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Put your rooks to optimum use

Last Updated 04 January 2014, 15:31 IST

Invasion of the enemy territory with rooks always distracts your opponent as he has to then divert his pieces for defence. Sometimes these invasions may backfire but if they are backed by good calculations and support of the other pieces then victory is easier.

In the game which follows, all of white’s pieces are clustered near the centre and only when black infiltrates with his rook do all the pieces rush for defence. It is interesting and instructive to note the way black then conducts the Kingside attack to win the game.

 White: Evgeny Sveshnikov (2560) – Black: Vitaly Tseshkovsky (2530)Moscow, 19951.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Be3 c6 5.f4An interesting and aggressive choice by white. However better is 5.Nf3 or 5.Bd35. .. b5. Another interesting and puzzling move by black here. If 5...Nf6 6.Nf3 e5 And if  5...e5 6.dxe5 dxe5 7.Qxd8+ Kxd8 8.0–0–0+ Nd7 9.Nf3‰; 5...Qb6 6.Rb1 f5 7.Qd2 Nh6 6.Nf3. White played a novelty here. If 6.Qf3 b4 7.Nd1 d5 8.exd5 cxd5 9.Bb5+ Nd7 10.Qxd5 Rb8 6...Nd7 7.Bd3 Nb6 8.0–0Intent on development and white appears to be better off after the opening moves. If 8.Qe2 Nf6 9.e5 Nfd5 10.Bxb5 cxb5 11.Nxd5 Nc4 12.b3 Nxe3 13.Nxe3 Rb8 8...Nf6 9.h3. An unnecessary defensive move! If 9.e5 Nfd5 10.Nxd5 Nxd5 11.Bd2 Qb6 9...a5. Black retaliates with a bold advance10.Qe1 b4 11.Nd1 Ba6 12.Nf2 0–0If 12...Bxd3 13.cxd313.Qe2. All of white’s pieces are clustered together13. .. Bb7. If 13...Qc8 14.c4 bxc3 15.bxc3 Bxd3 16.Qxd3 Qa614.a3. Better is 14.c4 bxc3 15.bxc314...Qc7 15.axb4 axb4 16.c4 c5 17.Rxa8If 17.e5 cxd4 18.Bxd4 (18.Nxd4 dxe5 19.Nb5 Qc6 And if 18.exf6 dxe3 19.fxg7 exf2+) 18...Bxf3 19.Qxf317...Rxa8 18.d5 Nh5Making clear his attacking intentions!19.Kh2Diagram 119. ..Ra2. Invading the seventh rank. It is to be noted here that all of white’s pieces are clustered together without any real concrete plan20.Nd1 Na4 21.Bb1. White’s pieces now have to rush back to defend the first two ranks. If 21.Bc1 Nc3 (21...Nxb2 22.Nxb2 Bxb2 23.g3 Bxc1 24.Qxa2)21...Ra1 22.Qc2 e6. White’s pieces have rushed to the queen side and now black takes a break in the centre23.b3. If 23.Nd2 exd5 24.exd5 Nb623...Nb6 24.g4. White also tries to go on the offensive when he had a better move in 24.Nf224...Nf6 25.Nf2 exd5 26.exd5 Nfxd5Black rightly sacrifices the knight27.cxd5 Nxd5 28.Bd2If 28.Qd2 Nc328...Nc3 29.Bxc3. If 29.Ng1 Qc629...bxc3 30.Ne4. If 30.Nd3 Be430...d5 31.Nxc3 Qxf4+ 32.Kg2 d4Black’s attack looks very dangerous now!33.Ne2. If 33.Na4 Be533...Qe3 34.Neg1 [34.Qd3 Qxd3 35.Bxd3 Rxf1 36.Kxf1 Bxf3–+]34...Be5 35.Qc1If 35.Qxc5 Qf4! 36.Kf2 (36.Be4 Ra2+ 37.Kh1 Rh2+) 36...Qg3+ 37.Ke2 Ba6+ 38.Bd3 Rxf1 39.Bxa6 Qf2+ 40.Kd3 Qe3+ 41.Kc4 Rc1+35...Qxb3 36.Re1 Ra3 37.Be4If 37.Rxe5 Bxf3+ 38.Kh2 Bc6 39.Qe1 Qb8 f637...Ra2+ 38.Kh1 Bg3 39.Nd2If 39.Bxb7 Qxb7 40.Re8+ Kg7 with the idea Rh2 checkmate39...Bxe1 40.Nxb3 Bxe4+ 41.Nf3 Bxf3+ 42.Kg1 Bf2+ 43.Kf1 Bg2+White resigns for if 43...Bg2+ 44.Kxg2 Be3+Diagram 2White to play and checkmate in two moves1.Qf8+ Rxf8  2.Rxf8 checkmate.

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(Published 04 January 2014, 15:31 IST)

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