An extra pawn may win. Two extra pawns usually will win. You rarely need a third.
H. Benndorf White
G. Krepp Black
Correspondence 1954
Semi-Slav Defense D44
1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 ♘c3 c6 4 ♘f3 ♘f6 5 ♗g5 dxc4 6 e4 b5 7 e5 h6 8 ♗h4 g5 9 exf6 gxh4 10 ♘e5
White offers a second pawn since 10 ♘xh4 ♕xf6 leaves him with little comp for the first.
Question 375: What is White’s threat now?
10...♕xf6 11 ♗e2 ♘d7!
Black can afford to give back one pawn because after 12 ♘xc6 ♗b7 13 ♗f3 a6 and 14...♖c8 he has excellent winning chances.
12 0-0 ♘xe5!?
Taking a third pawn is not fatal. But it is much riskier than 12...♗b7! 13 ♘xd7 ♔xd7.
13 dxe5 ♕xe5 14 ♗f3! ♗b7 15 ♖e1
After 15...♕c7 White gets dangerous play from 16 ♕d4 ♖g8 17 ♖ad1. For example, 17...♖d8 18 ♕xa7. Or 17...♗g7? 18 ♕c5!, when the threats, including 19 ♖xe6+! fxe6 20 ♗h5+, turn the tables.
15...♕f5??
Safest was 15...♕d6!. Then 16 ♘xb5 ♕xd1 16 ♖axd1 cxb5! results in an endgame with at least one extra pawn. For instance, 17 ♗xb7 ♖b8 18 ♗c6+ ♔e7 19 ♖d7+ ♔f6 20 ♖xa7 ♗c5. Black can use his passed pawn after 21 ♖d7 b4 and …c3.
16 ♕d4!
Suddenly Black is on life support: 16...♖g8 17 ♖ad1! threatens ♕d7 mate.
16...f6 17 ♖ad1 e5 18 ♗h5+! resigns.
Henrik Teske White
Norbert Friedrich Black
Arco 2006
1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 ♘f3 ♘f6 4 ♘c3 e6 5 ♗g5 dxc4 6 e4 b5 7 e5 h6 8 ♗h4 g5 9 exf6 gxh4 10 ♘e5 ♕xf6 11 g3 ♘d7 12 ♘xc6 ♗b7 13 ♗g2 ♖c8 14 d5 ♗xc6 15 dxc6 ♘e5 16 0-0 ♘xc6 17 ♘xb5 e5?? 18 ♗h3! resigns.
Question 376: Why not 18...♖d8 ?