Paul et al,
Another cracking game!
The bio-organic calculator has made an oversight at move, variation D). This
goes 27. ... Qxe2+ 28. Kc1 Bc4 29. Rh7 Re8 30. Rg7+ Kh8 31. Nf7+ mate.
Unfortunately the Black Bishop on c4 controls f7 so it's not mate. I spotted
this with my own bio-organic calculator whilst reading through. All the other
lines seem okay.
My silicon calculator Deep Rybka instead gives the intriguing 31. Rf7!? Bxf7?
32. Bxf6+ Kg8 33. Nh6+ Kf8 34. Nh7 mate which is a nice variation on the game's
finish. However, 31...Bxf7 is not forced although the evaluations run at +3 to
+4 for White.
Instead of 27 Ng5 Deep Rybka suggests inserting the moves 27 Rg6+ Kh8 and then
play 28 Ng5. After 28...Qe2+ 29 Kc1 Qh5 30 Ne7 (threat 31 Bxf6+ Rxf6 32 Rg8
mate) 30...Bc4 31 Be4 (threat 32 Nf7+ Bxf7 33 Bxf6+ Kh7 34 Rg7+ Kh6 35 Rh7
mate) it rates White at +7.87.
In conclusion it seems that White is winning after 19 Qxh7+!! but needs to
commit to 23 Bf6 for the full point.Great concepts.
Regards,
Tyson
On 12 October 2019 at 17:00 Paul Benson <paul.benson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Skype coaching session, 06 October 2019.
Note: We approach the season where daylight saving might affect your time
zone.
Forthcoming coaching sessions in October will be on Sundays: 13, 20, at 14:00
UTC, which is 15:00 BST.
On Sunday 27 the coaching session will be at 14:00 UTC, which is 14:00 GMT.
The game discussed (32 moves) is given below with annotations and without
annotations plus a supplementary section giving repeat annotations from the
notes of 29 September up to black move 10.
Re-structuring of the sessions now offers the option for guests to bring
their own games for group discussion.
Recordings of some previous coaching sessions can be found at:
http://www.open-aurec.com/Skype/PaulBenson/PaulBenson.htm
Paul Benson.
* * *
White: V. Malinin.
Black: A. Andreev.
Event: Leningrad 1989.
Result: 1-0 in 32 moves.
Opening: Benko Gambit Accepted, A58.
| Editorial.
Ratings for these players are not available, white has however proceeded to
become a G.M. since this event.
For annotations up to black move 10 please consult section 3 in this email.
||
1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 c5
3. d5 b5
4. cxb5 a6
5. bxa6 Bxa6
6. Nc3 d6
7. Nf3 g6
8. g3 Bg7
9. h4 O-O
10. h5 Nxh5
| Double-edged.
White is always going to have some play up the h-file, the only argument is
how it will occur.
The white response should be, "Obvious", the only question is the Fischerism:
"Obvious Therefore Dubious!", appropriate here?
||
11. Rxh5
| Inflicting a structural weakness on the black kingside.
Bobby Fischer made a comment regarding this, Rxh5, sacrifice something like:
I've played this move so many times I am thinking of applying for a
copyright.
So if Fischer trusts in his judgement that the structural weakness is worth
the material, then who are we to argue?
The only worry is that Fischer was playing such captures in Sicilian / Pirc
systems.
This is a Benko,the queenside pawn formations here are far more open than
Bobby experienced, is this difference important?
Instead trying to push the black knight off the h5 square followed by seeking
activity up the semi-open h-file looks rather slow.
||
11. ... gxh5
| So black has doubled h-pawns, but when a unit moves lines previously closed
become open, does this matter?
||
12. Qc2
| A tripler.
Firstly, a potential target, the white b2 pawn, is given an extra protection.
Secondly, a potential target, the white c3 knight, is given an extra
protection.
Thirdly, on c2 the white queen is pointing at the now-exposed black h7 pawn.
||
12. ... Nd7
| Transferring kingside, black needs a knight on f6 to strengthen the
structural weaknesses created by the white exchange sacrifice.
||
13. Bg5
| Anticipating black, Nf6, white now has the option of, Bxf6, removing the
useful defender of the black h5 and h7 pawns if felt appropriate.
||
13. ... Nf6
| A doubler.
Firstly, the h5 and h7 pawns have a defence, but as previously commented,
white has the option to eliminate with, Bxf6.
However remember that piece exchanges when material down are not usually in
the interest of the attacker.
Secondly, some pressure is placed on the white d5 pawn.
||
14. Bg2
| A doubler.
Firstly, an x-ray defence is given to the white d5 pawn.
Secondly, the white kingside back rank is cleared, the white a1 rook is a
step closer to transferring over to the kingside.
||
14. ... Rb8
| A different black approach is, Qa5 - Rfb8, but this leaves the black a8
rook in the x-ray glare of the white g2 bishop.
Fine, but it is not possible for white to move the d5 pawn, so why the
bother?
Because the white d5 pawn is often a target for tactics by black in this type
of position, so by choosing, Rab8, there is no possibility of the black
queen's rook being caught out in a tactical sequence.
||
15. O-O-O
| Looks risky, castling into a couple of semi-open files, but how else can
white quickly transfer the a1 rook to the kingside?
||
15. ... Qa5
| Increasing the pressure on the dark squares on the white queenside.
The, "Tactical Antennae", of both players should now be scenting something
serious in the air, but what?
||
16. Rh1 Nxd5
| Black correctly assesses there are tactics in the position and strikes.
This knight capture opens up the black g7 bishop into the white queenside,
making targets of the white c3 knight and b2 pawn.
There was however another idea, 16. ... Rxb2, to be crunched, some ideas run:
(A). If, 16. ... Rxb2 17. Kxb2 Nxd5 18. Bd2 Nxc3 19. Bxc3 Rb8+ 20. Ka1 Bxc3+
21. Qxc3 Qxc3+ mate, too easy, white should not comply.
(B). Or if, 16. ... Rxb2 17. Kxb2 Nxd5 18. Bd2 Nxc3 19. Bxc3 Rb8+ 20. Kc1
Bxc3 21. a4 Bxe2 22. Qxe2 Qxa4, and the black active queenside pieces will
quickly dominate the white king.
(C). Or if, 16. ... Rxb2 17. Qxb2 Nxd5 18. Bd2 Nxc3 19. Bxc3 Bxc3 20. Qc2
Rb8, transposes into variation (B) above.
(D). Or if, 16. ... Rxb2 17. Qxb2 Nxd5 18. Bd2 Nxc3 19. Bxc3 Bxc3 20. Qb3 c4
21. Qc2 Rb8, black should invade up the b-file for a decisive attack.
White to play must do something about the triple attack on the c3 knight, but
what?
||
17. Nxd5
| Grabbing a piece, but surely black is about to smash the white queenside
apart beginning with a snatch of the b2 pawn?
And not only that, but the pawn-loss will happen with tempo-gain on a white
royal unit plus the only defender of the white a2 pawn has just gone
walkabout.
||
17. ... Rxb2
| The anticipated, "Crusher", lands.
White must have a good answer ready, and if not, this could be a good time to
resign.
Instead the less dramatic, 17. ... Qxa2, sets up a different set of
difficulties for white to solve.
Also, 17. ... Bxb2+ 18. Kd1, opens up a tricky analytical-tree, black has
quite a few options to sift through compounded by white beginning to mount
threats on the black king.
One can see the seeds of time-trouble being sewn.
||
18. Nxe7+
| Snaffling a pawn with check, fine, but how is white to continue after the
black king shuffles out of danger?
All spite checks are equal, but some are more equal than others.
The black king is being forced into a position of immobility, if white can
inflict another check it could be mate.
||
18. ... Kh8
| White to play must pull a rabbit out of the hat.
But surely this is assuming there actually is a rabbit in the hat?
||
19. Qxh7+
| Whether found by desperation or inspiration, this is one giant of a rabbit.
Not only does it give up the queen but leaves the white c1 king virtually
defenceless.
How does such a move come to mind?
Perhaps white has been thinking about, Rxh5, threatening, Qxh7+ mate ever
since the exchange sacrifice,11. Rxh5, was played.
But since having 2 moves in a row is not legal, the only option left is to
invert the move-order and investigate all forcing moves thereafter.
Instead, 19. Qe4 Qc3+ 20. Kd1 Bxe2+ 21. Qxe2 Rxe2 22. Kxe2 Re8 23. Kd1 f6,
white has both the g5 bishop and e7 knight en prise.
||
19. ... Kxh7
20. Rxh5+
| The black king has no legal moves, had the black unit on g7 been a pawn,
then this would be mate.
This pattern of an attacking knight on e7 combined with a restricting g7 pawn
followed with either an attacking queen or rook check on the h-file is worth
studying and remembering, such opportunities should occur during your games,
don't miss out.
||
20. ... Bh6
21. Rxh6+
| The material retrieved count for the white queen now stands at 2 minor
pieces plus a pawn with the bonus that the black b2 rook now stands without
protection.
Not only that, but the black king is confronted with 3 white attacking units
with no effective defenders to assist.
Such a 3 - 0 imbalance of attackers over defenders should most often lead to
great difficulties for a lonely king.
||
21. ... Kg7
| So far black has played 4 forced moves in a row, white must keep kicking or
black will invade with, Qc3+, mating.
||
22. Nf5+
| A doubler.
Firstly, the white h6 rook receives another protection, this releases the g5
bishop for action elsewhere if desired.
Secondly, the black king is forced onto his back rank, meaning thoughts of
finding a mating pattern should now be arising.
||
22. ... Kg8
23. Bf6
| A powerful quadrupler.
Firstly, the white bishop controls the g7 and h8 squares, white is now
threatening, a pair of mates with, Ne7+, and, Rh8+.
Secondly, the f6 bishop backwardly attacks the black b2 rook.
Thirdly, the f6 bishop controls dark squares around the very lonely white c1
king, in particular the black threat of, Qc3+, mating is prevented.
Fourthly, the black f7 pawn is fixed, the black king is denied a flight route
by moving the f-pawn.
Who would have thought as black set about fianchettoing the g7 bishop that it
would be the white dark square bishop who would eventually rule the h8 - a1
diagonal?
If white felt a bit nervous about the state of the c1 king then, taking
3-fold repetition beginning with, 23. Ne7+ Kg7 24. Nf5+, was available.
Such an option to end the game peacefully would allow white to invest time
in, 23. Bf6, checking very carefully to ensure that it does not lose.
||
23. ... Rc2+
| The black rook was lost no matter what and so tries to give the remaining
black units a chance to break both of the white mating patterns.
||
24. Kxc2 Qxa2+
25. Bb2
| Anything else permits the black queen to inflict perpetual check on the
white king.
Instead, 25. Kc1, loses the opportunity to fight on, some ideas run:
(A). If, 25. Kc1 Qa3+ 26. Bb2, and black is still confronted with a pair of
white mate threats plus an attacked a3 queen who cannot give another check,
white wins.
(B). Or if, 25. Kc1 Qc4+ 26. Kb2 Rb8+, and black gives mate no matter where
the white king goes on the a-file, but white can avoid this.
(C). Or if, 25. Kc1 Qc4+ 26. Kd2 Qxe2+ 27. Kc3 Qd3+ 28. Kb2 Rb8+, and again
black quickly forces mate.
(D). Or if, 25. Kc1 Qc4+ 26. Kd2 Qxe2+ 27. Kc1 Qc4+ 28. Kd2 Qe2+ 29. Kc1
Qc4+, will end in 3-fold repetition.
When the white bishop retreated to b2 something important happened concerning
the black king.
Both white mating patterns of, Ne7+, and, Rh8+, demand the targeted black
king have no flight square, on b2 the white bishop is no longer blocking the
black f7 pawn.
||
25. ... Qc4+
26. Bc3
| Running with the king is very risky, some ideas of how it can go wrong for
white:
(A). If, 26. Kd2 Qxe2+ 27. Kc3 Qd3+ mate, but white can avoid this disaster.
(B). Or if, 26. Kd2 Qxe2+ 27. Kc1 Qc4+ 28. Kb1 Qe4+ 29. Ka2 Bc4+ 30. Ka3 Ra8+
mate.
(C). Or if, 26. Kd2 Qxe2+ 27. Kc1 Qc4+ 28. Kb1 Qe4+ 29. Ka2 Bc4+ 30. Ka1 Ra8+
31. Ba3 Rxa3+ 32. Kb2 Ra2+, and either, Kc1, or, Kc3, are met with black,
Qc2+ mate.
(D). Or if, 26. Kb1 Qe4+ 27. Ka1 Qa4+ 28. Kb1 Qe4+ 29. Kc1 Qc4+, white is
getting nowhere, this is a draw.
||
26. ... f6
| A doubler.
Firstly, the h8 - a1 diagonal is now blocked ruling out white, Rh8+ mate.
Secondly, the f7 square is vacated for the black king meaning white, Ne7+, is
no longer mate.
Furthermore black is now ready to swing the f8 rook onto the b-file,
threatening, Rb3.
Instead, 26. ... Qxe2+ 27. Kc1, the white king escapes the checks and black
must play, 27. ... f6, to prevent those white mates.
White to play needs reinforcements to join the attack, but how?
Perhaps 3 clues might assist to discover the plan, the only question then is
how to set it all in motion.
Clue #1: When the black f-pawn advanced it simultaneously closed a diagonal
and opened another, does this have any relevance?
Clue #2: The black royalty are in a particular formation, can this be
exploited by white?
Clue #3: The 3 worst-placed white units needs to be allowed to contribute,
but how?
||
27. Ng5
| Sometimes the real reason for a move can be cleverly disguised.
It might appear as if this bold knight advance is trying to do something on
the kingside, this is not the sole purpose of the move.
When a unit moves it might open up lines for someone else.
Here the white g2 bishop has been given complete control of the h1 - a8
diagonal, fine, but there is nothing of value on the diagonal, right?
Not as such, however a square which intersects a diagonal important to black
is the intended target.
||
27. ... Re8
| A doubler.
Firstly, the threat of, Rxe2+, forces white to consider the Fischerism: "In
chess it is important to know when to punch and when to duck."
Secondly, the white material-gaining threat of, Bd5+, has been prevented,
right?
Instead the similarly-attacking, 27. ... Rb8, allows 28. Bd5+ Qxd5 29. Ne7+
Kg7 30. Rg6+ Kf8 31. Nxd5 fxg5 32. Rxg5, when white emerges 2 pieces up.
A different means of avoiding the white threat, Bd5+, was, 27. ... Qxe2+,
some ideas from an aging bio-organic calculator (meaning prone to errors)
run:
(A). If, 27. ... Qxe2+ 28. Kc1 Bc4 29. Rh7 Qxf2 30. Nh6+ mate.
(B). Or if, 27. ... Qxe2+ 28. Kc1 Bc4 29. Rh7 fxg5 30. Rg7+ Kh8 31. Rf7+ Kg8
32. Nh6+ mate.
(C). Or if, 27. ... Qxe2+ 28. Kc1 Bc4 29. Rh7 Re8 30. Rg7+ Kf8 31. Nh7+ mate.
(D). Or if, 27. ... Qxe2+ 28. Kc1 Bc4 29. Rh7 Re8 30. Rg7+ Kh8 31. Nf7+ mate.
(E). Or if, 27. ... Qxe2+ 28. Kc1 Bc4 29. Rh7 Rd8 30. Rg7+ Kf8 31. Nh7+ Ke8
32. Bc6+ Rd7 33. Nxd6+ Kd8 34. Rxd7+ mate.
(F). Or if, 27. ... Qxe2+ 28. Kc1 Bc4 29. Rh7 Rc8 30. Rg7+ Kf8 31. Nh7+ Ke8
32. Nxf6+ Kd8 33. Rd7+ mate.
(G). Or if, 27. ... Qxe2+ 28. Kc1 Bc4 29. Rh7 Rc8 30. Rg7+ Kf8 31. Nh7+ Ke8
32. Nxd6+ Kd8 33. Ba5+ Rc7 34. Bxc7+ mate.
(H). Or if, 27. ... Qxe2+ 28. Kc1 Bc4 29. Rh7 Rb8 30. Rg7+ Kf8 31. Nh7+ Ke8
32. Nxd6+ Kd8 33. Ba5+ Rb6 34. Bxb6+ mate.
(I). Or if, 27. ... Qxe2+ 28. Kc1 Bc4 29. Rh7 Ra8 30. Rg7+ Kf8 31. Nh7+ Ke8
32. Bc6+ Kd8 33. Rd7+ Ke8 34. Nxd6+ mate.
(J). Or if, 27. ... Qxe2+ 28. Kc1 Bc4 29. Rh7 Ra8 30. Rg7+ Kf8 31. Nh7+ Ke8
32. Bc6+ Kd8 33. Rd7+ Kc8 34. Nxd6+ Kb8 35. Rb7+ mate.
Hopefully these lines prove the value of an attacking 7th rank rook, which
becomes even more powerful when minor pieces can join in, with knights the
6th rank seems especially desirable to them.
It is white to play, how would you assess the position?
From the white side:
#1. The c2 king is very short of defenders.
#2. There are 3 active units in the black kingside, in particular the 5th
rank knights severely restrict the black g8 king.
#3. The g2 bishop has a lovely diagonal, and as the above analysis indicates,
ideas involving, Bd5+, must be kept in mind.
#4. If white could escape the black queen pin on the c3 bishop then it might
be able to influence the kingside assault.
#5. The double-attack on the e2 pawn can only be ignored if white can keep
hitting black with checks, allowing black the luxury of, Rxe2+, is suicidal.
From the black side:
#1. The king is very short of defenders, the e8 rook is near by but cannot
intervene to block any white checks, and is definitely preventing any black
king flight to the queenside.
#2. If black is allowed, Rxe2+, white will fall apart, this is not going to
happen.
#3. The black a6, "Benko-Bishop", gained with a very early pawn sacrifice has
made no contribution to the game and appears unlikely to do so in the short
term.
#4. Connected central passed pawns are money in the bank, but does black have
the time to draw on this pension scheme?
#5. The f6 pawn is valiantly trying to block the a1 - h8 diagonal, if this
pawn somehow falls the black king will be in severe danger.
So we conclude that black has a single threat, Rxe2+, this is easy
neutralised.
But does white have any threats which black has failed to neutralise?
There now follows a set of 6 clues.
It might assist if you took them one at a time, and maybe referring again to
the above discussion of the position from both perspectives before taking the
next clue.
Clue #1: Perhaps time for a cup of coffee to stimulate the imagination?
This suggestion is strongly hinting that something might be going on here,
but what?
Clue #2: White definitely has a strong position, but how strong?
Clue #3: White has 5 pieces capable of giving check, in a democracy they
would surely have equal rights, right?
Clue #4: White has a mate in 5 moves, fine, but which 5 moves?
Note: Black can prevent this 5-move mate by allowing ruinous material loss.
Clue #5: Democracy rules here, each white piece is given just a single move
to make their mark.
Clue #6: Bearing in mind that black threatens, Rxe2+, then each white move in
the sequence must be a check.
Fine, but how can the pinned white c3 bishop join in?
Hopefully the discussion of the position plus the sequence of clues has
assisted you to find the moves to finish the game.
||
28. Bd5+
| This white mate in 5 moves is not completely forced, it requires black to
comply by making sensible responses.
||
28. ... Qxd5
Declining is futile:
(A). If, 28. ... Kf8 29. Rh8+ mate, those white 5th rank knights rule the 7th
rank.
(B). Or if, 28. ... Re6 29. Bxe6+ Kf8 30. Rh8+ mate.
(C). Or if, 28. ... Re6 29. Bxe6+ Qxe6 30. Nxe6, white is a rook and 3 pieces
up.
So at the cost of the light square bishop the white dark square c3 bishop is
unpinned, but what good does this do?
||
29. Rh8+
| And all players who as black fianchetto their f8 bishop cringe.
The humiliation grows as the dark squares around the black king become
completely under the power of white.
||
29. ... Kxh8
30. Bxf6+
| So white has given up 2 units to deliver a check on the a1 - h8 diagonal,
and thanks to those white 5th rank knights, the black king has only a single
legal move.
||
30. ... Kg8
| Something important happened when the white bishop landed on f6, some dark
squares, g7 and e7, became controlled by the bishop.
This in turn releases whoever else was controlling those squares for action
elsewhere if desired.
||
31. Nh6+
| A doubler.
Firstly, the black king is forced to f8 from where it has no legal moves,
meaning a white check which cannot be blocked or eliminated will be mate.
Secondly, on h6 this knight controls the f7 square, meaning whoever else had
control of the square is now free to move if desired.
||
31. ... Kf8
32. Nh7# 1-0
| Quite a picture!
Each white piece is undefended, not coordinating with each other as such,
unless combining to restrict the black king can be regarded as coordination.
||
* * *
## Unannotated Game.
White: V. Malinin.
Black: A. Andreev.
Event: Leningrad 1989.
Result: 1-0 in 32 moves.
Opening: Benko Gambit Accepted, A58.
1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 c5
3. d5 b5
4. cxb5 a6
5. bxa6 Bxa6
6. Nc3 d6
7. Nf3 g6
8. g3 Bg7
9. h4 O-O
10. h5 Nxh5
11. Rxh5 gxh5
12. Qc2 Nd7
13. Bg5 Nf6
14. Bg2 Rb8
15. O-O-O Qa5
16. Rh1 Nxd5
17. Nxd5 Rxb2
18. Nxe7+ Kh8
19. Qxh7+ Kxh7
20. Rxh5+ Bh6
21. Rxh6+ Kg7
22. Nf5+ Kg8
23. Bf6 Rc2+
24. Kxc2 Qxa2+
25. Bb2 Qc4+
26. Bc3 f6
27. Ng5 Re8
28. Bd5+ Qxd5
29. Rh8+ Kxh8
30. Bxf6+ Kg8
31. Nh6+ Kf8
32. Nh7# 1-0
* * *
## Repeat of annotations from 29 September 2019 notes up to black move 10.
1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 c5
3. d5
| Accepting the challenge.
Instead, 3. Nf3, offers black a chance to take some central control with, 3.
... cxd4 4. Nxd4 e5.
The even more passive, 3. e3, seems to score badly for white, this cannot be
due to the actual move itself but perhaps more down to the fighting approach
from the players of the white pieces.
Lastly, 3. dxc5, has possibilities of transposing into a Sicilian Defence,
Maroczy Bind Variation.
||
3. ... b5
| Offering the Benko Gambit, black immediately sets about trying to undermine
the white centre.
The other choices in diminishing popularity are: 3. ... e6, 3. ... e5, 3. ...
g6, 3. ... d6, 3. ... a6, 3. ... Ne4.
||
4. cxb5
| Accepting the fight.
Less aggressive responses in order of diminishing popularity are: 4. Nf3, 4.
Qc2, 4. Nd2, 4. a4, 4. f3, with a few more in need of further testing.
||
4. ... a6
| Black offers another pawn in trade for queenside activity.
Is this gambit sound?
Wrong question.
Taking all on offer gives black much pressure for the pawn, it is then for
white to keep tight hold of the extra pawn without tying the queenside in
knots.
In essence, whoever understands how to handle the types of position which can
arise should make the most of their opportunities.
The reverse of this could be: Playing the Benko Gambit using instinct alone
is an accident looking for somewhere to happen.
||
5. bxa6
| Most players accept the pawn here, but declining is known.
Instead, 5. b6, denying black all the positional queenside pressure arising
from the couple of semi-open files, has quite some support.
Other methods of similarly denying black the desired semi-open files are: 5.
e3, 5. f3, 5. Nc3.
||
5. ... Bxa6
| Black captures with the bishop in order to question white regarding the
centre / kingside development plans.
If white is aiming to occupy the centre with, pawn e4, then black will have,
Bxf1, disrupting the white development, though white will simply play, Kxf1 -
pawn g3 - Kg2.
If white is not happy with a fianchetto king, then the plan of, Nf3 - pawn g3
- Bg2 - O-O - Re1, is necessary if the ultimate plan of, pawn e4, is still on
the agenda.
The early skirmishing is over, now is the time for some mutual development
before the interactivity can begin again.
||
6. Nc3 d6
7. Nf3 g6
8. g3 Bg7
| All very calm, and there is no reason to doubt this peace is going to be
broken, is there?
||
9. h4
| Aha, some aggressive intent when the, "Obvious", development plan was, Bg2
- O-O - Re1 - Qc2 - pawn e4, and then think about strengthening the queenside
against whatever plan black comes up with over there.
Instead, 9. Bh3, seeking some play on the h3 - c8 diagonal is a possibility.
||
9. ... O-O
| Perhaps a boxing match commentator may describe this as: "Leading With The
Chin!", perhaps a little harsh, how many options does the black king have
other than going kingside?
Instead, 9. ... h5, would prevent any further white h-pawn action, but would
probably prompt white to find a means of levering in, pawn g4.
||
10. h5 Nbd7
| Black avoids giving white a target.
Instead, 10. ... Nxh5, is begging for a sacrifice with, 11. Rxh5 gxh5, when
white will throw everything into the kingside.
Is this sacrifice sound?
Wrong question.
Bobby Fischer regularly played this type of exchange sac in order to break
open the black kingside.
One of his quotes runs something like: "I've played this sacrifice so many
times I'm thinking of applying for a copyright."
The point being all the interesting attacking opportunities are with white,
all the difficult defensive calculations are with black.
It will take a long time for the exchange advantage to show itself, up until
then, it is for white to get stuck in and maximise before it is too late, not
a game for the mild-hearted.
||
* * *
