Korchnoi vs. Hubner

Korchnoi vs. Hubner

Johannesburg 1981

Queens’s Indian Defense

1 e4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6 4 Nc3 Bb7 5 Bf4 A distinctly unusual line. 5…Be7 6 Qc2 Nh5?! This loses time, and allows White to transpose into a relatively favourable variation of the Queen’s Indian. 6…0-0 is better. 7 Bd2 d5 8 cxd5 exd5 9 g3 0-0 10 Bg2 Nf6 11 0-0

After 11 0-0

By means of an unusual move-order, we have reach a position which more often arises after 4 g3 Bb7 5 Bg2 Bb4+ 6 Bd2 Be7 7 Nc3 0-0 8 0- 0 d5 9 cxd5 exd5 10 Qc2 (of course the move-numbers differ from one). This position is thought to give White a slight advantage. 11…Re8?! A rather artificial move. Of the various lines tried here, perhaps 11…c5 12 Rad1 Nbd7 offers the best chance of equality. 12 Ne5

After 12 Ne5

Coupled with Qb3, this set up a latent threat against f7 which exploits the rook’s absence from f8. 12…a6 Black wants to play …Ndb7 in a position where he can meet Qa4 by …b5, hence this preparatory move. White is also better after 12…Nbd7 13 Qa4 Nxe5 14 dxe5 Ne4 15 Nxe5 dxe4 16 Rfd1, so 12…Bd6 was the best chance, intending to meet 13 Nc4 by 13…Be7. 13 Qb3 Nbd7 13…c5 14 dxc5 Bxc5 15 Nd3 favours White. 14 Rad1 b5

After 14...b5

15 Nxd5?! A truly amazing combination. Objectively, it is not entirely correct, but it is certainly hhard to find the correct reply from many plausible defenses. Korchnoi recommended 15 Bg5 Nb6 16 Nd3, which is good enough for an edge, but 15 Bf4! Is probably objectively strongest. One variation runs 15…c6 (15…Nf8 16 e4 Ne6 17 exd5 Nxf4 18 d6! Nxg2 19 Nxf7 wins) 16 e4 Nf8 17 Nxc6! Bxc6 18 exd5 Bb7 19 d6 Bxg2 20 dxe7 Rxe7 21 Kxg2 and White has won a pawn in return for minimal compensation. 15…Nxd5 16 Ba5

After 16 Ba5

The point of White’s play. By opening the d-file, White threatens to take the d5-knight. 16 Bxd5 Bxd5 17 Qxd5 Nxe5 18 Qxd8 Bxd8 19 dxe5 Rxe5 is only equal. 16…N7f6?! 16…Bd6? 17 Nxd7 Qxd7 18 Bxd5 loses a pawn, and 16…N7b6 17 Bxb6 cxb6 18 e4 Bf6 19 exd5 Qd6 20 Nc6 is better for White, so the best defense is 16…Bf6!. Then 17 f4 N7b6 18 Bxb6 (e4 Bxe5 19 dxe5 Nc4 20 Bc3 Nxc3! favours Black) 18…cxb6 19 e4 Qd6 (19…Nc7 is unclear after 20 Nxf7 Qd7 or 20 Qxf7+ Kh8 21 Qh5 Kg8) 20 exd5 Rad8 21 Nc6 Bxc6 22 dxc6 Bxd4+ 23 Kh1 should be a draw. 17 e4 White’s threat is now so much to take the d5-knight immediately, but rather to step up the pressure by Rc1 first. 17…Rc8 Black anticipates White’s attempts to exert pressure along c-file. 18 Rc1!

After 18 Rc1!

Now White threatens to take on d5, when Black will be weak at both c6 and c7. A further threat is simply to build up by Rfd1 before regaining the piece. 18…Nxe4? Black panics and returns the extra piece unfavourably. 18…Bd6! was best; after 19 exd5 Bxe5 20 dxe5 Rxe5 21 Bh3! Rh5 22 Bxc8 Qxc8 23 f3 Bxd5 24 Qc2 c6 25 Rce1 Black obviously has some compensation, but it is not enough to compensate for his material disadvantage. 19 Bxe4 Now Black is in real trouble as c6 and f7 are serious weaknesses. 19…g6

After 19...g6

19…Qd6 is no better, e.g. 20 Rc5 Rcd8 (or 20…c6 21 Bf5 Ra8 22 Bd7) 21 Rxc7! Nxc7 22 Qxf7+ Kh8 23 Bxb7 and wins. 20 Rc6! A deadly move. One might have expected White to occupy the c6-weakness with his knight, but the rook is even more effective as the knight can stay on e5 to maintain the pressure against f7. 20…Nf6 The knight must move, but now f7 collapse. 21 Nxf7 Qxd4 22 Ng5+ Kh8 23 Bc3 1-0 Total destruction.

Source from:

GAMBIT: John Nunn’s 101 Brilliant Chess Miniatures (Pages 45 - 46)

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Spassky vs. Tal

Spassky vs. Tal

Montreal 1979

Queen’s Indian Defense, Classical System

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6 4 e4 Bb7 5 Bd3 d5 6 b3 Bd6 7 0-0 0-0 8 Bb2 Nbd7 9 Nbd2 A harmless system for White. 9…Qe7 This position has turned up now and again for over 130 years; the first example I can find is Paulsen-Kolisch, match (23), London 1861. 10 Rc1

After 10 Rc1

10 Ne5 is another possibility, but 10…c5 equalizes. 10…Rad8 Tal suggested 10…c5 and 10…Ne4 as possible alternatives, but the text-move was also played in the only other example of this position I could find: Colle-Yates, Karlsbad 1929. 11 Qc2 11 Qe2 is well met by 11 Ne4; for example, 12 cxd5 exd5 13 Ba6 Bxa6 14 Qxa6 Nxd2 15 Nxd2 c5 with equality. Therefore Spassky plays to prevent Ne4. Colle preferred 11 Ne5 and went on to win after some weak play of Black. 11 c5

After 11...c5

12 cxd5 White makes the doubled-edged decision to inflict ‘hanging pawns’ on Black. Whether these pawns are strong or weak depends largely on the relative piece activity of the two players. Here Black should have no cause of concern as none of White’s minor pieces is actually attacking the pawns. 12 Ne5 is a safer option, but White cannot really hope for an advantage. 12…exd5 13 dxc5 bxc5 14 Qc3 Another double-edged move. White wants to rule out …Ne4, nut the queen is exposed to typical liberating thrust …d4. 14…Rfe8 15 Rfd1

After 15 Rfd1

15 Rfe1 runs into tactical difficulties after 15…c4!; for example, 16 bxc4 Bb4 17 Qc2 dxc4 18 Bxc4 Bxf3 19 gxf3 Bxd2 20 Qxd2 Ne5 and Black wins. 5…d4?! Perhaps the dubious symbol is rather severe, as this sacrifice leads to a quick win. However, in the harsh light of home analysis, it is revealed as not fully correct. 16 exd4 cxd4

After 16...cxd4

17 Qa5? Only this move gives Black the advantage. Having played so provocatively, White should have been consistent and taken the pawn, not by, 17 Qxd4 Nc5 18 Re1 Nxd3! 19 Rxe7 Bxe7 20 Qc3 Bb4 21 Qc7 Bxd2 22 Nxd2 Nxb2 23 Qxb7 Rxd2 with a large advantage for Black, but by 17 Nxd4!. Then Black has various continuations, but nothing very convincing; for example, 17...Bxh2+ (17…Qe5 18 N4f3! Qh5 19 Be4! defuses Black’s attack) 18 Kxh2 Ng4+ 19 Kg1! (19 Kg3 Qe5+ 20 f4 Qe3+ 21 N2f3 22 Nxf3 Ndf6 23 Bxh7+ also favours White) 19…Qh4 20 N2f3! (20 N4f3? Qxf2+ 21 Kh1 Nde5!  Wins for Black) 20…Qxf2+ 21 Kh1 Re5 22 Bf5 Rc5 23 Bxg4 Rxc3 24 Bxc3 and White wins. 17…Ne5 Now Black obtains dangerous attack without any sacrifice. 18 Nxe5 18 Re1 Bxf3 19 Nxf3 Nxf3+ 20 gxf3 Qb7 favours Black. 18…Bxe5 19 Nc4? Moving this knight away further away from kingside is asking trouble, especially against Tal! There are many other false paths: 19 Ba3? Qe6 20 Nf1 Bf4!, with …Qg4 to come, is very good for Black; 19 Re1?! Qd6 20 Nf1 Ng4 gives Black a dangerous attack; and 19 Bb5 Rd5 is similar to the game. 19 Nf1! Is relatively the best defense, although Black still has some advantage. 19 Rd5 20 Qd2

After 20 Qd2

There is no defense, e.g. 20 Ba3 Bxh2+ 21 Kxh2 Ng4+ 22 Kg3 Qf6 23 Qd2 Nxf2! Or 20 Qxa7 Bxh2+ 21 Kxh2 Ng4+ 22 Kg3 Rh5, winning in both cases.  20…Bxh2+! 21 Kxh2 Rh5+! Even more convincing than 21…Ng4+. 22 Kg1 Or 22 Kg3 Ne4+ 23 Bxe4 Qh4+ 24 Kf3 Qxe4+ 25 Kg3 Qh4#. 22…Ng4

After 22...Ng3 0-1

0-1 There is no defense to the twin threats of 23…Qh4 and 23…Rh1+.

Source from:

GAMBIT: John Nunn’s 101 Brilliant Chess Miniatures (Pages 41 - 42)

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