Efstratios Grivas: The King Out of the Way

Concept The king is a useful piece in nearly every part of the game. But of course we all know more or less that the part where he can be the real king is the endgame and especially endgames without queens on the board. Exceptions do exist but they are rather limited. But there are cases where with limited material on the board but with queens on, the king is the piece that can give the solution to the best continuation. Here we will examine a theme where the king can play an important role in the games outcome. Polgar J. : Khalifman A. Zurich 2009

40.Kb2

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It was probably time for White to curb her ambitions and go into a complicated, roughly equal endgame by 40.Qd3 Qd3 41.Rd3 f5. 40...Rh8! And finally the black rook joins the battle via the open h-file! 41.Ka3 Rh2 The position remains sharp, but it is now clear that Black stands better. 42.Qd6 Kh7 43.a5 A natural move, but better chances of a successful defence were offered by 43.Re7. 43...Rf2 44.a6? But now this loses. White had to try 44.Re7 f6 45.Qc7 Qg5 46.Qc8 when his chances to save the game are not that badly. 44...g3 45.a7 g2 46.a8Q g1Q

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The position is a complicated one, although outwardly in favour of White. There are two open files on the board (d and h), but both are not accessible to the black rook, though remains a passive piece. In such a situation, with little time on the clock, many would have played the standard 37...g6. 37...Kh7! An original and brilliant manoeuvre. 38.a4 Ra8 39.b3 Kg6! It transpires that this is the safest place for the king; at the same time it makes way for the rook, and Black launches a counterattack. A splendid idea!

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A colourful but crazy position! 47.Qd8?! 47.Qad5! was objectively better, when after 47...Rf4 Black stands clearly better but with no forced win yet. 1

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47...Qc1 48.Kb4 Qe4?! 48...Rf4! 49.c4 Rd4 was ending the fight. 49.c4 Rf3 50.Q6f8?! A bit 'better' try was 50.Qd1 when Black would had to find 50...Qe1 51.Qe1 Qe1 52.Ka4 Qa1 53.Kb4 Qc3 54.Kc5 Qe3 55.Kc6 Rf6 56.Rd6 Qb3+ . 50...Rb3! And as mate in two is on the cards, White resigned. An amazing and very interesting game! 0:1. Oll L. : Hodgson J. Groningen 1993

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Black's position seems to be preferable, due to his strong d5-knight. But his main problem is that he cannot activate his rook; the only three open files (c, d and h) are not accessible, at least not yet. 34...Kh7! Here comes the trick; the black rook will be activated via the h-file and king gets out of the way! 35.Qc5 The endgame after 35.Qc2 Qc2 36.Rc2 b4 37.Rc5 Ra8 with the idea ...Kg6-f5, is favourable for Black, but maybe White should have considered it. 35...Kg6 36.h4 Rh8 Now Black's beautiful idea is fully revealed. 37.a3 37.Qc2 Qc2 38.Rc2 b4 39.Rc5 Ra8 is just a difficult ending for White. 37...Rh5! 38.Qg1 Kh7?! There was no need for that. The immediate 38...Rf5! would give Black excellent

chances, as now ALL his pieces are active and strongly placed. 39.Rd1? White missed a tactical solution, which he would give him active play: 39.g4! Rh4 40.Qf2 . The other option was 39.Qa7 Rf5! 40.Qa5 Rf3. 39...Qb3 40.Rd2 Rf5! Just look at the activity of the black rook now, compared to what it was a few moves ago! 41.g4 41.Qb1 doesn't help in view of 41...Ne3! 42.Bc5 (42.Re2 Kg8!) 42...g6 43.Be3 Qe3+ . 41...Rf4 42.Qb1 Kg8 43.g5 After 43.Rc2 Black has 43...Rc4! 44.Rc4 bc4 and the threats ...c3 and ...Ne3 are strong. 43...b4! Black sets up a breathtaking finale. 44.Rd3

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Objectively 44.Qd3 Qd3 45.Rd3 Rh4 was White's only valid continuation, but a lost one as well. 44...Nc3! It is time to deliver the final blow; the activity of the black pieces allows a neat combination. 45.Bb4 45.bc3 Qa3 46.Qa2 Rf1. 45...Qa2! The point! Of course not 45...ab4? 46.Rd8#. 46.Qa2 Rf1 0:1.

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Petrosian T. : Yudovich M. Moscow 1967

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White has done everything what he had to do to benefit from Black's isolated pawn (exchanges, blockade, prevent counterplay, etc), but still the problem remains: how to capture it? After capturing and eventual exchanges on d5, Black can go ...Rc2 (or first ...Rc1) with sufficient counterplay. Petrosian's solution to this problem is surprising but straightforward, if you have a prophylactic approach. 28.Kh2!? As said before, 28.Bd5? Bd5 29.Rd5 Rc2! is out of the question. 28...Qb1? Black misses the point of defence. He had to go for 28...Rc5!, protecting the pawn and waiting for White's next. After 29.Rb4 b5 30.Rd4 White is still on the pressure but there is nothing concrete yet. 29.Kg3? White continues his plan of improving his king, but 29.e4! seems good enough: 29...Rc1 (29...de4 30.Be6 fe6 31.Qh6+-) 30.Bd1 de4 31.Rd8 Kg7 32.Qd4 f6 33.Qd6 and mates. 29...Rc5?! 29...Qf5 had to be tried. 30.a4?! Even World Champions are missing the best ways to continue. Here again 30.e4 Rb5 31.Qc3 should be decisive. 30...a5?!

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Again Black had to retreat and defend with 30...Qf5 31.a5. 31.e4! Finally! Now Black's position falls apart. 31...Qg1 31...de4 loses to 32.Qh6; but Black should try to resist with 31...Qc1! 32.Qc1 Rc1 33.Bd5 Bd5 34.Rd5 b6 35.f3. 32.h4 White takes his time to defend against any potentional black counterplay (...h4). 32.ed5 was good as well. 32...Kh7 33.Bd5 Bd5 34.Rd5 The isolated pawn felled and the rest is easy ... 34...Rc6 35.Rd7 Rf6 36.Qd4 1:0. Kramnik V. : Kasparov G. Linares 1999

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Obviously, the strong passed d-pawn on the 7th rank is worth its weight in gold. Now White's plan is clear: push his central e-pawn, achieving two connected pawns on the 7th rank! There is not much that

FIDE TRG SURVEYS 2012 EFSTRATIOS GRIVAS

Black can do about that - or maybe there is? 31...h6!! The point of this move will become clear soon. Of no help is 31...Kg8? 32.Rg1 Be5 33.Qe6 Rf7 34.Qe5 Qd7 35.Rb1. 32.e6 32.Qe7 Kh7 33.e6 Qd5 34.Rg1 Rf3!=. 32...Kh7! And the black king got out of the way, allowing his rook to enter the battle! 33.Rg1

Rivas Pastor M. : Rodriguez E. Lorca 2005

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Forced as Black was threatening to win with an eventual 33...Rf1: 33.e7?? Rf1 34.Rf1 Qf1 35.Kh2 Be5 36.g3 Qf2 37.Kh1 Qf3 38.Kg1 Bd4 39.Kh2 Qf2 40.Kh1 Qg1#. 33...Rf3! Now the idea behind 31...h6! becomes clear. White cannot avoid a draw. 34.Qb8 34.e7?? Rh3 35.gh3 Qh3# is if course out of the question! 34...Rh3 35.gh3 Qe4! 35...Qe4 and the players agreed to a draw. It is strange that there is another exact same game, which lasted two more moves: 36.Rg2 Qe1 37.Rg1 Qe4 (Kundrak G. : Toth D., Miskolc 1999.

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White stands clearly better, as he has full control on the only open file of the board. White should try now his most effective plan: the participation of his king in a direct attack against his opponent! 26.Kh2! h5?! This makes White's life easier, as does the immediate 26...a5?! 27.Kg3 Rf8 (27...a4?! 28.Rc5 Qb4 29.Qd7+-) 28.Rc5+- as well. Black had to stay put with 26...Rf8 27.Kg3 (27.Qc3 Kg7 28.a4 Qb6 29.b4 Qd6 30.g3 Qd7 31.a5 h6 32.Qc5) 27...Kg7 28.Qe5 Kg8, although the sample variations which follow proves White's advantage: 29.Qd6 (29.Rc7 a5 30.Kf3 (30.h4 h5 31.Kf3 (31.Kf4 Qe2) 31...Qf1) 30...a4 31.ba4 Qa4 32.Rb7 Qa2=) 29...Qd3 30.Rc7 Qe2 (30...Qb1 31.Rb7 (31.Qa3 h5 32.Rc1 Qe4 33.Kh2) 31...Qa2 32.b4 Qe2 33.Ra7 h5 (otherwise Black is just losing a pawn) 34.Qe7! (34.Ra6? h4 35.Kh2 Qf2=) 34...Qc4 35.Rb7 Qf1 36.Qf6 Qg1 37.Re7 Qf1 38.Ra7 Qd3 39.Kf4!) 31.a4 b6 (31...h5 32.Qf4 b6 (32...b5 33.Kh4!) 33.Kh4! f6 34.Kg3! Rf7 35.Rc6+-) 32.Rc6 b5 33.Ra6 ba4 34.Ra4. So, White's tries to combine threats with the queen & rook on the queenside and threats with the king & the queen on the kingside; that's exactly the way to benefit from such positions - to use the rule of the two weaknesses! 27.Qf4 Rf8 28.Rc7 a5 Black must exchange his queenside pawns in order to free his queen from their protection. 29.Kg3 a4 4

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30.Kh4! Although the text wins, the 'human' way with 30.ba4 was 'better', reaching a won ending after 30...Qa4 31.Rb7 Qa2 32.Kh4 Qc2 33.Kg5 Qf5 34.Qf5 ef5 (34...gf5 35.Kf6 (35.Kh5 Kg7 36.g4+-) 35...h4 36.Rd7+-) 35.Rb5 (35.Rd7 Ra8 36.Rd5 Ra2 37.Kf6 Rf2 38.Rd8 Kh7 39.Rd7 f4 40.Rf7 Kg8 41.Rg7 Kf8 42.ef4 Rf4 43.Kg5+-) 35...Rd8 36.Kf6 Rd6 37.Ke5 Ra6 38.Rd5 Ra2 39.Kf6 Ra6 40.Ke7 Ra2 41.Rd8 Kg7 42.d5+-. 30...ab3 31.ab3?! Here White should continue his attacking policy with 31.Kg5! e5 (31...Qd3 32.ab3+; 31...ba2 32.Qf6 a1Q 33.Kh6+-) 32.Qf6 Qa6 33.ab3 ed4 34.ed4 Qf6 35.Kf6+-. 31...Qf1?

There is no salvation anymore. Alternatives as 32...Qg2 33.Kh6 f6 34.Rg7 Kh8 35.Rf7! Kg8 36.Rf6 Rf6 37.Qf6+-; or 32...Qd3 33.Rb7 Qf5 34.Qf5 ef5 35.b4 Rc8 36.b5 Rc2 37.Kf6 Rf2 38.Rf7 f4 39.Rg7 Kf8 40.ef4 Rf4 41.Kg6 Rd4 42.b6 Rb4 43.b7+-; or, finally, 32...f6 33.Kg6 Qg2 34.Qg3 Qg3 35.fg3+- praise his Majesty the king! 33.Kh6 The king fullfield his mission - the end is near. 33...Qe2 34.f3 f6 35.Rg7 Kh8 36.Qc7 36.Qc7 Black resigned as mate is near (36...Qe3 37.f4 ). 1:0. Sargissian G. : Yu Yangyi Ningbo 2011

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Black could save himself from immediate defeat with 31...Qb3! 32.Kg5 Qb1 33.Kh6 Qf5 34.Qf5 ef5, although White stands clearly better after 35.Rb7 Rd8 36.Rb5 Kf8 37.g3. 32.Kg5! h4

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White's advantage is nice and stable, and it is based on his extra space and pressure down the c-file. Moreover, Black is lucking serious counterplay and the maximum he can hope for is a draw ... 22...Nb5 This looks natural, but on the other hand it clarifies the position in favour of White. Black might try to open a second file with 22...f6, although White's position is preferable after 23.Ne2 (23.ef6 gf6 24.a4) 23...fe5 24.de5 Na6 25.Nd4 Nc5 26.f3. Another try is 22...b5?! 23.Ne2 Na8 24.Rc8 Rc8 25.Qa5 Nb6 26.Rc8 Nc8 27.Nc3+-; or 22...a6 23.Na4 (23.Qd3 b5 24.Ne2 Na8 25.Rc5 Nb6 26.b3) 23...Qa4 24.Rc7 Rc7 25.Rc7 which is similar to the game. 23.Nb5 Rc2 24.Rc2 Qb5 25.Rc7 a5 5

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Black has an absolutely unpromising position; he doesn't have a hint of counterplay, while White reigns unchallenged on the only open file and the seventh rank. He can now calmly prepare a pawn attack on the kingside - a clear-cut plan which is very effective in similar cases. Focusing only on the queenside is not of a clear help, as Black will probably defend and he will NOT accept a queen exchange which will allow White to win by just emerging with his king. Keep in mind that Black has no real pawn weakness, so White is 'obliged' to create a second front. 26.Qc2 h6 27.h4 As Black can respond with ...h5 here or later, in general White should think of starting with 27.g4! and then h4, transposing to the game, as now the try with 27...g5 is not working due to 28.h4! gh4 (28...Qe8 29.hg5 hg5 30.Qd2 Qd8 31.Rc6+-) 29.Qd2 Kg7 30.g5 h5 a) 30...h3 31.Kh3 Qf1 32.Kh2 h5 33.Rc1 Qb5 34.Kg3; b) 30...Kg6 31.gh6 Qe8 32.Kh3 Rh8 33.Qc1! (33.Qf4? Rh6 34.Qf6 Kh5 35.Qf7 Qf7 36.Rf7 Rg6=) 33...Qg8 (33...Rh6?! 34.Rc8 Qe7 35.Qg1+-) 34.Rb7 Rh6 35.Qg1 Kh7 36.Qg8 Kg8 37.Rb6 Rh5 38.Rb5 Rf5 39.Ra5 Rf2 40.b4+-; 31.Rc3 (31.Qf4 Qd3!) 31...Qa4 32.Qf4 and White's attack on the kingside(!) is strong. 27...Qa6 28.b3 Qb5?! This was Black's last chance to play the more stubborn 28...h5!. Then White should go for an expansion on the kingside with 29.f3 (29.Qd1? Rc8! 30.Rc8 Qc8 31.Qh5

Qc2!=; 29.Kf3? Qf1 30.Kf4 Qh3=) 29...Qb5 (after 29...b5?! and the queen exchange with 30.Qc6! Qc6 31.Rc6 a typical variation runs as: 31...Kh7 32.Kf2 a4 33.b4 Rb8 34.Ke3 Rb7 35.Kf4 Kh6 36.Rc8 g6 37.Rc5 Kg7 38.Kg5 Rb8 39.Rc7 Rb6 40.g4 hg4 41.fg4 Rb8 42.h5 gh5 43.gh5+-) 30.Kf2 Kh8 (30...Qa6?! 31.Qe2 b5 32.Rc5 Rb8 33.a4+-) 31.g4 a) 31.Rc3 Kg8 (31...Qd7 32.Rc6 Qe7 33.Qc1 Rb8 34.Rc7) 32.Qe2 Qd7 33.Qa6 Qe7 34.a4 Qb4 is going nowhere; b) 31.Kg2 Kg8 32.g4 hg4 33.fg4 f6; 31...hg4 32.fg4 and now Black should take his chances with 32...f6! (32...Kg8?! 33.h5 f5 (33...f6 34.Qg6+-) 34.h6 gh6 35.Kg1! Rf7 36.Rf7 Kf7 37.gf5+-) 33.Rc8! Rc8 (33...Kg8? 34.ef6+-) 34.Qc8 Kh7 35.Qc2 Kh8 (35...Kh6 36.ef6 gf6 37.h5 Qe8 (37...f5?! 38.Qc1 Kg7 39.Qc7 Kf8 40.g5+-) 38.Qc1 Kg7 39.Qc7 Kh6 40.Kg3) 36.ef6 gf6 37.Qg6 Qb3 38.Qf6 Kh7 39.h5. In the queen ending White's chances are good, but Black can netherless put-up a fight. 29.h5! Now that the black kingside is 'ideally' fixed, there is nothing that Black could hope for. 29...Rd8 30.Rc6 Rf8 31.f4! Preparing the g4 and f5 advance, which will create more weaknesses in black's camp. 31...Qa6 32.Rc7 Qa8

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33.Qc6 Qa6 Transposing to a rook ending with 33...Qc6?! 34.Rc6 Rb8 doesn't help. After 35.f5! ef5 36.Kf3 the white king will 6

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decide the battle: 36...Kf8 37.Kf4 Ke8 38.Kf5 Kf8 39.Rd6 (39.e6 wins as well) 39...a4 40.Rd5 ab3 41.Rb5+-. 34.Qc2 Qa8 35.g4 After a little and harmless 'checking' White is continuing his main plan - attacking on the kingside! 35...Kh8 Unfortunately for Black the standard undermining 35...f5 doesn't work here due to the response 36.ef6 . 35...Qa6 is not helping anymore, as well: 36.f5 Qb5 37.f6! gf6 (37...Kh8 38.fg7 Kg7 39.a4 Qb4 40.Qg6+-) 38.ef6 Kh8 39.Kg1! (to avoid the check on e2) 39...Qa6 40.Qd2 Kh7 41.g5+- . Black applies the 'waiting and see' strategy ... 36.a4! Fixing is not of a harm; square b5 could be useful as well. 36...Kg8 37.Kf2 Kh8 38.Qc6! 38.g5 Qd8 39.Qc1 seems good for White anyway, but the text is more accurate. 38...Qb8 Now on 38...Qa6 White replies 39.Qb5 and Black is obliged to exchange queens, killing any small chance he could have. 39.Kg3 Kg8

White is not interest anymore on the black b6-pawn - the real target is the g7! 43...Kg8 44.g6 Qe8 45.Re7 1:0. Conclusion The king can and should assist when time comes. The duty of a good chess player is to understand when this time is

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White has everything ready for the final assault. 40.g5! hg5 Or 40...Kh8 41.g6 fg6 42.hg6 Qd8 43.Rb7+-. 41.fg5 Qd8 42.Kg4 His Majesty personally leads the attack. 42...Kh8 43.Qb7

FIDE TRG SURVEYS 2012 EFSTRATIOS GRIVAS