Nice attacking finish!

im Bailet,Pierre

im  Wagner,Dennis

From yesterday’s round of the Mitropa Cup.  Position after  21 moves of play.  Two Knights versus two Bishops!  The Black Queen and Bishop (b7) are lined up, hoping for action on g2, while White has amassed considerable firepower in the centre.  His pawn on e5 provides  support for Kingside operations.

WHITE STRIKES FIRST:

22.Nf6+!

The first salvo of the attack, forcing open the Black Kingside

22..PxN 

How should White get his Rook into play?

White must now make a fundamental decision, to play his Knight to e1 or to h4.  Both moves have more or less the same value, but can lead to very different lines of play.  After 23. Ne1  the best defence appears to be 23…Qd8!? 24.Pxf6  Kh8  25.Rh3  Rg8  26.Qh4  Be4 (forced)  27.QxB  Rg6  28.Nf3!  with an extra pawn (the f6-pawn will not last long) while keeping attacking chances.  However, there would still be work necessary to score the point, so White chooses the trickier Knight move:

23.Nh4!?

Threatening mate in two moves.  Relatively best now is  23…Rfd8  24.Qh6  Qxe5!  25.PxQ  RxR  26.Pxf6  Bf8, when White must win, though Black can still resist for a while.  Black thought he had better:

23…Qd8!?

A tricky defence!

If now the hurried 24.Rg3 (?) then  after 24…Kh8 White’s attack has disappeared!  A bit better is 24.Rh3!? but after 24…Bc1! Black should not lose.  Finally, 24.Qh6 fails to 24…Kh8  25.Rh3  Be4!

24.Nf5!!

The only way to win! 

Based on the interference theme, Black will no longer have the …Be4 shot.  White threatens mate in 2 moves.

24…PxN  25.Qh6!

Black is helpless!  White threatens both Rg3 and Pxf6.  If …Kh8 then 26.Rh3 follows, or if …f4 then simply 26.Pxf6 wins. The game continued 25…Bc1 (what else?) 26.Rg3+ Bg5  27.Pxf6 and Black threw in the towel