Lessons From Mallorca VII: No Surrender!

THE following position was reached after 18 moves in my round-seven game at the Colònia de Sant Jordi U2400.

Black has just played 18...Bd6-f8?

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White is a pawn down, but has compensation worth more than a minor piece, according to Stockfish17 and Dragon1.

White's first move is fairly obvious, or, at least, is a move that clearly does no harm to White's position, namely 19.Ng4.

After the reply 19...Bg7 the engines reckon 20.d6! wins, eg 20...cxd6 21.Bxf6 Bxf6 22.Rxb6! (the simple 22.Nxh6+ also wins, according to the engines) Qxb6 23.Nxf6+ etc.

Admittedly the strength of the pawn-push d6 is not obvious in the diagrammed position, but it becomes easier to spot after 19.Ng4 Bg7, either immediately, or in the less convincing, but still quite promising continuation 20.Bxf6 Bxf6 21.d6!?

In the game 19.Bg3? was played, when Black would have been winning after the engines' 19...Nc5!? 20.Bxe5 Ncxe4, and anyway was a sound pawn up after the game's 19...d6.

LESSON: in a sharp position a move that gives up a pin and retreats an attacking piece is unlikely to be the way to play.