Spanish Game Open Variation, Howell Attack

BORISLAV IVKOV vs. JAN HEIN DONNER
Havana Cap Memorial 1965

Spanish Game Open Variation, Howell Attack

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Bb5, a6
4. Ba4, Nf6
5. 0-0, Nxe4

The Open Variation.  White sacrifices the e4 pawn to keep the e-file open.

6. d4, b5
7. Bb3, d5
8. dxe5, Be6
9. Qe2 ....

The Howell Attack, popularized by David Howell, the youngest chess grandmaster in the United States, a title he earned in 2007 when he was 16.

9. .... Nc5
10. Rd1, Nxb3
11. cxb3, Be7
12. Nc3, 0-0
13. Be3, Na5
14. Rac1 ....

The reason behind White's 11th move.  White intends to control the c-file.

14. .... Nb7

Black intends to move c5.

15. Ne4 ....

Effectively preventing c5....

15. .... Bg4
16. h3, Bxf3
17. Qxf3, c6

Black intends to protect the d5 pawn at all cost.  If 18. Rxc6, then 18....Qd7, 19. Rdc1 Rac8, etc.

18. Ng3, Rc8
19. Nf5!, g6
20. Rxd5!! ....

The Rook cannot be taken by the Queen because of 21. Nxe7.  Now, if 20.....cxd5, then 21. Rxc8 Qxc8, 22. Nxe7+.

20. .... Qe8

If 20....Qc7, then 21. Rxc6 Qxc6, and White still threatens 22. Nxf7+.

21. Bh6 Resigns

Black loses more material.  Now, if 21.....gxf5, then 22. Qg3+ and mate next move.

Reti Opening Anglo-Slav Bogoljubow Variation Stonewall Line

PAL BENKO vs. ISRAEL HOROWITZ
New York, 1968

Reti Opening: Anglo-Slav, Bogoljubow Variation Stonewall Line

1. c4, c6
2. Nf3, d5
3. b3, Nf6
4. g3, e6
5. Bg2, Be7
6. 0-0, 0-0
7. Bb2 ....

The Reti Opening Anglo-Slav Bogoljubow Variation Stonewall Line. This opening utilizes the power of two Bishops and keeps open the central squares for easy maneuvers.

7. .... a5
8. a3, c5
9. cxd5, exd5
10. d4, Na6
11. Nc3, Bf5
12. Ne5, cxd4
13. Qxd4, Nc5
14. Nxd5, Nxb3
15. Qf4, Nxd5
16. Qxf5! ....

White comes ahead in the exchange.  In such open positions, the power of a Bishop cannot be underestimated.

16. .... Nxa1

17. Nxf7, Qc8

Black suddenly loses if he takes the Knight:  17....Rxf7, 18. Bxd5!!

18. Nh6+, Kh8

If 18....gxh6, 19. Bxd5+ and White mates.

19. Qxd5, Nc2
20. Qg8+!!, Resigns

If the Queen is taken, then Nf7 mate.

Magnificent! 

Nimzo-Indian Defense: Gligoric System Exchange

LEV POLUGAEVSKY vs. TIGRAN PETROSIAN
URS Championship, 1960

Nimzo-Indian Defense, Gligoric System Exchange

1. d4, Nf6
2. c4, e6
3. Nc3, Bb4
4. e3, 0-0
5. Bd3, d5
6. Nf3, c5
7. 0-0, dxc4
8. Bxc4 ....

The Gligoric System Exchange of the Nimzo-Indian Defense.  This opening focuses on the control of b3-g8 diagonal and takes advantage of white central squares.

8. .... b6
9. Qe2, Bb7
10. Rd1, Nbd7
11. d5!! ....

White now opens the intended diagonal.

11. .... Bxc3
12. dxe6, Ba5

If 12....fxe6, then 13. Bxe6+ Kh8, 14. Ng5 threatening Nf7+ and e7.

13. exd7 ....

Through subtle play, White regains his Knight....

13. .... Qc7
14. e4 ....

White provides a way for his stranded Bishop at c1.

14. .... Nxd7
15. Ng5, Rad8
16. Bxf7+, Rxf7
17. Ne6, Qc8
18. Nxd8, Ba6
19. Qe3, Re7

If 19....Qxd8, then 20. e5 Re7, 21. e6! which is advantageous to White.

20. Qb3+, c4
21. Qa3, Nc5

Still 21....Qxd8 is not plausible because of 22. Bg5 pinning the Rook.

22. Be3, Rxe4
23. Bxc5, Qxc5
24. Qf3  Resigns

White threatens Qxe4 and Qf7+. Now, if 24....Re7, then 25. Ne6 threatening Nxc5 and Qf8 mate and Rd8 mate.  A superb performance!

Sicilian Defense, Richter-Rauzer Classical Variation

PABLO MIRAN vs. E. FRANCO
Gijon, 1955
Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Classical Variation

1. e4, c5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. d4, cxd4
4. Nxd4, Nf6
5. Nc3, d6
6. Bg5 ....

White's most common reply to the Classical Variation of the Sicilian Defense.  This is otherwise known as the Richter-Rauzer Attack, threatening to double Black's pawns after Bxf6 and forestalling the Dragon variation by rendering 6...g6 unplayable.

6. .... e6
7. Qd2, Be7
8. 0-0-0, 0-0
9. f4, e5
10. Nf3, Bg4
11. h3, Bxf3
12. gxf3, Nd4
13. fxe5, dxe5

If 13.....Nxf3, then 14. exf6 Nxd2, 15. fxe7 and White would have enough compensation for the Queen.

14. f4, Qa5
15. fxe5, Nf3
16. exf6, Nxd2
17. fxe7, Nxf1?

A bad choice for Black.  He should have moved the threatened Rook.

18. exf8=Q, Kxf8
19. Bf4, Ng3

Black hopes for 20. Bxg3 Qg5+, but White saw the plan.

20. Rhg1, Nxe4
21. Nxe4, Qxa2
22. Bd6+, Kg8

Of course not 22....Ke8, 23. Nf6 gxf6, 24. Rg8+ and White would be more ahead in material.

23. Rxg7+ !!!....

A surprise move!  Black has been caught unaware.  Black cannot capture the offered Rook because of a threatened mate:  23....Kxg7, 24. Rg1+ Kh8 25. Be5+....  If 24.....Kh6, 25. Bf4+ Kh5, 26. Rg5+ Kh4, 27. Rg4+ .... and here comes the beauty of the thing: 27......Kxh3 (if 27.....Kh5, 28. Nf6 mate.) 28. Nf2 mate.

23. ..... Kh8
24. Rg8+, Resigns

Black, with a Queen to his advantage, cannot take the Rook:  24....Rxg8 because of 25. Be5+ Rg7, 26. Rd8 mate.

A stunning victory!

Material Exchange

Chess pieces have inherent values, and during material exchange, the captured pieces must be more or less equal in worth. However, in certain cases, material may be exchanged for quality game, facilitated attack, or speedy development.  In the following game, the Queen is exchanged for 3 minor pieces, an exemplary demonstration of such theory.

KMOCH vs. PRINS
Amsterdam, 1940

Gruenfeld Defense

1. d4, Nf6
2. c4, g6
3. Nc3, d5
4. Nf3, Bg7
5. Qb3, dxc4
6. Qxc4, 0-0
7. e4, b6
8. e5, Be6

Black attacks the Queen in order to plant his Knight at d5.  But White refuses to be driven away.

9. exf6!! ....

White has correctly calculated that his Queen is worth the exchange.

9. .... Bxc4
10. fxg7, Kxg7
11. Bxc4 ....

The smoke has cleared and Black now realizes that he exchanged a Knight and two Bishops for the opponent's Queen.  A bad bargain.

11. .... Nc6
12. Be3, Nb4

A wasteful maneuver on the part of Black. Now White gains time.

13. 0-0, Nc2
14. Rad1, Nxe3
15. fxe3, c5
16. Ng5!! ....

White suddenly threatens 17. Rxf7 Rxf7, 18. Ne6+ etc.

16. .... e6

If 16....Qe8, a likely continuation could be 17. dxc5 bxc5, 18. Bb5 Qc8, 19. Rd7 and the pressure would be too much for Black.

17. Rxf7  Resigns

White threatens Nxe6 double-check!

All is lost for Black.  If 17.....Kh6, then 18. Rxh7+ Kxg5, 19. h4+ Kg4, 20. Be2+ Kg3, 21. Ne4 mate.  Superb play!

Opening Tricks and Traps

Opening traps are fun to watch -- and much more fun to use.  The popularity of a chess opening trick lies in the fact that it involves sneaky play, not necessarily brilliancy.  The victim is usually persuaded to abandon common sense principles of play and take the bait.

It is therefore important that every serious chess player be aware of these opening tricks for they abound in different forms and combination, and even known to victimize chess masters.  Chess opening is an art by itself, and while not all artists are chess players, all chess players are artists.

To see various opening tricks and traps, please visit Chess Opening Tricks.

Castle Early Or You'll Be Sorry

Sometimes a player becomes so engrossed in his opening play that he forgets to castle. Such delay could be costly. The following game effectively demonstrates this important aspect of chess play.  See also The Importance of Castling.

PALAU vs. TE KOLSTE
London, 1927

King's Indian Defense

1. Nf3, Nf6
2. d4, g6
3. Nc3, d5
4. Bf4, Nh5

Black attempts to exchange a Knight for a Bishop. While this has theoretical basis, the move provokes a weakness in Black's pawn structure. Instead, 4....c6 or 4.....Bg7 should have been played.

5. Be5! ....

Some players may see this move as a waste of time, but it is instrumental in creating the weakness as mentioned in the previous paragraph.

5. .... f6
6. Bg3, Nxg3
7. hxg3 ....

The open h-file is advantageous to White.

7. .... Bg7
8. e3, c6
9. Bd3, e5?

Not having castled yet, this move is ill-timed.

10. Rxh7!!, Kf7?

If Black replies with 10....Rxh7, then White gains material with 11. Bxg6.

Black's best reply is 10....e4, though White still wins with 11. Rxg7 exd3, 12. Qxd3 Bf5, 13. e4 Kf8 (if 13....dxe4, 14. Qc4 wins), 14. exf5 Rh1+, 15. Kd2 Rxa1, 16. Rxb7 Kg8, 17. fxg6 etc.

11. Bxg6+ ....

The fireworks begin.

11. .... Kxg6
12. Nxe5!! ....

Outstanding! If 12.....Kxh7, 13. Qh5+ Kg8, 14. Qf7+ Kh7, 15. 0-0-0 and mate follows.

12. .... fxe5
13. Qh5+, Kf6
14. Qxe5+, Kf7

If 14....Kg6, 15. Qxg7+ Kf5, 16. g4+ Ke6, 17. Qe5 mate.

15. Qxg7+, Resigns

If 15....Ke6, then 16. Qe5 mate. Nothing short of elegant!