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King's Gambit
Monday, January 24, 2005
 
Annotated Game

Palmer, T. - Lassila, T. (B01 - Scandinavian Defense)

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6

Not my usual fare, but this was a training game with an expert friend so I wanted to play something with a little more kick to it.

3.c4 e6!?

White doesn't usually aim to keep the pawn as 3...c6 is very strong and instead plays 3.d4 to transpose. I opted for something even more forceful, the Icelandic Gambit. The general consensus is that it's not quite sound but certainly gives enough initiative to keep White busy during the opening phases of this game. White could decline with 4.d4 exd5, which tranposes to the Exchange French.

4.dxe6 Bxe6 5.d4?!

Already slipping a bit. Best is 5.Be2, as in Adams - Thorhallsson, Arnhem 1988:

5.Be2 Nc6 6.Nf3 Bc5 7.O-O Nd4 8.Nxd4 Qxd4 9.d3 O-O-O 10.Nd2 Bd6 11.Nf3 Qb6 12.d4 c5 13.d5 Bg4 14.Ng5 Bxe2 15.Qxe2 Rhe8 16.Qd3 Rd7 17.b3 Ng4 18.Nf3 Qc7 19.h3 Bh2+ 20.Kh1 Ne5 21.Qe2 Nxf3 22.Qxe8+ Rd8 23.Qe4 Be5 1-0

5...Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Bxd2+ 7.Qxd2 Qe7

The key point of Black's plan. The e-file is vulnerable to attack and the white king will spend several moves in the center. Meanwhile Black will continue Nc6 (ignoring the fork), O-O-O and Re8.

8.Qe2

Better is 8.Qe3 when the bishop is not locked in.

8...Nc6

Of course not afraid of 9.d5? as 9...Nd4 10. Qd2 Bf5+ -+.

9.Nf3 O-O-O! 10.d5 Rhe8 11.Nc3

Here 11.dxc6?? runs into 11...Bxc4 12.cxb7+ Kxb7 13.Qxe7 Rxe7+ 14.Be2 Rxe2+ 15.Kf1 Rd1+ 16.Ne1 Rdxe1#, and 11.dxe6 fails to 11...Qb4+ 12.Nbd2 Rxe6 13.O-O-O Rxe2 14. Bxe2 -/+.

Position after 11.Nc3

11...Bxd5

Also quite playable for Black is 11...Qc5 12.O-O-O Bxd5 13.cxd5 -/+.

12.cxd5 Qb4 13.O-O-O

Hopelessly lost is 13.dxc6? Qxb2 14.cxb7+ Kb8 15.Rd1 Qxc3+ 16.Nd2 Ne4 -+.

13...Rxe2 14.Bxe2 Ne7

After the dust has settled, Black has a queen for a rook and bishop and will soon grab the d-pawn. What remains is to prove is that White's king position is not strong enough to withstand an attack. With so much wood still on the table, this proves to be quite a chore. First the black queen must be manouevred to a safe square.

15.Rd4 Qc5 16.Kb1

16.Rhd1 Nf5 17.R4d2 Ne4 18.Bd3 is less comfortable but still holds.

16...Nexd5 17.Na4 Qe7

After 17...Qa5 18.Rhd1, the black queen is somewhat misplaced.

18.Bc4 c6

Making room for the lady.

19.Re1 Qc7 20.a3 b5!?

Maybe it's not wise to loosen the squares around the white king like this, as the fork is a simple illusion. What I had in mind here is to trade down the pieces and try to reduce White's piece control of the center. Once the minor pieces come off, it's easy pickins' for the black queen.

21.Bxd5 Rxd5 22.Rxd5 Nxd5

Now watch as White carefully moves his knights around to create counterplay and headaches for the white king.

23.Nc5

Threatens Re8+ winning.

Position after 23.Nc5

23...Qd6 24.Ne4 Qg6 25.Ne5

With the idea 26.Nxf7! as 26...Qxf7?? 27. Nd6+ +-.

25...Qxg2

Rule #1: When your opponent has knights in the endgame, KEEP THE QUEEN AND KING FAR APART!

26.Nxc6 Kb7

Instead 26...f5 27.Ng3 f4 28.Nf5 g6 29.Nfd4 Qxf2 when Black is left with mostly technical difficulties.

27.Nd8+ Kc7 28.Nxf7 Nf6?!

The simpler method is to keep munching up the pawns: 28.Qxh2. After 29.Nxf6 gxf6 30.Re7+ Kb6 31.Re6+ Kc5 32.Rxf6 Qxh2 it's no longer easy to win.

29.Ned6 Kb8?

Allows dangerous counterplay.

30.Rc1 a6 31.Ne5 Qxh2?

31...Nd5 would allow some winning chances, now White has a perpetual on the board.

32.Rc8+ Ka7 33.Rc7+ Kb6 1/2-1/2

Black can't escape because of 34.Rc6+ Ka5?? 35.Nb7+ Ka4 36.Rxa6+ Kb3 37.Nc5#!!.


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