Weak pawns and pieces have to be always targeted in a game of chess. An amateur and beginner should take care that they do not provide easy targets for the opponents with weak moves. Therefore each move should be evaluated carefully before executing it on the board.

In the game which follows, White plays rather aimlessly and a careless pawn push on the queenside provides a target for Black to attack. Black mounts pressure on the pawn and ironically in the ending it is this vulnerable target which brings about White’s downfall.

White: Jean Marc Degraeve (2580) – Black: Mikhail Gurevich (2610)
Belfort, 1998, French defence
1.e4   e6
The French defence which is a semi-closed Opening
2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Bb4 5.e5 h6 6.Bd2 Bxc3 7.bxc3
Preferring to capture with the pawn rather than the bishop
7. ..Ne4 8.Qg4 g6 9.Bd3 Nxd2 10.Kxd2
White cannot castle now
10. ..c5 11.Nf3 Bd7
If 11...cxd4 12.cxd4 Qa5+
12.Qf4
The queen is the lone piece attacking on the King-side and unfortunately it cannot garner support even from a single piece to create dangerous play
12. ..Bc6 13.h4 Nd7 14.Rhe1
Resorting to play without a proper plan. It does not make sense simply to shuffle pieces aimlessly. He could have tried attacking with 14.h5 g5 15.Qe3 Qa5 16.Rhb1 Rc8 17.Nh2 cxd4 18.Qxd4 Rc7 19.Ng4
14...Qe7 

Diagram 1
15.a4
Another bad move which can only be termed as a blunder. The pawn now becomes an attractive target for the enemy. He could have still pressed on with 15.h5
15...c4 16.Be2 a5 17.Ra2
Black was threatening 17...Nb6 and though it does not look like a good move, this is the only way White can defend the ‘a’ pawn.
17...0–0–0
Taking time off for castling.
18.Nh2 g5 19.hxg5
If 19.Qe3 gxh4 20.Ng4 h5 21.Nh2 Rdg8 22.Bf3 Qg5
19...Qxg5
If 19...hxg5 20.Qg3 f5 21.exf6 Nxf6 22.Bf3 leads to an unclear position
20.Qxg5 hxg5 21.Ng4 Rh7 22.g3 Kc7 23.Bf3 Rf8
Black has slowly strengthened his position and his pieces look well placed
24.Ke3 f5 25.exf6 Nxf6 26.Ne5 Nd7
He wants to dislodge the central knight. He could have played 26...Be8
27.Bg4
He cannot play 27.Nxc6 Kxc6 28.Bg4 Nf6 29.Bf3 g4 30.Bg2 Rh2 31.Rg1 Ne4! 32.Bxe4 dxe4 33.Rf1 Kd5 as Black gets advantage
 27...Kd6
The King looks like a strong piece at this moment
28.Nxd7
White could have tried to get some chances with 28.Nxc6 Kxc6 29.Rb2
28...Bxd7 29.Raa1 Rh2 30.Re2 Bc6 31.Rd2
If 31.f4 gxf4+ 32.gxf4 Rxe2+ 33.Bxe2 Rh8 34.Bg4 Rh2 35.Ra2 Be8 with a win for Black
31...Rh6 32.Re2 Rhf6 33.Rb1
Here White should have thought about 33.f3 Rh8 34.Kd2
 33...Kc7 34.Ra1 Be8 35.Rd2 Bg6
Good planning and execution by Black
36.Rf1 Be4 37.f3
He could have also played 37.f4
37...Rh8
Seizing the open file
38.Rff2 Bg6 39.Rh2 Rff8 40.f4
A mistake! White should have continued with 40.Rde2 Kd6 41.Rxh8 Rxh8 42.Kd2 which would have lead to equality
40...gxf4+ 41.gxf4 Kd6 42.Rde2 Be4
A good move
43.Bf3 Bf5 44.Kd2 Rfg8 45.Kc1
If 45.Rxh8 Rxh8 46.Bg2 Bg6 47.Bf3 Rh6
45...Rg1+ 46.Kb2 Rxh2 47.Rxh2 Rf1µ 48.Bh5 Rxf4 49.Rg2 Rh4 50.Be2 e5 51.dxe5+ Kxe5 52.Rg8 Bd7
The ‘a’ pawn continues to be targeted
53.Rb8 Bc6 54.Ra8 b6 55.Rb8 Kd6
Precise play
56.Bf3
If 56.Rxb6 Kc7 57.Ra6 Kb7 58.Rxa5 Kb6 59.Rb5+ Bxb5 60.axb5 Kxb5 and White is lost
56...Rf4 57.Bh1 Rf1 58.Rd8+ Kc5 59.Bg2 Rf2 60.Bh1
If 60.Bh3 Bxa4
60...Rf5 61.Ka3 Rf1 and White resigned.

Diagram 2
Black to play and win
1.         .. Qxg1+ 2.Kxg1
If 2,Nxg1 then 2. ..Nf2 checkmate.
2.        ..Rc1+ and Black wins
Manisha Mohite