Of space and time

IM Malcolm Pein September 2, 2023

AN advantage in space, unlike an advantage in time or development, is something that must be nurtured for it be exploited.
Great positional players know how to do this and there was no greater positional player than Anatoly Karpov.
The Hedgehog is always a tough defensive setup to overcome.
Direct attacks on the kingside often allow a breakout with b6-b5 or d6-d5, when Black’s pieces can exploit weakened squares. Karpov’s approach is to exchange queens and gradually increase his space advantage on the kingside, while trying to create a weakness.
Suddenly, Black’s position collapses.

A Karpov – F Gheorghiu
Sixth European Team Championship, Moscow 1977
Hedgehog

1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 e6 4.g3 b6 5.Bg2 Bb7 6.0–0 Be7 7.d4 cxd4
8.Qxd4 d6 9.b3 0–0 10.Rd1 Nbd7 11.Bb2 a6 12.Qe3

(A totally different approach worked out well for White after 12.g4!? e5 (12...h6!)
13.Qd2 Nxg4 14.Nxe5! dxe5 15.Qxd7 Qxd7 16.Rxd7 Bxg2 17.Kxg2 in
V Keymer – D Dubov, Chess.com, 2022)
12...Qb8 13.Nd4 Bxg2 14.Kxg2 Qb7+ 15.Qf3 Qxf3+ 16.Nxf3 Rfc8 17.Nd4 Rab8 18.Rac1 h6 19.e4 



(Perhaps 19.f4 g6 20.Kf3 Nc5 21.e4 was more accurate) See board below.



19...Ne8
(19...Nc5 20.Kf3 g5! 21.h3 h5 grabs kingside space and Black is all right here. For example, 22.Ke3 g4 23.hxg4 hxg4 24.Rh1 Nfd7 heads for the e5-square which has been secured by the g4-pawn)
20.f4 Bf6 21.Kf3 Rb7 22.Ba3 Rbc7
(trying to organise b6–b5, Karpov rules that out)
23.Nce2 Nc5 24.Rd2
(Further optimising the pieces before pushing on the kingside)

24...g6 25.Nc2 Bg7
(After 25...Be7 26.Ne3 b5 27.cxb5 axb5 28.Bxc5 dxc5 29.Nc3 b4 30.Na4 White only has a small edge and 25...Be7 26.Ne3 b5 27.cxb5 axb5 28.Bxc5 Rxc5 29.Rxc5 dxc5 30.Nc3 Nc7 31.e5 Kf8 32.g4 f6 should be defensible)
26.Ne3 f5 (Gheorghiu decides to play this before g3–g4–g5 comes)
27.exf5 gxf5 28.h3 h5 29.Rg1 Rf7 (29...b5!?)
30.g4 hxg4+ 31.hxg4 fxg4+

32.Rxg4 Kf8 33.Ng3 a5
(The king gets into trouble, so 33...Ke7 34.Rg6 Kd7 running away was best)
34.Rg6 Ke7 35.f5! (Releasing two big squares for the white knights)
35...Rf6 36.Rxf6 Nxf6 37.Re2 Rf8
(37...e5 38.Bxc5 Rxc5 39.Ne4 Nxe4 40.Kxe4 is positionally winning)
38.Bxc5 bxc5 39.fxe6 Kxe6

White to play and win in the following position:

©Telegraph Media Group Limited 2023