Keep Your Eye on the Goal
Until a few months ago, I used to have the problem of being materialistic in chess. I’d focus on gaining a pawn advantage and making that my only goal in my chess games, after which I would just try to simplify the position until I won. However, after you reach about a 1200 USCF rating, you will lose terribly if you neglect the other aspects of chess. King safety, protecting yourself. Positional chess, making your pieces worth more than your opponent’s pieces. And finally, attacking, focusing on taking the opponent’s king.
However, in the last few months, I have played several attacking games on chess.com, and this is one of my favorites.
World League 2018 R8: FRA-USA, Board #141 Game 2
To briefly review the opening, (#14) I (as white) take control of the center with pawns on e4 and d4, and black attempts to control it with a fianchettoed bishop on g7 and a possbile pawn break on d5 or c5.
This is a typical type of position. One player takes strong control over the center of the board, believing it is a strength. The other player lets his opponent take the center in preparation for a strong counterattack, hoping to take advantage of his opponent’s weaknesses. Here, you’ll see how the fight for the center of the board controls the outcome of the game.
Now things are getting interesting. I moved my bishop to h3 to trade it off for black’s overpowering g7 bishop, as his bishop was better than mine. Black moved his pawns to d5 and c5 in order to counter the center, and possibly take control of it.
In the matter of a few moves, the center starts to open up and the bishops are traded. I started a kingside attack with 14. f4 and black challenged my active pieces with 15 … Nc6
At this point, I made a critical mistake. Since I noticed that the dark squares around black’s king were extremely weak without black’s bishop, I sacrificed my knight and played 16. f5?? in order to make threats on g7 after 17. f6 and 18. Qh6, as well as other offensive plans. This was a little too agressive, as black (with best play) could defend well and enjoy the free knight.
Although I was playing in a losing position, I focused on making my pieces active. When you’re down in material, it’s only a matter of time before pieces are traded off and your opponent’s material advantage leads him to a win. This is why it is critical to not give up, play passive, or otherwise let your opponent control the game when you are down in material. In fact, the evaluation of this position is -1 (which means black has the equivalent of a one point, or pawn, advantage). This is because although his material advantage is 3, only his c6 knight is active.
After just one move, 19. Qg5 Be8 ??, white has a decisive advantage. In fact, white has a forced checkmate. This is because black has completely blocked off his queen from defending the kingside, and all of my pieces can overwhelm the king together. The last few moves shown below led to the final checkmate.
To sum it up, when you’re losing in material, remember that the goal is to checkmate the opponent’s king. Your focus should not primarily be on regaining the lost material because unless you are about to gain it back, you are not likely to just “gain material”. However, if you focus your attention on attacking the opponent by making your pieces as active as they can be, you not only have a chance to win immediately, but sometimes, your opponent will be forced to sacrifice material to protect his king, giving you the advantage.