00021.5.04 Analyzed by National Master Corey Russell

1. e4 Nc6 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d4 e5

There was no reason take the free, central pawn at e4.

If white tries to threaten checkmate and black's knight

with Qf3, then d5! stops the mate threat and protects black's

knight. Black would have the advantage.

4. d5 Bc5

A Knight is worth 3 pawns. You don't want to give it up

for just a pawn, unless you have a really good reason.

Correct was to preserve your knight with 4. ... Ne7, with

the idea of ...Ng6, ...Bc5, ...d6.

5. dxc6 bxc6 6. Bg5 O-O

6. ... Bxf2+ 7. Kxf2 Nxe4+ wins two pawns (the bishop on

g5 falls). This tactical motif is very common...watch for it.

7. b3 d6 8. Nc3 Bg4

Not good. White can win a piece with 9. Bxf6. Perhaps ...h6

was in order.

9. f3 Bh5 10. Na4 Bb4+ 11. c3 Ba3

You need to preserve your bishop with 11. ... Ba5. With

this move, white can now trap your bishop with 12. b4,

with the idea of Qb3.

12. Bc1 Bc5 13. Nxc5 dxc5 14. Ba3 Qc8 15. Bxc5 Rd8

Again, isn't winning a pawn with 15. ... Nxe4 preferable?

White can't take back or he'd lose his queen.

16. Qc2 Nd7 17. Ne2 Nxc5 18. O-O Bxf3

This is a hard position for black, but it's not time to

throw away pieces yet. When in doubt, improve your worst

pieces. Black would like to get his a-rook into the game.

The best way to do that is ...Rd6, ...Qd7, and ...Rd8.

If black can establish dominance over the d file (column),

then he'd have a slight advantage despite having a worse

pawn structure.

19. Rxf3 Qd7

Black's position was bad, but this makes it worse. Black

needed to play ...Ne6 to block white's threat. Doubling

on the d-line is still black's best bet.

20. Rxf7 Qg4

Black is dead lost after this. The only chance was to get

the most for his queen with 20. ... Qxf7 21. Bxf7+ Kxf7,

though white would still be winning. There is no way for

black to rescue his game after this point.

21. Rf4+ Ne6 22. Rxg4 h5 23. Rg6 Re8 24. Rxe6 Rxe6

25. Bxe6+ Kh7 26. Bf5+ g6 27. Be6 Re8 28. Bc4 Rf8

29. Qd3 g5 30. Qd7+ Kh6 31. Qe6+ Kg7 32. Qxe5+

Rf6 33. Qxg5+ Rg6 34. Qxh5 Rh6 35. Qf7+ Kh8 36. Qg8#

So in conclusion, don't give up pieces for pawns except

for VERY good reasons (like forced checkmate). Also,

when in doubt in what to move, improve your worst pieces.

Masters do this themselves when a plan isn't obvious.

In addition, try to concentrate your heavy pieces

(rooks & queen) on open files (columns)...they are most

effective in that setup. Try to look at forced moves,

and try ask yourself, "Why did my opponent move there?".

If you ask yourself that question, often you can see that

he was trying to threaten your pawns/pieces or checkmate,

and if you see his threat, you can parry it.

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