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A Chess Odyssey

Efstratios Grivas



Pawns on the Seventh
We define a passed pawn as one that can advance to promotion without encountering any
opposing pawns in its path. Possession of a passed pawn and the ability to exploit its
potential is a strategic element that can often determine the result of the game.
In general, the side possessing a passed pawn has clearer plans and aims. The other side
usually seeks to blockade it or, if this proves impossible, obtain counterplay on another
part of the board. One good option is harassment of the opponents king. In practice this
option often proves very effective, but unfortunately it cannot always be utilized!
When a passed pawn (or two!) succeeds in advancing to the seventh rank, it becomes a
nearly unstoppable force. Two well-advanced connected passed pawns can count their
value in gold! In many cases they have even proven stronger than a queen. Of course,
there are always exceptions and this is what we will examine first.
Kokolias,Konstantinos Sigalas,Frangiskos
Athens Acropolis 2005 [D31]
1.c4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.d4 e6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bb4
The famous and extremely complicated
Noteboom variation. Usually White generates a
better center and attacking possibilities, while
Black aims for the endgame counting on his
strong queenside pawns. All in all, we have a
tactical battle ahead with possibilities for both
sides.
6.e3 b5 7.Bd2 Bb7 8.axb5 Bxc3 9.Bxc3 cxb5 10.
b3 a5 11.bxc4 b4 12.Bb2 Nf6 13.Bd3 00 14.0
0 Nbd7 15.Qc2 Qc7 16.e4 e5 17.c5 exd4
Blacks main alternative is 17...Ba6 18.Rfc1 exd4
19.Bxd4 Bxd3 20.Qxd3 Qc6 unclear, Levitt-
Flear, London 1990.
18.Bxd4
18...Ng4
18...h6 seems to be prefered nowadays: 19.Rfe1
(19.Rfc1 Bc6 20.Qb2 (20.e5 Nd5 unclear,
Jasnikowsky-Sherbakov, Katowice 1992) 20...
Rfe8 unclear, Leonidov-Khavsky, Tula 2004)
19...Rfe8 20.h3 (20.e5 Nd5 21.Bb5 Re6 unclear,
Krizsany-Sveshnikov, Nova Gorica 1997) 20...
Bc6 21.e5 Nd5 unclear, Candela Perez-Tregubov,
Ubeda 2000.
19.Bb5
White has some alternatives at his disposal:
a) 19.Bc4!?
a1) 19...Qf4 20.c6 Bxc6 21.Bxf7+ Qxf7 22.Qxc6 Rfc8 23.Qb5 Rcb8 24.Qg5 Ngf6
unclear, Bukal-Trabert, Budapest 1994.
a2) 19...Nde5 20.Nxe5 Nxe5 21.Bd5 Nc6 unclear.
a3) 19...Bc6 20.h3 Nge5 21.Nxe5 Nxe5 22.Bd5 Ng6 = Batsiashvili-Paichadze, Batumi
2003.
a4) 19...Ba6 20.c6 Nde5 21.Nxe5 Nxe5 22.Bxe5 Qxe5 23.Rfd1 Bxc4 24.Qxc4 g6 25.Rac1
Rfc8 26.g3 Qe6 , Dizdar-Bachmayr, Austria 1997.
b) 19.h3?! Nge5 20.Nxe5 Nxe5 21.Bb5 Ng6 22.Rfc1 Bc6 =+ Lacrosse-Strijbos,
Netherlands 1994.
c) 19.Rfc1?! Bc6 20.Qd2 (20.e5? Bxf3 21.gxf3 Ndxe5 22.Bxh7+ Kh8 23.Be4 (23.Qf5
Qc6 24.Bxe5 Nxe5 25.Qxe5 Kxh7 /+) 23...Rad8 /+ Nesterov-Relange, Groningen 1993)
20...Nde5 21.Nxe5 Nxe5 22.Be2 Rfb8 =+.
19...Nde5 20.Nxe5 Nxe5
21.f4
White has also tried 21.Qb2 f6 22.Bxe5 fxe5?
(22...Qxe5 is safe: 23.Qxe5 fxe5 24.c6 Bc8 25.
Rfc1 Be6 =) 23.c6 Bc8 (23...Ba6 24.Qa2+ Kh8
25.Qxa5 +/) 24.Rfc1 (24.Bc4+ Kh8 25.Bd5 Ba6
unclear) 24...Qb6 25.Qxe5! a4!? 26.Rc5? (26.
Bxa4? Rxa4 27.Rxa4 Qxf2+ 28.Kh1 Qf1+; 26.
Qc5! Qxc5 27.Rxc5 b3 28.Bc4+ (28.Rxa4 b2!)
28...Kh8 29.Bxb3 +) 26...b3 unclear, Zueger-
Klinger, Bern 1991.
21...Nc6 22.Bb2 Ba6 23.Bxa6 Rxa6
24.Qe2?
An erroneous idea. Preferable is 24.Qc4 Qb7 25.
Rf3 Kh8 26.Rg3 f6 27.e5, with some initiative to
White, as in Becker-Kaid, Goch 1995.
24...Qa7! 25.Rf2
White is in trouble. The other option 25.f5 a4 26.
f6 a3 27.Kh1 Ra8 28.Qh5 Nd8 29.Bc1 Rxf6 /+
also fails to impress.
25...a4 /+ 26.Qg4 f5! 27.exf5 a3 28.Be5 b3 29.f6 b2 30.Rd1 Nxe5 31.fxe5
31...Qf7?!
Black loses his way in this labyrinth of tactical
variations. He could crown his efforts with the
logical 31...Kh8!. Although it does not look easy,
he can win after 32.fxg7+ Qxg7 33.Rxf8+ Qxf8
34.Qd4 Re6!.
32.Qe2 Qb3?!
Again, 32...Qe6 is correct, blocking the white
pawns.
33.Rff1
33...a2?
After this final mistake, Black loses all his
advantage. He should have played 33...Raa8! 34.
Qe4 Rab8! +.
34.f7+ Kh8
Bad is 34...Rxf7?? 35.Rd8+ or 34...Qxf7? 35.
Rxf7 a1Q 36.Rxf8+ Kxf8 37.Kf2 +/.
35.Qxa6
White had a more interesting way to draw: 35.e6 b1Q (35...Rxe6? 36.Rd8! h6 37.Rxf8+
Kh7 38.Rh8+ Kxh8 39.f8Q+ Kh7 40.Qf5+ Kh8 41.Qfxe6 Qxe6 42.Qxe6 a1Q 43.Qc8+
Kh7 44.Qf5+ Kh8 45.Qb1; 35...Qxe6? 36.Rd8 Rxd8 37.Qxe6) 36.e7 Raa8 37.e8Q a1Q
We have a very rare situation with five queens on
board. But this cannot be considered a tactical
position, as with a forced series of moves the
draw comes nearer: 38.Rxb1 Qbxb1 39.Rxb1
Qxb1+ 40.Qe1 Qxe1+ 41.Qxe1 Rxf7. Finally it
must be mentioned that 35.Rd8? fails to 35...
Rxd8 36.f8Q+ Rxf8 37.Rxf8+ Qg8 +.
35...b1Q 36.Qd6! Qb8 37.e6

37...Qxd6
37...a1Q also draws: 38.Qxb8 Qxb8 39.Rxa1 Qc8
40.Rfe1 Qxc5+ 41.Kh1 Qe7 (41Qf2 42.e7
Qxf7 43.exf8Q+ Qxf8) 42.Rad1 g5 43.Rd7 Rxf7
44.Rxe7 Rxe7.
38.cxd6 a1Q 39.e7!?
39.Rxb1 Qd4+ 40.Kh1 Qxd6 41.Rfe1 transposes
to the variation above.
39...Qb6+ 40.Kh1 Qa8 41.d7

Three pawns on the seventh rank ready to queen!
But unluckily for White, Black has a clear way to
draw!
41...Qxg2+!
41...h6? 42.exf8Q+ Qxf8 43.d8Q Qfxd8 44.Rxd8
+ Qxd8 45.f8Q+ Qxf8 46.Rxf8+.
42.Kxg2 Qg6+ 43.Kh1 Qe4+
White cannot avoid the perpetual check. A really impressive game.
Kramnik,Vladimir Kasparov,Garry
Linares 1999 [D88]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.
Be3 00 10.00 Bg4 11.f3 Na5 12.Bxf7+ Rxf7 13.fxg4 Rxf1+ 14.Kxf1 cxd4 15.cxd4
15...e5!?
The old option is 15...Qb6 16.Kg1 Qe6 17.Qd3
Qxg4 18.Rf1 += Karpov-Kasparov, Seville Wch
m (9) 1987.
16.d5 Nc4 17.Qd3 Nxe3+ 18.Qxe3 Qh4 19.h3
Bh6 20.Qd3 Rf8+ 21.Kg1 Qf2+ 22.Kh1 Qe3!
23.Qc4
23.Qxe3 is safe for Black: 23...Bxe3 24.Rd1 Rf2
25.Ng1 Kf7 26.Rd3 Bb6 27.Rf3+ Ke7 28.Rxf2
Bxf2 29.Nf3 Kd6 30.g3 Bxg3 31.Kg2 Bf4 32.Kf2
Kc5 33.Ke2 b5 34.Kd3 , Kramnik-Shirov, Cazorla m (3) 1998.
23...b5 24.Qxb5 Rf2 25.Qe8+
25...Bf8!
A strong
novelty.
Previously 25...Rf8 was played: 26.Qe6+ Kh8 27.g5 Bxg5 28.Qxe5+ Bf6 29.Qd6 Bg7 30.
Ng1 Qxe4 31.Rc1 += Van Wely-Shirov, Belgrade 1999.
26.Qe6+ Kh8 27.d6! Qxe2!
Black avoided 27...Qxe4 28.Rg1 Bxd6 29.Qxd6 Qxe2 30.Qb8+ Kg7 31.Qxa7+ Rf7 32.
Qc5 Qxa2 33.Qxe5+ Kg8 34.Ra1, where he would have to suffer for the half-point.
28.Qxe5+!
White correcly avoided an immediate forced draw: 28.d7 Qxe4 29.Rg1 Rf3! 30.g5 (30.
gxf3 Qxf3+ 31.Kh2 Qf2+ 32.Rg2 Qf4+ =) 30...Be7! 31.gxf3 Qxf3+ 32.Rg2 Qf1+ 33.Kh2
Qf4+ =.
28...Bg7 29.Qe8+ Rf8 30.d7 Qd3 31.e5!
Obviously the strong passed d-pawn on the
seventh rank counts its value in gold. Now
Whites plan is clear: push his central e-pawn to
have two connected pawns on the seventh rank!
Nor is there much that Black can do about it; or is
there?
31...h6!!
The point of this move will soon become clear.
31...Kg8? 32.Rg1 Bxe5 33.Qe6+ Rf7 34.Qxe5
Qxd7 35.Rb1 +/ is no help.
32.e6
32.Qe7 Kh7 33.e6 Qd5 34.Rg1 Rf3! =.
32...Kh7! 33.Rg1
Forced, as Black was threatening to win by an
eventual 33...Rf1+: 33.e7?? Rf1+ 34.Rxf1 Qxf1+
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 the draw.
34.Qb8
34.e7?? Rxh3+ 35.gxh3 Qxh3# is, of course, out
of the question!
34...Rxh3+ 35.gxh3 Qe4+!
And the players agreed to a draw. It is strange that the game Kundrak-Toth, Miskolc 1999
followed this one move for move and ended: 36.Rg2 Qe1+ 37.Rg1 Qe4+ .
Now that we have examined the exceptions, lets look at games that prove the rule: pawns
on the seventh rank are an unbelievable force!
Korchnoi,Viktor Najdorf,Miguel
Wijk aan Zee, 1971 [D41]
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.d4 c5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 cxd4 8.cxd4 Bb4+
Black has also tried 8...Nc6 9.Bc4 b5!? 10.Be2 (10.Bd3?! Bb4+ 11.Bd2 Bxd2+ 12.Qxd2
a6 13.a4 00 14.Qc3 Bb7 = Spassky-Fischer, Reykjavik Wch m (9) 1972) 10...Bb4+ 11.
Bd2 Qa5 12.a4 bxa4 13.Rxa4 += Grivas-Kourkounakis, Corfu 1993.
9.Bd2 Bxd2+
White obtains a clear advantage after the inaccurate 9...Qa5?! 10.Rb1! Bxd2+ 11.Qxd2
Qxd2+ 12.Kxd2.
10.Qxd2 00 11.Bc4 b6
Another option for Black is 11...Nc6 12.00 b6
(12...Qd6 is quite interesting, despite the fact that
Black quickly lost the stem game: 13.Rad1 Rd8
14.Rfe1 Bd7 15.d5 exd5 16.exd5 Ne7 17.Ng5
Ba4 18.Nxf7 Kxf7 19.Re6 Qxe6 20.dxe6+ Ke8
21.Bd3 Bxd1 22.Qxd1 Rac8 23.h3 Nd5 24.Qf3 1
0, Browne-Olafsson, Reykjavik 1980) 13.Rad1!
(the best setup for White is to place his rooks on
the e- and d-files, supporting future central
advances. 13.Rfd1 Bb7 14.Qf4 Rc8 15.d5 exd5
16.Bxd5 Qe7 17.Ng5 Ne5 18.Bxb7 Ng6 19.Qf5
Qxb7 20.Rd7 Qa6 led to an unclear position in
Alekhine-Euwe, The Hague Wch m (18) 1937)
13...Bb7 14.Rfe1 Na5 (14...Rc8?! is inaccurate:
15.d5! exd5 16.Bxd5 Na5 17.Qf4 Qc7 18.Qf5 Bxd5 19.exd5, with advantage for White, as
in Spassky-Petrosian, Moscow Wch m (5) 1969) 15.Bd3 Rc8 16.d5! exd5 (forced, as 16...
Nc4? loses to 17.Bxc4 Rxc4 18.dxe6 Qxd2 19.exf7+ Rxf7 20.Rxd2 Rxe4 21.Rxe4 Bxe4
22.Ng5!, while 16...Qe7 17.Qf4 leads to a clear advantage for White) 17.e5! Nc4 18.Qf4
Nb2 (Black must accept the challenge, as 18...h6 19.Qf5 g6 20.Qh3 Kg7 21.e6 would not
improve the situation. It was revealed after the game that this position had been carefully
studied in advance by Lev Polugaevsky, who now played the typical and well-known
sacrifice) 19.Bxh7+! Kxh7 20.Ng5+ Kg6 (the only move. White wins after 20...Kg8 21.
Qh4 Re8 22.Qh7+ Kf8 23.e6!) 21.h4!! (threatening 22.h5+ Kxh5 23.g4+ Kg6 24.Qf5+
Kh6 25.Qh7+ Kxg5 26.Qh5+ Kf4 27.Qf5#) 21...Rc4! (21...Nxd1? is inadequate, because
of 22.h5+ Kh6 23.Ne6+ 10, Olafsson-Lombard, Athens Zonal 1969; other moves also do
not help Black either: 21...Qd7 22.e6!; 21...f5 22.Rd4!; 21...f6 22.h5+ Kxh5 23.g4+ Kh6
24.Qh2+) 22.h5+ Kh6 23.Nxf7+ Kh7 24.Qf5+ Kg8 25.e6! (this vital point to justify
Whites play was part of Polugaevskys deep preparation) 25...Qf6 (White was threatening
26.e7 and 26.h6) 26.Qxf6 gxf6 27.Rd2! (27.Nd6?! Nxd1 28.e7 Rc1! is unclear) 27...Rc6!?
(also interesting is 27...Na4 28.Nd6, though White of course retains his advantage) 28.
Rxb2 Re8? (Blacks position was highly unpleasant, but he could have set White more
problems with 28...Bc8!. White retains a plus by either 29.e7 Re8 30.Nd8 or 29.Nh6+ Kh7
30.Nf5 Rxe6 31.Rc1) 29.Nh6+! Kh7 30.Nf5 Rexe6 31.Rxe6 Rxe6 32.Rc2 Rc6 33.Re2
Bc8 (or 33...Rc7 34.Re6) 34.Re7+ Kh8 35.Nh4 f5 36.Ng6+ Kg8 37.Rxa7 10,
Polugaevsky-Tal, Moscow Ch-URS 1969.
12.00 Bb7 13.Rfe1 Nd7
13...Nc6 transposes to 11...Nc6 above.
14.Rad1 Rc8 15.Bd3
15.Bb3 Nf6 16.d5 exd5 17.exd5 Rc5 18.d6 is also good, Olafsson-Unzicker, Lugano 1970.
15...Re8 16.Qe3
Whites other options are:
a) 16.Bb1 h6 (16...Nf8 17.Re3 Qd6 18.Qb2 Red8 , Prusikin-Levin, Germany 2006)
17.h3 Qc7 18.Nh2 Qc3 19.Qf4 Nf8 20.Re3 unclear, Grooten-Horvath, Leeuwarden 1995.
b) 16.h4 h6 17.Bb5 Re7 18.Bxd7 Rxd7 19.Ne5 Rdc7 20.Qf4 Qd6 = Mamedyarov-
Marcelin, Istanbul 2003.
c) 16.Qf4 Qf6 17.Qg3 Qg6 18.Qf4 Qf6 19.Qg3 Qg6 20.Qf4 Qf6 += , Pedersen-
Gyimesi, Germany 2005.
16...Rc3 17.e5 Qc7
18.Ng5! Nf8 19.Ne4 Bxe4
Forced as otherwise the knight will occupy the
d6-square.
20.Qxe4 Rd8 21.h4! Qe7 22.Qg4 Ra3?!
Black overestimates his chances. He should have
played 22...Qa3, keeping Whites advantage to a
minimum.
23.Bc4 b5 24.Bb3! a5
It seems that Black has created sufficient counterplay on the queenside, but Viktor the
terrible now unleashes a great positional combination.
25.d5! a4?
Black should play 25...exd5 26.Bxd5 +/. But
who can blame Najdorf for not seeing the future?
26.dxe6! axb3
Black had no choice but to accept the sacrifice, as
26...fxe6 27.Rxd8 axb3 (27...Qxd8 28.Bxe6+) 28.
Rxf8+ Kxf8 29.Rc1 is out of the question.
27.exf7+ Kh8
Unfortunately for Black, he cannot continue with
27...Kxf7 28.Rxd8 bxa2 (28...Qxd8 29.e6+ Kg8
(29...Nxe6 30.Qxe6+ Kf8 31.Re5 g6 32.Rd5 Qe7 33.Qc8+ Kf7 34.Rd7 bxa2 35.Rxe7+
Kxe7 36.Qc5+) 30.e7 Qe8 31.Qb4! Ra8 32.exf8Q+ Qxf8 33.Qxb3+ Kh8 34.Qxb5 +
Rxa2? 35.Re8) 29.Ra8! Rxa8 30.Qf3+ Kg6 31.Qc6+ Qe6 32.Qxa8 Nd7 33.Re2 Nxe5 34.
Rxa2 +.
28.Rxd8 Qxd8 29.axb3 Qe7 30.e6 Ra6
30...Rxb3 31.Rc1 h6 32.Rc8 Rb1+ 33.Kh2 Re1
34.Re8 Qd6+ 35.Qg3 is curtains. In the game it
seems that Black will get the important e6-pawn
and probably the game, but Korchnoi had a
different opinion!
31.f4!! h6
After the obvious 31...Rxe6 and the forced
continuation 32.Rxe6 Qxe6 (32...Nxe6 33.Qxe6)
33.Qxe6 Nxe6 34.f5 Nf8 35.h5! g6 (35...h6 36.
g4! g6 37.f6) 36.h6!! gxf5 37.Kf2, White wins, as
he will capture the black b-pawn with his king,
allowing his own b-pawn to queen. In the
meantime, Black can only play his knight around the f8-square, as his king is locked in a
golden cage!
32.f5
Now Whites protected and connected passed pawns will carry the day.
32...Nh7 33.Rc1 Ra8 34.Qf4 Nf6 35.Qc7!
Breaking down Blacks blockade.
35...Qb4
36.Qc8+?
White falls to Blacks last clever trap. 36.Qc5
was decisive: 36...Qxc5+ (36...Qe4 37.f8Q+ Rxf8
38.Qxf8+ Kh7 39.Qc5) 37.Rxc5 Rf8 38.Rxb5.
36...Kh7!
Of course not 36...Rxc8? 37.Rxc8+ Kh7 38.f8N
+!! Kg8 39.Ng6+ Kh7 40.Rh8#.
37.Qxa8?!
37.Qc3 Qxh4 38.Rf1 Ng4 39.Qh3 Qxh3 40.gxh3 Ne5 41.Rc1 g6 42.Rc5 Nxf7 43.exf7 Rf8
44.Rxb5 Rxf7 45.fxg6+ Kxg6 also leads to a draw, but White should have tried it.
37...Qd4+ 38.Kf1 Qf4+?
Black blunders in turn. He could have achieved an undeserved draw by the simple 38...Qd3
+!.
39.Ke2 Qe5+ 40.Kd1 10
Now White can avoid perpetual check, as his king escapes to the queenside, so Black
resigned.
2007 Efstratios Grivas. All rights reserved.

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