This 'un-natural' exchange opens the
Efstratios Grivas:
d3-bishop's way to h7.
18...ed4 19.Tf6!
XIIIIIIIIY
Blocking the f6-square
9r+-+qtr-mk0
9zpp+-+pvlp0
Concept
9-+psn-tR-+0
The blocking of the f6 (f3)-square in
9+-+-+-+Q0
front of the castled king with a piece
9-+-zpP+-+0
(knight, bishop or rook) which can
9+-sNL+-+P0
be captured by the opponent, is a
9PzPP+-+P+0
usual tactical theme which can often
9tR-+-+-mK-0
meet in practice.
xiiiiiiiiy
The idea is rather simple: to
Blocking the f-pawn's advance is the
immobilize the opponent s f-pawn
right way to finish-off the job. Bad
(mainly), creating at the same the
would be the immediate 19.e5? due
best possibilities for an eventually
to 19...f5! and Black has no problem!
successfully attack. The cost of a
19...Kg8
piece is usually compensating by the
There is now way out: 19...dc3
activity of the rest of his army,
20.e5+- or; 19...Lf6 20.e5+- .
creating good chances of
20.e5
combinations or lethal attacks.
And only now!
The most famous example is
20...h6 21.Se2!
probably the following one:
And Black resigned, as after 21...Lf6
22.Dh6 (21...Sb5 22.Df5) mate
Fischer R. : Benko P.
follows. White rightly avoided the
New York 1963
immediate 21.Td6?!, due to 21...De5
XIIIIIIIIY
22.De5 Le5 23.Se4 Ld6 24.Sd6 Tab8
9r+-+qtr-mk0
25.g4Ä… . 1:0.
9zpp+-+pvlp0
9-+psn-+-+0
Of course this is supposed to be an
9+-+-zp-+Q0
 easy example, so let s try to
9-+-snP+-+0
investigate this attacking theme with
9+-sNLvL-+P0
the help of various other examples,
9PzPP+-+P+0
9tR-+-+RmK-0 which are presented in chronological
xiiiiiiiiy
order (but for no particular reason!):
A famous position which can be
found in nearly every tactical theme
chess book but from the ...next
move! Well, Fischer's combination
actually started here.
18.Ld4!
1
Surveys 2011 - Efstratios Grivas
Alekhine A. : Euwe M. 18.Lg3 f5
Utrecht 1935 It seems that 18...ed4! is playable:
XIIIIIIIIY
19.0 0 0 f5 20.Dh6 f6 21.Thg1 Tf7
9r+-+qtr-mk0
22.cd4 Sa5 23.d5 Sc4 24.Kb1©.
9zplzp-vlpzpp0
19.de5
9-zpn+p+-+0
XIIIIIIIIY
9+-+-+-zPQ0
9r+-wq-tr-mk0
9-+-zPN+-+0
9zplzp-+p+p0
9zP-zP-+-+-0
9-zpn+-+-+0
9-zP-+-zPLzP0
9+-+-zPp+-0
9tR-vL-mK-+R0
9-+-+-+-wQ0
xiiiiiiiiy
9zP-zP-+-vL-0
14.Sf6! 9-zP-+-zPLzP0
A correct offer of a pawn, securing 9tR-+-mK-+R0
xiiiiiiiiy
for White a strong and most likely
irresistible offensive« - A. Alekhine. 19...Tg8?!
14...Lf6 Black should have gone 19...f6!
If Black accepts the sac with 20.Dh3! (20.e6 Te8) 20...Se5!!
14...gf6?!, then after 15.gf6 Sa5 21.Lb7 Dd3! 22.Df1 (22.La8? Sf3
(15...Lf6 16.Le4+-) 16.Lb7 (16.fe7 23.Lf3 Te8 +) 22...Sf3 23.Lf3 Df3
De7 17.Lb7 Sb7 18.Lg5 f6 19.Lh6 24.Kd2 Tad8 25.Kc2 f4 26.Te1 fg3
Tg8 20.0 0 0 Sd6 21.The1Ä…) 27.fg3.
16...Sb7 17.fe7 De7 18.Lf4 (18.Lg5 20.Lf3?
f6 19.Lh6 Tg8 20.0 0 0 Sd6 White should have played 20.Df4!
21.The1Ä…) 18...Tg8 19.0 0 0Ä… White Tg6 21.Tg1 Dd3 22.Dd2Ä….
gets a better position in every 20...Dd3!
variation. An ingenious resource; but, as the
15.gf6 gf6 16.Dh4 Dd8 following shows, Black, in adopting
Forced. If 16...De7? then 17.Le4 it, did not actually realise how many
wins. interesting possibilities it opened to
17.Lf4! e5 him« - A.Alekhine.
Maybe Black should think of 21.Le2
17...f5!? 18.Dd8 Tad8 19.Lc7 Td7, White should be careful now:
although after 20.Lg3! (20.Lf4?! f6 21.Lc6? La6! (21...Lc6? 22.Df6 Tg7
(20...Sa5 21.Lb7 Sb7 22.Tg1Ä…) 23.Dc6) 22.Dh5 Tg4 +.
21.Td1 (21.0 0 0? Sd4!) 21...Tg8 21...De4?
22.Lf3 Se7=) 20...f6 21.0 0 0 White Leading to a lost endgame. From
stands better. It must be noted that an objective point of view it is
bad is 17...Tb8? 18.Lc7! Dc7 19.Df6 certainly a pity that Black avoids the
Kg8 20.Lc6 Tfd8 21.Dh6+-. The fantastical complications deriving
weak black king allows all kind of from 21...Dc2!, a move which with
tactical continuations, which help the right continuation would have
White to get an advantage. secured him a draw« - A.Alekhine:
2
Surveys 2011 - Efstratios Grivas
22.Df6 Tg7 23.Tg1! (23.e6? Te8! 35.Ta7 Sc4 36.Td7 Ke3 37.Te1 Kf3
24.Tg1! La6!! (24...Te6 25.Le5!+-) 38.Te8 Te8 39.Td4 Se3 40.Th4 1:0.
25.La6 Db2!! (25...Te6 26.Le5!!
De4! 27.Kf1 De5! 28.Dg7 Dg7 Dus Chotimirsky F. : Bannik A.
29.Tg7 Kg7) 26.Td1 Te6 27.Le5 Vilnius 1949
XIIIIIIIIY
Dc3 +) 23...Db2 24.e6!! Da1 25.Ld1
9q+rtr-+k+0
Sd4! (25...Td8? 26.Ld6!+-;
9zp-+-+pzpp0
25...Db1? 26.f3!!Ä…) 26.Dg7!
9-zp-+-vln+0
(26.Dd4? f6! (26...Kg8 27.Dg7 Kg7
9+-zpN+N+Q0
28.Lh4 Kh6 29.Lg5=) 27.Df6 Kg8!!
9-+-+-zP-+0
(27...Lf3? 28.Kd2 Da2 29.Ke3! Ld1
9+P+-+-zP-0
30.Td1 Tag8 31.Le5 f4 32.Kf3 Da3
9P+-+-+-zP0
33.Dg7 Tg7 34.Td8 Df8 35.Tf8#)
9+-+R+RmK-0
28.Ke2 Db2 29.Ke3 Dc1) 26...Kg7
xiiiiiiiiy
27.Lh4 Kh6! (27...Kf8? 28.e7 Ke8
25...Ld4?
29.Tg8 Kd7 30.Td8+-) 28.Lg5! Kg7
Black thought that he was winning
29.Lh4=.
with the text move. He should have
22.De4 fe4
gone for 25...Tc6 26.Df3 Te6 27.Td2
XIIIIIIIIY
Tde8 28.Tfd1©.
9r+-+-+rmk0
26.Td4!
9zplzp-+p+p0
Of course! Black had only calculate
9-zpn+-+-+0
26.Sd4? Td5 27.Sf5 Tcd8.
9+-+-zP-+-0
26...cd4
9-+-+p+-+0
XIIIIIIIIY
9zP-zP-+-vL-0
9q+rtr-+k+0
9-zP-+LzP-zP0
9zp-+-+pzpp0
9tR-+-mK-+R0
9-zp-+-+n+0
xiiiiiiiiy
9+-+N+N+Q0
23.Lh4!
9-+-zp-zP-+0
The winning move, probably
9+P+-+-zP-0
overlooked by Black when he played
9P+-+-+-zP0
21...Qe4« - A.Alekhine. And so
9+-+-+RmK-0
White went on to win later, although
xiiiiiiiiy
we must admit that Black did not
Forced: 26...Td5 27.Td5 Dd5 28.Sh6.
put-up his best defensive skills,
27.Sf6!
making things easier for his
Here it comes again!
opponent. Yes, even at the highest
27...Kf8
level weak moves are lurking
27...gf6 28.Dh6 mates.
everywhere ...
28.Dh7 gf6 29.Te1!
23...h6 24.0 0 0 Tae8 25.Lf6 Kh7
The last and very important detail,
26.f4 ef3 27.Lf3 Sa5 28.Lb7 Sb7
which is usually forgotten or
29.Td7 Sc5 30.Tf7 Kg6 31.Tc7 Sd3
ignored! White cuts the escape road
32.Kb1 Kf5 33.Td1 Se5 34.Tf1 Ke4
3
Surveys 2011 - Efstratios Grivas
of the black king and mate is The greedy 36.Lh6? would only help
following. 1:0. Black: 36...Th6! 37.Th6 Td4. Now
White's position is near to winning.
36...Kg7 37.Te4 Ta6 38.Tc4 Tb7
Botvinnik M. : Uhlmann W.
38...Ta2 39.Tb4+-.
Moscow 1956
XIIIIIIIIY 39.d5 Ta2 40.Tb4 Tb2? 41.Ld4 1:0.
9-+-+-snk+0
9zp-+rvlpzpp0
Tal M. : Najdorf M.
9-tr-+q+-+0
Leipzig 1960
9+-+pzP-zPR0
XIIIIIIIIY
9-zppzP-+N+0
9r+-+-trk+0
9+-+-vLQzP-0
9vl-wq-+pzpp0
9PzPP+-+K+0
9p+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-+R0
9+p+p+N+-0
xiiiiiiiiy
9-+-zPnzP-vL0
9zP-+-+-+Q0
29.Sf6!
9-zP-+-+PzP0
And not the naive 29.Sh6? gh6
9+-+-tRRmK-0
30.Th6 Sg6 31.Th7 Lf8 32.Df6! Df6
xiiiiiiiiy
33.gf6 Ta6.
When the great Tal was on the attack
29...gf6 30.gf6 Lf6
something nice was on the cards ...
Again forced: 30...Ld8?! 31.Lh6! Lf6
21.Te4!
32.ef6 Df6 33.Dg4+-.
The first sacrifice which aims in
31.ef6 De4?!
further weakening the f6-square!
A better defensive try was to be
21...de4 22.Lf6!
found on 31...Df6 32.Tg5! (32.Dg4
In accordance with the previous
Dg7! (32...Sg6? 33.Dd7+-; 32...Kh8?
move ...
33.Tg5 Sg6 34.Dd7+-) 33.Dg7 Kg7
22...Db6
34.Lh6 Kg8 35.Lf8 Kf8 36.Th7=)
A forced move: 22...gf6? 23.Dg4
32...Sg6 (32...Kh8? 33.Dg4+-)
Kh8 24.Dg7#; 22...g6? 23.Sh6#.
33.Dh5 Te6 34.Dh7 Kf8 35.Tf1 Dg7
23.Lg7 Tfe8 24.Le5 Dg6 25.Sh6
36.Dh5 Kg8 37.Df3Ä… . Black thought
Kf8 26.f5
that by exchanging queens he would
26.f5 Black resigns: 26...Dg5
be safe ...
(26...Dc6 27.Dh5 Dc4 28.Ld6 Te7
32.De4 de4 33.Tg5! Sg6
29.Td1! f6 30.Sg4+-) 27.Sf7! Kf7
Or 33...Kh8 34.d5 Tb5 35.Th4 Tbd5
28.Dh7 Kf8 29.Ld6 Te7 30.f6 Ld4
36.Td5 Td5 37.Te4+-.
31.Kh1 Lf6 32.Le7+-. 1:0.
34.Tc5 Tf6
34...c3? 35.Tc8+-.
35.Tc8 Sf8
Nice is 35...Kg7? 36.Lh6#.
36.Th4!
4
Surveys 2011 - Efstratios Grivas
Spassky B. : Korensky V. White stands better but far from
Sochi 1973 winning - or not so?
XIIIIIIIIY
17.Sf6! Sf6
9r+-+-trk+0
After 17...gf6?! 18.gf6 Df8 19.Dg5
9zpp+-+pzpp0
Kh8 20.Dh5 White can calmly
9-+-+p+-+0
continue with Te4-h4 and Sg5, with
9wq-vllzP-vL-0
a winning attack.
9-+-+-wQ-zP0
18.gf6 gf6 19.Dh6! fe5
9+-sN-+-+-0
The other option was 19...Df8, when
9PzPP+-+P+0
White has a choice in-between
9+-mKR+-+R0
20.Df8 (and 20.Df6 Sb4 21.Sg5 Ld5
xiiiiiiiiy
22.Le4Ä… ) 20...Tf8 21.ef6 Tab8 22.a3
17.Lf6! Tfc8
h6 23.Sd2Ä….
On 17...gf6 18.Th3! Tfc8 19.Dh6.
20.Se5 Tac8?
18.Lg7!
XIIIIIIIIY
Stripping the black king!
9-+r+r+k+0
18...Kg7 19.Df6 Kf8 20.Thf1 Tc7
9zpl+-wqp+p0
Or 20...Dc7 21.Td5! Le3 22.Kb1 ed5
9-+n+p+-wQ0
23.Dh8 Ke7 24.Sd5+-.
9+pzp-sN-+-0
21.Sd5 ed5 22.e6! Da2
9-+-zp-+-+0
The main alternative was 22...Le3
9+-+P+-zP-0
23.Kb1 Dc5 24.c4!! d4 25.e7 Kg8
9PzPP+-zPL+0
(25...Ke8 26.Df7 Kd7 27.e8D Kd6 9tR-+-tR-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy
28.Tf6#) 26.Df7 Kh8 27.Df6 Kg8
28.De6 Kh8 29.Tf7+-. A blunder in a difficult position.
23.e7! Kg8 Black should continue the fight with
23...Te7 24.Dh8#. 20...Se5! 21.Te5 f6! 22.Lb7 Tab8!
24.Df7 Kh8 25.e8D Te8 26.De8 23.Lc6 fe5 24.Le8 Te8 25.Te1Ä….
Kg7 27.De5 Kg8 28.Dg5 1:0. 21.Sg4!
Now White will have big material
Grivas E. : Zamit S. gains.
Athens 1981 21...f5 22.Sf6 Kh8 23.Te6! Df7
XIIIIIIIIY
24.Se8 Te8 25.Tae1
9r+-+r+k+0
25.Te8! De8 26.Df6 Kg8 27.Ld5 was
9zpl+-wqpzpp0
simpler.
9-+n+p+-+0
25...Tg8 26.Lc6 1:0.
9+pzpnzP-zP-0
9-+-zpN+-+0
The next two games were both lost
9+-+P+NzP-0
by the same player; the strong Greek
9PzPP+-zPL+0
GM Ioannis Papaioannou. Well, this
9tR-wQ-tR-mK-0
is rather strange, as this player is
xiiiiiiiiy
well-known for his extra  sensitivity
of danger. But still he missed our
5
Surveys 2011 - Efstratios Grivas
XIIIIIIIIY
theme and got punished in really no
9r+-wq-tr-+0
time! As we say in my country: it can
9+-sn-+pzpk0
happen even to the best families &
9l+-+ptR-zp0
9+-+pzP-+-0
Grivas E. : Papaioannou I.
9p+-zP-tR-wQ0
Volos 1996
9zPp+-zPNzP-0
XIIIIIIIIY
9-zP-+-+LzP0
9r+-+-trk+0
9+-+-+-mK-0
9+l+-wqpzp-0
xiiiiiiiiy
9n+-+p+-zp0
Now that almost all white pieces are
9+-+pzP-+-0
participating in the attack, the black
9p+-zP-tR-+0
king's fortress will soon collapse. But
9zPp+-zPQzP-0
it seems that 28.Se4! Kg8 29.Dh5
9-zP-sN-+LzP0
9+-+-+RmK-0 wins faster.
xiiiiiiiiy
28...gf6 29.Tf6 Ld3
24.Tf6! There is no longer any defence for
White has transferred his forces to Black, as neither 29...Df6 30.ef6 Tg8
the kingside, where Black lacks 31.Se5 Taf8 32.Lf3 Lb5 33.Lh5 Le8
adequate defence. The black pieces 34.Sg4! nor 29...Th8 30.Sg5 Kg8
were tied up with the protection of 31.Sf7 is sufficient. The finish was
the queenside, where they managed brief:
to defend successfully, but are now 30.Sg5 Kg8 31.Th6 1:0.
far from the main theatre of action!
With his last move White Adams M. : Papaioannou I.
immobilizes the black f-pawn that, Istanbul 2000
XIIIIIIIIY
with its freeing advance, would allow
9-vlr+r+k+0
Black drawing chances and
9zpl+-+pzpn0
simultaneously cuts the black queen
9-zp-wqp+-+0
off its defensive duties.
9+-+-sN-vL-0
24...Sc7
9-+-zP-+-+0
24...gf6? 25.ef6 Dd6 26.Dg4 Kh8
9zP-+-+P+-0
27.Dg7#.
9-zP-+-wQP+0
25.Dg4 La6 26.T1f4
9+L+R+RmK-0
Also good seems 26.Th6 Lf1 27.Lf1
xiiiiiiiiy
Tac8 28.Ld3 f5 29.Dg6Ä…, but White
White decided to trade off his
did not wanted to break« the
pride« in order to further weaken
immobilization!
the f6-square:
26...Kh7 27.Dh4! Dd8 28.Sf3
30.Lh7!? Kh7 31.Dh4 Kg8 32.Dh5
Tf8?
6
Surveys 2011 - Efstratios Grivas
XIIIIIIIIY
Topalov V. : Lutz C.
9-vlr+-trk+0
Dortmund 2002
9zpl+-+pzp-0
XIIIIIIIIY
9-zp-wqp+-+0
9-tr-+-+k+0
9+-+-sN-vLQ0
9+q+-+pzp-0
9-+-zP-+-+0
9r+-+lsN-zp0
9zP-+-+P+-0
9zp-+-+-+-0
9-zP-+-+P+0
9-+-tR-+-+0
9+-+R+RmK-0
9wQP+-+P+-0
xiiiiiiiiy
9-+P+-+PzP0
Black missed White's next. He 9+K+R+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy
should have gone for 32...Df8 33.Sd7
Dd6 34.Sf6 gf6 35.Lf6 Dh2 36.Dh2 27.Sf6!
Lh2 37.Kh2 Tc2©. A bold from the blue! But certain
33.Lf6! tactics were well calculated!
And as there is no defence to 34.Dg5 27...gf6 28.Td8 Td8 29.Td8 Kh7
(33...gf6 34.Dg4 Kh8 35.Kf2 Tc2 30.Df8
36.Ke3 and Th1). Black resigned. And now White has mating threats ...
1:0. 30...Kg6
30...h5 was a better« try, but still
Zvjaginsev V. : Pelletier Y. not enough to save the game: 31.g4
Panormo 2001 (31.Dh8 Kg6 32.Tg8 Kf5 33.Dh5
XIIIIIIIIY
Kf4 34.Td8+-) 31...hg4 32.fg4 Kg6
9-+l+-trk+0
33.Dg8 Kh6 34.Dh8 Kg5 35.Dg7
9+n+-+-zpp0
Kf4 36.Df6+-.
9-wq-+p+-+0
31.Dg8 Kh5
9zp-zp-zPp+L0
Or 31...Kf5 32.Dg4 Ke5 33.f4 Ke4
9PtrP+-wQ-vL0
34.Df3+-.
9+P+R+-+-0
32.Dg7!
9-+-+-+PzP0
Also good was 32.Td4 Db5 33.g3
9+-+R+-mK-0
Dg5 34.Th4 Dh4 35.gh4+-.
xiiiiiiiiy
32...f5 33.Td4!
Here the black f-pawn is already on
With the threat 34.Th4 Kh4 35.Dh6#.
f5, but our theme is also strong:
33...Lc8 34.g3
29.Lf6! Dc7
Black resigned, due to 34...De7
Black cannot accept the sac: 29...gf6
(34...Tg6 35.Th4 Kg5 36.f4#) 35.Th4
30.Tg3 Kh8 31.Dh6+-.
Dh4 36.Df7+- , as White's material
30.Dg3
gains would be too high ... 1:0.
And Black resigned as there is no
defence on White's main threat
31.Td7!. 1:0.
7
Surveys 2011 - Efstratios Grivas
Sjugirov S. : Brodsky M. 26...Lg6 27.Tg6 Kh7 28.Tg5 hg5
St.Petersburg 2008 29.Ld3 Kh6 30.h4+-.
XIIIIIIIIY
25.Th6 Sc4
9r+l+-trk+0
XIIIIIIIIY
9+p+n+pzp-0
9r+l+-trk+0
9p+ntR-+-zp0
9+p+-+p+-0
9+-+-+-+q0
9p+-tR-+-tR0
9-zPL+N+-vL0
9+-+-+-+q0
9+-+-wQ-+-0
9-zPn+-+-+0
9-+-+-+PzP0
9+-+-wQ-+-0
9+-+-+RmK-0
9-+-+-+PzP0
xiiiiiiiiy
9+-+-+-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy
22.Lf6!
The usual beautiful idea; the bishop 26.De7!
uses a forbidden square in order to A nice move, forcing Black's
get closer to the black king. resignation, due to 26...Lg4
Beforehand 22.Df4 Sde5? 23.Th6 (26...Dg4 27.Th8 Kh8 28.Df8 Kh7
1:0, Shirov A : Wang Hao, Dagomys 29.Th6#) 27.Th5 Lh5 28.Th6 Lg6
2009, had been played. 29.Df6 Lh7 30.Dh4 Lg6 31.Th8 Kg7
22...Sf6 32.Dh6+-. 1:0.
Black is in trouble in all variations:
22...Te8 23.Lg7 Kg7 24.Tf7+-; or Nunn J. : Smeets J.
22...Sde5 23.Dg3 Lg4 24.Ld5Ä…. Amsterdam 2006
XIIIIIIIIY
23.Sf6 gf6 24.Tff6
9r+-+r+k+0
White will have no problems proving
9+-wql+pzp-0
that the white pieces will roll over
9pzp-+n+nzp0
the black king because of the number
9+-zp-zP-+-0
of the black pieces which are hardly
9-+R+N+-+0
in the game.
9+L+-+N+P0
24...Se5?!
9PzP-wQ-zPP+0
This loses in no time but it was very
9+-+-tR-mK-0
difficult (and probably impossible)
xiiiiiiiiy
for Black to survive. His main
All White's pieces are ideally placed
'saving' alternative should be tried on
for a decisive attack ...
24...Lf5 but White wins anyway after
26.Sf6! gf6 27.Dh6
25.Dg3 (25.Th6 Dg4 26.Th3 Dg7
Now the black king will lethally
27.Tg3 Lg4 28.Df4 Se5 29.Td5 Tfc8
suffer.
30.Lb3Ä… is good as well) 25...Dg5
27...f5
(25...Kh7?! 26.Tf5 Df5 27.Ld3+-)
After 27...fe5 White wins with
26.Tg6 (26.Dg5 hg5 27.Tf5 Tfd8
28.Tg4!.
28.Tg6 Kh8 29.Tgg5 Td1 30.Kf2
28.Sh4! Lb5
Td4 31.Ld5 Sb4 32.Tf6 Th4 33.Lb7)
8
Surveys 2011 - Efstratios Grivas
There is no defence anymore: 28.Dh6 Ke7 29.Te5 Kd7 30.Dd2 was
28...Lc6 29.Sf5 (29.Te3 Ld5 30.Sf5 a safe alternative as well, just
Lc4 31.Lc4+-) 29...Ld5 30.Te3 Lc4 proving how winning is White's
31.Lc4+- or 28...Se7 29.Te3 Sg7 position after all!
30.Tg3 De5 31.Sf3+-. Here Black decided to resign as there
29.Sf5 Tad8 is no defence anymore to White's
After 29...Lc4 30.Lc4 Se5 White mating threats: 28...Te1 (28...Te7
wins with 31.Te4!. 29.Dh8#) 29.Kh2 Ke8 30.Df7 Kd8
30.Tg4 c4 31.Lc2 Td5 32.Th4 31.Td5 Kc8 32.Df8 Te8 33.De8#.
32.Tg6 fg6 33.Dg6 Kf8 34.Dh6 Kg8 1:0.
35.Te4 Td7 36.Tg4 Sg7 37.Sg7 Tg7
38.Lh7 Kf8 39.Tf4 was winning as Kasparov G. : Karpov A.
well. 1:0. Valencia 2009
XIIIIIIIIY
9-wq-+-trk+0
Bologan V. : Heberla B.
9tr-+-+pzp-0
Plovdiv 2008
9-zp-+-+-zp0
XIIIIIIIIY
9zp-snR+-+-0
9r+-+-trk+0
9-+-+N+-+0
9wqpzp-+pzpp0
9zP-+-+-+-0
9p+n+-+-+0
9-zP-wQ-zPPzP0
9+-+N+-vL-0
9+-+-+RmK-0
9-+n+-+-+0
xiiiiiiiiy
9wQ-+-+-+P0
9PzP-+-zPP+0 22.Sf6!
9+-+RtR-mK-0 Brilliant! Kasparov has not lost any
xiiiiiiiiy
of his tactical vision! Black would be
White's initiative is great and the happy to see 22.Sc5? bc5 23.Tc5 Td8
black king has remained without as then he would have good practical
defensive pieces around him ... chances for a draw.
20.Sf6! gf6 22...gf6
20...Kh8 21.Dd3 is rather easy. 22...Kh8?! 23.Th5+- mates soon.
21.Dg3! fg5 23.Dh6 f5 24.Dg5!
21...S4e5 22.Le3 Sg6 23.La7 will 24.Tf5? allows Black to consolidate
lose later! with 24...f6!.
22.Dg5 Kh8 23.Df6 Kg8 24.Td5! 24...Kh8 25.Df6 Kg8 26.Tf5
S4e5 25.Tde5 Se5 26.Te5 Tfe8 Black's king is too exposed, so the
26...h6 27.Dh6 Db6 (27...f5 28.Dg6 end is, and should be near, in such
Kh8 29.Te7) 28.Tg5 Dg6 29.Tg6 fg6 hopelessly cases ...
30.Dg6 Kh8 31.Dh5 Kg7 32.Dg4 26...Se4 27.Dh4!
Kh6 33.Dh4 Kg7 34.Dg3 Kh8 Precise! Black is lost.
35.Dc7 was a bit better«, but still 27...Te8
winning for White.
27.Tg5 Kf8 28.Tf5!
9
Surveys 2011 - Efstratios Grivas
27...f6 averts mate but of course, 32.Td1 Db2 33.Kh1 De2 34.ef7
after 28.De4, White is simply two Kh7 35.Dd6 Dc4 36.Tb7 Tf7 37.Tf7
pawns to the good. Df7 38.De5 Dg7 39.Dg7 Kg7
28.Th5 f5 40.Td7 Kf6 41.Ta7 Tc3 42.h3 ½.
And Black lost on time in making
this move, but the result is in no Kovanova B. : Pogonina N.
doubt after 29.Th8 Kf7 30.Dh7 Kf6 Antakya 2010
XIIIIIIIIY
31.Dh6 Ke5 32.Td1. 1:0.
9-+-tr-snk+0
9zplwq-vlpzpp0
Caruana F. : Ljubojevic L.
9-zpn+p+-+0
Amsterdam 2010
9+-zp-zP-+-0
XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+N+-+0
9r+-+-trk+0
9+LzP-+NvL-0
9zpp+l+pzp-0
9PzP-+QzPPzP0
9-+-wqp+-zp0
9+-+R+-mK-0
9+-+-+-+Q0
xiiiiiiiiy
9-+-zP-+-+0
17.Sf6! Kh8?!
9+-zPL+-+-0
9PzP-+-+PzP0 The less evil was 17...gf6 18.ef6 Td1
9+-+-tRRmK-0 19.Dd1 Dd7 20.fe7 Se7 when White
xiiiiiiiiy
would just have a clear advantage in
18.Tf6! De7 the ending due to his bishop-pair and
On 18...gf6 19.Dh6 f5 20.Dg5 Kh8 his better pawn structure. 17...Lf6
21.Te3 mate follows. 18.ef6 Td1 19.Ld1 Dd8 20.fg7 Kg7
19.Tef1 e5!? 21.Lc2 Sg6 22.h4Ä… was also better
Again 19...gf6 is not recommended: than the text move.
20.Dh6 f5 21.Tf3. 18.Sg5! Td1 19.Dd1 Sd8
20.de5?! The alternative was 19...gf6 20.Sf7
White missed his best chance here: Kg8 21.ef6 Dd7 22.Sh6 Kh8 23.Dg4
20.Lc4! Le6 (20...ed4? 21.Lf7! Tf7 Sg6 24.Sf7 Kg8 25.Sd6 Sd8 26.fe7
22.Tf7 De3 23.Kh1+-) 21.Le6 fe6 De7 27.h4 and White will soon win.
22.Tf8 Tf8 23.Tf8 Kf8 24.De5Ä… , as 20.Dh5!
he would have material and Another piece joins the attack. Also
positional advantage in the queen's good was 20.Lc2 g6 21.h4.
endgame. After the text move he is 20...gf6
still on the top but with more What else? 20...h6 21.La4! La6
complicated play (more pieces on the 22.Se8 Db7 23.Sf7+- or 20...Dc6
board) which allowed Black in the 21.Ld5! Da4 22.h3 gf6 23.ef6 Lf6
end to escape with a draw. 24.Sf7+- is a lost case.
20...Tae8 21.Td6 Le6 22.Tf4 Tc8 21.ef6 Dc6 22.Ld5!
23.Df3 Tfd8 24.Tfd4 Te8 25.De4 g6 Winning an important tempo.
26.Lb5 Lf5 27.Df4 Tf8 28.Ld7 Ld7 22...De8
29.Td7 De6 30.T4d6 Da2 31.e6 Db1
10
Surveys 2011 - Efstratios Grivas
22...ed5 23.fe7 and White promotes Open files, weak black king, active
next! white pieces - something decisive
23.Dh6! Lf6 24.Df6 Kg8 25.Le5 must exist according to the logic of
1:0. chess ...
17.Tf6!
Lahno K. : Khotenashvili B. 17.Lf6! wins as well.
Tbilisi 2011 17...Dc7
XIIIIIIIIY
Maybe Black had to try 17...h6
9r+-+-trk+0
where White would have to find
9zpp+n+pzp-0
18.Th6 f6 19.Dg4 Tae8 20.Tg6+-.
9q+-+p+-+0
18.Ld5 ed5 19.Td3! Tfd8 20.Lh6
9+-+pzP-vLp0
And the black king's days are over ...
9-+-zP-+-zP0
20...Lh6 21.Dh6 e4 22.Tg3
9+P+-+-zP-0
22.Th3 Td7 23.Dg5 Kf8 24.Th7
9P+-wQ-+P+0
mates as well. 1:0.
9tR-+-+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy
Conclusion
Black's king is rather week and the
This tactical theme is often met and
attack must be decisive but accurate.
it is easy to understand and practice
17.Lf6! gf6
it. Can be either proved a short
There is not much that Black can do
combination or a long-term
anymore: 17...Db6 18.Lg7! Kg7
compensationally sacrifice. Both
19.Dg5 Kh7 20.Dh5 Kg7 21.Dg5
cases seem pleasant for the attacking
Kh8 22.Tf6! Dd4 23.Kh2 Dd3
part!
24.Th6 Dh7 25.Th7 Kh7 26.Tf1+- or
17...Sf6 18.ef6 Kh7 19.fg7+-.
18.ef6 Tfc8
18...Sf6 19.Dg5! Kh8 20.Tf6+-.
19.Dh6! Sf6 20.Dg5! Kf8 21.Df6
1:0.
Caruana F. : Gelfand B.
Moscow 2010
XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-+-trk+0
9zpp+-+pvlp0
9-+-wqp+-+0
9+-zpnzp-vL-0
9-+L+-+-wQ0
9+-+-+-+-0
9PzPP+-+PzP0
9+-+R+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy
11
Surveys 2011 - Efstratios Grivas