Taking correct decision is a tricky area

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.

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.

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.

White: Ariel  Sorin (2501) – Black: Alejandro Hoffman (2524)
Najdorf Memorial,  Buenos Aires, 1999
Queen’s Gambit Declined
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6
Queen’s Gambit Declined
4.cxd5 exd5 5.Qc2 Nf6 6.Bg5 Nbd7 7.e3 h6 8.Bh4 Be7
Black can look at 8. ..g5  9.Bg3 Nh5
9.Bd3 Nh5
Black could have castled here
10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.Nge2
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
11...Nb6 12.0–0–0
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
12...Bd7 13.Kb1 0–0–0
Black had the option of castling either way but decides also to castle on the queen side
14.Nc1 g6
Here better appears 14. ..Nf6 15.Nb3 Kb8
15.Rhe1
White can play 15.N1e2 Nf6  16.Rc1 Kb8
15. ..Kb8 16.Nb3 Ng7

17.f3
White decides to focus on the centre. And is not keen on anchoring his knight on the crucial c5 square
17...Be6 18.Qf2
Swinging the queen!
18. ..Qc7
Better appears 18. ..Qd6
19.Rc1
This does not look like a good move. White could ahve played 19.h3 or 19.g3
19. .. Nc4
Difficult to think why Black did not capture 19. ..Qxh2  20.f4 Bh3  21.Rg1 Bf5
20.Nc5
White also now anchors in the enemy territory
20. ..Bc8 21.e4
A strong move! White decides to go for the centre
21. .. Qxh2
If 21. ..Nb6  22.e5 Bf5
22.f4 A good move!
22. ..Nh5 23.Bxc4 Qxf4
Once again not the right move! After 23...dxc4 24.Ne2 Bh3 25.Rg1 planning 26 Rcf1.
24.Qxf4+ White has no hesitation in swapping queens, especially as it happens with a check
24. ..Nxf4 25.exd5 Nxg2 26.Re7
The rook invades the seventh rank and things are difficult for black now
26. .. f5 27.dxc6 bxc6 28.d5 cxd5
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
29.Bxd5 Nf4 30.Bb7
All of White’s pieces now look menacing as they have started swarming around the King
30. ..Rd6 31.Nb5 and Black resigned as there is no defence

White to play and win
1..Bc4 Ra5 2.Bxf6 Bc5+ 3.Bd4 Qg5 4.Bxc5 Qxc5+ 5.Nd4 and White should win.