Contact Chess – Martial Art of Mind. Anatomy of a Fight

Can you believe your eyes – this is supposed to be a draw!

Study by M. Liburkin, Bulletin Moscow - Prague, 1946. Draw!

At first sight, seems that by no stretch of imagination can White survive here.

Yet, by help of the “contacts theory”, piece coordination and the grand scheme of chess hierarchy presented before, we will be able to dissect the position into discrete elements to get an understand on what’s going on here and how a draw is possible. This might also help you assess the merits and applicability of the “contacts theory” I am speaking up for on this blog.

Take another look at this study of supreme elegance by Mark Savelevich Liburkin (1910-1953). The white pieces are not active and look totally uncoordinated, some on the edge of the board, and yes, the white b7-Knight has no way out. One of the Knights must go. It’s beyond imagination that White may hold in this position against an active black Rook and a Pawn seemingly ready to march its way to the glory, possibly supported by its monarch.

But how can White create any chances here as his position looks completely lost? Perhaps the only one may be to pose threats to the black Pawn together with a combined King’s action (at least the black King is poorly placed in the corner and out of play for now). But again, it’s still hard to imagine survival is possible here at all.

White to move and draw

1. Nf1-e3 Although attacked black Rook must lose control over some b7-Knight’s escape squares now, after

1. … Rd5-d3  double attack (C1 on our Grand scheme, or GS:C1) is established on both Knights which guarantees the prey (one of the Knights) still cannot escape.

2. Kc1-c2! Forcing the black Rook to dispatch the e3-Knight. That’s exactly what White wanted to as the b7-Knight is in a more favorable position to attack the e6-Pawn – just one move away. What kind of contact is it? Threat of attack (GS:B2)

2. … Rd3xe3 One Knight is gone – it’s martyred for the fatherland (“dlya Rodinu”, as the Russian would say…)

3. Nb7-d8!! Fantastic!

Position after 3.Nb7-d8

Now we see more clearly why White gave out the e3-Knight. The Rook is cunningly lured on the e-file (it’s the “drive-on” tactical device, GS:D2) in front of the Pawn where its mobility is reduced (GS:E2-i) and where it can be attacked.

Let’s do some anatomy and check elementary contacts (GS:B), as they always provide clue about the position:

a) the d8-Knight is attacking (GS:B1) the black Pawn,

b) the black Rook is tied down to protecting the Pawn (GS:B3) and is limited to only five squares on the e-file (e1-e5),

c) the Rook is under a threat of attack (GS:B2) from the white King which is one-move away from beginning to harass it by stepping on the d-file,

d) the black King is restricted (GS:B4) by the Knight (at b7) and tactically (at a7 and b8), which foils any attempt to get out of the corner.

Rembrandt van Rijn (1606 - 1669). The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp, 1632, Mauritshuis, The Hague

We finally realize the two black pieces are actually subjected to a double attack (GS:C2) consisting of the Knight’s attack (GS:B1) on the e6-Pawn, and King’s series of perpetual attacks and threats of attack (GS:B2) the Rook cannot escape as it’s tied down to protecting the e6-Pawn. This is an example of effective piece cooperation (GS:C, “the main principle that runs throughout”, Capablanca) between the King and the Knight.

In contrast, the black troops are uncoordinated and all heavily restricted which reduces their fighting potential. All this explains why, with little help of tactics (GS:D), the draw is possible!

(Now you can also see why studying endings may dramatically improve your chess as full potential of pieces and cooperation between them are lucidly expressed.)

Back to our position. The white King actually wants to be able to attack the Rook whenever it gets on e1, e2, e3, or e4 (it’s well known that King is more gifted at close-range fight than Rook). If the Rook lands on e5, the King simply steps back on the c-file from which it can keep a threat of attack (from say c3-square).

At the same time, on c3 the King is safe as it’s off of the d-file along which the Rook can strike (Re5-d5+) with a double attack winning the d8-Knight.

And lastly, with the Rook on e5, Black is entirely held down really. The Pawn is obviously blocked, but important thing is that the black King cannot get out of the corner and join the fray because of another double attack hanging in the air, this time Nd8-c6 fork (an example of tactical piece cooperation, GS:C4).

3. …Re3-e2+ If 3…e5, then 4.Nf7 maintaining the attack on the e-Pawn and the Rook is unable to avoid King’s attacks coming from the d-file, or if it leaves the e-file, the loss of the Pawn.

4. Kc2-d3 Re3-e1

5. Kd3-d2 Re1-e4

6. Kd2-d3 Re4-e5

7. Kd3-c3! This subtle move keeps the status-quo (see the comment after move 3). The Black can only try:

7. … Re5-c5 to improve his position, but after

8. Kc3-b4 is forced to turn back to e-file. DRAW!

Sheer beauty! Isn’t it?

And here’s the author of this brilliance:

Mark Savelevich Liburkin (1910-1953), a famous chess composer of studies of supreme elegance

As you’ve seen, we covered a lot of elements from the Grand scheme of hierarchy in chess.

Hope it helped increase your enjoyment of this magnificent piece of chess art.

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Comments and suggestions welcome.

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Let’s go right away to the heart and core of the whole chess thing…

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You Study Openings? No no no noo, here’s Your Study!

Endgame studies are similar to chess problems. However, while problems often present very artificial looking positions, studies appear that they could occur in a game.

“An endgame study, or just study, is a composed chess position — that is, one that has been made up rather than one from an actual game — presented as a sort of puzzle, in which the aim of the solver is to find a way for one side (usually White) to win or draw”, Wikipedia.

Composed studies exist in Shatranj (an early form of chess) manuscripts from the 9th century, and the earliest chess works by Lucena and Damiano (late 15th and early 16th century) also include studies.

As an example, here’s a beautiful study composed by Gia Nadareishvili (1921-1991), a chess composer from Georgia (not where I live, but ex-Soviet one), author of many books on chess studies. The study shown below is published in “Study through the eyes of Grandmasters”, Moscow, Fiskultura i Sport, 1972. There are 312 studies altogether commented by 9 former World Champions and 34 other Grandmasters!

A real gem. But look, it’s not about openings. May that be at all possible? Openings are cool. Who needs other books when there’s openings?

Gia Nadareishvili (1921-1991)

Let’s give a look at the position below. It looks White is doomed. The mere sight of the two Pawns strikes fear that freezes the blood in your veins. As always, let’s try to figure out the opponent’s next move (remember that main strategic principle prescribing that we always fight against the rival’s intentions?). Well, it seems like b-pawn is going to advance. How to stop this guy? As Nimzovich would put it, “The passed Pawn is a criminal”, who should be given all attention. Well, there are three pieces to take on the job? Let’s see.

The following commentary is by no one else but the Soviet chess patriarch, three-time World Chess Champion, Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik (1911-1995).

G. Nadareishvili, Study contest "Georgia-50", 1972. 1st Prize. Draw

Here’s a starting position very characteristic of Nadareishvili. On the surface – a prosaic endgame from an actual game. Looks like a technically simple endgame that Black should win as White has to give up both pieces for the two far advanced Pawns.

These lines first come to mind:

1.Kc2? Rc5+ 2.Kb3 Rc3+ 3.Kxb4 Kb2 4.Ra8 Rb3+ 5.Kc4 Ra3

1.Rb8? Kb2 2.Rxb4+ Ka3 and they confirm the first impression.

So, the King, or the Rook cannot do the job. Okay, let’s try bringing the Bishop into the game:

1. Bf1-c4

Now Black doesn’t get anything out of 1…Kb2 2.Rf2+ Kb1 3.Bd3+, or 1…Kb1 2.Rb8 Ra4 3.Bxa2+ Kxa2 4.Kc2. The only way left is to attack the Bishop.

1. …Ra5-c5 2.Bc4-g8!!

This long move, in the tradition of Ex-champion M. Euwe saves white. The Bishop’s position on g8 will prove safe and that determines the outcome of the battle.

2.Bxa2? Kxa2 leads to a theoretically lost Rook endgame, while after 2.Rf4? Rxc4 3.Rxc4  b3 black Pawns are unstoppable.

2. …Ka1-b1 3.Rf8-b8!

Not 3.Rf4? because of 3…b3! nor 3.Bh7+? Kb2 4.Rf2+ Ka3

After 3.Rb8!

3. …Rc5-c1+

Of course, not 3…a1Q  Rxb4+ and Queen is lost.

4. Kd1-d2 Rc1-c2+

5. Kd2-d1 a2-a1Q

6. Rb8xb4+ Rc2-b2

7. Rb4-c4!

After 7.Rc4!

This is where lies the great idea of the author. In spite of the great material advantage on an almost empty board, the radius of black long-range pieces is restricted due to the unfavorable position of the King. How to defend from 8.Rc1# threat now? A simple analysis shows that after 7…Rd2+ 8.Kxd2 Qa5+ 9.Ke2! it is not possible to win the g8 Bishop, and a draw is inevitable. It only remains:

7. …Rb2-c2

8. Rc4-b4+!

But not 8.Rxc2? Qd4+ 9.Rd2 Qg1+ 10.Ke2 Qxg8

8. … Rc2-b2

9. Rb4-c4 and a positional draw.

One question remains: why had the Bishop go to g8, and not e6? Had that been possible, there would be a dual solution (as with problems, for a study to be regarded as a good one, it must have only one solution, @ChessContact). It turns out that the position of the e6 Bishop is without hope as the following line of play shows:

2.Be6? Kb1 3.Rb8 Rc1+ 4.Kd2 Rc2+ 5.Kd1 a1Q 6.Rxb4+ Rb2 7.Rc4 Rb6! and after 8.Rc1+ Kb2 9.Rxa1 Rd6+ 10.Ke2 Rxe6+ and black consequently wins both white pieces.

With the limited material on the board, the author created a study that brings chess lovers an endless pleasure.

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An endless pleasure indeed!

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