Key moves in openings cannot be delayed for long.
Zurab Sturua White
Niaz Murshed Black
Tbilisi 1983
Modern Benoni Defense A60
1 d4 ♘f6 2 ♘f3 e6 3 c4 c5 4 d5 exd5 5 cxd5 g6 6 ♘c3 ♗g7 7 ♗f4 ♕a5?!
Black could play ...d6 at move five or six but this is his last chance. He uses the extra tempo to threaten 8...♘e4.
8 ♘d2!
The threat is 9 ♘c4 ♕b4?? 10 a3 ♕xc4 11 e3, corralling the queen. Or 9...♕d8 10 ♘d6+.
8...♘h5?
Black’s gamble pays off after 9 ♘c4?? ♗xc3+ 10 bxc3 ♕xc3+, winning a piece.
9 ♗d6! ♕b6
Black sees that 9...♗xc3 10 bxc3 ♕xc3 11 ♖c1 is poor (or 11 g4).
10 ♘ce4!
More accurate than 10 ♘de4 ♕xb2 11 ♖c1 ♘a6 and 12...f5. Black is alive after 12 e3 f5 13 ♘a4 ♕b4+ 14 ♘ec3 ♘f6.
10...♕xb2 11 ♖b1 ♕xa2 12 e3
Question 220: What is best after 12...♕xd5 13 ♗c4 ♕c6 14 ♕b3 ♘a6 ?
12...b6 13 g4! ♘f6 14 ♘xf6+ ♗xf6 15 ♕f3
So that 15...♗e7 16 ♕e4.
15...♗h4 16 ♕e4+! resigns.
On 16...♔d8 17 ♕e5 White’s main threat is 18 ♗c7 mate.
Fernando Visier White
Ljubomir Ljubojevic Black
Las Palmas 1975
1 d4 ♘f6 2 c4 e6 3 ♘c3 c5 4 d5 exd5 5 cxd5 g6 6 ♘f3 ♗g7 7 ♗f4 ♕a5 8 ♗d2?! 0-0 9 e4 ♖e8 10 ♗e2 d6 11 0-0 ♗g4 12 ♕c2 ♘bd7 13 h3 ♗xf3 14 ♗xf3 c4! 15 a4 ♘c5 16 e5? ♖xe5 17 ♘e4 ♕b6 18 ♘xf6+ ♗xf6 19 ♕xc4 ♘b3! 20 ♗c3 ♘xa1 21 ♗xe5 ♗xe5 22 ♖xa1 ♕xb2 23 ♖d1 ♖e8 24 g3 ♔g7 25 ♖d3? ♗xg3 26 ♕c3+ ♕xc3 27 ♖xc3 ♗h4 White resigns.