coming Rc5 and decided that he didn’t want his queen being stuck over on the kingside, subject to minor piece attacks, but after the queen’s retreat his pieces are camping out on the back ranks. Black was right to be nervous, but 22.
... Ne7, offering an exchange of rooks,was a better move.
23. b4 Qd8 24. Be4!
lrq +k+ pp+l+pp +n+p+ p
+ + + + P PL+ +
P + NN+P +R+ PP+ + Q + K
After 24. Be4 A little patience before the d4-d5 break,
which Black cannot prevent. Breaking immediately was suspect with the unpro- tected bishop on d3. White’s excellent move also prevents
the freeing ... Ne7. 24. ... a6 25. d5 exd5 26. Bxd5 Now White has turned the tables and
looks to have a slight advantage here.
26. ... Bf4 27. Rc4 Bxe3 28. Qxe3 Ne7 29. Rxc8 Bxc8 30. Bb3!
+p+ npp p+ + + p + + + + P + + +
PL+ QN+P + + PP+ + + + K
After 30. Bb3 Of all the retreat squares, this is best
as it covers the back rank. 30. ... Nf5 31. Qf4 Always try tomix defense with offense.
Now the knight is pinned and White threatens g2-g4.
31. ... Qd6 32. Qe4 No trade yet. Let’s make Black work a
little harder. 32. ... Qe7 33. Qxe7 Now is the time for the trade, where
Black cannot avoid being stuck with a weak pawn.
uschess.org +lq +k+
White’s maneuvers are impressive. 33. ... Nxe7 34. Ne5 Be6 35. Bxe6 fxe6
+p+ n p p+ +p+ p + + N + P + + +
P + + +P + + PP+ + + + K
After 35. ... fxe6 Activate the king or beat up on the
pawn structure with the knight? I believe using the knight is correct as it looks like White will be up a pawn. I agree with this choice—and applaud
Chris for considering 36. Kf1. However, Black did not have to give up a pawn; after 36. Nd7 he should play 36. ... Nc6 in order to meet 37. Nc5 with 37. ... Nd8. Still, White is much better after 38. f4 fol- lowed by the king’smarch into the center.
36. Nd7 Nc8 37. Nc5 Nd6 38. Nxe6 Kf7 39. Nc5 g5 40. Kf1 Kf6 41. Ke2 Ke5 42. Kd3
+p+ + + p+ n + p + N k p P + + +
P +K+ +P + + PP+ + + + +
After 42. Kd3
42. ... Kd5 43. a4 SixthWorld ChampionMikhail Botvinnik
once said that knight endings are like pawn endings, albeit more complicated. Indeed, without knights the position and its outcome are clear: despite the more active black king, White’s way to victory is simple: creating and then—slowly but surely—promoting the passed f-pawn. In the actual game—with knights—White also iswinning, but not so easily. I’d start with 43. Nd7—and look,whenever possi- ble, for ways to trade knights!
43. ... a5! A good move, trying to undermine the
knight. I was so caught off-guard by this that I missed the necessary next move.
44. Nxb7?? Somehow I didn't see any other option,
+ + + + + + +k+
albeit the simple 44. Kc3 would have maintained the advantage. Any move which preserves White’s
material advantage is probablywinning for White.
44. ... Nxb7 45. bxa5 Nxa5 46. Ke3 Nc4+ 47. Kf3 h5
+ + + + + + + +
+ +k+ pp P+n+ + + + + +K+P + + PP+ + + + +
After 47. ... h5 48. h4
Very well played.
48. ... Nd2+ 49. Ke3 Nc4+ 50. Kf3, Draw agreed.
Objectively, the game is a draw, but
White can still try, free of risk, to keep playing with (after 50. ... Nd2+ 51. Ke2.) This game demonstrates, onemore time,
the frequency of, and the importance of studying, the isolani (white pawn on d4; or black pawn on d5) position. The nascent knight ending is also quite instructive.
.
Send in your games! If you are unrated or were rated
1799 or below on your Chess Life (CL) label, then GMLev Alburt invites you to send your most instructive game with notes to:
Back to Basics, c/o Chess Life PO Box 3967 Crossville, TN 38557-3967
Or e-mail your material to
backtobasics@uschess.org
GM Alburt will select the “most
instructive” game and CL will award an autographed copy of Lev’s newest book, Chess Training Pocket Book II (by Lev Alburt and Al Lawrence) to the person submitting the most in- structive game and annotations.
Do not send games with only a
fewnotes, as they are of little instruc- tive value and can’t be used.Writing skills are a plus, but instructiveness is a must! Make sure your game (or part of it) and your notes will be of interest to other readers.
+ + + +
Chess Life — January 2012
43
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