Positional Draw
Portisch vs. Kavalek, 1978| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
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A "positional draw" is a concept most commonly used in endgame studies and describes an impasse other than stalemate. It usually involves the repetition of moves in which neither side can make progress or safely deviate. Typically a material advantage is balanced by a positional advantage. Fortresses and perpetual check are examples of positional draws (Hooper & Whyld 1992). Sometimes they salvage a draw from a position that seems hopeless because of a material deficit (Giddens 2007:111). Grandmaster John Nunn describes a positional draw as a position in which one side has enough material to normally win and he is not under direct attack, but some special feature of the position (often a blockade) prevents him from winning (Nunn 1981:68).
A simple example is shown in the game between Lajos Portisch and Lubomir Kavalek. White could have won easily with 1. Be1 Kc6 2. b4. However, play continued 1. b4? Nb8 2. b5 Nc6+! The only way to avoid the threatened 3...Nxa5 is 3. bxc6 Kxc6, but the resultant position is a draw because the bishop is on the wrong color to be able to force the rook pawn's promotion (see above, wrong bishop, and wrong rook pawn) (Beliavsky & Mikhalchishin 2003:130–35).
Pachman| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
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Luděk Pachman cites the endgame position at right as a simple example of a positional draw. White on move simply plays waiting moves with the bishop (Bb1-c2-d3). As for Black, "If he is unwilling to allow the transition to the drawn ending of Rook versus Bishop, nothing else remains for him but to move his Rook at continuously up and down the ." Pachman explains, "The indecisive result here contradicts the principles concerning the value of the pieces and is caused by the bad position of the black pieces (pinned rook at )." (Pachman 1973:186–87).
Botvinnik vs. Keres, 1951| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
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This position from a game between Mikhail Botvinnik and Paul Keres in the 1951 USSR Championship is drawn because the black king cannot get free and the rook must stay on the c-file. The players agreed to a draw four moves later (Giddens 2007:111).
Tal vs. Fischer, 1962| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
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The first diagram shows a position from a game between former World Champion Mikhail Tal and future World Champion Bobby Fischer from the 1962 Candidates Tournament in Curaçao. After 41 moves Tal had the advantage but Fischer sacrificed the exchange (a rook for a knight). The game was drawn on the 58th move (Timman 2005:55–56).
Benko vs. Bonin| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
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In this position from a game between Pal Benko and International Master Jay Bonin, White realized that the blockade cannot be broken and the game is a draw despite the extra material (Benko 2009:40).
Read more about this topic: Fortress (chess)
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