Daily chess game 5-7-2011: Letelier - Fischer

Hi all!

Today on the Daily Chess Games: the game that made me play the King's Indian Defence. In other words, I'm giving away something of myself here.

Letelier - Fischer
Leipzig 1960
King's Indian Defence

1. d2-d4 Ng8-f6
2. c2-c4 g7-g6

This is called the King's Indian Defence.
The idea of this opening is to develop quickly and allow White to build up a large centre in order to attack it later.

3. Nb1-c3 Bf8-g7

Black could also have transposed to the Grünfeld-Indian Defence by playing 3. ... d5.

4. e2-e4 0-0

Until this game was played, the only move considered correct was 4. ... d6, in order to disallow e4-e5.
Fischer demonstrates that Black is doing fine in the text variation when White plays 5. e5. The idea of this system is to lure White to advance his central pawns in order to gain time (and target!) to attack the large centre.

5. e4-e5

White could have chosen to transpose to main lines with 5. Nf3 d6 6. Be2 e5 (or 6. ... Nbd7 7. 0-0 e5). Instead he wanders into the realm of a well prepared system.

5. ... Nf6-e8
6. f2-f4

White has built up a large centre (c4/d4/e5/f4), gaining lots of space.
Black now must attack the centre, and he does so in an instructive way:

6. ... d7-d6
7. Bc1-e3

In bullet games, I frequently come across 7. Nf3 c5! (the idea is the same as in the game) 8. d5 Bg4 9. Qe2. An effective reply is 9. ... Qc7, and White's e-pawn becomes very weak. For instance: 10. e6 fxe6 11. dxe6 Nc6! with the idea 12. ... Nd4.
Also not really promising is 8. Be3 cxd4! 9. Qxd4 (9. Bxd4 Nc6! and White is to choose between giving up the important dark-squared bishop or losing a pawn; 9. Nxd4 dxe5 loses a pawn) Nc6 10. Qd2 dxe5 11. Qxd8 Nxd8 12. Nxe5 Bxe5 13. fxe5 Nc6 and White's e-pawn becomes a clear weakness.

7. ... c7-c5!

An attack on a centre proves to be most effective if a pawn breaks.

8. d4xc5

For 8. Nf3, see the analysis at move 7.

8. ... Nb8-c6!

Black cares more for his development than a pawn.

9. c5xd6?

White is a materialist and nicks every pawn he can get. The extra pawn, however, makes an extra open file to Black's rooks. With an uncastled White king, the e-file is really important.

9. ... e7xd6
10. Nc3-e4 Bc8-f5!
11. Ne4-g3

11. Nxd6? Nxd6 12. Qxd6 Qxd6 13. exd6 Bxb2 is good for Black.

11. ... Bf5-e6
12. Ng1-f3 Qd8-c7

Black could of course have won his pawn back, but naturally, he doesn't. Development is much more important than material gains.

13. Qd1-b1

White tries to complicate the position by preparing f4-f5.
Black, however, has the resources to turn that into his advantage.

13. ... d6xe5
14. f4-f5 e5-e4!!

Of the apparently promising centre on move 6, nothing remained. A large centre requires careful play from both sides.
White had serious difficulties to maintain his centre. And this is the result: Black is better developped and is now ready to open up the position to White's king.

15. f5xe6

White can't play 15. Qxe4 gxf5! 16. Nxf5 Qa5+.

15. ... e4xf3
16. g2xf3

16. exf7+? is too dangerous: 16. ... Qxf7 17. gxf3? Qxf3 with a double attack.

16. ... f7-f5!

Well played!
The e-file is a stronger basis for the attack than the f-file. Moreover, the pawn on e6 is going nowhere, so it is to fall one time or another.
Also, the move gains a tempo due to the threat of f5-f4.

17. f3-f4 Ne8-f6

Now that the dust clouds have cleared, the position is easier to survey. We ask the four Dorfmann questions just like I asked them in the game Timman - Van der Wiel:

Q1: Which king is safest?
A1: Black's; White hasn't castled yet - and can't castle yet - and the position is wide open for Black's artillery.

Q2: How is the material balance?
A2: Equal - the pawn on e6 is doomed.

Q3: How is the position without queens?
A3: Probably slightly better for Black - but the attack is more promising than the endgame.

Q4: How is the pawn structure?
A4: Better for Black.

Black, in other words, is winning.

18. Bf1-e2 Rf8-e8
19. Ke1-f2

Castling fails to 19. ... Rxe6, with two bishops hanging.

19. ... Re8xe6
20. Rh1-e1 Ra8-e8
21. Be2-f3

It might look as if White has finally survived Black's strong initiative. However, the fireworks are just about to begin:

21. ... Re6xe3!
22. Re1xe3 Re8xe3
23. Kf2xe3 Qc7xf4+!!

A wonderful combination!
24. Kxf4 is met by 24. ... Bh6#, and 24. Kf2 Ng4+ 25. Kg2 Ne3+ 26. Kf2 Nd4 27. Qh1 Ng4+ wins for Black too.
White resigned.

Love, Simone