From overpromotion to regicide

While dining with Fidel Castro in the Palace of Justice, Havana, (pork belly with rice and black bean sauce; very tasty!) I was regaled with a story about an unexpected promotion. Underpromotions occur in chess when a pawn promotes to a lesser piece than a Queen. Overpromotions occur away from the chessboard,  when someone unqualified is advanced beyond their area of competence. This week I deal with three such cases.  

After the success of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel held a meeting of his team and asked the question, who here is an economist? Mishearing the question as, who here is a Communist, Che Guevara enthusiastically shot up his hand . He was promptly, and to his amazement, appointed finance minister . Che was, perhaps surprisingly, an accomplished chess player, and once drew a game with International Master and two times British champion, Bob Wade OBE.  

This elevation forms a curious parallel to the seemingly un derqualified Rachel Reeves being promoted to the exalted position of Chancellor of the Exchequer. Whatever the veracity , or otherwise , of her claims to financial or economic expertise, her chess skills are not in doubt . 

The following diagram depicts a possible variation taken from the game Rachel Reeves vs. Abigail Cost, 4NCL, 1995.

analysis board for variation

White (Reeves) to play and win

White’s coming queen sacifice makes mincemeat out of Black’s already rickety defence. 

1. Qxf5! exf5 2. Nxd5

There is no way Black can stave off checkmate without the loss of her own queen. For example, 2… Qa7 3. Nc7 checkmate.

For the record, engines prefer 2… Bc5 to the other candidate, 2… Qd8; it’s a choice: how do you wish to lose your queen?The former move enjoys the benefit of creating a square (on f8) to which the king can escape. White does not even need to regain the sacrificed Queen, since  1. Qxf5 exf5 2. Nxd5 Bc5 3. dxc5 Qa7 4. Nc7+ Kf8 5. Rfd1,  leaves  White much better, with Black unable to activate her ostensibly stronger army, while her king remains subject to powerful assaults by White’s fully mobilised forces.

Meanwhile, in Singapore the Lilliputian world championship was played under the giant Brobdingnagian shadow cast by the elephant on the board, the abdicated champion, Magnus Carlsen.

As if to trumpet the invidious comparison, Carlsen arranged to play a shuffle chess match — an heretical abomination upon which universal anthema should be pronounced — against his former challenger Fabiano Caruana, in Singapore, just days before the Lilliputians got to work. Carlsen thereby tried to render the title match a mockery.

Yet unlike the perfect score of twelve straight draws, in the 2018 Carlsen v Caruana World Championship, the first three games between our two new contestants produced two decisive results. And after three weeks the match ended, not in overpromotion, but in regicide .

Gukesh Dommaraju vs. Ding Liren

World Championship, Singapore, 25.11.24

Game One, French Defence  0-1

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6  Avoiding the sharp theoretical lines after the Winawer with 3… Bb4.

4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nce2 

A more adventurous selection than the more common 6. Nf3.

6… Nc6 7. c3 a5

The defending champion spent about 40 minutes considering the consequences of this rare move. It has the effect of luring White onto what seems to be relatively unfamiliar ground.

The more familiar continuations are: 7… Qb6; 7… Be7 and 7… b5.

8. Nf3 a4 9. Be3 Be7 10. g4

This aggressive theoretical novelty deviates from 10. Qd2,played in Duda-Caruana, 2020, chess.com INT (rapidplay), which was successful for the White player. The engine, examining 10. dxc5 and 10. Qc2, represents both as marginally more promising alternatives.

10… Qa5

A logical continuation, asking questions of the White king and increasing queenside pressure with threats of capturing on d4, and developing a knight to c4 where it would attack both the e3-bishop and unprotected b-pawn. Black can castle, whereas White’s king’s safety is compromised. Pancho, our ever-present silicon scholar, has a slight disposition towards 10… O-O, or …f6, but is also comfortable with the text. 

11. Bg2

Later, White might regret not preferring the more resilient 11. a3! instead of the text; or even further expanding the kingside, with h4!?

11… a3

Attacking the stem of White’s pawn phalanx, the text simultaneously increases the pressure on both the c3- and d4-squares. Pancho would prefer to accomplish this in a more prepared fashion, after first playing either 11… Nb6 (with c4 in mind) or …b5 (intending b4!)

12. b3 cxd4 13. b4

This move became inevitable after White eschewed playing the prophylactic 11. a3. But the permanent weakness caused by the backward c-pawn, will haunt White in coming moves.

13… Qc7 14. Nexd4 Nb6 15. O-O Nc4 16. Bf2 Bd7 17. Qe2 Nxd4 18. Nxd4 Nb2 19. Qe3 Rc8 20. Rac1

Black has imperceptibly been building pressure on the White position, and this now results in a small but tangible inaccuracy. Better were either 20. Be1 or Rfc1.

20… Qc4 21. f5

And White immediately follows one inaccuracy with another. 21. Rfe1 is a more robust continuation, freeing White’s g2-bishop to meet 21… Nd3 or …Qd3 with 22. Bf1!

21… Qd3 22. Qe1

A blunder that permits Black a healthy degree of latitude in prosecuting an attack on a king bereft of any pawn defenders. Some commentators speculated whether 22. Qf4 offered an improvement on the text and, although not as bad, it is still far short of what is required. 

Only 22. g5! acquits White’s position and maintains a realistic aspiration of parity, for example, after: 22… O-O 23. Qf4 Qc4 24. f6 Nd3 25. Qh4 Nxc1 26. Rxc1 Qxa2 27. fxe7 Rfe8 28. Be3 Qb2 29. Qe1 a2 30. Bd2 Rxe7 31. Ra1, a volatile position develops which offers Black the very slightly better chances, in an otherwise equal but unstable position.

22… Bg5 23. Rc2 Rc4

Pancho suggests that 23… O-O! offers Black even better chances than the text, after: 

a) 24. b5 Na4 25. c4 (25. Kh1 Rxc3 26. Rxc3 Qxc3 27. Qe2 Be7 28. h3 Bc5 29. Nb3 Bxf2 30. Rxf2 Rc8) 25… Rxc4 26. Rxc4 Qxc4 27. Kh1 Qc3 28. h4 Be7 29. g5 (29. Qc1 Qxc1 30. Rxc1 Rc8 31. Rxc8+ Bxc8) 29… Qxe1 30. Bxe1 Bc5 31. fxe6 fxe6; or

b) 24. h4 Bf4 25. b5 Na4 26. c4 Rxc4 27. Rxc4 Qxc4 28. Kh1 Nc5 29. Bg1 Nd3 30. Qa5 Re8 31. Qxa3 Bxe5; Black has more activity and his connected passed d-pawn is a significant plus. 

24. h4 Bf4 25. Qb1 Rxc3 26. Rxc3 Qxc3 27. fxe6 fxe6?

This is a mistake which permits White chances to restore equality. Correct was 27… Bxe6! after which, 28. Ne2 Qxe5 29. Nxf4 Qxf4 30. Qc2 Qxb4 31. g5 Qc4 32. Qxc4 Nxc4 33. Rb1 b6 34. Bd4, retains the momentum and Black’s additional material. 

28. Ne2! 

Black enjoys a considerable advantage after: 28. Kh1? O-O 29. Bg1 (29. Ne2 Qxb4 30. Nxf4 Rxf4 31. g5 Qc3 32. Kh2 Qxe5 33. Bg3 Rxh4+ 34. Bh3 Rxh3+ 35. Kxh3 Qxg5) 29… Qxb4 30. Rf3 b6 31. Rb3 Qe7 32. Nf3 Nc4 33. Rh3 Bxe5 34. g5 Bd6.

28… Qxe5 29. Nxf4 Qxf4 30. Qc2?

Black is unremitting in his pressure after this mistake. White should prefer, 30. Bc5 Qxg4 31. Rf3 Nc4 32. Qf1 Kd8 33. Qf2, when, although worse, it is of little immediate consequence.

30… Qc4 31. Qd2 

White fares little better with: 31. Qxc4 Nxc4 32. Bg3 Rf8 33. Re1 Kf7 34. Bf2 Kg8 35. Bg3 h6 36. b5 b6 37. Kh2 Rc8 38. Bf2 Kf7, when the two passed, connected Black pawns, loom large.

31… O-O 32. Bd4 Nd3 33. Qe3 

Even worse is: 33. Rxf8+? Kxf8 34. Qe3 Qc1+ 35. Bf1 Qxe3+ 36. Bxe3.

33… Rxf1+ 34. Bxf1 

And certainly not: 34. Kxf1?? Nxb4+ 35. Kf2 Nc2 36. Qc3 Qxd4+ 37. Qxd4 Nxd4, winning.

34… e5 35. Bxe5 Qxg4+ 36. Bg2? 

While not a losing move, there is now no way back after this error. 36. Bg3 Nxb4 37. Be2 Qe6 38. Qf3 Nxa2 39. Bf1 h6 40. Qxa3 Qg4 41. Bg2 Nb4 42. Qb3 Be6, loses more slowly.

36… Bf5 37. Bg3 Be4 38. Kh2 h6 39. Bh3 Qd1 40. Bd6Qc2+ 41. Kg3 Qxa2 42. Be6+ Kh8 ! White resigns 0-1 

White had hoped for: 42… Kh7? 43. Qxe4+ dxe4 44. Bxa2 b5 45. h5 g5 46. Bc5 Nc1 47. Bd5 e3 48. Bxe3 a2 49. Bxa2 Nxa2 50. Bd2 43. Qg1 Qb3, when a draw is the most likely outcome.

But now, after 43. Qg1 Qb3, checkmate(#) must follow:

a) 44. Qf1 Ne5+ 45. Kh2 Nf3+ 46. Kg2 Nd2+ 47. Kg1 Nxf1 48. Bg4 Qe3+ 49. Kxf1 a2 50. Be5 d4 51. Bxd4 Qxd4 52. Ke2 

(52. Be6 a1=Q+ 53. Ke2 Qad1#) 

52… a1=Q 53. Be6 Qad1#; or

b) 44. Kh2 a2 45. Qf1 Qb2+ 46. Kg3 Nf4 47. Bxf4 a1=Q 48. Qf2 Qe1 49. Be3 Qe5+ 50. Bf4 Q5c3+ 51. Be3 Qcxe3+ 52. Kg4 

(52. Kh2 Q1xf2#) 

52… Qd1+ 53. Qf3 Qdxf3#

An auspicious start by the reigning Champion but against overly loose play by his young Indian challenger; in a brave but injudicious response to the French Defence. In the third game, however, Gukesh struck back to equalise the score.

Gukesh Dommaraju vs. Ding Liren

World Championship, Singapore, 27.11.24

Game Three, Queen’s Gambit declined , 1-0

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 e6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nc3 c6 6. Qc2 g6 7. h3 Bf5 8. Qb3 Qb6 9. g4 Qxb3 10. axb3 Bc2 11. Bf4 h5 12. Rg1 hxg4 13. hxg4 Nbd7  A new idea. 

This does little to improve on the 2023 game. Kramnik-Erigaisi, World Team rapidplay, Dusseldorf, which continued here with 13… Bxb3, with a draw after 72 moves.

14. Nd2 Rg8 15. g5

It will be difficult for White to regain control of the f5- and h5-squares. White should prefer either 15. Be3 or Rc1, for example: 15. Be3 (15. Rc1 g5 16. Be3 Be4 transposes) 15… g5 16. Rc1 Be4 17. Ndxe4 Nxe4 18. f3 Nxc3 19. Bxc3, when White’s broken pawn structure is advantageously restored.

15… Nh5 16. Bh2 Rh8 17. f3 Ng7 18. Bg3 Rh5?

A clumsy move that relinquishes control and leaves material unprotected. Black can retain a slight advantage after, 18… Be7 19. e4 Bxg5 20. exd5 Nf5 21. Bf2 Bxd2+ 22. Kxd2 Bxb3 23. dxc6 bxc6 24. Ra6 Rh2 25. Rg2 Rxg2 26. Bxg2 Nb6. 

19. e4!

Introducing tactical considerations based on the entrapped and unprotected c2-bishop.

19… dxe4

Stronger is 19… Ne6 when 20. Rc1 can be met by, 20…Nxd4 21. Bf2 Bc5 22. Rg2 Bd3 23. Bxd3 Rh1+ 24. Bf1 Ne5 25. Kd1 Nd3 26. Bxd4 Bxd4, when White’s advantage is less pronounced.

20. fxe4 Ne6 21. Rc1 Nxd4 22. Bf2 Bg7 23. Ne2 Nxb3

The c2-bishop has been beyond saving for some time.

24. Rxc2 Nxd2 25. Kxd2 Ne5

It is stronger to commence a queenside expansion with 25… a5, with some counterplay: 26. Kc1 Rh2 27. Bg2 a4 28. Kb1 Ra5 29. Bg3 Rh7 30. Bf4 a3, compares well to the text move.

The dust has settled and we can see that for a couple of pawns, White now has an additional bishop. When untangled pieces are activated, White’s advantage will be clear.

26. Nd4 Rd8 27. Ke2 Rh2 28. Bg2 a6 29. b3 Rd7 30. Rcc1 Ke7 31. Rcd1 Ke8 32. Bg3 Rh5 33. Nf3 Nxf3 34. Kxf3

Stronger than: 34. Bxf3? Rxg5 35. Rxd7 Kxd7 36. Rd1+ Kc8 37. Kf2 Ra5 38. b4 Ra2+ 39. Be2 a5 40. bxa5 Rxa5 41. Bc4, when Black’s connected passed pawns can become a distraction.

34… Bd4

A slightly better choice is: 34… Rxg5 35. Rxd7 Kxd7 36. Rd1+ Ke6 37. Bh3+ f5 38. Re1 Kf7 39. exf5 gxf5, but Black is running out of options.

35. Rh1 Rxg5

It hardly matters that 35… Rxh1 was stronger; in this battle of attrition, Black’s death of a thousand cuts is as much self-inflicted, as it is a deliberate assault by his opponent.

36. Bh3 f5 37. Bf4 Rh5  Black resigns 1-0

Without waiting for 38. Bxf5 Rxf5 39. exf5 gxf5 40. Rh6, when being a whole rook down for only a few pawns scarcely out of their starting blocks, Black realizes that the whole tortuous process needs closure, and after eleven steps careering down a very slippery slope, his best move is his last one .  

Ray’s 206th book, “  Chess in the Year of the King  ”, written in collaboration with Adam Black, and his 207th, “  Napoleon and Goethe: The Touchstone of Genius  ” (which discusses their relationship with chess) can be ordered from both Amazon and Blackwells. His 208th, the world record for chess books, written jointly with chess playing artist Barry Martin,  Chess through the Looking Glass ,  will be available from Amazon before Christmas. 

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