My second book is out! It is a great feeling to know that all the years of playing chess will not be that easily forgotten. After all the tournament wins and honors are temporary, new faces come and are lately replaced by others. Writing a book is another feeling though, it is something that you can always refer to and look back with satisfaction.
Anyway, here is a short description of the book for the
chess.com site:
This book holds a complete repertoire of the King's Indian Defense from Black's perspective. By analyzing many theoretical games from recent Grandmaster practice (as well as a number of classical examples), Bojkov covers every major line in depth, with due coverage given to all sidelines as well. The reader will also become familiar with many strategic ideas, thematic tactics, and the abundance of imaginative possibilities the King’s Indian Defense is famous for.
The following lines are covered in great theoretical detail through the use of recent games:
Chapter 1 The Classical Variation
1a Flexibility in the Classical Variation
1b The Gligoric System
1c The Exchange System
1d The Petrosian System
Chapter 2 The Sämisch Variation
Chapter 3 The Four Pawns Attack
Chapter 4 The Averbakh System
Chapter 5 The Bagirov Line
Chapter 6 The Fianchetto System
GM Bojkov does an excellent job of sharing his childhood enthusiasm for the opening (which has clearly bled into his professional career), and instills a profound understanding of the various structures that may occur in this rich and complex opening. Moreover, in an effort to increase understanding, at the end of each chapter are memory markers - chess diagrams reminding the reader of the most important motifs/novelties throughout the chapter, as well as practical exercises for solving and internalizing the material. After reading this book, one will feel as though they will be able to play the KID for the rest of their life!
Now we'd like to present a game from the book:
Note: the following game have been trimmed and shortened - in the actual book there are many more detailed variations within each game!
Let's start off with a fascinating struggle between Kramnik & Ponomariov in the Classical Variation:
A game that I liked (ChessBase 12)
[Event "Dortmund SuperGM 39th"]
[Site "Dortmund"]
[Date "2011.07.21"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Ch 1a Game 5. Kramnik, Vladimir"]
[Black "Ponomariov, Ruslan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E94"]
[WhiteElo "2781"]
[BlackElo "2764"]
[Annotator "Dejan Bojkov"]
[PlyCount "49"]
[EventDate "2011.07.21"]
[EventRounds "10"]
[EventCountry "GER"]
[EventCategory "20"]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Be2 O-O 6. Nf3 e5 7. O-O exd4 {
Ponomariov wants to surprise his mighty opponent and chooses this rare and
fresh line.} 8. Nxd4 Re8 9. f3 c6 10. Kh1 Nbd7 11. Be3 {Still, Kramnik shows
some quality prep, and this line might be Black's main source of concern
nowadays. Despite the fact that the bishop stays on the road of the e8 rook,
it is surprisingly difficult for Black to make use of this.} ({White has one
more prophylactic retreat in his disposal,} 11. Nb3 {. But here, the knight
simply invites the black a-pawn to advance with tempo, starting with} a5 {Note
that the pawn on d6 is not delicious at all:} 12. Qxd6 a4 13. Nd2 ({Even worse
is} 13. Nd4 $2 Nh5 14. Nc2 Be5 15. Qd2 Qh4 16. f4 Ng3+ 17. Kg1 Nxf1 {.}) 13...
Ne5 14. Qxd8 Rxd8 {, and Black has full compensation for the sacrificed pawn.
White is underdeveloped, and the positional threat of a4-a3 with the bishop
ranging on the long diagonal cannot be prevented so easily. One sample line is:
} 15. f4 Nd3 16. Bxd3 Rxd3 17. e5 a3 $1 18. exf6 $6 axb2 19. Bxb2 Rxd2 20. Bc1
Rc2 {Now back to our game:}) 11... a6 {This was prepared by Ponomariov at home.
Black takes control over the b5 square, and intends to play b7-b5 or d6-d5 in
the future.} ({Ponomariov liked the Grischuk-style provoking idea of} 11... Nh5
{but I am not quite convinced, after} 12. g4 $1 Nhf6 13. Qd2 h5 14. g5 Nh7 15.
Nb3 Qe7 16. Rad1 Be5 17. f4 $1 {This pawn sacrifice is something that we
should always be afraid of! White does not mind spending some material in
order to gain the black dark-squared bishop, and we agree!} Bxc3 18. Qxc3 {and
now:} Nc5 (18... Qxe4+ 19. Bf3 Qxe3 (19... Qe7 20. Rfe1 Qf8) 20. Rde1 Qxc3 21.
Rxe8+ Nhf8 22. bxc3) 19. Nxc5 dxc5 20. e5 ({or} 20. Bd3)) ({Another
interesting and typical plan for Black is} 11... a5 $5 12. Qd2 a4 {continuing
with Qd8-a5, Nd7-c5, Nf6-d7-e5(or b6), and a4-a3 at the proper moment. The
arising positions are similar to those that can arise in the Fianchetto Line
of the KID, but there the white light-squared bishop is placed on g2, and the
d3 square is somewhat loose. I consider this to be in White's favor, but I
believe that Black's resources should not be underestimated.}) 12. Nc2 {Let me
quote Ponomariov: "Judging by the times, I think here Vladimir started to play
on his own resources. "The move he played is quite ambitious; he emphasizes
the main weakness of the black position, the weak pawn on d6. But at the same
time, without positional grounds, White retreats his knight from the center.
"However, at the board it is impossible to calculate every line and the choice
is about one's confidence in one's own strengths."} ({If} 12. Qd2 {, Black
shows that the move a7-a6 is not played only in order to prepare the b7-b5
advance:} d5 $1 13. exd5 cxd5 14. cxd5 ({or} 14. Nxd5 Nxd5 15. cxd5 Nb6 16.
Rfe1 Nxd5) 14... Nb6 {Similarly, as in the 11...Nd7-b6 line from above, White
lacks the resource Nd4-b5-d6, and the c4 square for the bishop. The game is
level.} 15. Bg5 Nbxd5 16. Rfe1 Nxc3 17. bxc3 b6 {.} (17... Qb6)) ({In his
notes Ponomariov also mentions} 12. Bg1 {But the Ukrainian GM also shows the
best response:} c5 $1 ({White's idea is revealed in the line} 12... d5 13. cxd5
cxd5 14. exd5 Nb6 15. Qb3 $1 {The queen has this extra square!} Nfxd5 (15...
Nbxd5 16. Bc4) 16. Nxd5 Nxd5 17. Bc4 {, and even though Black has freed
himself from the backward pawn, White has an irritating initiative:} Bxd4 18.
Bxd4 Be6 19. Rfd1 Nf4 ({or} 19... Qg5 {(Ponomariov)} 20. Bf1 Re7 21. Rac1 {
with the two bishops}) 20. Bxe6 Nxe6 21. Bc3 {.}) 13. Nc2 Ne5 {"and the later
possibilities include Be6, Nc6, and Nfd7. In general, Black has sufficient
counterplay."}) 12... Ne5 {Active play is required, as usual, to prevent White
from developing harmoniously. Do not forget that fundamentally, White has the
better pawn structure, and this might tell in the long run if we do not use
the tactical chances that our position provides.} (12... Qc7 13. Qd2 b5 14.
Rfd1 {is a good example of slow play, as Black is now forced to defend
passively.}) 13. f4 {The principled move. However now, as we know, the e4 pawn
becomes a target, too.} ({White can play more solidly with} 13. Qd2 {, but
then Black can successfully hit the center with} Be6 14. b3 (14. f4 $2 Nxc4)
14... d5 {White can also trade on d5 first} (14... b5 {is another possible
attack in the center.}) 15. cxd5 ({After the immediate} 15. f4 Neg4 {It's a
messy position in which Black seems OK.}) 15... cxd5 {And then play} 16. f4 (
16. exd5 $6 Nxd5 17. Nxd5 Qxd5) 16... Nc6 17. e5 Ne4 18. Nxe4 dxe4 19. Nd4)
13... Neg4 14. Bg1 h5 ({Slow is} 14... b5 $6 15. c5 dxc5 16. Bxc5 {.}) 15. Bf3
({Here the direct attempt} 15. h3 {will unleash the power of the black pieces:}
Nxe4 $1 16. Nxe4 Rxe4 17. hxg4 Qh4+ 18. Bh2 hxg4 19. g3 Qe7 20. Bd3 Bf5 $1 {
with the idea} 21. Bxe4 $2 Qxe4+ 22. Kg1 Qxc2 {.}) 15... Be6 16. b3 Qa5 {Black
now starts creating concrete problems, and the positions become extremely
sharp.} 17. Qe1 {Ponomariov considers this dubious, and had not even
considered it during the game. Indeed, the queen now steps onto the file of
the black rook, and this gives Black some additional tactical chances.} b5 $2 (
{Instead of this, Black can get a good game in two ways:} 17... Nd7 $5 18. Nd4
({The endgame is good for Black after} 18. Ne2 Qxe1 19. Raxe1 Ngf6 20. Nc3 Bg4
{.}) 18... Nh6 {:} 19. h3 f5 20. Rc1 (20. Rb1 Bf7) 20... Nc5 {.}) ({The other
route was offered by the Ukrainian GM:} 17... Bf5 {, when he provides the
lines:} 18. h3 $6 ({or} 18. Nd4 Qd8) 18... Qd8 {Ponomariov: 'after which White
has very serious problems with the e4 pawn. But such retreating moves are not
so easy for a human to see, especially when the queen has only recently come
from d8. Instead of this, I played another natural move, keeping the tension.'
This line might continue} 19. Rd1 Nxe4 20. Nxe4 Bxe4 21. Bxe4 Nf6 {.}) 18. c5
$2 ({Kramnik misses a good chance to consolidate his position with} 18. h3 $1 {
:}) 18... b4 19. Na4 Bc4 $2 {The critical moment of the game!} ({Ponomariov
saw the blow} 19... Nxe4 $1 {but for some reason discarded it. Black is better
in all lines:} 20. Bxe4 (20. Qxe4 Bxb3 21. axb3 Rxe4 22. Bxe4 Bxa1 23. Rxa1 {
Ponomariov: "I was afraid that I could lose all my queenside pawns and the
minor pieces would be stronger than the queen. But in reality, White has more
problems here, because of the bad position of his king. The computer suggests:}
dxc5 (23... Re8 $1 24. cxd6 (24. Bxc6 Re2 25. Nb6 $4 Nf2+ 26. Bxf2 Rxf2) 24...
Qd8 25. Bxc6 Re6 {with excellent play as the white king is not that well
protected.}) (23... Qc7) 24. Nxc5 Qc7 25. Nxb4 Qxf4 {Black is somewhat better
here."}) (20. Qxb4 Qxb4 21. Nxb4 Nxc5 {.}) 20... Bd5 21. Qxb4 Qxb4 22. Nxb4
Bxe4 23. Rae1 {with an unclear situation, in which Black is not worse.}) 20.
Qxb4 $1 {Kramnik has a great sense of danger, and here he immediately
understood that parting with the exchange is the lesser evil for him than
allowing Black to have the initiative with queens on the board. Now the
endgame is difficult for Black.} Qxb4 21. Nxb4 Bxf1 22. Rxf1 Nxe4 23. Nb6 $1
Ra7 {'!?' Ponomariov.} ({Black will have to return the exchange anyway:} 23...
dxc5 24. Nxc6 {.}) 24. cxd6 Nxd6 25. Bxc6 $1 {Kramnik has achieved what he
wanted. His endgame technique is legendary, and even though he faced one of
the greatest defenders in the world, he managed to crack his defense. Watch
out for such endgames, they are always very difficult for Black!} 1-0
