Having way too many queens
A standard question asked of new students by their instructors is: How many queens could each side possibly have during a single game? This tests their understanding that every pawn theoretically can become a queen. Since players start with a queen to begin with, the answer sought is nine, of course. You might wonder if, in fact, a real game could actually be played in which all the pawns did end up queening. The answer is yes. Bloggers, with active imaginations and time to burn, have even created theoretical games in which all 18 queens have been present on the board at the same time. The move sequences leading to this, though, are truly head- shakingly ridiculous.
In real games, it is rare to find even several queens in play. Most of the time when a large number does occur, it happens because a diehard who is being badly beaten refuses to resign. His foe turns sadistic and starts queening pawns; he aims to humiliate his opponent before mating him. Searching through my multi- million game database, I found fewer than a few hundred games containing positions with more than four queens. Nearly all were unnecessary, played by somewhat sadistic lowerrated players “teaching” their foes lessons.
Queens are so powerful that even one or two extra on a board can create incalculable complexities. In serious tournament play, two queens per side is plenty challenging. One of the more memorable games in history containing this situation was played in the 1959 Candidates Tournament by 16year- old Bobby Fischer against then- future World Champion Tigran Petrosian. In the game, with this column, Petrosian, known for his great defensive abilities, scooted his king down the board to escape Fischer’s queens.
Game of the week
Bobby Fischer- Tigran Petrosian Candidates Tournament Belgrade, Yugoslavia April 10, 1959
1. e4 c6( A) 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3( B) Bg4 4. h3 Bxf3 5. Qxf3 Nf6 6. d3 e6( C) 7. g3 Bb4 8. Bd2( D) d4 9. Nb1 Bxd2+ 10. Nxd2 e5 11. Bg2 c5 12.0– 0 Nc6 13. Qe2( E) Qe7 14. f4 0– 0– 0 15. a3 Ne8 16. b4 cxb4( F) 17. Nc4 f6 18. fxe5 fxe5 19. axb4 Nc7 20. Na5 Nb5 21. Nxc6 bxc6( G) 22. Rf2 g6 23. h4 Kb7 24. h5 Qxb4( H) 25. Rf7+ Kb6 26. Qf2 a5 27. c4( I) Nc3 28. Rf1 a4 29. Qf6 Qc5( J) 30. Rxh7 Rdf8 31. Qxg6 Rxh7 32. Qxh7 Rxf1+ 33. Bxf1 a3( K) 34. h6 a2 35. Qg8 a1( Q) 36. h7 Qd6( L) 37. h8( Q)( M) Qa7 38. g4( N) Kc5( O) 39. Qf8 Qae7 40. Qa8 Kb4 41. Qh2 Kb3( P) 42. Qa1 Qa3 43. Qxa3+ Kxa3 44. Qh6 Qf7 45. Kg2 Kb3 46. Qd2 Qh7 47. Kg3?( Q) Qxe4! 48. Qf2( R) Qh1( S)½ – ½
A) The clash of styles starts immediately. Fischer constantly sought the most rationally aggressive continuations. Petrosian, known as the “Iron Tiger” had established a reputation for being a solid, almost unbeatable player. So, he answer’s Fischer’s first move with the super- solid Caro- Kann Defense. B) The 2- Knight’s Variation. C) Note Black’s impenetrable pawn structure. D) 8. Bg2? d4 9. a3 Qa5 advantage to Black; for instance, 10. axb4 Qxa1 11. Ne2 e5. E) In this closed set- up, White prepares for f4, a reversed King’s Indian sequence. F) White is working on undermining Black’s central pawn formation. G) Fischer has opened up Petrosian’s Queenside, but he is playing with a totally blocked- in King’s Bishop. H) Fischer allowed this to open up lines. Petrosian was happy to grab a pawn. I) The d4- pawn is pinned. J) 29... Qd6 seems to give Black a good ending should the queens trade. K) It appears that Black’s a- pawn will decide matters, but Fischer has his own advance on the h- file. L) 36... Ne2+ 37. Kf2 Nxg3 allows a perpetual check: 38. Qb8+ Ka6 39. Qc8+ Ka7 40. Qc7+ Ka6 41. Qc8+ Kb6 42. Qb8+ and so on. M) The 4- Queens have arrived, permitting more maneuvers than can be analyzed in detail, especially over the board. N) To try to use his extra pawn, but there is too much danger for that. O) Hiding his King in the c5 pocket. P) Amazingly, Petrosian’s King guards himself from the White queen. Q) Fischer misses a combinational trick. R) 48. dxe4?? Nxe4+ 49. Kh3 Nxd2 50. Bg2 e4 winning. S) It was said that Petrosian was tired after this difficult struggle, so he agreed to draw though his position is somewhat better.