Attack Together with Paul Keres, Part Five

Attack Together with Paul Keres, Part Five

Attacking in the Style of Keres’ Games, Part Five

Before we begin with today’s article, I would like to offer readers direct links to the previous parts in this series:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

In this installment, I have selected two remarkable games played by Keres against two prominent names from Soviet chess history. The central theme remains the same: attacking the king when both sides have castled on the same wing.

In the first game, Keres faced an opponent renowned for his own attacking style. Playing Black, he chose an aggressive opening—the Dutch Defence—hoping to seize the initiative. Keres responded by striking in the centre, a method we have seen in previous articles and one that was a hallmark of his style. His dynamic central counterplay soon yielded the better position. When Black sacrificed a pawn in search of counterplay, Keres initiated a direct attack against the opposing king, employing a thematic sacrifice of his own. The execution was swift and precise.

Let us take a closer look at this fascinating encounter.

Keres demonstrated impeccable control throughout this game, never allowing his opponent even the slightest chance to turn the tide.

In the second game, Keres faced another titan of Soviet—and later world—chess. For those familiar with the classics, the name Efim Geller needs no introduction. Although Geller was still young at the time this game was played, he had already established himself as a formidable competitor in the Soviet Championships.

Playing into Keres’s preferred opening—the Ruy Lopez—Geller introduced a novelty, not at the moment Keres anticipated, but somewhat later. (As with all the games I annotate for my blog, the commentary offers a perspective distinct from what has previously been published.) Keres responded correctly and achieved a roughly equal position. However, driven by his inherently aggressive nature, Geller pursued the attack at all costs. This led to an overestimation of his chances, and at a critical moment, Keres sacrificed a piece to seize the initiative. The ensuing attack was both rapid and deadly.

This game deserves a thorough, detailed analysis.

Another brilliant accomplishment by Paul Keres.

As for the player with the White pieces—Efim Petrovich Geller—he certainly merits special attention. His creative legacy deserves a deeper and more comprehensive study. Although he published a book containing selected annotated games, I believe that much remains to be explored. There is a wealth of instructive material in his play that aspiring players can greatly benefit from.

Looking ahead, I plan to devote a future series of articles first to Bronstein, and subsequently to Geller. Both were exceptional players—and naturally, brilliant attackers.
But that will come only after I complete this series on Keres. There is still more to follow…

To be continued...