This week I received a PM with a very interesting tactical variation in it. Here I will examine the game and some of the wild tactics. This game demonstrates a few things: 1.The originality of not automatically recapturing a piece 2. Trouble that stems from greedily trying to hold on to material 3. Attacking possibilities in a wide open position 4. Trading material for a lasting iniative (similar to gambit play)
Header
PGN
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 c5 4.exd5 {I slightly modified the move order here. The original game/pm had Nf3 Nf6 before exd5.} exd5 {This line with exd5 and c5 is called the Marshall Gambit in the French Defense.} 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Bb5 Bg4 7.O-O Bxf3 {cxd4 looks ok, because of the pin on f3. White has a few ideas there too (maybe Qe1 and Nxd4 or even accepting the doubled g pawns and playing for the attack with Qxd4} 8.Re1+ {The beginning of a very interesting tactical variation.} Be4 {Black tries to hang on to the piece.} 9.f3 f5 {Again, trying to grab as much material as possible} 10.fxe4 dxe4 {fxe4 11.Qh5+} 11.Nxe4 {A bolt from the blue ... All black has done is dig a hole for himself.} fxe4 {Qxd4+ 12.Qxd4 and Nd6-f7 is one easy win. There may be better.} 12.Qh5+{Black is a bad way - see diagram}
Black is a piece up but busted after 12.Qh5+. 12. ... g6 13.Qe5+ wins at least the rook in the corner. 12. ... Ke7 13.Rxe4+ gives white a winning attack. 12. ... Kd7 13.d5 (at the very least wins the piece back with check)
In the main variation with Kd7, black seems to hold a pawn, but white still gets enough attacking chances.
Here is a line (start at move 12):
Header
PGN
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 c5 4.exd5 exd5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Bb5 Bg4 7.O-O Bxf3 8.Re1+ Be4 9.f3 f5 10.fxe4 dxe4 11.Nxe4 fxe4 12.Qh5+ Kd7 13.d5 {At the very least, winning back the piece} Kc7 14.dxc6 bxc6 15.Bf4+ {If Bd6 Rad1} Kb6 16.Bf1 {It looks like white is just a pawn down. Actually, there is enough compensation. The computer even gives white a slight pull! I think it is based on black's wrecked pawns, underdevlopment, and the looseness of his king.} Nf6 {Attacking and holding e4} 17.Qe2 {Qa6 ideas come into play.} Qd4+ 18.Kh1 Qa4 {Black has stopped Qa6 and sort of setup a blockade on the queenside. For instance, 19.b3 Qa3 may slow white down a little with his attack.} 19.a3 {I was a little puzzled by this move, until I figured out what (I think) it does. It stops that "blockade" on a3 by taking the square away from the queen before playing b3. The next black move will be a weak one to sort of illustrate white's chances.} h6 {Not Good ... But an illustration of white's chances ... Even after the best move, white still has a slight pull.} 20.b3 Qb5 {Again keeping an eye on a6} 21.Qf2 {discovery on queen} Qa5 22.Bd2 {The black queen is trapped.}
This last pgn just demonstrates white's chances in the positions that follow Kd7.
All in all, Re1 is a very interesting variation, and the Nxe4 move just seems to light a fuse of fireworks that are extremely tactical and entertaining (even it some of it is really complicated).
the position which caught my eye when flicking through this was at white's 20th when b3 was played, I immediately thought the move should be b4 followed up by c4 if need be but yes an interesting line
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