Doubled Pawns after the Queens exchange
Happy Holidays to everyone who celebrate them
I have found quite a few games where one of the players is offering Queen’s exchange, even if it means significant damage in the pawn structure. This will be compensated with other pluses, usually in much better pieces’ placement and coordination. The article will be posted in three parts, full PGN file in the final post.
Mikhail Botvinnik - Max Euwe
Den Haag/Moscow, 1948
Botvinnik sacrificed a pawn to bring pieces to attacking positions. Queen and Bishops are on excellent places, White only has to open files for the Rooks. It has to be done quick though, because Black can play Nd5 next and completely neutralize the pressure.
20.f3!!
20.Bxf6? Qxf6 21.Qxe4 Bf5 Black catches on with the development.
20…Nd5
There is no time to take on f3 because 20…exf3 21.Bb1! with idea Bxh7+ is crushing 21…h6 (21…fxg2 22.Rxf6) 22.Rxf3 Nd5 23.Rg3!! Qxh4 24.Rxg7+ Kh8 25.Rh7+ Kg8 26.Rh8#;
20…Be6 was decent however, 21.fxe4! it is all about one tempo (21.Bb1 Nd5 22.Qxe4 f5 with next 23…Nc3 and equal play, Botvinnik) 21…Bxa2 22.Rxf6! (22.Bxf6? gxf6 23.Rf3 Be6 24.e5 Rfe8 25.exf6 Qf8 26.Rg3+ Kh8 27.Rg7 Bf5 and now Black is winning) 22…Kh8 (22…gxf6? 23.Bxf6; 22…Be6 23.Qg3 Qd7 24.Ref1!) 23.Qg3 with attack for White.
21.Qxe7 Nxe7 22.fxe4
It is time to look at what has transformation brought to the players. White’s double isolated pawns should be weakness, according to the canon, but this is not the case here. White has two open files for the Rooks, pair of Bishops is holding important diagonals and pawn f7 can be victim in many tactical lines. Moreover, Black has problem with Bishop’s development as there are no good squares, and most likely he won’t be able to cover d7 entry point. Doubled pawns will play an important role of taking supported squares away from the Black Knight.
22…b6?
Trying to develop a Bishop is not the best idea - 22…Be6 23.Bxe6 fxe6 24.Rxf8+ Kxf8 (24…Rxf8 25.Bxa5) 25.Rf1+! Kg8 (25…Ke8 26.Bxg7) 26.Rd1 and 27. Rd7 is next;
22…Bg4 is only temporary preventing Rook from taking d-file. White has time for Rf2-d2 because Black Rooks are tied for weak pawns. 23.Rf2 Bh5 24.Rd2 Rfd8 25.Rxd8+ Rxd8 26.Bxa5;
Possibly best attempt was 22…Ng6! 23.Rd1 Be6 24.Bxe6 fxe6 25.Rd7 Rxf1+ 26.Kxf1 Rf8+ 27.Ke2 Rf7 28.Rd6 (28.Rxf7 Kxf7 and Black can probably hold in spite of being pawn down. In this endgame, doubled pawns would prove to be weak and useless) 28…Nf8 29.Bxa5 Rd7 30.e5!
23.Rd1
White is already threatening both Bxf7+ and Rxf7.
23…Ng6
23…Be6 24.Bxe6 fxe6 25.Rd7 Rxf1+ 26.Kxf1 Rf8+ 27.Ke2 Rf7 28.Rd6;
23…Bg4 24.Rd6 Rac8 25.h3 Bh5 26.g4 Bg6 27.e5! with e5-e6.
24.Rd6
Taking advantage of the weakening b7-b6.
24…Ba6 25.Rf2!
Better than Rfd1 as White wants to keep the pressure on f7.
25…Bb5
25…Rac8 26.Rd7 Nh8 27.e5 and 28. e6.
26.e5
Now doubled pawns are showing their aggressive nature as well. Botvinnik will use them to both attack on f7 and squeeze opponent by limiting the Knight. Immediate threat is 27. e6 fxe6 28. Rd7.
26…Ne7
To play Nd5 after 27. Rd7. On 26…Ra7 27.e6 Nh8 28.Rf4! and Rg4. Or 26…Rae8 27.e6! fxe6 28.Bxe6+ Kh8 29.Rd7 Rxe6 30.Rxg7!
27.e4! c5 28.e6!
Stronger than 28.Rxb6 Bc6 29.e6 fxe6 30.Bxe6+ Kh8
28…f6
28…fxe6 29.Rxe6 Rxf2 30.Kxf2 Kf8 31.Bxg7+ Kxg7 32.Rxe7+ Kh8 33.Bd5
29.Rxb6 Bc6 30.Rxc6!
This cute combination is closing the curtains.
30…Nxc6 31.e7+ Rf7 32.Bd5 1-0
32.Bd5 Rc8 33.e8Q+ Rxe8 34.Bxc6 and Black is also losing an exchange, leaving White with extra piece.
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lilet said,
Wrote on December 28, 2007 @ 5:25 pm
goran,
happy holidays, too!
i hope you keep on teaching us this 2008, for free,hehehe!
thanks,
lilet
Doubled Pawns after the Queens exchange 2 « Chess Strategy said,
Wrote on December 29, 2007 @ 7:23 pm
[…] Doubled Pawns after the Queens exchange, part 1 […]
Goran Urosevic said,
Wrote on December 29, 2007 @ 7:26 pm
Thank you lilet
I will
Doubled Pawns after the Queens exchange 3 « Chess Strategy said,
Wrote on January 9, 2008 @ 8:04 am
[…] Doubled Pawns after the Queens exchange, part 1 Doubled Pawns after the Queens exchange, part 2 […]
Nimar Arora said,
Wrote on January 15, 2008 @ 8:33 pm
I didn’t understand why 22 ..Bg4 is not a good line for black. After 23 Rf2 Black can reply 23 ..b6 freeing up the a-file rook to reply 24 Rd2 with 24 ..Rad8
Goran Urosevic said,
Wrote on January 15, 2008 @ 9:40 pm
I think 22…Bg4 23. Rf2 b6, then changing target to f7, 24. Ref1 Bh5 (24…Be6 25. Bex6, 26. Rxf8+ and 27. Rd1) 25. g4 Bg6 26. h4 Bxe4 (26…h5 27. gxh5 and Rg2; 26…h6 27. h5 and Rxf7) 27. Rxf7 should be crushing. But this has to be double checked.
I should add that Keres and Botvinnik mentioned 22…Bg4 23. Rf4, just I liked Rf2 better.
Nimar Arora said,
Wrote on January 16, 2008 @ 7:07 pm
Well, white is certainly ahead in your line but I can’t figure out the crushing attack after 27 .. Rxf7 28 Rxf7 Nd5 29 Rxg7+ Kf8 30 Bxd5 cxd5
In fact, black could delay taking the e4 pawn to develop his rook first: 22.. Bg4 23 Rf2 b6 24 Ref1 Bh5 25 g4 Bg6 26 h4 Rad8 27 h5 Bxe4 28 Rxf7 Rxf7 29 Rxf7 Nd5 30 Rxg7+ Kf8 31 Bxd5 Rxd5 Again, I’m not sure how white will cash in his extra pawn.