[Event "Fall Special"]
[Site "Arcadia Chess Club"]
[Date "1980.11.24"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Tim Thompson (1927)"]
[Black "Gabor Istvanyi (1821)"]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "45"]
[WhiteElo "1927"]
[BlackElo "1821"]
{Arcadia Chess Club Fall Special, round 2, board 1, time control 40 moves in 100 minutes. I tried a speculative Knight sacrifice to open up his King and Gabor failed to find the right defense in the myriad of complicated variations.}
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 a6
{The Paulsen variation of the French Defense.}
4. Nf3
{This appears to be the most popular response, but 4. Bd3, 4. Be3, 4. exd5 and 4. e5 are all reasonable alternatives.}
4... Nf6 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bd3 c5 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. O-O Nc6 9. Bf4 b5 10. Qe2
{We have stuck to the main lines so far, but this is an off-beat choice. 10. Re1 and 10. a3 are more popular choices.}
10... Nb4 11. a3
{Unusual and probably not best. Since it seems obvious that Black intends to take the Bishop on d3, why bother to force him to do what he's going to do anyway? Perhaps better to play 11. h4 and grab space on the Kingside, or perhaps 11. Rfe1 to wait and see what Black does.}
11... Nc6
{This unexpected waste of time has to be dubious. I don't see any reason for Black to avoid 11... Nxd3 12. cxd3 Qb6 and if ever Black plays f7-f6 the opening of the game has to favor his two Bishops.}
12. Rfe1
{Intended to discourage f7-f6.}
12... Qb6 13. Bg3
{I don't want my Queen distracted from attack by being bound to the defense of f2.}
13... Bb7 14. Nxd5 $5
{A speculative sacrifice prompted by the move of Black's Queen Bishop away from the defense of e6 and the apparent opportunity to open up the e-file and expose the Black King to a mating attack.}
14... exd5 15. e6 Nf6
{15... fxe6 16. Qxe6+ Kd8 17. Bf5 (17. Bh4+ Kc7 18. Bg3+ Kd8 19. Bh4+ $11; 17. Qxd5 Nd4 18. Qg5+ Qf6 $19) 17... Nf6 18. Ng5 Rf8 19. Bd6 Bc8 20. Nf7+ Rxf7 21. Qxf7 Bxf5 22. Qf8+ Kd7 23. Bxc5 Rxf8 24. Bxb6 Re8}
16. exf7+ Kd8
{16... Kxf7 17. Qe6+ Kf8 18. Bd6+ Bxd6 19. Qxd6+ Kg8 20. Re7 Bc8 21. Rae1 Bd7 22. Rxd7 Nxd7 23. Qxd7 Qd8 (23... g6 24. Ng5 $18) 24. Qxc6 h5 25. Qe6+ Kf8 26. Ng5 Ra7 27. Re5 Rh6 28. Rf5+ Rf6 29. Nh7#; 16... Kf8 17. Qe6 Rd8 18. b4 Be7 19. Ne5 Bc8 20. Qxc6 Qxc6 21. Nxc6 Rd7 22. Nxe7 Rxe7 23. Bd6 $18}
17. Ng5 $6
{17. b4 Be7 (17... Bf8 18. Qe8+ Nxe8 19. fxe8=Q#; 17... Bc8 18. bxc5 Qxc5 19. Qd2 Qb6 20. Qg5) 18. Ng5 Bc8 (18... Nd4 19. Qxe7+ $18) 19. Nxh7 Nxh7 20. Bd6 Ra7 21. Bxh7 Rxh7 22. f8=Q+ Kd7 (22... Bxf8 23. Qe8#) 23. Qe6#}
17... Nd4 18. Qe5 h6 $6
{18... Bc8 19. c3 Nc6 20. Qe2 Ra7 21. b4 Be7 22. Nxh7 Nxh7 23. Bxh7 Rf8 24. Bg6 Nb8 25. Bh5 g6 26. Bf3 Rxf7 27. Bxd5 Rf8 28. Rad1 Rd7 29. Bxb8 Qxb8 30. Bc6 Bd6 31. Bxd7 Bxd7 32. Qd3 Bxh2+ 33. Kf1 Qc7 34. Qxg6 Qf4 35. Qb6+ Qc7 36. Qxa6 Qc4+ 37. Re2 Rxf2+ 38. Kxf2 Qf4+ 39. Ke1 Bg3+ 40. Rf2 Qxf2# is one line with lots of options but it certainly appears that Bc8 is much the better move, providing an unclear position with an unclear fate for both players. But this does appear to be Black's last real chance. From here White is winning.}
19. Nh7 $18
{He must have overlooked this surprise. If the Knight is captured either by Rook or Knight, then White mate's on e8 in a couple moves.}
19... Qc6
{19... Nc6 20. Qe6 Nd4 21. f8=Q+ Rxf8 22. Qxb6+ Bxb6 23. Nxf8 $18; 19... Bc6 20. Nxf6 $18; 19... Bf8 20. Nxf8 Rxf8 21. Qe7+ Kc8 22. Qxf8+ Kd7 23. Qxg7 $18 so it looks like the move he chose is no worse than the alternatives.}
20. b4
{The Bishop cannot abandon e7 so if it goes anywhere, it will be f8, where it Blocks the Rook defending e8, trapping it in the corner and out of the game. 20. f8=Q+ Rxf8 21. Nxf8 Bxf8 22. Qxd4 also leaves White with the advantage.}
20... Ng4
{20... Bf8 21. Nxf8 Rxf8 22. Qe7+ Kc8 23. Qxf8+ Kd7 24. Re7#; 20... Bd6 21. Qxd6+ Qxd6 22. Bxd6 Kd7 23. Bc5 Nc6 24. Bf5+ Kc7 25. f8=Q Rhxf8 26. Nxf8 $18; 20... Bb6 21. Qe7+ Kc8 22. f8=Q+ Rxf8 23. Qxf8+ Bd8 24. Nxf6 Qxf6 25. Qc5+ Nc6 26. Rad1 $18}
21. Qxg7 Rxh7
{21... Rf8 22. Nxf8 Bxf8 23. Qxf8+ Kd7 24. Re7#; 21... Bd6 22. Qxh8+ Kc7 23. f8=Q Rxf8 24. Qxf8 $18}
22. Qg8+ Kd7 23. Qe8+ 1-0
23... Rxe8 24. fxe8=Q#
