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Welcome to the second issue of Black Belt. After dashing through the snow and decking the halls, we still had time to gift wrap some great chess for you.

In a few weeks we will be coming to you from the US Championship in Seattle. The Head Ninja will be recruiting contributors and getting material.

Which players and writers would you like to see contribute to Black Belt? If you have a favorite, let us know at the Black Belt message board. Upcoming contributors include US Champion Larry Christiansen, former US champ Joel Benjamin, and IM Sofia Polgar! Who else? You decide.

Karpov,A (2688) - Kasparov,G (2836) [D92]
X3D Rapid Match New York City (3), 20.12.2002

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bf4 dxc4 6.Rc1 This system suits Karpov well, giving him an opportunity to win safely. The idea of the Rc1 Grunfeld lines is to delay e2-e3, taking the sting out of black's ...c7-c5 and ...Qa5 ideas, mainly because the bishop on f4 can still retreat to d2, nullifying all of black's pressure on the a1-h8 diagonal

6...0-0 7.e3 Nbd7

[ 7...c5 8.Bxc4 cxd4 9.Nxd4 (RR 9.exd4 a6 10.a4 Nc6 11.d5 Nh5 12.Be3 Ne5 13.Be2 Ng4 14.Bd4 e5 15.Bc5 Nf4 16.0-0 e4 17.Nxe4 Re8 18.Ng3 h5 19.Rc4 Bh6 20.h3 h4 21.Nxh4 Ne5 22.Rxf4 Bxf4 23.Nf3 Qf6 Karttunen,M-Luukkonen,T/Jyvaskyla 2001/EXT 2002/0-1 (34)) 9...Bd7 10.Nb3 Nc6 11.Nc5 Bc8 12.0-0 Nd7 13.N5e4 Nde5 14.Be2 1/2-1/2 Dreev,A-Smirin,I/Sarajevo 2001/CBM 84 (14)

7...Be6 8.Ng5 Bg4!?N ( 8...Bd5 9.e4 h6 10.exd5 hxg5 11.Bxg5 Nxd5 12.Bxc4 is normal here.) 9.f3 Bc8 10.Bxc4 c6 11.Qb3 e6 12.Nge4 Nd5! 13.Bxd5 cxd5! gave Kasparov a comfortable position which he went on to win in game one. He didn't repeat this line, perhaps fearing Karpov's home analysis.]

8.Bxc4 c5N an obvious improvement on the passive 8...c6?! 9.0-0 Nb6 10.Bd3 Nfd5 11.Be5 f6 12.Bg3 Bg4 13.Be2 ( 13.h3! gives white a very pleasant, risk-free advantage.) 13...Bh6 14.Ne4 Nxe3!? 15.fxe3 Bxe3+ 16.Nf2 Bxf3 17.Qb3+ Nd5 18.Bxf3 Bxc1 19.Rxc1 Qb6 20.Bxd5+ cxd5 21.Qxd5+ e6 22.Qe4 Rad8 23.Bc7 Rc8 24.Bxb6 Rxc1+ 25.Nd1 Rxd1+ 26.Kf2 axb6 27.Qxe6+ Rf7 28.Qxb6 Rd2+ 29.Kf3 Re7 30.Qd8+ Kf7 31.d5 g5 32.d6 1/2-1/2 Green,P-Dunn,M/IECC (email) 1998

9.dxc5! What's this? One would expect a sharp struggle arising from 9.O-O cd4 10.ed4 +=. But from a psychological standpoint I think this is a brilliant decision. First, Karpov doesn't want a sharp struggle. Karpov concedes that he can't match Kasparov's computer-like analytical skills so he steers for a lifeless technical position where Kasparov's imagination and calculation abilities don't do him a lot of good.

Second, I think Karpov is happy with a draw, hoping to hold with black in the final game and tie the match. Lastly, this is one type of position where Karpov still holds an advantage over Kasparov. What follows probably exceeded his hopes in this match.

9...Nxc5 10.0-0 Be6 Ok, this means that Kasparov has clearly decided that a draw is ok. 11.Bxe6 Nxe6 12.Be5 Qxd1 A strange decision. Why develop white? 12...Qb6 looks totally equal. 13.Rfxd1 Rfd8 14.Kf1

14...Nd7? This innocent looking move lands Kasparov in deep trouble. But I still think that white would have a microbe of an advantage after either 14...Kf8 or 14...Rxd1+. If Kasparov has any stylistic weaknesses at all it would be a position like this, where he is a shade worse in a lifeless position. Like Alekhine, Kasparov is psychologically unable to make a passive move like 14...Kf8 or 14...Rxd1+. Instead he gets active, probably dreaming of ...Nc5 and ...Nd3 at some future point.

15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.Nd5! Nb6 A forced move. [ 16...Kf8?? 17.Nc7! wins.] 17.Nxb6 axb6 18.a3 Rxd1+ 19.Rxd1 Rc8 20.Ke2 White has a technically won game. The b6 pawn is a permanent target. White's plan should be to trade rooks. In a knight endgame the white king would constantly threaten to stroll over to b5. I think it was Bronstein who once said that all knight endgames are really king and pawn endgames. 20...Kf6
 

21.Ne1! A subtle, multi-purpose retreat, which displays Karpov's profound understanding of such technical positions. It keeps the black rook out of c2. It prepares for ideas like Rd7, or Rd3 followed by Rb3. Kasparov now also has to worry about a future Nd3, Nb4 maneuver. Last, white's knight retreat is the beginning of pawn expansion in the center starting with f3.

21...Rc4 Hoping to eventually dissolve the weak pawn with an eventual ...b5 and ...b4. 22.Rd7 Nc5 23.Rc7 b5 24.f3! More accurate than 24.b4 Ne4! 24...e5 25.b4 Winning a pawn. 25...Na4 26.Rxb7 Rc6 27.e4 Ke6 28.h4 h5 29.Nd3! He is willing to risk his kingside pawns in order to win the b5 pawn.

29...Rc2+ 30.Ke3 f5 [ 30...Rxg2 31.Rxb5 f6 32.Ra5 Nc3 Threatening 33.Nd1 mate! 33.Nc5+ Ke7 34.Ra7+ Ke8 ( 34...Kd6? 35.Rf7) 35.Nd7! also wins for white.]

31.g3 31...f4+ was the threat. 31...fxe4 32.fxe4 Rg2 33.Rxb5 Rxg3+ 34.Kd2 Rg2+ 35.Ke1 Nc3 36.Rb6+! Decimating the black kingside pawns. 36...Ke7 37.Nxe5 Re2+ 38.Kf1 Rxe4 39.Nxg6+ Kf7 40.Kf2 Nd5 41.Rc6
 

41...Nxb4 A final desperate bid to eliminate all the pawns from the board. But it fails because Karpov has a firm grip on his h-pawn. 42.axb4 Rxb4 43.Ne5+ Kg7 44.Rc4 Rb5 45.Nd3 Kf6 46.Rc5 Black drops the h-pawn now after 46...Rb3 47.Nf4. So Kasparov resigned. Right to the end Karpov's pieces moved in perfect harmony. 1-0

View game online and download in PGN

Did you do your homework? Your task was to analyze this position from last week's Black Belt. It occurred in a game between two greats, Igor Bondarevsky and Andor Lilienthal. (Lilienthal is currently better known as the answer to the trivia question, "Who is the oldest living Grandmaster?")

This creative battle took place in the 1941 "Absolute" USSR Championship won by Botvinnik, who also annoted all the games deeply in his brilliant book on the event.

It is Black to move. The pin on his knight is very uncomfortable and is only going to get worse if the f-file is opened. Lilienthal's solution is dramatic, and in many ways typical of the ultra-dynamic Soviet school being born at the time. Instead of waiting for White to increase his advantage with moves like Qf3 (recommended by Botvinnik), Lilienthal takes his chances in a tactical melee.

Playing calmly with 1...Rb8 or 1...Bd7 is too slow, and White can simply increase his positional advantage with moves like a4 and Rb1. Black can only dream of working up enough queenside counterplay to balance the game. A decision like this takes courage and honesty in your evaluations. Black was convinced that he would surely lose if he did not radically alter the course of the game.

Bondarevsky,I - Lilienthal,A [C49]
Absolute Championship Leningrad/Moscow (3), 1941

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 Bxc3 7.bxc3 Qe7 8.Re1 d6 9.Bg5 Nd8 10.d4 Ne6 11.Bc1 c5 12.Bf1 Rd8 13.g3 Qc7 14.d5 Nf8 15.Nh4 Ng6 16.Bg5 Nxh4 17.Bxh4 Qe7 18.f4 (DIAGRAM)

18...h6! Apart from its objective considerations, a sudden shift into tactical complications may surprise White, who had been looking forward to a pleasant positional squeeze. 19.Bg2 exf4 20.gxf4 g5 No way back after this! Black opens up his own king and White's development is superior. 21.fxg5 Ng4 22.e5 Bondarevsky gives as good as he gets and activates his pieces at the cost of a pawn. Still, the cool Bh3 deserved consideration.

22...Nxe5 23.Qh5 hxg5 24.Bxg5 f6 25.Bh4? The one slip that Black needed to escape, justifying Lilienthal's judgment. It is doubtful a player of Bondarevsky's caliber would have erred in the quiet position that existed before move 20. Now, believe it or not, Black attacks on the kingside! [ 25.Bh6 keeps the black king pinned down.]

25...Qg7 With the nasty threat of ..Bg4. 26.Bg3 Bg4 27.Qh4 Kf7 28.Bxe5 dxe5 29.Re3 White is now on the defensive. Queenside expansion, who cares?! 29...Rh8 30.Qf2 Rag8 31.Rf1 Qh6 32.h4 Qxh4 33.Qxh4 Rxh4 34.Kf2 [ 34.Rxe5 Bh3 35.Re2 Rhg4 36.Rff2 c4 Making the endgame hopeless for white. 37.Kh2 Bxg2 38.Rxg2 Rxg2+ 39.Rxg2 Rxg2+ 40.Kxg2 Kg6! 41.Kf3 Kf5] 34...Rh2 35.Rg3 Bh3 36.Rxg8 Kxg8 37.Kg3 Rxg2+ 38.Kxh3 Rg6 Lilienthal's technique is more than sufficient to win this position. 39.Rb1 b6 40.c4 Kf7 41.Rb3 f5 42.Rg3 Rh6+ 43.Kg2 Rh4 44.Rh3 Rxc4 45.c3 Ra4 0-1
 

Here is your homework for next week. Analyze the position in the diagram. Consider the strengths and weaknesses for both white and black, and potential continuations for both sides. We strongly encourage you to make notes of your thoughts and variations.

In the next issue we will present Master analysis of the position and you can compare this with your own notes and the game continuation.

If you believe that two heads (or 200!) are better than one, then we encourage you to post your ideas and analysis to the Black Belt message board at ChessNinja.com.

View game and position
online and download in PGN

Ninja Tactics

(1) Tactic 1 - Loyd - Rosenthal
Paris Paris, 10.06.1867
1.Qxf3 Not just taking a bishop, but deflecting the black queen from the critical d7 square. 1...Qxf3 2.Nd7+ Ka8 3.Nc6+ Na6 4.Nb6# 1-0

(2) Tactic 2 - After Foldes-Asztalos
Temesvar Temesvar, 1912
1.Qxg6 fxg6 2.d6+ Nfd5 [ 2...Kh7 3.dxe7 Qe8 4.exf8Q Qxf8] 3.dxe7 Rxf4 [ 3...Qd7 Holding on to the queen does not offer black better chances. 4.exf8Q+ Rxf8 5.Ne5 Qd6 ( 5...Qd8 6.Nxg6 Rf7 7.Nxd5 Nxd5 8.Bxd5 Qxd5 9.Ne7+ Rxe7 10.Rxe7) 6.Nxd5 Nxd5 7.Bxd5+ Qxd5 8.Nxg6] 4.exd8Q+ Rxd8 1-0

(3) Tactic 3 - After Haack-Schoenfisch
Pinneberg-ch Pinneberg, 12.10.2000
1.Qxe4 Bxe4 2.Rf7+ Kg8 3.Rg7+ Kh8 4.Rxe7+ Kg8 5.Rg7+ Kh8 6.Rxg6+ Kh7 7.Rg7+ Kh8 8.Rg3+ Kh7 9.Rf7# 1-0
 

(4) Tactic 4 - After Frei-Kais
Goetzis op Goetzis, 1996
1.Rxf6 Qxf6 [ 1...Bxf6 2.Rxe8+ Rxe8 3.Nh6+ Kf8 4.Nxf7 Kxf7 5.Qh5+ Kf8 6.Qh6+ Ke7 7.Qh7+ Kd8 8.Qa7] 2.Nxf6+ Bxf6 3.Qh5 Rxe1 4.Qg6+ Bg7 5.f6 Rb7 6.Kxe1 1-0

(5) Tactic 5 - After Desloges-Kieseritzky
Paris Paris, 1841
1...Ng8 2.f5 [ 2.Rxg6 hxg6#] 2...Rh6+ 3.Kg4 Rxh1 0-1

(6) Tactic 6 - After Sakaev-Korchnoi
Korchnoi 70 St Petersburg, 2001
49.Qc2+ f5 [ 49...Kh5?? 50.Qe2+ Kg6 51.Qg4+ Kh7 52.Qxg7#] 50.Qc7 Kh5 51.Qxg7 Threatening mate beginning with f3-g4. 51...Qf3 [ 51...Qc4 52.f3 Qc1+ 53.Kg2 Qd2+ 54.Kh3] 52.Ba3! Spectacular geometry. White wants to take the h6 pawn with bishop. The black queen cannot leave its post.

[ 52.Qxh6+ Kg4 53.Qe3 Qxe3 54.fxe3 Kxg3 55.h5 Nd8 56.h6 Nf7 57.h7 Kf3 58.Bc5 Ke4 59.Bb6 Kxe5 60.Bxa5 Kd5 61.Bc3 Kc4 62.a5 Kc5 63.h8Q Nxh8 64.Bxh8 Kb5 65.Bc3; 52.Qe7] 52...Nd8 53.Bc1 Qd1+ [ 53...Nf7!? 54.Bxh6 ( 54.Qxf7+?? Kg4 55.Kf1 Qd1+ 56.Kg2 Qf3+ 57.Kf1=) 54...Qg4 ( 54...Nxh6 55.Qg5#) 55.Qxf7+ Kxh6 56.Qxe6+] 54.Kg2 Qxc1 55.Qg8 A quiet killer. Qe8+ and Qg6 mate cannot be stopped. 55...Qc6+ 56.f3 Creating the additional mate threat of g4. 56...Qc7 57.Kh3 1-0