<p>During the course of a chess game, play can be focussed at the centre, on the King side, on the queenside or sometimes there could be threats all around the board, depending on the position. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Where exactly to initiate play, could be one of the tricky decision to make, not only for amateurs and beginners but also for the Masters.<br /><br />In the game which follows, Black keeps on missing a few good moves while White makes the correct decision in forcing play at the centre of the chess board. White could have tried to operate on the queenside also but his decision later allows his pieces to infiltrate and seal the game.<br /><br />White: Ariel Sorin (2501) – Black: Alejandro Hoffman (2524)<br />Najdorf Memorial, Buenos Aires, 1999<br />Queen’s Gambit Declined<br />1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6<br />Queen’s Gambit Declined<br />4.cxd5 exd5 5.Qc2 Nf6 6.Bg5 Nbd7 7.e3 h6 8.Bh4 Be7<br />Black can look at 8. ..g5 9.Bg3 Nh5<br />9.Bd3 Nh5<br />Black could have castled here<br />10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.Nge2<br />White can also develop this knight to f3, for example 11.0–0–0 Nb6 12.Kb1 Bd7 13.h3 0–0–0 14.Nf3 Kb8<br />11...Nb6 12.0–0–0<br />White castles on the queen side. White used a similar plan in the game in the previous game 12.h3 Bd7 13.0–0–0 0–0–0 14.Kb1 Kb8 15.Nc1 g6 16.Rhe1 Ng7 17.f3 Rhe8 18.Qf2 After 18...Ka8 19.Bc2 Nc4 20.e4 Qb4 21.Bb3 Be6 22.Nd3 Qa5 23.Nc5 Bc8 24.Bxc4 dxc4 25.Qh4 h5 26.Qf6 which he eventually won<br />12...Bd7 13.Kb1 0–0–0<br />Black had the option of castling either way but decides also to castle on the queen side<br />14.Nc1 g6<br />Here better appears 14. ..Nf6 15.Nb3 Kb8<br />15.Rhe1<br />White can play 15.N1e2 Nf6 16.Rc1 Kb8<br />15. ..Kb8 16.Nb3 Ng7<br /><br /></p>.<p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />17.f3<br />White decides to focus on the centre. And is not keen on anchoring his knight on the crucial c5 square<br />17...Be6 18.Qf2<br />Swinging the queen!<br />18. ..Qc7<br />Better appears 18. ..Qd6<br />19.Rc1<br />This does not look like a good move. White could ahve played 19.h3 or 19.g3<br />19. .. Nc4<br />Difficult to think why Black did not capture 19. ..Qxh2 20.f4 Bh3 21.Rg1 Bf5<br />20.Nc5<br />White also now anchors in the enemy territory<br />20. ..Bc8 21.e4<br />A strong move! White decides to go for the centre<br />21. .. Qxh2<br />If 21. ..Nb6 22.e5 Bf5<br />22.f4 A good move!<br />22. ..Nh5 23.Bxc4 Qxf4<br />Once again not the right move! After 23...dxc4 24.Ne2 Bh3 25.Rg1 planning 26 Rcf1.<br />24.Qxf4+ White has no hesitation in swapping queens, especially as it happens with a check<br />24. ..Nxf4 25.exd5 Nxg2 26.Re7<br />The rook invades the seventh rank and things are difficult for black now<br />26. .. f5 27.dxc6 bxc6 28.d5 cxd5<br />Black is making mistakes again and again but now the position is difficult to defend. If 28. ..Rd6 29.Ba6 Ka8 And if 28. ..Rhe8 29.Rxe8 Rxe8<br />29.Bxd5 Nf4 30.Bb7<br />All of White’s pieces now look menacing as they have started swarming around the King<br />30. ..Rd6 31.Nb5 and Black resigned as there is no defence<br /><br /></p>.<p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />White to play and win<br />1..Bc4 Ra5 2.Bxf6 Bc5+ 3.Bd4 Qg5 4.Bxc5 Qxc5+ 5.Nd4 and White should win.<br /><br /></p>
<p>During the course of a chess game, play can be focussed at the centre, on the King side, on the queenside or sometimes there could be threats all around the board, depending on the position. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Where exactly to initiate play, could be one of the tricky decision to make, not only for amateurs and beginners but also for the Masters.<br /><br />In the game which follows, Black keeps on missing a few good moves while White makes the correct decision in forcing play at the centre of the chess board. White could have tried to operate on the queenside also but his decision later allows his pieces to infiltrate and seal the game.<br /><br />White: Ariel Sorin (2501) – Black: Alejandro Hoffman (2524)<br />Najdorf Memorial, Buenos Aires, 1999<br />Queen’s Gambit Declined<br />1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6<br />Queen’s Gambit Declined<br />4.cxd5 exd5 5.Qc2 Nf6 6.Bg5 Nbd7 7.e3 h6 8.Bh4 Be7<br />Black can look at 8. ..g5 9.Bg3 Nh5<br />9.Bd3 Nh5<br />Black could have castled here<br />10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.Nge2<br />White can also develop this knight to f3, for example 11.0–0–0 Nb6 12.Kb1 Bd7 13.h3 0–0–0 14.Nf3 Kb8<br />11...Nb6 12.0–0–0<br />White castles on the queen side. White used a similar plan in the game in the previous game 12.h3 Bd7 13.0–0–0 0–0–0 14.Kb1 Kb8 15.Nc1 g6 16.Rhe1 Ng7 17.f3 Rhe8 18.Qf2 After 18...Ka8 19.Bc2 Nc4 20.e4 Qb4 21.Bb3 Be6 22.Nd3 Qa5 23.Nc5 Bc8 24.Bxc4 dxc4 25.Qh4 h5 26.Qf6 which he eventually won<br />12...Bd7 13.Kb1 0–0–0<br />Black had the option of castling either way but decides also to castle on the queen side<br />14.Nc1 g6<br />Here better appears 14. ..Nf6 15.Nb3 Kb8<br />15.Rhe1<br />White can play 15.N1e2 Nf6 16.Rc1 Kb8<br />15. ..Kb8 16.Nb3 Ng7<br /><br /></p>.<p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />17.f3<br />White decides to focus on the centre. And is not keen on anchoring his knight on the crucial c5 square<br />17...Be6 18.Qf2<br />Swinging the queen!<br />18. ..Qc7<br />Better appears 18. ..Qd6<br />19.Rc1<br />This does not look like a good move. White could ahve played 19.h3 or 19.g3<br />19. .. Nc4<br />Difficult to think why Black did not capture 19. ..Qxh2 20.f4 Bh3 21.Rg1 Bf5<br />20.Nc5<br />White also now anchors in the enemy territory<br />20. ..Bc8 21.e4<br />A strong move! White decides to go for the centre<br />21. .. Qxh2<br />If 21. ..Nb6 22.e5 Bf5<br />22.f4 A good move!<br />22. ..Nh5 23.Bxc4 Qxf4<br />Once again not the right move! After 23...dxc4 24.Ne2 Bh3 25.Rg1 planning 26 Rcf1.<br />24.Qxf4+ White has no hesitation in swapping queens, especially as it happens with a check<br />24. ..Nxf4 25.exd5 Nxg2 26.Re7<br />The rook invades the seventh rank and things are difficult for black now<br />26. .. f5 27.dxc6 bxc6 28.d5 cxd5<br />Black is making mistakes again and again but now the position is difficult to defend. If 28. ..Rd6 29.Ba6 Ka8 And if 28. ..Rhe8 29.Rxe8 Rxe8<br />29.Bxd5 Nf4 30.Bb7<br />All of White’s pieces now look menacing as they have started swarming around the King<br />30. ..Rd6 31.Nb5 and Black resigned as there is no defence<br /><br /></p>.<p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />White to play and win<br />1..Bc4 Ra5 2.Bxf6 Bc5+ 3.Bd4 Qg5 4.Bxc5 Qxc5+ 5.Nd4 and White should win.<br /><br /></p>
