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Pieces with power to strike from distance

Chess Checks
Last Updated 30 October 2010, 13:53 IST

These attacks are dangerous and many a time the opponent cannot smell it. It is easier to look for defence when pieces are swarming around one’s King but also easier to overlook something when pieces suddenly start targeting from a distance.
White: Mikhail Gurevich (2643) – Black: Dimitriz Bunzmann(2596)
Rubinstein Memorial,1999

English Opening

1.c4 b6 2.g3
Both want to fianchetto their bishop immediately
2...Bb7 3.Nf3 Bxf3
Giving up the fianchettoed bishop immediately. Black must have prepared this specially.
4.exf3 c5 5.d4 cxd4 6.Qxd4 Nc6 7.Qd1
Back to square one!
7...e6
If 7...g6 8.Nc3 Bg7 9.Be3 h5 10.Be2
8.Bg2 Rc8
Immediately getting out of the diagonal. If 8...Bb4+ 9.Bd2 Nf6 10.0–0 0–0 11.f4 Bxd2 12.Qxd2 Rc8
9...Na5 10.b3  
If 10.Nc3 Nxc4 11.b3 Qf6 12.bxc4 Qxc3 13.Be3 Bc5 14.Rc1 Qa3 15.Bd2 Nf6 16.Bc3 Be7 17.Rc2 Qa4 18.Rd2 Rxc4 19.Bxf6 Bxf6
10...b5
Wanting to contest for space on the queen side. If 10...Qf6 11.Qc2 Qxa1 (11...Nxc4 12.bxc4 Qxa1 13.Nc3 Rxc4 14.Bd2) 12.Nc3
11...bxc4 12.Nxc4 Nxc4 13.bxc4 Rxc4   
Black looks better but he has to develop his King side pieces and negate the advantage of double bishop by White. If 13...Bc5 14.Bb2 Nf6 15.f4 0–0 16.Qd3
14.Be3 Nf6
If 14...a5 15.f4 (15.Qb3 Rb4) And if 14...Bc5 15.Bxc5 (15.Qb3 d5 16.Qb5+ Qd7) 15...Rxc5 16.Qd4 And if 14. ..Qc7  15.f4
15...Be7
Finally Black develops his bishop. 15...Bc5  16.Qb3 Qc7! (16...Rb4 17.Qc3) 17.Bxc5 (17.Qxc4 Bxf2+ 18.Bxf2 Qxc4 19.Rfc1 Qa6) 17...Rxc5 18.a4 0–0 19.Rfb1 d5
16.Qb3 Rb4
If 16...d5 17.Rfc1
17.Qc2 0–0
After improving his position Black finally castles
18.a3 Rb5
Perhaps better is 18...Rb7 19.Bd4
19.a4 Ra5 20.Bd4 Nd5
The idea behind this move is to play 21...Bf6
21.f4 Qc8
If 21...Bf6 22.Rfd1 (22.Rfd1  22...Bxd4 23.Rxd4 And if 22.Bxf6 Qxf6 23.Bxd5 exd5 24.Qc7 Qd8)
22.Qb2
Gunning long range! Black has both his queen and bishop trained on g7
22. ..Qa8
If 22...Bf6 23.Rfc1
23.Rfb1
Doubling forces! If 23.Bxg7 Rb8 24.Qd4 Rb4 25.Bxd5 Rxd4 (25...exd5 26.Qe5 Re4 27.Qb2 Rb4) 26.Bxa8 Kxg7
23...Bd6
If 23...f6 or 23...Bf6 then 24.Bxf6 gxf6 25.Bxd5 Qxd5 26.Qxf6 is better for White And if 23...Rxa4  24.Bxd5 exd5 25.Bxg7 also works well for White
24.Bxd5
If 24.Bxg7 Rb8 25.Qd4 Rxb1+ 26.Rxb1 Rxa4 27.Bxd5 Rxd4 28.Bxa8 Kxg7
24...Rxd5
If 24...Qxd5 25.Bxg7 Rb8 26.Qf6
25.Bxg7 Rb8 26.Qf6 Rxb1+ 27.Rxb1 Bc5
If 27...Qxa4
28.Bh6 Rd1+ 29.Kg2 gives advantage to White
Diagram 1

28.Qc3
If 28.Bh6 Bd4 29.Qe7 28...Qa7 29.Bh6 f6 If 29...Bf8 30.Qc8 Qc5 31.Qxc5 Rxc5 32.Rb8 And if 29...Bxf2+ 30.Kg2
30.Qxf6 Bxf2+
More in desperation than anything else!
31.Kg2 31...Bd4 32.Qf8 checkmate.

Diagram 2

White to play and checkmate
1.Qh7+ Kf8 2.Ne6+ fxe6 3.Qxg7# . The entire sequence is forced.

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(Published 30 October 2010, 13:53 IST)

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