Double Bishop Endgames

Posted on June 6, 1996 by DrDave

Chris Bellers

“Deux fous gagnent toujours, mais trois fous,
non!“

— Alexander Alekhin, on the advantage of the Two Bishops at
amateur level

This session looks mainly at endings involving BB vs. BN
or NN and no other pieces. They demonstrate that, even where pawns
are evenly placed, the two bishops are often enough to force a
win.

If you have the two bishops, be prepared for patient
manoevring, and do not assume an automatic win. Game 3.1 is a
particularly long encounter where White gradually builds up a
winning position but slips at the end and should have only
drawn.

1. Opposite coloured bishops While many
opposite coloured bishop endings do end in draws, it is a mistake
to think that all such endings are automatically drawn. It is true
that an extra pawn often does not suffice, and sometimes not even
an extra two or three. However, there are a couple of ideas in
these endings that might be of interest.

Firstly, there is ‘creeping round the edges’. In the
following position, Black seems to have a successful blockade.

1.1 ?? – ?? (cb), 1995

(wKe4,Be6,Pb7,f5; bKf6,Bb8)

1. Kf3 Bc7 ?

Black must prevent Kg4, so …Kg5 is necessary

[After 1… Kg5 the game is drawn: 2. Bc8 Bc7 3. Ke4
Kf6 4. Kd5 Bh2 5. Kc6 Ke7 6. Kb6 Bb8]

2. Kg4 Bb8

[2… Kg7 3. Kg5 Bd8+ 4. f6+ Bxf6+ 5. Kf5]

3. Kh5 Bf4 4. Bc8 Bc7

[4… Kg7 5. Kg4 Bc7 6. Kg5 Kf7 7. f6]

5. Kh6 Bb8 6. Kh7 Kf7 7. Be6+ Kf6 8. Kg8 Bd6 9.
Bc8

Again, Black is in zugzwang, and must give way allowing
the f-pawn to advance; once it reaches f7, the bK must go to f8,
and the wK can go ’round to support the other pawn.

9… Ke7 10. Kg7 1-0

The other idea I learned the hard way. In the following
position, Black had lost a [pawn in the opening, and is now forced
to exchange rooks. However, I was not too unhappy about this as I
assumed the position was drawn. What does it look like to you?

1.2 Soesan – Bellars, Paignton, 1976

(wKe3,Bd4,Rb2,Pa5,c4,f3,g3,h2; bKc6,Bg6,Rd7,Pa6,f6,g7,h7)

1… Rb7 2. Rxb7 Kxb7 3. Bc5 Bf7 4. Kd4 Kc6 5. Bf8 g6 6.
Be7 f5 7. f4 Kd7 8. Bc5 Kc6 9. Bb6 Kd6 10. c5+ Kc6

?! Now the wK penetrates and the bishop is short of squares. The
rest of the game is an object lesson in how difficult it is to
defend with a bishop when the pawns are on the same colour.

[10… Ke6 11. c6 Be8 12. Kc5 also wins]

11. Ke5 Be8 12. Ke6 Kb5 13. Ke7 Bc6 14. Kf7 Kc4
15. Kg7 Kd5 16. Kxh7 Be8 17. Kg7 Ke6 18. h4 Kd5 19. Kf8 Bd7 20. Kf7
Bc6 21. Kxg6 Ke6 22. h5 Be8+ 23. Kg5 Bd7 24. Bc7 Kf7 25. Be5 Kg8
26. Kf6 1-0

2. Two bishops with an unbalanced pawn
position

The two bishops are particularly powerful and this alone is often
sufficient to win. The winning process consists of four steps:

place the pieces in the best possible positions
(i.e. where they cramp the opponent’s pieces)

set up an outside passed pawn (or a potential
outside passed pawn) – this means advancing the pawns as far as you
can

if the opponent’s king goes to the threatened
sector, go to the other wing – either to capture pawns with the
bishops or force an entry for the king

If the opponent does not try to stop the pawns
with his king, then advancing the passed pawn will cost him a
piece

2.1 Leonhardt – Bernstein, Barmen,
1905

(wKd3,Be3,g2,Pa2,b3,d4,d5,f4,h3; bKf8,Ng3,Bg7,Pa7,b7,e7,f7,g6,h7)

1. d6 exd6

[1… b6 2. d7]

2. Bxb7 Nf5 3. Bf2 Bh6 4. Ke4 Ne7 5.
d5!

! cramping the Black pieces

5… f5+ 6. Kf3 a6

[6… a5 7. Bb6]

7. a4

threatening b4-b5 and if …axb, the a-pawn will not recapture but
run to a8. So, if the pawn gets to a5, it cannot be stopped

7… Bg7 8. Ke2

[8. b4 Bc3 9. b5 axb5 10. axb5 Ke8 11. Ba7 Kd7 and if
now 12. b6 ? 12… Bd4 and the win is not straightforward]

8… Bc3

the second step is over; now we have the fourth idea

9. Kd3 Bb4 10. Bxa6 h6

[10… Nxd5 11. Kc4 Nc7 12. Kxb4 Nxa6+ 13. Kb5 Nc7+
14. Kb6 Nd5+ 15. Kb7 winning]

11. Bb7 g5 12. fxg5 hxg5 13. Kc4 Bd2 14.
b4

and soon won

…1-0

2.2 Perlis – Baird, Barmen, 1905

(wKd2,Bb6,c2,Pa3,b4,e4,f3,g3,h2; bKe8,Nd8,Be6,Pb7,c6,e5,f6,g7,h7)

1. f4 exf4 2. gxf4 Ba2 3. Kc3 Ne6 4. Be3 Nf8 5. a4 Nd7 6.
Bd3 Kd8 7. Kd4 Nf8 8. f5 ! 8… Nd7 9. Bf4 Ke7 10. h4 Bb3 11. a5 h6
12. Be2 Ba2 13. Bd1 Bf7 14. Bc7 ! 14… Ba2 15. Ba4 Bf7

White cannot improve his position any more, and breaks through with
sacrifice to create a passed pawn

16. Bxc6 bxc6 17. a6 c5+ 18. Ke3

[18. bxc5 Nb8 19. Bxb8 Be8 20. Kd5 was
simpler]

18… Nb6 19. Bxb6 Be8 20. Bxc5+ 1-0

Against a doubled pawn the two bishops will generally be
able to force a gain of material, or an outside passed pawn.

2.3 Soultanbieff-Flohr, Folkestone, 1933

(wKg1,Nh1,Bd2,Pb2,b3,d4,e3,f4,h3; bKg7,Bc6,h4,Pa6,b7,e4,e6,f5,h6)

The key here is White’s weak b pawns. The plan is to force b4, play
the K to the Q-side, capture one of the b-pawns and create an
outside passed pawn.

1… Kg6 2. Kg2 Bd5 3. b4 Kf7 4. Ng3 Ke8 5. Ne2
Kd7 6. Nc3 Kc6 7. Kh2 Bb3 8. Kg2 Bc4 9. Kg1 Bd3 10. Kg2 Bc4 11. Nb1
b6 12. Kg1 Bd3 13. Nc3 Be7 14. Kf2 Bxb4 15. Nxe4 Be7 16. Nc3 Bh4+
17. Kg1 Bc4 18. Kg2 a5 19. Kg1 b5 20. Kg2 h5 21. Kg1 Bb3 22. Kg2 b4
23. Ne2 Bd5+ 24. Kf1 Bc4 25. Be1 Bxe1 26. Kxe1 Bxe2 27. Kxe2 a4
0-1

2.4 Zagorovsky – Bryson, Corr, 1994

(wKh1,Nd4,Bd2,Pa5,b2,f4,g3,h2; bKg8,Bd7,f8,Pa6,b4,e4,f7,g7,h7)

Here Black is a pawn up, but must play carefully because he is
unable to cramp the knight

36… Bc5 37. Be3 b3 ! 38. Kg2 !! 38…
Be6

[38… Ba4 39. Kf2 Bb4 40. Bc1 ! and
Kf2-e3xe4]

[38… Bg4 39. Kf2 Bd1 40. Nc6 !]

39. Kf2

[39. Nxe6 Bxe3 40. Nc7 Bc5 41. Nxa6 Ba3 42.
Kf2

[42. Kf1 Kf8 43. Ke2 Ke7 44. Kd2 Kd6 ! 45. bxa3 e3+
46. Kxe3 b2]

42… Bxb2 43. Nc5 Bd4+]

39… Bd5 40. Nf5 Bb4 41. Bd4 g6 42. Nh6+ Kf8 43.
Ng4 f5 44. Nf6 Bc6 45. Nxh7+ Ke7 46. Ng5 Kd6 47. Ke3 Bxa5 48. g4
Be1 49. Be5+ Kd5 50. gxf5 gxf5 51. Nh7 a5 52. Nf6+ Kc4 53. Ke2
Bb4

0-1

54. h4 a4 55. h5 a3 56. bxa3

[56. h6 a2 57. h7 a1=Q 58. h8=Q Qe1#]

56… Bc3 57. Bxc3 Kxc3 58. h6 b2 59. Nxe4+ Bxe4 60. h7
b1=Q 61. h8=Q+ Kb3

An isolated pawn may be serious enough for a forced
loss

2.5 Rubinstein – Gajdos, Bremen,
1905

(wKg1,Bd4,e2,Pa2,b2,e3,f3,g2,h2; bKf7,Nd6,Bc8,Pa6,b7,d5,f6,g7,h7)

1. Kf2 Bd7 2. Ke1 Nb5

[2… Bb5]

3. Bc5 Ke6 4. Kd2 f5 ?

a positional blunder

5. b3 Nd6 6. a4 Nc8 7. Kc3 Ne7 8. Bd4 g6 9. Kb4
Bc6 10. Kc5 Kd7 11. a5 Nc8 12. Bd1 Na7 13. h4 Nb5 14. Bc2 Nc7 15.
g3 Ne8 16. Be5 ! 16… Ke6 17. f4

17… Kd7 18. b4 Nc7 19. Bxc7 ! 19… Kxc7 20. Bb3 h5 21.
Ba2 Kd7 22. Bxd5 Bxd5 23. Kxd5 Kc7 24. Ke5 1-0

Where there is a weak colour complex the two bishops can
usually clear a path for the king by constricting the enemy
pieces

2.6 Kasenfuss – Fine, Kemeri, 1937

(wKg1,Nc2,Be3,Pa4,b3,d4,e5,f4,g3,h2;
bKg8,Bd7,e7,Pa7,b7,d5,f7,g4,g7,h5)

1… Bf5 2. Ne1 Bb1 3. Bd2 Kh7 4. Kf2 Kg6 5. Ke3 Kf5 6. a5
g5

outside passed pawn

7. Nd3 Bc2 8. Nc5 gxf4+ 9. gxf4 b6 10. axb6 axb6
11. Nd7 b5 12. b4 h4 13. Nc5 g3 14. hxg3 hxg3 15. Kf3 Bh4 16. Be3
Bd1+ 17. Kg2 Kg4 18. Bd2 Bf3+ 19. Kg1 Kf5 20. Be3 Be4 21. Bd2 g2
22. Nxe4 Kxe4 23. Kxg2 Kxd4 24. Kh3 Be7 25. Kg4 Kd3

and the d-pawn decides

1-0

Another theme is to exchange a B for N leaving pawns on
the colour of the opposing B.

2.7 Van Scheltinga – Fine, Amsterdam,
1936

(wKh2,Nf3,Bd2,Pb4,c5,e4,f2,g2,h3; bKg8,Bd3,g7,Pa6,b7,e6,f7,g6,h7)

1. e5 Be4 2. Bc3 Bxf3 3. gxf3 Kf8 4. Kg3 Ke8 5. Kf4 Kd7 6.
Ke4 Kc6 7. Kd4 Kb5 8. Bd2 h5 9. f4 Bf8 10. f3 a5 0-1

Finally there is opposite coloured bishops theme

In the following game belongs in the ‘blocked pawn
structure’ section, but soon becomes unbalanced.

2.8 Bellars – James, Paignton, 1976

(wKg1,Bd3,e3,Pa2,b2,c3,e4,f2,g3,h3;
bKg8,Ne6,Bg7,Pa7,b6,c5,e5,f7,g6,h7)

30… Bf6 ? 31. f4 exf4 ?

32. gxf4 Kg7 33. Kg2 Bd8 34. Kf3 h5 35. Bf2 Bc7
36. Be3 Bd8 37. Bc4 Be7 38. Bd2 Bd8 39. e5 Bh4 40. Be3 Be1 41. Ke4
Bh4 42. a4 a5 43. Bf1 Bd8 44. Kd5 Bh4 45. Be2 Bd8 46. f5 gxf5 47.
Bxh5 Ng5 48. Bxg5 Bxg5 49. Kc6 Bd8 50. c4 Kf8 51. Kd7 Bh4 52. Kc7
Bg3 53. Kxb6 Bxe5 54. b3 Bc3 55. Kxc5 1-0

3. Pawns blocked and/or balanced

The defender drawing chances are greater, but still has a difficult
game. The winning process consists of 5 steps:

1. weaken the opponent’s pawns

2. cramp the opponent’s peces

3. clear a path for the king

4. after the king has penetrated as far as
possible, force the exchange of the blocking piece

5. penetrate with the King and capture
material

3.1 Berger-Tchigorin, Carlsbad 1907

(wKe1,Bf4,f5,Pa2,b3,c4,f2,g2,h3; bKe8,Nf6,Bc5,Pa7,b7,c6,f7,g7,h6)

1… Ke7 2. Be5

[2. Bc8]

2… Ne8 3. Ke2 Bd6 4. Bc3 b6 ?

[4… Kd8]

5. g3 f6 ?

step 1 is completed, and now (after the errors) there is
a forced win! 6. f4 Bc5 7. Be4 Kd7 8. b4 Be7 9. Kf3 Nd6 10.
Bd3 Ke6 11. g4 g5 ?

step 2 is now completed

[11… Kd7 12. Kg3 Kc7 13. Kh4 f5+ 14. Kh5]

[11… Kf7 12. Bd4 Ke6 13. a3 Kf7 14. c5 bxc5 15.
Bxc5 Nc8 16. Bf5 Bxc5

17. bxc5 Ne7 18. Bd7 zugzwang – the wK will go to the
Q-side]

12. a3 Nf7 13. Bf5+ Kd6 14. Bg6 Nd8 15. fxg5 hxg5
16. Ke4 Ne6 17. Bf7 Ng7

[17… Nf4 18. Kf5 Nxh3 19. Bxf6 Bxf6 20. Kxf6 and id
the N moves, the g-pawn

goes]

18. Be1 Kd7 19. Bc3 Bd8 20. b5 ! 20… Ke7 21.
Bg8 Kf8 22. Bh7 cxb5 23. cxb5 Ke7

step 3 now complete: the wK now has a clear path

24. Bb4+ Ke6 25. Bg8+ Kd7 26. Kd5

zugzwang

26… Be7

[26… Kc7 27. Bf8 Ne8 28. Be6 Kb7 29. Bd7 Nc7+ 30.
Ke4 a6 31. a4 axb5 32. axb5 Kb8 33. Bd6 Kb7 34. Bc6+ Kc8 35.
Kf5]

27. Bxe7 Kxe7

step 4 now complete

28. Kc6 Ne8 29. a4 Nd6 30. Kc7 Ne4 31. Bb3 Nc5
32. Bc2 Ke6 33. Kb8

[33. Kc6 ? game continuation 33… Ke5 34. a5 Ne6 35.
axb6 Nd4+ 36. Kb7 axb6 37. Bd3 when 37… f5 38. gxf5 Nxb5 draws by
wrong RP]

33… Kd6

[33… a6 34. Kc7 axb5 35. axb5 Ke5 36. Kxb6 Kd6 37.
Ka7 Kc7 38. b6+ Kc6 39. Be4+]

34. Kxa7 Kc7 35. a5 bxa5 36. b6+ Kc6 37. Be4+
Nxe4 38. b7 1-0

3.2 Tarrasch – Rubinstein, San Sebastian,
1912

(wKg2,Nh3,Bc2,Pa2,d3,f5,g3; bKd6,Ba6,d4,Pa5,d5,f6,g7)

Here, the first three steps can be regarded as complete

1… Ke5 2. g4 Be3

‘stalemating’ the knight – a common idea

3. Kf3

[3. Nf2 Bxf2 4. Kxf2 Kf4]

3… Kd4 4. Bb3 Bb7

[4… Bxd3 also wins 5. Bxd5 Bf1 6. Bb7 Bxh3 7. Ba6
Kc3 8. Kg3 Kb2 some delicate footwork on both sides here! it’s the
opposite coloured B possibilities that are at issue 9. Bc4 Bf1 10.
Bxf1 Kxa2 11. Kf3 Bh6 12. Bb5 Kb3 13. Ke4 a4 14. Kd4 a3]

5. Ke2 Ba6 6. Bc2

[6. Bxd5 transposes to the previous note]

6… Bb5 7. a4 Bd7 8. Kf3 Kc3 9. Kxe3 d4+ 10. Ke2
Kxc2 11. Nf4 Bxa4 12. Ne6 Bb3 13. Nxd4+ Kb2 14. Nb5 a4 15. Ke3 a3
16. Nxa3 Kxa3 17. Kd4 Kb4 0-1

3.3 Bellars-Goodman, Paignton 1977

(wKg2,Bd3,e3,Pa2,b5,c3,e4,f2,g3,h3;
bKg8,Nd7,Bd6,Pa7,b6,c5,e5,f7,g6,h7)

cf. 2.8

26… Kf8 27. f4 Ke7 28. Kf3 Nf8 29. a4 Ne6 30.
f5 Nf8 31. g4 f6 32. g5 Nd7 33. h4 Nf8 34. Bc4 Nd7 35. Bg8 Nf8 36.
gxf6+ ?

(time trouble)

[36. Bxh7 Nxh7 37. fxg6 Nf8 38. g7]

[36. Kg4 best, idea h5 when White will have a passed
pawn and King entry (step 3)]

36… Kxf6 37. Bg5+ Kg7 38. Bd5 Nd7 39. Be6 Nf6
40. c4 ?

closing the last entry point for the wK!

40… Ne8 41. Bd8

can White win at all? Black is cramped but what is
White’s plan? As it happens…

41… Bc7 ? 42. f6+ Kf8 ?? 43. Be7#
1-0

A tough one: White has to work hard for an opening before
running out of pawns; Black’s pieces are more active

3.4 ?? – ?? (cb), 1995

(wKg3,Bd2,d3,Pa3,b2,c2,f4,g4,h4; bKe8,Nc6,Bf7,Pa6,b7,d5,f6,g7,h6)

1. g5 hxg5 2. hxg5 fxg5 3. fxg5 Ne5 4. Bf5 g6 5. Bc8 Nc4 6.
Bc1

[6. Bc3 Nd6 7. Bh3 Ne4+]

6… Nd6 7. Bg4 Ke7 8. Kf4 Be6 9. Bf3 Bf5 10.
Bxd5 Bxc2 11. Ke5 Bf5 12. Be3

idea Bc5

12… Nf7+ 13. Kd4 Nd8 14. Kc5 Bc8 15. b4 Bd7 16.
Bd2

[16. Bd4 Ne6+]

16… Bb5 ?! 17. Be4 Kf7 18. Kd6 Bc4 19. Kd7 Nc6
20. Kc7 Nd4 21. Bxb7 Nb5+ 22. Kb6 Nxa3 23. Bxa6 Be6 24. Kc5 Bf5 25.
b5 Nxb5 26. Bxb5 1-0

The bishops are at their worst in blocked positions, and
in positions where the pawns are all on the same side. Here, even
an extra pawn may not be enough to win

3.5 Euwe – Alekhin, 3rd Match Game,
1937

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3
Bb4 7. O-O O-O 8. a3 Bxc3 9. bxc3 Qc7 10. Nd2 e5 11. Bb2 e4 12. Be2
b5 13. cxb5 cxb5 14. a4 bxa4 15. c4 dxc4 16. Nxc4 Nb6 17. Nxb6 axb6
18. Rxa4 Bb7 19. Rxa8 Rxa8 20. Qb1 Re8 21. Rc1 Qd6 22. Qc2 h6 23.
Qc7 Qxc7 24. Rxc7 Rc8 25. Rxc8+ Bxc8 26. f3 Bb7 27. Kf2 Ne8 28. Ba3
Bd5 29. Be7 f5 30. fxe4 fxe4 31. Bd8 Nd6 32. Bxb6 Nc4 33. Bc7
Kf7

(wKf2,Bc7,e2,Pd4,e3,g2,h2; bKg8,Nc4,Bd5,Pe4,g7,h6)

1… Kf7 2. h4 g5

else Bf4 and h5 frees the wK

3. Bh5+ Ke7

[3… Kf6 4. Bd8+ Kf5 5. g4+]

[3… Kg7 4. Bd8 gxh4 5. Bxh4 andBh4-g3-f4]

4. Bg4 Bb7

white can make no further progress with the Bishops, so
offers to exchange the strong Knight

5. Be5 Nxe5 6. dxe5 gxh4 7. Kg1 Ba6 8. Kh2
Kf7

and White eventually had to settle for a draw.

[34. h4 g5 35. Bh5+ Ke7 36. Bg4 Bb7 37. Be5 Nxe5 38.
dxe5 gxh4 39. Kg1 Ba6 40. Kh2 Kf7]

41. Kh3 Bf1 42. Bf5 Ke7 43. Kh2 Be2 44. Kh3 Bf1
45. Bxe4 Ke6 46. Kxh4 Kxe5 47. Bf3 Kf6 48. Kh5 Kg7 49. e4 Bd3 50.
e5 Bg6+ 51. Kg4 Kf7 52. Bd5+ Ke7 53. Kf4 Bh7 54. g3 Kf8 55. Be4 Bg8
56. Bf3 Ke7 57. Kg4 Ke6 58. Kf4 Ke7 59. Bg4 Bb3 60. Bc8 Kf7
Q

Endings with the pawns all on one side are ALMOST ALWAYS
drawn if the superior side has 3 pawns or less, USUALLY drawn if he
has 4 pawns

4. Conclusion

The two bishops are better than two knights or bishop/knight
partnership in most normal positions.

If the pawns are unbalanced, so that the side with
the bishops can set up an outside passed pawn, it is virtually a
forced win.

If the pawns are blocked, the slightest weakness in the
pawn structure may be fatal.

The three ideas in all such endings are:

limit the opponent’s mobility

stalemate the knight

exchange off pieces to transpose into favourable
simpler endings (especially those where the opponent’s pawns are on
the same colour as their bishop

Steve Homer at work

Posted on June 6, 1996 by DrDave

Wood, DA (2200) – Homer, SJ (Surrey Open )
(2040) (7) [C04] praxis: positional sacrifice in club play,
1988

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nc6 4. Ngf3 Nf6 5. e5 Nd7 6. Nb3
f6 7. Bf4 fxe5 8. dxe5 Be7 9. Bd3 O-O 10. Bg3 Nb4 11. Be2 c5 12.
O-O a5 13. a3 Nc6 14. c4!? d4 15. Bd3

15… Rxf3!? 16. Qxf3 Ndxe5 17. Qe2 Nxd3 18. Qxd3 e5 19.
Rfe1 Bd6 20. Nd2 Qf8 21. Qf3 Qe7 22. Ne4 Be6 23. Qe2 Bc7 24. Nd2
Qf7 25. Rac1 Re8 26. Ne4 Qe7 27. Qd3 b6 28. h4 h6 29. Nd2 Qf7 30.
Qe4 Qd7 Q

Smith, AP (2100) – Homer, SJ (Surrey Open )
(2040) (5) [B60] praxis: positional sacrifice in club play,
1996

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bg5
Bd7 7. Bxf6 gxf6 8. Nf5 Qa5 9. Bb5 a6?! 10. Bxc6 bxc6 11. Qd3 Rb8
12. O-O h5

13. b4! Qb6

[13… Qxb4 14. Rab1]

14. a4 Bxf5 15. exf5 Bh6 16. b5! axb5 17. axb5
cxb5 18. Nd5 Qb7 19. Rfe1 Bf8 20. Qd4! Kd8 21. Ra7 Qc6

22. Qb4! Qxd5 23. Qa5+ Ke8 24. Qc7 1-0

Homer, SJ (2040) – Parr, F (Surrey Open )
(2145) (2) [B07] praxis: positional sacrifice in club play,
1988

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. g3 Bg7

[4… Bg4]

5. Bg2 O-O 6. Nge2 Nc6 7. O-O

[7. h3 e5 8. Be3]

7… e5 8. d5

[8. Be3 Ng4]

8… Ne7 9. a4 Ne8 10. Be3 f5 11. f3 Nf6 12. Kh1
c6 13. a5 c5

White is being outplayed.

14. b4!? cxb4 15. Na4?!

[15. Nb5!? a6 16. Bb6 Qd7 17. Nc7 Rb8 /\ …Ne8 may
recover]

15… Bd7 16. Nb2 fxe4 17. fxe4 Ng4 18. Bg1 Bh6
19. Rf3 Qc7 20. Nd3 Nf6

21. Nxe5 a good try 21… dxe5 22. d6 Qd8
23. dxe7 Qxe7 24. Rd3 Bc6 25. Rd5 Bxd5 26. exd5 Rfd8 27. c4 bxc3
28. Nxc3 Qb4 29. Qf3 Bg7 30. Rb1 Qe7 31. Bh3 Kh8 32. Be6 Rf8 33.
Qe2 Ne8 34. Qg4 Nd6

Black is trying to get sorted.

35. Qb4 Qf6 36. Bh3 a6 37. Bc5 Rad8 38. Rf1 Qg5
39. Bxd6 Rxf1+ 40. Bxf1 Qf6 (time) 0-1

Homer, SJ (2040) – Stokes, PC (Surrey Open )
(1905) (6) [E30] praxis: positional sacrifice in club play,
1988

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bg5 c5 5. d5 d6

[5… Bxc3+]

6. Rc1 e5 7. e3 Nbd7 8. Bd3 Qa5 9. Bxf6 Nxf6 10.
Nge2 b5

11. O-O Bxc3 12. Nxc3 b4 13. Ne4 Nxe4 14. Bxe4 Qxa2 15. Qc2
Qa5 16. f4 exf4 17. Rxf4 Qd8 18. Rcf1 f6 19. Bxh7 Bd7 20. Qg6+ Kf8
21. Rxf6+ gxf6 22. Rxf6+ 1-0

Rudd, J (2200) – Williams, SJ (British
Championship) (2200) [C05] praxis: positional sacrifice in French
Defence, 1996

1. d4 e6 2. e4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. c3 Nc6
7. Ndf3 Qb6 8. Ne2 cxd4 9. cxd4 f6 10. Nc3 Be7 11. Bd3 O-O 12.
a3

12… fxe5 13. dxe5 Ndxe5!? 14. fxe5 Nxe5 15. Be2 Bd7!? 16.
Nxe5!? Qf2+ 17. Kd2 Qf4+ 18. Kc2 Qxe5 19. Bd3 d4 20. Ne2 Rf2 21.
Kb1 Rc8 22. Re1 Bb5 23. Bxb5 Qxb5

24. Nxd4?! Rxc1+ 25. Qxc1 Qd3+ 26. Nc2 Bg5 27. Qd1 Rd2 28.
Qxd2 Bxd2 29. Rd1 b5 30. Ra2 e5

0-1

The Deadly English

Posted on June 6, 1996 by DrDave

by Chris Bellers

A collection of brisk, brutal wins in the English Opening

Click […] for list, f3 for next, d8 for download, g8 for commands

  [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [NN]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. cxd5 Nxd5 4. Nf3 g6 5. d3 Bg7 6. Bd2 O-O 7. g3 c5 8. Bg2  Nc6 9. O-O b6 10. d4 cxd4 11. Nxd4 Nxd4 12. Nxd5 Bg4 13. Re1 Rc8 14. Bc3 Nxe2+  15. Rxe2 Bxc3 16. f3 {1-0 Polugaevsky,L-Simic,R 1988}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "2."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. cxd5 Nxd5 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Rb1 Nd7  8. Nf3 Rb8 9. O-O O-O 10. d4 b6 11. e4 {10...Nb6}  e5 12. Re1 Bb7 13. Qa4 Ra8  14. Bh3 c6 15. Ba3 Re8 16. Qb3 Qc7 17. Ng5 Nf8 18. Bd6 Qxd6 19. Nxf7 {threatenin  g 20.Nh6+ Kh8 21.Qg8 mate 1-0 Savon,V-Poch,C 1971}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "3."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. cxd5 Nxd5 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. h4 Nd7 8.  Qb3 {7...h6}  c5 9. h5 Qc7 10. Ba3 Rb8 11. Nf3 b5 12. hxg6 hxg6 13. Rxh8+ Bxh8  14. Ng5 e6 15. Nxe6 Qe5 16. Nf4 b4 17. d4 Qd6 18. cxb4 Qxd4 19. Rc1 cxb4 20. e3  Qg7 21. Qxb4 Qe5 22. Nd3 Qf6 23. Bh3 {1-0 Suba,M-Roos 1978}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "4."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. cxd5 Nxd5 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Nb6 6. Nf3 Bg7 7. h4 O-O 8. h5  Nc6 9. hxg6 hxg6 10. d3 Re8 11. Bh6 Bh8 12. Qd2 a5 13. Bf8 {1-0 Rudenko,L-Zubova  ,N 1971}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "5."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5 5. g3 Nc6 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O Qe7 8. e3  b6 9. b3 {8...d5}  d5 10. Bb2 dxc4 11. Ng5 {1-0 Balashov,Y-Romanishin,O 1976}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "6."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. e4 Nc6 4. Nf3 b6 5. d4 Bb4 6. Bd3 O-O 7. e5 Bxc3+ 8.  bxc3 Ne8 9. Bxh7+ Kxh7 10. Ng5+ Kg6 11. h4 Qe7 12. Qg4 Kh6 13. Nf3+ {1-0 Turbevi  lle,J-Moore,R 1986}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "7."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. e4 d5 4. e5 d4 5. exf6 dxc3 6. bxc3 Qxf6 7. d4 b6 8. Nf3  Bb7 9. Bd3 Bxf3 10. gxf3 Bd6 11. Qe2 Nd7 12. Qe4 Rc8 13. h4 Nc5 14. Qc6+ Nd7  15. Bg5 {1-0 Ormsby,C-Bradford,W 1986}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "8."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. e4 d5 4. e5 d4 5. exf6 dxc3 6. bxc3 Qxf6 7. d4 b6 8. Nf3  Bb7 9. Bd3 h6 10. Qe2 Be7 11. Be4 c6 12. Ne5 O-O 13. h4 {! 1-0 Benatsky,J-Schmid  t,H 1984}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "9."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. e4 d5 4. e5 d4 5. exf6 dxc3 6. bxc3 Qxf6 7. d4 Nc6 8.  Nf3 h6 9. Bd3 Bd7 10. O-O Be7 11. Rb1 b6 12. Qe2 O-O 13. Re1 Rfe8 14. g3 Bf8  15. Bf4 Rac8 16. h4 Na5 17. Ne5 Ba4 18. Qe4 Qf5 19. Qh1 {! 19...Qf6 20.Bg5 hxg5  21.hxg5 Qxg5 22.Qh7 mate 1-0 Filguth,R-De La Garza,A 10}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "10."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. e4 d5 4. e5 d4 5. exf6 dxc3 6. bxc3 Qxf6 7. d4 e5 8. Nf3  exd4 9. Bg5 Qe6+ 10. Be2 d3 11. O-O {?}  Bd6 12. Bxd3 O-O 13. Re1 Qd7 14. c5  Bxc5 15. Ne5 Qd6 16. Qh5 h6 17. Rad1 Qb6 18. Rd2 Nc6 19. Bxh6 Nxe5 20. Bxg7 Ng6  21. Bxg6 Kxg7 22. Qh7+ Kf6 23. Bc2 {1-0 Cramling,P-Ornstein,O 1980}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "11."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. e4 d5 4. e5 d4 5. exf6 dxc3 6. bxc3 Qxf6 7. d4 e5 8. Nf3  exd4 9. Bg5 Qe6+ 10. Be2 Be7 11. cxd4 Bxg5 12. Nxg5 Qe7 13. Qd2 O-O 14. O-O h6  15. Nf3 Rd8 16. Bd3 {equal?}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "12."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. e4 d5 4. e5 Nfd7 5. d4 Bb4 6. Qc2 c5 7. a3 cxd4 8. axb4  dxc3 9. cxd5 Nxe5 10. dxe6 Bxe6 11. bxc3 O-O 12. Be2 Nc4 13. Nf3 Nd7 14. Ng5 {1-  0 Direnzo,F-Schildroth,R 1983}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "13."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. e4 d5 4. e5 Nfd7 5. cxd5 exd5 6. d4 c5 7. Nf3 Nc6 8. Bb5  a6 9. Bxc6 bxc6 10. O-O Be7 11. dxc5 Nxc5 12. Nd4 Qb6 13. Be3 O-O 14. Rc1 Rd8  15. b4 Ne4 16. Na4 Qb7 17. Nxc6 {1-0 Smyslov,V-Farago,I 1976}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "14."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. e4 d5 4. e5 Ne4 5. Nf3 Be7 6. d4 c5 7. cxd5 Nxc3 8. bxc3  exd5 9. h3 Nc6 10. Bd3 Be6 11. Rb1 Rb8 12. dxc5 Bxc5 13. O-O h6 14. Nd4 O-O  15. Qh5 Ne7 16. Bxh6 gxh6 17. Qxh6 Re8 18. Bh7+ {1-0 Ginsberg,M-Adamec,C 1984}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "15."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. e4 Bb4 4. e5 Bxc3 5. bxc3 Ne4 6. d3 Nc5 7. d4 Nca6 8.  Qg4 Rg8 9. Bg5 f6 10. Bxf6 {1-0 Perks,G-Dardinger,D 1981}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "16."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. e4 c5 4. e5 Ng8 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. d4 cxd4 7. Nxd4 Nxe5 8.  Ndb5 f6 9. Be3 b6 10. f4 {9...a6}  Nc6 11. f5 Ne5 12. Qh5+ g6 13. fxg6 Nxg6  14. Bd3 Bg7 15. O-O a6 16. Nd6+ Kf8 17. c5 bxc5 18. Bxc5 N8e7 19. Nce4 {1-0 Chri  stiansen,L-Brasket,C 1978}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "17."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. e4 c5 4. e5 Ng8 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. d4 cxd4 7. Nxd4 Nxd4 8.  Qxd4 Ne7 9. Bf4 Nc6 10. Qd2 Be7 11. Be2 O-O 12. Rd1 Qa5 13. O-O Nxe5 14. Nd5 {1-  0 Krahenbuhl-Kraidman,Y 1981}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "18."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. e3 d6 6. Nge2 Nc6 7. O-O {6...c6}  Ne5 8. d3 Bf5 9. e4 Bd7 10. f4 Nc6 11. d4 e5 12. d5 Ne7 13. Qd3 Qc8 14. fxe5  dxe5 15. Bg5 {1-0 Fordon-Pressnall 1979}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "19."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. Nf3 d6 6. O-O e5 7. d3 c6 8. Rb1 a5  9. a3 Re8 10. e4 Na6 11. h3 Rb8 12. b4 axb4 13. axb4 d5 14. b5 dxe4 15. bxa6  exf3 16. Qxf3 Qa5 17. axb7 Bxb7 18. Bd2 Qc7 19. c5 h6 20. Bxh6 Qa5 21. Bxg7  Kxg7 22. Rfc1 Qxc5 23. Qxf6+ {1-0 Bellers,C-Owen,S 1985}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "20."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Qa4+ Bd7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 Bg7 7. g3 O-O 8.  Bg2 Qc8 9. O-O c6 10. Qh4 h6 11. d3 g5 12. Bxg5 hxg5 13. Nxg5 Bf5 14. f4 Nh7  15. g4 Nxg5 16. gxf5 Nh7 17. Rf3 Bxc3 18. Rh3 Bd4+ 19. e3 {1-0 Tal,M-Donchev,D 1  986}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "21."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 Nf6 2. b3 g6 3. Bb2 Bg7 4. g3 d5 5. Bg2 c6 6. Nf3 Qb6 7. cxd5 Ne4 8. d4  cxd5 9. O-O Nc6 10. Nc3 Nxc3 11. Bxc3 O-O 12. Ne5 Rd8 13. Nxc6 bxc6 14. Qd2 Re8  15. Rfc1 e5 16. dxe5 Bxe5 17. e3 Bb7 18. Ba5 {1-0 Guadagnini,A-Richman,J 1966}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "22."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nc6 3. Bg2 f5 4. e3 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Nge2 O-O 7. O-O Bxc3 8.  Nxc3 f4 9. exf4 exf4 10. d4 fxg3 11. fxg3 d6 12. Nd5 h6 13. Qd3 Be6 14. Bxh6  Bxd5 {!}  15. cxd5 Nb4 16. Qg6 Qe7 17. a3 Nc2 18. Bxg7 Qxg7 19. Qxc2 Rae8 20.  Rae1 Ng4 21. Rxf8+ Rxf8 22. Qd2 Qg6 23. h3 Rf2 24. Qd1 {! 1-0 Tal,M-Plaskett,J 1  984}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "23."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. b3 c5 7. Bb2 dxc4 8. bxc4  {7...Nc6}  Nc6 9. Nc3 Bd7 10. a3 b6 11. Qc2 Qc7 12. Ng5 h6 13. Nb5 Qb7 14. Bxf6  hxg5 15. Bxe7 Rfe8 16. Nd6 {1-0 Wall,W-Blackburn,L 1976}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "24."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Qa4+ Nbd7 6. Qxc4 c5 7. O-O Bd6 8.  d3 O-O 9. Qb3 Rb8 10. Nfd2 b6 11. Nc4 Bc7 12. Nc3 Bb7 13. Bxb7 Rxb7 14. Na5 {1-0   Wall,W-Latell,J 1985}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "25."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. O-O a6 6. a4 Nc6 7. Na3 Bxa3 8.  Rxa3 Rb8 9. Qc2 Na5 10. d3 cxd3 11. Rxd3 Qe7 12. Be3 Nd5 13. Bc5 Qf6 14. e4 Nb6  15. Rfd1 Nc6 16. e5 Qh6 17. Be3 Qh5 18. Qxc6+ {1-0 Raicevic,M-Plachetka,J 1989}   1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "26."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 b6 5. O-O Bb7 6. cxd5 exd5 7. d4 Bd6 8. Nc3  O-O 9. Nb5 Nc6 10. Nxd6 Qxd6 11. Bf4 Qd7 12. Rc1 Rac8 13. Qc2 Ne4 14. a3 Rfe8  15. b4 Re7 16. Rfd1 Ba6 17. Qxc6 Qxc6 18. Rxc6 Bxe2 19. Rdc1 Bc4 20. Bh3 {1-0 Be  llers,c-Lee,S 1983}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "27."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 Bb4 3. e4 c5 4. Nb5 Nc6 5. a3 Ba5 6. b4 cxb4 7. Bb2 Kf8 8. e5  Nge7 9. Nf3 a6 10. Nd6 Nf5 11. Be2 Nxd6 12. exd6 bxa3 13. Rxa3 Bb4 14. Rd3 Bc5  15. O-O a5 16. Qa1 f6 17. Ng5 e5 18. Kh1 Bd4 19. f4 Qb6 20. Bc3 Bxc3 21. Qxc3  Kg8 22. fxe5 Nxe5 23. Ne4 h5 24. Nxf6+ {1-0 Tal,M-van der Wiel,J 1982}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "28."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. O-O b5 6. a4 Bb7 7. b3 cxb3 8. Qxb3  a6 9. Ba3 Nbd7 10. Nc3 e6 11. Bxf8 Nxf8 12. Ne5 Qc7 13. axb5 cxb5 14. Nxb5 Qxe5  15. Bxb7 Rb8 16. Rxa6 Rxb7 17. Nd6+ Qxd6 18. Qxb7 Qd7 19. Qb4 Qc7 20. Ra8+ {1-0  McAleer,J-Dunne,A 1983}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "29."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e6 5. Nc3 b6 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bf4 e5 8. Bg5  Be7 9. Bxf6 gxf6 10. Qd5 Nc6 11. Qxc6+ Bd7 12. Qxa8 {1-0 Adorjan,A-Zsinka 1982}   1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "30."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nb4 6. Bc4 Nd3+ 7. Ke2 Nf4+  8. Kf1 Ne6 9. Ne5 Qd6 10. f4 Nc6 11. Qa4 Ned8 12. d4 cxd4 13. Nb5 Qb8 14. Nxd4  f6 15. Ndxc6 bxc6 16. Bf7+ {1-0 Suba,M-Sax,G 1983}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "31."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nb4 6. Bc4 Nd3+ 7. Ke2 Nf4+  8. Kf1 Ne6 9. Ne5 Nd7 10. Nxf7 Kxf7 11. Bxe6+ Kxe6 12. Qb3+ Kf6 13. Nd5+ Kf7  14. Nc7+ Kg6 15. Ne6 Qe8 16. Nf4+ Kg5 17. h4+ Kh6 18. Qg3 Qg6 19. Qg5+ Qxg5  20. hxg5+ Kxg5 21. Rh5+ Kxf4 22. d3+ Kg4 23. Rg5+ Kh4 24. g3+ {1-0 Pinter-Arkhip  ov,S 1983}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "32."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nb4 6. Bc4 Nd3+ 7. Ke2 Nf4+  8. Kf1 Ne6 9. b4 cxb4 10. Ne2 Qc7 11. Bb2 Qxc4 12. Rc1 Qxe4 13. Rxc8+ Kd7 14.  Rc4 Qd5 15. Ne5+ Ke8 16. Nf4 Qb5 17. Nxe6 fxe6 18. Qa4 {1-0 Loginov,V-Zade,F 198  3}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "33."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nb4 6. Bc4 Nd3+ 7. Ke2 Nf4+  8. Kf1 Ne6 9. b4 cxb4 10. Ne2 Qc7 11. Bb2 Qxc4 12. Rc1 Qxe4 13. Rxc8+ Kd7 14.  Rc4 Qd5 15. Ne5+ Ke8 16. Nf4 Qb5 17. Nxe6 Na6 18. Nd4 Qa5 19. Qg4 Rd8 20. Ne6  f6 21. Nxg7+ {1-0 Zuger,B-Forintos,G 1984}  1-0   [Event "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Site "Chess Position Trainer"]  [Date "????.??.??"]  [White "English"]  [Black "34."]  [Result "1-0"]  [Variation "Deadly"]  1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nb4 6. Bc4 Nd3+ 7. Ke2 Nxc1+  8. Rxc1 e6 9. d4 cxd4 10. Qxd4 Qxd4 11. Nxd4 a6 12. Na4 Nd7 13. Rhd1 Be7 14.  Nxe6 {1-0 Botvinnik,M-Kasparian,G 1938}  1-0

Book review: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (Bronstein)

Posted on June 6, 1996 by DrDave

[This review first appeared in Westward Ho!]

Book review: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

by David Bronstein and Tom Furstenburg (1995) Cadogan 1995 ([[sterling]]?.??) 304pp.

This compilation is subtitled

40 Recommendations for the Novice; 40 Combinations with Explanations; 50 Games with Comments; 60 Games with Diagrams; 70 Picturesque Games

There are also reminiscences and celebrations of Bronstein and his chess by his wife, by Smyslov (written when DB was 50), by the editors of 64 and by Boris Vainstein (at 60), and by the ‘apprentice’ Tom Furstenburg (at 70).

I’ll skip over the recommendations for the novice, which are hard to quibble with but hard to see the use of. (“38. Only when a position with a mating finish can clearly be seen should you pluck up courage and fearlessly sacrifice a rook or even your queen.”).

The combinations are given one on a page annotated with a diagram and commentary explaining how it arose, with occasional reflections on the art of combining by DB. Some were familiar, but most not, and all, of course, were a delight.

The meat in this multilayered sandwich is the set of 50 annotated games, 120 pages of the book. Each game has comments and variations as you might expect, but often also engaging reminiscences about the opponent, or the tournament and the encounter. For example, the eleventh of the fifty was against Tartakower, and bears a splendid tribute to the man in introduction, and a wry anecdote in reflection.

Among the reminiscences are embedded occasional reflections on chess and computers, and clocks, and Botvinnik, and the 1951 Botvinnik match, and Soviet chess politics. The politics may intrude into the chess in this book as far as the enthusiast is concerned, but it should not be forgotten how far politics intruded into Bronstein’s chess. His father was imprisoned for eight years, and while he was released and attended his son’s match with Botvinnik, he attended without permission to be in Moscow, and David “glanced regularly into the audience in order to reassure himself that his father was still there.”

Bronstein also gives a couple of examples of his suggestion to record and reflect the time taken over each move, and muses on chess at faster limits for which he has been an advocate for some time.

The book is a celebration and however partisan some of the commentary I was given to be indulgent.

The 60 games with diagrams can be followed without too frequent recourse to a board, but I haven’t yet bothered with a lot of the 70 ‘Picturesque’ games given as bare scores. Perhaps a sentence or two of introduction might whetted my appetite – say, ‘A back and forth positional struggle in the last round, decided when White errs with 43…O-O‘. Still, too late for editing now, and I came to them gorged on the earlier feasts, and this apparently dry dessert may tempt me later.

As an example, I picked this one, which I first saw in Barry Wood’s CHESS in 1976 (along with a 19-move suckering of Smyslov). This is Bronstein the artist and wizard, and even if you don’t know how he does it, it’s easy to admire and enjoy.

Kaplan, J – Bronstein, D (Hastings) [C11], 1975

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Be7 6. Bxf6 gxf6 7. Nf3 Nd7

[7… b6]

8. Qd2 c5 9. d5 f5 10. dxe6 fxe4 11. exd7+ Qxd7 12. Qc3 O-O 13. Nd2 Qf5 14. O-O-O Qxf2 15. Nxe4?

“White ties himself up regaining an unimportant Pawn” [15. Bc4]

15… Qf4+ 16. Nd2 Bg4 17. Re1 Bg5 18. Bd3 Rae8 19. Ref1 Qe3 20. h3 Be2 21. Rf5 Bh6 22. Bxe2 Qxc3

“…Kaplan had a minute (left). I think he saw what was coming but wanted it demonstrated.”

23. bxc3 Rxe2 24. Rd5 Rxd2 25. Rxd2 Rd8 26. Rhd1 c4 0-1

Zugzwang!

Book review: The Modern Chess Self-Tutor (Bronstein)

Posted on June 6, 1996 by DrDave

[This review first appeared in Westward Ho!]

The Modern Chess Self-Tutor

David Bronstein, tr. Ken Neat

ISBN 1-85744-136-2 Cadogan, 1995

I buy chess books for instruction, for reference and for entertainment. This book I judge falls most neatly into the last category.

Readers will recognise the usual Bronstein style – unconventional, entertaining, chatty; if you enjoyed the 200 Open Games anthology this will also suit you. However, I doubt if the author had a very clear idea about who he was writing this book for, since the topics and examples range from the trite to the magnificent.

The blurb on the back says that this book “is not a self-tutor in the conventional sense, where the basics of the opening, middlegame and endgame play are drily explained. Instead the author engages in a frank conversation with the reader…”

It’s all very interesting but can appear loose and self-indulgent. For example, Bronstein takes a page (17) to muse about why, after 1. e4 e5, it is most common to play 2. Nf3, without really answering his own question to my satisfaction. There are even places where Bronstein just wanders off into anecdotes about, say, buying second-hand books with Spassky in South America (p.108).

Obviously, most of the text is a bit more focussed than that – Bronstein is usually both eloquent and engaging – but although the Chapter headings are enticing (The Strengths And Weaknesses Of The Position, Coordination Of The Pieces, etc.) they are not given a lot of analytic bite. The many examples given are all nice, but occasionally fit the text poorly, in my view.

For example, on page 51 Bronstein offers: “Everyone knows which piece so frightens the Black King – the White Queen’s Rook, awaiting its hour in the corner.” This is a pleasing aphorism. However, the next example given was:

1…Rxa1! 2. Rxa1 Bxd4 3. Rxd4 Nxb3 4. Rxd6 Qxf2! since 5. Qxb3 allows a choice of either 5…Qxg3/6…Qxd6 or 5…hxg3+ mating.

It’s a fine achievement from the youthful Bronstein but does it really clarify the point about attacking with Rooks? Recently I showed this game down at the club:

Whiteley – Agnos [A52] 1994

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 Ng4 4. Nf3 Bc5 5. e3 Nc6 6. Be2 O-O 7. O-O Ncxe5 8. Nxe5 Nxe5 9. Nc3 Re8 10. b3 a5 11. Bb2 Ra6

“A hacker’s paradise” – CHESS magazine

12. Ne4 Ba7 13. Qd5 Rae6 The Rook pauses to support the Knight on the half-open e-file 14. Qxa5 Bb6 15. Qc3 Qh4 16. f4 Rh6

We all knew that’s where it really wanted to go.

17. h3 d5 18. Ng5 Qg3 19. c5 Bxh3 20. Nxh3 Rxh3 21. Qe1 Qh2+ 22. Kf2 Bxc5 Resigns 0-1 23. Bd4 Qxf4+ 24. exf4 Bxd4# 1-0

It’s a poorer-quality game but in my view better instructional material.

In short, there is no sense that the book has been edited with sufficient vigour. You can probably get better instruction for your money from other books, whatever your standard, but if you fancy an interesting chat over some striking combinations with your favourite uncle, this is fine.

Is a doubled c-pawn worth a Bishop?

Posted on June 5, 1996 by DrDave

Is a doubled c-pawn worth a Bishop?

Peter Lane

This is one of the great themes of the Nimzo-Indian and French
Winawer. We will look at it in both contexts: First, the
Nimzo-Indian.

Doubled c-pawns and the Bishop pair in the
Nimzo-Indian

Spassky,B (2660) – Fischer,R (2785) (05)
[E41] Wch28-Reykjavik, 1972

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 c5 5. e3 Nc6 6. Bd3
Bxc3+

This method, developed by Huebner, forces the exchange
before White can escape by castling. Black then creates a blockade
on the dark squares.

7. bxc3 d6 8. e4 e5

Black tempts d4-d5.

9. d5 Ne7 10. Nh4 h6 11. f4

White tries to open up the King’s-side for attack, hoping to use
the Bishops.

11… Ng6!

Black exchanges White’s remaining Knight, leaving White
with two Bishops but in a closed position where Bishops lack
scope.

Black is not tempted by [11…exf4 12. Bxf4 g5 13. e5
Ng4 14. e6! Nf6 15. Bg3 => with a strong attack]

12. Nxg6 fxg6 13. fxe5 dxe5 14. Be3 b6 15. O-O
O-O 16. a4

Still trying to get some play.

16… a5

Another Black weakness but the last opportunity for White
to develop any activity. And if White cannot or does not attack b6,
it is not really weak!

17. Rb1 Bd7 18. Rb2 Rb8 19. Rbf2

Perhaps White would have been better sticking to pressure
on the b-file.

19…Qe7 20. Bc2 g5 21. Bd2 Qe8 22. Be1
Qg6

Only Black can undertake anything in this position.

Impertinent note from typist: when I first came
across this game as an example of weak pawns I was confused – whose
pawns are supposed to be weak? The answer really is White’s,
because his Bishops are hemmed in, and can neither easily defend
the White weaknesses nor attack the Black ones – hence the Black
weakness are more apparent than real.

23. Qd3 Nh5 24. Rxf8+ Rxf8 25. Rxf8+
Kxf8

With the Rooks off White can only wait and defend.

26. Bd1 Nf4 27. Qc2??

Under pressure, White blunders.

27… Bxa4 0-1

What does our noted theoretician, Nimzovitch himself,
have to say about this?

With this pawn formation White might plan c2-c3, d3-d4-d5, c3-c4,
b2-b4 and c4-c5.

But here d4-d5 and c3-c4 can be met with …b7-b6. So this
formation lacks dynamism. But this dynamic weakness is
conter-balanced by a static strength, as a Pawn on d4 cannot be
forced to advance, being propped up by the c-Pawn. (However, adding
to this we see c4 is weak and hard to defend, and the a-pawn is
isolated. These factors lend Black an endgame advantage.

We can now make a few comments about Spassky’s play:

Firstly, White obligingly pushed d4-d5 blocking the game,
whereas any attempt by Black to exchange on d4 would open the
position for the Bishop pair.

Secondly, the Knight’s development on f3 impedes the push
of the f-Pawn

Thirdly, the rapid blocking tof the position by fxe5 and
a2-a4 worked against the Bishops.

Lastly, a continued assault on b6 was needed to constrain
Black’s deployment in some way.

Let us consider an alternative system of development
based upon the Deferred (Closed) Saemisch Variation, a sometime
recommendation of Keene, and a game with an interesting strategic
point.

Peter Lane – RJJ Gibbons, Exeter Vs.
Kingston, 1995

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5

White loses a move playing a3 to force the chosen
formation.

5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 O-O

(too early? – DR’s notes from the Express and
Echo)

7. Bd3 d6 8. Ne2 e5 9. e4 Qc7

White leaves the f-pawn free to advance; Black’s reply
avoids the pin on g5.

10. O-O Nc6

(Black is playing normal Nimzo-Indian moves, but
White’s opening (with Ne2 rather than Nf3) is too dangerous for
normal methods. …Ne8 and f5 was called for – DR)

11. f4 Bg4?

[11… cxd4 12. cxd4 Nxd4 13. Nxd4 exd4 14. Bb2 Qb6
15. Qc2 and e5]

Anyone else want to call this a losing move? Note that
Black threatens to exchange on e2, and take at d4. If White takes
dxc5 and fxe5, c4 and e4 become vulnerable to the Knights.
Otherwise White must play d5 – but doesn’t this lead to a blocked
position with White’s Bishop ineffectual as we saw before?

12. d5! Ne7 13. f5!

Isn’t the first commandment, “Bishop like open
spaces, Knights like closed positions“? – But White controls
so much of the board, can you find a good square for a Knight? Note
that fxe5, “opening the position”, woud have been a serious error,
allowing …Nd6 and …Ba6.

13…Nd7 (else Bg5) 14. Qe1 Bxe2
15. Bxe2 f6 16. Qh4!

Now Black sees the idea!

16…Rfd8 17. Rf3 Nf8 18. Rg3 Nc8?

Dropping a vital Pawn, but:

[18…Nd7 19.Qh6 g6 20.fxg6 hxg6 21.Rh3;

18…Kh8 19.Bh6

A) 19…g5 20.Bxg5 fxg5 21.Qxg5 Neg6 22.fxg6 Nxg6
(22…hxg6 23.Rh3+ Kg8 24.Bg4) 23.h4;

B) 19…Ng8 20.Bxg7+;

18…Kf7 19.Bh5+ g6 20.fxg6+ hxg6 (20…Nexg6 21.Rf3
Qe7 22.Bg5 Nd7 23.Raf1 anyone fancy Black?) 21.Rf3 Ng8 22.Bxg6+
Kxg6 23.Rg3+ Kf7 24.Qh5+ Ke7 25.Rg7#]

19. Qxf6 Rd7 20. Qg5 Qd8

21. Qxd8 Rxd8 22. Bg5 Rd7 23. f6 Ng6 24. Bg4 Rc7 25. Be6+
Kh8 26. Rf1 gxf6 27. Bxf6+ Rg7 28. Bxg7+ Kxg7 29. Rf7+ 1-0

The ‘interesting strategic point’ is that while the
Knights still always require outpost squares in blocked positions,
the Bishops can work around all but the tightest blockade to find a
diagonal (unless they are required for defence of pawns
attacked by active enemy Knights – DR).

Lane, PC – Bartlett,J

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3
O-O 7. Bd3 d6 8. Ne2 e5 9. e4

9… Re8 10. Ng3 Nc6 11. d5 Ne7

[11… Na5 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bxf6 Qxf6 14. Qa4]

12. Bg5 Ng6 13. Nh5 Bg4 14. Nxf6+ gxf6 15. Bxf6
Bxd1 16. Bxd8 Rexd8 17. Rxd1 Nf4 18. Bf1!

Hanging on to the Bishop! 18… Kf8 19. g3 Nh5
20. Bh3

White went on to win: the ‘bad’ Bishop has a fine diagonal and the
Knight has no good squares.

…1-0

The ideal structure for Black actually looks quite
different to the Huebner, with f7-f5 in place of d6/e5, and an
assault on e4, i.e. forget about blocking the Bishops, and instead
fight for chances in a more dynamic set-up.

Doubled c-pawns and the Bishop pair in the
French Winawer

Debbage, I – Lane, PC (Thamesdown vs.
Exeter)

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 Qd7 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3
b6 7. Qg4 f5 8. Qg3 Ba6 9. Bxa6 Nxa6 10. Qd3?!

[10. Ne2! Nb8!? 11. Nf4 Nc6! 12. Nxe6!?
“Discuss…”]

10… Nb8

[10… Qa4 prevents c4 11. Nf3 Ne7 12. Ng5 Kd7 13. h4
Nb8 14. Rg1 Nbc6 15. g4 Na5 16. Rb1 Nc4 White’s King’s-side
counterplay is not enough: -+ Atkinson-Cooke 1965]

11. Ne2 Nc6 12. O-O Na5 13. Nf4 Nc4 14. Qe2 O-O-O
15. Nd3 h6 16. a4 a5 17. Nb2 Qc6 18. Nxc4 Qxc4 19. Qxc4 dxc4 20.
f4?? Ne7 21. Rf3 Nd5

Black wins with a Queen’s-side advance: the Bishop is very bad and
the Knight holds sway on both sides of the board. As in the
Spassky-Fischer game, the White Pawns have become blocked and an
obstruction to his own pieces.

…0-1

Thomas, N – Lane, PC

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 Qd7 5. Qg4 f5 6. Qh5+
Qf7 7. Qf3 b6 8. h4 Ba6 9. Bxa6 Nxa6 10. Qd3 Bxc3+ 11.
bxc3

[11. Qxc3]

11… Nb8 12. Nh3 Nc6

13. c4!

makes good use of the Queen on d3

[13. Nf4 Na5 and Black has achieved a favourable
blockade]

13… dxc4 14. Qxc4 Qd7

White’s Bishop still has some problems, and the struggle for
dominance by the minor pieces is still determined by the pawn
structure, the legacy of the exchange on c3.

15. Be3 Na5 16. Qb4 Qc6 17. Nf4 Ne7 18. c4 Nxc4
19. Rc1 b5 20. Nxe6 Nd5 21. Qc5 Qxc5 22. Nxc5 Kf7

Dynamic equality: Black’s knights have achieved favourable outposts
but Black has not enough play on the Queen’s-side for a win, given
the backward c-pawn and strong White Knight. (The weak c-Pawn
prevents a5-b4-a4-b3 and White managed to create play on the
King’s-side.)

1/2-1/2

Summary

I find that in the Winawer, White’s small spatial advantage
allows Black’s Knights room to manoeuvre and blockade the doubled
Pawns. In the Nimzo-Indian it is harder for the Knights to get to
work.

The Pawns are not good or bad in themselves, only
in how they determine the relative strengths of the opposing
pieces.

Silman’s ‘Re-assess your chess’
advises:

When considering an exchange of Bishop for Knight,
ask yourself:

is the position open or closed?
Will there be support points for the Knight(s)? and if
so:
1. can the Knight(s) get there?
2. does it matter if they do? [i.e. are they away from the
  main arena of play?]
3. what can you do in the meantime with the
  Bishop(s)?