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White goes into a 3-pawn attack, and his sacrifice of a central pawn yields an energetic middle game with a sequence of mating threats. The pressure on Black is such that he must proceed carefully. |
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1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nbd7 4. f4
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This standard opening enjoys plenty of energy here -- Black's position is at this time very cramped, and he cannot use his queen or bishops to their full potential for some time to come. Though White's position will open further, Black will not be allowed any time to initiate a meaningful attack. |
 
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4... e5 5. Nf3 exd4 6. Nxd4 Nc5 7. Bc4
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! Invites a sactifice of the e-pawn. In return, White will hold the initiative, beginning with the threat of mate on f7. |
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7... Nfxe4 8. Nxe4 Nxe4 9. Qh5
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Threatening mate on f7. |
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9... Qf6
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This is perhaps not the best reply, it's by no means very bad but there probably exist better moves. The threat on White's knight is not intimidating, for instance. Perhaps g7 is worthy of consideration, and White will consider Qd5 to which there are clear answers. Also worthy of consideration is Qe7, whereupon White will have to castle. [Note, Black's knight has lost a flight square, Black's two bishops have yet to move, both hemming in Black's rooks. In contrast, White can quickly bring at least one rook into play. etc. etc.] |
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10. Qd5
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Again a threat, this time to the hanging knight. |
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10... Qh4+
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Though uncastled and out in the open, White's King is not at all easy to attack. This move alone perhaps consigns Black to hoping for a draw. Compared to White, Black is under-developed, and so long as White's king sticks to black squares [Black's white square bishop can otherwise enter the game without cost, whereas his other bishop has no part to play for now] Black will run out of checks. The White king will be chased to the 3rd rank and onto the Queen's side, where he finds sanctuary behind White's developed pieces. The remaining White knight undoes the sequence of checks, and covers several very important squares. White's defence (and attack) comprise entirely in maintaining the initiative from this point on. |
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11. g3
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This sets in motion a premature attack from Black. It founders because, once Black sacrifices his only knight, Black has only one piece doing all the work. |
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11... Nxg3 12. hxg3 Qxg3+ 13. Kd2 Qxf4+ 14. Kc3 Qg3+ 15. Nf3
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White's king escapes check for the foreseeable future, and his knight now covers some very useful squares -- not least e1 and g5, otherwise inaccessible because of Black's queen. [The pin to White's king is not relevant, as only Black's queen is in play.] White now must keep the initiative, continuing to dictate play by (mating) threats. Black's King is vulnerable to a rook on e1. The square f7 must be covered. etc etc. |
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15... Be6 16. Bb5+
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Preferred to Re1 right away, to prevent Black from castling his king. |
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16... c6
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? This is possibly natural, but it does nothing to deter White. It shows a lack of understanding for this position. That said, Black's position is unwelcome and I'm unsure if there is a very satisfactory reply. Perhaps Kd8 right away is best, moving off the dangerous e-file. Even so, there are still some unwelcome features -- for example Black very much wants to use the a1h8 diagonal to attack White's King. In the text, Black next plays Ke7, though he may have done so without delay here. |
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17. Bxc6+ Ke7 18. Bg5+
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This connects up White's rooks with tempo. |
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18... f6
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Forced. Note White has his two bishops and queen en prise, but Black does not have the time to take either. |
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19. Rhe1
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Pinning Black's bishop on e6 and continuing with tempo. Again, Black must respond to a mate threat, but does not have the luxury of being able to check the White king to recover the initiative. |
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19... Qg4
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Forced. |
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20. Rxe6+
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Leading to an exchange. The only move worth considering -- White's position relies on its momentum, any hesitation and all is gone. |
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20... Qxe6 21. Re1 Qxe1+ 22. Nxe1 Rc8
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! An (apparently) intimidating move by Black. He threatens to win material and stall White's attack. However, one logical conclusion of this game can now be a draw by perpeptual check *if* White chooses. [White has this option -- any deviation from this by Black, and White wins.] Black might also have considered bxB, but I like the text move. |
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23. Qe4+
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The Black king must choose from one of two flight squares carefully -- Kd8 gives mate in a few moves. |
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23... Kf7
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[The correct choice.] |
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24. Qc4+ Ke7 25. Qe4+ Kf7
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[Again the correct choice.] |
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26. Qd5+
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White can take draw by perpetual check -- Black seems to have realised the danger of not playing along. However, I took a real interest in this game and wanted to play on... (I think the position may ultimately be just about won for White anyhow. White can certainly take a draw anytime he wishes.) |
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