by Mihail Marin

Video introduction

According to the ideas mentioned in the introductory video, I have classified the material below into the following categories:

• A) Elementary positional factors in positions with (almost) symmetrical structure
• B) A central extra passed pawn
• C) Complex middlegame structures
• D) The (mutual) king's safety

Interactive videos

Knaak - Kholmov (1977)

Marin - Foisor (1986)

A) Elementary positional factors in positions with (almost) symmetrical structure

The elementary positional factors examined in this section are the piece activity and the kingside structure. The passed extra pawn will be the main issue in section B.

In Marin,M - Lianes Garcia,M 1-0 the position was only symbolically better for White. Both sides will soon reach the optimal kingside configuration with h4, g3, Kg2 (and symmetrical for Black). White controls the e-file, which is in the immediate kingside's neighbourhood, but in principle Black can start counterplay along the c-file, with good chances to equalise. We can evaluate the position as an only temporary +1 for White (due to his superior activity) meaning that Black should be able to defend. In the game he played passively, allowing White to increase his domination along the e-file and reach a won ending.

Things looked better for White in the next game, Nikolov,S - Boucek,V 1-0.

White has already reached the optimal kingside configuration and threatens Re7 already. Mathematically, this can be described as a +2 advantage, meaning better kingside structure and more active pieces, being equivalent with excellent winning chances.

In the next example Schandorff,L - Doettling,F 1-0 White's advantage is even more clear.

White has overwhelming activity and he has reached a clear kingside structural advantage. There is little doubt that White should win, but as we will see finding the best plan is not simple even with such an overwhelming advantage.

The picture is even more extreme in Shirov,A - Moehn,H 1-0.

In addition to all the elements examined above, Black has a chronic weakness on f5. But the way such a strong player as Shirov let his advantage completely slip away gives a warning about the accuracy required from White in such situations.

B) An extra central passed pawn

We will start by examining a few examples in which the c6-square is available to the white pieces, allowing the plan based on exchanging the blocking piece with Qc6 or Rc6.

As the game Potkin,V - Abdusattorov,N ½-½ developed, things were equal on the kingside. The advantage in the centre (+1) offers White good practical chances, but converting them greatly depends on his accuracy in the technical phase.

In Flear,G - King,D ½-½ the position was almost identical:

Yet, we can notice slightly better white coordination and disorder in the black camp, due to the king on h8. King's attempt to improve his ... king's situation at once could have caused a rapid defeat.

Goryachkina,A - Ju,W ½-½ was the game inspiring me to write this article.

Black is quite active but the main issue is the imperfect white kingside structure. What is worse, with the pawn on f3 there is hardly any chance to reach a favourable configuration in the future. This offers White only some practical chances, which she did not use in the optimal way.

If we add pawns on the b-file (the black one on b7), things could be a bit more complicated for White. The natural plan would be advancing his pawns to b5 and a6, in order to get the c6-square as in the previous examples. If Black reacts with ...a7-a6, we could reach a position as in Kuijpers,F - Cortlever,N 1-0.

As we will see, this is not safe enough for Black, as White disposes over an additional plan now. But in the game the kingside could have become the main issue at a later stage.

C) Complex middlegame structures

In this section we will examine a series of examples which, due to the complex pawn structures, are closer to the middlegame than to the endgame phase. In the absence of minor pieces, the significance of weak squares is somewhat different with respect to usual middlegames, though.

In Karpov,A - Andersson,U 1-0 White had a favourable version of the Carlsbad structure.

But even for a player with such a high technical class like Karpov, finding the best plan and using the casual chances offered by the opponent were not easy at all.

Things were more clear-cut in Marin,M - Hebert,J 1-0, featuring the same Carlsbad structure.

Black's kingside is chronically weak, and White has strong pressure on the queenside too. Oh, do not worry, the minor pieces will soon disappear!

With the next two examples we make a transition, as the king's safety will be an important issue during the strategic battle.

In Bernstein,O - Kotov,A 1-0 Black reached a promising middlegame position.

Since White's attack does not yet have concrete form, the main plot gravitates around ...b5-b4 at this stage. But we can feel that both kings may be exposed if the position opens.

In Marin,M - Rostgaard,T 1-0 the main struggle seemed to be about blockade.

While this was partly true, we will find out that anti-blockading ideas are also important, especially in connection with the enemy king's latent vulnerability.

D) The (mutual) king's safety

In the games examined in this section, the structures will play a minor part, and in two out of three games they will be very unusual. The main focus is on the mutual kings' vulnerability and piece activity.

In Bologan,V - Marin,M ½-½ we have a typical Sicilian structure.

But as in most Sicilians with opposite castles, the main issue remains each sides' speed and effectiveness when attacking. White did well for a few moves on the way to maintaining the equality but then lost the thread and was saved only by my time trouble.

Marin,M - Condie,M ½-½ features a highly unusual structure, which cannot be classified anywhere in strategy manuals.

Even more clearer than above, this is all about attacking, counter-attacking and defending.

In Bernadskiy,V - Marin,M ½-½ the structure looks a bit more "normal".

Some readers may even guess which opening was played here. But evaluating whose king is in bigger danger requires more than just a brief look.