                      |
***
[A.J. Goldsby I]
***
I have tried to provide a fresh perspective here for this game.
One of my all-time best games. (Especially from a defensive standpoint.).
From a tournament where I buried a strong field that included 5 Masters.
(And several Experts.).
1.e4
c5; 2.
b3!?, I think this is called,
"The Snyder Sicilian."
It is a favorite of Moshe's. (Schneider?)
[ Customary is: 2.Nf3 ].
2...d6; 3.
Bb2
Nf6!; 4.
Bb5+!?, (Maybe - '!')
A line developed by Moshe.
[ A line formerly thought
to be venomous was:
4.Bxf6
gxf6; 5.Qh5
a6!;
(5...Nc6;
6.Bb5!?; "~" )
6.Nc3
Nc6; "~" which isn't so bad for Black. ].
Now both sides try to develop normally.
4...Bd7!; 5.
Bxd7+
Qxd7; 6.
Qe2
e6; 7.
f4
Nc6; 8.
Nf3
Be7;
9. 0-0
0-0; 10.
d3
b5!; (Nice.)
Black gains some space.
11.
Nbd2
Qc7!; {Diagram?}
Black's Knight (on f6) needs a square. (Worse than the Queen!)
12.
c4
a6; 13.
Kh1!
Nd7!?;
The Knight runs before it is booted.
14. d4!
Nxd4!;
(correct)
Black decides to exchange a few pieces ... before he is blown off the
board.
15.
Nxd4
cxd4; 16.
Bxd4
bxc4!?;
Seeming to reduce the pressure, but it also strongly activates the White Knight.
[ Better was: 16...Qb7!; with the idea of ...Rc8. ].
17. Nxc4
Rae8!?; (Probably
- '!') (Hmmm.)
A very sneaky move ... the reasons for this move will not become
immediately apparent.
18.
Rac1
Qb8; 19.
Na5
Bf6; 20.
Bxf6
Nxf6;
The exchanges help Black - he was a little cramped.
21.e5
dxe5; 22.
fxe5
Nd5; 23.
Nc4
Qb5; 24.
Qh5; (Maybe - '!')
At the time he played this,
Moshe sincerely believed this
move was winning!
(White has a VERY straight-forward, but effective plan. He is going to
gang
up on f7 ... in fact he plans on attacking that square with ALL his
pieces!!)
[ 24.Qg4!? ].
(Now
Black is already beginning to prepare his defensive idea.)
24...Rc8!; 25.
Rce1!
Rc7!; 26.
Rf3
h6!?;
Black now need not worry about back-rank mates, and he also
defends f7 laterally.
After White's next move, it appears that Black will be overwhelmed
on the f7-square.
(Nd6 is also on tap.)
27. Ref1!?
Rxc4!!; {Diagram?}
A brilliant sacrifice, based on some cute tactics. For his sacrifice, Black will
get 2 pawns for the exchange AND have a good defense for his Kingside.
(I believed passive defense with 27...Qb7; was doomed.)
28. bxc4, Forced.
[ 28.Rxf7? Rf4!; "-/+" ].
28...Qxc4; 29.
h3, (Luft.)
Now White is not bothered by back-rank
mates!
[ White can play:
29.Rxf7,
which looks winning.
But in actuality, the move is
a big mistake. ('?/??')
29...Qxf1+!; 30.Rxf1
Rxf1#; OUCH! ].
29...Ne3!; 30.
Rg1!?,
After a very lengthy thought, White finds his Rook has few viable squares.
[ 30.Rxe3??
Qxf1+;
("-/+" or "-/+") Black is probably winning.
Or 30.Rb1?!;
Now 30...Qxa2; 31.Rg1,
(31.Rb7??
Qxg2#)
Now 31...Nf5; "-/+"
Or 30.Re1!?
Nf5; 31.Qg4
Qxa2; "="
Or 30.R1f2
Nd1; 31.Rf1
Ne3; "=" ].
30...Nf5;
{Diagram?}
From this square, the Knight serves the cause of both offence AND
defence.
31.
a3
Qe4;
White has defended his QRP,
but lost his King-Pawn.
32. Qg4
Qxe5; "=" 33.
Rf4!?,
White is struggling here.
[ Probably best is: 33.Rd1. ].
33...Rd8!; 34.
Qf3!?
g5!?; (Really -
'!')
I was NOT going to win White's Queen - if it left me to play against both Rooks!
[ 34...Rd4!? ].
35. Rg4
Rc8!; 36.
Rd1?!, (Maybe - '?')
This looks good, but it is actually a mistake.
[ 36.Rb1 was better. ]
36...Rc3;
37.
Qf2!?,
White is trying to defend.
[ Another insidious tactic, that
I showed off during the post-game
analysis,
was:
37.Qa8+!?
Kg7; 38.Qa7,
(38.Qxa6
Ne3!)
38...Ne3; 39.Re1
Nxg4;
40.Rxe5
Rc1+; 41.Qg1
Rxg1+; 42.Kxg1
Nxe5; "-/+" and Black wins easily. ].
37...Ne3!; 38.Re1?!
Nxg4!; 39.
hxg4
Qg3; 40.
Qd2
Rd3!;
41.
Qa5
Rd4;
(Maybe - '!')
I liked this best, although the computers did not.
[ 41...Rd5!? ].
42. Rf1!, (Maybe -
'!!') {Diagram?}
White sets an insidious trap, and does it in only a few seconds of clock time.
(!!)
[ 41.Qe5 ]
42...Rf4!;
Black avoids a lethal trap.
[ 42...Rxg4?;
('??') 43.Qd8+
Kg7;
(43...Kh7; 44.Rxf7+)
44.Qf6+
Kg8;
45.Qxf7+
Kh8; 46.Qe8+
Kg7; 47.Qe7+
Kg8;
(47...Kg6; 48.Qf7#)
48.Rf8#. An amazing
turn-around. ].
43. Qd8+
Kg7; 44.
Rb1
Rxg4; 45.
Qd4+??,
With his flag literally hanging,
Moshe blunders.
It really did not matter, as White
was completely lost and Black
had plenty
of time on his clock.
(Like 6-8 minutes.)
45...Rxd4; White Resigns. 0-1
Copyright (c) {LM} A.J. Goldsby I
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 1995-2008.
Copyright © A.J. Goldsby, 2009. All rights
reserved.
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