Chess

Dec 2002 - Tournament Round 2 - Game 5

This was a must win game. We were both tied in points, and so either could knock the other out.

This move introduces weaknesses into whites K-side pawns that ultimately prove fatal 15 moves later. White reacts to the threat - Ng4. But black is calculating that with the white N on c3, he has one or one-and one half tempi available before white can re-introduce his knight to the defense, and that is just enough to build a k-side attack.

Position after 15. ...Qh4! PGN: 1.d4 d6 2.c4 Bf5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Nbd7 5.e3 h6 6.Bh4 c6 7.Bd3 Bxd3 8.Qxd3 e5 9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.Qe2 Be7 11.Nf3 Nfd7 12.Bxe7 Qxe7 13.O-O Nxf3+ 14.Qxf3 Ne5 15.Qe2 Qh4! 16.b3 O-O-O 17.h3? f5 18.f4! Nd7 19.a4 Qf6! 20.Rfc1 g5 21.Qf3 h5 22.fxg5 Qxg5 23.Rcf1 Rde8 24.Rae1 Rhg8 25.Rf2 Re5 26.Na2 Nc5 27.Nc1 Ne4 28.R2e2 Qh4! 29.Nd3 Ng5 30.Qf1? [0-1]

White now mis-calculates the threats from Ng5; and Qxh3 combined. The only other choice was to exchange R and N for the Q and play a losing endgame.

Position after 28. ... Qh4!

This was a must win game. We were both tied in points, and so either could knock the other out. This move introduces weaknesses into whites K-side pawns that ultimately prove fatal 15 moves later. White reacts to the threat - Ng4. But black is calculating that with the white N on c3, he has one or one-and one half tempi available before white can re-introduce his knight to the defense, and that is just enough to build a k-side attack.	Position after 15. ...Qh4!	PGN: 1.d4 d6 2.c4 Bf5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Nbd7 5.e3 h6 6.Bh4 c6 7.Bd3 Bxd3 8.Qxd3 e5 9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.Qe2 Be7 11.Nf3 Nfd7 12.Bxe7 Qxe7 13.O-O Nxf3+ 14.Qxf3 Ne5 15.Qe2 Qh4! 16.b3 O-O-O 17.h3? f5 18.f4! Nd7 19.a4 Qf6! 20.Rfc1 g5 21.Qf3 h5 22.fxg5 Qxg5 23.Rcf1 Rde8 24.Rae1 Rhg8 25.Rf2 Re5 26.Na2 Nc5 27.Nc1 Ne4 28.R2e2 Qh4! 29.Nd3 Ng5 30.Qf1? [0-1]

White now mis-calculates the threats from Ng5; and Qxh3 combined. The only other choice was to exchange R and N for the Q and play a losing endgame.	Position after 28. ... Qh4!