Chapter 24
Opening lines
Opening lines is a device that enables our pieces to develop full strength, and decide the game in our favour. Line-opening is usually favourable for the side having the superior coordination. If enemy pieces stand on the edge of the board, this is often a signal to open lines on the other flank, since in a sharp struggle, the offside pieces will often just turn out to be mere spectators.
131 *
Evgeny Vorobiov
2540
Nikolai Pokazaniev
2479
Russia tt 2006 (5)
Black is somewhat behind in development, and his ♗a7 needs time to get into play. Therefore, White opens additional lines:
18.e4! b6
This attempt to bring his dark-squared bishop to life takes too much time, but after 18…d4 19.♘a4, Black also has a difficult position – White threatens to play f4-f5, cramping Black over the entire board. In the future, the white knight will transfer via b2 to b4, after which, for example, he can unhurriedly prepare the advance of the g-pawn.
19.exd5 bxc5
Here, the prophylactic 20.♔h1 looks promising (20.♗c4 was played in the game), but the energetic…
20.fxe5!
looks even stronger. After the forced
20…c4+
(20…cxb4+ 21.♔h1 ♕xe5 (or 21…♘g4 22.d6 ♕e8 23.♘e4, with powerful centralisation) 22.axb4 cxd5 23.♘xd5! leads to a decisive advantage for White – the black queen is attacked wherever she goes)
21.♔h1 cxd3 22.exf6 ♕xf6 23.♕xd3 ♗f5 24.♕c4 ♕d4 25.♕xd4 ♗xd4 26.dxc6 ♖ac8 27.♘d5 ♖fe8 28.♗c3 ♗e4 29.♗xd4 ♗xd5 30.♖f2
White retains good winning chances.
132 **
Alberto David
2591
Konstantin Sakaev
2649
Kusadasi Ech 2006 (10)
White has placed his hopes on the dark-squared bishop, which attacks g7 and helps the blockade of the b-file. In one blow, Black solves both problems:
17…♘xb6! 18.axb6 ♖xb6! 19.0-0-0
Very risky, but even after 19.♗xb6 ♕xb6 20.♕xc4 ♗h4+ 21.♘g3 ♗f6, the black initiative more than compensates for the sacrificed exchange.
19…e5
Another promising possibility is 19…♗d7, preparing the transfer to the b-file of the ♖f8.
20.♗xb6 ♕xb6
White will not manage to get the knight to d5, which means that he faces a difficult defence.
21.♕a3 ♕a7 22.♔b1 ♗e6
Also good is the immediate 22…d5 23.♕c3 dxe4 24.fxe4 ♗xg4 25.♕xc4 ♖b8, with attack.
23.♘c3 d5 24.♕a5 d4 25.♘d5 ♗d6 26.f4 exf4 27.e5 ♗c5 28.♘xf4 ♗xg4 29.♖de1 ♖b8 30.e6 ♗xe6
A simpler win is 30…fxe6.
31.♘xe6 fxe6 32.♖hf1 ♗b4 33.♕e5 ♗xe1 34.♕xe6+ ♔h8 35.♖xe1 ♕c5
And Black realised his advantage over time.
133 **
Svetozar Gligoric
Daniel Yanofsky
Saltsjöbaden izt 1948 (19)
Thanks to the fact that the black rooks are stalemated on the kingside, White has possibilities to open the game, without refraining from possible sacrifices:
31.c4! ♔g7
31…♘xb4 32.♖b3+–.
32.cxd5 ♘xd5 33.f5
It was also possible to leave out this central break and play 33.♖xd5 exd5 34.e6 f6 35.♖xd5 ♖d8 36.♖d7+ ♖xd7 37.exd7 ♕g8 38.♘ge6+ ♔h7 39.♕d2 ♕f7 40.♕d6+–.
33…gxf5 34.♖xd5
The unfortunate position of the black king could also have been exploited in a different way: 34.♖g3 ♔f8 35.♖xd5 exd5 36.e6 ♖xg5 37.♖xg5 fxe6 38.♕g3 ♘e7 39.♕e5 ♖h7 40.♘xe6+ ♔f7 41.♘g7+–.
34…exd5 35.e6 f6 36.♘f7
White chooses a prosaic way to realise his advantage. More energetic, stronger and simpler was 36.♖xd5 ♖e8 37.♖xf5+–.
36…♘e7 37.♕d4 ♘c6
More tenacious was 37…♖d8, after which the most precise way to win is 38.♖d3 ♕c7 39.♖c3! ♘c6 40.♕f2 f4 41.♘d3! d4 42.♘xf4!+–.
38.♕xd5 ♖d8 39.♘d7 ♔g6 40.♖f1 ♘e7 41.♕d4
Black resigned.
134 ***
Julio Granda Zuniga
2640
Konstantin Sakaev
2626
Khanty-Mansiysk 2009 (1)
If White manages to blockade the kingside by playing ♗g2-h3, it will become hard to develop Black’s initiative and, in turn, if the initiative grinds to a halt, White’s superior pawn structure will start to tell. Therefore, Black simply opens lines, not worrying about sacrificing a pawn, even though it does not bring immediate dividends.
20…h3! 21.♗xh3 ♘h4 22.♘xh4 ♖xh4
A transposition to the game would result from 22…♗d6 23.♖fd1 ♖xh4 24.♔f1 ♕e7.
23.♖fd1
No better or worse is 23.♔g2 ♗d6 24.♖h1 – the bishop on h3 is terrible, but in return, the king is no longer in the centre and is protected better.
23…♗d6 24.♔f1 ♕e7
25.g5!
The only defence against …♘d7-e5.
25…♘e5
The other possibility is less concrete, and would therefore create greater tension: 25…♘c5!?.
26.♕f5 ♘c4
Now, b2 hangs, and a sacrifice on e3 is threatened in various lines.
27.♘e2
The knight goes to the defence of the kingside.
White holds after 27.♖c2, but during the game, the blow on e3 looked dangerous: 27…♘xe3+ (27…♗c7 28.♖xd8+ ♕xd8 29.♕d7 ♕xd7 30.♗xd7 ♗d8, with equality; a double-edged position could arise, despite the limited material remaining, after 27…♖dh8 28.♗g2 ♕xe3 29.♘e4 ♖h1+ 30.♗xh1 ♖xh1+ 31.♔g2 ♖xd1 32.♖xc4 ♕e1 33.♘xd6 ♕g1+ 34.♔f3 ♖xd6 35.♖h4) 28.fxe3 ♕xe3 29.♖xd6 ♖f4+ 30.♔g2.
analysis diagram
From afar, it seems that there should be a win, but after checking, it turns out that all roads lead to a draw, for example: 30…♕f3+ 31.♔g1 ♕e3+ (31…♖e8 32.♖e2 ♖xf5 33.♖xe8+ ♔c7 34.♗xf5 ♕g3+ 35.♔h1 ♕h4+ 36.♔g2 ♕xg5+ 37.♔h1 – Black has nothing more than perpetual check) 32.♔h2 ♖xf5 33.♖xd8+ ♔c7 34.♘d5+ ♖xd5 35.♖xd5 ♕f4+ 36.♔g1 ♕e3+, with perpetual.
27…♖e8
Black had a wide choice: 27…♘xb2, 27…♗c7, 27…♖dh8, 27…♖g8. It is impossible to calculate them all, because although sharp and tense, the position is not concrete. Therefore, my choice fell on the line in which Black retains the most centralised pieces.
28.♘d4?
A blunder in approaching time-trouble. It was essential to defend against Black’s obvious threats with 28.♖c3, with a complicated battle.
28…♘xe3+! 29.fxe3 ♕xe3 30.♖c3 ♖f4+ 31.♔g2 ♕f2+
White resigned.
135 ***
Vasily Smyslov
Alexander Kotov
Moscow 1943
The light squares on the kingside are weakened in Black’s camp. In addition, the ♗g7 is very passively placed, with its only function being the defence of the pawn on h6. But how can we exploit this? Playing h2-h4-h5 takes a long time, and allows Black, if necessary, to close up the kingside with …g6-g5. Consequently, there followed
24.♘f5!! gxf5
It was still better to play 24…g5, although after 25.♕g3 followed by h2-h4 and the threat of opening the h-file for his rook, White’s initiative is very dangerous.
25.gxf5
For the piece, White has obtained the g-file for the attack, and the ♗g7 prevents Black from regrouping his pieces and setting up a defence.
25…♘c7 26.♖g1 ♘e8
27.♖g6
This allows a regrouping that offers Black some chances of defence. Stronger was the more resolute 27.♗xh6! ♔g8 (the variation 27…♗xh6 28.♖g6 ♕g7 29.♖xg7+ ♘xg7 30.♖g1 ♘e7 31.♘h4 leaves Black no hope) 28.♗xg7 ♘xg7 29.♖xg7+ ♕xg7 30.♖g1, winning.
27…♖f7
The last chance was 27…♖h8!, although after 28.♗xh6 ♔g8 29.♖bg1 ♖h7
analysis diagram
30.♖6g4!! followed by ♖g4-h4, White retains a strong attack.
28.♖bg1 ♔g8 29.♖xh6! ♔f8 30.♖h7 ♔e7 31.♕h5
Another effective way to win was 31.♖g6, with the idea of ♘f3-g5.
31…♔d6 32.♗f4+ ♘e5 33.♗xe5+ fxe5 34.f6 ♘xf6 35.♕xe5+ ♔c6 36.♖hxg7 ♔b5 37.♘xd4+ ♔b6 38.b4 ♖c8 39.♖xf7 ♕xf7 40.♕d6+ ♖c6 41.♘xc6 ♘xe4 42.bxc5+
1-0
Additional material
Geller-Smyslov, Moscow match/5 1965
Reshevsky-Vaganian, Skopje 1976
Velimirovic-Vasiukov, Tbilisi 1973
Dolmatov-Yurtaev, Sochi 1978 – White’s 31st move
Kavalek-Martinovic, Sarajevo 1968 – White’s 24th move
Petrosian-Botvinnik, Moscow Wch match/15 1963 – White’s 39th move
Petrosian-Bangiev, Moscow 1974 – Black’s 27th move
Kasparov-Karpov, Linares 2001