The pieces at their best
[Event "queen: dominant when centralis"]
[Site "queen: dominant when centrali"]
[Date "1920.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Rubinstein"]
[Black "maroczy, gothenburg"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D63"]
[Annotator "Regis,Dave"]
[PlyCount "69"]
{[%mdl 2048]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 e6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Nc3 O-O 7.
Rc1 Re8 8. Qc2 dxc4 9. Bxc4 c5 10. O-O cxd4 11. Nxd4 a6 12. Rfd1 Qa5 13. Bh4
Ne5 14. Be2 Ng6 15. Bg3 e5 16. Nb3 Qc7 17. Qb1 {!} Qb8 18. Bf3 Qa7 19. Na5 {!}
Bb4 20. Nc4 Bd7 21. Nd5 Nxd5 22. Bxd5 Be6 23. Qe4 {[#] ! The Queen enters the
fray, reinforcing several points of attack at once. The Black pieces are not
easily able to harass her.} Bxd5 24. Rxd5 Rac8 25. Rcd1 Bf8 26. b3 b5 27. Nd6
Bxd6 28. Rxd6 Rc7 29. h4 {!} f6 30. Qd5+ Kh8 31. h5 Nf8 32. h6 Ng6 {[#] The
Queen now makes the decisive invasion.} (32... gxh6 33. Rxf6) 33. Qe6 Rf8 34.
Rd7 gxh6 35. Bh4 (35. Bh4 Nxh4 36. Qe7 Rxd7 37. Rxd7 Qxd7 38. Qxf8#) 1-0
[Event "rooks on files: open"]
[Site "rooks on files: open"]
[Date "1907.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Van Vliet"]
[Black "Znosko-Borovsky (CHERNEV)"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D00"]
[PlyCount "72"]
1. d4 d5 2. e3 c5 3. c3 e6 4. Bd3 Nc6 5. f4 Nf6 6. Nd2 Qc7 {!} 7. Ngf3 {?!}
cxd4 8. cxd4 Nb4 9. Bb1 Bd7 10. a3 Rc8 11. O-O Bb5 12. Re1 Nc2 13. Bxc2 Qxc2
14. Qxc2 Rxc2 {[#]} 15. h3 Bd6 16. Nb1 Ne4 17. Nfd2 Bd3 18. Nxe4 Bxe4 19. Nd2
Kd7 20. Nxe4 dxe4 21. Rb1 Rhc8 22. b4 R8c3 23. Kf1 Kc6 24. Bb2 Rb3 25. Re2 Rxe2
26. Kxe2 Kb5 27. Kd2 Ka4 28. Ke2 a5 29. Kf2 axb4 30. axb4 Kxb4 31. Ke1 Kb5 {!}
32. Kd2 Ba3 33. Kc2 Rxb2+ 34. Rxb2+ Bxb2 35. Kxb2 Kc4 36. Kc2 b5 {0-1 van
vliet-znosko-borovsky 1907 (CHERNEV)} 1-0
[Event "king: active in ending"]
[Site "king: active in ending"]
[Date "1956.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Tal"]
[Black "Lisitsin (STEAN/CHERNEV)"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B71"]
[Annotator "Regis,Dave"]
[PlyCount "107"]
{[%mdl 2048]} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. f4 Nc6 7.
Nxc6 bxc6 8. e5 Nd7 9. exd6 exd6 10. Be3 Be7 11. Qf3 d5 12. O-O-O Bf6 13. Bd4
O-O 14. h4 Rb8 15. Qf2 Rb4 16. Bxf6 Nxf6 17. a3 Qb6 18. Qxb6 Rxb6 19. Na4 Rb7
20. Bd3 Nh5 21. Rhf1 Re7 {[#] How to save the f-pawn?} 22. f5 {! Can't be done,
but Tal gives it up for a high price - scrambled pawns.} gxf5 (22... Bxf5 23.
Bxf5 gxf5 24. Rxf5) 23. Rfe1 (23. Bxf5 Ng3) 23... Rfe8 24. Rxe7 Rxe7 25. Kd2 {
[#] In Exeter we say "KUFTE!" (King Up For The Endgame!)} Ng3 26. Kc3 f4 27.
Kd4 Bf5 {[#] And there it is, nicely posted in the middle of a lot of weak
Black pawns.} 28. Rd2 Re6 29. Nc5 Rh6 30. Ke5 {!} Bxd3 31. cxd3 Rxh4 32. Kd6
Rh6+ 33. Kc7 Nf5 34. Kb7 Nd4 35. Rf2 a5 36. Rxf4 Ne6 37. Rg4+ Kf8 {[#]} 38.
Kxc6 {!} Nxc5+ 39. Kxc5 Re6 40. Kxd5 Rb6 41. b4 axb4 42. axb4 Ke7 {Too late}
43. Kc5 Rf6 44. Rd4 Rf5+ 45. Kb6 Rf6+ 46. Kc7 Rf5 47. Re4+ Kf6 48. Kc6 Rf2 49.
g4 h5 50. gxh5 Kg5 51. b5 f5 52. Rb4 f4 53. b6 f3 54. b7 {1-0} (54. b7 Rc2+ 55.
Kd5 f2 56. b8=Q f1=Q 57. Qg3+ Kf6 (57... Kxh5 58. Rh4#) (57... Kh6 58. Qg6#)
58. Qe5+ Kf7 59. Rb7+ Rc7 (59... Kg8 60. Qg7#) (59... Kf8 60. Qh8#) 60. Rxc7+
Kf8 61. Qh8#) 1-0
[Event "bishops: active bishop used fo"]
[Site "bishops: active bishop used f"]
[Date "1934.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Euwe"]
[Black "thomas and stahlberg-trifunov"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D69"]
[PlyCount "53"]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. Rc1 c6 8. Bd3
dxc4 9. Bxc4 Nd5 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. O-O Nxc3 12. Rxc3 {[#] Black now plays the
final part of Capablanca's freeing manoeuvre.} e5 13. dxe5 Nxe5 14. Nxe5 Qxe5
15. f4 Qe7 {[#] White has a temporary advantage in development, which is
particularly clear in the positions of the Bishops. If White does not sieze
the moment, the advantage will vanish, and Black's last move gives White the
chance he needs.} (15... Qf6 {[#] This is the right square for the Queen: the
rush of the f-pawn is prevented. White can try to support it with the e-pawn
but by then Black can get sorted.} 16. f5 (16. e4 Rd8 17. Qc2 Be6 18. e5) 16...
a5 17. a4 (17. a3 b5 18. Ba2 b4 19. Rc5 Ba6 20. Re1 Bb5) 17... Rb8 18. Qc2 Bd7
(18... b5 19. axb5 cxb5 20. Bxb5 Rxb5 21. Rxc8) 19. Rd3 Rbd8 20. Qd2 b5 (20...
Bc8 21. Qxa5 Rxd3 22. Bxd3 Qxb2 23. f6) 21. axb5 (21. Rd6 Bc8) (21. Bxb5 cxb5
22. Rxd7 Rxd7 23. Qxd7 Qxb2 24. Qxb5 Qxb5 25. axb5 Rb8 {with meagre chances
for White - Euwe}) 21... cxb5 22. Bd5 Bc6 {[#]} 23. e4 (23. Bxc6 Rxd3 24. Qxd3
Qxc6 {with Black's Queen-side majority being the most important feature of the
game}) 23... Bxd5 24. exd5 Qb6+ 25. Qf2 Qxf2+ 26. Kxf2 {draw agreed,
stahlberg-trifunovich, 1951}) 16. f5 b5 17. Bb3 b4 18. f6 gxf6 19. Rxc6 Qxe3+
20. Kh1 {[#] Now White can count up several advantages - good Bb3, good Rooks,
exposed enemy King. Black may still organise a defence, given time.} Bb7 {
Now each Bishop looks good, but the other advantages have yet to be
neutralised.} (20... Be6 {costs a pawn:} 21. Bxe6 fxe6 22. Qg4+ Qg5 (22... Kh8
23. Rc7) 23. Qxe6+ Kh8 24. Rxf6 Rg8 (24... Rfe8 25. Qf7) 25. Rf2) (20... f5 21.
Qh5) 21. Rcxf6 Qe4 22. Qd2 Kh8 (22... Rad8 23. Qg5+ Kh8 24. Rxf7) 23. Bxf7 Rac8
(23... Rad8 {with good drawing chances} 24. Qg5 (24. Qf2 Qe7 25. Bb3 Rxf6 26.
Qxf6+ Qxf6 27. Rxf6 Bd5) 24... Rg8 25. Bxg8 Rxg8 26. Rf8 Qxg2+ {=}) 24. R6f2
Rcd8 (24... Qg4) 25. Qg5 {[#]} Rd6 (25... Qd4 26. Bd5 Qg7 (26... Rxf2 27. Qxd8+
Kg7 28. Qg5+ Kf8 29. Qg8+ Ke7 30. Re1+ Kd6 31. Bxb7) 27. Rxf8+ Rxf8 28. Rxf8+
Qxf8 29. Qe5+ Qg7 30. Qe8+) 26. Bd5 {1-0} Rxf2 27. Qg8# 1-0
[Event "outpost for knight on d5"]
[Site "outpost for knight on d5"]
[Date "1945.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "smyslov"]
[Black "rudakowsky (CHERNEV)"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B83"]
[Annotator "Regis,Dave"]
[PlyCount "55"]
{[%mdl 2064]} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 Be7 7.
O-O O-O 8. Be3 Nc6 9. f4 Qc7 10. Qe1 (10. Ndb5 Qb8 11. Qd2 a6 12. Nd4) 10...
Nxd4 11. Bxd4 e5 12. Be3 Be6 13. f5 {[#]} Bc4 $2 {? Black needs that Bishop.
White now has a simple plan: exchange off the other defender of the d5 square,
improve the position of his pieces, and look for the win!} (13... Bd7 14. Rd1
Bc6) 14. Bxc4 Qxc4 15. Bg5 {!} Rfe8 16. Bxf6 Bxf6 {[#]} 17. Nd5 {!} Bd8 (17...
Qxc2 18. Rf2 Qc6 (18... Qa4 19. b3) 19. Rc1 Qd7 20. Nc7) 18. c3 b5 19. b3 Qc5+
20. Kh1 Rc8 {[#] White now transfers his attention to the King} 21. Rf3 Kh8 22.
f6 gxf6 23. Qh4 Rg8 24. Nxf6 Rg7 (24... Bxf6 25. Qxf6+ Rg7 26. Rg3 Rcg8) 25.
Rg3 Bxf6 26. Qxf6 Rcg8 27. Rd1 {Black's position cracks.} d5 28. Rxg7 {!} (28.
Rxg7 Rxg7 29. Rxd5 Qf8 30. Rd8) 1-0
[Click on ... to see list of games]
Successful exchanges
[Event "defence: exchange of dangerous"]
[Site "defence: exchange of dangerou"]
[Date "1995.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "openings"]
[Black "bco, etc"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C30"]
[PlyCount "14"]
{This idea can be illustrated in many openings as a pre-emptive measure:} 1. e4
e5 (1... c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. f4 Be7 7. Bd3 Nc6 8.
Nf3 O-O 9. O-O Nb4 {[#] spassky-tal}) 2. f4 (2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 Nf6 5.
Nc3 d6 6. Bg5 Na5 {[#]}) 2... Bc5 3. Nf3 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Bc4 Nc6 6. d3 a6 7.
Rf1 Na5 {[#]} 1-0
[Event "defence: exchange of queens"]
[Site "defence: exchange of queens"]
[Date "1986.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Nunn"]
[Black "Kasparov"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B97"]
[PlyCount "54"]
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Qb6 8. Qd3
Qxb2 {Nunn is a deadly attacker and a theory nut. Who would dare take his
b-pawn? Who else!} 9. Rb1 Qa3 10. f5 Be7 11. Be2 Nc6 12. fxe6 fxe6 13. Nxc6
bxc6 {[#] The Qa6 stops White using the Nc3 or Qd3} 14. e5 dxe5 15. Bxf6 gxf6
16. Bh5+ Kf8 17. Qd2 Kg7 18. Rb3 Qa5 {still hampering White's pieces} 19. O-O
Rg8 {[#] Black is gradually uncoiling. He is two pawns up so White needs
something important to turn up...} 20. Kh1 Kh8 21. Qh6 Qd8 22. Ne4 f5 23. Bf7
Qf8 {[#] Again the threat of Queen exchange is enough to disrupt White's
attack.} 24. Qh5 Rg7 25. Be8 a5 26. Bxc6 Ba6 27. Rf2 Rd8 0-1
[Event "defence: exchanging dangerous "]
[Site "defence: exchanging dangerous"]
[Date "1957.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Tal"]
[Black "Aronin"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D40"]
[PlyCount "72"]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. e3 Nf6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. a3 Bd6 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. b4
Bd6 9. Bb2 O-O 10. Qc2 Ne5 11. O-O-O Qe7 12. Nb5 Ned7 13. Nxd6 Qxd6 14. Qc3 Re8
15. g4 Qf8 16. Bd3 Nb6 17. g5 Na4 18. Qc2 Nxb2 19. Kxb2 dxc4 20. gxf6 cxd3 21.
Qxd3 e5 22. Ng5 g6 23. h4 Bf5 24. e4 Bg4 25. h5 Rad8 26. hxg6 Rxd3 27. Rxd3
hxg6 28. Rh7 Rc8 29. f3 {[#] Black realises he will die from f-pawn poisoning
soon.} Rc6 30. Rxf7 (30. fxg4 Rxf6 31. Rdh3 Rf2+ 32. Kb3 Qd6 33. Rh8+ Kg7 34.
R3h7+ Kf6 35. Rxf7+ Kxg5 36. Rxf2 Qd3+ 37. Ka2 Qc4+ 38. Ka1 Qxe4 {when the
White Rooks are disorganised.}) 30... Qxf7 31. Nxf7 Kxf7 32. fxg4 Kxf6 33. Rd7
Rb6 34. Kc3 Kg5 35. a4 a6 36. Kc4 Kxg4 1/2-1/2
[Event "defence: mending weaknesses"]
[Site "defence: mending weaknesses"]
[Date "1978.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "peters"]
[Black "Andersson, usa"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B15"]
[PlyCount "32"]
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6 5. Nxf6+ exf6 6. Bc4 {[#] White's
Queen's-side majority is a big engame plus, so White was startled by...} Qe7+
7. Qe2 Be6 {Black will only enter an endgame on certain conditions!} 8. Bxe6 (
8. Bb3 {is the only testing continuation}) 8... Qxe6 9. Bf4 Na6 {[#] The
threat of ...Nb4 eventually prompts the exchange on e6} 10. O-O-O O-O-O 11.
Qxe6+ fxe6 12. h4 c5 13. Be3 cxd4 14. Bxd4 Bc5 15. Ne2 e5 16. Bxc5 Nxc5 {
[#] Black has no problems and even won.} 0-1
[Event "defence: simplifying exchanges"]
[Site "defence: simplifying exchange"]
[Date "1995.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "QGD, stahlberg"]
[Black "capablanca line"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D69"]
[PlyCount "30"]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. e3 Be7 6. Nf3 O-O 7. Rc1 c6 {[#]}
8. Bd3 dxc4 9. Bxc4 Nd5 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. O-O Nxc3 12. Rxc3 e5 {[#]} 13. dxe5
Nxe5 14. Nxe5 Qxe5 15. f4 Qf6 {[#]} 1-0
[Click on ... to see list of games]
Pros and cons of exchanges
[Event "errors: eagerness to exchange"]
[Site "errors: eagerness to exchange"]
[Date "1936.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "van scheltinga"]
[Black "de groot (EUWE)"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E94"]
[PlyCount "37"]
{[%mdl 8192]} 1. d4 Nf6 (1... g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. e4 e5 5. Be3 Nc6 6.
Nge2 exd4 7. Nxd4 Nxd4 8. Bxd4 Bxd4 9. Qxd4 Qf6 10. Qd2 (10. Qxf6 Nxf6 11.
O-O-O (11. Be2 h5 (11... Be6)) 11... Bd7) 10... Be6 (10... Ne7)) 2. c4 g6 3.
Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nfd7 8. Be3 Nc6 9. Qd2 {[#] Black
now initiates a series of exchanges which leave White dominating the board.}
exd4 10. Nxd4 Nxd4 11. Bxd4 Bxd4 12. Qxd4 Qf6 13. Qd2 {[#]} Qe5 (13... c6 14.
Rad1) (13... Nb6 14. Nb5 (14. a4 a5 15. Nb5 Qe7)) 14. f4 Qc5+ 15. Kh1 Nf6 {
covers d5, attcks e4 and threatens ...Ng4} 16. b4 Qxb4 (16... Qc6 {better, but
still very difficult for Black - e.g.} 17. Qd4) 17. Qd4 {[#] 1-0} Kg7 (17...
Ne8 18. Nd5 Qc5 19. Ne7#) 18. Nd5 Qc5 19. Qxf6+ 1-0
[Event "Exchanging to lose: Moskva"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1935.??.??"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Alatortsev, Vladimir"]
[Black "Capablanca, JR."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D53"]
[PlyCount "46"]
[EventDate "1935.??.??"]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Bxe7 Qxe7 8.
Nf3 Nxc3 9. bxc3 b6 10. Be2 Bb7 11. O-O c5 12. Ne5 Nc6 13. Nxc6 Bxc6 14. Bf3
Rac8 15. a4 cxd4 16. cxd4 g6 17. Bxc6 Rxc6 {[#]} 18. Qd3 Qb7 19. Rfb1 Rfc8 20.
h3 a6 21. Qa3 Rc2 22. Qd6 Rxf2 23. Qg3 Re2 0-1
[Event "Exchanging to lose: Moskva"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1925.??.??"]
[Round "20"]
[White "Gothilf, Solomon"]
[Black "Capablanca, JR."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E15"]
[PlyCount "48"]
[EventDate "1925.??.??"]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 c5 6. dxc5 Bxc5 7. Nc3 Ne4 8.
Nxe4 Bxe4 9. O-O Nc6 10. Nd2 Bxg2 11. Kxg2 d5 12. Qa4 Rc8 13. Nb3 O-O 14. Rd1
d4 15. Nxc5 bxc5 {[#]} 16. a3 Qb6 17. Bd2 a5 18. Qc2 e5 19. Rab1 f5 20. h3 h6
21. b3 Rb8 22. Rb2 Qb7 23. Kh2 Rbd8 24. b4 d3 0-1
[Event "Two Bishops vs. Tempi"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1923.??.??"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Crakenthorp, S."]
[Black "Gundersen, G."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D32"]
[Annotator "Purdy"]
[PlyCount "47"]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Bf4 Nf6 6. e3 Be7 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. Bd3
O-O 9. O-O Nb4 {"A common manoeuvre"} 10. Rc1 (10. Bb1) (10. Be2) 10... Nxd3
11. Qxd3 {White is effectively three tempi ahead.} dxc4 12. Qxc4 Be7 13. Bc7
Qe8 14. Nb5 Nd5 15. e4 a6 16. Nd6 b5 17. Qb3 Bxd6 18. Bxd6 Ne7 19. Rc7 Qd8 20.
Rd1 Ng6 21. Qc2 h6 22. Bxf8 Qxf8 23. Rc1 Ne7 24. Qc5 1-0
[Click on ... to see list of games]
Making the position better for your pieces and worse for your opponent: basics
Opening lines for pieces
[Event "attack: diagonal - a1-h8 'long"]
[Site "attack: diagonal - a1-h8 'lon"]
[Date "1970.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Fischer, Robert J"]
[Black "Andersson, Ulf"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A01"]
[PlyCount "85"]
1. b3 e5 2. Bb2 Nc6 3. c4 Nf6 4. e3 Be7 5. a3 O-O 6. Qc2 Re8 7. d3 Bf8 8. Nf3
a5 9. Be2 d5 10. cxd5 Nxd5 11. Nbd2 f6 12. O-O Be6 13. Kh1 Qd7 14. Rg1 Rad8 15.
Ne4 Qf7 16. g4 g6 17. Rg3 Bg7 18. Rag1 Nb6 19. Nc5 Bc8 20. Nh4 Nd7 21. Ne4 Nf8
22. Nf5 Be6 23. Nc5 Ne7 24. Nxg7 Kxg7 {[#]} 25. g5 Nf5 26. Rf3 b6 27. gxf6+ Kh8
28. Nxe6 Rxe6 29. d4 exd4 30. Bc4 d3 31. Bxd3 Rxd3 32. Qxd3 Rd6 33. Qc4 Ne6 34.
Be5 Rd8 35. h4 Nd6 36. Qg4 Nf8 37. h5 Ne8 38. e4 Rd2 39. Rh3 Kg8 40. hxg6 Nxg6
41. f4 Kf8 42. Qg5 Nd6 43. Bxd6+ 1-0
Making the position better for your pieces and worse for your opponent: the struggle of BB vs BN/NN
[Event "bishops: two bishops in semi-o"]
[Site "bishops: two bishops in semi-"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Englisch"]
[Black "Steinitz"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C60"]
[PlyCount "86"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Nc3 O-O 8.
O-O Ne7 9. Qd2 d5 10. exd5 Nexd5 11. Nxd5 Qxd5 12. Be2 Ng4 13. Bxg4 Bxg4 14.
Nb3 Qxd2 15. Nxd2 Rad8 16. c3 Rfe8 17. Nb3 b6 18. h3 Be6 19. Rfd1 c5 {[#]
Already denying the Knight a central square. This is the recipe: the Knight
more than any other piece needs a secure advanced and/or central post. So
Black keeps the Knight from settling and works his way in using the long-range
threats of the Bishops.} 20. Bg5 f6 21. Bf4 Kf7 22. f3 g5 23. Rxd8 Rxd8 24. Be3
h6 25. Re1 f5 $1 {White doesn't want to allow f5-f4, but doesn't want to play
f3-f4 either!} 26. f4 Bf6 27. g3 a5 28. Nc1 a4 29. a3 Bc4 30. Kf2 {[#] Black
is now rather better.} gxf4 31. Bxf4 Bg5 {Black chooses to go into a B vs N
endgame. The side with the two Bishops usually has a choice about how to
change the position, swapping one advantage for another.} 32. Bxg5 hxg5 33. Ke3
Kf6 34. h4 gxh4 35. gxh4 Re8+ 36. Kf2 Rxe1 37. Kxe1 Ke5 {Black's better King
wins the game.} 38. Ne2 Bxe2 39. Kxe2 {Both Bishops have disappeared, but
Black is winning.} Kf4 40. c4 Kg4 41. Ke3 f4+ {!} 42. Ke4 f3 43. Ke3 Kg3 {
0-1 englisch-steinitz} 0-1
[Event "bishops: two bishops in semi-o"]
[Site "bishops: two bishops in semi-"]
[Date "1873.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "rosenthal"]
[Black "Steinitz"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C46"]
[PlyCount "66"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 g6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Bg7 6. Be3 Nge7 7. Bc4 d6 8.
O-O O-O 9. f4 Na5 10. Bd3 d5 11. exd5 Nxd5 12. Nxd5 Qxd5 13. c3 Rd8 14. Qc2 Nc4
15. Bxc4 Qxc4 16. Qf2 c5 17. Nf3 b6 18. Ne5 Qe6 19. Qf3 Ba6 20. Rfe1 f6 21. Ng4
h5 22. Nf2 Qf7 {[#] Same imbalance: BB vs. BN.} 23. f5 {bidding for some scope}
g5 {denying scope} 24. Rad1 Bb7 {not just tweaking the Queen, but denying e4
to the Knight} 25. Qg3 Rd5 26. Rxd5 Qxd5 27. Rd1 Qxf5 28. Qc7 Bd5 29. b3 Re8
30. c4 Bf7 31. Bc1 Re2 32. Rf1 Qc2 33. Qg3 Qxa2 0-1
[Click on ... to see list of games]