GM Master Class: Potkin,V BB-BN Ending

Here is a wonderful game by GM Potkin,V from recent Bundesliga action.

GM Vladimir Potkin of Russia

Photo Chessbase Aeroflot 2010

Bio Wikipedia Vladimir_Potkin

'Vladimir Potkin (Russian: Владимир Поткин; born 28 June 1982) is a Russian chess Grandmaster (2001). 

• 2007 he tied for 1st–9th with Alexei Fedorov, Andrei Deviatkin, Aleksej Aleksandrov, Viacheslav Zakhartsov, Alexander Evdokimov, Denis Khismatullin, Evgeny Tomashevsky and Sergei Azarov in the Aratovsky Memorial in Saratov.[1]
• 2011, in Aix-les-Bains, he won the European Individual Chess Championship with 8½/11.'

This was a very instructive example of the bishop pair in an ending. The game was devoid of sharp tactical blows and big attacks so will likely not catch the interest of the chess public.

The BB-BN phase can be divided into smaller steps for ease of study.

• Driving back the strong Ne4
• A general advance on the kingside(37.g4 etc)
• Fixing the kingside(45.g5)-Massaging down the queenside(48.a4) to create a queenside target-the a6 pawn.
• Clearing out the center for the bishops to roam(54.e4).
• Tying black's king down to the g6 pawn(61.Bc2)
• Sending the king to the queenside to infiltrate via the c-file and dark squares while black's king is tied to the kingside(Ke3-d2-c3-c4-c5-b6!).
• Winning the a-pawn(76.Kxa6) and then promoting the b-pawn.

Potkin,V (2663) - Gonda,L (2528)
4.e3 g6 Schlecter Slav[D10]
Bundesliga 2012–13 Baden Baden GER (6), 09.12.2012

Critical Position
Black has just challenged the cramping e5 pawn with 32...f6. How should white continue?

White to Play

32...f6