Game Review - Passed Pawns are Deadly!

Here is a game from our league play. Enjoy the review.

1. c4      e5

2. Nc3   Nf6

3. e4      Bb4

4. Nf3    Bxc3

5. bxc3   d6

Doubling pawns by trading a bishop for a knight is not considered enough of an advantage – unless it is part of an overall plan, strategy or tactic. The pin or threat of pin is the reason for the position of the piece.

Here White gets another center pawn, a half-open b-file and the bishop pair as compensation for the weakened pawn structure.

6. Qc2    Bg4

7. Be2    Nbd7

8. h3      Bh5

9. d4      Bg6

10. Bd3    c5

11. O-O    O-O

12. Re1    Re8

White has a .5 advantage according to Fritz, so basically even.

 

13. d5    Rb8

14. Nh4    a6?

15. Nxg6   hxg6

16. Bg5    b5?

Black is losing ground. 16. Qc7 gets the lady and knight out of the pin.

17. Rab1     b4

18. cxb4?   ……

18. Bd2 loads up on the b4 square and undoubles and protects the pawns after the exchange with the bishop.

18.  …..     Rxb4

19. Rxb4    cxb4    (.5)

After 19. .......cxb4 for a slight advantage for White and White's move.

20. Be3?   Nc5

White loses his small advantage. 20. a3 isolates the surviving queen-side pawn.

21. Bxc5 dxc5

22. Qa4 Qb6

23. Rb1 a5

24. g4?

Weakening the f-pawn and possibly locking his bishop behind his own pawns. The game is now even.

24.  .…    Rb8

25. a3      Nh7

26. Be2    ….

26. Bc2 was needed to allow the Queen to get to b3 and help out if needed on the King side, while the bishop watches that pesky pawn.

26.  ….    Ng5

Black up (-2)

27. Qb5    Qxb5

28. cxb5   Nxh3+?

Center pawns are usually worth more than a or h pawns, especially with your king on the same side as the edge pawn. 28. ……Nxe4!, and White’s d-pawn is isolated.

 

29. Kg2   Ng5

30. a4??    Nxe4

 

30. f3 keeps the game close (-.5). Instead Black has two passed pawns (b & c) and wins the endgame (-3.9 – almost a 4 pawn lead!).

We will analyze how Black handled this end game next.