ANNOTATED GAME

Refutation of an unsound sacrifice?
Promising youngster vs. Charles Higgie
Annotated by: charleshiggie (2222)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B21), Smith-Morra gambit
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Pages: 123
11. Qf3
He is now threatening a neat mate in 2 - Qf7+ QxQf7 pxQf7 mate! I can of course just play Nd8, but after d5 white's centre pawns are secure and it is hard for black to complete his development. On the opening databases, black wins 4 of the 5 games in this variation, but wins both the games with the improved move I played.

 
11... g6
Now his d pawn is hanging, and if d5 Ne5 and my knight(e5) has a lovely square, his knight can't reach f7. Black won in Paldus, Petr (2015) vs. Folk, Petr (2225) 1997. Shredder thinks d5 is the best move for white in this position, but assesses the position as +2.13 for black.

 
12. Be3
As played in Fabre Perez, Jose Maria (2151) vs. Echarte Buil, Oscar (2121) 2001.10.21, which black also won.

 
12... Bg7
The logical follow-up, as played in Fabre Perez, Jose Maria vs. Echarte Buil, Oscar (not that I knew that at the time of course!) Shredder gives this as +2.55 to black.

 
13. Qg4
White defends the d pawn. We are out of the opening databases (not that we were using them of course, this was an over-the-board game)

 
13... h5
So I hit his queen.

 
14. Qe4
Queen stays on the d pawn.

 
14... d5
I hit the queen again, and make sure he can never play d5 himself.

 
15. Qd3
Queen moves again

 
15... Nd8
and now his e pawn is dropping. Shredder gives this +3.33 to black.

 
16. Nd2
White is hopelessly lost of course, but this is a blunder, 0-0 was better.

 
16... Nxe6
So I take the pawn.

 
17. Nb3
and he misses another chance to play 0-0 and carries on with this strange knight manoeuvre.

 
17... Nxg5
So clear the path for my bishop.

 
18. Bxg5
He takes back. I have a lovely choice here. e5 looks good, Bd7 is good, so as to meet 0-0 with Bb5 winning the exchange and meet 0-0-0 with Rc8+, but eventually I play the obvious.

 
18... Bf5 19. Qe3
So the queen has to move.

 
19... Nc4
My knight comes in.

 
20. Qe2
The queen has to move again.

 
20... e5
And now this central thrust is very strong. White could resign here with a clean conscious, but the optimism of youth....

 
21. O-O
He finally castles

 

Pages: 123