THE ATTACK AGAINST THE KING

- The king remained in the centre II

As we have said in the introduction of the game Chernov-Cioara (the previous game), the
postponement of the castle may have fatal consequences. In general, if the opponent manages to
maintain the king in the center and to open the central files for using the rooks into the attack, the
saving chances are very little. To refresh your memory, I would like to remind you the attacking
principles in the case of an un-castled king.
1. The opening of the files and diagonals in order to increase the qualitative value of the attacking
pieces (by increasing their mobility);
2. Bringing more pieces into attack, in order to create a quantitative superiority;
3. Permanently creating of imminent threats, in order not to let the opponent to organize his
defense.
4. Maintaining the opposite king in the center as much as possible
5. Using the fact that the opposite rooks do not take part into play.
It follows an eloquent example of using these principles.

Lehmann,H - Mueller,P
FRG vs Switzerland, 1950
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4!?
The Evans Gambit is the most aggressive way of fighting against the Italian Defense. This
gambit entered the practice of the grandmasters since the beginning of the 19th century, during the
matches McDonnell-DeLabourdonnais, in which both players, the best players in the world at
that time, used it for many times with White. Later Staunton, Morphy, Anderssen, Steinitz,
Zukertort, Chigorin and many other well-known players of the 19th century included it as a main
weapon in their opening repertoire. Once with the improvement of the defending technique, the
Evans Gambit has disappeared step by step from the games of the 20th century. In the 90s, Gary
Kasparov has amazed the chess world when he reintroduced this romantic gambit in the biggest
tournaments, obtaining two clear victories against Anand and Piket. Having such a support, we
shouldnt wonder that the Evans Gambit has returned in the grandmasters games, among which
Morozevich, Short, Jobava, Sveshnikov are great fans of this opening. As in any other gambit,
the main target for White is to obtain a development advantage for the sacrificed pawn.
4...Bxb4
Declining the gambit with 4...Bb6 is also possible, in this case White opting for the offensive on
the queenside with 5.b5 and 5.a4, both moves leading to dynamic positions, but less sharp than
those resulted after accepting the sacrifice.
5.c3!

This is the main idea of the sacrifice of the b-pawn. By his last move, White gains a tempo that
he may use both for supporting the advance in the center d2-d4 and for creating a battery
Qb3+Bc4, attacking the f7-pawn.
5...Ba5
The other bishop retreats are also possible. Here are some main lines, without entering too deep
in the theory of the Evans Gambit:
- 5...Bc5 6.d4 exd4 7.00! d6 8.cxd4 Bb6;
- 5...Bd6 6.d4 Nf6;
- 5...Be7 6.d4 Na5.
In all these variations, White has a clear compensation for the sacrificed pawn because of the
development advantage, because of the better mobility of the pieces, and the better position in the
center, but practically it is impossible to decide if these qualitative advantages are more or less
valuable than the quantitative disadvantage of a pawn. The practice has proved that there is a
balance between the two sides.
6.d4
At 6.Qb3 Black is able to defend either with 6Qe7 and 7Nf6, or with 6Qf6 and 7Nge7
6...exd4
Another popular variation is the one introduced in the practice by the second World Champion,
Emanuel Lasker, which is still played at a high level: 6...d6 7.Qb3 Qd7 8.dxe5 Bb6! with the idea
Na5, in order to win the Whites pair of bishops.
7.00
White is two pawns down and a third pawn is threatened, but he managed to develop the kingside
and to make the castle. Due to the development advantage, Black has to perform a very careful
play, to avoid a quick disaster.
7...Bb6?!
The best continuation for Black is 7...Nge7! 8.cxd4 (8.Ng5 d5 9.exd5 Ne5 followed by 00 and
Black solves with success the opening problems.) 8...d5! 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Qb3 Be6 11.Ba3 Qd7!
with the idea 000 and Black completes successfully the development.
8.cxd4
Now, the Whites compensation for the sacrificed pawn is much more evident. The central pawn
phalanx, the superior mobility of the pieces and the development advantage compensate enough
the sacrificed material.
8...d6 9.Nc3 Nf6
A move which gives the possibility to open the play in the center. The alternatives are: 9...Bg4
10.Bb5 Kf8 (10...Bxf3 11.gxf3+/=) 11.Be3=/; 9...Na5 10.Bg5 or 10.Bd3
10.e5!
White forces the opening of the lines, in order to take advantage from the central position of the
black king.

10...dxe5

QUIZ

Find the best continuation for White

11.Ba3!
Maintaining the king in the center as much as possible is one of the attacking principles against
an un-castled king. Through his last move, White interdicts Black to make the castle kingside, in
this way gaining time for bringing the major pieces into the attack. This position was known
even since the 19th century and it can be found in several games of the legendary Paul Morphy,
the best player in the years 1850.
11...Na5?!
Black tries to exchange the dangerous bishop on c4, but this costs him two decisive tempi.
Probably the best chances for defense could have offered the following variation: 11...Bxd4 with
the idea 12.Qb3 Qd7 even if in this case the Blacks position is very dangerous. After 11...Nxd4
12.Re1 or 12.Nxe5 White has strong attack; Not even the attempt to quickly develop the
queenside is able to give a solution, for instance: 11...Bg4 12.Qb3 Qd7 13.Nxe5! Nxe5 14.dxe5
Ng8 15.Rad1!! spreads any hope for the Black king to run on the queenside. 15...Bxd1 16.Rxd1
Qf5 17.Ne4!! Nh6 (17...Qxe4 18.Bxf7#) 18.Qa4+ 10 Karczewski-Fluder, corr. 1990]
12.Nxe5 Nxc4

QUIZ

Find the best move for White

13.Qa4+!
Because the knight occupies an excellent position on e5, better is for White to take the knight on
c4 with the queen, activating this piece too and allowing the rooks to enter the game.
13...Bd7
After 13...c6 White obtains clear advantage, playing 14.Nxc4 because now the d6-square is
weakened (Worse is 14.Nxc6? bxc6 15.Qxc6+ Qd7 16.Rfe1+ Kd8 17.Be7+ Qxe7 18.Rxe7 Kxe7
19.Qxa8 Rd8 and Black has not a worse position with three pieces against the queen) 14...Bc7
15.d5!! Opens new lines for the attack. 15...Nxd5 16.Rad1 with very strong attack.
14.Qxc4 Be6

QUIZ

Find the best move for White

15.d5!!
Opening the central files is very important when attacking an un-castled king. By opening the
central files, the attacker emphasizes the superior qualitative value of his rooks, which will use
those files, compared to the defenders rooks, which are out of play.
15...Bxd5 16.Qa4+!
Wins a tempo for bringing the rooks in the attack.
16...c6 17.Rad1!
Whites position is dominating. He is threatening 18.Nxc6, 18.Nc4 or 18.Rfe1, all with decisive
advantage for White.
17...Nd7 18.Nxd7 Qxd7 19.Nxd5 cxd5

QUIZ

Find the fastest way to win the game

20.Rxd5
Black resigned because at 20Qxa4, follows 21.Re1+ with checkmate in two moves.
10
CONCLUSIONS
A short, but very instructive game. Black has chosen a quite passive variation, allowing White to
obtain a very good compensation for the sacrificed pawn. After the move 11.Ba3!, the black king
was forced to remain in the center and White fully used this aspect, by quickly opening the
central files (see 15.d5!!) and creating very strong, immediate threats. With his rooks as
observers, Black did not succeed in equilibrating the balance attack-defense, so the final
combination has stamped the Whites strategic success.