Pawns are the soul of the game.
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[Event "Fairfield Glade"] [Site "?"] [Date "1998.01.10"] [Round "?"] [White "Shafer, Seth"] [Black "Hayes, David"] [Result "0-1"] [BlackElo "unknown"] [ECO "B01"] [TimeControl "0"] [WhiteElo "unknown"] { This game demonstrates a classic winning plan for black after a Center Counter opening. Equalize, put rooks on the d-file then squeeze until white cracks.|Here we see a sweet knight sacrifice by black while his queen is hanging.|Enjoy. } 1. e4 { B01: Scandinavian Defence } 1... d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 Bf5 6. Bd3 e6 7. Bxf5 Qxf5 8. Qe2 c6 { Consolidates b5 and d5. } 9. Nh4 { This knight has no future on the rim of the board, and it can get no real satisfaction by chasing the queen. } 9... Qa5 10. Bd2 Nbd7 11. O-O Be7 12. Nf3 { The knight shame-faced moves back to f3. } 12... O-O 13. a3 Qc7 14. g3 Rad8 15. Bf4 Bd6 16. Bxd6 Qxd6 17. Rfd1 Qc7 18. Ne5 a6 { Secures b5 so black can push c5. } 19. Nxd7 { An unforced exchange falls right into black's plans to stack his rooks on the half open d-file. } 19... Rxd7 20. Na4 Rfd8 21. c3 Rd6 22. f4 Nd7 23. b4 b5 24. Nb2 Nb6 25. a4 Nd5 26. Rdc1 Qb6 27. a5 { White wins space, but at what cost? } 27... Nxc3 { Now if 28. axb6?, the white chokes on his greed 28... Nxe2+ 29. Kf1 Nxc1 30. Rxc1 Rb8. } 28. Rxc3 Qxd4+ 29. Re3 Qxb4 { The smoke has cleared to reveal black's exchange of a Knight for 3 pawns, and active coordinated pieces against white's disarray. Black now threatens Rd2. } 30. Rd3 $2 { White can cheat the hangman briefly by: 30. Nd3 Qc3 31. Qe1 Qxe1+ 32. Nxe1 c5 where black's passed connected pawns will be hard to stop. } 30... Rxd3 31. Nxd3 Qd4+ 32. Nf2 Qxa1+ 33. Kg2 Qxa5 34. Ne4 c5 35. f5 exf5 36. Nd6 g6 37. Kh3 Rxd6 38. Qe8+ Kg7 39. Qe5+ Rf6 { For extra credit find the forced mate in 4 if white plays 40. Qxc5. } 40. Qxc5 Qd2 41. Qe5 g5 42. g4 Qf2 43. gxf5 Qf3+ 44. Qg3 Rh6# 0-1