A Marvellous Combination Of The XX Century
by Boris Schipkov
Schipkov, Boris (2345) - Meszaros, Gyula (2260) [D09]
Kecskemet 1993
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5
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3. dxe5
The Albin Countergambit is a sharp opening. Before this game I saw in the tournament crosstable that intrepid Gyula Meszaros, who used gambits both Black and White, was in the lead with one point more than I in that moment and tried to get his second or third IM norm. But I played White.
3...d4 4. Nf3 Nc6
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5. g3
A classical continuation.
Alexander Morozevich has applied the Albin Countergambit with good results:
5. Nbd2 Nge7 6. Nb3 Nf5 7. a3 Be7 8. g3 a5 9. Qd3 a4 10. Nbd2 h5 11. Bh3 g6 12. Ne4 h4 13. Bf4 hxg3 14. hxg3 Ng7 15. Bg2 Rxh1+ 16. Bxh1 Bf5 with compensation, Sokolov,I-Morozevich,A/Wijk aan Zee 2005;
5. a3 Nge7 6. b4 Ng6 7. Bb2 a5 8. b5 Ncxe5 9. Nxe5 Nxe5 10. e3 Be6 11. Bxd4 Nxc4 12. Qc2 Nd6 13. Bd3 Qg5 with counterplay in Topalov,V-Morozevich,A/Monte Carlo 2005.
5...Bg4
Also possible is 5...f6.
6. Nbd2
Or 6. Bg2.
6...Qd7 7. Bg2 O-O-O 8. O-O Bh3!?
The alternatives are 8...f6 and 8...h5.
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9. e6!
I do not want to trade my best bishop.
9...Bxe6 10. Ng5! Bg4
Black could try 10...Nf6.
11. Qa4!
11. Bxc6 is also playable, but not so exciting as text.
11...Nh6
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12. b4!
White develops the initiative on the queenside.
12...Kb8 13. b5 Ne5 14. Ngf3! Nxf3+ 15. Nxf3
Threatening Nxd4.
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15...Qf5
White has a huge advantage after 15...f6 16. Nxd4! or after 15...Qe6 16. e3! Nf5 17. Nxd4 Nxd4 18. exd4 Rxd4 19. Be3 Qxc4 20. Qb3 Qxb3 21. axb3 Rb4 22. Bxa7+ Kc8 23. Bc5!
16. Bf4! Bc5
If 16...f6 then 17. Bxc7+! Kxc7 18. Qa5+ Kc8 19. Qxa7 with a devastating attack.
17. Ne5!
Centralization.
17...g5
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The critical position. All my pieces are ideally placed. Here I thought that after my almost perfect strategical play I must find the decisive combination. And after long meditation I saw all and felt the joy of creation and enlightenment. As Alexander Pushkin wrote in 1826 (translated by Irina Zheleznova):
"There came to me the gentle flutter
Of angels' wings; I heard the vine
Push through the earth and skyward climb,
The deep-sea monsters in the water".
18. b6!!
Russians never recede!
18...Bxb6
White wins quickly in the case of 18...axb6 19. Nc6+ bxc6 20. Bxc6 gxf4 21. Qa8 mate.
19. Nc6+!!
An excellent sacrifice.
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19...Ka8
More enthralling is 19...bxc6 20. Qxc6 Kc8
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Now White attacks with the next superb blow 21. Bxc7!! Bxc7
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Here White wins with the quiet move 22. Rab1!! Bxe2 23. Rb8+! Kxb8 24. Qb7 mate. Fantastic! White has sacrificed, one after another, a pawn, a knight, a bishop, then made a quiet move and given also a rook.
20. Bxc7!
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20...Qc5 21. Bxb6
After 21...Qxb6 22. Rfb1 White mates in few moves. In the end of this tournament I and Gyula Meszaros shared first place with 9 from 12 scores and made IM norm.
Anyone can become Buddha. Anyone, who plays chess, can make a beautiful sacrifice and create a crystal combination.
Black resigned. 1-0
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© 2000-2005 Boris Schipkov
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