Develop the pieces before venturing out

Chess Checks

The openings and endings in chess are most analysed and dissected topics. However chess basics stress on two aspects for each and every game to be played — develop your pieces (move them from the original squares) and try to control the centre of the chessboard.

Beginners, in their quest to whip up an early attack, often stray from this aspect and get carried away by trying to enter enemy territory with one or two pieces without developing other pieces. In the game which follows, note that White does not develop his knight till the very end and by then it is too late for him.

White: Emil Sutovsky (2587) – Black: Alexander Onischuk (2657)
Polanica Zdroj, 1999
Scotch Game
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4
The Scotch Game. White immediately goes for the centre
3. ..exd4 4.Nxd4 Bb4+
If 4...Bc5 5.Be3 Bb6 6.c3 Nge7
5.c3 Bc5 6.Be3. If 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 Qh4 8.Qe2 Nf6 9.h3 0–0 10.g3 Qh5
6...Bb6. Settling himself comfortably
7.Nxc6. Exchanging the knights! White unleashed a novelty rather early in the opening. Previously played was 7.Nd2 Nge7 8.Nc4 Bxd4 9.Bxd4 0–0
7...bxc6 8.Bd4 Nf6 9.e5. White can think about 9.Bd3 or 9.Nd2
9...Nd5 10.Bc4 0–0 11.0–0. If 11.Bxd5 cxd5 12.Bxb6 axb6 13.Qxd5 Ra5 14.Qd4 Re8 and Black appears better
11...d6. Not a very good decision by Black. He could have played 11. ..Bb7 or 11. ..Re8
12.a4. White  also does not try to develop his pieces. If  12.Bxd5 cxd5 13.Bxb6 axb6 14.Qxd5 Ra5
12...Be6 13.a5. A rather rash advance. White should have concentrated on development with  13.Nd2 c5 14.Bxd5 Bxd5 15.Be3
13...Bxd4 14.Qxd4 Qg5
The Queen comes into action.
15.Re1. A big mistake! White has given up his central pawn for no compensation. It was necessary for White to have played 15.f4 dxe5 16.fxg5 exd4 17.Bxd5 (17.cxd4 Ne3) 17...Bxd5 18.cxd4 and he could have tried to balance the game. If 18...Rab8 19.Rf2 Rb4 20.Nc3 Be6
15...Nf4 16.g3. If  16.Bf1 dxe5 17.Qxe5 Nh3+ 18.Kh1 Nxf2+ and Black is better
16...Nh3+ 17.Kg2.  
17.Kf1 dxe5 also does not help  
17...c5. A good move!
18.Qe3. If 18.Qd2 Bxc4 19.Kxh3 Qh5+ 20.Kg2 dxe5 And if 18.Qe4 d5 19.f4 Qg4
18...Bxc4 19.Kxh3 Qh5+
The White King is literally pulled out of his shelter and his pieces cannot come to his defence
20.Kg2 Bd5+
Worth a look is 20...Rae8
21.Kg1 Rae8 22.f4. If 22.Qd3 Rxe5 23.Rxe5 Qxe5 24.Nd2 Re8
22...f6. Black is totally dominating.
23.Qd3 Qf7! 24.e6 Rxe6
Diagram 1
25.Na3
The knight enters the warfare but it is too late by now!. If 25.Nd2 Rfe8 26.Rxe6 Qxe6 27.Rd1 Bc6
25...Rfe8 26.Rxe6 Qxe6 27.Rd1
If 27.f5 Qe4 28.Qxe4 Rxe4 29.Nb5 Re2 and Black is winning
27...Bc6 28.Qc4
If 28.b4 Qa2 29.Qc4+ Qxc4 30.Nxc4 Re4! 31.Na3 cxb4 32.cxb4 Ba4 33.Rb1 Re3
28...Qxc4 29.Nxc4 d5
If 29...Re4 30.b3 Bb5 31.Nd2 Re2
30.Na3 Re2 31.b4 d4
The finishing touches.
32.b5
If 32.bxc5 Rg2+ 33.Kf1 Ra2! 34.Nb1 Rxh2 35.cxd4 Rh1+ 36.Ke2 Bf3
32...Bf3! 33.cxd4 Rg2+ 34.Kf1 Ra2 35.Rc1
If 35.Rd3 Be2+
35...Rxa3 36.a6 cxd4 37.Kf2
If 37.Rxc7 d3 38.Rd7 Ra2 39.Ke1 Re2+ 40.Kf1 d2  0–1
Diagram 2
White to play and checkmate.
1.Qd8+
Sacrificing the queen
1..Bxd8 2.Re8 checkmate.