Sacking the Citadel

The History, Theory and Practice

of the Classic Bishop Sacrifice

by

Jon Edwards

Foreword by

Karsten Muller

2011
Russell Enterprises, Inc.
Milford, CT USA
 Sacking the Citadel

The History, Theory and Practice of the Classic Bishop Sacrifice

by Jon Edwards

ISBN: 978-1-888690-74-3

© Copyright 20 11

Jon Edwards

All Rights Reserved

No part of this book may be used, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system

or transmitted in any manner or form whatsoever or by any means, elec-
tronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, photocopying, recording or otherwise,
without the express written permission from the publisher except in the
case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Published by:
Russell Enterprises, Inc.
P.O. Box 3131
Milford, CT 06460 USA

http://www.russell-enterprises.com
info@russell-enterprises.com

Cover design by Janel Lowrance

Printed in the United States of America

 Table of Contents

Signs & Symbols 5

Foreword 7

Introduction 8

The Classic Bishop Sacrifice

Part I: History

Chapter 1
The Life & Times of Giaocchino Greco 13

The Classic Bishop Sacrifice

Part II: Theory

Chapter 2
"On Attacking the Castled King" 26

Chapter 3
The Art ofChess Combination 30

Chapter 4
The Art ofAttack 36

Chapter 5
Contemporary Theory 49

The 'itJg8 line 50

The 'itJg6 line 56
The 'itJh6 line 72
The ~xg5 line 78
The 'itJh8 line 84
The '/¥txg5 line 88
 The Classic Bishop Sacrifice
Part III: Practice

Chapter 6
Games 94

Greco's Sacrifice, the Early Years 94

Greco's Sacrifice, through 1910 95
Greco's Sacrifice, 1911-1935 126
Greco's Sacrifice, 1936-1959 161
Greco's Sacrifice, 1960-2010 200

Chapter 7
Greco's Quiz 361

Chapter 8
Related Literature 381

Bibliography 387

Index of Openings 390

Index of Asset Combinations 392

Index of Players 394

 Signs & Symbols

1-0 White wins

0-1 Black wins
'i1-'i1 Draw agreed
+ check
mate
"" a strong move
!! a brilliant or unobvious move
? a weak move, an error
!? a grave error
!? a move worth consideration
an equal position
~ White stands slightly better
± White has a clear advantage
+- White has a winning position
'f Black stands slightly better
Black has a clear advantage
'"
-+ Black has a winning position
00 an unclear position
00 with compensation
ol Olympiad
m match
ch championship
wch world championship
corr correspondence game
(D) see the next diagram

5
Sacking the Citadel

6
 Foreword

Greco's Greek Gift

A whole book on the single motif Axh7+? Is this really worth it and is enough
relevant material available, I hear you ask. I can assure you that there is. The theme
is so deep and rich that Jon Edwards has even decided to deal only with Greco's
version of the classical Greek Gift sacrifice, Axh 7 +.

After .tlg5+, Black's king can go to g8, h8, g6 and h6, when White again has
different ways to continue the attack. Edwards deals with all of them in detail and
even constructs a complete taxonomy of all motifs. Usually this is not done, as
there is simply not enough space in a book to cover all themes and to analyze when
it is likely that the combination of assets makes the sacrifice successful. Edwards
does it, and does it well. Consequently, important motifs lie entirely open before
your eyes and you can see how all the details and aspects of the "Greco" tactics
work. This attention to detail is very important to the understanding of the royal
game both in a general way and in great depth.

Tactical motifs like Axh7+ followed by .tlg5+ are the ABC of chess, and under-
standing their essence will enable you to use them almost on intuition alone. But
accurate calculation is of course also an extremely important skill. So you might
want to try to figure out on your own if the sacrifice works, ifit is speculative or
just unsound, then find Black's best defense and calculate to the end. As a result,
you will have fun enjoying the fireworks, while learning one of the most important
skills ofthe royal game.

Karsten Muller
Hamburg
November 20 10

7
 Sacking the Citadel

Introduction

In or around 1620, Giaocchino Greco, an aspiring chess master from the Italian
province of Calabria, made a remarkable discovery, a complex bishop sacrifice on
h7 that often results in mate or material gain. More remarkable perhaps, he recorded
the idea.

This book attempts to fill two voids in the literature. The first is an accessible
biography of Greco, whose unearthing of and willingness to share the sacrifice
surely warrants some historical reward. His usual biographical treatments fill a few
paragraphs. With a bit of sleuthing, I've been able to offer a somewhat lengthier
narrative and to place his life within the broader context of his times and his
contribution to modem chess. The second, and of more immediate interest to
chess players, is my attempt to construct a comprehensive taxonomy of Greco's
bishop sacrifice, to classify the conditions required for the sacrifice to succeed, to
delineate its possibilities, and to chart its progress through the years.

8
7
6
5
4
3
2

abc d e f g h

Greco's Sacrifice on h7 (or h2 by Black) has figured in thousands of games and is

well known by all serious chess players. The sacrifice is almost always accepted to
prevent the loss of a pawn (there are a few, interesting exceptions), and the attacker
soon follows with 4:\g5+ and then often with a queen move to attack h7 seeking a
quick checkmate, a king hunt, or material (or positional) gain. The defender has
four and sometimes five options, retreating the king to g8 (common) or h8
(uncommon and almost always awful), advancing the king to g6 (a dangerous but
often stubborn defense), 'it'h6 (an interesting defense when White's dark square
bishop has been exchanged or cannot easily reach the c I-h6 diagonal), or capturing
the 4:\g5 (dangerous, especially if White has a pawn on h4 and a rook on hI).

Some call the bishop sacrifice the "Greek Gift," likely an obscure reference to the
Trojan Horse and Virgil's famous intonation in Aeneid 11.49 "timeo danaos et dona
ferentes." ("I fear the Greeks even when they are bringing gifts.") It is possible
that another master, the Italian Giulio Cesare Polerio, discovered it first. Simply

8
 Introduction

put, we will never know for sure. And some have named it after Edgard Colle, who
used it to secure a brilliancy prize in 1930 at Nice (see game 62).

In my view, the sacrifice, at least in the classic line involving 4:Jg5+, should be
named after the Italian master who effectively shared it with the world. In The Art
ofAttack in Chess, (London, 1965) Vukovic proposed that the name ought to be
the Classic Bishop Sacrifice in deference to its early origin and simplicity. To make
the question more confusing, there are other interesting sacrifices on h7 that do
not involve a subsequent 4:Jg5+ or queen attack upon h7. Although it truly does
not matter, I suggest simply that the notion ofthe Classic Bishop Sacrifice or Greek
Gift ought to apply generically to the sacrifice of the bishop on h7. When the
maneuver is followed classically within two or three moves by 4:Jg5+ and a queen
attack upon h7, it is then a Greco Sacrifice, the focus of this book.

As Vladimir Vukovic reminds us, Greco's Sacrifice "is the oldest and most explored
of all the sacrifices involved in the attack of the castled king." Modern chess
players are fully acquainted with the sacrifice and work hard to prevent it. And yet,
thousands of modern games involve the sacrifice, often in complex, sophisticated,
and pleasing circumstances.

Greco's Sacrifice has been a regular topic in the popular chess literature. It appears,
notably, as a 14-page chapter in Eugene Znosko-Borovsky's The Art of the Chess
Combination (1936); chapter five of George Renaud and Victor Kahn's The Art of
the Checkmate (1953); chapter six (and part of chapter 7) of Vladimir VukoviC's The
Art of the Attack in Chess (1965); section 27 of Euwe and Kramer's The Middle
Game, Book 2 (1965); sections 32-35 of Murray Chandler's popular How to Beat
Your Dad at Chess (1998); in a delightful article by Pete Tamburro "A 400 Year-Old
Attack," Chess Lifefor Kids (June, 2007); as a four-page section in Karsten Milller's
challenging Chess Cafe Puzzle Book; and just last year (2009) in approximately half
of J!xh7+ by David Rudel.

The individual game with Greco's first bishop sacrifice appears notably as game
#25 in Hoffmann's The Games of Greco, as game #199 in Irving Chernev's 1000
Best Short Games of Chess, and as game 31 in ChessBase's MegaBase 2010.

Most publishers place strict limits on how much material authors can include in
their work. Authors of books about chess tactics agonize over what they can
include and what they must leave out. The point? The depth and length required
for a complex taxonomy of the Greco Sacrifice are incompatible with publishers'
usual requirements for more generalized texts. With regard to the Greco Sacrifice,
Renaud and Kahn acknowledge:

"A complete description of Greco's Mate would need at least one hundred pages
and cannot, therefore, be included in this book, especially as this sacrifice does
not necessarily lead to a forced mate."

9
 Sacking the Citadel

Although Euwe and Kramer emphasize the importance of noting even "little
accidental circumstances which may prove vital in assessing the correctness of
the offer," they add:

"It would not be possible to make a systematic explanation of every possible

variation of the Bishop sacrifice on KR7 (h7) within the compass of this book. We
shall have to limit ourselves to some of its most typical forms."

And, despite coverage in four sections of his book, Murray Chandler agrees:

"There are so many different positions where the classic Greek gift sacrifice can be
played that an entire book could be written on the subject."

And so, apart from Greco's biography in Chapter 1, that's what this book attempts
to do.

The book contains three sections. The first section provides the brief history of
Greco and his discovery. The second section winds through the efforts made by
Edwin Voellmy, Eugene Znosko-Borovsky, Vladimir Vukovic and others to explain
the inner workings of the sacrifice. It ends with chapter 5, a contemporary classifi-
cation that contains useful explanations for beginners and surprises even for the
strongest chess players.

The third and, by far, longest section contains more than 300 annotated games. I
have made an effort to locate every published game that involved the sacrifice
through to 1959 when Vukovic wrote about the sacrifice. More than a few ofthose
127 games have appeared in the literature, but often with significant errors. I have
made an effort to correct the record.

Among these games, for those who simply want to sample the remarkable history
of the sacrifice, I recommend several of these contests. Game number 1, Greco's
discovery, is of more than historic importance. Play through it, and marvel at the
care required to achieve victory. It is not a coincidence that many sources include
games 12 (Fritz- Mason 1883), 41 (Capablanca-Molina 1911), 65 (Alekhine-
Asgeirsson 1931), and 95 (Kottnauer-Kotov 1946). The most complex game by far
in these early years was game 62 (Colle-O'Hanlon 1930) which will continue to
challenge chess players for decades to come. I have made every effort to offer a
verdict on the game, but the strongest players will want to examine that game and
its many variations carefully.

In the period from 1960 to the present, I was able to include less than ten percent
of all the sacrifices I found. I spent months playing through every game and hand
selecting the games that appear here. They form a remarkable lot, with varied and
often quite challenging themes.

10
 Introduction

Those looking for a more instructive experience might start with chapter 5, the
modern classification, and then run through this interesting set of games: 137
(Kranzl-Matrisch), 151 (Vieweg-Kadner), 170 (Short-Agdestein), 183 (Chandler-
Anagnostopoulos), 195 (Harris-Trimpi), 237 (Hellsten-Jakobsen), 251 (Avrukh-
Ramesh), and 284 (Fridman-Tan).

For more advanced players, one group of the games are notable because they
have significant theoretical interest within their respective openings. Such games
include 147 (polugaevsky-Tal), 168 (Borg-Veer), 181 (Sax-Timman), and 261 (Blanco
Gramajo-Salcedo Mederos).

Although you can surely treat every game in the book as a test, I have also added
a separate quiz in chapter 7. Some of you may be tempted to start there, but you will
undoubtedly fare better by first reviewing the modern classification and at least an
assortment of games.

I must express my profound appreciation to the publisher, Hanon Russell. He was

throughout willing to support this lengthy undertaking, and he was memorably
compassionate when I underwent surgery earlier this year. I acknowledge a special
debt of gratitude to Peter Tamburro, a well-known chess author and regular
contributor to Chess Life, for his persistence in locating published examples and
his many words of personal and chess encouragement. And, of course, I would
never have completed the book without the love and support of my wife Cheryl,
who has never once complained about my passion for the royal game.

I express my gratitude to Alessandro Sanuito for permission to use the photograph

of the Lisbon codice. Just before press time, German grandmaster Karsten MUller
forwarded two remarkable games that were included as games 307 and 308. I thank
Lorene Lavora for her friendship and for transforming many of the book's images.

I hope to complement this effort in the years ahead by looking at other great
players, notably Damiano, Philidor, Boden, Blackburne, Morphy, and their mates.
Who were the people who passed down such wonderful mating patterns and
sacrifices? How did their lives and times affect the contemporary game and our
modern chess culture? And look at what their ideas have wrought!

Jon Edwards
Pennington, NJ
December 20 10

11
 Sacking the Citadel

The Classic Bishop Sacrifice

Part I: History

12
 Chapter 1

The Life & Times of Giaocchino Greco

Despite many disadvantages, a shortened lifespan, underprivileged roots, and no

formal education, Giaocchino Greco (1600-1634) brought chess almost single-
handedly from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment and, in important respects,
established the discipline for modem chess play. I would agree with Euwe, himself
a former world champion, that Greco "was the first great genius in the history of
modem chess."

A short but prolific life

Very little is known of Greco's first two decades. He grew up in Southern Italy, in
Celici (East ofCosenza) in Calabria, and hence his affectionate nickname, il Calabrese.
As a common man, his life just two centuries earlier would have been significantly
restricted. In an inventory of households, Wickrnann records that most households
of the late Renaissance had a chess set. Even a man of average means, now with
some spare time and growing self confidence, could have chess as part of his life.
Greco's creative talent could find a memorable outlet.

The Kingdom of Naples, of which Calabria was a province, was, with Madrid, one
of the world's great chess centers. Under secure Spanish rule since 1501, the city
of Naples had become a cosmopolitan city of approximately 400,000 people, in
Europe second or third in population only to Paris and London. Home to artists
such as Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, and Salvator
Rosa, philosophers such as Giordano Bruno, Tomrnaso Campanella, and Bernardino
Telesio, and writers such as Giovan Battista Marino, Naples represented an
important cultural center that undoubtedly encouraged the freedom for personal
exploration and philosophical inquiry that cultural breakthroughs usually demand.

During the culmination of the Renaissance, the century before Greco was born,
Italy had produced other chess masters, notably Paolo Bol, "il Siracusano" (1528-
1598), Giovanni Leonardo, "The Wandering Knight" (1542-1587), Giulio Cesare
Polerio (c. 1550-1610), Dr. Alessandro Salvio (c. 1570-1640), and Michaele di Mauro.
It is a tribute to the Renaissance and its ideals that these were not nobles but
common men who could marshal their talent and aspire to greatness in the art of
chess. The last of Italy's Renaissance chess masters, Greco acquired knowledge
ofthe game in local Italian clubs and improved quickly by reading the work ofRuy
Lopez Libro de la invencion liberal y arte del juego del Axedrez ("Book of the
Liberal Invention and Art of Playing Chess" 1561) and Salvio's first book, Trattato

13
 Sacking the Citadel

Dell' Inventione Et Arte Lieberale Del Gioco Di Scacchi (1604). On showing

promise, Greco began studying with Don Mariano Marano, a celebrated local
player who invited Greco into his home.

Johanes Gutenberg's invention of moveable type printing in 1439 enabled the

mass production of books. Years ago, I had the good luck to tour the rare book
vault at Princeton University. Here were the fruits of Gutenberg's efforts. What
struck me the most was that the bibles and other religious texts from that early
period were magnificent and quite pristine. By remarkable contrast, the early chess
books were haggard and worn to the bone, a clear sign of their esteem and use
through the years.

Among Greco's Italian contemporaries, only Salvio published books during his
lifetime. Salvio's writings drew upon his own knowledge and experiences as well
as others, and so it was natural perhaps that Greco's writings would borrow heavily
from those he had read, especially Salvio's. His three chess works were all published
in Naples, and so the two masters were very likely personally acquainted. By 1600,
when Greco was born, Salvio was considered a leading player and perhaps even
the unofficial world champion. Given to criticisms of other players and perhaps
irritated that Greco appropriated his writings, Salvio intimated that Greco had not
surpassed the ability of his instructor, Marano, but there seems little doubt that
Greco, not unlike many modem prodigies, quickly surpassed the ability of his
teacher and moved on.

In 1513, Niccolo Machievelli (1469-1527), perhaps the Italian Renaissance's most

famous political thinker, wrote The Prince, a summary of his political thinking. One
of the book's key themes dealt with those qualities that a prince would need to
prosper, to retain honor, glory, and fame. More than just a sound army and good
fortune, a prince required certain qualities of leadership or "virtus." The Prince
contains no definition of the word, but it appears to be a set of qualities that permit
leaders to withstand blows to fortune. While a prince might not have all of the
needed qualities for leadership, it was vitally important that he appear to have
those qualities. Chess was a very small part of the equation, but its characteristics
were well suited to a leisurely life, and it seems clear that an aristocrat incapable of
playing well had at least to appear capable of doing so. Moreover, a merchant
aspiring to a higher social level would be inclined to adopt the social trappings of
the aristocracy. Skill at chess would help.

In order to maintain their power and legitimacy, Renaissance rulers and noblemen
understood the need for conspicuous sponsorship of the arts. Indeed, they
competed amongst themselves to attract the finest practitioners. Jakob Burckhardt's
"the state as a work of art," expresses in a single phrase the central role of the arts
in personal and institutional settings. The role of chess and its masters appears
remarkably similar to other forms of Renaissance creativity. Like Renaissance art,

14
 The Life & Times of Giaocchino Greco

music, mathematics, and architecture, chess could provide its experts with
recognition and remuneration.

Mathematicians and musicians, for example, traveled from town to town, impressing
the local gentry with their skill in return for their financial support. In these areas
of culture and inquiry, Italy exerted an almost hypnotic influence over the western
world. Kings, princes, and affluent merchants competed for the services ofItaly's
great painters and sculptors in an effort to bring culture and distinction to their
courts and so, it was natural that they would also seek to attract Italy's great
chess players. During the 16th century, it was common for artists to travel to Italy
to work with the masters, and that may have been true with chess as well, but by
1620 when Greco set out to travel, the Renaissance was ebbing in Italy in the wake
offoreign invasions and the Church's conservative reaction to the Reformation.

And so, following the course of many accomplished chess players in the 15th and
16th centuries, Greco sought fame and fortune through matches and patronage.
Around 1619, he obtained support from a number of Rome's wealthy prelates by
providing them with a personally written collection of openings "Trattato del
nobilissimo e militaire esercitio dei Scacchi, nel quale se contengano molti bellissimi
tratti." In Rome, Monsignor Corsino della casa Minutoli Tegrini, Cardinal Savelli,
and Monsignor Francisco
Buoncompagni all received
manuscripts. Copies of these
manuscripts, dated 1620, are in the
Corsiniana library in Rome. This
member of the Buoncompagni
family, who inherited his interest
in chess from his father, the Duke
of Sora, later became Archbishop
of Naples.

Later, as was also the custom for

chess masters of the time, Greco
traveled through France,
England, and Spain, searching for
the adventure of worthy
opponents and the financial
support oflocal nobility. Leaving
Italy at the young age of 21, he
impressed the court of Duke
Enrico of Lorraine at Nancy and
then took on Paris, where he
earned the considerable sum of
5,000 crowns for defeating the
leading players of France, Amault

15
 Sacking the Citadel

Ie Carabon. Chaumont de la Salle, and the Duke de Nemours. That may make Greco,
suggests Andy Soltis, the world's first great money player. Unfortunately, we are
told that Greco soon thereafter lost that sum to thieves while en route to London,
although he regained at least a portion of his monies by defeating the best English
players, notably Sir Francis Godolphin and Nicholas Mountstephen.

Greco so impressed the English public that he very likely inspired the playwright
Thomas Middleton to write A Game o/Chess. The satirical play, an allegory for the
strained relationship between England and Spain, enjoyed considerable success
until the Spanish Ambassador officially protested the play's insults.

A contemporary French poem commemorated Greco's skill and provides some

estimation ofthe French reverence for Greco's aggressive style of play:

A peine dans la carriere (Barely having begun the game)

Contre moi tu fais un pas,
Que par ton demarche fiere
Tous mes projets sont abas
Je vois, des que tu t'avances
Ceder tous mes defenses,
Tomber tous mes champions
Dans ma resistance vaine,
Roi, Chevalier, Roc, and Reine
Sont moindre que tes pions.
(Against me you make a move,)
(Which, by your proud step)
(Bring all my projects down)
(I see, as soon as you advance)
(Crushing all my defenses)
(The defeat of all my champions)
(In my vain resistance)
(My King, Knight, Rook, and Queen)
(Are less than your pawns.)

Having achieved entrepreneurial success and recognition as one of the world's

best players, Greco spent three years towards the end of his short life at the
Madrid court of Philip IV who, like his more famous predecessor, Philip II, took
delight in the game.

Spain had become the foremost western European power while Philip II (1527-
1598) was king (from 1556 until his death). He massively increased the importation
of silver, established the first Pacific trade routes, began settlements in the
Philippines (which was named after him), and launched the famed Armada against
England (which helps to explain the glaring antipathy of English historians). A
Spanish priest, Rodrigo (Ruy) Lopez de Segura (c. 1540-1580) became the first
modem chess writer and analyst and a favorite at the court of Philip II. An article in
Harper's, "The Game of Chess: A scene in the Court of Philip II," describes the
extent to which the King adored and embraced the game.

History records that, at age 31, Greco died in the West Indies. He was in the
company of a Spanish nobleman, undoubtedly another supporter. Apart from his
obviously premature departure, there is no hint of impropriety in the history,

16
 The Life & Times of Giaocchino Greco

although other Italian chess masters of the time met untimely deaths, poisonings,
at the hands of jealous adversaries.

Leonardo, "the Wandering Knight," had traveled to the court of Philip II to challenge
the great Ruy Lopez and Alfonso Ceron. In a match played before Philip II,
Leonardo lost. Later, in Portugal, he defeated EI Morro, the strongest player there.
He died years later in Naples, apparently poisoned by rivals. Having defeated the
competition in Italy, Paolo Boi also traveled to the court of Philip II. Later, he
became a favorite of Pope Pius V. On his return to Naples, Boi played Salvio. A five
move combination won Salvio's queen, but Salvio had seen two moves deeper and
won back his queen. Boi is said to have commented: "Youth can do more than age.
You are in the prime of life, and I am seventy years old." Three days later, Boi also
died from poison, though perhaps of his own doing.

Greco's manuscripts

It was common at the time for masters to maintain notebooks offrequently played
variations, the rough equivalent of today's databases. In an era when openings
were not deeply analyzed, ideas were more easily discovered or improved, and
masters seeking an edge would gather up and try to improve upon the ideas of the
day. It is natural that Greco would have done so as well.

In return for the support of patrons,

Greco shared with his benefactors
handwritten manuscripts or
codices that set forth his theories
and thoughts about chess. His
documents were all written in
Italian and most have decorated
title pages dedicated to a patron.
Most included a dedication, a
history of the game, a detailing of
the game's remaining regional
variations, summaries drawn from
the works ofRuy Lopez and Salvio, and collections of Greco's own opening ideas,
page after page ofthem. It is likely that others prepared the elaborate introductions,
and that the sloppier Italian script of the games was in Greco's own hand. There are
also variations within Greco's manuscripts. Not all contain introductions and, over
time, they appear to be longer and somewhat better written. His handwriting, like
his grammar, "improves by degrees," suggests White in Greco and His
Manuscripts. And, suggests White, "there is so great a difference in the various
signatures that it may be doubtful whether they are all by him." It may be, as White
believes, that Greco had the early parts of the manuscripts calligraphed by artists
and then wrote himself the body of the text, a hypothesis confirmed in part by the
simplistic chess errors in the calligraphed portions of the manuscripts.

17
 Sacking the Citadel

Their handwritten nature imposed practical limits on their length and number.
Approximately 22 of his manuscripts have survived including several from the
early Italian period. Alessandro Sanvito provides a detailed bibliography with
wonderful images of the existing Greco manuscripts. Murray and White list and
describe the existing manuscripts from Italy, France, and Great Britain. Murray,
observes that by the time of Greco's second visit to France, the manuscripts "are
no longer collections of openings only but are collections of games in which the
play is continued until the mate is reached or in sight." He adds that these
manuscripts "were treasured by their owners and their friends."

By sharing complete games rather than simple opening variations, Greco departed
from the practices of the other masters of his age. We know that Greco presented
a beautiful copy of the manuscript to the Duke of Lorraine dated July 5,1621. In
London, Greco presented copies of his manuscript to Sir Francis Godolphin and
Nicholas Mountstephen. These, the first two manuscripts that contain complete
games, are preserved today in the Bodleian Library and the British Museum. His
recording ofthe games and their variations relied on a wordy notation that seems
primitive by today's standards but which nonetheless permits any reader to replay
Greco's exact moves and thoughts. Although the games contain many simplistic
mistakes, they are particularly noteworthy for their consistent commitment to rapid
development, the use ofthe initiative, and for the compelling punishment of weak play.

When Greco returned to Paris in 1624, he replaced the longer and less attractive
games and variations with many spectacular brilliancies. Throughout, Greco's
notes were written in a style that exposed his limited education, but they also
reveal a wondrous time of the exploration of new opening lines, not just the Giuoco
Piano and Two Knights' Defense but also the Queen's Gambit, the Sicilian Defense,

18
 The Life & Times of Giaocchino Greco

many lines of the King's Gambit, and even some fianchetto defenses. Greco appears
to deserve the credit for discovering the Sicilian Wing Gambit (1.e4 c5 2.b4),
From's Gambit (1.f4 e5) and an aggressive variation of the Falkbeer Counter Gambit
(l.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.c x d5 c6).

Chess in the Renaissance

While the literature ofthe late Middle Ages occasionally portrayed lower classes
as chess players, the reality was that chess was the predominant preserve of the
nobility. The still preserved jewel-encrusted sets are clearly regal. Only slowly did
the game map European social structure into the rules and the pieces.

When chess arrived in Europe, the rules of the contemporary Arabic game were
preserved. Indeed, until about 1200, Europeans played with Muslim rules and sets.
But the Muslim pieces were abstract in deference to the Koran's prohibition of
casting naturalistic figures in art. With time, medieval Europe, with its tradition of
animistic worship, preferred more realistic images.

At first, members of the aristocracy vied to commission the most unusual sets
depicting real or legendary conflicts. In the process, the male counselor, the vizier,
having no place in the European political order, became the queen, the tusks ofthe
elephant, rising as two points, began to resemble the animal itself and then became
the headdress of the bishop (in France, the jester), the horse became the knight
(with eyes), and the chariot became the tower, today's rook. Only the king and
pawn, at opposite ends of the social hierarchy, retained their original identities,
even though their form also became far more realistic.

The emergence of more schematic pieces, less pretentious and less expensive,
appealed to the emerging group of serious players who could travel from region to
region and still recognize the pieces. Indeed, Greco's pieces would be recognized
instantly today.

It is remarkable, to me at least, that the histories of the Italian Renaissance almost

never mention chess, especially given the game's long-standing association with
intellectual achievement. One of the rare exceptions is Fernand Braudel's
Capitalism and Material Life, 1400-1800 in which, within the context of humanism
and the urgent desire for order and human control, he discusses an emerging cadre
of European town planners during the Renaissance to put forth plans in chessboard
patterns. The transformation may help to account for such configurations in
European colonies and even for the town square in Marostica, a small town in the
province ofVicenza where, every two years, the townspeople play out a game of
human chess in the town's square, itself a giant chessboard.

The "Renaissance" or rebirth, sought to emulate the glories and high civilization
of the Greeks and Romans. Renaissance humanism emphasized the notion that

19
 Sacking the Citadel

while God created the universe, humans developed and industrialized it. And so,
the Italian Renaissance, the rebirth, is best remembered for its human achievements,
its music, its art, its literature, its architecture, and its science. Inevitably, perhaps,
these efforts also laid the foundation for our modern world, the emergence of
secular states, and the remarkable growth of the natural sciences. As it transpired,
the great cultural change and achievements ofthe period also involved remarkable
changes in the game of chess.

Within 20 miraculous years at the end of the 15th century, near the penultimate
years of the Renaissance, the game of chess emerged with a set of invigorating,
new rules. During the same era in which Michelangelo carved the Pieta, Copernicus
gazed into the stars, da Vinci conceptualized a helicopter, and Columbus began his
journeys across the Atlantic, the chess queen and bishop gained the ability to
move more than a single square, the king and rooks could now castle, the pieces
representing the king and queen now towered over all the others, and pawns that
had not yet moved could thrust forward two squares. This latter adjustment in the
rules required one additional change, the en passant pawn capture, which was
undoubtedly introduced to prevent a pawn from queening without the opponent's
pawn on an adjacent rank having a chance to stop it.

Marilyn Yalom offers a wonderful discussion in Birth of the Chess Queen about
how the queen, initially the weakest piece resting at the side of the king, came to
assume such great powers despite her secondary status in society. When the
game reached Europe, all ofthe pieces were of approximately the same size. By the
16th century, the king and queen tower above the other pieces. To what extent did
the emergence ofthis powerful piece reflect the growing power of real-life queens
and women of privilege? Did her presence on the chessboard symbolize an
enduring, monogamous partnership, and perhaps also the reality that in some
European countries, most notably Isabella of Castile, women ruled alone and
determined the inheritance ofland?

Undoubtedly inspired by Europe's desire to see itself in the game and to speed it
up, the new moves harmonized astonishingly well. The books and travels of masters
like Greco helped to standardize the rules and spread enthusiasm for the superior,
new version. Under the old rules, even slight material advantages were easy to
sustain. Players tended to build up their positions patiently, laying siege to their
opponent's positions over dozens of moves. I suspect that the former rules suited
Europe's aristocracy because anyone could quickly learn and feel that they were
playing competitively. In this regard, chess differed dramatically from the other
arts. Not every prince could paint or play an instrument well, but all could claim
some ability at chess.

Now, in the new, more dynamic game, material could be sacrificed even early in the
game to obtain significant counterplay or to achieve attractive checkmates.
Wonderfully complex combinations could net significant material gain or significant

20
 The Life & Times of Giaocchino Greco

strategic advantages. In many ways, chess now brought to Europe the kind of
harmony and beauty that we normally attribute to the art, music, and architecture
of the period.

To the detriment of the aristocracy, the new rules appealed to the growing
intellectual elite in Europe and, over time, helped to change chess from a noble
pursuit to one in which even a common man like Greco could hope to achieve
greatness. I have already noted the widespread availability of inexpensive sets
during the Renaissance which obviously reduced the exclusivity of the game.
During the Renaissance and through Greco's life, as we have seen, the nobility
sought to sustain its command over the game by contracting for lessons and
information from the most talented players. Over a century or more, however, the
nobility grew discouraged with chess as a leisure activity, abandoning the game to
players recognized for their skill.

Perhaps it is more remarkable, as suggested by Colleen Schafroth, that chess

survived at all during this period of re-examination and inquiry. As a consequence
of the apparent powers of concentration required to play the new game, youngsters
were advised by Baldassare Castiglione Libro del Cortegiano (Book of the
Courtier), 1528 to seek out more profitable endeavors.

Around the time of Greco's youth, England's King James I, who was evidently
frustrated with the royal game, revealed: "I thinke it over fond because it is over-
wide and Phiosophicke a folly. For where all such light playes, are ordained to free
mens heads for a time, from the fashious thoughts on their affaires; it by the
contrarie filleth and troubleth mens heads, with as many fashious toyes of the
play, as it was filled with thoughts on his affaires" (Yachnin, p.316).

Ironically, Greco's travels throughout Europe did not include a return to Italy
where the new castling conventions were not yet agreed upon in every community,
notably that a king, once placed in check, could not subsequently castle. The
centers of chess would soon pass to the other locales in Europe that adopted all of
the modern rules. Starting a chess game in Italy would for years require that
competitors first agree on the rules, while elsewhere in Europe, players could
benefit from a consistent approach. Italy, perhaps the most important chess region
in the world, would quickly become its backwater.

Into the Enlightenment

By the late 18th century, with a growing leisure class, interest in chess was exploding
throughout Europe. A game that had been dominated by kings and princes was
now the rage, especially in French and English coffee houses. And, in the restless
age of the enlightenment, ambitious common men could aspire to excel at chess,
and they had Greco largely to thank.

21
 Sacking the Citadel

Like many artists whose work becomes celebrated only after their death, Greco's
legacy became apparent only decades and centuries after his life had ended. The
first English edition of Greco's work appeared in London in 1656 when Francis
Beale published The Royale Game of Chesse-play, Sometimes the recreation of
the late King, with many of the Nobility, Illustrated with almost an hundred
Gambetts, Being the Study of Biochimo the famous Italian, a selection of games
from one of Greco's English manuscripts. This edition by Beale was the most
important chess book written in English to that time, and inspired the poet Richard
Lovelace to pen an epigraph:

Sir, now unraveled is the Golden Fleece:

Men that could only fool at Fox and Geese
Are new made politicians by thy book,
And both can judge and conquer with a look.
The hidden fate of princes you unfold;
Court, clergy, commons, by your law controlled;
Strange, serious wantoning, all that they
Blustered, and cluttered for, you play.

A more usefully compiled and combined edition, "Chess Made Easy, or the Games
ofGioachino Greco, the Calbrain, with additional games and openings, illustrated
with remarks and general rules" appeared in 1750 and thereafter generated 41
editions in French, English, German, Dutch, Danish, and Italian. A facsimile of the
German edition, which was compiled in 1784 by Moses Hirschel, appeared as
recently as 1979. These editions of Greco's treatise on chess play made Greco the
first chess master to supply the masses with complete games that illustrated carefully
honed opening and middlegame strategies.

Greco's games

Most ofthe Greco games that fill these editions contain brilliant combinations and
sacrifices that anticipate remarkably the 19th century's Romantic Age ofAnderssen,
Morphy, and Blackburne. Here, the first recorded smothered mate:

(a)NN-Greco
Giuoco Piano [C50]
Europe 1620

1.e4 e5 2.4)0 4)c6 3.Ac4 Ac5 4.0--0 4)f6 5.13e1 0--0 6.c3 fIe7 7.d4 exd4
8.e5 4)g4 9.cxd4 4) xd4 10.4) xd4 fIh4 1l.4)f3

22
 The Life & Times of Giaocchino Greco

8
7
6
5
4
3
2

abc d e f g h

11 ... ~xf2+ 12.\fIhl ~gl+ 13.{)xgl {)f2# 0-1

(b) Greco - NN
Europe 1620
Sicilian Defense [B20]

l.e4 c5 2.b4 cxb4 3.d4 e6 4.a3 bxa3 5.c4 11,b4+ 6.11,d2 11,xd2+ 7. ~xd2 d5
8.e5 dxc4 9.11,xc4 {)c610.{)e2 {)ge711.laxa3 0-012.0-0 {)f513.lad3 a6
14.f4 b515.J1.b3 a5 16.g4 {)h617.h3 a418..1lc2 b419.f5 exf5 20.g5 b3
21.Jl.dl ~a5 22. ~f4 ~b5 23.lag3 11,d7 24.gxh6 g6 25. ~g5 f6 26.exf6laf7
27.{)f4 {) xd4 28.{) xg6 {)e6

8
7
6
5
4
3
2

abc d e f g h

29.{)e7+ \fIh8 30.~g7+ {)xg7 31.fxg7+ laxg7 32.hxg7# 1-0

23
 Sacking the Citadel

(c) Greco Composition 1623

Black to move and draw

8
7
6
5
4
3
2

abc d e f g h

1...~a1+ 2.~f1 ~xf1+ 3.~xf1 Ah3 4.~f2 Axg2 when White, unable to
control the h8-queening square, cannot force the h-pawn home. VI-VI

More than simply learning the rules, seventeenth century readers might discern
from these complete games appropriate lines of opening play and even middlegame
strategies. Here were also magnificent finishes, with breathtaking queen sacrifices,
king walks, and checkmates. Perhaps, Greco found that placing such ideas and
games in his manuscript would boost his immediate standing and his financial
support, but there is no doubt that the games had a powerful impact on the 17th-
and 18th-century public.

There is considerable debate among the chess historians regarding whether these
were real games or composed variations. None of his opponents' names are
recorded, for example, and many seem simply to be interesting variations chosen
for their appeal rather than complete games. For most players, the discussion is
unimportant because there is no debate about the lasting effect of these editions,
revelation of the enchanting possibilities of chess to a public hungry for such
knowledge. And so, the 1750 English edition promised, as a subtitle, "The whole,
so contrived, that any person may learn to play in a few Days without any farther
Assistance. "

Losing no opportunity to appeal to the common man, the edition also contains a
clever frontispiece, an image by C. D. Moor that represents an older man and
young boy sitting and playing chess, with a man overlooking them holding a glass
of wine. Note also the guitar hanging upon the wall, and the cloth and furniture
representative of common usage in the 16th century. Having risen from humble
and uneducated roots, Greco had emerged long after death as an educator of the
masses, a true Renaissance man in the age of the Enlightenment.

24
The Classic Bishop Sacrifice

Part II: Theory

C H E S S
Made Eafy:
OR, THE

GAM E S
OF
GIOAClllNO GRECO,
The CALAIlRJAN;
With Additional
GAMES and OPEN1NGS,
llluJ\.nteJ with
RemarkJ and Gmeral Rilles.
The Whole fo contrived. thr.t 11")' Per
{on may leam to play in. kIV Days,
witho.t any fartb" :\ai~nre

LONDO
Printed {(It J 3114 P«K)'APT.'
Jlmt, and W £.\111)' \" 1111
MtlC, t.

25
 Sacking the Citadel
Chapter 2
"On Attacking the Castled King"
In his 1000 Best Short Games o/Chess,
Irving Chernev's coverage of Greco's
1620 sacrifice was especially notable for
its mention of Erwin Voellmy's
taxonomy. Without that mention,
subsequent writers might well have
failed to credit Voellmy with his fine
achievement.
In 1911, Dr. Erwin Voellmy (1886-1951)
was the first chess player to attempt to
construct a functional taxonomy or
classification of Greco's sacrifice.
Voellmy taught mathematics, authored
several chess books, notably Die
An/angsgriinde des Schachspiels,
(Basel: H Majer) 1927 and Schachtaktic
(in three volumes) (Basel: H.Majer)
1928, and for 40 years contributed a
chess column in Basler Nachrichten, a
German-language daily newspaper
published in Basel, Switzerland. He won
the Swiss chess championship in 1911,
1920, and 1922 and represented
Switzerland in the first three chess
Olympiads. Undoubtedly his most
notable chess achievement was a
shared first with Alexander Alekhine at
Bern 1932. Unfortunately, I have found
no record of a Voellmy game using the
Greco sacrifice.
His 1911 article in Schweizerischen
Schachzeitung, the Swiss Chess
Review, "Vom Rochadeangriff: Ein
Beitrag zur Theorie des Mittelspiels"
26
Erwin Voellmy
(On Attacking the Castled King), was
the first to examine the conditions that
must exist for the Greco sacrifice to
succeed. Voellmy's first attempt leaves
useful principles, the basis for every
future taxonomy. Voellmy's efforts fall
well short of a comprehensive
classification, but given the material
and tools available to him in 1911, he
certainly provides a remarkably firm
foundation.
Voellmy adds annotated games at the
end of each part of his two-part article.
Finding the games in 1911 without the
help of a database was itself an
impressive achievement. The 13 games
he provides are especially useful because
seven of them do not appear in the
ChessBase's large Mega database.
Three of the 13 games that Voellmy
includes are entertaining but strangely
are not Greco Sacrifices. All three
involve bishop sacrifices onh7, but are
not followed at any point by a
subsequent knight check on g5 or any
 "On Attacking the Castled King"
of the themes that Voellmy discusses.
One of the games is simply an
instructive but concocted variation of
the French Defense, provided below.
The remaining nine Greco sacrifices are
discussed in chapter 6 as games 7, 8,
12,17,21,22,23,36,and38.
I review his efforts at classification in
detail because his article is very difficult
to locate, because many readers may
not be able to read or translate
effectively Voellmy's original German
text, and because the following findings
are useful for what follows.
Voellmy begins his essay by
emphasizing that the Greco Sacrifice is
marked first and foremost by the bishop
capture on h 7. A successful subsequent
attack, he continues, requires a
combination of factors such as better
development, superior control of space,
and the displacement of key defending
pieces. When these factors are present,
the defending side can be exposed to a
ferocious assault. These observations
are generalized fore bearers of the
observations put forth in 1959 by
Vladimir Vukovic (see chapter 4).
In his second paragraph, Voellmy
presents basic and sound strategy for
the ~g8 line. In the following diagram,
when the queen arrives on h5, it
threatens checkmate on h 7 but also
brings influence over the f7-square. It
often proves to be impossible to defend
against both attacks. In this fragment,
we can presume that the black queen
cannot defend safely with ~d8-d3.
Therefore, to create a safety square for
the king, the 1:!f8 must often leave f8, in
this case to e8, giving the white queen
the choice of capturing either the f-pawn
or the h-pawn. Voellmy uses the
27
following diagram fragment to illustrate
that it is often best to capture first on f7
rather than on h7. In this fragment, it's
mate in five if Black defends with
1...1:!e8, but only if White continues
correctly with 2.i!ltxf7, setting up the
checkmate by removing the black f-
pawn. For implementations of the
checkmate that Voellmy might well have
seen, see games 6,14,22,32,36 and 39.
VoeUmy's fragment
Mate in five moves after 1...1:!e8
1 ... §e8 2. ~xf7+ 2.~h7+ <M8 3.~h8+
~e7 4.~xg7 2 •.• ~h8 3.~hS+ ~g8
4.~h7+ ~f8 S.~h8+ ~e7
6.~xg7.
Voellmy draws useful principles from
the above example.
(1) For the sacrifice to succeed, Black's
h7-square must be protected only by
the king. The normal 4Jf6 defender has
left or been driven off, customarily by
e4-e5 advance. And the defender will
not have control over the bl-h7
diagonal or be able to play ~c8-f5
owing to the closed nature of the pawn
structure with a black pawn on e6, a
structure common in several openings,
notably the Queen's Gambit and the
French Defense. In such openings,
White often advances the e-pawn to
e5, driving off the 4Jf6 to d7.
Note that Voellmy does not mention the
possibility of maneuvering the black
 Sacking the Citadel
queen onto the b1-h7 diagonal, a theme
that will occur regularly in later chapters.
It is also odd that the fragment does
not include a black pawn on e6, a
customary feature whose absence will
often result in a successful defense with
J1cS-f5.
(2) For checkmate to occur after the
~h7-gS retreat, the d6 and dS escape
squares must be occupied or controlled,
and the attacking queen must be able
to capture safely on f7 once the ~fS
moves away. Therefore, there must be
no .£\g6 or ~d7. The defender must not
be able to distract the attack with a
successful counter-attack on the
attacking king or queen. If Black retains
a knight on e7, White should play
ii1txh 7 + rather than ~xf7.
As we will see later in some detail, Voellmy
is substantially correct in these
observations but lacking in the detail that
generations of future chess now allow.
It is remarkable, given the lack of any
supporting games or examples, that
Voellmy recognized that Black might
have a successful counter-attack.
Although he acknowledges its
importance, Voellmy gave no example
of why a black knight on e7 significantly
changes the analysis.
Ifthese criteria are set for the ~gSline,
continues Voellmy, the only hope for
the defender will lie in the advance of
the king to g6.
(3) In the line with ... ~g6, White should
seek to play 1.ii1td3+ f5 2.~g3 or 1.ii1tg4
f5 2.ii1tg3 when the discovered check
by the knight will have at least two
threats: .£\e6+ winning the queen (which
28
often rests on d8 or c7) or other
significant material, and ii1txg7 +. In order
for White's attack in this line to
succeed, Voellmy emphasizes that Black
must not be able to force the white
queen off the g-file.
Voellmy draws no distinction whatever
between the two variations (1.~d3 and
1. ii1tg4) and offers no other possibilities
for White or Black in the ~g6 line.
There's no hint, for example, ofh4-h5
as a main line, of the effect of Black's
.. .£7-f5, or the complexities of White's
en passant capture on f6.
Voellmy expressed surprise that it was
hard to find an example to illustrate
adequately his points about the ~g6
line. "Examples with a straight forward
character are far more rare than one
would think." He therefore offered the
following example, an interesting line in
the Steinitz variation of the French
Defensem[Cll].
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3 ..£le3 .£lf6 4.e5
.£lfd7 5.f4 e5 6.dxe5 .£le6 7 ..£lf3
Axe5 8.Ad3 O-O? (S .. .f6 Probably
best, challenging the center)
abc d e f g h
9.Axh7+!? 9.a3!? 9 •.. <it>xh/lO..£lg5+
<it>g6! 10 ... ~h6? 11.~d3! with the idea
of ~h7# (11.~g4+) 11...~hS
 "On Attacking the Castled King"
12.<£lxf7++- (12.f5+-). The 'it'gBline
involves the usual mate in two,
10 ...'it'gB? 1 I.~h5 §eBl2.~xf7+ ~hB
13.~h5+ ~gB14.~h7+ 'it'fB15:~hB+
~e7 16.~xg7#; 1O ... ~hB?? 1I.~h5+
~gB 12.~h7#. 1l.~d3+ Voellmy
misses an opportunity to discuss
1I.h4!? and to point out one of the in-
teresting differences between ~d3 and
~g4. After 1I.~d3 f5, White gains the
option to play 12.<£lxe6. The most chal-
lenging try is 1 I.h4!? f5 12.<£lxe6 ~a5
when White, with promising moves
such as ltd2, g4, ~xd5, and even h5
has a tangible advantage. 1l •.. f5
12. ~g3 Not 12.exf6+? ~xf613.<£lh7+
~f7 14.<£lxfB <£lxfB'I=; or 12.<£lxe6 ~a5
13.<£lxfB+ <£lxf814.ltd2 <£lb415.~g3+
~h7=. 12 •.• ~e8 The only move given
byVoellmy, but 12 ... ~a5! 13.ltd2 ~b4
14.<£lxe6+ 'it'f7 15.<£lxfB <£lxf8=.
13.~xe6+ ~f7 14.~c7 ~d8+-
15.e6+ "with material advantage," ac-
cording to Voellmy, but Black can gain
equality. Far better is 15.<£lxaB! +-.
15... ~g816.exd7 ~xc717.dxc8~
~xc8=
The second part of the article, published
in December 1911, looked at Greco
Sacrifice lines in which White has
already played h4. Accompanied by
games 8, 12, 17, and 23 (and a non-Greco
game, Pillsbury-Hanham, 1893), Voellmy
29
makes only three brief observations in
a single paragraph.
First, the h4-pawn is often required to
support the knight's movement to g5.
Second, capturing the knight on g5 will
usually activate the White rook on hI.
And third, forward movement of the king
to g6 leads frequently to challenging
positions in which the mating attack
can be quite complex.
The few readers with copies of
Voellmy's original articles will observe
that I have written more about Voellmy
than he did about Greco's Sacrifice. I
have done so out of respect and
admiration. His was the first effort to
classify the sacrifice. His efforts are
certainly limited and flawed. He spends
most of his print time on the ~gB line
but never even mentions lines
involving ~h6. There is very little
coverage of lines involving a capture
on g5. And his classification provides
little help in the complex lines and the
many variants that modern chess
reveals. But given the surprising
paucity of the evidence available to him,
Voellmy did remarkably well. He
certainly advanced the conversation
constructively, and he deserves his
place in the history and practice of the
Greco Sacrifice.
 Sacking the Citadel

Chapter 3

The Art of Chess Combination

Eugene Znosko-Borovsky (1884-1954)

was a Russian chess master, writer,
teacher and literary critic. Born in St.
Petersburg, he debuted in international
chess at Ostend 1906, winning the
Brilliancy Prize for his game against
Amos Burn. His chess career was
interrupted repeatedly by military
service. He served in the Russo-
Japanese battles of 1904 and 1905 and
then during World War I. Thereafter, he
settled in Paris.

Znosko-Borovsky most notable chess

result was a first in Paris, 1930 ahead of
Tartakower, Lilienthal, and Mieses.
During his career, he defeated
Capablanca, Rubinstein, Euwe, and
Bogoljubov and beat Colle in a short
match in 1922.
He is well remembered for his widely
selling short book, How Not to Play
Chess, and his contributions to
middlegame theory. It was in his 1936
book, The Art of Chess Combination,
that he devoted fourteen pages to the
Greco Sacrifice. His treatment is more
detailed and far more wide-ranging than
Voellmy's. He sets a somewhat higher
standard for a classification of the
sacrifice by looking in more depth at
two of the main variations.
Writing in 1953, Renaud and Kahn state
that "most people who have studied this
sacrifice have omitted to mention
Eugene Znosko-Borovsky
Voellmy's important essay." Although
the quote suggests that many authors
were guilty of the omission, the existing
literature shows that Renaud and Kahn
were referring only to Znosko-
Borovsky's The Art of Chess
Combination. In my opinion, the failure
to mention Voellmy's obscure articles
does not meaningfully bear upon
Znosko- Borovsky's treatment. It
suggests simply that there may have
been bad blood between the Frenchmen.
Given the obscurity of Voellmy's
taxonomy, Znosko- Borovsky's
treatment was for most chess players
their first overview of the Greco
Sacrifice. Znosko-Borovsky places the
sacrifice within the context of attacks
upon a castled king. While castling is
often played to provide safety to the

30
 The Art of Chess Combination
king, he notes that the reality can be
that the king is left alone in these
positions to protect the pawn cover,
leaving the pawns weaker than they
were prior to castling and the target of
potentially dangerous and appealing
attacks.
Znosko-Borovsky states that White's
assault upon the black king often
involves three pieces, a knight that can
reach g5, a light-square bishop on the
bl-h7 diagonal, and the queen which
can exert additional pressure on h 7 from
the h-file, usually h5 or h4, or from
along the bl-h7 diagonal. The sacrifice
is often needed because playing 4Jg5
first would permit Black in many
instances to repel the attack against the
h7-square by playing ... g6 or ... h6.
Znosko-Borovsky later adds that, for
the sacrifice to succeed, it is necessary
to drive off the defending 4Jf6 usually
and most effectively with the e5-pawn
advance but, depending upon
circumstances, with a ~g5xf6 capture
or with 4Jg4 or 4Je4, though White must
preserve at least one knight to follow
the sacrifice with 4Jg5+. The proceeding
observations and conclusions are
unobjectionable.
Znosko-Borovsky then suggests: "this
triple force (the bishop, knight, and
queen) is normally sufficient to assure
the success of the attack." This simple-
sounding principle may have seemed
useful to early chess readers but it is
inaccurate and unhelpful. We can
collectively compliment Znosko-
Borovsky for attempting to provide the
first generalized advice, but it is
seriously flawed. As we have already
seen in general terms, additional
support beyond the three pieces is
31
almost always required for the sacrifice
to succeed in all variations.
In the \t>g8 line, Znosko-Borovsky
correctly observes that the 4Jg5 and
~h5 are usually sufficient with their
combined attack on h7 and f7. Like
Voellmy, he adds that the attack is called
into question ifthe defender can defend
the f7 pawn with a piece other than the
Elf8.
In the \t>g6 line, Znosko-Borovsky
becomes the first commentator to
distinguish between the ~d3+ and
ittg4, but here too his conclusions are
simplistic and misleading. We shall later
observe that there are conditions under
which each move can be superior.
Znosko-Borovsky concludes his
introductory remarks instead that the
check along the diagonal seldom leads
to gain because the 4Jg5 is often en
prise and because Black can parry the
attack in several ways, notably with f7-
f5. He therefore recommends ~g4,
when White, even after .. .f5 ~g3 .. .f4
ittg4, gains the immediate threat of a
powerful discovered check that often
will net a queen, a rook or a powerful
double attack upon the g7 pawn. In the
main, these observations are inaccurate
and unhelpful.
Znosko-Borovsky suggests that even
the capture of the ElfS in the \tlg6 line
provides adequate compensation, a
finding that is very often inaccurate. He
concludes that "When none of these
threats is realizable, the combination is
doomed to failure; but it is rarely that
discovered checks are innocuous."
Again, his conclusions are simplistic,
even in the first main example that he
reviews. As we shall see, the \tlg6 is
 Sacking the Citadel
often the most complex of the lines, but
there are other possibilities for White
in this line beyond the choice of ~d3
and ~g4. It is often useful to use the
continuing threat of the discovered
check to bring in reinforcements, but
there are also many positions in which
the discovered checks are indeed,
remarkably innocuous.
Yates - Marin, 1930
Rather than use Greco's discovery from
1620, Znosko-Borovsky starts his
discussion of specific examples with
Yates-Marin, 1930 (see game #64), a
strange choice because the position in
that game at the time of the sacrifice
involves a white queen on g4 rather
than on dl. After the acceptance of the
sacrifice, White's best continuation is
not the usual 2 ..£lgS but rather the more
powerful and unthematic 2.~hS+!
forcing the black king back to g8 and
obviating even the possibility of the
other variations.
Znosko-Borovsky suggests that this
first example "Shows the matter very
simply," because all three pieces, the
bishop, knight, and queen are present,
because the black king defends the h7-
pawn by itself, and because there is no
black knight on f6 to prevent the
combination from succeeding. But in
tenns of pedagogy, the use of the Yates
-Marin game is a poor choice. Its
sacrifice involves only the single
variation, it involves an inversion of the
usual attacking move order, and does
nothing to show off even the possibility
of~g6, ~h6, ~h8, or a capture ofthe
.£lgS. Given the queen's placement and
its quick access to h5, the game barely
meets my definition of a Greco Sacrifice.
32
There were certainly far more instructive
games at Znosko-Borovsky's disposal.
Colle-O'Hanlon, 1930
Znosko-Brorovsky switches abruptly
from a simplistic, unhelpful example to
one that is unarguably the most complex
Greco Sacrifice at his disposal, Colle-
D'Hanlon, from 1930 (see game #62).
Here too, he notes that the three pieces
are appropriately posted for the sacrifice
and the white ~c1 assists the attack by
guarding the .£lgS.
He emphasizes from the start that the
black kingside is insufficiently defended
and yet we know from even a casual
glance at Black's position that the
previous movement of the black rook
to e8 (creating the flight square to f8)
and the absence of a white pawn on e5
controlling the key f6-square should
cause at least some pause in drawing
optimistic conclusions. Without the
need to create a flight square for the
king in the 'it>g8 line by moving the rook
from fB-e8, Black can use that move to
bring a piece to f6 or to defend the f7
square laterally, with a queen on f6, or
with a knight on eS.
Although he provides no analysis
whatsoever, he concludes that careful
analysis demonstrates that White wins
in all lines.
"We see the valuable lesson for White
that in such a case the sacrifice may be
made without hesitation and for Black
that he must foresee the sacrifice and
parry the menace. In the present
position, Black's previous move was
cxd4, a grave blunder, for a defending
 The Art of Chess Combination
move such as 4Jf6 would have removed
all danger."
There are numerous errors and
distortions in this quotation. There are
world-class players who are willing to
rely primarily upon intuition, at least in
simultaneous exhibitions, but the
sacrifice in the Colle game was so
remarkably complex that at least some
preparatory analysis was advisable. In
the actual game, Black crumbled under
the defensive chore, a common
occurrence as we will see throughout
the games, but few players would want
to bank regularly on their opponents'
future errors. 4Jf6 would have
prevented the sacrifice, but its absence
cannot be reasonably faulted given the
ultimate unsoundness of Colle's move.
Finally, Znosko-Borovsky's failure to
offer any analysis of this amazing game,
and his overarching desire simply to
draw intuitive conclusions, seem to me
to brand his treatment as intellectually
lazy and pedagogically unhelpful. These
are, for me, strong conclusions, but as
we shall see, not as strong as the
conclusions that Vukovic reached.
To further the embarrassment, Znosko-
Borovsky asserts that success is easy
against the ~g8 retreat owing to the
double threat against the undefended
h7- and f7-squares when the knight
reaches g5 and the queen reaches h5.
As we will see in the analysis of the
game, Black's best hope rests precisely
in this challenging line. There are
perpetual checks to be had and Black
may obtain drawing if not winning
chances when able to run the king to
the queenside.
Throughout his entire chapter on the
Greco Sacrifice, Znosko-Borovsky has
only two mentions of the ~h6Iine, that
33
Black is lost whenever the king goes
there, without emphasizing the key role
of White's dark-square bishop and
whether Black can successfully play
... §'h8. As we will see, there are many
positions in which ~h6 comes into
consideration because the dark-square
bishop has been traded or is off the c1-
h6 diagonal.
His most useful observations in the
Colle game come in the ~g6Iine, in no
small part because that line represents
a convincing win for White. Although
he began the chapter by emphasizing
the importance of following ~g6 with
~g4, this queen sortie does not
succeed in the Colle game because Black
can play 4Jf6 or f5 and the white queen
cannot successfully retreat to g3. "We
see then that this attack is only possible
when the g3-square is neither blocked
nor attacked."
Znosko-Borovsky's final generalization
that "generally the king's flight to g6 is
not advisable, for there he is too
exposed to attacks" is simply unhelpful.
There are, as we will see, many times
when '<!tg6 represents the defender's
best or only shot at surviving (or
winning). Given Black's control over g4
and g3, White's attack in the Colle-
o 'Hanlon game succeeds only with h4-
h5. The attack there in the ~g6 line
works, Znosko-Borowski correctly
points out, because the h5 threat is
accompanied by another threat, iii'd3,
and because Black cannot successfully
defend with 4Jf6 owing to iii'd3+ and
4Jxf7.
Alekhine - Asgiersson, 1931
He uses this game, our Game #65, to
note an additional role for white h-pawn,
not simply as support for the 4Jg5 and
 Sacking the Citadel
to threaten h5+ as in Colle-O'Hanlon,
but to respond to the capture of the
knight by a ~e7 with the h-pawn and
using the opening of the h-file to fuel
the attack and "to justify the original
sacrifice." These are useful
observations, but they are again spoiled
by Znosko-Borovsky's lethargic lack of
analysis:
"It is impossible to analyze all the
variations here, or even the principal
one, comprising as it does no less than
19 moves. It is plain, too, that White
could not imagine all of the tactical
combinations which sprang out of the
main combination. The essential point
is to have so favorable a position that
without a clear vision of the result a
bold sacrifice is justified ... In our
example, the bishop sacrifice is justified
because the essential conditions which
we have laid down are fulfilled. There is
nothing to fear."
Mason - Fritz, 1883
Znosko-Borovsky redeems himself
somewhat by comparing two nearly
identical positions from Alekhine-
Asgiersson, 1931 and Mason-Fritz
(Game #12):
8 Il!lli!~§~"..!~I.i.•
7
6
5
4 ~xg5 when "the attack is repulsed," but
3 he overlooks a much stronger, winning
2 plan, 13 ..£Je2! with the idea of .£Jf4 and
abc d e f g h
34
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
There is enormous pedagogical power
in comparing variations from very
similar positions. In these two games,
White's position is identical. In
Alekhine-Asgiersson in the first
diagram, Black has played t!e8 and c5,
while in Mason Fritz, Black chose a
queenside fianchetto that leaves the
rook on f8.
Znosko-Borovsky correctly observes
that the rook on f8 hurts the defense
because 'it'g8 is no longer a viable
option. The black king must therefore
migrate forward to g6, "which as we
know," suggests Znosko-Borovsky,
"leads to disaster." The verdict, of
course, is correct, but the reliance on
generalizations rather than some
analysis leaves much to be desired.
Mason-Fritz is one of the few games in
which Znosko-Borovsky offers an
opinion based on calculation. He
suggests that, after 'it'g6, White cannot
play 12.~g4 owing to ~xg5, 13.hxg5
~h5.
 The Art of Chess Combination
Capablanca-Molina, 1911
After looking at three games, Marshall-
Bum (Paris, 1900), Capablanca-Becker
(Carlsbad, 1929), and lanowski-Chajes
(New York, 1916) in which Black
prevents a possible Greco Sacrifice by
compromising each kingside with f-, g-,
and h-pawn advances, Znosko-
Borovsky concludes with a discussion
ofCapablanca-Molina (Game # 42). He
correctly notes that the 'ittgB line loses
quickly owing to blocking of the king's
escape by the ~fB. In the 'ittg6 line,
Black's only hope, White's i£1g4, is not
decisive, he adds, because the queen
cannot safely remain on the g-file after
14.i£1g4 f5 15.i£1g3 f4! 16.exf4 4Jf5
17.i£1g4 4Jh6 with a perpetual.
Not content with the verdict of a forced
draw, having already suggests that the
'it>g6 line is inherently too dangerous
to consider, Znosko-Borovsky attempts
35
to demonstrate that White does indeed
have significant winning chances with
16.i£1g4 e5 17.4Je6+ (a powerful
discovered check, but the knight is self-
pinned!) 17 ... 'it>fB IB.~adl (lB.4JxdB
Axg4) IB ... i£1eB19.i£1d6 "with manifold
threats," but Black wins trivially there
with 19 ... 4Jxe6. Along the way, Znosko-
Borovsky also misses an easier win for
Black with IB ... Axe6! 19.i£1h4+ g5
20.i£1h6 4Jg6 21.~xdB ~axdB-+.
I have no meaningful knowledge about
the machinations among the French
chessplayers of the 1930s, but I cannot
help but wonder whether Renaud and
Kahn, in expressing consternation over
Znosko-Borovsky's failure to cite
Voellmy's work, may rather have been
using that complaint as a substitute for
the kind of criticism that The Art of
Chess Combination, or at least his
coverage of the Greco Sacrifice, appears
to deserve.
 Sacking the Citadel
Chapter 4
The Art of Attack
Vladimir Vukovic (1898-1975), a Croatian
chess player and writer, obtained his
international master title in 1922,
represented Yugoslavia on second
board at the first Chess Olympiad in
London in 1927, and for decades edited
8ahovski Glasnik, the official chess
magazine of the Yugoslavian chess
federation.
Vukovic is best remembered for The Art
ofAttack in Chess. Published originally
in Croatian in 1959 and soon thereafter
translated into English, the volume
became an instant classic, appearing in
most masters' lists of the top ten chess
books. Having read the general
considerations contained in VukoviC's
third chapter, "On castling and
attacking the castled position in
general," one amateur on the web
lamented, "I will never castle again."
Aware of both Voellmy's and Znosko-
Borovsky's work, Vukovic significantly
expanded our understanding of the
conditions required for Greco's Sacrifice
to succeed. Vukovic correctly logged
the most common attributes of the
sacrifice and helped to guide
generations of chess players to pursue
the sacrifice intuitively and correctly. In
evaluating VukoviC's work, I have relied
upon the modem 1993 edition because
it contains a preface and editorial notes
and corrections by grandmaster John
Nunn that make the book that much
more valuable.
36
Vladimir Vukovi6
The sixth and seventh chapters of his
book were able to draw upon more
material and helped him to reach
remarkably useful insights. Most
notably, Vukovic postulates that at least
two active supporting pieces (other
than the light-square bishop, the knight
that reaches g5, and the white queen)
are required for the Greco Sacrifice to
succeed.
Although new technologies, more
games, and the test of time have
permitted me to draw more detailed
conclusions in my fifth chapter, there
is no doubt that Vukovic deserves
enormous praise for this observation
which appears to be substantially
correct. He uses this observation to
estimate intuitively that Colle's 1930
effort must be unsound, but he
mysteriously fails to apply that same
intuitive grasp to Kottnauer-Kotov,
1946. In that game, the attacking side
does not have at least two additional
assets, and indeed the sacrifice is
flawed, but Vukovic incorrectly
concludes that the sacrifice is sound.
 The Art of Attack
Like the other annotators of the period,
Vukovic did not have a computer to test
his findings. The result is that errors do
infiltrate the analysis in the book, in no
small part because Vukovic admirably
attempts to analyze the positions in
substantial depth. Readers of his work
will gain a significant intuitive feel for
when the sacrifice works, and I must
acknowledge that his analytical errors
do not significantly detract from the
worth of his effort.
To his credit, Vukovic begins with a
summary of Greco's 1620 game that
involves the sacrifice (game #1). With
an obvious interest in sound pedagogy,
he then presents a series of composed
situations to illustrate the main
concepts.
His first diagram is unlikely to occur in
real life because, as in the game score I
have created, Black has to lose a tempo
with ... c6 and ... c5 to reach it.
(a) Vukovic, page 122
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.{)c3 {)f6 4.e5
{)fd7 5.{)f3 Ab4 6.a3 j'txc3+
7.bxc3 c6 8.j'td3 c5 9.0-0 cxd4
10.cxd4 {)c61l.c3 0-()
8 17 ... ~h6 18.~h7# 18.'~f3+ 'it'e7
7 18... ~g619.~f7+ ~h6 20.4:Jxe6+ Elg5
6 (20 ... ~h7 21.~xg7#) 21.~xg7+ ~h5
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
37
The sacrifice is indeed sound here, as
White has enormous advantages in this
position, including the secure e5-pawn
and the dark-square bishop as
additional assets. The e5-pawn has
driven off the 4:Jf6, the dark square
bishop itself discourages the ~h6 line,
and the e6-pawn and Black's poor
development prevents Black from
gaining control over the bl-h7 diagonal.
Here, the ~g8 line results in the
instructional mate in five. The ~h6line
permits devastating discovered checks
on e6 or f7, but Vukovic, committed to
pedagogy, remarks that the discovered
check succeeds because Black's queen
is within easy reach on d8. Were the
black queen on a5, for example, White
would win with the ~g4-h4 maneuver.
The most interesting line is the ~g6
line. Vukovic correctly notes that h4
with the idea ofh5 is often the strongest
idea, at that time a new addition to the
writing about the line.
12.Axh7+ 'it'xh7 13.{)g5+ 'it'g6
13 ... ~h614.4:Jxe6+; 13 ... ~g814.~h5
Ele8 15.~xf7+ ~h8 16:i*h5+ ~g8
17.~h7+~f818.~h8+~e719.~xg7#
14.h4 .§h815.h5+ .§xh516..~d3+
f516 ... ~h617.~h7# 17.exf6+ 'it'xf6
22.~h7+ ~g4 23.~h3# 19"~xh5+-
Vukovic uses this example to introduce
important pedagogical ideas and to
pose the question: how to judge the
correctness of the sacrifice. What are
the necessary conditions in the white
and black positions required for the
classic bishop sacrifice?
 Sacking the Citadel
Ovemll:
• The sacrifice involves three
main lines ...'ittg8, ... 'itth6, and
... 'ittg6;
• All three variations must be
sound for the sacrifice to be
sound. If any contain a
loophole, the combination
"falls to the ground."
For White:
• White must have a queen, a
knight, and a bishop;
• The White bishop must attack
h 7 "to force the tempo of the
attack";
• It is not essential that the
attack be check (worth
mentioning, though the
database contains only 18
games in which the sacrifice
commences without check by
the bishop);
• It is not essential that Ah7
capture a pawn. (here, I found
no such examples);
• A knight must be able to be
within easy, safe reach of the
g5-square;
• The queen must have access
to h5 ... though in some cases
enough to be able to get to the
h-file.
For Black:
• Black will customarily have
pawns on fl, g7, and h7;
• There will be a bishop rather
than a pawn on g7 on rare
occasions;
• The presence of the ~d8 and
~f8 points to but does not
assure the correctness of the
sacrifice;
38
• It is more important that no
black knight should be able to
reach f6 and that neither the
bishop nor queen should be
able to reach the bl-h7
diagonal.
For the attack to succeed:
• The defender should not be
able to decline the sacrifice
(here, I have found only a
single example);
• The arrangement of the Black
pieces should not deviate
greatly from the normal (a dis-
appointing conclusion, as the
games in chapter 6 make abun-
dantly clear);
• White, in addition to the
bishop, queen, and knight,
must have at least two other
supporting pieces for the at-
tack to succeed. The two most
common members ofthis sup-
porting cast are the e5-pawn
and the dark-square bishop
(as we will see, this asset com-
bination is actually the second
most common pair), but many
other combinations are also
possible involving the queen's
knight and an active rook on
the e-file or occasionally, on
an open f-file.
The final point just above is, without
question, Vukovic's most important
contribution to the taxonomy. He
arranges the additional assets into fine
categories, distinguishing for example,
the specific location of the dark-square
bishop on cl or f4. There- are a few
missing possibilities as I point out in
chapter 5, but his main point is clear,
 The Art of Attack

and correct. It is, as he suggests, a 6.4Je4+ ~e7 7.AgS+ +-; 4 ... 4Jb8
simple, practical criterion for the S:~h7 ~e7 6:ffxg7 ~e8 7.4Jh7 4Jd7
sacrifice and away for both attacker and 8.§xe6++-] S.~h4+- )3 ... §h84.~d3+
defender to get their approximate (4.hS+ §xhS S.~d3+ fS; and not4.~g4
bearings. when Black can force the queen off the
g-file with ... 4Jf6-hS and ... fS) 4 .. .fS
To explore these findings, and to S.~g3 ~g8 (S ... ~f6 6.§xe6#)
illustrate the importance of each of the 6.4Jxe6+ ~f7 (6 ... ~h7 7.hS +-)
three main variations, Vukovic turns 7.4JgS+ ~g6 (7 ... ~f8 8.Ad6#; 7 ... ~f6
next to eight additional composed 8.§e6++-) 8.hS+ §xhS 9.§e8 ~xe8
positions. lO.4Je6+ ~f7 1l.~xg7+ ~xe6
12.§el ++-. 3.'lth5 ~f64.'lth4~e8
(b) Vukovic, page 124 4 ... g6 S.~h6 with AeS and §e3-h3;
4... eS! (Vukovic fails to mention Black's
8 best defense, which succeeds in getting
7 the Ac8-fS) S.dxeS AfS 6.exf6 ~xf6
6 preventing the mate and halting White's
5
attack, but Black remains a clear pawn
down. 5.-'le5 'lte7 S... Ac7 6.§e3 +-
4
6.~e3+-
3
2
(c) Vukovic, page 125

abcdefgh 8
7
In this composed position, White has 6
two additional assets, the dark-square
5
bishop on f4 and the active §el.
4
Vukovic created this position to
3
illustrate the ~g8 line, in which White
2
must compensate for the lack of control
over f6 by seizing control over eS with
the bishop and then swinging the §el abc d e f g h
to h3. The '<t'g6 line is more difficult
than Vukovic suggests. His White has additional assets in the dark-
recommendation permits Black to equalize square bishop, the strongly defended
quickly. Once again, 3.h4 is the key. eS-pawn, and the active §el. Vukovic
uses this creation to illustrate the
1.-'lxh7+ \fIxh7 2.~g5+ \figS! importance in the ~g8 line of keeping
2 ... ~h6? 3.4Jxf7+; 2 ... ~g6 3.h4 the black bishop offfS. White therefore
(3.i{yd3+ '<t'f6 [3 .. .fS 4.i{yg3+-] 4:'~h3 continues with 3.~e4+ continuing to
[4.i{ye4 recommended by Vukovic, the h-file only after 3 .. .fS.
since White threatens 4Jh7+ and 4Jxe6,
and ~e7 falls to i{yxe6, but Black has 1.-'lxh7+ l.AgS ~d7 2.~e4 g6
4 ... g6!=.] 4... i{ye8 [4 ... g6 S:~h7 i{ye8 3.Axa6 1. •• \fIxh7 2.~g5+ \figS

39
 Sacking the Citadel
2 ... 'it'g6 3.iJ'e4+ f5 (3 ....M5 4.iJ'h4+-)
4.iJ'h4+- 3.'~e413.~h5ili5-+ 3 ...fS
3... g6 4.~h4 +- 4.'~h4 4.exf6 <£\xf6-+
4 •.• Etf7 S.t\'h7+ 5.~h8+ ~xh8
6.<£\xf7+ +-; 5.e6 §f6 (5 ... ~xg5 is the
only way to avoid mate) 6.~h7+ ~f8
7.e7+ ~xe7 8.~h8#. S... <i!»fS 6.e6+-
(d) Vukovic, page 125
8
7
6
5 these not simply to illustrate some of
4 the interest variations in the 'it'g8 line,
3 but also to suggest how such positions
2 can be sensitive to even small changes.
abc d e f g h
This is another interesting creation by
Vukovic. It is unclear just how White
managed to exchange the <£\bl for
Black's dark-square bishop. That said,
the exchange is clearly advantageous
for White, who emerges here with the
e5-pawn, the unopposed dark-square
bishop, and the §el. Black has an extra
tempo for the defense with the rook on
e8, but White's position is so strong in
other respects that the attack still
breaks through. In the ~g8 line, Black
cannot effectively defend the f7-square.
And in the ~g6Iine, ~d3+ overwhelms
instructively.
1.Axh7+ <i!»xh7 2.JilgS+ <i!»gS 2...'it'g6
3. iJ'd3+ (3.h4 also wins, but Black can
delay the mate by playing ~xg5; 3.~g4
f5 4.~g3 ~e7 5.<£\xe6+ is crushing but
does not mate) 3 .. .f5 (3 ... ~h5 4.~h7+
~g4 5.f3#) 4.exf6+ ~xf6 (4 ... 'it'h5
5.~h7+ ~g4 6.f3#) 5.~f3+ ~g6
(5 ... ~e7 6.§xe6#) 6.~f7+ ~h6 7.§e3
40
(7.g4 <£\f6 8.<£\xe6+ ~h7 [8 ... g5
9.itxg5#] 9.~xg7#) 7 ... <£\f6 8.§h3+
<£\h5 9.§xh5#. 3.t\'hS when Black
cannot successfully defend the f7-
pawn. 3 ..• t\'e7 3 ... §e7 4.iJ'h7+ 'it'f8
5.~h8#; 3 .. .f6 4.iJ'h7+ 'it'f8 5.~h8+
~e7 6.iJ'xg7#; 3 ... <£\xe5 4.dxe5 'it1c7
5.§e3 <£\c6 6.§h3 'it'f8 7.<£\h7+ 'it'e7
8.~g5+ ~d7 9.~xf7+ <£\e71O.<£\f8++-.
4.t\'h7+ <i!»fS S.t\'hS#
One might quibble about the use of
compositions rather than existing
games, but Vukovic appears to use
Advance the white h-pawn to h4 in any
of the previous three examples and the
sacrifice, he suggests, no longer
succeeds. Having a pawn on h4 assists
White in the ~g6 line, but it represents
a liability in the ~g8 lines. In examples
(b) and (c), for example, the white queen
will no longer have access to h4. In
example (d), Vukovic adds, the h4-pawn
blocks the white rook's ability to reach
an open h-file in the ~g6 line. True
enough, though in example (d), it's still
a win, a remarkable one in fact.
Vukovic example (d) with an h4-pawn
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
With the pawn on h4, White has to rely
upon the third asset, the §el, to swing
 The Art of Attack
to g3 in the 'ittg8 line. The pawn on h4
can assist White in the 'ittg6 line with
h5+, although it's mate in seven with
3.~d3+.
1..11,xh7+ ~xh7 2.4)g5+ ~g8 2...'ittg6
3. ~d3+ (3.h5+ 'itth6 [3 ... 'ittf5 4:~f3 #]
4.4:lxf7++-) 3.. .f5 (3 ... 'it'h5 4.g4+ 'it'xh4
(a) 4 ... 'ittxg4 5.~f3+ 'ittxh4 6.~h3#; (b)
4 ... 'itth6 5.~h7# [5.4:lxf7#]; 5.~h3#)
4.exf6+ 'it'xf6 (4 ... 'it'h5 5.~h7+ 'ittg4
6.4:lf3 gxf6 7.~g6# [7.4:lh2 #]) 5.ti'f3+
'ittg6 (5 ... 'itte7 6 ..§.xe6#) 6.~f7+ 'itth6
7.4:lxe6+ +- 3:li\'h5 4)f8 4.4) xf7 ~d7
5.~h8+ ~xf7 6 . .§e3 ~e7 7 ..§g3
~d88..§xg7+-
Vukovic turns to the 'ittg6Iine, showing
four compositions in which the 'ittg6line
is critical. Again there are mistakes in
the analysis (which John Nunn surely
should have corrected), but Vukovic
deserves substantial praise for being
the first commentator to attempt an
explanation of when to play h4 and
when to try ~g4. Careful readers will
observe that placing the queen on the
b I-h 7 diagonal, usually with ti'd3+,
deserved to be in this mix of candidate
moves.
(e) Vukovic, page 126
8 4:lxe5 7.dxe5+ 'ittg6 [7 ... 'it'xe5 8.4:lf7+]
7 8.4:lxe6+ 'ittf7 9.4:lxd8+ .§.xd8 1O.e6+
6 Axe6 11. ti'f4+ 'ittg8 12. ~e5 'ittf7
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
41
Another creation that is unlikely to
occur, in this case because Black has
an additional tempo. The extra time is
unhelpful, given that it involves pawn
moves such as a6 and b6. Black has
clearly castled into danger. White has
two assets, the e5-pawn and the dark-
square bishop. The 'it'g8 line is
interesting only because Black has a
knight on e7. White should therefore
capture on h 7 and proceed with ti'h8+,
4:lh7+, and Ag5+. In the key 'it'g6Iine,
i*d3+ is met adequately by 4:lf5, and h4
gives Black a chance to defend with
.§.h8 and ~g8.
1..11,xh7+ ~xh7 2.4)g5+ ~g6 2 ...'it'gB
3.ti'h5 .§.e8 4.ti'h7+ (4.ti'xf7+ Vukovic
questions this move, suggesting that
Black has an adequate defense, but
White also wins here easily after 4 ... 'itth8
5 ..§.ael- idea .§.e3-h3 - [5.~h5+ 'ittg8
6 ..§.ael 4:lf5 7.i*f7+ 'itth8 8.i*g6 'ittg8
9 ..§.e3 +- ] 5 ... cxd4 6.ti'h5+ 'ittg87.Acl!
- with the horrific threat of Aa3 and
i*h7 mating - 7 ... 4:lxe5 8.Aa3+-)
4 ... 'ittf8 5.ti'h8+ 4:lg8 6.4:lh7+ 'it'e7
7.Ag5+ f6 (7 ... 4:lf6 8.ti'xg7 +-; 7 ... 'ittd7
8.Axd8 +- ) 8. ti'xg7 #. 3. ~g4 Vukovic
suggests that 3.~g4 is stronger
because after 3.h4 .§.h8 4.~g4 f5
5.~g3 (5.e xf6 but this capture is
stronger here because 5 ... 'ittxf6 6.Ae5+
13 ..§.fel +-) 5 ... ti'g8 6.dxc5 bxc5
7.4:lxe6+ 'ittf7 8.4:lxc5±; 3.~d3+?! 4:lf5
4.g4 f6 5.gxf5+ exf5 6.exf6 gxf6 7.4:lf3
c4 8.ti'd2 .§.g8 9.'itthl 'it'f7 10 ..§.gl ~.
3 ••. f5 4.~g31 4.exf6 'ittxf6 5 ..§.fel
(5.Ae5+ 4:lxe5 6.dxe5+ 'ittxe5 when the
.§.f8 prevents 4:lf7+) 5 ... g6 6.4:lxe6
Axe6 7.i*xe6+ 'ittg7 8.Ae5+ 'itth7
9.~h3+ 'it'g8 10.~h8+ 'ittf7 11.ti'h7+
 Sacking the Citadel
~e812 ..\.tg3+-. 4 •• .'~eS 5.h4 5.~fe1
cxd4 6.<£lxe6+ ~t7 7.<£lc7 +- 5 ••. ElhS
Black does not have to permit the
following mate in four (5 ... ~g8! 6.h5+
~h6 7.<£lxe6+ ~h7 8.<£lc7 'l!lIxh5
9.<£lxa8 g5 10.'l!l'h2 'l!l'xh2+ 11..\.txh2
cxd4 12.cxd4 <£lxd4 13.<£lxb6+-).
6.{)xe6+ ~f7 7.~xg7+ ~xe6
S.~f6+~d79.~d6#
(0 Vukovic, page 127
abc d e f g h
In this creation, White has two
additional assets, the ~e1 and the dark-
square bishop. Without direct control
over e5, the ~g8 line involves a
lengthier but straight-forward treatment
when the black king reaches d6.
Without the pawn on e5, White must
select 'l!lIg4 here, since h4 gives Black
time to defend with f5 and 'l!l'd3+ simply
permits the black king to escape to f6
and e7.
1 ..1lxh7+ ~xh7 2.{)g5+ ~g6 2...<;t>g8
3.'l!lIh5 ~e8 4.'l!l'xt7+ ~h8 5.'l!l'h5+ ~g8
6.'l!lIh7+ ~f8 7.'l!lIh8+ ~e7 8.~xg7+
~d6 9 ..\.tf4+ <£le5 10.<£lt7++- 3.~g4
3.h4? f5; 3.'l!l'd3+?! ~f6:j: 3 •••f5 3... ~f6
4.'l!l'h4 (a) perhaps the simplest win is
4.<£lxe6 fxe6 (4 ... .\.txe6 5. 'l!l'g5 #)
5 ..\.tg5+; (b) 4.<£le4+ Nunn's
recommendation, and probably the most
accurate move. 4 ... ~e7 5.'l!l'xg7 dxe4
42
6 ..\.tg5+ ~e8 7 ..\.txd8 <£lxd8 8.~ xe4 +- ;
4 ... ~h8 the only move offered by
Vukovic (4 ... ~g6 - Nunn suggests that
White must now repeat the position, but
White is winning easily after 5.'l!lIg3
~f6 6.<£lxe6 fxe6 [6 ... .\.txe6 7.'l!lIg5 #]
7 ..\.tg5++-) 5.'l!l'f4+ ~g6 (5 ... <;t>e7
6.'l!l'xt7+ ~d6 7.~xe6+ .\.txe68.'l!l'xe6#)
6.'l!lIxf7+ ~h6 7.g4 g6 8.<£lxe6+ g5
9.'l!lIh5#. 4.~g3 f4 4 ... ~f6 5.<£lxe6
.\.txe66 ..\.tg5++- 5 ..1lxf4 5.'l!lIg4 'l!lIxg5
5 .•. ~f5 5 ... \t>f6 6.<£lxe6 .>lxe6 7 ..\.tg5+
6.h3 VukoviC's suggestion, which
wins, but better is 6.<£lh7 e5 7 ..\.txe5 +-.
6 •.• ~eS 6 ... <;t>f6 7.<£lxe6 7.{)h7 ~h5
S. ~d3+ ~xf4 9.g3 #
(g) Vukovic, pages 127-8
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Vukovic created this position to explore
a critical ~g6 line, but the <;t>g8 line is
far more challenging here because
Black's queen is already defending the
t7 -pawn. White's additional assets here
are the e5-pawn and the <£ld2, whose
development requires creative
planning. In the ~h6 line, White wins
quickly without the dark-square bishop
simply by playing 'l!lIg4-h4. In the ~g6
line, White wins with the same
maneuver because 'l!lIh7+ leads to a
quick mate. In the 'it'g8 line, White
succeeds slowly by developing the
king's rook and then the queen's knight.
 The Art of Attack

1.1txh7+ ~xh7 2.4)g5+ ~g6 2...'it'h6
3.i£yg4+- Ad7 (3 ... <tIxe5 4.dxe5 i£yxe5
5.<tIdf3 i£yf5 6.i£yh4+ 'it>g6 7.g4+- ~f4
S.<tIh7) 4.i£yh4+ 'it>g6 5.i£yh7+ 'it>xg5
6.f4+ 'it>g4 7.~h3#; 2 ... 'it'gS! 3.~h5
EleS 4.Elfel (Vukovic instead
recommends 4.<tIdf3 <tIdS 5.<tIh4 <tId7?
[5 ... 'it>fS 6.<tIg6+ fxg6 7.i£yhS+ 'it'e7
8.i£yxg7+ <tIf7 9.<tIxf7 'it'd7 IO.<tId6+
Ele7 11.i£yxg6±] 6.i£yh7+ 'it'f8 7.Elael
[7.<tIg6+! fxg6 S.i£yhS+ 'it'e7 9.i£yxg7+
<tIf7 I O. i£yxf7 + 'it'dS Il.<tIxe6+ El xe6
I2.~xe6+- ] 4 ... 'it>f8 5.Ele3 <tIdS 6.Elf3
<tIa4 7.Elbl when White succeeds with
i£yh4 and by bringing in the <tId2 with
b3, bxc4, and <tIe4) . 3.'~g4!3.h4 'it'h6!
3 •.•f5 4. ~h4 Possible because Black's
queen is off d8. White's powerful threat
is 5.i£yh7+ 'it>xg5 with mate in two to
follow. 4 ... 4)xe5 5.dxe5 ~xe5
6.4)df3 ~c7 7.Etael +-
from making meaningful use of the bl-
h7 diagonal. The 'it>h6line is interesting
because, with the queens facing off on
the d-file, White gains the marvelous
<tIxf7+. In the key 'it>g6 line, the threat
of a queen trade requires ~g4, which
wins quickly after f5 because White can
safely retreat the queen to g3 or proceed
more actively with the en passant capture,
when the <tIc3 again enters the position
with force.
1.1txh7+ ~xh7 2.4)g5+ ~g6 2...'it'h6
3.<tIxf7+; 2 ... 'it'gS 3.~h5 ~d3
4.<tIce4 +- using the extra piece to
recapture control over h7. 3. ~g4 3.h4
~xdl 3 ..• f5 4.exf6! 4.~g3 ~eS
5.<tIxe6+ 'it'f7 6.<tIc7 ~c6 7.<tIxaS <tIxaS
S.Elfdl +- 4 .•• ~xf6 4 ... gxf6 5.<tIxe6+
5.4)ce4+ ~e5 5 ... 'it'g6 6.<tIxe6++-
6.f4+ ~d5 7.Etac1 mates most quickly.

(h) Vukovic, page 128 Vukovic created a single example to

illustrate that the 'it>h6 variation can also
8 be critical. One of the curiosities in his
7 book is that, in composing these
examples, Vukovic had the opportunity
6
to create fully sound pedagogy. In the
5
following example, he certainly makes
4
the point at a glance that the 'it'h6 line
3 is especially challenging when White,
2 in this case, does not have a dark-
square bishop and has a pawn on h4
abcdefgh blocking the ~g4-h4 maneuver. As will
soon be clear, he created the right
This final composition for the 'it'g6line impression, but the example itself is
is very similar to Capablanca-Molina ironically flawed. He acknowledges that
(Game 42). In that position, White's e- there is no forced win in the 'it'h6 line,
pawn was on e3. Here, with the <tIc3, it but he assures readers that there is a
represents an important additional promising attack. The line he suggests
asset. In the 'it>gS line, White is able to is unsound, and the best alternative
use the <tIc3 to prevent the black queen offers nothing more than a draw.

43
 Sacking the Citadel

(i)Vukovic, page 129 ... 4Je7. (3.~d2 ~e7 4.4Jxe6+ 'itth7

5.4JxfB+ .§xfB= and Black is better
placed, says Vukovic, but the dynamic
equality here is the best that White can
hope to achieve.) 3 ... ~d7 4. ~d2 4.h5
f5-+ 4 ...g6-+

(j) Vukovic, page 130

Declining the Sacrifice

It is clear that Vukovic aimed to be

abc d e f g h comprehensive in his coverage. He was
the first to mention the notion that ltxh7
In this composition, White has only one could come without check and the first
additional asset, the e5-pawn. In the to mention that there might not even be
~gB line, White has the familiar mate in a pawn on h7. He then became the first
five. In the ~g6line, ~g4 and ~d3 both commentator to mention the possibility
provide White with promising, nearly of declining the sacrifice with ... 'itthB.
winning positions. The ~h6 line is the Normally, if the defender declines the
best choice for Black. VukoviC's sacrifice, the attacking side will simply
suggestion, 3.f4, fails quite rapidly. win a pawn. Says Vukovic: "The
White's best chance in the line is to attacker must therefore consider what
place the queen on the dark squares. will happen ifhis opponent plays ... 'itthB
and does not take the bishop."
1.~xh7+ CjfjIxh7 2.~g5+ CjfjIh6
In the ChessBase database, I have
2 ... ~gB 3.~h5 .§eB 4.~xf7+ ~hB
found a single example in which the
5.~h5+ ~gB 6.~h7+ ~f8 7.~hB+ ~e7
defender declines the sacrifice
B.~xg7#; 2 ... ~g6 and White wins
successfully. I could quibble about
easily, suggests Vukovic, though it is
whether the attacker must consider this
not so easy to work out, even with the possibility, but my real concern is that
pawn already on h4. 3. ~g4 (a) 3. ~d3+ the composed example does not
f5 (3 .. .'itth5 4.~h7+ ~g4 5.f3+ ~g3 actually make the point. Although the
6.4Je4+ dxe4 7.~xg7+ ~f4 [7 ... ~xh4 bishop on h7 appears to be trapped,
8.~g4#] B..§ael+-) 4.exf6+ (4.~g3
White still wins quite easily.
~d7 5.4Jxe6+ ~h7 6.4JxfB+ '§xfB=)
4 ... ~xf6 5 . .§ael ltcB 6 . .§e3 ~e7
7.~g6 ~eB 8.~xg7+ ~d6 9 ..§fel ~e7
lO ..§xe6+ Axe6 11..§xe6+ ~xe6
12.4Jxe6 ~xe6 13.~xc7±; (b) 3.h5+?
~xg5-+; 3 ... ~h6 (3 .. .f5 4.h5+ ~h6
5.4Jf7+ ~h7 6.~g6+ ~gB 7.4JxdB+-)
4.4Jxf7+ .§xf7 5.~xe6+ .§f6 6.exf6
~xf6 7.~xd5 ±). 3.f4 Recommended by
Vukovic as White's best chance to win
but Black has ... ~d7 -+ rather than hi~ abc d e f g h

44
 The Art of Attack
1..1lxh7+ ~h8 2.~g5 ~xdl
3 ..§fxdl g6 And now, according to
Vukovic, with the better prospects,
owing to the threat of '3ilg7 and E1h8,
but White is clearly winning after
4 ..1le3 ~g7 4... E1c8 5.b4 ~g7 6.Axb6
axb6 7.E1d7 ~d5 8.a4 E1c7 9.E1xc7 tzJxc7
10.a5 bxa5 11.E1xa5 f6 l2.exf6+ ~xf6
l3.h4 ~c6l4.E1a7 tzJd5 l5.tzJe4+ '3ile5
l6.tzJc5 5.bxc4 ~xc4 5 ... bxc4 6.E1d4
Ad5 7.E1f4 tzJd7 8.Ad4 '3ilh6 9.Ae3
\ttg7 10.~d4= 6 . .1lc5 .§h8 7 . .§d7
.1ld5 8 •.§xf7+ ~h6 9.f4+-
Vukovic concludes his chapter on the
Greco Sacrifice with an analysis of
several critical games. His ambition is
evident in his selection, unarguable the
most challenging sacrifices at his
disposal. And in selecting these games,
he invites comparison with Znosko-
Borovsky's earlier, shabby treatment.
There are small and large mistakes in
the analysis, but the fact is that Vukovic
provides a powerful sense of the effort
required to master the sacrifice.
Kottnauer-Kotov 1946 (Game 95)
8 additional assets are generally required
7 for the sacrifice to succeed, was right
6 on target.
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
Vukovic uses this game as an example
of a successful sacrifice despite the fact
that the attacking side has only one
additional asset, the dark-square Acl.
The \ttg8line is not trivial owing in large
45
part to the presence of the Ag7 rather
than a pawn. VukoviC's analysis of that
line is complex and correct. He was the
first to discover the importance of
20.Af4! rather than 20.f4.
In the critical '3ilg6 line, however, he
mysteriously abandons the principle
that two additional assets are required
for the sacrifice to succeed. He argues
that White is able to overcome the
normal deficiency because a bishop
rather a pawn rests on g7. As a result,
White gains the important idea of tzJxe6
discovered check and the threat of a
capture on g 7 of a bishop rather than a
pawn. That threat, suggests Vukovic,
gives White the opportunity to bring
up the reserves with E1f1-el.
As it turns out, Vukovic is both right,
and wrong. With only the single
additional asset, the sacrifice does not
work owing to l7 ...'3ilg6 l8.~g4 f5
19.~g3 E1g8!, a move that appears to
have eluded generations of
commentators. His analysis, painstaking
as it was, contained flaws. But his
general insight, that at least two
Capablanca-MoJina, 1911 (Game 41)
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
 Sacking the Citadel
Another ambitious game to annotate,
and here, VukoviC's analysis, with only
one minor flaw, reaches the correct
conclusion, that there is a loophole in
the 'it'g6 variation that Capablanca's
opponent failed to exploit. Vukovic
emphasizes that White has only one
supporting piece, and a weak one at
that, the <£Jc3. Vukovic found Black's
draw with 15 .. .f4, and had only one
unjustified observation in the line with
15 ... 'it'f6 that N unn corrects in the
algebraic edition. A significant
improvement over the coverage by
Znosko-Borowski and an impressive job
byVukovic!
CoUe-O'Hanlon, Nice 1930 (Game 62)
abc d e f g h are required to overcome key positional
Vukovic begins his harsh discussion of
Colle's effort by stating that, while some
have come to name the sacrifice after
Colle in honor of this game, there is no
such justification "as Colle never played
a good game which contained the
sacrifice ... "
"A great lover of the classic sacrifice,
Colle here too is unable to control his
temperamental passion for sacrifice ... "
One may quibble about whether the
game truly deserved the Brilliancy Prize
at Nice, but all readers will be duly
46
impressed by the depth and
sophistication ofthe game's variations.
It is therefore difficult to understand
VukoviC's point of view.
Despite the game's complexities,
Vukovic insists that two of the
variations are unsound, and he uses the
game as an illustration of a sacrifice that
is not correct. Although there are two
supporting assets, the ~el and the
dark-square bishop, Vukovic suggests
that the verdict of an unsound sacrifice
ought to have been immediately
apparent, with the <£Jd7 ready to defend
at f6, the lack ofa pawn on e5, with the
rook on e8 saving a key tempo in the
~g8 line, and with Black unable to
prevent White from occupying the g-
file in the ~g6Iine.
Once again, there are again serious flaws
in VukoviC's analysis, but as I discuss
in chapter 6, I agree that with him that
Colle's sacrifice was ultimately
unsound. And in chapter 5, I build on
what was apparent in Vukovic's thinking
about this game, that additional assets
deficiencies.
The Greco Sacrifice with a pawn on h4
and a rook on the h-file
Vukovic concludes his discussion
about the Greco Sacrifice towards the
end of his next chapter on ranks, files,
and diagonals in the attack on the
castled king.
In these variations, he adds, the pawn
on h4 acts as a support for the <£Jg5. He
provides two games in which the h-file
opens up as part of the attack.
 The Art of Attack
I include here the first of the two,
Steinitz-Galmayo, Havana, 1888 because
the classic Greco Sacrifice did not
actually occur and the actual game,
which involves a knight sacrifice on g5
prior to a .llxh7+ sacrifice, does not
appear in the games section.
(k) Steinitz-Golmayo Zupide
French Defense [C 11]
Havana 1888
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.4)c3 4)f6 4.e5
4)fd7 5.f4 c5 6.dxc5 Jl.xc5 7.4)f3 0-
08.Ad34)c6
abc d e f g h 11.~d3
In this game, Steinitz, apparently
believing that the Greco Sacrifice was
flawed, prepared it with h4 rather than
executing it immediately. Intent on
giving an example with h4, Vukovic
does not dwell on the immediate
sacrifice itself, save to correct Steinitz's
beliefs and to note that the sacrifice
works.
And well it should. White has
additional assets in the e5-pawn, the
dark-square bishop, and the knight on
c3. In the 'ot>gS line, the the presence of
the rook on the fS escape square
enables the customary mate in five.
Even though the dark-square bishop
does not have immediate sway over g5
47
and h6, the 'it'g6 line fails quickly to
11.~d3 .§.hS (to prevent mate on f7)
12A~xf7+ winning the queen. The
challenge is the 'ot>g6 line, the reason
that Steinitz rejected the sacrifice. After
11.~d3+ f5, Steinitz saw that there was
no win after the discovery with
12.4Jxe6+, but White wins quickly with
the usual 12.~g3 when a somewhat
patient buildup pounds Black into
submission.
With but one analytical mistake which
Nunn addresses, Vukovic's analysis is
correct. But this game remains a strange
example to show offthe importance of
h4 in protecting the 4Jg5 and in opening
the h-file, when indeed, h4 is not
required at all and the 4Jg5 and its
capture precede the sacrifice on h7.
2 . .llxh7+ 'ot>xh7 10.4Jg5+ 'ot>g6! (a)
10 ... 'ot>gS 11.'l1Yh5+- .§.eS 12.'l1Yxf7+
'it'hS 13.'l1Yh5+ 'ot>gS 14.'l1Yh7+ 'ot>fS
15.~hS+ 'ot>e716.'l1Yxg7#; (b) 1O ... 'ot>h6
(11.~g4+-) 11.. . .§.hS
(11...~xg5 12.fxg5+ 'it'h5 13.~h7+
'it'g4 14.'l1Yh3 #) 12.4Jxf7+) 1 1. 'l1Yd3 + f5
12.~g3 (According to Vukovic, Steinitz
rejected the Greco Sacrifice because he
saw only 12.4Jxe6? and concluded that
itdoesnotwork.12 ... ~h4+ [12 ... ~a5!
the move that Steinitz apparently feared
leads to a win for White. 13 ..lld2 is an
improvement over the immediate
13.4JxfS. 13 ... 4Jb4 14.~g3+ 'it'f7
15.4Jg5+ 'ot>eS 16.4Jxd5 +-]13.g3 'l1Yh3
14.'l1Yxd5 .§.eS15.4Jxc5 4Jcxe516.4Jxd7
4Jxd7+ 17.'ot>f2 4Jf6 lS.'l1Ydl 4Jg4+
19.'ot>f3 b6+) 12 ... 'l1Ya5 (12 ... ~eS
13.4Jxe6++- 'it'f7 14.4Jxg7! - Nunn-
[14.4Jc7 ~dS 15.4JxaS+- Vukovic]
14 ... .§.gS 15.4JxeS .§.xg3 16.e6+ 'ot>xeS
17.exd7++-) 13.h4 4Je7 14 ..lld2! (a)
14.4Jxe6+ 'it'f7 15 . .lld2 .llb4
 Sacking the Citadel

(15 ... ~xe616.4Je4 fxe417.~xa5 4Jxe5
18.fxe5 ~f2+ 19.'l?xf2 .§.xf2 20.'it'xf2
b6 2Ulc3±) 16.4JxfB=; (b) 14.h5++-
~h615.4Jxe6'§'f716.'l?g5+ ~h717.h6
g6 IB.'l?h4 ~hB 19.4Jg5 .§.fB 20.e6 d4
21.~d2+- 14 ... 'l?a6 15.4Jxe6+ ~f7
16.4Jc7+-
9.h4f610..£lg5fxg5
abc d e f g h of his approach and the certainty that
1l.j',txh7+ ~xh7 12.hxg5+ ~g8
13.~h5 .£ldxe514.fxe5 !U515.g4
§,xe5+ 16.~dlj',te317.j',txe3 §,xe3
18..£lh5 §,f3 19.96 ~f8 20.~h8+
~e7 21.~xg7+ 1-0
Alekhine-Asgeirsson, Reykjavik,
1931 (Game 65)
This more helpful example of the
sacrifice with h4 "is correct," says
Vukovi6, "even though it demands
extreme precise and high quality play
from the attacker." White can rely upon
three assets, the e5-pawn, the 4Jc3, and
h4-pawn since the .§.hl joins the attack
after captures on g5. And by castling
queenside, the .§.dl can also enter the
fray usefully. But the sacrifice requires
great care in the 'it'gBline because Black
has already created the fB escape
square. Vukovi6 somewhat unfairly
critiques Alekhine's play, offering an
impressive improvement, but the real
story in his notes is the depth of his
annotations. Many of these sacrifices
are indeed complex, but players of every
level will benefit from the intuitive nature
great care is often required.
Overall, Vukovi6 produced a
pathbreaking taxonomy with helpful
coverage of most lines. He was
dedicated to useful pedagogy and in-
depth analysis. Nunn corrects many,
though by no means all of the mistakes.
Despite the analytical errors, the whole
book will remain a classic for
generations to come.

abc d e f g h

48
 Chapter 5
Contemporary Theory
Chapters two, three, and four
summarized historic efforts by Edwin
Voellmy, Eugene Znosko-Borovsky, and
Vladimir Vukovic, to explain the Greco
Sacrifice. Their efforts and tournament
experiences over the past century make
it possible now to attempt a more
comprehensive taxonomy. This chapter
examines all ofthe main lines with both
simple and more complex examples as
well as additional illustrative games and
relevant references to the games in this
book.
For purposes of discussion, I refer to
the sacrifice on h7 only. Of course, the
sacrifice is often carried out by Black
on h2.
The Greco Sacrifice relies primarily
upon three pieces:
Axh7
• White's light-square bishop
captures the black h7-pawn,
almost always with check,
usually from d3 but
occasionally from other
squares along the b I-h7
diagonal;
• There is no requirement that
there actually be a black pawn
on h7, but it is almost always
there;
• The h7-square is defended
only by the black king. In very
49
rare cases, an over-loaded 4Jf6
will also defend the h7-pawn;
• The sacrifice is almost always
accepted. Declining it costs a
pawn and the attack can often
proceed with 4Jg5.
.£\g5+
• The white knight will almost
always move from f3, but other
squares are possible.
t\'h5
• The queen will usually have
access to a square that can
reach h7, preferably h5, but
also including h3, h4, bI, c2,
d3,ore4.
• When possible, playing ~h5
before 4Jg5 forces the black
king back to g8, eliminating
other options usually available
to the defender.
A brief note on pawn structure: Most
of the games, a clear majority, involve a
pristine defensive pawn structure with
pawns on f7, g7, and h7. But the
sacrifice occurs successfully against a
variety of structures, notably black
pawns on f6 rather than f7, a bishop
rather than a pawn on g7, as well as the
absence of f- and g-pawns.
In response to the 4Jg5 check, Black
has five possible responses, all of which
are discussed within this chapter:
 Sacking the Citadel

'it'gS; '.t'g6; '.t'h6; 'it'hS; Capturing the 1.Jlxh7+~xh72.4)g5+~g83.~h5

knight - with a dark-square bishop, the
queen, or with an f- pawn. 8
7
To succeed, as we learned from Vukovic,
6
the attacking side will usually need at
5
least two additional assets beyond the
light-square bishop that captures on h7, 4
the knight that reaches g5, and the 3
queen. Generally, the more challenging 2
the defense, the more additional assets
will be required to succeed. The final abc d e f g h
section of this chapter provides a
survey of additional assets and more
With the obvious threat of ~h7#.
specific conclusions regarding the
3 ... §eS creating an escape square on
situations that require them.
f8 for the king. Should the white queen
The~g8line
now capture on f7 or deliver check on
h7? 4. ~xf7+1 Launching a checkmate
After 1.~xh7 '.t'xh7 2.<£\g5, the defender in five. (4.~h7+ 'it'fS 5.~hS+ 'it'e7
may find some immediate comfort in the 6.Yffxg7 when Black can defend f7 with
'.t'gS retreat because the king regains §f8 or continue to run the king towards
some degree of safety behind the re- the queenside with ... 'it'd7). 4 ••• ~h8
maining kings ide pawns. In the 'it'gS 5.~h5+ ~g8 6.~h7+ ~f8 7.~h8+
line, White will almost always move the ~e78.~xg7#
queen to attack the h7-square. Ifavail-
able, White's best move is almost al- 8
ways 3.'l1i'h5 where the queen will at- 7
tack both the h7- and f7-squares. The
6
double attack is often the key to the
5
success ofthe attack in this line because
the defender can often defend one but 4
not both of the squares. 3
2
The basic checkmate
abc d e f g h
8
7 The obvious point, first noted by
6 Voellmy, is that the checkmate is enabled
5 by White's asset on e5, which controls
4 the d6 escape square, and the presence
3 of the white queen on d8.
2
Two additional assets were required for
success. The e5-pawn controlled the
abc d e f g h escape square on d6 and White's dark-

50
 Contemporary Theory

square bishop defended the 4Jg5, A defender blocks the escape route
discouraging Black from playing ~xg5.
8
This basic mate appears in many games 7
within this volume. It appears, often as 6
a rejected line, in games 141, 148 (with a 5
black piece blocking the d6-escape
4
square), 168, 192,234,240,258 (with
3
White's dark-square bishop controlling
2
d6), 259, and 264.

Even when this "mating" combination abc d e f g h

does not lead to an immediate mate
because one of the d6 or d8 escape Here, the Ae8 covers f7 but more
squares is vacant, it still can expose the importantly blocks the retreat by the
king to a scintillating attack. For such rook. 1.Jlxh7+ 'i!}xh7 2 ..£jg5+ 'i!}g8
examples,seegames 149, 154, 159, 167, 3.~h5 when Black must sacrifice the
211,220,250,251, 256, 257,260,267,270, queen to prevent the mate in one.
and 273.
8
8 7
7 6
6 5
5 4
4 3
3 2

2
abc d e f g h
Here, the queen is off d8, protecting the
f7-pawn, but White still prevails by
activating the dark-square bishop on a3
where it covers the f8 escape square.
1.Jlxh7+ 'i!}xh7 2..£jg5+ 'i!}g8 3.~h5
Eld8 4.Jla3! when Black can only delay
the mate by sacrificing the major pieces.
abc d e f g h
Here, the rook can run, but the ~e7
blocks the escape path. 1.Jlxh7+
'i!}xh7 2 . .£jg5+ 'i!}g8 3.~h5 Eld8
4.~h7+ 'i!}f8 5.~h8*
For other examples of blocked escapes
leading to quick checkmates in the ~g8
line, see games 182, 185, 198,216,223,
243,248,253, and 306.

51
 Sacking the Citadel

Defending with tl/c7 The defender can shut down the attack
if ... 4::If6 is playable. White has only one
8 additional asset here, the dark-square
7 bishop. The absence of the e5-pawn is
6 sorely felt. 1 ..1lxh7+ ~xh7 2.~g5+
~g8 3. tl/h5 Once again, the white
5
queen enters with attacks upon h7 and
4
t7. Here's however, the ~f8 need not
3
leave its defense of t7. 3 ... ~f6. The
2
attack is over. To overcome this
defense, White would need a rook on
abc d e f g h an open f-file or to be able to capture
on f6 with a knight or with the dark-
The defense can succeed when a queen square bishop.
or rook defends the t7-pawn laterally.
Here, the black queen is already For examples of defending with ... 4::If6,
defending f7 when the white queen see games 187, 199, 213, and 233.
arrives on h5. As a result, the ~f8 can
create a escape square without allowing Defending with ... ~f8
~xt7. 1..1lxh7+ ~xh7 2.~g5+ ~g8
3.tl/h5 Elb8. White's only entry into
8
the position is now on h7. 4.tl/h7+
~85.tl/h8+~e76.tl/xg7whenBlack 7
can choose between running the king 6
to the queens ide and further defending 5
the f-pawn. 6 ••• Elf8 Even here, White 4
may have an edge in the endgame ifhe 3
is able to push aggressively the 2
kingside pawns.

For examples of the ~c7 defense, see abc d e f g h

games 152, 155, 173,206,212,269,290,
and 295. Here, the rook is already off f8. White
has an e5-pawn preventing the black
Defending with ••• ~f6 knight from returning to f6, but the
knight can also defend well from f8.
8 1..1lxh7+ ~xh7 2.~g5+ ~g8 3.tl/h5
~f8 Of course, White can still enter
7
6
the position here on t7. If the black rook
were off f8 and the queen or rook
5
defended f7, White would need
4
substantial additional forces to prevail.
3 4.~xt7+ ~h8 White can draw trivially
2 here with a perpetual checK. With an
additional rook swing to h3, White
abc d e f g h would quickly prevail. Black, in turn,

52
 Contemporary Theory

hopes to end the attack with ... '«rd7 or

".'«re7. 8
7
For examples of...4::\f8, see games 158, 6
228,252,268, and 292. 5
4
Defending with JUS
3
2
8
7
abcdefgh
6
5
d6 diagonal. With additional assets, for
4
example a 4::\c3 and ~el to block the
3 queen's on e4, the attacking side can
2 often overcome such resistance.
1.Jlxh7+ Cifi'xh7 2..£JgS+ Cifi'gS 3.~hS
abc d e f g h ~d3 when now, to win quickly, White
would need to block the queen's reach
Here, a small change makes a huge toh7.
difference. Black's light-square bishop
is not blocked by the e6-pawn and has For examples in which Black defends
easy access to the key b I-h7 diagonal. by placing the queen on the bl-h7
Black has excellent chances to hold in diagonal, see games 135, 161, 165,214,
the <;!;>g8 line when a bishop or queen 224,229,239,277,297, and 304.
can reach f5 or another square along
the key diagonal. 1.Jlxh7+ Cifi'xh7 Attacking with an active rook and dark-
2 . .£JgS+ Cifi'g8 3. ~hS 3. '«rd3 The square bishop
attacking side can prevent ".Af5 at a
price, because the '«rd3 attacks h7 but 8
not also n. 3".g6 Black can therefore 7
simply prevent the mate threat on h7. 6
4.'«rh3 and another advantage of the 5
~c8 is that it prevents movement to the
4
h3-square. 4".Axh3 3 •.• JlfS stymieing
3
the attack.
2

For examples of defending by placing

the bishop on the bl-h7 diagonal, see
games 151, 194,231,246, and 266.
Defending with ~d3
In this case, Black defends with 5". ~d3
again reaching the key bl-
abc d e f g h
The pattern is different when White has
an active rook rather than an e5-pawn.
1.Jlxh7+ Cifi'xh7 2..£JgS+ Cifi'gS 3.~hS
Once again, the queen reaches h5 with
attacks upon f7 and h7. 3 ••• E!e8

53
 Sacking the Citadel

4"~xf7+ ~h8 White does not have
the usual mate in five because the e5-
pawn is not there to cover the d6 escape
square. 5.E!e3 So the rook enters the
fray, threatening Elh3 "".
For games in the 'it'g8 involving a €Je7,
see games 160, 162, 164, 178, 200, 204,
205,249,255,262,278,296,302, and 305.
Black has knights on e7 and d7

For examples of rook swings in the 'it'g8 8

line, see games 138,210,218,280,294, 7
298, and 304. 6
5
~e7 with protection on e6 4
3
8 2
7
6
abc d e f g h
5
4 With knights on both e7 and d7, White
3 can take advantage of the fact that the
2 Jlc8 no longer defends e6 to capture
that pawn with €Jxe6, threatening both
the queen and checkmate on g7.
abc d e f g h
1..1l,xh7+ ~xh7 2.~g5+ ~g8 3.~h5
E!e8 4. ~xf7+ ~h8 5.~ xe6 when
As Voellmy pointed out first in 1911, the
Black can stave off an immediate mate
attack changes when Black has a knight
by sacrificing the queen with ... €Jf5.
on e7. 1 ..1l,xh7+ ~xh7 2.~g5+ ~g8
3. ~h5 again entering the attack with
For relevant examples, see games 190,
additional pressure on both fl and h7.
226, and 271.
3 ... E!e8 4.~h7+ Often with the €Je7,
White should enter on h7 rather than
When the queen cannot reach h5
fl. The following variation should be
part of every attacker's arsenal. 'i:i'fxfl is
thought to be a mistake because White, 8
without any additional assets in the 7
position, may have to settle for a 6
perpetual check. In reality, 'i:i'ffl often 5
works too, so long as there are 4
additional assets. A rook swing might 3
deliver mate on the h-file, or even here,
2
bringing the Jlc1-a3 with its pin of the
€Je7 will often be enough. 4.'i:i'fxf7+
'it'h8 5.'i:i'fh5+ 'it'g8 6.'i:i'fh7+ 'it'f8 7.'i:i'fh8+ abcdefgh
€Jg8 8.€Jh7+ 'it'f7. 4 ••• ~f8 5.~h8+
~g8 6.~h7+ ~e7 7.Ag5+ f67 ... €Jf6 Here, the white queen does not have
8.'i:i'fxg7 'it'd7 9.€Jxf6+; 7 ... 'it'd7 8..llxd8 immediate access to the key h5-square.
8.~xg7# 1.Axh7+ ~xh7 2.~g5+ ~g8 3.~h3

54
 Contemporary Theory
The queen can still reach the h-file, but
at h3, where it attacks h7 but not also
f7. 3 ... E!eS-Black can therefore create
an escape square on f8 without having
to wony about ~xf7. 4. ~h7+ ~f8 and
although there is no quick mate, White
may still sustain an attack with ideas
like ~h8-g7 or ~h5 and 4Jh7-f6 or with
the assistance of additional assets.
There are many examples in the book of
attacking queens that cannot reach h5
directly. For examples of the queen
entering on h3, see games 145, 150,203,
215,245,265, and 275. For examples ofthe
queen reaching h4, see games 146, 147,
163,177,188,197,201,279,303. The white
queen may also need to attack from d3,
occasionally just to prevent the defender
from reaching the bl-h7 diagonal.
Examples are games 157, 170, 181, 183, 191,
202,235,254,263,299, and 300.
Gleizerov - Ganguly
Calcutta 1999
Queen's Gambit Accepted [026]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e3 .£)f6 4.Axc4
e6 5..£)f3 c5 6. ~e2 a6 7.dxc5 Axc5
8.0-0 0-0 9.e4 b5 10.Ab3 Ab7
1l..£)bd2 ~c712.e5 .£)fd713.E!el
.£)c614.Ac2 .£)e7
8 Bucharest 2007
7 Sicilian Defense [B22]
6
5
4
3
2 Il~f~.~~~J,~'Y~~~~~'~1
abcdefgh
55
White has four additional assets, the
e5-pawn, the dark-square bishop, the
4Jd2, and the §eI. Nonethless, Black's
bishops are very active and Black has a
significant counter attack on the white
center. 15.Axh7+ ~xh7 16..£)g5+
~g8 Selecting the wrong line. Black
survives in the ~g6 line owing to his
development and especially the
connected rooks, which support §h8.
16 ... ~g6! 17.h4 §h8 18.~g4 f5
19.exf6 .llxf2+. Sacrificing back the
material in order to re-post the queen
on f5. 20.~xf2 ~c5+ 2I.~f1 ~f5+
22.~xf5+ 4Jxf5 23.fxg7 §xh4 24.4Jxe6
4Jxg7 25.4Jxg7 §hl + 26.~f2 §xel
27.~xel ~xg7 28.4Jf3;1;. 17.~h5
Axf2+ A common theme, sacrificing a
piece in order to reach the key bl-a7
diagonal. 18.~hl ~c2 Reaching the
diagonal, but White's additional assets
are able to block the queen's reach to
h7. 19•.£)de4 Axe4 20.E!xe4 and the
~h5 covers the dl square. 20 ••• E!fc8
21.~xf7+ ~h8 22.~h5+ ~g8
23.Ae3 A beautiful move, protecting
c1 and inviting the capture on e3 when
§h4 decides. 23 ••• .£)f5 23 ... .llxe3
24.~f7+ ~h8 25.§h4+ ~h7 26.§xh7#
24.~h7+ ~f8 25.~g6 .£)xe5
26.~xe61-0
Radu - Bondoc
1.e4 c5 2.c3 .£)f6 3.e5 .£)d5 4.d4
cxd4 5.cxd4 e6 6 ..£)c3 d6 7.exd6
Axd6 8 •.£)f3 0-0 9.Ad3 .£)c6 (D)
White has two additional assets, the
4Jc3 and the dark-square bishop, but
the real story is that Black can trivially
 Sacking the Citadel

15.~h4e516..£Jd2 Black is better, but

8 both parties agreed to a draw. ~-~
7
6 In several games within this collection,
5 the defender forces a knight back to the
f6-square, sacrificing one so that the
4
second can defend. See games 171, 227,
3
228, and 244.
2

abcdefgh
bring the 4Jd5-f6. 10.Axh7+ 'ifjlxh7
l1.l~)g5+ 'ifjlg812. ~h5 .£Jf6 With one
move, White's attack has ended. 0-1
Valickova - Stodolova
Alekhine's Defense [B03]
Czechia 2001
1.e4 .£Jf6 2.e5 .£Jd5 3.d4 d6 4.Ac4
e6 5.~e2 dxe5 6.dxe5 Jl.c5 7 ..£Jf3
c6 8.0-0 0-0 9.c3 .£Jd710.Ad3 ~c7
White has two additional assets, the e5-
pawn and the dark-square bishop, but
Black has a counter-attack on the center
and both knights are poised to retake
the f6-square.
8 4Jg5 and threatens a
7
6
5
4
3 substantially limits the
2 defender's options.
abc d e f g h the 4Jg5 and, when played with
11.Axh7+ 'ifjlxh712 ..£Jg5+ 'ifjlg8 By
far the best line for Black. 12 ... ~g6
13.'~e4+ f514.exf6+ ~xf615.~xe6#.
13.~h5 .£J5f6 Giving back a piece to
prevent the mate. 14.exf6 .£Jxf6
The 'ifjlg6line
In the 'itJg6 line, Black, often in
recognition that other alternatives are
hopeless, boldly brings his king in front
of the kingside pawns. It is not
surprising that Voellmy and Znosko-
Borovsky both concluded that the
entire 'itJg6 line was simply too
dangerous to play. When they wrote,
they focused upon two alternatives for
White, ~g4 and ~d3+. Vukovic added
analysis of a third alternative, h4 with
the idea ofh5+. The reality is that White
has six variations for the attacking
arsenal.
• ~g4, the traditional option,
provides protection for the
discovered check that can
decimate the defender.
• ~d3+ offers no immediate
protection for the knight, but
the check is annoying and
• h4 provides useful support for
a dark-square bishop, often
threatens h5+ forcing the
~g6-h6 where it will
encounter a devastating
discovered check- from the
4Jg5.

56
 Contemporary Theory
• Rook swings to g3 threaten
discovered checks, and an
immediate fih3, when
available, threatens i£fh5+.
• f5+ pries open the f-file and
the diagonal for the dark-
square bishop, but more
importantly opens the f4-
square for .t\e2-f4.
• .t\g3, or .t\fl-g3, which
supports i£fh5+.
The sections on each move will help
you to determine the situations in
which each of the moves is optimal.
White often prevails in this variation
and indeed, there are many situations
in which more than one move will win.
But the 'i11g6 line is by no means a walk
in the park. A substantial amount of
experience is needed.
... ~g6, White plays ~g4
i£fg4 has always seemed the most
natural response to ... 'i11g6. Down a
piece, the i£fg4 has many positive
features:
• It adds protection to the .t\g5;
• It immediately limits the
defenders options;
• It threatens a discovered
check that will win at least a
rook and sometimes a queen;
• When the black rook is not on
h8, the i£fg4 can move to h4
with the idea of i£fh7 # .
Here's the basic position after i£fg4.
57
At first glance, it appears that White
must have a forced win here. The queen
covers f5, g5, and h5. The e5-pawn
covers the f6-square. The .t\g5 covers
f7 and h7. And White will often have a
dark-square bishop to discourage 'i11h6.
And even without the dark-square
bishop, 'i11h6 will now meet an
immediate i£fh4-h7 when Black will often
walk into a mating net after 'i11xg5.
For the moment, and often for quite a
while, the black king simply cannot
safely move and White has an
aggressive plan, .t\g5xe6 with a
discovered check that hits the fifS, the
g7-square (which usually contains a
pawn but on rare occasions a bishop),
and from time to time the i£fdS. Other
discovered checks are also possible,
and so the defender must carefully keep
loose pieces and the queen from
squares such as c5 and c7.
How can Black defend successfully
once the queen reaches g4? One key is
whether the e5-pawn is defended. An
immediate .t\xe5 can fully disrupt
White's attack. Black may be able to
force a knight back to the f6-square.
Black may have control over g3 making
it impossible for White to sustain the
queen on the g-file after .. .f5. And Black
may be able to defend with .. .f6, forcing
the .t\g5 to commit to a discovered
check before White has an opportunity
 Sacking the Citadel
to bring other assets to bear. Note that
4Jxe6, when it nets only the ~fS, is often
insufficient for White to achieve a
sustainable initiative.
The advance of the f-pawn to f5 is the
most frequent response to ~g4. With
the ~g4 en prise, White, unless there
is an immediate check or checkmate on
e6 (~xe6), must either capture the pawn
on f6, giving the black king some air, or
move the queen. When possible, a
retreat to g3 preserves a discovered
check by the knight. When the black
~f8 cannot be anchored on h8, ~g4-
h4 is another powerful idea, aiming for
~h7 and a thematic mate if the 4Jg5 is
defended and an interesting mating net
if the black king captures an
undefended 4Jg5.
Black's other option, an immediate .. .f6,
is a useful resource when the black
queen is not reachable by a discovered
check from the 4Jg5. The advance to f6
has the merit of forcing the action and
eliminating the discovered check, which
after .. .f5 might otherwise remain as a
resource awaiting the arrival of
additional forces.
The basics of~g4
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h removing the rook from its needed
58
A simple example. White has a secure
e5-pawn and the dark-square bishop as
additional assets. Note that Black's .>lb7
no longer defends the e6-pawn, a
significant target if Black defends by
advancing the f-pawn. 1 . .1lxh7+
<it'xh7 2.4)g5+ <it'g6 2 ... ~g8 3.~h5
~e8 4:~h7+ \ftfS 5.'l11h8+ 4Jg86.4Jh7+
'!)e7 7.,ilg5+ 4Jf6 8.~xg7 +- 3. ~g4
3.~d3+ f5 4.4Jxe6 (4.e xf6+ \ftxf6
5.~f3+ 4Jf5) 4 ... ~e8 5.4Jxf8+ ~xfS
3 ... f5 3 ... f6 4.4Jxe6+ Note that the
knight would be walking into a self-pin
if the .>lb7 were instead on e8. 4.exf6
Had the e6-pawn been far better
defended, White would have
considered the retreat with ~g3 to
sustain the threat of a discovered
check. 4 ... <it'xf6 4 ... gxf6 5.4Jxe6++-
5.~xe6# It is not common for strong
players to fall into this checkmate. Of
course, when Black defends the e6-
pawn, White can add ~el to pressure
the pawn further.
For other examples of the mate, or
pressure from a rook on e6, see games
161,232,246, and 302.
The importance off6
1...f5 The typical reaction to ~g4.
2. ~g3 White is able to maintain the
queen on the file and the threat of
4Jxe6+. 2 ... §h8 A horr!ble move,
defense of the f6-square. 3.4)xe6+
 Contemporary Theory

~f7 Avoiding the mates after 'ttYxg7.
4. 't\'xg7+ A key to the 'ttYg4 variation.
The <£Ie6 supports this capture, which
is more powerful still in rare positions
when Black has a bishop rather than a
pawn ong7. 4 ••• ~xe6 5.'t\'f6*
piece, the<£lgS.17 ••• ~xg518.h4+The
mating net varies with the assets at
White's disposal. In many of these
positions, White can profitably play
i*xg7(+). 18 ••• ~g4 19.£3+ ~g3
2O.'t\'h5+-

Thedangerof~x~e6 For relevant examples, see games 167,

169, 173,200,206,227,248,256,266,and
8 271.
7
6 't\'g4 without an e5-pawn
5
8
4
7
3
2
6
5
4
abc d e f g h
3
Even when the rook remains on fB, if 2

can still be very dangerous for Black to

capture the <£Ie6. 1.~ xe6+ ~f7 abc d e f g h
2.'t\'xg7+ ~xe6 2 ... '<t>eB 3.'ttYxfB#
3.~d4* Even without an eS-pawn, 'ttYg4 can
prevail. White relies here on the dark-
Sacrificing the ~g5 square bishop and §.fel as the
additional assets in the position.
8 I.Jlxh7+ ~xh7 2.~g5+ ~g6 3.'t\'g4
7 f5 4.'t\'g3 Maintaining the queen on the
6 g-file. 4 ••• f4 4 ... i*cB S.<£Ixe6+ '<t>f7
5
6.i*xg7+ '<t>xe6 7.§.el + '<t>d6 B.i*h6+
4
'<t>c7 9 ..1lf4+ 5.'t\'g4 Jlc8 S ... i*cB
6.<£Ixe6+ '<t>f7 (6 ... '<t>f6 7.§.el g6
3
B.i*h4+ '<t>f7 9.'ttYh7+ '<t>eBIO.<£IxfB+-)
2
7.i*xg7+ 'it'xe6 (7 ... 'it'eB B.i*xfB++-)
B.§.el+ '<t>d6 (B ... '<t>fS 9.§.eS #)
abcdefgh 9.i*xe7++-; S...'<t>f6 6.§.el.1lcB 7 ..1lxf4
<£IfS B.<£Ixe6 .1lxe6 9 ..1lgS++- 6.§el
Here, after .. .fS, White should play 'ttYh4- ~f6 Even though the eS-pawn is not
h7 because the black rook cannot reach present to prevent this retreat, the king
the hB-square. It is generally wise to move does encourage the.1lc1 to reach
consider this maneuver when the §.hB gS. 7.Jlxf4 ~f5 7 ... eS 8..1lxeS+ 'it'g6
cannot be anchored. 16. 't\'h4 f4 9.<£Ie6+ '<t>f7 lO.i*xg7+ ~xe6
17. 't\'h7+ Sacrificing an additional 1l.J1c7++- 8.~xe6 and the threat of

59
 Sacking the Citadel

~gS is more important than the knight. obvious problem is that ii:l'g4 is not
8 ... Axe69.Ag5+ check, giving Black an opportunity to
capture on d4. 3 ..• ~xd4 Hitting the
For other examples, see games 138, 190, ~g4 as well as the eS-pawn. 4. ~g3
211,258,278, and281. f51 4 ... ii:l'xeS S.~f4 ii:l'fS 6.<£\xe6+ \!tf6
7.ii:l'xg7+ ~xe6 8..§.ael + .£leeS 9.~xeS
~g4 can fail to ••• 4) xe5 .£lxeS 1O.f4+- 5.4)xe6+ Check, and
attacking the ii:l'd4. 5 ••• ~g4= White's
8 attack is over. .£lxf8 will not sustain the
7 initiative.
6
~g4 can fail if Black controls g3
5
4
8
3
7
2
6
5
abc d e f g h
4

The undefended eS-pawn by itself need 3

not discourage the sacrifice, but here, 2

Black can control both g4 and g3.

1.-'txh7+ ~xh7 2.4)g5+ ~g6 3. ~g4 abcdefgh
4)xe54.~g34)f5-+
More common, without the eS-pawn,
For examples, see games 141, 168,223, Black's dark-square bishop controls g3.
259, and 289. 1.-'txh7+ ~xh7 2.4)g5+ ~g6 3.~g4
f5 -+ and White cannot capture the f-
~g4 can fail to ~xd4 pawn en passant.

8 For examples, see games 149, 153, 188,

7 240,244,262,268,282, and 292 .•
6
5
Black forces a knight to f6
4
8
3
7
2
6
5
abc d e f g h
4

Black has two obvious attacks upon the 3

d4-pawn, which will become vulnerable 2

once the <£\f3 moves to gS. 1.Axh7+

~xh7 2.4)g5+ ~g6 3.~g4 The abc d e f g h

60
 Contemporary Theory

White initiates the sacrifice with only

the e5-pawn as an additional asset, and 8
Black can -force a knight back to f6. 7
1.Axh7+ 'iflxh7 2.4)g5+ 'iflg6 3.~g4 6
4)5f6 The move obviously returns a 5
piece, but it foils White's hope to retain
4
the queen on the g-file. 4.exf6 4) xf6
3
5.~g3 4)h5 6. ~g4 4)f6=
2

For an example, see game 171.

abc d e f g h
Phanthomas2004 - Mertens
Playchess.com 2004 12...f513.~g3 ~e814.4)e2 A knight
Owen's Defense [A40] that can reach f4 is a very useful asset
in this line. 1-0
l.d4 e6 2.4)f3 b6 3.Ag5 Ae7
4.Axe7 4) xe7 5.e3 0-0 6.Ad3 Ab7 Chow-Yeten
7.0-0 d6 8.Axh7+ 'iflxh7 9.4)g5+ Queenstown 2009
'iflg610.~g4 Queen's Gambit [D06]

8 1.d4 d5 2.c4 4)f6 3.cxd5 ~xd5

4.4)c3 ~a5 5.4)0 e6 6.Ad2 AM
7 Ir"':~.,.r":~" . ...:r. 7.e4 0-0 8.Ad3 c6 9.e5 4)d5
6
10.Axh7+ 'iflxh7 1l.4)g5+ 'iflg6
5
12.~g4
4
3
8
2
7
6
abc d e f g h 5
4
10••• 'iflf6 Trying to take advantage of
3
the absence of a pawn on e5.
2
1l.4)h7 # Don't letthis happen to you.
1-0
abc d e f g h
Freyberg - Koeppe
Germany 200 1 12 •.•f5 13. ~h4 The .§.f8 cannot safely
Caro-Kann Defense [BI2] move to h8. 13•.• f414.~h7+ 'iflxg5
15.4)e4+ 15.h4+ ~g4 16.~g6#;
1.e4 d5 2.d4 c6 3.e5 e6 4.4)f3 c5 5.c3 15 ..£\e4+ ~g4 16.h3# 1-0 16.f3#;
4)c6 6.Ad3 cxd4 7.cxd4 Ab4+ 16.~h3#
8.4)c3 4)ge7 9.0-0 0-0 10.Axh7+
'iflxh711.4)g5+ 'iflg612. ~g4

61
 Sacking the Citadel

Lednicky - Seben else return to g6, when ~h7 is

Slovakia 2001 checkmate if the knight defended or will
French Defense [C 19] force the capture of the 4::lg5. It is also
e.vident that the e5-pawn, as in the ~g4
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.1~c3 .1lb4 4.e5 c5 Ime, plays a key role in controlling f6.
5.a3 .1lxc3+ 6.bxc3 J£\c6 7.J£\f3
J£\ge7 8 . .1ld3 .1ld7 9.0-0 0-0
10..1lxh7+ ~xh7 1l.J£\g5+ ~g6
12.~g4

~g3 ~d3+

The practical result is that Black's

options are also quite limited after
~d3+. If the king is unable to capture
the 4::lg5, usually because White has a
abc d e f g h
dark-square bishop on the c1-h6
diagonal or because ~xg5 leads to
12...f513.~g3 ~a5 13 .. .f4 14.~g4
mate, Black will have three choices.
~c7 15 ..Ilxf4+- 14.h4 E!h8? Fatally
~g6-h6 will meet ~h7 checkmate. 'it'h5
weakening the f6-square. 15.J£\xe6+
will meet a mate in two, with ~h3-h7 or
~f7 15 ... ~h7 16.~xg7#; 15 ... ~h5
~h7-h3.
16.4::lxg7# 16.~xg7+ ~xe6 16... 'it'e8
17.~xh8++- 17.~f6# 1-0
In almost all ofthe games, Black has no
choice therefore but to play .. .f5. Note
••. ~g6, White plays ~d3
that unlike ~g4, Black loses the option
here of playing .. .f6 because the king is
~d3 is often given as an alternative to
in check. After .. .f5, White has several
~g4 without a great deal of comment.
pleasant options:
Unlike ~g4, in the left fragment below,
~d3 places the 'it'g6 in check. As a
result, the defender must remove the • 4::l( x)e6 will be playable when
the e6-square is undefended;
king from check and does not have time
to capture a central pawn, remove the • White can transpose to the
~g4 f5 line with ~d3-g3 while
queen from danger, or maneuver a knight
having eliminated options
back to f6. Of course, the ~d3, unlike
other than .. .f5 after ~g4;
the ~g4, does not provide direct
support for the 4::lg5. One of the key • ~d3-h3, which is similar to
~g4-h4 except that the ~h3
variations, therefore, is the immediate
does not help to defend the
~xg5. Note also that the black king has
4::lg5; -
access to h5, but after ~d3-h3, it is clear
that Black will either capture the 4::lg5 or

62
 Contemporary Theory

• The remarkable en passant For examples of games with .£\xe6 as an

discovered check with e5xf6; alternative to the en passant capture,
• And occasionally when see 250, 251,295, and 299.
White does not have an e5-
pawn, even .§.xe6+. ~d3<i!;>xg5

~d3mates 8
7
8 6
7 5
6 4
5 3
4 2
3
2 abc d e f g h

abcdefgh Normally, White could count on two

Black must play .. .f5. All king moves lead
to simple checkmates. 3 ••. f5 when
White has four candidates from which
to select the best move. 3 ... \tlh6
4.~h7#; 3... \tlh5 4.~h7+ (4.~h3+ ~g6
5.~h7#) 4 ... ~g4 5.~h3#, (5.h3#, or
5.f3 #) 4.exf6+ A remarkable check,
when once again, king retreats to the h-
file are harshly punished. 4 ..£\xe6 is
certainly an option worth considering;
4. ~g3. A position identical to the
variation 3.~g4 f5 4.~g3; 4.~h3 is
similar to ~h4 when White first plays
~g4. This is a very nice option when
the black rook, as here, cannot be
anchored on h8 4 .•. <i!;>xf6 4 ... \tlh6
5.~h7 #; 4 ... ~h5 5.~h7+ (5.g4+ ~xg4
[5 ... ~h4 6.~h3#] 6.~h3# [6:~'f3+
~h4 7.~h3#]) 5... \tlg4 6.h3# ,6.f3#,
or6.~h3#) 5.'§xe6#
The immediate checkmate with .§.e6 is
rare, but White often follows up after
the en passant capture with .§.fel. See
games 143, 171,202,223,240,268,279,
282,284, and 30 I.
additional assets, the .£\c3 and the
secure e5-pawn. After Black captures
the .£\g5, White can also count on the
advance of the kings ide pawns, notably
the f-pawn. 1.A.xh7+ <i!;>xh7 Vdg5+
<i!;>g6 3.~d3+ <i!;>xg5 4. ~h7 A critical
maneuver, cutting off all of the king's
retreats. The idea often works even
when Black can respond with an
anchored .§.h8 because White can
advance the kingside pawns with check
and because the g-pawn is en prise.
4 ••• Jdxe5 5.dxe5 g6 6.f4+ <i!;>f5
7.~h3# The final mate makes good
use of the .£\c3 controlling the e4
escape square.
For other games after ~d3+ involving
a successful attack after \tlxg5, see
games 171,250,251,252,255,273, and
279. The attack does not always prevail.
For examples when White does not
have adequate additional assets here,
see games 173,260, and 292.

63
 Sacking the Citadel

~d3 with no blackf-pawn 3.~d3+ f5 3 ... ~h64.~h7#; 3... ~h5

4.~h3+ (4.~h7+ <;!;>g4 5.f3# [5.h3#;
8 5.~h3#]) 4 ... <;!;>g6 5.~h7# 4.~h3
7 Often the best move when the defender
6 cannot safely respond with §h8.
5
For examples of~d3-h3 when the rook
4
cannot reach h8, see games 157, 206,
3
221,255, and 283.
2

abc d e f g h
8
The absence of the f-pawn, which gave 7
Black useful options in the ~g8Iine, is
6
a significant liability here. 1.,1lxh7+
5
Cjf}xh7 2.4)g5+ Cjf}g6 3. ~d3+ Etf5
4
Black cannot block the check with .. .f5.
3 ... <;!;>h6 4.~h7#; 3 ... <;!;>h5 4.~h3+ 3
(4.~h7+<;!;>g45.h3# [5.~h3#]4 ... <;!;>g6 2

5.~h7#). 4.4)xe6 Of course, g4 also

wins, but 4Jxe6 penn its White to win abcdefgh
even more. 4 ••. ~h4 5.4)f4++-
White has three additional assets, the
For examples, see games 186,270,272, e5-pawn, the dark-square bishop, and
and 274. the 4Jc3, but Black has significant
pressure upon e5. 1.,1lxh7+ Cjf}xh7
~d3-h3 2.4)g5+ Cjf}g6 3.~d3+ Using the check
to avoid the capture of the e5-pawn.
8 3.~g4 fails because Black can capture
7 the e5-pawn with tempo, and escape
6 the discovered check on f5. 3 ... 4Jcxe5
5 4.~g3 <;!;>f5!= 5.~f4+ ~g6 6.~g3 'ittf5.
3 .••f5 4. ~g3 Reaching the traditional
4
position without having had to deal
3
with ~g4 4Jxe5. 4 •.• ~a5 5.4) xe6+
2
Cjf}f7 6. ~xg7+ Far superior to the
capture of the §f8. 6 •.• Cjf}xe6 7.~g6+
abc d e f g h 4)f6 7 ••• Cjf}e7 S.Jlg5+ +-

White relies here on two additional For additional examples of~d3-g3, see
assets, the e5-pawn and dark-square games 159 and 168.
bishop. The key in this example is that
the §f8 cannot be anchored on h8.
1.,1lxh7+ Cjf}xh7 2.4)g5+ Cjf}g6

64
 Contemporary Theory

~d3 with a loose piece on c5 The attack with ~d3+ fails here because
Black can block the b 1-h7 diagonal with
8 4Jf5, exposing the ~d8's attack upon
7 the undefended 4Jg5. 1..1l,xh7+ ~xh7
6 2.~g5+ ~g6 3.~d3+? 3.'iii'g4 f5
5 4.~g3 +- 3 ... ~f513 ... ~xg5 4:l*h7 +-
4Jg6 5.f4+ 4Jxf4 6Jhf4 +-; 3 ... f5
4
4.4Jxe6+- 4.g4 4.4Jh3 'iii'h4-+
3
4 ••. ~xg5-+
2

For similar examples, including knight

abcdefgh moves to e4 to block the check from
the ~d3, see games 153, 181, 190,205,
Note the black queen on c5 and White's 226,249,285, and 296.
4Jc3 ready to fork the black king if it
reaches f6. 3.Jlxh7+ ~xh7 4.~g5+ A much more compelling defense would
~g6 5.~d3+ White's attack can also be Jli5 to block the check, but no games
be potent after ~b1 and especially in the book match that criterion.
~c2. There are positions in which the
white queen can reach b1 or c2 but not
Baudifier - Saatdjian
d3 directly, and there are times when
Lyon 2000
~c2 has the added benefit of attacking
French Defense [C02]
a loose piece on the c-file. 5 ...f5 Once
again, the king moves get mated.
5 ... ~h6 6.~h7#; 5 ... <i!th5 6.~h7+ 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.~f3 ~h6
(6.~h3+ ~g6 7.~h7#) 6 ... <i!tg4 5.Jld3 ~c6 6.0--0 cxd4 7.Jlf4 Jlc5
7.~h3#. 6.exf6+ ~xf6 7.~ge4+ 8.lael ~ge7 9.h3 0--0 lO•.1l,xh7+
Black can capture only one of the ~xh711.~g5+ ~g612. ~d3+
knights (7.4Jce4+).
8
For other examples of such captures on 7
c5,seegames 181, 191,235,239,263, 6
and 264. 5
4
~d3 against ~f5 and ~xg5
3
2
8
7
abc d e f g h
6
5
12... ~f5 13. ~h3 Taking advantage
4
ofthe 1=:([8's inability to defend from h8.
3 13 ... ~h6 13 ... 4J xe5 14.Axe5 d3
2 15.~h7+<i!txg516.4Jd2Axf2+ 17.~h1
Axel (17 ... 4Je3 18.4Jf3+ ~g4
abcdefgh 19.~h3#) 18.4Jf3+ <i!tg4 19.~h3#

65
 Sacking the Citadel
14.g41 Threatening~h5#.14 ••. .£)xg4
15:~h7# 1-0
Sziraki - Olah
Eger 1991
Semi-Slav Defense [047]
1.e4 e6 2 •.£)e3 d5 3.d4 .£)f6 4 •.£)f3
e6 5.e3 A,e7 6.A,d3 dxe4 7.A,xe4 0-
08.0-0 .£)bd7 9.e4 ~e710.e5 .£)d5
11.~e2 .£)7b612.A,d3 e513..£)b5
~e6 14.dxe5 A,xe5 15.A,xh7+
~xh716..£)g5+ ~g6
8 can manufacture an effective,
7 additional asset out of White's pristine
6 kingside structure.
5
4
3
2
abcdef
White wins in several variations. ~c2
places winning pressure upon the ~c5,
~e4-h4 penetrates to h7 effectively,
and 17.~g4 wins too, because after
l7 ... f6, White has 18.~e4 f5 19.~h4.
17.~d3+ 17.~c2+ f5 18.exf6+ ~xf6
19.4Je4++-; 17:~e4+ f5 18.~h4+-;
17.~g4 f6! 18.~e4+! f5 19.~h4
17 •.. f5 18. ~h3 f4 Aiming for
complications by disrupting the ~c1 's
communication along the key diagonal.
19.~h7+ ~xg5 20.h4+ The quickest
path. 20 .•• ~g4 21.~g6+ ~xh4
22.g3+ fxg3 23.~g5+ 1-0 23.'l:;i'xg3+
'it'h5 24. 'l:;i'g5 #; 23. 'l:;i'g5+ ~h3
24.~h5#
66
••. ~g6, White plays h4
Many chess players are familiar with the
idea ofpreparing the Greco Sacrifice with
h4. The pawn helps to defend 4Jg5,
especially when Black has a bishop on
e7. A later section of this chapter
focuses exclusively upon positions in
which Black defends with .Ilxg5.
The h2-h4 pawn advance is useful in
other situations as well, especially
when White has a dark-square bishop
and a rook on hl. Indeed, the advance
In the section that focuses upon the
'it'h6 line, we will see that h4 can be a
distinct liability there when White does
not have a dark-square bishop. But here,
many players have selected the ~g6
line in part because the ~h6 was not a
viable choice owing to the presence of
a dark-square bishop on the cl-h6
diagonal.
We have already seen that there are
situations in which White cannot play
'l:;i'g4 or ~d3+ after 'it'g6. But White
retains a viable alternative, especially
when the attacking side has a dark-
square bishop. Rather than play ~g4,
for example, when the most frequent
response, ... f5, attacks the queen,
requiring the capture of the pawn or the
retreat of the queen, White can consider
playing h4 first, threatening rather than
executing ~g4. With the pawn already
on h4, White gains the threat ofh4-h5+,
often forcing the black king to h6, when
the dark-square bishop gains enormous
influence, or to f5, where the king is
often mated simply with g2-g4 or 'l:;i'f3.
 Contemporary Theory

Once the pawn is on h4, White can play

~g4 knowing that ... f5 will now meet 8
h5+, driving the king to h6. 7
6
8 5
7 4
6 3
5 2
4
3
abc d e f g h
2

16.h5+ ~h6 16 .. .'~f6 even without

abcdefgh the e5-pawn, the king is too exposed
without a retreat to e7. 17.~f3#.
The h4-advance works best when 17.4)xti++-,or17.4)xe6++-.
White has a dark-square bishop, a
secure e5-pawn, and a rook on hI. For examples ofh4-h5 against <it>g6, see
Remarkably enough, the advance of the games 131, 178, 199, 217, and 291.
h-pawn often still succeeds even when
White has castled kings ide and a black h4 when the black rook cannot reach
rook can reach h8 in no small part h8
because .§h8 once again weakens f7.
1.j'txh7+ ~xh7 2.4)g5+ ~g6
Without a dark-square bishop, the king
can often hide effectively on h6, 8
although White does have the idea of 7
following up with ~d3 threatening 6
~h7#. If Black is forced to play ... g6to
5
prevent the infiltration of the queen on
4
h7, h4-h5 promises to open the h-file
3
for the .§hl.
2

Black defends best when the king's rook

can reach h8 with an anchor, but there abc d e f g h
are many examples in which the black
rook's ability to reach h8 by itself is 3.h4 ~d7 4.h5+ ~h6 4 ... <it>f5
insufficient to blunt the white attack. 5.~f3#; 4 ... <it>f6 5.~f3+ ~f5 6.4Jh7#
5.4)xti+ ~d3 will often work here.
The pawn is already on h4 5 ••. ~h7 6.Ele6 4)f5 7.4)g5+ ~g8
8.~c2+-

With the pawn already on h4, White

wins quickly and effectively with h5+, For similar examples, see games 134,
forcing the king to h6 where the dark- 139, and 237.
square bishop ends the discussion.

67
 Sacking the Citadel

hS forces EthS, weakening f7

8
1.-'lxh7+ <i!}xh7 2.~gS+ <i!}g6 7
Il_'."'-'''''"
6
8 5
7 4
6 3
5 2
4
3 abcdefgh
2
Once again, h4 is playable even without
abc d e f g h a rook on hI. 3.h4 3.~g4?! .£\xe5 4.~g3
<it'f5 and the win is elusive. 3 .. :~e7
h4 and ~g4 both prevail, and most Seeking to safeguard the queen from
players might avoid h4 without having the coming discovered checks. 4. ~g4
the rook on hI. Here, the threat of h5 only now, since ... f5 meets h4-h5+.
forces the §.f8 to give up its defense of 4.h5+ <it'h6 5.~g4 f5 6 ..£\f7+ <it'h7
the f7-square. 3.h4 3.~g4!? la,xf2+ 7.~g6+ ~g8 8 ..£\g5+-. 4 .••fS S.hS+

4.~xf2 f5 5.~h4 §h8 6.~g3 +- <i!}h6 6.~f7+ A double discovered

3 .•• EthS 4.hS+ A nice surprise. The check, and the queen now has access
to the g6 entry-square. 6 ..• <i!}h7
push still works despite the fact that
7.~g6+ <i!}gS8.~gS+-
the §h8 can capture it. 4.~d3+ f5
(4 ... ~h5 5.g4+ <it'xg4 6:iii'f3+ ~xh4
For similar examples, see games 141,
7.~h3#) 5.exf6+ 'it'xf6 6.~f3+ ~e7
160,213, and 234.
(6 ... ~g6 7.~f7+ ~h6 8 ..£\xe6++-)
7.~f7+ ~d68.§xe6+ la,xe69.M4++-;
Sanchez Almeyra - Rodriguez
4.~g4 f5 5.exf6 (5.~g3 ~e7 6 ..£\xe6+
Maringa 1991
'it'h7 7 ..£\xc5 ~xc5 8.e6±). 4 ••. EtxhS French Defense [C 16]
S:~d3+ fS 5 ... <it'h6 6.~h7# 6.exf6+
And Black has no good move. 'it'h6 1.e4e6 2.d4dS 3.~c3 .11,b44.eS ~e7
finds a mate in one, and the alternative S . .11,d2 b6 6.~f3 0-0 7 ..11,d3 cS
cedes the §h5 and, more important, the S ..11,xh7+ <i!}xh7 9.~gS+ <i!}g6
f7 entry square. 6 ..• <i!}xf6 6 ... <it'h6
7.~h7# 7:~f3+ <i!}e7 S:li\'f7+ <i!}d6 8
Il!!l!~.~'-·II"""""-lI:::r!
9.Af4++- 7
6
For similar examples, see games 137,
5
192,207,231, and 287.
4

h4 with a castled king 3

2

1 •.11,xh7+ <i!}xh7 2.~gS+ <i!}g6

abc d e f g h

68
 Contemporary Theory

10.h4! More accurate than 'l£rg4 - method will depend here upon Black's
1O.~g4 f5 11.~g3 f4 12.~g4 'l£re8±. full set-up. Obviously, White could also
10 ... ~eS 11. ~g4 Only now, when play 7.4::If7 and 8.Ag5.
l1...f5 meets 12.h5+.11 ..• ~f511...f5
12.h5+ ~h6 13.4::Ixe6+ ~h7 For additional examples of the Elh3
14.~xg7# 12.h5+ <t>h613.~ge4+! swing, see games 130, 189, 194,210,218,
13.4::Ixf7+? ~h7 14.~g6+ ~g8-+ 280, and 304.
13 ... <t>h7 13 ... g5 14.hxg6+ ~g7
15.Elh7+ ~g8 16.4::If6# 14.h6 1-0 Rook swings to g3
14 ... h6 g615.4::If6+ ~h816.4::Ixe8+-
8
••• <t>g6, White swings a rook to the 7
kingside 6
5
Rooks play an important part as
4
additional assets in most lines, but they
3
are especially effective when they can
2
reach g3 and h3 quickly.

Rook swings to h3 abc d e f g h

8 I.Jlxh7+ <t>xh7 2.~g5+ <t>g6 Once

7 again, the fastest method is with a rook
6
swing, here to g3. 3.Etg3 Retaining the
4::Ig5 and threatening 4::Ixe6+. 3.El h3
5
'l£rxg5 4.Elg3+-. 3 •.. f6 3 ... f5
4
4.4::Ixe6++- 4.~d3+ f5 5.~xe6+
3 When the knight will often threaten at
2 least the Elf8, if not more, and aim for
Elxg7. 5 .•. <t>f7 5 ... ~h6 6.Elxg7+-;
abcdefgh 5... ~h7 6.Elxg7++- 6.~xf5+ One of
many advantages to the rook swing,
I.Jlxh7+ <t>xh7 2.~g5+ <t>g6 Many when it is available, is that it frees the
moves win here for White, but the queen up for other duties, notably this
fastest and most compelling method is powerful capture. 6 ••• <t>e7 6 ... ~g8
with Elh3 threatening 'l£rh5. 3.Eth3 7.Elxg7++- 7.Etxg7++-
3.Elg3 f5 (3 ... ~f5 4. i1i'd3 #) 4.4::Ixe6+
3 .•• EthS To defend the h5 entry square, For additional examples of the Elg3
the rook must cede its defense of f7. swing, see games 96, 216, 229, 248, and
4. ~d3+ f5 5.exf6+ Here, Black has 294.
only one move because king retreats to
the h-file are covered by the rook. Gharamian - Waquet
5 .•. <t>xf6 6.Etf3+ And now, the rook La Fere 2003
enters powerfully on the unopposed f- French Defense [C06]
file. 6 ••• <t>e7 7.Etf7+ The winning

69
 Sacking the Citadel

l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.~d2 ~f6 4.e5
~fd7 5.Ad3 c5 6.c3 ~c6 7.~e2
'll\'a5 8.0-0cxd4 9.cxd4 Ae710.~f3
f611.exf6 ~ xf612.~f4 0-0 13.Etel
.Q.b4 14.Ete3 ~e4 15.Axe4 Etxf4
White undertakes the sacrifice relying
upon two additional assets, the dark-
square bishop and the E!.e3 ready to
swing to g3 or h3. 16..Q.xh7+ <i!(xh7
17.~g5+ <i!(g6
••• <i!(g6, White plays ~g3
Having or moving a knight to g3 is so
powerful that it trumps other
considerations. Here are the basic
examples. The 4Jg3 permits the white
queen to infiltrate powerfully upon h5.
Black's best hope, when White does
not have a pawn on e5, is to run the
king to f6 and e7.

8 ~g3 mates on h5
7
6 8

5 7
4 6
3 5
2 4
3
abc d e f g h 2

When the rook swings to g3 and h3 abcdefgh

both win convincingly. 18.Eth318.E!.g3
E!.f5 (lB ... e5 19.4Je6+ 'it'f7 20.Axf4
'it'xe6 21.dxe5 +-) 19.4Jxe6+ 'it'f7
(19 ... 'it'h7 20.E!.xg7+ 'it'hB 21.~g4+-;
19 ... 'it'f6 20.4Jxg7 Ad6 21.4Jxf5 Axf5
22.Ag5+ 'it'e6 23.E!.e3+ 'it'd 7
24.~h5 +-) 20.4Jxg7 +- 18 ••• Etxd4
1B ... 'it'xg5 19.Axf4+ 'it'f6 (19 ... 'it'xf4
20.'l*h5 +-) 20.~h5 'it'e7 21.E!.g3 'it'd7
22.E!.xg7+ 4Je7 23.E!.c1 +-; 1B ...'it'f6
19.Axf4 +- 19. 'll\'h5+ <i!(f6 19 ... 'it'f5
20.E!.f3+ 'it'e5 21.4Jf7+ 'it'e4 22.~g4#
20.'ll\'f7+ <i!(e5 21 ..Q.e3 Etc4 21...'it'd6
22.~xg7 Ad2 23.4Jf7+ 'it'c5 24.Axd4+
4Jxd4 25.~fB+ 'it'b6 (25 ... 'it'b5
26.4Jd6+ +- ) 26.~dB+ 'it'a6 27.E!.a3 +-
22.h31-0
White has three additional assets, the
e5-pawn, the dark-square bishop, and
the 4Jg3, which plays a key role in its
support of both h5 and f5 and
discourages Black from bringing the
king to g6 or h6. Note that the e5-pawn
also has an important role to playas
well in guarding f6.
1..Q.xh7+ <i!(xh7 2.~g5+ <i!(g6 Black,
perhaps seeing the mate in five in the
'it'gBline, takes a stab at an alternative.
2 ... 'it'gB 3.~h5 E!.eB 4.~xf7+ 'it'hB
5.~h5+ 'it'gB 6.'l*h7+ 'it'fB 7.'l1i'hB+ r:te7
8.~xg7#; 2... 'it'h6 3.~h5# 3.'ll\'h5#
The knight supports the ~h5 and even
cuts off the f5-retreat.

For other examples of this quick mate,

see games 79, 155, 180,and230.

70
 Contemporary Theory

4)f1-g3 Here, .§.fel and a nice 4Jg3-f5 maneuver

overcomes the absence of an e5-pawn.
8 1 . .1lxh7+ \t'xh7 2.4)g5+ \t'g6
7 3. ~h5+ Without a pawn on e5, the king
6 can run to f6. If Black had a piece on
5 e7, 4Jh7 would mate. 3 ••. \t'f6 4.4)f5!
exf5 4 .. .';!ilxf5 5.4Jh7+ 'it>e4 6 ..§.dl with
4
itrf3# to follow; 4 ... e5 5..§.el +-. Likely
3
with a winning advantage, depending
2
of course on the rest of the Black set-
up. 5.lael g6 6.~h6 lahS 7.4)h7+
abcdefgh laxh7S..1lg5#

The 4Jg3 is so powerful that moving a Trangoni - Rigo

knight there from f1 or e2 is often the Venice 2005
most efficient path for the attack. Queen's Pawn Game [DOS]
1•.1lxh7+ \t'xh7 2.4)g5+ \t'g63.4)g3
Black has only one move to prevent l.d4 e6 2.4)f3 4)f6 3.4) bd2 c5 4.e3
~h5. 3 ..• lahS But the rook move
4)c6 5.c3 d5 6 ..1ld3 .1le7 7.0--0 0--0
weakens the f7-square. 4.~d3+ f5 S.~e2 b6 9.dxc5 bxc5 10.e4 ~c7
4 ... ~h6 The .§.hB prevents ~h7, but the
1l.h3 .1lb7 12.lael 4)d7 13.4)f1
obvious knight fork is also checkmate,
laaeS 14.4)g3 .1ld6 15.e5 4)cxe5
5.4Jxf7 #. 5.4) xe6 With two powerful
16. .1lxh7+ \t'xh7 17.4)g5+ \t'gS
threats, 4JxdB and ~xf5. 5.exf6+ If
17 ... ~g6
Black has a bishop defending e6, White
can try the en passant capture.
5 ... \t'xf6 Avoiding the mate after 'it>h6,
but now giving the queen a path to f7
with ~f3+. 5 ... 'it>h6 6.4Jf7#. 6.~f3+
\t'e7 7. ~f7+ with a powerful attack.

For examples involving 4Jf1-g3, see

games 115, 135, 161,240, and 295.

4)g3 without e5
abc d e f g h
8
7 IB.4Jxe6! Here, the immediate itrh5+
6 permits the Black king to reach e7.
5
IB.itrh5+ 'it>f6. IB .. .fxe6 allows a pretty
mate in two. IB ... 'ltfbB 19.4Jxf8+ AxfB
4
20.'ltfh5+ 'it>f6 21.Ag5+ 'it>e6 22.f4 +-
3
19.~h5+ '<t>f6 20.Ag5#.
2

IS.4)h5 f619.4) xg7 \t'xg7 20. ~h5

abcdefgh lahS 21.4)xe6+ laxe6 0--1

71
 Sacking the Citadel

.•• <it>g6, White plays f5

8
8 7
7 6
6 5
5 4
4 3
3 2
2

abc d e f g h
Another interesting resource for White,
f5+, opens the diagonal for the dark-
square bishop and the f4-square for the
knight. 1.ltxh7+ <it>xh7 2 ..£)g5+ <it>g6
3.f5+ It should be evident that the
combination has sting even without the
E!.f1 in support. 3 ...exf5 4 ..£)f4+ with
the obvious threat of~h5 #. 4 ... <it>xg5
4 .. .'it'h6 5.~h5# 5.~h5#
For examples off5 in action against the
'It'g6Iine, see games 151, 170,205,219,
and 253.
abcdefgh
convincing continuation. 16.h4 .I1b6+
17.~h2 .I1f5 18.h5+ ~f6 (18 ... ~h6
19.4Jxf7+) 19.94 ~c8 20.gxf5 ~xf5
21.Jld2 'It'e7 22.E!.el + 'It'f8 23.E!.xe8+
~xe8 24.~e2+ ~f8 25.E!.e1 4Jd7
26.~e7+ 'It'g8 27.E!.eU. 16... Axf5
17.Elxf5! Ab6+ 17 ... 'lt'xf5 18.~f3+
~g6 (18 ... 'lt'e5 19.~e4+ ~f6
20.4Jh7#) 19.~xf7+ ~h6 20.4Je6++-;
17 ... ~d7 18.E!.xf7+- 18.<it>hl ~e7
19 . .£)e6 <it>h7 19 ... fxe6 20.~h5#
20.Elxf7 ~xf7 21..£)g5+ <it>g8
22 . .£) xf7 <it>xf7 23. ~h5+ <it>f8
24.Jtg5 .£)a6 25.~h71-0

Yanayt- Grabowski The <it>h6line

Las Vegas 2009
Schmid Benoni [A60]
1.d4 .£)f6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4 •.£)c3 exd5
5.cxd5 Ad6 6.e4ltc7 7.f4d6 8.Ad3
0-0 9 •.£)f3 Ele810.0-0 c411.ltxc4
.£)xe412..£)xe4 Elxe413.Ad3 Ele8
14.Axh7+ <it>xh715..£)g5+ <it>g6 (D)
White cannot successfully play either
~d3 or ~g4 owing to the influence of
Black's Jlc8. Even 16.h4 meets Jlb6
check and .I1f5. 16.f5+ The only
The 'It'h6 line is a much less common
defensive choice for an obvious
reason. When White has a dark-square
bishop on the c1-h6 diagonal, the ~h6
is often subject to a brutal discovered
check from the 4Jg5, which has a
versatile reach notably including the
d8-square where the black queen often
resides.
The number of squares that the knight
can reach in one or two moves is
impressive. Practically speaking, the list
includes d8, the queen's starting
square, as well as many of the squares
to which the queen often develops, c7,

72
 Contemporary Theory
d6, c5, d4, and f6. Add the h8-square
to the list, an important square because
Black may move a rook or the queen
there to prevent the i;l'd3-h7 and ~d3-
h3-h7 maneuvers.
8
7 With the bishop on the diagonal but
6 blocked by a mobile f-pawn, f4-f5,
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
When unable to prevent the discovered
check, the defender will often move the
queen to a safer square. Movements off
the eighth rank, however, run the risk
that 4Je6+ or 4Jf7 + will snag a now
undefended rook.
For the defender, there are three useful,
central squares that are immune in one
or two moves from the 4Jg5 's
discovered checks, e8, d7, and
especially e7. For examples of games
involving a black queen on those three
squares, see games 131, 141, 160, 165,
216,219,237, and 306, all still won by
White because the attacking side often
has possibilities even more powerful
than the discovered check.
Even when the black queen can be
caught by a discovered check, White's
best move with the discovered check in
the air is often not actually to move the
4Jg5, but rather to threaten mate with
i;l'g4-h4-h7 (see games 159, 162, 167,
242, 243, and 255) or with ~d3 (see
73
games 217,255, and 270). When the 4Jg5
is anchored, as is almost always the
case when White has a dark-square
bishop on the key diagonal, ~d3
threatens ~h7 as well as ~d3-h3-h7
(which works well after ... g6).
activating the discovered check is often
the answer. See games 133,200, and 242.
One of the disadvantages off4-f5 is that
the e6xf5 capture can open the e-file to
the defender's advantage (see game
162).
White plays ~d3
Even when the dark-square bishop has
been traded or cannot easily reach the
key c1-h6 diagonal, White has other
resources, notably ~g4-h4 and ~d3,
again with the idea of~h7 # as well as
i;l'd3-h3-h7.
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Both ideas work well here .... §f8-h8
defending on h7 simply encourages
4Jxf7 forking the king and queen.
1.~d3 1.i;l'g4 §h8 (1...~c7 2.i;l'h4+
'it'g6 3.~h7#) 2.4Jxf7++- 1 ... Eth8
1...g6 2.~h3+ <:t;g7 3.i;l'h7# 2 •.£!xf7+
 Sacking the Citadel

When White does not have a dark-

8 square bishop
7
6 The ~h6 line is clearly more complex
5
when White no longer has a dark-square
bishop, or at least when that bishop is
4
not on the cl-h6 diagonal. Even under
3
such circumstances, White has
2
considerable chances, depending of
course upon the number of additional
abc d e f g h assets that can join in the attack.

1.~d31.~g4'§'h82.~h4+~g63.~xh8 In the ~h6 line, when White no longer

1 ••• ~h8 2~h3+ ~g63.~xh8 has a dark-square bishop, or it is off the
key diagonal, White still has multiple
Rook swings to h3 options and possibilities:

Another recurring theme is a rook swing
to the h3-square. Note in the following
example that the 4Jg5 is again immune
from capture thanks to the collaboration
between the queen and rook, with a nice
assist from the e5-pawn eliminating the
f6-e7 escape route.
8 9,24,86,245 and 285);
7 •
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h with a patient pawn storm (see
1.~g4 1..§.e3 g6 (1...~xg5 2 ..§.g3+
~h6 (a) 2 ... ~f4 3.~g4# [3.i1¥f3#]; (b)
2... ~h4 3.i1¥g4#; (c) 2... ~f5 3.~g4#
[3.~f3#]; 3 . .§.h3+ ~g5 [3 ... ~g6
4.~h5# (4.i1¥g4#)] 4.'§'h5+ [4.~h5+
~f4 5..§.h4# ]4 ... ~g6 5.~g4#) 2..§.h3+
~g7 3.i1¥g4 .§.h8 4.'§'xh8 ~xh8 5.~h4+
~g8 6.i1¥h7+ ~f8 7.4Jxe6+ 1. .. ~h8
2.~h4+ ~g6 3.~xh8
• Return the bishop to the c1-
h6 diagonal (see game 296);
• Place the queen on the
diagonal, usually with ~d2 or
i1¥e3 (which may have the
additional merit of ~e3-h3)
and the usual discovered
check with the 4Jg5 (see games
Use the queen to launch an
attack along the bl-h7
diagonal with ~e4, ~d2,
~bl, or most often with i1¥d3.
See games 29,74, 127, 131,
164,181, 183, 198,250,268,270,
272,274,283,291,299, and 306;
• Storm the defender's kings ide
game 18).
Voellmy was the first to emphasize that
the defender is often well advised to
select the 'it'h6 line when White does
not have a dark-square bishop and
when White has already played h4,
blocking the h-file and ruting out the
~g4-h4 and the i1¥d3-h3-h7
maneuvers.

74
 Contemporary Theory
It turns out that it's not at all that simple.
It is true that 'ffi'd3 still threatens 'ffi'h7,
and so Black will often counter with ... g6
(especially when ... §h8 is not an option)
blocking the queen's access to h7. After
... g6, White can try h4-h5, using the
pawn as an asset rather than a liability.
(see games 10,74,127,198, and 274).
Here's the basic idea.
8
7 18.Eldhl.Q.f(719.gxf/+ Elxf/ 2O.~g6
6
5
4
3 consideration is whether Black can play
2 ... §h8 defending the h7-square with
abc d e f g h Obviously, without such support, the
1:~d3 The h4-pawn blocks the usual
'ffi'g4-h4 maneuver, and the e3-pawn
blocks 'ffi'd2, but White has another
interesting idea. The threat, of course,
is 'ffi'h7 #. Defending with ... §h8 invites
the knight fork on f7, and so 1 .••g6 2.h5
.Q.xg5 2 ... r,t>xg5 3.hxg6; 2 ... r,t>g7
3A:'lxe6+ +-. The knight is immune
since fxe6 allows 'ffi'xg6 3 ... fxe6
4.'ffi'xg6+ r,t>h8 5.'ffi'h6+ \t>g8
6.§cgl + +-; 2 .. .f5 3.exf6 §xf6 4.hxg6+
'it'g7 5.§h7+ r,t>f8 (5 ... r,t>g8 6.§chl +- )
6.4Jxe6+ +-. 3.hxg6+ ~g7 3... Ah4
4.§cgl r,t>g7 5.§g4+- 4.Elh7+ ~gS
5.gxf/+ Elxf/ 6:~g6+ +-
In game 127, Teschner-Spassky, the
verdict hung by a tempo. Here is the
position in that game after move 17 in
which White has an extra tempo, 0-0-0.
75
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
CjfjIfS 21.Elxg7 Elxg7 22.ElhS+
In addition to whether or not there's a
dark-square bishop, the other key
support from the other rook or queen.
white queen in the 'ffi'd3-h3 line will
simply capture the §h8. For games with
rook support when White has a dark-
square bishop, see games 159, 162,242,
243, and 255. For games with a dark
square bishop without support for the
§h8, see game 167 .
For games without rook support when
White has a dark-square bishop, see
games 129, 173,201,227,246,247,248,
and 256. For games without a dark-
square bishop and without support for
the §h8, see games 161, 166,226,251,
and 270.
Rendle - Guido
Bratt02005
Sicilian Defense [B40]
1.e4c5 2.~f3 e6 3.b3 ~f6 4.e5 ~d5
5 •.Q.b2 .Q.e7 6.~c3 ~ xc3 7 ..Q.xc3 0-
o S..Q.d3 ~c6 9.h4 f510.exf6 .Q.xf6
11:~e2d5
 Sacking the Citadel

1l.exf4 Af6 12.-'\.xh7+ <it'xh7

8 13.{)g5+ <it'h614. ~d3 g6
7
6 8
5 7
4 6
3 5
2 4
3
abc d e f g h 2

12.Axh7+ <it'xh7 13.{)g5+ <it'h6 abcdefgh

Black selects the 'it'h6 line in part
because White's dark-square bishop
has no ready access to the c1-h6
diagonal. Still, White has a winning
attack, in part because the ~c3 controls
the e5 and f6 flight squares. 14.~d3
g614 ... ~xg515.hxg5+ 'it'xg516.~g3+
By no means is h5 a reliable
continuation. To be sure, after h5,
White again threatens <£\xf7 and
~xg6#, but Black's ~f6 eliminates the
threat. 15.h5 .Q.xg515 ... 'it'g716.hxg6
§hB17.§xhB~xhB-+ 16.fxg5+~xg5

'it'f5 17.§h5+ g5 1B.~d3+ 'it'g4 17.hxg6+ <it'g718.f4 ~xg6 ~1

19.~h3+ 'it'f4 20.~f3#; 14 ... §hB
15.<£\f7++- 15.h5 threatening ~xg6#. Van Malde - Metzen
With a pawn on f7, White's threat Karlovy Vary 2009
would be the <£\xf7+ fork and ~xg6#. French Defense [C 13]
15 ... {)e7 15 ... 'it'xg5 16.f4+ 'it'xf4
1.d4 d5 2.{)c3 {)f6 3.-'\.g5 e6
17.~f3+ 'it'g518.~g3+ 'it'f519.~xg6+
4.Axf6 ~xf6 5.e4 dxe4 6.{)xe4
'it'f4 20.0-0#; 15 ... 'it'g7 16.~xg6+
~d8 7.{)f3 Ae7 8.,1ld3 {)d7 9.~e2
'it'hB 17.~h7# 16.{)f7+ 16.hxg6+! 0-0 10.h4 {)f6 1l.{)xf6+ ,1lxf6
'it'g7 (16 ... 'it'xg517.~g3+ 'it'f51B.§h5+ 12.~c613.<it'b1 a514.Axh7+
'it'e4 19.d3#) 17.§h7+ 'it'gB 18.~h3 <it'xh715.{)g5+ <it'h6
~xc3 19.~h6 §xf2 20.§f7 ~xd2+
21.'it'xf2 ~e3+ 22.'it'fl ~xg5 23.~h7 # 8
16... Etxf7 17.hxg6+ 1-0 17.hxg6+
7
'it'g7 1B.§h7+ 'it'gB 19.9xf7+ 'it'fB
6
20.J1xf6+-
5
Mocquard - Herdier 4
Guingamp 1999 3
Slav Defense [D 13] 2

.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.{)f3 abc d e f g h

{)f6 5.{)c3 e6 6 ..Q.f4 .Q.e7 7.e3 0--0
8.Ad3 {)c6 9.Etc1 {)h510.h4 {) xf4 16.~e4 g6 17.h5 Axg5 18.hxg6+
<it'g719.Eth7+ <it'f619 ... 'it'gB 20.gxf7+

76
 Contemporary Theory

!':Ixf7 21.~g6++- 20 ..~e5+ ~xg6 Pinilla Santibanez - Fernandez

20 ... 'it'e7 21.~xg5+ 'it'd6 22.'~f4+ ~d7 Aranguiz
23.g7 !':1gB- 24.~xf7+ ~d6 25.~f4+ Euskadi 1992
'it'd726.~f8+- 21.E!g7+ 1-0 21.~g7+ French Defense [C05]
'it'f5 22.g4+ 'it'xg4 (22 ... 'it'e4 23.~e5+
'it'f3 24.!':Ih3+ 'it'xg4 (a) 24 ... ~xf2
25.~h2#; (b) 24 ... 'it'g2 25.~g3# 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.~d2 ~f6 4.e5
[25.~h2#]; 25.!':Igl + 'it'xh3 26.~g3#) ~fd7 5.f4c5 6.c3 ~c6 7.~df3 ~b6
21...'it'h6 22.!':Ihl + .llh4 23.!':Ig4+- 8.a3 Ae7 9.~h3 0-0 10.Ad3 f6
11.b4 cxd4 12.cxd4 fxe5 13.dxe5
Dawkins - Stupak ~xb414.axb4 j'txb4+ 15.~f1 ~c5
IECG e-mail 2004
Queen's Indian Defense [EI4] 8
7
6
1.d4 ~f6 2.~f3 b6 3.e3 Ab74.Ae2 5
e6 5.c4 Ab4+ 6.Ad2 Axd2+ 4
7.~bxd2 d5 8.cxd5 j'txd5 9.0--0 0--0
3
10.j'td3 ~bd7 11.e4 j'tb7 12.e5
2
~d5 13.h4 c5 14.j'txh7+ ~xh7
15.~g5+~h6
abc d e f g h
8
7 16.j'txh7+ ~xh7 17.~fg5+ ~h6
6
18. ~g4 The usual idea of ~g4-h4;
18.f5? !':Ixf5+-+. 18••• ~b5+ 19.~gl
5
~e8 Preventing h4, but now, of course,
4
White can safely advance the f-pawn.
3 20.f51-0
2
Schmitz - Heisterhagen
abc d e f g h Bad Zwesten 2005
Sicilian Defense [B22]
White's sacrifice should not succeed
here. The h4-pawn blocks the idea of 1.e4c5 2.c3 ~f6 3.e5 ~d5 4.d4cxd4
~g4-h4. ~c2, with the idea of~h7, is 5.cxd4 e6 6.~f3 d6 7.Ac4 ~c6 8.0-
stuffed by ... g6 because there is no !':Ihl o Ae7 9.Ad2 0-0 10.~c3 ~xc3
behind the h-pawn to support h5. 11.Axc3 dxe5 12.dxe5 b613. ~e2
16. ~g4 16.4::lc4 is White's best chance Ab7 14.E!ad1 ~c7 15.Ad3 ~b4
here, providing protection for the e5- 16.Axb4 j'txb417.Axh7+ ~xh7
pawn and preparing ~d2. 16 ... ~e7 18.~g5+~h6
17.~de4cxd418.f4 ~e319.~xti+
E!xti0-1

77
 Sacking the Citadel

White has a dark-square bishop but it

8 is off the key diagonal. White can win
here with two lines, itl'd3 and 'lfig4, but
711"...·~,l~l
6 notwithAc1 or'lfic2.16.~d3116.'lfic2
5 g6 and the itl'c2 does not have access
to h3; 16.~g4 'lfib4 17.~g3 f5 IB.h3
4
f4 I9.'lfih4+ 'it1g6 20.'it1h2 f3 21.'lfih7+
3
'itlxg5 22.~xg7+ 'it'f5 23.~h7+ 'itlg5
2
24.Ac1 + +-; I6.Ac1 'it'g6I7.'lfid3+ f5
IB.'lfig3 4Jxe5 +. 16 ... f5 I6 ... g6
abc d e f g h I7.itl'h3+ 'it1xg5 (17 ... 'itlg7 IB.'lfih7#)
I8.Ac1 + Ae3I9.Axe3+ +-; I6 ... 'itlxg5
The E!d4 rook swing gains a useful I7.~g3+ ~h6IB.itl'h4+ 'itlg6I9.g4+-
tempo against the Ab4. Note that, 17.~h3+ <it>xg5 I7 ... ~g6 IB.'lfih7+
should Black capture the 4Jg5, the rook 'it1xg5 I9.h4+ 'itlf4 (19 ... 'itlg4 20.'lfig6+
and queen, with a small assist from the 'it1xh4 [20 ... ~f4 21.~g3+ 'itle4
e5-pawn, easily overwhelm the lone 22.~f3#] 21.g3+ ~h3 22.'lfih5#)
king. 19.Eid4119.E!d3 g6 20.E!h3+ ~g7 20.~h5withamatingnet.18.~h71-0
21.E!h7+ 'it1gB 22:~e3 'lfic6= 19•.•f5 I8.~h7 4Jxe5 I9 ..ilxe5 itl'b4 20.'lfixg7+
19.. .'i!j1xg5 20.itl'g4+ 'it1h6 21.itl'h4+ 'itlg6 ~h5 21.~hI +-
22.E!g4+ 'it1f5 23.E!g5 #; 19 ... g6
20.E!xb4 (20.itl'e3 +-) 20.Eih4+ 1-0 The .1lxg5line

Janecek - Petricek In addition to the normal king moves,

ICCF e-mail 2004 ~gB, 'it1g6, and ~h6, Black will often
French Defense [C06] have the option of capturing the knight
on g5 with his dark-square bishop.
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.~d2 ~f6 4.e5
~fd7 5 •.1ld3 c5 6.c3 ~c6 7.~gf3 As in Greco's original example from 1620
~b6 8.0-0 cxd4 9.cxd4 ~ xd4 (game #1), ... Axg5 is an important
10.~ xd4 ~xd411.~f3 ~b612.b3 variation of the sacrifice. In the line, in
.1lc513..1lb20--0 14..1lxh7+ <it>xh7 addition to the light-square bishop's
15.~g5+ <it>h6 attack upon h7, a knight reaching g5,
and the queen reaching the h-file,
8 White's h-pawn will be at h4, defending
7 the 4Jg5 when it joins the attack. Black
6 will usually have a dark-square bishop
5 on e7 or f6, and it is also common for
4 the black queen to add support to the
3 attack from dB. Obviously, in the
2
following fragment, Black retains other
options. As we will see, the 'itlgB line
usually transposes after ~h5 forcing
abc d e f g h the bishop capture on g5. The 'itlg6line
is especially interesting when White

78
 Contemporary Theory
does not have a dark-square bishop
because, as we have seen, the h4-pawn
blocks the usual 'l11g4-h4 maneuver. But
the 'it'g6 line is fraught with danger
because White has, in addition to 'l11d3+
and 'l11g4, the powerful idea ofh5+.
Here, after the ...1.l.xg5 capture, White
will recapture with the h4-pawn, h4xg5,
opening the h-file for a White rook
which usually rests on hI but may
require posting there. As a result of the
capture, the black king will often be in
check from the .§.hl.
8
7
6
5 After 4Jg5+, Black's move order does
4 matter because the immediate ... ~g8
3 ~h5 eliminates even the possibility of
2 'it'g6. By playing ...1.l.xg5 first, Black
abcdefgh
On the retreat to g8, White will usually
continue naturally on the next move
with 'l11h 5 threatening mate on h 7 or h8.
If Black's rook is on f8 and the f-pawn
on f7, White's attack will usually
succeed quickly.
The horrific threat of'l11h8 '"' eliminates
defenses such as .§.f8-e8, ... 4Jf6, or even
occupying the bl-h7 diagonal.
To create an escape square, Black will
need to advance the f-pawn to f6 or f5,
when g5-g6 will end the discussion.
Indeed, many dozens of quick mates
follow that monotonous pattern. Black's
defensive hope is to have a knight
capable of capturing the g-pawn or else
a very convincing counter attack on the
queenside or in the center.
79
The attack tends to be more challenging
and the defense substantially eased
when the f8-square is vacant at the time
of the sacrifice because Black can
escape the immediate mate with ~g8-
f8. White has two primary options in
that line, continuing with ~h8xg7, or
playing the immediate g5-g6.
When Black's rook rests at f8 and the f-
file is open, Black gains the opportunity
to play ... .§.f5, pinning White's g5-pawn
to the queen, preventing or at least
delaying g5-g6. The obvious problem
for Black in that line is that the .§.f5 is
vulnerable to attack from White's
kingside pawns.
usually gains the choice between ... ~g8
and ... ~g6.
On 'it'h7-g6, ~h5 will force the king to
f5 where the black king is extremely
exposed and almost always subject to a
mate, the form of which will however
depend upon the position and the
additional assets at White's disposal.
Perez Alvarez - Rios Rebollo
Madrid 2009
French Defense [CII]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3 ..£\c3 .£\f6 4.e5
.£\fd7 5..£\f3 Jl.e7 6.Jl.d3 0--07.h4
c5
Here is the sacrifice with ... 1.l.xg5 in its
simplest form. Once again, only the
black king defends the h7-pawn, the
1.l.d3 is set to sacrifice on the h 7 -square,
the 4Jf3 can reach g5, the ~dl eyes h5,
 Sacking the Citadel

and White even has a dark-square 10.hxg5+ Cit'g81O ... 'itfg611.~h5+ 'itff5
bishop to discourage ... 'iti'h6. 12.g4# mate in one, of course, butthere
are also three instructive mates in two.
8 (a) 12.~h7+ 'iti'g4 (12 ... g6 13.~h3#)
7 13.~h3#; (b) 12.~h3+'iti'g613.~h7#;

6
(c) 12.g6+ ~g5 13.~xg5# or 13.g4#.
1 t:~h5 f6 11...f5 12.g6 12.g6 1-0
5
4
Muller - Brueckner
3 Hanau2008
2 Owen's Defense [BOO]

abc d e f g h l.d4 b6 2.~c3 e6 3.a3 .Q.b7 4.e4 d6

5 . .Q.d3 ~d7 6.~f3 .Q.e7 7 . .Q.f4
White initiates the sacrifice with four ~gf6 8. ~d2 0--0 9.0--0--0 a610. ~e2
additional assets, the secure e5-pawn, a51l.g3 ~h512.h4 ~xf413.gxf4
the dark-square bishop, the h4-pawn, b5 14.§dgl c5 15.e5 cxd4
and the .£\c3, which controls the e4-
square should Black attempt to run his
king forward to g6 and f5. The sacrifice
works easily here for many reasons.
Black's rook occupies the f8-square,
Black cannot play ... §f5 to inhibit the
later advance of White's g5-pawn,
Black's knights will not be able to
capture the g-pawn when it reaches g6,
and Black has no counter-attack on the
queenside or center. 8 •.Q.xh7+ Cit'xh7 abc d e f g h
9.~g5+ In addition to ... i.txg5, Black
has the customary array of choices. The The sacrifice is especially notable here
because the Black i.tb7 reaches straight
'iti'h8 line results in the usual mate in
through to hI. White attempts the
two. The 'iti'g8 line transposes quickly
sacrifice counting on the .£\c3, the e5-
because, after 10.~h5, Black must
pawn, and the h4-pawn!§hl as
capture on g5 to prevent mate. The 'iti'h6
additional assets. 16..Q.xh7+ Cit'xh7
line is quite hopeless given the presence 17.~g5+ .Q.xg5 17 ... 'itfg8 18.~h5
of the dark-square bishop. 9 ••• .Q.xg5 i.txg5 transposing to the game;
9 ... 'itfg8 10.~h5 ~xg5 (10 ... §e8 17 ... 'itfh618.~d3 g6 (18 .. .f519.exf6 g6
11.~h7+ 'itff8 12.~h8#) Il.hxg5 20 ..£\f7+ §xf7 21.~xg6#) 19 ..£\xf7+
transposing; 11...f5 (11...f6 12.g6) §xf7 20.~xg6#; 17 ... 'itfg618.~d3+ f5
12.g6; 9 .. .'~h6 10 ..£\xf7++- Fritz 12 (18 ... 'iti'h6 19.~h7#; 18 ... 'iti'h5
suggests instead 10 ..£\ge4 with mate in 19.~h7#) 19.exf6+ 'iti'xf6 20.'£\h7+ 'itff7
12; 9 ... 'iti'h8 10.~h5+ 'iti'g8 11.~h7#; 21.~g6+ 'iti'g8 22.~xg7#. 18.hxg5+
9 ... 'iti'g6 10.~d3+ f5 (a) 10 .. .'~h6 .Q.xhI18... 'itfg619.~h5+ 'itff5 20.~g4+
11.~h7#; or (b) 10 ... 'itfh5 Il.g4+ ~g6 2l.f5+ exf5 22.~h5# 19.~h5+
'iti'xg4 (11...'iti'h6 12.~h7#) 12.~f3#. Cit'gS 2O.§xhl f5 21.g61-0

80
 Contemporary Theory
Sharafiev - Gazizov
Oktjabrsky 2004
French Defense [COO]
1.e4 e6 2.b3 .£)f6 3.e5 .£)d5 4.c4
.£)b6 5.d4 Jte7 6.,£)0 0-0 7 •.Q,d3
d5 S.h4 f5 9.exf6 Jtxf6
abc d e f g h this dangerous line is bringing the {'\c6-
With the open f-file, Black gains two
options, ... ~eS with the idea of<it>gS-f8,
and ... ~f5, pinning the advancing g5-
pawn. 10.Jtxh7+ !ifjlxh7 1l. .£)g5+
!ifjlgS 11...<it>h6 12.~d3+-; 11...<it>g6
12.~d3+ 'iti'h6 (12 ... <it>h5 13.g4+ <it>h6
[13 ... <it>xg4 14.~f3#] 14.~h7#)
13.~h7#; 11...Jlxg5 12.hxg5+ <it>g6
(12 ... <it>gS transposing to the game)
13.~h5+ 'iti'f5 14.g6+ (14.~h7+ <it>g4
[14 ... g615.~h3+ 'iti'e416.{'\c3+ <it>xd4
17.~e3#] 15.~h4# [15.~h3#])
14... 'iti'e415.~e5+'iti'd316.~e2+'iti'xd4
17.~e3#. 12.t\'h5 Jtxg5 13.hxg5
EteS13 ... ~f5 fails immediately because
the ~dS is unanchored. 14.t\'hS++-
14.g6'iti'fS15.Jla3+ 1-0 15 ..llg5+-or
15 ..lla3+ ~e716.~hS#.
Chomistek - Csefalvay
Trencin 1995
Queen's Pawn Game [DOO]
1.d4 .£)f6 2.e3 e6 3.Jtd3 d5 4 •.£)d2
c5 5.c3 .£)c6 6.f4 .Q,d6 7. t\'e2 0-0
S..£)h3 .£)d7 9 . .£)f2 c410.Jtc2 b5
81
1l •.£)f3 f612.e4 .£)b613.e5 fxe5
14.fxe5 Jte715.h4 b4
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
White has the secure e5-pawn, the dark-
square bishop, and the ~h1 as
additional assets. Black's only hope in
e7 where it can capture the g6-pawn
and prevent the usual mate on h7.
16..Q,xh7+ !ifjlxh7 17. .£)g5+ Jtxg5
17 ... <it>gS IS. ~h 5 .llx g5 The only move
to prevent ~h7-hS#. 19.hxg5
transposing to the game; 17 ... <it>h6
lS.{'\g4+ 'iti'h5 (lS ... <it>g6 19.h5+ <it>f5
20.0-0#) 19.{'\f6+ <it>g6 20.~c2+ <it>h6
21.~h7# or 21.{'\f7#); 17 ... <it>g6
lS.h5+ 'iti'h6 (lS ... <it>f5 19.94#)
19.{'\g4#. 1S.hxg5+ Black's move
order preserves the option of playing
lS ... 'iti'g6. 1S•••!ifjlgS1S... <it>g619.~h5+
'iti'f5 20.g4 # 19. t\'h5 .£)e7 20.g6
20.{'\g4+- 20 ••• .£)xg6 21.t\'xg6And
White, with three assets aiming at the
kingside, wins easily. 21. •• t\'eS
22. t\'h7+ ctIfi 23.Jtg5 f!g8 23••• EthS
24.t\'xhS+- 24..£)g4 1-0 With the
idea of 0-0+.
Kulhanek - Fuchs
Bm02001
French Defense [COO]
1.e4 e6 2 ..£)f3 d5 3.e5 c5 4.b4 cxb4
5.d4 .£)e7 6.a3 .£)ec6 7.axb4 Jtxb4+
 Sacking the Citadel

8.c3 .1le7 9 . .1ld3 0-0 10.h4 f6 16.~h5 E!.f5 17.~h7+ '<t'f8 lS.E!.h5
1l.exf6.1lxf6 ~d6-+ ) l3 ... b4

8 8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
"-'",_,,,c',-'=
2 2

abc d e f g h abc d e f g h

White misses the e5-pawn, and has to
rely upon the dark-square bishop and
the E!.hl. 12..1lxh7+ <i!lxh7l3./f)gS+
.1lxgS 13 ... 'it1gS 14.~h5 Axg5
transposing; 13 ... '<t'g6? 14.h5+ +-
(14.~d3+ 'it1h5 15.g4+ 'it1xg4
16.~f3#). 14.hxgS+ <i!lg814 ... '<t'g6?
15.~h5+ '<t'f5 16.~h7+! g6 (16 ... '<t'g4
17.E!.h4# or 17.~h3#) 17.~h3+ 'it1e4
lS.~e3+ 'it1f5 19.~f4# (19.~f3#)
IS. ~hS /f)e7 Once again, Black
depends upon 4Jxg6 to prevent the
mate. 16.g6 /f)xg6 17.~xg6 Here,
White retains an advantage after
17 ... 4Jc6 or 17 ... 4Jd7 or even 17 ... e5
but Black has some play. 17.•• ~f6?
18.~h7+ <i!lf7 19.fih3+- ~d8
20.fif3+ <i!le8 21.fixf8+ <i!lxf8
22.~h8+1-0
MaIinin - Ivanova
Soukhumi2007
Staunton Gambit [A82]
l.d4 fS 2.e4 fxe4 3./f)c3/f)f6 4.f3
exf3 S./f) xf3 e6 6 ..1ld3 .1le7 7 ..1lgS
/f)c6 8.a3 a6 9. ~e2 0--0 10.0--0--0 bS
1l..1lxf6 .1lxf6 12.h4 dS l3.<i!lbl
Preparation, removing the king from the
cl-h6 diagonal (13.Axh7+ 'it1xh7
14.4Jg5+ Axg5+ 15.hxg5+ '<t'gS
For additional assets, White has the
4Jc3 and E!.h1, unlikely enough given
Black's counter-attack on the
queenside. To survive, Black employs
... E!.f5 pinning the g-pawn. 14..1lxh7+
<i!lxh7 15./f)gS+ <i!lg8 lS ... '<t'g6?
16.~d3++-; 15 ... 'it1h6? 16.~d3 g6
17.h5 4Je7 (17 ... 'it1xgS 18.~g3+ '<t'fS
[lS ... '<t'h6 19.~xg6#] 19.E!.dfl#)
lS.hxg6+ '<t'g7 19.E!.h7+ '<t'gS
20.4Jf7+- 16.~hS .1lxgS 17.hxgS
fifSI White is unable first to secure the
g5-pawn with f4.18.g41? 18.E!.df1! bxc3
(lS ... E!.xfl+ 19.E!.xfl ~e7 20.g6+-)
19.94 E!.xfl + 20.E!.xfl +- 18 ... fixgS
19.~h4 fig619 ... '<t'f7! 20.E!.dfl + '<t'eS
21.axb4 ~e7+ 20.~h7+ <i!lf7
21.fidfl + fif6 = 22.gS fixfl+
23.fixfl+ <i!le7 24.axb4 24.~xg7+
'<t'd6 (24 ... '<t'eS 2S.~f7#) 2S.axb4
4Jxb4 26.E!.fS ~e7 27.E!.f7 ~dS=
24 ••• /f)xb4 2S.~xg7+ <i!ld6 26.fif8
~e7 27.fif7 ~d8 28./f)e4+ dxe4?
And now, the win is quite pleasing;
2s ... 'it1c6=. 29.~eS+ <i!lc6 30.~c5+
<i!lb7 31.~xb4+ <i!la7 31...'<t'c6
32.g6 +- 32. ~cS+ <i!lb7 33.g6 eS
34.dS e3 3S.g7 e2 36. ~b4+ 36.~c6+
'<t'b837.~c3+- 36•.• <i!la73-7.~d21-
o 37.gS~ ~xgS 3S.E!.xc7++-

82
 Contemporary Theory

Antony - Eide
New Zealand 1996 8
Queen's Pawn Game [D02] 7
6
l.d4 4)f6 2.4)f3 d5 3.Af4 e6 4.e3 5
Ae7 5.Ad3 0-0 6.4)bd2 c5 7.c3 c4 4
8.Ac2 h5 9. ~e2 Ab7 10.e4 4)c6 3
1l.e5 4)d712.h4 ~e8 2

8
abc d e f g h
7
6
Here, White initiates the sacrifice with
5 insufficient additional assets, only the
4 dark-square bishop, and Black can suc-
3 cessfully use the vacated f8-square to
2 escape the pressure. 10.Axh7+ ~xh7
11.4)g5+ ~g8 12.~h5 Axg5
abc d e f g h 13.hxg5 ~f8 14.g6 14.~h8+ ~e7
15.~xg7 Ae616.g6 Elg817.~h7 Elxg6
Black has conspicuously played Ele8, 18.~xg6 fxg6 19.~g5+ ~f8 20.~xd8
vacated the fB-square for the king's Elxd8+ 14... ~f6-+ 15.gxf7 ~xf7
escape. White counts nonetheless on 16.~g5 ~f6 17.~h8+ ~e7
the secure e5-pawn, the dark-square 18.~xe8+ ~xe8 19.~h5+ g6
bishop, and, after the capture on g5, 20. ~h7 4)e7 21.0-0-0 Ae6 22.~el
the Elh1.13.Axh7+ ~xh714.4)g5+ ~d7 23.Ad4 ~f7 24.~h4 4)f5
~g8 14 ... ~g6 15.~g4+-; 14 ... ~h6 25. ~e4 d5 26. ~e2 4) xd4 27.cxd4
15.<£Jxf7+ +- 15. ~h5 Axg5 15 ... <£Jf8! a6 28.f3 ~e8 29. ~f2 ~h8 30. ~e3
16:tii'xf7+ ~h8 17:tii'h5+= 16.hxg5 ~h2 31.~gl ~f4+ 32.~bl Af5
~f8 16 ... f5? 17.~h8+ ~f7 18.g6+ 33.~f1 ~xd4 34.~e2 ~6 35.~e8+
~xg6 19.~h5#; 16 ... f6 17.g6 ~f8 ~d6 36.~e3 ~xg2 37.~a3+ ~d7
18.~h8+ ~e719.~xg7# 17.g61+- 1- 38.~a4+ ~c6 39.~d4 ~xc2+
o 17 ... ~e7 17 ... fxg6 18.~xg6 <£Je7 4O.~al ~d241.~g7+ ~c642.~6+
19.Elh8+ <£Jg8 20.<£Jf3 with the idea of ~b5 43.a3 ~dl + 0-1
<£Jg5 and Elxg8; 18.gxf7 ElfBI9.~g5+.
Schwarz - Barth
Papp-Nagy Berlin 1999
Pecs1998 French Defense [CI4]
Petroff Defense [C42]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.4)c3 4)f6 4.Ag5
l.e4 e5 2.4)f3 4)f6 3.4) xe5 d6 4.4)f3 Ae7 5.Axf6 Axf6 6.4)f3 0-07.e5
4) xe4 5.4)c3 4) xc3 6.dxc3 Ae7 j},e7 8.Ad3 c5 9.h4 cxd410.Axh7+
7.j},d3 0-0 8.h4 ~e8 9.Ae3 4)c6 ~xh7 1l.4)g5+ Axg5 11 ... ~h6-+
12.hxg5+ ~g6 12 ... ~g8 13.~h5 f5
14.g6+- 13.~h5+ ~f5

83
 Sacking the Citadel

It's mate in three. 15.g6+! <llxf4

8 15 ... 'ifte416.~e5#; 15 ... 'it>f616.~g5#
7 16.~e5+ 1-0 16 ... 'iftg417.f3#

6
5
The <llh8line
4
The retreat of the king to hB is an ex-
3
tremely rare occurrence because the
2
move typically results in a quick mate
in two moves. Obviously, ~h5+ now
abc d e f g h occurs with an attack upon the black
king, leaving no opportunity whatever
It's mate in 10. Can any human find it? for a meaningful defense.
14.g6+ 14.g4+! 'iftf4 (14 ... 'iftxe5
15. ~h2 #) 15.4Je2+ 'it'e4 (15 ... 'it'f3 8
16.~h3+ 'ifte4 17.~d3+ 'it'xe5
7
18.~g3+ 'it'e4 19.~f4#; 15 ... 'it>xe5
16.~h2+ 'it'e417.~f4#) 16.~h2 ~xg5 6
(16 ... ~a5+ 17.'it'fl ~d2 18.f3+ 'it>xf3 5
[IB ... 'it>e3 19.~f4#] 19.~g2+ 'it>e3 4
20.E!.h3#)17.~g3+- 14••• ~g515.g4+ 3
<llf4 16. .£Je2+ Winning the queen, 2
which is surely enough. 1-0
abcdefgh
Jayaram - AIlahverdiyev
Baku 2008
French Defense [ClO] 1.j},xh7+ <llxh7 2 . .£Jg5+ <llh8?
3.~h5+<llg84.~h7#
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3 ..£Jd2 dxe4 4 ..£J xe4
j},e7 5 . .£Jf3 .£Jf6 6 . .£Jxf6+ j},xf6 This mate is so easy to see that it never
7.j},d3 b6 8.Ae4 c6 9.Af4 0-0 occurs outside scholastic events. I have
10.h4 Ab7 1l.Axh7+ <llxh7 mentioned the 'ifthB line only twice in
12 . .£Jg5+ j},xg5 13.hxg5+ <llg6 this book, in games 230 and 288, and no
13 ... 'it>gB 14.~h5 f5 15.g6+- commentator has to date provided a
14.~h5+~5 reason why the 'it'hB line might have
any independent significance.
8
7 As it happens, there are at least three
6 reasons why the 'it'hB line might be the
5
continuation of choice.
4
l. When the defender's f7-pawn has
3
moved, retreat of the king to g8 might
2
expose it to attack along- the a2-bB
diagonal. The 'it'hB line is worth
abc d e f g h considering when the mate on h 7 is off

84
 Contemporary Theory
the table (in other words, the attacking
queen does not have ready access to
the h-fiIe) and when ~h7-g8 would
result in a useful, tempo-winning
movement of a bishop or queen to the
key a2-b8 diagonal.
2. When the attacking queen and ~g5
are both already attacking an
undefended pawn on f7, the defending
king may not want to retreat to g8 and
permit ~xf7+. The ~h8 line may be
preferable in the above scenario,
especially when the queen does not
have easy access to the h-file and when
~xf7+ does not involve a game winning
fork.
3. When Black has a major piece, most
often a rook, on f6 (f3 for White), ~h8
(~hl) may be the safest choice given
the possibility of §f6-h6, not only
preventing the checkmate but
potentially augmenting the defender's
pressure down the h-file.
Here are five examples of games that
correctly defended in the ~h8 line.
Kupsys - Zikharev
ICCF correspondence 1998
French Defense [C06]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3 •.£Jd2 .£Jf6 4.e5
.£Jfd7 5 ..1ld3 c5 6.c3 .£Jc6 7 ..£Je2
cxd4 S.cxd4 f6 9.exf6 .£J xf610..£Jf3
Ad61l.0-0 ~c712.g3 0-0 13..1lf4
Ad714.E!c1.£Jg415.h3 e516.dxe5
.£Jgxe517.Axh7+ \t'xh71S..£Jg5+
(D)
The normal ~g8 line has no merit here
because 19.~xd5 arrives with check.
lS ••• \t'hS 18 ... ~g8 19.~xd5+ ~h8
85
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
20.Jlxe5 Jlxe5 21.§c4+-; 18 ... ~h6
19.~e6++-; 18... ~g6!? also avoids the
capture on d5 with check. 19.ii¥xd5
when Black can hope to survive with
... §f5 or ...§ad8. 19..£Jd4.1leS19 ... g6
20.~b5 ~b8 21.§el ~f3+ 22.ii¥xf3
,ilxf4 23.gxf4 ii¥xf4= 20.E!e120.We6;!;
20 •.• .1lg6 21 •.£Jb5 ~d7 22 . .£Jxd6
.£Jd3 23.E!e6 E!f6 24..£Jdf7+ \t'gS
25 ..£Jh6+ \t'hS 26..£Jhf7+ Yz-Yz
Zelkind - Kharroubi
Philadelphia 1998
French Defense [C02]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 .£Jc6
5 ..£Jf3 ~b6 6.a3 .£Jh6 7.b4 cxd4
S.cxd4 .£Jf5 9.Ae3 Ad7 10.Ae2
E!c811.0-0 Ae712.~d3 a613..£Jc3
.£Ja7 14.E!ac1 0-0 15.E!fe1 ~dS
16..1ld1 .£J xe3 17. ~xe3 a5 lS.E!b1
ax b4 19.ax b4 .£Jc6 20. .£Ja2 E!aS
21.E!e2 .£Ja7 22..£Jc3 .£J b5 23 ..£J xb5
.1lxb5 24.E!eb2 ~b6 25.Ac2 E!fcS
26.h4 ~c6 27. .£Je1 ~c3 2S. ~f4
E!c4 29 ..£J0 E!xb4 30.E!xb4 Axb4
31.Axh7+ \t'xh7 32..£Jg5+ (D)
Note here that the White queen cannot
quickly reach the h-fiIe, and Black will
clearly want to avoid ~xf7 +. Given the
weakness on f7, the ~h8line is Black's
 Sacking the Citadel
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h abcdefgh
only hope of survival. 32 ••• ~hS
32 ... ~gS 33."ili'xf7+ ~hS 34."ili'h5+ ~gS
35."ili'h7+ ~fS 36."ili'hS+ ~e7 37."ili'xg7+
~dS (37 ... ~eS 3S."ili'f7+ ~d8 39 ..£Jxe6+
~cS 40 ..§xb4+-) 3S ..£Jxe6+ ~eS
(3S ... ~cS 39."ili'gS+ ~d7 40."ili'f7+ Ae7
41..£Jc5+ +-) 39 ..£Jc7+ ~dS
40 ..£Jxb5+-; 32 ... ~h6 33 ..£Jxe6+ ~h7
(33 ... ~g6 34."ili'g5+ ~h7 35."ili'xg7#;
33 ... ~h5 34."ili'g5#) 34."ili'xf7 .§gS
35."ili'h5#; 32 ... ~g6 33."ili'xf7+ ~h6
34 ..£Jxe6+- 33.~xf7 33 ..£Jxf7+? ~gS
34 ..£Jg5 '§fS~ 33 •.. JlfS? 33 ... AeS!
34."ili'xb7 '§al 35 ..£Jxe6 .§xb1 + 36.~h2
.lli837."ili'xb1 Jl.b4= 34.~xb7 34."ili'h5+
~gS 35."ili'h7# 34 ••• ~al 35.~xal
~xal + 36.~h2 ~xd4 Yz-Yz
Maksimenko - Nosenko
Alushta 1999
French Defense [C06]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.4)d2 4)f6 4.e5
4)fd7 5.Jld3 c5 6.c3 4)c6 7.4)e2
cxd4 S.cxd4 f6 9.exf6 4) xf610.4)f3
Jld6 11.0-0 ~c7 12.Jlg5 0-0
13.4)g3 Jld714.~c1 ~b615..1l.xf6
~xf616.Jlxh7+ ~xh717.4)g5+
86
White has two additional assets, the
.£Jg3, which eliminates the ~g6 and
'ifth6 lines, and the .§c1. For his part,
Black has an interesting decision here
between ~gS and ~hS. The .§f6 plays
an interesting role in defending the key
g6-square and also eyes h6 in the event
that White tries "ili'h5. 17 .•. ~hS
17 ... 'iftg6 lS."ili'h5 #; 17 ... ~h6
lS."ili'h5#; 17 ... ~gS lS."ili'h5 .§f4
(1S ... .§h6 19."ili'f7+ ~hS 20."ili'xd7 +-;
18. .. .£JdS 19."ili'h7+ ~f8 20 ..£Jh5 ~e7
21."ili'xg7++-) 19."ili'h7+ ~fS 20 ..£Jh5
"ili'xd4 21."ili'hS+ ~e7 22."ili'xaS .§fS
23."ili'xb7 .£JdS 24."ili'a6 "ili'h4 IS.~d3
18."ili'h5+ .§h6 19 ..£Jf7+ 'ifth7 20 ..£Jg5+
Yz-Yz Daurelle-Zebre, corr 2006;
20 ..£Jxh6!? Jl.eS! 21..£Jf7+ ~gS 22 ..£Jh6+
gxh6 23."ili'xh6 .£Jxd4 24."ili'g5+=.
IS ••• g6! lS ... .§h6 19 ..£Jf7+ ~gS
20 . .£Jxh6+ gxh6 21. "ili'g6+ ~fS
22 ..£Jf5+- 19.4)3e4 ~g7! 19 ... dxe4
20."ili'h3+ ~g7 21."ili'h7+ ~fS 22."ili'hS+
~e7 23."ili'g7+ ~dS 24."ili'xf6+ +-
20.4)xd6 4)xd4 21.~fel e5 22.~xe5
~xd6 23.~e7+ ~gS 24.~cel ~fS
24 ... .§c8 25.4)e6 4)f5 26.~xd7 ~xd7
27.4) xfS ~xfS 2S.g4 4)e7 0-1
Kubacsny - Auer
Nord Baden 2004
Sicilian Defense [B95]
 Contemporary Theory

l.e4 c5 2.4)£3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.4) xd4 ~xg5 S.4)f3 ~c5 9.4)c3 4)f6
4)f6 5.4)c3 a6 6.Ag5 e6 7.~d2 10.~d3 0-0 11.0-0-0 ~xf2
Ae7 S.£3 0--0 9.0-0-0 b5 10.h4 b4 12.§.hfl ~xg2 13.~xd6 ~g4
1l.4)ce2 ~b612.Ae3 ~a513.~bl 14.§.gl 4)eS 15.~d2 ~e6 16.e5
d514.e5 4)fd715.f4 4)c516.4)b3 4)d7 17.~f4 4)c5 IS.b4 4)d7
4)xb3 17.cxb3 Ad7 IS.4)d4 §.cS 19.Ad3 ~e7 20.§.del f5 21.exf6
19.Ad3 Ab5 20.f5 4)d7 21.fxe6 ~xf6 22.Axh7+ The sacrifice counts
fxe6 22.4)xe6 4)xe5 23.Axh7+ on three additional assets, the two
~xh7 24.4)g5+ active rooks and the 4Jc3. 22 .•• ~xh7
23.4)g5+
8
7 8
6 7
5 6
4 5
3 4
2 3
2

abcdefgh
The r,!th8line is Black's only chance for
survival here. In the 'it'g8 line, ~xdS+
picks up the 4JeS. 24 ... ~xgS activates
the E'!hl. And in the 'it'g6 line, 2S.hS
forces the king to h6 where White has a
killing discovered check. 24 ••• ~hS
24 ...'i11g8 2S:i!1fxdS+ 'i11h8 26.~xeS+-;
24 ... 'i11g6 2S.hS+ r,!th6 (2S ... 'i11f6
26.~f2++-; 2S ... 'i11fS 26.~f2+ 'i11g4
27.E'!d4#) 26.4Jf3++-; 24 ... ~xgS
2S.hxgS+ 'it'g6 26.~xdS+- 25.~xd5
Af6 2S ... ~c7 26.~d4 ~c2+ 27.'i11al
~f6 28.~xeS E'!d8 29.4Jf7+ 'i11h7
30.4Jxd8 E'!xd8 31.~xd8~xd8 32.E'!xd8
~xg2 33.E'!ddl +- 26.~e4+- g6
27.h5 ~gS 2S. ~d5+ ~fS 29.4)h7+
~e7 30.4) xf6 ~xf6 31.§.dfl + 1-0
Sherwood - Just
IECG e-mail 2006
Philidor's Defense [C41]
l.e4 e5 2.4)f3 d6 3.d4 exd4 4.4) xd4
c6 5.Ae2 Ae7 6.Ae3 Ag5 7.Axg5
abc d e f g h
Black probably selected the 'i11h8 line
using the process of elimination. 'i11h6
meets a mate in two. 'i11g6 loses the
queen to E'!e6. And the 'i11g8 line
exposes the king to a powerful check
from ~c4. 23••• ~hS 23 ...r,!tg8 24.~c4+
'it'h8 2S.E'!g4 ~h6 26.E'!h4 +- ; 23 ... 'i11h6
24.~h4+ 'i11g6 2S.~h7#; 23 ... 'i11g6
24.E'!e6+- 24.~e4 When Black can
defend the mate with either ~h6 or
~f4+. 24••. ~h6 24 ... ~f4+ 2S.~xf4
E'!xf4 26.E'!xe8+ E'!f8 27.E'!e7 4Jf6
28.4Jf7+ 'i11g8 (28 ... 'i11h7 29.4Je5 4Je8
30.4Je4 ~f5 31.4JgS+ 'i11g8
32.E'!xb7 +-) 29.4Je5 4Je8 30.4Jg6+-
25. ~xeS! ~f6 25 ... aS!? 26.h4 'i11g8
27.~e4 axb4 28.~xb4 4Jf6 29.E'!e7
4Jd5 30.4Jxd5 cxd5 31.~d4 E'!a6
32.~xd5+ 'i11h8± 26.~e4 ~h6
26 ... ~f4+ 27.~xf4 E'!xf4 28.E'!e8+ E'!f8
29.E'!e7 4Jf6 30.4Jf7+ 'i11h7 (30 ...'i11g8
31.4Je5+-) 27.~bl 4)f6 2S.~c4

87
 Sacking the Citadel
~h5 29.lae7 a5 30 . .£)f7+ laxf7
31.laxf7axb432.lafxg7 Jl,e61-0
The ~xg5!? line
Under the right circumstances, Black
can successfully sacrifice his queen for
the 4:Jg5! The move is a remarkable
defensive possibility that only one
chess author, grandmaster Karsten
Miiller, briefly mentioned in his
ChessCafe Puzzle Book 1, (p.50), albeit
without an example.
The simple principle: the defender may
be able to sacrifice the queen
successfully for the attacking knight if
the defender already has or will soon
obtain sufficient material compensation.
This finding appears to be independent
of whether the attacking side can count
on the two additional assets that
Vukovic suggested were needed for the
sacrifice to succeed. In other words, the
... ~xg5line appears to be an exception
to Vukovic's hypothesis.
Keep in mind that the attacking player
has already sacrificed a bishop on h7
(or h2 by Black). The queen's capture
ofthe knight on g5 nets a second piece.
The sacrifice therefore merits
consideration in positions in which the
attacking side had previously sacrificed
an additional piece or exchange, or
when the Greco-type sacrifice against
h 7 (or h2) occurs while the attacker has
another piece en prise.
There are 11 examples, several in sub-
lines, of the queen sacrifice, games 76,
82,120,129,144,172,216,219,237,246,
and 306. To better make the point, I
present below four additional modem
88
examples of this defensive maneuver.
Attackers and defenders should
certainly include the resource in their
middlegame arsenals.
Durao - Heidenfeld
N etanya 1961
French Defense [C 14]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3 ..£)e3 .£)f6 4.Ag5
Ae7 5.e5 .£)fd7 6.Jl,xe7 ~xe7 7.f4
0--0 S..£)f3 e5 9.Jl,d3 exd4
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
White has the basic requirements for
the sacrifice here. The .ild3 reaches h7,
the 4:Jf3 can follow immediately to g5,
and the ~dl stands ready to reach h5.
However, the 4:Jc3 is en prise.
10.-'ixh7+ ~xh7 11..£)g5+ The
king's retreat to g8 invites 12.~h5.
11.r.t>h6 would meet 12.~d3+ or
12.~g4 with the idea of ~h4-h7.
11. •• ~xg5! An impressive move. For
the queen, Black nets three pieces and
the e5-pawn. 12.fxg5 dxe3 13.0-0
.£)xe5 14.~h5+ ~gS 15.laf4 .£)g6
16.laf3 e5 And Black has emerged
with all the play. White has no mean-
ingful action on the h-file, and just look
at the center and those minor pieces!
17.bxe3 .£)e6 lS.laafl Jl,e6 19.94
.£)ee7 20.lah3 lafeS 21.~h7+ ~fS
22.lahf3 lae4 23.h3 laaeS 24.lae3
 Contemporary Theory
Elxc3 25.Elxc3 Elxc3 26.h4 Elg3+
27.<it'h2 Elxg4 2S.h5 Elh4+ 29.<it'gl
4)f4 30.h6 gxh6 31. ~hS+ 4)gS
32.~xe5 hxg5 33.~bS+ <it'g7
34.~xb7 4)f6 35.~xa7 d4 36.a4
4)h3+ 37.<it'h2 4)d5 3S.a5 4)e3
39.Elf3 4)f4+ 40. <it'gl E!g4+ 41. <it'h2
Elg2+ 42. <it'h1 Eld2 0-1
Altrock - Kamp
Oberliga 1985
French Defense [Cll]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.4)d2 4)f6 4.e5
4)fd75.f4c56.c34)c67.4)df3cxd4
S.cxd4 ~b6 9.4)e2 .Q.b4+ 10.4)c3 f6
1l.g3 fxe512.fxe5 0--0 13..Q.f4 ~a5
14. .Q.d3 .Q.xc3+ 15.bxc3 ~xc3+
16.<it'f14)b4
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
17. .Q.xh7+ The sacrifice counts on
two additional assets, the secure e5-
pawn and the dark-square bishop on
f4, but Black has an impressive
counter-attack on the queens ide that
will only improve once White plays
~h5. 17 ••. <it'xh7 lS.4)g5+ <it'gS
19. ~h5 and White is poised to deliver
a simple checkmate on h7.19 ... ~xa1 +
20.<it'g2 ~xa2+ Black now has over-
whelming material superiority, but can
he prevent the checkmate? 21.<it'h3
~c2 The first key to the defense, plac-
ing the queen on the key c1-h7 diago-
89
nal. Can White force the black queen
off the diagonal? 22.Elf14)b6 23.Elf2
~b1 24.Elb2 ~f5+ 25.g4 4)d3
26 ..Q.g3 and now, where is the black
queen to go? (26.gxf5 4.Jxf4+ -+ fork-
ing the king and queen.) 26 ... ~xg51
27.~xg5 4)xb2 with a very easy win
now that mate is no longer threatened.
28. <it'g2 .Q.d7 29.h4 Elf7 0-1
Juan Roldan - Alvarez
Almeria 1989
Ruy Lopez [C63]
1.e4 e5 2.4)f3 4)c6 3 ..Q.b5 f5 4.d4
f xe4 5.4) xe5 4) xe5 6.dxe5 c6 7 ..Q.c4
~a5+ S..Q.d2 ~xe5 9.0--0 d510..Q.b3
4)f6 l1..Q.c3 ~g5 12.f4 ~g6
13. .Q.d4 .Q.d6 14.c4 0-0 15.cxd5
cxd516.4)c3.Q.e617.f5
abc d e f g h
An ambitious move aiming to undermine
the d5-pawn. 17... .Q.xh2+ Better is
17 ... .llxf5 lS.4.Jxd5 4.Jxd5 19 ..llxd5+
~hS 20.~b3 §adS. For the sacrifice,
Black counts on the light-square
bishop, the secure e4-pawn, and the
§fS as additional assets. lS.<it'xh2
4)g4+ 19.<it'gl ~h5 With the obvious
mate threat. 20. ~xg41 Once again, our
theme must have come as quite a shock.
20 ... ~xg4 21.fxe6 Netting a third
piece, and Black clearly cannot hold the
central pawns. 21 .•. ElfeS 22.4)xd5+-
 Sacking the Citadel

e3 23 . .1lxe3 ~hS 24.~c7 ~e4 A final comment on assets

25 . .§ael .§acS 26.~ xeS .§xeS
27..1lxa7 ~b4 28.M2 h6 29..§cl h5 In 1959, Vladimir Vukovic postulated
30..§fdl ~f4 31 ..§c3 ~g4 32..§g3 that at least two active supporting
~e2 33..§d71-0 pieces (other than the light square
bishop, the knight that reaches g5, and
Kallio - Marin the White queen) are usually required
Gothenburg 2001 for the Greco Sacrifice to succeed.
Nimzo-Indian Defense [E20] Specifically, he suggested that two
additional supporting assets include
1.d4 ~f6 2.c4 e6 3.~c3 .1lb4 4.f3 some combination of two of the
0-0 5.e4 d5 6.e5 ~fd7 7.cxd5 exd5 following features:
S.f4 c5 9.~f3 ~c6 lO.a3 .1la5
1l..1ld3 cxd4 • The dark square bishop
(usually along the cl-h6
8 diagonal, discouraging the
7 black king from h6).
6 • A second knight (from c3, d2,
5 or e2 reaching e4 or f4).
4
• A rook (often on the open e-
file, the semi-open h-file, or
3
sometimes the f-file).
2
• A secure pawn on e5 (to
prevent Black from defending
abc d e f g h with4Jf6).
• A pawn on h4 (with a rook on
hI).
Once again, White initiates the sacrifice
with a piece en prise. 12..1lxh7+ ~xh7 With access to a wide variety of
13.~g5+ ~xg51 The queen sacrifice complex games, I have added some
should be obvious at this point. The additional assets to the original list:
rest ofthe game is a remarkable display
of the unleashed power of the minor • With regard to the rooks,
pieces. 14.fxg5 dxc315.0-0 ~dxe5 adding other files that permit
16.h4 .1lg417. ~xd5 .§adS And now swings to the kingside, from
the black rooks also join the fray. the a- through the f-file;
lS.~e4+ ~gS19.bxc3 .§fe8 20.~c2 • Additional squares for the
.1lh5 21 ..1lf4 ~d3 22 ..1lg3 .1lb6+ second knight, including fl,
23.~hl.§e3 Or just .. .1::!e2. 24.~h2 f2, g3, g4, b5, and d6. In game
.§e2 25. ~a4 ~c5 26. ~b5 .§dd2 257, even a knight on a4
27 . .§ael .§xg2+ 2S.~h3 .1lc7 proved to be a needed asset;
29..§eS+ 29..1lxc7 .1lg4* 29 ... ~h7 • Kingside expansion, with at
30.g6+fxg60-1 least two connected pawns f-
g or g-h on the fourth rank or
better;

90
 Contemporary Theory
• Consideration for pawns on
e5 that are not secured but are
mobile or viable nonetheless.
To test his proposition, I have indexed
all of the asset combinations. Many
readers will find it fascinating to view
how certain asset combinations appear
to grow and wane in popularity. The
index is also extremely useful for those
interested in comparing and contrast-
ing games with similar characteristics,
a powerful technique that I use often in
my correspondence chess games.
More remarkable is the apparent evolu-
tion and refinement on the collective think-
ing about the sacrifice. I reviewed statis-
tically the distribution of asset combina-
tions over time. The asset combinations
in the early games played through 1935
reflect, I believe, a distinct lack of overall
clarity with regard to the assets required
for the sacrifice to succeed.
In the sacrifices played until 1911,
slightly more games involved three as-
sets than two, and three games involved
no additional assets whatever. A third
of the games played between 1911 and
1935 contained only a single additional
asset. The games played between 1936
and 1959 reflect, I believe, a more com-
prehensive appreciation for the sacri-
fice, with most of the games involving
two or three additional assets. The
games played after 1960, illustrate not
just that refined understanding, but also
the fact that the games have become
more complex, somewhat more fre-
quently requiring three or four addi-
tional assets to overcome strong de-
fenses or significant counter-play.
91
It is clearly apparent in his book that
Vukovi6 was prepared to bend his gen-
eral principle about assets with circum-
stances. In this regard, he implicitly in-
corporates the main finding ofVoellmy's,
that a successful attack requires a com-
bination of factors such as better de-
velopment, superior control of space,
and the displacement of key defending
pieces.
I offer the following summary from the
games in this volume.
Fewer additional assets may be required
when:
• The white queen has access
to h5 prior to {jg5, eliminating
the 'it'g6 and 'it'h6 lines;
• The white rook is already on
the third rank ready to swing;
• The black §.f8 cannot move;
• The black queen on e7 blocks
the escape route;
• White has a knight already
poised on g3 or f4.
More than two additional assets are
often required in complex positions
when, for example:
• Black has a pawn on f6;
• The black bishop or queen
can reach the bl-h7 diagonal;
• Black's rook has vacated the
f8 escape square;
• Black has a knight, bishop, or
queen protecting the f7 -quare;
• Knights can force one knight
back to f6;
• Black has an uncontested rook
on an open f-file, especially on
f6 where it can safely reach h6;
 Sacking the Citadel
• Black has a counter-attack on
the e5-pawn;
• In the 'it'h6 line, when White
does not have a dark-square
pawn but does have a pawn
on h4;
• White enters the position with
a significant material deficit;
• In the 'it'g8 line, when the
white queen cannot reach h5
in one move.
92
Finally, I should add that Vukovic also
suggested that most common combina-
tion of additional assets was the dark-
square bishop and e5-pawn. It is sur-
prising, perhaps, but that combination
runs a close second to another asset
pair, the dark-square bishop and an ac-
tive rook.
The Classic Bishop Sacrifice

Part III: Practice

93
 Sacking the Citadel
Chapter 6
Games
Greco's Sacrifice, the Early Years
In their second volume on middlegame
strategy, Dr. Max Euwe and H. Kramer
relate the story of a wealthy man who,
as he lies dying, stipulates that his sons
will receive their inheritance only after
they carry out a sound bishop sacrifice
on the h7-square. I personally hope that
the story is apocryphal, but it speaks
directly to Greco's profound legacy.
A century ago, Euwe and Kramer's
story would likely have specially
touched the chess community. A sacri-
fice that we think oftoday as quite com-
mon and often "in the air" was then ac-
tually a rarity in tournament practice. In
this first section, I present all of the
Greco Sacrifices that I have been able
to unearth before 1911, the year in which
a Swiss mathematician, Erwin Voellmy,
produced the sacrifice's first taxonomy,
the topic of the second chapter. Obvi-
ously without a database to assist his
search, Voellmy located only eight of
the games in this section. Of course, to
be completely fair to Voellmy, four of
the games here come from Voellmy's
study but do not appear in ChessBase's
MegaBase.
The results suggest that it is quite likely
that many other early Greco Sacrifices
are out there, either unpublished and
lost to the ether or tucked away in ob-
scure journals and newspaper columns.
94
But it is undeniably interesting that
only 39 of the 3,500 Greco Sacrifices I
have found were played prior to 1911.
David Rudel, the author of the recent
book jlxh7!, somehow found the fol-
lowing game. I offer it with my notes as
part of this introduction as evidence that
even a world champion could miss a
historic opportunity.
Steinitz - NN
The Hague, simul. exhibition 1873
Queen's Gambit Accepted [020]
1.d4 dS 2.c4 dxc4 3.e3 4)f6 4.Axc4
e6 S.4)f3 .1lb4+ 6.4)c3 c6 7.0-0
.1lxc3 8.bxc3 4)bd7 9.Jla3 4)b6
10..1ld3 4)fdSll.c4 4)e712.e40-0
13.eS4)d7
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Steinitz played 14Ajg5 h615.'l;,Yh5 and
so the following variation, obviously a
missed opportunity, does npt show up
in a database search.
 Games
14.Axh7+ ~xh7 15.4Jg5+ ~g6
Black is mated quickly after 15 ... ~g8
16.'lifh5 ~e817.'l£th7+ ~f8 18.'l£th8#;
And little better is 15 ... ~h616.'l£tg4.f:lf5
17.f4 ~h8 18 ..f:lxf7++-. 16.~g4 f5
17.~g3 f418.~g4 Staying on the g-
file to sustain the threat of the discov-
ered check. 18.•. ~e8 19.4J xe6+ ~f7
20.4Jc7 +-
Despite the rarity of the games, and
despite Steinitz's oversight, I think it
likely that all serious tournament play-
ers of the day were aware of the sacri-
fice, in no small part thanks to Greco. If
anything, players a century ago were
far better acquainted with Greco's
games. For chess at least, it was a sim-
pler time, certainly in terms of the
amount of infonnation at their disposal.
They had far fewer distractions in and
out of the game.
I have organized the 39 games in this
section chronologically. That means, of
course, that Greco's contribution comes
first. There, I have incorporated the
annotations and thoughts of Greco,
Renaud and Kahn, and Chernev who
previously annotated the game. The
annotations in the other games, unless
otherwise noted, are entirely mine.
Throughout, I have sought to lay the
foundation for the taxonomy in Chap-
ter 5 by presenting the most important
variations in each game.
Note, of course, the remarkable list of
talent in these early games. Alekhine,
Bernstein, Bird, Blackburne, Burn,
Capablanca, Labourdonnais, Lasker,
Marshall, Maroczy, Morphy, Paulsen,
Pillsbury, Schleeter, Steinitz, and
Zukertort. Here are the great names of
the Romantic period in the 19th century,
as well as four world champions. That
95
should be proof enough that Greco's
name belongs alongside such company,
and that he helped to bring chess not
only to the enlightenment but to the
modern age as well.
The Greco Sacrifice through 1911
In ChessBase's chronologically orga-
nized Mega Database 2009 of nearly
4,000,000 games, Greco's recorded
"games" occupy places 15 through 102.
None of the names of his adversaries
was ever listed, adding evidence that
the games were never played. But there
is little debate that game number 31
leaves Greco with lasting immortality,
with a profound impact on modern
chess. As you can see here, it involves
the first ever "Greco Sacrifice." Anno-
tators seem to delight in noting that the
early moves are undistinguished. Given
the beauty and soundness of the sacri-
fice, their observation seems moot. The
finale is spoiled somewhat by Greco's
failure to find the faster checkmate.
Greco may have been unaware of the
better 11 th move. He makes no note of
it in any of his manuscripts.
(1) Greco, Gioacchino - NN
Europe 1620
French Defense [COl]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 4Jf6 3.Ad3 4Jc6 4./clf3
Ae7 5.h4 0-0 6.e5 4Jd5
abc d e f g h
 Sacking the Citadel
The general criteria for the sacrifice are
set and easily discemable. Only the
black king defends the h7 -pawn.
White's 4Jf3 can easily reach g5 and
the white queen can follow to h5. And
so, after 8.4Jg5, retreats of the black
king to g8 or h8 will meet 'i';j<h5, winning
quickly. The presence of White's dark-
square bishop clearly discourages Black
from playing S ... 'itth6. And finally the
line with s... 'ittg6 faces 9.i*d3, 9.h5+,
and even 9.i*g4.
One of the key criteria in judging intu-
itively the soundness ofthe Greco Sac-
rifice is the number of additional assets
(beyond the basic bishop, knight, and
queen) that the attacking side can bring
to bear upon the position. Vukovic was
the first to note that the attacking side
needs at least two additional assets. In
this first position from 1620, White has
a secure pawn on e5, the dark-square
bishop, and, in lines involving a cap-
ture on g5, the rook on the h-file.
7.J:txh7+! ~xh7 After 7 ... 'itthS,
Renaud and Kahn state: "Black may
refuse the sacrifice, in which case White
may withdraw his bishop with S.Ad3
and be content with the extra pawn, or
he may play S.4Jg5 and give increased
momentum to the attack; this was sug-
gested by Greco himself and we also
think that this continuation is far stron-
ger." S.4Jg5! g6 9.4Jxf/+ .§xf/ 10.Axg6
i*gS (10 ... .§g7 11.i*h5+ 'ittgS 12.Ah6
i*fS13.i*g4 d614.Axg7 i*xg715.h5)
S ... 4Jdb4 9.4Jg5 g6 lO.4Jxf/+ .§xf/
11.Axg6 .§g712.'i';j<h5+ ~gS13.c3 4Jd5
14 ..§h3+- 8.4)g5+ When Renaud and
Kahn suggest "Black now has three
lines of play: (1) Withdrawal ofthe king
to gS; (2) The capture of the knight;
96
and (3) The further advance of the king
to g6 or h6." 8 ••• J:txg5 After the retreat
to g8, S... ~gS, White wins quickly with
9.i*h5 Axg5 (9 ... .§eS lO.i*h7+ 'ittf8
11.'i';j<hS#; 9 ... 4Jf6 lO.exf6 .§eS
11.i*h7+ 'ittfS 12.i*hS#) 1O.hxg5 f5
(lO .. .f611.g6) 11.g6 'i';j<h4 12.'i';j<xh4 with
mate next move; s... ~g6 9.h5+ wins
quickly because 9 ... ~h6 (9 ... ~f5
lO.g4#) lO.4Jxf/++- 'itth7 11.4JxdS;
After the retreat to h8, White usually
mates quickly, as here, after 8. .. ~hS?
9.'i';j<h5+ 'ittgSlO.'i';j<h7#. The retreat to
h6 is especially dangerous when White
has a dark-square bishop. S ... ~h6
9.4Jxe6+ wins a queen and initiates a
mate in II, says Fritz 12. 9.hxg5+ ~g6
9 ... 'ittgS lO.i*h5 f5 11.g6 when Black
can only delay the mate by pitching his
queen. 11...i*h4 12.i*xh4 10.~h5+
~f5 11.~h7+ Chernev was first to
mention a quicker checkmate with
11.i*h3+! ~g6 (11...'itte4 12.'i';j<d3#)
12.i*h7# 1l ... g6 12.~h3+ ~e4
13.~d3# 1-0
(2) De LaBourdonnais - Lecrivain
Paris 1837
French Defense [COO]
The French master Louis-Charles Mahe
de LaBourdonnais (1795-1840) was con-
sidered the unofficial world chess cham-
pion during the early 19th century. Af-
ter squandering his family fortune on
ill-advised land deals, LaBourdonnais
began to play chess professionally
when he defeated his chess teacher
Alexandre Deschapelles in 1821. He
fought an unofficial world champion-
ship match against Alexander
McDonnell in 1834. He earns further
recognition here for the second Greco
Sacrifice to be recorded for posterity.
 Games
l.e4 e6 2.f4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.4)f3 4)c6
5.c3 ~b6 6.Jld3 a6 7.Jlc2 Jld7
8.d4 cxd4-9.cxd4 Jlb4+ 10.4)c3
4)ge711.0-0 0-0
8 14 ... ~xd4+!= lS.§f2 §fdS (lS ... ~d3
7 16.fS §fcS 17.~xf7+ 'it'hS lS.~hS+
6 <;t>gS 19.~h7+ <;t>fS 20.fxe6++- 'it'e8
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h 19.4)h7+ White should aim to activate
The white pawn on f4 introduces an in-
teresting twist. The pawn move secures
the e5-pawn but hems in White's other
additional asset, the dark-square bishop
on c I. The advance of the white f-pawn
also opens the a7-g1 diagonal for Black
and enables an effective counterattack.
12.Jlxh7+ ~xh713.4)g5+ ~g8 As
here, there is rarely hope in 13 ... <;t>h8
14.~hS+ <;t>g8 lS.'~h7 #. After
13 ... 'it'h6 many players would be
tempted to play fS to open the diagonal
for the bishop, but far faster is the idea
of~g4-h4. 14.'ili'g4 ~xd4+ (14 ... §h8
prevents 'ili'h4, but gives up the defense
of the f7-pawn. lS.<£\xf7+ 'it'h7
16.~hS+ <;t>gS 17.~xhS+ 'it'xf7
18.~xaS+-) lS.'it'h1 §hS 16.<£\xf7+
'it'h7 17.~h3+ 'it'gS lS.~xhS+ 'it'xf7
19.'ili'xaS+-. Black missed the best de-
fense with 13 ... <;t>g614.~d3+ (White's
center crumbles after 14.~g4 ~xd4+
lS.§f2 <£\xeS 16.~g3 <£\fS 17.<£\xe6+
<£\xg3 lS.<£\xd4 ~cS -+; 14. ~c2+ fS
lS.exf6+ 'it'xf6 16.<£\h7+ <;t>f7 17.<£\xfS
<£\xd4 18.~h7 <£\dfS+ 19.'it'h1 §xfS-+)
14 ... <£\fS! when the threat on the d4-
pawn prevents White from playing
15.g4. lS.~e3 f6 16.g4 (16.exf6 gxf6
97
17.g4 fxgS 18.gxfS+ §xfS -+) 16.. .fxgS
17.gxfS+ §xfS lS.fxgS <£\e7-+.
14.~h5 §fc8? The weakness ofthe
white d4-pawn after 13.<£\gS should
have encouraged Black to play
21.~hS+ <£\g8 22.~xgS+ <;t>e7
23.§f7#) 16.~xf7+ <;t>hS 17.~hS+
<;t>g8=. 15.~xf7+ ~h8 16.~h5+
Faster is 16.§f3! ~xd4+ 17.<;t>h1 +-.
16...~g817:~h7+ 17.§f3 is still more
accurate.17 ... ~f8 18.~h8+ 4)g8
the §fl with19.fS exfS 20.e6 ~xd4+
21.<;t>h1 <£\ce7 (21...'it'e7 22.<£\xdS+
~xdS 23. ~xg7 + <;t>d8 24.~e3 +- )
22.exd7 §c6 23.<£\h7+ 'it'f7 24.<£\e2
when the threat of <£\gS gives White a
strong and likely winning advantage.
19 ..• ~f7 20.4)g5+ Missing 20.fS!
~xd4+ 21.<;t>h1 ~xeS 22.fxe6+ +-.
20 ..• ~f8 21.f5 ~e7 Other Black tries
do not fare better. 21...~xd4+ 22.<;t>h1
exfS 23.e6 'it'e7 24.<£\xdS+ (or 24.~e3!)
24 ... ~xdS 2S.~xg7+ 'it'dS 26.M4+-;
21...exfS 22.e6 ~xd4+
23.<;t>h1+-22.~xg7+ ~d8 23.fxe6
4)ge7 24.§f8+ ~c7 25.4)xd5+ 4)xd5
26.~xd7+ ~b8 27.~xc8+ ~a7
28.~xa8* 1-0
(3) Cochrane - Staunton
London 1842
Bishop's Opening [C24]
A Scottish chess master and barrister,
John Cochrane (1798-1878) became a
very strong chessplayer while study-
ing law. His book, A Treatise on the
Game of Chess, introduced the
Cochrane variation of the King's Gam-
bit: l.e4 eS 2.f4 exf4 3.<£\f3 gS 4.~c4
g4 S.<£\eS ~h4+ 6.'it'fl f3. He played
 Sacking the Citadel
matches against the two strongest
French players, Deschapelles and
Labourdonnais. After a tour of military
duty in India, he helped Howard
Staunton prepare for a match against
the Frenchman Saint-Amant. On return
to India, he was a leading member of
the Calcutta Chess Club.
After defeating Saint-Amant in 1843,
Howard Staunton (1810-1874) was gen-
erally regarded as the strongest player
in the world. His standardized chess
sets became the norm. He organized the
first international chess tournament of
1851 that resulted in the Adolf
Anderssen's emergence as the unoffi-
cial world champion. A prolific chess
writer and commentary, his Chess-
Player's Handbook (1847) helped to
popularize chess in England during the
19th century.
l.e4 e5 2.Ac4 .£Jf6 3.d4 c6 4 ..£J0
.£Jxe45.dxe5d56.exd6.£Jxd67.Ad3
Ae7 B.O-O 0-0 9.Af4 Ag4 10..£Jc3
h5 1l.E!el 'it'hB A fine positional
player, Staunton may well have hoped
with this move to steer clear of the
Greco Sacrifice. 12. ~e2 Ae6
13.Axd6 Axd614.E!adl ~c7
8 with powerful effect. The black king is
7 far too exposed after 16... 'it'g617.4Jxe6
6 Axh2+ 18.~h1 fxe6 19.~e4+ 'it'h6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h h-file safely after 18 ... g6 18.~h4 f6
For additional assets, beyond the Ad3,
the 4Jf3, and the queen, White relies
98
upon the active rooks and the 4Jc3. It is
a very unusual position in which the
sacrifice occurs without check, and in
which White's active rooks and their
pressure on the black bishops on d6
and e6 more than compensate for the
lack of an e5-pawn. After the capture,
without which Black is simply a pawn
down, White could have improved with
16. ~e4+, eliminating the 'it'g6Iine. With
help from several white inaccuracies,
Black defends well enough to draw,
missing his way only on move 20.
15.Axh7! White had another oppor-
tunity to win quickly with 15.~e4 g6
16.Axb5 cxb517.4Jxb5 +-. 15... 'it'xh7
The effort to trap the bishop loses
quickly:15 ... g616.Axg6fxg617.~xe6.
16..£Jg5+ The most efficient path here
is 16.~e4+ ~g8 (16 ... 'it'h6 17.~h4+
'it'g6 18J~xd6 ~xd6 19.4Je5+ 'it'f5
20.g4+ ~f4 21.l':'!.e4#. Note that the
obvious 16 ... g6 17.4Jg5+ 'it'g7
18.~d4+ is winning because the queen
now swings to h4+-.) 17.4Jg5 g6
18.~h4 f6 19.4Jxe6+-. 16 ... 'it'gB
White does not have a dark-square
bishop, but 16 ... ~h6 invites 17.4Jxe6
Axh2+ (17 ... fxe6 18.~xe6+ l':'!.f6
19.~h3+ ~g6 20.g4 'it'f7 21.g5 l':'!.f4
22.~e6+ ~f8 23.~e8#) 18.'it'h1 fxe6
19.1':'!.d3+- when the rook reaches h3
(19 ... l':'!.f5 20.g4+-) 20.l':'!.d3 with a com-
mon theme, a powerful rook swing to
the kingside+-. 17..£Jxe6 17.~e4! is
an efficient alternative, avoiding ...
Af5 -+. The immediate threat is obvi-
ous, but the queen can also reach the
19.4Jxe6+-, avoiding 17.iMl5 Af5-+.
17 ... Axh2+ IB.'it'fl White's best
chance lies with 18.~h1 fxe6
 Games
19.~xe6+ ~h7 (l9 ... §.f7 20.g3+-)
20.g3 .\lxg3 21.~h3+ +-. 18 ... fxe6
19.~xe6+ ~f7 Missing an opportu-
nity to reach an even game with 19 ... ~f7
20.~xf7+ §.xf7 21.§.eB+ ~h7 22.4:\e4
M4 23.g3 .\lc7=. 20.Jile4 j},f4 Or sim-
ply 20 ... 4:\d7=. 21.g3 j},h6 22.~e5 a5
23.~e8+ <;t>h7 24.~d8 ~a6 25.~e4+
g6 26.~xa8 ~xe5 27.~d4 j},g7
28.~h4+ jlh6 29.~h8+ <;t>xh8
30.~xh6+ 1-0
(4) Vexin - Thompson
Philadelphia 1845
French Defense [COO]
l.e4 e5 2.f4 e6 3.~f3 d5 4.e5 ~e6
5.e3 j},e7 6.j},d3 f6 7.j},e2 ~h6
8.d4 0-0 9.0-0 ~b6 10.<;t>hl fxe5
1l.fxe5 ~f712.b3 ~h8
8 19.'l£th7+-. 17.~xh8+ <;t>f717 ... 'it'e7
7 1B.'l£txg7+ and the black bishop falls
6 +-. 18.j},xg5+- ~b519.~d2 <;t>g6
5 20.h4 20.g4 wins by capturing key
4
3
2
abcdefgh
White has three additional assets, the
e5-pawn, the dark-square bishop, and
the active §.fl. The open f-file is the
story here. Black selects the ~gB line,
stepping into a nightmarish attack after
the exchange of rooks. 13.j},xh7+
<;t>xh7 14.~g5+ <;t>g8 The ~g6-line
produces two thematic mates after
~d3+. On 14 ... ~g6 15.§.xfB .\lxfB
(15 ... Axg5 16.~d3+ 'it'h5 [16 ... ~h6
17.§'xhB#] 17.~h3+ 'it'g6 [17 ... Ah4
1B.g4+ ~g6 19.~d3#] 1B.g4+-)
16.~d3+ ~h5 (16 ... ~h6 17.'l£th7#)
99
when White has three mates from which
to choose: 17.'l£th3+ 'it'g6 1B.'l£th7#;
17.'l£th7+ ~g4 1B.'l£th3 #; 17.g4+ ~xg4
(17 ... ~h4 1B.'l£th3#; 17 ... 'it'h6
18.~h7# or 1B.4:\f7#) 18.'l£tf3+ 'it'h4
19.'l£th3#. 14 ... 'it'h6 is much too dan-
gerous with the dark-square bishop on
the board. 15.4:\f7+ 'it'g6 (15 ... 'it'h7
16.'l£th5+ ~gB 17.~xhB#) 16.'l£td3+
'it'h5 17.'l£th7+ ~g4 1B.§.f4# or
lB. 'l£th3 #. Black cannot consider
... Axg5 because the Ae7 is required to
anchor the §.fB. 14 ... Axg5 15.'l£th5+
Ah616.§.xfB+- .15.~xf8+ <;t>xf8Cap-
turing with the bishop robs the black
king of its needed escape square.
15 ... AxfB 16.~h5 Ae7 (16 ... Ad6
17.exd6+-) 17.'l£th7+ 'it'f818.~xhB#.
16. ~h5 j},xg5 Black obtains no relief
even by ditching the knight with
16 ... 4:\g617.'l£txg6 Axg518.Axg5 ~c7
squares. Or White can win in style with
20.Ah6! gxh6 21.'l£tgB+ with a fun mat-
ing net, a common theme when the black
king captures the 4:\g5 in an open board.
The variations are long but well worth
reviewing to become familiar with the
recurring themes. 21... 'it'f5 (not 21... ~h5
22.4:\f3+-) 22.'l£tf7+ ~g5 (22 ... 'it'g4
23.h3+ 'it'h4 [23 ... 'it'g5 24.4:\f3#;
23 ... 'it'g3 24.~f3+ ~h4 25.~g4#])
23.'l£tf6+ 'it'h5 (23 ... 'it'g4 24.h3+ 'it'g3
25.'l£tf3+ 'it'M 26.'l£tg4#) 24.g4+ 'it'xg4
25.§.gl + +- . 20 ... ~e2 21.~f1 exd4
22.-'1,f6 Fritz 12 found a mate in eight
with the pretty 22.§.f6+ gxf6 23.'l£txf6+
~h5 24.'l£tf7+ 'it'g4 25.'l£tf4+ 'it'h5
26.g4+ 'it'g6 27.'l£tf6+ 'it'h7 2B.'l£tf7+
~hB 29 .Af6 #. 22 ... ~ xd2 22 ... 'l£txfl +
only delays the inevitable. 23.~xg7+
<;t>h5 24.g4# 1-0
 Sacking the Citadel
(5) Schulten - Morphy
New York (blindfold) 1857
King's Gambit Accepted [C29]
Defined by aggressive, tactical games
and energetic combinations and sacri-
fices, The Romantic Era of chess in the
19th century immortalized the chess of
Paul Morphy, Adolf Anderssen, and
Joseph Blackburne. This remarkable
blindfold encounter integrates Greco's
Sacrifice into the era and further authen-
ticates his legacy.
l.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Jtc4 d5 4.exd5
.£)f6 5 ..£)c3 Jtd6 6 ..£)f3 0--0 7.0--0
Ag4 8.d4 .£)bd7 9 . .£)e2 .£)b6
10.Jtb3 .£) bxd511.c4 .£)e312.Jtxe3
fxe3 13.~d3 Ete8 14.Jtc2 Jth5
15..£)h4 Jtg616..£) xg6 hxg617.c5
abc d e f g h (1830-1908) played in the first interna-
This blindfolded effort by the great
Morphy is the first recorded game to
carry out a successful Greco Sacrifice
with the black pieces. The conditions
are fully set. For additional assets,
Black has a mobile e3-pawn and the
fle8. White must accept the sacrifice,
and here, after ... 4Jg4+, the black pawn
on e3 plays an important role in pre-
venting the white king from escaping
to f2.
100
17 ... Jtxh2+! 18.cifj>xh2 .£)g4+
19.cifj>g3 Once again, the attacking side
mates quickly after 19.'i!thl ~h4+
20.'i!tgl ~h2#. In the 'i!tgl line, the
black queen quickly reaches h2. 19.'i!tgl
~h4 and, with the pawn on e3, Black
can meet any lateral rook move such as
flfel with 4Jf2 and ~hl mate. 20.flf4
~h2+ 21.'i!tfl ~hl + 22.4Jgl e2+ -+.
It's the e-pawn, mobile once the knight
retreats to b 1, that decides the game in
this line. Black missed a tougher defense
with 'i!th3, but few players would have
happily consented to play like that
against Morphy. 19.'i!th3 is White's
best defense, but 19 ... ~g5 is winning
because 20.4Jg3 (20.g3 4Jf2 -+)
20 ... e2-+ (21.flf3 4Je3 with the idea
of ~h6). 19 ... ~g5 20.Etf5 gxf5
21.~xf5 ~xf5 22.Jtxf5 .£)f6-+ With
a clearly winning material advantage.
23.cifj>f3 g6 24.Jtc2 Etad8 25.Etdl
cifj>g7 26 . .£)f4 .£)d5 27 . .£) xd5 e2
28.Etel Etxd5 0-1
(6) Bird - Steinitz
London 1866
Ruy Lopez [C84]
The Englishman Henry Edward Bird
tional tournament in London, 1851. A
practicing accountant, not a profes-
sional chess player, he played in tour-
naments for more than 50 years. Among
many highlights, he lost a match to Paul
Morphy in 1858. In 1876 in New York,
he received the first brilliancy prize ever
awarded for his game against James
Mason. He is well remembered for Bird 's
Opening (1. f4), as well as Bird's De-
fense to the Ruy Lopez (l.e4 e5 2.4Jf3
4Jc6 3.~b5 4Jd4). -
 Games

The Austrian Wilhelm Steinitz (1836- harder by the absence of an eS-pawn

1900) was the first undisputed world covering d6. It is interesting to add that
chess champion from 1886 to 1894 when White has no additional assets in the
he lost his title to Emanuel Lasker. A position, a clear clue of its inaccuracy.
commitment to all-out attacks defined 15.Jtxh7+ Cit'xh7 16..~h5+ Cit'gS
his early career, but Steinitz developed 17..£lg5 EteS The great Steinitz fails to
and became renowned for a positional see that Black can defend effectively
approach that often still resulted in along the b1-h7 diagonal with
memorable, and likely sounder, attacks. 17 ....~d3!-+. IS.~xf7+ Cit'hS
In match play, Steinitz defeated all com- 19.~h5+ Cit'gS 20.~h7+ Cit'fS
ers between 1862 and 1892 including his 21.~hS+ Cit'e7 22.~xg7+ 1-0 With
match against Henry Bird in 1866. This the obvious finale: 22 ...'i!td6 23.<tlt7+
game represents one of his five losses or§d1+.
to Bird, unnecessary had he found the
correct defense on move 17. (7) Goring - Minckwitz
Leipzig 1871
1.e4 e5 2..£lf3 .£lc6 3.1tb5 .£lf6 4.d4 Ruy Lopez [C63]
exd4 5.e5 .£le4 6.0-0 a6 7.1ta41te7
S.c3 dxc3 9.bxc3 0--0 10..~d5 .£lc5 l.e4 e5 2. .£lf3 .£lc6 3.1tb5 f5 4.d3
1l.1tc2 b6 12.Jte3 Jtb7 13.Jtxc5 .£lf6 5.exf5 Jtc5 6.0--0 0--0 7.1txc6
Jtxc514.e6dxe6 dxc6 S . .£lxe5 Jtxf5 9.Jte3 ~e7
10.d4 EtadS 1l.c31td6 12..£lc4 (en-
8 abling the sacrifice. 12.f4 maintains a
7 grip on the position.)
6
5 8

4 7

3 6
2 5
4

abcdefgh
3
2

A remarkable position so early in the

life of the Greco Sacrifice. <tlg5, of
course, is unplayable immediately fol-
lowing the sacrifice on h 7. Instead, Bird
cleverly inverts the normal move order
by playing 16.'lii'hS before 17.<tlgS. By
so doing, White forces the king back to
g8, avoiding even the possibility ofthe
~h6, ~g6, and ~h8 lines. Missing
17 ... 'lii'd3, Steinitz instead permits a
quick win with 17 ... §e818.'lii'xt7+ with
the customary mate made only slightly
abc d e f g h
Black initiates the sacrifice with several
additional assets, the light-square
bishop and both active rooks. Once
again the defender misses the toughest
defense. So early still in the history of
the sacrifice, and yet one immutable fact
is becoming clear. The sacrifice gener-
ates significant and often overwhelm-
ing challenges for the defending side.

101
 Sacking the Citadel
White correctly sees that control over
the h2-bS diagonal is key to the de-
fense, but White misses 16. 'l*d2 or
even 16. 'l*c1 defending rather than re-
treating the Af4. Black's nice 16th move
is well worth a look. 12 .•• Axh2+
13.lit>xh2 ~g4+ 14.lit>g114.'i!tg3 b5
(forcing the knight off d6) 15.4Jcd2
(15.4Jbd2 bxc4 16A:Jxc4 ~e6+)
15 ... ~d6+ (the queen cannot move to
g5, but Black is able to play ~d6-g6
still seizing control over the key g-file)
16.ltf4 'l*g6 17.~f3 §deS-+.
14... ~h4? 14 ...lte6! Opening the f-file
first, preparing rather than playing
14 ... ~h4 15.4Je5 (15.4Jcd2 'l*h4
16.§e1 ~h2+ 17.'i!tfl ~h1 + lS.'i!te2
'l*xg2-+) 15 ... 4Jxe5 16.'~c1 4Jg4+.
15.JU4+- -'l,e416.Ag3? Still winning
is 16.'l*d2+- . 16... ftxf2! 17.-'l,xh4Al-
ternatives fare no better: 17.§xf2
'l*xg3 -+; 17 .ltxf2 ~h2 # 17... ft xg2+
18.lit>h1 fth2+ 19.1it>gl fth1# 0--1
(8) Paulsen - Schwarz
Leipzig, 1879
French Defense [C02]
Louis Paulsen (1833-1891) was among
the top five players in the world
through the 1860s and 1870s. In 1862,
he narrowly lost the world champion-
ship by tying Adolf Anderssen, though
Paulsen later defeated Anderssen in
matches in 1876 and again in 1877. Con-
sidered one of the top defensive play-
ers of all time, Paulsen nonetheless un-
corks a brilliant attack in the following
game. 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 e5 4.e3
~e6 5.~f3 ~b6 6.a3 Ad7 7.b4
exd4 8.exd4 ~ge7 9.~e3 ~f5
10.~a4 ~e7 1l.-'l,b2 Ae7 12.fte1
a6 13.~e5 Axe5 14.ftxe5 0-0
15.Ad3 ~fe7
102
abc d e f g h
An instructive example. The sacrifice
works because White can bring up key
reserves, the ltb2-c1 in the ~h6 line
and the §c5-c3 in the ~g6 and ~gS
lines. In the game, note especially
White's patience on move 20, avoiding
a tempting discovered check.
16.Axh7+! Iit>xh717.~g5+ Iit>g6 In
the ~gS line, with the black knight on
e7, White would normally play 'l*xh7-
hS, 4Jh7, and ltg5. Of course, the white
ltb2 cannot reach g5 in one move, and
so White captures on f7, driving the
king to hS, and uses the §c3-h3 rook
swing to finish up. 17 ... ~gS lS.'l*h5
§feS19.'l*xf7+ 'i!thS 20.§c3+-. In the
'i!th6 line, the rook swing is again re-
quired should Black attempt to defend
with an anchored ... §hS. 17 ... ~h6
18.'l*g4 (with the ideaof'l*h4-h7. White
also has lS.Ac1 with the idea of 4Jxe6+)
lS ... 'l*cS (attempting to safeguard the
queen from the discovered checks. [If
instead lS ... 'i!tg6 19.'l*g4 'l*cS
20.4Jxe6+ 'i!th7 21.'l*xg7#] 19.'l*g4
~g6 [19 ... 4Jf5 20.'l*h3+ ~g6
21.~h7#] 20.4Jxe6+ ~h7 21.'l*xg7#)
lS ... §hS (attempting to prevent the
main idea of'l*h4-h7)19.§c3 (but now
the rook swing to the kings ide decides)
19 ... g6 20.'l*f4 ~g7 21.'l*f6+ ~h6
(21...~gS 22.'l*xf7#) 22.§h3#.
18. ~g4!? In the ~g6 line, White can
 Games
improve with ~d3-g3 or 'ltYf3 and h4
because ~g4 first penn its Black to play
.. .f6, an additional and often effective
option when Black is over-protecting
the e6-pawn, here with the Ad7.
18.~d3+! ( .. .f6 is not possible, and the
queen is not required to move after 18
.. .fS) 18. ..fS 19.h4! (with the idea ofh5+)
19 ... b6 20.hS+ 'it'h6 (20 ... 'it'xgS 21.h6!
'it'g6 22.'ltYg3+ 'it'f7 23.'ltYxg7+ 'it'e8
24.h7 +-) 21.Ac1 +- 'ltYb7 22 ..£lxe6+
'it'h7 23 ..£lxf8+ ElxfB 24.Elc3+- .IS•••f5
18. ..f6! 19..£lxe6+ (Black is saved by the
self-pin on the .£le6) 19 ... 'it'f7 20 ..£lxc7
(20.'ltYxg7+? 'it'xe6 when White does
not have assets ready to exploit the
'it'd6) 20 ... Axg4 21..£lxa8 El xa8;J; .
19. ~g3 ~cS 19 .. .f4 (a common defen-
sive try, but here, White gains the pleas-
ant option of either ~g4 or ~h4)
20.~h4 Elh8 (ceding control over the
f-pawn) 21.~xf4 .£lfS 22.h4 Elaf8
23.hS+ ElxhS 24.ElxhS 'it'xhS 2S.g4+
'it'g6 26. ~h2 +-. 20.Elc3! The rook
swing is powerful, and as is often the
case, there's simply no reason to rush
the discovered check. 20 ..£lxe6+!? 'it'f7
21. 'ltYxg7 + (or simply 21..£lxf8!)
21...'it'xe6 (21...'it'e8?? 22.~xf8#)
22.~h6+ 'it'f7 23.'ltYf6+ 'it'e8-+. 20•.•f4
21. ~g4 ~f5 After 21...ElfS White has
the attractive 22 ..£le4+ (aiming for d6)
22 ... 'it'h7 (22 ... 'it'f7 23 ..£ld6+ forks the
king and queen) 23 ..£ld6 ~d8 (now the
rook adds its voice to the attack)
24.Elh3+ 'it'g8 2S.~h4 'it'f8 26.g4 Elf7
(26 .. .fxg3 27.~h8+ .£lg8 28.Elxg3+-)
27.~gS .£lg8 28 ..£lxf7 'it'xf7 29.'ltYxf4+
+-. 22.Elh3 ElhS 23.~ xe6+ ~f7
24.~xf5+ ~e7 There's also no hope
in 24 ... 'it'e8 2S.~g6+ 'it'e7 26.'ltYxg7+
'it'xe6 27.'ltYf6# or in 24 ...'it'g8 2S.Elxh8+
'it'xh8 26. 'ltYhS + 'it'g8 27 ..£lgS +- .
25. ~g5+ ~xe6 Black might as well
capture the knight. 2S ... 'it'f7 26.~xg7+
103
'it'xe6 (26 ... 'it'e8 27.Elxh8#) 27.'ltYf6#
with a thematic checkmate when the rook
is offf8; and not 2S ... 'it'e8 26.Elxh8+ +-.
26.~g6+ ~e7 27.~xg7+ 1~ Black
must cede the rook or succumb to an
immediate checkmate. 27.'ltYxg7+ 'it'd8
(27 ... 'it'e6 28.'ltYf6#) 28.Elxh8+.
(9) De Soyres - Skipworth
Boston 1880
French Defense [C 14]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.~c3 ~f6 4.ltg5
lte75.ltxf6ltxf6 6.~f3 0--0 7.ltd3
c5 S.e5lte7 9.h4 c4
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
White initiates the sacrifice counting
upon the .£lc3-e2-f4, the secure eS-
pawn, and the h-pawn as additional as-
sets. White can patiently build up with
c3 and ~c2. In the game, this was the
first serious defense with ... 'it'h6, made
plausible by the absence of White's
dark-square bishop and the presence
of the white h4-pawn, which prevents
the powerful 'ltYg4-h4 idea.
10•.Q.xh7+ ~xh711.~g5+ ~h6 The
'it'g8 line ends quickly with mate in the
corner. 11...'it'g8 12.'ltYhS Axg5
(12 ... Ele8 13.i*h7+ 'it'f8 14.i*h8#)
13.hxgS fS 14.g6+- when Black can
delay the mate only with ... i*h4. In the
'it'g6Iine, .£lc3-e2-f4 provides sufficient
 Sacking the Citadel
assistance. 11...'it'g6 12.4:Je2 (the im-
mediate 12.~g4 meets 12 ... Axg5 [or
12 ... 'it'h6 13.~f4 'it'g6 14.h5+ 'it'h6
15.4:Jxe6+ Ag5 16.4:Jxg5 ~xg5
17. ~xg5+ 'it'xg5 IS.4:Jxd5=] 13.4:Je2
(aiming forf4) 13 .. .f5 [13 ...§hSI4.4:Jf4+
'it'h7 15.hxg5+ 'it'gS 16.0-0-0+-]
14.4:Jf4+ 'it'f7 15.~h5+ 'it'e7 and the
king finds a measure of safety.
16.~xg5+ 'it'eS 17.~xg7~) 12 ... 'it'h6
13.~d2 (taking the role of the dark-
square bishop) 13 ... ~b614.c3 making
room for~c2-h7. l4 ... 4:Jc615.~c2 g6
The rook is needed on f8 to defend the
f-pawn. 16.h5 +- when White wins
nicely in all three lines: 16 ...
'it'g717.hxg6 f51S.exf6+ Axf619.§h7+
'it'gS 20.g7 +-; 16... 'it'xg517.~d2+ 'it'f5
(17 ... 'it'g4 IS.~f4#) IS.~f4#; and
16 ... Axg5 17.hxg6+ 'it'g7 IS.§h7+
'it'gS 19.9xf7+ §xf7 20.~g6+ +-.
12.~d2 j},xg5 13.hxg5+ Iiflg6
14.~e2 ~xg5 Advancing the f-pawn
doesn't relieve the pressure here. 14 .. .f6
15.gxf6 §hS 16.0-0-0 gxf6 17.~f4
fxe5 (17 ... f5 IS.g4±; 17 ... 'it'f7 IS.g4
4:Jd719.g5 f5 20.g6++- 'it'g721.§dgl;
17 ... 4:Jc6 IS.exf6 Ad7 19.~d6±)
18.~xe5 §h4 19.4:Jf4+ (the knight joins
the attack) 19 ... 'it'f7 20.§del 4:Jc6
21.4:Jxe6 Axe6 22.~xe6+ 'it'g7 23.g3
§xhl 24.§xhl +-. Still down material,
White's two majors provide a winning
advantage against the exposed king. On
14 ... f5, 15.gxf6 transposing. 15.~f4+
Iiflf5 16.E!h5 ~xh5 17.~xh5 g5
18.c3Iiflg619.~c2+ Iiflxh5 20. ~h7+
1--0 With a fun mate in three to end the
game. 20.~h7+ 'it'g4 21.~h3+ 'it'f4
22.~f3#.
(10) Crespi - Cavallotti
Milan 1881
French Defense [CI4]
104
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.~c3 ~f6 4.j},g5
j},e7 5.j},xf6 j},xf6 6.~f3 0-0
7.j},d3 b6 8.h4 j},b7 9.e5 j},e7
8
7 Ir....~,?....;
6
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
A similar position to the last game, with
the same additional assets, although
here, White has easy access to the d3-
square. In the game, White proceeds
too patiently but Black fails to find the
most challenging defense. 10.j},xh7+
Iiflxh711.~g5+ Iiflg6 In lines involv-
ing ... Axg5, White mates quickly with
the usual idea of ~h5 and g5-g6.
11...'it'gS 12.~h5 Axg5 (the capture
seeks to avoid the easier mate with
12 ... §eS 13.'iii'h7+ 'it'fS 14.~hS#)
13.hxg5 f5 14.g6+-. In the ... 'it'h6line,
White can play ~d2, forcing ~d7, and
then ~d3 forcing ... g6 when the h4-h5
pawn thrust is devastating. 11. .. 'it'h6
12.~d2! (it is premature to play
12.~d3!? because Black survives after
12 ... g6 13.h5 Axg5 14.hxg6+ Ah4!
15.~g3 fxg6 16.§xh4+ 'it'g7 17.4:Je2
§hS IS.§xhS ~xhS 19.4:Jf4 'iii'h6
20.4:Jxe6+ 'it'hS 21.4:Jxc7 4:Jc6 22.4:JxaS
~hl + 23.'it'd2 ~xal = with a likely per-
petual) 12 ... ~d7 (interesting is
12 ... ~cS placing the queen out of the
knight's reach, but 13.§h3 successfully
activates the rook. 13 ... 4:Jc6 14.§g3
§gS 15.4:Jxf7+ 'it'h7 16.~d3+ g617.h5
Aa6 IS.hxg6+ 'it'g7 19.~d2 +-)
13.~d3! (only now, when the back
 Games
queen cannot reach g5) 13 ... g6
(13 ... 1.txg5 14.hxg5+ 'it'xg5 15.'l£rg3+
'it'f5 16.Eth5+ g5 17 . .§xg5 #)
14.h5 +- wins in all lines: 14 ... 'itJg7
15.hxg6'§hS16.'§xhS'it'xhS17.~h3+
'it'g7 1S.'l£rh7+ 'itJfS 19.~hS#;
14 ... 'it'xg5 15.'l£re3+ 'itJg4 16.f3+ 'it'g3
17.'l£rd2+-; 14 ... Axg5 15.hxg6+ 'it'g7
16.'§h7+ 'it'gS 17.~h3 +-. 12.~e2
12.'l£rd3+! f5 (Black cannot move the
king: 12 ... 'it'h513.g4+ 'it'xg4 [13 ... 'it'h6
14.'l£rh7#] 14.'l£rf3#; or 12 ... 'itJh6
13.'l£rh7#) 13.exf6+ with a lovely en
passant discovered check. 13 ... 'itJxf6
(13 ... 'itJh5 14.g4+ 'it'xg4 15.'l£rf3#)
14.'l£rf3+ 'itJg6 15.h5+ 'itJxg5 when
White has a mate in three starting with
16. ~g3+. 12 ••• Cit>h6 13.~f4 g6
14.h5 Axg5? Black's only chance lies
in 14 ... Ab4+! 15.c3 'l£rxg5 but White
retains a large edge after 16.'l£rf3 'itJg7
17.hxg6+-. 15.hxg6+ Cit>g716.Eth7+
Cit>g8 17.~h5 Jtf6 18.Eth8+ 1-0
White mates in two after 18.gxf7, .§hS+,
or .§g7+.
(11) Salvioli-Crosara
Venice 1883
Bogo-Indian Defense [A40]
l.d4 e6 2.c4 Ab4+ 3.~c3 Axc3+
4.bxc3 b6 5.e4 d6 6.f4 Jtb7 7.Ad3
~d7 8.~f3 c6 9.e5 d510.cxd5 cxd5
II.Jta3 ~e712.0--0 0--0
8 Nuremberg 1883
7 French Defense [C14]
6
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
105
An easy, instructive example. White's
additional assets include the active
dark-square bishop, the secure e5-
pawn, and the .§f1. The game continua-
tion with ... 'it'g6 is the most challeng-
ing, but the threat of a discovered check
after ~g4 paralyzes the defense.
13.Axh7+! Cit>xh714.~g5+ Cit>g6Af-
ter the 14 ... 'itJgS retreat, White mates
quickly thanks to the Aa3's pin on the
black 4Je7. 14 ... 'itJgS 15.~h5 .§eS
16.~h7+ 'it'fS17.~hS#. In the ... 'itJh6
line, White has no trouble because the
'l£rg4-h4 maneuver is available.
14 ... 'it'h6 15.~g4 .§hS 16.4Jxf7++-.
15. ~g4! White can also win easily here
with a rook swing 15 ..§f3+- or with
15.'l£rd3+ 4Jf5 (15 ... f5 16.4Jxe6+-)
16.g4+-.15••. f516.~g3~e8Theef­
fort to eliminate the pin with 16... 'it'h6
walks into 17.~h4+ 'itJg618.~h7# and,
of course 16 ... .§hS 17.4Jxe6+ 'itJf7
1S.4JxdS+ +- . But Black cannot avoid
danger with 16 ... ~cs 17.4Jxe6+ (initi-
atingaquickmate) 17 ... 'it'f71S.~xg7+
'itJxe6 19.~xe7#. 17.~xe6+ Cit>f7
17 ... 'itJh6 walks into a mate in two,
1S.'l£rg5+'itJh719.~xg7#.18.~xg7+??
Easily winning is 1S.4Jxg7! +- .§gS
19.4JxeS .§xg3 20.4Jd6+ 'it'e6 2l.hxg3.
18... Cit>xe6 -+ and suddenly, Black is
fine. The final result suggests that
White actually played 18.4Jxg7! 1-{)
(12) Fritz - Mason
Alexander Fritz (1857-1932) competed
regularly in German chess events. He is
best known for a variation in the Two
Knights Defense, known affectionately
today as the Fritz (l.e4 e5 2.4Jf3 4Jc6
3.Ac4 4Jf6 4.4Jg5 d5 5.exd5 4Jd4), and
for lending his last name to one of
 Sacking the Citadel

today's most popular chess engines.
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Jilc3 Jilf6 4.j},g5
-'le7 5.-'lxf6 j},xf6 6.Jilf3 0-0
7.-'ld3 b6 S.h4 -'lb7 9.e5 j},e7
8 15.~h7+'iti'xg516.~h5+'it'f417.g3#.
7 11 ... ~g8 12.~h5 with the familiar mates
6 12 ... .§e8 (12 ... Axg513.hxg5 f514.g6)
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h (the h-pawn, which provided support
A position remarkably similar to Greco's
game of 1620 and to games 9 and 10.
White has a secure pawn on e5 and the
possibility of bringing in the queen's
knight with .£)c3-e2-f4. In the game,
White missed an opportunity after
12.'~'d3 f5 to carry out a powerful dis-
covered check with 13.exf6+. The score
of Fritz-Mason appears (with the moves
8 and 9 reversed and without mention
of the players' names) as the second
game in Emanuel Lasker's famous Com-
mon Sense in Chess. In his annotations,
Lasker also misses the more accurate
12.~d3+. 10.-'lxh7+ <;!;>xh711.Jilg5+
<;!;>g6 The absence of the dark-square
bishop should have encouraged Black
to find the best defense with ... 'iti'h6
when White should again play ~d2-
(to force 'iti'g6) ~d3 to setup ... g6 h5.
11...'iti'h6 12.~d2 ~d7 13.~d3 when
Once again, the capture simply opens
the h-file to White's advantage:
11...Axg5 12.hxg5+ ~g6 (12 ... ~g8
13.~h5+-) 13.~h5+ ~f5 14.~h3+
(with another nice king hunt) 14 ...'iti'g6
13.~h7+ 'iti'f8 14.~h8#. 12.Jile2
White's best is 12:~d3+! f5 when king
retreats lose quickly (a) 12 ... 'it'h5
13.g4+ 'iti'xg4 (13 ... 'iti'h6 14:~h7#)
14.~f3#; (b) 12 ... 'tTth6 13.~h7;
13.exf6+ ~xf6 14.~f3+ 'iti'g6 15.h5+
for g5, now becomes an offensive
weapon) 15 ... 'it'h6(15 ... ~xg516.~g3+
'iti'f5 17.~g6+ 'iti'f4 18..£)e2 #) 16.~d3
.§f5 (16 ... 'iti'xg5 17.~g6+ ~f4
18 ..£)e2 #; 16 ... Axg5 17.~g6#)
17 ..£)xe6+-. The familiar alternative
12.~g4 fares less well: 12 ... Axg5
13 ..£)e2 f514.'£)f4+ 'tTtf715.~h5+ 'it'e7
16.~xg5+ 'iti'd7 17.~xg7+ ~e7
18.~xe7+ 'iti'xe719 ..£)g6+ 'iti'f7 20.'£)xf8
'iti'xf8±. 12 .•• j},xg5 12 ... 'iti'h613.~d2
~c8 a frequent retreat to remove the
queen from the .£)g5 's reach, though the
disadvantage, an inactive queen, is ob-
vious. The main alternative 13 ... ~d7
invites 14.'~d3 g615.h5 when White's
attack prevails in all lines: (a) 15 ...'tTtg7
16.hxg6+-; (b) 15 ... ~xg5 16.hxg6+
'tTtg717 ..§h7+ 'iti'g818.~h3+-; and (c)
15 ... 'tTtxg5 16.~e3+ 'iti'f5 (16 ... 'it'g4
17.~f4#) 17.~f4#. After 13 ... ~c8,

Black can try 13 .. .f5 14.exf6 g615.h5
.§xf6 16.hxg6+ 'iti'g7 (16 ... ~xg5
17.~g3+'iti'f518.'§h5#) 17.~h3+- or
13 ... .§h8 14 ..£)xf7+ ~h5 15 ..§h3 with
g4+ and ~f3#; or 13 ... g614.h5 itxg5
(not surprisingly, bringing the king out
into the open is fraught with danger:
14 ... 'iti'xg5 15.~e3+ ~g4 [15 ... 'iti'f5
16.g3+-] 16.f3+ 'iti'g3 17.~d2+-).
White wins easily by bringing up the
.§hl, another advantage to having the
h-pawn on h4. 14 ..§h3 Aa6 15 ..§g3
.§g8 16.~f4+-. 13.hxg5 f5 Alterna-
tives are worse. 13 ... .§h8 14.'£)f4++-
'iti'xg5 15.'§h5+ '§xh5 16.~xh5+ ~xf4
17.g3+ 'iti'e4 18.~g4#; i3 ... ~xg5
14.'£)f4+ ~f5 15.~d3+; and 13 ... 'iti'xg5
14 ..§h5+ starts a mate in four. 14.gxf6

106
 Games

Elh815.4)f4+ ~f716.~g4Elxhl+ many of the successful sacs, the e-file

17.~d2 gxf6 Greed makes it easy for
White: 17.:.1'hal 18.'ltrxe6+ 'itlf8
19..£)g6#.18.~g6+ 18.Elxhl +- brings
on a faster mate, says Fritz. 18... ~e7
19.~g7+ ~e8 20.~g8+ ~e7
21.~xe6+ ~f8 22.Elxhl j';te8 1--0
It's mate in four with 22 ... Ac8 23.Elh8+
'itlg7 24.Elh7+ 'itlxh7 25.'ltrf7+ 'itlh8
26 ..£)g6#.
(13) Guest - Burn
London 1887
French Defense [C 11]
The Englishman Amos Bum (1848-
1925) was a contending player at the
end of the 19th century. A student of
Wilhelm Steinitz, he reached an equal
first at London, 1887 and first at Co-
logne, 1898. He also played in the fa-
mous Hastings tournament of 1895, fin-
ishing in twelfth place. Remarkably, he
is involved in three games within this
section; this is his only victory.
is closed and a white pawn on e5 has
forced the black knight off its useful f6-
square. Here, the white e-pawn has
been exchanged on d5, with the result
that Black's light-square bishop can
easily reach the key bl-h7 diagonal. As
important, White does not have re-
serves ready to bring up. Indeed, even
the white king is unprepared. 9.j';txh7+
~xh710.4)g5+ ~g811.~d311.'ltrh5
Af5 when Black gains control over the
key bl-h7 diagonal. 11 ...g6 The white
queen does not have access to h3.
12.0--0 4)e613.~g3 ~g714.j';tf4 f6
15.4)f3 4)d4 16.4)xd4 .1lxd4
17.Elfdl.1le518.b4 .1lxb419.~b3
~b6 20.~xd5 .1le6 21.~0 ~e6
22. ~e3 Elfe8 23.a3 .1lg4 24. ~g3
j';txdI25.Elxdl Elad8 26.Elfl.1ld6
27..1lxd6 ~xd6 (}-1
(14) Blackburne - Zukertort
Frankfurt 1887
Queen's Gambit Declined [D55]

l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.4)e3 4)f6 4.j';td3 Joseph Henry Blackburne (1841-1924)

e5 5.dxe5 j';txe5 6.exd5 4)xd5 was one of the best players in the late
7.4)xd5 exd5 8.4)0 0--0 19th century and an integral part of the
Romantic Age of chess. Nicknamed the
8 "Black Death," he popularized chess by
7 giving simultaneous and blindfold dis-
6 plays. The son of a temperance preacher,
5
Blackbume was known ironically for his
heavy drinking of whiskey while play-
4
ing. His best results included an equal
3
first with Steinitz at Vienna 1873, first in
2
London, 1876, and first in Berlin 1881,
three points ahead of Zukertort, his ad-
abc d e f g h versary in this game.

With only one additional asset, the dark- l.d4 d5 2.e4 e6 3.4)e3 4)f6 4.Ag5
square bishop, the white position does j';te7 5.e3 b6 6.4)f3 Ab7 7.Elel 0--0
not satisfy key preconditions here, and 8.j';txf6 j';txf6 9.exd5 exd5 10.Ad3
indeed the sacrifice fails quickly. In e5 11.0--0 e4 12.j';tbl 4)d713.4)d2

107
 Sacking the Citadel
EleS 14.t~\'f3 {)fS 15.{)xc4 {)g6
16.{)d2 '/Nd717.g3 {)e71S.Elfel a6
19.{)e2 EladS 20.{)f4 Jlg5 21.h4
Jlxf4 22.'/Nxf4 {)c6 23.{)f3 '/Nd6
8 late 19th century, Albert Hodges won
7 the U.S. Championship in 1894 but is
6 best remembered for playing inside
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h 10.{)dl0-0 1l.c3 b5 12.Jld3 cxd4
White's extra pawn going into the sac-
rifice greatly simplifies the calculations.
So does the absence of the black rook
from f8. Although the white queen does
not have easy access to the h5-square,
the double attack on f7 after <£\g5+ pre-
vents the black king from retreating to
g8, and the knight fork discourages ~h6
or ~h8. Finally, White's destruction of
~g6 is fun to watch. 24..1l,xh7+! ~xh7
25.{)g5+ 1-0 With the rook offf8, the
king retreats to h8 and h6 meet a brutal
knight fork. 25 ... ~h8 26.<£\xf7+;
25 ... ~h6 26.<£\xf7+. 25 ... ~g8 meets a
variant of the habitual mate in five. Note
that the d6-square is occupied by the
black queen rather than controlled by
an e5-pawn. 26.i*xf7+ ~h8 27.i*h5+
~g8 (27 ... i*h6 walks into 28.<£\f7+)
28.i*h7+ ~f8 29.~h8+ ~e7
30.~xg7"". 25 ... ~g6 a frequent theme
is that h5 can be very powerful in the
~g6 line. 26.h5+ ~xh5 (26 ... ~h6
27.<£\xf7+) 27.g4+ ~h4 (27 ... ~g6
28.i*f5+ ~h6 29.<£\xf7 "") 28.<£\f3+ ~h3
29.<£\e5+- .
108
(15) Hodges - Blackmar
Brooklyn 1892
French Defense [CI4]
A notable American player during the
Ajeeb, the chess-playing automaton
that resembled a finely dressed sultan.
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.{)c3 {)f6 4 ..1l,g5
.1l,e7 5.e5 {)fd7 6.Jlxe7 '/Nxe7
7.'/Nd2 a6 S.f4 c5 9.{)f3 {)c6
13.cxd4 .1l,b7 14.a3 ElacS 15.0-0
{)b616.'/Ne2 {)a5
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Hodges takes advantage of three addi-
tional assets, the strong e5-pawn, the
!!f1, and even the <£\d1-e3. The game
provides a nice opportunity to compare
two responses, 19.~g4 and 19.~d3+
in the ~g6Iine. i*g4 is more accurate in
this instance because the queen exerts
influence over both e6 and g7.
17..1l,xh7+ ~xh71S.{)g5+ ~g6 ~g8
fails very quickly to ~h5 because the
~e7 blocks the king's escape route.
18 ... ~g8 19.~h5 !!fd8 20.~h7+ ~f8
21.~h8"" and although White does
not have a dark-square bishop, ~h6 fails
quickly in view of !!f3. 18 ... ~h6
19.!!f3+- . 19.'/Nd3+ 19.~g4! f5 (19 .. .f6
 Games

20.f5+ exf5 [20 ... 'ifth6 21.~h4.] 1.~f3 d5 2.d4 ~f6 3.c4 e6 4.~c3
21.~xf5+ ~h6 22.~h7+ 'it>xg5 c65.e3.Q.d66•.Q.d3~bd77.~e20-
23 ..!:!f5+ ~g4 24 ..£Jf2.) 20.exf6 'it>xf6 08.0-0 §.e8 9.§.dl e510.dxe5 ~xe5
21 f5 +- . Other tries for Black on move 11.~xe5 .Q.xe5 12.cxd5 cxd5
20 also fare poorly: (a) 20 ... gxf6 13.~c2 .Q.e614..Q.d2
21..£Jxe6+ 'iftf7 (21..5.t'h7 22.m3 +- )
22 ..!:!e1 .!:!g8 23:i!'Yh5+ .!:!g6 24.f5; (b)
20 ... ~xf6 21..£Je4+; and (c) 20 .. :i!'Yd7
21.fxg7 +- . The real surprise in this po-
sition is that White has another win-
ning maneuver in .£Je3-f5: 19 ..£Je3! f5
20.exf6 gxf6 21..£Jf5! (a remarkable
move) 21..:i!'Ye8 (the knight is immune!
21... ~xf5 22:i!'Yd3+ 'it>g4 23:i!'Yh3.;
21...exf5 22.~xe7 +- ) 22 ..£Jxe6 and the
knights are swarming: 22 ... .!:!g8 23 ..!:!ae1 abc d e f g h
~h7 24.~f3+-. 19 ••• f5 20.exf6+
~xf6 20 ... ~h5 when White can take A Greco Sacrifice attempted against the
h7 with check. 21."i!'Yh7+ 'iftg4 22 ..£Je3 •. great Lasker, with the black pieces no
21.§.el §.c6 22.~e3 g6 23.~g4+ less, fails to the future world champion's
~g7 24.~e5 §.f6 25. ~h3 ~g8 surgically accurate defense. After 18.f4,
26.§.e3 26 ..£Jg4 is the more natural con- driving the black queen to h6, there's
tinuation. 26••• ~bc4 27.~gf7? §.xf7
simply no way for Black to bring addi-
28.~ xg6 ~f6 29.§.g3 §.c8 Black is
tional pieces to bear against the ex-
also certainly better after 29 ... "i!'Yxd4+.
posed white king in part because the
30.§.el §.g7 31.f5 §.f8? Black is still
Ae6 blocks any possible rook swing.
surviving after 31.. ..!:!f7. 32.~h8+ ~f7
14•••.Q.xh2+ 15.~xh2 ~g4+ 16.~!
33.~xf8# 1-0
16.'iftg1 ~h4 17.Ae1= using the ~c2
and the bishop to protect f2. With fl
(16) Lasker,Em. - Golmayo
open, 'it>h1 does not get mated instantly,
Havana 1893
but there's still a mating net after
Queen's Gambit Declined [D46]
16.'ifth1 "i!'Yh4+ 17.~g1 ~xf2+ 18.~h1
"i!'Yh4+ 19.~g1 ~h2+ 20.'it>f1 ~h1 +
Emanuel Lasker (1868-1941) reigned as
21.'ifte2 ~xg2+ 22.'it>e1 ~f2 •.
world champion for 27 years. He is still
16••• h5 There's no alternative for the
regarded as one of the strongest play-
attack, because 16 ... "i!'Yd6+ 17.f4 and
ers ever,joining a list that includes only
White seizes the initiative, and
Fischer, Kasparov, Capablanca,
16 ... ~g5 17.f4 when the queen cannot
Alekhine, and Botvinnik. In world cham-
remain on the g-file. 17.§.hl ttg5
pionship match play, he defeate~
18.f4+- tth6 19.e4 d4 20.~e2
Steinitz, Marshall, Tarrasch, Janowski,
§.ac8 21.ita4 ~e5 22.fxe5 White
and Schlechter, losing the title finally in
also wins with 22.Ah5 or 22.~a3 Ac4
1921 to the Cuban, Jose Raul
23.fxe5 ~xd2 24.ltxc4 '!:!xc4
Capablanca.
25 ..£\[4+-. 22••• ttxd2 23.§.adl itg5+
24.Cit'h2 ~xe5+ 25.g3.Q.g4 26.§.del

109
 Sacking the Citadel
h4 27"~xd4 hxg3+ 2S.Cjfjlg2 ~xd4
29.4:) xd4 ~cd8 3O.Jl.b5 ~eS 31.Jl.e2
.Q.xe2 32.4:)xe2 ~xe4 33.Cjfjlxg3 ~d3+
34.<tf/f2 ~d2 3S.<tf/f3 ~e6 36.4:)f4
~xeI37.~xel ~xb2 3S.~e8+ <tf/h7
39.~e2 ~xe2 40.4:)xe2 gS 41.4:)c3
CjfjIg6 42.4:)e4 bS 43.4:)d6 a6 44.<tf/g4
f6 4S.a3 fS+ 46.4:) xfS as 47.4:)d4 b4
4S.a4 <tf/f6 49.4:)b3 CjfjIeS SO.4:)xaS
CjfjId4 SI.4:)b3+ CjfjIc4 S2.aS 1-0
(17) Pillsbury - Burn
Hastings 1895
Queen's Gambit Declined [055]
Pillsbury, the young American, entered
the great 1895 Hastings tournament as
a relative unknown, and yet placed first
ahead of Lasker, Steinitz, Tarrasch,
Chigorin, and many of the world's other
great players. His win here in round 16
permitted him to retain a share of the
lead with only five rounds to play.
l.d4 dS 2.c4 e6 3.4:)c3 4:)f6 4.Jl.gS
.Q.e7 S.e3 0-0 6.4:)f3 b6 7.~cl.Q.b7
S.cxdS 4:)xdS 9.Jl.xe7 ~xe7
10.4:)xdS .Q.xdS 1l..Q.d3 ~cS12.e4
J}.b713.0-0 4:)d714.~e2 a61S.~c3
c616.~fc1 bS 17.~e3 ~c71S.~f4
~ac819.eS cS
8
7
6
5
4
3 upon the <£)c3-e2-f4 and the h4-pawn
2 as additional assets. Still, Black still
abc d e f g h the game, Black played 12 ... ~h6 when
The well defended e5-pawn and the
presence of the white rook already on
110
the third rank makes the sacrifice an
easier calculation. Altogether, an im-
pressive effort. 20 •.Q.xh7+ CjfjIxh7
21.4:)gS+ <tf/gS In the ~g61ine, the ~c3
can immediately join the attack 21...~g6
22.~g3 +- or 22.<£)xf7 +- . Even the re-
treat to g8 encourages Pillsbury to play
~h3 although 22:~h4 is fully satisfac-
tory. 22.~h3 With the idea of ~h8+.
22 ••• ~eS Vacating the e7 escape
square. 23.~h4 CjfjIfS 24.4:)h7+ CjfjIgS
2S.4:)f6+ CjfjIfS Alternatives are in-
stantly mated: 25 ... gxf6 26:~h8 #; and
25 ... <£)xf6 26. ~h8 #. 26.4:) xeS More ef-
ficient is 26 ..~g5 +-. 26 ••• CjfjlxeS
27.~gS cxd4 2S.~hS+ 1-0
(18) De Visser - Young,J
Manhattan 1895
French Defense [CI4]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 dS 3.4:)c3 4:)f6 4 ..Q.gS
.Q.e7 S.Jl.xf6 Jl.xf6 6.4:)13 0-0
7.Jl.d3 cS S.eS Jl.e7 9.h4 fS 10.exf6
Jl.xf6
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Without a pawn on e5, White must rely
faces an enormous defensive task. In
it is White who fails to find the best
path with 13:~d3! since 13 ... g6 meets
14.h5 +- . II.Axh7+ CjfjIxh712.4:)gS+
 Games
~h6 Black successfully rejects 'it'g6
(it's a pretty mate in three) 12 ... <;tJg6
13.~d3+ <;tJh5 14.g4+ <;tJxg4 (14 ... 'it'h6
15.~h7#) 15.'l:ii'f3#. In the 'it'gB line,
White can select a quick perpetual or
try for more with 14.0-0-0. 12 ... <;tJgB
13.~h5 fieB (13 ... ~xg5 14.hxg5 fieB
15.g6 <;tJfB16.dxc5+-) 14.0-0-0! see
game 272 (14.'l:ii'f7+ <;tJhB15.'l:ii'h5+ =).
White gains a clear advantage after
12 ... ~xg5 13.hxg5+ <;tJgB (13 ... 'it'g6 is
much too dangerous, 14.'l:ii'h5+ 'it'f5
15.~h7++- g6 16.~h3+ 'it'xg5
[16 ... <;tJf4 17.~g3+ 'it'f5 1B.fih4+-]
17.~h4+ and the king hunt is on <;tJf5
1B.g4+ 'it'f4 19 ..£\e2+ 'it'e4 [19 ... 'it'f3
20.~g3+ <;tJe4 21.~d3#] 20.g5+ <;tJf3
[20 ... <;tJf5 21.~f4#; 20 ... fif4
21.~xf4#] 21.fih3+ 'it'g2 22.~g4#)
14.~h5 fieB 15.g6 <;tJf8 the king es-
capes, but White has a clear initiative
after 16.dxc5 and 17.0-0-0. 13.f4 Miss-
ing the more accurate continuation with
13.~d3! threatening ~h7#. 13 ... ~xgS
(and not 13 ... g6 14.hS with the idea of
~xg6# 14 ... figB [14 ... ~eB IS ..£\f7+
~xf7 16.hxg6+ <;tJg7 17.fih7++-]
IS.'£\f7++-) 14.hxgS+ <;tJxgS IS.fih7
when the white queen and rook com-
bine against the exposed king in all
lines: (a) IS ... figB 16.0-0-0 (bringing
up the third major) 16 ... cxd4 17.~g3+
<;tJf6 IB.fixd4 'it'e7 19.fig4+-; (b)
IS ... ~f6 16.~g3+ 'it'fS 17.'l:ii'f3+ 'it'gS
(17 ... <;tJg6 IB.~hS#) 1B.'l:ii'hS+ 'it'f4
19.93#; and (c) IS ... 'l:ii'c716 ..£\bS ~d7
17.~g3+ <;tJf6 (17 ... 'it'fS IB.fixg7 +-)
IB ..£\d6+- and White will likely con-
tinue with f4.13 •.• ~eSI4..£!e2 .£!c6
15.c3 Ad7 16.g4 cxd4 17.cxd4
.1lxg5 Or simply 17... ~e71B.'l:ii'd2 ~b4
19..£lc3~d6-+ .18.~d3g619.hxg5+
~g7 20.C}-O-() EthS 21 . .£!g3 ~f7
22.Ethfl Etac8 23.~bl ~e7 24.~e3
Eth2 25. ~gl Eth4 26. .£!e2 EtchS
III
27•.£!c1.£!d8 2S.Etfel ~fS 29 ..£!d3
.1lb5 30•.£!c5 ~xf4 31.Etxe6 Ethl
32.~xhl Etxhl 33.Etxhl ~xd4
34.Ete7+ ~fS 35.Etc7 b6 36.Etfl +
.1lxfl 37•.£!d7+ ~e7 0-1
(19) Maroczy - Billecard
Hastings 1895
French Defense [C14]
Geza Maroczy (1870-1951) won a side
event at Hastings 1895 and, during the
next decade, won or placed well in two
dozen tournaments. He was, according
to Capablanca, one of the best players
of the time. A match against Lasker was
canceled and, in 1908, Maroczy retired
from chess. The Maroczy bind, a for-
mation with white pawns on c4 and e4,
bears his name.
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3 . .£!c3 .£!f6 4 ..1lg5
.1le7 5 . .1lxf6 .1lxf6 6 . .£!f3 0-0
7 •.1ld3 c5 S.e5 .1le7 9.h4 f510.exf6
Etxf6
abc d e f g h
The .£\c3 and h4-pawn serve as addi-
tional assets, but the rook on f6 should
have discouraged White from the sac-
rifice. Black was unlikely to fall for
12 ... <;tJgB 13.'l:ii'd3 fifS 14.g4. After the
'it'gB retreat, the rook is ready to swing
to h6 to foil ~hS. Despite the unsound
nature of the sacrifice, White still tri-
 Sacking the Citadel
umphs. 1l.Axh7+ ~xh7 12.~g5+
~gS In the ~h6Iine, a plausible choice
without a dark-square bishop for the
attack, White plays ~d2, threatening a
discovered check. 12 ... ~h6 13.~d2
~eS 14 ..£\xe6+ ~h7 15 ..£\e7±. In the
~g6 line, White can play ~d3 threat-
ening mate and again using the h-pawn
in the event of ... g6. 12 ... ~g613.~d3+
when White prevails in all lines: (a)
13 ... m5 unable to block the check with
... f5, Black can block it with the rook,
but 14.g4+-; (b) 13 ... ~h5 (it's mate in
six) 14.g4+ ~xg4 (14 ... ~h615.~h7#)
15 ..§.gl+ ~h5 (15 ... ~xh4 16.~h3#;
15 ... ~f416 ..£\e2#) 16 ..£\f7+-; and (c)
13 ... ~h6 14.~h7#. 13.~h5 Eth6
14.~f7+ ~hSI5.0-0-0 ~fS More
accurate is 15 ... exd4 16 ..£\b5 ~d7
17.~b1 .£\e6-+. 16.f4 Ad7
17.~xfS+ AxfS IS.~f7+ ~h7
19.~xh6 ~xh6+ White's attacking
prospects are gone, and Black has two
bishops for the rook. 20.dxe5 ~e6
21.f5 Axe5 22.fxe6 Jtxe6 23.~xd5
EtdS 24.~e3 Etxdl + 25.Etxdl ~h5
26.Etel Af5 27.~e4 Axe4 2S.Etxe4
Af2 29.b4 Axh4 30.b5 ~dS 31.e4
Af6 32.~e2 ~g6 33.e5 ~f7
34.~d3 ~e6 35.~e4 Ae7 36.b6
Axe5 Better is 36 ... axb6 37.exb6
.£\dS=. 37.~d5 Axb6 3S.Etxe6 Ae5
39.Ete4 b6 4O.Eta4 a5 41.Etxa5 bxa5
42.~xe5 ~e6 43.~b5 ~d5
44.~xa5 ~e5 45.a4 g6 46.g3 g5
47.g4 ~e6 48.~b4 ~b6 49.a5+ ~a6
50.~a4 ~a7 51.~b5 ~b7 52.~e5
1--0
(20) Skipworth - Jones
Craigside 1897
Slav Defense [A 13]
l.e4e6 2.~e3 d5 3.e3 e6 4.~f3 Jtd6
5.d4 ~d7 6.b3 ~gf6 7.Ab2 0--0 S.e5
112
Ae7 9.Jtd3 EteSl0.0--0 e5 1l.dxe5
~xe512.~xe5Axe513.~e2
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
Black must rely upon the light-square
bishop and the .§.eS as additional as-
sets, but White's active bishops limit
the possible scope of the attack.
13...Jtxh2+ 14.~xh2 ~g4+ 15.~g3
The ~gl retreat is the best line for
White because the queen on e2 is al-
ready covering the f2-pawn, permitting
the .§.fl to create an escape-square for
the king.15.~gl ~h4 16 ..§.fe1 iii'h2+
17.~f1 .£\e5 lS ..llf5 (1S ..£\a4 .llg4
19.f4 '£\f3 20.~f2 [20.gxf3 .llh3+-+]
20 ... '£\h4 21..§.gl .llh3 22 ..llxh7+ ~fS
23.~d1 .llxg2 24 ..llxg7+ ~xg7
25.~g4+ ~hS-+) lS ... ~h1 + 19.~e2
~xg2 20 ..llxeS ~f3+ 21.~d2 (21.~fl
.§.axeS +) 21... ~xf2+ 22 ..§.e2 '£\f3+
23.~d3 .£\e5+=. The ~h3 line walks
into a devastating discovery: 15.~h3
.£\xe3+ -+ and there's obviously no
point in 15.~h1 iii'h4+ 16.~gl ~h2#.
15... ~g5 16.Axh7+ White needed to
play 16.f4 to survive. 16.f4 iii'h5 17.e4
.£\e3 lS.~e2 ~g6+ 19.~h2 '£\xf1+
20 ..§.xfl dxe4=. 16... ~fS Also viable
is 16... ~hS 17.f4 .§.xe3+ lS ..§.f3 ~h5
19 ..§.xe3 .£\xe3 20.~e2 ~xe2 21..£\xe2
~xh7~. 17.f4 ~h5 IS.~dl g6
18. ..f5! traps the bishop. 19.jtxg6 fxg6
20.~e3 Ete7 Better is 20 ... ~h2+
21.~f3 .§.e7~. 21.~el? Eth7 22.Etgl
 Games
~f5 22 ... 4Je5! -+ when the knight is
immune in view of...~xg4and ... .§f7#.
23..£)c3.£)e5 24.fxe5 ~h4+ 25.'if}f3
~g4+ 0-1 It's mate after 26.'<t'f4 g5 #.
(21) Hulsen - Brody
Berlin 1897
Giuocco Piano [C56]
1.e4 e5 2.,£)0 .£)c6 3.~c4 ~c5 4.0-
o .£)f6 5.c3 .£) xe4 6.d4 exd4 7.cxd4
~e7 S.d5.£)bS 9 . .§e1.£)d610.~d3
0-0 1l . .£)c3 .£)eS 12.d6 .£)xd6
13.~f4 .£)e8
8
7 (22) Futterer - Zinski
6 Berlin 1897
5 Two Knights Defense [C58]
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
At first glance, Black's position at the
time of the sac has the appearance of
one fully lacking in development. For
additional assets, White has the 4Jc3,
the active .§e1, and the dark-square
bishop, but Black has the ~e7 poised
to prevent 4Jf3-g5. This is the first game
in which the Greco Sacrifice, to succeed,
requires an additional exchange sacri-
fice, in this case 15 ..§ xe7, eliminating
the dark-square bishop to continue
safely with 4Jg5. 14.~xh7+ 'if}xh7
15..§xe7 ~xe716..£)d5 Gaining a free
tempo. 16.4Jg5+ would likely transpose,
although Black has the option ofi11txg5.
16•.• ~dS 17•.£)g5+ 'if}g6 The '<t'gS re-
treat fails quickly because the .§f8 can-
not create an escape square. 17 ... '<t'gS
18.~h5+- and the .§fS cannot move;
113
17 ... xt'h6 1S.i11td3+- or 1S.~g4+-.
IS. ~d3+ Here in the '<t'g6line, the white
queen easily reaches g3 when the .§e1
provides useful control over the e6-
square. 1S.i11tg4+- and 1S.h4+- are
also winning. lS •.•f5 As usual, there's
no hope in IS ... '<t'h5 19.i11th7+ '<t'g4
20.h3# or 1S ... '<t'h619.i11th7#.19.~g3
With the idea of 4Je6 +-. 19 ••• .£)c6
20..£)e6+ 20 ..§e1 is a useful additional
move to hold the 4Je6 for support of
i11txg7. 20 .•• 'if}f7 21 . .£)xdS+ .£)xdS
22 ..§e1 .£)e6 23. ~h3 g6 24. ~h4 c6
25. ~e7+ 'if}gS 26.j},h6 .£)Sg7
27.j},xg71-O
1.e4 e5 2 . .£)f3 .£)c6 3.~c4 .£)f6
4 ..£)g5 d5 5.exd5 .£)a5 6.d3 h6 7 ..£)f3
~d6 S.c3 0-0 9.h4.£) xc410.dxc4 c5
1l.a3 e412..£)fd2 '§e813.0-0
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Another successful sacrifice by Black
owing in large part to White having ig-
nored the center. Black has three addi-
tional assets, the mobile e4-pawn, the
.§eS, and the light-square bishop.
13...~xh2+ 14.'if}xh2 .£)g4+ 15.'if}g3
The checkmate after 15.'<t'g1 follows a
typical pattern, the usual mate in five
initiated by the capture first of the f-
 Sacking the Citadel
pawn. IS.'it>gl ~h4 16 ..§el ii;Yxf2+
17.'it>hl ii;Yh4+ 18.'<!igl ii;Yh2+ 19.'it>f1
ii;Yhl+ 20.'it>e2 ii;Yxg2#; IS.'it>h3 walks
right into 15 .. .'ijxf2+-+ although
IS ... ii;YgS with the idea of ii;YhS is also
devastating. 15 .• :~d6+ ... ii;Yd6 brings
on a quick mate thanks to the rook's
ability to reach e3. 16.f4 Both king re-
treats walk into mates in one: 16.'it>h4
ii;Yh2*; 16.'<!ih3 ii;Yh2*. 16 ... exf3+
17.'lt>xf3 Eie3* 0--1
(23) Fahndrich - Mandelbaum
Vienna 1897
Queen's Gambit Declined [055]
l.d4 d5 2.c4 ~f6 3.~c3 e6 4.J1g5
,Ae7 5.e3 0-06.,Ad3 b6 7.,Axf6 ,Axf6
8.cxd5 ,Ab7 9.~f3exd510.h4c5
8 'It>g5 19.Eih5+! gxh5 20. ~g7+ 'It>h4
7 21.~xf5+ Eixf5 22.~g3410 1--0
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h 7.cxd5 ,Axd5 8.e4 ,Ab7 9.Eic1 a6
White relies here on the lLlc3 and the
h4-pawn as additional assets. The ab-
sence of the dark-square bishop and the
closed nature of the c1-h6 diagonal
make 12 ... 'it>h6 a winning move. Yet
again, however, poor defense permits
White's attack to prevail. White finishes
the game with a lovely rook sacrifice
and a pretty mate. 1l.,Axh7+ 'It>xh7
12.~g5+ 'It>h6 White overwhelms
12 ... 'it>g8 with 13.ii;YhS-f7 and the cap-
ture of the unanchored ilb7. 12 ... 'it>g8
13.ii;YhS .§e8 (13 ... ilxgS 14.hxgS fS
IS.g6+- ) 14.ii;Yxf7+ 'it>h8 IS.ii;Yxb7 +-.
114
In the 'it>g6 line, White mates in four
with 12 ... 'it>g6 13.~c2+ '<!ihS 14.g4+
'it>xg41S.f3+ 'it>hS (IS ... 'it>g316 ..§h3*)
16.~h7*. 13.~e2 The main alterna-
tives fare no better: 13.~d3 g6-+ and
13.~g4 ii;Ye7 14.~f4 cxd4 IS.lLle6+
'it>h7 16AJxf8+ ~xf8-+. 13 ... ,Axg5
Simpler is 13 ... g6-+. 14.hxg5+ 'It>xg5
Clearly dangerous but the only chance
for a win. 14 ...'<!ig6 invites 1S. lLlf4 + '<!ifS
16..§hS +- . 15.~g3 After lS.lLlf4 Black
can run the king to f6 or try 15 ... .§h8
16 ..§hS+ '<!if6 (16 ... .§xhS 17.~xhS+
'<!if618.~eS *) 17.dxcS §.xhS 18.ii;YxhS
lLla6=+=. 15 ... g6?? Far more prudent is
running the king to safety with IS ... '<!if6
16.lLlhS+ 'it>e7 17.lLlxg7 §.h8=+=.
16:~f3+- Once again, the attacking
side prevails despite an unsound sacri-
fice. 16... f517.~f4+ 'It>f618.~e5+
(24) Pillsbury - Judd
St Louis 1898
Queen's Indian Defense [EI2]
l.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.~c3 b6 4.~f3
,Ab7 5.,Af4 ,Ad6 6.,Axd6 ~xd6
10.Ad3 ~e711.0--0 0--0 12.e5 ~d8
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Another lovely win for the American
champion. White has two additional
 Games
assets, the secure e5-pawn and the
4Jc3-e2-f4. Given the absence of
White's dark-square bishop, the ~h6
line is the real test. After 14 ... \t>h6
15:i£rd2 ~g6, White no longer has
16.~g4, but 16.4Je2 with the idea of
4Jf4, is fully sufficient for the win.
13•.1lxh7+! <if}xh714.~g5+ <if}h6 In
the \t>gS line, White can take advan-
tage of Black's lack of support on e6 by
playing 4Jxe6, hitting the queen and
threatening mate on g7. 14 ... ~gS
15.~h5 E!eS 16.~xf7+ ~hS
17.4Jxe6+-; 14 ... ~g6 15:i£rg4! (not
15.~d3+ 4Jf5-+ [15 ... ~xg5? 16:i£rh7
4Jg6 17.f4+] ) 15 ... f5 16.exf6 ~xf6
17.E!fe1 once again, a useful compan-
ion in the ~g4line to pressure the weak-
ened e6-pawn. 17 ... ~d7 (17 ... ~cS
18.4Jce4++-) 18.E!xe6++-. 15.~d2
<if}g616.~e2 ~d5 Alternatives fare no
better: 16... c517.4Jf4++- and 16.. :i£reS
17.4Jf4+ ~h6 1S.E!c3+-. 17.~d3+!
<if}xg5 Black can avoid a mating net only
with 17 ... f5 1S.4Jxe6+-. lS.f4++-
18.~h7! is mate in eight, says Fritz 12;
1S ... E!gS 19.h4+ ~g4 20.f3 #.
IS.••<if}h619. ~h3+ <if}g6 20.f5+ exf5
21.Etxf5 EthS 22. ~g4+ <if}h723.Etxfi
1-0 Here it's mate in three with
23.~h5+ ~gS 24.~xf7+ ~h7
25.E!h5#.
(25) Te Koiste - Swiderski
Amsterdam 1899
French Defense [CI4]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.~c3 ~f6 4 ..1lg5
.1le7 5.e5 ~fd7 6 •.1lxe7 ~xe7
7.~d2 a6 8.~d1 c5 9.c3 ~c610.f4
~ 11.~f3 f612 ..1ld3cxd413.cxd4
~b414.Etc1 fxe515.fxe5 ~b6
115
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
White relies here on the secure e5-pawn
and the idea of E!c1-c3, but with the
white queen on d2, the variation with
~gS was bound to be trouble. The
queen cannot safely reach the h-file,
and from d3, White exerts pressure on
h7 but not also f7. Note also that the f-
file is open, giving Black the opportu-
nity to defend with E!f5 and g6.
16 ..1lxh7+ <if}xh7 17.~g5+ <if}gS
Black's development and pressure on
the d-pawn allows him to achieve ap-
proximate equality in the ~g6 line:
17 ... ~g6 1S.4Jxe6 4Jxd4 19.4Jxf8+
4JxfS 20.4Jc3lle6 21.4Ja4 'ff1a7 22.4Jc5
4Jc6 23. ~d3+ ~f7 24.0-0+ \t>gS
25.~h1 E!eS=. There's no point walk-
ing into a pin with 17 ... ~h6
1S.4Jxe6+ +-. The ~hSline is interest-
ing because the white queen has no
immediate access to the h-file, but
White still prevails with 17 ... ~hS
18.~d3 E!f5 19.~h3+ ~gS 20.~h7+
~fS 21.'ff1hS+ \t>e7 22.'ff1xg7+ +-.
lS.~d3 Not 1S.4Jxe6 E!f7-+.
lS••• Etf5 19.~ xe6 ~ xd4 Far better is
19 ... g6 20.g4 4Jcxe5 21.dxe5 E!xe5+
22.~f1 'ff1xe6-+. 20.~xd4? White
can hope to survive after 20.4Jxd4.
20 ••• ~xe6-+ 21.Etc3 ~xe5+
22.~xe5 Etxe5+ 23.<if}d2 ~f6
24.Etc7 ~e4+ 25. <if}e3 ~f6+ 26. <if}d4
Ete4+ 27.<if}c5 Etc4+ 2S.<if}b6 ~d7+
 Sacking the Citadel

0-1 Winning the exchange since at Paris, 1867 tied with Steinitz. His first
29.~a5 b6 is mate. place finishes include Warsaw 1868,
Paris 1878, Nuremberg, 1883, and the
(26) DyckhotT - Trimborn German Chess Championship in 1883.
Munich 1900 He is, perhaps, best remembered for
Queen's Gambit Declined [DS3] several opening variations, notably the
popular Winawer variation of the French
l.d4 d5 2.e4 e6 3 . .£le3 .£lf6 4.jlg5 Defense.
jle7 5.e3 0-0 6.jld3 dxe4 7.jlxe4
b6 S:~f3 e6 9.jlxf6 jlxf6 10.h4 One of the strongest players in Russia
'ifJe711.jld3 .£la612..£lh3.£lb4 in the late 19th century, Alapin (1856-
1923) is best known today for having
8 introduced a range of offbeat opening
7 variations, one of which, the c3-Sicilian
6 (l.e4 c5 2.c3) remains a popular choice
5 in modern tournaments.
4
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3 . .£le3 .£lf6 4.Ag5
3
Ae7 5.jlxf6 jlxf6 6.Ad3 e5 7 ..£lf3
2
0-0 S.e5 jle7 9.dxe5 f610.h4 .£le6

abc d e f g h 8
7
Without an e5-pawn or dark-square
6
bishop, White relies instead on the <tIc3
5
and the h4-pawn. With the white knight
4
on h3 rather than f3, White can again
play ~h5 first, eliminating the possibil- 3
ity of variations other than \t'gS. 2

13.jlxh7+! <i!lxh7 There's obviously

no point in 13 ... ~hS 14.~h5 +-.
14.'ifJh5+ <i!lgS As is quickly evident,
Black has no reasonable defense and
succumbs to the usual idea, after
15 ... Axg5 16.hxg5, of 17.g5-
g6.15 ..£lg5 jlxg5 16.hxg5 f517.g6
1~
(27) Winawer- Alapin
Monte Carlo 1901
French Defense [CI4]
Szymon Wmawer(1838-1920) was a lead-
ing player during the 19th century. In
his first tournament, he finished second
abc d e f g h
As we shall see later in the book, the
sacrifice can work with a black pawn on
f6, but here, White simply does not
have sufficient reinforcements. White's
eS-pawn is under assault and there's no
dark-square bishop. White must there-
fore rely upon the <tIc3 and h4-pawn as
additional assets. Black gets a winning
position in the game with \t'gS because
the 14 ... <tIe5 capture eliminates the e5-
pawn and eyes the White's-advancing
g-pawn. 1l.jlxh7+ <i!lxh712 ..£lg5+
<i!lgS Perhaps the most interesting pos-

116
 Games
sibility is the immediate capture on g5,
but careful defense results in a per-
petual. 12 ... fxg5 13.hxg5+ ~gS
14J''!hS+ ~f7 (not 14 ... ~xhS15.i£rh5+
~gS 16.g6 .§.f5 17.i£rh7+ ~fS
18.i£rhS#) 15.i£rh5+ g616 ..§.h7+ 'it>eS
17.i£rxg6+ ~d7 18.4:Jxd5 exd5 (avoid-
ing lS ... i£ra5+ 19.b4 4:Jxb4 20.4:Jxe7
4:Jd5+ 21.~f1 4:Jxe7 22 ..§.d1+ 'it>c6
23 ..§.d6+ ~xc5 24 ..§.xe7±) 19.i£rd6+
~eS 20.i£rg6+=. White fails in the 'it>h6
line, because 13. i£rd3 meets f5, and
13.i£rd2 meets fxg5. 12 ... 'it>h6 13.'~d3
(13.'ii¥d2 fxg5 14.hxg5+ ~g6) 13 .. .f5.
In the ~g6Iine, 13.i£rd3 f5 when there's
no en passant capture to keep the at-
tack alive. 13.~h5 fxg5 14.hxg5
~ xe515.g6 ~ xg6 Black eliminates the
mating threats by giving back only one
ofthe two extra pieces. 16.~xg6 -'tf6
17.~h7+ ~f718.~h5+ g619.~e2
fIhS-+ 20.0-0-0 -'td7 21.~f3
fIxhl 22.fIxhl ~g7 23.~e3 .1lg5
24.f4 .1lf6 25.~e2 ~e7 26.g4 fIhS
27.fIel ~f7 2S.c3 fIcS 29.c6 bxc6
30.g5 .1lg7 31.~g3 ~d6 32.~xa7
~xf4+ 33.~bl ~eS 34.~e2 ~h4
35.~gl c5 36.~c1 fIbS 37.fIe2
j},xc3 38.~xc5 ~b4 39.~f2 -'td4
40.~h2 ~xb2+ 41.fIxb2 fIxb2+
42.~xb2 -'txb2 43.~xb2 ~e7
44.~d3 ~d6 45.~c3 e5 46.~el
d4+ 47.~b4 -'tf5 4S.a4 -'te4 49.a5
~c6 50.~c4 ~b7 51.~b3 j},d5+
52. ~b4 .1le4 53. ~c4 ~c6 54.~b4
~d5 55.~b5 d3 56.a6 ~d4 57.a7
~c30--1
(28) Bernstein - Kulomzin
Kiev, 1903
Four Knights Game [C48]
A grandmaster and businessman, Ossip
Bernstein (1882-1962) gained and lost
three fortunes, one to the Bolshevik
117
Revolution, a second in the Great De-
pression, and a third to the Nazis. In a
chess career that spanned six decades,
Bernstein had many successes, nota-
blya first in Berlin 1902/3, a shared first
in Stockholm, 1906, and first in the Mos-
cow City championship of1911. Follow-
ing the end of the second world war,
Bernstein represented France at the
11th Chess Olympiad in Amsterdam.
1.e4 e5 2.~f3 ~f6 3.~c3 ~c6
4 ..1lb5 .1lc5 5.~xe5 0--0 6.0--0 fIeS
7.~f3 ~ xe4 S.d4 .1lfS 9.~ xe4 fIxe4
10..1ld3 fIe8
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Another game in which even inaccu-
rate play by White garners the full point.
For additional assets, White relies on
the dark-square bishop and the .§.el.
For Black, only 'it>g6 makes sense here
given the presence of White's dark-
square bishop and the queen's access
to h5. Following the sacrifice, 13.h4
gives White a strong pull by forcing
the black king into the center.
1l..1lxh7+ ~xh712.~g5+ ~g6 With
the bishop on fB, there's no point in con-
sidering 12 ...'it>gS13.i£rh5+-.13.~d3+
One of the advantages of the ~g6-line
is that the white queen cannot immedi-
ately move to h5. On 13.d5!? Ae7! (su-
perior to 13 ... 4:Je5 14.f4 and 13 ... f5
14.h4 4:Je5 15.h5+ 'it>f6 16.'ii¥d4+-)
 Sacking the Citadel

14:~d3+ f5 15 ..£Jf31.lJ6 16.dxc6 dxc6 lit'xh711.4)g5+ lit'h6! The 'it'g8line

17.~b3;!;. White's best isI3.h4! f5
14.h5+ 'it'f6 15.d5 .£Je5 16.~d4 trans-
posing to a favorable variation of the
13.d51ine.13...f514.~g3 Jld615.f4
lit'f6 16.Ad2 White can take a per-
petual with 16 ..£Jh7+ 'it'f7 17 ..£Jg5+
'it'f6=. 16••• Ab4? White's gamble pays
off. 16... Ae7=; 16 ... .£Jxd4=. 17.Jlxb4
4)xb418.~h3+- d519.~xb4~e7
20.~c3 ~e3+ 21.~xe3 Elxe3
22.Elael Elxe123.Elxel Ad724.Ele5
c6 25.lit'f2 Ele8 26.lit'e3 c5 27.Elxe8
cxd4+ 28.lit'xd4 Axe8 29.lit'xd5
Jlc6+ 30.lit'd6 Axg2 31.c4 lit'g6
32.lit'e5 Ac6 33.b41~
(29) Kemeny - Schrader
St Louis 1904
French Defense [C 14]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.4)c3 4)f6 4.Ag5
Jle7 5.Jlxf6 Axf6 6.4)f3 0-0 7.e5
Ae7 8.Ad3 c5 9.h4 cxd4
8 IL__,_:;.I~~_~
7 Sti11 winning is 27 ... 'it'g6-+. 28.~xf7+
6 ~g7 29.~xh5 = lit'g8 30.~e8+ ~f8
5 Yz-Yz
4
3
2
and the .Q.xg5 line fail in the usual way,
with the opening of the h-file and the
advance of the g-pawn to g6. 11...'lt'g8
12.~h5 Axg5 13.hxg5 f6 14.g6+-;
11...Axg5 12.hxg5+ 'it'g613.~h5+ 'It'f5
14.g4+ 'it'f4 (14 ... 'it'xe5 15.~h2#)
15 ..£Je2+ 'It'e4 16.~h2+-. Black can
survive in the 'It'g6line because the king
can escape to the center after 11 ... 'it'g6
12.~d3+ f5 (12 ... 'it'h5 13.g4+ 'it'xg4
[13 ... 'it'h6 14.~h7#] 14.~f3#)
13.exf6+ 'it'xf614.~xd4+ e5=. 12. ~d3
With the idea of~h7 #. 12•••g613.4)e2
No better is 13.h5 'it'g7 14.hxg6
fih8-+ .13... lit'g714.f4 Elh815.0--4-
o 4)c6 16.4)xd4 4)xd4 17.~xd4
~b618.~d3 Jld719.h5 AxgS Black
is close to winning after 19 ... Ab5
20.~g3 ite2 21.h6+ fixh6 22.fixh6
Axdl 23.'lt'xdl Axg5 24.fxg5 ~d4+
25.'it'c1 fih8=+'. 20.fxg5 gxh5
21.Eldfl Jlh5 22.~3 Jlxfl23.Elxfl
Elaf8 24. ~f6+ lit'h7 25. ~e7 ~e3+
26.lit'dl ~xe5 Or simply 26 ... ~d4+
27.'it'c1 ~xe5 -+. 27.Elxf7+ Elxf7?
(30) Schlechter- Wolf
Ostend 1905
Queen's Gambit Declined [040]

abc d e f g h Carl Schlechter (1874-1918) is best re-

For additional assets, White relies upon
the .£Jc3-e2, the e5-pawn, and the h4-
pawn. For Black, the e5-pawn is inse-
cure and Black hopes to dominate the
dark squares on the kingside. Black
gains a large edge with 11 ... 'it'h6, as in
the game. After 24 moves, Black is win-
ning easily, but Black's horrible 27th
move tosses away the win. 10.Jlxh7+
membered for seriously challenging
Emanuel Lasker in the 1910 world chess
championship match, needing only a
draw in the last game but falling short.
Beginning in 1883, he played in more
than 50 international chess tourna-
ments. He carne in first place at Munich
1900, Coburg 1904, Ostend 1906,
Stockholm 1906, Vienna 1908, Prague
1908, Hamburg 1910, and in the

118
 Games
Trebitsch Memorial Tournaments in
Vienna (1911 , 1912, 1913).
l.d4 d5 2.4)f3 4)f6 3.e3 c5 4.c4 e6
5.Ad3 4)c6 6.0-0 a6 7.4)c3 dxc4
S.Axc4 b5 9.Ad3 Ab7 10.a4 c4
1l.axb5 axb5 12.E!xaS AxaS
n.Abl ~b814.e4 Ae715.Ag5 0-
o16.e5 4)d517.4) xd5 exd51S.Axe7
4)xe7
8 22.~g3!? 4Jc6 23.4Je6+ 'iftf7 24.4Jg5+
7 'it'eB 25.4Je6=. 22 ••. gxf6 White's at-
6 tacks are instructive: 22 ... 4Jf5 23.4Je4+
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
The conditions are once again set for a
successful Greco Sacrifice. The white
e-pawn has driven Black's knight off
f6, the white queen has quick access to
h5 for use in the 'iftgB variation and to
g4 if Black chooses to play 'ifth6 or
'iftg6. And Black's poor development
gives White the time to bring up the
.§f1-el-e3. White's 22nd move is espe-
cially instructive, keeping the attack alive
with 22.exf6 rather than 22.~g3, which
gives Black a chance to gain the develop-
ment needed for a successful defense.
19.Axh7+ ~xh7 20.4)g5+ ~g6! In
the 'iftgBline, White's makes good use
of the undefended e6-square. 20 ... 'iftgB
21.~h5 .§cB (21.. ..§eB 22.~xf7+ 'it'hB
23.f4 with the idea of.§f3-h3) 22.~xf7+
'ifthB 23.4Je6 4Jf5 24.~xf5+-. In the
'ifth6Iine, White has ~g4-h4, as well as
f4-f5 if Black plays ... 4Jg6 and ~cB.
20 ... 'ifth6 21.~g4 4Jg6 22.f4 ~cB
23.f5 +-. 21. ~g4! The usual alterna-
119
tives fare less well. 21.h4 ~cB+ keeps
the queen off g4 and prepares ... ~f5.
And White wins only an exchange af-
ter 21.~c2+ f5 22.exf6+ 'iftxf6 23.4Jh7+
'it'f7 24.4JxfB 'it'xfB~. 21 .•. f5 21...f6
without the attack upon the white
queen, White can afford to play
22.4Je6+ 'iftf7 23.exf6 gxf6 24.~g7+
offering the 4Je6 24 ... 'it'xe6 (24 ... 'ifteB
25.~xfB++-) 25 ..§el++-. 22.exf6
Much less convincing is the familiar
the most powerful discovery 'it'f7
24.4Jg3 g6 25.4Jxf5+-; 22 ... 'it'xf6
23 ..§eltaking aim on e6. 23.4)e6+ ~f7
24.~g7+ ~xe6 25.E!el+ ~f5
26.~h7+ White has a slightly faster
mate with 26.g4+ 'it'f4 27.~h6+ 'iftf3
(27 ... 'it'xg4 2B.h3+ 'it'f5 [2B ... 'iftf3
29 ..§e3#] 29.~h5+ 'it'f4 30.~g4#)
2B ..§e3+ 'iftxg4 29.h3+ 'it'f5 30.~h5+
'iftf4 31.~g4#. 26 .•. ~g5 27.E!xe7+-
It's mate in six with 27.h4+ 'it'g4
(27 ... 'iftf4 2B. ~h5 +-) 2B.f3+ 'iftf4
(2B ... 'it'g3 29.~g7+ 4Jg6 30.~xg6+
'it'xh4 31.~g4#) 29.~h6+ 'it'g3
(29 ... 'it'f5 30.g4#) 30.~g7+ 4Jg6
31.~xg6+ 'it'xh4 (31...'it'f4 32.~g4#)
32.~g4#. 27 ..• E!gS 2S.E!e3 b4
29.E!g3+ ~xg3 30.~xgS+ 1-0
(31) Burn - Marshall
Ostend 1906
Queen's Pawn Game [D02]
Frank Marshall (1877-1944) was the U.S.
chess champion from 1909-1936 and
competed unsuccessfully for the world
championship against Lasker in 1907.
He finished fifth at the 1914 St. Peters-
burg tournament behind Lasker,
Capablanca, Alekhine, and Tarrasch.
Tsar Nicholas II is said to have con-
 Sacking the Citadel
ferred the title of Grandmaster on
Marshall and the four other finalists.
Known for his great tactical skill, he in-
troduced the famous Marshall Gambit
in the Ruy Lopez.
l.d4 d5 2.~f3 c5 3.c3 e6 4.M4 ~c6
5.e3 ~f6 6.~bd2 .1ld6 7.Ag3 0-0
S..1ld3 EteS 9.~e5 .1lxe5 10.dxe5
~d711.f4 c412.Ac2 ~b613.~f2
~xb2 14.Etcl ~xa2 15.~e2 f5
16.exf6 ~xf617.Ah4 EtfS1S.Axf6
Etxf619.~f3 ~a3
abc d e f g h Ostend 1906
Down material against the future Ameri-
can champion, Bum prepares and plays
the sacrifice. Black can easily parry the
attack with ~h6 or, even better as in
the game, use the ~f6 to aid the ~g8
retreat. Marshall's errors on moves 25
and 28 ought to have cost him the full
point, but Bum returned the favor on
moves 30 and 33 to decide the course
of the game. 20.Axh7+ ~xh7
21.~g5+ ~gS Bum lacks a dark-square
bishop to aid the ~h6 line and has no
meaningful way to bring up reinforce-
ments. 21...~h6! 22.~g4 ~b2+
23.~g3 ~f8 24.'li11h4+ ~g6-+. Less
convincing is 21...~g6? 22.'li11c2+ when
Black has 22 ... m5 23.g4 e5 24.~hgl
'li11e7 25.~g3=. Of course, Black should
avoid king retreats since 22 ... ~h6 meets
23.'li11h7# and 22 ... ~h5 is clearly ask-
120
ing for trouble. 23.g4+ ~xg4 (23 ... ~h4
24.~f3+ ~xg4 [24 ... ~h3 25.~cgl +-]
25.~cgl + ~h5 26.~h7+ ~h6
27 .~g5 # ) 24.~hgl + +- . 22. ~h5 ~e5
Simpler is 22 ... ~f5 -+ when Black can
sacrifice the exchange to relieve the
pressure. 23.~h7+ ~fS 24.~hS+
~e7 25.~xg7+ ~d6 More accurate
is 25 ... ~e8! 26.~g3 ~d7-+. 26.~g3
Not 26.~xf6 ~g4+. 26 ... ~d7 27.e4
~c6 2S.e5 ~fS? 28. .. ~f8 is playable,
but Black's best chance lay with
28 ... ~xf4! 29.~xf4 ~c5 30.~c2 .ild7
31.~bU. 29.exf6 ~xf6 30.~gS
Missing the transition to a winning
endgame with 30.'li11xf6 ~xf6 31.h4+-
when the h-pawn is a flier. 30 ... ~c5
31. ~eS+ Ad7 32. ~xaS e5 33.~h3
better is 33 .Rhfl ~g6+ 34. ~f2 ~d3+
35.~f1 ~xcl 36.~f2 ~c2 37.g3
~d3 -+ 38.~xa7d439.~xd3Ah3+
40.~e1cxd30-1
(32) Bernstein - Maroczy
Queen's Gambit Declined [D37]
l.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.~c3 ~f6 4.~f3
Ae7 5.Af4 0-0 6.e3 b6 7.cxd5 exd5
S.Ad3 a6 9.0-0 Ab7 10.~e5 c5
11. ~f3 Eta712.Etadl c413.Abl b5
14.e4dxe415.~xe4~bd716.~c6
Axc617.~xf6+ ~xf618.~xc6 ~d5
19.~b6 Etd7 20.Etfel Ab4 21.Ad2
Ad6 22. ~a5 ~xd4 23.Ac3
ahcdefgh
 Games
Black does not appear to have the req-
uisite additional assets here, but the
~d4's starting position already exerts
pressure upon f2. The movement of the
white rook to the e-file relinquished
control over that key f2-square, permit-
ting Black, upon sacrificing on h2, to
infiltrate powerfully on f2 as well. In the
game, Bernstein settled upon 25.~h1,
a relative rarity in these positions, and
Black missed crushing shots on his next
two moves. 23 .•• Axh2+ 24.~xh2
.£Jg4+! Black has to settle for a draw
after 24 ... ~h4+ 25.~gl 4Jg4 26.'§'xd7
~xf2+ 27.~h1 ~h4+=. 25.~hl ~gl
faces ~xf2+ and it's mate in five be-
cause the dl- and d3-squares are occu-
pied or covered. 25.~gl? ~xf2+
26.~h1 ~h4+ 27.~gl ~h2+ 28.~f1
~h1 + 29.~e2 ~xg2 #. Black's king is
too exposed after 25.~h3 4Jxf2+
26.~g3 (26.~h2 ~h4+ 27.~gl
4Jxd1-+ ) 26 ... ~g4+willingly ditching
the knight 27.~xf2 (27.~h2 .§.xd1-+)
27 ... .§.xd1-+. Black wins quickly after
25.~g3 ~xf2+ 26.~xg4 (26.~h3
g5-+) 26 ... ~xg2+ with a fun mating ex-
ercise for the reader: 27.~f4 ~f2+
28.~g4 h5+ 29.~h3 g5 -+. 25 .. :~xdl
Simpler is 25 ... ~f4-+. 26.f3 It's hope-
less even after White's best move
26.Af5 4Jxf2+-+. 26 ... ~d5 Missing
a game ending shot with 26 .. ..§.eB! -+ .
27.fxg4 .§d6 2S.~c7 b4 29.Ae4
.§h6+ 30.~gl ~b5 31.Ad2 .§e6
32.Af3 .§feS 33.'§xe61--O
(33) Marshall - Burn
Ostend 1907
Queen's Pawn Game [A48]
1.d4 .£Jf6 2 ..£Jf3 d6 3.Af4 .£Jbd7
4.e3 g6 5.Ad3 Ag7 6 ..£Jbd2 0--0 7.h4
.§eS S.h5 .£J xh5 9 ..§xh5 gxh5
121
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
A rematch of the two competitors in
game 31 played at the same tournament
just one year later. Playing White this
time, it is Marshall's turn to try the Greco
Sacrifice which he prepares spectacu-
larly with an exchange sacrifice on h5
that nicks Black's pawn structure.
White's additional assets include the
dark-square bishop, the 4Jd2-f3, and
the possibility, albeit slow, of bringing
the '§'a1 into the game on hI. Note, of
course, that a bishop rather than a pawn
rests on g7, often a key in the ~g6line
because White will capture a bishop
rather than a pawn on g7. Black's only
hope was to decline the Greco Sacrifice
with ~f8 because, after 11.4Jg5, all of the
defenses crumble quickly despite the abil-
ity of the black knight to reach f6.
10.Axh7+ ~xh711 ..£Jg5+ ~g6 In
the ~gB line, White infiltrates on f7,
driving the king to h8 where 0-0-0 de-
cides. 11...~gB 12.~xh5+- 4Jf6
(12 ... 4JfB 13.~xf7+ ~hB 14.0-0-0+-
provides a similar end) 13.~xf7+ ~hB
14.0-0-0+- with .§.h1 to come.
12..£Jdf3 e5 The queen and knights
work harmoniously to deliver a mate in
four after 12 ... 4Jf8 13.4Jh4+ ~f6
14.~xh5 4Jg615.4Je4+ ~e616.'~f5#.
13•.£Jh4+ ~f614..£Jh7+ ~e7There's
a remarkable mate in two after 14 ... ~e6
15.d5+ ~e716.4Jf5#. 15•.£Jf5+ ~e6
 Sacking the Citadel
16.4) xg7+ There's a mate in six involv-
ing a pretty knight sac with 16.d5+
'it'xf5 17.~xh5+ 'it'e4 18.'lii'f3+ c;t>f5
19.94+ 'it'g6 20.~e4+ f5 21.~xf5*.
16... <i,!te7 Not surprisingly, 16 .. .'~d5
walks into a mating net: 17.c4+ 'it'c6 (or
17 ... 'it'xc4 lB. 'lii'b3 * or 17 ... c;t>e4
1B.f3 *) 1B.'lii'a4+ 'it'b6 (lB ... b5
19.~xb5*) 19.~b5*.17.4)fS+ <i,!te6
lS.dS+ <i,!txfS 19.~xhS+ <i,!te4 20.0-
0--0 1-0 Black resigns in order to avoid
seeing 20 ... exf4 21.~d4*.
(34) Lasker,Em. - Marshall
World Championship 1907
French Defense [CII]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 dS 3.4)c3 4)f6 4.Ad3
cS S.4)f3 c4 6.Ae2 dxe4 7.4)eS
.11.d6 S.O--O a6 9.4) xc4 h610.f3 exf3
1l.AxO
abc d e f g h game provides a nice illustration of the
This is, I believe, the only Greco Sacri-
fice to appear in a world championship
game. Trailing badly in the match,
Marshall makes a poor decision.
White's position was already prefer-
ably, but Black can play on with
1l ... .l1c7. The Greco Sacrifice fails
quickly because Black has no tangible
additional assets, even .£\g4 requires
preparation, and because Lasker can
quickly gain control over the key h2-bB
diagonal. 1l ... Axh2+ 12.<i,!txh2
122
There's simply no way for the attack to
progress meaningfully. 12... hS 13..11.f4
4)g4+ 14.<i,!tg1 gS lS . .11.eS §gS
16.Axg4+- hxg4 17.4)e4 4)d7
lS.~xg4 4)xeS 19.dxeS <i,!tfS
20.§ad1 ~c7 21.4)f61-O
(35) Pestalozzi - Duhm
Bern 1908
French Defense [CI4]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 dS 3.4)c3 4)f6 4.AgS
Ae7 S..11.xf6 Axf6 6.eS .11.e77..11.d3
cS S.dxcS .11.xcS 9. ~g4 0--0 10.4)f3
4)c6
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
White has additional assets in the e5-
pawn and the .£\c3, but the real story is
the ~g4 which, with early access to h5,
eliminates lines other than c;t>gB. The
classic checkmate in five, showing also
how the black king will escape if White
plays 'lii'h7 before ~t7. 1l.Axh7+!
<i,!txh712.~hS+ <i,!tgS13.4)gS §eS
14. ~xf7+! Tempting, but a clear mis-
take, is 14.'lii'h7+? c;t>fB 15.'lii'hB+ c;t>e7
16.~xg7 'it'd7 when the king escapes.
14... <i,!thS1S.~hS+ <i,!tgS16.~h7+
<i,!tfS17.~hS+ <i,!te718.~xg7# 1-0
(36) Mackenzie - Billings -
Binningham 1908
Queen's Gambit Declined [D60]
 Games

l.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.4:}c3 4:}f6 4 ..11.g5
4:}bd7 5.e3 .11.e7 6.4:}f3 0-0 7 ..11.d3
c5 8.0-0 bb 9.cxd5 4:}xd510•.11.xe7
4:} xe711.dxc5 4:} xc5 Voellmy wrongly
attaches a question mark here, contend-
ing that the knight is needed on f6. He
would have been correct were the sac-
defend the <tJg5 because the queen
alone cannot mate a lone king on g5.
14.~c2+ 'it'xg5-+ and of course 14.h4
~xd1-+. 14..•e5? Black can obtain a
perpetual check by activating the <tJe7-
f5-h6. 14 ... f5! 15.~g3 f4 (15 ... 'it'h6
16.~h4+ 'it'g6 17.~g3=) 16.exf4 <tJf5

rifice sound. 17.'~g4 <tJh6 1B.'~g3 <tJf5=. 15.4:}e6+

\tIf616.f4 4:}c6 Other alternatives lose
more quickly (a) 16... ~d617.§ad1 +-
8
~xe6 1B.~g5#; (b) 16 ... ~xe6
7
17.~g5#; and (c) 16 ... e4 17.f5 ~xe6
6 1B.fxe6+ 'it'e5 19 .ext7 +-. 17.f xe5+
5 More accurate is 17.§ad1 <tJxe61B.§xdB
4 §xdB19.~h4++- . 17••• \tIe718.4:}xdS
3 .11.xg4 19.4:}xc6+ \tIe6 20.h3 .11.h5
2 21.g4 .11.g6 22.!!adl .11.d3 23.4:}e2
\tId7 24.4:}b4 \tIe6 25.4:}xd31--O
abc d e f g h (37) Salwe - Vidmar
St Petersburg 1909
The absence of additional assets be- Queen's Gambit Declined [D40]
yond the <tJc3 casts doubt upon the
sacrifice here. Black correctly selects l.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.4:}c3 c5 4.e3 4:}f6
~g6, the best defense, but misses a 5.4:}f3 4:}c6 6.a3 .11.d6 7.dxc5 .11.xc5
drawing line courtesy of f7-f5-f4 and 8.b4 .11.d6 9 ..11.b2 0-0 10..11.d3 a5
<tJe7-f5-h6. 12 . .11.xh7+ \tIxh7 1l.b5 4:}e512.4:}xe5 .11.xe513.~e2
13.4:}g5+ \tIg6 White's attack is crush- ~e7 14.0-0 b6 15.4:}a4 .11.c7
ing in the ~gB line because White can 16.!!ac1 !!d817.c5 bxc518.4:}xc5
drive off the <tJc5 defender with a timely .11.d619. ~c2 e5 20.a4.11.g4 21.4:}b3
b4. 13 ... ~gB 14.'~h5 §eB 15.'~xf7+ !!ac8 22. ~bl e4 23 . .11.c2 .11.e2
~hB 16.b4 ~b7 (knight moves permit 24.!!fel
<tJxe6. For example, 16 ... <tJd7
17 .<tJxe6 +- and sacrificing the knight 8
provides no relief. 16... <tJf5 17:~h5+ 7
~gB 1B.§ad1 <tJd7 19.~h7+ ~fB 6
20.<tJxe6+ +-. The knight is immune in 5
view of ~hB when Black cannot ad- 4
equately defend his queen) 17.§ad1
3
~cB 1B.bxc5 bxc5 19.~h5+ 'it'gB
2
20.e4+-. With the black bishop still on
c8 where it disrupts the communication
between the §aB and the ~dB, White abc d g h
gains a nice resource in the 'ifi'h6 line
with 14.<tJxf7+. 13 ...'it'h614.<tJxf7+ §xf7 The sacrifice winds up winning quickly
15.~xdB+-. 14.~g4 White needs to here because the remarkable black

123
 Sacking the Citadel
bishop on e2 controls key squares, and
of course because White's pieces are
hopelessly bottled up on the queenside.
In the game after ~h3, Black mates
quickly because the queen reaches h2
forcing the white king out into the open
board. 24 .•• Axh2+ 25.!;flxh2 4)g4+
Missing a quick rout with 25 ...'l:Yd6+!
26.f4 (26.'it'gl .£Jg4 27.g3 ~h6-+;
26.g3 .£Jg4+ 27.'it'g2 Af3+ 28.'it'fl
~h6-+) 26 ... exf3+ -+. 26.!;flh3 In the
'it'gl line, Black can accurately box out
White's dark-square bishop by playing
~d6 and then the queen to the h-file
only after White commits with g3.
26.'it'gl ~d6 27.g3 (27.f4 ~h6-+;
27.l=!xe2 ~h2+ 28.'it'fl ~hl '*)
27 ... ~h6 28.l=!xe2 ~h2+ 29.'it'fl
~h 1 '*. White has surprising drawing
chances after 'it'g3 because the Ae2 is
en prise and because White, after f2-f4
exf3, has Axh7+ and ~f5 lurking in the
position, preventing Black from piling
on with ~g5. The key for Black is the
exchange sacrifice on c2, drawing the
white queen to c2 where it is vulnerable
to attack from a discovered check from
the .£Jg4. 26.'it'g3! l=!xc2! (26 ... ~g5 27.f4
~g6 [27 ... exf3 28.Axh7+ 'it'f8 29:~f5]
28.l=! xe2 +- when, without the ex-
change sacrifice on c2, the discovered
check cannot reach the queen) 27.~xc2
(27.l=!xc2 ~d6+! 28.f4 [28.'it'h4 ~h6+
29.~g3 ~h2,*; 28.~h3 ~h2,*]
28 ... exf3+ 29.'it'h4 [29.'it'h3 .£Jf2+
30.~h4 ~h6+ 31.~g3 ~g5+ -+;
29.~xg4 f5+ 30.'it'xf5 ~g6+ 31.'it'f4
l=!f8+-+] 29 ... .£Jxe3-+) 27 ... ~g5 28.f4
exf3 (28 ... ~g6 29.~xe2+-) 29.l=!xe2
(29.gxf3 .£Jxe3+ -+) 29 ... .£Jxe3+
30.~xf3 .£Jxc2 31.l=!cxc2 (31.l=!exc2
~f5+ 32.'it'g3 ~d3+-+) 31...~f5+
32.'it'e3 (32.'it'g3 ~d3+ -+ ) 32 ... l=!e8+
33.'it'd4 ~g4+ 34.'it'd3=. 26 ... Etd6
Black can win a bit more quickly by
124
maneuvering the queen to h2 and then
swinging the rooks to the kingside.
26 ... ~d6 27.l=!xe2 ~h2+ 28.'it'xg4
~xg2+ 29.'it'h4 (29.~f4 ~f3+ 30.'it'g5
[30.'it1e5 ~f6,*] 30 ... h6+ 31.'~h4 g5 '*)
29 ... l=!d6-+. 27.Axe4 Eth6+ 28.!;flg3
~h4+ 29.!;flf4 ~h2+ 0-1 There's a
forced mate after 30.g3 ~xf2+ 3UU3
~xf3+ 32.~g5 f6+.
(38)NN-NN
Basel 1910
Queen's Gambit Declined [D40]
l.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.e3 c5 4.4)f3 4)f6
5.Ad3 4)c6 6.4)c3 a6 7.a3 dxc4
8.Axc4 h5 9.Aa2 Ah710.0--0 Ad6
1l.dxc5 Axc512.~c2 ~e713.h4
Ad6 14.Ahl Etc8 15.Ah2 4)e5
16.4)xe5 Axe517.~d2 0-0 18.4)e2
Etfd819.4)d4
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a h c d e f g h
A game found by Voellmy. For additional
asserts, Black can rely upon the active
light-square bishop and the active
rooks. In the 'it'g3 line, the black queen
reaches the g-file long enough to sup-
port a compelling discovery. Once again,
the defender finds the best moves hard
to find. 19... Axh2+ 20.!;flxh2 4)g4+
21.!;flg3 The 'it'h3line again meets ~g5-
h5. 21.~h3 ~g5-+ 22.l=!hl ~h5+
23.'it'g3 ~xh1. The 'it'gl line loses
quickly to the usual idea of ~h4 since
 Games
the light-square bishop has both g2 and
f3 covered. 21.)fj>gl ~h4 22.4Jf3
~xf3-+ . . 21. .. ~g5 Avoiding
21...~d6+ 22.f4+-. 22.Axh7+ Black
triumphs with a queen sacrifice after
22.f4 4Jxe3+ 23.fxg5 4Jxfl + -+. The
best try for White is 22.f3 4Jxe3+ 23.)fj>f2
4Jg4+! 24.'it'el (24.fxg4 ~xd2+)
24 ... ~h4+ 25.)fj>e2 4Je5 -+. 22 .•• ~xh7
23.f4 ~g6 24.E!hl + ~gS 25.E!agl
4)f6+0-1
(39) Lasker,Em. - Schenzen
Buenos Aires simul. exhibition 1910
Queen's Gambit [D06]
l.d4 d5 2.c4 4)f6 3.cxd5 ~xd5
4.4)c3 ~dS 5.e4 e6 6.4)f3 Ab4
7.Ad3 ()....() S.e5 4)d5
abc d e f g h 7
White has two additional assets, the
secure e5-pawn and the dark-square
bishop, and Black has only a modest
counter-attack upon the queens ide. The
reality is that Black's development is
poor, and it's a quick win for the world
champion. The selected defense with
'it'g8 leads to an excellent example of
the checkmate with ~f7+ followed by
~h5+ and ~h7+. 9.Axh7+ ~xh7
10.4)g5+ ~gS In the )fj>g6line, the .§.hl
supports the powerful advance of the
h-pawn. 10 ... )fj>g6 11.h4 4Jxc3
(11..J':l.h8 12.h5+ 'it'f5 [12 ... )fj>h6
125
13.4Jxf7+ +-; 12 ... .§.xh5 13.~xh5+ 'it'f5
14.g4#] 13.g4#) 12.~g4 4Jd5+
13.)fj>f1 +-. Avoiding the tempting
10 ... ~xg51Utxg5 4Jxc312.~d3++-.
11. ~h5 E!eS When White has the cus-
tomary mate in five.12.~xf7+ ~hS
13.~h5+ ~gS 14.~h7+ ~fS
15.~hS+~e716.~xg7# 1-0
(40) Capablanca - Davis
Chicago 1910
French Defense [CI4]
Jose Raul Capablanca (1888-1942)
reigned as world chess champion from
1921 to 1927 and most rank him among
the best players of all time. Among
many outstanding achievements was
first place at San Sebastian 1911, one of
the strongest tournaments ever held,
and second place at the famous St. Pe-
tersburg tournament of 1914.
l.d4 d5 2.4)c3 4)f6 3.Ag5 e6 4.e4
Ae7 5.Axf6 Axf6 6.4)f3 0-0
7.Ad3 c6 S.e5 Ae7 9.h4 f510.exf6
Axf6
8
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
White's additional assets in the posi-
tion are the 4Jc3-e2-f4, and the h4-pawn
that provides an entry for the rook after
a capture on g5. The black position,
though poorly developed on the
queenside, features notably the .§.f8 on
 Sacking the Citadel
an open file. In the game, Black selects
the 'lttg8 line, which should lead to a
quick draw with 13 ... E!.e8. Black blun-
ders by capturing the knight, permitting
Capablanca to demonstrate his accurate
technique. 1l.Jlxh7+ <iflxh712.~g5+
<iflg8 In the 'ltth6 line, White has ~d3
with the idea of~h7. That line is play-
able for Black because White does not
have a dark-square bishop to aid sup-
port for the 4Jg5. 12 ... ~h6 13.~d3
i.txg5 (13 ... g614.h5 i.txg5 [14 ... 'lttxg5
15.~xg6+ ~f4 16.4Je2#; 14 ... ~e8
15.hxg6+ ~g7 16.E!.h7+ 'lttg8 17.g7
i.txg7 18.E!.h8++-] 15.~xg6#)
14.hxg5+ ~xg515.~g3+ 'lttf6(15 ... ~f5
16.~xg7+-) 16.E!.h7 E!.g8 17.~e5+
'it'f7 18.~h5+ ~e7 19.~g5+ ~e8
20.~g6+ 'lttf8 21.E!.h3 4Jd7 22.0-0-0
4Jf6",. The 'lttg6 line leads quickly to
mate because Black does not have an f-
pawn to block ~d3+.12 ... ~g613.~d3+
'ltth514.g4+ 'lttxg415.~f3#. And cap-
turing on g5 only activates the E!.hl.
12 ... i.txg5 13.hxg5+ 'lttg8 14.~h5+-.
13.~h5 Axg5? White has nothing
more than a draw after 13 ... E!.e8
14.m7+~h815.~h5+'lttg8=.14.hxg5
~e8 15.g6 <iflf8 16.~h8+ <ifle7
17.~xg7+ <ifld6 18.~e5+ <ifld7
19.~h7+ ~e7 20.0--0--0 The most ac-
curate win is 20.E!.h8 E!.e8 21.g7 E!.g8
22.~h5 'ltte7 23.~h4+ 'lttf7 24.~xd8
E!.xd8 25.E!.xd8 ~xg7 26.E!.xc8+-.
20 ••• ~g8 21.~xe7+ <iflxe7 22.~g5+
<ifld7 23.~hl <iflc7 24.g71--O
126
The Greco Sacrifice: 1911-1935
History records as many Greco Sacri-
fices in the 24 years after Voellmy's ar-
ticle as it had in the 300 years following
Greco's discovery. The credit for the
exponential increase is surely not
Voellmy's but rather the growth in both
tournament play and in publications
able to record interesting contests.
As you will see, the games are begin-
ning to take on a more interesting and
sophisticated character. In the games
within the first section of this chapter,
the defense was generally sloppy, and
even inaccurate combinations often
won. Here, the improved defenses are
beginning to hold.
Once again, the games feature a remark-
able cast of players: Alekhine,
Capablanca, Cheron, Dus Chotimirsky,
Fine, Kashdan, Koltanowski, Lasker,
Marshall, Purdy, Rubinstein,
Spielmann, Winter, Yates, and Znosko-
Borovsky. This section also makes clear
that these were very active years for
Lasker on the exhibition circuit.
Without question, the most important
of the games in this section is Colle's
victory over O'Hanlon (game 62), a
game that brought Colle the Brilliancy
Prize at Nice in 1930. The game has been
subjected to intense scrutiny within
tactical game collections, in opening
manuals on the Colle System, and of
course in most of the published cover-
age on the Greco Sacrifice. In The Art of
Attack in Chess, Vukovic is the first to
contend that Colle's combination was
deeply flawed, for both positional and
tactical reasons. In the mosfrecent edi-
tion, Nunn adds to the analysis and
seeks to restore the brilliancy to Colle.
 Games
My analysis suggests that Colle's sac-
rifice is indeed unsound if by that we
mean that the defender had a path to at
least a draw. That path exists, although
it is fair to say that the defensive bur-
den was steep indeed, and that most
annotators of the game, with consider-
able time at their disposal, fared little
better than O'Hanlon.
(41) Rotlewi - Alekhine
Cologne 1911
Dutch Defense [A84]
Alexander Alekhine (1892-1946) de-
feated Capablanca in 1927 to become
the fourth world chess champion. He
dominated tournaments play during the
1920s and 1930s. He also played first
board for France in four Olympiads,
winning individual prizes in each. He
successfully defended his world title
against Bogoljubow in 1929 and 1934.
After losing the title to Holland's Max
Euwe in 1935, Alekhine regained the
crown in 1937. He had a fierce and imagi-
native attacking style, and actively
gave simultaneous exhibitions, as will
be obvious from his several contribu-
tions to this chapter.
l.d4 e6 2.c4 f5 3.4:)c3 4:)f6 4.e3 d5
5 ..Q.d3 c6 6.4:)ge2 Ad6 7.0 0-0 8.0--
o 4:)bd7 9.~c2 g6 10 . .Q.d2 e5
1l.cxd5 e4 12.Ac4 4:)b6 13..Q.b3
cxd514.fxe4
abcdefgh
127
Black can count on the light-square
bishop as an additional asset, but the
activity of the f1.f8 is well balanced by
the white f1.fl. The sacrifice is unsound
here, but there are surely few defenders
who would have willingly played 16.~g3!
againstAlekhine. The remarkable point is
that the discovered check with ... 4::\xe3+
in that line leaves the 4::\e3 self-pinned to
the black queen. Alekhine's opponent
selected instead to retreat with ~g1 and,
when Alekhine missed the more aggres-
sive 18 ... g5, White reciprocated by los-
ing outright, overlooking a winning ad-
vantage with 20.~f2. 14... .Q.xh2+?
15.<it'xh2 4:)g4+ 16.<it'gl In the ~h3
line, Black can try ... 'ii¥g5-h5, but with
the weakness of the d5-pawn, Black
simply advances the f-pawn to unveil
the light-square bishop. 16.~h3 f4
17.4::\xd5 4::\xe3+ 18.~h2 4::\xc2
19.4::\xb6+ ~g7-+. In the ~g3line, the
discovered check on e3 walks into a
self-pin when ~g3-f2 is fully winning.
16.~g3! 'ii¥g5 (not 16... 'ii¥d6+ 17.e5 +- )
17.e5 4::\xe3+ (walking into a self-pin;
17 ... 4::\xe5+ 18.~f2+-) 18.~f2+-
4::\xc2 (18 ... 'ii¥xg2+ 19.~xe3 g5 20.4::\f4
gxf4+ 21.~d3 'ii¥h3+ 22.~e2 f3+
23.f1. xf3 +- ) 19.1.txg5 4::\xa 1
20.f1.xa1 +- .16..• ~h417.E!f41 White
can settle for a perpetual with 17.f1.f3
'ii¥h2+ 18.~f1 'ii¥h1 + 19.4::\g1 4::\h2+
20.~f2 4::\g4+ 21.~f1 4::\h2+=.
17••. ~h2+ 18.<it'fl ~hl+ Black's
best try is 18...g5 19.4::\xd5±. 19.4:)gl
4:)h2+ Or 19 ... fxe4 20.f1.xf8+ ~xf8
21.4::\ceU. 20.<it'e2? White's last try for
an advantage was difficult to judge given
the exposure of the white king. 20.~f2!
4::\g4+ 21.~3 'ii¥h5 (21...fxe4+ 22.'ii¥xe4
.Ilf5 23.f1.xf5 f1.xf5+ 24.~xg4+-) 22.~e2
fxe4 23.f1. xf8+ ~xf8 24.f1.f1 + 1.tf5
25.~e1 +-. 20••. ~xg2+ 21.&2 ~g4+
0--1 White shows respect in the face of a
 Sacking the Citadel

beautiful variation: 22.4Jf3 4Jxf3 23.§.xf3 In the <it'g8 line, White is able to bring
fxe4 24:~xe4 Jle6 25.~xg4 ~xg4-+. up reinforcements with §.dl-d4.
13 ... <it'g8 14.~h5 §.e8 (14 ... ~d3
(42) Capablanca - Molina Carranza 15.e4) 15.~xf7+ <it'h8 16.~h5+ ~g8
Buenos Aires 1911 17.§.fdl ~d7 18.b4 +-. The ~h6 line
Queen's Gambit Declined [D53] involves an instructive combination
with 14. 4Jxf7+! exploiting the
1.d4 d5 2.e4 e6 3.~e3 ~f6 4.Ag5 unanchored black queen. 13 ... ~h6
~bd7 5.e3 e6 6.~f3 Ae7 7.exd5 14.4Jxf7+ §'xf715.~xd8. 4 ..~g4 With
~ xd5 8.Axe7 ~ xe7 9.Ad3 e510.0- the exchange of queens in the air, White
00-0 1l.dxe5 ~ xe5 cannot select a quiet continuation, and
14.~c2+ meets ~xg5-+. 14... f5! The
normal move to gain time against the
~g4. The alternative 14 ... e5? 15.4Je6+
walks into another self-pin when
15 ... <it'f6 adds to the pressure on the
knight. The other two king moves,
15 ... <it'h616.~xg7+ <it'h5 17.~g5# and
15 ... ~h716.~xg7#, fail very quickly.
After 15 ... <it'f6 Capablanca tried to make
16.f4 work. But 16... 4Jc617.§.adl4Jd3
abc d e f g h 18.~g5+ <it'xe6 19.f5+ ~d7
20.§.xd3++- is a clear improvement
With only one additional asset, the 4Jc3, over Capablanca's 17.~g5+ <it'xe6
White ought not expect success here. 18.f5+ <it'd7 19.§.fdl + ~c7!. Against
Black plays the toughest defense, the 16 ... e4 17.f5! fxe6 18.fxe6+ ~e5
<it'g6 line, which should have held. Per- (18 ... 4Jf5 19.§.xf5++-) 19.~xg7+
haps hoping for more, Black turns down <it'xe6 20.§.xfB +- is slightly more ac-
a simple draw with 15 .. .f4. Black's de- curate than Capablanca's 17.~g5+
fense cracks on move 21, missing 4Jgf4 ~xe6 18.~e5+ ~d7 19.§.fdl + 4Jd3
and a middlegame with at least even 20.4Jxe4 <it'c6 (20 ... ~e8 21.4Jd6+)
chances. 12..11,xh7+ <itlxh713.~g5+ 21.§.xd3 ~xd3 22.§.cl + <it'b6 23.~c7+
~ <it'a6 24.4Jc5+ +-. 15"~'g3 <itlh6 Black
can force a quick perpetual with 15 .. .f4!
8 16.exf4 4Jf5 17.~g4 4Jh6 18.~g3
7 4Jf5=. But that didn't stop one annota-
6 tor, Znosko-Borovsky, from suggesting
5 that White was still better after
4 16.~g4?-+ e5 17.4Je6+ ~f6 18.§.adl

3 (Black is clearly better after both

2
18.4Jxd8 ~xg4-+ and 18.~xg7+
<it'xe6 19.§.adl ~e8 20.'~h6+ §.f6
21.§.d6+ <it'xd6 22.~xf6+ ~e6 23.§.dl +
abc d e f g h <it'c6 24.b4 §.d8 25.§'xd8 ~xd8
26.bxc5 ~d7 27.~xe5 fxe3 28.fxe3

128
 Games
Ac4+) 18 .. .'~e8 (Black is even better
after 18 ... Axe6 19.'~h4+ g5 20.'l()'h6+
4Jg6 2U!xd8 ~axd8-+) 19.~d6 "with
manifold threats," according to Znosko-
Borovsky, but Black wins trivially with
19 ... 4Jxe6-+. Another try for Black is
unimpressive, and the 4Jd3 comes un-
der fire: 15 ... 'it'f616.b4 4Jd3 17.4Jh7+
'it'f7 18.~ad1 ~h8 19.4Jg5+ ~f6
20.00 4Jg6 21.4Je1 +- .16.~h4+ ~g6
17.~h7+ Capablanca is trying hard to
win, turning down a repetition with
17.'l()'g3=. 17... ~f6 Taking the knight
with 17 ... 'it'xg5 loses quickly because
White can trap the king with 18.~xg7+
'it'h5 (18 ... 4Jg6 19.f4+ 'it'g4 [19 ... ~h5
20.'l()'h7+ 'it'g4 21.'l()'h3#] 20.~xg6+
'it'h4 21.'l()'h6+ ~g4 22.'l()'h3#) and
then bring the ~f1 into the game. 19.f4
4Jg8 20.~f3 +-. 18.e4 White was
clearly in a fighting mood and would
not have steered the game towards a
forced perpetual with 18.'l()'h5 g6
19.'l()'h4 'it'g7 20.~h7+ ~f6 21.~h4=.
18..• ~g6 Black would reach a similar
position after 18 ... 4Jd3 while retaining
the 4Je7 to watch the f5-square one
move longer. On 19. ~d1, Black would
gain the additional option of19 ... 4Jec6.
19.exf51? A position that has attracted
considerable interest. Vukovic suggests
19.~adl4Jd3 20.f4 4Jgxf4! 21.e5+! ~e7
(suicidal is 21...'it'xe5 22.'l()'xg7+ ~d6
[22 ... 'l()'f6 23.~c7+ ~d4 24.~xf4+ ~e3
25J!f3+ 'it'd4 26.~fxd3 #; 22 ... ~f6
23.4Jf7+ +-]23.~xf4). After the game,
Capablanca thought that the best try
was 19.f4! fxe4 20.~ad1 ~b6
21.~d6+- but Nunn found 19 ... 'l()'d4+!
20.'it'h1 (20.~f2 4Jxe4-+) 20 ... 4Jxe4
21.4Jcxe4+ fxe4 22.~ad1 ~xd1 (the
logical 22 ... 'l()'c410ses spectacularly to
23.f5! +- ) 23.~xd1 ~h8 24.4Jxe4+ ~f7
25.4Jd6+ 'it'f6 26.4Je8+ (26.4Je4+=)
129
26 ... ~xe8 27.~h5 with even chances.
19 ...exf5 20.l!adl ~d3 Golombek
notes that after 20 ... ~e8, 21.4Jd5+ starts
a mate in five after 2l...~xg5 22.f4+ 4Jxf4
23.h4+. 21. ~h3 ~df4 Nunn correctly
gives 2l...4Jgf4= since 22.4:ili7+ (22.~g3
~h8) 22 ...W 23.~g3 Ae6=. 22.~g3
~c7 23.l!fel ~e2+ 24.l!xe2 ~xg3
25.~h7+ ~ 26.hxg3l!h827.~g5+
~628.f41-O
(43) Tyroler - Balla
Temesvar 1912
Queen's Gambit Declined [055]
l.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.~c3 ~f6 4 ..Q.g5
~bd7 5.e3 .Q.e7 6.~f3 0-0 7.l!c1 a6
8.cxd5 exd5 9 ..Q.d3 b610.0-0 .Q.b7
11.~e5 c5 12.~c2 h6 13 . .Q.xf6
~xf614.dxc5 .Q.xc515.l!fdl ~e7
16.~f3 .Q.d617. ~b3 d418.~xd4
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Black launches the sacrifice counting
only on the powerful Ab7 as an addi-
tional asset. White may have been
tempted to play ~g3 because the queen
cannot safely play to g5 owing to f4.
Black strikes correctly with ~e5+ but
strangely misses the win by turning
down White's bishop offer on h7.
18....Q.xh2+ 19.~xh2 ~g4+ 20.~g3
Once again, there's no point in consid-
ering 20.~h1? ~h4+ 21.~gl ~xf2+
 Sacking the Citadel
22.~h1 ~xg2#. White can safely de-
fend with 'it'gl because, with the rook
off fl, White can take the opportunity
to defend the f2-pawn along the rank
and use the fl escape square to begin
the king's migration towards the
queenside. 20.~gl! ~h4 2Uk2 ~h2+
22.~fl Axg2+ 23.~e1 ~ae8 24.~d5
(24.~e2 Afl 25.~c2 ~gl 26.~f3 ~h1
27.~d2 ~g2=) 24 ... ~gl+ 25.'it'd2
~xf2+ 26.~c1 Axd5 27.~xd5 ~xe3+
28.~cd2 ~f2 29.~f5 ~xd3+ 30.~xd3
with three connected pawns for the
piece in an even endgame. 0.~h3 walks
into a fork that also undermines the
white e-pawn, 20 ... ~xf2+ 21.~g3
~xe3+ -+. 20 ••• ~e5+ The mistakes
here are instructive. After 20 ... ~d6+
White can safely capture the knight
because the queen and light-square
bishop are not able to work together
harmoniously. 21.~xg4 +- and
20 ... ~g5 fails quickly to 2l.f4! . 21.f4
Now, by clear contrast to the variation
in the last note, the queen and Ab7 com-
bine for an efficient mate in four:
21.'it'xg4 ~g5+ 22.~h3 ~xg2+
23.'it'h4 g5+ 24.~h5 ~h3#.
21 ••• ~xe3+ 22.Cifjlxg4 White now has
no real choice but to capture the ~g4.
On 22.~f3 ~f2+ 23.~h3 (23.~xg4
~xg2+-+) 23 ... 1.txf3-+; or 22.~h4
~xf4 -+. 22 ... Jlxg2 23.Jlh7+ Black
does not even need to capture the ~h1
after 23.~h1 ~xd3 24.~c2 f5+ 25.~h4
g5+ 26.fxg5 ~xd4+-+. 23 ••. CifjlhS? A
mystifying error after so much hard
work. Black has a fully winning posi-
tion after 23 ... ~xh7! -+. 24..£Jce2 f5+
25.Jlxf5 Jlh3+ 26.Cifjlh4g5+ 27.Cifjlh5
~e8+ 2B.Jlg6 Jlg4+ 29.Cifjlxg4 ~xg6
30.Elc6 h5+ 31.Cifjlh3 ~h7 32.~e6
Elae8 33.~h6gxf4 34.~xh7+ Cifjlxh7
35..£Je61--O
130
(44) Sundstrom - Holm
Stockholm 1912
Petroff Defense [C42]
1.e4 e5 2•.£Jf3 .£Jf6 3 ..£J xe5 d64..£Jf3
.£J xe4 5 . .£Jc3 .£J xc3 6.dxc3 Jle7
7.Jld3 0--0 S.h4 EleS 9.Jle3 .£Jc6
abc d e f g h
White can count here on two additional
assets, the dark-square bishop and the
h4-pawn, but Black has already posted
the king's rook actively and the light-
square bishop has ready access to f5.
In the game, 'it'g6 walks into a pretty
mating net thanks to the white h-pawn.
10.Jlxh7+? Cifjlxh7 1l..£Jg5+ Cifjlg6?
The ~g8 retreat (and the capture on g5
which transposes) provide superior
defense because, with the rook already
on e8, Black gains a tempo for the es-
cape with ~f8. 11...'it'g8! 12.~h51.txg5
(12 ... Af6 13.~xf7+ 'it'h8 14.~h5+
'it'g8=) 13.hxg5 ~f8 14.~h8+ 'it'e7
15.~xg7 1.te6 (solidifying the position,
and the king has a clear path to the
queenside) 16.0-0-0 (16.g6 ~g8+)
16 ... ~d7+; 11...Axg5 12.hxg5+ ~g8
13.~h5 ~f8 transposing. 12.h5+! Cifjlf6
The black king certainly does not want
to enable the dark-square bishop by
walking into a discovered check on h6,
but the alternatives lose quickly.
12 ... 'it'f5 falls to a nice mate in three:
13.~f3+ ~e514.~e4+ 'it'f615.~h7#.
 Games
13. ~f3+ And here, White misses a mate
in four: 13.iiJ'd5! <tIe5 14.<tIh7+ ~f5
15.g4+ ~xg4 16.iiJ'e4 #. 13 ••. j},f5 The
horrible looking 13 ... ~e5 allows a mate
in two with 14.iiJ'f4+~d515.c4#.14.g4
~c8 15.4)e4+ Cit>e5 16.~f4+ Cit>d5
17.0--0--0+ Cit>c418.4)xd6# 1--0
(45) Rastrelli - Falchetto
Correspondence 1914
French Defense [C I 0]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.4)c3 dxe4 4.4) xe4
4)f6 5.4)xf6+ ~xf6 6.4)f3 ~d8
7.j},e3 4)c6 8.c3 j},e7 9.j},d3 j},f6
10.~e2 b6 1l.Ae4 Ab7 12.~
0--0 13.h4 4)a5
8 20.'§'xh6+ Axh6 21..§.h1 +-.
7 If-~,r-~
6 (46) Pearsall- Marshall
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h 10.j},g5 c6 1l.~f3 Etb8 12.b3 h6
In what appears to be the first success-
ful Greco Sacrifice to occur in a pre-
served correspondence chess game,
White relies upon the dark-square
bishop and the h4-pawn as additional
assets. Black responds with the 'itlgB
line, the only choice that does not lead
to immediate mate or significant mate-
rial loss. As is typical for correspon-
dence chess, Black's resignation re-
quires some explanation, notably the
unstoppable threat of iiJ'g6 and h6.
14.j},xh7+ Cit>xh715.4)g5+ Cit>g8 In
the 'itlg6 line, the presence of the ~J6
hurts the defense by blocking ... f5.
15 ... 'itlg6? 16.iiJ'c2+ 'itlh5 (16 ... 'itlh6
131
17.iiJ'h7#) when there are two pretty
mates from which to choose: 17.iiJ'h7+
'itlg4 1B.f3+ ~g3 19 . .§.h3+ ~xg2
20 ..§.gl# and 17.g4+ 'itlxg4 1B ..§.dg1 +
'itlh519.~h7#. The line with 15 ... Axg5
16.hxg5+ activates the .§.h1 and gives
Black a horrible choice between
16 ...'<t>gB 17.~h5+- f5 1B.g6+- and
16 ... 'itlg617.~h5+ ~f5 18.~h3+ 'itle4
(18. .. ~g619.~h7#) 19.~f3#.16.~h5
Ete8 The exchange this late is hopeless.
16 ... Axg5 17.hxg5 f5 1B.g6+- and
Black cannot capture the g-pawn.
17.~xf7+ Cit>h818.h511--O White fin-
ishes in style, sacrificing the Ag5 to
bring all of the other white pieces into
the attack. 1B ... Axg5 (lB ... .§.e719.~g6
Axg5 20.Axg5+-) 19.h6 gxh6
USA 1915
Scotch Game [C45]
l.e4 e5 2.4)f3 4)f6 3.d4 exd4
4.4) xd4 4)c6 5.4)xc6 bxc6 6.j},d3 d5
7.exd5 cxd5 8.0--0 j},e7 9.4)c3 0--0
13.j},xh6 gxh6 14.~g3+ Cit>h8
15. ~xb8 j},d616. ~xa7
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Trailing badly at the time of the sacri-
fice and with only the light-square
bishop as an additional asset, Marshall
 Sacking the Citadel
may have launched it knowing how dif-
ficult a time defenders have often had.
But the white queen on a7, seemingly
out of play, solidly covers the critical
f2-square making the '.t'gl line a very
simple win. 16 .•• .1lxh2+ 17.'it>xh2
4)g4+ IS.'it>gl Up a rook and pawn,
White can afford to return some mate-
rial. The open g-file may have encour-
aged Marshall, but even after IS .. J::!gS,
the discovery nets nothing more than
an exchange on f1. IS.~g3 .!::!gS
(IS ... ~gSI9.f4 V;f;Jg7 20.<tle2+-) 19.f3
V;f;Jd6+ 20.f4 <tle3+ 21.'.t'h2 <tlxfl +
(21 ... .!::!xg2+ 22.'.t'hl V;f;Jf6 23.V;f;Jxe3 +- )
22 ..!::!xfl +-. IS ... ~h4 If Black at-
tempts to seize control over the b8-h2
diagonal, White can simply shut it down
with f4, IS ... ~d6 19.V;f;Jd4+ '.t'gS
20.f4 +-. 19.1afel White has a much
more efficient defense by redeploying
the queen on the key b8-h2 diagonal.
19.V;f;Jd4+ '.t'gS 20.V;f;Jf4+-. 19 ... ~h2+
20.'it>f1 ~f4 On 20 ...V;f;Jhl + White not
only migrates the king to the queens ide,
but also manages to activate his pieces
for an attack down the h-file. 21.'.t'e2
V;f;Jxg2 22.V;f;Jd4+ f6 23.V;f;Jf4 .!::!eS+
24.'.t'd2 <tleS 2S.~xh6+ '.t'gS
26 ..!::!hl +-. 21.4)e2 ~f6 22.~d4+-
4)e5 23.4)gl laeS 24.4)f3 c5
25.laxe5 cxd4 26.laxeS+ 'it>g7
27.laxc8 ~f4 28.a4 h5 29.'it>e2 ~d6
30.lae8 f6 31.4) xd4 ~h2 32.lael f5
33.'it>f3 f4 34.lale61--O
(47) Boucher-Robbins
Correspondence 1916
Vienna Game [C33]
l.e4 e5 2.4)c3 4)c6 3.f4 exf4 4.4){3
.1lb4 5.4)d5 4)f6 6 ..1lc4 0--0 7.0--0
4) xe4 S.c3 .1la5 9.d4 4)f6 10..1lxf4
4)xd511..1lxd54)e712•.1le4d5
132
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Another nice sacrifice from a corre-
spondence player. White relies on the
dark-square bishop and the .!::!f1 as ad-
ditional assets. The '.t'g61ine represents
the toughest defense, since Black may
survive after IS.~d3+ <tlfS. As it turns
out, the attacking side misses the quick-
est win with IS.h4 and 16.hS+.
13..1lxh7+! 'it>xh714.4)g5+ 'it>g6 The
~gS line holds no hope here for the
defender because White can sacrifice
the Jlf4 in order for the .!::!f1 to take full
advantage of the open f-file: 14 .. .'~gS
IS.Jlxc7! Jlxc716.~hS .!::!eSI7.~h7+
'.t'fS IS ..!::!xf7#. 15.h4 With the threat
of 16.hS+. IS.~d3+!? gains back the
piece after <tlfS (Not IS ... MS 16.V;f;Jg3 +-
or IS .. .fS 16.~g3+-) but Black can
safeguard the king after 16.g4 f6
17.<tlf3 '.t'h718.gxfS ~eSI9.<tlh4 ~hS
20.V;f;Jg3±. 15 ...f5 Preventing hS with
IS ... .!::!hS leaves the f-pawn exposed.
16.<tlxf7 ~xf7 17.Jlxc7++-; IS ... f6
does nothing to prevent 16.hS+ ~h6
with a killing discovery, 17 .<tle6+ +- .
And taking the queen out of the line of
fire still leaves the king horribly exposed,
IS ... V;f;JeS 16.hS+ '.t'h6 (16 ... ~f6
17.V;f;Je2+-; 16 ... ~fS 17.Jle3#) and
there's no need to rush the discovered
check, 17.a4 c61S.V;f;Je2 M5-19.g4 JlcS
 Games
20 ..§ael +- . 16.fU3 The rook swing is
effective, but White can simply advance
the h-pawn:-16.h5+! <;t>f6 17.~el .£Je6
18.~g3 (aiming at both e5 and g6,Dor
simply 18.~h4+-) 18 ... .§h819.Ae5+
rtle7 20 ..llxg7+-. 16... .£lg8 17.f!g3
'it>f6 18. ~e2 ~e8 19.f!e3 ~c6
20.~h51-O
(48) Capablanca - Borochow
New York 1918
Queen's Gambit Declined [D63]
1.d4 d5 2..£lf3 .£lf6 3.c4 e6 4.Ag5
.£lbd75..£lc3Ae76.e30-07.f!c1 b6
8.cxd5 .£lxd5 9.j'txe7 .£lxe710.j'td3
Ab711.0-0c512.dxc5.£lxc5
8
7
6 gives the king an escape to e7: 18 ..§fdl
5 ~b8 19 ..£Jee4+ .£Jxe4 20 ..£Jxe4+ rtle7
4 21.~xg7 .§g8 22.~d4 .§e8 23.~g7
3 .§xc1 24.~g5+ <;t>f8 25 ..§xc1 ~d8+.
2 15.~g4 15.~e2+? fails to both
abc d e f g h
Relying upon only one additional as-
set, the .£Je3, the sacrifice is unsound
here, but the world champion exhibits
stronger will power. In the actual game,
Capablanca's opponent misses the best
defense in the <;t>g6 line with 18 ... .£Jd4
or 18 ... .£Jd3. 13.Axh7+? 'it>xh7
14. .£lg5+ 'it>g6 In the <;t>g81ine, Black
defends the threats on h7 and f7 either
by retreating the .§f8 to create an es-
cape-square, or by playing ~d3 in an
effort to control the b I-h7 diagonal.
14 ... rtlg815.~h5 ~d3 The queen move
looks promising, but White can simply
block the diagonal, reinitializing the
threats. 16.e4 .§fe8 17.~xf7+ rtlh8
133
18.~h5+ <;t>g8 19.~h7+ <;t>f8 20.b4
when 20 ... .£Jxe4 21..£Jexe4 .Q.xe4
22.~h8+ .£Jb8 23 ..§e7 ends the discus-
sion. Instead, the rook retreat
withI5 ... .§e8 loses more quickly,
16.~xf7+ rtlh817 ..§fdl with 18.b4 to
follow. The simplest defense is the <;t>h6
line. There, given the absence of a dark-
square bishop, White can only try
14 ... <;t>h615.~g4 when 15 ... .£Jf5 threat-
ens ~xg5. 14 ... <;t>h6! 15.~g4 .£Jf5
16.f4. It would have been interesting to
see what Capablanca had in mind in that
line, since the logical 16.f4 gives Black
the opportunity to counter with
16 ... ~d3 17 ..§fel g6 18.~h3+ <;t>g7
19.~h7+ rtlf6 20 ..§edl ~e4 21.g4 .£Jd3
22.gxf5 exf5 23 ..§e2 .§ad8=. To make
matters worse for White, Black could
also try 15 ... .£Jd5 a likely improvement
because 16.~h4+ rtlg6 17.~h7+ rtlf6
15 ... <;t>xg5 when there's no support for
the mate or simply to 15 ... ~d3. 15...f5
16. ~g3 'it>f6 There's no relief to be
found in 16... ~b8 17.f4 .§h8 because
18.b4 .£Ja6 pries open White's access
to g7. 19 ..§fdl <;t>f6 20 ..§d7+-. 17.b4
.£ld7 After 17 ... .£Je4 White can recover
an exchange with 18 . .£Jh7+ rtlf7
19 ..£Jxe4 .llxe4 20 ..£Jxf8 rtlxf8 21.f3
.Q.e6 22 ..§fdl ~e8 but the final posi-
tion offers relatively even chances for
both sides. 18.f!cd1 More accurate is
18 ..§fdl with the idea of .£Jb5-d6.
18 ... .£lg6? Black's best defense is
18... .£Je8 to discourage incursions on d6.
19.f!d6 f!e8 20.f!fd1 +- .£lgf821.e4
The simplest win is 21..£Jh7+ <;t>f7
22 ..£Jxf8+- removing the defender of the
.£Je7. 21 ...g6 22. ~h4 'it>g7 23.f!xd7+
.£lxd7 24.~h7+ 'it>f625.f41-0
 Sacking the Citadel
(49) Leise - Wellington
Correspondence 1919
Ruy Lopex [C80]
1.e4 e5 2.4)0 4)c6 3.Ab5 a6 4.Aa4
4)f6 5.0-0 4) xe4 6.d4 b5 7.Ab3 d5
8.a4 §.b8 9.ax b5 ax b5 10.dxe5 Ae6
1l.c3 Ac5 12.4)bd2 0-0 13:~e2
Af514.Ac2 4)xd215.Axf5 4)xfl
8 Vienna Game [C29]
7
6 1.e4 e5 2.4)c3 4)f6 3.f4 d5 4.fxe5
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Although White relies upon a familiar
pair of additional assets, the dark-square
bishop and the e5-pawn, this is an un-
usual example because the sacrifice fol-
lows an exchange sac on fl. The black
knight on fl controls the g3-square,
preventing the usual 'l1i'g4-g3 maneu-
ver in the 'it'g61ine. 16.Axh7+ ~xh7
17.4)g5+ ~g8 Black can claim an ad-
vantage after 17 ... 'it'g6! 18.'l1i'd3+ (not
18.~g4 4Jxe5) 18 .. .f5 because White
is able to recover an exchange but Black
emerges with a small but persistent ma-
terial edge, 19.exf6+ (19.4Je6 4Jxe5
20.4Jxf8+ 'l1i'xf8 21. ii:t'xfl 4Jg4 -+ )
19 ... 'it'xf6 20.4Jh7+ (20.ii:t'f3+ 'it'e7
21. 'l1i'e2+ 4Je3 22.A xe3 A xe3
23.~xe3+ 'it'f6 24.4Jh7+ 'it'f7 25.ii:t'f4+
'it'g8 26.4Jxf8 'l1i'xf8 27. 'l1i'xc7 ii:t'f6 =+')
20 ... 'it'f7 21.4Jg5+ 'it'e7 22.~e2+ 4Je3
23.Axe3 Axe3 24.ii:t'xe3+ 'it'f6
25.4Jh7+ 'it'f7 26.ii:t'f3+ 'it'g8 27.4Jxf8
ii:t'd6! 28.4Jg6 ii:t'xg6 29.ii:t'xd5+ 'it'h7=+'.
18. ~h5 §.e8 Already up an exchange,
134
the queen sacrifice on g5 was a signifi-
cant improvement over the actual
course of the game, the usual mate in
five. 18 ... 'l1i'xg5 19 ..llxg5 4Jxh2
20.Af4 ±. 19. ~xf7+ ~h8 20. ~h5+
~g8 21. ~h7+ ~f8 22. ~h8+ ~e7
23.~xg7# 1--0
(50) Pahl- Delbner
Berlin 1921
4)xe4 5.4)f3 4)xc3 6.bxc3 c5 7.d4
4)c6 8.Ae2 Ae7 9.0-0 0-0 10. ~e1
Ae611. ~g3 ~h812.Ad3 c4
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
This is the second game in this book in
which the sacrifice occurs without giv-
ing check. The black bishop on e6 gives
Black far more mobility than a pawn on
that square, but the open f-file prevents
Black from playing Af5. Black incor-
rectly decides to play Jlxg5 when the
'it'g8 retreat appears to equalize.
13.Axh7 ~xh7 Black may have as-
sumed that by playing 'it'h8, ... g6 was a
useful response, but the reality is that
... g6 fatally weakens the dark squares
around the black king. 13 ... g6 14.4Jg5
with the idea of 'l1i'h4 14 ... Axg5
15.Axg5 ~c716.Af6+ 'it'xh717.'l1i'h4+
'it'g8 18.~h8#. 14.4)g5+ Axg5 De-
spite White's obvious assets, the e5-
 Games
pawn, the dark-square bishop, and the
open f-file, Black has a saving, iftough-
to-find sequence in the '<t>gSline. Black
can count here on the bishops to pre-
vent the white rooks from reaching the
h-file, and Black can manufacture sig-
nificant counterplay on the the a7-g1
diagonal. 14 ... '<t>gS! 15.,,*h4 ~xg5
16.~xg5 (with the threat of ~f6)
16 ... ,,*a5 (not immediately 16 ... ,,*b6
17 ..E!abl) 17 ..E!f3 (correctly avoiding
17.~f6 'l11xc3 IS.'l11g5 [IS.~xg7
,,*xd4+-+] IS ... 'l11xd4+ 19.'<t>hl "i£rg4)
and only now when the .E!al cannot
move to bl 17 ... ,,*b6 18.~f6 4Jxe5!, a
remarkable resource. 19.~xe5 f6 20.Af4
§aeS 21.§afl ~d7 22."i£rh5=. 15..1lxg5
~d7 White emerges with the initiative
and a material edge after 15 .. .f6 16.'l11h4+
~gS 17.exf6 gxf6 IS.Axf6 .E!xf6
19.§xf6+-. 16..1lf6! gxf6 The mate is
trivial after 16 ... g6 17.'l11h4+ '<t>gS
IS.,,*hS#.17.ru4.1lg418.~h4+~g7
19.Elxg4+ ~xg4 20.~xg4+ ~h6 On
20 ... ~hS, 21.exf6 forces 21.. ..E!gS when
22.'l11h5 is checkmate. 21.Elfl Elg8
22.~h4+1-O
(51) Brach - Jares
Bmo 1921
Queen's Gambit Declined [D63]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.{)c3 {)f6 4 ..1lg5
{)bd7 5.e3 .1le7 6.{)f3 0--0 7.Elel c6
8.cxd5 exd5 9 •.1ld3 {)e4 10..1lxe4
.1lxg511 ..1lbl Ele812.h4 .1le7
8
7
6
5
4
3 abc
2
abc d e f g h
135
Here, Black has already played §eS and
is able to defend with 4Jf6 or 4JfS. The
absence of a black pawn on e6 also
gives Black the opportunity to develop
the ~cS, especially with ~f5. It is very
useful to compare this position to Game
62, Colle-O'Hanlon, where Black has
most though not all of these defensive
possibilities. In this game, White relies
upon a tame pair of additional assets,
the 4Jc3 and the h4-pawn. Black de-
fends well by selecting the ~gSline and
winds his way successfully through the
complications. 13•.1lxh7+? ~xh7
14.{)g5+ ~g8 White does not have
dark-square bishop, but 14... '<t>h6walks
straight into 15.4Jxf7+. With the rook
off f8, Black can consider 14 ... ~xg5
15.hxg5+ '<t>gS (not 15 ... '<t>g616.'l11h5+
~f5 17. "i£rxf7 + +-) because after
16. 'l11h5 the king can escape toward the
queenside. 16 ... '<t>fS 17. "i£rhS+ '<t>e7
IS."i£rxg7 .E!gSI9.,,*h6 '<t>eS 20.f4 4Jf8+.
Correct play in the '<t>g6line leads here to
an uneasy equality. 14... ~g6 15."i£rc2+
(on "*g4, Black can capture on g5) 15 .. .f5
16.4Je6 (not 16.g4 4Jf8-+) 16 ..."i£rb6
17.4Jf4+ (better than 17.h5+ '<t>h6
IS."i£rxfS 4Jf819."i£rf4+ '<t>h7 20.4Jc7 "i£rxb2
21.0--0 ~d7 22.4JxaS .E!xaS=i=) 17... '<t>t7
(17 ... '<t>f6? walks into a fork IS.4Jfxd5+
cxd519.4Jxd5++-) IS."i£rxf5+.
d
Position after 18. itff5 (analysis)
 Sacking the Citadel
Now Black can try: (a) 18 ....iU6
19. ~h5+ 'it'f8 (avoiding the knight fork
after 19 ... 'it'e7 20 . .£Jfxd5+ exd5
21 ..£Jxd5+ and a white pull after 19 ... g6
20.~xg6+ 'it'f8 21.~h7 ~g7 22.h5 .£Jf6
23 ..£Jg6+ 'it'f7 24 ..£Je5+ 'it'f8 25.~g6
~e7 26.h6 ilh8 27.f4 ~e6 28.g4 ~g8
29.~e2 ~h7 30.~h2 Ele6 31.~h4±)
20.~h8+ 'it'f7 (trying for more with
20 ... 'it'e7 walks into another knight fork
21..£Jfxd5+ exd5 22 ..£Jxd5+ 'it'd8
23 ..£Jxb6 Elxh8 24 ..£Jxa8±) 21.~h5+ is
a perpetual; (b) 18 ... 'it'g819.~e6+ 'it'h8
(avoiding 19 ... 'it'f8 20 ..£Jg6# and
19 ... 'it'h7 20.~g6+ 'it'g8 21.~xe8+ +- )
20.~f7+-; and (c) 18 ... .£Jf6 when
White barges through with 19.~g6+
'it'fS (19 ... 'it'g8 20 . .£Jh5 .£Jxh5
21.~xe8++-) 20.h5 ~d8 21.h6 gxh6
22.Elxh6+-. 15.~h5 .1lxg5! Black's
other plausible defensive tries lead to
equality: (a) 15 ... .£Jf6 (bringing the
knight to f6 where it defends h7 but
White enters on f7) 16.~xf7+ 'it'h8
17.h5 (no better is 17.~g6 Elf818 ..£Jf7+
Elxf7 19.~xf7 ~f5 20.h5 ~e8
21.~xe8+ Elxe8 22.f3=) 17 ... Elf818.h6
Elxf7 19 ..£Jxf7+ 'it'h7 20 ..£Jxd8 ~xd8
21.hxg7+ 'it'xg7=; (b) 15 ... .£Jf8 (forcing
a quick perpetual) 16.~xf7+ 'it'h8
17.~h5+ 'it'g8 18.~f7+=; and (c)
15 ... M6 (also drawing with a perpetual)
16.~xf7+ 'it'h817.~h5+= (17.~g6.£Jf8
18.~h5+ 'it'g8 19.~f7+=). 16.hxg5
~f817.~h8+ ~e718.~xg7 Etg8
19. ~h6 .£)f8 20.f4 .£)g6 21.0-0 ~f8
21 ... ilf5 -+ is more accurate. 22. ~h5
Eth8 23.~e2 ~d8 24.e4 dxe4
25.~xe4 f5 26.~e3 ~e7 27.~d2
.1le6 28.Etfel ~f7 29.g3 .1ld5
30.Ete2 ~d7 31..£)xd5 ~xd5 32.Etg2
b6 33.h3 Eth3 34.Etc2 Etah8 35. ~c3
'£)xf40--1
136
(52) Alekhine - Lovewell
New York simul. 1923
Englund Gambit [A40]
l.d4 e5 2.dxe5 .£)c6 3 ..£)f3 .1lc5
4.-'lf4 .£)ge7 5.e3 0--0 6 ..£)c3 .£)g6
7.-'ld3 .£)xf4 8.exf4 Ete8
abc d e f g h
Alekhine provides us with a Greco min-
iature. White can count on the .£Je3 and
a secure e5-pawn, but Black has devel-
oped the king's rook on e8. 9.-'lxh7+
~xh710 ..£)g5+ ~g8 The game ends
abruptly after only 11 moves, but it
would have been very interesting to see
what Alekhine would have played after
10 ... 'it'g6. White has many options
there, 11.h4, 11.Qg4, and 11.~d3, but
the former is the most forcing continu-
ation. (a) 1l.h4! (taking advantage of
the uncastled king, aiming with h5+ to
drive the king to h6 with .£Jxf7 to fol-
low) 11.. ..£Jxe5 (a standard defensive
try, returning material but undermining
the white center) 12.fxe5 Elxe5+ 13.'it'fl
d6 (not 13 ... ~f6 when 14.~d3+ ~f5
15 ..£Jee4 and White can continue with
.£Jee4, h5+, and after ... 'it'h6, ~d2; and
there's no relief in giving back the ex-
change with 13 ... Elxg5 14.hxg5 ~xg5
15 ..£Je4 ~f5 16.~d3+-) 14 ..£Jd5 aim-
ing for .£Jf4 14 ... ~d7 15 ..£Jf4+ 'it'f6
(avoiding 15 ... 'it'f5 16.~f3+- or
15 ... 'it'h6 16.~h5#) 16.~d3 Ele8
 Games
17 .§h3 +- and the rook enters the game
with effect; (b) 11. ~g4 here is complex
and interesting. 11 .. .f5 the standard re-
sponse. 12.~h4 aiming to play ~g3
only when the rook vacates its support
oft7 (12.~g3 4Jxe5 13.0-0 4Jg414.h3
d5 15.hxg4 fxg4 16.§ad1 c6
17.4Jce4;!;) 12 ... §hS13.~g3 4Jxe5 (the
knight, of course, is immune thanks to
the threat of ~xg5) 14.4Je6+ when
Black has a remarkable response to the
discovered check, 14 ... 4Jg4! 15.4JxdS
Jlxf2+ 16.~xf2 4Jxf2 17.'it'xf2 ±. Black
will recover the knight, but the immedi-
ate capture encourages IS. 4Jb5; and
(c) Less compelling is 11. ~d3+ f5
12.~h3 because Black has a nice cen-
tral shot with §xe5+ 13.'it'd2 ~gS;!;.
There's no point in dwelling on 1O...'it'h6
l1.4Jxt7+ or 10 ... 'it'hS 11.~h5+ 'it'gS
12.~h7+ 'it'fS13.~hS+ 'it'e714.4Jd5#.
11.~h5 f6 1--0 and Black resigned
rather than face an easy mate in three:
12.~h7+ 'it'fS 13.~hS+ 'it'e7 with two
mates in one 14.4Jd5# or 14.~xg7#.
(53) Przepiorka - Makarczyk
Warsaw 1926
Slav Defense [D45]
V~~f3 .£Jf6 2.c4 c6 3.d4 d5 4 •.£Jc3 e6
5.e3 .£Jbd7 6.a3 ~d6 7.cxd5 exd5
8.~d3 0-0 9.0-0 §e810.~c2 ~e7
11.M .£Je4 12.§el .£Jdf613.~xe4
dxe414..£Jd2
abc d e f g h 4Jf4, which will remain exposed to a g5-
137
With a clearly superior position, Black
ought to continue here with ... 4Jd5 or
... Af5. Instead, Black embarks on the
sacrifice which, with the white rook on
e1, is speculative, despite two strong
assets, the light-square bishop and the
secure e4-pawn. Selecting the 'it'glline,
White has 17.4Jf1 simultaneously de-
fending the key f2- and h2-squares.
Unlike many of the games decades ear-
lier, White organizes and maintains a
successful defense. 14 ••• ~xh2+
15.~xh2 .£Jg4+ 16.~gl 16.'it'g3
~d6+! (16 ... ~g5 is less convincing
because White can gain time against
the queen with 17.4Jdxe4 ~g618.~d2
[lS.4Jf6+ ~xf6 19.§h1 h6-+]
lS ... 4Jf6+ 19.'it'h2 4Jxe4 20.4Jxe4
§xe4=t=) l7.f4(17.'it'h4~h6+ 18.'it'g3
~h2#) 17 ... exf3+ lS.'it'xf3 ~f6+
19.'it'g3 (the alternative 19.'it'e2 walks
into mate 19 ... §xe3+ 20.'it'd1 4Jf2#)
19 ... ~f2+ 20.'it'h3 4Jxe3+ -+ with mate
quickly to follow. 16•.. ~h4 With the
rook already off f1, White can easily
cover both f2 and h2. 17. .£Jf1 ~f5
Black likely assumed that he needed to
defend the central pawn, but more pow-
erful is the idea of a rook swing.
17 ... §e6! lS.Ab2 (capturing the pawn
with lS.4Jxe4 walks into lS ... §xe4 fol-
lowed by a queen capture on f2 and
... Af5) IS ... §h619.4Jg3 4Jxe3 20.§xe3
Ag4 21.f4 exf3 22.gxf3 ~xg3+ 23.~g2
~f4 24.§e4 ~xf3 25.~xf3 Axf3
26.§e7;!;. 18. .£Jg3 ~g6 19 . .£Jce2
More consistent is 19.'it'fl 4Jh2+
20.'it'e2 ~g4+ 21.'it'd2 +- and the king
will find safety on the queenside.
19 .••h5 20 ..£Jf4 ~h2+ 21.~f1 h4
22..£Jge2 h3 To push the h-pawn, Black
can sacrifice another piece: 22 ... Ah5
23.4Jxh5 h3 24.4Jef4 hxg2+ 25.4Jxg2
~xh5:j: when the idea of... ~h1 + forces
 Sacking the Citadel

push. 23.4)xh3 ~hl + 24.4)egl Ah5
25.~e2 4)e5+ 26.~d2 4)d3 27.§fl
a5 Black's best chance for advantage.
27 ... ~xg2 28 ..llb2 .llg4 (forcing a weak-
ening of the pawn structure) 29.~f4
~xf4 30.exf4 (and now the e-pawn is
mobile) 30 ... e3+ 31.~c3 e2 32.§fe1
~xf2 33.'it'b3 ~xf4+. Black has three
pawns for the piece, the advanced e-
pawn, and superior development.
28 . .11,b2 ~xg2 29.~c3 axb4+
30.axb4 §xaI31.§xal.11.g4 32.4)f4
4)xf4 33.exf4 e3 34.f3 e2 35.§el
Axf3 36.~d3 .11,g4 37.~d2 ~f2
38.4)xe2 Ah5 39.d5 Axe2 4O.§xe2
~xf4+ 41.~c2 §xe2+ 42.~xe2
~f5+ The simplest path to the draw is
42 ... ~xb4=. 43.~d3 ~xd5 44.~xd5
cxd5 45.~d3 f6 46.~d4 ~f7
47.~xd5 ~e7 48.~c5 ~e649.b5 g5
50.~b6 f5 51.~xb7 f4 52.~c61~
(54) Alekhine-- Perez Gomar
Buenos Aires simul. exhibition 1926
Queen's Indian Defense [E12]
l.d4 4)f6 2.4)f3 e6 3.c4 b6 4.4)c3
.11,b7 5..11.g5 .11,e7 6.e3 ~ 7 ..11,d3 d6
8.~e24)bd79.~c510.~bld5
1l.cxd5 4) xd512.4) xd5 exd513.h4
f614.Af4c4
8 20.~h4 ~e8 21.f3 ~g6+ 22.~al
7 ~f7 23. ~f4 §ae8 24.g4 Ac6 Black
6 is fully safe and winning after
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h .11,d50--1
Relying upon two additional assets, the
active dark-square bishop and the h4-
pawn, Alekhine tries the sacrifice in a
position that contains a black pawn on
f6. White's bigger problem is that, with-
out a pawn on e5, Black can play ~f6
(after fxg5), providing time to defend
fully with ~e8-g6. 15..11,xh7+ ~xh7
16.4)g5+ fxg5 White can win back an
exchange in the 'it'g8 line, but nothing
more. 16 ... 'it'g8 17.~e6 ~c8 18.h5
(18.~xf8 ~xf8 19.h5 ~f5+:j:)
18 ... §t7:j:; while the 'it'g6 line walks
into h5+ and a discovered knight fork,
16 ... 'it'g6? 17.h5+ 'it'h6 (17 ... 'it'f5
18.g4 #) 18.~e6+ +-. 17.hxg5+ ~g8
Remarkably, Black can also hold in 'it'g6
line with 17 ... 'it'g6 18.~h5+ 'it'f5
19.~h7+ (Alternatives offer nothing
more than even chances: 19.~h3+ 'it'g6
20.~h5+ is a perpetual; Black is simply
winning after 19.96+ .llg5 -+; and
19.e4+ dxe4 20.g4+ 'it'xf4 21.~h2+
~xg5 22.~h5+ is another remarkable
perpetual.) 19 ... 'it'e6 (19 ... 'it'g4 walks
into a mate with 20.~h3# as does
19... g6 20.~h3+ ~e4 2l.f3#) 20.~xg7
(With the king ready to run towards the
queenside, White ought to settle here
for a perpetua120.~h3+ 'it't7 21.~h5+
~e6=) 20 ... §xf4 21.exf4 'it'd6:j:.
18.~h5 Axg5 19.Axg5 4)f6
24 ... 'it'g8-+. 25.Ah4 ~g8 26.~d6
Aa4 27.§d2 ~f7 28.g5 4)e4!
29.fxe4 ~fl+ 30.§dl Axdl
31.~xd5+ ~h832.e5.11,f3+ 33.§xfl
Axd5 34.§el Ag2 35 ..11,g3 §fl
36.§xfl Axfl 37.d5 Ag2 38.d6

138
 Games
(55) Makarczyk - Kohn
Lodz 1927
Caro-Kann Defense [D05]
1.d4 e6 2.e4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.j},d3
.£le6 5.e3 e6 6 ..£lf3 'itJe7 7.0--0 j},d6
8.Ele1.£lf6 9 ..£lbd2 0--0 10.'itJe2 b6
1l..£le5 j},xe512.dxe5 .£ld713..£lf3
Ele8
abc d e f g h the final position has no meaningful
Although White can rely upon the e5-
pawn and the dark-square bishop, the
sacrifice fails because Black, having al-
ready played .§.eB and 'lfic7, has 4JfB
defending both ofthe key entry squares
with one move. White should instead
have tried 14.Af4 with an undisputed
advantage. 14.j},xh7+ ~xh7
15. .£lg5+ ~g8! In the 15 ... 'it'g6 line,
White has two familiar options: (a)
16.~g4 invites the capture of the e5-
pawn. 16 ... 4Jdxe5 17.~g3 and now the
black king can run towards e7 17 ... 'it'f6
IB.4Jh7+ rtie7 19.Af4 'it'd7 20 ..§.e3
.§.gB 21..§.ael f6 22.4Jxf6+ gxf6
23.~xgB ~dB 24.'lfih7+ ~e7=; or (b)
16.~d3+! avoids the capture on e5 and
the queen can now force its way to f7.
16 .. .f5 (not 16 ... 'it'h5 17.'lfih3+ 'it'g6
IB.~h7# or 16 ... rtih6 17.~h7#)
17.exf6+ rtixf6 18. ~f3+ and the king is
in a mating net. 18 ... rtig6 (IB ... rtie7
19..§.xe6+ rtidB 20.4Jf7#) 19.~f7+ 'it'h6
20.4Jxe6+ rtih7 (20 ... g5 21.Axg5#).
139
21. 'lfixg7 # 16.'itJh5 And again, the rook
on e8 aids the defense 16 ... .£lf8!
17.j},f4 .£lg6 Black's best continuation
is probably 17 ... Ab7! preparing the ad-
vance of the d-pawn, countering
White's flank attack with a counter in
the center. IB ..§.e3 '§'adB 19 ..§.ael d4
20 ..§.h3 4Jg6 21.4Je4 4Jcxe5 22.~h7+
'it'fB 23.Ag5 f5 (23 .. .f6 24.4Jxf6 gxf6
25.Ah6+ +-) 24.4Jf6 ~f7 25.4JxeB
.§.xeB 26.cxd4 4Jd7=. 18.Ag3 .£lee7
19.h4 .£lf5 20.'itJh7+ ~f8 21.h5
.£lge7 22.h6 .£l xh6 23. 'itJh8+ .£leg8
Not 23 ... 4JhgB when White has a re-
markable smothered mate with
24.4Jh7 #. 24.Ah4 Tempting is
24.4Jh7+ rtie7 25.4Jf6 gxf6 26.exf6+
4Jxf6 27.'lfixh6 'lfid7 when White recov-
ers the piece. 2B ..ilh4 'it'd6 29 ..ilxf6 but
winning chances for either side.
24 ••. ~e7 25 •.£le4+ ~d7 26 •.£ld6
Aa6 27.'itJxg7 ~e6 28.e4 dxe4
29. 'itJg3 'itJd 7 30. 'itJa3 +- Ae8
31. 'itJf3+ ~e5 32. 'itJe3+ ~e6
33. 'itJe4+ ~e7 34. 'itJxa8 .£lf5
35.'itJxa7+ ~e6 36.'itJa4+ ~e7
37..£lxe8+ 1-0
(56) Mansfield - Znosko Borovsky
Cheltenham 1928
Ruy Lopex [C78]
In this game, defeat ofthe Greco Sacri-
fice means victory for Znosko-Borovsky
and a possible source of inspiration,
seven years prior to the publication of
his treatment on the Greco Sacrifice.
1.e4 e5 2..£lf3 .£le6 3.Ab5 a6 4.Aa4
.£lf6 5.0--0 j},e5 6.e3 Aa7 7.d4.£l xe4
8.d5 .£le7 9 ..£lxe5 0--0 10.Ae2 d6
1l . .£lxf7? (11.4Jf3 was necessary)
1l •.• .£lxf2!-+
 Sacking the Citadel
abc d e f g h 1.d4 Jilf6 2c4e6 3.Jilf3d54.Ag5 j'te7
White embarks on the sacrifice, an act
of desperation, relying upon a single
additional asset, the dark-square bishop.
The.§.fl has been neutralized, and take
note of the powerful Aa7. Any move-
ment of the <£\f2 will be check and White
cannot seriously consider 14 ..§.xf2
.§.xt7. With the sac, White is able to play
<£\g5 with check, but after itfh5, Black
has a violent counter attack with <£\h3+
and other discoveries. 12.j'txh7+ If the
queens are captured, White's is taken
with check, 12.<£\xdB <£\xd 1+.
12•.. ~xh713.Jilg5+ ~g8 In the 'itlg6
line, Black blocks the check on the di-
agonal with a check of his own.
13 ... 'itlg614.ifi'c2+ <£\d3+-+; no better
is simply moving the queen out of the
reach of the discoveries: 14.ifi'e2 <£\h3+
15.'itlh1 .§.xfl + 16.ifi'xfl <£\f2+ 17.'itlg1
ifi'hB-+. 14.~e2 There's nothing to be
gained from 14.'~h5 <£\h3+ 15.'itlh1
.§.xfl #. 14••• j'tg4-+ 15.Jilf3 j'txf3
16.gxf3 Jild3+ 17.~h1 Jilxc1
18. ~e6+ ~f719.~xc1 Jilf5 20.~e1
~h4 21.Jild2 Jilg3+ 22.~g2 Jilh5
23.~h1 Jilf40-1
(57) Cheron - Nilsson
The Hague 1928
Queen's Gambit Declined [D30]
Andre Cheron (1895-1980) was three-
time champion of France (1926, 1927,
140
and 1929), but is best remembered as a
chess endgame theorist and composer
of endgame studies. In 1959, the first
year of the award, he became FIDE In-
ternational Master of Chess Composi-
tion. His life's work is the monumental
four-volume Handbook of Endgames
including detailed proofs and hundreds
of endgame studies.
5.Axf6 Axf6 6.cxd5 exd5 7.Jilc3 0--0
8.e3c69.Ad3~e810h4c5
8
IL!!"!!',~·-'''''
7
6
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
Another example in which the defender
has already freed up the f8-square prior
to the sacrifice. Moreover, the e-file is
open and the light-square bishop has
access to f5. White relies upon the h4-
pawn and the <£\c3 as additional assets
but White clearly misses a dark-squar~
bishop or especially an e5-pawn.
1l.Axh7+? ~xh712.Jilg5+ ~g8 The
'itlg6line is more ofa struggle: 12 ...'ittg6
13.ifi'f3 (what else? ... Af5 will block
checks along the bl-h7 diagonal, and
the light-square bishop also controls
g4) 13 ... Ae6 14.<£\e2 Axg5 15.hxg5
.§.hB 16.<£\f4+ 'itlxg5 17.ifi'g3+ 'ittf6
1B.<£\xd5+ Axd5 19.ifi'e5+ 'ittg6
20 ..§.xhB ifi'xhB 21.ifi'g3+ and White
must settle for a perpetual check. The
attempt to improve with 16.0-0-0 <£\c6
17.<£\f4+ 'ittxg5 1B.'§'xhB ifi'xhB
 Games

19.~xe6+ fxe6 20.~fl 'l£fh7 21.'l£fxb7
~b4 22.~e7+ requires that Black de-
fend accurately with 22 ... 'it'g4 23.f3+
'it'g3 24.~d6+ 'it'f2 25J::(d2+ 'it'fl
26.§dl +=. 13.~h5 The .§.fB has al-
ready moved, giving Black a crucial
move to defend the fl-pawn. Black has
the option of defending f7 with either
13 ... ~d7, 13 ... ~c7, or 13 ... Ae6!.
13 ... Ae6 14.0-0-0 cxd4 15.exd4
.£!c616.Elde1 ~d717 •.£!xd5 JU5
Black should simply capture the knight,
17 ...'l£fxd5 when, with the bishop on f6,
there's no way for the queen to make
progress on the kingside. IS.'£! xf6+
gxf619.'£!xf7 '£!xd4 20..£!h6+ Ii!}fS
21.ElxeS+ ElxeS 22 . .£!xf5 ~c6+
23.li!}b1 ~e4+0-1
(58) Havasi - Brinckmann
Budapest 1929
Slav Defense [010]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.cxd5 cxd5 4 . .£!c3
e6 5 . .£!f3 Ad6 6.e3 .£!c6 7 ..£!d2 f5
S.f4 .£!f6 9.Ad3 0-0 10.0-0 g5
ll.fxg5
activity, is easily defeated. After 16.g6,
White unarguably has a winning advan-
tage. 11 ••• Axh2+? It was more prudent
and thematic to play 11 ... ~e4.
12.li!}xh2 .£!g4+ 13.li!}gl Black can
use the discovered check in the 'it'g3
line to regain an exchange, but White
emerges with equal chances. 13.'iti>g3
'l£fxg5 14.~f3 'l£fg7 15.'l£fe2, placing the
queen on a square that the knight will
not be able to reach (or 15. 'l£fd2 4Jb4 ~)
15 ... 4Jxe3+ 16.'iti>f2 4Jxf117.'it'xf14Jxd4
IB.4Jxd4 'l£fxd4=.13 ••• .£!xe313 ...'l£fxg5
gives White an opportunity to consoli-
date with 14.4Jf3+-. 14.~h5 ~xf1
15.'£!xf1.£!xd416.g6 ~d717.Ah6
Ele81S.gxh7+ Ii!}hS Black cannot cap-
ture the pawn, IB ... 'l£fxh7 19.i!i'xeB#.
19. ~g6 ~c6 20.j'tg51-O
(59) Gundersen - Fau)
Melbourne 1929
French Defense [C02]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 cxd4
5.cxd4 Ab4+ 6 •.£!c3 ~c6 7 . .£!f3
.£!ge7 S.Ad3 0-0

8 8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2

abc d e f g h abc d e f g h

A typical Stonewall in which Black
would normally prepare ... g5 with 'it'hB,
§gB, ~e4, and even Ad7-eB-h4. The
sacrifice, which here cannot count on
any additional assets because the
Stonewall complex blocks their possible
With two additional assets, the secure
e5-pawn and the dark-square bishop,
this is a useful example in the 'iti>gB line
of why the attacking side would cap-
ture on h7 (h2) rather than fl (f2) when
the defending side has a knight on e7

141
 Sacking the Citadel
(e2). In the game, Black selects the ~g6
line and falls quickly, although White
misses the most accurate attacking line
with 12.h5+!, often a powerful theme
when the h-pawn is backed by a rook.
9.Axh7+1 ~xh710..£)g5+ ~g6 With
the black knight on e7, White should
capture on h7 in the ~gBline. 10 ... ~gB
11.~h5 §eB 12.'~'h7+! (not 12.~xf7+
~hB 13.~h5+ ~gB 14.~h7+ ~f8
15.'~hB+ <£1gB 16.~h5 ~c7 17.,ild2 ±)
12 ... ~fB13.~hB+ <£1gB 14.<£Ih7+ ~e7.
With the king now on e7, the dark-square
bishop joins in the attack. 15.,ilg5+
Blocking the check with the pawn al-
lows ~xg7#, while ... <£If6 is hopeless
after ~xg7. 1l.h4! (a) 11.~g4!? also
appears to win quite convincingly:
11 .. .f5 12.~g3 maintaining the queen
on the g-file. 12 .. .f4 13.~g4 ~eB re-
moving the queen from the <£Ig5 's reach.
14.ilxf4 §xf4 15.~xf4 <£Ixd4 16.h4
ilxc3+ 17.bxc3 <tlc2+ 1B.~d2 <tlxa1
19.h5+ Once again forcing the king into
a nasty discovery. 19 ... ~h6 20.<tlxe6+
~h7 21.h6 ,ilxe6 22.hxg7+ ~xg7
23.~f6+ ~gB 24.§hB; and (b)
11.~d3+! f5 (or 11...<tlf5 12.h4 ~b6
[12 ... §hB 13.g4+-] 13.h5+ ~h6
14.g4+-) 12.h4 ~eB 13.h5+ ~h6
14.~g3 with an overwhelming attack.
I I... .£) xd4 The effort to prevent h5 fails
instructively. 11...§hB12.h5+ when (a)
12 ... ~h613.~d3 (or simply 13.<£Ixf7)
<£If5 14.<£Ixe6++-; (b) 12 ... §xh5
13.~xh5+ ~f5 14.g4#; and (c)
12 ... ~f5 13.g4# or 13.~f3#.
12.t'ig4+-. Even faster is 12.h5+ since
12 ... ~f5 (12 ... ~h613.<tlxf7+ +- ) meets
13.~xd4 ilxc3+ 14.bxc3 and g4# And,
of course, 12.~d3+ <tldf5 13.h5+ ~h6
14.<tlxf7 is also convincing. 12 ••• f5
13.h5+ ~h614..£) xe6+ g515.hxg6 #
1-0
142
(60) Helling - Kashdan
Berlin 1930
Queen's Pawn Game [D05]
Isaac Kashdan (1905-1985) won the U.S.
Open Championship twice (1938, 1947)
and represented the United States five
times in chess Olympiads. His Olympiad
record remains the all-time best among
American players. His peak chess years
coincided with the Great Depression,
which prevented him financially from
competing for the world title. His im-
pressive tournament achievements in-
cluded second at Frankfurt, 1930 behind
Aron Nimzowitsch, first at Gyor, 1930,
second in New York, 1931 behind
Capablanca, and a shared first with
Alekhine in Mexico City, 1932.
1.d4 .£)f6 2.e3 e6 3 ..£)d2 c5 4.Ad3
.£)c6 5.c3 t'ic7 6 ..£)gf3 d5 7.0-0 Ad6
8.e4 cxd4 9.cxd4 .£)b410.Ab1 dxe4
1l . .£)xe4 .£)xe4 12.Axe4 Ad7
13.E!e10-0
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
In the face of excellent activity and
Black's entry square on c2, White re-
lies on two additional assets, the §e1
and the dark-square bishop. Black suc-
cessfully finds the only defense with
~g6, which works because the <tlb4
controls c2 and d3, blocking the
queen's check on the diagonal, and be-
 Games
cause after f5, ~g4 cannot retreat safely
to g3. 14.~xh7+ Cit>xh7 15.i£\g5+
Cit>g61 In the <i!tgS line, the attack works
because, after ... ~c2, White can block
the bl-h7 diagonal with .§e4. 15 ... 'it'gS
16.~h5 ~c2 17 ..§e4+-. 16.h4 White
cannot maintain the queen on the g-file.
16.~g4 ~xh2+ 17.'it'hl f5 and now
Black controls both g3 and g4. 18.~e2
.§hS-+ 19.4Jh3 4Jc2. 16 .•• ~h2+ Or
simply 16 ... .§hS shutting down the pos-
sibility ofh5. 17.Cit>hl ~f418:~g4
Black is winning, but the lines remain
fun: lS ..§e5 ~xe5 19.dxe5 ~xe5
20. ~g4 4Jd3!. Preparing a fork to
counter the discovered check. 21.4Jf3+
'it'h7 22.4Jxe5 4Jxf2+ -+, and here, the
idea of lS.h5+ is foiled by Black's ac-
tivity on the c I-h6 diagonal. 18 ... 'it'h6
(lS ... 'it'xg5 19 ..§e5+ <i!th6 20.ltxf4+
'it'h7-+) 19.~g4 4Jd3-+. 18••• ~xg5
19.~xg5+ Cit>h7 20.~f4 ~d8
21. ~h5+ Cit>g8 22.~d6 i£\c2123•.§e5
f6 24.~xf8 ~xf8 25•.§c1 fxe5 0-1
(61) Hasek,- Tereba
Prague 1930
Queen's Gambit Accepted [D21]
l.d4 d5 2.i£\f3 i£\d7 3.c4 dxc4 4.e4
b5 5.a4 ~b7 6.axb5 ~xe4 7.i£\c3
~b7 8.~xc4 i£\gf6 9.~xf7+ Cit>xf7
10.i£\g5+ Cit>e8 11. ~b3 e6 12.0-0
~d613.i£\ xe6
abc d e f g h
143
Black has the ~b7 and the 4Jd7 as ad-
ditional assets, but the black king is
exposed in the center, the 4Je6 hits key
squares such as d8, c7, g7, and even
g5, and the white ~c1 can easily reach
f4. 13 ••. ~xh2+? 14.Cit>xh2 i£\g4+
15. Cit>g3 Borne of desperation, the sac-
rifice fails trivially in the <i!tglline with
ltf4. 15.'it'gl ~h4 16.~f4+-; despite
the light-square bishop, even the <i!th3
line wins. 15.<i!th3 ~f6 16.ltg5 ~f7
17.'it'xg4+-. 15 ... ~f6 White's 4Je6
and ~c1 prevent ~g5, and there's no
meaningful alternative: On 15 ... h5,
16.4JxdS+-. 16.~g51-O
(62) Colle - O'HaDloD
Nice 1930
Queen's Pawn Game [D05]
Edgard Colle (1897 -1932) achieved first
at Amsterdam 1926 ahead ofTartakower
and Euwe, first at Meran 1926 ahead of
Canal, and first at Scarborough 1930
ahead of Maroczy and Rubinstein. But
poor health shortened his playing ca-
reer. He died at age 34 after a fourth
operation for a gastric ulcer. He popu-
larized the opening now known as the
Colle System: l.d4 d5 2.4Jf3 4Jf6 3.e3,
essentially a reversed Semi-Slav Defense.
The game played here was one of his
many tactical successes in this line.
l.d4 d5 2.i£\f3 i£\f6 3.e3 c5 4.c3 e6
5.~d3 ~d6 6.i£\bd2 i£\bd7 7.0-0 0-
o 8 . .§el .§e8 9.e4 dxe4 10.i£\xe4
i£\xe411.~xe4cxd4(D)
On first examination, it is surprising that
the Greco Sacrifice comes even close to
winning in this position. There is no
pawn on e5 to prevent ... 4Jf6, the black
.§eS encourages the <i!tgS retreat, and
in the 'it'g6 line, the white queen will
 Sacking the Citadel

121). In the critical 'iftg8 line, both offer

8 up only the line 14. ti'h5 .:£Jf6 15. ti'xf7
7 'ifth816.f1.e4+-. The tournament pam-
6 phlet, a special insert in the 1930 Brit-
5 ish Chess Magazine, gives no hint that
the brilliancy might be flawed: "the
4
original character of the ... play, accord-
3
ing to Dr. Alekhine, plainly justifies the
2
award of First Brilliancy Prize to master
Colle for this game." The pamphlet goes
abc d e f g h a bit deeper, however, repeating the line
just above but also providing a real look
not be able to remain on the g-file. To at the real complexity ofthe game while
be sure, there are useful assets in the suggesting only that "14 ... ~f6
white position, notably the f1.e1 and the 15.~h7+ ~f816 ..:£Je4 ~e5 17.f4 ~d5
dark-squared bishop on cl. I have in- 18.c4 ~a519.~d2 ~c7 20.~h8+ '!;e7
corporated the key and new ideas in the 21.~xg7 wins easily." ("EZE," The Nice
notes below. The verdict? Black can International Chess Congress, 1930
wind the game to a perpetual or dynamic Leeds: Whitehead and Miller, 1930 in-
equality with excruciatingly careful serted in the British Chess Magazine
play, although few players could hope annual for 1930, pp.28-29).
to achieve that result in over-the-board
play. (b) 14 ... .:£Je5. Colle died two years after
the game was played, and Fred Reinfeld
12.A.xh7+ ~xh713..£lg5+ ~g6? The immediately began to write Colle s
game as played in the ~g6 line is wor- Chess Masterpieces (1936). With "the
thy of attention, but the ultimate sound- depth and grandeur of his finest combi-
ness will be determined in the ~g81ine. nation," Reinfeld nonetheless provides
In what follows, I have underlined the the first hint that the sacrifice might not
main line to ease the readers' path be fully sound. "If Black had seen as
through this torturous analysis. deeply as Colle did into the position,
he would have chosen the prudent
13 ... ~g8! 14.~h5 ~f6! Black's best 14 ... .:£Je5 with a view to consolidating
move! The alternatives have a fascinat- his position by .:£Jg6. White would then
ing history. (a) 14 ... .:£Jf6. For this game, be forced to take a draw by 15.f1.xe5
Colle received the First Brilliancy Prize ~xe516.~xf7+."(pp. 80-82). Inhis51
offered by the Eclaireur de Nice and Brilliant Chess Masterpieces, Reinfeld
the contemporary literature extolled the reproduces the notes without a change.
game. Deutche Schachzeitung de- Reinfeld was the first to mention the
scribed 12.~xh7 as a beautiful and perpetual check line, but the conclusion
deeply calculated conception (v.85, no.4 was later joined by Vladimir Vukovic in
April, 1930 p. 110-111). Deutsche 1965 (see Chapter 5) and by Ken Smith
Schachbliitter called it a beautiful and and John Hall in 1990 (p.2 r3) and later
original combination (v.19, no.8 1930 p. still by Alexander Baburin. (D)

144
 Games
Position after 16... 'tlh8
Gary Lane was first to observe that
White is winning trivially after 16.. .'~h8
17.'iifh5+ 'it'g8 18.b3 with the unstop-
pable threat of 19.'iifh7+ 'it'f8 20.Aa3
"when the arrival of the bishop on a3
completes the mating net." Here are the
main lines after 18.b3: (a) 18 ... Ad6
(blocks the check from a3, but enables
the usual mate by occupying the d6-
square) 19.'~h7+ 'it'f8 20.'lt1h8+ r:tJe7
21.~xg7#; (b) 18 ... d3 19.'lt1h7+ r:tJf8
20.Aa3+ when ... Eie7 meets mate in one
and ... Ad6 meets a mate in two; and (c)
18 ... Af619.~h7+ r:tJf8 20.Aa3+ when
once again, there's no good way to re-
spond. In point offact, White wins,just
as convincingly, by playing 17.b3 a
move earlier than recommended by
Lane. Gary Lane summarized it best in
2001 (p.68): "I like to think that Colle
had the last laugh since his sacrifice
does work magnificently against such
an obvious defense because everyone
had missed b3!" Finally, in 1998, Grand-
master John Nunn, in his notes to mod-
ern edition of VukoviC's book, cor-
rected the error (pp.139-l41).
(c) The third alternative also makes
good use of the b3 idea: 14 ... Axh2+
15.'it'h14:1e516.Eixe5 Axe517.'lt1xf7+
'it'h8 18.'lt1g6 r:tJg8 19.b3 +-. The ques-
tion of the soundness ofthe sacrifice in
145
this impressive game appears to lie in
13 ... 'it'g8 14.'lt1h5+ ~f6, a line men-
tioned first by Reinfeld who concluded
optimistically after 15.~h7+ 'it'f8
16.4:le4 (16.cxd4 'lt1g6-+) 16 ... ~e5
(16 ... ~f5 17.'iifh8+ r:tJe7 18.'lt1xe8+
'it'xe8 19.4:lxd6+ +-) 17.f4 (recom-
mended by Nunn, who was unwilling
to accept a drawish position after
17.cxd4). Lane focused only on
17.cxd4!? which leads to a relatively
quick equality with 17 ... 'lt1xh2+
(17 ... 'lt1xd4 18.'lt1h8+ r:tJe7 19.Ag5+ f6
[19 ... 4:lf6 20.~xg7 Ae5 21.Eiad1 ~xb2
22.Eid2 +- ] 20.'lt1xg7+ r:tJd8 21.4:lxf6+- )
18.'lt1xh2 Axh2+ 19.r:tJxh2 4:lf6=. After
17.f4, Reinfeld suggested that after
17 ... ~d5 18.c4! 'lt1a5 19.Ad2 White
has a winning attack. Reinfeld's con-
clusion is correct, and indeed, White
retains excellent chances after 19 ...'lt1b6
(19 ... ~c7 20.'lt1h8+ r:tJe7 21.'lt1xg7win-
ning easily, says the original tournament
bulletin).
But Reinfeld overlooked important im-
provements after 18 ...'lt1c6! (see diagram
below) 19.~h8+ (analyzed in depth by
Ottow and Bucker and then Bronznik)
and 19.f5, introduced by Nunn in his
notes to the 1998 edition ofVukovic's
classic (Kaissiber No.3, July-Septem-
ber, 1977, pp55-6; Valeri Bronznik, Das
Colle-Koltanowski-System pp.46-51.).
Position after 18... ~c6 (analyisis)
 Sacking the Citadel
Nunn's point is that after 19.fS .£lf6
(19 ... eS 20.'~hS+ ~e7 21..IlgS+ f6
22.'~xg7+ 'it'dS 23 . .£lxf6 .£lxf6
24 ..Ilxf6+ .Ile7 2S . .Ilxe7+! E!xe7
26.'li¥gS+- or 19 ... f6 20 ..Ilh6 gxh6
21..£lxd6 'li¥xd6 22.'li¥xh6+=) 20 ..£lxf6
gxf6 21..IlgS, when "White has an ex-
tremely dangerous attack." But it is pre-
cisely here, with perfect defense, that
Black can achieve a draw with 21 ... 'it'e7!
22 ..Ilxf6+ ~xf6 23.'li¥h4 ~g7
(23 ... ~xfS? 24.E!f1 + ~g6 2S.'li¥g4+ ~h7
26.E!xf7++-) 24.E!e4 (24.f6+ 'it'g6
2S.E!e4 (2S.E!f1 'li¥cS 26.'li¥e4+ ~gS
27.'li¥h7 when Black must find the amaz-
ing defense 27 ... .Ilxh2+ 28.~xh2 'li¥fS=)
2S ... .Ilxh2+ 26.~xh2 eS 27.'li¥g3+
(27.E!f1 E!hS 2S.'li¥xhS 'li¥xe4 29.'li¥g7+
~hS 30.'li¥xf7+ 'li¥g6 31.'li¥xg6+ ~xg6
32.f7 .IlfS 33.g4 ~xf7 34.E!xfS+ ~e6)
27 ... ~xf6 2S.E!f1 + ~e7 29.'li¥xeS+
.Ile6) 24 ... .IleS! 2S.E!xeS (2S.'li¥g4+
~fS 26.E! xeS exfS +; 2S.E!g4+ ~fS
26.f6 .Ilxf6 27. 'li¥xf6 eS 2S. 'li¥g7 +
'it'e7+) 2S ... exfS 26.'li¥g3+ ~fS
27.'li¥a3+ 'it'gS 2S.'li¥g3+ 'it'h7 29.'li¥h3+
~g7 (29 ... ~g6 is too ambitious
30.'li¥g3+ ~f6 31.E!dS E!e3 32.'li¥h4+
~g6 33.E!dS f6 34.'li¥hS f4 3S.'li¥gS+
~fS 36.E!dS++-) 30.'li¥g3+=.
To win, White must instead try 19.'li¥hS+
~e7 20.'li¥xg7. Black is probably fine
here with ... ~dS, but a new improve-
ment lurks for Black with 20 ... .Ilb4 2l.f5
~dS 22 ..Ilg5+ ~c7 23.'li¥xf7 E!fS!!
24.'li¥xe6 ~b6!, completing the king's
migration to the relative safety of the
queenside. Ottow and Bucker investi-
gate the consequences of 23 ... .Ilxe1
extensively in Kaissiber No.3. Their
main line is 23 ... .Ilxe1 24.E!xe1 E!fS
2S.'li¥xe6 'li¥xe6 26.fxe6 .£lb6 27.e7 E!hS
2S ..Ilf4+ ~c6 29.b4 .£lxc4 30 ..£lf6 .Ild7
(though better is 30 ... d3) 31.bS+ ±. But
146
they overlook the importance of declin-
ing the exchange with 23 ... E!fS!
24.'li¥xe6 ~b6! 24:iitxe6 'it'b6 25 ..Ilh6
E!dS 26 ..Ilg5 when Black has finally
reached a dynamic equality with either
26 ... E!fS or 26 ... E!hS. We finally return
to the conclusion of the actual game
and the ~g6Iine!
14.h4 14.'li¥g4? fails because White
cannot sustain the queen on the g-file.
14 ... fS (14 ... .£lf6 1S.'li¥xd4 eS-+)
1S.'li¥h4 E!hS (or 1S ... .£lf6). 14•.. EthS?
Removing the rook from the e-file, where
it is indeed needed. Far better is 14 .. .fS
1S.hS+ (The rook capture 1S.E!xe6+ no
longer works, E!xe616 ..£lxe6'li¥xh4-+)
1S ... ~f6 (1S ... 'it'h6 enables 16..£lxe6+)
16.'li¥xd4+ .IleS (All of the alternatives
are horrible: 16 ... ~e7 17.'li¥xg7#;
16 ... .£leS 17.f4+-; 16 ... eS 17.'li¥xd6+
E!e6 1S.'li¥xe6#). After 16 ... .IleS,
Vukovi6 recommended 17.E!xeS but
Nunn improved with 17.'li¥h4! 'li¥aS (or
17 ... 'li¥c71S.f4) 1S.b4! 'li¥a4 19.E!xeS +-
since 19 ... ~xeS meets 'li¥d4#.
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
15.Etxe6+ This nice additional rook
sacrifice locked in the brilliancy
prize.15 ... 4)f6 If Black accepts the sac-
rifice with 1S .. .fxe6 White has a forced
mate with 16.'li¥d3+ when (a) 16 ... 'it'hS
17.g4+ 'it'xg4 (17 ... 'it'xh4 1S.'li¥h3#)
1S.'li¥f3+ 'it'xh419.'li¥h3#; (b) 16 ... 'it'f6
 Games
17.iH3+ ~g6 18.i,1[7+ ~h6
19AJxe6+ +-; and (c) 16 ... ~h6
17.<£Jxe6++-=. 16.h5+ <if}h617.E!xd6
~a518.4)xf7+ <if}h719.4)g5+ <if}g8
20.~b3+ 1--0
(63) Ahues - Winter
Scarborough 1930
Slav Defense [048]
1.d4 d5 2.e4 e6 3.e3 4)f6 4.4)e3 e6
5.Ad3 4)bd7 6.4)f3 dxe4 7.Axe4 b5
8.Ad3 a6 9.a4 Ab7 10.~e2 b4
1l.4)e4 e5 12.4) xe5 4) xe513.dxe5
Axe514.e4 0--015.0--0 a516.e5 4)d7
abcdefgh
White relies on the dark-square bishop
and the e5-pawn as additional assets,
and the rooks are also ready to occupy
the central files. This is an instructive
example in which ~g6 is far superior to
~g8. Winter defending correctly with
~g6 but misses a powerful shot on
move 21. After ~g6, White could have
improved with 19.h4 with a small ad-
vantage. The line with 19.Eldl is also
interesting but provides a less compel-
ling advantage. 17.Axh7+ <if}xh7
18.4)g5+ <if}g6 After ~g8, the rook re-
treat to e8 supplies White with the
usual mate in five, and Black is other-
wise unable to maneuver a bishop or
queen to the key bl-h7 diagonal.
18 ... ~g8 19.~h5 when (a) 19 ... Jle4
147
20.<£Jxe4+- with ideas like Elfdl, Jlg5,
and <£Jf6; (b )19 ... <£Jf6 (sacrificing the
knight in order to place the queen on
d3) 20.exf6 ~d3 but the advanced pawn
is ferocious: 21.fxg7 ~xg7 22.<£Jxe6+
fxe6 23.Jlh6+ +- ; and (c) 19... Ele8 with
the usual mate in five: 20.~xf7+ r,t>h8
21.~h5+ r,t>g8 22.~h7+ ~f8 23.~h8+
r,t>e7 24.~xg7#. 19.~d3+ 19.h4! is
often a good alternative when White
has a rook on hI, but it can also work
well even when the king is castled and
the opponent's Elf8 can reach h8 with
an anchor. The advance helps to an-
chor the <£Jg5, it threatens h5+, and can
enable ~g4 when .. .f5 or <£Jxe5 will meet
h5+. Black has two primary responses:
(a) 19 ... <£Jxe5! 20.~xe5 ~d4 (20 ... ~d5
21.~g3+-) 21.h5+ r,t>xh5 (21...r,t>h6
22.<£Jxe6+ +- ) 22.~h2+ r,t>g6 (22 ... ~g4
23. ~h3 #) 23.Jle3 ~g4 24.Jlxc5 ~xg5
25.Jlxf8 Elxf8 26.Elac1 ±; and (b)
19 ... Elh8 20.~c2+ f5 21.exf6 r,t>xf6
22.Elel e5 23.<£Je4+ Jlxe4 24.Jlg5+
~e6 25.~xe4 with a winning attack.
19.~g4? fails because 19 ... <£Jxe5 wins a
tempo and covers g4, 20. ~g3 ~d3, and
also supports the queen on d3, 21. ~xe5
Jld622.~b5~d5-+.19.Eldl is a rare
but attractive possibility here. 19 ... ~e7
20.~d3+. The queen now arrives with
check and a second attack upon d7.
20 .. .f5 21.exf6+ r,t>xf6 22.~xd7 Elad8
23.~xe7+ ~xe7 24.Jle3 and chances
are only even, but the maneuver cre-
ates a favorable impression. 19 •••f5
Forced, since both king retreats are
quickly mated: 19 ... r,t>h6 20.~h7#;
19 ... r,t>h5 20.~h7+ r,t>g4 21.h3#.
20. ~g3 The two main alternatives both
result in the win of an exchange, but it
is rare that an exchange will improve the
attacker's chances. After 20.<£Jxe6 ~e7
21.<£Jxf8+ Elxf8, chances are roughly
equal. After 20.exf6+ ~xf6 21.Elel
 Sacking the Citadel
.1ld5 White can win the exchange with
22.~h7+ ~f7 23.~xfB AxfB-+ or en-
ter a perpetual with 23.~g5+. 20•••"/te7
21.~dl White dare not accept the ex-
change after 21.~xe6+ ~f7 as
22.~g5+ gives Black a chance to run
with 22 ... ~e8. 2l ••• ~ad8? Winter
misses an opportunity to seize the ini-
tiative with a sacrifice on f2: 21...Axf2+!.
Regardless of how White recaptures,
Black will be able to capture the e5-pawn
and to delay or prevent the discovered
check. (a) 22:i!i'xf2 ~xe5 23.'~g3 f4
24.11.xf4 §xf4 (remarkably, the threat of
§g4 prevents most discovered checks
and Black also has the threat of~xg5)
25.~f3+ ~f5 26.~d4+ §xd4 27.§xd4
~g5 28.§f1 + ~g6~ when Black's po-
sition is active and with a small material
advantage; or (b) 22.'~xf2 ~c5+ (the
exposure of the king makes possible the
capture of the e5-pawn with check)
23.~e1 (if White tries for more with
23.~f1 Black's pieces come alive:
23 ... ~a6+ 24.~e1 f4 25.~xf4 ~gl+
26.~d2 ~d4+-+) 23 ... ~xe5+ 24.~xe5
~xe5 25.~xe6 §fc8 26.Ae3 ~g4
27.~f4+ ~h7+ when the exposure of
the white king ironically gives Black all
the attacking chances. 22.~ xe6+ +-
~h7 23.~xd8 ~xd8 24.j'tg5 j'txf2+
25.~xf2"/tc5+ 26."/te31--O
(64) Yates - Marin y L1ovet,
Hamburg 1930
French Defense [CI4]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.~c3 ~f6 4.j'tg5
J1e7 5.e5 ~e4 6.J1xe7"/txe7 7.j'td3
~ xc3 8.bxc3 c5 9."/tg4 0--0 10.~f3
c4
148
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Another Greco miniature, which suc-
ceeds with only one additional asset,
the secure e5-pawn, although the
kings ide pawns contribute to two mat-
ing nets. Had the game continued,
White had a very simple win by playing
~h5 before ~g5. I have included the
line with 12.~g5 first because the mat-
ing nets after ~g6 and especially ~h6
are enlightening. 1l.j'txh7+ 1-0 The
most accurate course is to play 'i!:i'h5
first, limiting Black's options. After
11...~xh7 12.~h5+ ~g8 13.~g5+­
Black would have to play 13 ... ~xg5 to
preventmate.12.~g5+~g813.~h5+­
transposes. After 12 ... ~h6 13.~h4+
~g614.~h7+ (White gets a mating at-
tack by sacrificing the ~g5) 14 ... ~xg5
15.f4+ ~xf4 16.~h5 +- with §f1 + to
follow. With the queen already on g4,
12 ... ~g6 steps into an immediate dis-
covery, 13.~xe6+. It's mate in four:
13 ... ~h6 14.~xg7+ ~h5 15.'~h7+
~g4 16.f3*.
(65) Alekhine - Asgeirsson
Reyigavik simul. exhibition 1931
French Defense [CI4]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.~c3 ~f6 4.j'tg5
.1l,e7 5.j'txf6 j'txf6 6.~f3 0-0
7 •.1l,d3 ~e8 8.e5 j'te7 9.h4 c5
 Games

12.~h5 j}.xg5 On 12 ... Jlf6, 13.~xf7+

8 'it'h8 14.exf6 ~xf6 15.~xe8++-.
7 13.hxg5 <ifjlf8 14.g6 Says Alekhine:
6 "Black hoped now to come easily out
5 of trouble after ... " 14.~h8+ 'it'e7
15.~xg7 E!.g816.~f6+ ~e814 •.• <ifjle7
4
14 .. .fxg6 15.~xg6+- with resources
3
like E!.h8 and 0-0-0. 15.gxf71af816.0-
2
0-0 Threatening .£lb5 now that ... ~a5
is no longer check. Incorrectly believ-
abc d e f g h ing that Alekhine had blundered by cas-
tling, Vukovic offered 16.dxc5 as an al-
An exciting game against the champion ternative which does win and may in-
of Iceland that relies on three assets, deed win more accurately as the follow-
the .£lc3, the secure e5-pawn, and the ing variations show: (a) 16... .£ld717.0-
h4-pawn. Relying perhaps on the f8 0-0 E!.xf7 (17 ... ~a5 18 ..£lxd5+! an im-
escape square, Alekhine's opponent provement over Vukovic's 18.~g5+
instead selects ~g8 and must then ex- 18 ... exd5 [18 ... 'it'd8 19.~g5++-]
change on g5, opening the h-file. The 19.~g5+ 'it'e6 [19 ... 'it'xf7 20.e6+ ~xe6
world champion provides a demonstra- 21.E!.de1 + 'it'f7 22.E!.e7+ +-] 20.~g6+
tion of how to convert a large advan- ~e7 [20 ... ~xe5 21.E!.h5+ ~f4
tage in development into a murderous 22.E!.d4#] 21.~d6+ ~xf7[21...~d8
attack. The complex lines involve won- 22.e6+- ] 22.e6+ ~e8 23.exd7+ Jlxd7
derful sacrifices on the d5-square that 24.E!.de1+ ~d8 25.~xf8++-);
are well worth a long look. 10.j}.xh7+1 18..£le4+- (18 ..£lxd5+ e xd519.e6+-);
<ifjlxh711.4)g5+ <ifjlg8 Once again, the (b) 16 ... .£lc6 17.0-0-0 ~a5 18.E!.xd5
mating nets in the ~g6 line are pleas- exd5 19 . .£lxd5+ ~e6 (19 ... ~d8
ing. 11...~g6 12.~d3+ f5 13.exf6+ 20.~g5+ 'it'd 7 21.~g4+ ~d8
~xf6 14.~f3+ 'it'g6 15.~f7+ 'it'h6 22. ~xg7 +- ) 20 . .£lf4+ +- ~e7
16.g4+- when it's mate in one with (20 ... 'it'd7 21.e6+ ~c7 22 ..£ld5+ ~b8
~h5. The ~h6line makes no sense with 23.~h2++-) 21..£lg6++-; and (c)
the rook offf8. 11...'~h6 12.~d3 (giv- 16.. Jhf717 ..£lxd5+ (more accurate than
ing Black a chance to enter a mating net Vukovic's 17.~g5+) 17 ... ~xd5
with 12 ... Jlxg5 13.hxg5+ 'it'xg5 18.~g5+ ~d719.E!.d1 +- . 16•.• a6 Very
14.~g3+ ~f5 15.E!.h5+ g5 16.~d3+ forced play highlights these sub-lines,
~g4 17.~f3#) 12 ... g6 13 ..£lxf7+ +-. making them a dream for Vukovic and
The Jlxg5 line is interesting because other annotators. 16 ... .£lc6 17.dxc5
Black's rook is off f8, creating an es- E!.xf7 18.~g5+ ~d7 19.E!.xd5+ exd5
cape for the king. 11...Jlxg5 12.hxg5+ 20.e6+ ~xe6 21.E!.e1 + 'it'd7 22.~xd5+
~g8 (obviously not 12 ... 'it'g613.~h5+ ~c7 23 ..£lb5+ ~b8 24.~xf7 +-. Here,
~f5 14.E!.h3 cxd4 15.E!.f3+ 'it'xe5 a more positional approach -16 ... cxd4
16.~h2#) 13.~h5 'it'f8 14.g6 (the key 17.E!.xd4! .£lc6 18.E!.f4 ~d7 19.~g6
move) 14 .. .'~e715.dxc5 fxg616.~xg6 ~e7 (19 ... ~c7 20.~xg7 'it'b6 21.E!.h3
E!.g8 17.E!.h3 (the attack gets more ~e7 22.g4 Jld7 23.g5 E!.ac8 24.a3 .£la5
fuel.)17 ... .£lc618.E!.f3 ~d719 ..£lxd5+-. 25.~f6+-) 20.~xg7 b6 21.g4 ~c7

149
 Sacking the Citadel

22.4Jb5+ ~d7 23.4Jd6+-. In the line

above with 16 ... cxd4, Vukovic recom-
mended only 19.fig4 vtJe7 (19 ... vtJb6
20.f4 vtJe3+ 21.~bl 4Jd4~) 20.fixg7
b6 when, according to Vukovic, Black
is fine here owing to counterplay with
4Jd4, fiacB, and vtJc5, but White is eas-
ily winning with 21.fidl 4JdB 22.vtJg4
~c6 23.vtJd4 fibB 24.vtJa4+ ~b7
25.4Jb5 ~aB 26.4Jd6 4Jxf7 27.fid3 a5
28.fif3 +-. 17.dxc5 Alekhine: "threat-
ening 4Je4." 17•• .Jdd7
8 center, White lashes out desperately
7 with the Greco Sacrifice that can count
6
5
4
3 choice but to play 4JxcB, exchanging a
2 key piece for Black's customarily bad
abc d e f g h cient forces for a meaningful attack.
18.Elxd5! +- ~a5 The rook is poison.
IB ... exd5 19.4Jxd5+ ~e6 20.4Jf4+ ~e7
21.vtJf5! placing a queen rather than a
pawn on e6 (Alekhine recommended
21.e6 4Jf6 22.vtJe5 +-) 21...fixf7
22. vtJe6+ ~f8 23.fihB #. 19. ~g5+
~xf7 20.Elh7 Elg8 21.Eld4 Avoiding
a tragic mistake, 21.fi xd7 + ~xd7
22.4Je4 i;¥el #. 21 ••. ~xc5 22.Elxd7+
-'lxd7 23.~e4 ~b4 24.~d6+ ~f8
25.~f6+ gxf6 26.Elf7# 1--0
(66) Asztalos - Spielmann
Bled 1931
French Defense [C 14]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.~c3 ~f6 4 •.Q.g5
.Q.e7 5.e5 ~fd7 6 . .Q.xe7 ~xe7
7. ~d2 0--0 8.f4c5 9.~b5 a610.~d6
cxd411.~f3 ~c612 •.Q.d3 f613.0-
Ofxe514.fxe5 ~dxe5
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Down two pawns and with a collapsing
only on the unanchored 4Jd6 as an addi-
tional asset. ~gB is safest because the
white queen cannot reach h5. With a
trapped knight on d6, White has no
bishop and leaving White with insuffi-
15..Q.xh7+? ~xh716.~g5+ ~g8! In
firm control, Black is winning after
16 ... ~g6 and even after 16 ... ~hB.
17.Elxf8+ ~xf8 18.~xc8 Elxc8
19.Elf1 ~e7 -+ 20.h4 Elf8 21.Elxf8+
~xf8 22. ~f4+ ~e8 0-1
(67) Gonzalez Rojo - Brunner
Mexico City 1932
Queen's Pawn Game [DOS]
l.d4 ~f6 2.~f3 e6 3.~bd2 d5 4.e3
c5 5.c3 ~c6 6 ..Q.d3 ~b6 7. ~e2
.Q.d6 8.0--0 0--0 9.e4 .Q.f4 10.dxc5
~xc511.e5 .Q.xd212.-'lxd2 ~d7 (D)
White initiates the sacrifice relying
upon two additional assets, the dark-
square bishop and the e5-pawn. Black
defends instead with r.t>g6, when
vtJd3+is more accurate than i;¥g4.
After15 ... i;¥g4, Black can capture the

150
 Games
abcdefgh
e5-pawn with tempo, and after 15.'~d3
f5 White need not play 16.'~g3 but has
the option of 16.exf6+ and capturing
on e6 with the lLlg5. 13.Axh7+! 'it'xh7
14.~g5+ 'it'g6 The <;!tgS line does not
lead to mate because the black queen
has vacated the dS-square. Nonethe-
less, it leads quickly to the loss of the
.§eS. 14 ... <;!tgS15.'~'h5 .§eS16.~xt7+
<;!thS 17.1.te3 or .§ael-e3, or simply
~xeS. The <;!th6 line walks into a dis-
covered check, but it's often best to
look for more. 14 ... <;!th615.~g4 aiming
at a quick mate after 14 ... lLlxe6+ 15 ... .§hS
16.lLlxe6++- .15.'~d3+ Here, 15:~'d3+
is more accurate because after 15.~g4
and 15.h4, Black gains the option of
playing lLlxe5. (a) 15.h4lLldxe5 when
the king can escape to e7; and (b)
15.~g4 f5 (15 ... lLldxe5 16.~g3 ~e7
17.lLlxe6+ <;!tf61S.lLld4+- with the idea
of 1.tg5) 16.~g3 (16.exf6lLlxf617.~g3
~e7 lS.lLlxe6+ <;!tt7 19.1LlxfS ~xfS±)
when White may have to settle for the
win of the exchange. 15...f5After ... f5,
in the ~g4 line, White would have to
retreat the queen to g3. White now gains
the interesting option of playing
16.lLlxe6. On 15 ... 'it'h5 16.~h7+ <;!tg4
17.~h3# and 15 ... <;!th6 meets
16.~h7#.16.~xe6Morethematicand
much stronger is the en passant cap-
ture followed by a rook to the e-file:
16.exf6+ 'it'xf6 17 . .§ael lLlde5
lS.~g3+- Less impressive is 16.~g3
151
~e7 17 ..§ael .§hS lS.lLlxe6+
<;!th719.lLlc7'§b8±.16... ~e717.4)f4+
Better is consolidation with 17.lLlxf8+
lLlxfS lS.f4±. 17... 'it'h7 Not 17 ... 'it't7
lS.e6+. lS.e6 White overlooks
lS.~h3+! <;!tgS 19.1Llg6 ~e6 20.~hS+
<;!tt7 21.lLlxfSlLlxfS 22.f4 ±. lS ... 4)de5
19.~h3+ 'it'gS 20.~xd5 ~xe6?!
Missing 20 ... ~d6! -+. 21.4)e7 ~d6
22.~ xaS ~xd2 23.f4 ~g4 24. ~f3
.§eS 25..§adl ~e3+ 26.~xe3 .§xe3
The tempting 26 ... lLlxe3 does not win
an exchange because of the pin on the
.§eS 27.'§del .§e4. 27 . .§fel 'it'f7
2S.~e7 .§xel+ 29 . .§xel Ad7
30.~b5 b6 31.~d6+ ~S 32.h3 ~f6
33.'it'f2 4)e7 34.e4 4)eS 35.~xeS
AxeS 36..§e3 ~e4+ 37.'it'e2 'it'e7
3S..§a3 a6 39..§b3 b5 4O.exb5 axb5
41.'it'e3 Ad7 42.'it'd4 'it'd6 43..§a3
~e5 44 . .§a7 Ae6 45 . .§f7 j},xg2
46..§xf5 ~e6+ 47.'it'e3 'it'e6 4s.h4
Ah3 49 . .§f7 'it'e5 50.'it'e4 'it'd6
51.f51-O
(68) Dus Chotimirsky - Sergeev
Moscow 1932
Torre Attack [A47]
1.d4 ~f6 2.~f3 e6 3.Ag5 e5 4.e3
b6 5.j},d3 j},b7 6.~bd2 Ae7 7.e3
~e7 S. ~e2 d5 9.0--0 0--0 10.e4 dxe4
11.~xe4 ~xe4 12.j},xe4 j},d6
13.dxe5 j},xe514..§fdl.§e815.Af4
~c8
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
 Sacking the Citadel
White has a much easier advantage
with 16.4Je5 or even 16.4Jg5 but sacri-
fices instead, relying upon the dark-
square bishop on f4 and the §dl as
additional assets. The best defense,
~g6, leads to even position with best
play and offers insight into one differ-
ence between ~d3+ and ~g4, when the
king retreats to f6. In the game, Black
fails to defend correctly with lS .. .f5 and
loses quickly. 16.-'lxh7+ ~xh7
17.Jilg5+ ~g61 Remarkably, in the ~gS
line, Black, with an extra tempo thanks
to the §eS, has no useful way to de-
fend the f7 -pawn. 17 ... ~gS 18. ~h5 4Jd7
19.~xf7+ ~hS 20.~h5+ 'it'gS. There's
no mate in five because the black queen
is off d8, but there is a mate in eight,
21.~h7+ 'it'fS 22.~hS+ ~e7 23.~xg7+.
Relying on the §dS to cover the d6 es-
cape square and to the pin the 4Jd7.
23 ... ~dS 24.4Jf7+ 'it'e7 25.Ag5+ 4Jf6
26.4Je5 #. 17 ... ~h6 permitting a double
discovered check. lS.4Jxf7+ 'it'g6
19.4Je5+ ~h7 (19 ... ~f6 20.Ag5+ ~xg5
21.~g4+ ~f6 22.~f4+ 'it'e7 23.~f7#
or 23.4Jg6#) 20.~h5+ ~gS 21.~f7+
~h7. (the rook swing delivers the final
blow) 22.§d3+-. 18.~g4 lS.~d3+
transposes to a possible game continu-
ation after lS ... f5 19.~g3 although
Black can err with lS ... ~f6 19.4Jh7+
~e7 20.Ad6+ ~dS 21.AxbS+ +-.
White's best play here is lS.h4! with
the possibility of a quick h4-h5 and, if
possible, to respond to 19.~g4 f5 with
20.h5. After 18.h4 e5, White can con-
tinue with 19 .h5+, flushing the king into
significant pressure: (a) 19 ... ~f6
20.4Jh7+ ~f5 (the alternatives are
bombed: 20 ... 'it'e7 21.~xe5+ ~e6
22.~c7++- and 20 ... ~e6 21.~xe5#)
21.~d3+ ~e6 (21...~xf4 22.~g3+ ~f5
23.~h3+ ~f4 (23 ... ~e4 24.~f3#)
152
24.g3+ 'it'f3 (24 ... 'it'e4 25.4Jg5#)
25.4Jg5+ ~e2 26.~fl#) 22.§el+-;
(b) 19 ... ~f5 20.g4+ 'it'f6 (20 ... ~xf4
21.4Jh3#) 21.4Jh7+ 'it'e7 (21...~e6
22.~xe5#) 22.~xe5+ ~e6 23.~c7+
4Jd7 24.§xd7+ ~xd7 25.§el + +-; and
(c) 19 ... ~h6 20.~d3 g6 21.4Jxf7+
~xh5 (21...'it'g7 22.~xg6+ 'it'fS
23.Ah6+ 'it'e7 24.Ag5+ 'it'fS 25.~h6+
~gS [25 ... 'it'xf7 26.~h7+ 'it'fS
27.Ah6#] 26.~hS+ 'it'xf7 27.~h7+
~fS [27 ... 'it'e6 28. ~g6 #] 2S.Ah6 #)
22.4Jxe5 §xe5 23.Axe5 ±. If Black de-
fends instead with IS ... §hS 19.~d3+
f5 20.§el §eS 21.h5+ 'it'f6 (21...~xh5
22.4Jxe6+-) 22.~g3+-. ~g4 gives
Black an additional option with ...
18... -'lxf2+ Black returns the material
but gets in return only a single check.
No better is the effort to safeguard the
king with 18. .. ~f619.4Jh7+ 'it'e7 which
leads straight into a mate in two:
20.~g5+ f6 21.'i;1xg7#. To survive,
Black needed patiently to develop with
lS .. .f5! 19.~g3 4Jd7 when, after 20.b4
there are three interesting options: (a)
20 ... AfS! When White can only win
back an exchange, 21.4Jxe6+ 'it'f7
22.4Jc7 4Jf6 23.4JxeS 'i;1xeS=; (b)
20 ... Axf2+ is better here rather than in
the game position, but White can wind
his way to an advantage with 21.'it'xf2
(not 21.~xf2 e5+=) 21...4Jf6 22.~e5
4Jg4+ 23.'it'gl 4Jxe5 24.~xe5 ~c6
25.4Jf3 §acS 26.'i;1g3+ 'it'h7 27.§ac1
e5 28.'i;1h3+ 'it'gS 29.~xf5 §fS~; and
(c) 20 ... Ae7 by contrast encourages a
series of sacrifices that net the black
queen, 21.4Jxe6+ 'it'f7 22.§xd7! ~xd7
23.~xg7+ ~xe6 24.§e1 + ~e4
25.§xe4+! fxe4 26.'i;1g4+ +-. 19.~xf2
~c5+ 20 ..§d4 ~f5 21. ~h4 Jilc6
22.g4 ~c2+ 23 ..§d2 .§li8 24.Jilh7
(With mate soon on g5) 1-0
 Games
(69) Koshnitsky - Purdy
Sydney 1932
Queen's Pawn Game [D05]
l.d4 Jilf6 2.Jilf3 d5 3.e3 c5 4.c3
Jil bd7 5.Jil bd2 t:/c7 6.Ad3 e5 7.e4
c4 8.Ac2 Ad6 9.exd5 0-0 10.dxe5
Jilxe5 1l.h3 b5 12.Jilxe5 Axe5
13.Jilf3 Ab714.0-0 Etad815.t:/e2
Etfe816.Ae3 Jilxd517.EtaelJilxe3
18.fxe3j},g3
8 l.c4 e6 2.e4 d5 3.cxd5 exd5 4.exd5
7 1f-~~lIiIIi
6 7.Jilc3 0-0 8.Jilge2 Ad6 9.0-0
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
In an open board, White can count only
upon the ~f1 as an additional asset.
Black permits White to use the open
board, notably the open f-file with ~g4
and later ~f5+. 19.Axh7+? ~xh7
20.Jilg5+ ~g6? Black succeeds in the
~g8 line because Ad5 overprotects the
f7-square and secures the king's escape
via f8 and e7. 20 ... ~g8! 21.~h5
.lld5-+ 22.~h7+ ~f8 23.~h8+ ~e7
24.~xg7 .llxel-+. In the ~g6 line,
Black would have to give up his queen
to stal\ the mate in the corner. After
20 ... ~h6, 21.<t'lxf7++- ~g6 22.~g4+
~h7 23. ~h5+ ~g8 24. ~h8 #. 21. t:/g4
On 21.~c2+? Black wins easily with ei-
ther 21...~xg5-+ or 21...~d3-+.
21 •.. Ah2+ 22.~hl t:/g3 1-0 Black
moved but resigned probably preferring
not to have to face a mate in three
moves: 22 ... ~g3 23.~f5+ ~h5
(23 ... ~h6 24.<t'lxf7#) 24.~h7+
153
(24.<t'lxf7+ ~h4 [24 ... g5 25.~h7#]
25.~h7#)24 ... ~xg5 25.~f5#. Black's
only chance to survive, if barely, was
22 ... .llxg2+! 23.~xg2 ~g3+ 24.~xg3
Axg3 25.~xg3 ~xg5 26.~xf7±when
White will soon win another pawn but
the black rooks are active.
(70) Wilke - Priwonitz
Hamburg 1933
French Defense [COO]
Jilf6 5.Ab5+ Ad7 6.Ac4 Ae7
abc d e f g h
Black initiates the sacrifice relying upon
the light-square bishop and possible
activity from ~f8-e8. Black succeeds in
the ~glline quickly, although with the
<t'le2, Black needs help from a rook
swing. White misses the win available
with ~g3. Note that, in that line, Black
cannot safely maintain the queen on g5
and g6. 9 .•• Axh2+? 10.~xh2 Jilg4+
1l.~gl White misses the win available
after ~g3: 11.~g3! h5 12.~hl h4+
(12 ... ~g5 but the queen cannot remain
on the g-file 13.f4 ~g6 14.f5 ~g5
15.<t'le4+-) 13.~xh4 <t'lxf2 14.~b3
~g5+ 15.~xf2 ~xh4+ 16.~f1 +-. And
not 11 ... ~g5? when Black cannot safely
maintain the queen on g5 and g6. 12.f4
~g613.f5 ~g514.<t'le4+-. 1l ••• t:/h4
 Sacking the Citadel

12.§.e1 ~xf2+! The king's ability to dark-square bishop, White aims to play
escape to d3 makes 12 ... ~h2+ much ~g4-h4. Here, White is a full tempo
less accurate, 13.'~f1 ~h1 + 14 ..:£lgl ahead in that line: 13 ... ~h6 14.~h4+
.:£lh2+ 15.~e2 ~xg2 16.~d3+. (or 14.f4 .:£lxe515.~h3+ ~g616.~h7+
13.Cit>h1 §.eS! With the idea of .§.e5- ~f617.fxe5+ transposing to the follow-
h5. 14.d4 §.e3! 15.-'l.d2 Capturing on ing line) 14 ... ~g615.f4 .:£lxe516.~h7+
e3 with 15.Axe3 simply brings the ~f6 17.fxe5+ when Black has (a)
knight to e3 where it hits the queen and 17 ... ~e7 18.~xg7 +- with the idea of
threatens mate on g2.15 ... .:£lxe3 16..:£lf4 .:£lh7; (b) 17 ... ~xe5 18.~xg7+ ~d6
(16 ..§.gl ~h4#) 16 ....:£lxd1-+. Defend- 19 ..:£lxt7 + +- with a significant material
ing with 15 ..:£lgl ~h4+ 16..:£lh3 simply advantage; and (c) 17 ... ~xg5 once
encourages an easy rook sacrifice with again, taking the knight is fraught with
16 ... .§.xh3+ 17.gxh3 ~xh3+-+. danger as White can bring a rook into
15••• §.h3+ 16.gxh3 ~h2# 0-1 the fight. 18.~xg7+ when all continua-
tions win quickly for White: (1) 18...~h4
19.~h6+ ~g4 20.h3+ ~g3 (20 ... ~f5
(71) Razinger - Harum
21..§.f1 + ~xe5 22.~f4#) 21.~f1 +-;
Ebensee 1933
(2) 18 ... ~f4 19.~g3+ ~f5 20 ..§.f1 +
French Defense [Cll]
Af2+ 21..§.xf2#; (3) 18. .. ~f519.'§'f1+
Af2+ 20 ..§.xf2#; and (4) 18... ~h519.h4
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3 . .£lc3 .£lf6 4.e5
f5 20.g4+ fxg4 21.~h7#. With the
.£lfd7 5.-'l.e3 c5 6. ~g4 cxd4 7.-'l.xd4
queen already on g4, 13 ... ~g6? invites
.£lc6 S . .£lf3 .£lxd4 9.~xd4 -'l.c5 14 ..:£lxe6+ +-. 14.~h5 §.eS Only
10.~g4 0-0 1l.-'l.d3 a6 Axf2+ and ~xg5 delay the end.
15.~xf7+ Cit>hS 16.~h5+ Cit>gS
8 17.~h7+ Cit>fS1S.~hS+ 1--0 It's mate
7 after 18 ... ~e719.~xg7#.
6
5 (72) Alekhine - Schuman
4 Washington DC simul. exhibition 1933
3 French Defense [C 10]
2
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3 . .£lc3 .£lf6 4.-'l.g5
-'l.e7 5.-'l.xf6 -'l.xf6 6 ..£lf3 .£lc6 7.e5
abcdefgh -'l.e7 S.-'l.d3 0-0 9.h4 f6
White can rely upon two additional as-
sets, the .:£lc3 and the e5-pawn, but the
real story here is that with the queen on
g4, White ought to have followed the
sacrifice with 13.~h5 eliminating even
the possibility of the ~h6 and ~g6
lines. 12.-'l.xh7+! Cit>xh7 13. .£lg5+
13.~h5+! eliminates responses other
than ... ~g8.13 ••. Cit>gS Normally, in the
~h6 line, when White does not have a abc d e f g h

154
 Games
For the second time in this chapter (see
game 54), Alekhine sacrifices with a
black pawn -on f6. In an exhibition of
this kind, without the time for intense
calculation, the sacrifice was almost
certainly based on intuition and confi-
dence in his ability in such complex,
tactical positions. To be sure, he
outplays his opponent, but despite the
presence of three additional assets, the
e5-pawn, the 4Jc3, and the h4-pawn,
the analysis shows that every main
variation contained a path for Black to
gain the advantage. Black himself has a
counter-attack on the e5-pawn and the
open f-file on which to rely. Note, in
particular, that Black could simply have
taken the 4Jg5 and then used the open
f-file after '<TtgB to play l".lf5-+.
10..11,xh7+ IiIlxh7 11.~g5+ IiIlg8
White has three options in the 11... '<Ttg6
line: (a) White can capture the f-pawn
and then maneuver the queen to g3
where it will threaten the discovery and
have access to c7, but after 12.exf6 gxf6
13.~d3+ f5 14.~g3 (14.h5+ ~h6-+)
14 ... .llxg515.hxg5 ~xg516.~xc7l".lf7
17.~h2 f4+ Black survives the attack
quite readily; (b) After 12.~d3+ f5
Black is threatening to capture on g5,
and 13.l".lh3 is insufficient because af-
ter 13 ....llxg514.hxg5 Black can safely
play l".lhB+; and (c) And there's noth-
ing in 12.h5+ because, without a dark-
square bishop, there's no way for White
to exploit 12 ... '<Tth6 (12 ... 'it'xg5
13.~d2++-) 13.exf6 gxf6-+. Black
also has the option of capturing on g5,
although White gains in compensation
an open h-file for the rook and queen.
11...fxg512.hxg5+ 'it'gB (not 12 ... ~g6?
13.~h5+ '<Ttf5 14.g4+ ~f4 15.~h2+
~xg5 16.f4+ ~xg4 [16 ... l".lxf4
17.~h5#1 17.~h3+ ~xf4 IB.4Je2+
~g5 [IB ... ~e4 19.~d3# 1 19.~h5#)
155
13.g6 with the threat of l".lhB (playing
13.'l;l'h5 first doesn't help: 13 ... l".lf5
14.'l;l'hB+ ~f7 15.'l;l'h5+ g6 16.'l;l'h7+
~eB 17.'l;l'xg6+ ~d7 IB.4Jxd5
l".lxg5-+ ) and once again, Black can use
the open f-file to defend with 13 ... l".lf5
14.g4 l".lf4-+. 12.exf6 The obvious
12.'l;l'h5? fails to fxg5 13.hxg5 l".lf5-+
when the g-pawn will fall and White's
attack peters out. 12... §.xf6 13.~h5
§.h614.~+ IiIlh815.0-0-0 .11,xg5+
White will not be able to break through
or recover his material after 15 .. .M6! -+ .
16.hxg5 ~xg5+ 17.f4 ~e7 Black is
better after the more aggressive is
17 ... 'l;l'f5+.18.~g6 §.xhI19.§.xhl+
IiIlg8 20.~b5 §.b8 21.~xc7 .11,d7
Avoiding 21...'l;l'xc7 22.'l;l'eB#. 22.f5
There's nothing more than a perpetual
check for White after 22.'l;l'h7+ 'it'fB
23.~hB+ 'it'f7 24.'l;l'h5+ 'it'fB 25.~hB+=.
22 ... §.c8? A careless mistake. Black is
better and probably winning after
22 ... ~f6 23.'l;l'h7+ '<Ttf7 24.'l;l'h5+ 'it'f8
25.fxe6 .llxe6 26.4Jxe6+ 'l;l'xe6
27.'l;l'hB+ 'it'f7 28.l".lfl + 'it'g6+. 23.fxe6
.11,xe6 24.~ xe6 Slightly more efficient
is 24.'l;l'h7+! ~f7 25.l".lfl + 'l;l'f6
26.l".lxf6+ +-. 24... ~f6 25. ~xf6 gxf6
26.c3 a5 27.liIld2 b5 28.~f4 §.d8
29.§.h5 ~e7 30.g4 1iIlf7 31.§.h7+
liIle8 32.~e6 §.d7 33.§.h8+ 1iIlf7
34.~c5 §.d6 35.§.b8 b4 36.cxb4
axb4 37.§.xb4 ~c6 38.§.b6 ~a5
39.§'xd6 ~c4+ 40.IiIld3 ~ xd6 41.a4
1iIle8 42.b4 IiIldS 43.b5 IiIlc7 44.IiIlc3
~e4+ 45.~xe4 dxe446.liIld21~
(73) Norcia - Fine
Folkestone 1933
French Defense [CI4]
Reuben Fine (1914-1993) was one of the
strongest grandmasters during the
1930s and 1940s. He won the U.S. Open
 Sacking the Citadel

Championship all seven times he already on the third rank, the 'i!th6 line
played, won five medals representing walks into a mate in two: 19 ... 'i!th6
the United States in the Olympiads, and 20.'li{h3+ ~g6 21.'li{h7#. 19 ... 'i!tg6
wrote several books on chess, notably 20.'li{g3 when Black gives up only an
the classic Basic Chess Endings. In exchange after 20 ... f6 21.4Jxe6+ 'i!th7
1938, Fine tied for first place with Paul (21...~f7? 22.'li{xg7+ 'i!txe6 23.f5+
Keres in one of the strongest touma- ~xe5 24.fiael++-) 22.4Jxf8+ fixf8~.
mentseverheld, theAVROtoumamentin 20.~d3+ (eliminating even the possi-
the Netherlands. Invited to compete for bility of .. .f6) 20 .. .f5 21.'li{g3 but even
the world chess championship after the here, Black's counter-attack on the e5-
death ofAlekhine, Fine declined his invi- pawn is effective. 21...4Jxe5 22.4Jxe6+
tation to pursue a career in psychology. 4Jg4 23.4Jxf8+ (White wins back an ex-
change, but nothing more) 23 ... fixf8
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3 . .£)c3 .£)f6 4.-'lg5 24.h3 (hoping to win the knight, but...)
-'l.e7 5.e5 .£)fd7 6.-'l.xe7 ~xe7 24 ... 'li{e3+ 25.~xe3 4Jxe3-+. 20.~h3
7.~d2 0-0 S.f4 c5 9.dxc5 .£)c6 Arriving on the h-file on h3 where the
10.,£)0 a611 ..£)a4 .£)xc512..£)xc5 queen does not exert pressure upon f7.
~xc513.-'ld3 -'ld714.~f2 ~b4+ 20 ..• ~c5+ A key check that vacates
15.~d2 ~xb216.0--0 ~a317.~e3 the e7 escape-square. 21.li!Ihl E!fcS
~e7 22. ~h5 White cannot break through
with 22.~h7+ 'i!tf8 23.'li{h8+ 'i!te7
8 24.~xg7 fif8 25.'li{f6 'i!te8+. 22 ••• .£)dS
7 White's loss of time permits Black to
6 cover the f7-square. 23.~h7+ Ii!IfS
5 24.~hS+ li!Ie725.~xg7 -'lb5 26.c4
-'l.xc4 27.E!ac1li!1d7 Black is also win-
4
ning after 27 ... .llxfl 28.fixc5 fixc5-+
3
or simply 27 ... 'li{e3 -+. 2S.f5 ~e7
2
29.f6 ~e8 30.E!fel-'ld3 31.h4-'lg6
32.g4 E!xc1 33.E!xcl E!cS 34.E!el
abc d e f g h E!c4 35.E!gl .£)c6 36.h5 -'l.e4+
37.li!Ih2 .£)xe5 3S.li!Ih3 -'l.f3
White can rely upon two additional as- 39•.£)xO .£)xO 40.E!g3 .£)e5 41.g5
sets, the e5-pawn and the fif1, but Fine Ii!Ic7 42.g6 ~a4 43.gxf7 E!h4+
defends precisely, selecting the ~g8 44.li!Ig2 ~xa2+ 45.li!Igl ~h2+
line because the white queen can at- 46.li!Ifl E!f4+ 0-1
tack h7 only from d3 or h3 where it ex-
erts no influence over f7. As a result, (74) Spielmann - Rubinstein,S
Black can essentially make two moves, Vienna 1933
a rook move to vacate f8 for his king Queen's Gambit Declined [D55]
and 4Jd8 to defend f7. And Black can
gain time with 'li{c5+ in order to vacate l.d4.£)f62c4e63..£)c3d54..£)f3-'l.e7
the e7 escape square. IS.-'lxh7+ 5.-'l.g5 0-0 6.e3 b6 7.-'l.d3 -'l.b78.-'l.xf6
Ii!Ixh719..£)g5+ Ii!IgSI With the queen -'l.xf69.cxd5exd510.h4c5

156
 Games
8 h4 or e4 blowing up the center. Best
7 appears to be 14 ... 'it'g7 when 1S.4Je6
6 fxe6 16.'iil'xg6+ 'it'h8 17.'iil'h6+ 'it'g8
5 18.'iil'g7 .llg7 19.h6 'iil'f6 and 1S.hxg6
4
3
2
abcdefgh
White initiates the sacrifice here rely-
ing upon the 4Jc3 and the h-pawn as
additional assets. The sacrifice is com-
plex because Black has 'it'h6, which
saves a key tempo over the 'it'g6 'iil'd3+
line. Without a dark-square bishop, and
with the pawn on h4, White cannot play
'iil'g4-h4 and must therefore settle for
'iil'd3 with the idea of'iil'h7. The defense
is extremely difficult, and Rubenstein
nearly rises to the task. 1l.j'txh7+!?
Iit'xh712J~)g5+ Iit'h6! The 'it'g8lines
loses because the black .llb7 is
unanchored. 12 ... 'it'g8 13.'iil'hS §e8
(13 ... .llxgS14.hxgS fS1S.g6) 14.'iil'xf7+
'it'h8 1S.'iil'xb7+-. 'it'g6loses because
the .llf6 prevents Black from defending
with fS. 12 ... 'it'g6 13.'iil'd3+ 'it'hS
(13 ... 'it'h6 14.'iil'h7#) 14.g4+ 'it'xg4
(14 ... 'it'h6 1S.'iil'h7#) 1S.§g1+ 'it'hS
(1S ... 'it'xh416.'iil'h7#) 16.'iil'h7# . .llxgS
also leads to quick mating nets.
12 ... .llxgS 13.hxgS+ 'it'g8 (13 ... 'it'g6
14.'iil'hS+ 'it'fS 1S.'iil'h3+ 'it'xgS
[1S ... 'it'g6 16.'iil'h7+ 'it'xgS 17.§hS+
'it'f6 18.§eS+-] 16.'iil'hS+ 'it'f6
17.'iil'eS+ 'it'g6 18.4Je2+-) 14.'iil'hS fS
1S.g6+-. 13.~d3 g6 14.h5 j'txg5
The key position. Capturing with king,
despite the computer's optimism, is al-
most certainly unsound but is an excel-
lent practical move.14 ... 'it'xgS!? 1S.hxg6
157
.llg716.§h7 when to prevail, White will
need to 0-0-0 and then play either §dh1-
§h8 16.§h7+ §xh7 17.4Jxh7 fxg6
18.4Jxf6 'iil'xf6 -+ do not provide White
with an advantage. 15.hxg6+ Iit'g7
16.gh7+ Iit'f6 Avoiding 16 ... 'it'g8?
17.gxf7+ §xf718.'iil'g6+ 'it'f819.'iil'xf7#.
17.0--0--0 Even after an awkward move
order with 17.f4 'it'e6 18.gxf7 .llf6 +
White has chances by pushing the
kingside pawns. 17...c4 With the aim
of sealing the queenside as a new home
for the king. 18. ~e2 White must
counter with e4 in the center. 18.•• lit'e7
19.f4 Af6 20.e4 dxe4 21.4) xe4lit'd7
22.d5 4)a6 Playing 22 ... bS opens c5
for the knight. 23.g7 gg8 24.gh6
Axg7 25.gd6+ Iit'c7 26. ~xc4+ Iit'bS
27.gxdS+ gxdS 28.lit'bl4)c7 29.d6
With superior development and central
control, and with the §a8 out of play,
White is winning. 29 ... 4)e6 30.f5
j'txe4+ 31.~xe4 4)c5 32.~c6 gc8
33.~d5 gdS 34.~xf7 gd7 35.~g8+
Iit'b7 36. ~d5+ Iit'b8 37. ~c6 a5
38.~xb6+ 4)b7 39.~c6 gd8
4O.~c7+ lit'a71--O
(75) Ninic - Mihajlovic
Belgrade 1933
Slav Defense [D30]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.e3 e6 4.4)f3 4)f6
5.a3 Ad6 6.4)c3 0-0 7.c5 Ac7
8.Ad3 4)bd7 9.0-0 e510.dxe5 4)xe5
1l.4)xe5 Axe512.Ad2 (D)
Black relies here upon the light-square
bishop and the possibility of §e8 as
additional assets. The defender cor-
rectly plays 'it'g3 which should have

8 Prague 1935
7 Bird's Opening [A03]
6
5 1.f4 d5 2.e3 g6 3..£lf3 .1lg7 4 ..£lc3 c5
4
3 W"""'~ ... ... "-c....J."..~"'-...~
2
abc d e
defended successfully in large part be-
cause after ~g5 f4, the queen cannot
safely sustain the attack from g6.
12.••Axh2+ 13.~xh2 .£lg4+ 14.~g3
The <;!tgl line fails to the usual mate in
five. 14.c;t>gl ~h4 15.§el ~xf2+
16.<;!thl ~h4+ 17.c;t>gl ~h2+ 18.<;!tfl
~h1 + 19.<;!te2 ~xg2 "" 14 ... h5
14 ... ~g5 15.f4+- because the queen
cannot retreat to g6. 15.Ethl! +- d4
16.exd4 ~xd4 17.Ae3 ~e5+
18.Af4 ~xc519.~c2? Black's attack-
ing chances end after either
19A:Je4+-or 19.~d2+-. 19 ... g5
20.Ae3 ~d6+ 21.~f3 Ete8 22.g3?
Much better is 22.4Je4±. 22 ... ~f6+
Missing a sweet finale with 22 ... §xe3+!
23.fxe3 ~f6+ 24.<;!te2 ~f2+ 25.<;!td1
4Jxe3+ -+. 23. ~g2 Et xe3 24.Ae4
~e5 25.Etxh5 Best is 25.M3 when, to
maintain an edge, Black would have to
try 25 ... h4. 25 ... Etxg3+! 26.~f1 Not
26.fxg3 4Je3+ -+. 26 ... .£lf6 Better is
26 ... ~f4 with the threat of ... 4Je3+.
27.Eth1 Ah3+ 28.~e2 Ag4+ The
quickest end is 28 ... §xc3 29.bxc3 .llf5
30.f4 ~e6-+. 29.~d2 ~f4+ 30.~e1
Etxc3! 31.Ah7+ ~g7 32. ~xc3 Ete8+
33.~1 Ae2+ 34.~g1 ~g4+ 35.~g3
.£lxh7 36.~xg4 Axg4 37.~h2 Ete2
38.~g3 Ae6 39.h4 .£lf6 4O.f3 ~g6
41.f4 .£lh5+ 42.~f3 .£lxf443.Ethg1
-'\.d5+ 44. ~g4 Ete3 0-1
Sacking the Citadel
(76) Skalicka - Koska
5.Ae2 .£lc6 6.0-0 .£lh6 7.-'\.b5 0-0
8.d3 d4 9 . .£le4 dxe3 10.c3 ~b6
1l.Aa4 c412.d4 e5 13.fxe5 .£lxe5
14..£lxe5 Axe515.-'\.xe3
f g h
abcdefgh
The sacrifice relies here upon one addi-
tional asset, the light-square bishop,
although the black knight arrives on g4
ready to capture the unanchored .lle3.
This is the first recorded game in which
the defending side sacrifices the queen
to capture the 4Jg4 (or 4Jg5). The idea
works because, for the queen, White
obtains three minor pieces and a threat
that permits him to consolidate his po-
sition fully. 15 ... Axh2+ 16.~xh2
.£lg4+ 17.~xg4 King moves lose
quickly to the 4Jxe3 fork. 17... Axg4
18..£lf6+ ~g719..£lxg4 Following the
queen sacrifice, White emerges with
three minor pieces and excellent activ-
ity for the queen. 19 ... Etfd8 A bit am-
bitious is 19 ... ~xb2 20 ..llh6+ c;t>h8
21.Af4 (better here to hold on to the
active bishop) 2l...h5 22 ..lle5+ c;t>h7
23.4Jf6+ c;t>h6 24.d5 §ad8 25.d6= .
20.Ah6+ ~g8 21 . .£le5 f6 21...§d5
demonstrates that rooks are poor block-
aders 22.§ae1 f6 23.4Jxc4 ~c7+
158
 Games
24 ..£JeS fxeS 2S ..llb3 with a winning
skewer 25 ... e4+ 26.~gl +-. 22. .£\xc4
'It:Jc7+ 23.Af4 'It:Jg7 Obviously not
23 ... ~xc4 24 ..llb3. 24.-'\.b3 ~hS
25..£\d6 +- §d7 26.§ael g5 27.-'\.g3
§fS 28. ~gl 'It:Jg6 29.-'\.e6 §e7 30.d5
h5 31..£\f5 §ee8 32.Ad6 h433.Ac5
g4 34.AxfS §xfS 35. .£\xh4 'It:Jg5
36..£\f5 'It:Jd2 37.§e4 §eS 3S.§xg4
~h7 39.§f3 'It:Jel+ 40.~h2 'It:Je5+
41.§fg31-O
(77) Lasker, Em. - Troxler
Luzem simul. exhibition 1935
French Defense [C II]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3 . .£\c3 .£\f6 4.e5
.£\fd7 5..£\f3 Ae7 6.-'\.e3 0-07.Ad3
b6S.h4f6
8 c5 5 ..£\bd2 .£\c6 6.c3 e6 7.a3 'It:Jc7
7 S.e4 cxd4 9.cxd4 -'\.e7 10.0-0 0-0
6 11.b4 §ac812.Ab2 d613.§c1 'It:Jb8
5 14.'lt:Je2 §feS 15..£\b3 AfS 16.e5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
This time, it's Lasker's tum to try the
sacrifice with a black pawn on f6, and
here, the sac is fully sound thanks in
no small part to the fact that White can
rely on four additional assets, the .£Jc3,
the secure eS-pawn, the dark-square
bishop, and the h-pawn. Black's ad-
vance of the f-pawn leaves e6 weak,
and so, Black has no choice but to cap-
ture the knight. The lines are beautiful,
marred only by Lasker's unfortunate
miss of a mate in six. 9.Axh7+! ~xh7
10..£\g5+ fxg5 The retreat to 10 ... 'it'g8
invites 11..£Jxe6 ~e8 12 ..£Jxc7 +- ; the
159
'it'g6line invites a mate in two: 10 ... ~g6
11.hS+ ~fS (11... 'it'h6 12 ..£Jxe6+ +- )
12.g4#. 11.hxg5+ ~gS 'it'g6 again
walks into a mate in two: 11...~g6
12.~hS+ ~fS 13.g4#. 12.'lt:Jh5 It's
mate in six with 12.§h8+! 'it'xh8
(12 ... 'it't7 13.~hS+ g6 14.~h7+ 'it'e8
lS.~xg6#) 13:~hS+ ~g8 14.g6+-.
12 ... §f5 13.f4 .£\fS 14.g4 g6
14 ... §xf4! lS.Axf4 g6 16.~h8+ 'it't7
17.0-0-0 .lla6 when an easy win is no-
where to be found. 15. 'It:JhS+ ~f7
16.gxf5 exf5 17.0-0-0 a5 IS.§h6
~e619.'lt:JgS+ ~d7 20.'lt:Jxd5+ 1-0
(78) Koltanowski - Reilly
Barcelona 1935
Queen's Pawn Game [A47]
l.d4 .£\f6 2..£\f3 b6 3.e3 Ab7 4.Ad3
.£\d5
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
White can rely here upon three addi-
tional assets, the eS-pawn, the dark-
square bishop, and the §c1, although
the .llb2 is offthe key diagonal and the
§c1 does not have a quick entry into
the position. Black correctly selects the
~g6 line, where the correct attack be-
ginning with ~e4 is complex and in-
 Sacking the Citadel
structive. ~e4+ eliminates the possi-
bility of .. .f6 and still provides direct
access to ~h4. White selects ~g4,
when f6 is playable because the dis-
covered check nets insufficient com-
pensation. 17.Axh7+! <jfjlxh7
18.4)g5+ <jfjlg6 The <it'g8 retreat loses
quickly because, with the .ll.f8, Black
has no effective way to vacate the f8-
square. 18 ... <it'g8 19.~h5 ~f6 20.exf6
.ll.e7 21.~h7+ <it'f8 22.~h8#. Although
White's dark-square bishop is off the
c1-h6 diagonal, White has the ~g4-h4
maneuver and available reinforcements
in the <it'h61ine. 18 ... <it'h6 19. ~g4 dxe5
20.dxe5 l'!c7 (20 ... l'!e7 21.~h4+ <it'g6
22.~h7+ 'it'xg5 23.h4+ <it'f4 24.l'!c4+
~d4 25.~xd4 <it'xe5 26.~b5+ ~c3
27 ..ll.xc3+ <it'd5 28.~e4#) 21.~h4+
'it'g6 22.~h7+ <it'xg5 23.l'!c3 ~xc3
24.f4+ 'it'g4 25.~h3#. 19.~g4
19.~g4 is less accurate because Black
can play 19 .. .f6. The usual alternative
19.~d3+!? forces f5 when White may
be pleased to have eliminated 19 .. .f6
from consideration, but White must
now play 20.~g3 Ae7 21.~xe6+ <it'f7
22.~xg7+ <it'xe6 23.~g6+ 'it'd7
24. ~xf5+ <it'd8 +. The best move for
White is 19.~e4+ because White elimi-
nates 19 .. .f6 and can move now directly
to h4, a key square because the black
rook would not have an anchor on h8.
19 .. .f5 20.~h4 dxe5 with the typical
counter in the center, 21.dxe5 ~xe5
22.l'!xc8 l'!xc8 23.l'!e1 when White
places pressure on the e-file aiming for
e6. 23 ... .ll.d6 24.~xe6! (not yet 24.~h7+
<it'xg5 when White can muster no more
than a perpetual with 25.~xg7+ <it'h5
26.~h7+) 24 ... <it'f7 25.~g5+! <it'g6 and
only now 26.~h7+ <it'xg5 (26 ... <it'f6
27.~d4+-) 27.~xg7+ <it'h5 (27 ... ~g6
28.h4+ <it'h5 29.~h7+ 'it'g4 30.f3+ <it'g3
31.~xg6+ <it'xh4 32.~h6+ 'it'g3
160
33.~h2 #) 28.~h7+ 'it'g5 29.~d4 <it'f6
30.f4 ~xf4 31.~xf5+ and this is the rea-
son. White eliminated the e6-pawn on
move 24. 31...<it'e7 32.~xf4+-. 19...f5
Black should have tried 19 .. .f6! forcing
an immediate 20.~xe6+ (20.~e4+
'it'f7+) 20 ... <it'f7+. 20.~h4 4)f6
20 ... dxe5 21.dxe5 ~xe5 22.l'!xc8 as
above in the 19.~e4+ line. 21.exf6
<jfjlxf6 22.Elxc6 The most direct path
to the win is with 22.d5+ since 22 ... e5
23.~e6+ 'it'g8 24.~g5 is mate in two.
22 ... Axc6 23.d5+ e5 24.dxc6 Elxc6
25.f4 g6 26.4)d4 exd4 27. ~h7 Ag7
28..1l,xd4+ Ele5 29.4)£31-0
(79) Capablanca - Ribera Arnal
Barcelona simul. exhibition 1935
Caro-Kann Defense [B 17]
l.e4 c6 2.4)c3 d5 3.4)f3 dxe4
4.4) xe4 4)d7 5.d4 4)gf6 6.4)g3 e6
7 ..1l,d3 Ae7 8.0-0 0-0 9.~e2 c5
10.Eldl ~c711.Ag5 b612.d5 4) xd5
13..1l,xe74)xe7
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
White has two additional assets in the
position, the l'!d1 and the ~g3. In the
<it'g8 line, Capablanca sacrifices an ad-
ditional exchange in order to prevent
Black from defending with ~f6. The
world champion misses his way on
move 19, but two moves later capital-
izes on a more significant Black mistake
 Games
to deliver a spectacular checkmate.
14.j}"xh7+ Ciftxh715..£'jg5+ Ciftg8 The
4::lg3 simplifies the ~h6 and ~g6Iines,
which lead to quick mates even without
a dark-square bishop: 15 ... ~h6
16.~h5; 15 ... ~g6 16.~h5+ ~f6
17.4::l5e4# or 17.4::lh7#. 16.Elxd7The
exchange sacrifice is required to prevent
16.~h5 4::lf6-+. 16....~xd717 ..~h5
Eld8 Correctly avoiding 17 ... E!e8
18.~xf7+ ~h8 19.4::lh5 4::ld5 20.~g6
'it'g8 21.c4+-. 18"~xf7+ The f7-pawn
is the right one to take. On 18.~h7+
~f8 19.~h8+ 4::lg8 20.4::lh7+ ~e7
White does not have a dark-square
bishop for ~g5+and therefore would
need to lash out with 21.4::lf5+ exf5
22.E!el+ ~e6-+. 18 .•• Cifth8 19.h4
Creating tuft powerfully, with the idea
of both h4-h5 and 4::lh5. Among the al-
ternatives: (a) The tuft is required prior
to 19.4::lh5 ~dl +; (b) Barging in with
19.~h5+ leads only to a perpetual:
19 ... 'it'g8 20.~h7+ ~f8 21.~h8+ 4::lg8
22.4::lh7+ ~f7 23.4::lg5+=; and (c) The
best may be 19.E!el! ~e8 20.4::lh5 ~xf7
21.4::lxf7+ ~g8 22.4::lxd8+- . 19.•. .£'jf5?
(better is 19 ... ~e8! 20.4::l3e4 with the
ideaof4::ld6 or4::lf6) 20 ... ~xf7 21.4::lxf7+
'it'g8 22.4::lxd8±. 20. .£'jh5 White wins
unambiguously with 20.~g6! ~g8
21.4::lxf5 exf5 22.E!el 'it'f8 when the h-
pawn demolishes the remains of the
kingside: 23.h5 .llb7 24.h6 gxh6
(24 ... .lle4 25.h7) 25.'i~1xh6+ ~g8
26.E!e6+-. 20 ....~e8? Underestimat-
ing the simplification with 20 ... ~xf7!
21.4::lxf7+ ~g8 22.4::lxd8 .lld7 -+ when
White must struggle to save the knight:
23.4::lb7 ~c6 24.g4 4::lxh4 25.4::ld6 4::lf3+
and 26 ... E!d8 with the advantage.
21 ..£'jf611--O Setting up a lovely smoth-
ered mate by the two knights. 21.4::lf6
~xf7 22.4::lxf7#.
161
The Greco Sacrifice: 1936-1959
As we approach the modem era, the
Greco Sacrifices become qualitatively
stronger. Once again, many of the
period's best players, notably Euwe,
Furman, Geller, Kotov, Kottnauer,
Olafsson, Pachman, Panov, Pirc,
Rossetto, Spassky, and Uhlmann con-
tribute to the collection. Overall, there
appears to be a better understanding of
when to sacrifice, how best to prepare
it, and how to conduct the attack and
the defense.
In my view, five of the games in this
section stand above the rest. Vukovic
uses Kottnauer-Kotov (game 93) as an
example ofa successful Greco Sacrifice.
The game is tactically rich and an ex-
ample of chess in the modem era. Just a
year after the game, Kottnauer is again
tested in the line, this time by Pachman
(game 95) who has had an opportunity
to study the first game and attempt an
improvement. It is interesting that all of
the players, and Vukovic himself, draw
the wrong conclusion about the line,
but the games remain extremely inter-
esting. Black can indeed defend, as
Vukovic ought to have predicted given
the white position's lack of adequate
resources.
Furman-Geller (game 120) is an exciting
encounter in which White prepares the
Greco Sacrifice with an additional ex-
change sacrifice and Black, also a
strong tactician, defends accurately by
returning a piece to place the queen on
the key bl-h7 diagonal. In a sign of
modem times, the sacrifice leads to a
slightly favorable endgame for White.
 Sacking the Citadel

I highly recommend Schuste-Niephaus
(game 121) which involves a remarkable
pawn sacrifice to open the b1-h7 diago-
nal for the white bishop. Finally, there
is a young Boris Spassky (game 125)
defending with such precision that ob-
servers might well have predicted his
glorious future.
(80) Verbruggen - Simon
Correspondence 1936
Queen's Pawn Game [D05]
l.d4 /ilf6 2./ilf3 e6 3.e3 c5 4.c3 /ilc6
5.Ad3 d5 6./ilbd2 c4 7.Ac2 b5 S.O-
o Ab7 9.Etel Ad6 10.e4 dxe4
1l./ilxe4/ilxe412.Axe40-0
8 with 18.gxf5+ 'it'f619.~g2 4Ja5 20.~g4
7 ~g8 21.dxe5+ ~xe5 22 ..§xe5 'it'xe5
ing ~g4. Black's two main tries both
appear to fail: (a) 15 ... ~d7 16.~g4 f5
when White can interpolate 17.h5+ 'it'f6
18.4Jh7+ 'it'f7 19.~g6+ 'it'g8
20.4Jg5+-; and (b) 15 ... e5 16.~g4 f5
(once again, White benefits from hav-
ing prepared rather than played ~g4)
17.h5+ <i1tf6 (17 ... 'it'h6 18.4Je6+ g5
19.hxg6+ f4 20.4Jxd8+-) 18.~h4 .§e8
19.~f4 exf4 (19 ... ~c7 20 ..§ad1 .§ad8
21.d5 +-) 20.4Je6+ +-. Playing ~g4
walks into a challenge because Black's
dark-square bishop controls g3 and
Black can counter pressure on the h-
file with an anchored §.h8. 15.~g4 f5
16.~h3 e5 17.g4 <i1tf6 with high hopes
to survive. Black could also try 17 ... §.h8
but White appears to have great play

6 23.~f4+ 'it'f6 (23 ... 'it'd5 24.~d1 + 'it'c5

5 25.~d6#) 24.4Je4+ 1.txe4 25.~g6+

4
3
2
abc d e f g h 'it'g417.f3#. 16./ilxe6 Black is fine af-
Although White does not have a pawn
on e5, the attack prevails owing to help
from the ~c1 and the .§el. In a corre-
spondence game where precise play is
expected, White misses a more accu-
rate continuation with 15.h4, anchor-
ing the 4Jg5 but also, in conjunction
with ~g4, threatening the powerful h5+
when the 'it'f6 retreat meets ~h4. De-
fending with .. .f5 weakens the e6-pawn
with the 4Jg5 supporting .§e1-e6( +).
13.Axh7+?! ~xh7 14./ilg5+ ~g6
14 ... <i1tg815.~h5+- when, once again,
it's mate in five with 16.~xf7 after .§e8.
15. ~c2+ The best move appears to be
15.h4! with the idea ofh5+ and prepar-
<i1te7 26.~d6+ 'it'e8 (26 ... 'it'f7 27.~e6+
<i1tfS 28.~d6#) 27 ..§e1 +-. 15 ...f5 Or
15 ... <i1tf6, offering an exchange and with
the idea of <i1te7 or g6 and
'it'g7;.Unplayable is 15 ... 'it'h516.~h7+
ter 16 ..§xe6+ .§f6. 16 ... ~h4 Or
16 ... .§e8 17.d5 ~d7 to escape the fork.
17./ilxfS+ EtxfSlS.h3 /ildS Better is
18 ... .§f6 to take command over the sixth
rank. 19.Ae3 Ae4 20.~dl f4-+
21.f3 Af5 Simplest is 21...fxe3 22.fxe4
~g3 23 ..§f1 ~f2+ 24.'it'h1 ~xe4-+.
22.Af2 ~h5 23.~f1 Ad3+ 24.~gl
~f6 25.a4 /ile6 26.axb5 EthS
27.Eta6 ~d5 2S.~d2 ~f5 29.Etxa7
/ilg5 30.h4 /ilxf3+ 31.gxf3 ~xf3
32.Etxg7 Ae4 33.Etxe4 ~xe4 34.~el
~xel + 35.Axel f3 36.Af2 EtaS
37.Ae3 Etal + 38.~f2 ~e4 39.Etg4+
~f5 40.Etgl Etxgl 41.~xgl ~g4
42.M2 ~5 43.b61--O

162
 Games
(81) Baikovicius - Ernst
Munich Olympiad 1936
Queen's Pawn Game [A80]
1.d4 d5 2)~)f3 e6 3.e3 f5 4.Ad3 .£)f6
5.~e2 Ad6 6 ..£)bd2 .£)bd7 7.0--0
.£)e4 8.e4 e6 9 ..£)e1 0--0 10.Axe4
dxe411.f3 exf3 12..£)dxf3 e513.d5
exd5 14.exd5 .£)f6 15.~e4 e4
16•.£)d4
abc d e f g h but misses repeated opportunities such
White selects the wrong defense, be-
lieving perhaps that Black would not
be able to pry open the c8-h3 diagonal.
That task proves to be relatively simple.
16.•.Axh2+ 17.Cit'xh2 .£)g4+ 18.Cit'h3
The best defense, with 18.~gl, works
because both of White's knights are
able to reach the key f3-square. 18.'it'gl!
~h4 when White can reach approximate
equality by returning the piece with
19.4:lef3 or by fighting for the key di-
agonal with 19.~c7 f4 20.4:lef3. In the
~g6 line, the absence of an f-pawn re-
quires that White meet 18.~g3 ~d6+
with 19.1:'!f4 g5-+ .18•.. ~d619..£)df3
exf3 20..£) xf3 f4 21. ~e2 ~h6+ ~1
22.4:lh4 4:lf2+ 23.~h2 iii'xh4+
(82) Michel- Rellstab
Bad Elster 1937
French Defense [CI4]
163
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3 ..£)e3 .£)f6 4.Ag5
Ae7 5.e5 .£)fd7 6.Axe7 ~xe7
7. ~g4 0--0 8 ..£)f3 e5 9.Ad3 exd4
abc d e f g h
With the 4:lc3 en prise, Black gains a
plausible defense with iii'xg5. White
therefore avoids 11.iii'h5 in order to
preserve the black king on h7. White
has an edge through the middlegame,
as 24.iii'cl-a3 and 35.a4 to play more
actively. 10.Axh7+ Cit'xh711 ..£)g5+
Normally, White would play 11. ~h5+!?
to limit Black's options. But with the
4:lc3 en prise, White might rightly ask
whether his position would be better
with the black king on g8 or h7.
11 ••• ~xg5 In the end, it's Black's
choice. The queen can capture immedi-
ately or wait until after the king has re-
treated: 11...'it'g8 12.iii'h5 iii'xg5
13.iii'xg5 dxc314.bxc3 4:lc615.f4 4:lc5.
12.~xg5 dxe313.hxe3 .£)e614.f4
f!h8 Making good use of the 'it'h7 top
activate the rook on the h-file. 15.0--0
.£)e5 16.f!f3 Cit'g8 17.f!d1 .£)e4
18. ~g4 h5 19.f!dd3 .£)e7 20.f!h3
f!xh3 21.~xh3 .£)g6 22.~e3 Ad7
23.g3 .£)e7 24. ~e2 f!c8 25. ~e3 f!e7
26.g4 .£)g6 27.h4 .£)xh4 28.~h3
.£)g6 29.~h2 f!xe3 30.f!xe3 .£)xe3
31.~f2 d4 32.Cit'h2 .£)d5 33.~xd4
.£)gxf434.~xa7 Ae835.~b8Miss-
 Sacking the Citadel
ing the win: 35.a4 bxa4 36.c4 +- .
35 •.• \tIfS 36.~d6+ \tIgS 37.~bS
\tIfS 3S. ~d6+ \tIgS %-Yz
(83) Konstantinopolsky - Panov
Kiev 1938
Nimzo-Larsen Opening [A4 7]
Vasily Panov (1906-1973) was a
chessplayer, author, and journalist. He
won the Moscow City Championship
in 1929, and he played in five USSR
Championships. His best result was a
clear first at Kiev, 1938. Panov is best
remembered for his theoretical contri-
butions in the Caro-Kann Defense and
the Ruy Lopez.
1.4)£3 4)f6 2.b3 b6 3 ..11.b2 .11.b74.e3
e6 5.d4 .11.e7 6 ..11.d3 0-0 7.4)bd2 d5
S.O-O 4)e4 9.c4 4)d7 10.~c2 a6
11 ..§ad1.11.d612.4)e5 ~e713.4)b1
f5 14.4)xd7 ~xd7 15.f3 4)f6
16.4)c3 ~e7 17. .§fe1 .§f7 1S.e4
dxe419.fxe4
8 .11.c4 55.\tIe3 .11.d5 56..11.c7 \tIg4
7 57.\tIf2 \tIh5 0-1
6
5
4
3
2 1.d4 4)f6 2.c4 e6 3.4)c3 .11.b4 4.e3
abcdefgh
A rare example in which, in the ~glline,
~d6 is preferable to ~h4 because the
~d6 gains the additional option of
~xd4+. 19•••.11.xh2+120.\tIxh2 4)g4+
21.\tIg1 In the ~h3 line, Black has
~g5-h5-h2, forcing the king out into
the open with 24.~xg5. 21.~h3
~g5-+ 22.exf5 ~h5+ 23.~g3 ~h2+
164
24.~xg4 h5+ 25.~g5 (Black has the
resources for the mating net) 25 ... ~g3+
26.~xh5 g6+ 27.fxg6 Elf4 28.Elhl
~g7 -+. The ~g3 line does not work
because Black can play ~g5 and ~h5.
The mating net in that line, which in-
volves a further sacrifice of the <£\g4, is
instructive. The ~g3 line ends quickly
because White cannot dislodge the
~g5. 21.~g3 ~g5 22.~d2 f4+ 23.~f3
<£\h2+ 24.~f2 ~g3+ 25.~gl <£\g4 -+.
21 ... ~h4 22.g3 Forced to defend h2.
22 ... ~xg3+ 23.~g2 On 23.~f1 or
23.~hl fxe4+-+. 23 .•• ~h4 24..§e2
Not 24.d5 f4 25.dxe5 Elf5 -+. 24 •.. f4
25. ~f3 4)e3 26..§h2 ~g5+ 27. \tIh1
~g3 2S..11.e2 4) xd1 29.4) xd1 ~e1 +
30.\tIg2 .§f6 31.4)f2 .§g6+ 32.4)g4
.§xg4+ 33.~xg4 .11.xe4+ 34. .11.B
~e2+ 35.\tIh3 ~xf3+ 36.~xB
.11.xf3 37..§f2 .11.e4 3S•.§xf4 .11.b1
39.a3 .§fS 40..§xfS+ \tIxfS 41.b4
\tIf7 42.\tIg3 g5 43.a4 .11.c2 44.a5
bxa5 45.bxa5 .11.b3 46.c5 .11.d5
47 ..11.c1 \tIg6 4S..11.e3 c6 49.\tIh3
\tIf5 50 . .11.f2 h5 51 . .11.g3 .11.c4
52 ..11.d6.11.fl + 53.\tIg3 h4+ 54.\tIf2
(84) Koltanowski - Yanofsky
Winapeg exhibition 1938
Nirnzo-Indian Defense [D45]
d5 5.4)f3 c6 6 ..11.d3 0-0 7.0-0 dxc4
S•.11.xc4 b5 9 ..11.d3 a6 10.e4 Ab7
11. ~e2 c5 12.e5 4)fd713.a3 cxd4
14.axb4 dxc3 15.bxc3 ~c7
16..11.xh7+ (D)
For additional assets, White counts
upon the e5-pawn and the dark-square
bishop. 16... \tIhS Rather than declin-
ing the sacrifice, Black's best hope was
to accept the sacrifice and to select the
 Games
8 5.4)c3 e6 6.4)f3 ~a5 7.Ad2 .1l,b4
7 S.a3 .1lxc3 9 ..1l,xc3 ~dS 10.c5 0-0
6 1l..1l,d3 4)c6 12.0-0 ~c7 13.E!el
5 4)d714.b4 b615.h5 4)xd416..1l,xd4
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
~g8Iine, when the return of the mate-
rial with ite4 prevents the checkmate
on h7 and forces White to work hard to
earn the point. 16... '.t>xh717.<tJg5+ ~g8
18.~h5 ite4 (White has an easier time
after 18 .. Jk819.~xf7+ '.t>h8 20.~h5+
~g8 21.~h7+ ~f8 22.~h8+ '.t>e7
23.~xg7+ '.t>d8 24.~g8+ <tJf8 25.~xf8+
~d7 26.~f7+ ~c6 27.~xe6+ +-)
19AJxe4 ~xe5 20.~f3 <tJb6 21.itf4
~f5 22.<tJg3 ~g6 23.~b7 ±. In the '.t>g6
line, with Black's pressure upon the e5-
pawn, White must select 18.~d3+
rather than 18.~g4 <tJxe5. 17 ... '.t>g6
18.~d3+! (not 18.~g4 <tJxe5) 1B .. .f5
(1B ... ~h5 19.~h7+ ~g4 20.~h3#)
19.~g3+- ~c4 (The e-pawn remains
immune: 19 ... <tJxe5 20.<tJxe6+;
19 ... ~xe5 20.itf4) 20.itf4 <tJc6
21.§fd1 +- . 17..1l,e4 4)c61S.4)g5 g6
19. ~g4 4)dxe5 20. ~h4+ ~g7
21.4)h3 f5 22.Ah6+ ~gS 23 ..1l,xfS
fxe4 24..1l,c5 ~g7 25.~xe4 4)dS
26. ~d4 4)dc6 27. ~d6 ~f7 2S.f4
4)c4 29. ~d3 AcS 30.E!f3 e5
31.fxe5 Af5 32.E!xf5 gxf5 33.4)f2
§d8 34. ~g3+ ~h7 35.E!xa6 4)4xe5
36.~h4+ \t>g637.Ad4 ~d5 38.~g3+
~ 39.~f4 4)d7 4O.g41-O
(85) Ekenberg - Salazar
Buenos Aires Olympiad 1939
Caro-Kann Defense [B 14]
165
1.e4 c6 2.c4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.d4 4)f6
hxc517.E!cl ~b6
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Having already won a piece in a sloppy
opening, White's sacrifice is over-
whelming. The presence of the §e1 and
the dark-square bishop on the unob-
structed long diagonal represent very
strong additional assets. In the '.t>g6line
as played in the game, the white queen
quickly reaches g7. IS..1lxh7+ ~xh7
19.4)g5+ White misses a quick win
because 19.~d3+ first eliminates the
~h6 line owing to the possibility of
~d3-e3: 19 .. .f5 (19 ... g6 20.<tJg5+ ~g8
21.~h3+-) 20.<tJg5+ '.t>g8 21.~h3 §f6
22.~h7+ '.t>f8 23.~h8+ '.t>e7
24.~xg7++-. 19 .•• ~g6 In the ~g8
line, the itd4 turns the usual mate in
five into a mate in two. 19 ... '.t>g8 20.~h5
§eB (20 ... <tJf6 21.itxf6+-) 21.~xf7+
~h8 22.itxg7#. In the '.t>h6line, White
overruns the position quickly with
~g4-h4-h7. 19 ... ~h6 20.§xc5 <tJxc5
(20 ... '.t>xg5 21.~d2+ '.t>g6 22.~d3+ f5
23.~g3+ '.t>f7 24.~xg7+ '.t>e8
25.§c6+-) 21.~g4 e5 22.~h4+ '.t>g6
23.~h7+ ~f6 (23 ... '.t>xg5
24.§xe5++-) 24.§xe5 <tJe6 25.§xe6+
'.t>xg5 26.~xg7++-. 20.~d3+1 Much
 Sacking the Citadel
less exciting but effective nonetheless
is the conventional 20. ~g4 4Jf6
2Ulxf6 (21.~g3 4Jh5 when, to win,
White would need finally to play
22.~d3++-) 21...'ifixf6 22.4Jh7+ 'ifie7
23.~xg7 ~b7 24.Ek3+-. 20 ••• lit'xg5
Declining the capture with 20 .. .f5 gives
up the queen, 21.E!xe6+, but king re-
treats fare no better: 20 ... 'ifih5 when it's
mate in five: 21.~h7+ 'ifixg5 22.f4+ 'ifig4
(22 ... ~xf4 23.~h5 cxd4 24.g3#)
23.h3+ ~g3 (23 ... 'ifixf4 24.~h4+ 'ifif5
25.~g4#) 24.~xg7+ 'it'xf4 25.~g4#.
21:~g3+ Not surprisingly, there are
mates in the air. Here, it's mate in six
with: 21.f4+ 'ifih6 22.~h3+ 'ifig6
23.~g4+ 'it'h7 (23 ... 'ifih6 24.~xg7+
'ifih5 25.~g5#) 24.~xg7# (a)
21...'ifih5 22.g4+ 'ifixg4 (22 ... 'ifih6
23.~h3+ 'ifig6 24.~h5 #) 23.~g3+ 'ifif5
24.~g5#; and (b) 21...'ifixf4 22.~g3+
'ifif5 23.E!fl + ~e4 24.E!f4 # .21 •.. lit'h5
22. ~h3+ Missing a mate in four with
22.~f6 gxf6 (22 ... 4Jxf6 23.E!e5+ ~h6
24.~h4+ 'ifig6 25.E!g5 #) 23.E!c4 dxc4
24.E!e4+-. 22 ••• lit'g5 After 22 ...'ifig6
it's mate in five: 23.~g4+ 'ifih6
(23 ... 'ifih7 24.~xg7#) 24.~xg7+ 'ifih5
25.~f6 4Jxf6 26.E!e5+ 'it'h4 27.~g3#.
23.f4+ lit'xf4 23 ... ~g6 permits mate in
three with 24.~g4+ ~h6 25.~xg7+
'it'h5 26. ~g5 #. 24. ~g3+ 1-0 Missing
a mate in two with 24.~h5 and 25.g3#,
but a mate in three is good enough to
force resignation: 24 ... 'ifif5 25.E!fl +
'ifie4 26.~e3# or 26.E!f4#.
(86) Maderna - Piazzini
Buenos Aires 1940
Slav Defense [D48]
I ..£!0 d5 2.c4 c6 3.d4 .£!f6 4.e3 e6
5 ..£!c3 .£!bd7 6.Ad3 dxc4 7.Axc4
b5 8.Ad3 a6 9.e4 c5 10.d5 c4
1l.Ac2 Ac5 12.Ag5 ~b6 13.0-0
166
Ab714.a40-0 15.a5 ~c716.Axf6
.£!xf617.e5? .£!xd5 (D)
To initiate the sacrifice, White first had
to trade his dark-square bishop and with
abcdefgh
17.e5, lost the d-pawn. Black is win-
ning in all three main lines. In the game,
Black selects the 'it'h6 line, illustrating
the difficulty that the attacking side can
have once the dark-square bishop is
gone. 18.Axh7+? lit'xh7 19..£!g5+
lit'h6 In the 'ifigS line, the black ~c7
guards f7 permitting the safe retreat of
the E!fS. 19 ... 'it'gS 20.~h5 E!fdS
21.~h7+ 'it'fS 22.~hS+ 'ifie7 23.~xg7
E!f8-+. The defense in the 'it'g6line is
more complex, but White cannot sus-
tain the queen on the g-file after 20.~g4
4Je3 or 20 ... f5 21.~g3 f4 22.~g4
~xf2+! 19 ... 'it'g6 20.~g4 4Je3 (20 .. .f5
21.~g3 f4 22.~g4 ~xf2+) 21.fxe3
(21.~g3 4Jf5! [21...4Jxfl? 22.E!xfl +- ]
22.~g4 'ifih6! 23.~f4 ~e7 24.h4 4Jxh4
25.~xh4+ ~g6-+) 21...~xe3+-+.
20. ~d2 Black can respond to both
20.4Jce4 and 20. ~g4 with ~xe5 -+ .
20 ... lit'g6 Black can also win by shut-
ting down the diagonal with
20 ... 4Je3-+. 21.~c2+ lit'xg5 Not all
captures of the 4Jg510se. 22.~h7 The
standard try and the best move, but the
queen alone cannot mate the king.
27... ~xe5 After 22 ... E!hS! 23.~xg7+
 Games

'it'h5-+ there's no way for White to pressure down the c-fiIe. 23 ..Q.xh7+
force a mate. 23..£Je4+ ~xe4 24.~xe4 'it>xh7 24..£Jg5+ 'it>g81 In the 'it'h6Iine,
'it>f6 25. ~h4+ g5 26. ~h6+ 'it>e7 it's useful to see the power of placing
27..§adl Somewhat better is 27.~xg5+ the queen on the b1-h7 diagonal be-
'it'd7 28.):'(fd1 ):'(g8 29.~h5 ):'(g6 30.):,(d2 cause once again the defender cannot
):'( ag8 31.g3 'it'c8 -+ but the black king safely capture the ~g5. 24 ... ~h6
is able to find a safe haven on the 25.~b1 ~xg5 and it's already mate in
queens ide. 27 .•. .§g8 28. .§fel .£Jf4 three with 26.~c1 + ~xg4 27.):,(h4+ ~f5
29..§e5 .£Jd3 30..§e2 .§ad8 31.'it>f1 28. ~f4 # . Alternatives to capturing the
.Q.xg2+ 32.'it>xg2 .£Jf4+ 33.'it>f3 .§xdl knight don't fare much better: (a)
34.~h7 .§d3+ 35..§e3 .Q.xe3 36.~xg8 25 ... ~f5 26.gxf5 ):,(xf5 27.~xe6 (over-
.Q.d4+ 37.'it>g4 f5+ 38.'it>xg5 .£Jd5 loading the Ad7) 27 ...Axe6 28.):'(xc6; (b)
39.h4 .Q.f6+ 4O.'it>h5 .§h3 41.~h7+ 25 ... ~xe5 26.'~h7+ (forcing the king to
'it>d6 42. 'it>g6 .§ xh4 0-1 capture on g5) 26 ... ~xg5 27.~xg7+ +-
~7g6 28.hxg6 ):,(h8 29.Ah4+ ):,(xh4
(87) Hahn - Normann 30.f4+ 'it'xg4 (30 ... ~xf4 allows a mate
Bad Elster 1940 in four, 31.~f6+ ~e4 32.):'(el+ ~d3
Caro-Kann Defense [B 12] [32 ... ~d4 33.~f2+ ~d3 34.):'(c3#]
33.):'(c3+ ~d2 [33 ... ~d4 34.'~f2#]
34.~f2#) 31.):,(xh4+ starts a mate in
l.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Af5 4.g4 Ad7
5.Ad3 e6 6..£le2 c5 7.c3 .£lc6 8..£ld2 eight; and (c) 25 ... ):,(h8 26.~f7#.
cxd4 9.cxd4 f6 10..£lf3 fxe5 1l.dxe5 25. ~c21 .£Jf5 Both alternatives are in-
structively crushed by rook sacrifices:
~c7 12.Af4 Ab4+ 13.~f1 .£lge7
25 ... g6 26.hxg6 ~d4 27.):,(h8+! ~xh8
14.§c1 a615..£led4 ~b816..£lb3 Aa5
(or 27 ... ~g7 28.):,(h7+ ~g8 29.~f7 +-)
17.~g2 0-0 18.Ag3 Ab6 19.h4 a5
28.g7+ ~xg7 29.~h7# and 25 ... ):,(f5
20.h5 a4 21 ..£lc5 Axc5 22.§xc5 b6
26.gxf5 ~d4 27.~b1 bxc5 28.h6 gxh6
29.):,(xh6 ~dxf5 30.):,(h8+! ~xh8
8
(30 ... ~g7 31.):,(h7+ 'it'f8 32.~h1 +-)
7 31.~h1 + +-. 26..§xc6 .Q.xc6 27. ~xc6
6 .£Jd4 28.~c3 .£Je2 29.~c2 .£Jf4+
5 30 . .Q.xf4 .§xf4 31.~h7+ 'it>f8
4 32..£Jxe6+ 'it>e7 33..£Jxf4 ~xe51--O
3 Black obviously resigned before wait-
2 ing for White's obvious response,
33 ... ~xe5 34.~g6+.
abc d e f g h
(88) Cruz Filho - De Souza Mendes
Rio de Janeiro 1940
Here, an unusual example with ad- Queen's Gambit Declined [D46]
vanced kingside pawns and a rook on
c5 that remains en prise for a long time l.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3..£Jc3 c6 4 ..£Jf3 .£Jd7
in most lines and yet eventually con- 5.e3 .£Jgf6 6 ..Q.d3 .Q.d6 7.0--0 0--0
tributes as a key asset. In the ~g8 line, 8.~e2 dxc4 9.Axc4 e5 10.dxe5
as played in the game, ~c2 threatens .£Jxe511 ..£Jxe5 .Q.xe512..§dl (12.f4)
mate and helps the ):'(c5 to increase the 12... ~e713.~c2 (D) Black's position

167
 Sacking the Citadel
is preferable after 13 ... .lle6 or 13 ... .llg4.
After the sacrifice, White can wind
through to equality or a small advan-
tage in both main
abc d e f g h ~e711. ~c2 .£)e412.0--0 c513.dxc5
lines. In the \t>glline, the king's rook is
on d1 and the white queen already de-
fends f2, giving White time to mount
an effective defense. 13 •.• Axh2+
14.~xh2 .£)g4+ 15.~gl After\t>g3,
the black queen cannot stay on the g-
file, but White's lack of queenside de-
velopment and inability to organize the
rooks for coordinated defense with El.h1
gives White no meaningful chances for
a win. 15.\t>g3 ~g5 (15 ... ~e5+ 16.f4
~h5 17.El.d4+-) 16.f4 ~h5 17 ..lld3
(17.El.d4 ~h2+ lS.\t>f3 ~h4=) 17 ... g5
lS.f5 (lS.Axh7+ \t>g7=) lS ... ~h4+
19.\t>f3 <£le5+ 20.\t>e2 ~h2=.
15 ... ~h416..£)e416.El.d4 provides a
safe path to equality with 16 ... ~h2+
17.\t>f1 ~h1 + lS.\t>e2 ~xg2 19.<£le4=.
16 ... Af5 17.Ad3 ~h2+ 18.~fl
~hl + 19.~e2 ~xg2 20.~d2 White
can put up a greater fuss with 20 ..lld2
1.txe4 21..llxe4 ~xf2+ 22.\t>d3 but
Black still breaks through with 22 ... f5
23 ..llh1 El.adS+ 24.'<t'c3 El.feS-+.
20 .•• l3.adS 21.~c3l3.xd3+ 22.~xd3
Axe4 23.~d4 Af3 24.l3.d2 .£)f6
25.~b3 .£)e4 26.l3.c2 c5 27.~e5
Adl 28.~d5 c4+ Or 2S ... ~g6 be-
cause 29.~xd1 enables a mate in four
168
with 29 ... ~b6+ 30.'<t'c4 ~a6+ 31.'<t'b3
~b5+32.\t>a3~b4#. 29.~xc4~xf2!
30.~xe4 l3.c8 31.~a3 ~xc2
32.~xc2l3.xc2 33.b3 Af3 34.Ab2
h5 35.Ad4a6 36.~b4 f6 37.Ac3 h4
38.l3.g1 h3 0-1
(89) Graf - Eliskases
Mar del Plata 1941
Polish Defense [A46]
l.d4 .£)f6 2..£)f3 b5 3.e3 a6 4.c4 bxc4
5.Axc4 e6 6 ..£)c3 d5 7.Ab3 Ad6
8.Ad2 0-0 9.l3.cl .£)bd7 10. .£)a4
.£)dxc514..£) xc5 Axc515.Aa5 Ab7
16.l3.fdl l3.ac8 17. ~e2 f5 18. .£)d2
.£)f6 19.13.el ~h8 20.a3 Ad6
21.l3.xc8l3.xc8 22.Ac3 e5 23.~d3
e424.~f1
8
7
6
5
4
3 If~~~:, .. )
2
abcdefgh
White's retreat with 24. ~f1 loses
quickly. The game involves the \t>g3Iine,
when 26 ... ~d6+ leads to two consecu-
tive discovered checks and a pleasing
mating net. 24 .•• Axh2+! 25.~xh2
.£)g4+ 26.~g3 In the \t>glline, Black
must first sacrifice another exchange to
prevent the .llc3 from reaching e5. Af-
ter the exchange sac, the white queen
cannot simultaneously defend the f2-
pawn and create an effective escape for
the white king. 26.'<t'gl El.xc3 (26 ... ~h4
27.1.te5 <£lxe5 -+) 27.Jld1 (27.bxc3
 Games
~h4 -+) 27 ... §c2 -+. 26 ... ~d6+
26 ... ~g5 27.f4 ~g6 28.~gl= and there
is no way to make meaningful progress.
27.f4 The two king moves are quickly
mated: 27.~h4 i£th6+ 28.~g3 i£th2#;
27.~h3 ~h2#. 27 ... exf3+ 28.~xf3
Obviously not 28.~h3 i£th2 # but the
win is tougher after 28.~h4 when it's
mate in seven with 28 ... i£th2+ 29.~g5
~h6+ (29 ... §d6, ... h6, and even ... <£Jxe3
also start mates in six) 30.~xf5 <£Jxe3+
31.§xe3 §fB+ 32.~g4 (32.~e5 i£tf6#)
32 ... §f4+ 33.~g3 ~h4#. 2S ... d4+
29.~e2 dxc3 30.bxc3 ladS 31.lad1
~d3+ 32.~e1 ~xe3+ 33.~e2 ~g3+
0-1 White resigned rather than face
34.~f1 .llxg2+ 35.~xg2 <£Je3+.
(90) Loose - Niephaus
Bad Oeynhausen 1942
Slav Defense [D4S]
1.~f3 d5 2.d4 e6 3.c4 c6 4.e3 ~f6
5.~c3 j},e7 6.j},d3 dxc4 7.j},xc4 c5
S.O-O 0-0 9.dxc5 j},xc510.~e2 a6
1l.e4 b5 12..1ld3 .1lb713.e5 ~fd7
8 oping the §fel to place pressure upon
7 a weakened e6-pawn. But better is
6 18.b4! drawing the bishop to b4 where
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h 21.~b3+ ~f5 22.~d5 (picking up a
With the white pawn on e5, the dark-
square bishop, and the black rook on
fB, the sacrifice has sufficient assets to
succeed. In the ~g6 line, White wins
fastest with 16.h4 or 16.i£tc2, placing
the queen on the c-file where, in con-
junction with a later <£Je4+, White will
169
net the black .llc5. 14.Axh7+ ~xh7
15.~g5+ ~g6 In the ~g8 line, White
again achieves the standard mate in
five. 15 ... ~g816.i£th5 §e8 (the effort
to sacrifice the knight on f6 in order to
place the queen on d3 again fails to the
active fxg7: 16 ... <£Jf6 17.exf6 ~d3
18.fxg7 ~xg7 19.<£Jxe6+ fxe6
20 ..llh6++-) 17.~xf7+ ~h818.~h5+
~g8 19.i£th7+ ~f8 20.~h8+ ~e7
21.~xg7#. 16.~d3+ (a) 16.h4 §h8
(entering a position similar to the game
except that the 16.h4 §h8 move pair
has been inserted) 17.i£tc2+ f5 18.exf6+
~xf6 19.<£Jce4+ .llxe4 (19 ... ~e7
20.<£Jxc5+-) 20.i£txe4+- hitting both
the §a8 and the e6-pawn; (b) The most
direct win here is with 16.~c2+ f5
17.exf6+ ~xf6 18.<£Jce4+ (not 18.b4
because the bishop has access here to
d4, 18 ... .lld4) 18 ... ~e7 19.<£Jxc5+-;
and (c) More complex but also winning
is 16.~g4 <£Jxe5 17.i£tg3 i£td3 18 ..lle3
~f5 (or 18 ... .lld6 19.<£Jxe6+ ~f6
20.<£Jf4 +-) 19.<£Jxe6+ ~g4 20.i£txg4+
<£Jxg4 21.<£Jxc5+-. 16 ...f5 17.exf6+
~xf6 1S.lae1 A familiar theme, devel-
it will not be anchored, 18 ... .llxb4
19.<£Jce4+ .llxe4 (19 ... ~e7 20.i£td4 +- )
20.i£txe4 +- with attacks upon the
unanchored bishop and rook. 1S.••e5
19.~d5+ White is also winning gfter
19.<£Jce4+ .llxe4 20.<£Jxe4+ ~e6
loose piece) 22 ... §a7 23.<£Jxc5 +-.
19••• j},xd5 20.~xd5 ~b6 21.~e4+
~g6 22.~xc5 ~xc5 23.~e4+ laf5
24.j},e3 ~c6 25. ~g4+ ~f6 26.laac1
~e6 27.~e4 ~c5 2S.laxc5 laa7
29.g4 laf4 30.j},xf4 ~xg4+ 31.Ag3
~xe4 32.laxe4 ~d7 33..1lxe5+ ~f5
34.lae2 ~xc5 35•.1ld4 lac7 36.lae5+
 Sacking the Citadel
~f4 37.Etxc5 Etd7 38.-'le3+ ~f3
39.Etf5+ ~e2 1-0
(91) Bueno - Subiza
Larache 1943
French Defense [CII]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3 . .£)c3 .£)f6 4.e5
.£)fd7 5 ..£)£3 a6 6.Jtd3 Jte7 7.-'le3
0-0 8.h4 f6 8 ... f5 9.4Jg5 +- <bb6
1O.itfh5 h611.itfg6 Jlxg5 12.hxg5 itfe8
13.~xe8 .§.xe8 14.gxh6 gxh6 15.g4
8
7 l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3 ..£)c3 -'lb4 4.e5 c5
6 5.a3 cxd4 6.ax b4 dxc3 7.bxc3 ti\'c7
5 8.f4 ti\'xc3+ 9.-'ld2 ti\'c7 10. .£)f3
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
This short game appeared in Euwe and
Kramer's two-volume set on the
middlegame. Black anticipated the Greco
Sacrifice by defending with f6, but the
sacrifice, which relies on three assets,
the <bc3, the dark-square bishop, and
the h4-pawn, works neatly in all lines.
In the game, Black captured the <bg5
and faced an overwhelming attack with
the .§.hl joining in. 9.Jtxh7+ ~xh7
10..£)g5+ fxg5 In the <i!tg8line, White
wins quickly with <be6 or by barging
forward with itfh5. 10 ... ~g8 11.<bxe6
~e812.<bxc7 +-. Or 10 ... <i!tg811.~h5
fxg5 12.hxg5 .§.f5 13.f4 with the obvi-
ous idea of 14.g4. 1l.hxg5+ ~g8
Movement forward with 11... ~g6
meets a mate in two: 12.itfh5+ <i!tf5
13.g4# 12.Eth8+ ~xh8 12 ... <i!tf7
when it's mate in three with 13.itfh5+
g614.itfh7+ ~e815.itfxg6#.13.ti\'h5+
170
~g814.g61-O Black can only delay
the mate on h7-hS with 14 ... <bf6 or a
rook move.
(92) Villegas - Rossetto
La Plata 1944
French Defense [CIS]
Hector Rossetto (1922-2009) was a five-
time Argentine Champion (1942, 1944,
1947,1962, and 1972). He won Mar del
Plata in 1949 and 1952 and became a
grandmaster in 1960.
.£)e711.-'ld3 Jtd7 12. ti\'e2 0-0
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
White has a substantial advantage in
the diagram and could profitably con-
tinue with 13.b5, 13.0-0, or perhaps
13 ..§.a3. In the game, Black defends cor-
rectly with 14 ... <i!tg8 and 15 ... itfxc2,
placing the queen on the key di.agonal.
13.Jtxh7+? ~xh7 14..£)g5+ ~g81
After the sacrifice, White wins trivially
in the <i!tg6 and ~h6 lines. 14 ... ~h6
15.itfd31aunches a mate in five: 15 ... g6
(15 ... .§.h816.<bxf7+ <i!th517.itfh3+ ~g6
18.<bxh8#; 15 ... <bf5 16.itfh3+ <i!tg6
17.~h7#) 16.itfh3+ <i!tg7 17.~h7#.
14 ... ~g6 15.~d3+ <bf5 (15 ... f5
16.itfh3 +-) 16.itfh3+-. 15.ti\'h5 After
 Games

15.~d3, 15 ... <tJg6 16.h4 ~c4 shuts
down the attack. 15 •• :~xc2-+ 16.g4
On 16.l''!c1 ~g6-+. 16 .•• "ltg6
17."lth4l£1bc61S.§.a3 f6! 19.exf6
gxf6 20.l£If3 "ltbl + 2Vjfjlf2 "ltxhl
22.b5l£1dS Or simply 22 ... <tJg6 23.~h6
<tJce7. 23.Ab4 §.cS 24."lth6 §.c2+
25. <itlg3 "ltg2+ 26. <itlh4 "ltf2+
27.<itlh3 It's mate in three after 27.~h5
Ae8+ 28. ~g6+ ~xg6+ 29. ~h6 <tJf7 "" .
meaningful way here to prevent White's
queen from staying on the g-file after
~g4 or from continuing with h4-h5.
After 10 ... 'it>g6: (a) 11.~g4 f5 12.~g3
f4 13. ~g4 maintaining the queen on the
g-file ~h6 to avoid the discovered
check (13 ... e5 14.<tJe6+ ~f7 [14 ... ~h7
15.~xg7""] 15.<tJxd8+ stepping out of
the self-pin with a double check! +- )
14.~xf4 f!xf4 (necessary to avoid a dis-

27 •••e5 0-1 The quickest path begins covery off the diagonal) 15.~xf4 <tJd5
instead with 27 ... ~xb5 aiming for fl. 16.~h4+ 'it>g6 17.~h7+ (a common
theme, offering the <tJg5 to the exposed
(93) Taylor - Hall king) 17 ... ~f6 (17 ... ~xg5 18.~xg7+
Canada 1945 'it>f5 (18 ... ~h5 19.f4+-) 19.94+ ~f4
20.~e5+ 'it>xg4 (20 ... ~f3 21.~g3+
French Defense [CI5]
'it>e4 22.f3+ 'it>e3 23.f4+ ~e4 24. ~f3 "")
21.'it>h1 and the rook joins in on gl +-)
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.l£Ic3 Ab4 4.Ad3
18.f!ae1 ~f8 (18 ... ~xg5 19.~xg7+
l£Ie7 5.l£I£3 0-0 6.0-0 Axc3 7.bxc3
'it>h4 20.~h6+ ~g4 21.f3+ 'it>f5
dxe4 S.Axe4 c6
22.f!e5 "") 19.f4 (both rooks have be-
come active) 19... ~e7 20.f5+-; and (b)
8 Il~.f~~i"~ 11.h4 f5 (11...f!h812.~g4 f5 13.~g3
7 f4 14.~g4 ~f6 15.~xf4+ <tJf5
6 [15 ... 'it>g616.~f7+ ~h617.<tJxe6++- ]
5 16.g4+-) 12.h5+ ~f6 13.f!e1 (the
4 common theme after ... f5, placing pres-
3 sure upon the weakened e6-pawn)
2 13 ... <tJg8 14.~e2 ~d5 15.c4 ~d6
16.c5 itrd5 17.c4 (even the doubled
pawns become active) 17 ... ~d7
abcdefgh
18.~e5+ ~e719.~xg7++-. U."lth5
§.eS 12 . .1la3 1-0 By pinning the
White relies upon two additional assets, knight, White's ~h7 leads quickly to
the dark-square bishop and f!fel. The mate. 12.~xf7+ and 12.~h7+ are also
sacrifice is readily sound primarily be- mates in six.
cause Black, with very poor develop-
ment, cannot assemble any meaningful (94) Romer - Karlsson
resistance. The ~g8 line is interesting Sweden 1946
because, with the <tJe7, the usual mate Queen's Gambit Declined [D47]
in five is not available. Nonetheless,
White wins quickly there with ~a3, pin- l.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.l£Ic3l£1f6 4.l£If3 c6
ning the knight and mating in the cor- 5.e3l£1bd7 6 ..1ld3 dxc4 7 ..1lxc4 b5
ner. 9.Axh7+! <itlxh710.l£Ig5+ <itlgS S..1ld3 b4 9.l£Ie4 .1le7 10.l£Ixf6+
'it>g6 would have provided a somewhat l£I xf611.e4 Ab712..ilg5 0-0 13.§.c1
stiffer defense, but Black has no "ltb614.e5l£1d515.Axe7l£1xe7

171
 Sacking the Citadel
abc d e f g h 1B .. .f6 White can transpose to the game
White relies here upon two additional
assets, the secure e5-pawn and the l"lc1.
Black selects the toughest defense, the
<it'g6 line, but then misses the more stub-
born 19 ... l"lxf6, which still loses with
correct play. 16.-'1.xh7+ <iflxh7
17..£\g5+ <iflg6 In the <it'gBline, the Ab7
and ~b6 do nothing to prevent ~xt7
and 4Jxe6. 17 ... ~gB 1B.~h5 l"lfeB
19.~xt7+ (correctly avoiding 19.~h7+
<it'fB 20.~hB+ 4JgB 21.4Jh7+ <it'e7 be-
cause White does not have a dark-
square bishop to play to g5 22.0-0
[22.~xg7 oila6] 22 ... g6 23.~g7 l"ladB
24.4Jg5 l"lfB 25.l"lfd1 c5=) 19 ... <it'hB
20.4Jxe6+- (or 20.~h5+ <it'gB 21.'l1i'h7+
~fB 22.4Jxe6+ ~f7 23.4Jg5+ <it'fB
24.~h5 ~gB 25.~t7+ <it'hB 26.4Je6
+-). In the <it'h6 line, White achieves
an attractive mating net, even without
help from a dark-square bishop, begin-
ning with ~g4-h4-h7 and the sacrifice
of the 4Jg5. 17 ... ~h6 1B.~g4: (a)
1B ... 4JgB 19.~h4+ <it'g6 20.~h7+
<it'xg5 when it's mate in seven: 21.f4+
<it'g4 (21...<it'xf4 22.l"lfl + <it'g4 23.h3+
<it'g3 24.~xg7+ <it'h2 25.l"lh1 + <it'xh1
26.<it'f2+ <it'h2 27.~g3#) 22.h3+ <it'g3
(22 ... <it'xf4 23.~h4+ <it'e3 24.l"ld1 +-)
23.~xg7+ ~xf4 (23 ... <it'h4 24.~g4#)
24.~g4+ <it'e3 25.l"ld1 c5 26.l"lfl Aa6
27.~f4#; (b) 1B ... 4Jf5 (locking the
queen's access to h4) 19.f4l"lhB Using
172
the anchored rook to stop ~h3-h7, but
now the f7-pawn is unguarded:
20.4Jxt7+ <it'h7 21.4Jg5+ ~gB 22.4Jxe6
stripping Black's defenses+-; and (c)
18. . .f5 19.~h4+ ~g6 and it's mate in
nine: 20.~h7+ <it'xg5 21.~xg7+ 4Jg6
22.h4+ <it'f4 23.~h6+ ~e4 (23 ... ~g4
24.~g5 #) 24.~e3+ <it'd5 25.~f3+
<it'xd4 26.~e3+ <it'd5 27.l"ld1+ ~c4
28.~d3+ <it'c5 29.l"lcl#. 18:~?/g4 f5 On
by capturing the f-pawn, or play
19.4Jxe6+! <it't7 20.4Jxg7 fxe5 21.dxe5
4Jd5 22.0-0 +- with e6+ to follow.
19.exf6 Avoiding 19.~g3 f4 20.~g4
l"lf5 21.h4 ~a5= and White's attack has
stalled. 19... <iflxf6!? Or 19 ... l"lxf6 20.0-
o 4Jf5 21.l"lc5 AcB 22.l"le1 4Jh6
23.~e4+ 4Jf5 (23 ... l"lf5 24.l"lxc6+-)
24.h4 +- when Black succumbs to g4.
20.~xe6+ <iflxg5 21.h4+ <iflh5
21...<it'f4 is mate in two: 22.~e5+ ~g4
23.~g5#. 22.g4* 1-0
(95) Kottnauer - Kotov
Moscow 1946
Semi-Slav Defense [D49]
Cenek Kottnauer (1910-1996) was an
active player in Czechoslovakia before
and during World War II. After the war,
he competed in important tournaments,
notably Groningen 1946, Moscow 1947,
and the Schlechter Memorial in 1947.
He represented Czechoslovakia at three
chess Olympiads, Helsinki 1952, Tel
Aviv 1964, and Lugano 1968. In 1953,
he emigrated to the United Kingdom.
Alexander Kotov (1913-1981) was So-
viet chess champion, a two-time world
title candidate, and a prolific chess au-
thor, notably The Soviet School of
Chess (1958), his popular Think Like a
Grandmaster (1971) and Play Like a
 Games
Grandmaster (1978). As a player, he fin-
ished second in the 1939 USSR Cham-
pionship becoming just the third grand-
master in the Soviet Union after
Botvinnik and Levenfish. He won the
Soviet title in 1948. His best result was
an overwhelming first in the strong 1952
Saltsjobaden Interzonal.
l.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3 ..£)f3 .£)f6 4 ..£)c3 e6
5.e3 .£)bd7 6.Ad3 dxc4 7.Axc4 b5
8.Ad3 a6 9.e4 c5 10.e5 cxd4
l l..£) xb5 ax b512.exf6 ~b613.fxg7
Axg714.~e2 0--0 15.0--0 .£)c5
8 challenge because the !J.g7 controls h8
7 and the attack on f7 does not lead to
6 the usual mates. White prevails in that
5 line because 20.!J.f4 (not 20.f4) brings
4 the bishop powerfully into play on e5.
3
2
abcdefgh
This position had been reached twice
before, in Tolush-Verisov, Leningrad,
1938, and in Alonso-Keres, Madrid,
1943. In both of those games, White
chose to retreat the bishop to bl and
Black continued with .. .f5, shutting
down the bl-h7 diagonal. Keres, play-
ing Black, had been the first to notice
that the sacrifice was playable. Vukovic
uses this game as an example of a suc-
cessful Greco Sacrifice (see Chapter 4).
Like Colle-O'Hanlon (see game 62), the
game is rich tactically and has chal-
lenged commentators for many de-
cades. In the diagram above, White re-
lies upon two assets, the dark-square
bishop and the as yet undeveloped
rooks. For Black, note that a bishop
rather than a pawn rests on g7, and the
173
black queen has vacated d8. Black se-
lects the challenging 'it>g6Iine. The key,
for White, is that the Ag7 puts a piece
rather than a pawn on a square that is
subject to capture after the usual 4Je6
discovered check. Given the extra time
required to bring the §f1 to the attack,
the success of White's effort should
be doubtful. Vukovic found a torturous
win after 17 ... ~g6 18.~g4 f5 19.~g3
§f7 but all of the commentators have
heretofore failed to find the best move,
19 ... §g8! or even 20 ... §g8! which
achieve a dynamic equality by defend-
ing the !J.g7 directly. 16.Axh7+ ~xh7
17. .£)g5+ ~g6 The ~g8line offers a
17 ... 'it>g8 18.~h5 §d8 (not 18 ... §e8
with no anchor, the rook will fall
19.~xf7+ 'it>h8 20.i£1xe8+) 19.~xf7+
'it>h8 20.Af4!.
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Position after 20.J1.[4! (analysis)
(connecting the rooks and fighting for
e5 and d6 [20.f4 i£1b7 (20 ... !J.b7
21oi£1g6+-] 210m3? [21o!J.d2! ~xf7
22.4Jxf7+ 'it>g8 23.4Jxd8 Ad7 24.Ab4
4Jd3 25.Ae7+-] 21...i£1xf7 22.4Jxf7+
~g8 23.4Jxd8 !J.d7 24.b4 4Ja4 25.4Jb7
!J.c6,;:)
 Sacking the Citadel

Black must counter the threat of Jlc7:
20 ... §.a7 21.~g6 'it'g8 22.Jle5 show-
ing the advantage of playing 20.Jlf4
rather than 20.f4. 21...~f8 (22 ... ~b7
23.§.ac1 +-) 23A)h7+ 'it'g8 (not
23 ... ~e7 24.~xg7+ 'it'e8 25.4)f6#)
24.Jlxd4 §.e7 (The rook cannot leave
the eighth rank: 24 ...§'xd4 25.'£)f6+ 'it'f8
26.~e8#) 25.4Jf6+ 'it'f8 26.§.fd1 +-.
After 20.M4!: (a) 20 .. :ii'l'b7 21.Jlc7 ~d5
22.f4 §.a7 23.§.f3+-. The threats are
§.h3 mate and ~h5 followed by Jlxd8;
(b) 20 ... 4Jd7 blocks the bishop's de-
fense ofe6. 21.4Jxe6+-; (c) 20 ... 4Jd3
doesn't prevent the threat 21.Jlc7 ~c5
22.~h5+ 'it'g8 23.~h7+ 'it'f8
24.Jlxd8+-; and (d) 20 ... e5 21.Jlxe5.
The Jlg7 is pinned to the mate on h 7.
21...'l1rh6 22.~e7 Jle6 23.Jlxg7+ ~xg7
24.~xc5 +- . 18. ~g4 f519. ~g3
8 losing the piece with 20 ... Af6 21.bxc5
7 ~c6 22.Jlf4 .ilb7 23.§.fel +-. By de-
29.M4 Jlc6 30.~xf5 +-. 19 ... §.f7 20.b4
which appears to win in these spec-
tacular lines: (a) 20 ... 4Ja4 21.h4 e5
22.h5+ 'it'f6 (22 ... ~xh5 23.4Jxf7 +-)
23.§.e1 §.e7 24.M4! exf4 25.4Jh7+ ~f7
26.§.xe7+ ~xe7 27.~xg7+. The smoke
has cleared and the black king is horri-
bly exposed in the center. 27 ... 'it'd6
(27 ... ~d8 28.4Jf6 ~a7 29.~fS+ 'lilc7
30.4Je8+ 'it'b7 31.~e7+ ~a6
32.4Jc7++-) 28.h6 §.a7 29.4Jg5+-
§.xg7 30.hxg7 ~d8 31.4Jf7+ winning
the queen; (b) 20 ... 4Jd7 21.4Jxe6+ ~h7
(21...'it'f6 22.4Jf4+-) 22.§.e1 ~f6
(Vukovic gives 22 ... 4Jf6 23.4Jg5+ 'it'g8
24.4Jxf7 'lilxf7 25.§.e7+ 'lilxe7
26. ~xg7 + 'it'e6 27.Jlg5 +- ) 23.Jlg5 d3
24.Jlxf6 4Jxf6 25.4Jg5+ 'it'g8 26.4Jxf7+
~xf7 27.~xd3+- when White's active
majors and material advantage assure
the win; and (c) There is no point in

6 fending the Jlg7, Black achieves equal-

5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h Black has all the play. 20 ... <i!}e7
19... <i!}f6 Among the alternatives, just
19 ... Jlf6 and 19 ... §.f7 have obtained
attention from annotators but only a
third alternative, 19 ... §.g8, provides
Black with equality. 19 ... M6 20.4Jxe6+
'it'f7 21. 4JxfS (winning an exchange, but
nothing more) 21...'it'xf8 22.~g6 4Je4
23.§.e1! (Vukovic recommended
23.Jlh6+ when the black king can run
to e7 and d6) 23 ... §.a6 and only now
24.Jlh6+ 'it'e7 25.~h7+ ~d8 26.~g8+
'it'd7 27.§.ac1 Jlb7 28.~h7+ 'it'd8
ity immediately with 19 ... §.g8!
20.4Jxe6+ 'it'f7 21.4Jg5+=. 20.Af4
Without doubt, White's best move. On
20.~h4? ~c6 White gains an exchange:
21.4Jh7+ 'it'f7 22.~h5+ 'it'g8 23.4JxfS
Jlb7 24.~h7+ ~xf8 25.f3 d3=+= when
20 ... §.g8! 21.b4 4Jd7 22.4Jxe6 'lilxe6
(not 22 ... ~xe6 23.§.fel +-) 23.~b3+
with a skewer of win the §.g8 but Black
is fine after 23 ... 'it'f6 24.~xg8 .ilb7
25.~b3 §.e8=. 21.~ac1 ~a7 Better is
21.. ..ilf6 or 21...§.g8. 22.~fe1 Ad7
23.h4 4)a6 24.4)xe6! Axe6
25. ~ xg7+ ~f7 26.Jlg5+ <i!}d7
27.~h8 ~b8 28.~xd4+ 1--0
(96) Euwe - Christoffel
Groningen 1946
Slav Defense [013]

174
 Games

Max Euwe (1901-1981) won every Dutch quickly in the <i!tgBline because the l"!c1
chess championship in which he par- can quickly join in: 16 ... <i!tgB 17.~h5
ticipated from 1921 through 1952. He l"!fcBl8.~xf7+ 'it'hB19.l"!c3 +-. Black's
narrowly lost matches against most effective defense is in the 'it'h6
Capablanca and Spielmann, and fin- line because, without a white pawn on
ished second to Alekhine at Zurich 1934. e5 or adequate support after I£1g5+ for
In 1935, he defeated Alekhine to become the d4-pawn, Black can prevent 17.l"!c3
the fifth world chess champion, but with ... <i!txg5 and the ideaof17.~g4 and
Alekhine regained the title in the 1937 IB.~h4 with 17 ... ~xd4. 16 ... 'it'h6!
rematch. Euwe performed well at 17.~g4 (17.l"!c3 'it'xg5 -+)
Nottingham 1936 and the 1938 AVRO 17 ... ~xd4-+ 18.~h3+<i!txg519.~g3+
tournament. Later in his career, he was <i!tf6 -+. 17.4)e4 There's no advantage
a well-regarded chess writer and served to be found in either 17.~d3 <i!txg5 -+
as President of FIDE from 1970 to 1978. or 17.~g4 f5 IB.l£1e4+ fxg4 19.1£1xd6
I£1xd4 20.l£1xb7 l£1e2+-+. 17 ... ~f4!
l.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.4)0 4)f6 4.cxd5 18.4)c5 4)d8! 19.1ac3 Black is also
cxd5 5.4)c3 4)c6 6.Af4 e6 7.e3 a6 winning after 19.~d3+ f5 20.l"!fell"!hB.
8.Ad3 Ad6 9.Axd6 ~xd6 10.0-0 Access to the open h-file more thanjus-
0-0 II.lacl b5 12.e4 dxe413.4) xe4 tifies having the king on g6. 21.g3
4)xe414.Axe4 Ab7 (21.l£1xb7 I£1xb7 22.h3 <i!th 7 -+ )
21...l"!xh2 22.<i!txh2 ~h6 -+. 19... lah8
8 Activating the rook for defense and to
7 threaten ~xh2 #. 20. ~c2+ f5
6 20 ... <i!tf6! -+ when White cannot play
5 l"!f3 and cannot capture the Ab7 be-
cause of the mate threat. 21.lag3+ ~f7?
4
21...<i!th7 with a forcing sequence that
3
leads to a perpetual, 22.l£1xb7 I£1xb7
2
23.~c6 I£1d6 24.~d7 ~xd4 25.~xe6
~f6 26.l"!h3+ <i!tg6 27.l"!g3+ <i!th7=.
abc d e f g h Black is much more active after 21...<i!tf6!
22.l£1d7+ <i!tf7 (22 ... 'it'e7 23.l£1e5 +- )
Another example of an attacker over- 23.l£1e5+ <i!tgB 24.l£1g6 ~d6 gladly giv-
coming the absence of reserve assets. ing up the exchange to activate the re-
White cannot count on the heavily at- maining pieces, 25.l£1xhB l"!cB +.
tacked d-pawn, and has only the idea 22.4) xb7 lae8 Capturing the knight is
of l"!c1-c3-g3 or l"!c3-h3 to aid the at- fraught with danger because after
tack. In the game, Black defends with 22 ... l£1xb7 23.~c6 threatens both the
the 'it'g6Iine, where White cannot main- knight and entry on to the seventh rank.
tain the queen on the g-file. Black plays 23 ... l"!abB 24.~d7+ <i!tfB 25.~xg7+ +-.
well, losing his way only on move 21, 23.4)c5 +- 4)c6 24.4)d3! 4) xd4
missing an advantage after 21...<i!tf6! 25.~dl ~d6 26.f4 lah8 27.4)e5+
15.Axh7+?! Better is 15.l"!c5. ~g8 28.lad3 lad8 29.~hl ~b6
15 ... ~xh716.4)g5+ ~g6 Even with 30.4)f3 4)c6 31.lad7 laxd7 32.~xd7
the black queen off dB, White wins 4)d8 33.~e8+ ~h7 34.4)g5+ 1~

175
 Sacking the Citadel

(97) Kottnauer - Pachman ~g7. 20.Af4 For 20.b4! see the notes
Moscow 1947 in game 95. 20 .•• e5 21.4)xf7+ 'ifjlxf7
Semi-Slav Defense [D49] 22.Axe5 ~g6 23.~xg6+ Given the
sacrificial attacks we have witnessed, it
Ludek Pachman (1924-2003) won 15 in- may be hard to believe that drawish
ternational tournaments and repre- endgames are possible, but after
sented Czechoslovakia in eight chess 23.~xg7 ~xg3 24.fxg3 \t>xg7 25 ..§ac1
Olympiads. An activist during the Cold <tle4 26.g4 d3 27.gxf5 d2 2B ..§c7+ ~hB
War, Pachman was imprisoned and tor- 29 ..§e7 ~xf5 30 ..§e5 .§dB 31..§exf5
tured. He emigrated to Germany in 1972 d1~ 32.'§xd1 '§xd1+ 33 ..§f1 .§d2
where he resumed his chess career. He White has three pawns for the knight in
wrote more than 80 books in five lan- an even endgame. 23 .•. 'ifjlxg6
guages, including notably his Check- 24.Axg7 'ifjlxg7 25.Etfel No better is
mate in Prague, an account of his po- 25 ..§fc1 <tld3 26 ..§c6 <tlxb2 27 ..§b1
litical difficulties in Czechoslovakia. <tla4 28.'§xb5 <tlc3=. 25 .•• 'ifjlf61? Black
can preserve the balance with either
l.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.4)c3 c6 4.4)f3 4)f6 25 ... <tld3 26 ..§ed1 <tlf4 27.f3 ~b7
5.e3 4) bd7 6.Ad3 dxc4 7.Axc4 b5 2B.\t>f2 <tle6 or 25 ... 'it>f7 26 ..§e5 <tlb3
8.Ad3 a6 9.e4 c5 10.e5 cxd4 27 ..§d1 .§xa2 28.'§xb5 ~e6=. 26.Ete8
1l.4)xb5 axb512.exf6 ~b613.fxg7 Jlb7 27.Etxa8 Jlxa8 28.f3 Jld5
Axg714. ~e2 0--0 15.0--0 4)c5 29.b3 d3 30.'ifjlf2 'ifjle5 31.'ifjle3 f4+
32.'ifjld2 'ifjld4 33.Etel 4)e6 34.Etcl
8 Better to follow the timeless adage
7 "passed pawns are meant to be
6 pushed." 34.h4+-. 34 ..• 4)c5 35.h4
5 Jle6 36.h5 Jlf5 37.h6 4)e6 38.Etc6
4
'ifjle5 39.Etb6 'ifjlf6 40.Etxb5 Ah7
41.a4+- 4)d4 42.Etb7 'ifjlg6
3
43.'ifjlxd3 Or simply 43.'§b6+.
2
43 ..• 4)e6 44.Etb6 'ifjlxh6+ 45.'ifjlc4
Jlg8 46.a5 'ifjlg5 47.a6 4)c7+ 48.'ifjld4
abc d e f g h Ad5 49.b4 'ifjlh4 50.Etg6 4)a8
51.'ifjlc5 Capturing the bishop with
In a sign that we have arrived in the 51.\t>xd5 is just fine. 51 ...'ifjlh5 52.Etd6
modem age of chess, Pachman has pre- 1-0
pared an improvement to game 95, try-
ing 19 ... .§£7 rather than 19 ... .§gB!. (98) Herrmann - Harms
Kottnauer fails to find the best re- Lueneburg 1947
sponse with 20.b4 but still goes on to Queen's Pawn Game [D06]
win, thanks to a slight inaccuracy by
Pachman with 25 .. /.t>f6. 16.Axh7+ l.d4 4)f6 2.c4 d5 3.cxd5 ~xd5
'ifjlxh7 17.4)g5+ 'ifjlg6 18.~g4 f5 4.4)c3 ~d8 5.4)f3 e6 6.e4 Jlb4
19. ~g3 Etf7 N See the notes to game 7.Ad3 c5 8.0-0 0-0 9.dxc5 Jlxc3
95. 19 ... .§gB! prevails by defending the 10.bxc3 ~a511.e5 4)fd7

176
 Games
8 II_>;-"~
7 also win. 15 ... lifjIxf6 Not IS ... 'it'hS
6 16.'l£rh7+ ~g4 17.'l£rh3#. 16.~d4+
5 IifjIg6 Black could safely resign. The alter-
4
3
2
abcdefgh
With two additional assets, the pawn
on eS and the dark-square bishop, the
sacrifice succeeds quickly. The de-
fender plays the tougher 'it'g6 line, but
White is fully up to the task, selecting
14.'i1:rd3+ rather than 14.'i1:rg4. Both lines
win, but the 'l£rd3 is easier here because
White is able to use the eS-pawn as an
asset. Note the weakness here of the
e6-pawn after .. .fS, and the ease with
which White is able to exploit the weak-
nesses on e6 and g7 with 16.'l£rd4+.
12.j},xh7+llifjIxh713.4)g5+ IifjIg6 In
the 'it'g8 line, White can mate more
quickly than normal because 16.4Jxe6
brings on a quick mate on the next
move.13 .. .'~g814.'l£rhSwhenBlackhas
three moves to delay the mate: (a)
14 ... fle8 but the rook is unanchored,
IS.'i1:rxf7+ ~h816.'i1:rxe8+; (b) 14 ... fld8
IS.'i1:rxf7+ 'it'h8 16.4Jxe6 (possible be-
cause the black 4Jd7 block's the
bishop's defense of the e6-pawn)
16 ... flg8 17.'i1:rhS#; and (c) 14 ... 4Jf6.
Obviously, 4Jf6 fails owing to the pres-
ence of the e5-pawn. IS .exf6 and the
pawn goes on to aid the attack. IS ... fld8
16.'i1:rxf7+ 'it'h8 17.fxg7#. 14.~d3+1
Also winning easily is 14.'l£rg4 4JxeS
IS.'i1:rg3 f6 16.4Jxe6+ ~f7 17.'i1:rxg7+
'it'xe618.'i1:rxf8+-. 14...f5 Again, both
king moves after 'l£rd3 lose rapidly:
14 ... 'it'hS IS.'l£rh7+ 'it'g4 16.'l£rh3# or
177
16.h3# or 16.f3#; 14 ... ~h61S.'l£rh7#.
15.exf6+llS.4Jxe6+- and IS.'l£rg3+-
natives are easily demolished:16 ... ~e7
17.'l£rxg7+ ~e818.4Jxe6+-; and 16... eS
17.'i1:rd6+'iMS 18.'l£re6#.17.~e4+ f!f5
17 ... 'it'f6 18.'l£rxe6#; 17 ... ~hS
18.'l£rh7+ ~g4 19.'l£rh3 #; 17 ... ~h6
18.'l£rh7#. 18.~xe6+ 4)f6 18 ... flf6
19.'l£re8+ ~h6 20.'l£rh8+ ~g6 21.'l£rh7#
19.~f7+ IifjIh6 20.4)e6+ g5 20 ... ~h7
21.'l£rxg7# 21.j},xg5+ Faster is 21.4Jf8
with 'l£rg6 # to follow. 2t. .. f! xg5
22.~xf6+ 1-0
(99) Pachman - Foltys
Trencianske Teplice 1949
French Defense [C 10]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.4)c3 dxe4 4.4) xe4
j},e7 5.4)f3 4)f6 6.Jl.d3 4)bd7
7.4) xf6+ Jl.xf6 8. ~e2 0-0 9.h4 e5
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
IL='.<=J.~.
abc d e f g h
Caught on the wrong side of the sacri-
fice in Game 96, Pachman tries it him-
self, relying upon two additional assets,
the dark-square bishop and the h4-
pawn, passing up a clear advantage with
10.dxeS. Fohys selects the best de-
fense, retreating the king to g8 when
White must accept a perpetual check.
Without control over d6, a white effort
 Sacking the Citadel
to deliver the customary checkmate in
five permits the black king to escape.
10.Jlxh7+ White passes up a small
advantage with 10.dxe5 .£lxe5 11..£lxe5
Axe5 12.f6 ;!;;. 10... ~xh7 1l.4)g5+
~g8 The sacrifice works handily in the
'it'g6 line because the Af6 blocks the
usual defense with 'life4+ f5. 11...'it'g6
12.'life4+ ~h5 (12 ... 'it'h6 13.'lifh7#)
13.g4+ (13 ..£le6 fxe614.g4#; 13 ..£le6
fxe614.g4#) 13 ... ~h614.'lifh7#. The
line with Axg5 leads to a lengthy but
not challenging mating net on the
queenside. 11...Axg5 12.hxg5+ 'it'g6
(12 ... 'it'g8 13.'lifh5 f5 14.g6+-)
13.'lii'h5+ ~f514.'lifh3+ 'it'e4 (14 ... 'it'g6
15.'lifh7# Camilleri -Wijesurija, Yerevan
1996) 15.'liff3+ 'it'xd4 16.Ae3+ ~c4
17.f!h4+ ~b5 18.a4+ 'it'a6 (18 ... 'it'a5
19.'life2 c6 20.b4 #) 19.'life2+ b5
20.~xb5#.12.~h5.§.e8= 13.~xfi+
~h8 14..1l,e3 No fight was found in
two other games that reached this posi-
tion: 14.~h5+ 'it'g8 15.'liff7+ (not
15.'lifh7+? 'it'f8 16.~h8+ 'it'e7-+)
15 ... ~h8 16.'lifh5+ ~-~ Fischl-Barta,
Prague 1955; 14.d5 .£lf8 ~-~ Paoli-
Pachman, Venice 1950. 14 ••. 4)f8
15.~h5+ ~g816.~fi+ ~-~
(100) Leitner-Antos
Chocen 1950
French Defense [C02]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 4)c6
5.4)f3 ~b6 6 . .1l,d3 cxd4 7.cxd4
.1l,b4+ 8.4)c3 Jld7 9.a3 .1l,xc3+
10.bxc3 4)ge711.0--0 0--0 (D)
White can expect victory here with two
additional assets, the secure e5-pawn
and the dark-square bishop. Black cor-
rectly defends with the ~g6 line, when
White, after 14.'lifg4, wins despite miss-
ing a more convincing continuation with
178
abc d e f g h
15 ..£lxe6+ and 16.~xg7. 12.Jlxh7+
~xh713.4)g5+ ~g6 In the ~g8line,
there's no quick mate in five given the
presence ofthe .£le7. But White simply
captures on h7 and proceeds through
to h8, playing Ag5+ once the black king
reaches e7. 13 ... ~g8 14.~h5 f!fc8
15.~h7+ (As is often the case, captur-
ing on f7 is also sound when additional
assets are readily available: 15.~xf7+
'it'h8 16.'lifh5+ ~g8 17.~h7+ ~f8
18.~h8+ .£lg8 19.'lifh5 Ae8 20 ..£lxe6+
'it'e7 21.'liff5+-) 15 ... ~f8 16.'lifh8+
.£lg8 17 ..£lh7+ 'it'e7 18.Ag5+ f6
19.'lifxg7+ ~d8 (19 ... ~e8 20.~f8#)
20.exf6 ~c7 21.Af4+ +-. 14. ~g4
14.h4 (an effort to improve upon the
~g4 line by threatening rather than
playing the queen move) 14 ... f!h8
15.~g4 f5 (15 ... .£lf5 16.h5+ 'it'h6
[16 ... f!xh5 17 ..£lxe6+ ~h7
18.~xh5++-] 17.~f3 .£lce7 18.g4 f6
19 ..£lxe6+ 'it'h7 20.gxf5 Axe6 2l.fxe6
'lifxe6 22.f!e1 +- ) 16.exf6 ~xf617.f!e1
.£lf5 18.h5 .£la5 19 ..£lh7+ (to gain ac-
cess to g6) 19 ... f!xh7 20.'lifg6+ ~e7
21.Ag5+ 'it'd6 22.f!ab1 and White is
active on both sides of the board:
22 ... 'lifa6 23.Af4+ ~e7 (23 ... ~c6
24.f!xe6+ Axe6 25.'lifxe6+ .£ld6
26.'lifxd6#) 24.~xf5 +-. Less convinc-
ing is14.~d3+ .£lf5 (14 ... f5 15.~g3
transposes to the note after 14 ... f6)
 Games

15.g4 f6 16.gxf5+ exf5 17.exf6 gxf6 would put up a tougher defense with
1B.4Jh3 and Black is surviving, 19 ... ElfB 20.~g5+ ~f7 21.~h5+ ~gB
18. .. 'iM7 19.Elb1 ~a6 20.~xa6 bxa6 (21...4Jg6 22.~h7+ ~f6 23.h4+-) and
21.Elb7 ElfdB 22.4Jf4 ElabB 23.Elc7 there is no breakthrough for White,
ElbcB 24.4Jxd5 4Je7 25.ElxcB ElxcB 22.~g4+ ~t7 23 ..llh6 ElgB 24.~h5+
26.4Jxe7~xe7 27.Ele1 + 'ifld6;!; . 14.••f6 Elg6 25.Elfe1 ±. 20.Ah6 ~f5
14 ... 4Jf5 15.4Jxe6+ ~h7 16.4Jg5+ 21.~g6+ <it>h8 22.Ag5 ~g8 23.Af6+
(16~xf5 steps into a self-pin after ~g7 24. ~h6+ ~h7 25.Axg7+ 1--0
16 ... 'iflgB) 16 ... 'iflgB17.~h3 ElfcBl8.a4
when (a) 1B ... 4Jb4 19.~h7+ 'iflfB (101) Grosser- Ruppe
20.cxb4 ~h6 21.~xh6 gxh6 22.4Jf3 +- Soemmerda 1950
; and (b) 1B ... 4Jce7, and White initiates French Defense [C05]
an exciting king-hunt: 19.~h7+ ~fB
20.~hB+ 4JgB 2 1. 4Jh7 + ~e7 22 ..lla3+ l.d4 d5 2.e4 e6 3.~d2 ~f6 4.e5
'ifldB (22 ...'ifle6 23.4Jg5 #) 23.Elfb1 ~h6 ~fd7 5.f4c5 6.c3 ~b6 7.~gf3 ~c6
(23 ... ~e6 24.~xgB+ ~c7 25.4JfB+-) 8.~b3 Ae7 9.Ae2 0--0 10.0-0 f6
24.~xgB+ ~c7 25.~xf7+- . 14 ... f5 11.Ae3c412.~bd2 ~xb213.~xc4
15.~g3 f4 16.~g4 Elf5 Black actively dxc4 14.Axc4 ~b6 15.Ad3 ~d5
offers the exchange but after 17 ..llxf4 16.Ad2~b6
Elxg5 18..llxg5 ~t7 (White still has the
time and resources with a rook swing 8
and kings ide pawn advance to break 7
through) 19.Elae1 4Jf5 20.Ele3 ElhB 6
(20 ... 4Jxe3 2l.fxe3+ 'iflgB 22 ..llh6+-) 5
21.Elf3 ~b2 22.~f4 'iflg6 23.g4+-.
4
3
15.exf6 Sacrificing the knight on e6
2
after the discovery is a common theme.
It works here because the black king is
fatally exposed on the e-file after abc d e f g h
15.4Jxe6+! 'iflt7 16.~xg7+ ~xe6 (not
16 ... 'ifleB 17.~xfB#) 17.exf6 4Jf5 Down a piece prior to the sacrifice, .llxh7
1B.Ele1 + 'ifld619 ..llf4+ when Black must only compounds White's troubles.
begin to return material to save his king. White can point to three additional as-
19 ... 4Je5 20 ..llxe5+ ~c6 21.~g6 ElgB sets in the position, the dark-square
22.~h5 ElhB 23.~d1 +-. 15 ... gxf6? bishop, the secure e5-pawn, and the
There's no obvious way for White to Elfl, but Black has a pawn on f6 and a
make progress after 15 ... ~xf6! 16.~h5 rook on f8 that can quickly become ac-
4Jg6=. 16.~e4+ Not quite returning the tive. In the game, Black captures the 4Jg5
error, but once again passing up a spec- and organizes his defense around ~b1
tacular, winning sacrifice: 16.4Jxe6+ and control over the b1-h7 diagonal.
'iflf7 17.~g7+ 'iflxe6 (17 ... ~eB 17.Axh7+? <it>xh7 18.~g5+ fxg5!
18.~xfB#) 18.Ele1 + 4Je5 19.dxe5 4Jf5 With a very active position, Black is
20.~g6+-. 16... <it>h717:~h4+ <it>g8 winning in every line except the 'iflhB
18.~xf6+ f!xf619:~xf6 ~d8 Black retreat. 1B ... ~gB 19.~h5 fxg5-+;

179

IB ... ~g619.~c2+ f5-+; IB .. .'~h6
19.~g4 fxg5 20.fxg5+ ~g6-+.
19.'~h5+ <ifJgS 20.fxg5 .£Jxe5 Also
winning is 20 ... 4Jxd4 21.g6 §xfl
22.§xfl4Jf5+ 23.~hl4Jf3-+. 21.<ifJhl
Hoping to drive off the knight and then
play g6. The immediate 21.g6 meets
4Jxg6. 21 ... -'t,d7 22.dxe5 Elxfl +
23.Elxfl ElfS 24.ElxfS+ AxfS 25.h3
White still cannot play 25.g6 ~bl +.
25 ....£Je7 26.<ifJh2 There's no hope left:
26.g6 ~bl + 27.~h2 'l£rxg6. 26 .. .'~bl
27.-'t,e3 ~e4 0-1
(102) Waters - Stevens
Fort Worth 1951
French Defense [C02]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 e5 4.e3 .£Je6 5.f4
~b6 6 . .£Jf3 exd4 7.exd4 Ab4+
S ..£Je3 .£Jge7 9.a3 -'t,xe3+ 10.bxe3
Ad7 1l.-'t,e2 EleS 12.0-0 .£Ja5
13.-'t,d2 .£Jb314.Elbl Aa415.~el
.£Je6 16.<ifJhl .£Jea5 17.g4 ~e7
IS.Adl 0-0 19.-'t,e2? .£J xd2
8
7 (103) Markoff - Willey
6 Correspondence 1951
5 Slav Defense [D31]
4 ,."...".,.W//h... _
3
2
abc d e f g
To survive, White had to try 19.1.txb3
4Jxb3 20.f5. With 19.Ac2 White is fully
lost prior to the sacrifice, which only
speeds up the end. In the ~gB line, the
defender prevails easily with 22 ... l.tc2,
stealing the key diagonal, or in the
game with 22 ... §feB, which provides a
safe escape for the king. 20.Axh7+ The
sacrifice is more promising than the
Sacking the Citadel
hopeless liquidation with 20.'l£rxd2
l.txc2 21.'l£rxc2 ~xc3-+. 20 ... <ifJxh7
21 ..£Jg5+ <ifJgS Down two pieces and
with only the §fl and kingside pawn
storm as additional assets, White had
to hope that the defender would select
either the ~g6 or the ~h6 lines, which
lose quickly in the face of White's
kingside advance: 21...~g6 22.~h4 (at
least here, White cannot play ~h 7 * )
22 ... §hB 23.f5+ exf5 24.gxf5*;
21...~h6 22.~h4+ ~g6 23.'l£rh7*.
22. ~h4 ElfeS Best is
22 ... ~c2 -+ taking command over the
key bl-h7 diagonal. 23.~h7+ <ifJf8
24.~hS+ 24.f5 4Jxfl 25.fxe6 4Je3
26.ext7l.tc2 27.fxe8'l£r+ §xeB 28.~hB+
~e7 29.~xg7+ ~dB-+and the attack
is over. 24 ... <ifJe7 25.~xg7 <ifJd7 Or
just 25 ... 4Jxbl-+. 26 . .£Jxe6 Elxe6
Black can even play 26 ... ~xe6 27.f5+
~d7 28.e6+ ~c6-+. 27.~xf7+ <ifJdS
Avoiding 27 ... §e7 2B.'l£rxd5+ ~eB
29.~gB+=. 28.~xe6 .£Jxfl29.~xd5+
<ifJe7 30.f5 30.~e4 ~c4-+ surviving
the pawn storm with the threat of ~c6.
30... Ae60-1
l.d4 d5 2.e4 e6 3 . .£Jf3 dxe4 4 ..£Je3
e6 5.e4 b5 6.a4 b4 7 ..£Ja2 e3 S.bxe3
bxe3 9 . .£Jxe3 -'t,b4 10.-'t,d2 .£Jf6
1l.Ad30-0 12.h4 e513.e5 .£Jd5
h
abc d e f g h
180
 Games
With additional assets in the Ad2, the
secure e5-pawn, and the h4-pawn,
White has more than enough to prevail
handily in all lines. In the ~g6 line, as
played in the game, all three of the main
variations, 16.'~c2, 16."i!'Yg4, and 16.h5
win quickly. 14.j',ixh7+ Ci.t'xh7
15..£Jg5+ Ci.t'g6 The 'it'gBline leads the
usual mate in five: 15 ... 'it'gB 16."i!'Yh5
~eB 17."i!'Yxf7+ 'it'hB 1B."i!'Yh5+ ~gB
19."i!'Yh7+ ~fB 20.~hB+ 'it'e7
21."i!'Yxg7#. 16.h5+ 1-0 (a) 16.~g4+­
f5 (or 16 ... f6) with a mate in three:
17.h5+ 'it'h6 1B.4Jxe6+ 'it'h7
19."i!'Yxg7#; (b) 16.~c2+ f5 17.h5++-
forces the king to h6 for a queen-win-
ning discovery; and (c) 16.h5+ ~f5
(16 ... 'it'h617.4Jxf7++-) 17.g4#.
(104) Bialas- Uhlmann
Leipzig 1951
French Defense [C06]
Wolfgang Uhlmann (b. 1935) received
his grandmaster title in 1959. He won
the East German Championship 11 times
between 1954 and 1986. He represented
East Germany in the chess Olympiads
from 1956 through 1990. At the Palma
de Mallorca Interzonal of 1970, he
earned a place in the Candidates cycle
but lost his match against Bent Larsen.
He is well-known for his mastery ofthe
French Defense, his main weapon with
Black throughout his tournament career.
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3 •.£Jd2 .£Jf6 4.e5
.£Jfd7 5.j',id3 c5 6.c3 .£Jc6 7 •.£Je2
tPlb6 8 ..£Jf3 cxd4 9.cxd4 f6 10.exf6
j',ib4+ 1l.j',id2 .£Jxf6 12.0-0 0-0
13.a3j',id6 14.h4 e5 15.dxe5 .£J xe5
16..£Jxe5j',ixe517.j',ic3
181
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Black enjoys the light-square bishop on
cB as well as the open f-file. White de-
fended with 'it'g3, but misses a remark-
able defense starting with 20.~c1.
Karsten MUller has noted that White
also has 20.Axh7+, as after 20 ... 'it'xh7
21.~d4 "i!'Yxd4 22.4Jxd4 ~xfl 23.~xfl
White has excellent drawing chances
because of his activity. Black appears
to have excellent chances in that varia-
tion, but the win would have far more
elusive than in the game. 17... .1lxh2+
18.Ci.t'xh2 .£Jg4+ 19.Ci.t'g3 In the 'it'gl
line, even though the black queen ar-
rives on the h-file at h6, the possibility
of~xf2 eliminates the possibility of run-
ning the king to fl. 19.~gl? ~h6
20.Ae5 (20.~e1 ~h2+ 21.~f1 ~xf2 #)
20 ... 4Jxe5-+. 19 ... 1axf2 19 ... 4Jxf2
20.~d2 ~d6+ 21.4Jf4 4Jxd3 22.~xd3
~xf4 23.~xf4 g5 24.~af1 gxf4+ 25.~xf4
~g6+ 26.~xg6+ hxg6= and White has
excellent chances to draw the ending
despite the slight material deficiency
owing to the superior activity of all three
pieces and the bishops of opposite
color. 20.j',id2? Necessary was 20.~c1!
fighting for control over f4: 20 ... ~c7+
21.4Jf4 ~xf1 22.Axfl g5 23.Ab2 ~d6
(23 ... ~xf4+ 24.~xf4 gxf4+ 25.'it'xf4=)
24.Ae2 ~h6 (24 ... h5!?) 25.4Jh3 ~h4+
26.~f3 4Jh2+ 27.~e3 Axh3 28.~c7
~eB+ 29.~d2 ~xe2+ 30.~xe2 ~e4+
31.'it'd1 Ag4+ 32.~c1 ~e3+ 33.~b1
 Sacking the Citadel

when the white king has safety on the
queenside and White has the opportu-
nity to gain a perpetual against the ex-
posed black king, 33 ... d4 (33 ... Af5+
34.'itta2+-) 34:~bS+ 'ittg7 35.~c7+
'ittgS=. 20 .•. ~e3 21.laxf2 There's a
forced mate after 21.Axe3 ~xe3+
22.'~h4 (22.'itth2 ~h3+ 23.'ittg1
~xg2#) 22 ... g5+ 23.'it'h5 ~eS+
24.'ittxg5 ~e5+ 25.'it'h4 ~h2+ 26.'ittg5
'ittg7-+. 21 ... ~d6+ 22.<if1f3 The alter-
natives offer no hope: 22.'£\f4 .£\xd1
23.§xd1 g5-+; 22.'itth4 ~h2+ 23.'it'g5
~h6#; 22.§f4 .£\xd1 23.§xd1 g5-+.
22 ... Jlg4+ 23.<if1xe3 ~e5+ 0--1 Re-
signing to avoid being mated, 24.Ae4
~xe4#.
(105) Tanguay - Zalys
Montreal 1952
London System [D02]
l.d4 ~f6 2.~f3 g6 3.M4 jlg74.e3
0--0 5.Jld3 d5 6.~bd2 ~bd7 7.h4
c5 S.c3 b6 9.h5 ~ xh510.laxh5 gxh5
8 has four undeveloped but connected
7 pawns for the piece. 14.~h4+ It's mate
6 in four beginning with the queen on the
5 bl-h7 diagonal: 14.~d3+ f5 (14 ... 'it'f6
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
White sacrificed the exchange to open
the b1-h7 diagonal, but in the diagram,
without a pawn on e5, White cannot
prevent Black from defending with
... '£\f6. Instead, Black selected the 'ittg6
line, which encourages White to use the
Af4 and the .£\d2-f3-h4 maneuver.
Thanks to a disastrous 13th move by
Black, White wins easily, but the varia-
tion with 13 ... e6 is quite challenging.
1l . .1lxh7+ <if1xh7 12.~g5+ <if1g6
Black should have selected the 'it'gSline,
a much easy win because there's no way
to prevent ... .£\f6. 12 ... 'it'gS! 13.~xh5
.£\f6 -+. 13.~df3 lahS? The best de-
fense is 13 ... e6 with the idea of ... 'it'f6-
e7. 13 ... e6 14.'£\h4+ (14.dxc5 bxc5
15.'£\h4+ 'ittf6 16..£\h7+ 'it'e7 17.~xd5
An impressive queen sacrifice that
forces a perpetual check with the
knights in the middle of the board
17 ... exd5 lS.'£\f5+ 'itteS [lS ... 'it'e6
19 ..£\xg7+ 'itte7 20.'£\f5+=] 19 ..£\d6+
'itte7 20.'£\f5+) 14 ... 'it'f615.~xh5 'it'e7
16..£\g6+ (16.~h7 'it'eS 17.~xg7 ~f6
forcing an exchange of queens, IS. ~xf6
.£\xf6+) 16 ... fxg6 17.~xg6 ~eS
18.~xg7+ 'ittdS 19.Ad6 Aa6 20.AxfS
'£\xfS 21.dxc5 (21.0-0-0 ~e7 22.~xfS+
~xfS 23 ..£\xe6+ 'itte7 24.'£\xfS §xfS=)
21...bxc5 22.0-0-0 ~e7 23.~xfS+
~xfS 24 ..£\xe6+ 'it'd7 25 ..£\xfS+ §xfS
26.§xd5+ 'ittc6 27.§d2± when White
15.Ae5+ .£\xe5 16.dxe5 #) 15.'£\h4+
'it'f6 (15 ... 'itth616.~xf5 +- ) 16.~xf5 #.
14... <if1f6 15. ~f3 1--0 Black cannot do
anything againt the upcoming 16.Ae5+
'it'xg5 17.~f3#.
(106) Fuderer - Stoltz
Belgrade 1952
Queen's GambitAccepted [D28]
l.d4 d5 2.c4dxc4 3.~f3 ~f64.e3 a6
5..1lxc4 e6 6.0--0 c5 7. ~e2 b5 S.Jld3
cxd4 9.~ xd4 e510.~b3 e411.Jlc2
.1ld612.ladl ~e713.~c3

182
 Games
abcdefgh
Black can rely here on the light-square
bishop and the e4-pawn as additional
assets. With White's rook already on
d1 and the queen already defending f2,
White wins easily in the '<t>gl line.
13••..1l,xh2+ 14.<it'xh2 .£lg4+ 15.<it'gl
\tlg3 leads to a quick perpetual although
Black can try for more with ... hS on move
15 or later on move 18. After lS.'<t>g3!?
Black has the three obvious tries: (a)
Not lS ... ~gS when the e-pawn falls
with tempo: 16.<£\xe4 ~g617.<£\d6+; (b)
lS ... ~eS+ 16.f4 when king moves get
mated: 16... exf3+ 17.\tlxf3 (not 17.'<t>h3
~h2#; 17.'<t>h4 ~h2+ 1B.'<t>gS h6#;
17.\tlh3~h2#; 17.'<t>h4~h2+ 18.'<t>gS
~h6#) 17 ... ~f6+ 1B.'<t>g3 ~eS+= and
Black can draw trivially with a perpetual
or play on with 1B ... hS!? 19.1"ldS ~e6
20.e4 h4+ 21.'<t>h3 <£\eS+ 22.\tlh2 <£\bc6
23.\tlg1 h3 24.l"lxeS <£\xeS 2S.<£\dS
ltxdS 26.exdS hxg2 27.~d2 0-0-0
28.l"lc1l"lh1 + 29.'<t>xg2l"lxc1 30.~xc1
l"l xdS=; and (c) In the '<t>g3 line, Black's
interesting chances appear to lie with
lS ... hS using the l"lhB for support. 16.f4
h4+ 17.\tlh3 when Black will get a dis-
covery, although with the queen already
on e2, there's nowhere important for the
knight to go: 17 ... <£\f6!? 18.'<t>h2 Ag4
19.~e1 h3 20.<£\d4 watching the f3-
square once the g-pawn is traded,
20 ... hxg2 21.'<t>g2 ~xd1 22.<£\xd1 ~d7
183
23.<£\f2 and White is holding the posi-
tion. 15•.. ~h416. ~el f517•.£ld5 0-
o 18. .£ld4 a5 19.b4 Eta6 20•.£lf4
~h2+ 21.<it'fl a4 22.a3 g5 23 •.£lh3
~hl + 24.<it'e2 ~xg2 25.~hl ~xhl
26.Etxhl Etg6 27.Abl h6 28.Aa2+
<it'h7 29.f4 exf3+ 30. .£lxf3 Ete6
31 . .£lhxg5+ <it'g7 32.Ab2+ <it'g6
33 . .£le5+ <it'xg5 34. .£lxe6 .£lxe6
35.Etael -'lb7 36.Ethdl .£lee5
37.Axe5 .£lxe5 38..1l,d5 Ac8 39.Ete5
Ete8 40.Etdel Ad7 41.E!.e7 f4
42.exf4+ <it'xf4 43.Etfl+ <it'g5
44.<it'e3 h5 45.<it'd4 -'lh3 46.E!.hl
Ag4 47.Ete5 <it'f4 48.E!.fl + .£lf3+
49.Axf3 -'lxf3 50.Etxh5 Ete4+
51.<it'e5 E!.e3 52.Eth31-O Resigning in
respect for White's simplification to an
easily winning king and pawn endgame:
S2 ... l"lxa3 S3.'<t>xbS '<t>g4 S4.l"lhxf3l"lxf3
SS.l"lxf3 \tlxf3 S6.'<t>xa4+-.
(107) Pirc - Porreca
Bled 1953
Queen's Gambit Declined [040]
Vasja Pirc (1907-1980) was the origina-
tor of the Pirc Defense. He was five time
champion of Yugoslavia in 1935, 1936,
1937, 1951,and 1953. He became a grand-
master in 1953 and an International Ar-
biter in 1973.
1 ..£lf3 .£lf6 2.d4 d5 3.e4 e6 4 ..£le3 e5
5.e3 .£le6 6.a3 a6 7.exd5 .£lxd5 8.e4
.£lxe3 9.bxe3 exd4 10.exd4 Ae7
1l.Ad3 0-0 12.Ae3 ~a5+ 13.-'ld2
~b6 14.-'le3 Af6 15.E!.bl ~a7
16.e5 Ae717.0-0 Axa3 (D)
Black's greed with 17 ... ~a3 enables the
sacrifice, which can count on three ad-
ditional assets, the dark-square bishop,
the secure eS-pawn, and the potential
rook swing with l"lb3. Black selects the
\tlg6 line, in which White wins
 Sacking the Citadel
abc d e f g h In 1955-56, he obtained a shared first
quickly with ~g4 or ~d3+ despite the
lack of an anchor on the 4Jg5.
18.j},xh7+! ~xh719 •.£lg5+ ~g6 In
the ~gS line, the rook retreat is to dS,
requiring an additional move in the cus-
tomary mate. 19 ... ~gS 20.~h5 .§.dS
(20 ... .§.eS 21.ii¥xf7+ ~hS 22.~xeS+)
21.ii¥xf7+ ~hS 22.ii¥h5+ ~gS 23.ii¥h7+
~fS 24.ii¥hS+ ~e7 25.ii¥xg7+ ~eS
26.ii¥f7 #. Even without the dark-square
bishop on the c1-h6 diagonal, the ~h6
line fails quickly to ii¥g4-h4 in no small
part because Black cannot quickly an-
chor a rook on hS. 19 ... ~h6 20.ii¥g4
(also winning is 20.~d3 ~xg5 [20 .. .f5
21.Ad2+-] 21.Ad2+ ~h5 [21...~g4
22.ii¥h3# or 21...~h4 22.ii¥h3#]
22.ii¥h7+ ~g4 23.~h3#) 20 ... .§.hS
21.~h4+ ~g6 22.ii¥xhS+-. 20.~g4
Much quicker is 20.~d3+ f5 (not
20 ... ~xg5 21.Ad2+ ~h5 [21...~g4
22.ii¥h3 #; 21...~h4 22.~h3 #]
22.ii¥h7+ ~g4 23.~h3# or 23.h3# or
23.f3#) 21.ii¥h3 ~xg5 22.ii¥h7+-.
White has plenty of ideas like ~xg7,
Ad2, and f4 to complete the mating net.
Fritz 12 says that it's mate in seven.
20 ••. f5 21. ~h4 .£l xe5 22.dxe5 b5
23. ~h7+ ~xg5 The familiar sacrifice
of the 4Jg5. Here, White has a signifi-
cant assist from the dark-square bishop
and the kingside pawns. 24.Ad2+ 1-0
24 ... f4 (not 24 ... ~g4 25.~h3#) and it's
mate in five with: 25.h4+ ~g4 26.ii¥g6+
184
~xh4 27.g3+ fxg3 (27 ... ~h3 2S.ii¥h5 #)
2S.ii¥xg3+ ~h5 29.~g5#.
(108) Olafsson - Mellberg
Copenhagen 1953
Nimzo-Indian Defense [E41]
Fridrik Olafsson (b. 1935) won the Ice-
landic championship in 1952 and the
Scandinavian championship a year later.
with Korchnoi. By tying for fifth at
Portoroz in 1958, he obtained his grand-
master norm and qualified for the can-
didates' tournament. He succeeded Max
Euwe as President FIDE.
1.d4 .£lf6 2.c4 e6 3 ..£lc3 j},b4 4.e3
c5 5.Ad3 0-0 6 ..£lf3 d6 7.0--0 j},xc3
8.bxc3 .£lc6 9.e4 .£le8 10.e5 dxe5
11.dxe5b6
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
White has the e5-pawn and dark-square
bishop as additional assets, but the
pawn structure provides the black
queen with access to d3 and the bl-h7
diagonal. In the game, Black tried the
~g6 line when 14.~f3 against the
unanchored 4Jc6 and 15.h4 provide the
quickest path to a winning advantage.
12.Axh7+ There's a simpler advantage
to be had by holding the e5-pawn with
12.ii¥e2!? or 12.Af4. Observing that the
sacrifice is unsound, Polugaevsky
 Games
played more positionally with 12.Ae4!?
'tt1e7 13.Af4 h6 14 ..£\d2 Ab7 15.'tt1g4
'tt1e7 16.l.txe6 Axe6 17.Axh6 f5
18.'tt1g3 'tt1f7 19.Af4 ~d8 20.~adl Aa4
21..£\b3 ~d7 22.'tt1f3 ~xdl 23.~xdl
'tt1e7 24.'tt1g3 'tt1f7 25.~h4 ~b7 26.f3
.£\e7 27.~d6 'tt1e8 28 ..£\c1 Ad729 ..£\e2
~f7 30 ..llg5 .lle8 31.'£\f4 ~d7 32.Ae7
.£\a6 33.~g5 ~xd6 34.e xd6 'tt1d7
35.Af6 c,t>h8 36..lle5.£\b8 37 ..£\xe6 .£\e6
38.i.txg7+ c,t>g8 39.Ae5+ 1-0
Polugaevsky-Kuzmin, Tallinn 1965.
12...!it'xh713.4Jg5+ !it'g6 In the c,t>g8
line, Black can defend because Olafsson
must play 14.~f3, gaining time against
the undefended .£\e6, rather than ~h5.
13 ... ~g8! 14.~f3 (not 14.~h5?
'tt1d3-+) 14 .. .f615.exf6 gxf616.~xe6
.lld7 17.~e4 fxg5 18.Axg5 'tt1xg5
19.'tt1xa8 .£\d6 20.'tt1xa7 .lle6+. Essen-
tially, Black has returned an exchange
but emerges with a small initiative.
14:~g4 The most effective idea for
White is ~f3-h3, exploiting both the
unanchored .£\e6 and the rook's inabil-
ity to defend safely on h8. 14.~f3! ~d7
15.h4! (not 15.~h3?! .£\xe5 16.~h7+
~f6 and the king can escape, 17.'tt1h4
~g6 18.~e4+ f5 19.'tt1xa8 .£\e6-+)
15 ... ~h8 16.~e4+ f5 (king moves get
mated, 16 ... ~h6 17 ..£\xe6+ +-;
16 ... c,t>h5 17.g4+ c,t>xh4 18.~hl + c,t>xg4
19.~f3+ ~h4 20.'tt1h3#) 17.exf6+
~xf6 (17 ... c,t>h6 18 ..£\xe6+ +-) and
White has the usual pressure upon e6
once the f-pawn is gone, 18.~el c,t>e7
19 ..£\xe6 'tt1xe6 20.Ag5+ ~f8 (20 ... ~f7
21.'tt1f3++-) 21.'tt1f3+ ~f7 22.~xe8+
~xe8 23.'tt1xe6+ +-. Also interesting is
14.'tt1e2+ f5 15.exf6+ c,t>xf6 16.'tt1e4;!;.
14.•. f5 Not 14 ... .£\xe5 because White
can exploit the unanchored ~a8
15.~e4+ f5 16.~xa8+-. 15.~g3 f4
Far better to defend with 15 ... ~e7 tak-
ing the queen out of the reach of the
185
discovered check, 16.~el (16 ..£\xe6+
c,t>f7 17.'£\xf8 c,t>xf8 18.~el 'tt1e6=)
16... ~h8 17 ..£\xe6+ c,t>h7 18.'£\f4 c,t>g8
(White can recover an exchange but the
attack has ended, 19 ..£\g6 ~e6 20.'£\xh8
c,t>xh8=). 16.Axf4 Elxf4 17.4Jxe6+
!it'f518.4Jxd8 4Jxd819.~d3+ 1-0
(109) Herrmann - Unzicker
Leipzig 1953
Nirnzo-Indian Defense [E53]
Wolfgang Unzicker (1925-2006) chose
law ahead of chess, but still retained
enormous strength, the "world cham-
pion of amateurs," according to Karpov.
He won the German championship six
times from 1948 to 1963. From 1950 to
1978, he played in twelve Olympiads and
represented the German national team
more than 400 times. His best results
were a shared first at the Chigorin Me-
morial in 1965 and shared first at
Amsterdam, 1980.
l.d4 4Jf6 2.c4 e6 3.4Jc3 Ab4 4.e3
c5 5.Ad3 0--0 6.4Jf3 d5 7.0--0 4J1xl7
8.cxd5 exd5 9.4Je2 c410.Ac2 Ad6
1l.b3 b512.bxc4 bxc413.4Jg3 Ele8
14.Aa4 ~c7 15.4Jf5 Af8 16.4Jg3
Eld8 17.Elbl 4Jb6 18.Ac2 Ad6
19.e4 dxe4 20.4J xe4 4J xe4 21.-'lxe4
Ab7
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
 Sacking the Citadel

White can count only the Jlc1 as an
additional asset in the position. As a
result, the sacrifice fails in both main
lines. In the ~gS line, Black's rook is
already off f8 and the black queen al-
ready defends the t7-square. The ~g6
line, by contrast, provides a much larger
and easier advantage. White cannot
there maintain the queen on the g-file,
and without a white pawn on e5, Black
can effectively counter a check from
'li'!c2 with .. .f5. 22.Jtxh7+ White's best
chance was 22.Jlxb7 'li'!xb7 23.Jld2
when Black has only a small advantage.
22 ...Ci!lxh7 23.~g5+ Ci!lg6! In the more
challenging ~gS line, Black can snake
through to an advantage by maneuver-
ing the light-square bishop to gS and
walking the king to the queenside.
23 ... ~gS 24.'li'!h5 §eS 25.'li'!h7+ ~fS
26.Jla3.
8 in 2S.h5+ 'M6 29.§e5 Jlxe5 30.dxe5+
7 ~e7 -+. 2S.•• Elxh4 29.f3 29.gxf5+ is
6 convincingly foiled by 29 ... vtJxf5.
5 29 .•• ElahS 30.gxf5+ ~xf5 31.~g2
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Position after 26.J1a3 (analysis)
If White instead plays 26.'~hS+ Black
can wind the king safely to the
queens ide 26 ... ~e7 27.'li'!xg7 Jlxh2+
2S.~hl Jld5 29.4Jxf7 §gS 30.Jlg5+
~d7 31.4Je5+ ~cS-+ or against
26.Jld2 Jld5 27.§fel f6 28.'li'!hS+ JlgS
29.4Je6+ limit the damage to an ex-
change sacrifice, 29 ... §xe6 30.§xe6 c3
31.Jlh6 Jlxh2+ 32.~hl 4Jd5 33.§c6
'li'!e7 34.~xh2 gxh6 35.'li'!xh6+ vtJg7
36.'li'!h3 vtJh7 -+. After 26.Jla3, Black's
position is under fire, but there is a suc-
cessful defense: (a) 26 ... Ad5! 27.§fel
f6 2S.~hS+ JlgS 29.§e6 Axa3
30.4Jh7+ ~t7 31.§xf6+ ~e7 (31 ... gxf6
32.~xf6#) 32.§el + ~d7 33.vtJxg7+
Jle7 34.4JfS+ ~cS 35.vtJxgS ~b7
36.§t7 §xfS 37.§exe7 §xgS 3S.§xc7+
~a6 +; (b) Not 26 ... Jlxa3 27.§fel +-
cutting off the king's escape; and (c)
26 ... ~c6 27.d5! (not 27.f3 Axa3
28.§fel vtJh6-+) 27 ... 'li'!xd5 28.Jlxd6+
~xd6 29.'li'!hS+ ~e7 30.~xg7 Jld5
31.4Jxt7 §gS 32.4Jxd6+ §xg7 33.4Jf5+
~f6 34.4Jxg7 ~xg7=. Black's active c-
pawn compensates for slight material
deficiency. 24.h4 The alternatives of-
fer no hope: 24.'li'!g4 f5 when the queen
is forced off the g-file and Black can
play §hS with an anchor; or 24.vtJc2+
f5 when 25.g4 meets 25 ... Jlxh2 check-
mate. 24••• ElhS 25.Elel Ad5 26. ~c2+
f5 27.g4 ~d7 2S.Elb5 There's no hope
Elhl+ 32.Ci!lf2 Ellh20-1
(11 0) Tokarev - Gorenstein
Ukraine 1954
Queen's Gambit Declined [D41]
1.d4 ~f6 2.c4 e6 3.~f3 d5 4.~c3
c5 5.cxd5 ~xd5 6.e4 ~xc3 7.bxc3
cxd4 S.cxd4 Jth4+ 9.Ad2 Jtxd2+
10.~xd2 0-0 1l.Ac4 ~d712.0-0
~f6 13.Elfel b6 14.Eladl Ab7
15.~f4 Elc816.Ad3 Elc317.d5 ~e8
lS.e5 Axd5 (D)
White's active rooks and e5-pawn pro-
vide important additional assets, but the
black §c3 limits the ability of the white
rooks and the queen to operate freely on
the third rank. Black correctly defends

186
 Games
8 25...gxf6 26. ~h5+ ~g7 27.g5 Elxe4?
7 And now Black can achieve equality
6 with 27 ... fxg5 2S.4Jxg5 ~c7 29.~h7+
5 ~f6 escaping to e7: 30.~h6+ (30.~xd5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
with ~g6, when White, with two equal-
izing lines at his disposal, plays inac-
curately and is lucky to win. 19.Axh7+
~xh7 20.Jilg5+ ~g6 In the ~gSline,
white wins quickly because the 4Jf8 pre-
vents Black from creating an escape
square on fS, 20 ... ~gS 21.~h4+-.
21.Jile4? Once again, the defender is
fine after giving back an exchange:
21.4Jxe6 fxe6 22.~xfS ~d7=, while
here, after 21.h4 Black gives back a
piece for a pawn to dull White's initia-
tive: 21 ... 4Jf6 22.exf6 ~xf6 23.h5+ ~h6
24.4Jxf7+. A double-discovered check
with no teeth. 24 ... ~h7 25.4Jg5+ 'it1gS
26.~xf6 ~xf6=. 21 ... Elc4 The best
defense is 21...~a3 maintaining control
over the third rank. 22.~g4+ 'it1h6
23.4Jg3 threatening ~h5+ 23 ... ~h7
24.~b4 ~xg3 gladly returning the ex-
change, 25.hxg3 ~hS-+. Black's king
is safe, the rook will take control over
the h-file, and all of Black's pieces will
find strong havens. 22. ~g4+ ~h6
Correctly avoiding 22 ... 'it1h7 23.~h5+
~gS 24.4Jg5 +- . 23. ~h3+ ~g6 24.g4
Jilf6 25.exf6 Missing 25.f4 ~xe4
26.~ xe4 ~cS. The pin on the bishop
and White's mating threats make the
rook immune: 27.~ed4 4Jxg4 28.~xg4+
~h7 29.f5 ~c3 30.f6 ~e3+ 31.'it1f1 g6
32.~el +-. Trading queens with ... ~f3
gives White a winning endgame, while
187
25 ... ~h6 26.~g3 threatens a killing pin.
exd5 31.~h6+ ~f5 32.~h7+=)
30 ... ~e7 31.~xd5 ~g4+ 32.~hl ~c6
33.~xe6+ fxe6 34.~h7+ ~eS 35.~g6+
~e7 36.~h7+=. 28.~h6+ ~g8
29.Elxe4 fxg5 30.Elg4 f5 31.Elxg5+
~f7 32.Elg7+ 1--0
(111) Kazic - Reseli
Correspondence 1954
French Defense [C14]
1.d4 e6 2.e4 d5 3.Jilc3 Jilf6 4.Ag5
Ae7 5.e5 Jilfd7 6.h4 c5 7.Axe7
~xe7 8.f4 a6 9.Jilf3 Jilc6 10.dxc5
~xc5 11.~d2 b5 12.Jild1 Jilb6
13.b30--0 14.Jilf2 Ab715.Ad3 Jild7
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
White has three additional assets, the
secure e5-pawn, the h-pawn, and the
4Jf2-g4, but White's queen has no easy
access to the h-file. As a result, the ~gS
line is problematic, though Black once
again crumbles under pressure. Were
the white queen on dl, the game con-
tinuation would have netted the black
queen after lS.~h5 ~xc2 19.4Jfe4
~xe4+ 20.4Jxe4 dxe4, a position that
remarkably still offers chances to both
sides. 16.Axh7+ ~xh7 17.Jilg5+
 Sacking the Citadel

~gS A bit of a curiosity, perhaps, but (112) Giusti - Cipriani

Black can hold here in the \t'hB line in Correspondence 1954
part because the white queen cannot French Defense [CI7]
directly reach the h-file with check,
17 ... \t'hB!? 18.~d3 f5 19.~f3 (the en 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.4)c3 .1l.b4 4.e5 c5
passant capture would bring the knight 5 ..1l.d2 4)e7 6.4)b5 .1l.xd2+ 7.~xd2
to f6) 19 ...\t'gB 20.~h5 ~c3+, when it's 0--0 S.c3 4)bc6 9.4)d6 ~b610.4)f3
Black's tum to attack. 21.\t'fl ~xa1 + .1l.d711 ..1l.d34)c8
22.\t'e2 4:ld4+ 23.\t'd3 4:lc5+ 24.\t'd2
(24. '<fte3 ~c3+ 25.4:ld3 4:lxc2+ -+ )
24 ... 4:ldxb3+ (using the knight sacs to
set up a perpetual check for the queen)
25.axb3 4:lxb3+ 26.cxb3 ~a2+=. It's
mate in two moves in the \t'g6 line.
17 ... \t'g6? 1B.h5+ \t'f5 (lB ... \t'h6
19.4:lg4#) 19.94#, and not much bet-
ter in the '<fth6Iine: 17 ... \t'h6 1B.h5 +-
with the idea of 4:lg4#: 1B ... 4:ldxe5
19.fxe5 ~d4 20.~c1 ~xe5+ 21.'<ftfl abcdefgh
(Black's delaying tactics have ended)
21...~f5 22.4:lxe6++-. lS.~d3 EtfeS White sports a secure pawn on e5 and
19.~h7+ ~fS 20.0--0 There's noth- the 4:ld6, an important asset in many
ing in 20.~hB+ \t'e7 21.~xg7 ~c3+ -+. lines. To his detriment, the queen stands
20 ••. ~e7 Under little meaningful pres- on d2, where it aids the '<fth6 line but
sure, Black's best appears to be requires ~d3 rather than the usual
20 ... 4:ld4 21.~h5 \t'e7 22.~xf7+ \t'dB 'li1h5. In the \t'g6 line, White can offer
23.flad1 4:le2+ 24.\t'h2 ~e7 OF. up the 4:lg5 directly after either 14.~d3
21.~xg7 EtfS 22.f5 4)cxe5 23.fxe6 '<ftxg5 or after 14.~d3 f515.~h3 4:lxd6
23.4:lxe6 ~c3 24.~g5+ f6-+ 16.~h7. In all cases, White mates with
23 .•• ~d4 24. ~h7 4)f6? Letting help from the 4:ld6, or in the cases in
White off the hook. Instead, Black which Black captures the 4:ld6, by ag-
should seize the initiative with 24 ... flhB gressively advancing the kingside
25.~f5 ~xh4 -+ . 25. ~f5 4)fg4 26.c3
pawns. 12..1l.xh7+! ~xh713.4)g5+
~b6 27.4)xf7 27.exf7+- eyes the e6-
~g613 ... \t'gB14.'li1d3. The queen can-
square and prepared an assault on the not reach the h-file directly. As a result,
e-file. 27 .•• ~xe6 Better is 27 ... 4:lxf7
Black has several options to forestall
2B.exf7 4:lf6 (hoping to survive after the
the mate: (a) 14 ... fleB 15.~h7+ '<ftfB
capture on f7) 29.\t'h1 flhB 30.flae1 +
16.'li1h5; also winning is 15 ... ~hB-g7
\t'xf7 31.~f4±with the advantage, but
16 ... '<fte7 (not 16 ... \t'gB17.~xf7+ '<fthB
Black survives after ... flaeB. 2S. ~g5+
1B.4:lxeB ~xeB 19.~xeB# or 16... fle7
~d7 Black is without hope after
17.~hB#) 17.~xf7+ \t'dB 1B.4:lxeB
2B ... \t'xf7 29.4:lxg4++-. 29.4)xg4
~xeB 19.4:lxe6#; (b) 14 .. .f5 Blocking
4)xf7 30.~g71--O
the check gives White the time to get
the queen to the h-file, 15.~h3 fleB
16.~h7+ \t'fB17.~g6 and White wins

188
 Games

easily in all lines: 17 .. .';tJgS (or 17 ... 'tJe7 (113) Balanel- Sliwa
18.4Jxe6 Axe619.'~xeS# or 17 ... 4Jxe5 Prague 1954
lS.dxe5 4Jxd619.exd6 <it'gS 20.~h7+ Nirnzo-Indian Defense [E51]
'tJfS 21.~hS#) lS.4JxeS AxeS
19.~xeS#; and (c) 14 ... l"ldS (with the 1.d4 4)f6 2.c4 e6 3.4)c3.1lb4 4 ..1ld2
ideaof.. ..lleS fails as well) 15.'~'h7+<M8 0-0 5.e3 d5 6.4)f3 §e8 7 . .1ld3
16.~h5 AeS (16 ... g6 17.~hS+ <it'e7 4)bd7 8.0--0 .1ld6 9.§cl c6 10.e4
18.~f6+ ~fS19.~xfl#) 17.4JxeS+-. dxe4 1l.4)xe4 4)xe4 12..1lxe4 e5
13 ... ~h6 steps into a discovery, but the 13.§e1exd4
black queen is already safe: 14.~f4 with
mate in 10 according to Fritz 12:
14 ... 4Jxd6 15.4Jh3+ <it'g6 (15 ... ~h7
16.~h4+ <it'gS17.4Jg5l"lfeSl8.~h7+
'tJfS 19.exd6+-) 16.~g5+ <it'h7
17.~h5+ 'tJgS lS.4Jg5 l"lfeS
19.exd6+- and White breaks through
on f7 once again. 14.t?/d3+! Also win-
ning is 14.h4 4Jxd6 15.h5+ 'tJh6 (not
15 ... 'tJf5 16.l"lh4 and ~f4#) 16.dxc5
with exd6+- to follow. 14••. lit'xg5 abc d e f g h
14 .. .f5 (giving White an opportunity to
err) 15.~h3!+- (15.exf6+? allows the For additional assets, White has active
king to escape, 15 ... <it'xf616.4Jh7+ <it'e7 rooks and a dark-square bishop, but
17.4JxfS 4Jxd6-+) 15 ... 4Jxd6 there is no e5-pawn, and Black also has
(15 ... 'tJxg5 16.f4+ <it'g6 [16 ... <it'xf4 a rook on the open e-file, freeing up fS,
17.~g3#] 17.g4 fxg4 [17 ... 4Jxd6 and the 4Jd7 has unfettered access to
18.~h5 #] 18.~xg4+ <it'h7 [lS ... <it'h6
the key f6-square. Black correctly en-
19.~h4+ 'tJg6 20.l"lgl #] 19.1"lgl l"lfl
ters the 'tJg6 line because White can-
20.~g6+ 'tJgS 21.~xf7+ ~h7
not make progress with either ~g4 or
~c2+. Mysteriously, black agrees to a
22.~xg7 #) 16.~h7+ (forcing the king
draw in a fully winning position.
to capture the knight) 16... ~xg5 17.f4+
14..1lxh7+? Iit'xh715.4)g5+ Iit'g6! In
and it's mate in three, 17 ... <it'xf4
the <it'gS line, White can achieve a dy-
(17 ...'tJg4 lS.~xg7+ <it'xf4 19.~g3+
namic equality by capturing the fl-
'tJe4 20.~f3#) lS.~h4+ ~e319.~g3+
pawn, and then retreating to the queen
'tJe4 20.~f3#. Black might as well cap-
to g6 in order to play 4Jfl+. 15 ... ~gS
ture the knight directly rather than suf-
16.~h5 4Jf6! 17.~xfl+ ~hSl8.c5 AbS
fer with 14 ... ~h5 15.f4 l"lhS 16.g4+
19.~g6l"lf8 20.4Jfl+ l"lxfl. Black glee-
'tJxg4 17.~f3+ <it'h4 18.~h3#. 15.f4+! fully returns an exchange to free his
Iit'h6 The other king retreats are game, 21.~xfl ~gS 22.~e7= 16.t?/c2+
quickly mated: 15 ... 'tJh516.~h7+ ~g4 16.~g4 4Jf6-+. The queen is unable
17.~h3+ 'tJxf418.~g3# and15 ... 'tJxf4
to remain on the g-file, and the anchored
16.~g3#.16.t?/h3+ Iit'g617.g41--O rook will prevent the queen from dwell-
ing on the h-file. 16 ••• f5 17.§xe8
t?/xe8 18.§el t?/f8 19.4)e6 YZ-YZ

189
 Sacking the Citadel

Drawn by agreement, but Black is fully ... ~f6 21.g3 ~f6+ 22.'£\f4 (22 ..ilf4 ~h3
winning after 19 ..£\e6 ~h8 20.h3 .£\f6 23 ..£\g1 ~xf4+ 24.'lt>e2 ~g2+ 25.'lt>e1
21 ..£\xd4 .ild7 -+. ~xf1 +) 22 ... ~h3-+; (b) Also interest-
ing and thematic is 19 ... h5 threatening
(114) Harrow - Siegel ... h4. (1) 20.'lt>f3 ~f6+ 21.'£\f4 (2U1f4
New York 1955 '£\xf4 22.'£\xf4 g5-+) 21...~xd4-+; (2)
Nirnzo-Indian Defense [E46] 20.~e1 ~h4+ 21.~f3 ~f6+, a nice
maneuver that takes advantage of both
l.d4 !z)f6 2.c4 e6 3.!z)c3 Ab4 4.e3 the queen and the h-pawn. 22.~g3 h4+
0--0 S.!z)ge2 dS 6.a3 Ae7 7.cxdS forcing the king into a useful discovery,
exdS S.!z)f4 c6 9.Ad3 !z) bd710.0--0 23.~h3 ~d6 first, threatening mate,
Ele8 11.b4 !z)fS 12.f3 !z)g613.!z)fe2 24 ..ilf4 '£\xf4+ 25.~xf4 .£\e5+ 26.'lt>h2
as 14.Elbl axb41S.axb4 Ad616.e4 .£\xd3-+; and (3) 20..£lf4 h4+ 21.~3 (ex-
dxe417.fxe4 posing the king to checks along the di-
agonal) 21...~xd4 22.'lt>e2 .£\4e5
8 23 ..£\xg6 .ilg4+ 24.~f3 fxg6 -+. With the
7 knight on g6, 19.~h3 loses instantly to
6 ~h4#. 19 .•• ~h4 20.Elf3 ~h2+
5 21.'it>{1 ~hl + 22.!z)gl !z)h2+ 23.'it>{2
4 Carefully avoiding both 23.~e2? ~xg2+
24.~f2 .ilg4+ -+ and 23. 'It>e 1 '£\xf3+ -+ .
3
2
23 ... !z)g4+ 24.'it>f1 !z)h2+ 2S.'it>f2
!z)g4+ 26.'it>{1 !z)h2+ Yl-Yl

abc d e f g h (115) Helwing - Baumann

Correspondence 1956
An ambitious sacrifice that nets a half Ruy Lopez [C99]
point. White has full control over the
center, the ~f1 is actively posted on a l.e4 eS 2.!Z)f3 !z)c6 3.AbS a6 4.Aa4
semi-open file, and White threatens e4- !z)f6 S.O--O Ae7 6.Elel bS 7.Ab3 0--0
e5. Black has two additional assets, the S.c3 d6 9.h3 !z)aS 10.Ac2 cS II.d4
.£\g6 which supports the queen on h4 ~c7 12.!z)bd2 Ab7 13.!z)f1 cxd4
and prevents White from defending 14.cxd4 ElacS IS.Abl dS 16.exdS
with .ilf4, and the ~e8, whose scope is exd417.-'tgS !z)xdS IS.Axe7 !z)xe7
obviously limited by the white center.
In the 'It>g1 line, as played in the game,
Black does not appear to have better
than a quick perpetual. 17••• Axh2+
IS.'it>xh2 !z)g4+ 19.'it>gl In the ~g3
line, ... h5 carries the powerful threat of
... h4, driving the king to f3. After
19.~g3, Black has two main tries,
19 ... ~h4+ and 19 ... h5. (a) With the
knight on g6, Black's best move is likely
19 ... ~h4+ 20.~f3 ~e6 with the idea of abc d e f g h

190
 Games
White has two additional assets, the
§el and the 4Jf1 en route to g3 or h2.
In the game; Black tried ~h6, an effort
to exploit the absence of a dark-square
bishop. White reacts correctly with 4Jg3
and an overwhelming attack, but White
blunders horribly on move 24.
19.J}.xh7+ ~xh7 20.~g5+ ~h6 In
the ~g8Iine, Black sacrifices the 4Je7
to defend effectively with 'ittc2.
20 ... ~g8! 21.~h5 (21.~d3? [trying to
prevent 21...~c2] 21...4Jg6!) 21...~c2
(placing the queen on the key diago-
nal) 22.§xe7 Ad5 23.§c1 ~g6 and
Black is fine, 24.'ittxg6 fxg6 25.§xc8
§xc8=. In the ~g6 line, White wins
quickly with 4Jg3. 20 ... ~g6 21.4Jg3
(with the idea of ~h5) 21...~xg5
(21...§h8 to prevent 'itth5, but 22.~g4
f5 23.§e6#) 22.~g4+ (the queen has
immediate help from the knight) 22 ...~6
(22 ... ~h6 23.~h5 #) 23.4Jh5 #.
21.~g3! g6 2l...~xg5 walks into a mate
in two with 22.'ittg4+ ~f6 (22 ... ~h6
23.~h5#) 23.4Jh5#. 22.~g4 EIcd8
(a) 22 ... 4Jf5 with a mating net that in-
volves a pretty rook sacrifice on move
31, 23.4Jxf5+ gxf5 24. ~h4+ ~g6
25.~h7+ ~xg5 (25 ... ~f6 26.~h6#)
26.~g7+ ~h5 (26 ... ~h4 27.~h6#)
27.g4+ fxg4 (27 ... ~h4 28.~h6#)
28.~h7+ ~g5 29.h4+ ~f4 (29 ... ~f6
30.~h6+ ~f5 31.~g5#)30.~h6+~f3
(30 ... ~f5 31.~g5#) 31.§e3+ d xe3
32.~xe3#; or (b) 22 ... 4Jc4 23.~h4+
~g7 24.~h7+ ~f6 25.'itth6!. A nice
waiting move that sets up a mate in two:
25 ... §h8 26.4Jh5+ ~f5 27.g4#.
23.~h4+ ~g7 24.EIxe7?? A horrible
miscalculation that throws away the
game. White is winning after 24.~h7+
~f6 25.~h6+- threatening 4Jh7# and
4Jh5+. 24 •.• ~xe7 25.~f5+ gxf5
26.~h7+ ~f6 27.~h6+ ~e5
28.EIel + ,1l.e4 29.~f3+ ~d5 0-1
191
(116) Dolezal- Ancin,
Chomutov 1956
French Defense [C06]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.~d2 ~f6 4.e5
~fd7 5.J}.d3 c5 6.c3 ~c6 7.~e2
,1l.e7 8.~f3 0--0 9.~f4cxd410.cxd4
,1l.b4+ 11.~f1 EIe812.h4f6
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
White has a secure pawn on e5, a dark-
square bishop, a well developed knight
on f4, and the h4-pawn. Little wonder,
therefore, that the sacrifice readily suc-
ceeds even against a black pawn struc-
ture that prominently features the pawn
on f6. The capture on g5 loses quickly
because White gains an active h-file and
a pawn on g6. The 4Jf4 eliminates even
the possibility of~g6. Black selects the
~g8 retreat, which lasts longest only
because Black can actively return a
piece on e5. 13.,1l.xh7+! Although the
sacrifice is sound, White can continue
risklessly with 13.~c2 4Jf8 14.h5 fxe5
15.dxe5 h6 16.§h3±. 13 ... ~xh7
14.~g5+ ~g8 14 .. .fxg5 15.hxg5+
~g816.~h5 4Jdxe5 (Black must elimi-
nate the e5 pawn in order for the king to
hope to reach d6) 17.dxe5 4Jxe5 18.g6
4Jxg6 (Black might as well capture the
g-pawn because the 4Je5 is loose,
18 ... ~f8 19.~xe5+-) 19.~h7+ ~f7
(19 ... ~f8 20.4Jxg6+ ~f7 21.4Je5++-)
20.'ittxg6+ +- ~e7 (20 ...<MB 21.4Jd3 +- )
 Sacking the Citadel
21.~xg7+ ~d6 22.~d3+-. Remark-
ably enough, material is even, but
White's pieces are well poised for vic-
tory. Af4 and )"lc1 are likely to be next.
15.t\'h5.£idxe515 .. .fxg516.hxg5+-
opens the h-file, while 15 ... ~e7 cuts
off the escape, 16.~h7+ ~f817.~h8#.
16.dxe5 .£ixe5 17.t\'h7+ Or
17.~d3+-. 17.•. <t>fS IS. .£ih5 Also
winning is 18.~d3 ~xd319.~h8+ ~e7
20.~xg7+ ~d6 21.~f7+. IS ••• t\'c7
19. t\'hS+ Much stronger is 19 .Af4 +- .
19••• <t>e7 20.t\'xg7+ <t>d6 21.t\'xf6
t\'c4+ 22.<t>gl.£id3 23.Ae3 23.~g7
hits interesting squares, the )"le8 and
f5. 23 ••• Ad7 24.a3 Ac5 25.Axc5+
t\'xc5 26.Elh3 t\'c2 27. .£if7+ <t>c7
2S ..£ig7 ElfS 29.Elf1 ElacS 30. t\'e7
<t>hS 31.Elf3 The surgical finish is
31.)"lxd3 ~xd3 32.~e5+-. 31 •.. Ah5
32..£id61~
(117) Hartmann - Geissert
Zittau 1956
Ruy Lopez [CS9]
l.e4 e5 2 •.£if3 .£ic6 3.Ah5 a6 4.Aa4
.£if6 5.~ h5 6.Ah3 Ae7 7.Elel 0-
o S.c3 d5 9.exd5 .£ixd5 10. .£ixe5
.£ixe5 1l.Elxe5 .£if6 12.d4 Ad6
13.Ele2
8
7
6
5
4
3 abc
2
abc d e f g h immediately after a double-rook sac.
192
Despite White's relative lack of
queenside development, Black initiates
the sacrifice with only one additional
asset, the light-square bishop. As a re-
sult, Black wins only in the ~h3 and
~h1Iines. In the game, White defends
with ~g3, a more difficult chore but
Hartmann rises to the challenge.
13•..Axh2+ 14.<t>xh2 .£ig4+ 15.<t>g3
In the ~gl line, Black would have to
try the awkward ~d6 to avoid Af4.
15.~gl ~d6 (15 ... ~h4 16.Af4+-)
16.g3+- Ab7 17.Af4 ~c6 18.d5+-.
15•••h516. t\'hl! t\'d6+ 17.Af4 t\'g6
IS.Ac2 Or simply 18.f3 +-. IS ... f5
19.f3 h4+ 20. t\' xh4 EleS 21.El xeS+
Also winning are 21.~g5, 21.Ab3+,
and even 21.~xg4+-. 21. .. t\'xeS
22. .£id21~
(118) Wiktorczyk - Bozek
Correspondence 1957
French Defense [CIS]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3..£ic3 Ab4 4.e5 .£ie7
5.a3 Axc3+ 6.hxc3 c5 7. t\'g4 ~
S..£if3 t\'a5 9.Ad3 t\'xc3+ 10.j}.d2
t\'xal + 1l.<t>e2 t\'xhl
d e f g h
White carries out the Greco Sacrifice
Theoretically, the result in tlie ~g8line
ought to be a draw because, with the
black knight on e7, White would nor-
 Games
mally have nothing more than a per-
petual. Faced with the draw, Black tries
for more and loses quickly. 12. .Q.xh7+
Iit>xh7 13 . .£lg5+ When possible,
13.~h5+ should be played first in or-
der to eliminate Black's options.
13••• lit>gS In this instance, Black's op-
tions lead to quick mates owing of
course to the activity of the ~g4:
13 ... ~g6 14 ..£\xe6+ <it>h7 15.~xg7#;
13 ... ~h6 14.~h4+ <it>g6 15.~h7#.
14..~h5 EtdS! Thanks to the gain of
the rooks, Black now has the luxury of
sacrificing back his queen to gain time
to safeguard his king. 14 ... ~xh2
15.~xh2 .!"!.e816.~h7+ <it>f817.~h8+
.£\g8 18.'£\h7+ ~e7 19.Ag5+ (the stan-
dard maneuver when Black's knight
starts on e7) 19 ... <it>d7 20.~xg7 <it>c6
and the white attack continues to crash
through. 21.~xf7 Ad7 22.'£\f8 cxd4
23.f4 a5 24.f5 exf5 25.e6+-.
15"~·xf7+ 15.~h7+ <it>f816.~h8+ .£\g8
17 ..£\h7+ ~e718.~g5+ ~d719.~xg7
~xg2-+ 15 ..• lit>hS 16..~h5+ Iit>gS
17..~h7+ Iit>fS1S..~h5 g6? Having
defended well, Black loses his nerve.
There's no win to be found after
18 ... ~g8=.19.~hS+ .£lgS 20.~h7
1-0 There are no rooks for a rook swing,
but the queen and knight work together
harmoniously, 20 ... .£\h6 (20 ... .!"!.e7
21.£\xe6+) 21.~xh6+ ~e7 22.~g7+
~e8 23.~f7#.
(119) Sobel- Tseveloidoff
Reykjavik 1957
French Defense [C06]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3 ..£ld2 .£lf6 4.e5
.£lfd7 5 . .Q.d3 c5 6.c3 .£lc6 7 ..£le2
cxd4 S.cxd4 ~b6 9 . .£lf3 .Q.b4+
10.1it>f1 0--0
193
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
White has three usable assets, the dark-
square bishop, the .£\e2, and the pro-
tected e5-pawn, but Black's counter-
play requires that White play ~d3 rather
than try for~h5 with 12 ... <it>g813 ..£\g3
~xd4 with the ideaof ... ~d3. To equal-
ize, Black needed to take advantage of
the ~d3+ by playing .!"!.e8, providing
the king with a usable escape.
1l..Q.xh7+ Iit>xh712. .£lg5+ Iit>gS! In
the 12 ... <it>g6Iine, White has two main
alternatives, 13.~d3 and 13.'£\f4 with
the idea of~h5+. (a) 13.~d3+ f5 (once
again, the retreats lead to forced mates)
14.'£\f4+ ~xg5 (take it now or take it
later: 14 ... <it>h6 15.~h3+ <it>xg5
16.~h5#) either way is a quick mate,
15.~g3+ ~h616.~g6# or 16.~h4#;
and (b) 13.'£\f4+ <it>f5 (the .£\g5 capture
makes no sense against the queen-
knight combination, 13 ... <it>xg5
14.~h5#) 14.~d3+ <it>xg5 (14 ... ~g4
15.~h3+ <it>xg5 16.~h5#) 15 ..£\xe6+
~h5 16.~h7+ (White wants the mate,
not the rook) 16 ... <it>g4 17.h3#. After
12 ... <it>h6 13.~d3 once again, the dis-
coveries are less interesting than the
mates, 13 ... g614.~h3+<it>g715.~h7#.
13. ~d3 Against .£\e2-g3, the queen
can again force its way onto the key
bl-h7 diagonal: 13 ..£\g3 ~xd414.~h5
~d3+.13 •••f5? Missing a path to equal-
ity with the obvious 13 ... .!"!.e8!, taking
 Sacking the Citadel

full advantage of the queen's inability ture the 4JgS: 18.~h4 ~g6 19.flh7+
to attack f7 and h7 at the same time. ~xgS 20.h4 ~g4 -+) 18 ... ~xf8
14.'~h7+ ~f81S.'~·h8+ ~e7 16.'~xg7 19.bxc3 1.tcS+ 20.~hl .ilf2-+.
~d8 17.1.te3 1.te7=. 14.~h3 ~eS 15.~h4 ~xg51 16.~xg5 cxb2
15.~h5 +- 4:}fS 16.~f7+ ~hS 17.~adl.1le6 The minors are ready to
17.~xeS ~c7 IS..1le3 b6 19.~c1 swann. IS.h4 .1lc319.h5 ~h7 20.g4
.1lb7 20.4:}xe6 ~xeS 21.4:}xc7 ~dS .1lxe5 21. ~h4 .1ld4+ 22.~hl.1le3
22.a3 .1le7 23.4:}f4 .1lg5 24.4:}fe6 23.g5 ~aeS 24.g6+ ~gS 25.~gl d4
4:}xe6 25.4:}xe6 .1lxe3 26.fxe3 ~eS 0-1 White's attack has evaporated. If
27.4:}g5 ~fS 28.g3 4:}a5 29.~c7 ~b8 anything, it is the white king that is ex-
30.~f2 4:}c4 31.~c14:}xb2 32.~xb7 posed after ...1.tdS.
4:}d3+ 33.~g2 1--0
(121) Prokhorovich - K1avins
(120) Milotai - Fichtl Pamu 1958
Bmo 1957 Nimzo-Indian Defense [E55]
Vienna Game [C29]
l.d4 4:}f6 2.c4 e6 3.4:}c3 .1lb4 4.e3
l.e4 e5 2.4:}c3 4:}f6 3.f4 d5 4.fxe5 0--0 5 •.1ld3 c5 6.4:}f3 d5 7.0--0 dxc4
4:} xe4 5.4:}f3 .1lc5 6.d4.1lb4 7 ..1ld2 S..1lxc4 4:}bd7 9.dxc5 4:} xc510..1ld2
c5 S..1lb5+ 4:}c6 9.0--0 0--0 10..1ld3 .1la5 1l.a3 .1lc7 12. ~c2 b6 13.b4
4:}xd211.~xd2cxd412.~f4dxc3 4:}cd714.4:}b5 AbSI5.~fdl.1lb7
16.~acl a617.4:}bd4e51S.4:}e2e4
8 19.4:}fd4
7
6 8
5 7

4 6
3 5
2 4
3
abc d e f g h 2

Counting on two additional assets, the abc d e f g h

e5-pawn and the §fl, White initiates
the sacrifice already down a piece. The
material edge penn its Black to gain an
overwhelming advantage with ... ~xgS,
obtaining three minor pieces and a pawn
for the queen. 13 . .1lxh7+ ~xh7
14.4:}g5+ ~gS More difficult to calcu-
late but also winning is 14 ... ~g6
lS.4Jxf7 fle7 16.flg3+ ~h7 17.4JgS+
~h6 18.§xf8 (the usual idea of flh4-
h7 fails because Black can safely cap-
Black's additional assets include the
light-square bishop off the main c8-h3
diagonal, the e4-pawn, and the 4Jd7
which does have access to eS and then
f3. In tum, the white rook is already
posted offfl, and White has excellent
control over the c-file and is effectively
challenging the black e-pawn. The
Greco Sacrifice appears to provide a sig-
nificant advantage with correct play. In

194
 Games
the 'it'glline, Black avoids his best pos-
sibilities with ~h4 and the 4:Je5-f3 ma-
neuver. 19.~.Jixh2+ Black was clearly
in an aggressive mood, but 19 ... 4:Je5
with the idea of 4:Jxc4 is a perfectly rea-
sonable continuation. 20.lit'xh2 .£)g4+
21.lit'gl In the 'it'g3line, Black can sus-
tain the queen on the g-file. 21.'it'g3
~g5 (there's no point in trying
22 ... ~c7+ 23.4:Jf4 when Black does not
have time for ... g4 because the 4:Jg4 is
hanging) 22.f4 ~g6 23.f5 (23.~b2
4:Jxe3+ 24.'it'f2 4:Jxdl+ 25.Elxdl
ElacS-+) 23 ... ~g5 (the queen will re-
main on the g-file) 24.4:Je6 fxe6
25.Jlxe6+ 'it'hS 26 ..ilxd7 and now, ac-
cording for Fritz 12, it's mate in 1O!
26 ... 4:Jxe3+ 27.r.t>f2 EI xf5+ 2S.Jlxf5
~xg2+ 29.'it'xe3 ~f3+ 30.r.t>d4
EldS+ -+. After 22.f3 rather than 22.f4,
Black walks into a self-pin with
22 ... 4:Jxe3+ but is fine in all lines: (a)
23.'it'f2 4:Jxdl +:;:, breaking the pin by
capturing the rook with check; (b)
23.'it'h3 ~xg2+ 24.r.t>h4 ~h2+ 25.r.t>g5
h6"" or 25 ... ~h6""; and (c) 23.r.t>h2
~xg2"". 21 .•. b5 Black's best shot is
21...~h4! with fantastic complications:
22.4:Jg3 (Black is winning after 22.4:Jf4
~xf2+ 23.'it'hl ~h4+ 24.'it'gl and now
24 ... 4:Jde5 25.4:Jh3 ~g3 with the idea
of ... 4:Jf3+ 26.'it'fl 4:Jf3 27.4:Jf5 4:Jgh2+
2S.'it'e2 ~xg2+ 29.4:Jf2 4:Jg4 30.Elfl
.§.fdS-+) 22 ... 4:Jde5 23.4:Jdf5 ~h2+
24.'it'fl 4:Jf3. Obviously, White cannot
capture the knight because Black would
have 24 ... ~xf2 "" 25. r.t>e2 (25.4:Jxe4
~gl + 26.r.t>e2 ~xg2 27.Elfl [27.4:Jed6
4:Jxf2 2S.4:Jxb7 4:Je4+ 29.r.t>d3 ElfdS+
30.4:JxdS ElxdS+ 31..1ld5 (31.4:Jd4
4:Je5 ""] 31...EI xd5+ 32. r.t>c4 4:Jexd2+
33.'it'c3 Eld7 -+) 27 ... 4:Jge5 and Black
is winning) 25 ... ~xg2 26.Jlel EladS
27.Eld6 r.t>hS:;:. Less compelling for
Black is 21...4:Jde5 22.4:Jf4= (22.4:Jg3
195
ElcS 23.~a2 ~h4 24 . .ilc3 Elxc4
25.4:Jdf5 ~h2+ 26.r.t>fl Elxc3 27.Elxc3
h5 2S.Elc7 h4 29.Elxb7 hxg3 30.4:Jxg3
4:Jxe3+ 3l.fxe3 4:Jg4-+). 22.Jixb5 The
bishop sacrifice is unnecessary. White
is winning after 22 ..ilb3 ~h4 23.4:Jg3
~h2+ 24.'it'fl 4:Jde5 25 ..ilc3+-.
22 .•. axb5 23.~e7 ~h4 24.~g3
~xg3 25..£)xg3 .£)de5 26.Ete7 j}.d5
27..£)xb5 EtfdS 28.j}.e3 .£)d3 29.Etd2
Etde8 30.£3 exf3 31.gxf3 .£)gf2
32.Etxf2 .£)xf2 33.lit'xf2 Jib3
34.Etxe8+ Etxe8 35 . .£)f5 Ete4
36.j}.xg7 Ete2+ 37.lit'g3 Jie6
38..£)bd6 Eta2 39.j}.h6 f6 40..£)e7+
Iit'h841 ..£)e81--O
(122) Furman - Geller
Riga 1958
Nimzo-Indian Defense [E54]
Semyon Furman (1920-1978) is best
known as the trainer of Botvinnik,
Bronstein, and Karpov. He played of-
ten in Soviet events, achieving fourth
place in the 1965 Soviet Championship
and becoming a grandmaster in 1966.
Efim Geller (1925-1998) became a grand-
master in 1952, won the Soviet Champi-
onship twice in 1955 and 1979, and quali-
fied for the candidates' cycle six times
(1953,1956,1962,1965, 1968,and 1971).
He won four Ukrainian championship
titles, shared first in the 1991 World
Seniors' Championship, and won that
title outright in 1992. Geller is well-
known as coach to both Spas sky and
Karpov during their world champion-
ship matches.
1.d4 .£)f6 2.e4 e6 3 . .£)e3 Jih4 4.e3
e5 5.Jid3 0--0 6 ..£)f3 d5 7.0--0 dxe4
8.Jixe4 b6 9. ~e2 j}.b7 10.dxe5
j}.xe311.bxe3 bxe512.j}.d3 .£)bd7
13.e4e414.j}.e2 ~a515.Etbl.£)e5
16.Etxb7 .£)xb717.e5 .£)d5
 Sacking the Citadel
abc d e f g h <;!;>f8 24.'l1i'h8+ <;!;>e7 25.'l1i'xg7+ ~d8 but
In a battle between titans, White sacri-
ficed the exchange in order to play e5,
driving off Black 's <t!f6. In the <;!;>g8Iine,
Black cannot successfully create the f8-
escape square because the white queen
nets the loose <t!b7 at the end of the
line. Instead, Black sacrifices back with
... <t!f6 in order to place the queen on the
bl-h7 diagonal. The endgame that re-
sults strongly favors White. 1S..1l,xh7+
'it'xh719.~g5+ 'it'gS In the <;!;>g6line,
White exploits the queen's access to
e4, which adds remarkably to the power
of the line after .. .f5 because White gains
a double attack on the unprotected e6-
pawn. 19 ... <;!;>g6 20.'l1i'e4+! initiates a
mate in four (20.'l1i'g4 again fails because
there's no way to sustain the queen on
the g-file. 20 .. .f5 21.'l1i'g3 'l1i'xc3 22.Ae3
f4 23.'l1i'g4 <t!xe3 24.fxe3 'l1i'xe3+
25.<;!;>hl 'l1i'd3-+ )20 .. .f5 (The king re-
treats are quickly mated: 20 ... <;!;>h5
21.'l1i'h7+ <;!;>g4 22.'l1i'h3# or 22.h3# or
22.f3 #) 21.exf6+ <;!;>h5 (21... ~xf6
22.'l1i'xe6# and 21...<;!;>h6 22.'l1i'h7#)
22.'l1i'h7+ <;!;>g4 23.h3#. The ~h6 line
takes on a dark-square bishop and a
white queen easily able to swing to M.
19 ... <;!;>h6 20.'l1i'e4 f5 invites a quick
mate in two (handing back the piece
brings on some complications but only
delays the mate 20 ... <t!f6 21.<t!h7+! g5
[21...<;!;>h5 and it's mate in three with
196
22.<t!xf6+ gxf6 23.'l1i'h7+ ~g4 24.'l1i'h3#
or 24.h3#or 24.f3#] 22.Axg5+ <;!;>g7
[22 ... <;!;>h5 23.<t!xf6+ <;!;>xg5 24.h4+ ~h6
25.'l1i'h7#] 23.Axf6+ ~h6 [23 ... ~g8
24.'l1i'g4+ ~xh7 25.'l1i'g7#] 24.'l1i'h4+
<;!;>g6 25.'l1i'g5+ ~xh7 26.'l1i'g7#)
21. 'l1i'h4+ ~g6 22. 'l1i'h7 #. 20:~h5 ~f6
After 20 ... t'!fe8 There's no mate in five
because the black queen is off d8:
21.'l1i'xf7+ <;!;>h8 22.'l1i'h5+ ~g8 23.'l1i'h7+
the Ab7 is unanchored, 26.'l1i'xb7+-.
21.exf6 ~f5 22.g4 ~g6 23.~xg6
fxg6 24.f7+ Etxf7 White is easily win-
ning after 24 ... ~h8 25 ..Ila3+-.
25.~xf7 'it'xf7± 26.Ae3 e5 27.f4
'it'e6 2S.fxe5 ~dS 29.EtfS EtbS
30.Axa7 Etb1 + 31.Etf1 Etb232.Etf2
Etb1+ 33.Etf1 33.~g2± 33 ... Etb2
34.Etf2 Etb1 + 35.'it'g2 ~c6 36..1l,e3
~xe5 37.h3 Ete1 3S.Ad2 Eta1
39.j},g5 ~d3 4O.Ete2+ 'it'd5 41.'it'g3
Etgl+ 42.'it'h2 Eta1 43.'it'g2 .£let
44.Etd2+ .£ld3 45.Ete2 .£lc146.Etd2+
.£ld3 47.'it'g3 Ete1 4S.'it'h2 'it'e4
49.'it'g2 'it'd5 50.AdS Etc151.Ag5
'it'e5 52.'it'f3 ~-~ Lulled to sleep and
content with the draw, White misses
both 52.t'! xd3! +- and 52.t'!e2+ +- .
(123) Schuster - Niepbaus
Nuremberg 1959
Nimzo-Indian Defense [E29]
1.d4 .£lf6 2.c4 e6 3 ..£lc3 Ab4 4.e3
0--0 5..£lf3 c5 6.a3 Axc3+ 7.bxc3 d6
S ..1l,d3 .£lc6 9.0-0 e5 10.d5 .£le7
11.e4.£lg612..£le1 ~a513.~c2Ad7
14.f4 Aa4 15.~b2 exf4 16.Axf4
.£lxf4 17.Etxf4 .£ld7 1S..£l0 EtabS
19.Etf1 f6 20. ~c1 a6 (D)
To initiate the sacrifice, White first
ditches the e-pawn to open the bl-h7
diagonal. After the sacrifice, the
 Games

25.~h7+ '.ftf8 26.~h8+ (26.<£Je6+ '.fte7

8 27.~xg7+ 'tie8 28.~g6+ '.fte7
7 29.~g5+) 26 ... 'tie7 27.~xg7+ '.ftd8
6
5
4 31.~xf8+
3 33.h4+-] 30.Elxf8+ <£Jxf8 31.~xf8+
2 '.ftd7 32.~xb8+-) 29.~g6+ '.fte7
abcdefgh
doubled rooks provide the needed ad-
ditional assets to achieve victory in
every line. The \filg6 line in the game
involves a nice rook sacrifice on g4 with
a quick mating net. 21.e5 fxe5 There
were two alternative captures on e5: (a)
21...dxe5 22.Elg4 f5 23.~h6 (a nice
rook sacrifice that forces the king to f7
where White will have a powerful dis-
covery with the knight) 23 ... fxg4
24.~xh7+ \filf7 25.<£Jxe5+ (25.<£Jg5+
'tie7 [2'5 ... 'tie8 26.~xg7 Elxfl + 27.'tixfl
~b6 28 ..llg6+ \fild8 29.<£Je6+ \file8
30. ~h8+ <£Jf8 31. ~xf8+ \fild7
32.<£Jxe5+ +-] 26. ~xg7+ '.ftd6
27.~h6+ 'tie7 28.<£Je6+ 'tib6
29.<£Jxf8+ +- ) 25 ...'tie7 26.~xg7+ '.ftd8
(26 ... 'tid6 27.Elxf8 <£Jxf8 28.<£Jf7+ 'tie7
[28 ... 'tid7 29.<£Jg5++-] 29.~e5+ 'tib6
30.~xb8) 27.Elxf8+ <£Jxf8 28.d6 when
it's mate in five; and (b) 21...<£Jxe5
22.<£Jxe5 dxe5 (Black cannot capture
with 22 .. .fxe5 because of 23 ..I1xh7+
'tixh7 24.Elxf8+-) and now the three
majors romp on the kingside: 23.Elh4
h6 24.m3 \filf7 25.~el \file7 26.Elg3
g5 (26 ... Elf7 27 ..I1g6+-) 27.Elxh6+-.
22.J}.xh7+! Cit'xh7 23.1~g5+ Cit'g6 In
the 'tig8 line, the white queen enters
the diagonal on bl when the queen, the
<£Jg5-e6, and the Elfl tie down Black's
forces so tightly that the passed h-pawn
queens easily. 23 ... \filg8 24.~bl Elxf4
(27 ... 'tie8 28.Elxf4 e4 29.~h8+ '.fte7
30.Elf7 #) 28.<£Je6+ '.fte8 (28 ... '.fte8
29.~g8+ Elf8 [29 ... <£Jf8 30.Elxf4 exf4
'.ftd7 32.~g7+ '.fte8
30.~g5+ Elf6 31.~g7+ '.fte8 32.Elxf6
<£Jxf6 33. ~xf6. The mating threats keep
the black queen close, when White can
simply start pushing the h-pawn.
33 ... ~b6 34.~g6+ '.ftd7 35.~f7+ '.fte8
36.h4 +- . Don't miss the '.fth6 line, in
which White's most efficient path to the
win involves consecutive sacrifices of
the knight and rook: 23 ...'.fth6 24.E!.h4+
'.ftg6 25.~bl + 'tixg5 26.E!.g4+ +- (tak-
ing the rook meets a mate in three) The
queen cannot reach the h-file directly
after 23 ... 'tih8 but 24.~bl +- is over-
whelming. 24.~b1+ Cit'xg5 25.1ag4+
1-0 The rook sacrifice starts a mate in
four: 25 ... '.ftxg4 (25 ...'.fth6 26.~g6#)
26.~g6+ '.fth4 27.g3+ '.fth3 28.~h5#.
(124) Kozlova - Liapunova
Moscow 1959
Nirnzo-Indian Defense [E20]
1.d4 ~f6 2.c4 e6 3.~c3 j}"b4 4.j}"d2
d5 5.e3 0--0 6.cxd5 exd5 7.j}"d3 1ae8
8.~ge2 c6 9.a3 j}"d6 10. ~c2 a5
11.0-0
8
7
6
5
4
3 1""""'~N/_. uF~~~~'7"'~N/
2
abc d e f g h

197
 Sacking the Citadel
Black's sacrifice relies upon two addi-
tional assets, the light-square bishop
and the El.eS, but White, with superior
development, defends easily in the ~g3
line. There, the black queen cannot re-
main on the g-file and after 13.g3 ~d6+,
Black does not have an adequate re-
sponse to 14.f4. 11. .. Jlxh2+
12.Cit'xh2 .£Jg4+ 13.Cit'gl White is eas-
ily winning after 13.~g3! ~d6+ (not
13 ... ~g5 14.f4+- and the queen is no
longer able to stay on the g-file or on
the h-file after El.h1) 14.f4 El.xe3+
15.El.f3+- or 15.~h4 ~h6#; 15.ltxe3
4Jxe3 16.Axh 7 + 'it'fS 17. ~c1 +- .
13 ... ~h4 14.!!fcl After 14.El.fe1
~xf2+ 15.'it'h1 Black can choose to sac
the rook now with 15 ... El.xe3! (or later
with 15 ... ~h4+ 16.~gl ~h2+ 17.'it'f1
El.xe3! lS.Axe3 4Jxe3+ 19.~f2
4Jxc2 -+) 16.Axe3 ~h4+ 17. 'it'gl
~h2+ 18.'it'f14Jxe3+ 19.'it'f24Jxc2-+.
14.•• ~xf2+ 15.Cit'hl !!xe316..£Jgl
White dare not capture the rook because
16.Axe3 4Jxe3-+ hits the queen and
supports the mate on g2. 16••• ~h4+
0-1 White resigns rather than allow the
rook sac on h3: 17.4Jh3 El.xh3+-+
lS.gxh3 ~xh3+ 19.'it'gl ~h2+ 20.'it'f1
~f2#.
(125) Fucak - Petek
Correspondence 1959
RuyLopez [C81]
l.e4 e5 2..£Jf3 .£Jc6 3.Jlb5 a64.Aa4
.£Jf6 5.0-0 .£Jxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Ab3 d5
8.dxe5 Ae6 9.~e2 Ae710.!!dl 0-0
1l.c4 bxc4 12.Axc4 .£Ja5 13.Jld3
.£Jc5 14.Ac2 .£Jc4 15.b3 .£Jb6
16..£Jd4 Ad7 17.f4 !!e8 18. .£Jc3
Af8 19..£J£3 c6
198
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
White has secured the e5-pawn with
f4, which temporarily blocks the Jlc1
but carries the potential of a pawn storm
with g4 and f5. The 'it'g6 line is chal-
lenging, requiring a carefully orches-
trated pawn storm. 20.Jlxh7+ Cit'xh7
21 ..£Jg5+ Cit'g6 In the 'it'gSline, White
rolls in quickly because Black's only
hope, ... Af5, loses quickly to ~xf7 and
~xf5. 21...~gS 22.~h5+- ltf5 (des-
perately seeking an escape square with
22 ... Ad6 simply invites 23.~h7+ 'it'fS
24.exd6+-) 23.~xf7+ ~hS 24.~xf5
+-. 22.g4! f5 The kingside pawn ex-
pansion is overwhelming the ~g6Iine.
There's no relief in 22 ... ~cS 23.f5+ Jlxf5
24.gxf5+ ~xf5 25.El.f1 +- because
25 ... ~xe5 meets 26.'liJrg2. And 22 .. .f6
fails to 23.f5+ Axf5 24.gxf5+ ~xf5
when White can tee off with 25.El.f1 +
~g6 26. ~c2+ 4Je4 27 .4Jcxe4 +-.
23.gxf5+ There's no need to rush the
pawns forward. More compelling is
23.Ae3! lte7 24.e6! El.fS (or 24 ... Jlxg5
25.gxf5) 25.exd7 4Jbxd7 26.b4 Jlxg5
27.gxf5+ El.xf5 2S.fxg5 4Jb7 29.El.f14Jd6
30.~c2 +-. 23 .•. Axf5 The bishop
move is forced. King moves get mated:
(a) 23 ... 'it'h6 24.~g4 Axf5 25.~h4+
~g6 26.~h7#; and (b) 23 ... ~xf5
24.~c2+ 'it'g4 when 25.h3 starts a mate
in three. Instead, Black could try
24 ... 4Je4 25.4Jcxe4 dxe4 26.~xe4+
 Games
'it'g4 when, once again, it's mate in three
with 27.h3+ 'it'h4 (27 ... \t>hS 28.~h7#
or 27 ... 'it'g3 28.~e1 #) 28.~h7+ 'it'g3
29.fld3. 24.<it'h1 ~c8 Black is fine af-
ter 24 ... ~d7 2S.§.gl A,e7? After de-
fending well, Black misses moves such
as 2S ... d4 or 2S ... flb8. 26.e61-O
(126) Muller - Schmidt
Minden 1959
French Defense [C06]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 dS 3.4)d2 4)f6 4.eS
4)fd7 S.A,d3 cS 6.c3 4)c6 7.4)e2
~b6 8.4)0 cxd4 9.cxd4 f610.exf6
4) xf611.0-0 Ad612.b3 eS13.dxeS
4) xeS 14.4) xeS AxeS lS.§.b1 0-0
16.Ab2
abcdefgh
Black can count on the light-square
bishop and the open f-file as assets, but
the black queen cannot safely reach the
g-file. In the 'it'glline, the rook's pres-
sure on f2 eliminates flfl-e1 as a de-
fense, and White cannot safely bring
the dark-square bishop to eS.
16 ••. A,xh2+ 17.<it'xh2 4)g4+
18.<it'gl? In the 'it'g3 line, without the
queen's access to the g-file, Black has
to settle for relatively equal play.
18.'it'g3! when Black has three tries: (a)
18 ... <£lxf2! 19.~d2 (19.~c1 t£td6+
20.<£lf4 <£lxd3 -+) 19 ... ~d6+ 20.<£lf4
<£lxd3 21.t£txd3 flxf4 22.flxf4 gS
199
23.flbf1 gxf4+ 24.flxf4 t£tg6+
2S.t£txg6+ hxg6= when Black, though
up a pawn, has no meaningful winning
chances; (b) The most complicated
variation is 18 ... flxf2 19.~c1 t£td6+
20.<£lf4 flxfl 21.~xfl and White sur-
vives the attack after 21...hS (White is
even better after 21...gS 22.Axh7!)
22.~f3 h4+ 23.'it'xh4 t£th6+ (23 ... gS+
24.\t>g3 [24.\t>xgS t£th6#] 24 ... gxf4+
2S.t£txf4 t£txf4+ 26.\t>xf4 Ad7;!;)
24.<£lhS (24. 'it'g3 ~h2 #) 24 ... gS+
2S.'it'g3 t£td6+ 26.<£lf4 gxf4+ 27.t£txf4
~xf4+ 28. \t>xf4 Ad7;!; ; and (c) The at-
tempt to win an exchange with
18 ... t£td6+ 19.f4 <£le3 fails to 20 ..ileS
~b6 (20 ... t£tb4 21.~c1 <£lxf1+
22.t£txfl+-) 21.Ad4+-. 18 .•• ~h6
19.AeS Preventing the mate but throw-
ing away all hope. White cannot create
an escape square on fl because 19.fle1
t£th2+ 20.'it'fl when Black's active rook
enables flxf2# or 20 ... <£le3#.
19 ... 4)xeS-+ 20.~c1 4)xd3
21.~xh6 gxh6 22.§.bd1 AfS
23.4)d4 Ag6 0-1
(127) Teschner - Spassky
Riga 1959
Queen's Gambit [D55]
Boris Spassky (b. 1937) was the tenth
world chess Champion (1969-1972). He
won the Soviet Championship outright
in 1961 and 1973, and gained entry into
the candidates' cycle seven times. In
1955, he became, to that date, the young-
est ever grandmaster. He is best remem-
bered for his loss to Bobby Fischer in
their famous 1972 match in Iceland.
1.d4 4)f6 2.c4 e6 3.4)f3 dS 4.cxdS
exdS S.4)c3 Ae7 6.AgS 0-0 7.e3 b6
8.Ad3 Ab7 9.Axf6 Axf610.h4 cS
 Sacking the Citadel
abc d e f g h 30.~d6 13xd6 31.fS+ !it'xfS
On the receiving end of the sacrifice,
the future world champion demon-
strates his defensive skills. For addi-
tional assets, White can count here only
on the h-pawn and the relatively slow
.£Jc3-e2-f4 maneuver. Spas sky smartly
selects the ~h6 line and defends re-
markablywith 14 ... '<ftxg5.11.Axh7+?
!it'xh7 12.lilgS+ !it'h6! The '<ftg61ine
runs into a pretty checkmate because
the ~f6 blocks f7-f5 as a defense
against 'l£rd3+. 12 ... '<ftg8 13.ifl'h5 §e8
14.'l£rxf7+ '<fth8 15.'l£rxb7 +-. The ~g8
line also loses quickly because the ~b7
is unanchored. 12 ... '<ftg6 13.'l£rd3+ (it's
mate in three) 13 ... '<fth5 (13 ... ~h6
14.'l£rh7#) 14.g4+ '<ftxg4 (14 ... '<fth6
15.ifl'h7#) 15.§gl+ ~xh4 (15 ... ~h5
16.ifl'h7#) 16.ifl'h7#. The line with
~xg5 exposes the king and provides
White with the time for .£Je2-f4.
12 ... ~xg5 13.hxg5+ '<ftg6 (the retreat
to g8 is quickly punished: 13 ... '<ftg8
14.ifl'h5 f5 15.g6+-) 14.ifl'h5+ ~f5
15.'l£rh3+ '<ftxg5 (15 ... '<ftg6 16.'l£rh7+
'<ftxg5 17.§h5+ '<ftg4 18.ifl'f5#)
16.ifl'h5+ ~f6 17.ifl'e5+ '<ftg6
18 ..£Je2+-. 13.~c2 g6 14.hS A bit
more promising is 14 ..£Je6 fxe6 15.h5
ifl'e8 16.hxg6+ ~g7 17.§h7+ ~g8
18.§xb7 picking up the loose bishop
but 18 ... cxd4 19.exd4 il,xd4-+ when
Black is a piece up with the initiative.
200
14•.. !it'xgS! IS.f4+ Or 15.hxg6 ~g7
16.0-0--0 f5 -+. IS •••!it'h6! It was not
hard to avoid 15 ... ~g4? 16.hxg6 'l£re7
17.0-0-0 'l£rxe3+ 18.~b1 'l£re6
19.§d3+- . 16.hxg6+ !it'g717.13h7+
!it'g8 18.0-0--0 .1lg7 19.13dhl ~f6
20.gxf7+ 13xf7-+ 21.g4cxd4 22.gS
~fS 23.13xg7+ !it'xg7 24.~h2 13f8
2S.g6 ~xg6 26.13gl ~d7 27.13xg6+
!it'xg6 28.~bS 13ac8+ 29.!it'dl 13f6
32. ~xd6 ~f6 33.exd4 .1lc6 34.~a3
13a8 3S.~h3+ !it'g6 36.~g3+ !it'fS
37.~h3+ !it'g6 38.~g3+ !it'f7
39.~c7+ .1ld7 40.~b7 13h8
41.~xa7 bS 42.!it'c2 13c8+ 43.!it'b3
13c4 44.a3 !it'e7 4S.!it'a2 ~e8
46.~b8 ~c7 47.~b7 !it'd648.~b6+
.1lc6 49.~b8 !it'd7 SO.~h8 .1la8
SI.~h3+ !it'c6 S2.~h6+ !it'b7
S3. ~g7 !it'a7 S4. ~d7 .1lb7 SS. ~e7
Ac8 S6.~g7 !it'b7 S7.~eS Ad7
S8.~d6 .1le8 S9.~f6 b4 60.axb4
13xb4 61.b3 13b6 62.~h8 13e6
63.!it'a3 13e4 64.!it'b2!it'b6 6S.~f6+
~e6 66.~e7 Ac6 67.~d6 13xd4
68.!it'c3 ~c7 69. ~d8 !it'b7 70. ~e7
13e4 71. ~g7 .1lbS 72. ~h7 d4+
73.!it'b4 13eS 74.~h2 13dS 7S.~d2
d3 76.!it'c3 13cS+ 77.!it'b4 13c2
78. ~dl ~dS+ 0-1
The Greco Sacrifice: 1960-2010
The previous sections of this chapter
presented a comprehensive collection
of all of the Greco Sacrifices I could lo-
cate for each time period through 1959.
Their number was relatively modest,
and I felt that it was important to present
all of the games upon which the theo-
rists of the day might have drawn.
Such is not the case for the rest of the
games in this chapter. For this period,
 Games
there are many thousands of modem
Greco Sacrifices and frankly, most were
not worthy- of inclusion here. I spent
more than three months sifting through
available games, handpicking what now
emerges as a simply remarkable collec-
tion of games, many appearing in print
with analysis for the first time.
In many ways, these selected games
deserve the attention they hopefully
will now get. Feel free to enjoy them for
what they are, or use them simply as
quizzes, starting at the diagram when
the sacrifice occurs. Identify the assets
in the position and work out all of the
variations on your own. You will quickly
observe that most of the sacrifices in
these games succeed. Know, however,
that not all are sound. Even in this mod-
em era, embarking on the sacrifice still
brings the burden to the defense.
Once again, this section features amaz-
ing talent, including games by Donner,
Portisch, Polugaevsky, Tal, van der
Wiel, Spraggett, Short, Queinteros,
Seirawan, Sax, Timman, Kortschnoi and
Kasparov.
Finding the games
To locate Greco Sacrifices and examples
of games that contain specific criteria, I
first used the maneuver search within
ChessBase.
The main example: A search for sacri-
fices involving Ulxh7, ~xh7, 2.4:Jg5+
involved the placement of the follow-
ing information within the maneuver tab
within the ChessBase search feature:
201
W ~?? h7 x .ft check
B ~g8 h7 x .ll
W tLJ?? g5 x 0 check
The search method permits searches for
mirrored Greco-type bishop sacrifices
by Black upon h2. Searches of
ChessBase's MegaBase and its corre-
spondence chess database quickly gen-
erated more than 3,500 games. I supple-
mented this assemblage with literature
reviews, and I acknowledge a special
debt of gratitude to Peter Tamburro, a
well known chess author and regular
contributor to Chess Life, for his assis-
tance in locating published examples.
To cull this final collection of games, I
played through all of them, first reduc-
ing the huge collection to just under
1,000 and then, using Fritz 12 as an as-
sistant, settling on the final group of
just under 200 games. Simply put, these
are the games I liked and enjoyed the
most. They are interesting, attractive,
and appealing. They tend to be sound
and complex with more than the occa-
sional king hunt. But there are also in-
structive errors and missed opportuni-
ties. In short, these tend to be well
played games that often involve com-
plex and instructive attacking and de-
fensive themes.
As a group, the 36 correspondence
games that made the final cut are an ex-
ceptionallot that deserve special atten-
tion. The games are particularly com-
plex, remarkably well-played, and often
at the cutting edge of soundness.
For each game in the chapter, I provide
an overview of what is to come. To as-
sist the test of VukoviC's proposition
that at least two additional assets (be-
 Sacking the Citadel

yond the bishop that captures on h7,
the knight that reaches g5, and the
queen) are generally required for the
sacrifice to succeed, I again list the ad-
ditional assets and summarize the re-
sults of each of the main lines, usually
the 'iti'g8 and 'iti'g6 lines, but also the
other lines when there is something in-
teresting to report.
Enjoy the games!
(128) Mason - Clapperton
Correspondence 1960
French Defense [C 18]
l.e4e6 2d4d5 3..£Jc3 Ab44.e5c5 5.33
.1la5 6.b4 cxd4 7 ..£Jb5 .1lc78.f4.£Jc6
9 ..£Jf3 .1lbS 10•.£Jbxd4 .£Jge7 1l.c3
.£Jxd412cxd4 .£Jc613•.1ld3 f614.0-0
fxe515.fxe5 ~b616.<it'hl 0-0
8 .1le7 5.e5 .£Jfd7 6.Axe7 ~xe7 7.f4
7 0....{) S ..£JO c5 9 ..1ld3 cxd4
meets an even quicker fate than normal.
18 .. .'it'h8 19.~xf8#. The 'iti'h6line re-
sults in a quick mate in the corner:
18 ... 'iti'h6 19.4)f7+ 'ifth7 (19 ... 'iftg6
20.'~g4+ 'ifth7 21.ili'h5 + +- ) 20.ili'h5+
'iti'g8 2 1.ili'h8 # . The open f-file makes
even the 'iti'g6line a quick rout. 18 ... 'it'g6
19.~xf8 ili'xd4 20.ili'c2+ +-. 19.EtxfS+
<it'xfS 20. ~f3+ <it'eS Hoping to run
towards the queenside. White barges
straight in after 20 ...'iti'g8 21.ili'f7+ 'it'h8
22.ili'f8#. 21.~f7+ <it'dS 22 ..£Jxe6+
Axe6 23.Ag5+ <it'c8 24. ~xe6+ <it'c7
25. ~f7+ <it'cS 26. ~eS+ .£JdS
27.Etc1 + 1""{) Not waiting for 27 ... fl.c7
28.ili'xd8# .
(129) Durao - Heidenfeld
Netanya 1961
French Defense [CI4]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3 . .£Jc3 .£Jf6 4.Ag5

6
5 8

4 7

3 6
2 5
4
3
abc d e f g h
2
The open f-file and Black's poor
queens ide development make the sac- abcdefgh
rifice an easy rout. White has two addi-
tional assets in the dark square bishop White has a reinforced pawn of e5 and
and the strong e5-pawn, as well as the the ability by castling to bring the
queen's rook which can enter the posi- king's rook quickly into the game, but
tion powerfully on the c- or f-files. In White initiates the sacrifice with the
the 'iti'g8 line, the exchange of rooks on 4Jc3 en prise. As a result, the ili'xg5 line
the f-file permits the white queen to provides Black with relatively even
enter the black kings ide powerfully on chances because Black nels the addi-
I7 with Ag5+ to follow. 17..1lxh7+! tional piece. The play is sloppy but in-
<it'xh7 lS..£Jg5+ <it'gS The 'iti'h8 line structive. Black prevails owing to

202
 Games
White's missed opportunities and the
weakness of the white kings ide after
19.94. 10..1lxh7+ ~xh7 1l.4)g5+
~xg51 In the ~g8line, Black is forced
to capture the knight, but White gains
the option of capturing here with the
queen, preserving the pawn structure.
11...~g8 12.~hS ~xgS 13.~xgS±.
11...~g612.~d3+ (with the 4Jc3 hang-
ing, White needs to check) 12 ... fS (not
12 ... ~h6 13.~h7# or 12 ... ~hS
13.~h3+ ~g6 14.~h7#) 13.exf6+
~xf6 (avoiding 13 ... ~hSI4.~h7+ ~g4
15.0-0+-) 14.~xd4+ ~g6 (not
14 ... 'itfS 15.0-0-0+-) IS.~d3+ ~f6
(IS ... dfS 16.g4+-) with a pleasing fi-
nale: 16.0-0-0 4Jc6 17.~h7 4Jb6
18.4Jce4+ dxe4 19.4Jxe4+ ~f7
20.4Jd6+ ~f6 21.g4+-. 12.fxg5 dxc3
13.0-0 4) xe5 Preferring to capture the
central e-pawn than 13 ... cxb214.~hS+
'<t68 IS ..§ael 4Jc6=. 14.~h5+ ~gS
, 5.gf4? White is aiming to swing the
rook to the h-file. The far better way to
do so is IS ..§ael 4Jbc6 16 ..§e3 g6
17.~h4 +-. 15 ... 4)g6 16.gf3 e5 Or
16... cxb2 holding the rook to the de-
fense of bi. 17.bxc3 4)c6 IS.gafl
.1le6 19.94 4)ce7 20.gh3 gfcS
21.~h7+ ~fS 22.ghf3 Better is
22 ..§g3= with h4-hS to follow.
22 ..• gc4-+ 23.h3 gacS 24.ge3
gxc3 Black can also trap the white
queen with 24 ... ~xg4 2S.hxg4 .§xg4+
26.~f2 .§h4-+. 25.gxc3 gxc3 26.h4
gg3+ 27.~h2 gxg4 2S.h5 gh4+ Or
28 ... .§xgS 29.hxg6 .§xg6-+ again trap-
ping the queen. 29.~gl 4)f4 30.h6
gxh6 Missing a pretty win with
30 ... .§g4+ 31.~f2 .§xgS 32.'~h8+ 4Jg8
33.h7 .§g2+ 34.~el f6-+. 31.~hS+
4)gS 32. ~xe5 hxg5 33. ~bS+ ~g7
34.~xb7 4)f6 35.~xa7 d4 36.a4
4)h-H 37.~h2 4)d5 Fastest is
37.. ;"~g4+ 38.~g3 4Je3-+. 3S.a5 4)e3
203
39.gf3 4)f4+ 4O.~gl gg4+ 41.~h2
gg2+ 42.~hl gd2 0-1
(130) Zaitsev - Platonov
Minsk 1962
Nirnzo-Indian Defense [E48]
l.d4 4)f6 2.c4 e6 3.4)c3 Ab4 4.e3
c5 5.Ad3 0-0 6.4)ge2 d5 7.cxd5
cxd4 S.4)xd4 exd5 9.0-0 4)c6
10.~a4 .1ld6 11.4)xc6 bxc6
12.~xc6 gb813.4)b5 gb614.~c3
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Black's sacrifice can count as additional
assets the light-square bishop and the
well-developed '§b6. In the ~g3 line,
played in the game, Black quickly re-
covers an exchange but retains the ini-
tiative thanks to the penetration of the
major pieces. 14.•• .1lxh2+ 15.~xh2
4)g4+ 16.~g3 In the ~glline, White
cannot defend with ~c7 because '§b6-
h6 wins quickly. 16.~gl ~h417.~c7
.§h6-+. 16.~h3 .§h6+ 17.~g3 4JeS
preparing ... ~h4 18.~xeS (or White
can run into a neat mating net 18.~f4
.§h4+ 19.94 .§xg4+ 20.~xeS f6#)
18 ... ~h4+ 19.~f3 ~g4#. 16•.• gh6
Black selects the strongest move,
swinging the rook to the h-file when
White cannot safely play .§hl. Ambigu-
ous is the traditional 16 ... ~gS?! 17.f4
~hS 18.Ad2 (18.4Jd4 .§h6 19.4Jf3 4Jf6
20.~d2 4Je4+ 21.~xe4 dxe4 22 ..§hl
 Sacking the Citadel
~g4+ 23.'.£i'f2 exf3 24.gxf3 §xh1
25.§xh1 ~e6 26.~d3±) lS ... §h6
19.§h1 <£Jh2 inviting a draw, but White
is better: 20.'~)f2 <£Jg4+ 21.'it'e2 <£Jh2+
22.'it'e1 ~h4+ 23.'it'd1 Ag4+ 24.'it'c2
§cS 25.<£Jc7 ~e7 26.~d4 ~xc7+
27.Ac3 f6 2S.§ac1 ± .17.~f3 Forced.
Losing alternatives include 17.<£Jd4
<£Je5 lS.<£Jf3 <£Jxd3 19.~xd3
Aa6-+with an attractive skewer, and
17.~c7 ~f6 lS.~f4 ~h4+ 19.'it'f3
§f6 -+ winning the queen. 17••• ~h2+
18.~e2 Other king moves lose quickly:
lS.'it'g3~g5# and lS.'it'f4§h4+ 19.94
(19.'it'g3 ~g5#) 19 ... §xg4+ 20.'it'e5
<£Jf3#.18•.. ~xf119.~xf1 ~g5Miss­
ing 19 ... §h1 +! 20.'it'e2 ~h4 21.~d4
Ag4+ 22.'it'd2 (22.f3 ~e1 #)
22 ... §cS-+ cutting off the king's es-
cape. 20.~c7 Elh1+ 21.~e2 ~g4+
22. ~d2 Not 22.f3 ~xg2 #. 22 ..• ~d1 +
Better is 22 ... §d1+ 23.'it'c3 §xd3+
24.'it'xd3 Af5+ 25.'it'd2 §cS-+.
23.~c3 jla6 24.~xa7 Elc8+ 25.~b4
Avoiding 2S.<£Jc7 ~xd3+ -+ or
2S ... ~xd3 26.~xa6 ~c4+ 27.'it'aS -+.
27 ... Elxc1 28.Elxc1 ~xc129.b4 h5
30.a4 Elb8 31.~d6 Ela8+ 32.~b6
~c8 33.~c7 Elxa4 34.b5 ~b8+
35.~c6 Elg4 It's quickly over after
3S ... §c4+-+. 36.~xd5 h4 37.~d7
Elb4 38.~e5 Elb1 39.~d4 ~b7
40.~d6 ~xg2 41.~xh4 ~g6+!?
Throwing away the win. Black's last
chance to secure the point was
41...§dl+! 42.'it'e7 ~g6. 42.~d7
Eld1 + 43. ~c8 ~d6 44. ~c4 Eld2
45.f4 ~b6 46.~e4 ~f6 47.~b7
Eld6 48.~b4 Eld8 49.~e4 g5 50.
~g2 Eld3 51.b6 ~f8 52.~c2 Elc3
53.~e4 gxf4 54.~e8++- ~g7
55.~d5 Elxe3 56.~xf6 Elxe8
57.~xe8+ 1-0
204
(131) Minic-Ferry
VamaOlympiad 1962
King's Indian Attack [A07]
1.e4 e6 2.d3 d5 3.~d2 ~d7 4.g3
~gf6 5.jlg2 jle7 6.~gf3 0-0 7.0-0
b6 8.e5 ~e8 9.Ele1 jlb7 10.d4 c5
1l.c3 ~b812.h4 ~c613.jlf1 cxd4
14.~ xd4 ~ xd4 15.cxd4 ~c7
16.jld3 jla617.jlb1 Elc818.~f3
.Q.b419.Ele3 ~d7
abc d e f g h
White's additional assets include the
eS-pawn and the dark-square bishop.
The §f3 blocks the queen's access to
hS and has no easy access to the h-file,
but it still has a useful role to play. Here,
the 'it'h6 line saves a useful tempo over
the 'it'g6line (h5 'it'h6) and forces White
to choose a square for the §f3. The
decision between §b3 and §f3 is chal-
lenging. White selects §b3 in part, no
doubt, because it gains a tempo against
Black's unanchored bishop. 20..Q.xh7+
~xh7 21.~g5+ ~h6 21...'it'g6 22.hS+
'it'h6 (22 ... 'it'fS 23.~f3+ 'it'xgS
24.§c3#; 22 ... 'it'xgS 23.§c3+ 'it'fS
24.~f3#) 23.~c2 g6 24.<£Jxf7+ The
threat is ~xg6 # 24 ... ~xf7 2S.§f3+ +-
and the queen cannot move because
Black is in check. 22.Elb3! Gaining time
against the undefended-Jlb4. Also
strong is 22.§f3 ± . 22 •.. .Q.e7 23. ~c2
 Games
g6 24..£J xf7+! <ifjlh7 The double check
requires the king to move. On 24 ... 'it'g7
25.~h6+ 'i!th7 (not 25 ... 'i!txt7 inviting
an invasion of the major pieces 26.E!f3+
'it'eS 27.~xg6+ 'i!tdS 2S.~xfS ~xfS
29.E!xfS+ 4:\eS 30.E!f7 ~c6
31.~g5+ +-) 26 ..IlxfS .IlxfS 27.4:\g5+
(White has won a piece and sustains
the attack) 27 ... 'it'g7 2S.E!f3 4:\eS
29.~dl E!c7 30.h5+-. 25.h5 EtgS
26. ~d2 AfS 27 . .£Jg5+ Better is
27.m3! ~b5 28.~g5+-. 27 •.• <ifjlhS
2s.g4 gxh5 29.Eth3 Et xg5? Black can
survive with 29 ... E!g6 30.E!xh5+ E!h6+.
30.~xg5 ~g7 31.~xh5+ <ifjlgS
32.Ag5+- Ae2 33.Ete1 Ab5
34.A{6 Ae8 35.~h4 ~g6 36.~hS+
<ifjlf7 37.Eth7+ 1-0 It's mate in three:
with 37 ... Ag7 3S.E!xg7+ ~xg7
39.~xg7#.
(132) Arje - Weimo
Correspondence 1962
Slav Defense [D49]
1.d4 d5 2 ..£Jf3 c6 3.c4 .£Jf6 4 . .£Jc3
e6 5.e3 .£Jbd7 6.Ad3 dxc4 7.Axc4
b5 S.Ad3 a6 9.e4 c5 10.e5 cxd4
11..£Jxb5axb512.exf6~b613.fxg7
Axg714. ~e2 0-0 15.0-0 .£Jc5
8 21...E!gS! 22 ..ilc7 ~c6 23.b4 4:\e4
7 24.E!xc6 4:\xg3 25 ..Ilxg3 .ild7 26.E!b6~.
6 22.Ac7 ~c6 23.M .£Je4 24..£Jxe4
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h 1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.exd5 c6 4. ~e2 e4
Another Greco Sacrifice in which Black
has a bishop rather than a pawn on g7.
Here, White can count easily only upon
205
the dark-square bishop as an additional
asset, but both rooks are able to take
part in the assault with E!ac1 and with
f4. With time in a correspondence game,
Black correctly selects the 'i!tg6 line
because White, without a pawn on e5
or a rook on el, has no control over the
f6-square. 16.Axh7+ <ifjlxh717..£Jg5+
<ifjlg6 The 'i!tgS line is challenging, but
White can prevail with careful play.
17 ... 'i!tgS lS.~h5 E!dS 19.~xf7+
(19.~h7+? 'i!tfS-+) 19 ... 'i!thS 20.f4
(with the idea of21.E!f3, and if20 ... .ilb7,
White has 21.f5) 20 ... ~b7 21.~g6'i!tgS
22 ..ild2 (activating the E!al and with
the idea of .ilb4) 22 ... E!a6 23.E!ac1 E!d5
(23 ... ~e7 24 ..ilb4 E!c6 25.f5 +-)
24 ..Ilb4 +-. IS. ~g4 When the usual
discovery with 4:\xe6 threatens a piece
rather than a pawn on g7. On lS.h4
Black survives with lS ... E!hS 19.~g4
f5 20.~g3 Af6 (and even better is
20 ... E!a7 21.b4 4:\a4 22.4:\xe6+ 'i!th7
23.4:\g5+ 'it'gS 24.E!el ~c6 25.Ad2:j:)
21.4:\e4+ 'it't7 22.4:\xf6 'i!txf6 23 ..ilg5+
'i!tt7 24.~e5 E!h7=. lS ... f5 19.~g3
<ifjlf6 An important defensive resource
made possible by the absence of a white
pawn on e5. 20.Af4 <ifjle7 21.Etact
Ad7 Once again, with the bishop on
g7, Black's best defensive try is
~xe4 25.~xg7+ Etf7 26.Ad6+ 1-0
(133) Krutikhin - Zhilin
Novosibirsk 1962
Falkbeer Counter Gambit [C31]
5.~xe4+ Ae7 6.d6 ~xd6 7 •.£Jf3
.£Jf6 S. ~e5 ~dS 9.Ac4 0-010.0-0
b5 11.Ab3 c5 12.d3 .£Jc6 13. ~e1
Ab7 14 . .£Jc3 b4 15 . .£Je4 .£J xe4
 Sacking the Citadel
16.dxe4 .£la5 17.J:ta4 c4 18.<ifjlh1
'l:/c7 19.c3 bxc3 20.bxc3 §fd8
21.Ac2 Aa6 22.e5 §e8 23. 'l:/g3
Ar8
abc d e f g h
Already up a pawn, White can also
count upon enough additional assets,
the dark-square bishop, the active e5-
pawn, the l:"l.f1, and the active queen
making the win quite easy. Black cor-
rectly picks 'it'gS because the white
queen enters the h-file on h4 and be-
cause the black queen covers f7, but
White can win quickly by advancing
the central pawns. 24.Axh7+ <ifjlxh7
25..£lg5+ <ifjlg8 The 'it'g6line walks into
a quick mate. 25 ... 'it'g6 26.f5+ 'it'h5
(26 ... 'it'h6 27.'liYh3#) 27.'liYh3#. The
mate in 'it'h6line isjust as fast 25 ... 'it'h6
26.'liYh3+ 'it'g6 27.'liYh7# or 27.f5#.
26.'l:/h4 J:tc5 27.e6 27.f5 also wins
easily by activating the l:"l.f1: 27 ... l:"l.xe5
2S.'liYh7+ 'it'ffi 29.4Je6+! fxe6 30.f6 'liYb7
31.'liYhS+ 'it'f7 32.~xg7+ 'it'eS
33.f7+ +-. 27 ... f6 On 27 ... l:"l.xe6
2S.~h7+ 'it'fS 29.4Jxe6+ fxe6 when
once again 30.f5 +- opens the f-file for
the l:"l.fl. The effort to escape meets
27 ... 'it'ffi 2S.exf7 l:"l.e2 29.~hS+ 'it'e7
30. ~xaS +- . 28.'l:/h7+ <ifjlf8 29.'l:/h8+
The mating net is entertaining after
29.l:"l.dl fxg5 30.'liYhS+ 'it'e7 31.~xg7+
(ditching the knight to hunt the king)
31...'it'xe6 32.f5+ 'it'xf5 33.'liYxg5+ 'it'e6
(33 ... 'it'e4 34.'liYd5#) 34.'liYg6+ 'it'e5
206
(34 ... 'it'e7 35.Ag5+ 'it'ffi 36.l:"l.f1 + +- )
and it's mate in seven, 35.Af4+ 'it'xf4
36.l:"l.d5 +- . 29... <ifjle7 30. 'l:/xg7+ <ifjldS
30 ... 'it'd6 costs a piece: 31.4Je4+ 'it'c6
(31...'it'd5 32.~xc7+-) 32.~xc7+
'it'xc7 33.4Jxc5 +-. 31.§d1 + <ifjlc8
32. 'l:/d7+ <ifjlb7 33 . .£le4 §adS
34..£lxc5++- <ifjla835..£lxa6'1:/b6On
35 ... l:"l.xd7, 36.4Jxc7+ l:"l.xc7 37.f5 +-.
36.J:te3 'l:/xe3 37. .£lc7+ 37.l:"l.abl
l:"l. xd7 3S.exd7 wins easily because Black
cannot safeguard the rook and prevent
4Jc7#. 3S ... l:"l.dS 39.4Jc7#. 37... <ifjlb7
3S.§abl+ .£lb3 39..£lxe8+ 1-0
(134) Suberville - Marchetti
Correspondence 1963
Ruy Lopez [C90]
1.e4 e5 2..£lf3 .£lc6 3.J:tb5 a6 4.Aa4
.£lf6 5.d3 b5 6.J:tb3 Ae7 7.c3 d6
S.O-O .£la5 9.J:tc2 c5 10.§e1 .£lc6
11 ..£l bd2 0-0 12. .£lfl §eS 13. .£le3
AfS 14. .£ld5 .£lxd5 15.exd5 .£le7
16.d4exd417.cxd4c4
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
With two additional assets, the dark-
square bishop and the l:"l.el, White tri-
umphs in all lines. In the 'it'g6 line,
played in the game, Black's control over
f5 prevents 'liYg4 and ~c2+. But White
has h4, with the threat of l15 exposing
the black king. 1S.Axh7+ <ifjlxh7
19..£lg5+ <ifjlg6 In the 'it'gSline, White
can counter Black's Af5 with l:"l.f3-h3.
 Games
19 ... 'it'g8 20.'~h5 Af5 21.~xf7+ ~h8
22.1:=\e3 when the Af5 cannot prevent
both 1:=\h3 -and ~h5 22 ... 4:)g8
23.~xf5+-. 20.h4! The threat is h5+,
and the Af8 prevents Black from de-
fending with 1:=\h8, avoiding 20.~c2+
Af5 -+ . 20 •.•f5 The alternatives are no
better: (a) 20 ... ~a5 21.Ad2 only makes
matters worse for Black. 20 ... ~b6 takes
the queen out of the reach of the dis-
covery, but 21.h5+ 'it'h6 (not 21...'it'f6
22.4:)h7+ 'it'f5 23.~f3# or 23.g4# )
22.~f3 f6 23.4:)e6+ 'it'h7 (23 ... g5
24.~xf6++-) 24.4:)xf8+ removing the
4:)d7's defender, 24 ... 1:=\xf8 25.1:=\xe7 +-;
and (b) 20 ... ~d7 21.~f3 ~f5 22.h5+
'it'h6 (not 22 ... 'it'f6 23.4:)h7#) 23.1:=\xe7
removing one of the queen's defenders
23 ... ~xf3 (23 ... 1:=\xe7 24.4:)e6+ 'it'h7
25.~xf5+ +- ) 24.4:)xf3+ +- and the dis-
covery removes the queen's other de-
fender. 21:l!lte2 The h-pawn is worth
considering at every stage here, 21.h5+
'it'f6 22.~f3 +- (setting up 4:)e4-d6)
22 ... Ad7 23.4:)e4+ 'it'f7 24.4:)xd6+.
However, the fastest path is 21.~f3!
Ad7 22.~g3 4:)xd5 23.1:=\e6! + +-.
21 ••. f4 Not 21...~d7 22.h5+ ~h6
23.~f3+-. 22 ..1lxf4 .1lf5 23.g4 The
advance of the h-pawn again forces the
king to h6, 23.h5+ ~h6 (23 ... 'it'f6
24.~e5+! dxe5 25.d xe5#)
24.4:)e6+ +-. 23 ••• 'l!\'d7 24.gxf5+
'l!\'xf5 25.h5+ ~h6 25 ... ~f6 26.4:)e4+
wins the queen, 26 ... 'it'f7 27.4:)xd6+ +-.
26 . .£\e6+ ~h7 27 . .1lxd6 .£\xd5
2S..£\ xfS+ Correctly avoiding 28.AxfB
4:)f4 (not 28 ... 1:=\xf8 29.4:)xf8+ 1:=\xf8
30.~e4+-) 29.~f3 1:=\xe6 30.1:=\ xe6
4:)h3+ 31.'it'g2 ~xf3+ 32.'it'xf3 4:)g5+
33.'it'e3 4:)xe6 34.Ad6±. 2S .•. ~gS
Black's last chance for tough defense
lay with 28 ... 1:=\xf8 29.Axf8 ~g5+
30.'it'fl 1:=\xfB 31.~e4+ 1:=\f5 32.h6 gxh6
33.a4 b4 34.1:=\ac1 c3 35.bxc3 bxc3
207
36.1:=\bl +-. 29 . .£\e6 ~f7 30.'l!\'f3
'l!\'xf3 31 •.£\g5+ ~f6 32•.£\xf3 ElhS
33.Ele5 .£\f4 34..11.e7+ ~f7 35.Elf5+
~xe7 36.Elxf4 Elxh5 37.Elel + ~d6
3S.Elfe4 ElahS 39.Ele6+ 1~
(135) Teichmann - Sandin
Correspondence 1965
Ruy Lopez [C99]
1.e4 e5 2..£\f3 4)c6 3 ..11.h5 a6 4 ..11.a4
.£\f6 5.~ .11.e7 6.Elel h5 7 ..11.h3 d6
S.c3 ~ 9.h3 4)a510..11.c2 c511.d4
'l!\'c712 ..£\bd2 cxd413.cxd4 .11.h7
14..£\fl ElacS 15..1lhl d5 16.exd5
exd417..ilg5 .£\ xd51S..11.xe7 .£\ xe7
abc d e f g h
Another carefully played correspon-
dence game. This Greco Sacrifice in-
volves an unusual asset combination,
the 1:=\el and the 4:)fl-g3 where it offers
control over the key h5-square. In the
game, Black plays 'it'h6, the toughest
defense, although the ~g4, g6 move
pair provides the overwhelming threat
of~h4+. 19..1lxh7+ ~xh7 20..£\g5+
~h6 In the ~g8Iine, Black can defend
h7 with ~c2 at the cost of1:=\xe7. Rook
retreats there result in a quick mate
thanks to the 1:=\el 's control over the e-
file. 20 ... <iftg8 21.~h5 ~c2 (21...1:=\fe8
22.~h7+ 'it'f8 23.~h8+ 4:)g8 24.4:)h7#;
21...1:=\fd8 22.~h7+ ~f8 23.~h8+ 4:)g8
24.4:)h7#) 22.1:=\xe7+-. The <iftg6 line
 Sacking the Citadel
shows off the significant influence of
the 4Jg3. 20 .. .'~g6 21.4Jg3 +- (with the
idea of 22.'lWhS ~f6 23.4Jh7#)
21...'~xgS 22.'lWg4+ ~f6 (22 ... ~h6
23.'lWhS#) 23.4JhS# or if instead
21...§hS, 22.'lWg4 ~f6 23.4J3e4+ .llxe4
24.4Jxe4+ ~eS 2S.'lWxg7++-. 21.4)g3
21.'lWg4 g6 22.4Jg3 transposing to the
game (there's no advantage to be found
in 22.'lWh4+ ~g7 23.'lWxd4+ ~gS
24.'lWh4 ~g7 25.'lWd4+=). 21. .. g6
22.~g4 ~dS!? 22 ... 4JfS 23.4JxfS+
gxf5 24:~h4+ with a mate in nine
24 ... ~g6 2S.'lWh7+ ~xgS (2S ... ~f6
26.'lWh6#) 26.'lWg7+ ~hS (26 ... ~f4
27.'lWg3# [27.'lWh6#] ) 27.g4+ fxg4
(27 ... ~h4 2S.'lWh6#) 2S.'lWh7+ ~gS
29.h4+ ~f4 (29 ... ~f6 30.'lWh6+ ~fS
31. 'lWgS # ) 30. 'lWh6+! threatening 4JhS #
30 ... ~f3 (30 ... ~fS 31.'lWgS#) 31.§e3+
dxe3 32.'lWxe3# and not 22 ... 4Jc4
23.'lWh4+ ~g7 24.'lWh7+ ~f6 2S.'lii'h6
4Je3 26.4Jh7+ ~e6 27.4Jxf8+ §xfS
28.'lWxfS+-. 23.~h4+ ~g7 24.~h7+
~f6 2S.4)hS+ 2S.'lWh6+- is also mate
in five. 2S ••. ~xgS On 2S ... gxhS
26.'lWh6+ ~fS (26 ... 4Jg6 27.4Jh7+ ~fS
28.'lWxhS+ ~f4 [2S ... 'lWgS 29.'lii'xgS#]
29.'lWg4#) 27.4Jh7 with 2S.'lWxhS+ +-.
26.f4+ 1-{)
(136) Myant - Nash
Bognor Regis 1965
French Defense [C 18]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 dS 3.4)c311.b4 4.eS cS
S.a311.aS 6.b4cxd4 7.4)bS Ac7 S.f4
4)e7 9.4)f3 4)bc610.11.d3 0-{) (D)
This Greco Sacrifice right out of the
opening succeeds easily owing to the
strong eS-pawn, the dark-square
bishop, and the developed 4JbS which
wins the black .llc7 in key variations.
208
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
After ~g6, only one player found the
correct idea, 13.'lii'g4 when once again
15.4Jxc7 overloads the queen.
1l.Axh7+ ~xh712.4)gS+ ~g6 In
the ~gS line, 15. 4Jxc7 overloads the
black queen. 12 ... ~gS 13.'lWh5 §e8
14.'lWxf7+ (the correct capture. With the
knight on e7, taking on h7 would be
correct if the .llc1 had access to g5)
14 ... ~hS IS.4Jxc7+-. H.~g4!
13.'lWd3+ also wins, but much less eas-
ily: 13 ... 4JfS 14.g4 f61S.4Jxe6 (avoid-
ing a tempting captureI5.gxf5+ exf5
16.exf6 gxf6 and the knight no longer
has access to e6 17.4Jf3 §eS+=)
IS ....llxe616.gxfS+ ~h7 (the f-pawn is
immune 16 ... .llxfS 17.§gl++-)
17.fxe6+ ~gS IS.§gl fxe5 19.'lii'g6
'lWe7 20.fS (missing 20.4Jxc7 and
21.§gS) 20 ... §f6 21.'lWh5 e4 22.4Jxc7
'lWxc7 23.§g3 e3 24 ..llb2 §h6?? (Black
may be winning after 24 ... §afS) 25.'lWg5
~h7 26.0-0-0 4Jxb4 27.axb4 e2
2S.§dgl §xh2 29.'lWxg7+ 'lii'xg7
30.§xg7+ ~h6 31.§lg6+ 1-0 Dani-
Miko, Debrecen 2000. H •.• fS Not
13 ... 4JfS 14.4Jxe6+ +-. 14. ~g3 ~d7
Taking the queen out of the knight's
reach. 15.4) xc7 13gS White cannot
capture the knight, IS ... 'lii'xc7
16.4Jxe6++- .16.~h44)xeS 17.fxeS
1-0 17... §hS (the only move to prevent
'lWh7#) IS.'lWxhS f4 19.94 fxg3
20.'lWh7#.
 Games

(137) Kranzl- Matrisch 17.'lild3+ f5 lS.exf6+ <;t>xf6 19.i;t'f3+

Correspondence 1965 (eyeing the f7 entry square) 19 ... <;t>e7
Nimzo-Indian Defense [E54] 20 ..!'!e1 4:\7f6 21.4:\xe6 ~d7
22.4:\xg7++- . 17•.• .§h8Blackprevents
l.d4 e6 2.c4 ~f6 3.~c3 Ab4 4.e3 h5+ but loses his defense over e6. If
0--0 5.Ad3 d5 6.~f3 c5 7.0--0 b6 instead 17 ... i;t'e7, lS.'lile4+ (or 18.h5+
8.a3 dxc4 9.Axc4 Axc3 10.bxc3 ~h619.i;t'g4 f6 20.4:\f7+ <;t>h7 21.'lilg6+
Ab7 11.'~e2 ~bd7 12.Ad3 .§c8 <;t>gS 22.h6 i;t'xf7 23.h7 + +- winning the
13.e4 .§e814.e5 ~d5 queen) lS .. .f5 19.exf6+ <;t>xf6 20.h5
(threatening ~g6#) 20 ... cxd4 21.cxd4
~fS 22.4:\h7++-. 18.~e4+ f5
8
7
19.exf6+ lit'h5 Walking into a mate in
four, but that's "better" than 19 ... <;t>xf6
6
20.~xe6#. 20.g4+ lit'xh4 Sidestep-
5
ping 20 ... <;t>h6 21.4:\f7#. 21.~hl+
4 lit'xg4 22.~f3+ lit'h4 23.~h3# 1--0
3
2 (138) Champion - Pratten
Bognor Regis 1965
abcdefgh Queen's Gambit Declined [D32]

White has the reinforced e5-pawn and l.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.~c3 c5 4.cxd5
the dark-square bishop as additional as- exd5 5.~f3 ~c6 6.e3 ~f6 7.Ab5
sets. Black can point to the rook offfS a6 8.Axc6+ bxc6 9.dxc5 Axc5
and the two knights poised to retake 10.~d4 Ad711.a3 0--012.0--0 .§e8
the key f6-square. But Black also has 13.b4Ad614.~b3
the unanchored ~b7. In the 'it'g6 line,
White's play with h4 and i;t'e4+ in this 8
correspondence game is instructively 7
accurate. 15.Axh7+ lit'xh716.~g5+ 6
lit'g6 In the 'it'gS line, White can play 5
i;t'f7+ and capture the unanchored ~b7. 4
16 ... 'it'gS 17.'lilh5 4:\f8 (17 .. .4)7f6
3
18.'lilxf7+ <;t>hS19.exf6 'lilxf6 20.'lilxb7)
2
lS.'lilxf7+ 'it'hS 19.'lilxb7+-. 17.h4!
The threat, h5, would force the king to
h6 and a discovered check because <;t>f5 abc d e f g h
leads to g4 #. The alternatives, espe-
cially 'lilg4, are less compelling: (a) Un- Black's successful sacrifice can rely
impressive is 17.i;t'g4 f5 lS.i;t'g3 here upon the light-square bishop and
'lile7+; (b) 17.~e4+ f5 lS.exf6+ <;t>xf6 the active .!'!eS. In the <;t>g3 line, i;t'g5 is
(the other king moves are quickly mated) the winning continuation. White can-
19 ..!'!e1 (taking aim at e6) 19 ... 'lilc7 not force the queen off the g-file, and
20.~f3++-. Black can only delay the the effort to exploit the absence of the
end with 20 .. A)f4 21.'lilg4; and (c) e4-pawn with <;t>f3 meets a queen-win-
ning skewer. 14.•• Axh2+!15.lit'xh2

209
 Sacking the Citadel
4)g4+ 16.<;t>g3 In the ~glline, the .§.eS
actively swings safely via .§.e5-h5.
16.~gl ~h4 17 ..§.e1 ~xf2+ lS.~h1
.§.e5-+. 16•.• ~g5116 ... h517.f4 ~f6
is less thematic but effective nonethe-
less. lS.4Jd4 g5 Using the kingside
pawns to blast through White's de-
fenses. 19 ..§.b1 ~g7 20.~f3 4J xe3
21.l.txe3 l.tg4+ -+. Not 16 ... ~c7+?
when 17.f4;!; effectively shuts down the
diagonal and the queen has no other
way to continue the attack. 17.f4 Try-
ing to run the king meets up with a
queen-winning skewer, 17.~f3 ~h5
lS.~g3 ~g6 19.~f3 4Jxe3 20.fxe3
l.tg4+ -+. 17 .•• ~g6 18. <;t>f3 After
lS.f5, Black can avoid moving the
queen with lS ... l.txf5 19.~f3 4Jxe3
20.l.txe3 l.tg4+ -+ . 18 ••• 4) xe3
19.-'l,xe3 J}.g4+ 20.<;t>f2 J}.xd1
21.f!axd1 ~c2+ 0--1
(139) Kuhnrich - Wilson
New York casual game 1966
Sicilian Defense [B32]
1.e4 c5 2.4)£3 4)c6 3.d4 cxd4
4.4) xd4 e5 5.4) xc6 bxc6 6.-'l,d3 f5
7.exf5 4)f6 8.0--0 d5 9.f!e1 -'l,d6
10.c40--0 1l.4)c3 e4 12.-'l,fl J}.xf5
13.cxd5 cxd5 14.4) xd5
8 4Jg3+ =+=. 17.-'l,c4? A tempting move that
7 walks into an unexpected checkmate.
6 More prudent was 17.~d4 h4+ 18.~h3
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h Seattle 1966
The famous New York City chess book-
store owner embarks on an ambitious
210
Greco Sacrifice. Black can count on the
open f-file, the light-square bishop, and
the e4-pawn as additional assets, but
White also has an active .§.e1 and a dark-
square bishop that can reach f4. In the
~g3 line, both sides miss an opportu-
nity to improve but the attack as played
with h5-h4 and ~d6+ is well worth a
look. 14... -'l,xh2+ 15.<;t>xh2 4)g4+
16.<;t>g3 In the ~g11ine, White had the
opportunity to drum up considerable
counterplay with a knight sacrifice on
f6. 16.~gl ~h4 17.l.tf4 (White has a
promising counter with 17 .4Jf6+ ~xf6
[not 17 ... .§.xf6 18.~b3+ with ~g3 to
follow] lS.l.tf4 when, to sustain a small
edge, Black must find: IS ... 4Jxf2!
19.~xf2 g5 20.l.tc4+ ~g7 21..~xg5
~xg5 22.~d4+~) 17 ... ~xf2+ 18.~hl
l.te6 (Black can conquer the l.tf4 with
attacks upon the bishop and its de-
fender) 19.~d2 ~c5 20 ..Ile2 4Jf2+
21.~h2 (21.~gl 4Jd3+ 22.~e3
~xe3+ 23.l.txe3 4Jxe1-+) 21...~xd5
22.~xd5 l.txd5 23.l.te3 .§.acS=+=.
16... h5 Black can also win with a more
tactical approach: 16 ... 4Jxf2 17.~d4
4Jh1 + lS.~h2 ~h4+ 19.~gl ~xe1
20.Af4 ~xa1 21.4Je7+ ~hS 22 ..Ilh6
when it is Black, having accepted both
of White's rooks, who must now de-
fend: 22 ... .§.f6 23.4Jxf5 ~xf1 + 24.~xf1
l.te6~. 17 ..• h4+ 18.<;t>f4 lS.~h3
4Jxf2+ -+ 18••. ~d6+ Missing a tough-
to-find mate in one, lS ... g5#.19.<;t>g5
~h6# 0--1
(140) Jackson - Formanek
French Defense [CI4]
 Games
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.~c3 ~f6 4.Ag5
Ae7 5.e5 ~fd7 6.Axe7 'ifJxe7 7.f4
0--0 S.~f3 c5- 9.Ad3 f5 10.0--0 ~c6
11.~b5 a6 12.~d6 cxd4 13.<ifj1hl
~c5 14.g41? f xg4?
8 'ii:rh4, 19 ... ~d7 20.4Jxf5 exf5 21.'ii:rg3
7 (not 21.'ii:rh4 'ii:rg7) 21...Ele8 22.Elh7
6 'i£txh7 23.4Jxh7 ~xh7 24.Elgl 4Je7
5 25.h4 4Je4 26.'ii:rb3 b5 27.'i£ta3 (in
4
3
2
abcdefgh
Edward Formanek had become
Chicago's most successful tournament
player, but he lost here to a St. Louis
high school student with obvious po-
tential. Following the g4-pawn sacrifice
to open the diagonal for the ~d3, White
initiates the sacrifice, counting on the
4Jd6, the e5-pawn, and the open g-file
as additional assets. Formanek correctly
defended with 'it'g8, but the idea ofElf3-
h3 more than compensates for the ma-
terial deficit. 15.Axh7+ <ifj1xh7
16.~g5+ <ifj1gS The ~g6 and ~h6lines
both meet 'i£txg4 with an overwhelming
attack. 16 ... 'it'h617.'i£txg4 +-; 16... 'it'g6
17.'i£txg4+- 4Jxe5 18.'i£th4. Here, the
'it'h8line requires a slight bit ofthought,
16 ... 'it'h8 17.'i£txg4 g6 18.Elf3 +-.
17.'ifJxg4g61S..§f3 .§f5 (a) 18 ...'ii:rg7
19.Elh3 4Je4 20.4Jdxe4 dxe4 21.Elgl.
(with no desire to be rolled, Black can
attempt to eliminate the white center)
21...4Jxe5 22.fxe5 Elf5 23.Elh7 'ii:rxe5
24.4Jxe4 (an obvious rook sacrifice to
mobilize the remaining majors)
24 ... 'it'xh7 25.'i£txg6+ ~h8 26.'ii:rh6#;
and (b) 18 ... d3 19.Elgl (ignoring the
pawn) 19 ... Elf5 20.4Jge4 'i£tg7 (Black
211
cannot ignore the threat of 'ii:rxg6)
21. 'i£txg6 'i£txg6 22.El xg6+ ~f8 (or
22 ... ~h7 23.Elgl +- when Elh3 is hard
to stop) 23.Elh3 with mate to follow.
23 ... 4Jd8 24.4Jf6+-. 19.~xf5 Best is
19.Elh3! with ideas such as Elgl and
search of entry squares) 27 ... ~c8
28.'ii:ra5 +-. 19 .••exf5 20. 'ifJg2 ~e6
21..§g1 ~ xg5 22•.§g3 'ifJe6 Overlook-
ing 22 ... 'ii:rh7 23.Elxg5 4Je7=. 23..§xg5
~e7 24. 'ifJh3 Ad7 25 . .§h5 .§fS
26•.§h71-O
(141) Nuenchert - Benecke
Halle 1967
Sicilian Defense [B21]
l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 e6 4.~f3
dxc3 5.~ xc3 Ab4 6.Ad2 ~f6
7.Ad3 0--0 S. 'ifJe2 d5 9.e5 ~fd7
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
For additional assets, White can count
here on the e5-pawn and the dark-
square bishop. By selecting the ~g6
line, Black gives white more opportu-
nity to err. 12.h4 creates the possibility
ofh5+, while 12.'ii:rg4 permits Black to
capture the undefended e5-pawn.
10.Axh7+ <ifj1xh711.~g5+ <ifj1g6 The
'it'g8 line leads to the customary mate
 Sacking the Citadel
in five because the black king cannot
retreat to d6 or d8. 11...~gS 12.~h5
E!.eS 13.~xf7+ ~hS 14.~h5+ ~gS
15.~h7+ ~fS 16.~hS+ ~e7
17.~xg7#. 12.h4! 12.~g4? throws
away the advantage because Black can
capture on e5 with tempo and then ex-
ploit the absence of the e5-pawn by
escaping via f6. 12 ... 4Jxe513.~g3 ~f6
14.~f4+ '!ie715.~xe5 Axc3 16.Axc3
f6+. More interesting is 12.~d3+!? f5
13.exf6+ ~xf6 (not 13 ... '!ih5 14.~h7+
'!ig415.h3#) 14.~d4+ 4Je5! (throwing
back the piece to obtain relative equal-
ity) 15.4Jh7+ ~f7 16.~xe5 .§.hS
17.4Jg5+ ~gS 18.4Jxe6 ~e7 19.4Jxd5
Axd2+ 20.~xd2 ~xe6 21.~xe6+
Axe6 22.4Jc7 ~f7 23.4JxaS 4Ja6=.
12 ..• ~e7 Moving the queen out of the
knight's reach. Alternatives are no bet-
ter: (a) 12 ... 4Jxe5 (sacrificing back the
material doesn't lessen the attack)
13.~xe5 f6 (expecting to win back the
piece, but...) 14.h5+ '!ih6 15.4Jxe6+
(breaking the fork) 15 ... '!ih716.4JxfS+
AxfS17.~xd5+-; (b) 12 ... Axc313.h5+
'!ih6 (not playable is 13 ... ~f5 14.g4#)
14.bxc3 preserving the bishop on the
key diagonal (or 14.4Jxf7+with a game
winning double check+-) 14 .. .f5 (or
14 ... ~b6 15.~g4 ~b2 16.4Jxe6+
~xd2+ 17.~xd2 E!.gS lS.~g5+ '!ih7
19.~f5+ ~hS 20.4Jg5 g6 21.hxg6+
'!ig7 22.~xf7#) 15.4Jxe6+: and (c)
12 ... f5? 13.h5+ ~h614.4Jxe6++-.
13.~g4 Better is 13.h5+ ~h6 (not
13 ... ~f5 14.g4#) when 14.~d3 is su-
perior to any of the discoveries 14 ... f5
(14 ... g6 15.4Jxf7+ '!ig7 16.~xg6#)
15.exf6 +- . 13•.•f5 It's now too late to
give back material with 13 ... 4Jxe5
14.h5+ '!ih6 (14 ... ~f6 15.~f4#)
15.4Jxe6+ '!ih7 16.~xg7#. 14.h5+
~h615 ..£lf7+ ~h7 16. ~g6+ ~g8
17..£lg51-O
212
(142) Neu - Hirsch
Correspondence 1967
French Defense [C 18]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3 ..£lc3 J}.b4 4.e5 c5
5.a3 Aa5 6.b4 cxd4 7 ..£l b5 J}.c78.f4
.£le7 9 ..£l£3 J}.d710..£lbxd4 .£lbc6
1l.c30-0 12.J}.d3 f613.0-0 fxe5
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Another complex game played by cor-
respondence. The position is unusual
in that the sacrifice occurs just follow-
ing a black capture on e5. White can
therefore look to use the recapture to
gain a key tempo. In the '!igS line, the
tempo gain occurs after 14.~h5 E!.f6
because Black cannot safely recapture
on e5. 14.J}.xh7+ ~xh7 15 ..£lg5+
~g815 ... '!ih616.4Jdxe6+- when re-
treats by the black queen meet
17. ~d3+. In the ~g6 line, the win is
simple because the 4Jg5+ brings sup-
port to 4Jxe6. 15 ... '!ig616.4Jdxe6 ~cS
(16 ... Axe617.4Jxe6 ~d618.~g4+ '!if7
19.fxe5++-) 17.4JxfS+ ~xfS lS.f5+
4Jxf519.g4+-. 16.~h5 Black is happy
to give up an exchange to relieve the
pressure. Black is actually winning af-
ter 16.4Jdxe6? Axe6 17.4Jxe6 ~d6
lS.4JxfS E!.xfS -+. 16 ... .§f6 16 ... E!.f5
17.~h7+ '!ifS lS.4Jdxe6+ +- forks the
queen. And after 16... E!.eS, White has a
nice variant of the usual mate involv-
ing a queen sac on move 20. 16 ... E!.eS
 Games
17.'liYh7+ ~f8 18.fxe5+ 4Jf5 19.'liYh8+
~e7 20.'ltfxg7+ 4Jxg7 21.§f7#.
17.fxe5 Finally recapturing the e5-
pawn, and winning time because Black
cannot capture it. White has only a draw
with 17.'ltfh7+ ~f8 18.'ltfh8+ 4Jg8
19.4Jh7+ ~f7 20.4Jg5+=. 17... Elxf1+
Black can use §f6-h6 to interfere with
the attack 17 ... §h6 18.'ltff7+ ~h8
19.4Jgxe6 Axe6 20.4Jxe6 §xe6 gladly
giving upjust an exchange, 21.'ltfxe6±.
The capture by the knight or bishop
runs into a knight fork: 17 ... 4Jxe5?
18.'ltfh7+ 'ot'f819.§xf6+ gxf6 20.'ltfh8+
4Jg8 21.4Jgxe6+ Axe6 22.4Jxe6+ +-.
18.~xf14)xd419.~h7+ There's no
way to make progress with 19.'ltff7+
~h8 20.'ltfh5+ ~g8=. 19 ... ~f8
20. ~h8+ 4)g8 21.cxd41t's just a draw
after 21.4Jh7+ ~f7 22.4Jg5+ ~f8= (not
22 ... ~e7 23.'ltfxg7+ 'ot'e8 24.'ltff7#).
21 ••• j'txe5 22.dxe5 ~b6 23.a4 Elc8?
Black must force White to accept a per-
petual with 23 ... Axa4 24.§xa4 'ltfb5+
25.~f2 'ltfxa4 26.4Jh7+ ~f7 27.4Jg5+=
(not playable is 27 ... ~g6? 28.~h7#).
24.j'ta3 Also winning is 24.~h5 Ae8
25.4Jh7+ ~e7 26.'ltfg5+ 'ot'f7 27.~f4+
~e7 28.'ltff8+ 'ot'd7 (28 ... 'ot'd8
29.Ag5++-) 29.Ae3+-. 24 ••. Elc3
25.~h5 j'te8 And on 25 ... 4Jh6,
26.b5+ §xa3 27.§xa3 'ltfc5 28.§f3+
~e7 29.'ltfh4 +-. 26.b5+ Elxa3
27.4)h7+ ~e7 28.~g5+ ~f7
29.~f4+ 4)f6 30.Elxa3 j'txb5+
31.axb5 ~xb5+ 32.~gl ~bl+
33.~f1 ~xfl+ 34.~xfl 4)xh7
35.Elxa7 4)g5 36.Elxb7+ ~f8 37.h4
4)f7 38.Elb8+ ~e7 39.Elg8 4) xe5
40.Elxg7+ ~f6 41.Elg3 4)c4 42.h5
4)d2+ 43.~e2 4)e4 44.Elg41~
213
(143) Kozma - Sliwa
Zinnowitz 1967
Bogo-Indian Defense [A40]
l.d4e6 2.c4 j'tb4+ 3.4)d2 d5 4.4)gf3
dxc4 5.a3 j'txd2+ 6.j'txd2 c6 7.e4 b5
8.b3cxb39.~xb34)f610.j'td3j'tb7
11.0-00-0 12.e5 4)d5
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
White can count on the dark-square
bishop and the reinforced e5-pawn, but
the 'ltfb3 does not have immediate ac-
cess to the h5-square. That delay gives
Black an opportunity to vacate the f8-
square and to defend f7 laterally. But
Black cannot overcome his bad light-
square bishop and poor queens ide de-
velopment. In the ~g8 line, White
misses the opportunity with 16.'ltfh 7 to
cut off the king's retreat. In the game,
Black's king races to the queens ide but
still faces incessant pressure.
13.j'txh7+ ~xh7 14.4)g5+ ~g8
White wins trivially in the 14 ... 'ot'g6line
with either ~g3!, 'ltfd3, or 'ltfh3: (a)
15.~g3 The queen reaches the g-file
where it cannot be dislodged, 15 .. .f5
(after 15 ... ~b6 16.4Jxe6+ Black must
avoid 'ltfxg7# 16 ... ~f5 with a nice mat-
ing net: 17.~h3+ 'ot'e4 18.~f3#)
16.4Jxe6++- winning the queen; (b)
15.~h3 §h8 16.~d3+ (even with the
rook on the h-file, the king cannot safely
retreat there) 16 ... f5 17.exf6+ ~xf6
 Sacking the Citadel
IS.'~f3+ 'ittg6 (IS ... 'itte7 19.'~f7+ 'ittd6
20. <tle4 # ) 19.'l11f7 + ~h6 20. <tlxe6+ +- ;
and (c) 15.'l11d3+ f5 16.exf6+ 'ittxf6
17.!'l.ael +- (a typical maneuver once
the f-pawn has moved) 17 ... .\1cS
IS.'l11e4 (threatening 'l11xe6 with mate
in two) IS ... 'l1i'eS 19.'l11e5+ 'itte7
(19 ...'ittg6 20.h4 +-) 20.<tlxe6 .\1xe6
21.'l1i'xe6+ 'ittdS 22 ..\1a5+ <tlb6
23. 'l1i'd6+ +- winning the queen.
15.~h3 A bit faster is 15.'l11d3 f5
16.'l11h3+-. 15••. lae8 16.~h5 Miss-
ing an opportunity to end to the dis-
cussion: 16.'l11h7+! ~f8 17AJe4 f6
(17 ... 'l1i'c7 IS ..\1g5+-) IS.exf6 <tlxf6
19 ..\1b4+ !'l.e7 (19 ... ~f7 20.<tlg5#)
20.<tlxf6 gxf6 21.'l11hS+ winning the
queen; 20 ... !'l.fS 21.<tle4+-. 21...'ittf7
22.'l1i'xdS+-. 16••• ~d7 On 16 ... 'l1i'c7,
17 ..\1a5 takes advantage of the fact that
the queen must defend f7' 17 ... 'l11d7
(17 ... 'l11xa5? IS.'l11xf7+ 'itthS 19. 'l1i'xeS #)
IS.'l11h7+ ~fS 19.'l11hS+ 'itte7 20.'l1i'xg7
with <tld6 to follow. 17.~h7+ ~f8
18.~h8+ IS.<tle4+- threatening both
<tlc5 and .\1g5. 18••. ~e7 19.~xg7
~d8 On 19 ... !'l.fS White wins the rook
outright with 20.<tlh7 'l11eS 21..\1g5+
'ittd7 22.<tlxfS+ +-. 20.4) xf7+ ~c7
21.Aa5+ 4)b6 22.4)d6 ladS 23. ~g5
4)a6 24.lafc1 ~b8 25.lac3 With the
idea of!'l.f3-f7. The black king has mi-
grated all the way to b8, but White can
also break through with 25.a4 <tlc7
26.!'l.abl +-. 25 ... laf8 On 25 ... <tlc7,
26.!'l.f3. 26. ~h6 lag8 27.lag3 Faster
is 27.!'l.f3! 'l11g7 2S.'l11xg7 !'l.xg7 29.!'l.fS+.
27 ••• laxg3 28.fxg3 4)c4 29.~f8+
Ac8 30.laf1 4)xa5 31.laf7 ~c7
32.laxc7 ~xc7 33.h4 4)c4 34.h5
lab8 35.h6 Ad7 36.~xb8+ 4)xb8
37.h7 4)xa3 38.h8~ b4 39.4)f7
4)c4 40. ~dS+ ~b7 41.4)d6+ 4)xd6
42.exd6e5 43.~c7+ ~a844.~a5 b3
45.dxe5 Ae6 46. ~c3 ~b7 47.~f2
214
4)d7 48.~b4+ ~a6 49.~e2 c5
50.~c3 ~b5 51.~d2 c4 52.~d4
4)c5 53.g4 a5 54.g5 a4 55.d7 Jtxd7
56.~c3 Ae6 57.~d8 a3 58.~b8+
~c6 59.~d6+ ~b5 60.~d4 4)a4
61.~xe6 a2 62.~xc4+ ~a5
63. ~d5+ ~a6 64. ~d6+ ~b5
65.~a31-O
(144) Donner - Portisch
Wijk aan Zee 1968
Nimzo-Indian Defense [E50]
1.d4 4)f6 2.c4 e6 3.4)c3 Jth4 4.e3
c5 5.Ad3 0-0 6.4)£3 b6 7.d5 Ab7
8.e4 b5 9.e5 bxc410.Ab14)xd5 (D)
A remarkable game. White can count
on two additional assets, the dark-
square bishop and the e5-pawn, but
White's development is lacking. Nota-
bly, White's king has not yet castled
and Black has significant pressure on
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
the <tlc3. As a result, in the ~gS line,
Black can sacrifice his queen on g5
knowing that he will acquire additional
material on c3. 1l.Axh7+ ~xh7
12.4)g5+ ~g8 In the ~g6 line, the
white pawn storm provides a winning
plan. 12 ... ~g6! 13.'l1i'c2+ (not 13.'l11g4
f5 14.'l11g3 'l1i'a5 when the counter-at-
tack on c3 more than compensates for
the discovered check, 15.Ad2 <tlc6 -+ )
 Games
13 ... f5 14.h4 (14.exf6+? <;t>xf6-+)
14 ... .£lf6+. An inspired idea, prevent-
ing the h-pawn from advancing and
more than happy to part with the knight
in exchange for an escape for the king.
(14 ... .§hS 15.g4 ~eS [15 ... .£lf6
16 ..§gl +-; 15 ... Axe3+ 16.bxe3 ~eS
17.h5+ <;t>h6 lS.gxf5+-] 16.h5+ <;t>h6
17.gxf5 .£lxe3 lS.bxe3 Axh1 19.fxe6
.ilxe3+ 20.<;t>f1 ~xh5 21.~f5 +-).
13.t'1/h5 Knowing that the rook retreat
with ... .§eS leads to the usual mate in
five, Black relies upon the pressure on
the .£le3 to try ... 13... t'1/xg514..1l.xg5
Not 14.~xg5 .£lxe3-+ 15.a3 .£le4+.
14... 4)xc315.a3! But White is able to
foil the idea by disrupting the coordi-
nation between Black's knight and
bishop. 15••. 4)e4+ 15 ... Aa5 16.Ad2
The point! White does not lose a piece.
16 ... .£la4 17 ..ilxa5 .£lxb2 lS.0-0 ±.
16.axb4 4)c617..1l.e3 4)xb418.()...()
4)c2 19.Etac1 4)xe3 20.fxe3 The
smoke has cleared and Black has two
pieces and two pawns for the queen,
not quite enough. 20 ... .1l.d5 21.Etf4 f5
22.exf6 Etxf6 On 22 ... .£lxf6,
23.~e5 +-. 23.Etcfl Etaf8 24.Etxf6
4)xf6 25.t'1/e5 4)e4 26.Etxf8+ <it>xf8
27. t'1/b8+ +- <it>f7 28. t'1/xa7 .1l.c6
29.h4 <it>g6 30.g4 <it>h6 31.t'1/bS <it>h7
32. t'1/f8 4)f6 33.g5 4)e4 34. t'1/f71-O
(145) Araiza Munoz - Galeb
Lugano Olympiad 1968
Sicilian Defense [B22]
l.e4 c5 2.c3 4)c6 3.d4 cxd4 4.cxd4
e6 5.4)£3 4)f6 6.e5 4)d5 7 . .1l.c4
.1l.b4+ 8.<it>f1 4)ce7 9.a3 .1l.a5
10.4)bd2 t'1/c7U.t'1/b3 a612.4)e40-
o 13..1l.g5 b514..1l.d3 .1l.b615.Etcl
t'1/a716.4)d6 .1l.b717•.1l.xe7 4)xe7
215
abc d e f g h
A relatively easy win thanks to obvi-
ous additional assets, the reinforced e5-
pawn, the well planted .£ld6, and the
.§el. 18..1l.xh7+ <it>xh719.4)g5+ <it>h6
In the ~gSline, White infiltrates easily
with ~h7, ~hS, .£lgS, and ~g7 when
the .£ld6 exerts powerful control over
key squares. 19 ... <;t>gS 20.~h3 .§feS
(20 ... .§fdS 21.~h7+ ~fS 22.~hS+ .£lgS
23 ..£lh7+ ~e7 24.~xg7 .§fS and it's
mate in four with 25.~g5+ f6 26.~g7+
.§f7 27.~xf7+ ~dS 2S.~eS"")
21.~h7+ ~fS 22.~hS+ .£lgS 23 ..£lh7+
~e7 and now, after two exchanges on
c8, the .£lgS falls: 24 ..£lxeS+ .§xeS
25 ..§xeS AxeS 26.~xgS+-. In the line
with 19 ... ~g6, there are multiple paths
to the win, but ~d3+ is most accurate
because Black's response ... .£lf5 does
not gain time against the queen. White
can quickly swing the queen to g3, Black
can only delay the attack with 21.. ..£lf5.
20.~g3 .£lf5 21..£lxf5 <;t>xf5 (not
21...exf5 22 ..£le6++-) 22.h4+-- when
the win requires considerable care:
22 ... Axd4 23 ..£lxf7 .§xf7 24 ..§e1 +-.
The queen can also swing to h3
20.~h3 Axd4 (opposing the queen
with 20 ... .§hS only invites 21.~g3
when, in addition to the discovery, Black
has to worry about the fl-pawn.) 21.f4
.§hS 22.~g4 f5 23.exf6 ~xf6
24 ..£lge4+ Axe4 25.~g5 "". White's
 Sacking the Citadel
best is likely 20.'l£1d3+ f5 21.'l£1g3 (not
21.exf6 4Jf5) and now (a) 20 ... 4Jf5
21.g4+-; (b) 20 ... 'it'xg5 2l.f4+ 'it'h6
22:l£1h3+ 'it'g6 23.g4 (the queen, 4Jd6
and the kingside pawns provide the net)
23 ... §.hS 24.f5+ 'it'g5 (24 ... exf5
25.gxf5+ 'it'g5 26.§.gl + +-) 25.'l£1e3+
'it'xg4 (25 ... 'it'h4 26.'l£1g3+ 'it'g5
27.4Jxf7#) 26.§.gl++-; and (c) As in
the line just above, although White
must force the capture of the knight.
20 ... 'it'h6 21.'l£1h7+ 'it'xg5 22.f4+ ~xf4
(22 ... 'it'g4 23.'l£1h3+ 'it'xf4 24.'l£1g3 #)
23.'l£1h4+ 'it'e3 24.§.c3+ ~d2 25.'l£1el #.
20.t.\'h3+ <i!lxg5 As in the note to
Black's 19th move, White has sufficient
forces for the mate if the king captures,
or if forced to capture, the 4Jg5.
20 ... 'it'g6 21.'l£1h7+ 'it'xg5 22.f4+ 'it'xf4
(22 ... ~g4 23. 'l£1h3+ ~xf4 24. 'l£1g3 # )
23.'l£1h4+ ~e3 24.§.c3+ ~d2 25.'l£1el #.
21.Etc3 Jilf5 22.Jil xf5 It's mate in six
with 22.§.g3+ 4Jxg3+ (22 .. .'~f4
23.'l£1g4#) 23.hxg3+-. 22 ••• <i!lf4 A
better try, though still losing, is
22 ... .1lxd4 23.4Jxd4 'l£1xd4 24.§.g3+ ~f4
25.§.g4+ +- . 23.g3+ 1~ And Black re-
signs facing a mate in three: 23 ... 'it'g5
(23 ... ~e4 24.'l£1g4+ 'it'd5 25.4Je7#)
24.f4+ 'it'g6 25.4Je7 #.
(146) Flesch - Kovacs
Budapest 1969
Queen's Gambit Declined [D41]
1.d4 Jilf6 2.c4 e6 3.Jilf3 d5 4.Jilc3
c5 5.cxd5 Jilxd5 6.e4 Jilxc3 7.bxc3
cxd4 8.cxd4 .11,b4+ 9 ..11,d2 .11,xd2+
10.t.\'xd2 ~ 1l.j},c4 Jilc6 12.~
Jila5 13 . .11,d3 b6 14.EIad1 j},b7
15.EIfe1 EIc816.d5exd517.e5Jilc4
18.t.\'f4 EIc7
216
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
White has unusual additional assets
here, a mobile e5-pawn and the two
rooks. In the game, Black selects the
more challenging 'it'g6line, where White
misses the most powerful continuation
with a quick h4-h5. 19..11,xh7+ Cifj>xh7
20.Jilg5+ Cifj>g6 In the 'it'gS line, White
does not have immediate access to h5
but still infiltrates quickly thanks to the
mobility of the e5-pawn and the sup-
port of the §.el. 20 ... ~gS 21.'l£1h4 §.eS
22.'l£1h7+ (or 22.e6 §.xe6 23.§.xe6 fxe6
24.'l£1h7+ ~f8 25.4Jxe6+ +- ) 22 ... ~f8
23.e6 §.xe6 (23 .. .fxe6 24.§.xe6 §.xe6
25.4Jxe6+ 'it'e7 26.4JxdS ~xdS
27.'l£1hS+ ~d7 2S.'l£1xg7+ +-) 24.§.xe6
fxe6 25.4Jxe6+ 'it'e7 26.'l£1h4+ +-. In the
~h6Iine, White has a mate in four that
makes good use of'l£1f4-h4-f7 and of
the §.dl. 20 ... ~h6 21.'l£1h4+ (the queen
is already poised to start the attack)
21...~g6 22.'l£1h7+ ~xg5 23.h4+ 'it'f4
24.§.d4 #. 21.h4 Securing the 4Jg5.
Less compelling is 21.§.d3 'l£1xg5
22.§.g3 'l£1xg3 23.'l£1xg3+. (Black has a
rook and two minors for the queen)
23 ... ~h7 24.e6 §.ccS 25.e7 §.feS+.
21 ... t.\'c8 Black needs to play more
actively than 21...'l£1e7 22.§.d3 +- with
§.g3 next. Black's best here is 21...§.hS
to prevent h4-h5, but 22.§.d3 §.h5 and
White is still winning after 23.e6 'l£1e7
(23 ... f6 24.4Jf7 §.xf7 25.'l£1g4++-)
 Games
24.l:':!g3 f5 25.4J£7+ ~h7 (25 ... ~f6
26.'~d4+ .£Ie5 27. ~xe5 #). The attack
makes progress with 26.l:':!g5 l:':!xg5
27.hxg5 ~g8 and White finally gains
control over the h-file. 28.~h2+-.
22 ..§d3 Consistent and best is 22.h5+
~h6 (22 ... ~xh5 23.l:':!d4+-) 23 ..£Ixf7+
~h7 24.e6+-. 22 ... f6 23.h5+ 'it'h6
Not 23 ... ~xh5 24.exf6+-. 24.4)e6+
'it'h7 24 ... g5 brings on mate in six:
25.hxg6+ ~xg6 26.l:':!g3+ ~f7
27.~xf6++-. 25.4)xfS+ ~xfS
26.exf6 .§f7 27. ~f5+ 'it'gS Avoiding
27 ... ~h8 28.fxg7+ ~xg7 29.l:':!e8+ §f8
30.l:':!xf8++-. 28.~e6 Missing another
win with 28.fxg7 l:':!xf5 29.gxf8~+ ~xf8
30.h6+-. 2S ...gxf6 29 ..§g3+ 'it'hS
30.h6 4)e5 31.f4 .§e7? The losing
move. Black can hold with 31...~c8
32.~xd5 .£Ig4=. 32 . .§gS+ ~xgS
33.~xf6+ 'it'h7 34.~xe7+ 4)f7
35.~xb7 ~fS 36 . .§e7 'it'xh6
37..§xf71-O
(147) Polugaevsky - Tal
Moscow 1969
Queen's Gambit Declined [D41]
l.c4 4)f6 2.4)c3 e6 3.4)f3 d5 4.d4
c5 5.cxd5 4) xd5 6.e4 4) xc3 7.bxc3
cxd4 S.cxd4 Ab4+ 9.Ad2 Axd2+
10.~xd2 0--0 II.Ac4 4)c612.0--0 b6
13..§adl Ab714..§fel4)a515.-'\,d3
.§cS 16.d5 exd5 17.e5 4)c41S. ~f4
4)b2
abc d e f g h
217
Now in the modern era, grandmasters
quickly become aware of others' games
and theoretical battles can ensue. Re-
markably, this exact Greco Sacrifice oc-
curs in ten different games, which are
all here. The sacrifice can count on a
mobile e5-pawn and the two active
rooks. Of note, the black .£Ib2 and the
~b7 are not anchored, and Black can-
not easily prevent e5-e6. In the key ~g6
line, the l:':!c4's attack upon the white
queen lessens the value of the discov-
ered check when h4-h5 drives the king
to h6. The game enters a complex
middlegame in which White, though
down a piece, can rely upon the rooks,
an active knight, and the passed e-
pawn. 19.Axh7+ 'it'xh7 20.4)g5+
'it'g6 It is notable that none of the de-
fenders selected the ~g8 line, which
loses quickly to ~h4-h7 and e5-e6.
20 ... ~g8 21.~h4 l:':!e8 (after the queen
sacrifice 21...~xg5 22.~xg5 .£Ixdl
23.l:':!xdl +- White has f4-f5 and the
possibility of l:':!d4-h4) 22.~h7+. The
queen must enter on h7 when after
22 ... ~f8 23.e6 fxe6 (not 23 ... l:':!xe6
24.l:':!xe6 fxe6 [24 ... .£Ixdl 25.~h8#]
25.~h8+ ~e7 26.~xg7+ ~d6
27 ..£1£7+ +-) there's no mate, because
the d6-square is free, but White has a
knight fork when the king arrives at d6:
24.~h8+ ~e7 25.~xg7+ ~d6
26 ..£1£7+ +-. The queen sacrifice with
20 ... ~xg5 21.~xg5 relies upon winning
back the exchange, 21.. ..£Ixdl 22.l:':!xdl
l:':!c7 23.f4+-, but White emerges with
a slight material advantage and, more
importantly, the ability to play actively
here with f5 and either a rook swing or
e5-e6. 21.h4! .§c4! Among six alterna-
tives, Tal picks the strongest move, aim-
ing to prevent l:':!d4 and h5+.
 Sacking the Citadel
(a) 21...f5 22.~d4! with the idea ofh5+
22 ... v.f1e7 23.h5+ (or a rook swing with
23.~e3 ~hS 24.~g3 ~h5 25.<£'Ie6+
'It'h7 26.~xg7++-) 23 ... 'it'h6 24.<£'It7+
(White needs simply to secure the
knight and then pry open the kings ide
with h6) 24 ... 'it'h7 25.i!¥xf5+ 'it'gS 26.e6
~c7 27.~f4 Ac6 2S.h6 1-0 Griien-
Gohring, Germany 1983 ; (b) 21... i!¥d7
does nothing to prevent White's main
threat: 22.h5+! 'it'xh5 (22 ... 'lt'h6
23.<£'Ixt7+ 'it'h7 [23 ... 'it'xh5 24.v.f1g5#]
24.e6+-) 23.~d4 +-. Four players for-
gotthat greed rarely pays; (c) 21...<£'Ixdl
Giving Black a large material edge and
eliminates the possibility of ~d4.
22.h5+ 'it'h6 (22 ... 'it'xh5 when it's mate
in four starting with 23.g4+ 1-0
lasnikowski-Votava, Warsaw 1989. One
game kept going with 23 ... ~h6
[23 ... 'it'h4 24.<£'If3+ 'it'h3 25.'l;1g3#;
23 ... 'it'g6 24.i!¥f5+ ~h6 25.<£'Ixt7+ ~xt7
26.i!¥h5#] 24.v.f1h2+ 1-0 Becker-Homs,
Ruhrgebiet 2004) 23.<£'Ie6+ when the
discovery nets the queen 1-0
Olafsson-Lombard, Athens 1969. After
23.<£'Ie6+, one player still kept trying:
(1) White had no trouble mopping up
with 23 ... 'it'h7 24.<£'IxdS ~cxdS 25.~xdl
~deS 26.v.f1f5+ ~gS 27.i!¥d7 AaS 2S.f4
~dS 29.v.f1xa7 d4 30.i!¥xb6 d3 31.v.f1e3
1-0 Gurevich-Massana, New York 1985;
(2) 23 ... g5 when it's more important to
mate than to capture the black queen,
24.hxg6+ 'it'xg6 25.v.f1g4+ ~h6
26.v.f1g7+ 'it'h5 27.v.f1h7+ ~g4
2S.v.f1h3#; (3) 23 ... ~xh5 and it's mate
in three with 24.g4+ 'it'g6 (24 ... ~h4
25.v.f1g3#) 25.i!¥f5+ 'it'h6 26.v.f1h5 #; (d)
21... v.f1e7 A logical move that places the
queen out of the reach of a discovery.
Two players with White won here but
failed to find the optimal path. (1)
22.~e3! ~c4 (22 ... <£'Ixd 1 23.~g3 ~gS
24.h5+ 'It'h6 [24 ... 'It'xh5 25.i!¥f5 +- ]
218
25.<£'Ixt7+ 'It'h7 [25 ... ~xh5 26.'l;1g4#]
26.v.f1f5+ g6 27.~xg6+-) 23.h5+ 'It'h6
(23 ... 'it'xh5 24.g4+ 'it'g6 [24 ... 'lt'h6
25.~h3+ 'It'g6 26.v.f1f5 #] 25.v.f1f5+ 'it'h6
26.~h3#) 24.<£'Ie4+ 'it'h7 (24 ... g5
25.hxg6+ 'it'g7 26.~h3 fxg6 27.'l;1h6+
'it'f7 [27 ... 'It'gS 2S. 'l;1xg6+ 'l;1g7
29.'l;1e6+ ~t7 30.<£'If6++-]) 25.'l;1f5+
'it'h6 (25 ... 'lt'gS 26.<£'If6+ gxf6
27.exf6+-) 26.~g3 ~xe4 27.~g6+
'It'h 7 (27 ... fxg6 2S. i!¥xg6 #)
28.~e6+ +-; (2) 22.g4 Aiming for a
kingside pawn storm when Black's best
defense is 22 ... f5 22 ... ~h6 23.<£'Ie4+ g5
24.hxg5+ 'It'g6 25.v.f1f5+ 'It'g7 26.<£'Ig3
~hS 27.'l;1bl v.f1a3 2S.'l;1f5 <£'Ixdl
29.'l;1f6+ 'it'gS 30.e6 ~h7 31.e7 <£'Ie3
32.g6 fxg6 33.'l;1xg6+ ~g7 34.eSv.f1+
~xeS 35.v.f1xeS+ 'l;1fS 36.'l;1xe3 ~g6
37.'l;1e5 ~g7 3S.g5 i!¥cS 39.f4 'l;1c5+
40.~e3 v.f1c1 + 41.'lt'f2 v.f1c2+ 42.<£'Ie21-
oAiken-Bacon, correspondence 1997;
(3) Less impressive is 22.~d2 when
Black can defend with 22 .. .f5 23.~xb2
~c4 22 ... ~c4 23.v.f1g3 ~h6 24.~xb2 f6
25.<£'If3 ~e4 26.~be2 ~h7 27.exf6 gxf6
2S.~xe4 dxe4 29.'l;1f4 ~gS 30.<£'Id4
v.f1e5 31.v.f1e3 f5 32.<£'Ie2 ~cS 33.~dl
Ac6 34.i!¥g5 ~gS 35.v.f1h5+ 'It'g7
36.<£'Ig3 'it'f6 37.i!¥h6+ ~g6 3S.<£'Ih5+ 1-
oDreev-Yusupov, Mainz 2003; and (e)
Finally 21...f6 also fails to prevent the
threat: 22.h5+ +- 'It'h6 (22 ... 'It'xh5
23.g4+ ~g6 [23 ... 'lt'h6 24.i!¥h2+ 'It'xg5
25. i!¥h5+ 'it'f4 26. 'l;1f5 # ] 24. 'l;1f5+ 'It'h6
25.<£'It7+ ~xt7 26.'l;1h5#) 23.<£'Ie6+ +-
netting the queen.
22.h5+ With his queen under attack,
Polugaevsky correctly continues to at-
tack. Less aggressive is 22 ..§.d4 '§'xd4
(22 ... i!¥e7 23.~e3 '§'xd4 24.i!¥xd4 ~cS
25.~g3 ~cl+ 26.'lt'h2 ~c4-27.'l;1xb2
'§'xh4+ 2S.'it'gl 'it'h6 29.'l;1c1 +- when
White emerges with the threat of the
 Games
discovery still intact) 23.'I:'hd4 ~d7
(Black's best line appears to be 23 ... §h8
24.g3 ~c8 25.~xb2 Af5 26.~d2; not
23 ... ~c8 24.~xb2±) 24.e6 fxe6
25.4Jxe6 (25.~g4 +-) 25 ... §f5
26.~g4+ ~f6 (26 ... ~h6 27.~xf5+-;
26 ... ~f7 27.~xg7+ ~e8 28.4Jf8++-)
27.4Jf8 ~f7 28.§e6+ (28.4Jh7#)
28 ... ~xe6 29.~g6+ 1-0 Kunath-
Ruppe, correspondence 1983.
22 ... \!jIh6 22 ... ~xh5 leads to mate in
four: 23.g4+ ~g6 (23 ... ~h4 24.4Jf3+
~h3 25.~g3#; 23 ... ~h6 24.~h2+ 1-
o Avrukh-Donk, Antwerp 1998)
24.~f5+~h625.4Jxf7+ §xf7 26.~h5#.
23•.£Jxf7+ \!jIh7 Avoiding the mate in
two after 23 ... ~xh5 24.g4+ ~h4
(24 ... ~g6 25.~f5#) 25.~g3#.
24. ~f5+ \!jIg8 Obviously not 24 ... g6
25.~xg6#. 25.e6 Securing the knight,
threatening e7, and aiming for h6.
25 ... ~f6 Forced, stopping both
threats. 25 ... ~e7 does not prevent
26.h6! +- and 25 ... 4Jxdl allows
26.e7 +-. 26. ~xf6 gxf6 27 . .§d2!
Polugaevsky finds the best move, stay-
ing clear of the very tempting 27.4Jd6
4Jxdl 28.e7 §c1 29.h6 §b8 30.4Jxb7
§e8 31.4Jd6 §xe7 32.§xe7 4Je3+
33.~h2 4Jg4+ 34.~g3 4Jxh6 35.§xa7
§c5 36.§d7 §c6 37.~4 §c2 38.f3 §xg2
39.4Je8 §xa2 40.4Jxf6+ ~f8 41.~g5
00+ 42.~5 d4 43.f4 ~g7 44.4Je4 ~g8
45.§xd4 §a7 46.~f6 b5 47.4Jc5 §a8
48.4Je6 §b8 49.§d7 4Jh6 50.~g6 4Jg4
51.~g5 4Jf2 52.f5 b4 53.~f4 §b6
54.§e7 4Jd3+ 55.~g5 b3 56.f6 4Je5
57.§e8+ ~f7 58.§e7+ ~g8 Yl-Yl
Naurnkin-Nevanlinna, Jyvaskyla 1993.
27....§c6 27 ... 4Ja4 and only now 28.4Jd6
~c6 (28 ... §c7 29.e7+-) 29.e7 §e8
30.4Jxe8 ~xe8 31.§xd5±. 28. .§xb2
.§e8 29..£Jh6+ \!jIh7 30..£Jf5 .§exe6
31 ..§xe6 .§xe6 32..§c2 .§c6 33..§e2
Ac8 Perhaps best is 33 ... §c1 + 34.~h2
219
§c7 35.§e6±, but not 33 ...§c7 34.§e6
Aa6 35.§xf6 Ad3 36.g4+-. 34..§e7+
\!jIh8? 34 ...~g8 was the last chance to
keep the fight alive 35.4Jh4 ±. 35..£Jh4
f5 36..£Jg6+ \!jigS 37..§xa71-O
(148) Cappello - Squarcialupi
Correspondence 1970
Sicilian Defense [B22]
1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 .£Jf64.e5 .£Jd5
5 . .£Jf3 .£Jc6 6.Ac4 e6 7.0-0 d6
8.exd6 Axd6 9.cxd4 0-0 10•.£Jc3 a6
11.~e2 b512 ..1l,d3 .1l,b713 ..£Jxd5
exd5
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Even in a correspondence game, mis-
takes are made. The sacrifice is prob-
lematic here in part because White can
count on only one additional asset, the
dark-square bishop and because Black's
development is fully adequate. The best
defense is the ~g6 line, but Black
misses the chance to play 16... ~d7, hid-
ing the queen from the discoveries and
staying in contact with the Ad6.
14.Axh7+ \!jIxh715 ..£Jg5+ \!jIg6 In
the ~g8 line, Black's development ac-
tually helps White because, in the nor-
mal mate in five line, the black bishop
occupies the d6 escape square.
15 ... ~g816.~h5 §e8 17.~xf7+ ~h8
18.~h5+ ~g819.~h7+ ~f8 20:~h8+
~e7 21.~xg7#. 16.h4 16.~d3+ f5
 Sacking the Citadel

shuts down the diagonal and 17.h4 can be. White has an unusual combina-
(17.i!Yh3 §hS shuts down the file). tion of additional assets, the §d1 and
17 ... i!Yd7-+ 16 .•• E!.h8 16 ... ~d7! the dark-square bishop. For his part,
17.h5+ ~h6+. White has a discovered Black cannot easily play <tJf6, despite
check with no threat, and Black can sim- the absence of a white e5-pawn, and
ply continue with ... §aeS and .. .f5.(not Black cannot reach the b1-h7 diagonal
17 ... ~f6 lSA:Jh7+ ~f5 19.94# or quickly enough. In the ~g6 line, the
17 ... ~f5 lS.iH3+ ~f4 19.~xf4#). win requires the kind of precision that a
17.g4 j'ih2+? Panic. Necessary was correspondence player is expected to
17 ... ~d71S.h5+ ~h6 when White can muster. White cannot stay on the g-file
use the discovery only to win an ex-
with an immediate i!Yg4, and h4 peters
change. 19A:Jxf7+ ~h7 20.<tJxhS ~xhS
out into a perpetual. Only after i!Yd3+
21.§d1 §eS+.I8.~g2There'snorea­
and two exchanges can White play i!Yg3
son not simply to capture the bishop,
18.~xh2 §xh4+ 19.~g3+- . 18... j'ic8
with winning effect. 14.j'ixh7+ ~xh7
15.~g5+ ~g6 In the ~gSline, the tra-
19.h5+ ~f6 20.~h7+ Overwhelming
is 20.~f3+ ~e7 21.§el+ ~d7 ditional mate is a bit more complex, but
22.~xf7+ <tJe7 23.~xh2 +-. White is able to overload the black
20... E!.xh7 21.g5+ ~f5 22.E!.el Ae5 queen. 15 ... ~gS 16.i!Yh5 §dS
23.~c2++- ~e6 24.~xh7 ~xd4 17.i!Yxf7+ ~hS1S.i!Yh5+ ~gS19.<tJxc6
25. ~xg7 f6 26.Af4 ~c6 27.Axe5 bxc6 20.§xdS+ ~xdS 21..~xb6+­
fxe5 28.E!.ac1 Ad7 29.~g6+ 1-0 i!Yxb6 (21...i!YfS 22.~h7#) 22.i!YeS#.
16.~d3+! There's no way to activate
(149) Leu - Muck the queen after 16.h4 §hS 17.<tJxc6
Correspondence 1973 bxc6 lS.i!Yg4 f5 when g3 is covered,
French Defense [C07] so: 19.Axb6 i!Yxb6 20.i!Yg3 (finally
reaching the key square, but after
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.~d2 c5 4.exd5 20 ... ~bS the line ends in a perpetual)
~xd5 5.~gf3 cxd4 6.Ac4 ~d8 7.~ 2l.f4 i!Yb6+ 22.~h2 ~f6 (taking full
o Ac5 8.~b3 Ab6 9.~bxd4 ~e7 advantage of the absence of an e5-
10.Ae3 0-0 11. ~e2 a6 12.E!.adl pawn) 23.i!Yc3+ ~g6 24.~g3=. There's
~c713.Ad3 ~1x:6 also no advantage to be found after
16.~g4 f5 17.~h4 <tJxd4 lS.Axd4 e5
8 19.Axb6 ~xb6 20.§fe1 e4 21.g4. Black
7 is also safe after 21. <tJh3 § eS (21 .. .fx g4
6 22.<tJxe4 <tJf5 23.~xg4+ ~h7 24.<tJg5+
5 ~gS 25.~c4+ ~hS 26.<tJf7+ ~h7
4 27.<tJg5+=) . 16... ~f5 16.i!Yd3 is best
3 in large part because Black cannot re-
2 spond with 16 .. .f5 when the knights
storm e6, 17 .<tJgxe6 ~xe6 lS.<tJxe6
i!Ye5 19.<tJxfS+ §xfS 20.Axb6+-.
abc d e f g h
17.~xf5 exf5 18.j'ixb6 ~xb6
19. ~g3! Better not to force the bishop
In this correspondence game, White
to e6 with 19.i!Yd6+ ~e6 20.~g3 f4
demonstrates how complex these lines
21.i!Yxf4 i!Yc5=. 19 ... f4 The reason for

220
 Games

avoiding 19:i£td3 becomes clear if Black queenside, and by the many additional
tries 19 ... '\ii'xb2 20.Eid6+. It's important assets, the e5-pawn, the g- and f-pawns,
here that Eid6 arrive with check:
20 ... ~e6 21.4Jxe6+ ~h7 22.'\ii'h3+ ~gS
23.4Jg5 EifdS 24.'\ii'h7+ 'it'fS 25.Eixc6
bxc6 26.Eiel +-. 20.Etd6+ f620 ... lte6
21.'\ii'g4+- (taking full advantage ofthe
pin on the bishop to find a post on the
g-file. And on 20 ...~h5 21.'\ii'd3 with the
usual offer of the 4Jg5) 21.. .g6
(21...'it'xg5 It's mate in 11 says Fritz 12
22.h4+ 'it'xh4 [22 ... ~g4 23.Eig6+ fxg6
24.'\ii'xg6+ 'it'xh4 25.~h2+-] 23.'\ii'h7+ abc d e f g h
'it'g5 24.'\ii'xg7+ ~f5 25.Eif6+ ~e4
26.'\ii'g5 +-) 22.4Jxf7 Eixf7 23.'\ii'xg6+
the 4Jd4, and the Eidl. In the ~gSline,
'it'h4 24.g3+ +-. 21. ~h4 Af5
White can reach the h-file only at h3,
21...'\ii'c5 22.'\ii'h7+ 'it'xg5 and again,
but the additional assets permit the nor-
White has the assets for a mating net:
mal infiltration on h7, hS, and g7 to suc-
23.h4+ 'it'g4 24.'\ii'xg7+ 'it'f5 (24 ... ~xh4
25.'\ii'xfS+-) 25.Eiel +-. 22.~h7+! ceed. 16.Axh7+ <i!lxh717..£)g5+ <i!lgS
<i!lxg5 23.h4+ Not 23.'lttxg7+? ltg6-+. In the 'it'g6 line, the kings ide pawns of-
23 ... <i!lg4 24.~xg7+ <i!lxh4 White fer the possibility of a quick pawn storm
mates after both 24 ... ltg6 25.'lttxg6+ with f5. White wins quickly there with
'it'xh4 26.'it'h2 +- and 24 ... ~h5 'ltth3 and 4Jh7, trapping the king in a
25.Eixf6+-. 25.~h6+ <i!lg4 26.<i!lh2 mating net. 17 ... ~g618.'ltth3! (l8.Eihgl
~xf2 There's no salvation in 26 .. .f3 4Ja2+ 19.~bl 4Jc3+ 20.'it'al f6
27.'lttg7+ ~f4 (27 ... 'it'h4 28.g3+ ~h5 21.'\ii'd3+ 4Je4 22.f5+ exf5 [22 ... 'it'xg5
29.g4+ ~xg4 30.~g3+-) 2S.'lttg3+ ~e4 once again, it's too dangerous to cap-
29.gxf3#. 27.~g7+ Missing a mate in ture the knight 23.'ltte3+ ~h4 24.4Jf3+
two: 27.Eixf2! f3 2S.gxf3#. 27..• <i!lh5 ~h3 25.'lttf2 4Jxf2 26.Eig3 #] 23.gxf5+
28.Etxf2 .£)e5 29.Etxf41-O opening the g-file for the rook 23 ... 4Jxf5
24.4Jxe4+ +- ) lS ... EihS 19.4Jh7 Eixh7
(150) Tremblay - Turcot (19 ... 4Jxdl 20.'ltth5 #) 20.f5+ winning
Correspondence 1974 in all lines:
French Defense [C 17]
8
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3 ..£)c3 -'lb4 4.e5 c5
7
5.-'ld2 .£)e7 6 ..£)b5 -'lxd2+ 7.~xd2
0--0 8.f4 .£)d7 9 ..£)f3 cxd410..£)bxd4 6
.£)c5 11.0--0--0 .£)e4 12.~e3 -'ld7 5
13.g4 ~a514.a3 Etfc815.Ad3 .£)c3 4
(D) 3
2
A highly unusual example distinguished
by Black's active counter attack on the
abc d e f g h
Position after 20.f5+ (analysis)

221
 Sacking the Citadel
(a) 20 ... exf5 21.gxf5+. There are quick
mates after both 21...4Jxf5 22.~hgl +-
and 21...Axf5 22.~hgl + +-. Toughest
is 21...'it'g5 22J':lhgl + 'it'f4 23.~g3+
'it'e4 24.~gel + +-; (b) 20 ... 4Jxf5
21.gxf5+ 'it'g5 (21...exf5 22.§hgl #)
22.~hgl+ 'it'f4 23.~g3+ 'it'e4
24.§gel + +- when Black can only de-
lay the mate with ... 4Jg3; and (c) Black
doesn't even get a knight with
20 ... 'it>g5. It's mate in four after
21.~e3+ 'it'xg4 (21...'it'h4 22.~g3+
'it'g5 23.4Jf3+ 'it'h6 24.~h4#)
22.~hgl + 'it'h4 (22 ... 'it'h5 23.~g5 #)
23.~g5+ 'it'h3 24.~g3 #. The 'it'h6line
invites mate in two: 17 ... 'it'h618.~h3+
'it'g619.~h7#.IS.'l:i1/h3 ~xdl Black
cannot successfully slow down the at-
tack with 18 ... 4Jg619.~h7+ 'it'f8 20.f5.
Black dare not move: 20 ... exf5 21.e6
Aa4 (21...4Jxdl 22.~xdl ~a4
23.exf7 +- ) 22.exf7 - threatening both
~g8 and 4Je6+ - 22 ... 4Je2+ 23.4Jxe2
~xc2+ (Black gains nothing with
23 ... ~xb2 24.'it>xb2 ~b6+ 25.'it'al)
24.'it'bl §xe2 25.~xg6+-. 19.'l:i1/h7+
~fS 20. 'l:i1/hS+ ~gS 21.~h7+ ~e7
22.'l:i1/xg7 ~f2? 22 ... Aa4! 23.4Jg5 §fB
(not 24.~xdl ~ac8 25.'it'bl Axc2+
26.4Jxc2 ~a4 27.4Je3 d4-+) and Black
survives after 24.4Jgxe6 4Je3 25.f5
§fe8. 23.'l:i1/gS+ f6 There's no point
playing 23 ... 'it'e8 24. ~xg8+ -+ .
24. 'l:i1/g7+ ~d8 2S. 'l:i1/fS+ 1--0 It's mate
in four with 25 ... 'it'c7 (25 ... Ae8
26.4Jxe6+ 'it'd7 27.~d6#) 26.~d6+
'it'd8 27. 4Jxe6+ 'it'e8 28. ~f8 # .
(151) Vieweg-Kadner
Correspondence 1975
Czech Benoni [A60]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 cS 3.dS d6 4.c4 ~f6
S.~c3 -'l,e7 6.-'l,e2 0--0 7.f4 exdS
S.cxdS a6 9.a4 EteS 10.~f3 -'l,fS
222
11.0-0 ~xe4 12.~xe4 Etxe4
13.-'l,d3 Ete8
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
White initiates the sacrifice a pawn
down, but the additional assets, the
dark-square bishop, and the active §f1
as well as the awkwardness of Black's
Af8 and Black's poor development as-
sure success. In the 'it'g6 line, White's
win comes from f4-f5, opening up the
diagonal for the Ac 1 and fatally expos-
ing the king after 16 ... Af5 l7.§ xf5 'it'xf5
18.g4+ . 14.-'l,xh7+ ~xh71S.~gS+
~g6 In the 'it'g8line, Af5 fails to ~f7+
and ~xf5. 15 ... 'it'g8 16.~h5 Af5
(There's no way to provide an escape
for the king, 16 ... Ae7 17.~h7+ 'it'fB
18.~h8#) 17.~xf7+ 'it'h818.~xf5+-;
the 'it'h6 line loses instantly, 15 ... 'it'h6
16.4Jxf7++-. 16.fS+! Black is fine after
16.h4 Af5:;:. Even worse for White is
16.~d3+ Af5 -+. 16 ... ~f616 ... Axf5
17.~xf5 4Jd7 18.~c2 +-. If instead,
Black captures the rook with 17 ... 'it'xf5,
White wins quickly in all lines after
18.g4+: (a) 18. .. 'it'e5 19.4Jxf7+ +- win-
ning the queen but also starting a mate
in three; (b) 18 ... 'it'g6 19.~d3+ 'it'f6
20.~f5+ 'it'e7 21.~xf7#; and (c)
18 ... 'it'f6 19.~f3+ 'it'e5 (19 ... 'it'g6
20.~f5+ 'it'h6 21.~h7#; 19 ... 'it'e7
20.~xf7#) 20.~e4+ 'it'f6 21.4Jh7#.
17.~e617.~h5! (aiming for both ~xf7
and 4Jh7) 17 ... ~d7 18.4Jxf7 ~xf7
 Games
19.~g5+ 'it'e5 20.EHe1 + and the mat-
ing net is in full swing. It's mate in three
after 20 ... 'it'd4 (20 ... ~xd5 21.~f3+ ~c4
[21...'it'd4 22.E1ad1 + ~c4 23.~c3#]
22.b3+ 'it'b4 [22 ... 'it'd 4 23.E1adl#]
23.~d2 #) 21.~d1 + ~c4 22.E1c1 + 'it'b4
23.Ad2#. 17••• ~b6 After 17 ... ~e7
White can simply capture the queen or
play 1B.f6+ gxf619.4JxdB+-. 18..Q.g5+
~e519.Ete1 + ~xf5 20. ~d3+ 1--0 It's
mate in two with 20 ... ~g4 21.~h3#.
(152) Pulieri - Boch
Correspondence 1977
Nimzo-Indian Defense [E59]
1.d4 4)f6 2.c4 e6 3.4)c3 Ab4 4.e3
c5 5.j},d3 d5 6.4)0 dxc4 7.Axc4 ~
o8.~ 4)c6 9.a3 Axc310.bxc3 ~c7
11.j},d3 b612.e4cxd413.cxd4 Ab7
14.e54)d5
abcdefgh
White can rely here upon a common pair
of additional assets, the dark-square
bishop and secure e5-pawn. With
knights on c6 and d5, Black cannot force
a knight back to f6, but the ~c7 does
laterally defend on f7. After ~gB, White
plays a4 to activate the ~c1 or E1a1 on
a3. 15.Axh7+ ~xh716.4)g5+ ~g8
After 16 ... 'it'g6, the lines are complex
and instructive; White's most convinc-
ing line involves the immediate h4
threatening h5. 17.~g4!? f5 1B.~g3
223
~e7. Black can limit his losses, happy
just to cede the exchange. 19.4Jxe6+
'it'f7 20.4JxfB 4Jxd4:;:. A bit more prom-
ising is 17.~d3+!? f5 1B.exf6+ 'it'xf6
19.E1el. Taking aim at the e6-pawn.
19 ... 4JdB 20.i£1h3 ±. But White's best
move in the ~g6 line is 17.h4 with the
idea ofh5+ and gaining a tempo for the
~d3+ line: (a) 17 ... 4Jxe5 18.dxe5 i£1xe5
19.h5+ 'it'f6 20.E1el i£1xallooks prom-
ising for Black, but any check by the
Ac1 will pick off the black queen
(20 ... 4Jc3 21.~d2 E1fdB 22.4Jh7+ ~e7
[22 ... ~f5 23.i£1g5#] 23.E1xe5+- win-
ning a piece and maintaining the initia-
tive) 21.4Jh7+ 'it'e7 (21...~f5 22.g4#)
22.Ag5++- f6 (22 ... 'it'd6 23.i£1xa1)
23.i£1xal; (b) 17 ... f5 IB.h5+ 'it'h6
19.4Jxe6++- demonstrates the threat;
(c) The effort to safeguard the king
17 ... i£1e7 IB.i£1d3+ f5 (lB ... 'it'h5
19.i£1h7+ 'it'g4 20.f3+ ~g3 21.4Je4#)
19.exf6+ ~xf6 (19 ... 'it'h5 20.~h7+ ~g4
2l.f3+ ~g3 22.4Je4#) 20.i£1f3+ ~g6
21.h5+ 'it'h6 22.~d3 is much better
than the discovered check 22 ... E1f5
23.4Jxe6+ +- winning the rook out-
right; and (d) Taking away the h-file with
17 ... E1hB IB.i£1d3+ f5 19.exf6+ 'it'xf6
(19 ... ~h5 20.g4+ ~xg4 [20 ... ~xh4
21.i£1h3#] 21.i£1f3+ ~xh4 22.~h3#)
20.i£1f3+ 'it'e7 (20 ... 'it'g6 21.~e4+ 'it'h5
[21...~f6 22.i£1xe6#] 22.g4+ 'it'xh4
[22 ... ~h6 23.4Jf7410] 23.i£1g2+-) gives
White an entry square on f7.21.i£1f7+
'it'dB (21...'it'd6 22.i£1xe6#) which then
opens e6 for the knight 22.4Jxe6+ +- .
17.~h5 Etfe818.a4 With two ideas, a
E1a3 rook swing and Aa3 to block the
black king's escape route. 18 ..• a5
19.Eta319.i£1h7+!? ~fB 20.Aa3+ 4Jcb4
using the knight and a5 pawn to block
the diagonal. 19••. 4)d8 On 19 ... E1acB
20.E1h3 ~fB 21.E1f3 4JdB 22.4Jh7+ 'it'e7
23.Ag5+ 'it'd7 24.E1xf7+ 4Jxf7 25.i£1xf7+
 Sacking the Citadel

§e7 26AJf8+ §xfB 27.~xfB §eB with §xe3. In those lines, the §c7 en-
2B.'liH7+ §e7 29.~xe7 .£\xe7 ters the fray powerfully with 27 ... cxd4
30."'~hg7 +- reaching a familiar double check. 20.'<1tgl 'ff1h4 21.§el
endgame in which the h-pawn will be (taking advantage of the .£\d3's defense
expensive to stop. 20.4)h7 The direct of f2 to run the king towards the
path to the win is 20:~h7+! '<1tfB 21..£\e4 queenside) 21...'ff1h2+ (21...§xe3
'<1te7 22.~g5+ 'it'd7 23.§c1 ~c6 22.fxe3 (or 22.§xe3 ~h2+ 23.'<1tfl
24:~xg7 §e7 25.~xe7 .£\xe7 26 ..£\d6 .£\xe3+ 24.fxe3 ~hl 25.'it'e2 ~g4+ with
~bB 27 ..~f6 .£\b7 2B.'£\xf7 +-. a skewer) 22 ... ~h2+ 23.'<1tfl ~hl+
20 •.. 4)c6 20 ... g6 (weakening the dark 24.'<1te2 'ff1xg2+ 25.'£\f2 ~xf2+ 26.'it'd3
squares and inviting ~h6 and §h3) ~f5+ 27.'<1tc3 driving the king all the
21.~h6 'ff1e7 22.§h3+-. 21.lah3 way to c3 so that 27 ... cxd4+ is a dis-
laed8 22.4)gS ~f8 23.laf3 ~e8 covered double check 2B. 'it'b4
24.laxf7 1-0 It's mate in three with [2B.'<1txd4 ~xb2+ 29.'it'xd5 ~e5#]
24 ... .£\ce7 25.§xe7+ '<1txe7 26.~f7#. 2B ... ~xb2 -+) 22. '<1tfl § xe3! Trans-
posing to the line just above. 20 ... hS
(153) Ivanov - Kogan Less convincing is 20 .. :ii1g5?! 2l.f4 ~h6
Tashkent 1977 (not 21 ...~g6 22 ..£\e5 +- ; or 21 ... §xe3+
Semi-Slav Defense [D 15] 22.§f3 ~h6 23.§xe3 .£\xe3 24.'ff1f3=)
22 ..£\e5 ~h2+ (Black has only a small
1.4)f3 dS 2.d4 c6 3.c4 e6 4.e3 4)f6 edge after 22 ... .£\xe3 23.~f3 '£\xfl +
S.4)c3 a6 6.a4 cS 7.Ad3 4)c6 8.0--0 24.~xfl cxd4 25.~xd4 f6 26.'£\f3
Ae7 9.b3 0--0 10.Ab2 b6 1l.cxdS bxa5 ~) 23. 'it'f3 .£\xe5+ 24.fxe5 'ff1h4
exdS 12.4)eS 4)b4 13.Abl Ad6 25.'it'e2 ~g4+ 26.§f3 ~xf3+ 27.'<1txf3
14.4)e2lae81S.4)f4laa716.4)fd3 ~h5+ 28.g4 ~h3 -+. The queen will
lac717.aS 4)xd318.4)xd3 again pick off the unanchored ~b2. Not
20 ... ~d6+? when 21..£\e5 +- actively
8 blocks the diagonal and readies ~d3.
7 21.4)eS Not 21.axb6 ~g5, threatening
6 both ... h4 and ... .£\xe3; and not 21.§hl
5 'ff1g5 22.f4 §xe3+-+. 21 ... ~g5 22.f4
4
h4+ 23.~f3 On 23.'<1th3 '£\f2+ over-
whelms, 24.'it'h2 'ff1g3+ 25.'it'gl
3
.£\xdl-+. 23 ... 4)xeS+ 24.dxeS ~g3+
2
2S. ~e2 -'lg4+ 0-1

abc d e f g h (154) Andreev - Estrin

For additional assets, Black has the
light-square bishop, the §eB, and the
§c7. In the '<1tg3 line, only 20 ... h5
(threatening h4 and 'ff1g5) provides the
advantage. 18 ... Axh2+ 19.~xh2
4)g4+ 20. ~g3 In the '<1tglline, the.£\d3
defends f2 but Black can barge through
Correspondence 1977
English Opening [A 18]
l.c4 4)f6 2.4)c3 e6 3.e4 dS 4.eS d4
S.exf6 dxc3 6.bxc3 ~xf6 7.d4 c5
8.4)f3 cxd4 9.Ag5 ~fS -10.cxd4
Ab4+ 1l..1l,d2 ~aS 12.Ad3 4)c6

224
 Games

13.§blO--O 14.§xb4 .£)xb415.0--0 'iftd6 [23 ... 'ifte8 24.~f7#] It's not mate,
~a3 just a mate in two with 24.Af4+ 'iftc6
2S. ~c7 #). Black can effectively shut
8 down the attack by placing the queen
7 on the bl-h7 diagonal, but only at the
6 cost of a piece and an exchange.
5 19.Axb4+-. 18.~g4 White is able to
4
bring the rook into the game at c3 and
win back a piece and then an exchange,
3
but all that does is restore the material
2
balance. 18.~bl+ 4:ld3 19.E'lc1 eS
20.E'lc3 ~b2 21.~xd3+ AfS 22.~g3 f6
abc d e f g h 23.4:lf3+ (23.4:le6+ 'iftf7 24. ~xg7 +
'ift x e6-+) 23 ... 'iftf7=.18 ... f519.~h4
Here, a correspondence game against j},d7 20. ~h7+ ~f6 21 ..11.f4 .£)c6
the seventh correspondence world White retains a distinct advantage with
champion and famous analyst Yakov much more active pieces after 21...4:ld3
Estrin. Already down the exchange, 22.AeS+ 'ifte7 23.Axg7'iftd8 24.Axf8
White has only the dark-square bishop ~xf8 2S.E'ldl ±. 22 . .11.e5+ ~e7
as an additional asset, although it be- 22 ... 4:lxeS 23.dxeS+ 'ifte7 (23 ... 'iftxgS
comes clear in the 'iftg8 line that the 24.f4+ 'iftg4 2S.~g6+ 'ifth4 26.~gS#;
advanced c- and d-pawns assist a mat- 23 ... 'iftxeS 24.~xg7+ 'iftd6
ing net. In the 'iftg6 line, the win is prob- 2S.E'ldl++-) 24.~xg7+ 'ifte8 2S.E'ldl
lematic. After 18.~bl + 4:ld3, White can ~e7 26.~g6+ 'iftd8 27.4:lxe6+ 'iftc8
gain his second asset with E'lc1-c3, but 28.4:lxf8 ~xf8 29.e6 Aa4 30.E'ldS ±
Black has time to maneuver his light- with three pawns for the piece and a
square bishop to fS. After 18.~g4 fS, much more active position. 23..11.xg7
the white queen cannot retreat to g3. ~d8 24.d5 §e8 Hopeless is 24 ... exdS
White emerges with three pawns for the 2S.cxdS 4:le7 (2S ... E'le8 26.dxc6 bxc6
piece and a winning edge thanks to the 27.4:lf7+ 'iftc7 28.AeS+ +-) 26.Axf8+-.
exposure of the black king and his bur- 25.dxc6 j},xc6 26.§dl+ ~c8 27.j},e5
ied E'la8. 16.j},xh7+ ~xh717..£)g5+ ~e7 After 27 ... E'le7 28.~h8+ E'le8
White can play 17.~bl + first with the 29.~g7 E'le7 30.~f8+ +- when the E'le7
idea of putting pressure on the pinned is pinned. 28•.£)f7 1-0
piece, 17 ... 4:ld3 18.4:leS 'iftg8=, but
Black is quite happy to give up the piece (155) Reid - Farrand
to end the attack. 17 ..• ~g6 The cus- Brighton 1977
tomary mate in five is unavailable be- Chigorin Defense [D07]
cause the black king can escape via d6,
but in that line, the dark-square bishop l.d4 d5 2.c4 .£)c6 3 ..£)c3 dxc4 4.d5
develops powerfully to f4 and mates .£)e5 5.e4 c6 6.A£4 .£)g6 7 ..11.e3 cxd5
quickly. 17 ... 'iftg8 18.~hS ~d3 8.exd5 e5 9.j},xc4 a6 10..£)f3 j},d6
(18. .. E'ld819.~xf7+ 'ifth8 20.~hS+ 'iftg8 11.0--0 f5 12.§el ~f8 13..11.d2 h6
21.~h7+ 'iftf8 22.~h8+ 'ifte7 23.~xg7+ 14.b4 .£)f615.b5 e416..£)d4

225
 Sacking the Citadel

1.c4 4)f6 2.4)c3 c6 3.4)f3 d5 4.d4

8 e6 5.e3 4) bd7 6.Ad3 dxc4 7.-'\.xc4
7 b5 8.Ab3 b4 9.4)e2 Ad610.()"'o ()...O
6 11.a3 bxa3 12.bxa3 Ab713.4)d2 c5
5 14.Ab2
4
8
3
7
2
6
5
abc d e f g h
4

Black's impressive position includes 3

three additional assets, the light-square 2

bishop, the protected e4-pawn, and the

4Jg6. The ~gl line is most interesting
in the line after 19.4Jxe4 and 20.Ab4
because White manufactures the time
to play 21. 'ltic2, defending the f-pawn
laterally. Note in that line that the §aB
develops aggressively on the c-file and
the 4Jg6 enters the fight on e5.
16...-'\.xh2+ 17.<i!lxh2 4)g4+ 18.<i!lgl
In the ~g3 and ~h3 lines, the 4Jg6 ends
the discussion instantly by supporting
'ltih4#; 1B.'ittg3 'ltih4#; 1B.'itth3
'ltih4 #. 18•.. ~h4 19.Ae3 In both of
the following lines, the black queen is
able to infiltrate via hi to g2, and the
4Jg3 is able to show off its versatile
scope in reaching e5, f4, and h4. (a)
19.4Jce2 'ltixf2+ 20.~h1 'ltih4+ 21.'ittg1
'ltih2+ 22.'ittf1 'ltih1 + 23.4Jg1 4Jh2+
24.'ittf2 4Jh4 25.Ab4+ 'ittgB 26.'itte3
'ltixg2 -+; and (b) 19.4Jxe4 fxe4
20.Jlb4+ ~gB 21.'ltic2 'ltih2+ 22.~f1
axb5 23.4Jxb5 Jlf5 24.Jld6 'ltih1 +
25.'itte2 'ltixg2 26.§fl §cB 27.Jlc7
4J6e5 -+. 19 .•. 4)f4 20.Axf4 ~xf2+
21.<i!lh1 ~xf4 22.g3 ~xg3 23.13e2
~xc3()"'1
(156) Michaelides - Crouch
London 1978
Semi-Slav Defense [D47]
abc d e f g h
Black relies here on an unusual pair of
additional reinforcements, the light-
square bishop along the long diagonal
and the second knight. In the game,
White defends with ~h3, attempting to
exploit the light-square bishop's ab-
sence from the usual diagonal, but
White fails to time d5 correctly.
14...-'\.xh2+ 15.<i!lxh2 4)g4+ 16.<i!lh3
In the ~gl line, 'ltih4 wins quickly be-
cause the bishop is poised to remove
the 4Jf3 defender. 16.~gl 'ltih4 17.4Jf3
(17.§e1 'ltixf2+ 1B.~h1 ~xg2 #)
17 ... Jl.xf3 1B.§e1 'ltixf2+ 19.~h1
'ltixg2 #; White defends better in the
'ittg3 line because he can shut down the
long diagonal with 19.e4. 16.~g3 'ltig5
17.f4 'ltig6 1B.'ltib1 f5 19.e4 4Je3+
20. ~f2 4Jxfl 21. ~xfl fxe4:;:.
16... ~g5 17.4)f4? It takes very active
play with 17.d5! to shut down the di-
agonal; 17 ... exd5 and then to shut
down the attack 18.4Jf3 'ltih5+
19.'ittg3± d4? . After the ... 4Jgf6, it is
clear that the attack has been repulsed,
20.4Jf4 +-. The effort to shut the diago-
nal with 17.e4!? fails to 17 ... 4Jdf618.d5
'ltih5+ 19.~g3 'ltih2+ 20.~f3 exd5

226
 Games
2Utxd5 <£\xd5 -+. 17.•• Jildf618.d5 e5
19.Jile4 ~h6+ 20.'itlg3 exf4+
21.exf4 Or- 21.'lt'f3 <£\h2+ 22.'lt'e2
ila6+ -+ 23. 'It'd2 <£\xe4. 21 ... Jil xe4+
22.'itlxg4 22.'lt'f3 .§.aeB-+. The king is
trapped and <£\h2 is likely next.
22 ... .§.ae8 23. ~c2 c4 24..Q.a4 ~g6+
25.'itlh4 Not 25.'lt'h3 ~h5# Of the
three king moves, only 25.'lt'f3 is not
immediately mated but still meets
25 ... ilxd5-+. 25 ... Ac8 26.~dl
~h6+ ~1 Resigning in the face of
mate with 26 ... ~h6+ 27.~h5 ~xf4+
2B.g4~h2#.
(157) Van derWiel-Spassov
Amsterdam 1979
Sicilian Defense [B69]
l.e4 c5 2.Jilf3 Jilc6 3.d4 cxd4
4.Jil xd4 Jilf6 5.Jilc3 d6 6.Ag5 e6
7. ~d2 a6 8.~ .Q.d7 9.f4 Ae7
10.Jilf3 b511.Axf6 .Q.xf612.~xd6
.§.a7 13.'itlbl b4 14.Jile2 Ae7
15.~d2~16.Jilc1 ~b617.e5a5
18..Q.d3 a4 19.b3 .Q.c5
abcdefgh
Black has organized an impressive as-
sault upon the white king, but these
forces are not coordinated for the de-
fense. This is an impressive win by
grandmaster van der Wei!. He relied
upon his two rooks and secure e5-pawn
as additional assets. Of course, to take
227
part meaningfully in the attack, the .§.hl
requires that the .§.dl sacrifice itself on
d7. In the ~gB line, the white queen
must enter the attack more slowly on
d3, giving Black the freedom of not hav-
ing to defend on f7. Black misses the
chance to run his king towards the
queens ide with 25 ... 'lt'd7. 20.Axh7+
'itlxh7 21.Jilg5+ 'itlg8 Players might be
tempted to try 21... ~h6 because White
does not have a dark-square bishop, but
it's mate in four with 22.~d3, threaten-
ing ~h7, when (a) 22 ... .§.hB cutting off
h7 but relinquishing f7 23.<£\xf7+ ~h5
24.~h3+ ~g6 25.<£\xhB!!#; (b) 22 ... g6
23.~h3+ ~g7 24.~h7#; and (c) 22 .. .f5
23.~h3+ 'It'g6 24.'~h7#. In the ~g6
line, ~d3+ is effective because the black
rook, without an anchor from a .§.aB,
cannot safely defend on h7. 21...'lt'g6
22.~d3+ (too slow is 22.h4?! <£\e7
23.~d3+ f5 24.exf6+ ~xf6:j:) 22 ... f5
(once again, the king retreats get mated:
22 ... 'lt'h6 23.~h7# and 22 ... ~h5
23.~h3+ ~g6 24.~h7#) 23.~h3
(White wins only an exchange after the
usual 23.~g3 ileB 24.<£\d3 .\.te7
25.<£\xe6+ 'It'f7 26.<£\xfB ~xfB±) . The
threat of ~h7 forces 23 ... <£\xe5
24.~h7+ ~f6 25.fxe5+ when both cap-
tures get mated: (a) Black can avoid
mate but White has an enormous posi-
tional advantage after 25 ... ~e7
26.~xg7+ ~dB (26 ... ~eB 27.~g6+
'It'e7 2B ..§.d2 ile3 29.~g7+ ~eB
30 ..§.d6+-) 27.<£\h7 .§.eB 2B.<£\f6 .§.e7
29.~f8+ ~c7 30.<£\xd7 '§'xd7 31.'§'xd7+
'It'xd7 32 ..§.dl ++- and Black's position
is falling apart; (b) 25 ... 'lt'xe5 and it's
mate in six: 26.~xg7+ .§.f6 (26 ... 'lt'f4
27.<£\d3+ 'It'e3 [27 ... 'lt'g4 2B.<£\f3+ ~h5
29.<£\f4#] 2B.'§'hel #) 27.<£\f3+ +-; and
(c) 25 ... ~xg5 and once again, a mate in
six: 26.~xg7+ ~f4 (26 ... 'lt'h4 27.'~h6+
~g4 2B.h3+ 'It'g3 29.~g5+ ~f2
 Sacking the Citadel
30.§.d2#; 26 ... 'it'h5 27.h4+-)
27.§'he1 +- . 22. 'ltd3 E!faS Black must
move the §.f8 because 22 ... g6 runs into
23.~h3 +-. It's interesting to compare
the following two lines to the game.
Especially with White's strong §.d1, the
black king simply cannot find a safe
haven in any of these lines: (a) 22 ... §.c8
23.~h7+ 'it'f8 24.~h8+ 'it'e7 25.~xg7
4Jd4 26.4Jxf7 4Jf5 27. ~f6+ 'it'e8
28.~g6+- or 28.4Jg5; and (b) 22 ... §.b8
23.~h7+ 'it'fB 24.~h8+ 'it'e7 25.~xg7
4Jd4 26.4Jxf7 4Jf5 27. 'l*f6+ 'it'e8
28.4Jg5+-. 23.'lth7+ <if/fS 24.'lthS+
Not 24.§'xd7 §'xd7 25.~h8+ rtJe7
26.~xa8 §.d8 27.~xa4 4Ja7=. The white
queen has no scope. 24 ... <if/e7
25. 'ltxg7 E!fS? After a long defensive
chore, Black misses a chance to survive
with 25 ... rtJd8 26.4Jxf7+ 'it'c7 27.4Jd6
(27.§'xd7+ rtJxd7 28.4Jd6+ [28.§.d1 +
4Jd4] 28 ... 'it'd8 29.'l*f6+ 'it'c7
30.'l*f7+=) 27 ... 4Jd4 when Black
emerges with a safe king and signifi-
cant pressure on the queenside, 28.§.d2
axb3 29.cxb3=. 26.~h7 <if/e8 27.E!d6
1-0 27.§. d6 interfering with the
bishop's defense of the §.f8, 27 ... ~xd6
28.exd6 'it'd8 29. ~xf8+ +- .
(158) Giffard - Nikolic
Bagneux 1979
French Defense [C03]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 b6 3.~d2 Ab7 4.~gf3
~f6 5.Jl.d3 d5 6.e5 ~fd7 7.'lte2 c5
S.c3 ~c6 9.a3 Ae7 10.b4 cxd4
1l.cxd40--0 12.h4 E!e813.b5 ~a5 (D)
At first glance, White appears to have
sufficient additional assets to succeed
here. The dark-square bishop and the
secure e5-pawnjoin with the useful h4-
pawn. But Black has already vacated
the key f8-square in preparation for
228
abc d e f g h
4Jf8. In the 'it'g8 line, therefore, Black
can trivially draw with 16 ... 4Jf8.
14.Jl.xh7+ <if/xh7 15.~g5+ <if/gS
15 ... .Ilxg5 16.hxg5+ 'it'g817.'l*h5
transposing to the game, but Black can
also try 16 ... 'it'g6? 17. ~h5+ 'it'f5 when,
not surprisingly, it's mate in four with
18.'l*h3+ 'it'g6 (18 ... rtJf419.4Jb3+ rtJe4
20.~f3# or 18 ... 'it'xg5 19.4Je4+ rtJg6
20.~h7#) 19.'~h7+ ~xg5 20.4Jf3+
'it'g4 21.~h3# or 21.~h5# or
21.4Jh2 #. With the pawn already on h4,
15.h5 wins quickly, but even more ac-
curate is 15 ... rtJg6 16.~d3+ when (a)
16... f5 17.exf6+ 'it'xf6 (king retreats are
mated quickly, as usual, 17 ... 'it'h5
18.g4+ rtJxg4 [18 ... 'it'h6 19.~h7#)
19.~f3#) 18.h5+- with the idea of
~g6#, or 18.'l*f3+ rtJg6 19.h5+ rtJh6
(19 ... 'it'xg5 20.4Je4 #) 20.'l*d3 +-; and
(b) not the king retreats 16 ... rtJh5
17.g4+ rtJxg4 (17 ... rtJh6 18.'l*h7#)
18.~f3#, or 16 ... rtJh6 17.~h7#.
16.'lth5 Jl.xg5? White can only draw
after 16... 4Jf8! 17.~xf7+ 'it'h8 18.~h5+
rtJg8 19.~f7+=. 17.hxg5 <if/fS Both
moves of the f-pawn run into simple
checkmates: 17 ... f5 18.~h8+ rtJf7
19.96+ 'it'xg6 (19 ... 'it'e7 20.~xg7#)
20.'l*h5# and 17 .. .f6 18.g6 (18.~h8+
'it'f7 19.96+ ~xg6 [i9 ... rtJe7
20.'l*xg7#] 20.~h5#) 18 ... 'it'f8
19.~h8+ rtJe7 20.~xg7#. IS.a4 With
 Games
the idea of ... Aa3. 18••. tkc7 Black can
return a piece on c5, but the attack still
barges through: 18... .§.c819.Aa3+ 4:lc5
20.dxc5 bxc5 21.g6 fxg6 22.'l'iYxg6 'l'iYc7
23.'§'h8+ '1;e7 24.f4 '§'xh8 25.~xg7++-.
19.Aa3+ 4)c5 20.tkh8+ ~e7
21. tkxg7 Elg8 22.dxc5! Elxg7 Declin-
ing the queen sacrifice doesn't help.
22 ... bxc5 23.~f6+ '1;e8 24 ..§.h7 'lt1e7
25.'lt1xe7+ '1;xe7 26.Axc5+ '1;d8
27.~b4 +- . 23.c6+ 1-0 It's mate in four
with 23 ... ~e8 (23 ... ~d8 24 ..§.h8++-)
24 ..§.h8+ .§.g8 25 ..§.xg8#.
(159] Grigorian - Dobosz
Yerevan 1980
Semi-Slav Defense [D47]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.4)0 4)f6 4.4)c3 e6
5.e3 4)bd7 6.Ad3 dxc4 7.Axc4 b5
8.Ad3 Ab7 9.0-0 b4 10.4)e4 Ae7
11.4)xf6+ 4)xf612.e4 0--0 H.eS 4)d7
14.Ae4tkb6
abcdefgh
Here, White can count on the secure
e5-pawn, the dark-square bishop, and
the ability to bring a rook quickly into
the game. The ~g6 line is the key here.
18.'lt1d3 and 18.~g4 both win, but~d3
is slightly more accurate owing to the
weakness of the e6 pawn after .. .f5. Af-
ter ~d3+, White gains the additional
option of capturing the f-pawn immedi-
ately without having to retreat his
229
queen. 15.Ag5 Axg5 16.Axh7+
~xh717.4) xg5+ ~g6 In the ~h61ine,
White has the idea of~g4-h4 and when
Black defends with an anchored .§.h8,
White can capture pawns on f7 and e6.
17 ... ~h6 18.~g4 .§.h819.4:lx£1+ '1;h7
20.'lt1xe6 (threatening both ~xd7 and
4:lg5 #) 20 ... .§.he8 21.4:lg5+ ~h8
22.~xd7 +-. In the ~g8 line, the nor-
mal mate in five does not work because
Black has vacated the d8 escape square.
Instead, White has a lovely maneuver
with 22. ~g6 exploiting the mate threat
on f7 and using that square as an entry
square for the attack upon the black e-
pawn. If Black tries to run towards the
queens ide, White gains a powerful
passed e-pawn. If the king attempts to
return to the kingside, White will have
time to bring one of the rooks power-
fully into the position. 17 ... ~g818.~h5
.§.fe8 19.~x£1+ '1;h8 20.~h5+ ~g8
21.~h7+ ~f8 22.~g6 '1;e7 (22 ... ~g8
23 ..§.ael +- ) 23.~xe6+ '1;d8 24.4:l£1+
~c7 25.'lt1d6+ ~c8 26.e6 4:lf6 27.'lt1e5
~c7 28.4:ld6+ '1;b8 29.4:lxe8+-.
18.tkg4 18.~d3+ f5 19.4:lxe6 .§.ae8
20.~g3+ '1;£1 21.4:lg5+ ~e7 22 ..§.fel
'1;d8 23.e6+-; if Black captures the
loose knight with 18 ... '1;xg5, White
plays 19.~h7 and then has time pa-
tiently to bring up a rook. To survive,
Black must strike back in the center:
19 ... 4:lxe5 (19 ... ~xd4 20 ..§.adl ~f4
21.~xg7+ '1;f5 22 ..§.xd7+-) 20.dxe5
when Black cannot untie the mating net.
(a) 20 ... g6 21..§.ael ~d4 22 ..§.e3 +-;
(b) 20 ... .§.h8 21.'lt1xg7+ ~h5
22 ..§.ael +-; and (c) 20 ... .§.g8 21.h4+
'1;f4 22 ..§.ael +- . 18•.•f519.tkg3 Elh8
The effort to undermine White's posi-
tion with 19 ... c5 20.dxc5 ~c6
(20 ... 4:lxc5 21.4:lxe6+ ~£1 22.4:lxc5
~xc5 23 ..§.ac1 +- ~d5 24 ..§.c7+ '1;e8
25.~xg7) gives White plenty oftime to
 Sacking the Citadel
blow up the center and bring in the re-
inforcements. 21.4Jxe6+ ~f7 22.4Jg5+
'Ile7 23.§ad1 4Jxc5 24.§d6+-. And
19 .. .'«rxd4 exposes the queen to a dis-
covered assault: 20.4Je4+ ~h7
(20 ... 'Ilf7 21.§ad1 +-) 21.~h4+ ~g8
(21...'it'g6 22.~g5+ ~f7 23.§ad1 +- )
22.4Jf6+ 4Jxf6 (22 ... gxf6 23.~xd4+-)
23.~xd4+-. 20.~xe6+ ~f7 21:~b3
Or simply 21.4Jc7 ~xc7 22.e6+.
21 ••. ~e7 22.~xg7 ElagS 23.~xf5+
~dS On 23 ... 'Ilf8 White's majors
quickly join the attack: 24.4Jd6 §g7
25.~f3+ ~g8 (25 ... ~e7 26.4Jf5++-)
26.§ae1 +-. 24.~d6 ~c7 25.Elacl
~bS 26.~xb7 ~xb7 27.~f3 Elg6
2S.Elfel ~b6 29.e6 ~c7 30.g3 Elc8
31.e7 ~d7 32.Ele5 ~d5 33.~xd51-
o The queen sacrifices highlights a nice
simplifying combination, 33.~xd5 cxd5
34.§xc8+ ~xc8 35.e8~+ +-.
(160) Stavrev - Heikkonen
Noordwijkerhout blind 1980
French Defense [C 16]
1.e4e6 2d4d5 3.~c3 Ab44.e5 ~e7
5.a3 Aa5 6.Ad3 0-0 7.~f3 ~bc6
8 12.Axf4 4Jf513.~d3+- with 14.g4 on
7 the next move, but not 13. ~g4 4Jh6 with
6 14 ... §xf4; or (b) 10.~d3+ 4Jf5 (king
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h 11. ~g4 ~f5 By playing h4 first,
The sacrifice occurs here early in the
opening. White can count on two addi-
tional assets, the dark-square bishop
and the secure e5-pawn. In the ~g6
line, 1O.h4, 1O.~g4,and 1O.~d3+all win,
230
but White, playing blindfold no less,
selects the most accurate course, 10.h4
with the threats of h5+ and ~g4 when
.. .f5 can be met with h5+. S.Jl.xh7+
~xh7 Facing a winning sacrifice, one
competitor declined it. 8 ... ~h89.~d3!?
White's best is 9.4Jg5 with the usual
idea of10.~h5, and if Black tries 9 ... g6
aiming to trap the bishop, White has
10.~f3 aiming for h3. 9 ... 4Jf51O.h4.llb6
11..lle3 4Jxe3 12.fxe3 f6 13.Ag6 4Je7
14.h5 4Jg8 15.~d2 c5 16.h6 gxh6
17.0-0-0 f518.§h3 .lld719.§dh1 ~g7
20.§g3 ~h8 21.4Jh4 Ae8 22 ..llxe8
~xe8 23.4Jg6+ ~g7 24.4Jxf8+ 'Ilxf8
25.~f2 cxd4 26.exd4 Ad8 27.4Je2
Ag5+ 28.~b1 §c8 29.4Jc3 a6 30.'«re2
~d8 31.~h5 ~b6 32.~g6 4Je7
33.~h7 f4 34.§xg5 Y2-Yl Kadzim-
Daniel, Da Nang 2008. 9.~g5+ ~g6 In
the ~g8 line, with the black knight on
e7 and with a white dark-square bishop
able to reach g5, the most efficient win
follows the theoretical course, with the
capture first on h7 rather than f7.
9 ... ~g8 10.~h5 §e8 11.~h7+ ~f8
12.~h8+ 4Jg813.4Jh7+ 'Ile714.Ag5+
4Jf6 (14 .. .f6 15.~xg7#) 15.~xg7+-.
lO.h4! (a) 10.'~i'g4!? f5 11.~g3 f4
moves again walk into a quick mating
net: 10 ... ~h5 11.~h3 t [11.~h7+ ~g4
12.h3# or 12.f3# or 12.~h3#]
11...~g6 12.~h7#) 11.h4 is better
than 11.g4f6(11.. ..llxc3+ 12.bxc3~e7
13.h5+ 'Ilh6 14.g4+-). lO .•. ~eS
11...f5 after ~g4 has no sting, 12.h5+
~h6 13.4Jxe6+ f4 14.~xg7#. 11...f6
also fails and indeed, it's mate in three:
12.h5+ ~h6 13.4Jxe6+ g5 (13 ... ~h7
14.~xg7#) 14.hxg6#. Black does not
even have time for a direct assault on
 Games
the center: 11...fJxe5 12.h5+ 'it'f6
(12 ... ~h6 13.fJxe6+ 'it'h7 [13 ... g5
14.hxg6#] 14.~xg7#) 13.fJh7#.
12.h5+ Cifjlh6 13.4)ge4+ Cifjlh7 On
13 ... fJe3 Black can delay the mate on
by ditching pieces: 14.~g5+ ~h715.h6
g6 16.~f6 Elg8 17.fJg5#. And after
13 ... g5 it's mate in three: 14.hxg6+ ~g7
15.Elh7+ ~g816.fJf6#. 14.h6 Axc3+
14... g6 allows a knight fork 15.fJf6+ +- .
15.bxc3 4) xh616.Axh61-0 It's mate
in three after 16... gxh6 17.fJf6+ ~h8
18.Elxh6# as well as after 16.fJf6+ 'it'h8
(16 ... gxf6 17.Elxh6#) 17.1hh6 gxh6
18.Elxh6#.
(161) Airekoski -Anttila
Correspondence 1981
Ruy Lopez [C99]
1.e4 e5 2.4)f3 4)c6 3.Ab5 a6 4.Aa4
4)f6 5.()....{) Ae7 6 ..§el b5 7.Ab3 ()....{)
8.c3 d6 9.h3 4)a5 10.Ac2 c5 1l.d4
~c7 12.4)bd2 cxd4 13.cxd4 Ab7
14.4)f1 .§ac815.Abl d5 16.exd5
exd417.jlg5 4)xd518.Axe7 4)xe7
8 23 ••• fxe6
7 25 . .§e5++- ~xe5 26.~xe5+ Cifjlg6
6 27.~xe7 .§hf8 28.~d6+ .§f6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h Manchester 1981
At the time of the sacrifice, White can
lay claim to two additional assets, the
Elel and the fJf1-g3. In the game, Black
mistakenly selects the ~g6 line, which
fails to fJg3. 19.Axh7+ Cifjlxh7
20.4)g5+ Cifjlg6 In the 'it'g8line, Black
can defend with ... ~e2, preventing
231
checkmate at the cost of the fJe7. The
resulting endgame offers only a slight
edge for White. 20 ... 'it'g8 21.~h5 ~e2
22.Elxe7 ~d5 23.Eld7 Eled8 24.Elc1
~g6 25.~xg6 fxg6 26.Elee7 Elxd7
27.El xd7 ~xa2 28.El xd4;!; . The ~h6line
is fraught with danger because the fJf1
reaches g3 with a powerful threat.
20 ... ~h6 21.fJg3! +- g6 (With signifi-
cant assets at the ready, 21... 'it'xg5 loses
quickly: 22.~g4+ ~h6 23.~h5# or
22 ... ~f6 23.fJh5#) 22.~g4 (threaten-
ing ~h4) 22 ... Elh8 preventing the threat
but weakening f7: 23.fJxf7+ 'it'g7
24.fJxh8 Elxh8 25.Elxe7+ ~xe7
26.fJf5+ +- . 21.4)g3!The only win. (a)
21.~g4 f5 22.~h4 (22.Ele6+ Elf6
23.~h4 Elxe6 24.fJxe6 ~d6-+)
22 ... ~d5 when White must settle only
for an exchange, 23.fJh7 fJae6 24.fJg3
~f7+; and (b) 21.~d3+ 'it'xg5-+ when
White no longer has ~g4+, and ~h7 is
too slow against Black's superior de-
velopment. 21 ••. .§h8 The rook is now
unavailable to defend on f6. 22. ~g4
Cifjlf6 Not 22 ... f5 23.Ele6#. 23.4)e6
Better is 23.h4 +- with the idea ofEle6+.
24.~xe6+ Cifjlg5
29.~xd4 .§cf8 30.~h4 ~ 31..§dl
Cifjlg8 32.f3 4)c4 33.4)h5 .§6f7
34 •.§d8 .§xd8 35.~xd8+ .§f8
36.~d4.§f7 37.b31-0
(162) Knox W - Pytel
French Defense [C 17]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.4)c3 Ab4 4.e5 c5
5.Ad2 4)e7 6.4)b5 0--0 7.c3 Aa5
8.dxc5 Ac7 9.f4 4)d7 lO.b4 b6
1l.cxb6 4)xb612.4)f3 Ab713.Ad3
4)c4
 Sacking the Citadel

.llf4 (21...~g6 22.~h7#) 22.B:xf4+

8 <;tJe5 (22 ... ~g6 23.~h7+ ~xg5
7 24.h4#) 23.B:el++-. 16.~g41 Much
6 more accurate than 16.~c2+ 4Jf5 17.g4
Ab6 1B.gxf5+ exf5 19.4Jd4 .llxd4
5
20.cxd4 +- with B:g1 next. 16 ... f5
4
17. ~g3 ~d7 Taking the queen out of
3 the line of fire. Otherwise 17 .. .B:hB
2 1B.4Jxe6+ <;tJf7 19.4JxdB+ +- .
18.~xe6+ ~f71B ... ~h6 also permits
abc d e f g h a mate in two 19.~xg7+ <;tJh5
20.~g5#. 19.~xg7+ ~xe6 Or
White's additional assets include the 19 ... <;tJeB 20.~xf8# 20.~d4# 1-0
dark-square bishop, which can be cap-
tured by the 4Jc4, the reinforced e5- (163) Mueller - Gallien
pawn, and the 4Jb5, which plays an im- Correspondence 1982
portant role. In the game, Black selects French Defense [C05]
the ~g6 line, where White can play
~g4 and retain the queen on g3. The l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.~d2 c5 4.~gf3
final combination shows nicely the ~f6 5.e5 ~fd7 6.c4 dxc4 7.~xc4
threat of the discovered check and the cxd4 8 ..1ld3 .1lb4+ 9.Ad2 Axd2+
queen's capture on g7. Black is unable 10.~xd2 0-0 11.0-0 ~c6 12.~f4

to escape via e6 because, once again, ~c5

the 4Jb5 has a role to play, in this case
delivering mate from d4. 14..1lxh7+ 8
~xh715)dg5+ ~g6 In the ~gBline, 7
with the black 4Je7, White captures on 6
f7, removing the defender of the e6- 5
pawn, and later plays 4Jxc7 when the 4
recapture by the black queen permits a 3
knight fork on e6. 15 ...~gB16:~'h5 B:eB
2
17.~xf7+ <;tJhBIB:gjrh5+ ~gB19.~h7+
<;tJf8 20.4Jxc7 ~xc7 21.4Jxe6+ +-. In the
<;tJh6 line, White proceeds with ~g4- abc d e f g h
h4 and g4, never requiring help from
the .lld2. 15 ... <;tJh6 16.~g4 .llxe5 White has an unusual pair of additional
17. ~h4+ <;tJg6 1B.g4 threatening ~h5 # assets, the e5-pawn and the 4Jc4. In
and leaving Black with no reasonable the game, 14 ... <;tJg6 threatens ~xg5, re-
response: (a) 1B ... 4Jf5 19.9xf5+ ~xf5 quiring h4. White's play is fully correct
(19 ... exf5 20.B:g1 +-) 20.fxe5 4Jxd2 in this carefully conducted correspon-
21.4Jd6+ ~xe5 22.4Jgxf7++-; (b) dence game. The black king is forced to
1B ... B:hB 19.4Jh7 B:xh7 20.~g5#; (c) capture the 4Jg5, after which White con-
1B ... 4JgB the toughest variation, leav- structs an instructive matil'!g net with
ing White with a mate in seven 19.f5+ 18.~h7.13.Axh7+ ~xh714.~g5+
exf5 (19 ... <;tJf6 20.4Jh7#) 20.gxf5+ ~g6 In the ~gB line, the white queen
(20 ... ~f6 21.4Jh7 #) 20 ... ~xf5 21.0-0+ can reach h4 not h5, but White can take

232
 Games
advantage of the <£lc4 with 17.<£lxf7, an
additional sacrifice that mates or nets
the black queen. 14 ... 'it'g815.~h4 E!.e8
16.~h7+ 'it'fBI7.<£lxf7! 'it'xf7 (17 ... ~d7
18.<£lcd6+-) 18.<£ld6+ +- 'it'f8
(18 ... 'it'e7 19.~xg7# or 18 ... ~xd6
19.exd6 <£ld7 20.~h5+ 'it'fB 2l.f4+-)
19.~h8+ 'it'e7 20.~xg7#. 15.h4 f6
15 ... E!.h8 prevents h5+, but White also
has 16.~g3 ~e7 (saving the queen)
17.<£lxe6+ 'it'h5 (not 17 ... <it>f5 18.<£lxg7+
'it'e4 19.~f3#) when White wins a
piece, 18.<£lxc5 +-. 16.h5+ <i!lxh5
17. ~h2+! <i!lxg5 Black might as well
capture the knight. It's mate in three
after 17 ... 'it'g6 18.~h7+ <it>xg5 19.f4+
'it'g4 20.~h3# and mate in eight after
17 ... 'it'g4 18.f3+ 'it'xg5 (18 ... <it>f5
19.~h7+ 'it'f4 [19 ... g6 20.~h3+ <it>xg5
(20 ... 'it'f4 21.~g4#) 2l.f4#] 20.<£lxe6+
<£lxe6 21.~h4+ 'it'f5 22.~g4#) 19.~h7
E!.h8 20.f4+ 'it'g4 21.~g6+ 'it'h4
22.E!.f3 +-. 18. ~h7 fxe5 The tough-
est alternative, 18 ... <£ld3 challenges
White to find 19.~xg7+ with a mate in
eight. (a) 19 ... <it>f4 20.f3+-; (b) 19... <it>f5
20.f3+-; (c) 19 ... 'it'h5 20.g4+ 'it'h4
21.~h6+ 'it'xg4 22.f3+ 'it'f5 (22 ... <it>g3
23.~h2#) 23.~h5+ 'it'f4 24.~g4#; and
(d) 19 ... 'it'h4 20.~h6+ 'it'g4 2l.f3+ 'it'g3
(21...'it'f5 22.g4#) 22.~h2#. And the
amusing effort to run the king past the
mating net with 18...<it>f4 falls into a mate
in five: 19.93+ 'it'g5 (19 ... <it>g4 20.~g6+
'it'f3 [20 ... 'it'h3 21.~h5 #] 21.E!.ael +- )
20.f4+ 'it'g4 21.~g6+ <it>h3 22.~h5+
'it'xg3 23.E!.f3 #. 19. ~xg7+ <i!lh5 Imag-
ine playing these lines in an over-the-
board event. (a) 19 ... 'it'f4 when White
picks up the rook with check 20.f3 ~g5
21.~xfB++-; (b) 19 ... <it>h4 when Black
can only delay the mate by pitching
away his pieces 20.~h6+ 'it'g4 2l.f3+
'it'f5 (21...'it'g3 22.~h2#) 22.g4#; (c)
19 ... 'it'f5 (the white knight provides a
233
wonderful assist) 20.f3 E!.h8 (20 ... ~g5
21.<£ld6+ <it>f4 22.~xf8+ +-) 21.E!.ael
~h4 22.<£ld6+ <it>f4 23.<£le4! ~hl +
24. <it>f2 <£ld3+ 25. <it>e2 +- . 20.g4+ <i!lh4
21.<i!lg2 ~g5 22.E!hl+ <i!lxg4
23. ~xf8 ~f5 24.f3+ 1-0
(164) Forzan - Kemp
Albuquerque 1982
French Defense [C 16]
1.e4e6 2.d4d5 3.4)c3 Ab44.e5 4)e7
5.4)f3 0--0 6.Ad3 c5
8
""...."...,_..,.
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Early in a Winawer French, White ini-
tiates the sacrifice with two additional
assets, a secure e5-pawn and the dark-
square bishop. In the game, Black cor-
rectly favors the <it>g6line, when h4-h5
drives the king to h6 for a powerful dis-
covery. 7 . .1lxh7+ <i!lxh7 7 ... 'it'h8
8.Ad3 White should instead hold on to
the extra pawn and continue the attack
with 8.<£lg5 g6 9.~f3 8 ... cxd4 9.<£lxd4
~c7 10.~h5+ <it>g8 11.~h7# 1-0
Guelicher-Krueger, Dortmund 2002.
8.4)g5+ <i!lg6 In the <it>g8line, with the
black knight on e7, White captures on
h7 and proceeds in the customary man-
ner, winning trivially. 8 ... 'it'g8 9.~h5
E!.e8 10.~h7+ <it>f8 11.~h8+ <£lg8
12.<£lh7+ <it>e7 13.Ag5+ f6 (13 ... <£lf6
14.~xg7+-) 14.~xg7#. 9.h4! (a)
9.~d3+ <£lf510.h4 (easier, perhaps,just
 Sacking the Citadel
to pressure the knight 1O.g4 f611.<£lxe6
Axc3+ 12.bxc3 Axe6 13.gxf5+ Axf5
14.§.g1++-) 10 ... c4 11.h5+ ~h6
12.<£lxe6+ ~h7 13.i;;irxf5+ (the white
queen has walked into a self-pin)
13 ... ~gB 14.<£lxdB Axf5 15.<£lxb7+-
with two pawns to the good; (b) 9.i;;irg4!?
It is less convincing here to play "i;;irg4
before h4. 9 ... f5 1O.i;;irg3 f4 11.i;;irg4
"i;;ireB12.h4 cxd413.Axf4 §.xf414."i;;irxf4
dxc3 15.h5+ ~h6 16.0-0-0 cxb2+
17.~b1 <£lf5 18.<£lxe6+ ~h719."i;;irxf5+
~gB 20.<£lxg7 Axf5 21.<£lxeB <£ld7
22.<£lc7 §.cB 23.<£lxd5 Axc2+ 24.~xb2
Axd1 25.§.xd1 ±. With four connected
passers, but there's still much work to
do. 9 •• :lta5 With both the §.h1 and the
queen focused upon h5, 9 ... §.hB does
nothing to prevent 10.h5+ ~h6
11.<£lxe6++-. 10.~d3+ 10.i;;irg4+-
also works well because White, with a
powerful discovery on the next move,
can sidestep the capture on c3 with
~dl. 10 •.• 4)f5 With the §.fB
unanchored, there's no point in play-
ing 10 .. .f5 11.h5+ ~h612.<£lxe6+ ~h7
(12 .. .f413.<£lxfB+-) 13.<£lxfB++- win-
ning the rook outright. 11.h5+ Or sim-
ply 11.g4+-. 11 ••• ~h6 12.4)xe6+
~h713.~xf5+ ~g813 ... ~hB steps
into a frontal assault: 14.h6 g6
15:'M6++- . 14.h6 -'lxc3+ 15.~dl +-
~d816.hxg71 fxe617.~h8+ ~xg7
18.~h7.1-0
(165) Spraggett-Salman
Toronto 1983
Semi-Slav Defense [D27]
1.c4 e6 2.4)c3 d5 3.d4 c6 4.e3 4)f6
5.4)f3 4)bd7 6.-'ld3 dxc4 7.-'lxc4 a6
8.a4 c5 9.0-0 .1l.e7 10.~e2 4)b6
1l.dxc5 -'lxc512..1l.d3 4)bd513.e4
4) xc3 14.bxc3 0-0 15.e5 4)d5
234
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
Driving off the <£lf6 with e4-e5, White
also has a dark-square bishop. In the
~g6 line, "i;;ird3 (or i;;irc2) and h4 both
provide a winning advantage. After
18."i;;ird3 f5, the en passant capture draws
the king to f6 where <£le4 picks up the
unanchored Ac5. h4 and h5 have the
same result, though White presses in-
stead for mate. 16•.1l.xh7+ ~xh7
17.4)g5+ ~g6 In the ~gBline, Black
can defend by giving back the knight
on f6 in order to place his queen on the
key bl-h7 diagonal, but White is able
to take advantage of the unanchored
Ac5 to regain a significant material ad-
vantage. 17 ... ~gB18.i;;irh5 <£lf619.exf6
i;;ird3. (having sacrificed the knight,
Black defends with the queen on the
key diagonal) 20.Ae3 (a sharp move,
putting pressure on the Ac5) and now:
(a) 20 ... Aa7 21.Axa7 §.xa7 when the
unanchored rook provides a target,
22.fxg7 ~xg7 23."i;;irg4 i;;irg6
24.i;;ird4+ +-; (b) 20 ... Axe3 2l.fxe3
i;;irg6 22."i;;irxg6 fxg6 23.f7+ ~hB when a
rook swing to the h-file ends the game,
24.§.f4 +- ; and (c) 20 ... Ad6 21.§.fd1 +-
winning the bishop. 18.h411B. "i;;irc2+ or
1B.i;;ird3+ f5 (king retreats are mated)
19.exf6+ ~xf6 20.<£le4+ +- picking up
the unanchored piece on c5. White can
also win with 18.c4 <£le7 and now Black
cannot respond to i;;irg4 with ... f5 and
 Games
'lf1e7 19.'lf1g4 f5 20.exf6 'it'xf6 and
White will pick up the loose piece on c5
after 21.<£\e4++- or 21.'lf1h5 <£\g6
22.<£\h7+ 'it'f7 23.'lf1xc5 +-. White only
wins back an exchange with 18.i;;irg4?
f5 19.'lf1g3 'lf1e7 20.<£\xe6+ 'it'f7 21.<£\xf8
'it'xf8=. 18••• ~e7 Even with 18 ... .§.h8
White can still barge through with
19.h5+ '§'xh5 20.i;;ird3+ f5 21.exf6+
'it'xf6 (not 21...~h6 22.<£\f7# or
22.'lf1h7#) 22.'lf1f3+ 'it'e7 (22 ... ~g6
23.'lf1f7+ 'it'h6 24.<£\xe6++-; 22 ... ~e5
23.<£\f7 #) 23. 'lf1xh5 +-. And trying to
hide the queen 18. .. i;;ird7 19.h5+ ~h6
(19 ... ~f5 20.g4# or 20.'li,j-e4#) leaves
the king high and dry. 20. i;;ire4 f5
(20 ... g6 21.<£\xf7+ 'it'xh5 [21...~g7
22.'lf1xg6#] 22.i;;irf3+ 'it'h4 23.i;;irh3#)
21.exf6+-. 19.h5+ 19.'li,j-d3+ f5 As
usual, the king retreats get mated,
20.h5+ 'it'h6 21.<£\xe6+ and now the
<£\d5 is unanchored: 21. .. 'it'xh5
(2l...'it'h7 22.<£\xf8+ i;;irxf8 23.'li,j-xd5+-)
22.<£\xf8 'lf1xf8 23.'lf1xd5 +-; 19.'li,j-g4 is
very strong since advances of the f-
pawn meet h5+. 19 .. .f6 (on 19 ... f5
20.h5+ ~h6 21.<£\f7+ ~h7 and the
queen enters powerfully on g6,
22.i;;irg6+ ~g8 23.<£\g5+- and Black
would need to capture the knight to pre-
vent mate) 20.h5+ 'it'h6 21.<£\xe6+ 'it'h7
22.<£\xf8+ i;;irxf8 23. 'lf1e4+ +-. Again
picking up the loose piece. 19 •.• lit>h6
Black cannot bring the king out into the
open with 19 ... ~f5 20.g4# or
20.'lf1e4#. 20.4)xe6+ 20.i;;irg4 setting
up the discovered check with an added
mate threat on g6. 20 .. .f6 21.<£\xe6+
'it'h7 22.<£\xf8+ i;;irxf8 23.i;;ire4+ +- pick-
ing up the loose piece on d5. 20••• lit>h7
21.~d3+ Iit>g8 22.4)g51-0 22.<£\g5
Saving the knight with a threat 22 ... g6
23.i;;irxd5 +- winning a piece.
235
(166) Appel- De Gens
Alkmaar 1983
French Defense [C02]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 c5 3.c3 d5 4.e5 ~b6
5.4)f3 Ad7 6.a4 4)c6 7.Ae2 cxd4
8.cxd4 Ab4+ 9.{)c3 4)ge7 10.~
4)f5 1l.Ae3 f!c8 12.Ad3 4)ce7
13.4)a20-0 14.{)xb4 4)xe315.fxe3
~xb4
abc d e f g h
White can rely here upon two strong
additional assets, the secure e5-pawn
and the .§.f1 on an open file. In the
game, the 'it'h6 line falls convincingly
to 'lf1g4-h4 with a familiar sacrifice of
the <£\g5 to draw the black king into a
mating net made easier by the active
white rooks. 16.Axh7+ Iit>xh7
17.{)g5+ Iit>h6 In the ~g8line, the.§.f1
plays a key role in shortening the usual
mating line because the king has no
escape once the black f-pawn has been
captured. 17 ... ~g8 18.'lf1h5 .§.fd8
19.'li,j-xf7+ ~h8 20.'li,j-h5+ 'it'g8
21.'lf1h7#. In the ~g6Iine, White breaks
through powerfully with an additional
rook sacrifice on f6. 17 ... 'it'g6 18.'li,j-g4
(not 18.i;;ird3+? when Black can capture
the <£\g5 18 ... <£\f5 19.94 ~xg5 20.gxf5
exf5 -+ and the white queen cannot
reach h7) 18 ... <£\f5 (18 .. .f5 19.exf6 gxf
6 20.<£\xe6+ 'it'f7 and White breaks
through with a lovely rook sacrifice on
 Sacking the Citadel

f6 21.§xf6+ 'i!txf6 [21...'i!te8 22.§xf8#] tried ~g6, but met with 'ii11g4, the cor-
22.§f1 + .£IfS 23.~xfS+ '!;e7 24.~gS+ rect response. 'ii11g4-h4 threatens 'ii11h7,
,!;d6 [the other king moves are quickly driving the king into 'i!txgS and a pow-
mated 24 ... ~xe6 2S.~eS# or 24 ... '!;e8 erful discovered check. Maintaining the
2S ..£Ig7#] 2S ..£Ixf8+-) 19..£Ixe6+ ,!;h7. queen on the g-file with ~g3 is more
Thanks to the black .£IfS, there's no self- complicated, but it wins too. 10.Jtxh7+
pin 20.~h3+ '!;g8 21..£IgS with the ob- Ciflxh711.4)g5+ Ciflg6 In the ~g81ine,
vious mate threat 21.. ..£Ih6 and then Black cannot return the knight to f6 or
picking up the loose piece 22. ~xd7 +- . take control over the bl-h7 diagonal.
18. ~g4 ~d2 19. ~h4+ Ciflg6 Rather than permit the black king to mi-
20.~h7+ Ciflxg5 21.h4+ Ciflg4 grate towards c7, White wins quickly
22.Eif4+ Faster is 22.~xg7+ .£Ig6 with .£Ie4 threatening .£If6. 11... ~g8
23.~h6+-. 22 •.• Ciflg3 23.Eif3+ Ciflg4 12.~hS §c8 13.'ii11xf7+ 'i!th8 14 ..£Ide4
24.Ciflh2 Or 24.~xg7+ .£Ig6 2S.~f6+-. (not 14.~hS+ ~g8 IS.'ii11h7+ 'i!tf8
24 .•• 4)g6 25.Eiafl Also winning is 16.'ii11h8+ 'i!te717.'ii11xg7+ ~d8 and the
2S.§g3+ ,!;fS 26.~hS+ 'i!te4 27.§a3+-. king is escaping) 14 ... ~c6 (14 ... .£Ic6
25 •.. ~xg2+ 26.Ciflxg2 4)xh4+ IS ..£If6 .£Ixf6 [IS ... gxf6 16.~h7#]
27.~xh4+ Ciflxh4 28.Eih3+ Ciflg4 16.exf6 itf8 and White is mating
29.Eig3+ 1-0 17.'ii11hS+ ,!;g818.f7#) IS.§dl +- with
the idea of§d3-h3. The ~h6line meets
(167) Tarjan - Hodgson ~g4-h4. 11...~h6 12.~g4 §h8 and
Manchester 1983 this defensive try can't succeed unless
Polish Defense [A40] the rook has an anchor, 13.'ii11h4+ 'i!tg6
14. ~xh8 +- . 12. ~g41 Very tempting is
1.d4 b5 2.e4 Jtb7 3.Jtd3 c5 4.c3 12.~c2+ because, once again, the king
4)f6 5.4)d2 e6 6.4)gf3 ~b6 7.dxc5 moves get pummeled: (a) It's mate in
Jtxc5 8.0--() 0--() 9.e5 4)d5 four after 12 ... 'i!thS 13.'ii11h7+ 'i!tg4
(13 ... '!;xgS 14 ..£Ie4+ ~g4 IS.h3#)
8 14.h3+ 'i!tf4 (14 ... ~xgS IS ..£Ie4#)
7 IS ..£Idf3 + +- ; (b) And mate in three if
6 Black captures the knight, 12 ... 'i!txgS
5 13 ..£If3+ ~g4 (13 ... ~hSI4.'ii11h7+ 'i!tg4
IS.h3#) 14.h3+ ~hSlS.'ii11h7#; but (c)
4
Black can safeguard his king with
3
12 ... fS! 13.exf6+ 'i!txf6 14.'ii11h7 'i!te7
2
IS.~xg7+,!;d816 ..£Ide4ite7=.12 .••f5
12 .. .f6 13 ..£Ixe6+ ,!;f7 14 ..£IxcS 'ii11xcS
abc d e f g h IS ..£Ie4+- bringing the second knight
into d6, ~c616 ..£Id6+ 'i!tg8 (Black must
Black's impressive development none- guard the g-pawn) 17.ith6 +-.
theless leaves his king unattended. 13.~h4 Or 13.'ii11g3 f4 14.'ii11g4 when
White can point to three additional as- Black can force the queen offthe g-file,
sets, the dark-square bishop, the eS- 14 ... itxf2+ IS.§ xf2 .£Ie3 but not also
pawn, and the .£Id2 ready to support the h-file, 16.'ii11h4+-. 13 ... 4)f6
the attack from e4. In the game, Black 14.exf6 4)a6 On l4 ... gxf6 White has a

236
 Games
mate in three by sacrificing the knight:
15.'~h7+'it'xg516 ..£\e4+'<t>g417.h3#.
And after 14... 'i!txf6 15 ..£\df3 .£\c6
16.b4 .lle7 17.~h5 e5 18..£\h7+ '<t>e6
19 ..lle3 ~d8 20.~g6+ .llf6 21.'£\fg5+
White's pieces overwhelm: (a) 21...'<t>e7
22 ..llc5+ d6 23.Eifdl +-; (b) 21...'<t>d6
22 ..llc5+ +-; and (c) 21...'<t>d5
22 ..§adl + 'i!tc4 (22 ... .£\d4 23.cxd4 +- )
23.'~xf5 +- threatening ~d3#. lS.fxg7
~xg716.~h7+ ~617.4)df3 Axf3
18.4) xf3 1-0 Resigning in the face of
18 ... .§g8 19.~h4+ 'i!tf7 20 ..£\e5+ '<t>e8
21. ~h 7 +- when White threatens both
the rook and mate.
(168) Borg - Veer
Thessaloniki Olympiad 1984
Fench Defense [Cll]
1.e4 e6 2.4)f3 dS 3.4)e3 4)f6 4.eS
4)fd7 S.d4 eS 6.dxeS 4)e6 7 ..Q.f4
AxeS 8.Ad3 a6 9.0-0 0-0
8 And on 12.h4? Black can simply cap-
7 ture the e-pawn 12 ... .£\dxe5 -+ and then
6 escape via f6. 12 ••• fS Not 12 ... '<t>h5 in
5 view of 13.~h3+ '<t>g6 14.'lii'h7#.
4
3
2
abcdefgh
Another example that has attracted
some theoretical interest. With the dark-
square bishop, the e5-pawn, and the
possibility of .£\c3-e2-f4, White has
good reason to expect success. Two
players declined the sacrifice. In the
'it'g6Iine, ~d3-g3 is far superior to ~g4
owing to Black's double attack upon the
e5-pawn. 10..Q.xh7+ ~xh7 In two
games, Black declined the sacrifice, and
237
both White players failed to find the
correct follow-up with 11..£\g5. 1O...'<t>h8
11..lld3 (11..£\g5! .£\cxe5 12.'lii'h5 .£\f6
13.'lii'h3 [giving White plenty of time to
bring up the reinforcements and to push
the f-pawn] 13 ... .lld6 14 ..§ael 'ltic7
15 ..llxe5 .llxe5 16.f4 .lld6 17 ..lld3+
'<t>g8 18 ..£\h7 .£\d7 19.f5+-) 11 ... g6
(11...g512 ..llxg5 'ltic713.'lii'e2 '<t>g7 0-
1 Shilin-Ivlev, Kiel2004) 12.'ltid2 .£\b4
13 ..llg5 f6 14.exf6 '£\xf6 15 ..£\e5 '<t>g8
16..llxg6 'lii'c7 17 ..§ael .£\c6 18..£\xc6
bxc6 19.~f4 'ltig7 20 ..llh6 'lii'xg6
2Ulxf8 .llxf8 22 ..£\a4 .£\e4 23 ..£\b6
.lld6 24.'lii'h4 .£\g5 25.~g4 .§b8
26 ..£\xc8 .§b4 27.f4 1-0 Etmans-Tare,
Dieren 1999. 1l.4)gS+ ciflg6 The '<t>g8
line leads to the customary mate in five:
11...'<t>g8 12.'ltih5 .§e8 13.'ltixf7+ '<t>h8
14.'lii'h5+ '<t>g815.~h7+ '<t>f816.'lii'h8+
'<t>e7 17.'ltixg7#. 12.~d3+ 12.'lii'g4?
.£\dxe5 13.'ltig3 '<t>h5= neatly sidesteps
the pressure because, without a pawn
on e5, the king can escape to f6 and e7.
13.~g3! Or 13.exf6+ '<t>xf6 (hopeless
is 13 ... 'i!th514.'lii'h7+ 'i!tg415 ..£\xe6+-)
14 ..§ael when White still wins after
14 ... .£\b6 15.'ltig3 'ltie8 16..lle3 .llxe3
17 ..§xe3 +-. 13 •.• ~b6 13 ... 'ltie8
14 ..£\xe6+ '<t>t7 15 ..£\c7+-(winning a
piece and an exchange) 15 ... ~d8
16.e6+ '<t>g8 17.exd7 .llxd7 18..£\xa8
~xa819 ..£\xd5 .£\d4 20.'lii'd3 'lii'd8 21.c4
.£\e6 22 ..§adl .llc6 23 ..lle5 'lii'h4 24.b3
.lle8 25.~g3 'lii'h6 26.'£\f4 .£\g5 27.'ltid3
.£\e4 28.'£\h3 .llc6 29.'£\f4 .§e8 30 ..llc7
~h4 31.~c2 'ltig4 32 ..£\d5 .£\f6 33 ..§fel
.§c8 34 ..llg3 .llxd5 35.cxd5 .£\e4 36.h3
~xg3 37.'<t>f1 ~xf2+ 38.'ltixf2 .llxf2
39 ..§xe4 fxe4 40.'<t>xf2 .§c2+ 41.'<t>e3
'§xg2 42.'<t>xe4 .§e2+ 43.'<t>f5 '<t>f7 44.d6
 Sacking the Citadel
.§e8 45.h4 .§d8 46.d7 b5 47.b4 g6+
48.~e5 ~e7 49.a3 '§xd7 50 ..§xd7+
~xd7 51.~f6~d6 52.~xg6~d5 53.h5
~c4 54.h6 ~b3 55.h7 ~xa3 56.h8~
~xb4 57.~b2+ ~a4 58.'~a2+ 1-0
Meinke-Meyer, Kei12001. 14.4:)xe6+
ctlf7 Sidestepping both 14 ... ~h5
15.4Jxg7# and 14 ... ~h7 15.~xg7#.
15.4:) xd5 ~a5 Taking the knight costs
the queen, 15 ... ~xe6 16.4Jxb6.
16.4:)de7 Elg817.~g5 g618.~h4
Af'819. ~h7+ Ag7 20.4:)g5+ ctle7 Or
20 ... ~f8 21.~xg6+- with mate in the
air. 21.~xg81-O
(169) Apol- Christen
Thessaloniki Olympiad 1984
Semi-Slav Defense [D46]
1.d4 d5 2.e4 e6 3.e3 4:)f6 4.4:)£3 e6
5.4:)e3 4:)bd7 6.Ad3 Ae7 7.0-0 0-0
8.b3 b6 9.Ab2 Ab7 10.Ele1 e5
1l.exd5 exd5 12. ~e2 4:)e413.Elfd1
4:)xe3 14.Axe3 4:)f6 15.Ab1 Ele8
16.Ab2 Ad617.~d3 e418.bxe4
Aa6 19.4:)e5 dxe4 20.4:) xe4 Ele8
21.~b3 Elxe4 22.Elxe4
abc d e f g h 1l.4:)e2 Axe5 12.0-00-0 13.ct1h1
Black initiates the sacrifice with one
additional asset, the .§e8, as well as a
Aa6 that appears to need to capture the
.§c4. In the game, White correctly se-
lects the ~g3 line, which, with accu-
rate play, should result in a quick per-
238
petual. Trying for more, White inspires
the black queen and knight to demon-
strate how well they work together.
22 ••. Axh2+ 23.ct1xh2 4:)g4+ 24.ct1g3
In the ~gl line, the .§c4 is pinned to
the fl escape square, giving Black time
to prevent ~xh 7 and to arrange a crush-
ing rook sacrifice on e3. 24.~gl ~h4
25.~c2 g6 26.Aa3 ~h2+ 27.~f1 .§xe3
cutting off the escape route, and if
28.fxe3 .ilxc4+ 29.'ltfxc4 4Jxe3+ -+ ; and
24. ~h3 gets crushed by 24 ... 4Jxf2+ -+ .
24 ••• ~g5 Black has no hope of an ad-
vantage after 24 ....ilxc4 25.~xc4 ~g5
26.~f3 ~h5 27.~g3 ~g5=. 25.f4
25.~f3 h5-+ with the idea of ~f6-
~xf2 26.~d3 g6 27.~e2 4Jxe3 28.fxe3
~xg2+ 29.~el .ilxc4-+ and the over-
loaded queen cannot recapture.
25 •.. ~h5 26.e4? The best is simply to
overprotect the e3-pawn with 26 ..ilc1
~h2+ 27.~f3 ~h5 28.~g3=.
26 •.• Axe4 27.~xe4 4:)e3 28.~e6
~g4+ 29.ct1f2 Not 29.~h2 ~xg2#.
29 ••. 4:)xd1+ 30.ct1g1 No better is
30.~el .§c8 31.~b5 4Jxb2 32.~xb2
~g3+ 33. ~f2 .§c1 + -+. 30 ... Ele8
31.~b5 4:)xb2 32.~xb2 ~xf4
33.Ae2 ~d2 0-1
(170) Short - Agdestein
Naestved 1985
French Defense [C II ]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.4:)e3 4:)f6 4.e5
4:)fd7 5.f4 e5 6.4:)f3 4:)e6 7.Ae3 a6
8.~d2 b5 9.dxe5 ~a5 10.Ad3 b4
Ab7(D)
A lovely effort from a well-known grand-
master. Short embarks upon the sacri-
fice relying upon a secure e)-pawn, and
 Games

Black must play either ~h6 or capture

8 the 4Jg5. (a) On IS ... ~h6 19.Axe5+-
7 because recapturing on c5 leads to mate
6 in two: 19 ... 4Jxc5 (19 ... ~xe5 20.'i1l'h3+
~xg5 21.~h5 #) 20.'i1l'h3+ ~xg5
5
21.~h5#; (b) After the capture on g5,
4
it's mate in eight: IS ... ~xg519.4Jxd5+
3
Axe3 20.~xe3+ f4 (20 ... ~h5 21.4Jf4+
2
~h6 22.~h3+ ~g5 23.~h5#;
20 ... ~h4 21.~g3+ ~h5 22.4Jf4+ ~h6
abcdefgh 23.~h4#; 20 ... ~g6 21.4Jxe7+ ~h5
22.~h3+ ~g5 23.~xf5#) 21.~xf4+
two other potential assets, a 4Je2 that ~h5 (21...~g6 22.~g4+ ~h7
can enter the fray via g3, and the possi- [22 ... ~h6 23.~h4+ ~g6 24.4Jxe7#]
bility of ~f1-f3. Black defended in the 23. ~h5+ ~gS 24.4Jxe7 #) 22. 'i1l'f3+
~gSline, where White cannot move the
~h6 23.~h3+ ~g5 (23 ... ~g6
queen directly to h5. Black missed the 24.4Jxe7+ ~g5 25.~f5#) 24.~g3+
best chance to hold with 16 ... f5. ~h5 (24 ... ~h6 25.'i1l'h4+ ~g6
14.Jtxh7+ ~xh715.J£\g5+ ~g8 In 26.4Jxe7#) 25.4Jf4+ ~h6 26.~h4#. In
the ~g6 line, f5 is the most efficient
the ~h6 line, White can maneuver the
path, opening up the diagonal for the
queen to h4 via e 1. The mate is attrac-
dark-square bishop and f4 for the
knight. 15 ... ~g616.f5+! when both king tive and instructive, with f4-f5 and 4Je2-
moves get mates (16 ... ~h617.'i1l'el +- f4. 15 ... ~h6 16.Axe5 4Jxe5 17.~el
and 16... ~h5 17.4Jxf7 ~xf7 IS.4Jg3+ ~g6 IS.~h4 ~hS 19.f5+ exf5
~g4 19.'i1l'e2+ ~h4 20:~'h5 #) and so, 20.4Jf4#. 16.~d3 Eife8 Black's best
Black must try 16 ... exf5. 17.4Jf4+ +- is hope lay with 16 .. .f5! closing down the
the right idea and indeed it provides queen's diagonal and preventing f5, but
White with an advantage, but the most White can now take advantage of the
accurate path is 17.~d3 threatening undefended e6-pawn. 17.4Jxe6 (or
'i1l'xf5 17 ... 4Je7 (ignoring the threat in- 17.exf6 4Jxf6 IS.Axe5 'i1l'xe5 when
vites a mate in five: 17 ... 4Jexe5 White wins back only an exchange
18.~xf5+ ~h5 [1S ... ~h6 19.4Jxf7#] 19.4Jxe6 ~a5 20.4JxfS ~xfS 21.4Jg3=)
19.4Jf3++-) and only now 18.4Jf4+ 17 ... Axe3 IS.4JxfS 4JxfSI9.~xe3 4Je6
20.~d3 4Je7 21.4Jd4 4Jxd4
8 22.~xd4~.White has a rook and two
7 pawns for the pieces, but it is not clear
6 how the rooks can gain activity.
5 17.~h7+ ~f8 18.f51 J£\dxe5
4
IS ... exf5 19.4Jg3 ~e7 (not 19 ... ~xe5
20.4Jxf5 ~xf5 21.~xf5 ~e7 22.~xf7+
3
~dS 23.Axc5 'i1l'xe5 [23 ... 4Jxe5
2
24.~gS #] 24.4Je6+) 20.4Jxf7! 4JfS
(20 ... ~xf7 21.4Jxf5 4Jexe5 22.4Jd6+
abcdefgh ~e6 23.4Jxb7+-) 21.~xf5+-.
Position after lB.tDf4 (analysis) 19.Jtxc5+ ~xc5 Black must recapture

239
 Sacking the Citadel

on c5. 19 ... <£Je7 20.~hS# 20.fxe6 ct;e7 to provide a more substantive advan-
On 20 ... .£JdS the entire white anny gets tage. 12•.11.xh7+ ct;xh713.4)gS+ ct;g6
involved, 21.4::\f4 '$;e7 22.f!.ael fxe6 In the '$;gS line, Black can defend by
23.~xg7+ '$;d6 24.~xe5++- and giving back a piece on f6. White retains
20 ... f!. xe6 invites 21.4::\xe6+ +- . a clear edge in that middlegame, a
21:~xg7 ct;d6 Insufficient is 21...f!.fS queens ide pawn majority, but the win
22.~f6+ '$;d6 23.exf7+ '$;d7 24.~f5+ would not be trivial. 13 ... '$;gS 14:~'h5
'$;d6 25.4:)[4 +- . 22.exf7 ms 23. ~h6+ 4::\7f6 15.exf6 4::\xf6 16.'~h4 e5 (with the
ct;d7 24.~h3+ ct;e7 2S.~e6+ ct;d8 idea of iU5; 16 ... f!.dS 17.4::\de4 4::\xe4
26.~xeS 1-0 A queen sacrifice provides 18.~xe4 cxd4 19.f!.ac1 ~d6 20.~h7+
the "simplification": 26 ... 4::\xe5 27.4::\e6+ '<!tfS 21.~hS+ '$;e7 22.~xg7 ~f4
'$;e7 28.4::\xc5+-. 23.f!.fel .!'!d5=) 17.f!.fc1 b6 IS.dxc5
bxc5 19.4::\b3 ~d6 20.f!.xc5 ~f5
(171) Quinteros - Seirawan 21.~xb4±.14.~g4Missing 14.~c2+!
BielInterzonal1985 when all of Black's responses are
Nimzo-Indian Defense [Ell] sharply met: (a) 14 .. .f5 15.exf6+ when
White mates or gains a significant ad-
1.d4 4)f6 2.c4 e6 3.4)f3 .11.b4+ vantage after all four king moves: (l)
4 ..11.d2 cS S..11.xb4cxb4 6.4)bd2 0-0 The immediate capture with 15 ... '<!txg5
7.e4 d6 S..11.d3 ~c7 9.0-0 4)bd7 provides the best chance for the defense
10.cS dxcS n.eS 4)dS 16.fxg7 '$;h6 (16 ... f!.gS 17.~h7+-)
17 .gxf8~+ 4::\xfS IS.dxc5 ±; (2) After
8 15 ... '<!txf6 16.~h7 The queen quaran-
7 tines the king and prepares for the ar-
6 rival of reinforcements. 16 ... ~c6
5 17.f!.ael4::\f4 IS.4::\de4+ '<!te719.~xg7+
4
'<!tdS 20.dxc5+-; (3) 15 ... '$;h616.~h7+
Forcing the capture when it's mate in
3
five: 16... '<!txg5 17.4::\e4+ '<!tf4 (17 ...'<!tg4
2
18.~h3+ '$;f4 19.~f3#)lS.g3+ '$;f3
(lS ... '$;g4 19.f3#) 19.4::\d2+ '<!tg4
abc d e f g h (19 ... '<!te2 20.E!.fe1 + '<!txd2 21.f!.ad1 #)
20.~g6+ 'ifth3 21.~h5#; (4) 15 ... '<!th5
A battle oftitans. For additional assets, 16.~h7+ +- '$;g4 17.4::\xe6 f!.xf6
Quinteros can count only on the e5- lS.h3# or lS.~h3#; (b) 14 ... '$;xg5
pawn, although his center is under fire, 15.~h7 (White's usual response after
and the 4::\d2 which can quickly reach the capture, cutting off retreats and
e4. Black's knights are both aimed at threatening ~xg7) 15 ... g6 (15 ... 4::\xe5
f6, and the ~c7 has the potential of 16.4::\e4+ '$;f4 [16 ... '<!tg4 17.f4 4::\xf4
defending f7. American grandmaster lS.h3+ 4::\xh3+ 19.~xh3# or
Vasser Seirawan defended with the '$;g6 19.9xh3#] 17.g3+ '<!tg4 [17 ... '<!tf3
line, inviting 14.~g4 f5 15.~g3 when lS.4::\d2+ '$;e2 (1S ... '<!tg4 19.h3+ '<!tg5
again Black can defend by returning a 20.4::\e4#) 19.E!.fe1+ (19.~e4+ '<!txd2
knight on f6. Of special interest was the 20.f!.ad1#) 19 ... '<!txd2 20.f!.ad1#]
possibility of 14.~c2+, which appears IS.h3+ '$;f3 19.4::\g5+ [19.f!.ae1 +-]

240
 Games
19 ... 'it'e2 20.~c2#) 16.f4+ 4:)xf4
17.h4+ 'it'g4 (17 ... 'it'f5 1B.~h6+-)
1B.1'hf4+ (an "additional rook sacrifice
speeds the finale) 1B ... 'it'xf4 (lB ...'it'g3
19.~h6+-) 19.~h6+ 'it'g4 (19 ... 'it'f5
20.~g5#) 20.~g5#; (c) After
14 ... 'it'h6 White forces the capture on
g5 when it's mate in four, 15.'l1i'h7+
'it'xg5 16.f4+ 4:)xf4 (16 ... 'it'g4
17.~h3#)17.4:)e4+ 'it'g4 1B.h3+
(lB.4:)f2+ 'it'g5 19.h4 #) 1B ... 4:)xh3+
19.~xh3# or 19.9xh3#; (d) After
14 ... 'it'h5 Black can resist the capture
on g5 for a few moves, but the mate
soon follows: 15.~h7+ 'it'g4 (15 ... 'it'xg5
16.f4++-) 16.h3+ 'it'xg5 (16 ... 'it'f4
17.g3+ 'it'xg5 18.4:)e4# or 18.4:)f3#)
17.f4+ 4:)xf4 1B.4:)e4# or 1B.4:)f3#.
14...f5 Black is fine with aggressive
play, 14 ... 4:)7f6! 15.exf6~f4:j:.15.~g3
15.~h4 4:)7f6 16.exf6 gxf6 using the
~c7 to defend on h7! 15... f416. ~h3
After 16.~g4 4:)7f6 17.exf6 4:)xf6
1B.4:)xe6+ 4:)xg4 19.4:)xc7 f'!bB
20.dxc5 ± White is a pawn up but Black
has the bishop and active development.
16... .£J7f6 17..£Jde4 cxd4 IS.exf6
.£Jxf619..£Jxf6 gxf6 20..£Jxe6 .1l.xe6
21.~xe6 ~e5 22.~g4+ ~g5
23.~f3= EiadS 24.Eiadl 24.Elfe1
ElfeB 25JheB f'!xeB 26.~xb7 'l1i'c5=
24•.• ~f5 25.Eid3 Eid5 26.Eifdl Eie8
27.h4 Eie4 2S.Ei3d2 a5 29.Eid3 ~e6
30.~h3 Safer is 30.'it'h2 +=. 30•.• ~xh3
31.gxh3 Eie2-+ 32.h5+ ~xh5
33.Eild2 f3 34.Eixd4 Eig5+ 0-1 The
white king has been caught in a net,
35.'it'fl (35.'it'h2 f'!g2+ 36.'it'h1 f'!e1 #)
35 ... f'!e1 + 36.'it'xe1 f'!gl #.
241
(172) Malikov - Yudovich
Soviet Union 1985
Sicilian Defense [B80]
l.e4 c5 2 ..£Jf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4 ..£J xd4
.£Jf6 5 ..£Jc3 a6 6 ..1l.e3 e6 7.~d2 h5
S.f3 b4 9 ..£Jce2 d510.e5 .£Jfd711.f4
.1l.c5 12•.£Jh3 .1l.xe3 13.~xe3 0-0
14..£Jgl .£Jc6 15..£Jf3 a5 16..1l.d3 a4
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
In this position, White has only one
additional asset, the secure e5-pawn,
and the white knight on b3 is en prise.
Moreover, the white queen has access
to the h-file only on h3. In the 'it'gBline,
Yudovic exploited the attack on the 4:)b3
by sacrificing his queen for the 4:)g5 and
obtaining adequate play. 17..1l.xh7+
~xh71S. .£Jg5+ ~gS In the 'it'g6Iine,
the queen reaches g3 so quickly that
the discovered check is potent, provid-
ing a mate in four. 1B ... 'it'g6 19.~g3
(White gains only an exchange after
19:~d3+!? f5 20.4:)xe6 ~b6 21.4:)xf8+
4:)xfB:j:) 19 ... ~b6 (the discovery wins a
queen after both 19... 4:)dxe5 20.4:)xe6+
4:)g4 21.4:)xdB f'!xdB 22.4:)c5+- and
19 ... f6 20.4:)xe6+ +-). Removing the
queen from the reach of the knight
leaves the king in a mating net,
20.4:)xe6+ 'it'f5 2 1. 4:) xg7 + 'it'e4
22. 'l1i'f3 #. In the 'it'h6 line, the queen's
entry on h3 forces mate in two, lB ... 'it'h6
19.~h3+ 'it'g6 20.~h7#. 19.~h3
 Sacking the Citadel
19.~d3 !!e8 20.~h7+. In the game with
~h3, White gains the option of play-
ing ~h5! . 19 ... E!e8 20:~'h5 20.~h7+
r.t>f8 21.~h8+ r.t>e7 22.~xg7 !!f8-+
and White's attack has stalled.
20 ... ~xg5 It's a perpetual after
20 ... <tJf8 21.~xf7+ r.t>h8 22.~h5+ r.t>g8
23.~f7+=; giving back the piece for the
e-pawn is tempting but insufficient:
20 ... <tJcxe5 2l.fxe5 <tJxe5 22.0-0 axb3
23.!!ae1 ~b6+ 24.r.t>h1 !!a7 (24 ... bxa2
25.!!xf7 <tJxf7 26.~xf7+ r.t>h8
27.~xe8#) 25.!!xe5 bxa2 26.!!ee1 +-.
21. ~xg5 Eliminating the mate, and re-
lying upon White's <tJb3 as the third
piece for the queen. 21.fxg5 axb3 22.0-
o <tJdxe5 23.axb3 ,ila6 24.!!fe1 d4
25.~h4 !!ed8 26.~g3=. 21 ... axb3
22.cxb3 f6?! Better is 22 ... ,ila6=.
23.~g6 White will have more activity
after 23.exf6 <tJxf6 24.0-0 <tJe4 25.~g4
±. 23...Aa6 24.E!cl Ab5 25.a4 bxa3
26.bxa3 ~e7 27.~h5 fxe5 28.fxe5
White's connected passers will decide
after 28.a4 ,ild3 29.!!c7 !!ed8
30.fxe5 +-. 28 ... ~f5 29.a4 Ad3
30.g4 ~d4 3Vi!i'd2 Ae4 32.E!c7
~f3+ 33.Cit'e3 ~fxe5 33 ... <tJdxe5! =+=
34.E!gl White can improve by placing
the rook on the open file, 34.!!fl.
34... E!ec8 35.E!gc1 E!xc7 36.E!xc7
~f6 37.~g5 37.!!xg7+ ~xg7
38.~xe5 r.t>f7 39.~c7+ r.t>g6 40.r.t>f4±
37 ... ~f7 38. ~h4 g5 39. ~g3 e5
40.h4 d4+ 41.Cit'e2 ~d5 42.E!xf7
Cit'xf7 43. ~xe5 gxh4 44. ~h5+ Not
44.~xe4<tJc3+-+ 44... Cit'e645.~xh4
d3+ 46. Cit'd2 E!c8 47. ~h6+ VI-VI
(173) Reeh - Hoffmann
Biell986
Owens Defense [COl)
l.d4e6 2.~f3 b6 3.e4d5 4.Ad3 ~f6
5.Ag5 Ae7 6.Axf6 Axf6 7.0--0 0--0
242
8.~c3 c5 9.dxc5 j},xc3 10.bxc3
bxc5 1l.exd5 ~xd5 12.c4 ~c6
13.E!e1 j},b714.j},e4 ~c7
8
7 Ir...~~.'
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
White's pawn structure is unhelpful and
the sacrifice must therefore rely upon
two uncommon additional assets, the
two rooks. In the game, Black selects
the ~h6 line, when ~g4-h4 combines
with a rook swing and the development
of the queen's room to the e-file.
15.Axh7+ Cit'xh7 16.~g5+ Cit'h6 In
the ~g8 line, the black king cannot
safely run to the queenside owing to a
well timed !!ad1 and <tJd6. 16 ... ~g8
17.~h5 !!e818.~h7+ (the black queen
has f7 covered) 18 ... ~f819.~h8+ ~e7
20.~xg7 r.t>d8 (20 ... !!f8 21.<tJxe6+-)
21.!!ad1 + ~c8 22.<tJxf7 +-. In the ~g6
line, after 17.~g4 f5, the weakness of
the e6-pawn gives White time to
threaten a rook swing to g3 or the dou-
bling ofthe rooks on the e-file. 16... ~g6
17.~g4 (17.~d3+ ~xg5 -+ when
White does not have the assets to close
the mating net) 17 .. .f5 18.~h4 Taking
advantage of uncontestable control
over the h-file, 18 ... ,ilc8 (18 ... <tJd7
19.<tJxe6+-) 19.!!e3 f4 20.<tJxe6 Jlxe6
(20 .. .fxe3 21.~e4+ +-) 21.!!xe6+ ~f7
22.!!ae1 <tJc6 23.~h7 !!ad8 24.~g6+
~g8 25.!!xc6+-. li.~g4 ~d7
18.E!e3 .£Jf6 19. ~h4+ Cit'g6
20.E!g3+- Cit'f5 21.E!el E!h8 22..£Jf3
 Games
22.4:Jxf7! (an unexpected queen sacrifice
brings a quick mate) 27 ... E:!xh4 (on
22 ... ~xf7 - 23.Elg5# or 22 ... e5
23.4:Jxh8+-) 23.Elg5+ with mate in two.
22....£Ie4 23.~g4+ ~6 24.Elxe4 ~e7
Avoiding 24 ... Axe4 25.~g5#.
25.Elxe6+ fxe6 26.~xg7+ ~d6
27.~e5+ ~c6Or27 .. .'it'd728.Elg7++-.
28. ~xe6+ ~d6 29..£Ie5+ 1~ 29.4:Je5+
'ttc7 30.Elg7+ +-. The queen falls, and
mate will follow.
(174) Wegner - WeHn
Gausdal1987
Queen's Indian Defense [EI2]
l.d4 .£If6 2..£If3 e6 3.c4 b6 4.a3 .1lb7
5..£Ic3 .£Ie4 6 ..£1 xe4 .11.xe4 7.e3 .11.e7
8 ..11.d3 d5 9.0-0 0-0 10.b3 .£Id7
1l ..1lb2 f5 12.Elel .1ld6 13•.1lfl
dxc4 14.bxc4 ~e7 15•.£Id2 .1lb7
16. ~b3 c517.a4 .£If618.f3
8 loose 4:Jd2, 22 ... ~xf4+ 23.'it'h3 ~h6+
7 24.'it'g3 ~xd2-+. 22 ... ~xf4+
6 23.~h3 ~xd2? Much more powerful
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
Black's sacrifice is sound - despite the
white pawn on f3 - thanks to two addi-
tional assets, the light-square bishop
and the ElfS. In the game, White plays
'ttg3 when an immediate .. .f4+ fatally
exposes the white king. 18... .11.xh2+
19.~xh2 .£Ig4+ 20.~g3 In the 'ttgl
line, Black can crash through thanks to
the mate threat on h2 and with an addi-
tional exchange sacrifice on 0. 20.'it'gl
~h4 21.fxg4 fxg4 22.Ele2 (22.e4
243
g3-+) 22 ... g3 23.4:Jf3 Elxf3. The obvi-
ous continuation 24.gxf31txf3 25.Elg2
Axg2 26.Axg2 (26. 'ttxg2 Elf8 -+ )
26 ... Elf8-+ cutting off the escape. In
the 'it'h6 line, the rook swing to h3 en-
ables ... ~h5. 20.'it'h3 Elf6 21.'it'g3 Elh6
22.4:Je4 (22.'ttf4 ~d6+ 23.'it'g5 Elg6+
24.'it'h4 ~h2#) 22 ... ~h4+ 23.'it'f4
1txe4 24.fxe4 (24.fxg4 ~xg4+ 25.'it'e5
~g3#) 24 ... g5+ 25.'it'f3 ~f2#. The
immediate capture on g4 transposes to
the 'it'gl line. 20.fxg4 ~h4+ 21.'ttgl
fxg4 transposes to the 'it'gl line.
20 ... f4+ 21.exf4 After the capture on
g4, 21.'it'xg4, Black can swing a rook,
21...Elf6 22.Ad3, and activate the light-
square bishop, 22 ... e5 -+. If instead
21.'it'h3, Black can quickly relocate the
queen, 21. .. ~g5, threatening ... ~h5
22.fxg4 (22.exf4 ~h5+ 23.'ttg3 ~h2+
24.'ttxg4 Elxf4+ 25.'it'g5 ~h6#)
22 ... ~h6#. 21 ... ~f6 22.~xg4 On
22.fxg4 the black queen can pick up the
first is 23 ... g5! 24.g3 and the capture
on d2 will now be with check: 24 ... g4+
25.fxg4 (25.'it'h2 ~xd2+ -+ or 25.'it'h4
~h6+ 26.'it'xg4 Elf5-+) 25 ... ~h6#.
24.dxc5 .11.xf3 25.gxf3 Missing
25.Ele3+-. 25 ... ~f2 26.Ele3 White
may be able to hold after 26.f4 activat-
ing the queen on the third rank:
26 ... Elxf4 27.~g3 Elf3 28.1te5 Elxg3+
29 .Axg3 ~xc5 =+= • 26 •.. Elf4 0-1
(175) Panchenko - Novikov
Pavlodar 1987
Sicilian Defense [B85]
l.e4 c5 2..£If3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4 ..£1 xd4
.£If6 5 . .£Ic3 a6 6.a4 e6 7 ..1le2 .1le7
8.0-00-0 9.f4 ~c7 10.~hl Eld8
1l..1le3 .£Ic6 12..1ld3 .£Ib4 13.a5
 Sacking the Citadel
A,d7 14.4)f3 E!dcS 15.A,b6 ~bS
16.e54)fd5
abc d e f g h 29.E!.c4 +- . In the ~h6Iine, White gains
A creative and very modern Greco Sac-
rifice that deserves to be studied in
some depth. White has the e5-pawn,
the 4Jc3 aiming to e4, the E!.a1-a3, and
the E!.f1 as additional assets, but the
dark-square bishop will not clearly as-
sist the attack and Black has the Ae7 to
remove the 4Jg5. In the game, Black
defends in the 'ittgS line and secures
the f7-pawn with AeS, but 4Jc3-e4-f6
decides the contest with considerable
help from White's active rooks in the
open board that results. 17.,1l.xh7+
Iit'xh71S.4)g5+ Iit'gS In the 'ittg6Iine,
4Jxd5 is tough to meet because both
immediate recaptures activate the white
attack. lS ... ~g6 19.4Jxd5 when (a)
19 ... Axg5 20.4Jxb4 Ah6 21.exd6 'itth7
22.~d4 'ittgS 23.c4+-; (b) 19 ... 4Jxd5
20.~d3+ f5 (of course, the king retreats
are mated, 20 ... 'itth5 21.~h7+ 'ittg4
22.~h3#) 21.exf6+ ~xf6 (not 21...'itth5
22.~h7+ 'ittg4 23.~h3#) 22.Ad4+ e5
(the only move) 23.fxe5+ when the
double check forces 23 ... 'ittxg5
24.~h7+- with a mate in six; and (c)
19 ... exd5 20.f5+ Axf5 (the other king
moves lose quickly 20 ... 'itth6 21.~g4+­
and 20 ... 'ittxg5 21.Ae3+ 'itth4
22.~f3+-) 21.~f3 Ae6 22.4Jxf7+-.
After the capture on g5 lS ... Axg5
244
19.fxg5 'ittgS White makes slow, steady
progress: 20.~f3 .ileS (20 ... E!.fS
21.~h5 dxe5 22.E!.xf7 E!.xf7 23.g6
4Jxb6 [23 ... E!.f6 24.~h7+ ~fS
25.Ac5+ +- ] 24.gxf7+ ~fB 25.axb6+-)
21.g6 f5 (21...fxg6 22.4Jxd5 4Jxd5
23.~fB+ ~h7 24.E!.a3+-) 22:~h5 4Je7
23.~h7+ 'ittfS 24.4Je4. Exploiting the
pin. 24 ... Axg6 25.~hS+ 4JgS (Black's
poor queenside development is telling.)
26.exd6 E!.c4 (26 ... 4Jxc2 27.d7 +-)
27.E!.ae1 E!.xe4 2S.E!.xe4 ~xd6
the unexpected and powerful possibil-
ity of a rook swing with 19.E!.a3.
1B ... ~h6 19.E!.a3 4Jxc3 20.bxc3 4Jd5
21.~g4 E!.hS 22.c4+-. 19.~h5 A,xg5
Black simply loses a piece with 19 ... 4Jf6
20.~xf7+ ~hS 21.exf6 .ilxf6
22.4Jce4+- and White has a choice of
rook swings. 20.fxg5 A,e8 After 20 ... g6
the fight is over the dark squares.
21.~h4 dxe5 22.E!.f3 with the idea of
E!.h3 22 ... 4Jf4 23.4Je4 aiming for f6
23 ... 4Jbd5 24.E!.d1 (threatening an ex-
change sacrifice) 24 ... E!.c6 25.b3 with
c4 next. 21.4)e4 Or 21.g6 fxg6 22.~h3
E!.c7 (22 ... Af7 23.E!.xf7 ~xf7 24.E!.f1 +
'itte7 25.~h4+ ~eB 26.~hS+ ~d7
27.E!.f7+ 'ittc6 2S.~h4+-) 23 ..ilxc7
~xc7 24.4Jxd5 4Jxd5 25.c4 4Jb4
26. ~xe6+ Af7 27. ~xd6 ~xd6
2S.exd6;!:: when White has a rook and
two strong pawns for the piece with an
active central passer. 21. •. dxe5
22.4)f6+ 4)xf6 Not 22 ... ~fS 23.4Jd7+
Axd7 24.~xf7# And taking the knight
22 ... gxf6 invites an assault on the
kingside dark squares. 23.gxf6 4Jxf6
24.E!.xf64Jd5 25.E!.h6 'ittfB 26.~h4 +-.
23.gxf6 4)d5 24.fxg7lit'xg7 25. ~g4+
25.~g5+ (trapping the king for a quick
rook swing) 25 ... 'ittfB (25 ... ~hB
26.E!.a3 +-) 26.E!.a3 +-. 25 ••. lit'fS
26.~xe6 4)xb6 On 26 ... 4Jf4 White
 Games
sacrifices the exchange, 27.Elxf4 exf4,
and the exposed black king is no match
for White's- majors. 2B.~h6+ 'it'gB
(28. .. ~e7 29.Ele1 + ~d7 30.~h3+ ~c6
[30 ... 'it'd6 31.~d3+ ~c6 32.~e4+ ~d7
(32 ... 'it'b5 33.b3+-) 33.~e7+ ~c6
34.'li1c5+ 'it'd7 35.Ele7 #] 31.~a3 +- )
29.Ad4 f6 30.'li1xf6 'lfIc7 31.~hB+ ~f7
32.Ele1 +-. 27.'li\'h6+ '1Je7 Not
27 ... ~gB 2B.Ela3+-. 2S.'li\'h4+ More
accurate is 2B.'li1g5+ 'it'fB (2B ... 'it'd7
29.Elad1 + ~c6 30.'lfIf6+ ~b5
31.~xb6++-) 29.Ela3+- with Elh3 next.
2S••• '1JfS 29. 'li\'b4+ '1JgS 30.Ela3 e4
On 30 ... f5 the majors come alive,
31.Elg3+ ~f7 32.~g4+-. 31.axb6
JlbS 32.ElfS Elc6 33.Elg3+ Elg6
34.Elxg6+ Most accurate is 34.'lfIb3.
34... fxg6 3S.'li\'b3+ '1JhS The other
king moves fare no better. 35 ... ~h7
36.Elf7+ 'it'h6 37.'li1e3+ ~h5 and it's
mate in four, 3B.g4+ 'it'xg4 (3B ... ~h4
39.'li1h6+ 'it'xg4 40.'li1xg6+ +- ) 39.h3+
'it'h4 40.Elh7#; 35 ... 'it'g7 36.Elf7+ with
straight-forward mates against all re-
sponses. 36.Elf7 'li\'cS 37.'li\'g3 'li\'fS
38.'li\'c3+1-0
(176) Nijboer - Brenninkmeijer
Netherlands 1987
French Defense [C06]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 dS 3./i)d2 /i)f6 4.eS
/i)fd7 S.c3 cS 6.Jld3 /i)c6 7./i)e2
cxd4 S.cxd4 f6 9.exf6 /i) xf6 10.0-0
j},d611./i)f3 'li\'c712.g3 0-0 13.Jlf4
/i)g414.Elc1 Jld71S.h3eS 16.dxeS
/i)gxeS(D)
Some Greco Sacrifices offer promising
but not necessarily winning continua-
tions. Here, White can count on the
Elc1, the dark-square bishop, and pos-
sibly also the 4Jd2-f4 as additional as-
245
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
sets, though Black has considerable
activity himself. Black's rooks are con-
nected, the ElfB is on an open-file, Black
is active on the dark squares, and
Black's 4Je5 is well reinforced. In the
game, Black plays the 'it'g6 line which
should hold, but Black misses the
chance to develop the ElaB-dB and suc-
cumbs to White's central pressure.
17.Jlxh7+ '1Jxh71S./i)gS+ '1Jg6 In
the 'it'gB line, White is able to capture
the d5-pawn with check and then swing
a rook to h4. 1B ... ~gB 19.Axe5 Axe5
20.~xd5+ 'it'hB 21.Elc4+-. Black could
therefore try the ~hB line, when White
can infiltrate to e6 but little more.
1B ... ~hB!? (avoiding 'lfIxd5+) and now:
(a) 19. 4Jd4 wins an exchange, but Black
is fine after 19 ... AeB 20.4Jde6 'lfId7
21.4JxfB AxfB=; (b) White has no edge
at all after 19.Axe5 Axe5 20.4Jf4 AeB
21.'lfId3 g6=i=; and (c) After 19.'lfIxd5
Ae7 20.4Jf7+ Elxf7 21.'lfIxf7 4Jxf7
22.Axc7 Axh3+ Black's activity pro-
vides him with a tangible advantage.
19.'li\'xdS Elf6 Black is fine after
19... EladB! 20.4Jd4 Af5 21.4Jxf5 Elxf5=.
20./i)d4 'li\'b6 21.'li\'e4+ ElfS 22.j},e3
22.Axe5 Axe5 23.Elxc6+ exploiting the
overloaded bishop, 23 ... bxc6 24.4Jxf5
Axf5 25. 'lfIxe5 +- . 22 ••• /i) xd4
23.Jlxd4 'li\'bS 24.g4 '1JxgS 2S.f4+
'1Jh6 26.fxeS Elxfl + 27.Elxfl ElfS
 Sacking the Citadel

2S.!U5 Missing a pretty mate in four black king steps into an immediate dis-
with 2S.gS+ ~xgS (28. .. ~hS 29:~'h7+ covery. White can win the black queen
~xgS 30.1.l.e3+ §f4 31.1.l.xf4#) 29.1.l.e3+ or choose to mate quickly with fS and
~hS 30.'l¥Yh7#. 2S •.• Jl.xf5 29.gxf5 two swarming knights. IS ... ~g616.fS+
Jl.e7 30.Jl.e3+ ~h7 Not 30 ... AgS exfS (16 ... ~hS 17.'t1fh3#) 17.4JdS ~d8
31.'l¥Yh4# but Black has an edge after IS.4Jf4+ ~h6 19.'l¥Yh4#. Black's best
30 ... gS! 31.h4 (31.f6 Axf6 32.exf6 hope may be in the line with IS ... AxgS,
§xf6-+) 31...§gS 32.~h2 'l¥YeS+. but Wedberg surely would have found
31.f6+ ~gS 32.fxe7 'lA'fl+ 33.~h2 the rook swing with §f3-h3. IS ... AxgS
'lA'e2+ = 34.~g3 13e8 35.'lA'd5+ ~hS 16.fxgS dxeSI7.~h4+ (17.§xf7 §xf7
36.Ag5 'lA'e1 + 37.~g4 Yz-Yz IS.g6+ ~gS 19.9xf7+ ~xf7 20.~f2+
~gS 21.AxcS±) 17 ... ~gS (17 ... ~g6
(177) Wedberg - Ionescu IS.g4+-) IS.§f3+-. 16.'lA'h4 Jl.xg5
Berlin 1988 17.f xg5 .1l,c6 Controlling key squares.
Sicilian Defense [B82] 17 ... dxeS gives White the time for a
game-ending rook swing: IS.§f3 +- .
1.e4 c5 2.lilf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.4) xd4 lS.13f4? White's best chances lie with
a6 5.Jl.d3 4)f6 6.0-0 'lA'c7 7.4)c3 d6 18.g6! fxg6 19.§xfS+ ~xf8 20.exd6
S.f4 4)bd7 9.4)f3 .1l,e7 10.'lA'e1 0-0 ~xd6 (20 ... 4Jxd6 21.'l¥YhS++-) 21.~f2+
H.e5 4)e812.'lA'g3 4)c513.Jl.e3 Jl.d7 ~gS 22.1.l.xcS ~eS 23.§el ± with a
large advantage, but Black may be able
8 to hold with ... ~fS.1S .•.dxe5 Blackre-
7 turns the favor. Better is lS ... 4Jd7
6 19.~hS g6 20.'l¥Yh6 4Jg7 21.§h4 4JhS
5 22.§xhS gxhS 23.g6 fxg6 24.~xg6+
~hS=. 19.96! fxg6 20.13xfS+ ~xfS
4
21.'lA'hS+ ~e7 22 . .1l,xc5+ ~d7
3
23.13fl ~cS 24.4)e4 Better is 24.~f8.
2
24 •.• .1l,d7 Black's last chance was
24 ... ~dS 2S.4Jd6+ 4Jxd6 26.~xdS+
abc d e f g h ~xdS 27.1.l.xd6 e4 2S.§f7 §cS 29.§xg7
AdS 30.c3 §c6 31.Ag3 eS= .25.4)d6+
Wedberg shows off his tactical prow- ~bS 26.b4 'lA'c6 27.4)xeS .1l,xeS
ess. His additional assets include the 2S.'lA'xg7 b6 29.13fS 13a7 30.'lA'gS
rooks, the 4Jc3-e4, the dark-square 13d7 31.13xeS+ ~a7 32.Jl.e3 'lA'e4
bishop, and the eS-pawn. Black, in tum, 33..1l,xb6+ ~xb6 34.'lA'xe6+ ~c7
cannot void the f8 escape square. None- 35. 'lA'xe5+ 1-0
theless, the lines are complex and fun.
In the game, Black defended with the (178) Ricardi - Schuster
~gS line, where White missed the pow- Buenos Aires 1988
erful18.g6 shot. Nimzo-Indian Defense [E20]

14..1l,xh7+ ~xh715.4)g5+ ~gS In 1.d4 4)f6 2.c4 e6 3.4)c3 .1l,e7 4.e4

the ~h6 line, White has a quick mate in 0-0 5.4)f3 d5 6.e5 4)e4 7 . .1l,d3
two with 'l¥Yh4-h7. IS ... ~h6 16.'l¥Yh4+ 4)xc3 S.bxc3 c5 9.h4 f5 10.exf6
~g6 17 .'t1fh7 #. In the ~g6 line, the .1l,xf6

246
 Games
abcdefgh
The majority ofthe Greco Sacrifices that
involve a pawn on h4 involve simple
mates on h7 so long as White has a
dark-square bishop to inhibit 'it'h6.
Such is the case here in the line with
.\lxg5, despite White's relative lack of
development and the conspicuous ab-
sence of an e5-pawn. White's assets
are simply the dark-square bishop and
the h4-pawn. Black selects the more
challenging ~g8 line and declines to
capture the 4Jg5, preferring simply to
create an escape square on f8 and rely-
ing upon the ~J6 to defend the g7-
pawn. To try for more than a perpetual,
White has h5, i;j"g6, and Af4, all of
which offer excellent winning chances.
11..11xh7+ ~xh712.4)gS+ ~g8 The
usual pattern after 12 ... .!lxg5 13.hxg5+
~g8 (13 ... 'it'g614.i;j"h5+ 'it'f515.i;j"h7+
g6 [15 ... 'it'g416.i;j"h3#] 16.i;j"h3+ 'it'e4
17.i;j"e3+ ~f5 18.i;j"f3#) 14.i;j"h5 is
slightly longer because Black has
14 ... i;j"a515.g6i;j"xc3+ 16.'it'f1+-. The
~g6 line loses quickly to h5 and i;j"d3
threatening mate on h7 and g6. 12 ... ~g6
13.h5+ ~h6 (13 ... ~f5 14.i;j"f3# or
14.g4#) 14.i;j"d3+-. 13.~hS lae8
14.~f7+ ~h81S.~g6 White is win-
ning after 15.h5 Ele7 (15 ... .!lxg5 16.h6
gxh6 [16 ... Axh617 ..!lxh6+- ] 17.Axg5
i;j"xg5 18.i;j"xe8++-) 16.i;j"g6 Axg5
overloading the black queen
247
17.Axg5+-; White also has 15.Af4 e5
(15 ... i;j"d7 16.i;j"h5+ 'it'g8 with the im-
pressive idea of 17.Ad6+- cutting off
f8, and of course, the queen cannot cap-
ture because the rook requires support.)
16.i;j"h5+ 'it'g8 17.dxe5 Axe5 18.i;j"t7+
'it'h8 19.0-0 .!lxf4 20.i;j"h5+ 'it'g8
21.i;j"h7+ 'it'f8 22.i;j"h8+ 'it'e7 23.i;j"xg7+
'it'd6 24.4Jt7++-. 1S •.• ~g8 16..11a3
16..!lf4! aiming for d6. 16... e5 (16 ... 4Jc6
when it's mate in five: 17.i;j"t7+ 'it'h8
18.Ad6.!le7 19.i;j"h5+ 'it'g8 20.i;j"h7+
'it'f8 21.i;j"h8#) 17.i;j"t7+ ~h818.dxe5
Af5 (18 ... A xe5 19.0-0 Axf4 20.i;j"h5+
'it'g8 21.i;j"h7+ 'it'f8 22.i;j"h8+ 'it'e7
23.i;j"xg7+ 'it'd6 24.4Jt7+ +- ) 19.0-0-0
+- . 16••• 4)a6 16... 4Jd7! and White can
only find a perpetual 17. i;j"f7 + 'it'h8
18.i;j"h5+ 'it'g8 19.i;j"f7+=. 17.dxeS
.11xe3+ 18.~f1 bS On 18 ... i;j"f6
19.i;j"xe8+ and 18 ... Axa1 19.c6+-.
19.exb61-O
(179) Pililyan - Akopov
Correspondence 1988
Caro-Kann Defense [B 13]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 dS 3.exdS exdS 4 ..11d3
4)e6 S.e3 4)f6 6 ..11f4 .11g4 7.~b3
~d7 8.4)d2 e6 9.4)gf3 .11xf3
10.4)xf3 .11d611..11xd6 ~xd612.0-
o 0-0 13.laae1 laab8 14. ~e2 lafe8
1S.~e24)d7
8
11...... ·-··.=
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
 Sacking the Citadel
The correspondence games presented
in this volume are a remarkably clean
group of contests. The sacrifice here
leads to a more positional continuation
because White's additional assets, the
two rooks, require f4 and f5 to mobilize
fully. In the game, Black selects the 'it'gB
line and defends the f7-pawn so as to
avoid ~xf7 and a rook swing. After
23.f5, White's attack is in full swing and
Black, under pressure, fails to find the
best defensive resources. 16..1lxh7+
~xh717.4)g5+ ~g8 With the black
rook off f8, obviously not 17 ... 'it'h6
18..£\xf7+. In the 'it'g61ine, Black's hope
is to migrate the king towards the
queenside, but White has time to ma-
neuver the queen to g3 and to push the
f-pawn with effect. 17 ...'it'g61B.f4 (not
18.~g4? .£\f6! or 1B.~d3? 'it'xg5
19.~h7 'it'f6) 1B ... .£\f6 19.~f3 'lii'd7
20.~g3 '£\h5 21.~d3+ 'it'f6 22 ..£\h7+
'it'e7 23.f5 'it'd6 24.fxe6 fxe6 25.~g6
~hB 26.~f7 +- (avoiding 26.~xh5
g6=). 18.t'1h5 4)d8 1B ... .£\f6 is
crushed by 19.~xf7+ 'it'hB and a rook
swing, 20.~e3 +-. 19. t'1h7+ ~f8
20.f4 t'1b6 2o ... ~c6 21.~hB+ 'it'e7
22.'lt1xg7 e5 23.fxe5 ~g6 24.~xg6 fxg6
25.~e3 .£\e6 26 ..£\f7 ~fB 27 ..£\d6
~xf1 + 2B.'it'xf1 .£\g5 29.h4 '£\f7
30 ..£\xb7 ± when White has four pawns
for the piece and a prospect of a strong
outside passed pawn. 21. t'1h8+ ~e7
22.t'1xg7 ~d6 23.f5 exf5? Black's
remaining hope was active play with
23 ... e5 24.~xe5 .£\xe5 25.~xe5+ 'it'c6
26.~eB+ 'it'c7 (26 ... 'it'd6 27.~e1 +-)
27.~e7+ 'it'c6 2B.~e1 ~c7 29.~eB+
~d7 30.'£\h7 'it'c7 31..£\f8 ~d6 32.~e7+
'it'cB 33 ..£\e6 fxe6 34.f6 ~xb2 35.f7
~c1 += with a perpetual. 24.Et xf5
t'1xb2 25.4)xf7+ 4)xf726.Etxf7 EtdS
27.Ete6+ ~c7 After 27 ...'it'xe6 it's mate
in two2B.~g6+ .£\f6 29.~xf6#.
248
28.Etxd7+ Etxd7 29.t'1e5+ ~c8Not
29 ... 'it'dB 30.~eB#. 30.Ete8+ 1-0 Af-
ter 30 ... ~dB 31.~e6+ 'it'c7 32.~e7++­
it's mate in two.
(180) Mufic - Pircher
Caorle 1988
French Defense [C02]
l.e4 c5 2.c3 4)c6 3.d4 cxd4 4.cxd4
e6 5.4)c3.1lb4 6.4)f3 d5 7.e5 4)ge7
8 . .1ld3 0-0 9.a3 .1la5 10.0-0 f6
1l.exf6 Etxf612 ..1lg5 Etf713.4)e2
t'1d6 14.4)g3 .1ld7 15.b4 .1lb6
16..1le3 Etff817.b5 4)d8
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
White's additional assets here are the
dark-square bishop and the .£\g3. Of
special interest is its utility in the 'it'gB
line when Black defends correctly with
~f5. By pinning the .£\g5 and offering
the rook to the .£\g3, Black aims to re-
duce White's attacking force without
having to worry about the f7 -square
which is nicely defended by the .£\d8.
But with both rooks becoming active,
White's attack does prevail. 18..1lxh7+
~xh7 19.4)g5+ ~g8 The .£\g3 sup-
ports an immediate ~h5 # in the 'it'g6
and 'it'h6lines. 19 ... 'it'g6 20.~h5+ 'it'f6
21.'£\h7# and 19 ... 'it'h6 20.~h5 #.
20.t'1h5 Etf6 Black's best defense is
20 ... ~f5! pinning the .£\g5- and gladly
giving up the exchange to eliminate one
 Games

of the active knights 21.<tlxf5 exf5 Another theoretical duel, perhaps in

22.~h7+ \t>f8 23.~h8+ <tlg8 24.Ad2 part because the compensation for the
(threatening Ab4) 24 ... Axd4 25.§acl sacrifice is ambiguous. White has a se-
b6 26.§fel Axb5 27.~h4 Ac5 cure e5-pawn, but the queen cannot
28.<tlh7+ \t>f7 29.'~h5+ g6 30.<tlg5+ easily reach the h-file and the other ad-
when White wins in all lines: (a) ditional asset, the <tlc3, is not well
30 ... \t>g7 31.~h7+ \t>f8 32.§xc5 bxc5 poised to join the kings ide assault. In
(32 ... ~xc5 33.Ab4+-) 33.Aa5+- (b) this game and two others, the defend-
30... \t>f6 31.~h8# (c) 30 ... \t>f8 31.~h8 ers all selected the 'it'g8 line, when
.lld3 32.<tlh7+ \t>f7 33.Ac3 +-. On White must play ~d3 to reach h7.
20 ... §e8 White infiltrates with 21.~h7+
White reaches an interesting position
\t>f8 22.~h8+ <tlg8 23.<tlh5 and Black
in which he must choose between
cannot defend meaningfully with
18.'~h8and 18.~h5.14.Axh7+~xh7
23 ... ~e7 24.<tlh7+ \t>f7 25.~xg7#.
15.4)g5+ ~g8 In the \t>g6 line, with
21. ~h7+ ~f8 22.4)h5 f!f5
23.~xg7+ ~e8 24.~h8+ Or
the black queen on c5, White wins eas-
24.<tlh7 +- threatening <tlh5-f6. ily thanks to a knight fork. 15 ... 'it'g6
24... 4)g8 25. ~xg8+ ~f8 26. ~h7 Or 16.~d3+ (16.h4 f5 17.exf6 [17.h5+
26. ~g6+\t>e 7 27 Ad2 +- powerfully \t>h6-+ ] 17... gxf6=) 16.. .f5 (White must
activating the bishop. 26 ... .1lx b5 play carefully to close these mating nets
27.4)g7+ ~d7 28.4)xf5+ ~e8 16... \t>h517.~h7+ 'it'g418.~h3+ 'it'xf4
29.4)g7+ ~d7 30.f!fb1 Also winning, 19.~g3+ 'it'f5 20.<tlge4! dxe4
obviously, is the discovered check 21.§hfl + +- ) 17.exf6+ 'it'xf6 (17 ... 'it'h5
30.<tl7xe6+ +-. 30••. Ac6 31.4)7xe6+ 18.g4+ \t>xg4 [18 ... 'it'h4 19.~h3# or
~e7 32.~xe7+ ~xe7 33.4)xd8 18 ... 'it'h6 19.~h7#] 19.§dgl+ 'it'xf4
f!xd834.4)f31-0 20.~g3+ 'it'f5 21.<tlge4! dxe4
22.§f1++-) 18.<tlce4+ dxe4
(181) Sax - Timman 19.<tlxe4++-. In the 'it'h6Iine, 16.~d3
Rotterdam 1989 threatens infiltration on h7 and h3, and
French Defense [C 14] Black cannot prevent both threats.
15 ... 'it'h6 16.~d3! §h8 (16 ... g6
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.4)c3 4)f6 4.Ag5 17.~h3+ \t>g7 18.~h7# or 16 ... f5
.1le7 5.e5 4)fd7 6 ..1lxe7 ~xe7 7.f4 17.~h3+ \t>g6 18.~h7#) 17.<tlxf7+
0--0 8.4)f3 c5 9.~d2 4)c610.0--0--0 \t>h5 and it's mate in three with18.g4+
4)b611.dxc5 ~xc5 12.~b1 Ad7 \t>xg4 (18 ... 'it'h4 19.~g3#) 19.~g3+
13.Ad3 f!ac8 'it'f5 (19 ... 'it'h5 20.~g5#) 20.~g5#.
16. ~d3 f!fe8! Giving the king a clear
8
escape path to the queenside. Instead,
7 on 16 .. .f5 17.exf6 §xf6 and White wins
6 the §f6 with 18.~h7+ \t>f8 19.~h8+
5 'it'e7 20.~xg7+ 'it'd8 21.~xf6++-;
4 16... §fd817.~h7+ 'it'f818.~h8+ 'it'e7
3 19.~xg7 Ae8 (after 19 ... §f8 White
2 gains time against the exposed queen
20.<tlce4 dxe4 21.<tlxe4 ~b4 22.~f6+
\t>e8 23.<tld6+ +- winning the queen)
abc d e f g h

249
 Sacking the Citadel
20.4Jxe6 'it'xe6 21.4Je4+- .17:~·h7+
~8
abc d e f g h
18.~h518.~hS+!?'it'e719.~h4 (after
19.~xg7 'it'dS 20.4Jxf7+ 'it'c7 21.4Jd6
E!.gS 22.~h6 E!.hS 23.~g5 E!.cgS~
Black's king is safe and the rooks are
very active) 19 ... E!.hS (19 ... 'it'fS
20.E!.d3±) 20.4Jh7+ 'it'eS 21.4Jf6+ gxf6
(21...'itte7 22.4Jfxd5++-) 22.~xhS+
~fS 23.~xfS+ 'it'xfS 24.exf6 d4 25.4Jb5
4Jd5 26.4Jxd4 4Jxd4 27.E!.xd4 4Jxf63i.
In Zolnierowicz-Fraczek, Krakow 2003,
White selected 1S.~h4, which aims to
prevent the escape to e7. 1S ... 4Je7
19.~hS+ 4JgS 20.4Jh7+ 'it'e7 21.~xg7
'ittdS 22.4Jg5 'it'c7 (having safeguarded
the king, Black begins a counter attack)
23.4Jxf7 4Jc4 24.4Jd6 E!.e7 25. ~g3
4Jxd6 26.exd6+ ~xd6 27.4Je4 ~c6
28.E!.d3 'it'bS 29.E!.c3 ~b6 30.f5+ e5
31.E!. xcS+ ~xcS 32.4Jc3 (Better is
32:~xgS 32 ... 4Jf6 33.E!.e1 'it'aS 34.a3
d4 35.4Je2 E!.eS 36.~d3 E!.dS 37.4Jg3
e4 3S.~c4 ~c6 39.~b4 d3 40.cxd3
e xd3 41.E!.c1 d2 42.E!.d1 ~d5 43.'i!ta1
b6 44.4Jf1 4Je4 45.f6 ~e6 O-I.
1S.4Jce4 dxe4 V2-V2 and White can de-
liver a perpetual check with ~hS-h4,
Romanov- Riazantsev, Moscow 2006.)
18•.• ~e719. .£)xf719.~xf7+ permits
the king to escape to the queenside:
19 ... 'it'dS 20.~xg7 'it'c7~. 19 ••• .£)a5
Black's last chance to survive was
250
19 ... 4Jc4! 20.f5 ~f2 21.4Jd6 4J6xe5
(21...4Jxd6 22.exd6+ 'i!txd6 23.4Je4+;
21...4Jb4 22.E!.c1 exf5 23.~f7+ 'ittdS
24.~xg7± and Black should survive with
4Jd2-e4) 22.fxe6 ~xe6 23.E!.he1 4Jxd6
24.~xe5 'it'd7 25.~xd6+ 'i!txd6
26.4Je4+ ± emerging with an extra pawn.
20..£)d61-O
(182) Jacobs - Hebden
Cappelle 1989
Ruy Lopez [C86]
1.e4 e5 2..£)f3 .£)c6 3.Jlh5 a6 4.Jla4
.£)f6 5.0-0 Jle7 6. ~e2 h5 7.Jlh3 0-
o 8.c3 d5 9.exd5 e4 10..£)g5 .£)a5
1l.Ac2 Jld612..£)xe4
abc d e f g h
We have often seen that the defense
can be difficult even when the attack-
ing side does not embark upon a com-
pletely sound sacrifice. Here, Black can
lay claim to only one additional asset,
the light-square bishop, and indeed,
White should be able to equalize or
even achieve an advantage. In the 'i!tg3
line, Black aims to gain time for the at-
tack with .. .f5. Black correctly returns
the piece but turns down solid play with
17.d3 in favor of aggression with 17.d4.
12••. Axh2+ 13.~xh2 .£)g4+ 14.~g3
The 'it'g1 line offers no hope at all be-
cause the ~e2 blocks the king's escape
route. 14.'i!tg1 ~h4 15.E!.e1 ~h2+
 Games
16.'~f1 'l11hH. 14...f515.f4 Better for
White to open lines for the dark-square
bishop with 15.d3 fxe416.dxe4 'l11d6+
17.e5 <£:Jxe5 (17 ... 'l11xe5+ 18.'l11xe5
<£:Jxe519 ..llf4+-) 18.f4 <£:Jg419.<£:Jd2 h5
20.<£:Jf3=. 15 ••• fxe4 16•.Q.xe4 i?td6
17.d41t's not too late for solid devel-
opment with 17.d3 g5 18.'l11e1=.
17 .•. g5! IS.i?td3 h5 Better is
18 ... 'l11h6+. 19•.£la3 .Q.d7 20..Q.d2
E!aeS 21.E!ael h4+ 22.~f3 E!xf4+
Also winning is 22 ... <£:Jc4-+ bringing
another piece into the attack since
23.<£:Jxc4 bxc4 24.'l11c2 §xf4 is devas-
tating. 23 . .Q.xf4 i?txf4+ 24.~e2
E!xe4+ 25.~dl .£le3+ 26.E!xe3
i?txe3 27.i?txe3 E!xe3 2S.E!f6 E!g3
29.E!xa6 E!xg2 30.E!xa5 h3 0--1
(183) Chandler - Anagnostopoulos
London 1989
French Defense [C 14]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3 ..£lc3 .£lf6 4 •.Q.g5
.Q.e7 5.e5 .£lfd7 6 ..Q.xe7 i?txe7 7.f4
0--0 S•.£lf3 c5 9.i?td2 .£lc610.0--0--0
a611.dxc5 i?txc512..Q.d3 b5
8 17.'l11h7#) 16.'l11h3+ 'it'g7 17.'l11h7#.
7 15.i?td3 E!eS Black's main decision is
6 where to repost the §f8. After §e8, as
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
Another instructive example. White's
additional assets are the secure e5-pawn
and the §d1, which can swing to the g-
or h-files.ln the game, Black selects the
more challenging r.t>g8 line, where the
white queen's maneuver to h5 is slow,
251
giving Black an opportunity to defend
f7 with <£:Jd8. But White is able to use
the §d3-h3 swing to achieve the win.
13..Q.xh7+ ~xh714..£lg5+ ~gS In
the r.t>g6 line, the en passant capture
drives the black king to f6 where the
knights are able to fork the king and
queen. 14 ... r.t>g615.'l11d3+ f5 (and once
again, the retreats are doomed: 15 ... r.t>h5
16.'l11h3+ r.t>g617.'l11h7# and 15 ... 'it'h6
16.'l11h7 #) 16.exf6+ (also winning is
16.'l11g3 'l11e7 when 17.<£:Jxe6+ 'it'f7 re-
moves the defense of the d5-
pawn.18.<£:Jg5+ 'it'g8 19.<£:Jxd5 +-)
16 ... r.t>xf6 (not 16 ... 'it'h5 when it's mate
in six, 17.g4+ 'it'xg4 18.§hg1 + r.t>xf4
19.§df1+ r.t>e5 20.'l11g3+ r.t>d4
21.'l11f4 #) 17.<£:Jce4+ dxe4 exploiting the
posting of the queen on c5
18.<£:Jxe4+ +-. In the r.t>h6 line, White
achieves a quick result despite the ab-
sence of a dark-square bishop thanks
to a quick queen swing to h3. 14 ... r.t>h6
15.'l11d3 g6 (trying to protect h7 opens
f7 for the knight, which then mates beau-
tifully from h8, 15 ... §h816.<£:Jxf7+r.t>h5
17.'l11h3+ r.t>g6 18.<£:Jxh8# and 15 .. .f5
permits mate in two: 16.'l11h3+ r.t>g6
in the game, the black king gains the
option of running to the queens ide via
d8. Instead, two players tried 15 ... §d8
16.'l11h7+ r.t>f8 :
(a) 17.'l11h8+ r.t>e7 18.'l11xg7 §f8
19.<£:Jxe6 (stripping the d5-pawn of its
defense) 19 ... r.t>xe6 20.§ xd5 +- 'l11e3+
21.'it'b1 <£:Jb4 22.§xd7 r.t>xd7 23.'l11xf8
'l11xf4 24.§d1 + r.t>c7 25.'l11xb4 'l11xb4
26.<£:Jd5+ r.t>c6 27.<£:Jxb4+ r.t>c5 28.<£:Jd3+
'it'd4 29.r.t>c1.llf5 30.§f1.llxd3 31.cxd3
§a7 32.e6 fxe6 33.r.t>d2 §g7 34.g3 §g6
35.§f4+ r.t>e5 36.d4+ r.t>d5 37.r.t>d3 §g8
 Sacking the Citadel
3S.~e3 .§.cS 39 ..§.f2 .§.c4 40.h4 e5
41.dxe5 'i!!txe5 42.~f3 ~f5 43 ..§.d2
.§.c6 44.g4+ ~g6 45.b3 .§.f6+ 46.'i!!te4
.§.e6+ 47.~f4 .§.c6 48.h5+ 'i!!th6 49.g5+
'i!!tg7 50 ..§.d7+ 'i!!thS 51.g6 .§.c1 52.h6
.§.f1+ 53.~e5 .§.el+ 54.'i!!td6 .§.dl+
55.'i!!tc6'§'c1 + 56.~b71--O Stellwagen-
Ma Yu, Groningen 1999; (b) 17.~h5 g6
18.~h7 <tIdxe5 19.'§'del (19.~bl 'i!!teS
20.fxe5 ~fS 21..§.del .§.a7 22 ..§.hfl +-)
19 ... ~f2 20 ..§.hfl ~xg2 21..§.gl ~f2
22 ..§.efl <tId3+ 23.'i!!tbl ~a7 24.cxd3 b4
25.<tIe2 as (better is 25 ... b3) 26.f5! exf5
27.<tIf4 <tId4 2S ..§.el Jle6 29 ..§.xe6
<tIxe6 30.<tIfxe6+ fxe6 31.<tIxe6+ ~eS
32.<tIc7+ ~xc7 33.~xc7 .§.acS 34 ..§.el +
1--0 Kaiser-Wahl, correspondence 1996.
16.~h7+ Iit'fS17. ~h5 The black king
can escape after 17.~hS+ 'i!!te7
18.~xg7 ~dS (not IS ... .§.fS 19.<tIxe6
'i!!txe6 20 . .§.xd5 +-) 19.~xf7 ~e7
20.~g6±. 17•.. {)dS The weaknesses
on the kings ide are glaring after 17 ... g6
IS.~hS+ 'i!!te7 19.~h4 f6?! 20.exf6+
<tIxf6 21.<tIh7 ~e3+ 22.~bl 'i!!td6
23.<tIxf6.§.fS 24.'§'hel ~a7 25.f5 gxf5
26.~g3+ ~c5 27.<tIcxd5 exd5 28.~c3+
'i!!td6 29.~e5+ 1-0 Kulon-Li, Kerner
2007. lS.{)h7+! Another player tried
IS.i1'l'hS+ ~e7 19.i1'l'xg7 Jlb7 (on
19 ... b4 White barges through with
20.<tIxd5+ exd5 21.e6 ~e3+ 22.'i!!tbl
'i!!td6 23.exf7 <tIxf7 24.~xf7 Jlb7 25.h4
.§.e7 26.~g6+ 'i!!tc7 27.h5 .§.aeS 2S.h6
i1'l'xf4 29.h7 ~g4 30 ..§.c1 <tieS 31.~f6±)
20.<tIh7 ~e3+ 21.'i!!tbl ~xf4 22.'§'del
~f5 23 ..§.hfl ~h5 24.g4 ~h4 25.g5 d4
26.g6 dxc3 27.gxf7 .§.fS 2S.<tIxfS <tIxfS
29.~gl ~b4 30.~g5+ 'i!!td7 31..§.dl +
Jld5 32.b3 ~a3 33.~c1 ~xc1+
34.'i!!txc1 'i!!te7 35 ..§.d3 <tIxf7 36..§.xc3
<tIxe5 37 ..§.e3 <tIfg6 3S.h4 .§.hS 39.c4
bxc4 40.bxc4 <tIxc4 41..§.h3 0-1
Ramirez-Nur Shazwani, Turin 2006.
lS .•• lit'gS Too dangerous is IS ...'i!!te7
252
19.~g5+ f6 20.~xg7+ <tIf7 21.exf6+
'i!!tdS 22.~xf7+-. 19.~d3 ~e7 On
19 ... i1'l'f2 20.~g5 'i!!txh7 21..§.g3+- and
the white attack is in full swing.
20.~h3 f6 21.{) xf6+ {) xf6 22.exf6
1-0 Black must choose between mate
and the rook 22 ... ~xf6 (22 ... gxf6
23.~g6+ 'i!!tfS [23 ... ~g7 24.~xeS+]
24 ..§.hS*) 23.~xeS+.
(184) Mejrup - Radonjanin
Schwabisch Gmuend 1990
French Defense [C06]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.{)d2 {)f6 4.e5
{)fd7 5.Ad3 c5 6.c3 {)c6 7.{)e2
cxd4 S.cxd4 ~b6 9.{)f3 f610.exf6
{)xf611.0-0 Ad612.a3 0-0 13.~c2
Ad7 14.~e1 ~acS 15.~b1 Iit'hS
16.j},g5 e5 17.dxe5 {) xe5 lS.{) xe5
Axe519.Ae3
abcdefgh
Imagine White's surprise to attack the
~b6 and suddenly face the sacrifice.
With three additional assets, the light-
square bishop and the already active
rooks, Black is clearly winning here. In
all of the lines, Black will capture the
Jle3, opening the f-file, capturing on
e3 with the queen with check, and then
swinging a rook to h3. All too easy, per-
haps. What makes this example inter-
esting is White's correct choice of the
~hlline to force Black to find the cor-
 Games

rect sequence with ~h6-e3. ready to swing. In the 'it>g6 line the
19.•.Axh2+ 20.Cit'xh2 4)g4+ 21.Cit'hl placement of the white queen provides
21.'itfg3 (with a winning attack upon e3) quick access to g3. Here, the discovery
31...4Jxe3 22.fxe3 ~xe3+ 23.'itfh2 (the with 4Jxe6 and ~xg7 breaks though
alternative walks into a quick mate with because the black ~e7 is unanchored
23.'itfh4 f!f4+ -+ ) 23 ... f!c6-+ but even (21...'it>xe6 22.f5+-) and because the
here, there's a simple rook swing thanks 4Jc5 is also loose. 17.Axh7+ Cit'xh7
to the activity ofthe rooks. Similarly in 18.4)g5+ Cit'g6 White's queen cannot
the 'itfgl1ine line, Black begins with the reach h5, which creates no complica-
attack on e3 and concludes with a rook tions whatever in the 'it'gS or 'it>h61ines,
swing. 21.'itfgl 4Jxe3 22.fxe3 ~xe3+ two quick mates. IS ... 'it>gSI9.~h4 f!cS
20.~h7+ 'itffS. (with the black queen on
23.'itfhl f!c6-+. 21 ••• 4)xe3 22.fxe3
~h6+ A nice check that transposes into
e7, there's no escape path) 21.~hS#;
the'itfglline. 23.Cit'gl ~xe3+ 24.Cit'h2 IS ... 'itfh6 19.~h4+ 'it'g6 20.~h7#.
E!c6-+ 25.4)gl E!h6+ 26.4)h3 19. ~g3 Also winning is 19.~h4 f!xf4
20.~h7+ forcing the capture of the
E!xh3+ 27.gxh3 E!f2+ 28.Cit'gl ~g3+
knight, 20 ... 'it>xg5 21.~xg7+ and now:
29.Cit'hl ~h2# 0-1
(a) 21...'itfh5 22.g4+ f!xg4 and now all
three majors have a role: 23.~h7+ 'it>g5
(185) Huguet Mainar - Guerrero
24.f!dfl +- with h4 next; (b) 21...'itff5
Zaragoza 1990
22.g4+ (opening lines for the rooks)
French Defense
22 ... f!xg4 (22 ... 'itfe4 23.f!hel+ 'it>f3
24.~h6+-) and it's mate in six with
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.4)c3 4)f6 4.Ag5 23.f!hfl + f!f4 24.f!xf4+ 'it>xf4 25.~g3+
Ae7 5.e5 4)fd7 6.Axe7 ~xe7 7.f4 'it>f5 (25 ... 'it>e4 26.f!el + 'itff5 [26 ... 'itfd4
a6 8.4)f3 c5 9. ~d2 4)c6 10.dxc5 27.~c3#] 27.f!f1+ 'it>e4 2S.~f4#)
4)xc5 11.0-0-0 Ad7 12.Cit'bl b5 26.f!f1 + 'it>e4 27.~f4#; and (c) There's
13.Ad3 4)b4 14.4)xb5 axb5 no point in 21...'it>h4 22.g3+ +-. 19...f6
15.~xb4 E!a416.~el 0-0 20.4)xe6+ Cit'f7 On 20 ... 'it>h7 White
wins an exchange and maintains the ini-
8 tiative: 21.4JxfS+ ~xf8 22.~h4+ 'it'gS
7 (22 ... 'it>g6 23.exf6 gxf6 24.f! xd5 +- )
6 23.exf6 gxf6 24.f!xd5+-. 21.~xg7+
5 Cit'e8 21...'itfxe6 22.f5+ (forcing the king
4 to the open and winning the black
queen) 22 ... 'it>xe5 (22 ... 'it>xf5 23.~xe7)
3
23.~xe7+. 22.~xe7+ Cit'xe7 23.4)xc5
2
Or more simply with 23.4JxfS 'it>xfS
24.f! xd5 +-. 23 ... E! xf4 24.exf6+
abc d e f g h E!8xf6 25.E!hel + Cit'd6 26.4)e4+
E!xe4 27.E!xe4 E!f2 28.E!ed4 Ae6
Careful readers will find the lines in this 29.E!4d2 E!f4 30.b31-0
position almost simplistic by now, but
there are several instructive features. (186) Ftacnik - Seul
White has two additional assets, the Gennany 1990
secure e5-pawn and the active f!dl Schmid Benoni [A43]

253
 Sacking the Citadel

l.d4 cS 2.dS .£)f6 3..£)f3 bS 4.a4 j}"b7 there's no escape since 17 ... ~e 7 invites
S.e4 b4 6 ..£)bd2 e6 7.dxe6 f xe6 S.eS 18.i;j"g5+. 16.g3 j}"xgS Simple develop-
.£)dS 9 ..£)c4 Ae710.j}"d3 0--0 11.h4 ment is harshly punished, 16 ... 4::1c6
.£)f4 17.gxf4 Axg5 1B.hxg5 +-. 17.hxgS
j}"xhl IS.g6 dS Not 1B ... .§.e4+
8 19.~f1 +-. 19.'ll\'h7+ <jf(fS 20.'ll\'hS+
7 <jf(e7 21.'ll\'xg7+ 1-0 21...i;j"xg7+ ~eB
6 22.4::1d6+ +- wins the queen.
5
(187) Borge - Laptev
4
Gyor 1990
3
French Defense [C05]
2

l.e4 e6 2.d4 dS 3 ..£)d2 .£)f6 4.eS

abc d e f g h .£)fd7 S.f4 cS 6.c3 .£)c6 7 ..£)df3 'll\'b6
S.g3 cxd4 9.cxd4 j}"b4+ 10.<jf(f2 f6
White might claim three additional as- 11.<jf(g2 gS 12.h3 gxf413.Axf4 j}"fS
sets here, the e5-pawn, the 4::1c4, and 14.13.h2 j}"g7 IS.<jf(hl 0--016.Ad3
h4!Elh1, but Black's position is active, fxeS 17.dxeS .£)cS (D)
given the Ab7 on the unopposed di-
agonal, the aggressive 4::1f4, and the When well played and defended, the
.§.fB. Black has adequate defense in the sacrifice can lead to an endgame in
~gB line by returning the piece. Once which White's passed kingside pawns
Black misses his opportunity, Ftacnik are advancing against an extra piece.
demonstrates his great skill with a
lovely rook sacrifice on hI. 12.Axh7+
<jf(xh713•.£)gS+ <jf(gS Capturing on g5
only brings the .§.h1 into play. 13 ... Axg5
14.hxg5+ ~gB 15.Axf4 .§.xf4 16.i;j"h5
~fB17.g6 i;j"eB (17 ... .§.xc41B.i;j"hB+
~e7 19.i;j"xg7+ ~eB 20 ..§.hB#)
1B.4::1d6+-. In the ~g6line, White in-
filtrates quickly after Axf4. 13 ... ~g6
14.Axf4 .§.xf415.i;j"d3+ (there's no safe
way to block the check) 15 ... .§.f5
(15 ... ~h5 16.i;j"h7+ ~g4 17.4::1e3#) abc d e f g h
16.h5+ ~h6 (16 ... ~xg5 capturing the
knight brings on mate in two 17.i;j"g3+ Here, White has the e5-pawn, the dark-
~h6 1B.i;j"g6#) 17.4::1f7+ .§.xf7 square bishops, and two rooks that can
18.i;j"g6#. 13 ... ~h6 14.i;j"g4+- when join the fray. For his part, Black's posi-
the 4::1f4 must move, reinitializing the tion is active and distinctive for the Ag7
discovery. 14.Axf4 13.xf4 14 ... i;j"eB! and the .§.f8 on an open file. Black se-
15.i;j"g4 i;j"g6 when White has, at best, lects the ~gB retreat, and the sequence
only a small advantage. 15. 'll\'hS j}"e4 of the next dozen moves results in an
15 ... Axg5 16.hxg5 ~fB 17.g6+- and endgame that pits the white queen and

254
 Games
knight and two passed kings ide pawns
against a plethora of black pieces. As
you will see, the white position gains in
strength with each pawn advance on
the kingside. IS.Axh7+ <if;xh7
19.4)g5+ <if;gS In the 'it'g6 line, the
black king is clearly overexposed.
19 ... 'it'g6 20. ~g4 (Black can effectively
block the checks along the b I-h7 diago-
nal) 20 ... Jlxe5 (20 .. AJxe5 21.~xe5
Jlxe5 22.4J1f3 Jlxb2 23.4Jh4+ '<t>f6
24.1'!fl + [picking off the 1'!f8] 24 ... '<t>e7.
[24 ... 'it'e5 25.1'!xf8+-] 25.4Jg6+ +-)
21.4J5f3+ 'it'f6 22.4Jxe5 4Jxe5
23.Jl xe5+ '<t>e7 (23 ... '<t>xe5
24.~g7++-) 24.1'!c1 +- with 1'!2c2 to
follow. 20 ..~h5 Elf5 21. ~eS+ ElfS
22. ~g6 Elf5 23.Elfl 4)e4 24. ~h7+
<if;fS 25.4) xe4 dxe4 26.g4 Elf7
27.Eld2 ~c7 2S.Ah6 Axh6
28. .. 1'!xfl 29.~hB+ +-, exploiting the
pin on the ~g7. 29. ~hS+ <if;e7
30.Elxf7+ <if;xf7 31.~h7+ With the
passed kings ide pawns, White has ex-
cellent chances in the endgame after
31.1'!f2+ '<t>e7 32.~xh6 ~xe5 33.'I~HB+
'it'd7 34.1'!f7+ 4Je7 35.~xe7+ 'it'c6
36.4Je2 ~d6 37.~xd6+ '<t>xd6
3B.4Jc3±. 31. .. <if;eS Not 31...~g7
32.1'!f2+ +- . 32. ~xc7 Axd2 33. ~h7
4)e7 34.g5 b6 34 ...~xg5 35.~h5+ and
White picks off the bishop. 35. ~xe4
ElbS 36.~g4 Ab7+ 37.<if;h2 Ad5
3S.h4 <if;d7 39.~a4+ 4)c6 40.<if;h3
ElhS 41.g6 Elh6 42.4)e2 Ag5 43.g7
Axh4 44. <if;g4 On 44.gB~ Black picks
offthe other queen, 44 ... ~e1 + 45.'<t>g4
1'!h4+; White's best line is 44.~xc6+
'it'xc6 45.gB~ ~f6+ 46.'<t>g4 1'!hB
47.4Jd4+ 'it'd7 48.~f7+ ~e7 with rela-
tively even chances. 44 .•. Ae145.4)f4
Elh4+ 46.<if;g5 Af3 47.<if;f6 Ab4
4S.4)g6 48.gB~! 1'!xf4+ 49.'<t>g7 1'!g4+
50.'it'f7 1'!xgB 51.'it'xgB ~c5 with the
three minor pieces for the queen.
255
4S ••• Ae7+ 49.<if;f7 Elxa4 50.gS~
4)dS+ 51.<if;g7 Elg4 52.<if;hS Elg5
53.~g7 4)c6 54.~f7 Elxg6 55.~xg6
4)xe5 56.~g7 4)c6 57.~c3 Ad5
5S. <if;g7 Jl,c5 59.<if;h6 Jl,d4 60. ~d3
Axb2(}""1
(188) WinckeImann - Leisebein
Corr 1991
French Defense [C 15]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.4)c3 Ab4 4.a3
Axc3+ 5.bxc3 dxe4 6.f3 exf3
7.4) xf3 c5 S. ~e2 4)c6 9.dxc5 4)ge7
10. ~f2 (}....O II.Ad3 4)d5
abc d e f g h
White's tripled pawns are the most ob-
vious feature of this position, but it is
also clear that White has only the dark-
square bishop as an additional asset,
although 0-0 will add the 1'!fl, in some
lines with check. There appear to be
drawing resources in both main lines,
but it is noteworthy that White pre-
vailed. Even in a carefully fought corre-
spondence game, the defensive burden
is high. 12.Axh7+ <if;xh7 13.4)g5+
<if;gS13 ... '<t>g614.h4 (not 14.~g3 ~c7
15.~d3+ f5-+) when now: (a) 14 .. .f5
15.h5+ '<t>f6 16.c4 making good use of
the tripled pawns, 16 ... 4Jde7 17.4Je4+
'<t>f7 1B.4Jd6+ and maneuvering the
knight into d6;!;; and (b) White wins
the fight to play h5, 14 ... 4Jf6 15.~e2
4JeB16.h5+ '<t>f617.h6 but Black's king
can escape towards the center. 14. ~h4
 Sacking the Citadel
4)f6 15.0-0 With the idea of Elxf6.
15••. Ete8 16.Ae3 e5 The most inter-
esting line is 16... 4Je5 when White can
sacrifice the exchange: 17.El xf6 ~xf6
18.~h7+ ~f8 19.Elfl ~g6 and then
force the black queen to capture on f7.
20.Elxf7+ ~xf7 21.4Jxf7 4Jxf7 22.g4 e5
23.g5 lte6 24.g6 4Jd8 25.ltg5 ltg8
26.~h4= when White's position com-
pensates for the material deficit.
17.EtadI17.Elxf6~xf618.~h7+ ~f8
19.Elfl +- when Black cannot safely
move the queen and defend f7.
17....~e718.Etxf6 ~xf619.~h7+
~f8 20.Etf1 ~xf1+ 21.~xf1 Ae6
22.4)e4 Ac4+ 23.~gl Ae6 24.Ag5
f5 25. ~h8+ Ag8 26.4)f6 ~f7
27.4)h51-0
(189) Winckelmann - Krant
COIT 1991
French Defense [C 15]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.4)c3 Ab4 4.a3
Axc3+ 5.bxc3 dxe4 6.f3 c5 7.Ab5+
Ad7 8.a4 4)f6 9.~e2 0--0 10.fxe4
~a5 1l.Eta3 cxd4 12.4)f3 dxc3
13.e5 4)d514.Ad3 4)b4
abc d e f g h 26.ltxb4 +- . 24 ... ~f8 Black survives
White can count on the dark-square
bishop, but there are additional assets,
the insecure e5-pawn, the Ela3, and the
possibility of 0-0+. In the ~g8, the
256
weak e5-pawn prevents an immediate
~h5. Instead, White proceeds more
positionally, inviting Black to open the
kingside and create one of the most
complex calculations in the book. Once
again, the lines reach endgames in
which White, though down materially,
can actively advance the kings ide
pawns. 15.Axh7+ ~xh7 16.4)g5+
~g8 In the ~g6Iine, White's plan with
Ela3-c3 and ~e4+ overwhelms with care-
ful play. 16... 'it'g617.Elxc3 4J8c6 (Black
can try to pile on the pinned rook,
17 ... 4Jd5, but all of White's other pieces
come alive: 18.~e4+ f5 19.exf6+ 'it'xf6
20.0-0+ ~e7 21.lta3++-) 18.~e4+ f5
19.exf6+ ~xf6 20.ltd2+-. 17.0--0 First
safeguarding the king, and activating
the rook on the open f-file. On 17.~e4
holding the pawn with the obvious
threat on h7, but 17 ... 4Jxc2+ 18.~xc2
~xe5+-+and not 17.~h5 ~xe5+-+.
17.••f618.exf6 Etxf619.Etxf6 gxf6
20.4)e4 4)d5 Given the course of the
game, Black might have settled for
20 ... ~e5 21.Elxc3 ~d4+ 22.~fl f5
23.Elg3+ ~f8 24.1.th6+ ~e7=; 20 ... Jlc6
21.Elxc3 ~e5 22.Elg3+ 'it'f8 23.lth6+
~e7 24.Elg7+ 'it'd8 25.~dl+ ~d5
26.~al e5 27.4Jxf6~c5+ 28.~hl 'it'c8
29.~dl ~d4 30.Elg8+ ~c7 31.~xd4
exd4 32.ltf4+ 'it'b6 33.h4 4Jxc2
34.h5 +- . 21.Etb3 b5 Once again, Black
can force a draw with 21...f5 22.~h5
fxe4 23.'l1¥g6+ ~h8 24.~h6+=.
22. ~g4+ ~f7 23.Aa3 b4 24.4)d6+
Easier is 24.Elxb4 4Jxb4 25.4Jd6+ 'it'e7
with 24 ... ~e7 25.Elxb4 ~c5+ 26.~hl
'it'xd6 27.Elb3 ~xa3 28.Elxa3 4Jc6+.
25.Etxb4 4)e7 26.Etf4 ~b6+ 27.Etf2
4)bc6 28.~h5 +- ~g8 29.~f7+
~h830.~xf6+ 1-0 .
 Games

(190) Wademark - Lyrberg instead shut down the long diagonal

Stockholm 1991 with 18.d5 cxd519.obd4 f!ac8 20.~d2
Trompowski Attack [DOO] 'l11h5 21.f!xc8 obxe3+ 22.'iftf2 obg4+
23.'iftg3 f!xc8=.IS ••• ~h519.4)g3 No
l.d4 ~f6 2.j'tg5 d5 3.j'txf6 exf6 better is 19.'iflg3 obxe3 20.obxe3 f!xe3+
4.e3 c6 5.c4 dxc4 6.Axc4 j'td6 21.'iftf2 f!xe2+-+ .19... ~e5+ 20.~f2
7.~c3 0-0 S.~ge2 ~d7 9.13c1 f5 ~d3+-+ 21.~gl ~g6 22.~xf5
10.0--0 ~f6 11. ~c2 ~xcl 23.~xg6 hxg6 24.f5 gxf5
25.j'tc2 g6 26.e4 f4 27.13xf4 13adS
2S.e5 c5 29.13fl 13xd4 30.~c3 13d2
31.j'te4 ~e2+ 32.~cxe2 Axe4
33.~xe4 13xe2 34.~f6+ ~fS
35.~xeS ~xe8 36.13c1 13xe5 37.a4
a6 3S.axb5 axb5 39.~f2 ~d7
40.13al ~c6 41.13a6+ ~d5 42.g4
13e4 43.~f3 13b4 44.13f6 13b3+
45.~f4 13xb2 46.~g5 13e2 47.13xf7
abcdefgh 13e60-1

Black initiates the sacrifice here with a (191) Van der Wiel- Kortschnoi
light-square bishop, which is itself Amsterdam 1991
blocked by the f5-pawn, and with the French Defense [CI4]
rather slow plan off!e8-e6. In the 'iflg3
line, Black's lack of control over f3 aided l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.~c3 ~f6 4.j'tg5
the defense, but White missed 18.d5 j'te7 5.e5 ~fd7 6.j'txe7 ~xe7 7.f4
with good drawing chances. 0-0 S. ~d2 c5 9.~f3 ~c610.0-0-0
1l•.• j'txh2+ 12.~xh2 ~g4+ 13.~g3 ~b611.dxc5 ~xc512.Ad3 Ad7
In the 'iftg1Iine, Black infiltrates quickly
with 'l11xf2 and obxe3 because White 8
cannot defend with obf3 or reach the 7
b8-h2 diagonal. 13.'iftg1 ~h4 14.f!fd1 6
'l11xf2+ 15.'ifth1 obxe3-+; 13.'iflh3 5
f4 -+ opening the diagonal for the light-
4
square bishop. And not 13 ... ~g514.g3
3
when, with no black e4-pawn, there's
2
no mate with 'l11h5-h2.13 •.• ~g514.f4
~g6 15.~f3 13eS 15 ... obh2+ offers
nothing more than a perpetual, 16.'iflf2 abc d e f g h
obg4+ 17.'iftf3=, since 17.'iftg1Ioses to
17 ... obxe3 -+ and accepting the ex- Another theoretical discussion out of
change cedes the advantage to White. the opening that involves the sacrifice.
16.~dl b5 17.j'tb3 Black is fine after This position is very close to Sax-
17.~d3 ~e6 (not 17 ... ~b7 Timman (see game 181) wheretheini-
18.~xf5+- )18.'l11xc6 'l11h5 19.'iftg3 tial position involved an additional
g5 +. 17.•• Ab71S. ~c5? White should move pair, 'iftb1 and f!ac8. The success

257
 Sacking the Citadel
of the sac is somewhat in doubt here
because White has only one additional
asset, the secure e5-pawn, although
there is certainly some hope that the
.§.dl or the 4:Jc3 will be able to take part.
Once again, all ofthe defenders selected
the ~gS line, which appears to offer
decent chances at equalizing or better.
In Sax-Timman, Black could not consider
.§.fcS because the .§.as had already ar-
rived there. 13.Axh7+ ~xh7
14.4)g5+ ~gB In the 'it'g6line, White
triumphs easily as in Sax-Timman given
the placement of the black queen on c5,
subjecting it to a fatal fork. 14 ... 'it'g6
15:~'d3+ f5 (not the king retreats:
15 ... ~h5 16.~h3+ ~g6 17.~h7#;
15 ... ~h6 16.~h7#) 16.exf6+ 'it'xf6
(16 ... ~h5 17.g4+ ~xg4 IS ..§.dgl +
'it'xf4 19.~f3+ ~e5 20.4:Jf7+ .§.xf7
21.~g3+ ~xf6 [21...~f5 22.~g5#;
21...~d4 22.~f4#] 22.~g5#)
17.4:Jce4+ forking the queen. In the
~h6 line, White wins quickly despite
the absence of the dark-square bishop
thanks to 'i!Yd3 and a quick mate with
~h3-h7. 14 ... ~h6 15.~d3 .§.hS
(15 ... g6 16.~h3+ ~g7 17.~h7#;
15 ... f5 16.~h3+ ~g6 17.~h7#)
16.4:Jxf7+ ~h5 17.g4+ ~xg4 (17 ... ~h4
IS.~g3#) IS.~g3+ ~f5 19.~g5#.
15.'~d3 Elfe815 ... .§.fcS!? 16..§.hel (too
slow. Black still survives after the faster
16.~h7+ ~fSI7.~h5 AeSlS.f5 'it'e7
[or by eliminating the key e-pawn
IS ... 4:Jxe5 19.'§'hel ~f2 20.fxe6 .§.xc3
21.bxc3 4:Jbc4 22.e7+ ~xe7 23.4:Jh3
~xg2 24.4:Jf4 f6 25.~xe5+ fxe5
26.4:Jxg2= when Black has sufficient
activity to hold] 19.~h4 ~d7 20.fxe6+
fxe6 21.~g4 ~e3+ 22.~bl ~xe5
23.'§'hel ~f5 24.~xf5 exf5 25.4:Jxd5
4:Jxd5 26.'§' xd5+ 'it'c7:;:) 16 ... 4:Jb4
17.~h7+ ~fS IS.a3 4:Ja4-+ 19.axb4
258
~xb4 20.4:Jxa4 Axa4 21.'it'bl Axc2+
22.~xc2 '§'xc2 23.'it'xc2 .§.cS+ 24.~bl
.§.c6 25.g3 a5 26.4:Jf3 a4 27 ..§.d3 §.b6
2S ..§.e2 a3 29.b3 §.c6 30.§.ee3 ~a5
31.§.e2 .§.c3 32.§.ed2 §.xd3 33.§'xd3
~b5 34.4:Jel ~c5 35.4:Jc2 a2+ 36.'it'b2
~f2 37.§.dl d4 3S.§.xd4 al ~+
39.~xal ~xc20-1 Belic-Elschner, Ger-
many 1999.16.'~h7+ ~fB17.Elhe1
~b4117 ... 4:Jc418.~hS+ 'it'e719.~h4
§.hS (better, perhaps, to repeat with
19 ... ~fS=) 20.4:Jh7+ f6? (20 ... 'it'eS
21.4:Jf6+! gxf6 [21...~e7 22.4:Jfxd5++- ]
22.~xhS+ ~fS 23.~xfS+ 'it'xfS 24.exf6
~gS 25.§.d3 'it'h7 26.f5 d4? [26 ... §.dS]
27.§.h3+ 'it'gS 2S.§.e4 1-0 Polgar,S-
Somlai, Budapest 1991) 21.exf6+ 'it'dS
22.fxg7+ +- 'it'c7 23.gxhS~ 1-0
Nielsen-Ulibin, Mamaia 1991. lB. ~hB+
~e7 19. ~h4 ~dB 20.4) xe6+ ~cB
21.a3 ~e7 22.4)g5 f6 Black is fine af-
ter 22 ... lte6=. 23.e6 White has a tan-
gible advantage after 23.exf6 ~xf6
24 ..§.xeS+ AxeS 25.4:Jxd5 4:Jxd5
26.§'xd5ltd7 27.~hS+ ~c7 2S.~xaS
~xf4+ 29.§.d2 ~xg5 30.~fS±.
23 ...fxg5 24.exd7+ ~xd7 25.~xg5
Elxe126.Elxe1 a6 27.f5 ~b8 28.Ele6
~a7 29.Elg6 EleB Or 29 ... .§.fS-+.
30.Elxg7 Ele1 + 31.4)d1 ~eB 32.f6
~e4 33. ~d2 4)c4 34. ~f2+ 4)e3 0-
1 34 ... 4:Je3 hitting both the rook and c2
35.~d2 4:Jxdl-+.
(192) Rea-Savage
Philadelphia, 1991
Old Indian Defense [A54]
1.d4 4)f6 2.c4 d6 3.4)£3 4)bd7
4.4)c3 e5 5.e3 Ae7 6.Ae2 0-0 7.b4
c6 B.O-O Ele8 9.c5 a5 10.cxd6 Axd6
1l.b5 e412.bxc6 bxc613.4)d2 4)b6
14.4)c44)xc415.Axc4 -
 Games
The exchange of knights on c4 has
taken White's light-square bishop off
e2 where it would have prevented <£lg4.
Now, Black can count on the e4-pawn
and the light-square bishop to assist
the attack. White's <£lc3 cannot reach
f3 and the dark-square bishop is impris-
oned by the e3-pawn. White correctly
plays into the 'it'g3 line, when Black
must avoid the ~d6 line owing to the
activity of White's Ac4. 15 ... Jl.xh2+
16.<iffxh2 4)g4+ 17.<iffg3 The'it'glline
leads to the traditional mate in five.
17.'it'gl ~h4 18.§.e1 ~xf2+ 19.'it'h1
~h4+ 20.~gl ~h2+ 21.~f1 ~hl+
22.'it'e2 ~xg2#. 17..•h5 (a) 17 ... ~g5
1B.f4 (lB.Axf7+ 'it'xf7 19.f4 ~h6. By
playing ~h6 first and then returning to
g6, Black avoids f5 and a possible ex-
change sacrifice on f5: 20.§.h1 ~g6
21.~b3+ Ae6 22.~b7+ 'it'gB-+)
18. .. exf3 (The queen cannot retreat to
g6 because f5 leads to an exchange sac-
rifice on f5 or the loss ofthe <£lg4) 19.e4
(19.'it'xf3 §.xe3+ 20.Axe3 ~xe3#)
19 ... <£le3+ (walking into a self-pin, but
Black is winning quickly in all lines)
20.'it'xf3 Ag4+-+ wins the queen, or
20.'it'f2 <£lxd1 + captures the queen with
check, or 20.'it'h2 ~xg2 #; (b)
17 .. .'\£fd6+?! 1B.f4 ~g6 enters the very
line above that Black worked to avoid
(lB ... exf3+ 19.'it'xf3;!;) 19.f5 Axf5
259
queen moves permit ~xg4 20.Axf7+
~xf7 (20 ... ~xf7 21.~xg4) 21.§.xf5+
~xf5 22.~xg4±. 18.EIhl If White at-
tempts to eliminate the e-pawn and run
the king to safety with 1B.<£lxe4 §.xe4
19.'it'f3 ~e7 20.~e2 c5-+ Black's su-
perior development and central control
give him a winning advantage. The im-
mediate threat is cxd4 and, if 21.Ab2,
Black has §.xe3. 18••• ~d6+ There's a
faster win with 1B ... h4+ 19.E!.xh4 ~d6+
20.f4 (not 20.~h3 <£lxf2 #) 20 ... exf3+
21.'it'xf3 (21.'it'h3 ~h2#) 21...~f6+
(gaining an entry on f2) 22.~e2
(22.~g3 ~f2+ 23.'it'h3 <£lxe3+ -+)
22 ... ~f2+ 23.~d3 and now all of
Black's pieces join in. 23 ... Af5+ 24.e4
E!.adB-+. 19.f419.'it'h4 g5+ 20.~xg5
(20.~xh5 ~h6#; 20.~h3 <£lxf2#)
20 ... ~f6+ 21.~xh5 ~h6#. 19•••exf3+
20. <iff xf3 Of course, both king retreats
are quickly mated: 20.~h4 g5+
21.~xg5 (21.~xh5 ~g6#) 21...~f6+
22.~xh5 ~h6#. And it's mate in four
after 20.~h3 <£lf2+ 21.~h4 g5+
22.~xg5 (22.'it'xh5 ~g6#) 22 ... ~g6+
23.~f4 (23.'it'h4 ~g4#) 23 ... ~g4#.
20 ... ~f6+ 21.<iffe2 21.'it'g3 (the entry
square combined with the attacks on e3
to overwhelm the king) 21...~f2+
22.~h3 <£lxe3+ -+. 21. .• ~f2+
22.<iffd3 o1lf5+ Somewhat more accu-
rate is 22 ... E!.xe3+ 23.Axe3 Af5+
24.<£le4 Axe4+ (inviting the king into
the middle of the board) 25.~c3
(25.~xe4 ~xe3+ 26.~f5 g6#)
25 ... ~xe3+ 26.~b2 E!.bB+ 27.Ab3
<£lf2 -+. 23.e4 EIad8 -+ 24.o1lxf7+
<iffxf7 25.<iffc4 Jl.e6+ 26.<iffc5 <iffg8
27.~f3 ~xd4+ 0-1 It's mate in three
with 27 ... ~xd4+ 2B.'it'xc6 E!.d6+ -+.
(193) Poso - Koskela
Helsinki 1991
Nirnzo-Indian Defense [E51]
 Sacking the Citadel
1.d4 4)f6 2.e4 e6 3.4)c3 Ab4 4.e3
0-0 5.4)f3 d5 6.a3 Ae7 7.e5 c6
8.Ad3 4)fd7 9.0-0 e5 10.4)xe5
4)xe5 1l.dxe5 Axe5 12.b4 Ae7
13.Ab2 4)d7 14.4)e2 f6 15.exf6
4) xf616.4)d4 Ad617..§.el
abc d e f g h Ae6 24.~d2 Better is 24.ii1c5=.
Black relies here on two additional as-
sets, the light-square bishop and the
l'!f8 on an open file, a key consideration
given White's ability to play 4Jd4-f3. In
the \t>gl line, the ii1h4 threatens both
ii1h2 and ii1xf2. White lashes back with
his own sacrifice on h7, which would
be successfully parried by declining the
offer with ... \t>h8 or with ... ii1xh7. In-
stead, White errs by capturing with the
king, and is lucky to triumph in a sloppy
finish. 17... Axh2+ 18.\fIxh2 4)g4+
19.\fIgl In the 'it'g3Iine, Black achieves
a quick mating net with either 19 ... 4Jxf2
or 19 ... 4Jxe3. 19.\t>g3 4Jxf2 (19 ... 4Jxe3
20.fxe3 ii1d6+ [the check cannot be
blocked, and the l'!f8 controls the f-file.
With even more help from the light-
square bishop, it's mate in two.] 21. 'it'h4
ii1h2+ 22.\t>g5 ii1h6#) 20.Axh7+ \t>h8
21.ii1h5 i£1d6+ 22.\t>h4 when it's mate
in two: 22 ... g5+ 23.\t>xg5 (23.ii1xg5
i£1h2#) 23 ... i£1f6#.19 ... ~h4Threat-
ening entry on h2 with l'! xf2 # to follow,
as well as i£1xf2 winning the Ab2.
20.Axh7+ Or 20.4Jf3 i£1xf2+ 21.\t>hl
i£1xb2 picking off the undefended piece.
260
20 ... \fIxh7 To win, Black needed to
capture the bishop with either 20 ... 'it'h8!
21.4Jf3 ii1xf2+ 22.\t>hl 'it'xh7 23.ii1e2
ii1g3 24.l'!fl l'!f5-+ or 20 ... ii1xh7
21.4Jf3 Ae6-+. 21.~e2+ \fIg8
22.4)f3 ~h6 Black can win forcefully
with the exchange sacrifice: 22 ... l'!xf3!
23.gxf3 4Jh2 24.i£1c3 4Jxf3+ 25.'it'fl
(25.'it'g2 ii1h3#) 25 ... d4 (closing the
diagonal) 26.exd4 Ah3+ 27.'it'e2l'!e8+
(forcing the king into the center)
28. 'it'd3 Afl + (a bishop offer that aims
to open the e4 entry square for the
queen) 29.l'!xfl (29.\t>c2 ii1xf2)
29 ... i£1e4+ 30.'it'c4 i£1e6+ 31.'it'd3
(31. \t>c5 ii1d5 #) 31... i£1e2 #. 23.e4
24... ~h7 25.Ad4 And here, White
should try 25.ii1d4+. 25 ... dxe4
26.4)g5 ~h2+ 27.\fIfl Ae4+-+ 0-
1
(194) Lehti - Vaatainen
Vantaa 1991
Sicilian Defense [B33]
1.e4 e5 2.4)f3 4)c6 3.d4 cxd4
4.4) xd4 e5 5.4)f3 4)f6 6.4)c3 Ab4
7.Ad3d58.exd54)xd59.0-04)xe3
10.bxc3 Axc311 ..§.bl ~e712..§.b3
Ab4 13.a3 Ad6 14.Ae4 4)d8
15. .§.d3 Ac7 16.a4 ~b4 17.4)xe5
Ae6 18..§.d4 ~a5 19.4)f3 0-0
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
 Games
When, as here, the sacrifice occurs dur-
ing the middlegame, there is far more
likelihood that both sides will have ac-
tive pieces. White can rely upon the
dark-square bishop and the actively
placed Eid4, but Black also has active
bishops and obviously firm control over
the key f5-square. In the 'it'g6 line, the
black Ae6 prevents ~g4 but White has
Eid4-h4 and ~h5, driving the black king
into the center where Ab2-a3 closes the
net. 20.Jtxh7+ ~xh7 21.ldg5+ ~g6
In the ~gS line, Black's defense with
... Af5 or ... ~f5 is foiled by the immedi-
ate Eid4-h4 when Black can delay but
not prevent mate. 21... ~gS 22. ~h5 with
three possibilities: (a) 22 ... EieS
23. ~h7 + 'it'f8 when 24.Aa3+ +- elimi-
nates any possibility of escape; (b)
22 ... Af5 23.Eih4+-. The immediate
rook swing focuses the attention on h8
rather than h7; and (c) 22 ... ~f5 23.Eih4
Axh2+ 24.'it'hl +-. Once again, with a
killing rook swing. 22.Eth4! The idea
of a kingside pawn storm fails: 22.h4
EihS 23.g4 Eixh4. 22 .•. Etg8 On
22 ... 4Jc6 23.'iiYh5+ 'it'f6 (not 23 ... ~f5
when White mates in two moves,
24.4Je4+ [24.4Jh7+ g5 25.'iiYxg5#]
24 ... g5 25.~xg5#) The knight check
centralizes the knight and forces the
king into a powerful attack from the
dark-square bishop: 24.4Je4+ 'it'e7
25.Aa3+ 4Jb4 26.4Jc5 (avoiding the
exchange of queens and subjecting the
4Jb4 to a second attack) 26 ... 'iiYb6
27.4Jxe6 ~xe6 (27 .. .fxe6 28.Eixb4+-)
2S.Axb4+ with a crushing attack.
23. ~h5+ ~f6 White wins with care-
ful play against 23 ... 'it'f5 24.4Jf3+ g5
(24 ... ~f6 25.Ag5+ ~f5 26.4Jd4+ ~e5
27.Ae7+ +-) 25.Axg5 +- when it's
mate in five. 24.Jta3 Most accurate is
24.Eie4 g6 25.~h7 'it'e7 (25 ... EieS
26.Ab2+ +-) 26.Eixe6+ 4Jxe6
261
27.'iiYxf7+ +-. 24 .•• .Q.f5 On 24 ... 'iiYxg5
25 ..ile7++- wins the queen. 25 •.Q.b4
g6 26.4)h7+ ~e6 The other king
moves are quickly mated: 26 ... ~g7
27.~h6+ ~hS 2S.4Jf6#; 26 ... ~e5
27.Eiel+ 'it'd5 28.'iiYf3++-. 27.Etel+
.Q.e5 28. ~g5 ~c7 29.Etd4 1-0 It's
mate in three: 29 ... Ae4 30.Eidxe4+-.
(195) Harris - Trimpi
Corr 1991
French Defense [C 19]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.4)c3 .Q.b4 4.e5 c5
5.a3 Jtxc3+ 6.bxc3 4)e7 7.a4 4)bc6
8.4)f3 ~a5 9.Jtd2 Jtd710.Jte2 f6
11.0-0 f xe5 12.dxe5 0-0 13..Q.d3 c4
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Ironically here, Black encourages the
sacrifice with ... c5-c4. For additional
assets, White pits the dark-square
bishop and e5-pawn against Black's
active EifS. In the ~gS line, Black can
post the active rook on f5 to delay the
attack, but the white pawns can trap the
rook and arrange a central breakthrough
on f5 and e6. 14 . .Q.xh7+ ~xh7
15.4)g5+ ~g8 In the 'it'g6Iine, White
is committed to 'iiYg4 despite Black's
ability with ... 4Jxe5 to capture the e5-
pawn and to gain time on the queen.
The line after 19.'iiYxg7 is instructive.
Black would be forced to give up his
queen for a rook and two minor pieces,
 Sacking the Citadel
but the white kings ide provides White
with highly favorable chances in the
endgame. 15 ... <;t>g6 16.~g4 4Jxe5
17.~g3 4J5c6 (17 ... 4J7c6 IS.f4 4Jf7
19.4Jxe6+ <;t>f6 20.f5 ~xe6 2l.fxe6+
'itlxe6 22. ~g6+ [winning the knight with
interest] 22 .. .'~d7 [22 ... <;t>e5 23.El.ael #
or 22 ... 'itle7 23.El.ael + 'itld7
24.El.xf7++-] 23.El.xf7++-) 18.4Jxe6+
'itlf7 19.~xg7+ (offering the knight,
which Black must accept) 19 ... <;t>xe6
(19 ... 'itleS 20.~xfS#) and now, the
tough decision for White, is which rook
to place on el? 20.El.fel + Best, to pre-
serve the possibility of placing the El.al
on the open b-file. (20.El.ael + 'itld6
[20 ... <;t>f5 21.~g5#] 21.~g3+ <;t>c5
22.Ae3+ [22.~e3+ <;t>d6 23.~g3+=]
22 ... d4 23.Axd4+ 4Jxd4 24.El.xe7 4Jf3+
25.gxf3 El.gS 26.El.g7=) 20 ... <;t>d6
21.~g3+ <;t>c5 22.El.abl 4Jf5 23.El.b5+
~xb5 24.Ae3+ 4Jxe3 25.~xe3+ 'itld6
(25 ... d4 26.cxd4+ 4Jxd4 27.axb5 El.aeS
28.~a3++-) 26.~g3+ <;t>c5 27.axb5
<;t>xb5 28.~d6 El.adS 29.h4± with, yet
again, a high favorable endgame.
15 ... <;t>h6. White should delay the dis-
covery by playing 16.~g4+- when
4Jxe6+ will come with the threat of
~xg7. 16.'~h5 Etf516 ... El.fcS17.~f7+
<;t>hS 18.El.ael (with the idea of a rook
swing to h3) IS ... ~eS (but once the
bishop leaves its defense of e6, the
knight can eye it) 19.~fS+ 4JgS
20.4Jxe6+- . 17.tth7+ lit'fS1S.tthS+
.£lgS19.f4 .£lee7 20.g4 Etf7 21.Etae1
tte5+ 21...g6 does not prevent the
breakthrough with 22.f5 gxf5 23.4Jxf7
'itlxf7 24.gxf5 4Jxf5 setting up an obvi-
ous exchange sacrifice to enable the e5-
pawn to run. 25.~h7+ <;t>fS (25 ... <;t>eS
26.~xgS+ <;t>e7 27.~g5#) 26.El.xf5+
exf5 27.e6+-. 22.Ae3 tteS 23.f5+-
Etxf5 24.gxf5 .£lxf5 25.Etxf5+ exf5
26.e6 1-0 26.e6 threatens the bishop
262
and opens e5 for the bishop. 26 ... Axe6
27.Ad4 <;t>e7 28.~xg7+ <;t>d6 (28. .. 'itldS
29.4Jxe6++-) 29.4Jxe6 and the rest is
just another fun mating exercise:
29 ... 4Je7 30.Ac5+ <;t>c6 (30 ... 'itld7
31.~xe7+ <;t>c6 32.4Jd4#) 31.4Jd4+
<;t>xc5 32.~xe7+ <;t>b6 33.~b4+ <;t>c7
34.~c5+ <;t>bS 35.~d6+ ~c7 36.El.eS#.
(196) Gazi - Jurcisin
Trencin 1991
French Defense [C06]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3 ..£ld2 .£lf6 4.e5
.£lfd7 5.Ad3 e5 6.e3 .£le6 7 ..£le2
ttb6 S..£lf3 f6 9.exf6 .£lxf610.0--0
Ad611.Ete1 0--0 12..£lf4 .£le413.g3
exd414.exd4 Ab415.Axe4 Axel
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
With the Ae4 en prise, the decision to
initiate the sacrifice was an easy one
here, but it comes nonetheless after an
apparent exchange sacrifice. White can
count here on two additional assets, the
dark-square bishop and the 4Jf4 which
powerfully assists the queen in reach-
ing h5 in the <;t>h6 line. In the <;t>gS line,
the 4Jf4 delivers the mate if the El.f8 re-
treats to dS. And so, once again, Black
must defend with El.f5 when the knight
delivers the breakthrough on e6.
16.Axh7+ lit'xh717..£lg5+ lit'gS The
knight on f4 plays the same support role
here as would a knight on g3. 17 ... 'itlh6
18.~h5#. lS.tth5 Etf5 The best re-
 Games
sistance comes from IS ... ~xf2+ but
White is not obligated to accept the
offer: 19.~g2 §f6 20.'l11h7+ <it'fS
21.'l11hS+ rtJe7 22.'l11xg7++- winning
the rook outright. And not IS ... §dS
when the <tlf4 assists the mate in two
19.'l11f7+ <it'hS 20.<tlg6#. 19.~eS+
Missing the quickest path with
19.'l11h7+ rtJfS 20.<tlgxe6+ Axe6
21.<tlxe6+ 'tJe7 (21...rtJf7 22.'l11xf5+ +-;
21...<it'eS 22.<tlxg7++-) 22.'l11xf5+-.
19 ..• EtfS 20.~g6 EtfS 21.4)fxe6
,1},xf2+ 22.Cjffg2 EtxgS No better is
22 ... Axe6 23. 'l11xe6+ +-. 23. ~eS+
Cjffh7 24.4) xgS+ Cjffh6 2S.g4 It's mate
in ten says Fritz 12 after 25.'l11gS.
2S ... ,1lxg4 26. ~xa8 ,1lxd4 27. ~hS+
Cjffg6 28.~eS+ Cjffh6 29.4)e6+ Cjffh7
30.4)fS+ CjffgS 31.4)d7+ Cjffh7
32.4)xb6 ,1lxb6 33.,1ld2 4)d4
34.Etfl4)e23S.EtfSl-O
(197) De Smet - Szylkrot
Correspondence 1991
Bird's Opening [A02]
l.f4 b6 2.b3 ,1lb7 3.,1lb2 4)f6 4.e3
e6 S.4)f3 ,1lb4 6.Ae2 4)c6 7.0-0 0-
o S.a3 Ae7 9.4)c3 a6 10. ~el as
11.~g3 dS 12.4)bS 4)a713.4)xa7
Etxa714.,1ld3,1la6
8 stead 22 ... g6 23.'l11g4 .1lh6 the mobile
7 pawn provides a timely shot, 24.e6+-.
6 23.Etg3 Cjffh7 24.Etfl +- cS 2S.e6 f6
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
This sacrifice occurs with Black's knight
on f6, a highly unusual occurrence. The
263
'l11g3 and Ab2 obviously combine for
mate on g7 if the <tlf6 moves, and so
the sacrifice begins with two additional
assets, the strongly posted Ab2 and
the §f1, under attack but able to swing
quickly into the attack via f3. In the
'tJgSline, the immediate 'l11g3-h4 threat-
ens mate, giving White the additional
time to swing the §f1-f3-h3 with a win-
ning advantage. lS.Axh7+ Cjffxh7
16.4)gS+ CjffgS The white 'l11g3 is al-
ready well-placed to discourage both
the <it'h6 and 'tJg6 lines. 16 ... 'tJh6
17 ..1lxf6Axf61S.'l11h4+<it'g619.'l11h7#;
and 16... rtJg6 17.<tlxe6+ +- winning the
queen. 17.~h4 eS Black must find
some way to stop the threat of .1lxf6.
Black's best try appears to be 17 ... d4
trading the pawn for open lines.
IS.Axd4 e5 19..1lxe5 §eS 20.§f3 .1le2
with the idea of responding to §h3 with
<tlh5 21..1lxf6 .1lxf6 and now the king
has its escape route 22.§h3 'tJfS
23.<tlh7+ <it'e7 24.<tlxf6 gxf6 25.'l11f2
.1la6 26.e4 ±. Less accurate is 17 ... §eS
IS.§f3 .1le2 19.§h3 <tlh5 20.§el +-.
IS.Etf3 ,1lc819.g4 Axg4 On 19 ...'l11d7
White breaks through with 20.§g3 d4
2l.fxe5+-. 20.fxeS 4)hS The mate
threat on h7 permits White to ignore
20 ... .1lxf3 or 20 ... .1lh5 with 21.exf6+-.
21.~xg4 AxgS 22.~xhS Ah6 Ifin-
25 .. .fxe6 26.§xfS 'l11xfS 27.'l11g6+ and
both retreats cost a bishop, 27 ... 'tJgS
(27 ... 'tJhS 2S. 'l11xh6+ +-) 2S.'l11xh6.
26.~g6+ CjffhS 27.Eth3 d4 2S.Etf4
Ete7 29.Etfh41-0 Black prefers resign-
ing to allowing the exchange sacrifice
on h6, 29 ... 'l11c7 30.§xh6+ gxh6
31. 'l11xh6+ +- .
 Sacking the Citadel
(198) Weijers, F - Lutgens, WE
Correspondence 1992
French Defense [C02]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 4)c6
5.4)f3 Ad7 6.Ae2 cxd4 7.cxd4
Ah4+ S.4)c3 4)ge7 9.0-0 0-0
10.Ae3 4)f511.~cl4)xe312.fxe3
~cS 13.Ad3 ~e7 14.Ahl Axc3
15.~xc3 4)b416.~xcS ~xcS17.a3
4)c61S.h4.1le8
abc d e f g h 23.~f2 4Jxe5 24.dxe5 ~xe5 25.g4
White's additional assets are the secure
e5-pawn the ~f1 on an open file. The
notable concern for White is the ab-
sence of the dark-square bishop and the
h4-pawn which prevents the usual
~g4-h4 maneuver in the ~h6 line. In
the ~h6Iine, White's attack is winning
but requires more precision than White
offered. 19.Axh7+ ~xh7 20.4)g5+
~h6 The toughest defense because
White does not have a dark-square
bishop and because the white h-pawn
prevents ~g4-h4. In the ~g8Iine, Black
must use time with ... ~d7 or .. :~c7 to
create luft for his king on e7. The result
is that White can infiltrate quickly with
~h7+ and ~xg7+, when black is pow-
erless to prevent the promotion of the
h-pawn. 20 ... ~g8 21.~h5 ~d7 (creat-
ing luft on e7) 22.~h7+ ~f8 23.h5 ~e7
24.~xg7 ~d8 25.h6+-. The ~g6line
is destroyed by 21.~d3+ since 21...f5
264
22.exf6 e.p. is check with the ~f1 hold-
ing the f-pawn. 20 ... ~g6 21.~d3+ f5
(21...~h5 22.~h7+ ~g4 23.~f4+ ~g3
24.4Je4+ dxe4 25.~xg7+ +-) 22.exf6+
~h5 23.~h7+ ~g4 24.§.f4+ ~g3
25.~c2+-. 21.~c2 21.~g4 (with the
idea of~f4) 21...g6 22.~f4 ~g7 23.h5
~g8 (not 23 ... gxh5 opening the g-file
for 24.~g3+-) 24.~h4 §.c7 25.§.f3
(the threat of a rook swing requires ac-
tive defense) 25 ... 4Jxe5 (25 ... 4Jd8
26.§.h3+-) 26.dxe5 §.c1 + 27.~h2 §.c4
28.~g3 ~f8 29.4Jxe6 ~h6 30.4Jf4+-.
21. •.g6 21...f5? (now the en passant
capture hits the queen) 22.exf6 Ag6,
(the white queen turns into a marauder)
23.~xc6+-. 22.~f6 Not 22.~f2 ~g7
23.~f4 4Jd8 24.h5 (but Black has the
time to repost the bishop on the key
bl-h7 diagonal) 24 ... ~b5 25.§.f3 Ad3
26.h6+ ~h8-+ . 22 .•• ~d7 Or 22 ...~c7
~c7 -+. 23. ~f2 4)dS 24.h5 ~c1 +
24 ... ~a4 25.~f4 ~dl + 26.~f2
(26.~h2 ~xh5+) 26 ... ~xh5 when
White has a remarkable rook sacrifice
that nets the queen. 27.§'xg6+! ~xg6
(27 ... ~xg6 28.~f6#) 28.4Jxe6+ ~h7
29.4Jf8+ +-; 24 ... ~xg5 25.~f4+ ~xh5
26.~h2+-, aiming for '<fth3 and g4#.
25.~h2 ~g7 26.~f4 26.~f4 is
strong, but best is 26.h6+! +- when
Black has four choices:
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
Position after 26.h6+ (analysis)
 Games
(a) 26 ... ~fS 27.h7 ~g7 when a mate in
four starts with a spectacular rook sac-
rifice: 2SJhg6+! fxg6 29.hS~+ ~xhS
30.~fS#; (b) 26 ... '<t>xh6 and the same
rook sacrifice is in play: 27.§xg6+!
~xg6 (27 ... fxg6 2S.~h4+ '<t>g7
29.~h7+ '<t>fS 30.~hS+ ~e7 31.~f6#)
28.~f6+ ~h5 29.4Jh3+-; (c) 26 ... '<t>hS
when the rook sacrifice is now on f7:
27.§xfl 4Jxfl (27 ... Axfl 28.~f6++-)
28.~f6++-; and (d) 26 ... 'it'gS 27.h7+
'it'g7 (27 ... 'it'hS 28.§xg6 fxg6 29.~fS#)
and once again, the sacrifice is on g6:
2S.§ xg6+ ~xg6 29. ~f6+ '<t>h5
30.hS~+ '<t>g4 31. ~h3 #. 26 •.. Elc7
27.h6+ White wins easily with
27.~h4+-. 27••• 'it'hS 2S.Elxe6 Miss-
ing the right sacrifice: 28.§xg6+- fxg6
29.~fS#. 2S •• :~xe6 29•.£lxe6 .£lxe6
30..~f3 Yz-Yz
(199) Stisis - Burmakin
Ajka 1992
Caro-Kann Defense [B 14]
1.e4 c6 2.d4 dS 3.exdS cxdS 4.c4 .£lf6
S . .£lc3 e6 6 . .£lf3 .1le7 7.cS 0-0
S ..1ld3 b6 9.b4 as 10. .£la4 .£lfd7
1l.h4 bxcS 12.bxcS Aa6 13•.1lf4
Ele8
8 bishop capture leads to the same mate
7 as after 15 ... Axg5: 16 ... Axg5 17.hxg5
6 f5 18.g6 '<t>fS19.~hS+ ~e7 20.~xg7 #.
5 17.~xf7+ 'it'hS lS.hS ElfS Or
4
3
2
abcdefgh
We have observed that the h4-pawn can
be a liability when it blocks 'l1fg4-h4.
265
But here, with the dark-square bishop,
Black cannot seriously consider the
'<t>h6 line. In the game, Black tries the
'<t>gS line, which succeeds for White
despite the possibility of ... 4Jf6 because
the ~h5 attacks both h7 and f7.
14.Axh7+ 'it'xh7 lS . .£lgS+ 'it'gS
Black lines involving .ilxg5 simply open
the h-file with effect. 15 ... .ilxg5
16.hxg5+ ~g6 (The retreat with
16 ... ~gS leads to an interesting vari-
ant of the traditional mate in five:
17.~h5 f5 lS.g6 ~fS 19.~hS+ '<t>e7
20.~xg7#) 17.~h5+ '<t>f5 while the
advance to f5 allows a mate in five:
lS.g6+ '<t>e4 (lS ... ~xf4 19.4Jc3 with
g3#; lS ... ~f619.~g5#) 19.~f3+ '<t>f5
20.Ae5+ '<t>xg6 (20 ... '<t>g5 21.~h5#)
21.~h5 #. In the '<t>g6Iine, an immedi-
ate h5 drives the black king to the f-file
when White can easily mount the pres-
sure. 15 ... 'it'g616.h5+ (or 16.~g4+-)
16 ... ~f6 (16 ... '<t>f5 17.g4+ '<t>xf4
lS.4Jh3+ ~e4 19.4Jc3#) 17.~f3 g6
lS.Ad2+ '<t>g7 19.~xfl++-. 16.~hS
.£lf6 Black can occupy the key diago-
nal with 16 ... Ad3 but White forces
through with the capture on f7.
17.~xf7+ 'it'hS and then on e6
18.4Jxe6+- with an attack on the queen
and support for the mate on g7. The
lS ... AfS 19.h6+-. 19.~g6 ~eS
There's no meaningful defense in
19 ... Ad3 20.~xd3 ~eS 21.h6 g6
22.4Jb6 +- . 20..£l xe6 ~xg6 21.hxg6+
'it'gS 22..£lxfS .£lc6 22 ... .ilxfSloses to
23.4Jb6 §a7 24 ..ilxbS+-. 23 . .£le6
.£lb4 24.()....6....() .£ld3+ 2S.'it'c2 .£lxf2
26..£lc7 Ela7 27..£l xa6 Elxa6 28.Elbl
.£lxh129.Elb8+ AfS 30..£lb61-0
 Sacking the Citadel

(200) Kasparov - Fritz 2 Computer the usual knight sacrifice) 17.~h7+

Cologne 1992 'ittxg5 (it's mate in six) IB.h4+ 'ittg4
Caro-Kann Defense [B 15] 19.~xg7+ 'it'f5 (19 ... 'itth5 20.~g5#)
20.~g5+ 'it'e4 21.0-0 1.ta6 22.1:':lxf4+
l.e4 c6 2.~c3 e6 3.d4 d5 4.e5 ~d7 1:':lxf4 23.~xf4#. 16... 13xf417.~xf4
5.f4 Ab4 6.~f3 ~e7 7.a3 Axc3+ ~g618.~f7++- \tIh719.~g3~h4
8.bxc3 0--0 9.Ad3 b6 20.~xh4+ ~xh4 21.0-0 ~f5
22.~d6 Aa6 23.13xf5 exf5 24.e6
8 Ae2 25.13el Ah5 26.e7 Ae8
7 27.~ xf5 g6 28.~d6 \tIg7 29.h4 \t'f6
6 30.g4 13b8 31.\tIf2 a5 32.\tIg3 a4
5 33.g5+ \tIg7 34.h5 gxh5 35.\tIh4 b5
36.~xe8+ 13xe8 37.\tIxh5 \tIf7
4
38.\tIg4 13xe7 39.13xe7+ \tIxe7
3
40.\tIf5 \tIf7 41.\tIe5 \tIg6 42.\tId6
2
\tIxg5 43.\tIxc6 \tIf4 44.\tIxd5 \tIf5
45.\tIc6 \tIf4 46.d5 \tIe31-O
abc d e f g h
(201) Fiorito - Lida Garcia
It is refreshing to see a human, albeit Buenos Aires 1992
the world champion, use the sacrifice Sicilian Defense [B82]
to defeat a strong computer. For
Kasparov, the white position involves l.e4 c5 2.~c3 e6 3.~f3 a6 4.d4
two additional assets, the secure e5- cxd4 5.~xd4 ~c7 6.f4 d6 7.Ad3
pawn and the dark-square bishop. In ~f6 8.~f3 ~c6 9.0-0 b5 10.\tIhl
the 'it'g6 line, as played by the com- Ae7 11. ~el 0-0 12.a3 13e8 l3.e5
puter, Kasparov won convincingly by ~d714.~g3 ~c515.f5 dxe516.f6
steering the position into a won Axf617.j},g5 AdS 18.AxdS ~xdS
endgame, but he misses a prettier and
quicker win, a mate in nine according to
Fritz 12, with 16.~h4!. 10.Axh7+
\tIxh711.~g5+ \tIg6 In the 'ittgBline,
with the black knights on d7 and e7, the
capture on f7 and 4::lxe6 ends the game
quickly. 11...'ittgB 12.~h5 1:':leB
13.~xf7+ 'it'hB14.4::lxe6+-. In the 'itth6
line, ~g4 and then f5 activates the dark-
square bishop. 11...'itth6 12.~g4 1:':lhB
13.f5+-. 12.~g4 Also winning is
12.~d3+ 4::lf5 (12 ... f5 13.~g3 ~eB abcdefgh
14.4::lxe6+ 'it'f715.4::lxg7 1:':lgB16.4::lxeB
1:':lxg3 17.4::ld6++-) 13.g4 f6 White can rely upon two additional as-
14.4::lxe6+-. 12 ..• ~xe5 l3.fxe5 f5 sets, the 1:':lf1 and the 4::lc3, btlt White is
14.~g3 f415.~g4 \tIh616.Axf4 already down a pawn at the time of the
Most accurate is 16.~h4+! 'it'g6 (with sacrifice, Black's king rook has already

266
 Games
vacated f7, while the 4Jd8 and Yffc7 are
both defending f7. Black defended cor-
rectly with 'it>g8, when White, playing
aggressively, triumphs with help from
Black. The key line with 23.i£1h8+ once
again involves an endgame in which
White has a persistent edge thanks to
the passed kingside pawns. 19.j},xh7+
~xh7 20.4)g5+ ~g8 In the 'it'h6Iine,
White quickly forces the black king to
capture the 4Jg5 when the activity of
the Elfl-f3 eases the finish. 20". 'it'h6
21.Yffh4+ 'it'g6 22.i£1h7+ 'it'xg5 23.h4+
'it'g4 24.Yffxg7+ 'it'xh4 25.Elf3+-. With
the white queen already on the g-file,
'it'g6 steps into a nasty discovered
check and mate. 20".'it'g6 21.4Jxe6+
'it'h6 22.Yffxg7+ 'it'h5 23.Yffg5#.
21.'~h4 f5 21...f6 invites a rook sacri-
fice on f6 22.i£1h7+ 'it'fB 23.Elxf6++-.
22. 'lth7+ ~f8 23.E!xf5+ Opening the
d5-square for the knight fork. Somewhat
less forcing is 23.i£1h8+ 'it'e7 24.i£1xg7+
'it'd6 25.Elad1 + 'It'c6 when the black
king reaches the queenside: 26.i£1g6
Elf8 27.4Jd5 i£1b7 28.Yffh6 Elg8 29.i£1f6
4Jd7 30.4Je7+ 'it'b6 31.'lii'h6 Elxg5
32.Yffxg5 i£1c7 33.Elxf5 ~b7 (33".exf5
34.4Jd5+) 34.Elf2 but White, with the
connected kingside passers, once again
has a highly favorable endgame.
23 ...exf5 24.'lth8+ 24.4Jd5 Yfff7! and
Black emerges with a rook and two
pieces for the queen: 25.4Jxf7 4Jxf7
26.4Jc7 Ele6 27.4Jxe6+ (27.4Jxa8 Elh6)
27 ... ~xe6:j:. 24••• ~e7 25.4)d5+ ~d6
Correctly avoiding 25 ... 'lt'd7
26.'lii'xg7+ +-. 26.'ltxe8 ~xd5
27.E!d1 + ~c4 28.E!xd8 Ad7? Nec-
essary was 28 ... b4! 29.a4
b3+.29.'ltf7+! 4)e6 Or 29 ... 'lt'd4
30.4Je6+ 4Jxe6 31.Elxd7+ +- . 30.E!xd7
1-0
267
(202) Al Modiahki- Handoko
Doha 1992
Petroff Defense
1.e4 e5 2.4)f3 4)f6 3.4) xe5 d6 4.4)f3
4)xe4 5.d4 d5 6.Ad3 j},d6 7.0-0 0-0
8.c4 c6 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.4)c3 4) xc3
1l.bxc3 Ag4 12.E!b1 b6 13.E!b5
AC714.h3 a615.hxg4 axb5
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
The sacrifice is problematic when the
initiator has only one additional asset,
in this case the dark-square bishop. In
the 'It'g8 line, the g4-pawn prevents the
white queen from reaching h5, forcing
White to try i£1d3. The result is that the
white queen must enter the kings ide on
h7, giving the black king an opportu-
nity to run to and hide on b7.
16.Axh7+ ~xh717.4)g5+ ~g8 The
'It'g6 line turns the g4-pawn into the
second asset, and White wins quickly
with i£1d3+. 17 ... 'lt'g6 18.i£1d3+ f5
19.Ele1 +- with the unstoppable threat
of Ele6+. If instead Black tries to run
with 18".'ittf6 19.i£1f5+ 'It'e7 20.Ele1 +
'It'd6 White can continue with the im-
pressive 21.Ele6+! 'It'd7 (not 21...fxe6
22.i£1xe6#) 22.Elf6+ 'It'e8 (22".'itte7
23.Elxf7+ Elxf7 24.i£1xf7+ 'it'd6
25.'lii'e6#) 23.Elxf7 +-. 18.'ltd3 E!e8
18".g6 White simply swings the queen:
19.Yffh3 +- when ". i£1xg5 will be needed
 Sacking the Citadel
to prevent mate. 19. ~h7+ <if}f8
20.~h8+ <if}e7 21.~xg7 <if}d7
22.4)xfi ~e7 23.jtg5 ~f8 24.~h7
<if}c6 25. ~g6+ <if}b7 26. ~f5 ~g8 Or
26 ... 4Jc6. 27.~xd5+ <if}a7 28.laal
Black is secure after 28.a4 bxa4 29.Elal
4Ja6-+. 28 ••• laf8 The best defense is
28. .. 4Ja6 29.a4 b4 -+. 29.a4 b4 30.a5
~xfi 31.axb6+? White's best chance
is 31.~xf7 Elxf7 32.axb6+ 'it'b7 33.Elxa8
.1lxb6 34.Ela2 bxc3 35.d5 4Ja6+.
31 ... <if}xb6 32.~xfi White had to try
32.~c5+ 'it'b7 33.~xb4+ 'it'c6 and
White's attack is out of fuel, 34.d5+ 'it'd7
35. ~b5+ 'it'c8 -+ . 32... laxal + 0--1
(203) Vogel- Pohl
Correspondence 1993
French Defense [C 15]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.4)c3 Ab4 4.a3
Axc3+ 5.bxc3 dxe4 6.f3 c5 7.labl
4)c68.Ab5 Ad79.~e2 ~a510.fxe4
~xc3+ 1l.Ad2 ~xd412.4)f3 ~d6
13.0--0 4)ge714.Ac3 0--0 15.e5 ~c7
16.Ad3 4)f517.g4 4)fe7
abc d e f g h venting the mate, but White has a simple
Once again, a well played correspon-
dence game. White's e5-pawn is sup-
ported by the dark-square bishop on
c3, both rooks are active, and even the
g-pawn provides an assist against f7-
f5 or 4Jf5 and by supporting ~h7-h5.
In the game, Black entered the 'it'g81ine,
268
where White's accurate play with 23.e6
is instructive. 18.Axh7+ <if}xh7
19.4)g5+ <if}g8 In the 'it'g61ine, ~d3+
comes with check, limiting Black's op-
tions. Blocking the check with f5 or 4Jf5
once again makes the g-pawn a useful
asset. 19 ... 'it'g6 20.~d3+ when all of
Black's responses fall short: (a) 20 ... 4Jf5
21.gxf5+ exf5 22.~g3+- threatening
4Jxe6 and mate; (b) 20 .. .f5 21.exf6+ 4Jf5
is again hopeless 22.4Jxe6 (decimating
the defense) 22 ... 1.txe6 23.gxf5+ 1.txf5
(23 ... 'it'f7 24.fxe6+ 'it'xe6 25.~f5+ 'it'f7
26.fxg7+ +- ) 24.~xf5+ +- with mate in
a few. As we have frequently seen, the
king capture on g5 after 21.exf6 runs
into a mating net: 21...'it'xg5 22.1.td2+
'it'xg4 (22 ... 'it'h4 23.~h7+ 'it'xg4 24.h3+
'it'g3 25.Elb3#) 23.h3+ 'it'h4 (23 ... 'it'h5
24.~h7#) 24.~h7+ 'it'g3 25.Elb3#; (c)
20 ... 'it'xg5 (even the bishop gets to join
the attack) 21.1.td2+ 'it'xg4 (21...'it'h4
22.~g3#) 22.~g3+ 'it'h5 23.~g5#;
and (d) 20 ... 'it'h6 with a nice mate in
two: 21.~h7+ 'it'xg5 22.~h5#. In the
'it'h6 line, ~d3 leads to mate in every
line despite the placement of the dark-
square bishop on c3. 19 ... 'it'h6 20.~d3
and now: (a) 20 ... 'it'xg5 21.1.td2+ 'it'xg4
(21...'it'h4 22.~g3#) 22.~g3+ 'it'h5
23.~g5#; (b) 20 ... Elh8 21.4Jxf7#; (c)
20 ... 4Jg6 21.~h3+ 'it'xg5 (21...4Jh4
22.~xh4+ 'it'g6 23.~h5#) 22.~h5#;
(d) 20 ... g6 21.~h3+ 'it'xg5 22 ..1ld2#;
and (e) 20 ... 4Jf5 21.~h3+ 'it'xg5
22.~h5#. 20.~d3 4)f5 20 ... g6 pre-
queen swing to the h-file 21.~h3+-;
20 ... 4Jg6 (preventing ~h8, but the
white rook can reach f7 with support)
21.~h3 Elfe8 22.~h7+ 'it'f8 23.Elxf7#;
20 ... f5 21.exf6 4Jf5 White barges
through with an exchange sacrifice. If
instead 21...g6, White wins easily by
taking the knight, advancing the f-pawn
 Games
to f7, or with 'ii¥h3. 22.~xf5 exf5
23.'ii¥h3+-. 21.gxf5 exf5 22.~h3
~feS 23.e6 23.'ii¥h7+ ~fS 24.e6 trans-
posing to the game. 23 .•• j},xe6
24.~h7+ CitlfS 25.j},xg7+ Citle7
26.4) xe61-0 The capture of the knight
exposes the king to devastating checks:
26 ... ~xe6 (not 26 .. .fxe6 27.~e5++-)
27.~bd1 (with the idea of 'ii¥xf5)
27 ... 4Jd4 2S.~xd4 cxd4 (2S ... ~gS+
29 ..ilg7) 29.'ii¥xf5+ ~e7 30.'ii¥xf7+
~dS31.~xd4++-.
(204) Staflin - Ahlander
Stockholm 1993
Trompowsky Attack [DOO]
1.d4 d5 2.j},g5 4)f6 3.j},xf6 exf6
4.e3 j},d6 5.c4 dxc4 6.j},xc4 0-0
7.4)c3 c6 S.4)ge2 4)d7 9.0-0 f5
10.~c2 4)f611.~fdl j},e612.~b3
j},xc413.~xc4
8 20 ... ~xe3+ 21.~xe3 'ii¥xe3#) 17 ... 'ii¥g6
7 lS.4Jg1 'ii¥h5+ 19.~g3 'ii¥h2+ 20.~f3
6 fxe4+ 21.~xg4 (21.4Jxe4 'ii¥h5 -+ )
5 21...h5+ (this time, it's a white king
4
3
2
a h c d e f g h
Black prepares the sacrifice here by ex-
changing on c4, bringing the white
queen to c5 where it will be vulnerable
to discoveries by the 4Jg4. The black
rooks reach the semi-open e-file to as-
sist, but when the sac occurs, Black can
point to only two single potential addi-
tional assets, bringing up a rook and
the advance of the f-pawn. The attack
succeeds but indeed, the lines are
tougher than usual. In the game, White
269
decides correctly on the ~g3Iine, where
Black is aided by the fact that the queen
cannot be dislodged from the g-file, giv-
ing Black the time required to bring up
the rooks. Note also the importance of
the weakness of the white e3-pawn af-
ter White plays f4. 13 •.• Axh2+
14.Citlxh2 4)g4+ 15.Citlg3 In the ~gl
line, the placement of the unanchored
white queen permits the attractive
17 ... 'ii¥x4Jg3. 15.~gl 'ii¥h4 16.4Jg3
(16.~f1 'ii¥xf2# or 16.g3 'ii¥h2+ 17.~f1
'ii¥xf2 #) 16 ... 'ii¥h2+ 17.~f1 'ii¥xg3!
lS.fxg3 4Jxe3+ -+. 15.~h3 'ii¥d6
(15 ...'ii¥g5 is less accurate because, af-
ter 16.f4, Black would need to move the
queen rather than bringing a rook to the
e-file ) (a) 16.f4 ~ aeS (demonstrating the
advantage of playing ... 'ii¥d6 rather than
... 'ii¥g5. Black threatens ... 'ii¥h6, ...'ii¥g6,
and ... ~xe3) 17.e4 (17.~d3 'ii¥h6+
lS.~g3 g5 19.fxg5 'ii¥xg5 20.~f3
(20.~h3 ~xe3+ 21.~xe3 4Jxe3-+;
forced out into a mating net) 22.~g5
(22.~f5 'ii¥g3-+) 22 ...'ii¥g3+ 23.~xh5
(23.~f5 'ii¥g4#) 23 ... g6+ 24.~h6
'ii¥xf4 # ; (b) 16.g3 'ii¥h6+ (the weakness
on f2 is telling) 17.~g2 'ii¥h2+ with
lS ... 'ii¥xf2#; and (c) 16.4Jf4 g5-+ or
16 ... 4Jxf2. 15 .•• ~g5 16.f4 ~g6
17.Citlf3 White can seek safety for the
queen, 17.'ii¥b3 4Jxe3+ 18.~f2 §feS,
but Black will now have time to aug-
ment the pressure on the e-file: 19.93
~e7 20.~h1 ~aeS 21.~ae1 c5 (open-
ing the a8-h 1 diagonal for the queen)
22.~gl (22.dxc5 'ii¥c6-+) 22 ... cxd4
23.4Jb5 ~e4-+. 17..• ~h5 lS.4)g3
On 18.~g3 Black infiltrates patiently
with lS ... 4Jxe3 19.'ii¥d3 ~aeS 20.~f2
'ii¥h4+ 21.g3 'ii¥h2+ 22.~e1 ~e6-+.

1S•• .Iile5+ 19.Cit'f2 ~xd120.~xd1
~ xc4 -+ 21.~ xf5 §.adS 22.g4 §.fe8
23.Cit'f3 g6 24.~h6+ Cit'g7 25.g5 f5
26.§.c1 ~d2+ 27.Cit'f2 §.d5 2S.§.c2
~e4+ 29.Cit'f3 §.e7 30.b3 §.a5 31.b4
§.b5 32.a3 a5 33.§.a2 §.eS 34.~b2
§.as 35.bxa5 ~c3 0-1
(205) Simon - Recktenwald
Fischbach 1993
Sicilian Defense [B47]
1.e4 c5 2.~f3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.~xd4
a6 5.~c3 ~c7 6.f4 ~c6 7.~f3 Ac5
S.e5 d5 9.~a4 ~a5+ 10.c3 Aa7
11.b4 ~c7 12.~b2 ~ge713.j},d3
Ad714.a3 §.dS15.~e2 0-0
8 queen has effective access to the h-file)
7 1B.'itid3 .§.hB (the rook is anchored, but
6 the rook move leaves f7 undefended;
5 on 1B ... g6 19.'itih3+ ~g7 20.'itih7# or
4 <-,..... .
11. ....
3
2
abc d e f g
This position demonstrates that
Vukovi6's hypothesis regarding the
need for at least two additional assets
does have its limitations. White can
point to a secure eS-pawn, the dark-
square bishop, the '§'hl-fl, and even
the possibility of the <£Ib2-d3-f4. But
Black's activity matters. Here, Black can
point to two active knights, pressure
from the <£Ic6 and 'itic7 on the eS-pawn,
and the very active Aa7. And the fact is
that the <£Ib2, the Ael, and the king's
rook are inactive. In the game, Black may
even be better in the ~g6line. White's
only hope there is an immediate fS, when
<£Id3 guards the eS-pawn again and
Sacking the Citadel
threatens <£If4. Black overreacts to the
threat missing the opportunity to give
back the material with ... <£IxeS.
16.j},xh7+ Cit'xh7 17.~g5+ Cit'g6 In
the'it>gB line, White can only draw be-
cause, with the <£Ie7, it matters that the
f4-pawn is blocking the bishop's access
to g5. 17... 'it>gB1B.'itihS .§.feB19.'itixf7+
(with the dark-square bishop unavail-
able to the attack, White cannot make
significant progress after 19.'itih7+ 'it'fB
20.'itihB+ <£1gB 21.<£Ih7+ 'it'e7 22.'itixg7
[22.fS? 'itixeS+ -+ ] 22 ... <£IxeS 23.'itixeS
[23.fxeS 'itixc3+ 24.Ad2 Af2+ 2S.'it'xf2
'itixd2+ 26.~g3 ~c6:j:] 23 ... .§.cB
24.Ad2 f6+) 19 ... 'it'hB 20.'itihS+ 'it'gB
21.'itif7+=. 17 ... ~h6 (the dark-square
bishop is buried here, but the white
1B ... <£IfS/1B .. .fS allow 19.'itih3+ 'it'g6
20.'itih7 #) 19.<£Ixf7+ ~hS 20.'itig3+-.
1S.f5+ 1B.fS is far superior to the alter-
natives: (a) 1B.'itig4? <£IxeS 19.fxe5
'itixeS+ -+ sealing out White's dark-
h square bishop; (b) 1B.h4? fS 19.hS+
~h6-+ when the black king is fully safe;
and (c) 1B.'itid3+? <£IfS 19.94 <£Ice7
20.'itih3 .§.hB-+ when the anchored
rook prevents progress. 1S..• ~ xf5 Not
1B ... exfS? When White activates the
<£Ib2-d3-f4. 19.<£Id3 <£IxeS 20.<£If4+
~xgS (avoiding 20 ... 'it'f6 21.<£Ih7# and
20 ... 'it'h621.'itihS#)21.<£IxdS++- (the
unusual discovered check wins the
queen). 19.~d3 j},e3? Unnecessary
panic. Black is fine, and perhaps win-
ning, after 19 ... <£IxeS! 20.<£IxeS+ 'it'f6
(aiming for relative safety on e7) 21.c4
Ad4 with more interest in the <£Id4 than
the rook (not 21...'itixeS? 22.'iJh7++-)
22.Af4 llc3+ (too greedy is 22 ... ~xa1
23.<£Ig4+ 'it'g6 [23 ... 'it'e7 24.11xc7 +- ]
270
 Games

24.Jlxc7 +-) 23. ~tf1 ~e7 24.4Jgf3 White has driven the knight off f6 and
(24.4Jg6+ fxg6 25.Jlxc7 4Jg3+ 26.~gl Black is not well poised to retake f6 or
4Jxe2 #) but now, Black gains enough to give back a piece on e5. White has
for the queen. 24 ... Jlxa1 25 ..£lg6+ fxg6 the secure e5-pawn, the dark-square
26.Jlxc7 .§.cB-+. 20 . .Q.xe3 .£Jxe3 bishop, and also the 4Jc3-e4, while
21. ~xe3 f6 22•.£Jf4+ ~f5 Once again, Black can point only to the itYcTs de-
the knight is poison: 22 ... ~xg5 fense of the f7-square. In the game,
23.itYg3+ ~f5 (23 ... ~h6 24.'li¥g6#) and Black tries ~g6 when White can choose
it's mate in five with 24 ..£lg6 .£lxe5 25.~ between three winning options.
0+ .£lf3+ 26 ..§.xf3++-. No better is 12•.Q.xh7+ ~xh713 ..£Jg5+ ~g6 In
22 ... ~h6 23.itYh3+ ~xg5 24.'li¥h5+ the ~gB line, with the black queen
~xf4 25 ..§.f1 + ~e3 26.itYe2#. 23.g4+ guarding fl, White's win comes from
The fastest path is 23.'li¥d3+ <it>g4 .£le4-f6 rather than 'li¥h 7 +. 13 ... ~gB
(23 ... <it>xf4 24.itYg3+ ~f5 25.0--0+ <it>g6 14.itYh5 .§.eB 15 ..£lce4 (15.'li¥h7+ ~fB
26 ..£lxe6+ +- ) 24 ..£le4 +- with mate in 16 ..£lge4 ~e7 17.a3 Jlxc3 1B.Jlg5+
four. 23 ... ~xg4 Obviously not ~d7 [lB .. .f6 19 ..£lxf6+-] 19 ..£lc5#)
23 ... ~xg5 24 ..£lxe6++-. 24.~f3+ 15 ... .£lc416.'li¥h7+ ~f817.itYhB+ ~e7
~xg5 And not 24 ... ~f5 25 ..£lxd5+ +-. 1B.'li¥xg7 ~d7 (18. .. .§.f819.a3) 19 ..£lxf7
25. ~h5+ Missing a mate in two: .§.e7 20 ..£lf6+ 4Jxf6 21.exf6+-.
25 ..§.gl + ~h6 (25 ... <it>h4 26.itYf2# or 14. ~e4+ There are other paths to the
25 ... ~f5 26 . .£ld3#) 26.'li¥h5#. win. 14.itYg4 f5 15.'li¥h4 transposes to
25 ... ~xf4 26.0-0+ ~e3 27.~f3+ the game, or 15.'li¥g3 'li¥d7 16.itYh4+-
~d2 28.E!.a2 "" 1-0 or even 14.'li¥d3+ f5 15.'li¥h3. 14...f5
And of course, the king retreats meet
(206) Podzielny - Freese mate. 14 ... ~h5 15.'li¥h7+ ~g4 16.f3#
Correspondence 1993 or 16.h3# or 16.itYh3# and 14 ... ~h6.
Queen's Gambit Accepted [D24] 15.'li¥h7#.15.~h4 ThreateningitYh7#
and taking advantage of the black
l.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3 ..£Jf3 .£Jf6 4 •.£Jc3 rook's inability to fight for the h-file.
e6 5.e3.Q.b4 6 ..Q.xc4 0-0 7.0-0 c6 Less convincing is 15.exf6+?! ~xf6 (ob-
8.~e2 .£Jbd7 9.e4 .£Jb6 10..Q.d3 viously not 15 ... ~h5 16.itYh7+ ~g4
~c711.e5 .£Jfd5 17.f3 #) 16.itYh4 ~e7 17.4Jh7+ ~eB
1B ..£lxfB ~xf8 19.'li¥hB+ ~f7 20.4Je4
8 Jle7 2Ulg5=. 15... .£Jf616.exf6 gxf6
7 The verdict is the same if Black cap-
6 tures first on c3. 16... Jlxc3 17.bxc3 gxf6
5 1B ..£lxe6 Jlxe6 19. 'li¥h6+ ~f7
20.'li¥h7+ +-. And not 16 ... Jld6 17.g4
4
fxg4 1B.fxg7 itYxg7 19.'li¥xg4+- (a
3
knight to e4 is next). 17..£J xe6 ~h7 On
2
17 ... Jlxe6 the black queen falls:
1B.'li¥h6+ ~f7 19.'li¥h7+ +-. 18..£Jxf8+
abc d e f g h .Q.xf819.~xh7+ ~xh7 20.E!.el +-
.Q.d7 21..Q.f4 .£Jc4 22.b3 .£Jb2
23.E!.e3 ~g6 24.E!.bl.Q.a3 25.E!.g3+

271
 Sacking the Citadel
r:l/f7 26.Jlc1 EleS 27.Ele3 ElgS
2S.Jlxb2 f4 29.Jlxa3 fxe3 30.fxe3
Jlf5 31.e4 Jlh3 32.g31-0
(207) McMahon - Deery
Correspondence 1993
Caro-Kann Defense [D47]
1.c4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.~c3 ~f6 4.e3
~bd7 5.~f3 e6 6.Jld3 dxc4 7.Jlxc4
j'tb4 S.O--O 0--0 9.Ad2 ~b610.Jld3
j'td711.e4 'lP/c7? 12.e5 ~fd5
8 (Nimzowitsch). 15 .•• f5 15 ... f6
7 16 ..£1xe6+ walking into a self-pin
6 16... 'ittf7 which White breaks with a the-
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h (retreating outside the reach ofthe dis-
A position that is nearly identical to the
last game, save the addition of a move
pair, Ad2 and Ad7, and more impor-
tantly the white queen on dl rather than
e2. As is clear, the additional moves do
not alter the conclusion in the 'ittg61ine,
although the black rooks now commu-
nicate, permitting Black to defend suc-
cessfully with E!.hB. Indeed, with just a
small change, the white queen no longer
has immediate access to d3 or e4. The
most efficient win now is 15.h4 al-
though 15.'lfrg4 as played in the game
is sufficient. 13.j'txh7+ r:l/xh7
14.~g5+ r:l/g6 In the 'ittgBline, White
wins with either a rook swing after f4 or
with .£1e4-f6. 14 .. .'it'gB 15. 'lfrh5 E!.feB
16 ..£1ce4+- (16.'t1i'xf7+ ~hBI7.f4+-).
15.'lP/g4 The most efficient path is
15.h4! threatening h5+ 15 ... E!.hB (on
15 ... f6 16.h5+ 'itth6 [not 16 ... 'ittf5
272
17.g4*] 17.'t1i'c2 f5 IB ..£1xe6++-)
16.'t1i'c2+ (even more accurate than the
immediate discovery) 16.. .f5 The king
retreats are suicide: 17.exf6+ '<fi>xf6
(17 ... 'itth5 IB.g4+ ~xh4 [IB ... '<fi>xg4
19.'lfrg6+-] 19.'lfre4+-) IBAJce4+
'itte7 (IB ... ~g6 19.h5+ '<fi>xh5
[19 ... E!.xh5 20 ..£1g3+ +- ] 20 ..£1g3+ ~g4
21.'t1i'dl++-) 19.Axb4+ .£1xb4
20. 't1i'c5+ +- showing offthe versatility
of the queen on c2. Also winning is the
immediate 15.'lfrc2+ f5 16.exf6+ ~xf6
17 ..£1ce4+ '<fi>g6 IB.h5+ +-
matic knight sacrifice on e6. 17. 't1i'xg7 +!
'<fi>xe6 IB.exf6 (opening the e-file for the
rooks) IB ... .£1xc3 19.E!.fel+ '<fi>d6
20.'t1i'g3++- when White can win the
black queen or pursue Fritz 12's mate in
10. 16.'lP/g3 'lP/cSI6 .. .f4 17.Axf4 't1i'cB
coveries) 18..£1xe6+ 'ittf719.'t1i'xg7+ (of-
fering a second piece) 19 ... '<fi>xe6
20.'lfrg6+ .§.f6 (the king dare not retreat
to e7 allowing White's dark-square
bishop to develop actively) 21.exf6
.£1xf4 22.E!.fel+ ~d6 23.'lfrg3+-.
17.~ xe6+ r:l/f7 IS. 'lP/xg7+! r:l/xe6
19. 'lP/g6+ ~f6 20.exf6 j'txc3
21.Elfe1 + r:l/d5 22.Ele5+ r:l/d6
23.bxc3 Better is 23.'t1i'g3! E!.xf6
24.E!.xf5+ with a crushing attack:
24 ... 'itte7 25.'t1i'g7+ ~e6 26.'t1i'xf6*.
23 ••• ElgS 24.'lP/f7 Or 24.'t1i'h5 .£1c4
25.Af4 .£1xe5 26.~xe5+ ~e6
27.E!.el+-. 24 ••. 'lP/fS 25.'lP/b3 r:l/c7
26.Af4 r:l/cS 27.f7 White also breaks
through with 27.E!.ael E!.g4 2B.f7 E!.xf4
29.E!.eB+ 'ittc7 30.E!.xfB E!.xfB 31.d5 +-.
27 ••• Elg7 2S.Jlh6 2B.E!.a5+-, threat-
ening 't1i'xb6. 2S •.. 'lP/xf7 ~9.Axg7
'lP/xg7 30.Elael r:l/c7 31.a4 ElgS 32.g3
~cS 33.f4 ElhS 34.c4 'lP/g4 35.c5
 Games
!!g8 36.a5 !!g7 37.!!bl ~xf4
38. ~xb7+ ~d8 39. ~b2 ~g4 4O.a6
f441.!!f1 !!g8 42. ~d2? Overlooking
42.1'!e4+-. 42 ••. fxg3 43.h3 ~xh3
44. ~g2 ~h6 45.!!f3 Jth3 46. ~c2
Jtft 47.!!ee3 !!h8-+ 48.~xfl
~hl + 49.~e2 !!h2+ 50.~d3 !!xc2
51.!!f8+ ~d7? 52.!!f7+ ~d8
53.!!f8+ ~7 54.~xc2 ~h2+ 55.~b3
g2 56.!!f7+ ~b8 57.~c4 gl~
58.!!b7+ ~a8 59.!!d3 ~c2+ 0-1
(208) Kuper - Urbanczyk
Gennany 1993
French Defense [C 19]
l.e4e6 2.d4d5 3.4)c3 Ab44.e5c5 5.a3
Jtxc3+ 6.bxc3 4)e7 7.a4 ~a5 8.Jtd2
4)bc69.Jtd3 Jtd710.4)f30--0
abc d e f g h capture the rook because of 22 ... i*b2)
White has the most common pair of
additional assets, the secure e5-pawn
and the dark-square bishop. Black's
position is notable for the liJe7 and the
~a5, which generates pressure on c3
and opens the d8 escape square for the
king. In the 'it'g6 line, White takes ad-
vantage of the 1'!hl to continue with
h4-h5. 1l.Jtxh7+ ~xh7 11...'i!thS
12.liJg5 (much better than retreating the
bishop) And now, 12 ... g6 13.~f3 with
theideaof~h3.13 ... liJf514.~xg6'i!tg7
15.~xf5 1-0 Haddad-Moosavi, Iran
1997. Or 12 ... liJgS 13.~xgS 'i!txgS
14.~h51'!feS 15.i£th7+ 'it'f8 (it appears
273
that the black king may be able to reach
safety on e7) 16.liJe4! (opening lines
for the dark-square bishop) 16 ... dxe4
(16 ... 'i!te7 17.~g5+ f6 [17 ... 'i!tfS
IS.i£thS#] IS.~xf6+ 'it'f7 19.i£txg7 #)
17.i£thS+ 'i!te7 IS.Ag5+ f6 19.Axf6+
gxf6 (19 ... 'i!tf7 20.i*xg7#) 20.i*xf6#.
12.4)g5+ ~g6 In the 'it'gSline, White
correctly captures on h7 and inserts a
c-pawn push before Ag5 in order to
limit Black's counterplay. 12 ... 'i!tgS
13.i£th5 1'!feS 14.i£th7+ ~fS 15.c4
(15.i£thS+ liJgSI6.liJh7+ ~e717.Ag5+?
f6 IS.i£txg7+ 'it'dS 19.Axf6+ liJxf6
20.i£txf6+ 'it'c7-+) 15 ... liJb416.i£thS+
liJgSI7.liJh7+ 'it'e71S.~g5+ f619.liJxf6
liJxc2+ 20.'it'f1 liJe3+ 21.'i!tgl liJf5
22.liJxeS+ 'i!tf7 (22 ... 'i!txeS 23.i£txgS #)
23.liJxg7 liJxg7 24.Af6 liJxf6
25.i£txaS+-. 13.h4 13.i*g4? f6 (forc-
ing the knight to move before White
can bring up reinforcements) 14.c4
~b6 (Black is happy to invite the queen
to g7 after liJxe6, accepting the self-pin
on the knight) 15.liJe4+ ~f7 16.exf6
dxe4 17.i£txg7+ 'i!teS IS.Ah6 i£tb4+
19.'i!tdl1'!xf6 20.i*hS+ liJgS 21.i*xgS+
'i!te7 22.~g7+ (it's too dangerous to
22 ... 1'!f7 23.Ag5+ ~eS 24.i*gS+ 1'!fS
25.i£tg6+ 1'!f7=. 13 .•• f6 (a) 13 ... f5
14.h5+ 'it'h6 15.c4 (White ought not
rush the discovery) 15 ... i£ta6 (not
15 ... i£tb6 16.1'!bl +-) 16.liJxe6+ f4
(16 ... 'i!th7 17.h6 g6 IS.liJxc5 +-)
17.liJxc5 (showing off the knight's
reach) 17 ... i*xc41S.liJxd7liJxd419.c3
liJb3 20.liJxfS1'!xfS 21.1'!a21'!f5 22.i*e2
liJxd2 23.1'!xd2 i£txc3 24.1'!h3 i£tc1 +
25.1'!dl i*c7 26.'i!tf11'!xe5 27.i£tb2±.
(b) 13 ... 1'!hSI4.i£tg4 (we have seen, the
queen move to g4 is often stronger af-
ter h4. Efforts to dislodge the queen
now meet with h5+) 14 ... liJf5 (14 .. .f5
15.h5+ ~h616.liJxe6+ +- and 14 .. .f6
 Sacking the Citadel
15.h5+ 'it'h6 16Ajxe6+ +-) 15.h5+
'it'h6 (15 ... fixh5 16.~xh5#) 16.4Je4+
(aiming at f6 once the king retreats to
g8) 16 ... ~h7 17.h6 ~gS (17 ... g6
lS.4Jf6#) lS.4Jf6+ 'it'f8 19.hxg7+ +-.
14.h5+ White can also play 14.c4 4Jb4
15.h5+ ~h6 (15 ... 'it'f5 16.~f3#)
16.4Je4+ 'it'h7 (16 ... g5 17.hxg6+ 'it'g7
[17 ... 'it'xg618.~g4++-] 18.~h5 fihS
19 ..~.h6+ 'it'gS 20.4Jxf6#) 17.4Jxc5 ~cS
lS.h6+-. 14••• ~h615.~xe6+ ~h7
16.c4 ~a617.~xc5 ~xc418.~xd7
E!fd8 More aggressive play with
lS".4Jxd4 is easily repulsed by 19.c3
4Jb3 20.~b1 + 'it'hS 21.h6+-. 19.h6
~xd4 20.hxg7+ ~xg7 Not 20".'it'gS
21.~h5+-. 21.exf6+ White can end
the game more quickly with a rook sac-
rifice: 21.fih7+ 'it'xh7 22.~h5+ ~g7
23.~h6+ +-. 21 ... ~f7 22.c3 Easier is
22.fih7+ ~e6 with a nice knight sac to
remove the queen from the defense.
23.4Jc5+ ~xc5 24.fxe7 figS 25.~e2+
4Je5 26.fih6+ +- . 22 ••• ~e4+ 23. ~f1
~g6 On 23,. .fihS, 24.~h6 +- .
24.E!h7+ ~e8 25.f7+ ~xd7 25".'it'e7
allows mate in two: 26.fS~+ ~e6
27.~f6#. 26.f8~+ ~c8 27.~f7
~ge7 28. ~e2 ~c2 29. ~ee6+ 1-0
(209) Kopec - Desforges
Quebec 1993
Torre Attack [D03]
l.d4 ~f6 2.~f3 e6 3.Jl.g5 d5 4.e3
-'1,e7 5.~bd2 0-0 6 ..1ld3 b6 7.~e2
-'1,b7 8 ..1lxf6 -'1,xf6 9.0--0--0 ~c6
10.c3 ~e711.h4e512.dxe5 ~xe5 (D)
Black's development seems well
equipped to defeat the sacrifice here.
Black has control over e5 and the cen-
ter, but Black cannot reach f6 with a
knight or easily control the key b1-h7
diagonal. White's additional assets in-
274
8
7 11!""'~~,.'l'&"
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
elude the 4Jd2, which can enter the po-
sition only via f3, and the h-pawn and
fih1 which enters the fray only after a
capture on g5. In the dangerous ~g6
line, the key to the white attack is the
immediate advance of the f-pawn, which
requires Black to return the 4Je5 or face
~d3 and a pretty checkmate. Even with
the return of the piece, the position
morphs into a very attractive key hunt.
13..1lxh7+ ~xh714.~g5+ ~g6 In
the ~gSline, Black can survive by sac-
rificing the 4Je5 for White's g6-pawn.
14".~gS 15.~h5 ~xg5 16.hxg5 f6
17.g6 4Jxg6 lS.~xg6 ~eS 19.~f5 ±.
Without a dark-square bishop or a
knight that can reach f4, White must
try a kingside pawn storm in the ~h6
line. 14".'it'h615.f4 4Jd716.4Jdf3 fihS
17.g4 fiaeS lS.fidg1 4Jc5 19.4Jxt7+
~xt7 (giving up the knight to enable
the rolling of the pawns) 20.g5+ ~h7
21.g6+ ~xg6 (for the queen, Black
gains a rook and two pieces) 22.fixg6
'it'xg6 23.4Je5+ ~xe5 24.fig1 + ~t7
25.fxe5 'it'gS 26.b4 4Je6 27.~g4
fih6 +. 15.f4 E!h8 Saving the knight.
15.,,4Jd7 opens the unopposed bl-h7
diagonal for the queen. 16.~d3+ ~h6
(16 ... ~h5 17.g4+ 'it'xg4 lS.fidg1 +
'it'h5 19.~h7#) 17.~h7#; 15".~xg5
16.hxg5 fihS 17 .fxe5 ~xe5 lS.4Jf3
~e4 19.fidfl +- and the king is fatally
 Games
exposed. 16.fxe5 Axg5 The toughest
defense is 16 ... itxe5 17. 'l>¥d3+ 'it'h6
(17 ... f5 IS:4::ldf3 §afS 19.94 'it'h6
20.gxf5 ~f6 21.§dgl d4 22.e4 itf4+
23.'it'bl +- with 4::le6 and §g6 to fol-
low) 18.~f5 itf6 (IS ... §afS 19.4::ldf3
Jlf6 20.~f4+-) 19.'l>¥f4 itxg5
20.hxg5+ 'it'g6 21.4::lf3 f6 22.gxf6 gxf6
(22 ... ~xf6 23.4::le5++-) 23.§dfl ~d6
24.~g4+ 'it'f7 25.4::lg5+ 'it'e7 26.§xhS
§xhS 27.4::le4+- threatening both the
queen and 'l>¥g7+. 17.~d3+1 f5 Even
without the 4::lg5, the king retreats are
quickly punished. 17 ... 'it'h5 18. ~f5 +-
and 17 ... 'it'h6 IS.hxg5+ 'it'xg5 19.4::lf3+
'it'g4 20.§dfl +-. IS.exf6+ Ii!txf6
19.E!.hfl + li!te6 20. ~f5+ Ii!td6
21.~c4+ Ii!tc5 21...'it'c6 walks into
22.'l>¥xd5#. 22.b4+ Ii!tb5 Black must
tread carefully into this king hunt:
22 ... 'it'xc4 23.~d3# and 22 ... 'it'c6
23.~xd5#. 23.~a3+ li!ta4 1-0 The
hunt is over. It's mate in two: 23 ... 'it'a4
24.~c2+ 'it'xa3 25.~b3# or 23 ... 'it'a6
24.~d3+ b5 25.~xb5# or 23 ... 'it'c6
24.~xd5#.
(210) Kasparov - Short
London rapid 1993
Queen's Gambit Accepted [D46]
1.l~)f3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.d4 ~f6 4.~c3
dxc4 5. ~a4+ ~ bd7 6.e4 a6 7.Axc4
c6 S. ~dl Ae7 9.0-0 0-0 10.a4 b6
1l.Ad3 Ab712.e5 ~d513.~xd5
cxd5 14.Ad2 a5 15.E!.cl ~bS
16.Ab5 ~a617.~b3 E!.cS1S.E!.c3
~c719.Ad3 Ab4 (D)
Even in a rapid game, the world cham-
pion recognized that the sacrifice would
be fully sound. White has the secure
e5-pawn and the dark-square bishop,
but the white queen cannot instantly
275
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
reach the h-file. Still, the quick idea of
§h3-hS more than compensates for the
position of the white queen. Short de-
fended accurately with the 'it'gSline, but
the two major pieces enter the position
quickly and with great effect.
20.Axh7+ Ii!txh7 21.~g5+ Ii!tgS In
the 'it'g6line, §g3 quickly ends the dis-
cussion. 21...'it'g6 22.§g3 (all of the
king moves are murdered, as is 22 ...itxd2
23.4::lxe6+ +-. Or 21...'l>¥xg5 when White
can avoid giving up the exchange with
22.§h3+ 'l>¥h6 23.itxh6+-. 22.E!.h3
Threatening §hS+ 22 .•• E!.eS 23. ~f3
~d7 Preventing the obvious mate. Not
23 .. jixd2 24.'l>¥xf7#. 24.~h5 Ii!tfS
25.~h7+ li!te7 25 ... 'it'gS welcomes the
knight sac on f6, 26.4::lf6+ 'it'fS (26 ... gxf6
27. ~hS # ) 27.Jlg5 +- 'it'e7 walking into
a lovely double discovered check:
2S.4::lxd5+ 'it'fS 29.~hS. 26.Ag5+ f6
27.~xf6 1-0 27.4::lxf6 gxf6 and it's
mate in three with 2S.itxf6+ 'it'fS
29.'l>¥hS+ 'it'f7 30.'l>¥g7 #.
(211) Hoffman - EscandeU Mari
Villa Ballester 1993
Queen's Pawn Game [EI4]
l.d4 ~f6 2.~f3 e6 3.e3 b6 4.Ad3
Ab7 5.0-0 c5 6.c4 Ae7 7.~c3 cxd4
S.exd4 0-0 9.d5 Ab410.~e4 ~ xe4
1l.Axe4 ~a6
 Sacking the Citadel
8 §.xe5 29 ..£Jg3+ The quickest path is
7 29 .~h6 'it'xh6 30 ..§ xf6+ +- . 29 ..• ~g6
6 30.Etxf6+ §.xf631.~xe51-0
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h c5 5.c3 .£Jc6 6 . .£Jbd2 j}.d6 7.0-0
White initiates the sacrifice after a
knight exchange on e4 that removes
Black's ~f6. White does not have an
eS-pawn and indeed, can point only to
the dark-square bishop as an additional
resource. The 'it'g6 line offers the best
chance, though Black fails to find the
best defense with IS .. .'lil'e7, when White
can pick up an exchange but Black's
position would be tough to crack.
12.j}.xh7+ ~xh7 13 ..£Jg5+ ~g6
Without control over d6, the usual mate
in five is not available but the 'it'g81ine
nonetheless leads to a knight fork that
nets the black queen. 13 ... 'it'g814.'lil'hS
.§e8 IS. 'lil'xf7+ 'it'h8 16.'lil'hS+ 'it'g8
17.'lil'h7+ 'it'f818.i£1h8+ 'it'e719.'lil'xg7+
'it'd6 20.~f7++-. 14.~d3+ 14.'lil'g4fS
IS.'lil'g3 transposing 14••• f5 15.~g3
~f6 Black can limit the damage by
moving the queen out of the reach of
the knight. IS ... 'lil'e7 16.~xe6+ 'it'h7
(16 ... ~f717.'lil'xg7+ 'it'e818.i£1g6+ 'lil'f7
19.~xf8+-) 17.~xf8+ .§xf8 18.~gS
i£1e2 19.a3 ~d2 20.~xd2 'lil'xd2
21.b4±. 16.a3 Missing a simple maneu-
ver with 16.~xe6 dxe6 17.~gS++­
with a skewer of the king and queen.
16 .•• .Q.c5 17.b4 Once again missing
17.~xe6.17 ... j}.d418..£Jf3 +- j}.xal
19.j}.g5+ ~f7 20.j}.xd8 j}.f6
21.j}.xf6 gxf6 22.~d6 Etad8
23..£Jd4 ~g6 24.h4e5 25.h5+ ~xh5
276
26 ..£Jxf5 Etf7 27.f4 Ete8 28.fxe5
(212) Fournier - Lorin
Correspondence 1993
Queen's Pawn Game [005]
l.e3 d5 2.d4 .£Jf6 3 ..£J£3 e6 4.j}.d3
cxd4 8.exd4 0-0 9.Etel ~c710.'~e2
§.e8 1l. .£Je5 j}.xe5 12.dxe5 .£Jd7
13..£Jf3 .£Jc5
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
One of Black's defenses against the
sacrifice is the idea of running his king
to the queenside. As you will see here,
it does not always provide sanctuary.
White can point here to three additional
assets, the eS-pawn, the dark-square
bishop, and the active .§el. But Black
has already vacated the f8 escape
square and the 'lil'c7 is already defend-
ing f7. In the ~g81ine, Black succeeds
in running the king to c6, but White, in
this wonderfully played correspon-
dence game, blasts open the queenside
with c4 and an exchange sac.
14.j}.xh7+ ~xh715 ..£Jg5+ ~g8 In
the ~g6 line, White can make progress
with 'lil'g4 because the ~c8 is impeding
support for '§h8. 15 ... ~g6 16.i£1g4 f5
(16 ... ~xeS 17 ..§xeS i£1xe5 18.~f3+ +- )
 Games
17 .'~g3 'itfe 7 IS. 'itfh3 <£Ixe5 19.§. xe5
<£Ie4 20.'itfh7+ 'it'f6 21.<£If3 (with the
idea of §.xe4 and .>lg5+) 21...'itfc5
22 ..>le3 'itfa5 23 ..>lf4 +- . 16. ~h5 .£IdS
16 ... b5 (an interesting attempt to cre-
ate a safe haven for the king on
b7)17.'itfh7+ 'it'fS lS.'itfhS+ 'it'e7
19.'itfxg7 'it'd7 20.<£Ixf7 (not 20.'itfxf7+
§.e7) 20 ... <£Ie7 (and not 20 ... §.e7
21..>lg5) 21.<£Id6 §.gS 22.'itff7 Aa6
23 ..>lh6 making room for §.adl.
23 ... 'it'c6 and White can now demon-
strate that even on the queenside, the
attack can continue: 24.b4 <£Id3 25.§.e3
§.g6 26.§'xd3 §'xh6 27.c4! bxc4 28.§.a3
.>lb5 29.§.a5 <£If5 30.'itfxc7+ 'it'xc7
31.<£Ixf5 exf5 32.§.xb5+-. 17.~h7+
~f8 18. ~h8+ ~e7 19. ~xg7 ~d7
20. .£Ih7 ~c6 21 . .£If6 13e7 22.c4
.£Id3 Opening the center with 22 ... dxc4
invites 23. 'itfg4 +-. 23.cxd5+ exd5
24.Ad2 .£Ie6 25. ~g3 .£Iee5 26.b4
.£Ixel 27.13xe1 Jle6 Not 27 ... <£Ie6,
2S.§.c1 +. 28.bxc5 +- ~d8 29.13c1
~c7 30.Aa5+ 1-0
(213) Winckelmann - Von Zitzewitz
Correspondence 1994
French Defense [CI5]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3 ..£Ic3 Ab4 4.a3
Axc3+ 5.bxc3 dxe4 6.f3 c5 7.Jlb5+
Ad7 8.a4 .£If6 9. ~e2 ~a5 10.13a3
cxd411.fxe40--0 12..£If3 dxc313.e5
.£Id514.Jld3.£1a6
abcdefgh
277
An interesting, well-balanced position
in which White's additional assets, the
e5-pawn, the dark-square bishop, and
the rooks, both of which can enter the
game quickly, are somewhat offset by
the activity of the <£Id5 and the black
queen and the exposure of the white
king. Optimistically, Black defends with
the 'it'g6Iine, where White's correspon-
dence play is precise and impressive.
15.Axh7+ ~xh716. .£Ig5+ ~g6 In
the 'it'gS line, Black can play 17 ... <£If6,
using the threat of'itfxe5 and a perpetual
check in the center to bring the knight
to the key defensive square. 16 ... 'it'gS!?
17.'itfh5 <£If6 (17 ... §.feS1S.'itfxf7+ 'it'hS
19.'itfh5+ 'it'gS 20.0-0+-) lS.exf6
'itfe5+ 19.'it'd1 when: (a) 19 ...'itfd5+
20.'it'e1 'itfe5+=; (b) It's unwise to try
for more with 19 ... 'itff5?! 20.§.xc3 with
the idea of§.h3. 20 ...'itfg6 21.'itfxg6 fxg6
22.f7+ when the threat of mate on the
h-file requires 22 ... §.xf7 23AJxf7 'it'xf7
24.§.f1+ 'it'gS 25.a5+-; or (c)
19 ... 'itfd4+ 20.'it'e1 'itfe5+=. 17.h4
Threatening rather than playing 'itfg4.
Black is happy to give back an exchange
after 17.'itfd3+ f5 lS.exf6+ 'it'xf6
19.<£Ih7+ 'it'e7 20.<£IxfS §.xfS-+. And
no better for White is 17.'itfe4+ f5
lS.exf6+ 'it'xf6 19.<£Ih7+ 'it'f7 20.0-0+
'it'gS -+. 17 ••• f5 Aiming to prevent
'itfg4, and the alternatives get crushed:
(a) 17 ... <£Ic5 lS.'itfg4+-; (b) 17 ... <£Ie7
lS.h5+ 'it'h6 (lS ... 'it'f5 19.0-0#) and
once again, development is superior to
a quick, exchange-winning discovery.
19.0-0 <£If5 20.g4 'itfc5+ 21.'it'g2 'itfc6+
22.'it'h2 with a safe haven from the
checks. 22 ... <£Ih4 (22 ... <£Ie7
23.§.xc3+-) 23.'it'g3+-; and (c) 17 .. .f6
lS.h5+ 'it'h619.'itfd3 (aiming at both g6
and h7) 19 ... f5 20.'itfg3 +- when the
<£Ixe6 discovery now contains the
added threat of'itfxg7 #. 18.h5+ ~h6
 Sacking the Citadel
19..£)xe6+ ~h7 20.h6 Settling for the
exchange solves Black's defensive
woes. 20.{)xfS+ .E'!xfS 21.h6 g6 22.0-0
f4-+. 20 ..•g6 Black survives the cap-
ture on e6: 20 ... .ll.xe6 21.hxg7+ ~xg7
22 ..E'!h7+ (better than 22.~h5 .E'!hS
23 ..ll.h6+ .E'!xh6 24.~xh6+ 'It'f7
25.~h7+ 'It'fS [25 ... 'lt'eS 26.~hS+ 'It'd7
27.~xaS ~c5 -+] 26.~hS+ ~e7
27.~xaS ~b6 with a devastating attack
2S ..E'!al {)ab4-+) 22 ... 'lt'xh7 23.~h5+
'it'g7 24 ..ll.h6+ ~hS 25 ..ll.e3+= with a
perpetual. 21..£)g5+ ~hS 22.e6 ~c7?!
Black misses 22 ... .E'!aeS= pinning the
pawn and 23.~e5 .E'!f6 24.{)f7 'It'h7
25.{)g5 is a perpetual. 23.exd7 ~xd7
24.§.xc3 ~xa4 Taking the knight with
24 ... {)xc3 invites 25.~e5+ 'It'gS
26.h7++-. Or the obvious attempt to
pin the queen with 24 ... .E'!feS 25 ..E'!e3
.E'!xe3 (25 ... {)xe3 opens the long diago-
nal for the bishop: 26 ..ll.b2+ 'It'gS
27.h7+ ~xh7 2S ..E'!xh7 {)xg2+
29.'lt'f1 +-) 26 ..ll.b2+ 26 ... 'lt'gS 27.h7+
~xh7 2S ..E'!xh7 .E'!xe2+ 29.~xe2 .E'!eS+
30. 'it'f2 +- with overwhelming threats
on b7 and g7. 25.~e5+ .£)f6 26•.£)e6
§.aeS 27.0--0 ~e4 2S.~xe4 .£)xe4
28. ..fxe4 29.{)xfS +- with .ll.g5 to follow.
29.'£) xfS.£) xc3 30.Aa3 .£)b8 31.§.f3
.£)e2+ 32. ~f2 .£)d4 33.§.h3 .£) be6
34 . .£)xg6+ ~h7 35 . .£)fS+ §.xfS
36.J1.xfS .£)xc2 37.§.b3 b6 3S.§.b5
~gS 39.§.xf51-0
(214) Ruiz - Perez Perez
Guines 1994
Alekhine's Defense [B03]
1.e4 .£)f6 2.e5 .£)d5 3.d4d6 4.c4.£)b6
5.f4 dxe5 6.fxe5 c5 7.d5 e6 S ..£)c3
exd5 9.cxd5 c4 10 . .£)f3 J1.b4
1l.J1.xc4 0-0 12.J1.b3 a5 13.0-0
Axc314.bxc3 a415.Ac2 ~xd5
278
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
More than two additional assets are re-
quired if Black can control the b1-h7
diagonal. White can count here on the
e5-pawn, the dark-square bishop, and
the .E'!f1 on an open file. Black's light-
square bishop can easily reach f5 and
the black queen can take d3. Nonethe-
less, White triumphs in the 'it'gS line
with .ll.a3, attacking the .E'!fS, and with
an exchange sacrifice on the 1.tf5, acti-
vating the .E'!a1 powerfully on the f-file.
16.J1.xh7+ ~xh717..£)g5+ ~gS In
the ~g6 line, White can reach the g3-
square with 18.~el. 17 ... 'lt'g6 18.~e1
(not 18.~c2+ when Black can block the
diagonal: IS ... f519.exf6+. The removal
of the e5-pawn permits Black to sup-
port 10 ... .ll.f5 20.~f2 {)Sd7=) lS .. .f5
19.exf6 gxf6 20.{)e4 {)Sd7 21.~g3+
'it'f7 22.'liYh4 +-. The bishop will also
enter the fray on a3. 1S.~h5 ~d3
19.J1.a3 1--0 Black resigns in view of
19 ... .ll.f5 20 ..E'!xf5 ~xf5 21..E'!f1 +- (the
queen can no longer defend f7)
21...~g6 22.~xg6 fxg6 23 ..E'!xfS#.
Even better was 19 . .E'!xf7! .E'!dS
(19 ... .E'!xf7 20.~xf7+ ~hS 21.~fS#)
20 ..E'!f3+- .
(215) Krouzel- Dufek
Correspondence 1994
Semi-Slav Defense [D44]
 Games
l.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.4)c3 e6 4.4)f3 4)f6
5.Ag5 dxc4 6.a4 Ab4 7.e4 .1lxc3+
S.bxc3 ~a5 9.e5 4)e410.Ad2 4)xd2
11. ~xd2 c512.Axc4 4)c613.0--0 0-
o 14.~e3 4)e715.Ad3 4)d5
abcdefgh
In most of these positions, the addi-
tional assets are conventional and easy
to identify. White relies here upon the
secure e5-pawn, a mobile center with
c4 and d5, and the rooks' ability to reach
open files. In the ~gSline, White is able
to sustain the attack upon the black king
when it reaches e7 by pushing the cen-
tral pawns and, in the line with
21...'l*xc3, blowing up the black center
with an additional exchange sac.
16..1lxh7+ 'ifjlxh717.4)g5+ 'ifjlgS In
the ~g6 line, the white queen has im-
mediate access to g3, which threatens a
discovery that can net the unanchored
.§fS. 17 ... ~g6 18.~g3 (lS.'l*d3+ f5
[lS ... ~xg5 19.'l*h7+-] 19.'l*g3 ili'xc3
20.4:lxe6+ [winning the rook outright]
20 ... 'l*xg3 21.4:lxfS+ ~f7 22.hxg3
~xfS=) lS ... 'l*xc3 19.4:lxe6+ ili'xg3
20.4:lxf8+ (without ... f5, the king can-
not retreat to f7 to attack the 4:lfS)
20 ... ~g5 (20 ... ~h6 2l.fxg3+-) 2l.fxg3
Af5 22.g4 ~xg4 (22 ... ~xg4 23.fixfl)
23.fia3 +-. It is dangerous, of course,
to step into a discovery or here, a dis-
covered double check, but White has
better with 17 ... ~h6 IS. ~e4 threaten-
279
ing both ili'h4 and ili'h7. White, of
course, could also play lS.ili'h3 enter-
ing line (a) below. Black has three re-
sponses: (a) lS ... ~xg5 19.~h7 ~xc3
20.h4+ ~f4 (20 ... ~g4 21.f3+ ~g3
[21...~f4 22.~e4+ ~g3 23.~g4#]
22.'l*xg7+ ~xh4 [22 ... ~f4 23.'l*g5#]
23.'l*g4#) 21.fiae1 +- bringing both
rooks and the kings ide pawns to bear
against the naked king; (b) lS ... fihS
(White wins the rook outright and can
also continue quickly to mate) 19.4:lxfl+
~h5 20.4:lxhS+-; and (c) Desperate
play that does not meaningfully impede
the attack. lS ... 4:lf6 19.ili'h4+ 4:lh5
20.g4 g6 21.gxh5 gxh5 22.~hl+-.
lS.~h3 laeS After lS ... fidS White
demonstrates the power of a patient
buildup: 19.~h5 'l*c7 20.dxc5 b6
21.'l*h7+ ~f8 22.'l*hS+ ~e7 23.ili'xg7
fifS 24.c4. Using even the doubled
pawns to drive off the knight, opening
the f6-square for the queen. 4:lc3
25.~f6+ ~d7 26.4:lh7 +-. 19. ~h7+
'ifjlfS 20.~hS+ 'ifjle7 21.~xg7 lafS
Rather than defend, Black can go on
the attack with 21...ili'xc3 22.4:lxf7
~xd4 and the queen seems safe from
the discoveries: 23.fiad1 ili'f4 24.4:ld6+
~dS 25.4:lxb7+ Axb7 26.ili'xb7 ficS but
in these lines, all exchange sacrifices are
interesting. 27.fixd5+ exd5 2S.'l*xd5+
~e7 (not 2S ... ~c7 when it's mate in
four: 29.~xc5+ ~b7 [29 ... ~d7
30.~d6#] 30.fib1+ ~a6 [30 ... ~aS
31.'l*d5+ fic6 32.ili'xc6#] 31.~b5 #)
29.ili'd6+ ~fl 30.e6+ +- picking off the
queen! 22.c4 4)c3 23.d5 exd5
24.lafel Ag4 25.M6+ 'ifjle8 26.4)h7
4)dl 27.laf11-0
(216) Granados Gomez - Sole
Fabregat
Spain 1994
Torre Attack [D03]
 Sacking the Citadel
1.d4 4)f6 2 ..1lg5 e6 3.4)f3 J1.e7
4.4)bd2 d5 5.e3 c5 6.c3 4)bd7
7 ..1ld3 b6 8.0-0 .1lb7 9.4)e5 4)xe5
10.dxe5 4)d711 ..1lxe7 'it!/xe712.f4
c413..1lc2 b514.4)f3 0-0
8 Sicilian Defense [B22]
7
6 1.e4 c5 2.c3 4)f6 3.e5 4)d5 4.4)f3 e6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
The sacrifice works quite easily here
thanks to the secure e5-pawn and the
.§.f1 swing to g3 and h3. In the absence
of a white dark-square bishop, Black
selected the 'it'h6 line, when the rook
swing to h3-h7 forces Black to sac with
~xg5, when White wins most efficiently
by declining the queen sac. 15.J1.xh7+
~xh716.4)g5+ ~h6 In the 'it'g8line,
there's simply no response to ~h5 be-
cause the black ~e7 blocks the king's
escape route. 16 ... 'it'g8 17. ~h5 +-. In
the 'iftg6 line, the .§.f1 reaches g3 with
effect.16 ... 'it'g6 17 ..§.f3 f6 18.~c2+ f5
19 ..§.g3 <£1c5 (White nets the queen af-
ter 19 ... 'it>h6 20.~f2! .§.h8 21.<£1f7!)
20.<£1xe6+ 'it'f7 and White crashes
through with 21.~xf5+ 'it'g8 (21...'it'e8
22.<£1xf8+-) 22.<£1xg7 .§.xf5
23.<£1xf5+ +-. 17.E!f3 g6 18.E!h3+
~g719.E!h7+ ~g8 20.'it!/g4 'it!/xg5
21.'it!/h3! More accurate than 21.~xg5
'it'xh7 22 . .§.f1 .§.ae8 23 . .§.f3 .§.h8
24 ..§.h3+ 'it'g7 25.'§'xh8 '§'xh8 26.~e7
Ac8= when Black is holding the fort.
21. •• 'it!/h5 22.E!xh5 gxh5
23. 'it!/ xh5 +- f6 After the rook retreat
23 ... .§.fe8 White has plenty of time to
280
swing a rook to g3 or h3. 24 ..§.f1 .§.e7
25.~h6+-. 24.'it!/g6+ ~h8 25.E!fl d4
26.e41-O
(217) Gonzalez Freixas - Fayne
Correspondence 1994
5.d4 cxd4 6 ..1lc4 4)c7 7.cxd4 d5
8 ..1ld3 .1le7 9.4)c3 4)c610..1le3 0-()
1l.E!c1.1ld712.h4 f513.exf6 .1lxf6
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Having exchanged the e5 pawn on f6
in order to open the diagonal for the
i.td3,White has two additional assets
in the position, the dark-square bishop
and the h4-pawn. In the 'iftg8 line, the
advance of the h-pawn to g6 forces Black
to cede the knight, and White has time
to activate both rooks on the h-file.
14..1lxh7+ ~xh715.4)g5+ ~g8 In
the 'it'g6 line, the pawn advances to h5
immediately, forcing the king to h6 and
enabling ~d3 with the threat of both
~g6# and ~h7#: 15 ... 'it'g6 16.h5+
'it'h6 (not 16... 'iftf5 17.g4 # or 17.~f3 #)
17.~d3 i.txg5 (17 ... ~e8 18.~h7#)
18. ~g6 #. The immediate exchange on
g5 gives Black the opportunity to sac-
rifice a knight for the g6-pawn, but
White's attack crashes through thanks
to the activity of the .§.cl. 15 ... Axg5
16.hxg5+ 'it'g8 (unwise is 16 ... 'iftg6
 Games
17.iifh5+ ~f5 18.g4#) 17.iifh5 4Je7
18.g6 4Jxg6 19.iifxg6 iiff6 20.iifh7+
~f7 21.4Je4 dxe4 22 ..§.xc7 ~e7
23. iifh5 +-. In the ~h6 line, White
plays iifd3 first and then h5, bringing
the .§.h1 into the game. 15 ... ~h6
16.iifd3 g6 17.h5 4Je7 18.hxg6+ ~g7
19.'§'h7+ ~g8 20.4Jf7+-. 16.~h5
j},xg5 Capturing on g5 is unpalatable,
but the alternative retreat with 16 ... .§.e8
meets 17.4Je2! e5 18.~f7+ ~h8
19.dxe5 when (a) 19 ... 4Jxe5 permits an
attractive mate in four: 20.~h5+ ~g8
21.iifh7+ ~f8 22.~h8+ ~e7 23.~c5 #;
(b) 19 ... .§.xe5 with a similar mate:
20.iifh5+ ~g8 21.iifh7+ ~f8 22.iifh8+
~e7 23.~c5#; and (c) 19 ... ~xe5 when
the .llc5+ comes first: 20.~h5+ ~g8
21.iifh7+ ~f8 22 ..llc5+ 4Je7 23.~h8#.
17.hxg5 4Je7 Trying to prevent the
advance of the pawn with 17 ... .§.f5 meets
18.g4+-. 18.g6 4Jxg619.~xg6 4Je8
20.Elh7 ~f6 21.~h5 g6 22.~h2
Elf7 23.Elh6 Elc8 24.Cit>d2 a6
25.Elhl Cit>f8 26.Elh8+ Cit>e7 27. ~g3
~f5 28.j},g5+ 4Jf6 29.Elxc8 j'txc8
30.~c7+ j'td7 31.~c5+ Cit>d8
32.Elh8+ j'te8 33.~d6+ Eld7
34.~b8+ Cit>e7 35.~xe8+ Cit>d6
36. ~f8+ Ele7 Both king retreats meet
an immediate end: 36 ... ~c7 37.~c5#
and 36 ... ~c6 37.~c5 #. 37.Axf61-O
37... ~f4+ 38.~e2 +- and Black quickly
runs out of checks.
(218) Ginsburg - Lindner
Mannheim 1994
French Defense [C06]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.4Jd2 4Jf6 4.e5
4Jfd7 5.j'td3 c5 6.c3 4Jc6 7.4Je2
~b6 8.4Jf3 f6 9.exf6 4J xf6 10.0-0
j},e7 1l.4Jf4 cxd4 12.cxd4 0-0
13.Elel Ab414.Ele3 4Je415.j'txe4
§xf4
281
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
White has no practical choice other
than the sacrifice because Black other-
wise will capture the white d-pawn.
White can count on the dark-square
bishop and the .§.e3, but the weakness
of the white d-pawn and the activity of
the .§.f4 cannot be overlooked. In the
~g8 line, Black's best hope, Black
misses the opportunity to equalize with
18 ... ~xd4. 16.j'txh7+ Cit>xh7
17.4Jg5+ Cit>g8 In the ~g6 and ~h8
lines, the .§.e3 swings immediately to
h3 threatening ~h5 and a mating net.
17 ... ~g6 18 ..§.h3 '§'xd4 (capturing the
knight offers no hope: 18 ... ~xg5
19.~xf4+ ~xf4 20.~h5+-) 19.iifh5+
~f6 (19 ... ~f5 20 ..§.f3+ ~e5 21.4Jf7+
~e4 22.~g6#) 20.~e3 ~e7 21.~f7+
~d6 (21...~d8 22 ..§.h8++-) 22.~f8+
~c7 (22 ... ~d7 23.~xg7+ ~e7
24.4Jf3+-) 23.iifxg7+ ~b8 (reaching
the safety of the queens ide, but Black
is completely tied up) 24 ..§.h8 +- ;
17 ... <it>h8 18..§.h3+ <it>g8 19.iifh5 ~f8
20.~xf4 +- picking up the rook with-
out letting up on the attack. 18.Elh3 e5
Black survives with 18 ... ~xd4! 19.1txf4
~xd1+ 20 ..§.xd1 e5 21..§.h4 exf4
22.'§'xd5=. 19.Elh8+! Cit>xh8 20.~h5+
Cit>g8 21.j},xf4+- ~xd4 Black can
defend f7 with 21...4Jd8 but White can
then use the conventional attack on h7
to expose the black king in the center,
 Sacking the Citadel
22.~h7+ 'it'fS 23.~h8+ 'it'e7 24.~xg7+
'it'e8 (not 24 ... 'it'd 6 25 .Axe5+ +- )
25.~xe5+ +-. 22.tH7+ <\!jIhS
23"~e8+1-O
(219) Millier-Meizer
Gennany 1994
French Defense [CI4]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.f3 ~f6 4.~e3 e6
5.Ag5 Ae7 6.e5 ~fd7 7.Axe7
~xe7 S.~d2 0-0 9.f4 e5 10.~f3
~e6 1l.dxe5 ~ xe5 12.0-0-0 a6
13.<\!jIbl b5 14.Ad3 b4 15.~e2 a5
16.~e316.Axh7+ 'it'xh717.<tlg5+ 'it'g8
18.~e3 f6-+ 16••• Aa6
8 'it'g5=. 19 .••exf5 (a) 19 ... 'it'xfS invites
7 a rook to enter the fray, 20.f!hfl + 'it'g6
6 (it's an obvious mate in three after
5 20 ... 'it'g4 21.~g3+ 'it'hS 22.<tlf4+ 'it'h6
4
3
2
abc d e f g h 'it'xe5 (23 ... 'it'g6 24.~h7#) 24.'lil'g3+
White carefully prepares the sacrifice
with 16.~e3, since the immediate sac-
rifice on move 16 gives Black an extra
tempo to defend. The sacrifice relies
upon an interesting pair of additional
assets, the secure e5-pawn and the
<tle2-f4 (not <tlg3 since the queen can-
not reach h5). Black tries the 'it'g6Iine,
when f5 and <tlf4 should have decided
the game, but White missed a nice mate
in three on move 21. 17.Axh7+<\!jIxh7
IS.~g5+ <\!jIg6 In the 'it'g8 line, Black
can sacrifice the queen relying upon
Axe2 to achieve a nearly equal material
balance with three minors for the queen
and pawn.18 ... 'it'g8 19.~h3 ~xg5 (af-
ter 19 ... f!fd8 20.~h7+ 'it'f8 21.~h8#
282
the ~e7 blocks the king's escape)
20.fxg5 Axe2 21.g6 fxg6 22.~e3 ,ilxdl
23.~xc5 <tlxe5 24.f!xdl ±. In the 'it'h6
line, the queen's ability to reach h3 de-
cides quickly. 18 ... 'it'h6 19.~h3+ 'it'g6
20.~h7 #. 19.f5+! A pawn sacrifice that
makes room for <tlf4+. Black survives
the alternatives: (a) After 19.~g3 f5
White can win back the exchange
20.<tlxe6+ 'it'f7 21.<tlxfS (there's no way
to pursue the attack after 21.~xg7+
'it'xe6-+) 21...f!xfS but Black is suffi-
ciently active after 22.~f3~; (b) White
gets nothing more than a perpetual af-
ter 19.~h3 f!h8 20.f5+ making room for
the knight: 20 ... exf5 21.<tlf4+ 'it'xgS
(there'S no mate after the capture ofthe
knight on g5) 22.~g3+ 'it'h6 23.~h3+
23.~h4 #) 21.<tlf4+ Bringing up another
piece and inviting the capture on g5:
21...'it'fS (21...'it'xgS and it's mate in
three with 22.~g3+ 'itth6 23.~h3+ 'ittgS
24.~h5#) 22.<tlfxe6+ Axfl 23.~h3+
'it'f6 (24 ... 'it'fS 2S.f!xfl + 'ittg6 26.<tlxf7+
'it'h7 27.'lil'xg7#) 2S.f!xf1+ 'ittg6
26.<tlxf7+ 'itthS (26 ... 'it'h7 27.'~xg7#)
27.<tlf4#; (b) 19 ... 'it'hS when it's mate
in three with 20.g4+ 'ittxg4 (20 ... 'it'h4
21.~h3+ 'it'xgS 22.'~hS#) 21.~h3+
'it'xg5 22.f!dgl#; and (c) 19 ... 'it'h6
20.f6 +- since capturing the f-pawn with
20 ... gxf6 invites a mate in four with
21.<tlxe6+. 20.~f4+! <\!jIh6 Capturing
the knight on g5, 20 ... 'ittxgS, invites
21.<tlxdS winning the queen or pursu-
ing mate with 21.<tle6+ 'it'hS 22.~f3+
'it'g6 (22 ... 'it'h6 23.~h3+ 'it'g6 24.g4
fxg4 2S.~xg4+ 'it'h6 26.~xg7+ 'it'hS
27.<tlf4+ 'it'h4 28.~g3#) 23.~g3+ 'it'hS
24.<tlxg7+ 'it'h6 2sAJxfS+ +-.
21.~h3+ 21.~g3 when it's mate in
three: 21...~xgS (21...g6 22.~h4+ 'it'g7
 Games
23.'~h7#) 22.'~h3+ ~h5 23.~xh5#.
21 ..• ~xgS!= 22.~hS+ 22.~g3+~h6
23.~h3+= with a perpetual. 22 .•• ~xf4
23.Ethe1! With the idea of g3 #. Black
survives miraculously after 23.Elxd5
ElhS 24.~f3+ ~g5 25.~e3+ f4-+.
23 ..• 4)e4! 24.EtxdS! Avoiding the
tempting 24.~f3+? ~xe5 -+.
24•.. Eth8? To survive, Black must find
24 ... EladS 25.g3+ 4Jxg3 26.hxg3+
'it'xg3 27 .Elgl + 'it'f4 2S.i;;Yh2+ 'it'e4
29.~g2+ 'it'f4 30.i;;Yf2+ ~e4 3l.~g2+=.
2S.g3+ 4)xg3 26.hxg3+ ~xg3
27.~xfS White misses the surgical
27.Ele3+! ~f4 2S.i;;Yf3+ 'it'g5 29.i;;Yg2+
'it'h5 30.Elh3+ +-. 27 .•• Ae2 On
27 ... ~a7, 2S.Elddl +- or 2S.~g5+.
28.Etgl + ~h4 29. ~f4+ The quickest
mate begins with 29.Eld3+- since the
Ad2 must remain to prevent ~g4 # .
29 ••• ~hS 30.e6+ gS 31.EtdxgS+
~h6 32.Etg6+ It's mate in two with ei-
ther 32.~h4+ or 32.Elh1+ Ah5
33.Elhxh5#. 32 ••. ~h7 33.~h6# 1-0
(220) Timmins - Stenzel
New York 1995
Dutch Defense [A41]
l.d4 4)c6 2.4)f3 d6 3.c3 fS 4.4)bd2
4)f6 S. ~c2 eS 6.dxeS dxeS 7.e3 e4
8.4)d4 4)eS 9. ~b3 Ad6 10.4)c4
4)xc411.Axc4 ~e712.AbS+ ~f8
13.a4 c6 14.Ac4 g6 Is.Ad2 ~g7
16.aSa617.0--0
8 i;;Yxg2-+. 24.~e2 ~xg2+ 2S.~dl±
7 EtdS 26. ~c2 Better are 26.i;;Yb4 +- aim-
6
5
4 the c5-pawn. 27••• ~g3 28. ~b6? White
3 misses a successful infiltration with
2 28.4Je6+ Axe6 29.Axe6 ElabS 30.c4
abc d e f g h
283
Black has familiar additional assets, the
secure e4-pawn and the light-square
bishop. The 'it'gl line is especially in-
teresting because the white king can
escape via dl. Black misses the oppor-
tunity for a well-timed 23 ... c4 prying
open the center. 17..•Axh2+ 18.~xh2
4)g4+ 19.~gl In the ~g3 line, ... i;;Yd6+
initiates familiar lines and also threat-
ens ... c5 picking off the unanchored
Ad2. 19.~g3 ~d6+ 20.f4 (White must
block the check because 20.'it'h4 i;;Yh2+
21.~g5 h6# and 20.'it'h3 i;;Yh2#)
20 ... exf3+ 2l.~xf3 (2l.~h4 walks into
mate: 21...i;;Yh2+ 22.~g5 h6#) 21...c5
22.Elfdl EldS 23.Elac1(23.4Je2 b5-+
with the idea of Ab7+) 23 ... b5 24.axb6
Ab7+ 25.'~e2 i;;Yh2 26.Elfl (26.Elgl
Axg2 -+ ) 26 ... cxd4 27.exd4 Axg2 -+.
In the ~h3 line, Black breaks through
with the customary ~g4 threatening
i;;Yh4.19.~h3 i;;Yg5 20.Elhl 4Jxf2+
21.'it'h2 ~h6+ 22.'it'gl i;;Yxhl+-+.
19 ••• ~h4 20.Etfel ~xf2+ 21.~hl
~h4+ 22. ~gl ~h2+ Black can seize
control over the d-file with 22 ... c5!
23.4Je2 EldS 24.Ad5 ~h2+ 25.~fl
i;;Yhl + 26.4Jgl c4. Winning a piece.
27.i;;Yxc4 4Jf6-+. 23.~f1 ~hl+ Black
is more easily winning after 23 ... c5
24.4Je6+ Axe6 25.Axe6 ElhdS with
useful control over the d-file: 26.Ad5
i;;Yh4 27.'it'e2 Elxd5 2S.~xb7+ (not
28.~xd5 EldS-+) 2S ... ~hS 29.i;;Yxd5
EldS 30.c4 Elxd5 3l.cxd5 i;;Yf2+ 32.'it'dl
ing at e7, and 26.i;;Yb6 with the idea of
i;;Yc7. 26 .•• cS 27.Ete2? Missing
27.'liYb6+- hitting the rook as well as
4Je5 3l.~b6+- and the white pieces
come alive. The bishop will reach c3,
the queen has access to useful try
 Sacking the Citadel

squares, and ~b1-d1 is playable ifBlack the queen on f7. 15.t,?tg4 There's no
moves the 4JeS. 28 ••• t,?td6!29.t,?txd6 defense after IS.~d3+! (a) IS ... mS
Etxd6 30.~b3 ~e5 0-1 16.g4+- exploits the pin on the
unanchored rook; (b) IS ... e4 16.~h3
(221) Sutter-Mulcahey Black cannot prevent the entry on h7.
Correspondence 1995 16... ~xe617.~h7+ ~f6 and it's mate in
French Defense [C06] four: 18.~hS g6 (IS ... 'ot'fS 19.94+ ~f6
20.~f7#) 19.~hS+ 'ot'fS 20.g4+ ~xg4
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.~d2 ~f6 4.e5 21.~h3#; and (c) And again the king
~fd7 5.j}.d3 c5 6.c3 ~c6 7.~e2
cannot escape the check from the ~d3.
j}.e7 8.~f3 0-0 9.0-0 t,?tb6 10.b3 f6
IS ...'ot'hSI6.~h3+~g617.~h7#. Also
11.~f4 f xe5 12.~ xe6 Etf6
winning is IS.h4 ~xe6 16.hS+ ~h6
(16 ... 'ot'f617.~f3#; 16 ... ~fSI7.~f3#)
8
17.4Jxe6+ 'ot'h7 18.~g4 ltf619.~g6+
7 'ot'gS 20.~eS+ ~h7 21.g4+-.
6 15 ... ~f8 16.h4! ~ xe6 Black can
5 avoid mate only by tossing away the
4 rook: 16... ~fS 17.4Jh7+ ~f7 (17 ... ~xh7
3 18.~xg7#) 18.~xfS++-.17.h5+ 1-0
2 Forcing the black king into a crushing
discovery: 17 ... ~h6 IS.4Jxe6+ ~f4
19.~g6#.
abc d e f g h

White no longer has his eS-pawn in this (222) Steingrimsson - Johannesson

French, but the king's knight has re- Gausdal1995
markably reached e6,joining the dark- French Defense [C06]
square bishop as the additional assets.
Black can point to the active ~f6, at- l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.~d2 ~f6 4.e5
~fd7 5.c3 c5 6.Ad3 ~c6 7.~e2
tacking the unanchored knight, and sig-
nificant pressure upon the center, es- cxd4 8.cxd4 t,?tb6 9.~f3 f6l0.exf6
~xf6ll.0-0 Ad612.a3 0-0 13.M
pecially the white d-pawn. In the 'ot'g6
line, the 4Je6 shields the white queen e5 14.t,?tb3 ~h8 15.dxe5 ~xe5
16.~xe5Axe517.Ab2
on g4 giving White time to play h4-hS.
Once White drives the king to h6, the
discovery exposes a mating attack on
g7. 13.Axh7+ ~xh714.~fg5+ ~g6
In the 'ot'gS line, the 4Je6 becomes a
marauder, capturing on f8 and deliver-
ing a fork, without Black being able to
capture it. 14 ... 'ot'gS lS.~hS 4JfS (the
rook is no help: IS ... ~h616.~f7+ 'ot'hS
17.~xg7#) 16.4JxfS+- ltfS (captures
on f8 meet mate) 17.4Jd7 +- Eliminat-
abcdefgh
ing the ~f6 and providing the entry for

284
 Games
Black's French Defense has succeeded.
Following the e5-pawn break, Black's
light-square bishop has jumped to life.
Black's additional assets include that
bishop as well as the Elf8 on an open
file. In the ~gl line, Black must return
the material with Axg7+ because move-
ments ofthe Elfl to create an escape for
the white king run into a timely Elxf2+.
17...Jlxh2+ 18.<ifj>xh2 ~g4+ 19.<ifj>g1
In the <;t>g3 line, Black can exploit the
active placement of the ~b6 and the
Elf8 with 18 ... <£\xf2! 19.~g3 <£\xf2!
20.Axg7+ ~xg7 21.~b2+ Elf6 22.~d2
~d6+ -+ and Black has a winning sim-
plification after 23.<£\f4 Elxf4.19••• ~h6
20.Jlxg7+ 20.Elfc1 walks into a simple
mate in five: 20 ... ~h2+ 21.~fl ~hl+
22.<£\gl Elxf2+ 23.~el ~xgl + 24.Afl
~xfl #. 20 ... <ifj>xg7 21. ~e3+ Reaching
the key diagonal. 21 ... <ifj>gS Better to
stop the checks with 21 ... Elf6 22.~c7+
<;t>h8+ when the Ela8 will more quickly
reach g8. 22.~e7 <ifj>hS 23.~d4
23.~g3~ 23 .•• !U4 24.~f3 JlfS
2S.JlxfS ElxfS 26.Elfe1 White holds
after 26.~c3+ <;t>g8 27.~d4=.
26... ElhS! -+ 27.<ifj>f1 Elh1+ 2S.~g1
~a6+ 29.Ele2 ~h2+ 29 ... Ele8 when
White cannot defend with 30.Elael
4::lh2+. 30.<ifj>e1 Elxg1+ 31.<ifj>d2~h6+
32.f4 Elxa1 33.Ele7 Ela2+ 34.<ifj>e1
~e6+0-1
(223) Smejkal- Hucula
Correspondence 1995
English Opening [A22]
1.e4 ~f6 2.~e3 eS 3.e4 AeS 4.~f3
~g4 S.d4 exd4 6.~a4 d6 7.h3 ~f6
S.eS ~e7 9.~ xeS dxeS10.Jld3 0-0
11.0-0~fd7
285
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
White's e5-pawn sets the sacrifice in
motion by driving off the <£\f6. In addi-
tion to the e5-pawn, White can count
on the dark-square bishop. Black selects
the ~g6 line, where White must select
between ~c2, avoiding the tempo-win-
ning ... <£\e5, and ~d3, which provides
access to g3. 12.Jlxh7+ <ifj>xh7
13.~gS+ <ifj>g6 In the ~g8 line, Black
loses quickly because it isn't possible
to sacrifice with <£\f6 to bring the Ac8-
f5 because the f6 pawn is attacking the
~e7. 13 ... ~g8 14.~h5 Eld8 (14 ... <£\f6
15.exf6+- M516.fxe7) 15.~h7+ 'itlf8
16.~h8#. 14.~d3+ 14.~c2+ is more
accurate, avoiding Black's tempo gain-
ing <£\xe5. 14 ... f5 15.exf6+ ~xf6
16.Ad2 g6 (16 ... <£\e5 17.f4 <£\ec6
18.Elae1+-) 17.Elael <£\e5 (17 ... ~g7
18.Ele6#) 18.f4+-. On 14.~g4? Black
gains a critical tempo with 14 ... <£\xe5.
14...fS 1S.exf6+ <ifj>xf6 Not 15 ... ~h5
16.~h7#.16.Jlf4?!Themostaccurate
path is 16.Ad2 <£\e5 17.~g3 <£\xc4
18.Elfel taking control over the open
file, 18 ... ~d719.Ele4, and now prepar-
ing Elf4 and Elael. 19 ... ~d5 (not
19 ... <£\xd2 20.Elf4+ <;t>e5 21.<£)f7+ ~d5
22.~g5+ ~c6 23.<£\e5+forking the
queen) 20.<£\h7+ ~f7 (20 ... 'itlf5
21.~g4#) 21.~f3+ To win the Elf8 out-
right. 21...~f5 (21...Af5 22.Ele7+ +- )
22.Elf4+-. 16•.. ~eS Black needed to
 Sacking the Citadel
take command over the open file with
16... 1"IeS=.17.~h7+ White wins more
easily with 17.itlg3 1"IeS 18.1"Ifel +-.
17 .•• <it>f7 Too easy is 17 ... <it'e6
IS.Axe5 <it'xe5 19 .l"lfe 1 + +- . 18:~'g3
E{e819.E{ae1 ~bc6 20.Axe5 ~xe5
21.f4+- ~f3+ 22.~xf3 ~xe1
23.E{xe1 E{xe1+ 24.<it>f2 E{e3
25.~d5+ .a.e6 26.~xb7 E{e8
27.~xc7+ <it>g6 28.~g5 Ag8
29.~c6+ <it>h5 30.~f3 E{e2+ 31.<i!}f1
g6 32.~xc5+ <it>h6 33.~xd4 E{2e4
34.~h8+ Ah7 35.~f6 E{xc4
36.~g51-0
(224) Pisa Ferrer - Jose Abril
Spain 1995
Sicilian Defense [B50]
1.e4 c5 2.~f3 d6 3.c3 ~f6 4.Ac4
~c6 5.d3 e6 6.0--0 .a.e7 7. ~e2 0--0
8.E{d1 a6 9.a4 E{b8 10.Ab3 b5
1l.axb5axb512.d4cxd413.cxd4d5
14.e5 ~e4 15.~bd2 f5 16.exf6
~xf6 17..a.c2 .a.d6 18.~b3 ~c7
19.E{e1 ~b4 20..a.b1 ~c4 21.~d1
~e4 22.~bd2 ~xd2 23..a.xd2 .a.d7
24.E{a7~c8
8 signs rather than face 33 ... ~dS
7 34.1"IeS#.
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h 8.dxe5 .a.e6 9. ~e2 .a.e710.E{d1 0--0
Unusual combinations of additional
assets naturally tend to occur when the
sacrifice is undertaken in the
middlegame rather than the late open-
ing. Here, White can count on the 1"Ia7,
286
the 1"Iel, and the dark-square bishop.
In the <it'gSline, Black can reach the b 1-
h7 diagonal but only at the cost of
1"Ixd7, when White threatens 1"Ixg7.
25 ..a.xh7+ <it>xh7 26.~g5+ <it>g8 In
the ~g6 line, White succeeds with the
conventional ~g4 with the discovery
and double attack on g7. 26 ... ~g6
27.~g4 e5 28.4Je6+ (walking into the
usual self-pin) 2S ... ~f7 29.~xg7+
<it'xe6 The retreat is usually impossible,
but the 1"IfS here has an anchor
(29 ... <it'eS 30.~g6+ 1"1f7 [not 30 ... ~e7
31.Ag5++-] 31.itlgS+ ~e7 [31...AfS
32.4JxfS 1"IxfS 33.1"Ixe5+ ~dS
34.Ag5 #] 32.Ag5+ <it'xe6 [32 ... 1"If6
33.itlg7+ ~eS 34.~xf6+-]
33. itlg6+ +- ) 30.dxe5 +- Ae7
31.itlg6+ when it's mate in five. 27. ~h5
~c2 28.E{xd7 E{xf2 Black's mate
threats are easily parried. 2S ... ~f5 29.f3
(White has threats against the Ad6 and
the e6-pawn) 29 ... 1"If6 30.1"Ixd6+-.
There's no point in 2S ... ~xd2
29.~h7#. 29.E{xg7+! <it>xg7
30.~xe6+ <it>g8 There's a pretty open-
board mate in two after 30 ... ~f6
31.Ag5+ <it'f5 32.g4#. 31.~g5+ <it>f7
32.~g7+ <it>e8 33.~c7+ 1--0 Black re-
(225) Pearce - Goosey
Correspondence 1995
Ruy Lopez [C8t]
1.e4 e5 2.~f3 ~c6 3.Ab5 a6 4 ..a.a4
~f6 5.0--0 ~ xe4 6.d4 b5 7.Ab3 d5
1l.c4 bxc4 12.Axc4 .a.c5 13..a.e3
Axe314.~xe3 ~b815 ..a.b3 4Ja5
16.4Jbd2 ~a7 17.4Jd4 4Jxd2
18.~xd2 ~b619.Ac2 <:5 20.4Jf3
4Jc4 21.~e2 ~xb2 22.E{ab1 ~c3
23.E{b3~a5
 Games
abcdefgh
Coming out of a Ruy Lopez, it's the Ruy
bishop that initiates the sacrifice. Black
grabs the b-pawn, permitting White to
gain time on the queen with E!b1-b3
prior to sacrificing. The result is that
White has two obvious additional as-
sets, the e5-pawn and the E!b3. In the
~gS line, the white queen and knight
infiltrate effectively, with help in some
lines from the E!b3 swinging to the
kingside. 24.Axh7+ Cit'xh7 25./ilg5+
Cit'gS In the ~g6 and ~h6 lines, White
wins quickly because the queen and
E!b3 combine for quick mates. 25 ... ~g6
26.4Jxe6 fxe6 27.~g4+ ~h7 (not
27 ... ~f7 2S.E!b7+) 2S.E!b7 E!gS
29.~h5#; 25 ... ~h6 26.4Jxe6 fxe6
27.E!h3+ ~g6 (or 27 ... ~g5 28.~h5+
~f4 29.E!h4#) 2S.~h5#. 26.'l!'/h5
Elfb8 27.'l!'/h7+ Cit'fS 28./ilxe6+ Cit'e7
On 2S ... fxe6 the rook swings to the
kingside where it works very well with
the active queen. 29.E!f3+ ~eS
(29 ... ~e7 30.~xg7+ ~dS 31.E!fS#)
30.~xg7 +-. 29.'l!'/xg7 Elxb3 30.'l!'/f6+
Cit'd7 31.'l!'/xf7+ Cit'e632.axb3/ilxe5
33.'l!'If6 'l!'/e3 34./ild4+ Cit'b7 35.'l!'/e7+
Cit'eS On 35 ... ~b6 36.~d6+ is crush-
ing. 36./ile6 'l!'/a5 37./il xe5 'l!'/e7
3S. 'l!'/eS+ 'l!'/dS 39. 'l!'/e6+ Cit'bS
4O.'l!'/xe5+ 1-0
287
(226) Forgacs, - Frank
Hungary 1995
Sicilian Defense [B43]
l.e4 e5 2./ilf3 e6 3.d4 exd4 4./il xd4
a6 5./ile3 b5 6 ..Q.d3 .Q.b7 7.0-0 d6
S.Cit'hl/ilf6 9. 'l!'/e2 Ae710.Ag5 0-0
1l.f4 'l!'/b612./ilf3/ile613.e5/ild7
14.Axe7/ilxe7
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
In this Sicilian, White has driven off the
4Jf6 with e5. White therefore has the
e5-pawn as an additional asset, but the
second asset is unclear given the
strength of the ilb7. When the sacri-
fice occurs, Black has only the E!f8 de-
fending on f7. In the ~g6 line, as
played, Black misses the best defense
with 17 ... f5. 15.Axh7+ Cit'xh7
16./ilg5+ Cit'g6 In the ~gSline, the ~h5
will be able to capture on f7, with 4Jxe6
and f5 to follow. 16 ... ~gS17.~h5 E!feS
18.~xf7+ ~hS19.~h5+ ~gS 20.~h7+
~fS 21.4Jxe6+ ~f7 22.4Jg5+ ~fS
23.f5 +-. In the ~h6 line, White has
~g4-h4, forcing Black to play E!hS,
again relinquishing control of f7.
16... ~h6 17.~g4 E!hS lS.4Jxf7+ ~h7
19.4Jg5+ ~g6 (19 ... ~gS 20.~xe6+
~fS 21.~f7 #) 20.~xe6+ +- .17.'l!'/g4!
17.~d3+? 4Jf5-+ since the g-pawn is
pinned. 17.•• dxe5? Best is the conven-
tionaI17 .. .f5 18.~g3 dxe5 when White
cannot find an advantage. 19.4Je2
 Sacking the Citadel
(19.Ehdl 4:)f6 20.Eid6 exf4 21.Eixf4
4:)h5 ending White's attack. 22.Eixb6
4:)xg3+ 23.hxg3 ~c6:j:) 19 ... ~c6
20.Eiadl ~xg2+ relieving the pressure.
21. ~xg2 ~xg2+ 22.';t>xg2 4:)d5:j:.
18. .£)xe6+ +- ~f619.fxe5+ ~xe5
20.Etael+ ~d6 21.tU4+ ~c6
22..£)d4+ Fastest is 22.Eidl!. 22 ••• ~c5
23.b4+ ~xb4 24 . .£)dxb5+ .11.e4
25.~xe4+ ~c5 26.~d4+ ~c6
27. ~d6+ Missing 27.Eie6+ to open the
f-file. 27 ... fxe6 28.~d6+ ~b7
29.~xd7+ ~b8 30.Eixf8+with mate next
move. 27 •.. ~b7 28.~xd7+ ~b8
29.~xe71-0
(227) Flaga - Karklins
Chicago 1995
Queen's Gambit Accepted [D28]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e3 .£)f6 4 ..11.xc4
a6 5 . .£)f3 c5 6.0-0 e6 7.~e2 b5
8 ..11.d3 .£)bd7 9.a4 b410.Etdl Jtb7
1l. .£)bd2 .11.e712.b3 Eta713 ..11.b2
~a814.e4 0--0 15.Ete1 Ete816.Etacl
M817.e5.£)d5
abc d e f g h 26 ... ~h7 27.Axf6 gxf6 28.~xf6+- with
White has firm control over e5, but
Black's knights are poised to retake f6.
In addition to the e5-pawn, White has
several additional assets, the active
rooks and the dark-square bishop, but
Black, in addition to the knights, has
well organized control over the long di-
288
agonal and the potential defense of f7
with the Eia7. In the 'itJg6Iine, 20.~e4+
is somewhat more efficient for remov-
ing even the possibility of .. .f6 as a de-
fense. Note the nice mating attack after
20.~e4+ ~xg5. 18..11.xh7+ ~xh7
19..£)g5+ ~g6 In the 'itJg8 line, with
the ~e7 clocking any possible escape,
Black must return the piece, but White's
quick entry with f7 and the subsequent
activity to the Eiel-e6 decides
easily.19 ... <;!tg8 20.~h5 4:)5f6 21.~xf7+
~h8 22.exf6 4:)xf6 23.Eixe6 Eixe6
24.4:)xe64:)h7 25.4:)f4 ~e4 26.~h5 Eid7
27.Eiel +-. In the ~h6 line, ~g4-h4
decides quickly because the black rooks
cannot reach h8.19 .. :;t>h6 20. ~g4 4:)7f6
21.exf6 4:)xf6 22.~h4+ <;!tg6 23.Eie5 +- .
20.~e4+1 20.~e4 is fastest, but the
other tries also win. 20.~g4 f6 (20 .. .f5
21.~h4+- and there's no way to pre-
vent ~h7.) 21.4:)xe6+ ~h7 22.4:)e4+-
And 20.h4 f5 21.exf6 gxf6 22.4:)xe6+-
with ~d3+ or ~g4+ next. 20•.•f5 Com-
plex but hopeless is 20 ... <;!txg5
21.~h7+- cutting off the king's re-
treats. 21...4:)5f6 22.f4+! ~xf4 (22 ...<;!tg4
23.~h3+ ~xf4 24.Eic3 bxc3 25.4:)e4
4:)xe4 26.Ei xe4+ Axe4 [26 ... <;!txe4
27. ~f3+ <;!txd4 28.Axc3 #] 27.Ac1 # )
23.exf6 4:)xf6 24.~h4+ <;!tf5 (24 ... 4:)g4
25.Eie5 ~xg2 26.~g3 #) 25.Eie5+ <;!tg6
26.Eig5#. 21.~h4 .£)5f6 22.exf6
.£) xf6 23 . .£)df3 More accurate is
23.4:)c4! with the idea of 4:)e5+.
23 •.. Jtxf3 24•.£)xf3 Jtd6 25.dxc5
Jtc7 26.~g5+ ~f7 No better is
4:)g5 or Eixe6 next. 27 ..£)h4 Slightly
faster is 27.c6!. 27 ... Jtd8 28.~g6+
~f8 29 . .£)£3 ~d5 30.c6 Etc7
31..£)e5 .£)e4 32.Etedl ~xb3
33..£)d7+ Etxd7 34.Etxd71-O Black
can only delay the mate after 34.Eixd7
Eie7 35.Eixd8++-.
 Games
(228) Baburin - Peric
France 1995
Queen's Gambit Accepted [D26]
1.d4 dS 2.e4 dxe4 3 ..£)f3 eS 4.e3 .£)f6
S.Axe4 e6 6 ..~e2 a6 7.dxeS AxeS
8.0--0 .£)bd7 9.e4 'lfJe7 10.eS .£)g4
1l.Af4 bS 12.Ab3 Ab713 ..£)bd2
0-0 14.h3 .£)gf6 IS . .§ae1 'lfJb8
16.Ae2 .§e817.Ah2 .£)dS
8 tack. 19 ... \t>h6 20.~g4 {J7f6 21.exf6
7 {Jxf6 22.{Jxf7+ \t>h7 23.~h4+ \t>g8
6 24.Axb8+-. 20.'lfJhS .£)f8 Capturing
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
The e5-pawn has eliminated a knight on
f6, but once again, Black is organized
for a return there. In addition to the e5
pawn, White has the {Jd2-e4, the .E!c1,
and the odd-looking dark-square
bishop on h2 which, given the place-
ment of the black queen, offers signifi-
cant help when the e5-pawn is able to
capture on f6. In the ~g8Iine, the queen
arrives on h5 with two threats. With the
f8-square already vacant, Black can
defend with ... {Jf8, but White's attack
succeeds with the additional asset, {Jc3-
e4-f6. 18.Axh7+ <it>xh7 19. .£)gS+
<it>g8 In the ~g6Iine, the ability of the
lth2 to attack the ~b8 eliminates .. .f5
as a reasonable defense.19 ... ~g6
20.~d3+ and now (a) 20 .. .f5 21.exf6+
~xf6 (21...~xg5 22.Axb8+-)
22.{Jde4+ ~e7 23.Axb8+- winning
the queen; (b) 20 ... ~xg5 cannot sur-
vive in the presence of so many addi-
tional assets. 21.~h7 {J5f6 (21...{Jxe5
289
22.{Je4#) 22.~xg7+ ~h5 23.g4+
{Jxg4 24.~xf7+ +-; or 22 ... \t>h4
23.~h6+ {Jh5 24.Ag3#; 22 ... \t>f5
23.g4+ {Jxg4 24.~xg4#; (c) king re-
treats are again quickly mated, 20 ... ~h5
21.~h7+ \t>xg5 22.{Je4#; and (d)
20 ... ~h6 21.~h7+ ~xg5 22.{Je4# or
22.{Jf3 #. In the \t>h6 line, Black must
counter the threat ~g4-h4 by retaking
the f6-square with a knight, when the
capture on f6 exposes the ~b8 to at-
the e-pawn provides no relief: 20 ...{Jxe5
21.Axe5 ~xe5 22.~xf7+ \t>h8
23.{Jde4 (holding the {Jg5 and threat-
ening ~xb7) 23 ... .E!c7 24.~h5+ \t>g8
25.~h7+ ~f8 26 ..E!xc5 +-. 21.'lfJxf7+
<it>h8 22.'lfJhS+ Fastest is 22.{Jde4+-
with the idea of 23.{Jf6. 22 .•. <it>g8
23. 'lfJf7+ <it>h8 24 . .£)de4 'lfJa7
2S •.§xeS White's continuation is win-
ning, but even more forcing is 25.{Jf6
{Jxf6 26.exf6 when the threat on g7 re-
quires Black to act in desperation with
26 ... Axf2+ 27.~hl Axg2+ 28.\t>xg2
~xf7 29.{Jxf7+ \t>h7 30.{Jg5+ \t>g6
31.fxg7 +-. 2S ••• .§xeS 26 . .£)xeS
'lfJxeS 27.'lfJxb7+- 'lfJe8 28.'lfJf7
.§b8 29.Jtg3 .§b7 30. 'lfJhS+ <it>g8
31 . .§d1 g6 32.'lfJg4 .£)e7 33. .£)e4
'lfJe2 34. .§d8 <it>g7 3S. 'lfJh4 .£)dS
36 . .§xf8 <it>xf8 37.'lfJh8+ <it>e7
38.Jth4+ gS 39.Axgs+ <it>d7
40.'lfJd8+ 1-0 It's mate in two with
40 ... \t>c6 41.~d6#.
(229) Kunz - Langreder
Correspondence 1996
French Defense [CI5]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 dS 3 . .£)e3 AM 4.a3
Axe3+ S.bxe3 dxe4 6.f3 eS 7.AbS+
.£)e6 8.'lfJe2 .£)ge7 9.fxe4 exd4
 Sacking the Citadel
10•.£lf3 0-0 1l.e5 ~a5 12.0-0 ~xc3
13.Ad2 ~xc2 14.Ad3 ~c5
15.Elac1 ~xa3
abc d e f g h 25 ...I1e3+-. 24 .•• Elf7 24 ... ..11£7 invites
In this French, Black has invested con-
siderable time eliminating the white
queenside pawns and indeed, at the time
of the sacrifice, White is already four
pawns down. For compensation, White
has important additional assets in the
e5-pawn, the dark-square bishop, and
the rooks, both on useful open files. In
the 'ittg6 line, the §f1-f3 swing enters
the attack with tempo. 16.Axh7+
<it>xh717..£lg5+ <it>g6 In the 'ittgBline,
White plays the lovely 1B.§c3 prevent-
ing the black queen from reaching the
b1-h7 diagonal. 17 ... 'ittgB1B.§c3 (not
18.ii¥h5? ii¥d3-+ reaching the key di-
agonal) lB ... ii¥xc3 (not 1B ... dxc3
19.ii¥h5 §dB and now the black queen
cannot reach d3. 20.ii¥xf7+ 'itthB
21.ii¥h5+ 'ittgB 22.ii¥h7#) 19 ...I1xc3 f6
20.exf6 §xf6 (20 ... gxf6 21.ii¥h5 fxg5
22.ii¥xg5+ 'itth7 23.§xfB+-) 21.ii¥h5
§xf1+ 22.'ittxfl ..I1d7 23.ii¥f7+ 'itthB
24 ...I1b4 4Jxb4 25.ii¥xe7 ..I1b5+ 26.'ittg1
4Jd5 27.ii¥xb7 +-. lS.Elf3 d3 The at-
tempt to exchange queens with 18. .. ii¥a6
runs into 19.ii¥e4+ 4Jf5 (19 .. .f5 when
the black king is hopelessly exposed
after 20.exf6+ 4Jf5 21.fxg7 'ittxg7
22. ii¥g4 §f6 23.4Jxe6+ 'ittf7
24.§xf5+-) 20.g4 ii¥b5 21.§g3 4Jxe5
290
(21...ii¥xe5 22.gxf5+ 'ittf6 [22 ... exf5
23.§xc6++- ] 23.ii¥h4 'itte7 24.4Jf3++-
since 24 ... ii¥f6 runs into 25 ...I1g5)
22.§c7 ..I1d723.§xb7+-.19.~e4+0r
19.§xd3+- eliminating the pawn and
threatening a patient attack with §g3.
19 ... ii¥a6 20.4Je4 f5 21.exf6 §xf6
22.§g3+ 'ittf7 23.ii¥h5+ 4Jg6
24.4Jxf6+-. 19 .•• .£lf5 20.Elg3 f6
21 ..£lxe6++- <it>f7 After 21...'itth7 it's
mate in three with 22.ii¥xf5+ 'ittgB
23.§xg7+. 22.~xf5 Axe6 23.~g6+
<it>e7 24.~xg7+ Or 24.§xd3 ii¥b2
25.exf6+ when the king is too exposed
to survive. 25 ... 'ittd7 26.ii¥g4+ 'ittc7
27 ...\lf4+ 'ittb6 28.§b1 + 'itta6 29.ii¥d7 +-
and there's no safe way to defend b7.
25.exf6+ <it>d7 26.~g6 ~fS
27.Elxd3+ <it>cS Black needs safety on
the queenside, not 27 ... 'itteB 28.§e3+-.
2S.~e4 Elxf6 29.Elxc6+! bxc6
30.~xc6+ <it>bS 31.~b5+ <it>cS
31... 'ittc7 involves the dark-square
bishop in the attack 32 ...I1a5+ 'ittcB
33.ii¥c6+ 'ittbB 34.~c7#. 32.Elc3+
<it>dS 33.Ag5 +- ElcS 34. ~e5 El xc3
35.Axf6+ <it>d7 36.~xc3 ~d6
37.~d4 ~xd4+ 3S.Axd4 a5 39.h3
<it>d6 4O.<it>f2 a4 41.Ab2 <it>c5 42.g4
<it>d6 43. <it>g3 <it>e7 44.h4 <it>f7 45.h5
<it>gS 46.g5 <it>h7 47.g6+ <it>h6
48. <it>h41-0
(230) Korneev - Piskov
Linares 1996
French Defense [C06]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3 ..£ld2 .£lf6 4.e5
.£lfd7 5.Ad3 c5 6.c3 .£lc6 7 ..£le2
cxd4 S.cxd4 f6 9.exf6 .£lxf610.0--0
Ad6 1l . .£lf3 ~c7 12.Ag5 0-0
13.Elcl Ad714..£lg3 ~b615.Axf6
Elxf6
 Games
abcdefgh
A theoretical duel in which both sides
have some claim. White can count here
upon the 4:)g3 and §c1 as additional
assets, while Black can point to the §f6,
significant pressure upon d4, and the
absence of an e5-pawn. All but one of
the defenders selected the 'it'gS line,
when White, with careful and ferocious
play, prevailed in every game.
16.Axh7+ ~xh717.{\g5+ ~g8 The
'it'hS line, rarely mentioned because it
often results in a quick checkmate on
h7, is playable here owing to the §f6-
h6. 17 ... 'it'hS 18.'lii"d3! (White cannot
make progress after IS.'lii"h5+ §h6
19.4:)f7+ 'it'h7 20.4:)g5+=) IS ... g6 (after
18. .. §h619.4:)f7+ ~gS 20.4:)xh6+ gxh6
the white queen gains an effective en-
try square 21.'lii"g6+ ~fS 22.4:)f5 exf5
23.'lii"xd6++-) 19.4:)3e4(openingh3 for
the queen) 19 ... ~g7 20.4:)xd6 4:)xd4
21.§fel (White can reach an even po-
sition with 21.'lii"e3 'lii"xd6 22.'lii"xd4 e5
23.'lii"e3 d4=) 21...e5 22.§xe5 §xd6
23.§e7+ 'it'gS 24.§cel §fS 25.4:)e6?
(25.§le6 4:)f5+) 25 ... 4:)f5 26.§xd7
§xd7 27.4:)xfS 'it'xfS 2S.g4 4:)e7 0-1
Maksimenko-Nosenko,Alushta 1999. In
the 'it'h6 and ~g6Iines, White mates in
one thanks to the assist from the 4:)g3.
17 ... ~g6 or 17 ... 'it'h6 IS.~h5 #.
18.~h5 Ae8 IS ... ~xd4 when now
White can safely capture the §hS.
291
19.~h7+ ~fS 20.~hS+ 'it'e7 21.'lii"xaS!
§fS (21...~xb2 22.§bl ~d2 23.4:)f3
§xf3 24.gxf3 b6 25.~g2±) 22.~xb7
§bS 23.'lii"a6 §b6 24.~e2 Jlxg3
(24 ... 'lii"f6 25.4:)f3 §xb2 26.§c2 §xc2
27.'lii"xc2 e5 2S.~h7 e4 29.4:)h4+-)
25.hxg3 ~f6 26.~e3 §xb2 27.4:)xe6
§xa2 2S.4:)f4+ 1-0 Ledger-Hawes, St
Helier 2002.
The best defense may be IS ... §f4!?
holding control over the f-file and aug-
menting the pressure upon d4. 19.~h7+
~fS 20.'lii"hS+ 'it'e7 21.~xg7+ (spum-
ing the rook since §fS would trap the
queen) 21...~dS 22.4:)h5 ~xd4
23.4:)xe6+ Jlxe6 24.'lii"xb7 §bS 25.~xc6
§b6 26.~aS+ §b8 27.~c6=. 19.~h7+
~f8 20.{\f5! Less compelling was
20.~hS+ ~e7 21.~xg7+ Jlf7 22.4:)xf7
§xf7 23.4:)f5+ exf5 24.§fel + 'it'd7
(missing 24 ... Ae5! returning a piece to
block the file and to gain time to acti-
vate the §as. 25.~g5+ [25.§xe5+
4:)xe5 26.~xe5+ ~d7 27.~xd5+
~eS-+] 25 ... ~f8 26.dxe5 'lii"xb2=)
25.'lii"xf7+ 4:)e7 26.~e6+ ~dS 27.a3 a5
2S.h4 §a6 29.~f7 'lii"b5 30.~f8+ ~d7
31.§cSl-O Frolov-Weiss, Schwabisch
GmUnd 1994. 20 .•. E!xf5 21.{\xe6+
~e7 Another game tried 21...~f7
22.~xf5+ ~gS with patient maneuver-
ing until White could safely bring up
the rooks 23.4:)g5 4:)e7 24.~e6+ ~hS
(24 ... 'it'fS 25.4:)h7#) 25.'lii"h3+ ~gS
26.~h7+ 'it'fS 27.4:)e6+ (27.~hS+ 4:)gS
2S.4:)e6+ ~f7 29.§fel +-) 27 ... ~f7
2S.§fel with ~xg7 to follow.l-0
Dearing-Mah, Yerevan 1997. 22.~xf5
{\xd4 In Rausis-Namyslo, Meisdorf
1996, Black tried 22 ... Jld7 pinning and
soon winning the knight, but after
23.§fel Jle5 24.'lii"g5+ ~xe6 White
maintains a strong initiative and can
now push the unopposed kings ide
 Sacking the Citadel
pawns. 2S:i£rg6+ 'lIe7 26:i£rxg7+ 'lidS
27.dxeS+- 4Je7 2S.e6 AeS 29:i£reS
ElcS 30.h4 Elc6 31.hS 'ltfc7 32.'ltfgS
'ltfd6 33.h6 Ag6 34.'ltff6 'lIc7 3S.'ltfg7
'lIb6 36.Elxc6+ bxc6 37.h7 Axh7
3S:i£rxh7 'ltfb4 39.Eldl 'lIc7 40.'ltfh2+
~cS 41. 'ltfhS+ 'lIc7 42. 'ltfd4 'ltfxd4
43.Elxd4 'lId6 44.Ela4 'lIxe6 4S.Elxa7
d4 1-0. Black also wins the 4Je6 after
22 ... g6 23.'ltfxdS Af7 24.Elfel AeS
2S.dxeS (2S.Elxc6 'ltfxc6 26.'ltfxeS +- )
2S ... Axe6 but once again White's extra
pawns provide a long term advantage.
26.'ltfd6+ 'lIf7 27.Elc3 EleS 2S.Elf3+
'lIg7 29:i£rd2 EldS 30.'ltfgS 'ltfaS
31.'ltff6+ 'lIh7 32.Elfe3 'ltfdS 33.h3 ElgS
34.'ltfh4+ 'lIg7 3S.'ltfgS ElfS 36.Elg3 MS
37.e6 EleS 3S.Elge3 Elxe6 39.El xe6
Axe6 40.'ltfxdS .llxdS 41.b3 'lIf6 42.f3
4Jb4 43.Ele2 Ac6 44.'lIf2 4JdS 4S.Eld2
~eS 46.g3 4Jc3 47.h4 4JdS 4S.Ele2+
'lIf6 49.g4 4Jf4 SO.Eld2 AdS S1.'lIe3
'lieS S2.Elh2 Af7 S3.'lIf2 'lId4 S4.Elhl
'lieS SS.Elel+ 'lIf6 S6.'lIg3 4JdS
S7.Ele2 'lIg7 SS.a3 'lIf6 S9.gS+ ~g7
60.b4 'lIfS 61.EleS a6 62.f4 4Je7 63.hS
gxhS 64.fS 4Jc6 6S.ElcS AeS 66.'lIh4
4Jd4 67.g6 Ad7 6S.f6 .llg4 69.Elc7
4Jf3+ 70.'lIg3 4JgS 71.Ele7 Ae6
72.'lIh4 4Jf3+ 73.'lIxhS 4Jd4 74.g7+
~gS 7S.EleS+ 1-0 Libiszewski-
Housieaux, Val d'!sere 2004. 23.Jilxd4
~xd4 24.lafe1+ 1-0 After 24 ... ~dS
2S.'ltfe6 hits both bishops at the same
time.
(231) Fernandez - De Waard
Correspondence 1996
French Defense [CI5]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Jilc3 Ab4 4.a3
Axc3+ 5.bxc3 dxe4 6.f3 ~d5 7.lab1
b6 8.c4 ~b7 9.d5 exf310.Jil xf3 Jile7
11.Ad3 exd5 12.0--00--0
292
8 Il~,f._'~
7 1~~;NI.I"~.:8
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Black's very poor queenside develop-
ment and the inactivity ofElfS suggests
success for the sacrifice, which can
count on the Elfl, the dark-square
bishop, and even the active Elbl as ad-
ditional assets. But Black is not with-
out resources, notably the 4Je7 and the
light-square bishop taking aim on the
key fS-square. In the 'lIg6 line, Black
misses the best chance with IS .. :~c6,
an attempt to place the queen eventu-
ally on the key b I-h7 diagonal.
13.J'txh7+ lit'xh714.Jilg5+ lit'g6 In
the 'lIgSline, Black's only defense with
... .llfS gets ripped by ElxfS.14 ... 'lIgS
IS.'\li'hS AfS 16.ElxfS+-; 14 ... ~h6
walks into a crushing discovery:
IS.4Jxf7+ ~g616.4JeS+ 'lIh717.'\li'hS+
'lIgSlS.ElxfS+ 'lIxfS 19.'\li'f7#. 15.h4!
White cannot make meaningful progress
after IS.'ltfd3+ fS 16.'\li'g3 f4 17.~xf4
4JfS IS.'ltfh3 4Jh6 19.'ltfd3+ ~fS
20.'\li'g3=. 15 ... Jilf5 Black cannot af-
ford to cede control over the f7-square.
IS ... ElhS 16.Elxf7 Elxh4 17.Elxe7+-;
IS ... 'ltfc6! (activating the queen while
keeping it out of the reach of the dis-
covered check) 16.hS+ ~h617.'ltfd3 fS
IS.4Je6+ ~h7 19.4JxfS+ 'lIgS 20.4Jg6
4Jxg6 21.hxg6+-. 16.h5+ lit'f6 Black
dare not walk into 16 ...'lIh617.'ltfg4 f6
18.ElxfS+- .17.~d4+ Fritz 12 notes that
17.'ltfe2 starts a mate in 15. 17•.. lit'e7
 Games
18.'li'/e5+ \tIdS After lS ... .J:te6 the
knight simply falls, 19 ..!''!.xf5 +-.
19.{) xf7+ -.§ xf7 20.Jtg5+ .§f6
20 ... .§e7 21..§xf5 +- strips off the rook's
defender. 21.Jtxf6+ gxf6 22. 'li'/xf6+
1-0 Black cannot defend adequately on
e7 after 22 ... 4Je7 23.'§bel 4Jbc6
24. ~f8+ ~d7 25 ..§f7 +- .
(232) Dimitrov - Yepes Martinez
Terrassa 1996
French Defense [C07]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.{)d2 c5 4.exd5
'li'/xd5 5.{)gf3 cxd4 6.Jtc4 'li'/d6 7.0-
o {)f6 S.{) b3 {)c6 9 ..£'1 bxd4 .£'I xd4
10.{)xd4 a611.b3 'li'/c712.Jtb2 Jtd6
13.{)f3 0-014.'li'/e2 b515.Jtd3 {)d5
16.g3 Jtb717..§fe1 .§adS1S..§ac1
{)b4
8 31.{)xe7 'li'/xe7 32.~xe7+ \tIxe7
7
6
5
4
3 (233) Wells - Dumitrache
2 Balatonbereny 1997
abcdefgh
Black's ... 4Jb4 impels White to under-
take the sacrifice, which counts here on
the .§el and the Ab2 as additional as-
sets. In the ~g6 line, White succeeds
because .. .f5, Black's only defense af-
ter ~g4, permits the immediate entry of
the white rook on e6. 19.Jtxh7+
\tIxh7 20.{)g5+ \tIg6 In the ~gSline,
White wins very quickly thanks to the
assist from the dark-square bishop's
support on g7. 20 ... ~gS 21.~h5 .§feS
22.~h7+ ~fS 23.~xg7+ ~e7
24.~xf7#. In the ~h6 line, the threat
of~g4-h4 gives White the time to re-
293
organize the .J:tb2-cl. 20 ... ~h6 21.~g4
e5 (21...f6 22.'l£th4+ ~g6 23.4Jxe6+-)
22 ..§cdl 4Jxc2 23.Ac1 f5 24.4Je6+
~h7 25.'l£th5++-. 21.'li'/g4 Too slow is
21.h4? 'l£tc6-+. 21 ••• f5 22.'§xe6+!
Much less active is 22.'l£th4 e5 23.4Je6
"Ytie7 (Black is able to use the .§fS to
defend d8) 24.4Jf4+ ~f7 (24 ... e xf4
25 ..§xe7) 25.'l£th5+ ~gS 26.4Jg6 'l£tf6
27 ..J:txe5 .J:tf3 2S ..J:txf6 .J:txh5 29 ..J:txdS
.§xdS 30.4Je7+ .J:txe7 31..§xe7 .§d2':F.
22 ••• .§f6 23.~h4 .§xe6 24.{)xe6
Jte7 24 ... 'l£te7 25.4JxdS+- wins the
rook outright. 25.{)f4+ \tIf7 26. 'li'/h5+
\tIgS 27.{)g6 'li'/d6 27 ... .J:td6 2S.c4
(with the idea of c5) 2S ... 4Jxa2 29 ..§dl
bxc4 30.bxc4 4Jb4 31.c5 'l£txc5 giving
up the defense ofthe .§dS 32.'l£thS+ ~f7
33. "YtixdS +- . 2S. 'li'/hS+ \tIf7
29.'li'/xg7+ \tieS 30 . .§e1 Jte4
33.f3 33 ..J:ta3 +- picks up the knight.
33 .•. .£'1 xc2 34..§e2 {)d4 35.Jtxd4
.§xd4 36.fxe4 fxe4 37.\tIf2 \tIe6
3S.\tIe3 \tIe5 39..§d2 1-0
Semi-Slav Defense [D46]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.{)c3 c6 4.{)f3 {)f6
5.e3 {)bd7 6.Jtd3 Jtd6 7.0--0 0--0
S.e4 {)xe4 9.{)xe4 dxe410.Jtxe4
.§eS 1l..§e1 c5
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
 Sacking the Citadel
In this Semi-Slav, Black will be able, in
some lines to play ... 4::If6 defending h7,
and the f1fB is already off fB. Still, White
has additional assets in the f1e1 and
the dark-square bishop. In the 'it'g6Iine,
White finds the remarkable and original
resource, g4 (rather than 14.'lii'g4 f5
when the queen cannot remain on the
g-file) which replaces an e5-pawn in
preventing a subsequent .. .f5 by Black.
12.Axh7+ Cit'xh713.4)g5+ Cit'g6 In
the 'it'gB line, Black cannot simulta-
neously defend the f7 and h7 entry
points, and ... 4::If6 gets overloaded by a
pretty f1e4 rook swing. 13 ... 'it'gB
14.'lii'h5 'lii'f6 (White triumphs easily
after either 14 ... ~xh2+ 15.'it'h1 or
14 ... 4::If6 15.'lii'xf7+ 'it'hB 16.f1e4+-)
15.'lii'h7+ 'it'fB 16.4::Ie4 'lii'g6 17.'lii'xg6
fxg6 (17 ... ~xh2+ 1B.'it'xh2 fxg6
19.dxc5+-) 1B.4::Ixd6+- with Ag5 on
the next move. 14.g4! A wonderful
pawn advance anticipating .. .f6 after
~d3+. Also: (a) Less compelling is
14.h4!? f5 (14 ... f1hB 15.f1xe6+ fxe6
16.~d3+ 'it'f617.~f3+ 'it'g6 [17 ... 'it'e7
18.~f7 #] 18.~f7+ 'it'h619.4::Ixe6+ +-)
because without an e5-pawn 15.h5+
cannot drive the king to h6. 15 ... 'it'f6
16.~e2 'lii'e717.~d3 ~dB1B.d5±; or
(b) But not 14.~g4? f5 15.'lii'h4 because
Black can challenge the queen with an
anchored 15 ... f1hB -+. 14 •.. 4)f8
14 ... f1fB 15.'lii'f3 4::Ib616.h4 f5 17.h5+
'it'f61B.gxf5 exf5 19.~g2 +- aiming for
the g6-entry square and, after 4::Ih7 or
4::Ie4, Ag5+ winning the queen.
15.~d3+ f515 ... 'it'f6 gives White the
chance to mate quickly: 16.'lii'f3+ 'it'e7
(16 ... 'it'g6 17.'lii'xf7+ 'it'h6 1B.~h5#)
17.~xf7#. 16.~h3 Cit'f6 Alternatives
fare no better: 16 ... fxg4 17.~xg4 'lii'e7
18.~e4+ 'it'f6 (18. .. 'it'h619.4::If7+ 'it'h5
20.4::Ixd6 ~xd6 21.'lii'g2+-) 19.~f3+
'it'g6 20.h4 e5 21.dxe5 ~xe5 22J'he5
294
'lii'xe5 23.'lii'f7+ 'it'h6 24.4::If3+ +-. Aim-
ing to dull the impact of White's dark-
square bishop with 16 .. .f4 (opening the
e4-square for the knight) 17.'lii'h5+ 'it'f6
1B.4::Ie4+ 'it'e7 19.dxc5 ~c7 20.b3 +-.
17.~h5 f418.Ete5! ~d719.Axf4
Axe5 The attempt to run with 19... 'it'e7
meets 20.dxc5 ~c7 21.f1ae1 +-.
20.Axe5+ Cit'e7 21.4)f7 More accu-
rate is 21.dxc5 'it'dB 22.4::If7+ 'it'e7
23.~g5+ 'it'xf7 24.'lii'xg7#. 21 ... ~a4
22.Ad6+ Cit'd7 Avoiding 22 ... 'it'f6
23.g5+ 'it'f5 24.4::Ie5 +- with 'lii'g4 #.
23.~xc5 e5 24.d5 Fastest is 24.'lii'c7+
'it'e6 25.dxe5 +- with 4::Ig5# to come.
24 ... 4)e6 25.4) xe5+ Cit'd8 26.Ac7+
1-0 Starting a pretty mate in three. 26 ...
4::Ixc7 27.4::If7+ 'it'd7 28.~d6#.
(234) Vavrak - Kopera
Zilina 1997
Queen's Gambit Declined [D37]
l.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.4)f3 4)f6 4.e3 Ae7
5.Ad3 0--0 6.0--0 4)bd7 7.4)c3 dxc4
8.Axc4 b6 9.e4 Ab7 10.Etel Ab4
1l.Ad3 c5 12.e5 4)d5 13.4) xd5
Axd5
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
In this Queen's Gambit Declined, White
can count on three additional assets,
the secure e5-pawn, the -dark-square
bishop, and the f1e1, while Black can
point only to the active Ad5. The f1fB
 Games
has not yet created an escape square,
the.ilb4 is attacking the ~e1 which will
not long remain there, and the 4Jd7 can-
not safely return to f6. In the ~g6 line,
h4 followed by the rook swing is most
efficient. Note that the ~g4 try is eas-
ily repulsed. 14.Axh7+ <ifjlxh7
15.4)g5+ <ifjlg6 In the ~gBline, White
has the usual checkmate in five moves.
15 ... ~gB 16.~h5 ~eB 17.~xf7+ 'it'hB
18.~h5+ ~gB 19.~h7+ 'it'fB 20.~hB+
~e7 21.~xg7#. 16.h4! White gains
back only an exchange after 16.~g4 f5
17.~g3 (17.exf6 4Jxf6= 1B.~g3 4Jh5)
17 ... ~e7 1B.~d1 (lB.~e3 ~xg5 -+)
1B ... c4 19.4Jxe6+ 'it'h7 20.4JxfB+
~xf8=; 16.~d3+ f5 17.~g3 transposes
to the 16.~g4 line (or White can try
17.exf6+ ~xf6 18.~e2 ~c7 19.dxc5
bxc5 20.4Jh7+ 'it'f7 21.4Jg5+ [21.4JxfB
~xf8+] 21...~f6=).16 •.. Eth8There's
no help in first securing the queen with
16... ~e7 17.~c2+ f5 1B.exf6+ 'it'xf6
19.4Jxe6 .ilxe6 20 ..ilg5++-. 17:~d3+
Better is 17.~e3! ~xh4 18.~g3 ~cB
19.4Jf3+ +- winning the rook.
17••. <ifjlh5 Black ought to have played
17 .. .f5 1B.exf6+ ~xf6 (not 1B ... ~h5
19.4Jxe6 .ilxe6 20.~xe6+-) when
White gains the advantage with
19.4Jxe6 followed by .ilg5+. 18.g4+!
<ifjlxg419.4)xf70rsimply 19.~e3with
the ideaof~g3.19 ••• .Q.xe120:~g6+
<ifjlf3 21. ~g3+ <ifjle4 Black can delay
the mate by a move with 21...~e2
22. ~e3+ 'it'd1 23 ..ild2+ ~c2 24. ~c3 #.
22.4)d6+<ifjlxd423.~e3# 1--0
(235) Madl- Pinterne Kovacs
Budapest 1997
French Defense [CI4]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.4)e3 4)f6 4.Ag5
Ae7 5.e5 4)fd7 6 ..Q.xe7 ~xe7 7.f4
0--0 8.4)f3 e5 9.dxe5 ~xe510. ~d2
295
4)e6 11.0-0-0 4)b6 12.Ad3 Ad7
13.<ifjlb1 (for 13 ..ilxh7+ see game 191)
13..• 4)a5
abc d e f g h
The sacrifice occurs here in a position
that is nearly identical to van der Weil-
Kortchnoi save for the addition of an
extra move pair, 'it'b1, 4Ja5, which
should work in White's favor given the
additional security for the white king
and the removal of the ~e3+ resource.
In the game, another theoretical debate
ensues in the 'it'gB line, where White
retains a significant and perhaps win-
ning advantage despite Black's success
in migrating his king to the queenside.
14.Axh7+ <ifjlxh715.4)g5+ <ifjlg8 In
the ~g6Iine, White can drive the black
king to f6 when a knight fork again nets
the queen.15 ... 'it'g6 16.~d3+ f5
17.exf6+ ~xf6 (not 17 ... ~h5 1B.g4+
'it'xg4 19.~hg1 + 'it'xf4 20.~g3+ 'it'f5
21.~df1 + ~g6 22.~d3+ 'it'h5
23.~h7#or 17 ... 'it'h6 1B.~h7#)
1B.4Jge4++-. 16.~d3 Etfe8 Four
games tried 16 ... ~feB! 17.~h7+ 'it'fB
IB.~hB+! ~e7 19.~xg7! (permitting
the king to run to d8) 19 ... 'it'dB
20.4Jxf7+ ~c7 21.4Jd6 (with a lock on
the key d6-square) 21...a6 (see below
for 21...4Jac4) 22.~d3 (22.4JxeB+ ±)
22 ... 4Jac4 23.4Jxc4 (23.4JxeB+ ±)
23 ... 4Jxc4 24.f5 ~gB 25.~h7 ~hB
26.~g7 ~agB-+ 27.~f6 ~b4 2B.b3
 Sacking the Citadel
4Ja3+ 29.'it>b2 f1.fS 30.~g7 f1.hgS
3l.fxe6 4Jc4+ 32.'it>bl 4Ja3+ 33.'it>b2
4Jc4+ 34.'it>al 'it>bS 35.~xd7 4Jxe5
36.4Jxd5 ~c5 37.~h7 4Jxd3 38.~xd3
f1.xg2 39.e7 f1.eS 40.4Je3 f1.f2 41.~dS+
~cS 42.~d6+ ~c7 43.~xc7+ 'it>xc7
44.4Jd5+ 'it>d6 45.c4 b5 46.4Jc3 f1.xe7
47.cxb5 axb5 4S.4Jxb5+ 'it>c5 49.4Jc3
'it>d4 50.4Jdl f1.d2 51.h4 f1.ee2 52.a4
f1.h2 53.f1.fl f1.xh4 54.4Jb2 'it>c3 55.f1.f3+
'it>b4 56.4Jd3+ 'it>xb3 57.4Jb2+ 'it>c2
5S.'it>a2 f1.b4 59.'it>a3 f1.xb2 60.a5 f1.b5
61.'it>a4 f1.dd5 62.f1.f2+ 'it>d3 0-1
Hamid-Karthikeyan, Chennai 2004. In
Resika-Hanley, Budapest 2002, Black
aims to force the exchange ofthe 4Jd6.
21... 4Jac4 22.4Jcb5+ but with this
check, White maintains control over the
key square. 22 ... 'it>bS 23.4Jxc4 f1.e7
(23 ... ~xc4 24.4Jd6 ~b4 25.a3 ~xf4
26.4JxeS AxeS 27.f1.hfl +-) 24.~fS+
4JcS 25.4Jcd6 f1.eS 26.~f7 f1.e7 27.~fS
f1.eS 28.~f61-0.
In Grabics-Matveeva, Istanbul 2000,
White again played IS.~hS+! 'it>e7 but
deviated with 12.~h4 trying to prevent
the king from escaping via d8. 12 ... f1.hS
(better to create tuft on f8 with 19 ... f1.gS)
20.4Jh7+ 'it>eS 21.4Jf6+ gxf6 22.~xhS+
~f8 23.~xf6 4Jac4 24.f1.d3 ~b4 25.b3
4Ja3+ 26.'it>b2 Ab5 27.f1.g3 4Jd7
2S.f1.gS+ 4Jf8 29.f1.g7 f1.cS 30.~xf7+
'it>dS 31.~f6+ 'it>eS 32.~f7+ 'it>dS
33.~f6+ (33.f1.g3±) 33 ... 'it>eS 34.~f7+
Yz-Yz . The aggressive looking 18.4Jce4
dxe4 19.4Jxe4 permits White to park a
rook on d6: 19 ... ~c6 20.f1.d6 ~b5 but
White could find no way to make fur-
ther progress 21.~hS+ 'it>e7 22.~h4+
'it>fS 23.~hS+ 'it>e7 24.~h4+ 'it>f8 Yz-
Yz, Glek-Morozevich, st. Petersburg
1998. 17. ~h7+ <i!tfS IS.f5! In Tong
Yuanming-Ulibin, Beijing 1996, the im-
mediate queen check only encouraged
the king to run quickly to the queenside.
296
18.~hS+ 'it>e719.~xg7 'it>dS! 20.4Jxf7+
'it>c7 21.4Jd6 4Jac4= 22.4Jxc4 (22.f5
peters out to a perpetual after 'it>bS
23.4Jxc4 4Jxc4 24.~xd7 ~b4 25.4Ja4
4Ja3+ 26.'it>al 4Jxc2+ 27.<it'bl 4Ja3+)
22 ... f1.gS-+ 23.~h7 4Jxc4 24.4Jxd5+
exd5 25.e6 f1.adS 26.g3 ~b6 27.h3 4Je3
2S.exd7 4Jxdl 29.f1.xdl ~e6 30.~d3
f1.xd7 31.~c3+ 'it>bS 32.f1.el d4 33.~d2
~g6 34.f1.e5 d3 35.f5 dxc2+ 36.~xc2
~f6 37.~e4 f1.gdS 0-1. IS ... exf5
19.~hS+ <i!te7 20.~xg7 gfS After
20 ... Ae6 21.4Jxe6 'it>xe6 White should
tum down the check on f6 in favor of
the rook sac on f5: 22.f1.hfl f1.f8 23.f1.xf5
4Jac4 24.f1.f6+ 'it>e7 25.e6+-. 21.e6
Axe6 22.ghel <i!teS 22 ... 'it>dS
23.f1.xe6+-. Capturing the rook leads
immediately to a brutal knight fork.
23.Jclxe6 fxe6 24.gxe6+ <i!tdS
25.g xb6 1-0 Removing the defender
ofthe d5-pawn. 25 ... axb6 (or 25 ... ~xb6
26.f1.xd5+ 'it>eS 27.~d7 #) 26.f1.xd5+.
(236) Kovacevic - Nikolac
Medulin 1997
Queen's Indian Defense [EI4]
l.d4 Jclf6 2.Jclf3 e6 3.c4 b6 4.e3 Ab7
5.Ad3 Ae7 6.0-0 0-0 7.Jclc3 d5
S.b3 c5 9.Ab2 cxd4 10.exd4 Jclc6
1l.gc1 gcs 12.gel geS 13.cxd5
Jclxd514.Jclxd5 ~xd515.Ae4 ~d6
16.d5 exd517.~xd5 Jcla51S.gxcS
gxc8
abc d e f g h
 Games
The center has blown open and Black,
with 17 ... <£\a5, appears to be encourag-
ing a trade Of queens. The unusual po-
sition has all the features of a custom-
ary sacrifice. The knight can reach g5
and the ~d5 has ready access to h5
and immediate access to f7. 20.<£\g5 is
playable because the Ae7 is over-
loaded. To avoid ~xf7+, Black selects
the 'it'h6 line, where the threats on e6
and g7 overwhelm Black after ~f7.
19.Jlxh7+ <t>xh7 20..£lg5+ <t>h6 The
'it'gS line leads to a mate in two owing
to the quick entry on f7 and the activity
of the Ab2. 20 ... 'it'gS 21.i!'fxf7+ 'it'hS
22. ~xg7 #. In the 'it'g6Iine, i;j-xf7 forces
the black king out in the open when
White's two additional assets, the Ab2
and the fie1, help to decide in White's
favor in the myriad lines. 20 ... 'it'g6
21.~xf7+ 'it'xg5 (21...'it'h6 22.~xg7+
'it'h5 23.<£\e6+-) 22.~xg7+ 'it'h5
(22 ... 'it'h4 23.~h7+ 'it'g5 24.h4+ 'it'g4
25.f3+ 'it'g3 26.~g7+ 'it'xh4 27.~g4#)
23.~h7+ 'it'g5 (23 ... i!'fh6 24.g4+ 'it'g5
25.fie5+ +-) 24.h4+ 'it'g4 (24 ... 'it'f4
25.~h5+-) 25.f3+ 'it'g3 26.~g7+
'it'xh4 27.~g4#. 20 ... .ilxg5 (dropping
the queen) 21.~xd6+-. 21.~xf7
<t>xg5 2l...~g6 (the dark-square bishop
and the rook enter the position quickly)
22 ..ilxg7+ ~xg7 23.fie6+ 'it'xg5
24.~xg7++-. 22.~xg7+ 1-0 The ex-
po sure of the black king permits White
to prevail easily in every line: (a)
22 ... 'it'h5 23.~h7++- i!'fh6 24.g4+ 'it'g5
25.fie5+ +- winning at least the queen;
(b) 22 ... 'it'h4 23.~h7+ 'it'g5 (23 ... 'it'g4
24.f3+ Axf3 25.gxf3+ 'it'xf3 26.i;j-e4 #)
24.h4+ 'it'f4 (24 ... 'it'g4 25.f3+ Axf3
26.gxf3+ 'it'xf3 27.i!'fe4+ 'it'g3
2S.fie3 #) 25.~h5 +- with Ae5+ next;
(c) 22 ... 'it'f5 23.h3+-; and (d) 22 ... i;j-g6
23.fie5++- .
297
(237) Hellsten - Jakobsen
Gistrup 1997
N imzo-Indian Defense [E 11 ]
1.d4 .£lf6 2.c4 e6 3 . .£lf3 Jlh4+
4 ..£l1xl2 0--0 5.a3 Ae7 6.e4d5 7.cxd5
exd5 S.e5 .£lfd7 9.Ad3 c5 10.(H)
.£lc6 ll.§.el a5 12.Ac2 cxd4
13..£lh3 §.eS14..£lhxd4 .£lc515.h3
ArS
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
White undertakes the sacrifice immedi-
ately following Black's retreat of the
bishop to fS, giving White the oppor-
tunity safely to bring the <£\f3-g5. White
can count on four additional assets, the
e5-pawn secured by the fie1, the dark-
square bishop, and the <£\d4, which pre-
vents Black from defending with Af5.
In the 'it'g6 line, White wins as in the
game with <£\d4-f3 with the idea of <£\h4.
16.Axh7+ <t>xh717..£lg5+ <t>g6 In
the 'it'gS line, White must first trade the
knights on c6. The immediate i;j-h5 in-
vites Black to sacrifice his queen on g5
and then pick up the loose <£\d4.
17 ... 'it'gS ls.<£\xc6! (1S.i!'fh5 i*xg5!
19.Axg5 <£\xd4) lS ... bxc6 (lS ... i!'fd7
... i;j-h5 i;j-f5 19.<£\d4+-) 19.~h5+-.
lS•.£ldf3! A very instructive maneuver
with the idea of <£\f3-h4+. The alterna-
tive lS.h4 is also winning. Note that
with the bishop on fS, Black cannot play
fihS to prevent h5. lS ... <£\xd4 (IS ... ~e7
 Sacking the Citadel
19.'liYc2+ lLle4 20.!he4+-) 19.h5+ (set-
ting up the king for a disastrous dis-
covered check) 19 ... 'i!th6 (19 ... 'i!tf5
20.g4#) 20.lLlxt7+ (winning the queen)
20 ... 'i!th7 21.lLlxd8 '£)db3 22.'l!i'c2+ +-.
And avoiding 18.'l!i'c2+?! lLle4.
18•.• ttd718 .. .f5 moves the f-pawn but
leaves the f7 -square undefended
19.1Llh4+ 'i!th6 20.lLlt7+ +-. 19•.£lh4+
19.1Llh4 forces the king on to a danger-
ous dark square, but also effective is
19.~c2+ f5 20.lLlh4+ 'i!th6 21.e6 (since
the black f-pawn can longer capture on
e6) 21... 'l!i'c7 (now it's mate in three)
22.lLlxf5+ 'i!th5 (22 ... ~g6 23.lLle7+ 'i!th5
[23 ... ~h6 24.~h7#; 23 ... 'i!tf6
24.lLlxd5#] 24.'l!i'h7#) 23.lLlg3+ 'i!th4
(23 ... )f;h6 24.lLlf7#; 23 ... ~xg3
24.'l!i'h7#) 24.lLlf3#. 19 ••• ~h6
20•.£le6+ The immediate discovery is
effective, but the fastest path starts with
20.~c2+-. 20... ~h7 21.tth5+ ~g8
22 . .£lg5+- .1ld6 23.tth7+ ~f8
24. tth8+ ~e7 25.exd6+ ~d8 Hope-
less for Black is 25 ... 'i!txd6 26.!he8+-.
26.§xe8+ ttxe8 27..£lxfi+ 1--0 Black
resigns rather than face the infusion of
white forces. 27 ... )f;d7 28.~xg7 lLle6
(forcing the queen to move, but there
are plenty of useful entry squares)
29.~f6 lLlcd8 30.lLle5+ 'i!txd6
31.Ae3+-.
(238) Hamilton - Marsden
Correspondence 1997
Scotch Game [C43]
1.e4 e5 2 ..£lf3 .£lf6 3.d4 exd4 4.e5
.£le4 5.ttxd4 d5 6.exd6.£l xd6 7..£lc3
.£lc6 8. ttf4 Ae6 9.Ad3 Ae7
10.Ae3 Af6 11.0-0-0 tte7
12.§he1 0--0 13.Ac5 Axc314.bxc3
ttd7
298
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
To relieve some of the pressure on the
position and with the aim of weakening
White's kingside, Black played .llxc3 but
continued weakly, likely unaware that
the sacrifice was in the air. White can
rely here upon the active rooks and the
dark-square bishop, albeit on c5.
White's play in the 'i!tg8 line is quite
nice to review, with the well timed cap-
tures on d6 and the queen's powerful
entry to e4. 15.Axh7+ ~xh7
16..£lg5+ ~g8 In the )f;g6Iine, White
has 'l11g3 which cannot immediately be
assailed. 16 ... 'i!tg6 17.'liYg3 Ag4
(17 ... lLlf5 18..£)xe6+ lLlxg319.lLlxf8+ +-)
18 ..llxd6 cxd6 19.Eixd6+ 'l!i'xd6
20.~xd6+ 'i!txg5. Black has no choice
but to capture the knight but 21.f4+
prevails in every line: (a) 21...)f;h5
22.~d5+ )f;h6 23.'l11g5++-; (b)
21...~h4 22.~d3 f5 (22 ... Eih8
23.h3+-) 23.~g3+ )f;h5 24.h3+-; and
(c) 21...'i!tf5 22.~d7++-. 17.Axd6
cxd618.§xd6 ttc719. tte4 §fe8 On
19 ... g6 White infiltrates quickly with
20.'l!i'h4 Eife8 21.'l11h7+ 'i!tf8 22.Eiexe6,
taking advantage of the unanchored
~c7: 22 .. .fxe6 (22 ... Eixe6 23.lLlxe6+
fxe6 24.~xc7+-) 23.~xc7+- .
20. tth7+ ~f8 21. tth8+ White should
exploit the pinned Ae7 with 21.Eid5 +-.
21 ••. ~e7 22.§dxe6+ fxe6 23. ttxg7+
~d8 24..£lxe6+ §xe6 25.ttg8+ ~e7
26.ttxe6+ ~f8 27.§e31--O
 Games

(239) Fuerlinger - Kranewitter )!fe7 24.~xg7 #. 20.exf6 ~d3 21.fxg7

Austria 1997 'it'xg7 22.4)xe6+ fxe6 Black might as
Semi-Slav Defense [D47] well capture the knight since 22 ... )!fg8
23.lLlxc5 +- picks up the bishop and
1.4)f3 d5 2.d4 e6 3.e4 4)f6 4.e3 e6 22 ... )!ff6 23.§cel fxe6 24.Ag5+ )!fg7
5.1t,d3 4)bd7 6.0-0 1t,e7 7.4)e3 (24 ... ~f5 25.g4#) 25.Ah6++-.
dxe4 S.1t,xe4 b5 9.Ad3 Ab710.e4 23.1t,h6+ 'it'gS There's no mating net
b4 11.4)a4 0--0 12.e5 .£\d513.1t,d2 after 23 ... ~f6 but White can pick up
EteS 14.Ete1 e5 15.dxe5 4)xe5 the loose piece on b7: 24.~g5+ )!ff7
16.4) xe51t, xe5 25.~g7+ )!fe8 26.~xb7+-. 24.~g5+
'it'f7 25.~g7+ 'it'eS 26.Etxe5 Etxe5
8 27.~xfS++- 'it'd7 2S.~xe5 ~g6
7 29.Etdl+ 1t,d5 30.~xa7+ 'it'dS
6 31.~g7 ~e4 32.Ag5+ 'it'c8 33.Etc1 +
5 'it'bS 34. ~e7+ 'it'aS 35. ~eS+ Over-
looking a mate in four with 35.~a5+
4
)!fb8 36.~b6+ Ab7 37.§c8+ ~xc8
3
38.~d8#. 35 ... 'it'a7 36.1t,e3+ 1-0
2

(240) Stark - Becker

abcdefgh Pinneberg 1997
Ruy Lopez [C89]
We have often seen the importance of a
loose black piece on the c5-square so 1.e4 e5 2..£\f3 4)e6 3.1t,b5 a6 4.1t,a4
that discovered checks by the knight in 4)f6 5.0--0 b5 6.1t,b3 Ae7 7.Ete1
the ~g6 line will net that piece. Here, 1t,b7 S.e3 0--0 9.d4 exd4 10.exd4
White has the e5-pawn, the dark- 4)a511.Ae2 d612.4)bd2 d513.e5
square bishop, and the §c1 as addi- 4)d714.4)f1 e515.dxe5 Axe5
tional assets. In the )!fg8Iine, Black sac-
rifices the lLlf6 in order to move the
queen to the bl-h7 diagonal, but White
once again exploits the inadequately
defended Ac5. 17.1t,xh7+ 'it'xh7
lS.4)g5+ 'it'gS In the )!fg6 line, White
can sacrifice the exchange on c5 and
then pick up the unanchored §c5.
18 ... )!fg6 19.§xc5 §xc5 20.~bl + f5
21.exf6+ ~xf6 (21...~h5 22.~h7+
~g4 23.f3# or 23.h3# or 23.~h3#) abc d e f g h
22.lLle4++-; 20 ... )!fh6 21.~h7#;
20 ... ~h5 21.~h7+ )!fg4 22.~h3# or White's capture on c5 entices the Ae7
22.f3 # or 22.h3 #. 19. ~h5 4)f6 Creat- to recapture, setting up the sacrifice.
ing tuft with the rook permits the usual White can count here on multiple addi-
mate in five: 19 ... §e8 20.~xf7+ )!fh8 tional assets, the e5-pawn, the dark-
21.~h5+ ~g8 22.~h7+)!ffS 23.~h8+ square bishop, the active §el, and even

299
 Sacking the Citadel
the ~f1-g3. In the 'it'g8 line, as played
in the game, Black must sacrifice his
queen or bishop to delay the usual mate
in five. 16.Axh7+ ~xh7 17.4)g5+
~g8 In the 'it'g6 line, 18.'~d3 (or
18. i;k2+) lead to an instructive mate in
four with the l"1e1-e6 providing the
finale.17 ... 'it'g618.~d3+ f5 (18 ... 'it'h5
19:~'h7+ ~g4 20.h3# or 20.~h3#)
19.exf6+ ~h5 (19 ... 'it'xf6 20.l"1e6#;
19 ... ~h6 20.~h7#) 20.~h7+ 'it'g4
21.h3# or 21.~h3#. Also winning is
18.~g3 +- with the threat of~h5. But
not 18.~g4? f5 19.~g3 (19.e xf6
~xf6:n 19 ... ~e7=. 18:~h5 Axf2+
Creating luft with the rook once again
enables the mate in five. 18 ... l"1e8
19.~xf7+ ~h8 20.~h5+ ~g8 21.~h7+
~f8 22.~h8+ ~e7 23.~xg7#.
19.~hl E!e8 Black's best remaining
chance was sacrificing the queen with
19 ... ~xg5 20.Axg5 and then picking
back the exchange: 20 ... Axe1 21.Af6
gxf6 (21. .. ~xf6 22.exf6 gxf6 23.~g4+
~h7 24.l"1xel+- with the ideaofarook
swing to h3 or bringing the knight to
f5) 22.~g4+ ~h7 23.~xd7 +- with
many threats. 20.'li:\txf7+ ~h8
21.'li:\th5+ ~g8 22.'li:\th7+ ~f8
23.'li:\th8+ 1-0 It's mate after 23 ... 'it'e7
24.~xg7#.
(241) Bastian - Dittmar
Gladenbach 1997
French Defense [C02]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 e5 4.e3 4)e7
5.4)f3 4)ee6 6.dxe5 4)d7 7.Af4
Axe5 8.Ad3 f6 9.exf6 'li:\txf6
10.Ag5 'li:\tf711.Ae3 Axe312.fxe3
'li:\th5 13.4) bd2 4)e5 14.Ae2 0-0
15.0-0 'li:\th6 16. 'li:\te2 a5 17.e4 b6
18.'li:\tb5 Jld7 19.'li:\txb6 'li:\te3+
20.~hl E!ab8 21.'li:\te7 E!xb2
22.exd5 exd5 23.E!ael 'li:\txe3
300
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
We have seen that the Greco Sacrifices
that occur in the middlegame tend to be
especially complex. Here, White can
count on the two very active rooks and
~d2-f3. Note, however, the awkward
placement of the white queen, and
Black's possible counter with ~c2 or
~d3 taking command over the key b 1-
h 7 diagonal. The 'it'g6 and 'it'h6 lines
both cede the l"1f8 with mating attacks
that involve White's three major pieces.
24.Jlxh7+ ~xh7 25.4)g5+ ~g6 In
the ~g8 line, 28.l"1xf8 gives the queen
an opportunity to enter the attack on
d6 with tempo. 25 ... 'it'g8 26.l"1xf8+ 'it'xf8
27.~d6+ ~g8 (27 ... ~e7 28.~xe7+
'it'g8 29.~f7+ 'it'h8 30.~f8#)
28.~xd5+ ~e6 29.l"1xe6+- with a dis-
covery that covers the back rank. In the
~h6 line, 25 ... 'it'h6 26.l"1xf8+- (once
again, the rooks and queen combine to
provide an easy mating net) 26 ... ~xd2
27.l"1h8+ 'it'xg5 28.~g3+ Ag4 (28 ... 'it'f6
29.l"1f8#) 29.h4+ 'it'f6 (29 ... 'it'f5
30.l"1f8+ ~g6 31.~xg4++-) 30.l"1f8+
~g6 31.~xg4++-. 26.E!xf8 'li:\txd2
27.'li:\td6+ ~xg5 There are no saving
variations with the king surrounded by
the three major pieces. After 27 ... ~h5
the rooks and queen are joined by the
advancing kingside pawns: 28.l"1h8+
'it'xg5 (28 ... 'it'g4 29.h3+ 'it'xg5
30.~g3++-) 29.h4+ 'it'f5 (29 ... 'it'g4
 Games
30:~g6+ +- ) 30.1"Ih5+ ~g4 31.~g6+
~f4 32.~g5 #. Black can return a piece
in order to eiiminate one of the white
rooks, 27 ... <tJe6 2S.1"I xe6+ Jlxe6
29.~xe6+, but only one rook sand
queen are needed for the mate. 29 ... ~h5
(29 ... ~xg5 30.~f5+ ~h4 [30 ... ~h6
31.1"IhS#] 31.g3#) 30.~h3+ ~g6
(30 ... ~xg5 31.1"If5+ ~g6 32.~h5#)
31.~f5+ ~h6 (31...~h5 32.1"IhS#)
32.1"IhS#. 28.~g3+ Jtg4 29.h4+ ~h5
30..§h8+ ~h6 31..§e5+ With a forced
win, but faster is 31.~f4 with the idea
of~g5#. 31. .. 4)xe5 32.~xe5+
~xh4 33..§xh6+ gxh6 34.~xb2 4)e4
35.~h21-0
(242) Mrva - Rigo
Prievidza 1998
Sicilian Defense [B56]
l.e4 c5 2.4)f3 4)c6 3.d4 cxd4
4.4)xd4 4)f6 5.4)c3 d6 6.f4 ~b6
7.4)0 e6 8.j'td3 j'te7 9.a3 a6
10. ~e2 0--0 1l.j'te3 ~c712.0--0 b5
13.~hl Ab714.Ad2 .§fe815..§ael
4)d716.e5 4)c517.exd6 Axd6
8 White blows open the kingside with
7 23.f6 gxf6 24.<tJh7 +-) 22.~h7+ ~fS
6 23.f6 gxf6 24.1"Ixf6 1"Ie6 25.1"If2 ~eS
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
In this Sicilian, the exchange of pawns
on d6 brings Black's bishop on e7, en-
abling the sacrifice. White relies upon
numerous additional assets, the rooks,
the <tJc3-e4 or d5, and the dark-square
bishop. In the ~gSline, Black can count
301
on the rook already offfS and the ~c7
defending f7 laterally. The black king is
therefore able to escape to the
queens ide, but White's queenside
pawns and the passed h-pawn help to
decide in White's favor. 18.j'txh7+
~xh7 19.4)g5+ ~g8 In the ~h6Iine,
White has ~g4 with two powerful
ideas, ~h4 and f5 empowering the Ad2.
19 ... ~h6 20.~g4 <tJd4 (20 ... <tJe7
21.1"Ie3 <tJf5 22.1"Ih3+ ~g6 23. <tJge4# )
21.f5 +-. In the ~g6 line, the white
queen can settle on g3, when the dis-
covered capture on e6 facilitates <tJc3-
d5.19 ... ~g6 20.~g4 f5 21.~g3 ~d7
(21...~e7 exposes the queen to a dis-
covered attack from the 1"Ie1: 22.<tJxe6+
~h6 23.<tJxc5 Jlxc5 24.1"1 xe7 +- )
22.<tJxe6+ ~h7 (22 ... ~h6 23.~g5+
~h7 24.~h5+ ~gS 25.<tJg5 g6
26.~xg6+ ~g7 27.1"IxeS+ +- winning
the rook) 23.~h4+ ~gS 24.<tJg5 g6
25.<tJd5 ~g7 26.Jlc3+-. 20.~h5
4)d8 20 ... <tJd4 aims to prevent 2l.f5
but 21...<tJxf5 meets 22.1"Ixf5 exf5
23.~h7+ ~fS 24.~hS#. 21.~h7+
Most accurate is 21.f5! e5 (The tempt-
ing 21...~c6 meets 22.1"If3 ~b6 when
26.b4 <tJa4 27.<tJxa4 bxa4 28.<tJxe6 fxe6
29.~g6+ ~d7 30.c4+-. 21. .. ~f8
22. ~h8+ White probably ought to
settle for 22.f5 e5 23.Jle3 ±. 22 ••• ~e7
23.~xg7 ~d7 24.h4 4)a4 25.4)xa4
bxa4 26.4)h7 ~c8 27.4)f6 .§e7 Pas-
sive is 27 ... 1"IfS 28.c4±. 28.c4 +- ~c6
The c-pawn is immune, 2S ... ~xc4
29.1"Ic1 +-. 29.c5 Ac7 30.h4 .§d7
31.Ae3 e5 32.f5 Better is simply
32.<tJxd7 ~xd7 33.f5 +-. 32 .•• .§d3
33.h5 ~b5 34. ~g5 ~c4 35 •.§cl
~a2 36•.§fel ~b2 37•.§cdl .§xdl
38..§xdl ~e2 39. .§gl ~b8? Black
 Sacking the Citadel
cannot now stop the white h-pawn.
Black is fine after 39 ... {)c6 40.~g8+
Jld8 41.Jlg5 ~d3=. 4O.h6 .£lc6 41.h7
~a7 42..£lgSI-0
(243) Malac - Andersen
Correspondence 1999
French Defense [C06]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3 •.£ld2 .£lf6 4.e5
.£lfd7 5.Ad3 c5 6.c3 .£lc6 7 ..£le2
~b6 S •.£lf3 cxd4 9.cxd4 f610.exf6
.£lxf6 11.0-0 Ad6 12 . .£lc3 Ad7
13.j},e3 .£lg414.h3 .£lxe3 15.fxe3
0-0
abc d e f g h
Here, a position type common to the
French but with a white pawn on e3
rather than e5. White has additional
assets in the §fl and the {)c3. In the
game, Black tries to exploit the absence
of the dark-square bishop by selecting
the ~h6Iine, when ~g4-h4-h7 forces
the black king to capture the {)g5 and
Black, with more careful play, can ex-
pect a perpetual. 16.Axh7+ ~xh7
17..£lg5+ ~h6 In the ~g8Iine, White's
control over f7 decides quickly.
17 ... ~g8 18.~h5+-. In the ~g6Iine,
White prevails efficiently with 18.{)f7,
activating the major pieces. 17 ... ~g6
18.{)f7 §xf719.~g4+ (the queen check
picks up the §f7 with threats on d7 and
g7) 19 ... ~h7 20.§xf7 .\li8 21.§xd7 +-.
302
IS.~g4 ~xb2 Trying to give back a
piece with 18 ... {)e5 19.~h4+ ~g6
20.{)e2 (aiming to play {)f4) 20 ... §f5
21.§xf5 exf5 22.{)f4+ ~f6
23.{)xd5+ +- winning the queen.
19.~h4+ ~g6 20.~h7+ ~xg5
21.~xg7+ ~h5 Not 21...~h4
22.~g4# 22 ..£lxd5 exd5 23.~h7+
~g5 24.h4+ ~g4 25.~xd7+ ~xh4
On 25 ... ~h5 White has 26.~xg6 ~b6
27.~xd5~xh4 28.g3 +-. 26.~xd6
~h5 27. ~xd5+1 ~h6 Other king re-
treats fare no better: 27 ... ~g6 28. ~d6+
~h7 29.§abl §xfl + 30.§xfl ~c2
31.§f3+- or 27 ... ~h4 28.~d6 +-.
2S.~e6+ ~h5 On 28 ... ~g5
29.§ac1 +- with the idea of §c5+.
29.E!ac1 White can also overwhelm
with 29.§f5+ §xf5 30.~xf5+ ~h6
31.~e6+ ~h7 and now the other rook
joins the attack, 32.§fl +- . 29 ... E!xfl +
30.E!xfl .£lxd4 31.~f7+ ~g5
32.~f6+ ~h5 After 32 ... ~g4 it's mate
in two with 33.~g6+ ~h4 34.§f4#.
33.g4+ ~xg4 34.E!f4+ ~h5
35.E!h4# 1-0
(244) Kravtsov - Likov
Novosibirsk 1999
King's Gambit Declined [C30]
l.e4 e5 2.f4 Ac5 3•.£lf3 d6 4.c3 Ab6
5.d4 .£lf6 6.Ad3 .£l bd7 7 ..£la3 exd4
S.cxd4 0-0 9.0-0 E!eS 10.E!el c6
11 ..£lc4 Ac7 12.e5 dxe5 13.fxe5
.£ld5
abc d e f g h
 Games
Out of a King's Gambit declined, White
has an unusual array of additional as-
sets, the dark-square bishop, the secure
e5-pawn, the fiel, and the interesting
.£\c4. In the game, Black selects the ~gB
line, counting on getting a knight back
to f6, but the queen again arrives at-
tacking two focal points on f7 and h7.
White finishes with the nice fie4 rook
swing, taking full advantage of the over-
loaded .£\g6. 14.Axh7+ <it>xh7
15.4)g5+ <it>g8 In the 'ifig6line ~g4 is
foiled because Black can force a knight
back to f6. After 16.~d3+ f5, the dis-
covered check leads to a wonderful mate
on the retreating king. 15 ... 'ifig6
16.~d3+! (not 16.~g4 .£\7f6 17.~g3
'£\h5 -+ ) 16... f5 (Of course, the king re-
treats are crushed 16 ... 'ifih5 17.~h7+
[or 17.~h3+ ~g61B.~h7#] 17 ... ~g4
18.~h3#) 17.exf6+ and the en passant
discovered check wins in all lines: (a)
17 ... 'ifixf6 (the rook leads the attack on
the open file) IB.fifl + ~e7 (IB ... .£\f4
19 ..Ilxf4+-) 19.fif7#; (b) 17 .. .'it'h5
IB.~h7+ (1B.g4+ 'ifih6 [IB ... ~h4
19.~h3#; IB ... 'ifixg4 19.~h3#]
19.~h7# or 19.'£\f7#) IB ... ~g4
19.~h3#; and (c) 17 ... 'ifih618.~h7#.
16.~h5 +- 4)7f6 Black's best defense
is 16 ... .£\fB when, as in the game, the
queen enters on f7: 17. ~xf7 + 'ifihB
18.~h5+ 'ifigB 19.fifl (seizing control
over the f-file and with the idea of elimi-
nating the .£\f8) 19 ... .Ile6 20 ..Ild2 ~d7
21.fixfB+ ~xf8 (21...fixfB 22.~h7#)
22.fifl + 'ifie7 23 ..£\f7 (aiming for d6)
23 ... EifB (23 ... ~cB 24.'£\fd6 .Ilxd6
25 ..£\xd6 ~bB 26.fif7+ 'ifidB
27 ..£\xeB +-) 24 ..Ilg5+ .£\f6 25.exf6+
gxf6 26 ..Ilxf6+ ~eB 27 .'£\fd6 # .
17.~xf7+ <it>h8 18.f!e4! Af5
19.f!h4+ -'\.h7 20.exf6 The simplest
path is 20.~g6 ~gB 21.'£\xh7 +- pick-
ing up the piece and the attack will rage.
303
20 ... 4)xf6 21.4)xh7 f!el+ 22.<it>f2
4)e4+ 23.<it>xe1 ~xh4+ 24.<it>e2
-'\.xh2 25.4)f8 4)g3+ 26.<it>d3 ~e4+
27.<it>c3 4)e2+ 28.<it>b3 4)xd4+
29.<it>a4 b5+ 30.<it>a5 bxc4 31.Af4
-'\.xf4 32.f!h1+ Ah6 33.f!xh6+ gxh6
34.4)g6+ ~xg6 35. ~xg61-0
(245) De Lagontrie - N egele
Correspondence 1999
French Defense [COO]
1.e4 e6 2.4)f3 d5 3.e5 c5 4.b4 cxb4
5.a3 4)c6 6.axb4 Axb4 7.c3 Ae7
8.d4 f6 9.Ad3 fxe5 10.dxe5 ~c7
11.~e2 Ac512.0-0 4)ge713.Aa3
b6 14.Axc5 bxc5 15.4)a3 0-0
16.4)b5 ~d717.~e3c4
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
We have seen many possible perpetual
checks throughout the book, but nor-
mal draws are possible too. In this case,
White's additional assets are the e5-
pawn and the odd .£\b5-d6. Black cor-
rectly selects the ~g6 line, where mate-
rial reduces quickly to an interesting but
even endgame. 18.Axh7+ <it>xh7
19.4)g5+ <it>g6! In the ~gB line, the
white queen enters on h3, giving Black
plenty of time to organize the defense,
but White can still blast through with
f4-f5. 19 ... ~gB 20.~h3 fieB 21.~h7+
'ififB 22.~hB+ .£\gB 23.f4+- 'ifie7
 Sacking the Citadel

24.~xg7+ 'it'dS 25 ..£l£7+. The ~h6line
fails miserably given the queen's start-
ing position on e3. 19... ~h6 20 ..£lxe6+
'it'h7 (20 ... 'it'g6 21..£lxfS++-)
21..£lxf8+ +- winning the queen in ad-
dition to the rook. 20. ~g3 Jilf5
21.Jilxe6+ Not 21.~g4 .£lxe5+ when
the queen cannot remain on the g-file.
21. •• Jil xg3 Black can also achieve
equality without capturing the queen:
21...'it'£7 22 ..£lxfS ~xf8 23.~f4 .£lxe5
24.~xe5 ~xb5 25JHdl .£le7=.
22.Jil xfS+ <itlh6 23.Jil xd7 Jile2+
Black holds after 23 ... .£lxfl 24 ..£lb6 ~ bS
(not 24 ... axb6 25.~xaS+-) 25 ..£lxcS
~xb5 26.'it'xfl .£lxe5 27 ..£le7= aiming
for .£lf5-d4. 24.<itlhl Axd7= 25.e6
AeS Not 25 ... .Ilxe6 26.~fel +- pick-
With the black .Ile7, White must pre-
pare the sacrifice with oilg5. Generally,
the sacrifice challenges the defense, but
here, White's additional assets are the
secure e5-pawn the ~el, which does
not have an obvious path to the g- or h-
files. In the game, Black correctly se-
lects the ~gS when the needed rook
swing can be foiled with the queen sac-
rifice (~dS-g5) on g5. Black's defense
is slow, permitting the .£lfl-e3-g4 and
both rooks to prevail. 19.Ag5 Axg5
20.Axh7+ <itlxh7 21.Jilxg5+ <itlgS In
the 'it'g6 line, White breaks through
because, after .. .f5 and the en passant
capture, the ~el gains sway on e6.
21...~g6 22.~c1 (a useful preliminary

ing up a piece. 26.Jilc7 E!dS 27.E!fel maneuver because the ~c1 can capture
Jil xc3 2S.e7 E!c8 The pawn is immune. on c8 if Black retreats the bishop there)
After 2S ... .£lxe7, 29.~xe7 .Ilg6 30.~e3 22 .. .'~b6 23.~g4 f5 24.exf6 .£lxf6
.£le4 31.~h3+ .Ilh5 32.'it'gl .£lf6 25.~xe6 oilcS 26.~xcs ~bxcS 27.~xb6
33 ..£le6+- with f3 next. 29.Jilxe8E!xe8 axb6 28.~h4 +- . Less compelling in the
30.E!a6 <itlg6 31.E!xc6+ <itlf7 32.E!c7 'it'g6line is the immediate 22.~g4!? f5
a5 33.h3 YZ-YZ 23.exf6 .£lxf6 24.~ xe6 ..Ile2 25.f3 oilxfl
26.~xf1 ~c2 27.~xf6+ ~xf6 when
(246) Kazhgaleyev - Yandemirov White is still winning after 28.~el. The
Linares 1999 ~h6 line loses quickly to the familiar
Siciilian Defense [B50] idea of~g4-h4, 2l...~h6 22.~g4 .£lxe5
23.~xe5 f6 24.~h4+ 'ittg6 25.~h7#.
1.e4 c5 2.Jilf3 d6 3.Ac4 Jilc6 4.0-0 22.E!e4 Not 22.~h5 oild3 with control
Jilf6 5.d3 e6 6.Ab3 Ae7 7.c3 0-0 over the key diagonal. 22 ... g6 Black
S.E!el d5 9.e5 Jild710.d4 b5 1l.a3 should avoid capturing the rook be-
cxd4 12.cxd4 b4 13.Jilbd2 Aa6 cause after 22 ... dxe4 23.~h5 the black
14.Jilfl bxa315.bxa3 Jila516.Ac2 queen and bishop cannot reach an
E!cS17.g3 ~c71S.Abl E!b8
open bl-h7 diagonal, 23 ... ~feS
24.~x£7+=. Instead, Black could gain
8
an advantage after 22 .. .f6 23 ..£lxe6 ~c6
7 24 ..£lxfS because the rook is still hang-
6 ing: 24 ... dxe4 25.d5 (25.~c1 ~b5
5 26.a4 ~b7 27 ..£lxd7 ~xd7 2S.exf6
4 .£lc6"i') 25 ... ~b5 26.a4 ~b7 27 ..£lxd7
3 ~xd7 2S.e6 ~eS +. But the simplest
2 defense is 22 ... ~dS! 23.~h5 ~xg5
24.~xg5 dxe4+ gaining more than
enough material compensation for the
abc d e f g h

304
 Games
queen sacrifice. 23. ~g4 f5 Too ambi-
tious. Better simply to return the ex-
change with 23 ... 'lil'dB 24.<£lxe6 "it1e7
(not 24 .. .fxe6 when White mates quickly
with the queen and active rook
25.'lil'xg6+ ~hB 26."it1h5+ ~g7
27.Elg4+ +- ) 25.<£lxfB <£lxfB 26.Elee1 =.
24.exf6 ~xf6? Spuming the far better
24 ... <£lxf6 perhaps because White en-
ters the position powerfully on e6,
25.'lil'xe6+, but after 25 ... Elt7 White
can't maneuver a rook into the action:
26.Elf4 (26.Elc1 <£lc4 27.Elf4 AcB
2B.~xf7+ ilYxf7 29.<£lxf7 ~xf7=)
26 ... Elb6 27.~xf7+ 'lil'xf7 2B.<£lxf7
~xt7=. 25.~xe6 ~bfS 26.~ae1 ~c2
27.~6e2 ~f5 28.~h4 ~6f7 29..£le3
1-0 The white knight reaches g4 and
h6 very quickly. 29 ... ~f6 (Black cannot
afford to sacrifice the queen 29 ... .ilxe2
30. <£lxf5 gxf5 31. <£lxt7 +- ) 30. <£lg4 +- .
(247) Sermek - Sale
Belisce 1999
Sicilian Defense [B22]
l.e4 c5 2.c3 .£lf6 3.e5 .£ld5 4 . .£lf3
d6 5.d4 cxd4 6.cxd4 .£lc6 7.Ac4 e6
S.O--O Ae7 9. ~e2 0--0 10.~el Ad7
1l..£lc3 .£l xc3 12.bxc3 dxe513.dxe5
~c714.Ad3 ~fdSI5.Ag5 Axg5
8 1B... ElhB 19.<£lxt7+ ~h7 20."it1h5+ ~gB
7 the rook loses its anchor, 21."it1xhB+
6 ~xf7 22."it1xaB+-) and another ex-
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h only a quick perpetual check: 19.Elxe5
In this variation of the c3 Sicilian,
White's e5-pawn quickly displaces the
305
<£lf6. For the sacrifice, White has as ad-
ditional assets the e5-pawn and the two
rooks. In the game, Black selects the
~gB line, a wise choice because the
king's rook has already vacated fB and
the ilYc7 stands ready to defend f7.
Black should be satisfied there with
1B ... <£lxe5 when White has nothing
better than a perpetual check.
16.Axh7+ <itlxh717..£lxg5+ <itlgS In
the ~g6 line, White is able to maintain
the queen on g4 or g3 when the discov-
ery with <£lxe6 exposes the usual double
attack upon g7 and a mating net if the
black king captures the <£le6. 17 ... ~g6
1B."it1g4 (not 1B.h4? 'lil'xe5 19."it1d3+ [or
19.ilYg4 "it1f5 20."it1g3 ElgB-+]
19 ... ~f5) 1B ... f5 19."it1g3 f4 20."it1g4 +-
and there's no way to force the queen
off the g-file. Black can now try: (a)
20 ... <£lxe5 21.Elxe5 "it1xe5 22.<£lf3+ +-
winning the queen; or (b) 20 ... ElgB
21.<£le4+ ~f7 (21...~h7 22.'lil'h5#;
21...~h6 22."it1g5+ ~h7 23."it1h5 #) and
the discovery results in a powerful
knight on the sixth rank: 22.<£ld6+ ~e7
(22 ... ~fB 23."it1xf4+ ~e7 24."it1t7++-)
23.'lil'g5+ ~fB 24."it1xf4+ ~e7 25.ilYt7+
~dB 26."it1xgB++-. In the ~h6 line,
'lil'g4-h4 wins unambiguously because
the knight fork on f7 protects the e5-
pawn.17 ... ~h6 1B."it1g4 <£lxe5 (after
change sacrifice exposes the black
queen: 19.Elxe5 "it1xe5 (19 .. .f5 20."it1h4+
~g6 21.Elae1 +-) 20.<£lxf7+. IS.~h5
AeS The simplest path to equality is
lB .. .<£lxe5= when White has three tries:
(a) Sacrificing the exchange provides
ilYxe5 20."it1xt7+ ~hB 21."it1h5+ ~gB
22.ilYt7+=; (b) The attempt to swing the
rook to h3 also ends in a quick draw:
 Sacking the Citadel
19.§e3 4Jg6 20.§f3 4Je5=; and (c)
Black is fine if White presses quickly
with 19.~h7+ 'it1f8 20.§e3 ~a5 21.~h5
~e7 22.4Jxf7 4Jc4 23.~xa5 4Jxa5
24.4Jxd8 §xd8+. 19.'li:\'h7+ ~fS
20. 'li:\'hS+ ~e7 21. 'li:\'xg7 Etd5 22.f4
~dS 23.Etadl 'li:\'e7 24.Etxd5+ exd5
25.h4 f5 26. 'li:\'gS ~c7 27. 'li:\'xd5 b6
2S. ~h2 ~b7 29. 'li:\'f3 EtdS 30.h5
~c7 31.'li:\'h3 Ad7 32.h6 Ae6
33.Ete3 EthS 34.a4 4)d8 35.Etg3 4)f7
36.4)xe6+ 'li:\'xe6 37.h7 ~d7 Black
has excellent drawing chances after
37 ... 4Jxe5 38.fxe5 ~f7 with the obvi-
ous threat of §xh7 39.'it1g1 ~xh7
40.~xh7+ §xh7 41.§g5 §h4=.
3S.'li:\'h5 ~e7 39.Etg6 'li:\'c440.'li:\'h4+
~fS 41.e6 Etxh7 42.e7+ ~eS
43.EtgS+ ~d71-0
(248) El Taher - So rial
Cairo 2000
French Defense [C14]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.4)c3 4)f6 4.~g5
~e7 5.e5 4)fd7 6.~xe7 'li:\'xe7 7.f4
a6 S.4)f3 c5 9.dxc5 4)c6 10.~d3
4) xc5 11.0-00-0
8 blocks the escape route.13 ... ~g8
7 14.~h5+-. In the ~h6 line, there is
6 once again no reasonable defense to
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h ening 4Jg8+) 18 ... ~d819.4Jxh5+-.
Theory in this MacCutcheon French
recommends either 11...4Jxd3 or 11...b5.
By castling, Black clearly invites the
sacrifice, which can rely here upon the
secure e5-pawn, the §f1, and the 4Jc3
306
as additional assets. Black selects the
'it1g6 line, when ~g4 and even §f3-g3
prevail. White correctly declines the
offer of 14 ... 4Jxe5 with ~h4-h7.
12.J;txh7+ ~xh7 In Heymann-Klein,
Pinneberg 1996, Black declined the sac-
rifice: 12 ... ~h8? 13.Ad3 (Once again,
the most accurate path is 13.4Jg5 g6
14.§f3 with the idea of§h3 14 ... ~g7
[too weakening is 14 .. .f6 15.§h3 fxg5
16.Axg6+ ~g8 17.§h7 ~xh7
18.Axh7+ ~xh7 19.~h5+ ~g7
20.~xg5+ ~f7 2l.f5 +- undermining
what remains of the black center]
15.§h34Jxe516.~e1 [aimingfor~h4-
h6] 16 .. .f6 17.~h4 fxg5 18.~h6+ ~f7
[18 ... ~f619.§f1 +- ] 19.fxe5 [removing
the defender of the g6-pawn] 19 ... ~e8
20.Axg6+ 'it1d8 21.§f1 +-) 13 ... 4Jxd3
14.cxd3 (14.4Jg5 4Jxf4 15.~g4 g6
16.~xf4 'it1g717.~h4 §h818.~g3 §f8
19.§f2 +-) 14 ... g6 15.~e1 ~g7
16.~g3 §h8 17.§ac1 Ad7 lS.f5!?
~c5+ 19.~h1 exf5 20.~g5 Ae6
(20 ... ~e7) 21.~f6+ 'it1g8 22.4Je4 ~e7?
23.§xc6 ~xf6 24.4Jxf6+ ~g7 25.§c7
b5 26.4Jg5 ~f8 27.§fc1 §h4 28.§lc6
1-0. 13.4)g5+ ~g6 In the 'it1g8 line,
White wins quickly because the ~e7
the ~g4-h4 idea.13 ... 'it1h614.~g4 §h8
15.~h4+ ~g6 16.~xh8+-. 14.'li:\'g4!
Also winning is 14.§f3! (with the idea
of §h3) 14 ... §h8 15.§g3 §h5
16.4Jge4+ ~h6 (avoiding 16 ... ~f5
17.~g4#) 17.~g4 g6 18.4Jf6 (threat-
14.•. 4)xe5
Berki-Raman, Dallas 2000 tried to defend
with 14 .. .f6 which aims to force the 4Jg5
to move. White can triumph with
 Games
15.€Jxd5! fxg5 16.€Jxe7++- winning
the queen. The €Jd5 cannot be safely
captured: 15 ... exd5 16.f5+ ,ilxf5
(16 ... 'it'h6 17:i£th4#) 17.~xf5+ 'it'h6
(17 ... 'it'h5 IS.l='if3+-) 18.~h7+ 'it'xg5
19.1='if5+ 'it'g4 20.~h5#. In the game,
Black actually played 15.exf6 gxf6 (the
best defense is 15 ... l='ixf6! 16.~h4 l='ifS
17.~h7+ 'it'f618.l='iael ~d819.~h5±)
16.€Jxe6+ 'it'h6 (16 ... 'it'f7 17.~h5+
'it'xe6 [17 ... 'it'g8 IS.€JxfS +- ]
18.~xd5 #) 17.~h4+ 'it'g6 IS.f5+ 'it'D
19.~h5+ 'it'gS 20.~g6+ 'it'hS 21.€Jxd5
(and now that the king cannot move,
21.l='if3+-) 21...~f7 22.~h6+ 'it'gS
23.l='if3 €Jxe6 24.fxe6 ~h7 25.l='ig3+ 1-
Q. 14 .. .f5 15.~h4 Taking advantage of
the rook's inability to reach h8.
15 ... €Jxe516.~h7+ 'it'f617.l='iael €Jg6
IS.€Jxd5+ +- with a winning fork.
15.'~·h4 f516.§.ael 4)e417.'~·h7+
~f6 18.4)exe4+ IS.€Jgxe4+ fxe4
19.€Jxe4+ transposing to the game.
18... dxe4 19.4) xe4+ ~f7 The knight
is immune. On 19 .. .fxe4 20.fxe5+ 'it'xe5
(the king enters a mating net after
20 ... 'it'g5 21.h4+ 'it'g4 22.~g6+ 'it'xh4
23.l='ixe4+ l='if4 24.l='iexf4#) 21.~xe4+
'it'd6 22.l='ixfS ~xfS 23.~b4+ +- spears
the queen. Zaks-Einoullaeva, Litohoto
1999 continued 22 .. .':Je7 23.~e4+ 'it'b6
24.l='ixeS l='ixe8 25:~xeS e5 26.~e3 e4
27.~d4+ 'it'e7 28.l='ixe4 ~g5 29.~e5+
~xe5 30.l='ixe5 1-0. 20.fxe5 ~e8
21.§.dl J;td7 22.4)d6+ ~d8
23.4)xb7+ ~e7 24.4)d6 §.ab8
25.~h3 J;te6 26.~e3 §.xb2
27.~a7+ §.b7 28.4)xb7 J;txb7
29.§.f3 ~b4 30.§.b3 §.a8 31.§.xb4
§.xa7 32.§.e4+ ~b8 Not 32 ... Jle6.
33.l='id6 or 32 ... 'it'b6 33.l='ibl +
33.§.d8+1-O
307
(249) Shchekachev - Oosterom
Amsterdam 2000
Slav Defense [D 15]
1.4)f3 d5 2.d4 4)f6 3.e4 e6 4.4)e3
dxe4 5.e3 b5 6.a4 b4 7.4)a2 e68.11.xe4
J;te7 9.0-0 0-0 10.J;td2 a5 1l.4)c1
4)bd7 12.4)b3 J;tb7 13.~e2 ~b8
14.e4 e5 15.e5 4)d516.dxe5 4)xe5
17.4) xe5 J;txe518.J;td3 4)e7
abc d e f g h
The exchanges on e5 have brought the
Ae7 off its defensive perch, permitting
White to undertake the sacrifice. White
counts here on the e5-pawn and the
dark-square bishop as additional assets.
In the game, Black defends with the
'it'gSline, hoping for help from the €Je7,
but after ~xD, White has many paths
to attack the trapped 'it'hS, most nota-
bly l='iael-e3. 19.11.xh7+ ~xh7
20.4)g5+ ~g8 In the 'it'g6 line, ~g4
provides White with time to bring up a
rook to e 1, and triumphs with help from
another unanchored black piece on c5.
20 ... 'it'g6 21.~g4 (a bit more compli-
cated is 21.h4 l='ihS 22.~g4 l='ixh4
23.~xh4 ~hS but the white queen
finds a useful home on the seventh rank,
24.~e4 l='ieS 25.~d3+ €Jf5 26.iii'd7 +-;
not 21.iii'd3+ €Jf5 22.g4 when Black
gladly gives back the piece with
22 ... ~xe5-+) 21...f5 22.exf6 l='ixf6
 Sacking the Citadel

(22 ... gxf6 23.4Jxe6+ ~t7 24JHel +- ) Ae7 and to initiate the sacrifice. White
23.t:!.ael 4Jf5 24.4Jxe6+ ~h7 (24 ... ~t7 can rely upon the secure e5-pawn and
25.4Jxc5+-) 25.1tg5 t:!.t7 26.4Jxc5+-. the active t:!.al as additional assets, and
21. tth5 EtcS Black can delay the at- the fact that Black's defensive re-
tack with 21...1te4 22.4Jxe4 t:!.d8 but sources are lacking. Remarkably
after 23.1te3 +- Black dare not capture enough, three players attempted to de-
and open the f-file or retreat and face fend with the ~g6 line, which fails be-
4Jg5. 22. ttxf7+ <ifthS 23.4) xe6 White cause 21. ii¥d3 provides a second attack
can also finish off the game with a rook upon the black Aa3 and because Black
swing: 23.t:!.ael t:!.c7 24.ii¥h5+ 'ittg8 cannot survive alone on the kingside
25.t:!.e3 +- . 23 •.. ttxe5 24.Etael ttf6 when White has both ii¥h7, f4+ after
25. tth5+ <iftgS 26.4) xc5 +- Aa6 'ittxg5, and a rook to swing. 19.Axh7+
27.4)xa6 Etxa6 2S.Ag5 ttg6 <iftxh7 20.4)g5+ <iftg6 In the 'ittg8Iine,
29.ttxg6 4)xg6 3O.f4 Etc2 31.f5 4)fS White needs to arrange a rook swing
32.Ete8 Eta7 33.f6 Etf7 34.Etf2 Etxf2 because the black queen's departure
35.<iftxf2 gxf6 36.Ah6 Etc7 from d8 eliminates the usual mate in five.
37.EtxfS+ <ifth7 3S.Etxf6 Etc2+ 20 ... 'ittg8 21.ii¥h5 t:!.fe8 (21...4Jf6
39.<iftf3 Etxb2 40.j'te3 Eta2 41.h4 22.exf6 ii¥f5 23.t:!. xa3 +-) 22. ii¥xt7+
Etxa4 42.h5 Etal 43.Etf7+ <iftgS 'itth8 23.t:!.ael (23.ii¥h5+ 'ittg8 24.ii¥h7+
44.Etb7 Etfl + 45. <ifte4 Ethl46.g41--O ~f8 25.ii¥h8+ 'itte7 26.ii¥xg7+ ~d8:j:)
23 ... Ac1 24.t:!.e3+-. In the 'itth6 line,
(250) Kasimdzhanov - Lesiege 21.ii¥d3 threatens an instructive mate
Istanbul 2000 with 22.ii¥h7 ~xg5 23.f4 'ittg4
Semi-Slav Defense [D47] 24. ii¥h3.. Capturing the 4Jg5 walks
straight into a mating net with f4, h3,
l.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.4)f3 4)f6 4.4)c3 e6 and t:!.f3, and attempts to return the
5.e3 4)bd7 6.j'td3 dxc4 7.j'txc4 b5 material with ... 4Jxe5 are insufficient.
S.Ad3 Ab7 9.0--0 b4 10.4)e4 j'te7 20 ... ~h6 21.ii¥d3 ~xg5 (21...ii¥d5
11.4)xf6+ 4)xf612.e4 0--0 13.e5 4)d7 22.ii¥h7+ ~xg5 23.f4+ ~g4 24.ii¥h3.)
14.Ae4 EtbS 15.a3 bxa3 16.b4 a5 22.ii¥h7 4Jxe5 (22 ... t:!.h8 23.f4+ 'ittg4
17.bxa5 ttxa51S.Axa3 Axa3 24.h3+ 'ittg3 25.t:!.f3.) 23.dxe5 ii¥xe5
24.f4+ +- . More complex but still win-
8 ning is 21.ii¥g4 which does have the
7 merit of defending the knight 21...4Jf6
6 22.ii¥h4+ 4Jh5 (22 ... 'ittg6 23.4Jh3 4Jd5
5 24.ii¥g5+ 'itth7 25.ii¥h5+ 'ittg8 26.4Jg5
4
t:!.fe8 27.ii¥xf7+ 'itth8 28.ii¥g6 'ittg8
29.4Jxe6 t:!.xe6 [29 ... t:!.e7 30.4Jg5 t:!.ee8
3
31.ii¥t7+ ~h8 32.ii¥f5 'ittg8 33.e6+- ]
2
30.ii¥xe6+ ~f8 31.ii¥h3 t:!.a8 32.t:!.tbl
ii¥c3 33.ii¥xc3 4Jxc3 34.t:!.xb7 +- ) 23.g4
abc d e f g h g6 24.gxh5 gxh5 25.ii¥f4 t:!.g8 (25 .. .f5
26.4Jxe6+ 'itth7 27.4Jxf8+ t:!.-xf8 28.ii¥f3
White first sacrifices the dark-square t:!.f7 29.t:!.tbl +-) 26.h4 f6 (26 ... c5
bishop on a3 in order to draw off the 27.~h21tc8 28.ii¥f6+ t:!.g6 29.ii¥h8.)

308
 Games
27.'~xf6+ .§g6 2S.'~f7 .§hS
29 ..§fbl +- . 21:~d3+ The active place-
ment ofthe-black queen on a5 enables a
successful defense after 21.~g4? f5
22.'li'Yg3 (22.exf6 4Jxf6 23.'li'Yg3 ~xg5)
22 .. .f4 23.'li'Yg4 4Jf6! , since the knight
cannot be successfully captured,
24.exf6 'li'Yxg5 -+ . 21 ... fS It will come
as no surprise to careful readers that
the king retreats, even the capture on
g5, all encounter mating nets: (a)
21...~xg5 22.f4+ (activating the rook
on f3 or, after f5, on f4) 22 ... '<t>h6
(22 ... ~h5 23.'li'Yh7+ ~g4 24.~h3#;
22 ... ~h5 23.~h7+ '<t>g4 24.~h3 #;
22 ... ~g4 23.'ltYh3 #) 23.~h3+ ~g6
24.f5+ exf5 (24 ... '<t>g5 25.~g3+ '<t>h5
[25 ... ~h6 26.'li'Yh4#] 26 . .§f4+-)
25 ..§f4+-; (b) 21 ... ~h6 22.'li'Yh7+ ~xg5
23.f4+ ~g4 24:~h3#; and (c) 21...'<t>h5
22.'li'Yh7+ ~g4 (22 ... '<t>xg5 23.f4+ '<t>g4
24.'li'Yh3#) 23.h3+ '<t>f4 (23 ... ~xg5
24.f4#) 24.g3+ '<t>xg5 25.f4#.
22.'ilxe6 Van der Stricht-Marechal,
Geel 2002 continued 22 ..§xa3 'li'Yd5
23.'li'Yg3 f4 24.'ltYh4 4Jf6 25.4Jh3 4Je4
26.4Jxf4+ .§xf4 27.'li'Yxf4 ~xd4
2S.'li'Yg4+ '<t>f7 29 ..§f3+ 'itJeS 30.~xg7
1-0. But Black had the opportunity to
improve with 24 ... 4Jxe5 25 ..§el .§f5
26.'li'Yh7+ '<t>f6= (26 ... ~xg5 27.'ltYxg7+
mates in all lines) . 22 .••13a8 23.13fbl
Ac8 Somewhat more challenging is
23 ....§fbS 24.4Jf4+ when Black can pick
how he wants to lose: (a) The toughest
defense is 24 ... ~f7 25.~xf5+ ~e7
26.'li'Ye6+ ~dS 27.'ltYgS+ 4JfS 2S.4Je6+
~cS 29.4JxfS 'ltYdS 30 . .§xa3 1-0
Moiseenko-Novikov, Montreal 2004; (b)
The other king retreats are easily
bombed: 24 ... '\tlh6 25.'li'Yxf5+-; (c)
24 ... ~g5 25.'li'Yg3+ '<t>h6 26.'ltYh4#; and
(d) 24 ... '<t>h7 25.'ltYxf5++-. 24.13b31-
o More than the bishop falls after
24 ... 4Jxe5 25.4JxfS+ ~f7 26 ..§bxa3
309
4Jxd3 27 ..§xa5 .§xa5 2S ..§xa5 and
there's no way to safely pick up the 4Jf8:
2S ... '<t>xfS 29 ..§aS+- with a winning
simplification.
(251) Avrukh -Ramesh
Ubeda2001
Semi-Slav Defense [D47]
1.d4 dS 2.c4 c6 3.'ilc3 'ilf6 4.e3 e6
S.'ilf3 'ilbd7 6•.1l,d3 dxc4 7..1l,xc4 bS
8 •.1l,d3 .1l,b7 9.a3 b4 10.'ile4 as
11.0--0 .1l,e7 12.'il xf6+ 'il xf6 13.e4
0--0 14.eS 'ild71S..1l,e4 ~b616.Ags
AxgS
abc d e f g h
In selecting sacrifices for this chapter, I
found relative few positions such as
this where the themes and variations
are instructive and clean. White can
count here on the secure e5-pawn and
the ability of the rooks to swing, either
with .§adl or '§ael or with f4 and '§f3.
In the '<t>g6Iine, 19.~d3+! is more effi-
cient than 19. 'li'Yg4 because, after
19 .. .f5, the ~d3 is not forced to retreat
to g3. White can therefore proceed with
4Jxe6 which decimates Black's center.
Note that White need not fear 'itJxg5,
though the lines are complex and worth
a careful review. 17..1l,xh7+ ~xh7
18.'ilxgS+ ~g6 In the '<t>gS line, the
black queen has vacated the d8-square,
but White can arrange a winning rook
 Sacking the Citadel
swing. lS ... 'it'gS 19.~h5 )::(feS
20.~xt7+ 'it'hS 21.~h5+ 'it'gS 22.)::(ad1
~a6 23.)::(fe1 +-. In the 'it'h6Iine, Black
has no working defense to ~g4-h4-h7.
Defending with )::(hS is the best chance,
but the ~g4 and the <£lg5-t7 work to-
gether harmoniously. lS ... 'it'h619.~g4
<£lxe5 (19 ... )::(hS 20.<£lxf7+ 'it'h7
21.~xe6+-) 20.dxe5 )::(hS 21.<£lxt7+
'it'h7 22.<£lg5+ ~gS (22 ... 'it'h6 23.<£lxe6
)::(agS 24.~g5+ 'it'h7 25.~h5 #;
22 ... 'it'g6 23.<£lxe6+ 'it't7 24.)::(fd1 +- )
23.~xe6+ +- . 19. ~g4 Again, the alter-
native 19.~d3+! offers the knight but
also the quickest path to victory: (a)
19 .. .f5 20.<£lxe6 (aiming for <£lf4 rather
than f8) 20 ... ~a6 21.<£lf4+ 'it'h7
(21...'it't7 22.~b3++-) 22.~h3+ 'it'gS
23.)::(fe1 +-; (b) 19 ... 'it'xg5 20.f4+
(20.~h7 <£lxe5 -+ ) 20 ... 'it'h6 (20 ... 'it'h5
21.~h7+ ~g4 22.~h3#) 21.~h3+
~g6 22.f5+ exf5 (22 ... 'it'g5 23.~g3+
~h5 [23 ... ~h6 24.~h4#] 24.m4+-)
23.)::(f4 (a calm move in the middle of
the storm, protecting d4 and readying
the entry of the other rook) 23 ... ~dS
24.~xf5+ ~h6 25.~h3+ 'it'g6 26.)::(g4+
'it'f5 27.)::(fl + 'it'e6 2S.)::(g6+ 'it'e7
(2S ... 'it'd5 29.)::(d6+ ~c4 [29 ... 'it'e4
30.~f3#] 30.a4+-) with a nice mate in
three, 29.)::(xt7+ )::(xt7 30.)::(e6+ 'it'fS
31.~hS#; (c) Not surprisingly, the king
retreats are quickly mated: 19 ... 'it'h6
20.~h7+ ~xg5 2l.f4+ 'it'g4 22.~h3#;
and (d) 19 ... ~h5 20.~h7+ 'it'g4
(20 ... 'it'xg5 21.f4+ ~g4 22.~h3#)
21.h3+ 'it'f4 (21...~xg5 22.f4#)
22.g3+ 'it'xg5 23.f4 #. 19...f5 20. ~g3
~xd4 There's no relief by activating
the bishop with 20 ... ~a6 21.<£lxe6+
'it'f7 22.<£lg5+ 'it'eS 23.)::(fd1 +-.
21.4)e4+ c:Jf7 21...'it'h7 22.~h4+ (hop-
ing for a discovery that will win the
unanchored black queen) 22 ... 'it'g6
23.~g5+ ~t7 (after 23 ... 'it'h7 the queen
310
and knight combine for a simple mate in
the comer 24.~h5+ 'it'gS 25.<£lg5+-)
and White can offer up the knight to
activate the rook on the seventh rank,
24.)::(ad1 ~xe5 25.)::(xd7+ ~gS
26.)::( xb7 +- . 22.E!ad11-0
(252) Baburin - Lakdawala
San Francisco 200 I
Semi-Slav Defense [D30]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.4)f3 4)f6 4.e3 e6
5.4)bd2 4) bd7 6.J1,d3 b6 7.0-0 J1,b7
8.b3 J1,e7 9.J1,b2 0-0 10. ~e2 ~c7
1l.E!ac1 E!ac8 12.4)e5 c5 13.f4
dxc4 14.bxc4 E!cd8 15.f5 J1,d6
16.4)df3 E!fe8 17.fxe6 E!xe6
18.4) xd7 4) xd719.d5 E!e7
8
7 1~~~l!ri.'!I~~~
6
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
Even in modem chess, a speculative
attack can overwhelm a defender.
White's additional assets include the
dark-square bishop taking aim at g7, the
)::(fl on an open file, and perhaps the
unusual d5-pawn, which blocks the
~b7 but has no role in preventing
... <£lf6. Black is well poised for the de-
fense, with both the )::(e7 and 'l!1c7 de-
fending the t7-pawn, the <£ld7 able to
defend on fS, not f6 actually owing to
the ~b2 and the )::(fl. Black can also
count on a counterattack upon the h2-
square. In the game, Black correctly
defends in the 'it'gS line, when Black
 Games
can survive with ... .£leS preventing
White's rook swing. 20.Axh7+ \t'xh7
21.4)g5+ ~S In the 'it'g6line, 22. 'ltYd3
or 22.'li;i'e2 leads to a straightforward
mate in seven thanks to the powerful
interplay of the assets. 21...'it'g6
22.~d3+ (22.~e2++-; 22.~g4+­
.£lxh2+ 23.'it'h1 ~g3 24.~f5+ 'it'h6
25.~h7+ 'it'xg5 26.§f5+ 'it'g4
27.~h5 #) 22 ... 'it'xg5 (22 .. .f5 23.'ltYxf5+
'it'h6 24.~h7+ 'it'xg5 25.§f5+ 'it'g4
26.~h3#; 22 ... 'it'h5 23.~h7+ 'it'xg5
24.§f5+ 'it'g4 25.~h3#) 23.~f5+ 'it'h6
(23 ... 'it'h4 24.~h3+ 'it'g5 25.§f5+ 'it'g6
26.~h5#) 24.~h3+ 'it'g6 25.'ltYg4+
'it'h7 (25 ... 'it'h6 26.~xg7+ 'it'h5
27.§f5+ 'it'h4 28.~g5#) 26.~xg7#. In
the 'it'h6 line, White breaks through
against the exposed king with 22.§f5,
22.~f3, or even 22.4Jxf7. 21...'it'h6
22.§f5 .£lxh2+ 23.'it'h1 g6 24.4Jxf7+
§xf7 25.§xf7+-. 22.~h5 Tempting
but ineffective is 22 ..£lxg7? .£lxh2+
23.'it'h1 .£le5 -+. 22 ..• 4)fS Ineffective
is 22 ... 4Jf6 23 ..£lxf6 +- . But Black is fine
by returning a piece with 22 ... .llxh2+
23.~xh2 ~xh2+ 24.'it'xh2 4JfS
25.§fe1=. 23.§.f3 Axh2+ Better to
prevent §h3 with 23 ... .£leS 24.§efl f6
25.§xf6 gxf6 26 ..llxf6 4Jh7 (prevent-
ing ~hS) 27 ..£lxe7 ~xe7 2S.4Jxh7
.£lxh2+ 29.~xh2 'ltYxh7 30.~xh7+
'it'xh7 31.§f7+ 'it'g6 32.§xa7 .llf5 ~. The
material is even, but Black's remaining
two pieces are active and White's
pawns are uncoordinated. 24.\t'h1
gd6 25.Axg7! \t'xg7 26.gcfl Af4
Black has a better chance of holding by
returning a piece with 26 .. .f5! 27.§h3
4Jg6 2S.§xh2 'it'gS;!;. 27.gh3 4)g6
2S.gxf4 4)xf4 29.exf4 Overlooking
29.~hS+! 'it'g6 30.exf4+- and Black
cannot safely stop 'ltYh7+ and §h6#.
29 .•. ge1 + 30.\t'h2 \t'fS On 30 ... §eS
with the idea of ... 'ltYxf4+, White can
311
force the action with 31.~h7+ 'it'f6
(31...'it'fS 32.~f5+-) 32.'it'gl .llxd5
33.exd5 'ltYd7 34.§h6+ 'it'e7 35.~e4+
'it'dS 36.§xd6 +-. 31.~hS+ \t'e7
32. ~h4 Also winning is 32.4Jxf7 strip-
ping the king's remaining defense.
32•.• ge233.4)e6+ +- \t'd7 34.4) xc7
\t'xc7 35.~h5 ge7 36.f5 b5 37.~h4
ged7 38.~f2 \t'b6 39.gb3 1-0
(253) Svidler - Renner
Germany 200 I
French Defense [CII]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.4)c3 4)f6 4.e5
4)fd7 5.f4 c5 6.4)f3 4)c6 7.Ae3 a6
S.~d2 b5 9.dxc5 Axc5 10.Axc5
4) xc5 11. ~f2 ~e7 12.Ad3 b4
13.4)e2 a5 14.0-{) Aa615. ~e3 0-{)
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
It is hard to imagine why Black, playing
against one of the world's strongest
players, failed to capture the .lld3 on
move 15. The sacrifice counts on the
secure e5-pawn, the §fl, and the 4Jd2-
g3 or f4 as additional assets, while
Black's position after 15 ... 0-0 is remark-
ably unorganized for the defense. In the
game, Black tried the 'it'g6 line but re-
signed instantly after lS.f5+, bringing
the 4Jd2-f4 with devastating effect.
16.Axh7+ \t'xh7 17.4)g5+ \t'g6 In
the 'it'gS line, the only way to prevent
checkmate is to delay the inevitable
 Sacking the Citadel

with ... .lld3 or with a ~xg5 queen sacri-
fice. 17 ... 'it'gBl8.'l1Yh3+-. In the \t>h6
line, White mates quickly in two moves
with'l1Yh3-h7. 17 ... \t>h61B.'l1Yh3+ \t>g6
19.'l1Yh7#. 18.f5+ 1-0 Activating the
queen on the diagonal and initiating a
mate in four. 1B ... exf5 19.<£\f4+ \t>xg5
(19 ... \t>h6 20.'l1Yh3+ 'it'xg5 21.'l1Yh5 #)
20.~g3+ \t>h6 21.~h3+ \t>g5
22.~h5 #. White picks up only an ex-
change after 1B.'l1Yg3? f5 19.<£\xe6+
\t>h7 20.<£\xf8+ .§.xfB=.
(254) Reeh - Graf
Germany 2001
Ruy Lopez [C90]
1.e4 e5 2.lilf3 4)c6 3.Ab5 a6 4.Aa4
4)f6 5.0--0 Ae7 6.§.e1 b5 7.Ab3 d6
8.a4 b4 9.a5 0--0 10.c3 Ab7 1l.d4
bxc3 12.bxc3 exd413.cxd4 d514.e5
4)e4 15.Aa3 4) b4 16.Ac2 c5
17.Axb4 cxb4 18.4)bd2 4)c3
19. ~c1 §.c8 20. ~b2 ~d7 21.4) b3
§.c7 22.Ad3 §.fc8 23.4)c5 Axc5
24.dxc5 ~g4 25.~d2 §.xc5 26.h3
~d7 27.e6 (27.Axh7+ 'it'xh7 28.<£\g5+
\t>g6-+) 27•••fxe6
8 46. ~b6 ~c4 47. ~e3 §.h8 0-1
7
6 (255) Grund - Buecken
5 Senden2001
4
3
2
abc d e f g h 10.4)xb4 ~xb4+ 1l.-'1,d2 ~b6
The sacrifice is overly ambitious here.
White lacks an e5-pawn, a dark-square
bishop, or a queen able to reach h5 and
must rely only upon the rooks as addi-
tional assets. Black's defense, in par-
ticular his 30th move, is notable. But in
the \t>gB line, Black defends well, se-
lecting the right .§.c6 on move 30. The
black king is able to escape safely to
the queenside, and his queenside pres-
sure and superior development obviates
White's hope of advancing the h-pawn.
28.Axh7+ \tlxh7 29.4)g5+ \tlg8 In
the \t>g6line, the <£\g5 and '§'e1 support
.§. xe6, undoubtedly the resource upon
which White based the attack. 29 ... 'it'g6
30 ..§.xe6+ \t>f5 (30 ... 'it'h5 31.<£\e4 dxe4
[31...<£\xe4 32.~e2+ \t>g5 33.'l1Yg4 #]
32.g4+ \t>h4 33 ..§.h6+ gxh6 34.~xh6+)
31.g4 #. 30. ~d3 §.5c6! Picking the
right rook. 30 ... .§.Bc6? (the rook remains
on c5 where, in key lines, it is vulner-
able to capture) 31.'l1Yh7+ 'it'fB 32.~hB+
'it'e7 33.'l1Yxg7+ \t>dB 34.~fB+ 'it'c7
35 ..§.xe6 .§.xe6 36.<£\xe6+ ~xe6
37.'l1Yxc5+=. 31.~h7+ \tlf832.~h8+
\tle7 33. ~xg7+ \tld8 34.4)f7+ \tlc7
35.~g3+ §.d6 36.4)e5 No better for
White is 36.<£\xd6 ~xd6 37..§.xe6 ~xg3
3B.fxg3.llc6-+ and the b-pawn will fly.
36 ••• ~e7 37. ~f4 d4 38.4)c4 Etf8
39.~e5 Ad5 40.4)xd6 ~xd6
41. ~xd4 §.g8 42.g4 \tlb7 43.Etab1
4)xb144.§.xb1 \tla845.~xb4~c7
French Defense [C02]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 4)c6
5.4)f3 ~b6 6.Ae2 cxd4 7.cxd4
4)ge7 8.4)a3 4)f5 9.4)c2 -'1,b4+
12.-'1,c30--0 13.-'1,d3 4)fe7 (D)
In the Advanced French, White quite
naturally gains a secure e5-pawn in
addition to the .lld3. White can also
point to the dark-square bishop, albeit

312
 Games
8 17 ..lld2 ~xd418.~h3+ ~h4 (18 ... <£\h4
7 19.f4+-) 19.<£\f3++-] 17 ..lld2+ ~h5
6 18.'lifh7+ 'i!tg4 19.h3# or 19.f3# or
5 19.'lifh3# ) 16 ... <£\f5 17 ..lld2 ~xd4
4
3
2
abcdefgh
on c3, and the possibility of a rook
swing via fld1--d3. Black selected the
'i!tg8line in the game, when ~h5-f7 sets
up a killing rook swing with fld1-d3-
h3. 14.Jl.xh7+ ~xh715..£Jg5+ ~g8
In the 'i!tg6 line, 'lifd3+ brings down the
house because Black cannot meet ~h3
with flh8 and because 'i!txg5 meets
.lld2+ with mate to follow. 15 ...'i!tg6
16.'lifd3+! when now: (a) 16.. .f5 17.'lifh3
'i!txg5 18.'lifh7 (isolating the king and
waiting for reinforcements) 18 ... <£\xd4
(18 ... <£\xe5 19.dxe5+-) 19 ..lld2+ f4
(19 ... ~g4 20.h3# or 20.~h3#) 20.h4+
'i!tg4 21.'lifxg7+ ~f5 (21...~h5
22.'lifg5#) 22.'lifxf8++-; (b) 16 ... <£\f5
17.g4 f6 (17 ... 'i!txg5 18.gxf5+- and
now even the rook will join the attack)
18.'lifh3 (aiming for h5) 18 ... fxe5
(18 ... 'i!txg5 19 ..lld2+ 'i!tg6 20.'lifh5#;
and the knight cannot be captured
18. ..fxg5 19.'lifh5 #) 19.dxe5 +-; and
(c) 16... 'i!txg517 ..lld2+ ~h5 (17 ...'i!tg4
18.'lifh3#; 17 ... 'i!th4 18.~h3#)
18.'lifh7+ ~g4 19.h3# or 19.f3# or
19.'lifh3#. On l5 ... ~g616.'lifg4 Black
may survive after 16 ... <£\f5 (not 16 .. .f5
17.'lifh4 <£\xe5 18.dxe5 +-) 17.<£\xe6+
~h7 (17 ... ~h6 18.~h3+ ~g6
19.<£\xf8++-) 18.<£\xf8+ (18.'lifxf5+?
~g8-+) 18 ... 'i!tg819.e6 <£\h6 20.exf7+
~xf8 21.~f4±. In the 'i!th6 line, ~g4
and 'lifd3 are equally efficient: 15 ... ~h6
313
16.~g4 (16.'lifd3 ~xg5 [16 ... <£\f5
18.'lifh3+ ~h4 19.<£\f3++-. 16.~h5
lad8 The rook has no anchor on e8.
16 ... fle817.'lifxf7+ 'i!th818.~h5+ ~g8
19.~xe8#. 17.~xf7+ ~h818.ladl
Even better is 18.0--0--0 aiming for a rook
swing to h3. 18 ... 'lifa6 19.flhe1 ~xa2
20.fld3 'lifa1 + 21.~d2 +-. 18••• .£Jf5
No better is 18 ...'lifb5 19.~h5+ ~g8
20.h4 (with the idea offlh3-f3) 20 ....lld7
21.~h7+ ~f8 22.flh3 <£\f5 23.g4+-.
19.1ad3 .£Jh6 20. ~g6 Also winning is
20.flh3 ~c7 21.'lifg6 ~g8 22.flxh6+-.
20 ••. ~g8 21.laf31-O It's mate in five
with 21...<£\f5 22.~f7+ (or 22.flh3 <£\h6
23.flxh6+-) 22 ... 'i!th8 23.flh3+ <£\h6
24.flxh6+ gxh6 25.~h7#.
(256) Yemelin - Goric
Rijeka2001
French Defense [C06]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3 •.£Jd2 .£Jf6 4.e5
.£Jfd7 5.c3 c5 6.Ad3 cxd4 7.cxd4
.£Jc68..£Jgf3.£Jb69.0--0Ae710.lael
Ad711.a3 a5 12.b3 a413.b4 .£Ja7
14.~e2 0-0 15•.£Jf1 lac8 16.Af4
.£Jc4 17. .£Je3 .£Jxe3 18.fxe3 lac3
19.1aa2 ~b6 20..Q.g5 Axg5
8
7
6
5
4
IL~'X~'>,
3
2
abc d e f g h
 Sacking the Citadel
Another sacrifice out of the middlegame.
White has a secure e5-pawn and the
Ela2 which can reach the f-file immedi-
ately or even the h-file as in the final
notation. In the 'it'g6 line, tfg4-h4
(rather than g3) provides the quickest
path, because once again 25.tfh7 'it'xg5
opens a mating net. 21.Jlxh7+ ~xh7
22.~ xg5+ ~g6 In the 'it'gS line, the
mate in five is not there owing to the
absence of the tfdS, but White has time
simply to play Ela2-f2 to cut off the
black king's retreat. 22 ... 'it'gS 23.tfh5
EleS 24.tfxf7+ 'it'hS 25.tfh5+ (White
can also play 25.Elf2 first) 25 ... 'it'gS
26.Elf2 +- . In the 'it'h6Iine, tfg4-h4 tri-
umphs in part because Black cannot
safely anchor the ElhS. 22 ... 'it'h6
23.tfg4+-. 23.~g4 White cannot
make meaningful progress after 23.h4?
f5! (or even 23 ... f6 24.exf6 gxf6
25.tfg4 'itlh6 26.tff4 tfc7 27.4Jxe6+
tfxf4 2S.4Jxf4 .il.c6-+ ). 23 •••f5 Forc-
ing the knight to move with 23 ... f6
24.4Jxe6+ ~f7 25.tfxg7+ '\tlxe6
26.~xfS+- leaves the king unaccept-
ably exposed in the center. 24.~h4
White is also winning easily after
24.tfg3!? ElgS (on 24 ... f4 25.tfh4)
25.4Je4+ 'itJf7 26.4Jd6+ ~f8 27.tfg6+-.
24••. ~d8 25.~h7+ ~xg5 26.h4+
~g41-O The mate in four culminates
with a nice rook swing from a2: 27. tfg6+
~xh4 2S.g3+ 'itlh3 29.Elh2#.
(257) Tahirov - Kalichkin
Tula2002
Caro-Kann Defense [B 14]
1.e4c62.d4d53.exd5exd54.e4~f6
5.~e3 e6 6.~f3 Jle7 7.e5 0-0
8.Jld3 b6 9.h4 a5 10.~a4 ~fd7
1l.b5 bxe5 12.dxe5 Jlxe5
314
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
Black probably thought that he was
winning a pawn on c5 but once again
the c5-square is a target when the black
piece there is unanchored. White has
only the dark-square bishop and the
unassuming 4Ja4 as additional assets,
but the knight on the rim plays a key
role in capturing on c5. In the 'it'gSline,
we see an interesting variant of the tra-
ditional mate in five. In this case, White,
without an e5-pawn, does not control
d6. Undaunted, White blasts through
with a pretty mate in two to end the con-
test.13.Jlxh7+ ~xh714.~g5+ ~g8
In the 'it'g6 line, that 'itJc2 picks up the
loose piece, either the 4Jc5 directly or
the ElaS after 4Jc5-e4. 14 ... ~g6
15.4Jxc5 4Jxc516.tfc2+ 4Je417.4Jxe4
dxe418.'itJxe4++-. 15.~xe5 The im-
mediate effort to mate on h7 meets
15.'itJh5 .il.b4+ 16.~d2 .il.xd2+
17.'it'xd2 4Jf6 -+ and the knight shuts
down the attack. 15.•• ~ xe5? Black can
hold the position by maneuvering a
knight to f6: 15 ... '~H6 16.'itJd3 'itJe5+
17.'it'f14Jf618.ElbU. 16.~h5 ~d3+
17.~e2 ~xel+ 18.~axel ~e8
19.~xf7+ ~h8 20.~h5+ ~g8
21.~h7+ ~f8 22.~h8+ ~e7
23.~xg7+ ~d6 24.~e4+ dxe4
25.~hdl# 1-0
 Games
(258) Richter - Palac
Dresden 2002
Trompowsky Attack [A45]
l.d4 4)f6 2.Jl.g5 d5 3.e3 4)e4 4.iU4
e5 5.j'td3 e6 6.4)d2 4) xd2 7. ~xd2
4)e6 S.4)f3 j'td6 9.dxe5 j'txe5 10.0-
0-00-0 11. ~e2 4)b4
In this Trompowsky Attack, only one
exchange has occurred, a pair of
knights, and White has taken the op-
portunity to set up the sacrifice with
11.~e2. In support of the sac, White
has as additional assets, the dark-
square bishop and the 1":Idl. In the ~g6
line, Black's counterattack after 14.~g4
4Jxa2 is useful to review. 14.h4 appears
to provide better attacking chances for
White, but Black's counterattack should
permit him to equalize. 12.Axh7+
~xh713.4)g5+ ~g6 In the ~g81ine,
White has the mate in five made pos-
sible here by the fact that the ~f4 cov-
ers the d6 escape square. 13 ... ~g8
14.~h51":1e815.~xf7+ ~h816.~h5+
~g8 17.~h7+ ~f8 18.~h8+ ~e7
19.~xg7#. 14.~g414.h4! ~b6 (pre-
mature here is 14 ... 4Jxa2+ 15.~b1 ~a5
16.~g4 f5 [not 16 ... ~f617.4Jh7+ ~e7
18.~xg7 ~e8 19.~g5 +- ] 17.h5+ ~f6
18.4Jh7+ ~f7 19.~g6+ ~e7 20.4Jxf8
4Jb4 21.~xg7+ ~e8 22.~g8+-)
15.~g4 (15.h5+ ~f6+) and only now
315
15 ... 4Jxa2+ (not 15 ... f5 16.h5+ ~f6
17.4Jh7+ ~e7 18.~xg7+ 1":If7
19.~g5++-) 16.~b1 (16.~d2 ~xb2
17.4Jxe6+ ~h7 -+ ) 16... 4Jc3+ 17.~c1
(17.~a1 ~a5#) 17 ... 4Ja2+= with a per-
petual. 14 ••• f5 Black's best is
14 ... 4Jxa2+! 15.~b1 (not 15.~d2 ~a5+
16.~e2 f6-+) 15 ... 4Jc3+ 16.bxc3
~b6+ 17.~c1 f6 18.4Jxe6+ ~f7
19.~xg7+ ~xe6+ and the ~c5 holds
the 1":If8. 15.~g3 ~f6 Black's attack
with 15 ... ~a5 16.a3 4Ja2+ 17.~b1
4Jc3+ 18.bxc3 ~xa3 fails because the
white queen on g7 defends the critical
b2-square. 19.4Jxe6+ ~f7 20.~xg7+
~xe6 21.c4 ~b4+ 22.~a2 +-.
16.4)e4+! fxe4 17.j'tg5+ ~f7
IS.AxdS EtxdSl9.h4 White can also
win by prying open the f-file, 19.f3
~xe3+ 20.~b1 ~g8 21.fxe4 d4
22.1":Ihfl 4Jc6 23.1":If6+-. 19 ••• j'td6
20.~g5 j'te7 21.~f4+ M622.g4e5
23.~g3 g6 24.f4 4)e6 25.f5 gxf5
26.g5 AhS 27.h5 ~gS 2S.h6 Ae6
29.Etdgl f4 30.~h4 4)e7 31.g6 4)f5
32.~g5 Etd7 33.g71-0
(259) Onocko - Duarte da Silva
Orvina2002
French Defense [ell]
l.e4 e6 2.4)f3 d5 3.4)e3 4)f6 4.e5
4)fd7 5.d4 e5 6.dxe5 Axe5 7.Ad3
4)e6 S.Af4 0-0
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
 Sacking the Citadel
The position at the time of the sacrifice
is identical to Borg-Veer, 1984, save for
the absence of a single move pair (0-0,
a6). The result is that the king's rook
will not easily join the attack, but White
can still count on the e5-pawn, the
dark-square bishop, and the 4Jc3 as
additional assets. In the ~g6 line, as
played in the game, the same ~d3-g3
(with the check preventing 4Jxe5) ma-
neuver prevails. 9 . .Q.xh7+ ~xh7
10.{)gS+ ~g6 In the ~g8line, White
still has the usual mate in five. 1O ... ~g8
11.~h5 E'!e8 12.~xf7+ ~h8 13.~h5+
~g8 14.~h7+ ~f8 15.~h8+ ~e7
16. ~xg7 # Shushpanova-Petrovskaya,
Albena 2009. 11. ~d3+! Proceeding
with check. The alternative 11. ~g4 in-
vites the capture on e5: 11...4Jcxe5
12.~g3 f5 13.4Jxe6+ 4Jg4 (with the
idea of i.1.xf2+) 14.4Jxc5 ~e7+ 15.~f1
~xc5 16.h3 E'!h8 17.E'!gl ~xf2+
18.~xf2 4Jxf2 19.~xf2 4Jf6 20.E'!adl
i.1.e6 Zamarbide Ibarrea-Ojer Lora,
Orvina, 2006 YZ-YZ. In another game, Bo-
Bente, Playchess 2004, Black tried
11...4Jdxe512.~h4 (12.~g3 ~f5 13.0-
0-0 i.1.e7 14.h4 i.1.xg5 15.i.1.xg5 f6
16.i.1.d2 g5 [16 ... ~e717.h5 ~b418.f4
4Jg4 19.E'!h4 +-] 17.f4 g4 18.h5 ~e8
19.fxe5 fxe5 20.E'!dfl#) 12 ... E'!h8
13.~g3 4Jg4 (13 ... ~f5 14.h4 ~b6
15.0-0 f616.E'!ael ~b417.4Jge4 dxe4
18.E'!xe4 ~xe4 19.~h3+ ~g6
[19 ... ~xf4 20.g3+ ~f3 21.g4+ ~f4
22.~g3#] 20.4Jxe4 i.1.e7=) 14.~xg4+­
f5 15.~g3 ~e716.h4 E'!h5 17.4Jxe6+
~f6 18.4Jxd5+ 1-0. 11 ...fS And, of
course, the king retreats are quickly
mated, 11...~h5 12.~h3+ ~g6
13.~h7#. 12.~g3 ~e7 The effort to
eliminate the white e-pawn results in an
amusing cascade of captures.
12 ... 4Jdxe5 13.4Jxe6+ 4Jg4 14.4Jxd8
i.1.xf2+ 15.~xf2 4Jxf2 16.4Jxc6 4Jxhl
316
17.4Je5+~h518.4Jxd5+-.13 ..£lxe6+
~h7 On 13 ... ~f7 White wins by re-
turning the knight to g5 rather than im-
mediately capturing the E'!f8: 14.4Jg5+
~g8 15.4Jxd5 ~e8 16.~b3+-.
14.{)xf8+ Missing the power of the
return of the knight to g5, 14.4Jg5+!
~g8 (14 ... ~g6 15.4Jxd5 ~d8
16.4Je6++-) 15.4Jxd5 ~e8 16.~b3
E'!f7 17.4Jc7 +- and both knights will
pick up exchanges. 14••. ~xf8 IS.0-0
White is winning after 15.4Jxd5 +- with
the idea of 4Jc7-e6. IS ••• .£ld4 Black
needed to activate the bishop and E'!a8
with 15 ... 4Jb616.E'!adl i.1.e6±. 16.~hl
.£lb617.a4 .£l xc218.f!adl.Q.e619.aS
.£lc4 20..£lxdS .Q.xdS 21.f!xdS.£lb4
22.f!d7 .£l xaS 23.f!fdl .Q.b6 24.e6
.£lbc62S..Q.d6~e826.~xg7# 1-0
(260) Arizmendi Martinez-Rasmussen
Linares 2002
Caro-Kann Defense [B 14)
1.e4c6 2.d4 dS 3.exdS cxdS 4.c4 .£lf6
S..£lc3 e6 6 ..£lf3 .Q.b4 7.cxdS .£l xdS
8 ..Q.d2 .£lc6 9 ..Q.d3 .Q.e710.0-0 0--0
11. ~e2 .£lf6 12. .£le4 ~b6 13.a3
.Q.d7 14.f!fdl f!ad8 lS.b4 a6
16.f!acl .£la7 17 . .£lxf6+ .Q.xf6
18..Q.gS .Q.xgS
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Two minor piece exchanges were
needed here to initiate the sacrifice, in-
 Games
eluding the common .ilg5 maneuver just
preceding .ilxh7 +. The result is that
White has only the two active rooks as
additional assets, but they prove suffi-
cient against Black's unimpressive
setup. In the 'it'g6 line, the t:ig4-g3-g4
maneuver permits the white queen to
retain long enough to carry out the dis-
covered check and double attack upon
g7, when the white rooks can actively
finish off the job. 19.Jlxh7+ Iit>xh7
20.?J xg5+ Iit>g6 In the 'it'gBline, there's
no mate in five owing to the d6 escape
square, but White simply swings a rook
to the f-file to cut off the king's flight.
20 ... 'it'gB 21.t:ih5 §feB 22.t:ixf7+ 'it'hB
23.t:ih5+ '<t>gB 24.§c3+- or 24.t:ih7+
'it'fB 25.t:ihB+ 'it'e7 26.t:ixg7+ '<t>d6
27.4Je4+ 'it'd5 28. t:ie5 #. 21. ~g4 Ac-
tive but insufficient is 21.§c5!? f5
22.t:ie5 4Jb5 23.t:ig3 t:id6= with key
support from the 4Jb5. And not
21. t:id3+? '<t>xg5 22. t:ih7 when the black
king can escape, 22 ... '<t>f6-+. 21 •••f5
22. ~g3 f4 Running the king towards
the center encourages the advancement
of the h-pawn. Note how White prefers
to augment the pressure rather than win
the exchange with 4Jh7. 22 ... '<t>f6 23.h4
4Jb5 24.h5 '<t>e7 25.4Jh7 §f7 26.t:ig5+
'it'eB 27.t:ig6 t:id6 2B.4Jg5 t:ie7 29.d5
e5 30.§el4Jd6 31.4Jxf7 4Jxf7 32.t:ixg7
e4 33.h6+-. 23.~g4 e5 24.?Je6+
1it>f7 On 24 ... '<t>f6 White busts through
with 25.dxe5+ '<t>e7 26.§d6+- or
26.t:ixg7. 25.~xg7+ Iit>xe6 Avoiding
25 ... 'it'eB 26.t:ixfB#. 26.dxe5 Better to
activate the rooks with 26.§c5! 4JcB
27.ti'g6+ 'it'e7 (27 ... §f6 28.§xe5++-)
and all three majors are collaborating
2B.§xe5+ Ae6 29.d5+-. 26 ... Jtc6
Black has tougher defense with 26 ... 4JcB
27.§xd7 §xd7 2B.t:ixfB with three
pawns for the knight. 2B ... t:idB
29.t:ih6+ '<t>e7 (it's much too danger-
317
ous to expose the king in the center with
29 ... 'it'xe5 30.§e1 + '<t>d4 [30 ... '<t>f5
31.t:ie6+ with mate in two 31...'<t>g5
32.§e5+ +- ] 31.t:ixf4+ +- and mate is
looming) 30.t:ig7+ '<t>e6 31.t:ig4+ '<t>e7
32.e6+-. Black will be forced to cap-
ture the pawn and activate the white
rook. 27.~g6+ lit>e7 28.~g5+ lit>e8
29.~g6+ lit>e7 30.Etd6 Etxd6 No bet-
ter is 30 ... §f7 31.§e6+ '<t>f8 when it's
mate in five: 32.t:ih6+ §g7 33.t:ihB+
'it'f7 34.§f6+ '<t>e7 35.t:ixg7+ +-.
31.~xd6+ lit>e8 31...'<t>f7 32.t:if6+
'<t>gB (32 ... '<t>eB 33.t:ie6+ '<t>dB 34.§d1 +
transposes to the game's final position)
33.t:ig6+ '<t>hB with a rook swing to end
the discussion 34.§c3 +-. 32. ~e6+
Iit>d8 33.Etdl + 1-0 There's no ad-
equate response to the rook check, and
the .Ilc6 is pinned to the unanchored
queen. 33 ... '<t>c7 34.t:id6+ '<t>cB
35. t:ixf8+ +-
(261) Blanco Gramajo - Salcedo
Mederos
Correspondence 2002
Nirnzo-Indian Defense [E54]
l.d4 ?Jf6 2.c4 e6 3.?Jc3 Jlh4 4.e3
0--0 5.Jtd3 c5 6.?Jf3 cxd4 7.exd4 d5
8.0--0 dxc4 9.Jlxc4 a610.a3 Jtxc3
1l.bxc3 ~c712.Jtd3 ~xc313.M4
?Jc614.Etel ?Jd515.Jld6 Etd8
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
 Sacking the Citadel
Complex, unusual, and one of my per-
sonal favorites. White has two addi-
tional assets, the .E!e1 and the dark-
square bishop on d6. In the r.t>g6 line,
4Jg5-e4 gains a critical tempo on the
black queen, and all of White's pieces
contribute harmoniously in a late
middlegame with a significant material
imbalance. 16..1lxh7+ 'it>xh717.~g5+
'it>g6 Throughout many of these lines,
the ~d6 simply sits there, but it also
plays a key role in the r.t>g8Iine, block-
ing the king's escape to f8 and helping
to deliver the final blow with ~f8.
17 ... r.t>g8 18.'li{h5 when Black can try:
(a) 18 ... 4Jf6 19.'li{xf7+ r.t>h8 20.~f8+­
forcing an exchange sacrifice when a
rook swing will then end the game; (b)
18 ... 'li{d3 19.~xf7+ r.t>h8 20 ..E!e4+-
blocking the queen's access to h7 and
threatening the rook swing to h4; and
(c) not 18... .E!xd6 (White mates on the
back rank) 19.'li{xf7+ r.t>h8 20.~f8#.
Quite unromantic is the knight fork and
skewer after 17 ... 'it'h6 18.4Jxf7++-
r.t>g6 19.4Jxd8 4Jxd8 20.'lii'g4+ r.t>f6
21.~h4+. lS.~e4! Hitting the queen,
protecting the ~d6, and making ready
for ~g4+. If instead 18.~g4 f5-+ or
18 ... 4Jf6-+. And after 18.h4, Black can
pounce with 18 ... 'li{xd4 -+ .
IS ••• ~xe1 + Black does not have time
to retreat the queen with 18 ... 'li{a5
19.~g4+ r.t>h6 (19 ... r.t>h7 20.'lii'h5+ r.t>g8
21.4Jg5 and Black cannot defend with
... 4Jf6 because of 'li{xf7 and ~e5)
20.'li{g5+ r.t>h7 21.'li{h5+ r.t>g8 (White
resorts only now to the typical 4Jg5
maneuver after ... r.t>g8) 22.4Jg5 4Jf6
(Black cannot safely vacate the back
rank with 22 ... .E!xd6 23.'li{xf7+ r.t>h8
24.~f8#) 23.'li{xf7+ r.t>h8 24.~e5+­
(but not 24.~f8? 'li{xg5). 19. ~xe1 f5
20.f3! fxe4 21.fxe4 ~f6 21.. ..E!xd6
22.~g3+ +- picking up the rook and
318
sustaining the attack. 22.e5 Etxd6
White should proceed patiently after
22 ... 4Jd5 23.'li{e4+ 'it'f7 24 ..E!f1 + 'it'g8
25.g4 ~d7 26.'li{g6 .E!fB 27.~xf8 .E!xfB
28 ..E!xfB+ r.t>xfB 29.'li{e4+- with a win-
ning endgame thanks to the kingside
pawn majority and the inactivity of
Black's minor pieces. 23. ~g3+ 'it>h7
24.exd6 Ad7 25.Etfl EtfS 26.~f4
'it>gS 27.g4 ~h7 2S.~d2 Etxfl+
29.'it>xfl ~f6 30.g5 ~d5 31.g6+-
h5 32.h4 ~f6 33.h5 ~d5 Black's
position is clearly too loose after
33 ... 4Jxh5 34.d5 4Je5 (34 ... e xd5
35. 'li{xd5+ +-) 35. 'li{e3 +-. 34. ~f2
~dS 35.'it>e2 a5 36.~h4 ~c6
37.'it>d2 ~f6 3S.~f4 'it>hS 39.'it>c1
~a7 4O.h6 a441.h7 ~c842.d5exd5
43. ~e5 d4 44. ~c5 d3 45. ~e51-0
(262) Kasparov - Deep Junior
New York 2003
Nimzo-Indian Defense [E48]
1.d4 ~f6 2.c4 e6 3.~c3 Ab4 4.e3
0--0 5.Ad3 d5 6.cxd5 exd5 7.~ge2
EteS S.O--O Ad6 9.a3 c610. ~c2
abc d e f g h
This is Kasparov's second game involv-
ing a Greco Sacrifice against a world-
class computer and, in this case, it's the
computer attempting the move against
the world champion. The computer can
count on two additional assets, the
 Games
light-square bishop and the f1e8, but
Kasparov has key assets of his own,
notably the-,~k2 helping to defend on
f2, the pressure upon h7, and the 4Je2-
g3- Kasparov correctly brings his king
to g3, when, after ... ~g5, f4 drives the
black queen off the g-file. Kasparov
selects a drawing line, rather than 16.g3!
perhaps to avoid a tactical bloodbath
against the machine. 10 ... j}.xh2+
IViljlxh2 ~g4+ 12.Cjfjlg3 There's no
hope for White in the ~gl line owing
to ~xf2 and the rook swing via e6.
12.'it'gl ~h4 13.f1d1 ~xf2+ 14.'it'h1
f1e6 -+ . The 'it'h3line walks into a game
ending discovery. 12.~h3 4Jxe3+-+.
12 .• :~g5 There's nothing for Black
after 12 ... ~d6+? 13.4Jf4 g5 (White
gains control over the h3-c8 diagonal)
14.~xh7+ ~f8 15.~f5+- and after
12 ... h5?, 13.f1h1 combines with f4 to
shut down the attack: 13 ... ~g5 14.f4
~h6 15.e4+-. 13.f4 13.~xh7+ ~h8
14.f4 ~h5 likely transposing to the
game. 13 •.• tPth5 14.j}.d2! tPth2+
14 ... f1xe3+? 15.~xe3 4Jxe3 16.~d2
4Jxf1+ 17.f1xf1+- 15.CjfjlH tPth4
16.j}.xh7+ Kasparov settles for a
forced draw. The only try for a win is
16.g3!, a tactical continuation that might
have seemed daunting against the ma-
chine. 16... ~h2 (not 16... 4Jh2+ 17.~f2
4Jg4+ 18.'it'el+-) 17.f1ae1! g6 18.e4
with what appears to be a winning ad-
vantage. 16 ... Cjfjlh8 With better devel-
opment, White has a slight edge after
16... ~xh7 17.~xh7+ ~xh7 18.f1hl+
'it'g6 19.e4;l;. 17.~g3 It's too late to
play for a win with 17.g3!? ~xh7
18.~xh7+ 'it'xh719.f1h1 + 'iftg6 20.f1h4
f5 21.4Jc1 (with the idea of 4Jd3-e5)
21...4Jd7 22.4Jd3 b6 23.f1ah1 ~a6
24.4Je5+ 4Jdxe5+ 25.fxe5 ~d3=.
17... ~h2+ 18.Cjfjlf2 ~g4+ 19.Cjfjlf3
~h2+ Yz-Yz
319
(263) Kovalev - Kochetkov
Minsk 2003
French Defense [CI4]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.~c3 ~f6 4.j}.g5
j}.e7 5.e5 ~fd7 6.j}.xe7 tPtxe7 7.f4
a6 8.~f3 c5 9.tPtd2 ~c6 10.dxc5
tPtxc5 11.0-0-0 b5 12.Cjfjlbl ~b6
13.j}.d3 Ad714.Ethel 0-0
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
It seems tough to believe that a 2300+
player would castle into the attack here,
especially since Black has promising
moves such as 14 ... f1b8 or g6. The sac-
rifice occurs immediately after Black's
committal move, and White relies on the
secure e5-pawn, the 4Jc3, and the rooks
as additional assets, while Black does
have counterplay on the queens ide. In
the game, Black played ~g6, walking
into the familiar 4Je4 fork. 15.j}.xh7+
CjfjIxh716.~g5+ CjfjIg6 Especially given
the unanchored ~c5 and White's de-
lay in playing the queen to the h-file,
the ~g8 line represents Black's best
chance because the king is able to es-
cape and the black attack has
merit. 16 ... ~g8! 17. ~d3 (the queen ob-
viously does not have direct access to
hS) 17 ... f1fe8 (the queen has only one
entry on h7) 18.~h7+ ~f8 19.~h5
(19.~h8+ ~e7 20.~h4 f1h8 21.4Jh7+
'ifte8 22.4Jf6+ gxf6 23.~xh8+ ~f8
24.~xf6± when White's advantage is
 Sacking the Citadel

obvious and he can proceed with the esting for the brutal attack after
advance of the h-pawn) 19 ... 'it'e7 (aim- 18.'i£rxcS+.13.Axh7+ Cit'xh714.4)g5+
ing to escape to the queens ide) 20.4Jxf7 Cit'g6 In the 'it'gS line, Black can delay
(with the idea of cutting off the king's the mate in five only by capitulating
retreat) 20 ... 4Ja4 (20 ... 4Jc4 21.fS 4Jb4 with ... 4Jf6 or ... 'i£rxgS. 14 ... 'it'gS
22.f6+ gxf6 23.exf6+ ~xf6 24:i£rgS+ lS.'i£rhS+- §eS 16.'i£rxf7+ ~hS
'it'xf7 2SJ~f1 + +- ) 21.fS 4Jxc3+ 22.bxc3 17.'i£rhS+ ~gS lS.'i£rh7+ 'it'fS19.'i£rhS+
exfS 23.e6 'i£rxc3 24.'i£rh4+ 'i£rf6 2S.4JgS ~e7 20.'i£rxg7#. 15:~c2+11S.'i£rc2 is
d4 (2S ... AcS 26.§xdS+-) 26.c3;!;. more accurate because, in lines involv-
17:~d3+ f5 IS.exf6+ Cit'xf6 After the ing 4Je4+, the queen can also capture
king retreat, White must proceed care- on c5. On lS.'i£rd3+ fS 16.exf6+ 'it'xf6
fully, but the mate is still there: lS ... ~hS 17.4Jce4+ 'it'e7 White is certainly win-
19.'i£rh7+ ~g4 20.4Jf3 gxf6 (20 ... ~xf4 ning but can only capture on c5 with
21.§e4+ dxe4 22.'i£rxe4#) 21.'i£rh4+ the knight. lS.4JxcS +-; lS.'i£rg4? fS
'it'fS 22.'i£rhS+ ~xf4 23.g3 #. 16.'i£rh4 (there's no direct way to keep
19.4)ce4+ 1--0 the queen on the g-file with 16.'i£rg3 f4
17.'i£rg4 'i£rxgS -+) 16 ... §hS 17.'i£rg3
(264) Lugovoi - Kallio 'i£re7 (the queen is out of reach of the
Gausdal,2003 discoveries) lS.4Jxe6+ 'it'h7 19.4JxdS
N irnzo-Indian Defense [E51] 4JxdS 20.4JxcS 'i£rxcS and White must
settle for a perpetual with 21.'i£rh4+ 'it'gS
l.d4 4)f6 2.c4 e6 3.4)c3 -'lb4 4.e3 22.'i£rdS+=. 15 ••. f5 16.exf6+ Cit'xf6
0--0 5.-'ld3 d5 6.4)f3 4)bd7 7.a3 17.4)ce4+ Cit'e7 IS.~xc5+ Cit'eS
dxc4 S.-'lxc4 -'le7 9.e4 4)b610.Ad3 19.4)d6+ Cit'd719 ... 'it'e7 20.4Jxb7+ +-
c5 1l.dxc5 -'lxc512.e5 4)fd5 wins the queen. 20.4)df7 White also
wins easily with 20.4Jge4 'i£rc7 21.'i£rd4
8 §f6 22.AgS +-. 20 ••• ~e7 21. ~b5+
7 Cit'c7 22.Af4+ 4) xf4 White crashes
6 through after 22 ... eS 23.JlxeS+ +-.
5 23.Etc1 + Cit'bS 24. ~e5+ 1--0
4
(265) Thorhallsson - Balinov
3
Plovdiv 2003
2
Sicilian Defense [B27]

abc d e f g h l.e4 c5 2.4)£3 b6 3.d4 cxd4 4.4) xd4

Once again, the unanchored piece on
cS should conjure up images of 4Je4+
forks and 'i£rc2 attacking the ~g6. For
additional assets, White has the eS-
pawn, the dark-square bishop, and a
clearly useful4Jc3-e4. In the 'it'g6 line,
White obviously plays 'i£rc2+ aiming at
the AcS. The game is especially inter-
-'lb7 5.4)c3 a6 6.-'le3 e6 7.~d2
-'lb4 S.£3 4)f6 9.a3 Axc310. ~xc3
d511.e5 4)fd712.0--0--0 4)c513.f4
~d7 14.4)f3 0-0 15.-'ld3 EtcS
16.Cit'bl a517.Ethel-'la61S.-'lxc5
lS.Axh7+ 'it'xh7 19.4JgS+ 'it'gS
20.AxcS transposing. IS ... bxc5

320
 Games
abcdefgh
White's capture on c5 opens the third
rank for ~c3-h3. White can count here
on the two centralized rooks and the
secure e5-pawn as additional assets. In
the ~gSline, ~h3 attacks only the h7-
square, giving Black a bit oftime to or-
ganize a defense, but White's assets are
ready to overwhelm the black kingside,
with ideas such as f4-f5, Ele3-g3, and
~h7-hS-g7. 19.,1lxh7+ 'ifjlxh7
20.4)g5+ 'ifjlg8 In the ~g6line, Black
cannot safely defend with ... ElhS.
20 .. .'.t;>g6 21.~h3+-. In the ~h6line,
~h3 comes with check and White de-
livers mate in two with ~c3-h3-h7.
20 ... ~h6 21.~h3+ ~g6 22.~h7#.
21. ~h3 ~d8 If Black tries to run with
21 ... ~f8. White can break through with
22.f5 ~e7 (the capture on f5 is too dan-
gerous because White, with the rook
on e I, can quickly advance the e-pawn,
22 ... exf5 23.~hS+ ~e7 24.~xg7 Elc6
25.e6+-) 23.~h4 ~eS 24.~hS+ ~e7
25.~xg7 ~dS and a rook swing to fin-
ish things off. 26.Ele3 +-. 22. ~h5
Eta7 22 ... ~eS 23.Elxd5 exd5 24.e6+-
and Black cannot safely capture the
pawn owing the double attack on e6.
23.f5 exf5 24.e6 g6 25. ~h7+ 'ifjlf8
26.e7+ 1--0 Black resigns rather than
face mate in three: 26 ... 'it'eS (26 ... El xe7
27.~hS#) 27.~xf7+ 'it'd7 2S.eS~+
~d6 29.Ele6#.
321
(266) Roese - Coenen
Germany 2003
Reti Opening [A47]
1.4)f3 4)f6 2.b3 c5 3.,1lb2 e6 4.e3
j'te7 5.d4 0--0 6.j'td3 b6 7.4)bd2
j'tb7 8.0-0d69.c4 4)c610.~e2 ~c7
11.~adl ~fe812.dxc5 bxc513.4)e4
4)xe414.,1lxe4 4)b415.j'tbl j}.f8?
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Black's 15 ... .1lfS was a clear error, tak-
ing the bishop off its defense ofthe g5-
square. White can rely here on the dark-
square bishop and the Eld1, and even
the Elfl after a timely f4. In the ~g6
line, ~g4 is the correct path when, after
... f5, White can win with either ~g3 or
~h4, often a wise choice when the black
rooks cannot safely reach hS.
16.j'txh7+ 'ifjlxh717.~g5+ 'ifjlg6 In
the ~gSline, Black can delay the attack
with .1le4, but White then has time to
bringuptheElfl.17 ... ~gSl8.~h5.1le4
19.4Jxe4.:te7 20.f4 ~c6 21.4Jg5 .1lxg5
22.fxg5 Ele7 23.Elf4+-. After 17 ... ~h6
White wins quickly with 18.~g4 and
19.~h4. 18.~g41 18.h4? gives Black
time to play 18. ..f6-+ .18•••f51S ... ~e7
is easily parried with 19.4Jxe6+ ~h7
(19 ... ~h6 walks into a mate in four
20 ..1lxg7+ ~h7 [20 ....1lxg7 21.~xg7+
~h5 22.~h7+ ~g4 23.~h3# or
23.h3#] 21.~h5+ ~gS 22.~hS#)
20.4Jxg7 +- taking full advantage ofthe
 Sacking the Citadel
.llb2. 19. ~h4 e5 20.f4 ~c8 The mate
threat on g2 is trivially parried: 20 .. .'lii'c6
21.e4+-. 21.e4 White also has a crush-
ing attack after 21.g4. 21 ... E!d8 22.fxe5
jlxe4 23.~h7+ <iftxg5 24.jlc1+ It's
also mate in three with 24.h4+ ~g4
25. ~g6+ ~xh4 26..§.f4 #. 24... <iftg41t's
mate in two after 24 .. .f4 25 ..llxf4+ ~g4
26.~h3#. 25.~h3* 1-0
(267) Simutowe - Alayola
Merida 2003
Queen's Gambit Declined [D41]
1..£lf3 .£lf6 2.c4 c5 3 ..£lc3 d5 4.cxd5
.£lxd5 5.d4 e6 6.e4 .£lxc3 7.bxc3
cxd4 8.cxd4 jlb4+ 9.jld2 jlxd2+
10.~xd2 0--0 1l.jle2 b612.0--0 jlb7
13.~e3 .£ld714.E!fdl.£lf615.jld3
E!c816.d5 exd517.e5 E!e818.~f4
.£ld7
8 5.Ad3 jld6 6 ..£lc3 .£l bd7 7.0-0 0-0
7 8.e4 dxe4 9 ..£lxe4 .£lxe4 10.Axe4
6 E!e811.Ac2 b612.E!el Ab7
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
This example is somewhat easier than
others in this chapter, but it contains
an unusual pair of additional assets, the
e5-pawn and the .§.dl. In the game,
Black tried the ~g6line where, with just
two majors, White delivers a rather
simple checkmate. 19.Axh7+ <iftxh7
20•.£lg5+ <iftg6 In the ~g8line, White
benefits from the placement of the ~f4
to unleash a slight variant on the mate
in five, relying only on the 4Jg5 to cover
the e6-square. 20 ... ~g8 21.~xf7+ ~h8
322
22.~h5+ ~g8 23.~h7+ ~f8 24.~h8+
~e7 25.~xg7#, and while there's no
immediate mate after 20 ... ~h8
21.4Jxf7+ +-; the fork is certainly suffi-
cient. 21. ~xf7+ <iftxg5 Black might as
well capture the knight directly, since
21...~h6 22 ..§.d3 merely gives White
time to swing the rook, 22 ... 4Jxe5
23 ..§.h3+ ~xg5 24 ..§.h5+ ~g4 25.h3 #.
22.E!d3 .£lxe5 23.E!g3+ It's also mate
in five with 23.f4+ ~g4 24.h3+ ~h4
25.g3+ ~xh3 26.~h5+ -+. 23 ... <ifth4
24.~xg71-O Starting a mate in seven.
Not that it really matters, but it's mate
in four with 24.~f4+ ~h5 25.~f5+ ~h6
26.'§'h3+ +- .
(268) Rahman - Shetty
Calcutta 2004
Semi-Slav Defense [D46]
1 •.£l£3 d5 2.d4 .£lf6 3.c4 c6 4.e3 e6
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
Black's 12th move, 12 ... .llb7, seems
oblivious to the danger, perhaps be-
cause Black felt that he could count on
... 4Jf8 or ... 4Jf6 for the defense. White
relies here upon two additional assets,
the dark-square bishop and {he .§.el. In
the game, Black selected the ~g6 line
where White has several paths to the
 Games
win, including g4!, threatening rather
than playing ~d3+. 13.j},xh7+ 'it>xh7
14.4Jg5+ ~g6 The 'it'gSline is Black's
most promising continuation because
the king's rook has already vacated f8,
and the black queen is also able via f6
to reach the key bl-h7 diagonal.
14 ... 'it'gS 15.~h5 ~f6 (15 ... lLlf6?
16.~xf7+ 'it'hS 17.§e3+-) 16.~h7+
'it'fS 17.lLle4 when: (a) Black is fine af-
ter 17 ... ~f5 IS.~hS+ (not IS.lLlxd6
~xh7) IS ... 'it'e719.~xg7 M4=; (b) Too
dangerous is 17 ... ~xd4 IS ..l1g5 f6
19.§adl +- with lLlxd6 next; and (c)
White wins a pawn and sustains the
the initiative with 17 ... ~g6 18.~xg6
.1lxh2+ 19.<iTtxh2 fxg6 20.lLld6 §ebS
21.§xe6+-. 15.tlYd3+ White's most
accurate attack starts with 15.h4! with
the idea of both h5 and ~g4. 15 .. .f5
16.g4 ~bS 17.~e2 aiming to strip the
Black e-pawn and then capture on f5.
17 ... .1lh2+ IS.'it'f1 ~f619.§xe6+ §xe6
20.~xf5+ 'it'e7 21.~f7+ ~d6 (21...~dS
22.lLlxe6+ 'it'eS 23.~eS#) and now the
white pawns, bishop, and rook join the
attack. 22.e5+ bxe5 23.dxe5+ ~xe5
(23 ... lLlxe5 24.M4+ .l1xf4 25.§dl + +- )
24.lLlxe6+ ~b6 (24 ... 'it'b5 25.a4+ <iTta6
26.~xd7 +-) 25.~xd7 +-. Also win-
ning is 15.g4!? §fS 16.h4 'it'f6 17.lLlxe6
fxe6 IS ..l1g5+ +- , but not 15.~g4 f5-+
when the queen must leave the g-file.
15.••f5 With no e5-pawn, the black king
has access to f6: 15 ... ~f616.~f3+ 'it'g6
(but the retreat to e7 is instantly mated
16 ... 'it'e7 17.~xf7#) 17.~xf7+ ~h6
18.lLlxe6+ +- and the powerful discov-
ered check initiates a mate in three. Of
course, the king retreat to the h-file is
quickly mated: 15 ... ~h516.~h7+ ~g4
17.f3 #. 16.g4 tlYf6 Black can try to re-
lieve the kings ide pressure by giving
back a piece and then putting pressure
on the dark squares with ... Jle7:
323
16 ... lLle5 17.dxe5 Ae7 IS.gxf5+ exf5
19.~g3 Jlxg5 but the Jlg5 is now
pinned, 20.h4 ~d4 21.~xg5+ ~h7
22.~xf5+ ~gS 23.Ag5 ~xe4 24.e6+-
splitting Black's forces in half. 17.h4
c5 18.h5+ 'it>h6 19.4Je4 'it>h7
20.4J xf6+ 4J xf6 21.gxf5 exf5
22. tlYxf5+ 'it>g8 23 . .Q.h6 .Q.e4
24. tlYg5 .Q.f8 25.j},xg71-0
(269) Eriksson - Zetterberg
Gothenburg 2005
English Opening [A34]
1.4Jf3 4Jf6 2.c4 c5 3.4Jc3 d5 4.cxd5
4Jxd5 5.d4 cxd4 6.tlYxd4 4Jxc3
7. tlYxc3 4Jc6 8.e4 e6 9.j},b5 j},d7
10.0-0 tlYb6 11.a4 tlYc5 12.tlYd3
tlYd6 13. tlYe2 .Q.e7 14.e5 tlYc7
15..Q.d2 a6 16..Q.d3 4Jb4 17.Etfcl
.Q.c618.j},e40-0 19..Q.xb4 .Q.xb4
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
The sacrifice is somewhat optimistic
here. White does have the e5-pawn, an
active §el, and the unanchored Ab4
towards which to aim, but Black's ~e7
protects the f7-pawn laterally. In the
~gSline, however, the §e4 rook swing
drives the Ab4 to d2 where it disrupts
White's efforts with the threat ofAxg5.
Black fails to find the best defense with
25 ... §adS after which the queen and
rook triumph on the kingside.
20..Q.xh7+ 'it>xh7 21.4Jg5+ 'it>g8 In
 Sacking the Citadel
the ~g6 line, White finds the
unanchored ,ilb4 to be useful after both
~g4 and a well-timed §c4. 21...'it>g6
22.~g4! (22.~d3+ f5 23.~g3 'I11e7
24.<tlxe6+ 'it>f7 25.<tld4=) 22 ... f5
23.exf6 'it>xf6 (23 ... ~a5 24.<tlh7+ 'it>f7
25.'I11xg7+ ~e8 26.§xc6 bxc6 27.<tlxf8
,ilxf8 28.'I11b7+-) 24.§c4+- gaining
time against the bishop for §f4+. In the
'it>h6Iine, White is also able to play §c4
with tempo against the Ab4.21...'it>h6
22.§c4+- g6 (on 22 ... Ae7 23.§h4+
'it>g6 [not 23 ... 'it>xg5 24.~g4#]
24.~h5+ ~f5 25.<tlxf7++- with mate
next move) 23.§xb4 ~xg5 exposing the
king for a mate in three: 24.~e3+ 'it>f5
(24 ... 'it>h5 25.~h3+ ~g5 26.f4#)
25.~f4#. 22.'i!\'h5 ElfeS White can
again count on gaining a tempo for the
attack by playing against the ,ilb4,
22 ... §fd8 23.~h7+ 'it>f8 24.~h8+ 'it>e7
25.~xg7 §f8 26.§dl ,ild5 27.§acl.
(the point. A rook is headed for the
fourth rank) 27 ... ~a5 28.§d4 ,ilc5
29.b4 Axb4 30.§f4 §ae8 31.<tlxf7 §g8
32.'I11h7 §xg2+ 33.'it>f1 +-. 23.Ele4
Ad2 24.Elh4 ~fS 25.EldI25.<tlh7+
'it>e7 (on 25 ... 'it>g8 26.<tlf6+ 'it>f8 [the of-
fer of the knight cannot be accepted,
26 ... gxf6 27.~h8#] 27.<tlxe8 [27.~h8+
'it>e7 28.<tlxe8 §xe8 29.~xg7transpos­
ing] 27 ... ,ilxe8 28. ~h8+ 'it>e7
29.~xg7 +- with the unstoppable idea
of ~f6 and §d4+) 26.§d4 §ed8
27.§xd2 §xd2 28.'I11g5+= picking off
the §d2, but Black emerges with ad-
equate compensation for the pawn.
25 ••. Axg5 The toughest defense is
25 ... §ad8! 26.<tlh7+ ~e7 (or 26 ... 'it>g8
27.<tlf6+ 'it>f8 [Black must obviously
avoid 27 ... gxf6 28.~h8#] 28.<tlxe8
,ilxe8 29.~h8+ 'it>e7 30.~xg7 §d5
31.§h8 ~xe5 32.'l'iYf8+ 'it>f6 33.~xe8
,ila5= and Black's activity compensates
for the material deficit) 27.§xd2 §xd2
324
28.'I11g5+ f6 29.exf6+ gxf6 30.~xd2=
when White emerges a pawn to the good
but Black has excellent activity after
30 ... ~e5. White cannot meaningful
gain an advantage with 25 ... §ad8
26.~h8+ 'it>e7 27.~xg7 §f8 28.§h8
,ild5 29.<tlxf7 §xf7 20.'I11xf7+ ~xf7
31.§xh7 'it>g6 32.§xc7 ,ila5 and White
is unlikely to advance the extra kingside
pawns successfully. 26.'i!\'xg5 ~gS
27. 'i!\'h5 White repeats the position first
rather than simply playing 27.§g4+-.
27•.• ~fS 2S.'i!\'g5 ~gS 29.Elg41 g6
30.Elh4 EladS 31.Elfl f6 Black can-
not successfully exchange queens with
31...~e7 32.~h6+- when a capture of
the rook would be needed to stave off
mate. 32.exf6 'i!\'f7 33.Elh6 .1l,e4
34.'i!\'h41--O
(270) Zezulkin - Urban
Germany 2005
Sicilian Defense [B40]
l.e4 e5 2.4)e3 e6 3.4)f3 a6 4.d4 b5
5.dxe5 .1l,xe5 6.e5 .1l,b7 7 ..1l,d3 f5
S. 'i!\'e2 'i!\'e7 9 ..1l,e3 4)e7 10.0--0--0
Ab411 ..1l,d2 4)bc612.~bl.1l,xe3
13.Axe3 4)d5 14..1l,d2 0--0 15.a3
Elac816.Elhe14)a517.g4f4
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
In this Sicilian, Black has organized the
familiar counter play down the c-file.
White has prepared the sacrifice with a
 Games
g-pawn sacrifice to open the b1-h7 di-
agonal. White can count here on the
dark-square- bishop, albeit blocked
along its key diagonal by Black's f4-
pawn, and the centralized rooks. In the
game, Black selected the ~h6Iine, tak-
ing advantage of the relative inactivity
of White's dark-square bishQP, but
White correctly found the winning
method with itYd3-h3-h7 and the ad-
vance of the kings ide pawns.
18.Axh7+ \tIxh719. .£jg5+ \tIh6 In
the ~g8 line, the mate in five morphs
into a nice mate in nine because the d8-
square is vacant.19 ... ~g8 20.itYd3 (the
capture on a5 distracts the black queen
and also enables victory: 20.Axa5
itYxa5 21.itYd3 §fe8 22.itYh7+ ~f8
23.itYg6 ~e7 24.4Je4+- with domina-
tion over key entry squares) and now,
with the f-pawn on f4 and the white g-
pawn on g4, there's no safe way to block
the check. And so: (a) 20 ... §fe8
21.itYh7+ ~f8 22.itYh8+ ~e7 23.itYxg7+
~d8 24.4Jf7+ (forcing the king back into
a discovery) 24 ... ~e7 25.4Jd6+ ~d8
26.itYg5+ §e7 (26 ... 4Je7 27.4Jf7# with
a lovely smothered mate) 27.'ti11g8+ §e8
28. itYxe8 # ; (b) To stop the attack, Black
can give back a rook: 20 ... itYxc2+
21.'ti11xc2 §xc2 22.~xc2 +- with an ex-
tra pawn and far better development;
and (c) Black cannot manufacture a path
to the queens ide with 20 ... §f7 21.Axa5
itYxa5 22.itYh7+ ~f8 23.itYg6 §e7
24.itYh5+-. In the ~g6Iine, itYd3+ re-
quires that Black return material with
... §f5. 19 ... ~g6? 20.itYd3+ when Black
cannot block the check with .. .f5. In-
stead: (a) 20 ... §f5 21.gxf5+ exf5
22 ..ilxa5 itYxa5 23.§gl; (b) 20 ... ~xg5
when the normal 'ti11h7 resource fails to
...'ti11xc2, but White has 21.h4+! ~h6
(21...~xg4 22.§gl + ~xh4 and now the
queen will arrive on h7 with check
325
[22 ... ~h5 23.'ti11h7#] 23.'ti11h7#) 22.g5+
~h5 23.itYh7+ ~g4 and now it's mate
in eight, 24.f3+ ~xf3 (24 ... ~g3
25.§gl + +-) 25.'ti11e4+ ~g4 26.§gl +
~h5 (26 ... ~h3 27.'ti11hl#) 27.'ti11h7#;
and (c) 20 ... ~h6 when White has a mate
in two in two ways: 21.'ti11h7+ (21.'ti11h3+
~xg5 22.itYh5#) 21...~xg5 22.'ti11h5#.
19 ... ~h8looks as if it might have prom-
ise because the white queen cannot
reach h5 directly, but White has 20.'ti11d3
threatening mate on h7 as well as 'ti11h3+.
20 ...'ti11xc2+ 21.'ti11xc2 §xc2 22.~xc2+-.
20.Axa5 ttxa5 21. ttd3 g6 22. tth3+
\tIxg5 Black might as well capture on
g5 in view of 22 ... ~g7 23.itYh7#.
23.tth7! .§g8 24.f3 1-0 Best is
24.§gl! holding the g-pawn, threaten-
ing h4#, and starting a mate in eight
after 24 .. .f3.
(271) Godnjavee - Zufie
Portoro 2005
Nimzo-Larsen Opening [AOl]
l.b3 e5 2.Ab2 .£jc6 3.e3 d5 4.Ab5
Ad6 5..£je2 4)f6 6.Axc6+ bxc6 7.0-
00-0 8.d3 e4 9 ..£jd2
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
White's modest opening has permitted
Black, in just nine moves, to establish
the e4-pawn and to set the sacrifice in
motion. In addition to the e4-pawn,
Black can count on the light-square
 Sacking the Citadel
bishop as additional assets. In the
game, White played 'it'g3 when Black
establishes the queen on the g-file and
finishes off the king in an accurately
played king hunt. 9 ••• Jtxh2+ 10.~xh2
.£\g4+ 1l.~g3 In the 'it'h3Iine, Black
has i;t"g4 with the idea of playing .£le3+
or transferring the queen to the h-file
with mate on h2. 11.'it'h3 i;t"g5 12 ..£lf4
(12.dxe4 .£lxe3+ 13.'it'h2 i;t"xg2#)
12 ... i;t"h6+ 13.'it'g3 i;t"h2#. In the 'it'gl
line, Black is able to barge straight
through with i;t"xf2 and .£lxe3, threat-
ening both the white queen and an im-
mediate checkmate. 1 I. 'it'gl 'lii'h4
12.Ele1 i;t"xf2+ 13.'it'h1 .£lxe3 -+.
11 ••• ~g51 with the idea of .£lxe3+. Less
convincing is 1l ... h5 when White is
happy to give back a knight: 12 ..£lf3
exf3 13.gxf3 .£le5 14 ..£lf4 Ele8+ and
not 11...i;t"d6+ 12 ..£lf4 g5 (gaining back
the knight but ceding the center)
13.dxe4± 12.f4 ~g613.f513.i;t"c1 is
more prudent, safeguarding the queen
though inviting Black to seize the cen-
ter, 13 ... .£lxe3+ 14.'it'f2 (not 14.'it'h2
"i!'rxg2# or 14.'it'h4 .£lxg2#) 14 ... exd3
15.cxd3 (it's much too dangerous to
capture the knight 15. 'it'xe3 El e8+
16..Ile5 dxe217.'it'xe2 f6-+) 15 ... Ele8
threatening ... 'lii'xg2# 16 ..£lg3 (16.Elg1
.£lg4+ 17.'it'f1 [17.'it'e1 "i!'rxd3 -+;
17. 'it'f3 i;t"xd3 #; 17. 'it'g3 El xe2 -+ ]
17 ... "i!'rxd3-+) 16... .£lxfl17 ..£ldxfl h5
with an obvious advantage. The same
idea with 13.i;t"e1 walks into 13 ... .£lxe3+
14.'it'f2 .£lxc2-+. 13•.• ~g5 14.~h3
White can safeguard the queen, but
Black then opens up the center with
14."i!'rc1 .£lxe3+ 15.'it'f2 exd3-+.
14••• ~h5+ 15.~g3 ~h2+ 16.~xg4
h5+ 17.~g5 f6+ IS.Jtxf6 gxf6+
19.~h6 19.'it'g6 walks into a simple
mate with19 ... i;t"xg2+ 20.'it'xh5 (20.'it'h6
326
"i!'rg5#) 20 ... i;t"g5#. 19...~f7 0-1 Clos-
ing the net, 20.'it'h7 .Ild7 -+.
(272) Stojanovic - Vasovski
Struga2005
French Defense [C14]
l.d4 .£\f6 2.Jtg5 e6 3 . .£\f3 Ae7
4.Jtxf6 Axf6 5.e4 d5 6 . .£\c3 0-0
7.e5 Jte7 S.Jtd3 c5 9.h4 f610.exf6
Jtxf6
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
In a flash back to 1895, the players reach
the same position as De Visser-Young
(game 18). In that game, Black selected
the 'it'h6 line, a wise course given the
absence of a dark-square bishop and
the presence of the h4-pawn. Here,
Black played the 'it'g8Iine, when White,
still the victor, missed the most accu-
rate course with 0-0-0, Elhe1, and
.£lxd5. 1l.Jtxh7+ ~xh7 12..£\g5+
~gS For 12 ... 'it'h6 see game 18.
13.i;t"d3! Jlxg5 (13 ... g6 14.h5 +-)
14.hxg5+ 'ittxg5 15.'lii'g3+;!;; the 'it'g6
line invites an mate in three because
Black cannot block the check from the
"i!'rd3+. 12 ... 'it'g613.'lii'd3+ 'it'h514.g4+.
'ittxg4 (14 ... 'itth6 15.'lii'h7#) 15.'lii'f3#.
13. ~h5 E!eS 14. ~f7+ ~hS
15.dxc51? White's best is continued
development with 15.0-8-0! .£ld7
16.Elhe1 .£lf8 in preparation for
17 ..£lxd5! i;t"xd5 18. i;t"xe8 .Ilxg5+
 Games

19.hxg5 'it'gS 20.dxc5 ~xg5+ pawn and the dark-square bishop. In

21.'it'b1 +- with EldS on the next move.
15.~g6 'it'gS -16.0-0-0 .£Id7 17.'li¥f7+
'it'hS lS.Elhe1 .£IfS 19 ..£Ixd5 transpos-
ing to the line just above. 15 ... ~d7
16.0-0-0 ~f8 17.~ce4 ,1}.d7
18. ~h5+ <it>g819.~f7 dxe4? Crum-
bling at a critical moment. Black holds
with 19 ... ~e7 20 ..£Ied6 .£Ih7 21.~g6
ElfS when the threat on f7 forces White
to deliver a perpetual check. 22 ..£Ih6+
'it'hS 23 ..£Ihf7+=. 20.~xdS +- EtexdS
21.Etd6 J1,c6 22.Ethd1 Etxd6
the game, Black played ~g6, when
White has the efficient ~e4+ (or ~g4)­
h4-h7 maneuver and a familiar king hunt
to end the game. 12.,1}.xh7+ <it>xh7
13.~g5+ <it>g6 In the ~gSline, the cus-
tomary mate is in six moves, not five,
owing to the black queen's departure
from dS. 13 ... ~gS14:li¥h5 EldS (there's
no anchor for the rook on eS: 14 ... EleS
15.'li¥xf7+ ~hS 16.'li¥xeS+ AfS
17.'li¥xfS#) 15.'li¥xf7+ 'it'hS 16.'li¥h5+
~gS 17.'li¥h7+ ~fS lS.'li¥hS+ ~e7

23.Etxd6 J1,e8 24.~e2 Etc8 25.b4 19.'li¥xg7+ 'it'eS 20.'li¥f7#. In the ~h6
J1,c6 26.Etxc6 Etxc6 27.~xe4 Etc7 line, 'li¥g4 has two threats, 'li¥h4 and the
28.a3 Etd7 29.h5 Etd5 30.f4 a5 31.g4 knight discovery supporting 'li¥g7 # :
,1}.c3 32.~c4 axb4 33.axb4 J1,d2+ 13 ... ~h6 14.~g4 ElhS 15 ..£Ixe6++-.
14.~e4+ 14.'li¥g4 f5 15.'li¥h4 trans-
34.<it>h2 ,1}.e3 35.~e4 J1,d4+ 36.c3
poses to the game. But not 14.'li¥d3+ f5
,1}.f6 37.g5 J1,d8 38.<it>h3 <it>f7 39.f5
15.'li¥h3 .£If6 16.exf6 ~xf6 when White
Etd7 40.fxe6+ ~xe6 41.~f5+ <it>e7
does not have .£Ie4 double-check as in
42.h61--O
the game. 14.••f5 Both king retreats
lose once again: 14 ... ~h5 15.'li¥h7+
(273) Arutinian - Snorek
~g4 16.h3 # or 16. 'li¥h3 #; and
Pardubice 2005
14 ... 'it'h6 15.'l1i'h7#. 15.~h4 f4
Queen's Gambit Accepted [D26] 15 ... .£If6 16.exf6 ~xf6 (not 16 ... gxf6
17.~h7#) and White has a powerful
1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.~f3 ~f6 4.e3 double check. 17 ..£Ie4+ ~f7 (the queen
e6 5.,1}.xc4c5 6.~e2 a6 7.dxc5 ,1}.xc5 and knight work well together, and Ag5
8.0--0 h5 9.J1,d3 0--0 10.e4 ~b611.e5 is also in the air, 17... ~g6 IS. 'li¥g5+ ~f7
~d5 19.'li¥h5+ +- ) lS.'li¥h5+ when the knight
and queen again show offhow well they
8 coordinate: (a) After lS ... ~gS the
7 knight simply returns to g5: 19 ..£Ig5 EldS
6 when White's fastest path is 20.'li¥h7+
5 ~fS 21.'li¥hS+ 'it'e7 22.'li¥xg7+ ~d6

4 23 ..£If7++-; (b) lS ... g619.~h7+ 'it'eS

20.'li¥xg6+ +- with the rook entering on
3
dl if the king tries the d-fiIe; and (c)
2
lS ... 'it'e7 Delivering check and prepar-
ing Elc1, 19.Ag5+ 'it'd7 20 ..£Ixc5+ 'l1¥xc5
abc d e f g h 21.Eldl+ ~c7 22.Elc1 +-. 16.~h7+
<it>xg517.h4+ <it>g418.~g6+ <it>xh4
White's e-pawn has just driven off the 19.93+ 1-0 It's mate in three with
.£If6, allowing White to initiate the sac- 19 ... fxg3 (19 ... ~h3 20.'l1¥h5 #)
rifice with two additional assets, the e5- 20.'li¥xg3+ ~h5 21.'li¥g5#.

327
 Sacking the Citadel

(274) Rendle- Guido than g6 is 16.i.tf6+-. 14.~d31 g6

Bratt02005 Blocking the queen's access to h7.
Sicilian Defense [B40] Black's two alternatives fare no better:
(a) 14 ... i.txgS IS.hxgS+ <;t>xgS exposes
1.e4 c5 2.4)0 e6 3.h3 4)f6 4.e5 4)d5 the king and White now has a mate in
5.Ah2 Ae7 6.4)c3 4)xc3 7.Axc3 0- five: 16.'ltfg3+ <;t>fS 17.flhS+
o8.Ad3 4)c6 9.h4 f510.exf6 Axf6 (17.'ltff3++-) 17 ... gS (17 ... 'it'e4
11.'li:\'e2 (1 Ulxh7+ ~xh7 12.4JgS+ 18.d3#) 18.'ltfd3+ <;t>g4 (18 ... 'it'f4
~h6-+) l l ...d5 19.'ltff3#) 19.'ltfh3+ <;t>f4 20.'ltff3#; or
(b) Moving the rook to h8 cedes con-
8 trol over f7 and only encourages
7 14 ... flh81S.4J£7++-. 15.h5 4)e7The
6 alternatives also get crushed: If Black
5 bravely captures the knight ,IS ... 'it'xgS,
16.f4+ mates quickly: (a) 16 ... 'it'xf4
4
17.'ltff3+ 'it'gS 18.'ltfg3+ <;t>fS 19.0-0+
3
'it'e4 20.flael # ; (b) 16 ... <;t>g4 17.'~f3+
2
~fS 18.g4#; and (c) 16 ... 'it'h6
17.'ltfxg6#. Trying to defend the g-
abc d e f g h pawn loses the queen. IS ... flg8
16.4J£7+ +-. The most logical defense
White nicely prepares the sacrifice with is probably IS ... 4JeS covering the g-
11.'ltfe2, a requirement in lines in which pawn and attacking the queen, but
the queen requires immediate access to White can capture the knight or pursue
the d3-square. White relies here upon mate with 16.hxg6+ 'it'xgS (16 ... 'it'g7
the dark-square bishop and the h4- 17.flh7+ <;t>g818.'ltfh3 4Jxg619.flh8+
pawn as additional assets. In the game, 'it'g7 20.'ltfh7 #) 17.f4+ <;t>xf4 (17 ... 'it'g4
Black tried the <;t>h6 line, undoubtedly 18.'ltfh3+ ~xf4 19.'ltfh6+ ~gS 20.0-
counting on the immediate absence of 0++-) 18.'ltfe3+ <;t>fS (18 ... 'it'g4
the dark-square bishop and the pres- 19.'ltfh3+ 'it'gS 20.'ltfhS+ <;t>f4 21.0-
ence ofthe h4-pawn, but White shows 0++-) 19.'ltfh3+ <;t>f4 (19 ... 'it'e4 20.d3+
the correct path with 'ltfd3+ and hS!. 'it'f4 21.i.td2#) 20.'ltfh6+ +-. Capturing
12.Axh7+ <if/xh713.4)g5+ <if/h6 In the knight with the bishop misses
the <;t>g8 line, 'ltfhS wins immediately White's main threat, IS ... ~xgS
because the capture on g5 once again 16.'ltfxg6#. 16.4)f7+ The fastest path
opens the h-file with effect. 13 ... ~g8 to victory is 16.hxg6+ 'it'g7 (not
14. 'ltfhS +- . 'ltfd3+ is devastating in the 16... <;t>xgSI7.'ltfg3+~fSI8.flhS+'it'e4
~g6 line because Black does not have when White has numerous mates in one:
... fS to block the attack. 13 ... <;t>g6 19.d3# or 19.'ltfe3# or 19.'ltfg4# or
14.'ltfd3+ <;t>hSlS.g4+ ~h6 (IS ... 'it'xg4 19.f3# or 19.'ltff3#) 17.flh7+ <;t>g8
16. 'ltff3 #) 16.'ltfh 7 #. The exchange on 18.'ltfh3 Axc3 (there'S nothing better:
g5 opens the h-file for the attack: 18 ... d4 19.flh8+ Axh8 20.'ltfh7#)
13 ... AxgS 14.hxgS+ <;t>g8. The retreat 19.'ltfh6+-. 16.•• E!xf717.hxg6+ 1-0
to g6 encourages 'ltfhS with a mate in Black's position crumbles after
seven. IS.'ltfhS 4Je7 when much better 17 ... <;t>g7 (There'S no point in playing

328
 Games

17 ... ~g5 18.~g3+ ~f5 19.§'h5+ ~e4 when Black has four defensive tries: (a)
20.~e3#) IB.§.h7+ ~gB19.gxf7+ ~fB 23 ... f6 forces the knight to move
20.Axf6+-. - 24.<£\xe6+ when now: (1) 24 ... ~f7
25.<£\xc5 bxc5 26.exf6 gxf6 (White de-
(275) Plachetka - Talla livers the key check) 27.i£1b3+ ~g7
Czechia 2005 2B.i£1xb7++-; (2) Certainly not
Queen's Gambit Declined [D61] 24 ... ~h7 25.i£1xg7#; (3)After24 ... ~h6
it's mate in three with 25.~xg7+ ~h5
1.d4 d5 2.e4 e6 3.4)e3 4)f6 4.Jl,g5 26.~h7+ ~g4 27.h3# or 27.i£1h3#;
Jl,e7 5.e3 0-0 6.4)£3 4)bd7 7.~e2 and (4) It's also mate in three after
dxe4 8.Axe4 a6 9.a4 e5 10.dxe5 24 ... ~h5 25.<£\f4+ ~h6 26.i£1h4+; (b)
4) xe5 11.0-0 b6 12.lafdl 4)ed7 23 ... f5 24.<£\xe6+ ~f7 25.i£1xg7+ with
13.laac1 Ab7 14.~e2 ~e8 15.e4 an instructive mate in the center,
4)e5 16.e5 4)fe4 17.4)xe4 4)xe4 25 ... ~xe6 26.§.d6#; (c) With a rook
18.Jl,e3 Ae5 19.Jl,d3 Jl,xe3 swing at White's disposal, it's hopeless
20.'~xe3 4)e5 to try 23 ... ~f5 24.§.c4 <£\e4 25.<£\xe4
Axe4 26.§.xe4 ~xe4 27.i£1g5+-; and
8 (d) After 23 ... ~h6 White forces the
7 black king to capture on g5 with
6 24.~h4+ ~g6 25.~h7+ ~xg5 and now

5 it's mate in five: 26.i£1xg7+ ~h5

4
3
2
abc d e f g h ~e7+ Black prevents the mate on h7,
The c5-square is once again important,
not because the <£\c5 is unanchored, but
because it alone provides the anchor
for the Ab7. White can rely here on two
additional assets, the active rooks. In
the ~gB line, the exchange sac on c5
eliminates Ae4 as a defense. Black
misses the opportunity to decline the
rook sacrifice, returning the piece with
23 ... ~a4 and reestablishing communi-
cation with the key e4-square.
21.Jl,xh7+ 'iflxh7 22.4)g5+ 'iflg8 In
the ~g6line, ~g3 provides the discov-
ery with <£\e6. After <£\xc5, Black can-
not counter ~b3+ picking off the
unanchored Ab7. 22 ... ~g6 23.~g3
(26 ... ~h4 27.§.c4+ +-; 26 ... ~f4
27.i£1f6+ ~g4 2B.h3+ ~h5 29.g4#)
27.g4+ ~h4 2B.i£1h6+ ~xg4 29.h3+
~f5 30.~f6+ ~e4 31.§.c4 #. 23.laxe5
On 23.~h3 Ae4 24.§.xc5 Af5 25.g4
developing effectively. 23 ... bxe5 Best
to spurn the "automatic" recapture by
activating the queen, threatening both
rooks, and by returning the piece, de-
veloping the §.aB, 23 ... i£1xa4! 24.§.cc1
§.ad8~. 24.~h3 Jl,e4 25.4)xe4f5 On
25 ... §.dB the exchange of rooks only
releases the pressure, and so 26.§.el
f6 27.exf6 §.d5 2B.fxg7 ~xg7 29.i£1c3+
e5 30.<£\xc5 +- when the black majors
are active, but the extra white pawns
will triumph. 26.exf6 lad8 27.laxd8
~xd828.~xe6+ +- 'iflh829.fxg7+
'iflxg7 30.~e5+ 'iflg8 31.h3 ~d4
32.~g5+ 'iflh7 33.~xe5 ~xe5
34.4)xe5 a5 35.4)b7 laf5 36.4)d6
lae5 37.b3 lae3 38.4)e4 laxb3
39.4)xa5 lab4 40.g3 laxa4 41.4)b3

329

<i!lg6 42.<i!lg2 <i!lfS 43.4)d2 §a2
44.4)f1 <i!le4 4S.4)e3 §as 46.h4
§bS 47.4)g4 §b2 48.4)h2 §a2
49.4)£3 <i!lfS SO.4)h2 §b2 SI.4)fl
<i!le4 S2.4)e3 §bS S3.4)dl §b3
54.hS <i!lfS SS.4)e3+ <i!lgS S6.g4 <i!lf4
S7.<i!lh3 §blS8.4)dS+<i!lf3 S9.<i!lh4
§G160.4)f6 <i!lf4 61.<i!lh3 <i!lgS Black
can achieve a blockade with 61...E!.dl =
with 62 ... <;t>g5 next. 62.4)e4+ <i!lf4
63.4)g3 §al 64.<i!lh4 §a2 6S.h6
§xf2 66.4)hS+ <i!leS 67.<i!lgS §f8
68. <i!lg6 <i!le6 69.h7 <i!le7 70.gS1-0
(276) Savoia - Kiik
Turku2005
Nimzo-Indian Defense [E38]
l.d4 4)f6 2.e4 e6 3.4)e3 Jth4 4. ~e2
eS S.dxeS 4)e6 6.4)f3 AxeS 7.e3 dS
8.Ae2 0-0 9.0-0 a6 10.§dl ~e7
11.a3 dxe412.Axe4 bS13.Aa2 Ab7
14.h4 Ad61S.Ab2 §ae816.~e2
4)eS 17.4)d4 4)e4 18.Axe4 §xe4
19.4)b3
8 (277) Yalov - Spasov
7 ICCF e-mail 2005
6
5
4 Ah4 S.exdS ~xdS 6.e3 0-07.Ad3
""_.".:.-:-",,",,,,,
3 IV"""CL-K~
2 Axe311.bxe3 Ae612.e4 e413.Ae2
abc d e f g
Greco Sacrifices with the black pieces
are rare enough, but here, Black also
relies on an unusual combination of
additional assets, the light-square
bishop and the E!.c4 already able to
move laterally. In the game, White se-
lected the ~h3 line when ~g5-h5 or f5
overwhelm White's defenses.
Sacking the Citadel
19.•.Axh2+ 20.<i!lxh2 4)g4+ 21.<i!lh3
In the ~gl line, the queen infiltrates
quickly via h2 and g2 with the bishop
entering powerfully at D. 21.~gl ~h4
22.~el ~h2+ 23.<;t>f1 ~xg2+ 24.~e2
Af3+ 25.<;t>d2 Axdl 26.E!.xdl <tJxf2
27.~c1 <tJxdl-+. In the ~g3 line, the
<tJg4 becomes a marauder because the
E!.c4 supports ~h4 mate. 21.~g3
<tJxe3! 22.f4 (22.~xe3 ~h4#; 22.fxe3
~h4 #) 22 ... <tJf5+ when the threat of
~h4 # rules out retreats to h3 and g4:
(a) 23.~h2 ~h4+ 24.~gl <tJg3 25.~e3
~hl + 26.~f2 ~xg2+ 27.~el ~xb2 -+;
and (b) 23.<;t>f2 ~h4+ 24.~gl <tJg3 -+.
If instead 24.<;t>f1 E!.xf4+ -+ and 24.g3
~xg3+ 25.~f1 E!.xf4+-+. 21 ... ~gSI
21...<tJxe3 The threat of~h4# makes
the knight immune, and 22.f4 <tJxg2 +- .
22.e4 The usual defense with 22.f4
runs into mate in four: 22 ... ~h5+
23.~g3 ~h2+ 24.<;t>xg4 f5+ 25.~g5
~h6#. 22 ••• fS 0-1 It's mate in seven:
23.f4 ~h5+ 24.<;t>g3 ~h2+ 25.<;t>f3
fxe4+ 26.<tJxe4 (26.<;t>xg4 E!.xf4+
27.<;t>g5 ~h6#) 26 ... ~xf4#.
Queen's Gambit Declined [038]
l.d4 4)f6 2.e4 e6 3.4)e3 dS 4.4)£3
Ad7 8. ~e2 ~aS 9.0-0 eS 10.a3
~xe314.§bl ~aS1S.eS 4)dS
h
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a h c d e f g h
330
 Games
To avoid the sacrifice after e4-e5, Black
prudently ought to have returned the
pawn with .·.. 1.txf3. Here, White can
count on three additional assets, the
secure e5-pawn, the dark-square
bishop, and the .§bl. In the game, Black
tried the 'it'gS line, giving back the
knight on f6 in order to play \¥yf5 reach-
ing the key diagonal, but White, by
playing very actively, retains a winning
advantage. 16.Jl.xh7+ Cit'xh7
17..£)g5+ Cit'g8 In the 'it'g6Iine, ~e4+
is most efficient because, after .. .f5, the
queen continues to attack the weakened
e6-pawn. 17 ... 'it'g61S.\¥Ye4+ when: (a)
After 18. ..f5, 19.exf6+ is overwhelming
because the queen has access to both
e6 and h7: 19 ... 'it'xf6 20.~xe6#;
19... 'it'h6 20.~h7#; 19... 'it'h5 20.~h7+
'it'g4 2l.f3# or 21.h3# or 21.~h3#;
(b) Again, king retreats meet a quick
mate. 18. .. 'it'h5 19.~h7+ 'it'g4 20.f3#
or 20.h3#or 20.~h3#; and (c)
lS ... 'it'h6 19.\¥yh7#. In the 'it'h6 line,
~g4 provides the additional option af-
ter 4Je6+ or ~g7#. 17 ... 'it'h6 18.~g4
'§hS19.4Jxe6+ +-. 18.tNh5 .£)f6 The
rook retreats fare poorly: (a) After
lS ... .§eS, 19.'§xb7 strips the bishop
from its defense of the .§e8. 19 ... 1.txb7
20.~xf7+ 'it'hS 21.\¥YxeS#; (b) On
lS ... .§dS the rook takes the part of the
queen on d8 giving White the usual
mate in five: 19.\¥Yxf7+ 'it'hS 20.\¥yh5+
'it'gS 21.\¥Yh7+ 'it'fS 22.'lii'hS+ 'it'e7
23.~xg7+; and (c) The rook can't hide
on c8: 18. .. .§cS19.~xf7+ 'it'hS 20.\¥Yg6
'it'gS 21. ~xe6+ +- forking the king and
rook. 19.exf6 tNf5 20.d5! Opening the
long diagonal for the ~cl. Less precise
is 20.g4 ~xb1 2l.fxg7 'it'xg7 22.4Jxe6+
with the threat of ~h6 winning the
queen, but Black can wind his way to
equality: 22 ... 'it'gS (22 ... fxe6
23.~h6+ +-) 23.~h6 \¥Yg6 24.\¥Yxg6+
331
fxg6 25.4JxfS 4Ja6=. 20 •..gxf6 Trying
to force the 4Jg5 to retreat. The alterna-
tives permit White to activate the dark-
square bishop on the long diagonal.
20 ... 1.txd5 21.1.tb2 ~g6 22.\¥yh3 \¥Yxg5
23.fxg7 +- and 20 ... exd5 2l.fxg7 'it'xg7
22.1.tb2+ f6 23.g4 \¥Yg6 24.4Je6+ 'it'f7
25. \¥Yxg6+ 'it'xg6 26.4JxfS+ +- . 21.dxc6
.£) xc6 22.Elh5! e5 23.f4 Certainly the
most tempting continuation, activating
the dark-square bishop and the .§f1, but
better is putting the question to the
queen, which must remain on the b I-h7
diagonal. 23.g4! \¥Yd3 (23 ... 'lii'g6
24.\¥Yxg6+ fxg6 25.4Je4 +-) 24 ..§d5
\¥Yg6 25. ~xg6+ fxg6 26.4Je6 +-.
23 ••. fxg5 24.fxe5 tNg6 25.tNg4 a6
26.Elc5 .£)e7 27 . .1lxg5 Elac8
28.Elxc8 Elxc8 29.h41-0 The threat
of h5 and a discovered check forces
Black to offer an exchange of queens.
29.h4 c3 30.h5 \¥Ye6 3l.\¥Yxe6 fxe6 but
now White wins a piece with an easy
simplification, 32.1.txe7 c2 33 ..§c1 +- .
(278) Esen - Sveshnikov
MoscowZ006
Dutch Defense [A84]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3 ..£)c3 c6 4.e3 Jl.d6
5.Jl.d3 f5 6. tNc2 .£)f6 7 ..£)ge2 0-0
8.0-0 .£)a6 9.a3 dxc4 10.Jl.xc4 h5
1l..1ld3
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
 Sacking the Citadel
Black neatly prepares the sacrifice with
... b5, making ready to play ... c5 and as-
sisting the light-square bishop to enter
the attack on the long diagonal. For the
attack, Black has the light-square bishop
and the .§f8 as additional assets. In the
game, Black played the '<t'g3 line, when
the black queen gains a secure perch
on the g-file, giving Black time to de-
velop the light-square bishop on b7.
1l••• j},xh2+ 12.Cit'xh2 ~g4+ 13.Cit'g3
In the '<t'gl line, the .§f6-h6 rook swing
requires White to play e4, when Black
simply drives the white king to the f-file
where Black's king's rook can reach
it.13.'<t'gl ~h414.'§dl ~xf2+ 15.'<t'hl
.§f616.e4 ~h4+ 17.'<t'gl ~h2+ 18.~f1
~hl + 19.~gl fxe4+ 20.'<t'e2 .§f2+
21.'<t'el ~xgl + 22 ..llfl ~xfl#. In the
'<t'h3 line, ~g5-h5-h2 forces the king to
the long diagonal, when the .l1b7 and
even ~a6-c7 are useful assets. 13.'<t'h3
~g5 14.f4 (14.~f4 ~h6+ 15.'<t'g3 g5
16.~h3 ~h4+ 17.'<t'f3 ~h2+ 18.~e2
~g4+ 19.'<t'el ~xg2+) 14 ... ~h5+
15.~g3 .llb7! (turning down the per-
petual 15 ... ~g6 16.'<t'h3=) 16.~b3
~h2+ 17.~f3 c5+ 18.d5 ~c7 and now
the knight enters the attack, adding fuel
to the attack on d5: 19 ..llxb5 ~xd5
20.e4 fxe4+ 21.~xe4 g5, with a crush-
ing attack, 22 ..lld2 ~xf4 23.~xf4 .§xf4+
24 ..llxf4 ~xf4+ 25.~e2 ~xe4+-+.
13... "/kg5 14.f4 It may be best here to
force the knight to move, 14.f3 ~xe3+
(walking into a self-pin) 15.~f2 ~xg2+
16.~xe3 ~xfh picking up the ex-
change, but White will now develop the
b-pawn and the dark-square bishop. The
alternative 14.e4 ~e3+ with another
discovered check - the self-pin meets a
humorous checkmate: 15.'<t'f3 fxe4+
16.~xe4e517 ..llxe3~f5#.14 ••. "/kg6
15.Cit'f3 Winning is also a challenge
after 15.~h3 ~h5+ 16.'<t'g3 .l1b7when,
332
as in the game, White needs to shut
down the long diagonal: 17.e4 c5
18..l1xb5 ~h2+ 19.~f3 cxd4 20.~xd4
.§ac8 (fighting over the e4-square)
21..§el fxe4+ 22 ..§xe4 (capturing the
knight brings on a mate in five: 22.~xg4
h5+ 23.'<t'g5 ~g3+ 24.~xh5 g6+
25.~h6.§f7 -+ ) 22 ... ~c5 -+ and Black
wins the battle over the e4-square.
15 ..•c5 Better for Black not to weaken
the structure but first to play 15 ....l1b7
16.d5 when both pawn captures meet a
blockade with ~d4, and so 16 ... ~c5
17.~g3 ~xd3 18.~xd3 exd5+.
16. "/kb1 White can, instead, try to ex-
ploit the weakening ofthe b5-pawn with
16..llxb5 .l1b7+ 17.d5 (trying to shut
down the long diagonal) 17 ... exd5
18.~b3 ~c7 (now even the knight
plays a useful rol), 19.1.te8 (with the
threat of~xb7) 19 ... ~a6 20.1.th5 ~f6
21..§hl g6-+ trapping the bishop.
16 ••• j},b7+ 17.e4 cxd4 18.~xd4
Etad819.~dxb5 Etxd3+ 0--1
(279) Stets - Kipper
Germany 2006
French Defense [COO]
1.e4 e6 2.d3 d5 3.~d2 ~f6 4.~gf3
b6 5.c3 j},e7 6. "/ka4+ c6 7.j},e2 0--0
8.0--0 c5 9.Ete1 "/kc710.~f1 c411.e5
cxd312.j},xd3 ~fd713..1lg5 j}.xg5
abcdefgh
 Games
White readies the sacrifice with II.e5,
when Black, to avoid the loss ofa pawn,
must exchange-on d3, bringing the light-
square bishop there. For the attack,
White can count on the dark-square
bishop, the <£lf1-g3, and the Elel as
additional assets. In the ~g8 line, the
queen swings to h4, not h5, giving
Black a chance to create an escape for
the king and to capture the e5-pawn.
But White's queen, knights and rook
are sufficient to blast through Black's
center. 14..Q.xh7+ <;t>xh715.4)xg5+
<;t>g8 In the ~h6 line, the white queen
reaches h4 directly, giving White time
enough to assemble a rapid mating net.
15 ... ~h616.'~h4+ ~g617.~h7+ (forc-
ing the capture ofthe knight) 17 ... ~xg5
and now it's mate in three with 18.h4+
~f4 (18 ... ~g4 19.<£lh2+ ~f4 20.g3#)
19.'~h5 with mate next move. In the
~g6 line, White can choose between
two winning continuations. 16.~g4 is
effective because the discovered check
with <£lxe6 followed by "iJ1xg7 force the
king to e6 when White can force open
the e-file for the Elel. 16.~c2 also works
because .. .f5 weakens the e6-square for
the Elel, and because <;tJxg5 walks into
another mating net. After 15 ... <;tJg6,
16."iJ1g4+- is sufficient to win. White
can keep the queen on the g-file and
the knight has useful discoveries.
16 .. .f5 (not 16... <£lxe5 17.Elxe5 +- and
the discovered checks make the rook
immune. ) 17. "iJ1g3 ~c4 (hoping to
block the discoveries with ... "iJ1g4. If in-
stead 17 ... "iJ1b7, White can continue
with <£le4-d6) 18.f4 ~c5+, reposting the
queen on e7, but 19.<£le3 ~e7
20.<£lxe6+ ~f7 21.~xg7+ (once again,
the knight is poison) 21... ~xe6
22."iJ1g6+ <£lf6 23.exf6 Elxf6
24.<£lxf5+ +- when a discovered check
by the other knight wins the queen. But
333
after 15 ... ~g6, White's best is 16.~c2+
when the king retreats to h5 and h6 walk
straight into mates, leaving Black with
two real choices: (a) 16... <;tJxg5 invites
the usual mating net with 17. ~h7 <£lxe5
(17 ... ~xe5 prevents an immediate mate
by tossing away the queen. 18.f4+) and
now White can mate: 18.~xg7+ <;tJf5
19.<£lg3+ <;tJf4 20.~f6+ <;tJg4 21.h3#;
and (b) 16 ... f5 17.exf6+ when Fritz12
finds mates in 10 against both .. ,<;tJh6
and ... ~h5 leaving two main alterna-
tives: 17 ... ~xg5 18.fxg7 with the usual
idea of~h7, and 17 ... ~xf6 with a mate
in five. 18.Elxe6+ ~xg5 19.~g6+ ~h4
(19 ... <;tJf4 20.g3+ <;tJf3 21.<£ld2 #)
20.g3+ <;tJh3 21.~h5#.
16. ~h4 §e8 The win is similar to the
game after 16 ... Eld8 17.~h7+ <;tJf8
18.<£lg3 <£lxe5 19."iJ1h8+ <;tJe7 20.~xg7
<£lbc6 21.<£lxf7 <£lxf7 and White has a
mate in eight with 22.<£lf5+ <;tJe8
23."iJ1g8+ <;tJd7 24.~xf7+ <£le7
25."iJ1xe6+ <;tJe8 26.~g6+ <;tJf8
(26 ... <;tJd7 27.El xe7#) 27.~g7+ ~e8
28.Elxe7+ "iJ1xe7 29.~xe7#.17.~h7+
<;t>f8 18.4)g3 4) xe5 19.4)h5 <;t>e7
20. ~xg7 4)bc6 21.f4 4)d3 22.4)f6
Missing 22.<£lxf7, since winning the
exchange only brings the rook power-
fully to the e-file, and 22 ... <£ld8 23.<£le5+
~d6 24.~xc7+ <;tJxc7 25.<£lxd3 +- with
a simple win by advancing the kingside
pawns. 22 ..• 4)ce5 23.§e2 §f8
24.4)fh7 ,11.a6 25.~f6+ <;t>d7
26.4)xf8+ §xf8 27.fxe5 Or simply
27.<£lxe6 fxe6 28."iJ1xf8+-. 27••. ~c5+
28.<;t>h1 ~e7 29.4)h7 §c8 30.§f1
4)c5 31.~g7 <;t>c6 32.§xf7 ~h4
33.g3 ~a4 34.h3 ~a3 35.§ef2 4)e4
36.4)g5 36.Elc2 +- limits the black
queen's activity and ends the discus-
sion. 36 .•• ~cl+ 37.<;t>g2 4)xf2
38.§xf2 ~xc3 39.~g6 After
 Sacking the Citadel
39AJxe6+- White is three pawns to the
good. 39 ••• ~xe5 40.~xe6+ ~xe6
41.4)xe6 §.e8 42.§.f6 §.e7 43.'iflf3
'ifld6 44.4)f4+ 'iflc5 45.§.e6 §.h7
46.h4 d4 47.'ifle4 §.g7 48.§.e5+ 'iflb4
49.§.g5 §.d7 5O.4)d5+ 'ifla3 51.'iflxd4
'iflxa2 52.b4 'iflb3 53.h5 Ab7 54.b5
'ifla4 55.h6 'iflxb5 56.h7 §.d8 The
pawn is immune: 56 ... Elxh7 57.4Jf6+ +-.
57.§.h51-0
(280) Sosna - Berezjuk
Czechia 2006
Philidor's Defense [C41]
l.d4 4)f6 2.4)f3 d6 3.4)c3 4)bd7
4.e4 e5 5.Ac4 Ae7 6.0--0 0--0 7.a4
c6 8.§.el b6 9.d5 cxd5 lO.4)xd5
Ab7 1l.b3 §.c8 12.§.a2 4)xd5
13.Axd5 Jlxd5 14.~xd5 4)f6
15.~b5 d5 16.4)xe5 §.c5 17.~a6
Jld6 18.Jlb2 dxe4 19.4)c4
8 ~xf2+ 27.Ele2 ~f3 28.4Je3 ~f4+.
7 22.'iflf1 There's no successful defense.
6 White can avoid mate with 22.g3 ~d5
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h and Black has mate in three 23 ... Elf5+
Black's 18th move simultaneously
places a pawn on e4 and twice attacks
White's 4Je5. Once the knight retreats
to c4, Black can rely on two key addi-
tional assets, the e4-pawn and the Elc5
ready to swing. In the game, White de-
fended in the 'ittgl line, where playing
Elh5 first is more accurate so that the
black queen can eye the d4-square for
an extra move. 19••• Axh2+ 20.'iflxh2
4)g4+ 21.'iflgl In the ~g3line, Elh5 im-
334
mediately threatens ~h4, and even
White's willingness to throw back a
rook fails quickly to the combined power
of Black's majors. 21.'ittg3 Elh5 22.Elhl
4Jh2! 23.'ittf4 (White dare not capture
the knight, 23.Elxh2 ~g5#) 23 ... ~g5+
(the mating net is cast) 24.'ittxe4 Eld8
25.4Jd6 (25.4Je3 f5+ 26.~e5 ~e7+
27.'ittf4 ~e4+ 28.'ittg3 f4# or 25 ..Ild4
~d5+-+) 25 ... ~e7+ 26.~f4 Elh4+
27.'ittf5 (27.~g3 ~g5#) 27 ... g6#. In
the 'itth3 line, the rook arrives on h5 with
check, eliminating even the possibility
ofElhl. 21.~h3 Elh5+ 22.~g3 (it's too
dangerous to capture the knight,
22.'ittxg4 ~g5#) 22 ... ~h4+ 23.~f4
when the mate in two is surprisingly
hard to find: 23 .. .f5 24.Axg7 ~xf2#.
21 ••. §.h5! The rook move is more ac-
curate because the queen remains for a
move to prevent .Ild4. 21...~h4 22 ..Ild4
Elh5 23.~f1 ~hl + 24.~e2 ~xg2 and
the king is escaping: 25.~d2 Eld5 26.c3
23.~b5 e3! 24.~xd5 exf2+ 25.~f1
fxel ~+ 26.'ittxel Elxd5-+ with a large
material advantage. And both 22.4Je5
and 22.Ad4 run into 22 ... ~xd4-+.
22 ... §.f5 Also deadly is 22 ... e3 when
White can pick his poison: (a) 23.fxe3
24.~e2 (24.'ittgl ~h4-+) 24 ... Elf2#;
(b) 23.El xe3 exposes the back rank and
permits mate in two, 23 ... ~dl + 24.Elel
Elhl#; and (c) After 23.f3 the queen
comes alive: 23 ... ~h4 24.~e2 ~f2+
25.'ittdl (25.~d3 ~xel-+)
25 ... Eld5+ -+. 23.4)e3 White can in-
stead try to prevent ... ~h4, but Black
still barges through with 23.g3 Elxf2+
24.'ittgl ~g5-+ with ... Elf3 and ... ~c5 to
come. 23.•.§.xf2+ 24.'iflgl ~d20--1
 Games
(281) Yegiazarian - Asrian
Yerevan 2006
English Opening [A32]
l.d4 {)f6 2.c4 c5 3.{)f3 cxd4
4.{) xd4 e6 5.{)c3 Ab4 6. ~b3 {)a6
7.Ad2 0-0 8.e3 b6 9.Ae2 Ab710.0--
o Ae7 ll.gfdl gc8 12.gac1 d5
13.a3 {)c5 14.~a2 dxc415.Axc4
Ad616.Ael
abc d e f g h 20.gxf3 itYh2+ 21.\t'fl (hoping to hide
Existing theory ofthe sacrifice suggests
that White ought to be fine here in the
\t'glline owing to the {)d4's ability to
return to f3, the overprotection of the
f2-square, and the king rook's early de-
parture from fl creating an escape route
for the king via fl-e2 towards the
queenside. But Black has four additional
assets, the {)c5, the light-square bishop
aiming at f3 and g2, and the rooks, es-
pecially the §c8. White tried the \t'gl
line in the game. There, despite the
king's escape from the kingside, Black
has significant resources to maintain
the pressure. 16.•• Axh2+ 17.ciflxh2
{)g4+ 18.ciflgl In the 'it'g3Iine, White
cannot dislodge the black queen from
the g-file, and the J1b7's support for
'lftxg2 makes the discovered knight
checks especially brutal. lS.\t'g3 'lftg5
19.{)f3 (19.f4 'lftg6 20.'lftb1 [White can-
not ignore the discovered check be-
cause the black queen can safely reach
335
g2. 20.b4 {)f2+ 21.'it'xf2 itYxg2#]
20 ... {)e4+ [using the check to safe-
guard the queen on g6] 21.{)xe4 J1xe4
22.Ad3 [finally getting the discovery]
22 ... {)f2+ 23.'it'xf2 'lftxg2#) 19 ... J1xf3
20.'it'xf3 (it's mate in four after 20.gxf3
{)xe3+ 21.\t'h3 itYg2+ 22.'it'h4 itYh2+
23.'it'g5 f6#) and Black must play pre-
cisely to sustain the attack: 20 ... {)h2+
21.\t'e2 §fdS 22.b4 'lftg4+ 23.f3 itYxg2+
24.J1f2 itYxf3+ 25.'it'e1 {)e4 26.{)xe4
itYh1 + 27. 'it'e2 itYxe4 2S.itYc2 'lftg4+
29.'it'e1 {)f3+ 30.\t'fl §d5-+. In the
'it'h3 line, Black again sets out a mating
net after 'lftg5-h5-h2. lS.\t'h3 'lftg5
19.{)f3 itYh5+ 20.'it'g3 Axf3 21.gxf3
'lfth2+ 22.\t'xg4 f5+ 23.'it'g5 itYh6#.
18..• ~h419.b4 White cannot safely
return the knight to f3 owing to Black's
light-square bishop. 19.{)f3 Axf3
on e2) 21...{)e5 22.b4 itYh3+ 23.'it'e2
'lftxf3+ 24.'it'fl (White loses a piece af-
ter 24.'it'd2 {)e4+ 25.{)xe4 §fdS+
26.\t'c2 §xd1 27.§xd1 itYxe4+ 28.'it'b2
{)xc4+-+) 24 ... itYh3+ 25.'it'e2 (not
25.'it'gl {)f3#) 25 ... itYg4+ 26.'it'fl
(26. \t'd2 {)xc4+ -+ ) 26 ... {)f3 (playing
for mate rather than the piece) 27.J1d2
{)d7 2S.J1d3 {)de5 29.J1e4 {)h2+
30.'it'e1 §c4-+ with ... §dS next.
19••• ~h2+ 20.ciflfl ~xg2+ 21.cifle2
{)d7 22.cifld2 {)xf2 23.Axf2 ~xf2+
24.j},e2 {)e5 25.gfl ~h2 26.{)cb5
Ad5 27.~bl {)c4+ 28.gxc4 gxc4
29.{)c3 gxc3 30.ciflxc3 e5 31.{)f5
~xe2 -+ 32.{)e7+ ciflh8 33.gdl The
attempt to win back material with
33.{)xd5 meets 33 ... §cS+ 34.'it'b3
itYc4+ (recovering the piece) 35.\t'b2
(35.\t'a4 §c5-+) 35 ... itYxd5-+.
33... ~c4+ 34.cifld2 j},f3 0--1
 Sacking the Citadel

(282) Zierke - Loffier an anchor. 16.f4 After 16.'it'f3 the

Hamburg 2006 knight check wins a piece and sustains
Queen's Gambit Declined [D32] the attack. 16 ... 4:Je5+ 17.'it'e2
~xd3+ -+ (king retreats are mated:
1.d4 e6 2.~f3 c5 3.e3 d5 4.c4 ~f6 16.'it'h4 g5+ 17.'it'xg5 f6+ 18.'it'h4
5.~c3 ~c6 6.cxd5 exd5 7.Ae2 [18.'it'h5 ~h2#; 18.'it'xf5 4:Jh6#]
cxd4 8.~ xd4 Ad6 9.0-0 0-0 10.b3 18 ... ~h2#; and 16.'it'h3 ~h2#).
Ae5 11.~xc6 bxc6 12.Ab2 J'tf5 16... ~ xe3 17.'ltd2 'ltg6+ 18.~f3 d4
13.J'td3 Black wins more easily with either
18... ~xd3 -+ or 18. .. ~fe8 -+ . 19.Axf5
8 ~xf5 20.g4 E!fe8 20 ... dxc3-+ ends
7 the discussion. 21.~d1 Now, White
6 may be able to survive with 21.gxf5
5 ~h5+ 22.'it'g3 ~e3+ 23.~xe3 dxe3
4 24J:!ael ~. 21...~h4+ 22.~g3 f5
3 23.~f2 E!e3+ 24.'ltxe3 dxe3
25.~xh4 exf2 26.g5 h6 27.E!xf2
2
hxg5+ 28.fxg5 E!e8 29.E!afl E!e3
30.E!f3 'lte6 31.Ac1 E!xf3 32.E!xf3
abc d e f g h 'ltel+~l

White's 13th move likely sought to (283) Zumsande - Hujbert

lessen Black's building pressure by ex- Budapest 2006
changing the light-square bishops, but Sicilian Defense [B22]
the bishop move eliminated White's
ability to prevent ... 4:Jg4. That said, Black 1.e4c5 2.c3 ~f6 3.e5 ~d5 4.d4cxd4
is hard pressed to locate an additional 5.~f3 ~c6 6.cxd4 d6 7.Ac4 ~b6
asset beyond the light-square bishop 8.Ab3 d5 9.~h4 e6 10.~f3 Ae7
while in turn, White does not have 11.~c3 Ad712.~ E!c813.Ac2 a6
needed defensive resources. The ~fl 14.~h1 ~c4 15.~e2 'ltb6 16.b3
blocks the king's escape, the 4:Jc3 can- ~a3 17.Ad3 'lta5 18.~e1 ~b4
not reach f3, and the ~b2 cannot reach 19.Ad2 'ltb6 20.Axb4 Axb4 21.f4
the b8-h2 diagonal. Black chose the 0-0 22.~f3 E!c7
'it'g3 line. There ~d6+ is accurate, per-
mitting Black to interpolate 4:Jxe3 prior
to~g6.13 ...J'txh2+ 14.~xh2 ~g4+
15.~g3 In the 'it'gl line, Black has
Voellmy's mate in five:15.'it'gl ~h4
16.~el ~xf2+ 17.'it'hl ~h4+ 18.'it'gl
~h2+ 19.'it'fl ~hl+ 20.'it'e2 ~xg2#.
15... 'ltd6+! The black queen cannot
remain on the g-file, and the effort to
place it there loses the 4:Jg5. 15 ... ~g5?
16.f4 ~h5 (16 ... ~g6 17.~xf5 ~xf5 abc d e f g h
18.~xg4+-) 17.~hl +-. The rook has

336
 Games
White can count on the secure eS-
pawn, <£\e2-g3, and the .§.f1 as addi-
tional assets, out Black appears to be
but a move or two from crashing through
on the queenside. Black correctly de-
fended in the 'ittg8 line, where the white
queen does not have ready access to
hS. But Black erred with .§.fc8 rather than
.§.e8, a move that charts Black's escape
route to the queenside. 23.-'lxh7+
~xh7 24.oflg5+ ~g8 In the <;!tg6Iine,
White breaks through quickly with
~d3-h3 because ... .§.c7 destroyed the
communication between the
rooks.24 ... <;!tg6 2S.~d3+ when: (a)
2S .. .fS 26.~h3+- and Black can only
delay the mate by tossing away a rook
on h8; (b) And the king retreats meet a
very quick end.2S ... <;!thS 26.~h7+ 'ittg4
27.~h3# or 27.h3#; and (c) 2S ... 'itth6
26. ~h 7 #. In the 'itth6 line, ~d3-h3
mates even faster. 24 ... 'itth6 2S.~d3 g6
(2S ... .§.h8 26.<£\xf7+ 'itthS 27.~h3+ <;!tg6
28.<£\xh8#) 26.~h3+ 'ittg7 27.~h7#.
25. ~d3 Elfc8 Black needs fuji, and the
alternative 2S ... .§.e8! aims to create an
escape path for the king. 26. ~h 7 + <;!tf8
27.fS (not 27.~h8+ 'itte7 28.~xg7
ltbS-+ and the king is safe) 27 ... exfS
(even better than ...'itte7 28.<£\f4 ~h6
29.<£\xdS .§.cc8 30.~xh6 gxh6 31.<£\h7+
<;!tg7 32.<£\hf6 <£\c2 33.<£\xb4 <£\xb4
34.<£\xd7 <£\c2 3S . .§.acl <£\xd4=).
26.~h7+ ~f8 27.~h8+ No better is
27.fS exfS 28.<£\f4 ~h6 29.<£\xdS ~xh7
30.<£\xh7+ <;!tg8 3 1. <£\x c7 .§.xc7 32.<£\gS
<£\c2 -+ when White has won back an
exchange but Black emerges with far
superior development. 27 •.• ~e7
28. ~xg7 -'le8 29.f5 ~d8 30.oflf4!
Ele7 31.f6 Eld7 Or 31.. ..§.ec7 32.~g8
'§'c2 33.<£\xf7+ +-. 32.~g8 Or
32.<£\fxe6+ fxe6 33.~g8+- threatening
<£\xe6. 32 .•• Elc6 33.Elacl ~b5
34.oflfxe6+! Elxe6 35.oflxe6+ fxe6
337
36.f7 Elxf7 37.Elxf7 Ae7 38.Elxe7
1-0 The exchange sacrifice smokes out
the black king, 38 ...'ittxe7 39.~g7+ 'ittd8
(39 ... ltf7 40.~f6++-) 40.~c7#.
(284) Fridman - Tan
Netherlands 2006
Queen's Gambit Declined [D30]
l.d4 d5 2.oflf3 c6 3.c4 e6 4.e3 oflf6
5.-'ld3 ofl bd7 6.0--0 dxc4 7.Axc4 b5
8.-'ld3 a6 9.a4 -'lb7 10.e4 ~b6
11.~e2 Ae712.Ae3 0--0 13.oflbd2
~c714.e5 ofld515.Ag5 Axg5 (D)
Black can force a knight back to f6 and
the queen is on c7, ready to defend f7,
but White can count on three useful
assets, the eS-pawn, the <£\d2-e4, and
.§.a3-h3. In the game, Black defends in
the 'ittg8 line where the <£\f6 defense
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
comes into play. Play is instructive, as
White makes excellent use of all three
majors with the black king caught in the
center. 16.-'lxh7+ ~xh717.oflxg5+
'iflg8 In the 'ittg6 line, ~d3 is more ef-
fective than ~g4 because Black loses a
line of defense with ... <£\f6. Once again,
... 'ittxgS is inadequate owing to ~h7
with a mating net. 17 ...'ittg6 18.~d3+
(much less convincing here is 18.~g4
because Black can force a knight back
to f6. 18... <£\7f619.exf6 <£\xf6 20.<£\xe6+
 Sacking the Citadel
4:lxg4 21.4:lxc7 §ac8 22.axb5 §xc7
23.bxa6 Aa8 24.4:lc4±) and now, after
18.i£rd3+, Black has four familiar
choices: (a) Blocking the check with
18 ... f5 weakens the e6-pawn for the
knight 19.4:lxe6 avoiding the en passant
capture when Black can safely capture
on gS. 19 ... i£ra5 20.axb5 ~xb5
21.4:lc4+-; (b) After 18 ... ~h6 White
has mate in five beginning with the
needed 19.~h7+ 'it'xg5 20.4:le4+ 'it'f4
(20 ... ~g4 21.~h3+ ~f4 22.~f3#)
21. ~h4+ ~f5 22.4:lg3+ ~g6 23. ~h5 #;
(c) Running to hS with 18 ... ~h5 gives
White an extra tempo, bringing 19. ~h7 +
with check: 19 ... ~xg5 (19 ... ~g4
20.4:lde4 +-) and it's mate in four:
20.f4+ 4:lxf4 21.4:le4+ ~g4 22.4:lf2+
~g5 23.h4 #; and (d) After 18 ... 'it'xg5
the mate is there, but most players will
find it challenging: 19.~h7 g6 and
White has a mate in five: 20.f4+ 4:lxf4
(20 ... ~f5 21.~h3 # or 20 ... ~g4
21.~h3#) 21.h4+ ~g4 (21...~f5
22.~h6+-) 22.§xf4+ ~xf4 23.~h6+
'it'g4 (23 ... ~g3 24.~g5#; ~f5
24.~g5#) 24.~g5#. In the ~h6Iine,
§a3-h3 and ~e4-h4 are the best plans
to avoid the 4:lf6 defense. 18.§a3 (aim-
ing for §h3) 18 ... g6 trying to create luft
(no better is 18 ... 4:lxe5 19.dxe5 g6
20.§h3+ ~g7 21.§h7+ ~g8 22.~e4+­
which is similar to the game save that
Black has thrown back a piece on eS)
19.§h3+ ~g7 (not worth considering
is 19 ... ~xg5 because White has obvi-
ous resources: 20.4:le4+ ~f5 [20 ... ~f4
21.~f3#] 21.~f3+ 4:lf4 with a pretty
mate from the pawn 22.g4#) 20.§h7+
~g8 21. ~g4 with either ~h4 or §h8 to
follow. The other obvious try 18.~d3
also succeeds: (a) 18 ... 4:l7f6 19.exf6
§h8! the best try (It's hopeless to cap-
ture with the knight 19 ... 4:lxf6 20.~h3+
and now the king is forced to capture
338
on gS 20 ... ~xg5 21.4:lf3+ 'it'g6
[21...'it'f4 22.§fe1 +-] 22.4:le5+ and
Black would need to give up the queen
on eS to prevent the mate 'it'g5 23.f4 #)
20.~g3 (with a winning simplification)
20 ... ~xg3 21.4:lxf7+ 'it'g6 22.4:lxh8+
§xh8 23.fxg3+-; (b) Capturing on gS
does nothing to relieve the pressure:
18 ... 'it'xg5 19.~h7! g6 and White has
mate in five. 20.f4+ 4:lxf4 21.h4+ 'it'g4
(21...'it'f5 22.i£rh6+-) 22.§xf4+ 'it'xf4
23.~h6+ ~f5 (23 ... 'it'g3 24.~g5#)
24.~g5#; and (c) Blocking the queen
from reaching h7 weakens e6. 18 .. .f5
19.4:lxe6+-. 18:/th5 4)7f6 Creating
luft with 18 ... §fe8 19.~xf7+ 'it'h8
20.§a3 +- invites a crushing rook
swing. 19.exf6 4) xf6 20. '/th4 gfd8
21.ga3! c5 The toughest defense may
be 21...§d5 with the idea of§xg5, but
after 22.§h3 ~f8 23.~h8+ 'it'e7
24.~xg7 §xg5 25.~xg5 §g8 the
queen reenters the position powerfully
on cS, 26.~c5+ i£rd6 27.4:lb3 +-.
22.gh3 ~8 23.'/th8+ 'l;e7 24.'/txg7
gf8 25.gel Ad5 26.gf3 White can
also consolidate his winning advantage
with 26.§h6 4:le8 27.4:lxe6+-.
26... Axf3 27.4) xe61-0
(285) Hoi - Pinchuk
Mecklenburg 2006
Queen's Gambit Declined [D63]
1.d4 d5 2.4)f3 4)f6 3.c4 e6 4.4)c3
Ae7 5.Ag5 4)bd7 6.e3 0--07.gel
dxc4 8.Axc4 a6 9.e4 b5 10.Ad3
Ab711.e5 4)d512.Jlxe7 4)xe7 (D)
White's opening has resulted in a trade
of the dark-square bishops on e7 and a
successful e4-e5 pawn push. White has
three additional assets, the secure e5-
pawn, the 4:lc3-e2-f4, and the §cl.
 Games

8 8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2

abcdefgh abc d e f g h

Black selects the \t>h6line, when White,
without a dark square-bishop, places
the queen on d2 and uses h4-h5 and
the threat of the discovered check to
draw the black king into the open board.
13..1lxh7+ <it'xh714..£jg5+ <it'h6 In
the \t>g8 line, against the knights on d7
and e7, White should capture on £7+
and follow with 4Jxe6 threatening the
queen and mate on g7. 14 .. .f.t'g8
15.ii'fh5 .§e8 16.ii'fxf7+ \t>h8
17.4Jxe6+-. In the \t>g6Iine, Black can-
not dislodge the white queen from the
g-file, and White can capture on e6 with
check or take time to transfer the 4Jc3-
f4. 14 ... \t>g6 15.'l'ifg4! f5 16.ii'fg3 f4
(safeguarding the queen with 16 ... 'l'ifc8
gives White the time to bring up re-
serves: 17 .4Je2 [with the idea of 4Jf4]
17 ... 4Jd5 [on 17 .. .f4, 18.ii'fh4 4Jxe5
19.dxe5 \t>f5 20.~xf4+ 'it'g6 21.ii'fh4+-
with ii'fh7 and h4+ to follow] 18..§xc7+-
and Black cannot successfully capture
the rook) 17.'l'ifg4 and the queen can-
not now be dislodged: 17 ... 'l'ifb818.4Je2
.§f5 19.4Jxe6+ \t>f7 20.ii'fxg7+ \t>xe6
(20 ... \t>e8 21.4Jxc7+ +-) 21.d5+ making
room for4Jd4+. (D)
Now: (a) 21...4Jxd5 22.4Jd4#; (b)
21...itxd5 22.4Jd4#; and (c) 21...'it'xd5
22.0-0 (to bring the other rook to dl)
22 ... ii'fe8 (22 ... c5 23.ii'fxe7 +- since the
king retreat to c6 meets 4Jd4+) 23 ..§fd1 +
'it'e6 24.4Jd4+ \t>d5 when the discov-
ery provides a mate in two: 25.4Jxb5+
'it'e6 (25 ... \t>e4 26 ..§d4#) 26.4Jxc7#.
15.h4 is too slow because the capture
on e5 permits Black to relieve the pres-
sure by exchanging queens.
15 ... 4Jxe5=. 15.~d3+? 4Jf5! (too dan-
gerous is 15 ... 'it'xg516.~h7 cutting off
the king's retreat: 16... 4Jxe5 17.dxe5
.§h8 and White commences a torturous
king hunt: 18.f4+ \t>xf4 19.0-0+ 'it'xe5
20.~xg7+ 'it'd6 21..§xf7 .§f8 22 ..§xe7
'l'ifxe7 23.'l'ifd4+ itd5 24.4Jxd5 exd5
25.~c5+ \t>d7 26.'l'ifc6+ 'it'c8
27.~xa8++- and White will also pick
up the d-pawn with check) and now
there's nothing to be gained from 16.g4
ii'fxg5 -+. 15. 'll1td21 Very tempting is
15.ii'fg4 4Jg6 16.~h3+ (forcing the
black king to capture on g5) 16... 'it'xg5,
when White, without the ability to play
4Je4+ safely, cannot mate the king.
17.~e3+ (17.f4+ 4Jxf4 18.~g3+ \t>h6
19.ii'fxf4+ ~g5 -+) 17 ... 'it'h5 18.g4+
'it'h4 19.~g3+ \t>g5 20.h4+ 'it'h6 and
Black has survived the assault.
15... <it'g6 Moving the king out of the
line of fire. Black can instead try to safe-
guard the queen with 15 ... ~e8
16.4Jxe6+ 'it'h7 17.4Jxc7± gaining a
pawn and the exchange, or 15 ... ii'fc8
16.4Je2 preparing a rook swing to h3

339
 Sacking the Citadel

16... c517.§c3+-.16.h4Jclxe5After play. White can count on the §e1 and

aggressive defense with 16... .£lf6 White
can capture the knight or more profit-
ably set up a mating net with 17 ..£le2
.£led5 lS.g4+- since ... .£lxg4 meets
h5+. 17.h5+ <it>f517 .. .'<t>f6 walks into a
mate in two: lS ..£lh7+ r,t>f5 19.'lii'g5#.
IS.Jclh3 Better is lS ..£le2 +- forcing
Black to prevent ,"H4 #. IS .•• Jcld5
19.Jcl xd5 exd5 20. t\'f4+ <it>e6
21.Jclg5+ <it>d7 22.t\'f5+ <it>d6 On
22 ... r,t>eS White picks back one piece
23.~xe5+ 'iI1e7 24.~xe7+ 'tlxe7
25.§xc7+ +- and then the Ab7.
23.t\'xe5+ <it>d7 24.t\'f5+ <it>e7 25.0-
o t\'d7 26. t\'e5+ 1-0 Also winning
easily is 26.§fe1 +r,t>dS 27 ..£le6+ +-.
(286) Pedersen - Thorstensen
Oslo 2006
French Defense [C06]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Jcld2 Jclf6 4.e5
Jclfd7 5.j'td3 c5 6.c3 Jclc6 7.Jcle2
t\'b6 8.0--0 cxd4 9.cxd4 f610.exf6
Jclxf6 1l.Jclf3 j'td6 12.Af4 Axf4
13.Jclxf4 0--0 14.E!el Jcle4 15.g3
Jclxf2
8 ping the king in the center. 25 ••. <it>c7
7 26. t\'e5+ <it>cS 27.E!acl + Jclc6 Black
6 would also have to resign after 27 ... Jlc6
5
4
3
2
the already well-developed .£lf4. In the
'tlgSline, as played in the game, Black,
by sacrificing the exchange with
lS ... §xf4, is able to run his king to the
queenside, but white two rooks, knight,
and queen combine for a pretty finale.
16.Axh7+ <it>xh717.Jclg5+ <it>gS In
the r,t>h61ines, the .£lf4 supports 'iI1h5 #.
And with the knight on f4, the black
king cannot even enter the 'tlg6 line.
IS.t\'h5 E!xf4 Black can delay the
game with two checks: lS ... .£lh3+
19.'iI1xh3 'iI1xd4+ 20.'tlh1 §xf4
21.~h7+ r,t>fS 22.§xe6+-. The rook
cannot be taken, and now the king has
no escape. And after IS ... §dS White
delivers a pretty smothered mate,
19.'iI1f7+ r,t>hS 20 ..£lg6#. 19.9xf4
Jclh3+ The effort to develop simply
loses the bishop: 19 ... Ad7 20.~f7+
'tlhS 21.'iI1xd7 +-. 20.t\'xh3 Jclxd4
20 ... ~xd4+ 21.'tlh1 'iI1f6 22.'iI1h7+ r,t>f8
23.~hS+ 'tle7 24 ..£lxe6 (exploiting the
pinned bishop) 24 ... Jlxe6 (24 ...'tld6
25 ..£lxg7 +- with .£leS next)
25.'iI1xaS+-. 21.t\'h7+ <it>fS 22.t\'hS+
<it>e7 23.t\'xg7+ <it>d6 24.<it>hl Ad7
25.Jclf7+ More accurate is 25.§ac1 trap-
28.§gl +- . 2S.E!gll-O
(287) Boesenberg - Herzog
ICCF e-mail 2006
Ruy Lopez [C78]

abc d e f g h l.e4 e5 2.Jclf3 Jclc6 3.Ab5 a6 4.Aa4

Jclf6 5.0-0 b5 6.Ab3 Ac5 7.a4 Ab7
A very exciting game in which Black, S.c3 0--0 9.d4 Ab610.dxe5 Jclxe4
with the .£lf2, pressure on the white d4- 1l.Ad5 Jclc512.axb5 axlJ.513.E!xaS
pawn and the §fS, has considerable t\'xaSI4.b4 Jcla415.Ae4 Jcla7

340
 Games
8
7
I~.-'_<-·:
6
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
Black's position has the appearance of
having rolled towards the edge of the
board. White has a surprisingly secure
e5-pawn and the dark-square bishop as
additional assets. In the game, Black
unfortunately selected the ~g6 line, by
comparison a cake walk because h4-h5
forces the king into a devastating dis-
covered check. 16•.Q.xh7+ 'itlxh7
17..£)g5+ 'itlg6 In the <it>gBline, White
must commence with ~d3+ in order pre-
vent Ae4. White is therefore able to
enter the black kingside only on h7, and
the attack proceeds more patiently, in-
volving every white piece in the king
hunts that follow. 17 ... <it>gBl8.~d3 (not
18.~h5? Ae4-+ defending on the key
diagonal) 1B ... .§.eB (lB ... g619.~h3 +-
with mate on h7) 19.~h7+ <it>f8 20.~h5!
Ad5 (defending f7; the alternatives lose
more quickly: 20 ... .§.e7 21.~hB# and
20 ... g6 21.~hB+ r:tJe7 22.~f6+ r:tJfB
23.~xf7#) 21.4Jh7+ <it>e7 (21...<it>gB
22.4Jf6+ gxf6 [22 ... r:tJfB 23.Ag5 +- ]
23.~g4+ ~hB [23 ... ~f8 24.exf6+-]
24.~h4+ ~gB 25.i.th6 .§.xe5
26.~xf6+-) 22.~g5+ <it>e6 (22 ... f6
23.exf6+ r:tJd6 [23 ... gxf6 24.~xf6#]
24 ..§.d1 c6 25.Af4+ ~e6 26 ..§.e1 + ~f7
27.~xg7#) 23.~g4+ and now all of
Black's responses bring the dark-square
bishop and rook into the attack.
341
abc d e f g h
(a) 23 ... <it>e7 24 ..ilg5+ f6 25.exf6+ r:tJd6
(25 ... gxf6 26.4Jxf6+-) 26.fxg7 .ile6
27 ..§.d1 + r:tJc6 2B.~f3+ (preventing the
king from reach b7) 2B ... d5 29.4Jf6 .§.dB
30.4Ja3+-; (b) 23 ... r:tJxe5 24.M4+ r:tJe4
25 ..§.d1 +- with threats such as Ag3 #
and 4Jg5#; and (c) 23 ... f5 24.~g6+
<it>xe5 (24 ... r:tJe7 25.Ag5#) and now it's
mate in four: 25 ..ilf4+ r:tJe4 (25 ... r:tJxf4
26.~g3+ r:tJe4 27.4Jd2#) 26.~g3+­
with 4Jg5 # on the next free move. The
<it>h6 line walks into a discovery, but the
~g4-h4 maneuver is more accurate.
17 ... r:tJh6 18.~g4+-. IS.h4 1-0 An
early resignation rather than be sub-
jected to the attack. 1B.h4 prepares
both h5+ and ~g4: 1B .. .f5 (lB ... .§.hB
cutting off h5 but weakening f7
19.~xd7 ~gB 20.g4+- with ~f5+ or
h5+ next) 19.h5+ (forcing the king onto
the dark squares) 19 ... r:tJh6 20.4Je6+
<it>h7 21.~xd7 .§.gB and now White has
a forced mate: 22.4Jg5+ r:tJhB (22 ... r:tJh6
23.~xf5 g6 24.hxg6 .§.xg6 25.~h3+
<it>g7 26.~h7+ r:tJfB 27.~f7#) 23.4Jf7+
<it>h7 24.~xf5+ g6 25.hxg6+ .§.xg6
26.4Jg5+ <it>hB (26 ... r:tJg7 27.~f7++-;
26 ... r:tJh6 27.~h3+ ~g7 28.~h7+ r:tJfB
29.~f7 #) 27.~xg6 and Black can only
delay the mate with a check on t2 and
by tossing away his queen.
 Sacking the Citadel

(288) Vass - Durica (289) Nanu - Miron

Piestany 2006 Predeal2006
Budapest Gambit [AS1] Queen's Gambit [D02]

l.d4 .£lf6 2.e4 e5 3.dxe5 .£le4 4 ..£lf3 1 . .£l0 e5 2.e3 .£le6 3.d4 d5 4.dxe5
.£le6 5 . .£lbd2 j';lb4 6.a3 j';lxd2+ e6 5.a3 Jlxe5 6.b4 Ab6 7.Ab2 .£lf6
7.j';lxd2 .£l xd2 S. tP/xd2 tP/e7 9. tP/e3 S.e4 0-0 9.e5 Ae7 10..£lbd2 tP/e7
0-0 10.0--0--0 .§eSll ..§d5 a612.e3 1l.Ab5 e5 12.Ae2 .§dS 13.0-0 d4
.§b813.j';ld3 b614..§dl.£ld815.h4 14.Ae4e415..£lxd4
e616..§d6.£lb7
8
8 7
7 6
6 5
5 4
4 3
3 2
2

abc d e f g h
With an enormous positional advan-
tage, it is fair to say that White did not
need to initiate the sacrifice here. White
relies on the e5-pawn and the doubled
rooks as additional assets, though
clearly the §d6 plays a critical role in
eliminating both the ... 'it'g6 and ... 'it'h6
lines. In the game, Black defended in
the 'i!tg8 line, when White uses the
doubled rooks to sac an exchange and
cut off the king's escape to e7.
17.Jlxh7+ <i!lxh71S..£lg5+ <i!lgS In
the 'it'h8 line, White can force ... g6 and
then blast through with {)xf7 and ~xg6.
18 ... 'it'h8 19.~c2 g6 20.§f6 {)d8
21.§hl 'it'g7 22.{)xf7 {)xf7 23.~xg6+
'it'h8 24.§f5 +-. 19. tP/e2 tP/xe5 The
rook is also useful in preventing the
defense with 19 ... g6 20.§xg6+ fxg6
21.~xg6++-. 20.tP/h7+ <i!lfS21..§xd7
1-0 Resigning in light of 21...Axd7
22.§xd7 when the rook cuts off the
king's escape 22 ... {)d6 23.~h8#.
abcdefgh
Black sacrifices the d4-pawn in order to
play ... e4 and to dislodge the {)f3. Black
can rely upon the e4-pawn, the light-
square bishop, and the {)c6 as addi-
tional assets. White's knights are
poised to retake f3, but Black can inter-
polate the knight exchange on d4 to
prevent that defense. In the 'it'g3 line,
... ~e5 eyes both h5 and e3 in the event
off4. In the game, White defended with
'i!tgl and returned the piece by sacrific-
ing the .l1b2-e5, but Black plays very
accurately to retain the attack.
15...Jlxh2+ 16.<i!lxh2 .£lg4+ 17.<i!lgl
Avoiding 17.'i!tg3 when Black has a
mate in five with 17 ... ~e5+ (not
17 ... ~g5? when White can capture on
e4 with tempo 18.{)xe4 ~e5+ 19.f4
~xe4 20.~f3+-) and now the game
follows a familiarpattem: (a) 18.f4 exf3+
(the weakness of the e3-pawn is glar-
ing) 19.'i!th4 (19.'i!txf3 ~xe3#; 19.'i!th3
~h2#) 19 ... ~h2+ 20.'it'g5 h6# or
20 ... ~h6 #; (b) And both king retreats

342
 Games
meet a quick end. 18.'ifi>h4 ~h2+
19.'<t>g5 ~h6# or 19 ... h6#; and (c)
18.'<t>h3 ~h2#. 17... ~xd4! Best first
to capture the knight. On 17 ... ~h4?
White can defend by forcing a knight
back to f3: 18..£J4f3 exf3 19 ..£Jxf3+-.
IS •.Q.xd4 tith4 19.Jl.e5 ~xe5
20.Jl.e2 Jl.g4 21.f3 exf3 22.Jl.xf3
titg5! 23.titel gxd2 24.Jl.xg4 White
can recapture and survive: 24.~xd2
Axf3 25.l~a2 (25.l:hf3 .£Jxf3+ -+ fork-
ing the queen) 25 .. .l:~d8-+. 24... ge2
25.Jl.h3 ~d3 26.titdl titxe3+
27.'\tIh2 ge2 28.titb3 tite5+ 29.~gl
~f4 30.titf3 g5 31.~hl gfS
32. titg3 ~ xh3 The first, even minor
inaccuracy. 32 ... h5 -+ overwhelms with-
out risk. 33.~xh3 White returns the
favor. There's a slight bit of hope in the
double rook endgame: 33.~xe5 !!xe5
34.gxh3 f5 =+=. 33 ... ge4 34.g3 ge3
35.gg1 tite4+ 36. titg2 ~e6 37.ga2
gdS 3S.gf2 ~h6+ 39.~h2 ~xh2+
40.~xh2 gxa3 41.gel gd7
42.geS+ ~g7 43.gaS ga4 44.gb2
ge7 45.~g2 a5 46.gxa5 gxa5
47.bxa5 gxe5 48.gxb7 gxa5 49.g4
ga4 50.~g3 gf4 51.gbS h5
52.gxh5 gh4 53. gaS f6 54.ga7+
~h6 55.gaS ~xh5 56.ghS+ ~g6
57.gxh4 gxh4+ 5S.~g4 h3 0-1
(290) Pugachov - Yurkov
Vitebsky 2006
Sicilian Defense [B42]
l.e4 e5 2.~f3 e6 3.d4 exd4 4.~xd4
a6 5.~e3 b5 6 ..Q.d3 d6 7.0-0 ~f6
S. tite2 Jl.e7 9.f4 0-0 10.~hl Jl.b7
1l.Jl.d2 b4 12.~dl 'ltb6 13.~f3
~e6 14.e5 dxe5 15.fxe5 ~d7
16.~f2 ~e517.Jl.e3 tite71S.Jl.xe5
Axe5
343
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Another example with an unanchored
piece on c5, although White's mating
attack is strong enough that the win of
the piece is unimportant. White has an
unusual collection of additional assets,
the e5-pawn, the .£Jf2-h3-f4, and the
!!fl. In the game, Black defended with
the '<t>h6 line, but .£Jg4-f6 opens lines
for White's major pieces to mate.
19.J}.xh7+ ~xh7 20.~g5+ ~h6 In
the '<t>g8line, .£Jg4 usefully opens the f-
file with unstoppable mating threats.
20 ... '<t>g8 21.~h5 !!fe8 22 ..£Jg4 .£Jxe5
23 ..£Jxe5 ~xe5 24.~h7+ ~f8
25.!!xf7#. In the ~g6Iine, the .£Jh3-f4
maneuver is devastating. 20 ... ~g6
21..£Jfh3 ~xe5 22 ..£Jf4+ ~xg5
(22 ... ~h6 23.~h5# or 22 ... ~f5
23.~h5+- or 22 ... ~f6 23 ..£Jd3++-)
23.~h5+ ~f6 24 ..£Jd5#. 21.~g4+
~xg5 Careful readers will by now have
no difficulty defeating the alternative
king retreat 21...'<t>g6 22.~e4+ when:
(a) 22 .. .f5 23.exf6+ (the king is forced
to capture on g5) 23 ... '<t>xg5 (23 ... '<t>h5
24 ..£Jxe6+- and it's mate in four)
24.h4+ '<t>h5 (24 ... ~xh4 25 ..£Je5+ ~h5
[25 ... '<t>g5 26.~g4+ '<t>h6 27.~h4#]
26.~g6+ +-) 25.~h7+ (a second
knight sacrifice) 25 ... '<t>xg4 26.~g6+
~xh4 27.!!f3+-; (b) The immediate
capture on g5 gives White a mate in
five: 22 ...~xg5 23.h4+ ~h5 (23 ... ~xh4
 Sacking the Citadel

24.4Jf6+ ~gS [24 ... ~g3 2SJH3 #]
2S.~g4+ ~h6 26.~hS#) 24.'~h7+
~xg4 2S.~xg7+ ~xh4 (2S ... ~hS
26. ~gS #) 26.E1.f3 +- and there's no
way to stop E1.h3 #; and (c) 22 ... ~hS
23.~h7+ ~xg4 (23 ... ~xgS 24.~xg7+
~h4 [24 ... ~hS 2S.E1.f4+- ] 2S.4Jf6+-)
24.4Je4+-. After 21...~hS White mates
in four: 22.4Jf6+ ~xgS (22 ... ~h6
23.~hS# or 22 ... ~h4 23.~hS#)
23.~hS#. 22.4)f6 1-0 22.h4 is also
winning, but 22.4Jf6 initiates a mate in
seven: 22 ... gxf6 (22 ... E1.h8 23.~g4+
~h6 24. ~hS #) 23.h4+ ~xh4
(23 ... ~g6 24.E1.xf6+ ~g7 2S.~g4+ ~h7
26.~gS+-or 23 ... ~h6 24.E1.xf6+ 'if)h7
2S.~hS+ ~g8 26.~gS++-) 24.E1.f4+
'if)gS (24 ... ~g3 2S.~g4#) 2S.E1.g4+
'if)hS (2S ... 'if)fS 26.~e4# or 2S ... ~h6
26.E1.h4+ ~g6 27. ~g4 #) 26. ~f3 +-
with ~h3 to follow.
(291) Ezat - Faranka
Beirut 2007
Queen's Gambit [D06]
l.d4 4)f6 2.c4 d5 3.cxd5 4)xd5 4.e4
4)f6 5.4)c3 e6 6.4)f3 Ae7 7.Ad3 0-
o S.e5 4)d5 9.h4 c5
8 IS.4Jd6+ 'if)g4 (IS ... 'if)f6 16.4Jh7#)
7 16.~e2+ E1.f317.~xf3# 15.h5+ ~h6
6 After IS ... ~fS it's a pretty mate in one,
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h Semi-Slav Defense [D4S]
sacrifice with h4 and can count on the
secure eS-pawn, 4Jc3-e4, and the h4/
E1.hl as additional assets. In the ~g6
line, ~d3+ (or ~c2+) requires .. .fS, when
the en passant capture forces the black
king to f6 and 4Jc3-e4+ drives the black
king into murderous discovered checks.
10.Axh7+ ~xh711.4)g5+ ~g6 In
the ~g8Iine, Black must capture on gS
and then push the f-pawn to stave off
the mate, but gS-g6 once again ends
the discussion.l1...~g812.~hS AxgS
(12 ... E1.e8 13.~h7+ ~f8 14.~h8#)
13.hxgS fS 14.g6 1-0 Perun-Erofeev,
Kiev2003.12:~'d3+ 12.~c2++- trans-
poses to the game. With the pawn al-
ready on h4, White also prevails easily
after 12.~g4 fSI3.hS+ forcing the king
on to a dark-square. 13 ... ~h614.4Jf7+
~h7 IS.~g6+ 'if)g8 16.4Jh6+ ~h8
17.4JxfS E1.xfS 18.h6+-. 12 ... f5
13.exf6+ ~xf6 White has a mate in
four, but it's even worse after the king
retreats to the h-file. 13 ... ~h614.~h7#
and 13 ... ~hS 14.g4+ ~h6 (14 ... ~xg4
IS.~f3#) IS.~h7#.14.4)ce4+ ~g6
14 ... ~fS when it's mate in three with
either IS.4Jg3+ ~g4 (IS ... ~f6
16.4JhS#) 16.~f3+ (16.~e2+ E1.f3
17.'~xf3#) 16 ... E1.xf3 17.gxf3# or
16.~h3#. 16.4)f7+ 1-0 And the
knights provide an attractive finale
16 ... ~h717.4Jf6#.
(292) Gagunashvili - Gurevich
Oak Brook 2007

Black's horrible opening ceded the cen- l.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.4)f3 4)f6 4.4)c3 e6
ter and permitted White to drive off the 5.e3 4)bd7 6.~c2 Ad6 7.b3 0-0
4Jf6 with eS. With the Ae7 ready to S.Ae2 b6 9.0-0 Ab7 10.Ab2 ~e7
capture the 4JgS, White prepares the I1.Etadl EtadS 12.Ad3 EtfeS

344
 Games
13.E!fel e5 14.cxd5 cxd5 15.dxe5
~xe516.~d4 ~xd317. ~xd3
8 walks into 23.4Jf3 +- winning a tempo
7 that will give White time to block the d-
6 pawn with ii¥d4. 22.<ifjlgl The king can-
5 not safely step forward into a possible
4
3
2
abc d e f g h able to challenge Black's central pawn
Black's sacrifice is marginal here. Two
minors have already been exchanged,
and Black must rely upon two additional
assets, the buried light-square bishop
and the EleS. In the 'it'g3Iine, Black can-
not maintain his queen on the g-file and
after ... ~d6+, White can safely capture
the 4Jg4. 17.••Axh2+ 18"~i'xh2 ~g4+
19.<ifjlg3! In the 'it'glline, White has al-
ready vacated the fl-square, but the
king is unable to escape safely to the
queenside. 19.'it'gl ~h4 20.Eld2 ~h2+
21.'it'fl ~hl + 22.~e2 ~xg2 23.4Jdl
.!leS 24.Ele2 (24.4Jf3 4Jxf2 25.4Jxf2
.!lg4 26.~dl ~xf3+ 27.'it'c1 EleS+
2S.'it'bl .!lf5 29.e4 dxe4 30.~e3 h5 +)
24 ... 4Jxf2 25.4Jxf2 Ag4+ 26.'it'd2
~xf2+ 27.Ele2 .!lxe2 2S.ii¥xe2 ~xe2+
29.'it'xe2+. Black has a rook and three
pawns for the two minor pieces.
19 ... ~e5 Black cannot maintain the
queen on the g-file. 19 ... ii¥g5
20.~f5+-. Black does not have time
for 19 ... h5 20.f4+- and without suffi-
cient assets at Black's disposal, White
can, after 19 ... ~d6+, gleefully capture
the knight: 20.~xg4 ~h2 21.'it'f3 +-.
20. ~d2 The retreat of the queen to e2
permits White later to play ~f3 holding
the g-pawn. 20.~e2 ii¥g5+ 21.'it'h2
4Jg4+ 22.'it'gl ~h5 23.~f3 ~h2+
345
24. ~fl AeS 25.Ac1 Aa6+ 26.4Jeb5 +- .
20 ... ~g5+ 21.<ifjlh2 ~g4+ The obvi-
ous attack with 21...ii¥h4+ 22.'it'gl4Jg4
rook swing. 22.'it'h3 Eld6-+. 22 ••. ~h5
23.~f3 d4 24.e4 f5 25.~e2 fxe4
26.~g3 26. ii¥g5 forces the exchange
of queens: 26 ... ~xg5 27.4Jxg5 h6
2S.4Jh3 d3 29.4Jd4 g5 and White is
mass successfully. 30.f3 ±. 26 ••• ~g6
27.~h4 e3 28.fxe3 ~h6? 28. .. ii¥g5:j:
is more accurate because the white
knight will now reach f5 without hitting
the queen. 29.~gf5 ~g5 30.e4 ~h5
31.~f41-0
(293) Novikov - Domogaev
Tula2007
Sicilian Defense [B29]
1.e4 c5 2.~f3 ~f6 3.e5 ~d5 4.~c3
~ xc3 5.dxc3 e6 6.Af4 Ae7 7.Ad3
0--0 8.h4 f5 9.exf6 gxf6
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
In almost all of the games, the
defender's kings ide pawn structure has
been pristine, at worst with a bishop
rather than a pawn on g7. Here, the
structure has been compromised, but
Black may be counting on the f6-pawn
 Sacking the Citadel
to prevent the sacrifice. For additional
assets, White has the dark-square
bishop and the h4/Eih1, which can
swing via h3 to the open g-file. In the
game, Black selected the '<t'g6line, when
White correctly ditched the .£JgS on e6
and turned the attack over to the major
pieces and the dark-square bishop.
10..1lxh7+ Iit>xh711..£)gS+ Iit>g6 The
.£JgS is immune from capture because
of the opening of the h-file for White's
queen and rook. 11...fxgS 12.hxgS+
(12.'l!YhS also wins trivially, but not
12.'~d3+? EifS) and now all three king
moves lose quickly: (a) 12 ... 'it'g7
13 ..1leS+ M614:~hS+-; (b) 12 ... '<t'gS
13.'l!YhS Eif614.g6+- with mate in two;
and (c) 12 ... '<t'g6 13.Eih6+ '<t'fS
(13 ... '<t'g7 14.~hS+- or 13 ... '<t'f7
14.~hS++-)14.~f3+- withg4#.Af-
ter 11 ... '<t'gS the open kings ide gives
White a mate in three: 12.~hS EieS
(12 ... fxgS 13.~g6+ '<t'hS 14.hxgS#)
13.'l!Yf7+ (13.~h7+ '<t'f8 14.~hS#)
13 ... '<t'hS 14.'l!Yh7 #. In the 'it'g7 line, the
'l!YhS enters with two focal points, h7
and f7 and Black cannot cover both.
11...'<t'g7 12.~hS EihS (12 ... fxgS
13 ..i1eS+ Eif6 14.hxgS+-) 13.~f7+
'<t'h6 14..£Jxe6 #. 12. .£) xe6! The knight
takes on e6 without check but opens
the path for the queen and rook. Also
winning is 12.~d3+ fS (The king re-
treat to the h-file of course gets
bombed. 12 ... 'it'hS 13.~h7+ 'it'g4
14 ..£Jh3+- with f3# next) 13.~g3 (and
there's no way to prevent the discov-
ery, since 13 ... '<t'f6 meets 14 ..i1eS+)
13 ... .i1xgS 14.hxgS .£Jc6 lS.Eih6+ '<t'f7
16.g6+ '<t'eS 17.g7 EigS lS.~g6+ '<t'e7
19 ..i1gS + +- winning the queen and
more. 12 ... dxe6 13.~g4+ Iit>h7
There's no escape to the queenside
because after 13 ... '<t'f7, 14.~hS+ brings
the king back into the mating net:
346
14 ... '<t'g7 (14 ... 'it'gS lS.~g6+ 'it'hS
16.~h6+ 'ittgS17.Eih3+-) lS.Eih3+-.
14.~hS+ Iit>gS No better is 14 ... 'it'g7
lS.Eih3+- withEig3tofollow.lS.~g6+
Iit>hS16..§h31-0 16.Eih3 with the ob-
vious idea ofEig3 would require Black
to play actively: 16 ... Eif7 (16 ... ~dS
17.~h6+ 'ittgSl8.Eig3+ 'ittf719.~g6#)
17.Eig3 ~f8 lS ..1lh6+- and there's no
way to save the queen and prevent
mate.
(294) Morchiashvili - Kadimova
Kavala2007
Semi-Slav Defense [D52]
1.d4 dS 2.c4 c6 3 ..£)f3 .£)f6 4 ..£)c3 e6
S . .1lgS .£)bd7 6.e3 ~aS 7.cxdS
.£) xdS S. ~d2 .1lb4 9 . .§cl 0-0
10..1ld3 b6 11.a3 .1lxc3 12.bxc3
~xa313.e4 .£)Sf614.0-0 .§e81S.eS
.£)dS 16.c4 .£)c7 17.,§c3 ~fS
18.~f4 Jlb719.JldS .§axdS
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a h c d e f g h
White neatly sacrifices both bishops,
the .i1gS on dS simply for clearance for
the .£Jf3-gS. Although White loses the
bishop as an additional asset, White
can count on the secure eS-pawn and
the Eic3-g3 or h3. In the 'it'gS line, the
Eic3 swings to h3 where ~t threatens
EihS and mate. 20.Jlxh7+ Iit>xh7
21 ..£)gS+ Iit>gS In the '<t'g6 line, Eig3
sets up us the powerful discovered
 Games
check, and the queen plays a useful role
after 22 .. .f6 23. ~e4+ forcing f6-f5 when
the discovered check is assured.
21...<it'g6 22.Elg3 f6 23.~e4+ (White
is also winning easily after both
23.<£lxe6+ ~t7 24.<£lxfS+- and 23.exf6
~xf6 24.<£le4+ +-) 23 .. .f5 24.<£lxe6+
~t7 (after 24 ... ~h7 White ought to play
for mate with 25.~h4+ ~g8 26.<£lg5 +- )
25.~xf5++-. 22.Eth31 g6 23.Eth8+
~g7 The mating attack is easy after
23 ... ~xh8 24.~h4++-. 24.Eth7+ ~g8
25:~h41-O
(295) Dzhumaev - Mustafaev
Tashkent 2008
Sicilian Defense [B50]
1.e4 c5 2.4)f3 d6 3.Ac4 4)f6 4.d3
4)c6 5.c3 e6 6.Ab3 Ae7 7.0-0 0-0
8.Ete1 Etb8 9.4)bd2 b5 10.d4 d5
1l.e5 4)d712.a3 b413.cxb4 cxb4
14.Ac2 bxa315.bxa3 Aa616.4)f1
~c717.Ag5Axg5
8 31. 'ii¥f5 +- ) 27. 'ii¥xf4 +- with <£le3-f5 in
7 the air; (b) 25 .. .<it'g8 26.'lii'g6 Elf7
6 27.<£lg5 <£ldxe5 28.'ii¥h7+ ~f8 29.Elxe5
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h possible, but 'ii¥c2+ does the trick. The
White emerged from the sacrifice with a
winning advantage but managed only
a draw, but I think that the real story
here is the choice that White must make
in the ~g6 line. White can count here
on the secure e5-pawn, the <£lfl-g3, and
Elel-e3, and even Elac1 as additional
assets. For the defense, Black stands
347
ready to capture the <£lfl and to give
back material with <£lxe5. In the 'it'g8
line, as played in the game, White pre-
pares 'ii¥c2 with Elc1. White's 25th, a
pretty sacrifice, shows off another as-
pect of the positions, the versatility of
the <£lg5-e6 fork when the ~c7 (or 'ii¥c5)
is unanchored. 18.Axh7+ ~xh7
19.4) xg5+ ~g8 In the ~g6 line,
20.'ii¥g4, 20.'ii¥c2, and even 20.<£lg3 all
appear to win. Simplest, I believe, is
20.~g4, when Black cannot dislodge
the queen from the g-file, and the queen
and knight coordinate the attack har-
moniously. 19 ... ~g6 when: 20.'ii¥g4 f5
21.'ii¥g3 f4 22.'ii¥g4 (activating the dis-
covered check) 22 ...'ii¥c8 23.<£lxe6+ 'it't7
24.Elac1 Elb6 25.~f5+ and White is
clearly winning in every line: (a) The
best defense is 25 .. .<it'e7 26.<£lxfS (win-
ning the exchange, but the pressure is
still on) 26 ... <£lxf8 (on 26 ... 'lii'xf8 White
infiltrates with 27.'ii¥g5+ ~e8 28.e6 <£lf6
29.'ii¥g6+ ~e7 and there's now time to
bring up reinforcements. 30.<£ld2 ~c8
(demonstrating the importance of
24.Elac1. The <£lc6 is pinned.) 29 ... <£lxe5
30.Elxc8+ +-; and (c) 25 ... 'it'e8
26. ~g6+ (White has too many entry
squares) 26 ... 'it'e7 27.<£lxg7 'it'd8
28.<£le6+ +-. 20. 'ii¥c2+ 'ii¥d3+ is not
knight is immune, and ... f5 weakens the
e6-square for a powerful knight fork. (a)
20 .. .f5 21.<£lxe6 'lii'c8 22.Elac1 ~c4
23.<£lg3 <£le7 24.Ele3 (White has too
many additional assets. The rook is
heading to h3) 24 ... ~h7 25.<£lh5 g6
26.Elh3 'it'g8 27.'ii¥d2+- (threatening
<£lf6+ and Elh8+) and (b) 20 ... ~xg5. The
capture is dangerous in the presence of
so many assets. 21.'ii¥h7 <£ldxe5
 Sacking the Citadel
22.~xg7+ 4Jg6 (22 ... 't'f5 23.4Jg3+ 't'f4
24.~f6+ 't'g4 25.h3 #) 23.h4+ 't'f5
(other retreats permit quick mates)
24.4Jg3+ (Black would need to give up
his queen to prevent the mate) 24 ... 't'g4
25.~h6 ~e7 26.~h5+ 'it'f4 27.~f3#.
20.4Jg3!? The threat, of course, is ~h5+,
which Black must prevent: (a) 20 ... E!hS
but White can retain the queen on g4.
21.~g4 f5 22.exf6 4Jxf6 23.E!xe6 (the
rook pins the knight, activating the dis-
covery) 23 ... ~d3 24.h4 4Je5 (24 ... E!bfS
25.E!xf6+ E!xf6 26.4Je6++-) 25.h5+
'it'h6 (25 ... E!xh5 26.~xh5 #) 26.4Jf5+
~xf5 27.~xf5+-and the 4Je5 will not
long be able to defend g6; and (b)
20 ... 4Jf6 (giving back a piece in an ef-
fort to delay White's attack) 21.exf6
't'xg5 (the king cannot successfully run
with 21...'t'xf6 22.~f3+ 't'e7 [not
22 ... 'it'xg5 23.h4+ 'it'g6 24.~h5+ 't'f6
25.~g5# or 22 ... 'it'g6 23.~h5+ 'it'f6
24.~h4 'it'g6 25.4Jh7+-] 23.~xd5+­
with 4Jf5+ next.) There's no forced mate,
but White's activity guarantees the ad-
vantage: 22.fxg7 E!gS 23.~h5+ 'it'f6
(obviously not 23 ... 'it'f4 24.~h4#)
24.~h6+ 't'e7 escaping to the
queenside, but the g-pawn trumps.
25.4Jf5+ 'it'd7 26.~f6 'it'eS 27.4Jh6+-.
20.E!el There's no advantage after
20.~e2 .§,feS 21.~h7+ 'it'fS 22.~hS+
't'e7 23.~xg7 E!fS (Black has sufficient
counterplay on the queenside and cen-
ter) 24.4Je3 4Jxd4 25.4Jxe6 4Jxe6
26.4Jxd5+ 'it'dS 27.4Jxe7 4Jxg7
2S.4Jxa6 E!b2= White has three inac-
tive pawns for the piece, and Black has
sufficient activity. 20 .•• E!bc8 21.E!e3
g6 22. ~g4 ~g7 23. ~h4 E!h8
24.~f4 E!cf8
348
abc d e f g h
25.~xf7+! E!xf7 26.4)xe6+ ~g8
27.4)xe7 4)dxe5 28.4)xa6 4)e4
29.E!g3 White has better winning
chances after 29.E!eS+ 'it'g7 30.E!xhS
't'xhS 31.4Jg3 4Jxd4 32.E!dl ± with a
clear pawn to the good, though Black
has the outside passer and White's
kingside pawns will be slow to push.
29 ... 4)xd4 30.E!el ~g7 31.4)b4
E!h5 32.E!d3 4) b5 33.a4 4)e7
34.4)g3 E!h4 35.E!bl4)e5 36.E!ddl
E!d7 37.a5 E!e4 38.4)e2 d4 39.4)f4
4)b5 40.4)bd3 4)xd3 41.E!xd3 a6
42.E!el E!e3 43.~f1 g5 44.4)e6+
~f6 45.E!xe3= dxe3 46.4)e5 E!e7
47.4)d3 E!e4 48.E!al 4)d4 49.E!bl
E!a4 50.f3 E!xa5 51.E!b6+ ~e7
52.E!b4 4)f5 53.E!e4+ ~f6 54.g4
E!al+ 55.~f2 E!a2+ 56.E!e2 E!xe2+
57.~xe2 4)d4+ 58.~e3 4)b3
59.4)b4 ~e5 6O.~d3 4)d4 61.~xe3
4) xf3 62.4)d3+ ~e4 63.h3 a5
64.4)e5+ ~465.~b3 ~g3 66.4)e4+
Yz-Yz
(296) Carlsen - Martinez
Villanueva Pelae
Madrid 2008
Caro-Kann Defense [B 12]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 e5 4.dxe5 e6
5.4)f3 Axe5 6.Ad3 4)e6 7.0-0
4)ge7 8.Af4 0--0 9.4)bd2 a61O.Ag3
 Games
b5 1l.a4 b4 12.4)b3 Aa7 13.Ele1
Ab7
8 tiently with 19.1"l.ae1 or barge ahead in
7 a familiar way: 19.~h7+! 'it'xg5 (19 ...
6 'it'f6 20.l"l.ae1 ~d6 21.Ah4+-) and it's
5 mate in six: 20.~xg7+ 'it'h5 (20 ... 4Jg6
4
3
2
abcdefgh
Like Alekhine, Lasker, and Capablanca,
the young Magnus Carlsen triumphs
with the sacrifice in a simultaneous ex-
hibition. For additional assets, White
can count on the e5-pawn and Ag3-f4,
though not l"l.e1-e3 or the 4Jb3. In the
game, Black selected the 'it'g6Iine, when
Black cannot dislodge the queen with-
out either hanging the knight on e6 or
the e6-pawn after ... f5. 14.-'1,xh7+
Ii!lxh715.4)g5+ Ii!lg6 In the 'it'g8Iine,
White can select either ~h7+, the nor-
mal continuation with the black knight
on e7, or with ~f7+ because the cap-
ture leaves the e6-pawn unguarded.
15 ... 'it'g8 16.~h5 l"l.e8 17.~xf7+
(17.~h7+ 'it'f818.~h8+ 4Jg819.4Jh7+
'it'e7 20.Ah4+ 4Jf6 21.~xg7 +-)
17 ... 'it'h818.~h5+ 'it'g819.~h7+ 'it'f8
20.4Jxe6+ 'it'f7 21.4Jxg7 +-. In the 'it'h6
line, White would simply transfer the
Ag3-f4 and continue normally with ~g4
if Black retreats the king to g6.15 ... 'it'h6
16.Af4 'it'g617.~g4+- .16.~g41 With
the bishop on g3, White cannot quickly
counter ... 4Jf5 with g4. 16.~d3+? 4Jf5
17.Af4 Ab8 18.g4 4Jxe5 19.9xf5+ exf5
20.~g3 4Jg4=.16 ..• 4)xe5 Moving the
f-pawn removes Black's only defender
of e6. 16 ... f5 17.exf6 e5 (17 ... 'it'xf6
18.l"l.xe6#) 18.Axe5+-. 17.Elxe5 f5
349
lB. ~h4 AcB Preventing the main
threat. Not 18 ... l"l.h8 19.1"l.xe6#.
19.4) xe6 White can proceed more pa-
21.h4+ 'it'g4 [21...'it'h5 22.~h7+ 'it'g4
23.~xg6++-] 22.~xg6++-) 21.Af4+-.
19 ..• Axe6 20.Elxe6+ Elf6 After
20 ... 'it'f7, 21.l"l.ae1 +- forces the knight
to move when White will repost the queen
to h5 orh7. 21.Elxf6+ gxf6 22.~xb4
4)c6 23. ~d2 d4 24. ~d3 4) b4
25.~c4 ~b6 26.a5 ~b7 27.-'1,d6
4)c6 2B.Ele1 +- EldB 29.Ele6 ~f7
30. ~e2 Eld7 31.-'1,f4 White can break
through more quickly with 31.g4.
31 •.. 4)b4 32.4)c1 4)xc2 33.4)d3
Ii!lg7 34.Elxa6 ~c4 35.-'1,h6+ Ii!lxh6
36.Elxf6+ Ii!lg5 37.Elg6+ Ii!lxg6
3B.4)e5+ Ii!lf6 39.4) xd7+ 1-0
(297) Carlsen - Movsesian
Moscow Blitz 2008
Slav Defense [D 15]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.4)f3 4)f6 4.4)c3 a6
5.a4 e6 6.Af4 dxc4 7.e3 4)d5
B.Axc4 4)xf4 9.exf4 Ae7 10.0--0
4)d711.a50--0 12.Ele1 b513.axb6
4)xb614.Ad3c515.dxc5 Axc5
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
 Sacking the Citadel
Showing off, Carlsen successfully un-
dertakes the sacrifice in a blitz game
counting on the ~e1 and the 4Jc3, an
unusual pair of additional assets. In the
game, Black selected the ~g6 line and
while he could not dislodge the white
queen from the g-file, the absence of a
white e5-pawn permitted the black king
to run to f6 and e7. Despite the time
control, Carlsen finds the right path,
doubling the rooks on the e-file.
16.j'txh7+ ~xh717.4)g5+ ~g6 In
the 'ittgSline, Black cannot successfully
defend with ...'It¥d3 because White can
use 4Jc3-e4 to block the diagonal.
17 ... ~gS lS.'~h5 ~eS (IS ... ~d3
19.4Jce4+-) 19.~xf7+ ~hS with time
now to bring up the knight, 20.4Jce4
'It¥d7 (it's mate in three after both
20 ... 'lt¥e7 21.'lt¥h5+ 'ittgS 22.'lt¥h7+ 'ittfS
23.'lt¥hS# and also 20 ... ~e7 21.~h5+
'ittgS 22.'lt¥h7+ 'ittfS 23.~h8#) 21.'lt¥g6
'ittgS 22.4Jf6+ +- winning the queen.
In the ~h6 line, with the queens facing
off, 4Jf7+ successfully wins the black
queen because ~xf7 leaves the black
queen en prise. 17 ... 'itth6 lS.4Jxf7+
~xf719.'lt¥xdS+-. IS.t1tg4 Black sur-
vives handily after lS.'lt¥c2+ f5=.
IS .••f5 19. t1tg3 ~f6 With no way to
move the white queen off the g-file,
Black must move the king or safeguard
the queen. After 19 ... ~e7 20.4Jxe6+
'itth6 White can profitably capture the
rook because 21.4JxfS ~xfS 22.~g5+
'itth7 23.~h5+ ~gS 24.~eS+- also nets
the queen. No better is 19 ... ~h6
20.'lt¥h4+ ~g6 21.~ad1 ~eS (21...'lt¥e7
22.g4+-) when White's attack comes
fully alive after 22.g4 ~hS 23.gxf5+
exf5 24.~g3 ~c6 25.4Je6+ 'ittf7 and
the anchor on the knight results in a
mate in two. 26.~xg7+ 'itteS 27.~dS#.
20.4)h7+ White repeats the position
but ought to proceed now with
350
20.~ad1! ~eS 21.~e5 .llb4
22.~de1 +- as in the game. 20 ... ~f7
21.4)g5+ ~f6 22.EIadl! t1teS On
22 ... ~c7 White infiltrates with 23.~h4
(possible since Black cannot play ... ~hS
and now forcing the black king to g6 to
avoid the discoveries) 23 ... ~g6 24.~d3
(and now the rooks come alive) 24 ... .lld6
25.4Jxe6 .llxe6 26.~ xe6+ +-. 23.EIe5
Jlb4 24.EIdel EIa7 25. t1te3 ~g6
26.t1txb6+- EIb7 27.t1te3 j'td6
2S.4) xe6 j'txe5 29.4) xfS+ t1txfS
30.fxe5 Jle6 31.4)e2 t1tb4 32.4)f4+
~f7 33.h4 t1txb2 34.EIdl t1tb3
35.EId3 t1tc4 36.EId6 EIe7 37.~h2
a5 3S. t1tg3 ~gS 39.EId8+ 1--0
(298) Trent - Deslandes
Cap d' Agde 2008
French Defense [C06]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.4)d2 4)f6 4.e5
4)fd7 5.c3 c5 6.Jld3 4)c6 7.4)gf3
t1tb6 s.o-o cxd4 9.cxd4 4)xd4
10.4)xd4 t1txd4 1l.4)f3 t1tb6
12.t1ta4 t1tb413.t1tc2 t1tc514.t1te2
j'te7 15.Jle3 t1tc7 16.EIacl t1tdS
17.EIc30--0 IS.EIfc11S ..llxh7+ 'ittxh7
19.4Jg5+ .llxg5 20.~h5+ ~gS 21..llxg5
f6 22.~h3 4Jxe5 23.~h7+ ~f7-+
IS••• 4)b6
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
In return for the sacrificed d4-pawn,
White has readied the sacrifice and
 Games
taken control over the open c-fiIe. It is
interesting to observe that the Greco
Sacrifice faits on move 18 with the black
knight on d7 owing to 4::JxeS. For the
sacrifice, White can count on the eS-
pawn, the dark-square bishop, and the
doubled rooks, especially the §c3 ready
to swing. In the <it'gB line, as played in
the game, the §c3 swings to h3 sup-
porting ~h7 and then Af6. 19.Jlxh7+
~xh7 20.{)g5+ Jlxg5 20 ... 'it'gB
21.~hS AxgS 22.AxgS f6 transposes
to the game continuation. Having a rook
on c3 already to swing makes the <it'g6
line unpalatable. 20 ... 'it'g6 21.~c2+ fS
(the king retreat to the h-file is of course
too dangerous, 21...'it'hS 22.~h7+ <it'g4
23.f3 #) 22.exf6+ 'it'xf6 23.Ad4+ (mak-
ing way for the rook swing) 23 ... eS
24.§f3+ 'it'xgS (24 ... AfS 2S.~xfS # with
an attractive mate) 2S.§g3+ Ag4 (not
2S ... 'it'f6 26.~g6# or 2S ... 'it'h6
26.~g6#) 26.§xg4 <it'xg4 27.~g6+
AgS 2B.h3+ 'it'h4 29.g3+ <it'xh3
30.~e6+ with mate next move.
21. ~h5+ ~g8 In the line involving the
Ah6 retreat, White is able to assault the
kingside owing to the rook swing and
the extreme weakness in the dark
squares after ... g6. 21...Ah6 22.Axh6
g6 (22 ... gxh6 23.§h3 +- ) 23. ~h3 <it'gB
24.§g3 4::Jd7 2S.AgS f6 26.exf6 §xf6
(26 ... 4::Jxf6 27.~h6 'it'f7 2B.Axf6 ~xf6
29.§f3+-) 27.Axf6 4::Jxf6 28.~h6+-.
22.Jlxg5 f6 23.Elh3 Jld7 A somewhat
tougher defense is 23 ... 4::Jd7 24.~h7+
'it'f7 2S.exf6+-. 24.~h7+ ~f7
25.Jlxf61-O
(299) Pruess - Kraai
Berkeley 2008
French Defense [CI4]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.{)c3 {)f6 4.Ag5
Ae7 5.e5 {)fd7 6.Jlxe7 ~xe7 7.f4
351
a6 8.{)f3 c5 9. ~d2 {)c6 10.dxc5
~xc5 11.0-0-0 b5 12.Ad3 b4
13.{)e2 a514.Elhel 0-0
abc d e f g h
Another Classical French in which Black
seems to castle into it. The dark-square
bishops have been traded, but White
can count on a secure eS-pawn, 4::Je2-
g3, and the centralized rooks as addi-
tional assets. Black in tum has gener-
ated some pressure upon the white
queenside. In the game, White played
the <it'gB line, when White prevails by
preventing the black king from escap-
ing to the queenside with ~h7-h5.
15.Axh7+ ~xh7 16.{)g5+ ~g8 In
the <it'g6 line, 17.~d3 fS gives White
the 4::Jxe6 fork, which is more important
than winning the exchange on f8.
16 ... 'it'g6 17.~d3+ when: (a) 17 .. .fS
1B.4::Jxe6 ~b6 19.94+-; (b) 17 ... 'itthS
1B.~h7+ (1B.~h3+ <it'g6 19.~h7#)
1B ... 'it'g419.~h3# or 19.h3#; and (c)
17 ... 'it'h6 1B.~h7#. In the 'it'h6 line,
~d3-h3 is brutal. 16 ... <it'h617.~d3 g6
(17 ... §hB1B.4::Jxf7++-) 18.~h3+ 'it'g7
19.~h7#. 17.~d3 Ele8 The rook must
move to create tuft for the king. If in-
stead 17 ... §dB 18.~h7+ <it'fB 19.~hS
g6 20.~h7 4::JdxeS 21.<it'b1 'itte7
22.fxeS §f8 23.4::lf4 +- with 4::Jxg6+ next.
18.~h7+ ~f8 19.~h5 g6 Black
needs to prevent the mate, but not with
19...§e7 20.~hB#. 20.~h6+Themost
 Sacking the Citadel
efficient path here is worth a careful re-
view: 20.'lfi'hS+ 'tte7 21.'lfi'h4 'ttfS 22.f5!
gxf5 (22 ... 4:ldxe5 23.f6+-) 23.4:lh7+
'it'gS (23 ... 'it'g7 24.'lfi'g5+ 'ttxh7
[24 ... 'tthS 25.4:lf6+-] 25.E1.d3+-)
24.~g5+ 'ttxh7 (24 ... 'tthS 25.4:lf6+-)
25.E1.d3 +-. 20••. ~e7 After 20 ... 'ttgS
it's an easy mate in two with 21.'lfi'h7+
and 22. 'lfi'xf7 "". 21. tNh4 ~f8 22.Eld3
White's most efficient win here is with
22.f5. Black cannot capture on g5 with
the g-pawn because, after 4:lh7 and
'lfi'g5, the rook swing provides the fin-
ishing touch. The capture with the e-
pawn encourages 4:lf4 with a double
attack upon d5. And, if Black leaves the
f-pawn where it is, the pawn can push
through. Black's best defense is prob-
ably 22.f5 4:lcxe5 when White prevails
with 23.f'xe6 with 4:lf4 to follow. 22 •..b3
23.Elxb3 ~b4 24.~d4 tNxd4
25.~h7+ ~g8 26.Elh3 ~xe5
27.~f6+ ~f8 Black probably wanted
to avoid giving up the rook with check,
but 27 ... 'ttg7 actually encourages a
mating net with 2S. 'lfi'h6+ 'ttxf6
29.'lfi'g5+ 'ttg7 30.fxe5+-. 28.tNh8+
~e7 29.tNxe8+ ~xf6 Avoiding
29 ...'ttd6 when 30.fxe5+ regains a piece
and preserves the pressure. 30.fxe5+
~g5 31.Elg3+ 1-031. E1.g3+ was good
enough to force resignation, but
31.'lfi'e7+ and 31.'lfi'dS start mates in
three.
(300) Antal- Balog
Hungary 2008
French Defense [C07]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.~d2 c5 4.~gf3
~f6 5.exd5 ~xd5 6.~b3 cxd4
7.~bxd4 Ab4+ 8.Ad2 0-0 9.c4
Axd2+ 10.tNxd2 ~b6 11.0-0-0
Ad7 12.~b5 a6 13.~d6 tNc7
14.~bl ~c615.Ad3 EladS
352
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
The dark-square bishops have been
traded in this French, but White retains
the advanced 4:ld6 and the E1.dl as an
unusual pair of additional assets. In the
game, Black tried 'it'g6, when both 18.h4
with the idea h5 and 18.~d3-g3 are
superior to the game continuation.
16.Axh7+ ~xh7 17.~g5+ ~g6 In
the 'it'gS line, ~d3-h3 is
crushing.17 ... 'ttgS lS.'lfi'd3 f5 (not
lS ... g6 19.'lfi'h3+-or lS ... E1.feS when
the queen must enter on h7, but the
4:ld6 cripples the defense 19.~h7+ 'it'fS
20.~hS+ 'tte7 2 1. 'lfi'x g7 E1.fS
22.4:lge4 +- and the queen will enter on
f6) 19. ~h3 normally slow, but the 4:ld6
holds f7 enabling a simple mate if the
rook retreats to e8. 19 ... E1.f7 (19 ... E1.feS
20.~h7+ 'ttfS 21.~hS+ 'tte7
22. ~xg7 "") 20.4:ldxf7 +- and White
will capture on f8 after 'lfi'hS+ and then
reach f8 with support from 4:lh7. The
'it'h6 line runs smack into a queen-win-
ning discovery, 17 ... 'it'h618.4:lxe6+ +-.
18.~gxf7 White's most efficient con-
tinuation with lS.h4! threatens h5+
driving the king to h6 and a crushing
discovery or to f6 with a mating net.
lS ... 4:lxc4 19.h5+ 'it'f6 (19 ... 'tth6
20.4:lgxf7++- )20.4:lh7+ 'it'e7 21.~g5+
f6 22.~xg7+ E1.f7 23.~xf7"" )Also win-
ning is the usual idea of 18.~d3+! f5
(capturing the knight again walks into
 Games
too many ready assets: 18 ... ~xg5
19.~g3+ 'it'h6 [19 ... 'it'f6 20.4Je4+ ~e7
(20 ... ~f5 21.~g5+ ~xe4 22.Eihel#)
21.~xc7+-] 20.4Jf5++- with a beauti-
ful check that nets the unanchored
queen) 19.~g3 f4 20.~h4 Eih8
21.~xf4 Eidf8 and the black king is too
exposed to survive without significant
material loss: 22.~g3 'it'h5 23.4Jge4
~d8 24.~xg7 Eifg8 25.4Jf6+ 'it'h4
26.4Jxg8+- . 18... §xti 19.~d3+ §f5
20.g4 ~h7 With the attack on the
pinned rook, White is winning. Black
will need to retreat the king to h7, but
he can first try 20 ... 4Je5 21.gxf5+ 'it'h7
22.~h3+ ~g8 23.f6 (with the threat of
both f7+ and fxg7) 23 ... g6 (and the cap-
ture opens the g-file 23 ... gxf6
24.Eihgl + +- ) 24.f4 +- . 21.gxf5 exf5
22.c5 4:)a4 Challenging the powerful
4Jd6 only forces it to take a more active
role on the kingside: 22 ... 4Jc8 23.4Jf7
Eie8 24.4Jg5+ (with the appearance of
the sacrifice having just occurred)
24 ... 'it'g6 (24 ... 'it'g8 The king retreat to
g8 encourages 25.~d5+ 'it'h8 when
White can win with a rook swing or play
for mate with 26.~f7 4Je5 27.~h5+
~g8 28.~h7+ ~f8 29.~h8+ 'it'e7
30.~xg7+ ~d8 31.~f6+ 4Je7
32.4Je6+ +-) and the 'it'g6 line walks
into an open g-file, 25.Eihgl 'it'f6
26.f4+-. 23.~h3+ ~g8 Not surpris-
ingly, 23 ... 'it'g6 walks into a mating net,
24.Eihgl + 'it'f6 25.~h4+ 'it'e6 26.Eig6+
~e5 27.f4# or 27.4Jc4# or 27.4Jf7#.
24. ~b3+ +- ~h7 25. ~xa4 Ae6
26.§he1 ~e7 27.§d3 §xd6
28.§h3+ ~g8 29.cxd6 ~xd6
30. ~d1 Ad5 31. ~h51-0
(301) Burmakin - Ziatdinov
Moscow 2009
Catalan Opening [E08]
353
1.4:)f3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.g3 4:)f6 4.Ag2
Ae7 5.0-0 0-0 6.d4 c6 7.b3 b6
8.Ab2 Ab7 9.4:)c3 4:)bd7 10.~c2
§c8 1l.§fd1 ~c7 12.§ac1 ~b8
13.e4 §fd814.e5 4:)e815.cxd5 cxd5
16.Afl 4:)c7 17.Ad3 4:)f8 18. ~e2
Ac6 19.4:)a4 ~b7 20.§c2 a6
21.§dc1 Ae8 22.h4 4:)d7 23.~g2
4:)b8
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
White has prepared the sacrifice with
some slow maneuvering, h4 and 'it'g2
in order to activate the Eic1 on the h-
file. In support of the sac, White has
the secure e5-pawn, the dark-square
bishop, and the doubled rooks. By con-
trast, Black has massed inefficiently on
the queenside, and for defense on the
king's wing, Black has a vacated f8
square for the knight, the ~e8 and ~e7,
and potentially the ~b7 over-protect-
ing f7. In the line with ~xg5, Black
worked hard to involve the ~b7 in the
defense of the kingside, but ultimately,
the weakness of the e6-pawn is telling.
24.Axh7+ ~xh7 25.4:)g5+ j'txg5 In
the 'it'g8 line, Black has no choice but
to capture the 4Jg5 and open the h-file.
There's no immediate mate, but it is in-
teresting to see how quickly the g5-
pawn becomes a queen. 25 ... 'it'g8
26.~h5 ~xg5 27.hxg5 4Jb5 28.Eixc8
Eixc8 29.Eihl 'it'f8 30.g6. The pawn is
immune owing to the idea of ~h8 and
 Sacking the Citadel
then §h7. 30 .. .'li1c7 31.~hB+ '3;e7
32.~xg7 4Jc6 33.§h7 '3;dB 34.'li1f6+
"itlIe7 35.g7 +- and the pawn will queen.
In the ~g6line, ~d3+ is the most effec-
tive continuation because the black e6-
pawn is irreparably weakened after ... f5.
25 ... ~g6 and now: (a) 26.~g4 wins,
but more care is required because the
queen does not have access to h4.
26 ...i.txg5 (the obvious try with 26 ... '3;h6
fails to 27.§hl and 2B.1a.c1, returning
the dark-square bishop to the key di-
agonal) 27."itlIxg5+ '3;h7 28."itlIxdB §xdB
29.§xc7~aB 30.4Jxb6+-; (b) 26."itlId3+
f5 (king retreats are quickly mated)
27.exf6+ ~xf6 (not 27 ... ~h5 28.~h7+
'3;g4 29.f3 #) 2B. "itlIe3 when all of the
lines are winning for White: (1) Black's
toughest defense is 2B ... 4Jc6 but White
has a forced win with 29.§xc6 ~xc6
30.§xc6 Axc6 when it's mate in eight:
31.~f3+ ~g6 32.h5+ '3;h6 (32 ... ~xg5
33.i.tc1 #) 33.~d3 i.teB 34."itlIh7+ ~xg5
35.~xg7+ '3;f5 36.~e5+ ~g4 37.f3#;
(2) 2B ... i.td7 29.~f3+ (with threats of
"itlIf7 and h5+) 29 ... '3;g6 30.h5+ '3;h6
(30 ... ~xg5 31."itlIf7+-) 31.~d3 i.teB
32.~h7+ '3;xg5 33.~xg7+ ~f5
(33 ... ~xh5 34.§hl + +-) 34.'liYe5+ '3;g4
35.f3 #; and (3) On 2B ... i.tf7 White has
a quick mate with 29.~f3+ ~g6
30.~xf7+ ~h6 31.h5 +-. 25 ... '3;h6
(benefiting from the buried nature of
White's dark-square bishop and the
presence of the h4-pawn) 26. §c3
(threatening ~c2 and a breakthrough
on the h-file) 26 ... g6 27.§hl ~g7 2B.h5
i.tb5 (2B ... i.txg5 29.hxg6 fxg6 30.~g4
i.th6 31."itlIh4+- taking full advantage
ofBlack's inability to play §hB) 29.~d2
§hB 30.§f3 i.teB 31.h6+ ~fB (31...~gB
32.h7+ ~fB 33.~f4+-) 32.h7 4Jc6
33.4Je4+- with ~h6+ next. 26.hxg5f5
26 ... '3;gB 27."itlIh5+- with §hl to fol-
low; 26 ... '3;g6 27.§h1+- and Black can-
354
not prevent ~h5 with a quick mate.
27.gxf6 4)b5 28.'§xc8 .§xc8
29•.§hl+ Cit'g8 30. ~g4 ~f7 31.f xg7
1-0
(302) Khater - Grigorian
Dos Hermanas 2009
Trompowsky Attack [DOO]
l.d4 4)f6 2.Jlg5 d5 3.Jlxf6 exf6
4.e3 c6 5.c4 dxc4 6.Jlxc4 Jld6
7.4)e2 0-0 8.0-0 4)d7 9.4)bc3 f5
10.j}"d34)f611..§cl
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
A snap decision in a blitz game in which
Black can count on the light-square
bishop, which is itselfveiled behind the
f5-pawn, and the §fB, which needs a
move to reach the e-file. In the game,
White defended in the '3;g3 line, the
best defense. Black can sustain the
queen on the g-file, but without a pawn
on e4, the white king can run to f3. Even
with the best defense, in which the white
king reaches the queenside, Black re-
tains a significant advantage.
1l...Jlxh2+ 12.Cit'xh2 4)g4+ 13.Cit'g3
In the '3;glline, Black wins quickly with
~xf2 and 4Jxe3, hitting the queen and
threatening mate in one. 13.'3;gl "itlIh4
14.§el ~xf2+ 15.'3;hl4Jxe3-+. In the
'3;h3 line, Black simply pushes the f4-
pawn out of the way to activate the dis-
covered check. 13.'3;h3 f4! 14.exf4
 Games
(safeguarding the queen costs the king:
14:~'d2 <tJxf2+ 15.~h2 fxe3 16.'li¥c2
[not 16.'li¥xe3 <tJg4+] 16.. :~·h4+ 17.'it'gl
~hl#) 14 ... <tJxf2+ -+ winning the
queen.13 •.• ~g5114.f4 ~g615.~f3
§e8116.e4? White panics, afraid obvi-
ously of the rook capture on e3. To hold,
White needed to part with his queen:
16.~d2 .§xe3+ 17.~xe3 <tJxe3
18.'it'xe3 ~xg2 19.~d2 ~e6 20 ..§hl
~g6 2Ukgl ~f6 22.'it'c1 .§e8+with
23 ... ~d5 next. 16.••fxe4+ 17..1l,xe4 f5
-+ 18.g3 fxe4+ 19.~g2 After
19.<tJxe4 there's a pretty mate in one,
19 ... ~xe4#. 19 ..• Jile3+ 20.~g1
Jilxd1 21.§fxd1.1lg4 22.~f2 e3+
23.~g2 h5 24.d5 h4 25.dxc6 bxc6
26.§g1 §adS 27.§ce1 §d2 28.~h2
~h5~1
(303) Bodiroga - Berry
Dos Hermanas 2009
Queen's Gambit [D41]
1.d4 Jilf6 2.c4 e6 3.Jilf3 d5 4.Jilc3 c5
5.cxd5 Jilxd5 6.e4 Jilxc3 7.bxc3 cxd4
8.cxd4.1l,b4+ 9..1ld2 .1l,xd2+ 10.~xd2
~ 1l..1lc4 b612.~ .1l,b713.§fe1
Jilc6 14.§ad1 Jila5 15 ..1l,d3 §c8
16.d5 exd517.e5 Jilc418. ~f4 ~c7
abcdefgh
This position is remarkably similar to
Flesch-Kovacs, 1969 (see game 146).
There, Black's rook and queen were on
355
c8 and c7 respectively, and even this
small difference has a substantial effect
upon the lines. White counts on the
same additional assets, the mobile e5-
pawn and the two centralized rooks. In
the ~g6 line, White has 'li¥g3 because
the black queen cannot here capture on
g5. 19..1l,xh7+ ~xh7 20.Jilg5+ ~g6
In the ~g8Iine, White can proceed with
~h7 or advance the e-pawn, shattering
the center and activating the .§el.
20 ... ~g8 21.~h4 (the queen does not
have access to h5, but the black queen
is already defending f7) 21.. ..§fe8 22.e6
(22.'li¥h7+ 'it'fB 23.'li¥h8+ ~e7 24.'li¥xg7
(threatening both the f-pawn and 'li¥f6)
24 ... 'it'd8 25.<tJxf7++-) and now:
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
(a) 22 ... <tJe5 defending the f7-pawn, but
White has 23 ..§xe5 ~xe5 24.exf7++-;
(b) 22 ... fxe6 and there's a mate in ten:
23.~h7+ ~f8 24.~h8+ ~e7 25 ..§xe6+
~d7 (25 ... 'it'd8 26.'li¥xe8#) 26.'li¥xg7+
~d8 27 ..§xe8+ ~xe8 28.~g8+ 'it'e7
29.'li¥f7+ ~d6 (29 ... 'it'd8 30.<tJe6#)
30.<tJe4+ ~e5 31.'li¥f6+ ~xe4
32 ..§d4 #; and (c) There's no mate after
22 ... .§xe6 23.'li¥h7+ ~f8 but White
gains a queen-winning knight fork
24 ..§xe6 fxe6 25.<tJxe6+ +-. 21. ~g3
~e7 Black tries to safeguard the queen
because there's no way to move the
queen off g3. 21...f5 22.<tJe6++- is
crushing. 22.Jile6+ ~h7 The discov-
 Sacking the Citadel

ered check is overwhelming. Black's re-
sponse hangs mate, but the alternatives
are little better: 22 ... 'it>f5 23.4Jxg7# and
22 ... 'it>h5 allows a mate in four: 23.4Jf4+
'it>h6 24.'~h3+ 'it>g5 25.'~h5+ 'it>xf4
26 ..§.d4#. 23.'lt/xg7# 1-0
(304) Ernst - On rust
Vlissingen 2009
Slav Defense [Dl6]
[White wants mate, not just the knight]
22 ... 'i'ii'c2 [not 22 ... 4Jxh7 23.~h5#] and
it's mate in three: 23.4Jxf8+ 'it'f5 24.g4+
4Jxg4 25 ..§.f3 #) 22. ~e4+ f5 (22 ... 4Jf5
meets 23.'i'ii'xf4 with ~g4 next, and not
22 ... 'it>xg5 23.~xf4+ 'it'g6 24.~g5#)
and the en passant check resembles a
bomb going off around the black king:
23.exf6+ 4Jf5 24.'i'ii'xf4+-. 21.~h5
~c2 22.!3h31--O

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.{)f3 {)f6 4.{)c3 (305) Ganguly - Shirov

dxc4 5.a4 e6 6.e3 Ab4 7.-'l,xc4 0--0 Montcada 2009
8.0-0 {)bd7 9.'lt/e2 'It/a5 10.!3d1 Ruy Lopez [C78]
{)b6 1l.-'l,d3 c5 12.{)a2 cxd4
13.{)xb4 'It/xb414.a5 {)bd515.e4 1.e4 e5 2.{)f3 {)c6 3.-'l,b5 a6 4.Aa4
{)e7 16.e5 {)fd5 17.Ad2 White {)f6 5.0--0 b5 6.Ab3 -'l,c5 7.a4!3b8
could have undertaken the sacrifice 8.c3 d6 9.d4 -'l,b610.a5 -'l,a711.h3
right here in part because the Rook 0-0 12.Ae3 !3a8 13.{)bd2 -'l,b7
swing he sought to arrange with .§.a3- 14.Ac2 exd415.cxd4 !3e816..1lbl
h3 was in fact available earlier with .§.d4- {)e717.e5 {)fd5
h4. 17 ..Ilxh7+! 'it'xh7 18.'§'xd4+-.
17..• 'lt/b318.!3a3 'It/xb2 8
7
8 6
7 5
6 4
5 3
4 2
3
2
abc d e f g h

abc d e f g h In this Ruy Lopez-like variation of the

In the diagrammed position, White has
an easy win with three additional as-
sets, the e5-pawn, the .Ild2, and the
.§.a3 ready to swing. In the 'it>g8Iine, as
played in the game, the black queen can
enter the bl-h7 diagonal on c2, but
.§.a3-h3 trumps that defense.
19.Axh7+ <itlxh7 20.{)g5+ <itlg8In
the 'it'g6 line, there's no stopping .§.h3
with the idea of'i'ii'h5. 20 ... 'it'g6 21..§.h3
4Jf4 (Also desperate is 21...4Jf6 22.4Jh7!
Sicilian, White has migrated the light-
square bishop to the appropriate diago-
nal, and prepared the sacrifice with a
strong center and e4-e5. In support of
the sacrifice, White has four additional
assets, the secure and mobile e5-pawn,
the dark-square bishop, .§.a3, and the
4Jd2, which can choose between 4Je4-
f6 and 4Jf3-h4. In the game, Black played
into the 'it>g8 line where the .§.fS has
already vacated the fS-square .... 4Jg6
would shut down the white attack were

356
 Games
it not here for the mobile eS-
pawn.1S.Axh7+ 'ifj1xh7 19.Jilg5+
'ifj1gS After T9 ...'iftg6, ~c2+ followed by
4:Jf3-h4 seems the clearest path to the
win. (a) 20.'lifc2+ fS (20 ... 4:JfS 21.4:Jdf3
E!hS 22.g4 'lifd7 [not 22 ... .llcS 23.Ac1
'lifd7 24.E!el +-] 23.'ifth2 E!aeS
24.E!gl +-) 21.exf6+ 4:JfS 22.4:Jdf3
'iftxf6 23.g4 4:Jh6 24.E!ael ± and now
capturing the bishop on e3 opens the f-
file for White's other rook; and (b)
20.'lifg4!? fS 21.'lifg3 ~cS with the aim
of forcing the queen off the g-file (less
promising is 21...f4 22.~g4 'lifcS the
same idea, but White has 23.4:Je6+ ~f7
24.4:Jf3 a remarkable resource that pro-
tects the knight on e6 24 ... 4:Jg6
2S.4:JfgS+ ~gS 26.'liffS 'lifd7 27.'lifxg6
E!xe6 2S.4:Jxe6+- ) 22.4:Jdf3 f4 23.4:Jh4+
'ifth6 24.Axf4 4:Jxf4 2S.'lifxf4 dxeS
26.dxeS §fS 27.'lifd2 (finally, the dis-
covered check is in the air) 27 ... g6 try-
ing to create an escape square, but
2S.e6± with a clear advantage, though
the final positions in the 'lifd3 line are
somewhat more compelling. 20. ~h5
Jilg6 21.e6! Etxe6 Too weakening is
21...fxe6 22.'lifh7+ ~fS 23.~xg6 (cap-
turing the knight with a threat) 23 ... ~e7
24.4:Jde4 +- with a rook swing in the
offing. 22.~h7+ 'ifj1fS 23.Jilxe6+ fxe6
24. ~xg6 ~f6 25. ~g3 'ifj1gS 26.Jilf3
EtfS 27.Etac1 ~f5 2S.Etfe1 Etf7
29.Jilh4 White can improve here with
29.4:JgS or 29.Ad2. 29 .•• ~h5 30.Jilf3
e5 31.dxe5 Jilxe3 32.e6 Etf6 33.e7
~eS 34.fxe3? White's path to an ad-
vantage is 34.E!xc7 Axf3 3S.gxf3 AbS
36.E!b7 E!g6 37.E!xe3 E!xg3+ 3S.fxg3
with two active rooks and an immobi-
lized black queen. 34... -'l,xf3 35.Etxc7
-'l,bS 36.Etc2 -'l,e4 37.Etf2 Etxf2
3S.~xf2 ~xe7 39.~f4 jta7
40.'ifj1h1 -'l,c5 41.~g4 d5 42.~h5
~f7 43.~xf7+ 'ifj1xf7 44.'ifj1g1
357
'ifj1e6-+ 45.'ifj1f2 d4 46.exd4 jtxd4+
47.'ifj1g3 'ifj1d5 4S.Ete2 jtd3 49.Etd2
'ifj1e4 50.b3 b4 51.'ifj1h4g5+ 52.'ifj1h5
'ifj1e3 53.Eta2 jtb1 54.Eta4 jtc3 0-1
(306) Kuzubov - Koerholz
Ohrid2009
Nimzo-Indian Defense [E28]
1.d4 Jilf6 2.c4 e6 3.Jilc3 jtb4 4.e3
0-0 5.a3 -'l,xc3+ 6.bxc3 b6 7.-'l,d3
-'l,a6 S.e4 Jilc6 9.Jilf3 JileS 10. ~e2
Jila5 1l.e5 d5
abc d e f g h
There's often a price to pay for ceding
the center. Perhaps sensing the danger
after l1.eS, Black lashes out with ... dS
seeking to relieve the pressure with ex-
changes. For the sacrifice, White can
count on the secure eS-pawn and the
dark-square bishop. The game ends
abruptly because the E!fS is unable to
create an escape square. In the ~g6
line, the immediate h4 forces Black to
counter the threat of hS, driving the
black king to h6. 14 ... E!hS tenninally
weakens the f7-square, and 14 ... 'life7,
the attempt to save the queen, only en-
courages a mating net with lS.'lifd3.
12.-'l,xh7+ 'ifj1xh7 13.Jilg5+ 'ifj1g6
13 ... 'iftgS 14.'lifhS+- The rook cannot
vacate the f8-square, and Black can only
delay the mate on h7 or give up his
queen for the knight. 14.h4! Winning
 Sacking the Citadel
but less impressively is 14.~g4 f5
15.~g3 ~e7 (Black cannot force the
queen off the g-file and so it is neces-
sary to safeguard the queen) 16.4Jxe6+
'it'f7 17.cxd5 (better to preserve the
knight and threaten Jlg5 than to take
the exchange) 17 .. J:~hB 1B ..ilg5 'l11"d7
19. ~f3 +- . And the queen checks also
win: 14.~c2+ f5 (not 14 ... 'it'h515.'lii'h7+
'it'g4 16.h3 # or 16.f3 # or 16.'lii'h3 # )
15.h4 (not 15.exf6+ ~xf6"j: but
15.4Jxe6+- is satisfactory) 15 ... ~e7
16.h5+ (with an attack that is similar to
what happens in the game) 16 ... ~h6
17.4Jxe6+ 'it'h7 1B.cxd5+-. 14.~d3+
f5 when White will win with either
15.4Jxe6 or 15.~g3. 14.•• tte7 After
h5+, Black will be forced to play 'it'h6
enabling the discovered check. The
queen move seeks to safeguard the
queen from the discoveries. If instead
Black attempts to prevent the advance
ofthe h-pawn with 14 ... .§hB, White has
a mate in six: 15.~d3+ f5 16.exf6+ ~xf6
(16 ... 'it'h6 17.h5 ~xf6 1B.4Jf7#)
17.~f3+ 'it'g6 (17 ... 'it'e718.~f7+ ~d6
19.~xe6#) 1B.h5+ '§xh5 19.~f7+ 'it'h6
20.~xh5 #. The other defensive
try14 ... f5 does nothing to prevent the
main threat. 15.h5+ 'it'h6 16.4Jxe6+ +- .
15.h5+ <iflh6 Black obviously would
normally want to avoid the discovered
checks available after the retreat to h6,
but the other king move walks into a
mate in one. 15 ... ~f5 16.~f3# or
16.g4#.16.ttd3ttxg5Hopingtoob-
tain enough material for the queen, but
the queen capture results in a mate in
four. On 16 ... f5 White has a mate in two:
17.exf6 4Jxf6 18.~g6# and 16 ... .§hB
17.4Jxf7 #. 17.Axg5+ <iflxg518. tte3+
<iflg4 No better is 1B ... ~f5 19 ..§h4
4Jxc4 20.g4 # 19.£3+ 1-0 It's mate in
two: 19 ... 'it'f5 (19 ... 'it'g3 20.~g5#)
20.g4#.
358
(307) Prie - Svetushkin
France 2009
Queen's Pawn Game [D02]
l.d4 4)f6 2.Af4e6 3.e3 c5 4.c3 4)c6
5.4)£3 d5 6.4)bd2 J;td6 7.J;tg3 0--0
8.Ad3 tte7 9,J~~e5 4)d710.4)xd7
Axd7 1l.Axd6 ttxd6 12.dxc5
ttxc5
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abcdefgh
The final two games in the book are
highly unusual and well worth your
time. At the time of the sacrifice, White
cannot point to any additional assets,
not an e5-pawn, not a dark-square
bishop, and not even a pawn on h4. In
addition, the remaining white knight,
usually on f3, is on d2 and will have a
longer journey to g5. Moreover, Black
appears to be well developed. Remark-
able, therefore, that White won two re-
cent games from this position.
13.Axh7+ <iflxh7 14.tth5+ Here's
one of the reasons. Without the knight
blocking the queen's access to the h-
file, the queen reaches h5 in one move,
forcing the black king straight back to
h8. We will not have to calculate any
other line. 14 ... <iflg8 15.4)e4 And
here's the second point. With 4Je4, the
knight gains time with an attack upon
the black queen, speeding its access to
g5. 15 ... ttc4 15 ... g6 is untenable be-
cause 16.4Jxc5 attacks the unanchored
 Games
.lld7. 16•.£lg5 With the obvious threat
on h7 and the attack upon f7 should the
.§f8 move. 16••. ElfdS Black cannot try
16 ... ~d3 because e4 blocks the queen's
access to h7. 17.e4 .§fd8 18 ..§dl 'ltYc4
19.~xfl+ 'it'h8 and White has time for
either 20.~g6 or 20.f4. 17.~xf7+
Iit'hS IS. ~h5+ Iit'gS White clearly has
at least a draw by perpetual check. In
two recent games, patient white attacks
garnered the full point. 19. ~f7+
19 ..§dl d4 (19 ... ~xa2 20.f4 'ltYxb2
21.0-0 'ltYc2 22.f5+-) 20.'ltYf7+ 'it'h8
21.h4 ~d5 22.0-0 'ltYf5 23.~xf5 exf5
24.<tlfl+ 'it'g8 25.<tlxd8 '§xd8 26.exd4
.lle6 27.b3 'it'fl 28 ..§fel b5 29.'it'h2 a5
30 ..§d3 a4 31..§f3 a xb3 32.axb3 b4
33 ..§fe3 .llxb3 34.cxb4 i.1.c4 35 ..§f3 'it'f6
36 ..§f4 <tlxd4 37 ..§ee4 <tle6 38 ..§xc4
<tlxf4 39 ..§xf4 .§d2 40.g3 .§b2 41.'it'g2
g6 42.'it'f3 ~e5 43.~e3 1-0 Nguyen
Ngoc Truong Son-Kanep, Khanty-
Mansiysk Russia, 2010. 19 ..• lit'hS
20.h4 Black must play actively to
counter .§h3-g3 and h4-h5-h6.
20 .•• .£le5 21. ~h5+ Iit'gS 22.0--0-0
~xa2 23.~h7+ Iit'fS 24.~hS+ lit'e7
25.~xg7+ Iit'd6 Trying to run to the
queenside, but the .§dl shows its
power. 26 •.£le4+ Iit'c6 26 ... 'it'c7
27. ~xe5++- 27. ~xe5 ~a1 + 2S.lit'd2
~xb2+ 29.lit'e1 b6 30 •.£ld6 ~a3
31.c4 ~b4+ 32.Eld2 ~c5 33.h5 Ae8
33 ... ~xd6 34.cxd5+ exd5 35 ..§c2++-
34.cxd5+ exd5 35 . .£lf5 1-0 or
35.<tlxe8 and the h-pawn will march.
359
(308) Brechin - Shaw
Edinburgh 2009
Queen's Pawn Game [D02]
1.d4 d5 2.Af4 .£lf6 3.e3 c5 4.c3 .£lc6
5 •.£ld2 e6 6 •.£lgf3 Ad6 7 •.£le5 ~
S.Ad3 ~e7 9.~ .£ld7 10•.£lxd7
~xd7 1l.Axd6 ~xd6 12.dxc5
~xc5
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
This position is nearly identical to the
last game, save that White has castled
and Black has not yet played ... i.1.d7.
You might imagine that the difference
would favor White, but the presence of
the bishop on d7 leaves it vulnerable.
13.Axh7+ Iit'xh7 14.~h5+ Iit'gS
15•.£le4 g6 The key difference. In the
last game, the presence of the bishop
on d7 made ... g6 unplayable. 16.~g5
Maintaining the pin on the d5-pawn.
16... ~e7 17. .£lf6+ Iit'g7 Obviously
not 17 ... 'it'h8 18.~h6#. And now,
White has nothing better but to force a
perpetual. lS•.£lh5+ Iit'h7 19 . .£lf6+
Iit'g7 20•.£lh5+ Iit'h7 21 •.£lf6+ Yl-Yl
Sacking the Citadel

360
 Chapter 7

Greco's Quiz

I recommend that readers work through the taxonomy of the Greco Sacrifice in
Chapter 5 before undertaking this 30-game quiz. It is my expectation that readers,
once fully familiar with the sacrificial themes, will be able to calculate the relevant
variations here intuitively and deeply.

Of course, you can treat the entire book as a quiz. For every diagram just prior to
the Greco Sacrifice, identify the additional assets and judge the soundness of each
ofthe main lines before looking just ahead.

You will find the solutions for each position in this quiz beginning on page 369.

#1 Unell-Judd #2 Schuett - Steiner

Aspen 1968 Germany corr 1970
Owen's Defense [A40] Ruy Lopez [C99]

l.d4 b6 2.c4 j},b7 3.Jilc3 e6 4.e4 l.e4 eS 2..£)f3 .£)c6 3.AbS a6 4.Aa4
j},b4 S.j},d3 j},xc3+ 6.bxc3 .£)e7 .£)f6 S.O-O j},e7 6.Elel bS 7.j},b3 d6
7 ..£)f3 0-0 8.0-0 dS 9.cxdS exdS 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 .£)as 10.j},c2 cS 1l.d4
10.eScS 'tNc7 12•.£)bd2 j},b7 13 . .£)fl cxd4
14.cxd4 Elac81S.j},bl dS 16.exdS
8 exd417.j},gS .£)xdS 18.j},xe7 .£)xe7
7
6 8
5 7

4 6
3 5
2 4
3
abc d e f g h 2

abc d e f g h

361
 Sacking the Citadel

#3 Ludvigsson - Lehikoinen #5 Spassov - Panchenko

Groningen 1970 Sochi 1980
French Defense [C 11] Semi-Slav Defense [D45]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 dS 3 . .£)c3 .£)f6 4.eS 1 ..£)f3 .£)f6 2.c4 e6 3 ..£)c3 dS 4.d4
.£)fd7 S.f4 cS 6.dxcS .£)c6 7.a3 c6 S.e3 .£)bd7 6. ~c2 jld6 7.b3 0-0
jlxcS 8 . .£)f3 0-0 9.jld3 f6 10.b4 8.jle2 dxc4 9.bxc4 eS 10.0-0 ~e8
jlb611 ..£) bS f xeS 1l.jlb2 ~e7 12.~fe1 e4 H ..£)d2
.£)f8 14.jlfl
8
7 8
6 7
5 6
4 5
3 4
2 3
2

abc d e f g h
abcdefgh

#4 Kuzmin - Mukhin
Baku 1972 #6 Bernat - Lipnowski
Sicilian Defense [B82] Ramat Hasharon 1980
Queen's Indian Defense [EI2]
1.e4 cS 2..£)f3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4 ..£) xd4
.£)f6 S. .£)c3 a6 6.f4 e6 7.jld3 'I1Ic7 1.d4 .£)f6 2.c4 e6 3 ..£)f3 b6 4.a3 jlb7
8.0-0 jle7 9 . .£)f3 .£)c610. 'I1Ie1 0-0 S..£)c3 dS 6.cxdS .£)xdS 7.e3 jle7
1V~h1 .£)d7 12.'I1Ig3 ~d8 H.fS 8.JtbS+ c6 9.Jtd3 0-0 10.e4 .£)xc3
jlf814.fxe6fxe6 1l.bxc3 cS 12.h4 cxd413.cxd4 Aa6
14.jlc2 .£)c61S.eS ~dS
8
7
6
5
4
3
2

abc d e f g h
abc d e f g h

362
 Greco's Quiz

#7 Browne - Benjamin #9 Pablo Marin - Marin Corresa

Berkeley 1984 Cajas 1989
Queen's Indian Defense [E12] French Defense [COO]

l.d4 41f6 2.c4 e6 3.410 b6 4.a3 .1la6
5.e3 d5 6.41c3 .1le7 7.41e5 0-0
8.Ae2 c6 9.0-0 41fd7 10.41 xd7
41 xd711.b3 .1ld612.Ab2 f513.~c1
41f614.cxd5 Axe215.41xe2
l.e4 e6 2.f4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.4J0 41h6
5 ..1le2 tfJb6 6.0-0 41c6 7.c3 .1ld7
8. tfJb3 tfJc7 9.d4 cxd4 10.cxd4 41f5
1l.Ae3 Ab412 ..1lf2 a613.4Jc3 0-
o 14.~ac1 b5 15.a3 .1la5 16..1ld3
41fe717.41e2 Ab6

8
7
6
5
4
3
2

abc d e f g h
abc d e f g h

#8 Sieiro Gonzalez - Paneque

St. Spiritus 1989 #10 Jasnikowski - Votava
French Defense [C14] Warsaw 1989
Queen's Gambit Declined [D41]
l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.41c3 41f6 4.Ag5
Ae7 5.e5 41fd7 6.Axe7 tfJxe7 7.f4 1.410 41f6 2.c4 e6 3.d4 d5 4.4Jc3
0-08.410 c5 9. tfJd2 41c610.0-0-0 c5 5.cxd5 41xd5 6.e4 41xc3 7.bxc3
a6 1l.dxc5 tfJxc5 12.'iIlbl 4Jb6 cxd4 8.cxd4 Ab4+ 9.Ad2 Axd2+
13.Ad3Ad7 10.tfJxd2 0-0 1l.Ac4 b612.o-0 Ab7
13.~fel 41c6 14.~adl ~c8 15.d5
8 41a5 16.Ad3 exd5 17.e5 41c4
7 18.tfJf441b2
6
5 8

4 7

3 6
2 5
4

abc d e f g h 3
2

abc d e f g h

363
 Sacking the Citadel

#11 Groszpeter - Linker #13 Sanchez Almeyra - Rodriguez

Berlin 1990 Maringa 1991
Semi-Slav Defense [D47] Nimzo-Indian Defense [CI6]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3./Z)e3 Ab4 4.e5

1.d4 d5 2.e4 e6 3.lZ)e3 /Z)f6 4.e3 e6 /Z)e7 5.Ad2 b6 6./Z)f3 0-0 7.Ad3 e5
5./Z)f3 Ae7 6.Ad3 dxe4 7.Axe4
/Z)bd7 8.0-0 0-0 9.e4 /Z)b610.Ad3 8
e5 11.dxe5 Axe5 12.e5 /Z)fd5 7
6
5
8
4
7
3
6 2
5
4
abcdefgh
3
2

#14 Kosten - Adrian

abc d e f g h France 1991
French Defense [C 17]

#12 Sziraki - Olah 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3./Z)e3 Ab4 4.e5

Eger 1991 /Z)e7 5.Ad2 e5 6.f4 0-0 7./Z)f3 b6
Semi-Slav [D47] 8.Ad3 Aa6 Hoping to exchange
Black's bishop for the .\.td3.
1.e4 e6 2./Z)e3 d5 3.d4 /Z)f6 4./Z)f3
e6 5.e3 Ae7 6.Ad3 dxe4 7.Axe4 0- 8
08.0-0 /Z)bd7 9.e4 t1/e710.e5 /Z)d5 7
11. t1/e2 /Z) 7b6 12.Ad3 e5 13./Z) b5 6
t1/e6 14.dxe5 Axe5 Opening g5 for 5
the white knight.
4
3
8
2
7
6
abc d e f g h
5
4
3
2

abc d e f g h

364
 Greco's Quiz

#15 Ivanov - Katrein #17 Nguyen - Rossi

Philadelphia 1991 Lyon 1995
French Defense [C05] Queen's Gambit Declined [D37]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Jild2 .£Jf6 4.e5 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3 ..£Jf3 .£Jf6 4 ..£Jc3
.£Jfd7 5.c3 c5 6.f4 .£Jc6 7 ..£Jgf3 tl,.e7 .£Jbd7 5.Af4a66.cxd5exd5 7.a3 Ae7
8.tI,.d3 0-0 9.h4 f6 8.e3 .£Jh5 9 ..£Jxd5 .£Jxf4 10..£Jxf4
tl,.d6 1l . .£Jd3 .£Jf6 12 . .£Jd2 ~e7
8 13.Ae2 Af514.0-0 h515..£Jc4 Forc-
7 ing Black into the sacrifice. More prudent
6 was I5.flc1, I5.fleI, or I5.~b3.
5
4
3
2

abc d e f g h

#16 Vajda - Titz

Eger 1993 abc d e f g h
Sicilian Defense [B22]

1.e4 c5 2.c3 d5 3.exd5 ~xd5 4.d4 #18 Khenkin - Sher

.£Jf6 5.Ae3 .£Jg4 6 . .£Jf3 .£Jxe3 Geneva 1995
7.fxe3 cxd4 8.cxd4 e6 9 ..£Jc3 Ab4 Queen's Gambit Declined [D41]
10.tI,.d3 .£Jc611.0-0 Axc3 12.bxc3
0-0 13.ciflhl b614.~bl tl,.b715.~b5 1.d4 e6 2.c4 .£Jf6 3..£Jf3 d5 4 ..£Jc3 c5
~d8 5.cxd5.£Jxd56.e4.£Jxc37.bxc3cxd4
8.cxd4Ab4+ 9.Ad2Axd2+ 10.~xd2
8 0-0 11.Ac4 .£Jc612.0-0 b613.~adl
7 Ab7 14.~f4 .£Ja5 15.Ad3 ~f6
6 16.~g3~e717.d5~ad818.e5Axd5

5
8
4
7
3
2 6
5
4
abcdefgh
3
2

abc d e f g h

365
 Sacking the Citadel

#19 Grivas - Papandreou #21Matsuura - Capuano

Ikaros 1995 Sao Paulo 1996
Bogo-Indian [Ell] Sicilian Defense [B42]

1.d4 4:)f6 2.e4 e6 3.4:)f3 .Q.b4+ 1.e4 e5 2.4:)f3 e6 3.d4 exd4 4.4:) xd4
4.4:)bd2 b6 5.a3 .Q.e7 6.e4 d5 7.e5 a6 5.Ad3 ~e7 6.0-0 4:)e6 7.4:)xe6
4:)e4 8 . .Q.d3 .Q.b7 9.0-0 4:)d7 ~xe6 8.e4 Ae5 9. ~g4 Ad410.4:)d2
10.exd5exd511..§e14:)g512.4:)xg5 4:)f611. ~e2 0-0 12.e5 4:)e813.4:)f3
Axg5 13.~g4 0-0 14.4:)f3 .Q.xc1 Ae5
15..§axe1.§e8
8
7
6
5
4
3
2

abc d e f g h
abc d e f g h

#22 Joergens - Puschkeit

#20 Remlinger - Whitaker
Las Vegas 1996
Queen's Gambit Accepted [D26]
1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.4:)f3 4:)f6 4.e3
e6 5 ..Q.xe4 e5 6.0-0 a6 7 ..Q.d3 b5
8.dxe5 Axe5 9. ~e2 0-0 10.e4 Ab7
11.e54:)d5
Berlin 1996
French Defense [C 11]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.4:)e3 4:)f6 4.e5
4:)fd7 5.f4 e5 6.4:)f3 4:)e6 7.Ae3 a6
8.dxe5 Axe5 9. ~d2 b5 10.Axe5
4:) xe5 11. ~f2 ~e7 12 ..Q.d3 Ad7
13.0-00-0

8 8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2

abc d e f g h abc d e f g h

366
 Greco's Quiz

#23 Annageldyev - Volzhin #25 Wochnik - Troger

Calcutta 1996 ICCF corr 1997
Queen's Indian Defense [EI2] Nirnzo-Indian Defense [E52]

l.d4 4)f6 2.4)f3 e6 3.c4 b6 4.4)c3 l.d4 4)f6 2.c4 e6 3.4)c3 Ab4 4.e3
Ab7 5.a3 d5 6.cxd5 4) xd5 7.e3 b6 5.Ad2 Ab7 6.4)f3 0-0 7.Ad3 d5
4)xc3 8.bxc3 Jle7 9.Jlb5+ c6 8.cxd5 Jlxc3 9.Jlxc3 4) xd510.Jld2
10.Jld3 0-0 11.0-0 c512.Jlb2 t\'c8 4)f611.0-0 4)a612.t\'e2 t\'c813.e4
13.t\'e2 Jlf6 14.e4 Jla6 Aiming to 4)b814.e54)e8
exchange the light-squared bishops.
15.c4 Blocking the diagonal, but giv- 8
"=.7--::-'_=_
ing Black an opportunity to exchange
7 II?'-'~.r-~
the dark-squared bishops. 15".Axd4 6
16.Axd4 cxd417.e5 4)d7 5
4
8
3
7
2
6
5
abc d e f g h
4
3
2 #26 Fabre Perez - Miranda
San Jose 1997
abcdefgh French Defense [C02]

l.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 4)c6

#24 Andre - Carvalho 5.4)f3 t\'b6 6.Ad3 cxd4 7.cxd4
Brazil 1996 Ab4+ 8.4)c3 4)ge7 9.0-0 0-0
Sicilian Defense [C02] 10.4)a4 t\'c711.a3 Aa512.b4 Ab6
13.4)xb6 t\'xb6
l.e4 c5 2.c3 e6 3.d4 d5 4.e5 4)c6
5.4)f3 cxd4 6.cxd4 Jlb4+ 7.4)c3 8
4)ge7 8.Jld3 Jld7 9.0-0 0-0 7
6
8 5
7 4
6 3
5 2
4
3 abc d e f g h
2

abc d e f g h

367
 Sacking the Citadel

#27 Dearing - Mah #29 Karpatchev - Heinemann

Yerevan 1997 Bad Zwischenahn 2006
French Defense [C06] Scandinavian Defense [BO I]

l.d4 e6 2.e4 dS 3.~d2 ~f6 4.eS
~fd7 S.Ad3 cS 6.c3 ~c6 7.~e2
cxd4 8.cxd4 f6 9.exf6 ~ xf6 10.0-0
Ad6 11.~f3 tf/c7 12.AgS 0-0
13.Elc1 Ad714.~g3 tf/b61S.Axf6
Elxf6
l.e4 dS 2.exdS ~f6 3.AbS+ Ad7
4.Ac4 bS S.Ae2 ~ xdS 6.d4 e6
7.~f3 Ad6 8.0-0 0-0 9.~c3 ~xc3
10.bxc3 Ac611.Ad3 ~d712.Elel
Ele8 13.Elbl a6 14.a4 bxa4 lS.c4
Elb816.Elxb8 tf/xb8

8 8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2

abc d e f g h abc d e f g h

#28 Vega Gutierrez - Perez #30 Noble - Krzesinski

Gutierrez Bad Homburg 2008
La Laguna 2009 King's Gambit Declined [C30]
Petroff Defense [C42]
l.e4 eS 2.f4 AcS 3.~f3 d6 4.c3 ~f6
1.e4eS 2.~f3 ~f6 3.~xeS d64.~f3 S.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Ab6 7.~c3 0-0
~ xe4 S.~c3 ~ xc3 6.dxc3 Ae7 8.Ae2 Ele8 9.0-0 ~xe4 10.~xe4
7.M4 0-0 8. tf/d2 ~d7 9.0-0-0 ~cS Elxe411.Ad3 Ele8
10.Ae3 c6 1l.AxcS dxcS 12.tf/f4
tf/as 13.Ad3 Ae614.a3 bS IS.h4c4 8
7
8 6
7 5
6 4
5 3
4 2
3
2
abc d e f g h

abc d e f g h

368
 Greco's Quiz
Solutions to the quiz
#1 Unell-Judd
Additional assets: White has two, the
secure e5-pawn and the dark-squared
bishop.
Verdict: The sacrifice succeeds.
1l.Jlxh7+ \t>xh712.~g5+ \t>g6
12 ... ~g8 13.~h5 §e8 14.~xt7+ ~h8
when White wins easily with 15 ..tle6
or 15.f4 or 15.~h5+ ~g8 16.f4.
12 ... ~h6 13.~g4+-threatening both
14.~h4-h7, and 14 ..tle6 when the dis-
covery supports 15.~xg7#.
13.~g4
Also winning is 13.~d3+ f5 (13 ... .tlf5
14.g4+-) 14.exf6+ r,!txf6 (14 ... r,!th5
15.~h7+ [15.g4+ also mates next move]
15 ... r,!tg4 16.f3#) 15.~f3+ r,!tg6
(15 ... .tlf516.g4+-) 16.~g4sinceBlack
cannot avoid a killing discovery with
16 ... ~f617.~e6#.
13••.f5 14.exf6 \t>xf6 15. ~e6 .... 1-0
#2 Schuett - Steiner
Additional assets: White has the active
§e1 and the .tlf1-g3
Verdict: The sacrifice fails. Black's light-
squared bishop is very active and the
black queen can reach the key bl-h7
diagonal.
19.Axh7+ \t>xh7 20.~g5+ \t>g8!
20 ... ~g6 21..tlg3 §h8 22.~g4 ~f6
23.h4+- threatening 24 ..tlh7+ and
25.~g5#.
369
20 ... r,!th6 21..tlg3 g6 22.~g4+-
21.~h5~c2!
Reaching the key diagonal. White can-
not block the diagonal with 22.§e4
1.txe4.
22.§xe7 Recovering the piece and
threatening the f-pawn. 22 ••• Jld5
23.~g3 ~g6 Stopping the attack, and
now it's Black with the initiative.
24.~xg6 fxg6 25.§d7 §fd8
26.§xd8+ §xd8 Placing the rook be-
hind the passed pawn. 27.~3e4 ~c6
28.§cl d3 29.\t>f1 ~d4 30.b3 a5
31.~d2 ~c2 32.£3 a4 33.~ge4
Jlxe4 34.fxe4 a3 35.\t>f2 ~b4
36.§c5 ~xa2 37.§xb5 §a8 38.b4
~c3 White will have to give up the
knight to stop the a-pawn. 0-1
#3 Ludvigsson - Lehikoinen
Additional assets: White has only the
dark-squared bishop as an additional
asset and indeed, White's center is
crumbling and the king is exposed.
Verdict: The sacrifice fails.
12.Jlxh7+ \t>xh713.~g5+ \t>g8
In the r,!tg6 line, White can win back
only an exchange. 13 ... ~g6 14 ..tlxe6
(14.~g4 .tlf615.~g3 exf416.1.txf4 .tlh5
17.~g4 §xf4) 14 ... ~h4+ 15.g3 ~e7
16 ..tlxf8+ .tlxf8 and Black, not White,
is on the attack.
13 ... r,!th6 walks into a potential discov-
ery after 14.f5 fIe7 15 ..tlxe6+ ~h7
16 ..tlg5+ ~g817.~xd5+ r,!th818.~f3
.tlf6 19.fIh3+ ~g8 20.~b3+ §f7
21.~xt7+ ~xt7 22 ..tlxt7 r,!txt7 and it's
Black with the advantage.
 Sacking the Citadel
In the 'it'gS line, White has to settle for
winning back an exchange. Without a
pawn on e5, 14.~h5 meets 14 ... 4:lf6.
14•• :~f615.~xf8 ~xf816.t\'xd5+
Jle6 17.t\'e4 exf4 With a winning
edge. 18.Eibl Eie8 19.Jlb2 t\'d8
20.'\t'fl Aa2 21.t\'xf4 .Q.xb1
22.~d6 Eie7 23. t\'g3 .Q.xc2 24•.Q.f6
Eif7 25.~ xf7 t\'d1 + 0-1
#4 Kuzmin - Mukhin
Additional assets: White relies on the
active E!.f1 and the dark-squared bishop
as additional assets.
Verdict: The sacrifice succeeds.
15.e5
In order to cany out the sacrifice, White
must first toss away the e-pawn.
Note also the active placement of the
white queen, eliminating the 'it'g6 line
from consideration. Black is still losing
after 15 ... 4:lcxe5 16.Axh7+ 'it'xh7
17.4:lg5+ ~gS lS.4:lxe6. The fork aims
to support E!. xfS and then ~xg7 #
lS ... ~b619.E!.xfS+ E!.xfS 20.~xg7#.
16.Axh7+ '\t'xh717.~g5+ '\t'g8
Or 17 ... ~g6 when White has a power-
ful discovery, but better is mate in three
with lS.~h4+-.
18. t\'h4 g6 To prevent ~h 7 #.
19.~ce4 when, to prevent 4:lf6 and
~h7#, Black would have to play
19 ... 4:lg4.1-0
370
#5 Spassov - Panchenko
Additional assets: Black can count on
the light-squared bishop, the e4-pawn,
the active E!.eS, and the 4:lfS-g6.
Verdict: The sacrifice succeeds.
14•••.Q.xh2+ 15.'\t'xh2 ~g4+ 16.'\t'g3
There's no hope for White in the ~gl
line because the king has no escape
path to the queenside. 16.~gl ~h4
17.Ad3 Trying to create an escape.
17 ... ~xf2+ 18.~h1 But now, with the
king unable to move, Black needs only
find a check. lS ... E!.e6-+
16.•• t\'d6+ Fastest 17.f4
17.~h4 and Black can choose from
among three mates in two. 17 ... ~h2+
(17 ... g5+ lS.'it'xg5 ~h6#; 17 ... ~h6+
18.~g3 ~h2#) lS.'it'g5 f6#.
17••• exf3+ 18.'\t'xf3 Once again, the
king retreats are quickly mated.
18... t\'f6+ 19.'\t'e2 Eixe3+ 0-1
19 ... E!.xe3+ 20.~d1 4:lf2+ 21.~c1
E!.xe1+-+
#6 Bernat - Lipnowski
Additional assets: White has three ad-
ditional assets, the dark-squared
bishop, the secure e5-pawn, and the h4-
pawnlE!.h1. But Black is well developed,
with pressure upon the d4-pawn and
the active .ila6 which can directly reach
d3. -
Verdict: The sacrifice fails.
 Greco's Quiz
16.Axh7+~xh717.4)g5+~g8
There's no point in entering the ~h6
line with the dark-squared bishop on
cl. But even there, there's no win for
White. 17 ... 'lt'h6 18 . .£\e4+ ~h7
19 ..£\g5+ when Black gets a second
chance to pick the ~g8 line.
17 ... 'lt'g6 18.~g4 and only here in the
'It'g6 line is White winning. The threat
is h5 forcing the king to h6 when .£\xe6
is crushing.
18. ~h5 Ad3 Ending the attack. 0-1
#7 Browne - Benjamin
Additional assets: Black can only rely
on the rooks as additional assets, al-
though after the capture on d5, the open
e-file provides useful scope for the
rooks.
Verdict: A draw.
15...Axh2+ 16.~xh2 4)g4+ 17.~g3
To survive, the king must come forward.
In the 'It'gl line, the black queen enters
the attack on h5 where it pressures both
h2 and f2. 17.'lt'gl ~h4 18,):"::(el. To
avoid mate on h2 18 ... ~xf2+ 19.~h1
but now the king cannot move, empow-
ering §.f8-f6-h6. 19 ... §.f6 20.'£\f4 §.h6+
21.'£\h3 and it's mate in two with
21...§.xh3+ 22.gxh3 ~h2#.
In the 'It'h3 line 17. ~h3 prevents ~h4,
but encourages the rook swing to h3
17 ... §.f6 18.'£\f4 §.h6+ 19.~g3 '£\h2
(19 ... ~g5 20.'£\h3 ~g6 21.'£\f4=)
20.'£\h3 '£\xfl + 21.~xfl ~h4+ 22.~h2
exd5 with relatively even chances.
371
17.. :~·g518.f4 ~g619.~f3 exd5
opening the e-file for the rooks.
19 ... .£\h2+ 20.'lt'f2 .£\g4+ 21.'lt'f3=
20.E!c3E!ae821.4)g3h5Pressingfor
more than a draw.
21.. ..£\h2+ 22.'lt'f2 .£\g4+=
22.E!h1 4)h2+ 23.~f2 4)g4+
24.~f3
Black becomes more active if White tries
for more than a draw 24.'lt'gl .£\xe3
25.~f3 .£\g4 26.'£\f1 §.e4.
24 ... 4)h2+ Yz-Yz
#8 Sieiro Gonzalez - Paneque
Additional assets: White has a secure
e5-pawn, but not a dark-square bishop.
The .£\c3 does not have easy access
into the position, and the ~d2 does not
have ready access to the h-file, result-
ing in the black king's successful es-
cape to the queenside. Moreover,
Black's counter-attack is already devel-
oping on the queenside.
Verdict: The sacrifice fails.
14.Axh7+ ~xh715.4)g5+ ~g81
15 ... 'lt'h6? 16.~d3 aiming for h7 and h3
16 ... §.h8 (16 ... g6 and it's mate in two
17.~h3+ 'It'g7 18.~h7#) 17 ..£\xf7+
'It'h5 18.g4+ ~xg4 19.~g3+ 'It'f5
20. ~g5 # when even the .£\c3 plays a
role.
15 ... 'lt'g6 16.~d3+ f5 (after 16 ... ~h5
it's mate in two. 17.~h3+ 'It'g6
18.~h7#) 17.exf6+ ~xf6 (17 ... ~h5
18..£\f7 with mate in five after 18 ... §.xf7
 Sacking the Citadel
19.94+ ~h6 20.~h3+ ~g6 21.~h5+
~xf6 22.~g5#)
16.~d3 E!fe8 17.~h7+ ~f8
18. ~h4 E!ec8
18... 4Jd4! 19.4Jh7+ ~g8 20.4Jf6+ ~f8
21.4Jh7+=
19.~h8+ ~e7 20.~xg7 ~d8
21.~xf7
2l.f5 exf5 22.4Jxf7+ ~c7 23.e6 Elg8
24.~h7 ~e7 25.exd7 Elaf8=
21 ... ~e7 22.~g6 ~c7 23.h4 E!g8
24. ~d3 E!ac8 25•.£Je2 ~b8 26•.£Jd4
.£J xd4 27. ~xd4 .£Ja4 28.h5
28.c3 should hold.
28 ••• E!c4 29. ~d2 E!gc8 30.E!c1
.£Jc3+ 31.hxc3
31.~al Ela4-+
31 ••• ~a3 32.E!ce1 E!8c5 0-1
#9 Pablo Marin - Marin Corresa
Additional assets: White can rely here
upon the secure e5-pawn, a dark-square
bishop with an entry on h4, a 4Je2-g3,
and a Elcl ready to swing to the g- or h-
files.
Verdict: The sacrifice succeeds.
18.j},xh7+ ~xh719 •.£Jg5+ ~g8
19 ... 'it'h6 walks into a mate in two
20.~h3+ ~g6 21.~h7#.
19 ... 'it'g6 when White prevails with
many ideas, including 20.~g3, 20.~d3,
20.Elf3, and even 20.f5+.
372
20. ~h3 The queen enters on h3.
20 ••. E!fc8 21. ~h7+ ~f8 22. ~h8+
.£Jg8 23 . .£Jh7+ ~e7 With a position
common to those in which Black has a
knight on e7. 24.Ah4+ and here, the
dark-square bishop enters the attack on
h4 rather than gS. 24 ..• .£Jf6
25. ~xg7+- Ae8 26.j},xf6+ 1-0
26.Axf6+ 'it'd7 27.4Jf8#
#10 Jasnikowski - Votava
Additional assets: The eS-pawn and the
active rooks.
Verdict: The sacrifice succeeds.
19.j},xh7+! ~xh7 20•.£Jg5+ ~g6!
There's no mate in 'it'g8 line because
the advance of the e-pawn to e6 opens
the d6 escape square, but that retreat
simply permits 4Jf7 + winning the queen.
20 ... 'it'g8 21.~h4 Ele8 (So instead,
Black can take advantage of the knight's
attack on d 1 by sacrificing the queen
21...~xg5 22.~xg5 4Jxdl 23.Elxdl but
even here, White has a pronounced
advantage.) 22.~h7+ 'it'f8 23.e6+- fxe6
24.~h8+ 'it'e7 25.~xg7+ 'it'd6 26.4Jf7+.
21.h4 Holding the knight and threat-
ening hS+, exposing the king to a rook
swing. Not 21.~g4 ~xg5.
21 ••. .£Jxd1
21...~e7 takes the queen out of the
reach of discoveries 22.Ele3 Elc4 23.h5+
but White has time thanks to h5+ to
bring up the rook. 23 ... 'it'h6 24.4Je4+
The knight blocks the rook's attack on
the queen and prepares 4Jf6+. 24 ... 'it'h7
25.~f5+ 'it'h6 (25 ... 'it'g8 26.4Jf6++- and
the knight wins the house; 25 ... g6
 Greco's Quiz
26.4Jf6+ ~g7 27 ..§.g3+- with three at-
tacks on g6) 26 ..§.g3 Threatening .§.g6+.
26 ... .§.xe4 27 ..§.g6+ 'i!th7 28 ..§.e6++-.
Black's best defensive try is 21.. ..§.c4
22 ..§.d4 '§'xd4 23.~xd4 .§.h8 24.e6 ~f6
2S.~g4 ~fS 26.hS+ ~f6 (26 ... .§.xhS
27.~xfS+ ~xfS 28.exf7+- and the
pawn will queen) 27.~d4++- and the
king has no good moves. 27 ... 'i!txgS
(27 ... ~e7 28.exf7+) 28.~xg7+.
22.h5+ Cif,>xh5 23.g4+ 1-0
#11 Groszpeter - Linker
Additional assets: The advance of the
e-pawn has dislodged the 4Jf6 and ac-
tivated the light-square bishop for the
sacrifice. White can rely upon the e5-
pawn, the dark-square bishop, and the
4Jc3-e4.
Verdict: The sacrifice succeeds.
13.Axh7+ Cif,>xh7 14.4)g5+ White
wins in all lines. 14... Cif,>g6
In the ~g8 line, Black would have to
give up his queen to capture the 4JgS
or else face mate on h7 or the usual mate
in five. 14 ... 'it'g81S.~hS .§.e816.~xf7+
~h8 17.~hS+ 'i!tg8 18.~h7+ 'i!tf8
19.~h8+ 'i!te7 20.~xg7#.
15. ~c2+ The correct response, taking
aim at the unanchored ~cS. 15 ...f5
lS ... ~hS when it's an easy mate in two,
16.~h7+ 'it'g417.h3# or 17.~h3#.
16.exf6+ 1-0
16.exf6+ ~xf6 (16 ... 'it'hS 17.~h7+
~g4 18.~h3# or 18.h3#) 17.4Jce4+
373
winning the bishop while sustaining the
attack.
#12 Sziraki - Olah
Additional assets: In support of the
sacrifice, White has the e5-pawn, the
dark-square bishop, and a pesky 4JbS.
Verdict: The sacrifice succeeds.
15.Axh7+ Cif,>xh716.4)g5+ Cif,>g6 The
toughest defense.
16 ... 'i!tg8 17.~hS .§.e8 18.~xf7+ 'it'h8
19 ..§.d1 there's no mate in five because
the black queen is off d8 19 ... ~d7 Black
must play actively to counter the game-
ending rook swing. 20.~hS+ ~g8
21.~h7+ 'it'fB 22.~h8+ ~e7 23.~xg7+
'i!td8 and now the 4JbS rears its head.
The black king cannot flee to c7.
24.4Jf7+ The queen will have to cap-
ture the knight to avoid 24 ... 'i!te7
2S.~gS+ 4Jf6 26.exf6#.
17. ~d3+ A bit more accurate is
17.~e4+ fSl8.~h4+-.
17...f5 18. ~h3 f4 And it's mate in six.
18 ... 4Jf6 19.exf6 ~xf6 20.4Jc3+-
19.~h7+ Cif,>xg5 20.h4+ Cif,>g4
21.~g6+ Cif,>xh4 22.g3+ fxg3
23.~g5+0r23.~xg3+.1-0
#13 Sanchez Almeyra - Rodriguez
Additional assets: The sacrifice occurs
here quickly out of a Winawer French.
White relies upon an e5-pawn and the
dark-square bishop.
 Sacking the Citadel
Verdict: The sacrifice succeeds.
8.Jl.xh7+! Cit'xh7 9.4)g5+ Cit'g6
9 ... «t>g810:~h5 fle8 when both queen
captures provide easy wins. 11.'l£th7 +
(11.'l£txf7+ «t>h8 12.<~Jb5 .l1xd2+
13.«t>xd2 <bf5 14.'l£tg6 «t>g8 15.<bd6+-)
11...'<ftfB 12.'l£th8+ <bg8 13.<bh7+ «t>e7
14 ..I1g5++-.
10.h4!
Also winning is 1O.~g4 f5 11.'l£tg3 f4
12.'l£th4 flh8 13.'l£tg4.
10••• ~e8 Retreating the queen out of
the reach of the knight discoveries.
11.~g4 4)f5 12.h5+ Cit'h6
13.4)ge4+! Cit'h714.h61-0
14.h6 <bxh6 (14 ... g6 15.<bf6+ «t>h8
16.<bxe8) 15.<bf6+ «t>h8 16 ..l1xh6+-
#14 Kosten-Adrian
Additional assets: White sacrifices
counting on the secure e5-pawn and the
dark-square bishop.
Verdict: The sacrifice succeeds.
9.Jl.xh7+ Cit'xh710.4)g5+ Cit'h6
10 ... «t>g8 11.'l£th5 fle8 White's dark-
square bishop does not have easy ac-
cess to g5, and so 12.'l£txf7+ «t>h8
13.<bxe6+-.
10 ... «t>g6 11.~g4 f5 12.exf6 gxf6
(12 ... «t>xf613.'l£txe6#) 13.<bxe6+
11. ~g4 11.f5 wins too, but 11.'l£tg4-
h4 is faster. 1-0
374
#15 Ivanov - Katrein
Additional assets: Black has played .. .f6
to inhibit <bg5, but White can count on
three additional assets, the secure e5-
pawn, the dark-square bishop and h4/
flhl.
Verdict: The sacrifice succeeds.
10.Jl.xh7+ Cit'xh711.4)g5+ fxg5
In the «t>g8line, the threat of~h7 forces
Black to capture the <bg5, opening the
h-file. 11...«t>g8 12.~h5 fxg5 13.hxg5
as in the game.
In the «t>g6line, 12.h5+ forces the king
back to the dark-square on h6 when
~g4 and f5 overwhelm the king.
11...«t>g612.h5+ 'itlh6 (12 ... 'itlf513.g4+
'itlxf414.<bde4# or 14.<bfl #) 13.<bxe6
'l£te8 14.~g4 ~f7 15.f5 'itlh7 16.<bf3
fle817.h6+-.
The «t>h6line is Black's best defensive
try. White can win back an exchange, or
attempt more by clearing the c I-h6 di-
agonal. 11...«t>h612.<bxe6 ~e8 13.<bf3
cxd414.f5+ 'itlh715.<bc7~d816.<bg5+
fxg5 17.~h5+ «t>g8 18.hxg5+-.
12.hxg5+ Cit'g8
12 ... 'itlg613.'l£th5+ 'itlf5 and it's mate in
three.
13. ~h5 Etf5 14.g4 4)dxe5 15.dxe5
1-0
#16 Vajda - Titz
Additional assets: The two rooks. Note
that the flb5 supports the <fJg5 and is
ready to swing to the h-file.
Verdict: The sacrifice succeeds.
 Greco's Quiz
16.-'\.xh7+! <it>xh717.4)g5+
Also interesting is the immediate
17.1::Ih5+ 'it'gB IB ..£!g5 with the threat
of1::lhB+ drawing the king to h8. IB ... g6
19.~g4+-.
17... <it>g6
17 ... 'it'gBl8.~h5 and with the 1::Ifl on
an open file, Black would have to sacri-
fice the queen to continue playing for a
while.
17 ... 'it'h618..£!xf7+ with ~h5 to follow.
18.4)xf7 Etxf7
IB ... e5 19.~d3+ 'it'h5 (19 ... e4
20.~xe4#) 20.~h7+ 'it'g4 21.~h3#
19.~h5# 1-0
#17 Nguyen Anh Dung - Rossi
Additional assets: In support of the
sacrifice, Black has a light-square
bishop and the h5-pawnl1::lh8.
Verdict: The sacrifice succeeds.
15••• .1lxh2+ 16.<it>xh2
White's best hope is to decline the sac-
rifice with 16.'it'hl, but 16 ... .£!g417.g3
Ae4+ overwhelms.
16.•. 4)g4+ 17.<it>gl
Hopeless is 17.'it'g3 h4+ when the king
has no acceptable moves (17 ... ~g5
IB.Axg4 hxg4 19 ..£!ce5 ~h4+ 20.'it'f4
Ae6--+) 18.'it'f3 (lB.'it'f4 ~e4+ 19.'it'g5
f6#; IB.'it'h3 .£!xe3+-+) IB ... ~e4#.
17•.. ~h418.-'\.xg4
375
IB.1::Iel ~h2+ 19.'it'fl ~hl #
18••. hxg419.f3 g3 20. ~a4+ h5 0-1
#18 Khenkin - Sher
Additional assets: White embarks upon
the sacrifice with a single additional
asset, the e5-pawn, but note that the
queen rests actively on g3.
Verdict: The sacrifice leads to a signifi-
cant and probably winning advantage
for White.
19•.1lxh7+ <it>xh7 20.4)g5+ <it>g8
The 'it'g6 line walks into an immediate
discovery, 20 ... 'it'g6 21..£!xe6+ 'it'h5.
The alternatives are more quickly
mated. White now has two mates in five.
(21...'it'h7 22.~xg7#) 22.'£!f4+
(22. ~h3+ 'it'g6 [22 ... ~h4 23.g4++-]
23.'£!f4+ 'it'g5 24.~h5+ 'it'xf4 25.1~d4+
Ae4 26.g3 #) 22 ... 'it'h6 23. ~h3+ 'it'g5
24. ~h5+ 'it'xf4 25.§.d4+ Ae4 26.g3 #.
21.Etxd5 Eliminating Black's defense
with Ae4, but giving up enough mate-
rial to justify ... ~xg5. 21. .• Etxd5
22. ~h4 ~xg5 The only way to pre-
vent the mate in the comer. 23.~xg5
4)c6 24.Etel Better, of course, is 24.f4
when White has an advantage with the
idea ofh4-h5. 24••• 4) xe5 Yz-Yz
#19 Grivas - Papandreou
Additional assets: The e5-pawn and the
two active rooks ready to swing. Note
also the placement of the queen on g4
where, with ~h5, it can eliminate lines
other than 'it'gB.
Verdict: The sacrifice succeeds.
16.-'\.xh7+ <it>xh717.4)g5+
 Sacking the Citadel
17:~h5+ forces Black to retreat to gS.
17 ... 'it'h6 encourages a mate in seven
that shows off the power of the active
rooks. IB.~h4+ 'it'g6 19.~h7+ 'it'xg5
20.f4+ 'it'xf4 21.§.f1 + 'it'e3 22.~h3+
'it'xd4 23. ~c3+ 'it'e4 24.§.ce 1#.
There's no point in 17 ... 'it'g6 when it's
mate in three. 18.4Je6+ 'it'h619.~xg7+
'it'h5 20.4Jf4+ 'it'h4 21.g3 #.
18.~h5 Ac8 19.~xf7+ ~h8
20.~h5+ ~g8 21.~h7+ ~f8
22.~h8+1-0
#20 Remlinger - Whitaker
Additional assets: l1.e5 drove the black
knight offf6 and readied the sacrifices,
which counts upon the e5-pawn and
dark-square bishop as additional assets.
The placement of the ~e2 provides it
with access to both h5 and e4.
Verdict: The sacrifice succeeds.
12.Axh7+ ~xh713.4)g5+ ~g6
13 ... 'it'gB14.~h5 §.eB when White has
the mate in five. 15.~xf7+ 'it'hB
16.~h5+ 'it'gB17.~h7+ 'it'f81B.~hB+
'it'e7 19.~xg7#.
14.~e4+ The correct choice, with a
mate in four moves. 1-0
14.~e4+ f5 (14 ... 'it'h5 15.~h7+ 'it'g4
16.h3# -+;!; 16.~h3#) 15.exf6+
'it'xf6 (15 ... 'it'h5 16.~h7+ 'it'g417.h3#
or 17.~h3#) 16.~xe6#.
376
#21 Matsuura-Capuano
Additional assets: The e5-pawn and the
dark-square bishop.
Verdict: The sacrifice succeeds.
14.Axh7+ ~xh715.4)g5+ ~g6
15 ... 'it'gB 16.~h5 The black rook can-
not vacate the fS-square, so that Black's
only defense here would be ~e4 de-
laying the mate.
16.~d3+!
16.~g4? §.hB With the queen out of the
knight's reach, the discoveries permit
the king to reach safety on gS.
16...f5
16 ... 'it'h5 17.~h7+ 'it'g4 IB.h3# or
18.~h3#
17.~h3 And the black rook cannot
safely reach hS. 17 ... f4 18.~h7+
~xg5 And it's mate in five. 19.h4+
~g4 20. ~g6+ ~xh4 21.g3+ 1-0
21.g3+ fxg3 22.~xg3+ 'it'h5 23.~g5#
#22 Joergens - Puschkeit
Additional assets: Black has castled
into the attack rather than capturing the
bishop on d3. For the sacrifice, White
has a secure e5-pawn, the §.f1 able to
swing, and the 4Jc3 which at very least
prevents Black from defending with
...Ne4.
Verdict: The sacrifice succeeds.
14.Axh7+ ~xh715.4)g5+ ~g6
 Greco's Quiz
The ~h6 line may seem tempting be-
cause White no longer has a dark-
square bishop, but the f-pawn holds the
knight and the white queen has imme-
diate access to the key h4-square, re-
sulting in a simple mate in two. 15 ... Kh6
16:~h4+ ~g617.'l11h7#.
15 ... ~g8 16.'l11h4 In the ~g8 line, the
'l11e7 blocks any possible escape.
16 ... flfc817.'l11h7+ '<t>f818.~h8#.
Best is the immediate 16.~g3 because
Black cannot dislodge the queen with
.. .f5-f4 or with ... 4Je4.
16...exd517.f5+ j},xf5 Falling into a
mate in four.
17 ... ~xg5! 18.'l11g3+ ~h519.'l11f3+ '<t>h6
20.'l11h3+ ~g5 and White has nothing
more than a perpetual.
18:~xf5+ ~h6
18 ... '<t>h5 19.flf3+-
19.~h7+ ~xg5 20.Elf5+ ~g4
21.~h5# 1-0
#23 Annageldyev - Volzhin
Additional assets: Rather than recap-
ture on d4 or try 18.'l11e4 White embarks
upon the sacrifice but can count only
only a single additional asset, the e5-
pawn.
Verdict: The sacrifice fails.
18.j},xh7+? ~xh719.4)g5+ ~g6
On 19 ... ~g8? 20.~h5 fleS there's no
mate because the queen has vacated
377
dS. 21.'l11xf7+ '<t>h8 22.~h5+ '<t>gS White
has plenty of time to activate the rooks.
23.flfd1 ~xc4 24.flac1 +-.
Even better for Black is 19 ... '<t>h6 when,
without additional assets and with the
e5-pawn under fire, there's no way to
sustain an attack. 20.~d2 (or 20.'l11g4
when the capture on e5 permits the king
to reach safety at f6; 20 ... 4Jxe5
21.~h4+ ~g6 22.~h7+ '<t>xg5 23.f4+
'<t>f6-+) 20 ... 'l11xc4 21.4Jxe6+ ~h7
22.4Jxf8+ flxf8 when White has ob-
tained an exchange, but the black king
will be fully safe on gS.
20.~e4+f5
Simplest is 20 ... '<t>xg5-+ when White
cannot manufacture a mate. 21.'l11h7
4Jxe5 22.f4+ '<t>f6.
21.exf6+ ~xg5 22.fxg7 Elf4 23.h4+
Elxh4 24. ~xe6 4)f6 25.f4+ ~g6-+
26.f5+ ~g5 27. ~d6 ~c5 28. ~g3+
Elg4 29. ~d3 ~h6 0-1
#24 Andre - Carvalho
Additional assets: The secure e5-pawn,
the dark-square bishop, and 4Je2-f4.
Verdict: The sacrifice succeeds.
10.j',lxh7+ ~xh711.4)g5+ ~g8
A poor choice. Careful readers will rec-
ognize that the 4Je7 gives White a mate
with'l11h5-h7.
Two games involved the ~g6 line, but
neither player with White found the sim-
plest line with 11...'<t>g612.4Je2-f4.
12.4Je2! flh8 13.4Jf4+ '<t>xg5 (13 ... '<t>f5
14.~d3+ '<t>xg515.4Jxe6++-) 14.4Jh5+
 Sacking the Citadel
~h4 (14 ... ~f5 15.~d3+ ~g4
16.~h3#) 15.g3+ ~h316.-iJf4#
(a) 12.~d3+ -iJf5 13.g4 (better is
13.~h4 §hS 14~g3+-) 13 ... -iJcxd4
(13 ... oile7 14.gxf5+ exf5 15.~hl -iJb4
16.~f3 f4 17.-iJh3+-) 14.gxf5+ -iJxf5
15.-iJe2 ~a5 16.-iJf4+ ~xg5 17.'<t'hl
oile7 IS.~h3 -iJh4 19.§gl + ~h6
20.-iJg6+ oilg5 21.~xh4+ 1-0 Arlt-
Kordt, Germany 2007.
(b) Also winning is 12.~g4 f5 13.exf6
(best is 13.-iJe2 with -iJf4 and ~h3+ to
follow) 13 ... '<t'xf614.§el g615.-iJxe6
oilxe6 16.§xe6+ '<t'g7 17.oilg5 ~a5
IS.§ael §f7 19.~h4 -iJgS 20.§le3
-iJce7 21.§h3 ~fS 22.~hS -iJf5
23.§xg6 -iJg7 1-0 Horther-Feller,
Bayem2005.
12. t;:\'h5 Ele8 13. t;:\'xf7+ Missing a
forced mate with 13.~h7+ '<t'fS
14.~hS+ -iJgSI5.-iJh7+ ~e716.oilg5+
-iJf6 (16 .. .f617.~xg7#) 17.oilxf6+ gxf6
IS.~xf6#.
13••• <it7h814.Eldl With the king im-
mobilized, White has time for the rook
swing. 14..• J£)f515.Eld3 Ele716.t;:\'g6
t;:\'g8 17. t;:\'xf5! g6
17 ... exf5 18.§h3+ ~h719.§xh7+ '<t'gS
20.-iJxd5+-
18.Elh3+ Elh719.t;:\'f6+ 1-0
#25 Wochnik - Troger
Additional assets: The secure e5-pawn
and the dark-square bishop. Note that
Black's rook on f8 is unable to create an
escape square.
Verdict: The sacrifice succeeds.
378
15•.Q.xh7+ <it7xh716.J£)g5+ 'ifjlg6
Or 16... ~gSI7.~h5 when Black must
throwaway the bishop with ... oile4 to
prevent an immediate mate.
17. ~g4 f6 is playable because the
queen is out of reach of the knight
IS.exf6 -iJxf619.~g3 e5 20.dxe5 ~g4
21.exf6 ~xg3 22.fxg3 gxf6 The out-
side passer should suffice for the win.
17•••f5 18.t;:\'h3 J£)f6 19.exf6 Elh8
20. t;:\'g3 <it7xf6 21. t;:\'e5+ Or simply
§fel. 21. .. <it7g6 22.J£)xe6 t;:\'d7
23.Elfc1 J£)c6 24. t;:\'g3+ <it7f6 25.Elel
Elae8 26. t;:\'g5+ <it7f7 27. t;:\'xg7 # 1-0
#26 Fabre Perez - Miranda
Additional assets: White can count on
a secure e5-pawn and a dark-squared
bishop.
Verdict: The sacrifice succeeds.
14 •.Q.xh7+ <it7xh7 15.J£)g5+ 'ifjlg8
16.t;:\'h5 Eld817.t;:\'xf7+
17.~h7+ is also winning, but less good,
in part because White's Jlg5 does not
attack a queen on dS. 17 ... ~f81S.~hS+
-iJgS 19.-iJh7+ '<t'e7 20.oilg5+ '<t'd7
21.~xg7 -iJge7 22.~xf7.
17••• <it7h8 18.a4 with the idea of a rook
swing with §a3. IS.§dl is also suffi-
cient.
18.•. J£)f519.Ela3 J£)ce7 20.Elh3+ 1-0
20.§h3+ -iJh6 21.§xh6+ gxh6
22.~h7#
 Greco's Quiz
#27 Dearing - Mah
Additional assets: White prepared the
sacrifice with 15 .~xf6, removing the
<£lf6 but activating the black rook. White
relies here upon the <£lg3 and Elc1 as
additional assets.
Verdict: The sacrifice presents a tough
defensive burden, but Black should be
able to hold.
16.Jtxh7+ <it>xh717.4)g5+ <it>gS
The <£lg3 supports ~h5 # in the ~g6
and ~h6 lines. 17 ... ~g6 IB.~h5#;
17 ... ~h6 IB.~h5#; 17 ... ~hB is play-
able because Black can meet ~h5+ with
... Elh6 IB.~h5+ Elh6 19.<£lf7+ ~h7
20.<£lg5+ with a perpetual. Taking the
exchange runs the risk of unleashing
black's superior development.
(20.<£lxh6 ~eB 21.<£lf7+ ~gB 22.<£lh6+
gxh6 23.~xh6 <£lxd4 24.~g5+ when a
draw is the likely result.)
IS.~h5JteS
Not IB ... Elh6? 19.~f7+ ~hB 20.~xd7+-
but Black can hold with IB ... Elf4!
19.~h7 ~fB 20.<£lh5 ~xd4 giving back
an exchange and readying the black
king's run to c7.
19. ~h7+ <it>fS 20.4)f5! The knight
must be captured to stop ~hB #.
20 ... Elxf5
20 ... ~c7 21.~hB#
20 ... exf5 21.~hB+ ~e7 22.~xg7+ Elf7
23.Elfel ++-
21.4) xe6+ Removing the Elf5 's anchor.
21...<it>f7 22.~xf5+ <it>gS 23.4)g5
4)e7 24. ~e6+
379
Quicker is 24.~h7+ ~fB 25.~hB+ <£lgB
26.<£le6+ ~f7 27.~xg7+ (Or 27.Elfel
as in the game.) 27 ... ~xe6 2B.Elcel +.
24... <it>hS 25.~h3+ <it>gS 26.~h7+
<it>fS 27.4)e6+ <it>f7 2S.!!fell-0
#28 Vega Gutierrez-Perez - Gutierrez
Additional assets: 15 ... c4 forces White
to consider the sacrifice, which relies
here upon two additional assets, the
Eldl and h4/Elh1. The ~f4 is an asset
in preventing the ~h6 line, but the
queen has no quick access to the h-file.
Verdict: The sacrifice succeeds.
16.Jtxh7+ <it>xh717.4)g5+ Jtxg5?
Unnecessarily opening the h-file.
17 ... ~gB is the only defense. White
must then try ~e4 to sustain the at-
tack. 18.~e4 Unlike the game continu-
ation, the queen joins the attack on e4
giving Black time for a rook retreat.
IB ... ~xg5+ 19.hxg5 ElfdB 20.~h7+
~fB 21.~hB+ ~e7 22.~xg7 Eld5=.
IS.hxg5+ <it>g6 and it's mate in six.
IB ... ~gB 19.~h4 f6 20.g6+-
19.!!h6+! gxh6 20. ~f6+ <it>h5
20 ... ~h7 21.Elhl +-
21. ~xh6+ 1-0
21.~xh6+ ~g4 22.Eld4+ ~f5 23.~f6#
#29 Karpatchev - Heinemann
Additional assets: White relies upon the
dark-square bishop and the active Ele1.
Verdict: Black should be able to draw.
 Sacking the Citadel
17.j'txh7+ ~xh718.4)g5+ ~g8
Capitulation.
There's no advantage for White in the
~g6Iine: 18... ~g619.h4 f5 =.
19.~h54)e5
19 ... 4Jf6 An obvious try, given the ab-
sence of a pawn on e5, but 20.~xf7+
~h8 21.§e3 when, to prevent the mate,
Black will have to begin throwing away
his pieces.
20.dxe5 j'tc5
And now White has a pawn on e5. With
the queen off d8, there's no mate in five,
but the position is still hopeless for
Black.
21. ~xf7+ ~h8 22.~h5+
Best is 22.§e3 threatening a swing to
h3, and if 22 ... .llxe3 23.~h5+ ~g8
24.~h7+ ~f8 White's dark-squared
bishop reaches a3. 25 ..lla3+
380
#30 Noble - Krzesinski
Additional assets: White has two addi-
tional assets, the dark-square bishop
and the §fl, but neither is active. By
contrast, Black's rook is already offf8,
the .llb6 is placing pressure upon the
white d-pawn, and without an e5-pawn,
the queen can safely reach f6.
Verdict: The sacrifice fails in the ~g8
line.
12.j'txh7+ ~xh713.4)g5+ ~g6
Seeing that the white queen cannot
safely play 14.~g4 or 10.~d3 owing
to the light-square bishop, but White
has a trivial win with 14.f5.
13 ... ~g8! 14.~h5 .llxd4+ 15.~h1
~f6-+
14.f5+ j'txf515.f!xf5 f!e4
15 ... ~xf516.g4+ Starting a mate in five.
16... ~g617.~d3++-
16.4)xe4~xf517.~f3+
Faster is 17.4Jg3+!
17... ~e618.4)g5+ 'itld719.~xf7+
~e7 20. ~f5+ ~c6 21.4)e6 ~f6
22. ~g4 ~d5 23.4)f4+ ~xd4
24.~hl ~f7 25.Ad2 4)d7 26.j'tc3+
~c5 27.4)e6+ ~c6 28. ~c4+ 1-0
 Chapter 9
Related Literature
I had originally intended to end the
book here, but the arrival of a new book,
JJ.xh 71 by David Rudel, convinced me
to add some final thoughts about the
three recent books that have dealt with
the sacrifice.
(1) How to Beat your Dad at Chess
by Murray Chandler (Gambit Publica-
tions 1998)
This book is an excellent primer for
basic tactics despite my kids' complaint
that the main premise of the book didn't
work for them.
Chandler's coverage spans four
sections, a total of eight pages in the
book. In the first section, he introduces
the basic idea ofthe sacrifice on h7 and
illustrates in four diagrams the classic
mate in five in the 'it'g8Iine.
In the second two-page section,
Chandler introduces the 'it'g6 line. Says
Chandler fairly, "It is vital to realize that
White does not always have an
immediate forced win against the 'iftg6
defense. The pressure against the black
king can be medium tenn. You may need
to calmly maneuver extra pieces or
pawns into the attack, almost ignoring
the fact you are a piece down."
381
This may be a basic primer aimed at
young learners, but Chandler
emphasizes that the attacking side in
the 'it'g6 line has three main options,
~g4, ~d3, and h4-h5. In so doing, he
distinguishes the work from many
others who have preceded him. He
provides composed examples for ~g4
and h4, though not ~d3+. He calls ~g4,
"the most common attacking
continuation." It is an example in which
White can maintain the queen on the g-
file after .. .f5-f4, and in which Black has
no pressure at all against a secure white
e5-pawn. What is missing is an
explanation of why one move might be
more accurate than the other, but there
are at least examples to get readers
thinking about the differences.
Chandler's third section covers the 'ifth6
line. Once again in composed positions,
he illustrates f4-f5 uncovering a dark-
square bishop, the idea of~g4-h4(h3)­
h7#, a successful king hunt in which
~d3-h3-h7 forces ... 'it'xg5, and also the
idea of~d3, g4, h4-h5 when the dark-
square bishop is gone! Altogether, this
is a very impressive section, especially
given the fact that most commentators
rarely even mention the 'ifth6 line.
Missing is a discussion of anchors for
the ... .§.h8 defense, but that does not
 Sacking the Citadel

meaningfully detract from the
usefulness of Chandler's discussion,
especially considering his target
audience.
Chandler uses his fourth and final
section to provide a potpourri of related
themes. He uses one position each to
illustrate the quick mate in the ... .llxg5
hxg5 line, and two diagram to show off
black defenses in the ~g8 line, ... .llf5
reaching the bl-h7 diagonal, and ... <£lf6
in a position in which White has no
control over the f6-square.
To his credit, Chandler also invests two
positions to examine the presence of a
<£le7 in the ~g8 line. As is typical in
practice, in one of the positions,
presented here, there really is no
meaningful difference between
~xf7+and ~h7+.
l.Axh7+ 'it'xh7 2.4)g5+ 'it'gB
3.~h5EleB
8 highly recommend his book for young
7 players. I regret that younger players
6 are rarely encouraged to play through
5 complete games, but that's a complaint
4
3
2
abc d e f g h
Here is Chandler's first example in the
~g8 line with a <£le7. He suggests that
White should tum down the usual idea
of~xf7 by playing ~h7. As we saw in
chapter nine, the theoretical distinction
between ~xf7 and ~h7 is often blurred
and indeed, even in this composed
position, both lines appear to work
equally well here, though I acknowledge
that I would play itYh7, the most straight-
forward of the two lines. 4. ~h7+
4. ~xf7+ 'it'hB 5. ~h5+ 'it'gB 6.cxd5
exd5 (6 ... <£lxd5 7.~h7+ ~f8 8.itYh8+
r:tle7 9.~xg7#) 7.e6+-; 4 ..• 'it'fB
5. ~hB+ 4)gB 6.4)h7+ 'it'e7 7.Jtg5+
4)f6 7 ... f6 8.~xg7#; 7 ... r:tld7
8..llxd8+- B.~xg7+-
Fortunately, Chandler presents lI; second
composition in which the distinction is
fully clear, a position similar to my
composition in section on the ~g8line
in chapter 5.
In a modest volume, Chandler has
succeeded remarkably in presenting a
comprehensive tactical overview for
younger players. Although I miss full
games and a more involved discussion,
that was clearly outside the scope of
his project and I must emphasize that I
for a different venue.
(2) The ChessCafe Puzzle Book 1
by Kartsten MUller (Russell Enterprises
2004)
My chess friends and I all adore
Kartsten MUller's series of ChessCafe
Puzzle books. The exercises are
challenging, and the author often adds
cogent middlegame theory.

382
 Related Literature
In the first volume ofthe series, Muller
became the first annotator to list at least
one of the key conditions under which
the sacrifice does not occur. To quote:
"The bishop sacrifice on h7 is as old as
the hills. When an attacking knight can
land on g5 and the queen can reach the
h-file, your alarm bells should start
ringing. It is easier to give the
conditions when the sacrifice does not
work, first:
1) Black's king is on g8, White's knight
is on g5 and his queen is on h5, and
1.1) Black can play .£lf6, .£lf8, .llf5, or
something like "ittc2 or ~d3 to reach h 7.
1.2) Black's king can reach f8 because
f7 is protected.
1.3) Black's material advantage is
already so large that he can afford "ittxg5.
His first three points have been well
known since Voellmy. Remarkably,
Muller became the first commentator to
emphasize the usefulness of ..."ittxg5.
Unfortunately, he does not provide an
example of the ..."ittxg5 capture, but he
does provides nine examples of the
sacrifice, eight in quiz form. Ofthe nine,
six appear in this volume as games 3, 6,
8,9,62,70. He uses game 70 (Razinger-
Harum, 1933) to illustrate the mate in
five in the 'it'g8line. Two of his examples
do not involve .£lg5 and would
therefore not have been considered in
this book. His notes to Colle-O'Hanlon
conclude that the 'it'g8 line is drawish,
but there is no analysis in the key line
with 17.f4. In sum, I think that it is fair
383
to say that Muller, like Chandler, did not
intend to provide a comprehensive
taxonomy of the sacrifice, but rather a
series of positions to challenge his
readers. He certainly deserves praise for
selecting challenging games and for his
observation on the "ittxg5 capture.
(3) i2,xh 7! by David Rudel (Thinkers'
Press 2010)
I was nearly finished with the first draft
of this book when Rudel's book hit the
marketplace. And so, readers can
imagine my interest in seeing the book
as quickly as possible.
I am happy to report that his effort is
significantly different than mine. What
stands out most clearly is Rudel's folksy
style, with frequent references to
church matters, fast food restaurants,
and even chocolate Sundays.
Fortunately, there's some good analysis
too.
Rudel, a passionate advocate of the
French and Colle, spends approximately
half of his 184-page treatment on
combinations and maneuvers other
than the classic bishop sacrifice. The
first and fourth chapters deal with
bishop sacrifices on h7 in which White
has a knight, not a pawn, on the e5-
square. His third chapter deals with the
double bishop sacrifice, Axh7+
followed narrowly by Axg7.
Rudel deals with the Greco Sacrifice
with .£lg5 and queen attack on h 7 in
chapters two and five. In chapter two,
he examines the sacrifice as it appears
 Sacking the Citadel
in variations of French Defense (five of
his twelve examples are from the
Adanced French; another five stem
from the Winawer) in which White has
pawns on d4 and e5 as well as a dark-
square bishop on the c1-h6 diagonal.
By isolating games stemming only from
the French, with black pawns on e6 and
d5 and with a black knight on e7, Rudel
attempts a fine classification of the
sacrifice in those specific lines with
useful emphasis on the ~g6 line, but
readers should be careful not to apply
these conclusions generically.
Black should avoid castling, and White
should undertake the sacrifice,
suggests Rudel, when all four of the
following conditions are set:
• White can play ~xh7 and
follow up safely with 4Jg5+;
• White's pawn structure
involves pawns on d4 and e5;
• White has a dark-square
bishop with unblocked access
to h6; (There is a curious
absence of any mention of the
role of the white queen.)
• Black's queen and bishop are
unable to reach the bl-h7
diagonal; There is no reference
to the possibility of 4Jf6
because, in this section, Black's
king's knight rests on e7.
In the ~g8 line, given the 4Je7 and the
dark-square bishop's access to h6,
Rudel notes that White can win with
the usual combination: 'lfi'h7-h8, 4Jh7+,
and ~g5. Of course, all ofthat has been
known since Voellmy. What is new and
useful is his advice in the ~g6 line.
384
Says Rudel, when the Elf8 is
unconnected to another major piece,
White usually triumphs with 'lfi'd3-h3-
h7 since Elh8 is unplayable.
When the Elf8 is connected to a major
piece and White has not yet castled,
White wins efficiently with h4-h5,
kicking the ~g6 to h6 when Black is
subject to effective discoveries,
especially after the preparatory 'lfi'g4
threatening 4Je6+ and 'lfi'xg7. The
chapter 5 taxonomy acknowledges this
finding but only when White has a dark-
square bishop.
In positions with a White 4Jc3, White
also has 4Jc3-e4-f4 says Rudel,
although he adds somewhat
surprisingly that he found no
tournament examples of the maneuver.
When White has castled and Black's
queen remains on d8 with
communication with the Elf8, Rudel
recommends the maneuver with h4,
'lfi'g4 and, after .. .f5, an en passant
capture on f6 and Elfel to pressure the
now weakened e6-pawn.
Rudel recommends the often played
'lfi'g4 only when the dark-square bishop
is blocked or pinned and therefore
incapable of defending the 4Jg5.
The reality is that Rudel has provided
insight for a subset of one asset pair,
the secure e5-pawn and the dark-square
bishop with a black knight on e7. As
we have seen, this combination of
additional assets represents the second
most common asset pair, but with the
knight on e7, his findings apply to only
 Related Literature
14 of the 306 games in this book, games
2,8,59,100,118,160,162,164,180,195,
208, and 255. Only game 59 appears in
Rudel's book.
It is my belief that we are better served by
a more general approach. I briefly
considered a separate discussion for each
important asset combination, but a brief
look at the asset appendix should
convince everyone that such an approach
would be horribly complex and repetitive.
I must add that I found his game selections
highly disappointing. Rudel appears to
have committed his readers to a voyage
of self-discovery through quizzes
involving complete games which too often
involve simple mistakes rather than sharp,
cutting edged attacks.
In his fifth and final chapter, Rudel
attempts to provide a more generic
discussion about the sacrifice.
The discussion is informal and
incomplete, but it does in 16 pages
cover the main highlights, the mate five
in the 'it>g8 with a list of the conditions
that make it possible, White's attack
with itlxfl and .£\xe6 when Black has
knights on d7 and e7, coverage in the
<;!tg6line of three alternatives iit"d3+, h4,
and itlg4, and mention of the 'it>h6 and
... ~xg5 lines.
There are many quibbles. His analysis
ofColle-O'Hanlon follows the literature
uncritically. There's no mention of the
other three white alternatives in the iit"g6
line, .£\g3, f5, and the possibility of rook
swings. The discussion on ... 'it>g6 iit"d3
385
fails even to mention the usefulness of
the en passant discovered check after
.. .f5. The discussion on the 'it'h6 line
fails to note that White can succeed
even with a pawn on h4 and without a
dark-square bishop. And although I run
the risk of sounding much like Renaud
and Kahn, conspicuously missing is
any mention of Voellmy, who
understood early on the importance of
many of the considerations just above,
or even ofVukovic, with his remarkable
observation, fully applicable to the
positions considered by Rudel, that at
least two additional assets are needed
for the sacrifice to succeed.
Rudel deserves significant praise. He
becomes the first to devote to the sacrifice
more than a small part in a book on tactics.
He is the second author to emphasize the
importance ofh4 in the ... 'it'g6Iine. And I
appreciate his efforts to provide clarity in
selecting among the alternative
continuations for White in that line.
But the failure to mention Vukovic has
important ramifications. On page 118,
Rudel provides his thesis:
"Find another way to bring another
piece in the battle if you cannot obtain
a satisfactory advantage with just the
Knight, Queen, and e5-pawn."
Readers ofthis book will recognize that
this additional piece represents, with the
e5-pawn, the second additional asset
beyond the bishop, knight, and queen.
In essence, Rudel has made an e5-pawn
a requirement rather than simply
 Sacking the Citadel
viewing it as one of many possible
additional assets.
In his fifth chapter, Rudel provides 56
examples. As in chapter two, many are
mediocre games there in quiz form
simply to illustrate obvious mistakes.
Among these 56 games, 20 do not
involve an e5-pawn, and in 17 of those
20 games, the sacrifice is unsound.
"Once the e5 pawn goes, everything
changes," suggests Rudel, but our
experience here shows that
386
combinations of additional assets that
do not include an e5-pawn still allow
the sacrifice to succeed. There is no
way to know, but it seems as if Rudel
subconsciously cooked his data to
support his hypothesis.
As we approach the 400th anniversary
of Greco's discovery, it is my hope that
we are achieving some clarity with
regard to his amazing idea and some
profound appreciation for his
contribution to the game of chess.
 Bibliography

Sources listed chronologically

Edward Lasker, Common Sense in Chess (London, Belairs 1896).

Edwin Voellmy," Yom Rochadeangriff, Ein Beitrag zur Theorie des Mittelspiels,"
Schweizerischen Schachzeitung (November and December 1911).
Eugene Znosko-Borovsky, The Art of Chess Combination (London, Chatto &
Windus 1936).
Fred Reinfeld, Colle s Chess Masterpieces (New York, Black Knight Press 1936.
Fred Reinfeld, Fifty-One Brilliant Chess Masterpieces (New York, Capitol Publishi
ing 1950).
George Renaud and Victor Kahn, The Art ofthe Checkmate (New York, Simon and
Schuster 1953).
Irving Cherney, 1000 Best Short Games of Chess (New York, Simon and Schuster
1955).
Dr. Max Euwe and H. Kramer (translated from the Dutch by W.H. Cozens), The
Middle Game, Book 2, Dynamic and Subjective Features (New York, McKay
1965).
Vladimir Vukovic, The Art ofAttack in Chess (London, Pergamon 1965).
Vladimir Vukovic, The Chess Sacrifice (London, Bell 1968).
Ken Smith and John Hall, Winning with the Colle System (Dallas, Chess Digest
1990).
Vladimir Vukovic (edited and annotated by John Nunn), The Art ofAttack in Chess
(Gloucester, Everyman 1998).
Murray Chandler, How to Beat Your Dad at Chess (Guildford, Gambit Publications
1998).
Andy Soltis, "Chess to Enjoy, The First Professional" Chess Life May, 1999, pp.12-
13.
Gary Lane, The Ultimate Colle (London, Batsford 2001).
Valei Bronznik, Das Colle-Koltanowski System (Schwieberdingen, Schachverlag
Kania 2003).
Karsten Miiller, The ChessCafe Puzzle Book (Milford, Russell Enterprises 2004).
Vladimir Vukovic, Der Rochade Angriff(Czech Republic, Rattman 2006).
Pete Tamburro, "A 400 Year-Old Attack," Chess Life for Kids June, 2007)
David Rudel, Bxh 7! (Davenport, Thinkers' Press 2009).
Nigel Davies, "The Greek Bishop Sacrifice," Middlegame Motifs, ChessCafe web
site (www.chesscafe.com). July 14,2010.

387
 Sacking the Citadel

Historical references for Chapters I and 2

Jenny Adams, Power Play, The Literature and Politics ofChess in the Late Middle
Ages (Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Press 2006).
Femand Braudel, Capitalism and Material Life, 1400-1800 (London, Weidenfeld
and Nicolson 1967).
Jacob Burkhardt, The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy (London, Harrap
1929).
Baldassare Castiglione Libro del Cortegiano (Book of the Courtier 1528).
Richard Eales, Chess, A History ofthe Game (Oxford, Facts on File 1985).
Dr. Max Euwe, The Development ofChess Style (London, Bell 1968).
Daniel Willard Fiske, "Introductory Sketch of the History of Chess, The Book of
the First American Chess Congress (New York, Rudd & Carleton) 1859).
Jerzy Gisycki, A History ofChess (London, The Abby Library 1922)
F. Lanier Graham, Chess Sets (New York, Walker and Company 1968).
Frank Greygoose, Chessmen (New York, Arco 1979).
Harry Golombek, A History ofChess (London, Routledge & Kegan Paul 1976).
Gioachino Greco, The Game ofChess (London 1819).
Eduard Gufeld, Oleg Stetsko, Winning with the Torre Attack (New York, Holt
1994).
Garry Kasparov, My Great Predecessors, Part 1 (London, Everyman 2003).
Alex Hammond, The Book ofChessmen (London, Arthur Barker 1950).
William Hartston, The Kings ofChess (New York, Harper and Row 1985).
Moses Hirschel, Das Schach des Herrn Gioachino Greco Calabro is und die
Schachspiel-Geheimnisse des Arabers Philipp Stamma (Zurich, Ohms
1987).
Louis Hoffmann, The Games ofGreco (London, Routledge & Sons 1900).
David Hooper and Ken Whyld, The Oxford Companion to Chess (Oxford, Oxford
University Press 1996).
Benjamin Kohl and Alison Smith, eds, Major Problems in the History ofthe Italian
Renaissance (Lexington, MA.,D.C. Heath 1995).
A.A. MacDonell, "The Origin and Early History of Chess," Journal of the Royal
Asiatic Society Jan. 1898,pp. 117-141.
Kenneth Matthews, British Chess (London, Collins 1958).
H.J.R. Murray, A History ofChess (Oxford, Oxford University Press 1913).
John Najemy, ed., Italy in the Age ofthe Renaissance 1300-1550 (Oxford, Oxford
University Press 2004).
Charles Nauert, Humanism and the Culture ofRenaissance Europe (Cambridge,
Cambridge University Press 1995).
T.S. Pattie, "An Italian Chess Player in England," The British Museum Quarterly
Vol. 33, No. 3/4, Spring, 1969 pp. 105-108.
J.H. Plumb, The Italian Renaissance (Boston, Houghton Mifflin 1961).
Anthony Saidy, The World ofChess (New York, RHM 1975).
Alessandro Sanvito, 1 codici scacchistici di Giulio Cesare Polerio e Gioacchino
Greco (Brescia, Messaggerie Scacchistiche 2008).

388
 Bibliography

Colleen Schafroth, The Art o/Chess (New York, Abrams 2002).

Harold Schonberg, Grandmasters o/Chess (Philadelphia, 1.B. Lippincott 1972).
Domenico Sella, Italy in the Seventeenth Century (London, Longman 1997).
David Shenk, The Immortal Game (New York, Doubleday 2006).
"The Game of Chess, A Scene in the Court of Philip II," Harper's (January, 1852).
John White, Greco and his Manuscripts, Gioachimo Greco, 1600-1634, 300th
anniversary o/the writing o/thefirst manuscript, 1619-1919/ twenty-
one illustrations/rom the originals Philadelphia, Good companion chess
problem club, 1919).
Hans Wichmann and Siegfried, Chess, The Story o/Chesspieces from Antiquity to
Modem Times (London, Paul Hamlyn 1964).
Charles Wilkinson, Chess, East and West, Past and Present (New York, Metropoli
tan Museum ofArt 1968).
Paul Yachnin, "A Game at Chess and Chess Allegory," Studies in English Literat
UTe Vol. 22, No.2 pp. 317-330.
Marilyn Yalom, Birth o/the Chess Queen (New York, HarperCollins 2004).

389
 Sacking the Citadel

Index of Openings
This index of the annotated games in this volume confinns that many of the sacri-
fices emanate from openings that naturally involve White pawns on d4 and e5 and
a.ild3.

The French Defense (COO-CI9) has 98 games or 32% of the annotated games in
book.

Queen's Gambit and the Colle also generate a fair number of the games. But it will
surprise many readers that the sacrifice occurs across a broad spectrum of open-
ings.

Numbers within the indices are game numbers, not page mumbers.

B1779
B21 141
AOI 271 B22 145,148,217,247,283
A02 197 B27265
A0376 B29293
A07 131 B32139
A13 20 B33 194
A18 154 B40270,274
A22223 B42290
A32281 B43226
A34269 B47205
A40 11,52,143,167 B50 224,246,295
A41220 B56242
A43 186 B69157
A45258 B80172
A4689 B82177,201
A47 68,78,83,266 B85 175
A4833
A51288
A54 192 COO 2,4,70,245,279
A60 151 COll,173
A8081 C02 8,59,100,102,166,180,198,241,
A8441,278 255
C03 158
B03 214 C05 101,163,187
B1287,296 C06 104,116,119,126,176,184,196,
B13 179 218,221,222,230,243,256,286,298
B14 85,199,257,260 C07149,232,300
B15200 CIO 45,72,99

390
 Index of OpeningsBibliography

CII13,34,71,77,91,168,170.253,259 D31 103

C14 9, 10, 12, 15, 18, 19,25,27,29,35,40, D32 138,282
64,65,66,73,82,111,129,140,183,181, D3732,234
185,191,219,235,248,263,272,299 D38277
CI593,188,189,203,213,229,231 D4030,37,38,107
C16 160,164 D41110,146,147,267,303
CI7112,150,162 D44 215
C18 92,118,128,136,142 D45 53, 84, 90, 292
C19 195,208 D4616,88,169,210,233,268
C243 D47 94,156,159,207,239,250,251
C29 5,50,120 D4886
C30244 D49 95,97,132
C31 133 D52294
C3347 D5326,42
C41280 D55 14,17,23,43,74,127
C4244,202 D6036
C43238 D61275
C4546 D63 48, 51, 285
C4828
C5621 E08301
C637 Ell 171,237
C78 26,287,305 E12 54,174
C8049 EI4211,236
C81 125,225 E20124,178
C846 E28306
C86182 E29123
C89117,240 E38276
C90 134,254 E41 108
C99 115,135,161 E46 114
E48130,262
DOO 190,204,302 E50144
D02 24,31,105,289,307,308 E51 113,193,264
D03209,216 E53109
D05 55,60,62,67,69,80,212 E54 122,137,261
D06 39,98,291 E55 121
D07155 E59152
DIO 58
DB 96
DI5 153,249
DI6304
D2161
D24206
D27165
D28 106,227
D30 57,75,252,284

391
 Sacking the Citadel

Index of Asset Combinations

No additional assets: 6, 31, 34, 307, 308

One additional asset:

}\rook:32,58,69,96,204
}\dark-(orforBlack, alight) square bishop: 13,41,43,46,56,70,75,76,88,105,109,
117,118,148,152,182,202,211,282
}\ (secure) e5 (e4)-pawn: 64,172,215,226
)\ knight (square will be noted ifnot c3): 36,42,66 (Nd6)
Kingside pawn stonn: 87

Two additional assets

}\ dark- (or for Black, a light) square bishop ... an active rook: 16,20,28,47,60,62,
68,80,83,93,95,97,104,113,124,126,130,132,133,134,138,149,151,174,188,190,
193,194,197,216,218,222,232,233,236,252,258,261,262,266,268,276,278,292,
302
}\ dark- (or for Black, a light) square bishop ... a (secure) e5-pawn: 39,49,59,63,67,
84,92,98,100,106,108,122,128,131,137,141,142,143,144,152,160,164,165,192,
195,200,208,210,220,223,244,255,271,273,287,296,306
}\ dark- (or for Black, a light) square bishop-an h4-pawn (with a Rbi): 44,45,54,
99,178,179,199,217,274,293
}\ dark- (or for Black, a light) square bishop ... an active knight: 33, 61, 136, 156, 180,
196,219,257
}\ (secure) e5-pawn ... an active rook: 17,30,72,94,120,166,183,185,198,225,246,
250,251,256,267,269,280,294
)\ (secure) e5-pawn ... an active knight: 24, 35, 52, 71, 82, 86, Il2, 129, 163, 171, 180,
181,221,245
}\n active rook ... a knight on c3: 48, 201, 297
}\n active rook ... a knight on g3 or on fl with access to g3: 79, 115, 135, 161,230
Two active rooks: 123,173,254,260,275

Three additional assets

}\ dark- (or for Black, a light) square bishop ... a (secure) e5-pawn ... an h4-pawn
(withaRbl): I, 103, 158
}\ dark- (or for Black, a light) square bishop ... a (secure) e5-pawn ... an active
knight: 2,90, 119, 121, 125, 155,162,167,206,207,259,264,289
}\ dark- (or for Black, a light) square bishop ... a (secure) e5-pawn ... an active rook:
4,8,11,22,50,53,55,78,81,89,101,107,139,159, 189,205,212,214,234,239,277,
304
}\ dark- (or for Black, a light) square bishop ... an active knight ... an active rook: 21,
176,191

392
 Index of Asset Combinations

A dark- (or for Black, a light) square bishop ... two active rooks: 7, 38, 85,153,184,
224,231,238,270
A (secure) e5-pawn ... an active knight... anh4-pawn (with a RbI): 9,10,12,29,65,
72,111,291
A (secure) e5-pawn ... an active knight... an active rook: 15,25, 140, 145, 170,235,
248,253,279,283,284,285,290,295
A(secure)e5-pawn ... two active rooks: 110,146,147,157,247,265,288,303
An active knight ... two active rooks: 3,241 :
An h4-pawn (with a Rb 1) ... two active rooks: 14

Four or more additional assets

A dark- (or for Black, a light) square bishop ... a (secure) e5-pawn ... an active
knight ... an h4-pawn (with aRbl): 77,91,116
A dark- (or for Black, a light) square bishop ... a (secure) e5-pawn ... an active
knight ... an active rook: 228,237,240,244,305
A dark- (or for Black, a light) square bishop ... a (secure) e5-pawn ... an active rook
... an h4-pawn (with a RbI): 301
A dark- (or for Black, a light) square bishop ... a (secure) e5-pawn ... two active
rooks: 37, 187,203, 175,213,227,229,298
A dark- (or for Black, a light) square bishop ... an active knight ... two active rooks:
242,263,281
A dark- (or for Black, a light) square bishop ... a (secure) e5-pawn ... an active
knight ... two active rooks: 177

393
 Sacking the Citadel

Index of Players
Bold = White
Agdestein, 170 Billecard, M 19
Ahlander, B 204 Billings, S 36
Ahues, C 63 Bird,H 6
Airekoski, E 161 Blackburne, J 14
Akopov, R 179 Blackmar,A 13
Al Modiahki, M 202 Blanco Gramajo, C 261
Alapin, S 27 Boch, W 152
Alayola Montanez, J 267 Bodiroga, P 303
Alekhine, A 41, 52, 54, 65, 72 Boesenberg, E 287
Anagnostpoloulos, D 183 Borg,G 168
Ancin,A 116 Borge, N 187
Andersen, J 243 Borochow, H 48
Andreev, D 154 Boucher 47
Antal, G 300 Bozek,A 118
Antos 100 Brach, J 51
Anttila, P 161 Brechin, H 308
Apol, L 169 Brenninkmeijer, J 176
Appel,D 166 Brinckmann, A 58
Araiza Munoz, D 145 Brody 21
Arizmendi Martin, J 260 Brunner, E 67
Arje, Z 132 Buecken, D 255
Arutinian, D 273 Bueno 91
Asgeirsson, A 65 Burmakin, V 199,301
Asrian, K 281 Burn,A 13,17,31,33
Asztalos, L 66
Avrukh, B 251 Capablanca,J 40,42,48,79
Capello, G 148
Baburin, A 228, 252 Carlsen, M 296,297
Baikovicius 81 Cavalotti 10
Balanel, I 113 Champion, K 138
Balinov, I 265 Chandler, M 183
Balla,Z 43 Cheron,A 57
Balog, I 300 Christen, P 169
Bastian, H 241 Christoffel, M 96
Baumann, W 115 Cipriani, F 112
Becker, M 240 Clapperton, G 128
Benecke, H 141 Cochrane, J 3
Berezjuk, S 280 Coenen, N 266
Bernstein, 0 28, 32 Colle,E 62
Berry,F 303 Computer Deep Junior 262
Bialas, W 104

394
 Index of Players

Computer Deep Fritz 200 Ezat, M 291

Crespi, N 10
Crosara 11 - Fahndrich 23
Crouch, C 156 Faichetto, A 45
Cruz Filho, 0 88 Faranka, K 291
Farrand,] 155
Davis,A 40 Faul59
De Geus, G 166 Fayne, T 217
De Labourdonnais, L 2 Fernandez, R 231
De Lagontrie,] 245 Ferry,R 131
De Smet, K 197 Fichtl,] 120
De Souza Mendes,] 88 Fine,R 73
De Soyres,] 9 Fiorito, F 201
De Visser, W 18 Flaga, K 227
De Waard,] 231 Flesch,] 146
Deery, T 207 Foltys,] 99
Delbner 50 Forgacs, A 226
Desforges 209 Formanek, E 140
Deslandes, P 298 Forzan 164
Dimitrov, V 232 Fournier, F 212
Dittmar, P 241 Frank,] 226
Dobosz, H 159 Freese, H 206
Dolezal,] 116 Fridman, D 284
Domogaev, S 293 Fritz,A 12
Donner,] 114 Ftacnik, L 186
Duarte da Silva, E 259 Fucak 125
Dufek,] 215 Fuderer, A 106
Duhm 35 Fueriinger, H 239
Dumitrache, D 233 Furman, S 122
Durao,] 129 Futterer 22
Durica, D 288
Dus Chotimirsky, F 68 Gagunashvili, M 292
Dychhoff 26 Galeb,A 145
Dzhumaev,M 295 Gallien, K 163
Ganguly, S 305
Ekenberg, B 85 Gazi,M 196
El Taher, F 248 Geissert, E 117
Eliskases,] 89 Geller, E 122
Eriksson,] 269 Gering 7
Ernst, S 304 Giffard, N 158
Ernst, W 81 Ginsberg, G 218
Escandell Mari,] 211 Giusti, A 112
Esen, B 278 Godnjavec, F 271
Estrin, Y 154 Golmayo,D 16
Euwe,M 96 Gonzales Freixas, A 217

395
 Sacking the Citadel

Gonzales Rojo, E 67 Holm 44

Hucula, L 223
Goosey, R 225 Huguet Mainer, S 185
Gorenstein, R 110 Hujbert, F 283
Goric,E 256 Hulsen 23
Graf,A 254
Graf, S 89 lonescu, C 177
Granados Gomez, M 216 Ivanov, I 153
Greco,G 1
Grigorian, A 302 Jackson, L 140
Grigorian, K 159 Jacobs, B 182
Grosser, W 101 Jakobson, L 237
Grund,H 255 Jares, V 51
Guerrero, V 185 Johannesson,L 222
Guest,A 13 Jones, E 20
Guido,F 274 Jose Abril, R 224
Gunderson 59 Judd, M 24
Gurevich, D 292 Jurcisin, I 196

Hahn, E 87 Kadimova, I 294

Hall,L 93 Kadner, M 151
Hamilton, D 238 Kalichkin, I 257
Handoko, E 202 Kallio, H 264
Harms 98 Karklins, E 227
Harris, W 195 Karlsson, S 94
Harrow, M 114 Kashdan, I 60
Hartmann, K 117 Kasimdzhanov, R 250
Harum,F 71 Kasparov, G 200,210,262
Hasek, J 61 Kazhgaleyev, M 246
Havasi, K 58 Kazic,B 111
Hebden, M 182 Kemeny,E 29
Heidenfeld, W 129 Kemp 164
Heikkonen, T 160 Khater, S 302
Helling, K 60 Kiik,K 276
Hellsten, J 237 Kipper, J 279
Helwing, A 115 Klavins, J 121
Herrmann, F 98 Knox, V 162
Herrmann, L 109 Kochetkov, V 263
Herzog, K 287 Koerholz, L 306
Hirsch 142 Kogan,B 153
Hodges,A 15 Kohn, S 55
Hodgson, J 167 Koltanowski, G 78, 84
Hoffman,A 211 Kostantinopolsky, A 83
Hoffinann, A 173 Kopec, D 209
Hoi,C 285 Kopera, M 234

396
 Index of Players

Komeev, 0 230 Lugovoi, A 264

Korchnoi, V 191 Lutgens, W 198
Koshnitsky, G 69 Lyrberg, P 190
Koska,} 76
Koskela, N 193 Mackenzie, A 36
Kotov,A 95 Madema,C 86
Kottnauer, C 95, 97 Madl, I 235
Kovacevic, B 236 Makarczyk, K 53,55
Kovacs, L 146 Malac, M 243
Kovalev, A 263 Malikov, 0 172
Kozlova, G 124 Mandelbaum 23
Kozma,} 143 Mansfield, C 56
Kraai,} 299 Marchetti, D 134
Kranewitter, N 239 Marin y Liovet, V 64
Krant,L 189 Markoff, S 103
Kranzl,A 137 Moroczy, G 19,32
Kravtsov, S 244 Marsden,} 238
Krouzel,} 215 Marshall, F 31, 33, 34, 46
Kritikhin, Y 133 Martinez Villanueva Pelai, G 296
Kuhnrich, F 139 Mason,} 12
Kulornzin, V 28 Mason, W 128
Kunz,H 229 Matrisch, G 137
Kuper,S 208 McMahon, F 207
Kuzubov, Y 306 Mejrup, S 184
Mellberg, B 108
Lakdawala, C 252 Melzer,O 219
Langreder, U 229 Michaelides, E 156
Laptev, R 187 Michel,P 82
Lasker, Em 16,34,39,77 Mihajlovic, Z 75
Lecrivain, M 2 Milotai, D 120
Lehti,} 194 Minckwitz,} 7
Leise,A 49 Minic, D 131
Leisebein, P 188 Miron,L 289
Leitner, F 100 Molina Carranza, L 42
Lesiege, A 250 Morchiashvili, B 294
Leu,M 149 Morphy, P 5
Lida Garcia, F 201 Movsesian, S 297
Likov, V 244 Mrva,M 242
Lindner, M 218 Muck,P 149
Ljapunova 124 Mueller, D 219
Loeffler, S Mueller, E 163
282 Mueller,} 126
Loose, W 90 Mufic,G 180
Lorin, F 212 Mulcahey, W 221
Lovewell 52 Mustafaev,} 295

397
 Sacking the Citadel

Myant, M 136 Pircher, M 180

Pisa Ferrer, J 224
NN 1,38,38 Piskov, Y 230
Nanu, C 289 Piachetka, J 275
Nash, R 136 Platanov, I 130
Negele, M 245 Podzielny, K 206
Neu, K 142 Pohl, W 203
Niephaus, W 90,123 Polugaevsky, L 147
Nijboer, F 176 Porreca, G 107
Nikolac, J 236 Portisch, L 144
Nikolic, S 158 Poso, H 193
Nilsson, A 57 Pratten, W 138
Ninic,M 75 Prie, E307
Norcia, F 73 Priwonitz 70
Nonnann, C 87 Prokhorovich, T 121
Novikov, I 175 Pruess, D 299
Novikov, M 293 Przepiorka, D 53
Nuenchert, E 141 Pugachov, A 290
Pulieri, P 152
O'Hanlon, J 62 Purdy,C 69
Olafsson, F 108 Pytel, B 162
Onocko, G 259
Onrust, B 304 Quinteros, M 171
Oosterom, E 249
Radonjanin, V 184
Pachman, L 97, 99 Rahman, Z 268
Pahl50 Ramesh, R 251
Palac,M 258 Rasmussen, K 260
Panchenko, A 175 Rastrelli, A 45
Panov,V 83 Razinger 71
Paulsen, L 8 Rea,A 192
Pearce, D 225 Recktenwald, T 205
Pearsall, A 46 Reeh, 0 173, 254
Pedersen, J 286 Reid,A 155
Perez Gomar, G 54 Reilly,B 78
Perez,F 214 Rellstab, L 82
Perie, S 228 Rendle, T 274
Pestalozzi 35 Renner, C 253
Petek, P 125 Reseli, BIll
Piazzini, L 86 RiberaArnal,A 79
Pelilyan, V 179 Ricardi, P 178
Pillsbury, H 17, 24 Richter, M 258
Pinchuk, B 285 Rigo,Z 242
Pinterne Kovacs, M 235 Robbins 47
Pirc, V 107 Roese, 0 266

398
 Index of Players

Romer,H 94 Sole Fabragat, X 216

Rossetto, H 92 Sorial, H 248
Rotlewi, G-41 Sosna, J 280
Rubinstein, S 74 Spasov,S 277
Ruiz,G 214 Spassky, B 127
Ruppe,O 101 Spassov, L 157
Spielmann, R 66,74
Salazar, C 85 Spraggett, K 165
Salcedo Mederos, P 261 Squarcialupi, D 148
Sale, S 247 Stafin, S 204
Salman, N 165 Stark, T 240
Salvioli, C 11 Staunton, H 3
Salwe,G 37 Stavrev, S 160
Sandin, S 135 Steingrimsson, H 222
Savage, A 192 Steinitz, W 6
Savoia, L 276 Stenzel, H 220
Sax, G 181 Stets, D 279
Schenzen, J 39 Stevens, B 102
Schlechter, C 30 Stisis, Y 199
Schmidt, W 126 Stojanovic, M 272
Schrader, E 29 Stoltz, G 106
Schulten, J 5 Suberville, A 134
Schuman, E 72 Subiza 91
Schuster, C 178 Sundstrom, Sutter 44
Schuster, T 123 Sutter 221
Schwarz,A 8 Sveshnikov, E 278
Seirawan, Y 171 Svetushkin, D 307
Sergeev, A 68 Svidler, P 253
Sermek, D 247 Swiderski, R 25
Seul,G 186 Szylkrot, C 197
Shaw,J308
Shchekachev, A 249 Tahirov, F 257
Shetty,R 268 Tal, M 147
Shirov, A 305 Talla, V 275
Short, N 170,210 Tan,M 284
Siegel, M 114 Tanguay, A 105
Simon,G 205 Tarjan, J 167
Simon,H 80 Taylor, J 93
Simutowe, A 267 Te Koiste, J 25
Skalicka, C 76 Teichmann, E 135
Skipworth, A 8, 20 Tereba,R 61
Sliwa,B 113,143 Teschner, R 127
Smejkal, E 223 Thompson 4
Snorek, M 273 Thorhallsson, T 265
Sobel, R 119 Thorstensen, T 286

399
 Sacking the Citadel

Timman,] 181 Weimo,H 132

Timmins,] 220 Welin, T 174
Tokarev, V 110 Wellington, G 49
Tremblay, L 150 Wells, P 233
Trent, L 298 Wiktorczyk,] 119
Trimbom 26 Wilke 70
Trimpi, H 195 Willey, F 103
Troxler,] 77 Wilson, F 139
Tseveloidoff 119 Winawer, S 27
Turcot,] 150 Winckelmann, T 188, 189,213
Tyroler,A 43 Winter, W 63
Wolf,H 30
Uhlmann, W 104
Unzicker, W 109 Yalov, S 277
Urban,] 270 Yandemirov, V 246
Urbanczyk, C 208 Yanofsky, D 84
Yates, F 64
Vaatainen, T 194 Yegiazarian, A 281
Van der Weil,] 157, 191 Yemelin, V 256
Vasovski, N 272 Yepes ~artinez, E 232
Vass, F 288 Young,] 18
Vavrak, P 234 Yudovich, M 172
Veer, W 168 Yurkov, P 290
Vergruggen,~ 80
Vexin 4 Zaitsev, A 130
Vidmar,~ 37 Zalys, I 105
Vieweg, K 151 Zetterberg, S 269
Villegas, B 92 Zezulkin,] 270
Voge1,D 203 Zhilin, V 133
von Zitzewitz, C 213 Zlatdinov, R 301
Zierke, 0 282
Wademark, H 190 Zinski 22
Waters, W 102 Znosko Borovsky, E 56
Wedberg, T 177 Zufic,~ 271
Wegner, H 174 Zukertort,] 14
Weijers, F 198 Zumsande, ~ 283

400