JOIN USIt is important to keep the momentum going while launching an attack and not pause too much or get diverted from your original intention. Beginners sometimes get lured by the offer of sacrifices or at times even hesitate to make bold moves when it comes to the crunch!
In the game which follows, White begins aggressively with two pawn sacrifices in the opening stages but loses steam mid-way as he falters at a crucial juncture and goes on the defensive. Thereafter he again tries to revive the attack but by then, Black is already in a dominating position
White: Stelios Halkias (2502) – Black: Vitali Golodi (2590)
Vlissingen , 2000
Trompowskly Attack
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5
The Trompowsky Opening
2. ..Ne4 3.Bh4 c6
Generally 3. ..g5 or 3. ..d5 is played
4.f3
Better options are 4.Nf3 or 4.e3
4...Qa5+. Black’s queen enters the warfare in the early stages
5.Nd2 Qh5
The queen swings onto the kingside. If 5...Nxd2 6.Qxd2 Qxd2+ 7.Kxd2 g6 8.c3 Na6
6.Nxe4
If 6.Bxe7 Nxd2 7.Bxf8 Nxf1 8.Bxg7 Ne3 9.Qd3 Nxg2+ 10.Kf2 Rg8
6...Qxh4+ 7.g3 Qh5
If 7...Qh6 8.f4 d5 9.Nf2 c5 10.c3 Qb6 11.Qb3 cxd4 12.Qxb6 axb6 13.cxd4 Nc6 14.Nf3 Nb4
8.f4 Qb5. Once again the Queen swings back onto the queen-side. Note that in eight moves made by Black so far, the queen has moved five times
9.Bh3
White plays a novelty. If 9.Rb1 Qa5+ 10.Nc3 d5 11.Bg2 Nd7 12.Nf3 e6 13.0–0 Bb4
9...Qxb2
Black grabs the pawn on offer
10.Nf3 e6 11.0–0 f5. A bold advance considering the fact that White has castled on the kingside. Black can also play 11...Be7 or 11...Qa3 or 11...d5
12.Nf2 d5
Interesting position! Most of Black’s pieces still on original squares and the pawns generously rolled out!
13.g4. An overambitious pawn advance
13. ..Bd6 14.Rb1
White sacrifices a second pawn which is a bit baffling. He could have continued 14.e3
14...Qxa2 15.e3 0–0 16.Ng5
Here 16. Ne5 looks more in place
16. .. Qa5 17.Kh1 Qc7 18.Rg1 g6
If 18...Qe7 19.gxf5 exf5 20.Qh5 h6 21.Nf3 white has a very strong attack.]
19.Nd3 b5. Still interesting to note that Black’s pieces on the queen-side have not entered the warfare even though the game is almost in concluding stages
20.Qe1 Qe7
Diagram 1
21.Rg2. White should have gone into attacking mode with 21.gxf5 or 21.Qh4
21. ..Nd7 22.Qh4 Kh8 23.Ne5 Bxe5 24.fxe5 Nb6
If 24...Rg8 25.gxf5 gxf5 (25...exf5 26.e6) 26.Rbg1
25.gxf5 exf5 26.Qf4 Be6 27.Rbg1 Rg8 28.Nf3 Nd7 29.Nh4 Qf7 30.Qh6
White is desperately trying to get his attack going on the King-side
30. ..Nf8 31.Rf1 a5. Black now decides to go free on the queen-side
32.Qf4 a4 33.Rfg1 a3 34.Ra1 a2 35.c3 Ra3 36.Rgxa2
A horrible blunder! White should have played 36.Nf3 Qa7 37.Qg5 Rg7
36...Rxa2 37.Rxa2 g5
Double Attack by the pawn!
38.Qf2 gxh4
White has lost a piece and it is all over!
39.Qxh4 Ng6 40.Qh5 Qg7 41.Rg2 Qf7
The queen moves one last time!
42.Rf2 Nxe5
0–1
Diagram 2
White to play and checkmate in three moves
1.g3+ Kxh5 2.g4+ Kh4 3.Ng6 checkmate.