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Power of King increases after exchanges

Last Updated 13 May 2009, 18:57 IST

The power of the King increases after most of the pieces are exchanged as he can then come out and fight without being threatened. During the Opening stages and most part of the mid-game the King is restricted in his castled position as otherwise he becomes a target for the opponent’s pieces. The King is very powerful in King and pawn endings and his position determines the eventual outcome of the game.
However in the game which follows, White infiltrates into the seventh rank with both his rooks and Black tries to counter attack by invading the enemy territory with his queen. What follows is that though the queen attacks, the White King, he starts marching into his opponent’s territory to set up a checkmating net.
White: John Nunn (2590) – Black: Daniel Campora (2485)
Biel , 1983
Caro-Kann defence
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5
The CaroKann Defence
3.exd5
The Exchange variation of the Caro Kann defence
3. ..cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nf3 Be7 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Bd3 Nc6 9.0–0 0–0 10.Re1 Bf6 11.Be4 Nce7
This is all Opening theory and the players have tried nothing new till now
12.Ne5
If 12.Qb3 b6 13.Bxd5 Nxd5 14.Nxd5 Qxd5 15.Qxd5 exd5 16.Bg5 Bxg5 17.Nxg5 f6
12...g6
If 12...Nc6 13.Qd3 h6 14.Bxd5 Nb4 15.Qg3 Bh4 16.Qf3
13.Bh6 Bg7
Black is now forced the exchange the bishop
14.Bxg7
If 14.Qd2 Nf6 15.Rad1 Nxe4 16.Rxe4 b6 17.Rh4 Nf5 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Rh3 Bb7 with a balanced game
14...Kxg7 15.Qf3
White would like to launch a King side attack. If 15.Qb3 Nf6 16.Rad1
15...Nf6
If 15...Nxc3 16.bxc3 Qc7 17.Rab1 Rb8 18.Qg3 f6 19.Nc6 and if 15...Qb6 16.Rad1 Qxb2 17.Bxd5 Nxd5 18.Nxd5 exd5 19.Qxd5 Be6 20.Qf3
16.Bxb7
If 16.Rad1 Ned5
16...Bxb7 17.Qxb7 a5
If 17...Rb8 18.Qxa7 Rxb2 19.Qa3 with White having a good position
18.Qf3 Qxd4 19.Rad1 Qb4 20.Nd7 Nxd7 21.Rxd7 Nd5
This is not a good move! Black should have tried for equality with  21...Nf5 22.Rb7 Qc4
22.Rxe6
An expected sacrifice which Black could have seen coming! Things become difficult for Black now
22. .. Nxc3
If 22...Qxb2 23.Nd1
23.Ree7
Doubling devastatingly on the seventh rank and making Black’s life miserable
23. ..Kg8 24.Rxf7 Ne2+ 25.Kf1 Qxb2
If 25...Ng3+ 26.hxg3 Qc4+ 27.Kg1 Qc1+ 28.Kh2 Qh6+ 29.Kg1 Qc1+ 30.Rd1
26.Qd5 Another good move as White continues to pose threats
26. .. Ng3+
Black is desperately trying to seek some counter play. If 26...Qa1+ 27.Kxe2 Rae8+ 28.Kf3 Kh8 29.Kg4 Rxf7 30.Qxf7 Re4+ 31.Kh3 with a winning position for White
27.hxg3 Qa1+ 28.Ke2 Rae8+ 29.Kf3
The King is marching out boldly
29. ..Kh8 30.Kg4

Diagram 1
It is one of those few times that the King starts marching into enemy territory with the major pieces still gracing the board
30. ..h5+ 31.Kh4 Qh1+ 32.Kg5 Qc1+ 33.f4 Rxf7 34.Rxf7 Qe3 35.Kh6  and Black resigned. It is amazing how the King walked all the way into enemy territory in search of a victory.

Diagram 2
White to play and win 1.Rh1 h6 2.Bxf6 Qe3  If 2...gxf6 3.Qg6+ Kh8 4.Rxh6+ Nxh6 5.Qxh6 checkmate  3.Qg6 Qe2+ 4.Kh3 and Black cannot avert defeat.

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(Published 13 May 2009, 18:57 IST)

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