White efficiently converts his extra pawn.

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 c5 5. c3 Nc6 6. Bb5 Nf6 7. O-O Bd6 8. Re1+ Be6 9. Bg5 O-O 10. Nbd2 h6 11. Bxf6 Qxf6 12. Nf1 12. dxc5 Bxc5 13. a4 Rfe8= 12... Rad8 12... cxd4 creates a target on d4, and while White's defending that, Black can occupy the c-file. 13. Qa4 Bg4?! 3r1rk1/pp3pp1/2nb1q1p/1Bpp4/Q2P2b1/2P2N2/PP3PPP/R3RNK1 w - - 0 14 14. dxc5 Bxf3 Black wriggles, but in the end he can't avoid the loss of a pawn. 15. cxd6 Be4 16. Bxc6 bxc6 17. Ng3 Rxd6 18. Nxe4 dxe4 19. Qxe4 Rd2 20. Re2 Rfd8 21. h3 Qd6 22. Rae1 Rd5 23. b3 Rd7 24. c4 Rd4 25. Qe8+ Kh7 26. Re7 Rxe7 27. Qxe7 Qd7 28. Qxd7 Rxd7 29. Re2 f5? Where is this pawn going? Black, being a pawn down, shouldn't be presenting White any more targets. 30. g4 f4 In the spirit of the above note, 30... fxg4 should be played. In general, the side that is down material should trade pawns. 31. Re6 Rc7 Hard to decide which is worse: Staying passive, or giving White a passed c-pawn. ( 31... Rd2 32. Rxc6 Rxa2 ) 32. Kg2 Kg8 32... a5 33. Re5 Ra7 34. Rc5 Ra6 is more stubborn, holding on to all the pawns...for now. 33. Kf3 Kf7 34. Rd6 Ke7 35. c5 a5 36. Kxf4 Kf7 37. h4 a4 38. Kf5 a3 39. f4 Re7 40. Rxc6 Re2 41. Ra6 Rxa2 42. Ra7+ Ke8 43. b4 Ra1 44. Ke6 Kd8 45. Kd6 Rd1+ 46. Ke6 Ra1 47. Kf7 a2 48. Kxg7 h5 49. g5 Rh1 50. Rxa2 Rxh4 51. f5 Rxb4 52. f6 1-0 [Ryan/Fritz 9]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. cxd5 exd5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 Bf5 7. Nf3 c6 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O Nbd7 10. a3 Re8 11. b4 a6 12. Nh4 Bg6 13. Nxg6 hxg6 14. Qc2 Ne4 15. Bxe7 Qxe7 16. Nxe4 dxe4 17. Qb3 Nf6 18. a4 Rec8 19. Rac1 White, the player with the Bishop, should prefer an open position. 19. f3! unlocks the center pawns and gives White the half-open f-file to play on. His Bishop will get the choice of c4, to pressure f7, or f3, to control the long diagonal. 19... b5 20. a5 Nd5! Black, on the other hand, has taken full advantage of his opportunity to lock the pawn structure and make his Knight better than the Bishop. 21. Rb1 Rc7 22. Rfc1 Rac8 23. Re1 White embarks on a very slow plan to rid himself of the dominant enemy N. 23. Rc5 is better, planning Rbc1 and maintaining pressure on the backward c6 pawn. 23... Kh8 24. Bd1 f5 25. Bc2 Rf8 26. Rb2 Qd6 27. Bb1 Re7 28. Ba2 g5 29. Qd1 Re6 30. Bxd5 cxd5 White has finally achieved his aim, but at the cost of allowing Black to build an attack at leisure. 31. Qd2 31. Qc1 is a better square. 31... Rh6 32. g3? This is already the decisive mistake. Black will plant a pawn on f3, and attack on the weak light squares. 5r1k/6p1/p2q3r/Pp1p1pp1/1P1Pp3/4P1P1/1R1Q1P1P/4R1K1 b - - 0 32 Even though 32. f4 gives Black a protected passed pawn, White has to try it to slow down the attack. 32... f4! 33. exf4 33. Qe2? f3 34. Qf1 Rff6! with the idea of ...Rxh2 and ...Rh6+, leaves White helpless. 33... gxf4 34. gxf4 The only way to keep a pawn out of f3, but this is merely a different form of suicide. 34... Rxf4 35. Rb3 Rf3 36. Rxf3 Qxh2+ 37. Kf1 Qh1+ 38. Ke2 Qxf3+ 0-1 [Ryan/Fritz 9]

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. O-O Nf6 5. d3 O-O 6. Nbd2 c6 7. e4 Qb6 8. c3 Rd8 9. e5 Nh5 10. Qe2 Bg4 11. d4 Nd7 Black's first priority should be rescuing the offside Nh5. 11... Bf8 intends ...Ng7-e6. 12. h3 Be6 13. Ng5 c5 14. Nxe6 fxe6? Why create weak doubled pawns? 14... Qxe6 15. Nf3 cxd4 15... Rf8 is not a whole lot better, because after 16. Be3 and an eventual Qd2, black will have to entomb his Bishop on h8 just to save the errant N. 16. cxd4 Don't look a gift horse in the mouth! After 16. g4! Black can wriggle, but 16... d3 17. Qe3 Qxe3 18. Bxe3 Nhf6 19. exf6 exf6 20. Rad1 e5 21. Rxd3! e4 22. Rxd5 exf3 23. Bxf3 gives White a dominating position. Black can't immediately contest the d-file without losing a pawn: 23... Ne5 24. Rxd8+ Rxd8 25. Bxb7 Rb8 26. Bd5+ . 16... Rf8 17. Be3 Rac8 18. Qd2 Bh8 19. g4 Ng7 20. Bh6 Rc6 21. Rfc1 Rfc8 22. Rxc6 Qxc6 23. Rc1 Qxc1+ 24. Qxc1 Rxc1+ 25. Bxc1 Ne8 26. Bf1 a6 27. Bd2 Bg7 28. Bb4 Bf8 29. Ng5 Nc7 30. f4 h6 31. Nf3 Nb8 32. h4 32. Ba5! Nb5 33. a4 Na7 corrals the Knights on one side of the board, then 34. Bd3! lashes out on the other. White's idea is g5, nailing down the g6 pawn for consumption. 32... Nc6 33. Bc5 Na8 34. a4 b6 35. Ba3 Nc7 36. g5 h5 37. Bd3 Kg7 38. Kf2 a5 39. Ke3 5b2/2n1p1k1/1pn1p1p1/p2pP1Pp/P2P1P1P/B2BKN2/1P6/8 b - - 0 39 39... Nb4? Black succumbs to the urge to 'do something'. A better plan was to sit and do nothing (even before playing ...a6-a5), inviting White to find a breakthrough. 40. Bxb4 axb4 41. Kd2 Kf7 42. Kc2 Ke8 Desperation - but nothing can change the fact that Black is virtually playing a piece down. 43. Kb3 Kd7 44. Kxb4 Kc6 45. Nd2 Kb7 46. Bxg6 1-0 [Ryan/Fritz 9]

Black plays one too many weakening moves.

1. e4 c5 2. c3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. cxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Nf3 Bg7 7. Bc4 O-O 8. Bb3 a6 9. O-O Bg4 10. h3 Bxf3 11. Qxf3 Nc6 12. Rd1 e5?! This saddles Black with a weak d6 pawn. 13. dxe5 Nxe5 14. Qe2 Qd7 14... Re8 discourages White's e5 advance. 15. f4 Nc6 16. e5 Rfe8 16... Ne8 17. e6 Qe7 18. exf7+ Rxf7 19. Be3 17. Qd2 17. Qf2 prepares for a lesser piece to occupy d6. 17... Nh5 18. Qxd6 18. Ne4 , in spirit of the last note. 18... Qxd6 19. Rxd6 Bh6? 19... g5 is the right way to stir up counterplay. r3r1k1/1p3p1p/p1nR2pb/4P2n/5P2/1BN4P/PP4P1/R1B3K1 w - - 0 20 20. Nd5! Defends the f-pawn, and threatens forks on c7 and f6. It's clear that Black's last move just misplaced his Bishop. 20... Rad8 20... Nd4 21. Nf6+! Nxf6 22. Rxd4 takes one N, while trapping the other: 22... Nh5 23. g4 Ng7 24. g5 . 21. g4 Rxd6 22. exd6 Ng3 23. Nf6+ Kf8 24. Nxe8 Kxe8 25. Bd2 Ne4 26. Re1 f5 27. gxf5 gxf5 28. Bd5 Kd7 29. Bxe4 fxe4 30. Rxe4 Kxd6 31. Kf2 Bg7 32. Bc3 1-0 [Ryan/Fritz 9]

Black's passed pawns are too hard to handle.

1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 d5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. cxd4 Nc6 6. Be3 Bf5 7. Nc3 Qa5 8. Bd3 White should play 8. d5 while he has the chance. 8... O-O-O? does not escape due to 9. Qf3 . 8... e6 9. Bxf5 Qxf5 10. Nf3 Nf6 11. Qa4 Bd6 12. Nb5 Bb4+ 13. Nc3 13. Qxb4 Nxb4 14. Nd6+ Kd7 15. Nxf5 exf5= 13... O-O Why not play 13... Qd3 to delay White's castling? 14. Rc1 O-O 15. Qc2 Qa6 maintains pressure against the White Q-side. 14. O-O Rfd8 15. Rac1 Rac8 16. a3 Bd6 17. Rfd1 Qh5 18. Ne2!? 2rr2k1/pp3ppp/2nbpn2/7q/Q2P4/P3BN2/1P2NPPP/2RR2K1 b - - 0 18 18... Bxh2+ Not quite a 'free' pawn, but who could resist? 19. Nxh2 Qxe2 20. Nf3 Nd5 20... Qxb2 21. Rb1 b5 22. Qa6 Qe2 23. Bg5 also gives White compensation for the pawn. He will get the b5 pawn back soon. 21. Rd2 Qa6 21... Nb6 22. Qc2 Qb5 23. Ng5 again forces a concession like ...Qf5 or ...g6. 22. Qxa6 bxa6 23. Rdc2 Nce7 24. Ne5 Rxc2 25. Rxc2 Rc8 26. Rc5 f6 27. Nc4 Kf8 28. Kf1 Rxc5 29. dxc5 Nc6 30. Ke2 Ke7 31. Kd3 e5 32. Ke4?! Not a good outpost for the King (can Kings even have 'outposts'??), for he is easily driven back. 32. Nd6 32... Ke6 33. Nd6 g6 33... f5+! can't be answered by 34. Nxf5?? Nf6+ , so the King must return from whence he came. 34. g4 34. Kd3 34... h5 34... f5+ 35. gxf5+ gxf5+ 36. Kf3 f4 improves on the line played in the game. 37. Bd2 Nd4+ 38. Kg2 Nb3 39. Ne4 Kd7 gives White two headaches at once: the c-pawn, and the h-pawn. 35. gxh5 f5+ 36. Kf3 gxh5 37. Bg5 Nf6 38. b4 38. Bxf6 is more stubborn, but probably insufficient to hold. 38... Nd4+ 39. Kg2 Nd5 40. Kg3 Nc2 41. b5? As if the h-pawn wasn't bad enough, Black now gets a passed a-pawn to boot. 41... axb5 42. Nxb5 a6 43. Na7 Nxa3 44. Nc6 Nb5 45. Kh4 0-1 [Ryan/Fritz 9]

Black's miscalculation spoils a good position.

1. e4 c5 2. c3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. cxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Nf3 Bg7 7. Bc4 Nc6 8. Bb3 Na5 9. Ba4+ Bd7?! 9... Nd7 avoids White's next. 10. e5 dxe5 11. Nxe5 11. dxe5 Ng4 12. e6 punches a hole in the Kingside. 11... a6 12. O-O b5 13. Bc2 Rc8 14. Re1 O-O 15. h3 Bc6 16. Bg5 Qc7 16... Bb7 preserves a strong Bishop. 17. Rc1 h6 18. Bf4 Qb7 19. Nxc6 Nxc6 20. Ne4 Rfd8 21. Nc5 21. Nxf6+ exf6 22. d5 Ne5= 21... Qa7 22. Be3 Nd5 23. Bb3?! 23. Be4 takes the sting out of 23... Nxe3 24. fxe3 Nxd4!? because White has 25. Nb7! 23... Nxe3 24. fxe3 2rr2k1/q3ppb1/p1n3pp/1pN5/3P4/1B2P2P/PP4P1/2RQR1K1 b - - 0 24 24... Ne5? The right way to undermine the Nc5 is 24... Nxd4! which forces White to bail out with 25. Bxf7+ Kxf7 26. b4 . Black can't retreat the N (random retreats allow 27.Qb3+, and 26... Ne6 27. Qf3+ Bf6 28. Nxe6 Kxe6 29. Rxc8 Rxc8 30. Qg4+ wins for White), but he can recover a pawn for it after White captures. 25. Qe2 Rxc5? An unfortunate miscalculation. 26. Rxc5 26. dxc5?! Rc8 26... Nd3 27. Qxd3 Qxc5 28. Qxg6 The smoke clears, and Black finds himself a pawn down with another to fall. 28... Qd6 1-0 [Ryan/Fritz 9]

White misses his chances to get back in the game.

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. cxb5 a6 5. Nc3 axb5 6. Nxb5 Qa5+ 7. Nc3 Ba6 8. Nf3 g6 9. Bd2 Qb6 10. Qc2 Bg7 11. g3 O-O 12. Bg2 d6 13. O-O Nbd7 14. Rfe1 Rfb8 15. Rab1 Bc4 16. e4 Bxa2 17. Nxa2 Rxa2 18. Bc3 Qb3 19. Qxb3 Rxb3 20. Nd2? Rxc3 21. bxc3 Rxd2 22. f4 6k1/3nppbp/3p1np1/2pP4/4PP2/2P3P1/3r2BP/1R2R1K1 b - - 0 22 22... Bf8?! Tangles up his own pieces. 22... Nf8 23. Rb7 e6 24. dxe6 fxe6 is fine for Black. 23. c4?! 23. Rb7 e6 24. Bh3! forces Black to give back material. 24... Nxe4 (Not 24... exd5 25. exd5 and the Nd7 is trapped) 25. Rxe4 Nf6= 23... Ng4 23... e5 gets the e -pawn out of danger, allowing the re-shuffle ...Bg7 and ...Nf8 in response to Rb7. 24. Rb7 Ndf6 25. e5 dxe5 26. fxe5 Nh5 27. Rb5 Nf2 27... f5 28. Rb8 f4 29. d6 exd6 30. e6 Kg7 31. e7 Bxe7 32. Rxe7+ Kf6 33. Rbe8 fxg3 34. hxg3 Nxg3 35. Re6+ Kg5 is a fun line to play if you have the calculating skill of an engine. 28. Rf1 28. Rb8= should have played to keep the Bf8 and Nh5 tied down. 28... Nd3 29. Be4? 29. e6 Nf6 lets the N back in the game, but it's better than losing a pawn for nothing! 29... Nxe5 30. Rxc5 Rd4 31. Bg2 Nxc4 32. Re1 Nf6 33. Rc8 Kg7 34. Rc7 Nb6 35. Rcc1 Nbxd5 36. Bxd5 Nxd5 37. Rcd1 Rxd1 38. Rxd1 e6 39. Kf2 Bc5+ 40. Kf3 h5 41. h3 f5 42. Rc1 Bd4 43. Rc4 e5 44. Ke2 f4 0-1 [Ryan/Fritz 9]