Josh Waitzkin's Attacking Chess Aggressive Strategies and Inside Moves from the U.S. Junior Chess Champion

241 Pages·1995·3.41 MB·English

by  Josh Waitzkin

WAITZKIN'S
ATTACKING
CHES•S
A
AGGRESSIVES TRATEGIESA ND
INSIDE MOVES FROM
THE U.S.J UNIOR CHESS CHAMPION
.JOSHW AITZKIN,
INTERNA TIONAL MA STER,
with FrWeadi tzkin
A FIRE SIDE BOOK
Publishbeyd Simon& Schuster
NEW YORK LONDON TORONTOS YDNEY TOKYO SINGAPORE
Form y family.
[E
FIRESIDE
RockefellCeern ter
1230Av enuoef t heAm ericas
NewY orkNY, 10020
CopyrigICh 1t9 95b yJ oshW aitzkin
Allr ighrtess erved,
includtihnger ighotfr eproduction
in wholeor i np arti na nyf orm.
Fnu:smE andc olophaorne r egisterterda demarkso fS imon & SchustIenrc .
DesignebdyS tanleSy. O rate/FoGlriaop hiCcos. I,n c.
Manufactureidn t heU nitedS tateosf Am erica
109 8
Libraryo fC ongresCsa taloging-in-PublicDaattiao n
Waitzkin, Josh.
[Attackincgh ess]
JoshW aitzkin'sa ttackincgh es:sa ggresssitvrea tegainedis n side
movesf romth e U.SJ.u niorC hampionI J oshW aitzk.in with Fred
Waitzkin.
p. em.
"AF iresibdoeo k."
Includeisn dex.
1C.h ess.I .W aitzkinF,r ed.n .T itle.
GV1449.5:W3159 95
794.1'2-dc20 95-12178
CIP
ISBNQ- 684-8025Q-3
CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 8
INTRODUCTION 9
1 MATE 19
2 THE FORK 35
3 PINS AND SKEWERS 42
4 DO UBLE THREAT 54
5 REMOVING THE DEFENDER 62
6 DISCOVERY 68
7 BUST 76
8 PAWN STORMS AND THE
POWER OF THE KAM IKAZE 83
9 QUEEN TRAPS 88
10 MINOR TRAPS 101
1 1C OURAGE 113
12 DON'T SETTLE FOR LESS 133
13 OPEN ING TRAPS 141
14 QUIET MOVES INA TTACK 151
15 ZWISCHENZUG 159
16 THE SEVENTH RANK AND
THE PIG 179
17 MATING NETS 187
18 SAC FOR MATE! 195
19 GRADUATE WORK 219
APPENDIXA:L GEBRAICN OTATION 237
INDEX 240
7
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My loavnedg ratittou demm yo thewrh,oc ontributed
here xperieansca ec hsest eachaenrdh er cloafer xi­ty
presstioto hnib so oIka .m i ndebttote hdee f rfotsJ oohfn
MacArthwuhro,s penlto nhgo urs entmeyr eiarnlgy
gameisn tCoh esassBea,n dt om y freindBsru ceP andol­
finiM,a uricAes hleayn,d G regori Kaiwdhaon ov,
scourtehdem anuscrfiopertr roAlrsso.f, o trh ien sp-'i ra
tloonfJ acNke,a aln,d Ki tty.
ThankDsad,, f otrae chimnegh owt owri te.
"
INTRODUCTION
I
begapnl ayicnhge sast s ixy earosf a gei nW ashington
SquarPea rkM.y firsotp ponenwtesr ec heshsu stlers, ex­
consd,r ugd ealeras h,o melesRsu ssiacnh essg enius,
foul-moutghaemdb lerbsi,gj okerasn,d c rafty tactical
playewrhso t rietdol urpea sser_isnqtyao g amef orfif ty
centosr a dollarE.a cho new asa na uthorointyc hessI.
remembetrh oseea rlgya mesv ery wellI.w ould plunk
down inf ronotfs omeguy fivet imemsy sizaen di ssue
thec hallen"gWea,n nap lay?" Iw antetdo b eaetv eryone.
Thatw asmy earlivieeswt oft heg ameW.e would begin
top usho urp ieceash eada ndI w asi nstantclayu ghitn
thef eaarn d throifbl alt tlMey. o bjectwiavse a lways
rathesri mplteo:a ttacakn dd estroTyh.i sw asw hatt he
gamew asa bouItw .a sg ointgom aket hreacthso,p d own
hisd efensessa,c rifipcaewn s and pieicfIe h sa dt oa nd
thenm atet hibsi gf ellFao.rm e cheswsa sl ivionngt he
edges,l uggiintog u tt,h rowimnagt eritalot hew ind, giv­
ing maItr ee.c all bitter icnot lhde dpaawyrhske ns weat
drippeddo wn my sideass I b attlseodm es cary-looking
dudea crostsh eb oardIo. n ces aitdo m y dad",N os port
makesm e sweaats m ucha sc hess."
Throughomuyt careerI 'vbee enk nown asa fierce
attackpilnagy earn,d t hissty leh asw orkedw elflo rm e.
SincIew ase ighIht a vec onsistentltyh etb oepe-nr anked
playeirnAm ericaf orm y ageS.o metimeIs s eey oung
9
10 c JoshW aitzkinA'tst ackinCgh ess
playemrakisn g listlesmso ves, hangbiancgkw itht heir
piecebse,i ncga utiosuest,t lfionrdg r awsi nw inninpgo ­
sitiotnryisn,g n ott ol osien steoafdp layinga ggressively
tos quasthh ee nemyk ingF.r ankly,I t hintkh aptl aying
fearfdurla wischh esiss a wastoef t imeb,u tt hissty listic
malaiscea np lagueev ent heb ravesotf c ompetitors
whent heya res lumpianngd s horotf c onfidencTeh.e re
isa huged ifferebnectwee enw antintgos luigt o uta nd
knowingh ow tod o itA. youngp rizefighwtietrhg reat
hearwti llg etk nockeodu ta gaiann da gaiunn tihle
learntsh es cienocfeb oxing.
It hinokf m yselafs a na ggresspievres obny n ature.
WhenI p layefdo rm y highs choobla sketbtaelalmI a l­
waysl ooketdo d rivteo t heb askeItn.m y classiens
schooIlh aven evebre ens hya bouatr guinmyg poinotf
view.In chessw,h ether syeoeui ta sa gamea,r ts,p ort,
sciencoera, combinatoifot nh �sey,o urp ersonaliityn ­
variabhlaysa l argreo lien d evelopyionugrp layings tyle.
When Ifi rsstt artpelda yitnhge g amea ts ixI w asp ure
aggressitoryinn,g t ol ayo utm y oversizoepdp onenatss
ifw e werei np hysicbala ttNloet.i nmgy feisetya rlpyl ay­
ings tylea ndb urnindge sirteow inm,y firscto acahn d
dearf rienBdru,c eP andolfibneig,a nt oc allm e "Tiger."
He sticlall lmse "TigeTr.h"i sb ooki st hec hessmiacn i­
festoof a n attackinmgi ndI.n l ifweo,u ldy oup refetro
beb olda nda dventuroourps a ssiavned f earfIuh la?v e
alwaysf avoretdh ef ormearn dI t hintkh iiss t her ight
approafcohr a chespsl ayer.
Needlestsos ay,m otherhsa vea slightdliyf ferent
view ofm ostt hingMsy. mom recaltlhsa tw hen she
watchemde playing my firssth egd aimdenss'e te a w ild­
cats om ucha sa little boayn o wdidst ehr iousnaessi sf,
herk id weirneh abitbeyad wi se oldm an.S hes ayst hat
therwee re afternoonsI p wlhaeynei dnt hep arkw itha
steadinaensdsw isdomt haste emecdo mpletaelliye tno
ther ough-and-tusmibxl-ey earw-hool wda s herJ osh.
INTRODUCTION o 11
Ho hum.L ifies n evesri mple.. B utm aybeI w asb oth,
thet igearn dt heo ldm an.C hessi sfi llewdi thp aradoIxt.
requirceosu ragaes wella sp atiencOen.e musth ave
ricihm aginattiooc no mplemencto lcda lculation.
Whether tigeorr o ldm an,o net hinigs s urew:h enI
wasfi rssta crificmyi ngp iecefso rm atei nt hep arka,n d
fory earasf terwardIsh ,a dl ittalneal ytiucn derstanding
ofw hatI w as doingIn. a senset hewr itingo ft hifisr st
bookh asb eena formo fs elf-discoMvaenryy. o ft he
ruleasn dp rincipIld eiss cushse rew eren ott aughtto
me butc amei ntuititvherloyu gahb sorbihnagr dk nocks
ine arlgya mesI.n t heb eginniIn dgi dn otu nderstand
thesied eacso ncretebluytI, p layebdy t hemS.o mehowI
feltth eiers senticaolr rectneIsh sa.da strangceo nnec­
tiotno t hec hessboaarndd i tmse n,o net haItw ilnle ver
truluyn derstand.
Thewr itinogf t hibso okh asf orcemde tol ooakn alyti­
callayt w hatf ort hem ostp artc amen aturallyI.t h as
beena triipn tpoa rtosf my . mindt haItn everb othered
toc onsidePre.r hapbse causIea m fort hefi rstti mef or­
mulatinkge yi deaisn my chessl ifteh,e sei deawsi ll
seemf resahn da livteo y oua st heyd o tom e.S omeo f
these chapterse xtwreermee dliyf ficulatn df rustrating
towr iteT.i mea nda gaimyn fathewro uldr eadm y drafts
ands ays ucht hingass " Joshy,o un everr ealleyxp lain
why iti si mportatnotp lacreo okso n thes eventho"r
"Why wast havta riatai bolnu ndeYro?u d idne'xtp laiitn
clearly." Hatvione gx plaiwnh atc omesi ntuitiwvaesl y
infuriatainndgm adem e wantt og iveu p these words
and gob ackt op layimnogv esI.s uspectth awrti ting may
bea sd ifficualsct h ess.
I willd emonstratteec hniquoefs a ttackicnhge ss
fromp ositiotnhsa Ith avec hosefnr ommy games.T he
positiownisl ble ar rangedt hematicaalnldwiy l lt endt o
becomem ored ifficualstt h eb ookg oeso n.T hrougthh e
useo fd iagramasn dc olloquliaanlg uagIeh avet rietdo
12o JoshW aitzikn' sA ttackinCgh ess
makee vedni fficiudletam so rea ccebslsaein dh uman.
Whens tudyAtitancgking ChesIs su gsgett hatth ree ader
stowph enevIea rs ka q uestiIf opnos.si blseet,th edi a­
gramm edp ostiiounp o n cah essabrodp,u tt heb ook
down anddo n'ptic iktu pu ntyiolu h avfeou ndw hat
seemtsob ea solutTryi onno.tt o l ooakh eaadt tahne­
swerW!h enI fi rssttar tetdo s tudy cmyh efsaste,hrp ut
tape otvheer ansswoeI rw sou ldnp'ete kB.e liemvee,
Ikn ow thet emptatbiuottn h,el essownislh lo lmdo re
meaniinyfgo ue arnt hem. iEyfvo eunc annfiontd sao lu­
tiosnt,ru ggwliet thh ee lemenotfs tphreo blbeemof re
readimyn ge xplannastA.i wilolingensst oa ccetphte
challenogfde e mandimnagt erihaall tfih bsea ttle.
Ih avber oketnh eb oodko wn intvoa roiusa ttacking
themse,b eginnwiintgeh l ementoanrye ssu ch faoksrs ,
pinasn,d s keweran�d, m ovingp rogsrsveieltyo m ore
advanceandd subtildee assu cahs p awn storcmosu,r ­
aged,o n't fsorel tetslbseu, so tp etnh cee ntaenrd,z wis­
chenzTuhg.em ovearse giveinn a lgebrnaoiticao tnIf.
thre eadiesnr o tc ompelteclyo mfortawibtlhea legbraic
notatiano ne,x planatiisgo inv einnt haep pendiaxtt he
end tohfib so okT.h ep ositfiroonmyms gamesi llursatte
keya ttackinigd eaEsve.ry analysiisn t hibso ok ai s
cheslse ssporno viditnhge s rudenwitt h numerous
questitoosn tsu dayn da nswearsw elals p ractical ad­
victeo d igsetB.y the ytoiurm eea cthh ec oncluding
chatperosf twhoirskm ,o sotf t hec ritpiocsali twiiolnls
requitrheee mploymeonftwt o orm orea ttackiindge as.
The mossotpih stiacteadn dc omplcehxse sp layiendt he
worlda cirse ataimvaleg am oft hev eryi deaysou wil l
studyh erIne .t hfien aclh aptoeftr hi sb ooyko uwi lln ot
bet olind a dvancweh icthh ememsu sbte e mployteod
findt hean swerBsa. seudp ownh ayto uh avlee arneind
thper eciendpga geyso,uwil l "feetlh"e movd.ei sd eanas
muchin thew ay thaa stt rong pilnatyuecirrt ist ical
movsei na b eautgiamfule .B yl earntihnemg a nneirn
I NTRO DUCTIOcN13
which key chess ideas grow out of one another, it is my
hope thAattta cking Chehseslp wiltlo foster a player's
creatlvity.
In additot ioofnf ering a tfeoarcmhaictnugll ed from
my Mames, and my best sIu wgagnetsA ttitaocnskin,g
Chess to be enjoyablGeo orde amdoivnegs. are com­
bined with narrative accounts ofI h eaxvpeeriences that
had playing big games around the world. As a young vet­
eran of many chess toIuc ranna mpernotmsi se you that
whether you are a thousand miles from home playing
for first place in the final round of a world championship
or at your local chess club facing a familiar rival in a
weekend Swiss tournament, the theater of chess is as
exciting as the moves themselves . Most chess books are
dense with analysis and are relatiIvely devoid of life.
believe that understanding the emotional turmoil of im­
portant chess games and hearing some of the wild and
woolly stories surrounding tense chess rivalries will in­
spire the student of chess to study and improve his or
her play.
Let's consider the short-lived but brutal rivalry of
Waitzkin vs. Waitzkin. For the first two months of my
chess lmyi ffea,t her Iap nlda yed nearly every day. We
had some terrific battles. Dad thought he was pretty
good and in our games he never held back. Some after­
noons he beat me three or four tiImes and afterwards
felt numb. But by the next Idw aays, raefatdeyr school,
to fight him again. We must have played a hundred
gamesb eforIefi nally beat him. After that, our competi­
tion changed in almost evIer rye calrle sptehcatt. after
my first win Dad was tbhurtil ltehdi s. di�'t last. For
the next couple ofI b weegeakntos ,w ina s more often,
he read chess books to get the upper hand. He was terri­
bly proud of my chess ability, but at the same time he
seemed frustrated. He didn't like losing to me. For my