Whenever Black penetrates with ...Rc2, White is ready to kick that rook with Nd4.
Unity Chess Club
Magnus Carlsen Pentala Harikrishna EU-Cup 2022 White to move
A very nice game from the GOAT Carlsen. Material is balanced. White enjoys a passed pawn but Black has a nice majority on the kingside. How do you play with the white pieces?
One of the key things about this position is the bad placement of the e2-knight. It did not have any interesting squares to jump. That is why g4 is such a strong move. First of all, it stops ...f5, and second, the knight arrives to g3, where later it can jump to e4 or even f5, to attack the black king.
From here White has some plans, including a nice attacking idea with h4-h5 or h4, Ne4, g5, Bh3.
Unity Chess Club
Lev Alburt Gudmundur Sigurjonsson Lone Pine op 1981 White to move
White is a pawn up, but it is a doubled pawn in the center that will fall very soon. If Black manages to capture on e4 and trade the light-squared bishops, they will have a nice position, because e3 will be a backward pawn and an easy one to attack. The dark-squared bishop would remain very passive as well. How to modify the structure in our favour?
The only good move that leads to an advantage. White gives the pawn back forcing Black to capture.
An elegant way of giving the pawn back. White sentences the black knight to life imprisonment! This knight leaves the black rooks disconnected and the pieces uncoordinated.
Unity Chess Club
Lyubomir Danov Boris Gelfand EU-ch 2023 Black to move
White is planning to play d4. Later it will complete development of the c1-bishop and the a1-rook, with a reasonable position. Can we stop this somehow?