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ANNOTATED GAME
Refutation of an unsound sacrifice?
Promising youngster vs. Charles Higgie
Annotated by: charleshiggie
(2222)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B21), Smith-Morra gambit
Promising youngster vs. Charles Higgie
Annotated by: charleshiggie
(2222)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B21), Smith-Morra gambit
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Here I beat a promising youngster who had in fact beaten me in the club championship lightening tournament the previous week. He sacrifices a bishop and at one point threatens a lovely mate in 2, but really never has enough for it and loses quickly. | ||||||
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1. e4 |
So he starts with the usual. | |||||
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1... c5 |
And I play my usual Sicilian. | |||||
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2. d4 |
Slightly unusual, but perfectly playable, although statistically white does better with the main line. (Nf3 or Nc3) | |||||
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2... cxd4 |
So I take. | |||||
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3. c3 |
He plays the Smith-Morra Gambit, offering a pawn for speedy development. | |||||
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3... Nf6 |
Black can accept the pawn, but this is good as well, a suggestion of Leonard Barden. | |||||
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4. e5 |
This is the most commonly played move in the position. | |||||
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4... Nd5 |
And this is the only decent move for black. | |||||
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5. cxd4 |
So he gets the pawn back | |||||
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5... Nc6 |
I develop. | |||||
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6. Nf3 |
and so does he | |||||
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6... d6 |
I need to undermine his pawn before he gets the chance to support it. | |||||
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7. Bc4 |
He develops with gain of time, hitting my knight. | |||||
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7... Nb6 |
So likewise I hit his bishop. | |||||
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8. Bxf7+ |
Ah the over-optimism of youth! He gets a bit of an attack and a pawn in return for the bishop, but it is never enough. I would so far as to say 8. Bxf7 check is the losing move already. | |||||
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8... Kxf7 |
So I take. | |||||
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9. Ng5+ |
He checks | |||||
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9... Kg8 |
I retreat. | |||||
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10. e6 |
He advances the pawn and makes my development hard. | |||||
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10... Qe8 |
So I move my queen to protect the f7 square. After the game my opponent suggested he should have picked up the exchange here with Nf7 and Nxh8. The problem is my bishop and knight far outweigh his rook. Later, looking on the opening databases, was confirmation that black normally wins from such positions. | |||||
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