Chess basics often stress on not moving the same piece more number of times in the opening stages. But during the course of the game, some pieces move more than others — often covering longer distances. But it is the intent with which they move which matters as also the damage that they cause en route.
In the game which follows, it is interesting to note the journey made by the knight of both players. What decides the game in White’s favour is the damage caused by his knight as he hops and skips on vital squares to anchor in the enemy territory and moves backwards again at the right time. This is in stark contrast to the benign moves made by his opponent’s knight.

White: Marko Manninen (2380); Black: Alfred Felsberger (2395)

European Championship, 1997

Queen’s Indian Defence
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6. The Queen’s Indian Defence.  Black fianchetto’s his bishop on the queenside.
4. g3 Ba6 5. Nbd2 Bb7 6. Bg2 c5 7. d5 exd5 8. Nh4 b5. Playing a new move here. The regular continuation here is 8. ... g6 9. cxd5 Bg7 10. Nc4.
9. cxd5 d6. If 9. ... Bxd5 10. e4 Bc6 11. e5 Bxg2 12. Nxg2 Nd5 13. 0–0 Nc6 14. Ne4 Nd4 15. Be3.
10. 0–0 Bxd5. Black decides to go for the pawn at all costs though capturing it does provide attacking opportunities for White.
Better for Black would have been 10. ... g6 11. a4 b4 12. Nc4 Ba6 13. Qc2 Bg7 14. Bf4 Bxc4 15. Qxc4 0–0 16. Nf3 Re8 leading to an unclear position.
11. Bxd5. If 11. e4 Bc6 12. a4 bxa4 (12. ... b4 13. Nc4 Be7 14. Nf5 0–0 15. Ncxd6) 13. e5 dxe5 14. Bxc6+ Nxc6 15. Qxa4 Qd7 16. Nc4 Rb8 17. Re1.
11. ... Nxd5 12. Ne4. If 12. a4 bxa4 13. Qxa4+ Qd7 14. Nc4 Qxa4 15. Rxa4 Nd7 16. Ra6 N7b6 17. Nxb6 Nxb6 18. Bf4.
12. ... Nb6 13. Nc3. Searching for weakness and attacking the pawn.
13. ... Qd7. If 13. ... b4 14. Nd5 N8d7 15. a3! Nxd5 16. Qxd5 Nb6 17. Qe4+ (17. Qc6+ Qd7 18. Qxd7+ Kxd7) 17. ... Qe7 18. Qf3. 14. e4 Na6. The dark-squared bishops of both players are still stranded on the original squares. If 14. ... g6 15. Bf4 b4 16. Nd5 Bg7 17. Nxb6 axb6 18. Bxd6 Bxb2 19. Rb1 Bd4 20. e5 Nc6 21. Qe2.
15. a4 b4. If 15. ... bxa4 16. Nxa4 Nxa4 17. Rxa4 Nb4 18. Bd2 Be7 19. Nf5 g6 20.Bc3.
16. a5. Advancing aggressively. White could have also tried out 16. Nb5 Nc7 17. Nxc7+ Qxc7 18. a5 Nd7 19. b3  with good play for him.
16. ... Nc8. Not exactly the right move. He had better chances with 16. ... bxc3 17. axb6 axb6 18.Qd5 Ra7 19. bxc3 Be7 20. Nf5 0–0 21. Bf4.
17. Nd5. Immediately landing on a crucial centre square.
17. ... Ne7. The knight has had a rather long and tedious journey from its original square without accomplishing much.
18. Bg5. If 18. Nxe7 Bxe7 19. Nf5 g6. 18. ... Nxd5 19. exd5 f6 20. Bxf6. Sacrificing the bishop. If 20. Re1+ Kf7 21. Qh5+ Kg8 22. Bxf6 gxf6 23. Nf5 Qf7 24. Qf3 h5 with advantage to Black.
20. ... gxf6. The Black King is still stranded at the centre without castling and now this looks more dangerous that ever.
21. Qe2+ Be7 22. Qxa6 0–0. Finally castling! But it is too late now. Though White’s attack is no longer on, Black has lots of weakness in his position and White should win this game.
23. Ng2. Heading for the weak ‘e6’ square.
23. ... f5 24. Nf4 Bf6 25. Qe2 Rfe8 26. Ne6. White is firmly in the driver’s seat now.
26. ... Qb7 27. Rad1 Bd4 28. Qd2. If 28. Qc2 b3.
28. ... Qxd5.
Diagram 1
29. Nxd4. The White knight has also travelled a long way but far more destructively than his opponent’s knight.
29. ... Qxd4 30. Qxd4 cxd4 31. Rxd4 Re2. If 31. ... b3 32. Rfd1 Re2 33. R1d2.
32. Rxb4 Rc8 33. Rb7 Rcc2 34. b4 d5 35. Rxa7 d4 36. Rd7 Rc4 37. a6 and Black resigned.
Diagram 2
White to play and win
1. Nxg6 fxg6 2. Re7+ Rf7 3. Rxa7 Rxa7 4. Qd4+  and White wins.