BackRank Weakness

When the king is on the backrank and can't move forward because of its own pieces, effective attacks may become possible.

Z. Polgar    --    Yudasin
   1991     1-0


:: BR :: BK ::
BP BQ :: BP BP BP
BP :: BN ::
:: :: WP WB :: BB
:: BP WQ :: ::
WP WP :: :: :: WP
:: WN :: WP ::
:: :: WR WK


1.exf6 gxf6
( 1...Rxd4 2.Re8# )
2.Qxf6 c3 3.Ne4!
N joins the attack on helpless K and prevents Qc5+
3...c2
( 3...Bg6 probably the better move 4.Nxc3 Qc5+ 5.Kh1 Rf8 +- )
4.Qh6 Bg6 5.Nf6+ Kh8 6.Ne8!
blocking and threatening mate
1-0

Gromek    --    Barcza
   1956     0-1


:: BR :: BR :: BK ::
BP BP :: :: BP :: BP
:: :: :: BP ::
:: :: BP :: ::
:: BB :: ::
WP :: WR :: WP ::
WP WB :: WP WP
:: WR :: :: :: WK


1...Bxb2 2.Rxb2??
( 2.Rxd5 Bxa3 -+ R can't leave backrank )
2...Rc1+ 3.Bxc1 Re1# 0-1

Reti    --    Bogolyubov
   1924     1-0


:: BR BB BK ::
BP BP BQ :: BP BP
:: BP :: :: ::
:: WP :: WQ :: WB
:: :: :: ::
:: WP :: :: WP
WP :: :: :: WP
:: :: :: WR WK


1.Bf7+ Kh8 2.Be8!!
blocking backrank support
2...Rxe8
( 2...Qe7 3.Qxf8+ Qxf8 4.Rxf8# )
3.Qxf8+ Rxf8 4.Rxf8# 1-0

J. Koch    --    Podlesnik
   1992     0-1


BR :: BR BK
:: :: :: BP BB BP
BP :: WR :: ::
:: :: WB BP WQ
:: :: WP BP ::
:: BQ BN WN ::
:: :: WP WP WP
:: :: :: WR WK


1...Qb1 2.h3
( 2.Rxb1 Rxb1+ 3.Nf1 Ne2+ 4.Kh1 Rxf1# )
2...fxe3 3.Rxb1 Rxb1+ 4.Kh2 exf2!
( 4...e2? 5.Rd8 black now has to deal with own backrank weakness 5...h6 ( 5...Nxd5 6.exd5 Rh1+ 7.Kxh1 ( 7.Kg3 Rxh3+ R was stuck there anyway 8.Kxh3 e1=Q 9.Rxf8+ Bxf8 10.Qf6+ Kg8 11.Qg5+ = ) 7...e1=Q+ 8.Kh2 ) ( 5...e1=Q?? 6.Rxf8+ Bxf8 7.Qf6+ Bg7 ( 7...Kg8 8.Qxf7+ Kh8 9.Qxf8# ) 8.Qd8+ Bf8 9.Qxf8# ) 6.Rxf8+ Bxf8 7.Qf6+ Bg7 8.Qd8+ Kh7 9.Bxf7 Rh1+ to be able to get Q 10. Kxh1 e1=Q+ 11.Kh2 h5 +- )
5.Rd8
( 5.Rf6 f1=N+ forcing R to capture ( 5...Bxf6? 6.Qxf6+ Kg8 7.Qg5+ = ) 6.Rxf1 ( 6.Kg1 Ng3+ 7.Kh2 Nce2 8.Qxg3 forced ) 6...Rxf1 7.Qd2 Nxd5 8.Qxd5 Rc1 9.g4 Kg8 10.Kg3 Rfc8 -+ )
5...f1=Q 6.Rxf8+ Bxf8 7.Qxe5+ f6 8.Qe6
( 8.Qxc3 Bd6+ 9.e5 Bxe5+ 10.Qxe5 ( 10.g3 Qf2+ ) 10...fxe5 )
8...Qf4+ 9.g3 Qf2# 0-1