Best Games 3

Don't Dig A Grave For Somebody Else! (continued)

Here is one more example in which the trap is ignored.

King's Indian Fianchetto E63
Anatoly Bannik
GM Mikhail Tal
USSR Championship, Moscow 1957

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 O-O 5.O-O d6 6.c4 Nc6 7.Nc3 a6 8.Bg5 Rb8 9.Rc1 Bg4 10.Qd2 Bxf3 11.Bxf3 Nd7 12.Nd5 Re8 13.Be3 e5 14.dxe5 dxe5 15.Rfd1 Nd4 16.Bg2 c6 17.Nc3 Qe7 18.Ne4 Nf6 19. Nxf6+ Bxf6 20.h4 Rbd8 21.Qe1 h5 22.Bd2 e4 23.Ba5 Rb8 24.Bc3 Red8 25.Rd2

After White's last move, I was on alert. Why does Bannik provoke 25... e3, which seems to be favorable for Black? The following notes reflect my thinking at the board.

25...e3 26.fxe3 Qxe3+ 27.Qf2

This looks like a blunder because of 27...Nxe2+ and Black wins an Exchange. Has my experienced opponent really overlooked this? Let me try to calculate a bit further.

27...Nxe2+ 28.Rxe2

So! Everything is clear. My opponent sets a trap. Do I dare "fall" into this trap?

28...Qxc1+ 29.Re1

The critical position for White's idea. Now Black's Queen and Bishop are attacked. 29...Rd1 does not help, e.g., 30.Qxf6 Rxe1+ 31.Kh2. In such situations, special attention must be paid to intermediate moves which can cause a diametrically opposed assessment of the position. I had found such a move in my preliminary calculations.

29...Bxc3! 30.Rxc1 Bd4

The game is over.

Disregarding The Spirit Of The Position

Frequently one of the partners strives forcibly for the initiative, disregarding the positional preconditions which are necessary for the achievement of his goal. A typical example of that is my game with Zilber.

King's Indian Fianchetto E69
Josif Zilber
GM Mikhail Tal
Latvian Championship 1958

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 O-O 5.O-O d6 6.d4 Nbd7 7.Nc3 e5 8.e4 c6 9.h3 Qa5 10.Re1 Re8 11.Be3

This position is quite popular and it is known that Black must fight for equality. In my opinion, most in the spirit of the position is 11...a6, preparing ...b7-b5, because preconditions for sharp play do not exist in this position. However, if one of the players desires, at any cost, to embark upon tactical complications, it is difficult for the opponent to prevent him. Of course, we are not speaking about the consequences . . . With his next move, Black began a deeply calculated combination.

11...exd4 12.Nxd4 Ne5 13.Qe2 Qb4 14.f4

My partner, not seeing anything amiss, is going along with my idea.

14...Nxc4 15.a3 Qc5 16.b4 Qh5 17. Qxc4

I considered also 17.g4, against which was prepared 17...Bxg4 18.hxg4 Nxg4 19.Qxc4 Qh2+ 20.Kf1 d5, hoping for a strong attack.

17...Bxh3

If Black gains the e4-pawn and exchanges light-squared Bishops, this will be very useful; so Zilber further defends the pawn. But this was also included in my calculations.

18.Bf2 d5 19.exd5 Bxg2 20.Kxg2 cxd5 21.Qd3 Rxe1 22.Rxe1 Ng4

When initiating the combination, I had aimed for this position. Now 23. Rh1 is not possible due to 23...Qxh1+, and on 23.Nf3 there follows 23... Qh3+! 24.Kg1 Qh1+. But . . .

23.Bg1

After this simple answer, Black is a piece down without any real chances for an attack.

Searching for the "Bluebird"

Alekhine wrote that, in the beginning of his chess career, he searched for a tactical resolution in any position. Certainly, phenomenal tactical abilities don't diminish in the course of time, but an experienced player of a high level searches, first and foremost, for the simplest and most convincing road to the goal. For this reason, in a position where the advantage has been already achieved, he begins hand-to-hand fighting only when he is absolutely confident that this is the right decision. I neglected this axiom in the following game.

Richter-Veresov D01
GM Mikhail Tal
Berndt Soderborg
Varna Olympiad 1962

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bg5 Bf5 4. Bxf6 exf6 5.e3 c6 6.Bd3 Bxd3 7. Qxd3 Na6 8.Nge2 Bd6 9.e4 O-O 10. O-O dxe4 11.Nxe4 Re8 12.Qf3 Qd7 13.Rad1 Qe6 14.Nxd6 Qxd6 15.Ng3 Rad8 16.c4 Nc7 17.Nf5 Qd7 18.d5 cxd5 19.cxd5 Re5 20.Ne3 Ne8 21. Rd4 Nd6 22.Rg4 Nf5 23.Rd1 h5 24. Rb4 a5 25.Re4 Nxe3 26.fxe3 Qe7 27.Rxe5 Qxe5 28.Rd2 f5 29.h4 g6 30. Kf2 Kf8 31.Rd4 Rc8 32.Qd1 Rd8 33.d6 Rd7 34.Qd2 b6 35.Rd5 Qe4 36.Rd4 Qe6 37.b3 Kg8 38.Qd3 Qe5 39.Rd5 Qf6 40.Kg3 Qa1 41.Rd4 a4 42.Qb5 Qe1+ 43.Kf3 axb3

It is clear that after the simple 44.axb3 Rd8 45.d7, Black's defeat is only matter of time, but I was obsessed with a tactical idea which involves a sacrifice of the Queen. Mistakes are not something exceptional, for nobody is inured against them, but to voluntarily create conditions for mistakes is nonsense, and not only from a competitive point of view. To always search for a combination, in any situation, hinders the development of a chess player's creative ver- satility.

44.Qxd7?

Before playing this move, I examined following variations:

a) 44...b2 45.Qb5 b1=Q 46.Qxb1 Qxb1 47.d7;

b) 44...bxa2 45.Ra4 a1=Q 46.Rxa1 Qxa1 47.Qe7! f6! 48.Kf2!, and the d-pawn must bring the victory.

44...Qf1+ 45.Kg3 b2 46.Qd8+ Kg7 47.Qxb6 b1=Q 48.Qxb1 Qxb1 49.d7

Here I had examined only the continuation 49...Qb8+ 50.Kh3 Qd8 51. a4 Kf6 52.a5 Ke7 53.a6, and Black is losing by just one tempo. Because there was no perpetual check in the previous variations, I assumed that here also my King would be protected from troubles. But the Swedish Master thought otherwise.

49...Qe1+ 50.Kh2 f4!

When I decided upon 44.Qxd7, I had missed this tactical blow. Now the draw is inevitable.

51.Rxf4 Qxe3 Draw

Here is another example on the same subject.

Nimzo-Indian E20
GM Mikhail Tal
GM Paul Keres
Bled (ct) 1959

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 d5 5.a3 Be7 6.e4 dxe4 7.fxe4 e5 8.d5 Bc5 9.Bg5 a5 10.Nf3 Qe7 11.Bd3 Nbd7 12.Qe2 h6 13.Bd2 c6 14.Na4 Bd4 15.Nxd4 exd4 16.Bf4 Ne5

A difficult position to assess. White has a well-consolidated center and opportunities to develop an initiative on the kingside (the f-file), as well as on the queenside (the weak b6-square). Black has at his disposal the excellent e5-square. Clearly, after the natural 17. O-O, a rich strategic fight can be expected. 17.O-O was already written on my scoresheet, when suddenly I saw a very original tactical possibility which obsessed me immediately.

17.Nb6 Bg4 18.Qc2 Nxd3+ 19. Qxd3 Ra6

It seems that Black already has a big advantage and the Knight on b6 and the e4-pawn are under attack.

20.O-O Rxb6 21.Bd6

The point of my idea. When examining this position before my 17th move, I considered White's attack to be very dangerous. If Black declines to take the Bishop, then his King will remain in the center for a long time, and if Black accepts the sacrifice, then White's Rooks will be very energetic.

21...Qxd6 22.e5 Qe7!

I didn't pay attention to this simple move, because I considered it "anti-positional" -- the White Rook will be posted on the e-line where Black's Queen and King reside. However, it is time for White to resign.

23.Rae1 Nd7 24.e6 fxe6 25.c5 Nxc5 26.Qg6+ Kd8 27.b4 axb4 28.Qxg4 cxd5 29.Qg3 Nd7 30.axb4 Rf8 31. Rxf8+ Qxf8 32.b5 e5 33.Ra1 Kc7 34. Rc1+ Kb8 35.Qb3 Nf6 36.Qc2 Qd8 37.Qa4 Ne4 38.Rf1 Nd6 39.Qa3 Rxb5 40.Ra1 Qb6 0-1

A Brief for Unclear Sacrifices

Nimzo-Indian E12
GM Mikhail Tal
GM Hans-Joachim Hecht
Varna Olympiad 1962

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Bg5 Bb7 6.e3 h6 7.Bh4 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 d6 9.Nd2 e5 10.f3 Qe7 11.e4 Nbd7 12.Bd3 Nf8

The pieces must breathe deeply and with a full chest! This position is typical of many variations of the Nimzo-Indian Defense. Black has given up the so-called advantage of the two Bishops, but it has been known for a long time that the full power of the Bishops can be displayed only in open positions. In this particular situation, Black does his best to keep the position closed. When White's initiative diminishes, the c4-pawn will show its weakness.

I'm not completely sure that 13.c5 is the best continuation in this position. White also can achieve a favorable position by continuing "a la Ruy Lopez" with 13.Nf1, followed by Ne3 and Nd5 or Nf5. Also good is 13.Qa4+, and after 13...Qd7, 14.Qc2.

13.c5

This move corresponds to the spirit of the situation -- now White manages to open the position. To this end, he willingly sacrifices a pawn.

13...dxc5

If 13...bxc5, then 14.d5 and White will have control over the c4- and b5-squares and also over the open b-line.

14.dxe5 Qxe5

Now White has a pawn majority in the center, i.e., in the area where he plans to begin the active operations. Of course, Black's defensive resources are completely sufficient.

15.Qa4+ c6?

A mistake after which White has the additional possibility of conducting the attack through the d6-square. Much better was 15...Nf8-d7, though even in that case, after 16.Qc2, White's initiative would be quite real.

16.O-O Ng6

If 16...Qxc3, then 17.Ba6 or 17. Nc4 are unpleasant continuations for Black.

Now White must hurry, because this is a critical position and every tempo may have decisive importance. For Black, it is enough to "go into hiding," and White will have no compensation for the sacrificed pawn. The strongest reply against 17.Bg3 is 17...Qe7! (17... Qxc3?! 18.Ba6!), and 18.Nc4 is not suitable because of 18...b5.

17.Nc4 Qe6 18.e5!

As already mentioned, White's main objective is to keep the Black King on e8. 18.e5! initiates a combination with the intention of obtaining a better endgame. The position does not promise anything more.

18...b5

The continuation 18...Nxh4 was interesting. After 19.Nd6+ Kf8, White cannot capture any of the three attacked pieces. If 20.Qxh4 or 20.Nxb7, then 20...Qxe5. The e5-pawn is more valuable than any of White's minor pieces. For this reason, I decided to play positionally with 20.Rae1 in the 18...Nxh4 line because one move alone cannot liquidate the threats against three pieces.

19.exf6!

This move reminds me of the famous game Lilienthal--Capablanca, Hastings 1934/35, where the young Master won quickly against the ex-champion of the World. (Translator's note: see appendix).

19...bxa4

Hecht answered without thinking. Of course, 19...O-O would bring more pleasure to the owner of the Black pieces. Three White pieces are under attack and if the Queen retreats, then 20...Nxh4 follows and a position arises where Black is out of danger. But White has a very strong reply in 20.Rae1! If 20... Qd5, then 21.Qc2 Nxh4 22.Ne5 with a very powerful attack. Or if 20...Qxe1 21.Rxe1 bxa4, then 22.Bxg6 fxg6 23. Re7, and Black cannot continue 23... Rf7 because of 24.Nd6.

20.fxg7 Rg8 21.Bf5!

This is White's idea. Black's Queen has no retreats: 21...Qxc4 22.Rfe1+ Qe6 23.Rxe6+ fxe6 24.Bxg6+ Kd7 25.Rd1+ Kc7 26.Bg3+ with a decisive attack, 21...Qxf5 22.Nd6+ Kd7 23.Nxf5 and the Bishop on h4 is defended, or 21...Nxh4 22.Bxe6 fxe6 23. Nd6+ and 24.Nxb7, illustrating the agility of the Knight.

Pawn Power
"The pawn is a tactical trump in every chess battle." -- Nimzovich.

According to the rules of the game, the pawn moves very slowly. But in some situations, especially during tactical operations, the pawn becomes much more aggressive and very agile. The pawn goes ahead quickly, performing surprising acrobatics, which are the soul of many typical and spectacular combinations.

Pawns Crossing Files

Coursing ahead and crossing one or more files, the agile pawn very often lands on the seventh rank with threatened, or inevitable, promotion.

French Exchange C01
Mikael Kallgren
IM Stellan Brynell
Sweden (ch open) 1997

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.exd5 exd5 6.Qf3!?

One of the many experiments in the past few years with the early development of White's Queen. The results are mixed, and the theoretical lines still hide opportunities for new plans and for improvements for both sides. In my opinion, in this particular variation, 6.Qf3, is worthy of further examination.

6...Be6?!

Perhaps a more suitable plan is 6...c6, followed by ...O-O, because now White achieves a better game.

7.Bd3 Nc6 8.Nge2 Nb4 9.O-O-O Qd7 10.Rhe1 O-O-O 11.Nf4 Nxd3+ 12.Rxd3 Bf5? 13.Rxe7! Qxe7 14. Nfxd5 Qe1+

If 14...Rxd5, 15.Nxd5 Qe1+ 16. Rd1 Qe4? 17.Qxf5+! Qxf5 18.Ne7+ and White wins a piece.

15.Rd1 Qe6 16.Bxf6! Rxd5

Or 16...gxf6 17.Qxf5! and wins.

17.Nxd5 Be4 18.Ne7+ Kd8

Also, after 18...Kb8 19.d5!, White wins as in the game.

19.d5!

Suddenly this pawn becomes very agile indeed and its journey to the f-file decides the game.

19...Bxf3

Or 19...Qxf6 20.Nc6+ bxc6 21.dxc6+ Kc8 22.Qxe4 and White wins easily.

20.dxe6+ Bxd1 21.exf7 1-0

If 21...gxf6 (21...Bh5), then 22.Ng8! and White gets a new Queen. In case of 21...Rf8, the easiest win is 22.Ng6+ gxf6 23.Nxf8 Ke7 (23...Bh5 24.Ng6!) 24.Kxd1 and the pawn ending is without chances for Black.

Pirc B09
Dirk Wegener
Christian Goldschmidt
Germany 1994

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3 c5 6.Bb5+ Bd7 7.e5 Ng4 8.e6 fxe6?! 9.Ng5 Bxb5 10.Nxb5 Qa5+ 11.c3 Qxb5 12.Nxe6 Qd7?

After this, Black runs into big troubles. According to Uhlmann, he should try 12...Na6!? 13.Qxg4 Bf6.

13.Qxg4 cxd4

If 13...Bf6, then 14.d5! with a clear positional advantage for White.

14.f5!

But not 14.Nxg7+? Kf7 and Black has no problems.

14...Bf6 15.O-O! dxc3

After 15...Rg8 16.Bg5! gxf5 17. Qh5+ Rg6 18.Rae1, White's attack is irresistible.

17.gxh7!! Rxg4 18.h8=Q+!

The result of the White f-pawn's trip to the h-file is a tactical situation which we looked at years ago (see "Tired Queens," IC 7:7:30-1), the new Queen looks stronger and quicker, because its promotion gains a tempo and, in this particular position, creates better conditions for the attack. A more colorful description of this situation is given by Tartakower (Schachmetodik, Berlin 1928): "The pawn promoted into a Queen transmutes into a vindictive and fierce wild beast."

18...Kf7

If 18...Bxh8 19.Rf8 mate.

19.Nd8+ 1-0

For if 19...Kg6 20.Qh6 mate.

The other main idea behind combinations which involve an agile pawn is to create mating threats.

Nimzo-Indian Classical E37
IM Mathias Gerusel
GM William Lombardy
Toronto 1957

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 Nc6 5.Nf3 d5 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.Qxc3 Ne4 8.Qc2 e5 9.dxe5 Bf5 10.Qa4

Recent theory recommends 10.e3.

10...O-O!?

ECO gives only 10...dxc4 11.Qxc4 O-O with equal chances.

12...dxe3! 13.Rxd8 exf2+ 14.Kd1 Rfxd8+ 15.Kc1 a6!

Threatening to win the Queen by 16...Nc5.

16.Qb3 Nc5 17.Qc3 Na5! 18.e4

There is no adequate defense. If 18.Cd2 (or 18.Nd4), then 18...Rxd2! (or 18...Rxd4!); if 18. b4 (or 18.b3) Nab3+ 19.Kb2 Na4+, White loses the Queen.

18...Nab3+ 0-1

For if 19.Kb1 Bxe4+ 20.Ka2 Rd1.

King's Indian Fianchetto E66
IM Josef Jurek
B. Babula
Pardubice 1997

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 O-O 5.d4 d6 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.O-O a6 8.d5 Na5 9.Nd2 c5 10.Qc2 Rb8 11. b3 b5 12.Bb2 Bh6 13.f4 bxc4 14. bxc4 Ng4 15.Nd1 Rxb2 16.Qxb2 Bg7 17.Qc1 e5!?

A new idea in this very complicated variation. Theory shows 27...Bxa1 28. Qxa1 Qb6 with slightly better chances for White.

18...exf4!? 19.hxg4?

Here White should play 19.gxf4, because now Black's agile e-pawn reaches the g-file and creates a typical mating net.

19...Bd4+ 20.Kh1 fxg3 21.Bh3 Bxg4! 22.Kg2

If 22.Bxg4 Qh4+ 23.Kg2 Qh2+ 24.Kf3 f5.

22...Bxh3+ 23.Kxh3 g2! 0-1

Because of 24.Kxg2 Qg5+ with inevitable mate.

Queen's Indian E15
IM Pal Petran
GM Andras Adorjan
Hungary 1985

9.Nc6??

Why theory does not mention this move, and recommends 9.axb3 or 9. Nc3, is answered in this game.

9...b2! 10.Nxb4

If 10.Nxd8 bxa1=Q 11.Bxa8 (11. Bxb4 Nd5) 11...Bxd2+, Black wins.

The Slalom Pawn
The aggressive agile pawn often courses ahead in a zig-zag, back-and-forth slalom motion over its initial file and the neighboring files. The tactical ideas behind this "slalom" pawn are the same as those seen when the "agile" pawn crosses files, as examined in the last Tactics column: it creates mating threats, or, landing on the seventh rank, creates a situation for inevitable promotion. Here, also, the motion of the slalom pawn is surprising and usually begins with the sacrifice of a piece.

London System A46
Grigory Levenfish
Alexander Alekhine
St.Petersburg 1913

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bf4 Bg4 4. Nbd2

The theoretical background of this variation is very meager. ECO shows only 4.e3 Nbd7 5.h3 Bxf3 6.Qxf3 c6 7.Nc3! Qa5 8.O-O-O with a slightly better game for White, as in McCarthy--Shirazi, USA 1991.

4...Nbd7 5.h3 Bh5 6.c3 c6 7.Qb3 Qc7?! 8.e3 e5 9.Bh2 O-O-O

If 9...e4?, 10.Ng5 Bg6 11.h4 h6 12. h5! hxg5 13.hxg6 fxg6 14.Bxd6 -- Levenfish.

10.Bd3 Bxf3 11.gxf3 d5 12.c4! Qa5 13.O-O-O exd4?

Better, but still inadequate, is 13... Bd6 14.Kb1 Kb8 15.cxd5 cxd5 16. e4! with better chances for White -- Levenfish.

14.exd4 g6 15.Kb1 Bh6

White's Knight is attacked and Black probably expects 16.Qc2 Bxd2 17. Rxd2 dxc4 18.Bxc4 Nd5. The young Alekhine overlooked the possible slalom of White's c-pawn.

16.cxd5! Bxd2 17.dxc6 Nb6

If 17...bxc6, 18.Rxd2! Qxd2 19.Ba6 mate.

18.Qxf7 Nfd7 19.cxd7+ Rxd7 20. Rc1+! Qc3

If 20...Bc3, 21.Qf6!

21.Rxc3+ 1-0

While playing over the next game, I recalled Tartakower's wry observation: "The center pawn sometimes becomes very eccentric."

Scotch C47
David Martinez
Manuel Alvarez
Verano 1997

12.exf6!

The slalom of White's pawn over the e- and f-files immediately decides the game.

12...gxf4 13.fxe7 Qc7 14.Ne4! Kd7 15.Nf6+ Ke6 16.Bc4+ d5 17.Rhe1+ Kd6 18.e8=Q 1-0

The following two games present typical situations when the slalom creates possibilities for promotion by the agile pawn.

Sicilian Dragon B75
IM Vassily Panov
Bagin
St.Petersburg 1949

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 Nc6 8.Qd2 a6 9.O-O-O Qc7 10.g4 h6 11.h4 Ne5 12.Qg2! Bd7 13.g5 hxg5 14.hxg5 Rxh1?

Good or bad, Black must play 14... Nh5, as now the slalom of White's g-pawn decides the game.

15.gxf6! Rxf1 16.fxg7!! Rxd1+ 17. Kxd1 O-O-O 18.Nd5 Nc4

Tantamount to resignation, but after 18...Qa5 19.Nxe7+ Kb8 20.g8=Q, Black's position is also hopeless.

19.Qe2 e5

If 19...Qc5, 20.Nxe7+ Kb8 21. Ndc6+ and White wins.

20.Nxc7 Nxe3+ 21.Qxe3 exd4 22. Qg5 1-0

Grunfeld D91
GM Rainer Knaak
Jan Siroky
Olomouc 1972

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bg5 Ne4 6.cxd5 Nxg5 7.Nxg5 e6 8.Qa4+!? Bd7 9.Qb3 Qxg5 10. Qxb7 O-O 11.Qxa8 Nc6 12.h4 Qg4?

Theory recommends 12...Qh6 13. Qb7 Nxd4 with a sharp and unclear position.

13.Qb7 Rb8

If 13...Nxd4, 14.O-O-O and Black does not have enough compensation for the lost Exchange.

14.dxc6! 1-0

If now 14...Rxb7, 15.cxb7 with inevitable promotion to a new Queen.

The slalom trip of the agile e-pawn is much longer in the following combination.

Sicilian Paulsen B42
GM Mikhail Tal
GM Alexey Suetin
Tbilisi 1969/70

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Bd3 Ne7 6.Nc3 Nbc6 7.Nb3!? Ng6 8.O-O b5 9.Be3 d6 10.f4 Be7 11.Qh5! Bf6 12.Rad1 Bxc3 13.bxc3 Qc7 14.Rd2! Nce7 15.Nd4!

Threatening 16.Bxb5+!

15...Bd7

If 14...Qxc3, 15.f5 exf5 16.exf5 Ne5 17.f6 gxf6 18.Rxf6, followed by 19. Rh6 and 20.Rxh7.

16.f5 exf5 17.exf5

The first leg of the e-pawn's spectacular slalom over the e- and f-files.

17...Ne5 18.Ne6!

The second leg of the slalom is accomplished by this typical Sicilian tactical shot.

18...Bxe6 19.fxe6 g6

Better is 19...O-O-O 20.exf7 Rdf8, but 21.a4! keeps White's winning chances alive.

20.Qxe5!!

A wonderful example of the relative value of the pieces. A third leg of the slalom is assured and the agile pawn becomes stronger than the Queen.

20...dxe5 21.exf7+ 1-0

White wins by force in all variations, e.g. 21...Kf8 22.Bh6 mate, or 21... Kd8 22.Bf5+, or 21...Kd7 22.Bf5+ Kc6 23.Be4+ Nd5 24.Bxd5+ Kd7 25.Bxa8+ Ke7 26.Bg5+ Kf8 27. Bh6+ Ke7 28.f8=Q+.

The next game shows an agile pawn performing its slalom motion over both neighboring files. The tactical operations involving "full slaloms" are usually surprising and spectacular, but also can be common in some openings and variations.

Sicilian Najdorf B98
Davidiuk--Zalybin
USSR 1975

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 Nbd7 9.O-O-O!?

ECO recommends 9.Bc4.

9...h6 10.Bh4 g5?! 11.fxg5 Ne5?

This variation is playable when White's King is still in the center. Here it simply loses in a few moves.

12.gxf6! Nxf3 13.fxe7 Qb6 14.gxf3 Rg8 15.e5! d5 16.Nf5! 1-0

Sicilian Najdorf B99
Roikhel--Khlian
Rostov 1975

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 Qc7 9.O-O-O Nbd7 10.Bd3 h6 11.Bh4 g5 12.e5 dxe5?

Black must play 12...gxh4 13.exf6 Nxf6.

13.Nxe6 Qb6

Better, but still inadequate, is 13... fxe6!? 14.Bg6+ Kd8 15.fxg5 with a strong, probably decisive, attack.

14.fxg5 e4

If 14...Qxe6, 15.Bf5 e4 16.Qh3 Qc6 17.gxf6 Nxf6 18.Rhe1.

15.gxf6!! exf3

If 15...Nxf6, 16.Ng7+ Kf8 17.Nxe4 with a winning position.

16.Nd5 fxg2 17.fxe7! 1-0

Finally, a recent game where the tactical operation involves both styles of pawn agility, crossing files and slaloming.

Pirc B07
IM Igor Yagupov
IM Igor Zakharevich
St.Petersburg 1998

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Be3 c6 6.Qd2 b5 7.Bd3 Bb7 8.Bh6 Bxh6?! 9.Qxh6 b4 10.Ne2 Qb6 11.O-O c5 12.e5! dxe5 13.dxe5 Bxf3

If 13...Nfd7, 14.Qg7 Rf8 15.Ng5 and 16.Nxh7.

14.Qg7! Rf8

If 14...Rg8, 15.exf6! Rxg7 16.fxg7 .

15.exf6 Bxe2

Or 15...Bb7 16.fxe7 Kxe7 17.Rfe1 Nd7 18.Bb5! and wins.

16.fxe7!

The slalom!

16...Kxe7 17.Bxe2 Nd7 18.Bg4! 1-0

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