Contents
Title page 3
Explanation of symbols 6
Preface 7
Chapter 1 A short biography 15
Chapter 2 Early years, 1929-1949 21
Games 1-7 22
Games 8-12 39
Chapter 3 Peak strength, 1950-1960 55
Games 13-22 56
Games 23-32 73
Games 33-39 91
Games 40-46 109
Games 47-55 129
Games 56-64 146
Games 65-74 164
Games 75-82 185
Chapter 4 Final period, 1961-1973 201
Games 83-90 202
Games 91-97 221
Games 98-110 242
Games 111-116 264
Index of openings 285
Index of names 286
Bibliography 288
2
Cyrus Lakdawala
The Greatest Attacker in Chess
The Enigmatic Rashid Nezhmetdinov
New In Chess 2022
© 2022 New In Chess
Published by New In Chess, Alkmaar, The Netherlands
www.newinchess.com
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise, without the prior written permission from the publisher.
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information that clarifies the copyright ownership of any unattributed material displayed and will
endeavour to include corrections in reprints.
Cover design: Volken Beck
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3
Have you found any errors in this book?
Please send your remarks to editors@newinchess.com. We will collect all relevant corrections on the
Errata page of our website www.newinchess.com and implement them in a possible next edition.
ISBN: 978-90-7168900-0
4
Explanation of Symbols
The chessboard with its coordinates:
K King
Q Queen
R Rook
B Bishop
N Knight
² White stands slightly better
³ Black stands slightly better
± White stands better
µ Black stands better
+– White has a decisive advantage
–+ Black has a decisive advantage
= balanced position
! good move
!! excellent move
5
? bad move
?? blunder
!? interesting move
?! dubious move
# mate
ch championship
zt zonal tournament
izt interzonal tournament
ct candidates tournament
tt team tournament
ol olympiad
m match
cr correspondence
6
Preface
Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination
embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.
Albert Einstein
What are the most powerful forces in chess?
1. instinct/intuition
2. imagination
3. risk-taking/speculation
4. calculation
5. logic
Rashid Nezhmetdinov’s chess embraced every number on the list, except the last one! For decades,
many chess players were unfamiliar with his games and much of the chess world has not (yet) caught
up with his astonishing creations over the chessboard. Around twelve years ago, a friend of mine
mentioned Nezhmetdinov’s name. I only had a vague, glimmering recollection that Nezhmetdinov
had beaten Tal several times and that he had created an attacking masterpiece against Polugaevsky.
That is where my knowledge of him ended. Then over the past few years on social media, I noticed
that Nezhmetdinov’s name kept getting mentioned more and more, as a steady stream of his games
and combinational excerpts began to be posted.
The chess world’s gradual introduction to Nezhmetdinov’s games is mostly due to the untiring
efforts of Nezh super-fan Antonio Radic, also known as the Agadmator, who is by far the most
successful chess YouTuber in the world, with a staggering 1,000,000 plus subscribers. Over and over,
Antonio’s videos displayed Nezhmetdinov’s dazzling games, to the point where Nezh, the creator of
some of the most imaginative and entertaining games in chess history, is now finally being embraced
by a legion of new chess fans. In total, Nezhmetdinov’s games attracted more than 17 million views
on YouTube and other chess video streams!
So thanks to Antonio, these once barely known gems have emerged from obscurity into full public
view. Nezh was not a world champion, nor even a contender, yet his limitless tactical optimism and
fiery games ignite our own imagination.
No Reverse Gear Nezh: his style
Nezhmetdinov is the single most unconventional player I have ever known.
Yasser Seirawan
Rashid Nezhmetdinov is a virtuoso of combinational chess.
David Bronstein
How do we develop our unique style? It develops from a combination of influences:
1. our natural stylistic ability
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2. the books and players we study, especially in our youth
3. the players we associate with, especially our coaches
Robert Frost wrote a poem called ‘Accidentally on Purpose’, which is the perfect description of
Nezh’s style: he joyfully plunged into the dangerous unknown, for the sheer adventure of it. In fact,
Nezhmetdinov’s nickname was ‘No Reverse Gear Nezh’ since radical audacity and a refusal to back
down were his norms.
My old student professor Joel Sneed once asked Boris Gulko what attracted the grandmaster to
chess. Boris answered that he plays chess for the pure adventure of it. I can’t find a better description
of Nezh’s motivation. He craved the thrill; the result of winning, drawing or losing was a secondary,
less important factor. Charles Dickens wrote in Hard Times of ‘the wisdom of the head and the
wisdom of the heart.’ For Nezh, it was all heart, while the head tended to be rudely ignored!
Conformity to ‘realism, correctness and functionality’ was the prevailing ethos of Soviet life in
Nezhmetdinov’s lifetime. In fact, Stalin frowned upon non-functional abstraction in the arts, to the
point where he persecuted those who created it. Two examples: Sergei Prokofiev was punished due to
his music’s atonality, while the chess endgame study composer Arvid Kubbel, Leonid Kubbel’s
lesser-known brother, was arrested in 1937 and executed. What monstrous crime had he committed to
deserve execution? Treason, by mailing some of his composed works to be printed by foreign
publications.
In Stalin’s era and its lingering after-effect when he died, chess composers were encouraged to
create realistic, game-like studies. Abstract studies and helpmates were banned. Although Stalin was
gone by 1953, his ‘realism, correctness and functionality’ zeitgeist pervaded the artistic community’s
mindset. Botvinnik and Smyslov embraced this stylistic realism, where chess had to be played in
sensible, logical fashion.
Nezhmetdinov, Bronstein and Tal – the rebellious teenagers who pushed their ‘parents’, just to see
how much they could get away with – represented the anti-realism, anti-correctness style. They
delighted in the orderly universe being disrupted by chaos and anomaly. They understood the
psychological element of upsetting/confusing the opponent via a steady and deliberate increase in the
level of complications, in which all three excelled. Nezhmetdinov’s penchant for caprice was infinite.
He was the proto-Tal, and one of the first to introduce a new style of play which was formally
unthinkable under the Stalinesque guidelines of correctness in the Soviet Union: he deliberately
played to confuse, not worrying if his moves were sound or unsound. Pragmatic, sensible – these
were two traits not seen in Nezhmetdinov’s games. His deep insight was this: laws are not much of a
deterrent if their enforcement is difficult.
There are two kinds of people in life: those who pick fights and those who avoid them.
Nezhmetdinov was clearly in the former category. He blissfully floated upon the current of chaos,
always supremely confident that his nearly infallible instincts in irrational positions would carry him
safely to the other shore. His deeply held innate belief was: the war is never lost – no matter how far
you are down in material or in structure – until your initiative dies.
Nezhmetdinov’s weaknesses were:
8
1. Playing dull positions, in which his wild imagination rebelled and often pushed him over the cliff
with inappropriate attempts to create unsound complications between all the elements in the plain
landscape. His aversion to boring positions was well founded. In quiet positions his play gives us the
impression of an alpha male gorilla in a tuxedo – something just doesn’t look right.
2. Rejection of a pragmatic, simple path to the win. He often complicated for no good reason (other
than love of drama and adventure), when a simple, clear path to the win existed. One curious aspect
of Nezhmetdinov’s move choices was that he wasn’t attracted to variations which were easy to find.
Instead, he looked for lines which were barely possible. In other words, Nezh was constantly
searching for geometric miracles, since the ordinary bored him. He was one of those rare players who
were willing to martyr their results for the chance at creating art, which was more important to him
than his tournament results.
Rashid’s strength tended to reduce with piece exchanges. Like his Great Romantic predecessors,
Nezh was at his best with loads of pieces on the board, with complications at their height.
The evolution of most naturally aggressive players is: barbarism in youth, maturity in adulthood and
wisdom and subtlety in old age. Not for Nezhmetdinov, who was faithful to his barbarian stylistic
origins from the chess cradle to the chess grave. Nezhmetdinov – like Tal – didn’t cling to concepts
of sound and unsound based on an objective evaluation. Instead, he went by the metric of successful
and unsuccessful. If his unsound sacrifice induced his befuddled opponent to blunder and lose the
game, then can we really say that Nezhmetdinov’s sacrifice was incorrect? In this book, we observe
him orchestrate bluff after bluff, provocation after provocation, and get away with the crime.
Are you really old if your mind still believes it is young? It was this way with Nezh. We all learn
from our mistakes – in theory! Most of us begin our chess life aggressively and tend to mellow with
the wisdom of caution which aging teaches. Not Nezh, who refused to alter his style from childhood
to old age. In open positions, positions with initiative or attack, or positions with combinational
potential, Nezhmetdinov had few peers. I suspect that he was an adrenaline addict who craved the
exhilaration of the high, only when his position was on the brink – which was pretty much all the
time! ‘Defence’ and ‘Nezhmetdinov’ tended to be mutually contradictory terms. It has been my
observation that a gifted attacker’s skill at hunting the enemy king is often in inverse proportion to his
prowess at defending his own king. Predictably, Nezhmetdinov was an impatient defender, who
preferred to play for swindles, rather than hunker down for a long, grim defensive task. My theory is
that Nezh did have the skill sets to play strategically – he just didn’t want to! When a dull,
maneuvering position was forced upon him, the image of the metal band Megadeth performing
Mozart pops into my mind.
The Tal Connection
His games reveal the beauty of chess and make you love in chess not so much the points and high
placings, but the wonderful harmony and elegance of this particular world.
Mikhail Tal
An interviewer once asked Tal: ‘What was the happiest day of your life?’ Now most people would
guess that Tal would say that the day he confiscated the world chess title from Botvinnik was that
9
day. But no. Tal said the happiest day of his life was when he lost the ‘Evergreen Rashid’ game to
Nezhmetdinov. Don’t worry, the game is in the book. Here is the final position:
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Mikhail Tal
Baku ch-URS 1961
If you asked the question ‘Who do you believe was the most tactically creative player of the 20th
century?’ then I’m guessing that most chess players would pick either Alekhine, Bronstein, Tal or
Kasparov. Now we have a new potential entry for the top spot: Rashid Nezhmetdinov. Why are so
many people irresistibly drawn to Mikhail Tal’s chess games? The spirit of Nezhmetdinov the pirate
lived on in his friend’s games. Tal was merely a more powerful extension of Nezhmetdinov.
Nezhmetdinov was Tal’s trainer and muse in his successful 1960 bid to dethrone Botvinnik as World
Champion. Tal explained that Nezhmetdinov taught him ‘paradox’, taking risk-taking to previously
unheard-of levels. Then Tal, his stylistic offspring, displayed to the world the power of this radical
new style, when in 1960 he defeated the great Mikhail Botvinnik in a match for the World
Championship. If you love Tal’s games, then by default you will automatically love Nezhmetdinov’s.
There were two Tal’s:
1. His younger crazy self.
2. His older, more moderate version.
Number one on the list was probably due to the influence of his trainer, Rashid Nezhmetdinov.
It’s easy to transfer the knowledge of the teacher to the student when their minds are already in
perfect stylistic union. When we think of the Magician of Riga, very few of us know that the
magician followed a role model who nurtured the magic! When we play over Nezhmetdinov’s games,
we become predisposed to a belief in magic and mysticism, just as we do when playing over Tal’s
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games. If you didn’t know who played the games in this book, you would almost certainly guess that
they were played by a young Tal. So going over Nezhmetdinov’s games is almost like finding a secret
batch of previously unknow Tal games.
Why didn’t Nezhmetdinov become a grandmaster?
If I were to ask you, ‘Which player won the RSFSR
Championship the most times?’, who would you guess?
Botvinnik? Smyslov? Tal? Petrosian? Spassky? The
correct answer is Rashid Nezhmetdinov, who won it a
staggering five times. But then the question arises: how on
earth can a player who won the Russian Championship so
many times, merely remain an IM for all his life? Why
didn’t such an insanely strong player ever become a
grandmaster? In 2005, Chess Metrics estimated
Nezhmetdinov’s peak strength at 2660, which, adjusted to
rating inflation, would be 2700+ today.
There are many obstacles to earning a title, even if your
playing strength meets it. It could be lack of funds, a health
issue, or family responsibilities that prevent a player from
searching for a title. In Nezh’s case it was a simple lack of
opportunity. The Soviet authorities, for whatever reason
(most likely fear of defection to the free West), refused to
grant Nezhmetdinov access to GM norm tournaments which had to be played outside the Soviet
Union. Just to give you a picture of how difficult it was to become a GM in the Soviet Union, in the
years 1954 to 1959, guess how many Soviet players who lived in the most chess-infused culture in the
world earned the GM title? The astonishing answer is three: Boris Spassky in 1955, Viktor Kortchnoi
in 1956 and Mikhail Tal in 1957. Not a single player earned the title in years 1954, 1958 or 1959,
even though the Soviet Union was loaded with many, many GM-strength players!
Essentially Nezh was offered zero chances of earning the GM title. Opportunity was only given to
the rarified elite, outside of which Nezh fell. I find it astonishing that FIDE has yet to award
Nezhmetdinov the grandmaster title posthumously and I sincerely hope they will fix this oversight.
The benefits of studying Nezhmetdinov’s games
Nobody sees combinations like Rashid Nezhmetdinov.
Mikhail Botvinnik
Besides the fully annotated games in this book, I have inserted a larger than usual number of partial
games and fragments with critical positions, since Nezhmetdinov’s games, when put together,
constitute an encyclopedia of combinations. The game fragments always start at a critical point where
you are asked to look for a combination, critical decision or plan. Both Prince Machiavelli and
Cardinal Richelieu would be impressed with the depth of Nezh’s level of tactical deceit. Due to
Nezh’s super-charged tactical style, I have designed the book to also double as a tactics/combinations
11
training manual.
Imitation can inspire the imitator. Playing through Nezhmetdinov’s astonishing games may enhance
our tactical acuity, expand our imagination, increase our feel for initiative and attack, and enhance our
skill in navigating open positions. Essentially, his games may draw out our inner Great Romantic.
Hopefully, this will rub off on us as well and our ability to set up tactical snares should improve. We
also may push ourselves to cross risk-taking lines we were previously unwilling to traverse. I’m
hoping this book will convert Nezh skeptics into Nezh believers.
Many thanks to Ville Matias (Father Vasilios) for his tireless help in researching biographical details,
and thanks to Nancy for proofreading.
I hope the reader derives as much joy from playing over Nezhmetdinov’s dazzling games, as I did in
researching and writing this book. May our inner Nezh awaken!
Cyrus Lakdawala
San Diego, CA, USA
December 2021
A memorial plaque for Nezhmetdinov at the house in Kazan in which he lived from 1954-1974.
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Chapter 1
A short biography
Rashid Gibyatovich Nezhmetdinov, the most unlikely of chess greats, was born on December 15,
1912 to a crushingly impoverished family in Aktubinsk, a Tatar backwater town located a million
miles away from any major Soviet chess center. Nezhmetdinov’s early youth was a time of massive
civil unrest stemming from the Russian Revolution and its aftermath, and also a period of widespread
famine. His life was punctuated with immense deprivation, loss, trauma and suffering, starting with
the death of his parents. By age four, he was shipped off to an orphanage in Kazan. His older brother
Kavi took Rashid in for a while, until lack of food forced Rashid back to the orphanage.
Then, just like Beth Harmon, the fictional orphan chess genius from the Netflix series The Queen’s
Gambit, young Rashid accidently found chess and was instantly drawn to it, even before he knew
how the pieces moved. One day at age 11, Rashid found a scrap of a chess magazine page on the floor
with ‘unintelligible figures and signs on it while I was in the middle of a game of hide-and-seek.’ The
paper he found was a chess column from Smena magazine, which was in Russian, a language Rashid
didn’t even speak yet. That evening Rashid obsessed over the secret code within and was determined
to crack it. On the page, the rules of chess were demonstrated. He learned the game and, from that
point to his death, was hooked to the point of obsession.
A few days later he went to a local chess club meeting. Young Rashid watched respectfully while
absorbing and learning. After a period of observation, he summoned the courage to ask an adult to
play a game. Nezh won his very first chess game, as did Capablanca from watching his father play a
friend. A player named Samsonov immediately spotted great potential in the young boy, who was
then immediately accepted into the club as a full-fledged member. Later Rashid discovered another
hidden talent in checkers, which he jokingly referred to as ‘rook endings’. Just to give you a picture
of his immense natural ability, in 1949, the Russian Checkers Semifinals Championship just
happened to be held in Kazan. Rashid, although not having played checkers since 1934, decided as a
lark to observe the tournament as a spectator. Then fate intervened when one of the tournament’s
participants pulled a no-show. Nezhmetdinov was offered the opportunity to enter the tournament to
take the AWOL participant’s place. Keep in mind that he hadn’t played or studied checkers for 15
years! Rashid created a sensation by winning every game of the tournament! This incredible result
qualified him for entry into the finals of the Russian Checkers Championship. Then another shocker:
the complete unknown achieved a towering second place in the championship!
Let’s go back to 1927, which was an explosive year for Rashid, who competed in his first chess
tournament in the city Championship of Pioneers. The unknown player shocked the hell out of the
locals when he crushed the opposition, sweeping all 15 games. In January of 1928, he took second
place in the Kazan Championship. In July, he won the Region of Autonomous Republics
Championship. By October he was invited to the elite RSFSR (Russian Soviet Federative Socialist
Republic) Championship in Moscow, which was regarded as the Russian Championship.
Nezhmetdinov was a slow developer of his true talent in comparison to most other top players. In
1936 he met some of the top players of the Soviet Union in Rostov-on-Don: Ufimtsev, Dubinin,
13
Kopayev, Grechkin, Bastrikov, and to his shock, lost most of his games, failing to even place in the
top 10. That was when he realized that no matter how immense his natural ability, he would never be
able to compete with the elite players of his day without intensive study. In the past, checkers had
leached away some of Rashid’s study time and in some periods he had spent an entire year or more
away from chess study. So he resolved to set aside checkers and immerse himself into chess
(although, as mentioned above, Nezh briefly broke his promise in 1949). The only other great player I
can think of who excelled at both chess and checkers is Vasily Ivanchuk.
In 1937, Nezhmetdinov led Kazan in matches against Stalingrad, Saratov and Kuibyshev, scoring
10 points out of 12. In July 1938 he played in the strongest tournament yet, the RSFSR
Championship. Participants included future World Champion Vasily Smyslov, Ufimtsev and
Stohlberg. Nezhmetdinov surged to an early lead. Then came crushing disappointment when he
collapsed in the end from physical and mental fatigue, finishing second.
With intense introspection, Rashid analyzed his weaknesses:
1. Lack of physical stamina.
2. ‘Feeble’ play with the black pieces, especially in the openings, and a narrowness in his opening
repertoire, making him an easy target for his opponents’ preparations. Today we all play our openings
with the efficiency of automatons. In Nezh’s day the opening was still a place of contemplation. So
he vowed to be better prepared with intensive home preparation in the opening.
3. Nezh’s strength plummeted in endgames.
4. Weakness in dull, un-dynamic positions, since he was unable to say ‘No!’ to his creative urges,
even in positions where it was unwarranted.
Nezhmetdinov (front left) playing first board for
Tatarstan at the championship of the Volga
region, 1952. Photo: Archive Sergey Voronkov.
Rashid fixed numbers 1 through 3 on the list. He never could fix number 4! He began an intense
exercise program of swimming and rowing to increase his physical stamina and avoid another episode
of exhaustion-collapse at the end of tournaments. He gave precedence to study play with the black
pieces, since this was his weakness. He began a deep study of Leonid Kubbel’s endgame studies and
attempted to solve them with pure mental visualization, without use of the board. I work on them also
and I can truthfully testify they are nightmarishly difficult to solve! This may be why
Nezhmetdinov’s combinations exude a study-like quality. As for number 4 on the list, Nezh was
psychologically incapable of overcoming his impulsive chess nature and all his life he continued to
push too hard to complicate in dull positions, routinely over-pressing in games he should never have
lost.
In 1940 Nezhmetdinov was drafted into military service, which didn’t stop him from playing,
although it certainly delayed his chess development. He made good use of his time by winning the
Soviet Military Championship, scoring 13 out of 14, ahead of other strong Soviet masters. Even
though Russian soldiers were dying by the millions in the war against the Nazi invasion, Rashid,
either through good karma or maybe just blind luck, always seemed to be deployed to places after a
brutal battle had ended. By a miracle, he wasn’t killed, wasn’t wounded, and didn’t suffer from
14
PTSD, since he never fought in a single battle during his
military service. Nezhmetdinov didn’t so much as nick
himself while shaving, while his comrades were being
grievously wounded and killed by the legion (some
estimate that around eight and a half million Russian
soldiers were killed in WWII).
After his military service, Rashid continued to absorb,
learn and deepen his understanding of chess by working
with GM Ratmir Kholmov and also by further interacting
with other Soviet grandmasters, who helped him to
continually raise his level of play. 1950 was
Nezhmetdinov’s break-though year. In Gorky he won his
first RSFSR Championship, ahead of players like
Boleslavsky, Aronin, Dubinin, Kan, Ilivitzky and
Novotelnov. In doing so he instantly became a chess (and
checkers!) god of the Tatar region, the same way Tigran
Petrosian became the chess god of Armenia later on.
Wishes always seemed to arrive excruciatingly late for Nezhmetdinov throughout his life. He
learned chess at the relatively late age of 11, married at the late age of 40 and, most oddly, reached his
prime in his forties to early fifties, an incredibly late age. The only other top player I can think of who
did the same was Kortchnoi, who reached his peak rating at age 47. At this point Nezhmetdinov also
wrote his first chess book in the Tatar language. His motivation was to improve his game even more,
as he painstakingly analyzed his games and dug deeper into his opening ideas.
In the paranoid, Cold-War 1950’s, it was incredibly difficult for Soviet players to earn an
international chess title. At long last, in March of 1954, Rashid and various other untitled Soviet
masters were granted permission to participate in an international tournament in Bucharest.
Nezhmetdinov, Kortchnoi, Furman and Kholmov were first invited for training sessions under the
tutelage of the giants David Bronstein and Isaac Boleslavsky. The four players all attained the title of
International Master, with Nezhmetdinov winning the first brilliancy prize for his win against Paoli,
which is annotated in this book.
In 1958, Nezhmetdinov won the Russian Federation Championship an unprecedented fifth time. In
1961, he qualified for and took second place in the 29th USSR Championship, the most elite
tournament in the world at the time. Then, in 1960, when Tal was about to face Mikhail Botvinnik for
the World Championship Match, the challenger from Riga asked his stylistic hero Nezhmetdinov to
be his trainer, coach, second and sparring partner. This choice may have altered chess history, since
Nezhmetdinov encouraged Tal to remain true to their shared style. As we all know, Tal went on to
confuse and dethrone the great logician Botvinnik, to become the new World Champion.
As the years passed, Nezh’s performances began to decline, with more mistakes committed in time
pressure. Yet he never stopped winning best-game and brilliancy prizes. Rashid’s final tournament
was in 1972, at the age of 60 in Latvia, where he shared third and fourth places – still an outstanding
15
result.
Nezhmetdinov literally died while playing chess. In the hospital, Rashid began a game with the
readers of the newspaper Socialist Tatarstan. In June of 1974 his moves came to an abrupt halt due to
his passing. In his honour, the game was finished by Nezhmetdinov’s students.
Nezhmetdinov at a later age. Photo: Turov Archive.
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Show in Text Mode
Chapter 2
Early years, 1929-1949
The youthful are dangerous, since they have yet to develop the common sense to be afraid.
Nezhmetdinov played in this youthful style his entire life.
In this short chapter we examine Nezhmetdinov’s games before he reached his peak strength. Many
of the games are studies of impatience as well as dazzling tactical imagination.
Most of us play our best chess in our early 30’s, when our body is still strong and we have accrued
decades of experience. Having studied Nezh’s games, I noticed that he was a late bloomer who
played his best in his 40’s to early 50’s.
Let’s start with a very early game when Nezhmetdinov was still a teenager and not even close to his
apex. Carbon dating places this game in the roaring 20’s.
Game 1 Vienna Game
Samsonov
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Kazan 1929
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4
The Vienna Game was certainly a risky pick, since throughout his life Nezhmetdinov excelled in
open games. Samsonov was the first player to discover young Rashid’s talent, so he must have been
fully aware that Nezh’s power zoomed upwards in open positions.
3...d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4 5.Nf3
5.d3 is the other main line.
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5...Bb4!?
Does it count as an experiment if you are unaware it is an experiment? In the old days, players were
unfettered by precedent since so few knew opening theory deeply. This non-pinning move is not so
bad since it prevents White’s natural d2-d3 ejection mechanism of the black knight. 5...Be7 is the
most common response.
6.Qe2
White adds heat to e4 at the cost of plugging up his kingside development. After 6.Be2 0-0 7.0-0 Nc6
8.Qe1 Bc5+, seizing control over d4, Black stood no worse in Schulz-Möhrmann, Goch 2004.
6...Bxc3 7.bxc3 Bg4!
18
Moment of Contemplation: From an early age, Nezhmetdinov always opted for initiative over mere
material. Here he tempts his opponent to go pawn grabbing with a queen check on b5. In this case the
sacrifice is totally sound.
8.Qb5+?
Correct was a move like 8.Bb2, intending either d2-d3, or c3-c4, or even castling long.
8...c6
It’s easy to weigh the risks since our eyes tell us, without analysis, that Black’s development lead
supersedes White’s extra material. Even stronger was to continue to develop with 8...Nc6!, not
fearing 9.Qxb7 because then Black can offer a piece with the nonchalant 9...0-0! 10.Qxc6 Bxf3 11.h4
(after 11.gxf3?? Qh4+ 12.Kd1 Nf2+ 13.Ke2 Nxh1 White is losing) 11...Bg4. Next, ...Ng3 or ...Re8
follows and White’s extra pawn is not worth his wretched position.
9.Qxb7 Bxf3 10.Qxa8
It’s easy to march in and not so easy to march out. White’s queen is in grave danger of being trapped
by a mechanism involving ...Qb6, ...0-0 and ...Nd7.
After 10.gxf3 Qh4+ 11.Kd1 Nf2+ 12.Ke2 Nxh1 13.Qc8+ Qd8 14.Qxd8+ Kxd8 15.f4 f6 16.Ba3 Re8
17.Bd6 Nd7 18.d4 g5! (undermining White’s central structure) 19.Bh3 Nb6! 20.Rxh1 Nc4 White
lacks full compensation for the exchange.
19
10...Bxg2!?
This shot cuts out all defences based on g2-g3. The engine prefers the calm 10...0-0! 11.Qxa7 (if
11.gxf3?? Qh4+ 12.Kd1 Nf2+ 13.Ke2 Nxh1 14.Qxa7 Re8 White won’t survive) 11...Qh4+ 12.g3
Nxg3 13.hxg3 Qxg3+ 14.Qf2 Qxe5+ 15.Be2 Bxh1 with an extra pawn and development lead for
Black.
11.Be2??
A) 11.Bxg2? Qh4+ 12.Ke2 0-0!! (much stronger than giving a queen check on f2) 13.Qxa7 c5!
(interference) 14.Rf1 Qxh2 15.Rf2 Nc6 16.Qa4 Ng3+! 17.Ke1 Nxe5 18.Bf1 Qh1 19.Qb5 Ng4 with
a winning attack for Black;
B) From a practical standpoint, 11.Ba3! was most certainly White’s best shot to survive since Black
must find a difficult combination to put White away: 11...Bxh1 12.0-0-0 Qb6 13.Bd3. Now it’s not so
easy to find 13...Kd7!! 14.Rxh1 Rd8 15.Rf1 Ke6! 16.Be2 (threatening a nasty check on g4) 16...c5!
(this allows Black’s king access to e7) 17.d3 Nc6 (White’s queen remains enslaved) 18.Qxd8 Nxd8
19.dxe4 dxe4. Okay, Black is winning. But would a teen Nezhmetdinov have found all this?
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Exercise (calculation): White just blundered. Can you work out Black’s mate in five in your mind’s
eye, without moving the pieces?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: A once thrilling story ends in anti-climax. The first move is painfully obvious:
11...Qh4+ 12.Kd1 Nf2+ 13.Ke1 Nd3+
We all see the smothered mate coming.
14.Kd1 Qe1+
It was Ned Stark from Game of Thrones who said: ‘The man who passes the sentence should swing
the sword.’ This move isn’t deserving of a single exclam, since today, even the lowest rated member
of your club would also find it.
15.Rxe1 Nf2# 0-1
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Let’s jump forward to the 1930’s. The next game is an interesting psychological battle. Kosolapov,
knowing that Nezh’s strength dropped in dull positions, deliberately played as boring as humanly
possible in the opening. Dull is not what he got! This early game displays Nezhmetdinov’s genius for
attack.
Game 2 Scotch Opening
N.Kosolapov
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Spartak club championship, Kazan 1936
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d3!?
Sometimes we play a strange opening for an attempted ambush, yet there is no warmth or love.
Why anyone would want to defend this charmless position is beyond me. This is awfully passive.
White acts as if he is Black, trying to equalize, hoping this strategy may provoke Nezhmetdinov into
rash action later on.
4.Bb5 and 4.d4 are most often played.
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4...d5
Why not? Black takes advantage of White’s meekness to free himself.
5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Be2
White isn’t afraid of ...Nxc3 bxc3, since it enhances his control over the centre and opens the b-file
for his rook.
6...Bb4 7.Bd2 0-0 8.Ne4?!
Now White’s play-the-most-passive-move strategy begins to lose credibility. This is a time-waster
since in future Black will gain a tempo with ...f7-f5.
If White’s goal was to draw, then best would have been to swap a few pieces with 8.Nxd5 Bxd2+
9.Qxd2 Qxd5 10.0-0 with a solid and boring position for White.
8...Be7!
Principle: The side with more space should avoid swaps.
9.0-0 f5 10.Ng3
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10...g5!
Moment of Contemplation: Nezh’s temperament was completely unfit for restraint and throughout
this book you will feel a constant undercurrent of disobedience to strategic norms. An early push of
our g-pawn – especially if we have committed to castling on that wing – tends to be a garish sight.
Here it feels fully justified, since White’s normal formula of meeting a wing attack with a central
counter is not so easy to implement, due to his previous passive play.
11.Ne1?!
The knight runs away before it is even hit. White obviously subscribes to the doctrine that the meek
shall inherit the earth.
A) 11.h3 may have been White’s best move, to discourage ...g5-g4;
B) After 11.Re1?? (natural doesn’t always equate to strong) 11...g4 White loses his f3-knight.
11...Nf4
White’s dilemma: Black’s knight hovering over his king would make anyone uneasy. Yet he can’t
afford to take it either.
12.f3?
I’m not sure why but White’s play reminds me of the mayor from the Jaws movie, who is desperate
to convince everyone that the beaches are safe, when in reality they aren’t. White chooses another
passive move, except this one loses a pawn, since Black can play ...Qd4+, followed by ...Qxb2.
A) 12.Bxf4? looks strategically awful after 12...gxf4 13.Nh5 Bd6 14.c3 Qg5 with the bishop pair, a
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powerful centre and a potentially deadly attack for Black. Also, White’s queen and light-squared
bishop must eternally keep watch over the wobbly h5-knight;
B) He should have tried 12.Bf3 Nd4 13.c3 Nde6! (retaining pieces on the board) 14.d4 e4! though
this doesn’t look very appetizing for White, who gets pushed around.
12...Bc5+!?
Moment of Contemplation: Nezhmetdinov, as always, refuses to waver from an absolutist position
about his attack. He disdains the grabbing of White’s b-pawn with the simple double attack
12...Qd4+. My hard working parents taught me to have a healthy respect for money. Therefore, I
would have played the admittedly unartistic yet more rational 12...Qd4+! 13.Kh1 Qxb2. This has to
be the stronger course, since with his gnarled position White receives zero compensation for the
pawn. Black can take the time to win the b-pawn and attack.
13.Kh1 Rf6
Ominous. Nezh plans ...Rh6, ...g5-g4 and ...Qh4 with threats on h2 and g3.
14.c3
He wants to keep Black’s knight out of d4 and may look for a future d3-d4 break.
14...Be6
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15.Nc2?!
White is relaxed while his king is threatened with annihilation. It was high time to act according to
the Principle: Meet a wing attack with a central counter, with the temporary pawn sacrifice: 15.d4!
exd4 16.Nd3 Bd6 17.Bxf4! gxf4 18.Nh5 Rh6 19.Nhxf4. White’s chances to survive are higher here
than in the game’s continuation, since the centre is more open.
15...Rh6!
Nezhmetdinov isn’t about to fall for the trap 15...Nxd3?? 16.Bxg5 Nf2+ 17.Rxf2 Qxd1+ 18.Bxd1
Bxf2 19.Bxf6 and Black has hung a piece.
16.Be3
No longer effective was the central counter 16.d4 exd4 17.Nxd4 Nxd4 18.cxd4 Qxd4 19.Bc3 Qd6
20.Qxd6 Bxd6. White is left down a pawn in the ending, with a rotten position.
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16...g4!!
This brilliant clearance shot must have been a shocker for Kosolapov. Nezhmetdinov ignores the fact
that his c5-bishop hangs, since if it’s taken, Black will regain his piece with 17...Qh4 and 18...Qxg3. I
like Nezh’s move more than the engine’s more restrained line 16...Bb6 17.Bxb6 axb6 18.Ne3 Qd7
with a clear strategic advantage for Black.
17.Bxc5 Qh4 18.Bg1 Qxg3
Black has regained the sacrificed piece and threatens 19...Qxg2 mate.
19.Ne1!
The only move. 19.Rf2?? allows 19...Rxh2+! (decoy) 20.Bxh2 Qxf2 21.Bxf4 (21.Bf1 Bd5! 22.Bxf4
Qh4+! (zwischenzug; White is unable to block on h2 with his bishop due to 23...g3) 23.Kg1 exf4 and
White is mated as ...g4-g3 comes next) 21...exf4 22.fxg4 Qh4+ 23.Kg1 fxg4. 24...g3 is threatened, so
White must give up his bishop on g4.
19...Bd5
Adding more heat to f3. Clearer was 19...Qh4! (threat: 20...Nh5 and 21...Ng3 mate) 20.fxg4 fxg4
21.Qd2 Ne7! (threat: 22...Nf5 and 23...Ng3 mate; 21...Nh5?? is met with 22.Bf2 g3 23.Nf3 Qf6
24.Be3 when White is suddenly better) 22.Rxf4 exf4 23.Qxf4 Rf8 24.Qxc7 Nf5! and there is no
reasonable remedy to the coming knight check on g3.
20.b4
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Exercise (planning): What is Black’s most potent attacking plan?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Transfer the a8-rook into the attack, via f8, f6 and finally h6.
20...Nh5!?
Spectacular doesn’t always equate to best. This is not Black’s best choice. 20...Rf8! was deadly, e.g.
21.Rf2 Rff6! 22.Nc2 Rh5! (making room for his e6-brother to occupy h6) 23.Ne3 Rfh6 24.Nf1
Rxh2+! 25.Nxh2 Nh5 26.Rf1 Qh4 (threat: 27...Ng3 mate) 27.g3 Qh3! 28.Bf2 Nf4! (clearance) and
White is mated next move, either on g2 or on h2.
21.Bf2
Ridiculous was 21.hxg3?? – oh boy, a free queen! – 21...Nxg3#.
21...Qf4
Threat: 22...Ng3+.
22.fxg4?
Ignorance of our opponent’s intent generally places us at a fatal disadvantage. I’m not so certain that
Kosolapov took the Buddha’s advice to dwell in mindfulness. In such positions we cannot allow our
concentration to waver even for a second.
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22.Qc1 was forced, but it still loses to 22...g3 23.Bg1 (23.Qxf4? loses a piece to 23...Nxf4) 23...gxh2
24.Bf2 Qxc1 25.Rxc1 f4! (with the intention 26...Ne7, 27...Nf5, 28...Nhg3+ and mate) 26.d4 exd4
27.b5 Ne7 28.Bd3 and White is busted but at least he can keep playing in this version.
Exercise (combination alert): White just cracked under the pressure and zeit is running low on the
white king’s life.
Black to play and force mate in three.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Queen sacrifice:
22...Qxh2+! 23.Kxh2 Ng3+!
Attraction. White’s king is lured to the mating square g3.
24.Kxg3
24.Kg1 Rh1#.
24...f4#
Wow!
Game 3 Sicilian Defence
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Rashid Nezhmetdinov
P.Ermolin
Kazan 1946
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6
Everyone knows that the Dragon, much the same as a Bond villain babe, is simultaneously beautiful
and dangerous.
6.f4
This is the Old School way to fight the Dragon. Of course today most Dragons follow the maze of
theory with 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 0-0 8.Qd2.
6...Bg7?!
Today this move order is thought to be inaccurate. After 6...Nc6! 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.e5 Nd7 9.exd6 exd6
Black is fine.
7.e5!
Black is in some danger after this disruptive move.
7...dxe5
7...Nh5! is another try: 8.Bb5+! (with 8.g4? White falls for Black’s trap: 8...Nxf4! with advantage to
Black) 8...Bd7 9.Qe2! (stronger than the commonly played pawn push to e6. Now White really does
threaten g2-g4) 9...a6 10.Bxd7+ Nxd7 11.Nf3 dxe5 12.fxe5 Qb6 13.Bd2 Qe6 14.0-0-0 Bxe5,
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Hernandez Fernandez-Cabrera Trujillo, Havana 2010. Now White would have looked clearly better
had he played 15.Rhe1! Bxc3 16.Bxc3 Qxe2 17.Rxe2 f6 18.Bb4! e5 19.Red2, intending Rd6 if
Black’s d7-knight moves.
8.fxe5 Nd5?
Black falls massively behind in development in an open position, which is an unhealthy state to be in
if your opponent is one of the best attackers in the world.
A) 8...Ng4? 9.Bb5+! and now:
A1) 9...Bd7?? loses a piece to 10.Qxg4;
A2) If 9...Kf8?? 10.Ne6+ wins Black’s queen;
A3) 9...Nc6 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.Bxc6+ Bd7 12.Bxa8 Qxa8 13.0-0 Nxe5 14.Bf4 and Black is down the
exchange, Swan-Mooney, Dundee 2013.
B) 8...Nh5?! 9.Bb5+ Bd7 10.g4 and Black’s fishing chances don’t make up for the piece he is about
to lose, Babiy-Dalgar, Turkey tt 2016;
C) Complete calamity might have been dispelled with 8...Nfd7, e.g. 9.e6 Ne5 10.Bb5+ Nbc6
11.exf7+ Kxf7 12.0-0+ Bf6 is unpleasant for Black, yet still better than what happened in the game,
Spasov-Demeter, Marianske Lazne 1989.
9.Bb5+! Kf8
No choice.
10.0-0
Of course Nezh doesn’t begrudge giving up a pawn for a formidable attack.
10...Bxe5
If 10...Nxc3?? 11.Ne6+ Black loses both queen and king.
11.Bh6+ Kg8
11...Bg7 12.Bxg7+ Kxg7 13.Nxd5 Qxd5 14.Nf5+! (discovered attack; Black must hand over the
queen) 14...Qxf5 15.Rxf5 Bxf5 16.Qd4+ f6 Hansen-Nigl, Dortmund 1990. White wins even more
material if he finds 17.Qb4! when e7 can’t be defended without tremendous pain.
12.Nxd5 Qxd5
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Exercise (combination alert):
Black’s position weeps tears of blood. With this massive development lead, it’s no surprise that
White has a forced win.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Discovered attack/double attack:
13.Nf5!
With threats of 14.Nxe7 mate and also 14.Qxd5.
13...Qc5+
Does 13...Bd4+ make Black feel better, or worse? The fallback plan seems to be hopelessly contrived,
but at least it avoids a quick mate: 14.Qxd4 Qxd4+ 15.Nxd4 and Black can resign.
14.Be3
The most effective lie is the one which has just a hint of the truth within it. Black believes he has
covered both mating threats. However, there is a sneaky third threat as well.
14...Qc7
Black averts his eyes to the truth. His move covers mating threats on e7 and d8. Unfortunately for
him, there is another one on f7. Now Nezhmetdinov delivered mate in two, to create a miniature.
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15.Nh6+
Black resigned.
15...Kg7 (or 15...Kf8) 16.Rxf7#.
Just like Tal after him, Nezhmetdinov relied heavily on out-calculating his opponents, as he does so
skillfully in the following game.
Game 4
Lev Aronin
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Kuibyshev ch-RSFSR 1947
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Black to move
Just because you were a good citizen in the past that doesn’t mean you are entitled to commit one
felony of your choice without penalty of law. Earlier in the game White held all the strategic plusses
and also extra material. The trouble is he fell dangerously behind in development, which, in an open
position, is a way of burglarizing your own home.
Exercise (planning): Nezhmetdinov is down two pawns, so it’s the all-or-nothing moment to exploit
his development lead. How should Black continue?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: e4 is the seat of White’s power so chip away at it:
21...Bxe4!
21...Qxd5? is too slow. After 22.0-0 Black is strategically lost and even unable to regain his material
with 22...Rxa2?? due to the pin/double attack trick 23.Bb3!, winning on the spot.
21...Bxe4! 22.Bb6?
Is there such a thing as luck in chess? Or do we create our own luck? I’m inclined to believe the
latter. Over and over, Nezhmetdinov created complications to the point where his opponents would
exhaust themselves calculating defences, and then blunder.
Aronin loses since his last move abandons his safety net of extra material. White had to try 22.Bxe4
Nf6! (threats: 23...Nxe4, and also 23...Ng4!) and now:
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analysis diagram
A) 23.Bc2?? Ng4 24.Bb6 Nxf2 25.Bxd8 Nxh1 26.Be7 e4! 27.Rd1 Rxa2 28.Bxf8 Kxf8 29.Bxe4
Bc3+ 30.Kf1 Nf2 wins for Black;
B) 23.Bb6 Nxe4 24.fxe4 (24.Bxd8 Nxf2 25.Kxf2 Rxd8 leaves Black up a piece) 24...Rxf2 25.Bxd8
Rxg2 26.Be7 Kf7 27.Bc5 Bf6 28.Rf1 Rxh2 29.Rf2 Rh1+ 30.Rf1 Rh4 wins for Black;
C) 23.Qe2 was White’s best practical chance, since it forces Black to find many good moves to cash
out: 23...Nxe4 24.fxe4 Bh6! (even stronger than the queen check on h4) 25.Bxh6 Qh4+ 26.Kd1
Qxh6. White’s king is consigned to a mirthless existence and is unable to survive out in the open. As
an analytical exercise, let’s examine: 27.Re1 Rc3 28.Qd2 Qh5+ 29.Qe2 Qg5 30.Qd2 Qg4+ 31.Qe2
Qc8! (this plan is not so easy to find; White is unable to defend all the key squares on the c-file, as
well as d4) 32.Rb1 Rc4! (quiet as a shadow, Black’s pieces creep closer to White’s king. This move
threatens a nasty check on d4. As it turns out, d4 and c1 are the squares where White keeps all his
secrets) 33.Rb3 (33.Rb2 Rc1+ 34.Kd2 Qc3#) 33...Rc1+ 34.Kd2 Rc2+ and Black wins the queen.
22...Qc8!
Threat: 23...Qc3+.
23.Rc1
A) After 23.Bc5 Bxc2 24.Qxc2 e4 25.Rc1 exf3 26.0-0 Qg4 White’s position collapses. If 27.Bxf8?
then Black mates in three moves with 27...Bd4+ 28.Kh1 Ng3+ 29.hxg3 Qh5#;
B) 23.Bxe4 Qc3+ 24.Ke2 Nf4+ 25.Kf1 Qxa1+ 26.Qe1 Rxa2 and Black wins.
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23...Qc3+ 24.Qd2
Exercise (combination alert): How do we put White away?
Show/Hide Solution
24...Qxd2+!
Answer: Attraction. Step 1: Swap queens, luring White’s king to d2.
25.Kxd2 Bh6+ 0-1
White resigned.
Step 2: Skewer. 26.Kd1 Bxc1 27.Bxe4 Bh6 leaves White down a rook.
Game 5
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Alexey Suetin
Kuibyshev ch-RSFSR 1947
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White to move
In this position, White enjoys a development lead, while Black possesses the bishop pair and greater
central influence.
Exercise (planning): How should White exploit his considerable development lead?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer:
15.g4!
Principle: Open the game and create confrontation when leading in development.
15...fxg4 16.Qxg4 Bb7
16...Be7 17.Qg7 Rf8 18.Qg3! Ra7 19.Ne4 with a difficult yet still playable position for Black.
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Exercise (critical decision): The prevention of a disease is every bit as important as its cure. Black’s
bishop on c8 covered e6. On b7, it doesn’t.
With his last move, Suetin invited Nezhmetdinov to sacrifice on e6. The time has come to choose:
should White play it, or should he decline? If you choose to play it, then have a line ready for White.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: The sacrifice on e6 wins and Black’s last move was either an oversight or a misjudgement.
17.Bxe6!
This sets about a violent chain of events which neither side is fully able to control, due to the
position’s intense complexity level.
17...fxe6 18.Qxe6+?
Now White’s attack operates with diminished status. This was probably the move Suetin counted on,
after which Black does not stand worse. White generates a winning attack with 18.Rg1! – White’s
knife in the darkness: 18...Qe7 19.Ne4 Qf7 (19...c5?? 20.Qh5+ Qf7 21.Nf6+ Ke7 22.Rd7+ Kxf6
23.Rxf7#) 20.Qg5 Be7 21.Qd2! (if 21...Bc8 22.Qc3! the double attack on c6 and h8 wins) and Black
is busted, since 21...Rd8 is met with 22.Qxd8+! (removal of the guard/knight fork) 22...Bxd8
23.Nd6+ Ke7 24.Nxf7 Kxf7 25.Rd7+ Kf6 26.Rxb7.
18...Be7?
18...Qe7! 19.Qc4 a5!! (threat: 20...Ba6, which, astonishingly enough, saves Black) 20.Rd3 Bg7
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21.Rg1 Be5 22.Ne4 and it is anybody’s game.
19.Ne4
White once again has a winning attack.
19...Bc8 20.Nf6+ Kf8
Exercise (critical decision): Should White play 21.Nd7+, or should he play 21.Rd7 ?
Show/Hide Solution
21.Rd7?
The definition of phantasmagoria, ‘a sequence of real or imaginary images, like that seen in a dream’,
describes so many of Nezhmetdinov’s games. This isn’t a book on Capablanca’s games, where
everything fits into place perfectly and Capa wins in a straight-line trajectory, without making a
single error. In this book the evaluations swing wildly, mainly because Nezhmetdinov played to
confuse everyone, sometimes including himself!
In this case, fancy does not equal strong.
Answer: 21.Nd7+! gets the job done after 21...Ke8 22.Rg1! (threatening mate, starting with
23.Rg8+) 22...Bxd7 23.Rg8+ Rxg8 24.Qxg8+ Bf8 25.Re1+ Be6 (forced) 26.Rxe6+ Kd7 27.Qf7+
Kc8 28.Qxf8+ Kb7 29.Qb4+ Ka7 (29...Kc8 30.Re8+ Kd7 31.Qe7#) 30.Re7 and wins.
21...Bxd7?
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The position is a whimsical entity, with the evaluation swinging back and forth. Suetin could have
saved the game had he found the problem-like 21...Qd6!! 22.Nxh7+ Rxh7 23.Qxd6 Bxd6 24.Rxh7.
The ending is tough to correctly assess. I suspect that White holds the slightly better chances, with
rook and three extra pawns against Black’s two bishops.
22.Nxd7+ Ke8 23.Nf6+ Kd8
If 23...Kf8 24.Rg1! (threat: 25.Rg8+) 24...Bxf6 25.Qxf6+ Ke8 26.Qxh8+ Kd7 27.Qxa8 wins.
Exercise (planning): White is down a rook, so we must come up with an effective attacking plan,
before Black consolidates.
Show/Hide Solution
24.Ke2!
Answer: Clearance. After the king move to e2, there is no remedy to the coming Rd1(+).
24...Qd6
24...Qc8 25.Rd1+ Kc7 26.Qxe7+ Kb6 27.Qb4+ Kc7 28.Qa5+ Kb8 (if 28...Kb7, 29.Rd7+ wins)
29.Nd7+ Kb7 30.Qb6#.
25.Rd1 Qxd1+ 26.Kxd1 Bxf6 27.Qxf6+ Kc7 28.Qe7+ Kb6 29.c4 1-0
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Black can play on, but he is busted. In any case, money wins wars, just as much as soldiers and
weapons do. White is up too many pawns and Black’s king is still in danger.
The next three games were from Nezhmetdinov’s tied match with GM Vladas Mikenas. The
following game was the first. Nezh shocked his experienced opponent by defeating him in a
miniature, whirlwind attack.
Game 6 Alekhine’s Defence
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Vladas Mikenas
Kazan m 1948 (1)
1.e4 Nf6
At the time, Mikenas was perhaps the world’s leading expert on Alekhine’s Defence.
2.e5 Nd5 3.c4 Nb6 4.c5
The Chase Variation, which is defanged in the present day and filed away under the ‘harmless’
category.
4...Nd5 5.Bc4 e6 6.Nc3
This is an opening gambit, which is interpreted by some as a gateway drug to sacrificial romantic
excess. Today we know that if Black later returns the pawn, then White gets less than nothing from
the opening.
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6...Nxc3 7.dxc3
7...Qh4!?
This move is still played, yet is in violation of the Principle: Don’t bring your queen out early in the
game for no good reason. Of course, if everyone adhered to this, then nobody would play the
2...Qxd5 lines of the Scandinavian.
7...Nc6! 8.Bf4 Bxc5 9.Qg4 g5! 10.Bxg5 Rg8! is the reason the Chase Variation is not played much
anymore. Black achieves at least equality from this position.
8.Qe2 Bxc5 9.Nh3?!
Threat: 10.Bg5, trapping Black’s queen. But why protect f2 when it doesn’t require protection?
9.Nf3! invites ...Bxf2+??: 9...Qd8 (9...Bxf2+?? is a misfired tactic which loses a piece to 10.Kf1!)
10.Bf4 d5, Jonkman-Movsziszian, Hamburg 1992. The engine claims White gets full compensation
after 11.Bd3 h6 12.h4. Black’s extra pawn compensates for White’s development lead and central
space.
9...f6?
This move violates the Principles: Avoid either opening the game or creating confrontation while
lagging in development. Black is fine after 9...h6! 10.Bf4 d5.
10.exf6 Qxf6?
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Black’s move was an error, since it is in violation of the Principle: Don’t risk confrontation when
you are outnumbered and outgunned. He had to try 10...gxf6 11.Nf4 which is in White’s favour, but
not nearly as much as in the game’s bloody continuation.
Exercise (critical decision): Analyse the variation 11.Qh5+ Qg6 12.Qxc5 Qxg2, when Black
regains his piece. Should White enter the line, or should he just castle instead?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: White should indeed enter the line, since Black falls fatally behind in development:
11.Qh5+! Qg6 12.Qxc5 Qxg2 13.Rg1 Qxh3 14.Rxg7
Threat: 15.Qe7 mate.
14...Nc6
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Exercise (planning): Mikenas had undoubtedly assessed this position as survivable for Black,
although what aspect of his position conferred immunity for his king is hard to decipher. He was
wrong, since he grossly underestimated the degree of White’s development lead/attack. What is
White’s most deadly continuation?
Show/Hide Solution
15.Be2!
Answer: Retreat the bishop to e2, intending to transfer it to h5.
Also winning was Answer #2: 15.Qg5 Qf5 16.Qxf5 exf5 17.Bf7+ Ke7 18.Bg5+ Kf8 19.Bh6 Ke7
20.0-0-0. Black won’t survive with his king bouncing around and his forces undeveloped.
15...e5
15...h5 16.Qg5 Qf5 17.Rg8+ Rxg8 18.Qxg8+ Ke7 19.Bg5+ Kd6 20.0-0-0+ Kc5 21.Be3+ and Black
resigns.
16.Bg4
Also winning was 16.Qd5!, eyeing f7 and g8, e.g. 16...Rf8 17.Bg5 d6 18.Rxc7 Bd7 19.Qxd6 Rf7
20.Bc4 Rg7 21.Qf6 and Black will be mated.
16...Qh4
Black’s inconsequential queen drifts alone, influencing nothing. 16...Qxh2 17.Bf3 (covering h1 from
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a queen check) 17...Rf8 18.Bg5!, threatening mate, starting with 19.Re7+, to which there is no
reasonable defence, since 18...Rf7 loses instantly to 19.Rg8+ Rf8 20.Rxf8#.
17.Qd5! 1-0
Black’s position contains multiple sorrows. He has no defence to the dual threats 18.Bxd7+ and also
18.Qf7+, followed by 19.Bg5+, while 17...Nd8 is met with 18.Bg5!.
Our worst nightmare: we reach the big game and make a damned fool of ourselves. Enforced humility
is a painful lesson life hands us to cure the disease of excess pride. Mikenas must have been shocked
to be blown out in a mere 17 moves in the very first game of the match.
Game 7 Alekhine’s Defence
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Vladas Mikenas
Kazan m 1948
1.e4
Most of today’s top GMs are ambidextrous, equally proficient with king’s pawn and queen’s pawn
openings. Nezhmetdinov, like Bobby Fischer after him, felt that 1.e4 was best by test and stuck with
it all his life.
1...Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.c4 Nb6 4.c5 Nd5 5.Bc4 e6 6.Nc3 d6
White stands a touch better after this inaccuracy, but they didn’t know that in 1948. As mentioned in
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the previous game, the theoretical remedy is 6...Nxc3!.
7.Nxd5 exd5 8.Bxd5 c6!?
It shocks me that this subpar move remains the main line, since it allows White a promising sacrifice.
To be considered is the line 8...dxe5 9.Qb3 with a double attack on f7 and b7: 9...Bxc5! 10.Bxf7+
Kf8 11.Bd5, Klementev-Bykovskiy, Vinnytsia 2016. Black doesn’t stand much worse after 11...c6.
9.Bxf7+!
A theoretical novelty, at least at the time.
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9...Kxf7 10.cxd6 Qe8!
A) Black is unable to bail out by immediately returning the piece with 10...Bxd6?!: 11.Qf3+! Ke7
12.exd6+ Qxd6 13.d4 Rf8 14.Bg5+ Kd7 15.Qc3 Qd5 16.Qg3 Qd6 17.Nf3 Qxg3 18.hxg3 h6 19.Bf4.
White’s development lead is dangerous, even with the queens off the board;
B) With 10...Be6? Mikenas repeated his risky experiment in the match and was rewarded: 11.f4?
(11.Nh3! leaves Black in dire trouble) 11...Bxd6! (now the return of the piece leaves White in
strategic distress) 12.exd6 Re8 13.Kf2 Qxd6, Nezhmetdinov-Mikenas, Kazan 1948. I like Black’s
position after 14.d4 Bd5 15.Nf3 Bxf3 16.Qxf3 Nd7. White is threatened to be saddled with a bad
bishop versus a good knight, when it reaches d5.
11.Qe2
Covering against 11...Bxd6.
11...c5?!
Black doesn’t have the luxury of wasting time. After 11...Na6! (the idea is to reach d5) 12.d4 Nb4
13.a3 Nd5 Black stands only a bit worse.
12.Nf3 Bxd6!
Black’s best chance is to return the piece.
13.Ng5+!?
Moment of Contemplation:
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A fanatic is not opposed to killing anyone who opposes him. This desperate expedient is of course
über-risky, since White essentially agrees to remain down a piece, with no development lead!
I can see why Nezhmetdinov rejected the line 13.exd6. The nature of compromise is that it pleases
nobody. Black gets a development lead, while White remains up material. The engine prefers White,
while no human would: 13...Qxe2+ 14.Kxe2 Re8+ 15.Kd3!?. Is there such a thing as an ‘unnatural
move’? Maybe not. In chess, any legal move is a natural move. However, only an engine would
consider such a move and assess it slightly in White’s favour! I hate to get into disputes with the
engines, but Black appears to have full compensation for the two pawns (the d6-pawn is sure to fall,
so it’s really only one pawn down) and looks just fine to my human eyes after 15...Bg4, threatening to
inflict even more damage upon White’s structure with ...Bxf3.
13...Kg6!
14.Qd3+?
Moment of Contemplation: Principle: Don’t stubbornly defend your theory without concern for
evidence. Nezh’s thesis is based upon a slender set of assumptions/wild guesses, and his last move
defies all attempts at psychoanalysis. White may want to attack, but this is just plain unsound. All his
life, Nezh’s great weakness (or was it a hidden strength?) was that he was trigger happy.
White should have played 14.d4! h6 15.Nf3 Bc7 16.d5 when his central passed pawns ensure full
compensation for the sacrificed piece.
14...Kxg5
I wouldn’t describe Black’s nervous king as someone swinging in a hammock and sipping iced tea.
On the other hand, Black isn’t even behind in development and he should survive White’s attack and
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win, provided that he finds the best defensive moves.
15.Qxd6 Qd8?
Now, the defence of Black’s king monopolizes his attention. 15...Qc6! refutes White’s attack: 16.d4+
(16.f4+ Kh5 17.Qe7 (threat: 18.Qg5 mate) is too slow as 17...Qe4+ 18.Kf2 Qxf4+ 19.Ke1 Nc6
wins) 16...Kh5 and White is busted since the queens come off the board. If 17.Qe7? (17.0-0 Qxd6
18.exd6 cxd4 is also lost for White) 17...Qxg2 18.Rf1 Bh3 19.Qf7+ g6 White can resign.
16.d4+
Exercise: (critical decision): Black’s king has a choice of moving to either h5 or f5. Only one of
these moves keeps him alive. Which one do you pick?
Show/Hide Solution
16...Kf5??
Answer: Only moving the king to h5 saves him: 16...Kh5! 17.Qxc5 Be6 18.0-0 Nc6 19.Be3 Qd5
20.Qc2 Rac8 21.f3! g5 22.g4+ Kh6 23.Bxg5+! Kxg5 24.h4+ Kh6 25.Qd2+ Kg7 26.Qg5+ Kf7
27.Qf6+ Kg8 28.Qg5+ is perpetual check.
17.g4+!
Black’s king is about to go for an unpleasant ride.
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17...Ke4
17...Kxg4 allows White’s rook to enter the attack: 18.Rg1+ Kf5 19.Rg5+ Ke4 20.Qxc5 Nc6 21.f3+!
Kxf3 22.Qc2! (seizing control over e4) 22...Nxd4 23.Rg3# or 22...Qxd4 23.Qg2#.
18.Qxc5 Rf8
18...Bxg4 19.Rg1 Qd7 20.e6! Qxe6 21.Rg3! (threat: 22.Re3+) 21...Bf3 22.Rg5! (planning to move to
e5) 22...Kd3+ 23.Be3 Rc8 24.Qb5+ Qc4 25.Rd1! mates in three, since 25...Bxd1 is met with
26.Qf5#.
19.0-0!
Castling is normally associated with our own king’s safety. Not here though, since the rook is about
to move to e1.
19...Kf3
19...Bxg4 20.e6! Nc6 21.Re1+ Kf3 22.Qc3#.
20.h3
Or 20.Re1 Kxg4 21.e6! Nc6 22.h3+ Kh4 23.Re4+ Kxh3 24.Qc3+ and mate next move.
20...b6 21.Qc3+
21.Qc2! was a touch faster: 21...Qxd4 22.Qb3+ Ke4 23.Re1 mates quickly.
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21...Ke4
22.Qc4! 1-0
Principle: In a king hunt, don’t chase the enemy king. Instead, cut off flight squares. Black’s king
must be prevented from escape via d5.
Nezh didn’t even need his queenside pieces! 22...Bxg4 23.hxg4 Kf3 24.Qd3+ Kxg4 25.f3+ Kg3
(25...Kh5 26.Qxh7#) 26.Qd2! (threat: 27.Qh2 mate) 26...Rxf3 27.Rxf3+ Kxf3 28.Qg2#.
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Show in Text Mode
Game 8 French Defence
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Vladas Mikenas
Kazan m 1948
1.e4 e6
As a life-long French Defence player, I can tell you from experience that the opening isn’t suited for
those who look down upon manual labour as a way to make a living.
2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 b6
This line of the French is one of those small towns where the fashions run a decade behind the current
ones. The line is still played today with only a few alterations from past games. This set-up was
popularized later by Petrosian’s advocation. The idea is that White cannot effectively make use of his
development lead, since the position is blocked. Secondly, Black plans a future ...Ba6 and then a
swap, ridding himself of his bad French bishop,
5.Qg4 Bf8
The anti-chess continues. Black remains safe, as long as the game remains closed.
6.Nh3
The knight heads for f4. 6.Bg5 is the main line today.
6...Ba6
I generally only play this move after White moves the light-squared bishop, thereby gaining a tempo.
6...Qd7 is Black’s main line today.
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7.Nb5!?
The idea, a theoretical novelty at the time, is two-fold:
1. White seeks to make Black sweat to trade the light-squared bishops.
2. When Black later plays ...c7-c6 White’s knight will likely not retreat, but instead jump into d6.
Even if White loses a pawn, he gets dark square compensation.
Nezh’s move is much sharper than 7.Bxa6 Nxa6 8.Nf4 Nb4 9.Qe2, Kovalev-Vaganian, Tilburg
1992. Here Black may be able to get away with the freeing break 9...c5!?.
7...Qd7
7...c6?? is grossly premature: 8.Nd6+ Bxd6 (8...Ke7 9.Ng5 doesn’t look so healthy for Black either)
9.Qxg7 – zwischenzug. Black is losing.
8.a4 h5
This way Black’s g8-knight can be posted on f5 without fear of g2-g4 ideas.
9.Qg3 Ne7 10.Qc3?!
This forces Black to block his own c-pawn with a knight. Yet the move is artificial and wastes time.
He should have gone for 10.Bd3 when Black is still unable to boot the annoying b5-knight away and
White looks better.
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10...Nec6!
Threat: 11...Bb4. Mikenas evaded the trap 10...Nbc6? 11.Nxc7+! (discovered attack) 11...Qxc7
12.Bxa6 Nf5 (threat: 13...Bb4) 13.Bb5 when White is up a pawn, with the bishop pair and control
over the light squares.
11.Qd2 Na5!
The knight eyes the c4-square, while clearing the way for the ...c7-c6 push.
12.b3 c6
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13.Nd6+!?
Moment of Contemplation: To tell Nezhmetdinov to calm down is a piece of advice about as useful
as when a mother orders her son to ‘wash behind the ears’, during his childhood baths. This pawn
sacrifice, although thematic, may be considered speculative at best and dubious at worst.
A more cautious player would have opted for 13.Na3.
13...Bxd6 14.exd6 Bxf1
French players worldwide feel happier with the bad light-squared bishop’s absence. Also, White is
deprived of the bishop pair. Mikenas must have been happy with the opening’s outcome at this stage.
15.Kxf1 Nb7 16.Ba3 c5!
Clearing c6 for the b8-knight, while chipping away at White’s centre.
17.Re1 Nc6?!
This move gives away his d-pawn, without good reason. Consistent was 17...Qxd6 18.Nf4 Kf8!,
avoiding tricks on d5: 19.h4 Nc6 20.dxc5 bxc5 21.Rh3 and I’m skeptical about White’s full attacking
compensation for the missing pawn.
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18.dxc5!
Principle: Open the game when leading in development. 19.Qxd5 is threatened.
18...bxc5 19.Qg5?!
Why on earth didn’t he want Black’s important d-pawn? Nezh again shows contempt for material. In
this case he should have won back his pawn with the simple 19.Qxd5 Nd4 20.Qe4 Rc8. The engine
calls it even.
19...Qxd6
After 19...Kf8! 20.Nf4 h4 21.Bb2 d4 22.Nh5 g6 23.Nf6 Qxd6 I don’t see full compensation for
White’s missing pawn, mainly since Black’s king looks safe enough and White’s h1-rook experiences
difficulties emerging from its submerged status.
20.Nf4
20.Bb2! d4 21.Qxg7 Rf8 22.Qg5 Nb4 23.Re2 Nd5 24.g3 – both sides have difficult decisions ahead
and the game looks dynamically balanced.
20...Qe7?!
Mikenas agrees to structural damage by offering the g7-pawn to open lines against White’s king. He
overlooks a trick on White’s 22nd move. Surely his g-pawn is more valuable than the h-pawn. I
would consider 20...Kf8 21.Nxh5 Rh7 when I prefer Black, who controls the centre.
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21.Qxg7 0-0-0
Exercise (combination alert): Nezhmetdinov bided his time, awaiting the perfect moment to strike.
That time is now. What should he play?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 22.Nxd5!
Pin/overloaded defender. Where did that come from? Neither black piece is able to capture the knight.
22...Qf8?
Black is down a pawn and shouldn’t be offering a queen swap. After 22...Qd7 23.Nf6 Qd2 24.h4
Qxc2 25.Rh3 I still like White’s prospects, yet not as much as in the game’s continuation.
23.Qxf8 Rhxf8 24.Ne3
Nezhmetdinov is up a pawn, yet still experiences problems in developing the h1-rook.
24...h4 25.f3 f5!?
The weakening of e6 may have been more important than the gain of space. He should have played
25...Nd4 intending ...h4-h3: 26.Kf2 h3 and if 27.g3 (perhaps White should allow structural damage
and go for 27.Bb2!? hxg2 28.Kxg2 Rh8; even here Black has play for the pawn) 27...f5! when ...f5-f4
is threatened and Black generates play for his missing pawn.
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26.Nc4 Nd4 27.Kf2
At last the rooks are connected. 27.Re5 Nxc2 28.Bxc5! Rd1+ 29.Kf2 Rxh1 30.Bxf8 also looked
promising for White.
27...Nxc2 28.Rxe6 Nd4 29.Re7!
Nezhmetdinov correctly doesn’t bother to defend b3.
29...Rfe8?
A) 29...f4 should have been played;
B) 29...Nxb3? is too greedy, since it opens the b-file for White’s rook: 30.Rb1 N7a5 31.Nxa5 Nxa5
32.Bxc5 Rd2+ 33.Kf1 and Black won’t save the game.
Exercise (combination alert): Previously Black coped with a series of little adversities. After
White’s next move Mikenas found himself in the midst of a full-fledged crisis. Do you see White’s
shot?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: White can actually take the crucial c5-pawn:
30.Bxc5!
The only time criminals worry about conscience is if they get caught. In this case White gets away
with the crime, since the position gifts him with favourable geometry. Mikenas’ heart must have
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contracted in woe after Nezh’s stunning shot.
30...Nxc5 31.Rxe8!
Attraction.
31...Rxe8 32.Nd6+
Knight fork.
32...Kd7 33.Nxe8 Kxe8
It becomes clear that Black is the one playing for a draw, since in an ending, a rook and two pawns
tend to be more valuable than a knight pair which is unable to generate concrete threats.
34.b4! Nxa4 35.Ra1 Nb2 36.Rxa7 f4
37.Rh7?
This move results in the loss of two important tempi. White’s rook can go after the h-pawn anytime.
37.Rb7! was more logical, since it makes Black’s king waste time moving in the wrong direction:
37...Kd8 38.b5 Kc8 39.Rh7 (now is the time to switch over) 39...Nd1+ 40.Kg1 Nxb5 41.Rxh4 Nd4.
Black hangs on to the f-pawn since it is defended tactically. Yet, he clearly ends up in an inferior
version of the game, since his king has lost several tempi moving away from the kingside.
37...Nd3+ 38.Kf1 Nxb4 39.Rxh4 Nd5
Black is in deep trouble, since White eventually creates two connected passed pawns, one of which
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may cost Black a knight later on.
40.Rh7 Ne3+ 41.Kf2 Nd1+ 42.Kg1 Ne3 43.Ra7 Kf8 44.Ra4
44...Ne6?
After this error White gets his dream of two connected passed pawns. Black needed to keep a bead on
the g3-square with 44...Nef5!, making it more difficult for White to create passed pawns, and even
when they are created, they are blockaded: 45.Kf2 Ne6 46.g3 (after 46.g4 Nh4 Black may well hold
the draw) 46...Kg7! looks very difficult – if at all possible – for White to win.
45.g4!
There we go.
45...Kg7
Black was better off not capturing en passant, although both ways lose.
46.h4 Kf6 47.h5 Nd5 48.Ra6 Ne7
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Exercise (combination alert): How should White proceed?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Overloaded defender:
49.g5+!
White’s intent is refreshingly artless: push the two passed pawns as far as they can go. This move
serves three functions:
1. White breaks Black’s attempted blockade of the g5-square.
2. White opens the g4-square for his own king, via Kg2, Kh3 and Kg4.
3. By pushing the pawn to g5, White gains several valuable tempi and pushes Black’s king back.
49...Kf7
49...Kf5?? steps on a landmine as 50.Ra5+ costs Black a knight.
50.Ra5 Kf8 51.Kg2
Destination: g4.
51...Kf7 52.Kh3 Nc6 53.Rf5+ Kg8 54.Kg4 Ncd4 55.Rd5
There is no reason to calculate if 55.Rxf4 wins or not.
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55...Nc6 56.g6 Kg7
I don’t wish to belabour the obvious, by pointing out that Black can do nothing useful and can only
wait.
57.Rd7+ Kg8
A) 57...Kh6 58.Rh7#;
B) 57...Kf6 58.Rf7+ Ke5 59.h6 and Black must resign.
58.Rd6 Ncd8 59.h6 1-0
The defence has run its course. If 59...Kf8 60.h7 Kg7 61.Kf5 wins.
Game 9 Italian Game
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
V.Baskin
Kishinev 1948
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4
Later on in his career, Nezhmetdinov faithfully stuck with the Ruy Lopez.
3...Bc5 4.0-0 Nf6 5.d4!?
Oh, the folly of youth. We note a violent expression upon the face of a normally expressionless
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opening.
The trouble is ostentation tends not to work in tactically repressed positions. Nezhmetdinov demands
complications even if they objectively favour his opponent. I’m being a bit kind giving this move a
‘interesting’ mark, rather than the ‘dubious’ it really deserves.
5...Bxd4
Black takes up the challenge. This way he really does win a pawn. Transposing to the Max Lange
Attack with 5...exd4 is less ambitious though 6.e5 d5 7.exf6 dxc4 8.Re1+ Be6 9.Ng5 Qd5 10.Nc3
Qf5 11.Nce4 0-0-0 is known to be okay for Black.
6.Nxd4 Nxd4
6...exd4? 7.e5 d5 8.exf6 dxc4 9.fxg7 Rg8 10.Re1+ Be6 11.Qh5 (threat: 12.Rxe6+) 11...Qf6 12.Bg5
Qf5 13.g4! Qg6 14.Qxg6 hxg6 15.Bf6 and the continued existence of the g7-pawn gives White the
better chances in the ending, Nilsen-Jonsson, Reykjavik 2015.
7.f4
White owns the bishop pair and has a development lead, which calls for a confrontational opening of
the position.
7...d6 8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Bg5 c6
Black’s best continuation is 9...Qe7! 10.c3 Ne6 11.Bxe6 (11.Bxf6 gxf6 12.Na3 Nf4 also favours
Black) 11...Bxe6 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.Na3 Rg8 14.Kh1 Qd7 15.Qxd7+ Kxd7 16.Rxf6 Rg4 17.Re1 Ke7
18.Rf2 Rd8 19.h3 Rf4! 20.Rxf4 exf4 21.Nb5 c5 22.b3 Rd2. White was completely busted in the
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ending in Alarcon Casellas-Bachmann, Barcelona 2014.
10.Qd3
Of course Nezh isn’t interested in regaining sacrificed material at the cost of the initiative. After 10.c3
Ne6 11.Qxd8+ Kxd8 12.Bxe6 Bxe6 13.Rxf6 gxf6 14.Bxf6+ Kd7 15.Bxh8 Rxh8 Black looks slightly
better, due to the superior minor piece and an already centralized king.
10...Bg4
This looks like a case of wrong move order. 10...b5! 11.Bb3 Bg4 (threat: 12...Be2) 12.Rf2 Ne2+!
13.Kf1 (13.Kh1? is met with the back rank tactic 13...Nxe4! 14.Bxf7+ Kf8 15.Qa3+ c5 16.Rf1
Nf2+! (weak back rank/overloaded defender) 17.Rxf2 Qd1+ 18.Rf1 Qxf1#) 13...Nf4 14.Bxf4 exf4
15.Nd2 0-0 and Black stands better.
11.Nc3
This simple developing move cuts off tricks on e2. White could also consider adventures with 11.Qg3
Be6 12.Qxe5 0-0 13.Bxf6 (13.Rxf6? Bxc4 favours Black: 14.Rd6 Ne2+ 15.Kh1 Qb6 16.Nd2 Rfe8
17.Nxc4 Rxe5 18.Nxb6 axb6 19.Bd2 Rxe4 and White must fight for a draw) 13...gxf6 14.Qg3+ Kh8
15.Bd3 Rg8 and Black stands at least equal.
11...b5?!
Doesn’t Baskin remember what happened to the Duke of Brunswick and Count Isouard when they
played ...b7-b5 against Paul Morphy? Black has a good position after 11...Be6.
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12.Qg3!
Zwischenzug. White threatens to take the e5-pawn, as well as 13.Bxf6 followed by 14.Qxg4.
12...Qb6?
Threatening a nasty discovered double check on e2, yet the queen is needed in the centre. 12...Be6!
13.Bxe6 Nxe6 14.Rad1 Qe7 15.Bh4! is only slightly in White’s favour.
13.Be3 Qc5?!
Black had to try 13...Qb8 14.Bxf7+! Kxf7 15.Qxg4 Qd6 16.Bg5 when he is on the defensive and in
some trouble.
Exercise (combination alert): Do you see White’s shot?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Interference:
14.Bd5!
Now 15.Qxe5+ is a huge threat.
14...0-0-0
A) 14...0-0 15.Rxf6 Qxc3 16.bxc3 Ne2+ 17.Kf2 Nxg3 18.Rxc6 Nh5 19.c4 and Black is in deep
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trouble;
B) 14...cxd5? 15.Qxe5+ Qe7 16.Qxd4 b4 17.e5 bxc3 18.exf6 gxf6 19.Rae1 Be6 20.Bg5! and Black’s
position falls apart.
15.Rxf6! gxf6
15...cxd5?? 16.Qxg4+ Kb8 17.Rxf7 leaves Black down a piece.
16.Qxg4+ f5
Exercise (combination alert): Fear is a relative emotion. Throughout his career, Nezhmetdinov
always kept his cool in the most fearful complications. How should White continue?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Sham queen sacrifice:
17.Qxf5+! Nxf5
After 17...Rd7 18.Bb3 Black is busted since 18...Ne2+? fails to 19.Kf2.
18.Bxc5 cxd5 19.exf5 a6
White has emerged from the complications with two minor pieces for a rook. I was surprised to see
Stockfish 12’s assessment of +5 for White.
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20.Kf2
Dare I accuse Nezh of passivity? Black’s position crumbles after 20.a4!.
20...Rhg8
20...Kb7! was necessary.
21.a4!
There we go!
21...bxa4
21...b4 22.Bxb4 is also completely lost for Black.
22.Rxa4 Kb7 23.Rb4+! Kc6
If 23...Kc8, 24.Rb6 wins.
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Exercise (combination alert): It isn’t so amazing if at sunrise, you foresee the sunset later in the day.
We just feel in our bones that White has a combination here.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Piece sacrifice/mating net. Black’s king is in serious danger, despite the reduced material on
the board:
24.Rb6+! Kxc5
Now Black’s king goes for a power walk and is mated in three moves. After 24...Kc7 25.Rxa6
Black’s remaining pawns will be vending machines for White’s rook. This is also totally hopeless for
Black.
25.Na4+ Kc4 26.b3+ Kd4 27.Rb4#
Game 10
Leonid Shamaev
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Leningrad 1948
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Black to move
Exercise: (planning): How does Black reach a winning position?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Overloaded defender:
31...Ng2+!
The purpose of this is to make White’s king move and disrupt the intent to castle. The truncated
version without the knight check doesn’t work, since 31...Qh2?! allows 32.0-0-0!, downgrading
complete disaster to the level of partial disaster. White, though still in trouble, is a lot better off here
than in the game’s continuation.
31...Ng2+! 32.Ke2
32.Rxg2 loses to 32...Qh1+ 33.Ke2 Qxg2.
32...Nf4+!
Back again!
33.Kd1
A) 33.Bxf4?? leaves f2 hanging;
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B) After 33.Ke1 we reach the same position with which we started, with one huge difference:
White’s king has moved, so 0-0-0 is removed from the defensive equation. 33...Qh2! (if Black had
started with this move, then White would have 0-0-0! here) 34.Rf1 Ng2+ 35.Ke2 g4 (threat:
36...Nxe3) 36.Kd3 Bh6! 37.Rh1 Bxe3 38.Rxh2 Bxd2+ 39.Kxd2 Rxf2+ 40.Kc1 g3 41.Rh1 Nf4 and
the advanced g-pawn wins Black the game.
33...Nh3! 34.Rf1
White’s defenders are anything but an imposing group: 34.Rg2 Rcf8 35.Kc2 Nxf2 36.Bxg5 (36.Rag1
is met with 36...g4 with a winning position for Black) 36...Rxc3+! 37.bxc3 Qxe4+ with a double
attack on the white king and the g2-rook.
34...g4! 35.Kc2
35.Qe2 Rcf8 36.Kc2 Nxf2 is also lost.
35...g3!
Clearance/pin. Black’s queen eyes a victim on e4.
36.fxg3
After 36.Qd3 Nxf2 the defence collapses upon its mounting improbability. When White’s queen
moves, Black responds with 37...Qxe4+.
36...Qxe4+
Black’s queen and rook want something for nothing. Double attack. White’s bishop is lost.
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37.Qd3
Exercise (combination alert): Black can end the game in a single move.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Just take White’s loose bishop, after which Black’s queen no longer hangs:
37...Rxe3! 0-1
For a glutton, too much is just the right amount. 38.Qxe4 Rxe4 leaves Black up a piece as White’s
pinned knight cannot recapture on e4.
Game 11 Sicilian Defence
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Nikolay Novotelnov
Tbilisi ch-URS 1949 (12)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Be2 e6
The Scheveningen is one of Black’s most solid options, so perhaps a good choice against
Nezhmetdinov.
7.0-0 Be7 8.Be3 a6 9.f4 Qc7 10.Qe1 0-0 11.Qg3 Kh8!?
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Wiser is to reduce White’s attacking force a tad with the swap 11...Nxd4 12.Bxd4 b5.
12.Rad1 Bd7 13.Kh1 Rac8 14.Nf3!
Principle: The side with more space and attacking chances should avoid trades. Nezhmetdinov
seizes upon the fact that Black neglected to play ...Nxd4. White, the future attacker, retains an extra
set of pieces on the board.
14...b5?!
Correct is 14...Nb4 which is Black’s main move: 15.Ne1 b5 16.a3 Nc6 17.e5!? (17.Nd3 is a more
restrained option) 17...dxe5 18.fxe5 Qxe5 19.Bf4 Qc5 20.Be3 Qe5 21.Rxf6! (undermining the
defender of d7) 21...Qxg3 22.hxg3 Bxf6 23.Rxd7 with a position that is difficult to assess. I suspect
White is a touch better in the ending, Ivanchuk-Karpov, Buenos Aires 1994.
15.e5! Ne8
15...dxe5 16.fxe5 opens the f-file for White.
16.Ne4!
Nezh flings his pieces kingward.
16...f5
16...d5 is strategically wretched: 17.Nc5 Na5?! (still better was 17...Nd4! 18.Bxd4 Bxc5 19.c3 with a
clear advantage for White) 18.Nxd7 Qxd7 19.Bd3 Nc4 20.Bd4 g6 21.b3 Na3 22.Rd2 Ng7 23.Qh3
Qd8 24.g4 and White generated a winning attack in Solomon-Kresovic, Sydney 2011.
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17.Neg5!?
Nezhmetdinov predictably goes for the complex path rather than accept a stable strategic advantage
with 17.exd6 Nxd6 18.Nxd6 Bxd6 19.Rd2.
17...dxe5?
The release of pawn tension favours White. 17...Kg8 was necessary with an inferior but still playable
position.
18.fxe5 Nb4
18...Kg8 would have been met with 19.Rxd7! Qxd7 20.Rd1 Qb7 21.Nxe6 Rf7 22.c3 Nc7 23.Neg5
Bxg5 (23...Rff8 24.Rd7 is also lost) 24.Nxg5 Re7 25.Bf3; Rd6 is coming and Black is unable to
unravel.
19.c3 Nd5
19...Nxa2?? wasn’t much of a consideration due to 20.Ra1.
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Exercise (planning): What is White’s most vigorous continuation?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: A strategic exchange sacrifice:
20.Rxd5!
White could also have reversed the order with Answer #2: first 20.Qh3!.
20...exd5 21.Qh3! h6 22.e6 Bxg5
22...Bc6 23.Nf7+ Kg8 24.Qxf5 is completely lost for Black.
23.Nxg5!?
Simpler was 23.exd7! Bxe3 24.dxc8=Q Qxc8 25.Ne5! with dual threats on e3 and g6.
23...Bc6 24.Bh5!?
Principle: Don’t derive far-fetched meaning from otherwise clear data. Noblesse oblige. This is not
the time to give priority to our stylistic preference/bias. Nezhmetdinov, perhaps due to his deep love
of chess board drama, clung to a life-long aversion to consolidating a complex winning position into a
simple winning position. A simpler and stronger win was 24.Rxf5! Rxf5 25.Qxf5 Nf6 26.Nf7+ Kg8
27.Bd4 Qe7 28.Nxh6+!.
24...Qe7?
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The position is a harsh, unforgiving kingdom for Black, where all crimes are punishable by death.
This move is in violation of the Principle: If you don’t know what to do, your worst option is to
ignore it and continue as if there is no problem at all.
A) 24...Nd6 was forced and was Black’s best practical chance: 25.Bd4 Qe7 26.Nf7+ Nxf7 27.Bxf7
(threat: 28.Qxh6 mate) 27...Qg5 28.Be3 Qg4 29.Qxg4 fxg4 30.Bc5 Rfe8 31.e7 with a won ending for
White;
B) 24...hxg5?? is a delightful gift for White: 25.Bf7#.
25.Nf7+ Kg8 26.Qxf5 Nf6
Exercise (combination alert): What is White’s most efficient path to the win?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 27.Nxh6+!
Annihilation of defensive barrier. This move is a reminder to Black, and to the rest of us, that
sometimes in life an unpleasant person’s company is forced upon us.
27...gxh6 28.Bf7+! Rxf7
28...Kg7?? 29.Qg6+ Kh8 30.Qxh6+ Nh7 31.Bd4+ and mate next move.
29.exf7+
Discovered attack. Black’s rook falls.
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29...Kxf7 30.Qxc8 d4 31.Bxd4 Bxg2+
32.Kxg2 Qe4+
This won’t work as White can easily dodge perpetual check:
33.Rf3 Qg6+
If 33...Qe2+, 34.Kg3 Qe1+ 35.Kh3 wins.
34.Kh1 Qb1+ 35.Bg1 1-0
Black’s checks run out. If 35...Qe4, 36.Qf5 ends the matter.
Game 12 French Defence
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
I.Aramanovich
Tbilisi ch-URS 1949 (14)
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Ba5!?
Black deviates from regular procedure. This move was rarely played back then. Of course, Black’s
main move is to trade on c3.
6.b4!
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This promising pawn sacrifice was known as early as 1933.
6...cxd4 7.Qg4
7.Nb5 is White’s main line. After 7...Bc7 8.f4 Nh6 9.Nf3 0-0 10.Bd3 f5 11.exf6 Rxf6 12.Nxc7 Qxc7
13.0-0 White stood clearly better in Jandera-Schubert, Prague 1933.
7...Ne7!?
Black sacrifices his g- and h-pawns, yet it’s only temporary, since White’s e-pawn soon falls. 7...Kf8
is safer, but it doesn’t feel like it is in the spirit of the opening. White is better after 8.Nb5 Bb6 9.Nf3
Nc6 10.Bb2 Nge7 11.Nbxd4, Dominguez Perez-Shubin, Sochi 2019.
8.Nb5 Bc7
The bishop covers against a knight check on d6.
9.Qxg7 Rg8 10.Qxh7 Bxe5
10...a6! is Black’s best response: 11.Nxc7+ Qxc7 (threat: 12...Qc3+ and 13...Qxa1) 12.Ne2 Qxe5
13.Bb2 with an unclear mess, Timman-Khalifman, Bali 2000.
11.Nf3 Rh8 12.Qd3 Bf6 13.Bf4
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Threatening a fork on c7.
13...Ng6!
This move is based on the thought: If we fail to take risky/promising action, do we not lose out by
default? 13...Na6? 14.Nd6+ Kf8 15.Ne5! Bxe5 16.Bxe5 Rh5 17.Bg3 leaves Black chronically weak
on the dark squares.
14.Nc7+ Kf8 15.Bg3 e5 16.Nxa8
In case you believe Black should resign since he has lost a rook, keep in mind that from the four
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games in the database, Black won three. This game was White’s only win. The greedy engine likes
White, yet to my confused human eyes Black appears to generate full compensation with that scary
centre and all the practical chances. When we enter such a position, confused variations and plans fly
before our startled eyes like twittering, agitated bats in a dark cave, the place where Nezhmetdinov
was at his most deadly.
16...Nc6
After 16...e4 17.Qb5! exf3 18.0-0-0 Nc6 19.gxf3 I don’t believe in Black’s full compensation for the
exchange.
17.Qb5!
This move not only evades ...e5-e4, it also makes it difficult for Black to win the trapped a8-knight,
since White will play Qxb7 as soon as Black’s c8-bishop moves.
17...Kg7 18.h4!?
After 18.0-0-0! Bf5 19.Qxb7 Qxa8 20.Qxa8 Rxa8 the engine has White up considerably, yet Black
won, mainly since White’s moves are so difficult to find, in the game Ponomariov-Lenderman,
Chess.com 2019.
18...Qe7
This move covers b7, in preparation for ...Bf5 and ...Rxa8. 18...e4 is met with 19.0-0-0! (the
dismantling of Black’s imposing centre is cheap, at any price!) 19...exf3 20.gxf3 – again, the engine
likes White’s chances.
19.0-0-0 Bf5
Target: c2. Now Black threatens 20...Rxa8.
20.h5!
This keeps his a8-knight alive for the moment.
20...Rc8?!
Black feels that the capture of White’s useless a8-knight is beneath his dignity. 20...Bg4 21.Re1 Bxh5
22.Bd3 is an unclear mess, which objectively should favour White.
21.Bd3!
21.hxg6 is playable but really scary! 21...Nxb4 22.Bd3 Bxd3 23.Rxd3 Nxd3+ 24.Qxd3 e4 25.Qb3
Rc3 26.Qxd5 Qxa3+ 27.Kd1 Qa1+ with insane complications, objectively still in White’s favour.
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21...e4
21...Bxd3 22.Rxd3 e4 23.hxg6 exd3 24.Nc7 is lost for Black.
22.hxg6 exd3 23.Rxd3
23...Nxb4!?
Despite Aramanovich’s furious attempts, White’s king remains alive. 23...Bxd3 24.Qxd3 fxg6
25.Qd2! (eyeing infiltration to h6) 25...Rxa8 26.Qh6+ Kg8 27.Qxg6+ Qg7 28.Qh5 Rd8 29.Bh4 with
a winning attack for White.
24.Qxb4!?
After 24.axb4 Rxa8 25.Qxd5! Bxg6 26.Rxd4! Rc8 27.Rc4 Black is down a rook and busted.
24...Bxd3 25.Qxe7
For once in his life, Nezhmetdinov was probably overjoyed to swap queens, since his king was in
greater danger than Black’s.
25...Bxe7
25...Rxc2+ 26.Kd1 Bxe7 27.Ne1!+–.
26.Nc7
By a miracle, the long-trapped prisoner re-emerges into daylight.
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26...Bxa3+ 27.Kd1 Bxg6 28.Nxd4
The complications have evaporated and it becomes clear that Black lacks compensation for the piece.
His position is not so much in pain as in a melancholy, dull ache.
28...Bc5 29.c3 Be4 30.f3 Bb6 31.fxe4 Bxc7 32.Nf5+ Kf6
Exercise (calculation): Work out White’s forcing line and you’ll end a rook up. How would you
continue?
Show/Hide Solution
81
33.Bh4+
Answer: Not the best. 33.Rh6+!! Kg5 34.Bh4+ Kg4 (34...Kf4 35.Ne7 followed by a knight fork on
d5 leaves White up two pieces) 35.Bf6!!. Black’s king turns into one of those unfortunate Twilight
Zone characters who stumbles through a portal and is whisked away into a terrifying alternative
dimension. 35...dxe4 36.Ne3+ Kf4 37.Ke2! (every white piece participates in the attack) 37...Rg8
38.Rh4+ Kg3 39.Rh3+ Kf4 40.g3+! (interference; this shot keeps Black’s king from the escape
square g3) 40...Rxg3 41.Rh4+ Rg4 42.Rxg4#. Admittedly, this line would be incredibly difficult for a
human to find across the board, with the clock ticking.
33...Ke6
If 33...Ke5 34.Ne7 Re8 35.exd5 White is winning.
34.Ne7 Rh8 35.exd5+ Kd7
35...Kd6?? 36.Bg3+ Kxe7 37.d6+! – zwischenzug. Black will be down a rook.
36.Nf5 Be5 37.Re1! f6
37...Bxc3 loses to 38.Re7+ Kc8 39.d6 Ba5 40.Bf6 Rd8 41.Rxf7 Rd7 42.Ne7+ Kb8 43.Nc6+! –
discovered attack. White wins more material.
38.Bg3!
This way that infernal lummox is removed from his seat on e5.
38...Rh5 39.Bxe5 Rxf5
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Exercise (combination alert): Sure, 40.Bd4 wins, but do you see anything stronger?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 40.g4!
Simplification. Nezh advertises his abundant resources.
40...Rxe5
Is it wise to enter a race where the best you can achieve is a silver medal? 40...Rg5 41.Bxf6 Rxg4
42.Re6 was also an easy win for White.
41.Rxe5 fxe5 42.g5
Black’s king can stop one but not both of White’s passed pawns.
42...Ke7 43.g6 1-0
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Show in Text Mode
Chapter 3
Peak strength, 1950-1960
If H.G.Wells built you a time machine, which era would you be tempted to visit? High on my list
would be 1950 to 1960, when chess giants roamed: Keres, Geller, Botvinnik, Smyslov, Tal, Petrosian
and Spassky. This chapter covers Nezmetdinov at his deadly best.
This game is another example of Nezhmetdinov getting away with murder via tactical trickery and
bluff.
Game 13 French Defence
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Victor Liublinsky
Gorky ch-URS 1950 (2)
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Nf3
If Nezhmetdinov had been born in our era, he surely would have chosen the more violent 7.Qg4.
7...Nbc6 8.a4 Bd7 9.Be2 Qa5 10.Bd2 c4
Black releases the central tension early. 10...f6 is the main move.
11.0-0 Nd8!?
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This is awfully greedy. Black wants to win the a4-pawn and is willing to lose a lot of time to do so.
The rationale behind the decision is: the game is closed, which depletes time’s importance. Once
again 11...f6 is more thematic.
12.Ng5!
Nezh uses his extra time wisely, inducing a weakness on the kingside.
12...h6 13.Nh3
Clearsing the way for the kingside pushes f2-f4, g2-g4 and f4-f5.
13...Bxa4
Well, at least he is consistent. But people who play White against the Winawer are not normally
afraid to lose their a-pawn.
14.f4! b5
After 14...Ndc6 15.g4 g6 16.f5! gxf5, Korchagina-Balaian, Peterhof 2009, I like White’s chances –
despite Black’s two extra pawns – after 17.Kh1 intending Nf4.
15.g4
Here he comes.
15...g6
15...h5!, with the idea of seizing control over f5, looks better: 16.gxh5 (after 16.f5 hxg4 17.Bxg4 exf5
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18.Rxf5 Bxc2! 19.Qc1 Qxa1 20.Qxa1 Bxf5 21.Bxf5 Nxf5 22.Nf4 Ne7 I slightly prefer Black’s
chances, while the engine calls it a dead heat) 16...Nf5 17.Bg4 Qc7 18.Ng5 a5 with a messy position
with approximately balanced chances.
16.Qe1!?
Dare I accuse Nezh of timidity? 16.f5! looked promising, as in the game in the notes above.
16...Qb6
Black completes the laborious task of unpinning. Now c2 hangs.
17.Bd1 Ndc6 18.Qh4?
Careless; 18.Kh1 0-0-0 was unclear.
18...Nxd4! 19.Be3
19.cxd4?? Qxd4+ hangs the rook in the corner.
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Exercise (critical decision): Black has a choice between the straightforward 19...Ne2+ and the more
convoluted 19...Ndf5. Both lines offer Black an advantage, yet one line is clearly stronger than the
other. Which one would you play?
Show/Hide Solution
19...Ndf5?!
Answer: 19...Ne2+! was Black’s strongest continuation: 20.Kf2 d4! 21.cxd4 Nc3 22.Bf3 (22.d5
Ne4+ 23.Kf3 Qb7! is awful for White) 22...Ned5 and White is strategically busted due to Black’s
bind on the light squares and safer king.
20.Bxb6 Nxh4 21.Bf2!
Nezhmetdinov takes immediate advantage of Black’s offside knight.
21...g5 22.fxg5 Nhg6 23.Bg3 Nc6 24.Re1
White must hang on to his e-pawn, or Black’s center will later surge forward.
24...Ke7 25.gxh6 Rxh6 26.Ng5 Rd8
Intending to break with ...d5-d4. But be careful what you wish for. Carrying out this plan opens the
game with White owning the bishop pair.
27.Nf3 d4!? 28.h4!
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White begins to push one of his key assets: his passed h-pawn.
28...Ke8?!
Black was worried about a bishop check on h4. The evaluation jumps from equal to favouring White.
Correct was 28...dxc3! 29.h5 Ke8! 30.hxg6 Rxg6 31.g5 Nb4 32.Rc1 a5 and Black gets full
compensation for the sacrificed piece.
29.h5 Nge7 30.Nd2!?
Nezhmetdinov’s mantra: initiative and attack over material. Stronger was 30.cxd4! Nxd4 31.Nxd4
Rxd4 32.Bf2 Rd7 33.Be3 Rh8 34.Kf2 when I slightly prefer White’s chances.
Exercise (combination alert): The position is a Babel of incoherency and Black overlooks a tactic
here.
Show/Hide Solution
30...Nd5?!
Answer: Undermining: 30...d3! 31.cxd3 Rxd3 32.Ne4 Bxd1 33.Rexd1 Rxd1+ 34.Rxd1 Nd5 35.Ra1
a5 36.Nd6+ Kf8 37.Nxb5 Rh8 is assessed at dead even by the engine.
31.Nxc4! dxc3
After 31...bxc4 32.Rxa4 dxc3 (32...Nxc3 33.Rxc4 is also highly in White’s favour) 33.Bf3 Rh8
34.Bh4 Rc8 35.Rxc4 Kd7 36.Ra4 Black is in deep trouble.
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32.Nd6+ Kf8
33.Nb7
Not objectively the best line. The idea is Nc5 and Nxa4. I can’t fault Nezhmetdinov for evading the
scary line 33.Rf1! Rh7 34.Bf3!! when it becomes a race between White’s attack and Black’s attempt
to promote to a new queen: 34...Bxc2 35.Bxd5 exd5 36.e6 b4 37.Nxf7 Ra8 38.Ne5+ Kg8 39.Nxc6
b3. Black’s queenside passers look formidable, yet White has everything under control: 40.Nd4 Re8
41.Nxc2 bxc2 42.Rac1 Rxe6 43.Rxc2 and White will convert his extra piece.
33...Rc8 34.Nc5 Nb6!?
The clarity of Black’s defensive plan becomes muffled. After 34...Bxc2! 35.Bxc2 Nd4 36.Nd7+
Ke8! 37.Be4 Kxd7 38.Rxa7+ Ke8 39.Bh4 c2 40.Bg5 the engine says the game is even.
35.g5 Rh8 36.Rf1
Targeting f7. Also possible was 36.Nxa4 Nxa4 37.Rf1. I prefer this position to what Nezhmetdinov
got in the game.
36...Nd4!
Black plans to gum up the works with ...Nf5, clogging the f-file.
37.Ne4 Nf5 38.Bf2 Rc4?!
38...Nd5 keeps the game dynamically balanced.
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39.Nd6
39...Nxd6?!
Black could minimize the damage by handing over an exchange with 39...Rg8!, however White is not
obliged to accept: 40.Be3! (White’s g-pawn is more important than winning the exchange) 40...Rh4
(the e3-bishop is poisoned: 40...Nxe3?? 41.Rxf7#) 41.Nxf5 exf5 42.Rxf5 and Black is in trouble, yet
still better off than in the game.
40.exd6 Rg8
40...Ke8 41.h6 is also heavily in White’s favour.
41.g6! f5
Pick your poison. 41...fxg6 should also lose: 42.Bxb6+ Ke8 43.Bc7 gxh5+ 44.Kf2 favours White
since 44...Rf4+? is met with 45.Ke3! Rxf1 46.Bxh5+ Kd7 47.Rxf1 Bxc2 48.Rf7+ Kc6 49.Bf3+ Kc5
50.d7, winning a rook.
42.Re1 Re4
42...Kg7 43.Rxe6 also loses.
43.Rxe4 fxe4 44.Bg4! e5 45.Be6! Rh8
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Exercise (planning): Come up with a clear winning plan for White.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 46.Bxb6!
Step 1: Open the f-file.
46...axb6 47.Rf1+ 1-0
Step 2: Seize the open file with the rook.
47...Kg7 48.Rf7+ Kh6 49.Rh7+!. Step 3: Simplification. 49...Rxh7 50.gxh7 Kxh7 51.d7 and the
pawn promotes.
Game 14
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
B.Romanov
Arkhangelsk 1950
91
White to move
Exercise (combination alert): Work out White’s forced win.
Show/Hide Solution
25.Rxd7!
Answer: Step 1: Seize control over f6 with an exchange sacrifice. Superficially, 25.Nf5+ looks
attractive, yet when we examine deeper we see that the knight just stares off into empty space:
25...Kg8 and White has just wasted time, since he must repeat with 26.Ne7+.
25.Rxd7! 25...Bxd7
A) 25...f6 is a sub-standard zwischenzug, since Black is left two pieces down in the ending after
26.Rxc7 fxg5 27.Nxc6+;
B) 25...Qxd7 26.Qf6+ Kh6 27.Nf5+ Qxf5 28.Rxf5 and mate next move.
26.Qf6+
Step 2: Drive Black’s king to h6.
26...Kh6
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Exercise (combination alert): We arrive at part two of the combination. White has forced mates in
four and five moves. As a training exercise, find the one which is faster.
Show/Hide Solution
27.Rf5!
Answer: Step 3: Moving the rook to f5 mates faster. The threat is 28.Rh5 mate. 27.Nf5+ is one move
slower after 27...Bxf5 28.Rxf5 Qa7+ 29.Kg2 Qf2+ (spite check! A good soldier follows even stupid
orders of superiors, while keeping opinions to herself) 30.Kxf2 Rad8 31.Rh5#.
27...Qa7+ 28.Kf1 1-0
28...Qf2+ 29.Kxf2 Bxf5 30.Nxf5#.
Game 15
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Lev Aronin
Gorky 1950
93
White to move
You are on trial for your life for a murder you committed in front of a police station and 30 witnesses,
most of whom recorded you with their cell phone video cameras. Your victim fought back and your
blood was found on her and on the knife you used to stab her. I just described Aronin’s position’s
chance of being found Not Guilty by the jury.
Exercise (combination alert): We have tempting options, all highly favourable for White, like
30.Nxf7, or 30.Qd4. Yet there is an even stronger move. Find White’s optimal continuation.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 30.Rh8+! 1-0
Step 1 is to attract Black’s king to h8. Do you remember when Petrosian pulled this same idea against
Spassky in their first World Championship match (coincidentally, 30.Qh8+! was the same move
number as in this game)? 30...Kxh8 31.Nxf7+. Step 2: Knight fork. Black loses his queen.
Game 16 Caro-Kann Defence
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Mikhail Kamyshov
Gorky 1950
1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6!?
94
This line is considered suspect today. 3...Bg4 is Black’s most solid choice.
4.e5 Ne4
After 4...Nfd7 surely Nezhmetdinov would have gone for the clogging sacrifice 5.e6 fxe6 6.d4
although perhaps stronger is to just play 5.d4 with a superior French Defence-like position for White.
5.Ne2!
This move was known all the way back to 1930, when Ragozin played it against Levenfish. The idea
is to gain time on Black’s knight with d2-d3. After 5.d4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 e6 7.c4 c5! 8.c3 Nc6 Black got
a decent French style position in Petr-Navara, Havlickuv Brod 2015.
5...Qb6!
This is Black’s best move, threatening mate on the move and preventing d2-d3. 5...Bg4? wastes time:
6.Nfg1! (threat: 7.f3, winning a piece) 6...Nc5 7.d4 Ncd7? (now Black is strategically lost; 7...Ne6
was forced) 8.f3 Bf5 9.g4! Bg6 10.Nf4 e6 11.h4 h6 12.Nxg6 fxg6 13.Bd3 Kf7 with a strategically
wretched position for Black, Andriasyan-Minasian, Yerevan 2020.
6.d4 c5?!
This move is in violation of the Principles: Don’t open the game and create confrontation when
lagging in development. The better move order was 6...e6 7.Ng3 and now it’s okay to play 7...c5.
7.dxc5! Qxc5 8.Ned4 Nc6
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9.Bb5
Nezh’s instinct was always to develop rapidly. Yet this move comes at the cost of potentially handing
over his powerful light- squared bishop. To be strongly considered was the strategic path 9.c3 to
preserve the light-squared bishop: 9...e6 (or 9...Bg4 10.Bb5 a6 11.Bxc6+ bxc6 12.Be3 with a difficult
position for Black) 10.Be3 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Qc7 12.Bd3 and Black’s position looks like a misplayed
French, clearly in White’s favour due to his absolute control over the d4-hole.
9...Bd7?
This move is slow. I have a feeling Black should have taken his chances with 9...a6 10.Bxc6+ bxc6
11.0-0 e6 12.Be3 Qb4 13.Nxc6 Qxb2 with an uncomfortable yet still playable position.
10.0-0 Nxe5
Not all combinations should be played, but to be fair, I don’t see any wonderful defensive options for
Black at this point. Also awful was 10...e6 11.Be3 Nxd4 12.Bxd7+ Kxd7 13.Nxd4 Qc4 14.b3 Qc3
15.Qf3 Ke8 16.Nb5 Qc6 17.c4! and it’s difficult to envision Black saving the game due to his
massive development deficit.
11.Nxe5 Bxb5 12.Nxb5?!
Inaccurate. After 12.Re1! Black won’t survive, for example: 12...Nf6 13.b4! Qb6 14.c4! dxc4 15.a4
Bd7 16.Nxc4 Qxb4 17.Nb5! (threatening to bang down either knight on d6) 17...Bxb5 18.Nd6+!
(zwischenzug) 18...Qxd6 (if 18...Kd7?? 19.Nxb5+ Black is either mated or must hand over his
queen) 19.Qxd6 Bc6, Black doesn’t have enough for the queen.
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12...Qxb5 13.Re1 Nf6 14.Bg5 e6?
14...Rd8 was necessary.
Exercise (planning): Most of us consider the Principle: Develop rapidly in the opening to be a selfevident truth. So why do even very strong players from time to time find themselves in violation?
What is the best way to exploit White’s development lead here?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 15.c4!
Pry the centre open by pushing the c-pawn two squares, following the Principles: Open the game and
create confrontation when leading in development.
15...Qa5
15...dxc4?? loses instantly to 16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.a4! – removal of the guard. Black’s queen can no
longer cover d7 and the only move remaining is to give her away for White’s knight and rook with
17...Qxe5 (or 17...Qd5 18.Qxd5 exd5 19.Ng6+ Kd7 20.Nxh8 Bb4 21.Red1 and White wins) 18.Rxe5
fxe5 which is lost for Black.
16.Bxf6
Worth consideration was 16.cxd5 Qxd5 17.Qa4+ b5 18.Qa6 Be7 19.Rad1 Qc5 20.Be3! Qc7 (White’s
knight can’t be touched due to a queen check on c6) 21.Rc1 Qd6 (21...Qxe5?? once again loses to
97
22.Qc6+) 22.Qxb5+ Kf8 and it’s difficult to believe Black will survive this large a development lag.
16...gxf6
Exercise (critical decision): Details begin to come into focus. It is taken as an article of faith that
Nezhmetdinov will sacrifice a piece. But on which square? White must pick between 17.Nxf7 and
17.cxd5. Only one of the lines wins by force.
Show/Hide Solution
17.Nxf7?!
This move is like one of those social media posts in all caps, where lower case letters are better, since
then people who read it don’t think you are crazy. Nezhmetdinov’s games rarely go in a smooth flow.
The news I bring is not happy: Nezh picked the wrong line. White still has a strong attack after this
sacrifice, yet winning was:
Answer: 17.cxd5! fxe5 18.dxe6
A) 18...fxe6 19.Qh5+ Ke7 20.Rxe5 (Black’s king doesn’t have a prayer) 20...Qb6 21.Rb5 Qc7
22.Rc5 Qb6 23.Rac1 Rd8 24.Rc7+ Rd7 25.Qg5+ Ke8 26.Rxd7 Kxd7 27.Qf6! and Black’s rook is
trapped since moving it to g8 allows a double attack check on f7;
B) 18...Be7 19.Qd7+ Kf8 20.Qxb7 Qd8 21.Qf3 f6 22.Qh5 Kg7 (22...Qe8 is met with a queen check
on h6, followed by a rook lift to e3) 23.Qf7+ Kh6 24.Re3 with a winning attack;
C) 18...Qc7 19.Rc1 Qd8 (19...Qe7? loses to 20.Qa4+ Kd8 21.Red1+) 20.Qh5 Qe7 21.Rxe5 Kd8
22.exf7 and Black is mated.
98
17...Kxf7 18.Qh5+ Ke7 19.cxd5 e5
20.f4!
Nezhmetdinov’s attacking intuition doesn’t let him down. This move is White’s best shot at a win.
20.d6+ was an inferior alternative: 20...Ke6 21.Qh3+ f5 22.f4 Qb6+ 23.Kh1 Bxd6 (23...e4?? is met
with 24.Rxe4+) 24.fxe5 Bxe5 25.Qc3 Qb5 26.Rxe5+! Qxe5 27.Re1 Qe4 and Black still has chances
to survive.
20...Qxd5?
This loses. After 20...Qb6+! 21.Kh1 Bg7 22.Rac1 Qd6 23.Qg4 Bf8! 24.fxe5 fxe5 25.Qg5+ Kd7
26.Rxe5 Qh6 27.Qg4+ Kd8 Black’s position is sickly, yet remains among the living.
21.fxe5 f5
99
22.e6!
The upstart e-pawn has a say in how the attack will be conducted. White threatens to infiltrate f7.
Yes, Black is up a piece, but if you have a society of 1,000 rabbits and 10 wolves, do you really
believe the minority will bend its will to the wishes of the majority?
22...Kf6
22...Qd4+ 23.Kh1 Qf6 24.Rac1 Rb8 25.Rc7+ Kd6 26.Rf7 Qxb2 27.Qd1+ Kc5 28.e7 with a winning
attack.
23.h4!
Threat: 24.Qg5 mate, as well as 24.Qf7 mate.
23...Bc5+ 24.Kh1 Qxe6
Complete desperation.
A) 24...Raf8 25.Qg5#;
B) 24...Ke7 25.Qf7+ Kd8 and simplest is 26.e7+, winning Black’s queen and soon mating.
25.Qh6+ 1-0
Game 17 Grünfeld Indian Defence
100
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Lusikal
Kazan simultaneous exhibition 1951
1.d4!?
It’s a simul game so Nezh is fooling around with an opening move he normally doesn’t play.
1...Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 c5 7.Bb5+
More often played today are 7.Bc4 and 7.Nf3.
7...Nc6?!
7...Bd7 is correct.
8.d5 Qa5?
8...a6 was necessary.
Exercise (critical decision): Emotion is not a substitute for thinking. Black’s ambitions exceed the
position’s reality many-fold. We can safely play 9.a4, when the c3-pawn isn’t really hanging. Do you
see something stronger than this line?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 9.Qa4!
101
Offer the rook in the corner. Both kings are endangered in this line, but Black’s far more so than
White’s.
9...Qxc3+
9...Qxa4?? loses a clean piece to the simple recapture 10.Bxa4.
10.Ke2 Bd7
A) 10...Qxa1?? 11.dxc6 Kd8 (forced) 12.Nf3 with a winning attack;
B) 10...Bg7 11.dxc6 0-0 12.Rb1 a6 13.Bd3 b5 14.Qa3 Qe5 15.Nf3 and Black didn’t have enough for
his missing piece in Beliavsky-Mikhalchishin, Terme Zrece 2003.
11.dxc6 bxc6 12.Bxc6 Rd8
Exercise (critical decision): How should White continue?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 13.Qb3!
13.Bxd7+? Rxd7 14.Nf3 Qd3+ 15.Ke1 Qc3+ 16.Ke2 is only a draw.
13...Qxa1
13...Qxb3?? would have been refuted by the simple zwischenzug 14.Bxd7+ as 14...Rxd7 15.axb3
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leaves Black down a piece.
14.Bb2 Qb1
Exercise (combination alert): What is White’s optimal attacking continuation?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 15.Nf3!!
Sacrifice the rook in the corner to increase White’s development lead and throw Black’s queen out of
the central theatre of action.
Finding this move in a simul game is doubly impressive, hence the extra exclam! In the line 15.Bxh8
Qxb3 16.Bxd7+ Rxd7 17.axb3 f6 White is still winning, but not nearly as much as with
Nezhmetdinov’s attacking continuation.
15...Qxh1
There is no haggling involved – Black has no choice but to accept the offer.
16.Ne5!
Threats: 17.Qxf7 mate, as well as 17.Bxd7+.
16...e6
There is nothing better.
103
17.Bxd7+ Rxd7
Nor does declining help: 17...Ke7 18.Qb7 Qxg2 19.Nc6+ Kd6 20.Be5#.
Exercise (calculation): Mere survival is Black’s primary ambition. Unfortunately, his position has
entered a place of irredeemability. Earlier Black grabbed material based upon the distorted premise
that his king was safe. It isn’t. Let’s test our calculation: without moving the pieces, are you able to
work out White’s forced mate in nine moves, in your mind’s eye?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 18.Qb8+
The first move is obvious enough. 18.Qb5?? Qd1+ 19.Ke3 Bh6+ 20.f4 Qd2+ 21.Kf3 Qxf4+ 22.Ke2
Qxe4+ and it is Black who wins.
18...Rd8
18...Ke7?? 19.Nc6#.
19.Qb5+ Ke7 20.Qb7+ Kf6
A) 20...Kd6 21.Nc4#;
B) 20...Ke8 21.Qxf7#.
21.Qxf7+ Kg5
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Is it really a prison cell if the doors are unlocked? The answer in this case is yes.
22.Nf3+ Kh5 23.g4+!
Always give check, it might be mate!
23...Kxg4
I suppose embarrassment is not a luxury afforded to the desperate.
24.Qxe6+ Kf4
24...Kh5 25.Qh3#.
25.Be5+
Or 25.Qf6+ Kg4 (25...Kxe4 26.Qe5#) 26.Qh4#.
25...Kxe4 26.Ng5#
Or 26.Bg3#. The final mate, which looks like the end of a refugee game played a century before this
one, deserves a diagram:
Game 18 Old Indian/Benoni Wall
Andor Lilienthal
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
105
Baku 1951
In this game we get a glimpse of Nezhmetdinov’s fearful strength in messy, open positions.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 e5
The move order is a bit unusual but there is nothing wrong with it.
4.Nf3
The ending after 4.dxe5 dxe5 5.Qxd8+ Kxd8 yields White nothing.
4...Nbd7 5.g3 exd4!?
5...g6 transposes to a normal King’s Indian.
6.Nxd4 g6 7.Bg2 Bg7 8.0-0 0-0 9.b3 Nc5 10.b4!?
This move loosens White’s queenside pawns. White gets a slight yet enduring edge with 10.Bb2.
10...Ne6 11.Nb3
Principle: The side with extra space should avoid swaps.
11...Nd7 12.Bb2 Ne5 13.Na5!
a5 is an annoying spot, since it is difficult for Black to eject the knight here.
13...Nd4!?
106
Nezh is up to some dirty tricks. Of course, Black’s knight isn’t really hanging, due to a discovered
check on f3.
14.Na4
A) 14.Nxb7?! Bxb7 15.Bxb7 Nxc4 16.Bc1 Rb8 looks decent for Black;
B) White looks better after 14.Rc1!. The idea is to reinforce c4;
C) 14.e3 Ndc6 is okay for Black.
14...c5!?
Nezhmetdinov ignores the hanging b7-pawn. He is not the type to back down with 14...Ne6.
15.a3!?
This is a missed opportunity. I don’t trust Black’s full compensation for the pawn in the line
15.Nxb7! Ndf3+ (interference) 16.exf3 Bxb7 17.Bxe5 Bxe5 18.Rb1.
107
15...Bg4! 16.Bxd4 cxd4 17.h3
A) 17.Bxb7 d3! gives Black loads of counterplay;
B) 17.Nxb7! may have been White’s best choice, e.g. 17...Qd7 18.Nb2 Rac8 19.Rc1 Bh3 20.Na5 h5
21.Nd3 Bh6 and I don’t believe in Black’s full attacking compensation for the missing pawn.
17...Be6 18.c5?
Correct was 18.Nxb7 Qd7 19.c5 d5 20.c6! Qxc6 21.Na5 with a messy and probably dynamically
even position.
108
Exercise (critical decision): It isn’t easy to evaluate the position. Black is not afraid to give away his
a8-rook for White’s light-squared bishop so the choice boils down to 18...b6 or 18...b5. Both favour
Black, but one is stronger than the other – choose one.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 18...b5
Nezhmetdinov finds Black’s second best move, which still yields him an advantage.
18...b6! is heavily in Black’s favour after 19.Nb7 Qd7 20.Nxd6 Bxh3 21.Rc1 (21.c6 Qe6 doesn’t
bother Black at all) 21...Bxg2 22.Kxg2 bxc5 23.bxc5 Qc6+ 24.Kg1 (better than 24.f3 Ng4 25.Nc4
Rab8) 24...Rab8 25.Nc4 h5! and a strong attack brews against White’s undefended king.
19.cxb6?
To recognize a difficulty is the precursor to a correct diagnosis. White could have minimized his
disadvantage with 19.Nb7! Qd7 20.Nb2 d5 21.Nd6 Nc4 22.Nd3 Bxh3 23.Bxd5 Nxd6 24.Bxa8 Rxa8
25.cxd6 Qc6 26.Nf4 Bxf1 27.Qxf1 Qxd6. Black is up a pawn, yet White may still have chances to
save the game since he owns power on the light squares and has a good post for his knight on d3.
19...axb6 20.Bxa8!?
A move based upon the thought: if we are unable to attack the opponent militarily, then our next
option is to attack him financially. This is probably not such a great decision since Lilienthal signs
away all his light squares and leaves his king undefended.
20.Nc6! Nxc6 21.Bxc6 Bxh3 22.Rc1!, offering the exchange himself, has to have been a better
option.
20...Qxa8 21.Nxb6 Qa6 22.Na4
There was no other place to go.
22...Bxh3 23.Rc1
23.Re1 is met with 23...d3! with a winning initiative.
23...d3! 24.exd3 Qa8!
Threatening mate on g2, as well as a nasty knight check on f3.
25.f3
109
25...Ng4!
Threat: 26...Ne3.
26.Nc4?
Principle: If your appendix is about to burst, then don’t rely on a naturopathic cure involving herbs,
exercise, fresh air and a healthful diet.
White is in just such an emergency situation. He should have returned material with 26.Nc6! Ne3
27.Nb6 Qb7 28.Qe1 Nxf1 29.Nd5 Qa8 – here, at least, he could have played on.
26...Bd4+!
Nezhmetdinov jumps on the omission by adding his dark- squared bishop to the attack.
27.Kh1
110
Exercise (planning): Find one powerful attacking idea and White’s game collapses.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 27...Qd5!
Release the Kraken! Black’s intent is disarmingly blunt: the queen heads for h5.
28.Rc2 Bxf1
This move is intended to clear the h-file for Black’s queen, rather than to win material.
29.Qxf1 Qh5+
White resigned. It’s mate in two moves.
Game 19
Vladimir Zak
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Baku ch-URS 1951 (19)
111
White to move
When going over Nezhmetdinov’s games in preparation for this book, I was shocked at the frequency
of his wins against powerful opposition, even when wallowing in the most God-awful positions. Of
course, it’s easy to reason why this phenomenon occurred, since Nezh’s mind was better equipped
than 99% of his opposition in dizzying complications – even ones which were heavily in his
opponent’s favour.
Exercise (critical decision): White’s choices are between 23.Ne6, occupying the hole on e6, or
23.Bf4, adding heat to d6. ‘Maybe’ isn’t good enough, since one move gives White a strategically
won game, while the other loses! So be careful and take your pick.
Show/Hide Solution
23.Ne6??
Jumping in with the knight is an unfortunate choice!
Answer: 23.Bf4! leaves Black in deep trouble: 23...Rd8 24.Rxe7 Qxe7 25.Re1 Qf8 26.Be6+! Nxe6
27.Nxe6 Qe7 28.Nxd8 Qxd8 29.Qe2 when 30.Qe6+ and 30.Qe7 are threatened and Black doesn’t
have compensation for the missing exchange.
23.Ne6?? 23...Nxe6 24.Bxe6+
112
24...Rxe6!
Of course. In this case, both logic and instinct arrive at the same conclusion. Obvious moves can also
be good ones. Now White’s king is left defenseless on the light squares.
25.dxe6 Qc6
Threatening mate on g2 and h1.
26.Kf1
Sometimes doing the best we can isn’t enough. Nothing saves White here; after 26.f3 Qxf3 27.Rf1
Qh1+ Black has a winning attack.
26...Qg2+ 27.Ke2 Qf3+
113
28.Kf1
28.Kd3 Qf5+ 29.Kc4 (the king’s surly protests are not going to get him out of this mess of his own
making; also, 29.Ke2?? Bf3+ 30.Kf1 Qh3+ 31.Kg1 Qg2#) 29...Qxe6+ 30.Kd3 Qf5+ 31.Kc4 Ne4
32.Qc2 a6! 33.Kb3 b5 with a winning attack for Black.
28...Ng4! 0-1
29.Nd5 Bd4! (interference) 30.Bxd4 Nxh2+ 31.Kg1 Bxd5 and mate in two moves.
Game 20
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Lev Aronin
Saratov 1953
114
White to move
Exercise (planning): Black’s kingside pawns are loose and the g-pawn’s push to g5 is a garish sight.
Come up with an attacking plan to exploit this.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Push the h-pawn to soften the black king’s cover:
24.h4! Qe7
24...Rh8 25.cxd4 Nc4 26.b3 Nd6 27.Bh3! with the threat 28.d5 adds tremendous pressure to Black’s
position.
25.cxd4 Nc4 26.b3 Nd6 27.d5! e5
27...Rxc1 doesn’t give Black enough for the exchange: 28.Rxc1 gxh4 29.dxe6 hxg3 30.Qg4+ Kf8
31.fxg3 and White is winning.
28.f4!
It becomes clear that Black’s position has reached the state of the Promethean vision of humanity,
eternally chained to a giant rock.
28...gxf4
115
After 28...e4 29.hxg5 hxg5 30.Ba3! Rh8 31.Qg4 Qc7 32.fxg5 Be5 33.Bxe4 Nxe4 34.Rxe4 Qc2
35.Qe2 Qxe2 36.Rxe2 Black’s problem is that his bishop runs out of room on the a1-h8 diagonal and
after 36...Bxg3 White wins more material with 37.Bb2+ Kg6 38.Bxh8 Rxh8.
29.Bxf4
Exploiting the pin on the e-file, while threatening h6.
29...Rh8 30.Rxe5!
Annihilation of defensive barrier.
30...Qd7
Black is unable to accept: 30...Bxe5? 31.Qxe5+! Qxe5 32.Bxe5+ f6 33.Bxd6 and White wins.
31.Re2 Rh7?
Exercise (combination alert): Black just blundered in a lost position. How should White continue?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Removal of the guard/double attack:
32.Bxd6! 1-0
We all resent it when our opponent sets up a cheapo. Why? Because it’s insulting to be lied to.
116
32...Qxd6 33.Qg4+ with a double attack, picking up the loose rook on c8.
Game 21
Ion Balanel
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Bucharest 1954 (2)
Black to move
Exercise (combination alert): Prove why Black is winning.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Pawn promotion:
45...Bxa3!
Nobody becomes rich by giving away more than they receive. This is a sham sacrifice which can’t be
accepted.
46.Bxb5
Principle: Don’t trust your scheming opponent. Verify with analysis. 46.bxa3?? c3 and the c-pawn
cannot be stopped from promoting.
117
46...Bxb2 47.Bxc4 Bxe5 48.Bb3 Kf6 49.Kg2 0-1
White is down two pawns and the bishops of opposite colours won’t save him. In fact, it’s not even
close. Here is a possible continuation: 49.Kg2 49...Bd6 50.h3 Ke5 51.Kf3 Kd4 52.Bc2 f4 53.Ke2
Kc3 54.Bd1 Kb4 55.Kd3 a4 56.Kc2 a3 57.Kb1 Kc3 and Black’s f-pawn will cost White his bishop.
Game 22
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Miroslav Filip
Bucharest 1954 (3)
White to move
For a long time Nezhmetdinov had defended a miserable position. Then he had outplayed GM Filip
and fought back to reach this position.
Exercise (combination alert): A glance at White’s atrophied position makes us believe that he
stands worse. This is an incorrect assessment. Find White’s combination and equalize.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 35.Nxg5! Kg6
35...Rxg5? 36.Rf3+ Kg6 37.Bxg5 Kxg5 38.Rg2+ (Black’s king finds himself in a box where White
118
will soon threaten mate) 38...Kh4 39.Rg8 b3+ 40.Kc1! Be7 41.Rf1 (threat: 42.Rh1 mate) 41...Bg5+
42.Kb1 Nh7 (or 42...Nd7 43.Rxd8 Bxd8 44.Rd1, winning one of Black’s minor pieces) 43.Rxd8
Bxd8 44.Rh1+ Kg4 45.Rxh7 with a technical win for White.
36.Rbh3 b3+!?
Filip rashly sacrifices his b-pawn to open the b-file, which may not be wise, since an endgame is not
the ideal venue for gambits! White’s extra pawn seems to outweigh Black’s enhanced piece activity.
A) Far safer was 36...Bd4 with an approximately even position;
B) 36...Rxg5? hangs the exchange after 37.Rh6+ Kf7 38.Bxg5.
37.Kxb3 Rd1?
37...Rg1 was correct.
Exercise (combination alert): White’s bishop is attacked and if it moves to d2, then Black plays
38...Rxd2!, followed by 39...Kxg5. How did Nezhmetdinov extricate himself and earn a winning
position.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Allow the bishop to hang and threaten a knight fork on e5:
38.Nf3! Bd4
A) 38...Rxc1? 39.Nxe5+ Kg5 40.Rh5+! (this zwischenzug wins a piece) 40...Kf4 41.Nxg4 Kxg4
119
42.Rxc5 and White wins;
B) 38...Kf6! may have been Black’s best practical chance. After 39.Bd2 Rxe4 40.Bxa5 Re3+ 41.Kc2
Rf1 42.Nd2 Black is strategically lost but it won’t be all that easy for White to win.
39.Kc2 Rf1
Exercise (combination alert): Black hides his weakness (the e5-pawn), but not as well as he
believes. Nezh found yet another devilishly clever tactic to win a pawn:
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 40.Be3!
Overloaded defender. Here the bishop can’t be taken.
40...Kf6
There is nothing better. We can’t rightfully say that we ‘allowed’ something to happen, when we
were given no choice in the first place. Black must regrettably hand over a pawn and allow White’s
knight to swap itself for Black’s imposing bishop. Also, he gets stuck with the inferior minor piece.
A) 40...Bxe3? loses the exchange to 41.Nxe5+ Kg5 42.Nxg4 Kxg4 43.Rxe3;
B) If 40...c5?, 41.Bxd4 exd4 42.Ne5+ wins;
C) 40...Rxe4? 41.Rh6+! Kf5 (if 41...Kf7 42.Ng5+ forks the king and the e4-rook) 42.R2h5+ Kg4
43.Nh2+ Kg3 44.Rg5+! Rg4 45.Rxg4#.
120
41.Nxd4 exd4 42.Bxd4+ e5 43.Bc3 Rff4
43...Rxe4 44.Rh6+ Kf7 45.Rxc6 is a won ending for White.
44.Rd3
Not the most accurate. Cleaner was 44.b3! Rxe4 45.Bxa5 Ne6 46.Bc3 with a won ending.
44...Rxe4 45.Rd6+?!
Another inaccuracy. Why not protect c4, depriving Black of counterplay? Once again, we observe
Nezhmetdinov’s life-long weakness: a peevish refusal to consolidate a winning position with simple
moves. He continually ignored the Principle: Don’t allow our love of adventure to push aside the
simple, practical path. 45.b3! Ne6 46.Bxa5 is lost for Black.
45...Ke7
46.c5?!
46.Rxc6! Rxc4 47.Ra6 Rxa4 48.Bxe5 Rac4+ 49.Kd3 Rc8 (49...a4? 50.Rh8! Rc8 51.Bd6+ Kf7
52.Bxf8! wins a piece, since 52...Rxf8?? is met with 53.Ra7+ Ke8 54.Ra8+, winning a full rook)
50.Bd6+ Kf7 51.Ra7+ Kg8 52.Be5 Ng6 53.Bc3 Kf8 54.Rhh7 leaves Black fighting for his life.
46...Rxa4?
With 46...Rh4! 47.Rhd2 Rxa4 48.Bxe5 Rac4+ 49.Bc3 Ne6 Black could have held the draw.
121
47.Rxc6 Rac4 48.b3
48.Rh8! Ng6 49.Rh7+ Kd8 50.Rd6+ Ke8 51.Ra6 (threat: 52.Ra8 mate) 51...Ne7 52.Ra7! wins the
knight.
48...Rce4 49.Rh8!
Now he sees the idea. Black’s king is unsafe.
49...Rh4
49...Re2+ 50.Kd3 Rf2 51.Bxe5 is also lost for Black.
50.Rc7+ Kd8 51.Rxh4 Rxh4 52.Bxa5
White’s two queenside passed pawns will be decisive.
52...Ke8
Of course Black’s king must evade the threatened discovered check.
53.c6 Rh6 54.Rc8+ Kf7 55.Bb4
55.b4 is also an easy win: 55...Ne6 56.c7 and Black is pretty much forced to give up his knight, since
the threat is 57.Rf8+, followed by 58.c8=Q.
55...Ne6 56.c7!
122
Threat: 57.Rf8+ and 58.c8=Q(+). Black must hand over his knight for the c-pawn.
56...Rh2+ 57.Kb1 Nxc7
The belligerent Chihuahua yips an angry challenge to the mail carrier. Neither is the mail carrier
intimidated, nor is he prevented from carrying out his duties.
58.Rxc7+ Ke6 1-0
123
Show in Text Mode
Game 23 Sicilian Defence
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Enrico Paoli
Bucharest 1954 (5)
Just before this game, Nezhmetdinov received news of the birth of his son. His soaring joy at
becoming a father may have inspired him to create this attacking masterpiece against the then Italian
IM Paoli (who was later awarded GM Honoris Causa) which gained him the first brilliancy prize.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qf3!?
This is White’s third choice in the position. At first, we are tempted to shun the move as one of an
eccentric. It seems odd to place the queen in front of the f-pawn, rather than behind it. The idea is to
keep options open for both a future f2-f4 and also f2-f3, after moving the queen to g3.
7...Be7 8.0-0-0 Qc7 9.Rg1!?
Nezhmetdinov was probably familiar with the stem game played in the previous year between
Roizman and Polugaevsky. Although Roizman lost that game, Nezh must have liked White’s
position. The idea is to push the g-pawn to the fourth rank, move the g5-bishop to e3 and then g4-g5.
9...Bd7 10.g4 Nc6 11.Be3 h6
124
White’s attack looks fast in the line 11...0-0 12.g5 Ne8 13.h4 b5 14.h5.
12.h4 Rc8!?
This was a theoretical novelty at the time, but no improvement. Polugaevsky tried the superior
12...h5!. When it comes to dealing with future problems, early detection is the key. Polugaevsky’s
move either closes the kingside or breaks up White’s pawn chain: 13.gxh5 (13.g5 Ng4 is also fine for
Black) 13...Nxh5 14.Bg5 Nf6 with mutual chances, Roizman-Polugaevsky, Leningrad 1953.
13.g5 hxg5 14.hxg5 Ne5 15.Qg2
Exercise (critical decision): Black’s f6-knight is attacked. Our choices are among moving to g4, h5
or g8. Black is lost if he picks one of the two incorrect squares; only one choice gives him equality.
Where would you move the knight?
Show/Hide Solution
15...Ng8?
The knight rents an apartment in a low-rent district. This retreat means that essentially Black has
spotted his opponent two free tempi in an open position, which translates to White obtaining the
faster attack.
Answer: Only g4 was correct. Black’s knight cannot be trapped, due to favourable geometry:
A) 15...Nfg4! 16.Bf4 (threat: 17.Be2 and 18.Bxg4; not 16.Bd2? Qb6! and White is in big trouble)
16...Qb6! (this surprising move saves Black) 17.Be2 Ng6! (zwischenzug) 18.Bd2 Qxd4 19.Bxg4
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Qe5!, seizing control over f4. Black stands no worse;
B) 15...Nh5? 16.f4 Nc4 17.Bxc4 Qxc4 18.g6 f5 (18...f6 19.Rh1 with the threat 20.Qf3, ganging up
on Black’s stranded knight, leaves Black busted) 19.exf5 e5 20.fxe5 dxe5 21.Ne6 Bxe6 22.fxe6 Qxe6
23.Nd5 Nf6 (after 23...Bd8 24.Rh1 Black can’t possibly hold the game due to the knight pin, not to
mention his exposed king) 24.Nxe7 Qxe7 25.Rh1 Rf8 26.Bg5 – Black’s king is caught in the middle
and he won’t survive.
16.f4 Nc4 17.Bxc4 Qxc4 18.f5 b5
Threat: 19...b4, followed by 20...Qxa2.
18...e5 19.Nb3 leaves Black with a giant hole on d5 and no way to develop the g8-knight.
19.Kb1 b4
Exercise (planning): Black attempts to change the subject and go on the attack himself. What is
White’s strongest attacking continuation?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 20.g6!
Annihilation of defensive barrier. White ignores the threat on his knight and pries open Black’s
kingside.
20...e5
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Immediate acceptance also loses, e.g. 20...bxc3 21.gxf7+ Kd8 (21...Kxf7 22.Qxg7+ Ke8 23.Qxh8
and wins) 22.b3 Qb4 23.Qxg7! and Black’s not-so-scary mating threat on b2 is always covered with
Bc1.
21.b3!
When we advise to someone to be ‘sensible’, we must realize that ‘sensible’ is from our own point of
view. As always, Nezhmetdinov’s ambition becomes uninhibited. He chooses the riskier yet optimal
line, which is to sacrifice a piece that he will soon get back anyway.
A more cautious/practical player might have chosen the mundane yet strong 21.Nd5 (threat:
22.gxf7+) and Black doesn’t even have time to pick up White’s d4-knight. The benefit of this line is
that it is absolutely risk-free for White: 21...f6 22.Ne6 Bxe6 23.fxe6 and Black’s position is a land of
slime and stink.
21...Qxc3 22.gxf7+ Kd8
If 22...Kxf7, 23.Qg6+ Kf8 24.Qxg7+ Ke8 25.Qxh8 wins.
23.Qxg7!
White can afford to give away a second piece, since he will soon receive huge returns. Still, precise
calculation was required since Black also gets to attack in this line. Nezh confidently and correctly
calculated that Black is one move too slow.
23...exd4
23...Qxe3 loses to 24.Qxh8.
24.Bxd4!
Well-calculated. White gets there first.
24...Qxc2+ 25.Ka1 Rh2
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Exercise (combination alert): Black threatens mate, but in reality his attack yields nothing but
drooping, soggy fruit. How did Nezhmetdinov force mate in four moves?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 26.Bb6+!
Interference.
26...Rc7 27.Qxg8+! 1-0
27...Bf8 28.Qxf8+ Be8 29.fxe8=Q#.
27.fxg8=Q+ takes longer to mate: 27...Be8 28.Qxe7+ Kc8 (28...Kxe7 29.Qe6+ Kd8 30.Rxd6+ Bd7
31.Qxd7#) 29.Qexe8+ Kb7 30.Qb8+ Kc6 31.Qd5+ Kd7 32.Qxd6#.
Game 24
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Stefan Szabo
Bucharest 1954 (10)
128
White to move
Exercise (combination alert): Prove why Black’s king is in grave danger:
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Step 1: Target e5 by shifting the queen to g3:
34.Qg3! Qc7
34...Rd7 35.Qxe5 Qd8 36.Rb1 (threat: 37.Rb8) 36...Rd6 37.Rf1! leaves Black in a tangle from which
he can never recover.
35.Bxf6!
Step 2: Chop on f6, allowing White’s queen to take aim at g6.
35...Bxf6 36.d6!
Step 3: Clearance/double attack. White threatens both 37.dxc7 and 37.Qxg6+.
36...Rxd6 37.Qxg6+ Kf8 38.Qxh5
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Not only has White won a pawn, far more importantly, Black’s king is now fatally exposed, due to
the bishops of opposite colours.
38...Bg7 39.Rb1!
Black must watch out for Rb8+ tricks, as well as the plan Bd5, followed by Rb7. Black is tactically
unable to challenge the file with 39...Rb6 due to the weakness of f7.
39...Rf6
Szabo desperately guards f7. 39...Kg8 40.Bd5 (threat: 41.Rb7) 40...Rd7 41.Qf5 (renewing the threat
of 42.Rb7) 41...Qd8 42.Rd1! (threat: 43.Bxf7+) 42...Qe8 43.Rf1 Qe7 44.g4! (zugzwang) 44...c4
(44...Kf8 is met with 45.Bxf7!) 45.Kg2 Rc7 46.g5 Kf8 47.Qg6 Qe8 48.Qd6+ Re7 49.g6! f6
50.Rxf6+ and White wins.
40.Kh1 Kg8 41.Bd5
Threat: 42.Rb7.
41...Rh6 42.Qg4 Rf6
42...Rg6?? is met with 43.Qxg6.
43.Rb7 Qd8 44.Kh2! 1-0
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There could have followed 44...Qf8 45.Ra7 (threat: 46.Ra8) 45...Kh7 46.Qh5+ Bh6 47.Bxf7 and
wins.
Game 25 Two Knights Defence
Victor Ciocaltea
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Bucharest 1954 (11)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6
Our choice of opening is a way of calling attention to ourselves. Nezhmetdinov always preferred this
tactical move over the more solid 3...Bc5.
4.Ng5 d5
4...Bc5!? is objectively shady, yet people still play it: 5.Bxf7+ Ke7 6.Bd5 Rf8 and then Black attacks
on the f-file.
5.exd5 Na5
With this now standard pawn sacrifice Black embraces the philosophy that it is wise to invest a small
amount of money in the present to secure a possibly much larger return in the future. Black receives
full compensation with a development lead and attacking chances against White’s king.
The move 5...Nxd5?!, which is one of supreme defensive nonchalance, allows White to play the Fried
Liver Attack, which is an entity whose time seems to have come and gone. The engines work it out to
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be in White’s favour: 6.Nxf7! Kxf7 7.Qf3+ Ke6.
6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 8.Be2 h6 9.Nf3 e4 10.Ne5 Qc7!?
Instead, 10...Bd6 is Black’s main line today.
11.Ng4?!
This move is unusual and probably not so great. White seeks swaps, at the cost of a huge loss of time.
Standard is 11.d4 exd3 12.Nxd3 Bd6.
11...Bxg4!
This way Black’s once undeveloped bishop exchanges itself for a piece which has moved three times.
On top of that, White must later lose yet another tempo with the light- squared bishop.
12.Bxg4 Bc5 13.Be2 Rd8 14.c3!?
After this move, White’s defensive cohesion comes into question. The threat is b2-b4, yet it isn’t so
clear if developing naturally is any better, for example: 14.0-0 0-0 15.Nc3 Rfe8 16.d3 Nc4 and White
experiences difficulties unraveling.
14...Nb7 15.0-0
132
15...h5!?
There will never be a point where you will say to yourself: ‘Done! I have wiped the slate of chess
clean of all its mysteries.’ 2+2=4 for most people, unless it’s Nezhmetdinov doing the reckoning, in
which case the answer may be 3, or 5, depending upon his mood.
In open positions where he was attacking, Nezhmetdinov was a player of uncommon creative
insights. He intends ...Ng4, going after h2, which is an unnatural yet creative idea. Virtually everyone
would play the automatic (and possibly stronger!) 15...0-0.
16.d4
Principle: Counter in the centre when attacked on the wing. It’s critical for White to develop his
slumbering queenside pieces.
16...exd3 17.Bxd3?
17.Bf3! was forced. White shouldn’t be worried about 17...Ng4 18.g3 when it’s not clear how Black
should conduct his attack. Ciocaltea may have feared 18...Nxf2!? 19.Rxf2 0-0 20.Qf1 Rfe8 21.Nd2
h4. I don’t trust Black’s compensation and have a feeling that the position is objectively better for
White.
17...Ng4! 18.Qe2+
After 18.g3 Kf8 19.Kg2 Nxf2! (19...Ne5? 20.Bf4 is okay for White) 20.Rxf2 Bxf2 21.Kxf2 Nc5
White loses the d3-bishop and is busted.
18...Kf8
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No worries, since Black didn’t plan to castle in any case.
19.g3
Exercise (planning): Come up with Black’s strongest attacking plan.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Transfer the queen to d7, reinforcing the g4-knight, which serves three functions:
1. It enables...h5-h4, opening the h-file for Black’s rook.
2. Black’s queen may later slip into h3 if Black’s g4-knight moves or sacrifices itself.
3. Black gains an important tempo with an attack on White’s d3-bishop.
19...Qd7!
We note a leavening of Black’s intent, which is not solely an attack on White’s d3-bishop. Now
White must watch out for the sacrificial idea ...h5-h4 and then ...Nxh2!, with a wicked attack.
20.Be4
White hopes to add a defender to help out his endangered king.
20...h4
20...Nxh2? is unsound and premature. After 21.Kxh2 h4 22.g4 White’s king looks safe enough and
he should consolidate.
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21.Bf4
Exercise (combination alert): Black has two strong continuations. Find one of them.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 21...Nxh2!
Annihilation of defensive barrier. Now one misfortune piles onto another for White.
Another way to win lies in Answer #2: 21...hxg3 22.hxg3 g5! 23.Bxg5 Nxf2! 24.Rxf2 Bxf2+
25.Kxf2 (25.Qxf2 Qd1+ 26.Qf1 (26.Kg2 Qh1#) 26...Qh5! 27.Bh4 Rd1, winning White’s queen)
25...Rh2+ 26.Bg2 Qh3 27.Qf3 Rd3! 28.Bh6+ Kg8 29.Be3 Qe6! with the threat 30...Rxe3!, to which
White has no good defence.
22.Re1
After 22.Kxh2?? the white king’s reprimand is richly deserved: 22...hxg3+ and now:
A) 23.Kg1 Qh3 wins on the spot;
B) 23.Kxg3 Qh3#;
C) 23.Kg2 Qh3+ 24.Kf3 g2+ and Black wins.
22...Ng4
22...hxg3! is more accurate. If 23.Bxg3 Qh3 (threat: 24...Qxg3+. 24.Bc7 Rh4! there is no good
remedy to the coming ...Rg4.
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23.Bf3 Nxf2 24.Be3 hxg3 25.Bxc5+ Nxc5 26.Bxc6 Nh3+
26...Qxc6?? 27.Qe7+ Kg8 28.Qxd8+ Kh7 29.Qh4+ is perpetual check.
27.Kf1
27.Kg2?? allows 27...Qxc6+.
27...Qf5+ 0-1
28.Qf3 Nf4 29.Na3 Qh3+ 30.Kg1 Ne4!! (interference; not 30...Rd2?? 31.Re8#) 31.Bxe4 (31.Rxe4
Qh2+ 32.Kf1 Qh1+ 33.Qxh1 Rxh1#) 31...Rd2 and White is mated in four moves at the most.
Game 26
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Gideon Stahlberg
Bucharest 1954
136
Black to move
Exercise (critical decision): White’s passed c-pawn is further advanced than Black’s f-pawn, so
Black is the one fighting for a draw. Black’s choice is between 46...f4 and 46...Kf6. Only one of these
moves draws. Calculate the ramifications of the two lines and make your pick.
Show/Hide Solution
46...Kf6?
Answer: Only the push of the f-pawn holds the draw: 46...f4! 47.Rf5 Re4 48.Kb6 Kd6 49.Rf6+ Kd5!
(the king must retain control over c6; if 49...Ke5?? 50.c7 Rc4 51.Rc6 wins) 50.c7 Rb4+! (this check
gains Black a critical tempo) 51.Ka7 Rc4 52.Kb7 Rxc7+! 53.Kxc7 Ke4 (White’s king is too far away
to win the game) 54.Kd6 f3 55.Kc5 Ke3 56.Kc4 f2 57.Kc3 Ke2 58.Re6+ Kd1 59.Rf6 Ke2 Draw.
46...Kf6? 47.Kb7 Kg5
If 47...f4 48.c7 Re7 49.Kb8 Re8+ 50.c8=Q Rxc8+ 51.Kxc8 f3 52.Rb3! White wins.
48.c7 Re8
137
Exercise (critical decision): Should White promote immediately, or should he play 49.Kc6,
threatening 50.Rd8 ? Only one line works.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Moving the king to c6 wins a precious tempo and the game:
49.Kc6!
When time is of the essence, there isn’t much ‘later’ left over. 49.c8=Q? is too slow since White’s
king loses a tempo retreating to the 8th rank: 49...Rxc8 50.Kxc8 Kg4 51.Kd7 f4 52.Ke6 f3 53.Rf5
Kg3 54.Ke5 Kg2 55.Ke4 f2 with a draw.
49...Rc8
Otherwise White wins on the spot with 50.Rb8.
50.Rb8 Rxc7+ 51.Kxc7
Do you see the difference between the two lines? In the 48.c8=Q? line, White’s king ended up on c8,
while in this one, the king is one move closer on c7. That is the difference between a win and a draw.
51...Kf4
A dog is perfectly aware of the biting fleas on its body, yet it can do nothing about it. Black’s king
and f-pawn are too slow and Stahlberg knows it: 51...f4 52.Kd6 f3 53.Ke5 Kg4 54.Rf8 Kg3 55.Ke4
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f2 56.Ke3 catches and wins the f-pawn by a tempo.
52.Kd6 1-0
After 52...Ke4, 53.Rb4+ Ke3 54.Ke5 wins the f-pawn.
Game 27
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Dmitry Grechkin
Rostov-on-Don 1954
Black to move
Exercise (critical decision): Black can either take White’s e-pawn with 37...Bxe4, or he can make a
defensive move like 37...Qc5. One line keeps the game in dynamic balance, while the other loses.
Which one would you play?
Show/Hide Solution
37...Bxe4??
Answer: Grechkin challenges unfavourable odds and falls into Nezhmetdinov’s trap! White’s e-pawn
is poisoned. Black should have proceeded with the careful attention of a sparrow observing an
approaching rattlesnake, and played 37...Qc5! 38.Ng4 Kf8 39.Qh6+ Ke7 40.Qg7 Qc4+ 41.Kg1
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Qc5+ with perpetual check, since White’s king is unable to hide on h1: 42.Kh1?? Qxf5 and it is
Black who wins.
37...Bxe4?? 38.Bxe4
38.Ng4! also wins: 38...Bxf5 39.Nf6+ Kf8 40.Qh6+! Ke7 41.Nd5+ forks king and queen.
38...Rxe4
If 38...Qc5 39.Nd5! – White consolidates the extra piece since the bishop isn’t hanging due to a
knight fork on f6.
39.Qc8+! Nf8
39...Kg7 40.Nf5#.
40.Nd5!
Double attack. The knight threatens to chop Black’s loose queen, and also to fork the king and rook
on f6.
40...Rf4+ 1-0
41.Nxf4 Qe3 42.Qg4 covers everything and leaves White up a rook.
Game 28 Sicilian Defence
140
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Leonid Shamkovich
Rostov-on-Don 1954
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 Nbd7!?
In this version Black retains options of ...e7-e6, ...e7-e5 and also leaving the e-pawn on e7 and
playing in Dragon fashion with ...g7-g6. 6...e6 is the main line.
7.Bc4 h6
7...Qb6 is possibly more accurate: 8.Bb3 e6 9.Qd2 Be7 10.0-0-0 Nc5 11.f3 leads to a sharp game
with balanced chances, Jakovenko-Sarana, Batumi 2018.
8.Bh4 e6 9.0-0
White can also leave options open for queenside castling with 9.Qe2.
9...Nc5?
This may be the point where Shamkovich’s position begins to sour. The problem with the move is
that White can later send the knight right back to d7 with a b2-b4 push. 9...g5! 10.Bg3 Ne5 11.Bb3
Be7 12.f4 gxf4 13.Bxf4 Bd7 looks okay for Black, who can later castle queenside and hope to use the
g-file for an attack on White’s king, Litvinov-Tihonov, Minsk 1996.
10.Re1 g5
Shamkovich may have originally planned 10...Be7 and then noticed 11.b4!. If Black retreats to d7
141
(11...Ncd7), then 12.Bxe6! heavily favours White. Also 11...g5 12.Bg3 Ncxe4 (12...Ncd7? 13.Bxe6!
fxe6 14.Nxe6 Qb6 15.Nd5 Qc6 (if Black takes on d5 (15...Nxd5), 16.Qh5# is mate!) 16.Nd4 Qc4
17.Nxe7 Kxe7 18.Nf5+ with a winning attack) 13.Nxe4 Nxe4 14.Bxe6! is heavily in White’s favour.
11.Bg3 e5
This move leaves gaping holes on the light squares, but no better was 11...Be7 12.b4! with the same
problems for Black as in the above note.
12.Nf5 Be6 13.Bd5 Bxf5 14.exf5 Qc8
14...Qc7 15.f4! is also difficult for Black.
Exercise (critical decision): Calculate the outcome of 15.Bxe5. Is the sacrifice sound?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: It works!
15.Bxe5!
Annihilation of defensive barrier.
15...dxe5 16.Rxe5+ Be7
Black has no choice but to step into the pin. He cannot evade the question with 16...Kd8?? since it
hangs the queen to 17.Bxb7+.
142
17.Qe2 Qc7 18.Re1
Three attacking and two defending means Black is hopelessly busted.
18...Nce4!?
Shamkovich, who is kept busy repenting, attempts to confuse the issue.
A) 18...Ng8 19.f6! – overloaded defender, White wins;
B) 18...0-0 19.Rxe7 leaves White up two pawns with a dominating position.
19.Rxe4!
Sacrificing the exchange is even stronger than the also winning 19.Bxe4 0-0 (19...Qxe5?? loses the
queen to 20.Bc6+) 20.Bf3 Bb4 21.h4! and Black’s king is about to become seriously exposed.
19...Nxe4 20.Qxe4 Kf8
Exercise (combination alert): Continue White’s attack.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Annihilation of defensive barrier:
21.Bxf7! Bf6
21...Kxf7 22.Nd5 (double attack) 22...Qd6 23.Qxe7+ Qxe7 24.Rxe7+ Kf8 25.Rxb7 with an easily
143
won ending for White.
22.Bg6!
This is the more potent diagonal. Now White keeps perpetual control over e8, preventing Black from
ever challenging the e-file.
22...Qe7!
The fall of the Republic is a touch behind schedule. Shamkovich must have been relieved to force the
queens off the board. The problem is that White still gets too many pawns for the exchange.
23.Qxe7+ Bxe7 24.Nd5 Bd8 25.Re6!
For now, White’s threats are vague hints. Soon they form into more clear patterns of attack.
25...Kg7 26.Rd6! h5
26...Rf8 27.Rd7+ was also hopeless for Black.
27.Rd7+ Kh6
Exercise (planning): What is White’s strongest attacking move?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 28.g4!
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Nezh’s intent flares to full luminosity. This move is a valuable adjunct to White’s plan of delivering
mate, since it freezes Black’s g-pawn, disallowing defensive ideas like ...g5-g4, which gives Black’s
king defensive access to g5.
28...h4
After 28...hxg4?? 29.Ne3! White mates next.
29.Bh5!?
Moment of Contemplation: Is this really the moment for a high-minded search for artistic
perfection? As always, Nezhmetdinov is more interested in mate than in material. A more venal,
bribable player would have considered the greedy 29.Rxb7 after which Black’s position is devoid of
assets and property.
29...Rc8 30.Rd6+ Kg7?!
It becomes clear that Black’s king is not aging gracefully. This gives White a free tempo – the king
should have moved to h7.
31.f6+ Kh6
31...Kf8 32.f4!. Black isn’t threatening 32...Rxc2, since then White takes the loose bishop on d8 and
delivers mate: 32...gxf4 33.Nxf4 with deadly and unpreventable threats on e6 and g6.
32.Ne7!
Threatening to weave a mating net with 33.Nf5+ and 34.Rd7+.
32...Rb8
If 32...Bxe7 33.fxe7+ Kg7 34.Re6! wins.
145
Exercise (calculation): White forces mate in four moves.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 33.Nf5+ Kh7 34.f7!
This move cuts off the black king’s escape route to g8. Black has only a single spite block to stave off
the dual threats of 35.Rh6 mate and 35.Bg6 mate. Therefore he resigned.
Game 29
Mikhail Shakhov
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Rostov-on-Don 1954
146
Black to move
Exercise (planning): Nezhmetdinov is up a pawn. What is his strongest continuation?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 57...Bxd5!
I give to you and you give to me. Yet nobody says the transaction will be fair. This piece sacrifice
carries with it sinister significance, since Black ends up with four pawns for the bishop.
58.exd5
White agrees to the deal with a conspicuous lack of enthusiasm. He didn’t need to ponder long on his
response, since he had but a single choice: 58.Bxf4 exf4+ 59.Kxf4 fxe4 60.fxe4 Bxa2 was completely
lost for him.
58...Nxd5+ 59.Kd2 Nxb4 60.f4
Threat: 61.Ng3. A pang of urgency is pressed upon White, who tries his best to reduce the number of
pawns on the board.
60...Kf7!
This way Black’s king is able to cover both the f5- and the h5- pawns. 60...Nxa2?! allows 61.Ng3
when White has a better shot at survival than in the game’s continuation.
147
61.Ng3 Kg6 62.Be7 Nd5! 63.Bxd6 exf4 64.Nh1
It’s no fun to defend when there is no constructive course of action available. After 64.Nf1 Kg5
65.Nh2 Kh4 White is busted.
64...Kg5 65.Nf2 Kh4! 66.Nd3
Exercise (critical decision): White’s position gives off the feel of a person who has lived with bad
news for a long time. Is 66...Kg3 a good move, or is it a blunder?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 66...Kg3!
This allows White a combination which in the end works out in Black’s favour.
67.Nxf4
There was no way to lift the oppressive weight off his position and there was nothing better. In reality
the move is no more than a nuisance-mongering operation.
67...Nxf4 68.Ke3
White regains his piece. The trouble is Black’s deep king position will win the piece back in a few
moves.
68...h4 69.Bxf4+ Kg2 70.Kd4
148
Exercise (critical decision): Should Black play 70...h3, or should he backtrack with 70...Kf3 ? One
line wins, while the other allows White to draw. Calculate both and choose.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 70...Kf3!
Nezhmetdinov evades one final trap: 70...h3?? 71.Ke5 h2 72.Bxh2 Kxh2 73.Kxf5 b4 (or 73...Kg3
74.Ke5 Kf3 75.Kd4 Ke2 76.Kc5 Kd3 77.Kb6 Kc3 78.Kxa6 Kb2 with a draw) 74.Ke4 a5 75.Kd3
a4 76.Kc4 b3 and draw.
71.Ke5
If 71.Bh2 a5 72.Kc5 f4 73.Kxb5 Kg4 74.Kc4 f3 75.Bg1 h3 76.Kd3 f2 77.Bxf2 h2 the h-pawn
promotes.
71...b4!
Now the queenside majority is activated. White’s king and bishop are overloaded – there are just too
many pawns to stop.
72.Bh2
If 72.Kxf5, 72...a5 73.Ke5 a4 74.Bh2 b3 promotes.
72...a5
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We are not left in a state of nerve-wracking suspense about the game’s outcome. Black’s passed
pawns are everywhere at once.
Game 30
Mikhail Yudovich
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Gorky 1954 (5)
Black to move
Exercise (combination alert): Time after time in open tactical positions, Nezhmetdinov keeps
proving that miracles do exist. White’s king is fatally exposed and Black has several ways to win.
Find one of them.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 35...Nxd5!
Overloaded defender.
Answer #2: 35...Bxd5! also works. Both captures open the f-file against White’s king, and also
overload the defender of g2: 36.Bxd5 (36.Bxg8 Ng4+ 37.Nxg4 Qb2+! 38.Ke3 Qc3+ 39.Kf2 Qd2+
40.Kg3 Qxg2#) 36...Nxd5 37.Nxd5 fxg2+ 38.Kg1 and Black wins as in the game.
Answer #3: 35...Ne4+! 36.Qxe4 Qb2+! 37.Nc2 Rxg2+ 38.Ke3 Qc3+ 39.Qd3 Qe5+ 40.Qe4 Qg5+
150
41.Kd4 (41.Kd3?? Qd2#) 41...Rf4 wins White’s queen.
35...Nxd5! 36.Nxd5
White must adjust to the new reality: 36.Bxg8 Nxe3 37.Bb3 Qb2+! 38.Kxe3 Qc3+ 39.Kf2 Qd2+ and
mate in two.
36...fxg2+ 37.Kg1
Exercise (combination alert): Put White away.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 37...Rf1+!
Clearance. The rook check on f1 opens the g-file and White’s king will not survive.
38.Rxf1
No choice. 38.Kh2?? is not such a great option in view of 38...g1=Q+ and mate next move.
38...gxf1=Q+ 39.Kxf1 Qxa1+ 0-1
40.Kf2 Qg1+ 41.Kf3 – for White’s king this will be a one way journey, with no return ticket:
41...Qg2+ 42.Ke3 Rg3+ 43.Kd4 Qb2+ 44.Ke4 (44.Nc3 Qxc3#) 44...Qe5#.
151
Game 31 Sicilian Defence
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Lev Polugaevsky
Gorky 1954 (10)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6
This is Black’s fourth choice. More often played are 3...g6, 3...e6 and 3...d6.
4.d3
4.Nc3 is more popular.
4...d5?!
This move was Polugaevsky’s opening surprise. When our opponent plays a new move, it is
rightfully an object of deep suspicion. It could be that your opponent is ignorant of theory, or just
winging it. On the other hand, the new move may be home analysis which could be an existential
threat to our position.
I yearn for the Golden Age of not-knowing-everything, as opposed to our contemporary squalor of
both players banging out the first 19 moves of the game in 30 seconds. Back then the opening phase
was still a creative one, unlike today, where at the club level it is to be performed obediently as an
ancient ritual, without understanding its true meaning.
Objectively, the move is dubious, since it allows White to inflict serious damage upon Black’s
structure. Black reaches dynamic equality with 4...Qa5+! 5.Nc3 Nd4 6.Bc4 b5! 7.Bb3 Nxb3 8.cxb3
d6 and Black stands well, having picked up the bishop pair.
152
5.exd5
5.Nc3 dxe4, Sadler-Damasio, cr 1999. I don’t much like Black’s position after 6.Ne5! Bd7 7.Bxc6
Bxc6 8.Nxc6 bxc6 9.Nxe4. Black receives no compensation for the structural damage.
5...Nxd5 6.Ne5!?
Not the best move, since White’s own structure takes on damage too now. White should have gone
with the simple and strong 6.Bxc6+! bxc6 7.Ne5!, preventing 7...Bg4. Black’s bishop pair fails to
fully compensate the harm inflicted to his queenside structure – those doubled, isolated c-pawns are
an eyesore.
6...Qa5+! 7.Nc3 Nxc3 8.Bxc6+ bxc6
9.Qd2!
White regains the piece.
9...Be6 10.0-0
If 10.Nxc6?? Qc7 White will be down a piece.
10...c4!?
Polugaevsky wants to rid himself of his weak pawns and saddle his opponent with tripled pawns. The
danger of course is that he lags in development, since his last move continues the trend. Safer was
10...f6 11.Nf3 Bd5 12.bxc3 Bxf3 13.gxf3 e5 with approximate equality.
153
11.Re1!
Nezh’s instinct was always development over material.
11.Nxc4 Bxc4 12.dxc4 g6 13.Rd1 (13.Qxc3 Qxc3 14.bxc3 Bg7 15.Rd1 Bxc3 16.Rb1 f5! 17.Rb7 Kf7
18.Rdd7 Rhd8! 19.Bg5 Bf6 20.Bxf6 Kxf6 21.Kf1 Rxd7 22.Rxd7 Ke6 23.Rc7 Kd6 24.Rb7 a5 and
Black looks fine) 13...Rd8 14.Qxd8+ Qxd8 15.Rxd8+ Kxd8 16.bxc3 (White’s structure resembles a
shoe, gnawed to shreds by the new puppy) 16...Bg7 17.Rb1 Kc8 18.Be3 Rd8 19.Bxa7 Rd2 and Black
generates enough counterplay to hold the game.
11...Rc8?!
11...f6! 12.Nxc6 Qd5 13.Nb4 Qd6 14.bxc3 a5 15.Qe3 Bf7 16.Qf3 Rc8 17.Bf4 Qd7 18.Na6 Bd5
19.Qg3 Kf7 20.Nc7 Bc6 21.Ne6 Bd5 was equal.
12.bxc3
Nezhmetdinov hated queen swaps. In this version the queens remain on the board. After 12.Nxc4!
Bxc4 13.dxc4 e6 14.Qxc3 Qxc3 15.bxc3 Be7 16.Rb1 0-0 17.Be3 Black is the one fighting for a draw.
12...g6 13.Qe3
This is a case of right idea, wrong square. Slightly more accurate was 13.Qe2! cxd3 14.cxd3 when
Black finds himself seriously lagging in development and is unable to play 14...Bg7?? 15.Nxf7! 0-0
16.Qxe6 and Black’s rooks are overloaded.
13...cxd3 14.cxd3
154
14...Qxc3?
Wow, this is really asking for it! Polugaevsky acts as if development doesn’t matter.
A) Black could have minimized the damage with 14...c5! 15.Bd2 Qd8 (enabling ...Bg7, by covering
e7) 16.Qe4 Bg7 17.Qa4+ Kf8 18.Rab1 Bxe5 19.Rxe5 Kg7 when White stands only a bit better;
B) 14...Bg7?? and it’s the same trick with 15.Nxf7! winning.
15.Bd2?
This move throws away most of White’s advantage. 15.Rb1! (threat: 16.Nxf7!) 15...Bh6 16.Qe2
Bxc1 17.Nxf7! (both sides may have overlooked this powerful zwischenzug) 17...0-0 18.Qxe6 Qf6
19.Qxf6 exf6 20.Nd6 Bd2 (20...Rcd8 loses material to 21.Nb7 Bd2 22.Nxd8 Bxe1 23.Nxc6)
21.Nxc8 Bxe1 22.Nxa7 Bc3 23.Nxc6 with two extra pawns for White.
15...Qa3!
Covering e7, which means that Black can play ...Bg7 without worrying about Nxf7 shots.
16.Rab1 Qxa2! 17.Rb7 Bg7
155
Exercise (critical decision): Is 18.Nxf7 sound?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: It isn’t sound.
18.Nxf7?
When a strong player sacrifices – even unsoundly, as in this case – our default tendency is to assume
the sacrifice is valid. But this mood swing is not an accurate barometer of calm reflection.
Nezhmetdinov overpresses and should now lose. He should have settled for 18.Nxc6! Rxc6 19.Rb8+
Kd7 20.Rb7+ Kc8 21.Rxa7. The engine calls this dead even, so White has enough for the piece, at
least enough to deliver perpetual check.
18...Kxf7 19.Qf3+ Kg8!
Nezh may have missed this brilliant defensive move and may have counted on 19...Bf6? 20.Bc3 Bf5
21.Bxf6 Kxf6 22.Rbxe7 Qd5 23.Qe3 with a winning attack for White.
20.Qe3 Kf7
This is to just gain time on the clock with a repetition.
21.Qf4+ Kg8 22.Rxe7
White doesn’t get a repetition draw with 22.Qe3 since Black will play 22...Bf7! 23.Rxa7 Qb3
156
24.Qxe7 h5!. Black unravels and wins with the plan ...Rh7! and ...Bf8.
22...Rf8??
22...Bf7! would have given Black a winning position.
Exercise (combination alert): After Black’s last move, all is not well in Casa Polugaevsky. What
strike did he overlook on his last move?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 23.Rxg7+!
Annihilation of defensive barrier. Black’s king soon gets toasted on the dark squares.
23...Kxg7 24.Bc3+ Kg8 25.Qd4!
Covering f2, while threatening both 26.Qg7 mate and 26.Qxh8+.
25...Qxf2+
Forced.
26.Qxf2 Rxf2 27.Kxf2 Bf7 28.Re7 Kf8
157
29.Rxf7+!
Simplification. Polugaevsky could have resigned here.
29...Kxf7 30.Bxh8 Ke6 31.Ke3 Kd5 32.Kd2 a5 33.Kc3 c5 34.Kb3 1-0
Game 32
Salo Flohr
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Kiev 1954
158
Black to move
Exercise (combination alert): Nezhmetdinov found a study-like win here. Prove why White’s king
is in mortal danger.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Black’s answer grows lucid:
86...Ne4!!
Weaving a mating net.
87.Bc7
87.Bxf6?? Nxf6+ 88.Kh4 Be1#.
87...Bg5!
Threat: 88...Rf7 and 89...Nf6 mate. If White plays 88.Bd8 to cover f6, then Black’s knight mates on
g3.
88.Rh7
Or 88.h4 Be3 89.Rh7 Nc3! 90.Rh8 Ne2 91.Rh7 Bf4! – the parasitic bishop eats away at White’s
control over the dark squares. We reach a situation the same as the position a few moves ago, with
159
one alteration: White is mated next move, no matter how he responds.
88...Rf8! 0-1
88...Rd6!, threatening dual mates on f6 and g3, was a quicker mate: 89.Rf7+ Nf6+ 90.Rxf6+ Rxf6
91.Bg3 Rh6#;
After the text move, the only way to stall mate is to play the bishop to e5 and give it away, since on
89.Bd8 Black delivers mate with 89...Ng3#.
160
Show in Text Mode
Game 33
Georgi Ilivitzky
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Kiev ch-URS 1954
Black to move
Exercise (planning): Demonstrate Black’s clear advantage.
Show/Hide Solution
16...Rxa2
Answer: First swap rooks.
17.Nxa2 f5!
Step 2: Exploit the pin of the e-pawn, due to White’s loose bishop on e3.
18.Nc3 fxe4 19.fxe4
161
White is strategically lost since his e-pawn is weak and there is also that gaping hole on e5. I would
have tried the desperate 19.f4!?.
19...Nf6!
Adding direct pressure to e4 is more accurate than occupying the hole on e5 with 19...Ne5 20.h3.
Black’s advantage is undisputed, yet it isn’t easy to come up with a concrete plan to improve it.
20.Qc2
20.h3 is also lost for White after 20...Nfxe4 21.Nxe4 Nxe4 22.Qe1 Re8 (threat: 23...Nxg3, followed
by 24...Qxe3+) 23.Bf2 Nxg3! 24.Qxe7 Rxe7 and Black remains two pawns up since 25.Nxc6? loses
a piece to 25...Ne2+ 26.Kf1 bxc6.
20...Re8?!
More accurate was the immediate 20...Ng4!. White is done for on the dark squares when Black swaps
his knight for White’s e3-bishop.
21.Re1
A) After 21.Rd1 Ng4 22.Bc1 Bxd4+! 23.Rxd4 Qe5 24.Rd1 Nxb3! White is crushed, since 25.Qxb3
leads to slaughter with 25...Qc5+ 26.Kh1 Nf2+ 27.Kg1 Nh3+ 28.Kh1 Qg1+ 29.Rxg1 Nf2#;
B) 21.h3 Nfxe4 22.Nxe4 Nxe4 23.Re1 Nxg3! 24.Bf2 Qf8 (Black’s knight is tactically covered by the
fact that White’s dark-squared bishop must cover the d4-knight) 25.Nxc6 Rxe1+ 26.Bxe1 Nh5 with a
winning position for Black.
162
21...Ng4! 22.Nf3 Nxe3
We tend to take the joyful things in life for granted, until they are taken away from us. The darksquared bishop was the only piece which made life semi-bearable for White.
23.Rxe3
23...Bf5
Playing on White’s pinned e-pawn. Like Daniel Day-Lewis, Nezh remains in character, playing for
tactics rather than attempting to exploit his strategic plusses. Our plan doesn’t need to be a tactically
utopian ideal when a simple/strong strategic one is available. Slightly more accurate was 23...Bg4!,
going after the final defender of White’s central dark squares: 24.h3 Bh6 25.Re2 Bxf3 26.Bxf3 Ne6.
24.Qd1
24.h3 Nxe4 25.Nxe4 Bxe4 26.Qe2 d5 with an extra pawn and a winning position for Black.
24...Qf6
24...Bg4! 25.h3 Bh6! 26.Re1 Bxf3 27.Bxf3 Qe5 28.Ne2 Nxe4 and White could resign.
25.Qc2 Bg4 26.b4 Bh6!
White’s support of the f3-knight is booted away.
27.Re1 Bxf3 28.e5
163
If 28.bxc5, 28...Qd4+ 29.Kh1 Bd2! wins more material.
28...Rxe5 29.Rxe5 Qxe5 30.Bxf3 Qe3+!
This move forces White’s king to a geometrically unfortunate square.
31.Kg2 Nd3
White loses heavy material, no matter which way he plays.
32.Nd1
On 32.Qe2, 32...Ne1+ 33.Kf1 Qxf3+ 34.Kxe1 Qxc3+ wins.
32...Ne1+
Or 32...Qxf3+! – it’s the same plot: 33.Kxf3 Ne1+ 34.Ke2 Nxc2.
33.Kf1 Nxc2 0-1
Black wins a clean piece.
Game 34 Old Indian/Benoni Wall
Andor Lilienthal
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Kiev ch-URS 1954
164
In this game Nezh swindles and confuses his way out of a poor position.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5!?
Nezhmetdinov veers from his normal King’s Indian and experiments with the Benoni.
3.d5 d6 4.Nc3 g6 5.e4 Bg7 6.Bd3 0-0 7.Nge2 Nbd7?!
This is considered a slightly inaccurate move order since Black’s options are reduced. 7...e6 is better.
8.Ng3
8.f4! e6 9.0-0 exd5 10.exd5 and Black’s d7-knight is misplaced.
8...e6 9.dxe6!?
Lilienthal hopes to exploit the backward d6-pawn. There is a downside, since this increases Black’s
central influence and also creates a hole on d4, which may be later exploited with ...Ne5 and ...Nc6,
or even ...Nb8 and ...Nc6. Normal would be 9.0-0 exd5 10.exd5 or (10.cxd5).
9...fxe6
10.h4!?
Lilienthal isn’t goofing around and plays for mate. After 10.0-0 (Walczak-Barber, cr 1995) Black can
equalize with 10...Ne5 11.Be2 Nc6!, playing on the hole on d4.
10...Ne5!
165
This gains a tempo and enables ...Nc6 and ...Nd4.
11.Be2 a6 12.h5
12.f4 sends Black’s knight to where it wants to go after 12...Nc6.
12...Qe7 13.hxg6 hxg6
The h-file is opened yet Black’s king remains safe for the moment.
14.Bg5 b5!
This Benko Gambit-like sacrifice is justified, since it activates Black’s centre.
15.cxb5 axb5 16.Nxb5 Nf7 17.Qd2 d5
Not 17...Nxg5?! 18.Qxg5 Kf7 19.e5! dxe5 (every black pawn on the board is isolated) 20.Rd1
(threat: 21.Nd6+ and 22.Qxg6) 20...Nd5 21.Ne4 and Black is in serious trouble.
18.exd5 exd5
There is a lot to digest and accurate assessment is not going to be easy. Black has full compensation
for the pawn, due to:
1. his central control;
2. the open lines on the queenside, which may later produce pressure on White’s a- and b-pawns;
3. now with the e-file open, White’s king is unsafe in the centre and must castle kingside, which in
turn negates his open h-file.
166
19.0-0 Bb7 20.a4 Qd7?
An approximation doesn’t cut it in this sharp a position. This is either an unsound sacrifice or a
blunder of a pawn since White now has a double attack combination, which Lilienthal found.
20...Ra6 looks correct.
21.Bxf6! Bxf6 22.Qc2!
Double attack on g6 and c5.
22...Kg7
23.Bh5!?
Lilienthal gets ambitious. He could have played it safer with 23.Qxc5 Bxb2 24.Rab1 Be5 (covering
c7) 25.f4! (the f-pawn is tactically protected) 25...Rac8 26.Qf2 Nh6 27.Nd4! and this is heavily in
White’s favour since 27...Rxf4?? is met with the dirty trick 28.Rxb7! Qxb7 29.Ne6+ Kh7 30.Nxf4
with an extra piece for White.
23...Nh8
The bishop is poisoned: 23...gxh5?? 24.Nxh5+ Kh6 25.Nxf6 Qe6 26.Qh7+ Kg5 27.Qg7+ Kf4
28.Nh5+ Kf5 29.g4+ Ke4 30.Rfe1+ and mate in two moves.
24.Ra3!
The rook is activated and heads for the kingside. Nezh is in deep trouble.
167
24...Be5 25.Bxg6?
Unsound! Lilienthal overestimates the power of his attack. 25.Qxc5! was winning for White, since
Black couldn’t afford 25...gxh5 26.f4! Rac8 27.Qb4 Bb8 28.Nxh5+ Kh6 29.f5!! with a winning
attack, no matter how Black responds.
25...Nxg6 26.Nh5+ Kh6 27.Rh3
Exercise (combination alert): Lilienthal has sacrificed a piece for what he believed was a strong
attack. He is mistaken in this assumption.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 27...Qxh3!
Queen sacrifice/annihilation of defensive barrier. Suddenly it is White’s king, not Black’s, who is in
grave danger.
28.gxh3
You are exhausted yet elated, since you are close to the summit of Mount Everest. Then when you
wake up the next morning you realize your treacherous sherpa stole all your equipment and food
before abandoning you. This must be how Lilienthal felt right about here since he must have had high
expectations of his own attack succeeding. Now he realized that he was in serious trouble.
28...Kxh5
168
Do you feel the sense of unreality? Black’s king is completely safe on h5, since there isn’t a white
attacker in sight.
29.Qxc5 Rf3?!
Not the most accurate. 29...Rxa4! wins a pawn and prepares to transfer the rook to the kingside. After
30.Nd6 Ba8 31.Qc7 Raf4 32.Ra1 Kg5 33.Ra6 R4f6 White is lost.
30.Nd4?!
30.Re1! Rf5 31.Qb6 Rg5+ 32.Kf1 Bc8 33.b3 Bxh3+ 34.Ke2 Re8 35.Kd1 offered White chances to
survive.
30...Rxh3
Threat: 31...Rg8.
31.Ne2
Exercise (planning): What is Black’s clearest way to win?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 31...Nf4!
This move accomplishes two goals:
169
1. It clears the g-file for Black’s a8-rook.
2. It removes a key guard of White’s king and White’s position is suddenly one of defensive
dysfunction.
32.Nxf4+
There wasn’t much choice. 32.Ng3+?? would have been met with 32...Rxg3+! (Nezh’s clever point)
33.fxg3 Bd4+! (attraction/knight fork) 34.Qxd4 Ne2+ 35.Kh2 Nxd4 with two extra pieces for Black.
Now White’s king is laid bare.
32...Bxf4 33.Kg2
Exercise (planning): Find Black’s deadly accurate move and you force instant resignation:
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 33...Rc8!!
Zwischenzug. He won’t even allow Lilienthal to sacrifice his queen.
33...Rg8+?! was less accurate: 34.Kxh3 Bc8+ 35.Qxc8 and White can play on for a while.
34.Qd4
34.Qxc8 doesn’t work as after 34...Bxc8 Black’s h3-rook no longer hangs and he is up two pieces.
34...Rg8+!
170
Attraction. We hear the jail door clicking shut. White’s king is unable to flee the danger zone.
35.Kxh3 Bc8#
Game 35
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Georgy Borisenko
Kiev ch-URS 1954
Black to move
Exercise (critical decision): Nezhmetdinov offers his opponent a piece by moving his knight to h5.
Should Black accept or decline?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: The sacrifice should be declined.
20...gxh5?
In this case, bravery with an unforced acceptance is not an option. Correct was to decline with
20...Be7!. Lowered expectations are such a wonderful stress-remover. White doesn’t have anything
concrete and his best move is to retract the knight to g3.
171
20...gxh5? 21.Qxh5 Bg7 22.e5!
Lines are ruthlessly opened.
22...f5
22...Nxe5 23.Rxe5! Rxe5 24.Nxf7+ Kg8 (24...Nxf7?? 25.Qxh7#) 25.Nxh6+ Bxh6 26.Qxh6 Re1+
27.Kh2 Qd7 28.Bb3+!. This induces Black’s d-pawn to move forward, creating a hole on c5: 28...d5
29.Qg5+ Kf8. Now White unravels with 30.Be3!, aiming for c5: 30...Rxa1 (also lost is 30...Rxe3
31.fxe3 Qg7 32.Rf1+ Kg8 33.Qf4) 31.Bc5+ Kf7 32.Bc2 with a winning attack for White.
Exercise (combination alert): 23.Bxf5 is strong. Do you see something even better for White?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 23.Nxh7!
Annihilation of defensive barrier.
23...Re6
Black is desperate to protect the h6-knight. If 23...Kxh7 24.Bxh6 Bxh6 25.Qxf5+ Kg7 26.Qh7+ Kf8
27.Qxh6+ Kg8 (27...Ke7 28.exd6+ Kd7 29.Bf5+ and mate next move) 28.Qh7+ Kf8 29.Bg6 forces
mate.
24.Nf6!
172
Interference.
24...Rxf6
24...dxe5 25.Bxh6 Rxf6 26.Bg5+ Kg8 27.b3 Nd6 28.Rxe5 Qf8 29.Rae1 c5 30.Bxf6 Bxf6 31.Re6
with a wicked attack for White.
25.exf6 Qxf6 26.Bg5 Qf7 27.Qxf7!
We enter a position of paradoxes. White has a won ending, despite Black’s slight material edge, since
Black’s king remains unsafe, despite the heavy reduction of material.
27...Nxf7 28.Re7
Seizing the 7th rank, with tempo.
28...Nxg5 29.hxg5 Rb8
30.Rae1!
Nezh concocts more deviltries. b2 doesn’t require protection.
30...Ne5
He is desperate to seal the e-file, which he can’t do. 30...Nxb2?? 31.Re8+ Rxe8 32.Rxe8+ Kh7
(32...Bf8 33.Rxf8+ Kg7 34.Rb8 leaves White up a rook) 33.Bxf5#.
31.f4 Bf8
173
If 31...Ng6 32.Re8+ Rxe8 33.Rxe8+ Nf8 34.Rb8! wins a piece.
32.Rc7 Ng6 33.Bxf5
Nezh wants to open lines. The consolidating 33.g3 was also easily winning.
33...Nxf4 34.Re4! Nxg2
I suppose a faint hope is better than no hope at all, although this fallback plan feels a bit contrived.
A) 34...Nd5?? 35.Rh4+ Kg8 (a spite block on h6 still leads to mate) 36.Be6#;
B) 34...Bc8 35.Bxc8 Ng6 36.Bf5 was equally hopeless for Black.
35.Rh7+
A) 35.g6! (threat: 36.Rh7+, followed by 37.Be6 mate) 35...Bg7 36.Ree7 Be5 37.Be6! forces mate;
B) Borisenko was probably praying for 35.Kxg2? c5 36.g6 Bxe4+ 37.Bxe4 Bg7 and Black can fight
on.
35...Kg8 36.g6!
Threat: 37.Be6 mate.
36...Bc8 37.Bxc8 Rxc8 38.Kxg2
White has won a full exchange and the remainder is easy.
38...a5 39.Rd7 d5 40.Re6 Bh6 41.Rdd6! Bc1 42.b3 c5 43.Rxd5 Bb2 44.Rd7!
174
He doesn’t bother to protect his c-pawn. 44.c4 was also an easy win.
44...Bxc3 45.g7!
Threat: 46.Rh6!.
45...Kh7
Exercise (combination alert): White’s and Black’s positions remind us of the saying: it’s easy to
earn money when you already have it in abundance. The opposite is also true: poverty attracts greater
poverty. How can White win Black’s bishop by force?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 46.Re3! 1-0
46...Bxg7 47.Rh3+ (driving Black’s king to g8) 47...Kg8 48.Rg3 – two votes for, one against. White
pins and wins the bishop.
Game 36 Réti Opening
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Efim Geller
Kiev ch-URS 1954
175
1.Nf3
Sometimes if Nezhmetdinov feared his opponent’s opening preparation, he put aside his beloved 1.e4
and took refuge in his comfort zone: a King’s Indian formation, a move up.
1...Nf6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 Bf5 4.0-0 e6 5.d3 Be7 6.Nc3
White’s optimal set-up in the Reversed King’s Indian versus the London may be 6.Nfd2! h6 7.e4 Bh7
8.Nc3 0-0 9.f4 with g3-g4 coming.
6...0-0
Geller isn’t afraid to hand over the bishop pair.
A) 6...h6 hangs on to the f5-bishop;
B) The complications after 6...d4? favour White after 7.Nxd4! Qxd4 8.Bxb7 0-0 9.Bxa8 c6 10.Qd2!
Qb6 11.Qe3 Qc7 12.Qf4 Bd6 13.Qa4 Rc8 14.Be3 and if 14...Nbd7 15.Bxc6 Qxc6 16.Qxc6 Rxc6
17.Bxa7 a rook and four pawns is too much for only two minor pieces. The trick 17...Ba3 wins back a
pawn, yet isn’t enough to save Black: 18.Rfb1 Bxb2 19.Rxb2 Rxc3 20.a4 and White’s a-pawn will
win the game.
7.Nh4
Nezh is not afraid to mix it up and create an imbalance. 7.e4 dxe4 8.Ne5 h6 9.dxe4 Bh7 10.Qe2 was
a bit more pleasant for White.
7...Bg4 8.h3 Bh5 9.g4
176
Here we go. The game sharpens considerably. As we well understand, Nezhmetdinov was always
happy to violate the strictures of a righteous pawn structure, if in turn the weakening handed him the
initiative or, in this case, created an imbalance with the bishop pair.
9...Bg6 10.Nxg6 hxg6 11.e4 dxe4
Based on the Principle: Meet your opponent’s (future) wing attack with a central counter. 11...c6
12.f4 looks a bit better for White.
12.Nxe4
Threat: 13.Nxf6+ and 14.Bxb7. Nezhmetdinov wants to keep the queens on the board, so he
recaptures with his knight. Worth a thought was the aggressive/potentially weakening 12.g5!? Nh5
13.Nxe4. I prefer White’s game, despite a potential hole on f4, since Black’s h5-knight can later be
attacked with Bf3.
12...c6 13.c3 Nbd7 14.Qe2 Nxe4 15.Bxe4 Bd6!
This is actually the offer of a pawn, for attacking chances.
16.Bxg6!?
Nezhmetdinov takes the bait. This is no ‘free’ pawn, since White loses several tempi and Black gets
serious attacking compensation.
16...Qh4!
16...fxg6?? is dumb as 17.Qxe6+ Kh7 (17...Rf7) 18.Qxd6 leaves White up two pawns and winning.
177
17.Kg2 Ne5
18.Be4?
In this case the natural move is the incorrect one, since Black gains even more time with ...f7-f5. The
mechanical marvel engine found the totally inhuman move 18.Bh5!!. Now if Black plays 18...g6?
(18...Nd7 19.g5! frees the h5-bishop) 19.d4 and 19...Nd7 is met with the same trick 20.Bxg6! with a
winning position.
18...f5!
Nezhmetdinov has been outplayed and is in deep trouble with his king, despite his extra pawn.
19.Bf3
19.gxf5? was even worse, since it opens the e-file for Black’s a8-rook with 19...exf5 20.Bf3 Rae8
with a deadly attack brewing.
19...Rf6!
Nezh finds himself in a heap of trouble around his king. Even worse news is that he is playing one of
the premier attackers in the world.Geller turned into a monster if he possessed either the attack or the
initiative. Black may double rooks on the f-file, or the rook may switch over to g6.
20.d4?
20.g5 was the only move, e.g. 20...Rg6 21.Rg1 f4 22.Bg4 Qxg5 23.Kf1 with a bad but still playable
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position for White.
20...Nxg4!?
Principle: Not all combinations should be played, even if we see them. Geller opts for a
combinational solution, which was his second-best choice. Stronger was 20...Nxf3! 21.Qxf3 Rg6
22.g5 f4 23.Kh1 Qxg5 24.Bd2 Qf5 25.Rg1 Rh6 26.Rg4 Kf7! intending to swing the a8-rook to h8,
leading to a better position than what he got in the game.
21.Rh1!
The only move. Black loses on other tries:
A) 21.Bxg4? Rg6 with a winning attack for Black;
B) 21.hxg4?? Qh2#.
21...Nh6 22.Kf1 Nf7 23.Be3 Re8 24.Rd1
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24...f4!
Excellent judgement. This aggressive move comes at a cost, since it weakens Black’s central light
squares, yet the attacking benefits outweigh the potential problems.
25.Bc1 e5
Thematic and strong.
26.dxe5
26.Qd3 Ng5 also looks awful for White.
26...Rxe5
Even stronger was 26...Bc5! 27.Rh2 Nxe5 with a wretched position for White.
27.Qc4 Bc5 28.Rh2
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The h2-rook, admittedly a sorry looking piece, at least serves the functions of covering the mating
square f2 and also the h3-pawn.
28...b5 29.Rd8+ Bf8
More accurate than 29...Kh7 30.Qd3+ g6 31.Rd7.
30.Qb3 Rfe6?!
Right idea, wrong rook. Stronger was 30...Ree6! (threat: 31...Nxd8) 31.Rd1 Ne5 32.Be4 Kh8 33.Kg1
f3 (threat: 34...Qxe4) 34.Qc2 Bd6, whipping up a winning attack.
31.Rd1
The rook was attacked on d8, since Black broke the pin on his knight.
31...Rg6
31...Bc5 was also a consideration: 32.Bg4 Rf6, intending ...f4-f3 next.
32.Rd7
Nezh hopes for a touch of light- square counterplay.
32...Be7?
Geller is blind to opportunity. I suspect he was in time trouble. Black’s advantage drops sharply after
this move. He would have had a winning position if he’d found 32...Rge6! 33.Bd2 Qh7! intending to
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infiltrate on b1, e.g. 34.Qd1 Bd6 35.h4 Qd3+ 36.Kg1 Re2! 37.Bxe2 Rxe2 wins since 38.Qb3 is met
with 38...Qb1+ 39.Kg2 f3+ 40.Kh3 (40.Kxf3 Qe4#) 40...Qf5#.
33.Bd2 a5
He wants to boot White’s queen from the pinning square b3, with ...a5-a4.
34.a4!
Nezhmetdinov begins to rustle up serious light-square counterplay, while Black’s pinned knight is
still unable to join the attack.
34...bxa4!?
White’s rook on the seventh rank is too active, therefore Geller might have been better off swapping
it away with 34...Rd6!.
35.Qxa4?!
He shouldn’t have broken the pin on Black’s knight. Correct was 35.Qc4!.
35...Reg5?!
White would still have been in trouble after 35...Ree6! 36.Ra7 Ne5.
36.Qb3
He realizes that the knight must be pinned, although c4 was the better square for the queen.
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36...Rg1+ 37.Ke2
White’s king is surprisingly safe on e2.
37...Qf6 38.Rd4
Threatening f4 and covering against queen checks on the e-file.
38...c5!?
Geller gives away his f-pawn to swing his queen into a6. 38...Bd6 39.Rh1 looks about even.
39.Qb8+?
No doubt a time pressure error. This move is overly aggressive since White’s queen is needed on b3
to cover against ...Qa6+. White stands no worse after 39.Rxf4! Qa6+ 40.Qc4 Re6+ 41.Be3 Qb6 42.b3
Ne5 43.Qd5.
39...Kh7?
The move 40 time control hasn’t been reached yet and Geller misses 39...Bf8! 40.Rxf4 Qa6+ 41.c4
Re6+ 42.Be3 g5! (removal of the guard; soon the protector of c4 will be swapped off) 43.Rg4 Rxg4
44.hxg4 Qxc4+ 45.Ke1 Qf4!, winning a piece.
40.Rxf4 Qa6+! 41.c4 Bd6??
This was Geller’s idea. His bishop skewers everyone. The problem is he forgot about his king! The
game remains dynamically balanced after 41...Bg5! 42.Bd5 Bxf4 43.Qxf4.
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42.Rh4+ Nh6
Exercise (planning): Outward appearances suggest that all is well in Black’s world. But is it? White
has access to a powerful continuation which ends the game.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 43.Qe8! Qa7
Intending to swap queens next move with 44...Qe7+. White’s hanging rook can’t be touched:
43...Bxh2?? 44.Bd5! with the threat 45.Qg8 mate, to which there is no reasonable defence.
44.Be4!
44.Bd5? allows Black to swap queens with 44...Qe7+.
44...Qe7
Geller is desperate to remove the queens from the board.
184
45.Qxe7!
Is it possible to agree/not agree to something, simultaneously? Yes, it is possible. White agrees to the
queen swap yet refuses to stop attacking.
45...Bxe7
Exercise (combination alert): A clever tactic escaped Geller’s notice. Find one powerful move and
Black’s position collapses.
185
Show/Hide Solution
Answer:
Interference/pin/clearance. White wins by shifting his rook over just one move:
46.Rg4!
Geller resigned, seeing the following lines:
A) 46...Nxg4 47.hxg4+ Kg8 48.Bd5+ Kf8 49.Rh8#;
B) 46...R1xg4 47.hxg4. Undoubtedly there will be some sociologist somewhere who has studied the
significance of wait times in different cultures. One clear piece of data will be that the waiter is under
the power of the person they wait for, just as Black is here. Geller’s position is completely paralyzed
and not a thing can be done about g4-g5.
Game 37
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Leonid Shamkovich
Kiev ch-URS 1954
White to move
Exercise (planning): Come up with a plan to exploit White’s extra f-pawn.
186
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Step 1: Transfer the knight to g5, threatening to push forward the f-pawn:
28.Ng5! Qxe4+
If 28...Kc6 29.f7 Bd6 30.Bf4! Be7 31.Be5! Kd7 32.Qxd5+ exd5 33.Bg7! wins a piece.
29.dxe4 Kc6 30.f7! 1-0
30...Bd6 31.Nxe6!. Step 2: Chop e6, preparing a knight fork on d8: 31...Bxf7 32.Nd8+ Kd7 33.Nxf7
and White has won a piece.
Game 38 Sicilian Defence
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Viktor Kortchnoi
Bucharest 1954 (1)
What happens when one of the best attackers in the world meets one of the best counter-attackers in
the world? This is one of three draws in this book, and what a nail-biter it is, with the evaluations
swinging back and forth throughout the game.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bg5
The Richter-Rauzer Variation.
6...e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.0-0-0 Bd7 9.f4 Be7 10.Nf3
White wants to engineer a break on e5.
10...b5 11.Bxf6
11.e5 is met with 11...b4 12.exf6 bxc3 13.Qxc3 gxf6 14.Bh4 d5 with a sharp fight to follow,
Inarkiev-Gupta, Sharjah 2019.
11...gxf6
11...Bxf6?! is unsound: 12.Qxd6 Bxc3 13.bxc3 Qe7 14.Be2 Qxd6 15.Rxd6 Ke7 16.Rhd1. Sure,
White has a doubled c-pawn, but one is extra. Black stands clearly worse.
12.f5
187
White’s goal in the Richter-Rauzer is to create pressure on e6 and the light squares in general, while
Black rules the dark.
12...Qa5
Threat: 13...b4 and 14...Qxa2. 12...Qb6 is more common in our era.
13.Kb1 Ne5?!
A theoretical novelty, and a poor one. Today this move is known to be an error. The main moves are
13...Rc8 and 13...h5.
14.Bd3?!
Now Black is okay again. White can gain a clear advantage with 14.Nxe5! fxe5 15.f6! Bf8 (if
15...Bxf6 16.Qxd6 Qd8 17.a3 Qe7 18.Qc7 Black has a difficult time unraveling and may lose a pawn
on the queenside) 16.g4 Rc8 17.Rg1 (17.h4 also looks strong) 17...b4 18.Ne2 d5!? AverbakhBotvinnik, Moscow 1956. Botvinnik attempts to lash out from a position of weakness. White should
have declined the offer and played 19.Nc1! d4 (after 19...Bc6 20.Nb3 Qb6 21.exd5! Rd8 22.Bg2
Bxd5 23.Rge1 Black is busted) 20.h4 – Black has no counterplay and is in real trouble.
14...Nc4?!
Black’s bishops don’t work well in the coming position. Black looks okay after 14...Nxd3! 15.Qxd3
b4 16.fxe6 fxe6 17.Ne2 Qb5.
15.Bxc4 bxc4
188
Weirdly enough, Black won’t be able to make much attacking use of the open b-file, provided White
finds the strongest defensive plan.
16.Rhe1
White should have gone for the following plan: 16.Ka1! Rb8 17.Rb1!. Appearances suggest this to be
an unnatural construct. Even so, it turns out to be effective in keeping White’s king safe. 17...h5
18.Rhd1 looks difficult for Black, who has no obvious way to continue his attack, while his position
is under pressure.
16...Rb8 17.Ne2?!
It wasn’t too late for the 17.Ka1! plan.
17...Qb5 18.c3
18...e5!
Through a mysterious defensive sixth sense, Kortchnoi understands that White won’t be able to
exploit the hole on d5, even though it looks as if he can. Now the position is dynamically balanced.
19.Ng3 Rg8?!
This move gives White the potential for future infiltrations to h5 and h6. 19...h5 looks correct.
20.Re2!
Nezhmetdinov reinforces b2 to allow a future Qh6.
189
20...Bc6 21.Ka1 Qa5?!
21...Kd7! improves.
22.Qh6!
Nezhmetdinov exploits Kortchnoi’s failure to play ...h7-h5 earlier. h7 is attacked and White may
follow up with Nh5.
22...Qb6?!
Correct was 22...Kd7 23.Nh5 Ba4 (intending 24...Bb3) 24.Rd5 Qd8.
23.Qxh7 Rg4 24.Qh8+ Kd7 25.Qh5
I hear opinions among chess players on social media who claim that Nezhmetdinov, although a gifted
tactician/attacker/master of the initiative, was a weak strategic player. This is just not true. Here he
strategically outclasses a future challenger for the World Championship title. The truth is, Nezh’s
weakness was more in dull positions and was more of a temperamental issue, since he had no
patience and invariably took rash action in cases when his best policy was to wait.
25...Rxg3!?
Moment of Contemplation: If your enemy is running out of time, it also means that you are as well,
since confrontation is certain to come to your door. In this case fear outweighs hunger.
Kortchnoi, not a man who readily agrees to go gently into the good night, realizes that he is
190
strategically busted, so he unbalances the game with a desperate exchange sacrifice, He is willing to
give up material since he can’t stomach the passive 25...Rg7 26.Rb1 Ba4 27.Nd2 when Black just
doesn’t have enough attack for the pawn. Soon White will transfer the g3-knight to d5, with a
dominating position.
26.hxg3 Bxe4!
Overloaded defender. This is Black’s point: he destroys White’s centre and activates his light-squared
bishop. The engines however scoff at Black’s alleged compensation and have White up by between
+3.67 and +6.32!
27.Qxf7 Bd3!
27...Bxf5?? falls for White’s trap: 28.Nxe5+!, exploiting the pins on both defending pawns and
winning.
28.Qe6+ Kd8 29.Red2 Qc5 30.Rh1
After 30.Ne1 e4 31.Nxd3 exd3 32.Re1 Rb7 33.b4! cxb3 34.Rxd3 Black doesn’t have enough attack
for the missing exchange. 34...Qa3 is met with 35.Qg8+ Kd7 36.Rxe7+! Kxe7 37.Qe6+ Kf8
(37...Kd8 38.Rxd6+ Kc7 39.Qe7+ Kb8 40.Rd8+; the discovered attack wins Black’s queen and
quickly forces mate) 38.Qc8+ Kg7 39.Qxb7+; White wins.
30...d5
Black’s central pawns have been activated, despite Kortchnoi’s hardships and obstacles.
31.Rh7 Qd6
191
32.Rxe7!?
Moment of Contemplation: Nezhmetdinov is willing to return material in exchange for the
initiative. The trouble with this plan is that he could have had an initiative/attack without the sacrifice.
Therefore stronger was the calm 32.Qf7!. The two attacks are not a case of parallel evolution –
White’s is faster, e.g. 32...Rb7 (32...Rb5 33.Rh8+ Kc7 34.Re8 Kd7 35.Ra8 (intending 36.Qe8+)
35...Kc7 36.g4 – at some point White will destabilize with a break on g5 and I don’t trust Black’s
survival chances) 33.Ne1 e4 34.Nc2! Kc8 35.Nd4 e3 36.Rd1 and now 36...Qb6? fails to 37.Qg8+!
Bd8 38.Rxb7 Qxb7 39.Qe6+ Kb8 40.Nc6+ Kc7 41.Nxd8 Kxd8 42.Rh1 and White wins.
32...Qxe7 33.Qxd5+ Kc7 34.g4?
Correct was 34.Rd1!, intending 35.Nd2, going after Black’s c4-pawn.
34...Rb5 35.Qa8
192
Exercise (combination alert): The dry tinder is there. All Black needs is a spark. How can Black
force a draw?
Show/Hide Solution
35...Qc5?
Answer: Kortchnoi misses the hidden shot 35...Qa3! with the threat 36...Qxa2+ and 37...Ra5 mate.
White has nothing better than to take perpetual check with 36.Qa7+ (of course the capture of Black’s
queen is taboo: 36.bxa3?? Rb1#) 36...Kd8 37.Qa8+ Ke7 (or 37...Kc7) 38.Qa7+ Kf8 39.Qc7!
(covering a5 and Black’s mating threat) 39...Qxc3!. Queen sacrifice/weak back rank. Now White
must fall back on Plan B and force perpetual check with 40.Qd8+ Kf7 41.Qd7+.
193
Exercise (planning): There is no time to rest, since we follow one exercise immediately with
another. After Nezhmetdinov’s defensive combination, White has a winning position.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Defensive move/overloaded defender:
36.b4!
It wasn’t easy to retain mental equilibrium after the shocks of Nezhmetdinov’s tactical ingenuity.
Suddenly, White’s king is safe. Nezhmetdinov exploits the fact that Black’s c-pawn cannot take en
passant, since it must continue to defend Black’s bishop: 36...cxb3?? 37.Rxd3 b2+ 38.Kb1 and if
38...Qf2 39.Qd8+ Black is mated.
36...Qc6 37.Qa7+?
That same old problem arises again: Nezh’s reluctance to consolidate his attack with simplification.
So he incorrectly keeps the queens on the board, offering his opponent better chances to survive.
Correct was to simplify with 37.Qxc6+! Kxc6 38.g5! (undermining) 38...Bxf5 39.gxf6 Bg6 40.g4
Rd5 41.Kb2 Rxd2+ 42.Nxd2 Kd5 43.a4! e4 44.Nf1 Ke5 45.b5! axb5 46.axb5 (White’s f-pawn is
safe due to the promotion threat of the b-pawn) 46...Bf7 47.Ne3! and Black is dead lost since White
has seized control over d5, preventing defences based upon ...Bd5.
37...Rb7 38.Qe3 a5!
Kortchnoi chips away at White’s king.
194
39.g5?
A) 39.bxa5?? Rb1#;
B) White still stands slightly better after 39.Ne1! e4 40.Nc2.
39...axb4 40.cxb4 Rxb4
Now White must be careful not to lose the game.
41.Qa7+ Kc8
41...Rb7 42.Qa5+ Qb6 43.Qxb6+ Rxb6 44.Rb2 Rc6 45.gxf6 c3 46.Rb1! Bxb1 47.Kxb1 Rxf6
48.Nxe5 Rxf5 49.Nd3 Rg5 50.Kc2 Rxg2+ 51.Kxc3 Rxa2 and the knight versus rook ending is an
easy draw.
42.Rd1 Ra4 ½-½
195
The pub brawl ends without a winner, since after 43.Qe7 Rxa2+ 44.Kxa2 Qa4+ 45.Qa3 (not
45.Kb2?? Qc2+ 46.Ka1 Qxd1+ 47.Ka2 Qb3+ 48.Ka1 Qb1#) 45...Qc2+ 46.Qb2 Qa4+ the game
ends in perpetual check.
Game 39 Ruy Lopez
Vladlen Zurakhov
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Rostov-on-Don 1954
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5
I make the not-so-difficult prediction that the Ruy Lopez will never go out of fashion and will be
played until Judgement Day, and possibly beyond.
3...a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3 d6 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2
cxd4
This exchange is still Black’s main line today.
13.cxd4
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13...Bb7
This move is Black’s second most popular choice and I confess that I don’t understand it, since White
can play d4-d5! now, gaining space and making the newly fianchettoed bishop on b7 hit a wall on d5.
13...Nc6 is today’s main move.
14.Nf1
After 14.d5! Rac8 15.Bd3 Nd7 16.Nf1 f5 17.Ng3 f4 18.Nf5 I prefer White’s position, PiccoliArancibia Morales, cr 2008.
14...Rac8 15.Bb1!?
He doesn’t want to move the bishop to d3, because he fears ...e5xd4, followed by ...Nd7 and ...Ne5,
gaining a tempo on the bishop. 15.Re2 can be met with the equalizing 15...d5!.
15...g6
Perhaps Black should have freed himself with 15...d5! 16.exd5 exd4.
16.Ng3
16.d5! still looks better for White.
16...Rfe8
Again I would prevent White’s possible d4-d5 with 16...exd4!.
197
17.Bd3
17.d5!.
17...Bf8
Neither side is willing to relieve the tension.
18.a4 b4 19.Bd2
This was his last chance for 19.d5!.
19...exd4!
At long last. Black’s rising piece activity makes up for his structural flaws.
20.Bxb4 Nc6 21.Bd2 Nd7!
The knight eyes both c5 and e5.
22.a5 Nde5 23.Nxe5
23...Nxe5!?
Moment of Contemplation: This move is a snapshot of Nezhmetdinov’s style – he always sides with
piece activity over structure. A more strategically minded player would have fixed the structure with
23...dxe5.
198
24.Rc1 Qd7 25.Bf1 Bg7
25...d5! 26.Rxc8 Rxc8 27.exd5 Qxd5 28.Ne4 Be7 looks balanced.
26.f4! Rxc1 27.Bxc1 Nc6 28.Bd2 Nd8?!
I don’t like this move much since White can easily cut off a future ...Nc5 with a b2-b4 push.
29.Qb3?!
The queen blocks her own b-pawn; 29.b4! Ne6 30.Bd3 Nc7 31.Qg4 Qd8 32.f5 and I prefer White.
29...Ne6 30.Qb6?!
The queen is vulnerable on b6. 30.Qf3 Rc8 31.f5 looks balanced.
30...d3!
Threat: 31...Bd4+.
31.Be3 Nc5 32.e5
Exercise (combination alert): We just feel it: ill news looms over White’s position. He attempts to
destabilize Black’s knight. How should Black respond?
Show/Hide Solution
199
Answer: 32...dxe5!!
It’s a waste of time to advise a zealot to ‘be reasonable’, since the zealot is busy being unreasonable
about some other thing. With a single move, Nezhmetdinov plunges the position into a state of joyful
anarchy. At first look it doesn’t seem like Black gets enough. In reality the move shows brilliant
attacking judgement since a few moves later, White’s difficulties begin to emerge and Black’s piece
activity and attack grow out of control.
33.Bxc5
Unlike in life, a gift in chess does not imply hospitality. White wins a piece, yet will pay dearly for it.
Backing off now would represent ideological disaster for White: 33.fxe5? Rxe5 34.Bd2 Rxe1
35.Bxe1 d2 36.Bxd2 Qxd2 and the trouble is Black’s knight isn’t hanging at all, due to the response
37...Bd4+.
33...d2 34.Rd1 exf4 35.Nh1
Suddenly, all of White’s pieces begin to behave like sluggish reptiles on a cold day. 35.Ne2 f3
36.gxf3 Qd5 is a winning attack for Black.
35...f3!
The position continues to reverberate from Nezh’s 32nd-move decision to give up a piece.
36.g3 f2+!
The h1-a8 diagonal is opened for a black queen/bishop battery.
37.Nxf2 Bf3!
The bishop goes after the blockader on d1.
38.Qb3?!
Marginally better was 38.Ra1 but after 38...Bxb2! 39.Rb1 (39.Qxb2 Qc7! with dual targets on g3 and
c5 – White is busted) 39...Be5 White won’t survive.
38...Bxd1 39.Nxd1 h5 40.Bf2 Re1! 0-1
200
White’s position is now an atmosphere-less planet, where no organic life can survive. The threat is
41...Qxh3 and if 41.Kg2 (after 41.Qc2 Bh6 42.Nc3 Qxh3 43.Qd3 h4 White’s position falls apart)
41...Qc6+ wins material.
201
Show in Text Mode
Game 40 Caro-Kann Defence
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Genrikh Kasparian
Riga 1955
In October 2019 I started a Facebook group with GM Max Illingworth, called Chess Endgame Studies
and Compositions. Some of the top composers in the world hang out there, as well as a few world
class GMs. Many tell me Genrikh Kasparian may have been the greatest endgame study composer of
all time. He was also a strong over-the-board player who won the Armenian Championship 10 times,
including two shared first places with Tigran Petrosian.
1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3 Bg4 4.h3 Bxf3 5.Qxf3 e6
Black swaps his light-squared bishop and then switches the pawns to the opposite colour of his
remaining bishop. 5...Nf6 is also played.
6.g3
6.d3 is White’s main move.
6...g6!?
202
Just as genetic mutation turns one species into a slightly different one, chess openings morph with
time into something other than the original. Kasparian’s move was a theoretical novelty at the time.
The move is a bit odd since Black has already committed to ...e7-e6. Now Black’s kingside dark
squares are slightly weakened. The idea is to fianchetto and leave e7 open for the g8-knight. 6...Nf6
is normal.
7.Bg2 Bg7 8.0-0 Nd7
I would play 8...Ne7 but maybe it makes no difference.
9.Qe2
Threatening tricks on d5.
9...d4!?
Although this move gains a tempo and also central space, I don’t like it since Black places the pawn
on the same colour as his remaining bishop. 9...Ne7 is more consistent: 10.Rd1!? (RoganovicMatlakov, Chennai 2011) and Black looks okay after 10...0-0 11.d4 b5.
10.Nb1
The knight will be rerouted via d2.
10...e5 11.d3 Ne7 12.f4 Qc7 13.a4
13...0-0?!
203
Black should have applied the Principle: Meet your opponent’s wing attack with a central counter.
Necessary was 13...exf4 14.gxf4 even though this slightly opens the position for White’s bishop pair.
After 14...0-0 15.Nd2 I still prefer White, but not as much as in the game.
14.f5!
Black is getting squeezed on the kingside.
14...f6!?
Now Black’s light squares are further weakened. Maybe Black should have once again opened the
centre with 14...gxf5 although it does offer White’s pieces use of e4 – 15.exf5 Nd5 16.c4 dxc3
17.Nxc3 N7f6 and White stands better in this version as well.
15.Nd2
This allows Black to dump his bad bishop. White could also have tried 15.fxg6 hxg6 16.h4 intending
h4-h5, e.g. 16...f5 17.Bh3 with some advantage.
15...Bh6!
No more bad bishop.
16.Kh2
I prefer 16.h4, intending Bh3, activating the light-squared bishop.
16...Kh8 17.fxg6 hxg6 18.Nf3
204
Better was 18.h4! intending to further weaken Black’s kingside light squares with h4-h5.
18...Bxc1 19.Raxc1 Nc5
20.c3!?
Nezh wants to disrupt in the centre.
A) More consistent was 20.h4 Nxa4 21.c3 dxc3 22.bxc3 Ng8 23.d4 with loads of compensation for
the pawn;
B) 20.b3 was also okay but Nezhmetdinov was not the type to quibble over a pawn.
20...Nb3!
A) 20...dxc3? is met with the clever zwischenzug 21.Qe3! (hitting c5 and eyeing h6) 21...b6 22.bxc3
Ng8 23.d4 with a solid advantage for White;
B) 20...Nxa4?. Principle: If a key piece wanders off to the side, then expect unpleasant repercussions
on the other side. 21.cxd4 exd4 22.Qd2 (threatening to slip into h6) 22...Ng8 23.Nxd4 and Black is
in trouble.
21.Rcd1 Rad8 22.Nh4
Once again I prefer 22.h4 to push the pawn to h5 and also activate the remaining bishop on h3.
22...Qc8 23.Bf3
The bishop will emerge on g4.
205
23...Qe6?!
Black’s game begins to sour at this point. Black looks okay after 23...c5! 24.Bg4 Qc6 25.c4 Kg7.
24.Bg4 Qf7?!
Inaccurate since the queen will move again next move. The queen should have moved to g8 right
away.
25.Nf3
Threats: 26.Nxe5 and also 26.Ng5, followed by 27.Ne6, forking.
25...Qg8 26.h4! Kg7 27.Rf2
Nezhmetdinov prepares to double rooks on the f-file. There was nothing wrong with the immediate
27.h5.
27...Rd6?
This move, which essentially blows two full tempi, puts the rook on the wrong spot, since it leaves
the f8-rook underprotected. Black could have minimized his disadvantage with 27...c5 28.c4 Na5
29.h5 g5.
28.Rdf1
Threat: 29.Nxe5.
28...Rdd8
To be forced into such a move is a sad admission.
206
29.Qc2?!
With this inconsistent move, Nezh starts an elaborate narrative, where a simple sentence would
suffice. Why move a piece away from Black’s king? Thematic and strong was 29.h5! g5 (29...gxh5
30.Bxh5 – Nh4 is coming and Black is strategically lost) 30.h6+! Kxh6 (after 30...Kh8 31.cxd4 exd4
32.h7! Qg7 33.Qc2, moving the knight to a5 allows White to trap it with b2-b4) 31.cxd4 Nxd4
32.Nxd4 Rxd4 33.Rxf6+, leaving Black busted.
29...b6 30.h5
Also worthy of consideration was 30.c4 Nc5 31.b4 Ne6 32.c5.
30...c5 31.hxg6?!
White should have clogged the centre first with 31.c4!.
31...dxc3! 32.bxc3
207
32...c4!
Principle: Meet the opponent’s wing attack with a central counter.
33.d4 exd4 34.cxd4?
Now Black is right back in the game. 34.Nh4! d3 35.Qd1 Nc5 36.e5 Ne4 37.Rf4 was still heavily in
White’s favour.
34...Nxd4
This not only wins a central pawn but forces a potent white attacker off the board.
35.Nxd4 Rxd4 36.e5
It’s not all that intimidating when your would-be attacker approaches with unsteady legs. Kasparian is
desperate to open lines against Black’s king.
36...f5
Of course White’s bishop wasn’t really hanging: 36...Rxg4?? 37.exf6+.
37.Bxf5 Qd5 38.Be6
Clever, but it fails to harm Black.
38...Rh8+
208
38...Rxf2+?? 39.Qxf2 Qxe6 40.Qf8+ Kxg6 41.Rf6+ and White wins.
39.Bh3
39.Kg1?? Rh1#.
39...Nxg6??
Correct was 39...Rd3 40.Rf7+ Kg8 41.Rf8+ Kg7 42.R1f7+ Kxg6 43.Rxh8 Kxf7 and it’s anybody’s
game – 44.Bg2 Qxe5 45.Qxc4+ Kg7 46.Qxd3 Kxh8 47.Be4 should logically end in a draw.
Exercise (combination alert): Until this point it was a hard-fought game, with nobody completely in
charge. Now comes a bolt of lightning and a clap of thunder. What should White play?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 40.Rf7+
Step 1: Chase Black’s king to h6.
40...Kh6
This allows White a mate in seven moves. Also hopeless was 40...Qxf7 41.Rxf7+ Kxf7 42.Qf5+ Kg7
43.Qf6+ Kh7 44.Bf5 Rg8 45.Qg5! – threat: 46.Qh5+ and 47.Qxg6+, to which there is no defence.
41.Qxg6+!
209
A move like this one always come with a jolt to the losing side.
Step 2: Queen sacrifice, which forces mate in 6. The rules of combat are not so complicated. White
just keeps delivering checks until he forces mate.
41...Kxg6 42.R1f6+ Kg5
For Black’s king, it’s dark and the streets are deserted.
43.Rf5+!
Not 43.Rg7+?? Kh5 when suddenly White has no mate and it is Black who wins.
43...Kg6 44.R7f6+! Kh7
44...Kg7 45.Rg5+ Kh7 46.Bf5#.
45.Rh5+ Kg7 46.Rg5+ Kh7
If White’s two rooks are the triangle’s two lines, then White’s bishop is the all-important hypotenuse:
47.Bf5#
Game 41 Sicilian Defence
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Israel Zilber
Voroshilovgrad 1955
210
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.g3!?
For the first few moves of a chess game, opening theory tends to drip in a homogeneous flow, where
world champion and B-level player may make the identical first 12 moves in a line. How refreshing
then, when one side embraces the unorthodox. This is an extremely rare continuation. One problem
with it is that if Black ever plays ...h7-h6, then White loses the Bh4 option since then ...g7-g5 wins
the bishop. 7.Qd2 is by far White’s most popular continuation.
7...Qa5?!
Sharp opening lines are not conducive to our own private theories. This move is unnatural, since
White often plays Nb3 in the Richter-Rauzer line. In this instance Black will lose a tempo with his
queen. Black gets a decent position with 7...Be7 8.Bg2 0-0.
8.Bxf6
Now the position takes on a feel of a Richter-Rauzer, but one favourable for White.
8...gxf6 9.Nb3
This tempo gain matters. Why? Because now Black doesn’t have time to play ...h7-h5, which means
that White’s queen can move to h5 without being kicked out.
9...Qc7 10.Qh5! a6 11.Be2!?
The idea of not fianchettoing is that White may later pressure e6 with f2-f4, f4-f5 and Bg4. Another
plan is f2-f4, f4-f5, Qh3 and Bh5.
211
11...Be7?!
This gives away control over h6 and makes queenside castling more difficult, since then f7 hangs.
Black might have been better off fianchettoing the bishop with 11...b5 12.0-0 Bg7.
12.f4 Bd7 13.f5 0-0
There is no choice, since as mentioned above, castling queenside hangs the f7-pawn.
14.Rf1!
Threat: Rf4, Rh4 and Qxh7 mate.
14...Ne5?
After this natural and incorrect move, Black’s king is placed in his coffin, while still alive. It was
probably time to enter full panic mode and give up a pawn with 14...Kh8! 15.Rf4 Rg8 16.Qxf7 a5
17.a4 (if 17.fxe6?? Be8 18.Nd5 Qd8 White’s queen is trapped) 17...Rg7 18.Qh5 Nb4 when Black
gets more counterplay than in the game.
15.Rf4 Kg7
Black’s king makes room for ...Rh8.
16.Rh4 Rh8 17.Qh6+ Kg8 18.0-0-0
212
Now White threatens Rf1!, Rff4 and then a fatal rook check on g4.
18...Qd8
In order to enable ...Bf8. Black has been completely pushed on the defensive.
19.Nd4 Bf8 20.Qh5 Qe7 21.Nf3
Nezhmetdinov wants to swap off Black’s only active piece. A strong alternative was 21.Bg4,
intending Nce2 and Nf4.
21...Bg7 22.Nxe5 dxe5
22...fxe5?! 23.Rf1 when Black must constantly watch out for f5-f6 tricks, as well as f5xe6 at an
opportune moment.
23.Bc4!
Adding more heat to e6.
23...b5?!
23...Rc8 was better.
24.fxe6! fxe6
24...Bxe6 25.Nd5 is strategically lost for Black.
213
Exercise (combination alert): Nezhmetdinov was a horror merchant, whose currency was fear and
sudden shock. This is the point where abstract probability takes form as a flesh and blood possibility.
How can White achieve a completely winning position with one powerful move?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 25.Nd5! Qf7
A) 25...Qd8? 26.Nb6! and Black must resign;
B) If 25...exd5??, 26.Bxd5+ picks off the rook in the corner.
26.Nc7!
Double attack. Black threatens to take the a8-rook, as well as 27.Qxf7+, followed by 28.Rxd7+.
26...Qxh5
A) If 26...Be8, 27.Qxf7+ Bxf7 28.Nxa8 wins;
B) 26...Rd8?? loses on the spot to 27.Bxe6.
27.Rxh5
Black’s rook and bishop hang, while e6 is under-protected.
27...Be8
214
If 27...Ra7 28.Bxe6+ Bxe6 29.Nxe6 Kf7 30.Rd6 Black can barely move.
28.Bxe6+ Kf8 29.Nxa8 Bxh5 30.Rd7
Black’s position is a sorry sight.
30...Bh6+ 31.Kb1 Be3 32.Nc7
White threatens 33.Nd5, pretty much forcing Black’s next move.
32...Be8 33.Nxe8 Kxe8 34.Rb7
The opposite-coloured bishops won’t help Black achieve a draw, since White’s rook and bishop
dominate. Also White is up a pawn now and may pick up more pawns later.
34...Kf8 35.c3!
Nezhmetdinov refuses to be bribed. He won’t allow a line like 35.Rf7+ Ke8 36.Rxf6 Ke7 37.Rf3 Bg1
38.Bd5 Rf8 when Black has a chance to save the game due to the bishops of opposite colours.
35...h5!
Zilber finds the best defensive plan.
36.Bd5 Rh6!
A once submerged thing arises. Black’s rook finds a serpentine route to freedom and Zilber alternates
between misery and faint hope.
215
37.Kc2 h4 38.Kd3
38.g4? h3 with the threat 39...Bg1 and suddenly the game’s result is in doubt.
38...Bg1 39.gxh4 Rxh4 40.Rf7+ Ke8 41.Rxf6 Rxh2
Exercise (planning): Black’s position has been fatally weakened due to post-operative shock on its
body. What is White’s cleanest path to the win?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 42.b4!
This move serves two functions:
1. The move secures all of White’s queenside pawns.
2. The move fixes a6 and then b5 as easy targets for White’s rook and bishop.
Now we feel the sense of desertion for Black’s queenside pawns, whose crops die and the coming
Winter holds a promise of starvation.
42...Rh3+ 43.Kc2 Rh2+ 44.Kb3!
Nezhmetdinov has accurately calculated that Black has no hope to mate his king.
44...Be3 45.Rxa6 Bc1
Is there a patron saint of lost causes? This is a cul-de-sac and Black’s threat to mate in two is easily
216
dealt with.
46.Bc6+ 1-0
46...Ke7 47.Bxb5 gives White’s king an escape hatch on c4, leaving him up three pawns.
Game 42 French Defence
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Alexander Chistiakov
Kharkov 1956
1.e4 e6
I didn’t intend for this to be a book on the French Defence. It just turned out that many of
Nezhmetdinov’s most exciting games arose from the French.
2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Bb4
The McCutcheon Variation, which generally leads to greatly unbalanced positions.
5.e5 h6 6.Bd2
6.Be3 is also tried today.
6...Nfd7?!
217
It’s not really fair to judge strong players of the past by today’s standards. We note a distorted erosion
of a once familiar shape. Today, this line is known to be dubious for Black. 6...Bxc3 7.bxc3 Ne4
8.Qg4 is the starting tabiya of the McCutcheon Variation.
7.Qg4 Bf8
Black wants to play it like a Petrosian Winawer, with ...b7-b6 and ...Ba6. There is one crucial
difference: in the Petrosian line Black’s knight has access to e7 and h6. In this version the knight on
d7 is in the way.
8.Nf3
Here Nezhmetdinov’s tendency for piece play and development over pawn moves lets him down.
Stronger is 8.f4!, backing up the centre. In this version Black essentially reaches a passive version of
a Classical French.
8...c5!?
This move is in violation of the Principle: Don’t open the game when lagging in development, yet the
alternative of following the principle may be even worse. Black should have first tossed in 8...a6
before playing for the ...c7-c5 break. The trouble then is that White has time to back up his centre
with 9.Nd1! c5 10.c3 with a clear advantage.
9.Nb5!
9...g6
218
This way he can play ...Bxd6 without fear of Qxg7. After 9...cxd4 10.Nbxd4 Nc6 11.Bb5 Nxd4
(Iveljic-Sprecic, Tuzla 2009) White gets a strategic edge with 12.Nxd4 and if 12...a6 13.Bxd7+ Bxd7
14.0-0 with control over the central dark squares and a potential for a kingside attack.
10.Bd3
Immediately targeting g6 for a sacrifice.
10...Rg8
Also unappetizing but possibly better was to embrace chaos with 10...a6 11.Bxg6! axb5 12.Qxe6+
Qe7 13.Bxf7+ Kd8 14.Qxd5 with a dangerous attack for White, who also has four pawns for the
sacrificed piece.
11.c4!?
Moment of Contemplation: The lure of adventure was too powerful to resist. Nezhmetdinov never
wasted an opportunity to sow disarray, chaos and anarchy. This move follows the Principle: Open
the position when leading in development. However, change tends to be messy, since it also
destabilizes White’s centre, so worth consideration was the more moderate 11.c3.
11...cxd4?
Black should have played 11...dxc4 which introduces a moderating influence: 12.Bxc4 Nc6! (not
fearing a sacrifice on e6) 13.0-0 (13.Bxe6? is met with 13...Ndxe5! 14.Nxe5 Bxe6 when Black’s
position improved greatly) 13...a6 14.Nd6+ Bxd6 15.exd6 Nf6 16.Qh3 cxd4 17.Qxh6 and I still like
White, due to his control over the dark squares.
219
12.cxd5 Nc5 13.Qxd4 exd5
13...Nc6 14.dxc6 Nxd3+ 15.Ke2 is also heavily in White’s favour, due to Black’s awful
development.
14.Nd6+!
One pawn is a bargain for what White gets in return.
14...Bxd6 15.exd6 Qxd6 16.0-0 Nxd3 17.Qxd3
The opening has been a disaster for Black, whose extra pawn is of little comfort:
1. White leads massively in development.
2. Black’s position leaks on the dark squares like faulty plumbing.
3. Black’s king lacks a safe haven on either side of the board, or in the middle, and will be in danger
for the remainder of the game.
17...Nc6 18.Rfe1+ Be6 19.Nd4
A touch better was 19.Rac1 and if 19...0-0-0? 20.Nd4 Kb8 21.Nb5 with Bf4+ to follow.
19...g5
I’m not sure if this jittery response makes matters worse or better. The move is designed to prevent a
future Bf4. The problem with it is that it creates a hole on f5.
19...Nxd4 20.Qxd4 allows White an endless dark-square attack.
220
20.Rac1 Kd7
There was nothing better: 20...Nxd4 21.Qxd4 – Bb4 is coming and Black won’t survive.
21.Nf5 Qf8 22.Qb5! Rc8
22...Rb8 23.Re5! with a winning attack.
23.Qxb7+ Rc7 24.Qb5 a6
If 24...Bxf5??, 25.Qxd5+ regains the piece instantly, with interest.
25.Qd3 Qb8 26.Nxh6 Rg6
26...Rg7 is met with 27.Ng4! Rg6 28.Rxc6! Rxc6 29.Ne5+ Kc7 30.Ba5+ Kb7 31.Nxc6 Kxc6
32.Qxa6+. Black can resign.
Exercise (combination alert): Nezhmetdinov saw more clearly than his rivals in open positions
involving initiative or attack. He always seemed to know what was coming. It’s time to get down to
business. Find one shot and Black’s wobbly position collapses.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Step 1:
27.Nxf7!
221
Undermining/double attack.
27...Bxf7
My mother taught me to count to 10 before answering, when I got angry. I have a bad feeling that
Chistiakov needed to count to 1,000 or maybe even a higher number.
A) If 27...Rg7 28.Rxe6! Kxe6 29.Nxg5+ Black is crushed;
B) 27...Qg8 is met with 28.Rxc6, clearing the way for a fork on e5: 28...Qxf7 29.Rxa6 and Black has
no chances of survival.
28.Qf5+ Kd8
29.Rxc6!
Step 2: Removal of the guard.
29...Rcxc6
After 29...Rgxc6 30.Bxg5+ mate is inevitable.
30.Ba5+
30.Qxf7 was also easily winning.
30...Qc7
If our opponent humiliates us long enough, then it can exert an unbalancing effect on our decision222
making. Black’s position is too awful to describe in mere words and it was far better to resign than
make a move as ridiculously hopeless as this one!
After 30...Rc7 31.Qxf7 Black is mated.
31.Qxf7! Kc8
31...Qxa5 32.Re8#.
32.Bxc7 1-0
Game 43 Ruy Lopez
Alexey Suetin
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Kharkov 1956
This game proves that Nezhmetdinov could play excellent strategic chess, but only when it was
forced upon him!
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6
So insipid are some opening lines, that they can never be liked, but only tolerated. For me it has been
the black side of the Exchange Slav and Exchange French, and for Nezhmetdinov it must have been
the passive Deferred Steinitz in the Ruy Lopez. It’s a mystery why he chose it, since the resulting
purely strategic positions were in discord with his aggressive style, and there are many other Lopez
lines for Black which are far more aggressive.
5.c3 Bd7 6.d4 g6 7.0-0 Bg7
223
8.dxe5
Oh no! Suetin begins Operation Bore Nezh. Today, more often played (and superior) are 8.Re1 and
8.d5.
8...dxe5
8...Nxe5 is a thought, since it simplifies further (which of course is the reason Nezh didn’t play it!).
9.Nxe5 dxe5 is boring and probably equal, Kir.Georgiev-Smyslov, Biel izt 1993.
9.Be3 b6
He wants to prevent Bc5 ideas.
10.Qe2
This move hasn’t been repeated. 10.c4 Nge7 11.Nc3 0-0 12.h3 Nd4 13.Bxd7 Qxd7 14.Nd5 Nxd5
15.cxd5 was Firouzja-Demchenko, Chess.com 2019. Here Black can equalize with 15...c5!.
10...Nge7
Nezh intends to push his f-pawn later on, so he doesn’t want his knight blocking.
11.Rd1 0-0
224
12.Na3
The engine likes this move, while I don’t really see a great benefit of transferring the knight to the
awkward c2-square. 12.Nbd2 was more natural.
12...Qc8 13.Nc2 Be6
Black patiently unravels and patience was not Nezhmetdinov’s strong suit!
14.b4 h6
Preparing a break on f5.
15.Bb3 f5
225
16.exf5?!
White unnecessarily cedes the centre, while simultaneously increasing Black’s freedom and piece
activity. 16.Bc1! was correct, with an approximately balanced game.
16...gxf5 17.Re1 Bxb3 18.axb3 Qe6 19.Rab1
19.c4 was preferable.
19...Nd5! 20.Bd2 e4!
Black has completely taken command.
21.Qc4 b5
21...Rad8! was more accurate.
22.Nfd4
22.Qc5? Rad8 23.Nfd4 Nxd4 24.Nxd4 Bxd4! and White must recapture with the c-pawn since he
gets pushed off the board after 25.Qxd4? Nb6 26.Qe3 f4 27.Qe2 f3! 28.gxf3 Qg6+ 29.Kh1 exf3
30.Qf1 Rxd2.
22...Nxd4 23.Nxd4 Qd6 24.Qc5!?
Suetin wants the queens off the board and he is willing to enter a bad ending to protect his king. If
24.Qe2 Rae8 Black will push his f-pawn next, with a winning position.
226
24...Qxc5 25.bxc5 Bxd4 26.cxd4
The undercurrents are not so easy to fathom:
1. Black’s a6-pawn is a potential target, as is White’s d4-pawn.
2. Black will have a superior king position, possibly even getting his king to d5 at some point.
3. Black rules the light squares.
4. Black reaches a classic good knight versus mediocre bishop ending.
5. Even with all his advantages, it isn’t clear how to break through.
26...Rf6
The h6-pawn needed protection.
27.b4
This fixes a6 as a target, yet simultaneously fixes b4 as a target!
27...Kf7 28.Rb3 Re8
The e-pawn is reinforced to play ...f5-f4.
29.g3
This stops Black’s intent, at the cost of placing every white pawn on the board on the same – and
therefore wrong – colour as his remaining bishop.
29...Rfe6 30.Kf1 Rd8 31.Ra1 Ne7 32.Be3 Nc6?!
227
Nezhmetdinov experiences trouble coming up with a plan, allowing Suetin an opportunity to save the
game. He should have backtracked with 32...Nd5 followed by transferring his king to b7. Then he
must look for a break on f4.
Exercise (critical decision): Should White temporize with a waiting move like 33.Rb2, or should
White chop the loose a6-pawn? One line may save the game, while the other damages his position.
Which one do you choose?
Show/Hide Solution
33.Rxa6?
There is no one more rash than a patient person who has come to the end of their patience. Sometimes
it is easier to deal with one large problem than with multiple minor irritations, since the irritations sap
our attention and exhaust us.
Answer: The a6-pawn is poisoned and its sacrifice is a strategic trap. White should have temporized.
Correct was 33.Rb2! Nxd4 (33...Ne7 34.Rba2 Nd5 35.Bd2 also looks okay for White) 34.Rd2 Nc6
35.Rxa6 and White should save the game.
33...Nxd4 34.Rxe6 Kxe6 35.Rb1
We feel a sensation of descent in White’s position.
A) After 35.Ra3 Nc2 36.Ra6+ Kd5 37.Bxh6 c6! 38.h4 (if 38.Bd2, 38...Kc4 39.Ke2 Rd3! 40.h4 Nd4+
41.Kd1 Kb3! 42.h5 Nf3 wins) 38...Nxb4 White loses the ending as Black’s passed b-pawn is too
fast;
228
B) White also won’t win the rook ending: if 35.Bxd4 Rxd4 36.Ke2 Kd5 37.Ke3 Kc4 38.Rb2 Rd3+
39.Ke2 Kc3 40.Rb1 Rd4 wins the b4-pawn and the game.
35...h5 36.Bf4
Neither does a swap of rooks save White: 36.Rd1 Nc6 37.Rxd8 Nxd8 38.Ke2 Kd5 39.Bd2 Ne6!
(covering against Ke3 and Kf4) 40.Ke3 Kc4 41.Ke2 Nd4+ 42.Ke3 Nf3 43.Bc1 Nxh2 44.Kf4 Ng4
45.Kxf5 Nxf2 46.Bd2 Kd3 47.Be1 e3 and Black wins.
36...c6 37.Rc1
37.Ra1 didn’t help, since 37...Nc2 hits White with a double attack on a1 and b4.
37...Nf3 38.Bd6 Ra8
Nezhmetdinov prefers board control over White’s h-pawn. Now it’s a strategic disaster for White:
1. Black’s rook controls the open a-file.
2. Every white pawn is on the same colour as White’s remaining bad bishop.
3. b4 is vulnerable.
4. Black has the better king position.
5. White leaks on the light squares.
39.Rd1 Ra3 40.Bf4
Threat: 41.Rd6+.
229
40...Rd3
Oh no you don’t!
41.Re1
This is obviously a typo by the Chessbase inscriber, since the rook hangs on e1! White must have
played 41.Ra1 Rd4 42.Rb1, transposing.
41...Rd4 42.Rb1 Nxh2+ 43.Ke2 Nf3 44.Be3
44...Rd3!
White is close to zugzwang and his pieces can only pace like convicts in a prison yard.
45.Rh1
A) On 45.Kf1??, 45...Rxe3 wins since Black forks on d2;
B) 45.Rb2 Kd5, followed by infiltration of Black’s king, wins easily.
45...Rb3
The threat levels rise, to White’s growing apprehension.
46.Rd1
On 46.Rxh5??, 46...Rb1! (threat: 47...Re1 mate) 47.Bd2 Rb2 wins.
230
46...Kf7
47.Kf1
If 47.Rd6?? Rb1 48.Bd2 Rb2 49.Kd1 Rxd2+ 50.Rxd2 Nxd2 51.Kxd2 Kf6 52.Ke2 Ke5 53.Ke3 f4+!
54.gxf4+ Kf5 Black’s outside passed h-pawn will win the game: 55.f3 exf3 56.Kxf3 h4 57.Ke3 Kg4.
47...Rxb4 48.Rd7+ Ke8 49.Rd1
After 49.Rd6 Rb1+ 50.Kg2 (50.Ke2?? Re1#) 50...b4 Black’s passed b-pawn is faster than White’s
future passed c-pawn: 51.Rxc6 b3 52.Rb6 b2 53.c6 Rg1+ 54.Kh3 b1=Q and Black wins.
49...Rb3 50.Ra1 b4 51.Ke2 Rb2+ 52.Kd1 b3
The b-pawn sprouts wings and keeps moving up the board.
53.Kc1 Rc2+ 54.Kd1
231
Exercise (planning): White’s position has been reduced to that of a vassal state. Come up with a plan
for Black.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 54...f4!
Overloaded defender. For White, this shot creates a second passed pawn and portends unpleasant
events to come.
55.Ra8+ Kf7 56.Bxf4
56.gxf4 Ra2 57.Rb8 Ra1+ 58.Bc1 (58.Ke2?? Re1#) 58...Rb1 59.Rb7+ Kf6 60.Rb6 h4 61.Rxc6+ Kf5
62.Rb6 h3 wins for Black.
56...Rxf2
Black gets a second passed pawn.
57.Kc1 Rc2+ 58.Kd1
After 58.Kb1?? Nd2+ 59.Bxd2 Rxd2 60.Ra4 e3 61.Re4 e2 the e-pawn costs White his rook.
58...Ra2 59.Rb8 Nd4
Threat: 60...b2, followed by 61...Ra1+ and promotion.
232
60.Kc1
After 60.Be5 Nb5! 61.Rb6 Ke6 62.Bh8 Kd5 White can resign.
Exercise (planning): The war machine is poised to strike. What is Black’s simplest winning plan?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Interference. Transfer the knight to b5, via e2 and c3:
60...Ne2+! 61.Kd1
61.Kb1 Nc3+ 62.Kc1 Rc2#.
61...Nc3+ 0-1
62.Ke1 (62.Kc1 Rc2#) 62...Nb5! 63.Be5 Ke6 64.Bh8. There is no bargaining position when you
have nothing of value to sell; 64...b2 wins a piece.
Game 44 Ruy Lopez
Evgeni Vasiukov
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Kharkov ch-URS 1956
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3 d6 9.h3 Na5
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The Chigorin Variation is one of the most popular Lopez systems for Black.
10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2 cxd4
The major alternatives are 12...Bd7 and 12...Nc6.
13.cxd4 Bb7
13...Nc6 is considered to be Black’s best line today.
14.Nf1
14.d5! scores well for White, since Black’s b7-bishop hits a wall on d5.
14...Rac8 15.Bd3
15.Re2 is a serious consideration.
15...Nc4
15...d5! 16.dxe5 Nxe4 is normal today.
16.b3
16.d5! is more accurate, since it avoids Black’s next move.
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16...exd4!
Theoretical novelty! Nezhmetdinov offers a piece for two passed central pawns.
17.Nxd4!
White’s best bet is to decline. 17.bxc4 offers Black loads of play for the piece after 17...bxc4. In fact,
White should probably just return it for the two pawns.
17...Ne5
Threat 18...Qc3, with a double attack on the a1-rook and the d3-bishop.
18.Bb2
18.Nf5 Rfe8 19.Bb2 Bf8 20.N1g3 d5! 21.Rc1 Qa5 22.Rxc8 Bxc8 23.Bxe5 Rxe5 24.f4 Re8 (Black
gets decent compensation for the exchange with 24...Rxf5!? 25.exf5 Qxa2) 25.e5 g6 26.Ne3?!, City
Arkhangelsk-City Rostov-on-Don 1957 (26.Rf1 was correct). Black already looks better after 26...d4!
27.Nc2 Nd5 28.Qf3 Rd8.
18...Rfe8 19.Ng3 Bf8
19...d5 also looks like an equalizer.
20.Rc1 Qb6 21.Bb1 Rxc1 22.Qxc1 Qc5?!
White looks a touch better after this move. 22...d5! 23.exd5 Qd8 24.Ndf5 Qxd5 25.Ne4 Ned7 looks
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just fine for Black.
23.Qd2 d5 24.f4! Ng6 25.e5 Ne4 26.Nxe4
26.Qe3! f6 27.Bxe4 dxe4 28.exf6 gxf6 29.Rc1 Qd5 30.f5! is clearly in White’s favour.
26...dxe4 27.Kh1
Black’s position is like that friend of ours who is always getting into trouble, just one step from
ruining his life, yet always manages to weasel out of the difficulties. Nezhmetdinov got outplayed and
is in serious danger of losing. Watch how he mixes it up and confuses his future GM opponent:
27...f6!
Moment of Contemplation: There are two ways to seize the initiative:
1. Gradually.
2. Instantly, like a light switch turned on in a dark room.
This is an example of number two on the list. Logicians favour order, while anarchists crave its
opposite. And Nezhmetdinov feels intuitively that White’s centre must be broken up at any cost. This
is the perfect moment to strike and confuse.
28.exf6
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28...Qh5!?
Moment of Contemplation: I don’t see enough initiative for the sacrificed pawn, yet Nezh hopes to
create complications on the kingside. The engine prefers 28...Qd6! 29.f5 Nh4 30.fxg7 Bxg7 31.Qg5
Qh6 32.Qg3 e3 with a superior version of the game.
29.fxg7 Bxg7 30.Qe3
Blockading Black’s passed e-pawn.
30...Nh4! 31.Rc1?!
Black’s reply, targeting g2, proves this to be a waste of time. More useful was a move like 31.b4.
31...Qg6 32.Rg1
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32...Bxd4!?
Moment of Contemplation: This is as radical as it gets. Nezh is willing to hand Vasiukov absolute
control of the dark squares to pursue his kingside attack.
33.Qxd4 Nf5
Check on h8 is just a loss of time.
34.Qd1?
Now Black soon reaps the benefits of his risk-taking. White is winning after 34.Qa7! Ba8 35.g4!!.
This is completely counter-intuitive, since it greatly enhances Black’s bishop on the h1-a8 diagonal.
After 35...Nh4 36.Rf1 Qh6 37.Kh2 Nf3+ 38.Kg3 Qh4+ 39.Kg2 Black has no way to proceed, since
his own king is hampered by the mating threat on g7. 39...Qh6 40.g5! Qg6 41.Kg3 – threat: 42.Rxf3,
which forces Black to swap queens. White consolidates and is completely winning.
34...e3!
The diagonal opens and White must be careful.
35.Be5??
Correct was 35.Qe1! e2 36.Bxf5 Qxf5 37.Qg3+ Qg6 38.Qxg6+ hxg6 39.Re1 Re4 and Black will
hold due to the bishops of opposite colours.
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Exercise (combination alert): Nezhmetdinov’s great strength was his acute receptivity to even a
slight geometric shift which allowed a combination. The dynamics have shifted and Vasiukov has
blundered. Prove why.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 35...e2!
Step 1: Attraction/knight fork.
36.Qe1
A) After 36.Qxe2 Ng3+ 37.Kh2 Nxe2 38.Bxg6 hxg6 39.Rd1 (if 39.Re1? Black’s knight is not
trapped since 39...Nxf4 exploits the pin of White’s bishop) 39...g5 40.Rd7 gxf4! White is busted;
B) 36.Bxf5 Qxf5 and now we see the problem: Black simultaneously threatens 37...Qxh3 mate and
also 37...exd1=Q+, so Black wins.
36...Ng3+ 37.Kh2 Nf1+!
Step 2: Clearance. The knight gets out of the queen’s way.
38.Kh1
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38...Qg3!
This move carries with it a message of dire urgency. The threats are 39...Qxh3 mate and 39...Qh2
mate.
39.Qxg3+ Nxg3+ 40.Kh2 Nf1+! 0-1
Step 3: Interference. Black promotes the e-pawn.
Game 45
Georgi Ilivitzky
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Kislovodsk 1956
240
Black to move
Exercise (combination alert): It takes hours to build up a decent position and a split second to ruin
it. White just moved his bishop from g5 to e7. Demonstrate why this was a catastrophic blunder.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 23...Bxc3!
... and White’s position sinks into abject bereavement. It’s easy to overlook a move like this one,
since our bias is to always retain such a precious fianchettoed dark-squared bishop as it is a key
defender of Black’s king.
24.Rb1
White agrees to total abdication of power, yet there was nothing better:
A) If 24.Bxf8, 24...Nxb2 wins the house, since Black threatens mate just by moving the knight:
25.Rc1 Bd4 26.Qd2 Qf6 27.Kb1 Bxe6 28.dxe6 Nc4;
B) 24.bxc3 Qg7! (double attack, threatening mate in two) 25.Rd3 Qxe7 leaves White down a piece.
24...Bxe6 25.dxe6
25.Bxf8 is met with 25...Bg4! 26.Qf2 Nxb2 27.Rxb2 Rxf8.
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25...Rxf4! 26.bxc3 Qg7!
Double attack. Black remains up a piece.
27.Rbc1 Qxe7 0-1
Game 46
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Leonid Shamkovich
Kislovodsk 1956
242
White to move
Exercise (combination alert): Black’s king is unsafe. How should White continue?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Lure Black’s rook to f6:
49.f6+!
Certainly not 49.Reh4?? Rxf5+ 50.Kg4 Kf6, after which Black is winning.
49.f6+! Rxf6 50.Rh7+!
Decoy.
50...Kxh7 51.Kxf6
The position coalesces around a single message: deliver mate to Black’s king.
51...Nf3
Covering h4, but not forever.
52.Rf4!
Removal of the guard. White wins a piece. The engine thinks 52.Re8! is even stronger, since Black’s
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knight hangs and White simultaneously threatens mate with a bishop check on e4, followed by a rook
check on h8.
52...Rg7
52...Ne5?? 53.Rh4#.
53.Rxf3
Threatening mate on h3.
53...Rg6+ 54.Kf7 Rg7+ 55.Kf8!
The king is safe from checks on f8.
55...Rg4
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Exercise (planning): Every grand dream is born from a modest foundation. Work out a plan to
weave a mating net around Black’s king.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 56.Rf6!
Now Black’s king is prevented from escaping via h6.
56...cxb4
Black’s rook must cover the g-file since 56...Rxb4 leads to mate in two with 57.Bg8+ Kh8 58.Rh6#.
57.Be6!
The outline of White’s intent is now clearly discernable. He threatens not only to take Black’s rook,
but also to give mate with 58.Bf5+ and 59.Rh6. So Black’s rook has no choice but to shift over to the
h-file to cover the threat.
57...Rh4
57...Rg6 of course fails to 58.Bf5.
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58.Kf7 1-0
The engine says 58.Bf5+ mates faster: 58...Kh8 59.Rg6! with the threat 60.Rg8 mate wins, since the
only way to prevent it is to play ...Kh7, which allows White a deadly discovered check. After the text,
it is mate following 58...Rh5 59.Bg4 Rh4 60.Bf5+ Kh8 61.Kg6! (clearing the way for mate on f8)
61...Kg8 62.Be6+ Kh8 63.Rf8#.
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Show in Text Mode
Game 47
Arkady Novopashin
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Kislovodsk ch-RSFSR 1956
Black to move
How did Nezhmetdinov force White’s instant resignation?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 19...Bc5! 0-1
Defensive move/clearance. g7 is covered with tempo and 20.Qxc5 fxe3 21.Qxe3 Rae8 leaves White
down an exchange with an awful position.
Game 48
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
247
Anatolij Bannik
Kiev 1957 (2)
White to move
Continue White’s attack.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 27.Bxg7!
Chess is normally a hierarchical game where a bishop is supposed to outrank a pawn. Not in Nezh’s
world, where larger pieces are frequently and joyfully sacrificed for smaller ones.
27...Rxe4
If 27...Bxg7 28.f6 Qf8 29.Rg3 Rxe4 30.Rxe4 Bxe4 31.Qxe4 Rc8 32.Qd5+! Kh8 33.fxg7+ wins
Black’s queen.
28.Rxe4 Bxg7 29.Rexc4
Threat: 30.Rc7.
Black has two bishops for a rook and two pawns – normally not a bad deal, but here he is unable to
deal with the barrage of White’s threats.
29...h5
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29...Rc8?? is met with 30.f6! (clearance/overloaded defender) 30...Qxf6 31.Rxc8+ and White wins.
30.Qxh5 Rc8 31.Rxc8 Bxc8
32.b6!
Overloaded defender. 33.Rc7 is threatened.
32...Bd7 33.b7
Or 33.Rg3 Qf8 34.f6! Qxf6 35.b7 Qf8 36.Qg5! Bc6 37.b8=Q, overloading Black’s queen and
winning.
33...Kf8
If 33...Qb8 34.f6! Bxf6 35.Qg6+ Bg7 36.Rg3 forces mate.
34.Qg6
This move consolidates White’s authority on both wings. Black has had enough of the persecution, so
he resigns. Nothing can save him, for example: 34...Be8 35.Rc8; 34...Bf6 35.b8=Q; or 34...Bh8
35.Rg3.
Game 49 Pirc Defence
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
249
Vladislav Shianovsky
Kiev ch-URS 1957 (19)
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Be3 Nf6 5.f3
This line suits Nezhmetdinov’s style, since he may later achieve opposite wing castling.
5...0-0
This is Black’s main move, yet to my mind it’s inaccurate to let White know your king’s address so
early. I always play 5...c6, keeping White guessing whether I will castle kingside or queenside, or
keep the king in the middle.
6.Qd2 e5 7.Nge2 c6 8.dxe5!?
With opening lines, there is no superior or inferior. ‘Superior’ is merely the option which suits our
style and the one which we enjoy playing. The opening’s normally mindless routine (i.e. g2-g4, h2h4, h4-h5) is seriously disrupted with White’s last move. This no-frills move is a stylistically
perplexing decision, since Nezhmetdinov normally went out of his way to dodge a queen swap. I
expected 8.0-0-0 when he would have been in his element.
8...dxe5 9.0-0-0 Qe7?!
It looks unwise to keep the queens on the board, since White gets a no-brainer attack by pushing his
g- and h-pawns. Black’s attack on the queenside looks slower. More practical may have been
9...Qxd2+ 10.Rxd2. The ending is slightly in White’s favour, due to his control over the d-file.
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10.h4
10.g4 is also an option, since it discourages ...h7-h5. I have a feeling Nezhmetdinov welcomed a
defence based on the push of Black’s h-pawn.
10...Be6
10...h5 11.Bg5 Qc7 12.g4! hxg4 13.Ng3 and h4-h5 is coming, with a wicked attack for White, for
example after 13...Nh5 14.Nxh5 gxh5 15.Be2.
11.g4 Na6 12.Qd6?!
After 12.Ng3! Rfd8 13.Qh2 Rxd1+ 14.Nxd1 Bxa2 15.Bxa6 bxa6 16.h5 I like White’s chances to
deliver mate, before Black does.
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Moment of Contemplation: Why is Nezh being so polite? Not only is this offer to swap queens
inferior, but it’s also completely uncharacteristic of his style.
12...Qxd6 13.Rxd6 Rfe8?!
A) 13...h5! 14.g5 Ne8 15.Rd2 Nec7 looks okay for Black;
B) 13...Rfd8?! 14.Rxd8+ Rxd8 15.Bxa7, winning a pawn.
14.Ng3 Nc7 15.h5 Bf8 16.Rd2!
Intending to swing the rook over to h2, doubling on the h-file.
16...Nd7
Intending ...Bc5, swapping away White’s good bishop. 16...b6 is a thought, since then Black can
challenge the d-file with a rook. Then the d2-rook would also shift over to the kingside.
17.Rdh2! Bc5 18.Bd2!
White needs this bishop for his attack.
18...Nf8
The idea is to meet h5xg6 with ...f7xg6, after which h7 is covered.
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19.Nf5
Moment of Contemplation: Just as Dr. Victor Frankenstein amalgamated body parts to assemble
and then bring to life his own monster, Nezhmetdinov does the same with a surprising queenless
attack. If Black believed his king was safe, then his sense of relief was premature. It normally disrupts
the fabric of the space/time continuum when one side sacrifices a piece for an attack in a queenless
position. Yet here, White’s attack is potent, even with the queens off the board.
That said, more accurate was to first open the h-file with 19.hxg6! fxg6 20.Nf5! gxf5 21.gxf5 Bf7
22.Bh6 (threat: 23.Rg2+ and 24.Bg7+) 22...Nce6 23.Rg2+ Ng6 24.fxe6 Bxe6 25.Na4 Be7 26.Be3 b6
27.b3 with a strategic advantage for White in the ending.
19...b5?
The intruder should not be ignored. Black should have settled for a poor yet playable position with
19...gxf5 20.gxf5 Kh8 (after 20...Bd7 21.Bc4 Nfe6 22.fxe6 Bxe6 23.Bd3 White still stands better)
21.fxe6 Ncxe6.
20.hxg6 fxg6 21.Nh6+ Kg7 22.f4!
Nezhmetdinov destroys his opponent’s infrastructure first, before going after civilian targets. Either
lines open for White’s attack, or the f-pawn moves on to f5.
22...Rad8
An admission of failure. 22...exf4?? loses instantly to 23.Bxf4, winning a piece, since Black must also
defend against 24.Be5 mate.
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23.f5 Bc8 24.g5!
Threat: 25.f6+, followed by 26.Nf7+, forking king and rook.
24...gxf5 25.exf5
25...Rxd2
This is a cry of lamentation. When our position is beyond salvation, then we may as well luxuriate in
our sins and keep on sinning, since we are condemned to hell anyway. Black loses whether he
sacrifices or not: 25...e4 26.f6+ Kg6 (or 26...Kh8 27.Nf7+, forking) 27.Be2! (threat: 28.Bh5 mate)
27...e3 28.Be1 Rd7 29.Rg2! and there is no way to stop Bh5 mate.
26.Kxd2 e4 27.Be2 Re5 28.f6+ Kg6
Having a vague idea of where we are going is still better than having no idea at all, I suppose. Black’s
king is in mortal danger. If 28...Kh8??, 29.Nf7+ forks king and rook.
29.Rg2!
Threat: 30.Bh5 mate.
29...e3+ 30.Ke1 1-0
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After 30...Rxg5 Black is beautifully mated with 31.Ne4!! (decoy) 31...Rxg2 32.Bh5+! Kxh6 33.Bf7+
and Black only has spite blocks left: 33...Rh2 34.Rxh2+ Bh3 35.Rxh3#.
Game 50
Bukhuti Gurgenidze
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Moscow ch-URS 1957 (1)
Black to move
Exercise (combination alert): How would you conduct Black’s attack?
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Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 24...Rxf2!
Annihilation of defensive barrier. In long, sacrificial variations, a malfunction is almost a predictable
event for the club level player. Not so when Nezhmetdinov was the one working out the calculation.
25.Kxf2
Forced. After 25.Qxf2??, 25...Rf8! wins, e.g. 26.Nf3 (after 26.Qxf8 Bxe3+ 27.Qf2 Qxg3+ White is
mated) 26...Bxe3 27.Qxe3 Qxg3+ 28.Kh1 Rxf3 29.Qg1 Qh4+ 30.Qh2 Rh3.
25...Qh2+ 26.Ke1 Qxg3+ 27.Kd2 Qxe5
Black is up a pawn with a raging initiative.
28.Nd5
After having been subjected to countless indignities, we tend to be in no mood to compromise. This is
a blunder in an already lost position – 28.Kc1 Qf4 29.Re1 Bxe4 leaves Black up too many pawns.
28...Qg5+! 0-1
29.Ke1 Rf8 and there is no defence to the threat 30...Qg3+, followed by 31...Rf2.
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Game 51
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Vladimir Antoshin
Moscow ch-URS 1957 (11)
White to move
Exercise (planning): Prove that White has a winning position.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 38.Bd5!
A double attack on Black’s queen and bishop.
38...Qd1+
38...Qxh3 39.f3! Bd7 40.f6 (the f-pawn cannot be ignored, since White threatens to promote with
41.f7) 40...gxf6 41.Qe7+ Kg6 42.Bf7+ and Black is mated.
39.Kg2 Bd7 40.f6!
The creature’s form materializes from the mist. Black’s king is fatally exposed.
Even stronger was 40.Be4! Kh8 41.Qb8+ Kh7 42.f6+ g6 43.f7.
40...Bxh3+
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Complete desperation is the court of last resort. 40...gxf6 41.Qe7+ Kg6 42.Qf7+ Kf5 (42...Kh6
43.Qxf6+ Kh7 44.Qf7+ Kh6 45.Qf8+ Kg6 46.Be4+ Bf5 47.Bxf5#) 43.Qxd7+ Kf4 44.Qd6+ Kf5
45.Qe6+! (it’s more classy to give mate than to win the queen with 45.Be6+) 45...Kg6 46.Qe8+ and
White mates in four moves at the most.
41.Kxh3 Qf1+ 42.Bg2 Qxf2
Threat: 43...Qh4 mate, which is easily thwarted:
43.Qxg5
43...gxf6
Now White mates in four moves. Antoshin is rightfully pessimistic about his chances in the line
43...Qxf6 44.Qxf6 gxf6 45.Bb7 a5 46.Ba6 b4 47.c4! a4 48.c5 b3 49.a3! and White promotes.
44.Be4+ Kh8
Of no help was 44...f5 45.Bxf5+.
45.Qh6+ 1-0
White’s queen is not here to bring Black’s king tidings of comfort and joy, since it’s mate next move.
Game 52 French Defence
258
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Mikhail Tal
Moscow ch-URS 1957 (6)
What a treat to observe a battle between two of the most tactically imaginative players of the 20th
century.
1.e4 e6!?
What? Tal playing the French is as odd as Petrosian playing the Najdorf. He obviously respected his
mentor in an all-out open position with the Najdorf.
2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.Bd2
5.a3 is of course the main line.
5...Ne7 6.a3
Current theory considers the position after 6.Nb5 Bxd2+ 7.Qxd2 0-0 8.dxc5 Nd7 9.f4 Nxc5 10.Nd4
Qb6 11.0-0-0 Bd7 12.Ngf3 Rfc8 as one of mutual chances, Karpov-Nogueiras, Rotterdam 1989.
6...Bxc3 7.Bxc3
7.bxc3 Nbc6 is fine for Black, since White may have wasted a tempo moving the bishop to d2.
7...b6!
The idea is to swap off Black’s bad bishop, via a6.
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8.b4!?
The idea is to meet ...Ba6 with the block b4-b5. 8.Bb5+ avoids the bishop swap, at the cost of lost
time: 8...Bd7 9.Bd3 Nbc6 10.Nf3 Qb8! (threatening to undermine e5) 11.dxc5 bxc5 and Black stood
no worse in Svetushkin-Vallejo Pons, Monzon 2016.
8...Qc7 9.Nf3 Nd7
9...cxb4! 10.Bxb4 Ba6 is considered to be equal.
10.Be2 Nc6
It may have been more accurate to keep the knight more flexible and play 10...0-0. In this version the
e7-knight remains close to its king.
11.0-0 0-0
12.bxc5!?
Moment of Contemplation: Playing to muddy the position is not an endeavour designed to seek out
the truth in a position – more an attempt to confuse the opponent. Move choices like this shake our
perception of right and wrong, since they are clearly anti-positional. Nezh doesn’t care – he wants to
open the game for his bishops at the cost of self-inflicted structural damage.
After 12.Qd3! (intending 13.Ng5) 12...h6 13.Bb2 cxb4 14.Qd2 bxa3 15.Rxa3 White gets loads of
attacking compensation for his pawn.
12...bxc5 13.dxc5 Ncxe5
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Worth consideration was 13...a5!?, intending 14...Ba6, to eliminate White’s light-squared bishop.
14.Nxe5 Nxe5 15.Qd4 f6 16.f4 Nc6 17.Qe3
White has obtained the bishop pair and an open game, while Black owns the centre. Chances look
dynamically balanced.
17...Rd8
Threat: 18...d4.
18.Rad1
18...e5?
Moment of Contemplation: What is the greater instinct: desire, or self-preservation? For players like
Tal and his mentor Nezhmetdinov, it was always the former. Hell hath no fury like an aggressive
player trapped in a passive position. Tal makes a Faustian bargain: he trades his position’s strategic
soul for the temporary power of his pawns controlling the centre. This attempt to free himself is a
serious strategic misjudgement. It’s too soon to play this break since Black’s centre becomes
vulnerable and White is handed control over the f-file.
19.fxe5 fxe5?!
Consistent and wrong! He had to try 19...Nxe5! 20.Bd4. Black’s position is worse, yet this may have
been the lesser evil.
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20.Bb5!
Already Black’s centre looks wobbly.
20...Bb7
The temptation to intervene with 20...d4? would have been misguided: 21.Qe4! Bb7 22.Bd3 g6
23.Bc4+ Kh8 24.Rf7 Rd7 25.Rdf1! dxc3 26.Qh4 Rxf7 27.Rxf7 Qxf7 28.Bxf7 (threat: 29.Qf6 mate)
28...Kg7 29.Bd5 and Black has no chance to save the game.
21.Qg3!
Pinning the e-pawn. 21.Bxc6? falls for Tal’s strategic cheapo zwischenzug 21...d4! 22.Qg3 Qxc6
23.Bd2 Qxc5, leaving White down a pawn and in deep trouble.
21...Rd7
Tal’s former defiance reluctantly lurches into defence. On 21...d4?? 22.Bc4+ Kh8 23.Rf7 is
immediately decisive.
22.Rf2!
Rooks may be doubled on the f- or the d-file, depending upon circumstances.
22...Re8 23.h3
Tal can only defend, unable to improve his position, so Nezh takes time to make luft for his king.
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23...Ba8
It was Tom Petty who told us that ‘the waiting is the hardest part.’ A shuffling move like this from
Tal is a bad sign for his position. Not 23...d4?? 24.Bc4+ Kh8 25.Rdf1! (threatening Black on the back
rank) 25...Qd8 26.Rf7 and wins.
24.Ba4!
The idea is to worry his opponent about Bb3 ideas.
24...Bb7 25.Kh1 Ba8 26.Rf5!
Black’s centre begins to creak.
26...e4
A) 26...d4? 27.Bb3+ Kh8 28.Rdf1 Qd8 29.Rh5! h6 (29...dxc3 30.Qg6 h6 31.Bf7! with the threat
32.Rxh6+; Black is mated) 30.Bd2 (threat: 31.Bxh6) 30...Kh7 31.Bxh6! (played anyway!) 31...gxh6
32.Bf7 and Black is mated in seven moves;
B) Neither does the waiting strategy work any longer: 26...Bb7 27.Rdf1 Ba8 28.Bxe5! (pinned
piece/overloaded defender) 28...Nxe5 29.Bxd7 Qxd7 30.Rxe5 and White wins.
27.Qxc7 Rxc7 28.Rfxd5
Black’s decline is the ooze of a bloodstain, spreading across a white shirt. Tal is completely busted:
1. White is up a pawn.
2. White’s bishop pair rules the board.
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3. White owns the d-file and there is no way to prevent an infiltration on the seventh rank.
28...e3
28...Ree7 doesn’t save Black. One possible continuation is 29.Bb3! (threat: 30.Rd8, double check and
mate!) 29...Kf8 30.Rf1+! Rf7 31.Kg1 e3 32.Re1 Rce7 33.Rd6 Rf5 34.Ba4! Rxc5 35.Bb4! Rc4 (if
35...Nxb4 36.Rf1+ Rf7 37.Rd8+ Ke7 38.Re8+ Kd6 39.Rxf7 wins) 36.Rd3 Nxb4 37.Rf1+! Rf7
38.Rd8+ Ke7 39.Re8+ Kd6 40.Rxf7 and White wins.
29.Rd7!
g7 is the new target.
29...e2?
He had to try 29...Rxd7 30.Rxd7 Ne7 (30...Re7 hangs a piece to 31.Bxc6) 31.Kg1 Kf8 32.Kf1 a6
33.Rc7 Rc8 34.Rxc8+ Nxc8 when Black is down a pawn and fighting for his life.
Exercise (calculation): Tal’s last move walks into mate in four. How?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 30.Bb3+
Forcing Black’s king to the mating square f8 or h8.
30...Re6
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Sometimes we mask our grief with humour. Tal has his little joke, instead of resigning.
A) 30...Kh8 31.Bxg7# is an X-ray mate, since the c7-rook’s help is an optical illusion;
B) 30...Kf8 31.Bxg7# is x-ray mate number 2.
31.Bxe6+ Kf8 32.Bxg7+ 1-0
33.Bf7 mate follows. It isn’t easy for a legend to always live up to his reputation. It’s a jarring sight to
see the future World Champion so bloodied and manhandled with such ease.
Game 53 Sicilian Defence
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Boris Spassky
Moscow ch-URS 1957 (13)
Nezhmetdinov faces another giant, who was destined to become World Champion 12 years later. I
first met Boris Spassky in 1987, for an interview for my syndicated chess column in Copley News
Service. As the interview began, I quickly realized that I was in the presence of a deeply humble man,
despite his colossal talent and towering intellect.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5
In the olden days when I was a kid, it used to be thought that the Open Sicilian was a large city, while
Anti-Sicilians were rustically dismal backwaters. Not so anymore, since at least in my experience
more people play the Anti-Sicilian lines than open lines, at least at club level.
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3...g6 4.0-0 Bg7 5.c3 Nf6 6.Qe2
6.Re1 is White’s main line today.
6...0-0 7.e5
White gains a touch of space by passing the fourth rank, which discriminates the border between our
territory and the opponent’s. Today, most players go for 7.d4 cxd4 8.cxd4 d5 9.e5 Ne4 10.Nc3 Nxc3
11.bxc3 Na5.
7...Ne8!?
There was no need for this passive response: 7...Nd5! and Black should not be afraid of 8.Qc4?!
(8.d4 cxd4 9.cxd4 d6 is also fine for Black) as 8...Nc7 9.Bxc6 dxc6 10.Qxc5 Bg4 offers him more
than enough compensation for the pawn, Martinovic-Spasov, Groningen 1989.
8.d4 Nc7
The alternative is to toss in 8...cxd4 first.
9.Ba4
9.Bxc6 dxc6 10.dxc5 Qd5 looks fine for Black.
9...cxd4 10.cxd4
10...d5!?
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I don’t like this decision since White is granted central space. Instead, White’s centre should be
challenged with 10...d6! 11.Rd1 Bg4 12.h3 Bxf3 13.Qxf3 dxe5 14.dxe5 Qc8 15.Bxc6 bxc6 16.Qxc6
Bxe5 and Black equalized in Rogers-Agdestein, Biel 1993.
11.h3!
Preventing 11...Bg4. Now White has a pleasant plus.
11...Rb8 12.Bc2
I don’t see the need to move this bishop just yet and prefer 12.Be3.
12...b6!
Intending 13...Ba6.
13.Bd2!?
After 13.Re1 Nb4 14.Nc3 Ba6 15.Qd1 Nxc2 16.Qxc2 Qd7 17.Bf4 Ne6 18.Qd2 Nxf4 19.Qxf4 I still
like White, whose central space and potential to attack on the kingside look slightly better than
Black’s not-so-great bishops.
13...Ba6 14.Bd3 Bxd3 15.Qxd3
The swap of light-squared bishops is a little victory for Spassky, yet he hasn’t completely equalized,
due to White’s annoying e5-pawn and central space.
15...Qd7 16.Nc3 Nb4 17.Qe2 Rbc8 18.a3
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Kicking out the intruder, while preparing to gain queenside space with b2-b4 next.
18...Nc6 19.b4
In order to prevent counterplay with ...Na5.
19...Ne6 20.Qd3 f6! 21.exf6
A move based upon the belief: it’s unwise to ignore the growth of a tumor without taking action for
its removal. 21.Rad1 fxe5 22.Nxe5 Bxe5 23.dxe5 Ncd4 looks okay for Black, since White is unable
to play 24.Be3?? due to 24...Rxc3.
21...Bxf6?!
This is a strategic error since Black must watch e5. Secondly, the move unnecessarily creates a
backward pawn on e7. 21...exf6! 22.Rfe1 Rfe8 looks fine for Black.
22.Ne2
Covering d4, while thinking about shifting the knight in the direction of Spassky’s king.
22...Bg7
22...Ncd8 (intending ...Nf7) 23.Ne5 Bxe5 24.dxe5 Nf7 25.f4 also favours White.
23.Rac1 a5?!
Drab positions tend to be at odds with exuberance. Sealing the queenside favours White. 23...a6! is an
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improvement. Black’s plan could be ...b6-b5, move the c6-knight and then plant a rook on c4.
24.b5 Nb8
If Black’s position were a person, he (or she?) would be bland, humourless and a complete bore in
any conversation. 24...Ncd8 25.Rxc8 Qxc8 26.Rc1 Qd7 27.a4 Nf7 28.Rc6 looks strategically
miserable for Black.
25.Rxc8 Rxc8 26.Nf4!
By offering a swap, White takes some of the pressure off d4.
26...Rc4
A) If 26...Nxf4 27.Bxf4 White seizes complete control over e5;
B) In case of 26...Nf8 White can build with 27.Re1 e6 28.h4 with enduring pressure.
27.Nxe6 Qxe6 28.Re1 Qd6 29.g3!
Bf4 is coming.
29...Nd7
As moves pass, Black’s hopes correspondingly decrease. Also hopeless was the more aggressive line
29...Ra4 30.Bf4 Rxa3 31.Qc2 Qd8 32.Ng5! (taking aim at the e6-square) 32...Bf6 33.Ne6 Qe8
34.Qc7 Nd7 35.Qc6 and White regains the sacrificed pawn on the next move, while ruling the board.
Exercise (planning): If you find a simple two-step plan, you can win a crucial pawn for White.
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Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 30.Bf4
Step 1: Chase Black’s queen to f6.
30...Qf6
After 30...e5 31.dxe5 Qc5 32.Be3 Qxb5 33.e6 Nf6 34.Ne5 White wins the exchange, and then the
e6-pawn will win the game.
31.Bg5
Step 2: Just like that, e7 falls, after which Black’s game is a ruin.
31...Qf8 32.Rxe7 Nf6 33.Qe2!
Threatening to infiltrate e6, after which Black’s back rank will be severely compromised.
33...h6 1-0
With this move Spassky books a passage on the Andrea Doria. It isn’t even a blunder, since
everything loses. Spassky made this move and resigned, seeing that it loses material to 34.Qe6+ Kh8
35.Bxf6! Bxf6 (or 35...Qxf6 36.Re8+) 36.Rf7 and game over. Have you ever seen Tal and Spassky
lose the way they did, completely without a fight? Me neither. For Spassky, the moves passed like a
grey, sunless day, without discrimination between morning, afternoon and evening.
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The following variations demonstrate just how miserable Black’s position was:
A) 33...Ne4 fails to the undermining shot 34.Rxe4!;
B) 33...Kh8 34.Qe6 with the threat 35.Rf7, to which there is no defence;
C) 33...Rc8 34.Qe6+ Kh8 35.Bxf6 Bxf6 36.Rf7 and White wins.
Game 54
Efim Stoliar
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Moscow ch-URS 1957 (18)
Black to move
Do you see Black’s winning shot?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 34...Re3!
Pinning White’s rook.
35.bxc5
How annoying when we correctly identified the problem, yet a remedy doesn’t exist.
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A) 35.Qf1 Qxf3+ 36.Qxf3 Rxf3 37.Kxf3 cxb4 38.axb4 a5! and Black’s outside passed pawn costs
White the game, e.g. 39.bxa5 bxa5 40.Ke3 Kg7 41.Kd4 Kf6 42.g4 a4 43.Kc3 Kg5 44.Kb4 Kxg4
45.Kxa4 Kxf5 and Black wins;
B) 35.Kf2 doesn’t alter a thing: 35...Qxf3+ 36.Qxf3 Rxf3+ 37.Kxf3 cxb4 38.axb4 a5! transposes and
is the same problem for White.
35...Rxa3! 0-1
Pinned piece. The threat is 36...Ra2+: 36.Qf1 Qxf3+ (simplification) 37.Qxf3 Rxf3 38.Kxf3 dxc5
and Black easily wins the king and pawn ending.
Game 55 Ruy Lopez
Paul Keres
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Moscow ch-URS 1957 (20)
In this game, Nezh befuddles his great opponent with an outrageous opening. In the end, Keres was
lucky to draw.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5
Perhaps hoping to ambush Keres, Nezhmetdinov experiments with the Schliemann Variation, which
today has been de-criminalized and allowed to re-enter society as a respectable variation.
4.Nc3
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4...Nd4?!
Why do so many of us willingly enter a house of ill repute? I consider it my moral responsibility to
warn readers not to play this line! This shady move, which has a high mortality rate, is still played
today, but I don’t think much of it, since Black, who already lags in development, violates the
Principle: Don’t move the same piece twice in the opening without good reason. And I don’t see a
good reason here. More common are 4...fxe4 and 4...Nf6.
5.Bc4
Keres seeks to preserve his bishop. Also worth consideration is to just keep developing with 5.exf5 c6
6.Ba4 Nf6 7.0-0 with a dangerous development lead.
5.Nxe5 also looks promising: 5...Qf6 6.f4 c6 7.Bd3 and White won all three games from this position
in my database.
5...d6 6.d3
The engine prefers to castle or play 6.f5, over Keres’ quiet response.
6...Nf6
6...fxe4? puts Black fatally behind in development: 7.Nxd4! exd4. Two of White’s pieces are
simultaneously attacked, yet the development lead overrides this factor: 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Qd5 (threat:
10.Qf7 mate) 9...Qe7 10.Bg5! Nf6 11.Bb5+! c6 12.Bxf6 Qxf6 13.Bxc6+ Kd8 (13...bxc6 14.Qxc6+
Kf7 15.Nxe4 Qe5 16.Qxa8 d5 17.0-0 wins for White) 14.Nxe4 and White wins.
7.0-0?!
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This is the point where Keres blows most of his opening advantage. 7.Nxd4! looks promising for
White: 7...exd4 8.Ne2 fxe4 9.dxe4 Nxe4, Abramovic-Kovacevic, Novi Sad 1985. I don’t like Black’s
position at all after 10.Nf4! (with the threat 10...-- 11.Qh5+ and if 11...g6 then 12.Nxg6!) 10...Bf5
11.Qe2! with the threats f2-f3 and also g2-g4. Black is in deep trouble.
7...Nxf3+ 8.Qxf3 f4!
Principle: Close the position when lagging in development. The threat is 9...Bg4, trapping White’s
queen.
9.d4
Keres of course wants to open the position.
9...c6 10.Qd3
10...g5!?
Moment of Contemplation: Have you ever had a conversation with a person with an accent so
heavy that you only understand one word out of every five uttered? That is how I feel about Nezh’s
handling of the opening in this game. He is bound and determined to provoke his great opponent. It is
frustratingly difficult for White to open the game to his advantage. What is really amazing is that
Keres was unable to come up with an effective plan against Nezh’s affront.
11.a4
A) 11.b4!, intending d4-d5 next, opens the position;
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B) 11.dxe5?! is in opposition to White’s interests: 11...dxe5 12.Qxd8+ Kxd8 and Black already
stands better in the ending, due to his extra space on the kingside.
11...Qb6!?
Operation Provoke Keres continues. Safer was 11...Nd7.
12.Rd1?!
Keres asks for too little and misjudges the coming ending, which he must have assessed in his favour.
White looks slightly better after 12.d5!.
12...Qxd4! 13.Qxd4 exd4 14.Rxd4 Ng4!
By a miracle Nezhmetdinov has survived his outrageously provocative opening and ends up with a
promising ending. I already slightly prefer Black, for the following reasons:
1. Black’s knight will soon plant itself on the artificial hole on e5.
2. Black’s king in the centre, while a source of concern while the queens were on the board, now is an
asset.
3. Black has acquired a space advantage on the kingside.
4. While White remains ahead in development, there are no obvious targets in Black’s camp, which
somewhat negates the development lead.
15.Be2
He sees ...Ne5 coming and gets his bishop out of the way.
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15...Ke7 16.a5
16.Bxg4 Bxg4 17.f3 Be6 18.Ne2 Bg7 is in Black’s favour due to the bishop pair, control over e5 and
the better king position.
16...Bg7 17.Rd1
17...Be6!
Nezhmetdinov correctly resists the temptation to damage White’s structure with 17...Bxc3?! which is
weak since 18.bxc3 gives White the bishop pair and the open b-file to apply pressure to b7.
18.Na2 h5!
Nezhmetdinov loved adventure. This move invites White to disrupt Black’s kingside structure.
18...Raf8 removes White’s h2-h4 option.
19.Nb4!
a5-a6 is in the air. Keres correctly declines the invitation to toss in the tempting 19.h4?!, since that
would only benefit Black: 19...Ne5 20.hxg5 Raf8 21.Nb4 h4 22.f3 Rh5 23.Kf2 Rxg5 24.Rh1 Rh5
25.Bd2 Ng6.
19...Ne5
Covering c6.
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20.Nd3?!
Now White’s former apprehensions are fully realized in the present. Most of us don’t play every
position at the same strength. A gifted tactician/attacker may also be a not-so-gifted player in boring
positions like this one. Keres is unrecognizable in this game, since defending inferior, passive endings
was not his strong suit.
It’s natural to want to swap away Black’s powerful knight, yet with it, White also swaps away his
only active piece. Better was to just wait with 20.f3; 20.h4?! Raf8! 21.hxg5 h4 22.a6 b6 23.Bd2 h3 is
in Black’s favour, despite White’s temporary extra pawn.
20...Nxd3 21.Bxd3
21.cxd3 doesn’t help: 21...c5 (seizing control over d4) 22.Bd2 b5! 23.Bc3 Bxc3 24.bxc3 Rab8 25.d4
b4 with a clear advantage for Black, due to the passed b-pawn.
21...Be5
Securing the f4-pawn, which means that White’s h2-h4 options end.
22.Ra4?!
This is a waste of time.
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22...b5!
Principle: Confrontation favours the better developed side. And yes, development matters, even in an
ending.
23.axb6?!
He should not have given Black control over the newly opened a-file. 23.Ra1 h4 leaves White with
zero counterplay, yet was still better than Keres’ choice.
23...axb6 24.Rxa8 Rxa8 25.f3 b5
Or 25...Ra2 26.c3 b5 with a miserable position for White.
26.c3
This move shouldn’t have been made voluntarily.
26...Bb3 27.Re1
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As mentioned in other places in this book, Nezhmetdinov could actually play excellent strategic
chess, when it was forced upon him. Keres has been completely outplayed and can do nothing but
shuffle in his stagnant position.
Exercise (planning): Come up with a plan for Black to make concrete gains.
Show/Hide Solution
27...Bc4?
This is the point where Nezh threw away the full point. Black should not be swapping, since it
relieves White’s cramped position. I played out the following lines against Stockfish 12. The winning
process is lengthy, yet instructive:
Answer: 27...h4!
Step 1: Induce White to seal the kingside.
A) 28.g3? h3 29.g4 Kd7 30.Bf1 b4! 31.cxb4 Bd4+ 32.Kh1 Bf2 33.Re2 Ra1! 34.Rxf2 Rxc1 35.Kg1
Bc4 36.b5 Bxb5 37.b3 Ke6 38.b4 Ke5 zugzwang; White is mated in four moves;
B) 28.h3 Kd7!.
Step 2: Maneuver the king to b6, since the fight now will be on the queenside. 29.Kf2 Kc7 30.Ke2
Kb6 31.Bb1 c5 32.Bd2 Ra1 33.Rc1 b4! (Step 3: Breakthrough on b4) 34.Kf2 (after 34.cxb4? c4
35.Bc3 Ba2! 36.Bxa2 Rxc1 37.Bxc4 Bxc3 wins) 34...Bc4 35.Ke1 (35.cxb4? Bd4+ 36.Ke1 Bxb2
37.Rxc4 Kb5 38.Rc2 Rxb1+ 39.Ke2 c4! – White’s b-pawn falls to the coming ...Ba3 and White is
completely lost) 35...b3! (White’s position reaches a comatose state, a kind of middle ground between
life and death) 36.Kf2 (White must guard against 36...Bf1) 36...Kb5 37.Ke1 Ka4 38.Kf2
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analysis diagram
38...Ra2!. Step 4: This is the salient point: offer the exchange on a2 to create a deadly passed a-pawn.
39.Bxa2 (39.Ke1 Rxb2 is also hopeless for White) 39...bxa2 40.Ra1 (from this point on, White’s rook
reminds us of Howard Hughes, locked in a sanitized, germ-free room) 40...Kb3 41.Bc1 d5! (Step 5:
Open the centre to free Black’s bishops) 42.exd5 Bxd5 43.Ke2 Bc4+ 44.Kf2 (if 44.Kd2?, 44...Bf1
wins easily, since White’s kingside pawns fall like dominoes) 44...Bd3 45.Ke1 c4! (Step 6: Open the
g1-a7 diagonal for Black’s dark-squared bishop to enter the game) 46.Kf2 Bd6 47.Ke1 (47.Kg1
Bc5+ 48.Kh2 Be3! undermines the defender of b2 and wins) 47...Bc5 (zugzwang) 48.Kd1
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analysis diagram
48...Be3! – zugzwang. Pawn b2 falls and with it, White’s game.
Curiously, I gave Stockfish 12 and Komodo 13 the black pieces at the start of this analysis, on move
27, and neither engine was able to find this winning plan. It’s comforting to know that we humans are
still better than the comps in positions which require abstract, long-term planning.
28.Bxc4 bxc4 29.g3!
Keres distracts with play on the kingside and his position is well on its way to convalescence.
29...Ra1 30.Kf2 Ra2
Threat: 31...Bxc3.
31.Re2 Kf6 32.Rc2 Ra1 33.Kg2 h4 34.gxh4 gxh4 35.Kh3 Kg5 36.Rg2+ Kh5 37.Rg1
Black has no way to make progress and the engines call it dead even here. Nezhmetdinov played on
and on, without altering the inevitable. The remainder was not so interesting:
37...Rb1 38.Rd1 Bg7 39.Rg1 Bh6 40.Kg2 Bg5 41.Rd1 Be7 42.Kf2 Bd8 43.Ke2
Keres is not about to fall for 43.Rxd6?? Bb6+ 44.Ke2 Rxc1.
43...Bb6 44.h3 Ba7 45.Bxf4! Rxb2+ 46.Rd2 Rxd2+ 47.Kxd2 d5 48.Bd6 Bb6 49.Ke2 Ba5 50.Be5
Bb6 51.Bf6 Bc5 52.Bd8 Bd6 53.Ke3 Be5 54.Ba5 Kg5 55.Bd8+ Kh5 56.Ba5 Kg5 57.Bb4 Bf4+
58.Kd4 Bg3 59.exd5 cxd5 60.Kxd5 Kf4 61.Kxc4 Kxf3
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Draw.
At long last!
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Show in Text Mode
Game 56 King’s Indian Defence
M.Gosin
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Krasnodar 1957
Like Tal, Nezhmetdinov routinely bluffed and provoked opponents. His 12th move was unsound, yet
it worked beautifully.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7
We believe that we ‘choose’ our openings. But do we choose who we love? Nezhmetdinov, like
Bronstein and Kotov, were early advocates of the King’s Indian Defence, which today of course is a
completely mainstream opening.
4.e4 d6 5.f3 0-0 6.Be3 Nbd7 7.Qd2
7...c5!?
This move is a bit risky, since Black has already committed his b8-knight to d7. This means that
When White plays d4-d5, Black will have a more difficult time playing the ...e7-e6 break, since with
Black’s knight on e7, White can simply trade on e6 and pick up Black’s loose d6-pawn.
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Decent alternatives are 7...e5 and 7...c6.
8.d5 Re8!?
A) 8...Ne5 should be played, intending ...e7-e6;
B) 8...a6 is also a better try.
9.Nh3!
White takes advantage of the d7-knight’s obstruction of the diagonal, which prevents ...Bxh3.
9...a6 10.Be2 Ne5?!
It’s too soon for this move, since White will gain time with f3-f4 in a few moves. Black would have
been better off turning the game into a Benko Gambit with 10...b5!. The problem was, in 1957, this
kind of pawn sacrifice was not such a familiar theme as it is today.
11.Nf2 e6!?
This move invites crazy complications, which are inherently in White’s favour. 11...b5 was a safer
option.
12.f4
12...Neg4!
Dirty deeds are better done under the cover of darkness. This move is tricky, yet still favours White. It
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was too late to turn back now with 12...Ned7?! 13.dxe6 Rxe6 14.a4! (discouraging ...b7-b5 breaks)
14...b6 15.0-0 Bb7 16.Bf3 and White exerts unpleasant strategic pressure.
13.Nxg4!
After 13.Bxg4?! Nxg4 14.Nxg4 exd5 (threatening both 15...Bxg4 and 15...d4) 15.f5 d4 16.0-0 dxe3
17.Nxe3 b5! I prefer Black’s position.
13...Nxg4 14.Bxg4 Qh4+
The double attack regains the sacrificed piece.
15.Qf2!
This move seizes control over h4.
15...Qxg4 16.g3?
16.h3! refutes Nezhmetdinov’s idea: 16...Qh5 17.g4 Bxc3+ 18.bxc3 Qh6 19.f5 Qg7 20.f6 Qf8 21.0-0
with a nagging advantage for White, who squeezes Black.
16...Qh5
White is overextended in the centre and weak on the light squares. 16...exd5! 17.Nxd5 Rxe4 18.0-0
Be6 looks pretty awful for White.
17.g4?
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The important life lesson we learned from Doctor Victor Frankenstein is that while we all applaud the
imagination’s power to create, what we sometimes forget is that imagination cannot always control
that which it unleashes.
17...Qh6?
What? This paranoid move wastes time, since it gives White f4-f5 for free. White can’t do anything
with an open g-file. Now we see the ugly side of Nezhmetdinov’s weakness: sometimes he
overestimated the power of the initiative, while giving too little weight to material considerations.
A) 17...Qxg4! was fully playable, since Black wins a pawn for which White’s temporary burst of
energy fails to compensate, e.g. 18.Rg1 Qh5 19.Rg5 Qh3 20.Rg3 Qh4 21.0-0-0 exd5 22.Rxd5 Qe7
23.f5 Bxc3 24.bxc3 Qxe4 25.fxg6 fxg6 26.Rxd6 Bf5 and White’s king is in more trouble than
Black’s;
B) 17...Qh3! looks even stronger. After 18.Rg1 exd5 19.Nxd5 Rxe4 White is the one in deep trouble.
18.dxe6?
White looks okay with 18.f5! Qh3 19.dxe6 fxe6 20.fxg6 (not 20.f6? Bxf6!) 20...hxg6 21.0-0-0.
18...Bxe6!
Gosin must have expected 18...fxe6? 19.0-0-0 with advantage for White.
19.f5
Is White winning a piece? No:
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19...Bxc3+ 20.bxc3 Qg7
21.f6
White had no time to capture Black’s bishop: 21.fxe6!? Qxc3+ 22.Ke2 Qxc4+ 23.Kf3 Rxe6 24.Kg3
Rxe4 25.Qf3 Rae8 and I don’t like White’s odds here.
21...Qf8 22.0-0-0
22...Bxc4
Predictably, Nezhmetdinov’s focus is on White’s king and he may have taken the wrong pawn here.
Still, even in this version, White is overextended, down a pawn and about to lose another. Stronger
was 22...Bxg4! 23.Rde1 Rxe4 with an even larger advantage than what Nezhmetdinov got in the
game.
23.h4!
White’s only prayer is to deliver checkmate by opening the h-file.
23...Rxe4 24.h5 Qe8!
Only a supremely confident calculator would willingly take on such a dangerous commitment. I have
a feeling that a lot of players in the same situation would not be so certain about the black king’s
safety and might have chickened out with 24...g5? which throws away Black’s advantage: 25.Bxg5
Qe8 26.Rxd6 Qa4 27.Rhd1 Rae8 28.Bh6! Re2 29.Qxe2 Rxe2 (29...Bxe2 30.R1d5! – threatening to
swing over to g5 – 30...Kh8 31.Bg7+ Kg8 32.Bh6 with a repetition draw) 30.Rd8+ Re8 31.R1d7!
287
(interference; White threatens mate on the move) 31...Qa3+ 32.Kd1 Be2+ 33.Kc2 Qxa2+ 34.Kc1
Qa1+ and perpetual check.
25.hxg6 fxg6
26.Rxh7!?
The rook provides accompaniment to the position’s growing discord. This doesn’t work! But it’s
certainly dramatic and a decent practical chance. The sacrifice would scare the living daylights out of
most people if they were in Nezh’s position.
26.Rde1 would have meant a slow death for White after 26...Qf7 27.Bd2 Rae8.
26...Kxh7
A surplus of material carries little reassurance if our king’s head is on the executioner’s block. At this
point it isn’t at all easy to see who is winning or losing. The engines have Black winning, but this
assumes zero defensive errors on Black’s part. I’m pretty certain that Nezhmetdinov’s powers of
calculation left him confident at this stage, yet everyone knows that calculating a line in our mind’s
eye is not the same as seeing it with our actual eyes.
27.Qh2+ Kg8 28.Rh1! Kf7!
Run like the wind! Not 28...Rxe3?? 29.Qh7+ Kf8 30.Qg7#.
29.Qxd6 Qe6!
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White just doesn’t have enough to justify giving away a rook.
30.Rh7+ Kxf6! 31.Qd2
White gives up another piece.
A) 31.Qxc5 (threat: 32.g5 mate) 31...Bd5 32.Bd4+ Kg5 (White’s attack runs out of gas, while
Black’s is just starting) 33.Bf2 Re1+! 34.Bxe1 Qxe1+ 35.Kc2 Qe4+ 36.Kc1 Re8 and White can
resign;
B) 31.Qc7 Rxg4 32.Qxc5 Rd8! – Black will meet 33.Bd4+ with 33...R8xd4 and there is no way for
White to continue the attack.
31...Rxe3 32.Qf2+
After 32.g5+ Kf5 33.Qf2+ Kxg5 34.Qh4+ Kf5 35.Qf2+ Ke4! White has no good way to continue,
since Black’s king will run to safety via d5 and c6.
32...Kg5 33.Qh4+ Kf4 34.Qh2+
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Nezh’s insufferable king is unmatable and Gosin realized his attack had gone dead and resigned:
A) 34.g5+ Qg4 35.Qh2+ Kf5 36.Qf2+ Kxg5! 37.Qxe3+ Qf4 leaves Black up a piece in the ending;
B) After 34.Qh2+ Rg3 35.Qh6+ Kxg4 36.Qh4+ Kf3 37.Qh1+ Rg2 38.Rh3+ Kf2 White runs out of
checks and there is nothing to be done about the coming ...Rg1+, since 39.Rh2 is met with 39...Qe3+
40.Kc2 Qd3+ 41.Kb2 Qd2+ and White is mated in two moves.
Game 57 Ruy Lopez
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Yuri Kotkov
Krasnodar 1957
This masterpiece is one of Nezhmetdinov’s greatest combinational efforts.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5
The terms ‘long ago’ and ‘far away’ are two different things. The Ruy Lopez was played since the
18th century, yet it isn’t so far away, since everyone still plays it today. Early on in his career
Nezhmetdinov goofed around with gimmicky lines against 1...e5, but later he settled permanently
with the Lopez.
3...Nf6
One interesting observation I discovered from AlphaZero’s games is that the machine clearly believes
the Berlin is Black’s objectively best defence to 1.e4 and the Ruy Lopez.
4.0-0 Nxe4
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5.Re1
This safe line tends to lead to dull positions, resembling Exchange French lines. Today, the tabiya
position, made famous by Kramnik in his World Championship match against Kasparov, is the one
after 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8. Kramnik didn’t lose a single game from this
position and many, including me, believe the Berlin Lopez was the opening which made him World
Champion.
5...Nd6 6.Nxe5
Threatening a terrible discovered check on c6.
6...Be7
Also played is 6...Nxe5 7.Rxe5+ Be7 8.Bf1 0-0 9.d4 Bf6 10.Re1 Nf5 11.c3 d5. The position leaks
drabness. I don’t know about you, but I’m already getting sleepy, and I feel the dire need of caffeine.
291
7.Bd3!?
Of course, this amateurish looking move is in violation of chess principles, since White’s awkward
d3-bishop clogs his d-pawn and refuses to stake out central space. Yet, it isn’t as bad as it looks and it
is still played, since White’s queenside can still be developed via a future b2-b3 and Bb2.
7.Bf1 Nxe5 8.Rxe5 0-0 9.d4 Bf6 leads to the not-so-dynamic position mentioned in the above note.
7...0-0 8.Nc3 Nxe5 9.Rxe5 Bf6 10.Re3
The idea is to launch a Greek Gift sacrifice on h7, followed by Qh5+ and Rh3. Of course, Black will
see it and then White gets nothing.
10...g6
After 10...Bg5 11.Re1 b6 12.Bf1 (about now, we are all wondering why White moved the bishop to
d3 in the first place) 12...Bb7 13.d4 Bxc1 14.Qxc1 Qf6 15.Qd2 Rae8 16.Nb5 Nxb5 17.Bxb5 Bc6
18.Bf1 d5 the position is equal and drawish, Dominguez Perez-So, Lichess.org 2020.
11.Qf3
White’s queen hinders Black’s ...b7-b6 and ...Bb7 development scheme. Also played is 11.b3 b6.
11...Bg7
A) 11...c6 12.b3 Ne8 13.Ba3 d6 14.Rae1 Be6 15.Bc4 and in Delgadillo-Pinto, cr 2018, Black was
okay after 15...Be7. White can speculate with 16.Rxe6!? fxe6 17.Rxe6! Kh8! (and not the greedy
17...Rxf3?? 18.Rxg6+ Kf8 19.Rg8#) 18.Qh3 Rf6 when his game is easier to play, but objectively
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Black is okay;
B) 11...Ne8! is an equalizer: 12.b3 (Krivoborodov-Sychev, Moscow 2012) 12...d6 13.Bb2 c6 14.Rae1
Be6 – White doesn’t have anything and Black’s king is well protected.
12.b3
12...Ne8!
Black prepares to unravel his queenside with ...d7-d6.
13.Ba3 d6 14.Rae1 Nf6
14...c6 15.h4! Be6 16.h5 Qa5 17.Bb2 Qxh5 18.Qxh5 gxh5 19.Rg3 h4 20.Rg5 h6 21.Rh5 h3 22.gxh3
Nf6 23.Rh4 is still in White’s favour.
15.h3
Covering against tricks on g4.
15...Nd7?
This very reasonable looking move, intending ...Ne5, is actually an error. The correct path to equality
lies in 15...Rb8! 16.Bc4 Bd7 17.Nd5, Morales Romero-Hevia Alejano, Havana 2010. The game is
equal after 17...Nxd5 18.Bxd5 c6 19.Be4 Qc7 intending to challenge the e-file with ...Rbe8 next.
20.Bd3 Rbe8 21.Re7 can be met with the shocking discovered attack/unpinning shot 21...Bg4!
22.Qe3 Bd7 23.Qf3 Bg4 with a repetition draw.
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16.Nd5 f5?
Black’s best shot to survive may have been the line 16...Rb8! 17.Bc4 Ne5 18.Rxe5! dxe5 19.Ne7+
Kh8 20.Nxc8 Qxc8 21.Bxf8 Qxf8 22.Qxf7 Qxf7 23.Bxf7 Rd8 24.d3. Black is down a pawn and
nurses an isolani on e5, yet the presence of opposite-coloured bishops offers drawing hopes.
Exercise (combination alert): 17.Re7! looks strong and may even be objectively better than the
incredible combination Nezh launched on his next move. Do you see a more forcing line for White?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Decoy:
17.Nxc7!
Crazy ideas are sometimes easy to conjure, yet so much more difficult to implement. Why? Because
one requires imagination, while the other demands grueling hard work, via the details of calculation.
Nezh’s move would easily get two exclamation marks, if not for the fact that Black has a hidden
defence which makes White’s win a difficult task.
Highly promising was 17.Re7! which was objectively stronger than Nezh’s incredible combination:
17...Ne5 18.R1xe5! Bxe5 19.Bc4 Kh8 20.Rxe5! dxe5 21.Bxf8 Qxf8 22.Nxc7 Rb8 23.Qd5 h5 (Black
can barely move) 24.Qxe5+ Qg7 25.Qd6 and Black won’t save the game.
17...Qxc7 18.Qd5+ Kh8
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19.Re8!
This is the deep point of the sacrifice: Black’s back rank is not so secure. Kotkov undoubtedly
expected 19.Bxd6? Nb6! 20.Qc5 Qxc5 21.Bxc5 Bd7! 22.Bxf8 Bxf8 when Black’s two minor pieces
are worth more than White’s rook and two extra pawns.
19...Nf6 20.Rxf8+ Bxf8 21.Bb2! Bg7
Exercise (combination alert): Continue White’s attack.
295
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 22.Bc4!
Weak back rank. White’s queen can’t be touched.
Do you remember the Charles Ebbet black and white photo of construction workers, nonchalantly
enjoying a picnic lunch while sitting on metal girders, suspended stories high above Manhattan?
Nezh’s coolness under the pressure of super-complex positions conjures the image.
After 22.Re8+? Nxe8 23.Bc4 Nf6 24.Bxf6 now Black saves himself with the zwischenzug 24...Be6!
25.Qxe6 Rf8 and White has compensation for the exchange, but no more.
22...Bd7
A) 22...Nxd5?? 23.Re8#;
B) 22...Be6 23.Qxe6 Re8?? is not such a great combination for Black, since he gets back-ranked with
24.Qxe8+ Nxe8 25.Rxe8#.
23.Bxf6! Bxf6 24.Qf7 Qd8??
It’s impossible to anticipate every possible variable and contingency in a complex position.
Unfortunately, Nezh’s incredible idea contains a partial hole: here, Black could have played 24...Bg5!
(e7 must be covered against White’s rook infiltration attempt) 25.g3! (threat: 26.h4, and if Black’s
bishop moves to h6, then Re7, with mate on h7) 25...f4! (this attempt to bandage the damage partially
succeeds) 26.h4
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analysis diagram
26...fxg3! (the only move) 27.hxg5 gxf2+ 28.Kxf2 Qc5+ 29.Re3 Qf5+!.
What happens when the destination you seek to reach no longer exists? With this move, the queens
are removed from the board, which offers Black a crumb of comfort during his counterplay famine.
White can no longer win with an attack and must try and milk the favourable technical ending:
30.Rf3! Qxf7 31.Rxf7 Bc6 32.Rc7. Black is in deep trouble in the ending, since his rook can never
leave the back rank, due to a white rook check on the back rank, followed by Rg8 mate. Still, the win
is not so easy to prove for White.
Exercise (combination alert): Black just cracked under the relentless pressure. Find one more shot
and Black resigns.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 25.Re8+!
Interference/removal of the guard/weak back rank.
25...Bxe8
25...Qxe8 26.Qxf6#.
26.Qf8#
297
Game 58
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Leonid Shamkovich
Krasnodar 1957
White to move
Exercise (combination alert): How would you proceed with White’s attack?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer:
22.e5!!
This is a hostile takeover, not a merger. The purposeful mutation of the structure at first gives the
impression of an overpress error, since it allows Black’s light-squared bishop’s influence to increase
when it moves to c6. Nezhmetdinov has calculated the consequences perfectly and Black is in deep
trouble.
22...Bc6
For Shamkovich the future is a series of scary question marks. This is a reasonable try in a bad
situation.
A) On 22...dxe5??, 23.Rd1 wins, since the d7-bishop hangs;
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B) If 22...fxe5??, 23.Re2 Qg5 24.fxe6 Be8 25.exf7 wins;
C) 22...exf5! may have been Black’s best hope to survive: 23.exd6 Qxd6 24.Rd1 Qc7 25.Nd5 Qd8
26.Rfe1 Bd6 27.Qb3 Rg7 28.Bf3 and Black is strategically lost, but can at least play on.
23.Re2!
White covers g2, with tempo.
23...Qg5 24.fxe6 fxe6 25.exf6
25...Bxf6!?
Opening the f-file is obviously dangerous for Black’s king. If Black continues with fatalistic
disinterest with 25...Bd8 then comes 26.Ne4 Bxe4 27.Rxe4 Rc5 (if 27...Rxc2 28.Rxe6 Black is
mated) 28.Rxe6! Qxh5 29.f7! and White wins.
26.Ne4!
It’s a good idea for White to eliminate Black’s most active piece, the light-squared bishop.
26...Bxe4 27.Rxe4 Rxc2 28.Rxe6
299
28...Rf2!
We play for tricks in positions where we have insufficient bargaining leverage. This doesn’t work, yet
it may be Black’s best practical chance. Shamkovich tries a dirty trick, playing upon White’s weak
back rank. The more tactical the position, the more convoluted the etiquette, where even minor
transgressions are not tolerated. 28...Qxg2+ loses to 29.Qxg2 Rgxg2 30.Rfxf6+ Kg8 31.h4. Black is
unable to deliver perpetual check and White wins: 31...Rgd2?, threatening a back rank mate, is met
harshly with 32.Re8+ Kg7 33.Rf7#.
29.Re8+ Kg7 30.Rxg8+ Kxg8 31.Qc8+!
Suddenly the queen covers c1, meaning that Black’s ...Qc1 mating theme just blew up and now his
rook on f2 really is hanging.
31...Kg7 32.Rxf2!
Oops. Now Black finds himself down a clean exchange, with another pawn to fall on b7.
32...Qxh5 33.Qxb7+ Kg6
300
34.Qf3!
White’s queen acts an awful lot like a fairy tale witch, who is never up to any good.
34...Qxf3
The ending is totally hopeless for Black and Shamkovich could have resigned here. Instead, after
34...Qe5 35.Rf1 d5 (35...Qxb2 36.Qd3+ Kg7 37.Qxd6 is also completely lost for Black) 36.b4!
White begins to push his queenside majority, since Black’s queen is tied down to defence of the
bishop: 36...d4 37.a4 h5 38.b5! axb5 39.axb5 Qe6 40.Qg3+ Kh6 41.Qc7 Be5 42.Qc6 and Black has
no chance to hold the game.
35.gxf3 Kf5 36.Kg2 d5 37.Rc2 Kf4 38.Kf2 a5 39.b3 h5 40.Ke2 Bd4 41.Rc6 Bg1 1-0
301
42.Rh6 Kg5 43.Rd6 Bxh2 44.Rxd5+ Kh6 45.Rxa5 wins easily.
Game 59
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
A.Usov
Krasnodar 1957
White to move
302
Exercise (combination alert): We can sense White’s knockout punch.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Annihilation of defensive barrier:
28.Rxa6! Ra8
White’s rook can’t be taken: 28...Kxa6?? 29.Ra3+ Kb7 30.Qa7#.
29.Rac6 1-0
29...Rec8 30.Qb4 (threatening mate in two moves) 30...Rcb8 31.e5! (pin/overloaded defender)
31...Kc8 32.g6! allows White to create two deadly central passed pawns: 32...fxg6 33.Rxc7+ Qxc7
34.Rxc7+ Kxc7 35.Qxd6+ Kb7 36.Qc6+ Ka7 37.Qc5+ Ka6 38.d6 and the central passed pawns win
easily.
Game 60
Efim Stoliar
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Krasnodar 1957
Black to move
303
Exercise (combination alert): Black to play and win.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Remove the defenders of f3:
41...Bxe1! 42.Rxe1 Rc1! 0-1
Removal of the guard. 43.Qxc1 (if 43.Qe2, 43...Rxe1 wins) 43...Qxf3+ 44.Kg1 (44.Kh2 Qxf2+
45.Kh1 Bf3#) 44...Bh3 and White only has a couple of spite checks on c8 and f7 before he is mated.
Game 61 Ruy Lopez
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Tigran Petrosian
Moscow ch-URS 1957 (17)
Here is yet another battle against a future world champion.
1.e4 e5!?
Infatuation isn’t the same as true love. This is an unusual choice from Petrosian, who normally
favoured the French, the Caro-Kann and the Kan Sicilian.
2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Bxc6!?
304
One mystery I never understood is why Nezh sometimes chose charisma-impaired openings over
more aggressive ones which suited his fighting style. This is the Deferred Exchange Variation. White
voluntarily gives Black the free move ...Nf6, which disallows ...f7-f6. Black is not so inconvenienced
and can play the knight to d7, equalizing.
6...bxc6!?
Moment of Contemplation: Petrosian’s last move is objectively dubious, yet he probably hoped to
exploit the surprise value, since it drove Nezhmetdinov from familiar opening territory. White should
get an edge after this inferior recapture. Black achieves easy equality with 6...dxc6 7.d3 Nd7 8.Nbd2
0-0 9.Nc4 f6.
7.d4!?
Nezhmetdinov’s inclination was always to open the position, yet this feels unwise since the move is
in violation of the Principle: Don’t open the game when your opponent owns the bishop pair.
Objectively better is 7.Nxe5!. This also opens the game, yet it is clearly superior to Nezhmetdinov’s
choice, since it increases White’s development lead to dangerous proportions: 7...Nxe4 8.Re1 Nf6
(8...Nc5 9.d4 Ne6 10.c4 also looks uncomfortable for Black) 9.Qe2! (this way 9...0-0 is met with
10.Nxc6!, winning a pawn) 9...c5 10.Nc3 0-0 11.Nc6! (discovered attack) 11...dxc6 12.Qxe7 c4
13.Qc5, winning a pawn. Black’s development lead offers some – but not full – compensation.
7...exd4
7...Nxe4?! 8.Re1 d5 9.Nxe5 looks better for White.
8.Nxd4!?
305
Moment of Contemplation: Nezhmetdinov offers a pawn for a development lead, which Petrosian
should have accepted. 8.e5 Nd5 9.Qxd4 0-0 leads to a Scotch-like position which looks okay for
Black, Clapp-Knox, cr 2016.
8...c5?!
Now Black is in some trouble. Petrosian should have boldly grabbed the e-pawn with 8...Nxe4! 9.Re1
Nc5 10.Nf5 Ne6 11.Qg4 g6 12.Nxe7 Qxe7. Now if 13.Bh6 then 13...Bb7! intending to castle long. I
have doubts about White’s full compensation for the pawn.
9.Nf3?!
I have no idea why Nezhmetdinov rejected the natural and strong 9.Nf5 0-0 10.e5 Ne8 11.Nc3 d6
12.Nxe7+ Qxe7 13.Re1! Be6 14.Bf4 when Black’s position is a touch uncomfortable.
9...d6 10.e5
Nezh invites an ending where Black’s queenside pawns are doubled and a liability, yet Petrosian’s
bishop pair offers sufficient consolation. 10.Nc3 Bb7 11.Re1 0-0 looks fine for Black.
10...dxe5!?
I’m surprised that Petrosian, who disliked structural weaknesses, entered this line. 10...Nd7 11.Bf4
Nb6 is dynamically balanced.
11.Qxd8+ Bxd8 12.Nxe5 Be7
306
13.Nc3!?
This is essentially an offer of his c2-pawn. A more cautious player would have opted for 13.Re1.
13...Bf5
Targeting c2.
14.Nc6
After 14.Re1 0-0 (14...Bxc2? 15.Nc6 Kd7 16.Rxe7+! Kxc6 17.Rxf7 is awful for Black) 15.Nc4 Rfe8
16.Bf4 Rac8 17.Re2 I slightly prefer White.
14...Bd6 15.Re1+ Kf8 16.Bg5 Bxc2!
Good judgement, since war should only be declared as a necessity, rather than a luxury. Every thief in
the world rationalizes their deed with the thought: ‘My need is greater than yours.’ Petrosian guiltily
appropriates a pawn, falling even further behind in development. His reasoning: if he is stuck with an
inferior structure, then he may as well be paid for his troubles. He essentially dares Nezhmetdinov to
prove compensation from his development lead.
17.Rac1 Bf5
The game is dynamically balanced, until White’s next move.
18.Na5?!
18.h3 was correct.
18...Ng4!
307
19.Nc4!?
Moment of Contemplation: Nezh takes his I-refuse-to-defend-anything philosophy a bit too far and
this sacrifice of a second pawn is objectively unsound – which never stopped him before! At least in
this version the complications level increases. White should have settled for 19.h3 Ne5 20.Rcd1 when
I slightly prefer Black after 20...f6.
19...Bxh2+ 20.Kh1
The only move. After 20.Kf1? Bd3+ 21.Ne2 f6 White is down two pawns and has lost the initiative.
20...Bd6?!
This allows Nezh back into the game. Better was 20...f6! 21.Ne3 Be5 22.Nxf5 fxg5 23.Rc2 Re8 24.f3
Nf6 25.Rce2 Nd7 26.Ne4 Kf7! 27.Rd1 Nf6 28.Nxc5 Kg6 with advantage to Black.
21.Nxd6 cxd6 22.Be7+ Kg8 23.Kg1 Ne5
308
Threat: 24...Nd3, which Nezh ignores!
24.Bxd6!!
The exchange sacrifice is completely sound! The component which is truly remarkable in
Nezhmetdinov’s games is that as long as even a flicker of life exists in the position, then it magically
conjures hidden tactical ideas, no matter how far-fetched. Petrosian may have expected 24.Rcd1?!
Nd3 25.Re2 c4 26.Bxd6 h5! when Black stands better.
24...Nd3 25.Nd5!
309
Now we see the idea. Black’s king isn’t so safe, despite the removal of queens from the board. The
threat is 26.Ne7+, starting a knight windmill. There is no other moment in a chess game where we
feel so alive than when we attack – soundly or unsoundly.
25...g6!
Black must tread carefully. Petrosian finds Black’s best defensive move, if he wants to play for the
full point. The move gives air to his king, while simultaneously protecting his bishop against the
knight fork on e7.
A) 25...Nxc1?? allows White a pretty mate with 26.Ne7+ Kf8 27.Nc8+! (interference/weak back
rank) 27...Kg8 28.Re8#;
B) 25...Nxe1?? 26.Ne7+ and now 26...Kf8 27.Nxf5+ Ke8 28.Rxe1+ Kd7 29.Re7+ Kc6 30.Rc7+
Kb6 31.Ne3 with a winning position for White;
C) With 25...Be6 Black agrees to a draw as 26.Ne7+ Kf8 27.Ng6+ Kg8 28.Ne7+ is perpetual check.
People who go on to become world champions usually don’t like to draw games against lower ranked
opposition.
26.Be5!
This move keeps the material balance and the game peters out to a likely drawn ending.
26...Nxe5 27.Rxe5 Kg7 28.Rxc5 Rhe8 29.Ne3 Be6 30.a3 Red8 31.Rc7
Threat: 32.Rxe6.
31...Rd6 32.b4 Rb8 33.Rec5
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Draw agreed,
The chances remain even after 33...Rbb6.
Game 62
Yuri Kotkov
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Sochi 1958
Black to move
Black’s passed c-pawn and king position are worth a lot more than White’s two bishops. Prove why.
311
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 52...c2+! 0-1
A) 53.Bxc2+ loses to the simple discovered check 53...Kc3+ 54.Ke1 Kxc2;
B) 53.Ke1 Ra8 (threat: 54...Ra1) 54.Bb2 Ra1+! (decoy) 55.Kf2 c1=Q 56.Bxc1 Rxc1 and Black wins.
Game 63
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Efim Stoliar
Sochi ch-RSFSR 1958
White to move
Exercise (combination alert): Do you feel the position’s hidden disquietude? Here Nezhmetdinov
alertly found a shot which wins a pawn.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 23.Rd6!
Decoy/double attack.
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23...Qe7
A) 23...Qxd6?? 24.Ng5 and Black is mated in three moves at the most;
B) 23...Be6? 24.Rxb6 cxb3 25.axb3 – b7 hangs and Black must also worry about Ng5.
24.Rxb6 cxb3 25.axb3
White has won a pawn, with strong pressure to boot.
25...f6
Forced. Black doesn’t have time to grab control over the d-file as 25...Rd8?? loses more material to
26.Ng5 f6 27.Rxf6! (overloaded defender). If 27...Qxf6 28.Qxh7+ Kf8 29.Rf3 Black has no hope of
survival, whether he gives up his queen or blocks on f5 with his bishop.
26.Rd3!
26...Be6
26...Rd8? allows the devilishly clever 27.Nxe5! (clearance/overloaded defender) 27...Rxd3 (if
27...fxe5 28.Rxg6+! hxg6 29.Qxg6+ Kh8 30.Qh6+ Kg8 31.Rg3 mates since 31...Kf7 is met with
32.Qg6+ Kf8 33.Qg8#) 28.Nxd3 Qxe4 29.Qe3 Qxe3 30.fxe3 Bf5 31.Nc5 Rd8 32.Rxb7 Rd1+
33.Kh2 (threat: 34.e4!, trapping Black’s bishop) 33...Re1 34.b4 Rxe3 35.Ra7 Re2 36.b3 Re3 37.c4 –
Rxa6 is coming and Black is completely lost in the ending.
27.Nh4!
313
Targeting g6, which is more Nezh’s style than the strategic retreat 27.Qd2 with a positionally won
game for White.
27...Bf7
27...Rad8 is met with the combination 28.Rxe6! (decoy) 28...Qxe6 29.Nxg6!. How annoying for
Black, who is unable to capture either hanging white piece: 29...Qf7 30.Rg3 hxg6 31.Rxg6+ Qxg6
32.Qxg6+ with a won ending for White, who has too many pawns.
28.Rg3!
Threat: 29.Nf5.
28...Be8 29.Nf5 Qd7
29...Qc7 30.Re6! (threat: 31.Re7)transposes to the game.
30.Rd6 Qc7
31.Re6!
Threat: 32.Re7. It’s instructive how Nezhmetdinov continues to improve his position via tinkering,
shifting this here and that there, until he achieves the desired change.
31...Rf7
314
Exercise (planning): White has access to two winning attacking plans. Find one of them.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Loosen Black further with the push of the h-pawn:
32.h4!
Answer #2: 32.Rxg6+! (annihilation of defensive barrier) also works and I’m surprised that
Nezhmetdinov didn’t go for this line, since nobody can rightfully say ‘I didn’t see that coming!’:
32...hxg6 33.Qxg6+ Kf8 34.Nh6 (threatening mate on g8) 34...Rg7 35.Qxf6+ Bf7 36.Nf5 Rh7
37.Re7 Qc6 38.Rxf7+! Rxf7 39.Qh8#.
32...Qd8 33.h5
This induces a fatal weakening of Black’s f6-pawn.
33...g5 34.Rd6
Immediately decisive was 34.Nd6! Rf8 35.Rf3! and Black’s base pawn on f6 falls.
34...Bd7 35.Rgd3 Rc8
315
Exercise (combination alert): Nezh isn’t waiting for permission to proceed. Where is White’s
breakthrough?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Undermine the base on f6:
36.Rxd7! Rxd7 37.Rxd7 Qxd7 38.Qxf6
The weight of doom presses upon Black’s position. White threatens 39.Ne7+ and also 39.Nh6#, and
there is no defence.
38...Qd1+
When our position lies in ruins, we dwell on more cheerful subjects, like how do we deliver perpetual
check? Anything is possible, if given long odds, yet the question remains: is it feasible?
Unfortunately for Black, the answer is no:
39.Kh2 Qxh5+ 40.Kg3! 1-0
316
No more checks and Black can no longer cover the simultaneous threats on g7, e7 and h6.
Game 64
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Vitaly Zhilin
Sochi 1958
White to move
317
Exercise (planning): For now, White’s threats feel abstractly unreal. The passage of a single
powerful move immediately alters this false perception. Come up with a plan which gives White a
winning attack.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 32.d6!!
Black is helpless after the removal of his bishop as a key defender.
Now his position faces a cataclysmic change. When I first went over this game, the move felt like it
exposed White’s king more than Black’s. Looking deeper, I realized this was a false perception.
32...Bxg2+
A) 32...Bc6 33.Kg1! c4+ 34.Qd4 Rc5 (34...Qxd4+ 35.cxd4 and the double attack wins decisive
material for White) 35.Bxc6 Qxc6 36.Ra8+! (decoy) 36...Qxa8 37.Qxc5 mates;
B) 32...Rd7 is probably Black’s best practical try, since it makes the win more complicated for White:
33.Qxg6!! (33.Rf8+! also wins after 33...Rd8 34.Rxd8+ Kxd8 35.Qxg6! Bxg2+ 36.Kxg2 Qb7+
37.Kf2 Re8 38.Qf6+ Kc8 39.d7+! Kxd7 (Black can’t afford to take with the queen and allow
White’s rook to infiltrate on a8) 40.Qf5+ Kc6 41.Qg6+ Kd7 42.Rd1+) 33...Bxg2+ 34.Kxg2 Qb7+
35.Kg3 Re3+ 36.Kh4 (no more checks) 36...Rxf7 37.Qg8+! Rf8 38.Qxf8+ Kd7 39.c4! Re2 40.Qf7+
Kc6 41.Ra6+! Qxa6 42.Qc7#. If anyone could weave their way through a line this difficult to find, it
would be Nezhmetdinov.
33.Kxg2 Qc6+ 34.Kg1 Rd5
A) 34...Rxd6 is met with 35.Qxd6! Qxd6 36.Ra8+ Qb8 37.Rf8+ leaving White up a rook;
B) 34...c4 is met with the same combination as in the game.
318
Exercise (combination alert): One cannot negotiate with an elemental calamity, since a hurricane, a
tornado or an earthquake doesn’t want or care about anything you offer it. How does White force
mate in four moves?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 35.Ra8+! 1-0
Decoy: 35...Qxa8 36.Rc7+ Kb8 37.Qb5+ Qb7 38.Qxb7#.
319
Show in Text Mode
Game 65 Old Indian/Benoni Wall
Lev Polugaevsky
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Sochi 1958
A book’s description of a chess game is a two-dimensional recounting of the actual three-dimensional
event, since the experience is so much more intense than the description. I consider this masterpiece
to be ranked in the top 10 greatest attacking games of all time. It is clearly the game of
Nezhmetdinov’s life. Your writer was so stunned when he first played over this game that for once he
was left speechless by the power of Nezh’s play.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 e5 4.e4!?
Polugaevsky is willing to give up a tempo to gain central space. 4.Nf3 is White’s main line and most
certainly the better move.
4...exd4 5.Qxd4 Nc6 6.Qd2
White plans to develop his queenside via a fianchetto.
6...g6 7.b3 Bg7 8.Bb2 0-0 9.Bd3
320
9...Ng4!?
As usual, Nezh is looking to make trouble. 9...Re8 is more normal, when White must be alert for
...Nxe4 ideas.
10.Nge2?!
This move allows Black to seize the initiative. 10.0-0-0! may be White’s best way to meet Black’s
provocation (Shapiro-Luchan, Long Island 1995). After 10.Nf3 Nge5 11.Be2 Nxf3+ 12.Bxf3 Nd4
13.Bd1 f5 14.exf5 Bxf5 (Alatortsev-Boleslavsky, Moscow 1950) the game looks balanced if White
castles.
10...Qh4
This ensures that it will not be easy for White to castle kingside. Stronger was 10...Nce5! 11.Bc2
Qh4! 12.Qf4 f5! 13.Qg3 Qxg3 14.hxg3 fxe4 15.Nxe4 Bf5 16.0-0 Rae8 which leaves White under
pressure.
11.Ng3?
This move leaves White vulnerable to a tempo-gaining ...f7-f5 and ...f5-f4 plan. 11.g3 was forced.
11...Nge5?!
Nezhmetdinov misses a big opportunity. He should have played the more vigorous 11...f5! 12.exf5
Bh6! 13.Qe2 Bxf5 14.Bxf5 (14.Nxf5 gxf5 15.g3 Qh5 16.Qe6+ Rf7 17.Nd5 Kf8 and there is no
reasonable way to deal with the coming ...Re8) 14...gxf5 15.Qe6+ Rf7 (White’s king is caught in the
321
middle) 16.Nd1 Qe7! (it feels counter-intuitive to swap queens, yet this is Black’s most promising
course) 17.Qxe7 Rxe7+ 18.Kf1 Bd2! (Black’s attack rages, despite the fact that the queens have been
removed from the board. The threat is mate on e1) 19.Kg1 Re1+ 20.Nf1 Rae8 – White is unable to
untangle and is busted.
12.0-0
12.Be2 was more accurate.
12...f5!?
Warning: We are about to enter a terrifying analytical jungle, from this point to the end of the game.
Nezhmetdinov opts for initiative over material, so he spurns the combination 12...Ng4! 13.h3 Nxf2!
14.Qxf2!? (I suspect that Nezh feared this move, with which White hands over his queen for an
initiative; 14.Rxf2 Bh6 15.Qe1 Qxg3 16.Nd5 Ne5 17.Be2 Bxh3 18.Qc3 Qxc3 19.Bxc3 Be6 20.Nxc7
Rad8 leaves Black up a pawn in the ending) 14...Bd4 15.Qxd4 Nxd4 16.Nd5 and now:
322
analysis diagram
A) 16...c5 may be the most practical move, since the lines are easier to calculate: 17.Nf6+ Kg7
18.Ne2 Qxf6! (simplification) 19.Rxf6 Kxf6 20.Nxd4 cxd4 21.Bxd4+ Ke7 and White lacks full
compensation for the exchange;
B) 16...Qxg3 17.Ne7+ Kg7 18.Bxd4+ f6 19.Rf3 Qg5 20.Nd5 White whips up dangerous pressure for
the queen;
C) Stronger is 16...f5! 17.Bxd4 Qxg3 18.Rf3 Qh4 19.Nxc7 The engine prefers Black. From a
practical standpoint the position isn’t so easy to navigate for Black, and Nezhmetdinov through his
career had a deep aversion of giving his opponent initiative or attack, even for a heavy material
surplus.
13.f3?!
Correct was 13.exf5!. Principle: Meet a wing attack with a central counter.
13...Bh6! 14.Qd1
Also unfavourable for White was 14.f4 Ng4 15.h3 Qxg3 16.hxg4 Ne5! with a winning position for
Black.
14...f4
It was stronger to reverse the order, first giving the bishop check: 14...Be3+! (this gives Black a
clearly better version of the game) 15.Kh1 f4 16.Nge2 g5 17.Nd5 g4! 18.g3 (18.Nxe3?? and White is
mated after 18...g3! 19.h3 Bxh3) 18...fxg3 19.Nxg3 Bd4 20.Bxd4 Nxd4 21.f4 Nef3 22.Rf2 c6
323
23.Nc3 Nxh2!, undermining. White is losing.
15.Nge2 g5!
Planning a battering ram with ...g5-g4.
16.Nd5
Attacking c7, while opening the b2-bishop’s diagonal.
16...g4!?
Moment of Contemplation: The devious-minded are no friends of light. This decision gives us a
glimpse into Nezhmetdinov’s radical, absolutist way of thinking. The majority of us would have
played the calm 16...Rf7! which offers Black a clear advantage, without as much risk.
17.g3!
The ...g4-g3 push cannot be allowed: 17.Nxc7?? g3 is lights out for White’s king.
17...fxg3
17...Qh3 18.Nexf4 Bxf4 19.Nxf4 Rxf4! 20.Bxe5 Nxe5 21.gxf4 Nxf3+ 22.Rxf3 gxf3 23.Kf2! and
amazingly, White looks fine.
18.hxg3 Qh3 19.f4
324
Exercise (planning): Black’s e5-knight is attacked, as well as the c7-pawn. How should he respond?
Show/Hide Solution
19...Be6!!
Answer: Allow White to fork on c7! Logic is not always a dependable entity, especially when it
meets with an anomaly. If we carry within our mind unalterable preconceptions of right and wrong,
then we are destined to never find a double exclamation mark move in our games.
Outwardly, this move looks insane, since it deliberately walks into a fork on c7, yet mysteriously the
engines say it works!
Nezhmetdinov evades the devilishly clever trap 19...Nf3+? 20.Kf2 Qh2+ 21.Ke3 (threat: 22.Rh1,
trapping Black’s queen) 21...Qh5 22.Rh1 Qg6 23.Nxc7 and Black is crushed since White is up a
pawn, with attack/initiative and a puzzlingly safe king in mid-board.
20.Bc2
A) 20.fxe5?? Bxd5! (threat: 21...Be3+) 21.Bc1 Nxe5 22.Bxh6 Nf3+ 23.Kf2 Qxh6 24.cxd5 Ne5+
25.Kg2 (25.Kg1 Qe3+ and the double attack regains the piece, with a winning position) 25...Qh3+
26.Kg1 Nf3+ 27.Kf2 Ne1+! and this discovered attack/interference shot wins;
B) 20.Nxc7 is met with the shocking 20...Rxf4!! 21.gxf4 (21.Nxe6?? Rxf1+ 22.Qxf1 Be3+ 23.Qf2
Nf3#) 21...g3 (threatening mate on h2) 22.Nxg3 Qxg3+ 23.Kh1 Qh4+ 24.Kg1 Bh3 (threat:
25...Qg3+, followed by 26...Qg2 mate) 25.Qd2 Rf8 26.Qf2 Qg4+ 27.Kh1 Bxf1 28.Bxf1 Bxf4 and
White is mated in 11 moves, according to Stockfish 12.
325
20...Rf7
c7 is secured.
21.Kf2?!
This is a desperate bid for White’s king to reach safety by walking over to the queenside.
A) 21.fxe5?? Bxd5 (threat: 22...Be3+) 22.Bc1 Nxe5 is similar to the above variation, favouring
Black;
B) White looks okay after 21.Bxe5! (Principle: Swap away as many enemy attackers as possible)
21...Nxe5 22.Kf2! (now is the correct time to run) 22...Qh2+ 23.Ke3 Bxd5 24.cxd5 Qh3! 25.Rh1
Rxf4! 26.Rxh3 Rf3+ 27.Kd4 gxh3. At the start the engine unhelpfully calls this position even! When
a writer declares the game ‘unclear’, what we really mean is that there are limitations to the puny
human mind. I have no idea who in truth stands better, worse or even, and neither does the engine –
until you leave it on for a while. Then it will declare that Black is winning!
21...Qh2+ 22.Ke3 Bxd5
326
23.cxd5
The only move.
A) 23.exd5?? Re8! 24.Kd2 Nf3+ wins White’s knight, since 25.Kd3 is met with 25...Nb4+ 26.Kc3
Nxc2 and White’s knight falls next move;
B) 23.Qxd5!? leads to insane complications, favouring Black, with the dubious assumption that both
sides will play as well as the 3700 rated engine! 23...Nb4 24.Qd1 Nxc2+ 25.Qxc2 Qh3! (threat:
26...Bxf4+!) 26.Kd2 Nf3+ (White’s king is unable to retreat to the back rank, since then the f1-rook
falls with check) 27.Kd3 Re8 28.Rh1 Qg2. Now if 29.Rxh6 Rxe4!! 30.Nd4 (if 30.Kxe4??, 30...Ne1+!
wins White’s queen) 30...Qxg3! 31.Kxe4 Qxf4+ 32.Kd3 Qxh6 with a winning attack for Black.
23...Nb4 24.Rh1?
The all-knowing engines say 24.a3! was White’s only prayer to survive the coming assault:
24...Nxc2+ 25.Qxc2 Qh3! (threat: 26...Bxf4+) 26.Kd2! (26.Rh1?? loses due to 26...Bxf4+! 27.Kd4
Qg2 28.gxf4 Qf2+ 29.Kc3 Qe3+ 30.Kb4 Nd3+ 31.Ka4 Qxe4+ with a winning attack for Black)
26...Nf3+ 27.Kd3 Qg2 28.Rh1 Re8!! 29.Rxh6 Rxe4! (the rook can’t be touched due to 30...Ne1+,
picking off White’s queen) 30.Qd1 Rfe7 31.Re6 R7xe6 32.dxe6 Rxe6 33.Qf1 Qh2 34.f5 Re8 35.Rc1.
The engines still like Black, but in real life, I could easily see White winning this.
327
Exercise (combination alert): Each player’s desperation is equal to the other’s. So many things can
go wrong in that scary space between theory and action. White’s king is in grave danger, yet if
Black’s queen moves to g2, then 25.Rxh6 wins for White.
The one word you must never utter in a forcing position is ‘preference’. In this position, Black must
find the only winning continuation, or else he must resign. How would you continue?
Show/Hide Solution
24...Rxf4!!
Answer: Annihilation of defensive barrier/king chase. Black leaves both his queen and his rook en
prise! The compliant 24...Qg2?? hands White the game after 25.Rxh6 Qf3+ 26.Kd2. Black’s attack
grows cold and White will win due to his material advantage.
25.Rxh2
There is no choice but to accept as after 25.gxf4?? Bxf4+ 26.Nxf4 Nxc2+ wins White’s queen.
25...Rf3+ 26.Kd4 Bg7!
328
The jungle teems with hidden predators. The threat is 27...b5! and 28...Nec6, delivering a double
check, which also happens to be mate.
27.a4
White evades one threat, only to walk into another. Black can now force mate in eight moves. 27.Nf4
b5! (threat: 28...Nec6 mate) 28.Qxf3 Nxf3+ 29.Ke3 Bxb2 30.Rah1 Bd4+ 31.Ke2 Nxh2 32.Rxh2
Nxc2 and White resigns, since 33.Kd3 is met with 33...Ne1+!. Black’s extra piece is secured since
34.Kxd4 runs into a knight fork on f3.
27...c5+!
Every possible attacking resource is utilized as attackers approach White’s king in concentric circles.
28.dxc6 bxc6!
Threat: 29...c5 mate.
29.Bd3
What an awful move to have to play!
29...Nexd3+ 30.Kc4
329
Exercise (calculation): As an exercise, try and calculate Black’s forced mate in five moves, without
moving the pieces.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 30...d5+!
30...Nxb2+ also wins, yet mate is always preferable.
31.exd5 cxd5+ 32.Kb5 Rb8+ 33.Ka5 Nc6+ 34.Ka6
This is an overkill on par with Rasputin’s murder, where the unlucky monk was stabbed, shot,
poisoned, bludgeoned and then, for good measure, drowned. Black has a happy choice of three
separate mates in one.
330
34...Ndb4#
34...Rb6# and 34...Nc5# were also mate.
What happens when you see something with your own eyes, which fails to fit with your beliefs of
how reality is constructed? Do you discount it and call your eyes liars? This is how I felt when my
startled adolescent brain first played over this game.
Game 66
Nikolai Kopylov
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Rostov-on-Don ch-URS sf 1958
331
Black to move
Exercise (combination alert): Black is up two pawns. What is the clearest path to the win?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Simplification:
49...c1=Q+! 0-1
50.Kxc1 Re1+ 51.Rd1 Rxd1+ 52.Kxd1 Rxa2 is easy for Black.
Game 67
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Bukhuti Gurgenidze
Rostov-on-Don ch-URS sf 1958
332
White to move
Exercise (planning): Prove how White’s extra piece is worth more than Black’s three extra pawns.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 22.Nxg6!
Annihilation of defensive barrier. Black’s undefended king won’t survive long now.
22...fxg6 23.Rxf8+ Kxf8 24.Qc7
Cutting off Black’s escape plan of 24...Ke7 and 25...Bd7. Now White threatens to move his rook to
the open f-file.
Also winning was the more straightforward 24.Rf1+ Ke7 25.Qxd4 Bd7 26.Bc4 Re8 27.Rd1 Rd8
(27...Bc8?? 28.Qg7#) 28.Qg7+ Ke8 29.Bd3 and g6 falls.
24...e5
24...Qe7?? fails in miserable humiliation to 25.Rf1+ Ke8 26.Bxg6+ and mate in 2.
25.Rf1+ Bf5
333
Exercise (planning): Find White’s cleanest win.
Show/Hide Solution
26.g4?!
Moment of Contemplation: We always prefer the devil we know to other devils. But we must keep
in mind that the devil we know is still a devil. As you may have surmised by now, Nezhmetdinov had
a taste for the convoluted over the simple. Here he follows his pattern of making matters
unnecessarily complex, when he has an instant win. Far more clear was 26.Qh7! – Nezhmetdinov
must have missed this nuance: 26...Re8 27.Bxf5 and Black must resign.
26...Qe7?
This response makes Black’s chances recede into the distant horizon. If there was any hope of saving
the game, it lay in the line 26...Qxg4! 27.Qd6+ Ke8 (if 27...Kg8?, 28.Bxf5 gxf5 29.Rg1 pins and
wins the queen) 28.Qxe5+ Kd8 29.Bxf5 gxf5 30.Rxf5 Qd1+ 31.Kg2 Qg4+ 32.Kf2 Qh4+ 33.Kf3
Qh3+ 34.Ke2 Qg4+ 35.Kd2 Qg2+ 36.Kd3 Qg6 37.Kxd4! Kd7 38.Rf6 Qg4+ 39.Kc3 Qh3+ 40.Kc4!
Qg4+ 41.Kb3 Qg8+ 42.c4 Rd8 43.Qxa5. White is winning, yet still has work to do.
27.Qxe7+ Kxe7 28.gxf5
Black could have resigned here.
28...g5
334
28...gxf5 29.Rxf5 Ke6 30.Rh5 Rh8 31.Be4 is easy for White.
29.f6+ Kd6 30.f7 Rf8 31.Bg6 1-0
Game 68
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Yuri Kots
Rostov-on-Don ch-URS sf 1958
White to move
Exercise (planning): Do you feel the unease, that vague sense of impending disaster for Black? How
does White win, based on king position?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Push the a-pawn:
70.a6+!
Black gets the unpleasant choice between a lost king and pawn ending and a lost rook ending.
70...Kxa6
335
70...Kb8 71.Kb5 Rxc6 72.Kxc6 is zugzwang. Black loses the king and pawn ending, since too slow
is the line 72...Ka7 73.Kxc7 b5 74.d6 b4 75.d7 b3 76.d8=Q b2 77.Qb8+ Kxa6 78.Qb6#.
71.Rxc7 Rd8 72.Rc6 Rh8
Black’s pieces are an origami of contortion.
73.Re6 Rc8
Kots could have saved himself some energy by resigning here, since his coming loss is all but certain.
The text move is way, way too slow, since White’s rook wipes out Black’s pawns with alarming
speed.
74.Rxh6 Rc2 75.Rg6 Rb2+ 76.Kc3 Rf2 77.Rxg5 Rxf3+ 78.Kd2 Rg3 79.h6 1-0
79...Rh3 will be blocked with 80.Rh5.
Game 69 Ruy Lopez
Isaac Boleslavsky
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
USSR tt, Vilnius 1958
This game is a clinic in how to play with the initiative.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.c3 Bd7 6.d4 g6
336
As we saw previously, this was Nezhmetdinov’s favourite set-up.
7.0-0 Bg7 8.Be3
8.Re1 is the main move today.
8...Nf6 9.Nbd2 0-0 10.dxe5
White may be better off retaining central tension with 10.h3.
10...dxe5!?
Here we see the Nezh instinct to retain pieces on the board, even if it slightly degrades his position.
Objectively Black should try and free his position with 10...Nxe5.
11.Bc5
This logical move was a novelty at the time which gives White nothing. Better was 11.b4!, gaining
queenside space and preparing for Bb3, e.g. 11...Re8 12.Bb3 h6 13.a4 Be6 14.Qc2 Ng4 15.Bxe6
Rxe6 16.Nc4 Qe8 17.h3 Nxe3 18.Nxe3 with an edge for White, who looks strong on the central and
queenside light squares, Nikitin-Pitksaar, Moscow 1958.
11...Re8 12.Re1 b6 13.Ba3
This was played in all four games in my database. 13.Be3 b5 14.Bc2 Na5 15.a4 Nb7!, fighting for
control over c5, looks about even.
13...Qc8 14.Nf1 b5 15.Bc2 a5!
337
Threat: 16...b4. Black has fully equalized.
16.Bc5
16.b3 is also a consideration.
16...Nd8!
Achieving two aims:
1. Black gains a tempo on the c5-bishop with ...Ne6 next.
2. Black’s knight wasn’t doing much on c6 and is transferred to the far more active e6-square.
17.a4 Qb7
It was Tarrasch who declared that in most cases, piece activity supersedes structure. In this game
Tarrasch was proven correct. Nezhmetdinov is not afraid of two isolanis on the queenside, trusting in
his enhanced piece activity to compensate.
18.axb5 Bxb5 19.Ba3 Ne6!
Nezhmetdinov offers his e5-pawn for increased piece activity.
20.Nxe5?!
This may be a mistaken decision. Black’s initiative looks more valuable than White’s extra pawn.
The game remains balanced after 20.Ne3 Rad8 21.Qb1.
20...Rad8 21.Qc1 Nh5! 22.Nf3 Nhf4
338
Not only does Black threaten to sink his knight into e2, but White must watch out for ...Nd3 and also
...Nxg2 sacrifices.
23.Ng3?!
After 23.Kh1 Black only looks slightly better: 23...Qa6 24.Ne3 c5.
23...h5!
White must watch out for future ...h5-h4 tricks.
24.h4 Bh6
Threat: 25...Nh3+ and 26...Bxc1.
25.Kh2 Kg7
The h6-bishop is protected and Black renews threats on g2 and d3 with a discovered attack by the f4knight.
26.Qb1?
After this move Boleslavsky gets pushed off the board. White should have gone into appeasement
mode and handed over the exchange with 26.Re3 Nd3 27.Bxd3 Bxe3 28.Qxe3 Rxd3 29.Qe1 with a
better chance to survive than in the game.
26...Qb6!
Threat: 27...Qxf2.
27.Kg1?
27.Rf1 was absolutely forced.
339
Exercise: (combination alert): Earlier in the game Nezhmetdinov sacrificed a pawn for the
initiative. Now he has access to a winning combination:
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 27...Nxg2!
Annihilation of defensive barrier.
‘A man with a club is a lawgiver, a master to be obeyed,’ wrote Jack London in Call of the Wild. Now
begins the process of de-civilization, since on one side is the forest’s hungry wolf, and on the other a
lost, pampered Chihuahua.
28.Kxg2
Declining also loses: 28.Rd1 Ngf4 (threat: 29...Nh3+ and 30...Qxf2) 29.Nd4 Nh3+ 30.Kg2 Nef4+
31.Kf3 (if 31.Kh2, 31...Nxf2 wins) 31...Rxd4! (this way Black’s queen is given access to e6 and then
g4) 32.cxd4 Qe6! and White is mated since there is no stopping ...Qg4+.
28...Nf4+ 29.Kh1
If 29.Kg1 Nh3+ 30.Kg2 Qxf2+ 31.Kxh3 Bd7+ 32.Nf5+ Bxf5+ 33.exf5 Qxf3+ 34.Kh2 Rd2 mates.
29...Qxf2 0-1
340
Game 70
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Boris Katalymov
Frunze 1959
White to move
Exercise (planning): White has several ways to win. What is Nezhmetdinov’s optimal path?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 30.Qg4!
Threatening 31.Rf8+, followed by 32.Qxe6+ and mate next move.
30...Qd1+
This forces White’s king to move since 31.Rf1?? is impossible due to White’s hanging queen on g4.
30...Qxc1+ 31.Rf1 Qe3+ 32.Kh1 Qxe5 33.Qf3 (threatening mate on the back rank) 33...Nf6 stops
one threat, while allowing another: 34.Qb7! forces mate.
31.Kf2 Qd4+
31...Qxc1?? 32.Rf8+! (clearance) 32...Rxf8 33.Qxe6+ Rf7 34.Qxf7#.
32.Qxd4 cxd4
341
Exercise (planning): We note that Black’s position is a Scientology thing: his king lives in a
compound, cut off from communication with the outside world. The question arises: does Black
survive, since he has removed the queens from the board? If not, then how does White continue the
attack?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 33.Ba3!
Weak back rank. Mate is threatened on f8. Black does not survive and the sound of popping
champagne corks would be premature, since Black’s back rank remains fatally weak. Now the mating
square f8 monopolizes the discussion.
33...Nf6
33...c2 ignores the issue: 34.Rf8+ Rxf8 35.Rxf8#.
34.exf6 1-0
34...gxf6 35.R3xf6 c2. Now White forces mate with 36.Bf8! c1=Q (or 36...Rxf8 37.Rxf8+ Kg7
38.R8f7+ Kg8 39.Rxe6 c1=Q 40.Re8#) 37.Rg7#.
Game 71
Georgy Bastrikov
342
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Voronezh 1959
Black to move
Exercise (combination alert): On paper, White appears to hold all the strategic plusses:
1. bishop pair;
2. control over the dark squares;
3. a protected passed e-pawn.
If we look deeper, then we begin to realize that all is not well in White’s position. Find one powerful
move for Black and you render White’s position unsaveable.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 31...Nxd4!
Undermining. After this shot White begins to lose all his central pawns.
32.cxd4
32.Rf2?? fails miserably to 32...Nxc2 33.Qxa2 Nxb4 34.cxb4 Rf8. White is tangled up and down too
many pawns.
32...Qxb4 33.Qxa2
343
No choice in the matter. 33.c3?? is too slow due to 33...Qb1+ 34.Rf1 Rb8 35.Kf2 Rb2+ 36.Kg1 (or
36.Kg3 Qg6+ 37.Kf4 Qg4+ 38.Ke3 Re2#) 36...Qxa1 37.Rxa1 Rb1+ and wins.
33...Qe1+ 34.Rf1
34.Bf1 Qe4! – double attack, when White’s d-pawn falls all the same.
34...Qe3+
Double attack. White’s centre crumbles and he finds himself down too many pawns.
35.Kh1 Qxd4 36.Qa4 Rf8
Black moves his rook out of danger and is happy to swap away White’s active rook on the f-file.
37.Rxf8+
37.Re1 Qc3! 38.Qa1 Qxc2 39.Qxa6 Qf5 40.Qd6 c3! 41.Rf1 c2! and White must resign.
37...Kxf8 38.Qb4+
38.Qxa6?? isn’t possible due to White’s weak back rank: 38...Qd1+ 39.Bf1 Qxf1#.
38...Kf7 39.Qb7+ Kg6 0-1
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The sky is blue, the sun shines brightly, and a thrush and a robin begin to sing a duet. I just described
Nezhmetdinov’s position. He is threatening 40...Qd1+. 40.Qb1 (if 40.h3, 40...Qa1+ 41.Kh2 Qxe5+
wins) 40...Qxe5. Pawns are not an expendable resource in the ending and White must resign, since
Black is up three of them.
Game 72
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Boris Spassky
Tbilisi ch-URS 1959 (18)
The great power of playing over the games of giants is that it gives us the feeling that we can become
better than we currently are. Spassky gives an instructive example of how to play against a pure
hawk/tactician like Nezhmetdinov.
1.e4 Nf6!?
This must have been a surprise for Nezhmetdinov, who had undoubtedly prepared for Spassky’s
customary Ruy Lopez.
2.e5 Nd5 3.Nc3
As someone who has played Alekhine’s Defence for nearly four decades, I can tell you with some
degree of confidence that this milquetoast line is harmless for Black. Stylistically best for
Nezhmetdinov would probably be the violent Four Pawns Attack with 3.c4 Nb6 4.d4 d6 5.f4.
3...Nxc3 4.dxc3!?
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Moment of Contemplation: If I were Nezh’s coach, my single piece of advice would be: avoid
swaps, especially queen trades, since Nezhmetdinov was a monster in complex middlegame
positions.
This line is played all the time, yet here it is a stylistic mistake, since Nezhmetdinov heads for a
queenless position, which automatically depletes his playing strength.
4.bxc3 suited Nezhmetdinov’s style more.
4...Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.Bc4
6.Bb5 might have been stylistically the best move for Nezh, since here the queens stay on the board,
with chances of opposite-wing castling/attacks. 6...Bd7 7.Qe2 e6 8.Bf4 a6 9.Bd3 dxe5 10.Nxe5 Bd6
is equal, Mrdja-Laketic, Codogno 2011.
6...dxe5 7.Qxd8+
Swapping queens is White’s main move, yet looks illogical to me, since Black wins all the king and
pawn endings in this structure. Therefore, I would once again keep the queens on the board with the
gambit 7.Qe2!? f6 8.Be3 e6 9.Nd2 when both Qh5+ and 0-0-0 are in the air, as was played in CoutoParisi, cr 2004. I have a feeling Nezhmetdinov would have been happy here, despite Black’s extra
pawn.
7...Nxd8 8.Nxe5 f6
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9.Nd3
We reach one of the tabiya positions. White’s development lead is offset by Black’s healthy kingside
majority. I actually believe Black stands slightly better, since the queens have been removed from the
board, which reduces the power of White’s development lead.
9.Nf3 doesn’t make as much sense, since on f3 the knight blocks White’s f-pawn, making it more
difficult to create confrontation to exploit the development lead: 9...e5 10.Be3 Be6 11.Bb3 Bd6 12.00-0 a5! (I want to force White to swap on e6) 13.Nd2 a4 14.Bxe6 Nxe6 15.Ne4 Be7 and Black’s
healthy kingside pawn majority is worth more than White’s tiny development lead, Baker-Lakdawala,
San Diego rapid 2013.
9...e5
Black grabs central space while preparing to develop his dark- squared bishop.
10.0-0 Be6 11.Bb3 Bd6 12.Re1
Now f2-f4 is in the air. 12.f4? right now doesn’t open the position: 12...e4 13.Nf2 f5 and Black is
handed a central and protected passed pawn.
12...g5!
347
Clamping down on White’s f2-f4 plan.
13.Be3
13.f4!? doesn’t work all that well for White: 13...gxf4 14.Nxf4 exf4! 15.Bxe6 Nxe6 16.Rxe6+ Kf7
17.Re1 Rae8 18.Bd2 Re5! 19.Kf2 h5 20.Kf3 Rg8 and White is the one struggling in the ending and
will be lucky to hold a draw.
13...Kf7!
Now the f2-f4 break is taken out of the equation.
14.f3 Nc6
Stronger was the plan I used in my game with Baker, given in the notes above, with 14...a5!,
intending ...a5-a4, forcing White to swap on e6.
15.Nf2 Rhd8
I prefer to induce White to swap away the light-squared bishop with 15...Na5! 16.Bxe6+ Kxe6 17.b3
b6. Black’s healthy kingside pawn majority and king position mean a clear endgame advantage for
him.
16.Ne4 Ne7?
16...Na5! 17.Bxe6+ Kxe6 18.b3 b6 and White struggles for equality, which he fails to achieve.
348
Exercise (combination alert): When we look at an ‘innocent’- looking position, the wisest thing we
can say to ourselves is: ‘You know a lot less than you think you know.’ Perhaps lulled by the
position’s feel of safety, Spassky lets his tactical guard down and allows a combination. What did he
miss?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 17.c4!
Threat: c4-c5. Nezh takes immediate advantage of Spassky’s misstep.
17...Nf5
17...b6? is still met with 18.Bxg5! and if 18...fxg5 19.Nxg5+ Kf6 20.Nxe6 Kxe6 21.c5+ Kf6
22.cxd6 cxd6 23.f4! Black is down a pawn with the inferior minor piece.
18.Bxg5!
Spassky receives a sharp reproof. It was Botvinnik who declared that Nezhmetdinov possessed a
remarkable eye for combinations. Here Nezh alertly finds a shot in an otherwise dry position. Spassky
should just have let the pawn go. Luckily for him, Black only stands a shade worse, even down a
pawn, mainly since White’s queenside pawn majority is pretty much useless, negating a big chunk of
the value of his extra pawn.
18...Be7!
Spassky quickly adapts to his new, lowered circumstances. Acceptance would have lost: 18...fxg5?
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19.Nxg5+ Kf6 20.Nxe6 Kxe6 21.c5+ Kf6 22.cxd6 cxd6 23.f4! Nd4 24.fxe5+ dxe5 25.Rf1+ Kg6
26.Bf7+ Kg7 27.Rae1 and Black is down a pawn.
19.Bd2 a5!
Threat: 20...a4.
20.a4 Nd4 21.Bc3 c5!
22.Bxd4?!
Moment of Contemplation: Here we see an example of Nezhmetdinov’s great personality bane:
impatience over the board. With this strategically weak move:
1. he improves Black’s structure;
2. he increases Black’s power on the dark squares;
3. he hands over the bishop pair.
22...cxd4 23.c5?
Nezh loses the thread of the game and compounds one strategic error with another. White should
have gone into damage control mode and played 23.Nf2 Rac8 24.Nd3 Bxc4 25.Bxc4+ Rxc4 26.Rxe5!
Rxc2 27.Rh5 with equality.
23...Rac8
Not the optimal continuation. After 23...Bxb3! 24.cxb3 Ke6! (intending 25...f5) 25.g4 h5 26.h3 Rh8
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White would have been the one fighting for the draw.
24.f4?
With 24.Ra3! Bxc5 25.Bxe6+ Kxe6 26.Rb3 b6 27.f4 White might still have saved the game.
24...Bxb3 25.cxb3 Bxc5 26.fxe5 fxe5 27.Rf1+ Ke6!
Nezhmetdinov, as he was sometimes prone to do, has outplayed himself and is lost in the ending for
the following reasons:
1. Black’s two central passed pawns are dangerous and may not be blockadable.
2. Black enjoys a massively superior king position.
3. White’s queenside majority remains impotent. He is unable to produce a passed pawn, which in
effect renders him down a pawn, even though in the physical universe the material count is even.
Mercy is a trait reserved for non-world champions. From this stage Spassky ruthlessly exploits
White’s strategic woes.
28.Rf3
28.Rac1 Be7 – ...Kd5 follows and White experiences a hard time blockading e4.
28...d3+
Principle: Passed pawns should be pushed.
29.Kf1
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After 29.Nxc5+ Rxc5 30.Rd1 e4 31.Re3 Ke5 White can resign, since he is in a complete tangle due to
Black’s monster passed pawns.
29...Rd4!
Spassky answers each of Nezhmetdinov’s attempts to generate counterplay with a snarling
counterblow. Breaking the blockade is the key to Black’s victory.
30.Ng5+
After 30.Re1 Bb4 31.Ng5+ Kd5 32.Rd1 Be7 33.Nh3 e4 34.Nf4+ Kd6 35.Rh3 Rf8 36.Rh6+ Ke5
37.g3 Bg5 38.Rxh7 Bxf4 39.gxf4+ Rxf4+ 40.Ke1 Rb4 White can resign.
30...Kd5 31.Rd1 h6
31...Be7! was more accurate.
32.Nh3
White could have create more annoyances with 32.Nh7! e4 33.Nf6+ Ke5 34.Ng4+ Ke6 35.Rf6+
Ke7 36.Rf5 but even here he is lost.
32...e4
They just keep moving forward.
33.Rf5+ Ke6 34.g4 Bd6!
352
The knight is denied f4 as a post.
35.Kf2 Rd5 36.Nf4+
36.Rxd5 Kxd5 is also hopeless.
36...Bxf4 37.Rxf4 Rc2+ 38.Kg3 Ke5 39.h4
Exercise (combination alert): Find one simple move and White can resign.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Simplification:
39...Rg2+!
Do you remember that time when your mean boss asked you to step into his office, with his most
authoritative voice? It is that moment for White’s king.
40.Kxg2 Kxf4 0-1
Game 73
Viktor Zheliandinov
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
353
Voronezh 1959
Black to move
Exercise (combination alert): Nezhmetdinov has sacrificed a piece to whip up a winning attack.
Black has access to two powerful continuations. Find one of them.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 25...e3!
Prevents White’s king from escaping via e2. The threat is 26...Qxf2 mate.
Answer #2: 25...Be8! also wins. The threat is 26...Bh5, cutting off the escape square e2, and then
27...Qh1 mate. 26.Ke2 Bh5+ 27.Kd2 Qxf2+ 28.Kc1 Bxd1 29.Kxd1 Bxd4 30.Bxd4 Rg1 31.Qe2
Rxd4+! 32.cxd4 Qxd4+ 33.Kc2 Qxa1 and wins.
25...e3! 26.fxe3
A) 26.Ng2 is met with 26...Bxd4 27.Bxd4 Qxg2+ 28.Ke2 Qxf2+ 29.Kd3 Rg3 (threat: 30...e2+)
30.Kc4 Be6+ 31.Kc5 Rd5+ 32.Kxc6 Rd6+, winning the queen and mating shortly after;
B) The attempt to run with 26.Ke2 loses instantly to 26...Qxf2+ 27.Kd3 Qf1+! (skewer) 28.Kc2
(28.Ne2 Bc8+ – discovered attack; Black wins a queen) 28...Qxa6 and White has hung his queen.
26...Bxd4! 0-1
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This move clears the path for 27...Rg1 mate: 27.Nf3 (27.Bxd4 Rg1#) 27...Qxh3+ 28.Ke1 (some
criminals are born to hang. White’s king cannot evade justice forever: 28.Ke2 Rg2+ 29.Kd3 Qxf3
30.Bxd4 – if White’s king recaptures on d4, then ...Qe4 is mate – 30...Qe2#) 28...Qxf3 29.Bxd4 Rg2
and White is mated.
Game 74 Sicilian Defence
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Mikhail Tal
Moscow 1959
How disorienting it is to watch Tal get out-Taled!
1.e4 c5
Tal doesn’t goof around with the French Defence this time and plays his Sicilian.
2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Nc3 Qc7
The Kan is the only Sicilian I know of where Black actually has a slight plus score over White, over
12,222 games in the database. Black must be careful, since at the moment White leads heavily in
development.
6.Bd3
Also played are 6.Be2, 6.g3 and 6.Be3.
6...Nc6 7.Be3 Nf6 8.0-0 Ne5!?
8...d6 transposes into the far more solid Scheveningen Sicilian.It is no joking matter to fall behind in
development against Nezhmetdinov.
355
The strategic threat is 9...Neg4, followed by 10...Nxe3. This is played a lot, yet I don’t trust it, since
Black wastes so much time to pick up the bishop pair.
9.h3
9.a4? would be a major strategic blunder: 9...Neg4 (threatening mate on h2) 10.Nf3 Nxe3 11.fxe3
gives Black the bishop pair, control over e5 and the dark squares, the superior structure and a
strategically won game. I checked the database and found two games between club level players.
White won both, which may be a sign that tactics tend to outweigh strategic considerations, especially
at the club level.
9...b5 10.f4 Nc4 11.Bxc4 Qxc4 12.Qd3!
Even today this is considered White’s best path to an advantage.
12...d5
This should lead to an inferior French Defence structure. I have a feeling that the entire ...b7-b5,
...Ne5 and ...Nc4 plan is too time-wasting for Black and I suspect there is no clear path to dynamic
equality:
A) 12...Bb7 13.a4 Qxd3 14.cxd3 b4 15.Nce2 Bc5 16.Rfc1 d6 17.Kf2 Kd7 18.Nb3! Bxe3+ 19.Kxe3
a5 20.Ned4, Short-Illescas, Linares 1990. Short attained an almost winning ending, since Black was
forced to babysit the a5-pawn, which tied down his position;
B) 12...Qxd3 13.cxd3 Bb7 14.a4! may transpose to the Short game cited above, if Black pushes the
pawn to b4. If 14...bxa4 15.Rfc1 Be7 16.Nxa4 0-0 17.Nc5 Rfb8 18.b4 Bc8 19.Bd2, even here I prefer
White, since 19...d6?? loses to 20.Nc6! dxc5 21.Nxe7+ Kf8 22.Nxc8 Rxc8 23.bxc5;
356
C) 12...Qc7 13.e5 b4 14.Na4 Nd5 15.c4 bxc3 16.Rac1 Nxe3 17.Qxe3 Qa7 18.Rxc3 and I don’t trust
Black’s giant development lag, despite the bishop pair.
13.exd5?!
Moment of Contemplation: Here we see a stylistic problem with Nezhmetdinov during his career:
his love of open positions often incorrectly took precedence over a favourable move which closed the
game. Black is just fine in the ending now. 13.e5! Nd7 14.Qd2 leads to a favourable French Defence
structure for White:
1. White leads massively in development.
2. White holds a firm grip over the critical d4-square.
3. Black’s king is vulnerable due to his development lag and the fact that White may toss in a quick
f4-f5.
13...Qxd3 14.cxd3 b4! 15.Ne4 Nxd5 16.Bd2
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16...a5
I’m not so sure about this, since it is yet another non-developing move. Still, Tal’s bishop pair and
superior pawn structure easily should make up for White’s development lead, mainly since the queens
have been removed from the board.
16...g6!, discouraging f4-f5, looks a touch more accurate.
17.Rac1
If 17.f5 e5 18.Nf3 f6 19.d4 Bxf5 20.Rfe1 Be7 21.dxe5 0-0 22.exf6 gxf6 23.Nd4 Bd7 Black looks just
fine.
17...Ba6
Tal targets the weakling d3-isolani. 17...g6!, preventing f4-f5, may have been Black’s most accurate
move. I prefer Tal’s side there.
18.Rfe1 g6
Now Tal discourages f4-f5. 18...Bxd3!? is greedy and I slightly prefer White after 19.f5.
358
19.f5?!
Moment of Contemplation: Has your spouse ever said something completely insane in a reasonable
tone of voice, as if the tone makes the pronouncement slightly less crazy? That is what we are seeing
here. Objectively, this is a mistake. Nezhmetdinov lunges without preamble, attempting to out-Tal
Tal with an unsound sacrifice! Yet there are practical chances, since it’s easy for Black to mess things
up, as the game proves.
Correct was 19.Nc5 Bxc5 20.Rxc5 0-0 21.Nc6 Bxd3 22.Ne5 Ba6 23.Rxa5 Bb7 and I suspect the
logical result would be a draw.
19...Bg7
Tal is justifiably worried about his development deficit. 19...gxf5!? is playable but dangerous after
20.Nc5 when White certainly gets practical chances for the sacrificed material.
20.f6!?
Nezhmetdinov takes the complications up a notch. 20.Nf3 Bxb2 21.Rc2 Bg7 22.fxe6 0-0 23.Neg5
fxe6 24.Nxe6 Rfc8 looks promising for Black.
20...Nxf6
There is no backing down now with 20...Bf8? 21.Nc5 Bxc5 22.Rxc5 (threats: 23.Rxd5 and also
23.Rxa5) 22...0-0 23.Nc6 Nxf6 24.Rxa5 when the engine says it is Black who is fighting for the
draw.
21.Nd6+ Ke7
359
22.Nxf7!
Moment of Contemplation: Annihilation of defensive barrier. This sacrifice is Nezh’s point, based
upon the Principle: Lure your enemy to an enclosed location, where he can more easily be killed. For
the piece White’s rook reaches the seventh rank and from a practical standpoint, Black’s attempts to
consolidate won’t be easy. Now saying this, the engine has Black up by 1.99, at depth 35, so
objectively Black should still be winning.
22...Kxf7
Normally, to be up a piece in a queenless position is the wealth disparity between a multi-millionaire
and a homeless person. Of course, the story doesn’t end there, since White gets a dangerous attack,
even though the queens have come off the board.
There was no declining: 22...Rhc8? 23.Ng5 was clearly in White’s favour.
23.Rc7+ Kg8 24.Nxe6
The g7-bishop is under attack.
24...Ne8!
24...Bf8?? 25.Nxf8 Rxf8 26.Bh6 Ne8 (26...Rf7 27.Rc6 Bb7 28.Rce6!, threatening a back rank mate
starting with 29.Re8+: 28...Nd7 29.Re8+ Rf8 (if 29...Nf8?? 30.R1e7 Black is mated) 30.Rxf8+ Nxf8
31.Re7 (threat: 32.Rg7 mate) 31...Ne6 32.Rxb7 and Black can resign) 27.Ra7 Bxd3 28.Ree7 Rf1+
29.Kh2 Bb5 30.Ra8 and Black won’t survive.
360
25.Rd7 Bf6??
It’s almost impossible to be 100% almost-sure of your belief in complex positions. This move is a
tragic squandered opportunity. Now the problem is that wealth fails to drive away grief if we suffer
from a terminal illness. Tal gets confused and with this time-wasting move allows Nezh’s attack to
rage out of control.
Correct was 25...h5! 26.Nxg7 Nxg7 and White doesn’t get full compensation for the piece since
27.Ree7 is covered with 27...Nf5 28.Re6 Rh7! 29.Rxg6+ Kh8 30.Rxh7+ Kxh7 31.Rg5 Bxd3
32.Rxh5+ Kg6 33.g4 Ng3 34.Re5 Ne4.
Exercise (combination alert): Find one powerful move and White regains the sacrificed piece, while
retaining all the benefits of his attack.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 26.Rf1!
Of course. This threatens 27.Rxf6, and if Black’s knight recaptures, then 28.Rg7 is mate.
361
26...Ng7!
When we are busted, there is little room for tender sentimentality. In desperation, Tal finds the only
move, which is to return the piece, hoping the bishops of opposite colours will save him. They won’t,
since White’s attack is actually enhanced due to the bishops of opposite colours. Black bleeds on the
dark squares around his king, and his h8-rook remains offside and vulnerable to attack along the a1h8 diagonal.
A) It was too late to backtrack with 26...Bg7?? 27.Rff7 and Black is mated;
B) 26...Bxd3?? 27.Rxf6 (threat: 28.Rf8 mate) 27...Nxf6 (27...Bf5 28.Rf8#) 28.Rg7#.
27.Rxf6 Nxe6 28.Rxe6 Bb5 29.Rc7 h5
Tal is playing down a rook, and is desperate to free it from its prison on h8.
A) If 29...Bxd3? 30.Bh6 Bf5 31.Rf6 Black is mated in ignominious fashion on g7;
B) 29...Re8? 30.Rb6 Bxd3 31.Bh6 and Black is mated.
30.Rxg6+ Kf8 31.Bh6+
More efficient was 31.Be3! Ra6 32.Bc5+ Ke8 33.Rgg7 Rc6 34.Ra7 (threat: 35.Ra8+, leading to mate)
34...Ba6 35.Bb6! – overloaded defender. The bishop can’t be touched and White has a winning attack
after 35...Bc8 36.Bxa5 Ra6 37.Rae7+ Kf8 38.Bxb4.
31...Ke8 32.Re6+ Kd8 33.Rc5 Kd7! 34.Rb6 Bxd3 35.Bf4!
362
Threat: 36.Rd6+ and 37.Rxd3.
35...Rhf8 36.Rd6+ Ke7 37.Rc7+ Ke8 38.Bg5!
Threatening mate on e7, as well as 39.Rxd3.
38...Rf1+ 39.Kh2 Bb1
Exercise (calculation): Work out White’s forced mate in five moves.
Show/Hide Solution
363
Answer: 40.Rh6! 1-0
40...Bxa2 (40...Rf8 41.Re6#) 41.Rh8+ Rf8 42.Re7+ Kd8 43.Rxf8#.
If we didn’t know who’d played the game, most of us would guess that it was Tal on the white side.
364
Show in Text Mode
Game 75 Sicilian Defence
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Mikhail Tal
Tbilisi ch-URS 1959 (9)
We can claim that Tal got lucky in this game, yet great players make their own luck. As Capablanca
once quipped: ‘The better player is always lucky.’
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Nc3 Qc7
The Kan Sicilian again.
6.a3!?
This is a bit passive. Nezh didn’t want to bother calculating ...Bb4 pin lines. White’s main lines today
are 6.Bd3 6.Be2 and 6.g3 as we mentioned in the previous game.
6...Nc6 7.Be3 Nf6 8.Be2
8...Bd6!?
365
Every theoretical novelty disrupts the flow of the past. Tal’s idea was new at the time. Of course, it is
in stark disagreement with strategic orthodoxy for two reasons:
1. The bishop blocks Black’s d-pawn, potentially interrupting a smooth flow of development.
2. With the bishop awkwardly posted on d6, Black becomes vulnerable to tactical ideas with Ndb5,
with a double attack on the queen and bishop.
It is an objectively dubious move, yet it takes the game out of normal channels and forces White to
make a difficult decision.
8...d6 transposes to the Scheveningen Variation.
9.Qd2!
Moment of Contemplation: Nezhmetdinov backs off from a provocation/challenge! He probably
feared Tal’s home preparation and perhaps wisely refrained from moving his d4-knight to b5, after
which the game would erupt in great complications. The move Nezhmetdinov played in the game
makes Tal’s choice of ...Bd6 a touch dubious. The cost of ambition is safety. 9.Ndb5!? is playable,
yet in this version Nezh would be forced to navigate the maze of Tal’s home preparation: 9...axb5
10.Nxb5 Qa5+ 11.Bd2 Bb4! 12.Bxb4! (if 12.axb4?! Qxa1 13.Nc7+ Kd8 14.Nxa8 Qxa8 White
doesn’t get full compensation for the sacrificed piece) 12...Nxb4 13.0-0 Nc6 14.b4 Qb6 15.Qd6
(threat: 16.Nc7+ and 17.Nxa8) 15...Kd8 16.c4 Ne8! (after 16...Nxe4? 17.Qf4 f5 18.c5 Qa6 19.Bc4
Black is completely tangled up and I suspect White has a winning attack) 17.Qd2 and White receives
full compensation for the piece. Even so, I far prefer the move Nezhmetdinov played in the game.
9...Be5?!
Wasting an awful lot of time. Perhaps a superior alternative is 9...Nxd4! 10.Bxd4 0-0 11.g3 b5
12.Qe3! (if White gets tricky with 12.Bxb5 Black gets counterplay with 12...Rb8!). I prefer White’s
position, yet it isn’t as favourable as what Nezhmetdinov got in the game.
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10.f4!
This is a promising pawn sacrifice to enhance his development lead.
10...Bxd4 11.Bxd4 Nxd4 12.Qxd4 Qxf4
What if Eve had rejected the serpent’s overtures to disobedience, in the Garden of Eden?
Tal has won a pawn at the high cost of lagging massively in development, with White soon to be in
control of both open files.
13.g3
Good enough for an advantage, yet Nezh missed an opportunity with 13.Rf1! Qxh2 14.e5. This looks
scary for Black. I have a feeling Nezhmetdinov would have won from this position.
13...Qc7 14.e5 Nd5
There is no choice; after 14...Ng8?? 15.Ne4 Black is busted.
15.Nxd5 exd5 16.0-0-0 b5 17.Rhf1 Bb7
17...0-0 18.Qxd5 Rb8 19.Bg4 Bb7 20.Qd6 Qxd6 21.Rxd6 is a difficult ending for Black.
367
18.e6!
Clearance.
18...dxe6?
Now it comes into question if Tal’s position has the stamina to survive the coming pain. He had to
settle for 18...0-0! 19.exf7+ Rxf7 20.Rxf7 Kxf7 21.Rf1+ Kg8 22.Bh5 with a difficult yet still playable
position for Black.
19.Qxg7 Rf8
Terrible was 19...0-0-0? 20.Rxf7 Qb6 21.Bg4.
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Exercise (planning): Tal plans to castle queenside on the next move. How can we prevent this plan?
Show/Hide Solution
20.Bh5?!
Up until now, Nezhmetdinov’s performance demands deep respect. This is the first crack in a tragic
loss. His move is natural yet reduces White’s advantage.
Answer: Only moving the bishop to g4 does the trick. Nezh should have played 20.Bg4! (threat:
21.Bxe6) and now:
A) 20...Rc8 21.c3 (threat 22.Bxe6) 21...Qe7 – the queen covers the f8-rook, yet it’s not enough:
22.Bxe6! (White can take the pawn all the same) 22...fxe6 23.Rxf8+ Qxf8 24.Qxb7 with a winning
position for White;
B) After 20...0-0-0, 21.Bxe6+! fxe6 22.Qxf8! wins a full exchange, since after 22...Rxf8? 23.Rxf8+
Kd7 24.Rf7+ White regains the queen, with an easy win.
20...0-0-0 21.Rde1!?
21.Rxf7 was a good practical chance and Black must find some strong moves to hold the draw here.
For example, 21...Rxf7 22.Bxf7 Kb8 23.Re1 d4 24.Qe5 Qxe5 25.Rxe5 Rd7! 26.Bh5 (if 26.Bxe6 Re7
27.Kd2 Bc8 28.Bxc8 Rxe5 29.Bxa6 Black stands no worse) 26...Bd5 27.Bg4 Re7 28.Kd2 Kc7
29.Kd3 Kd6 and Black saves the game, since 30.Kxd4?? loses to 30...Rc7! (threat: 31...Rc4+)
31.Rxd5+ (31.b3 Rxc2 32.Re3 Bxb3! (removal of the guard) 33.Rxb3 Rc4+ 34.Ke3 Rxg4 with a won
rook ending for Black) 31...exd5 32.Bf5 h6 leaves White fighting for his life in the ending, having
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only a pawn for the exchange.
21...Kb8 22.Rxf7 Rxf7 23.Qxf7 Bc8
24.Kd2!?
Nezh uncharacteristically invites a favourable ending.
24.Qf6! also looks difficult for Black.
24...Qa5+!?
Objectively best was to grovel for a draw with 24...Qxf7! 25.Bxf7 Rf8 26.Bxe6 Rf2+ 27.Kc3 d4+
28.Kd3 Rxh2 29.Bxc8 Kxc8 30.Re2 Rh3 31.Rg2 Kc7 32.Kxd4. White has won a pawn, yet Black
can probably hold a draw with 32...h5! 33.Kc5 Kb7 34.Re2 Rxg3 35.Re7+ Kc8.
25.Kd1 Qc7 26.Qf6!
No repetition draw for Nezhmetdinov! White must retain control over e5.
26...Qd6 27.Qd4 Rf8
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28.Re5!
Advantage White, who rules the dark squares.
28...Bd7?!
Tal should have sneaked his rook in first with 28...Rf1+ 29.Ke2 and 29...Rh1.
29.Be2!
Cutting off a black rook check on f1. The second player will have to defend passively and hope to
hold the game.
29...Be8
Hoping to have time to transfer the bishop to g6.
30.Bd3 Kb7
Instead, also difficult for Black was 30...Bg6 31.Bxg6 hxg6 32.Rg5 Rg8 33.h4.
31.Rg5! Rf7
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32.Qe5?
Our ignorance tends to be unearthed in positions alien to our natural abilities. Nezh was not a
technical endgame specialist. Now White’s advantage dwindles, fades and finally dies. That
Nezhmetdinov will end up losing this game seems, at this stage, a remote and even far-fetched
hypothesis. Yet this move, which throws away White’s advantage, makes it seem more plausible.
White’s blockade of d4 and e5 doesn’t mean much with the queens off the board. White remains in
control after 32.Qh8! Bc6 33.Rh5.
32...Qxe5 33.Rxe5 Re7 34.Kd2 Kc6 35.Ke3 Kd6 36.Kd4 Bg6
This leads to a drawn rook and pawn ending. 36...a5 37.c3 Rg7 (threat: 38...Rg4+) 38.Be2 a4 39.Bf3
Rf7 40.Bxd5 Bd7 41.Be4 Rf2 42.Bd3 Rxb2 (42...Rxh2 43.Re2 should end in a draw) 43.Rh5 Rb3
44.h4 Bc6 45.g4 Bd5 46.Rh6! and the chances are even (not 46.Rxh7?? e5+ 47.Ke3 Rxc3 and Black
wins).
37.Bxg6 hxg6 38.Rg5
He allows his blockade on e5 to crumble to activate his rook. White is unable to maintain the
blockade, no matter what he plays. For example: 38.c3 Rh7 39.h4 Rh5! 40.Re2 e5+ with a slight
advantage to Black, who has seized control over e5.
38...e5+ 39.Ke3 Rg7
39...Re6 40.h4 should lead to a draw.
40.h4 Ke6 41.h5 Kf6 42.Rxg6+ Rxg6 43.hxg6 Kxg6
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The king and pawn ending is drawn, since White’s outside passed g-pawn compensates for Black’s
(future) better king position and passed e-pawn.
44.b3 Kf5
45.c4??
Wow. Do you remember the old song ‘Who’s Sorry Now’? I have two theories for this move:
1. Nezhmetdinov must have been heavily fatigued and mega-hallucinated.
2. Either that, or he incorrectly thought he was lost in the king and pawn ending (he isn’t!) and
panicked.
45.c3 is a draw after 45...Kg4 46.Kf2 a5 47.a4 bxa4 48.bxa4 Kf5 49.Ke3 Kg4 50.Kf2. Black should
just repeat moves since 50...e4 is met with 51.Ke3 Kxg3 52.c4! (undermining) 52...dxc4 53.Kxe4
Kg4 54.Kd4 Kf5 55.Kxc4 Ke6 56.Kb5 Kd6 57.Kxa5 Kc7 and draw anyway.
45...dxc4 0-1
Game 76 Ruy Lopez
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
David Bronstein
Tbilisi ch-URS 1959 (14)
Here we have a clash between two of the most tactically creative players of the 20th century.
Nezhmetdinov meets the man who had come within a whisker of becoming World Champion, when
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he tied a match with Botvinnik in 1951.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5!?
For the first 15 moves of most Ruy Lopez lines, the opening tends to be one of those foreign rituals
where people kiss each other’s cheek a stipulated number of times. It would not be so with the lesser
played – and at the time lesser known – Schliemann Variation.
4.d3
Nezhmetdinov, perhaps surprised by Bronstein’s opening choice, opts for a solid continuation. Also
played are 4.Nc3, 4.d4 and 4.Bxc6.
4...fxe4 5.dxe4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Bb4 7.Qd3 d6
After 7...Bxc3+ 8.Qxc3 Nxe4 9.Qe3 Nf6?! (9...d5 is correct) 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Qxe5+ Qe7 White
can milk both the bishop pair and his development lead in the ending, Shirov-Zelbel, Novi Sad 2016.
8.Bd2
So that his structure isn’t spoiled by ...Bxc3.
8...Bxc3 9.Bxc3 0-0 10.0-0-0
Black gets loads of compensation after 10.Qc4+ Kh8 11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.Qxc6 Rb8.
10...Qe8 11.h3
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To prevent both ...Ng4 and ...Bg4.
11...a6 12.Bc4+
We reach the end of modern-day theory. It looks to me like Black has comfortably equalized.
Following 12.Ba4 Nh5 13.g3 Kh8 14.Qe2 (Bortnyk-Khachiyan, Chess.com 2018) I prefer Black’s
chances after 14...b5 15.Bb3 Rb8.
12...Be6
12...Kh8! may have been more accurate, since then Black can gain a tempo with ...b7-b5 in the
future.
13.Rhe1 Bxc4
13...Nh5 was also a thought.
14.Qxc4+ Kh8 15.Qe2 Nd7
Bronstein opens the f-file and shifts a piece in the direction of Nezhmetdinov’s king.
16.Kb1 b5 17.Bd2 Nc5 18.Be3!?
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I don’t really like White’s position, since Black’s attack looks faster. Nezhmetdinov attempts to muck
it up by offering his e4-pawn, which is a dubious pawn offer.
18...Ne6
Declining may have been the wrong decision. The complications favour Black after 18...Nxe4!
19.Bb6 d5! 20.Bxc7 (20.Rxd5?? hangs a piece to 20...Nf6) 20...Rc8 21.Bb6 Qe6: Black controls the
centre and is attacking.
19.h4!?
Nezh was built for aggression, not meek defence. This weakens his kingside light squares but he
doesn’t care. He refuses to settle for an even position with 19.Ng5 Nxg5 20.Bxg5 Nd4 21.Qd2 Ne6
22.Be3.
19...Qh5
19...h6! and I don’t see a good way for White to proceed with a kingside attack.
20.Qd2 h6 21.Qd5
This double attack doesn’t bother Black.
21...Qe8 22.h5!?
Up and at ‘em! The energy consumption rate is not so high for White’s war, if Black later accepts the
offer of the h-pawn. Nezhmetdinov hopes to slip his knight into h4 and then to g6 or f5.
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22...Rf6
22...Nf4! 23.Bxf4 Rxf4 looks better for Black, since the f4-rook prevents White’s intended Nh4.
23.Nh4 Ne7
Covering the holes on f5 and g6.
24.Qd2 Qxh5!
Moment of Contemplation: Swift adaptability to altering conditions is the mark of a survivor.
Bronstein, not normally a pawn-grabber, takes the dare and accepts the offer of the h-pawn. The cost
of course is allowing White’s rooks the open h-file. It appears to be a wise decision, since the h5pawn, if left untaken, becomes a support for White’s knight. The engine calls it dead even here.
25.Rh1 Ng8?
Bronstein worries about a sacrifice on h6, yet Black’s knight should not have taken its eyes off f5.
Black should have invited the sacrifice with 25...Raf8 26.Nf5 Qe8. Now if 27.Nxh6!? (27.g4 Kg8
28.Rdg1 Kf7! 29.g5 hxg5 30.Bxg5 Nxg5 31.Rxg5 Nxf5 32.exf5 Ke7 33.Rxg7+ R8f7 34.Rhh7 Rxf5
35.Rxf7+ Rxf7 36.Qg5+ Kd7 37.Qf5+ Ke7 38.Qg5+ is perpetual check) 27...gxh6 28.Bxh6 R8f7
29.Bg5+ Kg8 30.Bxf6 Rxf6 31.g3 the position is messy and I wouldn’t mind defending Black here.
26.Nf5
Enemy soldiers begin to spill over the defence’s parapet. Bronstein must watch out for direct
sacrifices on h6, and also for ideas like g2-g4 and g4-g5.
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26...Qg6 27.f3 Rxf5
Virtually forced, or White will simply reinforce the knight and build up the attack with g2-g4.
28.exf5 Qxf5 29.Rh4
Nezhmetdinov’s eyes are on the kingside, so it’s no surprise that he either missed or rejected the
stronger line 29.Qd5! Rb8 30.Qc6 a5 31.Ba7! when Black’s queenside pawns begin to fall.
29...Nf6?
Exercise (combination alert): The engines chatter their assessments, which have risen steeply in
favour of White. Why was Bronstein’s last move an error?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: It left h6 under-defended and open for sacrifice:
30.Bxh6! Kg8
The sacrifice is too strong to accept. This is a sad admission that Bronstein blundered on his 29th
move. 30...gxh6?? 31.Qxh6+ Nh7 (31...Kg8? hangs a rook in the corner after 32.Qh8+ Kf7
33.Qxa8) 32.g4! Qf7 33.Rdh1 Nef8 34.g5, threatening 35.g6, to which there is no remedy.
31.Be3 g5!?
This only weakens Black’s position further but Bronstein couldn’t stomach the passive 31...Kf7.
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32.Rh6 Kg7 33.Rdh1 Rf8 34.Qd1!
Threat: 35.g4, winning more material.
34...Nf4
Neither will Black survive 34...Ng8 35.R6h3 Nf6 36.g4 Qg6 37.Qd2 Re8 38.Qh2, intending Rh6.
35.g4 Qe6 36.Bxf4
It’s wise to eliminate Black’s most potent defender.
36...exf4
37.Qd3!
Threat: 38.Qg6 mate.
37...Kf7
If 37...Qe8, 38.Rh7+! Kg8 (38...Nxh7 39.Qxh7+ Kf6 40.Rh6+ Ke5 41.Qe4#) 39.Qf5 wins.
38.Qg6+ Ke7 39.Qxg5
Black’s pawn base crumbles.
39...Qe5
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Black won’t hold the ending. 39...Kd7 40.Qxf4 wins easily for White.
40.Qxe5+ dxe5 41.Re1 1-0
If 41...Nd7, 42.Rxa6 wins.
Game 77
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Bukhuti Gurgenidze
Tbilisi ch-URS 1959 (16)
380
White to move
Exercise (combination alert): What is White’s best method of exploiting the pin on Black’s rook?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Decoy. White’s bishops mop up:
51.Nh8!
51.Bxg6+? Kxg6 52.Nxd6 Nxd6 isn’t so easy for White, due to Black’s passed b-pawn. In fact the
engine calls it even.
51.Nh8! Kxh8 52.Bxg6 Ng7 53.Bf6!
Pinning the knight, which is the only defender of Black’s h-pawn.
53...Kg8 54.Bxg7!
The defender is eliminated, the h-pawn falls and the bishops of opposing colours won’t save Black.
54...Kxg7 55.Bxh5
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Gurgenidze undoubtedly prayed he could in the future sacrifice his bishop for White’s f- and gpawns. Then the game would be drawn since White is left with bishop and wrong-coloured rook
pawn. But of course, there is a zero chance that a player as strong as Nezhmetdinov would allow this
to occur.
55...b4 56.Bd1 Kf6 57.Kh3 Bc5 58.f4 Bf2 59.Kg4 Be1 60.h5 b3
We shouldn’t begrudge our opponent his final jest just before resignation. He was going to lose
anyway. Do you believe in the torment of eternal hellfire? You will if you play through the remainder
of this note, from Black’s viewpoint: 60...Bf2 61.Kf3 Bc5 62.g4 Bd6 63.Bc2 Bc5 64.g5+ Kg7
65.Kg4 Bd6 66.h6+ Kg8 67.f5 Be7 68.f6 Bd8 69.Bb3+ Kh7 70.Kh5 Kh8 71.Bc4! (zugzwang)
71...Bc7 72.g6 Be5 73.g7+ Kh7 74.g8=Q#.
61.Bxb3 1-0
Game 78
Nikolai Krogius
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Perm 1960
382
Black to move
Exercise (combination alert): Krogius just moved his knight from f5 to chop Nezhmetdinov’s g7pawn. After such a sacrifice there is no backup plan. If the attack fails, we resign. Prove why this was
a catastrophic error from White.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Zwischenzug/knight fork:
34...Nge4!
It is possible to say ‘yes’ and ‘no’ to something. White’s g7-knight isn’t running away and can be
taken next move. Suddenly, Black threatens 35...Nd2+ and 36...Nxf1, and also 35...Kxg7.
34...Nxg4? 35.Qf5+ Qxf5+ 36.Nxf5 is an equal ending.
34...Nge4! 35.Nb3
35.Nf5?? Nd2+ 36.Ka1 Nxf1 37.Nd3 Qc7! (Black threatens to mate on the back rank, and also to
swap queens) 38.Qe1 Nh2 leaves Black up a rook.
35...Qxg4!?
Moment of Contemplation: Nezh never took the easy road! Once again, he prefers initiative over
material. Yet this time I see absolutely no reason to refrain from the simple and strong 35...Kxg7!
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36.g5 hxg5 37.h6+ Kg6 after which White has no attack and zero compensation for the piece.
36.Nf5 a4 37.Qe7 Qxh5
Covering f7.
38.Nd6 Qxd5!
The queen covers f7, while 39...Qd3+ and also the simple 39...axb3 are threatened.
39.Nc1 Nd2+
There goes a key white attacker. White runs out of leverage and is in no position to negotiate. Also
winning was 39...Nxd6! 40.Rxf6 Qg5! (threatening mate on the move) 41.Ne2 Kg7! and Black wins,
since the queens are removed from the board.
40.Ka1 Nxf1 41.Nxc8 Qc4! 42.Nd3 Nh5! 43.Qd7 Ng7 0-1
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Black’s king is safe; White’s is not! A possible finish could be 44.Ne7 Ne3 and White is in
zugzwang, due to his weak back rank: 45.Qd6 a3 46.Qd7 axb2+ 47.Kxb2 Qc2+ 48.Ka1 Qd1+
49.Kb2 Nc4#.
Game 79
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Vitaly Gusakov
Perm 1960
385
White to move
Exercise (combination alert): How did Nezhmetdinov exploit Black’s shaky king?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Weak back rank:
23.Qd6! 1-0
After 23...h6 24.Qf8+ Kh7 25.Bxf6! one recapture loses a rook, while Black’s king is mated after the
other: 25...Bxf6 (25...gxf6 26.Qg8#) 26.Qxa8 – White picks up a rook and forces mate to boot.
Game 80
Vladimir Antoshin
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Dubna 1961
Black to move
Exercise (combination alert): How does Black force a win?
Show/Hide Solution
386
Answer: 37...Qf6!
Now White loses material.
38.Nf7+
White is unable to adequately protect the e3-square and, by extension, his bishop on e3: 38.Nh3? and
the problem is 38...Qf3+ 39.Qg2 Qxe3 with an extra piece for Black.
38...Rxf7 39.Bxf7 Qf3+!?
I told you. Nezh never accepted easy, when complicated was available! Simpler was 39...Qxf7
40.Bg1 (if 40.Bc5, 40...Nxe4 wins, since 41.Bxb4? Qb7! threatens to take White’s bishop, as well as
to give a devastating discovered check with the e4-knight) 40...Qb7 41.Qg2 Nxe4 is completely lost
for White.
40.Qg2 Qxe3 41.Rf1 Kh7 42.Bd5
42.Qf3 Qxf3+ 43.Rxf3 Nxe4 should eventually win for Black.
42...Nf6 43.Rf3 Qd4 44.Qf2
44...Ng4!
Nezhmetdinov proceeds with the ruthless elimination of all which is superfluous. This powerful move
ensures that Black gains a deadly passed d-pawn.
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45.Qxd4
45.Qf1 Nxd5 46.exd5 Qxd5 is dead lost for White.
45...exd4 46.h3 d3! 0-1
Promotion/knight fork. 47.hxg4 (47.Rxd3 Nf2+ forks king and rook) 47...d2 48.Rd3 d1=Q+ 49.Rxd1
Nxd1 leaves Black up a piece.
Game 81
Anatoly Lein
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Dubna 1961
388
Black to move
In this position with bishops of opposite colours, clearly Black’s king is more exposed than White’s,
so Nezhmetdinov sacrificed his rook on g3 to bail out with perpetual check. Yet there are drops of
poison in this move. White must play accurately to hold the draw:
51...Rxg3+!
51...Qe4?? 52.Rh8+ Kg6 53.Qxh6+ Kf7 54.Qf6#.
51...Rxg3+! 52.hxg3
The offer must be accepted. After 52.Kf1? Rf3+ 53.Kg1 Qf4! White is fighting for his life.
52...Qxg3+ 53.Kf1 Qh3+
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Exercise (critical decision): White has a choice of moving his king to g1, f2 or e1. Moving to one of
the squares holds the draw, while moving to the other two loses. Which square would you move to?
Show/Hide Solution
54.Kg1??
Answer: g1 loses, as does f2. e1 is the only safe square for White:
A) 54.Kf2?? Qh4+ 55.Kf1 Qxd8 transposes to the game;
B) 54.Ke1! holds a draw: 54...Qh1+ (it is Black who loses after 54...Qh4+?? 55.Qf2 Qxd8 56.Qxf5+
Kg8 57.Qg6+ Kf8 58.Bg7+ Ke7 59.Bf6+, winning the queen) 55.Ke2 Qg2+ 56.Ke1 (most certainly
not 56.Ke3?? Qf3#) 56...Qh1+ with perpetual check.
54...Qh1+ 55.Kf2 Qh4+
Double attack. Black regains the lost rook.
56.Kf1 Qxd8
Black is up three pawns with a winning position. Lein’s two hopes are:
1. To deliver perpetual check, due to Black’s semi-exposed king.
2. To swap queens and create an iron blockade on the kingside dark squares, hoping to freeze Black’s
two kingside passed pawns and hold the draw with the bishops of opposite colours.
57.Qf4 Kg6 58.Qe5
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58.Qg3+ is met with 58...Qg5.
58...Qd6 59.Kf2!
59.Qxd6+?? reactivates Black’s queenside majority and White is unable to hold the draw three pawns
down.
59...f4!
This time Nezhmetdinov’s habit of refusing to simplify in a winning position serves him well. A
queen swap might actually have led to a draw, despite Black’s three extra pawns.
60.Qe8+
60.Qxd6+? is, again, a different story, since it undoubles Black’s queenside pawns. White, unable to
recuperate, will not hold a draw after 60...cxd6 61.c3 Kf5 62.Bg7 h5 63.Bf8 Kg4! 64.Bxd6 h4
65.Bc5 h3 66.Kg1 Kg3 67.Bf2+ Kf3 68.Bd4 Ke2 69.Kh2 Bc8 70.Bc5 f3 71.Kg3 h2 – overloaded
defender. Black wins White’s bishop and the game.
60...Kg5 61.c3
61.Qg8+ Kh4 62.Qg7 h5 63.Qf6+ Qxf6 64.Bxf6+ Kg4 – this time it’s different. Black will win, due
to the overwhelming position of his king and his partial control over the kingside dark squares, e.g.
65.Be5 h4 66.Bxc7 h3 67.Kg1 Kg3.
61...c5!
Now it becomes clear which player is running things. This gives Black’s queen access to d2 when
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White’s bishop moves.
62.Qg8+ Kh4
White has run out of checks.
63.Bh8 Qd2+ 64.Kf1
Exercise (combination alert): Black can force mate. How?
Show/Hide Solution
64...Qc1+
Picking up the b2-pawn is the practical decision.
Answer: More accurate was 64...Bf3!. In positions with opposite-coloured bishops, each side’s
bishop is the counterpart’s evil obverse. 65.Bf6+ Kh3 66.Qe6+ Kh2 with the threat 67...Bg2 mate, to
which there was no defence.
65.Kf2 Qxb2+ 66.Kf1 Qc1+ 67.Kf2 Qe3+ 68.Kf1 Kh3 0-1
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Black’s king is safe from perpetual check and White will soon be mated: 69.Qg1 (69.Bf6 f3 and there
is no stopping 70...Qe2+ followed by 71...f2 mate or 71...Qe1 mate) 69...Qc1+ 70.Kf2 Qd2+ 71.Kf1
and here simplest is 71...Bg2+, winning White’s queen.
Game 82
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Lev Belov
Dubna 1961
393
White to move
Exercise (planning): Come up with White’s strongest attacking continuation.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Chase Black’s queen by shifting the rook to b4, which completely short circuits the defence:
28.Rb4! Qxc2
A) 28...Qxa2 is met with the same sacrifice as in the game: 29.Rxb7+! Kxb7 30.Qb4+ Kc8 31.Qb6!
Nxd5 32.Bxa6+ and Black must hand over the queen, since after 32...Kd7 he is mated with 33.Qb7+:
A1) 33...Ke8 34.Bb5+ Kd8 35.Qb8#;
A2) 33...Kd8 34.Qc8#;
A3) 33...Nc7 34.Bb5+ Kd8 35.Qb8#.
B) 28...Qa5 hangs the queen (and gets mated!) to the simple discovered attack 29.Rxb7+ Kxb7
30.Qxa5;
C) 28...Qd7 loses to the simple 29.Bxa6.
29.Rxb7+!?
Infatuation enters via our eyes, while love enters through the heart. Of course, Nezhmetdinov
(unnecessarily!) takes the dramatic route. Sometimes I get the feeling that Nezh was having so much
fun that he actually doesn’t want the game to end! Objectively, the simplest and strongest path was
the mundane 29.Bxa6 when Black must instantly resign.
29...Kxb7 30.Qb4+ Kc7
This loses the queen, yet even worse was 30...Ka8?? 31.Qb6 and Black must resign.
31.Rc1 Qxc1+ 32.Bxc1
Black’s two clumsy rooks are no match for White’s queen.
32...Rb8
A) After 32...Bd8 33.Bxa6 Kd7 34.Qb7+ Bc7 35.Bd2 Black has no chance to survive;
B) If 32...Ra8 33.Qa5+ Kb7 34.Be3 Bd8 35.Qb4+ Kc7 36.Nxf7 wins.
33.Qc4+
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33...Kd8
This walks into a fork.
A) 33...Kd7 34.Qc6+ Kd8 35.Nxf7#;
B) 33...Kb6 34.Qxa6+ Kc7 35.Qc6+ Kd8 36.Nxf7#.
34.Nxf7+ Ke8 35.Nxh8 Nxh8 36.Qc7 Rd8 37.Bg5 Rd7
Exercise (combination alert): Black’s position is in the throes of deep grief. How can White pick up
another piece?
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Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 38.Qc8+ Rd8
38...Bd8 loses to 39.Bxf6.
39.Qe6!
Black resigned. He loses a piece or is mated, no matter how he responds: 39...Kf8 (39...Nxd5
40.Bxh5+ Kf8 41.Bh6#) 40.Bh6+ Ke8 41.Bg7! and White wins another piece.
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Show in Text Mode
Chapter 4
Final period, 1961-1973
In this chapter we look at the final period of Nezhmetdinov’s chess life, from 1961 to 1973. The
creeping of old age resulted in some decline via fatigue errors, yet the brilliance never really went
away, from one of the most tactically inventive/devious minds Caissa ever spawned. In open
positions with initiative and attack, only Bronstein, Tal and Spassky rivaled Nezhmetdinov’s absolute
mastery.
Nezh looked invincible in this next game which was suggestive of a long past era.
Game 83 Two Knights Defence
Lev Belov
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Omsk 1961
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5
The fight begins without preamble with the sharp Two Knights. Is it wise to challenge Nezhmetdinov
in an open position, where he has the initiative?
4...d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 8.Be2 h6 9.Nf3 e4 10.Ne5 Bd6 11.d4 exd3 12.Nxd3
Qc7
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We reach a tabiya position for the line. Black’s development lead and attacking chances offer full
compensation for the missing pawn.
13.Nd2
Today, White’s main moves are 13.b3 and 13.h3.
13...Ba6
Nobody has repeated this move. There are 38 games in my database with 13...0-0.
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14.Nf3
The idea is to cover h2 and castle.
A) 14.Nc5 leads to immense complications which in the end look fine for Black: 14...Bxc5 15.Bxa6
Qb6 (15...Bxf2+? misfires to 16.Kxf2 Qb6+ 17.Kf3! Qxa6 18.Re1+ Kf8 19.Ne4 and Black is in
deep trouble) 16.Qe2+ Kf8 17.0-0 Re8 18.Qd3 Rd8 19.Nc4 Nxc4 20.Qxc4 Rd4 21.Qe2 Re4 22.Qd3
Rd4 23.Qf5 Rd5 24.Qc8+ Rd8 25.Qb7 Bxf2+! 26.Kh1 Ne4 27.Qxb6 Bxb6 28.g3 h5 and Black looks
okay in the ending;
B) 14.b3 would be my choice, e.g. 14...c5 (14...0-0 15.Bb2 Nd5 16.Ne4 also favours White) 15.Bb2
c4 16.bxc4 Nxc4 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Ne4 with advantage to White.
14...0-0 15.0-0 Rad8
White’s queen looks uncomfortable on d1 – Nezh has clearly generated enough piece play for the
pawn.
16.b3 Rfe8 17.Re1?
Believe it or not, this most natural of moves lands White in a lost position. 17.Bb2 was correct:
17...c5 18.c4 Bb7 19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.Qd2 Nc6 21.Rfe1 Nb4! 22.Rad1 Bxf3 23.gxf3 (forced)
23...Bxh2+ 24.Kg2 Nxd3 25.Bxd3 Bf4 is equal.
17...Ng4!
We begin to feel the amplification.
18.h3?!
White had to return the pawn and suffer with 18.Bb2. I can’t decide if this is a donation or a fine:
18...Bxh2+ 19.Kf1 c5 20.Nd2 Ne3+!! 21.fxe3 Rxe3 22.Nf2 c4! with enormous pressure for the
piece.
399
Herbert Hoover calmed a jittery U.S. nation by saying the economy was fine and the markets stable.
That was just before the Great Depression, which is about to befall White here.
Exercise (combination alert): It’s time to strike. What should Black play?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 18...Nxf2!!
Equally strong was to reverse the move order with Answer #2: 18...Bh2+! 19.Kf1 Nxf2!! 20.Kxf2
Qb6+ 21.Kf1 Bg3.
19.Kxf2
If 19.Nxf2, 19...Bh2+ 20.Nxh2 Rxd1 21.Nxd1 Rxe2 wins.
19...Qb6+ 20.Kf1 Bg3!
Threat: 21...Rxd3 and 22...Qf2 mate.
21.Qd2!
The only move.
21...c5!
Intending ...c5-c4. What follows is just a treatise on how to conduct an attack in an open position.
400
22.c4 Bxe1 23.Kxe1
A) After 23.Qxe1 Rxd3 White is down material and busted;
B) 23.Nfxe1 Qf6+ with a double attack on White’s king and loose rook in the corner.
Exercise (planning): Continue Black’s attack.
Show/Hide Solution
23...Nxc4!
Annihilation of defensive barrier. In this game Black’s knights romp about with canine joy.
24.bxc4 Bxc4
White is up material, with three pieces for Black’s rook and two extra pawns. Unfortunately for
Belov, there is no way to untangle.
25.Kf2
When we agree to compromise, how much is too much? This move can’t be described as a moraleboosting experience, since it walks into a future discovered check on the g1-a7 diagonal. 25.Kf1 is
met with the crushing 25...Rxe2! 26.Kxe2 Rxd3 and White loses his queen, wherever it moves. If
27.Qxd3 Bxd3+ 28.Kxd3, 28...Qf6! wins, since 29.Rb1 is met with the skewer 29...Qg6+ picking up
the rook.
25...Bxd3! 26.Bxd3 c4+
401
Clearance and discovered check.
27.Kg3 Rxd3 28.Qb2
Forget it. There isn’t a chance in a billion Nezhmetdinov is going to allow a queen swap, since
White’s king remains in dire trouble.
28...Qg6+ 29.Kf2
29.Kh2 Qd6+ 30.Kh1 Rxf3! 31.gxf3 Re1+ 32.Kg2 Qg6+ 33.Kf2 Qg1#.
29...Qe4!
White can barely move.
30.Bd2
Everything loses at this stage:
A) 30.Kg3 is met with 30...Qe1+ 31.Qf2 (31.Kh2 loses to 31...Rxf3) 31...Qe5+! 32.Bf4 Qxa1,
winning for Black;
B) 30.Rb1 c3 31.Qb5 Rxf3+! 32.gxf3 Qe1+ 33.Kg2 c2! (even stronger than the immediate rook
check on c2) 34.Ra1 Re2+ 35.Qxe2 Qxe2+ 36.Kg1 Qe5! and White’s rook has no place to go.
Exercise (combination alert): What is Black’s most crushing continuation?
Show/Hide Solution
402
Answer: 30...Rxf3+!
Annihilation of defensive barrier.
31.gxf3 Qh4+! 0-1
There aren’t any mourners at the white king’s funeral: 32.Kf1 Qxh3+ 33.Kf2 Qh2+ 34.Kf1 Re2 and
game over after 35.Qb8+ Qxb8 36.Kxe2 Qe5+, picking up the rook.
Game 84
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Aleksej Shestoperov
Omsk 1961
White to move
Exercise (calculation): White’s d-pawn sits dangerously deep, while Black has generated scary
counterplay against g2 and White’s king. Calculate the ramifications of 39.Ne4. Does it work?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: It works, and White gets to Black’s king faster:
39.Ne4! Rxg2 40.d7!
403
Also winning was 40.Nxf6 R8g3 41.Nxh5 Rg8 42.Rc7+ Kb6 43.Nf6 Rg1+ 44.Rxg1 Rxg1+ 45.Kh2
Rd1 46.Nd5+! Kb5 47.Kg2! (in order to prevent 47...Bg1+ and 48...Rxd5) 47...Rd2+ 48.Kf3 Bg1
49.Ke4 and White’s passed d-pawn will decide: 49...f6 50.a4+ Ka5 51.Rc4!, covering against
51...Rd4+.
40...Rxa2
The idea is to double rooks on White’s second rank and then deliver mate on h2.
41.Nd6+ Ka7 42.Rc8! Rgg2
Threatening mate in one. In truth, Black brings a hug to a gunfight and White is faster.
43.Ra8+! 1-0
Decoy! White promotes with check and mates Black first: 43...Kb6 (43...Kxa8 44.d8=Q+ Ka7
45.Qc7+ Ka8 46.Qb7#) 44.d8=Q+ Kc6 45.Qc8+! Kxd6 and here the engine points out mate in eight
with 46.Qd8+! (a practical player would play the simple 46.Rxa6+ which eliminates Black’s mating
threat and wins easily) 46...Kc6 47.Rc8+ Kb5 48.Qd5+ Kb4 49.Qd6+ Kxb3 50.Rf3+!. The other
rook enters the attack and Black is mated in three moves at the most.
Game 85 King’s Indian Defence
Leonid Shamkovich
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Baku ch-URS 1961
404
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 0-0 5.Nf3 d6 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7
Of course today the theory of the Orthodox lines of the King’s Indian is out of control, with some
lines ending around move 30.
9.Nd2
Today this is White’s third most popular choice, just behind the lines 9.Ne1 and 9.b4.
9...Ne8
More often played are 9...a5 and 9...Nd7.
10.b4 f5
I think it’s wiser for Black to pretty much ignore the queenside and play for mate on the kingside.
10...a5 helps White open the queenside after 11.bxa5 Rxa5 12.Nb3 Ra8 13.c5.
11.f3?!
This move is played a lot, but in my opinion it’s inaccurate. A pair of alterations has taken place, one
more meaningful than the other. White should swap his move for 11.c5. Why? Because then if Black
immediately follows with 11...f4?, this allows White to swap off Black’s good bishop with 12.Bg4!.
After 11.c5! Black must expend a tempo on 11...Nf6, which may in turn later leave him vulnerable to
a knight invasion on c7.
11...f4
405
Because of White’s slight inaccuracy, Black can leave his e8-knight where it sits to defend the key
queenside squares c7 and d6.
12.c5 g5 13.Nc4 Rf7
Today this is a familiar maneuver. Black plans to reshuffle with ...Bf8 and ...Rg7, with the intention
of an eventual break with ...g5-g4.
14.Bd2 Ng6
15.Be1!?
This move is actually Stockfish 12’s first choice. Shamkovich wants to re-route his bishop to f2 to
attack Black’s queenside. Of course, this gives Black more time for his attack.
15.a4 Bf8 16.cxd6 cxd6 17.Be1 (there it is again!) 17...h5 18.Bf2 Nf6 19.Nb5, Gagarin-Juric, Zadar
1996. At this stage, for better or for worse, Black has to try 19...g4 and pray he delivers mate before
he gets wiped out on the queenside.
15...Bf8 16.Bf2 h5 17.Rc1
17.a4 Rg7 18.Kh1 Nf6 19.cxd6 Bxd6! 20.Nb5 g4 and it’s anybody’s game.
17...Nf6
I would leave the knight alone for now on e8 and play 17...Rg7. Black’s e8-knight continues to cover
the sensitive infiltration square c7.
406
18.cxd6 cxd6 19.Nb5
19...g4!
Moment of Contemplation: With Nezh, it was always kill or be killed. He refuses to bother
defending his queenside.
20.Nxa7
20.Bxa7! and now Black should invest an exchange to weaken White’s dark squares with 20...Rxa7
21.Nxa7 Bd7.
20...Bd7 21.a4?
This move is too slow. White had to go for 21.Nb6! g3 22.Nxa8 gxf2+ 23.Rxf2 Qxa8 24.Nb5 and if
24...Qxa2 (Nezh might have rejected the draw and played 24...Rg7!?) 25.Ra1 Qb2 26.Rb1 with a
repetition draw.
21...g3! 22.Bb6
22.hxg3? fxg3 23.Be3 Ne8 24.Re1 Qh4 25.Qd2 Qh2+ 26.Kf1 Nf4 27.Bd1 Qh1+ 28.Bg1 h4 and the
coming ...h4-h3 will destroy White’s position.
22...Qe7 23.Kh1
23.h3 Nh4 24.Nb5 Ne8 25.Re1 Bxh3! gives Black a wicked attack.
407
23...Rh7!!
This rook nearly always moves to g7 in such positions. Nezhmetdinov senses an anomaly and realizes
the h7-square is even stronger. The deep idea is to enable the sacrifice ...Ng4! on the next move.
After 23...Rg7?! 24.Nb5 Ne8 25.Re1 Qg5 26.Bf1 gxh2 27.Bf2 h4 I still like Black’s chances, yet the
game’s continuation is much stronger.
24.Nb5
Exercise (planning): While the queenside is White’s personal fiefdom, Nezhmetdinov now reminds
his opponent that all the material in the world doesn’t matter if your king is mated. Matters have gone
horribly wrong for White in this battle of wing attacks and Shamkovich’s fears are well founded.
Prove why.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 24...Ng4!
Line opening. ...Qh4 is coming.
25.h3
It is suicide to open the h-file with 25.fxg4?? hxg4 26.h3 gxh3 27.Bh5 Qh4! and White is mated. If
28.Bxg6 hxg2+ 29.Kxg2 Qh3+ 30.Kf3 (30.Kg1 Qh2#) 30...Bg4 mate.
25...Qh4
408
There is no way to prevent Black’s coming sacrifice on h3.
26.Qd2 Ne3!
Clearance.
27.Bd3
This way White’s queen covers the mating square h2. 27.Nxe3?? Bxh3 and mate in three moves.
27...Bxh3
Angry attackers boil over, as if from a kicked wasps’ nest. The sacrifice is so obvious that it doesn’t
even deserve a single exclamation mark.
28.gxh3
28...g2+
The simplest. The engine likes 28...Qxh3+ which is also crushing: 29.Kg1 Nh4 30.Bxe3 fxe3
31.Nxe3 Bh6 32.Rc2 Rg7 33.Nxd6 Ng2!! 34.Re1 Nxe1 35.Qxe1 Bxe3+ 36.Qxe3 g2 37.Rc1 Qh1+
38.Kf2 g1=Q+ with mate in four to follow.
29.Kg1 gxf1=Q+
White’s position slowly bleeds to death. This is a dream come true for Nezhmetdinov, since now
Black is attacking while up material!
409
30.Bxf1 Qg3+ 31.Bg2
This loses a piece, yet isn’t really an error, since everything loses, e.g. 31.Kh1 Nxf1 32.Rxf1 Qxh3+
33.Kg1 Nh4 34.Kf2 Qg2+ 35.Ke1 Nxf3+ and White resigns.
31...Nh4
Black’s pieces are happy terriers entering a mouse-infested barn. The attack plays itself and Nezh’s
moves are not so difficult to find.
32.Qf2
We feel for White’s economic desperation. This is the same as resignation since White gives up
another piece. If 32.Bxe3, 32...Nxf3+ 33.Kf1 Nxd2+ wins.
32...Nexg2 33.Qxg3+ fxg3 0-1
Black is up a rook.
Game 86
Walter Estrada Degrandi
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Rostov-on-Don 1961 (1)
410
Black to move
So many of Nezhmetdinov’s games devolved into wild, up and down battles, with constantly
swinging evaluations. White’s position looks almost as if he has castled queenside into Black’s
Benko Gambit! How can Black take advantage of the open lines against White’s king?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Annihilation of defensive barrier:
23...Rxa2! 24.Nxa2 Qxe4+?
As was his habit, Nezh goes from zero to crazy in three seconds. He goes wrong and over-presses,
allowing White back into the game. The correct 24...Qb3+! 25.Kc1 Qxa2 26.b3 Qa3+ 27.Kc2 c4!
28.Bxc4 Nxc4 29.bxc4 Rb2+ 30.Rxb2 Qxb2+ 31.Kd1 (31.Kd3?? Qd4+ 32.Kc2 Qxe4+ pops the
rook in the corner) 31...Qb1+ 32.Qc1 Qd3+ 33.Ke1 Be5 would have left White fighting for his life.
25.Bd3 Qa4+ 26.b3 Qxa2+ 27.Kd1
The engine calls it even here.
411
27...Qa3!?
We all knew Nezh wouldn’t agree to swap queens, yet objectively that was Black’s best course. Now
the evaluation swings in White’s favour. After 27...Qxd2+! 28.Kxd2 Nxd3 29.Kxd3 Be5 Black
doesn’t stand worse in the ending, despite White’s extra exchange.
28.Qc2?!
Nezhmetdinov’s optimism pays off. White stands better after 28.Ke2!.
28...Qb4?!
28...Rb4! was correct.
29.Rh4! Qb7 30.Bc4?!
Both sides experience great difficulty coming up with the correct moves. 30.Bh7+ Kf8 31.Be4 Qb5
32.Rf4 was in White’s favour.
412
30...Qd7!?
Nezh is willing to take on an inferior position, as long as the queens remain on the board. He isn’t
interested in a drawing line like 30...Nxc4 31.Qxc4 Bd4 32.b4 Qb5 33.Qxb5 Rxb5 34.Kc2 Be5
35.Rc4 cxb4 36.Rbxb4 Rxd5.
31.Qe4
31.Qh7+ Kf8 32.Ke2 Ra8 33.Rf4 Ra2+ 34.Ke1 Rg2 35.Ra1 (threat: 36.Ra8+) 35...Qb7 36.Kf1 Rxg3
37.Qf5 is a complete mess, with a close to even evaluation.
31...Ra8
31...Qa7 was more accurate.
32.Ke2?!
White stands better after 32.Bd3!, intending 33.Rh8+, followed by infiltration to h7. After 32...Ng6
33.Rh2 Be5 34.Qf3 I like White’s chances, since Black’s king isn’t so safe either.
32...Ra2+ 33.Ke3??
33.Kd1! Rf2 34.Rf4 Rh2 35.Rh4 is a repetition draw.
413
Exercise (planning): In this analytical nightmare of a position, Black has two hidden winning plans.
Try and find one of them.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 33...Ng6!
Clearance. White’s position is unable to withstand a bishop check on d4. Black’s optimal plan is
Answer #2: 33...f5!!. In this version Black squeezes out every possible resource, as we do to an
almost empty tube of toothpaste. This counter-intuitive, computer-generated move is virtually
impossible for a human to spot:
A) 34.gxf6 Bh6+! 35.Rxh6 Ng4+ 36.Kf4 Rf2+ 37.Kg5 exf6+ 38.Rxf6 Rxf6! (threat: 39...Qg7+ and
40...Rh6 mate. White must hand over the queen to evade mate) 39.Qe6+ (39.Qxg4 Qg7+ 40.Kh4
Rh6+ 41.Qh5 and now simplest is 41...Rxh5+ 42.Kxh5 Qh7+, picking up the rook on b1) 39...Rxe6
40.dxe6 Qg7+ 41.Kf4 Qd4+ 42.Kg5 Ne3!! 43.e7+ Kg7 44.e8=Q Qg4#;
B) 34.Qh1 e6! 35.Be2 Ng4+! 36.Rxg4 (36.Bxg4?? Bd4+ 37.Kf4 e5+ 38.Kf3 Rf2#) 36...fxg4
37.Bxg4 Bd4+ 38.Ke4 (38.Kd3 Qb5+ 39.Ke4 Re2+ 40.Bxe2 Qxe2+ 41.Kf4 Be5#) 38...exd5+
39.Kxd5 Qxg4 and wins.
34.Rbh1??
This move ignores Black’s threat and fails to immunize White from catastrophe. He had to try
34.Qg4 Qb7 35.Re1 Bd4+ 36.Ke4 Rd2 37.Re2 Qb4 38.Rhh2 Qc3! (threat: 39...Qc2+, followed by
40...Re3 mate) 39.Qf3 Qc2+ 40.Qd3 Rxd3 41.Rxc2 Rxg3 42.Rcg2 Re3+ 43.Kf5 and Black has a won
ending, since White’s pieces are in a complete tangle; his king is in danger, as are his pawns.
414
34...Bd4+! 0-1
Gravity’s demands are too powerful to ignore: 35.Kd3 (35.Kf3 Ne5+ is the same) 35...Ne5+ costs
the queen.
Game 87
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Radko Bobekov
Rostov-on-Don 1961 (2)
White to move
Exercise (planning): What are the over/under odds on Black’s survival? The answer is that Black is
dead lost, provided that White conducts the attack with accuracy. How should he continue?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Open lines by pushing the f-pawn:
34.f6+! gxf6
34...Bxf6 35.Rxf6! gxf6 36.Rf1 Rf8 37.Rxf6 with a winning attack for White.
35.Rxf6!
415
Sacrificing a full rook, knowing that he will regain it with interest.
35...Bxf6 36.Rf1
White soon goes from down a rook to up material.
36...Kd7
There is no way for Black to keep that which he cherishes. After 36...Rf8 37.Rxf6 Black has no
moves. For example:
A) 37...Nh8 38.Re6+ Kd7 39.Rxd6+ Kc7 40.Rxd8 Nxg6 41.Rxa8 Rxa8 42.Bxg6;
B) A waiting move like 37...b6 fails to 38.Bf5 Ra7 39.Re6+ Kd7 40.Re7+! (attraction; double check,
forcing Black’s king to the fatal mating square) 40...Kxe7 41.Qe6#;
C) 37...Qe8 loses the queen to 38.Re6+ Kd7 39.Rxe8.
37.Rxf6 Kc7 38.Rxf7+
Black’s material continues to diminish.
38...Kb8
Medicine doesn’t work on a corpse. The move 38...Kb6 is met with 39.b4! with a crushing attack.
39.Qf6!
Black is unable to evade a queen swap, after which White gets an easily won ending.
416
39...Qxf6 40.Rxf6 1-0
Black wasn’t suitably awed and hopelessly played on. Nezhmetdinov won easily.
Game 88 Sicilian Defence
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Mikhail Tal
Baku ch-URS 1961
Tal had just lost his rematch against Botvinnik when this game was played. Tal later said the day he
lost this game, the ‘Evergreen Rashid’, was the happiest one of his life, since he was staggered by
Nezhmetdinov’s creativity.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Be2 a6 7.0-0 Qc7 8.f4 Nbd7
Najdorf Sicilian patria nostra –Najdorf Sicilian is my homeland! Tal plays it in Najdorf fashion,
where he had more experience than in the Scheveningen Variation. 8...Nc6 is the Scheveningen.
9.g4!?
Moment of Contemplation: Lead us not into temptation... oh who am I kidding? The question
arises: which is the norm and which is the aberration? It’s one thing to play the g2-g4 bayonet lunge
when Black’s king is already committed to the kingside, and quite another when Black’s king remains
uncommitted in the centre. On top of it, Nezhmetdinov has the gall to play it against a former world
champion!
417
9...b5 10.a3
10.g5 is met with 10...b4!.
10...Bb7 11.Bf3
11...Nc5?!
This logical move may actually be the seed of Tal’s coming problems. The knight may belong on b6.
A) 11...h6 was worth consideration, for two reasons:
1. It discourages White’s g4-g5, since this would open the h-file against White’s king after ...h6xg5.
2. Black can at some point play for ...g7-g5, if conditions allow for it.
B) 11...Nb6 is also okay for Black, e.g. 12.g5 Nfd7 13.Bg2 Be7 14.Qg4 g6 and it’s anybody’s game.
12.Qe2
418
12...e5!
Tal counters in the centre. 12...Be7 looks innocent enough, yet the engine starts liking White more
and more as moves proceed. For example: 13.g5 Nfd7 14.b4! Na4 15.Nxa4 bxa4 16.c4! and if
16...Rc8 17.Bb2 Qxc4 18.Qd2 Qc7 19.Rac1 Qb6 20.Rxc8+ Bxc8 21.Rc1 Bb7 22.Kf1 0-0 23.Qc3!
(threatening with horrible discovered attacks on g7) 23...e5 (23...Rc8? 24.Nc6 Kf8 25.Qxg7+ Ke8
26.Na5 is also heavily in White’s favour) 24.Nf5 Bd8 25.Qd2 Bc7 26.Qf2! and the engines still
prefer White in the coming ending.
13.Nf5
13.Nd5!? Nxd5 14.exd5 0-0-0 15.Nc6 e4! 16.Bxe4 Nxe4 (16...Re8?? fails miserably to the
discovered check 17.Bf5+ when Black finds himself down a rook after 17...Re6 18.dxe6 Qxc6 19.e7+
Ne6 20.Be4! d5 21.exf8=Q+ Rxf8 22.Bg2) 17.Qxe4 Bxc6 18.dxc6 d5 19.Qf5+ Kb8 20.Be3 f6
21.Bf2 Qxc6 22.Rae1 and White stands a bit better.
13...g6 14.fxe5
After 14.Ng3 Ne6 15.g5 Nd7 16.Nd5 Bxd5 17.exd5 Nd4 18.Qg2 Qxc2 19.Rf2 Qb3 20.Bg4 Nc5
21.Ne4 the engine slightly prefers White in this complete mess of a position.
14...dxe5
419
15.Nh6!
This move applies pressure to f7, while preventing Black from castling short. After 15.Ne3 Ne6
16.Ncd5 Nxd5 17.Nxd5 Bxd5 18.exd5 Nd4 19.Qe4 Rc8 20.Bd1 f5! 21.Qe1 Bc5 22.Be3 the engine
calls it dead even, which is code for unclear.
15...Ne6 16.Bg2 Bg7?
Tal should have fought harder for control over the dark squares with 16...Nf4! 17.Bxf4 exf4 18.e5
Nd5! 19.Nxd5 Bxd5 20.Bxd5 Qc5+ (this double attack regains the lost piece) 21.Qf2 Qxd5 22.Rad1
Qc6 23.Nxf7! Bc5 (23...Kxf7 24.Qxf4+ Kg7 25.Qf7+ Kh6 26.Qf4+ g5 27.Qf6+ Qxf6 28.Rxf6+
Kg7 29.Rd7+ Kg8 30.Re6 Rc8 31.c3 Bg7 and now the engine wants a repetition draw with 32.Ree7
Bf8 33.Re6 Bg7) 24.Nd6+ Ke7 25.Rd4 Bxd4 26.Qxd4 and White has full compensation for the
exchange, but no advantage.
420
Exercise (planning): How should White proceed with his attack?
Show/Hide Solution
17.Rxf6!
Answer: A strategic exchange sacrifice after which Black, although not objectively losing, must find
a series of strong defensive moves to have a chance to save the game. As always, Nezhmetdinov is
the general who values victory over human life. He isn’t afraid to hand over material if it flames his
initiative.
A) 17.g5 Bxh6 18.gxh6 Nh5 19.Nd5 Qd6 gave advantage to White, but not as much as in the game;
B) 17.Nxf7? is flashy and weak: 17...0-0! (yes, castling is legal here!) 18.Nh6+ Kh8 19.g5 Nh5 and
Black stands clearly better since a knight is about to slip into f4.
17...Bxf6 18.Nd5 Qd8
18...Bxd5?? 19.exd5 Nd4 20.Qf2 Qe7 21.g5! Bg7 22.d6 with a double attack; White wins.
19.Qf2
Pressure begins to mount on f6 and f7.
19...Nf4
Tal is desperate to clog the f-file and reduce the number of attackers. Also worth considering was
19...Bxd5 20.exd5 Nf4 21.Bxf4 exf4 22.Qxf4 Qb6+ 23.Kh1 0-0-0 24.Nxf7 Bxb2 25.Rf1 Rhe8!
421
(25...Rhf8? 26.d6 gives White a strong attack) 26.a4 Qd4! 27.Nxd8 Qxf4 28.Rxf4 Re1+ 29.Bf1 Kxd8
30.axb5 axb5 31.Kg2. Black is fighting for a draw and may get it due to the bishops of opposite
colours.
20.Bxf4!
If 20.Nxf4?? Qd1+! 21.Bf1 exf4 (threat: 22...Bd4) 22.Qxf4 Bd4+ 23.Be3 Qd2! (stronger than the
line 23...Bxe3+ 24.Qxe3 Qxa1 25.Qd4 with fishing chances for White) 24.Re1 0-0-0! 25.Re2 Bxe3+
26.Rxe3 White is down an exchange and busted.
20...exf4 21.e5?
‘Hocus’ fails to produce the magic when it is missing the ‘pocus’ part of the incantation. With
complexity comes error. The assessment dips from better for White to better for Black after a single
inaccurate move. 21.Qxf4! Bxd5 22.exd5 Qb6+ 23.Kh1 0-0-0 24.Nxf7 Bxb2 25.Rf1 Rhe8!
(25...Rhf8?? loses to 26.d6!) 26.Nxd8 Be5 27.Qf7 Kxd8 28.d6 Bxd6 29.Qxh7 is called at dead even.
21...Bxe5?
It’s unwise to allow White to open the e-file.
A) After 21...Bh4! 22.Qd4 (White must guard the d5-knight) 22...Rf8 the complications are slightly
in Black’s favour;
B) 21...Bxd5? walks into the trap: 22.exf6 Bxg2 23.Re1+ Kd7 (23...Kf8?? 24.Qc5+ and mate next
move) 24.Rd1+ Ke6 25.Rxd8 Rhxd8 26.Kxg2 and Black is busted.
22.Re1 f6?
422
Tal had to try 22...Bxd5! 23.Rxe5+ Be6 24.Bc6+ Kf8 25.Bxa8 Qd6! 26.Qxf4 Kg7 27.Bg2 f6 28.Re4
Qxf4 29.Rxf4 Kxh6 30.Rxf6 Bc8. Black is fighting for a draw a pawn down with an inferior position.
Exercise (combination alert): Tal’s piercing Rasputin eyes rarely missed a combination, yet there
were exceptions. On his last move he blundered. Prove why.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 23.Nxf6+!!
Annihilation of defensive barrier.
23...Qxf6 24.Qd4!
Pinned piece. Note that Black’s king is unable to escape via castling, on either side.
24...Kf8
24...Bxg2 25.Rxe5+ Kf8 26.g5! (overloaded defender) 26...Qc6 27.Qxf4+ Kg7 28.Re7#.
25.Rxe5
Threat: 26.Rf5!.
25...Qd8
423
26.Rf5+!
Discovered attack.
Also winning was 26.Qxf4+ Kg7 27.Qf7+ Kxh6 28.g5+!. Black must give away his queen, since he
is mated after 28...Kh5 29.Bf3+ Bxf3 30.Qxf3+ Kh4 31.Qg3+ Kh5 32.Qh3#. A blade is inserted into
the black king’s doughy belly and then twisted.
26...gxf5 27.Qxh8+ Ke7 28.Qg7+ Ke6
If 28...Kd6, 29.Nf7+ forks king and queen. This line and the game’s continuation are no more than
different display panels in front of the same brand of computer.
29.gxf5+ 1-0
424
After 29...Kd6, 30.Nf7+ wins the queen and forces mate in 7.
Game 89 Ruy Lopez
Dragoljub Ciric
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Rostov-on-Don 1961 (8)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.0-0 Bg4
5...Bd7 is Black’s main move.
6.h3 Bh5
6...h5!? leads to wild adventures, favourable for White. Here is an example: 7.d4! (Principle: Meet a
wing attack with a central counter) 7...b5 8.Bb3 Nxd4 9.hxg4 hxg4 10.Ng5! (blocking Black’s threat
of 10...Qg4) 10...Nh6 11.Bd5 c6 12.c3 cxd5 13.cxd4 Be7 14.Qd2 dxe4 15.dxe5 d5 16.Nc3 e3 (Black
regains the piece at the cost of a bad position) 17.Qxd5 Bxg5 18.Qc6+ Kf8 19.Bxe3 Bxe3 20.fxe3
Qe8 21.Qd6+ Kg8 22.Rad1 with advantage for White, De Firmian-Timman, Reykjavik 2000.
7.c3 Nf6 8.Qe2
8.Re1 is White’s main move.
425
8...g5!?
Moment of Contemplation: Theoretical novelty! Nezhmetdinov quickly establishes his chess
identity. The danger of a belief of living an enchanted existence is that we subconsciously feel that
nothing can ever harm us. Ah yes, another typical day in the Nezh Lopez!
Of course, the engine screams bloody murder at his crazy move, but he doesn’t care if it’s objectively
unsound, as long as the complications level rises precipitously.
‘Normal’ players opt for 8...Be7.
9.g4?!
When we encounter that which is beyond our everyday occurrences, it’s natural to be distrustful. This
nervous reaction was exactly what Nezhmetdinov hoped for. 9.d4! follows the Principle: Counter in
the centre when assaulted on the wing. The complications favour White after 9...b5 10.Bd1!
(reinforcing f3) 10...exd4 11.Bxg5 Rg8 12.Bf4 Ne5 13.Nbd2 Ng6 14.Bg3 dxc3 15.bxc3 Bh6 16.a4
Nf4 17.Bxf4 Bxf4 18.axb5 and it’s still complicated although objectively Black stands worse.
9...b5 10.Bb3
10.Bc2, reinforcing e4, is a thought.
10...Bg6
426
11.d4?
Not every problem can be fixed with a logical, scientific solution. White follows the Principle: Meet
the opponent’s wing attack with a central counter. This position is an exception. Analysis
demonstrates that Black is heavily favoured in every version. White needed to create immediate
counterplay with 11.a4! h5 12.axb5 hxg4 13.hxg4 axb5 14.Rxa8 Qxa8 15.Nxg5 Nxe4! 16.Nxe4
Nd4! (discovered attack) 17.cxd4 Qxe4 18.Qxe4 Bxe4 (with threats of mate on h1 and also
19...Bxb1) 19.f3 Bxb1 and chances are equal.
11...h5!
A) Foolish is 11...Nxe4?? 12.Bd5 with a double attack, winning material;
B) 11...Bxe4?? 12.Bxg5 (threat: 13.Bxf6, followed by 14.Qxe4) 12...d5 (if 12...Bg6 13.dxe5 Nxe5
14.Nxe5 dxe5 15.Qxe5+ wins a piece) 13.Nxe5 Qd6 14.Nd2 (Black’s e4-bishop is unable to move
due to discovered checks by White’s e5-knight) 14...Be7 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.Nxe4 dxe4 17.Nxf7 and
wins.
12.Bxg5 hxg4 13.Nh4
After 13.hxg4 Be7 14.Nh2 Nxe4! 15.Be3 exd4 16.cxd4 d5 Black soon generates a strong attack with
...Qd6 to follow.
13...Bh5
This is the second best move. Stronger was 13...Rh5! 14.Bd5 Na5 15.Nxg6 (15.Bxa8 Rxg5 16.Bd5
Nh5! 17.hxg4 Nf4 18.Qd1 c6 19.Bb3 Bxe4 with a decisive attack) 15...Rxg5 16.Nxf8 Nxd5 17.exd5
427
Kxf8 18.hxg4 Qf6 19.Nd2 Qf4 20.f3 exd4 and White is in deep trouble.
14.Bd5
14.Qe3! was White’s best move, although Black still looks better after 14...gxh3.
Exercise (critical decision): Black has a choice between the odd and the dramatic. He can respond
with the strange looking defensive move 14...Kd7, or he can go bonkers and sacrifice his queen with
14...Nxd5. Which one would you play?
Show/Hide Solution
14...Nxd5!?
Moment of Contemplation: A Zen koan I just made up: How does the flower know when to bloom?
Answer: Intuition. We regard Nezmetdinov’s bravery/rashness with a whistle of admiration. Moves
like this are designed for those who long to be heroes. We all guessed Nezh would escalate by giving
up his queen for a wicked attack, yet the evaluation falls to 0.00, meaning the queen sacrifice is
merely unclear.
Black reaches a winning position with the ridiculously passive looking 14...Kd7!! 15.a4 Rg8 16.axb5
Nxd5!! (now is the correct timing) 17.bxc6+ Ke8 18.Bxd8 gxh3+ (Black instantly regains the queen)
19.Kh2 Bxe2 20.Re1 Nf4 21.Bf6 Bb5! and White is losing, since not only does c6 hang, but Black
also threatens 22...Nh5 and 22...Nd3 as well. If 22.dxe5 Nd3 White must hand over the exchange
since 23.Re2? loses to 23...Nxe5 24.Rd2 Ng4+, forking king and bishop, which wins a piece.
15.Bxd8 Nf4
428
16.Qe3?!
The wrong square, since on e3 the queen is vulnerable to a future ...Bh6. 16.Qc2! Rxd8 17.d5 Nxh3+
18.Kg2 Be7 19.Nf5 Nf4+ 20.Kg1 is called at dead even by the engine. Black can chance playing for
the win, or take perpetual check with 20...Nh3+.
16...Nxh3+ 17.Kg2 Nf4+?!
This allows White back into the game. Stronger was 17...Nxd8! 18.Rh1 Bh6 19.Qe1 Ne6, leaving
White struggling.
18.Qxf4?
White is busted after this panicky move – 18.Kg3! Nxd8 19.Rh1 Nde6 and it’s anybody’s game.
18...exf4 19.Bg5 Be7! 20.Bxe7 Nxe7 21.Nd2 Kd7
Connecting the rooks.
22.Rh1
429
Exercise (planning): Come up with a winning plan for Black.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 22...f6!!
Intending ...Bf7 and then to double rooks along the h-file. White is helpless against this plan.
23.b3
If 23.Nf5 Nxf5 24.exf5 Bf7! 25.f3 Bd5 26.Ne4 Bxe4 27.fxe4 Rxh1 28.Rxh1 Re8 29.Re1 White is
paralyzed in the ending. Black’s winning plan is to open the queenside and infiltrate with his king.
(29.Rh4 is met with 29...f3+ 30.Kg3 Rxe4.)
23...Bf7 24.d5
24.Rag1 Rh5 (threat: 25...Rah8) 25.Nf5 Rxh1 26.Rxh1 Nxf5 27.exf5 Bd5+ 28.f3 Re8 29.Rh7+ Kc6
30.Kf1 Re3 31.fxg4 Rxc3 32.Rh6 Rc2 33.Ke2 Rxa2 34.Rxf6 f3+ 35.Ke3 f2 36.Nf1 Bxb3 37.g5 Bc4
38.Ng3 b4 39.g6 b3 – the promotion race isn’t even close and Black wins.
24...Rh6 25.Rh2 Rah8 26.Rah1
430
Exercise (combination alert): White’s pieces have been reduced to the status of livestock, without
rights, will, power or individuality. What is Black’s cleanest path to the win?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 26...Nxd5!
This is crushing.
27.exd5 Bxd5+ 28.f3 g3! 0-1
White loses heavy material after 29.Rh3 Be6 30.Ne4 Bxh3+ 31.Rxh3 Rxh4.
Game 90 Ruy Lopez
Vladimir Bagirov
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Baku ch-URS 1961 (16)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.0-0 Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 7.c3 Nf6 8.d3 Qd7 9.Re1 Be7 10.Nbd2
431
10...g5!?
Moment of Contemplation: Once again Nezhmetdinov’s heart triumphs over his head. ‘I am
malicious because I am miserable,’ uttered Frankenstein’s monster. And nothing made Nezh more
miserable than a dry position. Dr. Victor Frankenstein’s great mistake was that his own creation lost
control, as sometimes happened to Nezhmetdinov – but not in this game. There he goes again,
attempting to create chaos and to disrupt his opponent’s circadian rhythm. This time the move is
slightly less radical, since White has played more slowly with d2-d3.
11.g4?!
The rational mind is jarred when it encounters shrieking irrationality. And just like last game, Nezh’s
confused opponent responds incorrectly to the provocation. 11.d4! (Principle: Counter in the centre
when attacked on the wing; White threatens 12.d5) 11...b5 12.Bb3 exd4 13.Qc2 h6 (neither is Black
likely to survive 13...dxc3? 14.Qxc3) 14.cxd4 – e4-e5 is in the air and White stands clearly better.
11...b5 12.gxh5?!
I’m hard pressed to see the grounds of Bagirov’s optimism. This creates a self-inflicted wound on
White’s kingside. The move is essentially an unsound pawn sacrifice for White to seize control over
f5 and then plant a knight on that square. It simply isn’t worth the high price. 12.Bb3! Bg6 13.Nxg5
h5 14.f3 hxg4 15.fxg4 Nxg4 16.Qxg4 Qxg4+ 17.hxg4 Bxg5 18.Nf3 Bxc1 19.Rexc1 Kd7 is an equal
ending.
12...bxa4 13.Nh2
Or 13.Kh2 Nxh5 14.Nc4 h6 15.Qxa4 f5! 16.exf5 Rf8 17.Ne3 d5 with advantage for Black.
432
13...Qxh3 14.Ndf1 Nd8!
There are two ideas behind this move:
1. Black’s knight evades a future pin on c6.
2. Black transfers another attacker to the kingside.
15.Qxa4+ Kf8 16.Re3!
Bagirov correctly hands over his h-pawn. The attempt to hang on to it leads to disaster after 16.Ng3??
Ne6 17.Qd1 Nf4 18.Qf3 g4 19.Qh1 N6xh5 and White can resign.
16...Qxh5 17.Ng3 Qg6 18.Nf5
The verdict: White is down a pawn with an endangered king. The white knight filling the void on f5
fails to fully compensate.
18...h5!
Here they come!
19.Rg3 Ne6 20.Nf3 h4 21.Rg2
21.N3xh4?? is dumb, since it opens the h-file for Black: 21...Qh5 and White resigns.
21...Qh5
Nezh doesn’t mind handing over the g-pawn, as long as a file is opened. 21...Rh5 was worth a
thought.
433
22.Nxg5?
The pawn should not have been taken. 22.Qd1 was necessary; White is still losing after 22...Rg8.
22...h3 23.Nxe6+
23.Rg3 Nf4. The threat is 24...Rg8, winning a piece, to which there is no good defence, since 24.Nf3
(if 24.Kh1, 24...Rg8 wins a piece) allows 24...Ne2+.
23...fxe6
Both White’s rook and knight hang, forcing the next move:
24.Ng7
24.Rg3.
24...Qf7 25.Rg3
Exercise (combination alert): What is Black’s strongest continuation?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 25...Ng4!
Clearance. Black threatens both 26...Qxf2+, mating, and 26...Qxg7, winning a piece.
434
26.Be3
Bagirov gives up a piece. This is hopeless, but there were no better options since the knight can’t be
touched: 26.Rxg4?? h2+ 27.Kh1 Qf3+ 28.Rg2 Qxg2+! (decoy/pawn promotion) 29.Kxg2 h1=Q+
30.Kg3 Qh3#.
26...Qxg7 27.f3
27...Nxe3!?
Black is still winning after this dramatic (yet unnecessary!) sacrifice. Easier was 27...Qf7! 28.fxg4
Bh4! and wins since 29.Rf1 (29.Kh2 Bxg3+ 30.Kxg3 h2 31.Rh1 Qh7!; ...Qh3+ is coming and White
is dead lost) is met with 29...h2+ 30.Kg2 Qxf1+! (decoy/pawn promotion) 31.Kxf1 h1=Q and mates.
28.Rxg7 Kxg7 29.Qd7 Kf7
Not only defending the bishop and the e6-pawn, but also making room for ...Rag8+.
30.Qxc7 Rag8+ 31.Kh1 Rg3 32.Qa7 Rxf3 33.Re1 Ng4
435
Black’s deeply entrenched h-pawn means White is unable to survive.
34.Qg1 Rg8
Threat: 35...Nf2+ and 36...Rxg1.
35.Rf1 Rf4
Threat: 36...Nf6, winning material.
36.Rxf4+ exf4 37.Qf1
White’s lone queen is hopelessly outmatched by Black’s pieces and pawns.
37...e5 38.d4 Kf8!
Just so there are no checks on c4.
39.Qf3
The queen is paralyzed: 39.Qxa6?? Nf2+ 40.Kh2 Rg2#.
39...Bh4!
436
Black’s h-pawn isn’t hanging due to a knight fork on f2.
40.dxe5
I find it astonishing that a GM would play on as White in this position, unless Bagirov was in severe
time trouble, which is a kind of tactical glaucoma, where we sense vague forms, yet miss the details.
40...Nf2+ 41.Kh2 Bg3+ 0-1
42.Kg1 h2+ and promotion next move.
437
Show in Text Mode
Game 91 Sicilian Defence
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Oleg Chernikov
Rostov-on-Don 1962
This game is one of my favourites, where Nezh unleashes an intuitive, strategic queen sacrifice which
works out brilliantly.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.Nc3
I utter the word ‘Open Sicilian’ the way you would a curse. If playing White, a pure strategist like me
would bang out 5.c4, turning the game into a Maroczy Bind, with great relief.
5...Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bc4 0-0 8.Bb3
8...Ng4!?
Today, more often played are 8...d6 and 8...a5.
9.Qxg4 Nxd4 10.Qh4
438
This move looks more logical than the retreat to d1.
10...Qa5 11.0-0!
11.0-0-0?! Nxb3+ and White is forced to recapture unfavourably with the c-pawn.
11...Bf6
Moment of Contemplation: Nezhmetdinov’s queen is attacked. His coming decision sharply defines
the remainder of the game. What would you play here?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 12.Qxf6!
Sometimes we grow weary of high-minded philosophizing and just want to land a clean blow.
Nezhmetdinov does so with a shocking strategic queen sacrifice. The engines call it close to even,
while my human eyes tell me that Black’s position is, in practice, exceptionally difficult to play.
The experimental drug enters the human-trial phase.
I also prefer White after 12.Qh6 Bg7 13.Qg5 Nxb3 14.axb3 Qxg5 15.Bxg5 Bxc3 16.bxc3 f6 17.Be3
a6 18.c4 d6 with maybe a touch of an edge in the ending. It’s hard to envision Nezhmetdinov
choosing such a tamely technical path.
12...Ne2+!
The idea is to slightly displace White’s remaining knight, which was better off on c3. Not
439
12...Nxb3?? 13.axb3 Qxa1 14.Qxe7 Qa5 15.Nd5 Qd8 16.Bd4! and Black is crushed.
13.Nxe2 exf6 14.Nc3
No, White’s decision to hand over his queen was not some massive, unfunded government giveaway.
Let’s assess the aftermath and ascertain Nezhmetdinov’s motivations:
1. Only two minor pieces, which is not enough for White from a raw material standpoint.
2. Black suffers from weak dark squares around his king.
3. White dominates the d5-square.
4. Black’s d-pawn is isolated and potentially weak.
5. f6 a is weak square in Black’s camp. White has a simple plan of piling up on it with Rd1, Nd5,
Bd4, Rd3 and Rf3.
6. Black, having committed the original chess sin, is seriously behind in development.
Greedy Stockfish 12 very slightly prefers Black, while I believe the sky is blue only for White and
assess at ‘+’ over ‘_’, a clear advantage for White. You can’t believe in light and yet deny the
existence of darkness. I acknowledge that White is down considerable material, but aren’t points two
through six enough compensation? Also, there is the practical standpoint: for a human, Black’s
position is far harder to play than White’s. So I’m confidently overruling the comp’s assessment.
What do you think?
14...Re8
The word ‘negligent’ isn’t the same as ‘lazy’, but they come close. This move feels like a misplaced
priority. Black should have rushed to develop his queenside pieces first with 14...d6 15.Nd5 Be6
16.Nxf6+ Kg7 17.Bd4 Rfc8. Admittedly Black’s king looks a bit dinged up, but at least he still runs.
440
15.Nd5 Re6 16.Bd4
As mentioned above, f6 is under heavy pressure.
16...Kg7 17.Rad1
Intending Rd3 and Rf3, and there isn’t much Black can do about it.
17...d6
The engine wants the totally unnatural 17...b6! which is difficult for a human to play, since it allows
White to fork with 18.Nc7. It’s not such a bad idea for Black to return some material to cool off
White’s initiative.
18.Rd3!
Heading for f3.
18...Bd7 19.Rf3!
Nezhmetdinov correctly prefers to increase the tension rather than cash out with 19.Nxf6!? Rxf6
20.Rf3 Kg8 21.Rxf6 Be6 22.Bxe6 fxe6 23.Rxe6 Qc7 when Black has decent chances to hold the
game.
19...Bb5
Maybe Black should have considered 19...Re5, begging White to chop the exchange. White can
ignore it and play 20.Bc3 Qd8 21.Nxf6.
441
20.Bc3
Worth consideration was the line 20.Nxf6 Bxf1 21.Ng4+ Kf8 22.Bxe6 Ke7 23.Bd5 Qe1 24.Rxf7+
Kd8 25.h3 Bc4+ 26.Kh2 Bxd5 27.exd5 which is still in White’s favour.
20...Qd8 21.Nxf6 Be2?
A) Black should have tried and eliminated White’s most dangerous attacker, the dark-squared bishop,
with 21...Rc8! 22.Ne8+ Kg8 23.Bxe6 fxe6 24.Nf6+ Kg7 25.Rd1 Rxc3! 26.bxc3 Qa5 when it won’t
be so easy for White to win. In fact, I’m not even certain that White stands any better;
B) 21...Rxf6? 22.Bxf6+ Qxf6 23.Rxf6 Kxf6 24.Rd1 Ke7 25.Rd4 is a technically won ending for
White, who is up a pawn and owns the superior structure.
Exercise (combination alert): Continue White’s attack.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 22.Nxh7+! Kg8
White’s knight is untouchable. After 22...Kxh7?? Black’s king flops head over heels, as if down a
flight of steps: 23.Rxf7+ Kh6 24.Bxe6 Bxf1 25.Bg7+ Kh5 26.g4+ Kh4 27.Kxf1 is hopeless.
23.Rh3!?
More than anything in the world, Nezh loved to chase checkmate, didn’t he? Far easier was to opt for
the simplifying line 23.Nf6+! Kf8 24.Rh3! Rxf6 25.Rh8+ Ke7 26.Rxd8 Rxd8 27.Re1 Bb5 28.Bxf6+
442
Kxf6 29.Rd1 with an easily won technical ending for White.
23...Re5!
When our opponent commands us into one unwanted concession after another, we do our best to act
as if we are not obeying, when in reality we are. When we have survived lengthy adversity, the
thought of dying becomes unbearable and we are forced to do embarrassing things, but keep in mind:
there is nothing demeaning about survival and when it’s a choice between loss of dignity or loss of
life, you would be wise to accept the former. After 23...Bxf1?? 24.Ng5 Re5 25.Nxf7 Black is
crushed.
24.f4! Bxf1?
24...Rh5! was forced: 25.Nf6+ Kf8 26.Nxh5 gxh5 27.Rf2 Qb6 and there is still some work ahead for
White to score the point.
25.Kxf1
More efficient was 25.Ng5!. This move required confident calculation: 25...Bb5 26.Bxf7+ Kg7
27.Rh7+ Kf6 28.Nf3 Qb6+ 29.Kh1 Qf2 30.fxe5+ Ke7 31.Bc4+ Kf8 32.Bxb5! – the queen is not
able to deliver a back rank mate and Black must resign.
25...Rc8
26.Bd4!?
Nezhmetdinov believes his dark-squared bishop is worth more than either black rook! 26.fxe5 was
443
also winning after 26...dxe5 27.Rd3 Qh4 28.Bxe5! Qxh7 29.Rh3. The queen is trapped and White
wins the ending.
26...b5
26...Rh5 27.Nf6+ Kf8 28.Nxh5 gxh5 29.Rxh5 Ke7 30.Rf5 (threats: 31.Bf6+ and 31.Rxf7+) 30...Kd7
(30...Qe8 31.Rxf7+ Qxf7 32.Bxf7 Kxf7 33.c3 – Black is up the exchange but that is where his good
news ends. Four pawns is way too much) 31.Rxf7+ Ke8 32.Rh7 Qa5 33.c3 Qb5+ 34.Kf2 and Black
can resign.
27.Ng5 Rc7
Black’s defence went about as well as expected, which is to say: it didn’t work at all.
Exercise (combination alert): Finish Black off.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 28.Bxf7+!
Step 1: Attraction of Black’s rook to f7, which sets up the geometry for a combination.
Even more accurate was Answer #2: 28.Bxe5! dxe5 29.Bxf7+ Kg7 (the capture with the rook leads
to the same combination as in the game: 29...Rxf7 30.Rh8+! – do you remember the game where
Petrosian pulled a similar combination on Spassky? – 30...Kxh8 31.Nxf7+ Kg7 32.Nxd8 with an
extra piece for White) 30.Ne6+ and White wins.
444
28...Rxf7 29.Rh8+!
Step 2: Attraction. Drag Black’s king to h8 to set up a knight fork.
29...Kxh8 30.Nxf7+
Step 3: Knight fork. White wins decisive material.
30...Kh7 31.Nxd8
Now that is customer service!
31...Rxe4 32.Nc6 Rxf4+ 33.Ke2 1-0
The ending is a simple technical win for White.
Game 92 King’s Indian Defence
Levente Lengyel
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Budapest 1963
1.c4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 d6 5.g3 0-0 6.Bg2 c6 7.0-0
445
7...Qa5
This is still Black’s main move today.
8.e4
8.h3 Be6 9.Qd3 Qa6 10.b3 d5 with a sharp Grünfeld(ish) position, Kopec-Lakdawala, San Diego
1985.
8...e5 9.Qc2
9.h3 is today’s main line.
9...Nbd7
9...exd4 10.Nxd4 Na6 11.Bf4 Ng4 (threat: 12...Bxd4) 12.Nb3 Qh5 13.h3 Ne5 14.g4 Qh4 15.Bg3
Qe7 16.Nd1 g5 and White looks better, but the higher rated GM Jones went on to win in
Poobalasingam-Jones, North Shields 2012.
10.Rd1 Re8
10...exd4 was probably more thematic, since if White now pushes the pawn to d5, then Black’s rook
is misplaced on e8 for a future ...f7-f5 break.
11.b3 a6 12.d5! c5?!
He should have exchanged on d5.
446
13.a4! Qd8
Black’s queen has wasted time moving to a5 and back, and his rook is misplaced on e8, so
Nezhmetdinov did not emerge well from the opening phase.
14.a5 Rb8 15.Ne1
At some point White wants to break on b4. Why is this such a labour-intensive project? The most
logical plan was to implement it with 15.Bd2 Nh5 16.Rdb1.
15...Rf8
As said, the rook was useless on e8.
16.Nd3 Ne8 17.Bb2!?
For now the bishop stares at a wall on e5, though it may not always be so since White can play for an
f2-f4 break. But again, more logical was 17.Bd2 f5 18.f3, intending to play for the b3-b4 break.
447
17...h5!?
We sense a lack of urgency in both sides’ willingness to create pawn breaks, reminding us of one of
those Western gunfight movies where neither gunslinger is willing to make the first move, each
waiting for the other to draw. Nezhmetdinov wants to loosen up the white king’s pawn front with
...h5-h4, yet it feels slow when compared to a break on f5. He probably didn’t like the look of 17...f5
which is met with 18.f4! b6 19.exf5 gxf5 20.fxe5 Nxe5 (20...dxe5?! 21.Na4! favours White) 21.Nf4.
I prefer White, whose knight eyes e6.
18.Rf1
Again, my preference would be 18.Ba3, intending to open the queenside with b3-b4.
18...h4 19.Nd1
19.g4! is a thought, taking kingside light squares. It’s attractive since Black’s knights are unable to
reach f4.
19...hxg3 20.hxg3
White’s king would have been safer with 20.fxg3 which follows the Principle: When your king is
under (future) attack, capturing away from the centre keeps him safer.
20...Qg5
20...f5 was more thematic.
448
21.Qc1
21.f4! could have been played: 21...Qxg3 22.Rf3 Qh4 23.Rh3 Qd8 24.f5! and White’s chances
probably outweigh Black’s extra pawn.
21...Qh5 22.Ne3 f5
At long last. Lengyel has wasted a lot of time, allowing Nezhmetdinov to attain dynamic equality.
23.exf5?!
The centre should be challenged, not given up. 23.f4! kept the balance.
23...gxf5 24.Qd1
After 24.f4 e4 25.Nf2 Ndf6 I prefer Black’s position.
24...Qh7
25.g4?
Is it really wise to seek employment opportunities on our opponent’s strong wing? This is an
unaffordable luxury, more than a necessity. Opening the kingside favours Black, not White. 25.Ra2
was the lesser evil, although Black stands better even here.
25...fxg4
25...e4 also gave Black a powerful attack after 26.Bxg7 Nxg7 27.Nf4 Ne5 28.gxf5 Bxf5.
449
26.Qxg4 Ndf6 27.Qd1
e2 is a more logical square for the queen since then at least White’s rooks are connected.
27...Nh5!
White’s king is in deep trouble. On top of that Black’s knight plans to sink into the newly created
hole on f4, refusing to concede it to any white piece.
28.f3 Bh6 29.Re1 Nf4 30.Nxf4
30.Nxc5 is met with 30...Bh3 31.Ne4 Qg6 32.Qc2 Rf7 with a winning attack.
After 30.Nf2 Nf6 31.Bc1 Rf7 32.Neg4 Bf5 33.Ra2 Rbf8 I don’t like White’s survival chances against
Black’s building kingside attack.
30...Bxf4 31.Nf1
Covering h2 for now.
31...Nf6 32.b4!?
All bribes are made with the belief that nobody is incorruptible. The break comes too late.
450
32...b6!?
I would be inclined to accept with 32...cxb4 33.c5 Bh3 34.Re2 Kf7!, intending 35...Rg8 next, with a
strong attack.
Moment of Contemplation: Here we see Nezhmetdinov’s disinclination to accept material if an
attacking option remains. So he refuses to snap at the bait, and instead activates his sleeping b8-rook
to swing it over to the kingside and play directly for mate.
33.Bc1 Nh5 34.axb6 cxb4 35.c5!?
Lengyel gives his hunch the benefit of the doubt. If the facts alarm you, then the problem may not be
with the facts, but perhaps with your past play which got you into a mess in the first place. This move
smacks of desperation, yet I can’t offer any helpful alternatives for White, who is busted, whether he
panics or not. The calmer 35.Be3 should also lose, e.g. 35...Bxe3+ 36.Nxe3 Nf4 37.c5 (what else?)
37...dxc5 38.Qc2 Qh4 39.Qxc5 Bh3 40.d6 Rb7! 41.Qxe5 Rg7.
35...dxc5 36.Bb2 Qg7 37.Qc2 Rxb6
451
38.Re2 Rh6!
Also strong was 38...Bh3!, intending 39...Rg6.
39.Qxc5
As you may have guessed, Nezh isn’t going to lose much sleep over the loss of pawns on the other
side of the board.
39...Ng3!
Swapping away a key white defender.
40.Nxg3 Qxg3
White’s hermetically sealed bunker springs a leak. Black threatens 41...Rh1+! and 42...Qh2 mate.
41.Kf1 Bd7!
Threat: 42...Bb5.
42.Ra5
Preparing to sacrifice the exchange, in case of 42...Bb5.
42...Rc8! 43.Qa7 Bf5! 0-1
452
There is no defence to 44...Bd3. Sometimes a person condemned to death will take their own life,
rather than meekly submit to the indignity of execution. White can play on, but Lengyel had seen
enough, so he resigned here. Play may continue with 44.Rc5 Rf8 45.Rc6 Rxc6 46.dxc6 Rd8!
(threatening a deadly check on d1) 47.Rf2 Rd1+ 48.Ke2 Rd2+ 49.Kf1 Bd3+ 50.Ke1 (50.Kg1 Qh2#)
50...Rxb2 and Black wins.
Game 93
Nikolai Kopylov
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Cheliabinsk ch-RUS 1963
453
Black to move
How can Black quickly end the game?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 37...Be6!
Answer #2: Also winning was 37...Nc2+ 38.Ka2 (38.Kb1 Nb4+ and mate in two) 38...Be6 39.b3
Bxc4 40.bxc4 with an extra piece.
37...Be6! 38.Rc3
38.R4xc5 loses an entire rook to 38...Nb3+ 39.Kb1 Rd1+! 40.Kc2 Rc1+! 41.Kd3 Rxc5.
38...Ne2! 0-1
Black simultaneously threatens to take the c3-rook and also to give back rank mate.
Game 94 Sicilian Defence
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Vladimir Sergievsky
Alma-Ata 1963
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6
The Kan Sicilian.
5.Nc3
Also played are 5.Bd3 and 5.c4.
5...Qc7 6.Be2 Nc6 7.Be3 Bb4?
Today this is considered a dubious line. Better were 7...Nf6 or 7...b5.
8.Nxc6! dxc6
8...Bxc3+ doesn’t bother White at all, since the dark squares and bishop pair are worth a lot more than
Black’s unblemished structure: 9.bxc3 Qxc6 10.Qd4! f6 11.c4 (11.e5! is also highly dangerous for
Black) 11...e5 12.Qd3 Ne7 13.c5! – Black’s queenside is bottled up and he is strategically lost,
Hessmer-Cipriani, cr 1990.
454
9.Qd4!
Nezhmetdinov unleashes a powerful new opening idea. Black faces the unpleasant choice between
giving up the bishop pair plus the dark squares, and the humiliating retreat of the bishop to f8, after
which he falls dangerously behind in development.
9...Bf8
A mega-retraction move like this says: ‘Yes please, I will in fact have a second serving of humble
pie.’ When the opponent develops four pieces to your zero, we can safely surmise that your opening
hasn’t gone well! No happier was 9...Bxc3+ 10.Qxc3 Nf6 11.0-0-0 0-0 12.f3 Re8 13.Bc5 with a
strategically won game for White, Butkiewicz-Gdanski, Karpacz 2008.
10.0-0!?
I’m surprised by this meek, un- Nezh-like response, when White has so many superior aggressive
options. 10.e5!, creating a dangerous hole on d6, looks strong, as does 10.0-0-0.
10...e5
455
11.Qd2?!
Moment of Contemplation: Nezhmetdinov’s absolutist aversion to simplification betrays him in this
instance. He allows Black back into the game.
A) Consistent would have been to occupy the b6-hole with 11.Qb6!;
B) If he insisted on keeping the queens on the board, then he should have gone for 11.Qd3! (threat:
12.Na4, targeting Black’s weak queenside dark squares) 11...b5 12.a4 b4 13.Nb1 a5 14.Nd2 Ba6
15.Nc4 when Black’s queenside is punctured and White has seized control of the c4-hole.
11...Nf6 12.f4
12.f3 Be6 13.Na4 Nd7 14.c4 b5 looks okay for Black.
12...Be7?!
Inaccurate, since Black could have gained a tempo with 12...Bb4!, threatening 13...Nxe4.
456
13.Qe1!
The queen heads for the kingside and the advantage swings back to White.
13...exf4!?
Black will later deeply regret his delay of castling. 13...0-0 had its own problems: 14.Qg3 exf4
15.Bxf4 Qb6+ 16.Kh1 Kh8 17.e5 Nd5 18.Nxd5 cxd5 19.Bd3 with a brewing attack.
14.Bxf4 Qb6+
I doubt that Nezhmetdinov was quaking in fear about the loss of his b-pawn.
15.Kh1 Be6
When it comes to b-pawns in the opening, it may be unwise to indulge in gluttony. 15...Qxb2?? is
terminal greed as 16.Qg3 0-0 17.Be5! gives White a winning attack, e.g. 17...Ne8 (if 17...Re8
18.Rab1 Qa3 19.Bxf6! Bxf6 20.Rxf6 wins) 18.Nd5 Qa3 19.Qxa3! Bxa3 20.Nb6 Ra7 21.Bb8,
winning heavy material.
16.a4?!
Why is Nezh goofing around on the queenside? 16.Qg3! was still dangerous for Black.
16...a5!?
Once again, Black will deeply regret his decision to delay castling.
457
17.e5! Ng4?
Black doesn’t have the time to pick up the bishop pair. He had to try 17...Nd7 18.Ne4 Qxb2 19.Qd2
Qb4 20.Qe3 Qb6 21.Qg3 with a wicked initiative for the pawn.
18.Bxg4 Bxg4 19.Ne4 Be6
It was too late for 19...0-0? 20.Nf6+! gxf6 21.Qh4!, favourably regaining the sacrificed material.
20.Nd6+ Bxd6 21.exd6 Qc5
21...0-0 22.Qg3 gives White a strong attack since 22...f6? is met with 23.Bh6 Rf7 24.Rxf6!.
Exercise (planning): Do you get the feeling that Black just doesn’t get the hang of this development
thing? How would you proceed with white?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 22.d7+!
King hunt sacrifices like this one were Nezh’s version of our-daily-bread and this move reveals a lack
in Black’s position: zero king safety for the remainder of the game. Nezhmetdinov’s choice suits his
style more than the engine’s choice of Answer #2: 22.Ra3! 0-0 23.Rg3 with a brewing attack for
White.
22...Kxd7 23.Rd1+ Kc8
458
Black’s king has better chances to survive on the queenside. Here is an example of what can happen
to Black: 23...Ke8? 24.Qg3 Rg8 25.Rfe1 and if 25...Rd8 26.Rxd8+ Kxd8 27.Be3! Qd5 28.Qb8+ Bc8
29.Bb6+ Kd7 30.Qc7#.
24.Qg3 b6
The black king hopes to slip away to the safety of perhaps b7 or a6.
25.Be3 Qb4
Black must protect b6.
26.Rf4
This forces Black’s queen to grab b2 and open the b-file. 26.Rd6! was White’s strongest continuation:
26...Kb7 (26...Bd5 27.Rxd5! cxd5 28.Rxf7 Qc4 29.Qd6 Rd8 30.Qe6+ Kb8 31.Qxb6+ Kc8 32.Qb7#)
27.Rxe6! fxe6 28.Rf7+ Ka6 29.Qc7 leads to a finish similar to the game.
26...Qxb2 27.Rff1
27.Rfd4! looks even more promising: 27...Kb7 loses to 28.Rd7+ Ka6 29.Qc7 Rhb8 30.Qxc6 (threat:
31.c4, followed by 32.Qb5+, delivering mate) 30...Qb4 (30...Bxd7 31.Rxd7 makes no difference:
(31...Qb1+) 32.Bg1 Qb2 33.Qc4+ b5 34.Qc6+ Rb6 35.Qxb6#) 31.R7d6 Ra7 32.c3 Qb3 33.Qe4 Re7
34.Rb1, winning a piece after 34...Bd5 35.Qd3+ Bc4 36.Rxb3 Bxd3 37.Rxd3.
27...Ra6?!
459
This useless rook is Black’s Judas piece. 27...Qc3 held out a bit longer. White still has a winning
attack after 28.Rd3 Qb4 29.Rd4 Qc3 30.Qe5! (threat: 31.Rd8+ and 32.Qxc3) 30...Qa3 31.Rd6 Kb7
32.Rxe6! (removal of the guard) 32...fxe6 33.Rf7+ Ka6 34.Qc7 Rhb8 35.Qxc6 and Black is mated as
above, since there is no way to stop c2-c4! followed by Qb5+.
28.Qd6 Kb7
Exercise (combination alert): White mates in six moves.
Show/Hide Solution
29.Qe7+
Still winning, yet Nezh misses a quicker mate:
Answer: 29.Rxf7+! (a decoy, opening the way for White’s queen to d7) 29...Bxf7 30.Qd7+ Kb8
31.Bf4+ Ka8 32.Qxc6+ Ka7 33.Rd7#.
29...Ka8 30.Rd8+ Rxd8 31.Qxd8+ Kb7 32.Qe7+ Ka8 33.Qd8+ Kb7 34.Qe7+ Ka8 35.Rd1!
Threatening a back rank mate. The defence wears down under Nezh’s withering assault.
35...Bd5 36.Qd8+ Kb7 37.Qd7+ Ka8
460
38.Bf4!
Inevitability cannot come as a surprise, can it? There is no good defence to the threat of a queen
check on the back rank, followed by mate.
38...Bxg2+ 39.Kg1! 1-0
Black is out of checks and gets mated.
In the next example, we note a scary number of attackers hovering over Black’s king.
Game 95
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Vladimir Zagorovsky
Soviet Union 1963
461
White to move
Exercise (combination alert): It’s clear that White must sacrifice a knight. But which knight and on
what square?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 24.Nf6+!
Instead, both sacrifices on h6 would have failed:
A) 24.Nfh6+? Kh7! 25.Nf6+ gxf6 (25...Kxh6?? 26.Qxh5#) 26.Nf5 Kg6 27.Nh4+ Kh6 and White
has nothing better than to take perpetual check;
B) 24.Ngh6+?? is unsound to the power of 10, and loses after 24...gxh6 25.Qxh5 Qg6. White’s attack
is refuted and he remains down a piece.
24.Nf6+! 24...gxf6 25.Qxh5 Rd8 26.Re1
This is still winning, but much simpler was the line 26.Qg4+! Kh7 27.Qh4+ Kg8 28.Bxf6 when
Black must give up his queen to prevent mate.
26...Rd2 27.Qg4+ Kh7 28.Qh4+ Kg6
462
Exercise (combination alert): What is the strongest continuation of White’s attack?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 29.Bd4!
Interference. Here the bishop is tactically secure. A threat, thought to be contained, rematerializes.
We reach the moment of Black’s disillusionment.
29...Qxd4
Desperation. Not every wish can be fulfilled by throwing money at it.
A) 29...Qe6 30.g4! and there is no reasonable answer to Qh5 mate;
B) 29...Rxd4 30.g4! is pretty much the same. Black is mated next move.
30.Qg4+ Kh7 31.Nxd4 Rxd4 32.Qf5+!
Double attack.
32...Kg8 33.Qxa5
463
Black’s position is like that town where the factory closes down and half the chronically unemployed
residents deal with drug and alcohol addiction. Zagorovsky played on and the remainder doesn’t
require much explanation.
33...Rd3 34.Qb6
Double attack.
34...Bc8 35.Qxf6 Be6 36.Qg5+ Bg7 37.h3
37.h4, using the h-pawn as a battering ram, was a consideration.
37...Rxb3 38.Rxe4 Rb1+ 39.Kh2 b3 40.Qd8+ Bf8
464
Exercise (planning): How can White force mate?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Nudge the rook up one square, threatening a murderous check on g5:
41.Re5!
Answer #2: 41.Re3! was equally effective.
41...b2
Best of luck with this promotion plan.
42.Rg5+ Kh7 43.Qxf8
And Black resigned in view of 43...Rh1+ 44.Kxh1 b1=Q+ 45.Kh2 Qb2 46.Rh5+ Kg6 47.Qh6#.
Game 96 Sicilian Defence
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Vitaly Shcherbakov
Soviet Union 1963
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 Nbd7!?
465
The idea of this move order is to keep White guessing if Black will play the e-pawn to e6 or to e5. I
consider it a slightly inferior move order (although it’s still played today by top GMs) for two
reasons:
1. When White plays Bc4, Black’s ...e7-e6 can be met with sacrifices of either the knight or the
bishop on that square.
2. If ...e7-e6 is held back for too long, then White may later have tricks based on Nd5.
7.Bc4 Qa5
7...e6 is playable since White’s sacrifices on e6 are premature: 8.0-0 and now Black should play the
queen to either a5 or b6, since the natural 8...Be7?? loses to 9.Bxe6! and if 9...fxe6 10.Nxe6 Qa5
11.Bd2 Kf7 12.Ng5+ Kf8 13.Nd5 and now:
A) 13...Qd8?? 14.Ne6+ forks king and queen;
B) If 13...Qb5, 14.Nc7 regains material, while retaining an attack;
C) 13...Qa4 14.b3 Qc6 15.Ne6+ Kf7 16.Nd4 Qc5 17.Bb4 Qa7. Life hasn’t been easy for Black’s
queen. Now 18.Nxe7 wins since on 18...Kxe7, 19.e5! Nxe5 20.Bxd6+! is crushing;
8.Qd2 e6 9.0-0 h6 10.Bh4 b5 11.Bb3 Bb7
466
12.f4!?
Moment of Contemplation: Such a bold claim is fundamentally uncertain. Nezhmetdinov, as usual,
is deaf to his position’s pleas for restraint. He sacrifices absent-mindedly, without sufficient worry
about detail. The engine frowns but Nezh doesn’t care. He is willing to speculate by offering his epawn to open central lines.
A) 12.f3 looks passive and Black looks fine after 12...Be7 13.Bf2 Nc5, Böhnke-Wenzel, cr 2014;
B) 12.Rfe1! may have been White’s objectively best move. Now if Black gets greedy with 12...b4?!
White can respond with 13.Nd5 (this was the point of playing the rook to e1) 13...exd5 14.exd5+
Kd8 15.a3! with terrific attacking chances for the sacrificed piece.
12...b4
Consistent and correct. Philosophies diverge. Nezhmetdinov is happy to complicate, even if the
complications are intrinsically in Black’s favour with perfect play. Nezh realizes: nobody defends
perfectly.
13.Nd5!?
This wild sacrifice essentially says: ‘Oh Lord, please grant me the serenity to accept that which I
cannot change and the courage to... oh, the hell with serenity! It’s time to crack some heads open!’
Nezh launches a sacrifice which would have been a lot stronger if he had played 12.Re1! instead of
12.f4. Still, it won’t be easy defending the black side with a tangled web of unresolved defensive
issues, the most critical of which is king safety.
13...exd5 14.exd5 0-0-0
467
The engine prefers 14...Nc5 15.Rfe1+ Kd7 16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.Bc4; a2-a3 is in the air and White’s
attack at least partially compensates his lack of material.
15.a3! Qb6 16.axb4 g5!?
This impatient move hands White full compensation for the piece, since White’s bishop wants to
move to f2 anyway. 16...Ne4! seizes control over the key f2-square: 17.Qd3 g5! 18.Be1 Bg7 19.c3
Rde8 and I don’t believe in White’s full compensation.
17.Qc3+! Kb8 18.Bf2
Threat: 19.Nc6+ and 20.Bxb6.
18...Rc8?
This move leads to deep trouble. Black had to find 18...Ne4! 19.Nc6+ Bxc6 20.Bxb6 Nxc3 21.bxc3
Nxb6 22.dxc6 with an unclear ending which may be dynamically balanced.
19.Nc6+!
White is happy to open lines and win back an exchange.
19...Rxc6 20.dxc6 Qxc6 21.Qxc6
Black will suffer in this ending. Insisting on retaining queens with 21.Qh3?? gives Black a winning
attack with the simple 21...gxf4, threatening 22...Rg8.
21...Bxc6 22.Bd4! gxf4
468
22...Be7 23.Rfe1 Bd8 24.Rxa6 also looks clearly in White’s favour.
23.Rxf4 Be7 24.Re1 Bd8 25.Bxf7
Advantage White, who has a rook and two pawns, plus initiative, for Black’s two knights.
25...Rh7 26.Bc4 Rg7
Threatening g2.
27.g3 Rg5 28.Re6!
This move reveals a deep lack in Black’s position. It not only wins a third pawn for White, but it also
gains two connected kingside passed pawns after he wins the h6-pawn. I like it better than the also
promising 28.Bxa6 Ne5.
28...Nd5 29.Rf2 Kc7 30.Rxh6 Nxb4 31.c3 Nd5 32.Bxa6
469
32...Nc5?!
This is a time-waster. 32...Ne7 is an improvement.
33.Rf7+ Nd7 34.Rhh7
It becomes obvious that not only is Black down material, but his position is under severe strain as
well.
34...Rg4 35.Be2 Rg5
35...Re4 runs into the simple 36.Kf2.
36.b4!
Principle: Passed pawns must be pushed.
36...N5b6
470
Exercise (combination alert): Black faces financial ruin. How can White utilize the pin on the d7knight to win material?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Step 1: Eliminate Black’s bishop as a defender of d7:
37.b5! Bxb5 38.Bxb5 Rxb5 39.Bxb6+! 1-0
Step 2: Removal of the guard. White wins a full piece with 40.Rxd7(+).
Nezhmetdinov’s losses tend to be every bit as entertaining as his wins. He tended to lose the same
way as he won: in a blaze of sacrificial glory.
Game 97 Modern Defence
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Maximilian Ujtelky
Sochi 1964
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Bc4 e6!?
Most of us chain ourselves to tradition because we are afraid to veer from the norm. Needless to say,
Black’s opening choice was considered somewhat radical in 1964. The opening’s antecedents can be
traced as far back as the game Morphy-Meek, from the American Chess Congress of 1857. The
Hippopotamus, a line which preaches avoidance over confrontation, is a decent choice against Bc4
471
lines, since it creates a wall on e6, reducing the bishop’s influence. Sure, Black lags in development,
yet his structure is so flexible that it isn’t at all easy for White to open the position, which somewhat
negates his development lead.
Black’s last move keeps the game within Modern Defence territory. 4...Nf6 transposes to the Pirc and
the main line today runs 5.Qe2 Nc6 (or 5...c6).
5.Nf3 Ne7
6.h4!?
We expected the most aggressive choice. More often played today is the tamer 6.0-0.
6...h6
This way Black can meet h4-h5 with the bypassing ...g6-g5, keeping the position closed.
7.Bf4
White achieves Fred Reinfeld’s dream, with a development lead and total control over the centre. The
only problem: what to do with it?
7...a6 8.Qe2
8.e5 does the opposite of opening the game: 8...d5 9.Bd3 c5 10.dxc5 Nd7 11.Qd2 Nc6 12.Qe3 Qa5
13.0-0-0, Romero-Moskalenko, Mesa 1992. I slightly prefer Black’s position after 13...Qxc5. If
White swaps queens then Black has a pleasant ending; if White retains the queens on the board, then
Black gets a clear target of attack in his sights, while Black’s king is more elusive.
472
8...Nd7 9.a4 b6
10.Rd1
The idea is to suppress Black’s breaks on e5 and c5. 10.0-0-0!? is risky with a2-a4 tossed in, since
Black can open the queenside with the speculative line-opening sacrifice 10...b5!?.
10...Bb7 11.Kf1!?
He wants his rook to remain on the h-file. It can later be activated via h3. 11.0-0 does feel more
natural.
11...Nf8!?
This is the quandary with Hippo set-ups: it’s difficult to come up with a constructive plan for either
side. 11...0-0 is the alternative, which at least tells White the black king’s address.
12.Kg1 Qc8 13.Bb3 Qd7
Clearly Ujtelky is waiting and would be happy to draw. But of course, an uneventful Nezhmetdinov
game is a highly improbable event.
14.Rh3 Rd8 15.Bc4
Targeting a6.
15...Qc8 16.Bb3
473
Nezh doesn’t know what to do either!
16...f6?
Shockingly, it is Ujtelky, not Nezhmetdinov, who loses patience and creates an unforced weakness.
Black should have followed his policy of meaningless shuffling and simply awaited White’s intent.
Black’s last move makes it easier for White to crack open the position with an e4-e5 break.
17.Re1 Kf7
That king doesn’t look so safe anymore, with White’s light-squared bishop on the a2-g8 diagonal.
18.Bc1 c6!?
This also looks unnecessary.
19.Nd2
Also worth consideration was the plan 19.h5 g5 20.Nh2, intending to break with f2-f4 at some point.
19...d5
Ujtelky has had enough of waiting and decides to seize his fair share of the centre, at the cost of
allowing White to open the game. 19...Qc7 20.h5 g5 21.d5 cxd5 22.exd5 e5 23.Nc4 leaves Black
under pressure.
20.a5!
474
This induces Black into creating a hole on c5.
20...b5 21.Nf3
The knight had no function anymore on d2.
21...Qc7 22.Bd2
a5 is tactically covered.
22...Bc8
23.Na2!
Don’t let anyone tell you that Nezhmetdinov was weak strategically. This move prepares the plan
Nb4, Nd3 and e4-e5, puncturing Black’s dark squares.
23...Nh7
He wants to transfer the h8-rook to e8.
24.Nb4 Rhe8 25.Nd3 Nf8
475
Exercise (planning): White’s dream of prying the game open can come true, if you find the exact
sequence. What is White’s optimal continuation?
Show/Hide Solution
26.Bf4
This pawn sacrifice is strong, yet even better was Answer: 26.e5! f5 27.h5 g5 28.Bxg5!. This looks
strategically won for White, since 28...hxg5?? loses to 29.Nxg5+ Kg8 30.h6, favourably regaining
the piece since 30...Bh8? is met with 31.h7+ Kg7 (31...Nxh7 32.Rxh7 is also hopeless for Black)
32.Qh5 and Black is mated.
26...Qxa5 27.e5 f5 28.Bd2! Qb6 29.Ra1!
476
Threat: 30.Ba5, which Black ignores. Black begins to bleed on the queenside dark squares.
29...Nh7!?
Black, already desperate, offers the exchange to relieve some of the pressure. 29...Rd7 30.h5! and if
30...g5 31.Bxg5! hxg5 32.Nxg5+ Kg8 33.h6 Neg6 (forced) 34.hxg7 Rxg7 35.c3 gives White a
strategically won game.
30.Ba5
Nezh grabs the exchange.
30...Qa7 31.Bxd8 Rxd8 32.Qd2!
Retaining a grip over a5. Black is down the exchange for a pawn, with a rotten, passive position. At
this stage it’s unthinkable that Nezhmetdinov is destined to lose the game.
32...Bb7 33.Qa5 Ra8 34.Nc5
White’s knight hops into the c5-hole and it becomes clear that Black is strategically lost.
34...Bc8 35.c3 Nf8 36.Ne1?
White could have retained his winning position with 36.Bc2 Nd7 37.b4!.
477
As we chess players painfully understand, it is possible to lose a war which is already won.
Nezhmetdinov either overlooked or mistakenly allowed Black a shot.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Black can chop the e5-pawn, undermining White’s c5-knight:
36...Bxe5!
Nezh pays for his dereliction of duty to adequately protect the c5-knight. Have you ever loved
someone so much that you suffer physical pain at their absence? That is how Modern Defence players
normally feel about their dark- squared bishop. But Ujtelky correctly assesses that he can get away
with this pawn grab, even though his kingside dark squares become noticeably weak.
37.dxe5!?
Nezh, as always believing that a material deficit is inconsequential, radically decides to hand over a
second pawn for the exchange. After 37.Nxe6 Nxe6 38.dxe5 Qc7 39.Qxc7 Nxc7 40.f4 Ne6 41.Rf3
c5 Black has full compensation.
37...Qxc5 38.Nd3 Qa7
478
39.Bc2?
The commonly used phrase ‘For every complex problem, there exists a simple solution’ tends to ring
false in any Nezhmetdinov game. It’s as if Nezh has a case of amnesia of his original plan, which was
to keep a grip over the queenside dark squares. Just when he is close to reaching the Kingdom of
Heaven, he blows it. Correct was 39.Qb4! Nd7 40.Qf4! Kg7 41.g4! c5 42.gxf5 exf5 43.e6! Nf6
44.Qe5 when White’s chances still look better.
39...c5
Of course. I prefer Black now, whose queenside pawns are mobile while he has two healthy pawns
for the exchange.
40.b4?
Now he ignores his e-pawn. 40.Re1 looks correct.
40...Nc6 41.Qa3 c4 42.Nc5 Nxe5
Black has picked up three pawns for the exchange and now White must generate an attack, or he will
lose by attrition.
43.Qc1 h5 44.Rg3
44.Qh6 doesn’t do anything and the queen gets ejected with 44...Ng4. If 45.Qh8 Qe7, intending
46...Qf6 and White is busted.
479
44...Ned7
White’s claim over the c5-square slips away to oblivion.
45.Nxe6!?
Moment of Contemplation: Keep in mind that the insane are insane, only in phases. Now begins the
radicalization of the position. There is no sane middle course. It’s all-or-nothing. As always,
Nezhmetdinov rejects being placed in the role of passive spectator. Objectively White doesn’t get
enough attack/initiative, yet the sacrifice may still be his best chance from a practical standpoint,
since it dramatically increases the level of complications.
If 45.Nxd7 Qxd7 White’s survival is unlikely.
45...Nxe6 46.Qh6
Black has no choice but to tolerate the intruder’s presence.
46...Ndf8 47.Bxf5!?
In for a penny... this is the second prong in the two-pronged attack – the logical follow-up. Black’s
king is exposed and gets bounced around, yet he gets three minor pieces for only a rook, which in the
end proves to be too much for Nezh.
47...gxf5 48.Re1 Bd7 49.Qxh5+ Ke7 50.Qxf5 Kd6 51.h5
White hopes to generate counterplay by pushing the h-pawn toward the promotion square.
51...a5 52.Qe5+ Kc6 53.Rd1 Nc7
480
Everything is frustratingly covered.
54.Ra1
54.bxa5 Qxa5 55.h6 Qa3 56.Rg7 Re8 57.Qd4 Qd6 and if 58.h7, 58...Qh6 wins the advanced h-pawn.
54...Qb8!?
This looks unnecessary. Black wants to create his own passed pawns and is willing to give up his apawn to do it. 54...a4 is a winning position for Black.
55.bxa5 b4 56.cxb4 Qxb4
Black’s goal is threefold:
1. Push the passed c- and d-pawns as far as they will go.
2. Keep White’s a- and h-pawns under control.
3. Don’t fall into mate or perpetual check.
57.Rf3 Nce6
57...Rxa5?? hangs a piece to 58.Rxa5 Qxa5 59.Rxf8.
58.a6 Qc5 59.Qe1
After 59.h6 Qd4 60.Qe1 Nc5 61.Qb1 Nfe6 62.a7 Ng5 63.Rfa3 Kc7 64.h7 Nge4 White remains
busted.
481
59...Nd4 60.Rf6+
White has only a few petulant pseudo-threats and then they run out.
60...Nfe6 61.Ra5 Qb6 62.h6 Kd6
Reinforcing the e6-knight.
63.h7 c3!
White isn’t the only one trying to promote. The c-pawn can’t be touched, due to a fork on e2. White
is too tied down by the advanced c-pawn to create serious threats of his own.
64.Ra1 c2 65.Rg6
Threat: 66.Rg8. 65.Rh6 loses to 65...Nb3 and if 66.h8=Q Rxh8 67.Rxh8 Nxa1 68.Qxa1 Qb1+.
65...Rh8 66.a7 Qb2!
Well calculated!
67.Rh6
67.a8=Q doesn’t work: 67...Rxa8 68.Rxa8 c1=Q 69.Qxc1 Qxc1+ 70.Kh2 Ne2! 71.h8=Q and now
White is mated in five with 71...Qg1+ 72.Kh3 N2f4+ 73.Kh4 Qh1+ 74.Kg4 Qxg2+ 75.Kf5 Qxg6#.
482
Exercise (combination alert): Do you see Black’s winning shot?
Show/Hide Solution
67...Ne2+
This is still winning, yet immediately decisive was:
Answer: 67...Nf3+! 68.gxf3 Qg7+ 69.Kf1 Bb5+. Worse than being slapped across the face is to be
slapped across the face without having a reply. White is mated.
68.Kh2 c1=Q 69.Rxc1 Nxc1
Well, this is not good. White’s position has the look of an unburied week-old corpse. Nezh is down
three pieces and is reduced to looking for cheapos.
70.Qa5 Bc6! 71.Qa6 Qe5+ 72.g3 Nb3 73.f4
73.a8=Q Rxa8 74.Qxa8 Bxa8 75.h8=Q Qxh8 76.Rxh8 Bc6 and White is busted.
73...Qb2+ 74.Kh3 Nbc5 75.a8=Q
White resigned.
483
It gets worse and worse. Nezhmetdinov made this move and resigned. After 75...Nxa6 76.Rxe6+
Kxe6 77.Qxc6+ Ke7 White runs out of checks.
484
Show in Text Mode
Game 98
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
V.Tatarintsev
Kazan 1964
White to move
Exercise (combination alert: White has a strategically won game, yet strategic thoughts were the
last thing on Nezhmetdinov’s mind. How did he force the win?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Annihilation of defensive barrier:
35.Nf6+! gxf6
A) 35...Kh8 36.Rd7 Qb8 37.Rxf7 Qd8 38.Qxh6+! gxh6 39.Rh7#;
B) 35...Kf8 36.Qd3! (dual threats: 37.Qd8+ followed by 38.Re8 mate, and also 37.Qh7) 36...g6
(36...gxf6 37.exf6 – threat: 38.Qd8+ – 37...Kg8 38.Qe4 Kh8 39.Qg4 Rg8 40.Rd8! is the same story,
485
Black is mated next move) 37.Qe3 Kg7 38.Rd7 Qb8 39.Qf4 (threat: 40.Nh5+, followed by crashing
into f7) 39...Qf8 40.Ng4 and Black is mated.
36.exf6 Kh7 37.Qe4+ Kh8 38.Qg4 1-0
If 38...Rg8 39.Rd8! – overloaded defender. Black is mated next move.
Game 99
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Alexander Zaitsev
Kazan 1964
White to move
Exercise (combination alert): To the losing side, a geometric anomaly can also be called a
‘geometric injustice’. Black’s excellent position is an optical illusion. Prove why.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 23.Nbd4!!
Or Answer #2: 23.Nfd4!!. In either case Black’s game collapses.
23.Nbd4!! 23...exd4
486
The engine is so freaked out that it doesn’t even want the knight! 23...Qc8 24.Nxe6 Qxe6 25.Ra7
Nd6 26.Be3 0-0 27.Ra6 Rd8 28.Bb3! and Black’s game crumbles under the pins.
24.Nxd4 Qd7 25.Nxe6 Qxe6 26.Ra8+ Nc8
On 26...Kf7??, 27.Rxh8 Bxh8 28.Bb3 wins the queen.
27.Bb3 Qd7 28.Qe2+
Black’s king is caught in the middle and Black’s position is like that tragic comic whose jokes fail to
land and who is losing his audience. Then his desperation make the following jokes even worse.
28...Kd8
Or 28...Kf8 29.Be6.
29.Be6! Re8
Exercise (combination alert): There is no convenient way to give up that which we cherish. Black’s
last move, pinning White’s bishop, pedals false hope. It is ineffective. White to play and win:
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Attraction. Take the knight on c8 and we win Black’s queen:
30.Rxc8+!
487
Now Black’s idea of pinning White’s e6-bishop blurs to illegibility.
30...Qxc8 31.Qd1+! Ke7 32.Bxc8 Rxc8 33.Qe2+ 1-0
Game 100 Ruy Lopez
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Boris Spassky
Sochi 1964
Spassky was a monster in 1964, which makes Nezh’s win all the more impressive.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.h3 Bb7 9.d3 d6 10.c3 h6
Later in his career Spassky became a great advocate of 10...Nb8, the Breyer Variation of the Ruy
Lopez.
11.a4
11.Nbd2 is the main line today.
11...Re8 12.axb5 axb5 13.Rxa8 Qxa8 14.Na3 b4 15.Nb5!?
Nezhmetdinov seeks to complicate. 15.Nc4, intending to move to either d5 or f5, via e3, looks more
logical.
15...Qb8
488
15...Qa5 16.Bc4 Rb8 17.Qb3 Kf8 18.cxb4 Qxb4 19.Qc2 Ba6 20.Bd2 Qc5 21.Be3 Qb4 22.Bd2 with
a repetition draw.
16.Ba4 d5?!
This freeing break is premature.
A) 16...Bf8 is equal;
B) 16...Ba6? walks into Nezhmetdinov’s trap: 17.Nbd4! Nxd4 18.cxd4 Bb5 19.dxe5 dxe5 20.Nxe5
and White has picked up an important central pawn.
17.Nh4?!
Now Black should stand better. White could have held the advantage if he had played 17.exd5! Nxd5
18.d4! Nb6 19.Bc2 intending Qd3 next.
17...dxe4
17...Nxe4? isn’t such a great tactic: 18.dxe4 Bxh4 19.exd5 and Black is in trouble.
18.dxe4 bxc3?!
After 18...Bf8 19.Nf5 Ne7! 20.Nxe7+ Rxe7 21.cxb4 (White must open an escape hatch for his
knight; 21.f3?? Rd7 22.Qe2 c6 and Black wins a piece) 21...Bxe4 Black stands clearly better since his
central e-pawn is worth more than White’s doubled b4-pawn.
19.Nxc3 Bf8 20.Qd3 Re6 21.Nf5 Kh7?
489
Exercise: When we see a great player blunder, it leads to the comforting thought: ‘I am not alone.’
Sometimes a move can be completely logical and simultaneously completely incorrect. No single
mind – however brilliant – is born with the ability to process information correctly 100% of the time.
Spassky, worried about sacrifices on h6, fell asleep in an equal position and moved his king to h7.
Why was this a blunder?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 22.Bb3!
Oops. Black loses either the exchange or the key f7-pawn which fatally weakens Black’s kingside
light squares. 21...Ne7 was equal.
22...Ba6
It is difficult to hide our dismay and astonishment when our opponent informs us that we have just
blundered. This clever trick doesn’t worry White at all.
23.Qd1!
The threats remain intact.
23...Nb4!
Spassky remains composed, despite his blunder. This is Black’s optimal path to maximum resistance
for two reasons:
490
1. After White wins the exchange on e6, Black’s ...f7xe6 ejects the intruder on f5 and also controls
the important d5-square.
2. Black’s knight annoyingly threatens to infiltrate d3, which may cause White difficulties if he fails
to defend accurately.
A) If 23...Bc8 24.Bxe6 Bxe6, of course Black is just down an exchange for no compensation except
bishop pair, which isn’t nearly enough;
B) Giving the f7-pawn with 23...Re8? is even worse than losing the exchange: 24.Bxf7 Rd8 25.Nd5
Nxd5 26.exd5 Ne7 27.Nxe7 Bxe7 28.Rxe5 Bd6 29.Bxh6!! Bxe5 (29...gxh6?? 30.Qc2+ Kh8 31.Qg6
and mate in two moves) 30.Qh5 Rd6 31.Be3+ Rh6 32.Bxh6 Qb6 (32...gxh6 33.Qg6+ Kh8
34.Qxh6#) 33.Be3+ wins the queen and forces mate.
24.Bxe6 fxe6
As mentioned earlier, this recapture represents a strength rather than a desecration of structure.
25.Ng3 Nd3
Hierarchy does not necessarily need to be respected in chess. Black’s knight sinks deeply into
White’s position and if Nezhmetdinov misplays it, Spassky may soon generate full compensation for
the exchange.
26.Re3 Qd8!
Brilliant defensive judgement from Spassky. He correctly avoids the tempting 26...Nxb2? which
picks up a pawn at the cost of his king safety, which is not so easy to see at this stage: 27.Bxb2 Qxb2
28.Nh5 Nxh5 29.Qxh5 Bc5 30.Nd1! (gaining a tempo on Black’s queen, while simultaneously
covering the sensitive f2-square) 30...Qd4 31.Rg3 (threat: 32.Qg6+ and 33.Qxg7 mate) 31...Qd7
32.Ne3 Bd4 (32...Bxe3 33.Rxe3 is a technical win for White) 33.Ng4! (threat: 34.Nf6+, forcing
mate) 33...Qe7 34.Nxh6! – the knight can’t be taken and Black can resign.
491
27.Rf3!?
Moment of Contemplation: We see what we want to see, don’t we? Chess is not 100% logic. If we
strive to play logically/correctly all the time, then we are in danger of getting lost within the intellect,
at the cost of intuition, creativity and stylistic preference.
This rook move is admittedly awkward, yet Nezh’s instincts were always to go for the attack, so the
move actually suits him, despite not being objectively the best one. A more positional player would
consider 27.Re2 c5 28.Be3 c4 29.Rd2 when Black doesn’t get enough compensation for the exchange.
27...Qd6 28.b3!
This alert move is played for two reasons:
1. White wants to prevent ...c7-c5-c4, fortifying Black’s d3-knight.
2. The c4-square is a hole and White may eventually transfer a knight to that square.
28...Be7 29.Na4 Qc6
Attacking White’s bishop, as well as the e4-pawn.
30.Bb2
492
30...Nxb2
Spassky decides to pick up the bishop pair, while strengthening his grip over the dark squares. If
30...Qd6, 31.Bc3, intending Nb2 next, will challenge Black’s powerful d3-knight.
31.Nxb2 Bc5
31...Nxe4?? hangs material to the simple pin 32.Qb1 Bb7 33.Re3.
32.Qc2 Qb5 33.Nc4 Bd4 34.Ne2 c5 35.Ng3
Marginally content is not a satisfying state of being. As always, Nezhmetdinov is focused on the
enemy king. Another conversion plan was for White to creep his way in via the queenside: 35.Qa2
Kg8 36.Nc3 Qc6 37.Qa5 Kh7 38.Kh2 Bb7 39.Qd8 and Black must swap queens, since 39...Ba6?? is
met with 40.Rxf6! gxf6 41.Qe7+ Kg6 42.Nd6! Bxc3 43.Qf7+ Kg5 44.Qg7+ Kf4 (44...Kh5
45.Qg4#) 45.Qxf6#.
35...Qb4 36.Qe2
Covering e1.
36...Qb8 37.Kh2 Bb7 38.Na5 Bc8 39.Nc4 Ba6 40.Qa2 Bb7 41.Qe2
Nezhmetdinov has the luxury to putz around and continues to search for a plan. Spassky has no way
of improving his position and can only wait.
41...Qa8 42.Nd6 Ba6 43.Qa2 Qc6 44.Nc4 h5
493
A) 44...Bb5 45.Qa7 (threat: 46.Rxf6) 45...Kg6 46.Na3! Ba6 47.Qe7 and if 47...Bb7, 48.Rxf6+! gxf6
49.Nh5! forces mate;
B) 44...Qb5 45.Ne2! Qc6 46.Nxd4 exd4 47.e5 Ne4 48.Rf8 d3 49.Rd8 Bxc4 50.bxc4 d2 51.Qb1 h5
52.Rxd2 and White wins.
Exercise (critical decision): Should Nezhmetdinov sacrifice on f6, or should he refrain?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 45.Rxf6!!
Annihilation of defensive barrier. Mr. Spock firmly believed that it was the individual’s duty to
sacrifice himself for the many. The exchange sacrifice is crushing, yet at this stage it’s difficult to see
how White’s queen enters the attack.
45...gxf6 46.Nxh5
Nezh gives with one hand and takes away with the other. Surprisingly, Black’s king is unable to find
a safe haven, despite the relatively low material count on the board and White’s queen standing on the
other side of the board.
46...f5
46...Kg6 47.Qe2 f5 48.Ng3. Now infiltration on h5 cannot be prevented: 48...f4 49.Qh5+ Kg7
50.Qg5+ Kf7 51.Nh5 Bxc4 52.bxc4 Bxf2 53.Qxe5 Be3 54.Qf6+ Ke8 55.e5 Kd7 56.Nxf4 Bxf4+
57.Qxf4 with an easily won ending for White.
494
47.Qa5!
This is the deep point of the exchange sacrifice: White’s queen sneaks into d8 and then over to the
kingside to visit Black’s lonely king.
47...Kh6
Exercise (combination alert): It isn’t easy to see clearly through the war-ravaged landscape. The
fact that Black’s king remains standing is an affront to Nezhmetdinov’s attacking instincts. How
should White continue?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Ignore the hanging knight and infiltrate with the queen:
48.Qd8!
As always when on the attack, Nezhmetdinov makes it look so easy.
48...Qc8
Black’s pieces, all so far away, are united in grief for their king, who is destined to perish alone. The
black queen’s hands are shackled. She is not in time to save her king.
48...Kxh5 also loses: 49.h4! (threatening mate on g5) 49...Kg6 50.Nd6 Bb5 51.Qg8+ Kh6 52.Nf7+
Kh5 53.Qg5#.
495
49.Qf6+!
This shot precludes all hopes of Black’s escape.
49...Kxh5
49...Kh7?? 50.Qg7#.
50.exf5
Threat: 51.g4 mate.
50...exf5 51.Nd6
The leading piece in the attack is only as strong as the comrades who back it up. With the inclusion of
the knight and kingside pawns, Black’s king is helpless to prevent a mating attack.
51...Qg8
If 51...Bxf2, 52.Nxf5 threatens two separate mates in one and Black must hand over his queen.
52.Nxf5 1-0
Black is mated.
Game 101
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
496
Tudev Ujtumen
Sochi 1964
White to move
Exercise (combination alert): Find White’s strongest attacking continuation.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 32.Rxf6!
Annihilation of defensive barrier. This isn’t much of a sacrifice, since the rook can’t be taken. Yet it
is one of those shots which never fails to rocket the opponent’s blood pressure, especially when
nothing can be done about it.
32...Rf8
A) 32...Kxf6?? 33.Qh4+ Ng5 34.Bxg5+ Ke6 35.Qg4#;
B) 32...Rh8?? loses to 33.Rf7+ Ke8 34.Qxh8+.
33.Rxe6+!
There is nothing like a vigorous Spring cleaning. Black’s position is unable to sustain the removal of
this key defender.
33...Kxe6 34.Qh3+ Ke7 35.Bg5+ 1-0
497
After 35...Rf6 (35...Ke8 36.Qe6+ Be7 37.Qxe7#) 36.Bxf6+ Kxf6 37.Qf5+ Ke7 38.Qf7+ Kd8
39.Rd1 Black is soon mated.
Game 102
Guillermo Garcia Gonzales
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Sochi 1964
Black to move
498
Exercise (planning): A sense of impending calamity haunts White’s position. How should Black
continue?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: A strategic exchange sacrifice on d2 fatally weakens White on the dark squares:
21...Rxd2+!
Having lived in Southern California for over four decades, I can tell you with authority that
earthquakes always hit when we least expect them.
22.Rxd2 exf4 23.gxf4 Re3 24.Kb2 g5! 25.fxg5 hxg5 26.Nf3 Ne4! 27.Nxe4 Bxe4
It becomes clear that White must return material.
28.Rcd1
In some positions there is nothing to do but sit back and calmly await calamity.
28...Bxd2 29.Rxd2
Exercise (planning): Our eyes tell us that White’s position is wretched and smacks of
disillusionment, yet we still require a concrete plan for Black to proceed.
Show/Hide Solution
499
Answer: 29...Nd7!
Transferring the knight to c5, targeting b3.
30.h4
30.Ka2 Nc5 31.Rb2 f5! 32.Ka3 (White is almost in zugzwang) 32...f4 33.Ka2 Kd6 34.Rd2+ Ke7
35.Rb2 Kf6 36.Ka3 Bxf3 37.Bxf3 Nd3! 38.Rd2 Ne5 – double attack. Black threatens 39...Nxc4+ as
well as 39...Nxf3 and White can resign.
30...Nc5
30...g4 is met with 31.Ne1.
31.h5 Nxb3 32.Rc2
This is the same as resigning. If 32.Rd1 Rxe2+ 33.Kxb3 Bc2+ wins.
32...Bxc2 33.Kxc2 Rxe2+ 34.Kd1!?
Battered, GM Garcia is reduced to incoherence. This is a bit of a bizarre choice, since now White will
be down a full rook. It didn’t matter in any case. 34.Kxb3 Rxg2 (threat: 35...Rg3) 35.Ne5 Rh2 – the
h-pawn falls and Black wins easily.
34...Rxg2 35.h6 Rg3 0-1
White’s h-pawn isn’t going anywhere.
500
Game 103
Alexander Chernikh
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Moscow URS-tt 1964
Black to move
Exercise (combination alert): A single disruptive move can instantly evaporate a position’s
normalcy. Prove why Black’s kingside attack is faster than White’s on the queenside.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 29...Nxg2!
Step 1: Attraction/undermining. With this knight sac Black lures White’s king to g2, while
simultaneously undermining the support for White’s rook on f3.
30.Kxg2 Bh3+!
Step 2: Discovered attack.
31.Kf2
Forced. If 31.Kxh3 Rxf3 32.Rg1 Bf4 33.Ne2 Qg4+ 34.Kh2 (if 34.Kg2, 34...Bxg3 35.N2xg3 Rxg3+
wins) 34...Bxg3+ 35.Rxg3 Qxh4+ 36.Kg2 Rfxg3+ 37.N2xg3 Rxg3+! (pinned piece) Black wins.
501
31...Rxf3+ 32.Kxf3 Qf5+ 33.Ke2
Exercise (combination alert): How should Black continue?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 33...Rxg3!
Removal of the guard.
34.Kd1
Bad news coming in bloody spurts doesn’t lessen the pain any more than receiving all the bad news at
once. The rook can’t be taken: 34.Nxg3?? Qc2+ 35.Kf3 Qg2#.
34...Rg2 35.Rf1 Bg4+ 36.Ke1
502
Exercise (combination alert): Just when you think matters can’t get any worse, they do. Put White
away.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 36...Bd2+!
Decoy/clearance, allowing Black’s queen decisive infiltration to c2.
37.Nxd2 Qc2! 38.Nce4
This knight is the disobedient teen who rejects all forms of adult authority. The move walks into mate
in one. After 38.Ne2 Qxc4 39.Nxc4 Rxe2+ 40.Kd1 Re4+ the discovered check wins the knight.
38...Qd1#
Game 104
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Yuri Kotkov
Sochi 1965 (13)
503
White to move
Moment of Contemplation: It was Spinoza who suggested that to feel guilty about one’s non-virtue
in the past is to be guilty twice. Nezh is strategically lost. Despite that, in this game he unrepentantly
bluffed his way to a win. What would you play here?
Show/Hide Solution
19.hxg6!?
Impossible is not an option, but Unlikely is. Nezh invokes a Druid’s prayer to ward off evil omens. If
we don’t live our dream, then life isn’t worth living at all. This move is completely unsound, yet it
had the desired Tal-effect of later confusing his opponent. In some positions we run the greatest risk
when we do nothing. Nezhmetdinov realized that 19.Bd2 was slow death without a fight after
19...Bb7 20.Rh3 Qc6 21.b3 g5! 22.fxg5 Nxe5!. White is strategically busted.
19.hxg6!? 19...dxe3
The human move is to accept what is given. Amazingly, the engine prefers to decline with the
nonchalant 19...hxg6 20.Bd2 Qc6 21.b3 Bb7 22.Rh3 Kg7; ...Rh8 follows, with a winning position.
20.gxh7+ Kh8!
Black’s king is perfectly safe hiding behind the h-pawn.
21.Rxe3 Rf7 22.Rh3 Rg7 23.Kh2 Bb7 24.Rg1
504
Nezhmetdinov’s only plan is to play for g2-g4.
24...Rf8
Buried in the analysis are multiple unexploded land mines. The engine found 24...Bg5!! 25.g3
(25.fxg5 Nxe5 26.Kh1 Rxh7! 27.Rh5 Nf3! – interference, White must resign) 25...Rd8 26.Nc3
Nxe5! 27.fxe5 Rxh7 and White must hand over heavy material, since Black threatens 28...Rxh3+,
followed by 29...Qh7+, forcing mate next move.
25.Nc3 Rff7 26.Qh5
Exercise (critical decision): Should Black defend passively with 26...Nf8, or should he
counterattack with 26...Nxe5 ?
Show/Hide Solution
26...Nf8
Still winning...
Answer: A) Yet, 26...Nxe5! was a game ender. What a marvel when we manage to deceive our
would-be deceiver: 27.fxe5 Qxe5+ 28.g3 (if 28.Kh1 Bxg2+! 29.Rxg2 Qe1+ 30.Kh2 Bd6+ White is
mated) 28...Qd4! with the dual threat of 29...Qf2 mate and 29...Qxd3;
B) 26...Rxh7?? walks into Nezh’s trap after 27.Qxf7! and game over for Black.
27.g4 fxg4?
505
The evaluation drops sharply. 27...Bg5!! was a killer, e.g. 28.Ne2 Bxf4+ 29.Nxf4 Qxe5 30.Rf1
Qxb2+ 31.Ne2 Be4 32.Rf2 Qb8+! 33.Nf4 fxg4 and Black wins.
28.Rxg4
28...Rxg4??
Now White is winning. 28...Bd8! reinforces Black’s second rank: 29.Rhg3 Rxg4 30.Rxg4 Rg7 and
Black still has good chances to consolidate and win.
29.Qxg4
Threat: 30.Qg8 mate.
29...Nxh7
Did Kotkov originally hallucinate and plan 29...Rg7?? ? This move anticipates a profit and receives
the opposite. Black may have forgotten that White has 30.Qxg7+! (attraction/pawn promotion)
30...Kxg7 31.h8=Q+ Kf7 32.Bg6+! Kxg6 (32...Nxg6 33.Rh7#) 33.Qg8+ Kf5 34.Rh5+ Kxf4
35.Qg3#.
30.Qxe6
Suddenly White has a raging attack for the piece.
30...Bf8
506
Swapping queens won’t save Black: 30...Qc6 31.Qxc6 Bxc6 32.Nd5 Bd8 33.e6 Rg7 34.e7! Bxe7
35.Bxh7! Rxh7 36.Nxe7 leaves White up two pawns with an easy win.
31.Qe8?
31.Nd5! Bxd5 (if 31...Qd7 32.Qxd7 Rxd7, 33.Nf6 wins) 32.cxd5 Qd7 33.Qg6 Rg7 34.Qf5 Qxf5
35.Bxf5 Rf7 36.Rh5! (Black is paralyzed) 36...c4 37.d6 a4 38.a3 Rb7 39.Rxh7+! (simplification)
39...Rxh7+ 40.Bxh7 Kxh7 41.f5 Kg7 42.f6+ Kf7 43.d7 would have won.
31...Kg8?
Now he is back to totally busted! After 31...Bc6! 32.Qe6 Qb7 33.b3 Rg7 34.Qf6 Kg8 35.Qe6+ Kh8
36.Rg3 Qe7 37.Qxe7 Bxe7 38.Nd5 Rxg3 39.Kxg3 Bd8 40.Bxh7 Kxh7 41.Kg4 (threat: 42.Kf5!)
41...Kg6! 42.f5+ Kg7 Black should hold the draw.
32.Bf5??
Russell Crowe would ask: ‘Are you not entertained?’ This doesn’t work! Nezh hallucinates in time
pressure. He should have played 32.Qe6! Kh8 33.Bg6 Rg7 34.Qf5 Kg8 35.Nd5 with a completely
winning position.
32...Ng5??
Neither side is able to grasp clarity. 32...Rxf5! would have won: 33.Qg6+ Qg7 and White can’t take
the rook, since Black mates on g2.
33.fxg5 1-0
507
Ah yes, there is nothing more satisfying than a smooth victory!
If 33...Rxf5 34.Qg6+ Bg7 35.Qh7+ Kf8 36.Qxf5+ wins.
Game 105
Yakov Damsky
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Moscow 1966
Black to move
Exercise (combination alert): White’s queen chopped a pawn on e7, which was unwise. Prove why.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 25...Re8! 0-1
Weak back rank: 26.Qxf6 Qxc1+! (removal of the guard) 27.Nd1 (White’s defenders seem to deal
with low self-esteem issues. This sorry looking move is forced as 27.Nxc1 Re1 is mate) 27...Be3+!
28.Kf1 Qxd1+ 29.Ne1 Bxd4! – discovered attack. White is mated.
Game 106 Philidor Defence
508
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Vladimir Sergievsky
Moscow 1966
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nbd7 4.Nf3 e5 5.Bc4 Be7
The game transposes to Philidor’s Defence.
6.0-0 0-0 7.a4 c6 8.Ba2
8.Re1 is played more today.
8...h6?!
This isn’t such a great move since it weakens f5 and g6, which in the Philidor tend to be sensitive
squares around Black’s king. 8...b6 is today’s main line.
9.Qe2
Nezhmetdinov was never much of an academic in the opening phase and was far more an artist, who
always gave his tactical intuition the benefit of the doubt in the middlegame. As someone who
occasionally plays the Philidor as Black, I’m usually happy when my opponent posts the queen on e2,
since then Black can often generate counterplay with ...e5xd4 and ...Re8, when White’s queen is
misplaced. 9.Re1 was more accurate.
9...Nh7?!
He wants to relieve his cramped quarters with a piece swap on g5. This is where Black’s position
509
begins to grow worse. As mentioned above, Black’s best bet was 9...exd4! 10.Nxd4 Re8.
10.Be3 Ng5 11.Nxg5 hxg5!?
The idea is to prevent f2-f4. 11...Bxg5 12.f4 exf4 13.Bxf4 Bxf4 14.Rxf4 also looks a touch
uncomfortable for Black due to White’s pressure on f7. If Black plays ...Nf6, White can double rooks
and aim for either an e4-e5 break or an exchange sacrifice on f6.
12.Rad1 g6
The idea is to play ...Kg7 and ...Rh8.
13.g3! Bf6
14.f4!
Moment of Contemplation: Faith cannot be generated by willing it. One thing Nezhmetdinov can
never be accused of is an overabundance of restraint. It takes steady nerves to play a move like this
since most of us would worry that White may slip into difficulties due to a future pin with ...Qb6.
Nezhmetdinov correctly assesses that the coming complications are in White’s favour.
14...gxf4 15.gxf4 exd4
This keeps the f-file closed, yet it allows White a break with f4-f5 later on. If 15...exf4?? 16.Bxf4
Qe7 17.Qg2 (threat: 18.Qxg6+) 17...Kg7 18.Qg3! Black is unable to protect d6 and his position
crumbles.
510
16.Bxd4 Bxd4+ 17.Rxd4 Qb6
Double attack. You believe you are setting up a trap. Then on the next move you realize that your
opponent saw deeper and the joke is on you.
Did Nezhmetdinov blunder?
18.Qf2
No. Everything is under control. The engine likes 18.Qd2! Kg7 19.Kh1 when d6 falls and f4-f5
follows, with a powerful attack.
18...d5
The b2-pawn is poisoned. If 18...Qxb2? 19.f5!! Qxc3 20.fxg6 Qh3 21.gxf7+ Kg7 22.Rd3 Qh6
23.Rg3+ Kh8 24.Rg8+ Kh7 25.Qf5 and White mates next move.
19.exd5 Qxb2?
I suppose we have the urge to go to a bar if we suspect that Prohibition is about to go into effect.
There can’t be two separate versions of a single truth. In such cases one player is right and the other
wrong. Black lacks the time to grab the inconsequential b-pawn. He had to try 19...Nf6 20.dxc6 Qxc6
21.Nd5 Nxd5 22.Bxd5 Qf6 23.c3 with an inferior yet still playable position.
20.dxc6 bxc6 21.Qg3
Threat: 22.Qxg6+, while simultaneously protecting White’s knight. 21.f5! was even stronger.
511
21...Kg7 22.f5
Nezh whips up a winning attack.
22...Qb8
22...Qb6 loses instantly to 23.f6+! Nxf6 (if 23...Kh7 24.Qh4+ Kg8 25.Rff4 Re8 26.Qh6 Nxf6
27.Qxg6+ Black is mated) 24.Qe5 c5 25.Rd6.
Exercise (planning): Black’s position is one of lonely disorder. What is White’s strongest attacking
continuation?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 23.Rd6!
Step 1: Interference/annihilation of defensive barrier. Attackers approach Black’s king with coiled
menace, and g6 can no longer be protected.
23...Nf6
512
24.Ne4! 1-0
Step 2: Removal of the guard. Material is an expending commodity while walking into mate is not:
24...Nxe4 25.Rxg6+! fxg6 26.Qxg6+ Kh8 27.Qh6#.
Game 107
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Vladimir Sergievsky
Saratov 1966
513
White to move
Exercise (planning): How did Nezhmetdinov generate a winning attack?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Follow the Principle: Create confrontation and open the game when leading in
development.
White’s next move fulfills both priorities:
18.e5! dxe5
18...Ne8 loses to 19.Bc4! d5 (if 19...Bxc4 20.Qxc4 f6 21.exd6+ Nxd6 22.Nd5+ Kf7 23.Qc3 Qd8 –
guarding against Nxf6 – 24.Nf4 Black is crushed) 20.Bxd5! cxd5 21.Nxd5+ Bxd5 22.Qxd5 with
dual attacks on f7 and a8, to which there is no decent answer.
19.Qc5+ Ke8 20.Rxf6!
Removal of the guard. Ne4 follows, when the strong begin to prey upon the weak.
20...gxf6 1-0
514
21.Ne4 Qe7 22.Qxc6+ picks up the rook in the corner.
Game 108
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Vladimir Zagorovsky
Leningrad 1967
White to move
515
Exercise (combination alert): Nezhmetdinov thrived upon geometric paradox. How did he force a
win?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Annihilation of defensive barrier with a sacrifice:
48.Nxd5!!
We are shocked, yet at the same time not surprised at all. It takes superhuman calculation power (or
perhaps superhuman attacking intuition?) to decide on a committal sacrifice like this one. I have no
idea if Nezhmetdinov had worked everything out, or if he launched his sacrifice without apprehension
of whether it would work or not. He often left that part to chance!
48...exd5
A) 48...cxd5 may have been the better practical chance, but in truth it is a case of swapping one
misery for another.
analysis diagram
This still loses to 49.c6+! Kxc6 50.Qe7 Kb6 51.Rc1 Qb8 (if 51...h3 52.Qd6+ Ka7 53.Qd7+ Ka8
54.Qc6+ Ka7 55.Ra1 mates) 52.Qxg7 Rh8 53.Qd7 Re8 54.g7 Nb4 55.g8=Q! (decoy) 55...Rxg8
56.Qxe6+ Ka7 57.Qe7+ Kb6 (57...Qb7 58.Rc7 gets the job done) 58.Qc5+ Kb7 59.Qxb4;
B) Black also loses if he ignores the sacrificed knight on d5: 48...Qd8. A meek non-response like this
is based upon the thought that it is unwise to continue to argue when you know in your heart that
516
you’ve lost the argument: 49.Nf6+! (overloaded defender) 49...Kc7 (on 49...Kc8, 50.Qxh6! gxh6
51.g7 wins) 50.Rxh4 Rxh4 51.Qxh4 Kc8 52.Qh7 Qf8 53.Nh5 wins the g7-pawn and the game.
49.Ra1 Nc7 50.Qxf5+ Kd8 51.Ra7
Uninvited guests begin to barge into Black’s position.
51...Qe8
There was no time to launch a counterattack with 51...h3?? since 52.Qf7 forces Black’s resignation.
Exercise (planning): Proceed with White’s attack.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 52.Rb7!
The simple threat is 53.Rb8+ and 54.Rxe8, which Black is unable to prevent.
52...Qxg6
52...Qe6 53.Rb8+ Kd7 54.Qf8 (threats: 55.Qd8 mate and 55.Qxg7+, followed by 56.Qxh6) 54...Ne8
55.Rxe8! (removal of the guard) 55...Qxe8 56.Qxg7+ Kc8 57.Qxh6 and White wins.
53.Rb8+ Ke7 54.Qf8+ Ke6
517
Exercise (calculation): At this stage Nezh’s heart was undoubtedly flowing with joyous anticipation.
Work out in your mind’s eye White’s mate in four.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 55.Qc8+ 1-0
55...Ke7 56.Qxc7+ Ke6 57.Qc8+ Ke7 58.Rb7#.
Game 109 Sicilian Defence
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Ivan Radulov
Varna 1967 (5)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5
Nezhmetdinov played the Rossolimo before it became popular.
3...g6 4.0-0 Bg7 5.c3 Nf6 6.Re1 0-0 7.h3 d6?!
White stands better after this inaccuracy. Today, 7...e5! is considered to be Black’s best line. Black
shouldn’t fear 8.Bxc6 dxc6 9.Nxe5 Re8 10.f4 Nh5 11.d3 Qh4; the complications are slightly in his
favour.
518
8.d4 cxd4 9.cxd4 a6 10.Bf1 e5
10...d5 11.e5 Ne4 12.Nc3 is a book Rossolimo line, except for the fact that Black is a tempo down,
since he has taken two moves to play the ...d7-d5 break.
11.Nc3?!
Closed positions were not normally Nezhmetdinov’s jurisdiction. Here his love for open games
betrays him. White gets a larger advantage with 11.d5! Ne7 12.Nc3 Ne8 13.a4 h6 14.Nd2 f5,
Aveskulov-Kalinina, Alushta 2001. Black is in an inferior King’s Indian structure after 15.Nc4 Bd7
16.Qb3 Rb8 17.Qb6.
11...b5?!
11...exd4! was a better bet. At least here Black can breathe.
12.a3
12.d5!.
12...Bb7
12...exd4!.
13.Bg5
Nezh insists on central tension, when the push of the d-pawn would have given him a larger
advantage.
519
13...h6 14.Be3 Rc8
14...exd4! 15.Nxd4 Ne5 and Black’s piece play offers full compensation for the not-so-weak d6pawn.
15.d5!
At last! Now the scales become unbalanced in White’s favour.
15...Na5?
The knight is misplaced on a5. He had to try 15...Ne7 16.Nd2 Nd7 17.f3 f5 18.Rc1 with a favourable
King’s Indian-like position for White.
16.Nd2
Fighting for control over c4, while enabling a future f2-f3.
16...Nd7 17.a4! f5!?
The worst kind of worry is when you know something is wrong, but have trouble naming your fear.
A) 17...b4 18.Na2 loses the b-pawn;
B) After 17...bxa4?? 18.Qxa4 Black’s a5-knight has no place to go;
C) 17...Nc4 18.axb5 Nxe3 19.Rxe3 axb5 20.Nxb5 leaves White up a pawn. White’s missing darksquared bishop doesn’t provide enough compensation for Black.
18.axb5! f4
520
Radulov, sensing that he is strategically lost, attempts to mix it up.
19.Ba7 Ra8 20.bxa6! Bc8
White’s a7-bishop runs out of squares, but no problem because so does Black’s a5-knight:
21.b4 Rxa7 22.Rxa5
White emerges with two extra pawns. Black’s power on the dark squares fails to make up for this.
22...g5 23.Nb5!
Nezhmetdinov returns a pawn to pick off Black’s base pawn on d6.
23...Rxa6 24.Rxa6 Bxa6 25.Nxd6
Something lost, something found. d6 was the administrative centre of Black’s position. Losing a base
pawn of a chain is always a bad sign for the defender.
25...Bxf1 26.Rxf1 Qb6
521
Double attack. Black regains one of his two pawns. Nezhmetdinov had foreseen this when he played
23.Nb5!. What did he get for it?
1. f5 will be a sweet home for White’s knight.
2. White owns an extra protected passed d-pawn which ensures that all endgames will be winning for
him.
3. Black is bleeding on the light squares.
4. Black is saddled with a bad remaining bishop, since all his pawns are fixed on the same colour.
Conclusion: Black is hopelessly lost strategically.
27.Nf5 Qxb4 28.Qc2
There was no reason to play the committal 28.d6.
28...Qc5
The ending is lost for Black. But so is the middlegame! 28...Nf6 29.Rb1 Qa5 30.Rb7 Ne8 31.Qc8!
Qxd2 32.Qe6+ Kh8 33.Rxg7! – removal of the guard. Black is mated.
29.Qxc5 Nxc5 30.Rc1
522
30...Nxe4?
It isn’t easy to patiently defend a joyless position. With this move Radulov presides over his own
funeral.
With 30...Nd7 he would have lasted longer. Even here Black is unable to mount a significant defence.
Here is a possible continuation: 31.Rc7 Rf7 32.Nc4 Bf8 33.f3 h5 34.Rc8 (threat: 35.Nh6+) 34...Rh7
35.Rd8 g4 36.d6 gxf3 37.gxf3 h4 38.Kf1 zugzwang:
1. Moving the king to h8 is met with the overloaded defender shot 39.Nxe5.
2. 38...Rf7 is met with a knight fork on h6.
3. Any move with Black’s knight hangs the e5-pawn.
Exercise (combination alert): Prove why Black’s undermining combination fails.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 31.Ne7+! 1-0
Zwischenzug/attraction.
The verdict is rendered. After 31...Kf7 32.Nxe4 Kxe7 33.Rc7+ Black’s bishop falls, since White’s
knight covers f6.
Game 110 Réti Opening
523
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Vladas Mikenas
Kharkov ch-URS 1967
1.Nf3
For Nezhmetdinov, this move usually signals his intention of aiming for a King’s Indian set-up with
an extra tempo for White.
1...d5 2.g3 c6 3.Bg2 Bf5
The Reversed London is one of Black’s most solid set-ups.
4.0-0 e6 5.d3 Nf6
6.Nbd2
For now it’s a pure King’s Indian set-up for White.
A) 6.c4 is the Réti, while
B) 6.b3 could either be the Réti or the Reversed King’s Indian, depending on how White plays later.
6...Nbd7
6...h6 preserves the f5-bishop.
7.e3
524
A) 7.Qe1 leads to the same kind of position, since after e2-e4, White’s queen later moves to e2;
B) 7.Nh4!? goes after the bishop at a cost of structural integrity after 7...Bg4 8.h3 Bh5 9.g4. Then
Black can try the unplayed 9...g5! 10.gxh5 (10.Nhf3? Bg6 11.Nxg5 h5 with a strong attack for
Black) 10...gxh4 and I would be a touch nervous to play White here, since Black’s rook is about to
move to g8.
7...h6 8.Qe2 Nc5!?
This is odd but maybe not bad. Black can’t eternally stop White from playing e3-e4, but that is not
Mikenas’ idea. Black wants to leave d7 open for his f6-knight, as shown in the line 8...Be7 9.e4 Bh7
10.e5 and Black’s knight loses time going back to g8, Benko-Petrosian, Curaçao ct 1962.
9.Ne1
Nezh wants to implement e3-e4, which necessitates a retreat to seize control over e4. White can also
try 9.Ne5 Bd6 10.f4.
9...Be7 10.e4
Also possible was to keep White’s intent fluid with 10.b3.
10...Bg6?!
Today this is considered a rookie London System structure player’s inaccuracy. The bishop should
move to h7. Why? Because with the bishop on g6 White may later gain time either with an f2-f4-f5
break or with Nf3 and Nh4.
525
11.e5
This move removes some of the potency out of White’s plan of f2-f4-f5. Still White can always
achieve a break on f5 with a future f2-f4, g3-g4 and then f4-f5.
11...Nfd7 12.b3 Qb6 13.a3
13.Bb2? is annoyingly met with 13...Na4! when White is in big trouble.
13...a5 14.Kh1
Nezh prepares the way for f2-f4.
14...a4?!
Now it is White, not Black, who will take over the initiative on the queenside. Correct was 14...0-0
15.f4 f6 16.Ndf3 when Black stands only slightly worse.
15.b4 Na6 16.Rb1
This to discourage ...c6-c5.
16...Nc7 17.c4! Qa7
17...dxc4?! is a bad deal for Black, despite the fact that d5 opens for the c7-knight: 18.Nxc4 Qa6
19.f4 Nd5 20.Bd2 0-0 21.g4! looks dangerous for Black’s king.
18.f4 h5
526
After 18...dxc4 19.Nxc4 Nd5 20.Bb2 0-0 21.g4! Black’s king soon comes under attack.
19.Nc2
19...0-0-0?!
Mikenas castles straight into an attack. He should have played 19...Rd8 and waited, with an
admittedly inferior position.
20.b5!?
Nezhmetdinov, as was his custom, rushes it. 20.Nf3! looks stronger. If 20...h4, 21.Be3 Qa8 22.Nxh4
Bxh4 23.gxh4 Rxh4 24.f5! Bxf5 25.Bg5 wins the exchange and Black lacks full compensation.
20...Nc5?
Black had to accept the offer and try 20...dxc4 21.Nxc4 Nxb5 22.Rxb5! cxb5 23.Nd6+ Bxd6 24.exd6
Kb8 25.Be3 with dangerous attacking compensation for the exchange.
527
Exercise (combination alert): Black seeks counterplay on d3. Prove why he won’t get it.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 21.f5!
Interference, disrupting Black’s intent. Black’s problem is that White’s b5-b6 threat outweighs
Black’s threat on d3. Right about now, I bet Mikenas wished he had posted his bishop on h7, rather
than on g6, where White’s move arrives with tempo.
Also strong was the immediate 21.b6 (Answer #2): 21...Bxd3 22.Qxd3 Qxb6 23.Qe3 Qa7 when
Black’s two pawns are not worth White’s extra piece.
21...Bxf5
Forced. If 21...exf5??, 22.b6 wins a piece.
22.Rxf5! exf5 23.b6 Qa5 24.bxc7 Kxc7
528
White got two pieces for a rook and two pawns, plus a strong attack.
25.cxd5
This creates a hole on b5 and an isolani on d5.
25...cxd5 26.Nd4
Nezh eyes b5 and the f5-pawn. 26.Ne3 also looks strong.
26...h4
Desperation. 26...g6 27.e6! Bf6 28.N2f3, with Bf4+ to follow, is awful for Black.
27.Nxf5 hxg3!?
Desperation. Mikenas offers his bishop to open the h-file.
529
28.Nf3!?
Moment of Contemplation: Principle: A burglar shouldn’t dawdle. The goal is: in and out as
quickly as possible. Over and over we note Nezhmetdinov’s aversion to grabbing material in
exchange for his opponent’s initiative. In this case Black’s attack is unsound. Nezh was not a great
consolidator in winning positions, since the artist in him always took control and rejected the
mundane, simple and efficient path, in favour of risk, adventure and the wish to create a brilliancy.
It would certainly have been more practical to accept the offer with 28.Nxe7! Rxh2+ 29.Kg1 Qc3
30.Nf3 after which I don’t see Black’s compensation.
28...Bf8 29.Bf4!
Threat: 30.e6+ followed by e6-e7.
29...Ne6 30.Bxg3 Bxa3
Black’s a-pawn is slower than White’s attack.
31.Nd6
Attacking b7 and f7.
31...Rb8
This loses a piece. Also hopeless was 31...Bxd6 32.exd6+ Kb8 33.Ne5.
32.Nb5+ Kd7
530
33.Qa2!?
Targeting d5.
Moment of Contemplation: We can admire a player’s bravery/confidence, without fully believing in
it. This move says more about Nezhmetdinov’s philosophy than any other move in the book. He is an
absolutist, who likes a maybe-mate more than a free piece! Most of us would happily pause our attack
to grab the piece with the objectively stronger 33.Nxa3.
33...Bb4
This way White won’t have a future discovered attack on Black’s queen.
34.Qxd5+ Ke8 35.Nfd4 Nxd4
35...Rd8 loses to 36.Qxb7 Nxd4 37.Rxb4!, regaining the piece.
531
Exercise (combination alert): Black’s king faces plague, pestilence, starvation, fire, earthquake,
hurricane and tornado. White to play and win.
Show/Hide Solution
36.Nd6+!
Overloaded defender/double attack. This check allows the white queen an entry to f7.
36...Ke7
36...Bxd6 hangs the queen to 37.Qxa5.
37.Qxf7+ Kd8 38.Qxg7 Qc5
Having to give away a rook with check is not an encouraging sign in one’s position. The problem is
that 38...Re8 is met with 39.Bh4+ Re7 40.Qxe7#.
532
39.e6!
More accurate than taking the rook immediately. White threatens mate on d7.
39...Nxe6 40.Qxh8+
So mangled is Black’s king, that I strongly recommend a closed casket funeral.
Mikenas resigned in view of 40...Ke7 41.Qh7+ Kd8 (41...Kf6 42.Ne4#) 42.Qf7 a3 43.Qe8+ Kc7
44.Nc8+ and White gives mate in three moves.
533
Show in Text Mode
Game 111 Old Indian/Benoni Wall
Vladimir Savon
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Kharkov ch-URS 1967
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 Qe7!?
Moment of Contemplation: True adultery is not straying from your main opening, but instead
playing and sticking with an opening you don’t truly love. Heresy of dogma was a Nezhmetdinov
specialty and here he is clearly messing around, attempting to provoke his opponent. The move isn’t
as bad as it looks, since Black later develops his kingside via a fianchetto.
5.Bg5 c6 6.e3 h6 7.Bh4 Bg4 8.Be2 g5!?
A theoretical novelty and, I suspect, not a good one since White’s king hasn’t committed to castling
kingside. A few years previous to this game Nezhmetdinov had played the superior 8...Nbd7 9.c5!? (I
would risk 9.0-0! g5 10.Bg3 – I don’t believe in Black’s attack, since he lags in development, while
White’s king is safely surrounded by able-bodied defenders) 9...Bxf3 10.cxd6 Qe6! 11.Bxf3 e4
12.Be2 Bxd6 and Nezhmetdinov emerged with a decent position in Borisenko-Nezhmetdinov, Kazan
1964.
534
9.Bg3 Nbd7 10.d5!?
I don’t like this response, since the pawn tension in the centre favoured White, not Black. Surely
better was 10.h3 since it offered air for the g3-bishop.
10...Nc5
11.Qc2?!
The queen doesn’t belong on the c-file, since a black rook later opposes it on c8. White still looks
better after 11.Nd2! Bxe2 (11...Nd3+? only loses time: 12.Kf1 Bxe2+ 13.Qxe2 (the b2-pawn can’t
be taken) 13...Nc5 14.h4 and White stands clearly better) 12.Qxe2 cxd5 13.cxd5 Bg7 14.h4. Black’s
kingside structure looks shaky and he is stuck with a potentially bad bishop.
11...cxd5 12.cxd5 Rc8 13.h3 Bd7
Also possible was 13...Bh5, intending ...Bg6.
14.Nd2
Covering against 14...Nce4.
14...Bg7
14...Na4 doesn’t bother White much after 15.Qb3 Nxc3 16.bxc3 Bg7 17.c4 b6 18.a4 and White is
still better.
535
15.a4
The idea is to plant a knight on c4, without fear of ...b7-b5.
15...0-0 16.Nc4 Ne8
Intending to roll his pawns forward with ...f7-f5.
17.e4 f5 18.f3 Nf6
The knight pressures e4, while leaving open the possibility of ...Nh5 and ...Nf4.
19.Bf2
The bishop transfers to a better diagonal. Foolish would have been 19.exf5? Nh5 20.Bf2 Bxf5
21.Ne4 Nf4 and White is in trouble as he has activated Black’s entire kingside.
19...Nh5!?
I don’t really like this plan, since the knight can be kept out of f4. More thematic was 19...fxe4!
20.fxe4 Be8 21.0-0 Bg6 with rising pressure on e4.
20.g4!?
It’s unwise to invite the knight into f4, even if White gets f5 in return. 20.g3! is awkward for Black.
Savon may have feared the pawn sacrifice 20...f4!? 21.g4 Ng3 22.Bxg3 fxg3 23.Rg1 Rc7 24.Ne3.
The g3-pawn falls, White’s knight attains access to f5, and I don’t believe in Black’s full
compensation.
536
20...fxg4 21.hxg4 Nf4 22.Ne3
Destination: f5.
22...h5! 23.Nf5
After 23.gxh5? Nxe2 24.Qxe2 Nb3! the a1-rook is under attack and Black also threatens 25...Nd4,
with a double attack on White’s queen and f3-pawn.
23...Bxf5 24.gxf5
The game looks dynamically balanced. 24.exf5?? e4! and just like that, White is busted.
24...Kf7!
Nezh clears the way to bring his rooks over to the g- and h-files.
25.a5 a6 26.b4?!
Weakening c3 is unwise, with Black’s rook already on the open file. Maybe White should have
followed suit and connected his rooks with 26.Kd2!?.
26...Nd7!
For once our hero refrains from a dubious but tempting sacrifice. I bet Nezhmetdinov looked
longingly at 26...Nxe4?! 27.fxe4 g4 28.Kd1 Bf6 29.b5. I don’t believe in Black’s full compensation.
27.Qb2?!
537
b3 is the more prudent square, since then the queen stays out of the way of a potential fork on d3.
27...g4!
In the murk we can only see dim shapes, devoid of detail, yet we strongly sense that the kingside
opens to Black’s advantage.
28.fxg4 hxg4 29.Rg1
Most certainly not 29.Bxg4?? Nd3+.
29...Nf6
Now White must watch out for ...Nh3 ideas.
30.Bf1 Rh8 31.Be3 Rh3!
The answer tumbles out of the sky and a sense of panic creeps through White’s position. The rook
can’t be touched due to the knight fork on d3. White is completely overextended, unable to defend all
his loose points.
32.Qd2
Exercise (planning): How would you continue for Black?
Show/Hide Solution
538
Answer: 32...Rxc3!
This undermining sacrifice wins White’s all-important base pawn on e4.
Your wife forces you to an idiotic movie you are certain to hate. Then the air conditioning goes out.
That is how Savon must have felt at this stage – White’s position falls apart.
For some reason the engine wants to build with 32...Rf3. I suppose the ...Rxc3/...Nxe4 idea isn’t
running away.
33.Bxh3 0-1
This is a blunder in an already hopeless position.
And Savon resigned without waiting for the zwischenzug 33...Nxe4! when White is crushed, since
his queen is disconnected from her protection of the e3-bishop: 33.Qxc3 Nxe4 34.Qc1 Qh4+ 35.Kd1
Rf3 36.Ra2 Bf6 37.Rc2 Bg5 and White has no chance. If 38.Rc7+ Kf6 39.Rxb7 Rxe3! 40.Qxe3
Nxd5! (the e4-knight is safe due to a fork on c3) 41.Qb3 (if 41.Qd3??, 41...Nf2+ forks king and
queen) 41...Ne3+ 42.Kc1 Qe1+ 43.Kb2 Qd2+ 44.Ka1 Nc2+ Black forces mate.
Game 112 King’s Indian Defence
Vladimir Timofeev
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Soviet Union 1969
If the games of a great player are works of art, then Nezhmetdinov’s play in this game is graffiti. It is
one of the wildest games in this book.
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d6 3.c4 Nbd7 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.Nc3 0-0 7.0-0 e5 8.Qc2
8.e4 is White’s main line today.
8...c6 9.Rd1 Re8
Or he can move his queen to e7 to get off the d-file.
10.h3?!
This move is slow, allowing Black to seize a central initiative. 10.e4 is correct.
539
10...e4! 11.Nh2
This is a sorry spot for the knight. 11.Nd2 was no improvement: 11...d5 12.Nf1 (Shocron-Bolbochan,
Mar del Plata 1956) 12...Nb6! secures Black’s advantage.
11...d5 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.Bf4
13.Nb5 fails to 13...Re6! 14.Qc7 Qf8 15.Qa5 Ra6 16.Qe1 Rc6. White has wasted time and got
nowhere on the queenside.
13...a6
Black cuts out all of White’s Nb5 tricks. It may not have been necessary. 13...Nb6! improves, since
14.Nb5? is met with 14...Re6!.
14.Ng4!?
This is the precursor to an attempt to complicate and unbalance the position. 14.Rac1 Nb6 15.b3 Be6
is pleasant for Black due to the extra central space.
14...Nxg4 15.Nxd5!
Timofeev refuses to play along. This is White’s point. He threatens to regain his piece on g4, and he
also threatens to fork on c7. 15.hxg4!? g5! is in Black’s favour.
540
15...Ndf6!?
Moment of Contemplation: Even a powerful intellect can be blinded by love. When it came to risk
and love of irrational positions, Nezh out-Taled everyone, including Tal! He relied upon deception
and confusion to undermine the real. As usual, Nezhmetdinov goes crazy when he doesn’t need to!
This line is objectively in White’s favour, although the complications rise greatly.
The capacity to endure patient defence varies from person to person. Nezh exhibited exceptionally
low tolerance for any line where he was not in possession of initiative or attack.
15...Nb6! 16.Nc7 Nf6 17.Be5 Re7 18.Nxa8 Nxa8 19.Rac1 Bd7 looks slightly in Black’s favour.
16.Nc7 e3! 17.hxg4 exf2+ 18.Kf1 Nxg4 19.Nxe8!
This is the correct rook to grab: 19.Nxa8?? g5! 20.Bc1 Qf6! (threat: 21...Nh2 mate) 21.Bf3 Qh6! and
Black whips up a winning attack.
19...Qxe8 20.Qb3
20.Qe4! Qd8 21.Qd5 Qf6 22.Bf3 was in White’s favour.
20...h6
541
21.Bxb7?
The b-pawn was poisoned! 21.Rac1 is just an unclear mess.
21...g5?
The game wavers from one uncertainty to the next. This is unsound! 21...Bxb7! 22.Qxb7 Rd8 23.Rd3
Bxd4 24.e3 Bxe3 25.Rxd8 Qxd8 26.Qb8 Qxb8 27.Bxb8 Bd4 28.Ke2 Nh2 29.Rd1 f1=Q+ 30.Rxf1
Nxf1 31.Kxf1 Bxb2 gave two extra pawns and a won ending for Black.
22.Bxa8 gxf4 23.gxf4?
The position teeters between sanity and its evil twin, insanity. Now Black is right back in the game.
Timofeev missed 23.Qb8! (threat: 24.Rac1) 23...Nh2+ 24.Kxf2 Qe3+ 25.Kg2 Qxg3+ 26.Kh1 Qh4
27.Kg1! – there is no mate or perpetual check and the c8-bishop is lost.
23...Be6 24.Qb7
542
Exercise (combination alert): What is Black’s strongest defensive option?
Show/Hide Solution
24...Bc4?
If you have no time to waste, then presume the same for your opponent. This is a perplexing decision
since it is too slow. Now White should be able to defend and win.
Nezh either rejected or overlooked Answer: 24...Bd5! (attraction/knight fork). In this case the
firefighter is also the arsonist. This skewer should save Black: 25.Qxd5 (forced) 25...Ne3+ 26.Kxf2
Nxd5 27.Bxd5 Qd8 28.e4 Qh4+ 29.Ke2 Qxf4 and the engine likes White, while I suspect that Black
is likely to hold the draw with a perpetual.
25.Qe4! Qd8 26.Kg2 f5 27.Qc6?!
There was no reason for the queen to wander away from her king. 27.Qf3! was winning for White.
27...Kh7?!
27...Ne3+! 28.Kxf2 Bd5 29.Qxa6 Nxd1+ 30.Rxd1 Bxa8 is unclear.
28.Kf3??
28.Qf3! Qh4 29.Rh1 Qe7 30.Kf1 Bxd4 31.Rc1 looks scary for White, from a human perspective, but
the engine favours White.
543
If you are kidnapped and locked in a solid concrete room, then the dumbest possible escape plan is to
continually launch your body against the wall, hoping you will eventually break it down.
Exercise (combination alert): Nezhmetdinov sacrificed two exchanges to draw White’s king out.
How did he force mate in five moves from this position?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 28...f1=Q+!
Clearance; f2 must be vacated before Black’s queen swoops into h4. The immediate 28...Qh4? allows
White to draw with 29.Rh1 Nh2+ 30.Kg2 f1=Q+ 31.Raxf1 Qg4+ 32.Kxh2 Qh4+ and perpetual
check.
29.Rxf1 Qh4!
Threat: 30...Qh3 mate.
30.Kg2
30.Rh1 Qf2# – this is why f2 needed to be cleared in advance.
30...Qh2+ 31.Kf3 Bxe2#
Game 113 Sicilian Defence
544
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Vitaly Nikitin
Kaluga 1970
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4
4.Qxd4!?
As a life-long Scandinavian player, I have a soft spot in my heart for any opening where a queen is
brought out amateurishly early! The idea of the line is to later create a Maroczy Bind with c2-c4.
4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.f3!? is a close cousin: 5...e5 6.Nb3 Be7 7.c4 a5 8.Be3 a4 9.Nc1 0-0 10.Nc3 Qa5
11.Qd2 Na6?! (this didn’t work out well; 11...Be6 is even) 12.Be2 Nc5 13.0-0 was Carlsen-Karjakin,
New York WCh playoff 2016. Carlsen already stood comfortably better and went on to retain his
world title with a stunning queen sacrifice at the end of the game.
4...Nc6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.Bxc6
White offers the bishop pair to not lose time and keep his queen on d4. The idea is to then play c2-c4,
erecting a Maroczy Bind formation without his bad light-squared bishop.
6...Bxc6
6...bxc6 is also played: 7.c4 e5 8.Qd3 with an unbalanced middlegame to follow.
7.c4 Nf6 8.Nc3
545
8...g6
It makes sense to point the dark- squared bishop at White’s queen. 8...e6 is an alternative Hedgehog
set-up.
9.0-0 Bg7 10.Re1 0-0
Threat: 11...Nxe4.
11.Qd2
White plans to develop his queenside with a fianchetto. 11.Qd3 is played with equal frequency.
11...Rc8 12.h3
This luft move hasn’t been repeated. 12.Rb1 a6 13.a4 Nd7 14.Nd4? was seen in Brito-Vera Siguenas,
Manaus 2013. Here both sides missed the tactic 14...Bxa4!, winning a clean pawn, since if 15.Nxa4,
15...Rxc4 regains the piece with interest. 14.b3 is correct, Black looks at least even after 14...b5.
12...b6
He wants to preserve his bishop against Nd4. After 12...Nd7! 13.Nd4 Qb6! 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.b3
Qd4! Black stands at least equal in the ending, if not better.
13.Nd4 Ba8
This bishop isn’t that great a piece, so Black could have considered 13...a6, playing for a pawn break
546
on b5.
14.b3 Qd7 15.Bb2 Rfd8 16.Nd5 e6?
Exercise (combination alert): Black logically attempts to boot out the d5-intruder, except it doesn’t
work! We can lay out a multi-reasoned plan, yet if the math doesn’t work out, it devolves into a
blunder.
What is White’s strongest response here?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 17.Nf5!!
With this shocking move, Nezh flicks open the all-purpose Swiss Army knife. Amazingly, Black
lacks even a single decent response.
17...Bxd5
A) 17...exf5 18.Nxf6+ Bxf6 19.Bxf6 Qe6 20.e5! (threat: 21.Qh6 and 22.Qg7 mate) 20...dxe5
(20...Qe8 21.Bxd8 Rxd8 22.exd6 is also hopeless for Black) 21.Bxd8 and White has won a full rook;
B) 17...exd5 18.Nxg7 Nxe4 19.Qd4 (threatening to move the g7-knight) 19...f6 20.cxd5 Qxg7
21.Rxe4 Re8 22.Rae1 Re5 23.Qd2 Rxe4 (if 23...Rxd5?, 24.Re8+ Rxe8 25.Rxe8+ Kf7 26.Qe2 Re5
27.Bxe5 wins) 24.Rxe4 (Re6 is coming and Black is unable to defend) 24...Rf8 25.Re6 Qb7 26.Rxd6
with a completely winning position;
C) 17...Nxd5 18.Nxg7 e5 19.Nh5! (Black is unable to move the knight from d5, since it must cover
547
the f6 fork square) 19...Qe7 20.cxd5 gxh5 21.Qh6 and if 21...Rc2 22.Re3! f6 23.Rc1! Rc5 (23...Rxb2
24.Rc7! Qxc7 25.Rg3+ Kf7 26.Qxh7+ Kf8 27.Rg8#) 24.Ba3 Rxc1+ 25.Bxc1 Black won’t survive the
assault;
D) If 17...e5, 18.Nfe7+ wins a clean exchange.
18.Nxg7
I state the obvious when I say that Black will sorely miss his dark- squared bishop.
18...e5
Nikitin is desperate to close the a1-h8 diagonal. After 18...Nxe4 19.Qh6 Ba8 20.Rxe4! Bxe4 21.Nh5
Black is mated.
19.exd5 Kxg7 20.f4!
Black is unable to keep the a1-h8 diagonal closed.
20...Ne8
20...exf4?? 21.Qxf4 Qf5 22.Qh4 (threat: 23.Rf1) 22...g5 23.Qd4. There is no answer to the coming
Rf1. If 23...Re8, 24.Rf1 Qe5 25.Qf2! wins.
21.fxe5 dxe5 22.Rxe5 f6
Exercise (combination alert): Welcome to the Academy of the Obvious. Black’s awful position is
not easy on the eyes. What is White’s most deadly continuation?
548
Show/Hide Solution
23.Qe3!
Threat: 24.Re7+. And certainly not the mega-blunder 23.Re6?? Qxe6 when White just loses a full
rook.
23...fxe5
23...Rc7 24.Re1! Kf7 25.Re6 Rb7 26.Bxf6! (annihilation of defensive barrier/attraction/pinned piece)
26...Nxf6 27.Rf1 and White wins.
24.Qxe5+ Kf7
The only move to evade immediate mate.
A) 24...Kg8 25.Qh8+ Kf7 26.Re1! (Principle: Don’t chase in a king hunt; instead, cut off flight
squares) 26...Rc7 27.Rxe8! (removal of the guard) 27...Rxe8 28.Qg7#;
B) 24...Kh6 25.Bc1+ g5 26.Qxg5#.
25.Rf1+ Qf5
This is going to get ugly.
26.Rxf5+
A player can be careless and competent at the same time, since competence tends to hide
carelessness. Who can resist taking the opponent’s queen? This must have been played quickly. It’s
actually not White’s strongest move. The clever zwischenzug 26.Qe6+! wins another piece: 26...Kf8
27.Ba3+! Nd6 (27...Kg7 28.Qe7+ Kg8 29.Rxf5 gxf5 30.Qf8#) 28.Rxf5+ gxf5 29.Bxd6+.
26...gxf5 27.Qxf5+ Kg8 28.Qe6+ Kf8 29.Bc1! 1-0
549
Black loses heavy material. The threat is 30.Bh6+ and when Black blocks with the knight, 31.Qf6
wins a piece. If 29...Rc7 30.Ba3+! – the bishop switches diagonals once again: 30...Kg7 31.Qg4+
Kh8 32.Qf4! (threat: 33.Qf8 mate) 32...h5 33.Qh6+ Kg8 (33...Rh7 34.Qf8#) 34.Qg5+, picking up
the d8-rook.
Game 114 Réti Opening
Ole Jakobsen
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Kislovodsk 1972
‘Each variety (species) is constant to its own land,’ wrote Charles Darwin. Normally Nezhmetdinov’s
‘land’ was chaos, anarchy and disorder. This is one of the oddest Nezhmetdinov games in the entire
book. Why? Because it is 95% strategy and only about 5% tactics. It also happens to be a strategic
masterpiece, rivaling smooth, elegant performances by Capablanca, Fischer and Karpov. This game
also reinforces my somewhat eccentric theory (which nobody else seems to believe!) that
Nezhmetdinov possessed the skills of a strong positional player who usually chose not to be one!
1.Nf3 d5!?
What? Black’s last move is a crazy violation of the Nezh rule of law. Where is his King’s Indian? If
the King’s Indian is a drug, then it’s a habit-forming one. Nezh could never acclimate himself to
orthodox openings (the sole exception was when he played Black against 1.e4) and was considered to
be something of a Bronsteinian radical for playing the King’s Indian in the 1940’s and 50’s. Near the
end of his life Nezhmetdinov mellowed out (but only slightly!) and experimented with the more solid,
non-KID lines against queen’s pawn openings.
550
2.g3 c6 3.b3 Bg4
This is the Reversed Torre Attack formation, a super-solid choice.
4.Bg2 Nd7 5.Bb2 Ngf6 6.d3 e6 7.Nbd2
Black doesn’t mind 7.h3 Bh5 8.g4 Bg6 9.Nh4 Bd6 10.Nd2 Qe7 11.a3 e5 when he stands no worse,
even though White will pick up the bishop pair, Maghsoodloo-Tomashevsky, Doha blitz 2016.
7...Bd6 8.0-0
8...Qe7
A theoretical novelty at the time. There is no rush to play ...e6-e5, since Black can play it anytime.
Black may also play for ...Ba3, when the exchange of dark-squared bishops will take all the fun out of
White’s position.
9.Qc1!?
This attempt to prevent 9...Ba3 feels artificial. Surely logic dictates that White should play 9.a3.
9...0-0 10.e4
Threat: e4-e5.
10...Bxf3!?
Nezhmetdinov is happy to create an imbalance, while at the same time eliminating White’s threat to
551
win a piece with e4-e5. I would have chosen the move order 10...dxe4 11.dxe4 and only then played
11...Bxf3 12.Bxf3.
11.Bxf3 a5
12.a4?!
This move may be inaccurate for the following reasons:
1. The pawn push weakens b4.
2. Black may later generate queenside play with a timely ...b7-b5 break, followed by ...Nb6 to induce
White to trade on b5 and open the queenside.
3. The push of the a-pawn to the fourth rank is less flexible than the a2-a3 push, since then White
keeps open options of b3-b4, or a3-a4 later on.
4. A future c2-c4 break will create a hole on b4. This would not be the case if White had pushed a2a3.
12.a3! is more accurate for the reasons listed above.
12...Rfd8 13.Bg2
Preparing for f2-f4.
13...dxe4!
Well timed, since it follows the Principle: Meet your opponent’s (future) wing attack with a central
counter.
552
14.dxe4
14.Nxe4 Nxe4 15.Bxe4 Nf6 16.Bg2 Nd5! and now we see one of the reasons for White to have
avoided a2-a4?! since 17.c4 will be met with 17...Nb4, jumping into the b4 hole.
14...Ne5!
This counter-intuitive move prevents White’s intended Nc4. Nezhmetdinov realized that White is
unable to immediately kick the knight out with f2-f4.
15.Bc3?!
The funny thing about chess is that just a few second and third best moves may downgrade a once
playable position to a new status of mediocrity. Jakobsen fears 15...Bb4 and covers against it. In
doing so he places his bishop in an awkward spot on c3.
A) 15.f4? would have been a serious strategic error due to 15...Bb4! 16.Nf3 (16.fxe5? Qc5+ 17.Kh1
Bxd2 18.Qd1 – White must prevent 18...Ng4 – 18...Bc3 19.Qc1 Bxb2 20.Qxb2 Ng4 – White is
strategically busted and about to lose the e5-pawn) 16...Nxf3+ 17.Bxf3 Qc5+! 18.Kh1 Bd2! 19.Qb1
Qe3 and White is tangled up on the central dark squares, e4 is threatened and Black attains a
strategically won game;
B) 15.h3! was White’s best move, e.g. 15...Bb4! 16.Bxe5 Bxd2 17.Qb2 Rd7 18.Rad1 Rad8 and Black
stands no worse.
15...Nfg4!
Nezh is up to some dirty tactical tricks.
553
16.h3
After 16.f4? Bb4! 17.Bxb4 Qxb4 18.Nf3 Nxf3+ 19.Bxf3 Qd4+ 20.Kh1 Nf2+ 21.Kg2 Nxe4 Black
has won an important pawn, while retaining all his strategic plusses.
16...Bb4! 17.Nb1?!
17.Qb2 was the lesser evil. After 17...Qc5! 18.Bxb4 axb4 19.Rad1 Nf6 20.Nf3 Nxf3+ 21.Bxf3 e5 I
still slightly prefer Black, since White’s dark squares are weak and he is stuck with the clearly
inferior minor piece since too many pawns are fixed on the same colour as the bishop.
17...Bxc3 18.Nxc3 Qc5
White must deal with two problems, as listed above: weak dark squares and a potentially bad bishop.
19.Qe1
The engine’s suggestion 19.Na2 Nf6 doesn’t look all that great for White either.
19...Nf6 20.Kh1
Preparing f2-f4.
20...Ng6! 21.f4
554
21...e5!
Principle: Fix your opponent’s pawns on the same colour as his remaining bishop.
22.f5
This is strategically awful, but I am unable to offer any useful improvements for White. An attempt to
retain central tension with 22.Rf2? fails miserably to 22...exf4 23.gxf4 Nh5! 24.f5 Nh4 25.Rd1 Qe5
26.Ne2 Nf6. White is tangled up and bleeds on the dark squares.
22...Nf8!
The knight has better prospects on f8 than on e8, since it has options of ...h7-h6, followed by ...Nh7,
or it can later be transferred to c5, via d7.
23.g4!?
White is way too weak on the dark squares to have much of a chance of launching a kingside attack.
It may have been better to play 23.Rf2.
23...h6
23...Rd6, intending to double rooks, was also strong.
24.Bf3 Rd7 25.Rf2 Rad8 26.h4 N6h7!
Oh no you don’t! 27.g5 is prevented.
555
27.Rg2
Exercise (planning): White renews his intention to attack with g4-g5 next. We can play 27...Qe7 to
prevent it. Do you see a stronger idea?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: Erect a dark square wall:
27...g5!!
As you may have guessed by now, Nezh experienced great difficulty in summoning up enthusiasm
for any defensive task. He generally responded to an attack on his own king with an attack on the
opponent’s! This move must have come as a shock from Jakobsen, since it almost feels as if Black
volunteers to weaken his king. The weakening is an optical illusion, since Black’s increasing
domination of the dark squares keeps his king completely safe.
28.h5
This miserable concession means to give up on an attack and be left with a terrible bishop and
dreadfully weakened dark squares. Even worse for White were:
A) 28.hxg5? Nxg5 29.Rf2 Nfh7 30.Kg2 Nxf3! (paradoxically, it’s best to swap away White’s bad
bishop) 31.Kxf3 Rd2!! 32.Rxd2 Qxc3+ 33.Rd3 Rxd3+ 34.cxd3 Qxd3+ 35.Kg2 Ng5 36.Rd1 Qh3+
37.Kf2 Qf3+ 38.Kg1 Qxg4+ 39.Kf1 Qh3+ 40.Kf2 Qxb3 – White hemorrhages pawns and has no
chance to survive;
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B) 28.Nd1? gxh4! 29.Qxh4 Qd4 30.Rb1 Ng5! 31.Be2 (31.Qxh6?? f6! (threat: 32...Rh7, pinning
White’s queen, as well as 32...Nxf3, to which White has no defence) 32.Qxf6 Rh7+ 33.Rh2 Nxf3!
34.Rxh7 Qg1#) 31...Qxe4 32.Qxh6 Nfh7 33.f6 Qg6 34.Qxg6+ fxg6 and White is strategically busted
in the ending;
C) 28.fxg6? Nxg6 29.Rd1 Nhf8 30.g5 Nf4 31.Rf2 hxg5 32.hxg5 Nh7! 33.Rxd7 Rxd7 34.Bg4 Rd6
35.Rh2 Qd4! 36.Qh4 Qxc3 37.Qxh7+ Kf8 – Black’s king remains annoyingly safe, while White’s is
about to get fried.
28...Nf6 29.Rc1 Kg7 30.Nd1
Exercise (combination alert): There is no question that White has a sorry looking position. How do
we enter it?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 30...Rd3!
Taking advantage of White’s undefended rook on c1 with a double attack on f3 and b3.
31.cxd3
31.Be2 Rh3+ 32.Rh2 Rxb3 is also horrible for White.
31...Qxc1
Now Nezhmetdinov lays siege to White’s weak d3- and b3-pawns.
557
32.Be2
32.Rd2 Rd4 33.Qe2 Qb1 34.Kg2 Qxb3 is lost for White.
32...Rd4!
Black simply threatens 33...Qb1 and 34...Qxb3, as well as the maneuver ...N8d7, ...Nc5 and ..Nxb3.
33.Qc3
This will be a joyless ending for White. Keeping queens on the board at least made the win a bit
tougher for Black: 33.Rg1 Qc2 34.Ne3 Qxb3 35.Qxa5 Rxa4 36.Qxe5 N8d7 37.Qg3 Ra2 38.Rg2 Qc3
and Black’s simple play would be to push the passed b-pawn down the board.
33...Qxc3 34.Nxc3 N8d7
...Nc5 is coming, targeting both the b3- and d3-pawns.
35.Rg1 Nc5 36.Rd1 Rb4 37.Rb1 Rxb3
White loses any prayer of counterplay with the exchange of rooks.
38.Rxb3
38.Rc1 Nfd7 and White’s a4-pawn is doomed.
38...Nxb3
558
White’s position is like penned livestock, waiting to be driven to the slaughterhouse, ending a life
which was without meaning or joy of any kind.
39.Bd1 Nd4 40.Kg2 b5
Activating the queenside majority.
41.Kf2
Of course exchanging on b5 gives Black two connected passed pawns.
41...Kf8
Knowledge of our opponent’s intent is unhelpful when we have no way to prevent it. It’s painfully
obvious that Black plans to transfer his king to the dominating c5-square and there isn’t a damned
thing White can do about it.
42.Ke3 Ke7 43.Kd2 Kd6 44.Kc1 Kc5 45.Kb2 Nd7
With a slow creep, Nezh’s pieces infuse his opponent’s position, rather than invade it. The knight
heads for b6 to add heat to the a4-pawn.
46.Na2 Nb6
559
47.Nc3 f6
Zugzwang.
48.Na2
On 48.Bc2, 48...b4 49.Nb1 Nxc2 50.Kxc2 Nxa4 wins easily.
48...bxa4 49.Nc3
If 49.Ka3, 49...Nb5+ wins.
49...Nb5!
Nezh clears a path for his king into d4.
50.Nxa4+ Nxa4+ 51.Bxa4 Kd4 52.Kc2 Ke3! 0-1
560
The Titanic’s lifeboat is full and there is no room aboard for White’s king and bishop. Zugzwang
(again!): White either loses his base d3-pawn or heads for a king and pawn ending a pawn down:
53.Bb3 (53.Bxb5 cxb5 54.Kc3 a4 wins) 53...Nd4+ 54.Kc3 Nxb3 55.Kxb3 Kxd3 and Black wins.
Game 115 King’s Indian Defence
Kick Langeweg
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Kislovodsk 1972
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.d4 0-0 5.e4 d6 6.Be2 e5
Another order is to toss in ...Nbd7 early, which Nezh avoids in this game: 6...Nbd7 7.0-0 e5 8.Be3
exd4 9.Nxd4 Re8 10.f3 c6 11.Qd2 d5 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.Ndb5 dxe4 14.Nd6 Re7 15.Ndxe4 Qa5
16.Rad1 Nxe4 17.fxe4 Re8 18.Nd5 Qxd2 19.Rxd2 Be5 20.Bc4 Kg7 21.Rxf7+?! (21.Bb3! Rf8
22.Rdf2 f6 23.Nf4 leaves Black in deep trouble) 21...Kxf7 22.Nc7+ Ke7 23.Nxa8 with advantage for
White, although the game Lakdawala-Dzindzichashvili, San Mateo 1989, ended in a draw.
7.0-0 c6
This line tends to lead to open positions, more than the main line 7...Nc6.
8.Rb1!?
This move is slow.
Today, most players go for 8.d5 or 8.Re1.
561
8...exd4!
Opening the centre makes White’s 8.Rb1 a wasted move.
9.Nxd4 Re8 10.f3
10...d5!
Moment of Contemplation: Here we see three Nezh traits in action:
1. The desire to create an early confrontation.
2. The desire to increase the level of complications.
3. The desire to open the position.
A single violent freeing break sends the middle into great upheaval. Nezhmetdinov was not one for
idle chatter in the opening and early middlegame, so he needs no pretext for an adventurous lunge to
mix it up. The move was a theoretical novelty at the time, and a good one. Compare it to my game
with Dzindzichashvili in the notes above. The two key differences are:
1. Black hasn’t yet played ...Nbd7, which means his queen retains control over d5.
2. With White’s rook on b1, Langeweg is vulnerable to the loss of two tempi if Black plays ...Bf5.
The chances at this stage are even.
11.exd5 Nxd5!?
Nezh’s idea has never been repeated. The shooting has already started and it’s only move 11 – a
spectacular looking move 11. In reality the position is just equal, since Black immediately regains the
562
piece. Normal is 11...cxd5 12.c5 or 12.Bg5.
12.cxd5 Qb6 13.Kh1 Qxd4
As much as Nezhmetdinov disliked queen swaps, here there is no choice. 13...Bxd4?? hangs a piece
to 14.Na4 Qb4 15.a3.
14.Qxd4 Bxd4
15.Bc4
White loses the initiative after this move, since it allows Black to gain a tempo on the b1-rook with
...Bf5. Correct was the pawn offer 15.Bd3! Bxc3 16.bxc3 cxd5 when White’s bishop pair and dark
square control offer him full compensation for the missing pawn.
15...Bf5
Stronger was the unbalancing line 15...b5! 16.Bb3 Bf5 17.Ne4 (17.Ra1 Bd3 18.Rd1 Bxc3 19.bxc3
c5!, intending ...c5-c4, is in Black’s favour) 17...c5! 18.Bg5 Nd7 19.Bc2 f6 20.Bf4 Nb6 and Black’s
queenside majority is worth more than White’s possibly vulnerable d-pawn.
16.dxc6?!
It isn’t a good idea to help Black develop. 16.Ne4 improves.
16...Nxc6
563
16...Bxb1?? loses a piece to 17.cxb7.
17.Ne4
White is happy if Black exchanges on e4, since that opens the f-file, with an attack on f7, as well as
picks up the bishop pair.
17...Ne5! 18.Bd5
18.Bb5! may have been White’s best try, e.g. 18...Re6 19.Bg5 Nxf3! 20.gxf3 Rxe4! 21.Rbd1 Re5!
22.Bf6 Rxb5 23.Bxd4 Be6 24.a3. A paper cut won’t kill you, but it still stings. Black is up a pawn
and has all the winning chances, yet the conversation is far from over. Black’s plan could be to swing
the rook to f5, transfer the bishop to d5 and then tie White down to the defence of f3. Of course,
White retains decent chances to hold due to the bishops of opposite colours.
18...Nd3!
Nezh sends a survey drone to investigate. This knight is a monster which places the squares b2, c1
and f2 under its surveillance.
19.Bg5?
19.g4! may yet have saved White: 19...Nf2+ 20.Kg2 Nxg4 21.Bxb7 Rab8 22.Bc6 Bxe4 23.Bxe4 and
Black is better but not yet winning.
Exercise (combination alert): Forcing lines are not subject to our desires and whims. This is the
kind of position where an answer is derived by a rigid mathematical formula. White just blundered on
his last move. Prove why.
564
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 19...Nf2+!
Pinned piece/overloaded defender. Tactical lucidity is found within the external chaos. The knight has
power of attorney on the matter, assuming ownership of a disputed square.
20.Rxf2!
Langeweg finds the most stubborn path of resistance. 20.Nxf2?! was even worse for White:
20...Bxb1 21.Ne4 (worse is 21.Rxb1 Bxf2 22.Bxb7 Rab8 23.Be4 when White is down an exchange
for a pawn: 23...f5! 24.Bd5+ Kg7 25.Bd2 Bd4! 26.Bb3 Re2 27.Rd1 Bxb2 wins White’s pawn, while
remaining up the exchange) 21...Re5! (threats: 22...Rxd5, and also 22...Bxe4, undermining the
defender of White’s g5-bishop) 22.Bxf7+ Kxf7 23.Rxb1 Rd5 24.Rd1 Ke6 and White is down the
exchange for a pawn, which is not enough.
20...Bxf2 21.Rd1
White threatens 22.Nf6+, now that the rook is unpinned. 21.Bxb7 Rab8 22.Bd5 Bd4 23.b3 Be6! is
also lost.
21...Bxe4! 22.fxe4 Rac8
Intending to occupy the seventh rank with 23...Rc2 next.
23.Bxb7 Rc2
23...Rb8? lowers Black’s advantage after 24.Rd7.
24.Rd7?
24.Bf6 was necessary, when Black must still work a bit for the point.
565
Exercise (combination alert): White believes his back rank is covered. It isn’t. The rook moving to
d7 is a case of false liberation and Langeweg’s ambition is severely constrained by the limitations of
natural resources on the board. White was hoping to have time to play Bd5, with attacks on f7 and a7.
He doesn’t. In reality, Black is just a centimeter from the finish line. Do you see why White’s last
move was a blunder?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 24...Bh4!
Weak back rank/decoy/simplification. Now comes the time for Langeweg to pay his strategic bills.
White’s bishop is chased away from covering the crucial d8-square, which in turn allows Black to
swap rooks, eliminating all White’s hopes: 25.Bf4 (25.Bxh4?? gets back rank mated with 25...Rc1+)
25...Rd8!. This move is a confirmation of White’s most awful expectations: rooks are removed from
the board, after which White’s resistance collapses. 26.Rxd8+ Bxd8 27.Bd5 Rxb2 and Black wins
back a pawn, remaining up a full exchange, with an easy technical win in the ending:
0-1
Game 116 English Opening
Vladimir Karasev
Rashid Nezhmetdinov
Daugavpils 1973
566
How fitting that we end the book with yet another sparkling game. Even close to his death,
Nezhmetdinov was still capable of creating attacking masterpieces.
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Ndb5 0-0 7.Bf4?!
White falls behind in development in this line. Correct is 7.a3 Bxc3+ 8.Nxc3 d5 9.Bg5 Nc6 10.e3
when Black’s development lead compensates for White’s bishops, Kortchnoi-Hjartarson, Tilburg
1989.
7...d5!
Moment of Contemplation: Nezhmetdinov, who rarely backed down to an opponent’s challenge,
dares Karasev to go rook-grabbing in the opening, at the cost of his development.
8.a3
Regretfully, White declines the gift-rook on a8. In doing so he loses another tempo.
A) After 8.Nc7? Ne4 9.Qb3 Nc6 10.Nxa8 Qf6! Black has a winning position due to attacks on c3, f4
and, indirectly, f2;
B) 8.e3 a6 9.a3 Ba5 10.Nd4 Nbd7, threatening 11...e5. White lags dangerously in development.
8...Bxc3+!
Excellent judgement, since a development lead means more than the bishop pair.
9.Nxc3 d4 10.Nb5 a6?!
This wasn’t the optimal way to take advantage of the development lead. 10...Nc6! (intending ...e6-e5)
567
11.Bc7 Qd7 12.Bg3 e5 (threat: 13...a6, trapping White’s knight) 13.c5 b6! 14.cxb6 axb6 15.e3 Rd8
and White is in deep trouble.
11.Nc7 Ra7 12.Nb5?
This is the wrong discovered attack. White should survive after 12.Nd5! exd5 13.Bxb8 Ra8 14.Be5
dxc4 15.Qxd4 Be6 16.Qxd8 Rfxd8 17.f3! and White is okay, since 17...Nd5 is met with 18.Kf2!.
12...axb5 13.Bxb8
Exercise (planning): What is Black’s most potent method of exploiting his development lead?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: A strategic exchange sacrifice:
13...bxc4! 14.Bxa7 Qa5+ 15.Qd2 Qxa7
Black has got the following for the exchange:
1. One pawn.
2. A massive development lead.
3. A giant, choking center.
16.e3
16.g3 Ne4 17.Qb4 (White must cover against 18...Qa5+) 17...d3 (threatening f2) 18.e3 d2+ 19.Ke2
568
Qa6! transposes to the game.
16...d3 17.g3
17.f3 Nd5 18.Kf2 f5! (threat: 19...f4) 19.g3 e5 (renewing the threat) 20.Bg2 f4 21.Rhe1 b5 and White
can resign.
17...Ne4 18.Qb4 d2+ 19.Ke2
Exercise (planning): Find Black’s optimal plan and win by force.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: This queen transfer threatens a horrible discovered check with 19...c3+. White lacks a viable
answer to this plan.
19...Qa6! 20.Kf3
20.f3 c3+ 21.Kd1 cxb2 22.Qxb2 and now the engine found 22...Qa4+!! (declining 22...Nf2+ when
the engine prefers 23.Kxd2 Qa5+ 24.Ke2 Nxh1 25.Bg2 Nxg3+ 26.hxg3 Bd7 with an extra pawn and
a development lead) 23.Ke2 e5!! 24.fxe4 Qxe4 and Black wins, e.g. 25.Rg1 Bg4+ 26.Kxd2 Rd8+
27.Kc3 Qxe3+ 28.Kb4 Rc8! (threatening a terrible queen check on b6 and c5) Now if 29.a4 Qc5+
30.Kb3 Be6+ 31.Bc4 Qxc4+ 32.Ka3 Qd3+ 33.Kb4 Qd6+! 34.Ka5 Qc5+ 35.Qb5 Ra8#;
B) 20.Bg2?? c3+ 21.Kf3 (if 21.Kd1 Qd3! White has no defence to the two separate mating threats on
f2 and c2) 21...Ng5+ 22.Kf4 e5+! 23.Kxe5 (23.Kxg5 Qh6#) 23...Rd8 (threat: 24...Qf6 mate) 24.Qe7
Qa5+ 25.Kf4 Qf5#.
569
20...Qc6!
20...e5! is also playable since if 21.Kxe4?? Qc6+ 22.Kxe5 Rd8! White is mated.
21.Ke2
21.Bxc4? Nc3+ 22.Kf4 (22.Kg4 e5+ 23.Kh4 Qh6#) 22...e5+ 23.Kxe5 Qf6#.
21...Qd5!
Preventing 22.f3. Nezhmetdinov finds the optimal attacking continuation.
22.Rd1
A) 22.f3?? Qd3+ 23.Kd1 Nf2#;
B) 22.Rg1?? Qd3+ 23.Kf3 Ng5+ 24.Kg4 (24.Kg2 Qe4+ 25.f3 Qxf3#) 24...Qf5+ 25.Kh4 Nf3#.
22...e5
At last Black’s bishop is freed. Now White must keep a watch for ...Bg4+:
23.h3
A) 23.Rxd2?? fails to the simple 23...Nxd2 24.Qxd2 Qxh1, leaving Black up a rook;
B) 23.Bg2?? Qd3+ 24.Kf3 Ng5#;
C) 23.f3?? eats up the white king’s run-square: 23...Qd3#.
570
23...b6!
Black’s bishop may move to a6.
24.Rg1
A) 24.Bg2?? Qd3+ 25.Kf3 Ng5#;
B) 24.Qxb6?? c3 25.Qc7 Ba6+ 26.Kf3 Nf6+ 27.e4 Qxe4#.
Exercise (combination alert): Black has many ways to win. Which is the most deadly?
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 24...c3!
Clearing the way for ...Ba6+. The threat is 25...c2.
25.bxc3 Nxc3+!
Forcing mate in six moves at the most: 26.Qxc3 Ba6+ etc.
0-1
Rashid Nezhmetdinov/Nikolai Krogius
White wins
571
Shakhmaty v SSSR 1956
White to move
This tricky study is a good way to end the book. Nezhmetdinov trained on the endgame studies of
Leonid Kubbel, just in his head, always without use of a board and pieces. He felt (as I do) that
composed works are powerful training tools, since the geometric anomalies and combinational ideas
within them are usually more difficult to find than most of our over the board combinations.
I was curious to see if Nezhmetdinov had created any composed works of his own and found only one
beautiful study from 1956, co-created with GM Nikolai Krogius. Let’s see if you can solve it.
Exercise (combination alert): White to play and win.
Show/Hide Solution
Answer: 1.Nb3!!
The idea is to short-circuit the black bishop and rook’s defensive coordination in halting White’s aand g-pawns’ quest to promote.
I realized this had to be the first move since in composed endgame studies, no piece is irrelevant. So I
asked myself: ‘What is that knight doing on a1?’ The move has two purposes:
1. White intends Nc5 and Nxe6+, exchanging off the lone defender of the critical a8 and g8
promotion squares.
2. White’s move cuts off Black’s intended ...Ra5. After 1.Nc2? Ra5 2.Ne3 Rxa6 3.f5 Bf7 4.Kf4 Rxd6
5.Ke5 Ke7 6.Ng4 Rd5+ 7.Ke4 Ra5 Black consolidates and wins.
572
1.Nb3!! Rb5
A) 1...Rf6 2.f5 Rxf5 3.a7 Rg5+ 4.Kf4;
B) 1...Bxb3 2.d5! (interference; 2.a7?? Ra5 and Black wins) 2...Bxd5 3.a7. Black’s bishop is
overloaded and one of White’s pawns will promote;
C) 1...Kc8 2.a7 Kb7 3.Nc5+ Rxc5 4.dxc5 Bd5 (after 4...Kxa7 5.f5 Bd5 6.c6! Black’s bishop and dpawn are overloaded and White promotes) 5.f5 zugzwang. Either Black’s king or his bishop must
vacate their current locations, which allows White the overloading 6.c6!;
D) 1...Ke8 2.a7 Bd5 3.a8=R+ (removal of the guard) 3...Bxa8 4.g8=Q+ Rf8 5.Qg7 Rf7 6.Qe5+ Kd8
(6...Kf8 7.Qh8#) 7.Qh8+ Rf8 8.Qxf8#.
2.Nc5
Threats:
A) 3.Nxe6+, followed by 4.g8=Q+;
B) 3.a7, when 3...Ra5 is met with a knight fork on b7.
2...Rxc5
A) If 2...Bd5 3.a7 Ra5 4.Nb7+! (overloaded defender) 4...Ke8 5.Nxa5 Kf7 6.Nc4! (overloaded
defender) 6...Kxg7 7.Nb6 wins;
B) 2...Bg8 3.a7 Ra5 4.Nb7+ Kc8 5.Nxa5 Bd5 6.a8=Q+ Bxa8 7.g8=R#;
C) 2...Ke8 3.Nxe6 Kf7 4.Nc5 Ra5 5.f5 Kxg7 6.Kf4 Kf7 7.Nxd7 Rxa6 8.Ke5 Ra1 9.Nc5 Re1+
10.Kd5 Kf6 11.d7 Ke7 12.f6+ Kd8 13.Kd6! and Black is mated next move.
3.dxc5 Kc8 4.a7 Kb7 5.c6+! dxc6 6.d7! 1-0
573
Black’s bishop is overloaded.
574
Index of openings
(numbers refer to pages)
A
Alekhine’s Defence 34, 36
C
Caro-Kann Defence 60, 109
E
English Opening 281
F
French Defence 39, 50, 56, 116, 134
G
Grünfeld Indian Defence 63
I
Italian Game 44
K
King’s Indian Defence 146, 205, 225, 267, 278
M
Modern Defence 236
O
Old Indian/Benoni Wall 66, 92, 164, 264
P
Philidor Defence 253
Pirc Defence 130
575
R
Réti Opening 97, 260, 272
Ruy Lopez 107, 119, 124, 141, 150, 156, 171, 189, 215, 218, 244
S
Scotch Opening 24
Sicilian Defence 28, 48, 73, 81, 86, 102, 113, 137, 180, 185, 211, 221, 229, 234, 258, 269
T
Two Knights Defence 77, 202
V
Vienna Game 22
576
Index of names
(numbers refer to pages)
A
Abramovic 142
Agdestein 138
Alarcon 45
Alatortsev 164
Alekhine 11
Andriasyan 61
Antoshin 133-134, 195
Aramanovich 50, 52
Arancibia 107
Aronin 18, 30, 60, 69
Averbakh 103
Aveskulov 258
B
Babiy 28
Bachmann 45
Bagirov 218-221
Baker 177
Balaian 56
Balanel 70
Bannik 129
Barber 93
Baskin 44-45
Bastrikov 16, 174
Beliavsky 64
Belov 198, 202-203
Benko 261
577
Bobekov 210
Böhnke 234
Bolbochan 267
Boleslavsky 18, 164, 171, 173
Bond 28
Borisenko 95, 97, 265
Bortnyk 190
Botvinnik 8, 10-12, 18, 55, 103, 178, 189, 211
Brito 270
Bronstein 8-9, 11, 18, 146, 189-192, 201, 272
Brunswick 45
Butkiewicz 229
Bykovskiy 36
C
Cabrera 28
Capablanca 15, 32, 185, 272
Carlsen 270
Chernikh 250
Chernikov 221
Chistiakov 116, 119
Ciocaltea 77-78
Cipriani 229
Ciric 215
City Arkhangelsk 124
City Rostov-on-Don 124
Clapp 157
Couto 176
Crowe 253
D
Dalgar 28
578
Damasio 87
Damsky 253
Darwin 272
Day-Lewis 91
De Firmian 215
Delgadillo 151
Demchenko 120
Demeter 29
Dickens 8
Dominguez Perez 51, 151
Dubinin 16, 18
Dzindzichashvili 278
E
Ebbet 153
Einstein 7
Ermolin 28
Estrada 208
Eve 186
F
Fernandez 28
Filip 71
Firouzja 120
Fischer 36, 272
Flohr 90
Frankenstein 131, 147
Frost 8
Furman 18
G
Gagarin 206
Galileo 8
579
Garcia Gonzales 249-250
Gdanski 229
Geller 55, 97, 99-102
Georgiev. 120
Gosin 146, 148, 150
Grechkin 16, 81
Gulko 8
Gupta 103
Gurgenidze 132, 170, 192-193
Gusakov 194
H
Hansen 29
Harmon 15
Hernandez 28
Hessmer 229
Hevia 152
Hjartarson 281
Hoover 203
Hughes 145
I
Ilivitzky 18, 90, 127
Illescas 181
Illingworth 109
Inarkiev 103
Isouard 45
Ivanchuk 16, 48
Iveljic 117
J
Jakobsen 272, 274-275
Jakovenko 82
580
Jandera 51
Jones 225
Jonkman 34
Jonsson 44
Juric 206
K
Kalinina 258
Kamyshov 60
Kan 18
Karasev 281
Karjakin 270
Karpov 48, 134, 272
Kasparian 109-110, 112
Kasparov 11, 150
Katalymov 173
Keres 55, 141-146
Khachiyan 190
Khalifman 51
Kholmov 18
Klementev 36
Knox 157
Kopayev 16
Kopec 225
Kopylov 169, 228
Korchagina 56
Kortchnoi 12, 18, 102, 104-106, 281
Kosolapov 24, 26-27
Kotkov 150, 152, 160, 251-252
Kotov 146
Kots 171
Kovacevic 142
581
Kovalev 40
Kramnik 150
Kresovic 49
Krivoborodov 151
Krogius 193, 283
Kubbel,A. 8
Kubbel,L. 8, 17, 283
L
Lakdawala 177, 225, 278
Laketic 176
Langeweg 278, 280
Lein 196
Lenderman 52
Lengyel 225-228
Levenfish 60
Lilienthal 66-67, 92-95
Litvinov 82
Liublinsky 56
London 173
Luchan 164
Lusikal 63
M
Machiavelli 13
Maghsoodloo 273
Martinovic 138
Matlakov 110
Meek 236
Mikenas 33-36, 39-42, 260-264
Mikhalchishin 64
Minasian 61
582
Möhrmann 22
Mooney 28
Morales 152
Morphy 45, 236
Moskalenko 237
Movsziszian 34
Mozart 10
Mrdja 176
N
Navara 61
Nezhmetdinov,K. 15
Nigl 29
Nikitin 172, 269, 271
Nilsen 44
Nogueiras 134
Novopashin 129
Novotelnov 18, 48
P
Paoli 18, 73
Parisi 176
Petr 61
Petrosian 12, 18, 39, 55, 60, 109, 134, 156-159, 224, 261
Petty 136
Piccoli 107
Pinto 151
Pitksaar 172
Polugaevsky 7, 74, 86-90, 164
Ponomariov 52
Poobalasingam 225
Prokofiev 8
583
R
Radic 7
Radulov 258-260
Ragozin 60
Rasputin 169, 214
Reinfeld 237
Richelieu 13
Roganovic 110
Rogers 138
Roizman 74
Romanov 59
Romero 237
S
Sadler 87
Samsonov 15, 22
Sarana 82
Savon 264-265, 267
Schubert 51
Schulz 22
Seirawan 8
Sergievsky 229, 253, 256
Shakhov 84
Shamaev 47
Shamkovich 81-83, 102, 127, 154-155, 205-207
Shapiro 164
Shcherbakov 234
Shestoperov 204
Shianovsky 130
Shirov 190
Shocron 267
Short 181
584
Shubin 51
Smyslov 8, 12, 16, 55, 120
Sneed 8
So 151
Solomon 49
Spasov 29, 138
Spassky 12, 55, 60, 137-140, 175, 177-179, 201, 224, 244-247
Spock 247
Sprecic 117
Stahlberg 80-81
Stalin 8-9
Stark 24
Stohlberg 16
Stoliar 140, 156, 160
Suetin 31-33, 119-121
Svetushkin 134
Swan 28
Sychev 151
Szabo 76
T
Tal 7, 9-12, 18, 29, 55, 134-137, 140, 146, 180, 182-188, 201, 211-214, 251, 268
Tarrasch 172
Tatarintsev 242
Tihonov 82
Timman 51, 215
Timofeev 267-268
Tomashevsky 273
U
Ufimtsev 16
Ujtelky 236-239
585
Ujtumen 248
Usov 156
V
Vaganian 40
Vallejo Pons 134
Vasiukov 124, 126
Vera Siguenas 270
W
Walczak 93
Wells 55
Wenzel 234
Y
Yudovich 86
Z
Zagorovsky 232-233, 256
Zaitsev 243
Zak 68
Zelbel 190
Zheliandinov 180
Zhilin 163
Zilber 113, 115
Zurakhov 107
586
Bibliography
Books, article
Nezhmetdinov’s Best Games of Chess, Rashid Nezhmetdinov, Caissa Editions, 2000
Super Nezh Chess Assassin, Alex Pishkin, Thinker’s Press, 2000
‘Why Rashid Nezhmetdinov Never Became a Grandmaster’, ‘Spektrowski’, Chess.com article
Videos (all of these can be found on YouTube)
Just a Nezhmetdinov Game to Brighten Your Day, Agadmator’s Chess Channel
Never Go Aggressive Against Rashid Nezhmetdinov, Agadmator’s Chess Channel
Nezhmetdinov Chess Biography, parts 1, 2 and 3, Jessica Fischer
No Reverse Gear Rashid, Agadmator’s Chess Channel
Polugaevsky versus Nezhmetdinov, Yasser Seirawan
Rashid Nezhmetdinov, Agadmator’s Chess Channel
Rashid Nezhmetdinov: Great Players of the Past, Ben Finegold
Rashid Nezhmetdinov’s 5 Most Brilliant Chess Moves, Simon Williams
The Greatest Queen Sacrifice in Chess History, Agadmator’s Chess Channel
What Happens When Two Magicians Meet? Agadmator’s Chess Channel
587
Table of Contents
Title page
Explanation of symbols
Preface
Chapter 1 A short biography
Chapter 2 Early years, 1929-1949
Games 8-12
Chapter 3 Peak strength, 1950-1960
Games 23-32
Games 33-39
Games 40-46
Games 47-55
Games 56-64
Games 65-74
Games 75-82
Chapter 4 Final period, 1961-1973
Games 91-97
Games 98-110
Games 111-116
Index of openings
Index of names
Bibliography
3
5
7
13
17
52
84
124
161
202
247
283
320
365
397
438
485
534
575
577
587
588