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King playing on rows 2,3 or 6,7

King playing on rows 2,3 or 6,7

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I have found that while moving a king toward the front line still seems completely unorthodox to me, it is NOT ineffective at all.

I am still self taught, so I don't plan on tackling a strategy like this any time soon.

Can those of you who are chess scholars explain why this is so effective?

(I will look for a good example.)

1 edit
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I don't have an example at hand, but the king is a chess PIECE along with all of the other pieces.


As long as moving the king off your back rank doesn't expose it to mating attacks, or checks that are tactically damaging to you, then you may use it as another attacking piece.

As a general rule, you want to use the king as an attacking piece only in the endgame. So if the queens and a couple of other pieces have been traded off get your king out! A good rule of thumb is that if you are in an endgame, look to trade off the rest of your pieces if your king is more active than your opponents.

In a k&p v k&p game the more active king will normally win.

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Originally posted by nihilismor
I have found that while moving a king toward the front line still seems completely unorthodox to me, it is NOT ineffective at all.

I am still self taught, so I don't plan on tackling a strategy like this any time soon.

Can those of you who are chess scholars explain why this is so effective?

(I will look for a good example.)
Effective how? An example would definitely help.

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I have a book I tried to read but found way over my head. It is King Power in Chess, and in it goes throug how to use the king for defence of attacking pieces. And the like. I radn into trouble with this as I was getting into situations where my king would be supporting a piece on instant then have that piece pinned to the king a move latter. I am doing no justice for the book but I did realize that the king can play an active role in a game.

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The king as an attacking piece ...

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1124533

I defy you to find a better example!

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Nigel Short at it again

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1070263

although it was a rapidplay game and it's not quite as blatant as the previous example

1 edit
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Originally posted by JonathanB of London
The king as an attacking piece ...

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1124533

I defy you to find a better example!
This is a good one.

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1.e4c5
2.Nf3d6
3.d4cxd4
4.Nxd4Nf6
5.Nc3g6
6.f4Nc6
7.Nxc6bxc6
8.e5Nd7
9.exd6exd6
10.Be3Be7
11.Qf3d5
12.O-O-OBf6
13.Bd4O-O
14.h4Rb8
15.Qf2Rb4
16.Bxf6Nxf6
17.a3Qb6
18.Qxb6Rxb6
19.Na4Rb7
20.Bd3Nh5
21.Rhf1Re7
22.f5gxf5
23.Rfe1Rfe8
24.Rxe7Rxe7
25.Kd2Ng3
26.Kc3f4
27.Kd4Bf5
28.Rd2Re6
29.Nc5Rh6
30.Ke5Bxd3
31.cxd3Rxh4
32.Kd6Rh6
33.Kc7Nf5
34.Kb7Nd4
35.Rf2a5
36.Rxf4Ne6
37.Rg4Kf8
38.Kxc6Nxc5
39.Kxc5Re6
40.Kxd5Rb6
41.b4axb4
42.axb4Ke7
43.Kc5Rf6
44.Rd4Rf5
45.Kb6Rf6
46.Kc7Rf5
47.Re4Kf6
48.Kc6Rf2
49.g4h5
50.gxh5Kg5
51.b5f5
52.Rb4f4
53.b6f3
54.b7

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      1 edit
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      Originally posted by JonathanB of London
      The king as an attacking piece ...

      http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1124533

      I defy you to find a better example!
      Petrosian with a nice king march against Fischer.

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      1.e4c6
      2.Nc3d5
      3.Nf3Bg4
      4.h3Bxf3
      5.Qxf3Nf6
      6.d3e6
      7.g3Bb4
      8.Bd2d4
      9.Nb1Bxd2
      10.Nxd2e5
      11.Bg2c5
      12.O-ONc6
      13.Qe2g5
      14.Nf3h6
      15.h4Rg8
      16.a3Qe7
      17.hxg5hxg5
      18.Qd2Nd7
      19.c3O-O-O
      20.cxd4exd4
      21.b4Kb8
      22.Rfc1Nce5
      23.Nxe5Qxe5
      24.Rc4Rc8
      25.Rac1g4
      26.Qb2Rgd8
      27.a4Qe7
      28.Rb1Ne5
      29.Rxc5Rxc5
      30.bxc5Nxd3
      31.Qd2Nxc5
      32.Qf4Qc7
      33.Qxg4Nxa4
      34.e5Nc5
      35.Qf3d3
      36.Qe3d2
      37.Bf3Na4
      38.Qe4Nc5
      39.Qe2a6
      40.Kg2Ka7
      41.Qe3Rd3
      42.Qf4Qd7
      43.Qc4b6
      44.Rd1a5
      45.Qf4Rd4
      46.Qh6b5
      47.Qe3Kb6
      48.Qh6Ne6
      49.Qe3Ka6
      50.Be2a4
      51.Qc3Kb6
      52.Qe3Nc5
      53.Bf3b4
      54.Qh6Ne6
      55.Qh8Qd8
      56.Qh7Qd7
      57.Qh8b3
      58.Qb8Ka5
      59.Qa8Kb5
      60.Qb8Kc4
      61.Qg8Kc3
      62.Bh5Nd8
      63.Bf3a3
      64.Qf8Kb2
      65.Qh8Ne6
      66.Qa8a2
      67.Qa5Qa4
      68.Rxd2Ka3

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          have found that while moving a king toward the front line still seems completely unorthodox to me, it is NOT ineffective at all.

          I am still self taught, so I don't plan on tackling a strategy like this any time soon.

          Can those of you who are chess scholars explain why this is so effective?


          It is always risky to try this, because if the king is closer to the center and your opponent's pieces his attacking (sacrificial) possibilities are amplified. the Short-Timman game and Fischer-Petrosian game both have the player with the king march completely dominating the position. I would definitely say that's a prerequisite.

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          Originally posted by JonathanB of London
          The king as an attacking piece ...

          http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1124533

          I defy you to find a better example!
          Tarrasch - Reti is ofcourse also a great example.

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          1.e4c6
          2.Nc3d5
          3.Nf3Nf6
          4.exd5cxd5
          5.d4Bg4
          6.h3Bxf3
          7.Qxf3e6
          8.Bd3Nc6
          9.Be3Be7
          10.O-OO-O
          11.a3a6
          12.Ne2b5
          13.Bf4Qb6
          14.c3Na5
          15.Rad1Nc4
          16.Bc1Qc6
          17.Ng3a5
          18.Rfe1b4
          19.axb4axb4
          20.Nf5exf5
          21.Rxe7bxc3
          22.bxc3g6
          23.Bh6Nb2
          24.Rb1Nxd3
          25.Qxd3Rfb8
          26.Rxb8Rxb8
          27.Qg3Rd8
          28.Qe5Ra8
          29.Rc7Qe6
          30.Qxe6fxe6
          31.Rg7Kh8
          32.Re7Kg8
          33.f3Ne8
          34.Kh2Nd6
          35.Rg7Kh8
          36.Rd7Nb5
          37.Kg3Nxc3
          38.Kf4Nb5
          39.Ke5Re8
          40.Kf6

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              1 edit
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              Two fantastic games back to back there.
              The concept of using the King to shepherd home the pawns with
              with the major* pieces still on the board is sheer brilliance.
              And consider who was White. Petrosian at his peak.

              And my hero, Tarrasch, showing us how to use a King.

              In Reinfeld's book on Tarrasch (his best book) he preface's the
              above game with this study by Troitzky.

              White to play and win.

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              Fred does not give the year of Troitzky composed study.
              The game was played in Vienna 1922 and won a brillo prize.
              The study was composed in.....? (Swiss Gambit - please).

              Tarrasch's wonderful instructive play, Reinfeld's ( & Tarrasch's) notes,
              make Tarrasch's Best Games in my opinion, one of the finest
              collection of best games ever written.

              *The Queen and Rook are often referred to as the Major pieces.
              The Bishop and Knight, the Minor pieces.

              1 edit
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              Originally posted by greenpawn34
              Two fantastic games back to back there.
              The concept of using the King to shepherd home the pawns with
              with the major* pieces still on the board is sheer brilliance.
              And consider who was White. Petrosian at his peak.

              And my hero, Tarrasch, showing us how to use a King.

              In Reinfeld's book on Tarrasch (his best book) he preface's the
              above game wi Rook are often referred to as the Major pieces.
              The Bishop and Knight, the Minor pieces.
              1895? Not sure, I have seen it given as several similar positions, the following looking the most plausible as the one composed by Troitzky:

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              SwissGambit will probably know more.

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              Originally posted by greenpawn34
              Two fantastic games back to back there.
              The concept of using the King to shepherd home the pawns with
              with the major* pieces still on the board is sheer brilliance.
              And consider who was White. Petrosian at his peak.

              And my hero, Tarrasch, showing us how to use a King.

              In Reinfeld's book on Tarrasch (his best book) he preface's the
              above game wi ...[text shortened]... Rook are often referred to as the Major pieces.
              The Bishop and Knight, the Minor pieces.
              Now thats beautiful.

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              Originally posted by heinzkat
              1895? Not sure, I have seen it given as several similar positions, the following looking the most plausible as the one composed by Troitzky:

              [fen]5k2/4p2p/6P1/3K4/8/4B3/8/8 w - -[/fen]

              SwissGambit will probably know more.
              This is the correct position. My source gives the year 1895.

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              I can't recall ever seeing that problem before, but that is fantastic!

              1 edit
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              Originally posted by JonathanB of London
              The king as an attacking piece ...

              http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1124533

              I defy you to find a better example!
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              1.e4Nf6
              2.e5Nd5
              3.d4d6
              4.Nf3g6
              5.Bc4Nb6
              6.Bb3Bg7
              7.Qe2Nc6
              8.O-OO-O
              9.h3a5
              10.a4dxe5
              11.dxe5Nd4
              12.Nxd4Qxd4
              13.Re1e6
              14.Nd2Nd5
              15.Nf3Qc5
              16.Qe4Qb4
              17.Bc4Nb6
              18.b3Nxc4
              19.bxc4Re8
              20.Rd1Qc5
              21.Qh4b6
              22.Be3Qc6
              23.Bh6Bh8
              24.Rd8Bb7
              25.Rad1Bg7
              26.R8d7Rf8
              27.Bxg7Kxg7
              28.R1d4Rae8
              29.Qf6Kg8
              30.h4h5
              31.Kh2Rc8
              32.Kg3Rce8
              33.Kf4Bc8
              34.Kg5

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                  The usual quoted game for King marches is Alekhine-Yates, 1922, but this example is more impressive, because all the heavy pieces are still on the board.

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