SC Week 1/4: Adorjan - Mukhin 1973 (Introduction)

 "In general terms White does not want to lift the blockade of the c-pawn, but here he has a particularly incisive follow-up."

Michael Stean

Notes and Observations

Adorjan doesn’t mind taking on his own weaknesses - doubled pawns on a semi-open file - because he has judged Black won’t be able to attack them. 13 Bg5 pins the Nf6 which blocks the f-file and prevents Mukhin from attacking Adorjan’s pawns.

15 c4 fixes Black’s central pawns on the same colour as his bishop which has no scope at all.

16 cxb5 and 17 a4 - another example of creating weaknesses through queenside pawn advances - unblocks the c-pawn to create an outpost in front of it.