Winning the game on counter offence

Chess Checks

However, defence need not always be passive and a game can be won with counter offence. Of course the safety of the King is important at any point during a chess game and the defence always has to be strong so that the opponent’s pieces do not find way towards the king.

The game which follows is a good example where Black offers a very active defence even though his King is still on the original square, without castling. However it is interesting to see the mercurial Morozevich clinching the game in his favour.

White: Konstantin  Sakaev (2620) –Black: Alexander  Morozevich (2590)
Chebanenco Memorial,  1998
Queen’s Gambit
1.d4 d5  2.c4 c6  3.Nf3 Nf6  4.Nc3 dxc4  5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5 Nbd7 7.Nxc4 Qc7 8.g3 e5 9.dxe5 Nxe5
Still following Opening book theory
10.Bf4 Nfd7 11.Bg2 f6 12.0–0 Nc5
Black plays a new move here. If  12...Be6 13.Nxe5 fxe5 14.Be3 Be7 15.a5 a6 16.Qc2 0–0 17.Rfd1 Rae8 18.Nd5 was played way back in 1929
 13.e4. If 13.Nxe5 fxe5 14.Be3 Rd8 15.Qe1 Be7 16.Rd1
13...Bg6. If [13...Be6  14.Nxe5 (14.Bxe5 fxe5 15.Qh5+ g6 16.Qxe5 Qxe5 17.Nxe5 Bg7 18.f4 Bxe5 19.fxe5 Nd7) 14...fxe5 15.Qh5+ Qf7 16.Qxf7+ Bxf7 17.Bxe5 Nd3 18.Bd4
14.Bxe5
A debatable move!. If 14.b4 Rd8 15.Qc2 Ne6 (15...Ncd3 16.Nxe5 fxe5 17.Bg5 Be7) 16.Bxe5 fxe5 17.Rab1 Be7
14...fxe5 15.f4 Rd8
If 15...exf4  16.gxf4 Be7
16.Qg4 exf4 17.gxf4
If 17.Qxf4 Qxf4 18.gxf4 Rd4 19.Ne5 Bh5
17...Nd3
Black’s King is still in the centre but he does look safe
18.Kh1
If 18.Ne5 Nxe5 19.Qe6+ Qe7 20.Qxe5 Qxe5 21.fxe5 Bc5+ 22.Kh1 Bd4 23.e6 Ke7
18...Bc5 19.f5
If 19.Qg3 Rf8 20.f5 Qxg3 21.hxg3 Bf7
19...Bf7. If 19...Qf7  20.e5 Bh5 21.Qh4
20.e5 . If 20.Qxg7 Rg8 (20...Bd4 21.e5! Rf8 22.Ne4) 21.Qxh7 Rd7 (21...Qd7  22.Nd2 (22.Na3 Qd4 23.Qh4 Rg4 24.Qxg4 Qg1+ 25.Rxg1 Nf2 checkmate) 22...Qd4 23.Nf3 Nf2+ 24.Kg1 )
20...Bxc4 21.f6. If 21.Qxc4 Qxe5 22.Ne4 l(22.Ne4  22...Be7 And if  22.Qe6+ Qxe6 23.fxe6 Nf2+ 24.Kg1 Rd2) And if  21.e6  21...Ne5 22.Qh5+ Kf8 23.Rfd1 Bd4]
Diagram 1
21...Qxe5
This is a good example of active defence, black pieces are dominating the board and this saves the king on e8. If 21...Nxe5  22.fxg7 Rg8 23.Qh5+ Bf7 24.Rxf7 Qxf7 (24...Nxf7 25.Re1+ Be7 26.Qxh7) 25.Qxe5+ Be7 26.Rg1 Rxg7 27.Bxc6+ Kf8 28.Bxb7 Rxg1+ 29.Kxg1 Rd2 And if 21...Nf2+  22.Rxf2 Bxf2 23.Qxc4
22.Rf5. If 22.fxg7 Rg8 23.Qxc4 Rxg7 24.Qe4 (24.Ne4 Rd4 25.Nf6+ Kd8 26.Ng4 Qe2) 24...Qxe4 25.Nxe4 Bd4 And if 22.Qxc4 gxf6 23.Ne4 Be7 (23...Rd4 24.Nxf6+ Qxf6 25.Qxd3) 24.Qb3 f5
22...Qe6. If 22...Nf2+ 23.Rxf2 Bxf2 24.Qxg7 Bd4 (24...Rf8 25.f7+ Rxf7 26.Qxe5+) 25.Qxh8+
23.fxg7. If 23.Qxg7 Qxf5 24.Qxh8+ Kd7 25.Qg7+ Kc8 26.Ne4 Rg8 27.Rf1 Nf4 28.Nxc5 Rxg7 29.fxg7 Qg5
23...Rg8 24.Qh5+ Qg6
If 24...Kd7 25.Rxc5 Rxg7 26.Rd1 Kc8
25.Qe2+
If 25.Rxc5 Qxh5 (25...Nxc5 26.Qxc5 Rxg7 27.Rg1 Qf7 28.Bxc6+ bxc6 29.Rxg7 Qxg7 30.Qxc6+ Kf8 31.Qxc4 Qb7+)26.Rxh5 Rxg7 27.Ra5 Nf2+ 28.Kg1 Rd2. 25...Be7 26.Rf8+
If 26.Be4 Qxg7 27.Rd1 Rd6 And if  26.Raf1 Rxg7 27.Rf8+ Kd7 28.Bh3+ Kc7 29.Rxd8 Kxd8
26...Rxf8 27.gxf8Q+ Kxf8 28.Be4
And White resigned for if 28...Qf7  29.Bxd3 (29.Rf1 Nf4 30.Rxf4 Qxf4 31.Qxc4 Rd2) 29...Bxd3 30.Qe3 Qf5  0–1
Diagram 2
White to play and win
1..Qh8+ Bxh8 2.Rxh8 checkmate.

Diagram 1

Diagram 2