Pawns Adventures: No Levers — No Attack!

You already know that pawns are the main actors in our game. Don’t underestimate these deceptively weak soldiers. Without pawns there would be no game. They give life to pieces and, at the same time, form the backbone giving strength to entire position. Power pawn play is at the heart of playing chess well.

Without pawns, how can there be any strategy, any creative, far-reaching plans, any defensive fortifications or mobile pawn ranks for offensive aims!—David Bronstein

In a previous post, I outlined some very important concepts as far as pawn play is concerned (the ram, the lever). Let’s now examine an instructive game in order to see how these concepts work in the real life of chess pawns and pieces. The game we are going to follow is between Igor Bondarevsky and Andor (Andre) Lilienthal, played in the Match-tournament for the absolute Championship of USSR, on April 17, 1941. (It was the last big tournament in USSR before Hitler attacked the country on June 22 that year. Fuerer's original plans were to attack USSR sooner, so we may have never seen the game. So what changed his plans? Well, when Germany was at her peak and Hitler was controlling the entire continent, when Europe was a dead sea, one people dared raise their head when, on March 25, their government succumbed to Nazi pressure and signed the Tripartite Pact. The news was greeted by huge demonstrations of protest of freedom-loving Serbs. On March 27 the government was replaced in a coup repudiating the pact. A strong message had to be sent to all peoples of Europe as to who was the boss. The rebellious Serbs (them again!) had to be heavily and severely punished. Belgrade, their capital, having been declared a free city, was bombed on the Easter, April 6, and Yugoslavia invaded by Germany and its allies, Italy, Hungary and Bulgaria. The Yugoslav campaign delayed Hitler's attack on USSR and, who knows, perhaps changed the course of WWII as Germans got deep into Russian winter later that year.)

art by Andreas Paul Weber (1893-1990, German)

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The game will help you better understand what the wonder pawns can do for you and your men. Study the game and get back to it to reinforce the knowledge.

In it, you will see:

(a) how the pawn lever is used to attack and test enemy strongholds;
(b) how you should always watch out for the opponent intents;
(c) how you should keep an eye on the enemy central pawns all the time, and restrict by all means their possible movement forward (unless you want to provoke it and make them vulnerable once in your territory, detached and with no support from the main body of the army);
(d) how one should always be trying to wrestle the initiative away from the other side – like a counter-punch in boxing, you need to set the aim of seizing the initiative from the opponent;
(e) how you should never stay passive in your defense — remember von Clausewitz's, the defense is “not a simple shield, but a shield made up of well-directed blows;”
(f) how counterattack is truly decisive element of defense, and more...

A very rich, a very instructive game (I used the commentary from Botvinnik's 1941 Soviet Chess Championship and Lilienthal's Chess is My Life). Preferably, you may want to use a chessboard to go over the game (the game using the replayer is given at the bottom anyway).

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Igor BONDAREVSKY — Andre LILIENTHAL, Moscow 1941

1.e4 e5

From the previous post you already know that strategic plans with the e4-e5 ram begin already to crystalize after move one. Both sides want to get rid of the opposing pawn in the center which objectively prevents the enemy army from advancing. That obstacle should be removed. The operation to achieve the end uses the lever mechanism, as I said was described in the previous post.

2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.O-O O-O 6.d3 Bxc3

Here, or on the next move (after 6…d6 7.Bg5), this exchange is necessary. As a result, White gains bishop pair, which in an open position will give him better chances. Consequently, Black must use such a pawn formation that will keep the position closed, preventing the White’s bishop pair from gaining the greater operational space.

7.bxc3 Qe7 8.Re1 d6 9.Bg5 Nd8

Black knight goes to e6; at the same time, the c-pawn is now ready for action.

10.d4

Here it is, the d4-e5 lever has been created.

10…Ne6 11.Bc1

This is the recommended maneuver here. On 11.Bh4 strong is 11…Nf4, followed by Nf4-g6.

11…c5

The pawn e5 is indirectly protected as on 12.dxe5 dxe5 13.Nxe5? comes double attack 13…Nc7.
On 11…c6 white bishop retreats to f1 and White then plays g2-g3, Bg2 and Nh4 starting operations on the K-side. The White’s KB had nothing to do on b5 – with the maneuver shown above (Bb5-f1-g2), it will take part in the preparations for an upcoming advance.

12.Bf1 Rd8

After the bishop's retreat, the pawn e5 was under threat. 12…Qc7 was better. It will turn out that d8 is an unfortunate place for the rook. In case Black had released the tension in the center by the preparatory12…cxd4 13.cxd4 Qc7, White would have played 14.Bb2, and on 14…Nd7 15.Re3 with an excellent position.

13.g3 Qc7

By having played 12…Rd8, Lilienthal planned to follow with …d6-d5, but he now stopped half-way, not confident in it any more. He gives 13…d5 a question mark, but seems that, with three levers existing in the center, it was still a good move, giving the battle a completely different character, for example:
(a) 14.dxe5 Nxe4 15.c4 (the pawn move to undermine the knight’s support). Here Lilienthal gives 15…b6, but that seems dubious in view of 16.cxd5 Nc3 17.d6.
(b) 14.exd5 Nxd5 15.Bd2 exd4 16.Nxd4 Qf6.
(c) 14.Nxe5 dxe4 looks the best solution for White, giving him some initiative.
Had he wanted to force matters, Black could have played 13…Nc7.

14.d5

Botvinnik thinks (in his Match Tournament 1941 book) that White should have restrained from that move as White’s bishop pair would have supposedly become less dangerous in a closed position. Lilienthal, on the contrary, finds the move strong as it reduced Black’s options in the center giving White initiative on the K-side.

14…Nf8

Bondarevsky-Lilienthal 1941 (after 14…Nf8)

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In any chess position you must be aware of possible pawn moves that may direct your plans and actions. These may change the entire topography of the battlefield and affect all attacking and defensive operations.

How do you think White may now use his pawns to gain initiative on the K-side? That’s right, lever again – this time the f-pawn is called to duty — the position is begging for f2-f4. As Nf3 is standing in the way, some preparations will be necessary.

15.Nh4 Ng6

Black has to do everything possible to counter f2-f4 according to the central principle of strategy which is to “fight the enemy’s strategy.” For that purpose, 15…Re8 hadn’t been bad as the rook would have moved from the possible pin (Bc1-g5). If White played 16.Bg2 Ng6 17.Bg5 wouldn’t be dangerous (17…Nxh4 18.Bxh4 Nd7 – the Black’s e5-stronghold in the center is well protected!)

16.Bg5 Nxh4 17.Bxh4 Qe7

Black didn’t want to have his pawns doubled.

18.f4

Here we are – the power of lever! Black’s position is difficult. What do we do in similar situations? What gives the best chance of survival? Black needs to muddy waters and complicate the game giving his opponent the chance to make a mistake. The question is whether he can wrestle initiative away from the opponent. It’s usually pawns that serve the purpose. His next move looks in that direction.

18…h6

Had White now played 19.Qf3 with Bd3 and Rf1, Black’s position would have been without bright prospects

19.Bg2

Still looks good, but lets Black sharpen the position.

19…exf4

Releasing in the center. We saw last time there are two ways of handling defense when a ram/lever is created. To hold, or to relinquish the stronghold at the right time and go for a counter-attack!

20.gxf4

Bondarevsky-Lilienthal 1941 (after 20.gxf4)

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20…g5

Lilienthal here says, “All my hopes went with this desperate move. The voluntary weakening of the kings protective pawn cover has its strong positional grounds — Black gets a powerful central post for the knight.”

21.fxg5

Correct was 21.Bg3, as after 21…gxf4 22.Bxf4 Ng4 White would keep the advantage gaining a pawn up after 23.h3 Qf6 24.Rf1 Ne5 25.Qh5. Botvinnik expressed his view that “it wouldn’t be such a great achievement in this position.” But how is Black to defend? On 25…Qg6 strong is 26.Qh4. If 25…Ng6, then 26.Bxh6 Qxc3 27.Bg5 etc.

21…Ng4 22.e5!

A great pawn move! After an automatic 22.Qd2 with the idea to protect the pawn g5, Lilienthal had 22…Ne5! and then Ng6, reestablishing material balance with a good play.
The text gives freedom for white pieces, especially the queen gets in the fray. Again we see how important job pawns do for pieces and make them free and active or block their way and make them bad

22…Nxe5

22…dxe5 is no good in view of 23.h3 hxg5 24.Bg3. If 22…hxg5, then 23.exd6 Qxd6 24.Bg3, and the d-pawn, supported by pieces, becomes too powerful – the power of the passed pawn!

23.Qh5 hxg5 24.Bxg5

White, by inertia, continues on playing attack. Yet, he should have trade queens and accept an equal position, at least: 24.Qxg5+ Qxg5 25.Bxg5 Re8 26.Re3

24… f6

The powerful e5-knight, the queen controlling the 7th, and the Bc8-g4 threat, all help Black stop White’s attack. On 25.Bh5, Lilienthal planned to play 25…Qf7 26.Qh4 Qg6 27.Re3 Kf7! 28.Rg3 Bg4 29.h3 Rh8. Perhaps, the best option for White was an exchange sacrifice: 25.Rxe5 dxe5 26.Qg6+ Qg7 27.Qxf6 and the passe d-pawn is very dangerous (again those pawns!)

25.Bh4

A seemingly natural move gives Black counterattack

25…Qg7 26.Bg3 Bg4 27.Qh4 Kf7

The battle situation changed dramatically. The threat is 28…Rh8 winning the queen

28.Bxe5 dxe5 29.Re3 Rh8 30.Qf2 Rag8

Bondarevsky-Lilienthal 1941 (after 30.Rag8)

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As a result of his risky, but successful strategy, Black took initiative away from the opponent and obtained a better position. His pawns on the K-side helped open lines there for counterattack on the white king, while the black monarch remained safe behind f6-e5 pawn cover. There followed:

31.Rf1 Qh6 32.h4 Qxh4 33.Qxh4 Rxh4 34.Kf2 Rh2 35.Rg3 Bh3 36.Rxg8 Kxg8 37.Kg3 Rxg2+ 38.Kxh3 Rg6 39.Rb1 b6 40.c4 Kf7 41.Rb3 f5 42.Rg3 Rh6+ 43.Kg2 Rh4 44.Rh3 Rxc4 45.c3 Ra4

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A cool game, eyh? Did you get a little better sense of what pawns and levers they so tirelessly and selflessly create in all games can do for you and your game? If so, then this piece lived up to its purpose! 

“No pawn exchanges, no file-opening, no attack.” — Aaron Nimzovich

But where, how and when to create a lever, who, when and why will release tension, those are the issues of chess mastery with no easy answers sometimes, even for the best…

Anyway, keep studying the pawn play with all its strategic implications. It will bring you a better understanding of the nature of the game. Together with tactics, it may greatly improve your game. And it's your ultimate goal, isn't it?

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I originally posted this piece on March 25, 2012 on iChess.net.