2.a) 15…Bxf7 (the weakest of the bunch)
2.b) 15…Qf6 (medium)
2.c) 15…g6 (strongest)
2.a) 15...Bxf7 16.Re1+ Kd7 17.Qxf7+ Kc8 18.Bh3+ and Black is losing.
2.b) 15…Qf6 16.Nxh8+ Kd8 (strongest) 17.Rxa1 Nc6 18.Re1 Kc7 19.Bxd5 Bxd5 20.Qxd5 Qxd4 21.Qf7+! Kb6 22.Bc1! (The key move.) 22…Qf6 23.Be3+ Ka6 24.Qc7 and Black is in a mating net that will cost too much material. For example: 24…Rxh8 25.Re2 and White wins.
2.c) 15...g6 16.Qf3! (the seemingly winning plan, 16.Nxd8 appears messy with an obscure result) 16...Qb6 (alternatives are even worse) 17.Qf6! b4 (there is nothing else) 18.Re1 Kd7 (again forced) 19.Rxe6 (this seems quite conclusive) 19…Qxe6 20.Ne5+ and White wins.
3) 14...Qf6
This move has been proven inadequate in the very few available games:
15.Nxf7 Be6 (Again the only try.) 16.Nxh8+ (16.Re1 seems insufficient for winning purposes. That position actually occurred in Haselager-Harmsen, Ned.Corr,Ch. 1990 and was indeed drawn in 34 moves) 16...Kd8 (This move might be a new try, the alternative proved disastrous as was seen in two correspondence games: 16...g6 17.Qxh7 and now we have 16...Nd7 and 16...Bxd4. Both led to Black defeats in Jaeger-Seib, FRG-ch H corr and Eloranta-Antin, FIN corr Ch) 17. Rxa1 Nc6 18.Re1 Kc7 19.Bxd5 Bxd5 20.Qxd5 and if now 20…Qxd4 (alternatives seem lacking as 20…Rxh8 21.Re6 is curtains) we are in a variation already looked at (where White will play Qf7+, Bc1! Be3 and Re2 when Black will find himself in a mating net (as shown in Variation 2.b).
4) 14...g6 15.Qf3!
This obvious but strong move puts Black into a tough predicament. Now Black has:
4.a) 15…f6
4.b) 15…f5
4.c) 15…Bf5
4.d) 15…Be6
4.a) 15…f6 16.Re1! An analysis by Grandmaster Chernin stops here, we must follow on with the branches:
4.a.1) 16…Be6 (The best defense as far as I can see.)
4.a.2) 16…Bxd4
4.a.3) 16…Bf5
4.a.4) 16…b4
4.a.5) 16…Bc3
4.a.1) 16…Be6 17.Nxc4 bxc4 (17…Kf7 18.Nd6+ Kg7 19.Rxe6 b4 20.Nb7! Qf8 21.Bxb4 is curtains) 18.Rxe6+ Kf7 19.Qxd5! Qxd5 20.Re7+ Kf8 21.Bxd5 Bb2 22.Bd6 (A picturesque position!) 22…c3 23.Rxh7+ Ke8 24.Rxh8+ Kd7 25.Bf4 g5 26.Be3 c2 27.Bxa8 Bxd4 (Defending with all the ingenuity that is left at the position, but it will not be enough to avoid defeat.) 28.Be4 Bxe3 29.Bxc2 is terminal.
4.a.2) 16…Bxd4 17.Nc6+ Kf7 18.Nxd8+ Rxd8 19.Re7+ Kg8 20.Qxd5+! and White mates.
4.a.3) 16…Bf5 and now 17.Nc6+ is clearly winning.
4.a.4) 16…b4 17.Nc6+ Kf7 (only move) 18.Nxd8+ Rxd8 19.Qe2 Nc6 20.Bxd5+ Rxd5 21.Qe8+ Kg7 22.Qxc6 Rd7 23.Bxb4 Rb8 24.Bf8+! and Black is going to be mated once again.
4.a.5) 16…Bc3!? 17.Qxc3 fxe5 (17…Be6 18.Nxc4 Kd7 19.Qb4 bxc4 20.Qd6+ Kc8 21.Qxe6+ Qd7 22.Bxd5 Nc6 23.Qxc6+ Qxc6 24.Bxc6) 18.Rxe5+ Kf7 19.Bxd5+ Kg7 20.Re7+! Kh6 21.Bc1+ and White mates.
4.b) 15…f5
A cunning alternative that has to be dealt with precisely by White. I believe this is the choice that poses White the toughest challenge
16.Qe2! (Another excellent repositioning of the Queen.) 16…Qf6 (This is the move that obliges White to play very accurately to win, and he does so by means of very subtle play. Worse is 16…Be6 17.Nxc4 Qd7 18.Nd6+ Kd8 19.Qe5 Bxd4 20.Qxd4 Rf8 21.Qh4+ Kc7 22.Nxb5+ Qxb5 23.Qe7+ Nd7 24.Rc1+ Kb7 25.Qxe6 Nb6 26.Bxf8) 17.Bxd5 Be6 18.Nxc4! and now:
4.b.1) 18...bxc4
4.b.2) 18…Kf7
4.b.3) 18…Kd8
4.b.1) 18...bxc4 19.Bxe6 Bxd4 20.Bd5+ Kd7 21.Bxa8 Rc8 22.Rd1 Nc6 23.Bxc6+ Rxc6 24.Qe3 Rd6 25.Bxd6 Bxe3 26.Be5+.
4.b.2) 18…Kf7! (This seems to be the strongest move. White has to use great ingenuity to demonstrate a winning advantage.) 19.Nd6+ Kg7 Now my first choice was 20.Bxa8, but even if White is substantially better, it is difficult to prove a sure win. Thus … 20.Bxe6! And we arrive at a very difficult position where the lack of coordination of Black’s pieces makes the defense impossible in a not-over-the-board game.
20…Bxd4 (20…Nc6 21.Qxb5! Qxe6 22.Rxa1 Nxd4 23.Qb7+ Kh6 24.Nf7+ Kh5 25.Nxh8 Rxh8 26.Bb2 with a relatively simple technical win.) 21.Bd5 Nd7 22.Bxa8 Rxa8 23.Rd1! b4 24.Bxb4 Rb8 (White pieces are very active, Black lacks coordination and his King, although safer than before, still is in great danger.) 25.Ne8 Rxe8 26.Qxe8 Ne5 27.Rxd4! Nf3+ 28.Kf1 Nxd4 29.Bc3 White’s coverage of squares is so overwhelming that Black can’t avoid the loss of the Knight and the game.
4.b.3) 18…Kd8 19.Bxe6 Nc6 20.Rxa1 Re8 21.Re1 Nxd4 22.Qd2 Rxe6 23.Rxe6 Qxe6 24.Qxd4+ Black’s Rook is no match for the two hyperactive White’s minor pieces.
4.c) 15…Bf5 16.Re1
16…Bxd4 (16…Qa5 17.Re2! Qc7 18.Qxd5 Be6 19.Nxf7 Kxf7 20.Qxe6+ Kg7 21.Bd6 and it is curtains again for Black.) 17.Nc6+ Be6 18.Nxd8 Kxd8 19.Qf4 (Theoretically, Black has enough material for the Queen, but the quality of the piece placement says everything. White is winning.) 19…Bg7 (19…Bc3 20.Bxd5! Bxd5 21.Rd1 is game over while 20…Bxe1 21.Qf6+ Kc7 22.Bxa8 Rc8 23.Qd4 is also the end.) 20.Bxd5 Bxd5 21.Qg5+ Kc7 22.Qxd5 and it is clear that Black is busted.
4.d) 15…Be6
16.Nxf7! (Chernin) 16…Qb6 (16…Bxf7 17.Re1+ demands immediate resignation, while 16…Rf8 17.Re1! Kd7 18.Rxe6 wins immediately – analysis by Chernin.) 17.Qf6! b4 18.Bxb4 Qxb4 19.Qxe6+ Qe7 20.Qc8+ and Black loses decisive quantities of material.
And this was my analysis sent for adjudication. The GM in charge accepted my claim and I received a rated win on this game. If I had several of these I believe I would quit Email chess altogether! And I believe that the reader would also abandon me! I promise a somewhat lighter example next month. Until then, hasta la vista!
Part One/Part Two
If you wish to submit some opening related postal experience to Dr. Manuel Gerardo Monasterio, please contact him here: manuelmonasterio@gmail.com
