Lesson 15: Counterattack - direct confrontation

. If the opponent looks menacing, a player can do more than strengthen his own position. A counterattack can be started in order to create the own chances. If attack and counterattack take place on the same flank, a direct confrontation begins. This way is symbolised by the punk head of Viktor Korchnoi. He applied the approach in a match against Ponomariov.

[ The own position can be strengthened by 22. Nd4 Rc4 23. f3 Then Korchnoi has achieved little. He has to win in order to equalise the match. Therefore he chooses the confrontation. ]

g4 23. Nh2 !? The counterattack on the same flank continues. h5 24. f3 !? g3 ! 25. Nf1 Neg6 26. Rd4 !White increases the counterattack. The exchange of the black g- for the white h-pawn is unfavourable. Rc4 ? Black is confused and blunders a pawn.

[Ribli prefers Rc1 !? 27. Rxc1 Ne2+ 28. Kh1 Nxd4 ]

[I like the finish f5 ! 27. exf6 e5 28. Rd2 Nxh4 29. Ba2 Nh3+ 30. Kh1 Nf2+ 31. Kg1 Nh3+ and perpetual check. ]

27. Rxc4 dxc4 28. Bxg6 ! fxg6

[ Nxg6 !? 29. Nxg3 Rc8 ! 30. Nxh5 Rc5 is interesting. ]

29. Nxg3 Nd3 30. Re2 Rd8 31. Ne4 ! White returns the extra pawn in order to activate his knight. Nxe5 32. Ng5 Rd5 33. a4 Kg7 34. Nxe6+ Kf6 35. Ng5 Kf5 36. Ne4 Rd3 37. Nc3 Rd4 38. Ne4 Rd3 39. Kh2 White does not repeat the moves again. Rb3 ?!

[ The restriction of the white pieces is continued by Rd4 ! 40. Rc2 Ke6 41. Kh3 Nd3 ]

40. Nd6+ The counterattack has changed in an attack without restriction. Kf6 41. Ne8+ Kf5 42. Nd6+ Kf6 43. Kg3 Rb4 44. Re4 ! Ke6 !

[Avoids Rxb2 ? 45. Rxe5 ! ]

[and Rxa4 45. b3 ]

45. Nc8 Kf6 ! 46. Nxa7 Rxa4

[ Korchnoi analyses the counterattack Rxb2 ? 47. Nc6 ! Nd3 48. Rxc4 Ne1 49. Re4 Rxg2+ 50. Kh3 Rg1 51. a5 ]

47. Nc6 Nd3 48. Ne7 Nxb2 49. Nd5+ Kf7 ? Hereafter Black is lost.

[ Kf5 50. Nxb6 Rb4 keeps Black in the game (Korchnoi ). ]

50. Re7+ Kf8 51. Rb7 Nd1 52. Rxb6 c3 53. Rc6 Ra5 54. b6 Rb5 55. Rc7 Rxd5 56. b7 Rb5 57. Rc8+ Kf7 58. b8=Q Rxb8 59. Rxb8 c2 60. Rc8 Ne3 61. Kf2 Nf5 62. g3 Nd4 63. g4 Ke6 64. Ke3 Kd5 65. Rc3 g5 66. hxg5 hxg4 67. fxg4 1-0