A fragment from the book by Y. Kirillov ‘Искусство защиты’. Part 63

29.07.2026

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. 316 White have to agree on a draw! 1.ED2 (the only move) FG5 2.HF6 EG5 3.FE5 DC7 4.AB2 CB6 5.ED6 GF4 6.EG5 HF4 7.DE7 FE3 8.DF4 BD2 9.СЕЗ АС1, draw! Everybody who plays Kukuyev’s gambit has to know this position!

	Diagram No. 317 Black, having tied up white’s left flank, forced them to play cautiously! 1.GF2!! (the only move) GF6! /the best move/ (It is possible to play 1… DC7 2.FG3 GF6 3.GF4 EG3 4.HF2 FE5 5.FG3 ED4 6.CE5 DD2 7.BB8 DE1 8.GH4! (the best move) EC3 9.AB4 CB2 10.BC5 BA3 11.BD6 AB4, draw) 2.FG3 DE7!! (the best move) 3.GF4 EG3 4.HF2 FG5!! (the only move) 5.HF4 EF6! 6.FG3 FG7 7.GH4 GH6. Draw!! Everything is easy when you know this method!

	Diagram No. 318 White were convinced that their position was better, however, unfortunately, they have to think about draw. 1.FG3 HF2 2.EG3 (the only move) GF6 3.GF2 FG5 4.FE5 GF4!! 5.EF6 EG5 6.GE5 DC7 7.FE3 GH4 8.ED6 CE5 9.EF4, draw.

	Diagram No. 319 White are surrounded, but tgey managed to find a great defence! 1.FG3 HF2 2.EG3 AB2!! 3.CA1 BA5 4.AB2 AB4 5.DC3!! The easiest draw! BD2 6.CE1 FG5 7.DC5 GE3 8.EF6 GE5 9.CD6! Draw.

	Diagram No. 320 In a bad position white found a defence by sacrificing a piece. 1.HG3! EF6 2.GF4 FD4 3.BC3!! DB2 4.AC3 BD2 5.EC3 CD6 6.FE3 GF6 7.CD4! Draw.