No peace from pinned pieces

Pieces which cannot move from their square as any movement by them results in check or the loss of a major piece are called pinned pieces. These pieces become weak because of their immobility and the opponent then brings in more attack on these pieces.

In the game which follows, Black’s bishop is pinned by White’s rooks and what follows is rather instructive as White piles on pressure on this paralysed piece. Black cannot hold on and ends up losing the game.

White: Dimitri Tyomkin (2522) – Black: Duong Thanh Nha (2380)

Montreal, 2000

Irregular Queen Pawn Opening

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 b6 3.Bg5
Not going along familiar territory
3...Bb7 4.Bxf6
Exchanging rather early
4...exf6
If 4...gxf6 5.g3 e6 (5...Bxf3 6.exf3 ) 6.Bg2 Bg7 7.c4 f5 8.Nc3 0–0 9.0–0
5.e3. A novelty very early in the game . If 5.Nbd2 g6 6.e4 Bh6 7.Bd3 0–0 8.0–0 Re8 9.Re1 d6 10.a4 a5 11.c3 Nd7
5...d5.
5...g6 was the logical way of development for black
6.Be2 Bd6 7.0–0 0–0 8.c4 dxc4 9.Bxc4 Nd7 10.Nc3 a6
Focusing on development. Black could have also tried advancing 10. ..f5. If 10...Re8 11.Rc1 f5 12.Nb5
11.Rc1 c5. At first glance this might appear a logical continuaion but it is a serious positional blunder as it allows White to go for centre control.
12.dxc5. If 12.Bd5 Bxd5 13.Nxd5
12...Nxc5 13.Bd5 Bxd5 14.Nxd5
If 14.Qxd5 Na4 15.Rfd1 Nxc3 16.Rxc3 Bc7
14...Ra7 15.b4
Pushing the knight to a less effective square
15...Ne6. If 15...Ne4 16.Qd4
16.Qb3 Rd7 17.Rfd1. A good move!
17. .. a5. Black wants to exchange pawns on the queen side
18.a3. 18.bxa5?! bxa5 19.Nb6 Rc7 20.Nc4 Rc6
18...b5 19.Rd3. Not exchanging the pieces and building up tension
19...axb4 20.axb4 Qb8 21.Rcdite has a few reasons to be happy with this position as his piecesa re centralized and he has a few options also to attack
21...Kh8. Taking time off to take the King to safety from checks. If 21...Ng5 22.Nxg5 Bxh2+ 23.Kh1 fxg5 24.Nf6+
22.g3 Rfd8 23.Nc3

Diagram 1

Black’s bishop is pinned on the ‘d’ file

23...Qb7 24.Qd5.
White wants to retain the pin and also force the exchange of queens
24. ..Qxd5 25.Rxd5 Nc7 26.R5d3 Kg8
The King moves back after White’s knight has retreated back
27.Ne4. White had a quicker win with 27.e4 and e4–e5  as Black still cannot shrug out of the pin
27...Ne8 28.Rd5 f5 29.Nc5. White is still struggling to get out of the pin. If 29.Rxf5 Bxb4 30.Rxd7 Rxd7 31.Rxb5 Be7 Black can try to hold on and salvage a draw
29...Rc7
If 29...Ra7 30.Nd4 Nc7 31.Nc6 Nxd5 32.Rxd5
30.Nd4. Improving his position.
30...Nf6 31.Rxf5
Here better is 31.Nxb5 keeping the tension
31. ..Bxc5
If 31...Be7 32.Ra1
32.Rxc5 Rxc5 33.bxc5 Ne4 34.c6
Black cannot stop this pawn from marching on merrily
34...Nc3 35.Rd3 b4 36.c7 Re8 37.Nc6 Nb5 38.c8Q and Black resigned for if 38. ..Rxc8  39.Ne7+
1–0

Diagram 2

White to play and win

 1.Qxe5+ dxe5
If Black does not capture the queen, then he loses material and threats continue
2.Bf6+ Kg8 3.Nh6 checkmate.