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Every now and then, you get a big advantage early in the game, and then set about winning. But your attack bogs down, your opponent begins finding defensive or even aggressive counter measures. The win seems to fade into unattainability, a Chimaera indeed. And then you find yourself with no more than an even contest, being driven onto the back foot, yield ground and finally giving way in total collapse. How could you have lost with such a big advantage early in the game? This is one such case, though the turning point comes suddenly. |
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1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6
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Black's most popular response to White's Ruy Lopez; it's popularity probably due to its proven soundness. |
 
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4. Bxc6
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A major parting of ways for White. The exchange doubles a pair of Black's Q-side pawns, potentially laming his majority on that side of the board, but at the cost of ceding the bishop pair on a fairly open board. The jury is still out on the value of this exchange. |
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4... dxc6
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By far the usual move, but by no means is the alternate capture unplayable. After 4...bxc6 5.Nxe5 has its risks: 5...Qg5 6.d4 Qxg2 7.Qf3 Qxf3 8.Nxf3 d6 and Black has a reasonable game. The reason for the popularity of the text move is that after 5.Nxe5 Qd4 more simply recovers the pawn. |
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5. Nc3
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Also playable here are 5.d3 and 5.0-0. |
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5... f6
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Probably the "Main" line. 5...Qd6 gets played often, and I have played the highly aggressive but dubiously sound 5...Bg4 on GK. |
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6. Nxe5
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(?) Bold ... and bad. But maybe there's more to it than meets the eye. White gets a couple of pawns for the piece, but his immediate attack is swiftly repulsed... |
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6... fxe5 7. Qh5+ Kd7
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(!) Obviously best. The alternatives allow White to keep his attack going a little longer: 7...Ke7? 8.Qxe5 ; 7...g6?? 8.Qxe5 ) |
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8. Qxe5 Qf6
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(!) Just the right moment to offer to exchange queens. White has only a narrow range of options. Material down, he doesn't want to exchange and so diminish any attacking chances he might obtain. |
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9. Qg3
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The alternatives are no better, but this allows Black to develop a piece with tempo. |
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9... Bd6 10. Qd3 Ke8
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(!) Not bad: to free up the c8-B, but also leaving free the d-file for the a8-R. |
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11. Qc4
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(?!) To get off the d-file, to inhibit Black's b-pawn from moving, to prevent 11...Bc5, or to free up the d-pawn? Or all of the above? Whatever: Black again develops with gain of tempo. |
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11... Be6
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...Natch! |
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12. Qe2 Ne7 13. O-O
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13.d3 was also playable. |
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13... Rf8
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(!?) This move is fine, but I might have been inclined to try 13...Kd7 with the view to swinging the a8-R over to the K-side - ...Rg8, say. Along completely different lines, 13...b5 is another idea, threatening to dislocate the c3-N. |
2 comments
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14. d3 Ng6 15. a3
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(?) Takes from Black's DSB a square it doesn't want to reach. Instead 15.Be3 seems to be called for. |
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15... Qh4
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(!?) Black launches her K-side attack with an immediate strike at h2. Yet maybe she let her best chance slip right here. I like the look of 15...Nf4(!) 16.Bxf4 Qxf4 17.g3 Qg4 18.Qxg4 (or 18.Qe3 Rf3; or 18.Qd2 Qf3) 18...Bxg4 19.f4 Bh3. With the queens gone, White's array of pawns will be a very problematical match for Black's bishop pair (and extra piece). |
1 comment
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16. g3 Qh3 17. f4
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(!?) Good, though 17.Be3 first might have been even better. |
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17... Bc5+
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(?!) An attractive idea, but maybe too straightforward an approach. Black has several possible ways to attack, and it is not easy in such circumstances to find the likeliest to break through. A better alternative seems 17...Bg4! 18.Qf2 (covers the g1-a7 diagonal) 18...Ne5! (exploits the momentary pin on the f-file to bring the N into action) 19.Be3 (say) 19...Nf3 20.Kh1 Rf6 with an attack. After 21.Qg2 Black can go all out: 21...Rh6! 22.Qxh3 Rxh3 23.Rf2 g5 ... You don't often see such ferocious looking attacks with the queens absent! |
1 comment
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18. Be3 Bxe3+
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(?!) Still preferable seems 18...Bg4, hoping for 19.Qf2? Rxf4! Of course, White will play 19.Qd2, whereat Black can no little better than retire the c5-B to e7. Note that I mentioned Black (in this instance) "hoping for" this or that response. This is fine if you have already planned a good followup to your opponent making a different and better move. Where it becomes Heisman's "Hope Chess" is when you have no such followup planned ahead of time. |
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19. Qxe3 Bg4
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(!?) Was it already time for Black to cut and run? 19...Qh6 would allow Black to take a breather. |
1 comment
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