Three Kings at Corus, the first Major of the year

Lesson by IM Angel Martín

Angel Martín is an International Master from Spain. He's a former four-time Spanish Champion and Assistant Manager of the Spanish chess magazine Peón de Rey. Proof-reading and translations to English was prepared by International Master, Michael Rahal.

Concentration of attacking pieces

When attacking the castled king different factors must be taken into account, such as the creation and use of the weaknesses. But the relationship between attacking and defending forces is also very important. When one side has a piece superiority on the kingside (under the supposition that both players have castled kingside) and his opponent has trouble bringing over his defending pieces from the other side of the board, the attack has many chances of getting through. An exchange of pieces can even be good for the attacker, so long as he maintains his superiority.

The following game is a classic example. White concentrates the majority of his pieces on his opponents castled king, whereas Black, after a few careless moves, isolates his own pieces on the queenside; especially the most important one, the queen.

1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.b3 Nf6 4.Bb2 Be7 5.e3 [This idea became popular after Nimzowitsch played it and that is why it bears his name. The alternative is 5.g3] 5...0–0 6.Be2 c6 [Black defines his pawn structure, although he could have waited a bit longer with 6...Nbd7 or 6...b6 keeping open the option ...c5.] 7.0–0 Nbd7 8.Nc3 a6 [To play ...b5. The alternative 8...b6 is less logical when Black has already decided to play c6.] 9.Nd4 [Avoiding ...b5 and angling for f2-f4. Another possibility is 9.d4 b5 10.Qc2 with the idea 11.e4. Black should probably avoid this move by playing 10...b4 11.Na4 Bb7] 9...dxc4 [9...c5 seemed more logical, opposing White's plans. If then 10.Nc2 Nb6 11.cxd5 Nbxd5] 10.bxc4 Nc5 [Now 10...c5 would give White more options than before, but even so it seems to be playable.] 11.f4

[Otherwise Black would play...e5, now that the knight can't leap to f5.] 11...Qc7 12.Nf3 Rd8 13.Qc2 [Better than 13.d4 as the black knight would jump to e4.] 13...Ncd7 14.d4 c5 15.Ne5 b6 16.Bd3 cxd4 [Better than 16...Bb7 which would be answered by 17.d5! and if 17...exd5 18.Nxd5 with an advantage for White.] 17.exd4 Bb7

[Both sides have developed their pieces reasonably, although White has more space and dominates the center thanks to his "hanging pawns" on c4 and d4. In an ending they may be weak, but in the middle game they are a dangerous weapon. White's plan must be the attack on the kingside and this following moves are directed towards this aim.] 18.Qe2 Nf8 [Obviously against 18...Nxe5 then 19.fxe5 and Black is in deep trouble. But he has a piece sacrifice 19...Rxd4! and if 20.exf6 Bc5 with dangerous threats, as 21.Kh1 Rh4 with a mating attack, and 21.Rf2 Rh4 22.h3 Qg3. White must play 20.Nb5 axb5 21.Bxd4 bxc4 22.exf6 cxd3 23.Qxd3 Bd6; or 20.Nd5 Rxd5 21.cxd5 Bc5+ 22.Kh1 Nxd5, but Black has a satisfactory position in both cases.]

19.Nd1 [Apart from defending the d4 pawn, this the beginning of a knight tour that brings another piece into the fray.] 19...Ra7?! [Too slow. Preferable was 19...Ng6 and it wouldn't be so easy for White to mobilize his d1 knight as 20.Nf2 isn't possible because f4 would be left undefended, while 20.Ne3 is answered by 20...Be4] 20.Nf2 Qb8 [While White is pushing his pieces towards the kingside, Black is unnecessarily taking them away. 20...Ng6 was the best move, although already White can answer with 21.Nh3] 21.Nh3

[Now, White has all his pieces except the a1-rook concentrated on his opponent's kingside, whereas his opponent has fewer pieces defending.] 21...h6 [This move doesn't avoid the knight jump to g5, so therefore it is a bad move. Possibly the best move was 21...N6d7 22.Qh5 g6 with some resistance.] 22.Ng5! [With this sacrifice White opens a gap in his opponent's castled king position. In view of the sacrifices on the f7 square, Black has no choice.] 22...hxg5 23.fxg5 N8d7 [Probably the best, as if 23...N6h7 24.Nxf7 Nxg5 25.Qh5 Ngh7 26.Nh6+ gxh6 27.Bxh7+ Kxh7 28.Qf7+ Kh8 29.d5+ e5 30.Qxe7 winning.] 24.Nxf7!? [Another piece sacrifice that exposes the black king even more. However, the simple 24.Nxd7 Nxd7 25.Rxf7! was stronger, as if 25...Kxf7 26.Qh5+ winning, for example: 26...Kg8 27.Qh7+ Kf8 28.Qh8+ Kf7 29.g6+ Kf6 30.Qh4#] 24...Kxf7 25.g6+

25...Kg8? [After this move, White's attack develops strongly. Also bad was 25...Ke8? 26.Qxe6 Nf8 27.Qf7+ Kd7 28.Bf5+ winning. The only move was 25...Kf8! offering a better defense. Play could continue 26.Qxe6 Ne5! with the idea 27.dxe5 Bc5+ 28.Kh1 Bxg2+ 29.Kxg2 Rxd3 and Black defends. A better try is 27.Rxf6+!? gxf6 28.Qh3 with big complications. Botvinnik suggested here 28...Bb4, but 29.Rf1 gives White strong threats. Better is 28...Bc5 29.Rf1 (29.Bf5!? is also to be considered) 29...Qd6 30.dxc5 Qxc5+ 31.Rf2 Rxd3 (31...Qxf2+ 32.Kxf2 Nxd3+ 33.Kg3!? Nxb2 34.Qh6+ Ke7 35.Qe3+ Kf8 36.Qxb6 Rd3+ 37.Kh4 with advantage for White.) 32.Qh8+ Ke7 33.Qxf6+ Kd7 34.Qf5+ Ke8 35.Qe6+ Qe7 and Black consolidates his advantage. But White could play even stronger: 27.Qh3! (with the threat 28.dxe5) 27...Nf7 (27...Nf3+ suggested by Vukovic, isn't enough because of 28.Rxf3 Bxf3 29.Qh8+ Ng8 30.Rf1) 28.gxf7 Bc8 (28...Kxf7 29.Qh7!) 29.Qh8+ Kxf7 30.Qh5+ (30.Qh7!?) 30...Kg8 (30...Kf8 31.Bg6 Be6 32.Rxf6+ Bxf6 33.Ba3+ Rd6 34.Re1 Ke7 35.d5!+- Vukovic) 31.Rxf6! Bxf6 (31...gxf6 32.Qg6+ Kf8 33.Bc1!+-) 32.Bh7+ Kf8 33.Ba3+ Re7 (33...Rd6 34.Qd5) 34.Bg6 Be6 35.Re1 (with the idea Rxe6. Also winning is the direct 35.Qh8+ Bg8 36.Rf1 Rd6 37.Bh7 Kf7 38.Bxd6) 35...Qc8 36.Qh8+ Bg8 37.Bxe7+ Bxe7 38.Rf1+ Bf6 39.Rxf6+ followed by mate.] 26.Qxe6+ Kh8 27.Qh3+ Kg8 28.Bf5 Nf8 29.Be6+ Nxe6 30.Qxe6+ Kh8 31.Qh3+ Kg8

32.Rxf6! [After this forced move sequence White eliminates Black's best defender. Even though a defender disappears for an attacker, the stronger side replaces the exchanged piece for another rook. Black doesn't have this option in hand.] 32...Bxf6 33.Qh7+ Kf8 34.Re1 [Cutting off the escape route. Black has no defense.] 34...Be5 35.Qh8+ Ke7 36.Qxg7+ Kd6 37.Qxe5+ Kd7 38.Qf5+ Kc6 39.d5+ Kc5 40.Ba3+ Kxc4 41.Qe4+ Kc3 42.Bb4+ Kb2 43.Qb1# 1–0

ICC Quiz #2662
submitted by Chessguy



White mates in 3

To play this puzzle on the ICC type:
tell trainingbot number 2662
Then type: play trainingbot

ICC Quiz #2726
submitted by claymore



White mates in 2

To play this puzzle on the ICC type:
tell trainingbot number 2726
Then type: play trainingbot

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Solution to ICC Quiz #2662
submitted by Chessguy

1.Bb6+ Ke7; 2.Bc5+! Qxc5; 3.Qd7#

Solution to ICC Quiz #2726
submitted by claymore

1.Dxg7+ Kxg7; 2.Rf8#