Chess Strategy

This is transcript of the video lesson posted few days ago.

Hi everyone and welcome to the first Chess Strategy video lesson. We will present an example to illustrate typical problems while proceeding from middlegame to ending. Careful chess analysts have noticed that this is exactly the moment when number of mistakes is rapidly increasing.

In some sense, it is natural occurrence as many players are reaching the point of “overload”. It is necessary to calculate long lines, evaluate different relations of pieces and recall of memorized endgame axioms. But probably the most important event is of psychological nature, when player has to regroup his thought for different character of struggle.

Mark Taimanov - David Bronstein
Zurich, 1953

More experienced viewers will recognize Volga-like pawn structure. The board sees material balance, the position is about equal and Black has just offered Queens exchange. Should White accept it? Bronstein thought that incoming endgame would be in his favor because pawns c3 and e4 are possible targets. With Queens present on the board, importance of these weaknesses would be minimized by huge activity of White’s Queen, which can start operations against Black King or pawn e7. Therefore, White should have avoided the exchange. But the game went on with…

23. e5 Qd2 24. Nd2 de5! 25. Re5 Kf8

Of course, Taimanov is grandmaster, and he allowed the exchange hoping to get something in return. His idea was to open e-file by taking on d6 and play ne4 next. This development would allow White to defend c3 and press against d6 at the same time, while N is safely sitting in the center. f5 is risky because it’s weakening e6 square – Ng5.

Bronstein ruined this plan by taking on e5 instead. White got rid of one weak pawn and it looks like Black ruined his own structure by leaving c5 pawn alone. But he got some pluses, Re5 is away from back rank for a moment and Ne8 has excellent square d6. Probably best move now is 26. Kf1 leaving an option for centralizing King after 26…Ra1 27. Ke2. Taimanov decided to attack c5 at once.

26. Nb3 c4 27. Nc5

Threat is Nd7 and Re7.

27….Ra1 28. Kh2 Nf6!

Black has protected all of his pawns (notice how Re4 is not possible), and suddenly, c3 and d5 are becoming objects of attack.

29. Ne4

Offering Knight’s trade. If Queens exchange was good for Black, he is not obligated to trade another pair of pieces. So why not? One of the reasons is that after Rook comes to e4, pawn c4 will be attacked, and the other reason is that Rook endgame with highest probability, four against three pawns on the same side, is theoretical draw.

29…Nd7!

Besides, White Rook is looking very clumsy now.

30. Rg5 Ra2 31. Rg4

The only move. Bad is 31. Kg3 f5 and Ne4 has no squares and also 31. Kg1 Re2 32. Ng3 Re1 33. Kh2 f5!

31…f5 32. Rf4 Nb6 33. Ng5 Nd5 34. Rd4

White can’t take pawn back 34. Rc4 Rf2 33. Nh7 Kg7 36. Ng5 Rg2. Now more or less forced sequence is coming up.

34…Nb6 35. Rd8 Kg7 36. f4 h6 37. Ne6 Kf7 38. Nd4 Na4 39. Rc8 Nc3 40. Rc4

And this is where Black will use his Knight. Pure Rook endgame would be draw.

40…Nd5 41. Nf3 Rg2 and White resigned because of the fork.