Chessola

Chess for no good reason, part 20
Lightning doesn't strike twice

Imagine my excitement when Schulien played the same line as Bassin! The tension was terrific; what was he going to sacrifice?

As it turned out, I did all the sacrificing, and none of it was sound. He varied early, and I went into a harmless trading line under the mistaken impression that it would give me a strong attack. Black won a pawn, effortlessly beat off the attack, then clinched with a cute little move.

Moody,David (1576) - Schulien,Charles (1925) [B73]
Michigan Team Tournament Kalamazoo, Mich. (4), 05.07.1975

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be2 Bg7 7.Be3 0–0 8.0–0 Nc6 9.Qd2 Ng4

A more popular alternative to Bassin's 9...d5.

10.Bxg4 Bxg4 11.Nxc6

Playable, but if White thinks he is going to be able to attack afterward he is sadly mistaken.

11...bxc6 12.Bh6 Bxh6 13.Qxh6 Qb6 14.Rab1 Be6 15.Kh1?

To push the f-pawn, but simply overlooking Black's next move.

15...Bc4 16.Rfe1 Qxf2 17.Rbd1 e5 18.Re3 Be6

Thwarting that little idea. Well, maybe the knight help out.

19.Ne2 Rad8 20.Ng3?

See the killer move?

20...Qf4! 0-1

The White queen is trapped, and trading allows a fatal pawn fork.

Advertisement