Chapter 16
Destroying the enemy pawn centre
When one side has a pawn centre, he needs to worry about its solidity. A sudden blow against it, often involving a sacrifice, can sharply change the course of the game. After all, once the centre has been destroyed, one’s pieces can often prove to be scattered and poorly coordinated with each other.
84 *
Anatoly Lependin
Konstantin Landa
Krasnoyarsk ch-RUS 2003 (6)
It appears that White has pressure. He has seized space on the queenside, and is prepared to drive the knight away from e4. Black is aided by a tactical blow, which destroys the white centre.
15…♘exc5!
The continuation 15…♘xe5? 16.dxe5 f5 17.f3 ♘g5 18.e3 suits White’s plans.
16.♘xc6
He does not equalise after 16.♘xd7 ♘xd7 17.♕xc6 ♘b6 18.♕c1 ♖c8 19.♕d1 ♘c4 20.b3 ♘d6! 21.a3 ♕b6 22.♕d2 ♖c7, with advantage to Black.
16…♕f6 17.dxc5
After 17.♕d2 ♗b5 18.♘xa5 ♖xa5 19.dxc5 ♖a4 20.♖c1 ♖c8 21.e4 ♘e5 22.exd5 exd5, Black has a very strong initiative, thanks to the undeveloped white pieces.
Relatively best was 17.♘xa5 ♕xd4! 18.♘c6 ♕c4, after which Black is only slightly better.
17…♖fc8
It turns out that White must return the piece.
18.♘xa5
Another possibility was 18.♕a4, also leading to a black advantage: 18…♘xc5 19.♕xa5 ♖xc6 20.♕xb4
20…♗xe2! 21.♕c3 (not 21.♖xe2, because of 21…♘d3 22.♕b7 (22.♕d2 ♖c1+ 23.♗f1 ♕f3! 24.♕xc1 ♘xc1 25.♖e1 ♘d3–+) 22…♖c1+ 23.♗f1 ♖f8 24.♕b6 ♕f3 25.♘d2 ♖xf1+ 26.♘xf1 ♕xe2 27.b3 ♖c8
) 21…♗c4! – Black stands better on account of the activity of his pieces.
18…♖xc5 19.♕a4 ♕xb2 20.♕xd7
On 20.♘b3, there follows 20…♖b5!, with the idea of trapping the queen with …♘b6.
20…♖xa5 21.e4?
More tenacious was 21.♘a3 ♕xa3 22.e4 ♗c4 23.exd5 ♗xd5.
21…♕xa1 22.exd5 ♗c4 23.d6 ♗d5 24.♖c1 h6 25.♗f1 ♕d4 26.♖c7 ♖f8 27.♕e7 ♖aa8
All of White’s threats have been repulsed and Black has a material advantage. White resigned.
85 **
Artur Jussupow
2620
Stefan Kindermann
2500
Germany Bundesliga 1997/98 (8)
16.♘xe5!
A simple but effective tactical blow – the black centre immediately collapses.
The decision taken is much more pragmatic than the move 16.h4!?
, which requires much more calculation.
16…♘dxe5 17.♗xe5!
Very inaccurate was 17.f4? ♗e6 18.fxe5 f4!, with practical compensation.
17…♗xe5
After 17…♘xe5 18.♘c4 ♕e6 19.f4 Black is simply a pawn down.
18.♘c4
It turns out that Black has to return the piece.
18…♗xh2+
Also bad was 18…♕e6 19.f4 ♘xf4 20.♘xe5 ♔h7 21.♕f3 ♘g6 22.♘xg6 ♕xg6 23.♖e7+ ♖f7 24.♖ae1+–.
19.♔xh2 ♕f7 20.♘e5 ♘xe5 21.♖xe5 ♕f6
Other continuations do not improve Black’s position:
21…f4 22.♕d4!+–;
21…♗d7 22.♕d4 ♔h7 23.♕b4 ♖ae8 24.♖xe8 ♕xe8 25.♕xb7;
21…♗e6 22.♕d4 ♖ad8 23.♕xa7.
22.♕d5+ ♔h8 23.♖ae1
To all Black’s other woes is added the fact that he cannot bring out the ♗c8.
23…♕d6 24.♕xd6 cxd6 25.♖e7+– f4 26.♗d3 ♗f5 27.♗xf5 ♖xf5 28.♖xb7 f3 29.g4 ♖g5 30.♔g3 h5 31.♖e4 ♖ag8 32.♖xa7 ♖xg4+ 33.♖xg4 ♖xg4+ 34.♔xf3 ♖g5 35.♖f7
Black resigned.
86 ***
Igor Ivanov
Vitaly Tseshkovsky
Yerevan 1977 (8)
The white pieces are idling on the queenside and the ♘a4 is attacked – this allows a crushing blow:
22…♖xe3!!
When taking on a4 last move, White probably counted only on 22…♗xd3 23.♖xd3 ♖xa4 24.♕xa4 ♘xb2 25.♕b3 ♘xd3 26.♗xd3, with equality.
23.fxe3 ♘xe3 24.♕b3
On 24.♕d2, there would follow 24…♗xd4 25.♔h1 ♖xa4 – White is not mated, but Black completely dominates, as well as winning material.
24…♗xd4 25.♔h1 ♕h4!
The white pieces cannot come to the aid of their king, as they are too far away. The extra rook does not help, either.
26.♘dc5 ♕f2 27.♖g1 ♗h3 28.♕xe3 ♗xe3 29.♘d3 ♕h4
White resigned.
87 ***
Bartlomiej Macieja
2582
Vasily Ivanchuk
2731
Moscow Wch rapid playoff 2001 (2)
The white king is caught in the centre, but the black pieces are restricted and have no developing moves. The only way to develop involves a knight sacrifice, which in fact is very strong:
14…♘dxe5!
The other version of the sacrifice looks a little weaker: 14…♘xd4 15.♘xd4 ♘xe5 16.♗c2 – here White’s pieces are more active, and the ♘g1 is ready to come into the game.
15.dxe5 ♘xe5 16.♗c2
It is understandable that White wishes to preserve his bishop from exchange, but this retreat loses time, which White has little of as it is.
After the correct move 16.♕e2! ♘xd3+ 17.♕xd3 ♗d7 18.♘e2, White would have more pieces taking part in the game.
16…♗d7
16…♘g4 17.♕d4 ♕xd4 18.♘xd4 ♘f2 19.♖h2 ♗d6 20.g3 ♗xg3 21.♖g2 ♘h1+ 22.♔d2 e5 23.♘de2 ♗f2. The position is an endgame, but Black attacks as though it were a middlegame!
17.♕e2
Now, Black gets more time and is able to bring his last piece into the attack.
It was essential to play 17.♕d4!, trying to ease the defence a little by exchanges. After 17…♗c5 (also interesting is the transition to an ending, so as to gain additional time for development: 17…♕xd4 18.♘xd4 ♖ac8 19.♘ge2 ♘g4
– the central pawns are ready to advance) 18.♕xe5 ♗xg1 19.♕e2 ♖ac8↑,
analysis diagram
Black has a strong initiative, but White can still resist.
17…♖ac8!
Development above all! Admittedly, 17…♘g4 was almost as good.
18.♗xh7+
Incorrect, but White stands badly anyway.
18…♔xh7 19.♕xe5 ♗d6 20.♗e3 ♕b3 21.♘d2
21…♖f1+!
A simple intermediate check, which White had probably missed from afar.
22.♔xf1 ♕d3+ 23.♔f2 ♗xe5 24.♘gf3 ♗xb2 25.♖ab1 ♖c2 26.♖hd1 e5 27.g3 ♗g4
White resigned.
Additional material
Tal-Hjartarson, Reykjavik 1987