This example, also featuring two FIDE 1900+ players, shows critical positional moments occurring very early in the game. It also shows a standard pattern to know – sort of a big positional trap!
1.g3 Nf6 2.Bg2 d5 3.f4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.O-O O-O 6.d3 c5 7.Nc3 After a transpositional opening, the interesting positional decisions are about to come.
7…Nc6 Totally playable, although top players generally prefer something different here.
7…d4 is standard on the master level. 8.Ne4 Nxe4 9.dxe4 Nc6 when Black is doing well, but this is of course playable for both sides.
8.e4
8…d4
8… dxe4 9. dxe4 looks positionally unprincipled for Black: Exchanging the d5-pawn for White’s pawn on d3 just strengthens White’s control of the center.
9.Ne2
9…b6 Not a terrible move, but a bit slow.
9… e5 With the benefit of hindsight, I think this move should be played at a time when White cannot strongly reply f4-f5. That move would establish a space advantage on the kingside in preparation for an attack there.
Then White has many possibilities, but no advantage.
10.h3 exf4!? Gives up a bit of central control in return for loosening White’s position.
10.fxe5?! Ng4 and Black regains the pawn with an excellent position.
10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.fxe5 Ng4 12.e6 Bxe6 13.Nf4 this shows the point of returning the pawn this way, White at least gets a tempo on the bishop. 13…Bd7 and Black is doing pretty well.
10.f5 Ng4! prepares …Ne3, when White will have to exchange their bishop and weaken control of the dark squares. (10…gxf5? 11.exf5 Bxf5? 12. Nxe5! would greatly favor White.)
Returning to the game, where Black played less incisively.
10.h3! White demonstrates good understanding of the position: The space advantage on the kingside suggests that they should attack there.
10…Bb7 again, not terrible, but not the most to the point.
10…a5!? intends …Ba6; there the bishop looks more actively placed, supporting a possible …c4 pawn break.
10…Ba6 could also be played immediately.
11.g4 As advertised last move, White prepares kingside play.
11…e5? Now Black is really playing with fire.
11… b5 prepares the …c4 pawn break: The structure suggests that Black should be playing on the queenside.
12.f5! This automatic move increases the kingside space advantage while closing that part of the board. g4-g5 is now a major idea and it will be hard for Black to avoid coming under a powerful attack.
12…Re8? This is a type of mistake I see quite frequently in scholastic chess: Black plays …Re8 for no reason, because it appears to ‘develop’ the rook. Not only does the rook do nothing on e8, it takes a potentially useful rerouting square (e8 to d6) away from the black knight on f6. I don’t trust the notation for the rest of the game, but Black is in some difficulties after better moves as well.
12…gxf5 13. gxf5 at least g4-g5 has been taken away. 13…c4 14. Ng3 White’s kingside play looks stronger than Black’s queenside attack, but Black is in the fight.
12… Ne8 is also an improvement, intending …f6 to control some space on the kingside.
13.Ng3 is extremely dangerous. The immediate threat is g4-g5, when the black knight cannot go to h5 without being captured. 13…h6 might be the best chance but 14.g5 hxg5 15.Bxg5 Qd6 16.h4 intending Bh3 is objectively winning for White.Â
I view this early middlegame as one big positional trap! White knew what to do: Gain kingside space in preparation for an attack on the Black king. Black didn’t sense the danger and played some less than critical moves. They should have gotten …e5 in, staking a claim to kingside space before White could respond f4-f5. Black actually played this move at precisely the wrong moment, when White could respond with f5, cementing a space advantage and preparing g4-g5, with the makings of a winning attack.