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games, in which a tense battle developed should like to show you a few o f m y own from literally the first few moves - already in the opening or at an early stage of the middlegame. In them there was a sharp and usually a very unconventional battle for the initiative.All the games were played many years ago, when I was making my first steps in the world of top-class chess - this is no accident. Youth is typified by an absence of stereotypes, by optimism, and by a bel ief in one's own powers (sometimes excessive, involving an underestimation of the oppo nent). I nteresting, vivid games often result from flights of imagination, not burdened by experience and knowledge, from in ner freedom, not stifled by rules. With the years, alas, this 'flippancy' is usually lost.
The ability to think unconventionally is an important quality for achieving victory over a strong opponent. This is difficult to learn and probably impossible to teach . Try to develop this ability in yourself, by analysing the early games of those outstanding players who made a name for themselves at a young age. Players such as Boris Spassky, M ikhail Tal and Alexey Shirov .. . Their ideas evoke naivety and spontaneity; they were gener ated not in the quiet of their study, but directly at the board . At times they do not stand up to strict mathematical verification , but it proved so difficult to refute these ideas that the opponents went wrong .
I have taken the liberty of comparing this easy, improvised playing manner with jazz, a type of music which is still popular today.
Dolmatov - Lerner All-Union Qualifying Tournament,
Daugavpils 1 978 Philidor Defence 1 e4 2 lZJf3 3 d4 4 tLlxd4 S lZJc3 eS d6 exd4 lZJf6 i..e7
I suspect that this was already the extent of my theoretical knowledge. But this factor did not bother me: after all, in the resulting position it is not hard to make common sense moves. For the moment a sound course can be followed : develop the pieces and fight for the centre - there are no dangers to be feared . 6 ..ie2 0-0 7 0-0 l:teS 7 . . . tLlc6!? S f4 9 ..if3 ..ifS
White has obtained a strong centre. Even now I have no complaints about his opening strategy. 9 . . . tLla6 1 0 l:te1 c6 If 1 0 .. . lZJc5,then 1 1 lZJb3 tLlxb3 1 2 axb3 is good . 1 1 ..ie3 (see diagram)
I placed my rook on e1 so that if 1 1 .. . lDc5 I could defend the e-pawn with the simple bishop retreat 12 i.f2. After 1 2 .. . lDe6 1 3 'iVd2 White brings his queen's rook to d 1 and only then begins thinking about his further plans: whether to break through in the centre with e4-e5, or prepare a pawn offensive on the kingside with h2-h3 and g2-g4.
My opponent did not want to defend patiently and he decided to begin an immediate battle in the centre.
1 1 . . . d5?!
12 e5 c5?
It would have been better for Black to restrict himself to the modest knight retreat 1 2 .. . lDd7.
Can you believe in the success of Black's military operation, begun with his bishop on c8 and his knight on a6? You can't? Then you have to find a refutation .
1 3 exf6 l:[xe3 The 'point' of my opponent's idea!
14 ':'xe3 cxd4 (see diagram)
For the moment I am the exchange up, but I have two pieces en prise. If either of them should be captured, the material advantage will pass to Black. He was only expecting
1 5 'iVxd4 i.c5 and was hoping to exploit the pin on the g 1 -a7 diagonal (it is not clear, however, whether this is possible after 1 6 'iVd2). Konstantin Lerner clearly underesti mated my reply.
1 5 i.xd5!
Now both pieces are invulnerable in view of 1 6 �xf7+, and 1 5 .. . 'iVxf6 1 6 lDe4 is bad for Black. I n order to defend his queen , he must develop his bishop from c8 , but where? It is immediately clear that any bishop move has its drawbacks: 1 5 .. . i.d7 1 6 'iVh5 g6 1 7 i.xf7+, 1 5 .. . i.e6 1 6 l:1xe6, or 1 5 .. . i.g4 1 6 'iVxg4 dxe3 1 7 i.xb7.
1 5 . . . i.f5 1 6 :e5 i.g6
have removed one of my pieces from attack, but it is more difficult to deal with the second - any knight move is answered by 1 6 .. . gxf6. However, as was shown by Dvoretsky, it was nevertheless possible to play 1 7 lDe4 ! , since if 1 7 .. . gxf6 there is the pretty stroke 1 8 11e8 ! .
1 7 fxg7 'ii?xg7 I n the event of 1 7 .. . i.xg7 1 8 'iVxd4 it all immediately becomes clear.
1 8 lDe4! f6 1 9 'ii'xd41
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6 1A picturesque position! The centre is com pletely occupied by white pieces. After the capture of the rook, even if a mate cannot be found, White will later regain the material by capturing the b7-pawn with his bishop.
1 9 . . . .i.xe4 If 1 9 .. . fxe5 20 'iWxe5+ 'ith6, then either 21 g4 or 21 liJf6. An interesting variation was found by Dvoretsky: 1 9 .. . liJb4!? 20 .l:!.d1 liJxc2 2 1 'iWf2 fxe5 22 ii'xc2 exf4 23 'it'c3+ 'it'h6 24 nd3 (24 liJf6!?) 24 . . . llc8 25 l:th3+ i.h5 26 'iVd2 'iVxd5! (the only defence against the mating threats) 27 'ii'xd5 l:[c1 + 28 'it>f2 ':c2+ 29 'iVd2! (otherwise it is not possible to hide from the checks) 29 .. . .l:!.xd2+ 30 liJxd2, and White should be able to convert his exchange advantage.
20 'iVxe4 liJc5
My opponent was counting on this intermedi ate move. 20 .. . fxe5 was hopeless: 21 'ii'xe5+ 'ii'f6 (2 1 . . . 'itg6 22 'iWe6+) 22 ii'xf6+ 'itxf6 23 .i.xb7.
21 'ii'f3 fxe5 22 'ii'g4+
Black has nevertheless won a piece, but his king cannot escape from the mating attack.
22 . . . 'ith6 23 11e1 !
All White's forces must take part in the assault! He is threatening both 24 l:[xe5 and 24 J:te3.
23 . . . 24 'ith1 !
liJd7
In such cases variations should already be calculated to the end . To make things easier, I recommend that you begin your calculation with moves to which the oppo nent has only one reply. Thus the queen check on e6 looks tempting, but you will have to analyse not only 24 . . . 'itg7, but also 24 . . . liJf6 and 24 . . . 'iVf6 , and it is possible to overlook . . . 'iVb6+. The king move, renewing the threat of .l:!.e3, does not leave the opponent any choice.
24 . . . .i.c5
24 . . . exf4 25 'ii'xf4+ is completely bad for Black.
25 .l:!.d1 !
The rook manoeuvre to h3 is again threat ened , but there is the additional possibility of capturing the b7-pawn with gain of tempo.
25 . . . liJf8 26 .i.xb7
Black resigned .
The following example, like the previous one, is a fairly light-hearted game, with the rapid crushing of the opponent's position . I ncidentally, don't be surprised that I am not showing you any of my lost games. Of course, they should be carefully studied, to disclose the causes of the mistakes made, but at the moment why should I spoil my mood by remembering failures?
Dolmatov - Franzoni
World Junior Championship, Graz 1 978 Sicilian Defence 1 e4 2 liJf3 3 d4 4 liJxd4 5 liJc3 6 .i.e2 c5 e6 cxd4 liJf6 liJc6
This is rarely played (the usual continua tions are 6 4Jdb5 and 6 4Jxc6 bxc6 7 e5). In offering to go into the Scheveningen (6 .. . d6), White allows the bishop move to b4, after which he has to sacrifice a pawn. I analysed this sharp variation with my trainer Mark Dvoretsky and then I successfully employed it a couple of times. I don't know why no one plays this now - in my opinion , here White obtains a very promising position .
6 . . . iLb4 7 0-0 8 bxc3 9 iLd3 9 . . . iLxc3 4Jxe4 4Jxd4 This was the extent of my knowledge. I knew that 9 . . . 4Jxc3?! was dangerous in view of 1 0 'ii'g4 or 1 0 'ii'e 1 and I had only analysed 9 . . . d5. I was aware of only one game on this theme, Geller-Khasin (25th USSR Championship, Riga 1 958), which continued 1 0 iLa3 'ii'a5 1 1 'ii'c1 4Jxd4 1 2 cxd4 iLd7 1 3 ':'b1 iLc6 1 4 iLb4 'ii'c7 1 5 'ii'a3 a5 1 6 iLxe4 dxe4 1 7 c4 f6 1 8 iLd6 'ji'd7 with roughly equal chances. I don't remember exactly how I was intending to improve White's play, but there was a way - you can look for it yourself. Later I successfully employed it against Sergey Gorelov, but, unfortunately, I have not retained the score
of the game. 10 cxd4
1 0 iLxe4!? came into consideration, but I was hoping to transpose into my analysis after 1 0 .. . d5 1 1 iLa3.
1 0 . . . 4Jf6
White is a pawn down , and for the moment he also has no attack, but he has the two bishops and a definite advantage in space and development. I n addition, as I recall, there was a healthy optimism, a confidence in my powers, which is of no small impor tance in such situations. However, such a position is one that I would also happily play now. White's initiative is enduring , and it is not easily neutralised .
1 1 iLg5 'ii'a51?
12 f4!
A non-routine decision (with the bishop on g5 it is not usual to place the pawn on f4), but apparently the correct one. White should not hurry with the exchange on f6. By advancing his f-pawn , he includes his king's rook in the attack. In the event of 1 2 .. . 'i!Vb4 1 would have given up a second pawn by 1 3 f5.
1 2 . . . 1 3 iLxf6
b6
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63exchange - thanks to it White will be able to gain a tempo by 1 4 Wf3 .
1 3 . . . 1 4 'it'f3
gxf6 lIbS
14 . . . Wd5 1 5 Wxd5 exd5 1 6 1:[ae 1 + ..ti>f8 1 7 Iif3 would have led to an inferior endgame for Black. For the moment he is not ready so openly to sound the retreat.
1 5 f5 �b7 1 6 ..te4!
It is important to kill the opponent's hopes associated with counter-pressure on the g2- point. With just the heavy pieces on the board , Black's position is difficult, since his king is under attack and his rooks are separated . 1 6 . . . 1 7 Wxe4 1 S Wh4 �xe4 Wd5 ':gS
For me there is something mysterious about this game: all the time Black seemingly makes good , logical moves, but his position imperceptibly becomes hopeless. Why this happens, where the defence can be im proved , I myself do not know!
1 9 :f2 Iig5 How should White continue his offensive?
The pressure on g2 is restricting my forces. It is important, even for a moment, to divert
the enemy queen from the long diagonal.
20 c41 Wxc4
21 fxe6 dxe6 21 . . . Wxe6 was more tenacious.
22 Wf41
A double attack on f6 and b8. But couldn't it have also been made without the diverting pawn sacrifice?
22 . . . l::tb7 23 ':'c1 !
This is the point! Now all my pieces are participating in the attack. White's threats are irresistible. 23 . . . 24 Wxf6 25 'ili'hS+ Black resigned . 'it'd5 :e7 Dolmatov -Flesch Bucharest 1 98 1 Caro-Kann Defence 1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 exd5 4 c4 cxd5
Against the Caro-Kann I employ only the Panov Attack, and quite successfully - I have already scored numerous wins with it.
4 . . . liJf6 5 liJc3 6 liJf3 7 ..td3 e6 ..tb4
I n my game with Andrey Kharitonov (qualify ing tournament for the World Junior Champi onship, Sochi 1 978) 7 cxd5 exd5! was played . At that time the theory of the 6 . . . �b4 variation was only just being developed , and the recapture on d5 with the pawn came as a su rprise to me. I won a good game, but from the opening I had nothing. From then on I began playing 7 .td3, transposing into one of the variations of the Nimzo-I ndian
Defence. The resulting positions suit me perfectly well , so that I myself cannot understand why I altogether avoid the quite reasonable move 1 d4. 7 . . . 8 i.xe4 9 0-0 1 0 bxe3 dxe4 0-0 i.xe3?1 "ike7
In the late 1 970s the world champion Anatoly Karpov successfully practised the plan involving the exchange of the b4- bishop for the knight, and the development of the knight at d7 and bishop at b7. Janos Flesch is aiming for a similar set-up, but he carries it out inaccurately - the premature exchange on c3 increases White's possibili ties. He should have begun with either 9 . . . b6 or 9 . . . lLl bd7. Incidentally, the knight move was made against me by Jonathan Speelman in a game which I demonstrated at the 2nd session of the school (cf. Secrets of Opening Preparation p.78).
1 1 i.d3!
A natural and logical move - the bishop was under attack. I have to admit that at the time I did not even consider the reply 1 1 . . . 'ilt'xc3 (now my optimism has diminished some what, and probably I would nevertheless try to calculate it). After 1 2 i. f4! (but not 1 2 i.g5 lLlbd7, transposing into the afore-men-
tioned game against Speelman) White has an enormous lead in development, giving him more than sufficient compensation for the sacrificed pawn .
1 1 . . . lLlbd7 The opponent is hoping after 1 2 c4 b6 1 3 i.g5 i.b7 to arrange his pieces in accord ance with Karpov's scheme, but I do not allow him this opportunity.
1 2 i.a31
An unusual development of the bishop for the given opening variation. I n his youth a chess player has less dogma and more energy - it can be easier for him to devise a fresh idea. When he becomes older, he already knows exactly what was played earlier in similar cases, and this knowledge sometimes prevents an unprejudiced ap proach to the position .
I have managed to discover the main weakness in the opponent's position - the vulnerable d6-square. I ncidentally, also after the normal development of his bishop at g5, later White often tries to exploit the same weakness with the manoeuvre i.g5-h4-g3! .
1 2 . . . ':'e8
The usual square for the rook in this variation (Karpov also used to place it here). It would have been better to play it to d8, but the opponent did not anticipate my idea .
1 3 lLld21
What to do now? The knight is aiming for d6, and after 1 3 .. . "ikxc3 14 lLlc4 Black is in danger of losing his queen . He should probably have chosen the cool-headed 1 3 .. . b6, although after 1 4 lLlc4 i.b7 1 5 lLld6 White has an obvious advantage.
1 3 . . . ltd8 14 "ikf3
I n the event of 1 4 lLlc4 lLlf8 Black would have covered the d6-square, and so I activate my queen , finally defending the c3- pawn and preventing the development of the bishop at b7.
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651 4 . . . lLlf8 What would you now play as White?
1 5 lLle4!
A typical idea! In such cases it is useful to exchange the opponent's few developed pieces - then your lead in development is easier to exploit. An analogy with ice hockey can be drawn : if a player has to leave the rink, an advantage of five players against four is appreciable, but neverthe less not decisive. If a further pair is removed , it becomes much harder to de fend with three against four, and with two against three it is probably almost impossi ble.
Of course, White's move was also based on more concrete considerations; in particular, he was aiming to hinder the development of the bishop on ca. But a knowledge of general rules, such as the one just men tioned , usually makes it easier for us to take a decision and suggests where it should be sought.
1 5 . . . 1 6 �xe4
lLlxe4 lLld7
A dismal spectacle - the opponent's pieces rush from place to place. He obviously wants to play 1 7 .. . lLlf6, but of course, I do not allow this.
17 �e71 1:[e8
1 8 � h4 f5?!
It is probable that many would have played this - it is hard to endure such intense pressure for long. Even so, it would have been better to be patient, and refrain from weakening the position.
19 �c2 lLlb6
20 � b3 �d7
21 �g3
Before taking the f5-pawn it is useful to improve the placing of the bishop. It is amusing that in the end it has nevertheless moved to g3, its lawful square in this variation. 21 . . . 22 'ifxf5 23 �e5! 'iVc6 'iVxc3 White defends the d4-pawn and parries the threat of 23 .. :ii'xb3, after which 24 'ifg5 is now decisive.
23 . . .
The queen returns to the defence. 24 'ifh5 .l:tac8 How should the offensive be continued?
25 f4!
Usually I find it hard to decide on changes in the pawn structure - I prefer to play with the pieces. But here I made a pawn move - it
really is very strong . White is threatening not only to include his rook via f3, but also to play f4-f5.
25 . . . g6
25 .. . i.c6 is bad in view of 26 'ifg4! 'ife7 27 i.xe6+, while if 25 .. . tDc4, then 26 i.c2 is decisive. After the move in the game White forcibly destroys the opposing defences.
26 'ifh4 'ife7 27 i. f6 'iff7 28 f51 29 fxg6 30 lIf3 tDd5 'iVxg6 tDxf6
Black is forced to give up his queen, which is equivalent to resignation . 31 1:.g3 32 1:[f1 33 ':xg6+ 34 'ifg5 35 'ili'e51 36 g4 37 d51 Black resigned. �g7 IU8 hxg6 l:.c6 l:.b6 l:.b5
Note that, after gaining a material advan tage, Wh ite did not relax the pressure, but looked for the most direct and energetic way to win . Sometimes in such situations, feeling that the work has already largely been done, a player relaxes and begins playing carelessly. As a result the opponent is able to set up a defence and even gain counter-chances.
The following game (played the previous year) developed in similar fashion . The same opening, and the same energetic exploitation of the opponent's opening inac curacies. At the time I was an international master, and I was participating for the first time in a strong grandmaster event, whereas Bent Larsen was one of the favourites. Sometimes the experienced grandmaster tended to underestimate young and ambi-
tious opponents. We crossed swords in the very first round and I was able to quickly crush him with Black. It was a double-round event, and soon our second meeting took place - with the same result.
Dolmatov - Larsen Amsterdam 1 980 Caro-Kann Defence
1 e4 c6
Of course, Larsen had no suspicion of how dangerous it was to play this opening against me. 2 d4 d5 3 exd5 cxd5 4 c4 tDf6 5 tDc3 e6 6 tDf3 i.b4 7 i.d3 dxc4 8 i.xc4 0-0 9 0-0 a6
I didn't know anything about this move. Later I established that it makes sense to prevent . . . b7-b5 by playing 1 0 a4!?, as in the Queen's Gambit Accepted . But at the time I did not want to weaken the b4-square and I devised another idea.
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67Also prophylaxis against . . . b7-b5, only more refined . In the event of 1 0 .. . iLe7 1 was intending to retreat my bishop to a2 in advance and to meet the flank advance 1 1 . . . b5 with the central counter 1 2 d5! . If instead 1 0 .. . iLxc3 1 1 bxc3 b5, then after 1 2 iLd3 the threat of 1 3 a4 is unpleasant. Even so, this last variation looks the most logical reaction to White's plan. After the exchange on c3 the move a2-a3 is a waste of time: the pawn should either be left on a2, or moved to a4. At the 1 982 Zonal Tourna ment in Yerevan , Lev Psakhis prepared well for his game with me and went in for this position. There followed 1 2 .. :iVd5 1 3 a4 i.b7 1 4 'iVe2 l:tc8 1 5 axb5 axb5 1 6 l:ba8 i.xa8 1 7 iLd2 ltJe4 1 8 iLxe4 'iVxe4 1 9 'iVxb5 i.d5 20 l:te 1 'iVg6 21 'iVe2 ltJc6, and Black had sufficient compensation for the sacri ficed pawn . The game soon ended in a draw.
Of course, at the board , with the clock ticking away, it is far harder than in home preparation to make a sober assessment of a position. Therefore if you are able to think up a sensible idea such as 1 0 a3, the practical chances of it succeeding are very considerable, even if a solution to the problem facing the opponent does in fact exist. 1 0 . . . 1 1 iLa2 1 1 .. . ltJc6 was better. 1 2 d5! iLe7 b5?!
What should Black do now? He does not want to allow the capture on e6 - for the entire game he will have to defend a clearly inferior position.
1 2 . . . 1 3 ltJxd5
exd5 iLb7? Black should have exchanged knights: 13 ... ltJxd5. Larsen was afraid of the reply 1 4 'iVxd5 ( 1 4 iLxd5 i s weaker i n view of 14 . . Jla7 with the threat of 1 5 .. J:td7). The
queens have to be exchanged : it is too risky to play 1 4 .. . :a7 1 5 iLf4 ( 1 5 'iVh5!?) 1 5 .. . l::td7?! 16 'iVh5 with strong pressure on Black's kingside. After 14 . . . 'iVxd5 1 5 iLxd5 lla7 1 6 �f4 Black cannot play 1 6 .. . iLb7? 1 7 �e3, and 1 6 .. J:td7 1 7 iLxf7+ ':xf7 1 8 iLxb8 is also unfavourable. He has to agree to a permanently inferior endgame by 1 6 .. . �e6 1 7 iLxe6 fxe6. Even so, this would have been the lesser evil : objectively Black can hope for a draw. 'But why play cautiously against a boy?', the grandmaster probably thought.
1 4 ltJxe7+ 'iVxe7 1 5 iLg5
The two bishops in an open position ensure White an overwhelming advantage. I only have to make natural attacking moves and make sure that the opponent does not escape from the trap into which he has fallen.
1 5 . . . ltJbd7 1 6 :e1 'iVc5 1 6 .. . 'iVd8 was more tenacious.
17 iLe3
Of course, not 1 7 l:tc1 ? iLxf3. 1 7 . . . 'iVf5
1 7 .. . 'iVh5 was comparatively better, al though after 1 8 ltJg5 'iVxd 1 1 9 l::taxd 1 Black has a d ifficult endgame.
1 8 lLlh4!
The queen is almost trapped . Of course, the