Central Pawn Sacrifice

A pawn sacrifice at the center of the board is sometimes necessary to open up a central file.  This post gives us an example of an attack while the opponent King is not yet castled.

 BORIS SPASSKY vs. ALEX AFTONOMOV
Leningrad, USSR, 1949

1. d4, d5
2. c4, dxc4
3. Nf3, Nf6
4. e3, e6
5. Bxc4, c5
6. 0-0, e6
7. Qe2, Nc6
8. Nc3, b5
9. Bb3, Bb7
10. Rd1, cxd4
11. exd4, Nb4
12. d5!! ....

White intends to open the e-file.

 

12. ... N4xd5
13. Bg5, Be7
14. Bxf6, gxf6

Not 14.....Bxf6, Black would lose a piece after 15. Nxd5 Bxd5, 16. Rxd5 ...

15. Nxd5, Bxd5
16. Bxd5, exd5
17. Nd4, Kf8
18. Nf5, h5

 

Black thought that White's Queen is going to h5, so he 'blocks' the square.  White's reply surprises him.

19. Rxd5!! Qxd5
20. Qxe7+, Kg8
21. Qxf6!! Resigns

Black cannot handle the simultaneous threats at e7 (Knight fork) and mate at g7.

To view the game in PGN format, you may visit  Spassky vs. Aftonomov.

Power of the Bishop Pair

It is always advantageous when you have two Bishops working together.   This phenomenon, known in the chess world as the Bishop Pair, has been proven in countless grandmaster battles.  This post is an example.

DAVID JANOWSKI vs. FRITZ SAMISCH
Marienbad, Germany, 1925

1. d4, Nf6
2. Nf3, e6
3. Bg5, c5
4. e3, Nc6
5. Nd2, b6
6. c3, Bb7
7. Bd3, cxd4
8. exd4, Be7
9. Nc4, 0-0
10. Qc2, Qc7
11. h4, h6
12. Qd2, Ng4

After 12.....hxg5 13. hxg5, White's attack would be devastating along the h-file.

13. Bf4, d6
14. Ne3, Nxe3
15. Qxe3, h5
16. Rh3, e5
17. dxe5, Nxe5
18. Nxe5, dxe5
19. Bxe5, Bd6
20. Qh6!! ....

 Black resigns.  White's Queen cannot be captured because of the threat Rg3+.

If 20....f6, then White's attack would be relentless:  21. Qh7 Kf7, 22. Bg6+ Ke6, 23. Bxd6 Kxd6, 24. 0-0-0 ...

Amazing game.

To view the game in PGN format, you may visit  Janowski vs. Samisch.

Queen's Gambit Declined

HARRY N. PILLSBURY vs. SEYMON WINAWER
Budapest, 1896d3

1. d4, d5
2. c4, e6
3. Nc3, c6
4. e3, Nf6
5. Nf3, Nbd7
6. Bd3, Bd6
7. 0-0, 0-0
8. e4, dxe4
9. Nxe4, Nxe4
10. Bxe4, Nf6
11. Bc2, h6
12. Be3, Re8
13. Qd3, Qc7
14. c5, Bf8
15. Ne5, Bxc5

Black hopes to get an extra pawn, but White's reply surprises him.

16. Bxh6, Bxd4

If 16.....gxh6, then White attacks with Qg3+ and threatens to capture the Queen with Ng6+.

17. Qxd4, gxh6
18. Qf4!! ....

Still threatening the Black Queen ....

18. ... Nd5
19. Qxh6!! ...

Black cannot capture the Knight because of the threat Bh7+.

19. ... f6
20. f4!! ....

White maintains the threat.

20. ... Re7
21. Ng6!! ...

21. .... Re8

If 21....Rh7, then White mates with 22. Qf8.

If 21....Rg7, then 22. Qh8+ Kf7, 23. Qf8 mate.

22. Qh8+, Kf7
23. Qh7 mate.



Superb play by Harry Pillsbury !

To view the game in PGN format, you may visit  Pillsbury vs. Winawer.

Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation

VAHAP SANAL vs. HJORVAR STEIN GRETARSON
Chess Olympiad, 2012

1. e4, c5
2. Nf3, d6
3. d4, cxd4
4. Nxd4, Nf6
5. Nc3, a6
6. Bg5, Nbd7
7. Bc4, Qa5
8. Qd2, e6
9. 0-0-0, b5
10. Bb3, Bb7
11. Rhe1, Rc8
12. e5 !! ....

The beginning of White's attack, the objective of which is to create weaknesses along d and e files.  However, Black refuses to take the bait.

12. .... b4


Black decides to counterplay.

13. exf6, bxc3
14. Qf4, Ne5
15. Nxe6, fxe6
16. Rxe5 !!

Black resigns.  White threatens mate at f7.  Now, if 16..... Qxe5, then 17. f7+ Kd7, 18.. Qxe5 and Black is lost.

An exciting 16-move game.