Small Exchange
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To clarify right at the start, the title is referring to the process of exchanging good minor piece for opponent’s bad one, in order to gain some other benefits. Rook on the 7th rank, in this particular example. The article is presenting positive transformation of one sort of positional advantage into another.
“Small Exchange” is literal translation from Serbian. English term exchange (in the meaning Rook for minor piece), is translated into qualitat (German), kachestvo (Russian, Bulgarian) or kvalitet (Serbian), all being literally equal to English “quality”. Small exchange should emphasize importance of the operation (good piece for bad) by comparing it with material giveout (Rook for minor piece). I hope that this primitive linguistic digression won’t make you close your browser before even getting to chess.
I don’t know the official history, but Vassily Smyslov might have been the oldest ever World Championship contender. At the age of 63, already 26 years after he lost the rematch to Botvinnik, Smyslov qualified to play Candidate matches. GM Aleksandar Matanovic described one of his previous unsuccessful attempts (1976 I think) in interesting book “Chess is Chess”. In 1983/84 Smyslov first eliminated German GM Robert Huebner, then Hungarian GM Zoltan Ribli in the semifinals and succumbed only to future champion Garry Kasparov in the Candidate Finals.
Vassily Smyslov - Zoltan Ribli
Candidates Match, 7th game
London, 1983
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 d5 4.Nc3 c5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e3 Nc6 7.Bd3 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.a3 cxd4 10.exd4 Bf6 11.Be4
In the 5th game of the match Smyslov continued with 11. Qc2 h6 12. Rd1 and won.
11…Nce7 12.Ne5 g6 13.Bh6 Bg7 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.Rc1 b6
More common was 14. Qd2. White is now starting a series of seemingly pointless exchanges. This was not only a very deep plan by Smislov, but also a flawless calculation. Quite impressive if we know that older players tend to rely on the common sense rather than computing. For better explanation on “positional understanding” and “calculation”, read GM Yermolinsky’s absolutely fantastic book The Road to Chess Improvement
16.Nxd5 Nxd5 17.Bxd5! Qxd5 18.Rc7!
Rook on the 7th rank, but how lucrative was this investment. White sacrificed small exchange, strong Bishop e4 for Knight e7. Every piece exchange is possibly dangerous for the player with Isolated Queen Pawn, because of the negative prospects for the endgame. Furthermore, Black Queen looks comfortably nested on the long diagonal, forming this nasty battery with future Bb7.
It will turn out that dynamic pluses in White’s position are or higher importance than his positional minuses. Let’s not forget that Black’s dark squares around the King are also weak, as well as his 7th rank. Isolated pawn is forming strong outpost for the aggressive Ne5 - note that after exchanging Black Knights, none of his pieces can challenge it. Coordinated activity of the White Queen, Rook and Knight will prepare the field for decisive pawn march.
18…Bb7 19.Qg4 Rad8 20.Rd1 a5 21.h4!
White Queen from attacking position is neutralizing Black’s only threat - mate on g2. After some preparation, Smyslov is initiating pawn contact, aiming to crack Black King’s shell.
21…Rc8 22.Rd7
Rook trade would only reduce White’s attacking potential; he has to keep it on the 7th rank. Tempo on the Qd5.
22…Qe4 23.Qg5
Same goes for the Queens. White’s can still impose some damage.
23…Bc6 24.f3!
Brilliant and calm! I am sure Smyslov had to carefully calculate possible complications all the way back from 16-18th move. This line is particularly nice: 24…Qe2 25. Ng4! Qd1 26. Kh2 Bd7 27. Qf6 Kg8 28. Nh6 mate.
24…Qf5 25.Ra7!
Now White is accepting Queens’ swap, but under much better conditions. Should Black take 25…Qg5 26. hg5, then pawn g5 is paralyzing Black’s kingside. White can continue with 27. Kf2, 28. Rh1 and 29. Ng4. Black isn’t the prettiest of the world.
25…Ba4 26.Re1 Rc2 27.b4 Bb3 28.bxa5 bxa5 29.Re4!
Last White piece to join the attack! Allowing Rf4 would be suicide because Black is dropping the crucial f7 pawn. He is forced to move another pawn and give more targets to White.
29…h6 30.Qe3 Rb2
Cleaning square for some Qc2.
31.Rg4
Threatening Rg6 and calling for yet another cession. 31. Rf4 Qc2!, so Rg4 is better, protecting g2 at the same time. White is gaining decisive advantage and rest of the game was Smyslov’s trademarked technique. Enjoy!
31…g5 32.hxg5 h5 33.Rg3 h4 34.Rg4 h3 35.g6 h2+ 36.Kxh2 Rh8+ 37.Kg3 Rxg2+ 38.Kxg2 Qc2+ 39.Qf2 Rh2+ 40.Kxh2 Qxf2+ 41.Kh3 Qf1+ 42.Rg2 Qh1+ 1-0
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