1

2

there are actually 2 moves which save the 2 pieces

The Rook on e1 is attacked

Nc3 fails to …d4, making good use of the pin - the

The Bishop on a4 is also being attacked

Knight is pinned to the defense of both the Bishop

this shows that a fork is not always easy to see

and the Rook - the Knight is an overworked piece

Nc3 protects the Bishop directly, and blocks the attack

attack on the Rook, the move is also a developing move

Qd1 protects both pieces but de-develops the Queen,

which may have been prematurely developed - probably

in answer to …Bxf3

3

4

discovered attack

…Qd2+ and wherever white moves black captures

fork

the Rook, or the Bishop if this suited

White's only choices are to move the King

Nxe6+

to g3 ; h or g1 or R to e2

Notes to page 1

5

Linares is one of the strongest tournaments in the world

Peter Leko is one of the best 10 players in the world

This shows that the Knight moves clumsily at times

the game continued 23 Ne1 Be5 (attacking the b-pawn and slowing white down)

24 c3 f5 25 Nf3 Bf6 (just staying on the more active diagonal and not blocking the Rook or where the

Rook might like to go (h8 )) 26 Nd4+ Kc7 27 Nb5+ Kc6 (which takes us to diagram 6)

6

if Nxa7 then black simply plays …Kb6 and the knight is trapped

note that this would be different if white had a pawn on a4

as a matter-of-fact - after this move the players agreed to a draw - the chances for both are pretty even

white has th better mobility and options - but black has enough resources to fend off any pressure

examples of play are :

1.Nd4+ Kc5 2.Kf3 Rh8 3.gxh4 [with the idea of  3.a3 hxg3 4.hxg3 not fg since Rxh2] 3...Rxh4 4.Kg3 Rg4+ 5.Kf3 Be5

6.Nb3+ Kc6 7.Nd4+

OR

1.a4 a6 2.Nd4+ Kc7 3.Ne2 b6 4.b3 Rh8 5.c4 h3+ 6.Kf3 Bg5 notice that white's Queenside pawns are on white

squares - so are safe from black's Bishop 7.Nf4 a5 8.Rd2 a self-pinning move - and black has a pawn to push !

8...e5 but there is a safe check - which 'saves' the Rook - so in this case the pin was harmless 9.Nd5+ Kc6

10.Rd1 Kc5 11.Ke2 black's King cannot go any further - for example to attack the white Pawn on b3 Line