Alonso Zapata: Artistic solution (2018)

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-trkvL0
Follow the Checks (II)
9+-+-+p+R0
»Combination is a soul of chess« (Alexander
9-+-+-+P+0
Alekhine) 9+-+-+-+-0
9-+-+-+-+0
Continuing with my article of 2017 (Follow 9+-+-+-+-0
the Checks), I have observed tactical
improvement of my students once they can
9-+-+-+-+0
recognize and apply this natural principle of 9+-+-+K+-0
attack. In most of the king-oriented xiiiiiiiiy
combinations, checks are powerful threats, White to play.
and not only for the checks themselves, but 1.Rg7!!
also for the implied/possible threats. The key. You have to get rid of the useless
Naturally, once we are in the middle of bishop!
analyzing a combination, we must first 1...Kh8 2.Rh7! Kg8
follow our instinct to see where it leads us. If we saw this puzzle at this moment
However, It cannot be overstated that the (without the useless bishop!), it would be
study of combinations is of great benefit to easy to find the decisive move!
the student. Apart from its inherent aesthetic 3.g7!
pleasure, it teaches us to recognize patterns Now, a subtle move against the defender!
of attack and opens doors to an immense 3.g7 Re8 4.Rh8+–. 1:0.
inflow of creative ideas, especially when
practiced daily or applied in practice. It is Vajda : Li, Sydney 2014
worth emphasizing following the sequence
of forced checks during a combination. Rhis
XIIIIIIIIY
is an ideal in the calculation of variants, 9r+lwq-tr-mk0
since all in-between moves can be ignored. 9+pzp-+-zpp0
An interesting psychological exercise. Here, 9p+-+-+L+0
when calculating variations, many chess
players would not follow seemingly illogical
9zP-+-zp-sN-0
sequences of moves, even if all are forced. 9-zP-+-+-sN0
And that judgement obscures visualizing the 9+QzPn+-+-0
solution. Although it looks absurd, here we 9-+-+-+PzP0
find the answer by just following the checks!
9tR-+-+nmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy
White to play.

The first glance, following the checks

works!
20.Qg8!
20.Qg8 Kg8 (20...Rg8 21.Nf7#) 21.Bh7 Kh8
22.Ng6# 1:0.

FIDE Surveys – Alonso Zapata 1

Witkowski : Blaschack, Poland 1953 Torre : Timman, Hamburg 1982
XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+r+0 9-+-+r+k+0
9zp-+-+rmkp0 9+pwQ-+-zpp0
9-+-tRQ+n+0 9-+p+-zp-+0
9+pzp-zp-vL-0 9zP-+-sn-+-0
9-+p+P+-+0 9-+-+-+l+0
9+-zP-+-tR-0 9+-+-+-zP-0
9P+-+-wqPmK0 9-zP-+PzP-zP0
9+-+-+-+-0 9+R+NwqLmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy
White to play. Black to play.
A quick assessment suggests that there may The white king is vulnerable due to
be a direct attack on the black king. Reasons: weakness around the first rank, especially
1 – weakness of the king in black squares, the light sqares. After evaluating (and
2 – weakness in the file g and in the 6. rank, discarding) queen checks, and the knight's
3 – possible ambush Rg3, Bg5/Kg7. check appears!
1.Qe5!! 1...Nf3!
The finding of this move is due to the With the check, we soon realize an elegant
concept of playing against the defender. In unstoppable attack coordination!
this case, the idea is to deflect the knight 2.Kg2
(key of the defense) from the g6 square. If 2.ef3 Qf1! 3.Kf1 Bh3 4.Kg1 Re1#.
1...Ne5 Typical checkmate with rook and bishop.
Not 1...Kf8? 2.Rd8#. An ingenious ambush Our first thought should be check with the
has been created! more powerful piece.
2.Bf6! 2...Qf1! 2...Qf1 3.Kf1 Bh3# 0:1.
The double check is an extremely fearsome
weapon! Richardson : Qelmar, New York 1885
2...Kh6 XIIIIIIIIY
If 2...Kf8 3.Rd8#. 9rsnl+-+ktr0
3.Bg7!!
Another double check! 9zpp+-+pzpp0
3...Kh5 4.Rh6# 1:0. 9-vl-+-+-+0
9+-+q+-+-0
9-+-zpN+-+0
9wQ-+-+N+-0
9PzPP+-mKPzP0
9tR-vL-tR-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy
White to play.

The attacking theme of the previous game

made me recall the well-known sacrifice and
FIDE Surveys – Alonso Zapata 2
typical model plan of the next game. We 1...Qh4!! 2.gh4
must give way to the checks! Deflection. 2.Kh4 (Attraction.) 2...Rh2#.
1.Nf6!! gf6 2.Qf8! 2...Re3 3.Bf3 Be6!
Attraction! Deflecting the last defender!
2...Kf8 3.Bh6 Kg8 4.Re8# 1:0. 4.Qe6 Rf3# 0:1.

Askelof : Svensson, corr. 1981 Basman : Balshan, Israel 1981

XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+r+k+0 9-+-+-trk+0
9zpp+-+-+p0 9zppzpq+p+p0
9-+-wQ-+p+0 9-+-sn-tR-zP0
9+-wq-+p+-0 9+-zP-+-zP-0
9-+-+-vLnzP0 9-+-wQr+-+0
9+P+-tr-+-0 9zP-+P+-+-0
9P+PtR-+P+0 9-+-+-+-+0
9tR-+-+K+-0 9+-+-+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy
Black to play. White to play.

Start with the rook check: The theme similar to the previous game.
1...Re1! 2.Re1 White only has a check.
Now queen check appears. 1.Rg6!! fg6
2...Qg1!! 3.Kg1 Doesn't work 1...hg6 2.Qg7#. There are three
Deflecting the main defender, the king! checks. Only one is correct!
3...Re1# 0:1. 2.Qh8!
Playing against the defender (deflecting).
Osloukhov : Nedobora, USSR 1990 2...Kh8 3.Rf8# 1:0.
XIIIIIIIIY
Vakkaroni : Mazzoni, Roma 1891
9-mklwq-+r+0 XIIIIIIIIY
9+-zp-+-+-0 9r+-+-+-+0
9-zpQ+P+-+0 9+-+-+-zp-0
9+-zpL+-+p0 9-+-+l+Rzp0
9-+P+-+-+0 9+-+-wq-+k0
9zP-+-+-zPK0 9-+-+-+-vl0
9-+-+r+-zP0 9+L+-+-+-0
9+R+R+-+-0 9-+PvL-+Q+0
xiiiiiiiiy 9+-mK-+-+-0
Black to play.
xiiiiiiiiy
The danger of the king on the edge of the White to play.
board:

FIDE Surveys – Alonso Zapata 3

Notice that the black king is trapped on the Wanke : Wegener, corr. 1972
edge of the board. We start with the queen XIIIIIIIIY
checks! 9-+-+-+k+0
1.Qg4!!
Deflecting (removing the defender). 9+-+l+p+p0
1...Bg4 9-+-+-+p+0
Obstruction. Follow the rook checks. 9+-vLPtR-+-0
2.Rh6! 9-+-+-+-+0
Opening the bishop diagonal!
2...gh6 3.Bf7#. 9+-+-wQ-+P0
The white bishop delivers checkmate, with 9-wq-+-trPmK0
the help of the black pieces that entomb their 9+-+-+-+-0
own king! 1:0. xiiiiiiiiy
White to play.
Vukovic : Deutsch, Zagreb 1920
XIIIIIIIIY Notice the dark squares around the black
9r+l+k+-tr0 king are very weak. Can this be exploited?
9zppzp-+-zpp0 To start, there is only one check to evaluate.
1.Re8! Be8
9-wqp+-+-+0 1...Kg7?? 2.Bd4.
9+-vl-zPp+-0 2.Qe8 Kg7
9-+-wQn+-+0 Here are several checks, and the best is:
9+-+-+N+-0 3.Qf8 Kf6
Critical combination situation.
9PzPPvLNzPPzP0 4.Bd4!
9+-+RmK-+R0 This check deflects the black queen to an
xiiiiiiiiy undefended square!
White to play. 4...Qd4 5.Qh8 1:0.

1.Qd8!! Serzhanov : Nikitin, UNNR 1978

This sacrifice, although more elaborate in XIIIIIIIIY
this battle, reminded me of the model theme 9-+-tr-+-mk0
of the famous game: Reti : Tartakower, 9zp-wQ-+-vlp0
Vienna 1910.
1...Kd8 9-+p+-+p+0
1...Kf7 2.e6! Be6 (2...Ke6 3.Nf4 Kf7 9+-+-+-+-0
4.Ne5#) 3.Ne5#. 9-+P+LtRn+0
2.Bg5 Ke8 3.Rd8 Kf7 4.e6! 9+P+-+-zPl0
Only this intermediate check makes it
possible for the combination to flow. 9P+N+q+-zP0
4...Ke6 9+-+-+-vLK0
4...Be6 5.Ne5#; 4...Kg6 5.Nf4#. xiiiiiiiiy
5.Nf4 Kf7 6.Ne5# 1:0. Black to play.
At first sight the white king is safe ... until
we remove the defenders with a string of
harassing checks.
FIDE Surveys – Alonso Zapata 4
1...Nf2! 2.Bf2 Larsen : Kristiansen, Denmark 1991
2.Rf2?? Qe4–+. XIIIIIIIIY
2...Rd1 3.Bg1 9-+-tR-+-+0
If 3.Ne1 Qe1 and checkmate. Following the
rook check! 9zpqtr-+-mkp0
3...Rg1! 9r+-+pzpp+0
Removing the defender. 9+-+-sN-+P0
4.Kg1 9-zP-+pzP-+0
A new deflection check appears!
4...Bd4! 5.Nd4 9+-zP-+-zP-0
5.Kh1 Qd1. And after the knight is 9-+-+-zP-+0
deflected: 9+-+Q+-mK-0
5...Qe1 0:1. xiiiiiiiiy
White to play.
Martinovic : Marjanovic, Yugoslavia
The following production is a beautiful
1980
example of how effective the combination of
XIIIIIIIIY queen and knight can be. Only after
9-+-trr+nmk0 following the checks, we can find the
9zpR+-wq-+-0 solution!
9-+-vl-+-zp0 1.Rg8!! Kg8
Attraction. 1...Kh6 2.Ng4 Kh5 3.Nf6 Kh6
9+-+-snp+-0 4.Ng4 Kh5 5.Ne5 Kh6 6.g4+–.
9-+Pzp-+pzP0 2.Qd8 Kg7 3.h6
9zP-+P+-zP-0 More attraction.
9-+-+-zPLmK0 3...Kh6 4.Ng4 Kh5
4...Kg7 5.Qf6 Kg8 6.Nh6#.
9+RvLQ+-sN-0 5.Nf6
xiiiiiiiiy Check and eliminate defender.
Black to play. 5...Kh6 6.Ng4 Kh5
Analyzing the possible checks, we see the 6...Kg7 7.Qf6 Kg8 8.Nh6#.
queen sacrifice and the king discovered 7.Qh4# 1:0.
check.
1...Qh4!! 2.gh4 Gilg : Noll, Great Britain 1964
2.Nh3 Nf3 3.Kh1 Qh5–+; 2.Bh3 gh3 3.gh4 XIIIIIIIIY
Ng4 4.Kh3 Nf2 5.Kg2 Nd1+–. 9r+-+-+k+0
2...Nd3
Preparing the typical checkmate combination 9+-+-+pvlp0
Knight – Bishop. 9-+rzp-+p+0
3.f4 9+-+-+-+-0
3.Kh1 Nf2#. 9-+-sN-zPP+0
3...gf3!
In practice, it seems many students miss en 9zPp+-+-+-0
passant moves when calculating variations. 9-zP-wQ-+qzP0
This issue occurs frequently; especially, 9mK-+R+-+R0
when performed mentally (to the end xiiiiiiiiy
without moving the pieces) 0:1.
Black to play.
FIDE Surveys – Alonso Zapata 5
How to get to the a2 square? Corrales Jimenez : Ferragut Blanco
1...Rc1!! 2.Qc1 Cuba 2004
Deflecting the queen. If 2.Rc1 Ra3!! XIIIIIIIIY
(2...Qd2) 3.ba3 Bd4 4.Kb1 (4.Qd4 Qa2#) 9-+-+-+rmk0
4...Qd2.
2...Ra3!! 3.Kb1 9+p+-+p+p0
3.ba3 Qa2#. 9-+p+p+-+0
3...Ra1! 4.Ka1 9+-+NzP-+R0
Attraction. 9-+PtR-zP-+0
4...Qa8 5.Kb1 Qa2# 0:1.
9+-zP-+-zPl0
Cuartas : Zapata, Bogota 2000 9-vlKvLQ+-+0
XIIIIIIIIY 9wq-+-+-+r0
9-+r+-+k+0 xiiiiiiiiy
9+-+-+pzpp0 White to play.
9pzp-+psn-+0
The third move is spectacular!!!
9+-vl-wq-+-0 1.Rh7!
9-+P+l+-+0 Check and remove the defender.
9sN-+-+L+P0 1...Kh7 2.Qh5 Kg7 3.Qh6!!
9PzPR+Q+P+0 3.Qg5 Kf8 4.Qe7 Kg7 5.Qg5.
3...Kh6
9+-+-+R+K0 Atracction.
xiiiiiiiiy 4.f5 Rg5
Black to play. If 4...Kg7 5.f6 Kf8 6.Bh6 Rg7 (6...Ke8
7.Nc7#) 7.fg7 Ke8 8.Nf6 Ke7 9.g8N#!
Sometimes the threat of a check is very Neither 4...Kh7 5.Rh4 Kg7 6.Bh6 Kh7
powerful! As Nimzowitsch said, "The threat 7.Bf8#; 4...Kh5 5.Nf6#.
is stronger than the execution!" Here we see 5.Rh4 Kg7 6.f6 Kf8
an interesting example, where the threat of 6...Kg6 7.Ne7#; 6...Kg8 7.Ne7 Kf8 8.Rh8
check is the difference. Black creates chaos Rg8 9.Rg8#.
on the white side after: 7.Rh8 Rg8 8.Bh6 Ke8 9.Rg8 Kd7 10.Nb6
34...Nh5!! Kc7 11.Rc8
34...Bd6 35.g4. Deflecting the King.
35.Bh5 11...Kb6 12.Be3 c5
35.Qe1 Ng3 36.Qg3 Qg3 37.Be4 Bd6 12...Ka5 13.Ra8#.
38.Kg1 Qh2 39.Kf2 Qf4 40.Bf3 Bc5 41.Ke1 13.Bc5
Qe3 42.Be2 (42.Re2 Qc1#) 42...Bb4 43.Kd1 I would just like to add, that the humble "c4
Rd8–+. pawn" made this brilliant combination
35...Bd6! possible! 13…Ka6 14.Ra8# 1:0.
There's no way to stop the mate attack.
36.Kg1
36.Bf7 Kh8–+.
36...Qh2 37.Kf2 Qg3 38.Kg1 Bc5!
Crushing the position, the game is over:
39.Rf2 (39.Kh1 Qh3#) 39...Qg2# 0:1.

FIDE Surveys – Alonso Zapata 6

Zapata : Jacobson, Charlotte 2018 44...Kg6 45.Nh4 Kg5 46.Rh5 Kf6 47.R8h6
XIIIIIIIIY Kg7 48.Nhf5 ef5 49.Nf5 Kg8 50.Rh8#.
9ltrr+-+-+0 45.Rh4 Ke3
45...Nf4 46.Rf4 Kd3 (46...Ke3 47.Rh2 Bd6
9+-+-vlp+-0 48.Nc2 Kd3 49.Rd2# (49.Nfe1#) ) 47.Ne5
9-+-+p+k+0 Ke3 48.Rh2.
9zpp+p+-zpR0 46.Nc2 Ke2 47.Rh2 Kd1
9-+-sN-zPP+0 47...Kf1 48.Ne3#.
48.Rd2 Kc1 49.Rh1+– Kb2
9zP-zPn+-mK-0 49...Ne1 50.Re1 Kb2 51.Ncd4 Kc3 (51...Ka3
9-zPNvL-+-tR0 52.Ra1#) 52.Rc1#.
9+-+-+-+-0 50.Ncd4 Ka3
xiiiiiiiiy 50...Kc3 51.Rc2#.
51.Ra1# 1:0.
White to play.

37.f5!
Follow the checks and second, harass the
defender!
37.Rh6;
37.Rh7 Bf8 38.f5 Kf6 39.Nf3+– Bd6 40.Kg2
Bf4 41.R2h6 Ke7 42.Bf4 Nf4 43.Kg3 Kd6
44.Ng5+–.
37...Kg7
37...ef5 38.Rh6 Kg7 39.Nf5+–;
37...Kf6 38.Bg5+–.
38.Rh7 Kg8
38...Kf6 39.Bg5 Kg5 (39...Ke5 40.Be7+–)
40.Nf3 Kf6 41.R2h6#.
39.Rh8 Kg7 40.R2h7 Kf6 41.Bg5
41.Rh6 was actually played in the game. I
took the practical winning path as we were
both in time pressure. 41...Ke5 (41...Kg7
42.R6h7 Kf6 43.Rc8 Rc8 44.fe6) 42.Rc8
(42.R8h7±) 42...Rc8 43.fe6 f6 (43...Bf8!? -
A good practical try complicating matters
44.Rh8 fe6 45.Bg5 Nb2 46.Nb5±.) 44.Ne3
(44.b4!+–) 44...Bc5 (44...Nc5 45.Nef5 Ne4
46.Kg2 Ba3 47.ba3 Nd2 48.e7+– Nc4
49.Rh7+–, followed by Rf7 and Rf8)
45.Nef5+– Bd4 46.cd4+– Ke6 (46...Ke4
47.Nd6) 47.Rh7+– Re8 48.Ng7 Kf7 49.Ne8
Ke8 50.Rh8 Kd7 51.Ra8 Nb2 52.Ba5 Nc4
53.Bb4 Nb6 54.Ra6.
41...Kg5
41...Ke5 42.Rc8 Rc8 43.Be7+–.
42.Nf3 Kf6 43.g5 Kf5 44.Ncd4 Ke4

FIDE Surveys – Alonso Zapata 7