<p>The bishop or the knight -- which is the better piece? It’s been a perennial debate in a chess game. Manoeuvring the knight is a trifle difficult as it needs plenty of calculations while a bishop pair is easy to move around as it controls lot of squares, long range. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Exchanging a knight for a bishop or vice versa needs some thought and the decision has to be taken based on the position.<br /><br />In the game which follows, White initially appears a trifle better but errs in the middle-game when he allows the exchange of his light squared bishop for his opponent’s knight. Thereafter Black appears to hold the edge but is unable to convert this into win.<br /><br />White: Liang Chong (2405) – Black: Ye Jiangchuan (2530)<br />Beijing , 1998<br />King’s Indian Defence<br /><br />1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0–0 6.h3 Na6<br />Black can explore the option of 6. ..c5<br />7.Bg5 e5 8.d5 Qe8<br />Black can also think of 8. ..h6 or 8. ..Qd7<br />9.g4 A sudden rush of blood! White immediately advances the g pawn<br />9. ..Kh8<br />A rather tame response. Worth a look is 9. ..Nc5<br />10.Nd2 Ng8<br />Surprisingly retreating back!<br />11.Be2 f5 A new move1 Previously played was 11...f6 12.Be3 f5 13.gxf5 gxf5 14.Bh5 or 11...Bh6 or 11...f6 12.Be3 Bh6 13.Bxh6 Nxh6 14.a3 c5.<br />12.gxf5 White can wait and play 12.Qd7<br />12. ..gxf5 13.Bh5 Qd7 14.Qe2<br />If 14.exf5 Qxf5 15.Nde4 Nf6 16.Bxf6 Bxf6 17.Bg4<br />14...Nf6<br /><br />Diagram 1<br /><br />15.0–0–0<br />Losing sight of the plot! White abruptly decides to castle on the queen-side thinking he has sufficient attack aimed at the King-side. It was necessary for him to retain the light squared bishop. Better is 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.exf5, maintaining slight advantage<br />15...Nxh5 Black does not hesitate to exchange his knight for the bishop.<br />16.Qxh5 <br />The Queen has entered the warfare and is targettting the King-side but has no support from the other pieces or pawns<br />16. ..Nc5 After the exchange of the bishop White cannot easily capture on f5 as the light squares will be too weak<br />17.Qe2 <br />The Queen has to rush back to defend.<br /><br />17. ..a6 18.Be3<br />White can play 18.f3<br />18. ..Na4 19.Ndb1 Nxc3 20.Nxc3 f4<br />Black could have thought of taking initiative on the queen-side with 20. ..b5<br />21.Bd2 Qf7 22.Rdg1 Bd7 23.Kb1 Bf6 24.f3 Rg8 25.Rxg8+<br />White could have tried 25.Be1<br />25. ..Rxg8 26.Be1 Qg6<br />Black is slightly better after doubling the rook and queen<br />27.Kc1 Qg2 <br />Infiltrating the seventh rank and inviting the exchange of queens.<br />28.Rh2<br />White is naturally not interested<br />28. ..Qg1 29.Qf2 Be8<br />Black wants to check whether he can activate the bishop pair<br />30.Qxg1 Rxg1 <br />31.Kd2 Bh5 <br />32.Bf2 Ra1<br />33.Ke2 b6<br />Here 33. ..Bd8 is more appealing<br />34.h4 h6<br />Here Black can play 34.Kg7<br />35.a3 Kh7 36.Rh3 Kg7 37.Be1 Be8<br />Black could have looked at 37. ..Kf8 38.Kd2 Bd8 39.Nd1 Ke7<br />38.Rh1 h5 39.Rg1+ Kf7 40.Rf1 Bd7 and the draw was agreed as progress was not possible. <br />½–½<br /><br />Diagram 2<br /><br />Black to play and win New game<br />1. … Rd1 2.Rbxd1 Qh3+ 3.Kg1 Qxg2 checkmate.<br />If 2.Qxb7+ Kxb7</p>
<p>The bishop or the knight -- which is the better piece? It’s been a perennial debate in a chess game. Manoeuvring the knight is a trifle difficult as it needs plenty of calculations while a bishop pair is easy to move around as it controls lot of squares, long range. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Exchanging a knight for a bishop or vice versa needs some thought and the decision has to be taken based on the position.<br /><br />In the game which follows, White initially appears a trifle better but errs in the middle-game when he allows the exchange of his light squared bishop for his opponent’s knight. Thereafter Black appears to hold the edge but is unable to convert this into win.<br /><br />White: Liang Chong (2405) – Black: Ye Jiangchuan (2530)<br />Beijing , 1998<br />King’s Indian Defence<br /><br />1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0–0 6.h3 Na6<br />Black can explore the option of 6. ..c5<br />7.Bg5 e5 8.d5 Qe8<br />Black can also think of 8. ..h6 or 8. ..Qd7<br />9.g4 A sudden rush of blood! White immediately advances the g pawn<br />9. ..Kh8<br />A rather tame response. Worth a look is 9. ..Nc5<br />10.Nd2 Ng8<br />Surprisingly retreating back!<br />11.Be2 f5 A new move1 Previously played was 11...f6 12.Be3 f5 13.gxf5 gxf5 14.Bh5 or 11...Bh6 or 11...f6 12.Be3 Bh6 13.Bxh6 Nxh6 14.a3 c5.<br />12.gxf5 White can wait and play 12.Qd7<br />12. ..gxf5 13.Bh5 Qd7 14.Qe2<br />If 14.exf5 Qxf5 15.Nde4 Nf6 16.Bxf6 Bxf6 17.Bg4<br />14...Nf6<br /><br />Diagram 1<br /><br />15.0–0–0<br />Losing sight of the plot! White abruptly decides to castle on the queen-side thinking he has sufficient attack aimed at the King-side. It was necessary for him to retain the light squared bishop. Better is 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.exf5, maintaining slight advantage<br />15...Nxh5 Black does not hesitate to exchange his knight for the bishop.<br />16.Qxh5 <br />The Queen has entered the warfare and is targettting the King-side but has no support from the other pieces or pawns<br />16. ..Nc5 After the exchange of the bishop White cannot easily capture on f5 as the light squares will be too weak<br />17.Qe2 <br />The Queen has to rush back to defend.<br /><br />17. ..a6 18.Be3<br />White can play 18.f3<br />18. ..Na4 19.Ndb1 Nxc3 20.Nxc3 f4<br />Black could have thought of taking initiative on the queen-side with 20. ..b5<br />21.Bd2 Qf7 22.Rdg1 Bd7 23.Kb1 Bf6 24.f3 Rg8 25.Rxg8+<br />White could have tried 25.Be1<br />25. ..Rxg8 26.Be1 Qg6<br />Black is slightly better after doubling the rook and queen<br />27.Kc1 Qg2 <br />Infiltrating the seventh rank and inviting the exchange of queens.<br />28.Rh2<br />White is naturally not interested<br />28. ..Qg1 29.Qf2 Be8<br />Black wants to check whether he can activate the bishop pair<br />30.Qxg1 Rxg1 <br />31.Kd2 Bh5 <br />32.Bf2 Ra1<br />33.Ke2 b6<br />Here 33. ..Bd8 is more appealing<br />34.h4 h6<br />Here Black can play 34.Kg7<br />35.a3 Kh7 36.Rh3 Kg7 37.Be1 Be8<br />Black could have looked at 37. ..Kf8 38.Kd2 Bd8 39.Nd1 Ke7<br />38.Rh1 h5 39.Rg1+ Kf7 40.Rf1 Bd7 and the draw was agreed as progress was not possible. <br />½–½<br /><br />Diagram 2<br /><br />Black to play and win New game<br />1. … Rd1 2.Rbxd1 Qh3+ 3.Kg1 Qxg2 checkmate.<br />If 2.Qxb7+ Kxb7</p>
