Chess - The Scotsman 17/12/2011

WHEN assessing a chess position, king safety is vital. A huge material advantage is all very well, but the rules state that checkmate ends the game. Usually a row of pawns protects a castled king, so the attacker’s task is to knock a hole in the wall and drag the king into the open. Experienced players will often stop their analysis at the point when the enemy king is on the run, trusting that the checkmate will naturally follow.

The following recent game by ex-British Champion GM Jacob Aagaard is a fine example. Aagaard sacrificed plenty of material with no clear reward in sight, other than a vulnerable king. The rhythm of this game is typical and instructive – at the start, Black rushes to expose the enemy king as otherwise the opportunity would slip away. But when the king is in the centre, Black slows down and concentrates on closing any escape routes, sealing any possible leaks in his mating net.

White: S. Tweedie; Black: J. Aagaard. Opening: Caro-Kann Defence.

1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 exd5 cxd5 4 Bd3 Nc6 5 c3 Qc7 6 Nf3 Bg4 7 0–0 e6 8 h3 Bh5 9 a4 Bd6 10 Na3 a6 11 Re1 Nf6 12 Bd2 0–0 13 Nc2 Na5 14 Ne3 Ne4 White played the opening too passively and now Aagaard seizes the initiative. 15 Bxe4 dxe4 16 g4 Bg6 17 Nh4 f5 18 Nxg6 hxg6 19 Rc1 b5 20 axb5 axb5 21 b3 f4 22 Nf1 e3! Black’s pawn roller rips open the kingside. 23 fxe3 f3 24 Kf2 Qe7 25 e4 The white king is dragged on a fatal expedition after 25 Ng3 Bxg3+ 26 Kxg3 Qd6+ 27 Kh4 g5+ 28 Kxg5 Qe7+ 29 Kh5 g6+ 30 Kxg6 Qh7+ 31 Kg5 Kg7 and ...Qh6 mate. 25...Qh4+ 26 Ke3 Nc4+! Aagaard missed 26...f2 27 Re2 Qxh3+ but the win he did spot is much more fun. 27 bxc4 bxc4 Black’s pawns weave a mating net. 28 e5 f2 29 Ke4 After 29 exd6 the king is once again forced up the board: 29...Qxh3+ 30 Ke4 (30 Ke2 allows mate-in-one on d3 or f3) 30...Qd3+ 31 Ke5 Black has various winners including 31...fxe1Q+ 32 Qxe1 Qf3!. 29...fxe1Q+ 30 Qxe1 Qxh3 31 Qe2 Rf2! Black has already sacrificed a few pawns and a knight, and offered a bishop; now giving away a rook ends the game. 32 Qxf2 Qd3+ 33 Kf4 Rf8+ White resigned, as he would lose his queen and king after 34 Kg5 Be7+ 35 Qf6 Rxf6 36 exf6 Bxf6+ 37 Kf4 g5 mate.