Passive play unlikely to lead to good results on the board

Chess Checks

Passive play never works in a game of chess. It is important to play actively if not aggressively. If a player tries to tread in an overcautious manner, his pieces soon get cramped and the opponent starts enjoying space advantage. A player has to fight for each and every central square without conceding an inch.

In the game which follows, Black plays passively right from the opening stages even though White has moved his queen early in the game.

Black decides to castle quickly and hence develops his kingside pieces when developing his queenside pieces would have meant White’s queen being forced to retreat. The White queen, out of the 12 moves, makes as many as four that goes against chess basics, but he gets away with it because of Black’s passivity.

White: Genadij Timoscenko (2519) – Black: Nenad Ristic (2435)
Cutro, 2000, English Opening
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 .g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Qa4+
The Queen comes out rather early in the game
4. ..Bd7 5.Qb3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 Bg7
Perhaps Black could have concentrated on the queen side first as White’s queen is out early. Worth a look is 6...a6 or even 6...Nc6
7.e4 0–0
Black is playing cautiously and even now could have tried 7...Bc6
8.e5 Ng4  9.d4 Nc6
If 9...Be6 10.d5 Bf5 11.Bf4 Nd7 12.Qe2 f6 13.e6 Nde5
10.h3
Playing a new move here!  If 10...a5 11.h3 Nb4 12.Rc1 Nh6 13.d5 c6
10...Nh6 11.Bf4 Na5
If 11...Nf5 12.d5 Na5
12.Qe2
The queen has moved for the fourth time in just 12 moves

Diagram 1

12. ..f6
Black could have tried to gain some counter play by 12. ..Bc6. If 12...c5 13.dxc5
13.0–0–0
Finally White decides to castle on the queen side. If 13.d5 fxe5 14.Bxe5 and if 14.Bxh6 Bxh6 15.b4 c5 16.bxa5 Qxa5 17.Qb2 e4 18.Nd2 e3
13...fxe5 14.Bxe5 Bf6 15.d5 b6 16.Nd4
White has been able to get all good squares for his pieces and does look better
16...Qc8 17.Qe3
A good move!
17. .. Nf7
Black can also try 17...Bxe5
18.Bxf6 exf6 19.Ne6
Black has been passive while White ahs been entering the enemy territory with his pieces at the slightest opportunity
19. ..Bxe6
If 19...Re8 20.Ne4 gives advantage to White
20.dxe6 Nd6 21.e7
Marching merrily onto the seventh rank which makes things really difficult for Black now
21. ..Rf7
Black could have offered stiffer resistance with 21...Re8 22.Nd5 Kg7 23.g4 event though White would still have the edge
22.Rxd6
A fine tactical sacrifice of the rook for the knight.
22...cxd6 23.Bb5
Trying to control the square where his pawn is threatening to queen!
23. .. Qb7
Black hardly has any good moves at his disposal. If 23...Nc6 24.e8Q+ Qxe8 25.Qxe8+ Rxe8 26.Bxc6 also wins for White
24.e8 (Q+) Rxe8 25.Qxe8+
It is all over for Black and he might as well resign!
25...Kg7 26.Qe4 Qc8 27.Rd1 a6 28.Be2 Qc5 29.Qd4
With a winning position, White’s offer to swap queens is expected
29. ..b5 30.Qxc5 dxc5 31.Rd6 and Black resigned.

Diagram 2

White to play and win
1.Nfxg7 Rfxg7 2.Rxg7+ Qxg7
If 2. ..Rxg7  3.Nf8+ and White wins
3. Nxg7 and White wins.