k Welcome to Knackie's Tactics Training. The examples are based on material of a Hungarian Chess School. They have been revised using Fritz and a bit of Knackie's brain.
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k The 9th Lesson features the theme 'Long Diagonals'.
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k Lesson 8 'Opening / Closing Diagonals' already showed some Bishops in Action.
10
k This lesson covers Bishop's on their 'most loved place': the long diagonals.
10
k Let's start with a typical example.
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k Example 1: Larsson vs Andersson, Sweden 1971
3
bsetup
1
bsetup fen 2r2rk1/pbq2p2/1pp1p1p1/4R2p/2PP4/1P3Q1P/PB3PP1/3R2K1
1
bsetup wcastle none
1
bsetup bcastle none
1
tomove white
1
bsetup done
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wname Larsson
1
bname Andersson
1
k A typical situation for the 'Long Diagonals' theme: white succeeded in exchanging Black's dark-squared fianchettoed bishop, leaving some ugly holes in black's kingside.
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k White logically played:
8
d4d5
k Opening the long diagonal for the Bb2.
10
c6d5
f3f6
k Black gets overwhelmed on the long diagonal, and white threatens Rxh5 with mate on h8 to come.
18
c7d8
k Black defends against Rxh5 (e.g. Rxh5 QxQ), but white found a better solution:
16
f6h8
k Play continues on the long diagonal.
10
g8h8
e5h5
k double-check
6
h8g8
h5h8
k mate
8
k Example 2: Novak vs Cabarkapa, Emerlo 1970
3
bsetup
1
bsetup fen 1r2r1k1/pbp3pp/3b1q2/2p5/2P1B3/6P1/PPQ2P1P/1RB1R1K1
1
bsetup wcastle none
1
bsetup bcastle none
1
tomove black
1
bsetup done
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wname Novak
1
bname Cabarkapa
1
k How did black seize control of the long diagonal?
12
k 35 seconds...
6
35
e8e4
k Sacrificing the rook for the defending bishop, which is a common idea, even if there is no forcing combination.
15
e1e4
k Black now increases pressure on the long diagonal.
15
f6f3
k White resigned, as he will first lose his Re4 and then be mated on the
long diagonal.
17
k Example 3: Flesch vs Vadasz, Budapest 1971
3
bsetup
1
bsetup fen 2b2r2/1rq2k2/3p1BR1/p1pP1Pn1/PpP2pP1/1P3B2/8/4Q2K
1
bsetup wcastle none
1
bsetup bcastle none
1
tomove white
1
bsetup done
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wname Flesch
1
bname Vadasz
1
k In this example you should NOT calculate long variations.
13
k White to move, 35 seconds ...
7
35
g6g7
k White surprisingly gives up his Bishop?! So, what about the long diagonal?
12
f7f6
e1a1
k mate!
8
k Example 4: Mecking vs Basman, Hastings 1965
3
bsetup
1
bsetup fen 8/5pkp/r2p2pq/2pP4/2n2P2/N7/PP1nQ2P/K4R1R
1
bsetup wcastle none
1
bsetup bcastle none
1
tomove black
1
bsetup done
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wname Mecking
1
bname Basman
1
k Basman is well-known for his strange opening ideas. Here he showed his fantasy in the middlegame.
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k 45 seconds ...
7
45
a6a3
k Surprise! Let's see what happens if white takes the rook:
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b2a3
k You might wonder what the relationship between this example and the long diagonals theme is?
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h6h4
k There it is! The Queen now inevitably comes to f6, and white will be mated.
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back 2
k So instead of taking the rook, white tried:
11
h2h4
k So that the black queen cannot play the strange manoeuvre Qh6-h4-f6.
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d2b3
a1b1
c4d2
b1c2
b3d4
c2d2
d4e2
b2a3
e2g3
k White resigned.
8
k Example 5: Root vs Starnes, Pasadena 1983
3
bsetup
1
bsetup fen 2rq1rk1/1p1b3p/p3p1p1/b2p2N1/3B4/P2n2R1/1PP2PPP/R2Q2K1
1
bsetup wcastle none
1
bsetup bcastle none
1
tomove white
1
bsetup done
1
wname Root
1
bname Starnes
1
k Black just took on d3. How did white reply?
11
k 50 seconds ...
7
50
d1h5
k If black now tries to defend h7 by means of Qe7, there follows:
14
d8e7
g5h7
k Disaster on g6 follows.
10
back 2
k So, black took the Queen.
8
g6h5
k The knight g5 now has a move 'for free', as the Rg3 will give discovered check.
16
k Which knight move would you choose?
20
g5e4
g8f7
g3g7
f7e8
e4d6
k mate
8
k Example 6: Spiro vs Najdorf,  1932
3
bsetup
1
bsetup fen 3r2k1/pb3p1p/1q4p1/2b1P3/1Pp5/2P1p1P1/P3Q1BP/R1B4K
1
bsetup wcastle none
1
bsetup bcastle none
1
tomove black
1
bsetup done
1
wname Spiro
1
bname Najdorf
1
k At the moment, white defends well on the long diagonal, and black's Bc5 is under attack.
17
k How did the great tactician Najdorf react?
11
k 60 seconds ...
7
60
b6c6
k Black surprisingly increases the pressure on the long diagonal.
14
k The queen cannot be taken:
8
g2c6
b7c6
h1g1
d8d1
e2d1
e3e2
c1e3
c5e3
k mate!
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back 8
k Instead of taking the Queen, white tried:
10
c1a3
k White's rook now defends the first row, but what is the drawback of Ba3?
15
d8d2
k The square d2 is no longer protected by white's bishop.
12
k White has nothing better than taking the Queen now.
10
g2c6
b7c6
h1g1
d2e2
b4c5
e2g2
k If white now plays Kh1 there follows:
10
g1h1
g2g3
k mate
6
back 2
k So, white played:
7
g1f1
e3e2
f1e1
g2g1
k White resigned, as he loses his rook.
10
k Example 7: Nimzovich vs Nielsen, Koppenhagen 1930
3
bsetup
1
bsetup fen r4rk1/p1R2ppp/1p1bp3/3qB3/3PR3/5Q1P/PP3PP1/6K1
1
bsetup wcastle none
1
bsetup bcastle none
1
tomove white
1
bsetup done
1
wname Nimzovich
1
bname Nielssen
1
k Nimzovich's combinations were considered 'diabolical'.
12
k Here, the devil showed up on move 3.
10
k 50 seconds ...
7
c7d7
k Preventing black from exchanging white's important Be5.
12
a8d8
d7d6
d8d6
k Which was the crucial move of Nimzovich's combination?
20
f3f6
k That looks nice.
7
g7f6
e4g4
g8h8
e5f6
k mate.
8
k Example 8: Uhlmann vs Liebart, 1976
3
bsetup
1
bsetup fen b2r2k1/p3pp1p/4n1p1/2P5/8/2P1Q1P1/P2NqP1P/2B2RK1
1
bsetup wcastle none
1
bsetup bcastle none
1
tomove black
1
bsetup done
1
wname Uhlmann
1
bname Liebert
1
k How did Black exploit the light-squared holes in white's kingside?
14
k 45 seconds ...
7
45
d8d2
k If white now answers QxR, there follows:
10
e3d2
e2f3
k With inevitable mate on the long diagonal.
10
back 2
k White tried:
6
c1d2
k Now follows the key-idea of black's combination:
15
e6g5
k White cannot take the knight, as after Qxg5 there would follow Qf3 again.
15
k So, white played:
7
e3e2
g5h3
k mate.
8
k Example 9: Szaharov vs Cserepkov, Alma Ata 1969
3
bsetup
1
bsetup fen 4rbk1/1q3ppp/2Rr4/1p1P1B2/2b1PR2/p5P1/5P1P/B1Q3K1
1
bsetup wcastle none
1
bsetup bcastle none
1
tomove white
1
bsetup done
1
wname Szaharov
1
bname Cserepkov
1
k In this example, white launched a strong attack ending with a typical mating combination.
17
k 75 seconds ...
7
75
f5h7
g8h7
c6d6
k This very strong move not only prevents black from defending with Rh6, it also deflects the defender of square g7.
21
f8d6
f4h4
k If black now plays Kg6, there follows:
10
h7g6
h4g4
g6h7
g4g7
h7h8
c1h6
k mate
5
back 6
k So, black played:
7
h7g8
k Now follows a typical mating combination that you should try to keep in mind.
15
h4h8
g8h8
c1h6
k The pawn g7 is pinned!
8
h8g8
h6g7
k mate
8
k Example 10: Spielman vs Hoenlinger,1929
10
bsetup
1
bsetup fen 2r1nrk1/pb2qp1p/1p2p1pQ/nP6/8/P2B2N1/1BP2PPP/3RR1K1
1
bsetup wcastle none
1
bsetup bcastle none
1
tomove white
1
bsetup done
1
wname Spielman
1
bname Hoenlinger
1
k In this game, the great attacking player Spielman showed another typical mating combination.
18
k 75 seconds ...
7
75
g3f5
k Black cannot take the knight:
9
g6f5
d3f5
k Black is mated or loses the Queen.
10
back 2
k In the game, black did not take the knight. He played:
12
e7c5
k How did Spielman strengthen the attack?
20
e1e5
k This move is extremely strong. It not only attacks black's Queen, it also prepares a nice mating combination.
20
k Black's problem here is that he cannot move his Queen off of the a3-f8 diagonal, as he must keep an eye on the e7-square. ( the white knight wants to give check on e7 )
20
b7d5
k So, why was Re5 a very strong move?
15
f5e7
k Clearing the way for the rook on it's way to h5.
11
c5e7
k You should absolutely remember the following mating combination, which happens very often:
17
h6h7
g8h7
e5h5
k Rhe pawn g6 is pinned!
8
h7g8
h5h8
k mate.
8
k Example 11: Tarrasch vs Walbrodt,  1895
3
bsetup
1
bsetup fen 3b2rk/7p/p7/2pbqNrn/Pp1p1R2/1P1Q2P1/1BPN1R1P/6K1
1
bsetup wcastle none
1
bsetup bcastle none
1
tomove white
1
bsetup done
1
wname Tarrasch
1
bname Walbrodt
1
k In the last example, we'll go back to the 19th century.
12
k In all the previous examples, the attacking side had a huge positional advantage right at the start.
15
k Things are much less clear in this position. Black has a dangerous counterattack on the g-file.
15
k Chess teacher Tarrasch proved that he was a great tactician.
14
k 90 seconds ...
7
90
f4d4
k Obviously opening the long diagonal for his Bb2, but isn't black's counterattack too strong?
15
h5g3
k Black seizes his chance.
8
f5g3
g5g3
h2g3
g8g3
k Walbrodt must have been happy here; he wins Tarrasch's Queen.
13
g1f1
g3d3
k Did Tarrasch resign now?
20
d4g4
k No! Walbrodt now resigned. If black plays QxB, there follows:
13
e5b2
f2f8
d5g8
f8g8
k mate
8
k That nicely concludes the Lesson; I hope you enjoyed it!
10
k These and many more examples can be downloaded in Chessbase or Pgn-Format at http://webplaza.pt.lu/public/ckaber
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