The Knight: The Cunning Cavalry

By Sergey Kasparov

In his ground-breaking series, The Power of the Pieces, Belorussian grandmaster Sergey Kasparov examines the strengths, weaknesses and overall characteristics of each piece on the chessboard. This second volume in the series is about the knight. Its role in the opening, middlegame and endgame is discussed in detail, amply supported by almost 140 complete games from tournament praxis.

Topics include: The Knight in the Endgame; The Knight in the French Defense; The Knight in the Rossolimo System; The Knight in the Benkö Gambit; The “Spanish” Knight; The Knight on the Attack; The Knight in Defense; The Cavalry Retreats; The Knight on an Outpost; A Knight on the Rim; The Kamikaze Knight; Knight versus Pawns; Knight versus Bishop; and Knight against Rook.

Popular chess author Sergey Kasparov is known for his entertaining writing style. His books are always instructive and insightful. Books previously published by Russell Enterprises include The Exchange Sacrifice and Doubled Pawns.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Russell Enterprises, Inc.
• Release date: Jul 18, 2019
• ISBN: 9781949859034

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Index

Introduction

Dear readers!

As likely as not, we have already been acquainted through my previous books or met each other on chess tournaments.

Working for you is Sergey Kasparov, a grandmaster from Belarus.

As usual, my wife Tatiana is doing all the technical work on the book (WIM); most likely, you know her as well.

We continue a series of books, each of which is dedicated to a certain chess piece, in this particular case a Knight.

That piece is named differently in different languages. In Russian it is called Horse, which is a jumping and agile animal, but the most familiar and universally known name for it seems to be Knight.

From the Russian Wikipedia:

The knight moves to a square that is two squares away horizontally and one square vertically, or two squares vertically and one square horizontally, thus resembling the Latin letter L. It is the only chess piece that does not move only vertically, horizontally or diagonally and can jump over pieces of either color. The knight is one of two pieces the move of which has remained the same from the time of chaturanga The other piece is the king). At the start of the game, each players has two knights, each placed next to a rook – white knights on b1 and g1, black ones on b8 and g8. It falls into the category of minor pieces. In a Staunton chess set it looks like a horse’s head mounted on a round support.

Let us examine pros and cons of this piece in the different stages of a chess game with various pawn configurations, etc.

As is usual for my books, there are many diagrams to allow particularly busy (or lazy) readers to do without a chessboard. Such a book can be read on subway or train, or just lying on your couch.

I will, though rather infrequently, insert lyrical digressions between purely chess-related subjects to provide some kind of relaxation to my readers.

Attention please! The author has no claims for absolute accuracy and coverage of every possible situation in which a knight takes part. The length of the book does not allow exhaustive analysis; besides, I would not want to overload your memory.

Of course, certain games could have been quoted in different chapters of the book (for example, both in The Kamikaze Knight and in the The Knight in Attack). Do not let it concern you, as this division is quite arbitrary.

Please feel free to send your questions, comments or well-reasoned criticisms to the e-mail address [e-mail]. I wish you a pleasant and productive reading!

Sergey Kasparov

April 2019

Part I

The Endgame

Chapter 1

The Knight in the Endgame

The endgame is a great subject; this section contains mostly examples from my practice. I will also look at a spectacular ending from a world championship match as a kind of a dessert.

An endgame that occurred in a tournament in Crete can be called both edifying and exhausting. A knight and bishop were holding the fortress courageously but, struggling with doubts, I allowed the gates of this stronghold to be slightly opened.

(1) Kasparov S – Duzhakov

Heraklion 2017

49.Nxc2

Black has a considerable advantage – the bishop pair and an extra pawn. However, I never lost hope for an escape. White can try to build a fortress, ignoring his opponent’s light-square bishop. 49…Kf7 50.Ne3 f5 I remember that I was surprised by this move: to put another pawn on a white square voluntarily… 51.f4 g5 52.g3 Bd7 53.Ke2 gxf4 54.gxf4 Ke6 55.Bg7 h5 56.Nc2 Kf7 56…Kd5 57.Kd3 followed by Nc2-e3+ does not promise any progress. 57.Bd4 Bc6 58.Bf2 Be4 59.Nd4 h4

This is correct – otherwise White is going to play h3-h4 himself. But now the h3-pawn needs to be constantly defended against a diversion, Bg2xh3. 60.Kf1 Bf6 61.Be3 Ke7 62.Kf2 Kd7 63.Kf1 Bd8 64.Kf2 Bf6 65.Kf1 Kc8 66.Kf2 Kb7 67.Kg1 Bd3 68.Kf2

So far, the fortress has been successfully holding against the onslaught. The black king is unable to breakthrough. 68…a5 69.Ke1 a4 70.Bf2 I deliberately left my king on e1, closer to the center, as I thought that the Russian would trade his bishop for the knight and blast toward my a3-pawn with his king. I regarded this as one way to win. 70…Ka6 An instructive ending arises after 70…Bxd4 71.Bxd4 Kc6 72.Kd2 Bf1 73.Bf6 Kd5 74.Kc3 Ke4 75.Bxh4 Kxf4 76.Kd4 Bxh3 77.Be7 Kf3 78.Bxd6 f4 79.Kc5 Bd7 80.Kd4

My fears were probably in vain. It is hard to get to a3 without losing the f-pawn. 71.Be3 Be4 72.Kf2 Bb1 73.Ke2 Be4 74.Kf2 Bd3 75.Ke1 Kb7 76.Bf2 Kc7 77.Be3 Kd7 78.Kf2 Bc4 78…Bxd4 79.Bxd4 Ke6 80.Bb6 Kd5 81.Bd8 with counterplay. 79.Nc2? 79…Ke6 80.Bd4 Bd8 81.Ne3 (D)

Looks like another fortress. 81…Bd3 82.Ke1 Be4 83.Kd2 Bc7 Now the knight defends the g2-square, but the f4-pawn becomes vulnerable. 84.Nd1 Bg2 85.Nc3 Bf1 86.Ke1 Bc4 87.Kf2 d5 88.Kf3 Bf1 89.Kf2 Ilya has been troubled by time pressure

for a while and cannot afford to calculate variations.

89…Bc4 The way to win is the resolute 89…Bxh3 90.Nxb5 Bxf4 91.Nc3 Bg4 92.Nxa4 h3 93.Nc5+ Kf7–+

and the pawn queens, as Kg2 will be consistently met with diversionary Bf3+. 90.Kf3 Kd7 91.Bf6 Ke6 ½-½

The knight’s resources are seen clearly in in this endgame against a Russian grandmaster (Elo~2495). You can find a glimpse of the non-written rule about knight-and-pawn endings in the comments as well.

(2) Kasparov S – Naumkin

Cutro 2008

28…Bxd8

An inexperienced chessplayer may regard this position as perfectly equal. However, if we examine it under the microscope, we will see some defects in Black’s setup, for example, his isolated e-pawn. 29.Kf1 Nd5 30.Be5 Kf7 31.Ke2 Nb4 32.a3 Nc6 33.Bc3 Bb6 34.Nd2 The knight goes to either c4 or e4. 34…e5 35.Nc4 Bc7 36.Kd3 Ke6 37.Ke4

White’s advantage becomes more real. The e5-pawn is now fixed on the square of the bishop’s color, while the square in front of it (e4) is perfect for the white pieces. 37…g6 38.a4 b5 39.axb5 axb5 40.Ne3 Bb6 41.Nd5 (D)

An important nuance. To avoid the worst, the Russian grandmaster has to trade the b-pawn for the f-pawn, after which I gain an outside passed pawn. 41…Bxf2 Poor is 41…Bd8 42.f4 exf4

42.Nc7+ Kd6 43.Nxb5+ Kc5 44.Nc7 Kd6 45.Nd5 Bd4 46.Bxd4 Nxd4 47.Nf4!

With this trick I manage to transfer the knight to d3 with great effect. From there it is going to support its passed pawn and fire at his opponent’s e5-pawn. 47…g5 The pawn ending after 47…exf4 48.Kxd4 g5 49.Ke4 Ke6 50.b4+– is absolutely won:

The white king gets to f5/g6. 48.Nd3 Nc6 49.g4 Ke6 50.b4 Zugzwang. When I was a boy, I heard the phrase: If a pawn ending is won, the knight ending is won as well. 50…Ne7 50…Kd6 51.b5+– 51.Nxe5 Nd5 52.Nd3 Nf6+ 53.Kd4 h5 Igor tries to minimize the number of pawns on the board. 54.Nc5+ Kf7 55.Ne4 hxg4 56.Nxf6 gxh3 56…Kxf6 57.hxg4+– 57.Ng4

In this case, the knight copes with two passed pawns confidently. 57…Ke6 58.b5 Kf5 59.Nf2 g4 60.b6 h2 61.b7 The intricate 61.Nh1 g3 62.Nxg3+ Kf4 63.Nh1 Kf3 64.b7 Kg2 65.b8Q Kxh1 66.Ke3 Kg2 67.Qg8+ Kh1 68.Qa2 Kg1 69.Qf2+ Kh1 70.Qf1# also wins. 61…g3 62.b8Q gxf2 63.Qb1+ 1-0

Back in 1998, your author got into a fine jam in his game against a young but already strong (~2455) representative of the current chess elite – Levon Aronian. Paradoxically, in this particular case, the knight’s arguments turned out to be more weighty than the bishop’s.

(3) Kasparov S – Aronian

Minsk 1998

36…d5

Black has an extra pawn and a spatial advantage. In addition, the combination R + B is usually preferable to R + N. However, with f7-f5 followed by d6-d5, Levon had put his pawns on squares of the same color as his bishop, thus giving me a faint hope. 37.Nf3 a5 38.b4!? I am trying to cut through the black squares, i.e., to occupy them, at any cost. 38…cxb4+ 39.axb4 Rc8+ 40.Kd2 axb4 41.Nd4

This is about what I have been looking for. Now Aronian is two pawns up, but the knight on d4 obviously obstructs them. 41…Ra8 42.Rb1 Ra2+ 43.Ke1 Ra4 44.f4

Here Black’s win is not all that clear. The rook on a4 is passive, while my king is in reserve. 44…Bd7 45.Rb2 Kg7 46.Kf2 Kf6 Or 46…Kh6 47.Kg3 Kh5 48.Nc2, regaining the b-pawn. 47.Kg3 Be6 48.Kf3 Bf7 49.Kf2 h6 50.Kf3 Be6 51.Kg3 Bd7 52.Nc2 g5 53.hxg5+ hxg5 54.fxg5+ Kxg5 55.Rxb4 (D)

Well, now Black definitely cannot win in this position. 55…Ra2 56.Nd4 Kf6 57.Rb7 Bc8 58.Rc7 Ba6 59.Rc6+ Kf7 60.Nxf5 Bd3 61.Nd4 ½-½

I managed to win several games in a typical French endings. Objectively, with rough material equality on the board, a game should be drawn, but it is highly unpleasant for Black to hold such an ending. The knight is unable to realize its potential.

(4) Kasparov S – Ustinov

Chania 2017

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Bd3 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Ne2 cxd4 8.cxd4 f6 9.exf6 Nxf6 10.Nf3 Bd6 11.0-0 0-0 12.Bf4 Bxf4 13.Nxf4 Ne4 14.Qc1 Ng5 15.Nxg5 Qxg5 16.Bxh7+ Kxh7 17.Nxe6 Qxc1 18.Nxf8+ Kg8 19.Raxc1 Kxf8

This ending arises by force in one of the variations of the French Defense: a rook and two pawns against a knight and bishop. Let us see who will come out on top. 20.Rfd1 Be6 21.f3 Kf7 22.h4 Obviously, White has to attack where he has a material advantage. The counter g7-g5 would have created a breakwater in the path of my pawns. 22…Kf6 23.Kf2 Rh8 24.g3 g6

So, what now? I have to find another area for struggle and try to overextend my opponent’s defense. I would like to remind you here that a knight is less mobile than a rook; it is unable to get on both flanks in time. 25.a3 Rh7 26.b4 a6 27.Rc5 Na7 28.a4

So far, the Russian player has managed to keep all the entry squares on the c-file under his control, but his defensive resources gradually dwindle. 28…Nc6 29.b5 Na5 30.bxa6 b6 A clever but insufficient move. 31.Rb5 Nc4 32.a5+– (D)

To open files for the rooks at any price! 32…bxa5 33.Rb7 Rh8 34.a7 Ra8

35.Rdb1 Bf5 36.Re1 a4 37.g4 Be6 38.g5+ Kf5 39.Kg3 a3 40.Re7 1-0

The following game demonstrates the same line: rooks literally extend his opponent’s defense on both flanks. The knight is once again ineffective in defense.

(5) Kasparov S – Hogeman

Praha 2017

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Bd3 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Ne2 cxd4 8.cxd4 f6 9.exf6 Nxf6 10.Nf3 Bd6 11.0-0 0-0 12.Bf4 Bxf4 13.Nxf4 Ne4 14.Qc1 Ng5 15.Nxg5 Qxg5 16.Bxh7+ Kxh7 17.Nxe6 Qf5 18.Nxf8+ Qxf8 19.Qg5 Qf5 20.Qh4+ Kg8 21.Rae1 Bd7 22.Re3 Qg4 23.Qxg4 Bxg4

Almost the same as in the previous example. 24.f3 Bh5 25.g4 Bf7 26.Rd1 Kf8 The move 26…g5 does not seem to change much: h2-h4, will follow at some point and connected passed pawns will be created. 27.h4 Rc8

28.Kf2 is more precise, but I thought that if my opponent had not already moved g7-g6 immediately, then he would not make this move at all… 28…g6 29.Rd2 Kg7 30.Kg3 Kf6 31.Rc3 Re8 32.Rc1 32…Rh8 33.Rh1 Re8 34.Kf4 Rh8 35.Kg3 Re8 36.Rc1 Rh8 37.b4 (D)

Correct. The second front should be opened in any case; otherwise it would be impossible to break through the black defense. 37…Re8 To stop the breakthrough is unrealistic: 37…a6

) 38…Nxb4 39.Rc7 b6 (39…Rb8 40.g5+ Kg7 41.f4 Nc6 42.f5 gxf5 43.h5+–)40.Rb7+–;

37…Nxb4 38.Rb1 a5 39.a3 Nc6 40.Rxb7+– 38.b5+– Na5 39.Rc7 Nc4

Our protagonist has found a stronghold for itself, but the board is too wide for the knight on c4 to affect the situation in any meaningful way. 40.Rh2 Nd6 41.a4 Re3 42.Rhc2 Also sufficient is 42.Kf4 Rd3 43.g5+ Kg7 44.Rd7 Nc4 45.Re2 Rxd4+ 46.Kg3+–; Re2-e7 is threatened. 42…Ra3 43.Rd7 Nc4 The knight has to return, or 43…Ke6 44.Rcc7 Rxa4 45.Re7+ Kf6 46.Rcd7+–. 44.Re2 Nb6 45.Rxb7 Rxa4 46.g5+ Black loses his bishop and mate is right around the corner. 1-0

Two unwritten rules work together in the following example. On one flank, the knight is strong enough. The combination N + Q is somewhat better than B + Q.

(6) Kasparov S – Novoselski

Bern 2013

29.Qxa1

Do not let the material equality mislead you: when the struggle takes place on one flank, a knight is no weaker than a bishop. The broken line of pawns makes Black’s situation even worse: his bishop is constricted by its own pawns (c6, e4…). 29…Qd8 30.h3 h5 31.Qa7 Qd6 32.Qa8+ Kg7 33.Qe8 Qd5 34.Qe7 (D)

Infiltrating the enemy camp step by step. Black has no counterplay in sight. 34…Qa2 35.Qe5+ Kg8 36.Qf4 Qc2 37.Kh2 Kg7 38.Nb7 Now the

knight approaches the monarch. 38…Be6 39.Nd6 Bd5

Novoselski has transferred his bishop to d5, pasting his weaknesses together. However, the complex of black squares is completely under my control, and that allows me to launch a deadly attack. 40.Ne8+ Kf8 41.Nf6+– Qa2 42.g4 Even more flashy is 42.Qd6+! Kg7 43.Ne8+ Kg8 44.Qf6 Kf8 45.Qh8+ Ke7 46.Nf6 Qxf2 47.Qe8+ Kxf6 48.Qe5# 42…hxg4 43.hxg4 Qe2 44.g5 Qb2