Jon Speelman: Light and dark

by Jonathan Speelman
12/17/2023 – In order to attack the enemy king successfully in a game of chess, you need sufficient firepower and a clear target. Often there will be a complex of squares of the same colour that come under attack, and so we have white or dark-square games. Today we have some instances of attacks on both light and dark squares, featuring the likes of Johannes Zukertort (pictured) and Anatoly Karpov!

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From the same hymn sheet

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

In order to attack the enemy king successfully in a game of chess, you need sufficient firepower — normally at least as much as the defender, though sometimes his or her pieces will get in each others’ way — and a clear target(s).

The second point is crucial. It’s all very well waving your pieces in the enemy king’s face, but if they aren’t coordinated but aiming at different squares, then the defender will have a much better chance than when everybody is singing from the same deadly hymn sheet.

That’s not to say that everything has to be aimed at exactly the same place, but often there will be a complex of squares of the same colour that come under attack, and so we have white or dark-square games. For instance, if White has a knight on f5 and a bishop on the long black diagonal against the black king castled kingside, then it’s very likely that a mating attack will focus on the dark squares and in particular g7. While if White has a bishop on the a2-f7 diagonal and the black king is on g8 then white-square play is likely to be indicated.

Gumularz vs. Girel - Hammersmith (2023)
LIght-square domination

Today we have some instances of attacks on both light and dark squares, starting with a magnificently violent game from the recent English Chess Federation event in Hammersmith, which was very kindly brought to my attention by Emmanuel Voyiakis: a Professor of Law at the London School of Economics.

I asked other people I teach for games decided by square complexes and Stephen Nelson-Smith suggested a quiet but deadly win by Anatoly Karpov against Judit Polgar: no ultra-violence, but plenty of subtle power.

I’ve added myself a famous 19th century game with a long black diagonal combination, and a game which I thought I must have used here but didn’t find in my collected database.

The next column will be on 7 January 2024. In the interim, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!

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1.c4 This wonderful game was played in the GM A tournament in Hammersmith a few weeks ago. It features a magnificent attack by the young Polish grandmaster, and I only hope that he found at least the majority of the game over the board rather than in fearsome home preparation. e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 c6 4.d4 e4 5.a3 d5 6.Nc3 Be7 7.f3 exf3 8.Nxf3 0-0 8...dxc4 9.0-0 0-0 10.e4 b5 11.h3 a5 12.Kh2 Ra6 13.Nh4 b4 14.Ne2 c5 15.e5 Ne8 16.axb4 cxb4 17.Nf5 Bxf5 18.Rxf5 Nd7 19.Rf1 Nc7 20.Nf4 Bg5 21.Nh5 g6 22.Nf4 Nb6 23.d5 Bxf4 24.Rxf4 Re8 25.Qf1 Qd7 26.Rf6 Rxe5 27.Bf4 Re8 28.Bh6 Nbxd5 29.Rxa6 Nxa6 30.Rd1 Nac7 31.Qxc4 Re5 32.Qd4 Qe7 33.Re1 f6 34.Bxd5+ Rxd5 35.Rxe7 Rxd4 36.Rg7+ Kh8 37.Rxc7 Kg8 38.Rg7+ Kh8 39.Rf7 Rd8 40.Rxf6 1-0 Theodorou,N (2586)-Pranav,V (2588) St Louis Summer A Saint Louis USA 2023 (9.4) 9.0-0 h6 Preventing Bg5 but weakening g6... I must say that I would have been tempted by dxc4, though of course White gets plenty of compensation for what is likely to be a long term pawn sacrifice. 9...dxc4 10.e4 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.Nh4 Nc6 12.Qd3 A novelty as far as I know. Nf5 was played by David Navara a couple of years ago against Nikita Vitiugov. 12.Nf5 Be6 12...Bxf5 13.Rxf5 Qd7 14.Bh3 g6 15.Rh5 Qd8 16.Rxh6 Ne4 17.Bg2 Bg5 18.Rh3 Re8 19.Bxe4 dxe4 20.d5 Ne5 21.Bxg5 Qxg5 22.Qd4 f5 23.Rd1 Rad8 24.Qxa7 Ng4 25.Qxb7 Qe3+ 26.Kg2 Nf6 27.Qc6 Kg7 28.Qc7+ Rd7 29.Qf4 Qb6 30.Qh6+ Kf7 31.Qd2 Red8 32.Rh4 Qb3 33.Rh6 e3 34.Qxe3 Qxb2 35.Rb1 Qxa3 36.Rb6 Rd6 37.Rb7+ R6d7 38.Rxd7+ Rxd7 39.Qg5 Qxc3 40.Qxg6+ Ke7 41.Qg7+ Kd6 42.Rxf6+ Kc7 43.Qh8 1-0 Vaibhav,S (2595)-Vaishali,R (2418) Norway Chess Open Masters Stavanger NOR 2023 (5.2) 13.g4 Re8 14.Nxe7+ Nxe7 15.g5 hxg5 16.Bxg5 Nh7 17.Bh4 Qd7 18.e3 Nf5 19.Qe1 Nf8 20.Rd1 Ng6 21.Bg3 Nh6 22.e4 dxe4 23.Qxe4 Re7 24.Nd5 Bxd5 25.Qxd5 Qxd5 26.Bxd5 Ng4 27.Rd3 Rd8 28.Bb3 Nf6 29.d5 Re2 30.d6 Ne5 31.Rc3 Nc6 32.Rd3 Ne5 33.Bd1 Re4 34.Rc3 Nc4 35.Bf3 Nd2 36.Bxe4 Nfxe4 37.Rc7 Nxf1 38.d7 Kf8 39.Kxf1 Nxg3+ 40.hxg3 Ke7 41.Rxb7 Rxd7 42.Rb5 ½-½ Navara,D (2717)-Vitiugov,N (2731) 2nd Prague Masters 2020 Prague CZE (7.3) 12...Re8
This looks natural and harmless enough but runs into a massive attack. 12...Be6 13.Nf5 Re8 13.Bxh6! gxh6 13...Ne4!? 14.Be3 Bf6 15.Rad1 Nxc3 16.bxc3 is pretty playable, but it would have required considerable self control to refuse the bishop. 14.Bxd5! The point - White gets a second pawn and threatens Qg6+. Kg7 If 14...Nxd5 the idea of course is to play Rxf7, but when I first looked at this I tried out Qg6+ next move without thinking, and while this is fascinating and I'm showing the analysis, it's irrelevant because White has mate in 3! 15.Rxf7 Kxf7 16.Qh7+‼ which I totally missed! 16.Qg6+ Kf8 17.Rf1+ Interestingly the obvious Nxd5 is insufficient: 17.Nxd5? Nxd4 18.Rf1+ Bf5 19.Nxf5 19.Rxf5+ Nxf5 20.Qxf5+ Bf6 21.Nxf6 Qd1+ 22.Kg2 Qxe2+ 23.Kh3 23.Kg1 Qe6 23...Qe6 19.Nxe7 Nxe2+ 19...Kxe7 20.Qg7+ Ke6 21.e4 Bxe4 20.Kg2 20.Kh1 20...Nf4+ 21.Rxf4 Qd2+ 19...Nxe2+ 20.Kg2 20.Kf2 Bc5+ 21.Nfe3 Nf4 22.Kg1 Qxd5 23.Rxf4+ Ke7 20...Qxd5+ 21.Kh3 Qf7 22.Ne3 22.Qxh6+ Kg8 23.Nxe7+ Qxe7 24.Rf5 Qh7 22...Qxf1+ 23.Nxf1 Bg5 17...Nf6 17...Bf6 18.Nxd5 Qxd5 19.Qxf6+ Kg8 20.Qg6+ 18.e3! But not 18.Qh7 Qxd4+ 19.Kg2 Ne5 20.Ne4 Qe3 21.Nxf6 Qxe2+ 22.Kg1 Qxf1+ 23.Kxf1 Bxf6 and with a whole box of pieces for the queen, Black is winning easily. 18...Be6 18...Nxd4 19.Qh7 Ne2+ 20.Kh1 19.Qh7 Bf7 20.Qh8+ Bg8 20...Ng8 21.Ng6# 21.Qxh6+ Kf7 22.d5!
22...Bf8 22...Ne5 23.Ne4 Bf8 23...Bxa3 24.Nxf6 24.Qh5+ Ke7 25.Qxe5+ Kd7 26.Nxf6+ Kc8 27.Rc1+ 22...Bc5 23.Qg6+ Ke7 24.Qg7+ Kd6 25.Rxf6+ Be6 26.Nf5+ Ke5 27.Rf7+ 23.Qg6+ Ke7 24.dxc6! 24.Rxf6 Ne5 25.Qxg8 Kd7 24.Qxf6+ Kd7 25.dxc6+ Kc7 24...bxc6 24...Kd6 25.cxb7 Rb8 26.Rd1+ Ke7 27.Nf5+ Ke6 28.Rxd8 Rexd8 29.Ne4 25.Qxf6+ Kd7 26.Rd1+ Kc7 27.Rxd8 Raxd8 28.Nf5 Rd2 29.Qg6?
16...Ke6 17.Qf5+ Kd6 18.Nb5#
15.Rf4!
Bringing another piece into the attack. 15...Rf8 15...Rg8! 16.Raf1 Kf8 17.Bc4! I had to work hard to understand why the engine insisted on this move. The point is that it protects e2 in the event that the black knight lands on d4 17.Ba2 Rg7 18.Ne4 Qxd4+ 17...Rg7 17...Nxd4 18.Nd5 Bc5 19.Kh1 b5 20.Rxf6 18.Ne4 Qxd4+ 19.Qxd4 Nxd4 20.Nxf6 and because of the c4-bishop White is winning. 15...Bh3 16.g4! SF Bxg4 17.Raf1 Rg8 17...h5 18.Rxg4+ 18.h3 18...hxg4 19.Qd2 Nxd5 20.Nf5+ Kg8 21.Nh6+! 21.Qh6? Bf8 21...Kg7 22.Rxf7+ Kh8 23.Qc2 Nf6 24.Qg6 Qxd4+ 25.Kg2 Rg8 26.Rh7+ Nxh7 27.Nf7# 18.Rxg4+ Kh8 19.Rxg8+ Qxg8+ 20.Bg2 20.Kh1 15...Bd6 16.Rf2 16.Rxf6 Qxf6 17.Rf1 Qxd4+ 18.Qxd4+ Nxd4 19.Rxf7+ Kh8 19...Kg8 20.Rd7+ Ne6 21.Rxd6 20.Ng6+ Kg8 21.Rd7+ Ne6 22.Rxd6 Kg7 23.Nf4 16.Bxf7? Bxf4 17.Qg6+ Kf8 18.Bxe8 Be3+ 19.Kg2 Qxe8 20.Qxf6+ Kg8 16...Rf8 16...Bh3? 17.Bxf7! Kxf7 18.Qh7+ Ke6 19.d5+ Ke5 20.Nf3# 17.Raf1 Be7 18.Rf4 transposes back to the game with both sides losing two tempi. 16.Raf1 Qd6?! 16...Bh3 17.R1f2 Rc8 18.Bb3 16...Nxd5 17.Rxf7+ 17.Ba2! The bishop has done its work on the a2-f7 diagonal for the time being and looks for an even better diagonal. Nd8 17...Bh3 18.g4 Bxg4 19.Rxg4+ 18.Bb1 Threatening Rxf6 and Qh7 mate. Rh8 18...Rg8 19.Rxf6 Bxf6 20.Qh7+ Kf8 21.Qxh6+ Ke7 21...Ke8 22.Rxf6 Qxd4+ 23.Kg2 22.Rxf6 Qxd4+ 23.e3 19.Ng6! Bh3?! 19...Ne6 20.Nxh8 Nxf4 21.Rxf4 Qa6 21...Be6 22.Ng6 22.Qc2 could also be lost but perhaps slightly less so. 22.Nb5 Be6 22...Bd7 23.Nxf7 Kxf7 24.Qg6+ Kf8 25.Ba2 23.Ng6 Bd8 24.Nh4 Rc8 25.Nc3 Qxd3 26.Bxd3+- 22...Be6 23.Ng6 20.Nxh8 Bxf1 21.Rxf1 Nc6 21...Kxh8 22.Rxf6 22.Ng6! Pivoting on g6 and defending d4, since of course if Black captures there, he will lose the e7-bishop. 22.Nxf7 Qxd4+ 22...Kxf7 23.Qg6+ Kf8 23...Ke6 24.Bf5# 24.Ba2 23.Qxd4 Nxd4 24.Ne5 is surely winning for White, but he wanted more. 22...Bd8 22...Nxd4 23.Nxe7 23.Nb5 Qd7 24.Nh4+-
Not only is White a good pawn up, but he has a massive attack. 24...Bb6 25.Nf5+ Kf8 26.Qd2 Switching to the dark squares for a moment. Ng8 27.Qf4 a6 28.Qg4 f6
29.Ba2 I really like this move too, returning to its former diagonal in triumph. Qh7 30.Nc3 Nge7 31.Nxe7 Bxd4+ 32.e3! deflecting the bishop so that f6 will be en prise. Bxe3+ 32...Bxc3 33.Ng6+ 33.Kh1 Nxe7 34.Rxf6+ Ke8
Here some clever but also extremely stupid engines complain about Bf7+, since apparently Qh5+ would force mate quicker. Of course the human move forced resignation. A wonderful white square attacking game! 35.Bf7+ 35.Qh5+ Kd8 36.Rf8+ Kd7 37.Rxa8 Qg6 38.Qd1+ Kc6 39.Qf3+ Kc7 40.Qxe3 Qd6 41.Qxe7+ Qxe7 35.Bf7+ Kd8 36.Qd1+ 35.Bf7+ Qxf7 36.Rxf7 Kxf7 37.Qf3+
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Gumularz,S2576Girel,J24951–02023A20Chessengland.com Grandmasters Festival -3.1
Zukertort,J-Blackburne,J-1–01883A13London
Karpov,A2740Polgar,J26301–01994B22Linares 12th6
Speelman,J2625Seirawan,Y25951–01988A84Saint John (m/5)

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Most players prefer to attack rather than defend. But what is the correct way to do it? GM Dr Karsten Müller has compiled many rules and motifs to guide you, along with sharpening your intuition for the exceptions.


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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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