Fide Trainers Commission Advanced Chess School Vol 7 The Passed Pawn

FIDE Trainers’ Commission
Advanced Chess School

Volume 7
The Passed Pawn
Efstratios Grivas
Advanced Chess School - Volume 7 - The Passed Pawn - Efstratios Grivas 1
First Edition in Pdf - 2017
English Copyright © FIDE 2017 (office@fide.com - www.fide.com)
Copyright © Efstratios Grivas 2016 (GrivasEfs@yahoo.co.uk - www.GrivasChess.com)
The rights of Efstratios Grivas to be identified as the author of this work have been asserted in
accordance with the International Copyright, Designs and Patents Act.
All rights reserved. This book is distributed for free to the FIDE certified and licenced trainers,
subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, sold, hired out or
otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and
without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent owner.
Limit of Liability and Disclaimer of Warranty: FIDE makes no representation or warranties with
respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaims any
implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose and shall in no event be
liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damage, including but not limited to special,
incidental, consequential, or other damages.
ISBN-13: 978-618-83035-1-5
ISSN-13: 978-618-81200-2-0
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Commissioning Editor: Efstratios Grivas (www.GrivasChess.com)

Cover by Efstathia Saltamara
Contents
Title-Description …………………………………………………………………………………… 1
Colophon …………………..……………………………………………………………………….. 2
Contents ……………………………………..…………………………………………….............. 3
Bibliography …..…………………………………………………………………………………… 3
Foreword - FIDE PB .…………………………...…………………………………………..…… 4
Symbols ………………………………………………………………………..…………............... 4
The Passed Pawn - Terminology ………………………………………………………………… 5
The Outside Passer ……….…..…………………………………………………………………… 7
Breakthrough ……... .……………………………………………………………………………… 10
Connected and Separated Passers ……………………………………………………………… 18
The Réti Manoeuvre ……………………….………………….…………………………………… 20
Passed and Protected ..………………………………………………………………………….… 24
Blockade …………..………………………………………………………………………………… 33
Connected and Killing ..…………………………………………………………………………… 43
Rook & Pawn vs Two Minor Pieces ……………………………………….………………….… 54
Endgame Technique ……………………....…………………………………………………… 57
Middlegame Technique ……………………....…………………………………………………… 65
Unbalances ...….…………………………………………………………………………………… 75
Index of Games ..…………………………………………………………………………………… 78
CV - Efstratios Grivas ……..……………………………………………………………………… 80
Bibliography
A Chess Odyssey; Efstratios Grivas; Chesscafe.com 2007
British Chess Magazine; Various Contributors; BCM 1987-2016
Chess College 1 & 2 & 3; Efstratios Grivas; Gambit 2006
Chess Today (Internet Newspaper); Alexander Baburin; 2006-2016
ChessBase Mega Database; Various Contributors; ChessBase 2016
Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual; Mark Dvoretsky; Russel Enterprises 2003
Endgame Corner; Karsten Mueller; Chesscafe.com 2001-2013
Fundamental Chess Endings; Karsten Muller & Frank Lamprecht; Gambit 2001
Informator; Various Contributors; Informator 1966-2016
Modern Chess Planning; Efstratios Grivas; Gambit 2007
New In Chess (Magazine & Yearbook); Various Contributors; Interchess BV 1984-2016
Practical Endgame Play - Mastering the Basics; Efstratios Grivas; Everyman 2008
Secrets of Minor-Piece Endings; John Nunn; Batsford 1995
Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy; John Watson; Gambit 1998
Foreword
FIDE Presidential Board
Chess has existed as a sport played at a competitive level for centuries. The common code
governing the Laws of Chess is relatively recent, and the foundation of Fédération Internationale
des Échecs (FIDE), in Paris in 1924, is even more modern. FIDE currently has 188 member
federations spread across all continents. Titles for players were introduced by FIDE in 1950, and
titles for Arbiters and Organizers followed. From 2005 we are moving to a new phase, with titles
for Trainers.
Chess is on the increase in schools across the world. It is part of the mainstream curriculum in
many countries. It is a goal of FIDE to make chess an educational tool, and generate worldwide
popularity for the game. Examples of the many educational advantages of chess are: shows the
need to make people realize the importance of advance planning; develops analytic and accurate
thinking; shows the necessity for a combative spirit; teaches fair play and emphasizes the need for
preparation and hard work for success. However, with the increasing population of chess players,
comes the need for trainers to assist with their development.
This is a new concept of the ever-active FIDE Trainers’ Commission. This series is dedicated to
advanced subjects, consisting of 80-page books. We do hope that we will be able to deliver 3-4
such books annually, increasing the level and the education of our trainers worldwide. This series
will provide excellent manuals for trainers and fulfils a considerable need in modern chess
literature, concentrating on the technical side of the game, but also covering various other topics
and providing information. The best trainers will contribute to this series, which will be an
essential tool in the preparation of trainers at all levels for the future. It will ensure that the next
generation of players will be at a great advantage over those that have gone before.
Symbols
+ check = equal position
++ double check oo unclear position
# checkmate oo/= with compensation
!! brilliant move =+ Black is slightly better
! good move -/+ Black has a large advantage
!? interesting move -+ Black is winning
?! dubious move 1-0 the game ends in a win for White
? bad move ½-½ the game ends in a draw
?? blunder 0-1 the game ends in a win for Black
+- White is winning (D) see next diagram
+/- White has a large advantage ○ White to play
+= White is slightly better ● Black to play
The Passed Pawn
Terminology freeing the other pieces of its army for other
By definition, a pawn is passed when it duties.
can advance to promotion without A passed pawn that has been securely
encountering any opposing pawns in its blockaded and efficiently neutralized may
path. become a weakness and then this very
Possession of a passed pawn and the important element may even lead to the loss
ability to exploit its potential is a strategic of the game.
element that can often determine the result In general, the side possessing a passed
of the game. A passed pawn is sometimes pawn has clearer plans and aims. The other
colloquially called a passer. side usually seeks ways to blockade it or, if
The passed pawn may prove significant in this proves impossible, obtain counterplay
the middlegame, gaining space and tying on another part of the board.
down the opponent's pieces, but its true One good option is 'harassment' of the
strength comes to the fore in the endgame. opponent's king. In practice this option often
In practically all types of endgames, proves very effective, but unfortunately it is
possession of a passed pawn is considered a not always employable!
decisive advantage, particularly when the The most fundamental rule of exploiting
remaining material is scant. this strategic element is: passed pawns must
Even if it proves impossible to promote be pushed!
the pawn, its mere presence is enough to
Protected Passed Pawn
restrict the enemy pieces, force material gain
A passed pawn that is protected by its own
or simply to maintain the initiative.
pawns is called a protected passed pawn.
Consequently, this strategic element
Two or more passed pawns on adjacent files
greatly influences (and is influenced by) the
are called connected passed pawns and they
matter of piece exchanges. A passed pawn
are very strong. A pair of connected passed
must be blockaded, so as to have its power
pawns is sometimes called a steamroller.
restrained as much as possible. The minor
It is often strategically advantageous for
pieces (knight or bishop) are ideal for this
the side with connected passed pawns to
purpose, as they can rarely be forced to
place them on the same rank and then
retreat by enemy forces.
advance them in tandem, because this makes
On the other hand, the major pieces
them more difficult to blockade.
(queen and rook) find it difficult to achieve a
Sometimes, minor pieces are sacrificed so
stable blockade as they are easily harassed,
that a pawn can have a clear path to
while one must also consider that, for such
promotion on the eighth rank.
valuable pieces, dealing with a mere pawn
cannot be an efficient form of employment. Outside Passed Pawn
Taking the above into account, it becomes An outside passed pawn is a passed pawn
clear that the side with the passed pawn that is on or near the left or right edge of the
should seek to exchange minor pieces and board, and is separated by a number of files
retain the major ones; the opposite applies to from the rest of the pawns. Such a pawn
the other side. often constitutes a strong advantage for its
A factor of crucial importance is the owner because the opposing king does not
ability of the defending king (i.e. the one have the range to cover both sides of the
facing the passed pawn) to participate in the board.
proceedings. After exchanging the major An outside passed pawn is also powerful
pieces (and especially the queens), the king in an endgame with minor pieces. It is not so
can approach the passed pawn and blockade powerful in an endgame with rooks if the
it (or generally stop its advance), thus opposing rook can get behind the pawn, as in
the Tarrasch Rule. often forces the opponent to use a piece to
block or capture the pawn, wasting valuable
Passed Pawns in the Endgame time and immobilizing material or possibly
Passed pawns are particularly important, even losing it (as when a defender of the
often of decisive significance, in the blocking piece is forced to move). Indeed,
endgame. the value of a far-advanced passed pawn or
Since passed pawns have no opposing pawn group is often equal to or even greater
pawns to stop them, the threat of queening than that of a piece.
A passed pawn is a criminal

which should be kept under
lock and key. Mild measures,
such as police surveillance, are
not sufficient
Aron Nimzowitsch
Black pawns travel
faster than white pawns
Unknown, popularly attributed
to the Manhattan Chess Club
Restrain Blockade Destroy
Aron Nimzowitsch
The Outside Passer
Concept
As we have more or less explained, the
XABCDEFGHY
definition of an outside passed pawn refers 8-+-+-+k+(
to the passed pawn that lies on a remote file,
away from the centre.
7+-+-+p+-'
When both sides have a passed pawn, the 6R+-+-+p+&
outside one is that which is closer to the
edge of the board. In most cases an outside 5zp-tr-vl-+p%
passed pawn brings victory to its possessor, 4-+-+-+-+$
as the enemy king is forced to move away
from the centre and spend a number of 3+-vLK+-zP-#
moves to capture it, giving its counterpart
the time necessary to attack other targets.
2PzP-+-+-zP"
Example 1 ● 1+-+-+-+-!
XABCDEFGHY xabcdefghy
White stands better, but can he really win?
8-+-+-+-+( 36.Rxa5! Rxa5 37.Bxa5 Bxb2 38.a4 Kf8
7+-+-+-+-' 39.Bc3! Bxc3
The alternative was 39...Ba3 40.a5 Bd6
6-mkp+-+p+& 41.a6 Bb8 42.Bd4 and White wins.
5+-+-+-zPp% 40.Kxc3
And now the outside passer decides.
4P+-+-+-zP$ 40...Ke7 41.Kd4 Kd6 42.a5 f6 43.a6 Kc6
3+-mK-+-+-# 44.a7 Kb7 45.Kd5 h4 46.Ke6
Black resigned: 46...hxg3 47.hxg3 f5 48.Kf6
2-+-+-+-+" Kxa7 49.Kxg6 Kb7 50.Kxf5.
1-0
1+-+-+-+-!
xabcdefghy □ Grivas Efstratios
■ Karayiannis Athanasios
Here we have one of the most simplest Rethymnon 2001 ○
cases.
1...Kb7 XABCDEFGHY
Or 1...Kc5 2.Kb3 Kd4 3.a5. 8-+-+-+-+(
2.Kc4 Kb8 3.Kc5 Kc7 4.a5 Kb7 5.a6+
Kxa6 6.Kxc6 7+-mkn+-+p'
And White will soon collect the black 6-+-wq-+p+&
kingside pawns.
1-0 5+P+-+-+-%
4-+-+p+L+$
3+-+-+-wQP#
2-+-+-+PmK"
□ Fischer Robert James 1+-+-+-+-!
■ Larsen Bent
Denver 1971 ○ xabcdefghy
White has an outside passed pawn and thus XABCDEFGHY
proceeds to all desirable exchanges. Both the
b- and the e-pawn will be lost, but in the end 8r+-+-trk+(
the white king will be closer to the black
kingside pawns, which he will be able to
7zP-+-+pzpp'
capture. 6-+-+-+-+&
46.Qxd6+ Kxd6 47.Bxd7 Kxd7 48.Kg3
Kd6 49.Kf4 Kc5 50.Kxe4 Kxb5 51.Ke5 5+R+-+-+-%
Kc4 52.Kf6 Kd4 53.Kg7 Ke4 54.Kxh7 g5 4-wQ-zpq+-+$
55.Kg6 Kf4 56.Kh5 Kf5 57.g3 g4 58.h4
Ke6 59.Kxg4 3+-+-+-+-#
1-0
2-+-+-zPPzP"
1tR-+-+-mK-!
xabcdefghy
White's deadly future threats of Qxf8+ or
Rb8 seal Black's fate.
32...Rfd8 33.Rb8 Qe8
Black gives up the d-pawn, but there is no-
thing better: 33...Qd5 34.Qb6! Rf8 (34...d3
□ Gavrilakis Nikolaos
35.Qxd8+ Qxd8 36.Rxd8+ Rxd8 37.a8Q)
■ Grivas Efstratios
35.Rxf8+ Kxf8 (35...Rxf8 36.Qb8 Qa8 37.
Athens 1989 ●
Qxa8 Rxa8 38.Rb1!) 36.Qb8+ Ke7 37.Rb1!.
XABCDEFGHY 34.Rxa8 Rxa8 35.Qxd4 h6 36.h4 Qc6
8r+-+-trk+( 37.g3 Kh7 38.Rb1 Qc2 39.Rb8 Qc1+
40.Kh2 Qc6 41.Qd3+
7zP-+q+pzpp' 1-0
6-+-+-+-+& □ Korchnoi Viktor
■ Karpov Anatoly
5+-+-+-+-% Baguio City 1978 ○
4Q+-zp-+-+$ XABCDEFGHY
3+-+-+-+-# 8-+-tr-+k+(
2-+-+-zPPzP" 7+-+-+p+p'
1tRR+-+-mK-! 6-+l+-wqp+&
xabcdefghy 5zP-+-+-+-%
Although material is balanced, White posses- 4-+-zpL+-+$
ses an outside and further advanced passer, a
fact that gives him a hug advantage. 3+-+-+P+-#
30...Qd5
Other moves lose simply: 30...Qd8 31.Rb7! ; 2-+-wQ-+PzP"
30...Qd6 31.Qb4! Qd5 32.Ra5! or 30...Qxa4 1+-+-tR-mK-!
31.Rxa4 Rfd8 32.Kf1, when the white king
is close to Black's passed pawn, in contrast xabcdefghy
to the black king who has no chance ever of The pawn structure is identical to the
approaching the white passer. previous example, so White should have
31.Rb5! Qe4 32.Qb4 (D) some advantage.

33.Bd3! XABCDEFGHY
The black passer is blocked and the a-pawn
is ready to advance - White seems to be in 8-+-+-+k+(
trouble...
33...Bd7!
7+-wq-+p+-'
What is blocked should be unblocked! 6-+l+p+p+&
34.a6 Bf5 35.Qf4 Kg7 36.Bxf5 Qxf5
37.Qxf5 gxf5 38.Ra1 (D) 5+-+n+-+p%
XABCDEFGHY 4P+-wQN+-zP$
8-+-tr-+-+( 3+-+-+-zP-#
7+-+-+pmkp' 2-+-+-zPLmK"
6P+-+-+-+& 1+-+-+-+-!
5+-+-+p+-% xabcdefghy
4-+-zp-+-+$ 51.Nc3
White is ready to play an endgame with an
3+-+-+P+-# outside passer.
51...Qb7?!
2-+-+-+PzP" Better was 51...Qa5 to blockade the passer.
1tR-+-+-mK-! 52.Nxd5 Bxd5?!
The defending side should preserve as many
xabcdefghy pieces as he can in the board, so he should
38...d3! opt for 52...exd5 53.a5 Qb5 54.Qa1 +/-.
No time to spare - after 38...Ra8? 39.a7 Kf6 53.Bxd5 exd5 54.a5
40.Kf2 White wins. Now White wins by force.
39.Kf2 Re8! 54...Qd7 55.a6 Qb5 56.a7 Qb7 57.Qa4
Again the only move. White wins after Qa8 58.Qd7 Kg7 59.Qc7 d4 60.Qb8
39...d2? 40.Ke2 Rd7 41.Kd1!. 1-0
40.Ra2 Re7! 41.Rd2
Or 41.a7 d2.
41...Re6 42.a7
½-½
□ Grivas Efstratios
■ Pountzas Hrisanthos
Corfu 2010 ○

Breakthrough
Concept □ Albin Adolf
Pawn endings are fundamental to the ■ Baird David Graham
education of an aspiring chess player. The New York 1893 ●
reason is obvious: no matter which other XABCDEFGHY
type of ending we encounter, there will
always be moments when the possibility of a 8-+-+-+-+(
transition (through exchanges) to a pawn
ending will force us to properly evaluate its
7zppzp-+pzpp'
positive or negative properties and 6-+pmk-+-+&
accordingly make our decision.
Here we will examine an interesting 5zP-+-+PzPP%
technique called Breakthrough. 4-zPPzP-mK-+$
The breakthrough allows us to enforce one
of our pawns through to its promotion, 3+-+-+-+-#
usually sacrificing the rest.
The logic behind it is clear, as the
2-+-+-+-+"
achievement of our aim is more important 1+-+-+-+-!
than material considerations.
The strength of the breakthrough can be xabcdefghy
easily explained in our following examples: A draw should be the most reasonable result.
40...b5
Example 2 ○
40...g6 should be the safest here, but the text
XABCDEFGHY move is good enough for Black.
41.cxb5
8-+-+-+-+( 41.axb6 also leads nowhere: 41...axb6
7zppzp-+-+-' (41...cxb6? 42.b5! +-) 42.Ke4 Ke7 =.
41...Kd5?
6-+-+-+-+& Black wrongly thought that he has winning
5zPPzP-+-+-% chances (!), so he didn't go for 41...cxb5
42.Ke4 a6 (42...c6 43.a6) 43.d5 =.
4-+-+k+-+$ 42.bxc6 Kxd4 (D)
3+-+-+-+-# XABCDEFGHY
2-+K+-+-+" 8-+-+-+-+(
1+-+-+-+-! 7zp-zp-+pzpp'
xabcdefghy 6-+P+-+-+&
If Black is to move he can win with
1...Kd5! However, it is White to move, and
5zP-+-+PzPP%
he succeeds in winning a seemingly lost 4-zP-mk-mK-+$
position making use of a breakthrough.
1.b6! cxb6
3+-+-+-+-#
Or 1...axb6 2.c6! bxc6 3.a6. 2-+-+-+-+"
2.a6! bxa6 3.c6
1-0 1+-+-+-+-!
After this main introduction, let's move to xabcdefghy
examples of real games: The breakthrough is deadly now.
43.g6! fxg6 44.h6! g5+ 45.Kxg5 gxh6+ □ Heymann Anna Luise
46.Kxh6 Ke5 47.b5! ■ Ballo Emanuel
A second breakthrough on the other side! Lingen 1995 ●
47...Kxf5 48.b6 axb6 49.a6 1-0 XABCDEFGHY
□ Becking Franz Josef 8-tr-+-+-+(
■ Koch Arno
Saarland 1992 ○ 7+r+-+-+-'
XABCDEFGHY 6-+-mk-+-+&
8-+-+-+-+( 5+-+-zp-+-%
7+-+-+-+p' 4-+p+Pzppzp$
6-+-+K+-+& 3+-zP-+-+-#
5+-+-+-+-% 2-vLK+-zPPzP"
4pzpp+kzP-+$ 1+R+-+-+-!
3+-+-+-zP-# xabcdefghy
2PzPP+-+-zP" Black has a winning material advantage and
he finds the quickest way to prevail:
1+-+-+-+-! 39...g3
xabcdefghy White resigned, as after 40.La3+ Ke6
41.Rxb7 Rxb7 42.fxg3 hxg3 43.hxg3 Rg7
White's extra two pawns should count for a
-+ Black easily prevails. But more accurate
lot here, but remaining alert is not a bad
was 39...Rxb2+! 40.Rxb2 Rxb2+
idea!
41.Kxb2 g3 and a black pawn will queen as
33.b3!
usual.
Stopping any breakthrough ideas. 33.f5 b3
0-1
34.axb3 c3 35.bxc3 a3 36.f6 a2 37.f7 a1Q
38.f8Q wins as well, but why go for a queen
□ Braig Michael
ending, when he can just be a queen up?
■ Hartmann Gerhard
33...axb3 34.axb3 c3 35.f5 Ke3 36.f6 Kd2
Germany 1995 ○
37.f7 Kxc2 38.f8Q (D)
XABCDEFGHY XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-wQ-+( 8-+-+-+-+(
7+-+-+-+p' 7+k+-+-+-'
6-+-+K+-+& 6-zP-zp-+-+&
5+-+-+-+-% 5+-+Pzp-+-%
4-zp-+-+-+$ 4-zP-+Kzppzp$
3+Pzp-+-zP-# 3+-+-+-+-#
2-+k+-+-zP" 2-+-+-zPPzP"
1+-+-+-+-! 1+-+-+-+-!
xabcdefghy xabcdefghy
38.g3!
38...Kxb3 39.Ke5 c2 40.Qc5 1-0 White had to be careful. The 'obvious'
38.Kf5? loses to 38...g3!. XABCDEFGHY
38...fxg3 39.fxg3 hxg3 40.hxg3 Kxb6
41.Kf5 Kb5 42.Kxg4 Kxb4 43.Kf5 8-+-+-+-+(
But here, for some reason, Black resigned!
The position is still drawn: 43...Kc5
7zppzp-+-+-'
44.Ke4 Kb6! (this is probably what Black 6-+-+-+kzp&
missed) 45.g4 Kc7 46.g5 Kd7 47.g6 Ke7
48.Kf5 Kf8 49.Ke4 Kg7 50.Kf5 =. 5zPPzPR+r+-%
1-0 4-+P+p+-+$
□ Zepeda Sonia 3+-+-+-+-#
■ Shabanaj Eglantina 2-+-+-+-+"
Istanbul 2000 ○
XABCDEFGHY 1+-+-mK-+-!
8-+-+-+-+( xabcdefghy
White tries to survive but this wouldn't be
7+-+-+-zp-' the case after 37...h5. But the text move
6-+pmk-+-zp& wins as well.
37...Rxd5! 38.cxd5 Kf5?
5+-+-+-+-% But not like this. Black could win with 38...
Kf6! 39.Kf2 Ke7 40.Ke3 Kd7 41.Kxe4
4pzppzPK+P+$ b6.
3+-+-+P+-# 39.d6?
Correct idea (breakthrough) but wrong
2PzPP+-+-+" execution! Winning was 39.b6! axb6
1+-+-+-+-! (39...cxb6 40.a6 bxa6 41.c6 +-) 40.c6 +-.
xabcdefghy XABCDEFGHY
33.Kf5? 8-+-+-+-+(
A winning attempt, but the breakthrough is 7zppzp-+-+-'
lurking... 33.b3 axb3 34.axb3 cxb3 35.cxb3
g6 = was natural. 6-+-zP-+-zp&
33...b3! 34.axb3 c3
0-1 5zPPzP-+k+-%
4-+-+p+-+$
Interesting cases arise when we have a 4:3
majority on one side. Then the breakthrough 3+-+-+-+-#
could be even stronger and by far more 2-+-+-+-+"
difficult to identify, correctly evaluate and
properly execute! 1+-+-mK-+-!
Well, there is nothing better than being
trained to recognize these cases and be ready xabcdefghy
to repeat the relevant motifs, which are so 39...cxd6?
similar each other! A comedy of errors! It was Black's turn to
I will repeat once more: chess is all about get a winning position with 39...Ke6!
repeated motifs - recognize and apply them! 40.dxc7 (40.Ke2 Kd7! [40...cxd6? 41.b6 +-
] 41.dxc7 Kxc7 42.Ke3 a6 -+] 40...Kd7
□ Salvioli Carlo 41.b6 axb6 42.cxb6 h5 -+.
■ Dalla Rosa G. 40.c6!
Milan 1881 ● 1-0
□ Vo Thi Bich Lieu White is trying hard to lose! The natural
■ Tran Dang Hong Lien 41.Kd4 was drawing: 41...c3 42.bxc3 bxc3
Can Tho 2003 ○ 43.Kxc3 Kxe5 44.Kb4 Kf5 45.Ka5
XABCDEFGHY Kxg6 46.Kxa6 Kf5 47.a4 g5 48.a5 g4
49.Kb7 g3 50.a6 g2 51.a7 g1Q 52.a8Q
8-+-+-+-+( Qh1+ 53.Kb8 Qxa8+ 54.Kxa8.
7+-+-+pzpp' 41...c3! 42.bxc3 bxc3?
This automatic capture throws away the win.
6p+-+-+-+& 42...b3! was correct: 43.Kd3 Kxe5 44.c4
b2 45.Kc2 Kd4 46.Kxb2 Kxc4 -+.
5+p+kzPPzPP% 43.Kd3 (D)
4-+p+-mK-+$ XABCDEFGHY
3+-+-+-+-# 8-+-+-+-+(
2PzP-+-+-+" 7+-+-+-zp-'
1+-+-+-+-! 6p+-+k+P+&
xabcdefghy 5+-+-zP-+-%
One might think here that Black's potential 4P+-+-+-+$
outside passed pawn will give her the
advantage. But this is an illusion - it is 3+-zpK+-+-#
White who can win here by the use of the 2-+-+-+-+"
breakthrough technique!
37.g6? 1+-+-+-+-!
Wrong execution! The simple 37.e6! would xabcdefghy
do the job: 37...fxe6 (37...Kd6 38.exf7 Ke7
39.g6 +-) 38.f6! gxf6 39.g6! hxg6 40.hxg6 Now it's a draw.
+-. 43...Kxe5 44.Kxc3 Kf5 45.Kb4 Kxg6
37...fxg6 38.hxg6 hxg6 39.fxg6 Ke6? 46.Ka5 Kh5 47.Kxa6 g5 48.Kb7 g4
Returning the favour. Winning was 39...b4!: 49.a5 g3 50.a6 g2 51.a7 g1Q 52.a8Q
40.e6 Kxe6 41.Ke4 c3 42.bxc3 bxc3 ½-½
43.Kd3 Kf5 -+. □ Guimard Carlos Enrique
40.Ke4 b4 (D) ■ Rossetto Hector
XABCDEFGHY Mar del Plata 1948 ●
8-+-+-+-+( XABCDEFGHY
7+-+-+-zp-' 8-+-+-+-+(
6p+-+k+P+& 7zp-sN-sn-+-'
5+-+-zP-+-% 6-zpP+-+-+&
4-zpp+K+-+$ 5+P+-+-+-%
3+-+-+-+-# 4P+k+pzppzp$
2PzP-+-+-+" 3+-+-+-+-#
1+-+-+-+-! 2-+-mK-zPPzP"
xabcdefghy 1+-+-+-+-!
41.a4? xabcdefghy
The position is approximately equal and □ Sandor Jozsef
Black tries his last chance. ■ Fekete Jozsef
40...e3+ 41.fxe3?! Hungary 2009 ●
White could play 41.Ke2! exf2 42.Kxf2 XABCDEFGHY
Kb3 43.h3 gxh3 44.gxh3 Kxa4 45.Kf3 a6
46.bxa6 Nxc6 47.Kxf4 b5 =. 8-+-sn-+-+(
41...f3 42.Ke1 7+p+-+-+-'
42.g3?! hxg3 43.hxg3 Kb4 44.Kd3 Kxa4
would give Black some winning chances. 6-+-+-+-+&
42...fxg2 43.Kf2 h3 44.Ne8?! 5+PmK-mk-+-%
44.e4! should allow White to draw: 44...
Kc5 45.Nd5 Nxd5 (45...Nc8 46.Kg1 =) 4-+-sNpzppzp$
46.exd5 Kd6 =. 3+-zP-+-+-#
44...Nc8 (D)
XABCDEFGHY 2-+-+-zPPzP"
8-+n+N+-+( 1+-+-+-+-!
7zp-+-+-+-' xabcdefghy
It looks like White is pressing, but this is an
6-zpP+-+-+& illusion. The breakthrough is lurking...
5+P+-+-+-% 35...Ne6+!
But first the knights should be exchanged!
4P+k+-+p+$ 36.Nxe6
White cannot do much: 36.Kc4 Nxd4
3+-+-zP-+p# 37.cxd4+ Kd6 -+.
2-+-+-mKpzP" 36...Kxe6 37.Kd4 Kf5
37...e3! 38.fxe3 g3! was quicker!
1+-+-+-+-! 38.c4 e3! 39.fxe3
xabcdefghy 39.Kd3 exf2 40.Ke2 g3 41.hxg3 fxg3 -+.
39...f3! 40.e4+ Kf4
45.Nf6?
0-1
The decisive mistake. With 45.e4! White
was again on the right track. □ Tunik Gennady
45...Kb4 ■ Duzhakov Ilya
And White resigned. After 46.Nxg4 Kxa4 St Petersburg 2011 ○
47.Kg1 Kxb5 48.Nf2 a5 49.Nxh3 a4 XABCDEFGHY
50.Nf4 Kxc6 -+ his days are counted.
0-1 8-+-+-+k+(
Not a GM yet? The list of reasons you may 7zppsn-+p+-'
not be a GM doesn't end at 10. Caring what
your opponents think, not being patient,
6-+-+-+-+&
having bad habits, not having goals, not 5+-zP-+P+p%
being prepared, trying to make a quick
career, relying on others to handle your 4-zP-+K+-+$
management, investing in things you don't
understand, being financially afraid and
3+-sN-+-+-#
ignoring your status - Efstratios Grivas 2P+-+-+-+"
Transitions to pure pawn endings should 1+-+-+-+-!
be carefully evaluated, as there is no way
back. xabcdefghy
37.Nd5! Kxc7 53.Ke7 +- transposes.
A very radical solution, 'based' on the 50.Kf6 Kc8 51.Kxf7 Kd8 52.Ke6 Kc8
previous examples... (D)
37...Nxd5 XABCDEFGHY
Staying in the knight ending with 37...Ne8
does not help as White's central forces are 8-+k+-+-+(
dominating: 38.b5 f6 39.Kf4 Kf7 40.a4
Kg7 41.a5 Kf7 42.c6 bxc6 43.bxc6 Nd6 7+-+-+-+-'
44.c7 Nc8 45.Kg3 Nd6 46.Kh3 Nc8 6-zpP+K+-+&
47.Kh4 Nd6 48.Kxh5 +-.
38.Kxd5 h4 39.Ke4 5+P+-+-+-%
White is inside the square of the rook's pawn 4-+-+-+-+$
- but Black is not!
39...h3 40.Kf3 Kg7 3+-+-+-+-#
If 40...a6 then 41.Kg3 Kg7 42.Kxh3 Kf6 2-+-+-+-+"
43.Kg4 +- wins.
41.b5 Kf6 42.a4! Kxf5 1+-+-+-+-!
42...Ke5 loses to 43.a5 Kd5 44.c6 bxc6
45.b6 Kd6 46.bxa7 +-.
xabcdefghy
43.a5! Ke6 (D) 53.c7!
The pride of White's position is simply
XABCDEFGHY sacrificed to get at the b6-pawn.
8-+-+-+-+( 53...Kxc7 54.Ke7
White has reached a key square.
7zpp+-+p+-' 54...Kc8 55.Kd6 Kb7 56.Kd7 Ka7
6-+-+k+-+& 57.Kc7 Ka8 58.Kxb6 Kb8 59.Ka6
After 59.Kc6?! Ka7 White must retreat:
5zPPzP-+-+-% 60.Kc7! Ka8 61.Kb6 Kb8 62.Ka6! +-.
Now the end runs smoothly: 59...Ka8 60.b6
4-+-+-+-+$ Kb8 61.b7 Kc7 62.Ka7 +-.
3+-+-+K+p# 1-0
2-+-+-+-+" □ Mamedyarov Sakhriyar
■ Sokolov Ivan
1+-+-+-+-! Hoogeveen 2006 ●
44.c6! b6
After 44...bxc6 the typical breakthrough
8-+-+-+-+(
follows: 45.b6 axb6 46.a6 +-, the one that 7+-+k+pzp-'
was planned by White when he decided to
exchange the knights.
6-+-+-+p+&
45.axb6 5zpp+KzP-+-%
45.a6? h2 46.Kg2 Kd6 47.Kxh2 Kc7
48.Kg3 Kd6 49.Kf4 Ke6 50.Kg5 Ke7 4-+-sN-zPP+$
51.Kf5 Kd8 52.Kf6 Ke8 = as now 53.c7
Kd7 54.Kxf7 Kxc7 55.Ke7 Kb8 56.Kd7
3zP-+-+-+P#
Ka8 57.Kc7 leads to stalemate. 2-+-+-vl-+"
45...axb6 46.Kg3 Kd6 47.Kxh3 Kc7 1+-+-+-+-!
48.Kg4 Kc8 49.Kf5 Kc7
49...Kd8 50.Kf6 Ke8 51.c7 Kd7 52.Kxf7 xabcdefghy
45...Lxd4? XABCDEFGHY
Black mishandled the position and gave
White the opportunity to achieve a very 8-+-+-+-+(
strong centralized king. It was time for the
draw with the simple 45...b4 46.axb4 axb4
7+-+-mkpzp-'
47.Nb3 Lg3, as the resulting pawn ending 6-+-+-+p+&
is winning for White.
46.Kxd4 Kc6 47.h4! b4 48.axb4 axb4 (D) 5+K+-zP-zP-%
XABCDEFGHY 4-+-+-zP-zP$
8-+-+-+-+( 3+-+-+-+-#
7+-+-+pzp-' 2-+-+-+-+"
6-+k+-+p+& 1+-+-+-+-!
5+-+-zP-+-% xabcdefghy
4-zp-mK-zPPzP$ The Breakthrough technique lurks in every
pawn ending and should be carefully studied
3+-+-+-+-# and applied when the time comes…
And a last interesting example to
2-+-+-+-+" conclude:
1+-+-+-+-! □ De Casteja Emmanuel
xabcdefghy ■ Bonneau Alain
Meudon 1992 ○
49.Kc4?
Through the help of breakthrough rules, XABCDEFGHY
White can win with 49.f5! gxf5 (49...Kd7 8-+-+-+-+(
50.h5 gxh5 51.gxh5 b3 52.Kc3 Kc6 53.f6)
50.gxf5 b3 51.Kc3 Kd5 52.e6 fxe6 53.f6 7zp-+-+-+-'
gxf6 54.h5. This is probably what Black
missed when he played 45...Lxd4?.
6-+-mk-+-+&
49...b3 50.Kxb3 Kd5 51.g5 5zPP+-zp-+-%
Black will never be able to penetrate with
his king and attack the white pawns, but he 4-+K+-zppzp$
can just hold the draw. 3+-+-zP-+-#
51...Ke6
51...Ke4? 52.h5 gxh5 53.g6 fxg6 54.e6 +- 2-+-+-zPPzP"
justifies the comment on the 51st move. 1+-+-+-+-!
52.Kc4 Ke7 53.Kb5 (D)
(see diagram in the next column) xabcdefghy
53...f6? White's extra pawn should be enough; just
Black again did not take his chance. He some care is needed to avoid any nasty
could hold the draw by simply waiting with breakthrough on the kingside.
53...Ke6 54.Kc5 Ke7. 37.b6 axb6 38.axb6 Kc6 39.exf4 exf4
54.gxf6+ gxf6 55.Kc5 Ke6 56.Kd4 Kd7 40.b7 Kxb7 41.Kd4
57.Kd5 Ke7 58.e6 Kd8 59.Kd6 Ke8 The white king is near enough to stop any
60.e7 breakthrough thoughts, while he is ready to
Black resigned due to 60...f5 61.Ke6 g5 collect the black pawns.
62.fxg5 f4 63.g6 f3 64.g7 f2 65.g8Q #. 41...g3 42.fxg3 fxg3 43.h3?
A bad idea. Correct was 43.hxg3 hxg3
1-0
44.Ke4 Kc6 45.Kf3 Kd6 46.Kxg3 +-. Now Black should be careful…
43...Kc6 44.Ke4 Kd6 45.Kf4 Kd5! 48...Kf5?
46.Kg4 Ke4 47.Kxh4 Kf4 A terrible blunder. Black could have drawn
Reaching a theoretical drawn position, with the active 48...Ke3! 49.h4 Kf2
despite White's extra pawn. 50.Kg6 Kxg2 51.h5 Kf1 52.h6 g2 53.h7
48.Kh5 (D) g1Q+ 54.Kf7 =.
XABCDEFGHY 49.h4
Now it's over.
8-+-+-+-+( 49...Kf4 50.Kg6 Ke3 51.h5 Kf2 52.h6
Kxg2 53.h7 Kf1 54.h8Q g2 55.Qh3 Kf2
7+-+-+-+-' 56.Qh2 Kf1 57.Qf4+ Ke2 58.Qg3 Kf1
6-+-+-+-+& 59.Qf3+ Kg1 60.Kg5 Kh2 61.Qf2 Kh1
62.Qh4+ Kg1 63.Kg4 Kf1 64.Qh3 Kf2
5+-+-+-+K% 65.Qf3+
4-+-+-mk-+$ 1-0
3+-+-+-zpP#
2-+-+-+P+"
1+-+-+-+-!
xabcdefghy

Connected and Separated Passers
Concept Example 4 ○
Advance of Separated Passed Pawns
Separated pawns, although generally
XABCDEFGHY
deemed inferior to passed ones, possess an 8-+-+-+-+(
important quality: when on the same rank
and separated by one square, they can
7+-+-+-+-'
protect each other. 6Pmk-+-+-+&
Should the opposing king attack one of
them, the other prevents its capture by its 5+P+-+-+-%
immediate advance. When the pawns are 4-+-+p+-zp$
separated by two squares, then they secure
victory if they have crossed their 4th rank; 3+-+-+-+-#
otherwise, they lose the game.
The French chess-player and composer
2-+-+-+K+"
A.Cheron formulated the Rule of Seven: if 1+-+-+-+-!
the sum of the number of squares separating
the pawns and the number of the rank on xabcdefghy
which the pawns lie is less than 7, then the Black can win, as the pawns have crossed
pawns cannot be promoted without the help their 4th rank.
of their king. 1.Kf2 h3 2.Kg3 e3 3.Kxh3 e2
The four coming examples are illuminated 0-1
and instructive:
Example 5 ○
Example 3 ○●
XABCDEFGHY
XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-+-+(
8-+-+-+-+(
7+-+-+-+-'
7+-+-+-+-'
6Pmk-+-+-+&
6Pmk-+-+-+&
5+P+-zp-+p%
5+P+-+-+-%
4-+-+-+-+$
4-+-+-zp-zp$
3+-+-+-+-#
3+-+-+-+-#
2-+-+-+K+"
2-+-+-+K+"
1+-+-+-+-!
1+-+-+-+-!
xabcdefghy
xabcdefghy The black pawns have not crossed their 4th
The draw is a fact, as neither side can rank and consequently Black loses - chess
improve its position. White is forced to can be an unfair game…
remain passive (Kg1-g2), as any activity 1.Kf3
with Black would lose even if he were to move:
1.Kf3 1...e4 2.Kg3! Ka7 3.Kf4 - a really horrible
would lead nowhere after case…
1...h3 1...Ka7 2.Ke4 h4 3.Kf3 Kb6 4.Kg4
½-½ 1-0
Example 6 ○ XABCDEFGHY
XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+r+-+(
8-+-+-+-+( 7+-tR-sn-+k'
7+-+-+-+-' 6p+Pzp-+-wq&
6-+-mk-+-+& 5+-+P+-+-%
5+-+-+-+p% 4-+-+P+-+$
4p+P+-zppzP$ 3+-+-+-+Q#
3zPp+-zPp+-# 2P+-+-+P+"
2-zP-+-zP-mK" 1+-+-+-mK-!
1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy
xabcdefghy Study 1 - Prokes Ladislav 1939
White is to move and is torn between the XABCDEFGHY
moves 1.exf4 and 1.e4. The solution is
simple, according to the rule! 8-+-+-+-+(
1.e4!
Naturally, 1.exf4? Kc5 2.f5 Kd6 3.Kg3 Ke5
7+-+-+-+-'
loses as the white pawns are separated by 6-+-+-+-+&
two squares and have not crossed their 4th
rank. Now however, after 1.e4 they are 5+-+-+-+K%
separated by one square and lie on the same 4-+k+-+-+$
rank; this makes them invulnerable.
½-½ 3+-+pzp-+-#
Concept 2-+-+-+-+"
Advance of Connected Passed Pawns
This is usually a very forceful case, as the 1+-+-+R+-!
connected passers are difficult to meet. For xabcdefghy
example, both on their 6th rank win vs the
Here, according to the 6th rank rule, Black
rook - with the king a bit away of course!
should win. But chess is not an absolute
The cases are many and we cannot
game, so exceptions always exist - the main
mention all but the advice is to seek for them
point is that the white king is close enough
and exploit their power.
to assist!
See the following two examples:
1.Kg4! e2
Nothing is achieved by the alternative 1...d2
2.Kf3 Kd3 3.Ra1 e2 4.Ra3+ Kc2 5.Ra2+
Kc1 6.Ra1+ Kb2 7.Kxe2 =.
□ Caruana Fabiano 2.Rc1+! Kd4
■ Smirnov Artem 2...Kb3 3.Kf3 d2 4.Rb1+ Kc2 5.Kxe2 or
Dagomys 2009 ○ 2...Kd5 3.Kf3 d2 4.Rc5+ Kxc5 5.Kxe2
(see diagram in the next column) achieves nothing as well.
3.Kf3 d2 4.Rc4+!
41.e5! Qxh3 42.gxh3 Kg6 43.Rxe7! Rxe7 The point behind White’s strategy!
44.exd6 4...Kd3 5.Rd4+! Kxd4 6.Kxe2 Kc3 7.Kd1
And the pawns on the 6th rank are promoted. Kd3
1-0 ½-½
The Réti Manoeuvre
Biography and ‘Masters of the Chess Board’ (1933) are
Richard Réti was born in Bazin which at studied today.
the time was in the Hungarian part of Réti died on 6 June 1929 in Prague of
Austria-Hungary, where his father worked scarlet fever. His ashes are buried in the
as a physician in the service of the Austrian grave of Réti's father Dr. Samuel Réti in the
military. Jewish section of Zentralfriedhof cemetery
His older brother Rudolph Reti was a in Vienna, in Section T1, Group 51, Row 5,
noted pianist, musical theorist, and Grave 34.
composer. He is the great-grandfather of the
German painter Elias Maria Reti.
Réti was one of the top players in the
world during the 1910s and 1920s, he began
his career as a combinative classical player,
favoring openings such as the ‘King's
Gambit’ (1.e4 e5 2.f4).
However, after the end of the First World
War, his playing style changed, and he
became one of the principal proponents of
hypermodernism, along with Aron
Nimzowitsch and others. With the exception
of Nimzowitsch's book ‘My System’, he is
considered to be the movement's foremost
literary contributor.
He had his greatest early successes in the
period 1918 through 1921, in tournaments in
Kaschau (Košice; 1918), Rotterdam (1919),
Amsterdam (1920), Vienna (1920), and
Gothenburg (1921). The ‘Réti Opening’
(1.Nf3 d5 2.c4) is named after him.
Réti defeated the World Champion José
Raúl Capablanca in the New York 1924 Concept
tournament using this opening - The ‘Réti Endgame Study’ is a chess
Capablanca's first defeat in eight years, his endgame study by Richard Réti. It was
only one to Réti, and his first since published in 1921 in Kagans Neueste
becoming World Champion. Schachnachrichten.
This tournament was also the only It demonstrates how a king can make
occasion, in which he beat future World multiple threats and how it can take more
Champion Alexander Alekhine, than one path to a given location, using the
accomplishing this feat in the same number same number of moves.
of moves, with the same final move It is arguably the most famous endgame
(31.Rd5). Réti was also a notable composer study and is covered in many books on the
of endgame studies. endgame (see chess endgame literature). The
In 1925 Réti set a world record for procedure is known as the ‘Réti Manoeuvre’
blindfold chess with 29 games played or ‘Réti's Idea’. Endgame composer Abram
simultaneously. He won 21, drew six, and Gurvich called the theme ‘The Hunt of Two
lost two. Hares’ and it appears in many other studies
His writings have become classics of chess and games. According to Mark Dvoretsky It
literature: ‘Modern Ideas in Chess’ (1923) is also called ‘chasing two birds at once’.
The Birth of the Idea Study 2 - Richard Réti 1921 ○
Observation is the key-factor behind any Kagans Neueste Schachnachrichten
new idea. The following game is quite XABCDEFGHY
illuminating:
□ Lasker Emanuel
8-+-+-+-mK(
■ Tarrasch Siegbert 7+-+-+-+-'
St Petersburg 1914 ○
XABCDEFGHY 6k+P+-+-+&
8-+-+-+-+( 5+-+-+-+p%
7+-+-+-mK-' 4-+-+-+-+$
6-+-+-+-+& 3+-+-+-+-#
5zppzp-+k+-% 2-+-+-+-+"
4-+-+-+-+$ 1+-+-+-+-!
3+P+-+-+-# xabcdefghy
White is to move and the first question that
2-zP-+-+-zP" comes to any normal mind is if he would
resign immediately or later… His king is
1+-+-+-+-! well outside the ‘square’ of the black pawn
xabcdefghy and he is also a long way from supporting
his own pawn. However, White can draw by
In this 1914 game between the then World
making king moves that have two purposes:
Champion Emanuel Lasker and Siegbert
One goal is getting in the square of the black
Tarrasch, Black exchanged down into this
pawn, so it can be intercepted and the other
pawn ending because he thought that it was
is getting to the d6 square to support the
a simple win. But White used an ‘unusual’
promotion of his pawn. Then the black king
manoeuvre to save himself:
will have to spend two tempi to stop the
40.h4! Kg4 41.Kg6!
white pawn from promoting, and this is the
The only move, threatening 42.h5. 41.Kf6?
number of tempi the white king needs to
loses to 41...c4 42.Ke5 c3 43.bxc3 a4.
gain in order to get into the square of the
41...Kxh4
black pawn.
This text move is forced and the white king
1.Kg7! h4 2.Kf6 Kb6 (D)
gains a tempo to return on a different
diagonal which is not obstructed by his XABCDEFGHY
pawns. 8-+-+-+-+(
42.Kf5 Kg3
42...c4 43.bxc4 bxc4 44.Ke4 c3 45.bxc3 7+-+-+-+-'
Kg5 is still a draw, but not 45...a4? 46.Kd3
Kg5 47.Kc4 winning for White! 6-mkP+-mK-+&
43.Ke4 Kf2 44.Kd5 Ke3 45.Kxc5 Kd3 5+-+-+-+-%
46.Kxb5 Kc2 47.Kxa5 Kxb3
½-½ 4-+-+-+-zp$
It was not only until 1921 that Richard 3+-+-+-+-#
Réti introduced a fine study which was
destined to remain immortal and known to
2-+-+-+-+"
nearly every chess-player. 1+-+-+-+-!
Of course, the study was ‘inspired’ by the
above game! xabcdefghy
Black has to spend the first tempo on Study 3 - Richard Réti 1921 ○
preventing the white king from reaching his Deutsch A-Sterreichische Tageszeitun
pawn. If 2...h3 then 3.Ke7 h2 4.c7 Kb7 XABCDEFGHY
5.Kd7 and both pawns promote, achieving a
drawn position. 8-+-+-+-+(
3.Ke5! Kxc6
Black has to spend another tempo to capture
7+-+-+-zp-'
the pawn, to prevent the white king from 6k+P+-zp-zp&
protecting it. If 3...h3 4.Kd6 h2 5.c7 h1Q
6.c8Q with a draw. Now the white king has 5+-+-+-+K%
gained enough tempi to get in the square of 4-+-+-+-+$
the black pawn and intercept it:
4.Kf4 3+-+-+-+-#
Draw since the white king can stop the pawn
from promoting.
2-+-+-+-+"
½-½ 1+-+-+-+-!
The main idea behind the study is that a xabcdefghy
straight line is not the only way to get to a
Réti used the same idea in another of his
destination in a certain amount of time. Take
studies.
a look at the following diagram:
1.Kg6! f5
XABCDEFGHY Alternatives as 1...Kb6 2.Kxg7! h5 (2...f5
3.Kf6! f4 4.Ke5 f3 5.Kd6) 3.Kxf6 h4 4.Ke5!
8-+-mK-+-+( Kxc6 (4...h3 5.Kd6 h2 6.c7 Kb7 7.Kd7)
7+-+[>-+-' 5.Kf4 or 1...h5 2.Kxg7 h4 3.Kxf6 Kb6
4.Ke5 Kxc6 5.Kf4 lead to nowhere as well.
6-+-]->-+& 2.Kxg7 f4
5+-+[+->-% Or 2...Kb6 3.Kf6 f4 4.Ke5 f3 5.Kd6 =.
3.Kf6 f3 4.Ke7 f2 5.c7 f1Q 6.c8Q+
4-+-]->-+$ ½-½
3+-+[>-+-# Study 4 - Prokes Ladislav 1911 ○
Another nice example is the following:
2-+-zP +-+"
XABCDEFGHY
1+-+-+-+-!
8-+-mK-+-+(
xabcdefghy
The white dots represent the way for the
7+-+-+-+p'
white king to reach square/pawn d2 from 6-+-mk-+-+&
square d8 - for this purpose he needs six
moves. 5zP-+-+-+-%
The black dots represent the way for the 4-+-+-+-+$
white king to reach square/pawn d2 from
square d8 - for this purpose he needs six 3+-+-+-+-#
moves.
But the king is now not moving directly in
2-+-+-+-+"
a straight line but is moving in a ‘zig-zag’. 1+-+-+-+-!
However, it takes the same amount of moves
to d2 (six), regardless of the route taken. xabcdefghy
A fine, geometrical idea, which was taken 1.Kc8! Kc6
into account in numerous cases! The only move. 1...h5? 2.a6 h4 3.a7 h3

4.a8Q is simply losing. And the black king will soon capture the last
2.Kb8! Kb5 3.Kb7! pawn.
And not the naive 3.Kc7? h5 4.Kd6 h4 -+. ½-½
3...Kxa5 4.Kc6 h5 5.Kd5 h4 6.Ke4 h3
□ Shaw John
7.Kf3 h2 8.Kg2 h1Q+ 9.Kxh1
■ Collins Sam
½-½
Birmingham 2015 ○
Frank Marshall might have a look at this XABCDEFGHY
idea, as we can conclude from his next
game: 8-+-+-+-mK(
□ Yates Frederick 7+p+-+-+-'
■ Marshall Frank James
Karlsbad 1929 ● 6-+-+-+-+&
XABCDEFGHY 5+-+-mk-+-%
8-+-+-+-+( 4-+-+-+P+$
7+-+-+-+-' 3+-+-+-+-#
6-+-+-+-+& 2-+-+-+-+"
5+-+-+-+-% 1+-+-+-+-!
4pmK-+-+-+$ xabcdefghy
3+-+-+-+-# 57.Kg7!
The king gets going. All other moves were
2-+-+-zP-+" considerably weak: 57.g5? Kf5 -+ ; 57.Kh7?
Kf4 58.Kg6 Kxg4 -+ ; 57.Kg8? Kf6 58.Kh7
1+k+-+-+-! Kg5 59.Kg7 b5 -+.
xabcdefghy 57...b5
After 57...Kf4 the king simply continues his
White obviously thought that it was all over
march with 58.Kf6! Kxg4 (58...b5 59.g5 b4
- how his f-pawn would be stopped?
60.g6 b3 61.g7 b2 62.g8Q b1Q =) 59.Ke5 =.
60...Kb2!
58.g5 b4 59.Kf7 b3 60.g6 b2 61.g7 b1Q
The usual stuff! 60...Kc2? is losing to 61.f4.
62.g8Q Qa2+ 63.Kg7 Qxg8+ 64.Kxg8
61.Kxa4
A suburb old idea, which can be repeatedly
Try to be 'smart' with 61.f4? and only then
helpful.
you will realise that now 61...a3 wins for
½-½
Black!
61...Kc3 62.f4 Kd4

Passed and Protected
Concept
A protected passed pawn means something
XABCDEFGHY
more than half a victory. Its main advantage, 8-+-+-+-+(
that it cannot be captured by the enemy king,
makes it invulnerable and at the same time a
7+-+-+-+-'
permanent threat, by means of its advance at 6-zpp+-+p+&
the appropriate moment.
In other cases it can even be sacrificed in 5+p+-mkp+-%
exchange for material gain or the distraction 4-zP-+-+-zP$
of the enemy king. In other words, the
enemy king becomes a hostage of the 3+-mK-+PzP-#
protected passed pawn.
2-+-+-+-+"
Example 7 ○
XABCDEFGHY 1+-+-+-+-!
8-+-+-+-+( xabcdefghy
Black has an extra pawn and shortly, after
7zp-+-+-+-' the...c5-c4 advance, this pawn will also
become protected and passed. However, the
6-zp-mk-+-zp& game is drawn as the black king cannot find
5+-zpPzp-zp-% a proper path into White's camp, provided
White does not make a mistake - which he
4P+P+P+P+$ didn't in this game. Consequently, not all
3+-+-+-+P# positions with a protected passed pawn are
won. The usual exceptions do exist,
2-+-+-+-+" ultimately confirming all these rules we are
trying to master!
1+-+-+K+-! 51...c5 52.Kd3 c4+ 53.Kc3 Kf6
xabcdefghy 53...Kd5 54.Kc2 Kd4 55.Kd2 c3+ 56.Kc2
Ke3 57.g4 Kf4 58.g5! Ke5 =.
White has a protected passed pawn, but must
also ensure that his king will find a path into 54.Kd4 Kg7 (D)
Black's camp. XABCDEFGHY
1.a5!
The only move. If Black was on the move
8-+-+-+-+(
the game would end in a draw after 1...a5!, 7+-+-+-mk-'
as then the white king would be unable to
penetrate. 6-zp-+-+p+&
1...Kd7 2.Ke2 Kd6 3.Kd3 Kd7 4.Kc3
Kd6 5.Kb3 Kd7 6.Ka4 Kd6 7.Kb5 Kc7
5+p+-+p+-%
8.axb6+ axb6 9.Ka6 4-zPpmK-+-zP$
1-0 3+-+-+PzP-#
2-+-+-+-+"
1+-+-+-+-!
□ Roos Louis
■ Grivas Efstratios xabcdefghy
Strasbourg 1984 ● 55.g4!
White should avoid staying put: 55.Kc3 XABCDEFGHY
Kh6 56.Kd4? Kh5 57.Kc3 f4 -+.
55...fxg4 56.fxg4 Kf6 57.Ke4 Ke6 58.Kd4 8-+-+-+-+(
g5 59.h5
½-½
7+-+-+p+-'
□ Anastasopoulos Angelos
6-+-+-+-+&
■ Grivas Efstratios 5+-+-mkp+-%
Athens 1986 ●
XABCDEFGHY 4-+-+-+-zP$
8-+-+-+-+( 3+-+-+-zP-#
7+-+-+-+-' 2-+-+K+-+"
6-+-+-+-zp& 1+-+-+-+-!
5+-mk-+-zpP% xabcdefghy
White has a protected passed pawn, but
4-+-+-+-+$ Black has compensation in the form of an
active king and the possibility of the ...f4
3+-zP-+-+-# advance at the right moment, with the help
2-+-+K+-+" of which he will solve all his problems.
64...Kf6?
1+-+-+-+-! A serious mistake. The black king should
xabcdefghy have remained active with 64...Ke4!
65.Kf2 Kd4! 66.Kf3 Ke5 67.Ke3 f4+!
Black has a protected passed pawn and his
68.gxf4+ Kf6! 69.h5 Kg7! 70.Ke4 Kh6 =.
king can penetrate. Still, the game is drawn
65.Ke3! Kg6 (D)
as Black cannot win the white c-pawn
without giving up his protected passed XABCDEFGHY
pawn. If the white c-pawn was situated on
the a- or (under certain circumstances) the b-
8-+-+-+-+(
file then Black would win, as White would 7+-+-+p+-'
be unable to both protect it and keep the
black g-pawn in check. 6-+-+-+k+&
43...Kd5 44.Kd3 Kc5 45.Ke3 Kc6 5+-+-+p+-%
46.Ke2 Kd6 47.Kd2 Ke6 48.Ke2 Kf5
49.Kf3 Ke5 50.Ke3 Kd5 4-+-+-+-zP$
½-½ 3+-+-mK-zP-#
2-+-+-+-+"
1+-+-+-+-!
xabcdefghy
66.Kd4?
Returning the favour. The relatively simple
66.Kf3! Kh5 (66...Kg7 67.Kf4 Kf6 68.h5
Ke6 69.Kg5! or 66...f6 67.Kf4!) 67.Kf4
Kg6 68.Ke5 would have won.
□ Kasparov Garry 66...Kh5!
■ Bacrot Etienne Now Black can draw after 67.Kd5 Kg4
Moscow 2004 ● 68.Ke5 f4!. ½-½
□ Kanmazalp Ogulcan With the use of the g-pawn, White will
■ Darini Pouria create the desired breakthrough and potential
Ankara 2011 ○ entrance for his king.
XABCDEFGHY 36...f6 (D)
Sooner or later Black will have to go for
8-+-+-mk-+( this. The alternative waiting strategy with
36...Kd7 loses to 37.g5 Kc6 38.Ke5 Kd7
7+-+-+pzpp' 39.h4 Ke7 40.h5 Kd7 41.f3! (creating a
6-+-+p+-+& zugzwang. Wrong would be 41.h6? gxh6
42.gxh6 Ke7 43.c6 f6+ 44.Kd4 Kd6 45.c7
5+pzP-+-+-% e5+ 46.Ke4 Kxc7 =) 41...Ke7 42.c6 h6
4-zP-+-+-+$ (42...f6+ 43.Kd4 Kd6 44.h6 +-) 43.gxh6
gxh6 44.c7 f6+ 45.Kd4 Kd7 46.Kc5 Kxc7
3+-+-+-+P# 47.Kxb5 Kd6 48.Kb6! (48.Kc4? e5 49.b5
2-+-+-zPP+" f5 =) 48...e5 49.b5 f5 50.Ka7 +-.
1+-+-+K+-! XABCDEFGHY
xabcdefghy 8-+-+-+-+(
This endgame looks like a draw, as there is 7+-+-+-zpp'
hardly any entrance for the white king on the 6-+k+pzp-+&
kingside, so there is little hope to benefit
from the protected passed c-pawn... As in 5+pzP-+-+-%
such cases the protected passed pawn is
'operating' as the decoy (it hardly queens!)
4-zP-mK-+P+$
White is obliged to find the desired 3+-+-+-+P#
breakthrough on the kingside.
33.Ke2! 2-+-+-zP-+"
It would be wrong to go for the early push of
the f-pawn, as after 33.f4? Black always will
1+-+-+-+-!
have the chance to quickly create his own xabcdefghy
passed pawn as well with...f6 and...e5 at a 37.g5!
later stage of the game. Only by this! 37.h4? Kd7 38.g5 h5 39.gxh6
33...Ke7 34.Ke3 Kd7 35.Kd4 Kc6 (D) gxh6 40.Ke4 h5, would only lead to a draw,
XABCDEFGHY as White would have lost his entrance point
on h4.
8-+-+-+-+( 37...Kd7
7+-+-+pzpp' 37...fxg5 should have been tried, as it
requires accuracy by White: 38.Ke5 Kd7
6-+k+p+-+& 39.f3 (39.c6+ wins as well: 39...Kxc6
[39...Kc7 40.Kxe6 Kxc6 41.f3! h6
5+pzP-+-+-% 42.Ke5! {42.Kf7? Kd6 [42...Kd5
4-zP-mK-+-+$ 43.Kxg7 Kc4 44.Kxh6 Kxb4 45.Kxg5
Kc4 46.h4 b4 47.h5 b3 48.h6 b2 49.h7 b1Q
3+-+-+-+P# 50.h8Q Qg1+ =] 43.Kxg7 Ke6 44.Kxh6
2-+-+-zPP+" Kf6 =} 42...Kb6 43.Kd5 g6 44.Kd6 Kb7
45.Kc5 Ka6 46.Kc6 h5 47.Kc5 +-]
1+-+-+-+-! 40.Kxe6 h6 41.f3) 39...h6 (39...Ke7 40.c6
xabcdefghy h6 41.c7 Kd7 42.c8Q+ Kxc8 43.Kxe6
Kc7 44.Kd5! [44.Kf7? Kd7 45.Kxg7
36.g4!
Ke6 46.Kxh6 Kf6 =] 44...Kb6 45.Kd6 54.Qd6+ Kb7 55.c6+ +- is the typical trick
Kb7 46.Kc5 Ka6 47.Kc6 +-) 40.c6+ Kc7 that always saves the white b-pawn)
41.Kxe6 Kxc6 42.Ke5! +-, as above. 54.Ke8! and White triumphs.
38.gxf6 gxf6 39.Ke4 46.Kxh7 f5 47.Kg6!
Now, as the white h-pawn is still behind 47.Kg7? limits White's check's from the 7th
(39.h4? h5! =) the white king can attack the and 8th ranks (which White clears with his
black h-pawn via the h-file. text move): 47...f4 48.h6 e3 49.fxe3 fxe3
39...Kc6 40.Kf4 Kd7 41.Kg4 Ke7 50.h7 e2 51.h8Q e1Q 52.Qh3+ Kc7 ±.
42.Kh5 e5 (D) 47...f4 48.h6 e3 49.fxe3 fxe3 50.h7 e2
XABCDEFGHY 51.h8Q e1Q (D)
8-+-+-+-+( XABCDEFGHY
7+-+-mk-+p' 8-+-+-+-wQ(
6-+-+-zp-+& 7+-+k+-+-'
5+pzP-zp-+K% 6-+-+-+K+&
4-zP-+-+-+$ 5+pzP-+-+-%
3+-+-+-+P# 4-zP-+-+-+$
2-+-+-zP-+" 3+-+-+-+-#
1+-+-+-+-! 2-+-+-+-+"
xabcdefghy 1+-+-wq-+-!
Black should do something active, as the xabcdefghy
passive 42...Kf7 43.Kh6 Kg8 44.c6 loses 52.Qg7+ Kc8 53.Qg8+ Kc7 54.Qf7+
quickly. But any pawn move weakens his Kb8 55.Qf4+ Kb7 56.Kf5!
position further... It is time for the white king to assist - he will
43.Kh6? either be creating mating threats or will
Inaccurate. White should retreat with simply capture the black b-pawn. Black
43.Kg4! Ke6 44.h4 e4 (44...h6 45.Kh5 f5 must also watch out for a queen exchange -
46.Kxh6 e4 47.Kg5 Ke5 48.h5 f4 49.h6 e3 all these are too much for Black to handle.
50.fxe3 fxe3 51.h7 e2 52.h8Q+ +-) 45.Kf4 56...Kc8
f5 46.h5 Kf6 47.c6 Ke6 48.h6 +-. Now he Or 56...Qd1 57.Qe4+ Kb8 58.Ke6 +-.
will have to cope with a (won) queen 57.Qe4 Qf2+ 58.Ke6 Qa2+ 59.Kd6
ending. Qd2+ 60.Qd5
43...e4! 44.h4 Ke6 60.Kc6 Qd7+ 61.Kb6 +- is easy as well.
Or 44...f5 45.Kg5 Ke6 46.Kf4 +-. 60...Qxb4?
45.h5 Kd7?! Makes it easier, but there was no chance
Black could create some (minor) 'problems' either after 60...Qf4+ 61.Kc6 +-.
for White with 45...Kd5 46.Kxh7 f5 47.h6 61.Qa8 #
f4, as now 48.Kg7! should be played: A brilliant cooperation of the white forces!
(48.Kg8? e3 49.fxe3 fxe3 50.h7 e2 51.h8Q In general, a brilliant example of how to use
e1Q 52.Qh5+ Kc6 [52...Kc4? 53.Qg4+ your protected passed pawn efficiently.
Kc3 54.Qd7 Kxb4 55.c6 +-] 53.Qg6+ 1-0
Kc7 54.Qb6+ Kc8 55.Qc6+ [55.Qxb5? This was an excellently played endgame
Qe6+ =] 55...Kd8 ±) 48...e3 49.fxe3 fxe3 by the Turkish youngster, a clear proof of
50.h7 e2 51.h8Q e1Q 52.Qd8+ Kc6 (52... the improved quality of the understanding of
Kc4 53.c6 +-) 53.Kf7! Qc1 (53...Qxb4 how to do it correctly!
□ Potkin Vladimir XABCDEFGHY
■ Grischuk Alexander
Khanty-Mansiysk 2011 ● 8-+-+-+-+(
XABCDEFGHY 7+-+-+-+-'
8-+-+-+-+( 6-+-+-+p+&
7+-+-+-+-' 5+-+-+p+p%
6-+k+-+p+& 4-+-+-zP-zP$
5+-+-+p+p% 3+-mk-mK-zP-#
4-zPK+pzP-zP$ 2-+-+-+-+"
3+-+-+-zP-# 1+-+-+-+-!
2-+-+-+-+" xabcdefghy
1+-+-+-+-! Opposition on the main line, which goes
through the middle of the three key squares
xabcdefghy e1, e2 and e3. 52...Kc4? blows it as the
Black's plan is to get a winning 3 vs. 3 pawn opposition after 53.Kd2 Kd4 is not enough
ending on the kingside, so he must opt for (e3 and f3 are only two adjacent key squares
exchanging his well-protected e-pawn for and so opposition does not work in this
White's weak b-pawn. But how to do it? direction) as it can not be improved to the
47...Kb6? opposition in the direction left to right:
M.Golubev showed the way in the excellent 54.Ke2 Ke4 55.Kf2 Kd3 56.Kf3! = and
daily newspaper Chess Today: 47...Kc7! White has the all-important opposition.
48.Kc3 (48.b5 Kb6 49.Kb4 e3 50.Kc3 53.Ke3
Kxb5 51.Kd3 Kb4 52.Kxe3 Kc3 -+ - 53.Ke1 Kd3 -+.
opposition) 48...Kb6 49.Kc4 Kc6 50.Kd4 53...Kd1!
(50.b5+ Kb6 51.Kb4 e3 -+) 50...Kb5 The typical way to exploit the opposition.
51.Kc3 e3 52.Kd3 Kxb4 53.Kxe3 Kc3 -+ 54.Kf2
- opposition. The counter-attack 54.Kd4 Ke2 55.Ke5
48.Kb3? Kf3 56.Kf6 Kxg3 57.Kxg6 runs into
Too passive. The active 48.b5! saves the 57...Kg4!! -+.
day: 48...Kc7 (48...Ka5 49.Kc5 e3 50.b6 54...Kd2 55.Kf3
e2 51.b7 e1Q 52.b8Q =) 49.Kd4 Kb7 55.Kf1 Ke3 -+.
50.Kc3! Kb6 51.Kc4 e3 52.Kd3 Kxb5 55...Ke1 56.Ke3
53.Kxe3 Kc4 54.Ke2 =, with diagonal Or 56.Kg2 Ke2 57.Kg1 Kf3 58.Kh2 Kf2
opposition. Opposition is when all corners of 59.Kh3 Kg1 60.g4 hxg4+ 61.Kg3 Kf1
the rectangle around the kings have the same 62.Kh2 Kf2 -+.
colour: in this case, all are light squares. The 56...Kf1 57.Kf3 Kg1
side not to move has the opposition: here And White resigned due to 58.Ke3 Kg2.
White. 0-1
48...Kb5 49.Kc3 e3 50.Kd3 Kxb4
51.Kxe3 Kc3! (D) Pawn endings are a very nice field of
training. Although the last example has very
(see diagram in the next column) little (or a lot!) to do with the present theme,
Now the opposition decides. The key it is quite educational and should be
squares are e1, e2, e3 and f3 and Black is carefully studied.
gonna get them! I have noticed that people tend to
52.Ke2 Kc2 mishandle it even today…
Example 8 - B77 Ka5 34.Kb3 h6 35.h4 h5 36.f5? [36.gxh5
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 gxh5 37.Ka3 =] 36...e6 37.fxg6 [37.gxh5
5.Nc3 g6 6.Lc4 Lg7 7.Lb3 0-0 8.f3 Nc6 gxh5 38.f6 d4-+] 37...fxg6 38.gxh5 gxh5
9.Le3 Nxd4 10.Lxd4 Qa5 11.Qd2 Le6 39.Ka3 d4 40.Kb3 d3 41.Kc3 Kxa4 42.Kxd3
12.0-0-0 b5 13.Kb1 Rfc8 14.Rhe1 Lxb3 Kb4 43.Ke4 Kc4 44.Kf4 Kd4 45.Kg5 Kxe5
15.cxb3 b4 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.Lxg7 Nc3+ 46.Kxh5 Kf5 47.Kh6 e5 48.h5 e4 49.Kg7 e3
18.Lxc3 bxc3 19.bxc3 Rxc3 20.Re3 50.h6 e2 51.h7 e1Q 52.h8Q Qe7+ 0-1
Rac8 21.Rxc3 Qxc3 22.Qxc3 Rxc3 Stoinev,M-Tsvetkov,I Pleven 2006) but after
23.Kb2 Rc7 24.Rc1 Rxc1 25.Kxc1 (D) 28...d5! Black is OK (28...Kc7? 29.Kc3 e6
30.a4 Kb6 31.Kb4 h6 32.a5+ Kb7 33.Kc4
XABCDEFGHY Kc7 34.Kd4 Kb7 35.h3 Kc7 36.f4 Kb7
8-+-+-+k+( 37.g3 Kc7 38.Ke3 Kd7 39.Kd3 Kc7 40.Kd4
Kd7 41.h4 Kc7 42.g4 Kd7 43.f5 [43.e5? d5
7zp-+-zpp+p' 44.f5 gxf5 45.gxf5 Kc7 46.Kc5 Kb7 47.Kd4
6-+-zp-+p+& Kc7 48.f6 Kb7 49.Ke3 Kc7 50.Kf4 Kc8
51.Kg4 Kc7 52.Kh5 Kd7 53.Kg4 Kc8
5+-+-+-+-% 54.Kf4 Kc7 55.Kf3 Kc8 56.Ke3 Kb7
57.Kd3 Kc7 58.Kc3 Kb8 59.Kb3 Kc7
4-+-+P+-+$ 60.Ka4 Kb8 61.Kb4 Kb7 62.Kc5 Kc7
3+P+-+P+-# 63.b6+ axb6+ 64.axb6+ Kb7 65.Kd6 d4
66.Ke7 d3 67.Kxf7 d2 68.Ke7 d1Q 69.f7
2P+-+-+PzP" Qd4 70.f8Q Qxe5 71.Qxh6 Qc5+ 72.Kf7
1+-mK-+-+-! Qf5+ 73.Qf6 Kxb6 74.Ke7 Kc5 75.Qc3+
Kd5 76.Qb3+ Ke5 77.Qe3+ Kd5 78.Qd2+
xabcdefghy Ke4 79.Qe2+ Kf4 80.Qxe6 Qxe6+ 81.Kxe6
After a well-known opening variation of the Kg4 ½-½Ter Sahakyan,S-Tutisani,N Jermuk
Dragon Sicilian, an interesting ending arises. 2014] 43...gxf5 [43...Kc7 44.f6 +-] 44.exf5
Both sides have played on principle: White +-).
believes that he can take advantage of his 26...Ke8 27.Kc3 Kd7 28.Kc4
queenside pawn majority and Black thinks 28.Kb4 is not helping, as after 28...Kc6
that he can hold the draw. Well, Black is White has to just lose a tempo by playing
more correct in his thoughts, and let's see 29.Kc4, as 29.Ka5?! is dangerous: 29...Kc5!
why. (29...e6 30.Kb4! [30.b4? f5 31.h4 fxe4
25...Kf8 32.fxe4 d5 33.exd5+ exd5 -+ {33...Kxd5?
25...g5? to prevent the coming 29.h4 is not 34.b5 e5 35.Ka6 Kc5 36.a4 e4 37.Kxa7 e3
working: 26.Kb2 Kf8 27.Ka3 Ke8 38.b6 e2 39.b7 e1Q 40.b8Q Qa5+ 41.Kb7
28.Ka4 Kd7 29.Ka5 Kc7 30.Ka6 Kb8 Qb6+ 42.Kc8 Qe6+ 43.Kc7 Qe7+ 44.Kc8
K
(30...e6 31.b4 transposes [31. xa7 d5 Qe8+ 45.Kc7 Qe7+ 46.Kc8 Qe8+ = but not
32.exd5 exd5 33.b4 d4 34.b5 d3 35.b6+ 46...Qf8+? 47.Kb7 Qf5? 48.Qc8+ Qxc8+
Kd7 36.b7 d2 37.b8Q d1Q 38.Qb5+ Kc7 49.Kxc8 Kb4 50.Kd7 Kxa4 51.Ke6 1-0
39.Qc4+ Kd6 40.Qxf7 ±]) 31.b4 e6 32.a4! Gavilan Diaz,M-Adrian,C Granada 2014}])
(32.b5? d5 33.exd5 exd5 34.Ka5 Kc7 30.a4 (30.Ka6? e6 -+) 30...e6 31.b4+ Kc4
35.Kb4 d4 36.a4 d3 37.Kc3 Kb6 =) 32.b5 d5 33.b6 axb6+ 34.Kxb6 d4 35.a5 d3
32...Ka8 33.b5 h6 (33...Kb8 34.b6 ; 33...d5 36.a6 d2 37.a7 d1Q 38.a8Q Qg1+ =+.
34.exd5 exd5 35.Ka5) 34.g3 h5 35.f4 gxf4 26...Kc6 29.h4
36.gxf4 h4 37.f5 h3 38.f6 +-. The only troublesome method. White needs
26.Kd2 to avoid allowing Black to play ...g5, as then
An interesting move order is 26.b4 Ke8 Black's defences would be easier. 29.b4?!
27.b5 Kd7 28.Kc2 (28.a4 d5 29.e5 a6 g5! is fine for Black. Playable as well is
30.bxa6 Kc7 31.f4 Kb6 32.g4 Kxa6 33.Kc2 29...a6 30.h4 h6!, which transposes, but not
30...f6? 31.a4 e6 32.g4 g5 33.hxg5 fxg5
34.b5+ axb5+ 35.axb5+ Kc7 36.Kb4 Kb6 42.b5 a5 43.Ke4 1-0 Bracker,F-Schroeder,C
37.Ka4 h6 38.Kb4 Kc7 39.Ka5 Kb7 Hamburg 2010) and now:
40.b6 Ka8 41.Ka4 Kb8 42.Kb4 Kc8 a) 34...g5 35.a5+ Kc6 36.b5+ Kb7 37.h5
43.Ka5 Kb8 44.Ka6 1-0 Kosintseva,T- Kc7 38.Kd4 Kd7 39.f6 Kc7 (D)
Cmilyte,V Geneva 2013. XABCDEFGHY
29...h6
29...h5? is an awful move: 30.b4 e6 (30...f5 8-+-+-+-+(
31.b5+ Kd7 32.a4 e6 33.g3 e5 34.Kd5 f4 7zp-mk-+p+-'
35.gxf4 exf4 36.e5 g5 37.hxg5 h4 38.g6 h3
39.g7 h2 40.g8Q h1Q 41.Qe6+ Kd8 6-+-zppzP-zp&
42.Qxd6+ Kc8 43.Qc6+ Kb8 44.Kd6 Qh6+
45.e6 a5 46.Kd7 Qh7+ 47.e7 Qh3+ 48.Qe6
5zPP+-+-zpP%
Qh7 49.Qb6+ Ka8 50.Qd8+ Ka7 51.Qxa5+ 4-+-mKP+P+$
Kb8 52.Qb6+ Ka8 53.Qa6+ Kb8 54.Qd6+
Ka8 55.Kd8 Qxe7+ 56.Kxe7 1-0 Niegsch,N-
3+-+-+-+-#
Voege,T Willingen 2015) 31.g4 f6 2-+-+-+-+"
(31...Kb6 32.a4 Kc6 33.gxh5 gxh5 34.Kd4
Kb6 35.f4 Kc6 36.f5 Kb6 37.Ke3 Kc6 1+-+-+-+-!
38.Kf4 d5 39.Ke5 +-) 32.gxh5 gxh5 33.f4
Kd7 34.a4 Kc6 35.f5 +-. 29...f6?
xabcdefghy
40.e5! d5 (40...dxe5+ 41.Kxe5 Kd7
transposes to Kosintseva,T-Cmilyte,V 42.Kd4 Kd6 43.Kc4 e5 44.a6 +-) 41.Kc5
Geneva 2013. Kd7 (41...Kb7 42.Kd6 d4 43.Ke7 d3
30.b4 (D)
44.Kxf7 d2 45.Kg8 d1Q 46.f7 +-) 42.b6
XABCDEFGHY axb6+ 43.Kxb6 (43.axb6? d4! =) 43...Kc8
8-+-+-+-+( (43...d4 44.a6 d3 45.a7 d2 46.a8Q d1Q
47.Qa7+ Kd8 48.Qe7+ Kc8 49.Qc7 #)
7zp-+-zpp+-' 44.Kc5 Kb7 45.Kd6 d4 46.Ke7 d3
47.Kxf7 d2 48.Kg7 d1Q 49.f7 Qxg4
6-+kzp-+pzp& 50.f8Q (D)
5+-+-+-+-% XABCDEFGHY
4-zPK+P+-zP$ 8-+-+-wQ-+(
3+-+-+P+-# 7+k+-+-mK-'
2P+-+-+P+" 6-+-+p+-zp&
1+-+-+-+-! 5zP-+-zP-zpP%
xabcdefghy 4-+-+-+q+$
30...a6!
Black cannot really do without this move. If
3+-+-+-+-#
he keeps his a-pawn on a7, then White 2-+-+-+-+"
pushes his pawns on a5 and b5 and then he
will penetrate via the c5-square, as can be 1+-+-+-+-!
seen: 30...e6? 31.a4 Kb6 32.f4! Kc6 xabcdefghy
(32...h5 33.f5 and 32...f5 33.h5 gxh5 34.exf5
and now:
exf5 35.Kd5 are both hopeless) 33.g4 Kb6
a1) 50...Qxh5 51.Qe7+ Ka8 (51...Ka6
34.f5 (34.Kd4 Kc6 35.Kd3 d5? [35...a6!
52.Qb4 Ka7 53.Qb6+ Ka8 54.Qc6+ Kb8
=] 36.Kd4! dxe4 37.Kxe4 f6 38.g5 hxg5
55.a6 +-) 52.Qd8+ Kb7 53.Qb6+ Kc8
39.fxg5 fxg5 40.hxg5 Kd6 41.Kd4 a6
54.Qxe6+ +-.
a2) 50...Qc4 51.Kxh6 Qf4 (51...g4 XABCDEFGHY
52.Kg5 g3 53.Qf3+ Qd5 54.Qxg3 Qxa5
55.Qb3+ +-) 52.Qe7+ Ka6 53.Qxe6+ 8-+-+-+-+(
Kxa5 54.Qf6 +-.
a3) 50...Qe4 51.Qe7+ Ka8 (51...Ka6
7+-+-+p+-'
52.Qc5 Qb7+ 53.Kxh6 g4 54.Qc4+ Kxa5 6pmk-zpp+pzp&
55.Qa2+ Kb5 56.Qb3+ Kc6 57.Qxe6+
Kc5 58.Qxg4 +-) 52.Qxe6 g4 53.Qa6+ 5+P+-+-+-%
Kb8 54.Qd6+ Ka7 55.e6 g3 56.Qxg3
Qxe6 57.Qc7+ Ka8 58.Qd8+ Kb7
4P+K+P+PzP$
59.Qb6+ +-. 3+-+-+P+-#
b) 34...Kc6 35.b5+ Kb6 36.Kb4 Kc7 2-+-+-+-+"
37.a5 Kb7 38.f6 Kc7 39.g5 hxg5 40.hxg5
Kb7 41.Kc4 Kc7 42.Kd4 Kc8 (42...Kb7 1+-+-+-+-!
43.e5! d5 [43...dxe5+ 44.Kxe5 Kc7 45.b6+ xabcdefghy
axb6 46.axb6+ Kxb6 47.Kd6 e5 48.Ke7 e4
49.Kxf7 e3 50.Kxg6 e2 51.f7 e1Q 52.f8Q 33...a5? (33...axb5+ transposes to the
+-] 44.Kc5 Kc7 45.a6 +-) 43.e5 d5 44.Kc5 previous note) 34.f4 Kb7 35.Kd4 Kb6
Kd7 45.b6 axb6+ 46.Kxb6! Kc8 47.Kc5 36.f5 Kb7 37.f6 Kb6 (37...g5 38.h5!
Kb7 48.Kd6 d4 49.Ke7 d3 50.Kxf7 d2 [38.hxg5? hxg5 39.e5 d5 40.Kc5 Kc7
51.Kg8 d1Q 52.f7 Qd5 53.f8Q Qxe5 41.b6+ Kb7 42.Kb5 {42.Kd6 d4 43.Ke7 d3
44.Kxf7 d2 45.Kg7 d1Q 46.f7 Qxa4 47.f8Q
54.Qf7+ Ka6 55.Qxg6 Kxa5 56.Qf6 (D)
Qc6 =} 42...d4 43.Kc4 Kxb6 44.Kxd4 ½-½
XABCDEFGHY Georgiadis,N-Janik,I Riga 2015] 38...Kb6
8-+-+-+K+( 39.Kc3 Kb7 40.Kc4 Kc7 41.e5 d5+ 42.Kc5
Kb7 43.Kd6 d4 44.Ke7 d3 45.Kxf7 d2
7+-+-+-+-' 46.Kg7 d1Q 47.f7 +/-) 38.g5 hxg5 39.hxg5
Kb7 40.e5 d5 41.Kc5 Kc7 42.b6+ Kb7
6-+-+pwQ-+& 43.Kd6 d4 44.Ke7 d3 45.Kxf7 d2 46.Kg8
5mk-+-wq-zP-% d1Q 47.f7 Qxa4 48.f8Q Qc6 49.Kg7 ±.
32...axb5+ 33.axb5+ Kb6 34.g4 (D)
4-+-+-+-+$ XABCDEFGHY
3+-+-+-+-# 8-+-+-+-+(
2-+-+-+-+" 7+-+-+p+-'
1+-+-+-+-! 6-mk-zpp+pzp&
xabcdefghy 5+P+-+-+-%
And this queen ending appears to be
winning. 4-+K+P+PzP$
31.a4 e6 32.b5+
Another option is 32.g4 Kb6 33.b5 (D) 3+-+-+P+-#
(33.f4 is only a transposition: 33...Kc6 34.f5 2-+-+-+-+"
g5 35.hxg5 hxg5 36.fxe6 fxe6 37.b5+ axb5+
38.axb5+ Kb6 39.Kb4 Kb7 40.Ka5 Ka7 1+-+-+-+-!
41.b6+ Kb7 42.Kb5 e5 43.Ka5 d5 44.exd5 xabcdefghy
e4 45.d6 e3 46.d7 e2 47.d8Q e1Q+
48.Kb5 Qe8+! 49.Qxe8 ½-½ Bukavshin,I- Now Black must be alert, as he can draw
Belous,V Kirishi 2010) just moving his king around with
34...Kb7!
a) 34...Ka5? 35.e5! +-.
b) 34...g5? 35.h5 f6 (35...Kb7 36.f4! f6 40.Ka4 Kb7 41.Ka5 Ka7 42.b6+ Kb7
37.f5 +-) 36.Kb4 d5 37.exd5 exd5 38.Ka4 43.Kb5 e5! 44.Ka5 d5 45.exd5 e4 46.d6
d4 (38...Kc5 39.Ka5 d4 40.b6 d3 41.b7 d2 e3 47.d7 e2 48.d8Q e1Q+ 49.Kb5 (D)
42.b8Q d1Q 43.Qc7+ +-) 39.Kb4 d3 XABCDEFGHY
40.Kc3 Kxb5 41.Kxd3 Kc5 (41...f5 42.f4)
42.Ke4 Kd6 43.Kf5 +-. 8-+-wQ-+-+(
c) 34...f6? 35.h5 +-.
d) 34...h5? 35.gxh5 gxh5 36.Kb4 Kb7
7+k+-+-+-'
37.Ka5 d5 38.exd5 exd5 39.Kb4 Kb6 6-zP-+-+-zp&
40.Ka4 d4 41.Kb4 d3 42.Kc3 Kxb5
43.Kxd3 Kc5 44.Ke4 +-. 5+K+-+-zpP%
35.f4 Kb6 36.f5 g5! 4-+-+-+P+$
36...Kb7 37.fxe6 fxe6 38.Kb4 Kb6
39.Ka4 Kb7 40.Ka5 Ka7 41.b6+ Kb7 3+-+-+-+-#
42.Kb5 e5 43.Ka5 d5! 44.exd5 e4 45.d6 e3 2-+-+-+-+"
46.d7 e2 47.d8Q e1Q+ 48.Kb5 Qe5+
49.Kc4 Qe4+ seem good as well. 1+-+-wq-+-!
37.h5 xabcdefghy
37.hxg5 hxg5 38.fxe6 fxe6 39.Kb4
transposes to the above-mentioned game 49...Qe8+!
Bukavshin,I-Belous,V Kirishi 2010. ½-½
37...Kb7 38.Kb4 Kb6 39.fxe6 fxe6

Blockade
Concept White has treated the opening without any
A blockade appears in a situation when the particular ambition, allowing Black to
opponent has a pawn that needs to be equalise without any undue effort. Black
stopped. should be satisfied with his position and can
Usually it is a passed pawn and it will retain equal chances with 18...g4!. However,
promote unless stopped. An easy way to he decided to complicate the position by
stop a passed pawn is to put a piece in front altering the pawn structure, based on a
of it. In that way, it can't advance. mistaken evaluation of the resulting
The best piece to do this with is a knight. position.
Queens and rooks shouldn't be used unless 18...Nd4?! 19.Bxd4! exd4 20.Nd3!
you are sure that they shouldn't be tied down The white knight has been 'upgraded' to an
doing this. excellent immobilizing piece, blocking the
So, when you blockade a passed pawn you path of the passed black d-pawn that has
put one of your pieces in front of the pawn now been (for the time being, at least)
to accomplish two things: neutralized. Black's bishops have no scope,
1. Stopping the pawn from advancing. while White's kingside pawn majority may
2. Launching a plan to eliminate the pawn. prove significant. In conclusion, Black has
So, keep in mind that blockade is the obtained a passed pawn and the bishop pair,
immobilization of the enemy pawn(s) by a and stands worse (!), precisely due to the
piece. The knight is a particularly strong excellent blockade effected by the d3-
blockader since it can jump over other knight.
pieces and is not restricted in its mobility 20...a5
while performing blockading duties. Better was 20...g4 but Black is anxious to
open up some lines for his bishops.
□ Dizdarevic Emir
21.b5! c5 22.b6!
■ Grivas Efstratios
The ‘weak’ black c-pawn, attacked by the
E68 Kavala 1990
d3-knight, hampers the coordination of the
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.d4 Bg7 4.g3 0-0 5.Bg2
black pieces.
d6 6.Nc3 Nbd7 7.0-0 e5 8.e4 h6 9.Re1 Nh7
22...Bd7 23.Re1 Rec8 24.e5 Bc6 25.Bh3!
10.dxe5 dxe5 11.Qc2 Ng5 12.Nxg5 hxg5
Re8 26.Bg4 (D)
13.Be3 c6 14.b4 Re8 15.Red1 Qe7 16.Rab1
Nf8 17.Na4 Ne6 18.Nc5 (D) XABCDEFGHY
XABCDEFGHY 8r+-+r+k+(
8r+l+r+k+( 7+p+-wqpvl-'
7zpp+-wqpvl-' 6-zPl+-+p+&
6-+p+n+p+& 5zp-zp-zP-zp-%
5+-sN-zp-zp-% 4-+Pzp-+L+$
4-zPP+P+-+$ 3+-+N+-zP-#
3+-+-vL-zP-# 2P+Q+-zP-zP"
2P+Q+-zPLzP" 1+R+-tR-mK-!
1+R+R+-mK-! xabcdefghy
xabcdefghy The black pieces act randomly, in sharp
contrast to their white counterparts that
apply pressure on both flanks. secure half a point with 41...Re7!.
26...a4 27.a3 Qd8 28.Qe2 Qe7 29.Rb2 Ra6 42.Qf3! Qf5
30.Qd1 Compulsory (42...Re7 43.Rxe5!).
White is playing without a concrete plan. 43.Bxb7 Bd6 44.Reb1 Rab8 45.Qxf5 gxf5
Here preferable was 30.e6 f5 31.Bf3 Rc8 46.Bf3 f4 47.g4
32.Rbb1 Raa8 33.g4, with a nice advantage. The position is now won for White, as his
30...Qd8 31.Qb1 Ra5 32.h3 Bd7 33.Bf3 passed b-pawn is more significant than the
The pawn sacrifice with 33.e6! Bxe6 black d-pawn, while Black's queenside
34.Bxe6 fxe6 35.Rb5 += looked quite good weaknesses will also prove serious.
for White. 47...Red8 48.Ra5 d3 49.Rxa4 Be5 50.Ra5
33...Qc8 34.Kh2! Bf5 Bd4 51.Rab5 d2 52.a4 Bc3 53.a5 d1Q
34...Bxh3 35.Rb5!. 54.Rxd1
35.Qd1 1-0
35.Bd5 Rd8 36.Be4 is obviously better.
35...Be6
■ Kokkinos Leonidas
35...Bxd3?! 36.Qxd3 Rxe5 37.Rxe5 Bxe5
B14 Thessaloniki 1988
38.Qe4 Bd6 39.Qxb7 Qxb7 40.Bxb7, would
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.e3 Nf6 5.a3 cxd4
be a disaster for Black.
6.exd4 Nc6 7.Nc3 Be7 8.c5 Ne4 9.Bb5 0-0
36.Qc1 Bf5 37.Qd2
10.0-0 f5 11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.Ne5 Qc7 13.Nd3
37.Qxg5 firstly looked like a blunder, but
e5 14.Nxe5 Bxc5 15.Nxc6 Qxc6 16.dxc5
after 37...Bxd3 38.Qd2 White regains his
(D)
material back. Then Black should opt for a
series of moves like 38...Bxc4 39.Qxa5 XABCDEFGHY
Rxe5 40.Rxe5 Bxe5 41.Rc2 Qf5 42.Qxa4 8r+l+-trk+(
Ba6 43.Kg2 Bd6, where he could have
satisfactory compensation. 7zp-+-+-zpp'
37...Ra6?
37...Ra8 should have been played. 6-+q+-+-+&
38.Rb5? 5+-zPp+p+-%
White could have won with 38.Bxb7!.
38...Bxd3! 39.Qxd3 Bxe5 40.Bd5 Kg7 4-+-+n+-+$
41.Kg2 (D) 3zP-sN-+-+-#
XABCDEFGHY 2-zP-+-zPPzP"
8-+q+r+-+( 1tR-vLQ+RmK-!
7+p+-+pmk-' xabcdefghy
6rzP-+-+p+& 16...Bb7?
5+RzpLvl-zp-% A serious error. After the obligatory
16...Nxc3 17.bxc3 Qxc5 18.Be3 Qc6 19.Bd4
4p+Pzp-+-+$ White retains a slight edge thanks to his
3zP-+Q+-zPP# clearly better bishop, but Black would
possess quite decent defensive possibilities.
2-+-+-zPK+" 17.Ne2!
Planning to blockade and effectively
1+-+-tR-+-! 'neutralize' the black passed d5-pawn, which
xabcdefghy is ready to advance. In this way Black's
offensive potential is extinguished, the b7-
41...Ra8?
bishop is locked out of the action, while
A serious error. Not without White's help,
White's queenside majority will prove
Black has managed to defend and could now
mobile and useful. 10.b4 Qc7 11.Nd2 Rfc8 12.Rc1 Nf8
17...Nxc5 18.Nd4 Qg6 19.b4 Nd7?! 13.Qb3 d5 14.Bf4 Qd8 15.bxc5 dxe4
Black should have focused on his defensive 16.Nxe4 Nxe4 17.fxe4 Bxc5 18.Rf3 Bd6
duties with 19...Ne6 20.Nxe6 (20.Bb2!?) 19.Rcf1 Bxf4 20.Nxf4 Rc7 21.Bb1 Rac8
20...Qxe6 21.Re1 Qc6 22.Qd4 Qc4 23.Bb2 22.d5 exd5 23.exd5 (D)
Qxd4 24.Bxd4, with White still better but XABCDEFGHY
also Black retaining good chances of
survival. 8-+rwq-snk+(
20.Bf4 Nf6 21.Re1 Rfe8 22.f3!
Taking the e4-square and keeping Black's
7zpltr-+pzpp'
threats (...Re4 or ...Ne4) under control. 6-zp-+-+-+&
22...Rxe1+ 23.Qxe1 Re8 24.Qg3! (D)
XABCDEFGHY 5+-+P+-+-%
8-+-+r+k+( 4-+-+-sN-+$
7zpl+-+-zpp' 3zPQzP-+R+-#
6-+-+-snq+& 2-+-+-+PzP"
5+-+p+p+-% 1+L+-+RmK-!
4-zP-sN-vL-+$ xabcdefghy
White seems to have a pleasant position,
3zP-+-+PwQ-# with pressure on kingside (f-file) and a
passed d-pawn. But this is all illusionary...
2-+-+-+PzP" 23...Qd6!
1tR-+-+-mK-! Although the queen is not the ideal piece to
blockade in general, here it cannot be kicked
xabcdefghy away easily and temporarily can do the job.
The exchange of queens will further 24.Kh1
highlight Black's weaknesses (a7, d5 and White could try to exchange queens with
Bb7) in the resulting endgame. 24.Qb4, but Black could have opted for
24...Nh5 25.Qxg6 hxg6 26.Bd6 Re3? 24...Qc5+! (24...Qxb4?! 25.cxb4 Ng6
An oversight in time-trouble. Black should 26.Bxg6 hxg6 27.h4 =) 25.Qxc5 Rxc5
have waited with 26...Nf6 or 26...Rc8. 26.Bf5 R8c7 27.Rd1 g6 -/+.
27.Bc5! a6 28.Nxf5! Re2 29.Nd4 Rb2 24...Ba6
30.g3 Bc8 31.Re1 Bh3 32.Re2 Rb1+ 24...Qe5! was quite strong, but Black
33.Kf2 Bd7 34.Re7 Bh3 35.Ne2 Rb2 decided to take safety measures before
36.Bd4 Ra2 37.a4 Kf8 anything concrete to be played.
37...Rxa4 38.g4 Nf6 39.Nf4 +-. 25.Re1 Re7
38.Bc5 Rxa4 39.g4 Nf6 40.Nf4 Exchanging a pair of rooks allows Black to
1-0 minimise White's pressure over the central
files.
26.Rxe7 Qxe7 27.h3
27.Bd3 isn't helpful: 27...Bxd3 28.Nxd3 Nd7
29.c4 Nc5 (29...b5!? 30.c5 Nxc5 31.Qxb5
Nxd3 32.Qxd3 Rc1+ 33.Rf1 Qxa3 34.Qf5
□ Dolzhikova Olga Rxf1+ 35.Qxf1 Qb3 -/+) 30.Qc2 Qe4 31.h3
■ Grivas Efstratios f6 -/+.
B22 Korinthos 2002 27...Bc4 28.Qb2 Qe1+ 29.Kh2 Rd8 30.Ba2
1.e4 c5 2.c3 d6 3.d4 Nd7 4.Be3 Ngf6 5.Bd3 Bxa2 31.Qxa2 Qe5 32.Kh1 Nd7 33.Qd2
e6 6.f3 Be7 7.Ne2 b6 8.0-0 Bb7 9.a3 0-0 Nf6 (D)
8-+-tr-+k+( 8r+-+-+k+(
7zp-+-+pzpp' 7zpp+-+pvlp'
6-zp-+-sn-+& 6-+-+r+p+&
5+-+Pwq-+-% 5+-+-+-vL-%
4-+-+-sN-+$ 4-+-zpP+-+$
3zP-zP-+R+P# 3+-+-+P+P#
2-+-wQ-+P+" 2PzP-+-+P+"
1+-+-+-+K! 1+-mKR+-+R!
Black blockaded the passer, improved his 18.Kd2!
position and now he is out for it. As White cannot attack the passed black d-
34.Re3 Ne4 35.Qd4 pawn for the time being, he first tries to
The alternative 35.Qe1 Re8 36.Ne6 (36.Rf3 blockade it. Using the king for the blockade
g5!) 36...fxe6 37.Rxe4 Qxd5 -/+ wasn't is not something you come across daily, but
better. here the reduced material helps White.
35...Qxd4 36.cxd4 Nf6 37.Kg1 Kf8 38.Re5 18...Rb6 19.Rb1 Rc8 20.Kd3 h6 21.Rhc1!
The endgame is a disaster for White, due to Re8
her immobile doubled d-pawns. 21...Rxc1 22.Bxc1 +/- and White will
38...h6 39.h4 Rc8 40.Ne2 Rc2 41.Kf1 Ra2 regroup with b3, Bb2 and Rc1.
42.Ke1 Ne8! 22.Bd2 f5?!
Time to properly blockade the d-pawn. Creating more weaknesses in exchange for
43.Re3 Nd6 44.g4 b5 some activity. The alternative was connected
The a3-pawn is a goner - Black wins. with a wait-and-see policy, with something
45.Ng3 Nc4 46.Rb3 Rxa3 47.Rxa3 Nxa3 like 22...g5 23.Rc4 Be5 24.b3 +=.
48.Nf5 g6 49.Nxh6 Nc4 50.Kd1 a5 51.Kc2 23.exf5 gxf5 24.Rc5! Rg6 25.Rg1! Rb6
Ne3+ 52.Kb3 Nxd5 53.g5 Ne3 54.Kc3 Kg7 26.b3 Ra6 27.a4 Rb6 28.b4 f4 29.Rb5
55.Kd3 a4 56.d5 Nxd5 57.Ng4 Nf4+ Rxb5 30.axb5 Re5 31.b6! a6 32.Bxf4 Rb5
58.Kc2 Ng2 59.Nf2 Nxh4 60.Ne4 Nf3 33.Bd2 Rxb6 (D)
61.Kc3 Kf8 62.Kb4 Ke7 63.Nc3 Nxg5 XABCDEFGHY
64.Kxb5 a3 65.Kb4 Ne4 66.Na2 f5
67.Kxa3 f4 68.Nb4 f3 69.Nd5+ Kd6 8-+-+-+k+(
70.Ne3 f2 71.Nf1 g5
0-1
7+p+-+-vl-'
6ptr-+-+-zp&
5+-+-+-+-%
■ Ramnath Bhuvanesh
4-zP-zp-+-+$
E90 Kuala Lumpur 2015 3+-+K+P+P#
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nf3 g6 4.Nc3 Bg7 5.e4
0-0 6.h3 e5 7.dxe5 dxe5 8.Qxd8 Rxd8 2-+-vL-+P+"
9.Bg5 Re8 10.Nd5 Nxd5 11.cxd5 c6 12.Bc4
cxd5 13.Bxd5 Nc6 14.0-0-0 Nd4 15.Nxd4
1+-+-+-tR-!
exd4 16.f3 Be6 17.Bxe6 Rxe6 (D) xabcdefghy
34.Rc1 16.f4!
White has achieved everything that he White is not afraid of the power of the
dreamed for this position, so the win should passed pawn on e4. Wrong would be the
be near. automatic 16.b3? f4 and Black is fine.
34...Rb5 35.Rc7 h5 36.g4 hxg4 37.hxg4 b6 16...e4
38.Ra7! a5 39.bxa5 bxa5 40.Rxa5 Rb3+ 16...Nxc4? 17.Qe2 Nb6 18.fxe5 dxe5 19.Qxe5
41.Ke4 Rb2 42.Bf4 Re2+ 43.Kf5 Rf2 +/- and 16...exf4? 17.Rxf4 (17.Qxf4 xd6,
44.Ra3 Kf7 45.Be5 Bf8 46.Rd3 xf5) 17...Nh5 18.Rh4 +/-.
1-0 17.b3 Bd7 18.Nf2
Now White preparing his set-up, which
includes moves as Nd1-e3, Rg1, Bf1-e2 and
push g4, weaken e4.
18...Nc8
After 18...Ng4 19.Nxg4 Qxg4 20.Nd1 Rae8
21.Ne3 Qg7 22.Rf2, White retains a plus.
There are many cases where one side The e3-knight is doing a great job, blocka-
voluntary accepts an enemy passed pawn, as ding the pawn and controlling the critical
long as it can be blockade, at least g4-square, where action will soon arise.
temporarily. 19.Kh1 Ne7 20.Rg1 (D)
The steps then are clear-cut: XABCDEFGHY
1. Blockade it.
2. Prepare a breakthrough. 8r+-+-trk+(
3. Eliminate it. 7zpp+lsn-wqp'
Well, it sounds easier than it is in reality,
but some sound examples will help us to 6-+-zp-sn-+&
understand this difficult motif.
5+-zpP+p+-%
□ Epishin Vladimir 4-+P+pzP-+$
■ Gurevich Mikhail
A86 Elenite 1994 3+PsN-+-zP-#
1.d4 d6 2.c4 f5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 g6 5.Nh3 2P+-wQ-sNLzP"
Bg7 6.Nc3 0-0 7.Bg5 c6 8.Qd2 e5 9.d5 c5
10.e4 Nbd7 11.exf5 gxf5 12.0-0 Qe7 1+-+-tR-tRK!
13.Rae1 Qf7 14.Bh6 Nb6 15.Bxg7 Qxg7
(D) xabcdefghy
20...Rae8
XABCDEFGHY Black has many options here, as 20...h5
8r+l+-trk+( 21.Nh3 Nh7 22.Bf1 += (× g5, h5), or
20...Kh8!? 21.Ncd1 (21.g4 Nxg4 22.Nxg4
7zpp+-+-wqp' Qxg4 23.Bxe4 Qh4 24.Bf3 Ng6 25.Ne2
6-sn-zp-sn-+& Rae8 =) 21...a5!? 22.Ne3 b6 23.Bf1 Rae8
24.Be2 Ng6 +=, or 20...Ng4 21.Nxg4 Qxg4
5+-zpPzpp+-% 22.h3 Qg7 23.g4 fxg4 24.Nxe4 +/-, or,
finally, 20...a6!? 21.Ncd1 b5 22.Ne3 +/-.
4-+P+-+-+$ 21.Ncd1! Kh8
3+-sN-+-zPN# Now 21...Ng4 22.Nxg4 Qxg4 fails to 23.Qa5
Nc8 24.Qc7 +/-.
2PzP-wQ-zPLzP" 22.Ne3 a6 23.Bf1 Rb8?!
1+-+-tRRmK-! 23...b5?! 24.Qa5 Ra8 25.Qc7 Nc8 26.Bh3
Ra7 27.Qb8 Qg6 28.g4 +/- or 23...Ng6
xabcdefghy 24.Bh3 weren't the right options as well.
Black should have stayed put with 23...b6!? 33.Nxf6 Qxf6 34.Re6! Qxc3 35.Rxh6 #.
24.Be2 Ng6 +=. 1-0
24.Be2 Rfc8?
Maybe the best here was 24...Ng6! 25.b4!
(25.g4 Nxg4 [25...Nxf4? 26.Nxf5 Bxf5
27.gxf5 Qh6 28.Nh3 Qxh3 29.Qxf4 +/-]
26.Nexg4 Qd4!! [26...fxg4? 27.Bxg4 e3!
{27...Bxg4 28.Rxg4 +/- ; 27...Rxf4?
28.Bxd7 Qxd7 29.Rxg6! +-} 28.Qxe3 Rbe8
29.Be6 Bxe6 30.dxe6 Qd4 31.Qxd4+ cxd4
32.Nd3 Nxf4 33.e7 Rf6 34.Rgf1 Nh5
35.Rxf6 Nxf6 36.Re6 Kg7 37.Nf4 Kf7
38.Rxd6 Rxe7 39.Rxd4 +/-] 27.Qe3! fxg4
28.Qxd4+ cxd4 29.Nxe4 Nxf4 30.Nxd6 b5 □ Lputian Smbat
31.Bd1 bxc4 32.bxc4 Nd3 oo/=) 25...b6 ■ Sakaev Konstantin
26.Rb1 +=. Note that 24...h5 25.h3 +/- or E14 Yerevan 2001
24...b5 25.g4 +/-, weren't helpful. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.e3 Bb7 5.Bd3
25.g4! (D) d5 6.0-0 Nbd7 7.b3 Be7 8.Bb2 0-0 9.Nc3
XABCDEFGHY c5 10.Qe2 cxd4 11.exd4 Re8 12.Ne5 a6
13.Rad1 Nf8 14.Kh1 Bb4 15.f4 Bxc3
8-trr+-+-mk( 16.Bxc3 Ne4 (D)
7+p+lsn-wqp' XABCDEFGHY
6p+-zp-sn-+& 8r+-wqrsnk+(
5+-zpP+p+-% 7+l+-+pzpp'
4-+P+pzPP+$ 6pzp-+p+-+&
3+P+-sN-+-# 5+-+psN-+-%
2P+-wQLsN-zP" 4-+PzPnzP-+$
1+-+-tR-tRK! 3+PvLL+-+-#
xabcdefghy 2P+-+Q+PzP"
25...fxg4 26.Nexg4! 1+-+R+R+K!
Now the passer on e4 becomes weak...
26...Bf5 xabcdefghy
Black is busted: 26...Rf8 27.Nxf6 Qxf6 In this position it looks like Black has a
28.Nxe4 Qxf4 29.Qc3+ (29.Qxf4 Rxf4 decent game. But White comes-up with a
30.Nxd6 +/-) 29...Qe5 30.Qxe5+ dxe5 strong continuation.
31.Nxc5 +- or 26...Nxg4 27.Bxg4 Bxg4 17.Bxe4! dxe4 18.Ng4!
28.Rxg4 Qd4 29.Qe2 (29.Qxd4+ cxd4 The venue of the knight on e3, blockading
30.Nxe4 Nf5 31.Ng5 Rf8 32.Ne6 +-) the e4-pawn, underlines that Black's strategy
29...Nf5 30.Nxe4 Re8 31.Ng5 +-. was not perfect.
27.Ne3! Qf7 18...f6
27...Qh6 28.Bg4! +-. 18...b5 do not really create an object of
28.Qc3 h6 attack and only aggrieves the position after
28...Rf8 29.Rg5 Bd7 30.Nxe4 +-. 19.Ne3.
29.Bg4 Bxg4 30.Nexg4 Neg8 31.Nxe4 Rf8 19.Ne3 Qc7 20.g4!?
32.Nexf6 A courageous decision and a strong one at
And Black resigned due to 32...Nxf6
the same time. But 20.f5 looks also good. 24...gxf6?
20...Rad8 21.f5 Rd7 (D) This looks horrible, although after 24...Ng6
If 21...h6 then 22.Qf2 following by 23.h4. 25.d5! (25.fxg7 Rf3 26.Qxg5 Qxg7 27.Rde1
Actually it is difficult to recommend a better Qe7 += ; 25.Qxg5 Qd8 26.d5 e5 27.Nf5
defence plan for Black. [27.Ng4 Bc8] 27...Bc8 28.Ne7+ [28.Nxg7
XABCDEFGHY Rxg7 29.h4 Qd7 30.Qg2 Rf7 31.h5 Qh3+
32.Qxh3 Bxh3 33.hxg6 hxg6 34.Rfe1 Bg4
8-+-+rsnk+( 35.Rd2 Bf3+ 36.Kg1 Rxf6] 28...Nxe7
29.fxe7 Rxf1+ 30.Rxf1 Qxe7 31.Qxe7 Rxe7
7+lwqr+-zpp' 32.Kg2 +=) 25...exd5 26.fxg7 Nf4 27.Nf5
6pzp-+pzp-+& Re6 28.Qxg5 Nd3 29.Kg1! +/-, White would
be happy!
5+-+-+P+-% 25.d5! exd5
4-+PzPp+P+$ 25...e5 loses to 26.Ng4 Ree7 27.Nxf6+ Kg7
28.Bb4!.
3+PvL-sN-+-# 26.Bxf6 d4 27.Ng4 e3+ 28.Kg1 (D)
2P+-+Q+-zP" XABCDEFGHY
1+-+R+R+K! 8-+-+rsnk+(
xabcdefghy 7+lwq-+r+p'
22.g5! fxg5 6pzp-+-vL-+&
The only move. If 22...exf5, then White
wins with 23.gxf6 g6 (23...f4 24.Ng4 e3+ 5+-+-+-zpQ%
25.d5 Bxd5+ 26.Rxd5 Rxd5 27.fxg7 Rd6 4-+Pzp-+N+$
28.gxf8Q+ Rxf8 29.Qg2 h6 30.Nf6+ Kf7
31.Nd5 +-) 24.d5 Rf7 25.Nxf5! (25.Qg2 3+P+-zp-+-#
Kh8 26.h4 f4 27.Qh2 +/-) 25...gxf5 26.Rxf5
Ng6 27.Rg1 +-.
2P+-+-+-zP"
23.Qh5 1+-+R+RmK-!
Nearly all white pieces can join the attack.
Meanwhile, the b7-bishop is a spectator... xabcdefghy
23...Rf7 24.f6 (D) No chances left for Black... The end was
24.fxe6 is also strong: 24...Nxe6 25.d5 Nf4 smooth:
26.Qxg5 Nd3 27.Rxf7 Qxf7 28.Rf1 +/-. 28...Ng6 29.Nh6+ Kf8 30.Nxf7 Qc6
XABCDEFGHY 30...Nf4 31.Qh6+ Kxf7 32.Bxg5 +-.
31.Qh6+ Kxf7 32.Bxd4+ Ke7 33.Qxg5+
8-+-+rsnk+( Kd7 34.Bxb6+
1-0
7+lwq-+rzpp'
6pzp-+pzP-+&
5+-+-+-zpQ%
4-+PzPp+-+$
□ Landa Konstantin
3+PvL-sN-+-# ■ Nevednichy Vladislav
2P+-+-+-zP" E91 Khanty-Mansiysk 2007
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.Nc3 0-0 5.e4
1+-+R+R+K! d6 6.Be2 c5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5 Na5 9.Bd2 e5
xabcdefghy 10.Ne1 b6 11.b3 Bd7 12.Rc1 Qc7 13.Nd3

Rae8 14.Kh1 Kh8 15.Qe1 Nb7 16.f3 Ng8 very solid. White must now prepare a
17.Qg3 f5 (D) kingside break.
XABCDEFGHY 27...Qe7 28.Rg1 Nf6 29.Nf2 Kh7 30.g3
Starting the preparation of the g4 break.
8-+-+rtrnmk( 30...Rfg8 31.Rg2 Nf7 32.Rcg1 h5 33.Qa1
In reaction to Black's last move ...h5
7zpnwql+-vlp' (stopping g4), White should think of 33.h4!,
6-zp-zp-+p+& moving his knight to g5, which would
paralyse Black's kingside forces. White then
5+-zpPzpp+-% could think on opening a second front on the
4-+P+P+-+$ queenside (a3 and b4). Instead, he tries to
push g4 at all cost.
3+PsNN+PwQ-# 33...Rg6 34.Qd1 Rh6 35.h3 Rg7 36.Rh2
Qf8 37.Rgg2 Qg8? (D)
2P+-vLL+PzP" Better was 37...Kg8.
1+-tR-+R+K! XABCDEFGHY
xabcdefghy 8-+l+-+q+(
18.exf5!
The same story as in the previous game.
7zp-+-+ntrk'
White understands that there is not much to 6-zp-zp-sn-tr&
be asked in the queenside, so he turns in the
kingside, where the b7-knight will find it 5+-zpP+p+p%
difficult to join. 4-+P+pzP-+$
18...gxf5
Black should seriously think of the other 3+P+-sN-zPP#
capture: 18...Bxf5 19.Nf2 Bh6 20.Bxh6
Nxh6 21.Bd3 Qe7 22.Nfe4 +=.
2P+-+LsNRtR"
19.f4! e4 1+-+Q+-+K!
Black has no other useful move. White must
now establish a blockade on e3. xabcdefghy
20.Nf2 Re7 21.Nh3 Nd8 22.Nd1 Bd4 38.g4!
23.Bc3 Rg7 24.Qe1 h6 25.Qd2 Bxc3 An appropriate moment. It turns out that
26.Qxc3 Bc8 27.Ne3 (D) Black has just spoiled all his efforts to
XABCDEFGHY prevent this move!
38...hxg4 39.hxg4 fxg4 40.Nfxg4 Bxg4
8-+lsn-trnmk( 41.Bxg4
Also good was 41.Nxg4!? Nxg4 42.Bxg4 +/-
7zp-wq-+-tr-' .
6-zp-zp-+-zp& 41...Kh8 42.Rxh6+?
42.Qa1! was correct. Here is a sample line:
5+-zpP+p+-% 42...Qh7 43.Qc3! Kg8 44.Bf5 Qh8 45.Bg6!
4-+P+pzP-+$ +/-.
42...Nxh6 43.Rh2?!
3+PwQ-sN-+N# 43.Be6 was more accurate but breaking
Black's defence is now very difficult:
2P+-+L+PzP" 43...Qf8 44.Rh2 Rh7 45.Qg1 Nfg8 46.Qa1+
1+-tR-+R+K! Nf6 47.Kg1! +/-.
43...Rh7 44.Qa1 Qg7 45.Be6? (D)
xabcdefghy A moment of carelessness. White should
Black's position is completely passive but have opted for 45.Bh3 oo.
XABCDEFGHY 17.exf5! gxf5 18.f4! e4 19.Be2 Bf6 20.Ra2!
The rook is heading for g2 as well!
8-+-+-+-mk( 20...Rf7 21.Bd2 Rg7 22.Rf2 Nf8 23.c3 Ng6
24.Kh1 Nge7 25.Be1
7zp-+-+-wqr' Slow manoeuvres, aiming for the g4-break
6-zp-zpLsn-sn& at the right moment.
25...Be8 26.Bh5 Bd7 27.Rfc2 Qf8 28.g3
5+-zpP+-+-% (D)
4-+P+pzP-+$ XABCDEFGHY
3+P+-sN-+-# 8r+n+-wqk+(
2P+-+-+-tR" 7+p+lsn-tr-'
1wQ-+-+-+K! 6-+-zp-vl-+&
xabcdefghy 5zp-zpP+p+L%
45...Nf5!! 4P+N+pzP-zp$
A bolt from the blue!
46.Rxh7+ 3+PzP-sN-zP-#
White's choices are limited: 46.Bxf5 Rxh2+
47.Kxh2 Ng4+ -+ or 46.Ng4 Rxh2+ 47.
2R+R+-+-zP"
Nxh2 Ng3+ 48.Kg2 Ne2+ 49.Kh1 Nxf4 -+. 1+-+QvL-+K!
46...Qxh7+ 47.Kg1 Qg7+ 48.Ng2 Nd4!
49.Qf1 xabcdefghy
49.Kf1 Nh5 -+. 28...hxg3?!
49...e3 50.Qd3 Nf3+ 51.Kf1 Qxg2+ This plays in White's hands - Black should
0-1 seriously think of sac the exchange with
28...Rh7?! 29.g4 Rxh5!? 30.gxh5 Qh6 oo/=.
29.hxg3 Rh7 30.Rh2 Qg7 31.Qc1 Kf8
■ Skalkotas Nikolaos
32.Rag2 Be8 33.Bxe8 Kxe8 34.Qd2 Kd7
B07 Athens 1991
35.Rxh7 Qxh7+ 36.Rh2 Qg8 37.Rh5 Kc7
1.d4 d6 2.e4 Nf6 3.f3 c5 4.d5 e5 5.Ne2 h5
(D)
6.Nec3 h4 7.Nd2 Nbd7 8.Nc4 Nb6 9.Ne3
g6 10.a4 a5 11.Nb5 Be7 12.b3 Bd7 13.Na3 XABCDEFGHY
Nh7 14.Nac4 Nc8 15.Bd3 0-0 16.0-0 f5 (D) 8r+n+-+q+(
XABCDEFGHY 7+pmk-sn-+-'
8r+nwq-trk+( 6-+-zp-vl-+&
7+p+lvl-+n' 5zp-zpP+p+R%
6-+-zp-+p+& 4P+N+pzP-+$
5zp-zpPzpp+-% 3+PzP-sN-zP-#
4P+N+P+-zp$ 2-+-wQ-+-+"
3+P+LsNP+-# 1+-+-vL-+K!
2-+P+-+PzP" xabcdefghy
1tR-vLQ+RmK-! Now White should forget about the g4-
xabcdefghy break, as he possesses the only open file.
38.Kg1! Nb6 39.Na3 Qf7 40.Rh6 Qg7
41.Nb5+ Kd7 42.Qh2 Rh8 43.Rxh8 Qxh8 4P+P+pzP-+$
44.Qxh8 Bxh8 45.c4
And it looks like White is winning... 3+P+-sN-zP-#
45...Na8?
This makes it easy for White. Black could
2-+-vL-+K+"
play 45...Bd4! 46.Nxd4! (46.Kf2 Bxe3+! 1+-+-+-+-!
47.Kxe3 Nexd5+ 48.cxd5 Nxd5+ 49.Ke2
Nb4 is not clear) 46...cxd4 47.Bxa5 Nxa4 xabcdefghy
48.bxa4 dxe3 49.Kf1 Ng8 50.Ke2 Nf6 50.g4!
51.Kxe3 +/- and hope... Finally! White is now winning.
46.Bxa5 b6 47.Bd2 Nc7 48.Nxc7 Kxc7 50...Bd4 51.Nxf5 Nxf5 52.gxf5 Ke7 53.Kg3
49.Kg2 Kd7 (D) Kf6 54.Kg4 Kf7 55.Be1 Bf6 56.b4 cxb4
XABCDEFGHY 57.Bxb4 Be7 58.Bd2
And Black resigned due to 58...Kf6 59.Be3
8-+-+-+-vl( Bd8 60.Bd4+ Kf7 61.Kg3! going for the e4-
pawn!
7+-+ksn-+-' 1-0
6-zp-zp-+-+&
5+-zpP+p+-%

Connected and Killing
Concept
A pair or more of well advanced
XABCDEFGHY
connected passed pawns can be lethal. Well, 8r+-+-trk+(
usually this motif doesn’t come for free;
sacrifices usually appear beforehand and the
7+lwqn+pzpp'
proper evaluation of the compensation 6-+-+-sn-+&
should properly measured.
Keep in mind that two passed pawns on 5zp-zP-+-+-%
the 7th can be gold, but of course a lot depen- 4-zp-vLP+-+$
ds on the sacrificed material - the opponent
shouldn’t allow such formations for free! 3+-+L+N+-#
□ Kokolias Konstantinos 2-+Q+-zPPzP"
■ Sigalas Frangiskos
D31 Athens 2005 1tR-+-+RmK-!
1.c4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.d4 e6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 xabcdefghy
Bb4 (D)
18...Ng4
XABCDEFGHY 18...h6 seem to be most players’ preference
these days: 19.Rfe1 (19.Rfc1 Bc6 20.Qb2
8rsnlwqk+ntr( [20.e5 Nd5 oo Jasnikowsky,Z-Sherbakov,R
7zpp+-+pzpp' Katowice 1992] 20...Rfe8 oo Leonidov,V-
Khavsky,S Tula 2004) 19...Rfe8 20.h3
6-+p+p+-+& [20.e5 Nd5 21.Bb5 Re6 oo Krizsany,L-
5+-+-+-+-% Sveshnikov,E Nova Gorica 1997] 20...Bc6
21.e5 Nd5 oo Candela Perez,J-Tregubov,P
4PvlpzP-+-+$ Ubeda 2000.
3+-sN-+N+-# 19.Bb5
White has some alternatives at his disposal:
2-zP-+PzPPzP" a) 19.Bc4!?
a1) 19...Qf4 20.c6 Bxc6 21.Bxf7+ Qxf7
1tR-vLQmKL+R! 22.Qxc6 Rfc8 23.Qb5 Rcb8 24.Qg5 Ngf6 oo
xabcdefghy Bukal,V-Trabert,B Budapest 1994.
a2) 19...Nde5 20.Nxe5 Nxe5 21.Bd5 Nc6 oo.
The famous and extremely complicated
a3) 19...Bc6 20.h3 Nge5 21.Nxe5 Nxe5
‘Noteboom’ variation. Usually White
22.Bd5 Ng6 = Batsiashvili,N-Paichadze,L
generates a better centre and attacking
Batumi 2003.
possibilities, when Black aims for the
a4) 19...Ba6 20.c6 Nde5 21.Nxe5 Nxe5
endgame counting on his strong queenside
22.Bxe5 Qxe5 23.Rfd1 Bxc4 24.Qxc4 g6
pawns. All in all, we have a tactical battle
25.Rac1 Rfc8 26.g3 Qe6 ½-½ Dizdar,G-
ahead with possibilities for both sides.
Bachmayr,P Austria 1997.
6.e3 b5 7.Bd2 Bb7 8.axb5 Bxc3 9.Bxc3
b) 19.h3?! Nge5 20.Nxe5 Nxe5 21.Bb5 Ng6
cxb5 10.b3 a5 11.bxc4 b4 12.Bb2 Nf6
22.Rfc1 Bc6 =+ Lacrosse,M-Strijbos,M
13.Bd3 0-0 14.0-0 Nbd7 15.Qc2 Qc7 16.e4
Netherlands 1994.
e5 17.c5 exd4
c) 19.Rfc1?! Bc6 20.Qd2 (20.e5? Bxf3
Black's main alternative is 17...Ba6 18.Rfc1
21.gxf3 Ndxe5 22.Bxh7+ Kh8 23.Be4
exd4 19.Bxd4 Bxd3 20.Qxd3 Qc6 oo
[23.Qf5 Qc6 24.Bxe5 Nxe5 25.Qxe5 Kxh7 -
Levitt,J-Flear,G London 1990.
/+] 23...Rad8 -/+ Nesterov,J-Relange,E
18.Bxd4 (D)
Groningen 1993) 20...Nde5 21.Nxe5 Nxe5
22.Be2 Rfb8 =+. A wrong idea. Preferable is 24.Qc4 Qb7
19...Nde5 20.Nxe5 Nxe5 (D) 25.Rf3 Kh8 26.Rg3 f6 27.e5 with some
XABCDEFGHY initiative to White, as in Becker,M-Kaid,A
Goch 1995.
8r+-+-trk+( 24...Qa7! 25.Rf2
White is in trouble. The other option 25.f5
7+lwq-+pzpp' a4 26.f6 a3 27.Kh1 Ra8 28.Qh5 Nd8 29.Bc1
6-+-+-+-+& Rxf6 -/+ equally fails to impress.
25...a4 -/+ 26.Qg4 f5! 27.exf5 a3 28.Be5 b3
5zpLzP-sn-+-% 29.f6 b2 30.Rd1 Nxe5 31.fxe5 (D)
4-zp-vLP+-+$ XABCDEFGHY
3+-+-+-+-# 8-+-+-trk+(
2-+Q+-zPPzP" 7wq-+-+-zpp'
1tR-+-+RmK-! 6r+-+-zP-+&
xabcdefghy 5+-zP-zP-+-%
21.f4 4-+-+-+Q+$
White has also tried 21.Qb2 f6 22.Bxe5
fxe5? (22...Qxe5 is safe: 23.Qxe5 fxe5 24.c6 3zp-+-+-+-#
Bc8 25.Rfc1 Be6 =) 23.c6 Bc8 (23...Ba6
24.Qa2+ Kh8 25.Qxa5 +/-) 24.Rfc1
2-zp-+-tRPzP"
(24.Bc4+ Kh8 25.Bd5 Ba6 oo) 24...Qb6 1+-+R+-mK-!
25.Qxe5! a4!? 26.Rc5? (26.Bxa4? Rxa4
27.Rxa4 Qxf2+ 28.Kh1 Qf1+; 26.Qc5! Qxc5 xabcdefghy
27.Rxc5 b3 28.Bc4+ [28.Rxa4 b2!] 28...Kh8 31...Qf7?!
29.Bxb3 +-) 26...b3 oo Zueger,B-Klinger,J Black loses his way in this labyrinth of ta-
Bern 1991. We are still of course in ctical variations. He could crown his efforts
theoretical ground and surely both with the logical 31...Kh8!. Although it does
opponents have made their extensive not look easy, he can win after 32.fxg7+
homework; it is impossible to play this Qxg7 33.Rxf8+ Qxf8 34.Qd4 Re6!.
variation otherwise. 32.Qe2 Qb3?!
21...Nc6 22.Bb2 Ba6 23.Bxa6 Rxa6 (D) Again 32...Qe6!, blocking the white pawns.
XABCDEFGHY 33.Rff1 (D)
8-+-+-trk+( XABCDEFGHY
7+-wq-+pzpp' 8-+-+-trk+(
6r+n+-+-+& 7+-+-+-zpp'
5zp-zP-+-+-% 6r+-+-zP-+&
4-zp-+PzP-+$ 5+-zP-zP-+-%
3+-+-+-+-# 4-+-+-+-+$
2-vLQ+-+PzP" 3zpq+-+-+-#
1tR-+-+RmK-! 2-zp-+Q+PzP"
xabcdefghy 1+-+R+RmK-!
24.Qe2? xabcdefghy
33...a2? XABCDEFGHY
Black loses all his advantage. He should
have played 33...Raa8! 34.Qe4 Rab8! -+. 8-wq-+-tr-mk(
34.f7+ Kh8
Bad is 34...Rxf7?? 35.Rd8+ or 34...Qxf7?
7+-+-+Pzpp'
35.Rxf7 a1Q 36.Rxf8+ Kxf8 37.Kf2 +/-. 6-+-wQP+-+&
35.Qxa6
White had a second and more interesting 5+-zP-+-+-%
way to draw: 35.e6 b1Q (35...Rxe6? 36.Rd8! 4-+-+-+-+$
h6 37.Rxf8+ Kh7 38.Rh8+ Kxh8 39.f8Q+
Kh7 40.Qf5+ Kh8 41.Qfxe6 Qxe6 42.Qxe6 3+-+-+-+-#
a1Q 43.Qc8+ Kh7 44.Qf5+ Kh8 45.Qb1;
35...Qxe6? 36.Rd8 Rxd8 37.Qxe6) 36.e7
2p+-+-+PzP"
Raa8 37.e8Q a1Q (D) 1+q+R+RmK-!
8r+-+Qtr-mk( 37...Qxd6
37...a1Q is leading to another draw:
7+-+-+Pzpp' 38.Qxb8 Qxb8 39.Rxa1 Qc8 40.Rfe1 Qxc5+
6-+-+-+-+& 41.Kh1 Qe7 (41…Qf2 42.e7 Qxf7
43.exf8Q+ Qxf8) 42.Rad1 g5 43.Rd7 Rxf7
5+-zP-+-+-% 44.Rxe7 Rxe7.
4-+-+-+-+$ 38.cxd6 a1Q 39.e7!?
39.Rxb1 Qd4+ 40.Kh1 Qxd6 41.Rfe1
3+q+-+-+-# transposes to the draw given above.
39...Qb6+ 40.Kh1 Qa8 41.d7 (D)
2-+-+Q+PzP"
XABCDEFGHY
1wqq+R+RmK-!
8q+-+-tr-mk(
xabcdefghy
when we have a very rear situation with five
7+-+PzPPzpp'
queens on board. But this cannot be 6-wq-+-+-+&
considered a tactical position, as with a
forced series of moves the draw comes near: 5+-+-+-+-%
38.Rxb1 Qbxb1 39.Rxb1 Qxb1+ 40.Qe1 4-+-+-+-+$
Qxe1+ 41.Qxe1 Rxf7. Finally it must be
mentioned that 35.Rd8? is not working: 3+-+-+-+-#
35...Rxd8 36.f8Q+ Rxf8 37.Rxf8+ Qg8 -+.
2-+-+-+PzP"
1+-+R+R+K!
xabcdefghy
Three pawns on the 7th rank, ready to queen!
But White is unlucky as Black has a clear
way to draw!
41...Qxg2+!
41...h6? 42.exf8Q+ Qxf8 43.d8Q Qfxd8
44.Rxd8+ Qxd8 45.f8Q+ Qxf8 46.Rxf8+.
42.Kxg2 Qg6+ 43.Kh1 Qe4+
White cannot avoid the perpetual check.
35...b1Q 36.Qd6! Qb8 37.e6 (D) ½-½
XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+Q+k+(
7zp-+-+-+p'
6-+-+-+pvl&
5+-+Pzp-+-%
4-+-+P+P+$
3+-+-wq-+P#
□ Kramnik Vladimir 2P+-+NtrP+"
■ Kasparov Garry
D88 Linares 1999
1tR-+-+-+K!
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 xabcdefghy
5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 25...Bf8!
9.Be3 0-0 10.0-0 Bg4 11.f3 Na5 12.Bxf7+ A strong novelty. Previously 25...Rf8 has
Rxf7 13.fxg4 Rxf1+ 14.Kxf1 cxd4 15.cxd4 been played: 26.Qe6+ Kh8 27.g5 Bxg5
(D) 28.Qxe5+ Bf6 29.Qd6 Bg7 30.Ng1 Qxe4
XABCDEFGHY 31.Rc1 += Van Wely,L-Shirov,A Belgrade
1999.
8r+-wq-+k+( 26.Qe6+ Kh8 27.d6! Qxe2!
7zpp+-zp-vlp' Black avoided 27...Qxe4 28.Rg1 Bxd6
29.Qxd6 Qxe2 30.Qb8+ Kg7 31.Qxa7+ Rf7
6-+-+-+p+& 32.Qc5 Qxa2 33.Qxe5+ Kg8 34.Ra1 where
although he will not lose, he will have to
5sn-+-+-+-% suffer for the half-point.
4-+-zPP+P+$ 28.Qxe5+!
White rightly avoided a draw: 28.d7 Qxe4
3+-+-vL-+-# 29.Rg1 Rf3! 30.g5 (30.gxf3 Qxf3+ 31.Kh2
2P+-+N+PzP" Qf2+ 32.Rg2 Qf4+ =) 30...Be7! 31.gxf3
Qxf3+ 32.Rg2 Qf1+ 33.Kh2 Qf4+ =.
1tR-+Q+K+-! 28...Bg7 29.Qe8+ Rf8 30.d7 Qd3 31.e5!
(D)
xabcdefghy
15...e5!?
XABCDEFGHY
The ‘old’ option is 15...Qb6 16.Kg1 Qe6 8-+-+Qtr-mk(
17.Qd3 Qxg4 18.Rf1 += Karpov,A-
Kasparov,G Seville 1987. Of course, many 7zp-+P+-vlp'
games have been played meanwhile. 6-+-+-+p+&
16.d5 Nc4 17.Qd3 Nxe3+ 18.Qxe3 Qh4
19.h3 Bh6 20.Qd3 Rf8+ 21.Kg1 Qf2+ 5+-+-zP-+-%
22.Kh1 Qe3! 23.Qc4
23.Qxe3 is not dangerous for Black:
4-+-+-+P+$
23...Bxe3 24.Rd1 Rf2 25.Ng1 Kf7 26.Rd3 3+-+q+-+P#
Bb6 27.Rf3+ Ke7 28.Rxf2 Bxf2 29.Nf3 Kd6
30.g3 Bxg3 31.Kg2 Bf4 32.Kf2 Kc5 33.Ke2 2P+-+-+P+"
b5 34.Kd3 ½-½ Kramnik,V-Shirov,A 1tR-+-+-+K!
Cazorla 1998.
23...b5 24.Qxb5 Rf2 25.Qe8+ (D) xabcdefghy
Obviously the strong past d-pawn on the 7th So, one might get the wrong impression
rank weights its value as gold. Now White's that passed pawns on the 7th rank are not
plan is clear: also push his central e-pawn, dangerous at all! In my opinion the above
achieving two connected pawns on the 7th games where just the exception of the
rank! There is not much that Black can do general rule: pawns on the 7th rank are an
about that or maybe there is? unbelievable force! See the next game:
31...h6!!
□ Korchnoi Viktor
The point of this move will become clear in
■ Najdorf Miguel
a few moves. Not helping was 31...Kg8?
D41 Wijk aan Zee 1971
32.Rg1 Bxe5 33.Qe6+ Rf7 34.Qxe5 Qxd7
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.d4 c5 5.cxd5
35.Rb1 +/-.
Nxd5 6.e4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 cxd4 8.cxd4 Bb4+
32.e6
Black has also tried 8...Nc6 9.Bc4 b5!?
32.Qe7 Kh7 33.e6 Qd5 34.Rg1 Rf3! =.
10.Be2 (10.Bd3?! Bb4+ 11.Bd2 Bxd2+
32...Kh7! 33.Rg1 (D)
12.Qxd2 a6 13.a4 0-0 14.Qc3 Bb7 =
Forced as Black was threatening to win with
Spassky,B-Fischer,R Reykjavik 1972)
an eventual 33...Rf1+: 33.e7?? Rf1+
10...Bb4+ 11.Bd2 Qa5 12.a4 bxa4 13.Rxa4
34.Rxf1 Qxf1+ 35.Kh2 Be5+ 36.g3 Qf2+
+= Grivas,E-Kourkounakis,I Corfu 1993.
37.Kh1 Qf3+ 38.Kg1 Bd4+ 39.Kh2 Qf2+
9.Bd2 Bxd2+
40.Kh1 Qg1 #.
White obtains a clear advantage after the
XABCDEFGHY inaccurate 9...Qa5?! 10.Rb1! Bxd2+
8-+-+Qtr-+( 11.Qxd2 Qxd2+ 12.Kxd2.
10.Qxd2 0-0 11.Bc4 b6 (D)
7zp-+P+-vlk' XABCDEFGHY
6-+-+P+pzp& 8rsnlwq-trk+(
5+-+-+-+-% 7zp-+-+pzpp'
4-+-+-+P+$ 6-zp-+p+-+&
3+-+q+-+P# 5+-+-+-+-%
2P+-+-+P+" 4-+LzPP+-+$
1+-+-+-tRK! 3+-+-+N+-#
xabcdefghy 2P+-wQ-zPPzP"
33...Rf3!
Now the idea behind 31...h6! becomes clear. 1tR-+-mK-+R!
White cannot avoid the draw. xabcdefghy
34.Qb8
Another option for Black is to develop his
34.e7?? Rxh3+ 35.gxh3 Qxh3 # is if course
b8-knight to c6: 11...Nc6 12.0-0 b6
out of the question!
(12...Qd6 is quite interesting, despite the fact
34...Rxh3+ 35.gxh3 Qe4+!
that Black quickly lost the stem game:
And the players agreed to a draw. It is
13.Rad1 Rd8 14.Rfe1 Bd7 15.d5 exd5
strange that there was another exact game
16.exd5 Ne7 17.Ng5 Ba4 18.Nxf7 Kxf7
which lasted two more moves: 36.Rg2 Qe1+
19.Re6 Qxe6 20.dxe6+ Ke8 21.Bd3 Bxd1
37.Rg1 Qe4+ ½-½ Kundrak,G-Toth,D
22.Qxd1 Rac8 23.h3 Nd5 24.Qf3 1-0
Miskolc 1999. But probably this was just an
Browne,W-Olafsson,H Reykjavik 1980)
‘imitated’ game between two lowest rated
13.Rad1! (the best set-up for White is to
players…
place his rooks on the e- and d- files,
½-½
supporting future central advances. 13.Rfd1

Bb7 14.Qf4 Rc8 15.d5 exd5 16.Bxd5 Qe7 15.Bb3 Nf6 16.d5 exd5 17.exd5 Rc5 18.d6
17.Ng5 Ne5 18.Bxb7 Ng6 19.Qf5 Qxb7 is also good, Olafsson,F-Unzicker,W
20.Rd7 Qa6 led to an unclear position in Lugano 1970.
Alekhine,A-Euwe,M The Hague 1937) 15...Re8 16.Qe3
13...Bb7 14.Rfe1 Na5 (14...Rc8?! is White's other options are:
inaccurate: 15.d5! exd5 16.Bxd5 Na5 a) 16.Bb1 h6 (16...Nf8 17.Re3 Qd6 18.Qb2
17.Qf4 Qc7 18.Qf5 Bxd5 19.exd5 with Red8 ½-½ Prusikin,M-Levin,F Germany
advantage for White, Spassky,B-Petrosian,T 2006) 17.h3 Qc7 18.Nh2 Qc3 19.Qf4 Nf8
Moscow 1969) 15.Bd3 Rc8 16.d5! exd5 20.Re3 oo Grooten,H-Horvath,C
(forced, as 16...Nc4? loses to 17.Bxc4 Rxc4 Leeuwarden 1995.
18.dxe6 Qxd2 19.exf7+ Rxf7 20.Rxd2 Rxe4 b) 16.h4 h6 17.Bb5 Re7 18.Bxd7 Rxd7
21.Rxe4 Bxe4 22.Ng5!, while 16...Qe7 19.Ne5 Rdc7 20.Qf4 Qd6 = Mamedyarov,S-
17.Qf4 leads to a clear advantage for White) Marcelin,C Istanbul 2003.
17.e5! Nc4 18.Qf4 Nb2 (Black must accept c) 16.Qf4 Qf6 17.Qg3 Qg6 18.Qf4 Qf6
the challenge as 18...h6 19.Qf5 g6 20.Qh3 19.Qg3 Qg6 20.Qf4 Qf6 += ½-½
Kg7 21.e6 would not improve the situation. Pedersen,S-Gyimesi,Z Germany 2005.
As was revealed after the game, this position 16...Rc3 17.e5 Qc7 (D)
had been carefully studied in advance by XABCDEFGHY
Lev Polugaevsky, who now played the
typical and well-known sacrifice) 19.Bxh7+! 8-+-+r+k+(
Kxh7 20.Ng5+ Kg6 (the only move. White
wins after 20...Kg8 21.Qh4 Re8 22.Qh7+
7zplwqn+pzpp'
Kf8 23.e6!) 21.h4!! (threatening 22.h5+ 6-zp-+p+-+&
Kxh5 23.g4+ Kg6 24.Qf5+ Kh6 25.Qh7+
Kxg5 26.Qh5+ Kf4 27.Qf5 #) 21...Rc4! 5+-+-zP-+-%
(21...Nxd1? is inadequate due to 22.h5+ Kh6 4-+-zP-+-+$
23.Ne6+ 1-0 Olafsson,F-Lombard,A, Athens
1969, while other moves also do not help 3+-trLwQN+-#
Black: 21...Qd7 22.e6! ; 21...f5 22.Rd4! ;
21...f6 22.h5+ Kxh5 23.g4+ Kh6 24.Qh2+)
2P+-+-zPPzP"
22.h5+ Kh6 23.Nxf7+ Kh7 24.Qf5+ Kg8 1+-+RtR-mK-!
25.e6! (this vital point to justify White's play
was part of Lev Polugaevsky's deep xabcdefghy
preparation) 25...Qf6 (White was threatening 18.Ng5! Nf8 19.Ne4 Bxe4
26.e7 and 26.h6) 26.Qxf6 gxf6 27.Rd2! Forced as otherwise the knight will land on
(27.Nd6?! Nxd1 28.e7 Rc1! is unclear) d6-square.
27...Rc6!? (also interesting is 27...Na4 20.Qxe4 Rd8 21.h4! Qe7 22.Qg4 Ra3?!
28.Nd6, though White of course retains his Black overestimates his chances. He should
advantage) 28.Rxb2 Re8? (Black's position have played 22...Qa3 +=.
was highly unpleasant, but he could have set 23.Bc4 b5 24.Bb3! a5
White more problems with 28...Bc8!. White It seems that Black has created sufficient
retains a plus with either 29.e7 Re8 30.Nd8 counterplay in the queenside. But ‘Viktor
or 29.Nh6+ Kh7 30.Nf5 Rxe6 31.Rc1) the terrible’ now comes out with a great
29.Nh6+! Kh7 30.Nf5 Rexe6 31.Rxe6 Rxe6 ‘positional’ combination.
32.Rc2 Rc6 33.Re2 Bc8 (or 33...Rc7 25.d5! a4? (D)
34.Re6) 34.Re7+ Kh8 35.Nh4 f5 36.Ng6+ In view of what happened, Black should try
Kg8 37.Rxa7 1-0 Polugaevsky,L-Tal,M 25...exd5 26.Bxd5 +/-. But who can blame
Moscow 1969. Miguel Najdorf for not seeing the future…
12.0-0 Bb7 13.Rfe1 Nd7 Or maybe the Polish-Argentinean legend
13...Nc6 will transpose to 11...Nc6 notes. was as usually over-optimistic on his chan-
14.Rad1 Rc8 15.Bd3 ces? Well, we will probably never know…
XABCDEFGHY important e6-pawn and probably the game,
but the great Viktor had a different opinion!
8-+-tr-snk+( 31.f4!! h6
After the ‘obvious’ 31...Rxe6 and the forced
7+-+-wqpzpp' continuation 32.Rxe6 Qxe6 (32...Nxe6
6-+-+p+-+& 33.Qxe6) 33.Qxe6 Nxe6 34.f5 Nf8 35.h5!
g6 (35...h6 36.g4! g6 37.f6) 36.h6!! gxf5
5+p+PzP-+-% 37.Kf2, White wins as he will capture with
4p+-+-+QzP$ his king the black b-pawn, allowing his own
b-pawn to queen. In the meantime Black can
3trL+-+-+-# only play his knight around the f8-square, as
his king is locked in a golden cage!
2P+-+-zPP+" 32.f5
1+-+RtR-mK-! Now, White's protected and connected
passed pawns will carry the day.
xabcdefghy 32...Nh7 33.Rc1 Ra8 34.Qf4 Nf6 35.Qc7!
26.dxe6! axb3 Breaking down Black's blockade.
Black had no choice but to accept the 35...Qb4 (D)
sacrifice, as 26...fxe6 27.Rxd8 axb3 XABCDEFGHY
(27...Qxd8 28.Bxe6+) 28.Rxf8+ Kxf8
29.Rc1 is out of the question. 8r+-+-+-mk(
27.exf7+ Kh8
Unfortunately for Black, he cannot continue
7+-wQ-+Pzp-'
with 27...Kxf7 28.Rxd8 bxa2 (28...Qxd8 6-+-+Psn-zp&
29.e6+ Kg8 [29...Nxe6 30.Qxe6+ Kf8
31.Re5 g6 32.Rd5 Qe7 33.Qc8+ Kf7 34.Rd7 5+p+-+P+-%
bxa2 35.Rxe7+ Kxe7 36.Qc5+] 30.e7 Qe8 4-wq-+-+-zP$
31.Qb4! Ra8 32.exf8Q+ Qxf8 33.Qxb3+
Kh8 34.Qxb5 +- Rxa2? 35.Re8) 29.Ra8! 3+P+-+-+-#
Rxa8 30.Qf3+ Kg6 31.Qc6+ Qe6 32.Qxa8
Nd7 33.Re2 Nxe5 34.Rxa2 +-.
2-+-+-+P+"
28.Rxd8 Qxd8 29.axb3 Qe7 30.e6 Ra6 (D) 1+-tR-+-mK-!
30...Rxb3 31.Rc1 h6 32.Rc8 Rb1+ 33.Kh2
Re1 34.Re8 Qd6+ 35.Qg3 is curtains. xabcdefghy
XABCDEFGHY 36.Qc8+?
White falls to Black's clever, last trap.
8-+-+-sn-mk( 36.Qc5 was decisive: 36...Qxc5+ (36...Qe4
37.f8Q+ Rxf8 38.Qxf8+ Kh7 39.Qc5)
7+-+-wqPzpp' 37.Rxc5 Rf8 38.Rxb5.
6r+-+P+-+& 36...Kh7!
Not of course 36...Rxc8? 37.Rxc8+ Kh7
5+p+-+-+-% 38.f8N+!! Kg8 39.Ng6+ Kh7 40.Rh8 #.
4-+-+-+QzP$ 37.Qxa8?!
37.Qc3 Qxh4 38.Rf1 Ng4 39.Qh3 Qxh3
3+P+-+-+-# 40.gxh3 Ne5 41.Rc1 g6 42.Rc5 Nxf7
43.exf7 Rf8 44.Rxb5 Rxf7 45.fxg6+ Kxg6
2-+-+-zPP+" was also leading to a draw, but White should
1+-+-tR-mK-! have tried it.
37...Qd4+ 38.Kf1 Qf4+?
xabcdefghy Black blunders on his turn. He could have
Now it seems that Black will get the achieved an undeserved draw with the
simple 38...Qd3+!. XABCDEFGHY
39.Ke2 Qe5+ 40.Kd1
Now White can avoid the perpetual check as 8r+l+ksn-tr(
his king escapes to the queenside, so Black
resigned.
7+-wq-+pvl-'
1-0 6p+p+-+p+&
5+-zP-zp-+n%
4Pzp-+P+-zp$
3+-sN-vLP+-#
2-zP-wQLsNPzP"
1tR-+-+RmK-!
Two connected passers can be dangerous
xabcdefghy
nearly in every rank, as we will observe 17.Nd5!
from our two following examples: A 'standard' follow-up, as the natural 17.Na2
a5 18.Nc1 Ne6 19.Qd6 Qxd6 20.cxd6 Nhf4
□ Serper Grigory would be fine for Black. White needs to
■ Nikolaidis Ioannis attack and lines should be opened!
E70 St Petersburg 1993 17...cxd5 18.exd5
1.c4 g6 2.e4 Bg7 3.d4 d6 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Nge2 Now the connected passed pawns on the 5th
Nbd7 6.Ng3 c6 7.Be2 a6 8.Be3 h5 9.f3! b5 gives White the initiative. Moves like Ne4-
10.c5 dxc5 11.dxc5 Qc7 12.0-0 h4 13.Nh1 d6 or c6 with Rac1 and d6 look pretty
Nh5 14.Qd2 e5 15.Nf2 (D) dangerous.
XABCDEFGHY 18...f5 19.d6!
Going forward and avoiding 'silly' moves as
8r+l+k+-tr( 19.Qxb4?! Rb8 20.Qa3 e4 or 19.Rac1? f4.
7+-wqn+pvl-' 19...Qc6?! (D)
19...Qd7? 20.c6! Qxc6 21.Rfc1 and Rc7
6p+p+-+p+& would be over, but 19...Qa5! 20.Nd3 Be6
21.Rfc1 Kf7 22.c6 Nf4 23.Rc5 Nxe2+
5+pzP-zp-+n% 24.Qxe2 Qd8 25.d7 Nxd7 26.cxd7 Qxd7
4-+-+P+-zp$ 27.Nxb4 += would allow Black to fight.
3+-sN-vLP+-# XABCDEFGHY
2PzP-wQLsNPzP" 8r+l+ksn-tr(
1tR-+-+RmK-! 7+-+-+-vl-'
xabcdefghy 6p+qzP-+p+&
White has emerged from the opening with a 5+-zP-zpp+n%
slight plus, mainly due to his extra space.
15...Nf8?!
4Pzp-+-+-zp$
With a sound positional idea (....Ne6-d4) in 3+-+-vLP+-#
mind but instead 15...Nf4 16.Nd3 Bh6 17.a4
Nxd3 18.Bxd3 Bxe3+ 19.Qxe3 b4 20.Ne2 2-zP-wQLsNPzP"
a5 21.Rfd1 Nf8 22.Bc4 Be6 23.Bxe6 Nxe6 1tR-+-+RmK-!
24.Rd6 += was better.
16.a4 b4 (D) xabcdefghy
20.Bb5!! axb5 21.axb5 Qxb5 by exchanging queens with 29...Qa6+
The alternative was 21...Qb7?! 22.c6 Qb8 30.Kxf2 Qe2+! 31.Kxe2 Nf4+ 32.Kf1 Nxe6
(22...Qxb5 23.d7+! +-) 23.Qd5 (23.b6! wins 33.c6 Kg8 34.Re7! +-. The most interesting
as well: 23...Nf6 24.Ra7! Rxa7 25.bxa7 Qa8 try was 29...Ng3+ 30.hxg3 Qxd7 31.Qxd7
26.Qxb4 N8d7 27.Qc4! +-) 23...Rxa1 hxg3, but White wins: 32.Qe7+ Kg8
24.Rxa1 Nf6 (24...Be6 25.d7+ Kd8 26.Bb6+ 33.Qe8+ Kh7 (33...Bf8 34.Qxg6+ Bg7
Qxb6 27.Qd6 +-) 25.Qxe5+ Kf7 26.Ra7+ 35.Qxg3 +-) 34.Qxh8+ Bxh8 35.c6 +-.
Bd7 27.c7! Qc8 (27...Qe8 28.Qxe8+ Kxe8 XABCDEFGHY
29.c8Q+ Bxc8 30.Re7+ Kd8 31.Bb6 #)
28.b6 +-. The pawn storming cannot be 8-+-+qmk-tr(
met...
22.Rxa8 Qc6 23.Rfa1! f4 24.R1a7! Nd7
7+-+R+-vl-'
(D) 6-+-zPQ+p+&
24...fxe3?! loses to the tactical trick
25.Qd5!! exf2+ 26.Kxf2 Qxd5 27.Rxc8 #. 5+-zP-zp-+n%
XABCDEFGHY 4-zp-+-+-zp$
8R+l+k+-tr( 3+-+-+P+-#
7tR-+n+-vl-' 2-zP-+-zpPzP"
6-+qzP-+p+& 1+-+-+K+-!
5+-zP-zp-+n% xabcdefghy
4-zp-+-zp-zp$ 30.Rf7+!!
Only move! Bad was 30.Qxe8+? Kxe8
3+-+-vLP+-# 31.Re7+ Kf8 (31...Kd8 32.c6 Kc8 33.Ra7
Kb8 34.d7! Kxa7 35.c7 Bf6 36.c8Q Bd8 =)
2-zP-wQ-sNPzP" 32.Kxf2 (32.c6 Ng3+!! 33.Kxf2 [33.hxg3
1+-+-+-mK-! hxg3 34.Ke2 Rh1 -+] 33...Nf5 34.Rxg7
Nxd6! -/+) 32...Nf6 33.Rb7 e4 34.c6 Rh5
xabcdefghy 35.Rb8+ Kf7 36.d7 Nxd7 37.cxd7 Bd4+
25.Rxc8+! Qxc8 26.Qd5 38.Ke2 exf3+ 39.Kxf3 Rf5+ 40.Ke2 Bf6 =.
Domination! Simply White must care not to 30...Qxf7 31.Qc8+ Qe8 32.d7 Kf7
run out of pieces! 33.dxe8Q+ Rxe8 34.Qb7+ Re7 35.c6! e4!
26...fxe3 36.c7
The alternative was 26...Nhf6 27.Qe6+ Kf8 And of course not 36.fxe4? Rxb7 37.cxb7
28.Ne4! Qe8 (28...fxe3 29.Ng5 Qe8 30.Ra8 Be5 -+.
+-) 29.Qxe8+! Nxe8 (29...Kxe8 30.Ra8+ 36...e3 37.Qd5+! Kf6 38.Qd6+ Kf7
Kf7 31.Ng5 #) 30.Rxd7 fxe3 31.c6 +-. 38...Re6 39.Qxe6+ +-.
27.Qe6+ 39.Qd5+ Kf6 40.Qd6+ Kf7 41.Qxe7+
27.Nd3! e2 28.c6 was an easier win. Kxe7 42.c8Q Bh6
27...Kf8 28.Rxd7?! 42...Bd4 loses to 43.Qc4.
The human move but instead the 'correct' 43.Qc5+ Ke8
continuation was 28.Ne4! e2 29.Kf2 Nhf6 43...Kf7 44.Qc4+ Kg7 45.Qxh4 +-.
(29...Qe8 30.Qxd7 Qxd7 31.Rxd7 +-) 44.Qb5+ Kd8 45.Qb6+ Kd7 46.Qxg6 e2+
30.Ke1!! (30.Nxf6? Qxc5+ ; 30.Kxe2 Nxe4 47.Kxf2 Be3+ 48.Ke1!
31.fxe4 Qc6) 30...Qe8 31.Qxe8+ Kxe8 The last trap to be avoided (48.Kxe2? Nf4+)
32.Ra8+ Nb8 33.c6 Nxe4 34.fxe4 Kf7 35.c7 and Black resigned due to 48...Nf4 49.Qf7+
Ke6 36.cxb8Q Rxb8 37.Rxb8 +-. Kd8 50.g3 +-. A superb game in which the
28...exf2+ 29.Kf1 Qe8 (D) centre triumphed over the flank!
There is not really much to hope for, even 1-0
□ Yermolinsky Alex Black has excellent compensation for the
■ Ehlvest Jaan sacrificed piece; pair of bishops and mobile
B85 Rakvere 1993 central pawns.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 24.Rfd1 Kh8?
5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e6 7.f4 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Kh1 Missing a simple tactical shot. Instead,
Qc7 10.a4 Nc6 11.Be3 Re8 12.Bd3 Nb4 24...Qf7! had to be played: 25.Qxf7+ Kxf7
13.Qe1 Bd7 14.a5 Nxd3 15.cxd3 Bc6 26.Bf2 e4 27.Kg1 Bc5 28.Kf1 g6 29.fxg6+
16.Qg3 Bf8 (D) hxg6 =+.
XABCDEFGHY 25.Bf2?
Missing the strong 25.Ncd5! Bxd5 26.Nxd5
8r+-+rvlk+( Qc4 27.Nxf6 gxf6 28.Rac1 Qg8 29.Bxf6+
Bg7 30.Bxd8 Rxd8 31.Rc7 +-. Many times
7+pwq-+pzpp' the concentration over strategical ideas helps
6p+lzppsn-+& to miss the tactical ones!
25...Qc8 26.Rac1 e4 27.Ncd5 Qb8 28.Nb6
5zP-+-+-+-% Bd6 29.Qg4
4-+-sNPzP-+$ Another try could be 29.Nec4 Bf4 30.Be3.
29...Bf4 30.Bg3 (D)
3+-sNPvL-wQ-# XABCDEFGHY
2-zP-+-+PzP" 8-wq-trr+-mk(
1tR-+-+R+K! 7+p+-+-zpp'
xabcdefghy 6psNl+-zp-+&
17.f5
An aggressive move. Lately 17.Nf3!? Nd7 5zP-+-+P+-%
18.b4 Qd8 19.Bd4 f6 20.Be3 d5 oo Wan,Y- 4-+-+pvlQ+$
Li,S Beijing 2012 was played.
17...e5 18.Nc2 d5! 3+-+psN-vL-#
Best, as Black shouldn't allow Bg5xf6 and
Nb4-d5 with complete white domination.
2-zP-+-+PzP"
19.Bg5 Nh5 20.Qg4 dxe4! 21.Qxh5?! 1+-tRR+-+K!
Winning a piece, but White had to opt for
21.dxe4 Nf4! (21...g6 22.Ne3 +=) 22.Ne3 oo. xabcdefghy
21...exd3 22.Ne3 f6 23.Bh4 Rad8 (D) 30...Bxe3!! 31.Bxb8?
XABCDEFGHY 31.Rxc6! bxc6 32.Bxb8 Bxb6 33.axb6 Rxb8
34.Qg3 Rxb6, when something like 35.Qf2
8-+-trrvlk+( e3 36.Re1 e2 37.Qxb6 d2 38.Qg1 h6 39.h4
Rd8 40.Rd1! Re8 41.Re1! would lead to a
7+pwq-+-zpp' positional draw!
6p+l+-zp-+& 31...Bxc1 32.Rxc1 e3!
The pawns roll!
5zP-+-zpP+Q% 33.Nc4 d2 34.Rg1 Re4?!
4-+-+-+-vL$ Much clearer was 34...e2 35.Nxd2 e1Q
36.Bf4 Rxd2.
3+-sNpsN-+-# 35.Qe2?!
Loses on the spot. White had to fight with
2-zP-+-+PzP" 35.Qxe4 Bxe4 36.Nxe3 Rxb8 37.Rd1 Rd8 -/+.
1tR-+-+R+K! 35...Rxc4! 36.Ba7 Rc1
White resigned due to 37.Bxe3 Rxg1+ -+.
xabcdefghy 0-1
□ Korchnoi Viktor 35.Qf6!
■ Tal Mihail 35.exf6 Kf7 is obviously holding more...
A62 Yerevan 1962 35...Qd7 36.Rxc5 Rc4 37.Rxc4 Bxc4
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 exd5 5.cxd5 38.Rd2?!
d6 6.Nf3 g6 7.g3 Bg7 8.Bg2 0-0 9.0-0 Na6 Time-trouble! 38.Rf3! Qa7 39.g4! +-.
10.h3 Nc7 11.e4 Nd7 12.Re1 Ne8 13.Bg5 38...Be6 39.Rd1 Qa7 40.Rd2 Qd7 41.Rd1
Bf6 14.Be3 Rb8 15.a4 a6 16.Bf1 Qe7 17.Nd2 Qa7 42.Rd4! Qd7 43.g4 a5
Nc7 18.f4 b5 19.e5 dxe5 20.Nde4 Qd8 If 43...Qf7 then 44.d7 Bxd7 45.Qxf7+ Kxf7
21.Nxf6+ Nxf6 22.d6 Ne6 23.fxe5 b4 24. 46.Rxd7+ wins.
Nd5 Nxd5 25.Qxd5 Bb7 26.Qd2 Qd7 (D) 44.Kg3
XABCDEFGHY The text move is not bad, especially under
over-the-board circumstances, but killing
8-tr-+-trk+( was 44.gxf5 Bxf5 (44...gxf5 45.Rd1 +-)
45.Rc4 Qa7 46.Rc5! +-.
7+l+q+p+p' 44...Rb8 45.Kh4 Qf7 46.Kg5 fxg4 47.hxg4
6p+-zPn+p+& Bd7! 48.Rc4! a4
The alternative was 48...Qxf6+ 49.Kxf6 Re8
5+-zp-zP-+-% 50.Rc7 Re6+ 51.Kg5 Be8 52.Kf4 a4
4Pzp-+-+-+$ 53.Rg7+ Kh8 54.d7 Bxd7 55.Rxd7 Kg8
56.Ra7 +-.
3+-+-vL-zPP# 49.Rc7 a3 (D)
2-zP-wQ-+-+" XABCDEFGHY
1tR-+-tRLmK-! 8-tr-+-+k+(
xabcdefghy 7+-tRl+q+p'
White has the advantage - Black's king is 6-+-zP-wQpvL&
rather weak and the passed d-pawn strong.
27.Kh2 b3 28.Rac1 Qxa4 29.Bc4 5+-+-zP-mK-%
The a-pawn wasn't important - the attack is! 4-+-+-+P+$
29...Bc8 30.Rf1 Rb4 31.Bxe6!?
Or 31.Bd5 Qd7 32.Bh6 Rd4 33.Qg2 +/-. 3zpp+-+-+-#
31...Bxe6 32.Bh6 Re8 33.Qg5 Re4! 34.Rf2!
Not of course 34.Qf6? Re2+.
2-zP-+-+-+"
34...f5! (D) 1+-+-+-+-!
8-+-+r+k+( 50.Rxd7! Qxd7
50...Qxf6+ 51.exf6 axb2 52.f7+ Kh8
7+-+-+-+p' 53.Kf6! mates!
6p+-zPl+pvL& 51.e6 Qa7
After 51...Qb5+ 52.Kh4 g5+ 53.Kh5 Qe8+
5+-zp-zPpwQ-% 54.Kxg5 Qg6+ 55.Qxg6+ hxg6, White wins
4q+-+r+-+$ by 56.d7 axb2 57.e7 Rb5+ 58.Kh4 b1Q
59.e8Q+ Kh7 60.Qe7+ Kxh6 61.g5+ Rxg5
3+p+-+-zPP# 62.Qxg5+ Kg7 63.Qe7+ Kh6 64.Qe3+ g5+
65.Qxg5+ Kh7 66.Qe7+ Kg6 67.Qe6+ Kh7
2-zP-+-tR-mK" 68.d8Q.
1+-tR-+-+-! 52.Qe5! axb2 53.e7 Kf7 54.d7
1-0
xabcdefghy
Rook & Pawn vs Two Minor Pieces
Concept Nd6 64.Rh8 +-.
When a rook fights two minor pieces a lot 1-0
depends on the position. The rook tries to
A past pawn cooperates excellently with a
get targets while the minor pieces want to
rook, especially if it is an outside one. We
get control. In general, rook & passed pawn
will examine the usual case of a rook and an
can be lead to a huge advantage.
outside passed pawn vs two minor pieces:
The first example can be considered more
of a study: □ Grivas Efstratios
■ Wagner Claude
□ Kurnosov Igor
Cap d' Agde 1983 ○
■ Vorobiov Evgeny
Moscow 2012 ● XABCDEFGHY
XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+(
8-+n+-+-+( 7+r+nzppmk-'
7+-mk-+-+-' 6-+-zp-+pzp&
6-+P+RzP-+& 5+-+l+-+-%
5+-+-+-+-% 4-+-+N+-+$
4-+K+-+-+$ 3+-+-+-zP-#
3+-+-+-+-# 2P+-+PzPLzP"
2-+-vl-+-+" 1+-+-+RmK-!
1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy
xabcdefghy Black seems to be fine but White has
prepared a devilish continuation...
Material thinking White looks more than
25.Nxd6! Bxg2
OK, but here Black's blockade seems to
25...exd6 26.Bxd5 Rb2 27.Re1 +/- cannot be
hold.
really called an option.
59...Bh6?
26.Nxb7 Bxb7
Allows White to win the crucial tempo.
The knight ending after 26...Bxf1 27.Kxf1
After 59...Bc1 60.f7 Ba3 White can not
should be an easy win.
break the blockade without exchanging both
27.Rc1 Bd5 28.a4
pawns: 61.Kd4 Nb6 (61...Na7 62.Kd5 Nc8
Now the two minor pieces will be tight
=) 62.Rf6 Bf8 63.Rg6 Kd8 64.Re6 Kc7
down to the a-pawn.
65.Ke5 Nc4+ 66.Kd5 Nb6+ 67.Ke4 Nc4
28...Nb6 29.a5 Na8 30.f3 f5 31.Rc5 e6
68.Rg6 Nb6 69.Rg8 Ba3 = or 61...Nd6+
32.Kf2
62.Kd5 Nxf7 63.Rg8 Nd8 64.Rg7+ Kc8
The white king will either try to help his
65.c7 Bb4 =.
rook on the queenside or the kingside,
60.f7 Bf8
creating the concept of the two weaknesses.
60...Bg7 loses to 61.Rg6 Bf8 62.Rg8 +-.
32...Kf6 33.Ke3 g5 34.a6 Nb6 35.a7 h5
61.Re8
36.Rb5 Na8 37.Kd4 g4 38.f4 Nc7 39.Rb8
And Black resigned as his knight is just too
Na8 40.Kc5 Ke7 41.Rh8 Kf7 42.Kd6 Kg6
clumsy: 61...Nd6+ (61...Bh6 62.f8Q Bxf8
43.Kd7
63.Rxf8 Na7 64.Kc5 Nxc6 65.Rf7+ +- ;
White could simply think of moving his king
61...Nb6+ 62.Kb5+-) 62.Kd5 Nxf7 63.Rxf8
to b8 and his rook on b7.
43...Kf6 44.Rxh5 Nb6+ 45.Kc7 Na8+ XABCDEFGHY
46.Kd6 Nb6 47.Rh8 Na8 48.h4! gxh3
49.Rxh3 Nb6 50.Rh8 Na4 8-+-+-+k+(
Or 50...Na8 51.Rf8+ Kg7 52.Ke7 Nb6
53.Rd8 Na8 54.g4 fxg4 55.f5 +-.
7zp-+-+pzpp'
51.Rf8+ Kg7 52.a8Q Bxa8 53.Rxa8 Nc3 6-zp-+p+-+&
54.Kxe6 Nxe2 55.Ra3 Kg6 56.Ke5
1-0 5+-+-sN-+-%
4-+-+-zP-+$
3zP-+-+-+-#
2-+rvL-+PzP"
□ Slipak Sergio
1+-+-+K+-!
■ Almasi Zoltan xabcdefghy
Buenos Aires 1996 ● This is the position Black aimed for when he
XABCDEFGHY played 20...Nxb2. Black’s advantage is
decisive. Here we have an endgame, the
8-+rtr-+k+( phase of a game when a rook and just one
7zp-+-+pzpp' pawn are often superior to two minor pieces,
in contrast to a middlegame. There, the two
6-zp-+pvl-+& minor pieces can prove really powerful,
5+-+-+-+-% particularly if they can be employed in an
attack against the king. Here Black has a
4n+P+-+-+$ rook and two pawns (not just one).
Secondly, White has no counterplay, no
3+-+-vLN+-# passed pawns, no objects to attack, while
2PzPR+-zPPzP" Black can attack the weak a3-pawn and
simply create a passed pawn on the
1+R+-+K+-! queenside - and one in the centre, if
xabcdefghy necessary. Therefore we can evaluate the
position as won for Black; the active
Black has a better ending due to the pressure
position of his rook and the bad placement
upon the White's queenside; all his pieces
of the white king makes Black's task easier.
work at a maximum capacity, however
28.Bb4 f6! 29.Nf3 Kf7 30.Nd4 Rc4 31.Ne2
White may relies somehow after the
a5 32.Bd2
eventual b3. Thus Black must take some
Or 32.Bc3 Ra4 33.Bb2 b5 34.Kf2 b4
actions without delay, this corresponds with
35.axb4 axb4 -+.
one of the Steinitz' rules: 'The side, which
32...Rc2 33.Bc1
has an advantage, must attack in order to
Or 33.Be3 33...Ra2 34.Bxb6 Rxa3 -+.
maintain this advantage'. Here Black gives a
33...b5 34.Kf2 b4 35.axb4 axb4 36.Ke3 b3
good example of that how this principle
37.Kd3 Rxc1 38.Nxc1 b2 39.Kc2 bxc1Q+
should be followed.
40.Kxc1 Kg6
20...Nxb2! 21.Rcxb2 Bxb2 22.Rxb2 Rxc4
The pawn ending is easily won.
23.Ne5
41.Kd2 Kf5 42.Ke3 Kg4 43.Ke4 h5
White should try 23.Ke2 f6 24.h4 e5 25.g3
0-1
Rdc8 26.Rd2 Rc2 27.h5 Kf7, although his
position would still be miserable. □ Eljanov Pavel
23...Rc3 24.Bd2 Rc5 25.f4 Rdc8 26.a3 Rc2 ■ Nakamura Hikaru
27.Rxc2 Rxc2 (D) Baku 2015 ○

XABCDEFGHY 40.Ra2! Rxd4 41.Rc2 Na8 42.Ra6 Rd1
Here the only difference with the previous
8-+-tr-+k+( examples is the two extra rooks, which is
more helpful (in a way) for the defending
7+-+-+pzpl' side, as it can pose some activity.
6n+-+p+-zp& 43.h4 h5
Black would always face the threat of h5,
5zp-+-+-+-% Rc8 and Rd6-d8, so sooner or later he would
4P+-zP-+-+$ have to go for this.
44.Ke3
3+-zP-+-zP-# The king is heading for the kingside, helping
in mating ideas among other.
2-+-+PzP-zP" 44...Rg1 45.Kf4 Rg2 46.Rd6 Rg1 47.Rc8
1tR-+R+-mK-! Ra1 48.Kg5
48.Rxd5 exd5 49.Rxa8 Kg6 50.Ke5 is a win
xabcdefghy as well.
The position is material unbalanced; White 48...Rxa7 49.Rdd8 g6 50.Rh8+
has a rook and two central pawns for two 50.Kf6 mates: 50...Kh6 51.Rh8+ Rh7
minor pieces - he should stand better. 52.Rcg8.
26.f3! Rc8 27.Ra3 Bg6 28.Kf2 Rb8 29.Rd2 50...Kg7 51.Rcg8+ Kf7 52.Rxg6 Ra6
f6 53.Rh7+ Kf8 54.Kxh5 Nb6 55.Kg5 Nc4
Black's main problem is that there are no 56.h5 Nd6 57.Rf6+ Kg8 58.Rd7
white targets to be attacked by the minor 1-0
pieces, so he has to stay put.
30.Raa2! Rb3
30...Be8 31.Rab2 Rxb2 32.Rxb2 Bxa4
33.Ra2 Bb5 34.Rxa5 Bc4 35.e4 would be a
slow death.
31.Rab2! Rxc3 32.Rb5 Bc2 33.Rxa5 Nc7
34.Ra7 f5 35.a5 Kh7 36.Rb7 Rc4 37.Rb6
Ba4 38.a6 Bc6 39.a7 Bd5 (D)
XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-+-+(
7zP-sn-+-zpk'
6-tR-+p+-zp&
5+-+l+p+-%
4-+rzP-+-+$
3+-+-+PzP-#
2-+-tRPmK-zP"
1+-+-+-+-!
xabcdefghy

Endgame Technique
Concept
The endgame is the phase of the game that
XABCDEFGHY
the passed pawn becomes obviously quite 8-tr-+-+k+(
dangerous.
There is surprise here, as the limited
7+-+-+-zpp'
material offers to the defending side less 6-+-+psn-+&
defenders and less chances for activity or in
general counterplay. 5+-+-zp-+-%
We have already examined many pawn 4-+-+P+-+$
endings and we more or less know a lot of
how to handle them, but many more 3+-tRP+-+-#
positions with numerous pieces do exist.
As mall book cannot cover all
2-zp-sN-zPPzP"
possibilities, but the main idea in our subject 1trR+-+-mK-!
is that the passed pawn should be pushed!
Especially when is all about rook endings; xabcdefghy
keep in mind that the rook belongs behind White was counting on this to hold the
the passed pawn! position, as now 29...Rxb1+ 30.Nxb1 Ra8
31.Rc2 is harmless. However, Black's
□ Koustas Anastasios positional advantage gives rise to a
■ Grivas Efstratios spectacular, original and very effective
Athens 1982 ● tactical shot.
XABCDEFGHY 29...Nxe4!! 30.dxe4 Rd8 31.Kf1
There is no salvation, as everything works in
8-+-+-trk+( Black's favour! One nice line goes 31.Rc2
Rxd2 32.Rcxb2 Rd1+ 33.Rxd1 Rxd1 #.
7+-tR-+-zpp' 31...Rxd2 32.Ke1 Rd8
6-+-+psn-+& 0-1
5+-+-zp-+-%
4rzp-+P+-+$
3+-+P+-sN-#
2-+-+-zPPzP"
1+-+-+RmK-!
xabcdefghy
25...Rb8!
After more exchanges Black has obtained a
strong passed b-pawn, which the rook rushes
to support. The immediate 25...b3?? would
be a gross error in view of 26.Rb7, when
Black would have lost his advantage.
26.Rb1 b3 27.Rc3?
□ Malaniuk Vladimir
The last mistake. 27.Nf1 should have been
■ Ehlvest Jaan
played.
Minsk 1987 ●
27...b2 28.Nf1 Ra1 29.Nd2 (D)
XABCDEFGHY Not much to do. If 25.exf5 exf5 and White
emerges with two weaknesses on d5 and a3 -
8rsnq+-trk+( in this case the passed d-pawn is a minus, as
White can just defend it and not benefit from
7zpl+-vlpzpp' it.
6-zp-+p+-+& 25...fxe4 26.fxe4 e5! 27.Nb3
After 27.dxe5 Nc5, Black regains his pawn
5+-zp-+-+-% and the white passed e-pawn is a mere
4-+-zPP+-+$ weakness as well.
27...exd4 28.Nxd4 (D)
3zP-zPL+N+-# XABCDEFGHY
2-vL-+QzPPzP" 8-+-+k+-+(
1tR-+-mK-+R! 7zp-+-vl-zpp'
xabcdefghy 6nzp-+-+-+&
12...Ba6!
Exchanging pieces is a correct strategy when 5+-+-+-+-%
fighting against a strong centre; the 4-+-sNP+-+$
opponent simply cannot create an attack!
13.0-0 Bxd3 14.Qxd3 Qa6! 15.Qxa6 3zP-+-+-+-#
White shouldn't agree on every exchange.
Preferable was 15.Qe3 Nd7, with equal
2-vL-+-+PzP"
chances in an unclear position. 1+-+-+K+-!
15...Nxa6 16.Ne5 Rfc8 17.Rfd1 cxd4
18.cxd4 Rc2 19.Nd3 Rac8 20.Rac1 (D) xabcdefghy
XABCDEFGHY Black succeeded to create weaknesses in the
white camp (e4-a3). Now he must improve
8-+r+-+k+( his pieces and then activate his own passed
pawn on the queenside.
7zp-+-vlpzpp' 28...Bf6
6nzp-+p+-+& 28...Nc5? 29.Nc6 =.
29.Ke2 Nc5 30.Ke3 Ne6! 31.Nxe6
5+-+-+-+-% If White stays put with 31.Bc3, then after
4-+-zPP+-+$ 31...Nxd4 32.Bxd4 Kf7! (32...Bxd4+?
33.Kxd4 and it is White who is winning!) ,
3zP-+N+-+-# he stands no chance: 33.e5 (33.Bxf6 Kxf6
34.Kd4 Ke6 35.g3 h5 36.Kc4 a6 37.Kd4
2-vLr+-zPPzP" Kd6 38.e5+ Ke6 -+) 33...Be7 34.a4 Ke6
1+-tRR+-mK-! 35.Ke4 Bc5 36.Bb2 a6 and the outside
passed pawn will decide. A sample variation
xabcdefghy is 37.h3 b5 38.axb5 axb5 39.Bc1 b4 40.Bb2
A quite simple endgame is about to come on Bf2 41.Kd3 Bg3 42.Ke4 Be1 43.Kd3 Bc3
board. What Black should do? 44.Bxc3 bxc3 45.Kxc3 Kxe5 -+.
20...Kf8! 31...Bxb2 32.a4 Ke7 33.Nc7 Be5 34.Nd5+
The king starts his try for centralisation - an Kd6
important factor in every endgame. Black is plain winning. He has a good
21.Kf1 Ke8 22.Rxc2? bishop vs bad knight endgame, plus his
White plays carelessly. Something like future outside passed pawn.
22.g4 was still fine. 35.h3 Kc5 36.Kd3 a6 37.Ne3 b5 38.axb5
22...Rxc2 23.Rc1 Rxc1+ 24.Nxc1 f5! 25.f3 axb5!
38...Kxb5?! looks 'better' as the black passed 1+-+-+-+-!
pawn will be on the a- rather in the b-file.
But here White could have counterplay with xabcdefghy
39.Nc4. And the position is drawn, as White cannot
39.Nd5 b4 40.Ne3 b3 41.Nc4 b2 42.Nd2 win the white g-pawn! Here White resigned
(D) due to 52.Ng2 (52.g6 Bf6 53.Ng2 Kf3
XABCDEFGHY 54.Ne1+ Ke2 55.Ng2 Bg5 56.Kxb2 Kf2 -+)
52...Kf3 53.Nh4+ Kf4.
8-+-+-+-+( 0-1
7+-+-+-zpp'
6-+-+-+-+&
5+-mk-vl-+-%
4-+-+P+-+$ □ Chiburdanidze Maia
3+-+K+-+P# ■ Maric Alisa
Dresden 2008 ○
2-zp-sN-+P+" XABCDEFGHY
1+-+-+-+-! 8-+r+-+k+(
xabcdefghy 7zp-trn+pzpp'
42...h5!
Black's plan now is to attack the kingside 6-zp-+p+-+&
pawns with his king, but first advances his 5+-+-+-zP-%
pawns so they will be closer to queening.
43.g4 Bf4 44.Nb1 h4 45.Kc3 Be5+ 46.Kd3 4-+-zPP+-+$
Bd4 47.Nd2 Bf6 48.Kc2
Or 48.Nb1 Kd6 49.Ke3 Ke5 50.Na3 Bg5+ 3zP-+RwQNzP-#
and the black king penetrates. 2-+q+-zP-+"
48...Kd4! 49.g5
If 49.Kxb2 then 49...Kd3+ 50.Kc1 Bg5. 1+-+R+-mK-!
49...Be5 50.Nf3+ Kxe4 51.Nxh4 Bc3! xabcdefghy
Black should avoid a last trick: 51...Ke3
52.g6 Kf2 53.Nf5 Kf3 54.Ne7 Kg3 55.Nc6 22.Ne5!
Bc3 56.Nd8 Kxh3 57.Nf7 Kh4 58.Nh8! (D) White is cleverly seeking the exchange of
the last black minor piece (the blockading
XABCDEFGHY one) before advance her - passed to be - d-
8-+-+-+-sN( pawn.
22...Qb2?!
7+-+-+-zp-' Although not appealing, Black had to go for
22...Nxe5 23.dxe5 Rf8 (23...g6 24.Kg2 Rf8
6-+-+-+P+& 25.Qf4 +=) 24.Kg2 Rc4 25.Qf3 +=.
5+-+-+-+-% 23.Nxd7 Rxd7 24.d5!
Now Black is in trouble.
4-+-+-+-mk$ 24...exd5 25.exd5
3+-vl-+-+-# Exchanging one pair of rooks with 25.Rxd5
Rxd5 26.exd5 looks preferable, as Black
2-zpK+-+-+" would have less forces to defend.
25...g6 26.Kg2 Qg7 27.Qf4 Qf8 28.d6 Rc5
(D)
8-+-+-wqk+( 8-+-+r+k+(
7zp-+r+p+p' 7zp-+r+-vlp'
6-zp-zP-+p+& 6-zpn+-+p+&
5+-tr-+-zP-% 5+-+-+p+-%
4-+-+-wQ-+$ 4P+-zP-+-zP$
3zP-+R+-zP-# 3+-zPK+PvL-#
2-+-+-zPK+" 2-+-sN-+-+"
1+-+R+-+-! 1+-tR-tR-+-!
Now White must find some other targets as White has achieved a passed pawn but
well, as the d-pawn will not queen easily - Black's pieces are rather active.
the Rule of the Two Weaknesses. 27...Rc8 28.Nb3 Ne7 29.Be5
29.g4! Qd8 30.Rd5 Rxd5 As before, tactical reasons forced White to
30...Rc6 looks preferable - it was explained reject 29.c4? Nc6 30.d5 Nb4+ 31.Kd2 Na2!
why. with equality. Thus White decides to reduce
31.Rxd5 Qe8 32.Qd4 Qf8 33.Qe5 Qc8 the pressure on the d4-pawn by exchanging
34.Kg3 Qf8 35.Qf6 Qb8 36.f3 Qf8 37.f4 bishops.
Qb8 38.Rd3 Qe8 39.Kf2 Qb8 40.Qe5 Qf8 29...Bxe5 30.Rxe5 Nd5 31.c4! Nb4+
41.f5 Qd8 42.f6 Qf8?! (D) 32.Ke3 Nc6 33.Re6 Nd8 34.Re5 Nc6
XABCDEFGHY 35.Re6 Kf8
White has gained a lot of time and would
8-+-+-wqk+( meet 35...Nd8 36.Re5 Nc6 with 37.f4! Nxe5
38.fxe5, when his impressive mass of central
7zp-+r+p+p' passed pawns would prove decisive.
6-zp-zP-zPp+& 36.f4 Rdc7 37.c5 Nd8 38.Re5 Nc6 39.Re6
Nd8 40.Re5 Nc6 41.cxb6 axb6 42.Rb5 Ne7
5+-+-wQ-zP-% 43.Rxc7 Rxc7 44.d5! (D)
4-+-+-+P+$ XABCDEFGHY
3zP-+R+-+-# 8-+-+-mk-+(
2-+-+-mK-+" 7+-tr-sn-+p'
1+-+-+-+-! 6-zp-+-+p+&
xabcdefghy 5+R+P+p+-%
43.Qe7! Qd8 44.Qxd8+ Rxd8 45.d7 4P+-+-zP-zP$
And as Re3-e8 is coming, Black resigned.
1-0 3+N+-mK-+-#
2-+-+-+-+"
1+-+-+-+-!
■ Vakhidov Tahir xabcdefghy
Khania 2000 ● The passed d-pawn has finally succeeded in
advancing! 71.Bg2 Black amazingly can not win
44...Ra7 45.a5! bxa5 46.Nxa5 according to the endgame tablebases.
Material remains equal but White is better. 67...bxc5?!
The passed d-pawn and the active placement 67...Kf4 is much easier from the practical
of his pieces (especially the king) are point of view: 68.cxb6 (68.c6 d3+ 69.Kxf2
sufficient for victory. Ne4+ 70.Ke1 Kxg4 71.c7 Nd6 72.Kd2 Kf4
46...Nc8 47.Nc4 Re7+ 48.Kd3 Re8 49.Rb7 73.Kxd3 Ke5 -+ ; 68.Bd7 Kg3 69.Bc6 d3+
Ne7 50.Kd4 70.Kf1 Nf3 71.Bxf3 Kxf3 72.cxb6 d2 73.b7
White's position is superb and victory is d1Q #) 68...Kg3 69.b7 Kg2 70.b8Q f1Q+
near. Black decides to sacrifice his knight, 71.Kd2 Qb1 72.Qa8+?! Ne4+ 73.Ke2?! Qf1 #.
hoping to eliminate White's last pawn and 68.bxc5 Kf4 69.c6 Kg3 70.c7 Kg2 71.c8Q
reach a drawn ending. f1Q+ 72.Kd2 Ne4+ 73.Kc2 d3+ 74.Kb2?!
50...Nxd5 51.Kxd5 Re4 52.Ne5 Rxf4 74.Kb3! escapes the direct mating attack.
53.Rxh7 Kg8 54.Rh6 Kg7 55.Rxg6+ Kh7 But Black wins in the long run after
56.h5 Rh4 57.Rg5 Kh6 58.Nf7+ Kh7 74...Qb1+ 75.Ka3 Qa1+ 76.Kb3 Nd2+
59.Rxf5 77.Kb4 Qd4+ 78.Kb5 Ne4 -+ due to his
The game has been decided. Black prolongs centralised pieces. The Lomonossov seven
the game, hoping for a tragic mistake by men endgame tablebases indeed give a win
White in the final time-scramble. for Black in 57 moves starting with
59...Ra4 60.Ke6 Ra6+ 61.Ke7 Rb6 62.Ne5 74...Qb1+.
Kh6 63.Ng4+ Kg7 64.Rg5+ Kh8 65.Kf7 74...Kg3?
Rb7+ 66.Kg6 Rb6+ 67.Nf6 Rb5 68.Ng4 Mamedyarov does not have time for this. He
Rb6+ 69.Kf5 Kh7 70.Nf6+ should continue his attack with 74...Qf2+
1-0 75.Kb3 (75.Kb1 Qe1+ 76.Kb2 Qb4+ 77.Ka1
Qa3+ 78.Kb1 Nd2 # ; 75.Ka3 Qa7+ 76.Kb4
□ Karjakin Sergey
Qb6+ 77.Ka3 Qa5+ -+) 75...Qb6+ 76.Kc4
■ Mamedyarov Shakhriyar
Nd6+ -+.
Beijing 2013 ○
75.Qf5! Qg2+
XABCDEFGHY 75...Qxf5 76.Bxf5 d2 77.Kc2 =.
8-+-+-+-+( 76.Ka3 Qh1 77.Bd1! Qxd1 78.Qxe4 Qe2
79.Qg6+ Kf2 80.Qf6+ Qf3 81.Qd4+ Ke2
7+-+-+-+-' 82.Qe5+ Kf2 83.Qd4+ Kf1 84.Qa1+ Kg2
85.Qg7+ Qg3 86.Qb7+ Kf2 87.Kb2 Ke2
6-zp-+-+-+& 88.Qe4+ Qe3 89.Qg2+ Qf2 90.Qe4+ Kd2
5+-zP-mk-sn-% (D)
4-zP-zp-+L+$ XABCDEFGHY
3+-+K+-+-# 8-+-+-+-+(
2-+-+-zp-+" 7+-+-+-+-'
1+-+-+-+-! 6-+-+-+-+&
xabcdefghy 5+-+-+-+-%
Here White must make an important 4-+-+Q+-+$
decision. 3+-+p+-+-#
67.Ke2?
And he made the wrong one. After 67.Be2! 2-mK-mk-wq-+"
bxc5 68.bxc5 Ne6 69.Bf1 Nxc5+ (69...Nf4+
70.Kc4 Ke4 71.c6 d3 72.c7 d2 73.c8Q d1Q 1+-+-+-+-!
74.Qb7+ Ke3 75.Qa7+ =) 70.Ke2 Ne4 xabcdefghy
91.Kb3? Kd5 70.f5 Kc4 71.f6 Kb3 72.f7 Rxf7 73.Kxf7
Karjakin, who has defended well, now Kb2 =) 65.gxh8Q Bxh8 66.Kg6 (66.Rc1+
cracks under the pressure, as his king can be Kd5 67.Kg6 [67.Rc2 Bb2 =] 67...Bb2
forced to leave the drawing zone near the 68.Rd1+ Kc4 69.Nf6 a2 =) 66...Bb2 67.Ng5
pawn. One way to draw is 91.Qc4 Ke1+ a2 68.Nxe6 a1Q 69.Rxa1 Bxa1 =.
(91...Qb6+ 92.Ka2 Qa5+ [92...Ke3 93.Qc1+ 64.Rd2!
Ke2 94.Qc4 =] 93.Kb2 Qe5+ 94.Kb3 Qe3 The bishop is dominated.
95.Qb4+ Ke2 96.Qc4 =) 92.Kb1 d2 93.Qe4+ 64...Ba1
Qe2 94.Qh4+ Qf2 95.Qe4+ Kf1 96.Qd3+ Now it is too late for 64...Bf6 65.g7 Bxg7+
Qe2 97.Qh3+ Ke1 98.Qh4+ =. (65...a4 66.gxh8Q Bxh8 67.Kg6 a3 68.Nf6
91...Qb6+ 92.Kc4 Qa6+ Kc5 69.Rh2 +-) 66.Kxg7 Ra8 due to 67.Ng5
92...Qc7+!? wins quicker. a4 68.Nxe6 a3 69.Ra2 Ra4 (69...Kd6 70.Kf6
93.Kb3?! +-) 70.f5 Kd5 71.Kg6 Ke5 72.Kg5 Ra8
93.Kb4 is met by 93...Qb6+ 94.Kc4 (94.Ka4 73.Nf4 Kd6 74.f6 Kc5 75.f7 Kb4 76.Nd3+
Kc3 95.Qe1+ d2 96.Qg3+ Kc2 -+) Kb3 77.Nc1+ Kb4 78.Rf2 +-.
94...Qc7+ 95.Kb5 (95.Kb3 Qc3+ 96.Ka2 65.Ra2 Bd4 66.Ra4
Qa5+ 97.Kb2 Qb5+ 98.Ka3 Kc3 -+) 66.Rxa5 wins as well.
95...Qc3 -+ and Black's king is cut off in the 66...Kd5
losing zone. 66...Bc3?! 67.Rc4+ +-.
93...Qb5+ 94.Ka2 Kc3 95.Qe1+ Kc2 67.Rxa5+ Ke4 (D)
And White resigned as he runs out of checks XABCDEFGHY
after 96.Qf2+ d2 -+.
0-1 8-+-+-+-tr(
□ Iturrizaga Bonelli Eduardo 7+-+-+-+N'
■ Predke Alexandr
Moscow 2013 ● 6-+-+p+PmK&
XABCDEFGHY 5tR-+-+-+-%
8-+-+-+-tr( 4-+-vlkzP-+$
7+-+-+-+N' 3+-+-+-+-#
6-+k+pvlPmK& 2-+-+-+-+"
5zp-+-+-+-% 1+-+-+-+-!
4-+-+-zP-+$ xabcdefghy
3+-+-+-+-# 68.Kg5!
White keeps his valuable winning potential.
2-+-+-+-+" Of course not 68.g7?? Bxg7+ 69.Kxg7 Rb8
(69...Rxh7+? 70.Kxh7 Kxf4 runs into
1+-+R+-+-! 71.Ra4+! Kf5 72.Kh6 e5 73.Kh5 e4 74.Kh4
xabcdefghy Kf4 75.Kh3 Kf3 76.Ra8 e3 77.Rf8+ Ke2
78.Kg2 +-) 70.Ra4+ Kf5 71.Ng5 e5 72.fxe5
Here is looks like Black has good chances
Kxe5 =.
due to his outside passed pawn, but the
68...Kf3 69.Ra3+
reality is different.
Black resigned: 69...Ke2 70.Nf6 Rh1
63...Bb2?
(70...Rf8 71.Nh5 Rf5+ 72.Kg4 Rf8 73.Ra6
The passed a-pawn must advance
+-) 71.Rg3 Kf2 72.Rg4 +- or 69...Ke4
immediately with 63...a4! 64.g7 a3!?
70.Nf6+ Bxf6+ 71.Kxf6 Kxf4 72.Ra4+ Ke3
(64...Bxg7+ draws as well, e.g. 65.Kxg7 Ra8
73.Kxe6 +-.
66.Ng5 a3 67.Nxe6 a2 68.Ra1 Ra7+ 69.Kg6
1-0
□ Lagarde Maxime XABCDEFGHY
■ Bacrot Etienne
Pau 2012 ● 8-+-+-vL-+(
XABCDEFGHY 7+-zp-+-+P'
8r+-+-+-+( 6-+-+p+-+&
7+-zp-+-vL-' 5+k+-+-+-%
6-+-mkp+-zP& 4-zp-+-+-+$
5+-+-+-+-% 3+-sn-+-mK-#
4-zp-+-+-+$ 2p+r+-+-+"
3+-sn-+-+-# 1tR-+-+-+-!
2p+P+-+-mK" xabcdefghy
1+-+-+R+-! 44...Ne4+!
Black's rook must stop the h-pawn as
xabcdefghy 44...b3? 45.h8Q b2 46.Qe5+ Nd5 47.Qe1
Both sides are ready to queen, but things are bxa1Q 48.Qxa1 is only drawn.
much more complicated than it looks. 45.Kf4
38...Ra5! 45.Kh3 runs into 45...Ng5+ -+.
Black's rook must be activated. The greedy 45...Rh2 46.Rxa2
38...a1Q? spoils it due to 39.Rxa1 Rxa1 46.Kxe4 b3 47.Bg7 Rxh7 48.Be5 c5 49.Kd3
40.Bf8+! Kd5 41.h7 b3 42.cxb3 Ra2+ Rh3+ 50.Kd2 c4 51.Re1 Kb4 52.Bd6+ Ka4
43.Kh3 Ra1 44.Kh2 =. 53.Be5 Ka3 54.Bd6+ Kb2 55.Be5+ c3+ -+.
39.Bf8+ 46...Rh4+! 47.Ke5 Nd6
39.Ra1 can be met by 39...Ke7 40.Bxc3 0-1
bxc3 41.h7 Rh5+ 42.Kg3 Rxh7 43.Rxa2 Rf7
□ Melekhina Alisa
44.Ra3 e5 45.Rxc3 Ke6 -+.
■ Ni Viktorija
39...Kc6 40.Ra1
Saint Louis 2012 ○
40.Bxb4 runs into 40...Rh5+ 41.Kg3 Nb1 -+.
40...Rh5+ 41.Kg3 Kb5 42.Kg4 Rh2 XABCDEFGHY
43.Kg3? 8-+-+-+-+(
This retreat is too slow. 43.Bg7! offers the
best practical chances: 43...Kc4! 44.Kg3 7+p+R+-+-'
(44.Bxc3? Kxc3 45.Rxa2 Rxh6 -+ ; 44.Kg5?
Rxc2 45.h7 Rg2+ 46.Kf4 Rh2 47.h8Q Rxh8 6-vL-+-+k+&
48.Bxh8 b3 -+) 44...Rxc2 45.h7 b3 46.h8Q 5zP-+Pzp-zP-%
b2 and White's queen is so clumsily placed
that she can do no real harm. 47.Rxa2 b1Q 4-+-+rsn-+$
48.Rxc2 Qxc2 49.Qh4+ Kb3 and Black 3+-+-+-+-#
should win in the long run. However, not
43...e5? 44.Kg3 Rxc2 45.h7 Ne4+ 46.Kg4 2-+-mK-+-+"
Rh2 (46...Rg2+ 47.Kf5 Nd6+ 48.Ke6 Rh2
49.h8Q Rxh8 50.Bxh8 b3 51.Bxe5 Nc4 1+-+-+-+-!
52.Bc3 =) 47.h8Q Rxh8 48.Bxh8 b3 xabcdefghy
49.Bxe5 Nd6 50.Kf3 and White draws.
66.Rxb7?
43...Rxc2 44.h7 (D)
Probably in high time trouble Melekhina
rushes. After 66.d6! her d-pawn is by far the

best on the board and will decide the day 77...Kxg6 (D)
directly, e.g. 66...Kxg5 67.Rxb7 Ra4 68.d7 XABCDEFGHY
+-.
66...Nxd5 8-+-+-+-+(
Now Black's passed e-pawn is as dangerous
as White's passed pawns as its march can be
7+-+-+-+-'
combined with threats against White's king. 6-+-+-+k+&
67.Bd8 Rd4+ 68.Kc1
Going in front of the pawn with 68.Ke1 does 5vL-+rtR-+-%
not help as Black's organised forces drum up 4-+-+-+-+$
enough counterplay: 68...Nc3 69.Rb8 e4
70.Rc8 Rd1+ 71.Kf2 Nd5 72.Ke2 Rd3 =. 3+-sn-+-+-#
68...e4 69.a6 e3 70.a7 Ra4 71.Kd1 Nc3+
72.Kc2 e2 73.Re7 Rxa7
2-+K+p+-+"
One way to deal with 73...Ne4 is 74.a8Q 1+-+-+-+-!
Rxa8 (74...e1Q? 75.Qc6+ +-) 75.Rxe4 Rxd8
76.Rxe2 Kxg5 =. xabcdefghy
74.Re6+? 78.Re8?
The rook is the wrong piece to fight against This runs into a deadly double attack. White
Black's e-pawn. The king should do the job had two ways to draw: 78.Rxd5 leads to a
with 74.Kd2 Ra1 75.Rxe2 Nxe2 76.Kxe2 =. drawn pawnless ending queen against rook
Note that 74.Kxc3?? Rxe7 75.Bxe7 e1Q+ -+ and bishop: 78...e1Q 79.Bxc3 Qe4+ 80.Rd3
and 74.Rxa7?? e1Q-+ loses. = and 78.Re7 holds as 78...Rxa5 can now be
74...Kf7? met by 79.Kxc3 =.
Too passive. Black's e-pawn wins the race 78...Kf7
after the active 74...Kf5! 75.Re3 (75.Re8 White's rook has no safe square on the e-file
Ne4 -+ ; 75.Rf6+ Ke5 76.Rf8 Ne4 77.Bf6+ now.
Kd5 78.Rd8+ Kc6 -+) 75...Nd5 76.Rxe2 79.Re3
Ra2+ 77.Kd3 (77.Kd1 Nc3+ -+) 77...Nf4+ - 79.Bxc3 Kxe8 80.Bd2 Kf7 -+.
+. 79...Rxa5 80.Rf3+
75.Re5 Rd7 80.Kxc3 runs into 80...Ra3+ 81.Kd2 Rxe3
The tricky 75...Nd5!? was also possible as 82.Kxe3 e1Q+ -+.
76.Rxe2? is met by 76...Ra2+ 77.Kd3 80...Ke6 81.Kd2
(77.Kd1 Nc3+ -+) 77...Nf4+ -+. 76.Kd2 81.Re3+ Re5 -+.
draws. 81...Ra2+
76.Ba5?! 0-1
White plays for a win, but it was time to take
the easy draw with 76.Kxc3 Rxd8 77.Rxe2
Kg6 =.
76...Rd5!
A strong surprise. Now White has to be very
careful.
77.g6+
77.Bxc3? runs into 77...Rxe5 78.Be1 Rd5
79.Bd2 Kg6 80.Kc3 Kf5 81.Kc2 Ke4 -+.

Middlegame Technique
Concept
Most theory and surveys on the passed
XABCDEFGHY
pawn are usually connected with the 8rsn-+-trk+(
endgame. But this is not entirely fair, as the
passed pawn can be quite useful in the
7zp-+q+p+p'
middlegame as well. 6-zp-+-zpp+&
We have come across numerous cases
where the passed pawn plays the role of the 5+-zpP+-+-%
decoy, as it forces the opponent’s pieces to 4-+-+-+-+$
deal with it, weakening other parts of the
board. 3+QzP-zPN+-#
And of course, this is the main power of
the passed pawn in the middlegame; the
2P+-+-zPPzP"
decoy! 1+-+R+K+R!
It is a quite rare case for a passed pawn to
be queened in the middlegame, but great xabcdefghy
psychological pressure can be achieved, as 16.c4
the endgame is always looming as well… Now the passed pawn cannot be assaulted.
Instead, its advance would have been
What to Aim For?
premature, as White has not completed his
The side with the passed pawn should of
development.
course aim for a pleasant (if not winning)
16...Re8 17.h4! h5 (D)
endgame and should seek exchanges in
general. XABCDEFGHY
The minor pieces exchanges favour the 8rsn-+r+k+(
side with the passed pawn as:
1. There is limited chance of counterplay. 7zp-+q+p+-'
2. The Blockade technique is limited as
well. 6-zp-+-zpp+&
3. The opponent king can’t assist his 5+-zpP+-+p%
pieces.
4-+P+-+-zP$
How to Defend?
On the other hand, the side who is fighting 3+Q+-zPN+-#
against the passed pawn should:
1. Blockade it!
2P+-+-zPP+"
2. Exchange heavy pieces (if have to 1+-+R+K+R!
choose).
3. Seek counterplay, especially towards xabcdefghy
the opponent king. White was threatening to start an attack
against the black king by means of the
As it has reputedly said, chess is not an advance h5. Black has prevented this plan,
easy game - decisions must be made and but now his kingside pawn-mass cannot
moves must be executed. But knowledge on easily advance. Black's main problem in this
what we have to do will always be helpful. position is the complete lack of any
possibility for counterplay.
□ Grivas Efstratios 18.g3 Qg4 19.Kg2 Nd7 20.a4!
■ Colovic Aleksandar The process of advancing a passed pawn is
Budapest 2001 ○ never a simple matter. White is trying to
open a second front on the queenside in 28.Rxb6 f4 29.exf4 Rd4 30.Qb3! Qf5
order to keep Black's pieces occupied in 31.Rb8! (D)
defensive (and thus generally passive) XABCDEFGHY
positions. The combination of queenside
initiative and passed pawn will increase 8-tR-+r+k+(
White's advantage and lead to victory.
20...Rab8 21.Qc2 Ne5?! (D)
7+-+-+p+-'
XABCDEFGHY 6-+-+-+p+&
8-tr-+r+k+( 5+-zpP+q+p%
7zp-+-+p+-' 4-+Ptr-zP-zP$
6-zp-+-zpp+& 3+Q+-+-zP-#
5+-zpPsn-+p% 2-+-+-zPK+"
4P+P+-+qzP$ 1+-+-+-+R!
3+-+-zPNzP-# xabcdefghy
White has a material advantage, so he seeks
2-+Q+-zPK+" piece exchanges.
1+-+R+-+R! 31...Qe4+ 32.Kh2 Rxb8 33.Qxb8+ Kh7
Or 33...Kg7 34.Qe5+! Qxe5 35.fxe5 Rxc4
xabcdefghy 36.Rd1 +-.
Exchanging the last remaining minor piece 34.Qc7! Kg8 35.Ra1! Rd2
cannot possibly be in Black's favour. Lack At last the h1-rook joins the battle, since its
of a good plan often leads to bad moves. earlier duties (protecting the king) are no
Obviously 21...Qe4 (to exchange major longer required. 35...Rxc4 also looses
pieces instead) was better, so that the black quickly: 36.Ra8+ Kg7 37.Qd8.
king could safely come to the centre and 36.Qxc5 Rc2 37.d6 Rxc4 38.Qe5 Qf3
contribute to his army's defensive actions. 39.d7! Qxf2+ 40.Kh3 Kh7 41.d8Q
22.Nxe5 Rxe5 1-0
After 22...fxe5 23.e4 White totally
□ Morozevich Alexander
dominates the position; for example:
■ Nikolic Predrag
23...Qd7 24.Rhf1 f5 25.f4!.
Wijk aan Zee 2000 ○
23.Rd2 Rbe8 24.Qd3!
Strengthening the e3-square, on which Black XABCDEFGHY
may have entertained the idea of a sacrifice 8r+l+rvlk+(
to complicate matters. Indeed, 24.Rb1?
Rxe3! would have disrupted White's plans. 7+-wqn+nzpp'
24...Qd7
The rook ending arising after 24...Qe4+ 6-zpp+-zp-+&
25.Qxe4 Rxe4 26.Rc1 does not offer Black 5zp-+-zp-+-%
any hope of survival.
25.a5! Re4?! 4P+N+P+-+$
The passive 25...Qd6 offers more chances, 3+PvLN+-zPL#
although even then White would eventually
exploit his significant superiority. 2-+P+QzP-zP"
26.axb6 axb6 27.Rb2! f5
Making an effort for counterplay at any cost, 1tR-+-+RmK-!
as the b6-pawn was doomed anyway after xabcdefghy
Black's 25th move (27...Qd6 28.Rhb1).
There's not really much going on for both 26...Qc6 (D)
sides - plans from now on are important and Black needs to control some light squares as
will reveal the winner... well. Weaker was 26...Ra8?! due to 27.Qb5!
17.Bd2! +/-.
Heading for e3, putting pressure on Black's XABCDEFGHY
queenside.
17...Nd6 8-tr-+r+k+(
Black must go for some exchanges. Weaker
was 17...Nc5 18.Bxc8 Raxc8 19.Be3 +=,
7+-+-+-zpp'
when White's position looks more pleasant. 6-zpq+nzp-+&
18.Nxd6 Bxd6 19.Be3 Nf8 20.Bxc8 Raxc8
21.c3 5+-zp-zp-+-%
21.Nb2 leads to nowhere after 21...Ne6 4PzP-+P+-+$
22.Nc4 Bc5 = but interesting was 21.f3 Ne6
22.Qf2 +=. With the text move White 3+-+-vL-zP-#
prepares his queenside expansion with b4.
21...Ne6 22.Rfd1 Rb8 (D)
2-+-+QzP-zP"
Preparing ...Qe7 and ...Nc5. 1+-tRR+-mK-!
8-tr-+r+k+( 27.Qa2
Stronger than 27.Qc4?! when 27...Qxa4
7+-wq-+-zpp' 28.Rd6 Kf7 oo was possible.
6-zppvlnzp-+& 27...Kh8!
Getting out of unpleasant pin is logical. The
5zp-+-zp-+-% alternatives 27...Qxe4?! 28.bxc5 bxc5
4P+-+P+-+$ 29.Rd6 Qg4 30.Rxc5 +/- or 27...Ra8?! 28.a5
Qxe4 29.Rd6 Qg4 30.a6! +/- were not to
3+PzPNvL-zP-# Black's taste.
28.Rd5 Ra8 29.a5 Nc7 (D)
2-+-+QzP-zP"
XABCDEFGHY
1tR-+R+-mK-!
8r+-+r+-mk(
xabcdefghy
23.b4! axb4 24.Nxb4!
7+-sn-+-zpp'
24.cxb4 += was 'logical' but with the text 6-zpq+-zp-+&
move White wishes to get rid of his knight,
as the 'bad' black bishop is fulfilling 5zP-zpRzp-+-%
important defensive functions. 4-zP-+P+-+$
24...Bxb4
More or less forced. After 24...Rbd8?! 3+-+-vL-zP-#
25.Na6 Qb7 26.Rab1 +/- Black would be in
trouble.
2Q+-+-zP-zP"
25.cxb4 c5 1+-tR-+-mK-!
Black's only chance is to place his knight on
d4. The alternative was 25...Qe7?! 26.Qc4 xabcdefghy
(26.a5!? Qxb4 27.Bxb6 +/-) 26...c5 27.bxc5 Black could also think of 29...bxa5!?
bxc5 28.a5 +/-. 30.bxc5 (30.bxa5?! Qa6! =) 30...Nc7 31.Rd6
26.Rac1 += or of 29...Nd4!? 30.Bxd4 exd4 31.Rxd4
26.Qb5?! Nd4! 27.Qc4+ Qf7 28.Qxf7+ Kxf7 Rxe4 32.Rxe4 Qxe4 33.bxc5 bxa5
29.bxc5 bxc5 leads to approximate equality. (33...bxc5? 34.Rxc5 Qe1+ 35.Kg2 Qe4+
36.f3 +-) 34.c6 a4 35.c7 Rc8 36.Qf7! +/-. Rab8 35.Rd6 h5! (35...Qg6 36.Qxg6 hxg6
But here, even if White seems to be on the 37.Rbb6 Nd4 38.Rd7 +/- ; 35...h6 36.Bxh6!
top, it is not easy to go on efficiently… [36.Ra6 Kh7! oo 37.Qxe8? Rxe8 38.Ra8
30.Rdd1 Qe4! -+] 36...Kh7 [36...gxh6? 37.Qxf6+
White would love to opt for 30.bxc5 but Ng7 38.Qf7! +-] 37.Be3 +/-) 36.Ra1 Kh7 +/-
after 30...Rxa5! (30...bxa5? 31.Rd6! Qxe4 Black could have put-up serious resistance.
32.c6 +/- ; 30...Nxd5? 31.exd5 Qb5 32.Rb1! 34.b7 (D)
Qxa5 33.Qxa5 bxa5 34.c6 +-) 31.Rd6 XABCDEFGHY
(31.cxb6? Qxc1+ 32.Bxc1 Rxa2 33.bxc7
Rc2 34.Rd8 Rxc1+ 35.Kg2 Rg8! -+) 8r+-+r+-mk(
31...Qxd6! 32.Qxa5! bxc5 (32...Qd1+
33.Rxd1 bxa5 34.c6 +=) 33.Bxc5 Black can
7+P+-+Qzpp'
hold: 33...Qd7! 34.Qa7 Qd8! (34...Ra8? 6-+-+nzp-+&
35.Qb7 Rd8 36.Bb4! [36.Bb6? Ne8 37.Qxd7
Rxd7 38.Rc8 Re7 39.Bc5 Re6 =] 36...Ne6 5+-zp-zp-+-%
37.Qxd7 Rxd7 38.Rc6! Nc7 39.Ba5 Ne8 4q+-+-+-+$
40.Re6 Nd6 41.Bb4 +-) 35.Bb6 Nb5 36.Qf7
Nd6! =. 3+-+-vL-zP-#
30...Qxe4! 31.Qf7! Ne6?
Absolutely wrong! Black should get rid of
2-+-+-zP-zP"
his knight by taking some white pawns in 1+R+R+-mK-!
return: 31...bxa5! 32.Qxc7 cxb4, when his
chances to survive are very good. xabcdefghy
32.axb6! The passed b-pawn is very strong but it is
After 32.Rd6?! bxa5!? (32...Nd4?! 33.Bxd4! not easy to queen. White should combine its
cxd4 34.Rd7 Rg8 35.axb6 +/-) 33.Rxe6 Rf8 power with an attack on the kingside, when
34.Qd7 Rfd8 35.Qb5 cxb4 +=, a similar case Black will not be able to parry all threats.
to the previous note is again on the board. 34...Rab8 35.Rd7 Qc6
32...Qxb4 33.Rb1? (D) 35...Qg4? loses instantly to 36.Qxe8+! Rxe8
White activity more than enough 37.b8Q +-.
compensates the small material deficit. But 36.Bh6!
here much better was 33.b7! Rab8 34.Rd7 A.Morozevich quotes: 'Due to the
Qg4 35.Bxc5 +- and Black will not last long. remoteness of the black queen, it has
XABCDEFGHY become very easy for White to make
combinations.'
8r+-+r+-mk( 36...Rg8 37.Rbd1!
The last finesse - White unites all his pieces.
7+-+-+Qzpp' 37.Re7 also was winning: 37...Qe4 38.Rc1
6-zP-+nzp-+& Qg6 39.Qxe6 Qxh6 40.Rxc5 +-.
37...Rbf8
5+-zp-zp-+-% 37...Qa6 38.Re7 +- or 37...c4 38.R1d6 +-
4-wq-+-+-+$ were not real options...
38.Bxg7+!
3+-+-vL-zP-# The time has come for the final blow!
38...Nxg7
2-+-+-zP-zP" Or 38...Rxg7 39.Qxf8+ Nxf8 40.b8Q +- -
1+R+R+-mK-! yes, the pawn has been promoted finally!
39.Qxf8! Rxf8 40.Rd8!
xabcdefghy This was the main point of White's
33...Qa4? combination - mating threats combined with
Returning the favour. With 33...Qg4! 34.b7 the passed b-pawn.
40...Ne6 41.Rxf8+ Nxf8 42.b8Q Kg7 30.h3!!
43.Qa7+ Kh6 Hard to believe that 30.Qb7 doesn't win
43...Kg6 44.Qe7 +-. especially after 30...Qa4!! (30...Qa1?
44.Qf7! 31.Qxc8+ Kh7 32.Qh8+! [32.Rxh6+ Kxh6
1-0 33.Qh8+ Kg6 34.Qe8+ Kh6 35.Qe6+ Kh7
36.Qh3+ Kg6 37.Qg4+ Kh7 38.Rxa1 +-]
□ Korchnoi Viktor
32...Kxh8 33.Rxh6+ gxh6 34.c8Q+ Kg7
■ Spassky Boris
35.Qxd7+ Kf6 36.Rxa1 +-. But Black had
Belgrade 1977 ○
the resource 31.Qxc8+ Kh7 32.h3
XABCDEFGHY (32.Rxh6+ gxh6 -+ ; 32.Qg8+ Kxg8
8-+r+-+k+( 33.c8Q+ Kh7 34.Rc2 Qa1! -+) 32...Qxc6
33.Rxd2 Qc1+ 34.Kh2 Qxd2 35.Qb8 Rxc7
7+-zPr+-zp-' 36.Qxc7 Qxf2 =.
30...Qa4 31.Rxd2! Rxd2 32.Qb7!
6-zpR+-+-zp& 32.Qb8?! Rxb8 33.cxb8Q+ Kh7 34.Rc8
5zp-+qzp-+-% Qd1+ 35.Kh2 Rxf2 isn't clear enough...
32...Rdd8 33.cxd8Q+ Rxd8 34.Rc7 (D)
4-+-zp-+-+$ XABCDEFGHY
3+-+-zP-+-# 8-+-tr-+k+(
2P+Q+-zPPzP" 7+QtR-+-zp-'
1+-tR-+-mK-! 6-+-+-+-zp&
xabcdefghy 5zp-+-zp-+-%
A quite interesting case, where both sides
have a dangerous passed pawn. 4q+-+-+-+$
27.Qb1!! 3+-+-zP-+P#
A gorgeous move, which allows the white
queen to penetrate via b6 and b7. 2-+-+-zPP+"
27...d3!
Passed pawns must be pushed! 1+-+-+-mK-!
28.Qxb6 d2 xabcdefghy
28...Qxa2 29.h3 is a transposition.
Korchnoi has exchanged off his passed c-
29.Rd1 Qxa2 (D)
pawn for Black's d-pawn, but in return has
XABCDEFGHY shattered Black's pawn structure and
8-+r+-+k+( doubled his own heavy pieces on the 7th
rank. The attack on the backwards g7-pawn
7+-zPr+-zp-' forces Spassky to jettison his e5-pawn.
34...Qa1+ 35.Kh2 e4 36.Qxe4
6-wQR+-+-zp& Black has managed to defend g7 by opening
5zp-+-zp-+-% up the long a1-h8 diagonal, but he had to
sacrifice the e-pawn to do so. And the a-
4-+-+-+-+$ pawn's days are numbered too. Black will be
3+-+-zP-+-# too busy dealing with White's threats on the
kingside to be able to defend it.
2q+-zp-zPPzP" 36...Qf6 37.f4 Qf8 38.Ra7 Qc5 39.Qb7
Qc3 40.Qe7 Rf8 41.e4 Qd4 42.f5 h5
1+-+R+-mK-! 43.Rxa5 Qd2 44.Qe5 Qg5 45.Ra6 Rf7
xabcdefghy 46.Rg6 Qd8 47.f6 h4 48.fxg7
1-0
□ Aronian Levon XABCDEFGHY
■ Anand Viswanathan
Morelia/Linares 2007 ● 8-tR-+-trk+(
XABCDEFGHY 7+-+-+-zpp'
8-+r+-+k+( 6P+lzP-zp-+&
7trp+n+lzpp' 5+-+-zp-+-%
6-+-vL-zp-+& 4-+-+-+-zP$
5+-+Pzp-+-% 3+-+-+-+-#
4P+-+-+-zP$ 2-+-+-zP-zP"
3+-+-+-+-# 1+n+-mK-+-!
2-+-+LzP-zP" xabcdefghy
1+R+R+-mK-! 41.a7
An incredible position. Black is lost in spite
xabcdefghy of being two whole pieces up.
After a quite original treatment, White has 41...Kf7 42.d7 Ke7 43.Rxf8 Kxd7 44.a8Q
achieved a clear advantage, based on his Bxa8 45.Rxa8 h5 46.Ra7+ Ke6 47.Rxg7
bishop pair and his passed d-pawn. Kf5
28...Nf8 29.Bb5 Raa8 30.Be7 Ng6 31.d6 This move shortens Black's suffering. After
White's activity looks threatening. The next 47...Nc3 48.Rh7 the h-pawn would have
phase of the game will be played by Aronian decided the game.
in the best spirit of romantic chess. 48.Rg3
31...Nxe7 32.Bd7!! The knight is trapped now. There is no
The pawn is more dangerous on the d-file, defence against Rb3.
because it cannot be stopped by the bishop 1-0
too easily. Black would have had all the
chances to defend his position after 32.dxe7
■ Votruba Pavel
Be8.
Athens 1984 ○
32...Nc6
Black has to accept the sacrifice. If XABCDEFGHY
32...Rcb8? (the only square along the back 8-+rwq-trk+(
rank where the rook will not be attacked
after White's next move) then 33.dxe7 Be8 7zp-+nvlpzp-'
34.Be6+ Bf7 35.Rxb7!! +/-.
33.Rxb7 Nd4 34.Bxc8 Rxc8 35.Rdb1 6l+-+-+-zp&
Threatening to exchange Black's remaining 5+-zpP+-+-%
rook, when the passed pawns would be
impossible to be stopped. 4Nzp-+-+-+$
35...Rf8 36.Rb8 Be8 37.a5 Nf3+ 38.Kf1 3+L+-+N+-#
Nd2+ 39.Ke1 Nxb1 40.a6 Bc6 (D)
2PzP-+-zPPzP"
1+-tRQtR-mK-!
xabcdefghy
18.d6!
Passed pawns must be pushed!

18...Bf6 19.Qd5! Nb6 20.Nxb6 axb6 king cannot approach the pawn: 34...Kf8
21.Ne5! 35.Qh7! Rxd7? 36.Re1! f6 37.Qh8+ Kf7
As usual, minor-piece exchanges benefit the 38.Qe8 #.
side with the passed pawn, i.e. White. 31...Bxe4 32.fxe4 Qe6?!
Consequently White is using tactical threats In time pressure Black cannot bring himself
towards that goal. It should be noted that to play the necessary 32...f6!, weakening his
White could also have chosen the ‘tactical king but preventing White from connecting
shot’ 21.d7? Rc7 22.Qxf7+ Rxf7 23.Re8+ his central pawns.
Kh7 24.Rxd8 Bxd8 25.Bxf7 Rxd7 and 33.Rd1 Rd8 34.e5!
ended up in a very bad position, having lost White is now clearly better. The passed d6-
their greatest strength (the passed pawn!) in pawn cuts Black's position in two and
the process. prevents any possible counterplay.
21...Bxe5 22.Rxe5 c4! 34...Kh7 35.Qb6! Qd7 36.h3
Black commences a tactical sequence to Taking the g4-square away from the black
undouble his queenside pawns. However, queen and threatening Rd5 with material
this operation involves further exchanges, gain. Black decides to throw caution to the
something that cannot possibly harm White. wind as further passive defence would be
23.Bc2 b3! 24.Bb1 bxa2 25.Bxa2 Rc5 hopeless.
26.Qd4 Rxe5 36...Rc8! 37.Rd5 c3 38.bxc3 Rxc3
Exchanging the rooks is much better than 39.Rxb5?!
26...Qf6? 27.f4!. Time pressure prompted this inaccuracy.
27.Qxe5 Re8 28.Qd4 b5 29.Bb1 Qd7 White would win faster with 39.Qxb5! Qa7+
The pawn must be blockaded, but the queen (39...Rc1+ 40.Kh2 Qf5 41.Qd3! ; 39...Qf5
is not the best piece for the job. Negligent 40.Qf1!) 40.Kh2 Qf2 41.Rd1!.
blockading necessity would be disastrous: 39...Rc1+ 40.Kh2 Qf5 41.Qe3! Rd1!
29...Bb7?! 30.d7! (30.Bf5? Qg5!) 30...Re7 41...Qf1 42.Rb7! Qh1+ 43.Kg3 would not
31.Bf5! g6 32.Bh3 f5 33.Rd1 Kh7 34.Qd6, have saved Black.
etc. 42.Rb4 Rd5 43.Re4 Qe6 44.Rd4! (D)
30.Be4 Bb7?! (D) XABCDEFGHY
Why exchange minor pieces?
XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+(
8-+-+r+k+( 7+-+-+pzpk'
7+l+q+pzp-' 6-+-zPq+-zp&
6-+-zP-+-zp& 5+-+rzP-+-%
5+p+-+-+-% 4-+-tR-+-+$
4-+pwQL+-+$ 3+-+-wQ-+P#
3+-+-+-+-# 2-+-+-+PmK"
2-zP-+-zPPzP" 1+-+-+-+-!
1+-tR-+-mK-! xabcdefghy
White wraps up the game with a simple but
xabcdefghy pretty tactic.
31.f3?! 44...Rxe5?!
White had a much better option at this point, Exchanging the rooks is essential, although
namely 31.Bxb7 Qxb7 32.d7 Rd8 33.Rd1 the queen ending is clearly hopeless for
Qc7 (33...b4?! 34.Qe5!) 34.Qe4! with a Black, as the white king can assist the
significant advantage. Note that the black promotion of the d-pawn. The other option
was 44...Kg8 45.Qe4! Rxe5 46.Qa8+ Kh7 XABCDEFGHY
47.d7 +-.
45.Qd3+ g6 46.d7 Re3 47.Qxe3! 8r+r+-snk+(
Black resigned due to 47...Qxe3 48.Rd1!
and certainly not 48.d8Q?? Qe5+ with
7zppvL-+p+p'
perpetual check! 6-+-zP-vl-+&
1-0
5+Lzp-+-+-%
4-+-+-+-zp$
3+-+-+PzP-#
■ Kotronias Vasilios 2P+-mK-+-zP"
Athens 1986 ○ 1+-tR-+-+R!
8rsn-+r+k+( 23.Rhe1?!
7zpp+-+p+p' White can retain a slight plus with 23.Rxc5!
Ne6 24.Rf5 Nxc7 25.dxc7 Be7 26.Rc1 Bd6
6-+-vL-vl-+& 27.Rd5!. In any case this had to be played
5+-zpP+-+-% instead of the text move.
23...hxg3 24.hxg3 Bd8?
4-+-+-+-zp$ Black commits a significant error. He could
instead have equalized with 24...a6! 25.Bd3
3+-+-+PzP-# Bd8 26.Rxc5 Ne6 27.Bf5! Nxc5 28.Bxc8
2P+-mKL+-zP" Rxc8 29.Re8+ Kg7 30.Rxd8. Now Black's
position appears hopeless.
1+-tR-+-+R! 25.Rxc5 Bxc7 26.dxc7! (D)
20.Bc7! 8r+r+-snk+(
The only way. The alternatives were
significantly inferior: 20.Bxc5?! Rd8! 7zppzP-+p+p'
21.Bc4 Nd7 22.Be3 Nb6 23.Bxb6 axb6 = or 6-+-+-+-+&
20.Rxc5? Nd7 21.Rc7 Nb6 22.Rxb7 Rad8
with the initiative for Black. White must 5+LtR-+-+-%
make full use of the position's prevalent
strategic element, the passed pawn. The 4-+-+-+-+$
presence of another important element, the 3+-+-+PzP-#
bishop pair, enhances the power of this
pawn. However, the position is not a one- 2P+-mK-+-+"
sided affair: Black has no obvious 1+-+-tR-+-!
weaknesses and should be able to withstand
White's assault with correct play. xabcdefghy
20...Nd7! 21.Bb5?! A passed pawn on such an advanced square
White should play 21.d6! because Black is a painful thorn in Black's side. Besides,
now had at his disposal the strong tactical with every piece exchange White's
sequence 21...a6! 22.Bxd7 Re7 23.d6 Rxd7 superiority is growing as Black's chances for
24.Rhe1 (not 24.Rxc5? Be7 25.Rd5 Bxd6! counterplay diminish.
26.Bxd6 Rad8), equalizing. 26...Ne6 27.Rxe6! fxe6 28.Bd7 Kf7 29.Ke3
21...Rec8?! 22.d6 Nf8 (D) Kf6
Weaker resistance is offered by 29...Ke7? XABCDEFGHY
30.Bxc8 Rxc8 31.Rh5! Rxc7 32.Rxh7+ Kd6
33.Rxc7 Kxc7 34.Kd4 with a winning pawn 8-+-+r+k+(
ending or 29...b6? 30.Rc6! Ke7 31.Bxe6.
30.g4! h6 31.Ke4 Ke7 32.Bxc8 Rxc8
7+q+-+pzpp'
33.Ke5 Kd7 34.Rc2! (D) 6-+-zp-sn-+&
XABCDEFGHY 5+P+-zp-+l%
8-+r+-+-+( 4-+-+-+-+$
7zppzPk+-+-' 3+-+-zPN+P#
6-+-+p+-zp& 2-zP-+LzPP+"
5+-+-mK-+-% 1+-+Q+RmK-!
4-+-+-+P+$ xabcdefghy
3+-+-+P+-# 18...d5! 19.Qa4 d4
Black's problems would only increase after
2P+R+-+-+" 19...Ra8 20.Qc2! Rc8 21.Qf5 e4 22.Nd4
1+-+-+-+-! Bxe2 23.Nxe2 Rc2 24.Nd4 Rxb2 25.Rc1!.
20.Qa6! Qe7
xabcdefghy 20...Qxa6? 21.bxa6 is a very difficult ending
Driving Black into zugzwang. Black has no for Black. If 21...d3?, then 22.Bxd3 e4
good moves anymore. 23.Bb5!. But now the passed pawn is free to
34...b5 advance.
This leads to material losses, but White 21.b6 dxe3!
would win easily after either 34...Ke7 35.f4 Creating weaknesses around the white king,
b5 36.g5 hxg5 37.fxg5 a5 38.g6 or 34...Rxc7 hoping to somehow drum up counterplay.
35.Rxc7+ Kxc7 36.Kxe6. Meanwhile, 21...d3? was still impossible:
35.Rd2+ Ke7 36.Rd6 Rxc7 22.Bxd3 e4 23.Bb5!.
Or 36...Rf8 37.Rd8! Rxd8 38.cxd8Q+ Kxd8 22.fxe3 Qc5 23.Bb5!? Rf8!
39.Kxe6 a5 40.Kd5 +-. 23...Qxe3+? 24.Kh2 Rc8 25.Bc6! +-.
37.Rxe6+ Kf7 38.Rxh6 Rc5+ 39.Kf4 Rc4+ 24.b7 Qxe3+ 25.Kh2 Ne4? (D)
40.Kg5 Ra4 41.Rh7+ Ke6 42.Rh2 a5 43.f4 25...Qf4+! would have kept the game within
Re4 44.f5+ Kd7 45.f6 b4 46.Rh7+ the boundaries of a draw.
1-0 XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-trk+(
7+P+-+pzpp'
□ Grivas Efstratios 6Q+-+-+-+&
■ Lalev Dimitar
Asenovgrad 1985 ● 5+L+-zp-+l%
White has obtained a passed pawn on the
queenside (the b2-pawn is of no great value) 4-+-+n+-+$
and wishes to make use of it. Black is 3+-+-wqN+P#
obliged to create counterplay in the centre
and on the kingside, as White is likely to 2-zP-+-+PmK"
transfer his forces from there to the 1+-+-+R+-!
queenside in order to assist the advance of
the passed pawn. xabcdefghy
26.Qa8? XABCDEFGHY
Black's pressure had driven White into time-
trouble, which in turn caused this serious 8r+-wqk+-tr(
error. White could have won with 26.Qa3!
Qb6 27.Bc6! Bxf3 (27...Nc5 28.Nxe5 Nxb7
7+-vl-+pzpp'
29.Qxf8+!) 28.Rxf3 Nc5 29.Bd5!. 6pzpP+p+-+&
26...Qf4+ 27.Kg1 Qe3+ 28.Kh2 Qf4+
29.Kh1 Ng3+ 30.Kg1 (D) 5+-+-+-+-%
XABCDEFGHY 4Q+-zPp+-+$
8Q+-+-trk+( 3vL-+-zP-+-#
7+P+-+pzpp' 2P+-+-zPPzP"
6-+-+-+-+& 1tR-+-+RmK-!
5+L+-zp-+l% xabcdefghy
4-+-+-wq-+$ White seems to be on the right track, as
Black cannot complete his development and
3+-+-+NsnP# the white c-pawn seems to be rather strong.
18...h5
2-zP-+-+P+" Forced - Black is obliged to seek
1+-+-+RmK-! counterplay.
19.f3 b5 20.Qb4 Qh4 21.h3?
xabcdefghy White thought this was just winning the
30...e4! game. He admitted he'd simply blundered by
Instead, Black loses after 30...Qe3+? 31.Rf2 losing the a3-bishop afterwards. After 21.f4
Qb6 32.Nxe5! Qxb5 33.Qxf8+ Kxf8 White would be well on top.
34.b8Q+. 21...a5! 22.Qxb5 Qg3 23.fxe4 Qxe3+
31.Be8? 24.Kh1 Qxa3 25.Qb7!
White blunders by missing the correct White was lucky that he still had this move.
31.Ne5 Qxe5 32.Rc1 Qxb5 33.Rc8 Qb6+ 25...Qg3?
34.Kh2 Nf1+ 35.Kh1 =. Here Black was down to seconds and
31...Ne2+!? understandably missed the stunning drawing
Black could be now try 31...Qe3+!? 32.Rf2 line 25...Qd6!! 26.Qxa8+ Ke7 27.e5 Qxd4
Ne2+ 33.Kf1 exf3, where White would had 28.Qxh8 (28.Rad1 Qxd1!) 28...Qxe5! and
to find 34.Bxf7+ Kxf7 35.Qxf8+ Kxf8 Black's queen and bishop give perpetual
36.b8Q+ Kf7 37.Qc7+ =. check.
32.Kh1 26.e5 0-0 27.Qxc7 Qc3 28.Qd6 Rad8
White would even lose after the 29.Rfc1?
overambitious 32.Kf2 Qg3+ 33.Ke3? A bad case of moving the wrong rook. After
(33.Kxe2! exf3+ 34.gxf3 Qe5+! 35.Kf2 29.Rac1 Qxd4 30.Rfd1! it would be curtains.
Qh2+ [35...Qxe8 36.Qxe8 Rxe8 37.Rc1 +-] 29...Rxd6?
36.Ke3 Qe5+ =) 33...exf3 34.b8Q fxg2+ Black had prosaic chances of holding a draw
35.Qxg3 gxf1N+!!. with 29...Qxd4!.
32...Ng3+ 33.Kg1 Ne2+ 34.Kh1 Ng3+ 30.Rxc3 Rxd4 31.c7! Rc8 32.Rb1 Rb4
35.Kg1 33.Rd1
½-½ 1-0
□ Naiditsch Arkadij
■ Meier Georg
Baden Baden 2013 ●

Unbalances
Concept
The passed pawn concept is rather difficult
XABCDEFGHY
to evaluate properly and accurate. Intuition, 8r+-+k+-+(
based on knowledge, is in need and material
unbalanced positions tents to offer
7+p+-+-+-'
interesting motifs. 6-+-trpzp-+&
We have come across various cases where
material unbalance, in conjunction with 5zpP+P+-zp-%
passers, created some clear-cut ‘executions’ 4-+P+-+-zp$
and masterpieces!
Let’s examine some cases: 3+PmK-sNP+P#
□ Timofeev Artyom 2-+-+-+P+"
■ Khismatullin Denis
Moscow 2009 ○ 1tR-+-+-+-!
45.c5! Rdd8 46.Kd4 Rac8 47.Rxa5 e5+
8r+-+-+-+( 48.Kc4 b6 (D)
7+psn-zpk+-' XABCDEFGHY
6-tr-zp-zp-+& 8-+rtrk+-+(
5zp-+R+Nzp-% 7+-+-+-+-'
4P+P+P+-zp$ 6-zp-+-zp-+&
3+PmK-+P+P# 5tRPzPPzp-zp-%
2-+-+-+P+" 4-+K+-+-zp$
1+-+R+-+-! 3+P+-sNP+P#
xabcdefghy 2-+-+-+P+"
A rather blockaded position, where it seems
that there is nothing to do by both sides... 1+-+-+-+-!
40.Rb5!? Nxb5+?! xabcdefghy
Black bites the decoy. He should have opted
This is what Black had in mind when
for the safest 40...Rxb5 41.axb5 Ne6, with a
playing 44...Rd6.
balanced position.
49.b4!!
41.axb5 Ke8?!
49.Ra6 Rxc5+ 50.Kb4 Rb8 51.Rxb6 +/-.
Too passive. Black should seek open lines
49...bxa5
for his rooks and some activity, so he should
49...Rxc5+ 50.bxc5 bxa5 51.b6 +-.
create a mess with 41...a4 42.Ra1 e6 43.Ne3
50.bxa5 Ra8 51.a6
d5!?.
Game over - four passers and a knight
42.Ra1! e6 43.Ne3
cannot be stopped by two lonely rooks...
Now White's plan is clear-cut: Kd3, Ra4 and
51...e4
b4.
51...Kd7 loses to 52.c6+ Kd6 53.Nf5+ Kc7
43...d5!? 44.exd5 Rd6? (D)
54.Kc5 +-.
44...Kf7 45.Ra4 exd5 46.Nxd5 Rd6 offers
52.fxe4 Kd7 53.Nf5 Re8 54.c6+ Kd8
Black more surviving chances.
55.Nd6! Re7 56.Kc5 f5 57.exf5 Re2
58.Nb7+ Ke8 59.d6 Rxg2 60.d7+ Ke7 XABCDEFGHY
61.f6+ Kxf6 62.c7
1-0 8-+-+-+-+(
7+-+-+-+-'
6pzP-+qzpQzP&
5zP-sn-+-+-%
4-+-+p+P+$
□ Aronian Levon 3+-+-zP-+-#
■ Svidler Peter
Moscow 2011 ○ 2-+-+kzP-+"
XABCDEFGHY 1+-+-+-mK-!
8-+-+-+-wQ( xabcdefghy
7+p+-+p+-' 52...Qc4
Alternatives as 52...Nd3 53.h7 Qc8 54.Qf5
6pzPq+n+p+& Qc1+ 55.Kh2 Nxf2 56.h8Q Qh1+ 57.Kg3
5zP-+-+k+-% Qxh8 (57...Qg1+ 58.Kf4 +-) 58.Qxf2+ Kd3
59.Qf4 +- or 52...Qb3 53.h7 Qd1+ 54.Kh2
4-+-+p+-zp$ Qd6+ 55.Kg2 Nd3 56.Qxe4 (56.h8Q? Ne1+
57.Kh3 Nf3) 56...Ne1+ 57.Kh3 Nf3
3+-sN-zP-+P# 58.Qc2+ Ke1 59.Qc1+ Ke2 (59...Kxf2
2-+-+-zPP+" 60.Qc2+ Nd2 61.Qc7 +-) 60.Qc4+ Ke1
61.Kg2 Nh4+ 62.Kh1 Qd1 63.Kg1 Nf3+
1+-+-+-mK-! (63...Kd2+ 64.Kh2 Nf3+ 65.Kg3 +-) 64.Kg2
xabcdefghy Nh4+ 65.Kg3 Qf3+ 66.Kxh4 Qh1+ 67.Kg3
Qg1+ 68.Kf3 +-, are failing to help.
42.Qxh4!! 53.h7 Ke1 54.Qxf6
A fine sacrifice, as White has seen that he 1-0
can obtain various dangerous passers.
42.Ne2 g5 43.g3 is also good for White, but □ Vitiugov Nikita
this sacrifice is both brilliant and more ■ Morozevich Alexander
effective. Tromso 2013 ●
42...Qxc3 43.g4+ Ke5 44.Qh8+ f6 45.Qb8+ XABCDEFGHY
Kd5 46.Qxb7+ Qc6 47.Qb8!
47.Qxa6? Ng5 saves the game, as the b6- 8-+-+-+-+(
pawn can't advance yet. 7+-+-+-+-'
47...Nc5
47...Ng5 loses to 48.b7 Nf3+ 49.Kg2 Qc1 6N+-+-+p+&
50.Qg8+ +-.
48.Qg8+ Qe6
5+p+ltR-+p%
48...Ke5 49.Qxg6 +- is similar. 4-+pmk-zP-zP$
49.Qxg6 Kc4
White's pawns are decisive in the long run. 3+-sn-+-+-#
Fully realising this, Svidler embarks on a 2-+-+-+-+"
desperate counterattack. If 49...Nd7 then
50.h4 (50.Kg2!? +-) 50...Ne5 51.Qf5 Qxf5 1+-+-mK-+-!
52.gxf5 Kc6 53.h5 Nf7 54.Kg2 +-.
50.h4 Kd3 51.h5 Ke2 52.h6 (D)
xabcdefghy
73...Bc6? c1Q -+.
Black missed 73...Be4! when his pawns will 85...c2+!
win, e.g. 74.Nb4 (74.Nc7 b4 75.Ne6+ Ke3 Not 85...Ne5? 86.f7 Nxf7 87.Rxf7 +-.
76.Rc5 Bd5 77.Nc7 Kd4 -+ ; 74.Nc7 b4 86.Kd2 c1Q+ 87.Rxc1 Nxc1 88.Kxc1 Ke6
75.Kd2 Bf5 76.Re8 Ne4+ 77.Kc1 c3 78.Rb8 89.Kb2 Kxf6 90.Kxb3 Kf5 91.Kc2 Kg4
Ng3 79.Rxb4+ Kd3 80.Rb3 Kc4 81.Rb6 92.Kd2 Kxh4 93.Ke2 Kg3 94.Kf1 h4
Ne2+ 82.Kd1 Nd4 83.Kc1 Be4 84.Ne6 95.Kg1 h3 96.Kh1 h2
Ne2+ 85.Kd1 c2+ 86.Kxe2 c1Q -+) 74...Nd5 ½-½
75.Nxd5 Bxd5 76.Kd2 c3+ 77.Kc2 b4 -+.
74.Nb4 Be4 75.Kd2 Nd5 76.Nc6+ Kc5 □ Istratescu Andrei
77.Rxe4 Kxc6 78.Re6+ Kc5 79.Rxg6 b4 ■ Maze Sebastien
80.f5 b3 Pau 2012 ○
80...c3+ achieves nothing different after XABCDEFGHY
81.Kc2 Ne3+ 82.Kb3 c2 (82...Nxf5??
83.Rg5 +-) 83.Rg1 Nxf5 84.Kxc2 Nxh4 =. 8-+-+-+-+(
81.f6 c3+ 82.Kc1 Nf4 (D) 7+-+-+-+-'
XABCDEFGHY 6-+P+-+-+&
8-+-+-+-+( 5+K+n+-tR-%
7+-+-+-+-' 4-+-+k+-+$
6-+-+-zPR+& 3+-+-zp-+p#
5+-mk-+-+p% 2-+-+-+-+"
4-+-+-sn-zP$ 1+-+-+-+-!
3+pzp-+-+-# xabcdefghy
2-+-+-+-+" Races of passed pawns must be calculated
1+-mK-+-+-! precisely.
81.Rxd5!?
xabcdefghy The best try to win. 81.Rg1 e2 82.Kc4 Nc7
83.Rg1! 83.Rh1 h2 84.Kc3 Ke3 85.Kc4 =.
The only way to deal with Black's passed 81...h2?
pawns, as we can observe from the After playing his last move Black resigned
alternatives: 83.Rg3? Ne2+ 84.Kd1 c2+ not waiting to see 82.Rd1 e2 83.Ra1 Kf3
(84...Nxg3? 85.f7 Kd4 86.f8Q c2+ 87.Kd2 84.c7 Kf2 85.c8Q e1Q 86.Qf5+ +-. Back to
Ne4+ 88.Kc1 Nc5 =) 85.Kxe2 c1Q 86.f7 the game, the rook can stop both black
Qc4+ -+ ; 83.Rg5+? Kc4 84.f7 Nd3+ pawns. 81...Kxd5? is also wrong due to
85.Kd1 c2+ 86.Ke2 c1Q 87.f8Q Qe1+ 82.c7 and Black can queen one of his pawns,
88.Kf3 Qf2+ 89.Ke4 Qxf8 -+. but the new born queen is lost immediately
83...Kd6 in both cases: 82...e2 (82...h2 83.c8Q h1Q
The fork 83...Ne2+?? even loses to 84.Kd1 84.Qc6+ +-) 83.c8Q e1Q 84.Qd8+ Ke4
Nxg1 85.f7 c2+ 86.Kd2 Ne2 87.f8Q+ +-. 85.Qe8+ Kf3 86.Qxe1 h2 (86...Kg2 87.Qe4+
84.Rf1! Kg1 88.Qg4+ Kh2 89.Qf3 Kg1 90.Qg3+
White must be on the alert: 84.f7? Nd3+ Kh1 91.Qf2 h2 92.Qf1 #) 87.Qh1+ +-. Only
85.Kd1 Ke7 86.Rf1 Kf8 87.Ke2 Nb4 88.Rc1 81...e2! draws: 82.c7 (82.Rd8 h2 83.c7 h1Q
b2 89.Rb1 c2 90.Rxb2 c1Q 91.Rxb4 Qc2+ - 84.c8Q Qb1+ =) 82...e1Q 83.c8Q Qf1+
+. 84.Kc6 Qf6+ 85.Rd6 Qc3+ 86.Kd7 Qxc8+
84...Nd3+ 85.Kd1! 87.Kxc8 Kf3 =.
And not 85.Kb1? c2+ 86.Ka1 b2+ 87.Ka2 1-0
Index of Games
When a player’s name appears in bold, that player had White. Otherwise the first-named player
had White. A total of 76 games, examples and studies are analysed and presented in this book.
Albin Adolf - Baird 10 Grivas Efstratios - Ramnath 36

Almasi Zoltan - Slipak 55 Grivas Efstratios - Roos 24
Anand Viswanathan - Aronian 70 Grivas Efstratios - Skalkotas 41
Anastasopoulos Angelos - Grivas 25 Grivas Efstratios - Vakhidov 60
Aronian Levon - Anand 70 Grivas Efstratios - Votruba 70
Aronian Levon - Svidler 76 Grivas Efstratios - Wagner 54
Bacrot Etienne - Kasparov 25 Guimard Carlos Enrique - Rosseto 13
Bacrot Etienne - Lagarde 63 Gurevich Mikhail - Epishin 37
Baird David Graham - Albin 10 Hartmann Gerhard - Braig 11
Ballo Emanuel - Heymann 11 Heymann Anna Luise - Ballo 11
Becking Franz Josef - Koch 11 Istratescu Andrei - Maze 77
Bonneau Alain - De Casteja 16 Iturrizaga Eduardo - Predke 62
Braig Michael - Hartmann 11 Kanmazalp Ogulcan - Darini 26
Caruana Fabiano - Smirnov 19 Karayiannis Athanasios - Grivas 7
Chiburdanidze Maia - Maric 59 Karjakin Sergey - Mamedyarov 61
Collins Sam - Shaw 23 Karpov Anatoly - Korchnoi 8
Colovic Aleksandar - Grivas 65 Kasparov Garry - Bacrot 25
Dalla Rosa G. - Salvioli 12 Kasparov Garry - Kramnik 46
Darini Pouria - Kanmazalp 26 Khismatullin Denis - Timofeev 75
De Casteja Emmanuel - Bonneau 16 Koch Arno - Becking 11
Dizdarevic Emir - Grivas 33 Kokkinos Leonidas - Grivas 34
Dolzhikova Olga - Grivas 35 Kokolias Konstantinos - Sigalas 43
Duzhakov Ilya - Tunik 14 Korchnoi Viktor - Karpov 8
Ehlvest Jaan - Malaniuk 57 Korchnoi Viktor - Najdorf 47
Ehlvest Jaan - Yermolinsky 52 Korchnoi Viktor - Spassky 69
Eljanov Pavel - Nakamura 55 Korchnoi Viktor - Tal 53
Epishin Vladimir - Gurevich 37 Kotronias Vasilios - Grivas 72
Example 1 - Outside Passer 7 Koustas Anastasios - Grivas 57
Example 2 - Breakthrough 10 Kramnik Vladimir - Kasparov 46
Example 3 - Connected 17 Kurnosov Igor - Vorobiov 54
Example 4 - Connected 17 Lagarde Maxime - Bacrot 63
Example 5 - Connected 17 Lalev Dimitar - Grivas 73
Example 6 - Connected 19 Landa Konstantin - Nevednichy 39
Example 7 - Protected 24 Larsen Bent - Fischer 7
Example 8 - Protected 29 Lasker Emanuel - Tarrasch 21
Fekete Jozsef - Sandor 14 Lputian Smbat - Sakaev 38
Fischer Robert James - Larsen 7 Malaniuk Vladimir - Ehlvest 57
Gavrilakis Nikolaos - Grivas 8 Mamedyarov Sakhriyar - Sokolov 15
Grischuk Alexander - Potkin 28 Mamedyarov Shakhriyar - Karjakin 61
Grivas Efstratios - Anastasopoulos 25 Maric Alisa - Chiburdanidze 59
Grivas Efstratios - Colovic 65 Marshall Frank James - Yates 23
Grivas Efstratios - Dizdarevic 33 Maze Sebastien - Istratescu 77
Grivas Efstratios - Dolzhikova 35 Meier Georg - Naiditsch 74
Grivas Efstratios - Gavrilakis 8 Melekhina Alisa - Ni 63
Grivas Efstratios - Karayiannis 7 Morozevich Alexander - Nikolic 66
Grivas Efstratios - Kokkinos 34 Morozevich Alexander - Vitiugov 76
Grivas Efstratios - Kotronias 72 Naiditsch Arkadij - Meier 74
Grivas Efstratios - Koustas 57 Najdorf Miguel - Korchnoi 47
Grivas Efstratios - Lalev 73 Nakamura Hikaru - Eljanov 55
Grivas Efstratios - Pountzas 9 Nevednichy Vladislav - Landa 39
Ni Viktorija - Melekhina 63 Spassky Boris - Korchnoi 69
Nikolaidis Ioannis - Serper 50 Study 1 - Connected 19
Nikolic Predrag - Morozevich 66 Study 2 - Reti 21
Potkin Vladimir - Grischuk 28 Study 3 - Reti 22
Pountzas Hrisanthos - Grivas 9 Study 4 - Reti 22
Predke Alexandr - Iturrizaga 62 Svidler Peter - Aronian 76
Ramnath Bhuvanesh - Grivas 36 Tal Mihail - Korchnoi 53
Roos Louis - Grivas 24 Tarrasch Siegbert - Lasker 21
Rossetto Hector - Guimard 13 Timofeev Artyom - Khismatullin 75
Sakaev Konstantin - Lputian 38 Tran Dang Hong Lien - Vo Thi 13
Salvioli Carlo - Dalla 12 Tunik Gennady - Duzhakov 14
Sandor Jozsef - Fekete 14 Vakhidov Tahir - Grivas 60
Serper Grigory - Nikolaidis 50 Vitiugov Nikita - Morozevich 76
Shabanaj Eglantina - Zepeda 12 Vo Thi Bich Lieu - Tran Dang 13
Shaw John - Collins 23 Vorobiov Evgeny - Kurnosov 54
Sigalas Frangiskos - Kokolias 43 Votruba Pavel - Grivas 70
Skalkotas Nikolaos - Grivas 41 Wagner Claude - Grivas 54
Slipak Sergio - Almasi 55 Yates Frederick - Marshall 23
Smirnov Artem - Caruana 19 Yermolinsky Alex - Ehlvest 52
Sokolov Ivan - Mamedyarov 15 Zepeda Sonia - Shabanaj 12
Curriculum Vitae of Efstratios Grivas

Efstratios Grivas (30.03.1966)
is a highly experienced chess trainer and chess author
Has been awarded by the

International Chess Federation (FIDE) the titles of:
▪ International Chess Grandmaster

▪ FIDE Senior Trainer
▪ International Chess Arbiter
▪ International Chess Organizer
What he does/did:
▪ Secretary of the FIDE Trainers’ Commission
▪ Director of the FIDE Grivas International Chess Academy (Athens)
▪ Director of the UAE Chess Federation FIDE Academy (Abu Dhabi)
▪ Technical Director of the Greek Chess Federation (1996-1999)
▪ Technical Director of the United Arab Emirates Chess Federation (2014-2016)
▪ Head Trainer of the Turkish Men’s National Team (2006-2012)
▪ Head Coach of the Greek Men’s National Team (2013)

▪ Workshops with National Teams of Austria (Women), Mauritius (Men) and Sri
Lanka (Men & Women)
▪ Winner of the FIDE Boleslavsky Medal 2009 & 2015 (best author)
▪ Winner of the FIDE Euwe Medal 2011 & 2012 (best junior trainer)
▪ Winner of the FIDE Razuvaev Medal 2014 (Trainers’ education)
▪ Trainer of Various GMs & IMs - In 2009-2011 alone, he formed 5 GMs!
▪ Trainer of the FIDE World Junior Champion U.20 2012 Alex Ipatov
▪ Trainer of the Gold Medal Winner (Group D’) Team of Sri Lanka in the 41st
Chess Olympiad
▪ Worked over 12.000 hours on training!
▪ Official Commentator of the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Ch 2013
▪ Organiser of the European Youth Championships 1999 & FIDE Congress 2015
▪ Lecturer at FIDE Seminars for Training & Certifying Trainers
▪ Author of 84 Books in Arabic, English, Greek, Italian, Spanish & Turkish
▪ Cooperating with the World’s Most Important Magazines
For more information visit Efstratios Grivas’s personal internet site:
www.GrivasChess.com - http://trainers.fide.com
Contact Info: E-mail: GrivasEfs@yahoo.co.uk
Skype: GrivasEfs - Msn: GrivasEfs@hotmail.com

Fide Trainers Commission Advanced Chess School Vol 7 The Passed Pawn

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Fide Trainers Commission Advanced Chess School Vol 7 The Passed Pawn

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FIDE Trainers’ Commission

Advanced Chess School

Commissioning Editor: Efstratios Grivas (www.GrivasChess.com)

A passed pawn is a criminal

Advanced Chess School - Volume 7 - The Passed Pawn - Efstratios Grivas 8

Advanced Chess School - Volume 7 - The Passed Pawn - Efstratios Grivas 9

Advanced Chess School - Volume 7 - The Passed Pawn - Efstratios Grivas 17

Advanced Chess School - Volume 7 - The Passed Pawn - Efstratios Grivas 22

Advanced Chess School - Volume 7 - The Passed Pawn - Efstratios Grivas 23

Advanced Chess School - Volume 7 - The Passed Pawn - Efstratios Grivas 32

Advanced Chess School - Volume 7 - The Passed Pawn - Efstratios Grivas 39

Advanced Chess School - Volume 7 - The Passed Pawn - Efstratios Grivas 42

Advanced Chess School - Volume 7 - The Passed Pawn - Efstratios Grivas 47

Advanced Chess School - Volume 7 - The Passed Pawn - Efstratios Grivas 55

Advanced Chess School - Volume 7 - The Passed Pawn - Efstratios Grivas 56

Advanced Chess School - Volume 7 - The Passed Pawn - Efstratios Grivas 63

Advanced Chess School - Volume 7 - The Passed Pawn - Efstratios Grivas 64

Advanced Chess School - Volume 7 - The Passed Pawn - Efstratios Grivas 70

Advanced Chess School - Volume 7 - The Passed Pawn - Efstratios Grivas 74

Albin Adolf - Baird 10 Grivas Efstratios - Ramnath 36

Curriculum Vitae of Efstratios Grivas

Has been awarded by the

▪ International Chess Grandmaster

Advanced Chess School - Volume 7 - The Passed Pawn - Efstratios Grivas 79

For more information visit Efstratios Grivas’s personal internet site:

Advanced Chess School - Volume 7 - The Passed Pawn - Efstratios Grivas 80

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