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- This speed chess game played at the
- Purdue Chess Club in 1991 was between
- two class A players.
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- Also common is 1. .... Ng8-f6. The
- idea behind either of these moves is
- to prevent 2. e2-e4 which would give
- White a very strong center.
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- This is the Queen's Gambit. Since
- White can't play e4, c4 is his best
- chance to get another pawn in the
- center. At first glance it woul
- appear that White is offering a pawn
- for free. If the pawn is taken,
- however, White has 4 moves that
- should eventually get the pawn back:
- Qa4+, e3, e4, or Nf3.
- ................................................................
- Compare playing 2. Nc3 instead. It
- blocks the c2 pawn that we may need
- to move later. It doesn't increase
- White's chances of getting another
- pawn in the center, as Black can play
- 2. ... Nf6 preventing 3. e4.
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- This is the Albin Counter Gambit.
- This opening is generally thought to
- be better for White, but it is often
- played for the surprise effect. For
- one thing, the typical Queen's Gambit
- player likes to play a closed
- positional game, or is at least
- prepared for the possibility of a
- closed game. But the Albin Counter
- Gambit forces White to play a more
- open tactical game. And if he
- doesn't know how to wisely play
- against it, he could get into serious
- problems.
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- Since the Black can't regain the pawn
- right away, it is a good idea to take
- it. Note that instead cxd5 isn't
- very good. After Qxd5, White has to
- worry about protecting his Queen
- Pawn.
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- The idea of the gambit is to prevent
- both Nc3 and e3. What happens if
- White plays e3? here? See game 14.
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- The idea is to "fiancheto" the f1
- Bishop by developing it to g2. The
- point is that Bishop will be more
- useful on g2 than it would be on e2.
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- Trying to gain a tempo by attacking a
- pawn while developing.
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- White is deliberately sacrificing a
- pawn to gain in development.
- Technically Nbb2 is better, but when
- playing speed chess a pawn might not
- make much difference in the outcome
- of the game.
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- Takes the pawn offered.
[Next]
- Castles.
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- Black's usual plan is to play his
- Bishop to h3 supported by the Queen.
- This may be accompianed by O-O-O with
- a h7-h5-h4 kingside attack. For
- reasons we will examine soon, 7.
- ..... Ne7 is a little better.
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- White wanted to play e3, but the Rook
- would be taken.
[Next]
[Next]
- This is a waste of a move. One of
- the ideas of giving up the pawn on c4
- is to be able to play 8. e3 dxe3 9.
- Qxd7+ Bxd7 10. Be3 wich gains a
- tempo. However, this only works
- particularly well if the Queen has
- already gone to d7. If instead Black
- had played his Knight to e7, play
- would continue 8. e3 dxe3 9. Bxe3
- Nf5! which I think makes the c4 pawn
- sacrafice look questionable.
[Next]
- Black plans to castle queenside if he
- needs to, and he prepares the usual
- maneuver of playing the knight to g6
- to attack the e5 pawn.
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- A little late.
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- What should White do?
[Next]
- Trading an undeveloped piece for a
- developed one. Usually a good idea.
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[Next]
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- Looks to me like Nf5 might be better
- with the White Bishop on e3.
[Next]
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- Black realizes he can't take the e5
- pawn without losing his b7 pawn.
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- White wants to pressure the queenside
- and has the forsight
- to leave his other rook on a1.
- It would have been more correct to
- play the pawn to a4 first,
- because Black can now play the
- annoying Ba3.
[Next]
- Likewise he can't take the e5 pawn
- without losing his a7 pawn. He
- decides to get his King off the same
- file as the Rook. Notice how
- effective the Bishops on g2 and e3
- work together.
[Next]
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- Now he mistakenly thinks he can take
- the pawn.
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- Putting pressure on c7 and a7.
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- To save both the a7 and c7
- pawns.....
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- ... but now Black has more troubles
- as he has opened up the Queen Rook
- file for White.
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- Does this save the a7 pawn?
- What should White do
- now?
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- Black cannot take the Rook because of
- Kxa7?? 18. Ra1+ Ba3 19. Rxa3+ Kb8
- 20. Ra8 mate.
[Next]
- The c6 defense stops the mating treat
- (temporarily). Now White thought for
- a whole minute with not much time
- left.
[Next]
- Although the computers prefer Bxb6
- instead, this proves to be a very
- interesting move.
- It is hard to fully see the
- consequences of this move. If now
- 19. .... Nxc6 19. Rxf7 and White
- still has an attack.
[Next]
- Black grabs the bait.
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- Now White threatens mate while
- threaning to take a Rook and queen a
- pawn at the same time. Such is the
- power of the fiancheto Bishop on g2!
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- This clever defense tries to stop
- mate and protect the Rook at the same
- time. Now taking the Rook in
- inadequate as White had to sacrafice
- a Rook to get here.
- What should White do
- now?
[Next]
- Black only has one response ...
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- Tempting would be 20. cxd8=Q followed
- by 21. b4 which wins material. But
- there is a better move ......
[Next]
- Amazingly this is checkmate!
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