<p>A bishop pair most often scores over the knights in open positions and hence it is necessary to carefully calculate and exchange a few pawns and position the bishops on open diagonals.<br /><br />In the game which follows, White has a bishop pair advantage but misses a good continuation where his bishops could have opened the gates for an earlier victory. However an extra pawn on the queen side, prompts White to exchange pieces and clinch victory.<br /><br />White : Christian Bauer (2480) – Black: Jean Pierre Boudre (2397) <br />France,1999<br /><br />English Opening<br /><br />1.c4 c6 2.e4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nf3 Be7 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Bd3 0–0 9.0–0 <br />Completing their development in accordance with theory<br />9. ..Nc6 10.Re1 Re8 11.a3 Bd7<br />If 11...g6 12.Bh6 (12.Bc4 Nxc3 13.bxc3 Bf6) 12...Nxc3 13.bxc3 Bf6 <br />12.Bd2 <br />If 12.Bc2 Rc8 13.Ne4 h6 14.Ng3 Bf8 15.Qd3 g6 <br />12...Nxc3 13.bxc3 Bf6 14.Qb1 <br />A good move targeting both the King and the Queen side<br />14. ..g6 15.Bf4<br />A rather surprising decision? White could have grabbed the pawn with 15.Qxb7 Rb8 16.Qa6 Rb6 17.Qc4 Na5 18.Qa2 which would have given advantage to White <br />15...b6 16.Qb2 Na5 <br />If 16...Rc8 17.Ba6 And if 16...Bg7 17.Rad1 and White is better in both cases <br />17.Ne5 Bxe5<br />Once again Black could have been better off after 17...Bc6 18.Nxc6 Nxc6<br />18.Bxe5 Bc6 19.c4 f6 20.Bg3 Rc8 <br /><br />Diagram 1<br /></p>.<p>21.Bf1<br />White has the bishop pair advantage and it would be to his benefit if he can operate though the open diagonals. Perhaps a active continuation like 21.d5 exd5 22.Rxe8+ Bxe8 23.cxd5 Qxd5 24.Qxf6 Bc6 25.Bf1 would have given White an edge<br />21...Bb7<br />If 21...Ba4 22.c5 (22.d5 Nxc4 23.Bxc4 Rxc4 24.dxe6 Qd4) 22...Nb3 23.Bb5 Bxb5 24.Qxb3 Qd7 25.cxb6 axb6 26.Rab1 Bc4 27.Qxb6 Bd5<br />22.Rac1 Ba6 23.c5 Bxf1 24.Rxf1 Qd5<br />Black sacrifices the pawn. If 24...Nc6 25.Bd6 Ne7 gives a slight advantage to White <br />25.cxb6 axb6 26.Qxb6 Nc4 27.Qb4 Rc6 <br />If 27...Qxd4 28.Rfd1 Qe4 29.a4 which is good for White <br />28.Rfd1 Rec8 29.Rb1 Qd7 30.h3 <br />Taking time out to make an escape square for the King<br />30. ..Nb6 31.Kh2 h5 32.Qb5 g5 <br />Black decides to target the King side<br />33.h4 Nd5 34.hxg5 fxg5 <br />White looks better now!<br />35.Qb7 <br />An extra pawn and White invites Black to trade queens<br />35. ..Qxb7 36.Rxb7 Rc2 <br />Invading the seventh rank but already things are looking difficult for Black<br />37.Re1 h4 <br />If 37...Nf6 38.Rxe6 And if 37...Re8 38.Re5 where White is distinctly better <br />38.Be5 Rxf2 39.Rg7+ Kf8 40.Rxg5 Rcc2 <br />Doubling on the seventh rank but there is no respite<br />41.Re4 Rf5 42.Rg6 h3 43.Kxh3 Rc3+ 44.g3 Ke7 45.Rh4 Rf7 46.Rhh6 Rc6 <br />Black is totally on the back foot and is forced to defend his weak links.<br />47.Rh8 <br /></p>.<p>White’s rooks are enjoying full mobility<br />47. ..Rc1 48.Rb8 Rh7+ 49.Kg4 1–0. Black resigned as he has run out of checks and his King is slowly and surely getting cornered.<br />Diagram 2<br />White to play and win<br /> 1.Rxa6 Rxa6 2.Qxa6 Qxd2 3.Rc8 Qg5 4.Qa8 and White wins.</p>
<p>A bishop pair most often scores over the knights in open positions and hence it is necessary to carefully calculate and exchange a few pawns and position the bishops on open diagonals.<br /><br />In the game which follows, White has a bishop pair advantage but misses a good continuation where his bishops could have opened the gates for an earlier victory. However an extra pawn on the queen side, prompts White to exchange pieces and clinch victory.<br /><br />White : Christian Bauer (2480) – Black: Jean Pierre Boudre (2397) <br />France,1999<br /><br />English Opening<br /><br />1.c4 c6 2.e4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nf3 Be7 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Bd3 0–0 9.0–0 <br />Completing their development in accordance with theory<br />9. ..Nc6 10.Re1 Re8 11.a3 Bd7<br />If 11...g6 12.Bh6 (12.Bc4 Nxc3 13.bxc3 Bf6) 12...Nxc3 13.bxc3 Bf6 <br />12.Bd2 <br />If 12.Bc2 Rc8 13.Ne4 h6 14.Ng3 Bf8 15.Qd3 g6 <br />12...Nxc3 13.bxc3 Bf6 14.Qb1 <br />A good move targeting both the King and the Queen side<br />14. ..g6 15.Bf4<br />A rather surprising decision? White could have grabbed the pawn with 15.Qxb7 Rb8 16.Qa6 Rb6 17.Qc4 Na5 18.Qa2 which would have given advantage to White <br />15...b6 16.Qb2 Na5 <br />If 16...Rc8 17.Ba6 And if 16...Bg7 17.Rad1 and White is better in both cases <br />17.Ne5 Bxe5<br />Once again Black could have been better off after 17...Bc6 18.Nxc6 Nxc6<br />18.Bxe5 Bc6 19.c4 f6 20.Bg3 Rc8 <br /><br />Diagram 1<br /></p>.<p>21.Bf1<br />White has the bishop pair advantage and it would be to his benefit if he can operate though the open diagonals. Perhaps a active continuation like 21.d5 exd5 22.Rxe8+ Bxe8 23.cxd5 Qxd5 24.Qxf6 Bc6 25.Bf1 would have given White an edge<br />21...Bb7<br />If 21...Ba4 22.c5 (22.d5 Nxc4 23.Bxc4 Rxc4 24.dxe6 Qd4) 22...Nb3 23.Bb5 Bxb5 24.Qxb3 Qd7 25.cxb6 axb6 26.Rab1 Bc4 27.Qxb6 Bd5<br />22.Rac1 Ba6 23.c5 Bxf1 24.Rxf1 Qd5<br />Black sacrifices the pawn. If 24...Nc6 25.Bd6 Ne7 gives a slight advantage to White <br />25.cxb6 axb6 26.Qxb6 Nc4 27.Qb4 Rc6 <br />If 27...Qxd4 28.Rfd1 Qe4 29.a4 which is good for White <br />28.Rfd1 Rec8 29.Rb1 Qd7 30.h3 <br />Taking time out to make an escape square for the King<br />30. ..Nb6 31.Kh2 h5 32.Qb5 g5 <br />Black decides to target the King side<br />33.h4 Nd5 34.hxg5 fxg5 <br />White looks better now!<br />35.Qb7 <br />An extra pawn and White invites Black to trade queens<br />35. ..Qxb7 36.Rxb7 Rc2 <br />Invading the seventh rank but already things are looking difficult for Black<br />37.Re1 h4 <br />If 37...Nf6 38.Rxe6 And if 37...Re8 38.Re5 where White is distinctly better <br />38.Be5 Rxf2 39.Rg7+ Kf8 40.Rxg5 Rcc2 <br />Doubling on the seventh rank but there is no respite<br />41.Re4 Rf5 42.Rg6 h3 43.Kxh3 Rc3+ 44.g3 Ke7 45.Rh4 Rf7 46.Rhh6 Rc6 <br />Black is totally on the back foot and is forced to defend his weak links.<br />47.Rh8 <br /></p>.<p>White’s rooks are enjoying full mobility<br />47. ..Rc1 48.Rb8 Rh7+ 49.Kg4 1–0. Black resigned as he has run out of checks and his King is slowly and surely getting cornered.<br />Diagram 2<br />White to play and win<br /> 1.Rxa6 Rxa6 2.Qxa6 Qxd2 3.Rc8 Qg5 4.Qa8 and White wins.</p>
