Back toBasics FromIsolani toKnightEnding By GMLev Alburt
When you play against an isolated pawn, exchange pieces! If you are a pawn down in the ending, trade pawns!
The winner of thismonth’s award, Chris Malone, came close to winning the game below—only to see his higher-rated oppo- nent escape in the knight ending. Chris also provided us with thoughtful com- ments (my own further comments will be in italics).
Sicilian Defense (B22) Chris Malone (1753) Aurelio Gonzales (1869) Many Springs Open #41
1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 e6
rnl+kl r pp+ +ppp + +pn +
+ pq+ + + P + +
+ P +N+ PP + PPP RNLQKL+R
After 5. ... e6
Looks like Black has probably played against a few or more c3 Sicilians before and chooses a solid setup. White would be happy to see any ... Bg4 systems as those havemore potential to wreak havoc on Black.
6. Bd3 Nc6 7. 0-0 Be7 8. Be3 0-0 (see diagramtop of next column)
9. Nbd2 This looks too passive. I’d prefer 9. Qe2.
9. ... cxd4 10. cxd4 (see second diagramtop of next column) 10. ... Bd7
42 Chess Life — January 2012
r+l+ rk+ pp+ lppp +n+pn +
+ pq+ + + P + +
+ PLLN+ PP + PPP RN+Q+RK
After 8. ... 0-0
r+l+ rk+ pp+ lppp +n+pn +
+ +q+ + + P + +
+ +LLN+ PP N PPP R +Q+RK
After 10. cxd4 Much better is the natural 10.…b6 and
then … Bb7, with advantage for Black.
11. a3 Rac8 12. Bc4 Qh5 13. Rc1 Na5 14. Bd3 14. Ba2?? Rxc1 15. Qxc1 Rc8 and after
the queen moves, White will be in all sorts of trouble after ... Bb5.
14. ... Rxc1 Trade your bad bishop: 14. ... Bb5!
15. Qxc1 Rc8 16. Qb1 (see diagramtop of next column)
16. ... Bd6 17. Rc1 Nc6 Keep trading: 17. ... Rxc1+ 18. Qxc1
Qd5. 18. Nc4
+r+ +k+ pp+llppp + +pn +
n + + +q + P + +
P +LLN+ P N PPP +Q+ +RK
After 16. Qb1 The knight is not too well-placed on
d2, and we need to get some traction with good piece activation and placement, so ...
18. ... Bb8 19. Rc2! Ng4 20. h3 Nxe3
lr+ +k+ pp+l+ppp +n+p+ +
+ + + +q +NP + +
P +LnN+P PR+ PP+ +Q+ + K
After 20. ... Nxe3
21. Nxe3! And not 21. fxe3?!, where White
exposes a potential third-rank weakness, obtains three pawn islands, and does nothing concerning the eventual isolated pawn break d4-d5.
21. ... h6 22. Qc1 Now Black finds his knight in a nice
pin, with White “in control” of the c-file. 22. ... Qa5 Black was evidently nervous about the
uschess.org
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76