| Back to Back Issues Page |
 |
|
LCB, Issue #072 --, Break Down the Defense with Amazing Sacs June 01, 2021 |
Break Down the Defense with Amazing SacsLapoc Chess Board, Issue #072 -- GOTM #42 learn and play online chess How many times have you opened well, gained the initiative and got on the attack only to struggle grimly to break through? Sometimes you come up against a resourceful opponent who seems to frustrate all of your attacking ideas. When you get the advantage, you're supposed to win, right? Well yes, hopefully, but sometimes you have to dig a little deeper. You can break the enemy resistance by means of the sacrifice. Tear the defense apart with your remaining pieces following in swiftly. This month's teacher is one of the giants of the 19th Century. Wilhelm Steinitz appears here playing in London against M Hewitt in the year that he won the unofficial World Championship against Adolf Anderssen. The mating attack seen in this game contains many valuable ideas. Break Down the Defense with Amazing SacsHewitt, M - Steinitz, Wilhelm [C23]GotM #42 - London, 1866 [Connaughton, Ken] 1.e4 King's Pawn Game 1...e5 Open Game 2.Bc4 Bishop's Opening 2...f5 Aggressive but risky surge from Black early in the game. 3.d3 Nf6 4.Ne2 Bc5 5.c3 Nc6 6.d4 exd4 7.Nxd4 fxe4 8.Bf4 d5 This will allow for castling. 9.Bb5 Bxd4 Reducing pressure on the c6-Knight. 10.Qxd4 0-0 11.Bxc6 bxc6
As we move into the middlegame Black through clever exchanges has completed all of his
opening goals and now stands well. 12.Qa4?! Chasing after pawns when he should be developing. 12...Bd7 13.Bg5 Qe8 14.Qb3 Too many Queen moves and White is falling behind. 14...Ng4 15.Bh4 e3
The King which should have been castled several moves ago must scurry and Black will have a monster passed pawn without really working too hard for it. 16.0-0 Qh5 17.Bg3 e2
18.Re1 Even if White's play in this game has been questionable, Black shows wonderful mastery in the upcoming attack. 18...Rxf2! White can't take or it's curtains. 19.Nd2 (19.Bxf2?? Qxh2#) 19...Raf8 More pressure. 20.c4 Hoping for counterplay. 20...Rxg2+!
Audacious sacrifice leads White into deeper trouble. 21.Kxg2 Qh3+!!
Black gives even more material up to drag the White King forward to his demise. 22.Kxh3 (22.Kh1 Rf2-+) 22...Ne3+ Cutting off the retreat. 23.Kh4 Ng2+ The White King is relentlessly driven forward. 24.Kg5 Rf5+ 25.Kg4 The White King can finally start retreating but the terrain has changed from what he once knew. 25...h5+ 26.Kh3 Back again he goes but... 26...Rf2#
A really ingenious mating attack and the game ends. 0-1 Hewitt - Steinitz, London (1866) P.S. If you do not have html based email software and you're using a text only system, you may find that the links are only partially highlighted and may not work. If this is the case, simply copy and paste the entire link into the browser and hit Enter. That should get you where you want to go. Comments, ideas, feedback? I'd be stoked to hear from you. Get in touch See you next month. Ken 
|
| Back to Back Issues Page |
