Bring your own bottle and fork

by Jonathan Speelman
1/16/2022 – Years ago the great Mikhail Tal pithily expounded a critical aspect of all out attacking chess, noting that it is only possible to capture one piece at a time. In full battle cry, Tal’s instinct was not to retreat attacked pieces, especially minor pieces — but to pour more oil on the fire by putting further units en prise! Jonathan Speelman explores this theme using games by Tal and Fischer, as well as more recent examples. | Pictured: Fischer and Tal in Zurich, 1959 / Photo via skaksogufelagid.is

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One piece at a time

[Note that Jon Speelman also looks at the content of the article in video format, here embedded at the end of the article.]

Years ago the great Mikhail Tal pithily expounded a critical aspect of all out attacking chess: “They can only take one piece at a time” (I don’t have the exact quote but know the gist).

In full battle cry, Tal’s instinct was not to retreat attacked pieces, especially minor pieces: but to pour more oil on the fire by putting further units en prise.  Not only was this often the correct tactical decision, but it could also have a powerful psychological effect, though the example we start with is absolutely sound.

 
Tal vs. Chikovani (1968)

Here Black played 18...h6?, presumably intending to get some play after 19 Bxh6 Ng4, but 19 Bxe6! was utterly devastating, and Tal won a few moves later.

 
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I've picked this game up only for Black's mistake in the diagram and Tal's energetic refutation. 1.c4 c6 2.e4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nf3 Be7 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Bd3 Nc6 9.0-0 0-0 10.Re1 Nf6 11.a3 b6 12.Bc2 Ba6 12...Bb7 13.Qd3 g6 13...Rc8? 14.d5 exd5 15.Bg5 Ne4 15...g6 16.Rxe7 Qxe7 17.Nxd5+- 16.Nxe4 dxe4 17.Qxe4 g6 18.Qh4± 14.Bh6 Re8 15.Rad1 13.Bg5 13.b4 Bc4 14.b5 Na5 15.Ne5 Rc8 16.Re3 g6∞ Buturin, V-Savon,V/Lvov/1981/0,5/46/ 13...Rc8 14.Qd2 14.Rc1 Nd5 15.Bxe7 Ncxe7 16.Qd2 Qd6 17.Ne5 Nxc3 18.bxc3 f6 19.Bd3! Bxd3 20.Nxd3 Brinck Claussen, B-Danielsen,H/Copenhagen/ 1991/1:0/38/ 14...Qd6 14...Na5!? 15.Rad1 Nc4 16.Qc1 Qc7 17.d5! Nxa3 18.d6! Novik M-Vasiukov,E/Leningrad/1991/0, 5/34/ 15.Rad1 Rfd8 16.Bb1 16.Bb3 Na5 17.Ba2 Bc4 17...Nc4 18.Qe2 Nd5 19.Bxe7 Nxc3 20.bxc3 Qxe7∞ 18.Bb1 Nd5= 16...Qb8 16...Na5!? 17.Qc2 g6 18.Ba2
18...h6? 18...Na5 19.Ne5 Bc4 20.Nxc4 Nxc4 21.Qe2 b5 19.Bxe6! 19.Bxh6 Ng4 19...hxg5 19...fxe6 20.Qxg6+ Kh8 21.Bxf6++- 19...Kg7 20.Bxf7 hxg5 20...Kxf7 21.Ne5++- 21.Qxg6+ Kf8 22.Nxg5+- 20.Qxg6+ Unsurprisingly, Black is now slaughtered on the white squares. Kh8 21.Qh6+ Kg8 22.Nxg5 Rf8 22...fxe6 23.Qg6+ Kf8 23...Kh8 24.Nf7# 24.Nxe6# 23.Re4 23.Qg6+ Kh8 24.Bxf7+- 23.Re4 Qd6 24.Qg6+ Kh8 25.Rh4+ Nh7 26.Qxh7#
1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Tal,M-Chikovani,I-1–01968D42Karseladze Memorial8

Mikhail tal

Mikhail Tal in Hoogeveen, 1976 | Photo: Rob Meremiet / Anefo

I was reminded of Tal’s quote by a game played earlier this week in Yerevan, which I saw online as the days ticked down to the beginning of Wijk aan Zee.

 
Petrov vs. Hovik (2022)

Black had just played 17...Bh4-d8, believing that he could thus keep his position intact. But the beautiful 18 Nf5! crushed his hopes, and in fact he resigned just three moves later faced with mate-in-one!

18....0–0 [18...g6 19.Nd6+ Kf8 20.Qf3 Rh7 (20...f5 21.exf6 Nxb3 (21...exd5 22.Rhe1 Be6 23.Qxd5!) 22.Nf4) ]

19.Nf6+ gxf6?!

[Or 19...Bxf6 20.exf6 Nxb3 (20...Nd7 21.Ne7+ Kh7 22.Qxa5) 21.Nxh6+ gxh6 22.Qxh6]

20.Qg4+ 1–0

 
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I saw this game on Monday January 10th and very much liked the tactic in the diagram. 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 Nbd7 7.Bc4 e6 8.Qe2 Qa5 8...b5 9.Bb3 9.Bxe6 is always to be considered in this type of position but much more effective when the f8 bishop has moved so that he can follow up with Nxg7+-Nf5. 9...Nc5 10.0-0-0 h6 11.Bh4 Bb7 12.e5 g5 13.Bg3 Nfe4 14.Nxe4 Nxe4 15.exd6 Bg7 16.d7+ Kf8 17.Rhe1 Qb6 18.Nxe6+ fxe6 19.Qf3+ Ke7 20.Rxe4 Bxe4 21.Qxe4 1-0 (21) Nepomniachtchi,I (2776)-Ding Liren (2811) chess.com INT 2019 9.f4 Be7 10.0-0-0 Nb6?! 10...h6 11.Bh4 11.Bb3?! 11.Nb3! Qb4 12.Bxa6! bxa6 13.Rd4 Nc4 14.Rxc4 Qb8± 11...h6 12.Bh4 Nbd7 13.Kb1 Nc5 14.e5 dxe5 15.fxe5 Nd5 16.Nxd5 Bxh4 17.Qh5 Bd8? Trying to keep the position intact, but it loses.
17...exd5 18.Bxd5 0-0 19.Qxh4± 18.Nf5! 0-0 18...g6 19.Nd6+ Kf8 20.Qf3 Rh7 20...f5 21.exf6 Nxb3 21...exd5 22.Rhe1 Be6 23.Qxd5! 22.Nf4 18...exf5 19.Nf6+ Bxf6 20.Qxf7# 18...exd5 19.Nd6+ Kd7 20.Qxf7+ Be7 21.Rxd5+- 19.Nf6+ gxf6?! Or 19...Bxf6 20.exf6 Nxb3 20...Nd7 21.Ne7+ Kh7 22.Qxa5 21.Nxh6+ gxh6 22.Qxh6 19...Kh8 20.Nxh6 20.Qg4+
1–0
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Petrov,N2559Hovik,H24991–02022B94A.Margaryan 20222.3

The pretty self fork set me thinking, and I began by finding a short video by Simon Williams on forks which included a famous game in which Bobby Fischer self forked against Tal and got the advantage but later lost.

 
Fischer vs. Tal (Candidates, 1959)

13.Bd5! Ra7 followed.

 
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I'm mainly interested in the self fork rather than the details of this important and highly complex battle. 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3 7.0-0 Be7 8.Bb3 Qc7 9.f4 b5 10.f5 b4 11.fxe6!? 11.Nce2 e5 12.Nf3 Bb7-+ 11...bxc3 12.exf7+ Kf8 13.Bg5 Ng4!-+ Fischer,R-Blackstone,J Davis sim 1964 7...b5! 7...Be7? 8.f4 0-0 9.Qf3 Qc7 10.f5! 10.0-0? b5 11.f5 b4! 12.Na4 e5 13.Ne2 Bb7 10...e5 10...Nc6 11.Be3 11.Nde2 b5 12.a3 Bb7 13.g4 8.f4!? 8.0-0 Be7 8...b4 9.Na4 Nxe4 10.Re1 Nf6 11.Bg5 9.Qf3!? Qc7 9...Bb7? 10.Bxe6! 10.Qg3 b4 11.Nce2 g6 12.a3? 12.Bh6! 12...Nxe4 13.Qe3 Nf6 14.axb4 0-0∞ Fischer,R-Olafsson, F Buenos Aires 1960 8.Qf3 Bb7 9.Bg5 b4 10.Na4 Nbd7 11.0-0 Qa5 12.Bxf6 Nxf6 13.Rfe1 Be7= Byrne,R-Evans,L ch-USA 1967 8...b4! 9.Na4 Nxe4 9...Bb7 10.0-0 g6? 10...Bb7 11.f5! gxf5 11...exf5 12.Bd5 Ra7 13.Nxf5! gxf5 14.Qd4+- 12.Nxf5 Rg8
12...d5 13.Nh6 Bxh6 14.Bxh6 12...exf5? 13.Qd5 Ra7 14.Qd4+- 13.Bd5! Ra7 13...exd5 14.Qxd5 Bxf5 15.Rxf5 Ra7 16.Qxe4+ Re7 17.Qxb4 Re2 18.Bg5! Rxg5 19.Rxg5 Qxg5 20.Qxb8++- Panov,V 14.Bxe4 This was given a ? in the bulletin and Megabase notes, but my engine thinks that it's actually best. 14.Be3! Nc5 15.Qh5! Rg6 15...Nxa4 16.Bxa7 exd5 17.Rae1+ 16.Rae1! 14...exf5 15.Bxf5 15.Bd5 15.Bf3 15...Re7! 16.Bxc8 Qxc8 17.Bf4? 17.c3! Qc6 18.Rf2± 17.Qxd6? Rxg2+ 18.Kxg2 Re2+ 19.Kf3 Bxd6 20.Kxe2 Qxc2+-+ 17...Qc6! 18.Qf3 Qxa4! 18...Qxf3 19.Rxf3 Re2 20.Rf2 Rxf2 21.Kxf2 19.Bxd6 Qc6! 20.Bxb8 Qb6+ 20...Qxf3 21.Rxf3 Bg7 22.c3± 21.Kh1 Qxb8 22.Qc6+ 22.Rae1 Kd8! 22...Rg6? 23.Qxf7+ Kd7 24.Rd1+! Rd6 25.Rxd6+ Kxd6 26.Rf6++- 23.Rd1+ Kc7! 23...Kc8? 24.Qc6++- 24.Qf4+ 24.Rd4 Qb7! 24...Kb7 25.Rd6 Qc7 26.Qxb4+ Kc8 27.Rxa6 Qb7! 28.Qxb7+ Kxb7 29.Raf6 Rg7= 22...Rd7 23.Rae1+ 23.Rad1 Bd6 24.Rxf7 24.Rf6 Rg6 25.Rdxd6? Qxd6! 24...Qc7 23.Rxf7 Qd6 23...Be7
23...Kd8 24.Rxf7! Be7 25.Rfxe7 Rxe7 26.Rd1++- 24.Rxf7 Kxf7 25.Qe6+ Kf8! 25...Kg7 26.Qxd7+- 26.Qxd7 26.Rf1+ Kg7 27.Rf7+ Kh8 28.Qxd7 Rd8 29.Qg4 Qe5-+ 26...Qd6 Now Black is clearly better. 27.Qb7 Rg6 28.c3! a5 28...bxc3 29.Qc8+ Bd8 30.Qxc3= 29.Qc8+ 29.cxb4! Qxb4 29...axb4 30.a3! bxa3 31.bxa3 Qxa3= 30.Qf3+ Kg7 31.Qe2N 29...Kg7 30.Qc4 Bd8 31.cxb4 axb4 31...Qxb4 32.Qe2= not sure about the equals. Houdini gives Rd6 32.g3? 32.Qe4 Bc7 33.Qe7+ Kg8 34.Qe8+ Qf8 35.Qe4= 32...Qc6+ 33.Re4 Qxc4 34.Rxc4 Rb6! 34...Be7? 35.a3 b3 36.Rc7 Re6 37.Rb7 35.Kg2 Kf6 36.Kf3 Ke5 37.Ke3 37.a3 b3! 37...bxa3? 38.bxa3= 37...Bg5+ 38.Ke2 38.Kd3 Rd6+ 39.Kc2 Rd2+ 40.Kb3 Be7 38...Kd5 39.Kd3 Bf6 40.Rc2? 40.b3 Be7 41.Rd4+ 40...Be5 41.Re2 Rf6 42.Rc2 Rf3+ 43.Ke2 Rf7 44.Kd3 Bd4! 45.a3 45.b3 Rf3+ 46.Ke2 Rf2+ 47.Kd3 Rxc2 48.Kxc2 Ke4-+ 45...b3 46.Rc8 46.Re2 Rf3+ 47.Kd2 Bxb2-+ 46.Rd2 Rf3+ 47.Ke2 Rf2+-+ 46...Bxb2 47.Rd8+ Kc6 48.Rb8 Rf3+ 49.Kc4 Rc3+ 50.Kb4 Kc7 51.Rb5 Ba1 52.a4
52...b2! 52...b2! 53.Kxc3 b1Q+!
0–1
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Fischer,R-Tal,M-0–11959B87Candidates Tournament27

Forking your own pieces requires bottle, and I’ve entitled the column with this in mind while taking a small sideswipe at our “Great Leader” as people familiar with UK politics will note.

I began to wonder how (un)common self forking is and searched through a database of just over 3 million games, first for those which reached a position with Nd5, Nf5 versus d6, e6, f7, and then Bd5, Nf5 versus the same pawns. There were about a hundred of the former and fifty odd of the latter, including a well known theoretical position in the Sicilian Velimirovic attack.

And while a good proportion of these saw the e-pawn advance to fork the pieces, there were also many in which the pieces self forked. There must also be occasional instances of self forks with other pieces on other squares or played by Black, but I suspect that they are rarer.

In any case, if you know of any of these, please do mention them in the comments here or email me direct and I’ll publish them in due course.  

For the moment, a few more examples of the 2-knight self fork and the bishop-and-knight.

 
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1.e4       c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bc4 a6 7.Bb3 b5 8.0-0 Be7 9.Qf3 Qb6 10.Be3 Qb7 11.Qg3 0-0 12.Bh6 Ne8 13.Rad1 Bd7 14.Rfe1 Nc6?
This is a fairly well known theoretical error because it encourages the hit 14...Bf6 is one playable move 15.Bg5 Bxg5 16.Qxg5 Nc6 17.a3 h6 18.Qe3 Rc8 19.f4 Nxd4 20.Rxd4 Bc6 21.h3 a5 22.g4 e5 23.fxe5 dxe5 24.Rd2 Qe7 25.Nd5 Bxd5 26.exd5 a4 27.Ba2 Nd6 28.Qxe5 Qh4 29.Rde2 Rcd8 30.Kg2 Rfe8 31.Qg3 Rxe2+ 32.Rxe2 Qf6 33.c3 Qg6 34.Qe1 Qg5 35.Re5 Qf4 36.Qe3 Qf6 37.Bb1 g6 38.Qd4 Kh7 39.Bd3 Rd7 40.Qe3 Kg7 41.Kg3 Rc7 42.Qf4 Qxf4+ 43.Kxf4 Kf6 44.h4 Kg7 45.Ke3 Kf6 46.Kd4 g5 47.hxg5+ hxg5 48.Re2 Rc8 49.Rh2 Ke7 50.Rh6 Rb8 51.Rh5 Rg8 52.Kc5 Rc8+ 53.Kb4 Nc4 54.Rxg5 Nxb2 55.Bxb5 1-0 (55) Vachier Lagrave,M (2758)-Wojtaszek,R (2744) Beijing CHN 2014 15.Nd5! Bd8 If 15...exd5 16.Nxc6 Bxc6 17.exd5 16.Nf5! exf5 17.exf5 Threatening Rxe8 Ne5 17...Bxf5 18.Rxe8 Bg6 19.Rxf8+ Kxf8 20.Qxd6+ Kg8 21.Re1 Ba5 22.Nf6+ Kh8 23.c3 Bc7 24.Re8+ Rxe8 25.Bxg7+ Kxg7 26.Nxe8+ 1-0 (26) Kulaots,K (2566)-Agopov,M (2445) Finland FIN 2016 [Speelman,Jonathan] 18.Rxe5! dxe5 19.f6! g6 20.Ne7+ Black resigned here a few years later in a game Rublevsky v Zude Bxe7 20...Kh8 21.Qxe5 Rg8 22.Nxg8 Kxg8 23.Qc5 21.fxe7 Ng7 22.Qxe5
1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Rossi,C2330Guido,F23701–01998B87Open6
Ortega,L2448Khenkin,I26441–02003B43IV Open4
Fedorov,A2595Kobalija,M25001–01998B89Russian Club Cup1
Edouard,R2652Istratescu,A2647½–½2012B8987th ch-FRA 20121

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On this DVD Dorian Rogozenco, Mihail Marin, Oliver Reeh and Karsten Müller present the 8. World Chess Champion in video lessons: his openings, his understanding of chess strategy, his artful endgame play, and finally his immortal combinations.


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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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