The recent match between Crowthorne’s all-junior C team and Godalming D saw a fascinating struggle between James Love (Crowthorne) and David Archer. Playing the White pieces, David played a speculative Greek Gift piece sacrifice which gave him lasting compensation in the form of Black’s exposed king, and which also produced a tremendously complicated position for both sides.
James defended the position actively, and his extra material prevailed after several adventures:
[Event "Crowthorne C v Godalming D"]
[Date "2018.03.14"]
[White "Love, James"]
[Black "Archer, David"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D02"]
[PlyCount "70"]
[EventDate "2018.03.14"]
1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e3 c5 4. c3 Bd7 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. Nbd2 Nf6 7. O-O {This position from the Colle System has been seen a number of times before and has a
good pedigree – for example it was seen in Charousek-Tchigorin in 1898! Black has the choice of putting his KB either on d6 (where it is more active but may
get hit by a knight or by e4-e5) or on e7 (where it is slightly passive). Both moves are equally good.} Bd6 8. e4 {Perhaps tempted by the position of the
Bishop on d6, White makes the break immediately, but it is more usual to prepare it with moves like Re1 or dxc5.} dxe4 (8... cxd4 {
first may be more accurate, as it saddles white with an isolated queen’s pawn.}
) 9. Nxe4 Nxe4 10. Bxe4 O-O (10... cxd4 {!}) 11. Bxh7+ {!?} ({White is understandably tempted by the “Greek Gift” sacrifice, but he could have attained a
comfortable piece play advantage with the simpler} 11. dxc5 Bxc5 12. Bf4 (12.
Ng5 {is also dangerous})) 11... Kxh7 12. Ng5+ Kg6 (12... Kg8 {??} 13. Qh5 {
and mate, or loss of much material, follows shortly.}) (12... Kh6 {??} 13.
Nxf7+) 13. Qg4 $6 {This is a standard follow-up in the Greek Gift, but in this
particular position it loses much of its effect because g3 is not available to
the queen after black plays f5.} ({
Instead, White had the very interesting possibility} 13. dxc5 $1 {
which forces the bishop back, for example} Bc7 (13... Bxc5 14. Qg4 f5 15. Qg3 {
and the attack is still dangerous}) 14. Qd3+ f5 {with the queen on d3 rather
than g4, this move now does not come with gain of tempo} 15. Rd1 {and here Black probably has the advantage, but would have to play very accurately to
prove it!}) 13... f5 14. Qe2 {now the attack is not as strong as it could have
been, but Black’s king is still exposed without a clear path to safety} Rh8 15.
f4 $1 {a nice move, which both defends h2 and prepares R-f3-g3} cxd4 16. Rf3
Bc5 17. Kh1 Qf6 $2 {up to now Black has defended superbly with active moves.
f6 is a nice square for the queen, but the king needs it more! Qe7 immediately
was better} 18. Rg3 {
threatening a deadly discovered check when the knight moves} Qe7 19. Ne4+ $2 {
This allows the Black king to escape to safety, and his extra piece becomes
the only factor in the game.} ({Instead, White could have continued by leaving
the Black king exposed. For example} 19. cxd4 Bb6 (19... Bxd4 20. Nxe6+ Kf6 21.
Nxd4 Nxd4 $2 22. Rg6+ $1 {wins!}) 20. Bd2 Rae8 21. Bc3 {and it is not easy for
Black to disentangle, as the possibility of a nasty discovered check is always
present}) 19... Kf7 20. Ng5+ Kg8 {White’s attack has now lost all its force}
21. b4 Bb6 22. b5 Na5 23. c4 Rc8 24. Ba3 Qe8 25. Rc1 Bc5 26. Bb2 Qh5 27. Nf3 a6
28. Rh3 Qg4 29. Rg3 $2 {a blunder in a difficult position} (29. Rxh8+ Kxh8 30.
Qd2 {would have kept the game going}) 29... Qxg3 30. h3 Qxf4 31. Ne5 Bd6 32.
Nf3 axb5 33. Rf1 Bc6 34. c5 Bxf3 35. cxd6 Rxh3+ 0-1
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