As explained, many factors go into winning and losing but we play for enjoyment of the battle; it is just nicer to win than lose! The following two games are examples of how and not how to play chess.
Botvinnik vs Pomar Opening: QGD-Slav
1.c4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Bf4 Bf5 7.e3 e6 [We find ourselves in a symetrical position that can only favor White in the long run. Better would be to play 7...a6 to guard b5.] 8.Bb5 Bb4 9.Ne5 [An excellent outpost.] 9…Qa5 10.Bxc6+ bxc6 11.0-0 Bxc3 12.bxc3 Rc8 [On 12..Qxc3 13.Qa4 would increase space for white on the Qside. SqCt. 8/15.] 13.c4! [This pawn advance increases sq ct to 10. Most important is the threat to play c5 which cannot be prevented without black weakening his position. Perhaps now h6 would be best.] 13…0-0 14.g4! [Another increase in SqCt by 2 and reducing black SqCt by the same.] 14…Bg6 15.c5 [Black sqs become ever more weak and the cramp will begin to tell on black's available options. Here a question might be asked if white Bishop is bad because the pawns are on his color. No; the Bishop is outside the pawns and therefore able to participate in any attack into the enemy lines.] 15…Ne4 16.f3 Nd7 [If 16...Nc3, then 17.Qd2.]17.Rf2 Nc4 18.Nxc4 dxc4 19.Bd6 Rfe8 20.e4 f5[Otherwise the B will be boxed in but this weakens the K-side. SqCt 11/11. The = here in count is deceptive. White's units are much better placed.] 21.Qc2 fxe4 22.fxe4 Qa3 23.Re1 Qh3 24.Rg2 Rcd8 [Bishop controls both open files available for black.] 25.Rg3 Qh6 26.Qxc4 [SqCt 16/8 is significant because White controls the whole board and Black's count is without teeth.] 26…Qd2 27.Qc3 Qxa2 28.Rg2 Qa6 [Forced because on Qa5? White wins the Q with Ra1 and Rb2.] 29.h4 Rd7 30.h5 Bf7 31.Ra1 [Driving the Q further to a dismal end.] 31…Qc8 32.Qf3 [Preparing a mating net starting with h6 g6 Qf6 and Qg7++. Notice my lecture about the squares being strangled with mate coming.] 32…Qd8 33.g5 g6 34.h6 e5 [Desperation as Qf4 and Qe5 had to be stopped.] 35.Bxe5 Rb7 36.Qf4 [Stopping Rxe5 dxe5 and Qd4+ capturing the unprotected Ra1.] 36…a5 37.Rf2 Bb3 38.d5 cxd5 39.c6 Ra7 40.c7 Qe7 41.Bd6 [Restrict the enemy movement; Square Count vastly improves for the winning forces and often the count for the losing side is more illusionary than real.] 41…Qxe4 42.Qf8+ Rxf8 43.Rxf8++. 1-0.
The next example is from Botvinnik vs Robatsch. Qpening is Queen Gambit Declined, Exchange variation.
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.d4 d5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 c6 6.e3 Be7 7.Qc2 Nbd7 8.Bd3 0-0 9.Nf3 Re8 10.0-0 Nf8 11.Rae1 Ne4 [More interesting is something like 11...g6 with the aim of Ne6, Ng7 and Bf5 to challenge the white Bd3.] 12.Bxe7[This is probably best as 12.Bf4 Bf5 and Black seems to be okay.] 12…Qxe7 13.Bxe4 dxe4 14.Nd2 b6 [Black conjures up a couple of neat one-two punch trap idea which fails to work and leaves his position more tarnished.] 15.Qa4! [15.Nxe4? Bh6 wins the Exchange.] 15…f5 [Now if 16.Qxc3? Bh6 17.Nc4 Rac8.] 16.f3 exf3 17.Nxf3 Bb7 18.Ne5 Qe6 19.Qc2[How to defend the f-pawn? Note that g6 now weakens the King position and Bc8 disconnects the Rook pair and loses time. Although SqCt is only 7/5 White forces control most of the key squares and whole board will soon come under its pressure play.] 19…Bc8 20.e4 [This center advance shows the power of thinking SqCt so often in a game. Often the sharpest and best move in the position is enhanced by SqCt.] 20…Qd6 21.Rd1 Ne6 22.Qb3 Pins the Kt and launches another strike into the enemy lines. Unfortunately 22…Kh8 23.exf5 Ng5 24.h4 wins the Kt.] 22…fxe4 23.Rf7 [A pretty tickle! Now on 23...Nxd4 24.Rf8+!!] 23…a5 24.Nxe4 Qxd5 25.Rxg7+ Kxg7 26.Qg3+ Kf8 27.Rf1+ Ke7 28.Qh4+ Ng5 29.Qxg5+ Ke6 30.Qf6++. 1-0.
Both games give my theory of Square Count as being an added element to the Board’s examination and topic in the previous lecture. It is not 100% effective as a principal answer but coincides with other functioning elements toward both position and tactical motifs explained in books.
One nice feature of this is that you can actually map the ups and downs of a chess game graphically.
