<p>The opening part of a chess game is well researched with players doing plenty of homework in studying variations and it is not often that a master or a Grandmaster is caught on the wrong foot. Sometimes it can happen due to a novelty or a new move and once in a while a player may just have missed studying the variation thoroughly.<br /><br />In the game which follows, black errs in the opening stages itself after opting for what appears a losing line and is never able to get back into the game. <br />White does not have to do much to win the game.<br /><br />White: Vasilos Kotronias (2539) – Black: Ashot Anastasian (2606)<br /><br />Yerevan, 2000<br />French Defence<br />1.e4 e6<br />The French Defence<br />2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4<br />Immediately opting for exchanges at the centre<br />4.Nxe4 Bd7 5.Nf3 Bc6<br />Black can also play 5. ..Nc6<br />6.Neg5<br />White can develop 6.Bd3<br />6. ..Be7<br />If 6...Nd7 7.Nxf7 Kxf7 8.Ng5+ Ke8 9.Bc4 Bxg2 10.Rg1 Bd5 11.Nxe6 <br />7.Bd3 Nd7<br />If 7...h6 8.Nxf7 Kxf7 9.Ne5+ Kf8 10.Ng6+ Ke8 11.Nxh8 And if 7...Nf6 8.Qe2 h6 9.Nxe6 Bxf3 10.Nxg7+ Kf8 11.gxf3 Kxg7<br />8.Qe2 Ngf6<br />This was a rather shocking move by black as this tried and tested variation gives an overwhelming edge to white right from the opening stages of the game. In fact it is almost a winning position for white. Black should have played 8. ..Bxg5 9.Nxg5 Bxg2 10.Rg1<br /><br />Diagram 1<br /><br />9.Nxf7<br />A strong knight sacrifice. If 9.Bd2 h6 10.Nxe6 fxe6 11.Bg6+ Kf8 12.0–0 Nb6 13.Rad1 Be8 14.Ne5 Nbd7 15.Rfe1 Kg8 was played previously. <br />9...Bb4+<br />If 9...Kxf7 10.Ng5+ Ke8 11.Nxe6 Qc8 12.Nxg7+ Kf8 13.Ne6+ and white is in the driver’s seat. <br />If 9...Bxf3 10.Qxe6 Bxg2 11.Rg1 Bd5 12.Nxd8 Kxd8 13.Qh3 Re8 14.Be3 g6 15.0–0–0<br />10.c3 Bxf3 11.Qxe6+Qe7 12.Qxe7+ Bxe7<br />If 12...Kxe7 13.Nxh8 Bxg2 14.Rg1<br />13.Nxh8<br />White has gained material advantage and is a rook and two pawns up even before the players reach the middle-game<br />13...Bd5<br />Black can retreat 13. ..Bc6. If 13. ..Bxg2 14.Rg1 Bd5<br />14.0–0 Bg8<br />Black does not get any respite by castling on the queen-side. If 14...0–0–0 15.Re1 Bf8 16.c4 Bg8 17.Bg5 g6 18.Bxg6 hxg6 19.Nxg6<br />15.Re1 Kf8 16.h3 Bd6 17.Bg5 Nb6<br />If 17...c5 18.dxc5 Nxc5 19.Bc2 Rd8 20.Rad1 Bxa2 21.Bxh7<br />18.b3 Nbd5 19.c4 Nb4 20.Bf5 Rd8 21.d5<br />White is in total command of the board while black’s pieces are virtual spectators on the board<br />21. ..a5 22.Re3<br />A good move and an interesting position. White’s pawn form a strong chain and have totally tied down all of black’s pieces. <br />22...b6 23.g4 Na6<br />Black could have given a thought to either 23. ..Ra8 or 23. ..Rb8<br />24.Rf3<br />For white, his pieces have total freedom of movement to launch an attack<br />24. ..Nc5 25.Bd2<br />Anything works for white now as black cannot escape defeat. <br />25.Re1 also wins for white and at this point black resigned<br />1–0<br /><br />Diagram 2<br /><br />White to play and checkmate<br />1.Rf8+ Qxf8 2.Qh7 checkmate<br /><br /><br /></p>
<p>The opening part of a chess game is well researched with players doing plenty of homework in studying variations and it is not often that a master or a Grandmaster is caught on the wrong foot. Sometimes it can happen due to a novelty or a new move and once in a while a player may just have missed studying the variation thoroughly.<br /><br />In the game which follows, black errs in the opening stages itself after opting for what appears a losing line and is never able to get back into the game. <br />White does not have to do much to win the game.<br /><br />White: Vasilos Kotronias (2539) – Black: Ashot Anastasian (2606)<br /><br />Yerevan, 2000<br />French Defence<br />1.e4 e6<br />The French Defence<br />2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4<br />Immediately opting for exchanges at the centre<br />4.Nxe4 Bd7 5.Nf3 Bc6<br />Black can also play 5. ..Nc6<br />6.Neg5<br />White can develop 6.Bd3<br />6. ..Be7<br />If 6...Nd7 7.Nxf7 Kxf7 8.Ng5+ Ke8 9.Bc4 Bxg2 10.Rg1 Bd5 11.Nxe6 <br />7.Bd3 Nd7<br />If 7...h6 8.Nxf7 Kxf7 9.Ne5+ Kf8 10.Ng6+ Ke8 11.Nxh8 And if 7...Nf6 8.Qe2 h6 9.Nxe6 Bxf3 10.Nxg7+ Kf8 11.gxf3 Kxg7<br />8.Qe2 Ngf6<br />This was a rather shocking move by black as this tried and tested variation gives an overwhelming edge to white right from the opening stages of the game. In fact it is almost a winning position for white. Black should have played 8. ..Bxg5 9.Nxg5 Bxg2 10.Rg1<br /><br />Diagram 1<br /><br />9.Nxf7<br />A strong knight sacrifice. If 9.Bd2 h6 10.Nxe6 fxe6 11.Bg6+ Kf8 12.0–0 Nb6 13.Rad1 Be8 14.Ne5 Nbd7 15.Rfe1 Kg8 was played previously. <br />9...Bb4+<br />If 9...Kxf7 10.Ng5+ Ke8 11.Nxe6 Qc8 12.Nxg7+ Kf8 13.Ne6+ and white is in the driver’s seat. <br />If 9...Bxf3 10.Qxe6 Bxg2 11.Rg1 Bd5 12.Nxd8 Kxd8 13.Qh3 Re8 14.Be3 g6 15.0–0–0<br />10.c3 Bxf3 11.Qxe6+Qe7 12.Qxe7+ Bxe7<br />If 12...Kxe7 13.Nxh8 Bxg2 14.Rg1<br />13.Nxh8<br />White has gained material advantage and is a rook and two pawns up even before the players reach the middle-game<br />13...Bd5<br />Black can retreat 13. ..Bc6. If 13. ..Bxg2 14.Rg1 Bd5<br />14.0–0 Bg8<br />Black does not get any respite by castling on the queen-side. If 14...0–0–0 15.Re1 Bf8 16.c4 Bg8 17.Bg5 g6 18.Bxg6 hxg6 19.Nxg6<br />15.Re1 Kf8 16.h3 Bd6 17.Bg5 Nb6<br />If 17...c5 18.dxc5 Nxc5 19.Bc2 Rd8 20.Rad1 Bxa2 21.Bxh7<br />18.b3 Nbd5 19.c4 Nb4 20.Bf5 Rd8 21.d5<br />White is in total command of the board while black’s pieces are virtual spectators on the board<br />21. ..a5 22.Re3<br />A good move and an interesting position. White’s pawn form a strong chain and have totally tied down all of black’s pieces. <br />22...b6 23.g4 Na6<br />Black could have given a thought to either 23. ..Ra8 or 23. ..Rb8<br />24.Rf3<br />For white, his pieces have total freedom of movement to launch an attack<br />24. ..Nc5 25.Bd2<br />Anything works for white now as black cannot escape defeat. <br />25.Re1 also wins for white and at this point black resigned<br />1–0<br /><br />Diagram 2<br /><br />White to play and checkmate<br />1.Rf8+ Qxf8 2.Qh7 checkmate<br /><br /><br /></p>
