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The concept of blockade was introduced by Aaron Nimzowitch in his famous book, MY SYSTEM, at the beginning of the century and remains an important part of middle game play to this day. The heart of this concept is based on a strong outpost [blockading square(s)], held by one, or at times by two pieces, that prevents the opponent’s pawns from moving forward. Such a situation often severely impairs the defender’s mobility.
As Nimzowitch wrote: “Frequently blockade takes over an entire complex of squares, and large areas of the board become more or less unavailable for free maneuvering. At times, the opponent’s position is completely paralyzed.”
This can be illustrated by the following position:
White has two Knights holding the e5 and d4 outposts. Not only does White’s material loss go unnoticed here, it even looks like Black is behind! Black’s entire army is incapacitated.
In many cases material is sacrificed in order to reach such a blockade. Blockade can provide both positional and tactical benefits. Many great attacks are built under the space advantage that blockade frequently provides. Let’s take a look at a few interesting games.
V. Rauzer - I. Pogrebyssky, Poltava 1927
In this important game (which decided the Ukraine Championship), 18 year-old Vsevolod Rauzer – the creator of the feared Rauzer Attack – was facing off against another talented player.
White holds a blockade on d4 and his pawns in the center have grabbed a significant chunk of space. Black is preparing ...Nc7-e6 (challenging d4) and an immediate f4-f5 may be met by Qd8-e7, attacking the e5-pawn.
White must secure the position of his Knight in order for his attack to be successful. In case White loses the blockade, Black will increase his counterplay in the center with ...d5-d4.
Rauzer, therefore, played…
1.b4!
The main enemy, the dark Bishop, is immediately challenged.
1...Bxb4
Other moves were not much better. If 1...Bxd4 2.Nxd4 Ne6, then 3.Nxe6! fxe6 4.Qh5! and, though White has lost his blockade, it’s justified by a lack of protection for Black’s King. If 4...g6, then 5.Bxg6+! hxg6? 6.Qxg6+ Kh8 7.Rf3 and White checkmates.
2.Qb1 Bc5 3.Bxh7+ Kh8
Black has suffered some damage to his castle, but kept his dark Bishop. Once again, ...Nc7-e6 is a threat. White, however, calculated further and takes advantage of the open position of opponent’s King.
4.Rf3 Ne6 5.Rh3!
White threatens Bh7-g8+ – his attack is worth much more than a piece.
5...Bxd4+ 6.Kh1!
The only move, White needs the f5-square for his Queen, so he doesn’t take the Bishop.
6...Re8
In case of 6...g6, White wins by 7.Bxg6+ Kg7 (or 7...Kg8 8.Bh7+ Kh8 9.Qf5 Ng7 10.Qg4) 8.Rh7+ Kg8 9.Qf5!.
7.Qf5! Ng5
If 7...Qd7, then 8.Qh5! is strong, or 7...Re7 8.Bg8+ Kxg8 9.Qh7+ Kf8 10.Qh8 checkmates.
8.fxg5, 1-0.
Blockade is often used in defense, when the blocking piece prevents the opponent’s pieces from advancing. While a Knight or a Bishop make a great blocking piece, a Queen is usually the worst. In the following example, young Capablanca brilliantly broke his opponent’s blockade and went on to win the game.
Capablanca - Korzo, Havana, 1902
Black’s Queen is holding off the entire army of White pieces. If given one more move, Black would play ...Bd7-e6 and effectively neutralize White’s center pawns.
Particularly dangerous is White’s dark Bishop, which is placed on the same diagonal as Black’s King. Capablanca sacrifices material in order to open the important diagonal.
28.e6! Bb5
In case of 28...Bxe6 29.Rxe6! Qxe6 30.d5+ wins at once.
29.Qxb5!
A beautiful move. White unlocks his Bishop by sacrificing his Queen!
29...Qxb5 30.d5+ Rg7 31.exf7 h6
As pointed out by Capablanca, after 31...Rf8 32.Nd4! Qxd5 33.Re8 Qxf7 34.Rxf8+ Qxf8 35.Nxf5 White wins material too.
32.Nd4 Qxf1!
Perhaps the least of all evils. Equally bad was 32...Qd7 33.Nxf5 Qxf7 34.Bxg7+ Kh7 35.Re7 and here 35...Qxd5 leads to a beautiful checkmate after 36.Be5+ Kg6 37.Rg7+ Kh5 38.Ng3+ Kh4 39.Rf4+! gxf4 40.Rg4, mate.
33.Rxf1 Rxf7 34.Rxf5
In the resulting ending, two minor pieces are much stronger than a Rook. White’s pieces coordinate their efforts to promote the d-pawn.
34...Rxf5 35.Nxf5+ Kh7 36.Ne7!
A very strong move that keeps Black’s King away from the d-pawn. Now the Rook is helpless to stop it.
36...Rf8 37.Kg2 h5 38.d6 g4
Black tries to push his g-pawn, perhaps hoping to get his Rook to f3 and then to d3.
39.hxg4 hxg4 40.Be5!
40...Kh6
Also too late is 40...Rf3 41.Nd5! Rd3 42.Nf6+ Kg6 43.d7 and Be5-c7 when White wins.
41.d7 Rd8 42.Ng8+!
A nice touch by Capalanca. Here 42...Kg6 meets 43.Nf6 and Be5-c7.
42...Rxg8 43.Bf6, 1-0.
At times, achieving a blockading position is part of a long-term strategy, as in the following game. In such cases a player spots a deficiency in the opponent’s pawn structure and starts rearranging his pieces in order to achieve a blockading position.
Mieses – Alekhine, Baden - Baden, 1925
White placed his pawns on dark squares while having a dark Bishop, thus undermining his Bishop’s strength. Black, to the contrary, has a majority of his pawns on light squares. Such a situation naturally gives Black some chances to take control over the light squares. Particularly attractive is the d5-square. If Black’s Knight is placed there, it will attack c3, as well as support the advance ...f6-f5-f4. Therefore…
19...Ne7! 20.Kf1
If White wants to stop ...Ne7-d5 by 20.d5, then 20...h5 and here 21.dxe6+ fxe6 22.c4 meets 22...bxc4 23.Nxc4 Nd5 24.Bd2 Rab8 with advantage to Black, as pointed out by Alekhine.
20...Kc6 21.Rb1Nd5 22.Ke1 h5
Black blocked opponent’s pawns and controls light squares in the center. Alekhine now starts expansion on the Kingside, trying to open files and diagonals for his pieces.
23.Ng2
If 23.h4, Black plays 23...Nxe3 24.Bxe3 Kd5 followed by ...Kc4, ...Rg8-g4 and ...f6-f5-f4.
23...Rae8 24.Be3 f5 25.Kd2?
This move loses faster, but even after the better 25.Kf1 Reg8 and ...Rg8-g4, Black would eventually prepare ...f5-f4.
25...h4!
A nice little tactic that gives Black an open file. Here both gxh4 and Nxf4 lose a piece to ...f5-f4.
26.Kd3
Alekhine gives 26.Rg1 Reg8 27.Rbb1 h3! 28.Nf4 Bxf4 29.Bxf4 Nxf4 30.gxf4 Rg2! and Black has a winning ending.
26...hxg3 27.hxg3 Rh2 28.Nh4
Also leading to a loss of material is 28.Rg1 Rg8! 29.Rbb1 Bxg3! 30.fxg3 Rxg3 and Black wins.
28...Bxg3 29.Nf3 Rg2 30.Ne1 Rg1
Black is up a pawn and has a winning attack on top of that. White resisted for a few more moves.
31.Re2 Bd6 32.Rc1 Rh8!
The last piece enters the action and the game is immediately over.
33.Nf3 Rxc1 34.Bxc1 Rh3, 0-1.
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