A vivid example on importance of center control in chess

Starting from our article on winning chess strategies in various posts we have stressed the importance of controlling the center in your chess games. In our latest series of articles, we mentioned this strategy as one of the aims for any chess opening as can be seen in Chess Opening: Control of Center, showing the theoretical analysis of some popular openings. This idea was further developed through examples of master games which showed how such opening theories are put into practice in these games.

We now show you a vivid example of how the aggressive play by one GM against another who was somewhat passive in this respect made a very short shrift of the game in only 15 moves. This may be an extreme example and was chosen only to stress our point, therefore don’t expect to get such quick results in your games. However, the idea remains valid.

The game employs Pirc Defense (ECO code: B07) which gives Black an advantage of adapting his center policy to the development strategy employed by White. But this has the drawback of giving White a much greater freedom in the center. As a result, in case of aggressive play by White, Black gets so busy in tackling White’s thrusts that he may miss out on his own plans unless he treads very carefully.

This game was played out in a tournament at Tashkent in 2008. In the FIDE list of Grandmasters as on April 1, 2009, White was ranked at 67 and Black at 393.

	Igor Kurnosov (Russia)	Marat Dzhumaev (Uzbekistan)
1.	e4	d6
2.	d4	Nf6
3.	Nc3	g6
4.	Bg5	Nbd7	Black’s text move is considered unfavorable. The recommended line is 4. … h6 5. Bh4 Bg7. Other lines like 4. … Bg7 or , to remain more flexible, 4. … c6 followed by b5 and Qa5 for action on Queen side are also expected to give Black a better game.
5.	Qd2	a6
6.	0-0-0	b5
7.	e5	b4	Black overstretched himself by this move if you consider the lines suggested by theory.

8.	exf6	bxc3
9.	Qxc3	e6	The unopposed progress of the advanced White pawns so close to the hemmed in Black King and Queen remain a thorn in the flesh, seriously affecting the normal development of Black pieces
10.	Re1	Nb6
11.	d5	Na4	11. Nxd5 would not help against what followed
12.	Qc6+	Bd7

13.	Rxe6+!	fxe6
14.	dxe6	Bg7	A case of too little too late! If 14. … Bxc6 15. f7#
15.	exd7+	Resigns

	The final position