Chess by Neil McDonald McDonald

Author:Neil McDonald McDonald [McDonald, Neil]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-7134-8894-4
Publisher: Pavilion Books
Published: 2004-11-23T16:00:00+00:00

4 d2

Also possible was 4 c3, but Kasparov prefers to offer the exchange of bishops. His reasoning is that Black is going to play d7-d5 at some point, in order to neutralize White’s space advantage. When that happens, a certain dark square weakness is going to appear in the black camp. Furthermore, after the exchange of bishops Black will be left with his ‘bad’ bishop – the light-squared bishop, which will be obstructed by a pawn centre on e6 and d5.

4 … e7

Petrosian doesn’t want to waste time by withdrawing his bishop, but neither is he in a hurry to exchange on d2 as after 4…xd2+ 5 xd2 d5 White has a free hand in the centre to continue 6 c3 and then 7 e3 etc. keeping a pleasant edge.

In contrast, if White now tried for immediate action in the centre with 5 c3 then Black would be able to force off another pair of pieces with 5…xc3 6 xc3 e4. Generally speaking every exchange suits Black as he has less territory within which to accommodate pieces than White.

5 g3

White would drop a pawn for nebulous compensation after 5 xb4 xb4+ 6 bd2 xb2. The game move is modest looking, but White’s strategy will be built around the pressure exerted by the king’s bishop situated on g2.

5 … xd2+

Now that he has deterred White from a rapid expansion in the centre Petrosian decides to exchange bishops.

6 xd2

At first glance the alternative recapture 6 bxd2 conforms more with the law of rapid development. But it would be a pity to put the knight on d2 when it has a much better post on c3. Besides, the white queen is getting out of the way of her rooks and is marginally better placed on d2 than d1.

6 … 0-0

Castling is a sound option. Instead Black could try to disrupt White’s build up with 6…e4, but White keeps a slight edge after 7 c2 b4+ 8 bd2 xd2 9 xd2 followed by g2.

7 g2

If you want to understand why things go so well for White and so badly for Black in what follows, you only need to keep a special eye on the fortunes of this bishop and its opposite number on c8.

7 … d5

At last Black challenges the white centre. Unfortunately next move he fails to stand his ground.

8 0-0

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