The Beauty of Chess Tricks
By GM Lubomir Kavalek
At the time Paul Morphy was conquering the best European players in the late
1850s, William Steinitz came to Vienna to start his chess career. "I didn't
play with the object to win directly, but to sacrifice a piece," he admitted.
He played for tricks. Sacrifice after sacrifice, combination after combination
earned him the nickname "the Austrian Morphy." His combinational craft
is clearly visible in the following fragment:
Reiner-Steinitz, Vienna 1860
16...Qh4!! The queen sacrifice does the trick. It is also
the shortest way to win. The queen deflects the rook from the square g1, threatening
17...Qh2 mate at the same time. 17.Rg2. After 17.Rxh4 Rg1 mates.
17...Qxh2+! 18.Rxh2 Rg1 mate.
What is a chess trick? In her book Judit Polgar Teaches Chess 1: How I
beat Fischer's record, the all-time best woman attempts to define it:
"I see the trick as a basically simple (maximum two or three moves),
but very well masked, tactical operation. It requires imagination, alertness,
lack of preconceptions, and the ability to intuitively perceive the intimate
dynamic nuances of the position. These qualities allow spotting, foreseeing
or aiming to deliver a trick."
Polgar wrote the book, the first volume of her trilogy published by Quality
Chess, together with the Romanian grandmaster Mihai Marin. It is conceived
as a teaching manual based on her games and fragments. The first chapter of
the book is called Tricks and in the first example Polgar uses a stunning deflection
to win a friendly game against Jozsef Palkovi:
Palkovi-Polgar Judit, Budapest, 1989
1...Rh2+! and White resigned. After 2.Kxh2 exf2 and the pawn
queens because black has two squares to promote it. Polgar admits: "I was
labeled as a tricky player early on and have been regarded as tricky throughout
my whole career. It was said that I was able to pull out tricks from nowhere."
The late world champion Vassily Smyslov nicknamed her "Tal in a skirt."
She enjoys being compared to the brilliant world champion Misha Tal.
Throughout his career, Tal created many great combinations and there are not
enough books about his skills. The latest is The Magic of Tactics of Mikhail
Tal by Karsten Muller and Raymund Stolze, published by New
In Chess. It is the English version of the German book we liked in our
review.
But Tal also made many unsound sacrifices. And somehow when nobody would bet
a dime on his position, he turned it around with a wonderful trick.
[Event "Munich Chess Olympiad "] [Site "Munich"] [Date "1958.??.??"] [Round
"?"] [White "Tal, Mikhail"] [Black "Tringov, Georgi "] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator
"GM Lubomir Kavalek/The Huffington Post"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "r1b1kr2/1p3pp1/p1n1p2p/8/4q3/1N6/PPP1BKPP/R2Q1R2
b q - 0 16"] [PlyCount "8"] [EventDate "1958.10.11"] [EventType "team"] [EventRounds
"11"] [EventCountry "GER"] {Black is a pawn up and can easily cover the dark
squares in his position. But as it happens in many Tal's games, black blunders
a piece away.} 16... Bd7 $4 { Falling for a little trick.} ({After} 16... Qe5
17. Kg1 Bd7 {White has no compensation for a pawn.}) 17. Qxd7+ $1 {Winning a
piece. Game over.} Kxd7 18. Nc5+ Ke7 19. Nxe4 f5 20. Nc5 1-0
This fragment brings another element: tricks are often possible only with the
opponent's help.
I had my own experience in three games against Drazen Marovic, the Croatian
grandmaster and editor of the Yugoslavian chess monthly Sahovski Glasnik.
It began during our student years.
"You only play for tricks," Marovic told me at the Student Olympiad
in Krakow in 1964. And the Yugoslav master had his reasons. Our game finished
with a queen sacrifice I had predicted before the game in a conversation with
our coach, Frantisek Pithart. I was lucky because I would not have able to do
it without Marovic's help.
[Event "Krakow st ol final"] [Site "?"] [Date "1964.??.??"] [Round "1"] [White
"Kavalek, Lubomir"] [Black "Marovic, Drazen"] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator "GM
Lubomir Kavalek/The Huffington Post"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "5rk1/ppR2p1p/q2p2pB/P2pb3/1P1n2P1/5Q1P/6B1/7K
w - - 0 35"] [PlyCount "1"] [EventDate "1964.??.??"] {Black had a draw at hand:
after 34...Ne2-g3+ the position would have been repeated three times. But Marovic
lived under the illusion that he is better, played 34...Ne2-d4 and allowed the
promised queen sacrifice.} 35. Qxf7+ $3 { And Black resigned.} ({He is mated
after} 35. Qxf7+ Rxf7 36. Rc8+ Rf8 37. Rxf8# ) 1-0
At the Student Olympiad in Marianske Lazne in 1962 I played Marovic for the
first time and he remembered the encounter as well. Throughout the competition
I was in a creative mood. For example, I have conceived my
signature game against Eduard Gufeld, winning the brilliancy prize. The
game with Marovic was another tactical adventure. At that time Marovic selected
the wrong path and the punches began to fall.
[Event "Marianske Lazne st ol"] [Site "?"] [Date "1962.??.??"] [Round "5"] [White
"Kavalek, L."] [Black "Marovic, D."] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator "GM Lubomir Kavalek/The
Huffington Post"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "r1b2rk1/p1p3n1/2Pq1bn1/5p2/4p3/1PN3P1/PB2Q1B1/R3NRK1
w - - 0 23"] [PlyCount "23"] [EventDate "1962.??.??"] 23. Rd1 $5 {Facing a loss
of pawn, I forced Marovic to make a choice and he made the wrong one.} Qxc6
$2 ({The game turns now by 180 degrees. Black should have taken the other pawn
in front of the white king:} 23... Qxg3 {for example: } 24. Nxe4 {Marovic was
obviously afraid of this move, but he should have calculated further:} fxe4
25. Bxf6 (25. Rxf6 Rxf6 26. Bxf6 Nf4 27. Rd8+ (27. Qxe4 $2 Nh3+ 28. Kh1 Nf2+
$19) 27... Kf7 28. Qd2 Nge6 29. Rh8 Kxf6 30. Qb2+ Kf7 $19) 25... Nf4 26. Rxf4
Qxf4 27. Bc3 Bg4 28. Qc4+ Rf7 $19) 24. Nxe4 $1 {The knight sacrifice brings
the game into full swing with diagonal attacks, pins and other tactical devices.}
fxe4 ({Other moves are weaker:} 24... Qb6+ 25. Nf2 Ba6 26. Bd5+ Kh7 27. Qf3
Bxb2 28. Qh1+ Nh5 29. Qxh5+ Kg7 30. Bxa8 Bxf1 31. Rd7+ Rf7 (31... Kf6 32. g4
$1) 32. Rxf7+ Kxf7 33. Qxf5+ Kg7 34. Kxf1 {wins.}) (24... Bxb2 25. Nf2 Qc3 26.
Bd5+ Kh7 (26... Ne6 27. Bxe6+ Kg7 28. Rd3 $16) 27. Ne4 $3 {Mixing offense and
defense.} fxe4 28. Qh2+ Nh5 29. Qxh5+ Kg7 30. Rxf8 Qxg3+ 31. Ng2 Nxf8 32. Rf1
{wins.}) 25. Rxf6 $1 {An additional sacrifice is necessary to control the dark
squares.} Rxf6 26. Bxe4 Re6 $6 {Marovic defends with a pin, but he would be
better off to use the pin differently:} (26... Qb6+ $5 27. Bd4 Qe6 $1 28. Bxf6
Bb7 29. Bxg7 Bxe4 (29... Qxe4 30. Qxe4 Bxe4 31. Rd7 $16) 30. Bd4 Re8 {and black
is still in the game.}) 27. Rd8+ Ne8 ({Other moves lose:} 27... Kh7 28. Qh5+
$3 Nxh5 29. Rh8# {Everything is possible when the pieces achieve harmony.})
(27... Nf8 28. Rxf8+ Kxf8 29. Qf3+ $18) (27... Kf7 28. Qf2+ Rf6 29. Nf3 Qb6
(29... Qxe4 30. Ng5+ Ke7 31. Bxf6#) 30. Bd4 {the picturesque lineup of white's
bishop pair decides, for example} c5 31. Ng5+ Ke7 32. Bxc5+ $18 {and white has
a choice of which cherry to pick:} Kxd8 33. Qd4+ Bd7 34. Bxb6+ Rxb6 35. Qxg7
Rc8 36. Bxg6 $18) 28. Bxc6 Rxe2 29. Bxa8 {The storm is over, but it is not yet
quiet.} Ba6 (29... Rxe1+ 30. Kf2 Rb1 31. Rxe8+ Kf7 32. Re2 $18 {white is a pawn
up and the bishop pair gives him a clear upperhand.}) 30. Bc3 Kf7 $2 {Walking
into an ambush.} (30... Kh7 31. Bf3 (31. Rd7+ Re7 32. Rxe7+ Nxe7 33. Bd4 Nc8
34. Nf3) 31... Re7 32. Rd5 $18) 31. Bf3 $1 Rxa2 $2 {Allowing a decisive attack,
but after} (31... Re3 32. Bd2 Re5 33. Ra8 $18 {white wins the second pawn.})
32. Rd7+ $1 Kf8 ({White wins more beautifully after} 32... Ne7 33. Bh5+ Kf8
34. Bg7+ $3 {winning both knights} ( 34. Bb4 Nd6 35. Rxc7 Ndc8 36. Nf3 {also
wins.}) 34... Nxg7 (34... Kxg7 35. Rxe7+ Kh6 36. Bxe8 $18) 35. Rd8+ Ne8 36.
Rxe8+ Kg7 37. Rxe7+ $18) (32... Ke6 33. Bg4#) 33. Bb4+ Kg8 (33... Nd6 34. Rxc7
$18) 34. Bd5+ (34. Bd5+ Kh8 35. Bc3+ {and Black will be mated.}) 1-0
Caissa, the chess goddess, is just, fair and merciful to her subjects and what
she takes away, she often gives back. I am sure that the sacrifice on e4 in
the above game was fixed in Marovic's mind and that it reapeared during his
game against Tigran Petrosian in Amsterdam in 1973:
[Event "IBM"] [Site "Amsterdam"] [Date "1973.??.??"] [Round "8"] [White "Marovic,
Drazen"] [Black "Petrosian, Tigran "] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "2br1r1k/p5b1/np1P2q1/1Np2pNn/2P1p2B/P6P/1P2R1BK/4Q1R1
w - - 0 33"] [PlyCount "17"] [EventDate "1973.??.??"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds
"15"] [EventCountry "NED"] [EventCategory "12"] 33. Nxe4 $1 fxe4 34. Bxe4 Qe6
35. Re3 Rde8 36. Be7 Rf5 37. Bxf5 Qxf5 38. Rg5 $1 Qf7 39. Qh4 $1 Kg8 40. Rxh5
Bxh3 41. Kxh3 1-0
In 1968, we played in the IBM tournament in Amsterdam. The outcome was important
since I was able to finish first ahead of the legendary grandmaster David Bronstein.
My victory in the game against Marovic came out of nowhere. He resigned in a
position in which I had plenty of threats and we both thought it was not premature.
We both missed that Marovic could have saved the game with a stunning trick.
[Event "IBM"] [Site "Amsterdam"] [Date "1968.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Kavalek,
Lubomir"] [Black "Marovic, Drazen"] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator "GM Lubomir Kavalek/The
Huffington Post"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "5qk1/2rn1rp1/1p2p2p/nB1pP3/3P3P/1P2QNP1/5R2/4R2K
w - - 0 32"] [PlyCount "5"] [EventDate "1968.07.??"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds
"15"] [EventCountry "NED"] 32. Ref1 {I was trying to build up the kingside attack
and Marovic decided to force the play.} Qb4 $5 ({It is too late to bring other
pieces for the defense: } 32... Nb7 33. Bd3 Qb4 34. Bg6 Rf8 35. Ng5 $1 hxg5
36. Bf7+ Rxf7 37. Rxf7 Nd8 38. Rxg7+ Kxg7 39. Qxg5+ {wins.}) ({And after the
passive} 32... Qe7 33. Bd3 Nf8 {white can roll the g-pawn} 34. g4) 33. Ng5 $1
{Marovic confessed he underestimated the strength of the trick.} Rxf2 34. Qxf2
{To my surprise, Marovic resigned. He must have seen the ghosts from the past.
White has two pieces hanging and neither can be taken. Moreover, white threatens
35.Nxe6 and 35.Qf7+ and mate. But there was a way out neither of us had seen.}
(34. Qxf2 Nxe5 $1 {An unexpected resource, defending the square f7. Other moves
lose:} ( 34... hxg5 35. Qf7+ Kh8 36. Qe8+ Kh7 37. Bd3+ $18) (34... Qxb5 35.
Qf7+ Kh8 36. Qf8+ Nxf8 37. Rxf8#) (34... Nf8 {is refuted by a forking combination:}
35. Qxf8+ Qxf8 36. Rxf8+ Kxf8 37. Nxe6+ {winning a piece.}) (34... Qe7 35. Nf7
Rc8 ({After} 35... Nxb3 {the white pieces have a funny way to sneak in:} 36.
Nd6 Nf8 37. Be8 Na5 38. Qf4 Nc4 39. Bf7+ Kh7 40. Ne8 Ra7 41. Nxg7 $1 {and white
wins.}) 36. Nd6 Rf8 37. Qc2 Rxf1+ 38. Bxf1 {the knight on a5 is hopelessly out
of play.}) 35. dxe5 (35. Nxe6 Rf7 $11) 35... hxg5 36. Qxb6 (36. Bd3 gxh4 37.
Qf3 hxg3 38. Qh5 g2+ $1 39. Kxg2 Qd2+ 40. Rf2 Qxd3 {and white has to take the
draw with} 41. Qe8+) 36... Qe4+ 37. Kg1 Rc3 $1 ({Not} 37... Rc2 38. Qxe6+ Kh7
( 38... Kh8 39. Qe8+ Kh7 40. Qh5+ Kg8 41. Rf8+ Kxf8 42. Qe8#) 39. Qf5+ Qxf5
40. Rxf5 {and white should win. The e-pawn is too dangerous.}) 38. Qd8+ Kh7
39. Qxg5 Qe3+ 40. Qxe3 Rxe3 41. b4 Nc4 {with equal chances.}) 1-0
Original
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