Invisible Chess Moves
Page 12
The third idea consists in a kind of mutual confidence between the two players. Once (in a rapid game) Ivanchuk missed a mate in one. He explained his omission by the quality of his opponent: ‘I could not imagine that he would let me mate him’, he said.
Something similar happened in this crucial last rapid game from the play-offs of the World Championship match in 2006, one of the most tense in history. Each player had won a game, a third one was drawn.
Kramnik,Vladimir
Topalov,Veselin
Elista Wch m rapid 2006 (4)
1. d2-d4 d7-d5
2. c2-c4 c7-c6
3. Ng1-f3 Ng8-f6
4. Nb1-c3 e7-e6
5. e2-e3 Nb8-d7
6. Bf1-d3 d5xc4
7. Bd3xc4 b7-b5
8. Bc4-e2 Bc8-b7
9. 0-0 Bf8-e7
10. e3-e4 b5-b4
11. e4-e5 b4xc3
12. e5xf6 Be7xf6
13. b2xc3 c6-c5
14. d4xc5 Nd7xc5
15. Be2-b5+ Ke8-f8
16. Qd1xd8+ Ra8xd8
17. Bc1-a3 Rd8-c8
18. Nf3-d4 Bf6-e7
19. Rf1-d1
Here are Topalov’s comments from the thrilling book On the Edge in Elista (Topalov and Ginchev): ‘Played without thinking Strangely this natural move is a serious mistake as the combination Kramnik probably had in mind does not work tactically.’
19. … a7-a6
‘The start of my problems. This being a rapid game, I took a practical decision to save time, and trusted my opponent’s calculation.’
On 19…Ne4! 20.Nxe6+? is faulty because after 20…fxe6 21.Bxe7+ Kxe7 22.Rd7+ Kf6 23.Rxb7 Black has the backward knight move 23…Nd6!, winning. The combination is not a long one, but the final move is hard to spot, especially in rapid chess.
20.Bxe7+ is better: 20…Kxe7 21.Ne2 with an edge for Black. Or the shrewd 20.Bb4!? 20…Bxb4 21.cxb4 Nc3; or 20…Nxc3 21.Nxe6+ fxe6 22.Bxe7+ Kxe7 23.Rd7+ Kf6 24.Rxb7 Rb8 25.Rxb8 Rxb8.
20. Bb5-f1 Nc5-a4
21. Ra1-b1 Bb7-e4
22. Rb1-b3 Be7xa3
23. Rb3xa3 Na4-c5
24. Nd4-b3
White now has an advantage, and he gradually won after a nice positional squeeze.
24. … Kf8-e7
25. Rd1-d4 Be4-g6
26. c3-c4
Here an invisible move could have given Black good chances of a draw.
26. … Rc8-c6
‘The anti-positional 26…Nxb3 was much better’, e.g. 27.axb3 Rhd8 28.Rxd8 Rxd8 29.f3 Rb8.
27. Nb3xc5 Rc6xc5
28. Ra3xa6 Rh8-b8
29. Rd4-d1 Rb8-b2
30. Ra6-a7+ Ke7-f6
31. Rd1-a1 Rc5-f5
31…Bb1!? was worth trying, in order to cut the a1 rook off from the defence of the first rank:
A) 32.a4? Re5!∞.
B) 32.Ra3 with the idea Rb3 is best: 32…Bc2.
32. f2-f3 Rf5-e5
33. Ra7-a3 Rb2-c2
34. Ra3-b3 Re5-a5
35. a2-a4 Kf6-e7
36. Rb3-b5 Ra5-a7
37. a4-a5 Ke7-d6
38. a5-a6 Kd6-c7
39. c4-c5 Rc2-c3
40. Ra1-a5 Rc3-c1
41. Rb5-b3 Kc7-c6
42. Rb3-b6+ Kc6-c7
43. Kg1-f2 Rc1-c2+
44. Kf2-e3 Rc2xc5
45. Rb6-b7+ 1-0
This mutual confidence also had a dramatic influence on the second game of the match, when the first game had already been decided by a blunder from Topalov.
Topalov,Veselin
Kramnik,Vladimir
Elista Wch m 2006 (2)
1. d2-d4 d7-d5
2. c2-c4 c7-c6
3. Nb1-c3 Ng8-f6
4. Ng1-f3 d5xc4
5. a2-a4 Bc8-f5
6. e2-e3 e7-e6
7. Bf1xc4 Bf8-b4
8. 0-0 Nb8-d7
9. Qd1-e2 Bf5-g6
10. e3-e4 0-0
11. Bc4-d3 Bg6-h5
12. e4-e5 Nf6-d5
13. Nc3xd5 c6xd5
14. Qe2-e3 Bh5-g6
15. Nf3-g5 Rf8-e8
16. f2-f4 Bg6xd3
17. Qe3xd3 f7-f5
18. Bc1-e3 Nd7-f8
19. Kg1-h1 Ra8-c8
20. g2-g4 Qd8-d7
21. Rf1-g1 Bb4-e7
22. Ng5-f3 Rc8-c4
23. Rg1-g2 f5xg4
24. Rg2xg4 Rc4xa4
25. Ra1-g1 g7-g6
26. h2-h4 Ra4-b4
27. h4-h5 Qd7-b5
28. Qd3-c2 Rb4xb2
29. h5xg6 h7-h5
30. g6-g7 h5xg4
31. g7xf8Q+
Up to this point, Kramnik had found a number of beautiful defensive moves, but here in his calculations he forgot a very hard-tosee move.
31. … Be7xf8
Here this is a tragic mistake, because White has a two-move win!
‘Suddenly Paco (Vallejo) jumped up in triumph. “Look, Ivan, it’s mate in two moves for Veselin!” Chep (Cheparinov) inspected the position, smiled happily, and ran quickly upstairs to his office to check what the computer programs said. He came back pleased, rubbing his hands. “Five more minutes at the most and the game is over!” (On the Edge in Elista).
Necessary was 31…Kxf8= 32.Qg6 Qe2 33.Qxg4. Apparently White is mating quickly, but there’s a miraculous defence, which Topalov saw in the game: 33…Bg5!!
Analysis diagram
Thanks to this obstructive move, mate is prevented. Now if the knight takes the bishop, Black mates on h2; if the queen takes, Black takes the knight with check, while if the pawn takes, White’s attack comes to an end and Black can take the e3 bishop. Did Kramnik forget about this move, or was he the victim of momentary blindness?
Topalov played the incredible 32.Qg6+. A unique occurrence: in a duel for the crown, a player allows the opponent to mate him and the latter doesn’t see it. Topalov explained he had been so happy that his opponent had nit seen the Bg5 defence in the previous line, that he quickly played a move that offered him good winning chances. After 32…Bg7 33.f5! Re7! 34.f6 Qe2 35.Qxg4 Rf7 36.Rc1?! (36.Qh5!+−) the position was unclear and Black won in the end: 36…Rc2 37.Rxc2 Qd1+ 38.Kg2 Qxc2+ 39.Kg3 Qe4 40.Bf4 Qf5 41.Qxf5 exf5 42.Bg5 a5 43.Kf4 a4 44.Kxf5 a3 45.Bc1 Bf8 46.e6 Rc7 47.Bxa3 Bxa3 48.Ke5 Rc1 49.Ng5 Rf1 50.e7 Re1+ 51.Kxd5 Bxe7 52.fxe7 Rxe7 53.Kd6 Re1 54.d5 Kf8 55.Ne6+ Ke8 56.Nc7+ Kd8 57.Ne6+ Kc8 58.Ke7 Rh1 59.Ng5 b5 60.d6 Rd1 61.Ne6 b4 62.Nc5 Re1+ 63.Kf6 Re3 0-1.
Instead there was a win:
32. Rg1xg4+ Bf8-g7
32…Kf7 33.Qh7+ Bg7 34.Qxg7+; 32…Kh8 33.Rh4+ Kg7 34.Qh7+.
Which move finishes the game?
33. Qc2-c7
It is difficult to imagine the arrival of the white queen on c7, on a file dominated by Black since the start of the game. Another thing that is difficult to see is the horizontal effect of the queen from the seventh rank, when its role had always been to create threats on the b1-h7 diagonal.
Apart from these specific psychological situations, there are other cases of invisibility, relative to certain situations during the game. Nicolas Giffard wrote to us: ‘the most difficult to see moves are backward moves in attack, and forward moves in defence’. In such attack-defence situations we find an impressive number of omissions.
C – Forward moves in defence
The task of the defender is especially tiring in a psychological sense. Focused on his defensive duties, he can hardly imagine attacking his ‘torturer’ himself.
Kortchnoi,Viktor
Van der Stricht,Geert
Plovdiv Ech-tt 2003 (7)
In this attacking position, White has four pieces directly involved in the assault against Black’s king. White concluded with
36. Rg4-g6
And Black resigned, unable to meet the mate threat on h6.
However after 36.Rg6? not White, but Black could win with 36…Nxe5! (of course not 36…fxg6 37.Qxh6+) 37.Rxe6 Nxd3
And now White is lost because on 38.Rxh6+, the best move, Black can take back the rook with check (see Chapter 1 on Alignment). 38…gxh6+ 39.Kf1
Rg6−+. White can only wait, with his lone queen unable to create threats against Black’s solid position, for example 40.Qh4 Kg7 41.Qh3 Nf4 42.Qh4 Rf6 43.Qg4+ Kf8 44.Qd7 Nc4 45.Qc8+ Kg7 46.Qg4+ Kh7 47.Qg3 Nd2+ 48.Ke1 Nb1 49.Qg4 Nxc3−+ etc.
Instead of the game move, 36.f4 was better.
Shirov,Alexey
Kramnik,Vladimir
Groningen 1993 (8)
Black has to defend against mate. Can you find the best way of parrying the threat of 22.Rh3?
In the game, the players agreed a draw after 21…Rxg7 22.Rxg7+ Kh6 (certainly not 22…Kh8? because of 23.R7g4 and White wins) 23.Rg8+ Kh7 24.R8g7+=.
Kramnik was happy to force the draw, but forgot to win by
21. … Qa5xc3!!
From c3, the queen defends h3 horizontal effect – and White loses after either 22.bxc3 when the surprising counterattack 22…Ba3+ leads to mate after 23.Kb1 Rd1#, or the hopeless 22.Rxc3 Rxg7 with an easy win for Black with his extra piece.
Just as incredible seems the resignation of Topalov against Carlsen in the next game.
Carlsen,Magnus
Topalov,Veselin
Morelia/Linares 2007 (5)
True, Carlsen is a nightmare opponent for the Bulgarian champion, he has an impressive record against him. But here Black is a pawn up with a solid position, and Topalov had all the time to look for a defence against White’s unpleasant threat of winning the fianchettoed knight with 65.Qh7+ and 66.Qh8+. Topalov simply lost hope, when a two-move manoeuvre would have allowed him to defend successfully against White’s only idea.
64. … Qd7-d5+!
Again a forward defensive move!
65. f2-f3 e6-e5!
66. Qg6-h7+ Kg8-f8
67. Qh7-h8+ Qd5-g8!
And now White has a choice: forcing a draw with 68.Nh7+ Kf7 69.Ng5+ with perpetual check, or playing on in an unclear position after 68.Qh6 Qd5 69.Kg3 with compensation for the pawn, but no more than that.
Kramnik,Vladimir
Morozevich,Alexander
Mexico City Wch 2007 (2)
How would you react to the various threats?
The defensive 21…Qf8 was played in the game, after which 22.b6+− was an easy win: 22…Ne5 If 22…Nxb6 23.Qc6 with a double attack on b6 and e6. 23.Bxe5 Qf3 24.Qd1 Qe4 25.b7 Rf8 26.c8Q Bd5 27.f3 and White won.
21. … Qd6-d5!
This counterattacking defensive move leads to an unclear position where White has to be very accurate in order to get a playable game.
Now 22.Qxb4? loses to 22…Qf3!, a quiet move preparing mate with 23…Bd5/h3. White’s best move is 22.Racl! Bc5 (22…Bh3 is ineffective due to 23.Qb3!) and now:
A) 23.Qxa6!? Nb6 24.Rxc5 (forced. 24…Bh3 was threatened, when moving the f-pawn is forbidden by FIDE) 23…Qxc5 24.Be3! (24.Qb7 Bd5) 24…Qxc7 25.Qxb6 Qxb6 26.Bxb6 Rb8=;
B) 23.bxa6 Nb6 is unclear.
Lemmers,Oscar
McShane,Luke
Plovdiv tt 2010 (3.9)
Black looks in danger here, mainly because three of his pieces (the knight, the queen and the rook) are out of play and seem unable to assist the king. Yet the resourceful McShane has anticipated a defensive possibility based on several unusual forward moves:
1. … Nc8-d6!!
Defending the rook, attacking the queen and enabling Black to use his queen and rook in defence.
2. Nb5xd6 Qb8-a7+!
Another Zwischenzug that attacks White’s king with tempo…
3. Kg1-h1 b7-b5!
Again the only move, a third intermediate one in a row, still attacking the white queen and defending the seventh rank.
4. Qc4-d5 Ra8-f8
And now a purely defensive move, which wins. The fourth attacking move in a row, 4…Qf2!!, would have been even quicker. The queen threatens the rook and protects f7, and taking it is taboo because of the back-rank mate: 5.Qxa8+ Kg7 and if 6.Rg1 Qxg1+.
5. h2-h3 Qa7-d4!
Queen forward!
6. Qd5-e6 Qd4xe5!
The queen is dominated. White has to accept the exchange and the loss of the game.
7. Qe6xe5 Rf7xf1+
8. Kh1-h2 b2-b1Q
9. Qe5-e6+ Kg8-h8
10. Qe6-e5+ Rf1-f6
11. Nd6-e4 Qb1-f1
0-1
Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime
Wang Hao
Wijk aan Zee 2011 (1)
1. d2-d4 d7-d5
2. c2-c4 c7-c6
3. Ng1-f3 Ng8-f6
4. Nb1-c3 d5xc4
5. a2-a4 Bc8-f5
6. e2-e3 e7-e6
7. Bf1xc4 Bf8-b4
8. 0-0 Nb8-d7
9. Qd1-e2 0-0
10. e3-e4 Bf5-g6
11. Bc4-d3 Bg6-h5
12. e4-e5 Nf6-d5
13. Nc3xd5 c6xd5
14. Qe2-e3 Bb4-e7
15. Bc1-d2 Nd7-b8
16. a4-a5 a7-a6
17. Rf1-c1 Nb8-c6
18. Nf3-e1 Qd8-d7
19. Bd3-c2!?
White intends (or pretends to intend) to set up a pin on the queenside with Ba4. Positionally, this retreat allows the other white pieces to occupy the key d3-square, as we will see later.
19. … Qd7-d8
First 19…Rfc8 might have been more accurate.
20. Qe3-h3 Bh5-g6
21. Bc2xg6 h7xg6
22. Qh3-g4 Ra8-c8
The pawn structure is very solid from Black’s point of view. Yet there are potential dangers with the pawn on g6 instead of h7. If White can manage to double his major pieces on the h-file, there are mating possibilities. The second attacking possibility is also dangerous. It consists in Qh4+ Ng5 with Qh7 with checkmate, or at least devastation.
23. Ne1-f3 Qd8-d7
24. Bd2-g5
Trying to remove the defender of the two critical squares, g5 and h4.
24. … Be7-b4!
A clever escape, because as long as the white bishop occupies g5, the f3 knight is useless.
25. Qg4-h4
So White is preparing plan B: bringing a rook to h3.
25. … Nc6-e7
White’s last move involves the sacrifice of the a5 pawn. On 25…Nxa5, 26.Rc5!? is very dangerous. Black cannot take the rook: 26…Bxc5 27.Bf6!+− or 26…Rxc5 27.dxc5± and White attacks the b4 bishop horizontally! 26…Nb3!? looks like the best move, with a lot of complications ahead, for example 27.Be7 Qxe7 28.Qxe7 Bxc5 29. dxc5 Nxa1∞.
Now Black will bring the knight to f5, repelling the enemy forces. If White wants to attack, this cannot be tolerated, so ‘MVL’ played:
26. g2-g4! Rc8xc1+
27. Ra1xc1 Rf8-c8
28. Kg1-g2
A very useful move in most variations, because there will be no checks on the first rank.
But the incredible 28.Rc3! would have given White a great advantage:
Analysis diagram
A) 28…Bxc3 29.Bxe7 Bd2 30.Nxd2±;
B) 28…Rxc3 29.bxc3 Ba3 30.Bf6!+−;
C) 28…Nc6 29.Bf6! gxf6 30.exf6 Be7 31.fxe7 Kg7 (forced) 32.Ne5 Qxe7 33.g5 Rh8 (the only defence against the threat of 34.Rh3) 34.Qf4!+− Qc7 (34…Nxa5 35.Nxf7!) 35.b4!!. The idea is b4-b5, a6xb5, a5-a6, winning thanks to the pin. There is no defence.
28. … Ne7-c6
29. Rc1-d1 Bb4xa5?!
If 29…Bf8 30.Rd3! Nb4 31.Rb3! Nc6 32.Bd2 Be7 33.Ng5 Bxg5 34.Bxg5, with 35.Rh3 or 35.Bf6 to follow.
30. Rd1-d3 Nc6-b4
31. Rd3-b3
31.Be7! was winning • 31…Nxd3 32.Ng5 Nf4+ 33.Kg3 Nh5+ 34.gxh5 Qxe7 35.hxg6+−.
31. … Qd7-b5
If 31…Nc6, the rook lift 32.Ng1 Nxd4 33.Rh3 is decisive: 33…f5 34.exf6 Kf7 35.Nf3!+− or 35.Qh7+−.
Here two plans are winning: White can play for either Ng5 or Rh3. Which plan do you choose, and which move do you prefer?
32. Bg5-e7?
Among many winning moves, Vachier-Lagrave selects the one that appears the safest, choosing a protected square for the bishop. The bishop on e7 attacks the pinned enemy knight and keeps the king from f8. Alas for the attacker, the move allows an incredible defence.
&
nbsp; A) 32.Bf6!, threatening 33.Ng5 and mate, was the most spectacular: 32…Nd3!? (32… gxf6 33.exf6 with 34.Qh6 to follow) 33.Rxd3 Qxd3 (33…g5 34.Qxg5 with mate) 34.Ng5+−;
B) 32.Ng1 f5 33.exf6 is lethal;
C) 32.Nd2+− is the same;
D) 32.Ne1?! is less clear because of 32…Nc2! 33.Rxb5 Nxe1+ 34.Kf1 axb5.
32. … Nb4-d3!!
33. Rb3xb5
The usually winning 33.Rxd3? here fails to the incredible in-between move 33…g5!! 34.Nxg5 Qxd3! and Black wins thanks to the surprising comeback of her majesty.
33. … Nd3-f4+
34. Kg2-g3
34.Kf1? is mate in two after 34…Rc1+, while 34.Kh1 Rc1+ 35.Ng1 Net 36.h3 (or 36.Kg2 Rxg1+ 37.Kf3 Nxd4+ 38.Ke3 Nc2+ 39.Kd3 Ne1+ 40.Ke2 axb5∞ and White has at best a draw) 36…Rxg1+ 37.Kh2 axb5 is at least not worse for Black.
34. … Nf4-e2+
35. Kg3-h3 Ne2-f4+
36. Kh3-g3 Nf4-e2+
37. Kg3-g2 Ne2-f4+
½-½
In the following example, a great defensive move saved an apparently hopeless game, which had been beautifully conducted by White up to the crucial point.
Gutman,Lev
Vitolins,Alvis
Riga 1979
1. d2-d4 Ng8-f6
2. c2-c4 e7-e6
3. Nb1-c3 Bf8-b4
4. e2-e3 0-0
5. Ng1-e2 b7-b5
6. c4xb5 a7-a6
7. Ne2-g3 Bc8-b7
8. Bc1-d2 Bb4xc3
9. Bd2xc3 a6xb5
10. Bf1xb5 Bb7xg2!?
The concept looks risky, to say the least.
11. Rh1-g1 Bg2-c6
11…Bd5! was the best defensive try.
12. Ng3-h5!?
12.d5!! Bxb5 and now the cool killer 13.Ne4!, see:
A) 13…e5 14.Bxe5 Ra6 15.Rxg7+ 15.d6+− Kxg7 16.Qg4+ Kh8 17.Nxf6 Rxf6 18.Qg5;
B) 13…Nxe4
Analysis diagram
With mate in four: 14.Rxg7+ Kh8 15.Rxh7+ Kxh7 16.Qh5+ Kg8 17.Qh8+;