Kenilworth Chess Club

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. f4 Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. e5 dxe5 7. fxe5 Nd5 8. Bc4 Nxc3?! 9. bxc3 c5 10. O-O Nc6 11. Ng5 e6 12. Be3 cxd4 13. cxd4 Ne7 14. Ne4 Nf5 15. Qd2 h5? 16. Rxf5?! premature >= 16. Rad1! 16… exf5 16… gxf5? 17. Bg5 f6 (17… Qc7? 18. Nf6+) 18. Nxf6+ Bxf6 19. Bxf6 Rxf6 20. exf6 Qxf6 21. Re1+/- 17. Bg5 Qc7 18. Nf6+ Kh8? One problem with White’s premature attack is that Black can force a draw with 18… Bxf6 19. Bxf6 Qxc4 20. Qh6 Qxd4+ 21. Kf1 Qc4+!!= and the White King cannot escape the checks.(And not 21… Qxa1+?? 22. Ke2 Qxe5+ 23. Bxe5 f6 24. Qxg6+ Kh8 25. Bxf6++-) 19. Be2!-> Now Black shoul d suffer the consequences of his weak dark squares because he cannot prevent the plan of Qf4, Bxh5! and Qh4 winning. But he does find a trick and I fall for it. 19… Rd8!? sneaky 20. Bxh5?! Completely focused on my own attack, I overlook that Black might have ideas of his own. Better 20. Qf4! Bf8 21. Rd1 Qxc2 22. Bxh5-> 20… Qxe5! This ends White’s attack and forces multiple exchanges into a rather equal ending. 21. dxe5 Rxd2 22. Bxd2 Bxf6 23. exf6 gxh5 The exchanges have left material roughly equal with opposite-colored bishops on the board. But while bishops of opposite-color are notorious for creating drawish endings, they are also known to create attacking chances. White now conjures up a mating attack in which Black assists to some degree, unaware of the danger. 24. Rb1 b6 25. Rb3 Be6? 26. Rh3! Kh7? Black should play 26… f4! to escape any potential mating nets. White would then win a pawn, but the opposite-colored bishops would make winning a chore. 27. Rxh5+ Kg8 Only now does Black see 27… Kg6?? 28. Rh6# 28. Bh6 Kh7[] Forced to avoid Bg7 and Rh8#. 29. Bf4+! Played to prevent …f4. 29… Kg8[] 29… Kg6?? 30. Rh6# 30. h4! Rd8? Black can only save himself by 30… Bc4[] 31. Kf2! Re8[] 32. Bh6 Re2+ (32… Be2 33. Rxf5+-) 33. Kg1! (33. Kg3!?+/-) 33… Re1+ (33… Bd5 34. Rg5+ Kh7 35. Bg7+-) 34. Kh2 Be2[] 35. Rxf5+/- and White’s two-pawn advantage gives him excellent winning chances. 31. Bh6 Rd1+ 32. Kh2 Kh7 Mate is unavoidable: 32… f4 33. Bg7 f3 34. Rh8# 33. Bg7+ Kg6 34. Rh6# and the dark square attack is triumphant. 1-0 [Michael Goeller]

Tactical Endings – Two Full Games