1) Destroying the P-formation protecting the K, usually by means of sacrifices, mostly of pieces, but sometimes Pawns.
2) Exploiting a weaknesses in the King's position (like a weak square or weak square complex) and penetrating those weak points with the attacking pieces.
3) Using open files and diagonals by means of which the pieces can invade and then
4) the Pawn storm. This method is often seen in the case of opposite-sides castling or when the center is firmly locked.
If there are no such weaknesses then it is necessary to work out a plan to create one and then figure out how to conduct a decisive attack.
In May of 1944 Lavrenty Beria, head of the Soviet state security and secret police and acting on behalf of Joseph Stalin, began the deportation of Crimean Tatars in an ethnic cleansing and cultural genocide. Within three days at least 191,044 Crimean Tatars, mostly women, children, the elderly and even Communists and members of the Red Army were packed into cattle cars and deported mostly to Uzbek. They were one of the several ethnic groups who were encompassed by Stalin's policy of population transfer.
The deportation officially was intended as collective punishment for the perceived collaboration of some Crimean Tatars with Nazi Germany; modern sources theorize that the deportation was part of the Soviet plan to gain access to the Dardanelles and acquire territory in Turkey where the Tatars had Turkish ethnic kin.
At the time of the 1944 championship the war was turning against Germany and in May heavy Allied bombings of the Continent in preparation for D-Day on June 5th were taking place. Sevastopol, the largest city in in the Crimea, had been retaken by Soviet forces and thousands of German and Romanian soldiers had been captured, but many thousands managed to evacuate.
None of that affected the Soviet Championship in Moscow where twelve of the Soviet Union's best players had qualified from three semi-final tournaments played earlier in the year. The mix also included five seeded players: Botvinnik, Smyslov, Ragozin, Lisitsin and Ravinsky.
This was the first USSR championship since the USSR Absolute Championship which was help in 1941. World War II had interrupted Botvinnik's chances for a world championship match with Alekhine, and his performance in the 1944 and 1945 championships were attempts to prove that he remained the rightful challenger, but then Alekhine died on March 24, 1946 and it wasn't until 1948 that he got to play for, and win, the world championship.
In the following game Kotov whips up dangerous threats against Bronstein's King by means of surprising piece sacrifices reminiscent of the kind Bronstein himself might play. The game was played in the 13th Soviet Championship which was held in Moscow from May 21st to June 17th, 1944.
Alexander Kotov (1913 - 1981) was a Soviet GM and author who was a Soviet champion and a two-time world title Candidate. A prolific writer on chess, Kotov served in high posts in the Soviet Chess Federation. Kotov was said to be a KGB agent by Fedir Bohatyrchuk, in his 1978 book My Way to General Vlasov.
David Bronstein (1924 - 2006) narrowly missed becoming World Champion in 1951. He was one of the world's strongest players from the mid-1940s into the mid-1970s, and was described by his peers as a creative genius and master of tactics. He was also a renowned chess author.
Alexander Kotov - David Bronstein
Result: 1-0
Site: Soviet Championship, Moscow
Date: 1944
King's Indian: Fianchetto Variation
[...] 1.d4 ♘f6 2.c4 d6 3.♘c3 e5 4.♘f3 ♘bd7 5.g3 Korchnoi was once this lines most notable practitioner. This method of development is completely different than other K-Indian variations. Here, black's normal plan of attack is not likely to be successful because white's K-side is more solidly defended than in other variations. 5...g6 6.♗g2 ♗g7 7.O-O O-O 8.e4 c6 9.♗e3 These days white almost always plays 9.h3. The text was an idea, devised by Botvinnik. The idea us that white strengthens the d4 square. It provokes 9...Ng4 and the advance ...f5 which noticeably weakens black's position. 9...♘g4 10.♗g5 f6 11.♗c1 f5 It is a generally known rule that a flank attack can only succeed with a secure center. In this case black does not have such a center and therefore the advance ...f5 gives white the chance to seize a dangerous initiative. A safer approach was 11...exd4 and ... Nc5. 12.♗g5 ♕e8 13.dxe5 Not the most accurate as now black equalizes.
18.♘xf5 This is white's point. By giving up a piece he destroys both black's center and K-side. 18...♖xf5 19.♘xe4 This is stronger than Bxe4
13.exf5 gxf5 14.♖e1 ♕g6 15.♗c1 exd4 16.♘xd4 ♘c5 17.♘de2 White is slightly better if only because of his more solid P-formation.
13...dxe5 14.exf5 gxf5 15.♖e1 This move initiates interesting complications involving a piece sacrifice. Nevertheless, as Kotov himself pointed out, and there were better ways of refuting Bronstein's risky play. Actually, Kotov's statement about refuting black's risky play seems a bit optomistics as after 15.Nh4 (Kotov suggested 15.h3 first) black seems to maintain equal chances.
15.♘h4 ♘c5 16.h3 ♘f6 17.♗e3 ♘fd7 18.♘e2 ♕e7 19.b4 ♘e6 with equal chances.
15...e4 16.♘h4 ♘ge5 17.f4 This is the preparatory move to a complicated tactical sequence involving the sacrifice of a piece. Note that white has intentionally cut off the line of retreat for his B on g5 meaning it will be lost. The resulting complications wiil require precise calculation by both sides. It's intersting the the move also gets a nod of approval from Stockfish.
17.g4 favors black after 17...♘xg4 18.♘xe4 ♘de5 19.♘d6 ♕h5 20.f4 ♗h6 21.♗xh6 ♕xh6 22.h3 ♕xh4 23.hxg4 ♘xg4
17...h6 An excellent move.
17...♘d3 looks inviting, but after 18.♘xf5 ♖xf5 19.♕xd3 exd3 20.♖xe8+ ♖f8
20...♔f7 loses after 21.♖ae1 ♗f8 22.♗h3 and the R is lost.
21.♖xf8+ ♔xf8 22.♖d1 white is considerably better. 19.♗xe4 ♖xg5 20.fxg5 hxg5 21.♗g2 ♘f8 22.♘e4 ♗g4 and black has a considerable advantage.
19...♕f8 20.♘d6 Even though white has accomplished the goal spelled out in the note to move 18 the chances remain about equal. 20...♖xg5 In his notes to this game Kotov mistakenly claimed that this move lead to a loss and that black had to play 20...hxg5 which he said would raise doubts about white's sacrifice. Actually, which move black plays seems to make little difference because Shootouts resulted in five draws with each move. 21.fxg5 hxg5 22.♖f1 ♕e7 This is the point where black goes wrong.
22...♘f6 His only good move. 23.♕d2 ♕d8 24.♖ae1 ♘e8 and black has adequate defensive resources. If he wants, white can, and probably should, force a draw with a couple of ingenious sacrifices. 25.♖xe5 ♗xe5 26.♗d5+ cxd5 27.♕xd5+ ♔h7 28.♕e4+
23.♘f5 ♕c5+ 24.♔h1 ♘f6 25.♘xg7 ♘eg4 26.♖xf6 ♔xg7 27.♖f1 ♗e6
27...♘f2+ comes up short after 28.♖xf2 ♕xf2 29.♕b3 followed by Rf1 and black has a lost ending.
28.♕e2 ♖h8 29.h3 ♘e3
29...♕e3 loses to 30.♕f3 ♕xf3 31.♖xf3 ♘f6 32.♖af1 ♖f8 33.b3 Again, white has a won ending.
30.b4 ♕e5 31.♖ae1 Black resigned because he will end up a piece down. (31.♖ae1 ♗xc4 32.♕xe3 ♕xe3 33.♖xe3 ♗xf1 34.♗xf1) Powered by Aquarium
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