The Sentinel

A lonely sentinel stands on the forward point of a fortress. He cannot be removed by the enemy, but nor can he retreat. As long as he stands there, the forces back home are safe from attack.

White to move

This position is from Gashimov -- Dominguez Perez, Nice 2010. It arose via a Greco Gambit in the Italian Opening. I was looking at the game this morning as a reference game to this week's new "game of the week": Saint Amant -- Morphy, Paris 1858.

Gashimov put his rooks on e3 and e1, then advanced his pawns on the kingside. Everything became closed. Black's rooks could not enter the game via the e- or c-file. White's rooks could not leave the  knight unsupported.