Chess Strategy

Doubled Pawns after the Queens exchange, part 1

Mikhail Botvinnik - Nikolay Sorokin
URS-ch Moscow, 1931

White has better development, better pieces placement and doubled Rooks on the open d-file. Black has to take care of the e5 pawn, f7 can also be a target in the future, Bc8 is still undeveloped and Nb6 is not on the best square as c6 is natural for this Knight. All this tells us that White is better, but how to progress? Black is slightly passive, but he’s holding everything under control at the moment.

20.Qe3!!
Unexpected, and at first sight, paradoxical solution. Botvinnik is allowing doubled isolated pawns in the center, but he correctly determinated that Qc5 is holding Black’s position together. After the Queens’ exchange, pawn e5 will be hanging and a5 finally becomes a threat. Furthermore, Black will be having problems with Nb6 and how to stop breach over the d-file (d6 or d7).

Other moves would allow Black to untie his pieces 20.Nd5 Nbxd5 21.Bxd5 Re8 22.Rc2 Qe7 23.a5 Bg4 or 20.Rd6 Bg4 21.h3 Bxf3 22.Qxf3 Rac8 23.Qf5 Rc6!

20…Qxe3
It wasn’t really possible to avoid the trade as Black is losing a pawn. 20…Qc7 21.Nxe5 Qxe5 22.Qxb6 Nxe4? 23.Qe3

21.fxe3 Bg4
21…Nbd7 crushes against resolute 22.Nd5 Nxd5 (otherwise Nd5-e7+, Nxc8 and Rxd7. If 22…Nxe4? 23.Ne7+ Kh8 24.Rxd7) 23.Rxd5 Nb6 24.Ra5! and White still wins a pawn;
21…Ng4? 22.Rd6 Nxe3 23.Rxb6 Nxd1 24.Nxd1 Re8 25.Ne3 - obviously, there is lots of trouble with Knight on b6.

22.a5 Nc8
22…Nbd7 23.h3 Bxf3 24.gxf3 Nc5 (24…Rfd8 25.Nd5! and pin against Nd7 gains material for White) 25.b4 Ne6 26.Bxe6 fxe6 27.Na4 with Nc5, Rd6-b6 and Rd6.

23.Rc1!

Since entry points on d-file are covered at the moment, Botvinnik is switching his attention to c-file, at the same time moving the Rook away from the pin and renewing Nxe5 threat.

23…Bxf3
23…Re8 24.h3 Bh5 25.Nh4! with idea g2-g4.

24.gxf3 Ne7 25.Nd5 Nc6?!
Black is already in huge discomfort, but this inaccuracy will allow White to invade over the 7th rank. More resisting was 25…Nfxd5 26.Bxd5 (26.exd5 Nf5 27.d6! Nxe3 28.Re1 Nf5 29.Rxe5) 26…Nxd5 27.exd5 although White is having wonderful ending.

26.Nxf6+ gxf6 27.Rd7 Rab8
27…Nxa5 28.Rcc7

28.Kf2! Idea Rg1

28…Nxa5 29.Rcc7 Rbc8 30.Rxf7 Rxc7 31.Rxc7+ Kh8 32.Bd5
32.b4 Nc6 33.Rxb7 Rb8 34.Rxb8+ Nxb8 35.Bd5 Kg7 is also winning. Knight is tied for b8 if Black wants to save a6 pawn and White King is going in through g4-f5-e6. If Black plays h5, then White will win this pawn with Kh4 and Bf7.

32…b5
32…Rb8 33.Rf7

33.b3
33.Ra7 Nc4 34.b3 Nb6 35.Rxa6 Nxd5 36.exd5

33…Rd8 34.Kg3 and Botvinnik later took the h6 pawn and won the game. 1-0

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