However it is important at all times to keep track whether the opponent’s counter attack gets in first and when to switch onto defensive mode. In the game which follows, White barges on with his attack and to a certain extent, ignores the danger and defence. Black has no difficulty in bringing home the full point.
White: Yuval Helving (2157)– Black: Victor Mikhalevski (2531)
Ramat-Aviv ,1999
Sicilian Dragon
1.e4 c5
The Sicilian Defence
2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.f3 Bg7 7.Be3 0–0 8.Bc4 Nc6 9.Qd2
Intention of queen side castling which is usually played in this variation
9. ..Bd7 10.Bb3 Rc8 11.0–0–0
Faithfully sticking to opening theory
11. ..Ne5 12.g4
Here White opts for a line which is not frequently played. The reason is that White loses a move here, which is not good in the opening stages or for that matter any time.
12...b5
Black also starts targeting the King. With the players having castled on opposing flanks, the race will be on to see whose attack gets in first.
13.h4 If 13.g5 Nh5 14.Ncxb5 Nc4 15.Bxc4 Rxc4 16.Qd3 Rb4 17.Nc3 Qb8
13...a5
If 13...Nc4 14.Bxc4 Rxc4 15.h5 b4 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.exd5 Qa5 18.Kb1 Rfc8 19.hxg6 hxg6
14.h5 Here White deviates from the book and plays a new move
15.Bd5 b4 16.Nce2 e6
17.Bb7 The bishop is practically driven from each and every square he lands on
17. ..b3 Things are getting dangerous for White as Black has come too close for comfort. He has to now think about defence first and then about continuing with his attack.
18.axb3 Rb8 19.hxg6
Rushing too much! He would have been better off playing19.Ba6 axb3 20.Nxb3 (20.hxg6 fxg6 21.Nxb3 Nxf3 22.Qxd6 Nxg4 23.Ba7 Qf6 24.e5 Ngxe5 25.Bxb8 Nc4! 26.Qxf8+ Kxf8 27.c3 Bb5 28.Bxb5 Qg5+) 20...Nxf3 21.Qxd6 Nxg4 22.Ba7 Qf6 23.e5 Ngxe5
19...fxg6 If [19...Rxb7 20.gxh7+ (20.g5 fxg6 21.gxf6 Qxf6 22.Bg5 Qf7 23.f4 Nc6) 20...Nxh7 21.Bh6 Bxh6 22.Qxh6 Qg5+ 23.Qxg5+ Nxg5 24.f4 Nxe4 25.fxe5 dxe5 26.Nf3 Nf2 27.Nxe5 Be8
Diagram 1
20.g5 Still barging ahead when logic demanded the defensive looking 20.Ba6
20...Nh5 21.f4 Rxb7
Black now accepts the bishop
22.fxe5 Bxe5 White is not able to whip up an attack while Black is improving with every move and is creating dangerous threats.
23.bxa4 Bxa4 24.Nc3 Bd7 25.Nb3 Qa8
The queen also joins the attack. If 25...Ng3 26.Rhe1 (26.Rh4 Nf1 27.Qd3 Nxe3 28.Qxe3 Rf3) 26...Bxc3 27.Qxc3 Nxe4 28.Qc4 Qc7
26.Qd3 The only hope for White now was to play 26.Bd4
26...Rf3 Invading the enemy territory . If 26.Bxc3 27.bxc3 (27.Qxc3 Ng3 28.Rh2 Nxe4 29.Qd3 Bc6) 27...Ng3 28.Rh3 Qa3+ 29.Kd2 Bb5 30.Qd4 Nf1+
27.Rdf1 White prevents 27...Re3,but the decisive blow comes from the other side.
27...Nf4 28.Qd2 Rxb3
Sacrificing the exchange to open up the gate towards the King
29.cxb3 If 29.Rxf3 Qa1+ 30.Nb1 Bxb2+ 31.Kd1 Qxb1+
29...Qa1+ 30.Kc2 If 30.Nb1 Rxe3 and if 30...Bc6 31.Qc2 Rxe3 30...Rxf1–+ 31.Bxf4 Bxf4 32.Rxf1 Qxf1 and White resigned
Diagram 2
White to play and win
1.Rxh6+ Kxh6 2.Qg5+ Kh7 3.Qh5 checkmate.
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