Hedgehog fund

The Hedgehog is a respected chess formation, usually adopted as Black, where the defender crouches behind a wall of pawns on the third rank, spines abristle, fending off any hostile aggression until the time comes to unfurl and deploy the fretful porpentine’s armoury in earnest. Since the Hedgehog is essentially a defensive ploy, it is hardly seen as White, but in the elite Dortmund tournament last month former world champion Vladimir Kramnik demonstrated that it can also be adapted for a White offensive. In the following game White’s 22nd move constitutes one of the most astounding coups I have ever seen on the chessboard. It certainly had the effect of knocking the solid and experienced former world title challenger, grandmaster Peter Leko, entirely off his balance.
 
Kramnik-Leko; Dortmund 2013; English Opening
 
1 c4 c5 2 g3 g6 3 Bg2 Bg7 4 Nc3 Nc6 5 Nf3 d6 6 0-0 e6 7 b3 At Dortmund Kramnik, with White, favoured the fianchetto of both bishops. For example Kramnik-Fridman saw 1 c4 e6 2 Nf3 d5 3 b3 Nf6 4 g3 Be7 5 Bg2 0-0 6 0-0 c5 7 Bb2. 7 … Nge7 8 Bb2 0-0 9 e3 e5 10 d3 h6 11 a3 Be6 12 Nd2 d5 13 cxd5 Nxd5 14 Rc1 Nde7 15 Nc4 Rb8 16 Qe2 b6 The basic Hedgehog structure has now been established with central pawns on the third rank. 17 f4 exf4 18 gxf4 f5 19 Rfd1 b5 20 Nd2 Qd7 21 Qf2 a6 22 Nde4 (see diagram 1) One of the most astonishing moves I have ever seen. When I first played over this game I thought that this must be a misprint, the more so since Leko declines to take the piece. But no, it is true. 22 … Qa7 This pusillanimous response permits White to take control. Black had to accept the challenge with 22 … fxe4 23 Nxe4 Bxb2 24 Nxc5 Qd6 25 Qxb2. 23 Nxc5 Qxc5 24 d4 Nxd4 By declining White’s gauntlet, Black has acquired all the disadvantages which would have accrued after taking White’s knight on move 22, but now has to return the piece in view of the threat of d5. 25 exd4 Qd6 26 d5 Bf7 27 Na2 Bxb2 28 Qxb2 Rfd8 29 Qd4 Rbc8 30 Rxc8 Rxc8 31 Nb4 (see diagram 2) White has seized the initiative and now soon penetrates the black position. 31 … Rd8 32 Qa7 Rd7 33 Qxa6 Qxa6 34 Nxa6 Nxd5 35 Nc5 Rd8 36 Rd4 Kf8 37 Nd3 The pin along the d-file makes this endgame very difficult for Black and he soon loses material. 37 … Ke8 38 Ne5 Be6 39 Nxg6 Rd7 40 Kf2 Rg7 41 Bxd5 Rxg6 42 Bxe6 Rxe6 43 Rd5 Ra6 44 Rxf5 Rxa3 45 Rxb5 Kd7 46 Kf3 Kc6 47 Rb8 Black resigns
 
Mickey Adams had a career best in Dortmund, winning first prize ahead of Kramnik and crushing the incipient world no. 3 in the following position.