<p>Pawn chains or connected pawns not only offer a pretty picture in a game of chess but are much stronger than isolated or doubled pawns as they are difficult to target. If these pawns stay connected and the opponent is saddled with doubled and isolated pawns then it makes sense to exchange pieces and quickly steer the game towards the ending.<br /><br /></p>.<p>In the game which follows, White is positionally better from the early stages and it is instructive to note how he trades pieces and has no problems in forcing a victory despite material balance being maintained.<br /><br />White: Sergei Ovsejevitsch (2525) – Black; Gennadi Kuzmin (2465)<br />Ordzhonikidze, 2000 <br />Queen’s Gambit Declined<br /> 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.g3 Nc6 6.Bg2 c4 7.0–0 Bb4 8.b3 cxb3 9.Qxb3 Nge7 10.Ne5<br />White can consider 10.a3 Ba5 11.a4 Qb6 12.Qxb6 Bxb6 13.e3 Ba5 14.Ba3 Nb4<br />10...Qb6<br />The Queens are out early. If 10...0–0 11.Nxc6 Nxc6 12.e3 Be6 13.a3 Be7 14.Qxb7<br />11.Nd3<br />If 11.e3 Nxe5 12.dxe5 Be6 13.Bd2 Bc5<br />11...Bd6<br />Inviting the exchange of queens. If 11...Bf5 12.Nxb4 Nxb4 13.Nc3 Rc8 14.Nxd5 Nexd5 15.Bxd5 Nxd5 16.Qxd5 Be6 17.Qe4<br />12.Qxb6 axb6<br />Black’s pawn structure leaves a lot to be desired and after the early exchange of queens, the end-game may be difficult for Black to defend<br />13.Bf4. Hardly surprising that White wants to trade as many pieces as possible<br />13. .. Bxf4 14.Nxf4 Nxd4 15.Nc3 Ra3<br />If 15...Bg4 16.Rfd1 Nc2 17.Rac1 Nb4 18.Nfxd5 Nexd5 19.Nxd5 Nxd5 20.Bxd5<br />16.Rac1 g5<br />A rash pawn advance. Black could have castled here<br />17.Rfd1<br />White is trying to enhance his advantage. If 17.e3 gxf4 18.exd4 Be6<br />17...gxf4 18.Rxd4 0–0<br />Castling to a ruptured pawn structure! If 18...fxg3 19.hxg3 Be6 20.Nxd5 Nxd5 21.Bxd5 Ke7 22.Bxe6 Kxe6 23.Rc2<br />19.Nxd5 Nxd5 20.Bxd5 fxg3 21.hxg3<br />Black’s pawns are isolated and doubled while White’s pawns are well connected<br /><br />Diagram 1<br /><br />21. ..Ra5 22.Rc7 Rc5 23.Re7 Kg7 24.Bb3 Kf6<br />The King has to come out and fight his own battle<br />25.Re3 Kg7<br />If 25...Kg5 26.Kg2<br />26.Rf4 Rc7 27.Re5<br />Black rooks are forced to defend while White rooks are better placed and enjoy freedom of movement<br />27...h6 28.Rb4 Bd7<br />If 28...Rd8 29.Rxb6 Rd2 30.Kg2<br />29.Re7<br />If 29.Rxb6 Rc1+ 30.Kg2 Bc6+ 31.f3<br />29...Rc1+ 30.Kg2 Bc6+ 31.f3 Rc5<br />If 31...Kf6 32.Rxf7+ Rxf7 33.Rf4+<br />32.Rg4+ Rg5 33.Rf4 Bd5 34.e4<br />White could have easily exchanged the bishops to enhance his advantage<br />34. ..Bxb3 35.axb3<br />Though there is material balance, the game is positionally lost for Black because of the unsupported weak pawns<br />35...Rb5 36.e5 Rxb3<br />If 36...Kg8 37.b4 Rd5 38.Rf6<br />37.e6 Re3 38.Rexf7+ Rxf7 39.exf7 Kf8 40.Rf6 Re2+. If 40...h5 41.Rxb6 Re7 42.Rh6 Kxf7 43.Rxh5<br />41.Kh3 Re1<br />If 41...b5 42.Rxh6 Kxf7 43.Rb6<br />42.Kg4 Rh1 43.Kf5 Rh3<br />A mistake in a position which already was already difficult to handle. If 43...b5 44.f4<br />44.Ke6 and Black resigned for if 44.Ke6 Rxg3 45.Rxh6 Kg7 46.Rh4 Rxf3 47.Rg4+ Kh7 48.Rg8<br />1–0<br /><br />Diagram 2<br /><br />White to play and checkmate<br />1.Qg6+ f5 2.Qd6 Qxd6 3.Nf6+ Qxf6 4.Nc5 checkmate<br /> <br /></p>
<p>Pawn chains or connected pawns not only offer a pretty picture in a game of chess but are much stronger than isolated or doubled pawns as they are difficult to target. If these pawns stay connected and the opponent is saddled with doubled and isolated pawns then it makes sense to exchange pieces and quickly steer the game towards the ending.<br /><br /></p>.<p>In the game which follows, White is positionally better from the early stages and it is instructive to note how he trades pieces and has no problems in forcing a victory despite material balance being maintained.<br /><br />White: Sergei Ovsejevitsch (2525) – Black; Gennadi Kuzmin (2465)<br />Ordzhonikidze, 2000 <br />Queen’s Gambit Declined<br /> 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.g3 Nc6 6.Bg2 c4 7.0–0 Bb4 8.b3 cxb3 9.Qxb3 Nge7 10.Ne5<br />White can consider 10.a3 Ba5 11.a4 Qb6 12.Qxb6 Bxb6 13.e3 Ba5 14.Ba3 Nb4<br />10...Qb6<br />The Queens are out early. If 10...0–0 11.Nxc6 Nxc6 12.e3 Be6 13.a3 Be7 14.Qxb7<br />11.Nd3<br />If 11.e3 Nxe5 12.dxe5 Be6 13.Bd2 Bc5<br />11...Bd6<br />Inviting the exchange of queens. If 11...Bf5 12.Nxb4 Nxb4 13.Nc3 Rc8 14.Nxd5 Nexd5 15.Bxd5 Nxd5 16.Qxd5 Be6 17.Qe4<br />12.Qxb6 axb6<br />Black’s pawn structure leaves a lot to be desired and after the early exchange of queens, the end-game may be difficult for Black to defend<br />13.Bf4. Hardly surprising that White wants to trade as many pieces as possible<br />13. .. Bxf4 14.Nxf4 Nxd4 15.Nc3 Ra3<br />If 15...Bg4 16.Rfd1 Nc2 17.Rac1 Nb4 18.Nfxd5 Nexd5 19.Nxd5 Nxd5 20.Bxd5<br />16.Rac1 g5<br />A rash pawn advance. Black could have castled here<br />17.Rfd1<br />White is trying to enhance his advantage. If 17.e3 gxf4 18.exd4 Be6<br />17...gxf4 18.Rxd4 0–0<br />Castling to a ruptured pawn structure! If 18...fxg3 19.hxg3 Be6 20.Nxd5 Nxd5 21.Bxd5 Ke7 22.Bxe6 Kxe6 23.Rc2<br />19.Nxd5 Nxd5 20.Bxd5 fxg3 21.hxg3<br />Black’s pawns are isolated and doubled while White’s pawns are well connected<br /><br />Diagram 1<br /><br />21. ..Ra5 22.Rc7 Rc5 23.Re7 Kg7 24.Bb3 Kf6<br />The King has to come out and fight his own battle<br />25.Re3 Kg7<br />If 25...Kg5 26.Kg2<br />26.Rf4 Rc7 27.Re5<br />Black rooks are forced to defend while White rooks are better placed and enjoy freedom of movement<br />27...h6 28.Rb4 Bd7<br />If 28...Rd8 29.Rxb6 Rd2 30.Kg2<br />29.Re7<br />If 29.Rxb6 Rc1+ 30.Kg2 Bc6+ 31.f3<br />29...Rc1+ 30.Kg2 Bc6+ 31.f3 Rc5<br />If 31...Kf6 32.Rxf7+ Rxf7 33.Rf4+<br />32.Rg4+ Rg5 33.Rf4 Bd5 34.e4<br />White could have easily exchanged the bishops to enhance his advantage<br />34. ..Bxb3 35.axb3<br />Though there is material balance, the game is positionally lost for Black because of the unsupported weak pawns<br />35...Rb5 36.e5 Rxb3<br />If 36...Kg8 37.b4 Rd5 38.Rf6<br />37.e6 Re3 38.Rexf7+ Rxf7 39.exf7 Kf8 40.Rf6 Re2+. If 40...h5 41.Rxb6 Re7 42.Rh6 Kxf7 43.Rxh5<br />41.Kh3 Re1<br />If 41...b5 42.Rxh6 Kxf7 43.Rb6<br />42.Kg4 Rh1 43.Kf5 Rh3<br />A mistake in a position which already was already difficult to handle. If 43...b5 44.f4<br />44.Ke6 and Black resigned for if 44.Ke6 Rxg3 45.Rxh6 Kg7 46.Rh4 Rxf3 47.Rg4+ Kh7 48.Rg8<br />1–0<br /><br />Diagram 2<br /><br />White to play and checkmate<br />1.Qg6+ f5 2.Qd6 Qxd6 3.Nf6+ Qxf6 4.Nc5 checkmate<br /> <br /></p>
