Developing pieces early is the key

All the pieces on the chessboard are meant for active warfare and it is important to bring out the pieces as early as possible into the game towards the centre of the chess board. This is termed as ‘development’ in chess and the most important aspect of the ‘opening’. The opponent however should strive to see that he tries to delay the development of his opponent and gets a grip on the game.

In the game which follows, Black is severely hampered by the lack of development and it is interesting to see how his game collapses when his pieces are unable to enter active warfare.

White: Zurab Azmaiparashvili (2673) – Black: Igor Efimov (2520)
Saint Vincent, 2000 Queen’s Gambit Declined
1.d4 e6 2.c4 d5 3.Nf3 c6 4.Qc2 Nf6 5.Bg5 Nbd7 6.cxd5
The Queen’s Gambit Declined. If 6.a3 h6 7.Bh4 dxc4 8.Qxc4 c5
6...cxd5 If 6...exd5 7.e3 Bd6
7.e3
If 7.Nc3 Be7 8.e3 a6 9.Bd3 b6
7...Bd6
Black can play 7. ..Qa5+  8.Nc3 Ne4. He can also try 7...b6
8.Bd3. White wants to keep his option open of developing the knight to either c3 or d2. If 8.Nc3 a6 9.Bd3 h6 10.Bh4 b6
8...Nf8. Retreating back? Difficult to understand why Black played this move when he can play 8...h6 9.Bh4 0–0 10.0–0. If  8...b6 9.Qc6 Bb4+ 10.Nbd2 Rb8 11.Bf4 Bb7 12.Qa4 Bxd2+ 13.Nxd2 Ra8 14.Rc1and White gets better
9.Nc3
Finally the knight comes into play
9...Bd7 10.0–0
White can also think about 10.Ne5
10...Rc8 11.Ne5 a6 12.Qb3 b5
If 12...Qc7 13.Rac1 Bc6 (13...Bxe5 14.dxe5 Qxe5 15.Bf4 Qh5 16.Qxb7) 14.f4
13.Rfc1 Qc7
If 13...Ng6 14.Nxd7! Qxd7 15.Nxb5
14.Ne2
Better appears 14.Bxf6 gxf6
14. ..Qb8 15.Rxc8+ Bxc8
If 15. ..Qxc8 16.Rc1
16.a4 Ne4
Better is 16...Ng6 17.axb5 Nxe5 18.dxe5 Bxe5 19.f4 Bd6 20.Qc3 axb5 21.Bxf6 gxf6 22.Qxf6 Rg8 23.Bxh7
17.Bf4. White is in the driver’s seat as he has a good attack going on the Queen-side and Black has development problems
17...Ng6
If 17...Nd2 18.Qc2 Nc4 19.axb5 axb5 20.b3 Nxe5 21.Bxb5+ Nfd7 22.dxe5 Be7 23.Qc6
18.axb5
If 18.Nxg6 hxg6 19.axb5 (19.Bxe4 dxe4 20.axb5 Bxf4 21.exf4 axb5) 19...Bxf4 20.exf4 g5 21.Qa4 axb5 22.Bxb5+
18...Bxe5 19.Bxe5 Nxe5 20.dxe5
Diagram 1
20. ..Nc5
Black King is on the original square, the light squared bishop is a no starter and the rook on the King-side also has not been able to move!
If 20...0–0 21.f3 Nc5 22.Bxh7+ Kxh7 (22...Kh8 23.Qb4) 23.Qc2+ Kg8 24.Qxc5
21.Qc3 Nxd3 22.bxa6
White does not bother to capture back the piece, instead gets a dangerous protected passed pawn
22. ..Nxe5
If 22...Bxa6 23.Rxa6
23.a7 Qa8 24.Qxe5 0–0
Black finally manages to castle but it is too late! The game is already lost!
25.Nf4
If 25.Qb8 Bd7 26.Qxa8 Rxa8 27.Nc3 Kf8 28.b4 Ke7 29.b5 Kd6 30.b6 Kc6 31.Na4 Bc8 32.f4
25...Bd7
Not exactly the right move but at this point it does not matter as Black is in a hopeless position!
26.Nh5 f6 27.Qd6 Rf7 28.Nf4
1–0
Diagram 2
White to play and checkmate in two moves
1.Bc6+ Ke6 2.Qb3 checkmate.

Manisha Mohite