Speelman's Agony #56

by Jonathan Speelman
7/6/2017 – This week's games are by Max Wahlund, a Swede who will be 45 on July 10th. Max used to be a journalist in Stockholm, but more recently he's lived both in a Buddhist monastery and a Christian community and is currently in Linköping, where he works as a publicity officer for the Church of Sweden. And when he moved to Linkoping, he took up chess again after a break of over twenty years. His two extensively analysed games are evaluate by an experienced GM. You can learn a lot from the notes.
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Max Wahlund writes:

I quit playing at the age of 21, when my Elo was somewhere around 1950. I felt I was never any good. But with age I have become wiser and when I moved to a new city I felt like rekindling my old love for chess. In the meantime I only played blitz on the Internet and with my father, but that must have been good, because once I started playing in tournaments again last year my rating started going up pretty fast, from around 2000 to above 2150.

My new attitude to chess is to play with courage and not be afraid of losses – they will teach me. One of the first chess books I got last year was Mihai Suba’s excellent Positional Chess Sacrifices, from which I’ve learnt that exchanges are there to be sacrificed.

The Agony comes from my first tournament abroad, in Teplice, Czech republic, June last year. I sacrifice both exchanges against an FM 200 points above me. It could have been such a pretty win, right? But I lost track somewhere. What a pity!

The Ecstasy is from a tournament in Västerås, Sweden, in September. Another FM, 300 points stronger than me, steps straight into my preparation (I saw how Kasparov played against the KIA in Niksic 1983 against Ljubojevic and tried to imitate). This time I only sacrificed one exchange. I managed to keep a cool head. Such a sweet win.

Max has analysed his games extensively with Fritz (actually Fritz 11 SE). This is a difficult skill because you – and this applies to players of all strengths including grandmasters – tend to end up deferring to the engine's assessments when the most important thing is whether you could play the positions in a game. He did a lot of work and I've pruned it a little but left most intact. As usual, I've added my own comments as JS.

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E06: Closed Catalan: Early deviations 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.g3 c6 5.Bg2 dxc4 6.Ne5 Nbd7 7.Nxc4 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Nc3 JS: This is very good version for White, in which he's recaptured the pawn without incident and Black still has plenty of work to do to free himself and in particular the bishop on c8. Nb6 10.Ne5 Nbd5 10...Nfd5 11. Qb3 a5 12.a4 Nb4 13.Nf3 Bd7 14.Bd2 f6 15.Bh3 Qc8 16.e4 Bd6 17.Na2 c5 18.Nxb4 0.59 10...Bd7 11.e4 c5 12.Be3 cxd4 13.Bxd4 Be8 14.a4 Nfd7 15.Nxd7 Nxd7 16.e5 Nc5 17.b4 Nb3 18.Qxb3 Qxd4 19.b5 Rc8 20.Rac1 Rb8 21.Rfe1 Bc5 22.Ne4 Bb6 23.Kh1 a6 24.Red1 Qxe5 25.f4 Raetsky,A (2415)-Lemanczyk,T (2226) NRW 2001 1-0 (37) 10...Nfd7 11.Nf3 Nd5 12.Bd2 b6 13.e4 Nxc3 14.Bxc3 Bb7 15.Qe2 a5 16.Rfd1 Qe8 17.h4 b5 18.Bd2 b4 19.Bf4 Nf6 20.Ne5 Ba6 21.Qc2 Rc8 22.Nc4 Qd8 23.Rac1 Bb5 24.Bf3 a4 25.Be5 Gleizerov,E (2557)-Racioppo,P (2189) Turin 2000 1-0 (74) 11.e4 Nb6 12.Be3 Nbd7
12...Nfd7 13.Nd3 13.Qe2 JS: I'd be inclined to keep the position by retreating the knight. The exchange on e5 certainly isn't bad for White, but when a pawn gets stuck on e4 it interferes with the beautiful fanchettoed bishop. 13.Nd3 b6 14.f4 Ba6 15.e5 Nd5 16.Nxd5 cxd5 17.f5 is one nice way to play 13...Nxe5 14.dxe5 Nd7 15.f4 a6 15...b6 JS: looks more normal just trying to cover the black squares and get developed. 16.Rfd1 b5 17.Qf2 Qc7 18.Rd2 18.Rac1 Qb8± 18...c5 19.Nd5!? exd5 20.exd5 Qb8 21.d6 Bd8 JS: Of course this is very pretty but if and when White cashes in Black should get some play. 18...c5 19.Rad1 c4 Black gets more space 20.Rd6 Bxd6 JS This looks rather cooperative. When I'm offered material, my first rather cussed thought is normally whether I can ignore them entirely or, even better, play some intermediate move(s) and then take the bait under my terms. I therefore wondered about 20...b4 21.Nb1 21.Na4 Bxd6 22.exd6 Qc6 23.b3 e5 21...Bxd6 22.exd6 Qa5 21.exd6 Instead of 21.Rxd6 Bb7 21...Qb8 22.e5 White has a new protected passed pawn: d6. Black has a cramped position Bb7 23.Ne4 Bd5?
23...h6!?= is worth looking at 23...Qd8 JS: holding the position isn't too bad at all. 24.Qc2 h6 25.Nf6+ Nxf6 26.Bxb7 Rb8 27.Qg2 Nd5 28.Bxd5 exd5 29.Qxd5 Qd7 JS: I find positions like these very hard to assess. Of course it looks wonderful for White optically, but when he tries to do something he will have to be very careful not to let Black break out. 24.Rxd5!± JS: This lovely second exchange sacrifice gives White a terrific position. It's great to see Max trusting his instinct. exd5 25.Nc3 Qd8 26.Bxd5 26.Nxd5 Qa5 27.a3 Rad8±
Here Max gives a huge nest of variations, which is one of the problems of analysing with an engine, since they can generate them so easily. I've left them intact, since he obviously did so much work, but rather than get submerged, the one I'd want to look at is simply recapturing an exchange 28.Ne7+ 28.Bh3 Kh8 28...Rfe8 29.Ne7+ 29.Bg4 c3 30.Nxc3 b4 31.Bxd7 bxc3 32.Bxe8± 29...Kh8 30.Nc6 Qa4 31.Qf3 h6 32.Nxd8+- 28...b4 29.Ne7+ 29.Nxb4 Qa4 30.Qf3 c3 31.bxc3 Rb8 32.Kh1± 29...Kh8 30.axb4 Qxb4 31.Nc6 Qb5 32.Nxd8± 29.Bf5 29.Bg4 c3 30.Kg2 b4 31.Nxb4 cxb2 32.Qxb2 29...b4 30.Nxb4 Qb5 31.Qf3 Nb8 32.Bc2± 28.Be4 c3 28...Rfe8 29.Bd4 29.Qe2 c3 30.Nxc3 b4 31.axb4 Qxb4 32.Bc6± 29...c3 30.Bxc3 Qa4 31.Qf3 Qc4 32.Nc7+- 28...Kh8 29.Bd4 29.Bf5 b4 30.Nxb4 Qb5 31.Qf3 Nc5 32.Qd5± 29...c3 30.Bxc3 Qa4 31.Qf3 Rc8 32.Bf5+- 29.Qe1 29.Nxc3 b4 30.axb4 Qxb4 31.Bf5 Qb3 32.Bg4± 29...Kh8 30.Kg2 Rc8 31.Nxc3 Rfe8 32.Qd2± 28.Bd4 Qa4 28...Rde8 29.Be4 29.Qe2 Qd8 30.Nc7 Nb8 31.Nxe8 Rxe8 32.Be4± 29...f6 30.Ne7+ Rxe7 31.dxe7 Re8 32.e6+- 28...Rfe8 29.Qe2 29.Be4 Rb8 30.Nb4 Qd8 31.Nxa6 Rc8 32.Bb7+- 29...Rb8 30.Nc7 Nf6 31.Nxe8 Rxe8 32.Bc6+- 29.Qe2 29.Ne7+ Kh8 30.Qe2 c3 31.Bxc3 Qc4 32.Qe3+- 29...Rfe8 30.Be4 c3 31.Bxc3 Qc4 32.Qxc4+- 28.Qe2 c3 28...Rde8 29.Bd4 29.Be4 f5 30.Bg2 Qd8 31.Qd2 Nxe5 32.fxe5± 29...Qd8 30.Nc7 Re6 31.f5 Rxe5 32.Bxe5+- 28...Kh8 29.Bd4 29.Bf2 Rc8 30.Ne7 Rce8 31.Qh5 b4 32.Nc6± 29...Rde8 30.Be4 Re6 31.Nb4 c3 32.Nc6+- 29.Nxc3 29.Be4 Kh8 30.Bxh7 g6 31.Bxg6 fxg6 32.e6± 29...Nb6 30.Bf2 Kh8 31.Be4 Nd7 32.Nd5+- 28...Kh8 29.Nc6 29.Bd4 Rde8 30.f5 Qa4 31.Qe2 c3 32.Bxc3+- 29...Qa4 30.Nxd8 Qd1+!? 30...Rxd8 31.Qe2 c3 32.bxc3 Qxa3 33.Bd4 gives White an attack in additon to the huge passed pawn, but should certainly be preferred since after the exchange of queens it takes one more good move to make things absolutely clear: 31.Qf1 Qxf1+ 32.Kxf1 Rxd8 32...c3 to try to cover the d2-a5 diagonal 33.Nxf7+ Rxf7 34.bxc3 is utterly hopeless. 33.Bd2!
The bishop goes to a5 and in some cases c7, and Black is absolutely dead. 26...b4 26...Rc8 27.Ne4 h6 28.e6 fxe6 29.Bxe6+ Kh7 30.Bd4 Rb8 31. Qc2 g6 32.Kg2 Qe8 33.Qe2 Ne5 34.Bd5 Nc6 35.Nf6+ 0.47. Black threatens to win material: b4xc3 27.Ne4! JS: Sticking to his guns. The bishop on d5 is worth at least a rook and 27.Bxa8? Qxa8 28.Ne2 Qe4 would suddenly give Black great activity and the advantage. 27...Rc8 28.Ng5
White prepares e6 28...h6! If 28...Qa5 I (JS) had a a lot of fun with an engine finding the different wins: 29.Qf3! b3 29...h6 30.Nxf7 Rxf7 31.Bxf7+ Kxf7 32.Qg4! Qb5 33.e6+ Kg8 33...Ke8 34.Qg6+ Kd8 35.e7# 34.Bd4! g5 35.exd7 30.Qh5 h6! 31.Bxf7+ Kh8
32.Kg2‼ 32.Qg6? Qe1+ 33.Kg2 Qe2+ 34.Bf2 hxg5 32...Qe1 33.Bf2 Qb1 34.axb3 cxb3 35.Be6 Rcd8 36.Nf7+ Rxf7 37.Qxf7 Qe4+ 38.Kh3 Qf3 39.Bxd7 Qxf2 40.Bf5 Qf1+ 41.Kh4 Qe2 42.h3 29.Nxf7 Rxf7 30.e6 c3 31.bxc3 bxc3 32.exf7+ Kh8?
JS: What White wants to do now, is to exchange the d-pawn for the c-pawn, when the f6-pawn in conjunction with the bishops ought to carry the day. Max's next move was dubious and he actually gave it ??, but this is certainly an overreaction to the engine lines in what is a very messy postion to the human eye. 32...Kf8 JS should lead to a draw: Max gives this line from Fritz: 33.Bb3 Qf6 34.Qc2 g6 35.Qd3 c2 36.Bxc2 Qc3 37.Qe4 Qe1+ 38.Kg2 Qe2+ 39.Kh1 Qe1+ 40.Bg1 Qxe4+ 41.Bxe4 Kxf7 42.Bd5+ Ke8 33.Bb3? 33.Be6 was unobvious because it allows c2, but in fact better since it ties the black pieces down for the moment, and Bb3 allows Black to target the d-pawn. 33.Be6 Rb8 and now 33...c2 34.Bc1! 34.Kg2 Nf8 34...a5 35.a3 a4 36.h4 Nf8 37.Bxc8 Qxc8+- 35.Bxc8 Qxc8 36.Qd2 Qb7+ 37.Kh3 Qxf7 and Black is fighting hard since if 38.Qxc2 Qe6+ 39.f5 Qxe3 40.Qc8 Kh7 41.Qxf8 Qd3 White has to jettison the d-pawn to prevent perpetual check. 34...Rb8 34...Rc6 35.Bxd7 Rxd6 36.Qe3! 36.Be8 35.Qxc2 Nf8 36.Bb3 Qb6+ 37.Kg2 Qxd6+- 34.Bb3!+- is much stronger now that the c-pawn is loose. Nf8 34...Nf6 35.Bd4 Rc8 36.Be5 Nd7 37.Kg2 Qf8+- 34...Qf6 35.Qc2 Qxd6 35...Rc8 36.Qe4 Nf8 37.d7 36.Qxc3 is what White wants. 35.Bd4 Rxb3 36.axb3 Qxd6 37.Bxc3 Qc7+- 33...Nf8 33...Nf6!? was also interesting. 34.Bc5± Necessary to defend the d-pawn, but loose. Qa5?! 34...Qd7!? 35.Qe3 Qc6± 36.d7 Qxd7 37.Bxf8 Rxf8 38.Qxc3 Kh7 looks unpleasant for Black but in fact isn't so clear since while White is trying to cash in, Black is likely to get a lot of checks. For example if 39.Bc2+ 39.h4 Qg4 40.Qe3 g6 41.Kh2 keeps more control just playing. 39...g6 40.Qf6 Qxf7 41.Bxg6+ Qxg6 42.Qxf8 Qb1+ 43.Kg2 Qxa2+ 44.Kh3 Qe2! and Black seems to survive. 34...c2! destabilises the position before White is ready. 35.Bxc2 Qa5 36.Bd4 Qxa2 and with Black having a passed a pawn and active queen and rook it's already very unclear. 35.Bb6+- Qf5 Black prepares the advance c2 36.Bc7 36.Qc2 Qb5 37.Bc7 Qc5+ 38.Kg2 Qc6+ 39.Kf2 Nd7+- 36...Qb1+ 36...a5 37.Kg2 a4 38.Qc2 Qc5 39.Bxa4 Qd5+ 40.Kf2 Qc5+ 41.Kf1 Qc4+ 42.Ke1 Qxf7 43.Qxc3 Ne6 44. d7 Rxc7 45.Qxc7 Nxc7 46. d8Q+ Kh7 47.Bc2+ 1.61 36...Qd3!?± 37.Kg2+- Qb2 38.f5?! JS: Wrong, because it gives the knight the e5 square. Instead 38.Kf3! prepares Qe2 and gets the king closer to the c-pawn. Nd7 39.Qe2 Rf8 40.Ba5 Qa1 41.Qd1 Qxd1+ 42.Bxd1 Rxf7 43.Bxc3 Black has got the f-pawn, but the d-pawn remains and with the white king active this should be more than enough. 38...Nd7
39.Be6?? JS: Of course I do agree with these ?? since the move loses. Instead 39.Qc2 Ne5 40.d7 Nxd7 41.Bd6 should in fact hold, but already it's White who has to be accurate: a5 42.Kf3 a4
43.Qe4! 43.Bxa4 loses to Qb7+ 44.Kg4 44.Qe4 Qxe4+ 45.Kxe4 Rc4+ 44...Nf6+ 45.Kh3 Qxf7 43...axb3 44.Qe8+ Rxe8 45.fxe8Q+ Kh7 with at least and in fact precisely perpetual check. 39...c2-+ 40.Bxd7 Rf8 41.Be6 41.Kh3 does not help much Qb1 42.Qd2 Qf1+ 43.Kg4 Qd1+ 44.Qxd1 cxd1Q+ 44...cxd1R?? 45.Be8+- 45.Kf4 Rxf7-+ 41...c1Q 42.Qxb2 Qxb2+ 43.Kh3 Qc2 44.g4 h5! Here's the full point. 45.Kh4 45. gxh5 Rxf7 46.Bxf7 Qxf5+ 47. Kh4 Qxf7 48.a3 Qf4+ 49. Kh3 Kg8 50.Kg2 Kf7 51.h3 Ke6 52.a4 Qxa4 53.Kg3 Qb5 54. Kg4 Qf5+ -6.88 45.gxh5 Rxf7 Combination 45...Qxh2+ 46.Kg5 Qd2+ 47.Kh4 Qf4 A sad end for Max to a game in which he followed his instinct splendidly with two exchange sacrifices, but then went wrong in a very complicated position and finally imploded, as he allowed the enemy passed pawn to queen. 47...Qf4 48.Kh3 h4-+ 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Wahlund,M2070Sylvan,J23250–12016E06Teplice 20162

Like to learn more about this opening? Here are some DVDs on the Catalan


Max Wahlund | Photo: Lars OA Hedlund

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A08: King's Indian Attack 1.e4 e6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.Ngf3 Nc6 5.g3 g6 6.Bg2 Bg7 7.0-0 Nge7 8.Re1 h6 9.h4 b6
10.e5 JS: Too ambitious, since this pawn can be surrounded immediately. 10.c3 is most common though Ba6 looks sensible when 11.exd5 Nxd5 is just a King's Indian reversed. 10...Qc7 11.Qe2 Ba6 11...g5 JS is critical immediately 12.hxg5 hxg5 13.Nxg5 Qxe5 and Black is more than equal. 12.c3? 12.Nf1 JS: is correct to prevent g5. 12...g5! 13.hxg5 hxg5
14.c4? JS: This move is often good in "similar" lines, but here it weakens d4 catastrophically, inviting ...Nd4 with huge effect. Fritz 11 SE: 14.Qd1 g4 15.Nh2 Bxd3 16.Nxg4 0-0-0 JSL Obviously, this is much better for Black. 14...g4 15.Nh2 Fritz 11 SE: 15.Nh4 Qxe5 16.cxd5 Qxe2 17.Rxe2 Nd4 JS: is horrible for White. 15...Rxh2!? JS: This is enticing but simply 15...Qxe5 was terrific 16.cxd5 Qxe2 simply 16...exd5 17.Qd1 Qh5 18.Ndf1 0-0-0 should also win. 17.Rxe2 Nd4 18.Re4 f5 19.Rxd4 Bxd4 20.dxe6 0-0-0-+ 16.Kxh2 Nxe5 JS: Obviously this was Max's intention when playing Rxh2, though 16...Qxe5 was also strong. 17.cxd5 17.f4 JS: was stronger, because if Black takes en passant White gets his pieces out, though N5g6 17...gxf3 18.Nxf3 Ng4+ 19.Kh3! and JS White apparently survives 0-0-0 20.Kxg4 Bf6 21.Bf4 Rg8+ 22.Kh3 Rh8+ 23.Kg4= 18.cxd5 0-0-0 is still excellent for Black. 17...Bxd3 18.Qe3 Fritz 11 SE: 18.Qd1 0-0-0 19.dxe6 N7c6 20.e7 Qxe7 21.f4 gxf3 22.Nxf3 Bb5 23.Bd2 Ng4+ 24.Kg1 Qc7 25.Qc2 Qxg3 JS: This very logical line from Fritz is winning easily. 18...0-0-0 19.Qg5 Fritz 11 SE: 19.dxe6 fxe6 20.Qg5 Nf5 21.Kg1 Rh8 22.Nb3 JS: Here Fritz and friends give Nxg3, but in practice you'd probably just tee up on the h-file. Qf7 22...Nxg3 23.Rxe5 Qxe5 24.Qxe5 Bxe5 25.fxg3 c4 26.Bf4 Bxb2 27.Rd1 cxb3! 23.Bf4 Nf3+ 23...Bf6 24.Qxf6 leads to a mess 24.Bxf3 gxf3 25.Qg4 Ba6! 26.Rad1 Bf6 27.Rd6 Nxd6 28.Bxd6 28.Rxe6 Qd7! 28...Be2 29.Rxe2 fxe2 30.Qxe2 Qd7 and not only is Black the exchange up but he has a huge attack too. 19...N7g6 20.dxe6 20.d6 Qxd6 JS : With two pawns for the exchange and a big attack coming, Black is winning. He'll often play .. . f6 followed by ...Ng6-e7-f5-d4. 20...Rh8+ 21.Kg1 f6 22.Qe3 Bh6 23.f4 JS: Obviously 23.Qxh6 is totally hopeless, since White gets only a rook for the queen. 23...gxf3 24.Qf2
24...fxg2? JS: Cashing in a move too early, though this does win very easily. 24...Bxd2! was even stronger because Bxd2 gets mated. 25.Bxd2 25.Bxf3 Bxe1 is utterly hopeless of course. 25...Qh7! 25.Qxg2 Qb7 26.Ne4 26.Qxb7+ Kxb7 JS: leaves White helpless. 26...Bxe4 27.Rxe4 f5 28.Re2 Nf3+ 29.Kf2 Bxc1 30.e7 Nxe7 31.Rxe7 Qxe7 32.Qxf3
32...Bxb2 32...Be3+! JS: would have forced the win with checks though you'd have to see 33.Qxe3 Rh2+ 34.Kf3 Qb7+ 35.Kf4 Qc7+ 36.Kf3 36.Kxf5 Rf2+! 36...Qc6+ 37.Kf4 Qh6+ 38.Kf3 Qh5+ 33.Qa8+ Kd7 34.Rd1+ Bd4+ 35.Rxd4+ cxd4 36.Qxh8 Qe3+ 37.Kg2 Qe4+
JS: This queen ending should be an easy win, since the d-pawn is huge and the black king has several potential places to run to for cover. 38.Kh2 38.Kf2 Qc2+ is very similar. White can't stop the d-pawn, so it doesn't help to have the king near it. 38...d3 39.Qh7+ Kc6 40.Qxa7 Fritz 11 SE: 40.Qg6+ Kb5 41.Qf7 Qe2+ 42.Kh3 d2 43.Qxf5+ Kb4 44.Qf8+ Ka4 45.Qf4+ Ka5 46.Qg5+ Ka6 47.Qd5 d1Q 48.Qxd1 Qxd1 49.g4 Qa4 50.Kg3 Qxa2 51.Kf4 Qf7+ 52.Ke5 Kb5 53.g5 a5 54.Ke4 a4 40...d2 41.Qa8+ Kb5 42.a4+ Kb4 43.Qf8+ Kxa4 JS: A very nice game, in which Max got the advantage early on after a thematic though far from forced exchange sacrifice. His raging attack soon won material, and while he could have wrapped things up earlier a couple of times, he still kept full control and won easily and cleanly. 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Arman,D2340Wahlund,M20430–12016A08Västerås Open 20167

Interested in this opening? We have a very popular Fritztrainer on it:

King’s Indian Attack

By Nigel Davies

The King’s Indian Attack is a unique opening system in that it offers White a dynamic and interesting game, but without the need to know reams of theory. In addition to being easy to learn it has an excellent pedigree: leading exponents include great players such as Bobby Fischer, Tigran Petrosian, David Bronstein, Viktor Korchnoi, Leonid Stein and Lev Psakhis. It is playable as either a complete, self-contained opening system or as part of a regular 1.e4 repertoire.

On this DVD Davies presents a complete repertoire for White as well as the lines he can use to supplement a King’s Pawn repertoire. Having had extensive experience in these positions he is able to communicate the plans and ideas in lucid fashion.

Davies has been an International Grandmaster since 1993 and is a former British Open Quickplay and U21 Champion. He has extensive experience with Closed Sicilian type positions having played them for most of his chess career.

  • Video running time: more than five hours (English)
  • Level: Advanced, Tournament player
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Jonathan Speelman, born in 1956, studied mathematics but became a professional chess player in 1977. He was a member of the English Olympic team from 1980–2006 and three times British Champion. He played twice in Candidates Tournaments, reaching the semi-final in 1989. He twice seconded a World Championship challenger: Nigel Short and then Viswanathan Anand against Garry Kasparov in London 1993 and New York 1995.

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