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.
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