Spending piece power to thwart a minor plan is another kind of risk.
Vladimir Malakhov White
Alexander Areshchenko Black
Moscow 2005
Sicilian Defense, Rossolimo Variation B52
1 e5 c5 2 ♘f3 d6 3 ♗b5+ ♗d7 4 ♗xd7+ ♕xd7 5 0-0 ♘f6 6 ♕e2 ♘c6 7 ♖d1 ♕g4?
White signaled his d2-d4 intent. Black delayed it with a threat of 8...♕xe4.
8 d3 ♘e5 9 ♘bd2 e6
Black’s strategy seems to have succeeded, 10 d4? ♘xf3+ 11 ♘xf3 ♕xe4.
10 h3! ♕h5
On 10...♘xf3+ 11 ♘xf3 ♕g6 White has 12 e5 dxe5 13 d4! and ♕b5+.
And 10...♕g6 11 ♘xe5 dxe5 12 ♘c4 was positionally bad.
11 d4! ♘xf3+
Or 11...♘ed7 12 e5!, e.g. 12...dxe5 13 dxe5 ♘d5 14 ♘e4 with a plus. Worse is 11…♘c6 12 d5!, e.g. 12…exd5 13 exd5+ ♘e5 14 ♕b5+.
12 ♘xf3 cxd4
Question 290: What’s best after 13...♘d7 ?
13 e5! dxe5
Or 13...♘d7 14 exd6 ♗xd6 15 ♖xd4 ♕c5 16 ♗e3 with a clear edge.
14 ♕b5+ ♘d7 15 ♖xd4!
Now 15...0-0-0 16 ♗f4! followed by ♖ad1 or ♖c4+. For example, 16…a6 17 ♕a5 f6 18 ♖c4+ or 17…♗c5 18 ♗xe5!.
15...♖d8 16 ♖xd7! ♖xd7 17 g4! resigns.
For example, 17...♕xh3 18 ♘xe5 or 17...a6 18 ♕xd7+ and 19 gxh5.
Vasile Sanduleac White
Anton Stanciu Black
Galatzi 2007
1 e4 c5 2 ♘f3 d6 3 ♗b5+ ♗d7 4 ♗xd7+ ♕xd7 5 0-0 ♘c6 6 c3 ♘f6 7 ♕e2 e5 8 ♖d1 ♗e7 9 d4 cxd4 10 cxd4 exd4 11 ♘xd4 ♘xd4 12 ♖xd4 0-0 13 ♘c3 ♕e6 14 ♗f4 a6 15 ♖ad1 ♖fd8 16 h3 g6 17 ♕d3 ♘e8 18 ♘d5 ♗f6 19 ♘xf6+ ♕xf6 20 e5 ♕e6 21 exd6 and wins.