Breaking a pin with pawn moves is weakening – if you can prove it.
Evgeny Vladimirov White
Vladimir Vorotnikov Black
Leningrad 1974
Queen’s Gambit Accepted D22
1 d4 d5 2 c4 dxc4 3 ♘f3 a6 4 e3 ♗g4 5 h3 ♗h5 6 g4!
This breaks the pin but weakens h4 and other squares.
6...♗g6 7 ♘bd2 ♘d7
Black avoids 7...b5 8 ♘e5!, e.g. 8...e6? 9 ♗g2 ♖a7 10 a4.
8 ♘xc4 e6 9 ♗g2 ♗e4! 10 ♘cd2 ♗b4 11 ♔f1!? ♗xd2
Better was 11...♗c6! when Black is at least equal.
12 ♗xd2 ♘gf6 13 ♘g5! ♗xg2+ 14 ♔xg2
White is ready to claim an edge with 15 ♕f3 or 15 ♕b3.
14...♘f8! 15 ♕b3
15...♘g6!
Black offers a pawn (16 ♕xb7 0-0) in order to set up ...♘h4+.
One sample variation is 17 ♘f3 ♖b8 18 ♕xa6? ♕d5!.
For example, 19 ♕e2 ♘h4+ 20 ♔g3 ♘e4+! 21 ♔xh4 h6! and mates. Or 18 ♕c6 ♖b6 19 ♕c2 ♕d5! with compensation.
16 ♗b4? ♘h4+!
Question 201: And on 17 ♔g1 ?
17 ♔g3? ♘h5+! 18 ♔xh4 h6! 19 f4 hxg5+ 20 fxg5 ♕xg5+!
White resigned before 21 ♔xg5 f6+ 22 ♔h4 g5 mate and 22 ♔g6 ♖h6 mate.
Dimitar Lalev White
Atanas Kolev Black
Bulgaria 1992
1 d4 d5 2 c4 dxc4 3 ♘f3 ♘f6 4 e3
♗g4 5 ♗xc4 e6 6 ♘c3 a6 7 h3 ♗h5 8 g4 ♗g6 9 ♘e5 ♗d6 10 ♘xg6 hxg6 11 e4 ♗b4 12 ♗g5 ♕d7 13 ♗xf6?! gxf6 14 a3 ♗xc3+ 15 bxc3 ♕c6 16 ♕d3 ♘d7 17 f3 0-0-0 18 ♗a2 f5 19 exf5? ♘e5 20 ♕e3 ♘xg4! 21 ♕d3 gxf5 22 d5? ♘e5! 23 ♕e3 exd5 24 0-0-0 ♘c4 25 ♕f4 ♕c5 26 ♗xc4 dxc4 27 ♔c2 ♕b5 White resigns.