1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 d6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Nc6 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. g3 Bb7 8. Bg2 Be7 9. O-O Qd7 10. Qb3 O-O-O 11. a4 d5 12. cxd5 cxd5 13. Bf4 Nh5 14. Rfd1!

After the game my opponent suggested now 14. Bxc7 but this is not as good as it looks and in fact becomes unclear who would have the advantage:

14. Bxc7 Qxc7 15. Nb5 Qa5 16. Rfc1+ Kb8 17. Rc7 Qb4. The text develops and adds great pressure on the centre while preparing a piece sac. [RR Here White is winning after 18. Qe3, e.g. 18... Bc5 19. Rxc5 Rde8 20. Rc8+ Kxc8 21. Qxa7, though it is certainly true that these complications were unnecessary.

14. Be3! may be the simplest and best solution of all.]

14... Nxf4 15. gxf4 c6 16. Nxd5!

The point.

[RR In fact this is a mistake that hands the advantage over to Black. Better was 16. a5 a6 17. e4.]

16... cxd5 17. Rxd5! Qc7?

Better 17... Qxd5 18. Bxd5 Rxd5 19. Qc3+ (this takes advantage of having not already committed the rook to c1 thereby being able to check and then penetrate the K-side and go pawn hunting) 19... Kb8 20. e4 Rd7 21. Qxg7 Rhd8 22. Qxh7 Rd1+ 23. Rxd1 Rxd1+ 24. Kg2. However the point of all this is that White would have had to play accurately to win.

[RR After 17... Qxd5 18. Bxd5 Rxd5 19. Qc3+? Kb8 20. e4 (20. a5) 20... Rd7? ( much better 20... Bf6!) 21. Qxg7Rhd8 22. Qxh7, Black should play 22... Bc5, with ... Rd2 to follow (22... Rd1+? 23. Rxd1 Rxd1+ 24. Kg2) .]

18. Qh3+ Kb8 19. Rb5 Rd6 20. Bxb7 Rb6 21. Bg2 a6 22. Rxb6+ Qxb6 23. Qf3 Ka7 24. Rc1 Rd8 25. a5

1-0

Annotator(s): Colm Daly, Irish Chess Journal, vol. 9, no. 4, August-September 1997, p. 18 (excerpted here).

Event information: Tournament report.