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Ukrainian super-Gm Vassily Ivanchuk is one of the most creative of the elite players on the chess circuit. He has outstanding skill in all phases of the game, including attack. In the recently concluded Samba Cup International, played in Skandeborg, Denmark, “Chukky” finished in fifth place, half a point behind a group tied for first that included GMs Curt Hansen ( Denmark), Nigel Short (Greece), P.H. Nielsen (Denmark) and Darmen Sadvakasov (Kazakstan). By my estimate he played the most enterprising and creative chess in the event. The following battle with GM Curt Hansen had masterpiece written all over it until Ivanchuk played a couple inaccuracies near the time control. At least it shows how an attack should be prepared and conducted, if not finished.

V Ivanchuk – C Hansen

1st Samba Cup, 2003

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 Be7 8.0–0–0 0–0 9.f4 h6 10.Bh4 Bd7

A seldom played line compared to the standard 10...e5 11.Nf5 Bxf5 12.exf5 exf4 13.Kb1 d5 14.Nxd5 Be5, when 15.c3 (conservative) and 15.Bc4 (sharp) have been debated for years.

11.Nf3!

White plans to support e4-e5 for the moment while preventing Black from freeing himself with a timely ...Nxd4.

11...Qa5 12.Kb1 Rfd8

12...Rfc8!? intending a quick ...b7-b5 is another possibility.

13.Bd3 Rac8

WHITE TO MOVE AND SET UP HIS ATTACK

Hansen decides to fully mobilize his forces in preparation for a counterattack. His main device to distract White from his kingside attack is an Exchange sacrifice on c3. With the inclusion of 9...h6 10.Bh4 he has weakened his kingside somewhat and made it easier for White to rip open lines based on the thrust g2-g4 and then g5 so Black must keep an eye on that while preparing his counterattack. In some cases, the rook on c8 may help defend the kingside laterally with ...Rc5.

One bothersome motif, from Black’s point of view, is the possibility of Nc3-d5 unmasking an attack on Black’s queen coupled with the threat of Nxe7+. See the note to Black’s 14^th move for an example of this tactical Knight leap.

In G Garcia-De la Paz, Santa Clara 1996 Black tried to start an immediate pawn race by 13...b5 14.g4 b4, but after 15.Ne2 d5 16.Bxf6! Bxf6 17.e5 White stood better. The finish is quite amusing: 17…Be7 18.Ned4 (18.h4!?) 18...Nxd4 19.Nxd4 Qb6 20.Rhf1 a5? (20...Kh8) 21.g5 h5 22.g6! Qxd4 23.Qe2 Bc5 24.Qxh5 and now Black resigned rather than face 24...Be8 25.f5 Qe3 26.Qh7+ Kf8 27.f6 Qh6 28.Rf3!

BLACK HAS NO ANSWER TO Rh3

14.Rhg1

The blunt pawn sac 14.g4 is dangerous but Black can defuse White’s ambitions with 14...Nxg4 15.Bxe7 (15.Rhg1 Bxh4 16.Rxg4 Bf6 is good for Black) 15…Nxe7 16.Rhg1 Rxc3 17.Rxg4 (17.Qxc3 Qxc3 18.bxc3 Nf6 gives Black excellent comp for the Exchange) 17…Rc5 18.Qg2 g6.

14...e5

14...Nb4 at first sight looks logical and quite promising, but White has the surprisingly strong shot 15.a3 Nxd3 16.Nd5!

A USEFUL ANTI-SICILIAN TACTICAL DEVICE

16…Qxd2 17.Nxe7+ Kf8 18.Rxd2 Kxe7 19.Rxd3 (19.cxd3 is also good) when Black finds it very difficult to meet the threat of e4-e5.

15.g4!

Of course this is consistent with White’s last move. Ivanchuk had to calculate at least as far as move 22 and then judge that his attack would be worth the material that will be sacrificed. His rook will lead the assault on the g-file. 

15...exf4

Otherwise Black will simply be pushed off the board.  15...Nxg4? 16.f5! leads to a crushing attack for White on the cheap.

16.g5 hxg5 17.Rxg5 Ne5

NO RETREAT, NO SURRENDER!

18.Rdg1!

Ivanchuk is not tempted by 18.Qg2 Kf8! (18...Bf8?? 19.Nxe5 dxe5 20.Rxg7+ Bxg7 21.Bxf6 wins) 19.Nxe5 dxe5 20.Rxg7 Rxc3! 21.Rg1 Ke8 (forced) 22.Rg8+ Nxg8 23.Qxg8+ Bf8 24.Bxd8 Qxd8 25.bxc3 Qb6+ and Black should hold a draw.

18...Nxf3 19.Rxg7+ Kf8 20.Qxf4

A WINNING ATTACK

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