One of the hardest decisions to make is giving up a concrete asset, like a strong center pawn, for something less tangible.
Bernd Stein White
Kick Langeweg Black
Plovdiv 1983
Mason Gambit C54
1 e4 e5 2 ♘f3 ♘c6 3 ♗c4 ♗c5 4 c3 ♘f6 5 d4 exd4 6 0-0 ♘xe4 7 cxd4 ♗e7?
Black avoids 7...♗b6 8 ♖e1 d5 9 ♗xd5! ♕xd5 10 ♘c3. But 7...d5! is good.
8 d5! ♘b8
On 8...♘a5 9 ♗d3 ♘c5 10 ♗c2 White has a long-term initiative (10...♘a6 11 ♗d2 b6 13 ♗c3).
9 ♖e1 ♘d6
It is harder for Black to castle after 9...♘f6 10 ♕e2 (10...0-0? 11 ♕xe7).
10 ♗d3 0-0 11 ♘c3 ♘e8
Or 11...♘a6 12 ♗f4 b6? 13 ♕e2! or 12...♖e8 13 ♕b1 g6 14 b4. The retreat to e8 will be good – provided that ...d6 and ...♘d7 follow.
12 d6!
White’s major asset was the cramping pawn at d5. But clearing d5 for the knight is more important now.
Question 214: What follows 12...♘xd6 13 ♘d5 ♗f6 ?
12...cxd6?
A bit better is 12...♗xd6 13 ♘g5 ♘f6. But 14 ♘d5 is dangerous, e.g. 14...g6 15 ♘xf6+ ♕xf6 16 ♘e4.
13 ♗xh7+! ♔xh7 14 ♖xe7!
Now 14...♘c6 15 ♘g5+ ♔g8 16 ♕d3 g6 17 ♘d5 or 16...♘f6 17 ♘d5 are dead.
14...♕xe7 15 ♘d5 resigns.
Bahri Karadeniz White
Selin Kaya Black
Izmir 2003
1 e4 e5 2 ♘f3 ♘c6 3 ♗c4 ♗c5 4 c3 ♘f6 5 d4 exd4 6 0-0 ♘xe4 7 cxd4 ♗e7? 8 d5! ♘b8 9 ♖e1 ♘f6 10 ♕e2 h6 11 d6! cxd6 12 ♗f4 ♔f8 13 ♘c3 ♘c6 14 ♖ad1 a6 15 a4 b6 16 ♗a2 ♗b7 17 ♕c4 d5 18 ♘xd5 ♘a5 19 ♕e2 ♘xd5 20 ♗xd5 ♗xd5 21 ♖xd5 ♗b4 22 ♗d6+ ♗xd6 23 ♖xd6 ♘c6 24 ♕d2 ♖a7? 25 ♖xc6 ♖c7 26 ♕d6+ resigns.