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It's positional supremacy that counts

Chess Checks
Last Updated 12 September 2015, 18:37 IST

Beginners tend to think that the material equality in the middle-game stages of any chess game can steer the game towards a draw. However it is the positional supremacy which allows a player to clinch victory despite the equality in number of pieces.

The game which follows is really instructive in the art of positional play and is a classic case which shows the paralysing effect on the opponent’s pieces. The game ends abruptly in the eyes of the beginners with most of the pieces still gracing the board and material balance, maintained. 

White: Andrei Kharlov (2615) – Black: Konstantin Aseev(2533)
Moscow, 1999
Nimzo Indian Defence

 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 c5
The Nimzo Indian Defence
5.dxc5 Na6
Black can play 5. ..Bxc5
6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.Qxc3 Nxc5 8.b4
As is the norm in this opening, White is pushing pawns on the queen-side
8. ..Nce4
Preferring to come towards the centre but here 8. ..Na4 appears better
9.Qb2
White can also play 9.Qd4 d5 10.c5 h6
9...Nd6
The main continuation is 9. ..d5  10.c5 Nh5
10.c5 Nc4
Black played a novelty here. Previously played was 10...Nf5 11.g4 (11.g3 d6 12.cxd6 Qxd6 13.Bg2 e5 14.Nf3 e4 15.Bf4) 11...Nxg4 12.e4 0–0
11.Qc3 d5
If 11...b5 12.e4 Nxe4 13.Qxg7 Qf6 14.Qxf6 Nxf6 15.a4 Ba6 16.Nf3
With a better position for White
12.e4
It is an interesting position after 12 moves. Note that White’s king-side is totally undeveloped and the pawn chain on opposite flanks presents a pretty picture. If 12.e3 b5 13.Nf3
12...b5
This appears a mistake as better is 12...Nxe4 13.Qxg7 Qf6 14.Qxf6 Nxf6 15.Bxc4 dxc4 16.Bb2 Ke7 17.Rc1 a5 18.Rxc4 Rg8 keeping the position balanced
13.Bxc4. A good move!
13. .. bxc4
More or less a forced move. If 13...dxc4 14.f3
14.e5 Ne4 15.Qd4
White can now try to dislodge the central knight with 16.f3 Qh4 17.g3
15...f6
Black could have tried to get some counter-play with 15...Qh4  16.Ne2 f6  17.exf6 0-0. This would have prevented White from playing the next move 16.f3
16.f3 fxe5 17.Qxe5 Nf6
This knight retreat saddles Black with an inferior position. He could have tried to put up an active defence with 17...Qh4+ 18.g3 Qf6 19.Bf4 Ng5
18.Ne2
A very nice move and it is worth noting that White it totally controlling the board even though both have identical number of pieces. Black’s pieces have become passive and have literally no scope for movement
 18...0–0 19.0–0 Re8
Black had other better options in 19. ..Bd7  20.Nd4 Qc8  21.Re1 a5

Diagram 1

20.c6
Another pretty little pawn advance which virtually paralyses Black’s bishop
20. .. Qb6+ 21.Nd4 Ba6
Finally managing to get the bishop out but the position is now beyond repair
22.b5!
A cool move which indicates the helplessness of Black’s position and he decides not to further prolong the agony and resigns. If 22. .. Bc8  23.a4 Qa5 24.Bg5 Qb4  25.Bxf6 gxf6  26.Qxf6 Qe7  27.Qe5  And if 22...Bxb5 23.Rb1 a6 24.a4
1–0

Diagram 2

Black to play and checkmate
1.  .. Nb3+ 2.Kb1 Qxc2 checkmate. Also 2. ..dxc2 is checkmate



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(Published 12 September 2015, 16:46 IST)

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