Neil Mcdonald - The King's Indian Attack Move by Move PDF
Neil Mcdonald - The King's Indian Attack Move by Move PDF
Neil McDonald
The King's Indian attack
move by move
EVERYMAN CHESS
www.everymanchess.com
Contents
About th e Auth or
Introduction
70
118
162
186
240
299
322
Index of Variations
344
350
Introduction
The King's Indian Attack (or KIA) is a flexible opening system that can be employed by
White after 1 ltlf3 or against the French, Sicilian, and Caro-Kann if he chooses to begin with
1 e4. A typical opening sequence is 1 ltlf3 d5 2 g3 ltlf6 3 i.g2 e6 4 o-o c5 5 d3 tt:lc6 6 tt:lbd2
i.e7 7 e4 o-o, while the same position could be reached via a Sicilian or French move order
after for example 1 e4 c5 2 ltlf3 e6 3 d3 ltlc6 4 g3 d5 5 tt:lbd2 tt:lf6 6 i.g2 i.e7 7 0-0 0-0.
The characteristic features of the King's Indian Attack are the fianchetto of the bishop
on g2 and the setting up of a d3 and e4 pawn chain. White will develop his pieces in sup
port of the strongpoint on e4.
In the King's Indian Attack there is no immediate clash between the two armies. Both
sides are on the whole left undisturbed during the opening phase: only when White
threatens to encroach on space in the centre does the game begin to develop its individual
character. For this reason it is possible to describe the typical piece and pawn deployments
by White and Black without becoming bogged down in detail or having to point out too
many exceptions.
As we see in the example above, the two sequences that begin with 1 tt:lf3 or 1 e4 could
well transpose into each other. However, this isn't always the case. Whether to start 1 e4 or
1 ltlf3 is the eternal dilemma ofthe King's Indian Attack player. Ifyou play 1 e4 you aren't
guaranteed to get a KIA opening system: for example, after 1 e4 d5 there's no good way to
Chapter One
"This used to be my favourite at the time [of his game with James Sherwin, New Jersey
1957]. 1thought it led to a favourable variation of the Kings Indian reversed, particularly
after Black has committed himself with ...e7-e6.
Of course, Fischer went on to become a massive openings expert after 3 d4 in the Sicil
ian and the rest is history. However, for those of us with less time (not to mention original
ity and genius), when it comes to the study of the opening phase, the Kings Indian Attack
remains an especially effective choice once Black has played ...e7-e6. In fact, some very
strong players only have the KIA in their repertoire after 1 e4 e6 or 1 e4 c5 2 ltlf3 e6.
Here White can try to benefit from the delayed development of his knight with 12 ltla3!.
In Part Three we investigate the alternative deployment of Blacks bishop tod6 in the
sequence 1 e4 e6 2 d3 d5 3 ltld2 c5 4 ltlgf3 ltlc6 5 g3 Ji.d6.
Rather than straightforward development with 5...ltlf6 and 6...1L.e7, Black uses the bish
op to oppose Whites space gaining e4-e5 advance.
Part Four features variations in which Black plays (in either order as appropriate)
...d5xe4 and ... e6-e5 to equalize the space balance. This approach is possible against both
the 3 ltld2 and 3 'ie 2 scenarios, and so they are discussed together in Game 6 which begins
10
Cam el
T.Hillarp Persson-P.Vas
Os lo 2011
1 e4 e6 2 d3
Answer: We have to take measures against an attack on the e4 point at once if we wish to
play the main line of the Kings Indian Attack against the French move order. After 2 tbf3
d5, for example, its too late to revert to 3 d3 as 3.dxe4 4 dxe4 'ixd1+ is an unwelcome
exchange of queens. The only real alternative is 2 'ie 2 which is mentioned in the notes to
Game 7 below.
2...dS 3 tbd2
Question: I guess everyone plays this move? White develops
a piece and avoids the queen exchange after 3...dxe4.
Answer: Yes, 3 tbd2 is very natural. But as a matter of fact, lots of players prefer 3 'i'e2. The
knight move has the drawback that it shuts in the bishop on c1 and deprives White of cer-
11
4g3
Now White clears the way to develop his bishop to g2. A kingside fianchetto is the
trademark of the Kings Indian Attack. It is more promising than putting the bishop on e2
where it would be shut in by its own pawn on d3. As we shall see, the bishop has an impor
tant aggressive/defensive role on g2.
Question: But isnt 4 0f3 more normal first?
Answer: As explained in the introduction above, White is keen to avoid 4 ^gf3 i.cS!? when
the fianchetto on g2 becomes problematical. Hence he starts with 4 g3 - a completely valid
move order.
4...CS
Black gains space and increases his influence over the d4-square which White has de
clined to occupy with a pawn. He could instead play 4...i.c5 which is analysed in the notes
to 3 'ife2 in Game 6.
5 i.g 2 foc6 6 )gf3 i.e7 7 0-0
White now has his basic Kings Indian Attack deployment, which he will adopt against
various Black set-ups. Its fair to say you cant go too far wrong ifyou stick to these moves
as White.
12
7...0-0
A critical moment which will define the middlegame strategy. Black has a major alter
native in 7...b6 which could well lead to him castling queenside - see Game Three.
S fie l
Putting the rook on e l immediately seems slightly more flexible than 8 es. The move
order in the game was actually 1 g3 d5 2 i.g2 tbf6 3 tbf3 e6 4 0-0 i.e7 5 d3 0-0 6 tbbd2 cS 7
e4 tbc6 8 fiel.
8...'iVc7
Trying to oppose the e4-e5 advance only loses time. He should have advanced his
queenside pawns immediately, as occurs in Game 2.
9 'i'e 2 bs 10 es
13
Exercise: Can you think of a couple of reasons why this is a good move?
Answer: White is planning a kingside attack. With 11 h4 he:
1) Clears the h2-square for the knight on d2, allowing it to join in the assault with the
sequence lbfl, lbh2 and lbg4.
2) Creates a base on g5 for his other knight on f3, making possible an attack with lbg5
and 'inl5.
14
Prepares the further advance h5-h6, when ...g7-g6 leaves Black with weak dark
Question: What happens now if Black plays 14...4 to continue his queenside
advance? And, secondly, can he capture the pawn thats hanging on e5?
Answer: On his last move White could have played 14ll'llh2 and then 15 ll'lg4, but it's bet
ter to combine the implementation of a strategic plan with a tactical threat. This is be
cause the opponent has to lose time dealing with the threat - or even better, he might
miss it. After 14ll'le3, let's see about 14...b4: 15 ll'lxd5! exd5 16 e6 (uncovering an attack on
the black queen) 16...'ifb7 and now we have to avoid the routine recapture on d7.
15
Instead, 17 exf7+! 'itxf7 18 'ie6+ 'itf8 19 ltlg5! (threatening mate on both f7 and h7)
19....1xg5 20 .i.d6+ and Black is obliterated whichever minor piece he interposes on e7:
20...1.e7 21 i.xds and mate follows on f7 or g8, or 20....!Lle7 21 .txd5 when the black queen
is lost to the mate threat, or 20 ...Se7 21 i.xd5 'ite8 22 i.xe7 .i.xe7 (if 22... ltlxe7 23 i.xb7) 23
i.xc6, threatening the queen as well as mate on e7 (or g8, due to the double pin on d7 and
e7). In these variations we see the triumph of White's light-squared bishop.
We also have to consider what happens if Black grabs the pawn on e5: 14...ltldxe5 15
ltlxe5 ltlxe5 16 ltlxd5! exd5 17 'ixe5 'ixe5 18 i.xe5 and Black has no good way to defend
the d5-pawn. If 18 ...Sed8 19 i.xg7 wins a pawn as e7 hangs, while if 18...Ilad8 19 i.c7 .l:.c8
20 i.xa5 picks up a pawn. That leaves 18...i.b7 when 19 c4 bxc4 20 dxc4 l:tad8 21 l:tad1 ex
ploits the pin on d5 to win a pawn. Its curious that in this sequence Black has the choice of
losing a pawn on the queen side, in the centre or on the king side. Such is the global nature
of Whites pressure.
Question: Well, those variations would have taken me a lot of effort to work out
during the game. I dont like leaving the e5-pawn hanging. And in any case,
Black didnt fall for the traps, did he? t might have settled for the simple 14 sih2.
Answer: But if you want to be a good player you can't duck calculating variations. There
won't always be a safe move like 14 .!LJ1h2 available; you need to get into the calculating
habit. And besides, Black didnt fall for either traps, but look what he played to prevent
them.
14...1tlb6
The black knight has been dragged over to b6 to defend d5, but now it is unavailable to
defend the kingside. That means that our knight manoeuvre to g4 becomes more power
ful. If we had played 14 lt1ih2 the knight could have stayed on d7 and helped defend the
king with ...ltlf8 in the future.
16
17
17..A xf6
If 17...gxf6 18 exf6 attacks the black queen. Then 19 fxe7 recovers the piece with a big
attack, seeing that 18...&d6? 19 &xd6 'ixd6 allows mate in two.
18 exf6 es 19 gS 'iWd6
Of course, if 19...h6 20 J.xh6! gxh6? 21 W'xh6 mates on g7. Material stays equal, but
White has a powerful dark-squared bishop and a strong initiative on the kingside - and no
wonder when Black has a queen, rook and all three minor pieces on the other side of the
board.
20 fxg7 &xg7 21 d4
Continuing the procedure of softening up Black on the dark squares.
21...f6
21...e4 22 &f4 then 23 lt:\e5 is horrible for Black.
22 h6+ &h8 23 dxes fxes 24 c3 fiadS 25 l:lad1 S,d7
18
Came 2
A.Naiditsch-D.Brandenburg
German League 2012
1 e4 e6 2 d3 ds 3 t'Dd2 tiJf6 4 g3 cs S .i.g 2 l'Dc6 6 tiJgf3 .i.e7 7 0-0 0-0 8 es tiJd7 9 Se 1 bS
No frivolous 9...'ic7 moves. Black gets his queenside counterplay going straightaway.
10 t'Df1 as 11 h4 b4 12 l'D1 h2 .i.a6 13 .i.f4
I hope you are starting to see a pattern in Whites play. His queenside minor pieces have
reached the kingside and are ready to take part in a concerted attack on the black king.
Whilst objectively speaking Black might be OK, its not much fun for him to watch his
opponent lining up all his pieces against his king, with only some queenside play as com
pensation.
13...Sc8 14 .i.h3
Question: WhatJs the purpose of this move?
Answer: After 14l'Dg5 l'Dd4 Black has nothing to fear. For example, if 15 Wh5? h6 16 liJg4
hxg5 17 hxg5 White might hope to strike a decisive blow with ideas of tiJf6+ or .i.e4, 'it>g2
and l:thl. But this is all a mirage as 17...g6! kills off the attack.
The general idea behind 14 .i.h3 is to put pressure on e6 and introduce the motif of
19
20
Answer: Continuing the combination, White could win with 20 'iWh5 i.xg5 21 i.f5!! (the
point; the threat of mate costs Black the queen) 21...exf5 22 .i.xg5! 'ife6 (if 22...'ifd7 23
i.f6+ and mate next move) 23 Sxe6 fxe6 24 .lie1. Materially speaking Black has more than
enough for the queen, but the weak dark squares around his king can be exploited by the
white queen and bishop: for example, 24...lbd4 25 ' i 6 :tceS 26 i.f6+ Sxf6 27 'ifxf6+ 'it>gS
2Sh5.
Going back to move 1S, also inadequate for Black is 1S. ..i.xf6 19 exf6 gxf6 20 'iWh5 fxg5
21 i.f5 exf5 22 SxeS ScxeS 23 i.d6 SgS (if 23..e7 24 i.xe7 .l:.xe7 25 'ili'h6 attacks a6 and
fS, and has ideas of 26 'i'f6+ winning the rook on e7) 24 'i'xf7 ^d4 25 'iff6+ .:tg7 26 i.fS
and White wins.
Of course, it would have been extraordinarily difficult to have seen this combination.
Even if White had spotted the tactic 21 i.f5!! he would have had to convince himself that
Black was in trouble despite having a rook and two minor pieces for the queen.
18...C4 19 dxc4 i.xc4
21
20..ltJc5 21 liJxc4 dxc4 22 1i'h5 i.x g 5 23 i.xg5 liJd4 24 1\Vd1 1i'd7 25 c3 liJc6 26 'id 6 'it'xd6
27 exd6 h6 28 cxb4 axb4 29 i.e3 liJd3 30 .l:!ed1 lifd8 31 b3 l:txd6 32 bxc4 ltJce5 33 c5 .:d7 34
i. f 1 ltJxc5 35 .l:tdc1 l:dc7 36 l:txb4 liJed3 37 i.xd3 liJxd3 38 .l:xc7 l:txc7 39 8+ &h7 40 a4
.:c4 411Ib3 liJb4 42 a5 liJc 2 43 i.d 2 .:ta4 44 & g 2 l:a 2 45 7 &g8 46 'a7 lbd4 47 i.c3 liJb5
48 8+ 'it>h7 49 i.e1 'it>g6 50 g4 h5 51 l:tb8 liJd4 52 i.c3 e5 53 g5 f6 54 gxf6 gxf6 55 i.xd4
Vi-'A
Came 3
M.Chigaev-LRindlisbacher
......................
A U A in2013
1 e4 e6 2 d3 d5 3 liJd 2 liJf6 4 g3 c5
At the end of this game well return to this moment and look at 4...b6 (its similar to the
game, and I dont want to give away the answers to some of the questions that follow).
5 i.g 2 ltJc6 6 liJgf3 i.e7 7 0-0 b6
The move order in the game was 1 liJf3 c5 2 e4 e6 3 d3 liJc6 4 g3 d5 5 ttJbd2 liJf6 6 i.g2
i.e7 7 0-0 b6. In contrast to the games above, Black neither commits himselfto castling
kingside nor gets his queenside pawns rolling.
Exercise: Can you see the idea behind pushing the pawn to 6?
8 1:te1
22
Question: Can you suggest some of the ideas behind this move?
Answer: White could continue his build-up in support of the e5 strong point in the style of
the previous games with 10 ll:lfl, but it looks slow. For example, after 10...'ic7 11 .tf4 h6 12
h4 0-0-0 Black has a solid game and the chance to prepare ...g7-g5 to loosen the white
kingside. With the game move Chigaev seeks immediate action in the centre.
If Black replies 10...dxc4 then after 11 ll:lxc4 the plan of castling queenside is much less
attractive as the white knight is eyeing the hole on d6. In fact White already has tactical
ideas of 12 .tg 5 so that if 12...txg 5 13 ll:ld6+. Besides, a further opening of lines on the
queenside might be possible with d3-d4. So play might continue 11...0-0 when White can
adopt his usual kingside deployment with moves like 12 h4 and 13 .tf4.
If Black plays 10...'iWc7 then 11 cxd5 exd5 12 d4! more or less knocks the idea of castling
queenside on the head.
23
If 12...cxd4?! 13 )b3 it would be very risky for Black to grab the pawn on e5 as White
has i.f4 with a huge initiative ijust ask the king on e8 what it thinks of the opening of line:
in front of him). So White would regain the pawn on d4 with a good game.
After other 12th moves White has a good game due to the strong pawn on e5. I can't re
sist showing you the game A.Adly-V.Laznicka, Yerevan 2007, if only for its lovely finish:
12...\f8 13 f1 ^e6 14dxc5 bxc5 15 ^e3 d4 16 d5 (the white knights run rings around
the enemy pieces) 16...'id7 17 d2 b418 xe7 i.xg2 (bad for Black is 18...Wxe7 19 e4)
19 >f5 i.d5 20 e4 ^ 8 21 a3 ^c6 22 'ifh5 (Adly suggests 22 ixg7!? as an interesting sac
rifice: for example, 22...xg7 23 if6 'ie 6 24 i.h6 with an unpleasant pin on g7) 22...d3
(Black missed his chance to escape with 22....txe4 23 :txe4 g6 24 'i6 + 'it>g8).
Now comes a brilliant attack: 23 f6! gxf6 24 Wh6+ 'iti>g8 (ghastly for Black is 24...'iti>e8
25 'ix f6 ltg8 26 d6+ 'iW8 27 i.h6+) 25 exf6 liteS 26 i.f4! (the bishop heads for d6 to cut
off the black king's escape square on f8) 26...Sc8 27 .td6 cd4 28 'ig7+!! and it's mate
24
Answer: In contrast to the lines of the first two games in which the knight was sent on a
convoluted manoeuvre via f1 and h2 or e3 to g4, here it already has an excellent centre
post on e4 in its sights. Of course, White has to make sure its occupation of e4 is compati
ble with the safety of the e5-pawn, but as we shall see, Chigaev will soon solve that prob
lem.
Question: Does White now have a useful move?
11 h4l
Answer: At first glance it might look somewhat odd to play this pawn advance when there
25
With the white pawn on h4 Black would in some scenarios be prepared to play ...g7-g5
to open lines against the white king even ifh e lost a pawn in the process (of course, Black
would call it 'a sacrifice' not losing a pawn). However, if 12...g6 now then after 13 hxg6
fxg6 there would be no open g-file or h-file for the black rooks and the pawn on e6 would
be sickly. If White attacked it with .th3 the response ...lt:Jf8 would interfere with the coor
dination of the black pieces. Black doesn't want to weaken his centre in this fashion.
The only way for Black to revive the idea ofthe pawn thrust is to play ...0-0-0, ...Sdg8
and then ...g7-g6, so that h5xg6 could be answered by ....lir.xg6 (note that if Black played
...g7-g5, rather than ...g7-g6, White would probably leave the pawn on h5 and try to get in
the blockading move lt:Jg4).
Another feature in White's favour about the h5 and ...h6 pawn configuration is that it
makes it less appealing for Black to change his mind and castle kingside. W ith the black
king on g8, White could revert to the manoeuvre lt:Jf1, lt:Jh2 and lt:Jg4 when options to sacri
fice on h6 would appear. Black therefore has fewer strategic options after 11...h6 and 12
h5.
12 ..V c 7 13 a3
26
14 b3
Question: What's this? Youve just told rae White is
an aggressive player and now he plays this passive move.
Answer: You can't play chess well unless you can combine energy with patience. Don't for
get that Black hasn't castled queen side yet, and if permitted could have clamped down on
White's queen side pawns with 14... a4! in the same way that White has stopped Black's
kingside advance with h4-h5. Then any attempt to break open lines with b2-b4 could have
been neutralized with ...a4xb3 en passant, depriving White ofthe b-pawn battering ram.
In contrast, after 14 b3, White could answer 14...a4? with 15 b4!, keeping his pawns
alive as there is no en passant capture.
14...0-0-0
At last Rindlisbacher commits his king to the queenside.
1Slbe4f5
Black decides to get rid of the knight from e4 as quickly as possible. He must have
feared ideas such as 16 .i.f4 and a well-timed lbd6+, perhaps in conjunction with a b3-b4
breakthrough.
White would get strong pressure on the light squares after 15...lbdxe5 16 lbxe5 lbxes
17 .i.f4 f6 18 .i.h3! (this move is often a star in the KIA) 18...'iVd7 19 .i.xe5 fxe5 20 'iVg4, etc.
In this sequence the computer suggests an interesting queen sacrifice after 16...WxeS (in
stead of 16...lbxes) 17 lbc3!? 'iVf6 {after 17. ..'iff5 18 lbbs both the black king and queen are
27
28
Answer: The problem is that after 17 .lt)de5 White can snuffle out Black's activity when the
fragility of his centre tells after 18 lt)xe5 lt)xe5 19 lt)f3 (White is happy to swap off pieces if
it exposes e6 and f6 to attack) 19....i.d6 20 lt)xe5 and now 20...fxe5 21 'ig 4 leaves the black
centre horribly inert, whilst after 20....i.xe5 21 'ig4! (tying down a rook to the defence of
e6) 21...Sde8 22 b4 (opening a second front to undermine the black queenside pawns)
22....l:thg8 23 .i.xb7+ 'iVxb7 24 'ie 4 'ixe4 25 Sxe4 the endgame is very awkward for Black
due to his vulnerable pawns.
18 b4l?
With the black knight passive on f8, Chigaev decides that this clearance pawn sacrifice
is justified from a strategical perspective.
18...cxb419 axb4 .i.xb4 20 .i.a3 i.c3 21 .:tb1 lt)b4 22 i.xb4
White removes the obstacles that stand in the way of his rooks breaking through on the
queenside.
22...1.xb4 23 l:.e2 es
Black decides he needs to free his knight from defensive duty to help his king, but hand
ing over the light squares is too great a price. He should have tried to bring his passive rook
on h8 into the fray with 23...Sh7.
24 csl?
Played with the enterprise ofyouth. Being old and tired I would probably play 24lt)e4
and then 25 lt)h4 and 26 lt)f5 if possible to take the light squares, but the 17-year-old Chi
gaev quite naturally wants to checkmate his opponent as soon as possible, and does so
splendidly.
24....1.xcs
After 24...bxc5 one method of attack is 25 lt)e4 intending 26 lt)h4, 27 l:.c2 and 28 .l:.xb4.
25 lt)c4 i.-ds?
It is human nature to collapse in the face o fa big attack. A computer might defend suc
cessfully after 2S..d7, but 26 Bc2 and 27 'ic1, limbering up for a 2S lt)xb6 sacrifice,
would be scary.
29
Question: After the game move it's White to play and win, but how?
Answer: 26 tbxb6+! .i.xb6 27 Sc2
The pin on the c-file will soon be decisive.
27-...Jtc5 28 'i'c l tbe6
30
...White cant play the system with We2 and tt:a3 as seen in Game 4 because the knight
is already on d2. Nor can we play the l:.e1 system that avoids 'i'e2 as in the present because
our queen is already sitting on e2.
Fortunately we still have a string in our bow: 11 c4!?. The difference with the present
game is that White already has his queen on e2, and Black the queen on c7, so we are play
ing the pawn thrust one move latter than Chigaevs 10 c 4. It is still potent. For example,
S.Brunello-V.Sarandos, Greek Team Championship 2013, went 11...d4 and now 12 h4
worked out fine for White, but I still like the look of 12 tt:e4!?. Taking the pawn on e5 still
looks very risky, but if it isnt captured White can play ..tf4 with ideas of tt:d6+ or simply h4h5 as in the present game.
P a r t T w o : M a in lin e w it h 3 'i e 2
Game 4
V.Bologan-P.Kotsur
Moscow 2011
1 e4 e6 2 d3 ds 3 'ie 2
31
3...l2Jf6
Here play develops as in Game 3 above, but with White having played 1i'e2 rather than
t2Jbd2. As we shall see, tarrying with the knight on b l gives White a potent extra attacking
resource if he chooses to avoid the c2-c4 strike on Black's centre.
It is rather unappealing for Black to fianchetto on g7 when White hasnt committed his
knight to d2. Firstly, this is because it is slightly awkward to arrange when White has the
option of e4xd5 and, secondly, because Whites dark-squared bishop has open access to the
c1-h6 diagonal where it is worryingly near the dark square holes created by g7-g6. For ex
ample, 3...c5 4 t2Jf3 l2Jc6 5 g3 ttJge7 6 .i.g2 g6 7 0-0 .i.g7 8 c3 0-0 (after 8...b6 9 e5 'flic7 10
fie l h6 11 h4 play is similar to the game Navara-Zilka in Chapter Two) 9 e5 b6 10 .i.f4 and
White can build up his attack with moves like t2Jbd2, h2-h4, fife1 etc.
4 lL!f3 .i.e7 5 g3 cs 6
l2Jc6 7 0-0 b6
Instead, Black could castle kingside, hoping to prove that Whites 3 'f/Je2 move is slower
than 3 l2Jd2 when it comes to the type of build-up we saw in Games 1 and 2 above. How
ever, 7...0-0 8 e5 l2Jd7 9 c4! is a strong reply.
32
The attack on d5 comes at an awkward time for Black who has a bishop shut in on c8
and a knight blocking the queen's defence ofthe pawn. White wants to win control of the
e4-square for his knight and, by strengthening the c4 point with b2-b3 if necessary, block
any attempt by Black at queen side counterplay. Meanwhile White can play his standard
moves to overprotect e5 and gain space on the kingside with h2-h4, etc. Here are some var
iations that show the difficulties Black faces:
a) If he decides to develop his bishop with 9...b6 then 10 .!bc3 d4 11 .!be4 builds up
White's kingside attack, as 11..!bdxe5? fails to 12 .!bxe5 .!bxe5 13 .!bd2!, winning a piece.
b) Opening the centre is no more promising: for example, 9...dxc4 10 dxc4 'ilic7 11 i.f4
fid8 12 .!bc3 when it is White's pieces who will benefit most from the d-file.
c) 9...d4 blocks the centre. After 10 h4 h6 11 .lir.e1 a6 12 b3 .:tb8 W hite is solid on the
queenside, and so can focus on his typical knight manoeuvre as seen in Games 1 and 2: for
example, 13 .!Dbd2 'flc7 14 .!Dfl liteS 15 .!b1h2 i.f8 16 h5 b5 17 .!bg4 with a typical white ini
tiative on the kingside in A.Fedorov-G.Ajrapetian, Voronezh 2008.
d) Black could try 9.. b5!? which is a valiant attempt to obtain counterplay a la the Benko Gambit, but White can build up on the kingside after 10 cxb5 .!ba5 11 .!bc3 a6 12 bxa6
i.xa6 12 i.f4, as in M.Paragua-W.Medina, Jakarta 2012.
e) Finally, here is how a great chess genius crushed Black after he defended d5 with
9...!bb6 in D.Bronstein-R.Dzindzichashvili, Baku 1972: 10 i.f4 i.d7 11 h4 .!bd4 (Black is im
patient for counterplay, but merely ends up giving himself a weak pawn on d4) 12 .!bxd4
cxd4 13 .!bd2 i.c6 14 Sad1 and already the white pieces are closing in on the d4-pawn.
33
Play continued 14...ltla4? (he had to play 14.. .'ic7, though 15 ltlf3 .tc5 16 b4!? .txb4 17
ltlxd4 would at least give W hite the initiative in the centre and the chance to seize the
bishop-pair with ltlxc6) 15 ltlb3 dxc4 (Black is left with ugly doubled pawns after 15...'ib6
16 cxd5 .txd5 17 .txd5 exd5, but that was the lesser evil as the d4-pawn is now doomed)
16 dxc4 .tc5 17 .txc6 bxc6 18 ltlxc5 ltlxc5 19 .te3! (forcing the pawn to d3 when the knight
on c5 is left hanging) 20 'ig 4 (threatening both 21 .txc6 and 21 .th6) 'ife7?! 21 .tg5 1-0.
After 21...9d7 22 .i.f6 g6 23 'ilfg5 Black is soon mated.
We can now return to Kotsurs 7...b6:
SeSltld7
9h4
A restraining move we have already seen in the games above.
Question; Is the pawn strike 9 c4 a reasonable
idea here, in the style of 10 c4l? in Game 3?
34
12 lLla3!
Here we see the value of 3 'ie 2 ifBlack adopts the aggressive plan of castling on oppo
site wings. White hasn't rushed to play &f4: he doesn't want the bishop to become a target
for a counterattack with ...g7-g5. Not that White is necessarily scared of this pawn advance.
He keeps the bishop observing the g5-square from a distance, meaning that if appropriate
he can lop the pawn off it goes to g5.
Compared to 3 lLld2, where the white knight ends up on f1, here the horse is still in
touch with the queenside. It goes to a3, forcing Black to think about the danger from the
ltlb5 thrust. The knight can also drop back from a3 to c2 (hence the value of 10 c3), and
support a pawn advance with b2-b4 which will endanger the black king once he has cas
tled queenside.
35
for the black king and make the ...g7-g5 advance haTder to arrange?
Answer: 14 hs!
We have already seen this idea in Game 3. If Black ever plays ...g7-g5 now then after
h5xg6 and the recapture ...f7xg6 he won't get to open the g-file or h-file, and the e6-pawn
is left severely weak.
Question: How might White pursue his attack on the black king after 14...0-0?
Answer: Black is between a rock and a hard place (or Scylla and Charybdis as they say in old
chess books). If he castles kingside then White can quickly feed pieces over to the attack: for
example, 15 ii.f4 a5 16 liJe3!, which is even better than 16 liJh2 and 17 ltJg4. Why shouldn't
the queen's knight be allowed to join in the fun as well? Besides in some cases the sacrifice
ltJxd5, to answer ...exd5 with e5-e6 and a discovered attack on the black queen, might be
on. White will be able to play 17 ltJg4 next move when sacrifices on h6 or even with ltJf6+
will be in the air.
36
Notice how White uses his h-pawn and then his a-pawn to cause trouble for the black
king. In the Kings Indian Attack the centre is often blocked or static for a long time. There
fore you need to have complete mastery over the wing pawns, whether it's supporting the
advance ofthe b-pawn with a2-a3, denying the black knight or bishop the g4-square with
h2-h3, or advancing the pawns aggressively as here.
is ...lbas
Black tries to defend by forming a barricade on the light squares.
16 axbs axbs 17 b4 lbb3 18 litb1 lbxc1 19 l:exc1 c4
37
Exercise: What is the best strategy for White? a) Play 20 d4 to block the centre so that
Black doesnt getplaywith ...c4xd3, and then attack with the rooks down the a-file.
b) 20 dxc4 so that after 20...dxc4 21 S a l the g2-bishop will have a say in the attack,
c) 20 &cd4 at once, taking up the centre port and attacking b 5.
Answer: 20 lt:Jcd4!
White's knight takes up a beautiful central post from which it can never be dislodged by
an enemy pawn. Instead 20 d4? would be a fundamental mistake. Black wouldn't achieve
any counterplay with ...c4xd3, rather it would just lead to a faster collapse of his queenside,
so blocking the centre is unnecessary. White wants to keep the d4-square open for his
knights and also the g1-a7 diagonal for a possible infiltration by his queen.
Instead, 20 dxc4 dxc4 would open the h1-a8 diagonal and so bring the bishop on g2 in
to the attack, which would be to White's benefit if his rooks break through to the a7square. However, Black can avoid all this with the recapture 20...bxc4!. White is still proba
bly winning, but it has eased Black's defensive task a little bit that he no longer has to wor
ry about the defence of the b5-pawn - see White's 22nd move below.
20...'ifb6 21 l:ta1
Assuming control ofthe only open file on the board.
21...lt:Jb8 22 fias
And now White gains time to double rooks by attacking the bS-pawn.
22....1.c6 23 l:tca1 &d7
38
39
36...gs 37 l:taa7
White has achieved the famous advantage of doubled rooks on the seventh rank. Two
pawns down and with his position in ruins, Kotsur tries one last tactical shot in time pres
sure.
37.....txc3!? 38 Wxc3 Wd1 + 39 &h 2 'iVhS+ 40 & g 1
40
1 e4 cs 2 lbf3 e6 3 d3l
Grandmaster Matthew Sadler was one of England's most promising young chess stars,
but he ceased being a professional player in 1999. His last ever game as a professional was
foryour author's team, Invicta Knights, in a European Club Cup match. It was a fine hurrah
as Sadler beat Alexander Morozevich with Black in a sharp Sicilian Najdorf. Matthew re
turned to chess after a long hiatus in 2010 and continued to perform way over 2600 level.
But when chess is only your 'hobby' you can't keep up with all the sharpest opening theory.
When it comes to ducking main lines, the King's Indian Attack is just what is needed.
3...lbc6 4 g3 ds s lbbd2
The standard move order for this chapter is 1 e4 e6 2 d3 d5 3 lbd2 c5 4 lbgf3 lbc6 5
g3.
s...i.d6
Note that this move would be difficult to arrange against the 3 'ie 2 move order, as
White would be in a position to play e4-e5 more quickly, or else the fact that ...i.d6 could
be answered by e4xd5, winning a pawn due to the pin on the e-file, would scupper the
plan. Former World Champion Anatoly Karpov was a fan of this bishop deployment (just
imagine the diagram position being contested in a match between Fischer, a fan of the KIA,
and Karpov in 1975).
41
Exercise: Would you like to weigh up the pros and cons of having the bishop on d6
compared to after, say, 5...g6 6 &g2 Ag7 7 0-0 ige7? Hopefully you'll be able to
weigh up these options better after youve read Chapter Two, but have a go here.
Answer: With 5...&d6 the bishop is brought to the centre fight in one move (5...&d6), rather
than two (5...g6 and 6...,&g7). Black avoids loosening his kingside dark squares with ...g7-g6
and keeps the bishop in contact with the c5-square and the queenside in general. A bishop
on g7, especially if shut in by e4-e5, can lose touch with events on the queenside.
On the other hand, the bishop will be less safe on d6 than on g7 and is only contesting
control of one square on the a1-h8 diagonal rather than the whole of it. Furthermore,
White might gain time for his e4-e5 advance by hitting the bishop.
6 .i.g2
Questions Now what square should the black knight on g8 be developed to:e7 orf6?
Answer: 6..&%7
After 6..f6 Black would risk having both his knight and bishop on d6 driven back by an
e4-e5 advance (and he wouldn't have the option of stabilising the centre with ...f7-f6 with
the knight on that square). Therefore he chooses a safer and more permanent address for
the horse.
7 0-0 0-0 8 l:e1
Sadler's development is simple and straightforward. Having established a pawn on e4
he wants to push it one square further.
Also possible is 8 &h4 -&d7 (or 8...&c7!?) 9 f4, when Black is well fortified on the king
side after 9...f6. Id like to show you quickly the finish of a game in which Black, a near
42
18 c4!! (winning control of the d5-square for the bishop is more important than a rook)
18...lbxa7? (Black had to forget about the rook and guard d5 with 18...lbb4, though 19 i.d2!
keeps White's initiative) 19 i.xd5+ 'ifi>h8.
8...i.c7
Question: What if instead of retreating the bishop Black strengthened
hold on the e5-square with 8...f6 to rule out e4-e5 once and for all?
Answer: Let's see what happened in V.Meijers-P.Lindborg, Altenkirchen 2012 after 8...f6.
White decided it was a good moment to change the centre structure: 9 exd5 exd5 10 d4 c4
(after 10...cxd4 11 lt:Jb3 and 12 lt:Jbxd4 White regains his pawn, leaving Black with a weak
ness on d5 and a hole on e6) 11 c3 i.g4 12 b3 (Black has kept his centre intact, but White
maintains an edge by opening lines on the queenside) 12...b5 13 lt:Jf1 (White wants his
knight on e3 to attack d5) 13...1i'd7 14 lt:Je3 i.e6 15 ltJd2 i.f7 16 bxc4 bxc4 17 'ili'a4 (the
pressure begins to build on the queenside) 17...'fic7 18 i.a3 li:.ab8 19 S a b i Sx b l 20 Sxb1
li:.d8 21 i.xd6 'i'xd6 22 'i'a6 Sc8? (he had to play 22...\!i'd7 with a minimal advantage to
White).
44
Exercise: What do you think is the best/worst of these four possible plans?, :
1) 9 b3 to complete development with .b2.2) 9 es to seize space in the centre.
3} 9 c3 to prepare e4-e5 or b2-b4.4) 9 exds exds 10 d4 to ram the black centre.
45
46
10...bs
11 es
Question: Why shouldnt White attack 5 with
llb 4 a s he did against H...b6 in the variation above?
Answer: Black could answer 11 b4 with 11...c4!, avoiding weaknesses on the queenside. As
explained above, the drawback to 10...b5 is that Black can no longer activate the bishop
with ...i.a6 in response to 11 e5.
11...d4
Black cuts off the potential support of the e5-pawn with d3-d4, but now the c5-pawn
becomes a target once again. The bishop on g2 is also pleased to see the barrier on d5 van
ish.
15.....1b7
Exercise: Peng Zhaoqin develops her last piece to an
open diagonal, but is this natural move also the best one ?
Answer: Chess is also about stopping your opponent playing good moves. I like the way
Emanuel Lasker describes the purpose of a chess move in his book Common Sense in Chess.
A move either:
a) Develops something or brings new forces into the game.
b) Makes your own pieces do something, such as attacking something.
c) Serves a defensive purpose, that is, undoing the work ofthe opponents pieces.
As we shall see, White is planning 16 a4 which will clear a diagonal for his bishop on a3
and leave Black with a pawn on b5 that can be attacked by the white rook. Thats a lot of
added work or power for the white pieces. Thus 15...a5! would prepare to answer 16 a4
with 16...b4, keeping the white bishop from a3 and denying the white rook an easy target.
After the exchange 17 cxb4 axb4 the pawn on b4 is much more easily defended than the
pawn that results in the game on b5. If necessary it can be supported by ...t'Lld5, etc.
48
Ixerdse; What is the right move now- the move which adds most to o
the power of our pieces?" (Emanuel Lasker, Common Sense in Chess, 1896),
Answer: 19 dxe4l
Much better than the pseudo-active 19 .:txe4 when Black can reply 19...ti:\d5! putting the
knight on a fine square and threatening a fork on c3. After 20 .i.xf8 (20 l:.h4! keeps some
initiative for White) 20...ti:\xc3 and 21...ti:\xe4 Black isn't worse.
By recapturing with the pawn, White:
1) Keeps the black knight out of the d5-square (undoing the work of an enemy piece in
Lasker's phrase).
2) Opens the way for a further attack on the b5-pawn (increasing the work of his own
pieces).
19...l:te8 20 l:tb1 ti:\c6
49
Exercise: Suddenly its White to play and win. What's the move?
Answer: 21 i.f1 l
Deciding the game with the quietest of moves as Black can't defend b5.
21...tt:Jde5 22 tt:JxeS tt:JxeS 23 i.xbs 'if6
As Tarrasch would say: The beginning of Black's attack. ..
24 '>t>g2
...and the end of Black's attack.
24...11ed8 25 'ie 2 g5 26 h3 i.b6 27 l:tf1 h6 28 i.a6 tbd7 29 i.d6 1-0
After 29-..Sa8 30 e5 'ig 7 31 Sfd1 Black is a pawn down with her queen shut away and
her pieces under terrible pressure from the white rooks and bishops. Rather than wait for
the c-pawn to be pushed through, Peng Zhaoqin resigned.
Sadler didn't unleash any great novelty, make any sacrifices or calculate long variations,
but nevertheless won easily against a strong opponent. He kept a slight edge and forced
Black to make some difficult strategic decisions.
P a r t F o u r : B la c k p la y s ...d s x e 4 a n d f ix e s t h e c e n t r e w it h ...e 6 - e 5
After both the 3 tt:Jd2 or 3 1i'e2 move order Black has the option to capture on e4 and then
equalize the space balance in the centre with e6-e5. Here are two scenarios:
Via 3 'ie2 : 1 e4 e6 2 d3 d5 3 1i'e2 tt:Jc6 4 tt:Jf3 e5 5 g3 dxe4 6 dxe4 tt:Jf6 7 i.g2 i.c5 8 0-0
0-0 9 c3.
Via 3 tt:Jd2: 1 e4 e6 2 d3 d5 3 tt:Jd2 tt:Jf6 4 g3 tt:Jc6 5 i.g2 dxe4 6 dxe4 e5 7 tt:Jgf3 i.c5 8 0-0
0-0 9 c3.
Well investigate these variations in the game below, with the 3 tt:Jd2 option appearing
in the analysis to 9...a5.
1 e4 e6
Viktor Bologan and Alexander Morozevich are two of the greatest KIA players of all time.
Therefore it's intriguing to see what happened when they clashed in their favourite open
ing.
The present game was played at blitz but it was also part ofa World Championship,
with large cash prizes as well as pride being an incentive to win. Therefore I doubt that ei
ther player would have purposely played a second-rate opening to hide their best ideas in
the King's Indian Attack. In fact, Morozevich might have prepared the pawn sacrifice with
13 ...tt:Je7 at home - perhaps he feared facing it as White. Play inevitably deteriorates in the
50
White has options such as 5 e5 li)fd7 6 d4 i.e7 7 &d3 c5 8 c3 li)c6 9 O-Owhich has
transposed to the French Tarrasch 'Universal System' which does well for White. Note that
the normal French move order would be 1 e4 e6 2 d4 dS 3 li)d2 li)f6 4 e5 li)fd7 5 li)gf3 c5 6
c3 li)c6 7 &d3 li)c6 8 0-0. In the line above, White took two moves to get his pawn to d4,
and Black two moves to get his bishop to e7. Also in the KIA version Black could try 6...&b6!?
to keep pressure on d4 with ...c7-c5, but then the bishop is a long way from defending the
kingside. But none of this is to do with the KIA, of course.
A way to keep it more in the style of a flank opening is 5 c3, which looks like a mistake at
first glance as Black can play 5...dxe4 when 6 dxe4? li)g4 hits f2, while after 6 li)xe4 li)xe4 it
seems like White is going to lose a pawn after 7 dxe4? &xf2+. But unexpectedly White has
7 'ifa4+! i.d7 8 'ixe4 regaining the piece with a pretty good game as he will get in d3-d4
and &d3. But Black doesn't have to go into this, and again it's not really our territory.
I gave up in exasperation and recommended the move order 4 g3 (rather than 4 lt)gf3) in
the Introduction to guarantee that White will be able to fianchetto. Then after 4....i.c5 5
&g2 0-0 6 li)gf3 li)c6 7 O-O dxe4 8 dxe4 e5 we have the pawn centre examined in the pre
sent game.
3^^^ltX6!?
It looks odd to block the c-pawn, but Black has a specific plan in mind.
4 lt)f3 esl
In view of his many stunning successes with W hite after 3 'ie2, it's no surprise that
Morozevich knows a good line against it. Black increases his share of the centre, frees the
bishop on c8 and prevents White's clamping e4-e5 advance. What more could you ask from
a pawn move?
51
So far this is GJones-M.Broomfield, Street 2003, when if Black had played 18...tt:Jd4! his
knight would be on a strong centre post and cramping the activity ofthe bishops. The
52
53
The only possible sharp alternative Id like to point out is that if instead of 9...a5, Black
tries to stifle White with 9...'id3, the queen can be evicted by 10 tt:'le1 and then 11 b4, when
White gains space on the queenside to make up for the inconvenience caused by the white
knight going back to e1.
Maslak has adopted the same plan as Morozevich did versus 3 'ie 2 and the game has
flowed in similar style.
Exercise: Perhap s you would like to compare 'the two positions from
Bologans games and consider what difference it makes that White
has his queen on e2 in the first, and his knight on d2 in the second?
Answer: Generally speaking we can say that in both scenarios Black's king is completely
safe and he has been able to develop his pieces to active centre squares. There are no obvi
ous weaknesses in his pawn structure. Meanwhile White has been restrained from advanc
ing on the queenside and there are no entry points for his pieces along the d-file. It would
be reckless to try to 'take Black whole on the kingside by preparing f2-f4, as the most likely
outcome would be the collapse of the white centre: the black pieces are just too active.
QQuestiorn So what is Bologan to do? Is it time to offeT a draw?
Answer: Actually, there is a glimmer of hope for White: he has managed to guard the d4square with his c3-pawn, whereas Black is unable to respond with ...c7-c6 to cover the dSsquare. Therefore, in both scenarios a plan suggests itself: get a knightto a splendid post
on d5.
Lets see how Bologan utilized the d5-square in the Maslak game (from the diagram
above with the white queen on dl):
10 2
54
We might say that c2 is a somewhat superior square to e2 for the white queen, as there
is no chance of being attacked by ...b7-b6 and ....i.a6. Though it also has to be said the white
queen never comes under any such pressure in Bologan's game with Morozevich.
10... b6 11 ltJb3
The knight drives back the bishop from c5 and clears the way for his own dark-squared
bishop to enter the game. The one drawback to the b3 post is that it is much further away
from dS than the knight would be after ltJc4.
11....1.e7
After 11....i.d6 the knight on f6 can be pinned with .i.g5.
12 .l:.d1
The first white piece to get into contact with the dS-square.
12 ...We8 13 a4
Stopping his knight being driven back by 13...a4.
13....1.a6
After 13....i.e6 White would probably continue as in the game, since 14ltJg5 .i.d7 leaves
the horse no one near d5.
14 ltJh4l
The knight heads for a strong outpost on f5 (though not as good as dS).
14...%ld8
If 14...g6? to guard f5 then 15 .i.h6 wins the exchange.
15 .i.e3
White dangles the prize of the bishop-pair before Black's eyes as he sees it will facilitate
getting the horse to d5.
15...1.Jg416 ttJfS ttJxe3 17 ttJxe3 Sxd1+ 18 2xd1 'ili'c819 ttJdS
The knight finally makes it to the dream square. Now Black rather helpfully allows the
other knight to get to the c4-square from where it can also get in contact with dS:
55
19...1Ld8 20 lLld2 1Le2 21 l:r.e1 1Lg4 22 lZlc4 .lte6 23 'ie 2 f6 24 h4 1Le7 25 lZlce3 .iLcS 26 WbSl
A clever probing move. The black queen goes to b7, after which White retreats his queen
back to fl, with ideas of 1Lh3.
26. ..'ib7 27 'i f l lZld8 28 lL\c2
Instead, 28 b4 looks the way to keep the initiative.
28...C6
The white knight is evicted from d5. However, White hopes to exploit the fragility of
Blacks queenside after the loosening move ...c7-c6.
29 lZlde3 'ili'c8
Black misses his one chance to obstruct W hites attack with 29...1Lb3!. This possibility is
why White should have preferred 28 b4.
30 b4!
Now all is well again for Whites plan as he can open lines to exploit the vulnerable
black queenside.
30...1.xe3 31 lZlxe3 lZlf7 32 l:tbl 'ia B
The pressure on the black queen side, which can be traced back to the plan of tLld5, dis
tracts the black queen so that White can seize the light squares with his next move.
33 1Lh3! .iLxh3 34 Wxh3 axb4 35 J:xb4 cS 36 l:.xb6 'ifxa4 37 'ig,4
56
Black has avoided material loss but now there are threats to his king with ltlf5 looming.
37...1tlh6
The knight guards f5, but it is left passive on h6 meaning that Black lacks the defensive
resources to protect the c5-pawn.
57
10 S d 1
,
10...'i'e7
Answer: White played 10 .l:tdl to take the queen, of course. A more strategical response is
that the rook will be well stationed on the only open file on the board. We also know from
the Maslak game that White is beginning to fight for the d5-square. Finally, if you an
swered "Why, in six moves' time the rook is going to take the pawn on a5 then either you
have cheated or you have psychic powers.
11 .tgs
Bologan decides to exchange off the piece defending the d5-square. As we saw in the
Maslak game, he is willing to invest the bishop-pair to achieve his aim: something of a risk
against an attacking player like Morozevich.
11... h6 12 i.x f6 Wxf6
The next step in White's plan will be to get his knight to c4.
13 tl)bd2
13...tl)e7
A solid alternative is 13...b6. If 14 tl)c4 the pin with 14...i.a6 is unpleasant, so the knight
must seek a different route to dS. The game C.Bauer-E.Femandez Romero, Elgoibar 2005,
continued 14 tt:)f1 i.a6 15 Wc2 l:fd8.
58
Exercise: If now 16 )e3 Black can lop off the knight with the bishop and double
W hites pawns. See if you can find a good way to prepare the knight move.
Answer: 16 a3!!. Success in the King's Indian Attack often depends on little pawn moves.
The plan is 17 b4, chasing the bishop from c5 when 18 tDe3 heads for the fine post on dS.
If now 16...b5? clearing a retreat for the bishop back to b6, 17 b4 leaves the other bishop
on a6 is shut in. Therefore Black can only maintain the bishop on c5 with 16...a4.
At first glance this seems an attractive idea, but the pawn became vulnerable after
White swapped everything off into an endgame with 17 Sxd8+ .l:.xd8 18 litd1 .lx f1 19 'ixf1
l:txd1+ 20 'ifxd1 ..d6 21 'if'd5 tDe7 22 'ifxd6 .lxd6. Now Bauer was able to probe the black
queenside with 23 i.h3! (you should always keep your eyes open for this move in the KIA)
23...c6 24 i.d7. After 24...g6 25 'ie 2 'ig 7 26 ll'le1 White had a couple of small advantages:
59
Having transferred his own horse to g6 where it guards the e5-pawn, Morozevich plans
to keep the white knight out ofds by answering 15 tDe3 with 1S. ..c6. Therefore Bologan has
to act fast or any advantage will evaporate.
Exercise:
Answer: 15 l:tds!
As in the Maslak game, Blacks manoeuvre tofortify the dS-square has left something
vulnerable in his queenside pawn structure. The rook invades just in time before Black
slams the door shut with 1S...c6. Now either aS or eS is going to drop, but Morozevich
hopes to cause problems for Whites rook.
15....ta7
Black removes the bishop from the c5-square as after 15...b6 16 lbcxe5 lbxe5 17 lbxe5
c6 White has the defence 18 lbd7 We7 19 litxcS .txd7 (and not 19...bxc5 20 tDxf8) 20 l:thS
when White is a pawn up and his errant rook looks safe.
16 SxaS
Or 16 Sad1 .te6 17 l:tbS :fd 8 ! with counterplay along the d-file.
16....te6
60
:
' '. : :..,;^iW tionrlS there! a threat?
v ;
17 l:ta3?
Answer: The threat was 17....txc4 18 'ixc4 .txf2+ 19 xf2 litxa5, winning the exchange.
However, White should defend his rook with 17 b4 when after 17...b6 18 l:ta6 b5 (reopening
the idea of ....txf2+) 19 tLle3 .txe3 20 .:txa8 .txf2+! 21 xf2 Bxa8 22 'ixb5 he is better with
his extra pawn, but it won't be at all easy to win.
Exercise: We should remember this was only a blitz game. After 17 Ha3 give
yourself time to find a combination for Black based on th e ..Jk.xf2+ theme.
17...bS?
Answer: Black should play 17....txc4 18 'ixc4 .txf2+!! when White must reply 19 1 with
the worse game, as 19 xf2? loses to 19...'i6 + 20 f l 'i'xb2! and although Black is a piece
down, he'll pick up a rook for nothing after 21 J:txa8 'it'xa1+ and 22...litxa8 with a simple
win.
As its a blitz game we won't look too critically at the rest of the game.
18 lL!cd2 c6 19 h3 'ie 7 20 tLlf1 l:tad8 21 tLle3 'ib 7 22 tLlfS litd7 23 Sd 1 l:tfd8 24 .:txd7 'ixd7
25 h4
61
25...c5
After 2S...f6 (securing the e5-pawn) 26 hS or 26 .th3 White is a sound pawn up, but he
still faces enormous technical difficulties due to his misplaced rook.
26 b4 b6 27 hstt:lf8
If 27...&xf5 28 exfS lLlf8 29 c4l and White's rook will be working with the other pieces
again.
62
Game 7
A.Rodriguez Vila-D.Lemos
Santos 2007
1 e4 e6 2 d3
Also possible is 2 We2 at once. One ofthe reasons behind this move is to deter 2...d5, but
in fact 3 exd5 'ili'xd5 leaves White will only a minimal advantage: for example, 4 ltlf3 c5 (not
letting White play d2-d4 with impunity) 5 ltlc3 'i'd8 6 g3 ltlc6 7 .i.g2 ltlf6 8 0-0 .i.e7, as in E.
Miroshnichenko-A.Anastasian, Dubai 2011. That said, now 9 b3 0-0 10 .i.b2 looks some
what better for White as Black struggles to develop his bishop on c8 to an active square. Of
course, White could simply play 3 d3 and head for the main line. The main game actually
started with this move order.
Another possibility for Black is 2....i.e7, when 3 iLlf3 d5 4 d3 ltlf6 5 eS will transpose to
the main lines.
2...ds 3 'ie 2 dxe4 4 dxe4
63
4...b6
The purpose of this move is to try to embarrass the white queen with ....i.a6.
Exercise: After 4~.e5 which of these comments best assesses the position?
1) Black has equalized because the white queen is blocking in the bishop on fl.
2) White keeps some initiative as e5 is harder to defend than e4.3) White can finish
the game in three moves with 5 Wh5 (attacking e5) 5. ^ 6 6
sf6 7 Wxfy mate.
Answer: I sympathise with the attempt to recreate Morphy against the Duke of Brunswick
and Count Isouard with 5 ' i 5 ltlc6 6 Jtc4, but after 6...'i'e7 (stopping mate!) 7 .i.g5 ltlf6 8
'fih4 the position is not quite in the KIA ethos. Maybe 7 c3!? ltlf6 8 'ie 2 is the way to justify
it, when suddenly White's bishop is on c4 and it's the black queen who is boxing in her
bishop.
After 4...e5 Black has equalized space in the centre, but as so often in the KIA, the pawn
on e5 is easier to attack than the pawn on e4. Even though the white queen is on an awk
ward square it is at least defending e4, whereas the black queen offers no similar aid to its
pawn. Also it is possible for White to arrange the manoeuvre ltld2 and ltlc4 to assail e5.
Play might continue S ll'lf3 ll'lc6 6 c3 (making a hole for the queen on c2 and guarding the
d4-square, as well as introducing the idea of a later advance with b2-b4) 6...ll'lc6 and White
can choose between the immediate 7 'ifc2 and 7 ll'lbd2 .i.d6 8 ll'lc4 0-0 9 'ic2 . Therefore
comment '2' seems the most accurate.
Exercise: After 4...b6 you can borrow an idea from the paragraph
above to best counter Blacks intention of 5~.Aa6. Can you see it?
64
Answer: 5 lbd2\
Black was hoping to oblige White to weaken his centre in reply to 5....ta6 with 6 c4, or
give up the right to castle after, say, 5 c3 .lta6 6 'ic2 .ltxf1 7 &xf1. But some years ago
Morozevich demonstrated that blocking the attack on the queen with the knight is an ef
fective idea.
S....lta6 6 lbc4
The white knight will be pinned for a long time, but rather surprisingly there is no way
for Black to exploit it. This is an example of how moves in the opening phase of a game
have to be examined without any prejudice: it doesnt matter how pleasing or logical they
are, the only thing that matters is whether or not they work. Computers have, of course,
played a major part in helping humans discover strong 'unnatural moves and ideas.
6...lbf6
65
White has consolidated his control of the centre. His next task is to break the pin on the
knight and clear the way for his bishop on f1 to enter the fray. He achieves this with his
next two moves.
11 c3\ o-o
It was Black's last chance to try to profit from the pin with 11...lba5, but White still has
the resource 12 lbd6+! cxd6 13 'iVxa6 gaining the bishop-pair.
12 'ic 2
Finally the white queen moves out of range of the bishop on a6. She is now looking with
relish at the under defended h7-square.
12...1:r.d8 13 h4
Savour what follows as it is very rare in the King's Indian Attack for White to get to cas
tle queenside and launch a direct attack on the black kingside.
13...1bf8 14 ii.d3
Perhaps 14 Sxd8 ii.xd8 15 hS was a more vigorous way to continue the attack.
14^^.'ib7 1S lbgS lbg6 16 .ixg6 Sxd1+
66
67
Answer: 21 li)xh7!
And why not sacrifice when you have worked everything out to a win? It is ironic but
deeply logical that Black's anti-positional recapture 17 ~.fxg6 has led to exactly the sort of
disaster on the h-file that it was meant to prevent. Now 21...&xh7 22 'ix f8 is simple for
White, so Black asks his opponent to show the attacking win he has prepared.
Instead, 21 li)xe6?? would be embarrassing for everyone after 21...li)f7 when White's
queen can only be extricated at the cost of the knight. However, 211:td1! is a risk-free
choice, attacking the knight, when 21...We7 22 1Wxe7 &xe7 23 Bd7 leaves Black tied up. The
plan for W hite would be li)e4 and li)d6.
68
Exercise: Now what is the most forceful way to finish off Black?
Answer: 25 h61 tLlxh6
Alternatively, 2S ...gxh6 26 e6 gxf4 27 exf7 1.g7 28 Sxh6+ 1.xh6 29 'ixh6 mate.
26 1-xgS 'iVd7
There was no good defence against 27 tLlf5 with a quick massacre on h6.
27 e6 1.d3 28 Wxh6+ 1-0
After 28...gxh6 29 exd7 the passed pawn costs Black his rook.
69
70
This gives him a solid centre position, but White can build up a space advantage on the
queenside with the plan of a2-a3 and b2-b4.
In Game 9 Black tries a different way to restrain d3-d4, namely 8....tg4. He hopes that
giving up the bishop-pair after 9 h3 .txf3 10 ti'xf3 is a price worth paying to restrain the
white centre.
If Black has played a move order with 2...lZ:lc6, he can avoid putting his knight on f6 with
the precise move order 3 g3 g6 4 .tg2 .tg7 5 0-0 d6 6 c3 e5.
This is an effective approach by Black as he will get in the solid ...ll'lge7 deployment that
is characteristic of the 2...e6 set-ups, but with the e-pawn going to e5 in one go. This leaves
him a tempo up on the system after 2...e6 in which Black plays ...e6-e5. Still, as Game 9
shows, it is not all easy for Black.
71
The position is akin to lines examined in Chapter One, the difference being that Black
has played ...lDge7, ...g7-g6 and ....tg7 rather than ...lDf6 and ....te7. As we see, White has
chances for the initiative whether Black whisks his king off to the queenside (Game 10) or
settles for 8...0-0 (Game 11).
Finally, if Black has played 2...lDc6 he can advance ...d7-d5 without the preparatory e7e6: 3 d3 g6 4 g3 .tg7 5 .tg2 lDf6 6 o-o d5.
After a subsequent ...d5xe4 and d3xe4 exchange, Black got active play along the d-file,
but White's pawns did their job on both wings in Game 12.
72
Game 8
B.Amin-G.Gajewski
Reykjavik 2013
1 e4cs 2 lLlf3 d6
It looks like it's going tobe a Sicilian main line, but now White swerves aside.
3 g3\
Question: Why is this rather than d3 the best way to start Whites build-up?
Answer: A key idea for White is to build a centre with c2-c3 and then d2-d4. So committing
the pawn to d3 lessens White's options and takes the pressure off Black somewhat. On the
other hand, if 2...e6, then 3 d3 to strengthen e4 in anticipation of ...d7-d5 seems best. Like
wise if 2...lL!c6, I would suggest 3 d3 to fend off future ...d7-d5 ideas. OK, I know that Black
could then revert to a ...d7-d6 style opening line, but I'd prefer that to having to learn what
to do after 2...lLlc6 3 g3 d5 - it might not be that wonderful for Black, but it would take us
out of our repertoire.
3...tLlc6 4 i.g2 lLlf6 5 d3
Only now that the e-pawn is attacked does White commit his pawn to d3.
5...g6!
Not seeing any future for his bishop other than on g7, Black prepares to develop it to an
excellent diagonal.
6 0-0 i.g7
73
Black has chosen a 'Dragon' set-up with his pieces and pawns well entrenched in the
centre and controlling some useful dark squares.
7C3
Exercise: This little pawn move is preferred in the Kings Indian Attack
to the developing 7 ^, which would bring us into Closed Sicilian
territory. Can you think of some reasons for choosing the pawn move?
Answer: If you have read the introduction above and the note to 3 g3 you will understand
the value of 7 c3. White reduces the range of the bishop on g7 and takes away the d4square as an operational base for the black knight on c6. As an exaggerated example of the
value of this preventive idea, if we play 7 ^c3 0-0 and then let White make the careless
move 8 'ife2?! after 8....i.g4, intending 9...^d4, things are already somewhat awkward for
him.
However, the strategic crux ofthe matter is that 7 c3 can support a space-gaining pawn
advance, either in the centre with d3-d4 or on the queenside with a2-a3 and b2-b4. If
White can advance d3-d4 without being punished he will have built a pawn centre of the
kind he never achieves in the Sicilian main line, where after 1 e4 c5 2 yf3 d6 3 d4 his cen
tre is permanently kept half size by 3...cxd4 - see the Larsen quotation that began this
chapter.
74
7...0-0
Question: Why not7...c4 to break up Whites pawns?
Answer: The pawns don't remain broken up for long after 7...c4 8 dxc4 ttlxe4 9 ttld4! when
the knight dare not move from e4 because of 10 ttlxc6. After 9...ttlxd4 10 cxd4 ttlf6 White
has a good game due to the open diagonal for his bishop and potential pressure down the
e-file.
Note that 7...c4 fails for tactical reasons: if it wasn't for White's vigorous response it
might have been a good strategic idea. So don't allow your opponent to play a ...cS-c4-style
move if it can't be punished.
8 fie l
Exercise: So far Black has been able to make straightforward developing moves,
but now he has to come up with a counter to Whites positional threat of seizing
a pleasant space advantage with 9 d4. Consider these three responses by Black.
8...J.g4,8...e6, and 8...e5. What is the purpose of each of these moves?
How effective are they? Which do you think is the most annoying for White?
Answer: First of all, 8...i.g4!? pins the knight, so that White's immediate centre expansion
is no longer attractive as 9 d4? cxd4 10 cxd4 'ib6!, threatening to take on f3 and then on
d4, is very awkward for him: 111Le3 drops a pawn to 11...'ixb2 while 11 dS ^e5 leaves him
in an awkward pin.
White, of course, has no need to rush things in the centre. After 8...1Lg4 9 h3! he ac
quires the bishop-pair. Not that this particularly troubles Black as he remains solid after
9.. .i.xf3 (to retreat would allow White 10 d4 after all) 10 'ifxf3!?.
76
The critical response. Black equalizes space on the e-file, and has more advanced pawns
in the centre as a whole. In the Ruy Lopez, Black often increases the size of his centre with
...c7-c5: for example, with the laboured manoeuvre ...ltla5 and ...c7-c5 in the Chigorin. Here
he has already achieved ...c7-c5.
Black has no weaknesses on the kingside, which is heavily fortified. The preparation of
the advance f2-f4 is unappealing for White; besides his rook would be better for this task
on f1. Nor is d3-d4 a promising option - it would bring Black's bishop on g7 back into the
game after the response ...e5xd4 and ....i.g4.
Question: It seems Blacks pieces are poised to take
advantage of loosening moves such as d3-d4 or f2-f4. How
can White launch an attack without waking the beast on g7?
Answer: 9 a3!
77
78
Answer: After 9...d5 10 exds l'Dxd5 the features associated with advantage for Black are: the
greater space afforded by having pawns on c5 and e5, the excellently placed knight on d5,
and the chance to attack W hites backward pawn on d3, say with .....tf5.
On the other hand, 10 exdS would open up the h1-a8 diagonal for White's bishop, his
rook on e1 and knight on f3 get to attack e5, and the pressure can be increased with l'bd2
and l'Dc4. Moreover, the white queen could even add to the pressure on d5 from b3. The
black knight is well placed on d5, but is also an object of attack.
White also has the chance to activate his dark-squared bishop after the loosening of the
dark square barrier: for example, he could play ..tg5, to provoke the weakening ...f7-f6, fol
lowed by a retreat back to d2; or, in some cases instead of ..tg5, he could try ..te3, attacking
c5, if Black no longer has the option of...lbxe3. Blacks bishop on g7 is doing a great job bol
stering the kingside, but its absence from the defence of the queenside makes the c5-pawn
slight vulnerable.
Question: W hat happens if Black stops the queenside expansion with 9...a5?
79
Answer: White can respond to 9...aS with 10 a4!. He is certainly getting full value out of the
a-pawn as it now incapacitates the black queenside pawns as an attacking force by stop
ping ...b7-b5. It also secures a post at c4 or even b5 (not quite so good, however, as thats
further from the centre) for the knight on b l, either of which can be accessed with lZ'la3.
9...bsl?
Black mobilizes his queenside pawns at once. He prevents a future b4-b5 by blocking
the b5-square, so that 10 b4 is now well answered by 10...a5! when White can't maintain a
pawn on b4. Then 11 bxc5 dxc5 12 i.e3 'fie7 looks at least OK for Black.
10 h3
80
11...as
Before White played &e3, the move b2-b4 could always be answered by ...a7-a5, not
conceding any ground on the queen side; but with the bishop on e3, this would lose a pawn
to bxcs. Not wishing to be forced to defend the cs-pawn by ..."ie7, Black rules out the b2-b4
move. Besides, he is happy to gain more space.
12 lLlbd2
81
Question: how should White deal with the threat to his h-pawn?
Answer: 17 'if3 !
Ruinous is 17 !ith2? ^g4+ 18 hxg4 &xd4 depriving him of his vital dark-squared bishop
and leaving both b2 and g4 hanging. Weakening are both 17 g4 and 17 h4; in the latter
case Black has acquired the g4-square for his knight and could try for counterplay with
17...h3.
Black may have overlooked the strength of 17 'if3 ! when he allowed 13 d4. He stays on
the defensive as f6 hangs and the exchange of dark-squared bishops after 17...>h5 or
17... ^e8 would leave his kingside weak.
Note that White is happy to swap his important dark-squared bishop for its black coun
terpart, whereas exchanging it for the black knight in the variation above with 17 &h2?
g4+ would be anathemato him. In King's Indian style set-ups there is a clear hierarchy of
minor pieces: Black's bishop on g7 is at the top, White's dark-squared bishop is a little be-
82
White finds a clever way to simplify the position and so emphasise the superiority of his
pawn structure.
18...a419liJaS Wc7
After 19....:tbc8 20 :tac1 the threat of 21 liJc6, driving the black queen from the defence
of f6, is renewed.
20 .*.xf6 Wxas 21 l:.ed1 l:b6 22 .*.xg7 &xg7 23 Sd4
White plans to combine pressure against d6 with threats to the black king, as there are
a lot of loose dark squares in his defences and the piece best able to protect him (the black
queen) is far away trying to drum up queen side counterplay.
23 ...l:.c8 24 11ad1 .:tc2 25 'if4 b4
Black gets his queen back in touch with events in the centre, as there's no time for
25...J:xb2 because White gets a winning attack on his king after 26 eS! dxeS 27 'it'xe5+ or
26 ...dS 27 .*.xdS.
26 Sxd6 :xd6 27 Wxd6 'ic s
Instead, after 27...Sxb2 White wouldn't need to try to mate, a queen check on d4 picks
up the black rook.
83
29... c2 30 S a l .i.b3 31 eS Sxb 2 32 .tc 6 f6 33 .i.xa4 .i.e6 34 .i.c6 l:txb4 35 .l:ta7+ &f8 36
exf6 l:tb6 37 .i.e4 .i.xh3 38 Sxh7 .i.fS 39 .i.xfS gxfS 40 f7 Sg 6 41 Wh2 f4 42 Wh3 fxg3 43
fxg3 .l:ta6 44 g4 l:1al 45 &g2 l1a3
As analysing rook and pawn endgames isnt the purpose of this book, suffice to say that
45 ...Se1! holds after 46 g3 l:tfl, intending 47...It.xf7 drawing, unless White plays 47 h4??
when 47...ih1+ wins the rook. Or if instead 46 f3 l:tfl+ 47 &e4 l:txf7? loses the pawn end
game, but waiting with 47...Sf2! is sufficient. Now 48 g5 Sxf7 is a draw, while if 48 e5
2f1 both 49 g5 Sxf7 and 49 &e6 Sf6+! (exploiting a stalemate trap to drive the white king
back) 50 e5 l:tfl are draws.
The remaining moves were:
84
7 C3
Instead, 7 h3 would prevent the pin with ...i.g4 that follows. White got some advantage
after 7...0-0 8 c3 .:.b8 9 lile1 b5 10 d4 cxd4 11 cxd4 d5 12 e5 tLle413 tLlbd2 tLlxd2 14 i.xd2
'i'b6 15 i.e3 in L.Galego-N.Vyskocil, Pardubice 2013.
7...0-0 8 lite1
The actual move order in the game featured a flank opening: 1 tLlf3 c5 2 g3 ll:lc6 3 i.g2
g6 4 d3 i.g7 5 e4 d6 6 0-0 ll:lf6 7 Se1 0-0 8 c3. Note that I've also swapped the order of
White's seventh and eighth moves, so that the move order is consistent with Game 8.
8...1.g4
Diverging from the 8...e5 of the aforementioned game. Black gives up the bishops to make
it harder for White to advance d3-d4 in a satisfactory way. He hopes to gain pressure along
the h8-a1 diagonal which will culminate in an attack with ...b7-b5 on White's queenside.
9 h3 i.xf3 10 'ix f3 l:tc8
85
86
Exercise: Can you see a couple of reasons why this queen retreat is a good idea?
Answer: In general it's good to have the queen back in touch with the queenside as that is
the scene ofaction. On d l she is also well placed to support a future d3-d4 advance. More
specifically, with his next move Black was intending to infiltrate with ...lt:Ja4, when both b2
and c3 would be under attack. The queen retreat has pre-empted that very dangerous idea
by controlling a4.
14...1t:Jb6 15 a3!
Another prophylactic move. White undermines the b4-pawn before Black could start
another wave of attack with ...a7-a5, planning to advance the pawn all the way to a3 if al
lowed to wreck the white defences on the long diagonal.
15...bxc3?
Black doesn't want to open the a-file for the white rook, but 15...aS was nonetheless the
natural move, keeping the black pawn chain intact after 16 axb4 axb4.
87
88
Exercise: How does White tip the energy balance on the queenside in his favour?
Answer: 20 . lf ll
Note that if Black had kept his knight on 6 at move 18 then White would have played 19
.lf l! as a prelude to 20 d4, when the black knights would have been kept out of c4.
The bishop retreat to f l is often game-changing in the King's Indian Attack. Here it gets
involved in the queenside action, turning the battle in White's favour. It rules out any inva
sion by a black knight with ...tt:lc4 in the future and prepares to go to b5 to increase the
queen side pressure. Meanwhile the celebrated 'Dragon' bishop on g7 remains mute.
20...l:txb1 21 l:txb1 .l:lb8 22 .l:lxb8+ 'i'xb8 23 .lb s 'i'c7 24 tt:lb3 tt:lxb3 25 'ixb3
89
90
1 e4 cs 2 f
....
Answer: Firstly, it is in praise ofthe move itself which stops White gaining space in the cen
tre with 7 d4. And, secondly, I'm showing my admiration for Black's very precise move or
der. Thanks to the fact that he has played 2..c6 rather than 2...e6, he is able to advance
...e7-e5 in one go' to stop White from playing d2-d4. He has also avoided ...>f6, so that his
knight can slip into the e7-square where it doesn't interfere with the restraining influence
of the bishop on g7 against d4.
7 0-0
The move order in the game was actually 1 e4 c5 2 ^ f3 ^c6 3 g3 g6 4 .i.g2 i.g7 5 0-0 d6
6 c3 e5 7 d3 ^ge7 which made 6...e5! all the more critical to stop 7 d4 'in one go'.
7..&ge7
Well, it's disappointing for White to be a tempo down on a 'French move' order, but the
good news is that it is a quiet, manoeuvring game.
91
92
93
94
95
Exercise: How can White now try to Increase his grip on the
centre light squares, and what should be Black's response?
Answer: 22 .i.f1!
As so often in the KIA, the bishop finds its best chances through retreating back to fl.
Given the chance White will play 23 .i.c4 to more or less force the exchange of lightsquared bishops. Black doesn't want to be left with only a bishop shut in by its own pawns
on g7, and so he played:
22...c4!
A vital move that reclaims the c4-square and clears the wayfor ...JLf8 to exchange off
the inactive bishop.
23 .l:.ed1 tt)b6
96
Even Karpov, the master par excellence of first-rank manoeuvres with the queen, would
be proud of finding this retreat. White plans to swing his rook via a2 to the centre, while
the indirect attack on h6-pawn through the white knight makes Safarli uncomfortable.
25...h5
So Black does play ...h6-hS after all - see the comment to 24&e2 above.
29 Sa2! 'ig 7 30 l:.ad2!
Cleverly done: it turns out the white pieces don't have to stay defending the a4-pawn.
30...Hxd2 31 lilxd2
Question: So what does happen if the knight takes the pawn on a4?
Answer: The neat point is that 31...^xa4 loss the knight to 32 'i'a3! <^b6 33 l:.d6.
31...'ife7 32 'iVdl
97
After the exchange of queens Black has a close to winning advantage due to his wellsupported passed pawn.
38 S d l
White had a wonderful method of drawing worthy of a study: 38 :Z.d7! a4 39 Sxf7+ &g8
40 .l:.xb7 a3 41 lDd7 a2 42 tDf6+ 'it>f8 43 lDh7+ &e8 44 lDf6+ d8. It seems like White's at
tempt at perpetual has failed, but 45 Sd7+ 'it>c8 46 b6!! saves him as after 46... a1'if 47 Sc7+
Black has to agree a draw with 47...'it>d8 48 Sd7+ etc, as 47...rJi>b8 48 lDd7 is mate.
38.tDc3 39 l:.d7 a4 40 .l:.xf7+ 'it>g8 Yz-Yz
This game was played in a FIDE World Cup knock-out event. I assume a draw suited Safarli because the passed pawn gives him a winning advantage.
98
99
ixercise: Now the US Grandmaster played 10 xd4. Try to work out why he
preferred this to 10 cxd4. It might help to examine Blacks pawn structure.
Answer: The positive points of 10 cxd4 are that White would establish a full pawn centre,
his queen's knight would gain a post on c3, and he would maintain control over the e5square. The drawback is that Black could reply 10...d5, blocking the centre when after 11 e5
ltlf5 he has ideas ofboth 12...ltlxe3, gaining the bishop-pair, and 12...f6 with counterplay
against the white centre. It might also be useful to throw in ...&a6 at some point.
Kamsky's choice 10 ltlxd4 leads to a different type of centre structure. It puts the spot
light on Black's pawn on d7. It is reminiscent of a Sicilian Hedgehog set-up, but with Black's
bishop committed at an early stage to g7 rather than sitting on e7. It is well placed on g7 to
be sure, but it means that the d6-square is weaker than it would be in the Hedgehog with
the bishop on e7. Here, for example, Black can't play d7-d6 and maintain the pawn on that
square, as it would be besieged by moves like ltlb5, perhaps combined with a frontal as
sault by 'ild2 and Sad1. If the pawn stays on d7, the d6-square remains a hole in the black
pawn structure: White could aim to put a knight on that square, perhaps with a manoeu
vre such as ltla3, ltlb5 and ltld6.
So the natural riposte by Black is to engineer the freeing' advance ...d7-dS. Ifhe could
100
Rather than Kamsky's 14 Axe4 which lead to complications after 14...Wd7 offering the
exchange, I think 14 Sxe4! is stronger. For example, if now 14...'id7 White can keep up the
pressure with 1S iLidc2! (yes, this knight as White wants to exchange queens; the threat is
to take on d7 and then e7) 1S...l:.ae8 16 lL!b4 .i.b7 17 'ixd7 lL!xd7 18 Se2 Axg2 19 <ixg2
and White intends 20 lL!b5 with an initiative.
The tactical justification for 14 l:txe4 is that if l4...Ab7? there follows 15 SxeS Axg2
(taking on e5 drops b7) 16 <ixg2 Axes and now 17lL!c6!! is the sting in the tail. Black
would drop material after 17...'i'xd118 ltlxe7+ and then 19 Sxd1. Yes, a computer showed
me the 17 lL!c6 move. There was no way that Kamsky was going to find this line during the
game, unless he had prepared it.
We should return to the main game where Zilka has played 7...d5.
101
8 ltlbd2 'ifc7
As we shall see Black is planning to castle queenside. He removes his queen from the
back rank and puts her on her useful square where she fights against the e4-e5 advance.
Instead, 8...0-0 is examined below in Game 12.
9Eel
The main strategic theme for White here is engineer e4-e5 to gain space on the kingside.
Question: In Chapter One, Black had his knight on f6 and bishop on e7 in
this type of set-up, whereas he has the knight on e7, a pawn on g6 and
bishop on g7. How does that affect Whites preparations foT the e4-e5 advance?
Answer: The different layout of the black pieces on the kingside doesn't affect White's basic
aim, but it does complicate it somewhat. In Chapter One when he advanced e4-e5 he
gained time by attacking the knight on f6. With the knight safely on e7 here, e4-e5 attacks
nothing. Furthermore, if White plays e4-e5 too fast the pawn will come under heavy attack
from the bishop on g7 and his cronies, and might even be lost.
On the bonus side for White, in the present scenario if he can establish and maintain
the pawn on e5 then it will shut in the bishop on g7 and give him the chance to try to ex
ploit the holes in Black's structure on f6 and h6 created by ...g7-g6. White had no such spur
from a loosened black pawn structure in Chapter One.
I think Black's defence in all the e4-e5 scenarios is difficult, but perhaps harder here
than in Chapter One.
9... b6
The most active square for Black's light-squared bishop is b7. Black avoids ...b7-b5 as he
doesn't want to open up his king's future residence.
10 h4
102
103
12 e5
Finally the moment is ripe to seize the e5-square.
12...h6
Black is already thinking about 13...gS!? as a means to undermine the pawn on e5.
Question: What is the best way for White to prevent this?
Answer: 13 ltlf1\
Now the bishop on c1 has an eye on the gS-square, but Black hasn't given up on the
pawn thrust yet.
13...c;i;lb8 14 ltl1h2 d4
As a prelude to his next move, Black cuts off any support of e5 with d3-d4.
15 c4 g5
104
105
Exercise: What do you think is White's best plan? W hat move should he start with?
Answer: White has two pawn breaks. On the kingside he could play f2-f4 at a suitable mo
ment. Then after ...g5xf4 and the recapture i.xf4 he could target the h6-pawn with 'i'd2 or
else create a passed h-pawn with g4-g5, etc. This scheme would require careful prepara
tion, for example White might place his rooks on e l and f l if that can be arranged without
dropping the e5-pawn. Since the mass of black pieces are on the queenside, a long way
from the h6-pawn which is targeted, it is a plausible plan. Naturally Black would have a lot
of counter resources - he still has every piece and pawn on the board - and opening up
lines in front of your king is not to be undertaken lightly.
On the queenside White would love to advance b3-b4, but Black has four units guard
ing the square: the knight, bishop and pawns on a5 and c5. White needs a fifth unit to em
power b3-b4. It has to be the knight, but it is hard to see how White can manoeuvre it to c2
to support the advance. If the rook leaves the e1-square to clear a way via f3, e l and c2, the
e5-pawn drops.
In the game Navara made a brave and creative decision.
26 i.xc6!?
This tips the balance offorces engaged in the fight over the b4-square in White's fa
vour. But the cost seems very high: we have exchanged off the minor piece we are most
loathe to part with in the King's Indian Attack. And look, after Black's reply he is threaten
ing mate on g2.
26...Wxc6 27 f3
White's bishop has gone, but he remains very solid on the light squares. It will be a long
time before Black can arrange an attack on the white king, if it can be done at all. Mean
while White's attack with b3-b4 is coming very fast - next move, in fact. The white rooks
will then enjoy an open file against the black king. To cap it all, the white knight is going to
be a great piece on e4.
106
Nonetheless, it is difficult to make a move like 26 .txc6, even if the blocked nature of
the pawn structure favours knights rather than bishops. It is important that Black has no
counterplay whereas White's attack is already in full swing.
27...ti:Jc7 28 b4 'iWa4
Seeing that he will be pulverised after 28...cxb4 29 axb4 i.xb4 30 i.xb4 axb4 31 Bxb4
followed by 32 .l:.ebl and 33 'iYb2, Black tries to hold things together by defending a5 and
attacking a3 with his queen.
A clinical move. White wants to invade with 'ile5 without allowing ...'ixa3 in reply.
Question: What do you think of the activity of the black pieces ?
Answer: The black queen has no safe move. The same is true for his bishop and knight. I
think that about sums it up. More than half of Black's army is stalemated.
33.e5
Black tries a sacrifice or else 'ife5, then f3-f4 will destroy him.
34 'ilxes .l:tge8 35 W fs Se6 36 'ifxf7 .:txd6 37 f4
At last it is time for the thematic breakthrough. If Black plays 37...gxf4 White will create
a passed pawn with g4-g5 at the right moment.
37....:c7 38 'ilf8 l:e6 39 fxg5 .l:.e2
108
40...l:tg2+ 41 'ikxg2 .i.xg2 42 xg2 hxgs 43 ti:Jf3 J:.c8 44 h6 tZ'lc7 45 i.x g s tt:JxbS
Black can't just sit and watch as his opponent pawns march through. He therefore
makes a desperate sacrifice to free his beleaguered queen.
46 cxbs c4 47 dxc4 d3 48 &h3!
Defending g4 as a prelude to his next move.
48...'ikxc4 49 .l:tc1 'ifds SO SxcS "ixf3+ 51 4 1-0
The white king will escape the checks, such as with 51...'ifh1+ 52 &g3 'ifel+ 53 ^3
^ i1+ 54 Sh2 'iff1+ 55 &h4 'ie1+ 56 &h5.
109
Step One: White advance his pawn to e5 to cement his space advantage on the kingside
and support a future invasion of the vulnerable f6-square by a knight or his dark-squared
bishop.
10. .'ifc7 11 'iVe2
Step Two: Defend the pawn from capture.
11...11.a6 12 lbf1
Step Three: Unleash the dark-squared bishop and prepare a manoeuvre of the knight on
f1 to the kingside.
12...d413 c4
Step Four: Prevent Black from gaining counterplay in the centre with 13...dxc3 14 bxc3
Sad8 hitting d3.
13... b5 14 b3
Step Five: Solidify the c4 point to blunt the power of Blacks bishop.
14...bxc4 15 bxc4
Step Six: Take back on c4 with the b-pawn as we dont want to give Black any counter
play in the centre after 15 dxc4 Sad8.
15...1.r.ab8 16 h4
110
Step Seven: Clear the h2-square for the knight and threaten to use the h-pawn as a bat
tering ram.
16 ... hs 11 tl)lh 2
Step Eight: Use the h2-square as a stopping off post for the knight on its way to join the
attack
17...tl)fS 18 g4
Step Nine: Use the g-pawn to cut a way through Black's defences.
18...hxg4 19 tl)xg4
Step Ten: Recapture the pawn and bring the knight to a strong attacking square.
19...tl)ce7 20 hs
Step Eleven: Finally use the h-pawn to disrupt the black defences.
20....tb7 21 h6
Step Twelve: Force Black's bishop to retreat to h8 so that his kingside becomes cramped.
21....thS 22 .tgS
111
Step Twenty: Move the king out of the way to allow the rook to go to h 1.
29...gS 30 Sh11-O
Step Twenty-One: Create an unstoppable threat of mate on h8.
Only at the end was a bitofforesight need in order to clear the h-file square for the rook
with .i.f3 and 'i&i>g2. I should point out that 12 ...d4 looks inferior as it lets White block things
up. A better way for Black to gain counterplay was 12...b5 13 .i.f4 b4, but I still like White's
attacking chances.
It wont always be this easy, but this game shows the clear logical progression of
Whites general plan once he gets a grip on the e5-square. Its no wonder that Zilka in the
previous game and others have taken their chance with their king on the queenside.
112
8 ...'ic7
Here Black could take all the space on offer with S...e5, transposing to a Reversed King's
Indian with ...g7-g6. For example, 9 exd5 tbxd5 10 l:te1 SeS 11 a4 h6 12 tbc4 'ic7 ?! (proba
bly inaccurate; instead, 12....i.f5 13 lDh4 .i.e6 14 aS intending 'Wa4 gives White just a little
pressure on the queenside) 13 a5 .tf5 14 lDfd2! (the point; because dS is hanging after
...'ilc7, White has time to get his knight to the excellent e4-square) 14...Sad8 1S lDe4 .tfS .
16 a6 b6 17 lDe3 .tx e4 18 .txe4 tbxe319 .txe3 lDe7 20 'ia 4 when White's two bishops and
large space advantage gave him excellent chances in K.Movsziszian-A.Cabrera, San Sebas
tian 2010.
9 l:.e1 b6
113
Exercise: Which of these optins is the best idea for White; l) Maintain the central
tension with 10 rfi. 2) Concede the centre with 10 exds. 3) Cain space with 10 es.
Answer: After 10 exd5 lild 5 White has the c4-square for his knight, but Black has more
space, active pieces and no potentially vulnerable pawn on e5 as occurs in the Kings Indian
Reversed scenarios of this type. Instead, 10 e5 seems very natural, but after 10...>d7 11 d4
cxd4 12 cxd4 White has to reckon with 12..b4 which looks awkward. Whatever the ver
dict, Black is in any case fine after 11 d4 if he plays the solid 11...e6.
I think Amin chose the best ofthe moves in the game.
10 O f !
One good point of this move is discussed in the note to 12...h6 below.
10...dxe4 11 dxe4 l:td8
As we shall see, Bocharov is willing to concede' White space with e4-e5 as he trusts he
will gain counterplay along the d-file and on the queenside in general.
12 1i'e2
114
12...h6
Question: W hats White's best response to
I2...e5, blocking the advance of White's e-pawn?
Answer: After 12...e5 I like the idea of 13 Ag5, planning Axf6 tohelp the knight fight for
control of the hole in Black's centre on d5 after it)e3, etc.
Black could also have tried 12...lt)g4 to obtain influence over the e5 point, but 13 h3 it)ge5
14 it)xe5 it)xe5 15 Af4 keeps a slight edge for White.
13 es lt)ds 14 a3
White threatens totrap the knight on d5 with 15 c4.
14...e6
Here we see a good point of 12...h6: it has stopped White playing 15 Ag5.
15 h4
115
2S....txe4?
Blacks dynamism begins to fade after the exchange. White is left with the two bishops
and the chance to create a passed pawn on the c-file. Instead, 2S...l2Jc6, attacking both b4
and e5, forces a level endgame after 26 'ia 4 l2Jxe5 27 'ixa7 l:ta8 (it seems like the white
queen is trapped, but ...) 28 lLlf6+ .txf6 29 Wxb7 Wxb7 30 .txb7 Sxb7 31 .txe5 'i!tg7.
116
Exercise: What is the best way for White to continue his build-up?
Answer: 35 i.xh6!
By removing the h6-pawn White clears the way for his bishop to invade on the gSsquare, after which it can combine its power with the rook toforce through the passed
pawn.
3 S i.b6 36 i.g S i.c7 37 i.e 7 i.b6 38 Ir.b7 i.c7 39 i.d6 1-0
Black is overwhelmed after 39...i.xd6 40 exd6 or loses his queen upon 39...-tas 40 1Ib8.
117
Chapter Three
Though as we shall see, the typical black centre structure with pawns on c6, dS, and e5
can arise via other opening systems, including those after 1 lbf3. In a game given here, Na
kamura actually began with 1 g3. Therefore, even ifyou play 1 lbf3 or have a different
opening line prepared against the Caro-Kann, it would be a good idea to study the games
in this chapter.
118
Black has borrowed an idea from the Slav ...Ag4 System of Chapter Six. His position is a
tough nut to crack. His king is safe, his development is smooth, and his pawns have more
than their fair share of the centre. Nonetheless, White maintains some minuscule advan
tages. His bishop is more comfortable on g2 than Blacks bishop on g4, which might find
itself shut out of the action. White has the f4-square securely defended, whilst the f5square could be a base for his knight. Blacks pawns do, indeed, have more than their share
of the centre, but the pawns on both dS and e5 are potential targets. Its easier for White to
arrange an attack on them than it is for Black to organise counterplay against the e4- or
d3-pawns.
Alternatively Black can combine building a big centre with the fianchetto ofhis bishop
on g7 with the moves 1 e4 c6 2 d3 d5 3 tt:d2 g6 4 g3 Ag7 5 .i.g2 e5 6 tt:gf3 tt:e7 7 0-0 0-0.
Black suffers somewhat from the fact that to keep e5 defended the knight has had to go
to the inferior e7-square rather than f6. As in Game 14 the black centre is a target, and af
119
In this sequence Black put his bishop on g4 to avoid having it shut in after ...e7-e6. Its
subsequent exchange has given White the fabled advantage of the two bishops, though he
will have to work hard to make them count for anything. Still, White can be pleased that he
has the chance to expand with moves like f2-f4 and e4-e5 in the future, a strategy that
came out tops in Game 17.
Alternatively, Black can choose a 'Philidor' centre with the moves ...e7-e5 and ...d7-d6:
for example, 1 e4 c6 2 d3 e5 3 lL:!f3 lL:!f6 4lt:Jbd2 d6 5 g3 g6 6 .i.g2 .i.g7 7 0-0 0-0 8 c3.
This structure might also arise if Black plays a King's Indian Defence (KID) versus the
120
White has played slowly, blocking in both the bishops on f1 and c1, and spending a
tempo on the leisurely g2-g3. Therefore Black feels justified in trying to overrun the centre
with his pawns. This is a tricky idea for White to meet. Still, it would be strange if he was
overwhelmed, as Black only has one piece developed himself.
Two other lines examined in the notes to Game 19 are the alternatives 3...dxe4 and
4...ll:ld7 in the above sequence.
The chapter ends with a splurge of analysis that must look rather unappealing to
someone who plays the KIA looking for a quiet life on the theoretical front. Well, needs
must and youll find a critical line after 5...f5.
P a r t O n e : B la c k p la y s . . . i. d 6 a n d b u ild s a b ig p a w n c e n tr e
G a m e l4
H .N akam ura-D .N avara
2...ds
The most natural move as it utilizes the c6-pawn to support a gain of space in the
centre.
3(hd2
White hurries to defend the e4-pawn again as the queen exchange after 3 ^f3 dxe4 4
dxe4 1Wxdl+ 5 &xd1 gives little hope for advantage.
3...es
Premature is 3...dxe4 - see the analysis to Game 19.
4 *&gf3 Ad6
More accurate than 4...^d7 which, as also discussed in Game 19, gives White the
chance for the initiative with 5 d4!.
5g3
The point of White's set-up isn't to grab pawns. White shouldn't go hunting the e5pawn with 5 1We2 as 5...>f6! is a strong riposte. For example, 6 exds cxd5 7 ^xe5 0-0! with
a horrible pin on the white knight, queen and king looming along the e-file after ..J:le8.
Even worse for White would be 6 d4 exd4 7 e5 0-0! 8 exd6 .:te8 9 ^e5 Ji.g4! 10 f3 i.h5 when
there is no defence against ...^bd7 as 11 g4 ^bd7 12 f4 ^xg4 leads to a complete collapse.
However, 5 d4 is a perfectly decent way to play it as White. Then 5...dxe4 6 ^xe4 is bad
for Black, so he has to enter an isolated queen's pawn (IQP) position with 5...exd4 6 exdS
f6 (another IQP centre arises after 6...cxd5 7 ^xd4 ^c6 8 ^2f3 if6 9 Ji.e2 0-0 10 0-0, etc)
7 dxc6 ^xc6 8 Ji.e2 0-0 9 0-0 Se8 10 ib3, as in N.Chadaev-V.Bologan, Astana (blitz) 2012.
Ofcourse, here we are concentrating on KIA-style responses, but it's worth knowing about
this option.
S..& f6
Here the sharp 5...f5 is the main subject of Game 19.
6 Ji.g2 0-0
122
Both players complete their development, ignoring each other for the moment.
1 0-0 .tg4 S h3 .ths
Flank openings are rich in transpositions. The present game actually began with the
move order 1 g3 d5 2 .tg2 eS 3 d3 ltlf6 4 ltlf3 .td6 5 0-0 0-0 6 ltlbd2 c6 7 e4 .tg4 8 h3 .th5.
You might like to reread the comments above relating to this position. Play has transposed
to a pawn structure reached in the Slav ....tg4 System, which well encounter in Chapter
Six. Here Black is somewhat more flexible as he isnt committed to playing ...ltlbd7.
9 'ili'el
123
Exercise: Why do you think White plays this feeble-looking pawn move?
Answer: Nakamura has to stop 11...ti)b4 with the threat of12. ..ll'lxc2, not only winning a
pawn, but also trapping the queen. If instead he plays 11 c3, he weakens his defence of d3;
11...ti)c5 would then contain the awkward threat of 12...ti)xd3.
11 ...tt)cs 12 b3
Finally White attends to the development of his queen's bishop. He intends to have one
bishop aiming at the d5-pawn, the other at eS.
12...dxe4
If you ask David Navara why he played 12...dxe4, he would probably just shrug and say
that in his judgement it felt right to stabilize the centre so that his pieces have more free
dom of action.
If we are looking for a concrete reason, we might mention that White is planning .ltb2
and then tt)fS. The bishop on d6 would like to retreat to f8 in response, but then the eSpawn could be a target after e4xd5. Note also that the Czech Grandmaster plans ...ti)e6.
This contains ideas of ...ll'ld4 and is also a deterrence against White advancing f2-f4. The
...ti)e6 move would, however, be problematical if White had the option of e4xdS in conjunc
tion with the moves tt)f5 and i.b2.
13 dxe4
124
125
It is White's turn to spoil the dreams of a black knight by preventing 1S ...lbd4. At the
same time e5 is attacked.
1S....txf3
Black concedes the bishop-pair, but on the other hand, he is well entrenched on the
dark squares.
16 lbxf3 "ilc7
The idea of arranging f2-f4 is pretty much dead as Black has four pieces trained on the
f4 point and besides White's knight is needed on f3 to watch over the d4-square. Naka
mura therefore focuses on the queenside and the open d-file. Once lines open up in the
distant future White's light-squared bishop might become a powerful piece.
126
Exercise: The move I9...&d4 is on the cards, when Blacks knight finally gets to
utilize the d4-square. What is the best way to anticipate it? a) Prevention with 19 c$.
b) Preparation of c2-c3 with . ) The immediate attack on b5 with 19 a4.
19 C3
Answer: Nakamura chooses to keep the knight put of d4. At the same time he vacates the
c2-square as a stopping off post for his knight in a manoeuvre to d5. Nevertheless, the
drawback is obvious: the bishop on b2 is shut in and the pawn on b3 is left loose. As we
shall see below, these factors could have been exploited by Black.
A better idea is 19 1iac1 which deters Black from playing 19...lt:Jd4 as 20 tt:Jxd4 cxd4 21
c3! opens upthe c-file and d-file to thejoy of White's rooks and the distress ofthe black
queen and bishop. After the alternative recapture 20...exd4, 21 c3! is still strong - White's
bishop on b2 will have an open diagonal aiming at f6, and White's f2-pawn can become
mobile with f2-f4 now that the barrier on e5 is removed. Therefore after 19 J:ac1 Black
should avoid 19...lt:Jd4, after which it's not that exciting for White.
Finally, that brings us to 19 a4. If then 19...b4 the d4-square is secured for the knight,
but the black queenside pawns are mouldy, especially as he doesn't have a light-squared
bishop to defend the hole on c4. White could reply 20 'ir'c4 when the queen is nicely placed
- an attempt to evict her with 20...tt:Jd7, intending 21...tt:Jb6, could be met with 21 a5!.
The key variation after 19 a4 is 19. ..tt:Jd4 20 tt:Jxd4 cxd4 21 axb5 axb5 22 Exa8 Sxa8.
127
20....i.c7
Question: Do you think Black should have tried
20,..h5 to exploit the white knights absence from f3?
128
Exercise: In what ways has White improved his position over the last few moves?
Answer: Whilst Black has been floundering with his pieces, Nakamura has made great
strides forward. He has brought his knight into contact with the key dS-square; his bishop
on b2 has been reactivated by c3-c4; and his rook on c1 is making life uncomfortable for
the pawn on c5 and the queen hiding behind it. It's no wonder that Black's position quickly
fragments on the queenside.
25...tile6 26 tilds tild4
An attempt at counterplay before b2-b4 shatters the queenside.
27 i.xd4 exd4 28 b4l cxb4 29 tilxb4!
Even stronger than 29 axb4 as the knight causes havoc on c6.
29...'ifd6
After 29... 'i 6 30 cxb5 axb5 31 tilc6 Sa8 the pawn stab 32 e5! not only hits f6, but also
uncovers a defence of the knight on c6 by the bishop on g2. Then after both 32...tild7 33
129
32 liJxd4
As in the previous note, 32 e5 is also a killer move: for example, after 32...1Wxa3 33 liJxd4
with the threats of 34 i.b7 or 34 liJxb5 wins, as 33...f!.xe5 34 'ixe5! i.xe5 35 l:lxc8+ is deci
sive.
32...'ifxa3 33 i.h3!
Now 34 i.xc8 will win the exchange for nothing, so Black decided to go out in a blaze of
glory:
33..Mxe4 34 'i'c 2 i.xg3 35 'tlfxc8+ .l:.e8 36 'tlffs i.xh4 37 'if3 'i!ib4 38 'tlff4 1-0
P a r t T w o : B la c k b u ild s a b ig p a w n c e n t r e w it h ....tg7
Game 15
S.Movsesian-M.Panarin
Russian Team Championship 2010
1 e4 c6 2 d3 d5 3 lLld2 g6
Black finds a different way to support his pawn centre with the bishop.
4 g3 i.g7 5 i.g 2 e5 6 lLlgf3 lLle7
130
131
Answer: Well, White can respond 8 Se1, when we should investigate what happens if Black
ignores the latent threat to e5 with 8...0-0 9 exd5 cxd5 10 tbxe5. Every time this has been
tried Black has recaptured with 9...lt:lxd5, when 10 lt:lc4 and moves like 11 a4, to stabilize the
knight on c4 against a ...b7-b5 lunge, and 12 h4, intending h4-h5, gives White good play.
Question: But what, indeed, happens if 9...cxd5, keeping the centre
intact, when 10 }xe5ixe5 11 fixes 4 traps the white rook?
Answer: It is true the rook is trapped, but there is a strong exchange sacrifice with 12 Bxd5!
'iVxd5 13 ltlxe4 'id8 14 c3 .if5 15 .if4. White has a knight and two pawns for the exchange
and the chance to pressure the black queen side with lt:lc5 or lt:ld6. He can also advance the
passed d-pawn in the future.
Instead of 11...lt:le4, 11....ig4 12 .if3 'id7 gives Black some play for the pawn, but no
132
First of all White provokes Black into advancing his d-pawn with the threat of 9 exd5
followed by 10 lbxes.
8...d4
It's all about the bishops. If 8...lbd7 or 8...f6 a bishop is shut in on c8 or g7 respectively.
Meanwhile 8...1Lg4 9 h3 forces Black to give up the bishop-pair. Black could have stood his
ground with 8...'ic7, though. In that case a methodical build-up on the queenside followed
by a break in the centre gave White the edge after 9 c3 a5 10 b3 b6 11 'ic2 Bd8 12 Ji.b2
Ji.a6 13 d4 in L.Oll-P.Wells, Antwerp 1996.
9ttk4
The knight makes use of the c4-square to renew the attack on e5. Also possible is the
immediate 9 c3 as in Game 16.
133
10... bS
Question: How should White continue if Black
plays 10...C5 standing his ground in the centre?
Answer: If Black bolsters d4 with 10...c5 then 11 cxd4 cxd4 12 Ad2 lt:lbc6 13 c1 or 13 a4
give White pressure on the queen side. He will try to advance b4-b5.
134
Exenise: How do you assess the position after the pawn I4...exd4
15 cxd4 .xd416 &xd4 fixd4 and what would be White's best continuation?
Answer: This line would be suicidal for Black as the dark squares on his kingside become
indefensible. White would surely win after 17 .i.b2, but the most convincing way is actually
to fianchetto the queen: 17 'iV1>2! l:i.d8 (if 17...c5 18 lt:lxb5) 18 .lth6 with bedlam on g7.
15 lt:\c2 exd4 16 cxd4 cS
Black has done everything he can to put pressure on the white centre, but it springs
forwards after White's next two moves:
17 .i.f4l 'ifd7 18 dS!
18.^.C4
135
136
D.Andreikin-D.Lintchevski
.'Dago my s 2010
1 e4 c6 2 d3 dS 3 lDd2 g6 4 g3 1.g7 5 1.g2 eS 6 ltlgf3 lDe7 7 0-0 0-0 8 :te1 d449 c3l?
3.3 7
12 a4!
Exactly, Now Black isn't able to maintain the queen side blockade.
12...bxa4 13 ltlc4 ltld7 14 'i'xa4 ltlb6 15 ltlxb6 'i'xb6 16 ltld2\
White's queenside attack is flowing smoothly as the other knight joins in the battle.
16...'ie6
The queen runs away from being attacked by 17 ltlc4, but in fact there are even more
attractive squares for the white knight on the queenside.
17ltlb3!
An outpost on c5 will be more valuable to the horse than one on c4 as it is deeper in the
enemy's camp.
17..'i'b6
Black tries again with his queen on b6.
18 i.d2!
138
139
22...lL!d8
Question: What happens after 22...Sfc8 which looks very natural?
Answer: Bobby Fischer once write a puzzle book and I remember he kept telling the reader
to "look at the whole board. After 22 ...Sfc8 23 il.h3! Black can resign as 23 ....l:r.c7 24 b5 is a
fatal pin, and 23...fs 24 exf5 is hopeless as well.
23 l:r.c7 lL!e6
After 23 ...a6, 24 bS? is premature because of 24...lL!e6! breaking the pin on a8, but first
24 .i.h3! then 25 bS would do the trick.
24 .:r.cxa7
140
White wins a pawn. A discussion of a long technical endgame isn't really the theme of
this book, so we'll end the analysis here. Suffice to say that Black puts up a determined
show and can only regret that he didn't put the same energy into the early opening phase.
Here are the remaining moves:
24...lbc7 25 i.h3 Sfb8 26 .l:t7a5 i.f8 27 i.d 7 :d S 28 .:txa8 l:txa8 29 : c 1 lba6 30 Sa1 lbc7 31
.l:aS i.d 6 32& 1 f
33 & e 2 f6 34 i.c6 Sb8 35 7 ^gB 36 h4 Sb6 37 i.d 7 ^ 8 38 i.a4
l:a6 39 .l:lxa6 lbxa6 40 bS lbcS 41 i.c 2 <&e7 42 <&3 hs 43 & e 2 &e8 44 i.c1 <i;e7 45 i.d1 'it>d7
46 i.d2 <^e7 47 i.h6 i.c7 48 i.c2 i.d 6 49 'it>d1 i.c7 S0 i.d 2 ..td6 51 ..te1 i.c7 52 *c1 i.d6
53 i.b 1 lba4 54 ..ta2 lbc3 55 i.c4 gS 56 & c 2 gxh4 57 gxh4 lbe 2 58 f3 lDg1 59 b61xf3 60
..tg3 lbg1 61 &d 1 lbh3 62 & e 2 lbf4+ 63 i.x f4 exf4 64 <&3 &d8 65 i.f7 i.b4 66 i.xhS i.e 1
67 &g4 f3 68 3 f 2 69 ..te 2 i.b4 70 hS i.f8 71 'it>g4 &e8 7 2 &f5 & 7 73 eS fxeS 74 &xeS
i.g7+ 75 &e4 i.f8 76 &d5 i.h6 77 &d6 f1B 78 i.x f1 1-0
P a r t T h r e e : B la c k 's s o lid c e n t r e w it h ..e7-e6
G a m e l7
j
E .S a fa r li^ .V a n D e lft
Essent2008
1 e4 c6 2 d3 d5 3 lbd 2 lbf6 4 lbgf3 i.g 4
Black gets his bishop outside his pawn chain before closing the door with ...e7-e6.
5 h3
141
S....txf3
Question: After 5.-:1h5' is it OK for White continue with 6 g3 to fianchetto on g2?
Answer: The King's Indian Attack is rock solid once it has reached maturity, a bit like a sea
turtle, but like a baby turtle crossing the sandfor the first time towards the water it can be
fragile at its inception. Ifyou play 6 g3 'because that's what White always plays' then disil
lusion descends as swiftly as a golden eagle with 6...dxe4 7 dxe4 lL\xe4! when 8 lL\xe4??
'ixd l+ 9 & x d l ii.xf3+ is a catastrophe. White has tried to turn it into a pawn sacrifice with
8 'ji'e2, but I don't believe it as 8...lL\d6 or 8...lbf6 leaves him with little for the pawn.
Therefore after 5....th5 White usually plays 6 .te2 or 6 g4. However, I would suggest a
more promising pawn sacrifice for White: 6 e5 lL\fd7 7 e6!? fxe6 8 ii.e2!.
Black's bishop on f8 is shut in, which means Black is a long way from castling kingside
142
10 ...aS 11 f4 a 4 12 eS
See the comment to move seven. Black's bishop on g7 is boxed in and White has a sig
nificant space advantage on the kingside.
12.ttJfd7
Now the black knight on b8 is deprived of a good square as both c6 and d7 are blocked.
13 f
b5
143
144
Not only developing, but taking away energy from the black pieces, as the good defen
sive move 19...tt'lf8 would drop the c5-pawn.
19....11tc8 20 1i'g4
It seems like the queen is heading to the h-file, but there are other threats as we shall
see.
20...tt:'!ee7 21 hxg6 hxg6
145
1 e4 c6 2 d3 eS
A sensible move, but the Philidor style pawn centre that arises is perhaps a little too
passive for modem taste.
3 lL'lf3 lL'lf6
Instead 3...d6 should transpose.
146
147
148
11...b6
But now the black queenside pawns are more fragile; a fact not lost on Tiviakov who
prepares to ram them with c3-c4. Furthermore, if he can play the further pawn advance c4c5, Black's bishop would be rather shut in on b7.
12 W c2 i.b7 13 c4 dxe4
Black activates his bishop before White is able to clamp down on the queenside with c4c5.
14 dxe4 cS 15 bxcS ^xcS 16 ^xcS bxcS
....
Answer: At first glance it looks pretty equal. However, it is easier for White to attack the c5pawn than it is for Black to launch a similar assault on c4. Besides White's pawn on c4 is
149
Exercise: Tiviakov finds a much better plan. Can you see it?
Answer: 18 lLlb3l
W hites knight chooses the b3-square so in combination with the bishop on e3 it can
assail the c5-pawn. The black knights journey to Nirvana on d4 has to be delayed until the
pawn is sufficiently defended. Hence his next two moves.
I8...11t'c7 19 i.e3 i.f8
The c5-pawn is OK for the moment, but how annoying for the knight that the f8-square
is now blocked by the bishop.
20 S a b i i.c6 21 'ic 3 l
A little move, but very poisonous. As we shall see, the white queen is preparing to in
vade on a5.
21..J.l:.ab8 22 .l:.bd1 Rbd8
Cat and mouse. White sees there is nothing to be gained on the b-file and so prepares
to double rooks along the d-file. Black responds in kind by switching his rook to d8.
23 Sd2 lLlb6!?
Fridman offers the c5-pawn as he has calculated that he will obtain sufficient counter
play.
24.l:.xd8 .l:.xd8
150
Exercise: Try to work out how Black might justify his sacrifice after
25 lxc5 {look for positional compensation rather than a tactical blow).
Answer: 25 'i'asl
White avoids grabbing the pawn as after 25 ^xc5 .i.xc5 26 i.xc5 ^a4 27 'i'a3 ^xc5 28
'iVxc5 Bd2 the (very slightly dubious) adage that a rook on the seventh rank is worth a
pawn is fully justified because of White's passive bishop. For example, 29 a3 'ib 6 30 'iVxb6
axb6 31 Bb1 Sc2 32 f3 J:lxc4 33 lilxb6 ltc1+ 34 .i.fl .i.a4 and White can't make any progress
due to the awkward position of his king and bishop.
2S...'ilc8 26 .txcs thxc4
151
27 'ib 4 l
Answer: I hope you arent deep in a rook and pawn endgame as after 27 "ixa7? fid7 traps
the white queen, for if 28 i.h3 f5, etc.
27...lLlb6 28 iLxfS l:.xf8 29 'ifd6
Black is almost equal, but not quite, and in this type of position that means he is losing!
The difference in activity between the two sides major pieces means that the a7- and e5pawns can't both be held.
29~Me8 30 'flc7 lLlc8 31 i.h3!
An important strengthening ofWhite's pressure. Ifyou play the King's Indian Attack
you have to remember that g2 is not the only square along the short f1 to h3 diagonal on
which the bishop can be placed with great effect. There are many examples in this book of
not only i.h3, but also i . f l being a powerful relocation of the bishop.
31 ...1.a8 32 % cl 'ia 4 33 lLlcS
Not falling for 33 iLxc8? 'ifxe4 when Whites king is suddenly in terrible trouble.
33..'ifc6 34 lLld7\ 'ixc7
Now, however, Black is forced into a gruesome endgame as 34...'flxe4 loses to 35 lLJf6+.
35 l:xc7 Sd8 36 lLlxeS
At last Tiviakov cashes in after his great positional play.
36^lLld6 37 f3 a6
152
6 a m e l9
N .Escuer Sanchez-A.Chueca Forcen
Spanish Team C ham pionship 2006
1 e4 c6 2 d3 dS 3 ll)d 2 es
153
It looks as if White has fallen into a trap, but after 6....i.xf2+ 7 xf2 'id4+ 8 e1 'ixe5
White's counterattack with 9 lbc4! is very strong: 9...'ixe4+ 10 .i.e2. If now 10...Wxg2 11
tLld6+ f8 12 .i.f3 'ig 6 13 tLlxc8 wins, while after the best defence 10...Wh4+ 11 g3 'id 8
White gets a very nice endgame with 12 1i'xd8+ xd8 13 tLld6 .i.e6 (the only good way to
defend f7) 14 tLlxb7+ c7 15 ttJc5 followed by 16 tLlxe6+ or 16 .i.f4+.
4 tLlgf3 .i.d6
If instead 4...tLld7?! we can go on our merry way with 5 g3, but 5 d4!7 changing the na
ture ofthe centre is a good idea. Black has shut in his bishop on c8 so isn't well equipped
for an opening of lines. Meanwhile we haven't committed ourselves to a fianchetto with
g2-g3 yet, so our king's bishop can be developed more actively. After 5...exd4 6 exd5 cxd5 7
tLlxd4 the black knight is misplaced on d7, while if 5...dxe4 6 tLlxe4 exd4 7 'ixd4 lbgf6
White would have the pleasant choice between 8 .i.g5 with a continuing initiative or 8
tLld6+!? .i.xd6 9 'ixd6 grabbing the bishop-pair.
5 g3 f5
We have to analyse Black's fifth move carefully as it requires a sharp, tactical response
from White.
154
6 exdSl
Ifinstead 6 Ag2 ltlf6 7 0-0 0-0 looks very comfortable for Black. White does best to tar
get the e5-pawn immediately:
6...cxd5 7 c4! dxc4?
White seems to have a pleasant advantage after 7...ltlf6 8 cxd5 ltlxd5 9 Ag2 ltlc6 10 0-0
ltlb6 11 Be1 0-0 12 b4!, an important space gaining move on the queenside. It plans both
b4-b5 and il.b2 to increase the pressure on e5. If now 12...Axb4 13 ltlxe5 ltlxe5 14 'ilfb3+
h8 15 Bxe5 or 12...ltlxb4 13 'i3 + h8 14 Ab2 and e5 will fall. In both cases White will
have exchanged a wing pawn for the more important e5-pawn, with lasting pressure.
It seems that Black is taking on too many central commitments after 7...d4: for example,
8 Ag2 .!tlc6 (wing play to undermine e5 is also the theme after 8...ltlf6 9 0-0 0-0 10 b4!) 9
0-0 ltlf6 10 c5! Axc5 (10...C7 11 b4! ltlxb4 12 ltlxe5 Axe5 13 ltlc4! and White regains the
piece with the attack as if 13...Ac7 14 'ie1+ ^ 7 15 Wxb4) 11 .!tlxe5 ltlxe5 12 Be1 ltlfg4 13
ltlc4 0-0 14 ltlxe5 and again White stands better in the centre.
Therefore Black must continue his bold strategy with 7... e4!. This move will be exam
ined in the analytical extract after this game.
W ith the game move Black makes things very easy for his opponent. He hands over the
c4-square to the white knight where it can besiege the e5-pawn. He also opens up the a2g8 diagonal for the white queen and facilitates the development ofthe bishop on c1.
Meanwhile it is wrong to talk about the weakness ofthe backward d3-pawn as no black
pieces can attack it.
8 ltlxc4 ltlf6
155
156
157
158
10 cxdSl lt:lxd4
If 10...exd3+ 11 ltle6! i.xe6 12 0-0! (no hurry; the fork on d5 means that White regains
his piece) 12...li:lf6 13 dxc6 and Black is facing ruin along the h1-a8 diagonal.
110-0!
159
White whisks his king from the centre, thereby avoiding Blacks counterattack with
...e4xd3+.
Question: What is Whites positional justification for the sacrifice?
Answer: Multipurpose:
Firstly, the awkward position ofthe black king in the centre. He is still two moves from
castling kingside. The knight still being on g8 is horrible for Black with the centre opening.
Secondly, the black queen is on an awkward square where she can be pinned against
her king.
Thirdly, Black doesn't have time to stabilize the centre with 11...tLlf6 as the other knight
drops to 12 ti'a4+ and 13 'fixd4.
Fourthly, White's rook can quickly get to e1 to embarrass the black king and queen.
Meanwhile both of Black's rooks are passive.
And, finally, and most important of all, Black is going to have to lose further time or po
sition in safeguarding the hanging knight on d4. If White is allowed to capture it with 12
'ifa4+ and 13 'fixd4 he will have an easily winning position.
11.....td7
If the knight runs away with 11...tLlb5, there follows 12 dxe4 tLlf6 13 a4! lLlc7 14 e5!
..txe5 15 tLlc4 when the threat of 16 d6 or 16 Se1 recovers the piece with a big advantage.
The game move prevents the check on a4. Other moves also give W hite huge play: for
example, if 11....-tc5, 11...^ 8 , or 11....-te5 then 12 dxe4 plans to roll the pawns with 13 f4.
In these cases White has two pawns for the piece and a mobile centre that causes Blacks
disorganised pieces a lot of discomfort.
12 tLlc4
Threatening to uncover an attack on the knight with 13 dxe4.12 l:!.e1 also looks good.
160
161
Chapter Four
162
Move order
The 'traditional move order is 1 lDf3 d5 2 g3 c5 3 i.g2 lDc6 4 d3 e5 5 0-0 lDf6 6 lDbd2 i.e7 7
e4, but in practice this is not too common. The game is more likely to begin 1 tDf3 c5 2 g3
lDc6 3 i.g2 e5 (to avoid the Reversed Grnfeld after 3...d5 4 d4) 4 d3 d5 5 O-OlDf6 6 lDbd2
i.e7 7 e4 or via a Sicilian with 1 e4 c5 2 tDf3 lDc6 3 d3 lDf6 4 g3 d5 5 lDbd2 e5 6 i.g2 i.e7 7
0-0.
This is the critical position in the Reversed Kings Indian. If Black plays the immediate
7...d4 then I like Whites straightforward build-up in Game 20. More problematical for
White as far as finding a good strategic plan is 7...0-0, keeping the tension.
163
There followed 9 tLlc4 'flic7 10 cxd4 cxd4 11 a4 .te6 12 b3 and after 12...a6?! 13 a5!?
.i.xc414 bxc4 tLlxa5 1S tLlh4 g6 16 f4 tLlc6 17 f5 White had an attack for his pawn, though
he lost. Like the Gelfand game above, this was a blitz game, so we cant trust the middlegame decisions, but we do get an insight into what the top players think are the strongest
opening variations.
At move 12, I cant see any decent plan for W hite after 12...tLld7: for example, grabbing
the bishop-pair with 13 tLlg5 .i.xg5 14 .i.xg5 leaves Blacks knights dominant on the dark
squares after 13...tLlc5 1S lite1 tLlb4 16 .i.fl, while a kingside pawn advance looks too slow,
as shown by 13 tLle1 tLlc5 14 f4 f6 1S f5 .tf7 16 g4 l:tfb8 17 h4 and now 17...b5 18 axb5 Sxb5
breaks through on the queen side before the white attack hits home.
I cant see a good way to strengthen Whites play. This makes me inclined to think that
8 c3 is strategically faulty if Black replies 8...d4. After all, why weaken the queenside pawns
with c2-c3 when it is Black who is likely to gain the initiative there?
To avoid ...dS-d4, White could try taking on d5 a move earlier. From the first diagram
above, 7...0-0 8 exd5 tLlxd5 9 Se1 f6 10 c3 tries to recreate Movsesians happy moments
164
Game 20
S.B.Hansen-D.Akdag
Danish Championship, Helsingor 2013
1
dS 2 g3 cs 3 .i.g 2 ti:lc6 4 d3
After 4 d4 it would be risky for Black to enter the Grinfeld Defence a tempo down with
4... cxd4 5 ti:lxd4. However, he can reply 4...e6 (or 4...ti:lf6 which should transpose) 5 O-Oti:lf6
when 6 c4 is the Tarrasch Defence.
4...e S
Instead, 4...ti:lf6 5 0-0 g6 6 ti:lbd2 .i.g7 7 e4 0-0 8 c3 e5 reaches a Reversed King's Indian
with ...g7-g6, as was mentioned in the notes to Amin-Bocharov in Chapter Two.
s o-o
5...f6 gives us a Reversed Smisch Variation of the Kings Indian Defence. White could
build up on the kingside in typical fashion with 6 e4 d4 7 ti:lh4 .i.e6 8 f4 Wd7 9 ti:ld2 0-0-0
10 f5 .i.f7 11 .i.f3 (a notable manoeuvre to activate the bishop via h5) 11...ti:lge7 12 .i.h5
165
Answer: Theres nothing to fear from the onrush of Blacks e-pawn: for example, consider 9
fxe3 i.e7 10 lL!de4 O-O 11 lLlxf6+ i.xf6 12 tL:!e4 i.e7 13 lLlc3! when White intends to build
up in the centre with lL!d5, e3-e4, i.f4, e2-e3, etc, as in M.Todorcevic-T.lzeta, Geneva 1988.
The doubled e-pawns arent pretty, but they can be put to work guarding important
squares such as d5 and d4. Meanwhile Black has no pawns on the d-file or e-file to fight for
the centre.
If this doesnt appeal you could always arrange e2-e4 a move earlier, say, with 5 lLlbd2
(instead of 5 0-0), and then after 5...lL!f6, 6 e4 rules out Blacks pawn break.
7 e4
The two armies finally clash, with White leaving it to his opponent to decide the central
pawn structure.
7...d4
166
Exercise: Can you see any downside to Blacks plan of seizing a space
advantage? W hat are the most important squares that White can try to utilize?
Answer: The advance of Black's pawns has left some of his centre squares under defended.
Thus White has:
1) The c4-square for the queen's knight, from where it attacks e5.
2) The f5-square for the other horse. Because Black has played 6...i.e7, he can't defend
this square with ...g7-g6 without weakening his kingside dark squares.
3) The e5-square as a hook on which he can latch a clear and logical plan: the prepara
tion of the advance f2-f4 to gain space on the kingside.
Sli)c4
Sune Berg Hansen moved the knight from the passive square d2 to activity on c4. Well,
actually only part ofthat is true. His horse was actually sitting on a3, as I took quite a lib
erty with the move order in this game, which began 1 li)f3 c5 2 g3 li)f6 3 i.g2 li)c6 4 0-0 d5
5 d3 es 6 li)a3 Ji.e7 7 e4 d4 8 li)c4.
8 ..'ic7
167
Questions Now ...b5 is threatened. What does White do about the knight on c4?
Answer: 9 a4!
W hite prevents his knight being driven away with 9...b5 and makes it harder for Black
to engineer his general strategic plan of ...b7-b5 and ...c5-c4.
9...0-0
We'll return to this position at the end of the game to consider the immediate 9...lbd7.
10lbh4!
All according to plan. The knight clears the w ayfor the f-pawn and eyes the f5-square.
10...Se8
Exercise: Do you think its a good idea for White to put the knight on f5,
or is there a better means of developing an initiative on the kingside?
168
13 f5
Question: Why is this preferable to 13 fxe5, which opens the f-file for a possible
attack and mightallow the white bishop to cause discomfort to the queen with jtf4?
Answer: Black has four units guarding the e5-square, and if necessary after 13 fxe5 li:)dxe5
it could be bolstered further with ...f7-f6. Therefore, the possibility of a i.f4 pin doesnt re
ally alarm Black.
Lets analyse: 13 fxe5 li:)dxe5 14 li:)cxe5 li:)xe5 15 li:)xe5 'ixe5 16 'iff3 'ie6 ! (natural is
16...i.e6, but then 17 i.f4 really would be awkward for the black queen, who has to retreat
to the vulnerable f6-square) 17 i.h3!? (hoping to mate in three moves if the black queen
takes the bishop) 17...'ifg6! and Whites advantage is vanishing.
169
Exercise: How should White respond to the threat? a) Retreat the knight to b2.
b) Retreat the knight to d2. c) Retreat the knight to a3.
d) Exchange with 17 axbs and only then decide.
Answer: First of all, we should decide whether we should exchange pawns on bS. The cap
ture 17 axb5 is one of those 'automatic' moves that the hand is itching to play. It reduces
the pawn front on the side of the board where White is weaker, which is typically a good
thing, as it means there are fewer things to come under attack. And here it leaves White i
possession of the a-file after the recapture 17...axb5.
So why is 17 axb5 actually a bad move? After 17...axbs White indeed has control ofthe
a-file, but it would soon disappear after Black plays ....i.b7 and ....l:.a8. This would at best
amount to a distraction from White's plan of kingside action, at worst trouble for him if
170
This is the idea. The threat is 19 axbs, uncovering an attack on the black knight. It
wouldn't have been possible if W hite had blocked the d2-square with 17 cd2.
18...C4
The only consistent move. Instead, 18...b4?? would be an appalling positional blunder as
Black would deny himself any chance of a breakthrough on the queen side, leaving White
will a free hand on the kingside.
19 dxc4 bxc4 20 i.x as 'ix a s 21 Oxc4 'ikcs
White has won a pawn, but the black pieces will enjoy a lot of open lines on the queenside.
22 *h 1 Ob6
171
Exercise: How should White respond to the attack on his knight? a) Exchange
it with 23 >xb6. b) Retreat it with 23 b2. c) Support it with 23 rfd2.
23 ltJb2
Answer: The exchange 23 ltJxb6 xb6 helps Black unclutter his pieces: for example, next
move he can play 24...l:.c6 to put pressure on c2. However, 23 ltJfd2!? was an interesting
alternative, as White not only bolsters his queen side, but also clears the way for a quick
attack on the kingside with moves like l:.f3, .Uh3, and 'i!Yh5.
In the game Hansen reroutes his knight to the blockade square on d3 - also a fine plan.
23...as 24 ltJd!3 "ikc7
2Sg6\
172
173
174
White could respond 10 tLlg5 when after 10...i.xg5 11 i.xg5 he has the two bishops. Not
that this is much to shout about: it's Black's light-squared bishop he'd like to exchange off
- the dark-squared bishop is hardly better than a knight in view of the blocked centre. Still,
if White continues i.d2 (to avoid the bishop being hemmed in) and f2-f4 at the appropri
ate moment, he can hope that the opening of lines will eventually prove the value of his
bishops.
More radical is the reply 10 t:Llh4 'anyway', though this is not very aesthetic as White's
175
White has just played 77 'itg4 to defend his pawn on h5. It looks hopelessly blocked, but
Alburt unleashed:
77....txhS+I? 78 'itxhs g6+
If now 79 fxg6+ ::txg6 the white king finds itself trapped on h 5 and facing the threat of
80...t'be8 and 81...t'bg7 mate! Therefore after 80 Bg1 lteg7 81 Sxg6 :txg6 White would have
to give up his bishop with i.xh6 on one of the next two moves, which leaves him with the
worse game.
So Bronstein retreated his king, after which Black had two pawns and the initiative for
the piece:
79 'itg4 gxfS+ 80 'ith3 :e g 7 81 l:lf3 U.g1
176
82.l:tef1?
After this White loses as his bishop will be hanging on c1 at the end of the tactical se
quence. He might have held on with 82 Sxg1 Sx g l 83 ii.fl .!t:'lxe4 when a repetition with 84
'it;h2 l:lg4 85 &h3 l:tg1 86 'it;h2 is a likely finish.
82...fxe4 83 :txf6 !8g3+ 84 'it;h2 l:t3g2+ 85 'it;h3 exd3 86 &xh6+'it;g8 87 .l:txd6 l:tg3+ 88 ct>h2
Sx f1 89 'it;xg3 dxc2l
A vital improvement on 89....l:txc1, when 90 cxd3 just about survives for White. If now 90
ii.d2 e4 and the pawns roll through.
90 .i.h6 Sf4! 0-1
P a r t T w o : B la c k k e e p s th e t e n s io n w it h 7 ... o-o
Game 21
D.Bogdan-T.Leviczki
Hungarian League 2005
1 lDf3 dS 2 g3 cs 3 .i.g 2 .!t:'lc6 4 0-0 es S d3
6 lbbd2 .i.e7 7 e4
The move order in the actual game was 1 e4 c5 2 d3 lbc6 3 g3 d5 4 lbd2 lbf6 5 Jlg2 e5 6
lbgf3 ii.e7 7 0-0. To recap, the suggested Sicilian move order given in this book is 1 e4 c5 2
.!t:'lf3 .!t:'lc6 3 d3 ttlf6 4 g3 d5 5 ttlbd2 e5 6 ii.g2 i.e7 7 0-0.
7...0-0
Black diverges from the 7...d4 advance of the previous game.
8a4l?
177
178
Yes, I agree a quick ...d5xe4 and ...l:td8 for Black is awkward for White if he persists in
playing slowly after 8...'ikc7. Therefore I think W hite should concede the centre with 9 exd5
lbxds 10 lbc4. Compared to the line discussed in the chapter introduction, Black doesn't
have a regrouping with ...lbc7 available to him as his queen blocks the square. Further
more, the queen's absence from d8 means White's pawn on d3 is safer than usual, whereas
the knight on d5 is exposed to a discovered attack by the bishop on g2 with 11 lbfxe5. Play
could continue 10....1te6 (the game F.Nijboer-L.Oll, New York 1995, went 10...lbf6 and now
11 l:te1 ltJd7 12 aS looks pleasant for White) 11 litel f6 12 c3 Sad8 13 ltJfd2 (unleashing the
bishop and preparing lbe4 in some lines) 13...'i!i'd7 (an indication of lost time) 14 a5 when
White has pressure on the queenside.
9 h3
179
Answer: White's pieces are working in a cramped environment. For example, if 9 'ie l? !
Black could force the queen back to d l ifhe wished with 9...lDb4. So any move that holds
the black pieces a little further atbay is welcome.
Playing h2-h3 rules out ...ii.g4, which can be an irritating pin on the knight, and guards
against a future ...lL!g4. This knight move would be especially strong if, in the pawn centre
that arises after ...d5-d4, White has played f2-f4 so that ...lL!e3 becomes a threat.
Finally, 9 h3 might support a follow-up pawn advance to f2-f4 with g3-g4.
9...11.f810 l:.e1
If Black chooses 10...d4, White would rather have the rook on f l than el. But never
mind: there is no rule in chess that says the rook can't retrace its steps with f if l again in
the future. Here, for example, is J.Hernando Pertierra-H.Castano Vanegas, Madrid 2010: 10
'ifi1h2?! h6 11 fie l g6 12 b3 d4 and with Black having closed the centre, 13 l:!.fl! was played
to support a future f2-f4. After 13 ...'ic7 14 lL!c4 ii.e6 (when your opponent is planning to
ram your kingside with f2-f4, it is provocative to say the least to put a pawn on g6 and a
bishop on e6 which can be rammed by f4-f5) 15 ii.d2 b6 16 lL!h4 lL!d7 17 f4 White's attack
eventually broke through.
I don't recommend 10 'ifi1h2, however, as Black can respond with 10...dxe4 11 dxe4 as he
does in the main game. As we shall see, in this structure Bogdan's 10 S e l move is more
useful.
10...dxe4
At last Black chooses to play with a fixed pawn centre and an open d-file. After 10...d4
White could even consider 11 f if l straightaway, but 11 lL!c4 looks the best way to start his
plan ofgetting in f2-f4.
11 dxe4
180
12 ii.fl!
Question; What happens if White plays 12b3.
planning to develop his bishop to b2 and attack e5?
Answer: The move 12 b3?! would allow Black to justify his knight move with 12...c4!. Then
13 lL!xc4 allows 13..."ixdl 14 Sx d l lL!xe4 or 14...lL!xc2, while 13 bxc4 'ic7 followed by ...ii.e6
leaves White with a fractured queenside and a sickly pawn on c4.
By putting his bishop on f l Bogdan guards against ...c5-c4, which means he can develop
his queenside after all.
l2...h6
181
182
183
31:.exf4l
Exercise: Why is this a terrible mistake? And what should Black have done instead?
Answer: Maintaining the bulwark on e5 in this set-up is as vital for Black as it is for White
in the KIA not to have his e4 strongpoint overrun. White now has mobile centre pawns, a
bishop on b2 that is staring menacingly at g7, and an open g-file for his queen and rook.
Black should have stood his ground with 31....i.d6! when White would probably have
had to settle for f4-f5 at some point with a space advantage to add to his fantastic knight,
but the game would still be a fight.
32 gxf4 li)b6 33 'iWf2
Stronger was 33 Sg1 with the threat of 34 li)f6+! gxf6 35 .i.h1+ 'ith7 36 'i!Vg2, with mate
to follow on g8 or g7 as Black chooses.
33...fs
A despairing bid for counterplay that could have been refuted by 34 exf5 Sxe1 35 'ifxel
t'Dxd5 36 'i!Ve6+ 'ith7 (or 36...'i!Vf7 37 .i.xd5) 37 cxd5, etc.
34 'iVg3 .i.xds 35 cxds 'it'd7
The only fighting chance was to give up the exchange for a pawn with 35...fxe4 36 .i.xe4
l:l.xe4 37 ltxe4 'i!Vxd5.
36 e5
184
Now the white central pawns are crushing, as 36...lLlxd5 loses the knight to 37 .lidl.
36...c4 37 bxc4 l2'lxc4 38 .i.d4 l2'la3 39 'i'd3 g6 40 .i.b2 l2'lbs 41 e 6 1-0
The pawns rnn riot after 41...'i'b7 42 d6 'i'b8 43 e7.
185
Chapter Five
To keep play in the style of the King's Indian Attack, White will engineer an e2-e4 pawn
advance beginning with d2-d3 and lbbd2; if he prefers the c2-c4 pawn advance we are in
the territory of the Reti Opening.
From the diagram above play might continue 5 d3 e6 6 lbbd2 i.e7 7 b3 0-0 8 i.b2 h6 9
'i e l a5 10 e4 i.h7.
186
White has developed his queen's bishop to an open diagonal on b2 and with the help of
his queen achieved his aim of advancing e2-e4. For his part, Black has secured a safe spot
for his bishop on h7 and has kicked off his queenside activity with 9..a5. The middlegame
is about to begin, with both players manoeuvring for advantage. This is the way Game 23
below started.
187
188
A model game
Overcoming a problem in your opening repertoire can have a massive effect on your re
sults, and not just because you do better in the line that you have improved. It lifts your
overall mood and makes you play better in general when you're not haunted by the fear
'What if my opponent plays the problem line against me?'. It's even better when the varia
tion you always lose against becomes the line you always win against.
I'd like to show you how a simple change in my opening repertoire boosted my results
and helped me get the IM title. Up until 1985 with White I always used to enter into the
New York System versus the Reti with moves such as 1 lDf3 d5 2 c4 c6 3 b3 .tf5 4 g3 tt:lf6 5
i.g2 h6 6 .tb2 e6 7 0-0 .te7 8 d3 i.h7 9 tt:lbd2 tt:lbd7 10 a3 a5.
I wouldn't have the faintest idea what to do. My musings (or rather 'thoughts leading to
mental paralysis') were something like: 'If White advances in the centre then the bishop on
h7 comes to life. But if I do nothing Black can gain ground on the queenside by preparing
...b7-b5, or in some cases by arranging an advance in the centre himself with ...e5-e4.1al
ready stand badly.' Whether this assessment of the position was objectively true or not is
irrelevant - what mattered is that as a young player inexperienced in solving strategic
problems I was completely at sea, and suffered some horrible loses as White.
I was perplexed for a long time, but then I came across the game NimzowitschRubinstein in Ray Keene's book Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack. Yes, here at last was the solu
tion. If White didn't play 2 c4, the bishop on h7 could be shut out of the game because the
d3-pawn would act like solid granite (I got that expression from Nimzowitsch via Keene as
well). That means the e-pawn can advance without loosening the centre too much.
It didn't take much to tweak my opening repertoire, and I won my next six games
against Black's set-up. I went from holding my breath out offear that my opponent would
play this set-up to holding my breath out of fear that he wouldn't fall into the trap'. It
makes you wonder how many players continue to persevere with an opening that they al
ways fail against, putting it down to bad luck when their opponent plays the line they fear,
189
A.Nimzowitsch-A.Rubinstein
1 lLlf3 dS 2 b3
2....1.fS
Question: Why does Rubinstein prefer to develop his bishop
straightaway rather than play 2..f6, which looks more natural?
Answer: If Black had played 2...lLlf6, then he would have to renounce developing his bishop
to fS with 3 .i.b2 e6, or acquiesce to having his pawns doubled after 3....i.f5 4 .i.xf6 exf6 or
4...gxf6. Either recapture looks OK for Black, who has the two bishops to offset his slightly
compromised pawns. Nonetheless, the classically-minded Rubinstein doesn't want to give
his opponent that option.
3 i.b2 e6 4 g3 h6
190
Exercise: We're told to avoid pawn moves that dont have a clear purpose,
especially ofthe h2-h3 or ...h7-h6 variety when they gratuitously weaken
the kingside. Why then does Black, a genius of positional play, spend
a tempo pushing his h-pawn instead of developing his queenside?
Answer: The purpose of 4...h6 is to tuck away the bishop on h7 in the event that White tries
to hunt it down with ^h4 or attacks it by arranging an e2-e4 pawn advance. In the latter
event the cleric would continue to exert pressure against e4 and, should White advance e4e5, further down the diagonal against d3 and c2. It's rather strange to see this prophylactic
move played before 4...>f6, but it has also been used by modern grandmasters.
5 .i.g2 id7
We can object to this move, however. There might be instances where c6 is a better
square for the knight. Since Black is definitely going to move his other knight to f6, why not
5.. .>f6 straightaway? If you have two options and you can't decide what to play, it's best to
play the move you are going to make sooner or later.
6 0-0 >gf6 7 d3 .i.e7
191
8e3
Question: what is the purpose of this move? Why doesn't
White get on with the plan of advancing the pawn to e4 with
A>d2 and fie l, instead of messing about with silly little half moves?
Answer: White is making a cubby-hole for his queen on e2 where she can support the key
advance of the pawn to e4. This is of course a vital strategic idea in the King's Indian At
tack. However, modern taste would be for 8 t'L:!bd2, 9 We1, and 10 e4, which is somewhat
more flexible. In this alternative sequence the white queen may choose to stay on e l for a
long time, so that t'L:!bd2, 'ili'el, and e2-e4 is in effect saving a tempo over e2-e3, 'ie2 , t'L:!bd2,
and e3-e4.
However, note that in either case the queen is utilized to force the pawn advance to e4.
The rook is kept on f1 where it will be better placed to support a future kingside action be
ginning with f2-f4, once the knight on f3 is out ofthe way of course.
S. 0-0 9 'ili'e2 c6 10 <ihl as
192
Exercise: Its your choice. Black is lookingto gain space on the queenside.
Should White: a) Block the pawn with 11 a4- b) Play 11 a3 to meet ll...a4
with 12 b4. c) Ignore Black's plan with 11 bd2 as the a-pawn is no threat?
Answer: 11 a4!
It's very important for White to do something about the black a-pawn. After the routine
11 ^bd2? Black can advance 11...a4 with the initiative on the queenside. He wouldn't have
to do anything at once with the pawn, he could just leave ideas of ...a4-a3 or ...a4xb3 hang
ing over White's head. This would be a permanent distraction for White from his plan of
advancing on the kingside: for example, if he played Sae1 at any point then ...a4xb3 would
clear the way for an invasion of the seventh rank by the black rook with ...5a2.
You can't play the King's Indian Attack to a high level unless you play preventive, or
prophylactic, moves like 11 a4.
However, option 'b', moving the a-pawn one square, is also worthy of attention. If
Black's knight were still on b8, rather than developed to d7, 11 a3 might be preferable to 11
a4 as it would stop the knight being developed to a strong post on the queenside with
...^a6 and ...^b4. Incidentally, this justifies our doubt about the move 5...^d7 - the knight
didn't need to be developed straightaway and might have done better lingering for a while
on b8. Modern players tend to keep the knight at home until the situation has been re
solved on the queenside, playing ...a7-a5 before developing the horse. It might well choose
a6 over d7.
After 11 a3, Black could press on with 11...a4 when 12 b4 (it's essential not to let the
queenside pawns be broken up by 12...axb3) 12...c5!? is double-edged, but White has kept
his centre compact after 13 bxcs i.xc5 14 >bd2. Alternatively, 11 ...c5!? at once introduces
the positional threat of 12...a4 as White is denied 13 b4 in reply. So play could go 12 a4!
when it takes two moves for the pawn to get to a4, but White can claim that 11...c5 has
3.93
Bxerche: What is the best plan for Black? a) Gain space in the centre with
11...7 12 rt>d2 e5. b) Put the knight on c5 to deter e3-e4 by guarding the
e4-square a fourth time, c) Seek counterplay on the queenside with ...b7-b5.
11...ttJc5
Answer: First of all, ll...b5? is the sort of blunder that Bill Hartston in his book How to Cheat
at Chess would say is perpetuated by players whose eyes are too close together. After the
reply 12 ltJd4! Black has no good response to the double threat of 13 liJxc6, destroying his
queen side pawns, and 13 ltJxf5, smashing up his central pawn structure and acquiring the
bishop-pair. If Black wants to venture ...b7-b5 he should at least prepare it with ...i.h7 to
avoid the knight fork. But it still wouldn't be a very good idea - the pawn advance weakens
the black queenside pawns more than it inflicts damage on White's queenside pawns. This
doesn't mean that ...b7-b5 is never a good plan; it can be a telling blow if Black's pieces are
well positioned to support it (for example, a knight on b4 would be nice).
The best idea for Black is to arrange ...e6-e5. It might be worth preparing it with the
'comfort' move 11...li.h7, getting his bishop out of the range of attack by e3-e4 or ltJd4,
then ...2eS and ...i.d6, but there seems nothing wrong with the direct 11...'ifc7! as in op
tion 'a' above: for example, 12 liJbd2 e5.
194
At first it seems like 13 e4 is a strong riposte, as after 13...dxe4 14 dxe4 .th7 White gains
the option of ^c4 at a good moment (not immediately as e4 falls, but following 15 >h4 for
example). Black doesn't want to concede a good central post to the white knight. However,
it turns out that instead of 13 ...dxe4 he can play 13 ....th7! as 14 exds cxds 15 ^xes ^xes
16 'ili'xes 'it'xc2 works out well for Black.
So White should forgo trying to win a pawn with 14 exds and make do with 14 ^h4,
but Black is very solid. If White had adopted the 'modern' approach with 'ie 1 and e2-e4 see the note to 8 e3 above - it would have been harder for Black to arrange ...e6-e5 as
White has an 'extra' move in the battle along the e-file.
The actual game move, 11...^c5, stops the advance e3-e4 by guarding the square a
fourth time, but as it can't be prevented in the long term the whole idea is faulty. The more
effort a player makes to prevent a move, the stronger that move becomes if the opponent
succeeds in playing it. The threat is often stronger than the execution. Rather than have
your pieces engage in a fool's errand, get them doing other useful stuff. Then when the
breakthrough you fear occurs, there may be so much going on that it will only be one stra
tegic feature among many on the board, rather than the key strategic feature.
12 >d4
195
White clears the way for his f-pawn with gain of time by threatening 13 ll:lxf5.
12..^.i.h7 13 f4
14 ll:ld2 Wc7 15 e4
Note the importance of the pawn on c2. It is the linchpin that holds together White's
queen side and centre pawn structure. Without the pawn being in place - i.e. if White had
played the 'English' move c2-c4 at an earlier point - his plan of attack would have been
impossible as d3 would collapse.
15.dxe416 ll:lxe4 ll:lxe417 dxe4 eS 18 ll:lf3\
Played according to Philidor's precept that the pieces are the servants of the pawns. In
stead ofputting his knight on a strong attacking square with 18 ll:lf5, when 18....i.f6 main
tains the black centre, Nimzowitsch is keen to remove the strongpoint on e5 which is act
ing as a barrier to the mobility of his king side pawns.
18...exf4 19 gxf4 Sfe 8
Naturally if 19...'ixf4 20 ll:le5 wins a piece, but now the white centre is gathering steam.
196
197
1 ltlf3 d5 2
198
ltlf6 3 .i.g2 c6
All straightforward and simple to understand: White puts his d-pawn and queen's
knight into position to support the e2-e4 advance.
6.. 7
The safest square for the bishop.
Why is 6...JLd6 inadvisable here?
199
10 e4 .th7
200
Exercise: Can you give reasons why 11 e5 would be a bad move here? And also,
do you think White should meet the advance of the black queenside pawn with :
11 a4, blocking it, with 11 a3 to meet li...a4 with 12 b4, slipping around it?
11 a3
Answer: We have to reject 11 e5 as premature at best - or perhaps I should be less kind and
call it a serious mistake:
1) It shuts in White's bishop on b2.
2) It takes the e5-square away from the knight {ltle5 is often a useful preliminary to
gaining space with f2-f4).
3) It takes away flexibility from the white centre, as the e4-pawn no longer supports a
future f4-f5 advance.
4) It makes Black's bishop on h7 a better piece because it can now see the d3-pawn,
which it can help to target in combination with a future ...ltlb4 deployment and a possible
...c5-c4 pawn advance.
Here is an exaggerated example of White removing all the barriers to Black's light-squared
bishop through adhering to the motto seizing space is always right':
1 lt:lf3 d5 2 g3 ltlf6 3 JJ.g2 c6 4 0-0JJ.f5 5 b3 e6 6 JJ.b2 ltlbd7 7 d3 i.c5 8 ltlbd2 0-0 9 'i'e1
h6 10 e4 JJ.g6 11 'i h l 'ili'b6 12 e5? ltle813 d4?
White gains two tempi with these pawn advances, but so what? Time might be of vital
importance in the Sicilian and other open games, but here with the centre blocked the
harmony of pieces and pawns is paramount. White's dark-squared bishop is reduced to
being a 'big pawn' whilst the defences along the b1-h7 diagonal have been systematically
removed.
13....i.e7 14 c4 .i.d3 15 c5
Completing a triangle of dead wood in the centre.
201
The unwieldy centre is undermined. As David Bronstein remarked, once you have lost
control of a complex of squares of a certain colour, your pieces become objects of attack
even ifthey are sitting on squares ofthe other colour.
23 'iVe3 ic7 24 i.c3 ib5 25 i.e 1 ia3 26 'ifc3 fxe5 27 dxe5 ^c4 28 ibd4 &xc5
White's centre had crumbled away in Luong Phuong Hanh-Pham Thi Thu Hien, Vietnam
2013. The remaining moves were 29 ^xf5 l:r.xf5 30 ^d4 l:r.xe5 31 xc6 'ifxc6 32 'ifxc4 dxc4
33 i.xc6 &d3 34 litd1 i.f6 35 i.a4 Se2 36 Sac1 & x cl 37 Axcl l:r.xa2 38 i.d7 Se2 39 'it;g2
Sb7 40 .i.c6 litbb2 41 i.f3 .Uec2 42 l:r.dl c3 43 i.g4 Sb6 44 S a l a6 45 i.f3 l:.cb2 46 i.e 4 c2 47
i.a5 l:6b5 0-1 .
Returning to the Malakhov game, White's response to the strategic threat of 11...a4 is
critical.
202
In the previous game he chose a2-a4, but in that scenario the black knight was already
developed to d7. Here it is still on b8, so after 11 a4 Black has available the strong manoeu
vre 11 ...ll:la6 and 12...ll:lb4 when the black knight is on the equivalent of an outpost square
deep in White's territory: ejecting it with c2-c3 would weaken the white queen side and
centre too much. With a gigantic horse on b4 and a rock solid ...c6, ... d5, and ...e6 structure,
Black would have little to fear. Therefore Malakhov prefers to cover the b4-square against a
knight invasion with 11 a3, and answer 11...a4 with 12 b4, keeping the white queenside
pawns intact.
11...CS
As 11 a3 has denied the black knight the b4-square, a popular alternative plan is to put
the horse on c5. After 11...ll:la6 12 'ie 2 ll:lc5 White has two continuations that gain a prom
ising game with pressure in the centre:
Firstly, 13 tLle5 utilizing the e5-square for the knight. Play might continue 13.. . 'i 6 14
'it>hl .:tfe8 (after 14...ll:la4 White has the riposte 15 ll:ldc4! dxc416 ll:lxc4 and then 17 bxa4,
winning a pawn) 15 f4 as in S.Maksimovic-M.Efroimski, Plovdiv 2008. Note that White has
no reason to move the rook from fl.
Secondly, 13 e5, gaining space and intending to station the knight on d4 rather than e5:
13...ll:lfd7 14 ll:ld4 ' i 6 15 a4 (avoiding any funny stuff with 15...ll:la4) 15...ll:la6 16 i.h3 ll:lc7
17 'ith l 'ia 6 18 f4 as in L.Polugaevsky-K.Langeweg, Amsterdam 1972. As after 13 tLle5,
White has no need or intention of playing .l:.fel: his rook w ill either stay on f l to support an
advance on the f-file, or be used on the queenside if the action hots up there.
Questions Hold on! You just gave a list of reasons why the e4-e5 advance was
bad foT White in the note to a3, so why is 13 e5 suddenly a good idea ?
203
Answer: Well, any move can be good or bad according to the idea or thinking behind it. For
example, the pawn move ...h7-h6 can be a stupid waste of time when played by a beginner,
but I gave 8...h6 an exclamation mark in this game as it's an important part of Black's
opening scheme.
It is vital that you look at the specific position in front ofyou -the interaction ofthe
pieces and pawns - before committing yourselfto e4-e5. It should never be done thought
lessly, as it permanently changes the nature of the pawn structure. A good question to ask
yourself is: Does it take the energy away from my pieces and give it to the opponent's
pieces?'
Polugaevsky sees that he will have the advance f4-f5 at his disposal, which he can sup
port with a bishop on h3, rook on fl, and knight on d4. He hasn't given up on the light
squares or turned his centre into an inert mass - it is still alive, with the potential to ex
pand further.
We should return to the game. With ll.. .c5 Black has cleared the c6-square for his
knight and so threatens the ramming move 12.. .a4 again, as the response 13 b4 would now
simply lose a pawn to 13...cxb4.
204
205
Question: I don't get it. White plays 9 W ei, then 10 e4, then three moves
later 13 We2 - that's fair enough, as he wants to keep the rook on f l to
support an f2-f4 advance. But now he puts the rook on e l after all.
Why not play 9 fie l, 10 e4, and then put the queen directly on e2, saving a
tempo by omitting the W e i move? Black has no way to stop this, right?
Answer: It's true that the game sequence represents a loss of a tempo for White, assuming
that play goes exactly the same after 9 2e1 as it does after 9 'ili'e1. However 'behind the
scenes' Malakhov was making sure he kept his rook on f l in case Black adopted the plan of
...li:Ja6 and ...li:Jc5 outlined in the note to 11...c5 above. The move l:tfel wouldn't have
achieved anything in that scenario - on the contrary, it would be better left on f l to sup
port f2-f4.
Potkin chose a different approach, so it looks - wrongly - like Malakhov has just squan
dered a tempo in not committing his rook to e l at an early stage.
Now circumstances are changed and White decides to play in the centre as clearing the
way for an attack with f2-f4 with 14 li:Jh4?! leaves Black nicely centralized after 14...li:Jd4.
14...l:tc8 15 li:Je5 li:Jd4 16 'ifd l
Retreating pieces is an indignity you have to get used to in the King's Indian Attack. The
important thing is your strategic prospects - and here White can be pleased that Black has
no ...c5-c4 breakthrough, whilst he himself can hope to expand on the kingside in the fu
ture.
16...'ifc7 17 f4 if 8 18 .:tc1
Another quiet back rank move. The rook defends the c2-square a second time to free his
queen for active pursuits.
Exercise: Imagine if Black now plays I8...dxe4. How
should White respond: 19 dxe4,19 }xe4, or 19 c3?
206
This is the 'cleanest' way for White to play as it avoids any weaknesses in his pawn
structure. Black won't be able to gain any initiative on the queen side. On the contrary,
there is a hint of light-square fragility on bS and c4. He therefore has no good plan, and
would have to wait to see what White comes up with - this might be a gradual advance of
the white kingside pawns after a lot of preparation, of course.
18...litcd8 19 exds
Malakhov decides the way to make progress is to ensure the d-file stays closed and evict
207
.. Exercise: How does White now add some oomph to his position?
Answer: 21 g4\ iDd6 22 lbd2\
After a quiet start, the game is hotting up. Malakhov's last two moves show what the
King's Indian Attack is all about. There is the use of a pawn on the wing to undermine the
enemy centre, and there is a seemingly unthreatening retreat in White's own camp that
contains a lot of poison. By going back to d2 the knight unleashes the light-squared bishop,
forcing Black to consider what to do against a possible 23 gS, driving away the defender of
the d5-pawn.
22...C4
208
Exercise: How
..
queenside counterplay? a) Capture the pawn, b) Carry on with
' his kingside action with 23 g5- c) Move the bishop from b2.
Answer: 23 Ad4!
Patience is the watchword in the KIA. The bishop sits in the eye of the storm. There are
no pawns that can evict it, and it denies the black queen access to b6 or c5.
Instead, quite lousy for White are 23 bxc4?? dropping a piece to 23...'i'b6+ and 23 dxc4?
ltlxc4! 24 bxc4 'i6 + 25 ^ h l 'i'xb2. Meanwhile the attempt to attack with 23 g5 soon falls
apart after 23...hxg5 24 fxg5 c3 25 gxf6 cxb2 26 :tb l ltlf5, etc.
23...bS
Hoping to get at White's bishop after 24 axb5 ltlxb5.
24 ltlf1
Another powerful retreat. The knight aims to go to e3 when it will add to the pressure
on the d5-pawn. It never gets there in the game because the increasing pressure spooks
Potkin into a desperate tactical response:
24...bxa4 25 bxa4 ltlb7 26 g5
209
Black has managed to stave off the fork for a couple ofmoves, but the blow finally falls.
He will be left a piece down for a couple ofpawns, which is hopeless against a 2700 player.
The remaining moves were:
31...'id 6 32 dxc5 1Wxc5+ 33 &h 1 gxf6 34 'Bf3 d4 35 'ix f 6 l:td6 36 'iff4 d3 37 cxd3 .i.xd3 38
lbd2 'Bd4 39 'ix d 4 Sxd4 40 'it>g1 <&8 41 'it>f2 'it>e7 42 .i.c6 'it>d6 43 .i.b5 'it>ds 44 'it>g3 fS 45
.i.xc4+ .i.xc4 46 lbxc4 l:Ig4+ 47 'it>f3 1-0
Black can't recoup his piece as White easily wins the pawn race after 47...Sxc4 48 fixc4
'it>xc4: for example, 49 ^ 4 4 5O h4 <
>
xa4 51 hS ^b3 52 h6 a4 53 h7 a3 54 h8'6' a2 55
'ia l.
K.Movsziszian-J.Lopez Martinez
1 lbf3 lbf6 2 g3 dS 3 .i.g 2 c6 4 o-o .if5 5 d3 e6 6 Zhbd2 h6 7 'ie 1 .i.e7 8 e4 .i.h7 9 ^ eS
Again a direct approach rather than 9 b3. The knight clears the way for the advance of
thef-pawn.
9...0-0 10 f4 lba6
210
_ Exercise: Can you see any drawbacks to Whites 9 5 move? Also, what is the
plan behind 0...3, and what measures should White take in order to counter it?
Before discussing the questions above, let's see how play unfolds over the next four
moves:
Exercise: Imagine that Black decides his pieces are on their optimum squares and
so waits, say, with lS...a6, and then plays passive moves like ...Hfe8, .f8, and then
in the absence of direct threats by White keeps moving the bishop backwards and
.forwards with ...JLe7 and ..JLf8, etc. How would you slowly build up Whites game?
Answer: It's often the case that when a player has adopted a strategy that doesn't involve
the use of pawns things come to a standstill, because all his big pieces are on good squares,
but there is no way to breakthrough to hurt the opponent. In this specific case Black needs
212
Now if Black leaves his queen on d4 and simply waits, moving his pieces backwards and
forwards, here's how White might build up his game until he wins material: 16 ...Sfe8 17
Af3 Af8 18 ^g2 (White takes the chance to improve the position ofhis king by removing it
from the back rank) 18...Ae7 19 ^ec4 (retreating the knight boxes in the black queen)
19...i.f8 20 Sa3! (bringing the rook to e3 to strengthen the e4-pawn) 20....te7 21 e3 i.f8
22 b3 (a fianchetto at last) 22...e7 23 -&b2 'id 7 24 &eS! litf8 25 lita1! (threatening to trap
the knight on cs with b3-b4) 2S...'ie8 (thanks to the strong bishop on es, 2S...'ic8 26 ^b6
is embarrassing for the black queen) 26 b4 ^cd7 27 ^d6 &xd6 28 &xd6 and White wins
the exchange.
Alternatively, starting from the analysis diagram above, Black might put his queen on
b4 and then wait. A possible line is 16.. . 'i 4 17 i.f3 fife8 18 ^g2 i.f8 19 ^ec4 (as in the
variation above, this retreat constricts the black queen's movement; it also defends the
knight on d2 again in preparation for the development of the bishop from c1) 19...Sd7 20
b3 Sed8 (or 20...'ic3 21 Sa2! Sed8 22 ib1 when the black queen is trapped after 22...' i 4
23 i.a3 ' i s 24 ^c3, so Black would have to speculate with the immediate queen sacrifice
22...icxe4 23 ^xc3 ^xc3 24Wf2 ixa2, but White looks better after 25 ^e5) 21 We3 i.e7
22 Se2. White has bolstered the e4-pawn and his defences along the d-file, despite the
enormous pressure from the black pieces. He is ready to play 23 i.a3 or 23 .tb2 with the
initiative thanks to the awkward position of the black queen.
Seeing that his position w ill eventually be worn down if he does nothing, Lopez Marti
nez decides to regroup his pieces. He clears the way for his queen to retreat to b6, but on
the other hand he is reducing the pressure on e4.
213
White has more space so he avoids the exchange of knights which would unclutter the
black position.
16..Ji'b6 17 b3
A small victory for White who is able to develop his bishop to the long diagonal now
that the black queen has left d4.
17...lt:)cS
Again Black offers the exchange ofl<nights.
18 lDf2\
Correctly declining. If 18 tbxc5 .txc5 the black bishop gets to a good diagonal. After 18
li:e5 Black could 18...tbcd7 continuing to hunt the white knight, so that only leaves the f2square.
1 8 ..'ia6
Thwarted in his bid to exchange knights, Black now tries to get the queens off.
214
Now 28...'ifa6 29 S a l l:tb8 gives Black counterplay. White might then try 30 g4!? with
the plan of 31 i.f3, 32 Sg2, and 33 g5 to begin his long-awaited kingside attack.
28.lt'!c5?
When a strong player makes a mistake it is often for psychological reasons. Here Black
loses his sense of danger and goes hunting the a4-pawn at the cost of his kings safety.
Might we talk of a loss of patience, fear of a white attack on the kingside, or overconfidence
215
He might as well grab the pawn as otherwise his travails on the kingside are for noth
ing.
31 'ikg4+
It was more precise to begin with 31 Sb1, driving the black queen away from b6 where
she might aid in the defence of the f6-pawn after the pawn move ...c6-c5 or by going to d4.
For example, 31...'i'c7 (instead, 31...'ifd4 loses a piece to 32 Ob4) 32 'ig4+ ^h8 33 ' i 4 &g7
and now White can fix the kingside with 34 fS! e5 (to stop W hites rook joining in the at
tack with Sf4 and Sg4+) 35 lLlf2! followed by 36 lLlg4, hitting both f6 and h6, which is deci
sive. The white queen and knight will be a deadly attacking duo.
31...&h8 32 'ih4 &g7 33 eS
As with 31 'i'g4+, this is a very human decision. Black has weakened himself on the dark
squares around his king, so 33 es, putting a pawn on a dark square and winning the queen
access to f6, feels right. And with best play it is good enough to win.
However, as at move 31, the more accurate pawn push was still 33 fS! when after
33...e5 (again, he must stop ltf4) 34 Sa1 lLlc3 3S lLlf2 Black has no good response to the
threat of 36 lLlg4, attacking both f6 and h6, as 35...'i'e3, to put the queen on g5, fails to 36
216
37 h4
Exercise: Is this the best way to pursue the kingside
attack? Try to find another way to breakthrough.
Answer: White should have pushed his other pawn. After 37 g4! fxg4 38 lDf2! there is no
good way to stop 39 lLlxg4, for if 38...i.f5 (the alternative 38...f5 has to be tried, but 39 exf6
is ruinous for Black) 39 lLlxg4 .i.xg4 40 'igS+ ^h8 41 'i4 + ^g7 42 'ixg4+ ^h8 43 'ih5+
and Black is soon mated.
37...'i!kd8 38 i.xc6 7 39 i.f3 f6
Black could have put up a staunch defence with 39...'ih8 40 J:Ig1 J:lg8.
40 g4
And now this is too fast. After 40 Sg1 ^h8 41 g4 fxg4 42 Sxg4 White has a winning at
tack.
40...fxg4 41 i.xg4 fS?
Black missed a curious way to force a draw with 41....i.e4+ when 42 ^h2? loses the
white queen to 42...l:h7, so essential is 42 l:!xe4 l:h7! (not 42...tt:lxe4 43 .i.xe6+; Black needs
the h8-square for his king) 43 Wg6+ Wh8 44 Se3 (theres nothing better) 44 ...Sg7 45 Wh5+
Sh7 46 'i!Yg6 Sg7 with a draw by repetition.
42 .i.f3
White is back on track for a win. Black will have no good answer to the pressure along
the g-file as his dark squares are weak and the e6-pawn is deathly weak.
217
H.Nakamura-D.Solak
Istanbul Olympiad 2012
1g3
If you are as versatile as Nakamura, you'll be ready to answer l...e5 with 2 c 4, transpos
ing to an English. Or you might prefer to respond with 2 d3, reaching a Pirc or Modern Re
versed. I won't stop you adopting any of these openings; in fact I wish you luck. The key
thing is to find a repertoire that works for you, even if it means taking a little something
from a couple of different opening systems.
1...dS 2 lt:lf3 lt:lf6 3 iLg2 c6 4 d3 ii.fS
The familiar features of the Slav-like set-up with ...iLf5 have formed.
S o-o e6
218
Everything else being equal, it is almost always to White's advantage to exchange his
knight for Black's light-squared bishop. The proviso 'everything else being equal' basically
means: 'How much does White have to loosen his kingside pawns to nab the bishop, and is
it worth it?'
6...i.g6?!
After this passive retreat the answer to the question above is 'White doesn't have to
loosen his kingside pawns at all'. Black had to fight with 6....ig4 when after the direct 7 h3
.th5 8 g4 tLlfd7! the abject 9 gxh5? 'i'xh4 leaves White's kingside in an awful mess, while
after 9 tLlf3 .tg6 the bishop has escaped being eaten. W hite has two interesting ways to
improve his play in this line, namely after 6....ig4 7 h3 i.h s he can play 8 'i'e1!? or 8 tLld2
ll:bd7 9 'iVe1!?.
219
The exchange ofbishops has allowed Whites other knight to get to f3. He is still unable
to advance the f-pawn, but it has facilitated the development of his queenside. Left undis
turbed he can develop his bishop, and then play fid1. In some cases e4-e5 will increase his
space advantage. Not liking any ofthis, Postny lashed out with 14. ..g5? 15 lLlg2 lLlg7 16
i.d2 f5?. It cant be good to lunge forwards with the black kingside pawns when White is
better developed and the centre is wide open. Black, the much higher-rated player (2627
Elo versus his opponent's 2490) has lost patience against the King's Indian Attack, and that
is always fatal. It soon fell apart for him: 17 exf5 exf5 18 i.c3 (who needs a light-squared
bishop when you can have a dark-squared one cutting into the opponent's kingside?)
18...'ike8 19 Sd1 l:d8 20 'ie 3 h6 21 i.xg7 <
>
xg7 22 id4 ^c5 23 b4 (Black is losing the ex
change because of the fork on e6) 23...lLle4 24 lLle6+ ^g6 25 lLlxf8+ 'ixf8. Black is now the
exchange down for nothing, though he fought on to move 72 before resigning.
We now return to Solak's less critical decision to retreat to g6.
7 Oxg6 hxg6
220
Question: Should White worry about his king being attacked the open h-file?
Answer: As a general rule, you should always worry about your king's safety during a game,
but not too much. Here the risk to White is very minimal. The f2-g3-h2 shell around his
king is solid and his bishop is taking care ofthe light squares. His knight will go to f3 via d2,
further strengthening his defences. And, crucially, Blacks pieces arent on aggressive
squares near the white king, and he has no pawn advances available to open up lines.
Whilst I could just about imagine Nakamura conducting a brilliant attack if he were play
ing Black here, he would need the help of some bad moves by White.
8 tDd2 tDbdiJ 9 e4 dxe4 10 dxe4 eS
Already we see that Black is missing his light-squared bishop. Advancing the pawn to e5
stops White gaining more space and keeps the bishop on g2 shut in, but it exposes the soft
underbelly of the black centre along the a2-g8 and h3-c8 diagonals.
11 "ie2 i.c5 12 tDf3 "ic7 13 h4l
221
Question: RatheT than continue his attacking build-up on the kingside with, say,
17 fih l, Nakamura makes an irrelevant-looking pawn move on the queenside. Why?
Answer: Black's position is highly unpleasant, but it will take some effort for White to win
222
It seems like Black has avoided the worst: he has evacuated his king to the centre, and
after 26 Ile h l l:lxh5 27 l:lxhs 'ifd6 he can look for counterplay with 28...'ifd2, when f2 might
end up weak.
Exercise: But this is the King's Indian Attack.
223
The triumph of the King's Indian Attack: White's light-squared bishop provides more
cover of the squares around its own king, and more attacking force against the enemy
king, than its counterpart on cs. Black now blunders, but its already lost as f7 is falling: for
example, 30...'ie8 31 Sxf7! is checkmate in 18 (!) moves according to the computer, but the
nicest finish is the streamlined 31...l:.xf7 32 l:h8+ f8 (32...&f8 meets with the same two
white moves, while 32...<&t?e7 allows mate as in the game) 33 'ie6+ &e7 34 &g6 mate. Now
that's what I call light-squared domination by the white bishop.
30.'ib5 31 'ie6# 1-0
224
E.Vorobiov-P.Tregubov
Rijeka (rapid) 2010
1 tiJf3 ds 2 g3 tiJf6 3 i.g 2 c6 4 o-o .tfS S d3 e6 6 tiJfd 2
Retreating the knight to d2 enables White to advance e2-e4 without having to play the
preparatory ife1 or e2-e3 and 'ili'e2. It also clears the way for the f-pawn.
6...es
A natural response: White has reduced the pressure on Black's centre and so he takes
the chance to equalize the space balance.
Question: Maybe I'm a cautious fellow, but the first question
Id want to ask about 6 4tfd2 is do I get mated by 6...h5?.
Answer: Well, 6...h5 at once looks a little primitive, though it won the only time I've seen it
played: 7 e4 i.g6 8 e5 tiJfd7 9 tiJf3 i.e7 10 tiJc3?! h 4 11 ltJe2 i.h5 12 d4 gS and Black had a
scary initiative in D.Tocchioni-E.Sveshnikov, Cesenatico 2010. At move 10 I'd prefer to
clamp down on the h-pawn with 10 h4 (note how this also stops the annoying ...i.h5
move); for example, ifl0...0-0 there's no more attack and we can build up with 11 l:te1, etc.
Or if 10... c5 to clear c6 for the knight then 11 c4 starts to undermine the black centre.
A more sophisticated form of the ...h5-h4 advance was seen in the following game:
6...1.c5 (Black might as well put his bishop on this active square as the white pieces aren't
in a position to disturb it) 7 e4 i.g6 8 ^h1 (less provocative is 8 'iWe2 then 9 tiJb3, getting
out the queenside pieces) 8...dxe4 9 dxe4 h5!? 10 h3 h4 11 g4 e5 12 'iWe1 tiJbd7 13 tiJb3 i.d6
225
Exercise: How should White meet the attack on his queen? a) Move the queen
to e l. b) Offer to exchange bishops with jLf3. c) Block the attack with f2-f3.
Answer: 9 'ilfel
After 9 &f3?! -&e6 White will have to lose time with his bishop to get in f2-f4. Mean
while 9 f3 is a more subtle loss of time. In the game, White drives the bishop back with h2h3, a useful move as he wants to guard the g4-square and play 'ith2. By playing 9 f3 and
later f3-f4 he will have lost the tempi he used for h2-h3. Besides, it could be argued that the
white queen is better on e1 than d1 as she defends e4.
9...lLlbd7 10 lLlc3 c5
I hope you are starting to get a feel for these type of positions. They appear very balanced,
with space being equal and both sides having a more or less trouble-free development. How
ever, when we look more closely we notice some important features that give White, if not
the better game, then at least more chances to carry out an effective plan in the future.
226
Answer: Clearly, I'm not talking about the superficial activity of the players pieces, because
the figures arent very attractive for White:
Total number of squares the black bishops can move to without being captured: 8.
Total number of squares the white bishops can move to without being captured: 1.
So the black bishops control eight times more squares than the white bishops. But so
what? The dosed nature ofthe position means that is better to have pieces on their long
term optimal squares rather than developed quickly.
Looking at the pawn structure, White has the potential to gain space with f2-f4, whilst
Black has no equivalent pawn lever. Here we see the value of the pawn on g3 - after a fu
ture ...e5xf4 in response to f2-f4, the recapture g3xf4 is possible, keeping the white centre
intact and mobile. So we see that the move 2 g3 wasn't just a question of 'get the g-pawn
out of the way so that I can play il.g2' - the g3-pawn is an important strategic asset due to
its support of a future f2-f4. Another good point to g2-g3 is that it stops Black ever playing
...f4, unless as a sacrifice, of course. In contrast, White can play rf5, as in most situations
the preventive pawn move ...g7-g6 would loosen the black kingside too much as there's no
bishop on g7 equivalent to White's bishop on g2.
The bishop on g2 is shut in, and will stay shut in on g2 until the end of the game. It will
have no attacking value at all. But it guards the e4-pawn and, due to its enormous defen
sive power in shielding the king, gives us the freedom to play moves like f2-f4, knowing
that after ...e5xf4 the recapture g3xf4 won't leave the white king exposed to terrible dan
ger. By bolstering the e4-pawn, no frontal attack by a black rook or the queen will endanger
the pawn on e4.
Now look at Black's position. Even if he managed to get the knight on f6 out of the way,
227
228
If you've read the note to 13 f4 you'll know why 14 fxe5 would be wrong. After 14...lDfd7
229
230
Answer: 19 lbd1l
The knight heads for g4. The advance 19 f6 would be too committal: after 19...g6, fol
lowed by ...l:tfd8 and ...i.f8 as necessary, Black could fend off any mate on g7. White's at
tack would be less powerful than it should be as he has renounced the chance to play the
other breakthrough pawn move g5-g6.
19...5fd8 20 C3
Its not just about attacking. White puts up some barriers to Blacks counterattack on
the queenside and along the d-file.
20...1.f8 21 lbf2 'ic 7 22 lt:lg4 lbcS 23 b3 lbb6
231
Exercise: Can you see a move for White that combines defence with attack?
Answer: 24 2f3!
The rook not only stops an invasion by the black knight on d3, but it prepares to go to g3
to create threats in combination with its own knight.
24...a5 zs litg3 'ifilh8 26 ..te3
Instead, 26 lDf6! looks decisive: for example, 26...gxf6 27 gxf6 lDbd7 28 i.g 5! followed by
29 'ilfh5 and 30 Sg4 when the threat of 31 l:.h4 and then 32 'i!i'xh7 mate has to be parried
with the moves ...Sg8, to guard the g-file against an alternative 'irh6 and 'ig 7 mate, and
...lDf8. But then ..th6 and ..tg7+ will strike along the g-file, forcing Black to play ...Sxg7,
when fxg7+ will tear open the black king's defences. If Black plays 28...1Vd6 to try to play
...lDxf6, White can drive the queen back with 29 l:tdl. Finally, 26 lDf6 can't be ignored with
26...lDcd7, as 27 lDxh7! 'ifilxh7 28 'ilfh5+ ^g8 29 l:tg4 intending 30 l:th4 gives White a lethal
attack.
This is a complicated win as it not only requires seeing the tactics: White also has to
make some quiet preparatory moves, and it can be difficult to convince yourself that the
opponent is so helpless he can't do anything to refute your attack.
29l:.c1
Here 29 lDf6 gxf6 30 'ilfh5 still looks strong, but it is much easier to win ifyou let your
opponent self-destruct. Tregubov sees no good answer to the threats and so begins a des
perate queenside counterattack. The upshot is that he removes his queen from the defence
of the second rank, with results that are soon disastrous.
29...1VaS 30 .:tc2
Already after 30 'ic 4 Black would have no good way to defend f7, as 30...^g8 31 lDh6+!
gxh6 32 gxh6+ 'ifilh8 33 'ix f7 .i.xh6 34 .txh6 will be mate.
232
34...fxg6
Upon 34...tDxe5 35 'ifh5l the threat of mate on h7 wins time to answer 35...fxg6 with 36
l:txd8, threatening mate a second way on f8.
35 tDf7+ &gS 36 tDxd8 Sxd2 37 .i.xd2 tDeS
Black gets a temporary initiative for the rook, but as long as White doesn't fall for any
tricks the advantage in material is bound to tell.
38 'ie 2 'ic 2 39 fxg6 hxg6 40 Se3 .i.d6 41 'it>hl tDcd3 42 .i.e 1 'ili'xb3 43 tDxc6 'i b l 44 tDxeS
tDxe5 45 'id 2 .i.c7 46 'idS+ 'it>h7 47 'ib 3 'ic l 48 lie 2 tDc4 49 es .i.xes 50 l:te4 1-0
The bishop on g2 didn't move once it found the g2-square. But it did vital defensive
work by guarding the e4-square, and securing the second rank against Blacks counterat
tack, thus winning time for Whites initiative on the kingside.
233
Game 27
N.McDonald-J Johnson
..............
London 1986
Exercise: What do you think of Black's knight move? What is the best response to it?
7 b3?!
A routine move. I always fianchettoed in this type of position, and so didn't look around
for anything better.
Answer: 7 We1 is awkward for Black. The point is that the knight on f6 no longer has a re
treat square on d7, so that after 7...e6 8 e4 .th7 9 es it has to return to g8 (White could also
play 9 'fe2!? and leave Black wondering what to do about e4-e5; a case of the threat being
stronger than the execution). In this sequence Black could try 8...dxe4 9 dxe4 .th7 so that
he has the ds-square for his knight in the event of 10 es, but White can play 10 1Ve2 in
stead, then b2-b3 and .tb2 with a pleasant edge: the exchange ...d5xe4 has opened the dfile and given his knight access to c4. White would get a similar edge after 7...es 8 e4 dxe4
9 dxe4 .te6 10 1i'e2 followed by b2-b3 and .tb2.
Therefore the verdict on Black's sixth move has to be that 6...ltlbd7 is dubious. The great
positional master Vasily Smyslov once played it as Black, which is a reminder that the
opening phase of the game depends on trial and error, as well as research, to see what
works and what doesn't work. Having a fantastic feel for middlegame strategy doesn't
mean you will automatically find the best opening moves.
7...es
234
8....ltd6
Here's another way the centre might be blasted open to White's advantage: 8...'ic7 9
e4! dxe4 10 dxe4 tDxe4 (Black doesn't have to grab everything on e4; indeed, it is suicidal,
but I want to show the tactical justification behind White's positional edge that he gains
after the sensible 10....ie6 11 'ie2, intending 12 tDc4) 11 tDxe4 .ix e 4 12 tDxe5! .ixg2 13
<it>xg2tDxe5 14 .ixe5 'id 7 (if 14...'iVxe5 15 l:e1 costs Black his queen) 15 fie l and Black
won't survive with his king trapped in the centre.
Question: That's a long variation. How can I possibly work it out during a game?
Answer: First of all, you now know the idea of e2-e4 might work if you get a similar situa
tion in your own games - that's a big help. In fact, it's rarely good for Black to combine
....if5 with an early ...e7-e5. So your tactical nose should already be sniffing.
Moreover, most ofthe moves are captures, aren't they? That makes it much easier. It
means there are fewer branches of the combination to worry about - it's almost a straight
line. Virtually all the action takes place on only two squares, e4 and e5, which further nar
rows down your focus. As long as you are aware ofthe potential pin of the black queen and
king after a mass of exchanges, the combination can be unravelled.
9e4l
I guess this move isn't exactly a surprise after reading the notes above. It is a fairly typi
cal scenario in the King's Indian Attack below elite level. White's seemingly lackadaisical
opening has caused his opponent's tactical radar to switch off. Black wants space and he
takes it, only to meet with an unpleasant surprise.
235
236
237
'Don't stop your opponent playing a bad move'. Black sees that his young opponent is
bent on carrying out the wrong plan and so prepares to activate his king's rook.
19 C4?
The consistent follow-up to the previous move. This is quite a common positional mis
take: a player opens up the position to improve the scope ofhis pieces, and forgets that the
opponent's pieces might be getting even more of an energy kick.
19~.J:thd7! 20 cxds l:txds 21 'i'c2 Was
A couple of moves ago Black would have had little counterplay after 18 b4. Now his
queen and both rooks enjoy open lines - and it's all thanks to the generosity of his oppo
nent.
I can still remember that on reaching this position I felt a sense of injustice: I had done
nothing wrong, and it was a fault in the logic of chess, not my play, that had made the tide
turn against me. It was only when I sat down after the game and calmly examined the po
sition after 17..g6 that I realized that chess was still a logical game, and my mistaken plan
had suffered the fate it deserved. The moral is: be angry when you lose, but blame yourself,
238
White's position is still OK, despite the errors that have lost him his advantage. How
ever, I was convinced I was a victim of chess injustice, and so it isn't surprising that my re
sistance crumbled. For the record, here are the remaining moves:
22 i.c3 i.b4 23 i.xb4 'ixb4 24 Sxd5 Sxd5 25 l:d 1 l:.d4 26 i. f 1 g5 27 a3 'ib 6 28 fxg5 hxg5
29 i.c4 'ic 5 30 S f 1 b5 31 'ikf2 bxc4 32 'ixf8+ 'ix f8 33 Sx f 8+7 34 bxc4 l:r.xc4 35 It.f6 Se4
36 .l:.xe6 c5 37 l:te7+ &c6 38 e6 c4 39 1xa7 .l:.xe6 40 .l:.a6+ 0-1
White gave up as the c-pawn will eventually cost him a rook.
239
Chapter Six
K
I A
e r s u
t h
. . . i t g
S y s t e m
The 'Slav method of countering the King's Indian Attack entails Black putting pawns on d5
and c6 to blunt the activity ofW hites bishop on g2, and quickly developing his own lightsquared bishop. In the previous chapter we looked at what happens if the bishop goes to
f5. Now it is time to examine ...i.g4.
The bishop can be developed to g4 at any time after Black has played ...d7-d5: for exam
ple, 1 li:lf3 dS 2 g3 i.g4, 1 li:lf3 dS 2 g3 c6 3 i.g2 i.g4, or 1 ltlf3 ltlf6 2 g3 dS 3 i.g2 c6 4 0-0
i.g4.
In playing ...i.g4 Black removes the bishop from the defence of the queenside, in par
ticular the b7-pawn. In the Reti Opening, White often responds with a quick c2-c4, perhaps
in combination with ' i 3 and ltleS, to try to exploit this. As this is the King's Indian Attack
we wont be examining such lines, but it is worth remembering you have this option if you
plan to broaden your opening repertoire or want to play a bit more aggressively. Another
approach for White not examined here would be to play d2-d4 rather than d2-d3, leading
240
Now Black can arrange his pawn structure in one ofthree ways.
Firstly, Black can take all the space on offer by playing ...e7-e5 and keeping a broad cen
tre with a pawn on ds. For example, 6...e5 7 e4 .i.c5. If Black can get away with this then
White needs a new opening. So we need the precise 8 h3! i.xf3 (Black would be ill advised
to avoid this exchange, as made clear in the analysis to Game 28 below) 9 'ixf3 0-0.
241
The central pawn structure is symmetrical and Blacks pieces are all developed, but he
has conceded the c4-square to the white knight and opened the d-file, which allows White
to keep a slight edge in Game 29.
The third possibility for Black is to renounce the chance to equalize space in the centre
and make do with ...e7-e6, which completes the Slav triangle of pawns. It is the most solid
but least ambitious move. From the second diagram above, play might proceed 6...e6 7 b3
.t.c5 8 .i.b2 0-0 9 a3 a5 10 e4 b5 11 'fke1 .
242
This is the way Nakamura plays as white in Game 33. He hopes to use his kingside
pawns in a direct attack if Black castles kingside, or to profit from the elimination of Black's
light-squared bishop after lbxg6. White's scheme is, however, double-edged, especially if
Black has played a move order with 5...tClbd7 - see Game 34. Such loose play might not ap
peal to purists' who are looking for a steady advantage in the KIA.
243
You might like to copy the former World Champion's approach in Game 30.
P a r t O n e : B la c k p la y s ...e 7 - e 5 a n d m a in t a in s a b ro a d c e n tr e
Game 28
LPantsulaia-I.Chighladze
Poti 2013
4 0-0
White completes his kingside development in the minimal number of moves. 4 d3 ll'lf6
usually transposes after 5 O-O, though the alternative plan of 5 ll'lbd2 and 6 h3, delayed
244
White has played all his 'normal' moves so far, but after Black's next move he has to
come up with a concrete plan.
7...cs
Here 7...dxe4 8 dxe4 would fix the centre. We'll see examples ofthis type of pawn struc
ture in Part Two of the chapter.
Question: How should we play if Black develops
his bishop to d6 to further support the e5-pawn?
Answer: Quite reasonable is the reply 7 b3 and 8 &b2. However, on d6 the bishop is a
knight's move away from the weakest point in the black centre - the f5-square. Therefore I
like the plan of getting a white horse there as quickly as possible: for example, 7...&d6 8 h3
&h5 9 'ife1 (breaking the pin on f3) 9...0-0 10 l'bh4 I:te8 11l'bf5 .tf8 12 b3 followed by 13
245
12 'i'b 3 .
T h e p re s s u re f r o m th e w h ite q u e e n a n d th e c h a n c e t o u tiliz e th e c 4 - o r e 4 -s q u a re s fo r
th e k n ig h t g iv e W h ite th e e d g e : f o r e x a m p le , 12 ...lD Sb6 13 lD e4 .i.e 7 14 a4! a im in g t o d is
lo d g e th e b la c k k n ig h t w it h 1S a s, o r 12. ..lD Sf6 13 tDc4 (W h ite ca n g ra b a p a w n w i t h 13
'ix b 7 ? ! , b u t a ft e r 13...lDcS 14 ' i 5
.i.g 6 h o ld in g o n t o th e p a w n w i t h 1S lD e1 le a ve s h im
8 h3!
A n im p o r t a n t m o v e .
246
Exercise: Imagine if Black responds 8..J15. Black has fearlessly established and
maintained a pawn centre on d5 and e5, and put both bishops on their most active
squares. Can you see a drawback to Blacks set-up? How should we try to exploit it?
Answer: If Black, who after all moves second, is able to maintain an optimum centre and
activate his pieces on their best squares, we might as well give up on the King's Indian At
tack. However, it turns out that the black centre is still somewhat fragile, and the fact that
Black hasn't castled tells against him. We have, though, to be prepared to play sharply, to
break open the centre. It isn't good enough to play typical 'quiet King's Indian Attack
moves, which support the strongpoint on e4. We need a sharper strategy. After 8...il.h5 9
exds! there are two variations:
a) 9...tt:lxds 10 g4 i.g6 11 tt:lc4 is awkward for Black, for if 11...f6 12 d4! exd4 13 lLlxd4
leaves his king in danger as 13...0-0 loses the exchange to 14 tt:le6, while 11 ...0-0 is an un
convincing pawn sacrifice after 12 l2Jcxes l2Jxe5 13 tt:lxes.
b) 9...cxds 10 d4! is unpleasant for the black king: for example, 10...il.xd4 11 g4 i.g6 12
tt:lxd4 exd413 l:te1+ or equally 10...il.xf3 11 tt:lxf3 exd4 12 Sel+. In both cases the black king
loses the right to castle, while W hite easily regains the pawn on d4 with tt:lxd4 at some
point.
Notice the importance of White having the option of g3-g4 to break the pin on f3. That's
why we need the 8 h3 move.
Let's return to the game, where Black wisely avoided these dangerous lines by capturing
on f3.
8...il.xf3
The best move as it wins time for Black to castle. Nevertheless, it turns out that Black
didn't achieve his space rich and active position for free' as White now has the bishop-pair.
9 Vi'xf3 0-0
24 7
Question: Cart we exploit the fact that Whites light-squared bishop has no rival?
Answer: 10 exdSl cxdS 11 c4
A move such as 10 exd5 should never be played lightly. White gives up the strongpoint
on e4 which he is so keen to overprotect in similar King's Indian Attack variations.
As a rule, such an idea is only good if White wins material or has a concrete variation
planned (as in the notes to 8 h3 above), or, as here (and after 7....td6 in the above analysis
to 7....tcs), he wants to open a line for his bishop on g2 in the absence of the opponent's
light-squared bishop. Don't forget that the technical expression for a move like 10 exds
contains a hint of criticism: it is 'conceding the centre'. So be wary before taking the
plunge.
1Ldxc4
White also keeps up the pressure after 11...l:.c8 12 cxds .!Llb6 13 lL!e4 lL!bxd5 14 .tgs.
12 .!Llxc4
The white pawn on d3, though formally isolated and backward, provides a post for the
white horse
on c4 where it can attack e5 and cast a malign eye over the black queenside.
Meanwhile Black's pawn on es supports a potentially excellent outpost square for one of
his nags, but unfortunately neither are near to it.
12....ilbS 13 .td2 bS
It is easy to criticise this move as it invites the white knight to infiltrate the black
queen side as far as c6, but after a quiet sequence such as 13....td4 14 Sfe1 Be8 15 l:tac1
ll)b6 16 .ta5 Black remains in an unpleasant bind.
14 .!LlaS 'ifb6
248
Exercise: Now which piece should White try to exchange off in oTder
to exploit his queenside pressure, and how should he prepare it?
Answer: 20 i.e l! l:.e8 21 'ifc6!
One ofthe hallmarks of a supreme positional understanding is to know which pieces to
exchange off and which to keep on the board. Pantsulaia realizes that his queen is only
getting in the way of his light-squared bishop, whereas the black queen is well centralized
and blocking any progress along the c-file {for example, 21 l:.c6 leaves the a2-pawn hang
ing).
Note too that a great feel for chess ideas has to be combined with tactical accuracy. If
White had played 20 'ic 6 at once then 20...'i!Vfs! hits both d3 and f2, when White would do
best to retreat his queen back with 21 'if3 and then try something else after 21...'ie6. And
so before the queen goes to c6 we have the prelude 20 i.e1! to guard f2, so that after
20....1:e8 21 'iVc6 'if5 White can defend d3 with 22 'iVxbS and be a pawn up.
You think the bishop looks a bit odd on e1? I agree! But we have to remember that a
flexible use of the pieces is important in any opening, and is especially significant in the
King's Indian Attack. White often gets no space advantage, so you have to be aware of all
possible squares for the pieces. The bishop may look odd retreating to el, but it is this pas
sive move that allows White to invade enemy territory with 21 'ic6.
21...e4?
249
A common scenario in the King's Indian Attack. Black tries for counterplay, but it is eas
ily neutralized, whereupon he ends up a pawn down in the endgame. It often happens that
a player loses patience and lashes out when under nagging pressure. In contrast, if the
same player is in tactical danger, say facing a big attack on their king, they will rise to the
occasion and find great defensive moves. For this reason it is easy to underestimate
White's practical winning chances in the King's Indian Attack. A computer program might
tell you that a position is equal, but it could be one that is psychologically difficult for a
human to play. Incidentally a lot of Magnus Carlsen's wins occur when he plays on and on
in positions where he has a slight edge until his opponent cracks'.
After 21...'ifxc6 22 J.xc6 Bc8 23 Se2 l:b8 24 ll:)b3 Black would remain under pressure,
but he could fight on.
250
28. :1i.c7 29 tDd4 l:te5 30 lbb3 4f8 31 tDd2 lbg5 32 l:txe5 1i.xe5 33 lDb3 lDge4 34 1i.f1!
This little bishop move often picks off a pawn on the queenside.
34...lbds 35 .txa6 lbec3 36 i.b7 lbc7 1-0
P a r t T w o : B la c k p la y s .e7-e5 a n d c o n c e d e s t h e c e n t r e w it h
..d 5 x e4
Indeed, 7 'ife1 reaches Game 30 (which had the move order 5...ti:Jgf6 6 'ie 1 e5 7 e4).
Black is then more or less forced to concede the centre with 7...dxe4 8 dxe4 because of
White's potential pressure on es (why this is so is explained in the notes to Game 30).
The conclusion is therefore that if Black wants to maintain pawns on dS and es, he
needs to choose a move order as in Game 28, which began 1 ti:Jf3 dS 2 g3 c6 3 il.g2 il.g4 4
0-0 ti:Jf6 5 d3 ti:Jbd7 6 ti:Jbd2 es 7 e4. That is, he brings out the knight on f6 quickly so that
White has to play 6 ti:Jbd2 to arrange 7 e4, rather than advance e2-e4 at once, and he waits
until move six to play ...e7-eS.
6...dxe4 7 dxe4
8 lLlbd2
It is very rare in the ...il.g4 system for this not to be the right way to start the knight's
career. Here it is particularly appetising as the knight has access to the c4-square now that
Black has played ...d5xe4.
8....te7
252
Exercise: Which move adds the most povver to the white position ?
Answer: 9 'ie 1
Not bad is 9 h3, but this little queen move frees both her knights for action by breaking
the pin on f3 and adding to the defence ofthe e4-pawn.
9...0-0
The advance ..e7-e5 leaves the fs-square as the least defended in the black camp. In the
King's Indian, and some lines of the Closed Ruy Lopez, Black plays ...g7-g6, combined with
...i.g7, to guard the fs-square against an invasion by a white knight. Here Black doesn't
have the time or opportunity to play ...g7-g6 and ...i.g7, unless he is prepared to give up
the bishop-pair with an early ...i.xf3 (as we shall see in Game 32), and possibly not even
then.
253
11....i.hs 12 f
&cS
Instead 12...-i.cs, keeping the bishop, looks a better try.
13 ^xe7+
Question: Its funny how we might spend two or even three moves
getting a knight to an excellent square, but then we dont hesitate to
exchange it for a bishop that's not doing much. Is this exchange really correct?
Answer: True, it does seem a bit odd. But don't forget the blocked centre is just the first
phase of the game. If we want to make progress as White we need to open up lines at some
point, and then Black's dark-squared bishop becomes a potent piece. The dark-squared
bishop is also a key piece in any plan Black devises, so he'll miss it if it's exchanged. Besides,
we have another knight waiting to go to fs - it's only right it gets its tum as well.
13...'ili'xe7 14 ^h4 ^e6
254
255
Paradoxically, this move doesn't show an intent to fianchetto. Instead, White is saving
the b-pawn from being captured after he puts his bishop on e3.
17...as 18 .te3 'ib 4 19 c3
Only now does White avail himself of the chance to play c2-c3, when it drives the black
queen away with a gain of tempo. Besides, White's pieces will be the first to get to the dfile, so the hole created on d3 is no longer a relevant positional factor.
19...'ia3
The King's Indian Attack is more effective in practice than the assessment of a com
puter program would have us believe. Computers don't get bored or frustrated, whereas
humans like to be doing something active; it is against our nature to defend passively for
many moves without the guidance of a plan. Black often runs out of constructive ideas in
this type of centre. Thus both here and in Game 28 in Chapter Five we see a<very strong
player losing patience and engaging in an adventure with their queen that removes her
from the defence ofthe black camp.
20 Sd1 Sfd8 21 l:txd8+ Sxd8
256
Answer: 22 l:td2l
Whites plan is simple. He wants to restrain Blacks possible counterplay along the d-file
or on the kingside. Therefore he first of all contests the open file, driving the black rook
away. Then he will manoeuvre his knight to the centre, being careful to keep the black mi
nor pieces at bay. Finally he will try to force Black to weaken his queenside pawns.
22...8
Black gives up the d-file without a fight as he has decided it is the lesser evil to have the
white rook controlling it rather than the queen after 22...Sxd2 23 'ixd2.
257
258
Game 30
V.Kramnik-N.Vitiugov
Paris 2013
1 tLlf3 ds 2 g3 c6 3 i.g 2 i.g 4 4 0-0 tLld7 S d3 tLlgf6
Not letting White play e2-e4 'for free' as Black did in the previous game which went
5...e5 6 e4.
6 'iVel
An interesting moment.
Question: This is an unusualmove order by White;
Why would Kramnik start by puffinghis queen on e l?
Answer: Normal is 6 tLlbd2 when 6...e5 7 e4 gives us Game 28 above. After 6...e6 7 e4
i.e7 8 'i'e1 (of course, 8 e5? tL!xe5 wins a pawn) 8...0-0 Black can answer 9 e5 with 9...tLle8,
which is perfectly OK for him. Now let's compare 6 'iVel e6 7 e4 i.e7 8 e5. White's pawn
259
7...dxe4
Exercise: If instead 7 .Jtd 6 8 exds cxds can you see a strong move for White?
Answer: White can break up the black centre with 9 tt:lxe5! tt:lxe5 10 d4 when he will regain
his piece and at the very least have pressure against the isolated pawn on d5. Black would
do best to avoid this with 8...tt:lxd5, though White could build up against e5 with 9 ti:lbd2
and 10 tt:lc4.
So we see another good point about 6 1i'ei is that Black cant hope to maintain pawns
on both d5 ande5.
8 dxe4 ..id6
Vitiugov tries to exploit a downside to Whites 6 'ti'e1: the white queen is absent from
the d-file, so the bishop can be safely developed on d6 without any risk of a discovered at
tack. In contrast after 6 ti:lbd2 e5 7 e4 dxe4 8 dxe4 i.d6, White could play 9 tt:lc4 ..ic7 10
We2 (rather than going to e1) 10...0-0 11 b3 with the idea of ..ia3 and S a d i or ti:le3, etc.
9 ti:lbd2 0-0
260
11...i.c7 12 a4
261
262
One of the main positional justifications of the KIA is that it guards the f4-square
against an invasion by a black knight, so it would be annoying if Black could get away with
playing like this.
Question: Well, what does happen if White takes the knight?
Answer: White is annihilated after 16 gxf4? exf417 .td2 f3: for example, 18 .th1 litxe4 19
ttlce3 ttld5 20 W d l ttlxe3 21 .txe3 'if6 when 22 ttld4 Wg6+ leads to mate, while White's
position has collapsed after 22 ttlg3 .txg3 23 fxg3 I:.xe3.
I6 f3 !
263
Exercise: Can you see three ways in whfch this pawn move helps White?
Answer: After the simple game move, White really is threatening 17 gxf4 as after 17...exf4
18 .lf2 Black no longer has the killer pawn thrust ...f4-f3. It therefore forces Black to ex
change his attacking knight for the passive white bishop on g2. Of course, in some struc
tures it would be a positional concession, perhaps a serious one, for White to concede the
exchange of his Indian bishop for the knight. But here the position is very blocked and
static, and White will have a grip on the centre, so the exchange favours him.
Thats the first good point about 16 f3. Another is that it defends the e4-pawn, so that
16. ..lxg2 and 17. ..lbxe4 no longer wins a pawn for Black. And, thirdly, it shuts in the bish
op on hs and so allows a white rook to gain access to dl.
16...lbxg2 17 &xg 2 .lg 6 18 l:.d1 lbds
Black has to use tricks to stay alive, as the only reasonable alternative is 18 ....'i8 which
looks far from cheerful.
264
Exercise: Should White now win a pawn with 19 exds ^.xf5 20 dxc6, create a
passed pawn with 19 exds Axfs 20 d6, or retreat the knight with 19 &h4?
Answer: 19tDh4!
Kramnik sticks to the theme that it's a position that suits knights rather than bishops.
He refuses to take the bait offered to him to enter a double-edged position, where Black's
bishops might become a potent force. For example, after 19 exd5 ii.xf5 20 dxc6 'i'c8 21
cxb7 'ixb7 White has won a pawn, but Black has enormous dynamic compensation:
White's pawn structure is looking flimsy on both sides of the board and in the centre, and
the c2-pawn is hanging. Similarly after 19 exd5 Ji.xf5 20 d6 1i.b8 21 'ifc3 Ji.e6! Black's pieces
are boxed in, but the d6-pawn is very loose and could well fall off, when White is suddenly
losing.
Kramnik has no reason to speculate in these lines when he can keep a bind on the posi
tion with the simple retreat of the knight.
19. ..tDxe3+ 20 'itxe3 'ite7 21 'ji'b3 l:tab8 22 f
Here we see yet another advantage to 16 f3 as it facilitates the doubling of White's
rooks along the d-file.
22...Sed8 23 l:lxd8+ Ji.xd8 24 :d 2
25 Sd3 'i'e6
Black's plan is to edge forwards on the queenside with ...b7-b6, ...a7-a6 and ...b6-b5,
driving the white knight from its post, and opening up some lines for the rook and the
bishop on c7. Vitiugov is a 2700-rated player, and can only be defeated by incredibly accu
rate play.
265
266
Exercise: Black's pieces are tied doWT1 , but to increase the pressure
White needs to activate his knight. Can you suggest a plan to achieve this?
Answer: 35 g4!
Everything is flowing beautifully. Kramnik plans &g3, then ^g2 and ^e3 to bring his
knight to the centre and queen side, when Black's loose queenside pawns will be difficult to
defend. The white king will be very safe on g3. Did you consider using the g2-square as a
transit post for the knight? If you did then you can be very pleased with yourself, as most
players wouldn't have even noticed the square existed.
35...6e8 36 &g3 'iWb7 37 b4 'ic 8 38 as
White puts his pawns on dark squares so that the black bishop won't have anything to
attack once the white knight leaves h4 (at the moment the cleric is tied to g6, as 38...i.f7 39
rf5 would be lethal for his king). The white pawns are also a couple ofsteps closer to
queening, and are fixing the black pawns on a6 and c6 where they are permanent targets
for the white queen. Having a pawn on b4 creates a marvellous base for the white knight
on c5, where it attacks a6 and dominates the centre.
38...6f7 39 &g2
The knight finally begins its journey.
39... h5 40 e3 hxg4 41 hxg4 'ie 6 ?
Black might still have held on after 4l...^g8, but it is no wonder he cracks after the end
less pressure.
267
268
268
Game 31
K.Sasikiran-V.Anand
Hyde rabad 2002
1 ltlf3 ltlf6 2 g3 d5 3 Ji.g2 c6 4 0-0 Ji.g4 5 d3 ltlbd7 6 ltlbd2
It's worth remembering that White can play 6 We1 here to deter 6...e6 - see Game 30.
6...e6
He we investigate what happens if Black prefers 6...e6 to 6...e5. This is a very solid sys
tem for Black, used by Anand and Carlsen as Black, and avoided by Kramnik as White.
If now 7 e4 Ji.e7 8 'ie 1 (of course, 8 e5? fails to 8...ltlxe5) 8...0-0 9 e5 lt!e8 White has a
space advantage due to the pawn on e5, but it is by no means obvious how he can exploit
this. He can try to arrange f2-f4, for example, beginning with 10 ltlh2, but his centre is un
wieldy and can be undermined by a plan such as ...ltlc7, adding a defender to e6, then ...f7f6. Or Black could leave well alone on the kingside and begin a pawn expansion on the
queen side. Advancing 9 e5 also leaves the bishop on g2 facing a solid barrier on d5.
Of course, White isn't forced to play e4-e5. I don't want to make a big deal out o fa blitz
game, albeit one played in a World Championship, but it's morale-boosting to see how our
opening beat a modern day superstar in R.Mamedov-M.Carlsen, Moscow (blitz) 2010:
7 e4 Ji.e7 8 He1
In preference to the usual 8 'ie1.
8...0-0 9 h3 Ji.h5 10 We2
Normally 10 e5 ltle8 then 11 ltlf1 or 11 g4 Ji.g6 12 ltlf1 is played, but Mamedov prefers
not to commit himself to the pawn advance.
10...a5 11 a4 ' i 6 12 g4 Ji.g6 13 ltlh4 dxe4 14 ltlxg6 hxg6
269
29 ..txg6!
A decisive opening of lines against the black king.
29...'iVxa4
It falls apart for Black after 29 ...fxg6 30 'iVxe6+ :t.f7 31 'ifxc8+.
270
7...i.cs
Anand decides to put the bishop on c5 and keep the solid structure c6-dS-e6.
Instead, after 7...i.d6 8 i.b2 0-0 9 e4 Black will block the e5-square to prevent a poten
tial e4-e5 fork with 9...e5. Now we have a central structure that was discussed in the notes
to 7...i.c5 in Game 28 above, where 10 h3 i.h5 11 'i6'e1 Se8 12 ttlh4, intending 13 ttlf5,
gives White some advantage. This structure is also see in Game 14 in Chapter Three where
it was reached via a Caro-Kann move order.
8 i.b 2 0-0 9 a3
272
14 C4!
Only now. We can see another good point in delaying the pawn stab in the variation
14...bxc4 15 bxc4 (Black can ease the pressure on dS after 15 d4 with the clever zwischen
zug 1S. ..c3! when 16 Ji.xc3 Ji.e7 is very solid for him, as is 15 dxc4 l:r.e8) 1S. ..Sb8 and now,
because White waited for Black to put his knight on c7, he can gain time with 16 Ji.c3, hit
ting the a5-pawn which is no longer defended by the black queen. After 16...a4 17 d4 Ji.b6
18 l:c1 he has achieved a pleasant build-up.
Question: I still don't understand what's wrong with the alternative plan of
preparing f2-f4. Doesnt it fit the strategic requirements ofthe position?
Well, when you see the power of White's f-pawn later in this game it is hard to argue
against the plan of advancing the kingside pawns. The trouble is that the King's Indian At
tack requires a lot of jockeying for position. At the moment Black's pieces are well coordi
nated and he has queenside counterplay. A frontal attack with f2-f4 has little chance of
working against a world champion unless he has been weakened somehow. That's why
Sasikiran tries to force a favourable resolution of the queenside battle before turning his
attention to the kingside. He knows he mustn't hurry; that would be fatal against Anand.
In the two previous examples of the position after 13...^C7, White tried a direct ap
proach, but it just left him compromised on the queen side:
a) 14 'ife1 (White had previously played 'ie2 , so he is a tempo down on Sasikiran's
game) 14...Ji.b6 15 l:tb1 c5 16 0g1 (a most laborious process to clear the way for the fpawn) 16 . .f6 17 f4 a4! and White's queenside structure was under pressure whilst he had
achieved little on the kingside in T.Markowski-A.Chernin, London 1994.
b) 14 e5 Ji.b6 15 ^h2 c5 16 g4 Ji.g6 17 f4 fS 18 exf6 ixf6 19 hf3 as in M.BezoldJ.Kipper, Mnster 1996, and now after 19 ...a4 20 ^e5 i.e8 White can be proud of his knight
on e5, but again the queenside situation is unfavourable. Besides, Black can prepare ...d5-
273
274
23...i.xb4
275
27...a4?
A critical moment. Anand probably saw that after 27 ...&xd4 28 ^xd4 ^xe5 29 f4 ^xc4
30 "ic1 both his knight and c6-pawn would be hanging, with White having crushing pres
sure after, say, 30..d6 31 ^xc6 'ifc7 32 ie5.
Answer: In thisline Black could sacrifice his knight with 30. ...&xe4! when after 31 Vxc4
xg2+ 32 4xg2 'ife4+ 33 &g1 'ili'xf4 34 'ifxc6 'ie3+ 35 &g2 'ili'xg5+ 36 &h1 'iff4 he has
three pawns for the piece and is by no means worse.
28 e6!
A powerful clearance sacrifice that leaves Black busted after 28...fxe6? 29 .&xc5 ^xc5 30
^e5, hitting both c6 and g6.
28...xd4 29 >xd4 f
276
30f4
Exercise: Sasikiran decides that the most important factor in the
position is shutting Black's bishop out ofthe game. Do you agree with
his plan of 30 f4 and 31 f5 or was there a betteT way of handling it?
30...1tJxe6 31 fS
The black bishop is pushed back to h7 where it will remain more or less entombed.
Jumping ahead, the fact that the bishop sits on the h7-square will also be painful for the
black king, as its escape square from the back rank is blocked off.
Answer: Nonetheless, to return to the question posed at move 30, White didn't find 30
exf7+ i.xf7 31 liJxc6 followed by 32 e5 with an easy win.
31...1tJxd4 32 'ixd4 i.h 7 33 h4 Sed8?
After 33...a3 or 33....Uad8 34 'itc3 1:1xd1+ 35 fixd1 .l:r.a8 Blacks passed pawn is strong
enough to make the verdict unclear.'
277
This position is Black's worst nightmare when he plays ...i.g4 or ...i.f5 in the KIA Slav.
41.-..'.t>h8 42 'ig 3 'ic1+
If the queens are exchanged White will easily pick off the c6-pawn - for endgame pur
poses we might say he has an extra king as well as an extra bishop. Therefore Black has to
try for a counterattack against the white king, but it is to no avail against Sasikiran's care
ful play.
43 & h 2 l:lb1 44 'iFd6 i..g8 45 &h3 l:ib8 46 lilg3 'ifb 2 47 cS l:lb3 48 l:lxb3 'it'xb3+ 49 &h 2 'ie 3
SO 'if8 'if4+ 51 &g1 'ie3+ 52 &f1 'id3+ 53 'iW2 1-0
White will escape the perpetual check by advancing his king up the board to e5 and all
the way to c8 if necessary. Then Black will be mated on g7.
278
'asimdzhanov
ZU13
1 g3 dS 2 ltlf3 J.g 4 3 J.g2 ltld7 4 h3
279
White has deployed his pieces in a familiar manner: both bishops are fianchettoed and
he has supported his e4 point with no less than five units. He has avoided playing c2-c3 as
280
281
Exercise: After I4...d4, can you see a way to increase the power of the bishop on g2?
Answer: 15 h4!
Ifyou play the King's Indian Attack, you have to be alert to ways of activating your piec
es on the wings, as the centre is often clogged up with pawns. Here Morozevich not only
clears the h3-square for his bishop, but also introduces the idea of h4-h5, nibbling at
Black's kingside, if the black knight leaves f6.
1S~.tt:lcS
Blacks plan is to gain more space on the queenside with a general advance ofhis
pawns.
16 .i.h3 b5 17 tt:lf3
Having improved his light-squared bishop, Morozevich is now concerned with helping
his other bishop to escape its blocked diagonal. The knight therefore clears the way for it to
go to d2 where it has more scope.
282
Exercise-. Now Black can continue his queenside play with I9...axb3
20 Sa8 the immediate 19..Sa8. Which do you prefeT?
19...1ta8
Black is tempted to keep the tension by avoiding the exchange of pawns on b3 - he
doesnt want the white rook to see daylight on the a-file. But the game move is actually a
serious mistake; in fact it is probably the decisive strategic mistake.
Answer: Instead, after 19 ...axb3! 20 axb3 .l:ta8 Black keeps the balance. White can't play 21
S a c l? without allowing an infiltration ofhis second rank with 21...fla2.
In contrast in the game after...
20 b4l
...the a-file and b-file are blocked. This means that White has time to arrange l:tacl and
c2-c4 to blast open the c-file.
20...1be6 211:tac12ad8
The rook scurries back to the centre, but it is too late.
283
2 84
23...dxc3
If Black avoids exchanging on c3 with 23...'i7 , White can build up with 24 fic2 and 25
.lir.ecl followed by 26 cxbS and either an infiltration down the c-file or a siege of a pawn on
c6, according to how Black recaptured. It is thanks to the bishop on h3 controlling the c8square that Black cant fight this plan with ..J:c8, etc.
24 l:txc3 tl6d7^25 litecl tlb8 26 a3 h6 27 tlf3 tle6 28 i.e3 1ld6
Morozevich is bored oftorturing his opponent and finally carries out histhreat. If he is
allowed to play 40 hxg6 (the probing 40 tDh4 might be even stronger), the black kingside
will be fractured and White can prepare a future attack with :th l, etc. Therefore Kasim
dzhanov elects to block things up, but there will be a chink in his armour on fs.
39...gS 40 tDe1!
The white knight, not the bishop, wants to land on fs. Therefore it begins a long journey
via el, g2, and e3. Such a protracted manoeuvre is possible in a quiet position where the
opponent has zero counterplay.
40...6.8 41 tDg2 ^g8 42 i.cs!
Not only vacating the square, but at the same time forcing the exchange ofa knight
that might have challenged the dominance of the white steed on fs.
42...tDxc5 43 l:txcS Sed8 44 tDe3
286
44...'it'a7
-
Answer: After 44..J:xd3 4S ll'lds! cxds 46 'ixd3 wins the exchange. Id be loathe to give up
the great knight for a rook and a pawn, but Blacks position is utterly collapsing here, as bS
is hanging and moves like 47 l1c8 are in the air.
45 &Sc3 .lilf6 46 ll'lfS
Anyone who plays the Kings Indian Defence or the Ruy Lopez as Black knows that the
end is near is when an immovable white knight appears on fs.
287
S0...exd4
Question: If Black waited passively with 50..8 how would White break through?
Answer: Simplest would be 51 g4 to defend the knight and then 52 d5, creating a passed
pawn and infiltrating with the rooks along the c-file after 52...cxd5 53 exd5.
51 exd4 g4 52l:tf1
Threatening 53 e5, trapping the rook on f6.
52...tt:Jd7 53 .l:lf4 1-0
Black isn't even given the chance to sacrifice the knight after 53 e5 tt:Jxe5 54 dxe5 .l:lxe5,
though that is easily winning for White as well. Here Black gave up as White can play 54
flxg4, winning a pawn and keeping a crushing advantage. A fine positional display by
Morozevich.
288
6.....th5
Exchanging on f3 gives White a small but definite plus: for example, 6.....txf3 7 lt:Jxf3
lt:Jbd7 8 0-0 J.d6 9 e4! 0-0 (after 9...dxe410 dxe4 lt:Jxe411 lt:Jg5! lt:Jxg5 12 Wxd6 White has a
very dangerous initiative for the pawn; note that 13 h4 threatens to win the knight on gS
and 12...'ie7 would drop the poor horse after a queen exchange) 10'ie2, asin V.TopalovR.Svane, Kozloduy (rapid) 2013.
7g4
The key move. Black's bishop will be pushed back to g6 and then exchanged off.
7.....tg6 8 lt:Jh4 J..e7
Alternatively, 8...J.d6 9 e3 lt:Jfd7 is a recommended recipe for forcing White's hand over
the capture on g6, but I'm not sure it is a great idea as it wastes time with the knight. For
example, 10 lt:Jxg6 hxg6 11 b3 a5 (Black could oppose the fianchetto with 11 .....te5, but
then 12 d4 and 13 c4 might be good for White) 12 J.b2 0-0 13 a3 lt:Ja6 14 0-0 e5 15 'i'e2 b5?
(Black could do without this weakening move, though White's position is already very
pleasant - he has an unopposed 'Indian' bishop and the chance to put pressure on d5) 16
c4!. White was going to play this move anyway but Black's previous move made it all the
stronger in G.Keschitz-C. Horvath, Hungarian League 2010. White rated 2210 beat Black, a
2518 GM, in a good game, so it's worth taking notice.
9 e3 o-o?!
Again the knight retreat to d7 doesn't solve Blacks problems. After 9...lt:Jfd7 10 lt:Jxg6
hxg6 11 lt:Jf3 lt:Ja6 12 0-0 eS 13 b3 0-0 14 J.b2 J.d6 15 c4 White had the familiar double fi
anchetto with pressure on dS in J.Ehlvest-T.Thorhallsson, Reykjavik 2010.
Nonetheless Black doesn't have to castle kingside so quickly, indeed if at all. He could try
9...1.:Jbd7: for example, 10 We2 'ic7 11 lt:Jdf3 0-0-0 12 J.d2 lt:Jc5 13 0-0-0 'iVb6 14 lt:Jxg6 hxg6
with slightly the better chances for White in O.Panno-M. Letelier, Casilda 1984.
10 lt:Jxg6
289
290
Nakamura is in no hurry as Black can't stop h4-h5. He completes his development and
builds up an ideal attacking position.
15...i.d 6 16 0 -0-0 e5 17 hs 'ie 6 18 "ih4
Of course White avoids the exchange of queens.
18^gxhS 19 'ifxhs Wg6 20 Wh3 .:tf7
292
Exercise: What do you think of White's plan of advancing his kingside pawns?
Answer: Heres my opinion. If Black plays 5...e6 as in the previous game, Im happy with the
plan of 6 h3 JLh5 7 g4. However, after 5...l2Jbd7 I recommend that you forget about the
pawn roller and play 6 0-0 when 6...e5 7 e4 transposes to Game 28 above.
This is because of the 8...e5! advance discussed in the notes to 8...e6 below. If Black has
already gone 5...e6, the idea of playing the pawn to e5 is less effective because he is a tem
po down, but with the move order 5...l2Jbd7 it looks formidable. On the other hand, Svidler
293
6 h3 . t h s 7 g4 .tg 6 8 ll:lh4 e6
A c ritica l m o m e n t. A t f ir s t g la n c e Blacks m o d e s t p a w n m o v e seem s v e r y lo g ic a l. He is
g o in g t o b e d e p r iv e d o f h is lig h t -s q u a r e d b is h o p , so h e b u ild s a s o lid c e n tre w ith h is p a w n s
o n lig h t s q u a re s . H o w e v e r, space is space a n d I t h in k 8...eS! is a m u c h b e tte r id e a fo r Black.
T h e n W h ite s h o u ld r e p ly 9 e3 w it h a re s tric te d c e n tre (he h a s c o m p ro m is e d his d a rk
s q u a re s w it h 7 g4 so a rra n g in g e 2 -e 4 w o u ld b e to o lo o s e n in g ). T h e re fo llo w s 9 ....td 6 w ith
tw o p o s s ib ilitie s :
10 'ite2 'i c 7
294
11 0-0 0-0-0
Exercise: W hats the best way for White to get the queeinside pawns rolling?
Answer: 12 S b l !
W h it e w a n t s to u n d e r m in e th e p a w n o n c6 as q u ic k ly as p o s s ib le w i t h b 4 -b 5 . If h e p la y s
12 b4 , Black s im p ly ta k es th e p a w n . If h e p la y s 12 a3 a n d 13 b4 , h e w o u ld still n e e d t o a r
ra n g e a 3 -a 4 to s u p p o rt a s u b s e q u e n t b 4 -b 5 .
T h e ro o k m o v e is th e re fo re th e fa s te s t w a y t o g e n e ra te p la y a lo n g th e b -file .
I
2 . . . 'i a s
295
Question: What? I thought you said White was going to attack on the queenside?
Answer: Thats right! The game move is designed to prevent Black from gaining counter
play in the centre, as 14...e5 costs a piece after 15 f5. In other words, White is using the un
fortunate situation of the bishop on g6 to curtail Blacks initiative.
But Kramnik is not to be thwarted:
14 .--e5?1
Anyway. Black jettisons the bishop to open lines against the white king.
15 f5
The Noahs Ark Trap, in which a pawn chain smothers a bishop, is one of the oldest
traps in chess. Of course, a player who won a match against Kasparov isnt going to miss
such an idea, but anyone can overestimate their chances in a tactical melee.
15 ..^e 4
296
16 d x e 4 "fic7
Exercise: W h a t h a p p e n s i f W h it e ta k e s th e b is h o p o n g6 w it h 17 fx g 6 ?
Answer: 17 fxg 6 ?? ' i 2 + 18 & f2 .t g 3 + 19 & f3 tL!e5 is m a te .
17 S f4 !
T h e ro o k th ro w s its e lf in th e w a y o f th e b lack q u e e n .
20 e5l
T h e o n ly m o v e , b u t g o o d e n o u g h t o save t h e ro o k f r o m c a p tu re .
20...tL!xeS
21
tL!xeS . t x e s
22
S f3 lLlh7
T h e k n ig h t h e a d s fo r gS t o b e g in th e n e x t w a v e o f Blacks a tta ck .
23 C4
T h e firs t s ig n o f W h ite s w itc h in g fr o m d e fe n c e to c o u n te ra tta c k . T h e w h ite ro o k n e e d s
to s ta n d firm o n f3 to g u a r d th e v u ln e ra b le p o in ts o n e3 a n d h 3 .
23...tLJg5 24 c x d s c x d s
2S lL!f1?
T o o d e fe n s iv e . 25 b 4 , in te n d in g 26 lL!b3 a n d 27 lL!c5, W h ite w o u ld g a in th e in itia tiv e .
29 .i.xe3 .td 4 ? !
T h e o n ly r e m a in in g c h a n c e w a s 29...lL!xf3+ 30 W x f3 W f6 , b u t a ft e r 31 ' i d s ! th e b lack
k in g w o u ld c o m e u n d e r a tta ck fr o m W h ite 's ra k in g b is h o p s . O n e id e a fo r W h it e w o u ld be
32 Sc5 a n d 33 J:r.b5 to p ile th e p re s s u re o n b7.
30 S g 3
.i.x e 3 + 31 lL!xe3 S h e 8
32
T h e b la c k atta ck h a s c o m e to an e n d a n d W h it e is a p ie c e u p f o r a p a w n . T h e rest is a
s im p le c o n s o lid a tio n jo b f o r S vid le r.
32...a6 33 1Vf2 f6 34 lL!c2 1ixf2+ 35 &xf2 S e 2 + 36 ..W l l:.d2 37 l:.gd3 lte e 2 38 S x d 2 li:txd2 39
lL!e3 lL!e6 40 lL!c4 S d 1 + 41 <&2 lL!f4 42 . t f 3 S a l 43 h4 gS 44 hS
298
1-0
Chapter Seven
5 d31
d s l 6 l2bJ d
T h e k n ig h t is d e v e lo p e d w it h a v ie w to s u p p o rtin g an e 2 -e 4 a d va n c e .
6...l'Llbd7
300
A ft e r fa llin g fo r a s n e a k y t r a p Black d o e s n t g et m u c h f u r t h e r th a n th e o p e n in g in G a m e
37. Its w o r t h re c a llin g t h e w o r d s o f t h e g re a t s tra te g is t Reti: 'T h e fo u n d a t io n o f p o s it io n a l
p la y is ta c tic s . I f y o u f in d y o u m a k e s e rio u s o v e rs ig h ts , th e n p u t th is b o o k a w a y a n d lo o k at
s o m e p u z z le s o f th e 'W h ite (o r Black) to p la y a n d w in v a rie ty '.
Game35
A .P it r a -W .K o g g a la
Z u r ic h 2 0 1 0
1 ttlf3 ttlf6 2 g3 b6
301
Exercise: C a n y o u s p o t Black's th re a t?
Answer: P la y m ig h t c o n t in u e 8 h3 (it's a u s e fu l p re c a u tio n to ta k e th e g 4 -s q u a re a w a y fr o m
th e b la ck k n ig h t; in d e e d , Black th r e a te n e d to w in th e q u e e n w ith 7 ...i.x f2 + ! 8 & x f2 .!Z'lg4+
a n d 9.. ..!Z'le3 w h ic h w o u ld b e v e ry e m b a rra s s in g in d e e d f o r W h ite ) 8 ...0 -0 9 e4 d x e 4 10 d x e 4
e5. Black s to p s th e f u r t h e r a d v a n c e 11 e5 a n d n o w w e h a v e a fix e d c e n tre s tru c tu re ty p ic a l
o f th e KIA in w h ic h W h ite can t r y t o o u t p la y h is o p p o n e n t w it h 11 .!Z'lh4, etc.
If a fte r 7 fie 1 Black p la y s 7 ...i.e 7 th e n 8 e4 d x e 4 (h e re 8 ...0 -0 9 e5 le a ve s u s w it h a space
a d v a n ta g e o f th e k in d w e s a w in C h a p te r O n e ) 9 d x e 4 0 -0 10 e5 iD d5 11 a3 (th re a te n in g 12
c4 t r a p p in g th e k n ig h t) 11 ...c5 12 c4 .!Z'lc7 13 1i'c2 fo llo w e d b y 14 .!Z'le4 lo o k s lik e a nice e dge
f o r W h ite .
7...d x e 4 8 d x e 4
302
8 ...ti)xe 4
Black could decline the pawn with 8...ti)c5, but I dont think he equalizes: for example,
9 e5 ti)d5 10 a3! (a standard idea to take the b4-square away from the black knight before
pushing it backwards) 10...'id7 11 c4 ti)e7 12 b4 ti)d3 (12. ..ti)a4 13 'ic 2 leaves the black
knight awkwardly placed on a4), as in M.Venkatesh-V.Eingorn, Metz 2011, and here 13
'ie2 ! looks good for White. If 13...ti)xc114 I!axc1 and White will build up strongly in the
centre with 15 ti)e4 and 16 Sfd1, while after the counterattacking 13...a5 its likely that it
will be Black who is blown away: for instance, 14 l:.d1 axb4 15 ti)e4 ti)xc116 I!axc1 'ic 8 17
ti)d6+! (a sacrifice to create a possible pawn fork on d7) 17...cxd6 18 exd6 i.xf3 19 .txf3
Sa7 20 axb4 (no need to capture on e7) 20...ti)c6 21 c5 bxc5 (or 21...b5 22 'ifxb5) 22 l:.xc5
and Black can resign as c6 drops.
gtt)xe4
Instead, 9 ti)g5 looks scary for Black, but after 9...'ifxg5 10 ti)xe4 'if5 11 ti)f6+ 'ix f6 12
.txb7 Sd8 he can develop carefully when his extra pawn compensates for his light-square
holes: for example, 13 .tf4 e5 14 'ie 2 i.d6 15 .td2 0-0.
9 ...1 .x e 4 10 'ie 2 ! ?
303
304
11 ....i.e7
It is worth remembering that Black isnt out of the woods once he manages to castle.
After 11....i.d6 he doesnt have any minor pieces on the kingside, so W hite can build up a
dangerous attack with, say, 12 .i.d2 0-0 13 Sad1 9c8 14 il.c3 h6 15 9c4, intending 16 'ifg4
hitting g7.
an endgam e?
1 5 ...'ie 8 16 'if3
N o n e th e le s s , it is n t e asy fo r W h ite to m a in t a in th e k n ig h t o n c6. It lo o k s o d d f o r th e
w h it e q u e e n to p in h e rs e lf a g a in s t th e k n ig h t, b u t th e re s n o o b v io u s w a y fo r Black t o ta k e
a d v a n ta g e .
1 6 ...a 5 17 c3
W h it e s p la n is to d riv e th e b la c k k n ig h t f r o m its s tro n g p o s t o n cS w h e n h is d o m in a n c e
o f th e c e n tre w ill b e in c re a s e d a n d Black w ill h a v e to w a tc h o u t f o r d is c o v e re d attacks o n
h is b is h o p o n b7 w it h lb e7 + .
306
17....1.d8
T o o p a s sive . 17. ..i .f 6 o r 17...l:td8!? w o u ld e sc a p e s o m e o f th e p re s s u re .
18 b4 a x b 4
19 c xb 4 lL!a6
20 a3
20 . ..'it h 8 21 'ic 3
307
23..-.txe5 24 S x e 5 S e S 25 l'lh 5 h6
Exercise: t o im a g in e f o r a m o m e n t y o u s h a re th e ta c tic a l g e n iu s o f
th e g re a t f o r m e r W o r ld C h a m p io n . A fte T th e m o v e s 26 5 8
( g u a rd in g f7 ) c a n y o u f i n d a w a y t o c o n c lu d e t h e g a m e w it h sacrifices?
26 'ili'cl
Answer: W h ite h a s a s p e c ta c u la r w in w it h 26 t'De5 & g 8 27 & x f7 ! (o r 26 l:txh6! g x h 6 27
l'Dxf7, b u t Black h a s th e e x tra o p t io n o f 26. .. f5, d e c lin in g th e sac rific e in th is m o v e o rd e r)
2 7 ...& x f7 28 l:txh6! g x h 6 29 .t x b 7 'i x b 7 30 1 i'h7+ a n d n o w i f 30 . . . ^ 8 31 S d 7 m a te s o n f7 o r
g7, w h ile 30...<it6 le a d s to a king h u n t : 31 'i'x h 6 + i f
308
27 S d 8 I
W e ll, W h ite d id n t w in th e k in g w ith 26 li:e 5 , b u t h e d o e s g e t to w in th e q u e e n w it h th is
e le g a n t m o v e .
2 7 ...5 x d 8 28 li:e 7 + < i 8 29 li:xc8 i.xg2
309
36 l:.cS lb d s
37 a6 l:la8
38 S a S
.l:r.a7 39 h4!
46 l:.f5
310
S b x a 6 47 l:txeS
'ifc5
T h r e a te n in g a fa ta l check o n f5.
5 8 ...g 6
He c o u ld fig h t o n w it h 58 ...:tf7 .
59 S f S h 5 1-0
A ft e r 60 ' i d s b o th o f th e b la c k ro o k s a re h a n g in g a n d m a te o n g8 is th re a te n e d .
A.Minasian-J.Nogueiras Santiago
1f
f
For th e sake o f c la rity I've a m e n d e d th e m o v e o rd e r, w h ic h w a s a c tu a lly l ... d5 2 g3 b6 3
.t g 2 .i.b 7 4 0-0 e6 5 d3 f
6 ib d 2 ib d 7 7 b3 .
6...bd7 7 b3
In th e p r e v io u s g a m e w e s a w W h ite p la y 7 e4 (a n d in th e n o te s 7 l:t e l a im in g f o r e 2 -e4 ).
Th e re s u ltin g clash o f a rm s in th e c e n tre lo o k e d p r o m is in g f o r W h ite , b u t it g o t v e ry s h a rp
a n d so I w a n t to o f f e r y o u a s o lid a lte rn a tiv e . A fia n c h e tto o n b2 f o llo w e d b y p o s itio n a l m a
n o e u v r in g is v e r y m u c h in k e e p in g w ith W h ite 's a im s in th e K in g 's In d ia n A t ta c k
311
7....i.c5
Black can also develop his bishop on e7, when 8 i.b2 0-0 9 e3 (making a hole on e2 for
the queen as a prelude to e3-e4) 9...a5 10 a4 ttJc5 11 ii'e2 liJfd7 (if Blacks knight stands its
ground stopping e3-e4, then White could build up with liJd4 and f2-f4) 12 e4 fS 13 liJd4
i.f6 14 f4 Se8 15 e5 i.e7 16 g4 g6 17 h 3 gave White a useful space advantage in
L.Polugaevsky-A.Pomar, Las Palmas 1974.
8 .t b
2 0-0
9 a3 a5 10 c4
313
14 b4!
314
Question: W h y d o e s t r y in g to p r e v e n t a m o v e m a k e it s tro n g e r?
Answer: W h e n a b r e a k th r o u g h o c c u rs th e d e fe n d e r's piece s, th a t m ig h t h a v e b e e n u s e d to
g a in c o u n te rp la y e ls e w h e re o n th e b o a rd , o r ju s t le ft o n safe s q u a re s , f i n d th e m s e lv e s p a rt
o f a s c a tte re d fo rc e th a t in v e s te d tim e a n d e n e rg y in a fa ile d p la n .
1 4 ...a x b 4 15 a x b 4 i . x b 4
16...1.a8
A ls o v e r y u n p le a s a n t fo r Black is 16....l:tb8 17 'i x c 7 S e c 8 , as 18 i . x f 6 S x c 7 19 .t x e 7 .t x e 7
20 tt':ld4 le a ve s h im in a p in .
17 i:.h 3 !
'I f y o u see a g o o d m o v e , lo o k fo r a b e tte r o n e '. T h r o u g h o u t th is b o o k th e re a re e x a m p le s
o f W h it e c a u s in g h is o p p o n e n t u n e x p e c te d g r i e f b y e d g in g h is b is h o p o n e s q u a re b a c k
w a r d s to f1 o r fo rw a r d s to h3. H e re r a th e r th a n ta k e th e p a w n o n c7, W h it e piles o n m o re
p re s s u re w it h th e t h r e a t o f 18 i:.x f6 , w h e n Black w o u ld h a v e to re c a p tu re w it h th e h o rr ib le
1 8 ...gxf6 to a v o id lo s in g m a te ria l.
17...d4
N o g u e ira s m a k e s a b id fo r s o m e fre e d o m o f m o v e m e n t b y c le a rin g t h e lo n g d ia g o n a l
315
21 .ixg7 lbe5
N o w W h it e c o u ld e x c h a n g e e v e r y th in g o f f o n e5 a n d reach a n e a s ily w in n in g e n d g a m e .
22
i.h 6
22...f6??
23 e4 lb x d 3 24 'it'c 2 'if7
lbb4
316
30 i . f 4
i.f7 31 lb e 4 lbd5
i.xg4 7 29 .t f 5
Game 37
: V.Erdos-M.Mueller
Deizisau 2013
1 ll'lf3 ll'lf6 2 g3 b5 3 .i g 2 . i b 7 4 0-0 e6 5 d3
5...d5
A lte rn a tiv e ly , Black c a n le t W h ite a d v a n c e h is p a w n t o e 4 u n c h a lle n g e d . F or e x a m p le ,
V .K u z u b o v -K .K u la o ts , R e yk javik 2010, w e n t 5 ....ie 7 6 e4 d 6 (w it h t h e p a w n o n b 6 suc h
H e d g e h o g p la y w o u ld b e s u s p e c t f o r Black, as W h ite c o u ld g a in m o re space w ith c2-c4, b u t
h e re th e b 5 -p a w n is h e lp in g to re s tra in W h it e s p la n s ) 7 a4 (W h ite a tta ck s th e b S -p a w n in
o rd e r t o w i n a p o s t at c4 fo r h is k n ig h t) 7.. b 4 8 ll'lb d 2 0 -0 9 ll'lc4 ll'lc6 10 a5 (p re v e n tin g th e
s u p p o rtin g m o v e ...a6-a5 a n d c le a rin g a4 fo r th e ro o k in case it e v e r w a n ts to atta ck th e
a d v a n c e d b la c k p a w n ) 10...a6 11 : t e l H b 8 12 . i d 2 (W h ite p u t s p re s s u re o n b 4 firs t w i t h th e
b is h o p a n d th e n th e q u e e n ) 12 ....ia 8 13 S e 2 (a n o th e r a p p ro a c h w o u ld b e 13 c3 fie S 14 'ifc2
fo llo w e d in tim e b y d 3 -d 4 to a sse rt h im s e lf in th e c e n tre ; i f Black fe lt c o m p e lle d to e x
c h a n g e w it h ...b4xc3 th e n a ft e r b2xc3 W h ite c o u ld t r y to w r e s t c o n tro l o f th e b - f i l e f r o m th e
black roo k) 13 ...l:lb5 14 'iVe1 (th e sie ge o f th e b 4 -p a w n c o n tin u e s , b u t Black is able to b re a k
o u t in th e c e n tre ) 14. ..d5 15 exd5 'ifx d 5 16 'if f 1 (d e fe n d in g g2 t o s to p a n y tric k s a lo n g th e
a 8 -h 1 d ia g o n a l).
317
6lbbd2
W h it e h e a d s f o r th e s a m e s e t -u p as in P itra -K o g g a la a b o v e , b u t w i t h th e b lack p a w n o n
b5 r a th e r th a n b6.
318
7 e4 d x e 4
Exercise: If White now plays 8 dxe4, can Black play 8...ixe4 safely?
Answer: A ft e r 8 dxe 4 tt:Jxe4? W h ite h a s the d e c is ive m o v e 9 tt:Je5! (he d id n t h a v e th is in th e
P itra g a m e b e c a u s e Black h a d p la y e d 6...tt:Jbd7 ). Black is c ru s h e d a fte r 9. ..f5 10 & x e 4 fx e 4
11 W h S + g6 12 tt:Jxg6, 9...tLld6 10 .t x b 7 tt:Jxb7 11 ' i f 3 (h it tin g b o th b7 a n d f7 ) 11 ...tt:Jd6 12
'i x a 8 , o r 9...tt:Jxd2 10 .i.x b 7 tt:Jxf1 11 'i x d 8 + x d 8 12 & x f1 a n d 13 A x a 8 .
As Black c a n t p la y 8...tt:Jxe4 W h ite w ill h a v e th e c h a n c e t o c o n s o lid a te h is c o n tro l o f e4 n e x t
m o v e w ith 9 'i e 2 o r m a y b e a d v a n c e 9 e5, w it h a g o o d g a m e . T h e re fo re I th in k W h ite s h o u ld
p la y 8 d x e 4 r a th e r th a n th e g a m e m o v e .
8 tt:Jg5 tLlbd7 9 d x e 4 h6
M o r e s o lid w a s 9... e5.
10 tLlh3 0-0 11 : t e l
c5
A s a t m o v e n in e , w e h a v e to r e c o m m e n d 11. ..e5 h e re , c lo s in g th e lo n g d ia g o n a l a n d p r e
v e n tin g th e w h ite k n ig h t re -e n te r in g th e c e n tre w it h tLlf4. W h it e w o u ld th e n b e a lo n g w a y
fr o m g e ttin g a h o rs e to its id e a l sq u a re o n f5 .
12 e5!
319
1 2 . ....tx g 2
320
Exercise: Can you see the concealed way that White wins a piece?
Answer: 13 e x f6 ! x h 3 14fxe7 'ifxe7 15 'ifh 5 ! 1 -0
The point. Black loses a piece after 1S ...&f5 16 'ilxf5 exf5 17 Sxe7.
Some years ago the Romanian Grandmaster Mihai Suba wrote a fine book called Dy
namic Chess Strategy. He extolled the virtue of the Hedgehog set-up for Black and argued
persuasively that a black bishop on b7 is in no whit inferior to a white bishop on g2. Only
one feature did he concede might be in favour of the white bishop on g2: it is defended.
"Still says Suba, "this amounts to nothing ifthe side with the 'unprotected' bishop avoids
some standardblunders such as lbg5! threatening mate on h7 and the bishop on b7, or e5!
winning a piece. Unfortunately for Black in this game he fell for a very sophisticated form
of the e4-e5 trap.
321
Chapter Eight
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No pottering around!
322
323
3 e4!
3 ...fx e 4
C a p t u r in g th e p a w n is v e ry ris k y. In ste a d , 3 . d 6 is s e n sib le , w h e n 4 exf5 ..txf5 5 d4! in
te n d in g 6 ii.d 3 a n d 7 0 -0 g ive s W h it e a s m a ll p lu s as h e c a n p la y a g a in s t Blacks r a th e r
s h a k y lig h t s q u a re s , e sp e c ia lly e6.
4 d x e 4 lb x e 4 ? 5 ..td3 lLlf6
Black w o u ld be le ft in a m is e ra b le e n d g a m e a fte r 5 .d5 6 ..tx e 4 d x e 4 7 l!Vxd8+ 'it>xd8 8
lb g 5 'it>e8 9 lbbc3 o n c e W h ite re c a p tu re s th e p a w n o n e4.
6 lLigs1
.
324
Exercise: Already there is a big threat hanging over the black kingside. Can you see it?
6...g6
Answer: W h it e w a s p la n n in g 6 tLlxh7! w h e n 6 ...S x h 7 7 .i.g 6 is m a te . Blacks m o v e is th e b e st
d e fe n c e as n o w h is ro o k can b e u s e d to b lo c k th e f7 -s q u a r e a fte r th e b is h o p checks o n g6.
T h e a lte rn a tiv e s a re d is m a l f o r Black: fo r e x a m p le , 6 ...d6 7 .i.x h 7 ! lLlxh7 8 'ifh 5+ c;i;ld7 9
lLlf7! W e8 10 'ifh 3 + c;i;lc6 11 'ikf3 + d5 12 lLlxh8 w h e n Black is le ft th e e x c h a n g e d o w n w ith a
r id ic u lo u s k in g , o r s im ila r ly 6...e6 7 .i.x h 7 lLlxh7 (if 7 .. .1 x h 7 tLlxh7 lLlxh7 9 'ifhs+ c;i;le7 10
'i x h 7 ) 8 'iWh5+ c;i;le7 9 tLlxh7 th re a te n in g 10 .i.g S + w h e n Black w ill b e o b lite ra te d .
325
11....1.b4+?
A u se le ss check th a t m e r e ly re m o ve s a v ita l d e fe n d e r fr o m th e k in g side. He s h o u ld t r y
11...tt:'le7, t h o u g h 12 .i.x f7 + <i;xf7 13 W h 5 + tt:'lg6 14 h 4 !, p la n n in g h 4 -h 5 at a g o o d m o m e n t,
is a fie rc e o n s la u g h t.
W f8 15 'i h 6 +
1-0
G am e 39
L.Fressinet-V.M a ian iu k
Bastia 2010
1 tt:'lf3 fs 2 d3 d6
T h e p o in t o f p la y in g 2 ...d6 is to o c c u p y th e e 5 -s q u a re as q u ic k ly as p o s s ib le . If in s te a d
2 ... g6 3 e4 d6 4 e x f5 .i.x f5 5 d 4 in te n d in g 6 .i.d 3 a n d 7 0 -0 is s tr a ig h t f o r w a r d w a y f o r W h ite
to t r y to e x p lo it th e lig h t -s q u a re w e a k n e s se s in th e b lack c a m p . H o w e v e r, i f y o u re fe e lin g
m o re a m b itio u s 4 h4!? is a d a n g e ro u s m o v e : fo r e x a m p le , 4...lt:Jf6 5 h 5 tLlxh5 6 l:f.xh5 g x h 5 7
tLlg5 c6 8 'i x h 5 + & d 7 9 'i!Vh3 a n d W h it e h a s a n attack.
3 e4
326
327
9 i.f4 i.xc2
A r a th e r d e s p a irin g m o v e . If Black d o e s n t ta k e th e p a w n th e n W h it e h a s a n e a sy b u il d
u p w ith 10 0 -0 -0 , a tta c k in g d6, th e n 11 .t c 4 a n d 12 S h e 1 + w h e n h is atta ck lo o k s u n s t o p
p a b le . If 9 .. . 'i f 6 th e n 10 'i!Vd2 i. x c 2 11 i. e 2 o r 11 g3 w ill g iv e la s tin g p re s s u re f o r th e p a w n .
328
12 g3!
O u r b e lo v e d K in g 's In d ia n A tta c k m o v e . H e re it h a s e x tra v e n o m as th e b is h o p w ill g o to
h3 , d e c is iv e ly s tre n g th e n in g th e w h ite attack.
1 2 ...'fib 6 13 .t h 3 + &C7
Exercise: H o w d o e s W h it e b re a k th r o u g h ?
329
16 <i>cl!
A c a lm m o v e , g u a rd in g b 2 a n d s id e s te p p in g a check o n f2 . O f co u rse , W h it e can a ffo r d
t o ta k e h is t im e as th e roo k o n h 8 w o n t r u n a w a y .
16...11Vxf2 17 lL!e4
A n o t h e r p r e c a u tio n . I h o p e y o u s a w th a t Black w a s th re a te n in g m a te o n c2.
17...1.f4+
He h a d to t r y 17 ... 'if 8 18 W x h 8 <i>c7, t h o u g h Black re m a in s th e e x c h a n g e d o w n .
2 0 'id 7
21 S e 8 + ! 1 -0
A n e le g a n t m o v e w it h w h ic h F re ssin e t a to n e s f o r th e m is s e d c h a n c e la s t m o v e . It w ill be
m a te o n d8 o r d 6 n e x t m o v e .
330
Game 40
6 ...e4
B e g in n in g a lo n g fo rc in g v a ria t io n in w h ic h n e ith e r sid e can a ffo r d to b ack d o w n w it h a
's lig h tly in fe r io r, b u t O K m o v e . S uch o c c u rre n c e s a re q u ite ra re in th e K in g s In d ia n A tta c k ,
b u t w h e n y o u r o p p o n e n t p la y s a s h a rp o p e n in g like th e D u tc h it h a s t o b e m e t w it h fo rc e
fu lly .
331
333
334
Answer: 25 l:r.cSl
N o t o n ly d r iv in g a w a y th e b la c k k n ig h t to s to p th e b a c k r a n k m a te , b u t a lso g e ttin g th e
w h ite ro o k to th e s e v e n th ra n k w ith g a in o f tim e .
2 5 ...lt:a 3
26 l:txc7 l:r.d8
O n e la s t t r y . W ill W h it e m is s th e m a te o n b1?
27 I1d3 l:txd3
1-0
Black s a w t h a t 28 fic8 + w o u ld m a te a n d so re s ig n e d .
1 fof3
es
7a4l?
335
7...aS
Black c o n tin u e s t o c o p y h is o p p o n e n t a n d p u ts a s to p t o a n y im m e d ia te e x p a n s io n b y
th e w h ite p a w n s . A n o t h e r g a m e w e n t 7 ...ltlb d7 8 a5 (w h y n o t take th e free spa ce o n o ffe r? )
8 ...a6 9 c3 S e 8 10 lt le l!? (a s tra n g e lo o k in g b u t in te re s tin g p ro p h y la c tic re tre a t - see th e
n e x t n o te ) 10. ..ltlf8 11 h 3 ltlh 5 12 ltla 3 .
336
Sli)bd2 liX 6
9C3
T o c o n t in u e th e th e m e o f th e p r e v io u s n o te , w e m ig h t s a y t h a t W h ite 's p a w n s a re w o r k
in g h a r d e r th a n Black's. T h e w h ite p a w n g u a rd s th e d 4 -s q u a r e a n d has th e p o te n tia l to
337
338
11
ltJc4 i . a 6
12 'i b 3
Question: Why does White put his queen on b3 rather than c2?
Answer: P e rh a p s h e w a s a fra id o f h a v in g h is p a w n s d o u b le d a fte r 12 'i'c 2 i . x c 4 13 d x c 4
(w r o n g ly in m y o p in io n as th e e x c h a n g e see m s t o f a v o u r W h ite - c o m p a re th e t h ir d o p tio n
339
12tt:'!d7
Black d e c id e s to p la y h is k n ig h t to c5 to h a ra s s th e w h it e q u e e n . R e m o vin g th e h o rs e
f r o m f 6 is also th e s ta rt o f a v e r y m is c o n c e iv e d p la n t o a d v a n c e th e f -p a w n , as w e shall see.
16 tt:'!a3
T h e k n ig h t re tre a ts w it h id e a s o f 17 lD b 5 o r p o s s ib ly 17 d4 , b u t b a s ic a lly W h ite is w a it
ing fo r...
1 6 ...fS?
340
17 e x f s g x fs
Exercise: How d o
r e fu t e Blacks s tra te g y ?
Answer: 18 d4\
T h is is all th e s tro n g e r fo r b e in g d e la y e d u n t il th e o p p o n e n t has w e a k e n e d h im s e lf. It
is n 't n e c e ss a ry to c a lc u la te m a n y v a ria tio n s , W h ite h a s such a n a d v a n ta g e in f ir e p o w e r in
th e c e n tre t h a t o p e n in g lin e s m u s t b e g o o d fo r h im .
18...1tJd7 19 ltJh4
A tta c k in g b o th c6 a n d f5.
19...1tJe7
20 d x e s
dxes
21 'i d 2
T h e d o u b le a tta ck o n d 7 a n d h 6 w in s a p a w n a n d le a ve s Black's k in g s id e w re c k e d .
341
21...1L!cS
22 . i x h 6
28
. i d s 'ig 7 29 S e S 'ig 4
32 . i f 3 !
A fte r 32 S e x e 7 it w o u ld b e m a te in five m o v e s to th e ...w h ite k in g . H e re is th e r a th e r
b e a u tifu l fin is h : 32 . . . 'i d l + 33 rJtf2 'i f f l + 34 rJile3 'i e 2 + 35 rJild4.
342
343
Index of Variations
KIA versus the French
1 e4 2 dB d5
3d2
2
3...if6 - 31
3...>c6 - 50
3...dxe4 - 63
B...c5 4gB c6 5gfB
5...i.d6 - 41
6 iLg2 i.e7 7 0-0 0-0
344
Index of Variations
7...b6 - 22
8 e s lbd7 9 S e i
9...Wc7 -11
9...b5 - 19
K IA v e r s u s t h e S ic ilia n
1 e 4 c s 2 lDf3 lDc6
S...d6
6...e5 - 91
7 C3 0 -0 S S e l
8...e5 - 73
8.....tg4 - 84
345
1 e4 c6 2 d3
2...d s
2 ...e5
-1 4 6
3 ltld 2
3...es
3 ...g6 4 g3 .i.g 7 5 .i.g 2 e5 6 ltlg f3 ltle 7 7 0 -0 0 -0 8 S e l d 4
9 ltlc4
-1 3 0
9 C3 - 1 3 7
3 ..lt lf 6 4 ltlg f3 .i.g 4 - 141
4 ltlgf3 .i.d 6 5 g3 fS
5 ...ltlf6 - 1 2 1
6 e x d s c x d s 7 c4
7 ...d x c 4 - 153
7 ...e 4 - 153
346
Index o f Variations
K IA v e r s u s t h e R e v e r s e d K in g 's In d ia n D e fe n c e
7...d4 -165
7...0-0 -177
K IA v e r s u s t h e . . . i . f s S y s t e m
1 l'Df3 d5 2 g3
2 b3 - 190
2...l'Df6 3 J.g 2 c6 4 0-0 i . f S 5 d3
s...e6
6 l'Dh4 - 218
6t'Dfd2 - 225
6 ...h 6
7 b3 -198
7 'ie1 - 210
347
2 ....i.g 4
3 .ig
3 ...lb d 7 4 h 3 - 2 7 9
3 ..
c6 4 0 -0 lt:'ld7 5 d3 e5 - 251
S...lt:'lbd7
5 ... e6 6 h 3 - 288
6lbbd2
6 'i f e l - 259
6 h 3 - 293
6 ...e S - 244
6...e6 - 269
K IA v e r s u s t h e Q u e e n 's In d ia n
1 lZ'lf3 lbf6 2 g3 b6
2 ...b5 - 317
3 . i g 2 i . b 7 4 0 -0 e6 S d3 dS 6 lZ'lbd2 lLlbd7
348
Index of Variations
7 S e i - 301
7 b3-311
K IA v e r s u s t h e D u tc h (a n d K in g 's In d ia n )
1 '2Jf3 fs
1 ...C2Jf6 2 g3
2 d3 d6
2 ...'2Jf6 - 324
3 e4 e s 4 ttJc3
4...'2Jc6 - 326
4...ctJf6 - 331
349
350
351
Neil McDonald
John Emms
Sam Collins
The Tarrasch Defence
move by move
move by move
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