Lobster of a bishop…

A bishop of the same colour as its centre pawns placement is deemed a bad bishop unless there are extenuating circumstances such as in this game. My Dragon bishop was placed right smack in the middle of the board thus becoming the strongest piece on the board. Its dominance over the dark squares allowed my Rook and King to wreck havoc on the Kingside and steer the game towards a winning ending.

Kharitonov,A (2127) - Tay,J (2194) [B52]
IECG C1-236
[Junior Tay]

The Moscow Variation- used by Ivanchuk quite a while ago to beat Kasparov.

Shades of Kasparov vs the World?

used by GM Peter Leko as a drawing weapon.

[12.0-0-0 Baklan,V-Lutz,C/Germany 1998/GER-chT/½-½ (41)]

[12...g6 13.c5! will wreck Black's pawn structure.]

Here I made a tactical draw offer as White has to find 15.Bg5 to maintain his slight advantage. Fortunately for me, he declined my offer.

I guess Alexander thought this move was sufficient to retard Black's development by preventing 0-0-0. However, the a7 pawn is taboo... [15.Bg5! Black cannot connect his Rooks without weakening his pawn structure.]

Black protects the Nd7 from e5 or c5 tricks. [15...0-0 16.f4! with an easy game. ]

[16.Bxa7?? Bxc3 17.bxc3 c5 18.Rb1 Kc7 and White's dark square Bishop goes back into the box. 19.Rb5 Ra8 20.Ra5 Ne5-+]

[20.Nf4=]

20...Nb4+ 21.Kb2 Nxa2!
Black's pawn structure arising from this mini combination looks wrecked but his pieces become alive.

and check out that lobster on d4!

an unnecessary weakening of the pawn structure. This provides Black with a target to play for.

White is a pawn up but a rook and king down in terms of development.

[39...a6 40.Ra7 Kd4! 41.Rxa6 Kc3 and mate is inevitable.] 0-1