Zugzwang Helps The Defense
Based on Varga vs. Acs| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
| 8 | 8 | ||||||||
| 7 | 7 | ||||||||
| 6 | 6 | ||||||||
| 5 | 5 | ||||||||
| 4 | 4 | ||||||||
| 3 | 3 | ||||||||
| 2 | 2 | ||||||||
| 1 | 1 | ||||||||
| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h |
Zugzwang usually works in favor of the stronger side, but sometimes it aids the defense. In this position based on a game between Zoltán Varga and Peter Acs, it saves the game for the defense:
- 1... Kc4!! Reciprocal zugzwang
- 2. Nc3 Kb4 Reciprocal zugzwang again
- 3. Kd3 Bg7 Reciprocal zugzwang again
- 4. Kc2 Bh6
- 5. Kd3 Bg7
- 6. Nd5+ Kxa4
- 7. Ke4 Kb5
- 8. Kf5 Kc5
- 9. Kg6 Bd4
- 10. Nf4 Kd6
- 11. h6 Ke7
- 12. h7 Bb2
This position is a draw and the players agreed to a draw a few moves later (Müller & Pajeken 2008:179–80).
Benko| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
| 8 | 8 | ||||||||
| 7 | 7 | ||||||||
| 6 | 6 | ||||||||
| 5 | 5 | ||||||||
| 4 | 4 | ||||||||
| 3 | 3 | ||||||||
| 2 | 2 | ||||||||
| 1 | 1 | ||||||||
| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h |
| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
| 8 | 8 | ||||||||
| 7 | 7 | ||||||||
| 6 | 6 | ||||||||
| 5 | 5 | ||||||||
| 4 | 4 | ||||||||
| 3 | 3 | ||||||||
| 2 | 2 | ||||||||
| 1 | 1 | ||||||||
| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h |
In this position from Benko, White should win but he makes an error and gets into zugzwang which enables Black to draw.
- 1. Kd6? Bb7
- 2. Bd7 Bf3
- 3. Be6 Bb7!
and Black draws because White is in Zugzwang (Fine & Benko 2003:153–54).
Read more about this topic: Zugzwang
Famous quotes containing the words helps and/or defense:
“Thinking about suicide is a potent consolation: it helps us to get through many a bad night.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)
“He said, truly, that the reason why such greatly superior numbers quailed before him was, as one of his prisoners confessed, because they lacked a cause,—a kind of armor which he and his party never lacked. When the time came, few men were found willing to lay down their lives in defense of what they knew to be wrong; they did not like that this should be their last act in this world.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)