What should you do to weaken squares? August 25, 2020 by MAAKASU Suppose you are playing a game of chess. What is your goal? To win, right? How do you win? Exploiting weaknesses! In this game, white weakens the dark squares. Black can easily exploit them and goes on to win material. [Event "Live Chess"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2020.08.25"] [Round "?"] [White "Bayrampur-10"] [Black "MAAKASU"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A15"] [WhiteElo "1723"] [BlackElo "1823"] [PlyCount "126"] [EventDate "2020.??.??"] [TimeControl "1800"] 1. c4 Nf6 2. e3 d6 3. Ne2 {Out of book already! It is surprising to see that, in the database, you are more likely to see 1.g4 (the Grob, holds the title for worst opening,) than 1.Na3(the Amar).} (3. d4 g6 4. Nc3 {is more common.}) 3... Bf5 4. Ng3 Bg6 (4... Bxb1 $6 5. Rxb1 Nc6 6. d4 $1) (4... Bd7 $6 5. d4 $1) (4... Bc8 $6 5. d4 $1) 5. Be2 Nbd7 6. h4 $6 {white is overextending.} h6 (6... h5 {needed to be considered.}) 7. b3 e5 {blocking the a1-h8 diagonal.} 8. Bb2 Be7 9. Nc3 Nb6 (9... c6 {with the idea d5.} 10. O-O d5) 10. d3 Qd7 {longside castle or shortside castle?} 11. e4 $6 {The d4 square! The d4 square! White has weakened the d4 square!} O-O 12. Nf1 $6 {what is the meaning of this? Ne3?} Ne8 {freeing the bishop} 13. g4 {does white even have an attack?} Qd8 14. h5 $6 (14. g5 hxg5 15. h5 $14 (15. hxg5 Bxg5)) 14... Bh7 {The position is screaming “LOOK AT THE DARK SQUARES! LOOK AT THE DARK SQUARES!”} 15. Ne3 Bg5 {[#]} (15... Nd7 16. Ned5 Bg5 $15) 16. Kd2 $2 {WHY? Perhaps Kc2?} Nd7 17. Kc2 c6 18. Qf1 Nc5 19. Nf5 Ne6 20. Bc1 $2 {Why does white get the dark-squared archers traded?} Bxc1 21. Rxc1 Nf4 $1 $15 22. f3 $6 (22. Nh4 Nc7 23. Ng2 {was a better try.}) 22... Bxf5 23. gxf5 Nf6 {White’s weaknesses are enough to win a pawn or more.} 24. Qf2 Kh7 (24... N6xh5 25. Rcg1) 25. Rcg1 Rg8 26. Bd1 $6 ({white needs} 26. d4) 26... Qb6 $5 {“When you are better, TRADE!”} 27. Qxb6 axb6 28. Rh2 N4xh5 { we scoop up the money.} 29. a4 Nf4 {back in the house!} 30. Rgh1 (30. Ne2 N6h5) 30... d5 31. exd5 cxd5 32. cxd5 N6xd5 33. Nxd5 Nxd5 34. Rh4 Nf4 (34... Ne3+ 35. Kd2 Nxf5 {easy peasy win}) 35. Kd2 Rgd8 36. Bc2 Rd6 37. f6 Ng6 38. d4 Rxf6 39. dxe5 Rxf3 40. Rb4 Rd8+ 41. Kc1 Rc8 42. Kb1 Re3 $2 43. Rxb6 Rxe5 44. Rxb7 Rec5 45. Bxg6+ Kxg6 46. Rg1+ Rg5 47. Rf1 f5 48. a5 Ra8 49. b4 Kh5 50. Rh1+ Kg4 51. Rg1+ Kh5 {[#]} 52. Rxg5+ $4 hxg5 $19 53. Rxg7 g4 54. Kc2 f4 55. Kd2 Kh4 56. Rg6 Kg3 57. a6 f3 58. Ke1 f2+ 59. Kf1 Re8 60. Rxg4+ Kxg4 61. Kxf2 Rb8 62. a7 Ra8 63. b5 Rxa7 {MAAKASU won by resignation. Game may have continued…} (63... Rxa7 64. Ke2 Rb7 65. Kd3 Rxb5 66. Kd4 Kf4 67. Kc4 {-53.07/0}) 0-1 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.