1.d4
d5
2.c4
The Queen's Gambit
2...c6
The Slav Defense
3.Nf3
Nf6
4.Nc3
e6
Black has erected a solid defense, over-protecting the d-pawn but notable for the bad queen's bishop
5.Bg5
dxc4
Grabbing the pawn but ceding the center
6.e4
Threatening Bxc4 and e4-e5
6...b5
Defending the c4-pawn.
7.e5
h6
The only way to defend the Nf6
8.Bh4
g5
9.Nxg5
Not really a sac, since the Nf6 will fall.
9...hxg5
10.Bxg5
Nbd7
11.exf6
Bb7
Threatening the capture on f6 by covering the c6-pawn. [11...Nxf6?
12.Qf3
Bg7
13.Qxc6+
]
12.g3
Setting the stage for the complications that follow. The g3-pawn will support h4 and f4
12...c5
Threatening Bxh1
13.d5
Nb6
Four attacks on the d5-pawn
14.dxe6
Sacrificing the Rh1, but white gets considerable compensation.
14...Qxd1+
15.Rxd1
Bxh1
16.e7
a6
Diagram White is down a rook but with a raging positional advantage. But how best to continue?
17.h4!
[17.exf8Q+
Kxf8
18.Rd6
Rb8
19.Be3
Rh5
20.Be2
Re5
21.Nd1
(21.Kd2
b4
22.Nd1
Kg8
23.Bf4
Ree8
24.Ne3
c3+
25.bxc3
bxc3+
26.Kxc3
Na4+
27.Kd2
Rb2+
28.Ke1
Nc3
29.Bd3
Rxa2
30.Rxa6
Rxa6
31.Bxa6
Nd5
32.Bb5
Re6
33.Bc4
Nxf4
34.gxf4
Rxf6
35.f5
Be4
36.Ng4
Rd6
37.f6
Bf3
38.Ne3
Rxf6
0-1 Plachetka,J-Bagirov,V/Berlin East 1979/EXT 99 (38)) 21...Kg8
22.Bf4
Ree8
23.Ne3
Be4
24.f3
Bg6
25.h4
Rb7
26.g4
Na4
27.h5
Bb1
28.b3
Nc3
29.bxc4
Bxa2
30.Bd3
Bxc4
31.Bxc4
bxc4
32.g5
Kh7
33.g6+
Kg8
34.Kf1
Nb5
35.Rxa6
Nd4
36.Ng4
Nf5
37.Ne5
c3
38.Rc6
Rf8
39.Bg5
Ng3+
40.Kg2
Nxh5
41.g7
Rfb8
42.Ng4
Kh7
43.Nh6
Kg6
44.Rxc5
Nxf6
45.Bxf6
Kxh6
46.Be5
Rg8
47.Rc6+
Kh7
48.Bxc3
Rbb8
49.Be5
Rbc8
50.Rb6
Rxg7+
1/2-1/2 Beliavsky,A-Bagirov,V/Moscow 1981/MCL (50)]
17...Bh6
Saving the bishop [17...b4
18.Rd6
bxc3
19.Rxb6
cxb2
20.Rxb2
c3
21.Rc2
Bxe7
22.fxe7
f6
23.Be3
Kxe7
24.Bxc5+
Kd7
25.Bh3+
Kc6
26.Rxc3
Rhe8+
27.Be3+
Kd5
28.Bd7
Rxe3+
29.Rxe3
Rb8
30.Be6+
Kd4
31.Bb3
a5
32.Kd2
a4
33.Rd3+
Ke5
34.Bxa4
Rb2+
35.Ke3
Rxa2
36.Bb3
Ra1
37.Bd1
f5
38.Bf3
f4+
39.gxf4+
Kf6
40.Be2
Ra7
41.Rd6+
Ke7
42.Rg6
Ra3+
43.Bd3
Bd5
44.Kd4
Be6
45.h5
Ra4+
46.Ke3
Ra3
47.Rg3
Bf5
48.Ke2
Ra2+
49.Kf1
Ra1+
50.Kg2
Be6
51.Be4
Ra4
52.h6
1-0 Starke,D-Essing,A/Germany 1991/TD (52)]
18.f4
Maybe not! If Black plays Bxg5, white will respond with fxg5 permanently sealing in the Rh8.
18...b4
19.Rd6
Rb8
[19...bxc3
20.Rxb6
cxb2
21.Bxc4
Bc6
22.Rxb2
(22.Rxc6
b1Q+
) 22...a5
23.Rb5
]
20.Nd1
relocating the knight to d5 via e3
20...Bxg5
21.fxg5
Nd5
Trying to prevent the Nd1 from any activity and, more importantly, tring to free up the black king with Nxe7.
22.Bxc4
Typical positional manoeuvering. Nb6-d5 gave up control over the c4-square, so white moves into the vacuum.
22...Nxe7
23.fxe7
Kxe7
Black remains up the exchange for a pawn, but white's kingside pawns remain dangerous.
24.Rf6
The f-pawn is weak, fixed, and twice attacked.
24...Rhf8
25.Ne3
idea Nd5 and Nf5
25...Be4
26.Rxa6
restoring material equality, but white remains far more active.
26...Rbd8
27.Rf6
Rd6
28.Rf4
Rd4
29.h5
Bd3
30.Nd5+
Kd6
31.Rxd4
cxd4
32.Bb3
[32.Bxd3
Kxd5
33.h6
Rg8
34.h7
Rh8
35.a4+-
]
32...Bc2
33.Bxc2
Kxd5
34.Bb3+
[34.h6!
]
34...Ke5
35.g4
Kf4
36.g6
Ke3
[36...Kg5
37.Bxf7+-
]
37.g7
Rc8
38.Kf1
avoiding Rc1#
38...d3
39.Kg2
Kf4
40.h6
White can stop the d-pawn, but black cannot stop white's passers. 1-0