plik

Jovan Petronic:

Queenless King Hunt

1.e4 e5 2.Sf3 Sc6 3.Lb5 a6 4.La4 Sf6 5.0–0
b5 6.Lb3 Lb7

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-wqkvl-tr0
9+lzpp+pzpp0
9p+n+-sn-+0
9+p+-zp-+-0
9-+-+P+-+0
9+L+-+N+-0
9PzPPzP-zPPzP0
9tRNvLQ+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

The Arkhangelsk Defence remains a popular
main line alternative for Black. This position
was possibly reached for the first time (in the
electronically  recorded  history  of  chess)  in
the game played between two chess  masters
of  the  past  -  Carl  Schlechter  and  Mikhail
Chigorin,

Berlin

1897,

after

transposition of moves. Black had then
played

the

nowadays

considered

inaccurate  4...  b5,  followed  by  5...  Lb7.  As
in  most  main  line  systems  of  play,  the
middlegame positions arising from this point
onwards  prove  to  be  highly  entertaining,
instructive  and  requiring  imagination  and
fighting

spirit.

wishing

play

successfully  on  a  high  level,  one  would  of
course  need  to  go  through  volumes  of
existing theoretical  opening articles,  such  as
is

Chess

Informant's

legendary

C78

Monograph  by  GMs  Alexander  Beliavsky
and  Adrian  Mikhachishin.  A  number  of
leading  Grand  Masters  worldwide  continue
to  practice  the  Arkhangelsk.  Leading  Chess

Trainers  offer  it  as  training  materials  for
their students, with an accent on the opening
variations  and  middlegames  arising  from
them.  What  follows  soon  is  a  remarkable,
unique,  and  most  importantly  -  enjoyable
middlegame  checkmating  exercise,  which  I
had  successfully  used  many  times  in  chess
trainings  with  players  (and  trainers)  of
various  national  and  FIDE  rating  and  FIDE
title levels, inclusive of GMs.
7.c3  Se4  8.d4!  Sa5  9.Se5  Sb3  10.Db3  Df6
11.f3! Sc5 12.Sg4! Sb3! 13.Sf6

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-+kvl-tr0
9+lzpp+pzpp0
9p+-+-sN-+0
9+p+-+-+-0
9-+-zP-+-+0
9+nzP-+P+-0
9PzP-+-+PzP0
9tRNvL-+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

With  the  material  presently  being  relatively
equal,  Black  has  a  choice  of  two  candidate
moves,  the  obvious  13...  gxf6  and  the  less
obvious  13...Ke7  (attempting  to  avoid
damage  of  its  pawn  structure,  retaining  the
potential advantage of Black's Bishop's pair),
with  13...Kd8  being  of  course  not  a
candidate  move  worth  considering.  The
present

position

features

first

recommended  classical  training  one  ("How
should  Black  proceed?"),  with  the  trainer
researching  (and  documenting!)  details  of
talent and potential among trainees who have
not  seen or analyzed this  position before, as
well  as  being  one  inside  a  checklist,  when
training with higher level players.
13...Ke7!
13...gf6 was played at least five times in the
period  1970–1992,  with  the  most  valuable

ones

being

played

between

GMs

Viswanathan  Anand  (2525)  and  Adrian
Mikhalchishin  (2475)  0–1  (42),  played  in
Moscow 1989,  followed by  GMs Patrick G.
Wolff (2520) and Mikhail Tal (2565), in San
Francisco (USA) 1991, which White won in
55  moves.  Wolff  -  Tal  was  also  featured  in
Chess Informant 52/335 (1991), analysed by
White,  who  gave  in  the  annotaion  13...Ke7
an  exclamation  mark,  followed  by  an
obvious  continuation  14.  axb3  gxf6  with
equality.  Games  played,  analyzed  and  and
published  previously  did  not  mention  the
possibility of 13... Ke7.
14.Lg5!!

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-+-vl-tr0
9+lzppmkpzpp0
9p+-+-sN-+0
9+p+-+-vL-0
9-+-zP-+-+0
9+nzP-+P+-0
9PzP-+-+PzP0
9tRN+-+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

The  diagram  is  of  notable  history.  Back  in
1991, during Yugoslavia National Olympiad
Men's  Team  group  trainings,  I  offered  the
diagram  as  an  analysis  position  with  a
requirement  to  four  GMs  to  check  if  White
has  winning  chances  in  case  of  Black
accepting

the

Rook

sacrifice.

The

Archangelsk  was  then  very  popular  and,
being  National  Coach,  I  was  tasked  by  the
players to find new ideas and ways for White
to  improve  on  the  existing  theory  from
White's side. One of the potential novelties I
had  then  compiled  lead  to  the  position  with
14.Lg5, which I classified as an idea pending
further  research.  After  a  relatively  short
analysis,  it  was,  however,  concluded  to  my

initial  disappointment  that  the  atempt  was
interesting,  but  fails  to  produce  a  winning
position,  with  us  quickly  switching  to  other
middlegame  positions  of  analysis  value.
GM  Wolff  briefly  analysed  14.Lg5,  too  (!)
and  awarded  it  a  question  mark,  with  the
following

analysis

published:

14...Sa1

15.Te1  Kd6  16.Lf4  Kc6  17.d5  Kc5!–+
(17...Kb6?  18.Sd7  Ka5  (18...Ka7  19.Le3+-)
19.Lc7  Ka4  20.Sb6  Ka5  21.Sc4  Ka4  22.b3
Sb3  23.Sb2#).  You  will  notice  the
similarities  between  Wolff's  analysis  and
conclusions,  with  the  ones  we  had  made,
during team training, both having been made
independently  and  presuming  at  a  similar
time  on  far  away  geographical  distances.  In
my exercise analysis futher, you will find an
improvement over White's 20. Sb6.
14...Sa1?
14...gf6  15.Te1!  Kd6™  (15...Kd8??  16.Lf6
Le7  (16...Kc8  17.Te8#)  17.Le7+-)  16.Lf4
Kd5

17.ab3±;

14...Sd4!?

worth

considering for Black at this point: 15.cd4
gf6 16.Te1 Kd6™ 17.Lf6 Tg8, unclear.
15.Te1! Kd6??

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-+-vl-tr0
9+lzpp+pzpp0
9p+-mk-sN-+0
9+p+-+-vL-0
9-+-zP-+-+0
9+-zP-+P+-0
9PzP-+-+PzP0
9snN+-tR-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

We  have  now  reached  the  starting  position
of  the  main  exercise,  in  which  extensive
analysis  proves  that  White  is  winning  by
force,  with  a  checkmate  in  12  to  follow,
assuming best play by both White and Black.
The  vast  number  of  different  checkmating

positions  arising  from  this  Queenless
middlegame  will  amaze  all  spending
analysis or training time with it. The trainer's
task here is to request the student to find all
existing  and  unique  fastest  checkmates,  in
the  end  proving  White's  mate  in  12,  in  a
restricted  amount  of  time,  up  to  one  hour
maximum, depending on the current playing
level  of  the  student.  Within  group  training,
the    points  are  to  be  given  according  to  the
number  of  unique  checkmates  found.
Students  names  can  then  be  documented
inside  the  solutions  template  below,  at  the
end  of  each  checkmate  found,  ultimately
creating  a  database  worth  researching
further.  The  exercise  should  be  done  over  a
chess  board,  and  the  variations  written  out
by hand. Moving the pieces may be allowed
for  levels  below  FM  title  or  below  2300
FIDE-rating.
15...Kd8??  of  course  leads  to  a  picturesque
mate  in  one:  16.Te8#.  15...Le4  is  Black's
best  try  and  not  a  part  of  the  intended
exercise. Solution:
16.Lf4! Kc6 17.d5! Kc5!
17...Kb6  18.Sd7!  Ka5!  (18...Ka7?  19.Le3!
c5!

(19...Lc5? 20.Lc5#)

20.dc6!

Lc5

21.Lc5#)

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9r+-+-+-tr0
9mkl+N+pzpp0
9p+P+-+-+0
9+pvL-+-+-0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-zP-+P+-0
9PzP-+-+PzP0
9snN+-tR-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

19.b4! (19.Lc7! Ka4 20.b4! Lb4! (20...Ld5?
21.Sb6#; 20...Lc5? 21.Sc5#) 21.Te4! a5
(21...Ld5 22.Tb4# (22.Sc5#)

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-+-+-tr0
9+-vL-+pzpp0
9p+-+-+-+0
9+psNl+-+-0
9kvl-+R+-+0
9+-zP-+P+-0
9P+-+-+PzP0
9snN+-+-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

22.Sb6# (22.Sc5#) 19...Lb4! (19...Ka4!
20.Lc7! Lb4! (20...Ld5 21.Sb6#) 21.Te4 Ld5
(21...a5

22.Sb6#

(22.Sc5#))

22.Tb4#

(22.Sc5#).
18.b4! Kc4!
18...Kb6?  19.Sd7!  Ka7™  20.Le3!  c5!
(20...Lc5 21.Lc5#) 21.dc6! Lc5™ 22.Lc5#.
19.Sa3! Kc3!
19...Kd3? 20.Se4! leads  to  an another set  of
amazing unique checkmating positions, with
best  play  assumed,  as  usual.  Black  has  two
best  defences,  which  both  ultimately  fail.
20...Lc5!  (20...Sc2!  21.Td1!  Ke2™  22.Td2!
Ke1™ 23.Sc2# (23.Lg3#)

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-+-vl-tr0
9+lzpp+pzpp0
9p+-+-+-+0
9+p+P+-+-0
9-zP-+N+-+0
9sN-zP-+PvL-0
9P+ntR-+PzP0
9+-+-mk-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

21.Kf1! Sb3!

a) 21...Ld5? 22.Td1#;
b)  21...Lb4  22.Te3#  (22.Td1#!)  ;  22.ab3!
(22.Td1!  Sd2™  23.Td2#)  22...Le3  (22...Ld5
23.Td1#) 23.Te3#.
20.Se4!

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-+-vl-tr0
9+lzpp+pzpp0
9p+-+-+-+0
9+p+P+-+-0
9-zP-+NvL-+0
9sN-mk-+P+-0
9P+-+-+PzP0
9sn-+-tR-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

Following  up  on  the  previous  position
introductions,  it  came  as  a  shock  very  soon
afterwards,  when  published  as  a  sideline  in
Chess  Informant's  game  Nr.  53/330,  GM
Larry  Christiansen's  following  analysis:
20...Kb4  (20...Kd3  21.Td1  Ke2  22.Td2  Ke1
23.Lg3#

(We

again

have

slight

improvement  in  our  training  exercise,  and
over  22.  Td2+  -  22.Sc3#!)  21.Tb1!  Ka3
(21...Ka5 22.Lc7 Ka4 23.Sc3 Ka3  24.Lf4+-)
22.Sc3 … Lc1#. Kudos to GM Christiansen!
20...Kb4!
20...Kb2?  21.Tb1!  Ka3  (21...Ka2  22.Sc3!
Ka3  23.Lc1#);  20...Kd3?  21.Td1!  Ke2
22.Sc3#
21.Tb1! Ka5!
21...Ka3?

22.Sc3!

Lc5!

23.Kh1!

(or

23.Kf1!+-) 23...Le3! (23...b4? 24.Lc1#;
23...Sb3? 24.Tb3#

)

24.Le3! The8 (24...Sb3

25.Tb3#) 25.Lc1#; 21...Sb3? 22.Tb3! Ka5
(22...Ka4 23.Sc3! Ka5™ 24.Lc7#) 23.Lc7!
Ka4 24.Sc3#.

22.Lc7! Ka4 23.Sc3! Ka3 24.Lf4! Lc5!
24...Ld5? 25.Lc1#; 24...Sb3? 25.Tb3#.
25.Kf1!+-
Or 25.Kh1!+-.

25...Le3!
25...Ld5 26.Lc1#; 25...Sb3 26.Tb3#.
26.Le3!

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9r+-+-+-tr0
9+l+p+pzpp0
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9+p+P+-+-0
9-+-+-+-+0
9mk-sN-vLP+-0
9P+-+-+PzP0
9snR+-+K+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

26...Sb3
In the main line of our checkmating quest,
we see the greedy Black Knight giving itself
up, having played the last move before Black
is forced to resign: 26...Ld5 27.Lc1#.
27.Tb3#.

EXERCISES

1.Black to move

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+lmk-+-tr0
9zpp+-+-+p0
9-+nsN-+-+0
9+-+K+-+n0
9-+-vlpzpp+0
9zP-+-+-+-0
9-zPP+L+P+0
9tR-vLQ+-+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

Source:
18…Sf6 19.Kc4 Le6 20.Kb5 a6 21.Ka4 b5
22.Sb5 ab5 23.Kb5 Ta5 24.Kc6 Ld5 25.Kd6
Se8# (Matschego : Falkbeer, Vienna 1853)

2. Black to move

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+lsN-trk+0
9zppzpp+-zpp0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-vlnzP-+-0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-mK-0
9PvL-+-+PzP0
9tRN+Q+-+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

Source:
13…Lf2 14.Kh3 d6 15.e6 Sf4 16.Kg4 Se6
17.g3 Sd4 18.Se6 Le6 19.Kh4 Sf5 20.Kh3
Se3 21.Kh4 Sg2 22.Kh5 g6 23.Kg5 Le3#

(Hoffman : Petrov, Warsaw 1844)

3. Black to move

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-+k+-tr0
9zppzp-+pzpp0
9-+-vl-+-+0
9+-+Nsn-+-0
9-+-+n+-+0
9+P+-zPL+-0
9PvLPzP-+PmK0
9tR-+Q+R+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

Source:
12…Sf3 13.Kh3 Seg5 14.Kg4 h5 15.Kf5 g6
16.Kf6 Kf8 0:1 (NN : Crepeaux, Nice 1923)

4. White to move

XIIIIIIIIY
9rsn-+-tr-+0
9zplzppwq-zpk0
9-zp-+pvl-+0
9+-+-sN-+-0
9-+-zPN+-+0
9+-+L+-+-0
9PzPP+-zPPzP0
9tR-+-mK-+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

Source:
12.Sf6 Kh6 13.Seg4 Kg5 14.h4 Kf4 15.g3
Kf3 16.Le2 Kg2 17.Th2 Kg1 18.Kd2# (Ed.
Lasker : Thomas, London, 1912)

5. Black to move

XIIIIIIIIY
9rsn-+-+k+0
9zplzp-+-zpp0
9-zp-zpp+-tr0
9+-+-+p+-0
9-+PzP-+-zP0
9vL-zPLzPn+-0
9P+Q+-zPKzP0
9+R+-+R+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

Source:

16…Se1 17.Kh3 Lg2 18.Kg3 Tg6 19.Kf4
Tg4# (Parker : Myall, Essex-Surrey 1999)

6. Black to move

XIIIIIIIIY
9-trl+kvlntr0
9zp-zp-+p+p0
9-+pzp-+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-+-mKPzpp+0
9zP-+L+-+-0
9-zPP+-+PzP0
9tRNvLQ+R+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

Source:
12…Lg7 13.e5 Le5 14.Ke4 Sf6# (Thompson
: Mackenzie, London 1868)

7. White to move

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+ltr-+-+0
9+p+-snpmkp0
9-+-vLpvlp+0
9zpqzp-+-+-0
9-+N+R+-+0
9+P+P+QzP-0
9-zPP+-zPLzP0
9tR-+-+-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

Source:
19.Df6 Kf6 20.Le5 Kg5 21.Lg7 1:0 (T.
Petrosian : Pachman, Bled 1961)

8. White to move

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+l+qtr-mk0
9+-+-+pzpp0
9-+p+p+-+0
9zp-zPpzP-+-0
9P+-sN-zPQvL0
9+-zP-tR-+-0
9-+-+-+PzP0
9+-+n+-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

Source:
26.Dg7 Kg7 27.Lf6 Kg6 28.Tg3 Kh6 29.Lg7
Kh5 30.Tg5 Kh4 31.Sf3# (Waitzkin :
Frumkin, New York 1987)

9. Black to move

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-mkp+p0
9-+-zp-zp-vl0
9+-zP-zpP+N0
9l+K+P+rzP0
9zPr+-+-zP-0
9-zp-+-+R+0
9+L+-tR-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

Source:
52…d5 53.Kd5 Tg8 54.c6 Td8 55.Kc5 Tb5
56.Kc4 Td4 57.Kc3 Tb3 58.Kc2 Tc4 0:1
(Torre : Kinlay, London 1977)

10. White to move

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+r+0
9zp-+nwq-+r0
9-+k+p+-+0
9+-zp-+p+-0
9-+Pzp-vL-+0
9zP-+P+NzP-0
9-+-+-zPL+0
9+-+-tR-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

Source:
29.Sd4 Kb6 30.Tb1 Ka6 31.Lb7 Ka5 32.Ld2
Ka4 33.Lc6 Ka3 34.Lc1 Ka2 35.Tb2 Ka1
36.Sc2# (Norwood : Marsh, Walsall 1992)