A fragment from the book by Y. Kirillov ‘Искусство защиты’. Part 61

14.05.2026

Sometimes it seems that the position is already ‘impossible to save’, after a while you will have to give up, but there is the only plan that still leads to a cherished draw.

The art of defense in the draughts game is certainly one of the indicators of the player’s skill. We express our gratitude to Yuri Kirillov for the book of paradoxically drawish positions ‘Искусство защиты’. Perhaps in this book you will find the game that was ‘not saved’.


	Diagram No. 306 Black are in a strong position and white need to find a way to defend in order to secure a draw! 1.DC3!! GF4 2.CD4 EC3 3.GE5 DE7 4.FE3 EF6 5.EG7 HF8 6.EF2!! AB6! (If 6… FE7, then 7.GH2! Draw.) 7.AB4 CB2 8.BC5 BD4 9.EC5, a draw!

	Diagram No. 307 (black to move) Black have come up with an excellent plan to secure a draw. 1… CB6!! (the only move) 2.AC5 BC7!! 3.CB6! CC3 4.FE5 FD4 5.EC5 CB2 (the only move) 6.CD6 EC5 7.GF4, a draw.

	Diagram No. 308 White have found a great piece sacrifice! 1.AB4! (the only move) CA3 2.ED4 FG5 3.FE3 DE7 4.EF2!! AB2 5.DC5 DB4 6.AA1 CD6 7.AB2 EF6 8.GH2 FE5 9.HG3 ED4! Draw.

	Diagram No. 309 1.EF2!! GH6! 2.FE3 EF4 3.EG5 HF4 4.CD4 BA3 5.GF2 BC7 6.DC5 CD6 7.AB6 DB4 8.BC7 BC3! 9.DB4 AC5 10.CD8 FG3! Draw.

	Diagram No. 310 White are in the centre and they have all chances to win! 1.DC5!! AB6!! A great move! 2.CE7 FD6 3.BA5 DE5!! Draw. Easy, when you make a draw!