FIDE Trainers’ Commission

Advanced Chess School

Volume 8
The Fight for the Centre

Adrian Mikhalchishin
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 1
First Edition in Pdf - 2017
English Copyright © FIDE 2017 (office@fide.com - www.fide.com)
Copyright © Adrian Mikhalchishin 2015 (gmadrian@yahoo.com)

The rights of Adrian Mikhalchishin to be identified as the author of this work have been asserted
in accordance with the International Copyright, Designs and Patents Act.

All rights reserved. This book is distributed for free to the FIDE certified and licenced trainers,
subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, sold, hired out or
otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and
without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent owner.

Limit of Liability and Disclaimer of Warranty: FIDE makes no representation or warranties with
respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaims any
implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose and shall in no event be
liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damage, including but not limited to special,
incidental, consequential, or other damages.

ISBN-13: 978-618-83035-0-8
ISSN-13: 978-618-81200-2-0

Cover by Efstathia Saltamara

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Commissioning Editor: Efstratios Grivas (www.GrivasChess.com)

English Proofer: Andrew Burnett
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 2
Contents
Title-Description …………………………………………………………………………………… 1
Colophon …………………..……………………………………………………………………….. 2
Contents ……………………………………..…………………………………………….............. 3
Foreword - FIDE Presidential Board .…………….……...……………………………………. 4
Symbols ………………………………………………………………………..…………............... 4
The Fight for the Centre Terminology …………………………….……………………………. 5
Power of the Centre ..…….…..…………………………………………………………………… 5
Flank Strategies Against the Centre …………………………………..………………………… 31
Fight Against the Centre ………………………………………………..………………………… 37
Changing the Form of the Centre - Closing the Centre ….…………………………………… 53
Blockade of the Centre ………………………………………………………………………….… 64
Doubled Pawns in the Centre ……………………………………………………………………. 66
Changing of the Central Structure ……………………………….……………………………… 75
Different Typical Changes of the Structure ……………...……………….………………….… 81
Index of Games ..…………………………………………………………………………………… 94
CV - Adrian Mikhalchishin .……………………………………………………………………… 96

Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 3
Foreword
FIDE Presidential Board
Chess has existed as a sport played at a competitive level for centuries. The common code
governing the Laws of Chess is relatively recent, and the foundation of Fédération Internationale
des Échecs (FIDE), in Paris in 1924, is even more modern. FIDE currently has 186 member
federations spread across all continents. Titles for players were introduced by FIDE in 1950, and
titles for Arbiters and Organizers followed. From 2005 we moved to a new phase, with titles for
Trainers.
Chess is on the increase in schools across the world. It is part of the mainstream curriculum in
many countries. It is a goal of FIDE to make chess an educational tool, and generate worldwide
popularity for the game. Examples of the many educational advantages of chess are: it shows the
need to make people realize the importance of advance planning; develops analytic and accurate
thinking; shows the necessity for a combative spirit; teaches fair play and emphasizes the need for
preparation and hard work for success. However, with the increasing population of chess players,
comes the need for trainers to assist with their development.
This is a new concept of the ever-active FIDE Trainers’ Commission. This series is dedicated to
advanced subjects, consisting of 80-page books. We hope that we will be able to deliver 3-4 such
books annually, increasing the level and the education of our trainers worldwide. This series will
provide excellent manuals for trainers and fulfils a considerable need in modern chess literature,
concentrating on the technical side of the game, but also covering various other topics and
providing information. The best trainers will contribute to this series, which will be an essential
tool in the preparation of trainers at all levels for the future. It will ensure that the next generation
of players will be at a great advantage over those that have gone before.

Symbols
+ check = equal position
++ double check oo unclear position
# checkmate oo/= with compensation
!! brilliant move =+ Black is slightly better
! good move -/+ Black has a large advantage
!? interesting move -+ Black is winning
?! dubious move 1-0 the game ends in a win for White
? bad move ½-½ the game ends in a draw
?? blunder 0-1 the game ends in a win for Black
+- White is winning (D) see next diagram
+/- White has a large advantage ○ White to play
+= White is slightly better ● Black to play
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 4
The Fight for the Centre
Terminology - Different changes of the central
The centre is the most important part of structures.
the chess board - we have the small centre
Power of the Centre
(e4, d4, e5, d5) and the big centre, which
We talk a lot about it, but it is necessary to
includes mostly c4 and c5 or sometimes the
understand practically how we use the space
f4 and f5 squares.
which is created by a powerful centre and
We all know about the importance of
how to prepare the activity of the pieces
pawns occupying these squares and the
which are placed behind the pawns.
power of pieces on these squares. Mostly
It is always necessary to conduct a central
bishops and knights, but they are supported
breakthrough, one which will maximally
in many cases by the heavy pieces on the
affect the opponent’s pieces. Let’s see
central (and not central) files.
immediately how it is performed by
But in many cases young and in-
legendary champions:
experienced players wrongly evaluate
different changes of the structure in the □ Rubinstein Akiba
centre, and it is one of the most important ■ Schlechter Carl
and difficult subjects of chess strategy. D25 Berlin 1918
There are many forms of coordination of 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e3
the pawns and pieces in the centre, and in Bg4 6.Bxc4 e6 7.0-0 Nbd7 8.h3 Bxf3
many cases the central strategy is supported 9.Qxf3 Be7
by flank measures. The modern chess player would create
The centre is the most important part of immediate counterplay in the centre with
the chess board as pawns placed there 9...Bd6 10.Rd1 Qe7 11.e4 e5.
control the most important parts of the 10.Rd1 0-0 11.e4 Re8 12.Bf4 Nf8 (D)
available space, and limit the possibilities of XABCDEFGHY
the opponent’s pieces.
At the same time, the central position of 8r+-wqrsnk+(
the pieces allows them to achieve maximum
activity, as such position allow them to
7zpp+-vlpzpp'
attack both flanks, or to be transferred 6-+p+psn-+&
quickly to either flank.
We will consider two kinds of centre- 5+-+-+-+-%
closed and opened. Some specialists believe 4-+LzPPvL-+$
in the semi-open centre and in positions
without a centre, but in most cases the fight 3+-sN-+Q+P#
is for the opening of the centre - or closing 2PzP-+-zPP+"
it. Here both young and experienced players
conduct a lot of wrong decisions. 1tR-+R+-mK-!
We have to exam the following subjects:
- Power of the centre and how to exploit it.
xabcdefghy
- Power of pieces in the centre. White has created a strong centre and as a
- Passed pawns in the centre. result has obtained powerful piece positions
- Flank actions against the centre. plus a serious space advantage. But to
- Destroying the opponents centre with the realise this advantage it is necessary to open
pieces or with pawn actions. the centre and only in this way will it will be
- Closing the centre - Blocking the centre. possible to effectively exploit the better
- Doubled pawns in the centre; the positions of the white pieces. Rule number
weakness and power of them. one for a powerful centre: Open it!
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 5
13.d5! exd5 14.exd5 Qb6 (D) 21.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 22.Kxf2 Rxd7 23.Kf3.
14...cxd5 15.Nxd5 Nxd5 16.Bxd5 is very 19.Bxe6 fxe6 20.g5
unpleasant for Black, as too many pawns are Now the knight is lost, so C.Schlechter tries
under attack. for tactical complications.
XABCDEFGHY 20...Rxd6 21.Rxd6 Qc5 (D)

8r+-+rsnk+( XABCDEFGHY
7zpp+-vlpzpp' 8r+-vl-+k+(
6-wqp+-sn-+& 7zpp+-+-zpp'
5+-+P+-+-% 6-+ptRpsn-+&
4-+L+-vL-+$ 5+-wq-+-zP-%
3+-sN-+Q+P# 4-+-+-+-+$
2PzP-+-zPP+" 3+-sN-+Q+P#
1tR-+R+-mK-! 2PzP-+-zP-+"
xabcdefghy 1tR-+-+-mK-!
15.d6! xabcdefghy
We have another transition - a powerful 22.Rxd8+!
central passed pawn has appeared which will The simplest way to realise the advantage.
cut down the space available to the 22...Rxd8 23.gxf6 Qg5+ 24.Qg4 Qxf6
opponent's pieces. 25.Re1 e5 26.Qg3 Re8 27.Ne4
15...Bd8 16.g4! The extra piece will add power to White's
Now a flank attack to remove the opponent's attack.
knight from the centre. 27...Qe7 28.Rd1!
16...Ne6 (D) Instructive manoeuvres by the white rook -
XABCDEFGHY first to attack the opponent’s pawn, then to
exploit the open file.
8r+-vlr+k+( 28...Rf8 29.Rd6 Kh8 30.Qg4 Rd8 31.Re6
Qb4 32.Qg5 Qe1+ 33.Kh2 Rf8 34.Re7
7zpp+-+pzpp' Rxf2+ 35.Nxf2 Qxf2+ 36.Qg2 Qf4+
6-wqpzPnsn-+& 37.Kh1 Qc1+ 38.Qg1
And there are no more checks - the white
5+-+-+-+-% king and queen have decentralised Black's
4-+L+-vLP+$ queen in an instructive way.
1-0
3+-sN-+Q+P#
2PzP-+-zP-+" □ Polugaevsky Lev
■ Dorfman Iosif
1tR-+R+-mK-! D85 Tbilisi 1978
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 g6 4.cxd5 Nxd5
xabcdefghy 5.e4 Nb6 6.h3!
17.d7! An important prophylactic move, as now the
The powerful positions of the white pieces knight can't be attacked and White's centre
allow them to begin a forceful attack on the will be much more stable. This simple move
black king. is very important for the stability of the
17...Re7 18.Bd6 Rxd7 centre.
18...Ng5 19.Qf5 Nxh3+ 20.Kg2 Nxf2 6...Bg7 7.Nc3 0-0 8.Be2 (D)
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 6
 XABCDEFGHY 16...a6 17.e5! +/-
The space advantage is increased, plus it is
8rsnlwq-trk+( useful to reduce the power of the g7-bishop.
17...h6 18.Bh4 e6 (D)
7zppzp-zppvlp'
6-sn-+-+p+& XABCDEFGHY
5+-+-+-+-% 8r+n+qtrk+(
4-+-zPP+-+$ 7+p+n+pvl-'
3+-sN-+N+P# 6p+p+p+pzp&
2PzP-+LzPP+" 5zP-+PzP-+-%
1tR-vLQmK-+R! 4-+-+-+-vL$
xabcdefghy 3+-sN-+N+P#
8...Be6?! 2-zP-+QzPP+"
Another plan was 8...c6 followed by ...Nbd7, 1tR-+R+-mK-!
intending to attack the centre with ...e5. It
seems that this idea was sounder, but xabcdefghy
I.Dorfman decided to exchange bishops first, 19.d6
with the idea of reducing White's space Another possibility was to create a weakness
advantage. on c6 and then attack it 19.dxc6 bxc6
9.0-0 Bc4? 10.Bxc4 Nxc4 11.Qe2 Nb6 20.Ne4 g5 21.Bg3 Ne7 22.h4 g4 23.Nd4 h5
12.Rd1 24.Rac1 with advantage.
This rook, as the other one will be used for 19...g5 20.Bg3 f5
operations on the c-file. Black tries to free himself, but in vain. After
12...N8d7 13.Bg5 c6 14.a4! Qe8 15.a5 Nc8 20...Na7 21.Ra4 there appears the terrible
(D) threat of h4.
XABCDEFGHY 21.exf6 Rxf6 (D)
The other capture 21...Bxf6, would give
8r+n+qtrk+( White the opportunity to open the kingside
immediately: 22.h4 gxh4 23.Bxh4.
7zpp+nzppvlp'
6-+p+-+p+& XABCDEFGHY
5zP-+-+-vL-% 8r+n+q+k+(
4-+-zPP+-+$ 7+p+n+-vl-'
3+-sN-+N+P# 6p+pzPptr-zp&
2-zP-+QzPP+" 5zP-+-+-zp-%
1tR-+R+-mK-! 4-+-+-+-+$
xabcdefghy 3+-sN-+NvLP#
16.d5! 2-zP-+QzPP+"
As White has achieved a huge space 1tR-+R+-mK-!
advantage and much better positions for all
of his pieces, it is necessary (and very xabcdefghy
typical) to open a central file to exploit the 22.Ra4!
power of the well-developed pieces. White adds an important attacking piece to

Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 7
the kingside flank attack. 22.h4 was possible □ Rubinstein Akiba
immediately. ■ Duras Oldrich
22...Na7 D26 San Sebastian 1912
A bit more stubborn would be 22...e5 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 dxc4 4.e3 e6 5.Bxc4
23.Ne4 Rg6 24.Qc2 Qf7 25.Rb4. c5 6.0-0 Nc6 7.Qe2 cxd4 8.Rd1 a6 9.exd4
23.h4! Be7 10.Nc3 0-0 (D)
This is the start of a final powerful attack. XABCDEFGHY
23...gxh4 24.Rxh4
Very good was the capture with tempo 8r+lwq-trk+(
24.Bxh4 Rf5 25.Re4 e5 26.Na4.
24...Nb5
7+p+-vlpzpp'
Finally Black has created some threat of 6p+n+psn-+&
exchanging off a bad piece, but it is too late.
25.Be5 Rg6 5+-+-+-+-%
The possible attack on e5 does not help 4-+LzP-+-+$
matters 25...Nxe5 26.Nxe5 Rf5 27.d7 Qd8
28.Rh5. 3+-sN-+N+-#
26.Bxg7 Kxg7 27.Ne5 2PzP-+QzPPzP"
Exchanging off the blockading piece is
always a success for the attacking player. 1tR-vLR+-mK-!
27...Nxc3 28.bxc3 Rg5 (D)
The alternative is very similar 28...Nxe5
xabcdefghy
29.Qxe5+ Kh7 30.d7 Qe7 31.Qc7 Rd8 11.d5!
32.Rb4 Qg5 33.g3 and Black's threats are The aim of such moves is to open a file in
over. the centre and also to obtain very central
squares for the pieces - in this case for the
XABCDEFGHY light-squared bishop.
8r+-+q+-+( 11...exd5 12.Nxd5 Nxd5 13.Bxd5 Qc7 (D)
7+p+n+-mk-' XABCDEFGHY
6p+pzPp+-zp& 8r+l+-trk+(
5zP-+-sN-tr-% 7+pwq-vlpzpp'
4-+-+-+-tR$ 6p+n+-+-+&
3+-zP-+-+-# 5+-+L+-+-%
2-+-+QzPP+" 4-+-+-+-+$
1+-+R+-mK-! 3+-+-+N+-#
xabcdefghy 2PzP-+QzPPzP"
29.f4 Rf5 30.Qg4+ Kh7 31.Qh3 Rf6 1tR-vLR+-mK-!
32.Ng4
Every move is an attacking one which
xabcdefghy
creates an unpleasant threat. 14.Bg5
32...Qf8 33.Nxf6+ Qxf6 34.Re1 Nf8 35.Re5 An extremely interesting option would be
Kg7 36.Reh5 the attacking (c6 & h7) and preventive
1-0 (…Bf5) move 14.Qe4! which was very
difficult to find. But the move played by
A.Rubinstein has its own sound logic -
development and preparation of an attack on

Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 8
the kingside. XABCDEFGHY
14...Bxg5?
The main rule of defence is: don’t help your 8-wq-+rtrk+(
opponent to improve his pieces! Correct was
14...Bg4 - development with a pin, which is
7+p+-+pzpp'
always useful. 6p+-+-+l+&
15.Nxg5 Bf5 (D)
White obtains a big development advantage 5+-+Lsn-sN-%
after the queen swap with 15...Qe5 16.Qxe5 4-+-+-+-zP$
Nxe5 17.Rac1.
XABCDEFGHY 3+-+-tR-wQ-#
8r+-+-trk+( 2PzP-+-zPP+"
7+pwq-+pzpp' 1tR-+-+-mK-!
6p+n+-+-+& xabcdefghy
Controlling the d3-square and preparing to
5+-+L+lsN-% double on the file.
4-+-+-+-+$ 20...b5
The direct 20...h6 would meet with a very
3+-+-+-+-# nice tactic: 21.Ne6 fxe6 22.Bb3!
21.Rae1 Nd3?
2PzP-+QzPPzP" This is a clear mistake, but the endgame is
1tR-+R+-mK-! not easy to hold after 21...Nc4 22.Rxe8
Rxe8 23.Qxb8 Rxb8 24.Re7 Rf8 25.b3 Nb6
xabcdefghy 26.Be4.
16.Qf3 22.Rxe8 Qxg3
It was also possible to complete Another losing variation is 22...Rxe8
development with the threat of creating a 23.Rxe8+ Qxe8 24.h5.
weakness on c6 - 16.Rac1. 23.fxg3 Nxe1 24.Rxe1 h6 25.Nh3 Rc8
16...Bg6 17.h4! 26.Nf4 Kh7 27.h5
Adding a new resource - the h2-pawn - for 1-0
an attack against the bishop's position on the
kingside.
17...Ne5?
The more principled counterstrike would
lead to a very unclear game 17...h6 18.h5
Ne5 19.Qh3 hxg5 20.Rac1 Bc2 21.Rd2 Qa5
22.Rcxc2 Rad8.
18.Qg3
Slightly better would be to centralise the
pieces and transfer into the endgame with
18.Qf4 Rae8 19.Rac1 Qb6 20.Qd4 Qxd4 But the opening of the centre does not
21.Rxd4. always work so powerfully: premature and
18...Rae8 incorrect openings of the centre occur also!
Better was to protect the queen with □ Reshevsky Samuel Herman
18...Rac8. ■ Ghitescu Theodor
19.Re1! D32 Tel Aviv 1964
Now an unpleasant pin will force Black to 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.e3 Nc6 5.Nf3
weaken his position. Nf6 6.cxd5 exd5 7.Be2 Be7 8.dxc5 Bxc5
19...Qb8 20.Re3! (D) 9.0-0 0-0 10.b3 a6 11.Bb2 Ba7 12.Rc1 (D)
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 9
 XABCDEFGHY 15...Bxd4 16.Rfd1 Ba7 (D)
Clearly better was to keep the bishop in the
8r+lwq-trk+( centre and to attempt to reduce White's
advantage in development, with 16...Be5.
7vlp+-+pzpp'
6p+n+-sn-+& XABCDEFGHY
5+-+p+-+-% 8r+l+-trk+(
4-+-+-+-+$ 7vlp+-+pzpp'
3+PsN-zPN+-# 6p+-+-sn-+&
2PvL-+LzPPzP" 5+-+-+-+-%
1+-tRQ+RmK-! 4-+-+-+-+$
xabcdefghy 3+PsN-+-+-#
This is a typical structure with the isolated 2PvL-+LzPPzP"
pawn and Black has a few solid, classical 1+-tRR+-mK-!
plans at his disposal.
12...d4? xabcdefghy
It looks strong and logical to get rid out of 17.h3!
weak pawn, but correct were other set-ups A very important prophylactic move, one
here such as 12...Bg4 or 12...Be6. But at first which eliminates the possibility to come to
sight it is not clear why this classical break g4 with either bishop or knight.
should be wrong? 17...Bf5 18.Bf3 Rab8
13.exd4 Nxd4 14.Nxd4 Qxd4 Black's pieces are passively placed and
The other capture was no better 14...Bxd4 therefore White increases his space
15.Bf3 Bf5 (passive defence leads to a very advantage.
uncomfortable position: 15...Rb8 16.Ba3 Re8 19.g4! Bg6 20.g5 Nh5 21.Nd5
17.Nd5 Be5 18.Ne7+ Kh8 19.Qxd8 Rxd8 The idea of the flank manoeuvre g4-g5 was
20.Rfe1) 16.Ba3 Re8 17.Bxb7 Bg4 18.Bf3. to obtain a strong knight on d5, which
15.Qxd4 decides the fate of the game.
It was also possible to play for a very com- 21...Rfe8 22.Rc7
fordable ending: 15.Bf3 Qxd1 16.Rfxd1 Bg4 Every white piece is better placed than the
17.Nd5 Nxd5 18.Bxg4 Rfd8 19.Bd4 Bxd4 opponent’s.
20.Rxd4 Ne7 21.Rxd8+ Rxd8 22.Rc7 (D) 22...Kh8 23.Ne7 Nf4 24.Nxg6+ hxg6
XABCDEFGHY 25.Rxf7 Nxh3+ 26.Kg2 Nxf2 27.Rdd7
At the end the white pieces are tremendously
8-+-tr-+k+( active, especially the rooks on the 7th rank,
7+ptR-snpzpp' and the mating threats are now unavoidable.
1-0
6p+-+-+-+&
5+-+-+-+-%
4-+-+-+L+$ Of course, the power of the centre is not
3+P+-+-+-# always demonstrated by the opening of it -
in many cases a strong centre makes the
2P+-+-zPPzP" opponent’s pieces passive and the pawn
1+-+-+-mK-! structures does not allow to improve the
their positions.
xabcdefghy
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 10
□ Pavasovic Dusko 12.Ng3
■ Franic Milan The same set-up still looks dangerous 12.h3
B22 Medulin 2002 and f4-f5.
1.e4 c5 2.c3 b6 3.d4 Bb7 4.Bd3 Nf6 5.Nd2 12...g6 13.f4 d5
cxd4 6.cxd4 Nc6 7.Ne2 e6 8.0-0 Be7 9.a3 Sooner or later it is necessary to fix White's
Black has allowed White to create a strong structure, as f5 was a big threat.
centre. This move has the idea not just to 14.e5 Ne8 (D)
stop counterplay with ...Nb4, but also to start XABCDEFGHY
additional space-gaining activity on the
queenside. Control over a strong centre is 8-+rwqntrk+(
not sufficient by itself to play for a win-
other elements have to be improved and
7zpl+-vlp+p'
introduced also. 6-zpn+p+p+&
9...0-0 10.b4 (D)
XABCDEFGHY 5+-+pzP-+-%
8r+-wq-trk+( 4-zP-zP-zP-+$
7zpl+pvlpzpp' 3zP-+L+-sN-#
6-zpn+psn-+& 2-vL-sN-+PzP"
5+-+-+-+-% 1tR-+Q+RmK-!
4-zP-zPP+-+$ xabcdefghy
15.Nh1!
3zP-+L+-+-# White must make way for the g-pawn;
otherwise it will be impossible to open the
2-+-sNNzPPzP" position.
1tR-vLQ+RmK-! 15...Qd7
Much better was to play the immediate
xabcdefghy 15...f5! 16.exf6 Bxf6 17.Nf3 Nd6 and White
10...Rc8 will have his own problems to consider on
Continued slow play allows White to create the squares c4 and e4.
a space initiative everywhere 10...d6 11.Bb2 16.Qe2 Ng7 17.Nf3 Nb8 (D)
a6 12.h3 preparing f4. XABCDEFGHY
11.Bb2 d6 (D)
XABCDEFGHY 8-snr+-trk+(
8-+rwq-trk+( 7zpl+qvlpsnp'
7zpl+-vlpzpp' 6-zp-+p+p+&
6-zpnzppsn-+& 5+-+pzP-+-%
5+-+-+-+-% 4-zP-zP-zP-+$
4-zP-zPP+-+$ 3zP-+L+N+-#
3zP-+L+-+-# 2-vL-+Q+PzP"
2-vL-sNNzPPzP" 1tR-+-+RmKN!
1tR-+Q+RmK-! xabcdefghy
18.b5!
xabcdefghy A nice move, which eliminates any activity

Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 11
on the queen's flank. 32...Re7?
18...Rc7 19.g4 f5 A better chance to save the game was
It is necessary to stop Nh1-g3 and the break 32...Be4.
f4-f5, but on the other hand, White will now 33.Rg1
get a strong knight on e5 plus a weak pawn The technical solution was to exchange
on e6 to target. queens by 33.Rh4 Rxe5+ 34.Kd2 Qf3
20.exf6 Rxf6 21.Ne5 Qe8 22.Ng3 Nd7 (D) 35.Qxf3 Bxf3 36.Bxd4.
XABCDEFGHY 33...Rxe5+ 34.Kd2 Kf8
Once more, it was necessary to exchange the
8-+-+q+k+( bishops with 34...Be4.
35.Bxd4 Bxd4 36.Qxd4 Qxh2+ 37.Kc1
7zpltrnvl-snp' Ne6 38.Qd6+ Kf7 39.Rxf5+
6-zp-+ptrp+& 1-0
5+P+psN-+-% □ Vallejo Pons Francisco
4-+-zP-zPP+$ ■ Arvind Shastry
B20 Pattaya 2011
3zP-+L+-sN-# 1.e4 c5 2.Ne2 d6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.c3
2-vL-+Q+-zP" e6?!
Black plays passively and too shyly in the
1tR-+-+RmK-! centre. Much better is to develop first and
then to prepare a counterstrike in the centre:
xabcdefghy 5...Nf6 6.d4 0-0 7.0-0 Nc6 8.h3 e5 9.Be3
23.f5?! cxd4 10.cxd4 d5!
It was also possible to delay the break and 6.d4 cxd4 7.cxd4 Ne7 8.Nbc3 0-0 (D)
slowly improve the position, as the black
pieces are very passive: 23.Qe3 Rf8 24.Ne2.
XABCDEFGHY
23...gxf5 24.gxf5 Nxe5 25.dxe5 8rsnlwq-trk+(
Nothing special was promised by 25.Qxe5
Qd8 26.Qe2. 7zpp+-snpvlp'
25...Bc5+ 26.Kh1 Rxf5 27.Nxf5 exf5
28.Rf4 d4+
6-+-zpp+p+&
A very unpleasant trick would be 28...Be3! 5+-+-+-+-%
29.Kg1 Qg6+ 30.Kf1 Qh6 31.Qf2 Qh3+ 4-+-zPP+-+$
32.Ke2 (D)
XABCDEFGHY 3+-sN-+-zP-#
8-+-+-+k+( 2PzP-+NzPLzP"
7zpltr-+-snp' 1tR-vLQmK-+R!
6-zp-+-+-+& xabcdefghy
9.h4!?
5+Pvl-zPp+-% A very interesting decision: using his strong
4-+-zp-tR-+$ centre, White wants to directly create some
weaknesses in his opponent's position.
3zP-+L+-+q# 9...h6
2-vL-+KwQ-zP" Better would be to fix the centre and then to
build pressure on it: 9...d5 10.e5 Nf5 11.h5
1tR-+-+-+-! Nc6. The other central counterplay looks too
risky: 9...f5 10.h5 fxe4 11.hxg6 hxg6
xabcdefghy 12.Bxe4.
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 12
10.Be3 Nbc6 11.Qd2 Kh7 12.h5 g5 13.f4! himself this luxury. Black has no
Of course. It is necessary to open the counterplay and should now return to g8
opponent's king position first. with his rook.
13...gxf4 14.gxf4 24...Rc7?! 25.Rg3 Rf8 26.Rag1 Rf7
White prefers to keep his strong centre, as 27.Rg6!
the attacking try 14.Nxf4 would be met by This typical small tactic allows White to
the central counterstrike 14...e5. demonstrate the power of doubled rooks on
14...Rg8 15.Rg1 d5 16.Bf2 the file.
It was possible to castle, but in reality 27...Ng8 (D)
White's king is much safer in the centre than 27...Qb8 28.Nc3 Rc8 29.Nexd5! exd5
on the wing! 30.Bxd5 Nxd5 31.Nxd5.
16...f5 XABCDEFGHY
Black had to open the centre, despite the fact
that it looks a bit ugly with such weaknesses 8-+-+-+n+(
on e5 and d5: 16...dxe4 17.Bxe4+ f5 18.Bf3.
Now White closes the centre and retains a
7+-trl+rvlk'
huge space advantage. 6pwqn+p+Rzp&
17.e5 Bd7 18.Bh4 b5?! (D)
XABCDEFGHY 5+p+pzPp+P%
8r+-wq-+r+( 4-+-zP-zP-vL$
7zp-+lsn-vlk' 3+-+-sNL+-#
6-+n+p+-zp& 2PzP-wQNmK-+"
5+p+pzPp+P% 1+-+-+-tR-!
4-+-zP-zP-vL$ xabcdefghy
After a few preparatory moves, White would
3+-sN-+-+-# destroy his opponent’s stronghold in the
centre with a decisive attack.
2PzP-wQN+L+" 28.Bxd5!
1tR-+-mK-tR-! White was also ready to sacrifice on d5 in a
different manner, with another decisive
xabcdefghy attack: 28.Nxd5 exd5 29.Bxd5.
Black tries urgently to change the course of 28...exd5 29.Nxd5 Qa7 30.Nxc7 Qxc7
the game, even sacrificing a pawn. Still, the 31.e6 Bxe6 32.Rxe6 Bf6 33.Bxf6 Nxf6
normal way was preferable: 18...Rc8. 34.Qc2
19.Bf3 1-0
There were two good options: 19.Nxb5 and
the much more concrete 19.Nxd5! exd5 Completely different cases arise when
20.Bxd5 Rf8 (20...Nxd5 21.Bxd8 Raxd8 there are strong squares in the centre (we say
22.0-0-0) 21.Bf3 with d5 next, leading to weak squares of the other side!) which can
White prevailing completely in the centre. be controlled by powerful pieces.
19...Qb6 20.Kf2! Such pieces exert strong pressure on the
Now it's time to connect the rooks. opponent’s positions and help coordinated
20...Bh8 21.Rgc1! attacks together with other pieces.
Avoiding exchanges, as this would reduce First of all, let us look at some examples of
White's space advantage. complete control over d5 (d4) squares,
21...a6 22.Nd1 Rgc8 23.Ne3 Bg7 24.Rg1 which are extremely important and basic
White returns to the g-file, and with such a strategical strongholds.
space advantage it is possible to allow
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 13
□ Fischer Robert James 17...Bxh3
■ Bolbochan Julio 17...Nb6 simply leads to the loss of a pawn
B90 Stockholm 1962 after 18.Bxb6 Qxb6 19.Nd5 Qd8
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 (19...Bxd5? 20.Bxc8) 20.Nxe7+ Qxe7
5.Nc3 a6 6.h3 Nc6 7.g4 Nxd4 8.Qxd4 e5 21.Qxd6.
9.Qd3 Be7 10.g5! 18.Rxh3 Nb6 19.Bxb6!
One of the most important characteristics of The bishop is not important - more
this move is that it is not an attack on the important is control of the central square d5.
king, but rather a way to remove the knight 19...Qxb6 20.Nd5 Qd8
from its control of the centre - which allows A better try is 20...Qb7 21.Rg3 f5 22.gxf6
White to increase his own control over the Bxf6 23.h5.
important d5-square. 21.f4
10...Nd7 Of course, Fischer doesn't fall into the trap
The knight has to stay in the centre, as on of 21.Nxe7+? Qxe7 22.Qxd6? Rfd8 -+.
the edge it is in danger: 10...Nh5 11.h4 +/- 21...exf4 22.Qxf4 Qd7 23.Qf5
planning Be2. A very strong move, driving the black queen
11.Be3 (D) from the centre.
XABCDEFGHY 23...Rcd8 (D)
A very bad position arises after 23...Qb7
8r+lwqk+-tr( 24.h5 Bd8 25.h6 g6 26.Qf4.
7+p+nvlpzpp' XABCDEFGHY
6p+-zp-+-+& 8-+-tr-trk+(
5+-+-zp-zP-% 7+-+qvlpzpp'
4-+-+P+-+$ 6p+-zp-+-+&
3+-sNQvL-+P# 5+p+N+QzP-%
2PzPP+-zP-+" 4-+-+P+-zP$
1tR-+-mKL+R! 3+-+-+-+R#
xabcdefghy 2PzPP+-+-+"
11...Nc5? 1+K+R+-+-!
It was also possible to try some exchanges,
but White would keep the advantage after xabcdefghy
11...Bxg5 12.Bxg5 Qxg5 13.Qxd6 Qe7 24.Ra3!
14.Qxe7+ Kxe7 15.Nd5+ Kf8 16.0-0-0 g6 Another strong move, deflecting his
+=, according to A.Kotov. opponent's queen.
12.Qd2 Be6 13.0-0-0 0-0 14.f3 Rc8 15.Kb1 24...Qa7 25.Rc3
A typical move, but it is possible to start Possible, but not the best, was the direct
play on the kingside immediately with attack 25.Nf6+!? Bxf6 (25...gxf6? 26.gxf6
15.h4. Kh8 27.Qg5 Rg8 28.fxe7!) 26.gxf6 g6
15...Nd7 27.Qg5 Qf2. 25.h5 was playable and logical
A very interesting try is to start counterplay as well.
on the kingside, despite the dangers there: 25...g6!
15...f5 16.gxf6 Rxf6 17.Rg1 Rf7. The best defence, but it does not help much.
16.h4 b5 17.Bh3 25...Qd7? 26.Rc7 +- ; 25...Rd7? 26.Nf6+!
An interesting idea, but also quite playable Bxf6 (26...gxf6 27.gxf6 Kh8 28.fxe7 +-)
is direct occupation of the central square 27.gxf6 g6 28.Qg5 Kh8 29.Qh6 Rg8
with 17.Nd5. 30.Rc8! +-.
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 14
26.Qg4 Qd7 27.Qf3 Qe6 □ Botvinnik Mikhail
Not 27...Rc8? 28.Rxc8 Rxc8 29.Nb6. ■ Kan Ilia Abramovich
28.Rc7 Rde8 B59 Moscow 1953
Other possibilities were 28...Rd7 29.Nf4 +-, 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6
28...Rfe8 29.Rf1 and 28...Rc8 29.Ra7 Ra8 5.Nc3 d6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 (D)
30.Rxa8 Rxa8 31.Nc7. XABCDEFGHY
29.Nf4 Qe5 30.Rd5 Qh8
Yes, the queen in the corner is a result of 8r+lwq-trk+(
Black’s unfortunate strategy and White's
total control of the d5-square.
7zpp+-vlpzpp'
31.a3 h6 6-+nzp-sn-+&
An even quicker loss results from an
opening of the position with 31...f6 32.Qb3 5+-+-zp-+-%
Rf7 33.Rxd6 fxg5 34.hxg5 Qe5 35.Rf6! 4-+-+P+-+$
Ref8 36.Rxf7 Rxf7 37.Rc8+ Bf8 38.Ne6 +-.
32.gxh6 Qxh6 3+NsN-+-+-#
Another way to lose immediately was 2PzPP+LzPPzP"
32...Bxh4? 33.Qg4 Qxh6 34.Rh5.
33.h5 Bg5 (D) 1tR-vLQ+RmK-!
Or 33...g5 34.Nh3 Kh8 35.Ra7.
xabcdefghy
XABCDEFGHY 9.Bf3
8-+-+rtrk+( Note that this was an unofficial training
match, one of many the great M.Botvinnik
7+-tR-+p+-' conducted during his preparations. The text
6p+-zp-+pwq& is an old-fashioned method of control over
the d5-square. Modern players prefer more
5+p+R+-vlP% natural set-ups starting with 9.f4 or 9.Be3.
4-+-+PsN-+$ 9...Na5?!
Rather a strange approach, exchanging off
3zP-+-+Q+-# the not so important knight on b3. However,
just the fact that Black has some space
2-zPP+-+-+" problems, and therefore exchanges are
1+K+-+-+-! welcomed in general, makes this move not
so bad.
xabcdefghy The modern method of handling such
34.hxg6! fxg6 situations is with the active 9...a5 and later
The other capture was calculated by there was developed a method of how to
B.Fischer very quickly: 34...Bxf4 35.gxf7+ fight for control over the d5-square: 10.a4
Rxf7 36.Rxf7 Kxf7 37.Rh5! +-. Nb4 and next ...Be6 and Black will be
35.Qb3! perfectly prepared to play ...d5.
With this piece sacrifice White conducts a 10.Nxa5
final mating attack. Similar is 10.Qd3 Be6 11.Nxa5.
35...Rxf4 10...Qxa5 11.Bg5
35...Kh8 36.Nxg6+ Qxg6 37.Rxg5 Rf1+ The beginning of the fight for control over
(37...Qxg5 38.Qh3+ +-) 38.Ka2 Qxg5 d5.
39.Qh3+ Kg8 40.Qxf1 +- ; 35...Bxf4 11...Be6 12.a3 Qc5 13.h3 Rfd8 14.Qd2 h6
36.Rh5+. 15.Bxf6
36.Re5+ Kf8 37.Rxe8+ Kxe8 38.Qe6+ Kf8 It's a pity to give up the bishop, but this
39.Qc8+ exchange is forced.
1-0 15...Bxf6 16.Rfd1 Rac8 (D)
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 15
 XABCDEFGHY The natural 23...a5 was impossible because
of tactics 24.Bxe6 fxe6 25.Nd5+ exd5
8-+rtr-+k+( 26.Rc3.
24.b3! Qc5 25.Nd5+ Bxd5 26.Rxd5
7zpp+-+pzp-' Finally White's control over d5 has become
6-+-zplvl-zp& real, and now it is necessary to use the
power of his active pieces.
5+-wq-zp-+-% 26...Qb6 27.axb4 Qxb4 28.Qe2 Qc3
4-+-+P+-+$ Another option was 28...a5 29.Ra1 Ra8
30.Rb5 Qc3 31.Ra2 Kf8 32.Qd1 trying to
3zP-sN-+L+P# reach d5 with the queen.
2-zPPwQ-zPP+" 29.Qd1 Rb8 30.Be2!
A very important moment - the bishop
1tR-+R+-mK-! changes direction as the most important
square now is c4.
xabcdefghy 30...a5 31.Bc4 a4 32.Ra1 Rb4 33.Rd3 Qb2
17.Bg4! 34.c3!
This is the correct strategy. White dreams of Forcing Black into some sacrifices.
Black exchanging off the light-squared 34...Rbxc4 35.bxc4 a3 36.Rb1 Qa2 37.Rb4
bishops, but sometimes it is even possible to Closing the queen's escape route.
exchange on e6 himself, thereby creating 37...Ra6 38.c5!
some weaknesses on the kingside. There is always room for natural moves,
17...Kf8 18.Qe2 a6 which are sometimes serious mistakes:
Black’s dream is to conduct activity on the 38.Rd2 Qxd2 39.Qxd2 a2.
other side with ...b5 and ...a5, intending to 38...dxc5 39.Rd7+
attack the knight on c3 and to drive it far 1-0
from d5.
19.Qf3 □ Ivacic Vladimir
Now the first threat has appeared - Nd5. ■ Mikhalchishin Adrian
19...Rc6 20.h4! A07 Slovenia 1993
Exploiting the current pin, White starts to 1.c4 Nf6 2.g3 e5 3.Bg2 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5
control the dark squares, as he has no bishop 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.d3 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.a3 a5 9.Nc3
of this colour. Be6 10.Nxd5 Bxd5 (D)
20...Ke7 21.g3 b5 22.Rac1 Qc4 23.Rd3 b4
(D) XABCDEFGHY
XABCDEFGHY 8r+-wq-trk+(
8-+-tr-+-+( 7+pzp-vlpzpp'
7+-+-mkpzp-' 6-+n+-+-+&
6p+rzplvl-zp& 5zp-+lzp-+-%
5+-+-zp-+-% 4-+-+-+-+$
4-zpq+P+LzP$ 3zP-+P+NzP-#
3zP-sNR+QzP-# 2-zP-+PzPLzP"
2-zPP+-zP-+" 1tR-vLQ+RmK-!
1+-tR-+-mK-! xabcdefghy
11.e4!?
xabcdefghy Such a plan has its own logic - White drives
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 16
the black bishop away from the centre and the white king: 19...Bxe3 20.fxe3 Qe7
starts to prepare d4, after which White will 21.Qc5 Qg5 22.Kf2 h5.
obtain an extra pawn in the centre. The 20.Qb2 Qg6
danger is clear also - at the moment the Black still has in mind ...h5-h4.
weakness of d4 can be exploited by the 21.Bxg5 Qxg5!
opponent. Just so, as Black will need to have the ...h5-
11...Be6 12.Be3 h4 attack available; doubled pawns are very
Too slow would be 12.h3 Qd7 13.Kh2 Rfd8 limiting during any attack.
Now White is prepared for d4, so Black has 22.b4 axb4 23.axb4 Rd4!
to stop it immediately. The simple option was to protect the c7-
12...Bf6 13.b3 pawn with 23...Rd7 but the move in the
It is clear that White did not like the thought game is much more active.
of ...a4, which would seriously weaken the 24.Rc4
square b3. Possible was 24.Bb3 Rxb4? provoking
13...Qd7 14.Qc2 Rfd8 15.Rfd1 Bg4 premature tactics 25.Rxc6 bxc6 26.Bxf7+
This move increases the pressure on d4, and Kxf7 27.Qxb4 +/-.
additionally creates an unpleasant pin. 24...Rad8 25.h4 Qe7
16.Rd2 (D) The sharper 25...Qxd2 26.Qxd2 Rxc4 27.b5
XABCDEFGHY Nb4 was also possible.
26.b5 Rxc4 27.dxc4 Nd4 (D)
8r+-tr-+k+( XABCDEFGHY
7+pzpq+pzpp' 8-+-tr-+k+(
6-+n+-vl-+& 7+pzp-wqpzp-'
5zp-+-zp-+-% 6-+-+-+-zp&
4-+-+P+l+$ 5+P+-zp-+-%
3zPP+PvLNzP-# 4-+PsnP+-zP$
2-+QtR-zPLzP" 3+-+-+-zP-#
1tR-+-+-mK-! 2-wQ-tR-zP-+"
xabcdefghy 1+-+L+-mK-!
16...h6
A direct option to occupy the d4-square was xabcdefghy
also available 16...Bxf3 17.Bxf3 Nd4 Finally Black has obtained his ideal position
18.Bxd4 Qxd4 19.Rb1 c6 but the presence with the knight on d4.
of opposite-coloured bishops will give 28.Qa2 Qf8!
White some additional drawing chances. So, As Black has to create new weaknesses in
Black's plan has already been created by his opponent's position in order to make
M.Botvinnik: it is necessary to try to progress, it is useful to use the a-file for his
exchange the dark-squared bishops; then the rook.
control over d4 will be absolute. 29.Kg2 Ra8 30.Qb1 Qa3
17.Rc1 Bxf3 18.Bxf3 Bg5 19.Bd1 Now all Black pieces start a tremendous
White activity would simply help Black to space expansion.
launch a few positionally-minded tactical 31.Be2 b6 32.Bg4 Ra4
blows: 19.Qc4 Nd4 20.Bh5 b5 21.Qc3 c5! The target is clear - the c4-pawn.
19...Qd6 33.Rd3 Qc5 34.Bd1 Rxc4 35.Qa2 Rc1
It was also possible to create a weakness on 36.Qa8+ Kh7 37.Qe8 Qxb5
e3 and then try to launch an attack against 0-1
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 17
 Now comes a beautiful example of 15...Qxd6 16.Nxd6 Re6 17.Nxc8 Rxc8
technique, on how to conduct a plan of 18.Ra7 with a big advantage to White. It's
weakening the d6-square and then to control always like this if a rook is able to penetrate
it fully, and finally, how to use it for a to the 7th rank.
decisive attack. 16.Qa3!
Now it's time for the knight.
□ Geller Efim 16...Qc7
■ Ree Hans After the possible 16...Bf8 17.Nd6 Bxd6
B07 Wijk aan Zee 1969 18.Qxd6 b5 19.b4 White's advantage has
1.Nf3 g6 2.e4 Bg7 3.d4 d6 4.c3! c6 5.Nbd2 just increased.
Nf6 6.Be2 0-0 7.0-0 Nbd7 8.Re1 Qc7 17.Nd6 Rf8 18.Bc4
9.Bf1! e5 10.a4 Re8?! Every move sees an improvement of the
10...a5! In similar situations it is always piece positions and the creation of new
necessary to stop the opponent's space threats. The knight's function on d6 is not
expansion. just to cause problems for Black's pieces, in
11.a5 Rb8 (D) particular the rooks, but to help in the
XABCDEFGHY coordination of an attack on f7.
18...b5 (D)
8-trl+r+k+( White was ready for tactics in the case of
18...Nc5 19.Nxf7! Rxf7 20.Ng5. But now
7zppwqn+pvlp' another combination is on the scene.
6-+pzp-snp+& XABCDEFGHY
5zP-+-zp-+-% 8-trl+-trk+(
4-+-zPP+-+$ 7+-wqn+pvlp'
3+-zP-+N+-# 6-+psN-snp+&
2-zP-sN-zPPzP" 5+p+-zp-+-%
1tR-vLQtRLmK-! 4-+L+P+-+$
xabcdefghy 3wQ-zP-+N+-#
12.Nc4!
With this move, E.Geller shows his intention 2-zP-+-zPPzP"
is to occupy the d6-square. 1tR-vL-tR-mK-!
12...b5
A forcing variation was calculated by xabcdefghy
E.Geller to support his plan: 12...exd4 19.Bxf7+! Kh8
13.Bf4! Ne5 14.cxd4 Nxc4 15.Bxc4 Rxe4 Or 19...Rxf7 20.Nxf7 Kxf7 21.Ng5+ +-.
(15...Nxe4 16.Ng5) 16.Rxe4 Nxe4 17.Qe2! 20.Nxc8
Nf6 18.Ng5 Nd5 19.Bxd5 cxd5 20.Qe8+ Also not bad was the improvement of yet
Bf8 21.Bxd6! +- but sometimes retreat is not another piece with 20.Rd1.
a shameful act, but rather the best solution: 20...Rxf7 21.Ng5! Rf8 22.Nd6 Nb6 23.Be3!
12...Bf8! The final important piece enters the game
13.axb6 axb6 14.dxe5 dxe5 15.Qd6 with decisive effect.
In order to be able to control this important 23...b4 24.Bxb6 Qxb6
square fully, it is preferable to exchange E.Geller had prepared a nice counter-strike
queens; not very favourable for Black, in the case of the other recapture 24...Rxb6:
therefore the latter must refrain from 25.Qa7!
something like this. 25.Ndf7+ Kg8 26.Qb3!
15...Qb7 1-0
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 18
 Not only are squares on the d- or e-files c6 will be a very serious one.
important - for central influence we can also 14...Bxg2 15.Kxg2 Qc7 16.Qb3!
use, for example, the c6-square. White is ready to exchange queens if
necessary, in order to better control the c6-
□ Botvinnik Mikhail square.
■ Donner Jan Hein 16...Rfc8 17.Rfc1 Qb7+ 18.Qf3 (D)
A14 Amsterdam 1963 XABCDEFGHY
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.0-0
0-0 6.b3 b6 7.Bb2 Bb7 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.d4 8r+r+-+k+(
c5 10.dxc5 Bxc5 11.Nbd2 Nd7 12.a3 (D)
7zpq+nvlpzpp'
XABCDEFGHY 6-zp-+psn-+&
8r+-wq-trk+( 5+-+-+-+-%
7zpl+n+pzpp' 4-zP-sN-+-+$
6-zp-+p+-+& 3zP-+-+QzP-#
5+-vln+-+-% 2-vL-sNPzPKzP"
4-+-+-+-+$ 1tR-tR-+-+-!
3zPP+-+NzP-# xabcdefghy
2-vL-sNPzPLzP" As was said before, White exchanges every
1tR-+Q+RmK-! defender of the c6-square.
18...Nd5
xabcdefghy Another development might be 18...Qxf3+
12...N5f6 19.N2xf3 Bf8 20.Nc6 Ne4 21.Rc2 Nec5
Black plays 'too relaxed' chess! It is clear 22.Rd1! Rxc6 23.Rxd7 Nxd7 24.Rxc6 and
that White plans some space-gaining activity now the rook completely controls the c6-
on the queenside, so it is necessary to stop it square and the c-file.
immediately with 12...a5!? 19.e4 N5f6 20.b5 a6 (D)
13.b4 Be7 (D) Black obtains a very difficult position after
XABCDEFGHY 20...Nc5 21.Nc6 h6 22.a4 a6 23.Bd4.

8r+-wq-trk+( XABCDEFGHY
7zpl+nvlpzpp' 8r+r+-+k+(
6-zp-+psn-+& 7+q+nvlpzpp'
5+-+-+-+-% 6pzp-+psn-+&
4-zP-+-+-+$ 5+P+-+-+-%
3zP-+-+NzP-# 4-+-sNP+-+$
2-vL-sNPzPLzP" 3zP-+-+QzP-#
1tR-+Q+RmK-! 2-vL-sN-zPKzP"
xabcdefghy 1tR-tR-+-+-!
14.Nd4! xabcdefghy
A very useful exchange of bishops, after 21.Nc6 Bf8 22.a4
which it becomes clear that the weakness on Finally White fixes his grip on the c6-

Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 19
square, and in addition gains a lot of space. 28.Ra1!
The next step will be the creation of some And now the rook changes direction and
weakness and the further attacking of it. penetrates to the seventh rank, as Black can
22...axb5 23.axb5 Rxa1 24.Rxa1 Ra8 (D) no longer fight for the file.
XABCDEFGHY 28...Rc7
28...Ra8 29.Rxa8 Qxa8 30.Ne7+.
8r+-+-vlk+( 29.Ra7 Qxa7
Black decides to sacrifice his queen, but it is
7+q+n+pzpp' too late.
6-zpN+psn-+& 30.Nxa7 Rxa7 31.Nxb6
1-0
5+P+-+-+-%
4-+-+P+-+$ □ Dautov Rustem
■ Polgar Judit
3+-+-+QzP-# E15 Istanbul 2000
2-vL-sN-zPKzP" 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.Qa4
Bb7 6.Bg2 c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.0-0 0-0 9.Nc3
1tR-+-+-+-! Ne4 10.Qc2 Nxc3 11.Qxc3 d5!? 12.Rd1
Nd7 (D)
xabcdefghy A risky try here is 12...d4!? 13.Nxd4?
Black tries to reduce White's pressure with (13.Qd3 Nc6 14.a3 a5 15.Ng5 g6 16.Ne4 +/-)
the help of total exchanges, but M.Botvinnik 13...Bxg2 14.Kxg2 e5 15.Nf5! (15.Qf3 Na6)
avoids the exchange of rooks, as his will 15...Qxd1 16.Qxe5 f6 17.Qe6+ Rf7 18.Qe8+
play an important role in the attack of any Bf8 19.Qe4 Nc6 20.Qxc6 Rd8.
weakness.
25.Rd1! Ne8?
XABCDEFGHY
A very passive move, which allows White to 8r+-wq-trk+(
increase his advantage. Better was 25...Bc5.
26.Nc4 7zpl+n+pzpp'
Or immediately 26.e5. 6-zp-+p+-+&
26...Nc5 27.e5
Now there appears the new threat of Nd6, 5+-vlp+-+-%
and after an exchange there White will
obtain a dangerous passed pawn.
4-+P+-+-+$
27...Rc8 (D) 3+-wQ-+NzP-#
XABCDEFGHY 2PzP-+PzPLzP"
8-+r+nvlk+( 1tR-vLR+-mK-!
7+q+-+pzpp' xabcdefghy
6-zpN+p+-+& 13.Bg5!
Much stronger than the dull 13.cxd5 Bxd5
5+Psn-zP-+-% 14.e4 (14.Ne5? Rc8 -/+) 14...Bxe4 15.Ne5
4-+N+-+-+$ Bd5 16.Bxd5 exd5 17.Rxd5 Qf6 18.Bf4
Nxe5 =.
3+-+-+QzP-# 13...Qe8?
2-vL-+-zPKzP" Any other defence promised Black more
than the move in the game: 13...f6 14.Be3
1+-+R+-+-! Rc8 15.cxd5 Bxd5 16.Bxc5 Rxc5 (16...Nxc5
17.Qe3+=) 17.Qe3+=; 13...Be7! 14.Bxe7
xabcdefghy Qxe7 15.cxd5 Bxd5 16.Rac1 Nc5! 17.b4
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 20
Na4! (17...Ne4 18.Qb2 Rfc8 19.Ne5 +=) The second step is to exchange the defender
18.Qc2 (18.Qa3 b5 19.Nd4 Bxg2 20.Kxg2 of c6, the d5-bishop, and then with b5 White
Rac8 =) 18...b5 19.a3 (19.e4 Bb7 =) 19...a5 will have completed the first part of the
=. operation.
14.cxd5 Bxd5 (D) 18...Nf6 19.b5 Bxg2 20.Kxg2 Rd5 21.Nc6
XABCDEFGHY Qd7 22.Qc2!
Tempting, but wrong, was 22.Rxd5? Qxd5+
8r+-+qtrk+( 23.Qf3 Qxf3+ 24.Kxf3 a6 =.
22...Qb7 23.a4 h6 24.e4 Rc5 25.Qd3 Rxc1
7zp-+n+pzpp' 26.Rxc1 a6 (D)
6-zp-+p+-+& XABCDEFGHY
5+-vll+-vL-% 8r+-+-+k+(
4-+-+-+-+$ 7+q+-+pzp-'
3+-wQ-+NzP-# 6pzpN+psn-zp&
2PzP-+PzPLzP" 5+P+-+-+-%
1tR-+R+-mK-! 4P+-+P+-+$
xabcdefghy 3+-+Q+-zP-#
15.b4!
Not just gaining space on the queenside, but 2-+-+-zPKzP"
also the start of a strategy to occupy the c6- 1+-tR-+-+-!
square.
15...Be7 16.Bxe7 Qxe7 17.Rac1 xabcdefghy
Now begins complete control over the open 27.Rc4!
c-file. White has to find the object for attack with
17...Rfd8 (D) the help of the knight c6, which limits the
The attempt to start immediate counterplay possibilities of his opponent's pieces. The
on the queenside does not work: 17...a5? rook is placed in front of the queen for more
18.Qc7 +/- threatening to exploit the powerful coordination, but the other way
unpleasant pin with 19.e4. 17...Nf6 18.Ne5 was possible also.
+=. 27...axb5 28.axb5 (D)
XABCDEFGHY XABCDEFGHY
8r+-tr-+k+( 8r+-+-+k+(
7zp-+nwqpzpp' 7+q+-+pzp-'
6-zp-+p+-+& 6-zpN+psn-zp&
5+-+l+-+-% 5+P+-+-+-%
4-zP-+-+-+$ 4-+R+P+-+$
3+-wQ-+NzP-# 3+-+Q+-zP-#
2P+-+PzPLzP" 2-+-+-zPKzP"
1+-tRR+-mK-! 1+-+-+-+-!
xabcdefghy xabcdefghy
18.Nd4 28...Qc7
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 21
Less logical is the transfer of the knight to XABCDEFGHY
the strong square c5 with 28...Nd7?! as it
will leave the king's flank without serious 8-+-tR-+-+(
protection: 29.Rd4 Nc5 30.Qd1 Qc7 31.e5
+/-.
7+-+-+pzpk'
29.Rd4 e5? 6-zpN+-+-zp&
Creating more weaknesses in the position.
Better was the simple 29...g6. 5+P+-zP-+-%
30.Rc4 (D) 4-+-+-+-+$
XABCDEFGHY 3+-sn-+-zP-#
8r+-+-+k+( 2r+-+-zPKzP"
7+-wq-+pzp-' 1+-+-+-+-!
6-zpN+-sn-zp& xabcdefghy
5+P+-zp-+-% 37.Rd7
4-+R+P+-+$ Also possible was 37.Rf8 +-.
37...Nxb5 38.Rxf7 Rc2 39.Nb4 Re2 40.Nd3
3+-+Q+-zP-# Na3 41.Kf3 Rc2 42.e6 Rc8 43.Ke4 Re8
44.Kd5 b5 45.Rb7 Nc2 46.e7 Kg6 47.Ke6
2-+-+-zPKzP" 1-0
1+-+-+-+-!
xabcdefghy
30...Qd7?!
Black decides to sacrifice a pawn for some
illusionary activity. No big difference is
made by 30...Kh8 31.Qc3 Re8 32.Ra4 Qd6
33.Qc2! +/- and White's rook plans to start
attacking the 7th rank from a7.
31.Nxe5 Pawns can be formed into structures, but at
Other moves are simply incorrect here, e.g. some moment in the centre a passed pawn
31.Qxd7? Nxd7 32.Ne7+ Kh7 33.Rc6 Ra2, can be created. It can be used as a powerful
but not 31.Qc2? Qd6 =. weapon, but it can also be attacked by the
31...Qe6?! opponent.
The transition into an endgame would see Let’s see how we can use the power of the
perfect control by White 31...Qxd3 32.Nxd3 passed d-pawn, which frequently appears
Ra5 33.Rb4 Ne8 34.Ne5 Nc7 (34...Nd6? from certain openings, such as the
35.Nc6 Rxb5 36.e5!! Rxb4 37.exd6 +-) ‘Gruenfeld Defence’.
35.Rc4 (35.Nc4 Rxb5 36.Rxb5 Nxb5
37.Nxb6) 35...Rxb5 36.Nxf7 +-. □ Petrosian Tigran
32.Nc6 Ra2 33.e5 Qd5+ ■ Korchnoi Viktor
Things go wrong very quickly after D41 Ciocco 1977
33...Ng4? 34.Ne7+ Qxe7 35.Rc8+ +-. 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 c5 5.cxd5
34.Qxd5 Nxd5 35.Rd4 Nc3 36.Rd8+ Kh7 Nxd5 6.e4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 cxd4 8.cxd4 Bb4+
(D) 9.Bd2 Bxd2+ 10.Qxd2 0-0 11.Bc4 Nc6
The position is won for White and (as 12.0-0 b6
masters used to say) it is a technical There exist other ways of fighting such types
position, as Black can’t do much to avoid of centre, which can be transformed into a
defeat… passed pawn, such as by 12...Qd6.
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 22
13.Rfe1 Bb7 14.Rad1 (D) the pawn on c7 completely paralyses the
XABCDEFGHY Black pieces.
21.Rxd6 Qc7 (D)
8r+-wq-trk+( XABCDEFGHY
7zpl+-+pzpp' 8r+-+-trk+(
6-zpn+p+-+& 7zp-wq-+pzpp'
5+-+-+-+-% 6-zpPtR-+-+&
4-+LzPP+-+$ 5+-+-+-+-%
3+-+-+N+-# 4-+-+-wQ-+$
2P+-wQ-zPPzP" 3+-+-+-+-#
1+-+RtR-mK-! 2P+-+-zPPzP"
xabcdefghy 1+-+-tR-mK-!
14...Ne7?!
There were two other playable options here, xabcdefghy
14...Rc8 or 14...Qd6. 22.g3
15.d5! White has complete control over the central
Principled and best, although a files, but it is not so easy to use the power of
waiting/improving approach is possible and his golden ticket - the c7-pawn. Therefore,
applied by: 15.Qe3 Rc8 16.Bb3 Qc7 17.h4. White's plan is to now improve the positions
15...exd5 16.exd5 Nf5 17.Ne5! of all his pieces, to make his king safe and
With this activity White starts to fight then to start the creation of a second
against a future blockade of the d5-pawn by weakness in his opponent's position.
the knight going to d6, but not in a direct 22...h6 23.Qe5 Rac8
way. This is a very useful idea and technique The other rook move does not help, e.g.
to study! Worse was the slow 17.Bd3 Nd6 =. 23...Rae8 24.Qxe8 Rxe8 (24...Qxd6 25.Qd7
17...Nd6 18.Nc6! +/- +-) 25.Rxe8+ Kh7 26.Rd7 Qxc6 27.Ree7 +-.
Of course, the classics say that the best plans 24.Qd5 Kh7
are conducted in the best way with the help After 24...Rfd8 25.Rd7! Rxd7 26.cxd7 Rf8
of small tactics. 27.Re8 it is not possible to stop the d-pawn.
18...Bxc6? 25.Re4 Kg8 26.Kg2 a6 27.h4 b5 (D)
Bad was 18...Nxc4 19.Nxd8 Nxd2 20.Nxb7 XABCDEFGHY
+/- but maybe better was to place the queen
in a more active position with 18...Qf6!? 8-+r+-trk+(
although clearly the knight c6 causes much
more problems for Black than the knight d6
7+-wq-+pzp-'
does to White. Now there occurs a typical 6p+PtR-+-zp&
and instructive change of passed pawn:
instead of a d-pawn, White obtains a c- 5+p+Q+-+-%
pawn, which helps him to control the central 4-+-+R+-zP$
files much more powerfully.
19.dxc6 Nxc4 20.Qf4! 3+-+-+-zP-#
It was too early to use the power of the 2P+-+-zPK+"
passed pawn: 20.Qxd8? Raxd8 21.Rxd8
Rxd8 22.c7 Rf8 23.Rd1 b5! 24.Rd8 Nb6 -+. 1+-+-+-+-!
20...Nd6
Worse was 20...Qf6 21.Qxc4 Rac8 22.c7! as
xabcdefghy
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 23
28.g4! Now White creates a passed pawn, which
White has improved the positions of every will eventually be the decisive factor in this
piece to the maximum, and now we see the game.
beginning of the creation of the second 11.d5 cxd5
weakness - it happens to be on the kingside, After 11...Nb6 12.Bb3 cxd5 13.exd5 Qd6
so the target is the black king! 14.Rc1 Bd7 15.0-0 0-0 16.Rfe1 Rfe8, White
28...Kh7 29.Re2 Kh8 30.g5 h5 would try to unblock the d5-pawn with Ne4:
30...hxg5 31.hxg5 Rce8 32.Rxe8 Rxe8 33.g6 17.Ng5! Rac8 18.Nce4. A typical
fxg6 34.Rd7 Qf4 35.Qf3! Qg5+ 36.Qg3 and manoeuvre…
the c-pawn will have the decisive say in just 12.exd5
a few moves. 12.Nxd5 Nxd5 13.Bxd5 Nf6.
31.Rd2 Rfe8 32.Qf3 g6 33.Rf6 12...Qc5 13.Bb3 0-0
Simpler was to close the diagonal with It was necessary to try to drive the
33.R2d5 followed by Rd7 and Qf7. opponent's knight from the centre with
33...Qe7? 13...b5 14.0-0 b4 15.Ne2 Ba6.
A longer, though ultimately unsuccessful, 14.0-0 Qd6 15.Rfe1 a6
defence would be given by 33...Re7 It is necessary to lose time in securing the
34.Rdd6 Kg7 35.Qd5 Rf8 36.Rd7. blockading piece, but it is known to all from
34.Rd7 Qe1 35.Rxg6! Qe5 36.Qxh5 # Nimzowitsch that the queen is the worst
1-0 blockading piece.
16.Qe3 (D)
XABCDEFGHY
8r+l+-trk+(
7+p+n+pzpp'
Young top players study the classics 6p+-wq-sn-+&
deeply and profoundly; we can see this from
the next example: 5+-+Pzp-+-%
□ Andreikin Dmitri 4-+-+-+-+$
■ Stupak Kiril
A40 Chotowa 2010
3+LsN-wQN+-#
1.d4 e6 2.c4 Bb4+ 3.Bd2 Bxd2+ 4.Qxd2 2PzP-+-zPPzP"
Nf6 5.Nc3 d5 6.Nf3 c6 7.e3 Nbd7 8.Bd3
dxc4 9.Bxc4 Qe7 10.e4 e5 (D) 1tR-+-tR-mK-!
XABCDEFGHY xabcdefghy
8r+l+k+-tr( 16...Re8?
It was necessary to continue the attack on
7zpp+nwqpzpp' the d5-pawn with 16...b5 17.Ng5 Bb7
18.Nge4 Nxe4 19.Nxe4 Qb6 20.Rad1 Rad8.
6-+p+-sn-+& 17.Nd2!
5+-+-zp-+-% Now begins the operation to unblock the
passed pawn.
4-+LzPP+-+$ 17...b5 18.Nce4 Qb8
3+-sN-+N+-# The other retreat was no better 18...Qf8
19.Rac1 a5 20.a3.
2PzP-wQ-zPPzP" 19.d6
1tR-+-mK-+R! If the passed pawn starts to roll it means that
Black's problems have increased.
xabcdefghy 19...Bb7 (D)
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 24
 XABCDEFGHY 25.d6
If there is even the slightest chance to move,
8rwq-+r+k+( then the passed pawn has to run!
25...Be5
7+l+n+pzpp' No real difference is made by 25...Re6 26.h3
6p+-zP-sn-+& Ne5 27.Nxe5 Bxe5 28.Bxe5 Rxe5 29.Rd1
g6 and the position is similar to that in the
5+p+-zp-+-% game.
4-+-+N+-+$ 26.Bxe5 Nxe5 27.Nxe5 Rxe5 28.Rd1 h6
(D)
3+L+-wQ-+-# XABCDEFGHY
2PzP-sN-zPPzP" 8-+-+-+k+(
1tR-+-tR-mK-! 7zp-+q+pzp-'
xabcdefghy 6-zp-zP-+-zp&
20.Rac1!
This move has to be supported by exact, 5+-zp-tr-+-%
although not complicated, calculation. 4-+-+-+-+$
20...Bxe4 21.Nxe4 Nxe4 22.Qxe4 Qxd6
23.Red1 Nf6 24.Bxf7+! 3+P+Q+-+-#
A final 'petite combinaison' in J.R.
Capablanca's style. 2P+-+-zPPzP"
24...Kxf7 25.Qb7+ Qe7 26.Rc7 1-0 1+-+R+-mK-!
□ Mikhalchishin Adrian xabcdefghy
■ Filipenko Alexander Black is blockading the white pawn, so
D12 Vladikavkaz 1978 White's plan has to be to create a second
1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.e3 Bf5 5.Bd3 weakness on the queenside or the kingside.
Bxd3 6.Qxd3 e6 7.0-0 Nbd7 8.Nc3 Be7 This is not so easy, so White has to try to
9.e4 dxe4 10.Nxe4 Nxe4 11.Qxe4 0-0 12. combine threats. Black's plan should be to
Bf4 Qb6 13.Qe2 Rfe8 14.Rad1 c5 15.Rd3 create a passed pawn on the queenside,
Bf6 16.Be3 Qc7 17.b3 e5 18.dxe5 Nxe5 deflecting White's pieces from supporting
19.Rd5 Ng4 20.Qd3 b6 21.Rd7 Qc6 22.Bf4 the d-pawn.
Rad8 23.Rd5 Rxd5 24.cxd5 Qd7 (D) 29.f4
XABCDEFGHY It was also possible to start more slowly
with 29.h3 as this move will be necessary
8-+-+r+k+( sooner or later.
29...Re6 30.Qd5 g6 31.h3 Kg7 32.Kh2
7zp-+q+pzpp' Now White has created the threat of f4-f5,
6-zp-+-vl-+& so Black has to stop it.
32...Re2 33.a4
5+-zpP+-+-% Possibly better was to start a minority attack,
4-+-+-vLn+$ but White did not want to reduce the
material just yet: 33.b4! cxb4 34.Qc4 Re8
3+P+Q+N+-# 35.Qxb4.
2P+-+-zPPzP" 33...Re3 (D)
After 33...a5 34.Qd3 Re8 35.g4 White is
1+-+-+RmK-! ready to combine threats on both flanks with
f5 and Qb5. The Rule of the Two
xabcdefghy Weaknesses!
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 25
 XABCDEFGHY □ Davidovic Aleksandar
■ Fernandez Garcia Jose Luis
8-+-+-+-+( D76 Manila 1992
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 d5
7zp-+q+pmk-' 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.0-0 Nb6 7.Nc3 0-0 8.d4 Nc6
6-zp-zP-+pzp& 9.d5 Na5 10.e4 c6 11.Bf4! cxd5 12.exd5
Bxc3!?
5+-zpQ+-+-% Such pawns are 'untasty' and only Black can
4P+-+-zP-+$ have problems, primarily with the squares
around his own king.
3+P+-tr-+P# 13.bxc3 Nxd5 14.Bh6 Re8 15.Qd4! Nf6
2-+-+-+PmK" 16.Qh4 Nc6 17.Rfe1 Bg4 18.Nd4! Rc8
19.Bg5 Nxd4 20.cxd4 Qd7 21.Bxf6 exf6
1+-+R+-+-! 22.Qxf6 (D)
xabcdefghy XABCDEFGHY
34.a5 8-+r+r+k+(
34.b4!? would be very strong now: White
threatens a6 and then Qb7 unblocking the 7zpp+q+p+p'
d6-pawn. 6-+-+-wQp+&
34...bxa5 35.Qxc5 Rxb3 (D)
XABCDEFGHY 5+-+-+-+-%
8-+-+-+-+( 4-+-zP-+l+$
7zp-+q+pmk-' 3+-+-+-zP-#
6-+-zP-+pzp& 2P+-+-zPLzP"
5zp-wQ-+-+-% 1tR-+-tR-mK-!
4-+-+-zP-+$ xabcdefghy
Finally a position with a central passed pawn
3+r+-+-+P# has appeared. In addition, the power of
2-+-+-+PmK" White's bishop on g2 adds a lot to its
strengths.
1+-+R+-+-! 22...Re6?!
It was already necessary to start blockading
xabcdefghy the annoying passed pawn with 22...Be6, as
36.Qd4+? the direct assault with 23.d5 does not work
White wants to use the absence of his at this point: 23...Bxd5 24.Rxe8+ Rxe8
opponents rook on the e-file, but better was 25.Rd1 Qa4 26.Rxd5 Re1+ 27.Bf1 Rxf1+
simply to take the pawn with 36.Qxa5. 28.Kxf1 Qc4+.
36...Kh7 37.Re1 Rb8? 23.Qf4 Bh3?
Better was to transfer into the rook And now it was necessary to either start
endgame, despite the pawn deficit on one defending with 23...Bf5 24.d5 Ra6 25.Re5
flank. 37...Rb4 38.Qf6 Qf5! 39.Qxf5 gxf5 or to start flank counterplay with 23...b5.
40.Rd1 Rb8 41.Rd5 Rd8 42.Rxf5 Kg6 24.Bxh3! Rxe1+ 25.Rxe1 Qxh3 26.Re7
43.Rd5 a4. Now, forced into complete passivity, Black
38.Re7 Qf5 39.d7 g5 can do nothing to prevent the advance of
39...Rd8 40.Re8. White's passed d-pawn.
40.Re8 26...Rf8 27.d5 Qc8 28.h4 b5 29.d6 Qc5
1-0 30.Qf6 a5 31.d7 Qd5 (D)
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 26
 XABCDEFGHY From the opening, an important element has
directly emerged-the passed pawn on d4, but
8-+-+-trk+( it is often not only an important asset for one
side, but also an important target for the
7+-+PtRp+p' opponent. Here there are now two
6-+-+-wQp+& completely different approaches.
14.Nd2
5zpp+q+-+-% 14.b4!? Bxb4 15.Qxd4 oo ; 14.Bxf6!? Qxf6
4-+-+-+-zP$ 15.Nd2 +=.
14...Re8
3+-+-+-zP-# It was possible to immediately try to get rid
2P+-+-zP-+" of the unpleasant centralised bishop:
14...Ng4 15.Bf4 g5 (15...Ne3? 16.fxe3 dxe3
1+-+-+-mK-! 17.Qh5 +/-) 16.Nb3 gxf4 17.Nxc5 fxg3
18.hxg3 +/-.
xabcdefghy 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.Nb3
32.Qe5! It was also possible to reach a good central
The queen exchange is unpalatable for square, but White's real task is to attack the
Black, so White forces his opponent's pieces central pawn: 16.Ne4!? Qe5 17.Qd2 Bf5
to leave crucial squares. 18.Rfe1 +=.
32...Qd1+ 33.Kg2 Qd3 34.Qc5! 16...Qb6 (D)
The threat of 35.Re8 is unstoppable.
1-0
XABCDEFGHY
But of course, a passed pawn will not 8r+l+r+k+(
always be such a successful weapon; there 7zpp+-+pzpp'
are positions in which methods of blocking
then attacking it are more successful. 6-wq-+-+-+&
□ Mikhalchishin Adrian 5+-vl-+-+-%
■ Sax Gyula 4-+Pzp-+-+$
E01 Bled 1998
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.g3 cxd4 5.Nxd4 3+N+-+-zP-#
d5 6.Bg2 e5 7.Nf3 d4 8.0-0 Nc6 9.e3 Be7
10.exd4 exd4 11.Bf4 0-0 12.Ne5 Nxe5 2PzP-+-zPLzP"
13.Bxe5 Bc5 (D) 1tR-+Q+RmK-!
XABCDEFGHY xabcdefghy
8r+lwq-trk+( 17.Qd3!
Blockading with the queen is possible when
7zpp+-+pzpp' there are no knights on the board! 17.Qh5?!
6-+-+-sn-+& has been tried here before, but without
special success.
5+-vl-vL-+-% 17...Rb8
4-+Pzp-+-+$ White keeps a big advantage after 17...Bg4
18.Rfe1 Rxe1+ 19.Rxe1 Rb8 20.Re5 +/-.
3+-+-+-zP-# 18.Rfe1
2PzP-+-zPLzP" Much weaker is the immediate exchange of
the superior knight 18.Nxc5 Qxc5 19.Rad1
1tRN+Q+RmK-! Be6 20.Qxd4 Qxc4 21.Qxa7 Qxa2 =.
18...Be6 19.Re5!?
xabcdefghy There were two other tempting options,
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 27
19.Rac1!? and 19.Rad1!? but the rook on e5 27...Rf8 28.Nxb7! Rxd5 29.Qxd5 Re8
fulfils a double function. 30.Nd8 +-.
19...Be7 20.Rc1! 28.Rxd6 Be5 29.Rd5 Bb2 30.Re1+- Qb4
The rook belongs here as it protects the 30...f5 31.Rd7 +-.
pawn and supports its advance. Worse 31.Re2
would be 20.Rae1 Bf6 21.R5e2 (21.Rb5 Qc7 1-0
22.Nc5 a6! 23.Nxe6 Rxe6! 24.Rxe6 axb5 -
Sometimes, the central pawn can be
/+).
sacrificed with the idea being to mobilise all
20...Bf6?
the pieces on the opened central files.
Correct was stubborn defence with
20...Red8. □ Korchnoi Viktor
21.Rb5 Qc7 ■ Beliavsky Alexander
Or 21...Qa6 22.Ra5 Qb6 23.c5 +/-. D45 Leon 1994
22.Be4! +/- (D) 1.c4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Nf3
XABCDEFGHY Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.b3 0-0 8.Bb2?! e5
9.cxd5 cxd5 10.dxe5 Nxe5 11.Be2 Nxf3+
8-tr-+r+k+( 12.Bxf3 (D)
7zppwq-+pzpp' XABCDEFGHY
6-+-+lvl-+& 8r+lwq-trk+(
5+R+-+-+-% 7zpp+-+pzpp'
4-+PzpL+-+$ 6-+-vl-sn-+&
3+N+Q+-zP-# 5+-+p+-+-%
2PzP-+-zP-zP" 4-+-+-+-+$
1+-tR-+-mK-! 3+PsN-zPL+-#
xabcdefghy 2PvLQ+-zPPzP"
22...g6 23.Nxd4 1tR-+-mK-+R!
White has achieved his aim; the passed
pawn is liquidated! xabcdefghy
23...Bd7 12...d4!
No better is 23...Bg4 24.b3 Red8 25.Rd5 +/-. The idea of this pawn sacrifice in the centre
24.Rd5 Rbd8 is to enhance the development of his own
White retains a big advantage after 24...Bc6 pieces and to exploit some problems with
25.Nxc6 bxc6 26.Rd7 Qe5 27.Bxc6 Qxb2 the white king's position.
28.Rf1 Qxa2 29.Qf3 Kg7 30.Bd5 Rf8 31.c5 13.exd4?
+/-. After the game it became clear that better
25.b3 Bh3 would have been to decline the pawn
White would get a better endgame with an sacrifice, and rather to attempt a pawn
extra pawn after any other bishop move sacrifice himself with 13.Ne4 Nxe4 14.Bxe4
25...Bc6!? 26.Nxc6 bxc6 27.Rxd8 Rxd8 dxe3 15.0-0 exf2+ 16.Qxf2 oo.
28.Qf3 +/-. 13...Re8+ 14.Kf1
26.Nb5! Qe7 Other defences don't solve the problems
26...Rxd5 27.Nxc7 Rxd3 28.Nxe8 +-. either: 14.Ne2 Bb4+ 15.Bc3 Bf5! 16.Qd2
27.Nd6! Bxc3 17.Qxc3 Rc8 18.Qb4 Bd3 -/+; 14.Be2
This move guarantees White a decisive Bg4 15.f3 Bh5 16.0-0 Qc7 17.h3 Bg6
advantage. 18.Bd3 Nh5.
27...Rxd6 14...Qa5 15.Qd1 Bb4 16.Rc1 Bd7
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 28
This simple developing move looks to be □ Anikaev Yuri
better than the other bishop moves 16...Bf5 ■ Mikhalchishin Adrian
17.g4 or 16...Be6!? D88 Cheliabinsk 1974
17.a3 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5
Capture of the pawn would be met by a 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 Nc6
double-attack with check 17.Bxb7? Bxc3 9.Be3 0-0 10.0-0 Na5 11.Bd3 b6 12.Qd2
18.Bxc3 Qb5+ -+. Bb7 13.Rac1 cxd4 14.cxd4 e6 (D)
17...Bxc3 18.Rxc3 XABCDEFGHY
The other capture was no better: 18.Bxc3
Qxa3 19.Bxb7 Rab8 20.Ra1 Qe7 21.Bf3 8r+-wq-trk+(
Ne4 22.Bxe4 Qxe4.
18...Nd5 19.Bxd5
7zpl+-+pvlp'
Or 19.Rc5? Bb5+ 20.Kg1 Re1+ -+. 6-zp-+p+p+&
19...Qxd5 20.a4 Rac8 21.f3 Rxc3 22.Bxc3
Re3 -/+ (D) 5sn-+-+-+-%
XABCDEFGHY 4-+-zPP+-+$
8-+-+-+k+( 3+-+LvL-+-#
7zpp+l+pzpp' 2P+-wQNzPPzP"
6-+-+-+-+& 1+-tR-+RmK-!
5+-+q+-+-% xabcdefghy
An evaluation of this typical ‘Gruenfeld
4P+-zP-+-+$ Defence’ structure is not easy at all - one
3+PvL-trP+-# obvious fact is that White has a very strong
centre, but Black's bishops on b7 and g7
2-+-+-+PzP" create powerful cross-pressure on the pawns
1+-+Q+K+R! at e4 and d4. The key issue is what plans,
based on this evaluation, are available to
xabcdefghy both sides? White will try to create some
Now it has become clear just how powerful weakness on the kingside, and Black on the
the activity of Black's pieces is. opposite side, exploiting the c-file.
23.Ba1 15.Bh6
Black had prepared powerful tactics after 23. The first step: it is necessary to get rid of the
Qd2? Rxf3+ 24.gxf3 Qxf3+ 25.Kg1 Bc6 -+. important bishop which currently conducts
23...Rxb3 24.Kf2 Bxa4 25.Re1 f6 two important functions; attacking White's
Useful prophylaxis, as White had his own centre and protecting its own king.
tactics also, e.g. 25...Rb2+?? 26.Bxb2 Bxd1 15...Qe7 16.Rfe1
27.Re8 #. Another option was to instigate immediate
26.Qc1 Bc6 27.Qf4 h5 28.h4 Ra3 29.Kg3 action with 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.Qf4 Rac8
Ra2 30.Bc3 Qf7 31.Qf5 18.h4 h6 19.h5 g5 20.Qg3 preparing f4.
A better defence was offered by the king 16...Rac8 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Nf4
retreat 31.Kh2 Qg6 32.Bd2 Qd3 33.Bb4 Now it becomes clear that White wants to
Bxf3 34.Re8+ Kh7 -+. combine a kingside attack with the
31...Qc7+ exploitation of the powerful central strike
0-1 d5.
18...Rfd8
These pawn sacrifices are even typical - Simplification with 18...Rxc1 would not be
they are conducted in different special very successful: 19.Rxc1 Rc8 20.Rxc8 Bxc8
central structures. 21.Qc3 Bb7 22.d5+ Qf6 23.Qc7 exd5
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 29
24.exd5 and the knight on a5 is the main 32...Rd6?
source of Black's problems. Nothing much is changed by the king move
19.Qe3 32...Kg7 33.Nh5+ Kf8 34.Qf4+ Qf7 35.Nf6.
A serious alternative was 19.Rxc8 Rxc8 33.Qh6+ Qg7 34.Qxg7+
20.d5 Nc4 21.Bxc4 Rxc4 22.dxe6 fxe6 1-0
23.e5.
19...Rxc1 20.Rxc1 (D) □ Zontakh Andrey
XABCDEFGHY ■ Ivanovic Bozidar
A69 Niksic 2000
8-+-tr-+-+( 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 d6 4.Nc3 g6 5.Nf3
Bg7 6.e4 0-0 7.Be2 e6 8.0-0 Re8 9.Nd2 Na6
7zpl+-wqpmkp' 10.Kh1 Nc7 11.a4 b6 12.f4 exd5 13.cxd5
6-zp-+p+p+& Ba6 14.Bxa6 Nxa6 (D)
5sn-+-+-+-% XABCDEFGHY
4-+-zPPsN-+$ 8r+-wqr+k+(
3+-+LwQ-+-# 7zp-+-+pvlp'
2P+-+-zPPzP" 6nzp-zp-snp+&
1+-tR-+-mK-! 5+-zpP+-+-%
xabcdefghy 4P+-+PzP-+$
20...Qd6 3+-sN-+-+-#
It was possible to destroy White's centre
more directly with 20...e5 21.dxe5 Qxe5 2-zP-sN-+PzP"
22.f3 Rc8. 1tR-vLQ+R+K!
21.d5!?
A typical central pawn sacrifice in such xabcdefghy
structures, but here it is a very risky one. This is a typical position from the ‘Benoni
Another central thrust was sufficient only Defence’, and a structure where Black's plan
for a draw: 21.e5 Qxd4? (21...Qd7 22.Nh5+ is to create strong pressure on the opponents
gxh5 23.Qg5+ Kf8 24.Bxh7 Qxd4 25.Qg8+ centre and try to disturb White's
Ke7 26.Rc7+ Rd7 27.Qg5+) 22.Nxe6+ fxe6 development. A strong centre always creates
23.Rc7+ Kg8 24.Qh3. some problems for the opponent, but it is not
21...exd5 22.e5 Qe7 23.e6 Nc4 always so easy to hold it. Here White applies
It's high time to bring the knight back into a typical plan involving a pawn sacrifice,
the action. closing the centre and transferring the game
24.Qg3 Bc8 and events to the kingside.
More precise defence was 24...Rf8. 15.e5 dxe5 16.Nc4 Nb4 17.d6 e4?
25.exf7 Qxf7 26.h4!? Much better was to open the centre with
And better was to bring the rook into play 17...exf4 18.Bxf4 Nh5 19.Qf3 Nxf4 20.Qxf4
with 26.Re1. Qd7.
26...Bf5 27.Re1 Nd6 18.f5 Qd7
Safer was 27...Kg8. It is very difficult to decide on a weakening
28.Nh5+ Kf8 29.Qe5 Ne4 30.Bxe4 Bxe4? of your own king's position, but here it
A perpetual would be the normal result after would be the best defence: 18...gxf5 19.Rxf5
the correct recapture 30...dxe4 31.Qh8+ Ke7 Qd7 20.Rg5 Kh8 21.Be3 Nd3 22.Qe2 Qe6.
32.Qe5+ Qe6 33.Qg7+ Qf7 34.Qe5+ 19.Bg5!
31.Nf6 Qe7 32.Qg5? White has practically completed his
Much better was 32.Qf4! Kg7 33.Rc1. development and now, finally, starts to
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 30
create serious attacking threats. that are protecting important central squares.
19...gxf5 20.Ne3! A strong master of such a strategy was the
Slowly, all the pieces drift closer to the great champion Mikhail Botvinnik.
black king.
20...Re5 21.Bxf6 Bxf6 22.Nxf5! Kh8 □ Botvinnik Mikhail
Exploiting a simple tactical trick involving a ■ Van Scheltinga Theo
pin and double attack, viz. 22...Rxf5 E51 Wijk aan Zee 1969
23.Qg4+. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 0-0 5.Bd3
23.Nh6 Kg7 (D) d5 6.a3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 Bd6 8.Nf3 Nbd7 9.b4
Other defenses such as 23...Qe6 24.Qe2, did e5 10.Bb2 e4 11.Nd2 Nb6 12.Be2 Qe7 (D)
not improve the position either. XABCDEFGHY
XABCDEFGHY 8r+l+-trk+(
8r+-+-+-+( 7zppzp-wqpzpp'
7zp-+q+pmkp' 6-sn-vl-sn-+&
6-zp-zP-vl-sN& 5+-+-+-+-%
5+-zp-tr-+-% 4-zP-zPp+-+$
4Psn-+p+-+$ 3zP-sN-zP-+-#
3+-sN-+-+-# 2-vL-sNLzPPzP"
2-zP-+-+PzP" 1tR-+QmK-+R!
1tR-+Q+R+K! xabcdefghy
xabcdefghy 13.g4!
24.Rxf6 This is a typical flank strategy with the aim
24.Ng4 was even stronger. Now White being to attack the opponent's central pawn.
ejects Black's king from its defensive shell. Such attacks are very effective, especially
Such exposed kings are very vulnerable! without castling.
24...Kxf6 25.Ng4+ Kf5 13...Nbd5
Or 25...Ke6 26.Qb3+ Kxd6 27.Nb5+ Ke7 After 13...h6 14.h4 White would create an
28.Nxe5. additional threat - to open the black king's
26.Nxe5 position.
Once again, stronger was 26.Qe2 trying to 14.g5 Nxe3?!
add the final piece, the Ra1, to the attack. The Dutch IM decided to try his last chance
26...Kxe5 27.Nxe4 Rg8 28.Qe1 Nc2 - to bluff - but against M.Botvinnik it has no
29.Qc3+ Nd4 30.Re1 Qc6 31.d7 Qd5 real chance of success.
32.Qh3 Ne2 33.Nc3 15.fxe3 Nd5 16.Nxd5 Qxg5 17.Nxe4!
1-0 The easiest way is to return some material in
order to simplify the position. The rest is
Flank Strategies Against The Centre straightforward.
The clash of different approaches in the 17...Qxd5 18.Bf3 Kh8 19.Nxd6 Qxd6 20.0-
most dynamic way is demonstrated when it 0 Bh3 21.Rf2 Rae8 22.Qd3 Qh6 23.e4 Re6
is necessary to attack the centre not in the 24.d5 Rg6+ 25.Kh1 Qh4 26.Qd4 f6 27.Rg1
direct way, but rather, from a distance. Rxg1+ 28.Kxg1 Re8 29.Kh1 h5 30.Re2
In some cases flank attacks are directed at Bg4 31.Bxg4 Qxg4 32.Qe3
the heart of the position - against an 1-0
opponent’s king, but in many cases the idea
is to remove those of the opponent’s pieces
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 31
□ Bogoljubow Efim XABCDEFGHY
■ Botvinnik Mikhail
E14 Nottingham 1936 8-+r+-trk+(
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 b6 3.e3 c5 4.c4 Bb7 5.Nc3
cxd4 6.exd4 e6 7.Bd3 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.b3
7zpl+Rvl-+p'
d5 10.Be3 Ne4 11.Rc1 Nd7 12.Qe2 Rc8 6-zp-+p+-+&
13.Rfd1 f5 14.Bf4 (D)
XABCDEFGHY 5+N+-wqp+-%
8-+rwq-trk+( 4-+P+p+p+$
7zpl+nvl-zpp' 3+P+-+-+-#
6-zp-+p+-+& 2P+-+QzPPzP"
5+-+p+p+-% 1+-tR-sN-mK-!
4-+PzPnvL-+$ xabcdefghy
20...Bg5! 21.Rcd1 Bc6 22.Rxa7 Rcd8
3+PsNL+N+-# Stronger was to fight for the d-file with the
other rook, 22...Rfd8, but Black will in any
2P+-+QzPPzP" event obtain full control of the central file
1+-tRR+-mK-! and penetrate it with decisive effect.
23.a4 Rxd1 24.Qxd1 Rd8 25.Qc2 Bd2
xabcdefghy 0-1
Black has a very strong knight on e4 and the
added power of the flank pawn will help to
attack the central white pawn on d4.
14...g5! 15.Be5?!
A different retreat looks stronger: 15.Be3
Bf6 (weak is 15...g4 16.Bxe4 dxe4 17.Ne5
Ba3 18.Rc2 Nf6 19.Bh6 Re8 20.Qe3) 16.h3
Qe7 and Black will slowly improve his □ Botvinnik Mikhail
position in the centre before taking some ■ Smyslov Vassily
more decisive action. E45 Moscow 1954
15...g4 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 5.Nge2
Now White's pieces lose contact with each Ba6 6.a3 Be7 7.Nf4 d5 8.cxd5 Bxf1 9.Kxf1
other, and after exchanges on e5 a weak exd5 (D)
pawn will appear. XABCDEFGHY
16.Ne1 Nxe5 17.Bxe4
Black's pieces increase in activity after
8rsn-wqk+-tr(
17.dxe5 Qc7 18.Nb5 Qxe5 19.Nxa7 Bd6 7zp-zp-vlpzpp'
20.g3 Ra8 21.Nb5 Bc5.
17...dxe4 18.dxe5 Qc7 19.Nb5 Qxe5 6-zp-+-sn-+&
20.Rd7 (D)
The capture on a7 allows Black to further
5+-+p+-+-%
increase the activity of his pieces, e.g. 4-+-zP-sN-+$
20.Nxa7 Ra8 21.Nb5 Bg5 22.Rc3 Ba6. 3zP-sN-zP-+-#
White tries a double-attack, but it is refuted
by a tactical counterstrike. But the text move 2-zP-+-zPPzP"
also fails to solve White’s problems, which
means that his position is beyond repair…
1tR-vLQ+K+R!
xabcdefghy
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 32
Now the centre looks stable, but White XABCDEFGHY
found a plan which soon became classic in
such situations. It seems that Black is OK. 8rsn-wq-+k+(
What is White's compensation for losing the
right to castle?
7zp-+n+pzpp'
10.g4! 6-zppsNr+-+&
The right moment cannot be missed. By
pushing the knight from f6, White creates 5+-+-+-zPP%
disharmony among Black's pieces, which 4-+-zP-vL-+$
becomes a crucial factor when the position is
opened. 3zP-+-+-+-#
10...c6 2-zP-+-zP-+"
10...h6 does not stop White: 11.Qf3 c6 12.h4
and the g5-break becomes even more 1tR-+Q+K+R!
effective. Probably Black had to match his
opponent's determination with the response
xabcdefghy
10...g5 although after 11.Nh5 Nxh5 12.gxh5 18.d5!
c6 13.Qf3 and e4 to follow White keeps a In such situations, as we have pointed out
solid initiative, according to G.Kasparov. before, the best approach is to open the
11.g5 Nfd7 game.
After 11...Ne4 12.Nxe4 dxe4 13.h4 the pawn 18...Rxd6
on e4 will be attacked soon. This exchange sacrifice does not help, but
12.h4 Bd6? the opening of the game is disastrous:
A clear mistake. After 12...0-0 13.Qg4 the 18...cxd5 19.Qxd5 Na6 20.g6 Nc7 (20...Nf8
massive concentration of the enemy's forces 21.gxf7+ Kh8 22.h6 Nc7 23.Nf5!)
make the black king feel pretty nervous. The 21.gxh7+! Kxh7 22.Qf5+ etc.
next, not obligatory but colourful, line 19.Bxd6 Qxg5 20.Qf3!
shows the potential of White's attack: Now the primitive 20.dxc6 Nxc6 gives
13...Na6 14.e4 dxe4 15.Nxe4 f5 16.gxf6 Black some hope, so M.Botvinnik maintains
Nxf6 17.Qe6+ Kh8 18.h5! Nxe4 19.Ng6+ his domination, adding a quality advantage
hxg6 20.hxg6+ Bh4 21.Qxe4 Rxf2+ 22.Kg1 to his material one.
Kg8 23.Rxh4 Qf6 24.Rf4! (the tempting 20...Qxd5
24.Bg5? even loses: 24...Qxg5+ 25.Kxf2 Keeping queens on the board did not offer
Rf8+ 26.Ke2 [26.Ke1 Qg1+] 26...Qb5+ any relief: 20...cxd5 21.Rg1 Qd2 22.Bb4
27.Ke3 Qb3+ etc.) 24...Rxf4 25.Bxf4 Rf8 Qxb2 23.Re1 Na6 24.Qxd5 etc.
26.Bg3 Nb8 27.d5! with a big advantage. 21.Qxd5 cxd5 22.Rc1 Na6 23.b4!
Undoubtedly Black had a number of other Finishing the hapless knight off.
opportunities with reasonable chances to 23...h6 24.Rh3 Kh7 25.Rd3 Nf6 26.b5 Nc5
defend. 27.Bxc5 bxc5 28.Rxc5 Rb8 29.a4 Rb7
13.e4! dxe4 14.Nxe4 Bxf4 15.Bxf4 0-0 30.Rdc3
16.h5! And the rook exchange is inevitable:
Combining domination in the centre with 30.Rdc3 Ne4 31.Rc7 so Black resigned.
creating threats to the black king. As you 1-0
can see, the kingside castle doesn't give one
full insurance for the safety of the king. □ Vidmar Milan
16...Re8 ■ Nimzowitsch Aron
There are no useful alternatives: 16...Na6 E11 New York 1927
17.h6 g6 18.Qa4 and the knight has to go 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 Qe7
back. 18...Nab8 19.Re1 leaves Black 5.Nc3 0-0 6.e3?! d6 7.Be2 b6 8.0-0 Bb7
practically paralysed. 9.Qc2 Nbd7 10.Rad1 Bxc3 11.Bxc3 Ne4
17.Nd6 Re6 (D) 12.Be1 f5 13.Qb3! c5 14.Nd2 Nxd2
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 33
15.Rxd2 e5 16.dxe5 dxe5 17.f3 (D) 18...Nf6 19.Rfd1 Rae8
XABCDEFGHY There was no sense in trying to limit White's
activity on the d-file, as after 19...Rad8
8r+-+-trk+( 20.Qa3 a5 21.Qc3 Rxd2 22.Qxd2 Rc8
23.Qd6 White’s control is still strong.
7zpl+nwq-zpp' 20.Qa4
6-zp-+-+-+& White tries to exploit his control over the d-
file in a tactical way - he now threatens Rd7.
5+-zp-zpp+-% 20...Ba8 21.Rd6 (D)
4-+P+-+-+$ XABCDEFGHY
3+Q+-zPP+-# 8l+-+rtrk+(
2PzP-tRL+PzP" 7zp-+-wq-+p'
1+-+-vLRmK-! 6-zp-tR-sn-+&
xabcdefghy 5+-zp-zppzp-%
17...g5!! 4Q+P+-+-+$
This is one of the most amazing strategic
decisions of the first part of the 20th century. 3+-+-zPP+-#
Closing off his own powerful bishop is
illogical 17...e4 18.f4; while after the logical 2PzP-+LvLPzP"
central development 17...Rad8 White has a 1+-+R+-mK-!
nice idea to create an object of attack:
18.Qa4 a6 19.Qb3. Of help to White only is xabcdefghy
17...Nf6 as it allows the unpleasant pin Now White calculated that the plan does not
18.Bh4. work tactically: 21.Rd7 Nxd7 22.Rxd7 Qf6
18.Bf2 23.Qxa7 e4 24.Rxh7 f4 25.Be1 Qxb2.
The correct way of exploiting the d-file was 21...Qg7!
completely different - it was necessary to Now it is clear that Black is preparing a
penetrate Black's position with the queen, powerful attack on the white king after ...g4.
not with the rooks: 18.Qd3! It is extremely Premature would be 21...e4 22.f4 gxf4
strange that nobody among the greats - 23.Bh4 f3 24.Rxf6 fxe2 25.Re1.
Alekhine, Tartakower, Nimzowitsch, Flohr, 22.Bf1?
etc. - saw this resource during their This is a tactical mistake, one which allows
annotations of this game for different the break. Saviely Tartakower recommended
magazines! Everybody praised as the best defence bringing the queen back
A.Nimzowitsch's flank attack, but during the with 22.Qc2, which is quite logical. A.
analysis of the classic or top players' games Alekhine's recommendation was completely
it is necessary to establish the key moments different 22.Be1 activating the bishop to c3.
and to find the mechanics as to how the It is remarkable how the greats of chess saw
ideas work. 18...Rad8 (The tactical solution different ways to play the same position.
does not work 18...Nf6 19.Qxf5 Ne4 22...e4! 23.Be1
20.Qd7) 19.Qd6 Qxd6 20.Rxd6 Nb8 (The White had planned to close the position, but
best transfer of the knight-it is necessary to now it would lose a pawn after 23.f4 gxf4
control the d4-square and to protect the e5- 24.exf4 e3. Of no help was the return with
pawn at the same time) 21.Rxd8 Rxd8 23.Be2 exf3 24.Bxf3 Bxf3 25.gxf3 g4 26.f4
22.Bc3 Nc6 23.Rd1 Rxd1+ 24.Bxd1 Kf7 Ne4 and a very poor position for White
25.g4 Kf6 26.Bc2 Bc8 27.h3 Nb4 and Black arises after 23.fxe4 Nxe4 24.Rd7 Qxb2.
can perhaps keep the balance, but it is 23...exf3 24.Bc3 Qe7!
necessary to play very carefully. Avoiding the unpleasant pin and switching
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 34
the object of the attack to e3. sacrifices 14...Nxh2 15.Bf4 Nxf3+ 16.Qxf3
25.R6d3 fxg2 26.Bxg2 Qg6 17.exd5 Bg4 18.Qe4+ Qxe4 19.Nxe4.
Of no help was 26.Be2 f4. 15.Ne2?
26...Bxg2 27.Bxf6 Qe4! It was necessary to develop the pieces
Exploiting the weakness of the light squares aggressively, which would lead to a very
to launch a mating attack. unclear position, e.g. 15.Bf4 Ne5 16.Na4
28.R1d2 Bh3 29.Bc3 Qg4+ Ba7 17.Rc1 h4 18.Bg2 f6.
0-1 15...Ne5 (D)
Now a very dynamic example of a sudden XABCDEFGHY
flank attack. 8r+l+k+-tr(
□ Sher Miron
■ Magerramov Elmar
7+-+-+pzp-'
D32 Helsinki 1992 6p+pwq-+-+&
1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 e6 4.e3 d5 5.d4 a6
6.cxd5 exd5 7.Be2 Nc6 8.Ne5 Bd6 9.Nxc6 5+-vl-sn-+p%
bxc6 10.dxc5 Bxc5 11.0-0 Qd6 12.Bf3 (D) 4-+-zpP+-+$
XABCDEFGHY 3+-+-+LzP-#
8r+l+k+-tr( 2PzP-+NzP-zP"
7+-+-+pzpp' 1tR-vLQ+RmK-!
6p+pwq-sn-+& xabcdefghy
5+-vlp+-+-% Now White suddenly faces terrible problems
4-+-+-+-+$ with his king and, additionally, his
development is not yet complete.
3+-sN-zPL+-# 16.Nf4
White has no time to retreat his bishop:
2PzP-+-zPPzP" 16.Bg2 d3 17.Nc3 Bg4 18.Qe1 h4 19.Be3 d2
1tR-vLQ+RmK-! 20.Qxd2 Qxd2 21.Bxd2 hxg3.
16...Bg4 17.Bxg4 hxg4 18.h4 (D)
xabcdefghy XABCDEFGHY
12...h5!
A very risky strategy, but Black has 8r+-+k+-tr(
correctly evaluated the problems his
opponent faces against his threats. Normal
7+-+-+pzp-'
development did not promise Black anything 6p+pwq-+-+&
spectacular: 12...Bf5 13.Ne2 0-0 14.Bd2
Ne4 15.Rc1 Rab8 16.Bxe4 Bxe4 17.Bc3 5+-vl-sn-+-%
Bb6 18.Ng3 Bg6 19.b4. 4-+-zpPsNpzP$
13.e4
As written in all middlegame books, a flank 3+-+-+-zP-#
attack has to be countered in the centre as 2PzP-+-zP-+"
soon as possible.
13...Ng4! 1tR-vLQ+RmK-!
Black has chosen such a strategy and
therefore it has to be conducted as far as
xabcdefghy
possible. How to defend against ...Nf3?
14.g3 d4 18...d3
The position is not yet ready for decisive Very strong would be 18...g5.

Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 35
19.Kg2 Mikhalchishin,A Stockholm 1980.
Another try was 19.Be3 Bxe3 20.fxe3 g5 8...Bh5 9.d3 Qd7 10.Nbd2 (D)
21.hxg5 Qb4! XABCDEFGHY
19...Qd4 20.Qe1
20.Nxd3 Qxe4+ 21.Kh2 Nxd3. 8r+-+k+-tr(
20...g5
0-1
7+pzpqvlpzpp'
6p+nzp-sn-+&
5+-+-zp-+l%
4L+-+P+-+$
3+-zPP+N+P#
2PzP-sN-zPP+"
1tR-vLQtR-mK-!
□ Bojkovic Natasa
■ Maric Alisa
xabcdefghy
C87 Novi Sad 1996 10...g5!
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0- A very risky strategy, but the timing looks to
0 Be7 6.Re1 d6 7.c3 Bg4 8.h3 be OK as White has no direct counterstrike
White can try to get another form of centre in the centre. But the small weakness of the
with 8.Bxc6+ bxc6 9.d4 Nd7 10.h3 Bh5 f5-square might become dangerous soon.
11.g4 Bg6 12.Qa4 exd4 13.Nxd4 (D) 11.Nf1
11.Bxc6 Qxc6 12.d4 0-0-0 13.Qb3 g4
XABCDEFGHY 14.hxg4 Nxg4 15.Nc4 Rhg8 16.Na5 Qb5
8r+-wqk+-tr( 17.Qxb5 axb5 (once more the endgame is
very favourable to Black, this time because
7+-zpnvlpzpp' of the bishop pair) 18.a4 exd4 19.Nxd4 bxa4
6p+pzp-+l+& 20.Nf5 Bf6 21.Rxa4 Ne5 22.Re3 Bf3
23.Ng3 Bd1 24.Rd4 Bg4 25.Ra4 Bd1
5+-+-+-+-% 26.Rd4 Bg4 27.Ra4 h5 28.Nc4 Nxc4
29.Rxc4 h4 30.Nf5 d5 31.Ra4 dxe4 32.Ra8+
4Q+-sNP+P+$ Kd7 33.Rxd8+ Rxd8 34.Nh6 Be6 35.Rxe4
3+-zP-+-+P# Kc6 36.Re1 Rd5 37.f3 b5 38.Ng4 Bg7
39.Be3 b4 40.cxb4 Bxb2 41.Rb1 Bg7
2PzP-+-zP-+" 42.Rc1+ Kd7 43.Kf2 f5 44.Nh2 Bf8 45.f4
1tRNvL-tR-mK-! Bxb4 46.Nf3 c5 47.Nxh4 Kc6 48.Nf3 Kb5
49.Ne1 Rd6 50.Nc2 Bc4 51.Ra1 Be6 52.Ra8
xabcdefghy Kc4 53.Nxb4 cxb4 54.Rb8 Ra6 55.Bd2 b3
13...c5 14.Nc6 Nb6 15.Qc2 Qd7 16.Nxe7 56.Ke3 Ra3 57.Rb4+ Kc5 58.Kd3 Ra2
Qxe7 (both White's centre and his king's 59.Bc3 Rxg2 60.Ra4 Rg3+ 61.Kd2 Bc4
flank look vulnerable because of the twin 62.Be5 Rg2+ 63.Kc1 Bd3 64.Bd4+ Kb5
threats of ...f5 and ...h5, so the only chance 65.Ra8 Rc2+ 66.Kd1 Be2+ 67.Ke1 Kc4
is to try to attack at any cost) 17.f4 f5! 68.Be5 b2 69.Rb8 Rc1+ 70.Kxe2 b1Q
18.Qe2 fxe4 19.f5 Bf7 20.Qxe4 Qxe4 71.Rxb1 Rxb1 72.Ke3 Rb3+ 73.Kf2 Kd5
21.Rxe4+ Kd7 22.Bg5 Rhe8 23.Nd2 Rxe4 74.Bf6 Ke6 75.Bd4 Kf7 76.Be5 Kg6 77.Bd4
24.Nxe4 Re8 25.Ng3 Na4 (finally White's Kh5 78.Be5 Kg4 79.Bd6 Rb2+ 80.Ke3 Kg3
pawn weaknesses come under attack) 81.Be5 Rb3+ 82.Ke2 Kg2 0-1 Tseshko-
26.Bc1 c4 27.Kf1 Nc5 28.Ne2 Nd3 29.Rb1 vsky,V-Mikhalchishin,A Daugavpils 1997.
Bd5 30.Bd2 Bg2+ 0-1 Wiedenkeller,H- 11...g4 12.hxg4 Bxg4 13.Ne3
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 36
White tries to play for the exploitation of the XABCDEFGHY
weaknesses on d5 and f5, but the
counterstrike in the centre is playable also. 8r+-+k+r+(
13...Rg8 14.Kf1 (D)
It was possible to try to block the kingside
7+-zp-vlp+p'
immediately with 14.Nxg4 Qxg4 15.g3 h5 6p+-zp-+-+&
16.Kh2 0-0-0 17.Nh4 Qxd1 18.Bxd1.
XABCDEFGHY 5sn-+-+-+-%
8r+-+k+r+( 4Pzp-zPPwq-+$
7+pzpqvlp+p' 3+-+-+N+-#
6p+nzp-sn-+& 2-zPL+-zPP+"
5+-+-zp-+-% 1tR-+QtRK+-!
4L+-+P+l+$ xabcdefghy
22.e5!
3+-zPPsNN+-# It is clear that White's king is better than
Black's and this move threatens the opening
2PzP-+-zPP+" of a central file and launches unpleasant
1tR-vLQtRK+-! threats.
22...Qg4
xabcdefghy After 22...0-0-0 23.g3 Qh6 24.Kg2 White
14...Nh5? simply improves the position of his king and
This looks logical but meets with a powerful is ready to start an attack on Black's king
refutation. The correct way of continuing the position.
attack was demonstrated by a top player: 23.exd6 cxd6
14...h5 15.d4 b5 16.Bc2 h4 17.dxe5 Bxf3 Nothing is changed by 23...Qxg2+ 24.Ke2
18.Qxf3 Nxe5 19.Qf5 Nfg4 20.Nxg4 Nxg4 Qh3 25.dxe7 Qe6+ 26.Kd3 Qf5+ 27.Kd2
21.Bb3 Ne5 22.Bf4 Nc4 23.a4 Qxf5 24.exf5 Qf4+ 28.Ke2.
Kd7 25.Re4 Rgb8 26.axb5 ½-½ Smirnov,P- 24.g3 Qh3+ 25.Kg1 h5
Aronian,L Tripoli 2004. As always, a central Or 25...Kf8 26.Rc1 Bf6 27.Qe2 and White's
operation is the best reaction to an pieces are much better placed.
opponent's flank activity. 26.Nh2
15.d4! b5 16.Bb3 exd4 Very strong was 26.Be4 Ra7 27.Qd2.
The 'normal' continuation of the attack offers 26...Rg5 27.Qd2 f6 28.Be4 Rb8 29.Bg2
no prospects, e.g. 16...Nf4 17.Nd5 Nxd5 Qd7 30.Qd3!
(17...Bxf3 18.Qxf3 Nxg2 19.Nb6! cxb6 Looking at both flanks - to a6 and to h7.
20.Qxf7+) 18.exd5 Na5 19.dxe5 0-0-0 20.e6 30...Kf8 31.Qh7 Nc4 32.Bd5
with a serious advantage for White. 1-0
17.cxd4 Na5 18.Bc2 Nf4 19.Nxg4 Qxg4
20.Bxf4! Fight Against the Centre
White eliminates his opponent's most Destroying the centre with the help of
unpleasant piece and his big advantage in pawn attacks and piece sacrifices -especially
the centre allows a serious attack. piece sacrifices for the central pawns - is the
20...Qxf4 21.a4! strategy of champions.
A useful and quite typical move for Sacrificing a piece for a powerful centre
‘Spanish’ type pawn structures; making leads to limiting the abilities of the
weaknesses in Black's queenside pawn opponent’s pieces, and the following
grouping. expansion of such a centre tends to paralyse
21...b4 (D) the opponent’s pieces.
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 37
□ Euwe Max 1.Protecting the king; 2.Threatening the
■ Alekhine Alexander black king with Ng5; 3.Supporting the
E18 Netherlands 1935 advance of the passed pawns) 29...Nf6
1.d4 e6 2.c4 f5 3.g3 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 Be7 5.Bg2 30.Nf3 Bxb2 31.Rab1 +-.
Nf6 6.Nc3 0-0 7.Nf3 Ne4 8.0-0 b6 9.Qc2 29...Qg6 30.Rg1
Bb7 10.Ne5 Nxc3 11.Bxc3 Bxg2 12.Kxg2 Now we see an exchange sacrifice!!! 30.Ng5
Qc8 13.d5! d6 14.Nd3 e5 15.Kh1 c6 Ne5!
16.Qb3! Kh8 17.f4 e4 18.Nb4! c5 19.Nc2 30...Bxg1 31.Rxg1 (D)
Nd7 20.Ne3 Bf6 (D) XABCDEFGHY
XABCDEFGHY 8r+-+-+rmk(
8r+q+-tr-mk( 7zp-+n+-+p'
7zp-+n+-zpp' 6-zp-+P+q+&
6-zp-zp-vl-+& 5+-zpP+-+-%
5+-zpP+p+-% 4-+P+-zP-+$
4-+P+pzP-+$ 3+Q+-+N+-#
3+QvL-sN-zP-# 2PzP-+-+-zP"
2PzP-+P+-zP" 1+-+-+-tRK!
1tR-+-+R+K! xabcdefghy
xabcdefghy 31...Qf6? +- 32.Ng5! Rg7
21.Nxf5! +/- Bxc3 22.Nxd6 Qb8 23.Nxe4 32...Rxg5 33.fxg5 Qd4 34.Qc3 +-.
Bf6 24.Nd2! 33.exd7 Rxd7 34.Qe3 Re7
White has destroyed all the black pawns in 34...Qxb2 35.Qe6 +-.
the centre and is now ready to start pushing 35.Ne6 Rf8
his e- and d-pawns. 35...Qxb2 36.d6! Ree8 (36...Rd7 37.Nc7 Rf8
24...g5! 25.e4 gxf4 26.gxf4 Bd4 27.e5 Qe8 38.Qe5+ +-) 37.d7 Re7 38.d8Q+ Rxd8
28.e6 Rg8 (D) 39.Nxd8 +- 39...Rxe3?? 40.Nf7 #.
28...Nf6? 29.Nf3, planning 30.Nd4. 36.Qe5 Qxe5 37.fxe5 Rf5 (D)
XABCDEFGHY XABCDEFGHY
8r+-+q+rmk( 8-+-+-+-mk(
7zp-+n+-+p' 7zp-+-tr-+p'
6-zp-+P+-+& 6-zp-+N+-+&
5+-zpP+-+-% 5+-zpPzPr+-%
4-+Pvl-zP-+$ 4-+P+-+-+$
3+Q+-+-+-# 3+-+-+-+-#
2PzP-sN-+-zP" 2PzP-+-+-zP"
1tR-+-+R+K! 1+-+-+-tRK!
xabcdefghy xabcdefghy
29.Nf3?! 37...Rxe6 38.dxe6 Rf5! (38...Re8 39.Kg2
29.exd7? Qe2! 29.Qh3! (with ideas such as: Rxe6 40.Re1 Kg7 41.Kf3 +-) 39.Re1 Kg8

Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 38
40.Re3! (40.Kg2 Kf8 41.Rf1? Rxf1 42.Kxf1 Typical of M.Tal's style - to destroy his
Ke7) 40...Kf8 41.Ra3 Rxe5 (41...a5 42.Rb3) opponent's centre and thereby change the
42.Rxa7 Rxe6 43.b3! Re2 44.Rxh7 Rxa2 course of the game, simply to open a closed
45.Rb7 +-. position. It was also possible to employ a
38.Re1?! classical plan of attack in this kind of centre:
Correct here was to swap rooks with 19.Nh2 Bg7 20.f4.
38.Rg5! Rxg5 39.Nxg5 Kg7 (39...h6 40.d6! 19...dxc5 20.Nxe5 Nc8 21.f4
+-) 40.d6! Rxe5 (40...Rd7 41.Ne6+ Kf7 Wrong was 21.Nxf7 Qe7 capturing the
42.Nf4 Ke8 43.Kg2 Rg7+ 44.Kf3 Kd7 knight.
45.Ke4 Kc6 46.Nd5 +-) 41.d7 Re1+ 42.Kg2 21...Qe7 22.c4!
Rd1 43.d8Q Rxd8 44.Ne6+ +-. White has only two pawns for the piece, but
38...h6?! his powerful centre will make Black's pieces
It was better to try to play the rook ending passive.
after 38...Rxe6! 39.dxe6 Kg8 40.Re3! 22...Bg7 23.Nf3
38...Kg8 39.Rg1+ Kf7 (39...Kh8 40.Rg5) Better was simply to centralize all the pieces
40.Nd8+ Kf8 41.Nc6 +-. here with 23.Rad1 Nd6 24.Bd3.
39.Nd8 Rf2 40.e6 Rd2 41.Nc6 Re8 42.e7 23...bxc4
b5 43.Nd8 Kg7 44.Nb7 Kf6 45.Re6+ Kg5 After 23...Nh5 24.Nxh5 Bxa1 25.e5! White
46.Nd6 Rxe7 47.Ne4+ would obtain a terrific position for the rook
1-0 investment.
24.bxc4 Nd6 25.e5 Nxc4 26.Qc3 Bb5
27.Rad1 Rad8 (D)
XABCDEFGHY
8-+-trr+-+(
□ Tal Mihail
7+-+-wqpvlk'
■ Ghitescu Theodor 6p+-+-snpzp&
C93 Miskolc 1963
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0- 5+lzpPzP-+-%
0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 h6 4-+n+-zP-+$
10.d4 Re8 11.Nbd2 Bf8 12.Nf1 Bd7
13.Ng3 Na5 14.Bc2 c5 15.b3 g6 16.Be3 3+-wQ-+NsNP#
Nc6 17.d5 Ne7 18.Qd2 Kh7 (D) 2P+L+-+P+"
XABCDEFGHY 1+-+RtR-mK-!
8r+-wqrvl-+( xabcdefghy
7+-+lsnp+k' 28.d6!
6p+-zp-snpzp& M.Tal simply advances his pawns instead of
regaining the piece.
5+pzpPzp-+-% 28...Nxd6 29.exd6 Qb7?!
Stronger, but not sufficient for equality,
4-+-+P+-+$ would be 29...Qf8 30.Qxc5.
3+PzP-vLNsNP# 30.Ne5
30.f5 was also strong. Or even simpler
2P+LwQ-zPP+" 30.Qxc5.
1tR-+-tR-mK-! 30...Nd7?! (D)
Dangerous-looking, but promising some
xabcdefghy chances for escape was 30...Nd5 31.Qf3
19.Bxc5!? Rxd6 32.Kh2 Rdd8 33.Be4.
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 39
 XABCDEFGHY 16...Nexd5!
Why suffer without space after c4 when it is
8-+-trr+-+( possible to destroy the wall constructed by
White?
7+q+n+pvlk' 17.exd5 Nxd5 18.Bb2
6p+-zP-+pzp& Better was to try to stop the creation of a big
pawn centre 18.Bd2 f5 19.Rc1 c5 20.c4.
5+lzp-sN-+-% 18...Nf4 19.Rb1
4-+-+-zP-+$ Interesting would be 19.Ne3.
19...e4 20.Nd4 c5 21.Ne2
3+-wQ-+-sNP# Suddenly Black starts a fierce attack against
2P+L+-+P+" his opponent's king.
21...Nxg2! 22.Kxg2 e3+ 23.f3 Bxf3+!
1+-+RtR-mK-! 24.Kxf3 Qb7+ 25.Kg3 Be5+ 26.Nf4 Bxf4+
The attack with 26...g5 proves insufficient
xabcdefghy after 27.Nxe3 gxf4+ 28.Kf2 fxe3+ 29.Rxe3.
31.Nh5! 27.Kxf4 Qg2 (D)
The start of a very dangerous attack.
31...Bh8 32.Qg3 Nxe5 33.fxe5 Qd7 34.Nf4!
XABCDEFGHY
Threatening to sacrifice on g6. 8r+-+r+k+(
34...Bxe5 35.Bxg6+! Kh8
35...fxg6 36.Qxg6+ Kh8 37.Rxe5 Rxe5 7+-+-+p+p'
38.Qf6+.
36.Bxf7! Bd4+
6p+-zp-+p+&
36...Qxf7 37.Rxe5 Rxe5 38.Ng6+. 5+pzp-+-+-%
37.Rxd4 Rxe1+ 38.Qxe1 Qxf7 39.Qe5+ 4P+-+-mK-+$
Qg7 40.Qxc5 Bc6 41.Rd2
1-0 3+PzP-zp-+P#
□ Romanishin Oleg 2-vLL+-+q+"
■ Shijanovsky
C92 Kiev 1967 1+R+QtRN+-!
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0- xabcdefghy
0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Qd7
28.Rxe3
10.d4 Re8 11.Nbd2 Bf8 12.Bc2 Bb7 13.a4
A very pretty mate appears after 28.Qg4
g6 14.d5 Ne7 15.b3 Bg7 16.Nf1 (D)
Qf2+ 29.Kg5 Re5+ 30.Kh6 Qf4+ 31.Qxf4
XABCDEFGHY Rh5 #. 28.Qf3 g5+!
8r+-+r+k+( 28...Rxe3 29.Nxe3 Qf2+ 30.Ke4
The queen is lost after 30.Qf3 g5+ 31.Kg4
7+lzpqsnpvlp' h5+.
30...Re8+ 31.Kd5 Qxe3 32.Qg4 Qd2+
6p+-zp-snp+& 33.Kc6 Qxc2 34.Qd1 Qe4+ 35.Kb6 Rb8+
5+p+Pzp-+-% 36.Ka5 Qc6
0-1
4P+-+P+-+$
3+PzP-+N+P# □ Polgar Judit
■ Spassky Boris
2-+L+-zPP+" C95 Budapest 1993
1tR-vLQtRNmK-! 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-
0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Nb8
xabcdefghy 10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Bc2 Re8
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 40
13.Nf1 Bf8 14.Ng3 g6 15.b3 Bg7 16.d5 23...Bd5?!
Nb6! 17.Be3 Rc8 18.Qe2 c6 19.c4 cxd5 Black had two other serious options: [23...d5
20.cxd5 (D) 24.a3 Nc6 25.Qa2 Na5 or 23...e4 24.Nd4
XABCDEFGHY Nd3 25.Red1 d5 26.Rxd3 exd3 27.Qxd3 but
in this second variation White has blocked
8-+rwqr+k+( the position.
24.Red1
7+l+-+pvlp' Black has good compensation after 24.a3
6psn-zp-snp+& Bxb3 25.axb4 d5 26.Rxa6 d4 27.Bg5 f6
28.Qb2 Bc4.
5+p+Pzp-+-% 24...Bc4 25.Qd2
4-+-+P+-+$ It's not a great idea to help Black to obtain
more central passed pawns with 25.Bxc4
3+P+-vLNsNP# bxc4 26.Rab1 Nd3 27.Ne1 e4.
2P+L+QzPP+" 25...Nd3 26.Bh6 d5 27.Bc2 Nc5! 28.Re1?
In such situations it is recommended to
1tR-+-tR-mK-! create counterplay at any price, or to
exchange bishops first with 28.a4.
xabcdefghy 28...Bh8! 29.Rad1 Qb6 30.Qg5 e4 31.Qe3
Black has real problems with space, so this Only tactical tricks keep White’s position
piece sacrifice destroying his opponent's playable.
centre contains two ideas: firstly to gain 31...Bxa2 32.Bb1 Bxb1
space, the second being to free both black It was possible to avoid the exchange of
bishops. bishops with 32...Bc4! planning ...a5-a4 etc.
20...Nbxd5! 21.exd5 Nxd5 22.b4?! 33.Rxb1 Na4 34.Qxb6 Nxb6 35.Be3 Na4
J.Polgar tries to free her bishop, as basic Easier was to simplify the position and start
defence would simply allow Black to start pushing the queenside pawns: 35...exf3
rolling his centre: 22.Rac1 Nc3 23.Qd2 Bxf3 36.Bxb6 Rxe1+ 37.Rxe1 b4.
24.gxf3 d5. 36.Nd4 Nc3 37.Rbc1 Rc4 38.Nge2 Nxe2+
22...Nxb4 39.Nxe2 Rd8
Another serious option would be less- Why not simply try to promote the pawn
materialistic, but sometimes chessplayers with 39...a5?
can regret that approach also... 22...Nxe3 40.g4 d4 41.Rcd1 d3
23.fxe3 Bxf3 24.gxf3 e4. Simpler would be 41...a5 42.Ng3 d3.
23.Bb3 (D) 42.Ng3 Bc3
XABCDEFGHY In such situations exchanges are
recommended: 42...Be5.
8-+rwqr+k+( 43.Bd2 Bxd2 44.Rxd2 Rdd4 45.f3!
7+l+-+pvlp' The only chance is to destroy the powerful
pawn group.
6p+-zp-+p+& 45...exf3 46.Kf2 b4 47.Kxf3 Rd8
5+p+-zp-+-% Better was 47...a5.
48.Re7 Rb8
4-sn-+-+-+$ A direct winning variation looks to be
available here with 48...a5 49.Ra7 b3
3+L+-vLNsNP# 50.Rxa5 Rc2 51.Nf1 b2 52.Rb5 Rc1.
2P+-+QzPP+" 49.Rd7 b3 50.R7xd3! a5 51.Rb2 a4 52.Ne2
Kg7 53.Ke3 Ra8 54.Nc3 Rb4 55.Nxa4
1tR-+-tR-mK-! Raxa4 56.Rbxb3 Rf4! 57.Ke2 Kh6 58.Rf3
xabcdefghy Kg5!
Flank endings are generally drawish with
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 41
such material, but here the activity of 16.Nd5!?
Black's king is decisive. Here is the creation of the powerful centre,
59.Kf2 Rxf3+ 60.Kxf3 Kh4 61.Kg2 Ra2+ but without any direct sacrifice! It means
62.Kg1 h5! 63.gxh5 Kxh5 64.Rf3 (D) that White believes that powerful pawns in
Correct play here was to place the rook the centre will be equal at least to a knight,
behind the pawns with 64.Rb7! f5 65.Rg7. with just one pawn as compensation!
XABCDEFGHY 16...cxd5 17.exd5 axb4 18.axb4 Bf5
After 18...e4 19.Ng5 Bg4 20.Qb3 Qd7
8-+-+-+-+( 21.Nxe4 Nxe4 22.Bxe4 White increases his
material compensation, keeping a powerful
7+-+-+p+-' pawn duo in the centre.
6-+-+-+p+& 19.d6
Interesting was the direct 19.Nxe5 Bxb1
5+-+-+-+k% 20.d6 Qc8 21.Bxa8 Qxa8 22.Qxb1 Nd5
4-+-+-+-+$ 23.Nd3.
19...Qd8 (D)
3+-+-+R+P# XABCDEFGHY
2r+-+-+-+" 8r+-wqrsnk+(
1+-+-+-mK-! 7+-+-+pvlp'
xabcdefghy 6-+-zP-snp+&
64...f5 65.Rf4 Re2 66.Kh1 Re4 67.Rf2 Kh4
68.Kg2 Rb4 69.Kh2 Re4 70.Kg2 f4! 5+pzP-zpl+-%
71.Kf3 Re5 72.Rg2 4-zP-+-+-+$
72.Kxf4 Rf5+ 73.Ke3 Rxf2 74.Kxf2 Kxh3 -+.
72...g5 73.Rg4+ Kxh3 74.Rg3+ Kh4 0-1 3+-+-+NzP-#
□ Garcia Raimundo 2-vL-+-zPLzP"
■ Medina Garcia Antonio Angel 1+R+QtR-mK-!
E68 Tel Aviv 1964
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 d6 5.Nf3 xabcdefghy
0-0 6.0-0 Nbd7 7.Nc3 e5 8.e4 c6 9.Rb1 a6 20.Rc1
10.dxe5 dxe5 11.b4 b5 12.c5 a5 13.a3 Re8 Once more 20.Nxe5?! was possible, e.g.
14.Bb2 Qc7 15.Re1 Nf8 (D) 20...Ra2 21.Nc6 Rxe1+ 22.Qxe1 Qd7
XABCDEFGHY 23.Ne7+ Kh8 24.Nxf5 Qxf5 25.c6.
20...e4 21.Ne5
8r+l+rsnk+( The following forcing line leads to 'mutual
disarmament' 21.Nd4 Bd7 22.Qc2 Ne6 23.c6
7+-wq-+pvlp' Nxd4 24.Bxd4 Bf5 25.d7 Nxd7 26.Bxg7
6-+p+-snp+& Kxg7 27.cxd7 Qxd7 28.Bxe4.
21...Ra2 22.Bc3 Qa8 23.c6 Rd8
5zppzP-zp-+-% Another good option was 23...Rc8.
4-zP-+P+-+$ 24.c7
It was useful to kick away the bishop with
3zP-sN-+NzP-# 24.g4.
2-vL-+-zPLzP" 24...Re8 25.Bf1 (D)
Black is clearly on top but should finish off
1+R+QtR-mK-! the game by some concrete and efficient
continuation…the nightmare of every
xabcdefghy chessplayer!
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 42
 XABCDEFGHY 11.fxe5 e6 12.Nf3 Nf7 (weaker was 12...Bd7
13.Be3 Rc8 14.Qd2 Nf7 15.0-0 Na5 16.b3
8q+-+rsnk+( Qb6 (D)
7+-zP-+pvlp' XABCDEFGHY
6-+-zP-snp+& 8-+r+-trk+(
5+p+-sNl+-% 7zpp+l+nvlp'
4-zP-+p+-+$ 6-wq-+p+p+&
3+-vL-+-zP-# 5sn-+pzP-+-%
2r+-+-zP-zP" 4-+-zP-+P+$
1+-tRQtRLmK-! 3+PsN-vLN+P#
xabcdefghy 2P+-wQ-+L+"
25...Qb7? 1tR-+-+RmK-!
Much better was 25...Nd5 26.Bxb5 Nxc3
27.Rxc3 Bxe5 28.Bxe8 Bxc3 29.Qb3 Qxe8 xabcdefghy
30.Qxc3 Qd7 with a winning position. 17.h4! - starting a typical attack and his
26.Bd4? opponent has no good counterattack against
White could have turned the tables with the it - 17...Rc7 18.Rac1 Rfc8 19.h5 gxh5
fantastic opportunity 26.Qb3 Be6 27.Bc4!! 20.gxh5 Be8 21.Bh3 Qc6 22.h6 Bf8 23.Kh1
26...Bh6? Nd8 24.Nh4 Bg6 25.Nxg6 hxg6 26.Ne2 Qb5
Still keeping better chances is the simple 27.h7+ Pavasovic,D-Lie,K Dresden 2008)
retreat 26...Ra6. 13.0-0 b5! (here it is - a direct counterattack
27.Nc6! Bxc1 28.Ne7+ Rxe7 29.dxe7 N8d7 on the queenside) 14.Be3 Bd7?! (14...Ba6
30.Bxf6 was correct with sufficient counterplay)
Even better was 30.Qxc1 Ra8 31.Bxb5. 15.Qd2 b4 16.Ne2 Qb6 17.Kh1 (D)
30...Nxf6 31.Qd8+ XABCDEFGHY
1-0
Pawn attacks against the centre have to be
8r+-+-trk+(
conducted very carefully, otherwise the 7zp-+l+nvlp'
energy of the pieces can be really explosive.
6-wqn+p+p+&
□ Pavasovic Dusko
■ Durarbayli Vasif 5+-+pzP-+-%
B22 Rijeka 2010 4-zp-zP-+P+$
1.e4 c5 2.c3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.cxd4 d5 5.e5
Nc6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.h3 f6 8.f4 3+-+-vLN+P#
Of course, the principled decision is to keep 2PzP-wQN+L+"
fighting in the centre, as there are no serious
reasons to relinquish it. 8.exf6 exf6 9.Nf3 1tR-+-+R+K!
Nge7 10.Be2 0-0 11.0-0 g5 12.Re1 Bf5
13.Be3 Bg6 14.Rc1 Qd7 15.h4 h6 16.hxg5
xabcdefghy
fxg5 17.Nh2 Kh8 18.Bf3 Rad8 19.Nf1 Nf5 17...b3 (17...Rac8 18.b3 Nb8 19.Rfc1 Bb5
20.Bg4 Qf7 21.Bxf5 Bxf5 22.Ng3 Bg6 and was much better) 18.axb3 Qxb3 19.Nc1 Qb6
Black exerts more pressure in the centre. 20.Nd3 Rfb8 21.Nc5 Bc8 22.b3 Bf8 23.Qf2
8...Nh6 9.g4 0-0 10.Bg2 e6 Bxc5 24.dxc5 Qc7 25.Ng5 Goodger,M-
In principle, the correct decision was to try Indrebo,K Caleta 2010.
to create direct counterplay with 10...fxe5 11.Nf3 Nf7 12.0-0 (D)

Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 43
 XABCDEFGHY Now Black has to be very careful, as his
opponent has mobilised all his pieces.
8r+lwq-trk+( 19...Qe7 20.Qe3 (D)
7zpp+-+nvlp' XABCDEFGHY
6-+n+pzpp+& 8r+l+-+-+(
5+-+pzP-+-% 7zpp+-wq-mkp'
4-+-zP-zPP+$ 6-+n+p+-+&
3+-sN-+N+P# 5+-+p+-+-%
2PzP-+-+L+" 4-+-zP-+P+$
1tR-vLQ+RmK-! 3+-sN-wQ-+P#
xabcdefghy 2PzP-+-+L+"
12...g5?! 1+-+-+RmK-!
Much better was the typical ‘French
Defence’ plan of counterplay on the xabcdefghy
queenside with 12...Qb6 13.Na4 Qc7 14.Be3 A very interesting possibility was the
b6 15.Rc1 Ba6 16.Rf2 Rac8. tactical transfer into a sharp ending with
13.exf6 20.Qf4 Bd7 21.Bxd5! exd5 22.Nxd5 Rf8
Another good option was 13.Ne2 gxf4 (22...Qe2 23.Qf7+ Kh8 24.Qxd7 Qxb2
14.exf6 Bxf6 15.Bxf4 Qb6 16.Qd2 e5 25.Nc7 Rg8 26.Ne6 +/-) 23.Nxe7 Rxf4
17.Be3 e4 18.Ne5 with better play. 24.Rxf4 Nxe7 25.Re4 Kf6 26.a3 b6 27.Kf2
13...Bxf6 14.fxg5 h6 28.Rf4+ Kg7 29.Kg3 (D)
And here it was possible to transfer into the XABCDEFGHY
previous variation with 14.Ne2.
14...Nxg5 15.Nxg5 8-+-+-+-+(
Direct exchanges allow White to develop all
his pieces easily. Another possibility,
7zp-+lsn-mk-'
although slightly unnatural, was 15.Be3 6-zp-+-+-zp&
Nxf3+ 16.Rxf3 Bd7.
15...Bxg5 16.Rxf8+ Kxf8 17.Qf3+ Kg7 5+-+-+-+-%
18.Bxg5 Qxg5 19.Rf1 (D) 4-+-zP-tRP+$
XABCDEFGHY 3zP-+-+-mKP#
8r+l+-+-+( 2-zP-+-+-+"
7zpp+-+-mkp' 1+-+-+-+-!
6-+n+p+-+& xabcdefghy
5+-+p+-wq-% And Black has typical problems defending
this rook plus two pawns against two pieces
4-+-zP-+P+$ ending.
3+-sN-+Q+P# 20...Bd7 21.b4!
A very interesting positional idea: with this
2PzP-+-+L+" flank break White tries to deflect his
1+-+-+RmK-! opponent's knight which currently controls
the important central e5-square.
xabcdefghy 21...a6 22.a4

Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 44
A more timid approach with 22.a3 Rf8 It is possible is to try to get a different form
23.Rxf8 Qxf8 24.Ne2 h6 25.Nf4 guaranteed of centre: 3.e3 b5 4.a4 c6 5.b3 cxb3 6.axb5
White a stable advantage. cxb5 7.Qxb3 +=.
22...Qxb4? 3...c5
A very nervous decision, losing on the spot! Here it was possible to launch a special
Much more stubborn was 22...Rf8 23.Rxf8 flank strategy with the idea being to limit the
Qxf8 24.b5 Nb4 25.Bf1 +=. power of White's knights in the centre: 3...a6
23.Qg5+ Kh8 24.Qf6+ Kg8 (D) 4.Nxc4 b5 5.Ne3 Bb7 6.d4 e6.
XABCDEFGHY 4.Nxc4 Nc6 5.g3
It was possible to prevent the creation of the
8r+-+-+k+( opponent’s centre with 5.e3 as 5...f6 will be
powerfully met by 6.d4.
7+p+l+-+p' 5...f6 6.Bg2 e5 7.0-0 Be6
6p+n+pwQ-+& It was not clear whether to play this or
instead start direct development of the
5+-+p+-+-% kingside with 7...Nge7 which also seems to
4Pwq-zP-+P+$ be very logical: 8.b3 Nd5 9.Bb2 Be7
10.Nh4! 0-0 11.Qb1 Rf7 12.Nf5 Be6 (D)
3+-sN-+-+P# XABCDEFGHY
2-+-+-+L+" 8r+-wq-+k+(
1+-+-+RmK-! 7zpp+-vlrzpp'
xabcdefghy 6-+n+lzp-+&
25.Nxd5!
It is this blow which was not evaluated 5+-zpnzpN+-%
properly by the young Azerbaijani.
25...Qxd4+
4-+N+-+-+$
25...Qf8 26.Qg5+ Qg7 27.Nf6+ +-. 3+P+-+-zP-#
26.Qxd4 Nxd4 27.Nf6+ Kg7 28.Nxd7 Rd8
1-0 2PvL-zPPzPLzP"
□ Mikhalchishin Adrian 1tRQ+-+RmK-!
■ Dzhanoev David xabcdefghy
A09 Tbilisi 1976
13.f4! exf4 14.gxf4 Nb6!
1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Na3 (D)
8.b3 Nge7 9.Bb2 Nd5?
XABCDEFGHY The wrong position for the knight in the
8rsnlwqkvlntr( centre, as it was necessary to stop d4 at any
price, so... 9...Nf5 10.Ne1 Qd7 =.
7zppzp-zppzpp' 10.e3
Now White's intentions are clear - to destroy
6-+-+-+-+& the centre and to open the position, thus
5+-+-+-+-% exploiting his advantage in development.
10...b5
4-+p+-+-+$ Better was to try to complete development:
3sN-+-+N+-# 10...Be7 11.d4 cxd4 12.exd4 e4 13.Ne1 f5
14.f3! (The centre must be destroyed)
2PzP-zPPzPPzP" 14...Nf6 15.fxe4 fxe4 16.Nc2 0-0 17.Qe2
1tR-vLQmKL+R! and White starts to attack the remains of
Black’s centre, but the situation would not
xabcdefghy be so dangerous for Black as in the game.
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 45
11.Na3 a6 12.d4 exd4 The 'safer' move 17...Rd8 does not help
The alternative is a bit more complicated: much: 18.Nc2 Bxc5 19.Nxb4 Nxb4
12...e4 13.Nd2 f5 (13...cxd4?! 14.Nxe4 dxe3 20.Ne5+! fxe5 21.Qxe5 Bf8 22.a3.
15.Nc2 exf2+ 16.Rxf2) 14.dxc5 Qg5 (an 18.Rxd5! Nxd5 19.Ng5+ fxg5 20.Bxd5+
unpleasant pin appears after 14...Bxc5 1-0
15.Rc1) 15.Nc2 Bxc5 (D)
The centre can be destroyed with a pawn
XABCDEFGHY counterstrike, but in many cases it is
8r+-+k+-tr( necessary to be ready to sacrifice some
material for its activation.
7+-+-+-zpp' □ Tseshkovsky Vitaly
6p+n+l+-+& ■ Beliavsky Alexander
C92 Vilnius 1980
5+pvln+pwq-% 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-
4-+-+p+-+$ 0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Bb7
10.d4 Re8 11.Nbd2 Bf8 12.Bc2 g6 13.b3
3+P+-zP-zP-# (D)
2PvLNsN-zPLzP" Generally speaking, it is better to close the
centre, thus not allowing different
1tR-+Q+RmK-! counterstrikes: 13.d5 Nb8 14.b3 +=.
xabcdefghy XABCDEFGHY
And now the white pieces start to 8r+-wqrvlk+(
demonstrate their dynamic potential:
16.Bxe4! fxe4 17.Nxe4 Qe7 18.Nxc5 Qxc5 7+lzp-+p+p'
19.Bxg7 Rg8 20.Qh5+ Bf7 21.Qxh7.
13.exd4 Kf7
6p+nzp-snp+&
Possibly it was necessary to take a huge risk 5+p+-zp-+-%
here with 13...Qd7 14.Re1 0-0-0 15.Nc2.
14.Re1 Ndb4?!
4-+-zPP+-+$
Slightly better was 14...Ncb4. 3+PzP-+N+P#
15.Qe2
Very strong was returning the knight to the 2P+LsN-zPP+"
game: 15.Nc2 Nxc2 16.Qxc2 Rc8 17.d5! 1tR-vLQtR-mK-!
15...Bd5 16.Rad1 Qd7 17.dxc5 Re8 (D)
XABCDEFGHY xabcdefghy
13...d5!
8-+-+rvl-tr( Black is slightly better developed in Spanish
positions but with some space problems. So,
7+-+q+kzpp' to play ...d5 in most cases is a success and
6p+n+-zp-+& secondly, it avoids d5 as part of White's
space-expansion plans.
5+pzPl+-+-% 14.dxe5?!
4-sn-+-+-+$ A very serious option here was the other
capture 14.exd5 Nxd5 15.Ne4 exd4 16.Bg5
3sNP+-+NzP-# f6 17.Nxf6+ Nxf6 18.Rxe8 Qxe8 19.Bxf6
2PvL-+QzPLzP" Qf7 20.Bxd4 Nxd4 21.Qxd4 c5 with very
good compensation for the sacrificed pawn
1+-+RtR-mK-! in the form of two powerful bishops.
14...Nxe5 15.Nxe5 Rxe5 16.Nf3
xabcdefghy A few years later another top player tried to
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 46
play this position with the extra exchange, It is very difficult to prevent Black's
but also in vain: 16.f4 Bc5+ 17.Kh2?! development of the initiative, e.g. 24.Nd4
(17.Kh1) 17...Rxe4 18.Nxe4 dxe4 19.Be3 Qf4 25.Qb3 h5 26.a4 Nc5.
Bxe3 20.Rxe3 Nd5 21.Bxe4 (21.Rxe4 Nxc3 24...Qb6 25.Nd4 h5! 26.Ba1
22.Qxd8+ Rxd8) 21...Nxe3 22.Qxd8+ Rxd8 Simply bad was to try to get rid of the knight
23.Bxb7 a5 24.Bc6 Rd1 25.Rxd1 Nxd1 on e4 26.f3? Nxc3! 27.Re8+ Kh7! 28.Rxc8
26.b4 = Huebner,R-Beliavsky,A Tilburg Qxd4+ -+.
1986. 26...Rc4 -/+
16...Rxe4! For pressure on the c3-pawn it is better to
It is interesting that Black is not forced to have the rook in front of the queen. In
sacrifice this exchange and can obtain addition, the threat will someday be ...b4.
serious counterplay even after the simpler 27.Nc2 Qc7 28.Ne3 Rc5 29.Nd1 Bf6
16...Re8 17.Bg5 h6 18.Bxf6 Qxf6 19.e5 30.Bb2 Qc6
Qb6. Black is clearly better, but it is not easy to
17.Bxe4 Nxe4 18.Bb2 Bg7 19.Qc2 (D) improve his position immediately.
XABCDEFGHY 31.Ba3 Rc4 32.Bb4 Kh7 33.a3
Trying to win another exchange does not
8r+-wq-+k+( work: 33.Ne3 Nxc3 -+.
33...Qc7
7+lzp-+pvlp' Now it is clear that White's bishop on b4 is
6p+-+-+p+& in trouble.
34.Ne3 a5 35.Nxd5
5+p+p+-+-% White could not exploit the absence of the
4-+-+n+-+$ black queen from the defence 35.Bxa5 Qxa5
36.Nxd5 Bxd5 37.Qxd5 Ng5 38.Re3 Kg7.
3+PzP-+N+P# 35...Bxd5 36.Qxd5 axb4!
2PvLQ+-zPP+" Once more with the idea of exploiting the
huge power of the passed pawn.
1tR-+-tR-mK-! 37.Rxe4 Rxe4 38.Rxe4 bxc3 (D)
xabcdefghy XABCDEFGHY
19...Qf6 8-+-+-+-+(
It wss not a bad idea to prevent White's
blockading strategy with 19...c5 20.a4 Rc8. 7+-wq-+p+k'
20.b4
20.Rac1 b4 -/+ ; 20.Rab1 Nxc3 21.Re3 b4 -/+.
6-+-+-vlp+&
20...c5 5+p+Q+-+p%
It was possible to also include the pawn
moves 20...a5 21.a3 Qc6.
4-+-+R+-+$
21.bxc5 3zP-zp-+-+P#
It was not necessary to weaken his own
pawn structure even more, and better was 2-+-+-zPP+"
21.Rab1. 1+-+-+-mK-!
21...Nxc5
Increasing the pressure on the c3-pawn with xabcdefghy
a rook capture on c5 was an alternative: 39.Qd1 Qc5
21...Rc8. Faster was 39...c2 40.Qc1 Bb2.
22.Re2? 40.Qc1
Much better was simply to block the d5- 40.Qc2 Qxa3.
pawn and the long diagonal with 22.Nd4. 40...Bg5
22...Rc8 23.Rae1 Ne4 24.Qd3 0-1
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 47
□ Suba Mihai Another way of handling this position was
■ Mikhalchishin Adrian demonstrated much later: 10...Nb4 11.Qb1
D90 Lugano 1987 0-0 12.a3 N4d5 13.Nxd5 Qxd5! (a very
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 effective pawn sacrifice) 14.Bxe7 Rfe8
5.Qb3 Nb6 6.d4 Bg7 15.Bb4 Bg4 16.Ne5 c5 17.Bxc5 Bxe5
I like this kind of play, as White's centre is 18.Bxb6 Bf4 19.Bc5 b6 20.Bb4 Bxe2? (The
not so solid and there are different ways to correct move-order of the sacrifices was
fight against it. different: 20...Rxe2+! 21.Bxe2 Qxg2 22.Rf1
7.Bg5 Re8) 21.Bxe2 Qxg2 22.Rf1 Rxe2+ 23.Kxe2
7.e4 Bg4 8.Be3 Bxf3 9.gxf3 Bxd4 10.Rd1 Re8+ 24.Kd3 Qf3+ 25.Kc2 Rc8+ 26.Bc3
e5 11.h4 Nc6 12.Nd5 Qd6 13.Bb5 0-0-0 Qe2+ 27.Kb3 ½-½ Skembris,S-
14.Bg5 Nxd5 15.Bxc6 Qxc6 16.Bxd8 Rxd8 Mikhalchishin,A Portoroz 1993.
17.exd5 Rxd5 18.0-0 Rd7 19.Kg2 a6 20.Rd2 11.h3
Qf6 (D) Here there was a chance to reduce Black's
XABCDEFGHY pressure on the centre with 11.d5 Nb4
12.Qc1 Bg4 13.a3 Na6.
8-+k+-+-+( 11...Nb4 12.Qb1 f5!
Black stops the central expansion with e4
7+pzpr+p+p' and fights for his own space.
6p+-+-wqp+& 13.e3 g5 14.a3
Better was the simple retreat 14.Bg3 f4
5+-+-zp-+-% 15.Bh2 but Suba was worried about his lack
4-+-vl-+-zP$ of development and king in the centre.
14...N4d5 15.Bg3 f4 16.Bh2 (D)
3+Q+-+P+-# Better was to complicate the position with
2PzP-tR-zPK+" 16.exf4 gxf4 17.Bh4 Nxc3 18.bxc3 Qd6.

1+-+-+R+-! XABCDEFGHY
xabcdefghy 8r+-wq-trk+(
And Black had a fantastic bishop on d4, 7zppzp-zp-vl-'
which is much stronger than the rook, in 6-sn-+l+-zp&
Stajcic,N-Mikhalchishin,A Vienna 1982.
7...Be6 8.Qc2 h6 9.Bh4 Nc6 10.Rd1 (D) 5+-+n+-zp-%
XABCDEFGHY 4-+-zP-zp-+$
8r+-wqk+-tr( 3zP-sN-zPN+P#
7zppzp-zppvl-' 2-zP-+-zPPvL"
6-snn+l+pzp& 1+Q+RmKL+R!
5+-+-+-+-% xabcdefghy
4-+-zP-+-vL$ 16...c5!?
This is a powerful try to destroy the centre,
3+-sN-+N+-# but much simpler was to destroy White's
2PzPQ+PzPPzP" position from the other side: 16...fxe3
17.fxe3 Bxh3.
1+-+RmKL+R! 17.Ne4?
White misses his last chance to develop
xabcdefghy 17.dxc5 Nxc3 18.bxc3 Bxc3+ 19.Nd2 Qe8
10...0-0 20.Bb5 Qf7 21.0-0 Nd5.
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 48
17...fxe3 18.Nxc5 XABCDEFGHY
The same problems awaited White after
18.dxc5 Na4 19.fxe3 Bf5. 8r+-wq-trk+(
18...Bf5
Still stronger was the capture 18...Bxh3.
7zppzpn+pvlp'
19.Bd3 Qc8 20.fxe3 6-+nzp-+p+&
White had to try to defend in a slightly
worse endgame after 20.Bxf5 Qxf5 21.Qxf5 5+-+-zp-+-%
Rxf5 22.Be5 exf2+ 23.Kxf2 Nc4. 4-+PzP-+-+$
20...Nxe3 21.Qa2+ Nbd5 (D)
Once more there was a simpler and better 3+-sN-vLLzPP#
solution 21...Kh8. 2PzP-+PzP-+"
XABCDEFGHY 1tR-+Q+RmK-!
8r+q+-trk+( xabcdefghy
7zpp+-zp-vl-' 11.Bxc6
6-+-+-+-zp& What to do in such positions? The bishop is
strong so it is a pity to exchange it, even for
5+-sNn+lzp-% some weakness on c6. On the other hand,
closing the centre would allow Black
4-+-zP-+-+$ unlimited activity on the kingside: 11.d5
3zP-+LsnN+P# Ne7 12.Bg2 h6!
11...bxc6 12.Qd2
2QzP-+-+PvL" Possible was the neutral 12.b3!? as it's not
1+-+RmK-+R! yet clear how best to attack Black's
structure.
xabcdefghy 12...Re8
22.Kd2? In such situations it's wrong to give up the
Now the white king comes under very centre with, e.g. 12...exd4 13.Bxd4 Bxd4
unfriendly fire. The continuation of the fight 14.Qxd4 Qf6 15.Qxf6 Nxf6 16.b4.
with 22.Ne5 was better. 13.b3 Nf6 14.Kg2 Qd7
22...Bxd3 23.Kxd3 Qf5+ 24.Ne4 Qe6! Another position was possible for the queen:
Eliminating the pin and creating very 14...Qe7!?
unpleasant threats. 15.Rad1
25.Ra1 Rac8 26.Nfd2 Qa6+ Solid centralisation, as two other typical
0-1 changes of the centre would be premature:
15.dxe5 Rxe5 16.Bd4 Rh5 17.Rh1 Re8 oo or
15.d5 cxd5 16.Nxd5 Nxd5 17.cxd5 c5.
15...exd4
A premature closing of the centre with
15...e4? would allow White to develop a
strong initiative on the queenside with 16.b4
+/-.
16.Bxd4 Ne4
□ Mikhalchishin Adrian Another way of initiating counterplay was
■ Velimirovic Drasko more precise: 16...c5 17.Bxf6 Bxf6 18.Nd5
E62 Yugoslavia 1992 Be5 19.Qg5 Bg7 20.e3 a5.
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 0-0 5.0-0 17.Nxe4 Rxe4 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.f3 Re7
d6 6.d4 Nc6 7.Nc3 Bg4 8.h3 Bxf3 9.Bxf3 20.e4 (D)
Nd7 10.Be3 e5 (D) An unsuccessful try to avoid Black's defence
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 49
of the centre was 20.c5 d5 21.e4 Rd8 26.Rf2!
22.exd5 cxd5. Correct prophylaxis on the second rank, as
XABCDEFGHY the materialistic approach 26.Qxe5+ Rxe5
27.Rxc6 Re2+ 28.Rf2 Rdd2 29.Rxc7+ Kg6
8r+-+-+-+( 30.Rxe2 Rxe2+ 31.Kf1 Rxa2 would lead to
a position with the white king cut-off.
7zp-zpqtrpmkp' 26...Rd6 27.Rc4!
6-+pzp-+p+& Of course, not the materialistic 27.Qxa7?
Rg6.
5+-+-+-+-% 27...Qxc5 28.Rxc5 Kf6 29.Rfc2 Ree6 30.h4
4-+P+P+-+$ Another option was possible, but it was just
a matter of taste. 30.g4 fxg4 31.hxg4 +-.
3+P+-+PzPP# 30...h6 31.Ra5 Rd5 32.Rxa7+- Red6
2P+-wQ-+K+" 33.Rxc7 Rd2+ 34.Rxd2 Rxd2+ 35.Kh3
Rc2 36.b4 Rc4 37.a4! f4 38.a5 fxg3 39.a6
1+-+R+R+-! Rxb4 40.Rxc6+
1-0
xabcdefghy
20...Qe6? Destroying a centre is a process which has
But it was necessary here to avoid the to be started and proceeded with correctly -
following typical destructive sacrifice by and also prepared properly.
playing 20...c5 21.b4 cxb4 22.Qxb4 +=. □ Bondarevsky Igor
21.c5! +/- ■ Bronstein David
With this pseudo-sacrifice (as White will get A48 Leningrad 1963
this pawn back whenever he wants) White 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bf4 Bg7 4.e3 0-0
completely destroys his opponent's 5.Nbd2 b6 6.c3 c5 7.h3 d6 8.Be2 Ba6
queenside structure. 9.Bxa6 Nxa6 10.0-0 Qd7 11.Qe2 Nc7 (D)
21...dxc5 22.Qc3+ Qe5 23.Rc1
Care was necessary to avoid typical XABCDEFGHY
counterplay in the endgame after 23.Qxe5+ 8r+-+-trk+(
Rxe5 24.Rd7 a5!
23...f5 7zp-snqzppvlp'
Now White was ready for this typical 6-zp-zp-snp+&
counterplay 23...a5 24.Qxc5 a4 25.b4 +/-.
24.exf5 gxf5 25.Qxc5 Rd8 (D) 5+-zp-+-+-%
XABCDEFGHY 4-+-zP-vL-+$
8-+-tr-+-+( 3+-zP-zPN+P#
7zp-zp-tr-mkp' 2PzP-sNQzPP+"
6-+p+-+-+& 1tR-+-+RmK-!
5+-wQ-wqp+-% xabcdefghy
4-+-+-+-+$ White has a strong central structure, but it's
rather defensive-minded with c3-d4-e3. In
3+P+-+PzPP# such cases, the main question is how will
2P+-+-+K+" White increase the power of his central
position? Black has to start an attack on his
1+-tR-+R+-! opponent's centre with the central strike ...e5
or with the flank expansion ...b5-b4.
xabcdefghy 12.dxc5
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 50
An immediate central advance would be met The last hope was some attack on the
by a central counterstrike 12.e4 Ne6 13.Be3 queenside, e.g. 20.a4.
cxd4 14.cxd4 d5 15.e5 Ne4 16.Qd3 Nxd2 20...f5
17.Bxd2 Rac8 18.Rfc1 Rxc1+ 19.Rxc1 Rc8 Continuing to build his powerful centre, but
with equal chances, but it was a more logical possibly simpler was 20...d4 21.Bg5 f6
development than the game continuation. 22.Bh4 d3 23.Qb2 Ne6.
12...bxc5 21.Rad1 Ne6
The other capture was wrong, as it would Bronstein did not like the space-gaining
allow strong Whites centralisation, viz: 21...d4, which was however even stronger.
12...dxc5 13.Ne5 Qc8 14.Rfd1 Ncd5 22.exd5 Nxd5 23.Nc4 Nef4 24.Rf2
15.Ndf3. After 24.Kh1 Nxe3 25.Nxe3 Rxd1 26.Rxd1
13.e4 e5!? e4 the monster bishop on g7 would finally
An interestring try to get the whole centre. be unleashed.
14.Be3 24...Nxe3 25.Nxe3 Rxd1+ 26.Qxd1 e4
Stronger was to leave his opponent with a A similar idea as in the above variation.
bad bishop: 14.Bg5 Ne6 15.Nc4 Qc6 27.Qc2 Bh6!
16.Bxf6 Bxf6 17.Rad1 Be7 18.h4. Here the bishop creates even more threats
14...Rab8 15.b3 Qc6 16.Qc4 Nd7 (D) than on the long diagonal.
XABCDEFGHY 28.Nhf1 Nd3 29.Rd2 c4!
Now starts a short, powerful and deadly
8-tr-+-trk+( attack on the dark squares.
30.Nxc4 Qc5+ 31.Kh2 Bf4+ 32.g3 Ne1
7zp-snn+pvlp' 0-1
6-+qzp-+p+&
In modern chess such cases are much more
5+-zp-zp-+-% complicated and are conducted in the
4-+Q+P+-+$ sharpest openings.

3+PzP-vLN+P# □ Kosintseva Tatiana

2P+-sN-zPP+" ■ Dembo Yelena
B67 Antakya 2010
1tR-+-+RmK-! 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6
5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.0-0-0 Bd7
xabcdefghy 9.f3 h6 10.Be3 b5 11.Kb1 Ne5 12.Bd3
The position of White's queen is too strong Be7!?
and so it has to be removed. The pawn on h6 is extremely weak for two
17.Nh2? reasons: firstly it makes White’s g4-g5
It was urgently necessary to start an attack attack very easy, and secondly, it makes
on Black's pawn structure with 17.b4 Nb6 kingside castling dangerous, because of a
18.Qb3 a6 19.a4. bishop sac on h6. So, it was necessary to try
17...Nb6 18.Qd3 d5 to stop this simple g4 strategy and to play
Black starts to move his centre, which will 12...h5!? Other moves have been tried in the
grow consistently. past, but none of them promise sufficient
19.f3 counterplay for Black, e.g. 12...Qc7
Nothing pleasant awaits White after the 13.Rhe1.
exchange in the centre with 19.exd5 Ncxd5 13.g4 b4
20.Nc4 Rbd8 21.Rfd1 f5. Black starts not so much an attack against
19...Rbd8 the white king, but rather the preparation of
Possible was an immediate space expansion counterplay in the centre - and tries to push
19...d4 20.Bf2 Ne6. White's knight to a worse position.
20.Qc2 14.Nce2 d5 15.exd5 Nxd5 16.Nf4 (D)
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 51
 XABCDEFGHY 26.f4 Rxd1+ 27.Rxd1 Rc8 28.Qe2.
22.Qe4
8r+-wqk+-tr( 22.h5! Bxg5 23.f4 Bf6 24.hxg6 Bxe5
25.gxf7+ Kxf7 26.fxe5 and Black's king is
7+-+lvlpzp-' terribly exposed.
6p+-+p+-zp& 22...h5 (D)
5+-+nsn-+-% XABCDEFGHY
4-zp-sN-sNP+$ 8-+-trk+-tr(
3+-+LvLP+-# 7+-wqlvlp+-'
2PzPPwQ-+-zP" 6p+-+p+p+&
1+K+R+-+R! 5+-+-sN-zPp%
xabcdefghy 4-zp-sNQ+-zP$
16...Nxe3? 3+-+-+P+-#
16...Nxd3 17.Qxd3 Nxf4 18.Bxf4 0-0
19.Nf5 exf5 20.Qxd7 Qxd7 21.Rxd7 Rfe8 2PzPP+-+-+"
22.gxf5 Rac8 promised Black good chances 1+K+R+-+R!
to hold in the endgame a pawn down.
17.Qxe3 Qa5 18.h4 Nxd3 xabcdefghy
A more 'Sicilian-like' move would be 23.Ndc6
18...Rc8. It was very logical to bring the final
19.Nxd3 Qc7 20.Ne5 undeveloped piece into the game with
Now the centre is destroyed and opened, so 23.Rhe1. Another tempting, but slightly
the position of White's centralised knights is weaker, possibility was the piece sacrifice
more powerful than Black's bishop pair. 23.Nxg6 fxg6 24.Qxg6+ Kf8 25.Nxe6+
Possible was 20.g5 trying to open the Bxe6 26.Qxe6 Kg7 27.Rxd8 Rxd8 28.Qh6+
position after g5-g6. Kg8 29.Qg6+ Kf8 30.Qxh5 Qe5 31.f4 but
20...Rd8 21.g5 (D) even here Black would face serious
XABCDEFGHY problems.
23...Bxc6 24.Rxd8+ Qxd8 (D)
8-+-trk+-tr( XABCDEFGHY
7+-wqlvlpzp-' 8-+-wqk+-tr(
6p+-+p+-zp& 7+-+-vlp+-'
5+-+-sN-zP-% 6p+l+p+p+&
4-zp-sN-+-zP$ 5+-+-sN-zPp%
3+-+-wQP+-# 4-zp-+Q+-zP$
2PzPP+-+-+" 3+-+-+P+-#
1+K+R+-+R! 2PzPP+-+-+"
xabcdefghy 1+K+-+-+R!
21...g6?
Black is in trouble, confirmed by the xabcdefghy
following variation: 21...Bd6 22.Nxd7 Rxd7 25.Nxc6
23.g6 Be5 24.gxf7+ Kxf7 25.Nxe6 Kxe6 Another option was 25.Qxc6+ Kf8 26.Qxa6

Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 52
Kg7 27.Qb7 Qd6 28.f4 winning a pawn and XABCDEFGHY
keeping some winning chances also.
25...Qd6 26.Ne5 Qd5 27.Qxd5 exd5 8-+-+k+-sN(
28.Rd1 Bc5 29.Rxd5 Bf2 (D)
7+-+-+-+-'
XABCDEFGHY 6p+-+-+p+&
8-+-+k+-tr( 5+-+-+-zPp%
7+-+-+p+-' 4-zp-+-+-vl$
6p+-+-+p+& 3+-+-+P+-#
5+-+RsN-zPp% 2PzPP+-+-+"
4-zp-+-+-zP$ 1+-mK-+-+-!
3+-+-+P+-# xabcdefghy
2PzPP+-vl-+" 33...Bg3!
1+K+-+-+-! This simple move decides the fate of one of
the top-seeded players! The knight is
xabcdefghy ‘arrested’.
30.Rd8+? 34.Kd1 Kf8 35.Nxg6+ Kf7 36.Nh8+ Kg7
30.Nc6 0-0 31.Nxb4 Bxh4 32.Nxa6 f6 37.Ke2 Be5
33.gxf6 Rxf6 34.Nc5 Rxf3 35.a4 (D) Other moves were winning also, e.g. 37...h4
XABCDEFGHY or 37...Kxh8.
38.c4 bxc3 39.bxc3 Kxh8 40.c4 Bf4
8-+-+-+k+( 0-1
7+-+-+-+-'
6-+-+-+p+&
5+-sNR+-+p%
4P+-+-+-vl$
3+-+-+r+-#
2-zPP+-+-+" Changing the Form of the Centre:
1+K+-+-+-! Closing of the Centre
Centre-closing is a method which is used
xabcdefghy for different purposes – for example,
This leads to a position with an extra white sometimes an opponent’s pressure is so
pawn, but the pawns are on different flanks - unpleasant that it is necessary to reduce the
and in such cases the role of the bishop can't tension, or it is possible to start an attack on
be undervalued. T.Kosintseva overlooked the flank majority which is not countered by
that at the end of the forced variation Y. the successful central strike. This method is
Dembo has a typical 'cutting-off' move very sensitive as there are many cases of a
available. wrong or faulty ‘centre closing’.
30...Kxd8 31.Nxf7+ Ke8 32.Nxh8 Bxh4 □ Steinitz William
33.Kc1 (D) ■ Lasker Emanuel
There were also few chances to save the D35 St Petersburg 1896
game after 33.Nxg6 Bxg5 34.Ne5 h4 35.Ng4 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bf4 Be7 5.e3
h3 36.c4 bxc3 37.bxc3 Bh4 38.Kc2 Bg3. 0-0 (D)
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 53
 XABCDEFGHY Refusing the pawn sacrifice, which would
have given Black an initiative: 13.fxe4? e5
8rsnlwq-trk+( 14.dxe5 Nxe5.
13...f4?!
7zppzp-vlpzpp' Too risky, as Black's development is
6-+-+psn-+& incomplete. Better was to play 13...b6.
14.Qxe4!?
5+-+p+-+-% A very interesting positional piece sacrifice.
4-+PzP-vL-+$ Another option was not bad either: 14.Bxf4
e5 15.Bxe5 Nxe5 16.dxe5 Qxe5 17.Bd5 exf3
3+-sN-zP-+-# 18.Nxf3 Qxe3+ 19.Kb1.
2PzP-+-zPPzP" 14...fxg3 15.hxg3
White has gained only two pawns for the
1tR-+QmKLsNR! piece, but his initiative will encounter no
more obstacles.
xabcdefghy 15...g6
6.c5!? E.Lasker gives up a pawn, but better was
An interesting and direct plan, but modern 15...g5 16.f4 Bd7.
players generally avoid such decisions. 16.Qxg6 Bd7
6...Ne4 16...Rg8 17.Qe4 Na5 18.Bd3 Rg7 19.Ne2
E.Lasker tries to attack in the centre. with much better play.
Another very interesting option was to 17.f4 Rf7?! (D)
attack White's pawn chain with 6...b6 7.b4 After this mistake Black's game is finally
a5 8.a3 axb4 9.axb4 Rxa1 10.Qxa1 Nc6 doomed. More interesting was to start
11.Qa4 bxc5!! 12.Qxc6 cxd4 with a counterplay after 17...Na5.
dangerous initiative for the sacrificed piece.
7.Nxe4 dxe4 8.Qc2 f5 9.Bc4 Nc6 10.a3
XABCDEFGHY
Quicker development was possible with 8r+-+-+-mk(
10.Ne2.
10...Bf6 11.0-0-0! 7zppzplwqr+p'
A very risky decision; it was possible to 6-+n+pvlQ+&
complete development with 11.Ne2.
11...Kh8 5+-zP-+-+-%
11...b6? 12.d5! leads to disaster. 4-+LzP-zP-+$
12.f3 Qe7 13.Bg3! (D)
XABCDEFGHY 3zP-+-zP-zP-#
8r+l+-tr-mk( 2-zP-+-+P+"
7zppzp-wq-zpp' 1+-mKR+-sNR!
6-+n+pvl-+& xabcdefghy
18.g4 Rg7
5+-zP-+p+-% If 18...Rg8 then 19.Qh5 and g5. Now
4-+LzPp+-+$ 19.Qh5 allows Black to defend with ...Be8-
g6, but...
3zP-+-zPPvL-# 19.Qh6
2-zPQ+-+PzP" 19.Qh5 Na5 20.Bd3 Ba4 21.g5!
19...Rxg4 20.Bd3 Rg7
1+-mKR+-sNR! Wrong was 20...Rh4 21.Rxh4 Bxh4 22.Nf3
Bf2 23.Rh1 Bxe3+ 24.Kb1 winning.
xabcdefghy 21.Nf3 Qf7 22.g4!
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 54
The White attack rolls by itself and the 14...Qb4
space available to the Black pieces is Now correct was to keep the powerful
constantly shrinking. central structure with 14...Nxe5 15.dxe5
22...Rag8 23.g5 Bd8 24.Rh2! Rfd8 16.Qd4 b5.
The disaster on h7 is unavoidable. The rest 15.Qd2 Rac8
is simple. Once more it was possible to exchange on
24...Rg6 25.Qh5! R6g7 26.Rdh1! Qxh5 e5 15...Nxe5 16.dxe5 Rad8 17.Qd4 b5.
27.Rxh5 Rf8 28.Rxh7+ Rxh7 16.Rd1 (D)
28...Kg8 29.Rxg7+ Kxg7 30.Rh7+. Here White could have created a powerful
29.Rxh7+ Kg8 30.Rxd7 Rf7 31.Bc4 passed pawn in the centre after 16.a3 Qb6
31.Bc4 Rxd7 32.Bxe6+ Rf7 33.g6. 17.Nxc6 Rxc6 18.bxc4 Rxc4 19.Rxc4 dxc4
1-0 20.d5.

□ Rubinstein Akiba
XABCDEFGHY
■ Mieses Jacques 8-+r+-trk+(
D34 Berlin 1909
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nf3
7zpp+-+pzpp'
Nc6 6.g3 Be6 7.Bg2 Nf6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Bg5 6-+n+l+-+&
Ne4 10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.Rc1 Nxc3 12.Rxc3
(D) 5+-+psN-+-%
XABCDEFGHY 4-wqpzP-+-+$
8r+-+k+-tr( 3+PtR-+-zP-#
7zpp+-wqpzpp' 2P+-wQPzPLzP"
6-+n+l+-+& 1+-+R+-mK-!
5+-zpp+-+-% xabcdefghy
4-+-zP-+-+$ 16...b5
Even now it was necessary to exchange
3+-tR-+NzP-# knights: 16...Nxe5 17.dxe5 b5 18.a3 Qe7
19.b4 Rfd8 20.Qd4 Ra8! with the idea after
2PzP-+PzPLzP" ...a5 of attacking the opponent's pawn chain
1+-+Q+RmK-! on the queenside.
17.f4 Nxe5 18.fxe5 a5 19.bxc4
xabcdefghy Possible was 19.e4.
12...c4 19...Rxc4 20.Rb3 Qa4
The closing of the centre was more or less Very good chances were offered by
forced, as with an isolated pawn Black has transferring into an endgame with a pawn
huge problems due to White's control of the majority on the queen's flank: 20...Qxd2
c-file: 12...cxd4 13.Nxd4 Nxd4 14.Qxd4 0-0 21.Rxd2 b4.
15.Rfc1. 21.e3 Rfc8 22.Bf1 Rc2 23.Qe1 b4 24.Bd3
13.Ne5 0-0 Qxa2! 25.Bxc2 Rxc2
The best chance was 13...Nxe5 14.dxe5 0-1
Qc5! protecting the d5-square and
controlling another important point - d4. □ Munguntuul Batkhuyag
14.b3? ■ Zhang Xiaowen
Correct in such situations is firstly to fix the C11 Subic Bay 2009
structure, and only then try to attack it. 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4
14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.b3 Rfc8 16.bxc4 dxc4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 Be7 8.Qd2 0-0 9.0-0-0
17.Qa4. c4!?
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 55
Both sides have castled on different sides, Qa4+ 22.Kd3 c2 23.Rd2 Qb3+ 24.Ke2 Bb5+
the signature of flank attacks. But this one 25.Rd3 Qxd3 # 0-1 Pruijssers,R-Li Shilong
looks to be extremely premature, and it was Dieren 2006 ; 11.f6 gxf6 12.Bh6 fxe5 (a
possible to attack the centre differently, with very correct exchange sacrifice) 13.Qf2 Kh8
...a6 and ...b5, or ...Qa5. 14.dxe5 Rg8 15.h4 Ndxe5 16.Nxe5 Nxe5
10.f5 b5 (D) 17.Be2 b4 18.Ne4 Bd7 19.Bf4 Ng6 20.Ng5
XABCDEFGHY Rg7 21.Be3 f6 22.h5 Ne5 23.Nh3 Qa5 24.h6
Rgg8 25.Bd4 Qxa2 26.Kd2 c3+ 27.bxc3
8r+lwq-trk+( bxc3+ 28.Bxc3 Ba4 29.Bd3 d4 30.Bxd4
Rad8 31.Ra1 Qd5 32.Bxe5 Rxg2 33.Rxa4
7zp-+nvlpzpp' Rxf2+ 34.Nxf2 Qxe5 35.Re4 Qg3 36.Ke2
6-+n+p+-+& Bc5 37.Rf1 e5 38.Nh1 Qh2+ 39.Nf2 f5
40.Rc4 Qh5+ 0-1 Dogodkina,J-Alavkin,A
5+p+pzPP+-% Kazan 2010 ; 11.Bg5 b4 12.Ne2 exf5
4-+pzP-+-+$ 13.Ng3 c3 14.Qf4 Qa5 15.bxc3 Qa3+
16.Kd2 Qxc3+ 17.Ke2 f6 18.exf6 Nxf6
3+-sN-vLN+-# 19.Bxf6 Bxf6 20.Kf2 g5 21.Qd6 f4
2PzPPwQ-+PzP" 22.Qxd5+ Kh8 23.Bd3 Ne7 24.Qxa8 fxg3+
25.hxg3 Bxd4+ 26.Kf1 Nc6 27.Rxh7+ Kg8
1+-mKR+L+R! 28.Rh6 Bf6 29.Rg6+ Kf7 30.Nxg5+ Ke7
31.Re1+ Kd7 32.Nf3 Rh8 33.Nh4 Kc7
xabcdefghy 34.Rg4 Bxg4 0-1 Newrkla,K-Leconte,M
11.g4 Novi Sad 2009.
Here White had a thousand different 11...b4 12.Ne2 Qa5
possibilities for the attack, but it appears that Every move from Black creates some threat
everywhere else Black's closing of the centre and improves a piece.
was also a very good decision! 11.fxe6 fxe6 13.Kb1 (D)
12.Nxb5 (12.Ne2 b4 13.c3 Qa5 14.Kb1 Rb8
15.cxb4 Bxb4 16.Qc2 Ba3 17.Bc1 Nb4 XABCDEFGHY
18.Qc3 Bxb2 19.Bxb2 Qxa2+ 20.Kc1 Nd3+ 8r+l+-trk+(
21.Rxd3 cxd3 22.Ng3 Rb3 23.Qd2 Ba6 0-1
Deur,Z-Muminova,N Czarna 2010) 12...Rb8 7zp-+nvlpzpp'
13.Nd6 Bxd6 14.exd6 (D) 6-+n+p+-+&
XABCDEFGHY 5wq-+pzPP+-%
8-trlwq-trk+( 4-zppzP-+P+$
7zp-+n+-zpp' 3+-+-vLN+-#
6-+nzPp+-+& 2PzPPwQN+-zP"
5+-+p+-+-% 1+K+R+L+R!
4-+pzP-+-+$ xabcdefghy
3+-+-vLN+-# 13...c3!
2PzPPwQ-+PzP" Immediately showing up the weakness of
White's king position.
1+-mKR+L+R! 14.Qe1
No better is the retreat closer to the king.
xabcdefghy 14.Qc1 cxb2 15.Qxb2 Nb6.
14...Nb4 15.Kb1 Nf6 16.a3 Ne4 17.Qe1 c3 14...cxb2 15.f6 gxf6 16.Qh4
18.b3 Qa5 19.Bc1 Nxc2 20.Kxc2 Bd7 21.b4 A desperate try to find even minimal
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 56
attacking chances for herself. 26.Rb3 Rxb3 27.axb3 also with roughly
16...Ba6 equal chances) 25.Bxd3 with about equal
More development, and preparation of the play.
attack with ...Bc4. 21.Nh4 Ne7 22.f4 g6 23.Qd2 Rfb8 24.Ba4!
17.Ng3 b3! Black will also have difficulties in carrying
Every move is like a nail being hammered in out his plan!
- now the threat is ...Nb4. 24...Rb7 25.Nf3 Rc8 26.Ng5 Qf8 27.Rf1
18.cxb3 Nb4 19.a4 Qc7 Nf5 28.Ref3 c3 29.Qf2 Ne7
Black is able to attack even in retreat! 29...Rc4 30.bxc3 bxc3 31.Bb3 Rxd4
20.Ne1 Qc3 21.Bd3 Bxd3+ 22.Rxd3 Nxd3 32.Rxc3 +=.
0-1 30.Nxe6
30.f5? gxf5 31.g4 Qg7 -/+.
□ Korchnoi Viktor 30...fxe6 31.g4 Rbc7 32.bxc3 Rxc3 33.Bd7
■ Lputian Smbat Rxf3 34.Qxf3 Rc3 35.Qe2
D37 Wijk aan Zee 2000 35.Qf2?! Qf7 36.Qh4 Kg7 =+.
1.d4 e6 2.c4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Be7 5.Bf4 35...Nc6! 36.Bxc6 Rxc6 37.Qb5 Rc4
0-0 6.e3 Nbd7 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Nxd5 exd5 38.Qd7?!
9.Bd3 c5 10.0-0 (D) 38.Qxa5 Rxd4 39.Qb6 =.
XABCDEFGHY 38...Rxd4 39.Qxe6 Rxf4 40.Rc1?
40.Rxf4 Qxf4 41.Qe8+ Kg7 42.Qe7+ Qf7
8r+lwq-trk+( 43.Qd6 =.
40...Kg7 41.g5 Qf7! 42.Qc8
7zpp+nvlpzpp' After an exchange of queens, Black could
6-+-+-+-+& take back either way with a decent
advantage. Still, it was the lesser evil for
5+-zpp+-+-% White.
4-+-zP-vL-+$ 42...Qa7+ 43.Kh1 Qf2-+ 44.Qd7+ Rf7
45.Qxd5 Qe2 46.h4 Qg4 47.e6 Qh3+
3+-+LzPN+-# 0-1
2PzP-+-zPPzP" □ Koneru Humpy
1tR-+Q+RmK-! ■ Chiburdanidze Maia
E42 Doha 2011
xabcdefghy 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5 5.Nge2
10...c4 cxd4 6.exd4 d5 7.c5! (D)
It was also possible to play with an isolated
pawn after 10...cxd4 11.Nxd4 Nc5.
XABCDEFGHY
11.Bc2 b5 12.e4 Nb6 13.Re1 Be6 14.Qb1 8rsnlwqk+-tr(
Kh8 15.Be5 Bf6!
Remarkable: it is impossible to force Black 7zpp+-+pzpp'
to move any pawns on the kingside! 6-+-+psn-+&
16.Bxf6 Qxf6 17.e5 Qh6 18.Re3
Due to the awkward location of the white 5+-zPp+-+-%
pieces, he has problems - how to create 4-vl-zP-+-+$
threats on the kingside?
18...b4 19.Qe1 a5 20.g3 3+-sN-+-+-#
20.h4!? with the idea of Ng5.
20...Nc8?! 2PzP-+NzPPzP"
Black could now have played 20...c3 1tR-vLQmKL+R!
21.bxc3 Nc4 22.Rd3 Bf5 23.cxb4 axb4
24.Qxb4 Bxd3 (24...Rfb8!? 25.Qxb8+! Rxb8 xabcdefghy
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 57
The most serious positional plan - White 9.Nxe4
wants to create a pawn majority on the M.Chiburdanidze had successfully applied
queenside and to avoid Black's counterplay this variation previously in the same
in the centre. tournament, so H.Koneru's preparation was
7...Ne4 aimed very precisely: 9.a3 Bxc3 10.Nxc3
A very serious alternative here is the direct Qh4 11.Nxe4 Qxe4+ 12.Be3 e5 13.Qa4 0-0
attack on the centre 7...e5 8.dxe5 Ng4 (D) 14.0-0-0 exd4 (D)
XABCDEFGHY XABCDEFGHY
8rsnlwqk+-tr( 8r+l+-trk+(
7zpp+-+pzpp' 7zpp+-+pzpp'
6-+-+-+-+& 6-+n+-+-+&
5+-zPpzP-+-% 5+-zPp+-+-%
4-vl-+-+n+$ 4Q+-zpq+-+$
3+-sN-+-+-# 3zP-+-vL-+-#
2PzP-+NzPPzP" 2-zP-+-zPPzP"
1tR-vLQmKL+R! 1+-mKR+L+R!
xabcdefghy xabcdefghy
9.e6! 0-0 (9...Bxe6!? 10.Nd4 Ne5 11.Nxe6 15.Bd3 Qe5 16.Bd2 Bf5 17.Qc2 Bxd3
fxe6 12.Qh5+ Nf7 13.Bd3 ; 9...Qf6 10.exf7+ 18.Qxd3 Qe4 19.Qg3 a5 20.Rhe1 Qf5
Qxf7 11.f3 0-0! 12.fxg4?! Qf2+ 13.Kd2 d4 21.Bh6 Qg6 22.Bf4 Rfe8 23.Qxg6 hxg6
14.Kc2 dxc3 15.bxc3 Bxc5 -/+) 10.Nd4 Nf6 24.f3 a4 25.Kc2 f6 26.Kd3 Kf7 27.Bg3 Ra5
(10...fxe6!? 11.Qxg4 Qf6 12.Nde2 Qxf2+ 28.Rxe8 Kxe8 29.Bd6 Rb5 30.Kc2 Kf7
13.Kd1 Nc6 14.Qg3 Qxc5) 11.exf7+ Rxf7 31.h4 Na5 32.Rxd4 Nc4 33.Kc1 Ke6 34.Bf8
12.Be2 Ne4 13.0-0 Bxc3 14.bxc3 Nxc3 Nxb2 35.Bxg7 Nc4 36.Rf4 f5 37.g4 Rxc5
15.Qc2 Nxe2+ 16.Qxe2 Nc6! with 38.h5 gxh5 39.gxh5 Nxa3+ 40.Kd1 Rc4
sufficient counterchances in Morovic,I- 41.Rxc4 Nxc4 42.Kc2 Kf7 43.h6 Kg6
Browne,W Linares 1994. 44.Kc3 a3 45.f4 Na5 46.Kb4 Nc6+ 47.Kxa3
8.Bd2 Nc6 (D) Nd8 48.Kb4 Ne6 49.Be5 Kxh6 50.Kb5 Kh5
XABCDEFGHY 51.Kb6 d4 52.Kxb7 d3 0-1 Mkrtchian,L-
Chiburdanidze,M Doha 2011.
8r+lwqk+-tr( 9...dxe4 10.Bxb4 Nxb4 11.Qa4+
11.Nc3 f5 12.Bb5+ Bd7 13.0-0 Bxb5
7zpp+-+pzpp' 14.Nxb5 0-0 15.f3 e3 = Bareev,E-Aseev,K
6-+n+p+-+& Leningrad 1990.
11...Nc6 12.Rd1 Qg5
5+-zPp+-+-% An interesting new idea. More consistent,
4-vl-zPn+-+$ however, seems to be 12...0-0 13.Nc3 e3!?
(13...f5 14.Bb5 +=) 14.fxe3 Qg5 15.Kf2
3+-sN-+-+-# (15.Kd2 Rd8! 16.Nb5 e5 -/+) 15...Bd7
2PzP-vLNzPPzP" (planning ...Ne5 -+) 16.Qc2 (16.Bb5? a6 -/+
; 16.d5!? oo ; 16.h4 Qf5+ 17.Kg1 Ne5
1tR-+QmKL+R! 18.Bb5 Ng4 19.Rf1 Bxb5 20.Qxb5 Qc2
21.Rh3 +/- Rossiter,P-Piper,M London
xabcdefghy 1994) 16...b6! 17.Qe4! bxc5 18.dxc5 Be8
This looks to be the best try. (18...Ne5? 19.Qf4 +/-) 19.Bd3 g6 20.Qf4
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 58
Qxc5 21.Ne4 Qe5 22.Rhf1 Rb8 (D) 13...e3
XABCDEFGHY Development with 13...0-0 leads to a slight
advantage for White: 14.Bg2 f5 15.0-0 Rd8
8-tr-+ltrk+( 16.f3 Qe3+ 17.Rf2 exf3 18.Bxf3 but an
interesting idea here would be to transfer
7zp-+-+p+p' into the endgame after 13...Bd7 14.Qb3 Qd5
6-+n+p+p+& 15.Nc3 Qxb3 16.axb3 f5 17.Bc4 e5 18.Nb5
exd4 19.Nxd4 Ne5 20.Be2 Rc8 21.Nxf5
5+-+-wq-+-% Bxf5 22.Rd5 (D)
4-+-+NwQ-+$ XABCDEFGHY
3+-+LzP-+-# 8-+r+k+-tr(
2PzP-+-mKPzP" 7zpp+-+-zpp'
1+-+R+R+-! 6-+-+-+-+&
xabcdefghy 5+-zPRsnl+-%
With approximately equal play, Knaak,R- 4-+-+p+-+$
Skembris,S Thessaloniki 1988.
13.g3 3+P+-+-zP-#
It looks a bit artificial to transfer into an
endgame with 13.Qb3 0-0 14.Qe3 Qxe3 2-zP-+LzP-zP"
15.fxe3 f5 16.Nc3 Bd7. The direct attack on 1+-+-mK-+R!
the pawn is possible, but it's unclear whether
it offers any chances of an advantage: xabcdefghy
13.Nc3 e3 14.f3 0-0 15.Ne4 Qg6 (15...Qh6!? This was the game Iljushin,A-Andreikin,D
16.Bb5 Bd7 17.0-0 a6 18.Be2 Rad8) Moscow 2005, and here the best chances for
16.Qb3! f5 17.Nd6 f4 18.Qd3 Qg5 (18...e5!? Black are retained by 22...Ke7.
19.Qxg6 hxg6 20.Bc4+ Kh7 21.d5 Nd4 +=) 14.fxe3 Qxe3 15.Bg2 Bd7 16.Qc4!
19.Qe4 g6 20.a3 Bd7 (20...a5!?) 21.b4 With this move White starts an operation to
(21.Nxb7? Rab8 22.d5 Ne7 23.d6? Nc6 conduct castling, after driving her
24.Bb5 Qxg2 -+) 21...Ne7 (D) opponent's queen from e3.
XABCDEFGHY 16...0-0 17.Rd3 Qh6 18.0-0 Rab8
Centralisation of the rook would be met by a
8r+-+-trk+( strong flank development 18...Rad8 19.b4 a6
20.a4 Bc8 21.b5 axb5 22.axb5 Ne7 23.c6.
7zpp+lsn-+p' 19.b4 e5
6-+-sNp+p+& Black desperately tries to avoid White's
pawn-mass advance, but the other try to
5+-zP-+-wq-% create some counterplay on the queenside
4-zP-zPQzp-+$ had its own flaws: 19...a6 20.a4 a5 21.b5
Nb4 22.Rdd1 Nd5 23.Bxd5 Qe3+ 24.Kg2
3zP-+-zpP+-# exd5 25.Qd3 Rfe8 26.Qxe3 Rxe3 27.Nf4.
2-+-+-+PzP" 20.d5 e4?
Chiburdanidze tries desperately to escape
1+-+RmKL+R! from the positional grind. Black is in trouble
after 20...Ne7 21.Nc3 Kh8 22.Re1 Rfc8
xabcdefghy 23.d6.
With very active counterplay after the knight 21.Qxe4 Rbe8 (D)
transfer to f5, Lugovoi,A-Aseev,K St Obviously something terribly wrong had
Petersburg 1995. taken place for Black here…
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 59
 XABCDEFGHY chance existed that White would not play in
the most precise way: 31...Qxa2 32.Qb4 Re8
8-+-+rtrk+( 33.c7 Rc2 34.Re1 Rf8 35.Be4 Rxc7 36.Bb1!
Qd5 37.Bxh7+ Kxh7 38.Qxf8.
7zpp+l+pzpp' 32.a4 h6 33.Ne4 Qb6+ 34.Kh1 Rd4 35.Qc2
6-+n+-+-wq& Qa5 36.Rb1
Slightly better would be 36.Nc5.
5+-zPP+-+-% 36...g6 37.h4 Kg7 38.Qc5 Qxc5 39.Nxc5
4-zP-+Q+-+$ Rc4 40.Nb7 Re3
The pawn would be promoted after
3+-+R+-zP-# 40...Rxa4 41.Rc1 Rc7 42.Nd6 Kf8 43.Nb5
2P+-+N+LzP" Rc8 44.c7.
41.Nd6 Rc5 42.Rb7
1+-+-+RmK-! 1-0
xabcdefghy There are cases in which the closing of the
22.dxc6! Bxc6 centre looks very dangerous.
How did M.Chiburdanidze manage to □ Tukmakov Vladimir
overlook 22...Rxe4 23.cxd7. ■ Lputian Smbat
23.Qg4 Bb5 24.Nf4 Bxd3 25.Nxd3 Qe3+ D58 Luzern 1993
26.Nf2 1.d4 e6 2.c4 d5 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bg5
White has two pieces for the rook and a h6 6.Bh4 0-0 7.e3 b6 8.Rb1 Nbd7 9.cxd5
terrific pawn formation with c5 plus b4, Nxd5 10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.Nxd5 exd5 12.Be2
which guarantees an easy win. Nf6 13.Qa4 Bd7 14.Qb3 c5 15.Qa3 Rfe8
26...Re7 (D) 16.Rc1 (D)
XABCDEFGHY XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-trk+( 8r+-+r+k+(
7zpp+-trpzpp' 7zp-+lwqpzp-'
6-+-+-+-+& 6-zp-+-sn-zp&
5+-zP-+-+-% 5+-zpp+-+-%
4-zP-+-+Q+$ 4-+-zP-+-+$
3+-+-wq-zP-# 3wQ-+-zPN+-#
2P+-+-sNLzP" 2PzP-+LzPPzP"
1+-+-+RmK-! 1+-tR-mK-+R!
xabcdefghy xabcdefghy
27.Qf4 16...c4!
Stronger was the continued improvement of Maintaining the central structure leads to a
her position with 27.Qc4 Rd8 28.Bd5. very passive set-up after 16...Rec8.
27...Qa3 28.Qc4 17.Qxe7 Rxe7 18.Ne5 b5!
There was another active attacking option in Keeping the bishop with 18...Be8 was not
28.Ne4 Qxa2 29.Nd6 b6 30.Qg5 Re2 logical as Black wants to place pawns on
31.Bd5 Qd2 32.Nxf7. white squares.
28...Rd8 29.b5 Rd2 30.c6 bxc6 31.bxc6 19.Bf3?!
Qa5 More logical was pawn counterplay on the
It was better to try the risky capture, as a other side 19.f3 a5 20.g4 b4 21.h4 but White
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 60
wants to stop ...b4 with cheap tactics. 40.Bc2 Ra2 41.Ke1 Rxa3 42.Rb1 Ra2
19...a5 20.g4 a4 0-1
20...b4 21.Rxc4 was the point.
21.a3 Rb8 22.h4 g5!
Radically stopping all of White's threats on
the kingside.
23.hxg5 hxg5 (D)
XABCDEFGHY
8-tr-+-+k+(
7+-+ltrp+-'
6-+-+-sn-+&
5+p+psN-zp-% Even World Champions make wrong
4p+pzP-+P+$ decisions.
□ Hort Vlastimil
3zP-+-zPL+-# ■ Karpov Anatoly
2-zP-+-zP-+" D58 Amsterdam 1981
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bg5
1+-tR-mK-+R! h6 6.Bh4 0-0 7.e3 b6 8.Rc1 Bb7 9.cxd5
xabcdefghy exd5 10.Be2 Nbd7 11.0-0 c5 12.Qc2 a6
13.Rfd1 (D)
24.Rh6
White could not stop his opponent's attack, XABCDEFGHY
e.g. 24.Bd1 b4 25.Nxd7 Rxd7 26.Bxa4 Ra7 8r+-wq-trk+(
so he decides to try to destroy his opponent's
structure with an exchange sacrifice. 7+l+nvlpzp-'
24...Kg7 25.Rxf6 Kxf6 26.Bxd5 Rxe5!
The best decision: to return the material and
6pzp-+-sn-zp&
eliminate the strong knight on e5. Much 5+-zpp+-+-%
weaker was the positional continuation
26...Rh8 27.Ke2 Be8. 4-+-zP-+-vL$
27.dxe5+ Kxe5 28.Bxf7
The simple retreat 28.Bf3 did not work after
3+-sN-zPN+-#
28...Be6 29.Kd2 Rd8+ 30.Ke1 Rd3 31.Rc3 2PzPQ+LzPPzP"
Rd6 32.Rc1 Bd5 33.Bxd5 Rxd5 and in the 1+-tRR+-mK-!
rook ending Black's king and rook are
terribly active. xabcdefghy
28...Bxg4 29.Bg6 13...c4?!
Of no help is the small pawn sacrifice 29.f4+ This closing of the centre is extremely risky,
gxf4 30.exf4+ Kxf4 31.Kd2 Rd8+. and instead Black has to be very careful and
29...Rd8 play an immediate 13...Ne4.
Now White will have additional problems 14.a4!
with his king. A very important move, preventing Black
30.Bc2 Bf3 31.Ra1 g4 32.Rc1 Rd6 33.Ra1 from supporting his pawn formation with
Rh6 ...b5 and preparing to destroy it with b3, thus
After the improvement of every piece creating some weaknesses on b6 and/or d5.
follows the decisive penetration. 14...Bc6?!
34.Rc1 Rh1+ 35.Kd2 Rh2 36.Ke1 Kf6 A.Karpov tries to conduct this important
37.Bb1 g3! 38.fxg3 Re2+ 39.Kf1 Rxb2 pawn move, but better would have been to
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 61
do it with the help of his knight; 14...Ne8. 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.d4 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.Nc3 d5 5.Bg5
15.Ne5 Qc7 16.Nxc6 Ne4 6.cxd5 Nxg5 7.Nxg5 e6 8.Qd2 h6
Very strong here would be the central break 9.Nf3 exd5 10.e3 0-0 11.Be2 c6 12.0-0 (D)
16.e4 dxe4 17.Nxc4 Bd6 18.Nxd6 Qxd6 XABCDEFGHY
19.d5.
16...Qxc6 (D) 8rsnlwq-trk+(
XABCDEFGHY 7zpp+-+pvl-'
8r+-+-trk+( 6-+p+-+pzp&
7+-+nvlpzp-' 5+-+p+-+-%
6pzpq+-sn-zp& 4-+-zP-+-+$
5+-+p+-+-% 3+-sN-zPN+-#
4P+pzP-+-vL$ 2PzP-wQLzPPzP"
3+-sN-zP-+-# 1tR-+-+RmK-!
2-zPQ+LzPPzP" xabcdefghy
1+-tRR+-mK-! At the moment, the structure is typical of a
‘Queens Gambit Declined’ exchange
xabcdefghy variation, with the most natural White plan
17.Bf3 being b4-b5, the so-called minority attack.
Performing the original plan was also not The idea of this plan is to create weaknesses
bad: 17.b3 b5 18.bxc4 bxc4 19.e4 dxe4 on c6 or d5. For this reason, Black has to
20.d5 Qc5 (20...Nxd5 21.Nxd5 Bxh4 counterattack on the other side - but first it is
22.Qxe4) 21.Nxe4 Nxe4 22.Qxe4 Bxh4 useful to improve the positions of his pieces,
23.Qxh4 and the c4-pawn is very weak. preventing for some time his opponent's
17...Bb4? plans.
This move allows tactical tricks, but other 12...Qd6
moves don't help either: 17...Rae8 18.b3! b5 Another possible option was 12...Qe7. At
19.axb5 axb5 20.Bxf6 Nxf6 21.bxc4 bxc4 the moment it is not clear where the queen is
22.e4 ; 17...Rfe8 18.e4 +/- ; 17...g5 18.Bg3 better placed. 13.a3 seems too slow and
+/-. White decided instead to apply another
18.Nxd5! Nxd5 19.Qf5 typical plan - the activation of his pieces,
It was possible to fall into a tricky position with the idea being to force some weakening
with 19.Qxc4? Qxc4 20.Rxc4 b5! of Black's position on the queenside.
19...Qxa4 20.Bxd5 Rac8 21.b3! 13.Na4 Bg4 14.b4
A nice but small tactical operation, with the Of course White did not want to obtain the
idea of opening files and the opposing king. stupid bishop with 14.h3 Bxf3 15.Bxf3 Nd7
21...cxb3 22.Rxc8 Rxc8 23.Qxf7+ Kh8 16.Rac1 f5 and then ...Nf6-e4.
24.Bxb3 Qb5 25.Be6 Rf8 26.Bxd7! Rxf7 14...Nd7 15.Nc5 Nxc5
27.Bxb5 axb5 28.Rb1 Rc7 29.g4 Black could have maintained a balanced
1-0 position after 15...b6 16.Nxd7 Bxd7
17.Rab1 Rfe8.
Closing of the centre can take different
16.bxc5 Qe7
forms; in such cases there appear different
Nothing special, but this retreat shows that
plan for both sides to attack their targets.
earlier it was better to place the queen on e7.
□ Tsetselian Seiran Now Black has a weakness on b7 and White
■ Mikhalchishin Adrian is ready to extend his pressure by doubling
D91 Tbilisi 1979 rooks on the b-file. However, Black prepares
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 62
to attack on the other side and to retreat his Not bad either was the other position for the
bishop to c8 to protect the b7-pawn. queen 23...Qg6. White is sick and tired of
Sometimes the position of the piece on c8 is the prospective ...f5 and ...g4, so he tries to
very strong! change the course of the game with an
17.Rab1 Rae8 18.Rb3 Bc8! (D) exchange sacrifice.
XABCDEFGHY 24.Rxb7?! Bxb7 25.Qxb7 Re7 26.Qa6 f5
It's better to attack immediately rather than
8-+l+rtrk+( defend with 26...Rb8 27.a3! and next Nb4.
27.Nb4 g4 28.Bd1?
7zpp+-wqpvl-' It was necessary to continue the 'changing'
6-+p+-+pzp& of the position with 28.Nxd5 gxf3 29.Nxe7+
Qxe7 30.Qxc6 fxg2 31.Qd5+ Qf7 32.Qxf7+
5+-zPp+-+-% Kxf7 33.Kxg2 Ke6 34.Rb1 and White has
4-+-zP-+-+$ real counterplay.
28...Rf6 29.Nd3
3+R+-zPN+-# Very sharp play appears after 29.Ba4 Rc7
2P+-wQLzPPzP" 30.Bxc6 Rxc6 31.Nxc6 Qxc6 32.Qxa7 gxh3
33.Rb1 Rf8 34.Rb6 Qe8 but here White will
1+-+-+RmK-! sooner or later be shown to stand worse.
29...g3!
xabcdefghy A very unpleasant opening of his king's
With this move Black showed his intentions position.
and White understood that the attack on b7 30.Ne5 gxf2+ 31.Rxf2 Rh6
was doomed to failure. And now the g7-bishop is finally ready to
19.Ne1 h5 enter the game with decisive effect.
Black has to proceed with his plan very 32.Bc2 Bxe5 33.Bxf5 Bh2+ 34.Kxh2 Qxe3
carefully. If, for example 19...f5 20.f4 Kh7 35.Rf3 Qxd4 (D)
21.Nf3 and White's knight will obtain a
strong outpost on e5. XABCDEFGHY
20.Qb2 h4 8-+-+-+k+(
Creating the unpleasant threat of ...h3.
21.h3 g5 22.Nd3 Qe4! 7zp-+-tr-+-'
Premature was 22...f5 23.Bh5 Rd8 and 6Q+p+-+-tr&
Black's pieces become uncoordinated.
23.Bf3 Qe6 (D) 5+-zPp+L+-%
XABCDEFGHY 4-+-wq-+-zp$
8-+l+rtrk+( 3+-+-+R+P#
7zpp+-+pvl-' 2P+-+-+PmK"
6-+p+q+-+& 1+-+-+-+-!
5+-zPp+-zp-% xabcdefghy
4-+-zP-+-zp$ Materially White doesn't stand too badly, but
the weakness of the dark squares is decisive.
3+R+NzPL+P# 36.Qc8+ Kg7 37.Bd3 Rf6 38.Rxf6 Qxf6
2PwQ-+-zPP+" 39.Qg4+ Kf8 40.Qc8+ Kf7 41.Qg4 Qe5+
0-1
1+-+-+RmK-!
xabcdefghy
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 63
Blockade of the Centre
This is a special method which is used to
XABCDEFGHY
limit the mobility of the opponent’s centre 8r+-wq-trk+(
with the idea of conducting a powerful
attack on it, after correct preparation.
7+p+-+-vlp'
6-+-sn-zpp+&
□ Kharitonov Andrey
■ Mikhalchishin Adrian 5zp-+Pzp-+-%
D76 Volgodonsk 1981 4-+n+-+-sN$
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 d5 5.cxd5
Nxd5 6.Nf3 0-0 7.0-0 Nb6 8.e3 e5 9.Nc3 3+-+-+-zPP#
Nc6 10.d5 Ne7 11.e4 Bg4 12.Qb3 c6 2PzP-+-zPL+"
13.Nh4?! cxd5 14.exd5 Nec8!
The best plan is always to block the central 1tR-vL-wQRmK-!
structure and then try to destroy it. Another
option was much weaker, viz: 14...Rc8
xabcdefghy
15.Bg5 h6 16.d6! +-. 23...e4!
15.h3 Bd7 16.Ne4 Ba4 17.Qb4 Bc2! This is part of Black's central expansion,
18.Bg5? plus the knight on h4 is left out of the game.
Better was to continue the plan anyway: 24.b3 f5 25.Rb1
18.Nc5 Nd6 oo. The exchange sacrifice does not improve
18...f6 19.Be3 (D) White's position 25.bxc4 Bxa1 26.c5 Nf7 -
/+.
XABCDEFGHY 25...Ne5
8r+nwq-trk+( Now the two powerful black knights
completely control everything in the centre.
7zpp+-+-vlp' 26.Qe3 Nd3 27.Ba3 Re8 28.Bxd6 Qxd6
6-sn-+-zpp+& The exchange of the blockading knight
causes no great harm to Black as the pawn
5+-+Pzp-+-% on d5 will come under fire now.
4-wQ-+N+-sN$ 29.Rbd1 (D)

3+-+-vL-zPP# XABCDEFGHY
2PzPl+-zPL+" 8r+-+r+k+(
1tR-+-+RmK-! 7+p+-+-vlp'
xabcdefghy 6-+-wq-+p+&
19...Bxe4! 5zp-+P+p+-%
It is necessary to eliminate the knight, which 4-+-+p+-sN$
currently fights for the most important
square d6. 3+P+nwQ-zPP#
20.Bxe4 Nd6 21.Bg2 2P+-+-zPL+"
Now it is too late to fight for control over
the d6-square. After 21.Bc5 Nbc4 22.Rfc1 1+-+R+RmK-!
Black has the decisive 22...a5! -/+.
21...Nbc4 22.Bc1 a5 23.Qe1 (D)
xabcdefghy
No better was a different retreat with 23.Qb3 29...Nb4?!
a4 24.Qc2 f5. Unfortunately for White, he is It was possible to take the pawn
already in dire straights and is unable to immediately, but Black did not want to give
equalise… an escape route to the knight. 29...Qxd5

Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 64
30.Nf3 Rad8 31.Ne1 Qb5 -/+. to transfer his knight to the blockading
30.Rd2 Qf6 square d6 and then to prepare ...f5.
Simpler was to take the pawn 30...Nxd5. 14.0-0 Ne8 15.c4 Nd6 16.Bc3 (D)
31.d6 Rad8 32.d7 XABCDEFGHY
The threat was to capture the knight with,
e.g. 32.Rfd1 g5. 8r+l+-trk+(
32...Re7 33.Rfd1 Nd3 34.Bf1 (D)
Or 34.Rxd3 exd3 35.Qxd3 g5 -+.
7zppwq-+pvlp'
XABCDEFGHY 6-+-sn-+p+&
8-+-tr-+k+( 5+-zpPzp-+-%
7+p+Ptr-vlp' 4-+P+P+-+$
6-+-+-wqp+& 3+-vL-+N+-#
5zp-+-+p+-% 2P+Q+LzPPzP"
4-+-+p+-sN$ 1+R+-+RmK-!
3+P+nwQ-zPP# xabcdefghy
16...Re8
2P+-tR-zP-+" Possible was an immediate continuation of
1+-+R+LmK-! the plan: 16...f5 17.Nd2 fxe4 18.Rbd1 Rf4
(even better looking is 18...Bf5 19.g4 Bd7
xabcdefghy 20.Nxe4 Ba4) 19.g3 Rf7 20.Nxe4 Bf5 21.f3
34...f4! Raf8.
A very important blow and now White is 17.Bd3 f5 18.Nd2 f4
lost. In such situations Black cannot keep the
35.Qe2 Rdxd7 36.Qg4 fxg3 37.Qxg3 tension around e4 for too long, so better is to
A quicker loss arises after 37.Bxd3 Rxd3 close the centre as soon as possible.
38.fxg3 Qd4+. 19.Be2
37...Bh6 38.Rc2 In this typical structure White really has to
The same happens after 38.Bxd3 Bxd2 start play on the queenside, so 19.a4.
39.Bc4+ Kg7 40.Ng2 Qf3. 19...Qf7 20.Qd1 h5 (D)
38...Bf4 39.Qg4 Ne5 40.Rc8+ Kg7 XABCDEFGHY
0-1
8r+l+r+k+(
□ Loncar Robert
■ Nepomniachtchi Ian
7zpp+-+qvl-'
D85 Rijeka 2010 6-+-sn-+p+&
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5
5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Nf3 c5 8.Be3 Qa5 5+-zpPzp-+p%
9.Bd2 0-0 10.Be2 Nd7 11.Qc2 e5 4-+P+Pzp-+$
The start of a plan to change the central
structure. 3+-vL-+-+-#
12.Rb1?! 2P+-sNLzPPzP"
One possible change in the structure is seen
after 12.0-0 Qc7 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 1+R+Q+RmK-!
Qxe5 15.f4 Qe7 16.Bf3 Be6 17.e5 Rad8
with Black having counterchances.
xabcdefghy
12...Qc7 13.d5 Nf6 Black is slowly preparing a pawn advance
Of course, Black's plan in such positions is on the kingside.

Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 65
21.g4?! Doubled Pawns in the Centre
Sometimes such plans for stopping the Doubled pawns are limiting the mobility
opponent's pawn advance works, but here of their own pawn structure and can be
White had to conduct his own plan on the attacked by the opponent.
opposite flank: 21.a4 Bd7 22.a5. But there are cases when the pawn-
21...hxg4 22.Bxg4 Bf6 doubling opens important files in the centre.
Preparing ...Kg7 and then the transfer of the
rook to h-file, after which White will feel the □ Johner Paul
weakness of his own king. ■ Nimzowitsch Aron
23.Bxc8 Raxc8 24.f3 Kg7 25.Rf2 E41 Dresden 1926
White has few ideas for playing on the other 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 0-0 5.Bd3
wing and so prefers to improve the position c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.0-0 Bxc3 8.bxc3 d6 9.Nd2!
around his king. 25.a4 was possible. This move presents the idea of an immediate
25...Rh8 26.Rg2 Rh3 27.Qe2 Rch8 28.Kh1 attack in the centre, before Black starts
Qe7 29.Rbg1 g5 30.Nf1 (D) attacking the weak c4-pawn. 9.e4 e5 10.d5
XABCDEFGHY Na5 11.Ne1 with the idea to fight for the
dark squares after f4 was also possible, but
8-+-+-+-tr( not so good.
9...b6
7zpp+-wq-mk-' Planning 10...e5 11.d5 Na5 12.Nb3 Nb7.
6-+-sn-vl-+& 10.Nb3?
The knight on b3 only prevents an attack on
5+-zpPzp-zp-% the c4-pawn after ...Na5. It was necessary to
4-+P+Pzp-+$ immediately start an attack in the centre with
10.f4! e5 11.fxe5 dxe5 12.d5 Na5 13.Nb3
3+-vL-+P+r# Nb7 14.e4 Ne8 and ...Nd6.
2P+-+Q+RzP" 10...e5 11.f4
Again it's necessary to keep the centre, and
1+-+-+NtRK! clearly worse was 11.d5 e4! 12.Be2
(12.dxc6 exd3 -/+) 12...Ne5!
xabcdefghy 11...e4
30...Nf7! Another plan was 11...Qe7 12.fxe5 dxe5
A nice manoeuvre, as the d6-pawn has no 13.d5 Nd8 14.e4 Ne8 going to d6.
intentions of going forward anyway, so 12.Be2 (D)
Black protects the important pawns on g5
and e5, and then prepares a transfer of his XABCDEFGHY
queen closer to White's weaknesses. 8r+lwq-trk+(
31.Qd1 Qd6 32.Rb2 Qa6 33.Qd3 R8h5
34.Rbg2 Kf8 35.d6? 7zp-+-+pzpp'
Finally White understood that Black would 6-zpnzp-sn-+&
improve the positions of all his pieces and
then start an attack against the c4 and a2 5+-zp-+-+-%
pawns. So, White tries to activate his own 4-+PzPpzP-+$
pieces with the sacrifice of the central pawn.
35...Qxd6 36.Qb1 3+NzP-zP-+-#
An instructive variation was 36.Qe2 g4!
37.Rxg4 Ng5. Anyway, White is plain 2P+-+L+PzP"
lost… 1tR-vLQ+RmK-!
36...Rxf3 37.Rd2 Qc6 38.Bb2 Rfh3 39.Rd5
b6 40.Qd1 Qe6 41.Nd2 xabcdefghy
0-1 12...Qd7!
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 66
A very difficult - and complicated - The only chance was 18.a5! Ng4+ 19.Bxg4
restrictive manoeuvre is initiated with this hxg4 20.axb6 gxh3 21.gxh3 Nh4 22.Qg3.
move. Another way of fighting White's It's not easy to prove a clear win for Black -
centre was 12...Ne8! 13.g4 (13.f5 Qg5) B.Larsen.
13...f5 14.d5 (14.dxc5!? dxc5 15.Qd5+ 18...a5 (D)
Qxd5 16.cxd5 Ne7 17.Rd1 Nd6) 14...Ne7 It's easier to defend the weakness on b6 than
15.g5, which leads to petrification - the weakness on a4. Compare Spassky,B-
A.Nimzowitsch. Fischer,R Reykjavik 1972.
13.h3? XABCDEFGHY
No annotations by A.Nimzowitsch, but the
move weakens g3. 13.f5!? Ne7 14.g4 h5! ; 8r+l+-trk+(
13.Bd2!? Ne7 14.Be1 Nf5? (14...Ng4
15.Qd2 f5 it's not easy to storm the white
7+-+-+pzpq'
position; 14...Ba6!? 15.Bh4? Nf5 16.Bf2 6-zp-zp-sn-+&
cxd4!) 15.Bf2 ; 13.a4! (B.Larsen) 13...a5
14.Bd2. 5zp-zp-+n+p%
13...Ne7 14.Qe1 4P+PzPpzP-+$
14.Bd2 Nf5 and 15...Ng3 to exchange the
e2-bishop, which covers the c4-pawn. 3+NzP-zP-zPP#
14...h5! 2-+-vLL+-mK"
The start of the process of tying White up.
15.Bd2 (D) 1tR-+-wQR+-!
15.Qh4 was tactically refuted by 15...Nf5
16.Qg5 Nh7 17.Qxh5 Ng3.
xabcdefghy
19.Rg1 Nh6 20.Bf1 Bd7 21.Bc1 Rac8
XABCDEFGHY Black has enough play on the kingside, so he
8r+l+-trk+( is not worried about the centre being closed
by d5.
7zp-+qsnpzp-' 22.d5 Kh8 23.Nd2
6-zp-zp-sn-+& 23.Kg2 Rg8 24.Kf2 g5 -+.
23...Rg8
5+-zp-+-+p% Black prepares the opening of the g-file
followed by the doubling of his rooks,
4-+PzPpzP-+$ attacking the g3-pawn.
3+NzP-zP-+P# 24.Bg2 g5 25.Nf1 Rg7 26.Ra2 Nf5 27.Bh1
Rcg8 28.Qd1 gxf4! 29.exf4 Bc8 30.Qb3
2P+-vLL+P+" Ba6 31.Re2
1tR-+-wQRmK-! Correct defence. Very bad was 31.Bd2 Rg6!
32.Be1 Ng4+ 33.hxg4 hxg4+ 34.Kg2 Bxc4!
xabcdefghy 35.Qxc4 e3 -+.
15...Qf5! 31...Nh4!
To make its way to h7. This was the original A strong method of attack is also seen with
point of the restraining manoeuvre. 31...h4 32.g4 Ng3.
16.Kh2 Qh7! 32.Re3
This restraining manoeuvre ...Qd8-d7-f5-h7 After 32.Nd2 Black would include his
represents one of the most remarkable bishop in the attack 32...Bc8! (32...Qf5?
conceptions invented by A.Nimzowitsch. 33.Qd1! Bc8 34.Qf1) 33.Nxe4 (33.Qd1
17.a4 Nf5 Bxh3! 34.Kxh3 Qf5+) 33...Qf5! 34.Nf2
With the idea 18...Ng4+ 19.hxg4 hxg4+ Qxh3+! 35.Nxh3 Ng4 #.
20.Kg1 g3 etc. 32...Bc8 33.Qc2 Bxh3! 34.Bxe4
18.g3 A quicker finish is reached after 34.Kxh3
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 67
Qf5+ 35.Kh2 Ng4+ 36.Kh3 Nf2+ 37.Kh2 13.0-0.
Qh3 #. 13...dxe5 14.Be3
34...Bf5 Possible (and maybe better) was the
The best, since ...h4 can no longer be immediate 14.Rb1.
stopped; after the fall of the h3-bishop the 14...b6 15.0-0 0-0 (D)
defence has become hopeless. XABCDEFGHY
35.Bxf5 Nxf5 36.Re2 h4 37.Rgg2 hxg3+
38.Kg1 Qh3 39.Ne3 Nh4 40.Kf1 Re8! 8r+lwq-trk+(
0-1
7zp-+-+-zp-'
□ Spassky Boris 6-zp-+-snpzp&
■ Fischer Robert James
E41 Reykjavik 1972 5+-zpPzp-+-%
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 c5 5.e3 4-+P+P+-+$
Nc6 6.Bd3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 d6 8.e4 e5 9.d5
Ne7 10.Nh4 (D) 3+-zPLvL-+-#
XABCDEFGHY 2P+-+-+PzP"
8r+lwqk+-tr( 1tR-+Q+RmK-!
7zpp+-snpzpp' xabcdefghy
6-+-zp-sn-+& 16.a4?
This move is a bit risky and somewhat
5+-zpPzp-+-% strange, as the pawn on a4 will be weaker
4-+P+P+-sN$ than the pawn on b6. It was necessary to
instead prepare play on the kingside with
3+-zPL+-+-# 16.Qe2.
16...a5!
2P+-+-zPPzP" Of course, it is not recommended to allow
1tR-vLQmK-+R! a5, which would only create a weakness for
Black on the queenside.
xabcdefghy 17.Rb1 Bd7 18.Rb2 Rb8 19.Rbf2?
White loses no time and immediately starts Better was to start with 19.h3.
preparations for an attack on Black's centre 19...Qe7 20.Bc2 g5!
with f4, trying to increase the power of his An important part of Black's strategy and
dark-squared bishop. necessary to block White's bishop.
10...h6! 21.Bd2 Qe8!
After 10...Ng6 unpleasant for Black was Another way was to transfer the bishop to g6
11.Nf5! Instead Black would like to play for an attack against the weakness on e4;
...g5, completely stifling his opponent's 21...Be8.
bishop on c1. 22.Be1 Qg6 23.Qd3 Nh5
11.f4!? It is necessary to exchange all the rooks in
White uses a tactical idea but another option order to eliminate all possibilities of White’s
was playable: 11.f3. counterplay.
11...Ng6! 24.Rxf8+ Rxf8 25.Rxf8+ Kxf8 26.Bd1 Nf4!
Black could not win the piece, as the attempt Nothing special is promised by the other
would be countered powerfully: 11...exf4!? knight retreat: 26...Nf6 27.Bc2.
12.Bxf4 g5 13.e5! Ng4 14.e6! 27.Qc2?
12.Nxg6 fxg6 13.fxe5 A famous - but quite simple - tactical
It was not necessary to define the central oversight; correct was a different retreat
structure so quickly. Better was the simple with 27.Qb1 Ke7 (D)
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 68
 XABCDEFGHY 11.dxe5!
This looks illogical, as White creates an
8-+-+-+-+( even-more exposed weakness on c4, but the
7+-+lmk-zp-' important idea behind it is to exploit the
weakness of the d5-square for his own
6-zp-+-+qzp& purposes. In other words, to build his own
5zp-zpPzp-zp-% stronghold there, as his opponent is unable
to protect it properly.
4P+P+Psn-+$ 11...dxe5 12.Bd3 h6 13.0-0 0-0 14.f4!
Premature was 14.Be4 f5 15.Bd5+ Kh8
3+-zP-+-+-# 16.e4 f4 as only the bishop would be outside
2-+-+-+PzP" the pawn chain, while the other white pieces
would not be very useful. Plus, the role of
1+Q+LvL-mK-! the d5-bishop is only possible to evaluate by
xabcdefghy its coordination with the other pieces.
And Black would transfer his king to c7 14...Nd7?
protecting the b6-pawn, thereby freeing his Clearly better would be 14...exf4 15.exf4
queen for attacking purposes. Nd7 16.Ne4 Qc7 17.Rad1 f5 18.Ng3 g6 and
27...Bxa4! 28.Qxa4 Qxe4 Black sticks to his strategy of preventing the
Chess is the game of double-attack, as the occupation of the central squares.
great David Bronstein taught! 15.f5! Nf6
0-1 Now White exchanges off the only real
defensive piece his opponent has.
Doubled pawns sometimes create 16.Ne4 Qd8 17.Nxf6+ Qxf6 18.Be4 Rb8
strongholds for centralized, powerfully- 19.Rad1 b6 20.h3 Ba6
placed pieces. Next come two fantastic Another kind of position would arise after
classical games in which the great 20...Bb7 21.Rd7 Bxe4 22.Qxe4 Rfd8
Champion Mikhail Botvinnik instructively 23.Rfd1 a6 24.R7d5 Rxd5 25.cxd5 changing
conducted such a strategy. the position from doubled pawns to
□ Botvinnik Mikhail dangerous central passed pawn - a very
■ Kan Ilia Abramovich typical and instructive case.
E24 Leningrad 1939 21.Bd5 (D)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 c5 5.a3 XABCDEFGHY
Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Qa5 7.Bd2 Ne4 8.Qc2 Nxd2
9.Nxd2 d6 10.e3 e5 (D) 8-tr-+-trk+(
XABCDEFGHY 7zp-+-+pzp-'
8rsnl+k+-tr( 6lzp-+-wq-zp&
7zpp+-+pzpp' 5+-zpLzpP+-%
6-+-zp-+-+& 4-+P+-+-+$
5wq-zp-zp-+-% 3zP-zP-zP-+P#
4-+PzP-+-+$ 2-+Q+-+P+"
3zP-zP-zP-+-# 1+-+R+RmK-!
2-+QsN-zPPzP" xabcdefghy
21...b5
1tR-+-mKL+R! Exchanging off the opponent's doubled
xabcdefghy pawns is an extremely uncertain operation:
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 69
generally players try to avoid it, but Black □ Botvinnik Mikhail
wants to create some counterplay on the b- ■ Chekhover Vitaly
file. If Black waits with 21...Rfe8 22.e4 E21 Leningrad 1938
Red8 23.Rf3 White would prepare a plan of 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 0-0
attack on the kingside, e.g. g4, Qh3-h4 and 5.Bg5 d6 6.e3 Qe7 7.Be2 e5 8.Qc2 Re8 9.0-0
then g5 with a decisive attack. Bxc3
22.cxb5 Rxb5 23.c4 Rb6 24.Rb1! Black uses tactics to create doubled pawns
The correct technical decision! After in his opponent's position, as it is not
exchanging one pair of rooks, Black will possible to capture on c3 with the queen
offer no real threat on the b-file. because of ...Ne4.
24...Rd8 25.Rxb6 axb6 26.e4 Bc8 (D) 10.bxc3 h6 11.Bh4 c5
XABCDEFGHY More efficient was to place the bishop on
the other diagonal, trying to force e4: 11...b6
8-+ltr-+k+( 12.Nd2 Bb7.
12.Rfe1 Bg4 (D)
7+-+-+pzp-' Very interesting developments follow
6-zp-+-wq-zp& 12...g5 13.Bg3 Nh5 14.dxc5 Nxg3 15.fxg3!
(the open f-file will be extremely useful)
5+-zpLzpP+-% 15...dxc5 16.e4 Nd7 17.Nd2, transferring the
4-+P+P+-+$ knight to e3, from which square it will later
be possible to jump to d5 or to f5.
3zP-+-+-+P# XABCDEFGHY
2-+Q+-+P+" 8rsn-+r+k+(
1+-+-+RmK-! 7zpp+-wqpzp-'
xabcdefghy 6-+-zp-sn-zp&
27.Qa4!
Now Black's weaknesses are on the queen's 5+-zp-zp-+-%
flank - the b6-pawn and the squares around
it.
4-+PzP-+lvL$
27...Bd7 28.Qa7 Be8 29.Rb1 Rd6 30.a4! 3+-zP-zPN+-#
With the maneuver a4-a5, White will change
the weakness to c5, but additionally will 2P+Q+LzPPzP"
obtain the important b-file. 1tR-+-tR-mK-!
30...Kh7 31.a5 bxa5 32.Qxa5 Ra6 33.Qxc5
Ra2 34.Qe3! xabcdefghy
Now we have the 'realisation phase' of the 13.Bxf6! Qxf6 14.Qe4!
game, and the most important task is to With this two-move strategical operation,
eliminate the opponent's threats such as M.Botvinnik fights for the centre and the
...Qg5. light squares. Of course, the bishop retreat to
34...Qa6 35.Rb8 Qa4 36.Kh2 Ra3 37.Qc5 c8 means an admission of his own wrong
Ra2 38.Ra8 Qxa8 39.Bxa8 Rxa8 40.Qxe5 plan, but possibly it was better nonetheless.
Bc6 41.Qc7 14...Bxf3 15.Bxf3 Nc6 16.dxc5 dxc5
1-0 17.Rad1 Rad8 18.Rd5
Now White is able to control the central d5-
square with the rook, which is a
tremendously powerful piece. Any exchange
on d5 means an un-doubling of the pawns,
plus the creation of a terrifying central
passed pawn.
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 70
18...b6 19.Red1 Na5 20.h3 (D) 27.Be4
XABCDEFGHY Centralisation is always powerful, although
also possible was prosaic materialism with
8-+-trr+k+( 27.Rxa7.
27...Na3 28.Bd5 Rf8 29.e4 a5 30.c4
7zp-+-+pzp-' White plays as if he is not interested in
6-zp-+-wq-zp& material - a magnificent improvement of the
position!
5sn-zpRzp-+-% 30...b5 31.cxb5 Nxb5 32.e5 a4 33.f4 Nd4
4-+P+Q+-+$ Of no help was 33...Nc3 34.Bc4 Ne4 35.f5
a3 36.e6.
3+-zP-zPL+P# 34.Kf2 g5 35.g3 gxf4 36.gxf4 Ne6 37.Ke3
2P+-+-zPP+" c4
Or 37...Nd4 38.Bc4 Nf5+ 39.Ke4 Ng7 40.f5
1+-+R+-mK-! squeezing his opponent.
38.f5 Nc5 39.Rc7 Nd3 40.e6 fxe6 41.fxe6
xabcdefghy 1-0
20...Rxd5?
This exchange is wrong. Correct was firstly □ Larsen Bent
to limit the activity of his opponent's bishop ■ Portisch Lajos
by putting pawns on white squares. Good C28 Porec 1968
was 20...g6. 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Na5!?
21.Rxd5 Qe7 22.Bg4 5.Nge2!?
Now it is clear that d7 is a terribly In the style of Akiba Rubinstein. White
vulnerable square. gives up his bishop and accepts doubled
22...Qb7 pawns, but this allows him to control the
22...g6 It was still better to try to tame the central file very effectively.
bishop 23.Rd7 Qf6. 5...Nxc4 6.dxc4 (D)
23.Bf5!
White is ready to play Qg4 and then transfer
XABCDEFGHY
the bishop to e4. 8r+lwqkvl-tr(
23...Qb8 24.Rd7 Rd8 25.Qxe5
Small tactics lead to the final activation of 7zppzpp+pzpp'
White's pieces. 6-+-+-sn-+&
25...Nxc4 26.Qxb8 Rxb8 (D)
XABCDEFGHY 5+-+-zp-+-%
8-tr-+-+k+( 4-+P+P+-+$
7zp-+R+pzp-' 3+-sN-+-+-#
6-zp-+-+-zp& 2PzPP+NzPPzP"
5+-zp-+L+-% 1tR-vLQmK-+R!
4-+n+-+-+$ xabcdefghy
6...Be7 7.0-0 d6 8.b3 0-0 9.Ng3 c6
3+-zP-zP-+P# It's not the best idea to make a potential
2P+-+-zPP+" weakness on d6, and a better plan involved
the idea of ...f5, trying to activate the
1+-+-+-mK-! lightsquared bishop. 9...Ne8 looks OK,
although an additional idea here is 9...Bg5!
xabcdefghy 10.Qh5 g6 11.Qh6 c6.
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 71
10.Bb2 Qa5?! XABCDEFGHY
It's not clear what the queen's function is
here, so better was still to try to conduct 8-+-trr+k+(
...f5.
11.Qe1
7+p+-vlpzpp'
A good alternative was 11.a4!? 6p+pzp-+-+&
11...Qc7 12.a4 Be6 13.Rd1 a6
Again, better was to create counterplay on 5wq-+-zpP+-%
the other side of the board with 13...g6 and 4P+P+-sn-+$
...Ng4, ...f5.
14.Qe2 Bg4 15.f3 Bd7 16.Kh1 Rab8 3vLPsN-+P+-#
Now Black realises the problem with his 2-+PtR-wQPzP"
queenside counterplay: 16...b5? 17.axb5
axb5 18.cxb5 cxb5 19.Nf5 Bxf5 20.exf5 1+-+R+-+K!
Qc6 21.Nxb5.
17.Nf5 Bxf5 18.exf5 Rfe8 (D)
xabcdefghy
23.Ne4
XABCDEFGHY Now Black will be forced into
8-tr-+r+k+( combinational play, in which his opponent's
pieces are better coordinated.
7+pwq-vlpzpp' 23...d5 24.Bxe7 Rxe7 25.Qh4! Red7
6p+pzp-sn-+& The knight will be trapped after 25...f6 26.g3
Rf8 27.Nf2.
5+-+-zpP+-% 26.g3 Ne2
4P+P+-+-+$ The tactics are well seen in the case of
26...dxe4 27.Qxd8+!
3+PsN-+P+-# 27.f6! Qb4 28.Qg4 1-0
2-vLP+Q+PzP" Files can be opened on the flank but the
main events will occur in the centre anyhow.
1+-+R+R+K! □ Beliavsky Alexander
xabcdefghy ■ Jussupow Artur
19.Rd2 A90 Linares 1989
In such situations, White generally thinks 1.d4 e6 2.c4 f5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 d5 5.Nf3 c6
about advancing pawns on the kingside, not 6.0-0 Bd6 7.Bf4 Bxf4 8.gxf4 0-0 9.e3 Nbd7
just with idea of attack, but more 10.Qe2 Kh8 11.Nc3 Qe7 (D)
importantly to push the knight away from f6 XABCDEFGHY
- thereby obtaining an extremely strong
position for his own knight on e4. So, White
8r+l+-tr-mk(
should seriously consider the extremely 7zpp+nwq-zpp'
aggressive but highly justified continuation
with 19.g4! h6 20.h4. 6-+p+psn-+&
19...Rbd8 20.Rfd1 Nh5? 5+-+p+p+-%
Better was 20...g6! or 20...Qa5.
21.Ba3 4-+PzP-zP-+$
Slowly it becomes clear that d6 is a 3+-sN-zPN+-#
weakness - it had to appear sooner or later!
21...Nf4 22.Qf2 Qa5? (D) 2PzP-+QzPLzP"
Better was to retreat to f6 with 22...Nh5.
Black fails to sense the danger he is falling
1tR-+-+RmK-!
to… xabcdefghy
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 72
In such types of centre, White can combine 25...h6
his play on the g-file with an attack on the After 25...g5 26.Ne2 gxf4 27.Nxf4 +/-
opposite wing. The second plan is White’s knight becomes very powerful.
demonstrated in the variation 11...Ne4 26.Ne2 b6 27.Nd4 c5
12.Rfc1!? Qe7 13.Rab1 and then b4. Black drives the knight from its powerful
12.Kh1 Rg8 13.cxd5! exd5 square, but now it finds an even better place
After the other pawn recapture 13...cxd5 on d6.
14.Rac1 +/- allows White to conduct an 28.Nb5 Kh7 29.Nd6 g5 30.Qc2 Qe6
attack on the c-file. 31.Rh3 Qg6
14.Bh3 Ng4 Or 31...Be8 32.bxc5 bxc5 33.Qxc5 +-.
Or 14...g6 15.Rg1 Ne4 16.Rg2 +/-. 32.fxg5 hxg5 33.e6 Kh6 34.Nf7+ Rxf7
15.Rg1 Ndf6 16.Rg2 Be6 17.Rag1 Raf8 35.exf7 Qxf7 36.bxc5 bxc5 37.Qxc5+- Rg6
(D) 38.Qd4 Rg8 39.Rc1 Qe6 40.Rg3 g4
XABCDEFGHY 41.Qf4+
1-0
8-+-+-trrmk( A similar strategy was invented by
7zpp+-wq-zpp' Alexander Alekhine and used as a sharp
weapon by many other great champions.
6-+p+lsn-+&
□ Botvinnik Mikhail
5+-+p+p+-% ■ Ragozin Viacheslav
4-+-zP-zPn+$ D37 Leningrad 1930
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nbd7
3+-sN-zPN+L# 5.Bf4 dxc4 6.e3 Nd5 7.Bxc4 Nxf4 8.exf4
2PzP-+QzPRzP" (D)

1+-+-+-tRK! XABCDEFGHY
xabcdefghy 8r+lwqkvl-tr(
White has concentrated his forces maximally 7zppzpn+pzpp'
on the g-file, but in turn Black has created a 6-+-+p+-+&
sufficient defence - so it is necessary to start
the second part of the plan-activity on the 5+-+-+-+-%
other side of the board. 4-+LzP-zP-+$
18.a3! Bd7
If 18...a5, then 19.Na4, trying to transfer the 3+-sN-+N+-#
knight via c5-d3-e5.
19.b4 Be8 2PzP-+-zPPzP"
The counterattack is refuted viz: 19...a5 1tR-+QmK-+R!
20.Qb2 axb4 21.axb4 Be8 22.b5 +/-.
20.Bxg4! Nxg4 21.Rg3! Bh5 22.Qb2 Nf6 xabcdefghy
23.Ne5 Ng4 (D) On the one hand White has given up his
The knight in the centre will be kicked bishop and accepted doubled pawns, but on
away, e.g. 23...Ne4 24.Rh3 g6 25.f3 +/-. the other hand the centre is now opened and
24.f3! Nxe5 - coupled with the strong control over the
There was a tactical refutation of 24...Nxe3? e5-square - there is sufficient compensation
namely 25.Qe2 Nc4 26.Ng6+ +-. for such damage. This strategy was a
25.dxe5 favourite of such greats as A.Alekhine and
White's idea is to put his knight on d4, as A.Rubinstein, so M.Botvinnik took it from
from this square it will exert a strong the classics for his own use.
influence over the opponent's position. 8...Bd6 9.g3 Nf6 10.0-0 0-0 11.Qe2 a6
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 73
A different plan was chosen by the former 24.Rxc5.
Women's World Champion 11...b6 12.Rfd1 22.Qb7 Rab8 23.Qf3
Bb7 13.Rac1 Qe7 14.a3 Rfd8 15.Ne5 c5 Even simpler was 23.Rxd8+ Rxd8 24.b4 Bf8
16.Nb5 cxd4 17.Nxd4 Bxe5 18.Qxe5 (a very 25.Qxb6.
useful idea was to try for occupation of the 23...f6? 24.g4
c6-square after 18.fxe5 Ne4 19.Bb5) 1-0
18...Qd6 19.Bb3 Qxe5 20.fxe5 Ne8 21.f4 a6
22.Kf2 Kf8 23.f5 Bd5 24.fxe6 Bxb3 25.e7+ □ Kramnik Vladimir
1-0 Botvinnik,M-Menchik,V Hastings 1934. ■ Lputian Smbat
12.Rfd1 D37 Debrecen 1992
The rooks have to be placed on d1 and e1- 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4
the structure demands such a set-up! 0-0 6.e3 c6 7.Qc2 Nbd7 8.h3 a6 9.Rd1 h6
12...b6 10.a3 dxc4 11.Bxc4 Nd5 12.0-0!
It's better not to weaken the c5-square with Allowing a transfer into the classical
an aggressive flank strategy such as 12...b5 structure. 12.Bg3 Nxc3 13.Qxc3 +=.
13.Bd3 Bb7 14.Ne4. 12...Nxf4 13.exf4 Qc7
13.Rac1 Bb7 14.Bd3 Qe7 15.Ne4 Rfd8 (D) 13...Re8 14.Ne5 Nf8 15.f5 Bf6 16.Ne4 Qe7
White would keep a clear advantage after 17.Ng4 Nh7 18.Rfe1 +/-.
15...Nd5 16.a3 Rfd8 17.Ne5. 14.Ne5 Nf6
XABCDEFGHY It was possible to immediately attack the
centre with 14...c5 15.Ba2!? (15.d5 Nxe5
8r+-tr-+k+( 16.fxe5 Qxe5 17.Rfe1 +/-) 15...Nxe5
(15...cxd4 16.Bb1 Nf6 17.Nd5! +- ; 15...f5
7+lzp-wqpzpp' 16.Nd5! Qd8 17.Nxe7+ Qxe7 18.Ng6 +-)
6pzp-vlpsn-+& 16.dxe5 b5 17.Bb1 g6 18.Rd3! +/- with
complete control of the d-file.
5+-+-+-+-% 15.Ba2 Bd7 16.Bb1 (D)
4-+-zPNzP-+$ XABCDEFGHY
3+-+L+NzP-# 8r+-+-trk+(
2PzP-+QzP-zP" 7+pwqlvlpzp-'
1+-tRR+-mK-! 6p+p+psn-zp&
xabcdefghy 5+-+-sN-+-%
16.Nxf6+ Qxf6 17.Be4! 4-+-zP-zP-+$
The correct plan, eliminating Black's best
piece and increasing control over the d5- 3zP-sN-+-+P#
square.
17...Bxe4 18.Qxe4 c5 2-zPQ+-zPP+"
At least now c6 will not be as weak as it is 1+L+R+RmK-!
now.
19.Ne5 cxd4 20.Rxd4 Bc5 xabcdefghy
A much more comfortable heavy-piece 16...Be8?
endgame would arise after the exchange on It was better not to close the rook off:
e5: 20...Bxe5 21.fxe5 Qe7 22.Qc6 Rxd4 16...Rfd8 17.Ne4 Kf8 18.Nxf6 Bxf6
23.Qxa8+ Rd8 24.Rc8 Rxc8 25.Qxc8+ Qf8 19.Qh7! Ke7 20.Rfe1 Rh8 21.Qc2 +/-.
26.Qxa6. 17.d5!!
21.Rd7! Qf5 This strike is possible because of Black's
A better solution was to sacrifice a pawn incorrect previous move, but it is necessary
with 21...Rxd7 22.Nxd7 Qd8 23.Nxc5 bxc5 to be quick with it (17.Ne4? g6 +=).
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 74
17...Rd8 Problems highlighting these decisions can
All captures are bad: 17...cxd5 18.Nxd5! +- ; be shown in the Spanish game, and here we
17...exd5 18.Nxd5! +-. White demonstrates can see that important is not just the position
his muscle, but the capture on e6 guaranteed but also the taste and experience of the
an advantage also. players. The great Robert Fischer preferred
18.Rfe1!? to exchange in the centre and to try to
18.dxe6 fxe6 19.Ne4 g6 20.Ng3 Bd6 control the central squares with the pieces.
21.Nxg6 Bxg6 22.Qxg6+ Qg7 23.Qxg7+
Kxg7 24.Ne2 Nd5 25.g3 +/-. □ Fischer Robert James
18...Kh8 19.dxe6 Rxd1 20.Rxd1 fxe6 ■ Shocron Ruben
21.Ne4 g6 (D) C97 Mar del Plata 1959
XABCDEFGHY 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
8-+-+ltr-mk( 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2 Bd7 13.Nf1
Rfe8 14.Ne3 g6 15.dxe5 dxe5 (D)
7+pwq-vl-+-'
6p+p+psnpzp& XABCDEFGHY
5+-+-sN-+-% 8r+-+r+k+(
4-+-+NzP-+$ 7+-wqlvlp+p'
3zP-+-+-+P# 6p+-+-snp+&
2-zPQ+-zPP+" 5snpzp-zp-+-%
1+L+R+-mK-! 4-+-+P+-+$
xabcdefghy 3+-zP-sNN+P#
22.Nc5! 2PzPL+-zPP+"
The powerful white knights restrict Black's 1tR-vLQtR-mK-!
pieces to very poor positions.
22...Bxc5 xabcdefghy
22...Qc8 23.Nxg6+! Bxg6 24.Qxg6 Bxc5 This was B.Fischer's favourite centre in the
25.Qxh6+ Kg8 26.Qg5+ Kh8 27.Qxc5 +-. Spanish structures, and here he won many
23.Qxc5 Rg8 games. His plan was to combine control
Or 23...Qg7 24.Rd8 (24.Bxg6?? Rg8) over d5 and f5 with preparation of an attack
24...Rg8 25.Qd6 +-. against his opponent's king.
24.Ba2 Kg7 16.Nh2! Rad8 17.Qf3 Be6 18.Nhg4 Nxg4
24...Bf7 25.Qd6!; 24...Nd5 25.Bxd5 exd5 19.hxg4
26.Rxd5. Yes, just this way, as the capture with the
25.Bxe6 Rf8 26.Nd7! Bxd7 27.Qe7+ knight is much weaker, e.g. 19.Nxg4 Bxg4!
1-0 20.hxg4 c4 =.
19...Qc6?!
An improvement on Black's play is to bring
the knight back into the centre with
19...Nc4! 20.Nd5 Bxd5 21.exd5 Nb6 22.Rd1
Rd6 23.a4 Red8 24.axb5 axb5 25.Be3 c4 =
Keres,P-Matanovic,A Bled 1961.
Changing of the Central Structure 20.g5
A very important topic is when to Here there was an even stronger plan of
exchange pawns, when to close the centre attack: 20.Qg3! f6 (20...Qc7 21.Nf5!;
and when to keep the tension there. 20...Bf6 21.g5 Bg7 22.Qh4) 21.g5 Kh8
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 75
22.b3 Rf8 (D) 24.a4 c4! (24...b4? 25.cxb4 cxb4 26.Bb3 +/-)
XABCDEFGHY 25.axb5 axb5 =.
24.Kg2 Nd7 25.Rh1 Nf8 (D)
8-+-tr-tr-mk( XABCDEFGHY
7+-+-vl-+p' 8-+-trrsnk+(
6p+q+lzpp+& 7+-+-vlp+p'
5snpzp-zp-zP-% 6p+q+-+p+&
4-+-+P+-+$ 5+p+-zp-zP-%
3+PzP-sN-wQ-# 4-+p+P+Q+$
2P+L+-zPP+" 3+-zP-+-zP-#
1tR-vL-tR-mK-! 2PzPL+-zPK+"
xabcdefghy 1tR-vL-+-+R!
23.Nd5! Bxd5 24.exd5 Qxd5 25.gxf6 Bxf6
26.Bh6 +/- Boleslavsky,I-Tal,M Tbilisi xabcdefghy
1957. 26.b4!
20...Nc4 A very fine plan, as White prepares to open
It's interesting that the dangerous-looking the a-file in the correct way. 26.b3 b4!
grabbing of the pawn was possibly the best 27.cxb4 c3!; 26.a4 b4! 27.cxb4 Bxb4 28.a5
solution! 20...Bxg5 21.Nd5! Bxc1 Qc7 =.
(21...Bxd5? 22.Bxg5 +/-) 22.Nf6+ Kh8! 26...Qe6
23.Raxc1 (23.Nxe8 Bg5 24.Nf6 Nc4) It would have been risky to grab the pawn
23...Rf8 (23...Re7 24.Qg3 Qc7 25.Qh4) with 26...cxb3?! 27.Bxb3 Qxc3 28.Be3 but
24.Qg3 Qc7 25.Qg5 Kg7 =. possibly better was to counterstrike here:
21.Ng4 Bxg4 22.Qxg4 Nb6! 26...a5!? 27.a3 Ra8 =.
Much weaker was 22...f6? 23.gxf6 Bxf6 27.Qe2 (D)
24.a4 Nb6 25.axb5 axb5 26.Be3 +/- with XABCDEFGHY
weaknesses on both flanks.
23.g3 c4 8-+-trrsnk+(
Also possible was the same plan, only
conducted differently: 23...Nd7 (D)
7+-+-vlp+p'
XABCDEFGHY 6p+-+q+p+&
8-+-trr+k+( 5+p+-zp-zP-%
7+-+nvlp+p' 4-zPp+P+-+$
6p+q+-+p+& 3+-zP-+-zP-#
5+pzp-zp-zP-% 2P+L+QzPK+"
4-+-+P+Q+$ 1tR-vL-+-+R!
3+-zP-+-zP-# xabcdefghy
28...a5! 28.bxa5 Qa6 29.Be3 Qxa5 30.a4
2PzPL+-zP-+" Ra8
1tR-vL-tR-mK-! Possible was 30...Qxc3 31.axb5 =.
31.axb5 Qxb5
xabcdefghy 31...Qxa1? 32.Rxa1 Rxa1 33.Qxc4 +/-;

Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 76
31...Qxc3!? Here there were other possible 'centre
32.Rhb1 Qc6 33.Rb6! Qc7 34.Rba6 Rxa6 treatments', such as 13...Nd7 14.dxe5 dxe5
35.Rxa6 15.a4! or the more modern approach with
White has the initiative as the c4-pawn is 13...exd4 14.cxd4 Nd7.
weak and the a6-rook is quite active. 14.cxd4 exd4
35...Rc8 36.Qg4 Ne6 R.Kholmov decides to open the centre
A bit weaker was 36...Bc5?! 37.Bxc5 Qxc5 immediately, although it was also possible to
38.Ba4! +/-. choose a semi-open version of it: 14...Bb7
37.Ba4 Rb8 38.Rc6 (D) 15.d5 Na5 16.Nf1 Rfc8 17.Bd3.
XABCDEFGHY 15.Nb3 (D)

8-tr-+-+k+( XABCDEFGHY
7+-wq-vlp+p' 8r+l+-trk+(
6-+R+n+p+& 7+-wq-vlpzpp'
5+-+-zp-zP-% 6p+nzp-sn-+&
4L+p+P+Q+$ 5+p+-+-+-%
3+-zP-vL-zP-# 4-+-zpP+-+$
2-+-+-zPK+" 3zPN+-+N+P#
1+-+-+-+-! 2-zPL+-zPP+"
xabcdefghy 1tR-vLQtR-mK-!
38...Qd8? xabcdefghy
Black could have saved the game with the 15...Nd7
only move 38...Qd7! 39.Kh2 (39.Rxc4? In such positions, when one side gives up his
Qd3! 40.Rc6 Rb1 -/+) 39...Rb1! 40.Rb6 centre, he usually tries to attack the
(40.Rxc4 Qd3 41.Rc8+ Kg7 42.Qh4 Bxg5! remaining part of the opponent's centre:
43.Bxg5 Rh1+! 44.Kxh1 Qf1+ 45.Kh2 15...Re8 16.Nbxd4 Nxd4 17.Nxd4 Bb7.
Qxf2+ =) 40...Qd3 41.Rxb1 Qxb1 42.Bd7 16.Nbxd4 Nxd4 17.Nxd4 Bf6
Nc7 43.Bc6 Qd3 +=. A useful move and it is not clear where
39.Rxe6! Qc8 Black's knight belongs-on e5 or c5?
39...fxe6 40.Qxe6+ Kf8 41.Qxe5 +-. 18.Be3
40.Bd7! Qxd7 41.Rxg6+ Development is always correct and must be
1-0 completed here as the more aggressive
approach was not yet effective: 18.Nf5 Ne5!
On the other hand the great Mihail Tal
19.a4 Be6.
preferred to keep the tension in the centre till
18...Ne5
to the end.
Possible was 18...g6 with ...Re8 next.
□ Tal Mihail 19.b3!
■ Kholmov Ratmir A useful reaction, preventing ...Nc4 and
C98 Moscow 1969 preparing to exploit the c-file.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0- 19...Bd7
0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Na5 The transition into an endgame was a bit
10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2 Nc6 13.a3 risky: 19...Nc6 20.Rc1 Nxd4 21.Bxd4 Bxd4
This is Tal's way! A small but useful move, 22.Qxd4 Qc5 23.Qxc5 dxc5 24.Bd1 Be6
preventing ...Nb4 in some lines and 25.Rxc5 Rac8 26.Rxc8 Rxc8 27.Re3 Rc1
preparing b4 in others! 28.Rd3 f5 with some compensation for the
13...cxd4 pawn.
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 77
20.Rc1 Rac8 In the ‘Spanish Game’ (Ruy Lopez) the
Or 20...Qb7 21.f4 Nc6 22.Qd3 +/-. 'problem' of the centre is the most important
21.f4 Nc6 (D) consideration.
XABCDEFGHY There are three possible strategies for
White in Spanish structures;
8-+r+-trk+( 1. Closing of the centre and exploitation of
the space advantage, plus creation of an
7+-wql+pzpp' attack on one of the flanks.
6p+nzp-vl-+& 2. Exchanging pawns and planning to
exploit some weakened and important
5+p+-+-+-% squares, such as d5 and f5.
4-+-sNPzP-+$ 3. Trying to keep the centre fluid and
under pressure, which allows the slightly
3zPP+-vL-+P# better placed white pieces to start different
2-+L+-+P+" attack earlier than Black in the centre.

1+-tRQtR-mK-! □ Kuzmin Gennadi

■ Averbakh Yuri
xabcdefghy C98 Moscow 1974
22.e5! 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-
A typical M.Tal reaction, although the 0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Na5
bishop retreat also led to a complicated 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2 Nc6 13.d5
middlegame 22.Bb1 Qa5 23.Nxc6 Bxc6 (D)
24.Qxd6 Bc3 25.Re2 Rfd8 26.Qe7 Rd7
27.Qg5 h6 28.Qg4 Rcd8.
XABCDEFGHY
22...dxe5 23.Nxc6 Bxc6 24.Be4 Rfd8 8r+l+-trk+(
Here there were two other options, which
both players had to calculate: 24...Qb7 7+-wq-vlpzpp'
25.Rxc6 Rxc6 26.fxe5 Be7 27.Qh5 h6 6p+nzp-sn-+&
28.Qf5 g6 29.Qf3 Rfc8 30.Bd5 with attack
and 24...Bxe4 25.Rxc7 Rxc7 26.Qd5 +-. 5+pzpPzp-+-%
25.Qg4 Bd7 4-+-+P+-+$
Weaker was 25...Qb7 26.Rxc6 Rxc6 27.fxe5
+- but slightly better chances for defence 3+-zP-+N+P#
was offered by the queen sacrifice 25...Qd6
26.Red1 Qxd1+ 27.Rxd1 Rxd1+ 28.Qxd1 2PzPLsN-zPP+"
Bxe4 29.fxe5 Bxe5 30.Qd7 Rb8 31.Qe7 f6. 1tR-vLQtR-mK-!
26.Bxh7+ Kf8 27.Bf5 Qb7
27...Bxf5 28.Qxf5 Qb7 29.Qh7 +-. xabcdefghy
28.fxe5 Rxc1 29.Rxc1 Bxf5 13...Na5
A nasty pin appears after 29...Bxe5 30.Rd1. Black has another retreat, one recommended
30.Qxf5 Qd5 31.Bf4 by the great Akiba Rubinstein: 13...Nd8 with
Now Black has only minimal compensation the idea of conducting a fantastic reshuffling
for the pawn. of his pieces: ...Ne8, ...g6, ...f6, ...Ng7 and
31...Kg8 32.b4 Bh4 33.Kh2 Re8 34.Rc7 ...Nf7 and after that to attack White's centre
Bf2? 35.Rc8 Rf8 with ...f5! A fantastic 'mountain' of a plan
35...Rxc8 36.Qxc8+ Kh7 37.Qc2+ +-. and White's best answer would be to launch
36.Bg5 an immediate attack on the queenside: 14.a4
A perfect technical game by the great Rb8 15.axb5 axb5 16.b4.
American! 14.b3
1-0 Typically elastic and prophylactic. White
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 78
tries to stop any activity from Black on the 23.Qd2 Nxg4
queen's flank. A different continuation of And now better was to counterattack
White's plan allows his opponent to activate immediately with 23...c4.
his bad knight: 14.Nf1 Nc4! 24.hxg4 f6 (D)
14...Bd7 15.Nf1 Rfb8 A decisive weakening of the king's position.
It is very difficult to understand the role of The last try was 24...a5.
the rook here. 15...Nb7 with the direct plan XABCDEFGHY
...a5-a4 next was better.
16.Bd2 8rtr-+l+-mk(
It is always unclear as to where this bishop
is best-placed. Maybe 16.Be3, or perhaps to
7+nwq-vl-+p'
immediately support the attack on the 6p+-zp-zpp+&
kingside with 16.g4?
16...g6 17.Ng3 5+pzpP+-+-%
White decides on a plan with f4; the other 4-+-+PvLP+$
option would start with 17.g4 and then Ng3,
Kh1, Rg1 and Nf5. 3+PzP-+-sN-#
17...Nb7 18.Nh2 Be8?! (D) 2P+LwQ-+P+"
Better was to try to meet White's opening of
the centre with the activation of the dark- 1tR-+-+RmK-!
squared bishop: 18...Ne8 19.f4 Bf6 20.f5 +=.
xabcdefghy
XABCDEFGHY 25.Bh6! Nd8?!
8rtr-+l+k+( After 25...g5 26.e5 fxe5 (26...dxe5 27.Ne4
with a decisive activation of the knight), it's
7+nwq-vlp+p' time to launch tactics, according to
6p+-zp-snp+& J.R.Capablanca: 27.Qxg5! Bg6 28.Bg7+
Kxg7 (simpler for White is 28...Kg8 29.Bf6
5+pzpPzp-+-% Bxf6 30.Rxf6) 29.Nf5+ Kh8 30.Nxe7 with a
decisive attack.
4-+-+P+-+$ 26.g5 fxg5 27.c4
3+PzP-+-sNP# 1-0
2P+LvL-zPPsN"
1tR-+QtR-mK-!
xabcdefghy
19.f4! exf4
Another option was to await White's next
step and to start his own attack on the other
side with 19...c4 20.b4 a5, but instead Black
The central counterstrike can be very
dreams of controlling the e5-square with the
effective, but must be conducted with the
text move.
possibility of tactical counterstrikes, as
20.Bxf4 Nd7 21.Ng4 Ne5 22.Rf1!
happened in the next game.
22.Bxe5 dxe5 23.Rf1 was also possible, but
White can improve the position of all his □ Yudasin Leonid
pieces first with the game continuation. ■ Mikhalchishin Adrian
22...Kh8 C55 Lviv 1983
It was necessary to try a sharper way, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 h6 5.0-0
although it looks dangerous: 22...Nxg4 d6 6.c3 g6 7.Re1 Bg7 8.Bb3 0-0 9.Nbd2
23.Qxg4 Bf6 24.Nf5 Bxc3 25.Rad1. Re8 10.h3 (D)
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 79
 XABCDEFGHY XABCDEFGHY
8r+lwqr+k+( 8r+l+-+k+(
7zppzp-+pvl-' 7zppzp-wqp+-'
6-+nzp-snpzp& 6-sn-+-+pzp&
5+-+-zp-+-% 5+-+-vl-+-%
4-+-+P+-+$ 4-+-+-+-+$
3+LzPP+N+P# 3+LzP-+Q+P#
2PzP-sN-zPP+" 2PzP-sN-zPP+"
1tR-vLQtR-mK-! 1tR-vL-+-mK-!
xabcdefghy xabcdefghy
10...d5?! 17.Qe3!
Black decided to counterattack in the centre Very dynamic: the pin and the attack on the
immediately here, but he displays a clear kingside are very unpleasant.
lack of proper development. Much simpler 17...g5
was to try to exchange bishops first with 17...h5 18.Nf3 Bf6 19.Qxe7 Bxe7 20.Ne5 +-
10...Be6. ; 17...Bd6 18.Qxh6 Qe1+ 19.Nf1 Bf5
11.exd5 20.Be3! Qxa1 21.Bd4 +- ; 17...Bf6 18.Qxh6
The typical pin was not dangerous for Black Qe1+ 19.Nf1 Bf5 20.Bg5! Bxg5? 21.Bxf7+!
11.Ba4 dxe4 12.dxe4 Bd7 (12...Nd7 =) Kxf7 22.Qh7+ +-.
13.Nc4 Nh5 =. 18.h4! Bd6
11...Nxd5 12.d4! A rather unnatural move here, but others
This is the problem - the knight on d5 will were even worse.
not be protected in the case of exchanging 19.Ne4 Bf4 20.Qf3 Bg4
rooks on e8. Black tries to develop with tempo, as the
12...Nb6 other bishop move was no good either.
Desperate tries to develop the bishop can be 20...Bf5 21.hxg5 hxg5 22.Bxf4 Bxe4
powerfully countered in the centre, e.g. (22...gxf4 23.Re1 +-) 23.Qg3 +-.
12...Be6 13.c4 Nf4 14.d5 Bxh3 15.gxh3 21.Qxg4 Qxe4 (D)
Nxh3+ 16.Kf1 +/- ; 12...Bf5 13.Nf1! e4 XABCDEFGHY
14.Ng3! exf3 (14...Na5 15.Nxf5 gxf5
16.Bxd5 Qxd5 17.Nh4) 15.Rxe8+ Qxe8 8r+-+-+k+(
16.Nxf5 gxf5 17.Bxd5 +/-.
13.Nxe5 Nxe5 14.dxe5 Rxe5
7zppzp-+p+-'
14...Bxe5? 15.Nf3 Qxd1 16.Bxd1 +-. 6-sn-+-+-zp&
15.Rxe5 Bxe5 16.Qf3!
Dynamic first and foremost, and not the 5+-+-+-zp-%
cowardly transfer into an endgame with 4-+-+qvlQzP$
16.Nf3 Qxd1+ 17.Bxd1 Bg7 18.Bf4 Nd5 =.
16...Qe7 (D) 3+LzP-+-+-#
The problems are not reduced by alternative 2PzP-+-zPP+"
moves such as 16...Qf6 17.Qxf6 Bxf6
18.Ne4 Bg7 19.Bf4 c6 20.Rd1 Nd5 21.Bxd5 1tR-vL-+-mK-!
cxd5 22.Rxd5 (22.Nd6! +/-) 22...Be6 23.Rb5
b6 +=, but nevertheless it looked like a good
xabcdefghy
choice instead of the text. 22.g3!

Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 80
A very well calculated attack. 22.Bxf4 Qxf4 the ...b5 plan. Unconvincing is 9...Nxd5
23.Qxf4 (23.Qh5 Kg7 +=) 23...gxf4 24.Re1 10.cxd5 Na7 11.Bb2 c6 12.dxc6 Nxc6
was better for White also. 13.Qd2 with the plan of d5, obtaining a huge
22...Qe1+ 23.Kg2 Bxc1 space advantage.
23...Qe4+ 24.Kh2 Qe1 25.Bxf4 Qxa1 10.Bb2 e6 11.Nc3 Bd7
26.hxg5 +-. After 11...b5 White can choose between
24.Qf5! 12.cxb5 axb5 13.Rc1 for example: 13...b4
Incredible! Just two pieces are attacking, but 14.Na4 Na5 15.Qc2 Ba6 16.Rfe1 c6 17.e4
what power they show in the attack! Bb5 18.e5 Romanishin,O-Nijboer,F Essen
24...gxh4 2001 and 12.d5 Ne7 13.dxe6 Bxe6 14.cxb5
24...Rf8 25.Qg6+ Kh8 26.Qxh6+ Kg8 axb5 15.Qd2.
27.Bc2 f5 (27...Re8 28.Bh7+ +-) 28.Bb3+ 12.d5 Ne7 13.dxe6 Bxe6
Rf7 29.Qg6+ +- ; 24...Qe7 25.Qg6+ Kf8 13...fxe6 was better, as the pawn would
26.Qxh6+ Kg8 27.Rxc1 +-. control the most important square d5.
25.Qxf7+ Kh8 26.Bc2 h3+ 27.Kh2 14.Qc2 Bf5 (D)
1-0 Now 14...b5 could be met with 15.c5! dxc5
16.Rad1 Qe8 17.Ne4 Bxb2 18.Qxb2 c4
Different Typical Changes of the Structure
19.Ne5.
There are many different changes of the
centre with the help of pawns but sometimes XABCDEFGHY
piece exchanges lead to fixed plans. 8-tr-wq-trk+(
□ Harikrishna Penteala
■ Vovk Andrey
7+pzp-snpvlp'
E63 Cappelle la Grande 2011 6p+-zp-+p+&
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 0-0 5.Bg2
d6 6.0-0 Nc6 7.Nc3 a6 8.b3 Rb8 9.Nd5 (D) 5+-+-+l+n%
XABCDEFGHY 4-+P+-+-+$
8-trlwq-trk+( 3+PsN-+NzP-#
7+pzp-zppvlp' 2PvLQ+PzPLzP"
6p+nzp-snp+& 1tR-+-+RmK-!
5+-+N+-+-% xabcdefghy
4-+PzP-+-+$ 15.Qd2
A very nice plan was possible here, the more
3+P+-+NzP-# direct 15.e4!? Bg4 16.Rac1 Re8 17.h3 Bxf3
18.Bxf3 Nf6 19.c5 trying to open the centre,
2P+-+PzPLzP" when the bishop pair will start a dangerous
1tR-vLQ+RmK-! coordination.
15...Nf6
xabcdefghy Nothing is changed by the immediate typical
An interesting try to change the situation in counterstrike on the queenside. 15...b5!?
the centre. Another plan is 9.Bb2 b5 10.cxb5 16.e4 Bd7 17.cxb5 axb5 18.Rac1 b4 19.Nd5
axb5 11.Rc1. Bxb2 20.Qxb2 Nxd5 21.exd5 Nf6 22.Nd4
9...Nh5 and the c7-pawn will be weak forever!
This is the main move. The point of playing 16.Rfd1 Re8
9.Nd5 is seen in the line 9...b5?! 10.Nxf6+ More natural seems to be 16...Qd7.
Bxf6 11.Bh6 Re8 12.Rc1 - by blocking the 17.h3 Nc6
b-file with b3 and protecting the c4-pawn It seems that this was Black's last chance to
with Rc1, White has taken the sting out of play ...b5.
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 81
18.Nd5! Be4 19.Rac1 Bxd5 20.Bxf6! 27.a4!
This bishop is not important - but the A correct technical operation, blocking the
structure with the weakness on c7 will be. queenside.
And the long dark diagonal will be empty 27...Ra8 28.a5 Qb8 29.b4 Qd8 30.R1c2
and nothing will happen on it. Qd7 31.Qc1 Qd8 32.Qb1 Qd7 33.Qb3 Qd8
20...Bxf6 21.cxd5 Ne5 22.Nd4! (D) 34.Rc1 Qd7 35.Qc2 Qd8 36.Bf3 Kh8
XABCDEFGHY 37.Kg2! Qd7 38.h4! (D)

8-tr-wqr+k+( XABCDEFGHY
7+pzp-+p+p' 8r+-+n+-mk(
6p+-zp-vlp+& 7+pzpqtrpvlp'
5+-+Psn-+-% 6p+-zp-+p+&
4-+-sN-+-+$ 5zP-+P+-+-%
3+P+-+-zPP# 4-zPRsN-+-zP$
2P+-wQPzPL+" 3+-+-zPLzP-#
1+-tRR+-mK-! 2-+Q+-zPK+"
xabcdefghy 1+-tR-+-+-!
The pawn structure has been fixed and it xabcdefghy
benefits White. He can put pressure on the After some manoeuvring, White starts the
c7-pawn. Of course, Black can easily defend second part of his plan: as we mentioned
the pawn, but this will make his pieces before, the creation of a second weakness.
passive, which may enable White to start an Now Black has to worry about h5xg6, as
attack on the kingside. In such positions then White might utilise the open h-file.
Black's counterplay is non-existent. 38...h5
22...Nd7 23.e3 Re7 24.Rc2 Bg7 25.Rdc1 This move is practically forced, but it does
Nf6 26.Rc4 Ne8 (D) weaken Black's structure a bit.
Black correctly decided to protect pawn c7 39.Ne2 Be5 (D)
with his knight. Now White has to prepare XABCDEFGHY
the next part of the plan-to create a second
weakness. 8r+-+n+-mk(
XABCDEFGHY 7+pzpqtrp+-'
8-tr-wqn+k+( 6p+-zp-+p+&
7+pzp-trpvlp' 5zP-+Pvl-+p%
6p+-zp-+p+& 4-zPR+-+-zP$
5+-+P+-+-% 3+-+-zPLzP-#
4-+RsN-+-+$ 2-+Q+NzPK+"
3+P+-zP-zPP# 1+-tR-+-+-!
2P+-wQ-zPL+" xabcdefghy
1+-tR-+-mK-! 40.Nf4
40.Ng1 and then Nh3-g5 was very strong
xabcdefghy also.

Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 82
40...Bxf4 53.e6! fxe6 54.Qf6
Otherwise White might play Nd3, followed After this break, White gains the opportunity
by Be2, f4 and e4.] to launch an attack on his opponent's king.
41.Rxf4 Re5 42.Rc4 Kg8 43.Kg1 Qb5 54...Qxb4 55.Bxg6+ Kg8 56.Rb1 Qa4
44.Qd2 Re7 45.Bg2 Qd7 46.e4 Kh7 57.Re3
47.Qd4 Qb5 48.f4 (D) A very good idea was to try to outflank
XABCDEFGHY Black's king with 57.Rcb3.
57...e5 58.Rxb7
8r+-+n+-+( Here there was a quicker and more decisive
option: 58.fxe5! Qd4 59.Rf1 Qxe3+ 60.Kh1
7+pzp-trp+k' +-.
6p+-zp-+p+& 58...Qd1+ 59.Kh2 Qd2+ 60.Kh3 Qxd5
61.Rb8+ Re8 62.Be4 Qf7 63.Rxe8+ Nxe8
5zPq+P+-+p% 64.Qg5+ Ng7 65.f5 d5 66.Bc2 Rd6
4-zPRwQPzP-zP$ Slightly better was to close out the bishop
66...e4.
3+-+-+-zP-# 67.Rxe5 c6
2-+-+-+L+" The stubborn 67...Kf8 would have required a
few more moves from White.
1+-tR-+-mK-! 68.Bd3 c5 (D)
xabcdefghy XABCDEFGHY
After some maneuvering, White starts to roll 8-+-+-+k+(
his pawns. Sooner or later e5 will follow.
48...Qd7 7+-+-+qsn-'
After 48...b6 49.Ra1 bxa5 50.Rxa5 Qb6
51.Kh2 Black would obtain another
6p+-tr-+-+&
weakness on a6. 5zP-zpptRPwQp%
49.R4c3 Qb5 50.e5 Rd8 51.Bf3 Rdd7 4-+-+-+-zP$
52.Be4?! (D)
A small inaccuracy. Preferable was 52.Re3 3+-+L+-zPK#
Ng7 53.Be4.
XABCDEFGHY 2-+-+-+-+"
8-+-+n+-+( 1+-+-+-+-!
7+pzprtrp+k' xabcdefghy
69.f6! Qxf6 70.Re8+ Kf7 71.Bg6+!
6p+-zp-+p+& 1-0
5zPq+PzP-+p%
4-zP-wQLzP-zP$
3+-tR-+-zP-#
2-+-+-+-+"
□ Pelletier Yannick
1+-tR-+-mK-! ■ Jenal Jens
xabcdefghy B36 Zuerich 2008
1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6
52...Ng7? 5.e4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Nxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.Bg5 Bg7
Black had to try muddying the waters with 9.Qd2 0-0 10.Bd3 Be6 11.0-0 Rc8 12.b3 a6
52...dxe5! 53.fxe5 c6. (D)
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 83
 XABCDEFGHY A prophylactic move and now White is
ready to play b4 followed by c5.
8-+rwq-trk+( 18...e6
Black feels helpless against his opponent’s
7+p+-zppvlp' plans and decides to destroy White’s centre,
6p+-zplsnp+& but at the same time creates weaknesses in
his own position.
5+-+-+-vL-% 19.Rcd1 exd5 20.Qxd5 Qb4
4-+P+P+-+$ More stubborn defence demanded some
rook activity, e.g. 20...Re6 21.Re2 Rc5.
3+PsNL+-+-# 21.Re2
2P+-wQ-zPPzP" Doubling rooks on the d-file increases
pressure on the weak d6-pawn.
1tR-+-+RmK-! 21...Re6 22.f4 Rc5 23.Qd2
We can’t call it a tactic, but with this smart
xabcdefghy retreat White wins a pawn.
This is the so-called ‘Maroczy’ structure and 23...Qxd2 24.Rdxd2 Nc6 25.Rxe6 fxe6
White has 3 plans; 26.Rxd6 Bd4+ 27.Kh1 e5 28.g3!
1. Attack on the kingside with f4-f5. Not allowing his opponent to gain control
2. Attack on the queenside with b4 and c5. over the e5-square.
3. Central strategy with Nd5. 28...exf4 29.gxf4 Rf5 30.Bg2 Bc5 31.Rd7
Black's plans are simpler: 1-0
1. Counterstrike in the centre with ...b5 or ...f5.
2. Fight to control the dark squares. □ Mikhalchishin Adrian
13.Rac1 Nd7 14.Rfe1 ■ Pfleger Helmut
Now we can see that Pelletier has chosen the E65 Roma 1977
third plan. 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.Nc3 g6 4.d4 cxd4
14...Re8 15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.exd5 5.Nxd4 Bg7 6.g3 0-0 7.Bg2 d6 8.0-0 Nbd7
Sometimes 16.cxd5 is playable, especially in Of course, much better is to start fighting in
those cases where it is possible to the centre with 8...Nc6.
successfully fight for control of the c-file. 9.b3 a6 10.Bb2 Rb8 11.Rc1 Nc5 12.Qd2
16...Ne5 (D)
Better would be the dark-square strategy
here with 16...a5 and next ...Qb6-b4. XABCDEFGHY
17.Bf1 Qb6 18.h3! (D) 8-trlwq-trk+(
XABCDEFGHY 7+p+-zppvlp'
8-+r+r+k+( 6p+-zp-snp+&
7+p+-zppvlp' 5+-sn-+-+-%
6pwq-zp-+p+& 4-+PsN-+-+$
5+-+Psn-vL-% 3+PsN-+-zP-#
4-+P+-+-+$ 2PvL-wQPzPLzP"
3+P+-+-+P# 1+-tR-+RmK-!
2P+-wQ-zPP+" xabcdefghy
1+-tR-tRLmK-! Another option was to try to eliminate the
active black knight with 12.b4 Qb6 13.a3.
xabcdefghy 12...Bd7 13.Rfd1
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 84
Another serious option was to continue the Very strong was 19.Qb3 Kh8 20.h4 dxc5
aforementioned b4-strategy 13.Ba1 Qb6 21.Nxf5 Bxa1 22.hxg5 gxf5 23.Rxa1 cxb4
14.Rb1. 24.Qxb4.
13...Re8 (D) 19...bxc6 20.Qxa4 cxd5 21.Bxd5+ e6
XABCDEFGHY 22.Bc6! Bxc6 23.Nxc6 Qd7 24.Bxg7 Qxg7
Or another recapture: 24...Kxg7 25.Qxa6 +-.
8-tr-wqr+k+( 25.Rxd6 Ne4 26.Rd3!
Protecting Black's targeted c3-square.
7+p+lzppvlp' 26...Qb7 27.Rc4! Kg7 28.Qc2 Rc7 29.Na5
6p+-zp-snp+& Rxc4? 30.Qb2+
1-0
5+-sn-+-+-%
4-+PsN-+-+$ □ Muzychuk Anna
■ Ju Wenjun
3+PsN-+-zP-# B92 Antakya 2010
2PvL-wQPzPLzP" 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6
5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.0-0 0-0
1+-tRR+-mK-! 9.Kh1 b6 (D)
xabcdefghy XABCDEFGHY
14.Nd5 Nfe4 8rsnlwq-trk+(
Other methods of counterplay did not work:
14...b5 15.cxb5 axb5 16.Nc6! +/-; 14...Nxd5 7+-+-vlpzpp'
15.cxd5 Qb6 16.Rc4 and White would start 6pzp-zp-sn-+&
his plan to control the c-file after b4.
15.Qc2 f5 16.b4 Na4 5+-+-zp-+-%
Even worse would be 16...Ba4?! 17.Nb3 +/-.
17.Ba1 Ng5 (D)
4-+-+P+-+$
The pawn sacrifice was not serious: 17...e6 3+NsN-+-+-#
18.Ne3 Qe7 19.Bxe4 fxe4 20.Qxe4.
XABCDEFGHY 2PzPP+LzPPzP"
8-tr-wqr+k+( 1tR-vLQ+R+K!
7+p+lzp-vlp' xabcdefghy
Very popular is the knight development to
6p+-zp-+p+& c6, but the most recent example is not
encouraging for Black: 9...Nc6 10.f3 b5
5+-+N+psn-% 11.Be3 Na5 12.Nxa5 Qxa5 13.Qd2 Kh8
4nzPPsN-+-+$ 14.b4!? Qa3 15.Rfb1 Be6 16.Qe1 Rfc8
17.Bd2 Bd8 18.Bd3 (18.Rb3 Bxb3 19.axb3
3+-+-+-zP-# Qxb4 20.Nxb5 Qc5 21.Bb4 Qxc2 22.Nxd6
2P+Q+PzPLzP" with some initiative) 18...Rc6 19.Rb3 Bxb3
20.axb3 Qxb4 21.Nxb5 1-0 Azarov,S-
1vL-tRR+-mK-! Wojtaszek,R Czechia 2010. A very slow
regrouping of the pieces was performed by
xabcdefghy Kasparov: 9...Bd7 10.Be3 Bc6 11.Bf3 Nbd7
18.c5! 12.a4 b6 13.Qd3 Bb7 14.h3 Rc8 15.Rad1 h6
A typical break, as we have seen previously 16.Rfe1 Qc7 17.g3 Rfd8 18.Kh2 Re8
- White's active central pieces have to start 19.Re2 Qc4 20.Qxc4 Rxc4 21.Nd2 Rc7
working. 22.Bg2 Rec8 23.Nb3 Rxc3 24.bxc3 Bxe4
18...Rc8 19.c6! 25.Bc1 Bxg2 26.Kxg2 Rxc3 27.Ba3 Ne8
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 85
28.f4 ½-½ Deep Junior-Kasparov,G New It is useful not to allow a5: 18...Rab8 19.Bd3
York 2003. f5 20.Qc2 g6 21.Rfd1 Kh8 22.Bf1 Ba8 (D)
10.Be3 XABCDEFGHY
10.Nd5 Nxd5 11.Qxd5 Qc7 12.Be3 Bb7
13.Qd3 Nd7 14.f3 Rac8 15.c3 Rfd8 16.a4 h6 8ltr-+-tr-mk(
17.Rfd1 Qb8 18.Qd2 Qa8 19.Nc1 Rf8
20.Qc2 Nf6 21.Bxb6 d5 22.exd5 Nxd5
7+-wqn+-+p'
23.Bg1 e4 24.Qxe4 Nxc3 25.Qxe7 Rfe8 6p+-zp-+p+&
26.Qxe8+ Rxe8 27.bxc3 1-0 Diamant,A-
Yilmaz,M Puerto Madryn 2009. 5+-+Pzppvl-%
10...Bb7 11.f3 b5 4P+P+-+-+$
Direct counterplay in the centre does not
work because of some nice deflecting 3+N+-+P+-#
tactics, viz: 11...d5 12.exd5 Nxd5 13.Nxd5 2-+Q+-vLPzP"
Bxd5 14.Bxb6.
12.a4 1tR-+R+L+K!
Possible is the more direct central strategy
12.Qd2 Nbd7 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.exd5 Rc8
xabcdefghy
15.a4 Nf6 16.axb5 axb5 17.Na5 Bxd5 23.c5! dxc5 24.Nxc5 Rbc8 25.Bxa6 Nxc5
18.Bxb5 Qc7 19.c4 Ba8 20.Rac1 e4 21.f4 26.Bxc8 Rxc8 27.d6 Qc6 28.Qxc5 Qxc5
Ng4 22.b4 Nxe3 23.Qxe3 Rfd8 24.Nb3 Bf6 29.Bxc5 Bc6 30.d7 Rd8 31.a5 1-0
25.Rfd1 with a very unbalanced position, Jakovenko,D-Gelfand,B Moscow 2009.
Smeets,J-Zhigalko,A Peniscola 2002. 19.Nd2 Bxd2
12...b4 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.exd5 Nd7 15.c3 A bit of a surprising decision, but this knight
bxc3 16.bxc3 Bg5 17.Bf2 (D) planned the transfer b1-c3-b5 - so there is
real logic behind this exchange. Also
XABCDEFGHY possible is 19...f5 20.Nb1! Nc5 21.Nc3 Rfc8
8r+-wq-trk+( 22.Qc2 Qd7 23.Rab1 Ba6 24.g4 fxg4
25.Bxc5 gxf3 26.Rxf3 dxc5 27.Rg1 Bf4
7+l+n+pzpp' 28.Bd3 and White keeps the initiative,
6p+-zp-+-+& Nijboer,F-Schut,L Maastricht 2010.
20.Qxd2 Ba6 21.Rab1 Rab8 22.Qc3 f5
5+-+Pzp-vl-% 23.Rfc1 Nc5 (D)
4P+-+-+-+$ XABCDEFGHY
3+NzP-+P+-# 8-tr-+-trk+(
2-+-+LvLPzP" 7+-wq-+-zpp'
1tR-+Q+R+K! 6l+-zp-+-+&
xabcdefghy 5zp-snPzpp+-%
Of course, it is in Black's interests to 4P+P+-+-+$
exchange bishops.
17...Qc7 3+-wQ-+P+-#
17...h5 18.c4 Re8 19.Rb1 h4 20.Nd2 Bc8 2-+-+LvLPzP"
21.Ne4 Be7 22.c5 Nxc5 23.Bxc5 dxc5 24.d6
Bf8 25.Bc4 Be6 26.Bd5 Ra7 27.Rf2 c4 1+RtR-+-+K!
28.Bc6 Bd7 29.Bd5 Be6 with an equal
position, Ye Jiangchuan-Ghaem Maghami,E
xabcdefghy
Jodhpur 2003. 24.Be1
18.c4 a5 It was possible to avoid the upcoming forced

Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 86
multiple exchanges 24.Qa3. important checks 37...Rc1+ 38.Kf2 Rc2+
24...Rfc8 25.Rxb8 39.Kf1 keeping White's king cut off.
It was still possible to simply to improve the 38.Rxe5 Kxd6 39.Rxf5 Rc1+ 40.Kf2 c4 (D)
positions of her pieces with 25.Qc2 g6 40...Rc2+ was still preferable, again as a
26.Bc3. more technical decision.
25...Rxb8 26.Qxa5 Qb7 XABCDEFGHY
Black has very good compensation for the
pawn after the queen exchange 26...Qxa5 8-+-+-+-+(
27.Bxa5 Rb2 28.Re1 Kf7 29.Bc7 Ke7 30.a5
Na4.
7+-+-+-zpp'
27.Qc3?! (D) 6-+-mk-+-+&
XABCDEFGHY 5+-+-+R+-%
8-tr-+-+k+( 4-+p+-+-+$
7+q+-+-zpp' 3+-+-+P+-#
6l+-zp-+-+& 2-+-+-mKPzP"
5+-snPzpp+-% 1+-tr-+-+-!
4P+P+-+-+$ xabcdefghy
3+-wQ-+P+-# 41.Rf8
There was nothing really dangerous
2-+-+L+PzP" happening if White were to start attacking
1+-tR-vL-+K! Black's pawns: 41.Rg5 Rc2+ (41...Rd1
42.Ke2 Rd5 43.Rxg7 c3 44.Rg8 Kc5
xabcdefghy 45.Rg7!) 42.Ke3.
Better was to keep the queen on a5, from 41...Rc2+ 42.Kg3 Re2 43.Rc8 Kd5 44.Rc7
where it offers some serious threats: 27.Rd1 g6 45.Rxh7
Qb2 28.Bd2 e4 29.Rg1!? e3? 30.Bxe3 Qxe2 There was not enough time to start bringing
31.Bxc5 Bxc4 32.Bxd6. the king closer to the c4-pawn: 45.f4 Rb2
27...Qb2! 46.Kf3 h5 47.Rd7+ Kc5 48.Rc7+ Kb4 49.h3
After the queen swap, the positions of h4 50.g4 hxg3 51.Kxg3 c3.
Black's pieces clearly compensates for 45...c3 46.Rc7 c2 47.Kf4 g5+! (D)
White's extra pawn. Of course, it is much XABCDEFGHY
easier to play such positions with Black - but
White is not worse at the moment. 8-+-+-+-+(
28.Bf1 Nxa4 29.Qxb2 Rxb2 30.Kg1 Nc5
31.Ra1?!
7+-tR-+-+-'
Technically better would be 31.Bc3 Rb3 6-+-+-+-+&
32.Be1 Kf7 33.Ra1.
31...Rc2 5+-+k+-zp-%
Now Black starts a direct attack - the target 4-+-+-mK-+$
is the pawn on c4.
32.Bf2 Bxc4 33.Bxc5 dxc5 34.d6 3+-+-+P+-#
It was possible to play the simpler and better 2-+p+r+PzP"
34.Re1 Bxd5 35.Rxe5 Bf7 36.Rxf5 g6
37.Re5 c4 38.Be2 c3 39.Kf2. 1+-+-+-+-!
34...Kf7 35.Rd1 Ke8 36.Bxc4 Rxc4 37.Rd5
Kd7
xabcdefghy
More technical was to include a few 48.Kxg5?

Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 87
Strange perhaps, but a much better try would effective.
be 48.Kg3 Kd4 (48...Rd2 49.Rc8 = [49.h4? 10...Nc6 11.Nf4 Na5 12.Bd3 c5 13.Be3 Rc8
gxh4+ 50.Kxh4 Rd4+ 51.Kg5 Rc4] ; Black continues classically, trying to control
48...Kd6 49.Rc3 Ke5) 49.h4 gxh4+ 50.Kxh4 squares on the c-file.
Rxg2 51.f4 Ke4 52.Kh3 Re2 53.Kg4 Kd3 14.Qg4 Nc6
54.Rd7+ Kc3 55.Rc7+ Kd2 56.f5 c1Q 14...cxd4 15.cxd4 Nc4 16.Rac1 Nxe3
57.Rxc1 Kxc1 58.f6 Rf2 59.Kg5 Kd2 17.fxe3 just strengthens White's centre.
60.Kg6 Kd3 61.f7 and the black king can't 15.Rad1 cxd4 16.cxd4 Nb4!
prevent promotion of the f-pawn. Black has the obvious idea of exploiting the
48...Kd6 49.Rc3 Re5+ 50.Kf6 Rc5 51.Rxc2 weaknesses of the white squares in the
Rxc2 52.g4 Rxh2 53.g5 centre, but there are no serious objects for
Of no help was 53.f4 Rh6+ 54.Kg5 Rh8 attack.
55.Kg6 Rg8+ 56.Kh5 Ke7. 17.Bb1 Nc2
53...Rf2 54.g6 Rxf3+ 55.Kg7 Ke7 56.Kg8 Black tries to eliminate the bishop forever,
Kf6 57.g7 Rg3 58.Kh8 Kf7 but an equally good position for the knight
0-1 was in the centre: 17...Nd5!
18.h4 Be4! (D)
□ Gligoric Svetozar XABCDEFGHY
■ Sax Gyula
D86 Vrbas 1977 8-+rwq-trk+(
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5
5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 0-0 8.Ne2 b6
7zp-+-zppvlp'
9.0-0 6-zp-+-+p+&
Brave souls can start an immediate attack,
keeping the king in the centre, with 9.h4!? 5+-+-zP-+-%
9...Bb7 (D) 4-+-zPlsNQzP$
XABCDEFGHY 3+-+-vL-+-#
8rsn-wq-trk+( 2P+n+-zPP+"
7zplzp-zppvlp' 1+L+R+RmK-!
6-zp-+-+p+& xabcdefghy
5+-+-+-+-% A logical idea, to exchange the lightsquared
bishops. A possible but risky strategy
4-+LzPP+-+$ winning a pawn is 18...Ba6 19.Bxc2 Rxc2
3+-zP-+-+-# 20.Rfe1 Bc8 21.Qg3 Rxa2 but White's
attack could become very strong after 22.h5.
2P+-+NzPPzP" 19.h5!
1tR-vLQ+RmK-! It was possible to transfer into an equal
endgame after 19.Ne6 Bf5 20.Qxf5 gxf5
xabcdefghy 21.Nxd8 Rfxd8 22.g3.
10.e5 19...Bf5 20.Qg3 Rc3?
It is a difficult decision as to how to change Correct was to connect the rooks 20...Qd7
the centre? On the one hand White has with a comfortable position for Black.
opened up the bishop on b7, but its ability to 21.Bxc2
attack is very limited after f3. On the other Black would face more serious problems
hand, it is important to close off the more after the principled 21.Rc1!
important dark-squared bishop and to 21...Rxc2 22.Rc1 Rxa2?
prepare an attack on the kingside. Other Risky materialism. Better is to continue the
possibilities as 10.f3 or 10.d5, were not so central strategy with 22...Rxc1 23.Rxc1 Qd7.
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 88
23.e6! Qd6 24.d5! (D) main idea of this kind of strategy -
XABCDEFGHY occupation of the important d6-square - and
Black has no time to fight for the d4-square)
8-+-+-trk+( 22...Red8 23.Ng5 Nxg5 24.Bxg5 Bf6
25.Bh6 Qa7 26.Qc4 Nf8 27.Bxf8 Kxf8
7zp-+-zppvlp' 28.Rd3 Kg7 29.Rad1 Ra8 30.f4 exf4
6-zp-wqP+p+& 31.gxf4 Qe7 32.e5 Bh4 33.f5 h5 34.f6+
Bxf6 35.exf6+ Qxf6+ 36.Kg2 Qg5+ 37.Rg3
5+-+P+l+P% 1-0 Maric,A-Repkova,E Yerevan 1996.
4-+-+-sN-+$ 7.Nc3
7.h3 e5 8.Be3 Ne4 9.dxe5?! dxe5 10.Qc1
3+-+-vL-wQ-# Be6 11.Na3 f5 12.Ng5 Nxg5 13.Bxg5 Qd7
2r+-+-zPP+" 14.Kh2 (D)

1+-tR-+RmK-! XABCDEFGHY
xabcdefghy 8r+-+-trk+(
White has finally started to move in the 7zppzpq+-vlp'
centre, after sacrificing the queenside - and 6-+n+l+p+&
he also has an attack on the opponent's king.
24...Be5 5+-+-zppvL-%
It was necessary to continue the risky 4-+P+-+-+$
materialistic strategy with a weak king after
24...fxe6 25.dxe6 Be5 26.hxg6 hxg6 3sN-+-+-zPP#
27.Rfd1 Bxf4 28.Bxf4 Qxe6 29.Bh6 Re8.
25.Rc6 Bxf4 26.exf7+! Rxf7 2PzP-+PzPLmK"
Of course, more risky was the king capture 1tR-wQ-+R+-!
26...Kxf7 27.Bxf4 Qxd5 28.Rc7 Rc8.
27.Bxf4 Qxd5 28.Rfc1 Rc2? xabcdefghy
Black had to try to reduce White's attacking 14...f4! 15.gxf4 exf4 16.Rd1 Qf7 17.e3 f3
power by exchanges: 28...Ra1 29.Rxg6+ 18.Bf1 Be5+ 19.Bf4 Qg7 20.Rb1 Qh6
hxg6 30.Rxa1 a5 31.Be5 Rh7 32.hxg6 Rh6! 21.Bxe5 Nxe5 22.Rd4 Rf5 23.e4 Rg5
29.R6xc2 Bxc2 30.Bh6 e5 31.Qc3 Bf5 24.Nb5 Bxh3 25.Qxg5 Qxg5 26.Bxh3 Qh4
32.Qc8+ 0-1 Maric,A-Rasik,V Winterthur 1996.
1-0 7...e5 (D)

□ Foguelman Alberto
XABCDEFGHY
■ Stein Leonid 8r+lwq-trk+(
E62 Mar del Plata 1965
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 0-0 5.Nf3
7zppzp-+pvlp'
d6 6.0-0 Nc6 6-+nzp-snp+&
Another example of a central strategy goes
6...Nbd7 7.Nc3 e5 8.e4 a6 9.h3 Rb8 10.dxe5 5+-+-zp-+-%
dxe5 11.Qc2 c6 12.Rd1 Qc7 13.Be3 b5 4-+PzP-+-+$
14.c5! (Now the idea is clear -occupation of
the important d6-square) 14...a5 15.b3 Re8 3+-sN-+NzP-#
16.a4 b4 17.Nb1 Nf8 18.Nbd2 Ba6 19.Bf1! 2PzP-+PzPLzP"
(It is necessary to exchange the bishop on
a6, which is preventing the transfer of 1tR-vLQ+RmK-!
White's knight) 19...Bxf1 20.Kxf1 Ne6
21.Nc4 Nd7 22.Nd6 (White has reached the
xabcdefghy
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 89
8.dxe5 XABCDEFGHY
Such exchanges have to be conducted very
carefully as the typical weakness of the 8-+-wq-+k+(
central black squares are sometimes fatal for
White. More usual is first to close the centre,
7+p+-+pvlp'
forcing the opponent's pieces to less-active 6-+p+-+p+&
positions, and only then trying to open the
centre: 8.d5 Ne7 9.e4 Ne8 10.Ne1 f5 11.Nd3 5zp-+-zp-+-%
Nf6 12.Bg5 h6 13.Bxf6 Bxf6 14.f4. 4-snPsnP+l+$
8...dxe5 9.Nb5?!
Correct would be a central developing 3vLPsN-+NzP-#
strategy with 9.Be3, otherwise White's 2P+-wQ-zPLzP"
strategy is based only on tactical threats.
9...Qe7 10.b3 Rd8 11.Qe1 a5! 1+-+-+K+-!
A very strong reaction, as now the bishop
sortie to a3 will be met with the blockading
xabcdefghy
...Nb4. 21...Bf6!
12.e4 Nb4 13.Ba3 (D) White now decides to exchange on d4 which
creates a terribly strong passed pawn on the
XABCDEFGHY d-file.
8r+ltr-+k+( 22.Nxd4 exd4 23.Na4 d3 24.f3 Bg5 25.f4
Be7 26.Bb2 b5! 27.cxb5 cxb5 28.Nc3
7+pzp-wqpvlp' No real threats on the big diagonal after
6-+-+-snp+& 28.Qc3 f6.
28...Qd4 29.Qf2 (D)
5zpN+-zp-+-% XABCDEFGHY
4-snP+P+-+$ 8-+-+-+k+(
3vLP+-+NzP-# 7+-+-vlp+p'
2P+-+-zPLzP" 6-+-+-+p+&
1tR-+-wQRmK-! 5zpp+-+-+-%
xabcdefghy 4-sn-wqPzPl+$
13...Bg4
The fight for the central d4-square has 3+PsNp+-zP-#
started! Another possible strategy was 2PvL-+-wQLzP"
13...c6 14.Nc3 Rd3. As Black seems to have
a wide selection of good continuations, we 1+-+-+K+-!
can ‘feel’ the failure of White’s strategy…
14.Qe2 c6 15.Nc3 Nd7!
xabcdefghy
It is another typical key move increasing 29...Be2+!
control over dark squares in the centre. Decisive cheap trick!
16.Rad1 Nc5 17.Rxd8+ 30.Nxe2 Qxb2 31.Bf3 dxe2+ 32.Bxe2 Qxa2
Or 17.h3 Bxf3 18.Bxf3 Ne6. 0-1
17...Rxd8 18.Rd1 Ne6 19.Rxd8+ Qxd8
20.Qd2 □ Carlsen Magnus
Exchanges did not make White’s life easier, ■ Jakovenko Dmitry
as the d4-knight will dominate the entire D31 Nanjing 2009
position. 1.d4
20...Nd4 21.Kf1 (D) This is one of Carlsen's great abilities, which

Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 90
was spotted many years ago by top trainer 26.Rxf5 Ne4 27.Qh4 Re8 28.Rh5 f5 1-0
Arshak Petrosian - he is able to serve from Kasparov,G-Karpov,A Valencia 2009.
both hands equally. In Dortmund the same 10.Nf3 Ba6 11.0-0
year, he won against D.Jakovenko in the 11.Bxa6 Nxa6 12.0-0 0-0 13.Rad1 Nc7
‘Berlin Wall’, but now he decides to try to 14.Ne5 was possible also, as it is not clear if
find winning chances in another opening. Black's knight is placed well on c7 or not.
1...d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Be7 11...Bxd3 12.Qxd3 Nd7 (D)
Before this game M.Carlsen had little XABCDEFGHY
experience in the Carlsbad structure: 3...Nf6
4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 c6 6.e3 Bf5 7.Qf3 Bg6 8r+-+k+-tr(
8.Bxf6 Qxf6 9.Qxf6 gxf6 10.Nf3 Nd7
11.Nh4 Bb4 12.Rc1 Nb6 13.a3 Bxc3+
7zp-+nsnpzpp'
14.Rxc3 Nc8 15.f3 Nd6 16.g3 a5 17.b3 a4 6-zppwq-+-+&
18.b4 Bb1 19.Kf2 Ba2 20.Rc1 Bc4 21.Bh3
Nb5 22.Ra1 += Carlsen,M- 5+-+p+-+-%
Azmaiparashvili,Z Khanty-Mansiysk 2005. 4-+-zP-+-+$
4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bf4 c6 6.Qc2
6.e3 Bf5 7.g4 is M.Botvinnik’s complicated 3+-sNQzPN+-#
line, which was applied by both A.Karpov 2PzP-+-zPPzP"
and G.Kasparov, so it's interesting why
M.Carlsen did not follow their steps? Play 1tR-+-+RmK-!
here is extremely sharp and interesting.
6...Bd6
xabcdefghy
A decent plan for Black, as White's bishop 13.e4
position on f4 is considered to be unpleasant There is no other active plan in this
for Black. 6...g6 was always considered to situation.
be the main line here, but such a creative 13...0-0
player as Alexey Shirov invented here 7.f3 13...Qg6 would retain the tension more.
Bg5 8.Bxg5 Qxg5 9.e4 (9.Qd2 Qxd2+ 13...dxe4 14.Nxe4 Qg6 15.Qa3! keeps the
10.Kxd2 and even the endgame here is not black king in the centre and is terribly
so simple for Black) with White initiative. dangerous for Black.
7.Bxd6 14.e5! Qe6
7.Bg3 would be more appropriate, as the 14...Qg6 15.Qd2 Rfe8 was more logical,
exchange on g3 is useful only to White. But preparing ...f6.
M.Carlsen is so convinced in his technique 15.Rae1 Rfe8
that exchanges don't disturb him - or his Counterplay on the other side with 15...c5
chances to play for the win. would be premature because of 16.Nb5 both
7...Qxd6 8.e3 Ne7 9.Bd3 b6?! now and on the next move.
This is a bit strange - to create a weakness 16.Nh4
on c6 for himself. Of course, Black's plan is M.Carlsen plays directly, threatening f4. He
to seek the exchange of his white-squared does not care about prophylactic plans on
bishop. The most natural and classical way the other side.
to do it would be 9...g6 with...Bf5 next. In 16...Ng6 17.Nxg6 Qxg6
the legends’ match there occurred 9...Nd7 17...hxg6 18.Re3 Qf5 19.Qd2 keeps White's
10.Nge2 h6 11.0-0 0-0 12.a3 a5 13.Rad1 b6 advantage at the same level.
14.e4 dxe4 15.Nxe4 Qb8 16.N2c3 Ba6 18.Qd2 Nf8
17.Bxa6 Rxa6 18.d5 Nxd5 19.Nxd5 cxd5 Black's try to block the position on the king's
20.Rxd5 Ra7 21.Qd2 Nc5 and here flank with 18...f5 would be met by the
Kasparov did not win a pawn, but rather transfer of the knight to f4 after 19.Ne2.
started a mating attack: 22.Nf6+ gxf6 19.f4 Qf5
23.Qxh6 f5 24.Qg5+ Kh8 25.Qf6+ Kg8 It is known - and not just to Grandmasters -
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 91
that blockading the opponent's pawn with Now White's plan is simple and easy - to
the queen is a useless task, especially when a create connected passed pawns, which every
knight is on the board - the knight can player knows is a terrifying weapon.
remove any powerful blockading piece. 30...Kf8 31.g5 Ke7 32.Kg2 Rd5
Here 19...f5 was possible, but now White 32...Rd2+ 33.Kg3 would be similar to the
could start play on the other side with 20.b4! previous variation.
20.Nd1! f6 21.Ne3 Qd7 22.Qd3 33.Kg3 Kd6 34.h4 c5 35.f6 gxf6 36.gxf6
22.exf6 gxf6 23.f5 with an attack against the Rd3+ 37.Kh2
f6-pawn next was also possible, plus the You can go forward or back; now everything
knight on e8 would be cut off from all the wins.
important squares. But M.Carlsen has a 37...Rd2+ 38.Kh1
different idea - to move his knight to f5 and 1-0
then d6.
In some cases, the building of the centre is
22...fxe5 23.dxe5 Ne6 24.f5 Nc5
a very complicated process and to perform
24...Ng5 allows 25.Nc4 occupying the
such plans properly it is necessary to have
square d6 next.
serious experience and knowledge.
25.Qd4 Ne4 (D)
25...Qf7 26.Ng4 Ne4 27.e6 Qh5 28.Ne5 is □ Botvinnik Mikhail
good for White, but now M.Carlsen wins a ■ Keres Paul
pawn for no compensation. D36 Moscow 1952
XABCDEFGHY 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 exd5
5.Bg5 Be7 6.e3 0-0 7.Bd3 Nbd7 8.Qc2 Re8
8r+-+r+k+( 9.Nge2 Nf8 10.0-0 c6 11.Rab1 Bd6 12.Kh1
A prophylactic move, avoiding ...Bh2 and
7zp-+q+-zpp' ...Ng4.
6-zpp+-+-+& 12...Ng6 (D)
Now this sacrifice does not work:
5+-+pzPP+-% 12...Bxh2? 13.Bxf6.
4-+-wQn+-+$ XABCDEFGHY
3+-+-sN-+-# 8r+lwqr+k+(
2PzP-+-+PzP" 7zpp+-+pzpp'
1+-+-tRRmK-! 6-+pvl-snn+&
xabcdefghy 5+-+p+-vL-%
26.Nxd5! Qxd5 4-+-zP-+-+$
Basically resigning instead of a last try to
catch some fish in muddy water: 26...Nc5 3+-sNLzP-+-#
27.f6 Red8 28.e6! Nxe6 29.f7+! Kf8 30.Qh4
Qxd5 31.Qxh7 Qd4+ 32.Rf2 Ke7 33.Qf5 2PzPQ+NzPPzP"
Qd5 34.Qg6 leads to a decisive attack. 1+R+-+R+K!
27.Qxe4 Rad8 28.e6 Qxe4 29.Rxe4 Rd6
Once more, as in the whole game, we get the xabcdefghy
impression that D.Jakovenko is under 13.f3!
terrible pressure and does not even think Here White had a typical minority attack
about the smallest activity. After 29...Rd2 plan with b4-b5, but M.Botvinnik prefers
White can try the sharp way 30.g4 (30.b4 central expansion - the creation of a
Rxa2 31.Rc1) 30...Rxb2 31.g5 Rb5 32.h4 powerful centre.
Kf8 33.f6 gxf6 34.gxf6. 13...Be7 14.Rbe1
30.g4 Here appears a question - why put the rook
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 92
first on b1 and then on e1? But in chess, the 24.Nd6 Qc7 25.Be4!
correct plans are not immediately obvious in Not threatening to take on d5 yet, but
every position. opening the file for the queen and rook.
14...Nd7 15.Bxe7 Rxe7 25...Ne6 26.Qh4 g6
An immediate central pawn roll was The other defence was bad as well: 26...h6
possible after another recapture, e.g. 27.Bxd5 cxd5 28.Rc1 Qd7 29.Nf5 Ree8
15...Qxe7 16.e4 Nb6 17.e5 Qh4 18.f4 Ne7 30.Rc3 and the rook will be transferred to
19.Ng3. the kingside.
16.Ng3 27.Bxd5 cxd5 (D)
If White now starts his central plan with XABCDEFGHY
16.e4 then there could be certain problems
with the weakness of the d4-pawn after 8-+-tr-+k+(
16...dxe4 17.fxe4 Ndf8 18.Rd1.
16...Nf6 17.Qf2
7zppwq-trp+p'
White protects the d4-pawn, plus doubles on 6-+-sNn+p+&
the f-file. Now everything is ready for e4.
17...Be6 18.Nf5 5+-+pzP-+-%
Here White had another option to play for 4-+-zP-+-wQ$
the space expansion: 18.f4 Ng4 19.Qg1 Nf8
20.f5 Bc8 21.e4 dxe4 22.Ngxe4 f6 23.h3 3+-+-+-+-#
Nh6 24.Ng3. 2PzP-+-+PzP"
18...Bxf5 19.Bxf5 Qb6 20.e4
Finally White has created his powerful 1+-+-tRR+K!
centre and is ready to grab even more space.
20...dxe4 21.fxe4 Rd8 22.e5 Nd5 23.Ne4
xabcdefghy
(D) 28.Rc1 Qd7 29.Rc3!
The same typical transfer of the rook via the
XABCDEFGHY third rank.
8-+-tr-+k+( 29...Rf8 30.Nf5!
Using cheap tactics, White include the
7zpp+-trpzpp' knight into his attack on the black king.
6-wqp+-+n+& 30...Rfe8
Simple would be 30...gxf5 31.Rg3+ Ng7
5+-+nzPL+-% 32.Qf6.
4-+-zPN+-+$ 31.Nh6+ Kf8 32.Qf6 Ng7 33.Rcf3
All White's pieces are on the attack! A very
3+-+-+-+-# instructive picture!
33...Rc8 34.Nxf7 Re6 35.Qg5 Nf5 36.Nh6
2PzP-+-wQPzP" Qg7 37.g4
1+-+-tRR+K! 1-0
xabcdefghy
On the one hand, Black has a strong knight
on d5, but White's knight on e4 is more
powerful as it can be placed on d6 or g5,
which is much more dangerous.
23...Nf8
Maybe the best defence was to sacrifice an
exchange on d6 for one pawn and try to
hold: 23...Qc7 24.Bxg6 hxg6 25.Nd6 Rxd6
26.exd6 Qxd6 27.Rxe7 Qxe7 28.Re1 Qd8.
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 93
Index of Games
When a player’s name appears in bold, that player had White. Otherwise the first-named player
had White. A total of 68 games are analysed and presented in this book.

Alekhine Alexander - Euwe 38 Jakovenko Dmitrij - Carlsen 90

Andreikin Dmitry - Stupak 24 Jenal Jens - Pelletier 83
Anikaev Yuri - Mikhalcishin 29 Johner Paul - Nimzowitsch 66
Arvind Shastry - Vallejo 12 Ju Wenjun - Muzychuk 85
Averbakh Yuri - Kuzmin 78 Jussupow Artur - Beliavsky 72
Beliavsky Alexander - Korchnoi 28 Kan Ilia - Botvinnik 15
Beliavsky Alexander - Tseshkovsky 46 Kan Ilia - Botvinnik 69
Beliavsky Alexander - Jussupow 72 Karpov Anatoly - Hort 61
Bogoljubow Efim - Botvinnik 32 Keres Paul - Botvinnik 92
Bojkovic Natasa - Maric 36 Kharitonov Andrei - Mikhalchishin 64
Bolbochan Julio - Fischer 14 Kholmov Ratmir - Tal 77
Bondarevsky Igor - Bronstein 50 Koneru Humpy - Chiburdanidze 57
Botvinnik Mikhail - Kan 15 Korchnoi Viktor - Petrosian 22
Botvinnik Mikhail - Donner 19 Korchnoi Viktor - Beliavsky 28
Botvinnik Mikhail - Van Scheltinga 31 Korchnoi Viktor - Lputian 57
Botvinnik Mikhail - Bogoljubow 32 Kosintseva Tatiana - Dembo 51
Botvinnik Mikhail - Smyslov 32 Kramnik Vladimir - Lputian 74
Botvinnik Mikhail - Kan 69 Kuzmin Gennadi - Averbakh 78
Botvinnik Mikhail - Chekhover 70 Larsen Bent - Portisch 71
Botvinnik Mikhail - Ragozin 73 Lasker Emanuel - Steinitz 53
Botvinnik Mikhail - Keres 92 Loncar Robert - Nepomniachtchi 65
Bronstein David - Bondarevsky 50 Lputian Smbat - Korchnoi 57
Carlsen Magnis - Jakovenko 90 Lputian Smbat - Tukmakov 60
Chekhover Vitaly - Botvinnik 70 Lputian Smbat - Kramnik 74
Chiburdanidze Maia - Koneru 57 Magerramov Elmar - Sher 35
Dautov Rustem - Polgar 20 Maric Alisa - Bojkovic 36
Davidovic Aleksandar - Fernandez 26 Medina Garcia Antonio - Garcia 42
Dembo Yelena - Kosintseva 51 Mieses Jacques - Rubinstein 55
Donner Jan - Botvinnik 19 Mikhalchishin Adrian - Ivacic 16
Dorfman Iosif - Polugaevsky 6 Mikhalchishin Adrian - Filipenko 25
Durarbayli Vasif - Pavasovic 43 Mikhalchishin Adrian - Sax Gyula 27
Duras Oldrich - Rubinstein 8 Mikhalchishin Adrian - Anikaev 29
Dzhanoev David - Mikhalchishin 45 Mikhalchishin Adrian - Dzhanoev 45
Euwe Max - Alekhine 38 Mikhalchishin Adrian - Suba 48
Fernandez Garcia Jose - Davidovic 26 Mikhalchishin Adrian - Velimirovic 49
Filipenko Alexander - Mikhalchishin 25 Mikhalchishin Adrian - Tsetselian 62
Fischer Robert James - Bolbochan 14 Mikhalchishin Adrian - Kharitonov 64
Fischer Robert James - Spassky 68 Mikhalchishin Adrian - Yudasin 79
Fischer Robert James - Shocron 75 Mikhalchishin Adrian - Pfleger 84
Foguelman Alberto - Stein 89 Munguntuul Batkhuyag - Zhang 55
Franic Milan - Pavasovic 11 Muzychuk Anna - Ju 85
Garcia Raimundo - Medina Garcia 42 Nepomniachtchi Ian - Loncar 65
Geller Efim - Ree 18 Nimzowitsch Aron - Vidmar 33
Gitescu Theodor - Reshevsky 9 Nimzowitsch Aron - Johner 66
Gitescu Theodor - Tal 39 Pavasovic Dusan - Durarbayli 43
Gligoric Svetozar - Sax 88 Pavasovic Dusko - Franic 11
Harikrishna Penteala - Vovk 81 Pelletier Yannick - Jenal 83
Hort Vlastimil - Karpov 61 Petrosian Tigran - Korchnoi 22
Ivacic Vladimir - Mikhalchishin 16 Pfleger Helmut - Mikhalchishin 84
Ivanovic Bozidar - Zontakh 30 Polgar Judit - Dautov 20
Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 94
Polgar Judit - Spassky 40 Spassky Boris - Fischer 68
Polugaevsky Lev - Dorfman 6 Stein Leonid - Foguelman 89
Portisch Lajos - Larsen 71 Steinitz William - Lasker 53
Ragozin Viacheslav - Botvinnik 73 Stupak Kiril - Andreikin 24
Ree Hans - Geller 18 Suba Mihai - Mikhalchishin 48
Reshevsky Samuel - Gitescu 9 Tal Mihail - Gitescu 39
Romanishin Oleg - Shijanovsky 40 Tal Mihail - Kholmov 77
Rubinstein Akiba - Duras 8 Tseshkovsky Vitaly - Beliavsky 46
Rubinstein Akiba - Mieses 55 Tsetselian Seiran - Mikhalchishin 62
Rubinstein Akiba - Schlechter 5 Tukmakov Vladimir - Lputian 60
Sax Gyula - Mikhalchishin 27 Vallejo Pons Francisco - Arvind 12
Sax Gyula - Gligoric 88 Van Scheltinga Theo - Botvinnik 31
Schlechter Carl - Rubinstein 5 Velimirovic Dragoljub - Mikhalchishin 49
Sher Miron - Magerramov 35 Vidmar Milan - Nimzowitsch 33
Shijanovsky - Romanishin 40 Vovk Andrey - Harikrishna 81
Shocron Ruben - Fischer 75 Yudasin Leonid - Mikhalchishin 79
Smyslov Vassily - Botvinnik 32 Zhang Xiaowen - Munguntuul 55
Spassky Boris - Polgar 40 Zontakh Andrey - Ivanovic 30

Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 95
Curriculum Vitae
Adrian Mikhalchishin
Adrian Bohdanovych Mikhalchishin (also Brno 1990, Eeklo 1991, Dortmund 1999,
Mihalcisin, Mihalčišin or Mykhalchyshyn, Warsaw 2002.
Ukrainian: Адріян Богданович Slovenian Champion 2002. In Ukrainian
Михальчишин, born November 18, 1954 in Championships best result was 2-3 places in
Lviv) is a Ukrainian chess Grandmaster now 1977 and Rapid Ukrainian Champion in
playing for Slovenia. Education: Lviv 1993, many times junior Champion of the
University, faculty of physics 1976. country.
Mikhalchishin is married, with two children.
Participant of Chess Olympiads 1992 for
Ukraine, 2000-2006 for Slovenia.
Winner of team Championships and
National Cups of USSR, Ukraine, Slovenia,
Yugoslavia, Croatia and Hungary.
FIDE Senior Trainer from 2004, FIDE
Trainers’ Commission Chairman from 2009.
Conducted many Seminars for FIDE trainers
in Germany, UAE, Greece, Spain,
Netherlands, Poland, Turkey, Croatia and
Austria.
Trainer of Soviet National team 1989-90
World and European Champions.
Trainer of National team Slovenia 1998-
2003, National team of Netherlands 2003-
2007, National Team of Turkey 2007-08.
Conducted trainings camps with National
teams of Poland and Switzerland. Individual
trainings with Maia Chiburdanidze 1978,
Nana Aleksandria 1983, Anatoly Karpov
1980-1986, Alexander Beliavsky 1986-
He became a Grandmaster in 1978, shared 1995, Vasyl Ivanchuk 1990, Polgar sisters
first place at the Nikolaev tournament in 1992-1994, Alisa Maric 1994-2000, Zhaoqin
1983, and was second at Hastings in 1985- Peng 2002-2007, Mateusz Bartel 2000-2009,
86. Vice President of Ukrainian Chess Ilya Nyzhnyk 2009, Richard Rapport 2010,
Federation 1998-2001. Speaks Ukrainian, Arkady Naiditsch 2005-2006.
Russian, Polish, Serbo-Croatian, Slovenian, Trainer of club Agrouniverzal Belgrade,
English and German languages. three times winner of European Women Cup
As a player best result 4th place in Soviet 1993, 1997, 1999.
Championship 1984, Soviet Youth He is currently coaching the Women's
Champion 1977. National Team of Turkey.
World Youth Champion in team 1977, Author of 21 chess books published in
1980, winner of European Cup 1984, winner Germany, England, France, Spain, Italy,
of international tournaments Banco di Roma Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Turkey,
1977, Copenhagen 1980, Leipzig 1979, Yugoslavia and USA.

Advanced Chess School - Volume 8 - The Fight for the Centre - Adrian Mikhalchishin 96