Chapter 28
Interference
Interference is when one places a piece on the line of an enemy unit, to stop its attacking or defensive effect. This is not seen that often in practice, but if it can be done at the right moment, the effect can be very striking, and sometimes you can win the game instantly!
159 *
Helgi Olafsson
2515
Jens Kristiansen
2390
Esbjerg 1985 (6)
White’s battery on the long diagonal looks dangerous, but mate is threatened, and this threat needs to be met. White’s solution was elegant:
31.♘f3!
1-0
160 *
Fidel Corrales Jimenez
2591
Sergei Fedorchuk
2650
Villa De Roquetas 2011 (8)
White threatens an unpleasant check on the kingside, but after…
37…♗d5!
the position immediately became clear.
38.♗c2 ♕xg2+ 39.♕xg2 ♗xg2 40.♘f7+ ♔g8 41.♗b3 ♗f1
White has a couple of checks, but his position is absolutely lost.
42.♘xh6+ ♔f8 43.♘g4 b5 44.♘e5 ♗c4 45.♘xc4 bxc4 46.♗xc4 ♖c8 47.♗b3 ♖d8 48.♗e6 ♖d2+ 49.♔g3 ♖xb2 50.♔f3 ♔e7
0-1
161 *
Kaido Külaots
2601
Fabien Libiszewski
2481
Aix-les-Bains Ech 2011 (7)
20.e5!
White shuts off the long diagonal of the black bishop. This proves sufficient for the black king to feel completely undefended.
Not 20.♘xe7+? ♘xe7 21.♘f6+ ♔h8 22.♗f8 ♘g8 23.e5 ♗xa1 24.♖xa1 ♕c3–+.
20…♗xa1
Other moves do not save him either:
A) 20…dxe5 21.♘gf6+ ♔h8 (21…exf6 22.♕xf6 e4 23.c3+–) 22.♕h4 ♗xa1 23.♗g7++–;
B) 20…♘4xe5 21.♘df6+ exf6 22.♘xf6+ ♔h8 23.♘xe8 ♘d3 24.♕xf7+–;
C) 20…♘6xe5 21.♘xe7+ ♔h8 22.♕f6#.
21.♖xa1! ♕d2
He also loses after 21…♕d8 22.♗xc4 (or 22.♗f8 ♔xf8 23.♕h6+ ♔g8 24.♘gf6+ exf6 25.exf6+–) 22…bxc4 23.exd6 ♕xd6 24.♘df6+ ♔h8 25.♗g7++–.
22.♘xe7+
1-0
162 *
Anton Korobov
2401
Andrei Volokitin
2469
Kharkov ch-UKR jr 2001
The white queen hopes to protect the king by covering the h3-square. But Black interfered with this defence:
30…♖f5! 31.♗h2 ♖h5 32.♖d2 ♖xh2+ 33.♔g1 ♗xd2
0-1
163 **
Alexander Karpatchev
2570
Alexander Potapov
2475
St Petersburg ch-RUS 1998 (9)
White’s hopes are bound up with perpetual check on the c8- and f5-squares. Consequently, Black needs to find a way to drive the white queen off this diagonal. In the game, Black missed a chance to end the game beautifully:
38…♕e1+!
Having seen the winning idea, it is easy to find the right way of executing it: first, the white king is driven to a square where the black pawn will queen with check.
39.♔f3 h2! 40.♕c8+
40…♖d8! 41.♕xd8+ ♔h7 42.♕d3+ g6
Winning.
164 **
Training position
Konstantin Sakaev
If we look at the opposition of queens on the e-file from a more imaginative standpoint than the usual one, and note that even though the bishop on e5 is pinned, it can move anywhere, we soon find a nice finish:
24.♗b8!
And the game ends.
165 ***
Levon Aronian
2802
Viswanathan Anand
2772
Wijk aan Zee 2013 (4)
It is clear at first glance that Black’s attack is very dangerous, and is bound up particularly with the h-file. White’s only hope of salvation is to include his queen in the defence from h7. Ignoring the ♘f8, with the brilliant
19…f5!!
Black destroys his opponent’s last illusions.
In the event of the straightforward 19…♕h4 20.♕h7+ ♕xh7 21.♘xh7 ♔xh7 22.h3 ♘f2+ 23.♔h2 a6, Black retains sufficient compensation for the exchange, though not more than that.
Not so convincing is 19…♔xf8, because of 20.♕h7. Here, the winning path is exceptionally complicated:
analysis diagram
A) 20…♘f2+ 21.♖xf2 (on 21.♔g1, Black does not give a hasty discovered check, but quietly plays a decisive strengthening of his position: 21…♕b6!) 21…♗xf2 22.f5 allows White to count on saving himself;
B) 20…f5!!, fixing the pawn on f4, and intending …♔f8-f7 and …♕d8-h8 – and there is no satisfactory defence against this ‘primitive’ attack! 21.h3 (21.♗d2 ♔f7 22.♗e1 ♕b6! (Black changes plan – the queen can strengthen the pressure along the diagonal) 23.♕h3 g6 24.♕g3 ♘xh2 25.♕xh2 ♖h8 26.♕xh8 ♗xh8, with a decisive advantage) 21…♖xc3 22.bxc3
analysis diagram
22…♕d5 23.♕h8+ ♔e7 24.♕h4+ ♔e8 25.♕g3 ♗f2 26.♕xf2 ♘xf2+ 27.♖xf2 ♕d1+ 28.♔h2 ♕e1 29.♖c2 e5 30.♗b2 (30.fxe5 f4 31.♗b2 ♕g3+ 32.♔g1 f3) 30…♕e4 31.♖f2 exf4 32.♖af1 g5 33.♗c1 ♕d3 34.♗d2 ♗e4 – Black should win, although he still needs to show accuracy.
20.♘g6 ♕f6 21.h3 ♕xg6 22.♕e2 ♕h5 23.♕d3
Somewhat better was 23.♖f3 ♗xf3 24.♕xf3 ♘f2+ 25.♔h2 ♕xf3 26.gxf3 ♘d3! (also possible is 26…♗xc3 27.bxc3 ♖xc3–+) 27.♔g2 a6! – before taking the weak pawns, Black can allow himself several general strengthening moves.
23…♗e3
White resigned.