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1. e4
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Hi everyone, me again, this is another Latvian game played by my mentor, Ion which he also e-mailed to me. In this game Ion inflicts a spectacular stranglehold on his opponent with the move 16 ............... e2!! White eventually resigns way behind on material. |
 
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1... e5 2. Nf3 f5 3. Bc4 fxe4 4. Nxe5 Qg5 5. d4 Qxg2 6. Rf1
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6. Rf1 - the first five moves have followed my own game against Ion, but instead of the check on h5, white decides to move his rook. This move has an inferior percentage in the GK databases. |
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6... d5
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6. ..................d5 - this pawn sac opens up a line for black's lsb to come to h3 which it does 3 moves later. |
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7. Bxd5 Nf6 8. Bf7+
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8. Bf7 ?! - I think white would have been better served by playing Nc3 or Be3 here and getting on with his development. What do you, the jury think? |
1 comment
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8... Ke7
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8. ...................Ke7 - Ion stated that "I had a strong feeling this would be the right square for the King, keeping the LSB bishop free, rather than the DSB, but also avoiding a knight fork on f7". Agreed - although Ion cannot castle it may not be a problem due to white's retarded development which Ion takes full advantage of over the next few moves. |
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9. Bh5
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9. Bh5 - I think this is necessary to retreat the bishop in order to defend the rook on f1 but white has got further and further behind in development to do this. |
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9... Bh3 10. Be2 Nbd7 11. Nxd7 Kxd7
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11. ................ Kxd7 - Ion stated that "I wanted to keep the knight handy to the action. Now it all goes very pear shaped for White..." |
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12. f3 Qxh2
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12. .............. Qxh2 - the h pawn drops. |
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13. Rf2 Qg1+ 14. Bf1
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14. Bf1 - Ion stated "How ignominious: the bishop has spent 5 moves to fetch up whence he began!"
What about 14. Ke2 or Kd2 instead of blocking the check with the bishop? |
2 comments
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14... Re8
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14. ..................... Re8! Strong move, threatening a deadly discovery on the e file. Note the black king can castle by hand by moving to c8 if he wants to! |
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15. f4 e3 16. Rf3
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16. Rf3 - black could play Bg4 winning the exchange here but he has got something stronger up his sleeve such as ........ |
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16... e2
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16. .................... e2 - Ion stated "What a picture!" I agree, and this is the stranglehold! |
1 comment
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17. Qxe2
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17. Qxe2 - as a result the queen plops! |
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17... Bb4+ 18. c3
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18. Bd2 also blocks the check and develops a piece. |
2 comments
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18... Rxe2+ 19. Kxe2 Bxf1+ 20. Rxf1 Re8+ 21. Kd2
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21. Kd2 - the king is deflected away from the rook on f1 by the black rook check at e8, now the white rook falls. |
2 comments
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21... Qxf1 22. Kc2 Re2+
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22. ............. Re2 - now the rook thunders down the e file giving a devastating check on e2 which will deflect the white king away from the c1 bishop. Now that piece falls and ....... |
1 comment
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23. Kb3 Qxc1
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23................ Qxc1 - white resigns. He is 12 points down in material and although white can win back his bishop next move with Kxb4 he will still be 8 points down in material and Old Matey is not too far away I think. Well played Ion. |
2 comments
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