Chapter 6
Blockading the pawn chain
It is possible to blockade not just a lone passed pawn, but a whole pawn chain. Up to now, we have seen that the most effective pieces for blockading enemy pawns are the knight and bishop, but here, the preference has to be given to the bishop. It can control the squares in front of an entire row of enemy pawns, preventing the whole chain from moving, which the knight cannot do. In blockading a pawn chain, several pieces can be used, to occupy the squares in front of the pawns. Such pieces are usually safe from attack (because they are shielded by the pawns themselves), and can perform other functions, as well as that of blockader, such as supporting their own passed pawns, attacking the enemy king, etc. The above does not by any means signify, however, that an enemy pawn chain is your best friend! One must always remember that if the opponent manages to remove the blockade, his pawn chain can develop frightful strength.
27 *
Marat Makarov
2523
Konstantin Sakaev
2649
Russia tt 2002 (3)
The white e-pawn cannot advance, because the d4-pawn would be hanging. This means that it needs to be blockaded, so as to leave White with a bad bishop. Obviously, to do this, we need the knight. The route to e4 is obvious:
22…♘e7! 23.h4 ♘f5
The attack on the rook is extremely useful for Black, as it effectively shortens by one tempo the route to e4.
24.♖h3 ♘d6 25.h5
25…♗e4!
Definitely the right move, forcing the exchange of bishops. The superiority of the knight over the remaining white bishop will be overwhelming.
26.♗xe4 ♘xe4 27.♕g2 ♕d5 28.g6
This desperate attempt at counterplay does not give any chances – the advance of the pawn is not supported by the white pieces. Black reacts in the simplest possible way, keeping the position closed, which suits him.
28…fxg6 29.hxg6 h6 30.♕h1 0-0 31.♖xh6
The queen alone cannot give mate, but it was hard to recommend anything to White – Black is already prepared to break in down the c-file.
31…gxh6 32.♕xh6 ♖c7
33.0-0-0 ♘f2 34.♖g1 ♖g7 35.♗e1 ♘d3+ 36.♔d2 ♘xe1 37.♔xe1 ♕e4 38.♔f2 cxd4 39.cxd4
White resigned, without waiting for 39…♖c8.
28 *
Michael Adams
2723
Teimour Radjabov
2644
Aix-les-Bains 2003 (6)
The position is quite non-standard, with both kings in the centre. But whilst White can castle by hand, and evacuate his king to the kingside, it is harder for Black to find a safe home for his king. This is the main thing that defines White’s advantage. With his next move, White ensures himself a static advantage.
18.c5!
Black cannot bring his bishop out to a6 and it is impossible to get his pieces out at all. This means that sooner or later, he will have to advance the d-pawn, after which his pawn structure will lose its solidity.
18…d5 19.cxd6 ♗xd6
20.♖hd1
Here, the rook exerts strong pressure on the open file. In open positions, such an approach is usually more effective than building pressure on some weakness or other. So this move is stronger than 20.♖hc1, for example.
20…♔e7 21.♔g1!
The most technical. The king moves to a safe zone, and Black will inevitably come under an attack.
21…♗c5 22.♗xc5+ ♕xc5+ 23.♔h1 ♕b4 24.♕e3 ♕a5 25.b3
Black is helpless, and White can take his time.
25…♗d7 26.♗c4 ♖bd8 27.♖e1 ♕b6 28.♕g3 ♖dg8 29.♕h3
Black resigned.
29 **
Leonid Stein
Lubomir Kavalek
Caracas 1970 (15)
All of Black’s hopes of freeing his position are bound up with the advance d6-d5. White’s next few moves are directed at preventing this:
24.a5! ♘c8 25.c4! ♘e7
White has more space, so exchanges do not favour him:
26.♘e3! bxc4 27.bxc4 ♕c8 28.♗d2 ♘g6 29.♘d5 ♘xd5
29…♕xc4 allows the bishop and rook to join in with tempi: 30.♗b3 ♕c8 31.♖dc1! (31.♘b6 ♕b8 32.♗xe6 fxe6 allows Black still to offer resistance) 31…♕b8 32.♖ab1, with a decisive advantage.
30.cxd5 ♖f6
31.♕b3
Black’s queenside is defenceless, with his light-squared bishop presenting an especially poor impression.
31…♘f4 32.♖dc1 ♖g6 33.♗d1 ♕d7 34.♗g4 ♕e7 35.♘f5 ♕g5 36.♗xf4 ♕xf4 37.♕xb7
1-0
30 ***
Samuel Reshevsky
Tigran Petrosian
Zurich ct 1953 (2)
Black’s position looks critical, as he lacks space and his pieces are uncoordinated. White threatens the break e5-e6, and also wants to play ♗g4-f3, with the threat of d4-d5. But there is a brilliant way to change the contours of the game:
25…♖e6!!
The e5-pawn is blocked, and the knight gets a path to d5 via e7.
26.a4
This is playing on the wrong flank, but even after 26.♗xe6 ♕xe6 (weaker, by analogy with the game, is 26…fxe6, because of, say, 27.♖f1 ♘e7 28.♖g3, with the intention of including the h-pawn in the attack) 27.♖g3 ♘e7 28.h4 ♘d5, Black obtains positional compensation for the exchange, although not fully adequate.
26…♘e7 27.♗xe6 fxe6 28.♕f1 ♘d5 29.♖f3 ♗d3 30.♖xd3 cxd3 31.♕xd3 b4
Sharp play could result from 31…bxa4 32.♗a3 ♕c6, or 32…♕g6.
32.cxb4 axb4 33.a5 ♖a8 34.♖a1 ♕c6 35.♗c1 ♕c7 36.a6 ♕b6 37.♗d2 b3 38.♕c4 h6
Black could also force a draw immediately: 38…b2 39.♖b1 ♕xa6 40.♕xa6 ♖xa6 41.♖xb2 ♖a4=.
39.h3 b2 40.♖b1 ♔h8 41.♗e1
Even in the case where, after the exchange of the b2- and a6-pawns, White does not lose the d4-pawn, Black’s positional compensation will be sufficient, so a draw was agreed.
31 ***
Svetozar Gligoric
Vasily Smyslov
Kiev tt 1959 (3)
Obviously, this position arose from the popular Exchange Variation of the Grünfeld Defence. All of White’s play is directed towards the advance f4-f5, opening excellent attacking prospects for White. But Black cuts off this possibility at the roots:
15…♘a5! 16.♗d3 f5!
Virtually all the white pieces are shut in by their own f4-pawn, whilst the light-squared bishop is blocked by the f5-pawn.
17.e5
Black also has the advantage after 17.exf5 exf5 – in addition to blockading play on the light squares, he also has the e-file, which he can occupy.
17…c4!
If Black plays on the c-file, then after the exchange on d4, the white knight can occupy c3, from where it can exert pressure on d5. Black does not allow such counterchances, planning instead to create a passed pawn on the queenside.
18.♗c2 ♘c6
The knight heads to e7, from where it defends the kingside pawns, whilst at the same time being ready to jump to d5.
19.g4
White’s pieces are too cramped to organise a kingside attack. However, he has no other form of play.
19…♘e7 20.♔h2 ♕c6 21.♘g3 b5 22.a4
Now, attempting to develop activity on the queenside. Otherwise, Black plays …a7-a5 and …b5-b4.
22…a6 23.♖b1 ♖ab8 24.♗d2 bxa4
More precise is 24…♕d7, so as then to capture on a4, and defend this pawn with the move …♗b7-c6.
25.♖a1 ♗a8 26.♗xa4 ♕c7 27.♖a2 ♖b6 28.gxf5
28…exf5!
The correct recapture, because the white central pawns are well blockaded.
29.♗c1?
It was essential to go over to defence on the queenside, so 29.♖fa1 was significantly stronger, with the idea of transferring the bishop via a4-d1-f3, and the knight via f1 to e3.
29…♘d5 30.♘e2
Here, the knight is terribly placed, and this should have been avoided. In such positions, one must strive either to sacrifice on the kingside or to transfer the knight via g3-f1-e3, exerting pressure on the c4-pawn, and fighting for the square d5.
30…a5 31.♗c2
On 31.♗a3, Black can continue his play with 31…♖db8!, not paying any attention to 32.♗d6 ♖xd6 33.exd6 ♕xd6 – Black completely dominates.
31…♖b3!
Now, in addition to all White’s other troubles, the c3-pawn is hanging.
32.♗xb3
If White does not take the exchange, then after, for example, 32.♖a4, Black can quietly increase the pressure with 32…♖db8.
32…cxb3 33.♖a4
Here, the rook only comes under attack, whilst at the same time, White is unable to play c3-c4 anyway.
More tenacious, therefore, was 33.♖a1.
33…♗f8 34.♗b2
On 34.c4, there could follow 34…♕c6 35.♖xa5 ♕xc4, with extremely strong play on the light squares.
34…♘e3
Stronger was 34…♗c6 35.♖aa1 ♗b5, preparing …a5-a4, and retaining full control over the light squares.
35.♖fa1
Not 35.♕xe3, because of 35…♕c6.
35…♘c4 36.♘g3 ♗e7
37.♘f1?
The right idea in the wrong form. After 37.♕e2 ♗d5 38.♘f1, with the idea of ♘f1-e3, White would have obtained reasonable counterchances.
37…♕c6 38.♖xc4 ♕h1+! 39.♔g3 h5
Mate is unavoidable, so White resigned. Despite the errors, an instructive game.
Additional material
Botvinnik-Geller, Budapest 1952
Kapengut-Kholmov, USSR 1970 – White’s 20th move
Smyslov-Gligoric, Moscow 1979 – Black’s 18th move