A rare classical position
In this article we will look at two occurrences of the following rather unknown late classical position.
It is a well known fact that the majority of the late classical positions ends in a draw. And at first sight one would expect this position to be no exception. But in reality black has a big problem, because after 12-17? white wins the game using a small combination: 35-30 24x35 33-29 23x34 39x30 35x24 27-21 16x27 32x23. And since ≡ 15-20? 39-34 is hopeless too, the position is completely lost for black.
We will look at two different games in which this position decides the game. First we will look at a game of former world champion Shchegolev against Frolov in 1995, and then at a very recent game in the Polish Open between the grandmasters Van IJzendoorn and Thijssen.
Vyacheslav Shchegolev - D. Frolov 2-0 Ishimbay 1995
≡ 1.33-28 19-23 2.28x19 14x23 3.39-33 10-14 4.34-30 18-22 5.44-39 14-19 6.30-25 12-18 7.25x14 19x10 8.50-44 7-12 9.33-28 22x33 10.39x19 13x24 11.44-39 10-14 12.39-33 5-10 13.32-28 14-19 14.37-32 10-14 15.41-37 9-13 16.43-39 4-9 17.40-34 18-23 18.31-27 2-7 19.34-30 12-18 20.37-31 7-12 21.49-43 17-21 22.31-26 1-7 23.26x17 11x31 24.36x27 6-11 25.46-41 11-17 26.41-36 17-21 27.36-31 21-26 28.30-25 26x37 29.42x31 7-11 30.45-40 14-20 31.25x14 9x20 32.40-34
The game is entering the decisive phase. Here black could simplify the position with ≡ 24-29 33.33x24 20x40 34.35x44 23-29, with a draw as the most logical result.
This is a questionable move, as it leaves black with a structural weakness in the form of an inactive piece on 15. One can imagine that Frolov didn't trust ≡ 3-9 34.30-25 9-14 35.31-26 and after 17-21? 36.26x17 12x21 37.28-22! white definitely has an advantage. However after ≡ 24-29! 36.33x24 20x29 white has no way to threaten the vulnerable piece on 29. An even better plan for black was to immediately play ≡ 24-29! 34.33x24 20x29 35.39-33 or? 17-22! 36.33x24 22x42 37.47x38 etc. with an equal position.
Frolov seems unaware of the dangerous situation he is in. After this exchange it is very hard for black to avoid the position of diagram 3, which is winning for white.
With ≡ 23-29! black could have escaped this scenario. After 36.30-25 29-34 the black problems are over, and after ≡ 36.43-39? black has a break-through combination using 17-22! 37.28x17 12x21 38.26x17 19-23 39.30x28 3-9 40.33x24 18-22 41.27x18 13x44. Finally, if white waits with ≡ 36.47-42 black can do so as well with 17-21 37.26x17 12x21.
≡ 36.26x17 12x21 37.43-39 21-26?
After this move the black position is definitely lost. A miraculous escape was still possible after ≡ 3-9 38.30-25 9-14 39.47-41 8-12 40.41-37 15-20! 41.48-43 23-29!! Now white has several attractive options.
*) First of all after 42.39-34 29x40 43.35x44 18-23 44.43-39 12-17 45.44-40 it looks like white is winning. But black has the hidden combination 24-29! 46.33x15 17-22! 47.27x20 21-27 48.32x21 23x45, and the endgame is a draw.
*) Second, after ≡ 42.35-30 24x35 43.33x15 19-24 the break-through 44.25-20 14x25 45.15-10 looks quite dangerous for black. However, the unlikely defense 25-30! 46.10-4 13-19 47.4x22 35-40 is sufficient to secure a draw. The position of the white pieces is so awkward that there is no way to stop black from making a king.
*) Finally after ≡ 42.35-30 24x35 43.33x15 19-24 44.28-22 black survives using 12-17! 45.22x11 16x7 46.27x16 35-40 47.39-34 40x29 48.37-31 13-19! 49.32-27 19-23 50.25-20 14x25 51.27-21 29-34 52.15-10 34-40 53.10-4 40-45 54.4x22 45-50 55.22-6 50-45 etc.
This is inaccurate, since it allows black to escape with a piece sacrifice 8-12 39.48-43 26-31! 40.27x36 12-17 41.36-31 18-22 42.31-27 22x31 43.41-36 3-9 44.36x27 9-14 and black has sufficient counterplay to make a draw. The right move was ≡ 30-25!, and after 8-12 48-43 black will inevitably end up in the position of diagram 3.
≡ 3-9? 39.30-25 9-14 40.41-37 8-12 41.48-43
12-17 42.35-30! 24x35 43.33-29 23x34 44.39x30 35x24 45.27-21 16x27 46.32x23 24-29 47.23x34 19-24 48.28-22 14-19 49.22-17 19-23 50.17-12
An instructive victory of the legendary Shchegolev, who unfortunately passed away at 9 October 2022.
Martijn van IJzendoorn - Kees Thijssen 0-2 Polish Open 2022
≡ 1.34-30 20-25 2.30-24 19x30 3.35x24 18-23 4.40-34 14-20 5.45-40 20x29 6.33x24 10-14 7.32-28 23x32 8.37x28 14-19 9.40-35 19x30 10.35x24 9-14 11.41-37 17-22 12.28x17 11x22 13.37-32 14-20 14.31-27 20x40 15.27x9 4x13 16.44x35 12-18 17.38-33 7-12 18.42-38 13-19 19.39-34 8-13 20.50-44 5-10 21.44-39 10-14 22.34-30 25x34 23.39x30 6-11 24.43-39 11-17 25.49-43 17-22 26.32-27 22x31 27.36x27 12-17 28.46-41 1-7 29.38-32 7-12 30.43-38
At this moment it was impossible to predict that the white player would lose this position within 10 moves.
3-9 31.41-37 15-20 32.33-28 2-8 33.38-33 17-21 34.48-43 18-23 35.43-38(?)
After this move the white piece on 47 is difficult to develop. And just like Frolov, Van IJzendoorn doesn't seem to be aware of the enormous troubles this may cause.
A much more natural development for white was ≡ 35.47-42 20-24 36.42-38 13-18 37.39-34. Then black can try to reach the famous Woldouby position after 9-13 43-39 12-17 30-25 8-12 34-30 21-26 39-34 17-21 with a big advantage. Even though this position is a theoretical draw, it is very unattractive for white. However, white can easily avoid it, for example using the exchange ≡ 28-22 17x28 33x22 with a draw.
≡ 20-24 36.47-41 13-18 37.41-36 9-13
The decisive mistake. Also losing was ≡ 30-25? 21-26, since then we would end up in the first diagram of this article (with the colors swapped). But like in the previous game a very narrow escape was possible after ≡ 36-31! 21-26 28-22!! etc.
≡ 21-26 39.30-25 16-21 40.27x16 18-22 41.28x17 12x21 42.16x27 24-30 43.35x24 19x28 44.27-22 28x17 45.32-27 23-29 46.27-21 8-12 47.36-31 29-34 48.38-33 34-40 49.33-29 13-19 50.29-24 19x30 51.25x45 17-22 52.45-40 26x17 53.40-34 17-21 54.37-32 12-17
and Van IJzendoorn didn't await the 3-fold opposition after 31-26 22-27 32-28 27-32 28x37 21-27 34-29 14-19. An important victory for the 5-fold Dutch champion Thijssen.
© Wieger Wesselink https://10x10.org