Chess Moves

Inspired Readers
French Tarrasch C06
Antonio Carlos Ribeiro
Rogerio Prudente
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Bd3 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Ne2 cxd4 8.cxd4 Qb6 9.Nf3 f6 10.exf6 Nxf6 11.O-O Bd6 12.Bf4 Bxf4 13.Nxf4 Qxb2 14.Rb1!?

Dr. Ribeiro is clearly enthusiastic about this gambit and awarded it with an exclamation mark. Thanks, but I am still of the opinion, despite practical successes, that a !? is more correct as it does deserve serious attention and probably is critical for the whole variation.

14...Qxa2 15.Ng5 O-O 16.Nfxe6 Bxe6 17.Nxe6 Rf7 18.Re1!?

The forgotten game GM L. Barczay--GM W. Pietzsch, Sarajevo 1968 saw 18.Qc1 Re8 19.Nc5 Nxd4 20.Nxb7 Rb8 21.Rb2 Qa3 22.Qb1 Ne6 23.Rc1!? Rfxb7 24.Rxb7 Rxb7 25.Rc8+ Nf8 26.Qxb7 Qxd3 27.h3 Qa3 28.Qb8 a5? 29.Qe5 Qb4 30.Qe6+ Kh8 31.Qf7 N6d7 32.Qxd7 Qe1+ 33.Kh2 Qe5+ 34.g3 Qf6 35.Kg2 1-0

18...Ne4?!

After this, White regains the pawn with continuing initiative. In my opinion, Black should try 18...Re8 or 18...Re7.

19.Re2 Qa5 20.Bxe4 dxe4 21.Rxe4 Qd5 22.Qd3! Re8 23.Rb5!

Now White achieves a strong, probably decisive, attack.

23...Nb4

If 23...Qd6, then 24.Ng5!

26.Ng5!

This wins by force. Notice the lack of coordination between Black's pieces.

26...Rxe4

If 26...Rfe7, then 27.Qc4+.

27.Qxe4 g6 28.Rc8+ Rf8 29.Qxb7 1-0

Many times a reader is delighted when he can pick out some typical tactical idea or rare opening idea which has occurred in his practice and is anxious to share his experience and achievements.

Rick Melton, from Fountain Hills, Arizona, is inspired by the fighting spirit and tactical opportunities of The Fantasy Variation of the Caro-Kann (see IC:9:15:26). As he wrote, "this variation leads to a very interesting struggle," and he shows an important example for theory from his practice, presented below with his notes.

Caro Kann Fantasy Variation B12
Rick Melton
Otis Burgess
APCT Queen 1990

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3 g6 4.Nc3 Bg7 5.Be3 dxe4 6.fxe4 Nf6 7.e5!?

ECO gives 7.Nf3 and 8.Bg5 as leading to a good game for White. For some (odd) reason I preferred the position resulting from the text. (Author's note: the move 7.e5!? is a forgotten, almost untested novelty.)

7...Nd5 8.Nxd5 cxd5 9.Qd2 Qb6 10.c3 Bd7 11.Be2 h6 12.Nh3 e6 13.Nf2 Nc6

Obviously this game would take some positional maneuvering. I had my eye on c5 for the Knight, but was intrigued to see where Black was going to put his King.

14.O-O Ne7 15.Bd3 Nf5 16.Bxf5 exf5 17.a4 a5 18.Nd3 g5 19.Nc5 f4 20.Bf2?

I missed the simpler 20.Nxd7! Kxd7 21.Bxf4! gxf4 22.Qxf4 Kc6 (22...Raf8 23.Qg4+) 23.Qg3, which seems to win quicker -- certainly neater!

20...Rd8?!

Instead, Black should play 20...Bf5! Now I wanted to break open the position before Black could consolidate further.

21.b4 Bf8 22.bxa5 Qa7 23.Rfd1 Bc6 24.Qe2 Bxc5 25.dxc5 Qxa5

Both my opponent and I probably missed some better moves, but that's normal. In a fighting game like this, the challenge is to fight better -- not to be perfect. But now I have my wish. Although my pawns are chop suey, there's dynamics aplenty.

31.Re6! Rag8

If 31...Kxe6 32.Qxg6+ Kd7 33.Qf5+ and wins.

32.Rf6+! 1-0

Some years ago, John Hechtlinger from Fort Lee, New Jersey, U.S. Life Master and long-time member of the Marshall Chess Club in New York, expressed how much our column for tactics inspired him. Because, as he wrote: "I've never trusted my rather poor endgame technique, if I want to win I've got to knock my opponent out in the middlegame." And he enclosed a game in which the tactical play and winning combination are quite unusual.

Queen's Indian E15
Donny Ariel
John Hechtlinger
NY Bankers Chess League 1994

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.b3 d5 6.Bg2 dxc4 7.Ne5 Bb4+ 8.Kf1 Nfd7 9.Bc6?

A waste of time, with probably decisive consequences. Correct is the immediate 9.Bxa8 Nxe5 10.bxc4 O-O, according to ECO with advantage for White. However, this position offers so many tactical possibilities for Black, one might say that most likely this is not the last word here.

12...Qxa8!

This second sacrifice of an Exchange is much stronger than 12...Nxb4 13.Bg2, etc. Black not only eliminates the defender of the light squares, but also gains important tempi for quick assault against the opponent's King.

13.Bxf8 Nxd4! 14.Rg1

As the winner notes, to avoid Qxh1 mate White has two other options, which are also losing: 14.f3 c3! 15.Qxd4 Qxf3+ 16.Kg1 Qxe2 17.Qf2 Qd1+ 18.Kg2 Bb7+ 19.Kh3 Qh5 mate, or 14.Kg1 Nxe2+ 15.Qxe2 Nf3+ 16.Kf1 Nd4 and Black wins.

14...Nxe2! 15.Kxe2

There is no defense. If 15.Qxe2, then 15...cxb3! 16.Qxa6 b2, promoting to a second Queen.

15...cxb3+ 16.Ke3 Nc4+ 17.Kf4 e5+ 18.Kg4 b2 19.Na3 Qe4+ 20.Kh3 Bc8+ 21.g4 bxa1=Q 22.Qxa1 Qf3+ 23.Rg3

Instead, 24.Kh4 Qxf2+ only prolongs the resistance, e.g.: 25.Kh3 h5 26.Qd1 hxg4+ 27.Rxg4 Ne3, or 25.Rg3 Qxh2+ 26.Rh3 Qf2+ 27.Rg3 Qf6+ 28.Kh3 Qh6+ 29.Kg2 Bb7+, and Black wins easily in both cases.

23...Bxg4+ 24.Kh4 g5+ 25.Kxg5 Qf5+ 0-1

I, too, am a reader, dear reader, one who reads everything about chess, old and new, and who is inspired when he discovers some unusual tactics. The following two examples recently grabbed my attention.

Sicilian Scheveningen B85
Lajos Asztalos
Lajos Steiner
Ljubljana 1938

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Be2 a6 7.O-O Qc7 8.f4 Nc6 9.Kh1 Be7 10.Bf3 Bd7 11.Be3 Na5 12.Bf2 Rc8 13.Qe1 O-O 14.g4 Nc4 15.g5 Ne8 16.Nd1 e5?

First 16...g6, and after that eventually ...e6-e5, is preferable.

17.Nf5 Bd8 18.b3! Na3 19.Rc1 exf4 20.c4 d5 21.Nc3 dxe4

21...dxc4 loses immediately: 22.Nd5 Qb8 23.Nfe7+ Bxe7 24.Nxe7+ Kh8 25.Nxc8 Bxc8 26.Qb4 Qd6 27.Bc5, etc.

22.Bxe4 Be6 23.Rg1 b5 24.c5 b4 25.Na4 a5 26.Nb6 Rb8 27.Bd4 Bxf5 28.Bxf5 Qc6+ 29.Be4 Qe6 30.Nd5 Bc7 31.Bxh7+! Kxh7

If 31...Kh8 32.Qh4 Qxd5+ 33.Be4+ and wins.

32.g6+!

A very original version of the typical Bishop sacrifice on h7. The energized pawn on g6 creates a situation where Black loses at least the Queen.

32...Qxg6

If 32...Kg8, then 33.Ne7+.

33.Rxg6 fxg6 34.Ne7 Nf6 35.Qh4+ Nh5 36.Qg5 Rf6 37.Bxf6 Nxf6 38.Qxg6+ Kh8 39.Rg1 1-0

Queen's Gambit D39
GM Alexander Beliavsky
GM Peter Lukacs
Austria Team (ch) 1997

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e4 Bb4 6.Bg5 c5 7.Bxc4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Qa5

GM Lukacs is well-known for his excellent preparation in the opening. Unfortunately, we still don't know what he prepared against the established line 10.Bxf6 Qxc3+ 11.Kf1 Qxc4+ 12.Kg1, because White surprises his opponent with a new continuation.

10.Bb5+!? Bd7 11.Bxf6 gxf6

Worse is 11...Qxc3+ 12.Kf1 gxf6 13.Rc1, or 11...Bxb5 12.Nxb5.

22.e5! fxe5

If 22...Qxe5, then 23.Re3 Qg5 24.Nf5+ and wins.

23.Qh4+ Ke8 24.Nxe6! 1-0

For if 24...Bxe6 25.Rd8+, or 24...fxe6 25.Bh5+.

Najdorf Remembered.
Dutch Stonewall A85
Glucksberg
GM Miguel Najdorf
Warsaw 1935

1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e6 4.Nf3 d5 5.e3 c6 6.Bd3 Bd6 7.O-O O-O 8.Ne2 Nbd7 9.Ng5

White probably believes that the attack against e6 makes the following typical sacrifice impossible. If so, then many of Black's moves to come were surely big surprises for him.

9...Bxh2+ 10.Kh1 Ng4

To answer 11.Nxe6 with 11...Qh4.

11.f4 Qe8 12.g3 Qh5 13.Kg2

The point of White's idea. He hopes that 14.Rh1, followed by Nf3, will allow him to capture the Bishop on h2 but his ingenious opponent finds new attacking resources.

13...Bg1!! 14.Nxg1 Qh2+ 15.Kf3 e5!

New forces enter come on the scene!

19...f4!

Threatening not only 20...fxg3+, but also 20...Bg4+! 21.Kxg4 Ne5 mate.

20.exf4

In case of 20.Bxg6, Black wins by another beautiful variation: 20...Bg4+! (but not 20...fxg3+ because of the countercheck 21.Bf7+) 21.Kxg4 Qxg3+ 22.Kh5 hxg6+ 23.Kxg6 Rf6+ 24.Kh5 Rh6 mate.

20...Bg4+! 21.Kxg4 Ne5+!

The seventh sacrifice! It should also be noted that Black has sacrificed all four of his minor pieces!

Mate. The final position of the "Polish Immortal." Inspired by this game, I started to examine the Dutch Defense and used it quite successfully in practice for about the next ten years.

Morning, October 8, 1962: Upon finishing my adjourned game in the penultimate round of the 15th Olympiad at Varna, I approached the board where Najdorf's game was still in progress and saw the following complicated position: Najdorf -- Ciocaltea, Varna (ol) 1962

Just at this moment Najdorf played 45.Nxe5!, and according to his usual habit, immediately left the table. He looked around, and because I was the only available "prey," he put his arm over my shoulder, took me off some steps and showered me with his unique language, a mixture of Spanish, English, German and Russian, which, incredibly, was comprehensible to everybody. "What you think about my position? Did you see all variations? Great sacrifice! All my sacrifices are great!."

My reaction was quite simple and clearly unsatisfactory to him. "You are winning, Mr. Najdorf." "Just winning? No, no, no. This is an ingenious win, a great win!" All of a sudden he became very serious, and I knew that the most interesting, (and jocular) part of our conversation was coming.

Who are you anyway? It seems to me that I came across you before.

Yes Mr. Najdorf, we played two games in the Amsterdam Olympiad of 1954.

And what were the results?

You won one of the games and the other was a draw.

Now came a scarcely perceptible smile on his face. "Really? Then you must be a good player. Anyone who is able to make a single draw against the great Najdorf is a good player!" And he returned to the board and proceeded to win this important game for the Argentinean team.

45...Qb3!?

Better than 45...Nxe5 45.Qh6+, etc. Now White must play very accurately, because Black keeps dangerous counterchances due to his passed pawn.

46.Qc5 Kg8 47.Nxf7 Nxf7 48.d6 Qd3 49.e5 c3 50.d7! Qxd7 51.Qxc3 Qf5 52.a4 Nxe5 53.a5 Nd3 54.a6! Qf4+ 55.Kh1 Qe3 56.Qc8+ Kg7 57.Qc7+ Kf6 1-0

I think that 58.a7 was also played, but was not recorded in the tournament bulletin.

Najdorf and the King's Indian Defense

Najdorf was really and truly a master of King's Indian Defense, one of the "magnificent five" (along with Bronstein, Geller, Gligoric and Boleslavsky), who in the decade 1945-55 practically created the theoretical base of this now very popular opening. I was an eyewitness to the following magnificent game, which I understood completely only after I saw it annotated by Najdorf himself. In my opinion, this game is one of the best illustrations of the spirit of KID.

Notes by GM Najdorf, from Szachy (Poland), 2/1961.

King's Indian Samisch E89
GM Milko Bobotsov
GM Miguel Najdorf
Leipzig (ol) 1960

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 O-O 6.Be3 e5 7.Nge2 c6 8.d5

If 8.Qd2, then 8...exd4 9.Nxd4 d5 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.e5 Ne8 12.f4 Nc7 and 13...f6 with a good game for Black, or 10.exd5 cxd5 11.Be2 dxc4! (not 11...Nc6? 12.c5! with advantage for White, Bronstein--Gligoric, Portoroz 1958) 12.Bxc4 a6 13.O-O b5 14.Bb3 Bb7=, Shocron--Najdorf, Mar del Plata 1957.

8...cxd5 9.cxd5 a6

Not 9...Nbd7 because of 10.Nb5. Pirc recommends 9...Ne8, but according to Euwe after 10.g4 f5 11.gxf5 gxf5, White has better chances.

10.g4

10.Qd2 is more often used here.

10...h5

If 10...Nbd7, then 11.Ng3 followed by h2-h4-h5 with an attack.

11.h3 Nbd7 12.Bg5

Not 12.Ng3 h4 13.Nge2 Nh7 with a better game for Black.

12...Qb6!?

After the game, I learned that all this is the "Bulgarian Variation" by Z. Milev, published not long before in Shahmatna Misal, which naturally was unknown to me. According to analysis there, Black's best is 12...Qa5 13.Qd2 Nh7 14.Bh4! with a better game for White (not 14.Be7 Re8 15.Bxd6 because of 15...b5, with the threat 16...Qb6 and winning a piece).

13.Qd2 Nc5 14.Rb1

If 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.gxh5 Qxb2! with advantage for Black, and if 14.Ng3, then 14...Nh7 15.Be3 h4 or 15.Bh4 f5! with better chances for Black.

14...Nh7 15.Bh4

After 15.b4? Nxg5 16.bxc5 (16.Qxg5 Nd3+) Nxf3+ Black wins, if 15.Be3, then 15...Qd8 16.b4 Ncd7 threatening 17...h4.

15...a5

It is obvious that 16.b4 must be prevented, and I decided to play for a counterattack. In such sharp positions the most important thing is not the material, but who has the initiative. As we shall see, my decision to sacrifice two pawns was correct.

16...f5! 17.hxg6 Nf6

White's attack is stopped at the cost of two pawns but more important is that his pieces are not harmoniously developed.

18.Bg2

If 18.Ng3, then 18...fxe4 19.fxe4 Nfxe4! 20.Ngxe4 Nxe4 21.Nxe4 Rf4 and Black recaptures the piece with a strong attack.

18...fxe4 19.fxe4

If 19.Nxe4, then 19...Bf5.

19...Nh5 20.Rf1 Rxf1+!

But not 20...Bd7? 21.Rf7! Rxf7 22.gxf7+ Kxf7 23.Qg5.

21.Bxf1 Bd7 22.Qg5 Nd3+ 23.Kd2 Ndf4 24.Qg1

Here White came to the conclusion that, despite the material advantage, he has no good plan and offered a draw, which I rejected. It is interesting that in the ensuing play Black does not play for an attack, but enters into a endgame despite the two pawns less!

24...Qxg1 25.Nxg1 Bh6! 26.Kc2 Nxg6

One pawn is recaptured.

27...Rc8!

The most difficult move in the whole game. In such positions. the ordinary continuation is 27...Rf8, taking under control the open file and gaining a tempo. But in this particular situation this is not only worse, but forces White best reply 28.Bb6! and Black's Rook is not so active on the f-file. Now Black is threatening ...b7-b5-b4.

34...Nxd5!

Now the material is equal, because if 35.exd5? Bf5+ 36.Kd1 Bxb1 37.Nxb1 Rxc1+, etc.

35.Nge2 Nf6 36.Rbg1+ Kh7 37.Ng3 d5 38.exd5 Nxd5 39.Rd1 Be6

Threatening 40...Nxc3 41.bxc3 Bb3+.

40...e4!

Two strong Bishops and the passed pawn in the center give Black a decisive advantage. The pawn is taboo because if 41.Nxe4? Bf5 and Black wins, for example 42.Kd1 Nxc3 43.Rxc3 Rd8+, or 42.Rd4 Bg7 43.Rxa4 Bxc3 44.bxc3 Nxc3.

41.Rd4 Nxc3 42.bxc3 e3 43.Be1

If 43.Bg1 Rg8!

43...b5 44.Ne4 Bf5 45.Kd1 Bg7 46.Ng5+ Kg8 47.Rd5 Bg4+ 48.Kc2 e2

Threatening 49...Bxc3!

A Practical Lesson

In our third, and last, encounter over the board, Najdorf gave me an excellent practical lesson on how to build a powerful attacking position.

Queen's Indian E11
GM Miguel Najdorf
IM Nikolay Minev
Havana (ol) 1966

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.d4 Bb4+ 4.Nbd2 d5 5.e3 O-O 6.a3 Be7 7.Bd3 b6 8.O-O Bb7 9.b4 c5 10.dxc5 bxc5 11.b5 a6 12.bxa6! Bxa6 13.Qc2 Nbd7 14.e4 dxe4 15.Nxe4 Qc7 16.Nxf6+ Nxf6 17.Bb2 h6 18.Ne5 Bd6 19.Rae1 Rfb8 20.f4 Bc8 21.Re3 Ra6 22.Qe2 Rab6 23.Ba1 Rb3 24.Rg3 Kf8?

Necessary was 24...Bf8, but even in this case it is obvious that White has an advantage.

25.Rxg7! Kxg7 26.Ng4 Kf8 27.Bxf6 Bxf4

I decided to sacrifice my Queen, painful, but the best decision in this position.

28.Ne5 Bg5 29.Bxg5 hxg5 30.Rxf7+ Qxf7 31.Nxf7 Kxf7 32.Qh5+ Kf6! 33.Qg6+ Ke5 34.Qxg5+ Kd4 35.Bf1 Rb1

Black still keeps some defensive chances, but I was already in a terrible time trouble, and dropped a piece.

36.Qf4+ Kc3 37.Qe3+ Kb2 38.Qxc5 Ka2 39.Kf2 R8b3?? 40.Qxc8 1-0

Najdorf outplayed me strategically and tactically, and I had no complaints except that this game buried my chances for a Grandmaster norm. But I still adored Najdorf, one of the greatest Grandmasters of our century.

BACK