Annotated chess game: My memorable and exciting sacrificing game

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ANNOTATED GAME

My memorable and exciting sacrificing game
Lee Chong Peng vs. feathers8x8world
Annotated by: feathers8x8world (1499)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B76), dragon, Yugoslav attack, 7...O-O

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One of my memorable sacrficing games. I played Black against my chess coach at the school's chess club.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O	A standard Dragon position of the d6 Open Sicilian. This opening is well known for being one of the most aggressive and crazy openings in chess theory.



8. Bc4	!? A different move order. Normal is 8. Qd2.



8... Nc6 9. Qd2 Bd7 10. O-O-O Ne5	Another variation is 10...Qa5 11.Bb3 Rfc8 12.h4, adopted by Dragon exponent Christopher Ward.



11. Bb3 Rc8 12. h4 Nc4	More common is 12...h5 13.Bg5 Rc5.



13. Bxc4 Rxc4 14. Nce2	!?!? Totally unknown variation in the Dragon. White usually sacs a pawn after 14.h5 Nxh5 15.g4 Nf6 and White has the solid options 16.Kb1, 16.Nb3 and 16.Nde2, or the aggresive options 16.Bh6 and 16.e5, however my coach has a materialistic mindset and did not want to sac the pawn.



14... Re8	To prevent the exchange of dark-squared bishops.



15. Bh6 Bh8 16. h5 Nxh5 17. g4	?! The sac of the pawn was good, but this move is not that accurate. Perhaps 17.Rxh5 Bxd4 18.Nxd4 e5 was better.



17... Nf6 18. Bg5 Nxg4	!?!? The first sacrifice. 18...e5 19.Nb3 Qc7 was much safer, but I wanted to spice things up and realised this idea was still a plausible way to complicate matters.



19. fxg4 Bxg4 20. Rdg1 Bh5	?? But now the blunder. 20...Bxe2 21.Nxe2 Qb6 22.c3 Rxe4 leads to a much better and balanced position.



21. Nf5	?!? 21.Rxh5 would have won on the spot, but this sacrifice is also very interesting. After this White definitely has the advantage.



21... Rxe4	Also possible is 21...Qb6. Taking on f5 is suicide.



22. Rxh5	!!? Another sacrifice! 22.Nh6+ was much safer, but after 22...Kf8 23.Qd5 Re6 24.Nf4 Qb6, Black has increased his hopes of defending the position.
	1 comment bwaa (1873) on 02-Aug-12: This is not a sacrifice at all. Black must not take the Rook, or it's mate in four: 22...gxh5?? 23.Bxe7+! Bg7 24.Rxg7+ Kh8 25.Qh6!! and mate next move. However, see my comment next move...


22... Bxb2+	!!!? A counter-sacrifice! If 23.Kxb2 then 23...Qb6 24.Ka1 Rxe2 and the board is on fire.
	1 comment bwaa (1873) on 02-Aug-12: I think the immediate 22...Qb6! was stronger, taking advantage of the precariously-placed White pieces to gain time to defend: from b6, the Queen threatens unavoidable checks on b2 and then a1, connecting the Q and B on the long diagonal to get the Queen into action, and threatening the WK enough to force him to keep some pieces at home while Black fixes up his defense. For example (though both sides have various options), 22...Qb6 23.Be3 Qxb2+ 24.Kd1 Qa1+ 25.Nc1 Bb2! and Black is tying the White pieces down nicely, making time to get his Rook into action (as well as clearing h1 for his King). If White tries to prevent ...Qxb2+, he loses material and any chance at finishing up his attack because of the ...Rxe2 threat (22...Qb6 23.c3? Rxe2! 24.Qd1 Qf2 and suddenly White's not looking so strong anymore). There may be a clever refutation of this idea, but I don't see one at the moment.


23. Kd1	?! Accepting the sacrifice is probably better, but my coach decided to be cautious.



23... Qb6	?! 23...Qc8 was neccessary to remove the pin of the e7-pawn, which then 24.Qd5 Qxf5 25.Qxf5 gxf5 26. Bf6+ is still better for White, but Black can still hope to hang on.



24. Be3 Qa6 25. Nc3 Re5	? A mistake. 25...Re6 provides more resistance.



26. Bd4	! The move that seals the advantage.



26... Bxc3 27. Bxc3	1-0(?) I could have hoped to defend further with 27...Rxf5 28.Rxf5 Rc8, but the endgame should be winning for White. An exciting game of sacrifices and one of my most memorable games.