Scotch Game: Modern Defense

SERGEY KARJAKIN vs. VASILY BORISOVICH MALININ
Sudak UKR 2002

Scotch Game: Modern Defense

1. e4, Nc6
2. d4, e5
3. Nf3, exd4
4. Nxd4, Qh4
5. Nc3, Bb4
6. Be2, Nf6

Black puts additional pressure on the e4 pawn.  White offers the e-pawn in exchange for an open file.  If Black plays 6.... Bxc3, 7. bxc3 Qxe4, 8. 0-0 N8e7, 9. Bf3 Qg6, 10. Nxc6 bxc6, 11. Re1!  followed by 12. Ba3 and Black's Knight will be hopelessly pinned.

7. 0-0, Bxc3
8. Nf5, Qxe4
9. Bd3, Qg4
10. f3, Qa4
11.bxc3, 0-0
12. Nxg7!! ....

An unexpected move.  White creates havoc along the kingside.

12. .... Kxg7
13. Bh6+!! ....

It seems that White does not run out of resources.

13. .... Kxh6

If 13....Kg8, then 14. Qd2 Qa5, 15. Bxf8 Kxf8, 16. Qh6+ Kg8, 17. Qxf6 ...

14. Qd2+!!, Kh5

It is bad for Black's King to retreat, e.g. 14.....Kg7, 15. Qg5+ Kh8, 16. Qxf6+ Kg8, 17. Qg5+ Kh8, 18. Qh6 and Black cannot parry the simultaneous threat of Qxf8 mate and Qxh7 mate.

15. g4+, Nxg4
16. fxg4+, Qxg4+
17. Kh1, d6

Hoping to bring the Bishop into play. 

18. Rf6 ....

Threatening 19. Rh6+ mate.

18. .... Qg5
19. Be2+ Bg4
20. Bxg4+, Resigns

Black realized it is futile to fight.  White is assured of victory after 20....Kh4, 21. Rh6+.  If 20....Kxg4 then 21. Rg1+.   If 20....Qxg4, then 21. Rh6+ mate.

A gem of a game.

Zukertort Opening, Sicilian Invitation

VESELIN TOPALOV vs. VASSILY IVANCHUK
Ciudad de Linares 1999
Zukertort Opening, Sicilian Invitation

1. Nf3, c5

Black invites White to play the Sicilian Defense, hence this opening becomes, on the part of Black, the Sicilian Invitation.

2. c4, Nc6
3. d4, cxd4
4. Nxd4, e6
5. g3, Bb4+
6. Nc3, Qa5
7. Nb5, d5

White intends to play 8. Nd6+. Black's last move renders it unplayable.

8. a3, Bxc3+
9. bxc3, Nf6
10. Bg2 ....

Aggressive players would have preferred the more aggressive 10. Nd6+ thereby displacing Black's King.

10. .... 0-0
11. Qb3, dxc4
12. Qxc4, e5
13. Nd6, Be6
14. Qd3, e4

Certainly not 14.....Rad8, 15. Nxb7! Rxd3, 16, Nxa5 and Black comes materially ahead.

15. Nxe4, Nxe4
16. Bxe4, Rad8
17. Qc2 ....

The immediate pawn capture 17. Bxh7 is not plausible because of 17....Kh8, 18. Qc2 Nd4, and Black captures either the c-pawn or the h7-Bishop.

17. .... Nd4
18. Qb2. Nxe2!!

Opening the e-file enables Black to penetrate White's defense.

19. Kxe2, Rfe8
20. Qb4, Qh5+
21. f3, f5
22. g4, Qh3
23. gxf5, Bxf5
24. Qc4+, Kh8
25. Re1, Rxe4+

White resigns, Black is assured of victory after 26. fxe4 Bg4+, 27. Kf2 Qxh2+, 28. Ke3 (not 28. Kf1 Rf8 mate) Qg3 mate.

Black would give the same reply if White moved the Bishop instead of the Rook in the 25th move:  e.g. 25. Be3 Rxe4, 26. fxe4 Qg2+, 27. Bf2 Bg4+, 28. Ke3 Qg3 mate.

An amazing finale.

Sicilian Defense Closed Variation

EMIL SUTOVSKY vs. ILYA SMIRIN
Israeli Championship 2002

Sicilian Defense Closed Variation

1. e4, c5
2. Nc3 ....

The Closed Variation of the Sicilian Defense. This variations avoids the early exchange cxd4 and instead promotes solid central pawn structure.

2. .... Nc6
3. Nf3, e5
4. Bc4, d6
5. d3, Be7
6. 0-0, Nf6
7. Ng5, 0-0
8. f4, exf4
9. Bxf4, h6
10. Nf3, Be6
11. Nd5, Bxd5
12. exd5, Na5
13. Nh4, b5

If 13....Nxd5, then 14. Bxd5 Bxh4, 15. Qh5 Bg5, 16. Bg3 and White has a good attack on f7.

14. Nf5 ....

If 14. Bxb5 Nxd5, Black relieves tension in the center and maintains pressure on White's pieces.

14. .... bxc4
15. Bxh6! ....

The reason behind White's sacrifice. Black's kingside defense is destroyed.

15. .... gxh6
16. Nxh6+, Kh7
17. Nf5, cxd3?

This move only enhances White's position. White's Queen would now be able to control the d3-h7 diagonal.

18. Qxd3, Kh8
19. Rae1 ....

If 19. Qh3+, Black defends with 19.....Nh7.

19. .... Qb6

Totally abandoning the Bishop. But Black has nothing better. If 19.....Re8, then White continues the attack with 20. Qc3! making a pin on the f6 Knight while attacking the other Knight.  The game may continue 20....Bf8, 21. Rxe8 Qxe8, 22. Qxf6+ Kg8, 23. Qg5+ Kh7, 24. Qh4+ Kg8, 25. Qg3+ Kh7, 26. Rf4! ....

20. Qh3+, Nh7
21. Rxe7, c4+
22. Kh1, Qxb2

Black beats White to the control of b2-h8 diagonal.

23. Re4!! Rg8
24. Qxh7+, Resigns

Caught by surprise, Black realizes that mate is inevitable after 24.... Kxh7, 25. Rh4+ Kg6, 26. Rh6+ Kg5, 27. h4+ Kg4, 28. Ne3+ Kg3, 29. Rf3 mate.

A brilliant Queen sacrifice!