FIDE Surveys – Spyridon Skembris

1

Spyridon Skembris:

Fighting for the center

As a young player I was lucky to have the
chance to work with the famous trainer Dr.
Minev who came to Greece as the National
Trainer. Together with the other young
talented Greek players of those times I
learned very sound bases of positional
understanding from Dr. Minev. Among the
advices he gave us I remember that he
explained to us that in order to get good
chances in the middle game we had to
follow three golden rules in the opening:
1) Safe piece development,
2) Safe king position,
3) Fighting for the center.
These rules might sound trivial, but since I
am a trainer myself I have seen many not
so experienced players, who tend to learn
the opening moves without really
understanding the ideas behind it. So when
they are faced with surprising moves
which need a different kind of reaction and
lead to a different kind of position they
often lose their way.
I believe that it is important for a trainer
working with a student also to look at these
other rare possibilities to give a clearer
understanding of the position and the goals
we are playing for. This is why I have
chosen three games – all arising from the
King’s Indian – which feature quite
unusual middlegame fights for the center
which lead to different kinds of pawn
structures than we are used to see in this
opening.
In the classical King’s Indian set-up
Black’s goal usually is to keep the center
closed and attack on the kingside. But is it
also possible for Black to try to open the
center? We will see it in the following
game.

Skembris S. : Gufeld E.
Athens 1985

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.Ne1
Nd7 10.Nd3 f5 11.f3 Nf6
A good prophylactic move would be
11...Kh8!?
12.c5!?
An interesting but at those times
practically unknown move. The idea is to
keep the center flexible so Black can not
easily get his typical kingside attack.
12.Bd2 was the main line.
12...c6!?
This came as a surprise to me. GM Eduard
Gufeld was a well-known expert of the
King's Indian, so for sure he did not try this
unusual way of fighting for the center
without a reason.

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+lwq-trk+0
9zpp+-sn-vlp0
9-+pzp-snp+0
9+-zPPzpp+-0
9-+-+P+-+0
9+-sNN+P+-0
9PzP-+L+PzP0
9tR-vLQ+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

13.Qb3!
After the game Gufeld said that he
underestimated this move.
13...Kh8?!
Better was 13...cd5 and now 14.Bg5!?ƒ
(14.ed5 f4, with chances for both; 14.Be3
Be6 15.cd6 Qd6 16.Bc5,with an unclear
game) 14...fe4 15.fe4 dc5 16.Nc5 Qb6
(16...b6 17.ed5±) 17.Qb6 ab6 18.N5a4 d4
19.Nb6.
14.Be3
Trusting my opponent I decided to go for
safe development, but maybe better was
the direct 14.cd6!? Qd6 15.f4! Nd7
(15...Ne4 16.fe5±) 16.fe5 Ne5 17.Bf4 g5
(17...fe4 18.Ne4 Qd5 19.Be5 Rf1 20.Rf1

FIDE Surveys – Spyridon Skembris

2

Qb3 21.ab3+–) 18.Bg5 Nd3 19.Bd3 Be5
20.ef5! Nf5 which looks dangerous, but it
seems that after 21.Kh1! Black has
problems to prove his compensation for the
pawn.
14...fe4 15.fe4 cd5
Or 15...b6 16.cd6 Qd6 17.Qb4!
16.cd6

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+lwq-tr-mk0
9zpp+-sn-vlp0
9-+-zP-snp+0
9+-+pzp-+-0
9-+-+P+-+0
9+QsNNvL-+-0
9PzP-+L+PzP0
9tR-+-+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

Now the whole center is moving and a lot
of tactics are in the air.
16...Nc6
The only move, as 16...d4 fails to 17.de7
Qe7 18.Bf2!? dc3 (18...Be6 19.Nd5)
19.Bc5 Qf7 20.Bf8 Qf8 21.Qc3+– and
16...Qd6 loses after 17.Bc5±.
17.ed5 Nd4 18.Bd4 ed4 19.Nb5
A very unusual situation appeared in the
center.
19...Bg4?!

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-wq-tr-mk0
9zpp+-+-vlp0
9-+-zP-snp+0
9+N+P+-+-0
9-+-zp-+l+0
9+Q+N+-+-0
9PzP-+L+PzP0
9tR-+-+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

Better was 19...Ne4 20.Nc7 Rf1 21.Rf1
Rb8 22.Ne6 Be6 23.de6 Qd6 24.Rf7.
20.Bf3! Bh6?!

He should try 20...Bf3 21.Rf3 Ng4 22.Rf8
Qf8 23.Rf1 Qd8 24.h3 Ne3 25.Rf2.
21.Nc7 Be3
It is not easy to find a good way as White
has the control of the game.21...Rb8
22.Qa3±.
22.Kh1 Rb8 23.Qa3!±
With the idea Ne6.
23...Qd7
In case of 23...b5 24.Bg4! (but not 24.Ne6?
Be6 25.de6 b4! 26.Qa6 Rb6 27.Qa7 Qd6)
24...Ng4 25.Rf8 Qf8 26.Qa7+–.
24.Ne5 Qf5
24...Qc8?? loses to 25.Bg4 Ng4 26.Rf8
Qf8 27.Ng4+–.
25.Nc4!

XIIIIIIIIY
9-tr-+-tr-mk0
9zppsN-+-+p0
9-+-zP-snp+0
9+-+P+q+-0
9-+Nzp-+l+0
9wQ-+-vlL+-0
9PzP-+-+PzP0
9tR-+-+R+K0
xiiiiiiiiy

Nice position.
25...Bh6?!
25...Nd5 26.Nd5 Bf3 27.Nce3+–.
26.Ne6
White`s domination in the center will
decide the game.
26...b5
Trying to get some practical chances. No
better is 26...Rf7 27.Bg4 Qd5 28.Qa7 or
26...Bf3 27.Qf3 Qf3 28.Rf3+– Nd7
(28...Rf7 29.Ne5+–) 29.Nf8+–.
27.Bg4 Qd5 28.Nf8 Ng4 29.Qa7 Rf8
30.Rf8 Bf8 31.Rf1!+–
The smoke has cleared and White is
winning.
31...Bd6 32.Rf7 Kg8?
Making things easier but also 32...Nf6
33.Nd6 Qd6 34.Qa8 Ng8 35.Qb7! Nf6
36.Qc8 Ng8 37.Qd7+– is winning.
33.Nd6 Qd6 34.Rg7 1:0.

FIDE Surveys – Spyridon Skembris

3

Let`s see another King's Indian set-up
where Black provokes White to move
forward in the center. White accepts the
challenge, but the question is if he can
support his center.

Skembris S. : Ganguly S.
Paleochora 2012

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3
0–0 6.h3!?
An interesting line which our ex-trainer Dr.
Minev had proposed to me and my good
friend Stratos Grivas and which offered to
us a lot of success.
6...Qe8

XIIIIIIIIY
9rsnl+qtrk+0
9zppzp-zppvlp0
9-+-zp-snp+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-+PzPP+-+0
9+-sN-+N+P0
9PzP-+-zPP+0
9tR-vLQmKL+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

7.e5!?
White accepts the challenge. After 7.Be2
e5 8.de5 de5 9.0–0 Na6 Black will get
what he wants. Of course the position is
full of game with yet another kind of
center formation. A possible continuation
would be 10.a3 b6!? 11.Be3 (or 11.b4 Bb7
12.Qc2 Nh5!?) 11...Bb7 12.Qc2 Nh5 13.b4
Nf4, with a double-edged game.
7...Nfd7!?
New move. 7...de5 8.de5 Nfd7 9.Bf4 Nc6
10.Nb5!? gives White a good game.
8.Bf4
Also possible is the quieter 8.ed6 cd6 (or
8...ed6 9.Be2 Nc6 10.0–0 Qd8 11.Be3)
9.Be2 Nc6 10.0–0 Qd8 11.Be3.
8...Nc6 9.Qe2!
White needs to support his center in order
to fight for the initiative, although like this
it will take time to get a safe position for

the white king. After 9.Nd5 Qd8 10.Qe2
de5 11.de5 e6 12.Bg5 f6 13.Nf6 the
position is double-edged.
9...a5?!
Black had immediately to react in the
center. Possible was 9...de5 10.de5 Nc5
11.Qe3 (11.0–0–0 Nb4!? 12.a3? Bf5–+)
11...Ne6 12.Bh6 Ned4 13.Nd4 Nd4 14.Bd3
c5 15.Bg7 Kg7 16.h4, with a slight edge
for White or 9...Nd4!?, leading to a messy
position where Black has a lot of
compensation, e.g. 10.Nd4 de5 11.Ndb5
ef4 (11...c6!? – Ganguly: 12.Nc7 Qd8
13.Na8 ef4) 12.Nc7 Qd8 13.Na8 Bc3
14.bc3 Nc5 15.Qd2 Qa5 16.Be2 Ne4
17.Qb2 Bd7.
10.Qe3
Now White gets the time to consolidate his
center and if he finds a safe place for his
king he will be better.
10...a4
Also 10...de5 11.de5 Nd8 (11...Nb4 12.0–
0–0) 12.Be2 Ne6 13.Bh6 Bh6 14.Qh6 f6
15.ef6 ef6 16.0–0 b6 17.Rfe1 is more
pleasant for White.
11.Bh6 a3 12.Bg7 ab2 13.Rb1 Kg7
14.Rb2 Ra3
Looking active, but probably 14...de5!?
15.d5 Nd4 was a better try.
15.Be2 de5

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+l+qtr-+0
9+pzpnzppmkp0
9-+n+-+p+0
9+-+-zp-+-0
9-+PzP-+-+0
9tr-sN-wQN+P0
9PtR-+LzPP+0
9+-+-mK-+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

16.d5! Na5
Now 16...Nd4 17.Nd4 ed4 18.Qd4 Nf6
19.Nb5± is better for White, but a good try
was 16...Ncb8 17.Ne5 Ne5 18.Qe5 f6
19.Qd4 e5 20.Qd2 Qe7 21.Nb5.
17.Ne5

FIDE Surveys – Spyridon Skembris

4

Here I missed 17.Qc1!
17...Nb6?!
A mistake, but also after 17...Ne5 18.Qe5
f6 19.Qe3± White is better.
18.Qc1!
Now the rook a3 is in trouble.
18...f6!?
After 18...Rc3 19.Qc3 Na4 20.Qa5 Nb2
21.Qc7± White should be winning.
19.Rb4!±
Winning material.
19...Rc3 20.Qc3

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+l+qtr-+0
9+pzp-zp-mkp0
9-sn-+-zpp+0
9sn-+PsN-+-0
9-tRP+-+-+0
9+-wQ-+-+P0
9P+-+LzPP+0
9+-+-mK-+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

20...fe5?!
More stubborn was 20...e6! 21.d6 (21.Ng4
ed5) 21...Nd7 22.Nd7 Qd7 23.dc7 Qc7
24.0–0 e5 25.Bf3±.
21.Rb5
Not the best. 21.Qe5 Rf6 22.Qc7 Qd7
23.Qc5 is much clearer.
21...Nac4! 22.Bc4 Nc4 23.Qc4 Rf4
24.Qe2

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+l+q+-+0
9+pzp-zp-mkp0
9-+-+-+p+0
9+R+Pzp-+-0
9-+-+-tr-+0
9+-+-+-+P0
9P+-+QzPP+0
9+-+-mK-+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

24...Re4!

The only way to get some chances against
the white king.
25.Qe4 Qb5 26.a4! Qa5
26...Qb2 27.0–0+–.
27.Kf1 b5
Also after 27...Qc3 28.Kg1 Bf5 29.Qe3±
White keeps the control.
28.Qe5 Kf7 29.ab5 Qb5 30.Kg1 Bb7
31.Qc7 Qd5 32.Qg3 h5 33.h4!
An important move, finally to secure the
king.
33...Qd4 34.Kh2 Bc8 35.f3 Bf5
After all White is an exchange up and
technically winning. Now the main goal is
to exchange queens.
36.Re1 Qb4 37.Re2 Qd4 38.Qg5 Qd6
39.g3 Qb4 40.Qe3 Qd6 41.Qe5 Qb4
42.Qd5 Kf8 43.Ra2 Kg7 44.Rd2! Qb8
45.Qd8 Qb7 46.Qd4 Kf7 47.Qd5 Qd5
48.Rd5 Kf6 49.Kg2 Bc2 50.Kf2 Bb1
51.Ke3 Bc2 52.Kf4 Bb1 53.Rb5 Bf5
54.Rb6 Kf7 55.Kg5 Bd3 56.Kh6! Bf5
57.Rb8 Bd3 58.Rb4 e5
Weakening the black squares, but after
58...Kf6 59.Rf4 Ke6 60.Kg5 Bc2 61.Rf8
Bd3 62.g4 hg4 63.fg4 Bc2 64.h5 gh5
65.gh5 Bb1 66.Kh6 Bc2 67.Kg7 Kd5
68.h6 Be4 69.Rf4 Bd3 70.Rf3 Bc2 71.Rg3
e5 72.Rg6 Bg6 73.Kg6 e4 74.h7 e3
75.h8Q+– White is winning as well.
59.Kg5! Be2 60.Rb6 1:0.

Finally we will see an indirect fight for the
center in the following modern King's
Indian.

Skembris S. : Todorcevic M.
Prokuplje 1987

1.d4 g6 2.c4 Bg7 3.e4 d6 4.Nf3 Nd7
Here, with the knight on d7, Black does
not put any pressure to the center, so White
can keep his center flexible.
5.Nc3 e5 6.Bg5 f6
Or 6...Bf6 7.Be3.
7.Be3 Nh6 8.h3 Nf7
Of course 8...f5? 9.Bg5+– would be too
early.
9.Bd3 0–0 10.0–0 Re8 11.Re1 Nf8
12.Qc2˛ Ne6 13.Rad1

FIDE Surveys – Spyridon Skembris

5

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+lwqr+k+0
9zppzp-+nvlp0
9-+-zpnzpp+0
9+-+-zp-+-0
9-+PzPP+-+0
9+-sNLvLN+P0
9PzPQ+-zPP+0
9+-+RtR-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

13...Nfg5!?
Finally Black found a way to put questions
to the white center. Another way was
13...c5!? 14.dc5 dc5 15.Nd5 Nd4 16.Nd4
cd4 17.Bd2.
14.Ng5 fg5?!
After 14...Ng5 15.c5± White is a lot better.
But interesting was 14...Nd4! 15.Qc1! (or
15.Bd4 ed4 16.Nf3 dc3 17.c5! cb2 18.Bb5
Rf8 19.Qb2) 15...fg5 16.Bg5, with the idea
Ne2 and c5.
15.de5!
Usually in this type of positions this
exchange helps the black plans to control
the central squares, but here White has a
tactical idea.
15...Be5
Or 15...de5 16.c5! Nd4 17.Bc4 Kh8
18.Qd3 with the idea Ne2 and a pleasant
advantage.

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+lwqr+k+0
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9-+-zpn+p+0
9+-+-vl-zp-0
9-+P+P+-+0
9+-sNLvL-+P0
9PzPQ+-zPP+0
9+-+RtR-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

16.c5!
Before Black plays ...c5 himself. White has

to keep the center open in order to fight for
the initiative.
16...g4
Black tries to get his counter game on the
kingside. After 16...dc5 17.Bb5 Nd4
18.Be8 Qe8 19.Bd4 cd4 20.Ne2± White is
better.
17.hg4 Qh4 18.g3 Qg4
18...Bg3 19.fg3 Qg3 20.Qg2± does not
work.
19.Be2
Everything is under control.
19...Qh3 20.Bf1! Qg4 21.cd6! cd6
Or 21...Bd6 22.Rd6! cd6 23.Be2 Qh3
24.Nd5+– getting back the material with
interest, e.g. 24...Rf8 25.Qd1 Ng7 26.Nc7
Be6 (26...Rb8 27.Ba7+–) 27.Na8 Ra8
28.Qd6+–.
22.Qe2! Qe2
Or 22...Nc5 23.Nb5!±.
23.Be2 Nc7 24.Bd4!
Threatening f4.
24...g5 25.Be5! de5

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+l+r+k+0
9zppsn-+-+p0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-zp-zp-0
9-+-+P+-+0
9+-sN-+-zP-0
9PzP-+LzP-+0
9+-+RtR-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

26.Nd5!
Finally White tactically wins the battle in
the center.
26...Nd5 27.ed5
Now black they have to deside what they
will do with there e5 pawn.
27...Bf5?
The best chance was 27...e4 28.Bb5 Re5
29.f4 gf4 30.gf4 Re7 31.d6 Rg7 32.Kf2
Bg4 33.Rd2 Bf3 34.Bc4 Kf8 35.Ke3±.
28.Bb5±
Winning the pawn e5.
28...Rf8

FIDE Surveys – Spyridon Skembris

6

No better was 28...Re7 29.d6 Re6
30.Bc4+–.
29.Re5 Kg7
Also 29...Rac8 30.Rf5 Rf5 31.Bd7 Rff8
32.Bc8 Rc8 33.d6 Kf7 34.Kg2 Ke6 35.d7
Rd8 36.Kf3 is winning, for example
36...h5 37.Ke4 h4 38.gh4 gh4 39.Kf4 Ke7
40.Kg4 Rg8 41.Kh4 Kd8 42.Rd2!+–.
30.d6 Kf6 31.Re7!
Now everything is over.
31...Rf7 32.Re8!+– 1:0.

Conclusion:
Of course such games with unusual center
fights can be found in many other
openings, and every trainer can have his
own collection. In any case it is good to
study also rare ideas, especially if they lead
to different structures, in order to really get
the spirit of the position. Understanding the
different ways of fighting for the center is
a big step for the student to get a better
positional understanding of these middle
game positions. I want to add a kind of
joke which I used to tell to my students: If
you are sitting at a long table with a lot of
friends and lots of small dishes on the
table, you will have a much better chance
to get the best food if you are situated
somewhere in the center of the table - you
can reach the dishes left, right and in the
middle!