The Netherlands’ Jan Timman was one of the world’s top players from the 1970s to the early 2000s and at one time the second highest rated player in the world. He was also a beloved player and chess author. He died Feb. 18.
Timman was renowned for his attacking style and love of complications. This week’s position from 1985 illustrates his approach. Here, Timman is white; Garry Kasparov, who was world champion from 1985 to 2000, is black.
Just as open water lanes give boats access and mobility, open lanes on a chessboard also grant access and maneuverability. With this hint in mind, please try to find white’s winning attack.
At the moment, black’s rook pins white’s bishop on b3. With the help of black’s bishop, black threatens to win white’s bishop. White ignores this and opens a lane for his bishop with pawn to d6, attacking black’s queen. After the black queen takes the pawn, white’s queen checks from f3.
This forces the black king to e7, or else white’s queen and bishop mate in two if the king retreats to g7. White’s queen checks again from f7 with the support of his bishop on b3 (see next diagram).
The black king flees to d8 and white’s rook pins black’s queen with rook to d1 (see next diagram).
Black counters the pin on the queen with rook to a1, pinning the white rook to the first rank because white’s king is on g1. White, however, unravels black’s counterpin with queen to f6, check (see next diagram).
Queen to f8, check, also wins. Either way, on the next move white wins black’s queen and saves his rook, with mate in the air.
Timman’s advancement of his d6 pawn triggered this attack by opening a lane along the b3–f7 diagonal – a classic lesson from last century’s positional play.
Reach Eric Morrow at ericmorrowlaw@gmail.com or (505) 327-7121.
