Co-ordination between pieces is vital

Chess Checks

Co-ordination between pieces is essential in a game of chess or they virtually lose control over the board. The pieces should not wander aimlessly or stay scattered or even embark on futile solo journeys.

In the game which follows, Black strangely retreats most of his pieces to the first rank in an effort to regroup but the harmony between the pieces is lost. An innocuous looking knight move tilts the balance and the game White’s way on the 32nd turn.

White: Igor Stohl (2525) – Black: Joel Benjamin (2560)
Novi Sad  1990
English Symmetrical
1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nc6. If 2...Nf6 3.Nc3 b6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Bb7
3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6
If 5...Qb6 6.Nb3 e6 7.a3
6.a3. A quiet waiting sort of a move. White can play 6.e4 or 6.Ndb5
6. ..Bc5 7.Nb3 Be7
Retreating back
8.e4 b6 9.Be2 0–0 10.0–0 Bb7
If 10...Ba6 11.Be3 Rc8 12.f4 d6 13.Kh1 Nb8! 14.Nd2 d5 15.cxd5 exd5 16.e5 d4 was played in a previous game

11.Be3 d6 12.f4. A good pawn advance
12. ..Rc8 13.Bf3. White has the bishop pair and it remains to see how effectively he would use it. If 13.Bd3 Nd7
13...Nb8. Retreating back the knight which though appearing a strange decision, is a novelty here. The usual continuation is 13...Qc7

14.Nd2 Nbd7. Restarting his journey! If 14...Ba6 15.b3
15.Qe2 Qc7 16.Rc1.  If 16.g4 h6 17.h4 Nh7 18.g5 hxg5 19.hxg5 e5
16...Qb8. Once again a strange decision! Playing 16...a6 makes things unclear
17.g4. Another aggressive advance on the King-side! White also can try a pawn advance on the queen-side17.b4

17. ..Ne8
If 17...h6 18.h4 Nh7 19.g5 hxg5 20.hxg5 e5 21.Bg4
18.g5 Nc7 19.Qg2 Rfe8 20.h4. White is steamrolling his pawn son the King-side. If 20.f5 Ne5 21.f6 Bf8.
20...Bf8. Another retreat! If 20...d5 21.cxd5 exd5 22.e5 (22.exd5 Bxa3 23.bxa3 Rxe3 24.d6 Ne6) 22...Bc5 23.Bxc5 Nxc5
21.h5 g6
If 21...d5 22.g6 fxg6 (22...dxc4 23.gxf7+ Kxf7 24.h6 g6 25.f5) 23.hxg6 h6 24.cxd5 exd5 25.e5
22.Rce1 Ba8. Barring both the knights, all of Black’s pieces have stationed themselves on the first rank. If 22...Bg7 23.f5 exf5 24.exf5 Rxe3 25.Rxe3 Bd4 26.Bxb7 Bxe3+ 27.Kh1 Re8 28.Bc6 And if 22...d5

23.Qh3 b5 24.Re2 Re7
If 24...bxc4 25.hxg6 fxg6 26.Rh2 Re7 27.Nxc4 Nb5 28.Bg4
25.f5 exf5
If 25...Ne5 26.f6 Rd7 27.hxg6 fxg6 28.Nxb5 Nxb5 29.Qxe6+ Kh8 30.cxb5
26.exf5 gxf5
If 26...Bxf3 27.Nxf3 gxf5 (27...Rce8 28.hxg6 fxg6 29.fxg6 hxg6 30.Rh2) 28.Nd4 c6, f5.
27.Bxa8 Qxa8 28.Qxf5 Bg7 29.Nde4
If 29.Nce4   f6

29...Bxc3 30.Nxc3
If 30.Nf6+ Nxf6 31.gxf6 Rxe3 (31...Re5 32.Qg4+ Kf8 33.bxc3) 32.Rxe3 Be5 33.Qg5+ Kf8
30...Rf8
If 30...Rce8 31.Bd4
31.Bd4. White had a promising move in 31.cxb5
31...Rxe2 32.Nxe2
Diagram 1
32. ..Ne6. This may look like a very playable move but Black ends up on the losing side after this move. The correct continuation is  32...Qe8
33.g6 Nxd4
If 33...hxg6 34.hxg6 Qe8 35.Qh5
34.gxf7+ Kh8 35.Nxd4 Qd8 36.Ne6 Qh4
If 36...Qb6+ 37.Kh1 (37.Qf2 Rxf7) 37...Qc6+ 38.Qd5. 37.Nxf8 1–0
Diagram 2
White to play and win
1.Qxh6+ Qxh6 Rxg8 check-mate