The Tactician's Handbook

By Victor Charushin

The Tactician’s Handbook In the late 1990s, American publisher Pickard & Son released five books, each dedicated to a unique tactical theme, and each with approximately 100 pages. Written by the late Russian correspondence master Victor Charushin, the books were Alekhine’s Block, Combination Cross, Lasker’s Combination, Mitrofanov’s Deflection, and The Steeplechase. They were very well-received by chessplayers everywhere. And, in fact, Charushin had written two more books in the series, Domination, and Less Common Combinations, but these were not released. For this edition of The Tactician’s Handbook, German grandmaster Karsten Müller has carefully reviewed and then selected the material he thought most enlightening. Then instructive exercises were added. All the analysis has been checked by the silicon monster, while Charushin’s notes and comments were revised where necessary. All seven titles were then combined into one comprehensive volume. Add to that a foreword by one of the great tacticians of our time, Hungarian grandmaster Judit Polgar, and the result is an excellent, instructive handbook covering some of the most exciting tactics in chess. The Tactician’s Handbook is sure to provide you with many hours of enjoyment and instruction!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Russell Enterprises, Inc.
• Release date: Dec 31, 2016
• ISBN: 9781941270356

Book preview

2016

1

Alekhine’s Block

The sixth rank is intimidating. A piece placed on it brings fear and panic to the enemy’s army. – Savielly Tartakower

The object of a chess game is to checkmate the opponent’s king. There are two means to this goal, either directly through attack or indirectly by acquisition of material superiority. Of course, the first way is more natural and more beautiful, but our opponent will try to place insurmountable obstacles in our path.

Overcoming such careful defense is an extremely complicated task, and toward this end various tactical measures are employed. Here we shall analyze one of them, the blockade on the f6-square.

Consider Black’s castled position. The row of pawns in front aspire to build an impregnable bastion defending the king. The first duty of the attacker is to rupture that pawn barrier. The simplest way to do so is by a pawn storm, but advancing the white pawns will cost much time and is fraught with the danger of weakening his own king’s position, when failure leads to an immediate counterattack and inevitable defeat.

A more reliable method of softening the enemy pawn barrier is by piece pressure. For example, place the white queen on h4 and a bishop on d3. The threat of mate on h7 forces Black to move one of his pawns. The move…h7-h6 is the least successful, leading only to further weakening of Black’s position. White’s queen goes to e4 and Black must also play…g7-g6 or…f7-f5, after which his pawn fortress loses strength. Instead, the move …g7-g6 weakens the dark squares, and makes sense only with a subsequent transfer of Black’s bishop to g7 – time consuming or often simply impossible.

The most active defense against the h7-mate involves…f7-f5. This move begins to illustrate the role of Black’s rook on f8. Before the pawn move, this rook is passive and only cramps the king. After…f7-f5, however, the rook gains in strength and supports the f-pawn, nurturing hope of a counterattack.

Therefore, it is a perfectly natural idea for White to blockade the f7-pawn by placing a rook, for example, in front of it on the f6-square. Thus the black defensive order is permanently frozen, while White’s rook penetrates into the enemy camp. True, the situation is complicated by the defender’s ability to capture the blockading piece, and the correctness of the sacrifice must be calculated accurately. But placing the white rook on f6 sets in motion this blockading operation, which we will refer to as Alekhine’s Block or simply the Block.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the attractive ideas underlying the Block were brilliantly realized by Alexander Alekhine. A profound understanding of the game led him to conclude that the Block can be executed not only by a rook on the f6-square, but on any square of the sixth (or third) rank by any piece. None of the grandmasters reveal in their games such variety in implementing this complex tactical maneuver as does the fourth world champion. Although early examples of the Block may be seen here, Alekhine was the first to systematically employ this device in his kingside attacks. There can be no doubt that a blockading piece sacrifice on the sixth (or third) rank should be called Alekhine’s Block.

Alexander Alekhine

As a passive sacrifice, the Block should ideally be a quiet move, without a check or capture. Exceptions are possible, for example, in that a knight on f6 often gives automatic check, and the queen’s Block – that of the queen on g6 (or g3) – was first demonstrated by Frank Marshall in game 1-74. Alekhine’s similar effort in game 1-75, though earlier, was played in a simultaneous exhibition, and so this subset of the Block should rightfully bear Marshall’s name.

It is noteworthy that the theoretical and widely known exchange sacrifice on c3 in the Sicilian Defense represents a modern development of Alekhine’s Block. By means of this sacrifice, Black obtains sufficient counterplay with minimal material loss.

Alekhine’s Block has been firmly established in practice. It is employed at all levels, from blitz games to matches for the world championship. In order to study this tactical maneuver we propose that the reader analyze the games given below, which are classified according to the piece being sacrificed and the square being blockaded. I am convinced that both beginning chessplayers and experienced masters will derive true enjoyment from these examples of chess art.

Alekhine uses his own block

The rook blocks at f6/f3

(1-1) Alekhine – Ostrogsky

Moscow (sim) 1910 (D)

22.Rf6!! With the idea 23.Rh6 gxh6 24.Nf6+. 22.Nf6+! gxf6 23.gxf6+– – Lein. 22…Ng6 22…gxf6 23.Nxf6+ Kg7 24.Qh6#; 22…g6 23.Raf1 Be8 24.Rxg6+ This is even better than Charushin’s 24.R6f3+–. 24…fxg6 24…Nxg6 25.Nf6+ Kf8 26.Qh6#) 25.Rxf8+ Kxf8 26.Qh8+ Kf7 27.Nh6# 23.Rxg6 fxg6 24.Bxg6 1-0

(1-2) Alekhine – Dawnman

San Luis (bf sim) 1924 (D)

16.Rf6!! 16.Be7! g6 (16…Nxe7 17.Rxf7+–) 17.Qh6+– Lein. 16…Bd4 16…gxf6? 17.Nxf6 Nxf6 18.Bxf6+ Kg8 19.Qg5# 17.Raf1? (D)

Alekhine brings his last piece into the attack, but this over-presses. 17.Rf4 is called for: 17…f6 (17…g6 18.Qh4 Bg7 19.Raf1+–) 18.Raf1 Be5 19.Rh4 g6 20.Qxg6 Na5 21.Rxf6+– 17…Bxf6? After the cold-blooded 17…gxf6! 18.Rxf6 Ng7, White has some compensation, but not enough, e.g., 19.Qh4 Ne6 20.c3 Be5 21.Be3 Qd8 22.d4 Rg8 23.dxe5 Nxe5 and Black is for choice. 18.Rxf6 Ne5 19.Rh6 gxh6 20.Bf6+ Nxf6 21.Nxf6 (D)

21…Qe7? The queen sacrifice 21…Rg8! 22.Nxd7 Nxd7 23.Bxf7 Rg7 was the last chance to defend, but White is of course much better. 22.Qxh6 Qxf6 23.Qxf6+ Kg8 24.Bb3 Rae8 25.h4 Nd7 26.Qf5 Nc5 (D)

27.h5? Alekhine should block f6 first with 27.Qg5+! Kh8 28.Qf6+ Kg8 29.h5+–. 27…Nxb3? 1-0 27…Re5! stops the direct attack, but White’s long term pressure prevails after 28.Qg4+ Kh8 29.h6 Ne6 30.Qh4 f6 31.Qh3+–. 28.Qg5+ Kh8 29.Qf6+ Kg8 30.h6 With the idea 31.Qg7#. 1-0

Rf6 introduces the option Rxh6

The defense Qf8

(1-3) Marshall – Spielmann

Moscow 1925 (D)

27.Rf6!! Qf8! 27…gxf6? 28.Qxh6+–; 27…axb4? 28.Rxh6 gxh6 29.Qxh6+– 28.Nf4 Marshall feeds his knight into the attack. 28.b5!?, to close roads on the queenside first, was the alternative. 28…axb4 Even 28…gxf6?! 29.exf6 Rea7 is not completely clear, e.g., 30.Nxe6 fxe6 31.Qg6+ Rg7 32.Qxh6 Nf3+ 33.gxf3 Rxg3+ 34.Kf2 Qxh6 35.Rxh6 Rg5 36.f4 Rf5 37.Bxf5 exf5, and Black still has drawing chances. 29.Ng6 fxg6 30.Rxf8+ (D)

30…Rxf8? Until now Spielmann has defended well, but this natural recapture is wrong. After 30…Kxf8! 31.Qd1 (31.Qxg6 is met by 31…Rxa2 32.Rf4+ Kg8) 31…Rea7, White is only slightly better. 31.Qxg6 Ne4 32.Bxe4 dxe4 33.Rxh6 Bf5 34.Qg5 Re6 35.Rxe6 Bxe6 36.Qg6 Bd5 37.e6 Rc8 38.Qf7+ Kh7 39.Qd7 Ra8 40.e7 Bf7 41.Qxc6 1-0

(1-4) Charushin (D)

1.Rf6! With the idea Qxh6+. 1…Ng5? 1…Qf8! 2.Qf3 g5 3.Qxd5 Qg7 4.Qe4 Rd8 with counterplay is called for. 2.Rxg5 hxg5 3.Qxg5 Kg8 3…gxf6? 4.Qh6++– 4.Qh5! This is better than Charushin’s 4.Qh4?, which can be met by 4…Qe8!! (4…g6? 5.Qg5 c2 5…Rf8 6.h4+– 6.Bxc2 Qd8 7.Bf5+–) and Black defends, e.g., 5.Qh7+ Kf8 6.Rd6 Rc6 7.Bb5 c2 8.Qh8+ Ke7 9.Qh4+ f6=. 4…g6 5.Qg5 Rf8 6.h4 with a very dangerous attack.

The defense Qg8

(1-5) Schoneberg – Liebert

Germany 1972 (D)

25.Rf6!? This wins, but the direct 25.Nxf7+ is even stronger because of 25…Kg8 26.Bh3 Qb7+ 27.Rf3 Rxf7 28.Qxf7+ Qxf7 29.Rxf7 Kxf7 30.Bxc8 Nxc8 31.Rc1+– 25…Kg8! 26.Raf1 Now 26.Rxh6? can be met by 26…gxh6 27.Qxh6 f6–+. 26…Qxe5 27.R6f5 (D)

27…Qe3? With queens on the board White’s attack crashes through. 27…g6! 28.Qxh6 Qh8 29.Qxh8+ Kxh8 30.Rxf7 d3 is forced and limits the damage. 28.Nxf7 d3 29.Re5 Qd2 30.Be4 Nd7 31.Qg6 Bf2 32.Qh7+ Kxf7 33.Bd5+ 1-0

Doubling on the f-file

(1-6) Simagin – Lyskov

Moscow 1957 (D)

16.Rf6!! Qe7? Black had to defend his Achilles heel f7 with 16…Nc6 17.Raf1 Nd8, when White is better after, e.g., 18.Rh6, but matters are not completely clear. 17.Raf1 Nd7 18.Rxf7 Qxf7 19.Rxf7 Kxf7 20.Nf4 Nf8 21.c4 dxc4 22.Qf3 Rd8 23.d5?! 23.Nh3+!? Ke8 24.Ng5 Rd7 25.d5+– was more precise. 23…exd5?! This opens roads for White’s attack. 23…Ke7 was called for, but White will win after 24.e4 anyway. 24.Nh3+ Ke8 25.Ng5 Rd7 26.e6 Nxe6 26…Re7 can even be met by 27.Qf7+ Rxf7 28.exf7+ Ke7 29.fxg8Q+– 27.Nxe6 Ke7 28.Qf5 Kd6 29.Nf4 c6 30.Qe6+ 1-0 Rf6 blocks the f-pawn.

(1-7) Fischer – Benko

USA ch New York 1963 (D)

19.Rf6!! A really fantastic shot. Benko had counted on 19.e5? f5!= 19…Kg8 20.e5 h6 21.Ne2 1-0

The following example is similar:

(1-8) Knaak – Anastasian

Yerevan 1988 (D)

23.Rf6!! 1-0

Rainier Knaak

The next example is less spectacular:

(1-9) Chernin – S.Polgar

Budapest 1993 (D)

21…Rf3!! 21…Qh4? is met by 22.f3. 22.g3 22.Kh2 Qh4 23.gxf3 Rh6 24.Kg1 Qxh3–+ 22…Qh4 23.Kh2 Rgxg3 24.fxg3 Qxg3+ 25.Kh1 Qxh3+ 26.Kg1 Rg3+ 27.Kf2 Qh4 28.Rh1 Rh3+ 0-1

Susan Polgar

Rf6 blocks the third rank

(1-10) Karoly – F.Portisch

Hungary 1979 (D)

23…Rf3!! The block with 23…Bf3?! was actually played. It is only slightly better for Black and led only to a draw. 24.Qd2 Rf5 25.f3 25.Qe3 Rh5 26.f3 Bxf3 27.gxf3 Qg3+ 28.Kf1 Rh2–+ 25…Bxf3 26.Qf2 Qg4 27.cxd5 Rg5 28.Re3 Bxg2 29.Qg3 Qxg3 30.Rxg3 Rxg3 31.dxc6 Rg5–+

Opening the g-file

(1-11) Timman – Geller

Linares 1983 (D)

29.Rf6 29.Ke1!? Qh5 30.h4 Rf8 31.Kd2 is probably even stronger. 29…Qe4? After 29…Qh5!, it is not clear if White can make progress. 29…gxf6? 30.gxf6 Kf8 31.fxe7+ Kxe7 32.b3 gives White a strong initiative. 30.g6!! Rf8? 30…h6! 31.gxf7+ Rxf7 32.Rxf7 Kxf7 33.Qd7+ Kf8 34.Qxe6 Rd8 limits the damage. 31.Rf4 fxg6 31…Qxg6 32.Rg1 Qh5 33.Rh4 Qf5 34.Rg5+– – Charushin. 32.Rxe4 dxe4 33.Qxe4 c5 34.c4 1-0

Jan Timman

(1-12) Bukic – Cebalo

Skender Vakuf 1980 (D)

28.Rf6!! Qe5? Black should reduce the attacking potential with 28…Nxf6 29.gxf6 Qxf6 30.Bh6 Qg6!!. (D)

Now it is not clear, if White can win, e.g., 31.Qh4 Bxh6 32.Qxh6 e3 33.Ne2 Re5 34.d6 Rd8 35.Nf4 Rxd6 36.Nxg6 hxg6 37.Re1 e2 with practical drawing chances. 29.Qh3 Qc7? 29…Nxf6 30.gxf6 Qxf6 31.Bh6 Qf3+ 32.Qxf3 exf3 33.Rxg7+ Kh8 34.Kg1+– 30.Rf4 Ne5? 30…Qd6 31.Rh4 f5 32.gxf6 Nxf6 33.Bf4 Qd8 34.Bg5+– 31.Nxe4 Ng6 32.Nf6+ Bxf6 33.gxf6 Kh8 34.Qh6 Rg8 35.Rh4 Nxh4 36.Rg7 1-0

Alekhine uses his block with a bishop.

(1-13) Alekhine – Sterk

Budapest 1921 (D)

23.Bf6!! With the idea 24.Rg4 Qxe2 25.Rxg7+ – Alekhine. 23…Rfc8 23…h6 24.Ne5+–; 23…h5 24.Rg4?! (24.Ne5! gxf6 25.Qxh5+–) 24…Qxe2? (24…hxg4 25.Qxa6 gxf6 26.Nd4+–) 25.Rxg7+ Kh8 26.Ng5+– – Alekhine. 24.Qe5 Rc5 24…Qxc4 25.Qg5 Kf8 26.Qxg7+ Ke8 27.Qg8+ Kd7 28.Ne5+ Kd6 29.Nxc4++– 25.Qg3 g6 26.Rxa4 Qd3 27.Rf1 Rac8 28.Rd4 Qf5 29.Qf4 Qc2 30.Qh6 1-0

The bishop blocks the f-pawn

(1-14) Charushin (D)

1…Bf3!! The direct 1…Rh6?! wins as well, but it is not as convincing as the block: 2.f3 Qxh2+ 3.Kf2 Qh4+ 4.g3 (4.Kg1? Bxf3–+; 4.Ng3? Rg6–+) 4…Qh2+ 5.Ke1 Bb7–+ 2.gxf3 2.g3 Qxh2+ 3.Kxh2 Rh6+ 4.Kg1 Rh1#; 2.Qd3 Rh6 3.h3 Bxg2–+ 2…Rh6 3.Re1 Qxh2+ 4.Kf1 Qh3+ 5.Kg1 Qh1# 0-1

(1-15) Zhukov – Makarewicz

corr 1972 (D)

20…Bf3!! and White resigned in view of 21.gxf3 Rg5+ 22.Kh1 Qh3 23.Qe8+ Bf8–+. Not 20…Bh3? 21.gxh3 Qxh3 22.Ne2 Rg5+ 23.Ng3 Bxb2 24.Rad1=; 20…Rg5? 21.f4+–. 0-1

(1-16) de Firmian – Sosonko

Lucerne 1989 (D)

21.Bf6!! 21.Rh3? f5= 21…Nxf6 22.exf6 Qd8 22…gxf6? 23.Rh3 e5 24.f5 exd4 25.Qh5 Bxf5 26.Qxf5 Qe4 27.Rg3++– 23.fxg7 Re8 24.Qe5 f6?! 25.Qh5 Re7 26.Re1 Qb6?! 27.Nf5 1-0

Nick de Firmian

Attacking the g7-pawn

(1-17) Charushin (D)

1.Bf6!! gxf6 1…h6 2.Qg6+–; 1…Nxc4 2.Qg5+– 2.Rd3 Nxc4 3.Rh3+–

(1-18) Chiburdanidze – Alexandria

Tbilisi 1977 (D)

26.Bf6!! 26.Rh4 g6 27.Qxg6+ hxg6 28.Bf6 works as well. 26…Rb8 27.Qg5 Bf8 28.Bxg7 Bxg7 29.Rg4 Kf8 30.Qxg7+ Ke8 31.Qg8+ Kd7 32.Qxf7+ 1-0

(1-19) Kasparov – Kengis

Riga 1995 (D)

20.Bf6!! Qb5 20…gxf6 21.Rg3+ Kh8 22.Qe2+–; 20…Rfe8 21.Rg3 Bf8 22.Rxg7+ Bxg7 23.Qg3+–; 20…Qd5 21.Rg3 g6 22.Qe2 Kh7 23.Rd1 Qb7 24.Rg5+– 21.Rg3 g6 22.Qd1 exf5 23.Rxf5 1-0

Such an attack can be very difficult to parry:

(1-20) Korsunsky – Sher

Alma Alta 1979 (D)

15…Bxf6 15…Rd8 16.Qg5 g6 17.h4 Nxf6 18.exf6 Bf8 19.Bxg6 hxg6 20.h5 Ne7 21.Ne4 Rd5 22.fxe7 Rxg5 23.e8Q Qe7 24.Qxe7 Bxe7 25.Nxg5 Bxg5 26.hxg6 fxg6 27.Nc5+–; 15…Re8 16.Rf4 Bxf6 17.exf6 g6 18.Nd5+–; 15…h6 16.Re4 Ncxe5 17.Bxe5 Nxe5 18.Rxe5+– 16.exf6 Nce5 16…Nxf6 17.Rxf6 gxf6 18.Ne4 Kg7 19.Re3 Rh8 20.Rg3+ Kf8 21.Qh6+ Ke8 22.Qxf6 Qf8 23.Nd4 Nxd4 24.Qxd4 f5 25.Nd6++– 17.Re3 Nxf6 18.Rxe5 Qe7 19.Qg5 h6 20.Qh4 Re8 21.Re3 Bd7 22.Rg3 Kf8 23.Rgf3 1-0

(1-21) Christiansen – Gilden

USA 1976 (D)

15.Bf6 15.Bxe7!? might be even stronger, e.g., 15…Qxe7 16.f5 Qe8 17.b3 dxe5 18.f6 e4 19.Qg4 g6 20.Bxe4 Nd7 21.Bxd5 exd5 22.Nf5 Nxf6 23.Nh6+ Kg7 24.Qd4+– 15…g6 15…dxe5 16.Bxh7+ Kxh7 17.Qh5+ Kg8 18.fxe5 Be4 19.Qh4 Qd7 20.b3 gxf6 21.Qxe4 f5 22.Qxa8 Bc5 23.c3 Nc6 24.Qxa6 Nxd4 25.cxd4 Bxd4+ 26.Kh1+–; 15…gxf6 16.Qh5 f5 17.Nxf5 f6 18.Nh6+ Kh8 19.Bxh7+– 16.f5 Bxf6 17.exf6 e5 18.Qg4 exd4? 18…Nd7! is called for, but White’s attack continues after 19.Qg5 Kh8 20.Ne2 Qd8 21.Rh4 Qxf6 22.Rxh7+ Kxh7 23.fxg6+ fxg6 24.Rxf6 Rxf6 25.Ng3 19.Rxd4? 19.fxg6 fxg6 20.Bxg6 Kh8 21.f7 Qe7 22.Ra3+– 19…Bb7? 19…Nd7! limits the damage, e.g., 20.Qh4 (20.fxg6 fxg6 21.Bxg6 21.Rxd5 Nxf6 22.Qe6+ Kg7 21…Nxf6 22.Bxh7+ Kh8 23.Rxf6 Rxf6 24.Bd3 Qa5) 20…Qb6 21.Kh1 Qxb2 22.Rxd5 Qxf6 23.Qg3 Qe7. 20.fxg6 fxg6 21.Bxg6 Kh8 22.Qh5 Rxf6 23.Rxf6 1-0

Larry Christiansen

But Alekhine’s block is not always the best way to attack:

(1-22) Sax – Sveshnikov

Hastings 1977/78 (D)

19.Bf6?! White has at least two stronger options: (a) 19.Be7 Re8 20.Bc5 Qb5 21.Bxa7 Rxa7 22.Rc7 Qb6 (22…h6 23.Qf4 Rf8 24.Rd8!+–) 23.Qd8! Kf8 24.Rxf7++– Lein; and (b) 19.Rc4+– is also very strong. 19…h6? Black must reduce the attacking potential with 19…Qxf2+ 20.Qxf2 Bxf2+ 21.Kxf2 gxf6 22.exf6. (D)

Now 22…e5 23.Nxe5 Be6 offers practical chances. 20.Qf4! Qxb2 20…gxf6 21.exf6 Qxf2+ (21…Kh7 22.Ne5+–) 22.Kh1 Be3 (22…Kh7 23.Qe4+ Kh8 24.Qg4 Rg8 25.Rd8+–) 23.Qg4+ Bg5 24.Nxg5 Qxf6 (24…Qf5 25.Nxf7++–) 25.Nxf7++– Lein. 21.Qg4 Qxf2+ 22.Kh1 g6 23.Qb4 Bb6 24.Rd2 Qe3 25.Rc3 a5 26.Qxf8+ Kxf8 27.Rxe3 1-0

The windmill

(1-23) Torre – Em. Lasker

Moscow 1925 (D)

25.Bf6!! Qxh5 26.Rxg7+ Kh8 27.Rxf7+ Kg8 28.Rg7+ Kh8 29.Rxb7+ Kg8 30.Rg7+ Kh8 31.Rg5+ Kh7 32.Rxh5 Kg6 33.Rh3 Kxf6 34.Rxh6+ Kg5 35.Rh3 Reb8 36.Rg3+ Kf6 37.Rf3+ Kg6 38.a3 a5 39.bxa5 Rxa5 40.Nc4 Rd5 41.Rf4 Nd7 42.Rxe6+ Kg5 43.g3 1-0

Alekhine uses his block with a knight.

(1-24) Alekhine – Yanovsky

Scheveningen 1913 (D)

23.Nf6!! Rd8 23…gxf6 24.Qh6+– – Charushin. 24.Rxg7 Kxg7 25.Qg5+ Kh8 26.Qh5 Qxf6 27.exf6 Rg8 28.Rd1 Bg4 29.hxg4 Rxd1+ 30.Kh2 Rd7 31.f4 b6?! 32.g5 c5 33.f5 b5 34.g6 fxg6 35.fxg6 Rxg6 36.Qe5 1-0

(1-25) Vavrzhinsky – Alekhine

Prague (sim) 1925 (D)

19…Nf3!! 20.Ng3 20.gxf3 Qxf3+ 21.Kg1 Bxh2+ 22.Kxh2 Rh6+ 23.Kg1 Qh1# 20…Rh6 21.Qxf3 exf3 22.Nxf5 Rxh2+ 23.Kg1 Rxg2+ 24.Kh1 Rd5 0-1