Get all the pieces into the action

It is important not to get carried away with superficial attacking  moves in the initial stages of a chess game and emphasis should be on getting all the pieces into the game.

The slightest delay in developing a piece can prove fatal and there are times when a piece may not get the time to join the game.

The game which follows is a good example where black cannot get his pieces going in the opening stages. White on the other hand is ahead in development and denies black the safety of castling. The black king is left vulnerable on the original square and soon white’s pieces are swarming all over. What is worth noting is that the king-side rook never gets the opportunity to move out of his starting square.

White: Erling Mortensen (2420) – Black: Brent Larsen (2530)
Aarhus, 1999
Sicilian Defence
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.c3 Nf6 5.Qe2 a6
White can also play 5...Bg7
6.Ba4
If 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.h3 Bg7 8.d4 Nd7 9.0–0 0–0 10.Bg5 Re8
6...b5.
Chasing the bishop away
7.Bc2 Bb7 8.0–0
If 8.e5 Nd5 9.d4 cxd4 10.cxd4 (10.Be4 d3! 11.Qxd3 Nc7)
8...d6
The correct continuation here is 8...Bg7 9.e5 Nd5 10.d4 cxd4 11.cxd4
9.d4 cxd4 10.cxd4 Nb4
Black is a bit too ambitious. He should have focused on development
11.Bb3 Bxe4
White has given up the pawn for development. His King ahs already castled and pieces are also well posted while black’s king is still stranded If 11...Nxe4 12.a3 And if  11...d5 12.e5 Ne4 13.Nbd2 Bg7 14.a3 Nxd2 15.Bxd2 Nc6 16.Rac1
12.Bxf7+  
This interesting tactical shot was in the offing!
12. ..Kxf7 13.Ng5+ Kg8 14.Nxe4
White has regained back the sacrificed piece
14. ..Qd7
If 14...Nbd5 15.Nbc3. Black’s king-side rook is virtually out of play and much effort will be required to bring him into the game
15.Nxf6+ exf6 16.Qf3
This might be the most tempting move but white could have developed his bishop or knight from their original squares. Now the position is more or less balanced with white losing out the edge he enjoyed.
16. ..Re8  
Better appears 16...Rc8 17.Nc3 Nc2 18.Nd5 Bg7 19.Nb6
17.Bd2 Nc6
Better is 17. ..d5 And if 17...Nc2 18.Qb3+ and White is distinctly better
18.Nc3 Nxd4
If 18...Bg7 19.Rfe1 Kf7 20.Qd5+ Re6 21.Rxe6 And if 18...Kg7 19.Nd5 Be7 20.Rac1
19.Qd5+ Ne6 20.Ne4
Black’s pieces are totally inactive while white is constantly building up the pressure
20. ..Qf7
If 20...Kf7 21.Nxf6 Kxf6 22.Bc3+
21.Rfe1 Be7 22.Bc3
If 22.Nxd6 Bxd6 23.Qxd6 Rd8 24.Qxa6 Rxd2 25.Rxe6 Kg7 26.Rae1
22...Ng7
If 22...Kg7 23.Nxd6 Bxd6 24.Qxd6 and black’s game crumbles.
23.Qc6 Rd8 24.Ba5
Here white can grab the pawn 24. Qxa6
Diagram 1
24. ..Qe8
A big blunder in a position which already had become difficult to defend. Now white is threatening a knight fork, targeting the king and queen and he is forced to lose material. Black could have tried out 24...Rf8 25.Nxd6 Bxd6 26.Qxd6
25.Nxf6+ Bxf6 26.Rxe8+ Rxe8 27.Qxd6 Kf7 .
Note that the kingside rook could not move for the whole duration of the game.
28.Qxa6 Bxb2 29.Rb1. 1–0
Diagram 2
1.Qf7+ Nxf7 2.Ne6 checkmate.