Crisis Point in the Benko Gambit Part Three B) The Argument for 9.Nh3

Hello Chess lovers, here I will look at game in which white gets in the thematic e4-e5 thrust. We will see the impact of two main events in a Benko: the exchange of the dark square bishops and the decision to play c5-c4
Pogorelov v Magem Badals  2000

1.d4Nf6 2.c4c5 3.d5b5 4.cb5a6 5.ba6Ba6 6.Nc3g6 7.g3d6 8.Bg2Nbd7 9.Nh3Bg7 10.0-00-0
11.Qc2Nb6 12.Rd1Qd7 13.Rb1Rfb8 14.Nf4 Another possibility with Nh3.The knight can be transferred to
e2 or d3.

14....Bb7 15.b3Qd8 16.h4 a useful move stopping g6-g5 ideas. 16...Bc8 This move is an admission that the job on a6 is done.

17.Bb2Bf5 18.e4Bg4 black is probing looking for some activity. 19.Re1Ne8 ready to face off on the a1-h8 diagonal.
20.Nd3preparinf e4-e5. 20...Bd7 21.e5Bf5 22.Be4Be4 23.Re4Nc7 24.ed6ed6 25.b4 A key moment -the pawn structure changes.Black has to reckon with a defensive ending in which there is no compensation for the lost pawn.
25...c4 Black concedes the d4 square.This turns out to be a key moment as white gets to use the d4 square.

26.Nf4Qd7  27.Rbe1Qf5 28.Qd2h5 29.a3With a series of simple moves white shows that he understands he is better in the long run. Exchanges favour him. Black cannot find another point to attack.

29...Ne8 30.Nb5 pressuring d6. 30....Qd7 31.Bg7Ng7 33.Nd4 and now the drawback of c5-c4 is shown.
27.Rbe1Qf5  28.Qd2h5 29.a3Ne8 30.Nb5Qd7 31.Bg7!Ng7 after this exchange its easier to work on the dark squares.
 32.Nd4Ra3 33.Nc6Rf8 34.Qd4 white uses the d4 square very well.
34....Na4 35.Qc4 and white's pieces are more coordinated.
35....Nf5 36.Ne7Ne7 37.Re7Qg4 38.R7e3Re3 every active black piece is coming off making the ending easier.
39.Re3Rc8 40.Qd4Qf5 41.Kg2 one of the useful moves to make in positions like this.The king comes off the back rank. 41...Qc2 42.Qf6Nb6 43.Re7Maximum pressure. The exchange of the dark square bishops made the game quite easy.
43....Rf8 44.Qd6Nc8 45.Qc7Ne7 and black resigned here rather than continue. 1-0
That was a technical game in many ways. White made extremely practical moves and black made some commital moves and concessions. Two key moments often come in the Benko Gambit:

1) The exchange of the dark square bishops
2) The pushing of the c-pawn to c4.