Lessons From Mallorca VI: Structure v Dynamism

MY round-six game at the Colònia de Sant Jordi U2400 reached the following instructive position shortly out of the opening.

18...Ng8-e7 has just been played in what is an Exchange Variation of the Spanish - one that has not gone well for Black

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Black no longer has doubled c pawns, but is a tempo behind in development, and the d pawn is vulnerable unless it can be get protection by successfully advancing to d4.

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In order to prevent 19...d4, I played 19.c3?, which restrains the d pawn and frees the c2 square for White's king.

The move has its good points, positionally, but as my opponent pointed out after the game, White has the far superior 19.Nc3, which wins a pawn as 19...d4 can be met by 20.Na4.

LESSON: a piece-initiative, which is what 19.Nc3 gives, is often a surer way to an advantage than adjusting the pawn-structure.