The Winning Academy 1: Imbalance, not Risk
Imagine that you are playing a tournament, and in the last round you are in a must-win situation. How would you maximize your chances for a victory? Well, we all know the answer, don't we? Without taking risks there is no win! So, you should play a risky line and hope for the best. Or should you really?
Well, that would be a superficial and, in most cases, wrong decision. There are other, more sophisticated, and efficient paths to victory. Winning is a skill that can be mastered. And precisely this is what this series of articles aims to teach you.
My name is Jan Markos. I am a GM from Slovakia, a two-times champion of my country and a former European Youth Champion. However, in the recent years I have focused more on coaching, working with several young GMs and IMs. Also, I wrote some chess books. The one called Under the Surface was awarded the Book of the Year 2018 by the English Chess Federation. My newest book The Secret Ingredient, co-authored with David Navara, focuses on practical aspects of chess fight.
Now back to our topic. Why is taking risks wrong? How can you get a fighting position without taking risks? What should you do? Well, chess is not a game of roulette. It is not a game of pure luck, but a game of skill. Therefore, you need to get a position where you can show your superior skill, not a position, where luck or accident decides the fight.
To put it shortly, you don't need to take undue risks, but you need to create an imbalance on the board. What does that mean? Let us have a look at some examples from grandmaster practice.
Imbalance 1: Better structure vs. two bishops
In 2018, when playing his World Championship match against Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana and his team had to solve a difficult task: How to get a winnable position against Carlsen when playing with White ?
Carlsen decided to opt for the Sveshnikov Sicilian as his main defensive weapon against 1.e4. To get a fight against a superbly prepared opponent, Caruana tried to create long-term imbalances. In game one he went for the Rossolimo variation:
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.Bxc6 dxc6
F. Caruana - M. Carlsen, World Championship Match London 2018, Game 1
Why would anyone voluntarily give up a bishop-pair at move 4, without even being provoked by …a7-a6? Well, in the Rossolimo White wants to create a very specific kind of imbalance: better pawn structure vs. the pair of bishops.
Black's doubled pawns are not weak yet. The c5-pawn can be nicely covered by ..b7-b6. However, the necessity to cover this pawn means that the entire black queenside structure is immobile. Also, the presence of doubled pawns might suit White's pair of knights, as they love a weakened pawn structure. On the other hand, in case that the position opens, Black's pair of bishops will give him an important advantage.
Most importantly, this strategical imbalance will not evaporate any time soon. There is no simple way to "undo" the Bxc6 move and exchange Black's pair of bishops for White's better pawn structure.
Therefore, a complex fight awaits both players, and the better player is likely to win. Here is the proof:
F. Caruana - M. Carlsen, World Championship Match London 2018, Game 1
After only 14 moves, the position is full of fight, no quick draw ahead. Black's bishops are strong, but White's chances also shouldn't be underestimated: he is better developed and can start active play along the f-file. A knight on f6 would look nice, or not?
Carlsen felt obliged to play 14…g5, getting space on the kingside. However, after this move it was clear that he is going to castle queenside, unbalancing the position even more.
However, in the subsequent fight it transpired that Carlsen had a better feeling for this type of position. Caruana did not play precisely and got even on the verge of defeat. With a bit of luck, he drew.
The complete game
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1.e4 c5!? 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.d3 Bg7 6.h3 Nf6 7.Nc3 Nd7 7...b6 8.Be3 e5 9.0-0 0-0 10.a3 Qe7 11.Qb1 Nh5 12.b4 f5 13.bxc5 f4 14.Bd2 bxc5 15.Qb3+ Be6 16.Qa4 7...0-0 8.Be3 e5 8...b6 9.Qd2 h6 10.0-0 e5 11.Nh2 g5∞ 9.0-0 9.Qd2 h6 10.0-0 b6 11.Nh2 Nf8 12.f4 exf4 13.Rxf4 Be6 14.Rf2 9...b6 9...Qe7 10.Qd2 Nf8 10.Nh2 Nf8 11.f4 exf4 12.Rxf4 Be6!? 13.Rf2 h6 14.Qd2 g5!? 15.Raf1 15.Nf1 Qd6 16.Rf3? Ng6 15.a4 a5!? 15...Ng6 16.a5 0-0 15.a3 Qd6 16.Rb1 Ng6 17.b4 cxb4 18.axb4 0-0= 15...Qd6 16.Ng4 0-0-0 17.Nf6 17.a4 Nd7 17...a5!? 18.a5 Qc7 17.e5 Bxe5 17...Qc7 18.Ne4 18.b4!? 18.Ne4 Qc7 19.Nxe5 Qxe5 18...c4 18...cxb4 19.Ne4 Qc7 20.Nxe5 Qxe5 21.Qxb4 Qc7 22.a4 19.Nxe5 Qxe5 20.d4 Qc7 17...Nd7 18.Nh5 Be5 19.g4 f6 20.b3 Bf7 21.Nd1 21.Ne2 Bxh5 22.gxh5 Kb7 23.Kg2 Nf8 21...Nf8 21...Kb7 22.c3 Bxh5 23.gxh5 Qe7 24.Qe2 Rhg8 22.Nxf6 Ne6 23.Nh5 23.Nd7 Rxd7 23...Bf4 24.Nf6 Bg3 24.Rxf7 h5 25.Qg2 23...Bxh5 24.gxh5 Nf4 25.Bxf4 gxf4 26.Rg2 26.Rxf4! Bxf4 27.Qxf4 Qd4+ 28.Ne3 Kb7 28...Rdf8 29.Qxf8+ Rxf8 30.Rxf8+ Kb7 31.Rf7+ Ka6 32.Rf3= 29.Kh1 Rdf8 30.Nf5 Qc3 31.Qc1!?∞ 26...Rhg8 27.Qe2 Rxg2+ 28.Qxg2 Qe6 29.Nf2 Rg8 30.Ng4 Qe8! 31.Qf3 Qxh5 32.Kf2 Bc7 33.Ke2 33.e5 Kb7 34.Nf6 Qh4+ 35.Ke2 Rg3 36.Qxf4 Qxh3 37.Rf2 33...Qg5 34.Nh2?! 34.Kd2 h5 35.Nh2 Qe5 36.Qf2 Qb2 37.Rg1 Rg3 34...h5? 34...Qf6 35.Rf2 Qg1 36.Nf1 h4? 36...Qg7!-+ 37.Kd2? 37.e5! Rg5 37...Bxe5 38.Qxc6+ Kb8 39.a4 38.Kd2 Kb7 39.e6 Re5 40.Re2 Qg6 41.Qg4 37...Kb7 38.c3 Be5 38...Rg3! 39.Nxg3 hxg3 40.Rg2 Qa1-+ 39.Kc2 Qg7?! 39...b5! 40.Nh2 40.Qh5 Ka6! 41.Qe2 b5 42.a4 40...Bxc3?? 40...Qg1! 41.Nf1 b5!-+ 41.Qxf4 Bd4 41...Ka6 42.Nf3 Ba1 43.e5= 42.Qf7+ Ka6 43.Qxg7 Rxg7 44.Re2 Rg3 45.Ng4 Rxh3 46.e5 Rf3 47.e6 Rf8 48.e7 Re8 49.Nh6 h3 50.Nf5 Bf6 51.a3 b5 51...Bxe7 52.Nxe7 h2 53.Rxh2 Rxe7 54.Rh5 52.b4 cxb4 53.axb4 Bxe7 54.Nxe7 h2 55.Rxh2 Rxe7 56.Rh6 Kb6 57.Kc3 Rd7 58.Rg6= Kc7 59.Rh6 Rd6 60.Rh8 Rg6 61.Ra8 Kb7 62.Rh8 Rg5 63.Rh7+ Kb6 64.Rh6 Rg1 65.Kc2 Rf1 66.Rg6 Rh1 67.Rf6 Rh8 68.Kc3 Ra8 69.d4 Rd8 70.Rh6 Rd7 71.Rg6 Kc7 72.Rg5 Rd6 73.Rg8 Rh6 74.Ra8 Rh3+ 75.Kc2 Ra3 75...Kd6 76.Rxa7 Kd5 77.Rc7= 76.Kb2 Ra4 77.Kc3 a6 78.Rh8 Ra3+ 79.Kb2 Rg3 80.Kc2 Rg5 81.Rh6 Rd5 82.Kc3 Rd6 83.Rh8 Rg6 84.Kc2 Kb7 85.Kc3 Rg3+ 86.Kc2 Rg1 87.Rh5 Rg2+ 88.Kc3 Rg3+ 89.Kc2 Rg4 90.Kc3 Kb6 91.Rh6 Rg5 92.Rf6 Rh5 93.Rg6 Rh3+ 94.Kc2 Rh5 95.Kc3 Rd5 96.Rh6 Kc7 97.Rh7+ Rd7 98.Rh5 Rd6 99.Rh8 Rg6 100.Rf8 Rg3+ 101.Kc2 Ra3 102.Rf7+ Kd6 103.Ra7 Kd5 104.Kb2 Rd3 104...Ra4 105.Kc3 Ra1 106.Rd7+ Ke6 107.Ra7= 105.Rxa6 Rxd4 106.Kb3 Re4 107.Kc3 Rc4+ 108.Kb3 Kd4 109.Rb6 Kd3 110.Ra6 Rc2 111.Rb6 Rc3+ 112.Kb2 Rc4 113.Kb3 Kd4 114.Ra6 Kd5 115.Ra8 ½–½
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Caruana,F | 2832 | Carlsen,M | 2835 | ½–½ | 2018 | B31 | World-ch Carlsen-Caruana | 1 |
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The following two Rossolimo's also ended in a draw. Therefore, in game 8, it was time to try another type of imbalance…
Imbalance 2: Asymmetrical pawn structure
In the eight game, Caruana went for the 7.Nd5 line of Svesnikov. The diagrammed position arose after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Nd5 Nxd5 8.exd5 Nb8
F. Caruana - M. Carlsen, World Championship Match, London 2018, Game 8
The imbalance hidden in this position is different from the previous one. It is based on the asymmetry of pawn structures. White has a majority (=an advantage) on the queenside. This means that Black cannot play passively. His queenside is indefensible in the long run.
However, the same applies for White's kingside. With a king on g1, facing the storm of Black's kingside majority, passive defence on this part of the board might be a mission impossible.
Therefore, both players must be smart and imaginative: combining activity on their wing with defensive measures against the opponent's attack.
And again: there is no simple way to "undo" this imbalance and get a dull drawish position. Therefore, the better player will win in most cases!
This time, Caruana was much closer to victory. Let us see the position after twenty moves:
The American played 21.c5!, making most of his queenside majority. Computers agree that White is already objectively winning. Although the game ended in a draw again, the result of the opening is astonishing. Getting a won position against Carlsen in only 20 moves is an outstanding achievement.
The complete game
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Nd5 Nxd5 8.exd5 Nb8 8...Ne7 9.a4 9.c4 Be7 10.Be2 0-0 11.0-0 a6 12.Nc3 f5 13.f3 Nd7 14.Rb1 Bg5 15.b4 b6 16.a3 9...Be7 10.Be2 0-0 11.0-0 Nd7 11...f5 12.Bd2 f4 12.Bd2 f5 12...Nf6 13.Be3 a6 14.Na3 Qa5!? 15.c4 Qd8!? 16.Nc2 16.b4 a5 16...a5 17.Na3 b6 13.a5 a6 13...f4!? 14.Bb4 Nf6 15.c4 a6 16.Nc3 Bf5 17.f3 14.Na3 e4 14...f4 15.Nc4 Rf6 14...Nf6 15.Bb4 Bd7 16.Nc4 Bb5 17.Nb6 Bxe2 18.Qxe2 Rb8 19.f4 15.Nc4 Ne5 16.Nb6 16.Nxe5 dxe5 17.Bc4 Bd6 18.Re1 Bd7 19.Bf1 16...Rb8 17.f4 exf3 18.Bxf3 g5?! 18...Bf6 19.c3 Nd7 20.Be3 Be5 18...Nd7 19.c4 f4 20.Bc3 20.Be4 Bf5 21.Bxf5 Rxf5 22.Bc3 20...Bf5 20...Bf6 21.c5! dxc5 22.d6 Nxf3+ 23.gxf3 Bxc3 24.bxc3 Be6 25.Re1+- 21.c5! Nxf3+ 21...Bf6 22.c6± 22.Qxf3 dxc5 23.Rad1 23.g4! Bg6 23...fxg3 24.Qxg3 Bd6 24.Rad1 Bd6 24...Bf6 25.d6+- 25.Rfe1 c4 26.Re6 Qc7 27.Qh3+- 23.Rae1 Bf6 23...Bd6 24.Nc4 24.h4 h6 25.hxg5 hxg5 26.g4 23...Bd6 24.h3? 24.Qh5 Qe8 24...Bg6 25.Qh3 Bf5 26.g4! Bg6 27.Rfe1 f3 28.Re6 25.Qxg5+ Qg6 26.Qxg6+ hxg6 27.Nc4 24.Nc4 g4 25.Qf2 f3 25...g3 26.Qd2 Qh4 27.h3+- 26.Rfe1 fxg2 27.Qxg2 24...Qe8! 25.Nc4 Qg6 26.Nxd6 26.Rfe1 Rbe8 26...Qxd6 27.h4 27.Qh5 Qg6 28.Qxg6+ hxg6 29.d6 Rbd8 27...gxh4 28.Qxf4 Qxf4 29.Rxf4 h5 30.Re1 30.d6 Bg4 31.Rxf8+ Rxf8 32.Rd5 Rf5= 30...Bg4 31.Rf6 Rxf6 32.Bxf6 Kf7 33.Bxh4 Re8 34.Rf1+ Kg8 35.Rf6 35.d6 Re2= 35...Re2 36.Rg6+ Kf8 37.d6 Rd2 38.Rg5 ½–½
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Caruana,F | 2832 | Carlsen,M | 2835 | ½–½ | 2018 | B33 | World-ch Carlsen-Caruana | 8 |
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Imbalance 3: Fast vs. slow
There are plenty of different types of imbalances that you can use to win your games. Let us have a look at a game of Vishy Anand, in which he had to decide how to win with Black against a much lower-rated opponent, FM Matthias Bach. The first moves were:
1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 d4
M. Bach - V. Anand, Gibraltar Masters 2016
Only two moves are played, and already an imbalance is created. By playing the ambitious 2…d4, Anand puts considerable pressure on his opponent. Why? Because the d4-pawn is both vulnerable and strong. On the one hand, it voluntarily marched closer to White's army. This gives White a short-term initiative. However, if White does not play actively and forcefully and allows Black to develop and support the d4-pawn, this very pawn will be the basis of Black's spatial (=positional) advantage.
So, this is a typical example of a fast vs. slow imbalance. Fast, active, double-edged play favours White, slow play with both armies peacefully developing favours Black.
But wait! Just imagine: would you be able to go all in against Anand already in the opening? FM Bach was not prepared to do that, and he chose a peaceful pace. As a result, Black was better after no more than 13 moves:
The d4-pawn is safely covered, Black's space advantage and more active pieces secure him a tangible edge. Anand won effortlessly.
The complete game
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1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 d4 3.e3 Nc6 4.d3 e5 5.exd4 exd4 6.a3 a5 7.Bf4 Bd6 8.Bxd6 Qxd6 9.Be2 Nf6 10.0-0 0-0 11.Nbd2 h6 12.Re1 Bf5 13.Nf1 Nd7 14.Ng3 Bh7 15.Nd2 Nc5 16.Nde4 Bxe4 17.Nxe4 Nxe4 18.dxe4 Rfd8 19.Bd3 Ne5 20.f4 Nxd3 21.Qxd3 Qxf4 22.Re2 Qe5 23.Rf1 g6 24.Ref2 Rd7 25.Qh3 Rad8 26.Qxh6 Qxe4 27.Qg5 d3 28.Rxf7 d2 29.R7f6 Rd6 30.Rd1 Rxf6 31.Qxf6 Qe1+ 32.Qf1 Re8 0–1
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Bach,M | 2301 | Anand,V | 2784 | 0–1 | 2016 | A09 | Gibraltar Masters 14th | 2 |
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Imbalance 4: Bishop power play
Bishops are – because of their specific movement - notoriously difficult to transport from one wing to another. That is why an experienced player is often able to create a subtle kind of an imbalance, which might be called bishop power play.
I had to learn this the hard way. I was playing with GM Tomashevsky as Black, and was relatively satisfied with the result of the opening:
E. Tomashevsky - J. Markos, Ohrid 2009
All four knights disappeared quickly from the board, and I thought that in a simplified position I would be able to successfully fight the stronger opponent.
However, I underestimated the fact that our dark-squared bishops are operating on different diagonals. More precisely, in different universes. It is a basic fact, but ignored by many players, including myself in 2008: Bishops of the same colour on the same wing usually interact with each other much less than bishops on different wings.
What happened next? Tomashevsky put his dark-squared bishop to b2, then opened (with my cooperation) the long diagonal, as well as the f-file. The resulting opening disaster looked like this:
After no more than 13 moves, Black is much worse, perhaps on the verge of defeat. His c5-bishop is useless, whereas White's dark-squared bishop will shine on b2. Tomashevsky doubled his rooks on the f-file and then put his bishops to b2 and e4, concentrating all his firepower on my poor kingside. I lost without real fight.
The complete game
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1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bb4 5.Nd5 Nxd5 6.cxd5 Nd4 7.Nxd4 exd4 8.Qc2 Qe7 9.Bg2 Bc5 10.0-0 0-0 11.b3 d6 12.e3 dxe3 13.fxe3 Bd7 14.Bb2 Qg5 15.Rf4 Rac8 16.Raf1 c6 17.Qd3 Qg6 18.Be4 f5 19.dxc6 bxc6 20.Bxf5 Bxf5 21.Rxf5 Rxf5 22.Qxf5 Qxf5 23.Rxf5 Bb4 24.Bc3 c5 25.Kf2 a5 26.Ke2 c4 27.Bxb4 axb4 28.Rb5 c3 29.dxc3 bxc3 30.Kd1 Rf8 31.a4 Rf2 32.a5 Ra2 33.b4 Kf7 34.Rb8 Ke6 35.Rc8 Ra4 36.Rxc3 Rxb4 37.Ra3 Kd5 38.a6 Rb8 39.Kd2 Kc4 40.Rc3+ Kd5 41.a7 Ra8 42.Rc7 1–0
- Start an analysis engine:
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- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
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- Drag the split bars between window panes.
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Tomashevsky,E | 2688 | Markos,J | 2565 | 1–0 | 2009 | A29 | EU-Cup 25th | 3.3 |
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Why did I lose this game? I wasn't simply aware of the imbalance called bishop power play.
***
There are many other imbalances that a player aiming for a professional level should know. Some are obvious, as castlings on opposite sides. Others are more sophisticated, as the imbalance knight vs. bishop.
But for the time being, there is one single piece of knowledge to take from this article. To play for a win, you don't need to take excessive risks, play artificially or unnaturally. All you need is to create a long-term, strategical imbalance – and afterwards prove your skills as a better player.
Links
Svitlana's Smart Moves: Material Imbalances