Kavalek Part 2
Following up on last week’s Tactics à la Kavalek today I continue with Part 2. This mostly consists of tactics from Kavalek’s games that finish between move 26 and move 31. Enjoy!
Let’s get started!
H Kavalek,L – Fabian,J
Prague 1963
Of course White must win this game, but show me some class while doing it! White to play and CRUSH!
H Kavalek,L – Mednis,E
Pasadena 1978
Once again, White to play and CRUSH!
Kokkoris,H – Kavalek,L
Athens 1968
Three minor pieces are generally better than a Queen. Here is no exception. Black to play and win!
Kavalek,L – Quinteros,M Hannover 1983 (1-0)
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bg5 h6 5.Bxf6 gxf6 6.e4 Bb4 7.Bd3
dxe4 8.Bxe4 c5 9.Qe2 Kf8 10.dxc5 Qa5 11.O-O f5 12.Bd3 Bxc3 13.bxc3
Qxc5 {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 14.Rfd1!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">In this kind of position a pawn extra is of little importance. The Black King has no safe haven, and besides, Black has no development or real counterplay. </strong>} Qxc3 15.Rab1{[#] <strong style="color:red;">White has aligned his Rooks on their best files</strong>} Qc7$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Not absolutely necessary, but it is difficult to suggest better</strong>} 16.Qe3$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">White’s next task is to weaken Black’s position even more. He intends to play Qd4, creating new threats.</strong>} Nd7 {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 17.Qd4{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} f6{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">No better is </strong> } 17...Rh7 18.Bb5! Nc5 19.Ne5 f6{<strong style="color:black;"> what else?</strong> } 20.Nc4 Rf7 21.Nd6{<strong style="color:black;"> with a stranglehold on the position.</strong> } )
18.Bb5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} e5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Or if instead</strong> } 18...Ne5 19.Nxe5 fxe5 20.Qh4!{<strong style="color:black;">with serious threats </strong> } )
19.Qh4{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Kg7{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 20.Bxd7! Bxd7 21.Nxe5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Very strong. Now Black’s position becomes even more critical.</strong>}
Qxe5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} ({<strong style="color:black;">Of course not </strong> } 21...fxe5 22.Qe7+! ) 22.Rxd7+{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Kg6{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Black defends originally. It is not easy to exploit the exposed position of the Black King.</strong>} 23.Qc4!{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Rhf8 {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 24.Rbxb7{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
Rac8$6 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Black does not see White’s idea.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;"> He had to exchange Queens</strong> } 24...Qe1+ 25.Qf1 Qxf1+ 26.Kxf1 f4 {<strong style="color:black;">when , while there is no doubt as to the final result of the game, Black can still play on for a long time. </strong> } )
25.Rg7+ {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Kh5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 26.Qf1!!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Brilliant. These retreating moves are the hardest to find. White threatens, among other things, Qd1</strong>}
( 26.g4+$6 Kh4 27.Qd3 Rfd8! )
Rfe8{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
( 26...a6 27.Qd1+ Kh4 28.g3+ )
27.Rb3!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Ouch! Not the end is very near. Here Black resigned. If instead</strong>}
( 27.Qd1+ Qe2 )
Rc3 28.Rxc3 Qxc3 29.Qd1+{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 1-0
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H Kavalek,L – Pritchett,C
Haifa 1976
Black’s last move was to play Qc4, attacking the White Rook. (He should have instead taken the Bishop followed by Rb3 with a bit of counterplay) White to play and CRUSH!
H Kavalek,L – Bohm,H
Wijk Aan Zee 1977
White is obviously better. Two pieces for Rook and an open Black King position. But show some class! White to play and CRUSH!
H Kavalek,L – Ravi Lanka
Dubai 1986
How should White proceed?
Kavalek,L – Martinovic,S Sarajevo 1968 (1-0)
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.e4 d6 4.d4 Bg7 5.f3 O-O 6.Be3 e5 7.d5 Nh5
8.Qd2 f5 9.O-O-O Nd7 10.Bd3 Ndf6 11.Nge2 fxe4 12.Nxe4 Nxe4 13.Bxe4
Nf6 14.Bc2 Qe7 15.Ng3 Nh5 16.Ne4 Bf5 17.g4 Bxe4 18.Bxe4 Nf4 19.h4
Bf6 20.g5 Bg7{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Opposite side castling and White has beautiful Bishops. Can he ask for more?</strong>} 21.h5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Excellent pawn sacrifice. Black has no counterplay, so White makes a small investment to press home his positional advantage</strong>} Qxg5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">It is difficult to find better.</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">After </strong> }21...Nxh5 {<strong style="color:black;"> White would proceed with the strong exchange sacrifice</strong> }22.Rxh5! gxh5 23.Rh1{<strong style="color:black;">and Black is helpless against the attack on the h-file </strong> } Qf7
24.Qc2 Kh8 25.Rh3 a6 26.Bxh7{<strong style="color:black;"> etc</strong> } )
22.Rdg1{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Qf6 {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 23.hxg6 hxg6 {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 24.Rxg6!!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Brutal! (and strong)</strong>}
Nxg6 25.Bg5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">the first point of White’s sacrifice the move before.</strong>} Qxf3 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Desperate, but there is no good defence</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">If Black tries to save the Queen </strong> }25...Qf7{<strong style="color:black;"> then White wins easily enough after</strong> } 26.Qh2 Rfe8 27.Qh7+ Kf8 28.Bxg6 Qxf3
29.Bd3 e4 30.Rf1 )
26.Bxf3 Rxf3 27.Qh2{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Not only is White up in material, but he still has a winning attack!</strong>} Raf8 28.Qh7+ Kf7{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 29.Rh6!{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
Nf4 30.Rf6+ {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Ke8 31.Qxg7{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Black resigns.</strong>} ( {<strong style="color:black;">Even stronger is </strong> }31.Re6+! {<strong style="color:black;"> Mates even faster!</strong> }) 1-0
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