Chess Strategy

Petar Popovic - Yuri Razuvaev
Novi Sad, 1982

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.g3 Nc6 7.Bg2 Bd7 8.O-O Be7 9.Nb3 a6 10.g4 h6 11.Qe2 g5 12.h3 Ne5 13.f4 gxf4 14.Bxf4 Qc7 15.a4 Bc6 16.a5 Nfd7 17.Nd4 Ng6 18.Be3 Nde5 19.Nf3 Nxf3+ 20.Qxf3 Bg5 21.Bb6 Qe7 22.Rad1 Bf4 23.Ne2 Be5 24.Nd4 Nh4 25.Qf2 Rg8 26.Nxc6 bxc6 27.c3 Kf8 28.Be3 Rg6 29.Kh1 Rb8 30.Rg1 Nxg2 31.Rxg2 c5 32.h4 Qf6 33.Rf1 Qxf2 34.Rfxf2 Kg7 35.h5 Rf6 36.Rxf6 Bxf6 37.Bf4

Both sides have rooks, bishops and pawns, similar force as in Uhlmann-Lukin. Let’s evaluate the diagram. White has weak pawns a5, b2, and somehow e4, g4. His rook is on passive position defending those weak pawns. Black has better pawn chain and only two potential weak pawns a6 and h6. However, it’s almost impossible for white to attack them so we can say those pawns are not weak in short term. Black rook is beautifully placed on semi-open b-file pressing both a5 and b2 pawns.

Last move was 37.Bf4 and this is the only active white piece. Now d6 pawn is under attack, what to do? If e5, black is closing his bishop and creates new weaknesses d5 square and backward d6 pawn. Defending d6 with Rd8 or Be7 brings the pieces to passive squares. Since Bf4 is only active white piece and having in mind that any other move would lead to passivity, black brings rational decision to trade bishops.

37… Be5!

Note that black is not going for rooks trade like in Uhlmann-Lukin. Uhlmann’s play is not the axiom how we should treat similar setups. Your plan should always depend on the given situation and your evaluation.

You can ask why black is creating new weaknesses: double e-pawns and isolated c-pawn. Those weaknesses are compensated with huge activity of black rook. It may sound paradoxical but d6 pawn was weaker then c5 and e5. Rd2 would have attacked d6 at once while now white has to spend many moves (tempi) in order to endanger those pawns. And time (tempo) is very important in chess.

38.Bxe5+

Having in mind stated above, this is mistake. Only defence was 38.Bd2 Rb5 (38… Rxb2? 39.Bxh6+ winning the exchange) 39.b4 and white can still give solid resistance. Now black is winning a5 pawn and his rook in penetrating on 1st rank with huge force.

38… dxe5 39.Kh2 Rb5 40.Kg3 Rxa5 41.Kh4 Ra1 42.Kg3 a5 43.Rf2 a4 44.Kf3 c4 45.Rd2 a3 46.bxa3 Rxa3 47.Rc2 Ra1 0-1

Important note: In endings with rooks, pawns and opposite-colored bishops, the player with material and/or positional advantage should avoid trade of the pieces unless he is sure that higher level endgame is completely winning. Rook and bishop have serious attacking potential when there is no opponent of the same square-color.