A solid pawn center is usually a pre-requisite to attack, on either wing.
Nigel Short White
Rene Borngaesser Black
Solingen 1986
French Defense, Tarrasch Variation C05
1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 ♘d2 ♘f6 4 e5 ♘fd7 5 f4 c5 6 c3 ♘c6 7 ♘df3!
The more natural 7 ♘gf3 is met by 7...♕b6! (8 ♘b3 cxd4 9 ♘bxd4 ♘xd4 10 ♘xd4 ♗c5 with good play).
7...♕a5
But now he can meet 7...♕b6 with 8 ♘e2!. With a secure center he can continue 9 g3, 10 ♗h3 and 11 0-0. See below.
8 ♗e3! cxd4 9 ♘xd4
Now 9...♗c5?? or 9...♘c5?? lose a piece to 10 ♘xc6 bxc6 11 b4!.
9...♘xd4 10 ♗xd4
White would have the better chances after, say, 10...♗e7 11 ♘f3 0-0 12 ♗d3 followed by ♕c2.
10...b6??
To trade off White’s dangerous bishop with 11...♗a6.
11 a4!
With a killing threat of 12 b4!. Black is lost after 11...b5 12 axb5 so he desperately sacrifices his queen.
11...♗a6!? 12 b4 ♗xf1 13 bxa5 ♗xg2 14 ♘e2 ♗xh1 15 ♘g3 ♗e4 16 ♘xe4 dxe4 17 axb6 axb6 18 a5 resigns.
The outcome would be clear after 18...♖xa5 19 ♖xa5 bxa5 20 ♕a4 and ♕xa5.
Karl Burger White
Elliott Winslow Black
Aspen 1968
1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 ♘d2 ♘f6 4 e5 ♘fd7 5 f4 c5 6 c3 ♘c6 7 ♘df3! ♕b6 8 g3 cxd4 9 cxd4 ♗b4+ 10 ♔f2! (10 ♗d2? ♘xd4) f6 11 ♔g2 0-0 12 ♗d3 fxe5 13 fxe5 ♗e7 14 ♘e2 ♔h8 15 ♗b1 ♖f7 16 h4! ♕d8 17 ♘f4 ♘b6? 18 ♘g5! ♗xg5 19 hxg5 resigns.
Question 24: Why not 19...♔g8 ?