Many times beginners and even Masters think that a bluff sacrifice can complicate things and bring about a reversal in the position when things appear to be going wrong. At times it can work but most often it does not!
In the game which follows, Black is in an inferior position and tries to wriggle out by sacrificing a knigh. White accepts the sacrifice and coasts to a comfortable victory.
White: Sergey Volkov (2480) – Black: Viktor Bologan (2575)]
Kstovo , 1997
Nimzo Indian Defence
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nf3 e6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Qc2 d6 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.Qxc3 0–0 8.b4
If 8.e3 a5 9.b3 Re8 10.Bb2 e5 11.Qc2 Bg4
8...e5
Black makes things interesting by sacrificing a pawn in the centre. If 8...Re8 9.b5 Ne7 10.g3 is a rather passive continuation
9.Bb2
White played a novelty here but he could have reacted sharply with 9.dxe5 dxe5 ( 9...Ne4 10.Qe3 f5 11.Bb2 Qe7 12.exd6 Qxd6)
9...e4. Black decides to slug it out in the centre and pushes on. If 9...Re8 10.dxe5 Nxe5 11.Nxe5 dxe5
10.Nd2 d5. He could have consolidated with 10. ..Re8
11.e3 Ne7 12.b5
White wants to activates his light square finachettoed bishop but 12.h3 keeps the game balanced
12...c6
If 12...a6 13.a4 (13.bxa6 b6 14.Be2 Bxa6) 13...axb5 14.axb5 Rxa1+ 15.Bxa1 c6
13.a4 Re8 14.Rc1 Be6 15.Be2 Ng6 16.0–0 Nh4
16...Bg4 17.f3 (17.Bxg4 Nxg4 18.cxd5 cxd5 19.Qc7 Re7) 17...exf3 18.gxf3 Bh3 19.Rf2 Qe7 20.Bf1
17.bxc6 bxc6 18.g3 Ng6 19.cxd5 Bxd5
If 19...cxd5 20.Ba3
20.Nc4 Qd7 21.Rfd1 h5 22.Ne5
A good move!
22. ..Qf5. Not exactly the right move as it concedes advantage to White. If 22...Nxe5 23.dxe5 Ng4 24.e6 fxe6 25.Bxg4 hxg4 26.Qe5. 23.Nxc6 Ng4
If 23...Rac8 24.Qa5 Ng4 25.Rf1
24.Qe1
Diagram 1
24. ..Nh4. A last ditch effort by Black, sacrificing his knight! If 24...h4 25.h3 Nf6 26.g4
25.gxh4
White has no hesitation in accepting. If 25.Ne5 Nf3+ 26.Nxf3 exf3
25...Qg6 26.Kh1
Trying to get out of the line of fire! Better is 26.Bxg4 Qxg4+ (26...Bxc6 27.Rxc6) 27.Kf1 Bb3 28.Qe2 Qh3+ 29.Ke1 though White still remains better
26...Bxc6 27.h3 Nh6 28.Rc5 Bxa4 29.Ra1 Rab8 30.Bc3 Qe6 31.Qf1 If 31.Rxa4 Qxh3+ 32.Kg1 Ng4 33.Bd1 Qxh4
31...Bd7 32.Bxh5 Qxh3+ 33.Qxh3 Bxh3 34.Kh2 Bg4 35.Bxg4 Nxg4+ 36.Kg3 Nh6 37.Rxa7 Rb6 38.d5
White could have held on to his advantage with 38.h5 to prevent any last minute counter-play by Black
38...Rg6+ 39.Kh3 Nf5 40.Rc6 Rg1
Black should have considered 40...Rd8 41.Rxg6 fxg6 42.Ra4 Rxd5 43.Rxe4
41.d6 Rh1+ 42.Kg4 Nh6+
If 42...Nxh4 43.d7 f5+ 44.Kf4 (44.Kg5 Rf8 45.Rc8?? Nf3+ 46.Kf4 g5+ 47.Kg3 Rg1+ 48.Kh3 g4 checkmate)
43.Kg3 Rd1. If 43...Nf5+ 44.Kf4
44.d7 Rd8 45.Rcc7 Nf5+ 46.Kf4 Ne7
If 46...Nxh4 47.Kxe4. 47.Ke5
The monarch at the centre has taken command of the game. If 47.Kxe4 Nd5 48.Rc8 Nxc3+ 49.Rxc3 R1xd7
47...Rd5+
If 47...Nd5 48.Rc8 And if 47...f6+ 48.Ke6
48.Kxe4 f5+ 49.Kf3 Kf7 50.h5 Ng8 51.Kf4 Ne7 52.Ba5 Ke6 53.Kf3 R8xd7
If 53...Rd3 54.Rcb7 R8xd7 55.Rxd7 Rxd7 56.Rxd7 Kxd7 57.Bc3
54.Rxd7 Rxd7 55.Rxd7 Kxd7 56.Bc3 Ke6 57.Bxg7 Kf7 58.Be5 Nd5 59.Kg3 Nb4 60.Kh4 Nd3 61.f4. 1–0
Diagram 2
White to play and checkmate in two moves
1.Qxh7+ Nxh7 2.Ng6#