Saturday, May 31, 2014

Count the Pieces, the Key to Success



A very short but interesting game of chess. It features the idea of chess mobility and development. When you have many pieces developed than your opponent, it may be wise to look for ways to end the game quickly.

Winning a game hinges on one idea: Counting the Pieces, that is, when your attacking pieces is greater than the defending pieces of your opponent, you have a greater chance of crushing your opponent's defenses, and win.

See this game at Chess.com, or scroll down below for an embedded board.


briskwarlock (1900) vs. medelev (1548)
Let's Play! | Chess.com | 26 May 2013 | ECO: D20 | 1-0

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 The Opening is the Queen's Gambit Accepted. A pawn is sacrificed so that White can build a strong center. The pawn may be captured later, or not. But sometimes, the initiative, even without taking back the pawn, could be quite strong.

3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bf4 e6 5. e4 There it is - the big pawn center. But my chess buddy said that 4. e3 could have been stronger. White center thrust has actually given the initiative to Black, which could have played 5... Bb4 now.

5... c6 6. Nf3 Bb4 7. Bxc4 Nxe4 Black has won a pawn. But take note, there are many mobilised White pieces than Black's. Mobilisation, that is bringing your pieces out for attack and defend, is very important in the opening phase of a chess game.

8. Qc2 Nxc3 9. bxc3 Ba5 The Bishop is out of play here. 9... Bd6 is slightly better, neutralizing the sting from the f4 White bishop.

10. O-O O-O 11. Rfe1 b5 12. Ng5 g6 13. Bb3 Bb7 The losing move. It weakens the e6 point. 13... b4 is OK, trying to attack the base of White's center pawns, thereby creating an isolated pawn at White's d4. An isolated pawn is a pawn that can not be supported by another pawn.

14. Rxe6 Best, I guess. That's because of the new threat at the g6 point, which as you will see, Black fails to see.

14... Bc8 The big blunder. Not only that it acknowledges that 13... Bb7 is a mistake, it also moves the same piece twice, i big no-no in the opening. But Black may have been surprise at the e6 Rook sac!

(While 14... fxe6 15. Bxe6+ Kg7 16. Be5 +Kh6 17. h4 is a position that is very hard to defend as the queen is coming to c1 or d2 for a deadly discovered check. )

15. Rxg6+ Great shot! The queen will mate at h7, no matter how Black plays, so Black resigns. The secret of this position is that silent Bishop at b3 pinning down the f-pawn to the Black King. Another secret: there are many White pieces attacking than Black's defending. That's one assurance of victory.


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