The story behind the game
Krush’s 2006 Olympiad game against Nadezhda Kosintseva features two knights working with central pawn advances. An e-pawn move attacks the queen, the f-pawn reaches the sixth rank and a knight capture tests the pawn cover around Black’s king. The queen then enters g5, where the advanced pawn and active pieces strengthen the attack.
Take these ideas to your next game
- A pawn advance with tempo can prepare a stronger piece square.
- An advanced pawn can restrict the squares around a king.
- Before capturing an offered knight, check which file the pawn move opens.
- A queen entry becomes stronger when a pawn controls the king’s escape square.
Read the complete annotated game
Full game transcript, including the result and the answers. Original explanations by chessgames.info; game score from the sources below.
e5 attacks the queen and challenges the central pawn structure. Black captures with the d-pawn, and White’s c3-knight reaches e4. The pawn offer therefore changes both the queen’s circumstances and the knight’s activity. Calculate the recapture and the new piece square together.
f6 brings the pawn close to the black king. Black advances the g-pawn to g6, leaving the white pawn on f6 controlling g7. White then asks the bishop to retreat before arranging the queen’s entry. The pawn’s main role is the squares it restricts, not an immediate promotion threat.
Nxh5 removes a pawn while testing the g6-pawn’s defensive role. A capture with the g-pawn would open the g-file for White’s queen to approach with check. In the recorded game Black instead brings the queen to d4, and the knight returns to g3. The move’s effect depends on the king’s cover as well as the captured pawn.
Qg5 pins the g6-pawn along the g-file. The pawn on f6 controls g7, making the queen’s position more restrictive. Black still has active central resources, including a queen capture on e4 later in the score. Compare those resources with the threats near the king rather than assuming that the pin ends the calculation.
Result: 1-0. The recorded score ends here; it does not imply checkmate.
Think through the turning points
Move 22: Attack the queen with a pawn
Which e-pawn advance attacks the queen on f6? In the game: e5. e5 attacks the queen and challenges the central pawn structure. Black captures with the d-pawn, and White’s c3-knight reaches e4. The pawn offer therefore changes both the queen’s circumstances and the knight’s activity. Calculate the recapture and the new piece square together.
Engine-supported alternatives
e5 Qh4 · +1.15 · depth 18
Rae1 Qd4 h3 Bd7 Rd1 Qf6 e5 dxe5 Nce4 Qb6 f5 f6 · +0.66 · depth 17
Na2 Bc5 Rae1 Qd4 h3 Bd7 Rf3 Rab8 Nc3 Ba7 Nh5 Kh8 · +0.32 · depth 17
Move 25: Restrict the king’s cover
Which f-pawn advance attacks the pawn on g7? In the game: f6. f6 brings the pawn close to the black king. Black advances the g-pawn to g6, leaving the white pawn on f6 controlling g7. White then asks the bishop to retreat before arranging the queen’s entry. The pawn’s main role is the squares it restricts, not an immediate promotion threat.
Engine-supported alternatives
h3 h4 Ne2 Bxe2 Qxe2 f6 Rfd1 Red8 Qg4 Rd7 Rac1 Rc8 · +1.63 · depth 18
f6 g6 h3 h4 Ne2 Bf5 Rxf5 gxf5 Rf1 fxe4 Qxe4 Bf8 · +1.49 · depth 17
d6 Qe3 Qxc4 a5 h3 h4 hxg4 hxg3 g5 Rec8 Qd5 Qd4 · +1.02 · depth 17
Move 28: Offer the knight beside the pawn cover
Which knight capture removes the pawn on h5? In the game: Nxh5. Nxh5 removes a pawn while testing the g6-pawn’s defensive role. A capture with the g-pawn would open the g-file for White’s queen to approach with check. In the recorded game Black instead brings the queen to d4, and the knight returns to g3. The move’s effect depends on the king’s cover as well as the captured pawn.
Engine-supported alternatives
Nxh5 Rab8 Qg5 Qd4 Nhg3 Rb3 Rae1 Qxd5 h4 Qe6 h5 Qg4 · +1.73 · depth 18
Qg5 Kh7 Qh4 Bh6 Kh2 Rh8 Ng5+ Kg8 Kh1 Qxb2 N3e4 c3 · +1.13 · depth 18
Kh2 Kh7 Qg5 Bh6 Qh4 Rab8 Ng5+ Bxg5 Qxg5 Qd6 Nxh5 Rxb2 · +0.72 · depth 18
Move 30: Pin the king’s pawn shield
Which queen move pins the pawn on g6 to the king on g8? In the game: Qg5. Qg5 pins the g6-pawn along the g-file. The pawn on f6 controls g7, making the queen’s position more restrictive. Black still has active central resources, including a queen capture on e4 later in the score. Compare those resources with the threats near the king rather than assuming that the pin ends the calculation.
Engine-supported alternatives
Qg5 c3 Rad1 Qc4 bxc3 Red8 h4 Bb5 h5 Rxd1 Rxd1 Be8 · +2.59 · depth 19
Qe3 Bc6 Qg5 Rad8 Qh4 Qd4 Rae1 Bxe4 Nxe4 Rd5 Kh2 Rdd8 · +1.26 · depth 18
Rd1 Qb7 Nd6 Qc6 Qg5 c3 Rac1 Re6 Nde4 c2 Rd2 Rc8 · +0.94 · depth 18
Every piece has a part to play.
Krush’s 2006 Olympiad game against Nadezhda Kosintseva features two knights working with central pawn advances. An e-pawn move attacks the queen, the f-pawn reaches the sixth rank and a knight capture tests the pawn cover around Black’s king. The queen then enters g5, where the advanced pawn and active pieces strengthen the attack.
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Accessible evaluation values & provenance
Stockfish 17.1 · 75,000 nodes per position; 1,000,000 at key moments. Actual depth 13–19. Positive centipawns favour White; mate scores remain separate. Selective search is evidence, not proof.
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