FIDE Surveys – Sam Palatnik 1

Sam Palatnik:
Loud song about a “Pair of
Elephants”

We would like to present you with a few
interesting games where you can easily
find similarity and even semblance of a
strategic picture. Of course, it is also a
pleasure for the author to confirm
correctness of “his business”, even after
so many years have gone by.
After all, one of the most proven ways of
building the foundation of your chess
strength and knowledge is to recognize
similar strategic ideas in the sea of chess
information. Finding patterns and ability
to come up with generalizations will also
expand your arsenal on which to draw
conclusions. Your decision-making is
directly related to your ability to draw
conclusions. This process is of course
easier once you are able to find global,
unifying, even if not all encompassing
characteristics. Times have evolved to
the point where a person can no longer
catch up with a computer in our ability
to calculate any particular position.
Therefore, we have to be nimble and
revert back to the tried and true way of
expanding our arsenal of generalization
and standardization. It is an old but still
promising way of improving the chess
game of human beings. Of course, it
does not diminish the importance for us
to improve our precision and volume of
variation calculations. In this computer
age, with a never ending stream of
information, we must improve and
constantly exercise our memory as well.

Ivanov A. : Palatnik S.
USSR – ch, Leningrad 1976

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cd4 4.Nd4 Nf6
5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.0–0–0
Bd7 9.f4 b5
Rouser Variation in Sicilian.

10. Bf6 gf6 11.Kb1 Qb6 12.Nce2 h5
13.g3 Be7 14.f5

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-+k+-tr0
9+-+lvlp+-0
9pwqnzppzp-+0
9+p+-+P+p0
9-+-sNP+-+0
9+-+-+-zP-0
9PzPPwQN+-zP0
9+K+R+L+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

All of the required moves have been
made in this variation and White has
begun to weaken the opponent’s pawn
structure in the center. If only Black
allows the exchange of fe6, then all of
White’s pieces will find gainful
employment on the weaknesses of the
h3-c8 diagonal, and f file. In order not to
allow that, Black must move e5,
however, this pawn advancement will
forever take away this critical square
from Knight on c6. It is logical to
assume that Knight on c6 is no longer
useful, and can be exchanged, especially
since White will have one less contender
to occupy d5.
14...Nd4!? 15. Nd4 e5 16.Ne2 b4!
You could not allow the White Knight to
d5 via c3.
17.Nc1 Bc6 18.Re1
This is not a good sign for White. Their
last move does not add anything
valuable to his position.
18...a5 19.Bc4 a4 20.Re2 Qc5 21.b3
The White Bishop has marked his
presence on the a2-g8 diagonal.
Actually, he only clawed its way to it, by
occupying a studio apartment on c4,
even though it has a nice balcony on d5.
21...Rb8 22.Rd1 a3

FIDE Surveys – Sam Palatnik 2

That else can be expected from "a"
pawn?
23.h3

XIIIIIIIIY
9-tr-+k+-tr0
9+-+-vlp+-0
9-+lzp-zp-+0
9+-wq-zpP+p0
9-zpL+P+-+0
9zpP+-+-zPP0
9P+PwQR+-+0
9+KsNR+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

The living conditions of the White King
have significantly decreased after the
appearance of pawn on a3. 23.Nd3 Qd4
24.Nb4? Qb2#. White has now come to
an aimless maneuvering, while Black
have found a plan to rebuild their ranks,
and can obtain a significant advantage.
23...Bf8! 24.Bd5
The Bishop from the square reminds us
of a decent dentist job, by doing a filling
for the d6 pawn. He’s nothing more then
this.
24…Bb5 25.Nd3 Qd4

XIIIIIIIIY
9-tr-+kvl-tr0
9+-+-+p+-0
9-+-zp-zp-+0
9+l+LzpP+p0
9-zp-wqP+-+0
9zpP+N+-zPP0
9P+PwQR+-+0
9+K+R+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

White has decided to exchange the
Queens, but it only crystallizes Black’s
advantage.
26.Qe3 Qe3 27.Re3 Bh6 28.Ree1 Ba6
29.Rf1 Ke7
We can hear the “song of two Elephants
(Bishops)”, louder and louder.
30.Rf3 Rhc8 31.Rg1 Kf8!
Prophylactic here is not extra if
31...Rc3-then 32.Nb4 Rf3 33.Nc6 Kf8
34.Nb8.
32.Rg2 Rc3 33.Rgf2 Bg5!
The domination of the pair of Bishops
has lead to Zugzwang.
34.Ka1 Rbc8

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+r+-mk-+0
9+-+-+p+-0
9l+-zp-zp-+0
9+-+LzpPvlp0
9-zp-+P+-+0
9zpPtrN+RzPP0
9P+P+-tR-+0
9mK-+-+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

35.Nb4

Necessitates.
35…Be3 36.Na6 Rc2!
The rest is forced.
37.Rc2 Rc2 38.Rf1 Bd4 39.Kb1 Rb2
40.Kc1
40.Ka1 Rb3#.
40...Ra2 41.Rf3 Ra1 42.Kd2 a2 43.Nb4
Rd1 44.Kd1 a1Q 45.Ke2 Qb2 46.Kf1
Qh2 0:1.

Now, we would like to move to the
aforementioned rightness of one’s cause.
The next game is separated from the
previous one, by an entire computer
century. It was about that time, when I
started to become acquainted with then

FIDE Surveys – Sam Palatnik 3

talented and now extraordinary player,
Grandmaster Vasily Ivanchuk. I will not
go into all aspects of his talent, as there
are many, but do wish to point one thing
out. Ivanchuk has and talent of listening.
Not just listening, but listening and
remembering for a very long time,
whatever he deems important. It does
give me personal pleasure that Vasily
heard something useful from me, and
even many years after was able to make
this suggestion useful.

Kryvoruchko Y. : Ivanchuk V.
FIDE World Cup, Tromso 2013

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cd4 4.Nd4 Nf6
5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.0–0–0
Bd7 9.f4 b5 10.Bf6

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-wqkvl-tr0
9+-+l+pzpp0
9p+nzppvL-+0
9+p+-+-+-0
9-+-sNPzP-+0
9+-sN-+-+-0
9PzPPwQ-+PzP0
9+-mKR+L+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

If we consult a computer, it would give
White a small advantage in this
variation. Probably, the computer has its
own basis for that, or maybe it needs to
work a bit more. A human, who,
generally, is not able to calculate that far
ahead and does not wish to subcontract
his decision to a computer, has a choice
to apply the principal of "I just want it
this way!

".

10...gf6
You can see that Black wanted to play
this exact variation. 10...Qf6 11.e5 de5

12.Ndb5 Qd8 13.Nd6 Bd6 14.Qd6 Ra7
15.Ne4±.
11.Nc6 Bc6 12.Bd3
Just in case. A Bishop on this square is
considered developed, even though it is
obvious that this is an eyesore for the
heavy pieces on the D file.
12...b4
This particular move as well as the few
following ones are simply copied from
the previous game. It is easy to play the
instrument if you know the notes,
somehow a fortepiano is suddenly
available and you are also ready to
improvise.
13.Ne2 Qb6 14.Kb1 h5!?
All on time.
15.f5 Bh6 16.Qe1 e5 17.Ng3 h4 18.Nf1

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-+k+-tr0
9+-+-+p+-0
9pwqlzp-zp-vl0
9+-+-zpP+-0
9-zp-+P+-zp0
9+-+L+-+-0
9PzPP+-+PzP0
9+K+RwQN+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

18...Ke7
Here we can also recognize the tune
from the song of two Elephants.
19.Bc4?!
Of course, this sports car wants to go on
the highway (19.Qh4).
19...Qc5 20.Bd3
Could not do it. However, one should
not be tempted by 20.b3,

and afterwards

20.Bd5 will be followed by 20...Ba4
21.b3 Rac8 22.Bc4 (22.ba4 Qc2 23.Ka1
Bc1 24.Rc1 Qc1 25.Qc1 Rc1 26.Kb2
Rhc8–+) 22...Bb5 23.Rd5 Qc7.
20...a5 21.Nd2 a4 22.Nc4 Bf4 23.Qf1

FIDE Surveys – Sam Palatnik 4

b3!
The arrangement here is a bit different,
but the tune is still the same
24.cb3 ab3 25.a3 Ra4
Black is now entering the final notes of
his serenade.

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+-tr0
9+-+-mkp+-0
9-+lzp-zp-+0
9+-wq-zpP+-0
9r+N+Pvl-zp0
9zPp+L+-+-0
9-zP-+-+PzP0
9+K+R+Q+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

26.g3
If 26.Nd2 then 26... Ra3! leads to
victory.
26…hg3 27.hg3 Rh1 28.Qh1 Rc4
29.gf4 Rc2–+ 30.Ka1 Rf2
30...ef4 31.Bc2 bc2 32.Rc1 Qf2 33.Qf1
Qf1 34.Rf1 Be4 35.b4 Bd3 36.Rh1 f3
37.Kb2 f2–+.
31.fe5 Qe5 32.Rb1 Rd2 33.Qf1 Qd4
34.Qc1 Qd3 35.Qc6 Rd1 36.Rc1

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-mkp+-0
9-+Qzp-zp-+0
9+-+-+P+-0
9-+-+P+-+0
9zPp+q+-+-0
9-zP-+-+-+0
9mK-tRr+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

36...Qc2
Also very beautiful. 0:1.

Both winners of these games had great
faith in their success, and thereby have
implemented the strategy of improving
their position with confidence. In this
given case the strategy was quite similar.
It included gradual improvement in the
position of their two Bishops. A bit of
history here. In the old times, Bishops
were actually called Elephants, and in
accordance with their ancient names
these pieces have trampled the enemy's
position. The outcome of the fight was
largely decided to the "song of elephant
trumpets".