Attacking the Fianchettoed King

     Friday afternoon was warm and sunny. However, during the hour and a half drive to see my favorite high school lose their championship football game in the closing minutes it clouded up. Add to that the fact that we sat through the game in a chilly, misty rain and it was not really a fun trip. We have not seen the sun since Friday afternnon although I am sure it’s shining...it’s just obscured by thick dark clouds that have drizzled rain off and on for the last three days. A good day to blag! 

     Today we’ll be taking a look at a typicle attack against a fianchettoed King’s position. In the game C.H.O’D. Alexander (1909-1974) launches an instructive attack against Ludek Pachman’s fianchettoed King. 

     The Irish born Alexander was famous for having been a cryptanalyst at Bletchley Park during World War II and after the war he was the head of the cryptanalysis division at the Government Communications Headquarters for 25 years. An IM of GM strength, Alexander won the British Championship twice: in 1938 and 1956. He played for England n the Chess Olympiad six times: 1933, 1935, 1937, 1939, 1954 and 1958. 

     He was also awarded the Correspondence IM title in 1970. He was a chess author and columnist for The Sunday Times in the 1960s and 1970s. 

     Alexander’s opportunities to play outside of England after the war were limited because he was not allowed to play in the Soviet bloc because of his secret work in cryptography. 

     Chessmetrics estimates his highest ever rating to have been in 1955 when his estimated rating was 2610 placing him at number 53 in the world. 

     Czech, later West German, GM Ludek Pachman (1924-2003) was a chess writer and author who became a political activist. 

     In 1972, after being imprisoned and tortured almost to death by the Communist in Czechoslovakia, he was allowed to emigrate to West Germany where he remained for the rest of his like. Chess metrics estimates his highest ever rating to have been 2695 in 1959 placing him number 15 in the world. 

 

 

     When the King is castled behind a fianchettoed formation it has both good and bad points. On the good side there is the ability to resist an attack along the b1-hg7 (or the b8-h2) diagonal, plus the squares f6 and h6 (or (f3 and h3) are guarded by the B. Additionally, the Bishop is not exposed to attack and it can also perform a function on the long diagonal. Also, if the h-file is open the Bishop guards against a possible mate on h8 (or h1). 

     On the other hand, the presence of the g-Pawn on g6 (or g3) makes it easier for the attacker to open the h-file by the advance of his h-Pawn. Also, as Alexander shows here, if the fianchettoed Bishop gets eliminated the entire castled position is seriously weakened. 

ChessBase

C.H.O'D. Alexander–Ludek Pachman1–0C97Hilversum ZonalHilversum NED1947Stockfish 16

C98: Ruy Lopez: Chigorin Defense 1.e4 e5 2.f3 c6 3.b5 a6 4.a4 f6 5.0-0 e7 6.e1 b5 7.b3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 a5 10.c2 c5 11.d4 c7 12.bd2 b7 13.d5 c8 14.f1 e8 All book so far. 15.h2 15.a4 d7 16.e3 c4 17.g4 g6 18.f1 f8 19.a3 b7 20.g5 g7 equals. Bulski,K (2389)-Gumula,D (2341) Barlinek 2006 15.g4 h8 16.g3 b7 17.h1 f8 18.g1 White has a strong attack in the mkaing. Averbakh,Y-Zagoriansky,E Moscow 1949 15...g6 16.e3 f8 17.g4 Aggressive play...typical of Alexander's style. g7 18.g1 h8 Safety first. Another plan was 18...c4 then maneuver the N via b7 to c5. 19.g5 f8 This overprotects the f-Pawn, but a more aggressive defense was 19...Bh6 19...h6 20.h4 c4 20...xg5 21.hxg5 g8 22.h1 and black is in danger on the h-file. 21.xc4 bxc4 22.e2 e7 White is better, but blacks defensive chances have improved. 20.h4 g8 Black's K's position is quite congested after this so he still should have tried 20...Nc4 21.e2 d7 It wasn't too late for ...Nc4 either here or on his next move. 22.d2 e7 The position is now ripe for white's final assault. 23.f5 A typical sacrifice in these types of positions. On f5 the N attacks g7 and h6 and, at the same time, threatens to eliminating the fianchettoed B. If black doesn't accept the sacrifice white gets a very strong attack. gxf5 A horrible, and surprising, decision by Pachman who even at the age of 22 was certainly strong enough to have known that this leads to a lost position. 23...f6 offers a much tougher defense. 24.xg7 xg7 forces the N to retreat and now after 25.h3 h6 26.b3 This in-between move prevents black for getting counterplay with the previously mentioned ...Nc4 g5 The idea is to clog up the K0side and if the h-file becomes opened black can oppose Rs on it. White is better here, but he is a long way from winning. 24.gxf5 ...and wins might be added here. f6 There was nothing better. 25.xh7 A necessary followup. 25.e6 xe6 26.fxe6 c4 White's advantage is only marginally better. 25...e8 The only defense as the Q must not be allowed to reach h5. 25...xh7 26.h5+ g8 27.xg7+ xg7 28.g1+ g6 29.xg6+ h8 30.h6# 26.xg7 The fianchettoed B is removed. He could probably win bt takiung the R, but it would be much less clear. xg7 26...g8 is no better. 27.xf6 xg7 28.xe8 xe8 29.h5+ h7 30.xe8+ g8 31.g5 Black's position is hopeless. 27.xf8 xf8 28.h6+ White's position is overwhelming and black can offer only tokes resistance. f7 29.h5+ g6 30.fxg6+ g8 31.f5 White wants to mate with Qe6+. e7 32.g1 c4 It's way too late for this to be effective! 33.c1 d7 34.f3 f8 35.b3 b6 36.h5 f5 37.g5 fxe4 38.e2 38.xe4 wins but offers black some spite checks, but it's easier for white if he just avoids them. xf2+ 39.g3 xg5+ 40.xf2 d2+ 41.f3 38...e8 39.xe4 f5 40.h6 f6 This move may have been played at the end of the time control. It loses a piece...not that it matters. 40...d7 41.xf8 xf8 42.g7 f6 43.xf5 xf5 44.g4 wins easily. 41.f3 Weighted Error Value: White=0.33/Black=0.76 41.f3 d7 41...xe4 42.xf6 e7 43.xe7 mate next move. 42.xf5 Whire has won a piece. 1–0

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