Protect every piece with equal zeal

Chess Checks

A pawn lost, is a game lost in modern chess and hence at all three stages of the game, the Opening, the Middle-game and the Endgame, each and every piece has to be protected and defended. Scattered or isolated pawns are vulnerable targets and if one can saddle the opponent with these, then the game is as good as won.
In the game which follows, Black brings about a position where White is saddled with scattered, unconnected pawns and it is easy for him to target and capture these pawns to win the game.
White: Alexander Morozevich (2595) – Black: Sergei Dolmatov (2560)
Krasnodar, 1997
French Defence
1.e4  e6 2.Qe2
White does not want to stay with the tried, tested and more popular continuation 2.d4
2. ..c5 3.g3 Nc6 4.c3 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.f4 Nge7 7.Nf3 d6 8.0–0 0–0 9.d3
If 9.Na3 Rb8 10.Kh1 d5 11.e5 Qa5 12.Nc2 b5 13.a3 d4 14.cxd4 cxd4 15.Nfxd4 Nxd4 16.Nxd4 Bb7 17.b4 Bxg2+ 18.Qxg2 Qb6 19.Bb2 was played in a previous game
9...b5. If 9...d5 10.e5 And if  9...e5 10.Be3
10.Be3. If 10.a3 a5
10...b4. White has allowed Black to gain equality rather easily and now Black decides to press on the queen side
11.Rc1
White plays a new move here. If 11.Qc2 Qa5 12.Nfd2 bxc3 13.bxc3 Ba6 14.Rd1 Rfc8 15.Nc4 Qc7 16.Bf2 d5
11...bxc3 12.bxc3 Ba6 13.Nbd2 Rb8. Immediately taking control of the open file
14.Bf1 Qd7. If 14...f5 15.e5 dxe5 16.fxe5 Qc7 17.Bxc5 Nxe5
15.Nb3 e5. He now looks towards the centre
16.f5. White decides to fight it out actively rather than resort to passive means
16...gxf5 17.Bh3 Qe8
If 17...Qc7 18.exf5 e4 19.Ng5 Bxd3 20.Qh5 h6 21.f6 hxg5 (21...Bxf6 22.Ne6 Be2 23.Qxh6 fxe6 24.Bxe6+ Rf7 25.Qxf6) 22.Bxg5 Bh8  23.fxe7 Nxe7 24.Bxe7 Qxe7 25.Bf5 f6 26.Qg6+ Qg7
18.exf5 e4 19.Ng5 Nd5
19...exd3 20.Qh5 h6 21.Ne4 (21.f6 Nd5) 21...Nd5 22.Bxh6 Qxe4 (22...Bxh6 23.Qxh6 Qxe4 24.Re1) 23.Re1 Qc4 24.Bxg7 Kxg7 25.Qg5+ Kh8 26.f6 Nxf6 27.Qxf6+ Kg8 28.Qg5+ Kh8 29.Qh6+ Kg8 30.Bf5 and White is winning
20.Nxe4. If 20.Qh5 Nf6
20...Qxe4 21.dxe4 Bxe2 22.exd5 Ne5 23.Bg2
If 23.Kf2 Bc4 And if 23.Bf1 Bg4 And if 23.Bf4 Rfe8
23...Rfe8
If 23...Bd3 24.Bg5
24.Bf4 Rb6! 25.Bg5 h6 26.Bh4
If 26.Bd2 Bd3 27.Bh3 Nf3+ 28.Kh1 Re2 and Black is better. If 26.f6 hxg5 27.fxg7 Nd3 28.Rcb1 Kxg7 and here too black is better
26...Nd7 27.h3 h5 28.Bf1
A mistake! White should have played 28.Na5 or 28.Bg5
28...Bxf1 29.Kxf1 Re5 30.Bd8
If 30.g4 hxg4 31.hxg4 Re4
30...Rxf5+ 31.Kg2 Rb7 32.Rc2 Nf6
If 32...Rxd5 33.Na5 Rb5 34.a4 Rb4 35.Nc6 Re4 36.Ne7+
33.Na5
Diagram 1
33. ..Nxd5
Whites loses a pawn and it will be difficult for him to save his unprotected and unconnected pawns.
34.Re1 Rd7 35.Re8+ Kh7 36.Nc4 Nxc3
And White loses another pawn
37.Ba5 Nb5 38.Rd2 Nd4 39.Bc3 d5 40.Ne3 Re5 41.Rxe5 Bxe5 42.Bxd4 Bxd4
Black is more than happy with the exchange of these pieces
43.Nf5 Bc3 44.Rd1 d4 45.Kf3 d3 46.Ne3 Kg6 47.Nc4 Kf5 48.Rc1 Bb4 49.a3 d2 50.Rd1 Bc3 51.Ne3+ Ke5 52.Ke2 Ke4 53.Rb1 Rd3 54.Nd1 Rxg3 55.Rb7 Rg2+ 56.Kf1 Rh2 57.Kg1 Re2 58.Nxc3+ Kd3 59.Kf1 Re1+ 0–1
Diagram 2
White to play and win
 1.Qxe5+ Qxe5 2.Rd8 checkmate.

Diagram 1

Diagram 2