| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | ||
| 8 | 8 | ||||||||
| 7 | 7 | ||||||||
| 6 | 6 | ||||||||
| 5 | 5 | ||||||||
| 4 | 4 | ||||||||
| 3 | 3 | ||||||||
| 2 | 2 | ||||||||
| 1 | 1 | ||||||||
 |
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H |
| McGrew, Tim 2400 - Anna Gulko 2255 |
| 1-0 (ICC) 1995 |
[10.Ne5
Bb7
(10...O-O
11.Qf3
Rb8
12.Nc6
Bb7
13.Nxd8
Bxf3
14.Nxe6
fxe6
15.Rxf3
e5
16.Bg5²
) 11.Qe2
O-O
12.Bg5
Qc8
13.Nxd7
(13.Bxf6
Nxf6
14.Rxf6!?
is good for a draw: 14...gxf6
15.Qg4+
Kh8
16.Qh4
f5
17.Qf6+=
; 13.Ng4?!
is less good since 13...Nxg4
14.Qxg4
f5
15.Qe2
Nf6
16.Bxf6
Rxf6µ
lets Black hold onto his material, though mobilizing the Kingside majority will present technical difficulties because of White's grip on e4 and e5.) 13...Nxd7
14.Be7!?
picks up some material because of 14...Re8
15.Bxh7+
Kxh7
16.Qh5+
Kg8
17.Qxf7+
Kh8
18.Rf4
mating]
10...Bb7
11.Qe1
[11.Ne5
doesn't work any more because Black has a quick mate threat on g2: 11...Nxe5
12.dxe5
Qd5!µ
]
11...h6
12.Bh4
[12.Qh4!?
was also possible, as Black cannot castle: 12...O-O
13.Bxh6
gxh6
14.Qxh6
Ne4
15.Rae1
Qf6
16.Qh5
Qg7
17.Bxe4
Nf6
18.Qe5
Nxe4
19.Rxe4
Bxe4
20.Qxe4
Rfe8
21.Ne5
f5
22.Qc6
Qe7
23.Rf3
Qxa3
24.Rg3+
Kf8
25.h3!
Qd6
26.Qf3!
]
12...Qe7
Black has cleverly kept her options open for castling on either wing. At this point, it's important to make things hot on the Queenside to discourage castling there; fortunately, between the a-pawn, the open b-file, and the diagonals leading to a6 and c7, White has enough pressure to make life very uncomfortable for the Black King. In any event, Black decides (sensibly) to strike back in the center. The down side of this is that Black's King now has to go to the Kingside or be caught in the center. 13.a4
c5
[13...O-O
is risky since White has typical BDG themes in the coming Kingside attack: 14.Qf2
(14.Ne5
is natural, but the standard exchange sac on f6 once again yields only a perpetual: 14...Qd6
15.Bxf6!?
(15.Bg3!?
might be worth a look, forsaking the assault on f6 for centralization of the major pieces, e.g. 15...Qd5
16.Qd2
c6
17.Rf3
Nxe5
18.Bxe5
Ng4
19.Re1
Nxe5
20.Rxe5
Qa2
21.Rg3
Kh8
22.Rh5
) 15...Nxf6
16.Rxf6
gxf6
17.Qg3+
Kh8
18.Qh4
Kg7
19.Qg3+
Kh8
20.Qe3
Kg7=
) 14...c5
15.Rae1
Rac8
16.Ne5
Qe8
17.Bb5!
This twist is the only way to prove that White is winning. It's worth remembering when Black has Knights on f6 and d7 and has just slipped out of the pin -- sometimes, you have to pin the other Knight! 17...a6
(17...g5
18.Qg3
Qd8
(18...Nh5
is a defens ive resource that must always be taken into account. Here it fails since after 19.Qh3
gxh4
20.Bxd7
Qe7
21.Bxc8
Bxc8
22.Re4
Ba6
23.Rfe1
Ng7
24.Qxh4
White's material advantage is too great) 19.Bxg5
Nh5
(19...hxg5
20.Qxg5+
Kh8
21.Bxd7
Nh7
(21...Nxd7
22.Qh5+
Kg8
23.Rxf7
) 22.Nxf7+
Rxf7
23.Qxd8+
Rxd8
24.Rxf7
) 20.Bxd8+
Nxg3
21.Bxd7
Nxf1
22.Bxc8
Bxc8
23.Rxf1
Rxd8
24.Nxf7
Rd7
25.Nxh6+
Kg7
26.Ng4
cxd4
27.Ne5
) 18.Bxf6
axb5
19.Nxd7
Qxd7
20.Qg3
g6
(20...g5?
21.Bxg5
) 21.Re5!
Qd6
22.Qh4
Kh7
23.Rf4
]
14.a5
a6
15.axb6
Nxb6
16.Ne5
Nbd5
17.Rb1
Rc8
[17...O-O
is suicical at this point: 18.c4
(18.Qg3
Kh8
19.c4
Nb4
20.Rxb4!
cxb4
21.Rxf6
also does the trick; 18.Ng4
Qc7
19.Nxf6+
Nxf6
20.Rxf6
gxf6
21.Bxf6
is a third way!) 18...Nb4
19.Rxb4!
cxb4
20.Rxf6!
Qd6!
(20...g5
21.Rxh6
gxh4
22.Rxh4
f5
23.Rh8+
Kxh8
24.Ng6+
) 21.Qf2!
Qc7
22.Rxh6
Rac8
23.Bf6
]
18.Bg6!
A very enjoyable move to find with one's clock ticking! Black, who has been unable to castle because of the foregoing tactics, will now have to forfeit the privilege permanently. 18...Rf8
[18...O-O
is still unplayable: 19.c4
(19.Be4
Ba8
20.Bxd5
Bxd5
21.Ng4
Qd6
(21...Qc7
22.Bxf6
gxf6
23.Qh4
f5
24.Nxh6+
Kg7
25.Nxf5+
exf5
26.Qg5+
Kh7
27.Qxf5+
Kg7
28.Qg4+
Kh8
29.Rf5
) 22.Bxf6
gxf6
and now White has a choice of pleasant finishes: 23.Qh4!
(23.Rxf6!
Qc7
(23...Qe7
24.Nxh6+
Kh7
25.Ng8!
; 23...Kg7
24.Qh4
Rh8
25.Rbf1
Qe7
26.Ne5
) 24.Qh4
Be4
25.Rxh6
f5
26.Nf6+
Rxf6
27.Rh8+
Kg7
28.Qh7#
) 23...f5
24.Nxh6+
Kg7
25.Qg5+
Kh7
26.Ng4
f6
(26...fxg4
27.Rf6
) 27.Qh6+
Kg8
28.Qg6+
Kh8
29.Nxf6
Rxf6
30.Qxf6+
Kg8
31.Rxf5
) 19...Nb4
20.c3
Nc6
21.Be4
Na5
22.Bxb7
Nxb7
23.Ng4
Qc7
24.Bxf6
Na5
25.Nxh6+
is another way to win.;
18...fxg6
would leave Black down in material with his King under fire, e.g. 19.Nxg6
Qd7
20.Rxb7
Qxb7
21.Qxe6+
Ne7
22.Re1
Rc7
23.Bxf6
gxf6
24.Nxh8
Qc6
25.Qg8+
Kd7
26.Qf8
Qd6
27.Ng6
Nxg6
28.Qe8#
]
19.Bd3
Mission accomplished! I decided to resist the tempting
[19.Nxf7
Rxf7
20.Rxb7
Qxb7
21.Qxe6+
Kf8
22.Bxf7
Rc6
23.Qxd5
Nxd5
24.Bxd5+
Ke8
25.Re1+
Kf8
26.Be7+
Ke8
27.Bxc5+
Kd8
when the position is unclear]
19...g5
20.Bg3
Rg8
[20...Nf4
21.Bxf4
gxf4
22.Rxf4
Rc7
23.Qf2
Nd5
24.Rxf7
Rxf7
25.Bg6
;
20...Rd8
21.Ng6
fxg6
22.Rxb7
Qxb7
23.Qxe6+
Qe7
24.Bxg6+
Rf7
25.Bxf7+±
]
21.Nc4
Suddenly there's a family fork on the horizon, but there is no defense against it. 21...Nf4
[21...Rd8
is relatively best, but White is winning after 22.Nd6+
Rxd6
23.Bxd6
Qxd6
24.Rxb7
]
22.Rxb7
[1-0] 
