DAY 198 Repair Work

You can repair a color weakness by putting pawns on that color’s squares.

Nigel Short White
Max Fuller Black
London 1977
Sicilian Defense, Rossolimo Variation B30

1 e4 c5 2 f3 c6 3 b5 b6 4 xc6 xc6 5 0-0

White’s bid for rapid mobilization should be tested by 5...xe4! 6 c3 c6.

5...g6 6 c3 g7 7 d4 d6 8 dxc5 dxc5 9 f4!? xc3! 10 bxc3 xe4 11 c1

illustration

11...f5?

White’s comp lies in potential pressure on dark square and the e-file. With 11...f6! Black repairs dark squares and prepares ...e5!.

12 e1! a4

After 12...xc2 13 e3 White threatens xc5 but also 14 e5 f6 15 xf6!.

13 e3 c6?

Last chance for 13...f6 (14 d6 f7 15 xc5 b6).

14 e5! c8 15 c4!

Question 226: Why not 15 xf7 xf7 16 e5 ?

15...e6

Question 227: And if 15...e6 16 xc5 c6 ?

16 e5 f6 17 d6+! exd6 18 xf6

Black fittingly dies on dark squares (18...0-0 19 h6 and mates).

18...g8 19 xd6 d7 20 ad1 resigns.

In view of 20...c8 21 xc5 c7 22 xe6+! and mates.

Evgeny Vasiukov White
Yury Chikovani Black
Moscow 1963

1 e4 c5 2 f3 c6 3 b5 b6 4 c3 e6 5 0-0 f6 6 e1 e7 7 xc6 xc6 8 d4 0-0? 9 d5 a6 10 d6 d8 (10...xd6 11 e5) 11 g5 h6 12 h4 g5 13 xg5! hxg5 14 xg5 a5 15 e3 h7 16 h6 h8 17 g3 h4 18 g7+ g8 19 f6+! resigns.