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The A Minimal Advantage

Instructor The topic of fighting when one of the players has a minimal advantage, which came
up in the process of examining the Toshkov-Yusupov ending, is exceptionally
important for practical players, and at the same time quite inconvenient to study – Grandmaster Preparation:
Mark Dvoretsky and even more so to demonstrate to students. As a rule the examples that have been Endgame Play
collected are not very vivid, and hardly contain any flashy combinations or deep by Jacob Aagaard
plans. In many episodes it is difficult to make the best choice from the available
options, and even more difficult to prove its expedience, as the computer does not
indicate any tangible difference between the various continuations, and players who
Translate this page are armed with modern programs are not too inclined to trust verbal evaluations if
they are not backed up by numbers on a screen.
One of the few attempts to investigate this problem was made in Jonathan Rowson's
superb book Seven Deadly Chess Sins. The following quote taken from it reflects
the grandmaster's ideas, which he then illustrates with well-chosen examples.
The idea of playing only for "a slight advantage" (+/= or =/+ if Black)
for a prolonged period can be very awkward for the opponent, especially Grandmaster Preparation:
Attack & Defence
if he wants only to draw, and not to play. The player in "plus equals by Jacob Aagaard
mode" seeks only to maintain a healthy position and very gradually to
improve it. Such a strategy is only possible when the position is rather
simple, but this is often the case when your opponent is trying to force a
draw. Transformations of the tiny advantage are an integral part of this
strategy, but the emphasis is on keeping psychological pressure on the
opponent even if your position is only minutely better.
Your search is not so much for lines which cause significant problems for
your opponent's position, but ways to preserve "the +/= factor." The
neatest formulation of this idea, which I heard in another context entirely,
comes from one of GM Lev Psakhis's pearls of wisdom: "The best way to
get a big advantage is to play for a small advantage." The advantage is Nimzowitsch: Move by Move
largely psychological, persistent, and can lead to disorientation... by Steve Giddins

Six weeks or a month before I wrote this article, Artur Yusupov drew my attention to
a Magnus Carlsen game that had impressed him, in which his opponent lost an equal
endgame without making a single obvious mistake. According to the computer all of
White's moves were, if not the best, then among the best, and the evaluation
deviated from zero only slightly almost to the very end.
I will give this game with commentary based on Yusupov's succinct notes.
Vallejo-Pons – Carlsen
Sao Paolo/Bilbao 2012
Pirc Defense [B07]
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.de de 5.Qxd8+ Kxd8 6.Nf3 Bd6

converted by Web2PDFConvert.com
 [FEN "rnbk3r/ppp2ppp/3b1n2/4p3/4P3/
2N2N2/PPP2PPP/R1B1KB1R w KQ - 0 7"]

7.Bg5
I do not like this move, although it is played quite often. White wants to castle long,
but he does not manage to exploit his advantages from the pins on the central file and
the h4-d8 diagonal. 7.Bc4 looks more logical, on which Black usually replies
7...Be6!?.
7...Be6 8.0-0-0 Nbd7 9.Nb5
Pursuing the advantage of the bishop-pair. The aggressive 9.Bb5 is not dangerous
because of 9...Kc8.
9...Ke7

[FEN "r6r/pppnkppp/3bbn2/1N2p1B1/
4P3/5N2/PPP2PPP/2KR1B1R w - - 0 10"]

10.Nxd6
In my view it made sense, without rushing into the exchange, to make the useful
move 10.Nd2!? After 10...h6 11.Bh4 g5 12.Bg3, the bishop could hardly leave the
d6-square, as the variation 12...Bb4 13.Nxc7 Bxd2+ 14.Rxd2 Nxe4 15.Rxd7+
Bxd7 16.Nxa8 Rxa8 17.Bxe5 Nxf2 18.Rg1 looks favorable for White.
10...cd 11.Bb5 (11.Nd2!?) 11...Rhd8 12.Nd2 h6 13.Bh4 g5 14.Bg3 a6

[FEN "r2r4/1p1nkp2/p2pbn1p/1B2p1p1/
4P3/6B1/PPPN1PPP/2KR3R w - - 0 15"]

15.Bxd7?!
The impression is created that the Spanish grandmaster, realizing that he had not
obtained an advantage in the opening, wanted to turn into a drawing harbor as soon
as possible, and for the sake of that was going into a position with opposite-colored
bishops. I think it was still worth it for White to keep the bishop-pair by playing
15.Be2!?=, and then perhaps h2-h4.
15...Rxd7 16.f3

converted by Web2PDFConvert.com
Yusupov examined other, more active options; for example, 16.h4 Nh5 17.Nf1 g4
18.Ne3. Now Black manages to carry out an important pawn advance in the center.
16...Rc8 17.Kb1 (17.Nf1 Bxa2) 17...Nh5 18.Nf1 (18.Bf2 Nf4) 18...f5! 19.ef
Bxf5 20.Ne3 Bg6

[FEN "2r5/1p1rk3/p2p2bp/4p1pn/8/
4NPB1/PPP3PP/1K1R3R w - - 0 21"]

Black has activated his pieces and now plans to prepare an advance by the central
d-pawn. If 21.b3 Ke6 22.Kb2, then 22...d5 23.c4 is premature, but the simple
22...b5 is good.
21.Rd2 Ke6 22.b3
The move 22.Re1 did not allow an immediate 22...d5, but it was possible to prepare
this advance by means of 22...Nxg3 23.hg h5.
22...b5 23.Kb2 d5 24.Re1 Nxg3 25.hg h5!

[FEN "2r5/3r4/p3k1b1/1p1pp1pp/8/
1P2NPP1/PKPR2P1/4R3 w - - 0 26"]

Although the computer still gives an evaluation on the border between equality and
"equal/plus," it is getting harder and harder to give White good advice. For example,
26.Nd1 d4 led to a four-rook ending that was unpleasant for him: 27.Nf2 Rc3
28.Ne4 Bxe4 29.Rxe4 b4.
26.c3 (apparently the most natural) 26...d4 (Carlsen is not afraid of discovered
check) 27.cd Rxd4

[FEN "2r5/8/p3k1b1/1p2p1pp/3r4/
1P2NPP1/PK1R2P1/4R3 w - - 0 28"]

28.Rxd4
Now Black gets a passed pawn. Yusupov recommends defending by playing
28.Ree2 Rcd8 29.Kc1.
28...ed 29.Nc2+ Kd5 30.Nb4+ Kd6

converted by Web2PDFConvert.com
 [FEN "2r5/8/p2k2b1/1p4pp/1N1p4/
1P3PP1/PK4P1/4R3 w - - 0 31"]

31.Rc1
The minor piece endgame is probably lost, but what else could White do? I looked
at this alternative:
31.Rd1 a5! 32.Rxd4+ Ke5 (of course, not 32...Kc5? 33.Rd5+!, and taking the
knight leads to mate) 33.Rd8 (33.Rd5+ Ke6 34.Rxg5 Kf6) 33...Rxd8 34.Nc6+
Kd5 35.Nxd8 h4. Perhaps White does save himself here, but that is not obvious, in
any case.
31...Rxc1 32.Kxc1 h4!
The a6-pawn does not bother Black – he establishes a weakness on g2, intending to
attack it immediately with his bishop or king.
33.gh gh 34.Nxa6 Bd3! 35.Nb4 Bf1 36.Kd2 Bxg2 37.Ke2

[FEN "8/8/3k4/1p6/1N1p3p/1P3P2/
P3K1b1/8 b - - 0 37"]

37...Bh3!
The last nuance, probably examined by Carlsen beforehand. The bishop transfers to
f5, from where it supports both passed pawns.
38.a4 Bf5 39.ab d3+ 40.Ke3 h3 41.Nxd3 Bxd3 White resigned.
I admit that I looked at this game rather superficially and my notes can only serve as
a starting point. It is quite possible that with deep analysis the events will be
perceived somewhat differently. It would be particularly interesting to compare the
variations that are found with the psychological factors: the mood of bother players,
and their evaluations of their prospects at different stages of the battle. But we
receive this kind of information, as a rule, only when we become acquainted with the
notes to our own games.
You might not believe this, but I started writing this article without any connection to
the World Championship match that was starting at the same time in Chennai, and I
basically finished it literally the day before Carlsen overcame Anand with two straight
wins in the same style – putting protracted pressure on his opponent in almost equal
endings. These games (the fifth and sixth) will probably be analyzed in detail on
chess websites and in magazines, thereby becoming superb examples on the topic
we are discussing.
Several instructive examples can also be found in my books (true, they are usually
examined from another point of view: making the best of an advantage, endgame
technique, accumulating small advantages, etc.). But now I will introduce you to
another game from my collection that has not been included in my books or articles
before.
Suetin – Gulko

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Moscow Championship 1983
Classical Sicilian [B57]
1.e2-e4 Nc7-c5 2.Ng1-f3 Nb8-c6 3.d2-d4 c5xd4 4.Nf3xd4 Ng8-f6 5.Nb1-c3
d7-d6 6.Bf1-c4 Qd8-b6 7.Nd4-b3 e7-e6 8.0-0 a7-a6 9.a2-a4

[FEN "r1b1kb1r/1p3ppp/pqnppn2/8/P1B1P3/
1NN5/1PP2PPP/R1BQ1RK1 b kq - 0 9"]

9...Nc6-a5!?
White wanted to hold down his opponent's pawns on the queenside by playing а4-
а5. For example, 9...Be7 10.a5 Qc7 11.Be2 (or 11.Bd3) with slightly better
chances.
In the case of 9...Qc7 (intending 10...b6) 10.a5 the continuation 10...Nxa5?!
11.Nxa5 b6 does not work because of 12.e5! ba (12...de 13.Qf3+-) 13.ef Qxc4
14.fg Bxg7 15.Qxd6+/-. Also dubious is 10...b5?! 11.ab Qxb6 12.Be3+/-. After
10...Nb4 11.Bd3 (11.Be2) Black must complete his development: 11...Be7, as an
attempt to activate in the center, 11...d5?! does not lead to anything good: 12.Be3
Bd6 13.f4 e5 14.Bb6 Qe7 15.ed 0-0 16.Re1+/- (Skrobek – Radulov, Warsaw
1979).
10.Bc1-e3 Qb6-c7 11.Nb3xa5 Qc7xa5 12.f2-f3
The aggressive 12.f4!? is stronger.
12...Bf8-e7

[FEN "r1b1k2r/1p2bppp/p2ppn2/q7/P1B1P3/
2N1BP2/1PP3PP/R2Q1RK1 w kq - 0 13"]

13.Qd1-d4?!
This plan is a mistake: for the sake of seizing the b6-square (temporarily!) Alexey
Suetin goes for an exchange of queens. But it is well known that standard Sicilian
endgames are OK for Black as a rule, as White has to look for chances in the
middlegame.
13.Qd2 Bd7 14.Rad1 suggested itself, and White's position is preferable, as his
opponent cannot castle: 14...0-0? 15.Nd5.
13...Bc8-d7!
Black does not rush to castle – in the event of an exchange of queens the king's
place is in the center.
14.Qd4-b6
There was a curious blow: 14.b4!?

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 [FEN "r3k2r/1p1bbppp/p2ppn2/q7/PPBQP3/
2N1BP2/2P3PP/R4RK1 b kq - 0 14"]

1...?
Boris Gulko points out the variation 14...Qxb4? 15.Rfb1 Qa5 16.Rxb7 0-0=/+. He
overlooked the straightforward retort 15.Bxe6! Qxd4 16.Bxd7+ with an advantage
for White.
It would be necessary to take the queen away, 14...Qc7. The question is how to
handle the advance of the b-pawn: with a weakening or seizing of space on the
queenside.
14...Qa5xb6 15.Be3xb6 Ra8-c8!
The bishop is at a crossroads. If 16.Be2, then 16...Bc6, preparing 17...d5.
16.Bc4-b3 Be7-d8! 17.Bb6xd8
Black's position is also sound on 17.Bf2 Ba5 18.Rfd1 Ke7 19.Bg3 Bb4 20.Rd3
Bc6 (20...Nh5) 21.Rad1 Rhd8.
17...Ke8xd8 18.Rf1-d1 Kd8-e7 19.Rd1-d4 Rh8-d8 20.Ra1-d1 Bd7-c6

[FEN "2rr4/1p2kppp/p1bppn2/8/P2RP3/
1BN2P2/1PP3PP/3R2K1 w - - 0 21"]

1.?
A roughly equal position has arisen. From this point Black started to outplay his
opponent.
21.Kg1-f2?!
A natural move (the king heads for the center in an endgame), but an ill-timed one. It
was more important to secure himself some space on the kingside by means of
21.h4!, and only then would the time have come for 22.Kf2. Later he could think
about g2-g4-g5 and f3-f4.
21...g7-g5!
Gulko immediately exploits his partner's inaccuracy.
22.a4-a5?!
This move, which would have made sense in the middlegame, is inappropriate here
and only provides Black with a target to attack. It was better to wait (22.Ke3),
asking his opponent to demonstrate how he planned to improve his position.
It was also worth considering 22.h4!?

converted by Web2PDFConvert.com
 [FEN "2rr4/1p2kp1p/p1bppn2/6p1/P2RP2P/
1BN2P2/1PP2KP1/3R4 b - - 0 22"]

The aggressive 22...gh 23.Rh1 Rg8 24.Rxh4 h5 looks tempting. But White finds a
strong maneuver that reinforces his kingside: 25.Nd1! Rg5 26.Ne3+/=. So Black
would probably reply 22...g4 unclear.

[FEN "2rr4/1p2kp1p/p1bppn2/P5p1/3RP3/
1BN2P2/1PP2KPP/3R4 b - - 0 22"]

1...?
22...Bc6-e8!
Brilliantly played! Threatening 23...Rc5. After 23.Rb4 Rc7 Black would carry out
the knight transfer Nd7-e5-c6.
23.Nc3-a4 Be8xa4 24.Rd4xa4?!
24.Bxa4 is preferable, to meet 24...Rc5 with 25.b4 Rc3 26.R1d3= (26.Ke2!? is
also possible). Here at least the a5-pawn is reliably defended.
24...Rc8-c5 25.Rd1-d4?!
In combination with the next moves 26.Rdb4 and 28.Ra1 – absurd play! The same
piece set up, but with a saving of one tempo, could be achieved by means of 25.Rb4
Rd7 26.Ra1 (26.Rb6!? Rxa5 27.Rd4 and 28.Rdb4 also deserves attention). After
27...Rdc7 (the d7-square is freed for the knight) White has time to transfer the
poorly-positioned bishop: 27.c3=/+ with a subsequent Bd1-e2 (given by Yusupov).
25...Nf6-d7 26.Rd4-b4 Rd8-b8

[FEN "1r6/1p1nkp1p/p2pp3/P1r3p1/RR2P3/
1B3P2/1PP2KPP/8 w - - 0 27"]

1.?
27.Kf2-e3?
Another superficial king move. White should have used "prophylactic thinking," and
then he would have easily established that he had to deal with the maneuver Ne5-c6.

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Gulko recommends exchanging a pair of rooks: 27.Rc4!? Ne5 28.Rxc5 dc=/+.
Another option: 27.Bc4!? Black then either would have transferred his king to the
queenside: 27...Kd8=/+, or gone for a simplification of the position in the variation
27...Ne5!? 28.Bxa6 Nc6! (28...Rxc2+?! 29.Ke3+/=) 29.Rxb7+ Rxb7 30.Bxb7
Nxa5 31.Ba6 Rxc2+ 32.Kg3 Nb3=/+ (32...Nc6 is less accurate because of
33.Rc4! Rxc4 34.Bxc4=).
27...Nd7-e5
The threat of 28...Nc6 is extremely unpleasant.
28.Ra4-a1 Ne5-c6 29.Rb4-a4

[FEN "1r6/1p2kp1p/p1npp3/P1r3p1/R3P3/
1B2KP2/1PP3PP/R7 b - - 0 29"]

1...?
The white rooks have doubled on a closed file and now play a sad role. Black has to
choose a way to further improve his position.
The temporary pawn sacrifice 29...g4!? is tempting. Rejecting its capture with 30.f4
leads to White going a pawn down: 30...Rh5 31.Kf2 Rxh2 32.Kg3 Rh6, and
33.Kxg4? Rg8+ 34.Kf3 Rhg6 35.Rg1 h5-+ is bad. He has to play 30.fg Rg8 31.h3
h5 32.Rc4 hg, and now either 33.h4 unclear, not fearing 33...Rxa5?! 34.Rxa5 Nxa5
35.Rc7+ Kf6 36.Ba2, or 33.Rxc5 dc 34.h4 g3 unclear.
Gulko found a much more convincing plan.
29...Rb8-f8!
Black is preparing 30...f5, and on 31.ef – 31...Rfxf5, attacking the weak a5-pawn
with another piece.
30.Ke3-d2?!
The path of least resistance. The bishop is playing a modest role for now as defender
of the c2-pawn – it was necessary to transfer it to another diagonal. After 30.Bc4!
f5 (30...Nxa5 31.Bxa6 ba 32.Rxa5 Rxc2 33.Rxg5 is not dangerous) 31.Bd3,
White's position remained defendable.
And now let's go back to the position in the last diagram. The idea of transferring the
b3-bishop could be hindered by Yusupov's suggested subtle prophylactic move
29...h6! In the variation 30.Bc4 Nxa5 White is left a pawn down (as the g5-pawn is
defended). And if 30.Kd2, then the undermining move 30...g4!? gains strength.
30...f7-f5 31.c2-c3

[FEN "5r2/1p2k2p/p1npp3/P1r2pp1/R3P3/
1BP2P2/1P1K2PP/R7 b - - 0 31"]

1...?

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31...Rc5-b5!
An excellent zwischenzug. In the case of 31...fe 32.Rxe4 e5 (32...d5 33.Rea4-/+ is
better) 33.h4 (or 33.Ba4 with the idea of 34.b4) White got counterplay. And on
31...Re5 (threatening 32...fe) there is the reply 32.Bc2!
32.Kd2-c2 Rb5-e5!
Now the bishop does not get to c2.
33.Kc2-d3 f5xe4+ 34.Ra4xe4 Re5xe4 35.Kd3xe4 Rf8-f5
The triumph of Black's strategy – the a5-pawn inevitably perishes. The rest is a
matter of technique.
36.Bb3-c2 Rf5-e5+ 37.Ke4-d3 Re5xa5 38.Ra1-b1 h7-h6 39.Kd3-d2 Ra5-d5+
40.Kd2-e2

[FEN "8/1p2k3/p1npp2p/3r2p1/8/2P2P2/
1PB1K1PP/1R6 b - - 0 40"]

1...?
40...a6-a5!
The start of a pawn attack on the queenside.
41.Rb1-h1
By playing 42.h4 White wants to activate his rook.
41...Rd5-b5!
Before advancing the b-pawn it is important to provoke a weakness on the
queenside.
42.b2-b3
After 42.Rb1 Re5+ and 43...b5, the white rook no longer supports the move h2-h4.
42...Rb5-c5 43.Ke2-d2 b7-b5 44.h2-h4 b5-b4!

[FEN "8/4k3/2npp2p/p1r3p1/1p5P/
1PP2P2/2BK2P1/7R w - - 0 45"]

Now it is clear how useful it was to Black to force the move b2-b3. If 45.c4, then
45...Nd4 (45...d5! 46.hg hg 47.cd Nd4 48.Bd1 Rxd5-+ is also very strong) 46.hg
hg 47.Rh7+ Kf6 with a subsequent 48...d5.
45.c3xb4 a5xb4 46.h4xg5 h6xg5 47.Rh1-h7+ Ke7-f6 48.Rh7-b7
48.Rh6+ Ke5 49.Rg6 Kf4 50.Rxe6? Rxc2+!.
48...Nc6-d4 49.Bc2-d1 Rc5-b5 50.Rb7-h7 Rb5-d5

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 [FEN "8/7R/3ppk2/3r2p1/1p1n4/
1P3P2/3K2P1/3B4 w - - 0 51"]

51.Rh7-b7?
Loses immediately, but White's position is hopeless anyway. Gulko gives the
following variations:
51.Kc1 Nf5 52.Rb7 Ne3 53.Be2 Rd4-+ (53...Nxg2 54.Rxb4 Nf4 is also
possible).
51.Ke1 Nb5 52.Be2 Nc3 53.Bc4 Rd1+ 54.Kf2 d5-+.
In the second line more stubborn is 52.Rh6+ Ke7 (52...Ke5!? 53.Rg6 Kf4 54.Rxe6
Kg3) 53.Rh7+ Kd8 54.Bc2 Nc3 55.Rb7 Rb5 56.Rg7 Re5+ 57.Kf1, but here too
after, say, 57...Ra5!?, Black should win.
51...Nd4xb3+ White resigned (52.Ke1 Nc5 53.Rxb4 Nd3+).

F R E E B O O K E
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