Miniatures refer to short games in chess which are virtually over even before all the pieces have come out for actual warfare. Generally miniatures feature some exciting sacrifices and neat combinations which culminate in thrilling King hunts and check-mates.
In accurate moves or blunders in the opening stages invite a volatile attack from the opponent and there is seldom any chance to get back into the game.
Modern chess, where players are fully armed with opening theory, are more or less solid affairs and decisive results in the early stages among the established players isn't common.
The game which follows is a good example where Black neglects development and allows White to infiltrate onto the seventh rank with his rook. Thereafter there is no defence even as Black's pieces are found napping!
White: Gabriel Schwartzman (2500) - Black: Bolat Asanov (2360)
Metz, 1994. Modern Defence
1.c4 g6 2.Nc3 Bg7 3.Nf3 d6 4.g3 Nc6. The Modern Defence leads to closed and sort of cramped positions. There is a lot of slow manoeuvring inside one's own territory
5.d4 e5 6.dxe5 Nxe5 7.Nxe5 Bxe5. Clearing off a few pieces in the centre
8.Bg2 Ne7 9.0-0 h5. The usual continuation is 9...c6
10.h4. White also has the choice of playing 10.h3
10. ..Nf5. A useless move! Black should concentrate on development without delaying and could have played 10. ..c6 11.Qd3 0-0 12.a4 Qa5
11.e4. Immediate punishment!
11. ..Ne7. Black has simply lost time and wasted a couple of moves. If 11...Nxh4 12.gxh4 Qxh4 13.f4 Bg4 (13...Bxc3 14.bxc3) 14.Qe1 Bd4+ 15.Be3 works better for White.
12.Bg5. White could have played more actively with 12.f4
12. ..c6 13.Qd2 Bg4 14.f3. White can also think about 14.Be3
14. .. Be6. A mistake ! The correct move here is 14. ..Bc8
15.f4. A good move! White advances a crucial pawn and forces the bishop back
15. ..Bg7. Retreating all the way back. If 15...Bxc4 16.fxe5 Bxf1 17.Rxf1 (17.exd6) 17...dxe5 18.Qf2
16.f5. Another strong pawn advance
16. ..f6.
This time he counter attacks the bishop. If 16...gxf5 17.exf5 Bxf5 18.Rxf5 And if 16...Bxc4 17.f6 Bxf1 18.fxg7 Rg8 19.Rxf1 and White is better
17.fxe6 fxg5.
The opposite coloured bishops have been exchanged. White has also opened up the gates leading to Black's King. Black's pieces are totally in disarray and his King is also caught plumb in the centre.
Diagram 1
18.Rf7. Immediately pouncing on the opportunity to invade and anchor the rook on the seventh rank. If 18.Qxg5 Bh6 19.Qf6 Rf8
18...Bf8 19.Qxg5 White is in the driver's seat now!
19. ..Qb6+ Desperately trying for counter-play.
20.Kh2 Qd4.
The Black queen tries to infiltrate but the other pieces are totally out of play and cannot join the action. If 20...Qxb2 21.Qf6 Rg8 (21...Qxa1 22.Qxh8 0-0-0 23.Rxf8) 22.Rxe7+ Bxe7 23.Qf7+ Kd8 24.Qxg8+ Kc7 25.Qxa8 Qxa1 26.Qe8 and White is anyway better. Black could have offered some resistance by castling on the queen side.
21.Nb5.
A move which White hardly had any difficulty in finding. If 21.Nb5 cxb5 (21...Qb6 22.Nxd6+ Kd8 23.Qf6) 22.Qxb5+ Nc6 (22...Kd8 23.Qd7 check-mate) 23.Qxb7 Nb8 24.Qc8 checkmate 1-0
Diagram 2
White to play and win
1.Be4 Qxe4 2.Nxf6+ and White wins.
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In accurate moves or blunders in the opening stages invite a volatile attack from the opponent and there is seldom any chance to get back into the game.
Modern chess, where players are fully armed with opening theory, are more or less solid affairs and decisive results in the early stages among the established players isn't common.
The game which follows is a good example where Black neglects development and allows White to infiltrate onto the seventh rank with his rook. Thereafter there is no defence even as Black's pieces are found napping!
White: Gabriel Schwartzman (2500) - Black: Bolat Asanov (2360)
Metz, 1994. Modern Defence
1.c4 g6 2.Nc3 Bg7 3.Nf3 d6 4.g3 Nc6. The Modern Defence leads to closed and sort of cramped positions. There is a lot of slow manoeuvring inside one's own territory
5.d4 e5 6.dxe5 Nxe5 7.Nxe5 Bxe5. Clearing off a few pieces in the centre
8.Bg2 Ne7 9.0-0 h5. The usual continuation is 9...c6
10.h4. White also has the choice of playing 10.h3
10. ..Nf5. A useless move! Black should concentrate on development without delaying and could have played 10. ..c6 11.Qd3 0-0 12.a4 Qa5
11.e4. Immediate punishment!
11. ..Ne7. Black has simply lost time and wasted a couple of moves. If 11...Nxh4 12.gxh4 Qxh4 13.f4 Bg4 (13...Bxc3 14.bxc3) 14.Qe1 Bd4+ 15.Be3 works better for White.
12.Bg5. White could have played more actively with 12.f4
12. ..c6 13.Qd2 Bg4 14.f3. White can also think about 14.Be3
14. .. Be6. A mistake ! The correct move here is 14. ..Bc8
15.f4. A good move! White advances a crucial pawn and forces the bishop back
15. ..Bg7. Retreating all the way back. If 15...Bxc4 16.fxe5 Bxf1 17.Rxf1 (17.exd6) 17...dxe5 18.Qf2
16.f5. Another strong pawn advance
16. ..f6.
This time he counter attacks the bishop. If 16...gxf5 17.exf5 Bxf5 18.Rxf5 And if 16...Bxc4 17.f6 Bxf1 18.fxg7 Rg8 19.Rxf1 and White is better
17.fxe6 fxg5.
The opposite coloured bishops have been exchanged. White has also opened up the gates leading to Black's King. Black's pieces are totally in disarray and his King is also caught plumb in the centre.
Diagram 1
18.Rf7. Immediately pouncing on the opportunity to invade and anchor the rook on the seventh rank. If 18.Qxg5 Bh6 19.Qf6 Rf8
18...Bf8 19.Qxg5 White is in the driver's seat now!
19. ..Qb6+ Desperately trying for counter-play.
20.Kh2 Qd4.
The Black queen tries to infiltrate but the other pieces are totally out of play and cannot join the action. If 20...Qxb2 21.Qf6 Rg8 (21...Qxa1 22.Qxh8 0-0-0 23.Rxf8) 22.Rxe7+ Bxe7 23.Qf7+ Kd8 24.Qxg8+ Kc7 25.Qxa8 Qxa1 26.Qe8 and White is anyway better. Black could have offered some resistance by castling on the queen side.
21.Nb5.
A move which White hardly had any difficulty in finding. If 21.Nb5 cxb5 (21...Qb6 22.Nxd6+ Kd8 23.Qf6) 22.Qxb5+ Nc6 (22...Kd8 23.Qd7 check-mate) 23.Qxb7 Nb8 24.Qc8 checkmate 1-0
Diagram 2
White to play and win
1.Be4 Qxe4 2.Nxf6+ and White wins.