IN this occasional series I am going through my decisive games of 20 moves or fewer.
Highbury (London) Rapid 1990
French Exchange
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.Be3 Bd6 7.Nc3 Nge7 8.h3 Bh5 9.g4!? Bg6 10.h4!?
Not in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database. Known moves are 10.Bxg6, 10.Qd2, 10.a3 and 10.Ng5?!
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| How should Black proceed? |
*****
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*****
10...Qd7
This is best, according to Stockfish17, although Dragon1 prefers 10...Bxd3 11.Qxd3, and then 11...Qd7.
11.Rg1 0-0-0 12.h5 Bxd3 13.Qxd3 f5! 14.gxf5 Nb4
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| What should White play? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
15.Qd2?
White had to play 15.Qe2, covering f3 as well as c2. If Black replies, as in the game, 15...Qxf5, White has 16.0-0-0 with what the engines reckon is an equal game.
15...Qxf5 16.Nh4?
This makes it easy for Black, but if 16.Ke2, then 16...Rhf8, eg 17.Ne1 Qxh5+ 18.Kf1 Nf5 19.Nd1 Rde8 20.c3 Nc6, after which Black is 'only' a pawn up, but according to the engines has an advantage worth much more than a rook.
16...Nxc2+ 17.Kd1 Nxe3+ 18.Qxe3 Qxh5+ 19.Nf3 Rhf8 0-1
LESSON: the vulnerability of hangers, ie pieces that are unprotected, is often the basis of a combination.
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