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W. Fullerr (2103) - M.
Ballicora (2160)
[D03/09] Queen’s Pawn: Torre
1999 Michigan Open (5)
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1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bg5
| The Torre attack looks innocent but can be very
dangerous if Black is not alert. |
All previous moves followed natural developement.
It is dangerous for Black to continue this trend by castling.
7...0-0 8.Ne5 prepares an attack on the kingside
with f4, so Black has to take 8...Nxe5 9.dxe5 Nd7 10.Bf4! and after Nf3
White has a firm grip on e5 and a strong attack on the kingside (h4-Ng5
etc.). |
| 10.Bf4 Bb7 11.0-0 Qc7 and Black castles in the queenside.
White’s initiative on the kingside is harmless as was demonstrated in one
of the Petrosian’s masterpieces (Spassky - Petrosian, 1966 World Ch. Match).
7...b6 is a useful waiting move that keeps the king in the center until
White shows his cards. |
| It is important to attack the center before White
can do the same with e4. |
| Perhaps White should have kept the queens on the
board. |
| White did not want Black to have more pawns in the
center after 14.exf6 gxf6. However, Black’s center is not very flexible
and mobile. White can attack it with e4. Now e5 become a serious
weakness. |
| Excellent decision! White’s bishop is good,
but Black’s knight is even better. This move will remove the only
serious attacker of e5 and the Nf3 will be dismissed of its passive duty. |
| Looking for counter-chances on the queenside.
Of course 20.Rxf8 Rxf8 21.Nxh7 Rf5 leaves the knight in an awkward position. |
| 22.bxc5 bxc5 23.Rb1 h6 24.Nf3 Rc8 25.Rb3 Kd7 26.Ra3
Rc6 and Black is better because of the pawn structure. However, it
is much better than the game. |
| White cannot open the b-file anymore because the
bishop covers b1 disallowing the rook to fight for it. |
| Whoever gets the open file gets a huge advantage
in rook endgames. |
| This move does not allow counter-chances, making
sure that the queenside will be sealed. It is important that the
white rook not be allowed to penetrate. |
| The rook is better placed in d4 than b3. |
| 33...dxe4 34.fxe4 Rxb4! 35.Rd6 Rxe4 36.Rxa6 Rxe5
was also winning for Black. |
| If 35.Kf4 Rc2! 36.Rb1 d2 37.Rd1 Rb2 38.Ke3 Rxb4
39.Rxd2 Ra4 40.Rd6 Rxa5. |
| This move loses an important tempo and puts the
victory at risk. 35...Rxb4 is more direct and better. |
| Activating the rook is the only hope. |
| White wants to cut the escape to g6 but it is not
worth it. |
| A) If 40.Rc8+, 40...Ke7 is the best approach:
41.Rc7+ Kd8 42.Rxg7 Kc8 43.Ke3 (43.Kg5 b4 44.Kf6 b3 45.Rg1 Rb5 46.Kxe6
a5 Black wins) 43...b4 44.Kd3 Rc5 with advantage to Black. |
| B) If 40.Rc8+, 40...Kf7 41.Rc7+ Kg6 42.Re7
and White’s chances are very good. |
| Last move of the time control. It defends
g7 indirectly. |
| 42.Rc7+ Kd8 43.Rxg7 Rg2+. |
| I sat down for a while here pondering the possible
choices. It looks like White has a very active rook and good counterattack.
When White takes the pawn on e6, the rook can delay the advance of the
pawns from behind (b6), the king can then penetrate (f5, e6) and then the
chances for Black to win decrease dramatically. What is the correct
plan? I recommend to try to find it, it is very instructive (at least
it was for me!). |
44...Ra5!
| I am happy I did not rush into 44...Rg2+ and 45...b3
or 44...a5. Of course, the old principle “rooks should be behind
the pawns” applies here. It was not obvious to me at the beginning
because the rook looks awkward in a5! Now we see that 40...Ra2 was
not the best move, 40...b4 would have been a faster way. After 44...Ra5
the game is over. |
| 45.Rb6 Rb5 is the trick, White cannot take because
the king is out the “square” 46.Rxa6 b3 47.Ra1 b2 48.Rb1 Rxe5+ 49.Kf4 Rb5
50.Ke3 Kd7 is an easy win as White’s rook is tied up and Black’s king is
unstoppable. |
| 47.Rb6 is still answered by 47...Rb5. |
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