Schematic thinking: Rearranging the pieces in monothematic positions.

 Hello Chess lovers
I did some of my usual research on TWIC and found a lovely positional game by GM Bauer of France.In this game he manages to show a number of skills: favourably transforming the position,  engage in schematic thinking,rearrange the pieces so that they pressure the IQP, convert a material advantage. Lets see this in action.

Bauer vs Hammes
1.d4e6 2.Nf3Nf6 3.Bf4d5 4.e3Bd6 5.Bg3Ne4 6.Nbd2Ng3 the first critical point. The pawn structure changes and this is to be of some significance later.
7.hg3Nd7 8.c3e5 9.de5Ne5 10.Ne5Be5 11.Nf3Bf6 12.Qc2g6 13.0-0-0c6 14.e4! 
At first it seems as if Bauer is playing simple chess. Developing, exchanging and castling. However the last move radically alters and transforms the position.With the black king in the centre ...de4 is not likely. White is mobilized and more harmonious than black as a result of the the time consuming moves Nf6/e4/g3.
14....Qa5 15.ed5cd5 Here we reach one of the turning points in the game. The pawn structure has changed again and white has a focal point to play against. From this point onwards to move 31 white organizes his play around the point. Sometimes this situation arises. One particular theme dominates the position and it is up to the player to demonstrate skill in organizing the play around the theme.

16.Qb3Be6 17.Bb5Kf8 The effect of this is to slow black's attempts to reinforce d5.
18.Nd4Rd8 19.Be2 The bishop awaits new instructions on this square before going on the next mission.
19...Bc8 20.Kb1 protecting a2 so as to enable a few other moves.
20....Kg7 21.g4 Square denial. The f5 square is taken away from the c8 bishop.Good positional players gradually reduce their opponent's options.
21...Rd6 22.Qc2h6 23.Qd2 Bauer cannot hide his intentions any longer. The major pieces will gang up against the d-pawn.
23...Rdd8 24.Rh3! Now the other point behind g4 is clear .  The third rank is free for the rook to go to d3.
This clearly did not involve calculation but schematic thinking on a grand scale. The queen came in  from the left to the centre and now the rook comes in from the right to the centre.
24...Qc7 25.f4!More square denial and preparing an aggresive move in the future. 25...Qc5 26.Rd3b6
27.Ka1 White has improved nearly every piece. Only the minor pieces need regrouping.
27....a5 28.Bf3a4 29.Nc2Be6 30.a3Qc4 31.Ne3Now the knight joins the assault on d5....Qc8
32.Nd5Bd5 33.Rd5Qc7 34.g5! The follow up. When the dark square bishop moves The queen will check on d4 and then black will have to fret about the a pawn and his back rank.
34....Be7 35.Qd4 + 1-0 Black had enough.
Summary
The opening seemed unremarkable. However the time-consuming 5...Ne4 and 6...Ng3 altered the position.
14.e4! Opened and transformed the position,  leaving black with an IQP. He could not generate enough activity to compensate for the static pawn and seemed not to recognise the danger enough. What happened between move 18 and 31 involved planning and schematic thinking. White started to think where his pieces were best located in the future and then working back to the present. The rest was execution and conversion. I hope this was a good clear example of it in action.