Today’s attacking finish
SPRAGGETT ON CHESS
Now the White Knight sells its charmed life for the Black Rook
KNIGHT-MARES
The young Ukrainian Alexander Ipatov earned his final GM norm in the Cappelle tournament, scoring a very respectable 7 points out of 9 points. Last summer I wrote on this blog of the curious fact that Alexander plays for the Spanish chess federation. Even so, he remains one of the top young players that the Ukraine has produced in recent years.
In the position below Ipatov has built up a strong attacking position against the Black King. Every one of White’s pieces is pointed in the same direction. It is for this reason that it is not surprising that White breaks thru the Black defences with a series of brutal moves. In particular, pay attention to the White Knight: Zhigalko will not soon forget the destructive force of this beast…
GM ZHIGALKO
GM IPATOV
24.Nf6 -ch!
A stock sacrifice with the sole purpose of tearing open the King position. Taking the Knight loses immediately:24…gxf6 25.Rxg6! (rip!) fxg6 ( 25…Kf8 26.Qxf6 is immediately decisive ) 26.Rxg6 Kf8 27.Qxf6 Ke8 ( 27…Qf7 28.Qxe5 ) 28.Rg8 Kd7 29.Rg7 etc
24…Kf8!? Trying to hold on to dear life 25.Rxg6!
A picturesque position with both White’s Rook and Knight enprise. Now Black has no choice but to recapture one of them
25…fxg6 26.Nd5-ch!
This Knight is a real hero, terrorizing the Black monarch with each move.
26…Qf7 27.Qa3-ch c5
Ofcourse 27…Ke8 is answered by the crusing 28.Bxg6
28.Qxc5-ch Kg8
Now the White Knight sells its charmed life for the Black Rook
29.Ne7-ch! Kh8 30.Qxe5
The devastation to Black’s position is complete. Now White needs only bring in his Rook for the Black monarch to be snared. The game lasts just a couple more moves
30…Qxe7 31.Bxg6 Qh4 32.Rg5
Black resigns. After 32…Qh6 33.f4! and Rh5 is unavoidable.
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