One wrong move can cause havoc

Chess Checks

In the game which follows, white does enjoy an edge till the middle-game but one bad rook move by Black tilts the game heavily in White’s favour.

White: Tobias Jugelt (2401) – Black: Ulf  Von Herman (2407)

Altenkirchen, 1999
Trompowsky Attack
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5
The Trompowsky
2. ..e6 3.Nd2 h6 4.Bh4 b6
Black’s decision to fianchetto the bishop is surprising as he should have tried to focus on the centre with 4. ..d5.
5.e4 Bb7 6.Bd3. White can also play 6.e5 g5  7.Bg3 Nd5
6. ..Be7 7.c3 d6. Here too Black could have castled. If 7...d5 8.e5 Nfd7 9.Bxe7 Qxe7 10.f4 c5 11.Ne2 Ba6
8.Qe2. Also playable is 8.Ngf3
8...Nbd7. If 8...c5 9.f4 cxd4 10.cxd4 d5 11.e5 Ne4 12.Bxe7 Qxe7 13.Ngf3
9.f4. If 9.0–0–0 c5 10.Ngf3 g5 11.Bg3 g4 12.Ne1 cxd4 13.cxd4 Rc8+ 14.Kb1 e5 15.Nc2
9...c5 10.Ngf3 Qc7
If 10. ..a6  11. 0-0 And if 10...Nh5 11.Bxe7 Qxe7 12.g3 g5 13.fxg5
11.e5 Nd5 12.Bg3
If 12.Bxe7 Kxe7 (12...Nxe7 13.Nc4 Nc8 14.f5) 13.g3 cxd4 14.cxd4
12...cxd4 13.Nxd4. If 13.cxd4 Nb4
13...0–0. Black castles. If  13. .. a6  14.0-0 And if 13...a6 14.0–0 Nc5 15.Bc2 dxe5 16.fxe5
14.0–0 dxe5
If 14...Rad8 15.Nb5 Qc5+
15.f5. Attempting and attractive looking advance but it is not the right move! White should have continued  15.fxe5 Nc5 16.Bc2 Ba6 17.c4 Nb4 18.Bb1 Rad8 19.N2f3
15...Nf4. Once again an incorrect move!. If  15...exf5 16.Nxf5 Rae8 17.Rae1
16.Bxf4 exf4 17.fxe6 Ne5
If 17...Nf6 18.exf7+ Rxf7 19.Bg6 Rff8 20.Ne6
18.exf7+
If 18.Be4 Bxe4 19.Nxe4 Nc4 20.Nf5 (20.exf7+ Rxf7 21.Rae1 Ne3 22.Ne6 Qe5 23.Rxf4 Rxf4 24.Qxe3 ) 20...Bc5+ 21.Kh1 Ne3 22.Nxc5 Qxc5 23.Nxe3 Qxe3
18...Rxf7 19.Be4 Bxe4
If 19...Bd6 20.Ne6
20.Qxe4 Re8 21.Rae1. Things are heating up around the centre. If 21.Qd5 Kh8 And if  21.Rxf4 Rxf4 22.Qxf4 Bg5
21...Bf6 22.Qd5. Pinning the rook!. If 22.Kh1 Rfe7 23.Nf5 (23.Qd5+ Kh8 24.Nb5 Qc5 25.Qxc5 bxc5 26.Nd6
22...Rd8. If 22...Qd8 23.Qb5 (23.Qxd8 Rxd8 24.Ne4 Nc4) 23...Rfe7 24.Rxf4 Bg5 25.Rf5 .Qb8 26.Nf1
23.Qb3 Qd7 24.Ne4
The two knights are interestingly hovering around the centre
Diagram 1
24. ..Re8. A bad move which firmly puts White in the driver’s seat. Black should have played 24...Bh4 25.Rd1 Qg4 26.Rd2 Kh8 (26...f3 27.Nxf3 Rxd2 28.Nexd2 Nxf3+ 29.Nxf3) 27.Qb5 and though White still enjoys a tiny edge, it  is not enough for a clear cut win
25.Nxf6+
Worth a look is 25.gxf6 or 25.Rxf4
25...gxf6 26.Qc2. White wins easily after 26.Rxf4 Nd3  27.Rg4+ Kh8
26...f3 27.gxf3 Rg7+
If 27...Rfe7 28.Kh1
28.Kh1 Kh8 29.Qf5 Qf7 30.Qh3 Reg8
If 30...Rg6 31.f4 Ng4 32.Qf3 Rxe1 33.Rxe1 Qd5 34.Re2
31.Nf5 Rg6
32.Re4
If 32.Rxe5 fxe5 33.Nxh6
32...Qh7 33.Rh4 Nf7
If 33...Nd3 34.Rg4
34.Ne7 1–0
Diagram 2
White to play and win
1.Rd5 Qxd5
If 1...Rxd5 2.Qf8 checkmate
2.Qf6 checkmate.