FIDE Surveys – Oleksandr Sulypa

1

Oleksandr Sulypa:

Destroying the black's pawn
structure in the King's Indian
defense

The pawn structure in the king's Indian
defense is considered one of the most reliable.
White usually try to advance his pawns on с5,
put knights on c4 and b5 and attack the pawn
d6.
Black’s main strategy is based around to
playing f5-f4,g5-g4,h5 and try to open white’s
position. He doesn't care if it costs him a
pawn as in return he will get open lines and
outposts for his pieces.
If white will lose time or play very slowly,
they will come under attack. Let's see an
example of a radical method of play for white
- destroying the pawn chain on the victim
material.

Kramnik V. : Nakamura H.
Khanty-Mansiysk 2010

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.d4
0–0 6.Be2 e5 7.0–0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.Nd2 Ne8
10.b4 f5 11.c5 Nf6 12.a4 f4 13.Nc4 g5
14.Ba3 g4?!
14...Ng6.
15.cd6 cd6 16.b5! Ne8 17.Bg4 Qc7 18.Be2
f3

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19.b6!
Intermediate move - White sacrificed a piece.
19.gf3 Bh3 20.b6! Qd8! 21.Kh1 Bf1 22.Bf1

a6 23.Bh3 Ng6 was less clear.
19...ab6
19...fe2 20.bc7!? ed1Q 21.Rfd1 and white is
winning.
20.Nb5
The key motive of the sacrifice material.
20.gf3 was possible: 20...Bh3 21.Nb5 Qd8
22.Kh1 Bf1 23.Bf1 Rf6 24.Bh3 Ng6 25.Be6
Kh8 26.Ncd6 Nd6 27.Nd6 Nf4 28.Qb3! Bf8
29.Nf7 Rf7 30.Bf7 Ba3 31.Qa3 Qf6 32.Be6
Ne6 33.de6 b5 34.a5 Qe6 35.f4! Qg4
36.Qg3!±. Of course, calculating such a line
or going for it without a complete calculation
is far from easy.
20...fe2 21.Qe2 Qd8 22.Nbd6 Nd6 23.Bd6

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Now we can summarize the preliminary
results of sacrifice: Black has no more attack
and White will now recapture a third pawn for
the piece, and his pawn avalanche should
decide the game.
23...Rf7 24.Be5 Ng6 25.Bg7 Nf4
Black finds a way to continue his attack and
position become unclear.
Other way is 25...Rg7 26.Kh1 Nf4 27.Qf3
Qg5 28.Ne3 Qe5 29.Nc4 Qg5 and if 30.g3
Bh3.
26.Qe3 Qg5 27.g3 Qg7 28.Nb6 Bg4?!
28...Nh3!? 29.Kg2 Nf2 30.Na8 Bh3 31.Kg1
Bf1 32.Rf1 Nh3 33.Kg2 Qb2 34.Kh3 Rf1
35.Qg5 Qg7 (35...Kf8 36.Nc7; 35...Kf7
36.Qh5! Kg8 37.Nc7 Rf2 38.Qe8 Kg7 39.Ne6
Kh6 40.Nf4 Rh2 41.Kg4 Qg7 42.Kf5 Qg5
43.Ke6+–) 36.Kg4 Qg5 37.Kg5±.
29.Na8 Ne2 30.Kg2 Bf3 31.Qf3! Rf3 32.Kf3
Nd4 33.Kg2 Qf8

FIDE Surveys – Oleksandr Sulypa

2

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34.Rfe1?
Better was 34.Rae1! Qa8 (34...Qf3 35.Kg1
Ne2 36.Re2 Qe2 37.Nb6+–) 35.Rc1 Qa4
36.Rc8 Kf7 37.Rc7 keeping good winning
chances.
34...Qa8?
34...Nc2! and Black threatens to win the
whole rook. It is now White who must make
sure to save the game. 35.Nc7 Qb4! 36.Reb1
Qe4 37.Kg1 Nd4 (37...Ne3 38.fe3 Qe3=)
38.Rb7 , and Black has nothing more than a
perpetual: 38...Nf3 39.Kf1 Nh2 40.Kg1=.
35.Red1?
But White misses another tactical trick!
35.Rac1 Qa4 36.Rc8 Kg7 37.Rec1, and even
now, although white has only two rooks
against black queen and knight - white pawns
are potentially stronger material.
35...Nc2! 36.Rac1
36.Ra2 Qe8! and White can't protect the pawn
e4.
36...Qa4 37.d6
Again unable to protect the e4–pawn, White
forces a draw. 37.Kf3 Nd4 38.Ke3?! Nb5 is
too risky for White, cause of bad king.
37...Qe4 38.Kg1 Nd4 39.d7 Nf3 40.Kf1 Nh2
41.Kg1 Nf3 ½.


Bareev E. : Radjabov T.
Wijk aan Zee 2003

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 0–
0 6.Nf3 e5 7.0–0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.b4 Nh5
10.Re1 f5 11.Ng5 Nf6 12.f3 Nh5 13.c5 Nf4
14.Bc4 Kh8 15.Rb1 a6 16.Kh1 h6

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17.Ne6
With the invasion of white knight matched to
the pawn d6.
17...Ne6 18.de6 Nc6 19.b5 Nd4
19...ab5 20.Nb5 dc5 21.Qd8 Rd8 22.Nc7.
20.ba6 ba6 21.Ba3 Re8 22.Bd5 c6

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22...Ra7 23.Rb8.
23.cd6!
Sacrificing material white begin to destroy the
black pawn chain d6–e5. After 23.Bc4 dc5
24.Bc5 Be6 Black has excellent position.
23...Be6
White caught initiative, and Black decides to
return the figure back to avoid the worst.
23...cd5!? 24.e7! (24.d7 Bd7 25.ed7 Qd7
26.Nd5 Rab8 27.Qd3; 24.ed5 Ne6 (24...Nb5
25.Nb5 ab5 26.Qb3) 25.de6 Be6 26.Nd5.
White leaves with advantage in all cases, but
position is playable for Black) 24...Qd7
25.Nd5 and White remains a lot of threats.
24.Be6 Re6

FIDE Surveys – Oleksandr Sulypa

3

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25.Bc5!
After the base of the pawn chain - the pawn
d6 is destroyed starts the destruction of the
strong knight d4. 25.ef5?! gf5 26.Rb7 Qg5
Black receives some counterplay via g-line.
25...Nb5
25...Rb8 26.Rb8 Qb8 27.d7 Qc7 28.ef5 gf5
29.Bd4.
26.Qb3 Qe8 27.Red1 Rd8 28.Nb5 ab5?!
Better was 28...cb5±.
29.a4 ba4 30.Qa4
White easily penetrates his pieces into black
camp with decisive attack on the 7–th line.
30...Bf8
30...Qd7 31.Rb6 Rc8 32.Qb3+–.
31.d7! Qf7
31...Rd7 32.Rd7 Bc5 33.Rbb7.
32.Qa5 1:0.

Ragger M. : Grischuk A.
Skopje 2015

This game is notable for the fact that White
three time donated the material to destroy the
base of the pawn chain d6, and only on the
third time they succeeded.
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.d4 0–
0 6.Be2 e5 7.0–0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.Ne1 Nd7
10.Nd3 f5 11.f3 f4
So, the starting position is set. Black closes
the centre in anticipation of an attack against
the white king. This is the real starting point
of the variation and in a tournament game this
position would often be reached after just a
couple of minutes play.
12.Bd2 Nf6
Other line is 12...g5 13.Rc1 Ng6 14.c5.

13.c5 g5 14.Rc1 Ng6 15.Nb5 Rf7 16.Ba5
A typical manoeuvre of the bishop causing
the weakening of black's position.
16...b6

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17.cd6!
The first opportunity to sacrifice material!
17...cd6
It is dangerous to pick up the bishop, because
the white pawns will be the winner in the
subsequent play. 17...ba5 18.dc7 Qf8 19.Nc5
(19.Qa4 g4 20.Nc5 gf3 21.Bf3±) 19...a6
20.Ne6 Qe7 21.Ng7 Kg7 22.d6 Qe8 23.Na3
Be6 24.Nc4 Qb5 25.Qb3 Qc5 26.Kh1 Nd7
27.Qa4 Rff8 28.Qa5 Qd4 29.Qc3 Qa7 30.b4
h5 31.a4 g4 32.Na5 Nh4 33.Qe1 Ng6
34.Qf2+– Qe3 35.Bc4 Bc4 36.Nc4 Qb3 37.a5
Qb4 38.Nb6 Nb6 39.ab6 Qd6 40.b7 Rac8
41.bc8Q Rc8 42.Qc2 Nf8 43.Rfd1 Qe7
44.Qc5 Kf6 45.Rd6 Ne6 46.Qd5 gf3 47.gf3,
1:0, Mchedlishvili M. : Rustamov A.,
Tashkent 2010.
18.Be1 a6
Better was immediat attack 18...g4!? 19.Nb4
a6 20.Nc6 Qf8 21.Qa4 (21.Nc3 h5‚ (or
21...g3!?) ) 21...Ne4! 22.fe4 f3 23.Bd1 Bd7©,
with good compensation for the knight.
19.Nc3 a5
Don't really want black to allow the white
knight on c6.On the other hand field b5
appears for another white's knight. Now the
attack is not so successful: 19...h5 20.Nb4
Bh6 21.Na4 Rb7 22.Bf2 Nd7 23.Ba6 Ra6
24.Na6 Nc5 25.N6c5 bc5 26.b4 Rb4
27.Rb1+–, Yuferov S. : Dydyshko V., Minsk
1978. 1:0 (38).
20.Bf2 Rb8 21.a4
Not so clear 21.Nb5 Bf8 22.Rc6 Ne8 23.a4

FIDE Surveys – Oleksandr Sulypa

4

Bd7 24.Rc3 Nf6 25.b4 g4 and I think Black
have good attacking chances.
21...Bf8 22.Nb5 g4
Looks preferable 22...Ne8 23.Rc6 Bd7
24.Rc3 Rb7 25.b4 h5 26.ba5 ba5 27.Na7 Nf6
28.Nc6 Qa8 29.Qc2 g4.
23.Rc6 Rg7
All maneuvers of the black pieces are
prepared breakthrough on the kingside and, of
course, the defence is not necessary to forget.
While hold the line is not so important.
24.Qc2 Bd7
Now 24...Ne8 is impossible , cause of pawn
g4.

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25.fg4!
New opportunity to sacrifice material! This is
the point where you have to open the position
while black is not ready, otherwise black will
reveal themselves in good situation.
25...Ng4
25...Bc6 26.dc6± And Black's position is
difficult.
26.Bg4 Bg4 27.Ne1

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27…Nh8
27...Be7 allow the white knight on e6:
28.Nc7! (28.Kh1 Nf8 29.h3 Bd7 30.Nf3)
28...Bd7 29.Ne6 Be6 30.de6±.
28.Kh1 Nf7 29.h3 Bd7 30.Nf3 Ng5
There shouldn't have to prevent further play
of white, I would prefer quiet 30...Be7. Bad
was 30...Bc6 31.dc6 Rc8 32.Na7!+– Rc7?
33.Bb6.
31.Bh4 h6

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32.Nd6!!
Brilliant move. The idea, which demonstrate
the triumph of spirit over matter. So on the
third time white has turned the opportunity to
sacrifice a whole rook!
32...Bc6 33.Nf5
White has only two pawns for the rook, but
his co-ordination is excellent.
33...Be8 34.Nh6!
The quality is not going anywhere from the
white knight, but to collect more important
pawn now.
34...Kh8 35.Nf5
White's position looks preferable, the
initiative is growing.
35...Rc8 36.Qd3 Rg8 37.Ne5?!
First inaccuracy. 37.d6 Ba4 (37...Bd6 38.Nd6
Rg6 39.Rd1 Qd6 40.Qd6 Rd6 41.Rd6 Nf3
42.gf3±) 38.Ne5±. Incredible position. White
power in the center should decide the game.
37...Qf6
I think it is unlikely black risked after right
37...Qc7 with idea exchanging the queens
38.d6 Qc2! 39.Qc2 Rc2 40.Rf4 Rd2.
38.Nf3 Bd7

FIDE Surveys – Oleksandr Sulypa

5

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39.Qd2?
To equal position leads 39.Ng5 Rg5 40.Qd2
(40.Rf4 Bf5 41.Qf1 Kh7 42.Bg5 Qg5 43.Rf5
Rc1) 40...Qg6 41.Bg5 Qg5 42.h4 Qh5 43.Qf4
Bf5 44.ef5 Qe2 45.Rc1 Rc1 46.Qc1 Qe4
47.Qg5 Qe1 48.Kh2 Bd6 49.g3 Qf2 50.Kh3
Qf1=.
39...Bf5 40.Qf4 Bh6?!
It is not easy to see 40...Qg7! 41.Ng5 (41.Qf5
Ne4!) 41...Be7 42.Nf7 Qf7 43.ef5 Qg7
44.Qf2 Bf6–+ and the extra rook must decide
the game.
41.ef5
To crazy positions, which is not amenable to
assessment results, leads 41.Ne5 Rcd8
(41...Rge8 42.Ng4 Re4 43.Nf6 Rf4 44.Rf4
Rc1 45.Kh2=) 42.Ng4 Qg7 43.ef5 (43.Qf5?
Rdf8) 43...Rd5.
41...Rcd8 42.Ne5?
To the amazing position of mutual zugzwang
leads 42.Rd1! Kh7 43.Qc7 Rg7 44.Qc2 Rdd7
45.d6

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Incredible position! 45...Kh8 46.Qc8 Kh7

47.Qc2 and none of the players can not
deviate from the repetition. A rare case of
mutual dynamic equilibrium!
42...Rd5
Now white is left with nothing.
43.Ng4 Qd6
Now is rook up for Black.
44.Qd6 Rd6 45.Bg3 Rc6 46.Be5 Kh7 47.Nf6
Reflecting quality, but not enough.
47...Rf6 48.Bf6 Ne4 49.Be5 Bg7 50.f6 Re8!
Very accurate implementation.
51.fg7
51.Bd4 Ng3.
51...Re5 52.Rf3 Nc5
Now everything is clear.
53.Rf6 Re6 54.Rf4 Re4 55.Rf6 Re6 56.Rf4
Kg7 57.Rg4 Kf7 58.Rf4 Ke7 59.Kh2 Re4
Excellent example. Ragger played very
ingenious - nice sacrifice for the destruction
of pawn structure d6–e5 seized the initiative
and from a point well led game. 0:1.