This is the actual game between Mamedyarov and Eljanov at the Tal Memorial. Black just played 37…Kd6. Which side is better? What is the plan for White and how should White proceed?
This is a very important position to understand. Come up with a plan and play it out. Have fun!
4n3/6p1/1pbkN2p/p1p1p2P/P1BbP1P1/1P3P2/6K1/2B5 w – – 0 38
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
As white, I would definitely play one move here immediately- Nd4. The real weakness in black’s position are the pawns at g7 and h6, and I might want to bring my king forward through g3 and h4 to help support a possible g5. The other reason to want to remove the bishop is to put the decision to black as to which pawn to retake with- ed4 gives white a powerful pawn phalanx on the king side, while cd4 gives white an open line for his bishop from a3 to f8.
1. Nd4 cd4
2. Ba3
And black’s king is cut off from the king side by the bishops:
2. …..Kd7 (Kc7?)
3. Bf8
And black is in big trouble already. White is threatening Bf7 either exchanging the knight, or driving it away from the protection of g7. In fact, it is hard to find a move for black at all- the only pawn moves are g6/5, b5, and d3, all of which seem to just drop pawns pointlessly. The only halfway useful king move is Kd8, the bishop has no useful move at all. This leaves only Nd6 or Nc7 (Nf6 white just plays Bg7 winning multiple pawns). Nd6 looks to have the most amount of counter play since it threatens Nc4 getting a bishop of opposite colors endgame along with fatally weakening the a4 pawn, but I think white has a decent reply:
3. …..Nd6 (alternatives later)
4. Bg8
I am not too concerned with the passed d-pawn as the white king can watch over it. The other real option seemed to be Bd3, but I dislike giving up the diagonal from c4 to g8. Now, the question is back on black- try to hold g7, or try for counter play on the queen side? I will consider both:
4. …..Ne8
Now, the question is back to white- clear the knight with Bf7 and win g7 and h6/e5, or wait a move since black is so tied up in knots. Black has a decent waiting move himself of Kd8, so I would try to Bf7 immediately:
5. Bf7
Now, black could play Nd6 again, but I think white could now play Bg6:
5. …..Nd6
6. Bg6 Ne8 (forced?)
7. Be8 Ke8
8. Bg7
The question is what is best for black? It seems to me that any bishop move is going to lose both the e5 pawn and h6 since the king is too far away from the h-pawn to protect it. Kf7 seems forced:
8. …..Kf7
9. Be5
I don’t know which is best for white right now Be5 or Bh6:
9. …..d3
10.Kf2
Now what for black? I don’t think it will help to defend the d-pawn with b5:
10. ….b5
11.ab5 Bb5
12.Ke3
And, from this position, white will exchange the b-pawn for the a-pawn and win the d-pawn, otherwise white will just win the a-pawn outright by attacking it. Let’s move through this quickly as I got a poker game to go to tonight:
12. …..a4
13. ba4 Ba4
14. Kd3
So, the question is- is this a won position for white? I know it looks overwhelming for white due to the connected pawns, but bishops of opposite color endgames are notoriously difficult to win, even with three pawn advantages.
Unfortunately, I don’t have time right now to finish this, but I feel strongly that Nd4 is a winner for white. If I have time later tonight, I will look at the other defensive alternatives black had- I especially want to look at move 10 for black in the line above. In addition, I am probably overlooking better moves for white. A very interesting position to study, however.
There are no plans to be found !
1.g5! threatening to win a pawn
either 1…hxg5 or 1…Bd7 2.Nxg7! Nxg7 3.gxh6 and the pawn is unstoppable 3…Ke7 4.h7 etc!
White is better.
Maybe this is a bit rash but I would play Kg3 improving king position prior to sacking on g7 for the 2 pawns. It seems black is in great difficulty trying to deal with the passers. Key is the d4 bishop cut off from the action.
Ok, what about …
g5 the idea is to next try Nxg7
followed by h6. I don’t see how
black can stop the h pawn.
White is better, because his pieces are more active.
39 Nxd4 is tempting, but it gives Black a passed pawn.
Instead, White has a tactical shot here.
39 g5! hxg5
Otherwise, White wins a pawn, i.e. 39… Bd7, 40 gxh6 gxh6, 41 Nxd4 exd4, 42 Bxh6 with a passed pawn.
40 Nxg7! Nxg7
Black has nothing better. 40… Nf6, 41 Bxg5 Nh7, 42 Bd8 with a big advantage.
41 h6 Nh6
42 h7 Nf4+
43 Kg3 Ng6
44 Kg4 Nh8
Trying to get the Bishop to g6 to take the h Pawn; otherwise, the Bishop can support the Knight at g6.
45 Bf6 Ng6
46 Kf5!
Keeping Black’s King away for the time being.
46… Bc3
Black can do little except mark time.
47 Bd8 Nh8
Trying to get the Bishop to g6 again.
48 Kf6! Bh5
49 Kg7 Bxf3
50 Bd5 Bh5
Otherwise the h Pawn will promote.
51 Kxh8 Bg6
52 Bxb6 Bb5
53 Kg7 Bxh7
54 Kxh7 Ke2
55 Kg6 Kd6
56 Kf5 Be1
Black can’t do much to stop White’s plans.
57 Ba7 Bc3
58 Bb8+ Ke7
59 Bxe5
Black is down a Bishop and Pawn and can do nothing to stop the passed Pawn from moving forward.
Nxg7 +++ NxN
Bxh6++
Maybe just move pawns. Seems black occupies left side too much.
1.g5 hxg5
2.Bxg5 The next move is Bd8 to take the pawn at b6.
So, 2…Nf6 is forced.
3.Bxf6 gxf6
4.h6 There is no way for Black to prevent h8=Q.
If 2…Bd7, then
3.Nxg7 Nxg7
4.h6 There is no way for Black to prevent h8=Q.
Even if 3…Nc7 in response to 3.Nxg7, Black still cannot prevent White to queen at h8.
If Black refuse to take the pawn
at g5, Black will lose two pawns, or let White queen at h8 and the game becomes hopeless for Black.
How about just
1 Nxg7 Nxg7 (forced, or just loses all the pawns for nothing)
2 Bxh6 Ne8 (forced, to save the knight)
3 Bf8+ Kd2 (king is cut off now by both bishops)
4 g5 (cuts off the knight from f6) and now white marches the steamroller of two protected passed pawns with all black’s pieces cut off from their path.
Not sure yet about g5
After g5 hxg5 Nxg7 Nxg7 h6 black has
the resource Nh5. The idea is the manoevre Nf4+ Ng6.
Definitely 1.g5. I think I could have looked at this for half a day or even longer and not seen that.