<p>Generally at one time, all the pieces cannot be actively involved in either attack or defence and it is important to sort them out and play accordingly.<br /><br />In the game which follows, White is on the aggressive front while Black is trying to search for a defence. At this crucial moment, White decides to exchange one of his strong knights for a bishop which is a strong defender. Black’s game collapses immediately after White gets rid of the bishop.<br /><br />White: Sergei Dolmatov (2600) – Black: Pavel Kotsur (2548)<br />FIDE-Wch,1999<br />Irregular King Pawn opening<br />1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c6<br />Rather dull and slow play by black<br />4.f4<br />White on the other hand is sticking to chess basics, occupy and control the centre!<br />4. ..d5 5.e5 h5. First sign of aggression<br />6.Nf3 Nh6 7.Be3 Bg4 8.Be2 Nd7 9.Qd2<br />A hint that White may be contemplating castling on the quee side. If 9.Ng5 e6 And if 9.Bf2 Nf8 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Bxf3 Qd7 12.Qd2 0–0–0 13.0–0–0 Ne6<br />9...Nf5<br />If 9...Nf8 10.Bf2 Nf5 11.g3 Ne6 12.h3 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 and White is distinctly better<br />10.Bf2 Qa5<br />If 10...Qb6 11.g3 Bf8<br />11.g3 Nb6<br />If 11...Bxf3 12.Bxf3 Nb6<br />12.b3<br /><br />Note that Black’s knight on b6 has no squares<br /><br />12...e6 13.h3 Bxf3 14.Bxf3 Bf8 15.Ne2<br />White is now interested in swapping queens as he is slightly better. If<br />15.a3 Bb4 16.axb4 Qxa1+ 17.Nd1 (17.Ke2 Qa6+) 17...a5 is better for Black<br />15...Qxd2+<br />If 15...Qa3 16.Kf1 and things work out well for White<br />16.Kxd2 Be7 17.g4<br />It is now White who wants to open up on the queen side. Interestingly both players have preferred not to castle<br />17. ..Ng7. The knight is forced to retreat to a square which looks bad at this point but then he hardly has any choice for if 17...Nh4 18.Bxh4 Bxh4 19.gxh5 ( If 19.g5 Nc8 20.Rh2 Ne7 21.Rg2 Nf5 22.Rag1 Rc8 23.c3 c5) 19...gxh5 20.Rhg1<br />18.Ng3 0–0–0<br /><br />Black finally decides to castle. If 18...h4 19.Nf1 gives advantage to White<br />19.gxh5 gxh5 20.Rag1 Nd7 21.Be2 Nf8<br />If 21...c5 22.Bd3 (If 22.c3 cxd4 23.cxd4 Nb8 24.Rc1+ Nc6 25.Bb5 Kd7) 22...cxd4 23.Bxd4 Nc5 24.Ne2 Nf5 (24...Nxd3 25.Rxg7) 25.Bxf5 exf5<br />22.Bd3 f5<br />If 22...Ng6 23.f5 is better for White<br />23.Nf1. This knight has really been manoeuvred beautifully by White<br />23...Rh7 24.Nh2 Kd7 25.Nf3 Ke8 26.Rg2<br />Intending to double his rooks on this crucial open file<br />26...Kf7 27.Rhg1 Nd7<br /><br />Diagram 1<br /><br />28.Ng5+<br />A good move which forces the exchange of the bishop with the knight, and at the same time White get rids of a strong black defender<br />28...Bxg5 29.Rxg5 Rdh8 30.c4 Ne8<br />Black could have tried out 30...Rg8<br />31.cxd5<br />White immediately pounces on the idea to open the c file and infiltrate from there<br />31. ..cxd5 32.Rc1 Nb6 33.Bh4<br />Another good move which was needed.<br />33...Rg8 34.a4 Rxg5 35.Bxg5 Kf8<br />If 35...a5 36.Bd8<br />36.a5 Na8<br />If 36...Nd7 37.Rc8<br />37.Rc8<br />This infiltration totally finishes Black<br />37. ..Nac7 38.Rb8 Na6 39.Ra8 Nb4 40.Bb5 Nc6 41.a6 1–0<br /><br />Diagram 2<br /><br />White to play and win<br /><br />1.Qh7+ Kxh7 2.Bf7 check-mate.<br /></p>
<p>Generally at one time, all the pieces cannot be actively involved in either attack or defence and it is important to sort them out and play accordingly.<br /><br />In the game which follows, White is on the aggressive front while Black is trying to search for a defence. At this crucial moment, White decides to exchange one of his strong knights for a bishop which is a strong defender. Black’s game collapses immediately after White gets rid of the bishop.<br /><br />White: Sergei Dolmatov (2600) – Black: Pavel Kotsur (2548)<br />FIDE-Wch,1999<br />Irregular King Pawn opening<br />1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c6<br />Rather dull and slow play by black<br />4.f4<br />White on the other hand is sticking to chess basics, occupy and control the centre!<br />4. ..d5 5.e5 h5. First sign of aggression<br />6.Nf3 Nh6 7.Be3 Bg4 8.Be2 Nd7 9.Qd2<br />A hint that White may be contemplating castling on the quee side. If 9.Ng5 e6 And if 9.Bf2 Nf8 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Bxf3 Qd7 12.Qd2 0–0–0 13.0–0–0 Ne6<br />9...Nf5<br />If 9...Nf8 10.Bf2 Nf5 11.g3 Ne6 12.h3 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 and White is distinctly better<br />10.Bf2 Qa5<br />If 10...Qb6 11.g3 Bf8<br />11.g3 Nb6<br />If 11...Bxf3 12.Bxf3 Nb6<br />12.b3<br /><br />Note that Black’s knight on b6 has no squares<br /><br />12...e6 13.h3 Bxf3 14.Bxf3 Bf8 15.Ne2<br />White is now interested in swapping queens as he is slightly better. If<br />15.a3 Bb4 16.axb4 Qxa1+ 17.Nd1 (17.Ke2 Qa6+) 17...a5 is better for Black<br />15...Qxd2+<br />If 15...Qa3 16.Kf1 and things work out well for White<br />16.Kxd2 Be7 17.g4<br />It is now White who wants to open up on the queen side. Interestingly both players have preferred not to castle<br />17. ..Ng7. The knight is forced to retreat to a square which looks bad at this point but then he hardly has any choice for if 17...Nh4 18.Bxh4 Bxh4 19.gxh5 ( If 19.g5 Nc8 20.Rh2 Ne7 21.Rg2 Nf5 22.Rag1 Rc8 23.c3 c5) 19...gxh5 20.Rhg1<br />18.Ng3 0–0–0<br /><br />Black finally decides to castle. If 18...h4 19.Nf1 gives advantage to White<br />19.gxh5 gxh5 20.Rag1 Nd7 21.Be2 Nf8<br />If 21...c5 22.Bd3 (If 22.c3 cxd4 23.cxd4 Nb8 24.Rc1+ Nc6 25.Bb5 Kd7) 22...cxd4 23.Bxd4 Nc5 24.Ne2 Nf5 (24...Nxd3 25.Rxg7) 25.Bxf5 exf5<br />22.Bd3 f5<br />If 22...Ng6 23.f5 is better for White<br />23.Nf1. This knight has really been manoeuvred beautifully by White<br />23...Rh7 24.Nh2 Kd7 25.Nf3 Ke8 26.Rg2<br />Intending to double his rooks on this crucial open file<br />26...Kf7 27.Rhg1 Nd7<br /><br />Diagram 1<br /><br />28.Ng5+<br />A good move which forces the exchange of the bishop with the knight, and at the same time White get rids of a strong black defender<br />28...Bxg5 29.Rxg5 Rdh8 30.c4 Ne8<br />Black could have tried out 30...Rg8<br />31.cxd5<br />White immediately pounces on the idea to open the c file and infiltrate from there<br />31. ..cxd5 32.Rc1 Nb6 33.Bh4<br />Another good move which was needed.<br />33...Rg8 34.a4 Rxg5 35.Bxg5 Kf8<br />If 35...a5 36.Bd8<br />36.a5 Na8<br />If 36...Nd7 37.Rc8<br />37.Rc8<br />This infiltration totally finishes Black<br />37. ..Nac7 38.Rb8 Na6 39.Ra8 Nb4 40.Bb5 Nc6 41.a6 1–0<br /><br />Diagram 2<br /><br />White to play and win<br /><br />1.Qh7+ Kxh7 2.Bf7 check-mate.<br /></p>
