The Art of Attack on Chessmaniac #2

Trajan vs. BDub-The Power of Knights

Often I see that people neglect their knights, or their opponent's knights, in favor of the farther-reaching bishop. They either throw their knights on the 3rd or 6th rank and forget about them, or sometimes not move one of them at all. Other times they neglect to see threats posed by their enemy's knights until it is too late. Maybe it's because the bishop is a long range piece and the knight is more of an in-fighter, or because inexperienced players don't quite understand the knight. Perhaps it's because it can be harder to coordinate an attack with two knights instead of two bishops. Many times a player will throw out a bishop as soon as they can in an attempt to start an immediate attack with little back up. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to put the bishop down, he's a useful guy. I'm just trying to stand up for the little guys (in case you haven't noticed, knights are my favorite pieces).

My opponent in this game is BDub, and as worthy an adversary as he is, he did neglect the threat my knights posed until it was too late.

1. e4 c5
2. Nf3 d6
3. d4 cxd4
4. Nxd4 Nf6
5. Nc3 Nc6
6. Bg5 e5
7. Bxf6


No, I'm not neglecting opening theory for the second time now just for the fun of it. I want to double black's pawns and leave him with no solid place to castle with ideas of Nxc6.

7. ... Qxf6
This move here is the beginning of my opponent's disregard for my knights. Better would have been 7. ... gxf6 8. Nf5 Bxf5 9. exf5 Rc8 10. Bb5 a6 11. Bxc6+ bxc6 is better, as well as 7. ... gxf6 8. Nxc6 bxc6 9. Bc4 Qb6 10. Bb3 Rg8 11. 0-0 Bh3.

8. Nd5 Qd8
This was most likely reactionary to the idea of the fork at c7, not realizing that I have another knight that I can bring to bear on that square, forcing the issue. Qg6 would have been better as there is no real way to stop the fork.

9. Nb5 Rb8



Ooops. Ok, it may seem as though I'm picking on poor BDub, but I'm not. Everyone has good and bad days. Here again he tries to get out of the fork only to step into more troubles. Now he has no choice but to lose the queen for a knight. 9. ... Be6 10. Nbc7+ Kd7 11. Nxa8 Qxa8 12. Bb5 g6 13. 0-0 f5 14. exf5 gxf5 15. Qd2 Bg7 16. c4 e4 would have been better, it loses a rook for a knight, but the queen remains and the fight can continue somewhat.

10. Nbc7+ Kd7



OUCH! BDub, not aware of the danger posed by my knights, and most likely in an effort to save the queen, walks into mate. Qxc7 is better, seeing as you can't do worse than checkmate.

11. Qg4+ f5
12. Qxf5#



And the queen steps in to take all the glory, when really the knights do all the work. :( In all fairness, BDub is playing better in our other games. Maybe its because I smacked him awake in this one, who knows. :) So, do I overvalue my knights? I try not to, but usually do to a slight degree. Can you blame me; they're the fun pieces. I'm not saying to attack with reckless abandon with them either, just stop ignoring them and have more fun with them. See where it takes you.

Article contributed by Trajan