One of my favourite games of chess: I sacrifice material and launch a blistering attack on the enemy king after a slip by my opponent. |
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1. e4 e5
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In my opinion this is the soundest answer to 1.e4 - Black can usually make a variety of choices at each turn, leading to quiet or sharp play and there's plenty of very sound set-ups on offer. Too much theory? Well there's lots of theory because it's a good opening and in any case you can get by simply by playing decent chess and sensible moves. |
 
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2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5
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4. d3 Be7 (4... Bc5) 5. O-O O-O 6. h3 (6. Re1 d6 7. Bb3 Na5 8. Ba4 a6 =) 6... d6 7. c3 Na5 8. Bb5 a6 9. Ba4 b5 10. Bc2 c5 = Black has Ruy Lopez-style counterplay
4. d4 exd4 5. O-O Bc5 Is the Max Lange attack which has been analysed to death for several centuries with no firm conclusions. I prefer 5...Nxe4 as easier to play, although that's quite sharp too
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4... Bc5
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The Wilkes-Barr variation. Unbelivably sharp and analytically sound in my opinion. Computers usually get it wrong too which makes it all the more fun.
4... d5 5. exd5 b5 6. Bf1 Nd4 7. c3 Nxd5 8. Nxf7 Kxf7 9. cxd4 exd4 10. Qf3 Nf6 11. Qxa8 Bc5 12. Qc6 Qe7 13. Kd1 Bd7 14. Qb7 c6 15. f3 Ng4 is the kind of under-researched position that demonstrates the creative scope available.
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5. Nxf7
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I think 5.Bxf7 is objectively better,: 5. Bxf7 Kf8 (5... Ke7 6. Bb3 (6. Bd5) 6... Qe8 7. O-O Rf8 8. Nc3 (8. d3) 8... d6 9. Nd5 Kd8 10. c3 h6 11. d4 exd4 12. Nxf6 Rxf6 13. e5 Rf8 14. exd6 hxg5 15. Bxg5 Rf6 16. dxc7 Kxc7 17. Bxf6 gxf6 18. Rc1 Qe5 19. cxd4 Bxd4 20. Re1 Qf4 21. Rc2 Bf5 22. Qd2 Be5 =) 6. Bb3 (6. Bd5) 6... d5 7. exd5 Nd4 8. Ne6 Bxe6 9. dxe6 Nxb3 10. axb3 Qd5 (10... Bxf2 11. Kxf2 Ne4 12. Ke1 Qh4 13. g3 Nxg3 14. Qf3 Nf5 15. Kd1 g6 (15... Qf4 16. Qxf4 exf4 17. Rf1) 16. Ra4 Qe7 17. Qxb7 Kg7 18. Re1 Rhf8 19. Rxe5 Nd6 20. Qg2 Rae8) 11. O-O Qxe6 $44 12. Nc3 Kf7 (12... e4 13. Re1 Qf5 14. Qe2 a5 15. Ra4 Re8 16. Nd1 Bd6 17. Ne3 Qe5 18. g3 Bb4 19. c3 b5 20. Ra1) 13. d3 Rad8 14. Qf3
5. d4!? is little-analysed and worth a look.
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5... Bxf2+ 6. Kf1
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6. Kxf2 looks like suicide, but oddly I think this may be white's best move.
6...Nxe4 7. Kg1 Qh4 8. g3 Nxg3 9. Nxh8 d5 10. Qf3 Nf5 11. Qxd5 (11. Bxd5 Ncd4 12. Qe4 Qg5 13. Kf2 Nd6 14. Qxh7 Qf4 15. Ke1 Nxc2 16. Qxc2 Qh4 17. Kf1 Bh3 18. Ke2 Bg4 19. Ke3 Qh6 20. Kf2 Qh4 21. Kg1 Qe1 22. Kg2 Qe2 23. Kg1 =) (11. Bb5 Be6 12. Bxc6 bxc6 13. Qf2 Qg4 14. Qg2 Qd4 15. Kf1 O-O-O 16. c3 Qh4 17. Qf2 Qc4 18. Kg1 Qg4 19. Qg2 Qh5 20. Ng6 (20. h4 Nxh4 21. d4 Qd1 - ) 20... hxg6 21. h3 Nh4 - ) 11... Qe1 12. Bf1 Ncd4 13. Nc3 (13. Qf7 Kd8 14. Qh5 g6 15. Qg5 Ke8 16. Nxg6 hxg6 17. Qxg6 Ke7 [ With a winning position for Black.]) 13... Nh4 14. Qf7 Kd8 15. Qd5 Ke7 16. Qf7 Kd8 With equality
Alternative variation: 6. Ke2 Nd4 7. Kf1 (7. Kd3 Qe7) 7... Qe7 8. Nxh8 d5 9. Be2 Qf8 10. exd5 Bg4 11. Bf3 Nxf3 12. gxf3 Bd4 13. c3 Bh3 14. Ke1 Bb6 15. a4 a5 with at least equality for black. |
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6... Qe7 7. Nxh8 d5
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Opening up lines for the bishop and preparing possible queen-side castling. |
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8. exd5 Nd4
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We can now see one of the points of the variation. Black has almost completed his development while white is hardly out of the blocks.
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9. d6
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9. h3 Bg3 10. c3 (10. d6 Qd7 11. Kg1 Qf5 12. Qf1 Qxf1 (12... Nxc2 13. Nc3 Nxa1 14. Ne2 Ne4 15. Bf7 (15. Qxf5 Bxf5 16. dxc7 Bf2 17. Kh2 Bb6 18. Bd5 Bxc7 19. Bxb7 Rb8 20. Bc6 Ke7 [Unclear]) 15... Kf8 16. dxc7 Bf2 17. Kh2 Nc2 18. d3 Nf6 19. b3 Bb6 20. Qe1 Qd7 21. Qg3 Bxc7 22. Rf1 Qe7 23. Nc3 e4 24. Bf4 Bxf4) 13. Kxf1 Nxc2 14. Nc3 Nxa1 15. Nb5 Kf8 16. Nxc7 Rb8 17. b3 Nc2 18. a4 Bf5 19. Nf7 Ne4 20. d3 Nf2 =) 10... Nf5 11. d4 ( 11. Na3 Bd7) 11... Bd7 12. Qe2 (12. d6 Nxd6 13. Qf3 exd4 (13... Nxc4 14. Qxg3 O-O-O 15. Nd2 Nxd2 16. Bxd2 exd4 17. Re1 Ne4 18. Kg1 Rxh8 19. cxd4 Re8 20. Qd3 Bc6 $14 21. Bf4 Qf7 22. Qe3 Nd6 23. Be5) 14. Be2 d3 15. Qxd3 Nf5=) 12... Bh2 13. Ke1 Ng3 14. Qxe5 Nxh1 unclear.
Alternative variation: 9. c3 Bg4 10. Qa4 Nd7 11. Kxf2 Qh4 12. g3 Qf6 13. Ke1 Nf3 14. Kf1 Ng5 15. Ke1 Qf3 with a winning position for Black.
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9... cxd6 10. c3
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10. Kxf2! [I can't answer this move, so I have to give it an exclamation mark. I may well be wrong though.] Bg4 11. Qf1 [ The only move not to put white in trouble in my opinion.] (11. Bf7 Kd7 12. Qe1 (12. Qf1 Ne4 13. Ke3 Be2 $19) 12... Nxc2 13. Qf1 Rxh8 14. Qb5 Kd8 15. Kg1 Qxf7 [With a winning advantage for Black, although this kind of position takes nerves of steel over the board.]) (11. Bb5 Nxb5 12. Qf1 Ne4 13. Ke1 (13. Kg1 Nd4 14. Nc3 (14. h3 Be2 15. Qf7 Qxf7 16. Nxf7 Nxc2 17. Nc3 Nxa1 18. Nxe4 Kxf7 19. Nxd6 Ke6 20. Nxb7 Kd5 [With a slight endgame plus to black - not exactly why people tend to play the Wilkes Barr!]) (14. g3 Be2 15. Qf7 Qxf7 16. Nxf7 Kxf7 17. d3 Nxc2 18. dxe4 Nxa1 [With a clear plus for black.]) (14. d3 Ne2 [ and white must give up his queen to stave off mate.]) 14... Nxc3 15. h3 Nce2 16. Kh2 Nxc2 17. Rb1 Ncd4 18. Ng6) 13... Nd4 14. Na3 O-O-O $17 [ With a dream position for black.]) 11... O-O-O (11... Nxc2 12. h3 Ne4 13. Kg1 Be6 14. Bxe6 Qxe6 15. Qf3 O-O-O 16. Nf7 Rf8 17. Qxe4 Nxa1 18. Qc4 Kd7 and Black's busted) 12. Nf7 d5 13. Nc3 (13. h3 Ne4 (13... Qxf7 14. Kg1 Nxc2 15. hxg4 Nxa1 16. Qf5 Kb8 17. Qxe5 Ka8 18. Bd3 Re8 -) 14. Kg1 Ng3 15. Qf2 Ne4 16. Qe3 Nxc2 17. Qd3 Qxf7 18. Qxe4 Bf5 19. Bxd5 Rxd5 20. Qc4 Kb8 21. Nc3 Ne3 22. Qe2 -) 13... Qxf7 14. Bd3 Qe6 15. Kg1 e4 16. Bb5 Nxc2 17. Rb1 Qb6 18. Qf2 d4 19. a4 dxc3 20. Qxb6 axb6 21. bxc3 e3 22. d4 e2 23. Bd2 Ne4 24. Be1 Nxe1 25. Rxe1 Nxc3 26. h3 Bh5 27. g4 Be8 28. Bxe2 Again with a winning position for white. This has scope for improvement for both sides, but I am not sure how to make the black game work.
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10... Bg4 11. Qa4+ Kf8 12. Bd3
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?? The losing blunder: Black simply gets too many tempi for white to withstand the souped-up attack that follows.
12. cxd4 exd4 13. Kxf2 (13. Be6 Qxe6 $19) 13... Ne4 14. Kg1 Qh4 15. h3 Qf2 16. Kh2 Qg3 [ Is all theory and a forced draw.]
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12... e4
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Dubious. Despite what Fritz says this doesn't spoil things completely although there was a killer move available. I didn't really calculate here - I instinctively kicked the bishop without looking for sharper alternatives.
Alternative variation: 12... Ne4 [And white can resign immediately as his king is doomed.] 13. cxd4 Bxd4 14. Ng6 hxg6 15. Bxe4 Qf6 16. Bf3 Bxf3 [With mate to follow.]
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13. Kxf2
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Alternative variation: 13. Bb5 Qe5 -
Alternative variation: 13. Bc4 Qe5 14. Be6 Qf4 15. Bxg4 Nxg4 16. Qxd4 Bxd4 - |
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13... exd3 14. Rf1
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Alternative variation: 14. Re1 Ne2 [Is what I expected.] (14... Ne4 ?? 15. Rxe4! Qxe4 16. Qxd4 Qe2 17. Kg3 [And white wins]) 15. Rf1 Kg8 (15... Ne4 16. Ke3 Nf6 17. Kxd3 Nd4 18. Ng6 hxg6 19. Qxd4 Qe2 20. Kc2 Qxf1 21. Qxd6 Kg8 22. b3 Qxg2 -[ Is a crazy variation that only a computer could dream up.]) 16. Ng6 Ne4 17. Ke1 hxg6 and Black is winning
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14... Qe2+
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14... Be2 also works.
14... Nc2 15. Na3 Nxa1 16. Re1 Be2 - Is what I had seen when playing 12...e4?! However, I saw something flashier now.
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15. Kg1 Nf3+
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15... Nc2 also wins. |
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16. Rxf3
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16. gxf3 Bh3 17. Ng6 hxg6 18. Qe8 Kxe8 19. Rf2 Qe1 With mate to follow
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16... Bxf3 17. gxf3 Qe1+ 18. Kg2 Re8 19. Qf4 Re2+ 20. Kh3 Qf1+ 21. Kh4 Qf2+ 22. Qg3 Qc5
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White's King Queen perishes after 23.Qg5 (forced) Rh2
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