Nikolai Grigoriev

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This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.

Nikalai (Nikolay) Dmitrievich Grigoriev was a Russian chess player and a composer of endgame studies. He was born on 14 August 1895 in Moscow, and he died there in 1938.

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[edit] Playing career

Grigoriev was Moscow Champion four times: in 1921, 1922, 1923–24 and 1929. His playing career spanned from 1910 to 1929. He lost games to Alexander Alekhine (1915 and 1919) and Mikhail Botvinnik (1927); both would later become chess world champions.[1]

[edit] Composing career

Grigoriev composed more than 300 endgame studies.[2] He is especially noted for his prolific output of pawn endgames with only kings and pawns on the board, where he had no equal. In 1935, the French magazine La Stratégie organized a tourney for endgame studies with two pawns against one, and Grigoriev ran away with ten of the twelve awards.[3]

[edit] Example study 1

Grigoriev, 3rd prize, Shakhmat, 1928
Image:chess zhor 26.png
Image:chess zver 26.png a8 b8 c8 d8 e8 f8 g8 kl h8 Image:chess zver 26.png
a7 b7 c7 d7 e7 f7 g7 h7
a6 pd b6 pd c6 d6 e6 f6 g6 h6 pd
a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 f5 g5 h5
a4 b4 c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 h4 kd
a3 b3 c3 d3 pl e3 pl f3 g3 h3
a2 b2 c2 d2 e2 f2 g2 h2
a1 b1 c1 d1 e1 f1 g1 h1
Image:chess zhor 26.png
Diagram 1. White to move and win.

In Diagram 1, White wins as follows:

1.d4 Kg5
2.Kf7 Kf5
3.d5 Ke5
4.e4

Now Black can choose which of his three pawns he wishes to promote to a queen, but he loses no matter what.

4...a5
5.Ke7 a4
6.d6 a3
7.d7 a2
8.d8=Q a1=Q
9.Qh8+ wins the queen by a skewer.

If Black queens the b-pawn instead, the queen on b1 is captured after 9.Qd6+ Kxe4 10.Qg6+. If Black tries to get a queen on h1, it's gone after 9.Qd6+ Kxe4 10.Qc6+.[4]

[edit] Example study 2

Grigoriev, 1930
Image:chess zhor 26.png
Image:chess zver 26.png a8 b8 c8 d8 e8 f8 g8 h8 Image:chess zver 26.png
a7 pd b7 c7 d7 pd e7 f7 g7 h7
a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 f6 g6 h6
a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 f5 g5 h5
a4 b4 c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 h4
a3 kd b3 c3 d3 e3 f3 g3 h3
a2 b2 c2 d2 e2 f2 pl g2 h2 pl
a1 b1 c1 d1 e1 f1 g1 h1 kl
Image:chess zhor 26.png
Diagram 2. White to move and win.

In Diagram 2, White wins a pawn race through a beautiful repetitive maneuver:

1.f4

Threatens to queen on move 5 with check, after which the queen can stop Black's pawn if it advances to d2. Black's best defense is to try to chase the White pawn with his king.

1...Kb4
2.h4

The Black king cannot catch the h-pawn, so now Black must counterattack by advancing his d-pawn. Now if White plays 3.h5, Black will queen on d1 with check. So...

3.f5 Kc5
4.h5 d4

And the pattern repeats itself again:

5.f6 Kd6
6.h6 d3
7.f7 Ke7
8.h7 d2

Now, finally, White provides the coup de grace:

9. f8=Q+ Kxf8
10. h8=Q+ Ke7
11. Qd4 and White wins.[5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Nikolai Grigoriev at ChessGames.com
  2. ^ Article by Harold van der Heijden in EG (magazine). [1]
  3. ^ "Endgame Explorations 9: Grigoriev." Article by Noam Elkies, originally published in Chess Horizons. [2]
  4. ^ ChessCafe.com Endgame study 364. [3]
  5. ^ Irving Chernev. Practical Chess Endings, p. 80. New York: Dover, 1961. ISBN: 486-22208-X.

[edit] External links