Advancing pawns to create weakness in the enemy camp is one of the tried and tested formula in a game of chess. However the timing of these advances is very crucial and depends on the position. Missing an opportunity to advance the pawn or even hurry in advancing the pawn even by one more can prove detrimental.
In the game which follows, Black had quite a few opportunities to advance his King side pawns but misses them. However he realizes his mistake and advances the pawn at a later date but the timing is all wrong then and he ends up losing the game.
White: Dao Thien Hai (2543) - Black: Liang Shuai (2411)Qingdao Daily Cup, 1999Nimzo Defence1.d4 Nf62.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 The Nimzo Defence4.Qc2 c55.dxc5 Bxc5Also playable is 5...Na60-06.Nf3Nc6Once again Black has many options like 6. ..d6 or 6. ..Nc6 or 6...0-0or 6...b6 or 6...d57.Bg5 White can also opt for 7.Bf4or 7.a37...Be7 Better appears 7. ..h6 or 7. ..d68.e4 a6Black played a new move here. If 8...Qa5 9.Bd2 (9.Rd1 Nxe4 10.Qxe4 Bxg511.Rd5 f5 12.Rxa5 fxe4 13.Rxg5 exf3 14.Rxg7) 9...Qc710.Be2 9.Be2 If 9.e5 Ng410.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.Qe4 f59...h6If 9...d6 10.0-010.Bh4Nh5He wants to exchange the dark square bishops but needlessly takes his knight to the side of the board. He could have tried 10. ..g5
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11.Bxe7Qxe7 12.Qd2If 12.0-0Nf4 13.e5 0-0 14.Rad1 f6 is slightly better for White only12...Qf6Once again the move 12. ,,g5 appears better. If 12...e5 13.Nd5 Qd8 14.Nxe5 Nxe5 15.Qc3 And if 12...Nf613.e5Ng4 14.Qf4 f5 15.h3 g516.Qg3 works well in white's favour only13.g3 Diagram 113. ..g5Finally after many misses he advances the g5 pawn but the timing is too late now. If 13...0-0 14.Nh4 g5 (14...g6 15.Qxh6; 14...Qe515.f4 Qc5 16.e5) 15.Bxh5 gxh4 And if 13...g6 14.Rd1 14.h4 g4Black had a better move in 14...gxh415.Rxh4 Ng7 16.Rd115.Nh2 Ne5 Both players have not castled but advanced their Kingside pawns16.Nxg4Nf3+ If16...Qf3 17.Rg1 and Black is anyway losing 17.Kd1 If17.Bxf3 Qxf3 18.Rf1 Qxg4. 17. ..Nxd218.Nxf6+ Nxf6 19.Kxd2The queens are exchanged and White is distinctly better with a good position and an extra pawn. 19...d620.g4 Rg8 21.Rag1 Nh7. Once again his knight goes towards the side of the board. He could have offered better defense with 21...Ke7or 21...b6 22.g5White can also play 22.f422. .. hxg523.hxg5 Rxg5. A tactical blunder. It was more or less forced for Black to play 23...Nf8 or 23...Rg7 . Now it is difficult for Black as his rook and bishop have still not come out into the game 24.Rxg5Nxg5 25.f4 White is in no mood to offer any respite for Black. 25...Nxe4+26.Nxe4 Ke7 27.Ke3 e5 28.Rd1 Be6 29.Nxd6 exf4+ 30.Kxf4 Rd8 31.Nf5+ Ke8 32.Ng7+ And Black resigned for if 32. ..Ke7 33.Rxd8Kxd8 34.Nxe6+ fxe6 35.Ke5.Diagram 2White to play and win 1.Re7 Qxe7 2.Qxd5+ Qe6 and White wins
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In the game which follows, Black had quite a few opportunities to advance his King side pawns but misses them. However he realizes his mistake and advances the pawn at a later date but the timing is all wrong then and he ends up losing the game.
White: Dao Thien Hai (2543) - Black: Liang Shuai (2411)Qingdao Daily Cup, 1999Nimzo Defence1.d4 Nf62.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 The Nimzo Defence4.Qc2 c55.dxc5 Bxc5Also playable is 5...Na60-06.Nf3Nc6Once again Black has many options like 6. ..d6 or 6. ..Nc6 or 6...0-0or 6...b6 or 6...d57.Bg5 White can also opt for 7.Bf4or 7.a37...Be7 Better appears 7. ..h6 or 7. ..d68.e4 a6Black played a new move here. If 8...Qa5 9.Bd2 (9.Rd1 Nxe4 10.Qxe4 Bxg511.Rd5 f5 12.Rxa5 fxe4 13.Rxg5 exf3 14.Rxg7) 9...Qc710.Be2 9.Be2 If 9.e5 Ng410.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.Qe4 f59...h6If 9...d6 10.0-010.Bh4Nh5He wants to exchange the dark square bishops but needlessly takes his knight to the side of the board. He could have tried 10. ..g5
11.Bxe7Qxe7 12.Qd2If 12.0-0Nf4 13.e5 0-0 14.Rad1 f6 is slightly better for White only12...Qf6Once again the move 12. ,,g5 appears better. If 12...e5 13.Nd5 Qd8 14.Nxe5 Nxe5 15.Qc3 And if 12...Nf613.e5Ng4 14.Qf4 f5 15.h3 g516.Qg3 works well in white's favour only13.g3 Diagram 113. ..g5Finally after many misses he advances the g5 pawn but the timing is too late now. If 13...0-0 14.Nh4 g5 (14...g6 15.Qxh6; 14...Qe515.f4 Qc5 16.e5) 15.Bxh5 gxh4 And if 13...g6 14.Rd1 14.h4 g4Black had a better move in 14...gxh415.Rxh4 Ng7 16.Rd115.Nh2 Ne5 Both players have not castled but advanced their Kingside pawns16.Nxg4Nf3+ If16...Qf3 17.Rg1 and Black is anyway losing 17.Kd1 If17.Bxf3 Qxf3 18.Rf1 Qxg4. 17. ..Nxd218.Nxf6+ Nxf6 19.Kxd2The queens are exchanged and White is distinctly better with a good position and an extra pawn. 19...d620.g4 Rg8 21.Rag1 Nh7. Once again his knight goes towards the side of the board. He could have offered better defense with 21...Ke7or 21...b6 22.g5White can also play 22.f422. .. hxg523.hxg5 Rxg5. A tactical blunder. It was more or less forced for Black to play 23...Nf8 or 23...Rg7 . Now it is difficult for Black as his rook and bishop have still not come out into the game 24.Rxg5Nxg5 25.f4 White is in no mood to offer any respite for Black. 25...Nxe4+26.Nxe4 Ke7 27.Ke3 e5 28.Rd1 Be6 29.Nxd6 exf4+ 30.Kxf4 Rd8 31.Nf5+ Ke8 32.Ng7+ And Black resigned for if 32. ..Ke7 33.Rxd8Kxd8 34.Nxe6+ fxe6 35.Ke5.Diagram 2White to play and win 1.Re7 Qxe7 2.Qxd5+ Qe6 and White wins