Adopt active ways after a sacrifice

Chess Checks

 Such openings are termed as gambits where a pawn or sometimes even two are offered. In current chess scenario, there is hardly any place for volatile gambits like the King’s Gambit, Evan’s Gambit, Benko Gambit to a name a few, though they do make a few appearances now and then.

However, it is important to play actively after sacrificing a pawn or two rather than try to immediately get the pawn back. In the game which follows, Black adopts the Benko Gambit and wraps up the game with a beautiful combination.

 White: Csaba Horvath (2450) – Black: Gerald Hertneck (2555)
Budapest, 1991
The Benko Gambit
 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5
The Benko Gambit, one of the sharpest openings against the Queen’s Gambit
4.cxb5
Accepting the gambit. If 4.a4 b4 5.g3 g6 6.b3 Bg7 7.Bb2 Bb7 8.Bg2 e6 9.e4 0–0 10.Ne2 exd5 11.exd5 d6
4...a6 5.b6
This time preferring to advance rather than accept the pawn
If 5.bxa6 Bxa6 6.Nc3 g6 7.e4 Bxf1 8.Kxf1 d6 9.g4  
 5...d6
If 5...Qxb6 6.Nc3 g6 7.a4 Bg7 8.a5 Qc7
6.Nc3 Nbd7 7.e4
If 7.a4 a5 8.e4 g6 9.Bb5 Bg7 10.Nf3 0–0 11.0–0 Bb712.Bf4 Nxb6
7...Rb8
Making a new move here. If 7...g6 8.a4 Nxb6 9.a5 Nbd7 10.f4 Bg7 11.Bc4 0–0 12.Nf3 which works better for White
8.Nf3
If 8.a4 Rxb6 9.a5 Rb4„; 8.f4
8...g6 9.b7
If 9.Nd2 Bg7 10.a4 Rxb6 11.a5 Rb4 12.Nc4 with more or less an equal position
9...Bxb7 10.Be2 Bg7 11.0–0 0–0
Finally both of them castle
12.Bf4 Ng4. If 12...Bc8 13.Qd2
13.Nd2 Nge5. A good square to anchor on!
14.Be3. If 14.Bg3 g5
14...f5. A strong move, signalling that Black is now keen on attack
15.exf5. If 15.f4 Ng4 (15...Nf7 16.exf5 gxf5 17.Nc4) 16.Bxg4 fxg4 17.Qxg4 Bc8
15...gxf5 16.f4 Ng6 17.Nc4. This looks like a dubious move. Better appears 17.Nf3with the idea of playing Ng5
17...Bxc3. This looks interesting as Black is giving up the strong fianchetto bishop for opening up on the queen side
18.bxc3 Nf6. Black is winning the central pawn
19.Qc2 . If 19.Bf3 Nh4
19...Nxd5 20.Rad1 Qc7
If 20...Nxe3 21.Nxe3 Qd7
21.Bc1 Kh8
Taking time off for moving the King to a safer square but there was no need right now and Black could have continued 21...e6
22.Bf3 Nf6 23.Ne3. If 23.Qxf5 Nh4 And if 23.Bxb7 Qxb7 24.Qxf5 Qxg2+ 25.Kxg2 Nh4+and Black is better
23...e6 24.c4 Be4 25.Bxe4 Nxe4 26.Bb2+ Kg8 27.Ba1 Kf7
The idea here is 27...h5 Kh7 and Kh6
28.g4ƒ Rg8 29.gxf5 exf5
If 29...Ne7+ 30.Kh1 exf5 31.Qe2 Rg6 32.Qh5 Kg8 33.Nxf5 Nxf5 34.Qxf5 Qb7 35.Qd5+ Qxd5 36.cxd5

30.Nxf5 Nh4+ 31.Kh1
White should have given some thought to31.Ng3 Rbe8 32.Be5! Qc6 33.Rd5+
31...Qb7 32.Rd5
If 32.Nh6+ Kf8 33.Nxg8 Nf2+ 34.Kg1 Nh3 checkmate
 
Diagram 1
32...Qb1. A fantastic move!
33.Ne3
If 33. Qxb1  Nf2+ 34.Rxf2 Rxb1+   And if 33.Qe2 Qxf1+ 34.Qxf1 Nf2+ And if  33.Rxb1 Rxb1+ 34.Qxb1 Nf2 checkmate  
33...Qxc2 34.Nxc2 Rb1 and White resigned for if  34...Rb1 35.Rxb1 Nf2 checkmate.

Diagram 2
White to play and win
1.Rxd6 Qxd6
If 1...Rf7 2.c5
2.Bxg7+ Kg8 3.c5+ and White wins.