The Decisive Blow!
The Roquetas de Mar organizers did well to invite players who have reputations for being combative and uncompromising players! The tournament produced a good many games that are worthy of study and publication. I present one such game below.
Sosa,T – Lianes,M
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.O-O O-O 6.Nbd2 d6 7.c3
a6 8.Bb3 Ba7 9.h3 h6 10.Re1 Be6 11.Nf1 d5 12.exd5 Nxd5 13.Ng3
Re8 14.Bc2 Qd6 15.Nh4 Qd8 16.Nhf5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">I have given the first moves without comment. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of games with very similar moves. The game is roughly level, though dynamic and what I would call <em>asymmetric. Both sides have different goals. White would like to do something on the Kingside, possible play d4 at some point to open his Bishops, and get an initiative. Black,for his side, has active play in the centre and his position is solid. </strong>} Nde7?{[#] <strong style="color:red;">A logical idea, but poorly executed. Black’s sense of danger must have escaped him for a moment. Curiously, Black is probably lost now!</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">Correct was to play first </strong> } 16...Qf6!{<strong style="color:black;">when everything would be under control. </strong> } )
17.Nxh6+!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Very unexpected!</strong>}
gxh6 18.Qh5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">White’s sacrifice is purely positional. He has weakened the Black Kingside with his sacrifice and now tries to rush in his pieces to exploit the change in circumstances. He has Queen, Knight(g3) and 2-Bishops (after d4) ready to join in together. Meanwhile, the Black King has just Bishop and Knight available to fend off White’s threats.</strong>} Ng6{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 19.d4!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">The threats begin to get serious.</strong>} Qf6 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">The Queen is not a great defender, but Black does the best that he can under the circumstances.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Black could have taken the steam out of White’s attack with </strong> } 19...Qh4$5 20.Bxg6 Qxh5 21.Bxh5
exd4 22.Bxh6 dxc3 23.bxc3$16{<strong style="color:black;"> but he would be left a pawn down with a seriously compromised King position. </strong> } )
20.Bxh6 exd4{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
(20...Nf4? 21.Bxf4 exf4 22.Qh7+ Kf8 23.Nh5$18)
21.Bg5 Qg7{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 22.Ne4!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">The threats become very serious. Black finds himself trying to survive move by move. It is worth noting how useless the Black Bishop on a7 is here</strong>} f5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
23.Nf6+{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Kf7{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 24.Nxe8{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Black recovers material and continues with a strong attack.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;"> A Tal would have considered the wilder</strong> } 24.g4! Rh8 {<strong style="color:black;"> White’s Queen looks trapped!</strong> } ( 24...fxg4 25.Nxg4 Bxg4 26.Bb3+
Kf8 ( 26...Be6 27.Qf3+ ) 27.Qxg4 ) 25.Rxe6!! Rxh5 26.Nxh5{<strong style="color:black;"> with a winning attack. strong> } )
Rxe8{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
25.Rxe6!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">What I like so much about this game is how White’s attack is so energetic. Makes one realize that one single mistake (on move 16) is all that it takes to lose.</strong>} Rxe6 26.Bb3!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Pins and needles</strong>} dxc3 27.bxc3!{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Nce5?{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Black’s resistance breaks!</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Black’s one chance for survival was with </strong> } 27...Qe5$5 28.Qh7+ ( 28.Bxe6+ Qxe6 29.Qh7+
Ke8 30.Qxc7 ) Ke8 29.Bxe6 Qxe6 30.Qxc7 f4 31.Rd1 f3 32.gxf3 Nge5
33.Rd6!$16{<strong style="color:black;">when Black has some cheapo chances still </strong> } )
28.Rd1!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">With this move, bringing in another piece into the attack, the game is essentially over. Time trouble explains why Black played on too long…</strong>} Qh8 29.Qe2{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
( 29.Bh6$5 Qf6 30.Bf4! ) Qe8 30.Rd8{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Qb5 31.Qh5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Bxf2+{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Resigning was the best move! After this move Black plays on until his checks run out…</strong>} 32.Kxf2 Ng4+
33.hxg4 Qe2+ 34.Kg1 Qe1+ 35.Kh2 Qe5+ 36.Kh3 Qxc3+ 37.g3 fxg4+{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
38.Kxg4 Qb4+ 39.Kh3{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 1-0
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