Pawn chains pose a potent challenge

Chess Checks

Pawn chains or connected pawns not only offer a pretty picture in a game of chess but are much stronger than isolated or doubled pawns as they are difficult to target. If these pawns stay connected and the opponent is saddled with doubled and isolated pawns then it makes sense to exchange pieces and quickly steer the game towards the ending.

In the game which follows, White is positionally better from the early stages and it is instructive to note how he trades pieces and has no problems in forcing a victory despite material balance being maintained.

White: Sergei Ovsejevitsch (2525) – Black; Gennadi Kuzmin (2465)
Ordzhonikidze, 2000  
Queen’s Gambit Declined
 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.g3 Nc6 6.Bg2 c4 7.0–0 Bb4 8.b3 cxb3 9.Qxb3 Nge7 10.Ne5
White can consider 10.a3 Ba5 11.a4 Qb6 12.Qxb6 Bxb6 13.e3 Ba5 14.Ba3 Nb4
10...Qb6
The Queens are out early. If 10...0–0 11.Nxc6 Nxc6 12.e3 Be6 13.a3 Be7 14.Qxb7
11.Nd3
If 11.e3 Nxe5 12.dxe5 Be6 13.Bd2 Bc5
11...Bd6
Inviting the exchange of queens. If 11...Bf5 12.Nxb4 Nxb4 13.Nc3 Rc8 14.Nxd5 Nexd5 15.Bxd5 Nxd5 16.Qxd5 Be6 17.Qe4
12.Qxb6 axb6
Black’s pawn structure leaves a lot to be desired and after the early exchange of queens, the end-game may be difficult for Black to defend
13.Bf4. Hardly surprising that White wants to trade as many pieces as possible
13. .. Bxf4 14.Nxf4 Nxd4 15.Nc3 Ra3
If 15...Bg4 16.Rfd1 Nc2 17.Rac1 Nb4 18.Nfxd5 Nexd5 19.Nxd5 Nxd5 20.Bxd5
16.Rac1 g5
A rash pawn advance. Black could have castled here
17.Rfd1
White is trying to enhance his advantage. If 17.e3 gxf4 18.exd4 Be6
17...gxf4 18.Rxd4 0–0
Castling to a ruptured pawn structure!  If 18...fxg3  19.hxg3 Be6 20.Nxd5 Nxd5 21.Bxd5 Ke7 22.Bxe6 Kxe6 23.Rc2
19.Nxd5 Nxd5 20.Bxd5 fxg3 21.hxg3
Black’s pawns are isolated and doubled while White’s pawns are well connected

Diagram 1

21. ..Ra5 22.Rc7 Rc5 23.Re7 Kg7 24.Bb3 Kf6
The King has to come out and fight his own battle
25.Re3 Kg7
If 25...Kg5 26.Kg2
26.Rf4 Rc7 27.Re5
Black rooks are forced to defend while White rooks  are better placed and enjoy freedom of movement
27...h6 28.Rb4 Bd7
If 28...Rd8 29.Rxb6 Rd2 30.Kg2
29.Re7
If 29.Rxb6 Rc1+ 30.Kg2 Bc6+ 31.f3
29...Rc1+ 30.Kg2 Bc6+ 31.f3 Rc5
If 31...Kf6 32.Rxf7+ Rxf7 33.Rf4+
32.Rg4+ Rg5 33.Rf4 Bd5 34.e4
White could have easily exchanged the bishops to enhance his advantage
34. ..Bxb3 35.axb3
Though there is material balance, the game is positionally lost for Black because of the unsupported weak pawns
35...Rb5 36.e5 Rxb3
If 36...Kg8 37.b4 Rd5 38.Rf6
37.e6 Re3 38.Rexf7+ Rxf7 39.exf7 Kf8 40.Rf6 Re2+. If 40...h5 41.Rxb6 Re7 42.Rh6 Kxf7 43.Rxh5
41.Kh3 Re1
If 41...b5 42.Rxh6 Kxf7 43.Rb6
42.Kg4 Rh1 43.Kf5 Rh3
A mistake in a  position which already was already difficult to handle. If 43...b5 44.f4
44.Ke6  and Black resigned for if 44.Ke6 Rxg3 45.Rxh6 Kg7 46.Rh4 Rxf3 47.Rg4+ Kh7 48.Rg8
1–0

Diagram 2

White to play and checkmate
1.Qg6+ f5 2.Qd6 Qxd6 3.Nf6+ Qxf6 4.Nc5 checkmate