Take My Rooks

110 Pages·1991·2.809 MB·English

by  Yasser Seirawan, Nikolay Minev

Copyright © 1991 by International Chess Enterprises
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or tram
mitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, includ
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retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Publisher.
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Edited by Jonathan Berry.
Diagrams and game score proofing by YesWeDoDiagrams software
by Jonathan Berry. Typeset with Ventura Publisher.
Thanks to Chess Informant for permission to use their opening codes.
Take My Rooks
First printing: March 1991
95 + xvi pages, 138 chess games, 217 chess diagrams
794.1 GV1445
ISBN 1-879479-01-X
(1}
Printed on recycled paper stock.
CONTENTS
Introduction: Go ahead, take my Rooks, both of them! .......... ix
Two Rooks Sacrifice in action ................................. 1
Five additional games ....................................... 90
Index of players ............................................ 93
TABLE OF OPENINGS
(According to ECO codes. Numbers refer to games)
ECO code game number
OrangUtan
A 00 l.b4 ................................................. 1
Dunst Opening
A 00 l.Nc3 ................................................ 2
From's Gambit
A 02 1.f4 e5 ............................................... 3
Bird's Opening
A 03 1.f4 d5 ............................................... 4
Reti Opening
A 13 l.NG d5 2.c4 ......................................... 5
English Opening
A 25 l.c4 e5 ............................................. 6-7
A 34 l.c4 c5 ............................................... 8
Rat Defense
A 40 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 ...................................... 9
Benoni
A 43 l.d4 c5 2.d5 Nf6 3.Nc3 ................................ 10
Trompowsky Attack
A 45 l.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 ....................................... 11
Queen's Pawn
A 46 l.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 c5 .................................... 12
Torre Attack
A 46 l.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bg5 ............................ , .. 13
Budapest Gambit
A 52 l.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ng4 ........................... 14
Dutch Defense
A 80 l.d4 f52.Bg5 ........................................ 15
A 83 l.d4 f5 2.e4 ., ..................................... 16,132
vi Take My Rooks
Center Counter
B 01 l.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 .................................. 17
Caro-Ka nn Defense
BID l.e4 c6 2.d3 ......................................... 18
B 11 l.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 ............................. 19-20
B 12 l.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.13 ................................... 21
B 12 l.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 ................................... 22
B 14 l.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 ........................ 23
B 15 l.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 g6 ................... 24
Sicilian Defense
B 20 l.e4 c5 2.b4 ........................................ 133
B 21 l.e4 c5 2.f4 .......................................... 25
B 29 l.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 ..................................... 26
B 32 l.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 .................. 27
B 33 l.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 ...... 28-31
B 34 l.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.Nc3 Bg7 ......... 32
B 39 l.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.c4 ........... 33-34
B 40 l.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 ................ 35-36
B 41 l.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.c4 ................ 37
B 44 l.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6 .................. 38
B 67 l.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bg5 ... 39
B 85 l.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Be2 e6 .40
B 90 l.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.h3 ...... 41
B 96 l.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6
7.f4 b5 ........................................... 42-43
7.f4 h6 8.Bh4 Qb6 .................................... 44
B 99 7.f4 Be7 ............................................ 45
French Defense
COO l.e4 e6 2.e5 ......................................... 46
C 01 l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exdS ............................ 47
C 06 l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 ............................. 48
C 10 l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 c5 ............................... 49
C 11 l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 dxe4 ................ 50-51
C 12 l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Bb4 .................... 52
C 15 l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nge2 ...................... 53
C 17 l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.Bd2 ................. 54
C 18 l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 ............ 55-60,134
Danish Gambit
C 21 l.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Bc4 ...................... 135
Bishop's Opening
C23 l.e4 e5 2.Bc4 ........................................ 61
Take My Rooks vii
Vienna Game
C 25 l.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Ne6 ............................•....... 62
C 2S l.e4 eS 2.Ne3 Bc5 .................................... 63
C29 l.e4 eS 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 ............................. 64-66
King's Gambit
C 32 l.e4 eS 2.f4 dS ....................................... 67
C 32 l.e4 eS 2.f4 exf4 3.Be4 ................................ 68
C 38 l.e4 eS 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 ................. " .......... , 69
Queen's Pawn Counter Gambit
C40 l.e4eS2.Nf3dS ................................... 70-71
Latvian Gambit
C 40 l.e4 eS 2.Nf3 fS ................................... 72-87
Philidor Defense
C41 l.e4eS 2.Nf3d6 ...................................... 88
Reversed Hungarian
C 44 l.e4 eS 2.Nf3 Ne6 3.Be2 ..... " ................ , ., ..... 89
Ponziani
C 44 l.e4 eS 2.Nf3 Ne6 3.c3 ............................. 90-93
Three Knights
C 46 l.e4 eS 2.Nf3 Ne6 3.Nc3 g6 ............................ 94
Semi-Italian
C SO l.e4 eS 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Be4 d6 4.e3 ........................ 9S
Giuoco Piano
C SO l.e4 eS 2.Nf3 Ne6 3.Bc4 Bc5 (without e3) " ........... 96-98
CS3 l.e4 eS 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Be4 Be5 4.c3 ................... 99-101
Two Knights
C S6 l.e4 eS 2.Nf3 Ne6 3.Be4 Nf6 4.d4 .................. 102-103
C S7 l.e4 eS 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Be4 Nf6 4.NgS BeS ................ 104
C S7 l.e4 eS 2.Nf3 Ne6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.NgS dS S.exdS NxdS ...... 136
CS9 l.e4eS2.Nf3Ne63.Be4Nf64.NgSdSS.exdSNaS ....... 1OS
RuyLopez
C 60 l.e4 eS 2.Nf3 Ne6 3.BbS g6 ........................... 106
C 63 l.e4 eS 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.BbS fS ........................... 107
C 64 l.e4 eS 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.BbS BeS ................. , ., ., .... 108
C 67 l.e4 eS 2.Nf3 Ne6 3.BbS Nf6 .......................... 109
C 78 1.e4 eS 2.Nf3 Ne6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be5 ........ 110
C 80 l.e4 eS 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.BbS a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 S.O-O Nxe4 ....... 111
Queen's Pawn
D 00 l.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bf4 Bg7 4.Nc3 ..................... 112
viii Take My Rooks
Chigorin's Defense
D 07 l.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bg4 ........................... 113
Slav Defense
D 13 l.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.cxd5 cxd5 ........................... 114
D 17 l.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 ............... 115
Queen's Gambit Accepted
D 20 l.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4 ................................ 116
D 21 l.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 c.5 ............................ 117
D 21 l.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 a6 ............................ 118
D 24 l.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc43.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 ..................... 119
D 26 l.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 ., ..................... 120
Queen's Gambit
D 30 l.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c6 4.e3 Nf6 5.Nbd2 ............... 121
D 32 l.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 ............................. , 122
D 39 l.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Bb4 5.Bg5 dxc4 ..... 123-124
D 48 l.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 c6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 . 125
Grunfeld Defense
D 82 l.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bf4 Bg7 5.e3 c5 ... , ......... 126
Nimzo-Indian Defense
E 29 l.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.a3 .................... '" 127
E 38 l.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 ..................... 128
E 41 l.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5 5.a3 cxd4 ........... , 129
E 42 l.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5 5.Nge2 .............. 130
E 45 l.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 .................... 131
Take My Rooks Lx
GO AHEAD -TAKE MY ROOKS:
BOTH OF THEM!
The inspiration for this book theme. Time after time, however,
belongs entirely to my co-author the authors duplicated the same 20-
Nikolay Minev. A year ago he ap· 25 games.
proached me with a wondrous idea: Naturally, we will start with The
"How would you like to publish a Immortal Game. Even though other
series of combinational books?" My examples came before it, this is the
reaction was less than enthustiastic: original catalyst. After The Immor
"That's been done before. By many tal Game was played, the chess world
authors. ,. Undeterred, he continued: began to pay attention to this rare
"Wait a minute! Not a book on pins but extraordinarily beautiful tactical
and forks, I'm also tired of thousands idea.
of diagrams. Let's do something
more complete. Something originaL King's Gambit
Let's show some typical tactical ideas
ANDERSSEN -KIESERITZKY
in their natural enviroment. How tac London 1851
tics arise in the game, from which
openings and variations. Let's show l.e4 eS 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4 Qh4 +
these ideas not just when they're suc 4.KfI b5
cessful, but also refuted. We can Kieseritzky's patent. It is now con
show these themes as attacking or sidered dubious.
defensive devices. It will be impor S.BxbS Nf6**
tant to show these themes in our It is amazing thot this continua
notes. We can expose a lot of the tion, as well as The Immortal Game
hidden beauty." itself, ore not mentioned in ECO
Nikoloy wasn't talking one-Or two (Encyclopedia of Chess Openings).
movers. He had an interesting idea. Strangely enough, the examples
Intrigued, I asked, "Such as?". He given by this "openings Bible": S .. J5
replied: "Imagine for example a first 6.Nc3 c6 7.Ba4 fxe4 8.Nxe4 Nf6
book devoted to the combination 9.Nf3 Qh6 10.Qel Swiderski -
where a ployer sacrifices both Rooks Maroczy, Vienna 1903, or 5 ... g5
on his initial first rank." 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.d4 Ne7 8.NB Qh59.h4
Now his idea has hit home. What a h6 lO.eS NfS 11.Kgl Ng3 12.Rh2
challenge! No one had ever made a Anderssen - Lowenthal, London
book about the tactical idea shown in 1851, are both given as a clear ad
"The Immortal Game." After a con vantage for White. As we shall see,
centrated ond, believe me, not easy maybe Kieseritzky's move deserves
effort, we managed to collect as many another look.
as 136 examples from practice. Our 6.NI3 Qh6 7.d3
research paid off. Some magazine Glazkov and Estrin offer 7.Nc3 as
articles have shown this tactical White's best. They continue: 7 ... g5
Take My Rooks
(7 ... Bb7? 8.d4! Nxe4 9.Qe2 fSl0.dS!) While this move leads us to our
8.d4 Bg7 9.h4 (instead of 9.eS Nh5 chosen tactical theme, a modern
IO.Kgl Bb7 I1.Be2 as in Raphael Grandmaster would prefer 17.d4!
Morphy, New York 1857) Nh5 Bxd4? 18.NdS winning.
IO.Rh2 g4 11.NgS Ng3+ 12.Kel! 17 ... Qxb2
with advantage for White. Perhaps
8. .. NhS!?** deserves attention. In
this way Black avoids White's idea of
12.Kel!
7. .. NhS?!
Glazkov and Estrin recommend
7 ... BcS!? 8.d4 Bb6, we suggest
7 ... Be7!?", followed by 8. .. NhS or
8. .. 0·0.
S.Nh4 QgS
According to Kieseritzky, the
decisive mistake. He recommends
8. .. g61 and if 9.g4 (9.g3 Be7) Nf6 Now we are at the thematic posi
IO.Ng2 Qh3 11.Bxf4 Nxg4 with ad· tion.
vantage for Black.
lS.Bd6!!
9.NfS c6?! Anderssen offers both Rooks, win
In Our opinion this is the decisive ning time for an attack against
error. Better was 9. .. g6 10.h4 Qf6!? Black's King.
(Not 10 ... Ng3+? 11.Kel! Qf6
lS ... Qxa1+
12.Nxg3 fxg3 13. Qe2, obviously to
Some confusion exists here.
White's advantage - Kieseritzky),
Several authors (e.g., Cherney in
when Black is still kicking.
"1000 Best Short Games of Chess"
10.g4 Nr6 and Glazkov, Estrin in "Korolevsky
Gambit" 1988) give the move order
as 18. .. Bxgl 19.eS Oxal +. We used
the text from "Encyclopedia of Chess
Games" and other sources that we
felt were more authentic.
19.Ke2 Bxg1
Clearly 19 ... Qb2! (Steinitz) is the
best defense, but happily for us
Kieseritzky didn't find it. No w White
demonstrates his great conception.
20.eS! Na6
Defending against 21.Nxg7 + Kd8
1l.Rg1! cxbS 12.h4 Qg6 13.hS 22.Bc7 mate, but the final blow
QgS 14.Qf3 NgS lS.Bxf4 Qf6 comes from the other side.
16.Nc3 BeS 17.NdS 21.Nxg7 + KdS
Take My Rooks xi
7.Nh3 BdS 8.NxdS cxdS 9.Nf4
QaS+ 10.Bd2 Qb6 11.QxdS
Qxb2
22.Qf6 + ! N xf6 23.Be7 +
Checkmate! 1-0
Interestingly enough, nine years
before losing The Immortal Game,
12.Bxc4!
Kieseritzky was defeated by another
player featuring the same tactical Offering both Rooks for a well-cal
idea of sacrificing two Rooks. culated winning attack.
lZ. .. Qxal + 13.Ke2 Qxhl
Queen's Gambit Accepted Now White wins by force.
SCHWARTZ -KlESERITZKY
Paris 1842
l.d4 dS 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4 £5?!**
Don't try to find this move in the
books! It was popular one hundred
and fifty years ago. Later, the idea of
fl-f5 was incorporated into theory
after 3 ... e5 4.d5 f5!?, reaching Some
highly original middlegame situa
tiollS.
4.eS?!
There are two continuations which
refute Black's little adventure: 14.Qt7 + Kd7 IS.e6 + Kc7
4.exf5!? Bxf5 5.Bxc4, or 4.Bxc4!? 16.NdS + Kc6 17.Qe8 + Kd6
fxe4 5.Qb3, in both cases with a clear 18.Bf4 + Kxe619.Nf6 +
advantage to White. Or 19.Nc7+.
4 •.• Bo6 S.Nc3 c6 6.Qf3!? g6 19 ... Kxf620.Qf7 +
Gra bbing the pawn by 6. .. Qxd4 is Mate 1-0
possible. White would gain the initia These two games show the basic
tive by kicking Black's Queen around conception of the combination: the
with 7.Nge2 Qxe5 (7 ... Qd3 8.Nf4) opponent spends time, at least two
8.Bf4, with compensation for the moves, to ropture both Rooks. In
pawns. most cuses his strongest piece, the
xii Take My Rooks
Queen, is suddenly out of the battle. the sacrifice of the first and the
This oners an opportunity to con second Rook exists a gap of one or
centrate the remaining pieces for a more quiet moves. These combina
decisive action (checkmate or per tions are the trickiest since the
petual check) aguinst the defender before capturing the
opponent's King. second Rook, can defend in several
In the above examples, the tactical ways. The defender may even refuse
idea was easy to be find and execute. to capture the second Rook. There·
After the thematic sacrifice of both fore, the execution of this method
Rooks on consecutive moves, the demands more imagination and
winning variations are forced. We much deeper calculation.
call this situation "THE BRUTAL According to our collection, The
METIlOD". Mostly it is question of Quiet Method is demonstrated in the
precisely calculating five· or six oldest game where the two Rooks
move combinations (a forced se sacrifice can be seen.
quence of moves). An elementary ex
ample of the brutal method is shown
Bishop's Opening
in the diagram below (the score of
the game is not available to us): BOWDLER -CONWAY
London 1788
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.d3 c6 4.Qe2
d6 5.f4?!** exf4 6.Bxf4 Qf6
BurS· BARTHEL
Haarlem 1955 In case of 6. .. Qb6 7.c3! Bxg1 8.d4
Bxd4 9.cxd4 Qxd4 Black wins two
pawns, but after 10.Nc3 White is far
ahead in development with excellent
a ttacking chances.
7.QI3
The adventure begins! The safe al·
ternative 7.&1 wasn't so bad. The
only "problem" is that at the time
when the game was played, such a
retreat was considered as a moral
defeat!
7. .. Qxb28.Bxf7+ Kd7?!
White to move Naturally not 8 ... Kxf7?? 9.Be5+
l.Qe2! Qxal +? 2.Kd2 Qxhl winning the Queen, but 8. .. Kd8 was
better.
If 2. .. Bb4+ then 3.Nc3+! winning
the Queen. 9.Ne2QxaIIO.Kd2Bb4+?
3.N d6 + Kd7 4.Qe8 + 10 ... Qf6 or even 10 ... Nf6 Il.Nbc3
Checkmate. 1·0 Qb2 leaves White empty handed for
The other possibility featuring the the sacrificed Rook. Remember what
two Rooks sacrifice we call "TIlE we said about retreating.
QUIET METHOD". Here between 11.Nbc3!