Calculation is one of the most crucial aspect in a game of chess at any given point. Calculation refers to a series of moves thought out by a player, ensuring that most of them are forced.
However there is always a chance that some variation may be left out or missed, especially in a complex position where there are many possible moves at your disposal.
In the game which follows, White is in a not so comfortable position but a miscalculation in time pressure hastens his downfall. A knight move, appearing benign when played, allows Black to build up pressure and settle the game in his favour.
White: Jeroen Piket (2625) – Black: Valery Salov (2685)
Amsterdam, 1995
Queen’s Indian Defence
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6
The Queen’s Indian defence, Black fianchettoes his bishop on queen-side
4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 Bb7 7.e3 c5 8.dxc5
If 8...bxc5 9.Bxf6 Qxf6 10.Rc1 0–0 11.a3 Ba5 12.Qd6 Rc8 13.Qe5 Qxe5 14.Nxe5 d6
White played a novelty here. Previously played was 9.Be2 Be7 10.0–0 0–0 11.Nd4 a6
9...Be7 10.0–0 Na6 11.Rc1 Nc5
Black is ok now without any problems
If 12...Nfe4 13.Bxe7 Qxe7 14.Nxe4 Nxe4 15.Bxe4 Bxe4 16.Qd4 Bxf3 17.gxf3 0–0 also leads to an equal position
White too makes an attempt to control the centre with this move but better appears 13.Nd4 Nfe4 14.Bxe7 Qxe7 15.Nxe4 Bxe4 16.Bxe4 Nxe4 17.Qc2 Nf6 18.Rfd1
If 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.Qc2 Re8 16.Qh7+ Kf8 17.Ng4 Bxc3 18.Rxc3 Qg5
Black can think about 14. ..Nce4 15.Nxe4 Nxe4 16.Bxe7 Qxe7
15.f3 Rc8 16.b3 d5 17.cxd5 Nxd5
If 17. ..Bxd5 18.Qd2 Bc6 And if 17...Rxc3 18.Rxc3 Nxd5 19.Bxe7 Qxe7 20.Qd2 Nxc3 21.Qxc3 Rc8
18.Bxe7 Qxe7 19.Nxd5 Bxd5 20.Qd2 Nf6 21.Rxc8 Rxc8 22.Rc1 Rd8. Black is refusing to exchange rooks and steer the game towards a draw
If 24.Qc7 Kf8 (24...Qxc7 25.Rxc7 Ba6 26.Nf2 Rd7 27.Rxd7 Nxd7 28.Bd3) And if 24.Ne5 24...Nd5
24...Rd6 25.h3 Qd8 26.Kh2 a5
If 26...Rxd3 27.Bxd3 Qxd3 28.Qb8+
White was in time trouble and errs in a major way. The correct continuation is 27.Nf2 Rd2 28.Rc2
27...Rd2. Immediately infiltrating onto the seventh rank
28.Rc2. White probably miscalculated here planning 28.Nc4 Ng4+ 29.hxg4 Qh4+ 30.Kg1 Qf2+ 31.Kh2 Qxg2 checkmate
Black has no hesitation in exchanging pieces to steer the game into a winning ending
Black can consider 30. ..Bd2
31.Qd6 Qxd6+ 32.Nxd6 Nd7 33.Bd3 Bc6
Black plays with caution and does not fall into the trap 33...Kf8 34.Bb5 Ke7 35.Nc8+ Kd8 36.Bxd7 Kxd7 37.Nxb6+ though even in this case white is lost after Kc6
34.a3 Kf8 35.b4 axb4 36.axb4 Ke7 37.Nc8+ Kd8 38.Nd6 Ne5 39.Be2 Bd5 40.g4. There is nothing left for White in the game now
40. ..Kd7 41.Nb5 Nc6 and White decided to resign rather than prolong the agony
White to play and checkmate
1.Rh8+ Kg6 2.f5+ exf5 3.Qxh6+ gxh6 4.Rag8 checkmate.
Published 17 December 2016, 18:20 IST