checks after 35.Ng6 Bb2 36.Qd5 Kh7
Susan Polgar:
37.Nf8 Kh8 38.Ng6=.
35.Qh7# 1:0.
The Game Is Not Over Until It
Is Over!
Khalifman : Polgar S.
Internet match RUS  USA, 2005
A chess game is "not over until it over"! In XIIIIIIIIY
other words, it is never too late to spoil a
9-+-+-+-+0
well-played game. Probably all chess players
can recall some painful memories of losing a
9+-+-+-zp-0
"won game", or messing up, blundering in a
9P+-+-+-+0
"dead drawn" position.It is important to
make a conscious effort once we reach one
9+K+-+-+-0
of those "completely won" or "dead drawn"
9-+-tR-mk-+0
positions, to not let our concentration
wandering off or become overconfident and
9+-+-+-+-0
careless. Here are a couple extreme
9-+-+-+-+0
examples by world class players. In the
second game of the Man versus Machine
9tr-+-+-+-0
match, we learned that even world
champions are not immune from such types
xiiiiiiiiy
of carelessness.However, Kramnik had a
Of course, I had my share of moments which
"blackout" and played the careless
I would prefer to forget about. In 2005, as
part of a Russia - USA friendly rapid
Deep Fritz 10 : Kramnik
exhibition match, played via the internet, I
Bonn, 2006
played former World Champion Alexander
XIIIIIIIIY Khalifman. After a rough game, finally
(thanks to my opponent's carelessness) I had
9-+-+-sN-mk0
a position which I should have drawn.
During the game I thought that everything
9wq-+-+-zp-0
draws, and played the illogical:
9-+-+-+-zp0
56...Kf5
Retreating my King. Instead, the natural
9+-+-zP-+-0
56...Kf3 would have saved the game. For
9pzp-+Q+-+0
example: 57.Ra4 Rb1 58.Kc6 Rb8 59.a7 Ra8
60.Kb7 Ra7 61.Ka7 g5.
9+-+-+-+-0
The game ended with:
9-zP-+-+PzP0
57.Ra4 Rb1 58.Kc6 Rb8 59.a7 Ra8 60.Kb7
Ra7 61.Ra7 g5 62.Kc6 g4 63.Kd5 Kf4
9+-vl-+-+K0
64.Kd4 Kf3 65.Kd3 g3 66.Rf7 Kg2 67.Ke2
Kg1 68.Kf3 g2 69.Kg3 Kh1 70.Rh7 Kg1
xiiiiiiiiy
71.Rh2 1:0.
34...Qe3??
In this position 34...Kg8 leads to an easy
draw. White has nothing more than perpetual
FIDE Surveys  Susan Polgar 1
Nakamura : Carlsen
XIIIIIIIIY
Zurich 2014
9-+-+-trk+0
The next example is from a recent top level
game where the top American, Hikaru
9+pwq-+p+p0
Nakamura, got a reminder of it.
9-+-+-+P+0
XIIIIIIIIY
9+-zpPzp-zP-0
9-+-+-trk+0
9p+n+P+Q+0
9+pwq-+p+p0
9zPr+-+-sN-0
9-sn-sn-+p+0
9-vL-+-+-tR0
9+-zpPzp-zPP0
9+K+-+-+R0
9p+PvlP+Q+0
xiiiiiiiiy
9zPr+-+-sN-0
29...Qb6
9-zP-+L+-tR0
Magnus tries his best practical chance, by
attempting to "mess things up".
9+KvLR+-+-0
After 29...fg6 pretty much everything wins,
xiiiiiiiiy
but most forceful is: 30.Qe6 Kh8 31.Nf5 gf5
White has achieved a much better position and 32.g6. At this point White has trouble on
with a promising attack on the Kingside. It the Queen side therefore, must prove himself
seems that White has easy play, and the on the other side of the board.
game will be over soon. 30.g7!?
26.Rdh1 30.gh7 instead, would be a major mistake, as
White is getting ready to open the h file. Black just moves out of the one check with
26...Bb2 30...Kh8 and White's attack runs to dead
Black has no choice but go all out, and hope end. Moreover, the tables have turned - it is
for the best and for some luck. Black who is winning! The game move
If 26...Qd7 27.Qd7 Nd7 28.hg6 Rg3 29.Rh7 works too, but a much simpler win was
(Threatening checkmate in 3 with 30.Rh8 30.gf7 Rf7 and 31.Nh5! Then, Black is
Kg7 31.R1h7 Kg6 and 32.Bh5.) 29...Be3 defenseless against the powerful threats of
30.Be3 Re3 31.Bg4 Nb6 32.Bf5 and it is Qc8 and Nf6. For example: 31...Rb2 32.Ka1
game over. Qb3 (32...Rh2 33.Nf6 Kg7 34.Rh2) 33.Qc8
26...Nbc4 would lead to transposition as to Rf8 34.Nf6 Kf7 35.Rh7 Kg6 36.Qf5#.
what happened in the game itself, after 30...Rd8
27.Bc4 Nc4 28.hg6 Bb2 29.Bb2. 30...Rb2 31.Ka1 Rd8 would have also lead
27.Bb2 Nbc4 28.Bc4 Nc4 to the same.
Fortunately for White, things are safe for the 31.Qh4 Rb2 32.Ka1
moment on the Queenside - as the Rook Of course not going for the self-mate with
protects the Bishop on b2 along the second 32.Kc1?? Rb1 33.Kc2 Qb3#.
rank. Therefore, White can continue safely Black's attack is over now, and hence has no
with the attack on the King side and open the choice but to go back to defense.
h file. 32...Rh2 33.Rh2 Qg6
29.hg6 Materially speaking Black is up a Pawn, but
it does not help.
FIDE Surveys  Susan Polgar 2
 option to counter attack with Qg6 b6. For
If 33...Kg7, the most precise is 34.Nf5 Kf8 example: 35...b5 36.d6 Nd6 37.Nd6 Rd8
35.g6! (as after 35.Qh7 Black can still fight 38.Nf5.
a bit with trying to run away with 35...Ke8). After the most natural continuation 35.d6
34.Nf5! Black has a hidden defensive resource, with
A very natural and powerful move, bringing 35...Nd6! 36.Nd6 and 36...Rd8!! 37.Nb5
yet another piece close towards Black's (37.Nf5?? Rd1 38.Ka2 (38.Kb2 Qb6)
King. 38...Qe6 39.Kb2 Qb3#) 37...Rd1 38.Kb2
34...Re8 Kg7 and Black has three Pawns for the
Knight, giving him reasonable drawing
XIIIIIIIIY
chances.
9-+-+r+k+0
35...Qb6 36.Qh3 Qg6
XIIIIIIIIY
9+p+-+pzPp0
9-+-+r+k+0
9-+-+-+q+0
9+p+-+pzPp0
9+-zpPzpNzP-0
9-+-+-+q+0
9p+n+P+-wQ0
9+-zpPzpNzP-0
9zP-+-+-+-0
9p+n+P+-+0
9-+-+-+-tR0
9zP-+-+-+Q0
9mK-+-+-+-0
9-+-+-+-tR0
xiiiiiiiiy
35.Qg4
9mK-+-+-+-0
With the idea of Rh2 h6 trapping Black's
xiiiiiiiiy
Queen.
This is where the game gets to its critical 37.d6?
stage and White started misplaying a so far A tempting pawn advance but is actually
well-played game against the world's #1 giving the game away. In view of the
player. However, there were two better comments to the last few moves, it is not
options. The first one, 35.Qf2 required some hard to realize, that White had two ways to
accurate calculation. After 35...b6 (35...Qg5 end the game to their favor:
36.Nh6) White has a pretty combination to 37.Qf1 b5 and again the sacrifice with
elegantly end the game: (35...Qg5 36.Nh6) (37...Nd6 38.Rh6) 38.Rh7! Qh7 39.Nh6 or
36.Rh7! Qh7 (36...Kh7 37.Qh4 Kg8 just by making a waiting move with; 37.Rh1
38.Qh8#) 37.Nh6 Kg7 38.Qf7 Kh8 39.Qe8 or 37.Qh4 and putting Black in zugzwang.
Kg7 40.Qf7 Kh8 41.Qf8 followed by After the game-move, now Black is fully
checkmate on the next move. back in the game.
But also the quiet 35.Qh3 was good. It 37...Nd6! 38.Nd6 Rd8!
would keep tied the Black Queen to the This quiet move turns the dynamic of the
defense of the h7 Pawn and at the same time game around. Even though White is still
would also protect the b3 square, which is slightly better Hikaru did not manage to
key in some of the variations. After 35.Qh3 readjust to the disappointing (for him)
Black is practically zugzwang, as once b7 changes to the position and in time pressure
Pawn moves, Black will no longer have the continued with a few more mistakes.
FIDE Surveys  Susan Polgar 3
39.Nc4?! Now it is clear that White is in major
The only road to have any realistic hopes to trouble.
win was with 39.Nc8 Kg7 40.Ne7 although 43.Nd2 Qg5
after correct defense with 40...Rd1 41.Ka2 43...Ra3 44.Kb2 Rg3 was fine too.
Qe6 42.Qe6 fe6 probably White's small 44.Qd3 Qh4 45.Ne4
advantage will be insufficient to collect the If 45.Qb5 then just 45...Qd4 46.Qb2 h5 and
full point. As we read in Peter Nielsen's Black has too many passed pawns running.
commentary to this game in New in Chess, 45...Kg7
"Nakamura had planned 39.Nf5 'winning',
XIIIIIIIIY
but now realized that after 39...Rd1 40.Kb2
9-+-+-+-+0
Qb6 41.Ka2 Black does not play 41...Qb3, as
that square is protected by the Queen on h3, 9+-+-+pmkp0
but 41...Qb1# mate!
9-+-+-+-+0
39...Qe4
9+pzp-zp-+-0
XIIIIIIIIY
9p+-+N+-wq0
9-+-tr-+k+0
9zP-+Q+-+-0
9+p+-+pzPp0
9-+-+-+-+0
9-+-+-+-+0
9mK-+-+-+-0
9+-zp-zp-zP-0
xiiiiiiiiy
9p+N+q+-+0
Here Black has an impressive number of five
9zP-+-+-+Q0
(!) pawns for the Knight.
9-+-+-+-tR0
46.Qf3
After 46.Nc5 Black would force the
9mK-+-+-+-0
exchange of the Queens with 46...Qe1
xiiiiiiiiy
47.Kb2 Qf2 48.Qc2 Qc2 49.Kc2 and then
What a turnaround! Now, it is White who push the pawns.
has to be careful not to lose. It was time to 46...Qf4
pull in the breaks and go for a draw, while As we can see one line after another, Black's
white still can. goal is to trade Queens, making sure White's
40.Qh5? hopes of perpetual checks disappear. The
The right defense was 40.Ne3 Qd3 41.Nf5 reamining part of the game is self-
when Black must force a draw by perpetual explantory.
checks with 41...Qd1 42.Ka2 Rd2 43.Rd2 47.Qg2 Kf8 48.Kb2 h5 49.Nd2 h4 50.Kc2
Qd2 44.Kb1 Qd1. b4 51.ab4 cb4 52.Qa8 Kg7 53.Qa4 h3
40...Rd3! 54.Qb3 h2 55.Qd5 e4 56.Qh5 e3 57.Nf3 e2
A strong move to tie the Knight to the 58.Kb3 f6 59.Ne1 Qg3 60.Ka4 Qg1 61.Qe2
defense of the Pawn on a3. Magnus does not Qa7 0:1.
miss his suddenly received opportunity and Conclusion: It is important to always look
continues the attack with the most precise for good moves and last minute resources
way. Now the threat is 41...b5. not just for yourself, but also for your
41.Rh4 Qf5 opponent. It does not matter how clear and
41...Qe1 would be a mistake, letting White obvious things appear, remember, "don't
off the hook after 42.Ka2. count your chicken before they hatch!"
42.Qe2 b5
FIDE Surveys  Susan Polgar 4