JOIN USIt is always interesting to watch a King join in to set up a checkmating net, considering the fact that for most part of the game he is the most vulnerable and fiercely guarded entity on the chessboard.
In the game which follows, black is highly error-prone and commits a series of mistakes. The queen move on the 25th turn is a decisive mistake and puts white firmly in a winning position. It is interesting then to watch the white king striding into enemy territory to assist in a check-mating net despite the presence of his opponent’s queen and rooks on board.
White: John Nunn (2590) – Black: Daniel Campora (2485)Biel, 1983Caro-Kann Defence1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5Exchanging the pawns3. ..cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nf3 Be7 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Bd3 Nc6 9.0–0 0–010.Re1 Bf6 11.Be4 Nce7 12.Ne5A previously played game went along the following lines: 12.Qb3 b6 13.Bxd5 Nxd5 14.Nxd5 Qxd5 15.Qxd5 exd5 16.Bg5 Bxg5 17.Nxg5 f612...g6. A mistake rather early in the game. The usual continuation is 12...Nc6 13.Qd3 h6 14.Bxd5 Nb4 15.Qg3 Bh4 16.Qf3 ]13.Bh6 Bg7Black hardly has any choice and is forced to exchange the dark square bishop14.Bxg7If 14.Qd2 Nf6 15.Rad1 Nxe4 16.Rxe4 b6 17.Rh4 Nf5 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Rh3 Bb714...Kxg7 15.Qf3Better is 15.Rc1 Bd7 16.h4 and if 15.Qb3 Nf6 16.Rad115...Nf6Rushing back for defence when he could have tried 15. ..Qb6 16.Qd3 f6 17. Nc4 And if 15. ..15...Nxc3 16.bxc3 Qc7 17.Rab1 Rb8 18.Qg3 f6 19.Nc6 And if 15...Qb6 16.Rad1 (16.Bxd5 Nxd5 17.Nxd5 exd5 18.Qxd5 Be6 19.Qc5 ) 16...Qxb2 17.Bxd5 Nxd5 18.Nxd5 exd5 19.Qxd5 Be6 20.Qf316.Bxb7If 16.Rad1 Ned516...Bxb7 17.Qxb7 a5 [17...Rb8 18.Qxa7 Rxb2 19.Qa3±]18.Qf3Instead of retreating, white could have played 18. Rab1 Nf5 19.g418. ..Qxd4 19.Rad1 Qb4 20.Nd7 Nxd7 21.Rxd7 Nd5A mistake once again! He should have played 21...Nf5 22.Rb7 Qc4 with more or less a balanced position22.Rxe6This shot was in the offing as the ‘f’ pawn is pinned22. ..Nxc3. If 22...Qxb2 23.Nd123.Ree7Not bothering to capture back the piece but intensifying the checkmating net around the King23. ..Kg8 24.Rxf7 Ne2+ 25.Kf1Diagram 125. ..Qxb2A decisive mistake! This move puts white in an absolutely winning position. Black could have offered resistance with 25...Ng3+ 26.hxg3 Qc4+ 27.Kg1 Qc1+ 28.Kh2 Qh6+ 29.Kg1 Qc1+ 30.Rd126.Qd5 Ng3+Nothing can save black now!. If 26...Qa1+ 27.Kxe2 Rae8+ 28.Kf3 Kh8 29.Kg4 Rxf7 30.Qxf7 Re4+ 31.Kh327.hxg3 Qa1+ 28.Ke2 Rae8+Black can only harass the white king for a while!29.Kf3 Kh8 30.Kg4The king is boldly marching towards enemy territory to assist in checkmate30. .. h5+ 31.Kh4 Qh1+ 32.Kg5 Qc1+ 33.f4 Rxf7 34.Rxf7 Qe3 35.Kh6A truly picturesque position where the white king is assisting in setting a checkmating net with the opponents queen and rooks on board.Diagram 2White to play and checkmate in two moves1.Bb8 c4If 1...Rc4 2.Nc7 checkmate2.Nc7 checkmate.