29. The chain - lock

Lewina - Wanders

White has ideal conditions for chain-locking her opponent. There are many pieces behind piece 22, that can be locked up. Black doesn’t have formations to break the chain.

1.32 – 28! 11 – 16

Black responds to the threat 27 – 21 17 x 37 28 x 6 W+1.

2.38 – 32 9 – 13

3.42 – 38 13 – 19

Black is building the formation 10/14/19 to be able to get rid of piece 28. White sees this plan and is taking precautions.

4.35 – 30! 4 – 10

5.30 – 25!

With the idea to answer 19 – 23 6.28 x 19 14 x 23 by 7.25 – 20 15 x 24 8.34 – 29 23 x 34 9.40 x 20. White gets a piece at 15 which will go to king with a little help from the other pieces.

5 … 1-6

6. 46 – 41 19 – 23

Black has no real choice. For example: 6… 8 – 13 7.34 – 29! With the lethal threat 29 – 23 +.

7.28 x 19 14 x 23

8.25 – 20 15 x 24

9.34 – 29 23 x 34

10.40 x 20 8 – 13

11.41 – 37 2 – 8

12.33 – 29!

With the threat 20 -15 10 – 14 29 – 23 18 x 29 27 x 20 +.

Black can’t get rid of the piece at 20: 12 … 10 – 14 13.20 x 9 13 x 4 is answered by the shot 14.29 – 23! 18 x 29 15.27 x 18 12 x 23 16.38 – 33 29 x 27 17.31 x 13 +.

The next game between two young players shows that in the opening of a game the chain lock can be dangerous already.

1.32 – 28 18 – 22

2.37 – 32 13 – 18

It is better to play towards the centre with 12 – 18 7 – 12 and 1 – 7.

3.41 – 37 9 – 13

4.46 – 41 4 - 9

5.34 – 30 20 – 24

After 5 moves black’s position is strategically lost! White uses the chain lock to freeze out his opponent.

6.32 – 27! 14 – 20

7.30 – 25

White checked if there wasn’t a shot for black, but there isn’t.

7… 10 – 14

White should anticipate blacks next move 24 – 29 x 29.

8.38 – 32!

White builds the formation 28/32/37 to punish the 24 – 29 x 29 exchange. Waiting doesn’t help black, because after 5 – 10 9.43 – 38 the situation hasn’t really changed.

8… 24 – 29

9.33 x 24 20 x 29

7.28 – 23 19 x 28

8.32 x 34

White won a piece.

Black has locked the white centre with the chain 17/22019/23. White wants to get rid of the chain lock. White succeeds to break black’s chain and chain-locking black himself !

1.34 – 29! 23 x 34

2.40 x 20 15 x 24

3.32 – 27!

With a very good position for white.

Black changed:

1… 24 – 29

2.33 x 24 20 x 40

Usually it makes sense to capture backwards in a classical game in order to keep enough moves (for the last temp). In this situation taking forwards is recommended, because white can use the chain lock to take control over the position.

3.45 x 34! 15 – 20

4.39 – 33! 7 – 12

Black couldn’t play the natural move 20 – 24, because of a king shot: 34 – 29 23 x 34 28 – 23 19 x 39 38 – 33 39 x 28 32 x 1 21 x 41 36 x 47 W+.

5.33 – 29!

Blacks chain lock is very strong. For example: 5… 20 – 25 6.35 – 30 21 – 26 7.37 – 31 26 x 37 8.42 x 31 and 27 – 22 wins a piece at the next move.

Black to move has a semi-fork. He sees a nice opportunity to put his opponent in a chain lock.

1… 13 – 19!!

Allowing the lock loses after 2.38 – 32 19 – 23 3.40 – 34 2 – 7 4.36 – 31 7 – 11 5.31 – 26 12 – 17 6.32 – 27 17 – 22 and white is frozen out.

White thought he could escape from getting locked by 2.29 – 23 18 x 29 3.39 – 34 19 – 23 4.34 – 30 = but he was surprised by

2.29 – 23 19 x 28

3.33 x 13 2 – 8!!

4.13 x 2 20 – 25

5. 2 x 30 25 x 32

White surrendered.

C 29.1

C 29.2

C 29.3

C 29.4

F 29.5

C 29.6

C 29.7

C 29.8