Develop the pieces with care

Chess basics always emphasise on the early development of pieces in the opening stages of the game and rightly so. However there are times when in the early middle-game, some pieces may not be able to enter the game in certain positions.

In the game which follows, Black is intent on developing his bishop and allows a pawn storm in the centre. As a consequence he has to part with a piece for two pawns and though he has active pieces, he ends on the losing side after exchange of pieces.

White: Alexander Goldin (2570) – Black: Martin Borriss (2425)

Budapest, 1996

King’s Indian Defence

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 0–0 5.Nc3 c6 6.Nf3 d6 7.0–0 Qa5. Early entry of the queen into the warfare

8.e4 e5. Black can consider 8. ..c5

9.h3. White could have tried 9.dxe5 dxe5  10.Qe2 Nbd7

9. ..Nbd7 10.Re1 exd4 11.Nxd4 Ne5 12.Bf1 Re8 13.Rb1 Qc5

If 13...a6 14.Be3 (14.b4 Qc7 15.Be3 b5 16.cxb5 axb5) 14...Be6 15.Nxe6 Rxe6 16.f4

14.Kg2. Getting out of the diagonal or does he have any other idea?

14...Be6

Diagram 1

Black tries to hurry with his development  which is a mistake. He should have played 14. ..Qb6 or 14. ..Qa5. If14...a5 15.Na4 Qa7 16.f4 Ned7 17.Nc3 And if  14...Nxc4 15.b4 Qh5 16.Bxc4 Bxh3+ (16...Qxh3+ 17.Kg1 Ng4 18.Nf3 Bxc3 19.Bxf7+ Kg7 20.Bxe8) 17.Kg1 Qxd1 18.Rxd1 Nxe4 19.Bb2

15.b4. A good move

15. ..Qb6 16.f4. White’s pawns are storming the centre

16. ..Bxc4. Black is getting two central pawns for his piece. But then he hardly has any choice ! If 16...Nxc4 17.Nxe6 Ng4 18.Qxg4 Bxc3 19.Rd1 Qa6 20.Qe2

17.fxe5 Bxf1+. If 17...dxe5 18.Nf3

18.Rxf1 Rxe5. If 18...dxe5 19.Nf3 Rad8 20.Qe2

19.Bf4. If 19. Bh6 Ng4

19. ..Ree8 20.Qd3. If 20.Bxd6 Nxe4 21.Nxe4 Rxe4 22.Nf3 Rae8

20...Nxe4. If 20...d5 21.exd5 Nxd5 22.Nxd5 cxd5 23.Nb5

21.Nxe4 Qxd4 22.Qxd4 Bxd4

23.Nxd6 Re2+

If 23...Re7 24.Rbd1

24.Kh1. If 24.Kf3 Rxa2 25.Nxb7 Re8

24...a5. If 24...Rxa2 25.Nxb7

25.b5. White should have thought about 24.Rfd1 Bg7.And if 25.Nxb7 axb4 26.Rxb4 Raxa2 27.g4 c5 25.Rfd1 Bg7 26.a4

25...cxb5. If 25...Rxa2 26.Rfd1 Bg7 27.b6

26.Rxb5 b6. If 26...Rxa2 27.Nxf7 Kxf7 28.Be3+ Bf6 29.Rxb7+

27.Rd5 Bg7. If 27...Bc5 28.a4

28.a3 Ra2 29.Rd3 Rd8

If 29...Bb2 30.Rd2 Ra1 31.Rxa1 Bxa1 32.a4

30.Rfd1 f5 31.Bg5

Worth a thought is 31.Rb1

31. ..Rd7. If 31...Rb8 32.Nc4

32.Nc4. White can play 32.R1d2 or 32.Nb5

32. ..Rxd3 33.Rxd3 Bf8. If 33...b5 34.Rd8+ Kf7 35.Nd6+ Ke6 36.Nxb5

34.Rd8 Kf7 35.Ne5+ Ke6

If 35...Kg7 36.Rd7+ Kg8 37.Bf6 Rxa3 38.Rd8 Ra1+ 39.Kg2 Ra2+ 40.Kf3 Ra3+ 41.Kf4 Ra4+ 42.Kg5 Ra3 43.Be7

36.Nxg6. If 36.Rxf8 Kxe5 37.Bf4+ Ke4 38.Re8+ Kf3 39.Re3+ Kf2

36...Bc5. If 36...Bxa3 37.Nf4+ Ke5 38.Rd7 And if 36...hxg6 37.Rxf8 Ra1+ 38.Kg2 Ra2+ 39.Kf1 Ra1+ 40.Ke2 Ra2+ 41.Kd1 Rxa3 42.Rf6+ Kd5 43.Bf4

37.Nf4+ Ke5

If 37...Kf7 38.Rd7+ Kg8 39.Nh5

38.Nd3+ Ke4 39.Nxc5+ bxc5 40.Re8+ Kf3 41.Re3+ Kf2 42.Rc3 c4 43.Be7

1–0

Diagram 2

White to play and win

1.Nf8+ Kh8 2.Qh7+ Rxh7 3.Rxh7 checkmate