The stronger player usually doesn’t fear losing.
But he may fear a dead even, hard-to-win position.
Ratmir Kholmov White
Ruslan Shcherbakov Black
Perm 1997
Queen Pawn’s Game D02
1 d4 d5 2 ♘f3 c6 3 e3 ♗f5
Black stops White from seizing a good diagonal (3...e6 4 ♗d3!).
4 ♘bd2 e6 5 c4
If White develops routinely with 5 ♗e2, 6 c3 and 0-0 he will discover after ...♗d6 that both of Black’s bishops are better placed than his.
5...♘d7 6 b3 h6
The best way to exploit Black’s early ...♗f5 is to try to trade a knight for it For example, 6...♘gf6 7 ♗b2 ♗d6 8 ♗e2 ♕e7 9 ♘h4!.
But after 6...h6, Black’s bishop can retreat to h7.
7 ♗b2 ♘gf6 8 ♗e2 ♗d6 9 ♘e5
White sees that after 9 0-0 0-0 10 ♘e5 ♕c7 Black would be at least equal (11 f4 c5). As a one-time world-class player, he wants more.
9...♘e4 10 ♘xe4
Of course, 10 f4?? ♕h4+ is disastrous.
10...♗xe4
Now on 11 0-0 Black is the one playing for an edge with 11...♕g5!.
For example, 12 g3 ♘xe5 13 dxe5 ♗c7 (not 13...♗xe5? 14 f4).
11 ♘xd7?? ♗xg2! White resigns.
The main threat is 12...♗b4+, winning the queen.
Albert Becker White
Paul Krueger Black
Frankfurt 1923
1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 e3 ♘f6 4 ♘f3 ♗f5 5 ♘bd2 e6 6 ♗e2 ♘bd7 7 0-0 ♗d6 8 c5 ♗c7 9 b4 0-0 10 ♗b2 ♘e4 11 ♘xe4 ♗xe4 12 ♘d2 ♗g6 13 f4 ♘f6 14 ♗c3 ♘e4 15 ♘xe4 ♗xe4 16 ♕a4? a6 17 ♕b3 g5! 18 a4 ♔h8 19 ♖f2 gxf4 20 exf4 ♕h4 21 ♗d2 ♖g8 22 ♖a3? ♗xg2! 24 ♖xg2 ♖xg2+ 25 ♔xg2 ♖g8+ 26 ♕g3 ♗xf4 and wins.
Question 171: What happens on 26 ♔f1 ?