Interesting bishop endgame: Smyslov's technique

GM LuckyTiger

Updated: Feb 27, 2017, 6:26 AM | 3

In my previous post I offered you the analysis of the Gashimov-Kortchnoj. Now let's learn with 7-th World Champion Vasily Smyslov.

For the fortress, which arose in the last side line, we need to post the diagram.

White has a perfect defending setup. All pawns on the light squares (preventing e5-e4, stopping possible king's maneuvers), when the king controls pawn "a" and sticks the bishop to defend it. This is the position, that White had to aim. Now let's continue watching the game to see what happens, when pawns appear on wrong squares.

The last position from the previous analysis board looks OK for White - pawn h7 fixes Black bishop to h8-square, when White king and bishop guards d2-square safety. How to win?

Black wins spectacularly, if White plays 63.Bd2 in the last line.

Can you find the win?

Let's see how game continued.

Another puzzle moment. Though many ways can win in this position, but there is one - the fastest. Do you see it?

Now we can look at the end of the game.

What we should memorize from this game? If you want to save the worse same-colored bishop endgame, do not place pawns on the squares of bishop's color! They will be attacked by the bishop, when the opponent's king will have holes to enter into your territory.

GM Valeriy Aveskulov.

Interesting bishop endgame: Smyslov's technique

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