The Eighth Seal:

Queen and Rook on the Eighth Rank

The principles of queen and rook cooperation on the eighth rank have similarities to those of Queen and Rook on the Open Rook File but there are also some significant differences. While in both cases the task of the attacker is easier when the queen is behind the rook the reason is slightly different.

When the Q and R work on the rook file it many times happens that the defending king does not make it to the center of the board and it is mated without the queen or rook having to leave the rook file.

This is not the case in the subject matter of the current essay.

When the heavy pieces attack on the eighth rank the king usually makes it through its own pawn chain and one of the pieces, usually the queen, has to go back to the center and chase the fleeting king.

What I am talking about will become clear with the following basic yet charming example.

* chessbug@chessbug.com

 

 

Geller - Tukmakov, Moscow 1983

35 Rh8+ Kg6 (The king gets through the pawn chain) 36 Qg3+ (The queen has to retreat in order to win) Kh5 37 Qg5#

 

 

A more complicated maneuver appears in Tartakower - Reti, Vienna (I found this position in a book by Du Mont but I did not find it in my other resources so if you have more accurate information please   e-mail Chessbug and we will put a correction). In return for having his queen and rook on the eighth Black allowed White to promote a second queen. With his queen remaining on the eighth Black will not be able to get more than a perpetual check.

 

 

Reti found an ingenious way to put the queen behind the rook. 1…Qh1+ 2 Kg3 Qe1+ 3 Kh2 (on 3 Bf2 or 3 Qf2 Qe5+ wins immediately) Qe5+ 4 Qg3 (or 4 g3 Bd5 5 Qxd1 Qb2+ and Black mates).

 

 

4…Qa1! The more prosaic 4…Rh1+ would probably win too but this is more elegant and quick. Black has time to finish the queen’s maneuver because the knight at f6 holds his king’s position. If White tries 5 Qe3 then comes Rh1+ 6 Kg3 Nh5+ 7 Kf3 Qd1+ 8 Ke4 Qd5# so White pins the black knight to the defense 5 Qd6 Rh1+ 6 Kg3 Qc3+ 0-1 The black queen has  done the “traditional” retreat to the center and the white king will soon be mated.

When each side has only a queen and a rook the attacking side will usually need the help of his pawns or even king in order to “catch” the defending king. In the following example Black would not be able to win the game were it not for the help of his pawns.

 

Nimzowitsch – Capablanca, New-York 1927

White has just played Rd3-f3 in order to defend against …Rf1. It is clear though that the white queen and rook have no moves on the f file. This immobility gives Black a winning edge. 44…Rd1! As you will see soon this is actually a waiting-move. Let us consider White’s options at this point. If 45 Re3 then 45…Rf1 wins the f4 pawn and the game. If 44 Rb3 then 44…Qe4. So the rook cannot move. If 44 Qe3 (the only queen move that guards d4) then 44…Rg1+ wins. So neither the queen nor the rook can move. If 44 Kh4 then Rd2! 45 Qxd2 Qxf3 and on 44 Kh3 Rd2 45 Qg3 h4! wins for black (note how important are the black pawns in these variations). So neither the king nor the queen nor the rook can move. 44 h3 Rg1+ 45 Kh4 Rg4# (like in the Geller - Tukmakov example). So there is only one move left for White… 45 b3 but now we see why Black’s last move was just a waiting move 45…Rc1! Now White is in a Zugzwang. You may work the lines yourself as an exercise – most of them are pretty similar to the last note. The only difference is that the white queen has a few more options because it does not have to guard the pawn on d4. 46 Qe2 Rc2! 47 Qxc2 h4+! (That pawn again) 48 Kxh4 Qxf3 49 h3 Qxf4# or 46 Qd2 h4+ 47 Kxh4 Qxf3. 46 Re3 Rf1 0-1 47 Qe2 Qg1+ -+.

As we saw in the last example a lot is based on the immobilization of the defending queen and rook. A similar motif appeared in the game Spassky – Tal, Riga 1958

First White ties Black’s heavy pieces with 57 Rc8! This move takes c7 from the black queen’s control and if the queen moves to a7 or b7 then 58 Qd8# follows. If 57…Qd6 then 58 Re8+ and 59 Rd8+ wins. The king obviously cannot move and if the rook goes to c6 then 58 Qf8+ Kf6 (Ke6 59 Re8+ will lead to the same position) 59 Rd8 Qc7 60 Qh8+ Ke7 61 Re8+ Kd7 62 Re5 so Black is forced to play 57…Rd6 The black heavy pieces are restricted behind the d5 pawn in a similar fashion to how the white rook and queen were confined on the f file in the Nimzowitsch – Capablanca game. It was now time for White to bring his pawns into action and give the deadly blow, as shown by Chekhover. 58 g4! Will lead to either of two main lines 58…Re6 59 g5 (threatens mate in one) Rc6 60 Qf8+ Ke6 61 Re8+ Kf5 

 

 

62 Re7 Rc2+ 63 Kg3 Qd6+ 64 Re5+ +-

 

 

 

 

The second option is 58…hxg4 59 Qf8+ Kf6 60 fxg4

 

 

and now 60…Re6 61 Rc3 (the thematic retreat to the center in order to mate the king) Re4 62 Rf3+ Ke6 63 g5 or 60..Rc6 (to prevent the retreat of the rook) 61 Re8 Rc2+ 62 Kf3 (the white king joins the attack) Rc3+ 63 Kf4 Qc7+ 64 Re5! And black will have to give material to prevent g5# What amazing variations!

 

By now the reader may ask “how come a world class player like Spassky missed 58 g4 when it was the thematic continuation to his 57 Rc8?” In my opinion, the answer is that the Spassky – Tal position was less closed than the Nimzowitsch – Capablanca game that we saw earlier. Therefore rolling his pawns forward may be risky so Spassky ruled it out or decided to wait. Actually the position is so double edged that after Spassky decided to give another check with his queen the assessment changes from “White wins” to “a draw” 

Let us go back to the game and see how the assessment changes.

 

58 Qf8+? Kf6 now after 59 g4 Re6 60 g5+ Kf5 the black king will make it not only through his own pawn chain but also through White’s pawns and there will be no more attacking possibilities. 59 Re8 Re6 60 Qh8+ Kf5 61 Qh6 Kf6 62 Qh8+ Kf5 White has no option to add his pawns or king to the attack and the game should be drawn. In reality Spassky went on trying until he ended up losing the game.

In summation when a queen and a rook attack on the eighth rank the defender will try to extricate his king through his own pawn chain and up the board. The attacker will then have to retreat with the queen or rook or use his pawns to restrict the fleeing king. The last theme may prove risky because with your queen and rook in the enemy’s camp and your pawns rolling forward your own king becomes vulnerable.

 

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