Mr. Alejandro Melchor of Barcelona, Spain ran into a move (discovered by Mr. Steve James of the U.K.) analyzed in our original SPLAT THE LAT. It turns out that he wasn’t familiar with this article until after the line in question was played against him. His game and analysis shows that this idea is more dangerous than I originally thought. In fact, it might turn out to be the final nail in the Latvian Gambit’s coffin.

Here’s an analysis mixing the SPLAT article with Mr. Melchor’s own research.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.Nxe5 Qf6 4.Nc4 fxe4 5.Nc3 Qf7 6.Ne3 c6 7.d3 exd3 8.Bxd3 d5 9.O-O Bc5 10.b4!!

POWERFUL NEW IDEA

This is the new idea (the old 10.Na4 isn’t nearly as strong). Now Black can take the pawn or decline it: A) 10…Bxb4, B) 10…Bd6.

A) 10…Bxb4 11.Ncxd5 cxd5 12.Nxd5 and now:

A.1) 12…Ba5 13.Qe2+ and now 13...Be6 14.Nf4 and 13...Kf8 14.Ba3+ are instant losers for Black, while 13... Kd8 is met by 14.Bg5+ Nf6 15.Nxf6 gxf6 16.Qe5. That leaves 13...Qe6, but then 14.Qh5+ g6 15.Qg5 is curtains. Analysis by Steve James.

In the article, I (J.S.) mentioned that 13.Re1+!? (instead of 13.Qe2+) was also strong, and Mr. Melchor added to this with: 13...Bxe1 14.Qxe1+ Kd8 (14...Be6 15.Nf4) 15.Bg5+ Nf6 16.Qe5 Nc6 17.Qd6+ Qd7 18.Bxf6+ Ke8 19.Qf4 Qxd5 20.Re1+ Qe6 21.Rxe6+ Bxe6 22.Bxg7  and White wins.

It’s pretty clear that White’s attack after 10…Bxb4 11.Ncxd5 is crushing, but this was already my conclusion in SPLAT.

A.2) 12…Bc5 was also assessed as bad for Black in SPLAT after 13.Bf4 Kf8 14.Qf3 Nc6 15.Nc7 Rb8 16.Bc4. As it turns out, this is what occurred in the game Rosenstielke – Melchor, 5th. LG World Ch. 2005/2006 (a game still in progress, by the way!). In my original analysis, I gave 16…Qf5 17.Rfe1 Be7 18.Rad1. Mr. Melchor feels that 17…Nf6 is a better try for Black, but still unsatisfactory after 18.Bd3 Nd4 (18...Qh5?! 19.Re8+ Qxe8 20.Nxe8 Bg4 21.Nxf6 Bxf3 22.Nd7+ Kf7 23.Nxc5) 19.Qg3 Qd7 20.Be5. Analysis by Alejandro Melchor.

Thus my (J.S.) impression that 10…Bxb4 gives White a very dangerous attack has been verified and the life or death of this line rests with 10…Bd6.

B) 10…Bd6 and now:

B.1) 11.b5 Nf6! (11…Ne7 12.bxc6 bxc6 13.Nexd5! is strong: 13…Nxd5 14.Re1+ Kf8 15.Bc4 or 13…cxd5 14.Nb5 Qf6 15.Bb2 Qxb2 16.Nxd6+ Kd7 17.Nxc8. Melchor tried to make a case for 13…cxd5 14.Nb5 Be5!? 15.f4 Bxa1 16.Nd6+ Kf8 17.Nxf7 Kxf7, but though Black isn’t doing badly as far as material goes, his lack of development and unsafe King leaves him in really bad shape after 18.Ba3 Bc3 19.f5, or 18…Bf6 19.Bxe7 Kxe7 20.Re1+ Kd6 21.Be4) 12.bxc6 bxc6 13.Nexd5 cxd5! (13…Nxd5 14.Re1+ gives White more than enough for the sacrificed piece) I can’t find a satisfactory continuation of the attack (though I don’t have the time to do the position justice – perhaps a reader will find something?).

B.2) 11.Nexd5 cxd5 12.Nb5 Bc7 (12...Bxb4 13.c3 and Qa4) 13.Re1+ Kf8 14.Nxc7 Qxc7 15.c4 Nd7 unclear – Melchor.

B.3) 11.Re1! is by far the most critical response:

CRITICAL POSITION

11…Ne7 12.Nexd5 cxd5 13.Nb5 0-0 14.Nxd6 Qxf2+ 15.Kh1 Bg4 16.Qd2 and now 16…Qh4 leaves White a very important tempo up on a line from another move order (10.Re1 Ne7 11.Nexd5 cxd5 12.Nb5 0-0 13.Nxd6 Qxf2+ 14.Kh1 Bg4 15.Qd2 Qh4 and nowStrautin recommends 16.b4 with a clear advantage.) 16…Qf6 (Both 16…Qxd2 17.Bxd2 and 16…Qh4 17.Bb2 are horrible for Black) 17.Qg5! and Black’s getting stomped since 17…Qxa1 18.Qxg4 is simply winning for White.

Since all this is obviously unplayable for the Latvian fanatic, Mr. Melchor has placed his hopes on Black’s last possibility: 11…Ne7 12.Nexd5 cxd5 13.Nb5 Bxb4 (instead of 13…0-0).

BLACK’S LAST HOPE

White now has two ways to play the position:

B.3.a) 14.Nc7+!? Kd8 15.Nxa8 Bxe1 16.Qxe1 Nbc6 when Black’s King will always be a source of discomfort, but White’s Knight is trapped and in many lines won’t get out alive. White’s chances are probably better, but it’s by no means clear how big that advantage will turn out to be. 17.Bg5 (17.Rb1!? b6 18.a4 Bb7 19.Nxb6 axb6 20.Rxb6 Nc8 21.Rb1 Nd6 22.f3 leaves White with serious compensation for the sacrificed piece) 17…Be6 and now 18.Rb1!?, 18.Qe3!?, and 18.Bh4!? all need to be analyzed. Analysis by Silman.

B.3.b) 14.Bd2!? (If 14.Nc7+ doesn’t lead to a serious advantage, then this simple and safe move should be enough to convince Black to give up the Latvian forever.) 14…0-0 15.Bxb4 Nbc6 (15…Qxf2+?? 16.Kh1 leaves Black’s pieces hanging to threats like Bxe7 and/or Nc7) 16.Bxe7 Nxe7 17.Nc7 Rb8 18.Qe2 Nc6 19.Nxd5 Bf5 20.Bc4 Kh8 21.Ne3 and a forced series of moves has left White with a solid extra pawn. Analysis by Silman.

If 9…Bc5 is indeed dead, then that leaves Black trying to rehabilitate old, discredited 9…Bd6: 10.Re1 Ne7 11.Nexd5 cxd5 12.Nb5 0-0 13.Nxd6 Qxf2+ 14.Kh1. We already saw that 14…Bg4 15.Qd2 Qh4 16.b4 is much better for White, so Black must seek salvation in the following pawn down endgame: 14…Nbc6!? (recommended by Franz Destrebecq) 15.Rf1 Bg4 16.Bxh7+ Kh8 17.Rxf2 Bxd1 18.Be3 d4 19.Rxf8+ Rxf8 20.Bg1 Kxh7 21.Rxd1.

BLACK IS REDUCED TO SUFFERING and BEGGING

Let’s be realistic. Black’s down a pawn and will have to suffer for a long, long time in the hope of sniveling a draw (which I don’t think he can achieve). On top of that, it’s not clear to me if White can’t improve somewhere earlier.

Sorry Latvian fans, but your opening is dead meat. Ah, what deep satisfaction. Excuse me while I enjoy a long, leisurely smoke.