JOIN USThe central squares e4, d4, e5 and d5 are power controlling squares in a game of chess and the pieces can cause maximum influence on the game from these squares. Generally the player who can occupy these squares can attack and defend and usually end up winning the game.
In the game which follows Black turns the tide in his favour after his queen is placed on the d5 square. From there on the queen controls the game and Black has no problem in winning the game.
White: Eric Lobron (2585) – Black: Veselin Topalov (2750)
Dortmund, 1996
Benoni Defence
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 c5 4.d5 d6 5.Nc3 exd5 6.cxd5 g6. The usual continuations are 6. ..a6 or 6. ..Be7
7.h3 Bg7.
If 7...a6 8.a4 Qe7 9.Bg5 Bg7 10.e3 h6
8.e4 0–0 9.Bd3 b5 10.Nxb5
If 10.0–0 b4 11.Ne2 Re8 12.Ng3 Nfd7 13.Qc2 Ba6 14.Bxa6 Nxa6 15.Bg5 Bf6 16.Bxf6 Qxf6
10...Re8 11.0–0 Nxe4 12.Re1
If 12.Qb3 a6 13.Na3 Nd7 14.Nc4 Rb8
12...a6. If 12...Bd7 13.a4 a6 14.Na3 Nf6 15.Nc4 Rxe1+ 16.Nxe1 Ra7 17.Qf3 Bc8
13.Qa4. If 13.Na3 Nf6 14.Rxe8+ Nxe8 15.Nc4 Nd7 16.Bg5 Ndf6
13...Nd7. Black played a novelty here. Here Black sacrifices a pawn but it is only temporary and he appears to have solved all his problems. If 13...Bd7 14.Qa3 Qb6 15.Nc3 Nxc3 16.Rxe8+ Bxe8 17.bxc3 Nd7 18.Bf4 Qc7
14.Rxe4. If 14.Bxe4 Nb6 15.Qb3 axb5 16.Qxb5 Ba6 17.Qb3 Bc4 with more or less a balanced position
14...Rxe4 15.Qxe4.
If 15.Bxe4 Nb6 16.Qb3 axb5 17.Qxb5 Ba6
15...Nf6. If 15...axb5 16.Bxb5 Nf6
16.Qh4. Swinging onto the King side. If 16.Qa4 Bd7 17.Qb3 axb5 18.Bxb5 Bxb5 19.Qxb5 Nxd5
16...axb5 17.Bxb5 Qb6 18.a4 Bb7
If 18...Qxb5 19.axb5 Rxa1 20.Qf4 Nxd5 21.Qxd6 Rxc1+ 22.Kh2
19.Bh6 Bxd5 20.Nd2
If 20.Bxg7 Kxg7 21.Qf4
20...Qb7= 21.Bxg7 Kxg7 22.Qg3
If 22.f3 Bc6 23.Bxc6 Qxc6 24.b3
22...Nh5 23.Qc3+. Swinging onto the queen-side and targeting from there. If 23.Qxd6 Bxg2 24.Qxc5 Kg8 (24...Nf4 25.Qd4 And if 24...Bxh3 25.Qc3+)
23...Kg8 24.f3 Qe7 25.Ne4
If 25.Nf1 Nf4 26.Qd2. 25...Bxe4 26.fxe4
If 26.Re1 d5 (26...Nf4 27.fxe4 (27.Rxe4 Qg5) 27...Qg5 28.Qf3) 27.fxe4 d4
26...Qxe4 27.Re1 Qb7 28.Rf1 Ng7 29.Qf6
If 29.b4 cxb4 30.Qxb4
29...Nf5. If 29...Qd5? 30.Bc6 Qxc6 31.Qxf7+ Kh8 32.Qf8+
30.Re1. A wrong decision? If 30.Bc4 d5 And if 30.Rxf5 gxf5 31.Qxd6 and White can try to steer the game to a draw as Black’s pawns are also weak. If 31.Qg5+ Kf8 32.Qh6+ Ke7 33.Qg5+ Ke6 And if 30.g4 Nd4 31.Qxd6 Nxb5 32.axb5 Qxb5 33.Rxf7 Ra1+
Diagram 1
30...Qd5. A power square for the Queen from where she can control lot of important squares
31.b3. If 31.Be8 Qd4+ 32.Qxd4 Nxd4
31...Qd2.
If 31...Qd4+ 32.Qxd4 Nxd4 33.Bc4 And if 31...Qxb3 32.Bd7 Qg3
32.Rf1 Qe3+ 33.Kh2 Qg3+ 34.Kg1 Qxb3 35.Rxf5
If 35.Bd7 Ng3
35...gxf5 36.Qg5+
If 36.Qxd6 Qe3+ 37.Kh1 f4
36...Kf8 37.Qh6+ Ke7 38.Qh4+ f6 39.Qxh7+ Qf7 40.Qxf5 Kd8
41.Bc6 Ra7 42.Bd5 Qe7 43.Qb1 Kc8 44.Qf5+ Kc7 45.Qb1 Qe3+
If 45...Qd7 46.a5 Rxa5 47.Qb7+ Kd8 48.Qb8+ Ke7 49.Qg8
46.Kh1 Qd2! 47.Qb3
If 47.Bf3 d5
47...Qc1+
If 47...Qc1+ 48.Kh2 Qf4+ 49.Kh1 Qxa4
0–1
Diagram 2
White to play and win
1.Rf4+ Kg5 2.h4 checkmate.