When a player gives up his queen for other pieces, material may be even.
But finding good moves can be easier for him.
Hans Kmoch White
Lodewijk Prins Black
Amsterdam 1940
Gruenfeld Defense D97
1 d4 ♘f6 2 c4 g6 3 ♘c3 d5 4 ♘f3 ♗g7 5 ♕b3 dxc4 6 ♕xc4 0-0 7 e4 b6 8 e5!
The f6-knight doesn’t have a good retreat, e.g. 8...♘e8? 9 ♕d5! ♕xd5 10 ♘xd5 and ♘xc7 or ♘xe7+.
8...♗e6!
Now 9 ♕a4 ♘d5! is fine for Black.
9 exf6! ♗xc4 10 fxg7 ♔xg7 11 ♗xc4
Black has a queen and pawn for three minor pieces. That’s more than enough. But finding good moves becomes harder for him.
11...♘c6 12 ♗e3 ♘b4
Black is doing well so far (13 ♖c1 c6 and ...♘d5).
13 0-0 ♘c2 14 ♖ad1 ♘xe3 15 fxe3 c5??
He tries to exploit White’s softened dark squares but miscalculates. After 15...e6 Black would be solid, e.g. 16 d5 e5!? 17 ♘xe5 ♕g5.
His idea was 16 dxc5 ♕c7 17 cxb6?? ♕xc4.
But 17 ♗d5 followed by 18 ♗xa8 or 18 c6 favors White – and so does:
16 ♘g5! e6? 17 ♖xf7+! resigns.
In view of 17...♔g8 18 ♘xe6 or 17...♖xf7 18 ♘xe6+ and 19 ♘xd8.
Question 128: What is best after 17...♔h6 ?
Hans Ree White
Miguel Clua Black
Skopje 1972
1 c4 ♘f6 2 ♘f3 g6 3 ♘c3 d5 4 d4 ♗g7 5 ♕b3 dxc4 6 ♕xc4 0-0 7 e4 b6 8 e5! ♗e6 9 exf6 ♗xc4 10 fxg7 ♔xg7 11 ♗xc4 c6 12 0-0 f6? 13 ♗f4 b5 14 ♗b3 ♕b6 15 ♖fe1 ♕b7 16 ♖e6 ♘a6 17 d5 ♘b4 18 ♖ae1 ♖f7 19 dxc6 ♘xc6 20 ♗d5! ♖c8 21 ♘d4 ♘xd4 22 ♗xb7 ♘xe6 23 ♗xc8 ♘xf4 24 ♗e6 and wins.