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Chessapawn Sample Game

This game was played by Zillions against itself on an Athlon 1GHz, at 3 minutes per move. It is included in the zrf archive as Chessapawn_3min_Athlon1G_2.zsg

1. KnightPawn g1 - f3   KnightPawn g8 - f6
2. Pawn c2 - c4         KnightPawn b8 - c6
3. KnightPawn b1 - c3   Pawn e7 - e6
4. BishopPawn c1 - c2   Pawn d7 - d5
5. Pawn c4 x d5         Pawn e6 x d5
6. Pawn e2 - e3         Pawn a7 - a5


The KnightPawns are good pieces to develop early. They're fast on the attack and, if not advanced, they only get in the way of the defense of the first rank.
7. Pawn a2 - a3         QueenPawn d8 - e7
8. KnightPawn f3 - f4   Pawn h7 - h6
9. BishopPawn f1 - e2   QueenPawn e7 - d6
10. Pawn d2 - d4        Pawn g7 - g6
11. Pawn g2 - g3        Pawn b7 - b6
12. BishopPawn e2 - d3  RookPawn h8 - h7
13. Pawn b2 - b4        BishopPawn c8 - g4


12 ... RookPawn h8 - h7 was probably a strategic error. This move prevents Black from ever connecting his Rooks, compromising the defense of his home row. This will come back to bite him.

Once White advances his KingPawn, he'll have his rooks and queen connected. The advance of Black's BishopPawn threatens to break up this arrangement. White's response saves his QueenPawn from capture, but ceases its control of the home rank. Still, his Rooks are now connected. Black will have to take both of them out or force them to advance if he wants to win.
14. KingPawn e1 - e2    BishopPawn g4 x e2
15. QueenPawn d1 x e2   Pawn b6 - b5
16. BishopPawn d3 x b5  KingPawn e8 - d7
17. BishopPawn b5 - a6  KnightPawn c6 - e5


It may not look it, but Black's last move was a mistake. From this position, Zillions calculates a win for White. Black's KnightPawn needed to stay where it was to prevent the advance of White's KnightPawn to b5, which will then advance to a7 once the Black Rook has been diverted by BishopPawn a6-c8, to capture the Rook and promote. Black has no defense against this attack because, after the last move, he has no influence in the upper left quadrant of the board, except for the Queen on d6; but White's attack neatly skips over that rank. Black's Queen makes a run for the promotion zone, but White's connected Rooks cannot be defeated by just one piece.

Note that if Black had not played 12 ... RookPawn h8-h7, he would have time to move the Bishop out of the way and create a defense for this attack. Advancing a Rook is the biggest favor you can do for your opponent.
18. BishopPawn a6 - c8  RookPawn a8 x c8
19. KnightPawn c3 - b5  QueenPawn d6 x b4
20. KnightPawn b5 - a7  QueenPawn b4 - e1
21. RookPawn h1 x e1    KnightPawn e5 x f4
22. KnightPawn a7 x c8


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Written by Robert Price.
WWW page created: November 3rd, 2001.