23.h3 Qc6 24.Qd3 Kh8?
55.h6 +- is threatened, and so White wins a What optimism! Sooner or later, White will
second pawn and ultimately the game. set-up a 'battery' on the b1-h7 diagonal and
55.Rxe5 Bb4 56.Ke2 Ra3 57.Be8 Rh3 Black will face mating threats.
58.Bd7 Rc3 59.Re6 Bf8 60.Ra6 Bb4 25.Rfd1 a5 26.b3 Rc3 27.Qe2 Rf8 28.Bh5!
61.h6+ Kf7 62.Be6+ Kf6 63.Bf5+ Kf7 The setting of the battery begins: the bishop
64.Ra7+ Be7 65.Rxa5 Rc2+ 66.Kf3 Rh2 will move to g6, then retreat back along the
67.h7 Bf6 68.e5 Bg7 69.Ra7+ Kf8 70.e6 diagonal, after which the queen will move in
Be5 71.e7+ front of the bishop...
1-0 28...b5 29.Bg6! Bd8 30.Bd3 b4 31.Qg4
Qe8 32.e4!
A middlegame with opposite-coloured Next follows the second part of the plan.
bishops can be very complicated. If an This move is connected with very accurate
endgame is still far away and there are weak calculation and a clear positional idea -
White wants to weaken the d5-pawn and 55.Qh8 d4 56.Qc8 Rf6 57.Qc5+ Ke8
thereby gain a square for a possible 58.Rf4 Qb7+ 59.Re4+ Kf7 60.Qc4+ Kf8
penetration by his queen. On the other hand, 61.Bh7 Rf7 62.Qe6 Qd7 63.Qe5 1-0
White is taking risks with a move like this.
This was a marvelous game from White,
Black has built his defence on counterplay
who (not without Black's help) carried out
against the f2-square - so now 32...Bb6
the classical attack in a position with
would definitely be the most logical and
opposite-coloured bishops. This game
sensible answer.
opened many new horizons in the
32...Bg5?
understanding of positional chess.
Playing for one-move tricks (33.Re2? Rf4!)
In the years following, the famous trainer
cannot be good at this level. A.Karpov has
Mark Dvoretsky systematised it and set
foreseen the answer to this.
some rules. Because these rules are eternal,
33.Rc2 Rxc2?
we can summarize them, but their execution
Disappointed, G.Kasparov could not decide
we leave to the great masters of the game.
how to proceed. The position of his king was
Rule number one: Initiative Positions with
becoming more and more precarious and
opposite-colored bishops are accompanied
that is why we recommend the exchange of
by the threat that they will end in a draw.
queens here: 33...Qc8 with the idea of
That is why one needs to be very careful,
34.exd5 exd5 35.Qxc8 Rfxc8 36.Re2 Rc1
because every exchange could destroy the
when his position would be weaker (his king
attacking initiative. An inexperienced eye
would be threatened by the rook and the
would evaluate the majority of these
bishop) but it would nevertheless be easier
positions as equal - and something similar
to defend than in the game.
happens with computer programs, which
34.Bxc2 Qc6 35.Qe2 Qc5 36.Rf1 Qc3
always seem to find fantastic defences for
37.exd5 exd5 38.Bb1!
the defender.
With his superior manoeuvring skills,
Practice has shown, however, that these
A.Karpov has managed to get what he
types of positions are very difficult to
wanted - he will set up a battery on the
defend. Because of that, in these positions,
critical diagonal and - because A.Karpov has
the initiative is the most important factor.
not weakened himself too much in the
The player who threatens first will have the
process - Black's days are numbered.
advantage.
Everything that followed was top-class
technique: □ Leko Peter
38...Qd2 39.Qe5 Rd8 40.Qf5 Kg8 41.Qe6+ ■ Kramnik Vladimir
Kh8 Linares 2000 ●
41...Kf8 42.Bg6 Qf4 43.Re1. XABCDEFGHY
42.Qg6 Kg8 43.Qe6+ Kh8 44.Bf5 Qc3
45.Qg6 Kg8 46.Be6+ Kh8 47.Bf5 Kg8 8-tr-+-tr-mk(
48.g3!
Later on, we will look into the details of the
7+-+-+-wqp'
technique of taking space away from the 6-+-zp-+-+&
opponent's bishop, by means of putting
pawns on squares of the same colour as the 5zpp+Rvlp+-%
bishop. 4-+-+-+-+$
48...Kf8 49.Kg2 Qf6 50.Qh7 Qf7 51.h4
Bd2 3zP-zP-+QzP-#
When the attack is joined by a rook, the 2-zP-+-+LzP"
story will soon be finished. The black bishop
is, for now, preventing the move Re1 - but 1+-+-+RmK-!
the white rook has another possibility.
52.Rd1 Bc3 53.Rd3 Rd6 54.Rf3 Ke7
xabcdefghy
In the diagram we see a classic position 37.axb4 axb4 38.Rhg2?
from the popular ‘Sveshnikov Variation’ of Black's opportunity has arrived, which only
the ‘Sicilian Defence’. White wields his proves how hard it is to defend oneself in
power on the queenside, where Black has similar positions - P.Leko is one of the best
some weaknesses and where White can masters of defence in modern chess. But
create a passed pawn. In the meantime, attacking is also not always easy...
Black's play is on the kingside, but he first 38...bxc3?
needs to open files and diagonals. The A mistake, which will be understood after
position is defined by the position of the the next move. Correct would be to play
kings: the black king is safe; the white king instead 38...Ra7! with the threat of 39...Ra1
is more open. and a quick decision. After 39.Re1 (the
28...f4! 29.g4 human choice - Rybka recommends 39.Qb1,
After 29.gxf4 Rxf4 the attack is joined by when Black is left with an extra pawn)
the other black rook and White's defenses 39...bxc3 40.bxc3 Ra4! 41.c4 Rxc4!
can be quickly destroyed. 42.Qxc4 Qxe1+ again with a quick decision.
29...Rg8 30.h3 h5 31.Qe4 39.bxc3 Ra7 40.Ra2!
White defends himself cleverly. It would be V.Kramnik obviously forgot about this
bad to play 31.gxh5 because Black's defensive possibility. The game ended
pressure on the g-file would be strengthened. quickly in a draw, after
Now it is not good to play 31...hxg4 because 40...Rag7 41.gxh5 Rxg2+
of 32.Rxf4! ½-½
31...Qf6! 32.Bf3 Rg7
Rule number two: Pawns should be moved
The position has clarified: Black is very
to squares of the same colour as the
quick in his building of the attack and White
opponent's bishop.
will be forced to defend with all his pieces,
It is very important to understand that we,
so he can forget about his queenside plans.
as attackers, need to put our pawns (in the
33.Rf2 Qh4 34.Rdd2 Rbg8 35.Rh2 Re7
middlegame and also in endgames) on the
36.Rde2 (D)
squares that are meant for the opponent's
XABCDEFGHY bishop. In doing so, we take some space
8-+-+-+rmk( from the bishop and we force the opponent
to start moving his pawns onto the squares
7+-+-tr-+-' of his bishop, which leaves us with some
open diagonals against his king.
6-+-zp-+-+& The defender's work is not easy: if he
5zpp+-vl-+p% starts to move his pawns onto the squares of
the opponent's bishop, then his usual ways
4-+-+QzpPwq$ of transition to the endgame, with
3zP-zP-+L+P# exchanges, are not easy to accomplish and
that represents the opponent's most
2-zP-+R+-tR" appropriate defensive technique.
1+-+-+-mK-! There is a completely separate logic when
it comes to defence in endgames with
xabcdefghy opposite-coloured bishops: put the pawns on
36...b4! the squares of your own bishop, where the
A standard method of opening the position, opponent cannot attack them and a draw is
alongside the space advantage - the opening practically in your hands.
of a second front, with the goal to create a If the defender starts to use this technique
weakness on the other wing, which will also in the middlegame, the risks are high. The
need to be defended by the opponent's pieces mobility of the pawn structure is also very
(A.Mikhalchishin). important. If the pawn structure is blocked

or fixed, then the play in the middlegame good for the defender) and activated his
and also in the endgame is very limited. bishop, but White's advantage was already
If the pawns are not blocked or fixed, then too great...
the game is more flexible. 40.e5 g6 41.Rh1 Kg7 42.Qe4 b6 43.Bc4
And the game is over, because Black cannot
□ Botvinnik Mikhail defend anymore. There is a check threat on
■ Tal Mihail b7 and the following variation explains a lot:
Moscow 1961 ○ 43...Qe7 44.g5! when White controls all the
XABCDEFGHY dark squares and is also threatening 45.Qc6
and 46.Qf6.
8-+-trqtr-mk( 1-0
7zpp+-+-zpp' To finish with, let's say something about
dangerous diagonals. In the above game
6-+-+-vl-+& Karpov,A-Kasparov,G Moscow 1985 we
5+Pzp-+-+-% saw a classical example of an attack on a
king castled on the short side.
4-+LzpP+P+$ In this game, the black pawns on g7 and
3zP-+-+-zP-# h6 weakened the b1-h7 diagonal and White
took advantage of that.
2-+-+QzPK+" The other two diagonals are also very
1+-+R+R+-! important. The weak long diagonal (a1-h8)
is used for attacks on the opponent's king
xabcdefghy (especially when there are only opposite-
In the diagram we have another game from a coloured bishops) by the minor pieces left
World Championship match. White's on the board.
position is very close to winning, even □ Petrosian Tigran
though he has no material advantage and no ■ Polugaevsky Lev
direct threats. White's bishop on c4 is better Soviet Union 1970
than Black's, because it is much more active.
In this kind of position, it is very important XABCDEFGHY
to choose the correct plan. What are we 8-+-+-+-mk(
supposed to do? White needs to advance his
pawns on the kingside. Black cannot move 7zpl+-+qzpp'
his pawns on the other side because they are 6-zpr+-+-+&
blocked. White could strengthen his
blockade with the move 1.Rd3. This move 5+-+pvLp+-%
would prevent the sacrifice of the pawn d4-
d3 and subsequent activation of the black
4-+-+-zP-+$
bishop. But M.Botvinnik thought that he 3+P+R+-+-#
would win more easily with an extra pawn.
It is important to know how to advance the 2PwQ-+-zPPzP"
pawns. It is clear that White needs to move 1+-+-+-mK-!
them slowly onto the dark squares, the
squares of the opponent's bishop. If White xabcdefghy
does not do that and plays f4-f5(?), Black White has an advantage, even though he has
would be able to block White's pawn doubled pawns (and therefore a pawn less in
structure and the position would be equal. the centre). The decisive factor is White's
37.f4 d3 38.Rxd3 Rxd3 39.Bxd3 Bd4 bishop on e5. It is very powerful and coopera-
Black has achieved a lot with the sacrifice: tes in the attack on the black king. Black's
he exchanged one pair of rooks (which is bishop on b7 is very passive. White's plan is
clear: attack the weak g7-square or penetrate 36...Bc8 37.Rc3!
with the major pieces via an open file. Now it is time to penetrate on the seventh
32.h3 h6 33.Re3! rank, because the opponent removed his own
The direct attack with 33.Rg3 gives nothing, ability to defend against it.
because Black can defend himself - 33...Rg6. 37...Ba6 38.Rc7 Qe6 (D)
This is why White is planning to penetrate XABCDEFGHY
along the open e-file: Bd4, Qe2 and Re7.
Black will be unable to defend the e-file 8-+-+-+-+(
with his rook due to the weak g7-square.
33...Rg6
7zp-tR-+-zpk'
Black should sacrifice a pawn, thereby 6lzp-+q+rzp&
activating his bishop, so 33...d4!? 34.Bxd4
Rg6. 5+-+p+p+-%
34.Bd4 4-+-vL-zP-+$
After this move, the long diagonal will be
closed for a long time and also the bishop on 3+P+-+-+P#
b7 will be shut in. 2P+Q+-zPPmK"
34...Kh7 35.Qc2!
The way T.Petrosian switches the pressure 1+-+-+-+-!
from the e-file to another is wonderful. After
35.Qe2 Qc7 White cannot take advantage of
xabcdefghy
the open e-file so easily. Penetration via the 39.g4!
c-file looks more dangerous. A World Champion's move!
35...Qd7 36.Kh2! 39...Bf1 40.Qxf5 Qxf5 41.gxf5 Rg2+
T.Petrosian, in his style, does not rush 42.Kh1
anything. His task is clear: he needs to pre- Black resigned due to the double threat -
vent any kind of counterplay for Black. With 43.f6 or 43.Rc1.
Kh2 he prevents a check on c1 (after Qc7). 1-0

Dynamic Strategic Elements
Besides static strategic elements (some of which we have discussed already) we also have to
understand the importance of the dynamic strategic elements.
Already the name itself tells us that these elements are very different. While with the first ones
we can talk about long-term advantages, the second only appear on the board for a brief moment.
Therefore, time is very important and often even decisive. It is a chess player's job to identify
these dynamic elements and to use them correctly.
Some of these elements are, for example: a weak position of the king; an advantage in
development; a very active position of one of the pieces; the concentration of pieces in one part of
the board, where they are either pressurising the opponent or attacking.
It is clear that these elements appear quickly and can also vanish just as fast - or even faster.
Therefore, every move and every tempo is important.
Will the player be able to turn the initiative into a material advantage or will the opponent be
able to resist the initial threats and later improve his position, and in the end reach equality?
It is time which plays a decisive role here. Neither one of the players can afford to rest, nobody
can afford neutral moves. Only concrete solutions bring us to our goal. We know many dynamic
elements and we don't have enough space to squeeze them all into this book.
Therefore, we will focus our attention only on the most important ones, those which can directly
decide the game.

Position of the King
There is no positional advantage which The following example is very instructive
can make up for a weak king position. When when we want to learn the method of
the king falls, the game is finished - and this playing against the piece which is defending
fact has already decided countless games. the king on the e-file:
The king can find itself in trouble for
numerous reasons. It is very hard to explain Example 12 ○
to beginners that it is very important to XABCDEFGHY
move their king to a safe place by making a
magical double-move - the castle. 8r+nwqk+-tr(
The king left in the centre is asking for
trouble and in such cases we usually don't
7zppzp-vlp+-'
think about positional solutions, but rather 6-+-zp-+p+&
about tactical play, which will open the way
to the king. 5+-+-+-vLp%
These positions emerge when the king 4-+-zP-+-+$
fails to get castled or when castling rights
are lost. As a rule, positions with the king 3+-+-+N+-#
stuck in the centre are very dangerous. This 2PzPP+-+PzP"
is understandable.
The fight in the game usually evolves in 1tR-+QtR-mK-!
the centre of the board and not on the flanks.
Every chess player wants to gain control of
xabcdefghy
the centre, right from the start of the game. In this position, it is White's move and he
In sharp positions, the files and diagonals needs to find the correct plan of attack on
get opened and the pieces develop greater the black king. 1.Qe2 is not enough: 1...Kf8
fighting power. 2.Bxe7+ Nxe7 3.Ng5 Nf5 and Black can de-
Under these circumstances, the position of fend. Similarly, 1.Re2 is insufficient. After
the king in the centre is anything but safe. It 1.Rxe7+ Nxe7 2.Bf6 (or 2.Qe2 f6 and Rf8)
turns into a target. But of course, the 2...Kd7! 3.Qe2 c6! The correct move is:
unpleasant position of the king itself doesn't 1.Bf6!
necessarily mean that the attacker will win. With this move White prevents Black from
Therefore we try to follow the next general castling: 1...0-0? 2.Rxe7 Nxe7 3.Qe2! Re8
rules when we are attacking the uncastled 4.Qd2 Kh7 5.Ng5+ Kg8 6.Ne6! fxe6 7.Qh6
king: Nf5 8.Qxg6+. At the same time, with the
1. It is obligatory to keep the opposing move 1.Bf6 White prevents the possible
king in the centre as long as possible. defence with the move ...f6.
2. It is necessary to open files and 1...Rf8 2.Rxe7+!
diagonals, to make the pieces more active A rook sacrifice is often necessary for a
and to make the position of the opponent's successful attack. Actually, with this
king even weaker. sacrifice, we are actually unblocking the e1
3. The more pieces that join the attack, the square for the other rook and removing the
easier it is to attack and the harder it is to defender of the e7-square.
defend. 2...Nxe7 3.Qe2 Qd7
4. In positions with the king in the centre, After 3...Kd7 4.Re1 Re8 5.Qb5+ Kc8 6.Qc4
the rooks are not connected, which makes d5 7.Qe2 Kd7 8.Ne5+ and White wins.
organising the defence even harder. For this 4.Re1 Qe6 5.Qb5+ c6 6.Qxb7
reason, we have to fight hard to keep the And White wins.
rooks apart. 1-0
□ Spassky Boris Black from castling (17...0-0 18.Nf5 or
■ Avtonomov 18.Nc6) and gained a strong outpost on d4.
Leningrad 1949 ○ 17...Kf8
XABCDEFGHY 17...Qd7 would be slightly better, since the
knight cannot instantly move to f5. White
8r+-wqkvl-tr( would continue his attack with 18.Qh5.
18.Nf5 h5 (D)
7+l+-+pzpp' This prevents 19.Qh5, but allows an
6p+-+psn-+& attractive end to the game. Anyhow, there
was no longer a solution to Black's woes.
5+p+-+-+-% XABCDEFGHY
4-sn-zP-+-+$ 8r+-wq-mk-tr(
3+LsN-+N+-# 7+-+-vlp+-'
2PzP-+QzPPzP" 6p+-+-zp-+&
1tR-vLR+-mK-! 5+p+p+N+p%
xabcdefghy 4-+-+-+-+$
We can quickly see the black king is stuck in
the centre and that it needs at least two 3+-+-+-+-#
moves to get castled. But this gives White
enough time to organise a strong attack. We 2PzP-+QzPPzP"
know that the circumstances for the attack 1tR-+R+-mK-!
are good, especially due to the white pieces
being actively placed, but how to proceed xabcdefghy
with the attack? How to open the files and 19.Rxd5!
diagonals? 12.Ne5, which prevents 12...Be7 A deflection!
because of 13.Nxf7! is possible, but Black 19...Qxd5
responds with 12...Nbd5 and settles on this After 19...Qc7 20.Rad1 Rd8 21.Qxe7+!!
important outpost, and only after this plays 20.Qxe7+ Kg8 21.Qxf6
...Be7 and ...0-0. The same would follow There is no defence against the threats of
after 12.Bg5. Therefore we are left with: Qg7 and Ne7.
12.d5! 1-0
A typical blow on the most-defended square
on the board! The tactical reasoning lies in In all cases of the attack on the king in the
the pin on the d-file and in the freeing of the centre, the plan is more-or-less the same: but
important d4-square. of course each individual case raises
12...Nbxd5 13.Bg5 questions.
White develops the bishop with tempo and Primarily, we need to correctly evaluate
threatens to win a piece. the position and make sure that the attack is
13...Be7 14.Bxf6! possible. The hardest part follows: find the
Once again, a convincing move! White has correct way to solve the problem and fulfill
removed an important defender and at the the following tasks:
same time weakened the black pawn - Keep the opponent's king in the centre.
structure. - Open the files.
14...gxf6 - Develop the initiative with the goal of
If 14...Bxf6? 15.Nxd5. increasing the advantage in the crucial part
15.Nxd5 Bxd5 16.Bxd5 exd5 17.Nd4! of the board.
What did White get in exchange for the - Finish the attack with checkmate or any
pawn? He has opened the e-file, prevented other form of decisive advantage.
The solution of each task involves a castled king, either he forces him to move
sacrifice. But with sacrifices, things are like the pawns, making the squares surrounding
this! It rarely happens that a sacrifice is not the king weak, or even manages to break up
linked with risk. the pawns and remove them.
And many chess players don't like taking A weak file or diagonal can be decisive.
risks, especially those risks which are Each of these elements is important and we
backed up only by our intuition. In chess we can get to know more about them in books
try to get rid of this uncertainty by good about tactics and different forms of attack.
training. Of course, a sharp attack on the king can
A lack of courage is a weakness and it be decisive and it definitely has the
shows the low level of a player's strength. advantage in a tactical-strategic sense.
Many times in games, it happens that a Only after the smoke clears, and if the
player castles and then the opponent battle is not decided with a checkmate, do
manages to weaken the position around the strategic elements step on the scene.

Advantage in Development
Every game begins with the opening, All 6 rules (maybe under different names)
which is nowadays undoubtedly the most can be found in every decent opening book.
important part of the game. Because many modern chess players skip
With the first moves, we set the those chapters which cover this subject, to
foundations for the future of the game: we study more-or-less forced variations, we will
point the game in a tactical or strategic now devote more attention to these
direction; we construct desirable pawn principles.
structures and we choose the kind of centre;
in summary everything that will help the Rapid Development: This is the first and
game to evolve according to our wishes. the most important rule. The future of the
Of course our opponent will do the same game depends on development and all
and both players will find help in the body following rules originate from this one.
of opening theory, in the moves which have If we fail this exam, usually even great
already been played in practice and have following play can not save us. We can,
turned out to be good and successful. however, help ourselves with some advice.
Opening theory is usually based on the - Try to move each piece once only (unless
moves of the Grandmasters and other good there is a good reason to move it more than
chess players and nowadays, when the once!).
players love to help themselves with - Make the minimum number of moves
computers, the moves of the masters also get possible with the edge pawns (h3, a3 and
examined by the merciless silicon judges... similar), because they usually do not
It is wrong to try to memorise all opening contribute to quick development.
moves without even knowing why we have - We don't develop the queen too early.
to play them. Her position is very important and many
This is a typical mistake of numerous times decisive; therefore we have to think
young players and also of (bad) trainers, about carefully her placement! The same
who force their trainees to learn very long goes for the other pieces.
and complicated variations. - We develop them according to 'the value
It is far more important to learn to make system'. So, first the knights, then the
healthy, logical moves and, at the same time, bishops (the bishop is usually stronger than
to take care of the timely and convenient the knight), after that the rooks and finally
development of the pieces, to think about the the queen.
position of the king etc. - Don't start with heedless, unprepared
The worst thing one can do is to ignore opening attacks.
opening traps and to play without - Don't think about taking random pawns,
considering general opening principles. especially not in open positions, where an
By general opening principles, we don't advantage in development is very important
mean concrete chess moves, but the rules and a tempo may often mean more than a
which apply to all openings. pawn.
The easiest way to summarise them is in 6 Do you already know all of this? If yes,
classical points that every chess player bravo! If not, then try to memorise these
should fully understand and know: rules. And one more thing: the exceptions
1. Rapid development. are made to confirm the rules!
2. Fight for the centre.
3. Prevent the opponent's ideas.
4. Transpose to desired pawn structures. Example 13 - Legal’s Mate
5. Fight for the initiative. C41
6. Transposition to the middlegame. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 Bg4? 4.Nc3 a6? (D)
XABCDEFGHY A very bad move, which contributes nothing
to development and weakens the position
8rsn-wqkvlntr( around his own king. White gains a big
positional advantage with the following two
7+pzp-+pzpp' pawn sacrifice.
6p+-zp-+-+& 7.f3! exf3 8.Qxf3 Qxd4 9.Qg3! Nf6
10.Qxg7 (D)
5+-+-zp-+-% XABCDEFGHY
4-+L+P+l+$ 8rsnl+k+-tr(
3+-sN-+N+-# 7zppzp-+-wQp'
2PzPPzP-zPPzP" 6-+-+psn-+&
1tR-vLQmK-+R! 5+-+-+p+-%
xabcdefghy 4-+-wq-+-+$
In front of us we have a typical example of
catastrophic play by Black in the opening. 3zP-sN-+-+-#
What did he miss? He has been neglecting
development; in four moves he has only 2-zPP+-+PzP"
developed one piece while White, on the 1tR-vL-mKL+R!
other hand, has already developed three
pieces. The move 4...a6? has no useful idea xabcdefghy
behind it and Black developed the bishop 10...Qe5+?
first, which is stronger than the knight. The The queen is only helping the white pieces
old French master from the 18th century, Sire to develop with tempo.
de Légal, was the first to find the winning 11.Be2 Rg8 12.Qh6 Rg6 13.Qh4 Bd7
combination and therefore today the shiny The consequences of Black's 10th move can
checkmate sequence is called Légal's Mate. be seen in the following variation: 13...Rxg2
5.Nxe5!! Bxd1 6.Bxf7+ Ke7 7.Nd5 # 1-0 14.Bf4 Qd4 15.Rd1.
14.Bg5 Bc6 15.0-0-0 Bxg2 16.Rhe1 Be4
□ Alekhine Alexander
17.Bh5 Nxh5 18.Rd8+ Kf7 19.Qxh5
■ Nimzowitsch Aron
1-0
C15 Bled 1931 ○
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nge2 dxe4
Fight for the Centre in the Opening:
5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Nxc3 f5? (D)
We've already got to know the concept of
XABCDEFGHY the centre, and also the fact that most games
8rsnlwqk+ntr( are decided by superiority in that part of the
board.
7zppzp-+-zpp' We should pay special attention to it from
the very start! Most openings actually do
6-+-+p+-+& concentrate on the centre, and there are two
5+-+-+p+-% possible ways of approaching the problem.
In the first one, we fight for the centre with
4-+-zPp+-+$ the pawns, trying to place our pawns on
3zP-sN-+-+-# central squares.
The second is the modern approach, where
2-zPP+-zPPzP" we don't place our pawns on the central
1tR-vLQmKL+R! squares, but try instead to control the centre
from a distance with our pieces.
xabcdefghy We call this hyper-modernism.
Example 14 - How we Mustn't Play This is the basic positions of the ‘Grünfeld
C54 Defence’, which is a typical hypermodern
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.0-0 opening. White has a full pawn centre, while
a6 (D) Black will try to control it with pieces
XABCDEFGHY (...Bg7, ...Nc6, ...Bg4) and destroy it by
flank attacks (...c5, ...f5).
8r+lwqk+-tr(
Example 16 - Classical Centre
7+pzpp+pzpp'
6p+n+-sn-+& XABCDEFGHY
5+-vl-zp-+-% 8r+-wq-trk+(
4-+L+P+-+$ 7+lzp-vlpzpp'
3+-zP-+N+-# 6p+nzp-sn-+&
2PzP-zP-zPPzP" 5+p+-zp-+-%
1tRNvLQ+RmK-! 4-+-zPP+-+$
xabcdefghy 3+LzP-+N+P#
Again, an unnecessary move, which doesn't 2PzP-+-zPP+"
help development or the fight for the centre. 1tRNvLQtR-mK-!
5...Nxe4 would be correct - remember: if we
do take a pawn in the opening, let this be a xabcdefghy
central pawn! This is one of the most basic positions of the
6.d4 exd4 7.cxd4 Ba7 8.d5 Ne7 9.e5! (probably) most-ever-played opening, the
Look at the centre! The white pawns are ‘Spanish Game’ (Ruy Lopez) - both players
dominant and attack the black pieces with control the centre with pawns and pieces.
tempo! Next follows an efficient mating
attack. Fight Against the Opponent's Plans:
9...Ng4 10.h3 Nh6 11.d6 Ng6 12.Bg5 f6 This rule usually makes us think in the
13.exf6 gxf6 14.Re1+ Kf8 15.Bxh6 # opening. It would be very simple to just
1-0 develop the pieces, place the pawns in the
centre and afterwards start with our play!
Example 15 - Hypermodernism But usually this is not the case. It is good
XABCDEFGHY to try to annoy our opponent with each move
and not let him make logical developing
8rsnlwqk+-tr( moves. Each tempo gained will be very
useful in the future of our game!
7zppzp-zppvlp' It can also be useful to lose tempi in order
6-+-+-+p+& to prevent our opponent from getting
castled! To play without castling can be very
5+-+-+-+-% difficult and usually the player with the safer
4-+-zPP+-+$ king has the advantage.
And if you ask what is more important:
3+-zP-+-+-# whether to develop our pieces or fight
2P+-+-zPPzP" against the opponent's development - well,
there is no correct answer.
1tR-vLQmKLsNR! Everything depends on the position in each
individual case, though we usually favour
xabcdefghy our own development.
Example 17 ○ weakness with quick development of the
XABCDEFGHY pieces and by taking the initiative. On the
move ...a6 in this opening, White usually
8r+lwqkvl-tr( responds with a4 and doesn't let Black play
...b5, taking space on the queenside. The
7zp-zp-+pzpp' move ...b5 is an indirect fight for the centre -
6-zp-+psn-+& the threat is ...b4 and the white knight on c3
needs to move away. The second option is
5+-+-+-+-% ...c4 and then placing the knight on c5 - and
4-+-zP-+-+$ with it, putting pressure on the centre. White
allows all of this in the hope of gaining a
3+-+L+N+-# decisive advantage after 'textbook'
2PzPP+-zPPzP" counterplay in the centre.
9.Qe2 Nh5
1tR-vLQmK-+R! 10.e5! was threatened.
10.Bg5 Be7 11.Bh6
xabcdefghy White moves his dark-squared bishop for the
With the move 7.Ne5! White fights against third time, even though his development is
the opponent's plan to develop the light- far from finished! As we've already said, in
squared bishop on the long diagonal the ‘Modern Benoni’ we have some
(7...Bb7? 8.Bb5+). By doing this, White is different rules. White has gained a lot by
breaking some general principles, but moving the bishop: he has pushed the knight
despite that the move is good. to the edge of the board and the black bishop
to a less-natural diagonal, its proper place
□ Jussupow Artur being on g7. On top of that, the bishop is
■ Dolmatov Sergey now preventing castling!
Minsk 1987 ○ 11...Bf8 12.Qe3 Bxh6 13.Qxh6 b4
XABCDEFGHY Black pushes the knight away from the
centre, but the move also has its flaws. Look
8rsnlwqkvl-tr( at the prospects for the white knight: d1-e3-
7+-+-+p+p' c4! Maybe it would have been better for
Black to play 13...Nd7.
6p+-zp-snp+& 14.Nd1 Qf6 (D)
5+pzpP+-+-% XABCDEFGHY
4-+-+PvL-+$ 8rsnl+k+-tr(
3+-sN-+N+-# 7+-+-+p+p'
2PzP-+-zPPzP" 6p+-zp-wqpwQ&
1tR-+QmKL+R! 5+-zpP+-+n%
xabcdefghy 4-zp-+P+-+$
In front of us we have a position from the
‘Modern Benoni’. Many opening principles
3+-+-+N+-#
don't apply to this opening and here we often 2PzP-+-zPPzP"
encounter seemingly illogical play. Play 1tR-+NmKL+R!
revolves around the backward d6-pawn,
White trying to attack it, while Black has xabcdefghy
opened his diagonals in exchange and is Fighting against the opponent's plan! Black
trying to compensate for the eternal is preparing the move ...Nf4. Later on,
players with the black pieces also tried 23...Ng7 24.Rac1
14...Bg4 15.Nd2 Bxd1 16.Rxd1 Qf6 but White still has to find the correct squares for
after 17.Nc4 White was better in Lputian,S- the rooks.
Magerammov,E Uzghorod 1988. 24...Nd7 25.Rfd1 Nf5
15.Nd2! If 25...Ne6 26.Nd5 Qg5 27.Qxg5+ Nxg5
Yet another move against all the rules. 28.Ne7.
White is preparing the move g3, then the 26.Nxf5 Qxf5 27.Qe3!
development of the light-squared bishop This is why the rook moved to c1! There is
followed by 0-0, and at the same time he is no defence against the exchange sacrifice on
also firming up the c4-square. The knight c5.
would not only attack the d6-pawn from the 27...e4 28.Bxe4 Qe5 29.Rd5 Qe6
c4-square, but it would also actively help to 29...Qxb2 30.Rdxc5.
prepare the move e5 - which is White's basic 30.Rdxc5! Nxc5 31.Qxc5
strategic idea. What is Black supposed to 1-0
do? The move ...Nd7 is once again the best
choice, but S.Dolmatov found a way to kill The above game is an exceptional example
two birds with one stone. of deviation from the basic opening
15...Bd7? principles. White was constantly fighting
The idea is clear. Black wants to play against his opponent's plans and he
16...Bb5 and in this way develop the bad outplayed him in the end.
bishop and also occupy an important But this kind of play is, of course,
diagonal. If White decides to exchange on extremely difficult and it requires a lot of
b5, then the pawn will occupy this square knowledge from the player in order to
and take control over the crucial c4-square - perform it.
and in addition also open the a-file. Has
Black achieved what he wanted? Transposition to the Desired Pawn
16.a4!! Structure: Chess players can be very
An exceptional move that practically decides different when it comes to their playing
the game! The bishop is no longer able to go style: we have attackers and defensive
to b5 (16...bxa3 17.Rxa3) and the black players; we have tactical players and
pieces are in each other's way. Black cannot positional players.
finish his development in a normal way and It is logical that each player wants to reach
he cannot stop White from developing. a certain type of position, one which suits
16...Kd8 17.g3 Bg4 18.Ne3 Bf3 him the most, from the opening. And the
Black is trying to complicate the play with types of position are usually determined by
tactics. White could continue simply the pawn structure. Therefore be careful
19.Nxf3 Qxf3 20.Bg2 Qf6 21.Nc4 with a with the pawns!
clear positional advantage. But this is no A weak pawn or - even more - weak
longer enough for him. Remember: the pawns, will soon force us to defend and it
simplest way to use a development will be hard for us to save ourselves even in
advantage is with an attack. the endgame.
19.e5! dxe5 20.Nxf3 Qxf3 21.Bg2 Qf6 But if we prefer to choose typical positions
22.d6 Ra7 23.0-0 (hanging pawns, isolated pawn, blocked
White has gained a lot in exchange for the centre etc.) we should first study them.
pawn. He has finished development, pushed Knowledge of playing positions with certain
the black pieces onto undesirable squares pawn structures is a very important factor in
and he broken their coordination. 23...Nd7 is modern chess.
not good: 24.Nd5 Qg7 25.Qe3 and there is
no defence against the threat of Ne7-c6. Example 18
Now White's major pieces will also join the C68
play and soon everything will be decided. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 (D)
XABCDEFGHY Example 20
D37
8r+lwqkvlntr( 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Be7 5.Bf4
0-0 6.e3 c5 7.Rc1 b6 (D)
7+pzpp+pzpp'
6p+n+-+-+& XABCDEFGHY
5+L+-zp-+-% 8rsnlwq-trk+(
4-+-+P+-+$ 7zp-+-vlpzpp'
3+-+-+N+-# 6-zp-+psn-+&
2PzPPzP-zPPzP" 5+-zpp+-+-%
1tRNvLQmK-+R! 4-+PzP-vL-+$
xabcdefghy 3+-sN-zPN+-#
In the diagram you can see a basic position 2PzP-+-zPPzP"
from the ‘Spanish Game’ (Ruy Lopez), 1+-tRQmKL+R!
where White, with the move 4.Bxc6,
transposes to his desired pawn structure, one xabcdefghy
with doubled pawns for Black and with a It is White's move and he has a choice of
pawn majority on the kingside (4:3).for pawn structures. After 8.dxc5 bxc5 (bad
White. would be 8...Bxc5 9.cxd5 exd5 and a
position with the isolated pawn arises, where
Black has played the weak ...b6) 9.cxd5
exd5 and we have a position with hanging
pawns (c5-d5). The second possibility is
Example 19
8.cxd5 Nxd5 (8...exd5 9.dxc5) 9.Nxd5 exd5
B14
10.Bd3 c4 11.Bb1, where a third structure
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 e6 5.Nc3
arises, one with White's majority on the
Nf6 6.Nf3 Be7 (D)
kingside and with Black's majority on the
XABCDEFGHY queenside. But White can also decide to wait
8rsnlwqk+-tr( and just continue with development (8.Be2
or 8.Bd3). In this case, Black can decide on
7zpp+-vlpzpp' the pawn structure.
6-+-+psn-+& The Fight for the Initiative: The
5+-+p+-+-% initiative is also one of the decisive factors
in the opening.
4-+PzP-+-+$ The initiative brings us many benefits:
3+-sN-+N+-# advantage in development, superiority in the
centre, psychological advantage...
2PzP-+-zPPzP" Therefore, at the start of the game, having
1tR-vLQmKL+R! the white pieces is considered slightly adva-
ntageous: if we play well, we will keep the
xabcdefghy initiative for a long time. Black must first
In the diagram position White can choose equalize the position with precise play and
between a position with an isolated pawn only after that can he start thinking of more.
after 7.cxd5 Nxd5, or the blocking of the So, when we have the initiative, we should
position with 7.c5. Each possibility leads to try hard not to lose it. And when we are on
a different type of position. the other side, we should try to stop it.
Example 21 The ‘Najdorf Variation’ of the ‘Sicilian
D35 Defence’, where White wants to castle long.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 (D) The correct move is 8.Qf3 with the threat of
XABCDEFGHY 9.0-0-0 and 10.e5. If White chooses 8.Qd2,
then after 9.0-0-0, there is no threat of 10.e5!
8rsnlwqkvl-tr( Let us look at another game of Artur
7zppzp-+pzpp' Jussupow. This time around he was sitting
on the 'wrong' side...
6-+-+psn-+&
5+-+p+-+-% □ Jussupow Artur
■ Gulko Boris
4-+PzP-+-+$ Reykjavik 1990 ●
3+-sN-+-+-# XABCDEFGHY
2PzP-+PzPPzP" 8r+-wq-trk+(
1tR-vLQmKLsNR! 7zppzp-zppvlp'
xabcdefghy 6-+-zp-snp+&
Before us is a basic position from the 5sn-+P+l+-%
Queen's Gambit and it is White's move. The
correct move is 4.Bg5, which develops a 4-+P+-+-+$
piece and at the same time threatens 5.Bxf6.
The move 4.Bg5 gives Black a task and
3+-sN-+-zP-#
reduces his selection of good responses. 2PzP-sNPzPLzP"
Because of the threatened Bxf6 and cxd5, he
needs to strengthen the d5-square - and this 1tR-vLQ+RmK-!
he can do in three ways: 4...Be7, 4...Nbd7 or xabcdefghy
4...c6. If White continues peacefully with
9...c6!
4.Nf3, then Black will have a wider choice,
Let's examine the position! Black has an
especially the move 4...c5 with immediate
undoubted advantage in development. What
counterplay in the centre.
should be done in such cases? We open the
Example 22 position! The diagonals and the files. In
B98 doing so we create space and new squares
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 for our already developed pieces! The move
5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Be7 (D) of course has a tactical background. Black
XABCDEFGHY would, after 10.b4 (which was White's idea),
answer with 10...Nxd5! and after 11.cxd5
8rsnlwqk+-tr( Bxc3 12.e4 (12.Ba3? Bxd2!) Bd7 13.Rb1
7+p+-vlpzpp' White would get two pieces for the rook, but
Black would also have some pawns in
6p+-zppsn-+& exchange, and because of that certainly
5+-+-+-vL-% greater potential.
10.e4?!
4-+-sNPzP-+$ Now this is a serious mistake, as after this
Black plays everything with tempo.
3+-sN-+-+-# 10...Bg4!
2PzPP+-+PzP" A very important intermediate move! If
White plays f3, he opens the important
1tR-+QmKL+R! diagonal g1-a7 (for a possible check ...Qb6)
xabcdefghy and if he chooses Qc2, the queen will turn
into an object of Black's attack... longer be stopped with normal play.
11.Qc2 cxd5 12.cxd5 Rc8 (D) Remember this approach! We need to make
XABCDEFGHY the opponent's job harder, even though this
means that you can lose in a miniature! But
8-+rwq-trk+( many times we can save even completely
hopeless situations this way!
7zpp+-zppvlp' 15...exd5 16.Nxb5
6-+-zp-snp+& This was White's idea, to create a
completely non-standardised, chaotic
5sn-+P+-+-% position, where there is a chance of possible
4-+-+P+l+$ salvation showing up. Black could now
continue with 16...Qb6, with the idea of
3+-sN-+-zP-# ...Bd7 and a strong initiative, but he chose
2PzPQsN-zPLzP" another, more complicated and attractive
way.
1tR-vL-+RmK-! 16...Re8!
Another piece steps into play! White will
xabcdefghy from now on fish in muddy waters.
Let us once again look at the position! Black 17.h3 Bf5
has finished his development and is sending Maybe better would be 17...Be6 18.exd5
reinforcements into the attack. While doing Bf5 19.Rxe8+ Qxe8 20.Qf1 when White has
this, he is following an old rule: the one with an extra pawn and Black has dangerous
the initiative must attack - otherwise the compensation.
initiative can fade away! 18.g4 Bxe4 19.Nxe4 Nxe4
13.Re1 Which pawn should White take? 20.Bxe4?
White is trying to connect his pieces. 13.Re1 dxe4 21.Qxd6 (21.Rxe4 Rxe4 22.Qxe4 Nb3)
makes space for the knight on f1 and at the Qh4! ; 20.Qd5? Re5! Therefore, there only
same time prevents a possible ...Be2. remains:
13...b5 20.Nxa7 Rb8 21.Be3
One of numerous possibilities. 13...Qb6 White has finally developed his bishop.
would be no worse, and also 13...Bd7 with Again, 21.Qxd5 wasn't good: 21...Re5! (or
the idea of ...Ng4-e5, would be a good 21...Nxf2 22.Rxe8+ Qxe8 23.Kxf2 Nb3
choice. 24.Nc6 with an unclear position) and the
14.a3 e6! white pieces are completely uncoordinated
B.Gulko is playing consistently, opening the and the threat of ...Nxf2 is still present.
position more with each move. A slight 21...Bxb2 22.Rab1
positional advantage after 14...Bd7 is no On 22.Rad1 Nc3! 23.Rd2 d4 24.Rxb2 Rxb2
longer enough for him. The move 14...e6! 25.Qxd4 Ne2+ 26.Rxe2 Rxe2 27.Bh6 R8e5
has many strong points; after the exchange with a big material advantage.
on d5, Black would open the e-file and at the 22...Rb3! 23.Qxd5
same time gain control over the f5-square 23.Qc2 Qb8 24.Nc6 Nxc6 25.Qxc6 Rc8.
for his bishop. Again there are tactics hidden 23...Nc3
in the background; after 15.h3 exd5 16.hxg4 With a decisive advantage for Black. Later
d4, Black would regain the piece, break up Black destroyed it and even lost:
the white pawns and we would be 24.Bg5 Nxb1 25.Bxd8 Rxe1+ 26.Bf1 Nc3
introduced to another important element: 27.Qd2 Ne2+ 28.Kg2 Bc3 29.Qh6 Nc4
from an advantage in development to a 30.Nc6 Bg7 31.Ne7+ Kf8 32.Qxh7 Nf4+
better pawn structure! 33.Kh2 Ke8 34.Qg8+ Bf8 35.Nxg6 fxg6
15.Qd3 36.Qxc4 Rxf1 37.Qxf4 Rxa3 38.Bh4 Raa1
White no longer has a choice and he is 39.Qe4+ Kf7 40.Qf3+ Kg8 41.Qd5+ Kg7
clinging on as Black's initiative could no 42.Qb7+ Kg8 43.Bg3 Rh1+ 44.Qxh1
Rxh1+ 45.Kxh1 Kf7 46.Kg2 Kf6 47.f4 d5 XABCDEFGHY
48.Bf2 Bd6 49.Kf3 Ke6 50.Bd4 Be7
51.Kg3 Bb4 52.h4 Be1+ 53.Kh3 Bd2 8rsnlwqkvl-tr(
54.Kg3 Be1+ 55.Bf2 Bc3 56.Kf3 Bg7
57.Be1 Bf8 58.Bc3 Bh6 59.f5+ gxf5 60.g5
7zppzp-zpp+p'
1-0 6-+-+-+p+&
5+-+-+-+-%
4-+-+P+-+$
3+-sn-+N+-#
2PzP-zP-zPPzP"
1tR-vLQmKL+R!
xabcdefghy
6.dxc3!?
White offers an exchange of queens and is
Transposition to the Middlegame: willing to give up his right to castle in the
Nowadays, knowledge of opening theory is process. This follows a simple logic: in the
not unusual; therefore we can rarely reach a endgame, the king is needed in the centre,
big advantage out of the opening. and the endgame is knocking on our door
Players start thinking about the despite only six moves having been played!
middlegame very early, in many cases they 6...Qxd1+ 7.Kxd1 f6 8.Be3 e5 9.Nd2 Be6
even think about an immediate transposition 10.Bc4
into the endgame. White is exchanging correctly. He wants
Here is where the little things really matter Black to keep his bad dark-squared bishop,
and we simply must take them into account which is restricted by its own pawns on dark
if we don't want our opponent to lead us into squares.
his waters. 10...Bxc4 11.Nxc4 Nd7
Nowadays opening theory is so advanced Black wants to get rid of this bishop and so
in some variations that we can learn them up prepares the move ...Bc5, but:
to the 20th move or even further! 12.b4! Nb6 13.Na5 0-0-0+ 14.Kc2 Be7
But let's admit it; this is already a deep 15.a3 f5?! (D)
middlegame. We can talk about the XABCDEFGHY
transposition from the opening to the
endgame when the opponent quickly 8-+ktr-+-tr(
exchanges the queens or many pieces,
without finishing development first.
7zppzp-vl-+p'
We know players who have mastered this 6-sn-+-+p+&
kind of play. The legendary Swedish
Grandmaster Ulf Andersson was able to 5sN-+-zpp+-%
transpose from the early opening almost 4-zP-+P+-+$
straight to the endgame - and after that he
simply smothered his sleeping opponents. 3zP-zP-vL-+-#
□ Andersson Ulf
2-+K+-zPPzP"
■ Franco Ocampos Zenon 1tR-+-+-+R!
A16 Buenos Aires 1979
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5
xabcdefghy
5.e4 Nxc3 (D) 16.Bxb6!

Back to the chapter: a good knight against a 35.c4 Bf6 36.c5 bxc5 37.Nxc5 Re7 38.Ra6
bad bishop! Bh8 39.Kc4 Bg7 40.f3 Rb8 41.Ne6 Bf6
16...axb6 17.Nc4 Bf6 18.a4! 42.Rc6
White demonstrates textbook play: with And finally decided to throw the towel in, as
small tempo gains he is piling up slight he loses quite easily after 42...Rc8 43.b6 +-.
advantages, which will later be turned into a 1-0
big, decisive advantage.
18...Bg7 19.Rhe1 Rhe8 20.b5 f4 Later, at the turn of the millennium,
Next follows the execution, which is a very Vladimir Kramnik - who replaced the
instructive example on the realisation of an hitherto unbeatable Garry Kasparov on the
advantage. throne - impressed us with the same tactics.
21.a5 bxa5 22.Rxa5 b6 23.Ra7 Bf6 His weapon was simple, but very efficient:
24.Rea1 Re6 25.R1a6 Rde8 26.Kb3 Bd8 The ‘Berlin Defence’ in the ‘Spanish Game’
27.Ra8+ Kd7 28.Ra2 Bf6 29.Rd2+ Ke7 (Ruy Lopez - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6
30.Ra7 Rc8 31.Rd5 Ke8 32.h3 Ke7 33.Nb2 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dex5
Ke8 34.Nd3 Bg7 (D) Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8), with a quick exchange
34...c6 35.Rdd7 cxb5 36.Nb4 +-. of the queens and a transposition from the
opening to a deep middlegame.
XABCDEFGHY
8-+r+k+-+(
7tR-zp-+-vlp'
6-zp-+r+p+&
5+P+Rzp-+-%
4-+-+Pzp-+$
3+KzPN+-+P#
2-+-+-zPP+"
1+-+-+-+-!
xabcdefghy

The Fight for the Initiative in the Middlegame
The father of positional play, William the black queen. The battery of the queen
Steinitz, said that in a chess game the fight and bishop is interrupted by the knight on
for the initiative is obligatory: 'The right to d7. But on the other hand, there are no
attack belongs to the side that has a weaknesses in Black's camp and if he
positional advantage, and that side not only manages to play f6, strengthen the centre
has the right but also the obligation to do so, and develop his knight to e6 (...Nf8-e6), he
or else his advantage may evaporate. The will soon take over the initiative. Therefore
attack should be concentrated on the White needs to act energetically:
weakest square in the opponent's position'. 19.Rc4! Be6
Therefore the initiative represents one of If 19...Bf5 then White would be allowed to
the most important strategic components of peacefully develop his idea: 20.Qa1 f6
the game. 21.Nh4 Be6 22.Rc2 with the idea of d4!
It is a foundation of many strategic 20.Rh4 f6 21.d4! g5! 22.Rh6 Kg7 23.dxe5!
operations: improvement of the position of Kxh6 24.exf6 (D)
our own pieces; attack and demolition of the XABCDEFGHY
opponent's piece coordination.
Material is not the main consideration 8-trq+r+-+(
when we are talking about the development
of the initiative. The initiative is a temporary
7zppzpn+-+p'
element, and one which can easily disappear 6-vl-+lzP-mk&
if we hesitate, think too much or get scared.
But if we nurture it correctly, it can be easy 5+-+-+-zp-%
for us to turn it into one of the long-term 4-+-+-+-+$
strategic advantages - or even decide the
game with direct tactical play. 3+P+-+NzP-#
□ Korchnoi Viktor
2PvL-+PzPLzP"
■ Arnason Jon 1+-+QtR-mK-!
Beersheba 1987 ○
xabcdefghy
XABCDEFGHY White needed to foresee this position
8-trq+r+k+( already before 19.Rc4 and evaluate the
consequences of his sacrifice by intuition.
7zppzpn+pzpp' He has clear compensation and went on to
6-vl-+-+-+& win the game nicely. To develop the
initiative means that we have the chance to
5+-+-zp-+-% attack first. With the attack, we want to
4-+-+-+l+$ make the position of our pieces better and
we want to concentrate on one or more of
3+P+P+NzP-# the opponent's weak points. We often aid
our plans with tactical motifs when we are
2PvL-+PzPLzP" developing the initiative. The game ended:
1+-tRQtR-mK-! 24...Rg8 25.Qd2 Kh5 26.h3 Nc5 27.g4+
Bxg4 28.hxg4+ Qxg4 29.Ne5 Qh4 30.Qc2
xabcdefghy Ne4 31.Qxe4 Bxf2+ 32.Kf1 Qxe4 33.Bxe4
The black pieces are not well placed: the Bxe1 34.Kxe1 Rbd8 35.f7 Rgf8 36.Ba3
rook on b8 is out of play, defending the Rxf7 37.Nxf7 Rd4 38.Bxb7 g4 39.Ne5 Kh4
pawn, which is already being defended by 40.e3 1-0
□ Piskov Yury 25.Rg1 Bxc4 26.Qxc4 Qxh2
■ Dvoirys Semen 0-1
Podolsk 1992 ●
XABCDEFGHY □ Grischuk Alexander
■ Dvoirys Semen
8N+l+-trk+( Moscow 2002 ○
7zpp+-+p+p' XABCDEFGHY
6-+n+-snpvl& 8r+lwqkvl-tr(
5+-+-zp-+-% 7+-+n+pzpp'
4-+L+-+-wq$ 6psn-zpp+-+&
3+Q+-zP-sN-# 5+p+-+-+-%
2PzP-+-zPPzP" 4-+-sNP+P+$
1+-tR-mK-+R! 3+-sN-vLP+-#
xabcdefghy 2PzPPwQ-+-zP"
15...Ng4 16.Nc7 Nd4! 1+-mKR+L+R!
Black uses the pin to break into his
opponent's camp. xabcdefghy
17.Qa3 Nf5! 11.Ndxb5! axb5 12.Nxb5 Rxa2?
White's critical square is e3, which can only Black's task is not easy. It looks like the best
be shaken with the help of tactical elements. might be 12...Ba6 13.Nxd6+ Bxd6 14.Qxd6
In our case, with the help of the afore- Bxf1 15.Bxb6 Qg5+ 16.f4 Qb5 17.Qxd7+
mentioned pin. Qxd7 18.Rxd7 Kxd7 19.Rxf1 Rxa2 20.Rf3
18.Nd5 Ngxe3 19.Nxe3 Bxe3! 20.Bxf7+ and White is better.
After 20.Rc2 Bxf2+! 21.Kxf2 Qd4+ 22.Ke1 13.Kb1 Ra8
Ne3 23.Qd3 b5 24.Bxf7+ Kh8 Black would Or 13...Ra4 14.Qc3! with an attack.
be celebrating. 14.Nxd6+ Bxd6 15.Qxd6 Na4
20...Kxf7 21.Qb3+ (D) Black would not be saved even after
XABCDEFGHY 15...Ra5 16.Qb4 and Bb5.
16.Bb5 Qe7 17.Qd4 e5 18.Qd5 Nc3+
8-+l+-tr-+( 19.bxc3 Rb8 20.Rd3 0-0 (D)
7zpp+-+k+p' XABCDEFGHY
6-+-+-+p+& 8-trl+-trk+(
5+-+-zpn+-% 7+-+nwqpzpp'
4-+-+-+-wq$ 6-+-+-+-+&
3+Q+-vl-sN-# 5+L+Qzp-+-%
2PzP-+-zPPzP" 4-+-+P+P+$
1+-tR-mK-+R! 3+-zPRvLP+-#
xabcdefghy 2-+P+-+-zP"
21...Kf6! 1+K+-+-+R!
Black was, of course, forced to calculate.
22.fxe3 Nxg3 23.Rc4 Qh5 24.Qd3 Be6 xabcdefghy
21.c4 24.Rh7!
With a decisive advantage to White. A classic tactical element - the pin.
21...Nb6 22.Qc5 Qf6 23.g5 24...Kg8 25.gxf6 Kxh7 26.Qg5 Rc7
1-0 27.Nxe6 Rac8 28.fxg7 Kg8 29.Rh1
With a mating attack.
□ Vasiukov Evgeni 29...Bxe4 30.Rh8+ Kf7 31.Nxc7 Qxc3
■ Van Wely Loek 32.g8Q+
Moscow 2002 ○ 1-0
XABCDEFGHY □ Zilber Israel
8r+r+-mk-+( ■ Suetin Alexey
Leningrad 1957 ●
7zpp+-vlpzp-'
6-+lzppsn-zp& XABCDEFGHY
5+-+-+-vL-% 8r+l+r+k+(
4-+qsNPzPPzP$ 7zpp+-snp+p'
3+-sN-+-+-# 6-+-+-+p+&
2PzPPwQ-+-+" 5+-+-wQ-+-%
1+K+RtR-+-! 4-+P+-zP-+$
xabcdefghy 3+-+-vLN+-#
Black was preparing the defence ...Ng8 and 2P+-+LmKPzP"
later a counter-attack with the help of ...b5. 1+-+-+-+q!
White can wait no longer:
17.f5! hxg5 18.hxg5 Nd7 19.fxe6 Ne5 xabcdefghy
20.Rh1! White has sacrificed a lot of material and is
The king hunt begins. now threatening to checkmate Black with
20...fxe6 (D) the help of the battery Bd4-Qe5. Therefore
After 20...Ke8 21.Rh8+ Bf8 22.e7! Kxe7 Black needs to act strongly and
23.Nf5+ White's attack would be aggressively:
unstoppable. 17...Bh3 18.Bd4 Qxg2+ 19.Ke1 f6!
XABCDEFGHY 20.Qxf6 Qxe2+! 21.Kxe2 Nd5+
0-1
8r+r+-mk-+(
7zpp+-vl-zp-'
6-+lzpp+-+&
5+-+-sn-zP-%
4-+qsNP+P+$
3+-sN-+-+-#
2PzPPwQ-+-+"
1+K+R+-+R!
□ Kalegin Evgenij
xabcdefghy ■ Moizhess Igor
21.b3! Qb4 22.Rh8+! Kf7 23.Qf4+ Bf6 Podolsk 1993 ○

XABCDEFGHY White is excellently centralised, but we
cannot see any direct weaknesses in the
8r+-wq-trk+( black camp. Therefore they need to be
created!
7+l+p+pzpp' 19.b4! cxb4 20.c5 Qc6 21.Rad1 Rag8
6p+-zPp+-+& 22.Nd6+! Bxd6 23.cxd6 Rc8 24.h4! (D)
The pawn is threatening to advance to h6.
5+-+-+-+-% XABCDEFGHY
4-+pwQ-+-+$ 8-+r+-+-tr(
3+P+-+-+R# 7zpp+l+kzpp'
2P+-+-zPPzP" 6-+qzPpsn-+&
1tR-vL-+-mK-! 5+-+-vL-wQ-%
xabcdefghy 4-zp-zp-+-zP$
When a player has an advantage, there are
always some tactical threats possible. Here 3+-+L+-+-#
White has broken the coordination between
the black pieces with the d6 pawn, and now 2P+-+-zPP+"
three long-range pieces, which are 1+-+RtR-mK-!
successfully cooperating, will attack the
black king. xabcdefghy
18.Bh6! f6 24...Qd5? 25.Bxf6 gxf6 26.Qxd5 exd5
Black would also be checkmated after 27.Re7+ Kf8 28.Rxd7 Rb8 29.Bxh7 b5
18...Qf6 19.Qxf6 gxf6 20.Rg3+ Kh8 30.h5 a5 31.Bg6 a4 32.Rf7+ Kg8 33.d7 b3
21.Bg7+ Kg8 22.Bxf6 #. 34.Re1
19.Bxg7! Kxg7 20.Qg4+ Kh8 21.Qg6! 1-0
The checkmate on h7 cannot be defended.
21...Rf7 22.Qxf7 Be4 23.Re1 Bf5 24.Rg3 □ Shirov Alexei
Bg6 25.Rxg6 hxg6 26.Re3 1-0 ■ Smejkal Jan
Germany 1992 ○
□ Qin Kanying XABCDEFGHY
■ Galliamova Alisa
Subotica 1991 ○ 8r+lwqr+k+(
XABCDEFGHY 7zpp+-+pvlp'
8r+-+-+-tr( 6-snp+-+p+&
7zpp+lvlkzpp' 5+-+-zp-+-%
6-wq-+psn-+& 4-+-zPP+-+$
5+-zp-vL-wQ-% 3vLLzP-+-+-#
4-+PzpN+-+$ 2P+-+NzPPzP"
3+-+L+-+-# 1tR-+Q+RmK-!
2PzP-+-zPPzP" xabcdefghy
1tR-+-tR-mK-! Black's critical square is f7, but it is hard to
reach it. White found some possibilities to
xabcdefghy open the files for his long-range pieces.

13.f4! exd4 14.f5 gxf5 15.Ng3 dxc3 16.Qh5 Black is ready for counterplay and there
Nc4 17.Rad1 Qb6+ 18.Kh1 Qb5 19.Nxf5 followed an attack on the centre:
Bxf5 20.Rxf5 Ne5 21.Bxf7+ Nxf7 22.Qxf7+ 21...f5! 22.Nd2
1-0 After 22.exf5 exf5 23.Qxf5 Bxf3 24.gxf3
Rf8 Black would have enough compensation
□ Gelfand Boris for the pawn.
■ Beliavsky Alexander 22...fxe4 23.Nxe4 Qf7 24.g3 Nd5 25.Bg2
Munich 1994 ● e5!
XABCDEFGHY Black gets rid of his backward pawn.
26.Qb2 Nxe3 27.fxe3 exd4 28.exd4 Bd5
8-+rtr-+k+( 29.Rad1! Ne7
And Black was better.
7zplwq-+pzp-' 0-1
6-zp-+p+nzp&
5+-+-+-+-%
4-+-zPPsn-+$
3zP-+-vLN+P#
2-+-+-zPP+"
1tRQ+-tRLmK-!
xabcdefghy

Methods and Principles of Defence
Every sport consists of attack and defence Transition to the Endgame: Transition into
- and chess is no exception. From the the endgame is the most common method of
psychological point of view, it is easier to defence. The principle is simple.
attack than to defend. The player who is defending must
This is logical, because any mistake in our exchange some of the opponent's active
defence might prove fatal. This is why a lot pieces. In many cases, this is not possible
of chess players do not like to defend. and the player then needs to sacrifice some
Something similar happens with young material in order to transfer into the
chess players. endgame.
Their biggest problem is that they do not The final result of the game then depends
know how to defend. Usually they choose a on the evaluation of the position. It is very
passive defence instead of an active one. important for us to know as many
In many cases, they do not recognise the theoretically drawing positions as possible,
threats or they recognise them only when it because this kind of knowledge can rescue
is too late. us!
We can defend ourselves in many ways
and usually our defence depends on the □ Xie Jun
particular position. The problem with young ■ Taimanov Mark
chess players is that they tend to choose Copenhagen 1997 ●
passive defence. XABCDEFGHY
This means that they just want to defend a
certain threat of the opponent and they 8r+l+-trk+(
forget about their active possibilities.
Female chess players, even very good ones,
7+pwq-+pzpp'
face the same problem. 6p+-+p+-+&
Then on the other hand, we have top-level
chess players. Chess history knows many 5+-+pzP-+-%
players who became famous due to their 4-+PwQnzP-+$
defensive play. Among them, we can
recognize some world champions: 3+-+-+-+-#
J.R.Capablanca, T.Petrosian, A.Karpov, 2P+P+L+PzP"
V.Kramnik and many others.
Their games show us how to defend 1tR-vL-+R+K!
properly! But we must never forget the basic
rule: if possible, we have to defend
xabcdefghy
ourselves actively!! If White can manage to make her pair of
bishops active (in order to do that, she needs
Methods of Defence to exchange some pawns!) then Black will
In chess we know many ways of good find himself in big trouble! The legendary
defence. Of course, our defence depends on player decided on active defence!
the position. 14...b5!
Generally we follow the principles listed 14...Rd8?! is a passive move, which would
here: probably be the one that most young and
1. Transition into the endgame. most female players would choose. In that
2. Exchange of the opponent's active case, White would finish her development
pieces. and activate her bishops: 15.Be3! (15.Bf3 b5
3. Sacrifice. 16.cxd5 exd5) 15...b5 16.cxd5 exd5 17.Bd3
4. Counterplay. +/-.
15.cxd5 XABCDEFGHY
15.cxb5 axb5 16.Bxb5 Qxc2 (16...Nc3
17.Bd3 Ra4 18.Qe3 Ba6 with unclear play) 8rwql+-trk+(
17.a4 Ba6 White's passed pawn cannot move
forward and that is why Black is not in
7zpp+-zppvlp'
danger. The position is probably slightly 6-+nzp-snp+&
better for Black.
15...exd5 16.Bd3 5+N+-+-+-%
After 16.Qxd5 the best is 16...Bf5! (also 4-+-+PzP-+$
possible is 16...Bb7 17.Qb3 Rfd8 18.c4 bxc4
19.Bxc4 [19.Qxc4 Qb6 -+] 19...Rac8 20.Be2 3+-+L+N+-#
and Black has sufficient compensation for 2PzPP+-+PzP"
the sacrificed pawn) 17.Qb3 Rac8 18.Be3
(18.Bd3 Nc5 19.Qa3 Nxd3 20.cxd3 Rfd8) 1tR-vL-wQRmK-!
18...Qxc2.
16...Bb7 17.Bb2
xabcdefghy
White has finished her development and In this typical ‘Sicilian Defence’ position,
now she is threatening to start an attack on White's idea is simple. He wants to play f5,
the king. Black must react quickly. One of Qh4, Bh6 and Ng5, with an unpleasant
the principles of defence is to exchange the attack on the black king. It is not hard to
queens. When queens are off the board, the realise that the knight on f3 is a decisive
possibility of an attack decreases. In our piece for the mating attack. The rule says:
initial position, M.Taimanov needed to you must exchange the most active piece
sacrifice a pawn to be able to exchange the immediately!
queens! 11...Bg4! 12.Qh4 Bxf3 13.Rxf3 Qc8!
17...Qc5?! 18.Bxe4 Qxd4 19.Bxh7+ Kxh7 Black is preparing the preventive ...Qg4,
20.Bxd4 because the endgame is better for him.
Black knowingly transposed into the 14.Nc3 Qg4!
endgame a pawn down, because White has The prevention!
trouble winning with the opposite-coloured 15.Qf2
bishops. After 15.Qxg4 Nxg4 Black would be
20...b4! slightly better.
And Black actually went on to win. 15...Qd7 16.Ne2 Rac8 17.c3 b5!
0-1 It is time for action on the queenside!
18.Qh4 b4 19.Bd2 a5 20.Rh3 Qg4 21.Qe1
Exchange of the Opponent's Active Pieces: Qd7 22.Qh4 h5!
This method of defence is very important! And Black's position is clearly better!
Young players often have problems, because 0-1
they do not 'feel' the danger.
Older and more experienced players Sacrifice: We tend to think of sacrifices in
usually know where the danger lies and that connection with attacking, but the sacrifice
is why they are able to respond properly to is also an important method of defence. This
the opponent's threats. Usually, one piece is goes for all sacrifices, from pawns to
decisive in every attack. queens!
If we manage to exchange this active Young players have big trouble with this
piece, then the opponent's attacking method of defence. It is logical, because
possibilities will decrease and there will be they do not feel like playing with less
no more danger. The exchange of active material.
pieces and transposition to the endgame are This fear is linked with ignorance, because
linked. young players are not familiar with dynamic
Example 23 ● elements (activity of the pieces, dynamic
pawn structure, and coordination of the □ Leko Peter
pieces...). ■ Carlsen Magnus
Understanding that the dynamic elements Nanjing 2009 ●
in the position are often more important than XABCDEFGHY
a material advantage comes with experience.
8r+r+-+k+(
□ Maroczy Geza
■ Rubinstein Akiba
7zpp+-vLpvlp'
Carlsbad 1907 ● 6nwq-zPl+p+&
XABCDEFGHY 5+-zpNzp-+-%
8-+rtr-vlk+( 4-+n+P+-+$
7zppwq-+pzp-' 3zP-+N+-zP-#
6-+l+p+-zp& 2-zP-+QzPLzP"
5+-+-+-+-% 1tR-+-+RmK-!
4-+P+-zPQ+$ xabcdefghy
3+-vLL+-+-# Another example, this time from Magnus
Carlsen. P.Leko achieved an advantage in
2PzP-+-+PzP" the opening with some precise play and
1+-+R+RmK-! M.Carlsen needed to decide whether to
defend passively, or to do so actively with
xabcdefghy the sacrifice of the exchange. He decided on
21...Rxd3! active defence! Despite his young age!
A positional sacrifice of the exchange, with 18...Bxd5!
which Black immediately stops every one of If 18...Qb5? 19.b3 Qxb3 (19...Nb6 20.Rab1)
White's possible attacks! 21...Rd7!? was also 20.Rfb1 Qa4 21.Rxb7 Qc6 22.Rab1 +/-.
a possibility, but a player would need to 19.d7 Be6 20.dxc8Q+ Rxc8 (D)
calculate many variations after 22.f5. XABCDEFGHY
22.Rxd3 Be4 23.Rd2 Qxc4
Black has only a pawn and a bishop in 8-+r+-+k+(
exchange for the rook, but he has no
weaknesses!
7zpp+-vLpvlp'
24.Rfd1 Bd5 6nwq-+l+p+&
A.Rubinstein plays the way they teach in
schools! He closes the only open line and 5+-zp-zp-+-%
the question in this case is if the rook is 4-+n+P+-+$
really more valuable than the great bishop
on d5, which controls the whole position. 3zP-+N+-zP-#
The game ended in a draw several moves 2-zP-+QzPLzP"
later, as follows.
25.h3 f5 26.Qg6 Qxf4 27.Rxd5 Qe3+ 1tR-+-+RmK-!
28.Kh1 exd5 29.Qxf5 Rd8 30.Rxd5 Qc1+
31.Kh2 Bd6+ 32.Be5 Bc7 33.Rxd8+ Bxd8
xabcdefghy
34.Qd7 Qg5 35.Bg3 Qe7 36.Qxe7 Bxe7 Black has completed his development and
37.Be5 Kf7 38.Kg3 g6 39.Kf4 Ke6 40.Ke4 has activated his pieces with the help of the
h5 41.b3 sacrifice. White has an advantage, but
½-½ nothing concrete.
21.b4 cxb4 22.axb4 Bf8!

The exchange of the dark-squared bishops is would find himself out in the open! There is
good for Black. only counterplay left!
23.Bxf8 Rxf8 24.Rfc1 Rd8 25.Bf1 Rd4 16...b5!!
Black's compensation is his activity and the Black pays no attention to the weakness on
game ended in a draw. h7; his priority is counterplay in the centre.
½-½ The d4-pawn is becoming a weakness, of
which Black will try to take advantage.
Counterplay: It is always good to answer
17.Rh4!!
an attack with counterplay. The opponent
Black pays no attention to the weakness on
usually attacks on one flank or in the centre
h7; his priority is counterplay in the centre.
but is rarely able to attack a cross the whole
The d4-pawn is becoming a weakness, of
board.
which Black will try to take advantage.
If something like this does happen, it is not
17...Qb6 18.e5!
good for the defender! If the opponent is
A great defensive move with obvious
attacking on the kingside, all of his pieces
attacking motives!
(or most of them) are pointed towards this
18...Nxe5 19.fxe6 Nxd3 20.Qxd3
part of the board.
20.exd7 Rxc1 21.Rxc1 Nxc1 -+.
It is logical that in this case the opponent's
20...Qxe6!
other side of the board is weaker (the
Black let the h7-pawn go, because it appears
queenside or the centre)! If the opponent's
that Black's king will be safe on f7. It is hard
attack is not well prepared (especially if he
to attack the g7-square.
doesn't control the centre) we can push him
21.Qxh7+ Kf7 22.Bh6 (D)
into defence with the help of counterplay.
Counterplay is one possibility of an active XABCDEFGHY
defence! 8-+r+ntr-+(
□ Geller Efim
■ Euwe Max
7zpl+p+kzpQ'
Zuerich 1953 ● 6-+-+qzp-vL&
XABCDEFGHY 5+p+-+-+-%
8-+rwqntrk+( 4-+-zP-+-tR$
7zpl+p+-zpp' 3zP-+-+-sN-#
6-zp-+pzp-+& 2-+-+-+PzP"
5+-+-+P+-% 1tR-+-+-mK-!
4-+nzPPtR-+$ xabcdefghy
3zP-+L+-sN-# White's only hope is the attack on g7, but
Black will succeed in defending that square.
2-+-+-+PzP" 22...Rh8?!!
1tR-vLQ+-mK-! This move deserves two exclamation marks
and a question mark. Why a question mark?
xabcdefghy Because Black would lose all of his
White played aggressively in the opening, advantage in case of correct play from
sacrificing a pawn to achieve an initiative on White. And two exclamation marks because
the kingside. He is now threatening simply of the phenomenal idea which is hidden
Qh5 and Rh4, with an attack on the h7- behind the move. With the capture on h8,
square, which it seems cannot be defended. the position of White's queen will be passive
There is no ...h6 defence; because White can and Black's rook will penetrate to the second
sacrifice a piece on h6 and Black's king rank, where it will, in coordination with the
bishop and the queen, cause trouble for White's plan here is simple. He wants to play
White. g4-g5, taking space and attacking the black
23.Qxh8 Rc2 24.Rc1? king. One of the defensive methods is the
M.Euwe confused E.Geller with the prevention of the opponent's active plans.
unexpected rook sacrifice and the latter 12...Qd7!!
immediately makes a mistake! After 24.d5!! An excellent move with an even more
(the destruction of Black's coordination) excellent plan tied to it.
White would save himself. 13.h3?
24...Rxg2+ 25.Kf1 Qb3! This move is bad, because White
The decisive move, after which White is permanently weakens his g3-square.
immediately lost! However, White wanted to play g4.
26.Ke1 Qf3 13...Ne7 14.Qe1
It is useful to remember the following: when 14.Bd2 h5! (B.Larsen) 15.Bxh5 Nxh5
the opponent is attacking on the flank, the 16.Qxh5 Qa4 or 14.g4!? h5 15.f5 hxg4
counterplay is usually hidden in the centre. 16.hxg4 g6! and Black is better.
0-1 14...h5!
Again - blocking the opponent's plan.
Prevention: Chess prevention is one of the
15.Bd2 Qf5!
most important elements of strategic play.
Black wanted the knight on this square but
This doesn't apply only to chess, but also to
he needed to take care of the defence of the
life in general.
h-pawn first.
To foresee possible negative outcomes and
16.Kh2 Qh7!
to protect ourselves from them, or at least to
Black has brought his queen from d8 to h7!
lessen their effects, is simpler than having to
A famous manoeuvre from the great master!
deal with the consequences.
17.a4 Nf5
It is the same in chess. One of the first
With the idea of ...Ng4, with a mating
chess players to start to think in this way,
attack.
and who presented and explained the
18.g3
concept of chess prophylaxis to the world,
White's last chance was hidden in 18.a5!
was the famous Aron Nimzowitsch. He said:
(B.Larsen).
'Neither attack nor defence is the essence of
18...a5!
positional play, but prophylaxis.'
It is much easier to defend the weakness on
□ Johner Paul b6 than on a4. With the move ...a5, Black
■ Nimzowitsch Aron has taken away White's chances of
Dresden 1926 ● counterplay on the queenside!
XABCDEFGHY 19.Rg1 Nh6 20.Bf1 Bd7 21.Bc1 Rac8
Black was threatening to take on d4 and c4,
8r+lwq-trk+( which is why White now needs to close the
centre.
7zp-+-+pzpp' 22.d5 Kh8 23.Nd2
6-zpnzp-sn-+& Trying to run away with the king would not
help: 23.Kg2 Rg8 24.Kf2 g5 -+.
5+-zp-+-+-% 23...Rg8
4-+PzPpzP-+$ Black next took over the initiative, prepared
a strong attack and destroyed his opponent.
3+NzP-zP-+-# In this game A.Nimzowitsch demonstrated
2P+-+L+PzP" one of the most efficient methods of
defence. He avoided all potential dangers by
1tR-vLQ+RmK-! preventing the realisation of White's active
plan.
xabcdefghy 0-1
Modern knowledge about preventive play Example 25 ○
is extensive. Many famous trainers and XABCDEFGHY
chess writers were and still are researching
this field. 8r+-wqkvl-tr(
Preventive play has numerous shapes and
technical approaches. It can be roughly
7+-+l+p+p'
divided into three major fields, according to 6p+nzppzp-+&
Adrian Mikhalchishin:
a) Elementary prevention. 5+p+-+-+-%
b) Foreseeing and preventing tactical 4-+-sNPzP-+$
threats.
c) Foreseeing and preventing strategic 3+-sN-+-+-#
threats. 2PzPPwQ-+PzP"
Elementary Prevention: This is the 1+-mKR+L+R!
simplest and is easily understandable. In this
group we can include small moves, which
xabcdefghy
we call preventive, or prophylactic, moves. White chose
For example, the move h3 in front of the 11.Kb1
'short castle' is one of them, protecting us Moving the king from the diagonal c1-h6
from a back rank weakness, so that the king and at the same time protecting the critical
can escape checks. a2-square, which Black might want to
To this group we can also add some moves attack. Note: there is no black piece placed
which prevent pinning on the files, lines and on the diagonal c1-h6 in the diagram and
diagonals. still the move 11.Kb1 is the best choice in
the position!
Example 26 ○
XABCDEFGHY
Example 24 ○
XABCDEFGHY 8-+r+-+-mk(
8r+lwq-trk+( 7zpR+-zp-+p'
7vlpzp-+pzpp' 6-+-+Q+p+&
6p+nzp-sn-+& 5+-+-+p+-%
5+-+-zp-+-% 4-zP-+-zP-+$
4-+-+P+-+$ 3zP-+-zPP+-#
3+LzPP+N+-# 2-+q+-sNKzP"
2PzP-sN-zPPzP" 1+-+-vl-+-!
1tR-vLQ+RmK-! xabcdefghy
1.Kh3!
xabcdefghy White finished the game with a simple
White is to move and chose move. Black cannot take the knight and
9.h3 there is no defence against White's threats.
Preventing the moves ...Bg4 or ...Ng4. 1-0

□ Botvinnik Mikhail 35.Rb6.
■ Bronstein David 35.Ncxb5 Bxg2 36.Kxg2 Ng4 37.Nf5 d3
Moscow 1951 ● 38.Rd6 Rxf5 39.Rxd3 Nge3+
XABCDEFGHY 0-1
8-+-+-trk+( □ Fischer Robert James

■ Smyslov Vassily
7+l+p+-zpp' Havana 1965 ○
6p+-+-sn-+& XABCDEFGHY
5+pzPp+N+-% 8-+-+-trk+(
4-zPn+-+-+$ 7+-zp-vl-zpp'
3zP-sN-+-zP-# 6R+ntrpsn-+&
2-+-+-+LzP" 5+p+-zp-+-%
1+-+R+-mK-! 4-+-+P+-+$
xabcdefghy 3+-zP-+NsN-#
White is threatening Ne7+ and Nexd5.
30...Kh8! 2-zP-+-zPPzP"
D.Bronstein evaluated this preventive move 1+-vL-+RmK-!
as his best move of the whole match against
M.Botvinnik (this was the 5th game). xabcdefghy
31.Re1 Black is threatening to play the liberating
White couldn't have saved himself even after 19...Nd4, so...
31.Nxd5 Nxd5 32.Bxd5 Bxd5 33.Rxd5 g6! 19.Kh1! Nd7
34.Rxd7 gxf5 35.c6 Ne5 36.Rc7 Rf7 Better would be 19...b4 20.cxb4 Nxb4
37.Rc8+ Kg7 38.c7 Kf6 with a winning 21.Ra7 Rc6 22.Nxe5 Rc2 with some
position for Black. Even Black's last move counterplay. The move ...b4 was indeed
in that line is a preventive move. useful, even if only to deprive White of this
31...Nxa3 32.Nd6 Bc6 33.Ra1 Nc2 34.Rxa6 important possibility. But for some reason,
(D) these famous players didn't think about this
XABCDEFGHY possibility before. Black is threatening
...Nc5.
8-+-+-tr-mk( 20.Be3
We already know that 20.b4! would be a
7+-+p+-zpp' better move.
6R+lsN-sn-+& 20...Rd8
Again 20...b4!
5+pzPp+-+-% 21.h3
4-zP-+-+-+$ Another preventive move.
21...h6 22.Rfa1 Ndb8 23.Ra8 Rd1+
3+-sN-+-zP-# 24.Kh2 Rxa1 25.Rxa1 Nd7?
2-+n+-+LzP" This was the last chance for Black to
activate himself with 25...b4!
1+-+-+-mK-! 26.b4! Kf7 27.Nf1
White improves the position of his worst-
xabcdefghy placed piece.
34...d4! 27...Bd6
Even better than 34...Nxb4, because of Again with the idea of 28...Nd4!
28.g3 XABCDEFGHY
The final prevention.
28...Nf6 29.N1d2 Ke7 30.Ra6 Nb8 31.Ra5 8-+-tr-tr-mk(
And White won the game by bringing his
king to the opposite flank...
7+p+-vlpzpp'
1-0 6p+l+-sn-+&
Tactical Prevention: Tactical and 5wq-+p+PvL-%
elementary prevention are tightly connected.
Tactical prevention helps us to secure our 4-+-+-+-wQ$
king or any other piece which holds a 3+LsN-+-+-#
decisive role in the position.
With it, we make our future threats 2PzPP+-+PzP"
stronger and - more importantly - we stop 1+-+R+R+K!
the opponent's counterplay.
□ Palac Mladen
xabcdefghy
■ Pavasovic Dusko It is clear that White will attack strongly: the
Pozega 2000 ○ transfer of the rook via the 3rd rank to h3 is
the first idea that comes to mind. Even more
XABCDEFGHY fascinating is Black's defensive plan; one
8r+-+-+k+( which he had foreseen well in advance:
18...Rfe8!! 19.Rd3 Qc5 20.Rh3 Kg8!
7+qzp-+p+-' A fantastic evaluation of the position! Black
6p+p+nvlp+& controls the dark squares and will calmly
walk his king to the opposite flank.
5tR-zPp+-+p% 21.Bxf6 Bxf6 22.Qxh7+ Kf8 (D)
4-zP-zP-+-+$ XABCDEFGHY
3+-+Q+-+P# 8-+-trrmk-+(
2P+-vLNzPP+" 7+p+-+pzpQ'
1+-+-+-mK-! 6p+l+-vl-+&
xabcdefghy 5+-wqp+P+-%
27.Kf1! 4-+-+-+-+$
White has a clear advantage, which will
become even bigger after the action on the 3+LsN-+-+R#
kingside (the advance of the f- and g- 2PzPP+-+PzP"
pawns). But first he takes care of his king,
which he will bring to the other side. The 1+-+-+R+K!
game ended as:
27...Qc8 28.Ke1 Bg5 29.f4 Bh4+ 30.Kd1
xabcdefghy
Ng7 31.Qf3 Qf5 32.Kc1 Bf6 33.g4 Qe6 23.Qh8+ Ke7 24.Qh5 Rd7
34.Kd1 Qc8 35.Ra3 Qb7 36.f5 hxg4 Black is not afraid of exchanging one pair of
37.hxg4 gxf5 38.g5 Bd8 39.Qh1 Ne6 rooks. On the contrary, after the exchange
40.Rh3 Kf8 41.Rh7 his pieces will become more alive.
1-0 25.Re1+ Kd8 26.Rxe8+ Kxe8 27.Qh8+
Ke7
□ Illescas Cordoba Miguel A quick glance at the board tells us all we
■ Andersson Ulf need to know. The black king is completely
Ubeda 1997 ● safe, but we cannot say the same thing for

the white king. Qf2 is threatened and 28.Rf3 XABCDEFGHY
d4 29.Rf1 dxc3 30.Re1+ Be5 doesn't work.
Black won easily. 8r+-+-trk+(
0-1
7zppzp-+-+p'
□ Fischer Robert James 6-+nzpl+-vl&
■ Donner Jan Hein
Varna 1962 ○ 5+-+Nsn-+-%
XABCDEFGHY 4-+P+PzPp+$
8-+-+rvlk+( 3+P+-+-zPq#
7wq-+-+p+-' 2PvLL+N+-+"
6r+p+p+-zp& 1tR-+Q+RmK-!
5zp-+-vL-+-% xabcdefghy
4n+P+-+-zP$ In this extremely complicated position,
created by Black's previous wild play, there
3+-+-wQ-+-# followed the wonderful:
20...Rf7!
2PzP-+-zPP+" 20...Nf3+ would be worse: 21.Kf2 Qh2+
1+-+R+RmK-! 22.Ke3 and White would be better. The
move played is a preventive move. It
xabcdefghy defends c7 and more importantly it prevents
Fischer sacrificed a piece correctly but after 21.fxe5 Bxd5 22.Qxd5 with check.
that he either got confused or overlooked the 21.Kf2
following manoeuvre: 50 years after the game, this move is also
25.Rd4? suggested by the computer!
Correct was 1.Qg3+ Kh7 and now 2.h5!! A 21...Qh2+ 22.Ke3 Bxd5 23.cxd5 Nb4
fantastic preventive move a piece down! 24.Rh1 (D)
What is it all about? White prevents the f- Next follows a wonderful finale, which is
pawn from moving forever (because of Qg6) not connected with prevention, but is worth
and he threatens the simple Rd4-g4 or Rd4- watching:
Rfd1, in both cases with a decisive XABCDEFGHY
advantage. 2...Nc5 doesn't work: 3.Rd4
Nd7? 4.Qd3. Or 2...Qe7 3.Rd4 Nc5 4.Rf4! 8r+-+-+k+(
with the threat Bf6 (If 4...Nd7? 5.Bd6).
White would have a strong, maybe even
7zppzp-+r+p'
decisive, attack. 6-+-zp-+-vl&
25...f5 26.Rfd1 Nc5 27.Rd8 Qf7 28.Rxe8
Qxe8 29.Bd4 Ne4 30.f3 e5 31.fxe4 exd4 5+-+Psn-+-%
32.Qg3+ Bg7 33.exf5 Qe3+ 34.Qxe3 dxe3 4-sn-+PzPp+$
35.Rd8+ Kf7 36.Rd7+ Kf6 37.g4 Bf8
38.Kg2 Bc5 39.Rh7 Ke5 40.Kf3 Kd4 3+P+-mK-zP-#
41.Rxh6 Rb6 42.b3 a4 43.Re6 axb3 2PvLL+N+-wq"
44.axb3 Kd3 45.g5
0-1 1tR-+Q+-+R!
□ Polugaevsky Lev
xabcdefghy
■ Nezhmetdinov Rashid 24...Rxf4! 25.Rxh2 Rf3+ 26.Kd4 Bg7
Sochi 1958 ● Threatening ...b5 and then ...Nec6 mate.

27.a4 c5+ 28.dxc6 bxc6 29.Bd3 Nexd3+ □ Diez del Corral Jesus
30.Kc4 d5+ 31.exd5 cxd5+ 32.Kb5 Rb8+ ■ Petrosian Tigran
33.Ka5 Nc6+ Palma de Mallorca 1969 ●
0-1 XABCDEFGHY
8rsnl+-+k+(
7zp-wq-snrzpp'
6-zp-+p+-+&
5+-+pzPp+-%
Strategic Prevention: There is no doubt
4-+-zP-+-+$
that strategic prevention is the hardest of all. 3zP-+L+-wQ-#
Many great chess players from the past and
present mastered this element, (let me just
2-+PvLNzPPzP"
mention A.Nimzowitsch, T.Petrosian and 1tR-+-+RmK-!
A.Karpov, who between them wrote whole
chapters on this theme) and have inspired xabcdefghy
entire generations of chess players. A typical position from the ‘French
There are many motifs known and here are Defence’, where White attacks on the
the most important ones: kingside and Black searches for his
- Restricting the activity of the opponent's possibilities on the queenside.
pieces. 13...Ba6!
- Strengthening good squares for our own A correct move. White's central pawns are
pieces. placed on the dark squares, which is why the
- Preventing unfavourable exchanges or, exchange of the light-squared bishops is
on the contrary, making favourable good for Black!
exchanges. 14.h4 Bxd3 15.cxd3 Nbc6 16.Be3 Qd7
- Play for a strong square. 17.Nf4 Ng6!
- Prevention of weakening a pawn T.Petrosian was known for his simple and
structure. efficient play. He knew exactly which pieces
- Battle against moves which would free to exchange and which ones to leave on the
the opponent. board.
- Preventing the opponent from gaining 18.Nxg6 hxg6 19.Qf4
too much space. 19.Qxg6 is bad because of 19...f4 20.Bd2
- Prevention of the opponent's pawn Nxd4 and Black has a great position.
mobility in the centre or on the flank. 19...Qe8 20.g3 Rc7
- Blockade of the opponent's pawn Black's position is perfectly safe, so now
structure. follows action on the queenside.
- Making the opponent's development 21.Kg2 Qf7 22.Rh1
difficult etc. White is trying to open the h-file. A correct
In the next game, T.Petrosian managed to plan.
combine some small preventive elements 22...Kf8!
into a magnificent whole. The start of the manoeuvre with which
Improving the position of his own pieces, Black will move his king to the safety of the
exchanging his bad pieces for the opponent's queenside.
good pieces in timely fashion, preventing 23.Qg5 Ke8 24.Rac1 Kd7 25.h5 gxh5
threats in advance - these are some of the 26.Rxh5 Rg8 27.Rh7 Kc8 28.Qh4 Qg6
techniques that the 9th World Champion 29.Rh8 Rxh8 30.Qxh8+ Kb7
mastered. Black's king is safe on b7. White has
insufficient material for the attack and he only active piece, but E.Geller was very
will be left with a worse endgame. precise in his calculation.
T.Petrosian went on to win the game without 25.axb5 axb5 26.Ne4 Rxc2 27.Nf6+ Bxf6
trouble. 28.exf6
0-1 The knight is lost and with it also the game.
28...Rxb2 29.fxg7 f5 30.Rf3
A great game by T.Petrosian. Most likely,
With the idea of Rh3.
you will ask yourself where White made a
30...fxg4
mistake? There was no obvious mistake;
Or 30...Ra8 31.Ba7.
only Black's extraordinary understanding of
31.Rf4 Rc8 32.Bc5
the position.
1-0
He exchanged only those pieces which he
needed to exchange and he slowly took
control. We can see this kind of defence
only from the greatest chess masters!
□ Geller Efim
■ Mikhalchishin Adrian
Tbilisi 1978 ○
XABCDEFGHY
8r+-+-trk+( □ Kasparov Garry
7+lwq-vlpsnp' ■ Shirov Alexei
Horgen 1994 ○
6pzpn+p+p+& XABCDEFGHY
5+-+-zP-+-% 8r+-wqk+-tr(
4P+-sN-+-+$ 7+l+n+pzpp'
3+-sN-vLL+-# 6p+-zp-vl-+&
2-zPP+Q+PzP" 5+-+Nzp-+-%
1+-+R+R+K! 4R+-+P+-+$
xabcdefghy 3+-zP-+-+-#
When we play for restriction of the
opponent's pieces, the knight is most often 2-zPN+-zPPzP"
the main target, due to it being the least 1+-+QmKL+R!
mobile piece.
17.Nxc6! Bxc6 18.Qc4! Rfc8 xabcdefghy
All other moves would lose immediately: Some years ago the world was fascinated by
18...Rac8 19.Qxa6 or 18...Bc5 19.Bxc6 the following idea of then World Champion
Bxe3 20.Rd7 Qc8 21.Ne4. Garry Kasparov:
19.Qxc6 Qxc6 20.Bxc6 Rxc6 21.Rd7 Re8 16.Rb4! Nc5 17.Rxb7! Nxb7 18.b4
22.g4! The idea behind this positional sacrifice is
A classical move against the ‘fianchettoed’ simple: restriction of the ‘fianchettoed’
knight (or b4 against one on b7). From now black knight!
until the end of the game, Black's knight will 18...Bg5 19.Na3 0-0 20.Nc4 a5 21.Bd3!
simply be a helpless observer and White will axb4 22.cxb4 Qb8 23.h4 Bh6 24.Ncb6
direct all his energy against this factor. Later on White converted his positional
22...h5 23.h3 hxg4 24.hxg4 b5 advantage into a whole point.
Black is searching for counterplay with his 1-0
Example 27 ○ already lost in this seemingly simple
XABCDEFGHY position?
10...g5! 11.Nxf6+ Qxf6 12.Bg3 Bg4! 13.h3
8-+-tr-+k+( Bxf3 14.Qxf3 Qxf3 15.gxf3
And White's dark-squared bishop was a
7zpp+q+pzpp' helpless observer of the situation on the
6-+-+-snl+& other flank until the end of the game.
0-1
5+-zp-+-+-%
4-+P+P+-+$ □ Grigorian Karen
■ Sakharov Yuri
3zP-+-+P+-# Voronezh 1969 ○●
2-vLQ+LzP-zP" XABCDEFGHY
1+R+-+-+K! 8-tr-+ntrk+(
xabcdefghy 7+-+lwqpvlp'
In some positions, a player can also play for 6-+-zp-+pvL&
the restriction of a seemingly much-more
mobile bishop. 5zpn+Pzp-+P%
1.Bxf6 gxf6 2.Rd1 Qe7 3.Rxd8+ Qxd8 4-zp-+P+P+$
4.f4! h6 5.f5 Bh7
And the bishop will not get out from the 3+-+L+PsN-#
hole until the end of the game when it goes
back in the box. 2PzP-wQN+-+"
1-0 1mK-+R+-+R!
How great Grandmasters deal with this xabcdefghy
kind of situation was shown to us many
Sometimes, though rarely, we can also play
years ago by the 3rd World Champion, Jose
for restriction of the most powerful piece,
Raul Capablanca.
the queen.
□ Winter William 20...Bxh6! 21.Qxh6 g5!
■ Capablanca Jose Raul Black will not win the queen, but he will
Hastings 1919 ● exclude her from the subsequent play.
XABCDEFGHY 22.Bxb5 Rxb5!
The bishop protects the f5-square: if 23.Nf5
8r+lwq-trk+( Bxf5 24.gxf5 f6!
23.Rc1 f6 24.Nf5 Bxf5 25.gxf5 Rc5
7zppzp-+pzp-' White is basically playing without his queen
6-+-vl-sn-zp& but Black needs to be careful not to let the
queen out of the trap.
5+-zpNzp-+-% 26.Rhd1 Qa7 27.Rxc5 Qxc5
4-+-+P+-vL$ Not 27...dxc5 28.d6.
28.f4 Qc2!
3+-+P+N+-# 28...exf4 29.Nd4.
2PzPP+-zPPzP" 29.Rg1 Qxe2 30.fxg5 Qe3!
0-1
1tR-+Q+RmK-!
Playing for the blockade of an entire flank
xabcdefghy can be very effective. Usually we try to
Who would have thought that White is block the opponent on one side of the board

and in the meantime prepare some action on 26.Bf1!
the other side. One more prevention: by defending the c4-
square, White is preparing a3 and b4.
□ Gufeld Eduard 26...h5 27.a3 b6 28.b4 axb4 29.axb4 Na6
■ Damjanovic Mato 30.Qa3 Nc7 31.Bg2 Ne8 32.Qa7!
Skopje 1971 ○ For the third and last time, a preventive
XABCDEFGHY move. White protects c4 with the help of
tactics and takes control of the 7th rank.
8r+-+-trk+( 32...Ng7 33.Bb7! Rd8 34.c5! bxc5 35.bxc5
Ne8 36.c6
7+p+-zpp+p' And White won.
6-wq-zp-+p+& 1-0
5zp-snR+-+-% □ Kramnik Vladimir
4-+P+-+-+$ ■ Topalov Veselin
Novgorod 1997 ○
3+P+-+-zP-# XABCDEFGHY
2PwQ-+PzPLzP" 8r+-+-vl-mk(
1+-+-+RmK-! 7zppsn-+n+p'
xabcdefghy 6-+p+lzpp+&
In front of us we have a typical position,
which can emerge out of many openings. 5+-+-zp-+-%
White wants to start action against the black 4-zPP+P+-+$
king with h4-h5, but he doesn't like Black's
counterplay with ...Qb4 and ...a4. For this 3zP-sN-vL-+P#
reason:
18.Rb1! 2-+-sNLzPP+"
A magical move, which deals with the 1+-+R+-mK-!
opponent's counterplay instantly after
18...Qb4 19.a3. There followed: xabcdefghy
18...Rfc8 19.h4! Qd8 20.e4! Qf8 21.e5 In similar positions we first need to ask
dxe5 22.Qxe5 e6 23.Rd2 Qg7 24.Qe3 Rab8 ourselves what our opponent wants? The
25.Rbd1 Qf6 (D) answer is not too difficult: ...a5! with the
XABCDEFGHY destruction of the pawn structure on the
queenside, or the opening of the a-file for
8-trr+-+k+( the rook. Is there some move which can
prevent the blow ...a5? Definitely:
7+p+-+p+p' 20.Rb1!
6-+-+pwqp+& Preventing ...a5 and at the same time
preparing for his own pawns to advance,
5zp-sn-+-+-% perhaps by a4.
4-+P+-+-zP$ 20...b6?! 21.c5! b5 22.a4
White took over the initiative and later on
3+P+-wQ-zP-# turned it into the full point. After the game,
2P+-tR-zPL+" Vladimir Kramnik stated that the move
20.Rb1 was extremely difficult to find, even
1+-+R+-mK-! though it is - once played - quite easily
understandable.
xabcdefghy 1-0
Let's also take a look at the following 27.Qb3 a6 28.Bg3 g6 29.Re1 Kf7 30.Qe3
game, which can be found in numerous Qd7
textbooks about strategic play! After 30...Qxb4 then 31.f4 like in the game.
31.f4 Nc4 32.Qe6+ Qxe6 33.Rxe6 Nb2
□ Tseshkovsky Vitaly
34.Rxc6 Rxc6 35.Nxc6 Bc7 36.Kf2
■ Dvoretsky Mark
And White won the endgame.
Riga 1975 ○
1-0
XABCDEFGHY
8-vlr+r+k+(
7zp-+qsn-zpp' Example 28 ○
6-+p+-zp-+& XABCDEFGHY
5+-zPp+-+l% 8r+-+-+-+(
4QzP-sN-+-+$ 7+-+-+-+-'
3+-+-vLN+P# 6-+-+-mkp+&
2P+-+-zPP+" 5+-+-+-zp-%
1+-tR-tR-mK-! 4PtR-+-+P+$
xabcdefghy 3+-+-mK-zP-#
In the diagram we have before us an 2-+-+-+-+"
interesting position, with which Black
(M.Dvoretsky) was comfortable. 21...Nf5 is
1+-+-+-+-!
threatened, with active play on the kingside, xabcdefghy
a strategy afforded by the bishop pair. But 1.Re4!
next followed some wonderful, quiet moves, Cutting off!
with which White took away from Black all 1-0
possibilities of counterplay!
21.Bd2! Example 29 ○
Wonderful simplicity - 21...Nf5 doesn't
work now, because of 22.Rxe8+ Rxe8
XABCDEFGHY
23.Qxc6. 8-+-+-+-+(
21...Bxf3
M.Dvoretsky later suggested 21...Bg6 with 7+-+-+pmkp'
the idea of ...Be4, but after 22.b5!? cxb5 6-+r+-+p+&
23.Qxb5 Qxb5 24.Nxb5 and Nd6, White
would be much better. 5zp-+-+-+-%
22.Nxf3 Ng6 23.Rxe8+ Rxe8 24.Nd4 Ne5 4-zp-+-+-+$
With the idea of ...Nc4, ...Rc8, and ...Be5.
25.Rd1! 3+P+-+PzPP#
Wonderful prevention. Once again, the motif
is the unprotected c6-pawn after 25...Nc4
2P+-+-+-+"
26.Qxc6. 1+-+R+-mK-!
25...Rc8 26.Bf4!
White still doesn't allow the jump to c4: xabcdefghy
26...Nc4 27.Bxb8 Rxb8 28.Qxc6. 1.Rd2
26...Qb7 Occupying the second rank.
Or 26...Nf3+ 27.Nxf3 Bxf4 28.b5! ½-½

Example 30 ● 1...Ke7!
XABCDEFGHY Opposition. Black is ready for all White's
attempts: 2.Kf2 Kf6 3.Kf3 Kf5 or 2.Kd2
8-+-+k+-+( Kd6 3.Kd3 Kd5 4.Ke3 Ke5 with a draw.
½-½
7+-+-+-+-'
6-+-+-+-+&
5+-+-+-+-%
4-+-+-+-+$
3+-+-+-+-#
2-+-+P+-+"
1+-+-mK-+-!
xabcdefghy

Exchanges
In chess practically no game passes by The next important motif is time. We will
without exchanges, without the move or exchange when we don't want to lose time
moves where one player takes the retreating or when we want to gain the right
opponent's piece. to move.
After this, the opponent will try to take the Our motive for exchanging might also be
piece back and after that we have fewer and the occupation of an open file or diagonal. A
fewer pieces left on the board. Due to this logical exchange is an exchange of an
seemingly simple element being so common opponent's good piece or an exchange when
in chess, we have to know it very well. we have a suffocating position.
Let us see what Mikhail Botvinnik's Every exchange in the suffocating position
opinion was on chess: 'In my opinion a will help us to breathe easier and our pieces
process of a chess game is evolving around will then have space for their manoeuvres.
the exchanges. We don't just exchange We also exchange when we are transposing
pieces in chess but also positional and to the endgame or when we are turning one
tactical elements, which are many times advantage into another.
invisible on the outside, but still very For example, a player with the bishop pair
important during the game. The goal of exchanges one bishop in order to transpose
every seemingly simple exchange is to win a into a better position or endgame. An
certain material or positional advantage'. exchange can also be the start of a
Iosif Dorfman, in his famous book combination.
'Method in Chess' asks the practical
questions:
1. Which exchange is favourable and
which one isn't? Before we look at the examples, let me
2. What kind of pawn structure is our final mention some practical things. In modern
goal? chess, numerous players exchange pieces
It looks complicated, but it really isn't. We because they want to avoid the risk of
know many goals, both small and big, as losing: they want to secure a draw.
well as motifs which are the reason for our And don't get me started on the games
exchanges. where a draw is agreed in advance! In such
As beginners, we were taught to exchange cases, we come across exchanges which
pieces when we have a material advantage. have no deeper meaning.
'Exchange all the pieces - the easiest way for We also know players who prefer to play
you to win is in a pawn endgame with an endgames and will therefore always want to
extra pawn.' This sentence represents a rule, make exchanges (especially the queens);
which applies in most cases. because they believe that it will be the
A material advantage is easier to realise in easiest way for them to prove their better
the endgame than in the middlegame. understanding of the endgame.
Similarly with piece exchanges; when we Older players especially like to use this
are attacking, we will be more than happy to tactic when playing against younger players,
exchange the opponent's defending piece, 'who haven't had time to study endgames
one which is protecting the king. yet'.
Aron Nimzowitsch wrote about There are also players who often get into
exchanging the opponent's good pieces, and time trouble and like to exchange as many
not only while attacking the king. A piece pieces as possible before the time control.
can also defend a pawn on an open file, or a 'The fewer the pieces on the board, the
weak square, or one which is blockading. harder it is for me to overlook something' is
Let us exchange it! a common motto in chess.
□ Kasparov Garry □ Matulovic Milan
■ Vukic Milan ■ Fischer Robert James
Skara 1980 ○ Vinkovci 1968 ●
8-+-+-+-+( 8-trr+-+-+(
7+p+-+pzp-' 7+-+-mkpzp-'
6p+ktrpsn-zp& 6lwq-zp-sn-+&
5zP-+-+-+P% 5zp-+-zp-+p%
4-+P+-zPP+$ 4Pzp-+P+-+$
3+-vL-+-+-# 3+P+-+-zPP#
2-zPK+-+-+" 2-+PwQNzPL+"
1+-+-tR-+-! 1tR-+R+-mK-!
36.Bxf6! gxf6 37.Rd1! 21...Bxe2!
Black resigned! By exchanging both pieces, An exchange of the opponent's good
White transposed to a winning endgame: defensive piece. The consequence?
37...Rxd1 38.Kxd1 Kd6 39.g5! fxg5 40.fxg5 Dominance on the dark squares, and
Ke7 41.gxh6 Kf6 42.c5 +-. transposition to a position with a strong
1-0 knight against a bad bishop. Black is
strategically winning.
□ Liakhovecky A. 22.Qxe2 Rc3 23.Rd3 Rbc8 24.Rxc3 Rxc3
■ Berezin Viktor 25.Kh2 Qc5 26.Ra2 g6 27.Bf1 Qd4 28.f3
Kiev 1998 ● Re3 29.Qg2 Qd1 30.Bc4 Qxf3
XABCDEFGHY And Black won without much trouble.
0-1
8-+-+-+-+(
□ Kasparov Garry
7+-+lmkp+-' ■ Bacrot Etienne
6-zp-tr-+p+& Sarajevo 2000 ○
5zp-+R+-+p% XABCDEFGHY
4P+PmK-+-+$ 8-+ktr-+-tr(
3+P+-+L+P# 7zplzpp+-+p'
2-+-+-+P+" 6-+p+-+p+&
1+-+-+-+-! 5+-zP-zPp+-%
xabcdefghy 4-+-wq-zP-+$
58...Bc6! 3+PtR-+Q+-#
This forces an exchange of the rooks and
later the bishops. 2P+-+-+PzP"
59.Rxd6 Kxd6 60.Bxc6 Kxc6 1+-+-mKL+R!
With a winning pawn ending!
0-1 xabcdefghy
Black has one active piece - the queen on □ Paulsen Louis
d4. When White exchanges it, his advantage ■ Tarrasch Siegbert
will increase. Nuremberg 1888 ●
19.Qe3! Qxe3+ 20.Rxe3 d6 21.Bc4! XABCDEFGHY
Of course White is not afraid of the tripled
pawns after 21...dxc5, because he would 8-+r+-+-tr(
then be threatening to advance his
unpleasant e-pawn. Therefore Black tries to
7wqp+kvlpzpp'
set up a blockade on the e7-square. 6-+-+p+-+&
21...Kd7
21...dxc5 22.e6 Rhe8 23.e7 Rd7 24.Be6 5zp-+pzPn+-%
Rexe7 25.Bxd7+ Rxd7 26.Re8+ +-. 4P+-zP-+-+$
22.h4!
Opening a new front on the battlefield. 3+P+Q+NzP-#
Black mustn't swap on e5 and offer to 2-vL-+-zP-zP"
exchange rooks on the only open file,
because the bishop endgame would be 1tR-+-+K+R!
losing for him. Regardless, White easily
turned his huge advantage into the full point.
xabcdefghy
1-0 Black is controlling the only open file, but is
still not able to enter into White's camp.
□ Makogonov Vladimir Doubling doesn't help:
■ Botvinnik Mikhail 1...Qa6!
Sverdlovsk 1943 ● After the exchange of queens, the
penetration of the rook to the second rank
XABCDEFGHY will be unstoppable. If 1...Rc7 2.Kg2 Rhc8
8r+l+k+-tr( 3.Rac1 and White can somehow hold on.
2.Qxa6 bxa6 3.Kg2 Rc2
7zpp+-+pzpp' And Black smoothly realised his advantage.
6-+p+-+-+& 0-1
5+-snpzP-+-% □ Eljanov Pavel

4-vl-+-zP-+$ ■ Dolzhikova Kateryna
St Petersburg 2012 ○
3+-sN-zP-zPq# XABCDEFGHY
2PzPL+-mK-zP" 8-+-trr+k+(
1tR-vLQ+-+R! 7zppwq-+pvlp'
xabcdefghy 6-+pzpnsnp+&
13...Bxc3! 14.bxc3 Bf5!
With complete domination over the light 5+-+-+-vL-%
squares. 4-zPP+P+-+$
0-1
3zP-sN-+P+-#
2-+-wQL+PzP"
1+-tRR+-+K!
xabcdefghy
The following motif continually repeats

itself in chess. Usually there is a knight □ Hort Vlastimil
placed on c6 and a pawn on e6, but the motif ■ Duckstein Torsten
remains the same - Nd5! Germany 1968 ○
22.Nd5! XABCDEFGHY
A typical exchange operation, which leaves
White with a positional advantage. 8r+-+-trk+(
22...cxd5 23.cxd5 Qe7 24.dxe6 fxe6 25.Qe3
b6 26.Rc6
7zpp+-+pzpp'
Even better would be 26.Bb5! Rf8 27.Rc6, 6-+psnpsn-+&
although in both cases White has a huge
advantage, which the Ukrainian 5+-+p+-+-%
Grandmaster easily turned into a whole 4-+PzP-+l+$
point.
1-0 3+N+LzPNzP-#
□ Stean Michael
2PzP-+-zPP+"
■ Carden Matthew 1+-tR-+RmK-!
England 1975 ○
xabcdefghy
XABCDEFGHY It is White to move and he has some
8rsn-+r+k+( initiative:
1.c5 Bf5?
7zpp+-+pzpp' Black would of course like to exchange the
6-wqp+-snl+& bishops, but:
2.Ba6!!
5+-+-+-+-% A shocking move that gives White a big
advantage. After 2...bxa6 3.cxd6 +- and after
4-+-+-vL-sN$ 2...Nc4 3.Bxc4 dxc4 4.Na5 White wins a
3+LzP-+-wQ-# pawn, and with it the game.
1-0
2PzPP+-+PzP"
1tR-+-+R+K! □ Cvitan Ognjen
■ Huzman Alexander
xabcdefghy Ohrid 2001 ○
The game gets decided by exchanges, which XABCDEFGHY
serve as an introduction to a combination:
1.Nxg6! hxg6 2.Bxb8! Raxb8 3.Rxf6! gxf6 8-+-+rmkn+(
4.Qxg6+ Kh8 5.Bxf7
In the introductory chapters, we witnessed
7vl-zp-+pzp-'
the power of the bishop pair and one of its 6-+-zp-+l+&
biggest advantages: the player with the
bishop pair can, at almost any moment, 5+p+P+qzPp%
exchange one bishop and turn his advantage 4-zP-+N+-+$
into a different one - perhaps even a greater
one. 3zP-+-+-+P#
1-0 2-vL-wQRzPLmK"
But still, be careful! It is very important to 1+-+-+-+-!
study the techniques of exchanges. If we are
not careful, we can face catastrophe very
xabcdefghy
easily, even at the highest level! The black rook is more active than the white

one, therefore it is wise to exchange it. By 32.Bxg7+!
the way, White also sets a trap: An intermediate move, which happens to be
31.Ng3! Rxe2? decisive: 32...Kxg7 33.Nxf5+ Bxf5
31...Qd7 32.Rxe8+ Qxe8 33.Qc3 with an 34.Qxe2.
advantage to White. 1-0

Evaluation of the Position
Choice of a Plan
In the first part of the book we got to know the candidate moves, make a decision based
some strategic and tactical elements, all of on one of the known criteria and finally
which will help us decide on the correct make a move, defending his choice with all
moves. Next follows the part where we have his knowledge.
to somehow use our knowledge. But for every decision like this, he would
But how? Evaluation of the position is an spend at least ten minutes (probably even
essential part, separating good chess players more), time that is not available in a
from bad chess players, better from good practical game.
and the best from merely very good ones. A.Kotov placed the element of positional
The art of evaluation (and with it linked evaluation into history and compared it with
planning and final decision-making) other scientific branches (let us not forget
represent the top tier of chess technique. But that the Soviets always approached chess
to be able to operate correctly, we need a lot questions scientifically): Just like the eyes of
of knowledge and even more experience. chemists were opened by Mendeleev's
The more we have, the easier our path will periodic table (which suddenly made it
be! Advice about how to properly evaluate possible for any substance on Earth to be
the position can be found in every good divided into individual constituents - and
book about the middlegame. even more these elements were able to be
The first writer to approach this theme accurately measured) so the eyes of chess
(and many others) systematically was Dr. players started to be opened by William
Siegbert Tarrasch, the most famous former Steinitz.
student of the first World Champion, Try to imagine a chess player around the
W.Steinitz. year 1850 when he was asked about the
But his theories were overly based on evaluation of a position. He could mumble
static elements, which he glorified and made his opinion but he was not able to back it up
final judgments based on. After the Second with any deep evaluation.
World War, the Soviet trainers approached He could prove his opinion in practice but
this topic systematically. this didn't count, because his successes were
Alexander Kotov, the writer of the famous seen as a result of his chess strength. With
books about the Grandmasters' way of his nine strategic elements, W.Steinitz set
thinking, mentioned the questions the foundations for the division of positions
surrounding evaluation of the position, by small elements.
choice of plan and the correct choice of S.Tarrasch proved and defended his
moves in almost every book. findings'. How does a Grandmaster think?
His findings, especially the ones about Now let us try to move into the
variation trees, had an impact on the future Grandmaster's mind (once again let's aid
generations of chess players. ourselves with A.Kotov, this time with his
Modern writers have questioned some of famous experiment) and imagine how he
A.Kotov's findings and have placed them would evaluate the position.
into the modern world, where the time Let's place some position in front of the
control for a chess game dictates our Grandmaster and tell him that it is his move,
decisions. but before he makes a decision he needs to
Everything would be simple in an ideal think out loud. His thoughts could flow like
world: a chess player would, after every this:
move, check the opponent's threats, evaluate 'With the corner of his eyes the
the position, come up with a plan, choose Grandmaster will count the pawns - he
counted the pieces the moment he sat behind change soon? And after that he will decide if
the chessboard. Next he will examine the there are some exchanges possible on the
position of both kings: is one of them so board at this moment, or in a few moves,
burdened that all further work is pointless and evaluate their possible consequences. In
and the game will end in a few moves with short, he will be able to come up with an
an indefensible checkmate? evaluation of the position for himself.
If he will come to the conclusion that there How long does it take to make such an
is a material balance on the board and that evaluation? It depends on the player's
the kings are not facing any direct dangers, strength. A Grandmaster, who knows very
then he will start working. well how to evaluate an individual element
A Grandmaster will first of all ask himself or how to compare what he sees, will not
from which opening the position occurred. If have problems with the evaluation.
a small number of moves have been played, A weaker player would spend up to half an
he will maybe recognise the variation, but if hour or even more for a concrete evaluation,
more moves have been played, he will try to but this is a luxury that usually cannot be
help himself with the shape of the pawn afforded in tournament games.
structure, a typical position of one of the Practical Advice! We are not all
pieces, a possible open file or diagonal. Grandmasters! Matters need to be
Soon after that, he will wonder if he can generalised, the evaluation simplified. This
use his extensive knowledge further. 'Was I subject was approached in practical fashion
ever in this kind of position before, can I by the Ukrainian-French Grandmaster Iosif
remember any games on this theme?' If he Dorfman in a famous method with which he
succeeds in remembering any examples, managed to teach many future stars how to
then it will be easier for him to evaluate and play chess.
decide on future moves. His method recommends (generally
However, knowledge can help us speaking) that we should not evaluate all
tremendously and save us the time which we over the place, but rather try to find critical
usually spend on thinking. Up to this moments in the game.
moment, knowledge and memory played an But certainly that we should, while we are
important role. evaluating, stick with the following order:
Better players have an advantage here. 1. Position of the king.
Through the years, they have gathered a lot 2. Any material advantage and the
of knowledge and have seen many more relationship among the pieces on the board.
similar examples than beginners have. It also 3. Strategic elements, especially the pawn
happens that the Grandmaster is not able to structure.
recognize the position - and then he is also 4. Exchanges and their consequences, espe-
forced to evaluate it. cially the possible exchange of the queens.
He needs to figure out whose position is 5. Dynamic elements.
better, who plays for a win, who will attack I believe that the first point is clear for
and who will be forced to defend. Here a everybody. No heroics with strategic
Grandmaster will help himself by using the advantages can make up for an indefensible
strategic elements which were introduced to checkmate.
you in the first part of the book. Therefore we always have to ask ourselves
He will examine the squares, lines and about the king when we are evaluating. The
diagonals; he will evaluate the position of second point is about material advantage. A
the opponent's individual piece or pieces. He player, who has some material advantage,
will pause to see the reference points and he even if it is only one pawn, is usually
will carefully examine the pawn structure. playing for a win.
Next a glance at the centre will follow and We have to evaluate if there is any
a quick look into the future. Are the pawn possible compensation for that lost material
structures mobile or fixed, can a position for our opponent. But generally it is believed
that a material advantage represents the calculation of the short variations. We
second most reliable way to final victory quickly come up with the conclusion that
(besides checkmate, of course). White has, after
Most of the time, we are evaluating XABCDEFGHY
positions with no direct attacks and where
neither player has a material advantage (yet). 8rsn-wqk+-tr(
In this case our thoughts should be occupied
with strategic elements - many of which as
7zpl+-vlpzpp'
mentioned we have already got to know in 6-zp-+-sn-+&
the first part of the book.
A common feature of strategic elements is 5+-zpp+-+-%
that they are not easily changeable and that 4-+-zP-+-+$
they will be present on the chessboard for
some time. Grandmaster I.Dorfman also 3+-sNLzPN+-#
gave a large role to exchanges, especially 2PzP-+-zPPzP"
those where the strongest pieces, the queens,
disappear from the board. 1tR-vLQ+RmK-!
Who stands better at the moment and who
will be better after the exchange, when
xabcdefghy
queens are off the board? Anyhow, we 9.Bb5+!
should not follow a false belief that this is A big advantage. Next followed
enough! 9...Kf8
In the background, dynamic elements are 9...Nbd7? didn't work: 10.dxc5 Bxc5 with
ready to step out - ones that can have an another advantage for White - an isolated d5
immediate impact on the battle! When we pawn and also not 9...Bc6 10.Qa4 Bxb5
also check them, then we can say with 11.Qxb5+ Qd7 12.Ne5! Qxb5 13.Nxb5 Na6
certainty that we have evaluated the position 14.Rd1 0-0 15.Nc6 and White is better.
- and from that point on we can only hope 10.Be2!
that our evaluation is correct. The bishop has done its job and 'uncastled'
This, although shortened programme, the black king. The other bishop will now
takes time. Masters, who have evaluated be developed on the diagonal a1-h8.
countless positions, played countless games 1-0
and studied many examples, simply see what
is more important in a certain position and Example 31 ○●
they don't check everything from the XABCDEFGHY
beginning. Of course, beginners face many
problems when it comes to this part. 8-+-tr-vlk+(
□ Jussupow Artur 7+p+-+p+p'
■ Wedberg Tom
Stockholm 2003 ○
6-+-+n+p+&
A simple position, which occurred after 5+-+-+-+-%
White's 8th move. What will help us with our 4-zP-+-+-+$
evaluation? If we stick to the reference
points, then we first check the position of the 3+-zP-vL-zP-#
kings. White is safe, what about Black? The
king is still in the middle of the board. Can 2-+-+NzP-zP"
we use this in any way? Maybe by giving 1+-+-tR-mK-!
check on the diagonal a4-e8? Next follows a
quick check (what is threatened? Have we xabcdefghy
overlooked something important?) and a The evaluation of this position will also not

be too complicated. Let's follow the correct Example 33 ○
order: the kings are safe and White has a XABCDEFGHY
material advantage. A pawn more in the
endgame is a big advantage and White 8-+rwq-trk+(
should, with correct play, win in the end.
1-0
7+l+nvlpzp-'
6pzp-+-sn-zp&
5+-zpp+-+-%
4-+-zP-+-vL$
3+-sN-zPN+-#
2PzPQ+LzPPzP"
1+-tRR+-mK-!
xabcdefghy
Example 32 ○● The position in this diagram, however, is not
so easy to evaluate. The play is more or less
XABCDEFGHY equal, neither player having any play against
8-+-tr-+k+( the king, no material advantage and also the
strategic elements are balanced. Play would
7+p+r+pzp-' brighten up after the possible 1.dxc5 bxc5.
6pwq-+l+-zp& Black would, of course, not take with a
piece, as White would then place his knight
5+-+p+-+-% on d4, blocking the d5 pawn and with it the
black bishop - giving him a clear advantage.
4-+-sN-+-+$ After 1...bxc5 it is the dynamic elements that
3+P+-zP-+P# enter the game. The black dark-squared
bishop that is currently resting in the
2PwQ-tR-zPP+" background can become very dangerous
1+-+R+-mK-! after the possible strike ...d4! This strike, if
Black is able to carry it out, would turn the
xabcdefghy evaluation of the position upside down. So,
We have another position in this diagram we can say that there is a dynamic balance
which is not hard to evaluate. The first two present on the board.
evaluation methods aren't relevant to the
ensuing play, because the kings are safe and
neither player has a material advantage. But
when we start evaluating the strategic
elements, many of them are in White's
favour: a better pawn structure, due to the
d5-pawn being isolated and very weak;
White dominates the dark squares, which
Black cannot defend with anything. In
blocked positions, the knights are better than
bishops. Are we forgetting something? Is
there any dynamic possibility, which might
improve Black's position, hidden in the □ Botvinnik Mikhail
background? We cannot see any, therefore ■ Sorokin Nikolay
White is better. Moscow 1931 ○
XABCDEFGHY finish his development - and since there are
no weaknesses in his position, he could hope
8r+l+-trk+( for equality. The kings are safe, the material
is the same, the strategic elements are on
7+p+-+pzp-' White's side and the dynamic elements are
6psn-+-sn-zp& nowhere to be seen for now. What about
exchanges? How would the position look
5+-wq-zp-+-% without the queens?
4P+-+P+-+$ 20.Qe3!!
A difficult move, which instantly changes the
3+-sN-+N+-# evaluation. After the exchange of queens
2LzP-tRQzPPzP" Black will immediately be in trouble: the e5-
pawn is undefended, the d-file is even
1+-+R+-mK-! weaker and his pieces are not well-
coordinated.
xabcdefghy 20...Qxe3 21.fxe3 Bg4 22.a5 Nc8 23.Rc1!
White has an advantage in development and Bxf3 24.gxf3
he dominates the open d-file, but it is still White's advantage is almost decisive.
hard to evaluate those advantages. Black is 1-0
threatening 1...Bg4, with which he would

The Plan
The plan is a sequence of operations which What will this fourth move be?
lead us to a certain goal. This definition 1.Qg2 Kh7 2.Kh5 Kh8 3.Kg6 Kg8 4.Qa8 #
roughly applies to all spheres of human If White were to place his queen on g1 on
activity and our operations are planned for the first move, then there would be no
those fields which we have studied carefully checkmate, because the queen would not be
previously. able to move to the eighth rank from g1.
It is very similar in chess, where correct 1-0
planning is one of the highest steps of
Eventually we will come across even more
mastery. Only a complete beginner plays
complicated positions, where there will be
chess from move-to-move.
more pieces on the board and - just as in the
Our first chess knowledge is already
example above - all the moves will be
linked with planning. At first it is simple
forced. For example:
planning for beginners. Later, it gets more
and more complicated with every newly- Example 35 ○
learned element (strategic or tactical) and XABCDEFGHY
with every newly-played game.
An attack will be followed by defence; a 8-+-vl-+k+(
double-attack will be followed by a double-
defence or a counter-attack. Even the
7+-zp-+-+p'
simplest chess operations are connected to 6-+Pzp-+pzP&
planning.
5+-+P+-zP-%
Example 34 ○ 4-+-+-+K+$
XABCDEFGHY 3+-+-+N+-#
8-+-+-+-+( 2-+-+-+-+"
7+-+-+-+-' 1+-+-+-+-!
6-+-+-+-mk& xabcdefghy
5+-+-+-+-% This example is not too difficult, but needs
to be thought through more deeply in any
4-+-+-+-mK$ event. It is clear that White is better and that
3+-+-+-+-# his advantage is defined mostly by the
terrible position of the black bishop, which
2-+-+-+-+" has no free square to move to (all the
1+-+-+-+Q! possible ones being guarded by the white
pawns). But how can we turn our advantage
xabcdefghy into a whole point? The knight cannot do it
Checkmate in four moves. We will not alone: whatever pawn the knight decides to
achieve it without a plan of play. We need to attack, Black will easily defend it (one
stop and think: the black king will be attack, one defence). Therefore the king
checkmated on the edge or in the corner; needs to help. But where should the king
therefore the king mustn't be allowed to help? It would not be good on the kingside,
escape to the g-file. So our first move is nor in the centre. So we are left with the
clear, moving the queen to g1 or g2. Next queenside and with penetration to the b7-
we will hunt the king and on the fourth square, from where the king would attack
move checkmate with the queen will follow. the black c7-pawn. Due to this pawn being
defended by the black knight, White will position of some of his pieces or maybe
need to attack it again with his knight. But exchange one of the opponent's pieces.
will Black not try to stop our penetration? Maybe he will have to use one of the basic
When the white king starts on his path to the elements; a file, a diagonal or an outpost.
queenside, then won't the black king also go Can he immediately attack the king? Is it
in the same direction? But how will the possible for him to transpose to an endgame,
black king come over to the queenside? The where he can realize his material advantage
only way is across the d8-square. So if or use the opponent's weaknesses? Much ink
White places his knight on e6, he will has been spilled on the subject of planning
forever bar the way for the black king and in chess. The old masters, who loved to lean
this will also be an ideal spot for the knight on final claims, showed their plans in their
to attack the c7-pawn. Therefore the winning commentaries, the one and only (of course,
plan is simple: the correct one) which was confirmed by the
1.Nd4 Kf7 2.Ne6 result of the game. This is a disease, which
Next follows the penetration of the king to can also be found today: there are only a few
b7 and the win of the c7-pawn.We have seen chess players in the world who like to
these two plans in the endgame, where the analyse their lost games or to analyse them
task is quite simple even for beginners. objectively. There are many more players
There are only a few pieces left on the who will proudly show their victories and
board, so it is easier to foresee all the present themselves in the best possible light.
possible moves for the opponent. But in We have arrived: to the one and only plan,
chess it is necessary to start planning very which has led to a wonderful win in the end.
early. The famous David Bronstein wrote 1-0
that it is necessary to do that already by the
sixth to eighth move, where we already start
to think about the upcoming middlegame.
And how is it anyway with these plans? Is it
maybe only one or are there more, are they
changing during the game and can we also
play without having a plan? These and many
other questions occupy the minds of
beginners, who get scared every time the
word plan gets mentioned. So, let's try now
to solve this problem! Each of us was once a
beginner and read some great chess book. Now let us look at one example (borrowed
We admired the chess giants, their thoughts, from the famous book 'Middlegame', written
their clear moves - all of them linked with a by Peter Romanovsky).
plan, prepared long in advance. In the end,
when we saw the result, everything became □ Romanovsky Peter
clear; all the moves blended into wonderful ■ Vilner Yakov
harmony. But does real-life chess work in A06 Moscow 1927
this way? One thing is for sure, plans do 1.Nf3 d5 2.e3 Nf6 3.b3 Bg4 4.Bb2 Nbd7
exist. If we return to our Grandmaster, who 5.Be2 Bxf3 6.Bxf3 e5 7.d3 c6 8.Nd2 Bd6
has just evaluated the position, his next step 9.0-0 Qe7
will be to come up with some plan. He has 'White finishes his development,' wrote
figured out what the position has to offer P.Romanovsky, 'but before he starts with
and now he will try to pursue a goal from planning, he has to figure out on which side
which he can benefit the most. If he has the the opponent will castle.' Already on the
advantage, he will try to find a way to next move, the opponent escaped to the
increase it or to win the game as soon as kingside. White's move scared him enough:
possible. Maybe he will have to improve the 10.a4 0-0 (D)
XABCDEFGHY 19.Qe2 Nd7 20.Rf1 Qd6 21.Ba3 c5?
It looks like Black is resigned to his fate and
8r+-+-trk+( takes away from himself the chance of any
counterplay.
7zpp+nwqpzpp' 22.Rae1 Nb8 23.Bc1 Nc6 24.f4 f6 25.f5
6-+pvl-sn-+& It turns out that it would be better to delay
this move. With 25.Qh5 White would
5+-+pzp-+-% restrict the black king and prevent him from
4P+-+-+-+$ escaping to the other flank.
25...Nf8 26.g4?
3+P+PzPL+-# See the previous note!
2-vLPsN-zPPzP" 26...Kf7! 27.g5 Ke7 28.Rf3 Kd7 29.Rg3
Kc8 30.gxf6 gxf6 31.Bf3 Nd7 32.Qg2 a5
1tR-+Q+RmK-! 33.Bh5 Re7 34.Rg8 Nb6 35.Bh6 Rc7
36.Rd1!
xabcdefghy Preventing any thoughts of possible
The time has come to make a plan! desperate counterplay (with ...c4 and ...d3).
P.Romanovsky knew that he had the P.Romanovsky played like a machine in this
advantage of the bishop pair, which is game.
currently still somehow hidden. He also saw 36...Nb4 37.Rd2 Kb8 38.Qg3 Ka7 39.Rg2
the f5-square (when the opponent doesn't Nc8 40.Qf2 Nc6 41.R2g3 Ka6 42.Qg2
have one bishop, it is very likely that a Rcd7 43.Be8 Rc7 44.Bf8 N6e7 45.Bf7 Qb6
certain weaknesses will appear on the 46.Bxe7 Rxe7 47.Rxd8 Qxd8 48.Rg8 Qc7
squares of that missing bishop). This is 49.Be6 Na7 50.h4 Nc6 51.h5 Ka7 52.h6
where White would like to place his knight. Nd8 53.Bd5 Nf7 54.Qg7 Qb6 55.Bxf7 Qb4
But how? After some thinking, White 56.Qxf6 Qe1+ 57.Kh2 Qf2+ 58.Rg2 Qf4+
decided on Nf1-e3-f5... 59.Kh3 Qf3+ 60.Rg3 Qh1+ 61.Kg4 Qd1+
11.g3 Rad8 12.Bg2 Rfe8 13.Qe2 Qe6 62.Kh4 Qh1+ 63.Kg5 Qc1+ 64.Kh5 Qh1+
14.e4! Nf8 15.Rfd1 Ng6 16.Nf1! 65.Qh4 Qd1+ 66.Qg4
White's knight is slowly-but-surely moving 1-0
towards the f5-square. Should Black let him
occupy this dreamy spot? After 16...d4 his In his comments P.Romanovsky wrote:
camp would be full of weaknesses on the ‘When planning, it is best to construct only
light squares on the queenside, and it would one plan and then follow it until the end. In
also allow White to play the possible break our game, this was first the moving of the
with f4. It is interesting to watch White knight to f5, then, after the blockade in the
strictly following his plan. Here it doesn't centre, systematic play on the kingside until
really matter if the plan is the best -but it is the final victory.’
important to follow the plan! Remember: it Did White follow any other plan in the
is better to follow a plan, even if not the best game? Absolutely not!' How simple! At a
plan, than to play without one! certain moment, you think of a plan and then
16...Bc5 you follow it until... the final success! But,
Black decides to say goodbye to the other unfortunately, it is rarely so simple.
bishop. The great masters many times liked to
17.Ne3 Bxe3 18.Qxe3 d4? forget about the fact that there is someone
This move can be considered to be strategic sitting on the other side of the chessboard.
resignation. With it, Black took from The opponent will, of course, not be sitting
himself any chance of counterplay on the idly by, doing nothing, so that we will be
queenside, or in the centre, and left White's able to realise our plan and then simply sign
hands free for action on the kingside - the scoresheet and go for a walk.
connected with the push f4. Not even close! This kind of scenario can
only be seen in the games of players of XABCDEFGHY
different strengths, where a good player
makes a plan and the weaker player doesn't 8r+-wq-trk+(
know how to fight against it.
In the game above, this is exactly what
7zplzpn+pvlp'
happened. While P.Romanovsky was 6-zp-+-snp+&
planning and carrying out his operations,
Y.Vilner was only observing and even more 5+-+p+-+-%
- occasionally he even helped him with some 4-+-zP-+-+$
of his wrong ideas.
But far more commonly we come across 3+PsN-zPN+-#
the games of players of more-or-less equal 2PvLQ+LzPPzP"
strength in chess. A player like this would
cause problems for P.Romanovsky. 1tR-+-+RmK-!
No, let's forget about the one-and-only
plan and put things differently: 'A plan in
xabcdefghy
chess is the sum of numerous small plans, 'It is slowly becoming clear that White is
strategic and tactical operations, which are playing without a plan and that he is only
constantly occurring on the chessboard'. thinking about the development of his
In other words: it is nice when we have pieces. It would be possible to play like this
only one plan. Let's follow it for as long as fifty years ago, but nowadays (the game was
we can. But when the opponent starts to played in 1938!) when every master starts to
annoy us, let's adapt to the circumstances think about the plan of play in the
and start planning from the start again. middlegame already after the 6th-8th move,
there is no better recipe for troubles and a
passive, squeezed position than this kind of
play'. Remember the simple recipes of the
great M.Botvinnik! Play with a plan, and
Masters start to think about the middlegame
early in the opening! But for A.Sokolsky,
who was not a bad chess player at all, but
rather a solid master, it just wasn't his day.
He kept moving the pieces around without a
plan...
11...a6 12.Rac1 Rc8 13.Rfd1 Qe7 14.Qb1
Playing Without a Plan: As we have Rfd8 15.Bf1 c5 16.dxc5
already said, the worst thing to do in chess is 'This capture is a completely incorrect
to play without a plan. positional approach. We don't attack the
Moving the pieces around, waiting for black d5- and c5-pawns when there are still
something to happen or for the outcome 'we a lot of pieces on the board and least of all
will see from there’ gets punished in most do we attack them from the back rank!
cases. White renounced his last backing in the
Now let's look at an example with the centre with that capture - the d4 pawn - and
comments of Mikhail Botvinnik. don't let us start talking about the revival of
the bishop on b7. The battle is getting
□ Sokolsky Alexey intense'.
■ Botvinnik Mikhail 16...bxc5 17.Ne2 (D)
D94 Leningrad 1938 Look at the chess board! Black's advantage
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.e3 is unquestionable, though it can quickly
0-0 6.Be2 e6 7.0-0 b6 8.cxd5 exd5 9.b3 disappear with faint-hearted play.
Bb7 10.Bb2 Nbd7 11.Qc2 (D) M.Botvinnik thought here, and started to
implement his well though-out plan, which After every event such as this, the position
was a logical continuation of his play until needs to be examined once again. The goal,
this moment. The plan is simple: he will a positive result, should consistently guide
attack the white kingside, which is poorly our basic plan.
defended by the white pieces (White
□ Yudovich Mikhail
concentrated his pieces more in the centre).
■ Klaman Konstantin
The target of M.Botvinnik's attack will be
Leningrad 1947 ○
the pawn on f2 and he will include the
bishop on g7 in the attack, the bishop which XABCDEFGHY
is currently not doing anything useful on the 8r+-wq-tr-mk(
long dark diagonal.
XABCDEFGHY 7zpp+nvllsnp'
8-+rtr-+k+( 6-+p+-zpp+&
7+l+nwqpvlp' 5+-zPp+-+-%
6p+-+-snp+& 4-+-zP-+-+$
5+-zpp+-+-% 3+-sN-+N+P#
4-+-+-+-+$ 2PzP-wQ-zPPvL"
3+P+-zPN+-# 1+-+RtRLmK-!
2PvL-+NzPPzP" xabcdefghy
White has a space advantage. How to
1+QtRR+LmK-! proceed? He is dominating the e-file on
xabcdefghy which, however, he can't find any square or
weak point from which he could make it
17...Bh6! 18.Ba3 Ng4 19.Qd3
through to the opponent's camp. But White
The threat was 19...Bxe3 20.fxe3 Qxe3+.
has another advantage, which is less-visible
19...Nde5 20.Nxe5 Qxe5 21.Ng3 Qf6!
to the uneducated eye. The pawn on c5 and
22.Nh1
control over the diagonal h2-b8 make it
White is trying to defend the f2-square.
possible for White to maintain his
22...Qh4 23.h3 Nxe3 was also threatened.
superiority on the b-file. But first he will
22...d4! 23.Qe2 Ne5 24.exd4 cxd4 25.Rxc8
have to open it of course. Therefore:
Bxc8 26.Re1 d3 27.Qd1 Bg4 28.Qa1 d2
18.b4! b5
29.Rxe5 d1Q 30.Re8+ Rxe8 31.Qxf6 Be2
Black was facing a difficult task. If he hadn't
32.Ng3 Bg7 33.Qc6 Bb5 34.Qc1 Qxc1
reacted, White would, after b5 and bxc6,
35.Bxc1 Re1 36.Be3 Ra1 37.a4 Bd3 38.f4
open the b-file and penetrate along it with
Rb1 39.Kf2 Bxf1 40.Nxf1 Rxb3
his rooks. Black also knew that after the
0-1
move 18...b5 White would open the a-file,
but he was hoping that it would be easier for
Preparation of the Plan: Planning in chess
him to fight there as White doesn't have a
is not a one-way road. Plans keep switching
similar diagonal (like h2-b8), from where he
during the game and the player needs to
could cause him trouble.
constantly stay alert and react with a change
19.a4 a6 20.axb5 axb5 21.Ra1 Re8
of plan at every unexpected event.
22.Ra2!
We can easily say that a chess game itself
A space advantage, but most of all control
is one big plan. Throughout it we will be
over the b8-square, will make it possible for
fulfilling numerous little tasks. Here we will
White to dominate the a-file.
gain a tempo and then there we will possibly
22...Qc8 23.Rea1 Qb7 24.Qb2!
win a pawn.
A typical move. Since the doubling of the The rook and the two passed pawns on b5
rooks still didn't secure White dominance and c5 that White has in exchange for his
over the open file, the queen also needs to two pieces will decide the game in only a
help! few moves.
24...Ne6 34...Bf8 35.Qe3 Qc8 36.Qf4
Black also calls his reserves to the 1-0
battlefield.
Be Careful! If we see that there is some
25.Ra3 Nc7 26.Ra5 Rxa5 27.Rxa5 Na6
danger (potential or direct) threatening our
White has managed to win the a-file
king, then we must first take care of this
(27...Ra8?? 28.Bxc7) and has completed the
matter and temporarily forget about anything
first part of his plan. We already said in the
else.
chapter about open files that the first goal of
If we see that the opponent's king is weak
the player who controls the open file is to
and we can launch a direct attack - or at least
penetrate to the seventh or eighth rank.
mobilize our forces for a future attack - don't
28.Qa3 Nab8
hesitate. Go for it! But, of course, things are
Once again, Black's rook couldn't keep up:
not so simple, because we don't come across
28...Ra8 29.Nxb5! cxb5 30.Bxb5 with a
elementary examples very often.
material advantage.
The greatest masters also often have
29.Ra7
problems deciding on this theme. We
The second part of the plan is fulfilled. Next
already got to know one explicit example on
follows the finale - or the transformation of
this theme (Karpov,A-Kasparov,G Moscow
numerous small advantages into one big
1985 - see page no 47), so let's see
advantage. White will decide the game with
something similar.
tactics.
29...Qc8 (D) □ Dorfman Iosif
XABCDEFGHY ■ Cifuentes Parada Roberto
Berlin 1989 ○
8-snq+r+-mk( XABCDEFGHY
7tR-+nvll+p' 8r+-tr-+k+(
6-+p+-zpp+& 7zpp+-+pvlp'
5+pzPp+-+-% 6-wq-+N+p+&
4-zP-zP-+-+$ 5+-+p+-+-%
3wQ-sN-+N+P# 4-zP-+-+-+$
2-+-+-zPPvL" 3zP-+LzP-+-#
1+-+-+LmK-! 2-+-+-zPPzP"
xabcdefghy 1+R+Q+RmK-!
30.Nxb5! cxb5 31.Bxb5
The position speaks for itself: the white xabcdefghy
pieces are cooperating wonderfully and In the diagram we can witness a critical
Black is squeezed to the last two ranks. One moment of the game. Black needs to decide
of the numerous pins on the seventh or between two captures: after taking with the
eighth rank, or one of the diagonals, will be queen, he remains with the isolated central
decisive. pawn, and after taking with the pawn he
31...Kg7 manages to defend his weakness, but...
31...Rd8 32.Rc7 - checkmate to the queen! 20...fxe6?
32.Bxb8 Nxb8 33.Bxe8 Qxe8 34.b5 Black (despite being a Grandmaster) was
obviously under the influence of the On the Attack!: In our next game we once
widespread (but false) belief that every again see Mikhail Botvinnik at work.
position with opposite-coloured bishops is a
draw. What a mistake! Positions with □ Neikirkh Oleg
opposite-coloured bishops are only close to ■ Botvinnik Mikhail
a draw when there are no major pieces left Leipzig 1960 ●
on the board. It is clear that with 20...fxe6 XABCDEFGHY
Black has severely weakened the position
around his king - White's plan will from now 8r+l+-trk+(
on be very simple (h4-h5), taking over the
diagonal b1-h7 and keeping pressure
7zp-+-wq-zpp'
forever. After the simple 20...Qxe6, with the 6-zp-+pzp-+&
idea ...d4 and ...Ra8-c8-c3, Black would
easily defend his position. 5+-+-+n+-%
21.Qe2 Rac8 22.Rfc1 Rc6 23.g3 Rdc8 4R+-+-zP-+$
24.Rxc6 Qxc6 25.h4 (D)
XABCDEFGHY 3+PsNR+-+-#
8-+r+-+k+( 2-zPP+-+PzP"
7zpp+-+-vlp' 1+-vLQ+-+K!
6-+q+p+p+& xabcdefghy
Just a quick glance at the board tells us that
5+-+p+-+-% the white king will face long-term problems.
4-zP-+-+-zP$ If Black manages to occupy the long
diagonal, White has no means of resisting
3zP-+LzP-zP-# against the ensuing threats. 18...Bb7 doesn't
work immediately, due to 19.Rd7, but in the
2-+-+QzP-+" game Black happily gave up a tempo for the
1+R+-+-mK-! continuation of his logical plan:
18...Qe8! 19.Ne4 b5 20.Ra5 Bb7 21.Nd6
xabcdefghy This exchange will make Black's job even
Black's position is very difficult and his easier. We already know this: on the attack,
exchange of one pair of rooks didn't make the active side prefers to have opposite-
his job any easier. White continued as if coloured bishops on the board!
from a textbook; he created an additional 21...Nxd6 22.Rxd6 Rd8 23.Qd2
weakness on Black's queenside and then he Or 23.Rxa7 Qc6.
overloaded him with the timely h5! 23...Rxd6 24.Qxd6 Qd8 25.Qxe6+ Rf7
Afterwards there remained only the 26.Qe1 Re7
technical transposition to a winning 0-1
endgame! The best defence would be
25...e5, and even there White would, after
26.e4 d4 27.h5, be much better.
25...Qc3 26.a4 Qe5 27.a5 Rc3 28.b5 Qc7
29.b6 axb6 30.Rxb6 Rc6 31.h5 Rxb6
32.axb6 Qxb6 33.hxg6 hxg6 34.Bxg6 Qb2
35.Qh5 Qe5 36.Bf7+ Kf8 37.Qxe5 Bxe5
38.Bxe6 d4 39.f4 Bc7 40.e4 Ke7 41.Bc4
Kd6 42.Kf2 Kc5 43.Bd3 b5 44.e5 b4 45.g4 Determined Defence: In positions with one
b3 46.g5 of the kings in trouble, we have to be very
1-0 careful - or alternatively very energetic.
□ Gligoric Svetozar XABCDEFGHY
■ Barle Janez
Ljubljana 1977 ● 8-+-trn+k+(
XABCDEFGHY 7zp-+-+p+-'
8r+-+k+-tr( 6-+p+p+p+&
7zppwql+p+-' 5+-+-zP-wq-%
6-+-+-zp-zp& 4PsnL+-+-+$
5+-zpPzp-+-% 3+P+-+RsN-#
4-+P+-+-+$ 2-+-tr-zPP+"
3+NzPL+-+-# 1+-+-tRQmK-!
2P+-+-wQPzP" xabcdefghy
1tR-+-+-mK-! We can quickly surmise that Black has the
advantage here. His pieces are active, the
xabcdefghy rook is placed on the second rank, the d-file
In this position there is no room for strategic is under control and the knight is placed on
thoughts or manoeuvres. It is clear that the the 'eternal' b4-square. Meanwhile White is
fate of the black king will decide the final feeling squeezed: the queen and the rooks
result. White had sacrificed an exchange, don't have any real function and the bishop
hoping that he would have compensation in is shooting blanks. His only hope is the
an attack, because the black king doesn't move Ne4, with which he would slowly start
have a safe place to go to (19...0-0-0 to chase Black's pieces away and hope for a
20.Nxc5 or 19...Qb6 20.Rb1. It is time for gradual equalisation. Emanuel Lasker, the
the energetic liberation: great master of the board, knew very well
19...f5! that he mustn't let go of the initiative. There-
With the threat of 20...f4, therefore White fore his plan was pointed in this direction,
must take. even in exchange for some material...
20.Bxf5 Bxf5 21.Qxf5 Qd6 34...Nc2! 35.Ne4
The weaknesses are defended and Black is If White moves the rook, Black would
already planning to castle. simply take on e5.
22.Nd2 0-0 23.Ne4 Qg6 24.Qxe5? 35...Qxe5 36.Nf6+ Qxf6 37.Rxf6 Nxf6 (D)
White has lost his bearings, still believing XABCDEFGHY
that he has the advantage. With the move
played, he transposes into a worse endgame 8-+-tr-+k+(
- and finally he loses the game. 24.Nf6+
Kg7 (24...Kh8 25.Qxe5) 25.Nh5+ with
7zp-+-+p+-'
perpetual check, would be correct. 6-+p+psnp+&
24...f5! 25.Nxc5 Qb6 26.Qe6+ Rf7
27.Qxb6 axb6 5+-+-+-+-%
And Black won the endgame with precise 4P+L+-+-+$
play.
0-1 3+P+-+-+-#
Don't Forget the Initiative! 2-+ntr-zPP+"
□ Euwe Max 1+-+-tRQmK-!
■ Lasker Emanuel
Zuerich 1934 ●
xabcdefghy
A fantastic solution to his problem! Black and also the knight on f4, -Play on the
gives up his queen in exchange for rook, queenside, where most of the black pieces
knight and pawn - and in addition he has are pointed.
removed all the active white pieces. From 25...f6!
now on, White will only be a helpless 25...Bxa3 26.Nxb5! cxb5 27.Bxa3.
observer. 26.Kh2 Ra7 27.Ne1 Rfa8 28.Nb1 Qa5
38.Rc1 Ne4 39.Be2 Nd4 29.Nd3 Nxd3 30.Rxd3 Qa4 31.R3d2 Qc4
Such fantastic coordination of the black 32.f3 Bc5 33.Qd3 Qa2 34.c3 Bc4 35.Qc2
pieces, which later fascinated another World Bb3 36.Rd8+ Bf8
Champion, Alexander Alekhine, in his 0-1
comments.
Play Against the Opponent's Ideas: We
40.Bf3 Nxf2 41.Qc4 Nd3 42.Rf1 Ne5
already talked about this kind of play, in the
43.Qb4 Nexf3+ 44.gxf3 Ne2+ 45.Kh2 Nf4+
chapter about prevention. Let me say that
46.Kh1
this kind of play is the hardest in chess and
Black once again needs to focus, and
only the greatest masters ever completely
prepare the final plan that will enable him to
master it, like Anatoly Karpov for example...
win the game. The elements that he needed
to take into consideration are: -Make an □ Karpov Anatoly
additional file for the rooks, because at the ■ Huebner Robert
moment they are both occupying only one;- Tilburg 1980 ○
Strengthen the position of the wonderfully- XABCDEFGHY
placed knight on f4 and -Refrain from
moving the pawns on the kingside and don't 8rsnltr-+k+(
offer the opponent any possible objects of
attack.
7zpp+-+-vlp'
46...R2d4 47.Qe7 Kg7 48.Qc7 R8d5 6-+-+p+-+&
49.Re1 Rg5 50.Qxc6 Rd8
0-1 5+-+-+p+-%
4-+-zP-+-+$
□ Mora Iturralde Maria Teresa
■ Rudenko Liudmila 3+N+-vL-+-#
Moscow 1950 ● 2P+-+-zPPzP"
XABCDEFGHY 1+-tR-mKL+R!
8r+-+-trk+( xabcdefghy
7+-wq-vlpzpp' Black has a lot of weaknesses in his camp,
6-+p+l+-+& and in exchange White has an isolated pawn
that is restricting his pieces a little. If Black
5+p+-zp-+-% should succeed in bringing the knight from
4-+-+Psn-+$ b8 to d5, where it will block White's d4-
pawn, he could hope for equalisation.
3zP-sN-wQN+P# 17.Bb5!
A move that is not easily understandable for
2-vLPtR-zPP+" the inexperienced player! What would a
1+-+R+-mK-! bishop possibly want to do on b5, from
where Black can easily chase it with a6?
xabcdefghy And this is exactly what White wants: after
There is no doubt that Black has an a6 some new weaknesses would emerge in
advantage. Her plan is simple: -Strengthen Black's camp (a5, c5, b6) and next the white
the e5-pawn, which supports Black's centre knight would occupy one of them.
17...Nd7 himself very well for this move - and that he
We know Black's plan: to bring the knight to would immediately be better afterwards:
d5. 23.Ne5 and also after 23.Bxd5 exd5 24.Rc7.
18.0-0 Nf6 19.Bg5! Bd7 20.Bc4 b6 23.Ne5 Bd5 24.Bb5 Rec8 25.a4 Ne4 26.Bf4
The threat was Nc5. Bf8 27.f3 Nf6 28.Bg5 Kg7 29.Ba6!
21.Nd2 White has won the only open file and he
White is transferring the knight to e5. turned his small advantages into one big one
21...Re8 22.Nf3 Bc6 and reliably won the game.
This was the moment for 22...Nd5. Black 1-0
had figured out that White had prepared

Typical Positions
We know many positions in chess that are 22...Rfc8
constantly repeated. Therefore knowledge The meaning of the manoeuvre 19.Ra1 and
about typical positions, approaches and the opening of the file are best demonstrated
procedures is more than useful. Let's take a in the variation 22...Ba6 23.Bxa6 Rxa6
look at some examples. 24.Rxa6 Nxa6 25.Ra1 Nc5 26.Ra5 Rc8
27.Ke3 and White is too strong.
□ Leko Peter 23.g4
■ Gurevich Mikhail Yet another typical move - winning space on
Elista 2007 ○ the kingside.
XABCDEFGHY 23...b3 24.Ke3! bxc2 25.Rxa8! Rxa8
26.Bxc2
8r+-+-trk+( Black has helped a little, and in the
unfolding play White remained with a
7+l+-+p+p' passed pawn (Black's passed pawn is
6p+-+p+p+& completely blocked) and the more active
pieces. Black's current activity is only
5+-+pzP-+-% temporary and White easily won the
4-zp-sNnzP-+$ endgame.
1-0
3+-+L+-+-#
2PzPP+-+PzP" □ Trifunovic Petar
■ Teschner Rudolf
1+-+-tRRmK-! Dortmund 1961 ○
xabcdefghy XABCDEFGHY
One of the great masters of strategic 8-+r+-trk+(
planning is certainly the Hungarian
Grandmaster Peter Leko. The position in the 7zplwqn+pvlp'
diagram is very interesting - Black has 6-zp-zp-snp+&
seemingly achieved everything in this
typical ‘French Defence’ structure, because 5zP-zp-zp-vL-%
the exchange would ensure him at least
equal play after 19.Bxe4 dxe4 20.Kf2 a5!
4-+-zP-+-+$
21.Ke3 a4! when ...a3 is on the cards, with 3+-zPLzPN+-#
pressure on the queenside and especially on
the c3-square. P.Leko however has seen 2-zP-sNQzPPzP"
much further into the position and he moved 1tR-+R+-mK-!
the play, without that exchange, to the
queenside. xabcdefghy
19.Ra1! The position in front of us is also a classic
With the clear intention of 20.a3. and we often come across a similar structure
19...a5 20.a3 Nc5 21.axb4 axb4 22.Kf2 in the ‘King's Indian Defence’ and its many
White, of course, is not scared of the versions. An experienced strategic eye will
exchange of the knight for the bishop, notice that Black has holes on the d-file, on
because he would then have a strong knight d5 and d6. Now let us see with what skill
against the 'French' bishop, which is shut in and experience White used these 'details'!
by its own pawns. Next task: bringing the 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 dxe5 15.Bxf6!
king to the centre! Removal of the defender of the d5-square.
15...Bxf6 16.Be4 XABCDEFGHY
And another.
16...Bxe4 17.Nxe4 Be7 18.axb6 axb6 19.c4! 8-+-tr-+k+(
After this move it all becomes clear: White
will sooner-or-later occupy the d5-square.
7+-+r+pzp-'
19...Ra8 20.Nc3 f5 21.e4! 6-zp-+l+-zp&
This move is possible because Black cannot
take advantage of the d4-square. If Black 5zp-wqpwQ-+-%
still had a knight, White would really have 4-+-tR-+-+$
to think deeply about giving up control of
the d4-square! 3+P+-zPL+P#
21...Rxa1 22.Rxa1 f4 23.Qg4 Bd8 24.Nd5 2P+-+-zPP+"
Qf7 25.Ra8
White has everything: he controls the light 1+-+R+-mK-!
squares, he has an excellent knight on d5,
control over the open a-file and he is
xabcdefghy
pressuring on the back and penultimate 25.g4!
ranks. It is clear that the game will be The rule - which was first acknowledged and
decided in a couple of moves. written down by M.Botvinnik - is very
25...h5 26.Qd1 Qe6 27.f3 g5 28.h3 Qf7 simple. First, the attack on the isolated pawn
29.b3 Qg7 30.Nc3! with all the forces to burden the opponent as
Very typical and instructive: the d-file is much as possible. After that, move the play
more important than the strong knight on d5. to the flank, open another battlefield and
30...Bf6 31.Qd5+ Kh8 32.Rxf8+ Qxf8 decide the game there or in the centre.
33.Qe6 Bg7 34.Nd5 Kh7 35.Kh2 Qd8 25...Qc6 26.g5
36.Qf7 h4 37.Ne7 Qf8 38.Qg6+ Kh8 Now that we know the plan, everything
39.Qh5+ looks simple. Let's observe and admire
1-0 M.Botvinnik's wonderful technique.
26...hxg5
Or 26...Bxh3 27.Rh4 Be6 28.gxh6 f6
Let's Learn from the Classics! If anyone 29.Qg3.
deserves the name chess classic, it is 27.Qxg5 f6
certainly the sixth World Champion, 27...Qc2 28.Qh5 with an attack on d5 and on
Mikhail Botvinnik. the open h-file.
The patriarch of Soviet chess left behind 28.Qg6 Bf7 29.Qg3 f5 30.Qg5 Qe6 31.Kh1
many games, books and articles; his legacy M.Botvinnik could have opened yet another
as a trainer, which contained numerous battlefield with 31.Rc1!? but he obviously
examples, are mostly still valid today. saw that a direct attack on the king would be
This time we will see an example of play good enough.
against the isolated pawn, when there are no 31...Qe5 32.Rg1 Rf8 33.Qh6 Rb8 34.Rh4
knights left on the board. Kf8 35.Qh8+ Bg8
In the second game, we will see how the Or 35...Ke7 36.Qxg7 Qxg7 37.Rxg7 Kf6
twelfth World Champion Anatoly Karpov, 38.Rhh7 +/-.
who was one of the former students of 36.Rf4 Rbb7 37.Rg5 Rf7 38.Qh5 Qa1+
Botvinnik, used his knowledge. 39.Kg2 g6 40.Qxg6 Bh7 41.Qd6+ Rfe7
Therefore study the classics and learn from 42.Qd8+ Kf7
the great chess players from the past. 1-0
□ Botvinnik Mikhail □ Karpov Anatoly

■ Zagoriansky Evgeny ■ Spassky Boris
Sverdlovsk 1943 ○ Montreal 1979 ○
XABCDEFGHY Final Conclusions: We have come to the
end of our journey across the foundations of
8-+-tr-+k+( the game, evaluation of positions and
planning.
7zpp+-vlpzp-' For sure you must already have come to
6-wqr+l+-zp& the conclusion that the middlegame in chess
is a wide field that cannot be presented
5+-+p+-+-% perfectly in one thousand tomes, let alone in
4-+-+-+-+$ one small book.
Therefore the author is not trying to
3zP-vL-zPL+-# pretend that he has told you everything, or
2-zP-+QzPPzP" that there is no other possible way to present
the themes which were described in this
1+-+R+RmK-! book.
I recommend all young chess players - and
xabcdefghy also other ambitious players - to read as
Anatoly Karpov certainly knew the previous many books as possible about the
game... The position in the diagram is very middlegame and to get to know as many
similar to the previous one, the only typical positions or typical approaches as
difference is that here the dark-squared possible.
bishops are still on the board. We know the This is knowledge that cannot hurt us -
plan: first attack the d5-square with all our you can never really know when you will
forces and then over-burden the opponent's meet some position or other.
pieces: When you get to know better the basic
22.Rd3! Rcd6 23.Rfd1 R6d7 24.R1d2 Qb5 elements, both strategic and dynamic, and
25.Qd1 when you add to this knowledge a
The queen behind the rooks is much stronger corresponding amount of practical games,
than in front of them, which becomes then the evaluation of positions will
important when exchanges are possible. suddenly become easy for you.
25...b6 26.g3 Bf8 27.Bg2 Be7 28.Qh5! I hope that the huge amount of advice,
A fast transfer of play to the kingside! which can be found everywhere in this book,
28...a6 29.h3 Qc6 30.Kh2 a5 31.f4 f6 will help you. The middlegame is something
The blockade would not be successful: that no chess player can learn perfectly and
31...f5 32.Qg6 Bf8 33.Be5 and g4. it is the one that brings the most joy to a
32.Qd1 Qb5 33.g4 g5 34.Kh1 Qc6 35.f5 chess player.
Bf7 36.e4 Kg7 37.exd5 Qc7 38.Re2 b5
39.Rxe7 Rxe7 40.d6 Qc4 41.b3
1-0

Index of Games
When a player’s name appears in bold, that player had White. Otherwise the first-named player
had White. A total of 140 games and examples are analysed and presented in this book.
Adams Michael - Carlsen 12 Carls Carl Johan Margot - Reti 8

Advantage Development - Example 13 56 Carlsen Magnus - Adams 12
Advantage Development - Example 14 58 Carlsen Magnus - Leko 73
Advantage Development - Example 15 58 Cifuentes Parada Roberto - Dorfman 101
Advantage Development - Example 16 58 Cohn Erich - Lasker 43
Advantage Development - Example 17 59 Cvitan Ognjen - Huzman 89
Advantage Development - Example 18 60 Damjanovic Mato - Gufeld 83
Advantage Development - Example 19 61 Denker Arnold - Smyslov 25
Advantage Development - Example 20 61 Diez del Corral Jesus - Petrosian 79
Advantage Development - Example 21 62 Dolmatov Sergey - Jussupow 59
Advantage Development - Example 22 62 Dolmatov Sergey - Smirin 42
Alekhine Alexander - Bogoljubow 46 Dolzhikova Kateryna - Eljanov 88
Alekhine Alexander - Nimzowitsch 57 Donner Jan Hein - Fischer 79
Alekhine Alexander - Tylor 35 Dorfman Iosif - Cifuentes 101
Alekhine Alexander - Yates 32 Duckstein Torsten - Hort 89
Anand Viswanathan - Karpov 42 Dvoirys Semen - Grischuk 67
Andersson Ulf - Franco 64 Dvoirys Semen - Piskov 67
Andersson Ulf - Illescas 78 Dvoretsky Mark - Tseshkovsky 84
Arnason Jon - Korchnoi 66 Eljanov Pavel - Dolzhikova 88
Atalik Suat - Iordachescu 23 Euwe Max - Geller 74
Averbakh Yuri - Furman 35 Euwe Max - Lasker 103
Averbakh Yuri - Taimanov 22 Evaluation Position - Example 31 93
Avtonomov - Spassky 54 Evaluation Position - Example 32 94
Bacrot Etienne - Kasparov 87 Evaluation Position - Example 33 94
Balashov Yuri - Petrosian 30 Fischer Robert James - Donner 79
Barle Janez - Gligoric 103 Fischer Robert James - Matulovic 87
Barle Janez - Tratatovici 46 Fischer Robert James - Petrosian 41
Beliavsky Alexander - Gelfand 70 Fischer Robert James - Smyslov 77
Beliavsky Alexander - Pritchett 40 Fischer Robert James - Taimanov 41
Berezin Viktor - Liakhovecky 87 Franco Ocampos Zenon - Andersson 64
Bilek Istvan - Smyslov 17 Furman Semen - Averbakh 35
Bishops and Knights - Example 10 37 Furman Semen - Botvinnik 12
Bluvshtein Mark - Mamedyarov 16 Furman Semen - Lillienthal 19
Bogoljubow Efim - Alekhine 46 Galliamova Alisa - Qin 69
Botvinnik Mikhail - Bronstein 77 Gelfand Boris - Beliavsky 70
Botvinnik Mikhail - Furman 12 Geller Efim - Euwe 74
Botvinnik Mikhail - Kan 24 Geller Efim - Keres 20
Botvinnik Mikhail - Kan 36 Geller Efim - Mikhalchishin 80
Botvinnik Mikhail - Levenfish 7 Geller Efim - Pilnik 44
Botvinnik Mikhail - Lisitsin 20 Georgiev Kiril - Ilincic 28
Botvinnik Mikhail - Makogonov 88 Gligoric Svetozar - Barle 103
Botvinnik Mikhail - Neikirkh 102 Gligoric Svetozar - Keres 22
Botvinnik Mikhail - Sokolsky 99 Golod Vitali - Kosashvili 32
Botvinnik Mikhail - Sorokin 94 Grigorian Karen - Sakharov 82
Botvinnik Mikhail - Tal 50 Grischuk Alexander - Dvoirys 67
Botvinnik Mikhail - Vidmar 30 Grischuk Alexander - Smeets 7
Botvinnik Mikhail - Zagoriansky 107 Gufeld Eduard - Damjanovic 83
Bronstein David - Botvinnik 77 Gufeld Eduard - Klovsky 10
Capablanca Jose Raul - Winter 82 Gulko Boris - Jussupow 62
Carden Matthew - Stean 89 Gurevich Mikhail - Leko 106
Henneberger Walter - Nimzowitsch 44 M & P of Defence - Example 28 84
Hort Vlastimil - Duckstein 89 M & P of Defence - Example 29 84
Huebner Robert - Karpov 104 M & P of Defence - Example 30 85
Huzman Alexander - Cvitan 89 Makogonov Vladimir - Botvinnik 88
Ilincic Zlatko - Georgiev 28 Makogonov Vladimir - Lillienthal 25
Illescas Cordoba Miguel - Andersson 78 Mamedyarov Sakhriyar - Bluvshtein 16
Iordachescu Viorel - Atalik 23 Maroczy Geza - Rubinstein 73
Ivanchuk Vassily - Ljubojevic 32 Matulovic Milan - Fischer 87
Johner Paul - Nimzowitsch 75 Mikhalchishin Adrian - Geller 80
Jussupow Artur - Dolmatov 59 Moizhess Igor - Kalegin 68
Jussupow Artur - Gulko 62 Mora Itturalde Maria - Rudenko 104
Jussupow Artur - Wedberg 93 Neikirkh Oleg - Botvinnik 102
Kalegin Evgenij - Moizhess 68 Nezhmetdinov Rashid - Polugaevsky 79
Kan Ilia - Botvinnik 24 Nimzowitsch Aron - Alekhine 57
Kan Ilia - Botvinnik 36 Nimzowitsch Aron - Henneberger 44
Karpov Anatoly - Anand 42 Nimzowitsch Aron - Johner 75
Karpov Anatoly - Huebner 104 Open Files - Example 1 9
Karpov Anatoly - Kasparov 47 Opposite-coloured B - Example 11 46
Karpov Anatoly - Spassky 107 Ortega Lexy - Tal 28
Kasparov Garry - Bacrot 87 Palac Mladen - Pavasovic 78
Kasparov Garry - Karpov 47 Paulsen Louis - Tarrasch 88
Kasparov Garry - Shirov 81 Pavasovic Dusko - Palac 78
Kasparov Garry - Vukic 87 Petrosian Tigran - Balashov 30
Keres Paul - Geller 20 Petrosian Tigran - Diez del Corral 79
Keres Paul - Gligoric 22 Petrosian Tigran - Fischer 41
Klaman Konstantin - Yudovich 100 Petrosian Tigran - Polugaevsky 50
Klovsky Rafail - Gufeld 10 Petrosian Tigran - Spassky 27
Knight Outposts - Example 5 14 Pilnik Herman - Geller 44
Knight Outposts - Example 6 15 Piskov Yury - Dvoirys 67
Knight Outposts - Example 7 15 Polgar Judit - Kramnik 34
Knight Outposts - Example 8 15 Polugaevsky Lev - Nezhmetdinov 79
Knight Outposts - Example 9 17 Polugaevsky Lev - Petrosian 50
Korchnoi Viktor - Arnason 66 Position of the King - Example 12 53
Kosashvli Yona - Golod 32 Pritchett Craig - Beliavsky 40
Kramnik Vladimir - Leko 48 Qin Kanying - Galliamova 69
Kramnik Vladimir - Polgar 34 Reti Richard - Carls 8
Kramnik Vladimir - Topalov 83 Romanovsky Peter - Vilner 97
Lasker Emanuel - Cohn 43 Rubinstein Akiba - Maroczy 73
Lasker Emanuel - Euwe 103 Rubinstein Akiba - Salwe 26
Leko Peter - Carlsen 73 Rudenko Liudmila - Mora 104
Leko Peter - Gurevich 106 Sakharov Yuri - Grigorian 82
Leko Peter - Kramnik 48 Salwe Georg - Rubinstein 26
Levenfish Grigory - Botvinnik 7 Shirov Alexei - Kasparov 81
Liakhovecky A. - Berezin 87 Shirov Alexei - Smejkal 69
Lillienthal Andor - Furman 19 Smeets Jan - Grischuk 7
Lillienthal Andor - Makogonov 25 Smejkal Jan - Shirov 69
Lisitsin Georgy - Botvinnik 20 Smirin Ilia - Dolmatov 42
Ljubojevic Ljubomir - Ivanchuk 32 Smyslov Vassily - Bilek 17
Long Range Bishops - Example 2 11 Smyslov Vassily - Denker 25
Long Range Bishops - Example 3 11 Smyslov Vassily - Fischer 77
Long Range Bishops - Example 4 11 Smyslov Vassily - Stahlberg 23
M & P of Defence - Example 23 72 Sokolsky Alexey - Botvinnik 99
M & P of Defence - Example 24 76 Sorokin Nikolay - Botvinnik 94
M & P of Defence - Example 25 76 Spassky Boris - Avtonomov 54
M & P of Defence - Example 26 76 Spassky Boris - Karpov 107
M & P of Defence - Example 27 82 Spassky Boris - Petrosian 27

Stahlberg Gideon - Smyslov 23 Tseshkovsky Vitaly - Dvoretsky 84
Stean Michael - Carden 89 Tylor Theodore - Alekhine 35
Steinitz William - Zukertort 29 Van Wely Loek - Vasiukov 68
Suetin Alexey - Zilber 68 Vasiukov Evgeni - Van Wely 68
Taimanov Mark - Averbakh 22 Vidmar Milan Sr - Botvinnik 30
Taimanov Mark - Fischer 41 Vilner Yakov - Romanovsky 97
Taimanov Mark - Xie 71 Vukic Milan - Kasparov 87
Tal Mihail - Botvinnik 50 Wedberg Tom - Jussupow 93
Tal Mihail - Ortega 28 Winter William - Capablanca 82
Tarrasch Siegbert - Paulsen 88 Xie Jun - Taimanov 71
Teschner Rudolf - Trifunovic 106 Yates Frederick - Alekhine 32
The Plan - Example 34 96 Yudovich Mikhail - Klaman 100
The Plan - Example 35 96 Zagoriansky Evgeny - Botvinnik 107
Topalov Veselin - Kramnik 83 Zilber Israel - Suetin 68
Tratatovici Moshe - Barle 46 Zukertort Johan - Steinitz 29
Trifunovic Petar - Teschner 106

Curriculum Vitae
Georg Mohr
Georg Mohr (born February 2nd, 1965) is a
Slovenian Grandmaster, trainer and
organiser.
In 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000 and 2002,
Georg Mohr played for the Slovenian
Olympic team.
For the next four Chess Olympiads, he was
selector of the Slovenian Olympic men's
team. In 2004 he was awarded the title of
FIDE Senior Trainer.
He is currently coaching the Girls's
National Team of Turkey.
He is an active member of the FIDE
Trainers’ Commission, as an Editor.

FIDE TRG ACS 10 Strategy Evaluation Plan Decision Book

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

FIDE TRG ACS 10 Strategy Evaluation Plan Decision Book

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

FIDE TRG ACS 10 Strategy Evaluation Plan Decision Book

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

What is the book about?

What is the book about?

What topics are covered in the book?

What topics are covered in the book?

FIDE Trainers’ Commission

Advanced Chess School

Cover by Efstathia Saltamara

Commissioning Editor: Efstratios Grivas (www.GrivasChess.com)

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 3

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 4

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 6

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 9

□ Carlsen Magnus □ Botvinnik Mikhail

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 13

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 18

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 19

1tR-tR-+NmK-! If the pieces are the muscles of the

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 24

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 26

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 31

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 33

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 39

8r+-+-mk-+( □ Fischer Robert James

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 45

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 49

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 51

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 52

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 55

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 64

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 65

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 68

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 69

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 70

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 73

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 76

8-+-+-trk+( □ Fischer Robert James

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 78

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 79

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 82

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 84

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 85

5+-snpzP-+-% □ Eljanov Pavel

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 88

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 89

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 90

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 93

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 95

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 105

□ Botvinnik Mikhail □ Karpov Anatoly

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 108

Adams Michael - Carlsen 12 Carls Carl Johan Margot - Reti 8

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 110

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 111

Advanced Chess School - Volume 10 - Strategy-Evaluation-Plan-Decision - Georg Mohr 112

You might also like