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White has translated his lead in development into an attack. Most opponents will not last long in such a position, but even if they know the best moves they will still stand worse. This is a highly tactical position and it is easy for Black to make fatal missteps:

12…0-0

Others:

C.1) 12…Kd7? 13.Qg4+ Kc6 14.Qa4.

C.2) 12…Qf6? 13.Qh5+! g6 14.Bg5!.

C.3) 12…Bf4 13.Bxf4 Qxf4 14.g3 Qf6 15.Nc7+ Kd8 16.Nxa8 b6 17.c4! Bb7 18.Nxb6 axb6 19.cxd5 and as Kosten demonstrates, White Rook and three pawns outweigh the two pieces, especially with Black's exposed King.

C.4) 12…Bxh2+? 13.Kxh2 0-0 14.Nc7 Qxf2 has been suggested, but 15.Bxh7+ Kxh7 16.Qh5+ Kg8 17.Rxe7 wins for White.

13.Nxd6 Qxf2+ 14.Kh1

Black's attack has stalled and there are still problems with development.

14…Bg4!

The game can easily fall apart: 14…Nbc6?! 15.Rf1! Qh4 16.Rxf8+ Kxf8 17.Qf1+! Qf6 18.Bg5 Qxf1+ 19.Rxf1+ is winning.

15.Qd2

The exchange of Queens isn't good: 15…Qxd2 16.Bxd2 threatens Rxe7 and Nxb7, but the big point is White's lead in development and Black's weaknesses such as e6.

15…Qh4 16.b4! Nbc6

16…Qf6 17.Qg5! Qxa1 18.Qxg4 Nbc6 19.Qe6+ Kh8 20.Bg5 with a killing attack, Strautins – Clarke, corr. 1998.

17.Bb2 Rf2 18.Qc3 Qg5 19.Rf1 Raf8 20.Rxf2 Rxf2 21.Qe1! Qf4 22.b5 Bh3!? 23.Bc1! Qf6 24.bxc6 Qxa1 25.cxb7! Nc6 26.gxh3, 1-0, Strautins – Destrebecq, corr. 1997/8. Thanks to Stefan Buecker for publishing these wonderful games!

The conclusion is that White should obtain a very strong game if black tries the 5…Qf7 variation.

D) 5…Qe6!?

This hasn't been played much, but Buecker seems to think that it is one of Black's best ideas.

6.Ne3!

More modest but also promising is 6.d3 Bb4 7.Bd2 Nf6 8.Ne3 Bxc3 9.Bxc3 0-0 10.dxe4 Qxe4, Budovskis - Gabrans, corr. 1969, and now 11.Bc4+ Kh8 12.Bxf6! Rxf6 13.0-0 Nc6 14.Qd5 gives a straightforward advantage.

6…Nf6

6…c6 7.d3 exd3 (7…Bb4 8.Bd2 exd3 9.Bxd3 Nf6 10.0-0 0-0 11.Re1!) 8.Bxd3 Nf6 9.0-0 Bc5 10.Nf5! 0-0 (10…Qf7 11.Na4 Bf8 12.Qe1+! Qe6 13.Qa5! wins for White) 11.Re1 Qf7 12.Na4! d6 13.Re7.

7.Bc4 Qe5 8.d4 exd3 9.0-0 dxc2

Probably a bit better is 9…Kd8, but I think that Black's poor King position will be a terrible problem after the very interesting 10.cxd3 (The generally recommended 10.Bxd3 is also good) 10…Nc6 11.Ned5 nxd5 12.Nxd5 with Bf4, Re1, Qd2, etc.

10.Nxc2

10…Be7

An alternative is 10…Kd8 11.Re1 (11.Nd4! intending Ne6+ also looks strong) 11…Qc5 12.b3! d6 (Buecker gives 12…Nc6 but what about 13.Ba3 followed by Bxe7 and Qe2?) 13.Ba3 Qg5 (13…Qa5 14.Bb5+ Nc6 15.Bb4 Qb6 16.Qe2 wins outright while 13…Qh5 14.Qxh5+ Nxh5 loses to 15.Nd5) 14.Nb5 Bg4 15.f3 Bh3 16.Rxe7+! works because 16…Kxe7 loses to 17.Bxd6+ Kd8 18.Bf4+.

11.Re1 Qc5 12.b3! d6 13.Ba3 Qa5 14.Bb5+ Nc6 15.Bb4 Qb6 16.Qe2 with a winning position for White.

E) 5…Qg6

Black simply defends the pawn, but other than glancing at g2, the Queen does not put any pressure on White's position.

6.d3

Emphasizing quick development, as always. Less tested but perhaps even better is the direct attack by 6.Nd5! Kd8 (Buecker mentions 6…Na6 7.d4! followed by Ne5) 7.d4 d6 8.Nf4 Qf7 given by Buecker, but most players would certainly rather be White after 9.d5. This could be investigated further, but perhaps there's no need, as the main line offers Black nothing but misery anyway.

6…Bb4

Or 6…Nf6 7.Nxe4!? Nxe4 8.dxe4 Qxe4+ (8…Bc5 9.Bxe3 Bxe3 10.Nxe3 Qxe4 11.Bd3 Qe5 12.Bc4 c6 13.0-0 looks awful for Black) 9.Be2! (Normal is 9.Ne3, which has done very well, but the text seems to yield a marvelous attack) 9…Qxg2 10.Bh5+ Kd8 (or 10…g6 11.Bf3 Qh3 12.Bf4 Qe6+ 13.Ne3 Bg7 14.0-0 c6 15.Nd5!) 11.Bf3 Qh3 12.Bg5+ Be7 13.Bxe7+ Kxe7 14.Qd4! Qh6 15.0-0 Nc6 16.Rfe1+ Kd8 17.Bxc6 bxc6 18.Ne5 Rf8 19.Qc5! Qg5+ 20.Kh1 Qf6 21.Rad1 wins.

7.Bd2 exd3

Swapping on c3 does not help Black: 7…Bxc3 8.Bxc3 Nf6 9.Bxf6 (9.dxe4 also favors White) 9…gxf6 10.Ne3 d6 (or 10…Kd8 11.dxe4 Qxe4 12.Qd2 to prevent …Qb4+ and prepare queenside castling and/or Bd3) 11.Be2 0-0 12.Bh5! Qg7 13.dxe4 with a pawn more and a positional advantage, Budovskis - Grivainis, corr 1977.

8.Bxd3

8.Nd5!? is an interesting option. However, the sacrifice of the g-pawn works out quite well for White.

8…Qxg2 9.Qe2+

This seems better than the “book” move 9.Qh5+.

9…Kf8

If 9…Ne7 10.Be4 Qh3 11.Nd5! Bxd2+ 12.Nxd2 winning.

10.0-0-0!

Nf6 11.Rhg1 Qh3 12.Nb5 Bxd2+ 13.Nxd2 Na6 14.Rxg7+! Kxg7 15.Qe7+ Kg8 16.Rg1+ and mate follows.

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