Chapter 23
Transferring forces
Sometimes the forces one has near a weakened enemy king are not enough for a mating attack. It is easy if there is an obvious route to bring up additional pieces, but there are cases when that is not so, and these are the situations we are concerned with in this chapter. In addition, we will also consider cases where the usual method is not sufficient to bring a piece out – all of the pieces should take part in the attack.
126 **
Konstantin Sakaev
2664
Bojan Kurajica
2551
Istanbul Ech 2003 (1)
The black king is weakened, and White brings up additional forces:
17.♖e3
The correct idea in an inaccurate form. More accurate was the preparatory 17.♖ab1!, and only after 17…b5 (on 17…♕c7, there is the strong 18.c4!, and 18…dxc4 is impossible because of 19.♖e4) 18.♖e3 – with the same threat of g3-g4.
17…e6
Black misses the chance to save himself by a pawn sacrifice to activate his pieces: 17…♘d7! 18.g4 ♘xe5 19.dxe5 f5 20.♖h3 ♖f7 21.gxf5 ♕b6!, at the same time defending g6 and aiming at f2. White’s pawn structure is broken, and so his winning chances are few, and the most likely outcome is a draw.
18.g4! ♕f6 19.g5 ♕g7 20.♕h4
Exploiting the dark squares, White conducts an attack.
20…f6 21.♘g4 fxg5 22.♕xg5 ♘c6 23.♖xe6 ♖ad8 24.♖ae1 ♔h8 25.♖1e3
Now, there is another possibility – a knight on f6 and a rook on h3.
25…♕f7 26.♖f6 ♕g7 27.♖xf8+ ♕xf8 28.♘f6 ♕g7 29.♖h3 h5 30.♔f1
In view of the threat 31.♖xh5, Black resigned.
127 ***
Jan Timman
2635
Alexander Beliavsky
2610
Linares 1993 (13)
It is noticeable that the white queen and knight are on the queenside, leaving the king without sufficient defence. Black finds a way to bring additional pieces up, and forces White into an unpleasant defence:
15…♖e6! 16.♖ad1
Panic, which results in an irreparable weakening of the light squares. It was essential to cover them: 16.f3!. After 16…♖h6 17.g3 ♕e3+ 18.♖f2 f5, Black still has some initiative, but no more than that.
16…♖h6 17.g3 ♕f3 18.♖d3 ♕h5 19.h4 g5!
20.♖xd6
The best chance was 20.e5!, trying to organise counterplay on the dark squares. Admittedly, after 20…d5! 21.♕e7 gxh4 (less advantage is offered by 21…♗h3 22.hxg5 ♗xf1 23.gxh6 ♗xd3 24.♕xb7 ♖f8 25.cxd3 ♕xh6) 22.♘e4 ♗f5 23.♘f6+ ♖xf6 24.♕xf6 ♗xd3 25.cxd3 ♖e8 26.d4 hxg3 (also possible is 26…♖e6 27.♕xh4 ♕xh4 28.gxh4 ♖h6, retaining winning chances in the rook ending) 27.fxg3 ♖e6, Black has an extra pawn for no compensation.
20…♗h3 21.e5 ♖xd6 22.exd6 ♕f3 23.♕e4 ♕xe4 24.♘xe4 ♗xf1 25.♔xf1 gxh4 26.gxh4 ♖d8 27.♔e2 f5 28.♘g3 ♖xd6 29.♘xf5 ♖f6 30.♘g3 ♖f4 31.h5 ♔f7 32.♔e3 ♖h4 33.♔f3 ♔f6 34.♔e3 ♔g5 35.♔f3 ♖f4+ 36.♔e3 ♔g4 37.♔e2 ♖f3
White resigned.
128 ***
Training position
Konstantin Sakaev
It is clear that Black’s biggest problem is the weakness of f7. But how does White get at it? He has several unusual possibilities to do so, and anyone who finds one of them can be congratulated on their creativity. So, let us consider the various possibilities. White can end the game at once with the brilliant…
22.♖ae1!!
There is no defence against the transfer of the rook via e3 to g3 or f3. Interesting is 22.♖a3!? ♗xa3 23.bxa3, and White has a square on d6 for his knight. However, Black can defend: 23…♕e7! (23…cxb5 24.♗xf7! ♔xf7 25.♘d6+ ♕xd6 26.♕h5+ ♔e7 (26…♔g7 27.exd6 ♘d7 28.♕g4+ ♔f7 29.♖e1 ♖e8 30.♕h5+ ♔f8 31.♕xh6+ ♔f7 32.♕h7++–) 27.exd6+ ♔xd6 28.♕e5+ ♔d7 29.♖e1 ♘c7 30.♕g7+ ♔d6 31.♕xh6+– – the h-pawn quickly promotes) 24.♘d6 ♕g5 25.♕d1 cxb5 26.♘xb7 – Black has a weak king, but his queenside pawn majority offers him hopes of counterplay.
Another idea also uses the possibility of transferring the rook via the a-file: 22.b6!?. However, after 22…a5 (he loses after 22…axb6 23.♖xa8 ♗xa8 24.♕f3 ♕e8 (24…f5 25.exf6 ♘xf6 26.♘xf6 ♗xf6 27.♖e1 ♕e7 28.♗g4+–) 25.♖a1 ♗b7 26.♖a7 ♗c8 27.♘d6+–), White needs to understand another idea of his previous move: 23.♖a3, or even stronger 23.♖ae1!!, with the idea of ♖e1-e3.
22…cxb5
22…♗g5 23.f4 ♗e7 24.f5+–.
23.♖e3 ♘d7
23…♘xe3 24.fxe3 ♔e8 25.♖xf7 ♔d7 26.♘c5++–.
24.♖g3
24.♗xf7+–.
24…♗g5
24…♔e8 25.♗xf7+ ♔xf7 26.♕g6++–.
25.f4+–
Black is defenceless.
129 ***
Training position
Konstantin Sakaev
Black’s problem is getting his ♖h8 into the game. With a great deal of imagination, it is possible to find the surprising
17…♖g8!!
If Black continues developing in traditional fashion, then after 17…♗g7, there follows 18.♖hd1, and one of the central pawns is lost. For example, after 18…e6 19.♖xd6 0-0 20.♔b1 ♖fc8 21.♖1d2, White retains control over the d-file, which combined with the threat of g3-g4, ensures him the initiative.
It turns out that the king feels quite safe on e8. After the transfer of the rook to e6, White’s pressure on the e-file disappears, and Black can quietly develop the bishop to g7. For example:
18.♖xf5 ♖g6
It is also possible first to bring out the other rook: 18…♖c8 19.♖e1 ♖g6 20.♖f6 e6 (an equal endgame results from 20…♕c4 21.♕xc4 ♖xc4 22.♖f5 ♖c5 23.♖xc5 dxc5) 21.♖f5 ♗g7 22.h4 ♔f8 23.h5 ♖h6 24.♗xh6 ♗xh6 25.♖g5 ♗xg5 26.fxg5 ♕c4 and Black is not worse.
19.♖f6
19.♔b1 ♖e6 20.♕d3 ♖c8 leads to more pleasant play for Black, thanks to his powerful centralisation.
19…♗g7 20.♖xg6 hxg6 21.♖e1 e6
Black is ready to play …♖a8-c8 and …♕c7-c4, transposing play into a somewhat better endgame. White needs to play accurately to maintain equality.
130 ***
Sergei Karjakin
2723
Boris Gelfand
2758
Khanty-Mansiysk 2009 (6)
The position looks roughly equal, and Black can quietly maintain the balance by strengthening the centre in the traditional manner: 11…♗e6 12.♘d2 c6 13.♘c4 (13.♘f3 ♗f6=) 13…♖e8 14.♗d2 ♗b4 15.♗xb4 ♘xb4=, with the prospect of future simplification on the e-file.
But, noting that the white king is defended only by pawns, Black begins a battle for the initiative:
11…♖a6!!
The possibility of the rook appearing imminently on g6 comes as a cold shower for White.
12.♕h5
Not yet appreciating the growing danger.
A draw could result from 12.♗xd5 ♕xd5 13.♖xe7 ♖g6 14.f3 (bad is 14.g4? ♕h5 15.♖e4 f5 and Black’s attack assumes a decisive character) 14…♗xh3 15.♖e2 ♕xf3 16.♕f1 ♗xg2 17.♖xg2 ♖xg2+ 18.♕xg2 ♕d1+ 19.♕f1 ♕g4+ 20.♕g2 ♕d1+, with perpetual check.
12…♘b4 13.♘a3
From here, the knight does not block the bishop, and the pawn on c2 is defended in the event of an exchange of light-squared bishops. But the knight also moves further away from the scantily-defended white king, which is more important. Therefore, he should prefer 13.♘d2!, with a defensible position.
13…♖g6 14.♗f4 b6 15.♕f3
Directed against the appearance of the black bishop on b7.
15…♗e6! 16.♗xe6
Of course, the pawn that now appears on e6 is backward, but a more important factor is the open f-file, along which the black rook comes into the attack.
Not 16.♖e2? ♘xc2! 17.♗xe6 ♘xa1 18.♗c4 ♗c5
– White cannot win the knight on a1.
More cautious was 16.♗g3, although after 16…♗xb3 17.cxb3 ♗d6, Black gets the advantage, since his pawn structure becomes more attractive.
16…fxe6 17.♕e4 ♗d6 18.♗xd6?
Now, the g-file remains open, and the threats along it become irresistible. The queen can easily be driven from e4, from where it defends the king.
It was essential to play 18.♗g3!, creating an extra barrier on the approaches to the white king. In reply, it makes sense for Black to force a weaknesses with 18…♕g5! (18…♘d5 19.♘c4 ♗xg3 20.fxg3 ♖xg3 21.♖f1 ♖f6 22.♖xf6 ♕xf6 23.♖f1 ♕g6 24.♖e1 allows White to hold the balance) 19.h4 ♕d8
, retaining the initiative.
18…cxd6 19.♕xd4
19.g3 ♕g5 20.♖f1 ♘d5–+ – the knight heads to f4.
19…♕g5 20.g3 ♕f5 21.g4
21.h4 e5 22.♕e3 ♕h3–+, with threats of …♘b4-d5-f4 and …♖f8xf2.
21…h5 22.♖e4 d5 23.♔h2
23.♖e5 ♕f6–+.
23…♕f3 24.♖ee1 hxg4 25.♕e3 gxh3 26.♕xf3 ♖xf3 27.♖g1 ♖xf2+ 28.♔xh3 ♖xg1 29.♖xg1 ♘xc2 30.♘b5 ♖f3+ 31.♔g4 ♖xd3 32.♘d6 ♘e3+ 33.♔f4 ♘c4
White resigned.
Additional material
Petrosian-Rashkovsky, Moscow 1976
Jussupow-Ivanchuk, Brussels match/8 1991 – White’s 13th move
Tempone-Kasparov, Dortmund 1980 – Black’s 26th move
Alekhine-Tartakower, Bled 1931 – White’s 38th move
Morozevich-Kramnik, Frankfurt (rapid) 2000 – Black’s 44th move:
Kasparov-Karpov, Moscow Wch match/48 1985 – White’s 27th move