The “2♗s” grow in value if enemy pieces are driven from the center.
Larry Christiansen White
Peter Cleghorn Black
Lone Pine 1976
English Opening A34
1 c4 ♘f6 2 ♘c3 c5 3 g3 ♘c6 4 ♘f3 e6 5 d4 cxd4 6 ♘xd4 ♗c5 7 ♘b3 ♗b4 8 ♗g2 d5!
Now 9 0-0 dxc4! offers rough equality (10 ♘d2 0-0 11 ♘xc4 ♕e7).
9 cxd5 ♘xd5
A weak c3-pawn helps Black equalize after 10 ♗d2 ♘xc3 11 ♗xc3 ♗xc3+ 12 bxc3.
10 a3 ♗xc3+
White’s bishops favor him after 10...♘xc3 11 ♕xd8+ and 12 axb4!.
11 bxc3 ♕f6
And he would regain the pawn profitably after 11...♘xc3? 12 ♕xd8+ and 13 ♗b2. Best was the riskless 11...0-0! (12 c4 ♘b6).
12 0-0 ♕xc3
The inconsistent 12...♘xc3 13 ♕c2 ♘d5 favors White after 14 ♗b2 ♕g5 15 ♕c5 and 16 e4 or 16 ♖fd1.
13 ♗d2 ♕b2
14 e4!
Now on 14...♘c3 15 ♗xc3 ♕xc3 White has the dangerous 16 ♖c1 ♕b2 17 ♕d6!.
Question 268: And on 17...♕xb3 ?
14...♘de7 15 ♖c1!
The rook supports ♗c3 (15...♕f6 16 ♗c3! e5 17 f4).
15...0-0?? 16 ♗c3 resigns.
Black didn’t notice that 16...♕xa3 17 ♖a1 traps the queen.
Deen Hergott White
Simon Gravel Black
Defi 1997
1 d4 ♘f6 2 ♘f3 e6 3 g3 c5 4 c4 cxd4 5 ♘xd4 ♘c6 6 ♘c3 ♗c5 7 ♘b3 ♗b4 8 ♗g2 0-0 9 0-0 ♗xc3 10 bxc3 d5 11 cxd5 ♘xd5 12 c4 ♘b6 13 ♕c2 ♘e7? 14 ♖d1 ♕c7 15 ♗a3! ♖e8 16 ♗d6 ♕d8 17 ♘c5 ♘c6 18 ♘a6! bxc6 19 ♗xc6 ♗d7 20 ♗xa8 and wins.