<p>Extra pawns or pieces or inflicting a quick checkmate are not the only ways to win a game. A game can also be won by rendering your opponent’s pieces immobile or paralysed even when both sides enjoy equal number of pieces. This is termed as positional superiority.<br /><br />In the game which follows, Black is hampered by developmental problems and his King is stranded on the original square for a long time. Later he is forced to sacrifice an exchange but White too returns back the exchange and his active queen and knight clinch the game in his favour, despite Black having an extra knight.<br /><br /> White: Jordi Magem Badals (2560) – Black: Roman Slobodjan(2500)<br />Pamplona 1996<br />Ruy-Lopez<br /> 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5<br />The Ruy-Lopez or the Spanish Opening which for centuries has remained one of the most popular openings<br />3. ..a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.0–0 Qd6<br />Black can consider 5. ..Qf6<br />6.Na3 Be6<br />Here worth a thought is 6. ..b5<br />7.Qe2 f6<br />These moves have been played before even though the position might not appear familiar<br />8.Nc4 Qd7 9.Rd1<br />White played a new move here. One of the continuations is 9.a4 c5 10.b3 Ne7 11.Ba3 Nc6 12.d3 Be7<br />9...c5 10.c3 Qf7<br />Black can take an aggressive stance with 10. ..g5 11. If 10...0–0–0 11.d4 cxd4 12.cxd4 exd4 13.Rxd4 Qb5<br />11.b3 Bxc4<br />Black could have thought about castling on the queen side 10. ..0-0-0 11.d4 exd4<br />12.bxc4<br />Not interested in swapping queens as Black’s Kingside is undeveloped and the King is still on the original square<br />12. ..Bd6 13.d4<br />The backward pawn finally gets a good advance<br />13. ..b6<br />Black should have cleared things at the centre with 13. ..cxd4 14.cxd4 e4<br />14.dxe5 fxe5 15.Ng5 Qe7 16.f4<br />A good attacking pawn advance<br />16. .. Nf6<br />If 16...exf4 17.e5 Bxe5 18.Qe4 Rb8 19.Qc6+ Kf8 20.Ne6+ Kf7 21.Rd7<br />17.f5 0–0–0 18.Ne6 Rdg8 19.Bg5 g6<br />Black should have played 19. ..h6 to drive away the bishop<br />20.Rab1 gxf5<br />If20...h6 21.Bxf6 Qxf6 22.Rxd6 cxd6 23.Rxb6 gxf5 24.Qb2 Qh4 25.Rc6+ Kd7 26.Nxc5+ Kxc6 27.Qb7+ Kxc5 28.Qc7 checkmate<br />21.exf5 Rxg5<br />Now Black is more or less forced to part with the exchange. If 21...h6 22.Bxf6 Qxf6 23.Qe4 Kb8 24.Rxd6<br />22.Nxg5 e4 23.Rxd6<br />White returns back the exchange<br />23...cxd6 24.Rxb6<br />White controls the game<br />24. ..Nd7 25.Rb1 Qxg5 26.Qxe4 d5<br />Forced for White was threatening 27.Qa8 +<br />27.cxd5 Kc7 28.d6+ Kxd6 29.Qe6+<br />Forcing and cornering the King<br />29. ..Kc7 30.Rd1 Qd8<br />The queen has to retreat and try to defend<br />31.f6 Rf8<br />Diagram 1<br />32.f7 a5<br />Black’s pieces are virtually immobile<br />33.Qd6+ Kc8 34.Qa6+ Kc7 35.Qd6+<br />White enhances advantage after 35.Qxa5+<br />35. ..Kc8 36.Qa6+ Kc7 37.Qxa5+ Kc8 38.Qa6+ Kc7 39.Qa5+ Kc8 40.Qa6+ Kc7 41.Qe6 White can play 41.Qd6 Kc8 42.Re1<br />41. ..Kc8 42.Rd6 Kc7 43.Qd5<br />White has all the time in the world while Black’s pieces are paralyzed<br />43. ..Qe7 44.Qc6+ Kb8 45.Qb5+<br />1–0<br />Diagram 1<br />Black to play and win<br />1. .. Nf3+ 2.gxf3 Qg3+ 3.Kh1 Rxh3 checkmate.<br /><br /><br /></p>
<p>Extra pawns or pieces or inflicting a quick checkmate are not the only ways to win a game. A game can also be won by rendering your opponent’s pieces immobile or paralysed even when both sides enjoy equal number of pieces. This is termed as positional superiority.<br /><br />In the game which follows, Black is hampered by developmental problems and his King is stranded on the original square for a long time. Later he is forced to sacrifice an exchange but White too returns back the exchange and his active queen and knight clinch the game in his favour, despite Black having an extra knight.<br /><br /> White: Jordi Magem Badals (2560) – Black: Roman Slobodjan(2500)<br />Pamplona 1996<br />Ruy-Lopez<br /> 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5<br />The Ruy-Lopez or the Spanish Opening which for centuries has remained one of the most popular openings<br />3. ..a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.0–0 Qd6<br />Black can consider 5. ..Qf6<br />6.Na3 Be6<br />Here worth a thought is 6. ..b5<br />7.Qe2 f6<br />These moves have been played before even though the position might not appear familiar<br />8.Nc4 Qd7 9.Rd1<br />White played a new move here. One of the continuations is 9.a4 c5 10.b3 Ne7 11.Ba3 Nc6 12.d3 Be7<br />9...c5 10.c3 Qf7<br />Black can take an aggressive stance with 10. ..g5 11. If 10...0–0–0 11.d4 cxd4 12.cxd4 exd4 13.Rxd4 Qb5<br />11.b3 Bxc4<br />Black could have thought about castling on the queen side 10. ..0-0-0 11.d4 exd4<br />12.bxc4<br />Not interested in swapping queens as Black’s Kingside is undeveloped and the King is still on the original square<br />12. ..Bd6 13.d4<br />The backward pawn finally gets a good advance<br />13. ..b6<br />Black should have cleared things at the centre with 13. ..cxd4 14.cxd4 e4<br />14.dxe5 fxe5 15.Ng5 Qe7 16.f4<br />A good attacking pawn advance<br />16. .. Nf6<br />If 16...exf4 17.e5 Bxe5 18.Qe4 Rb8 19.Qc6+ Kf8 20.Ne6+ Kf7 21.Rd7<br />17.f5 0–0–0 18.Ne6 Rdg8 19.Bg5 g6<br />Black should have played 19. ..h6 to drive away the bishop<br />20.Rab1 gxf5<br />If20...h6 21.Bxf6 Qxf6 22.Rxd6 cxd6 23.Rxb6 gxf5 24.Qb2 Qh4 25.Rc6+ Kd7 26.Nxc5+ Kxc6 27.Qb7+ Kxc5 28.Qc7 checkmate<br />21.exf5 Rxg5<br />Now Black is more or less forced to part with the exchange. If 21...h6 22.Bxf6 Qxf6 23.Qe4 Kb8 24.Rxd6<br />22.Nxg5 e4 23.Rxd6<br />White returns back the exchange<br />23...cxd6 24.Rxb6<br />White controls the game<br />24. ..Nd7 25.Rb1 Qxg5 26.Qxe4 d5<br />Forced for White was threatening 27.Qa8 +<br />27.cxd5 Kc7 28.d6+ Kxd6 29.Qe6+<br />Forcing and cornering the King<br />29. ..Kc7 30.Rd1 Qd8<br />The queen has to retreat and try to defend<br />31.f6 Rf8<br />Diagram 1<br />32.f7 a5<br />Black’s pieces are virtually immobile<br />33.Qd6+ Kc8 34.Qa6+ Kc7 35.Qd6+<br />White enhances advantage after 35.Qxa5+<br />35. ..Kc8 36.Qa6+ Kc7 37.Qxa5+ Kc8 38.Qa6+ Kc7 39.Qa5+ Kc8 40.Qa6+ Kc7 41.Qe6 White can play 41.Qd6 Kc8 42.Re1<br />41. ..Kc8 42.Rd6 Kc7 43.Qd5<br />White has all the time in the world while Black’s pieces are paralyzed<br />43. ..Qe7 44.Qc6+ Kb8 45.Qb5+<br />1–0<br />Diagram 1<br />Black to play and win<br />1. .. Nf3+ 2.gxf3 Qg3+ 3.Kh1 Rxh3 checkmate.<br /><br /><br /></p>
