CHAPTER 11:

WINNING IN THE OPENING: PART 3

In this chapter we take a look at some more ways of winning in the opening.

5. Explosion on f7

The sacrifice of a Bishop or Knight on f7 (or f2) is part of the repertoire of any strong player. The sacrifice on f7 may have several motives.

Firstly, we can sacrifice to expose the King to a QUEEN FORK, or, less often, a KNIGHT FORK. You've already seen one example of this in the Giuoco Piano: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Bd2 Nxe4 8. Bxb4 Nxb4, and now a sacrifice on f7 prepared a fork to win back the pawn: 9. Bxf7+ Kxf7 10. Qb3+.

Once you've seen that idea you'll see how Black can win a pawn in this game.

Opening: French Defence

1. e4 e6
2. d4 d5
3. e5 c5
4. Bb5+

The usual move here is c3, followed by Nf3.

4... Nc6
5. dxc5?

White wastes time by playing a NON-DEVELOPING MOVE which Black can answer with a DEVELOPING MOVE.

5... Bxc5
6. c3? (Diagram 163)

XABCDEFGH
8r+lwqk+ntr(
7zpp+-+pzpp'
6-+n+p+-+&
5+LvlpzP-+-%
4-+-+-+-+$
3+-zP-+-+-#
2PzP-+-zPPzP"
1tRNvLQmK-sNR!
xabcdefgh
Diagram 163
Black to move

And you shouldn't need to be told how Black can win a pawn here. Bxf2+, followed by Qb6 if White takes, wins a pawn as well as preventing White from castling.

Now suppose you're White and your opponent plays Bg4 to pin your Knight on f3. You can sometimes play Bxf7+, followed by either Ne5+ FORKING the King and the Bishop on g4, or Ng5+ with a DISCOVERED ATTACK on the Bishop.

Here's how your author lost a pawn in three moves in a five-minute game (each player has five minutes on the chess clock for all their moves) played while he was writing the first draft of this book.

Opening: Nimzowitsch Defence

1. e4 Nc6

The Nimzowitsch, names after the same man who gave his name to the Nimzo-Indian Defence.

2. Nf3 d6
3. Bc4 ` Bg4? (Diagram 164)
XABCDEFGH
8r+-wqkvlntr(
7zppzp-zppzpp'
6-+nzp-+-+&
5+-+-+-+-%
4-+L+P+l+$
3+-+-+N+-#
2PzPPzP-zPPzP"
1tRNvLQmK-+R!
xabcdefgh
Diagram 164
White to move

4. Bxf7+

Winning a pawn, because after Kxf7, Ng5+ (AMBUSH!) followed by Qxg4.

But BE CAREFUL! This fort of thing can sometimes rebound on you if you don't calculate properly. For example:

Opening: Giuoco Piano

1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bc4 Bc5
4. d3 d6
5. Nc3 Bg4 (Diagram 165)

XABCDEFGH
8r+-wqk+ntr(
7zppzp-+pzpp'
6-+nzp-+-+&
5+-vl-zp-+-%
4-+L+P+l+$
3+-sNP+N+-#
2PzPP+-zPPzP"
1tR-vLQmK-+R!
xabcdefgh
Diagram 165
White to move
Can you win a pawn here with Bxf7+?

The answer is NO!! 6. Bxf7+ Kxf7 7. Ng5+ Qxg5! and Black remains a piece up after 8. Bxg5 Bxd1 9. Rxd1.

Another reason for playing Bxf7 is to DECOY the King away from defending he Queen. Here's an example.

Opening: Sicilian Defence

1. e4 c5
2. c3

A good alternative to the usual Nf3. White intends to follow up with d4 to set up a strong pawn centre.

2... Nf6
3. e5 Nd5
4. d4 d6

The usual move here is cxd4.

5. dxc5 dxc5
6. Bc4 Nb6?? (Diagram 166)

XABCDEFGH
8rsnlwqkvl-tr(
7zpp+-zppzpp'
6-sn-+-+-+&
5+-zp-zP-+-%
4-+L+-+-+$
3+-zP-+-+-#
2PzP-+-zPPzP"
1tRNvLQmK-sNR!
xabcdefgh
Diagram 166
White to move

A dreadful blunder (e6 was the right move) gives White the opportunity to win Black's Queen.

7. Bxf7+! Kxf7
8. Qxd8

Our final trap comes from the Modern Defence (Black plays g6 and Bg7, but not Nf6, remember). Most Modern Defence players (yes, even your author) fall into something like this once before they learn it.

White: Eduard Hamlisch Black: Amateur
Vienna 1902
Opening: Modern Defence

1. e4 d6
2. d4 Nd7
3. Bc4 g6

4. Nf3 Bg7?? (Diagram 167)

XABCDEFGH
8r+lwqk+ntr(
7zppzpnzppvlp'
6-+-zp-+p+&
5+-+-+-+-%
4-+LzPP+-+$
3+-+-+N+-#
2PzPP+-zPPzP"
1tRNvLQmK-+R!
xabcdefgh
Diagram 167
White to move

And by now we all know what happens next.

5. Bxf7+! Kxf7?
6. Ng5+

Now Black has three choices: 6... Kf8 7. Ne6+ (FORK!), or 6... Ke8 7. Ne6 (Smothered mate to the Queen!) both lose the Queen. Black's choice in the game is worse.

6... Kf6
7. Qf3#

This was the first known occurrence but it's happened many times since.

6. Legall's Mate

Another idea involving an attack on f7. Readers of MOVE ONE will recall the original example played by a chap called Legall in 1750. Here's a variation on the theme which often happens over the board and has a couple of other interesting points.

Opening: Italian Game

1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bc4 d6

Unusual, but not too bad. Come to think of it, the opening could equally well be called Philidor's Defence (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6).

4. Nc3 Bg4 (PIN!)

5. h3 Bh5? (Diagram 168)

XABCDEFGH
8r+-wqkvlntr(
7zppzp-+pzpp'
6-+nzp-+-+&
5+-+-zp-+l%
4-+L+P+-+$
3+-sN-+N+P#
2PzPPzP-zPP+"
1tR-vLQmK-+R!
xabcdefgh
Diagram 168
White to move

6. Nxe5 (PINBREAKER!) Bxd1?
7. Bxf7+ Ke7
8. Nd5#

That's all very well, but we need to go through the game a bit more slowly.

First, you may be wondering why White doesn't play Nxe5 on move 5. If Black takes the Queen he's mated in the same way as in the game, but instead he can play Nxe5, defending a Black Bishop and attacking a White one. This just leaves White with only a pawn for a knight, so he first tempts Black to move his Bishop to an unguarded square.

The second interesting question is what happens if Black doesn't take the Queen on move 6. If he plays 6... dxe5 White can safely play Qxh5 leaving himself with an extra pawn. But 6... Nxe5 looks good as it attacks the Bishop on c4. What does White do now?

Would you believe it, there's another QUEEN FORK coming up. 7. Qxh5 Nxc4 8. Qb5+ followed by Qxc4 and once more White's a pawn ahead.

Again, you have to be VERY CAREFUL before trying to bring off Legall's Mate in your own games. You need to ask yourself two questions first. Am I certain that I'm mating him if he takes the Queen? And what happens if he takes the Knight instead of the Queen?

Here are a few more examples of Legall's Mate and similar ideas.

1. White: Harry Pillsbury Black: Fernández
Havana 1900 (12 board blindfold simultaneous display)
Opening: Vienna Game

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 d6 4. Nf3 a6? 5. Bc4 Bg4 6. fxe5 Nxe5? 7. Nxe5! Bxd1? 8. Bxf7+ Ke7 9. Nd5#

Sometimes you can mate with a bishop rather than a knight.

2. White: J O Howard Taylor Black: Amateur
Opening: Bishop's Opening

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nxe4 4. Nc3 (The impressively named BODEN-KIESERITZKY GAMBIT. Black can decline the pawn with Nc6, reaching a position analysed in Chapter 9.) 4... Nxc3 5. dxc3 d6? (The right move here is f6. Now White could play Ng5 but instead tries...) 6. 0-0 (Threat: Nxe5 followed by Bxf7+ (EXPLOSION ON f7!). Nxe5 at once would have been answer by Qe7 (PIN!).) 6... Bg4? 7. Nxe5! Bxd1? 8. Bxf7+ Ke7 9. Bg5#

If there's a Black Knight on e7 and a Black Bishop on f8 you can mate on f7 instead.

3. White: Johann Berger Black: Froelich
1888
Opening: Ruy Lopez

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. Nc3 Bg4 6. Nd5 Nge7 7. c3 b5 8. Bb3 Na5? 9. Nxe5! Bxd1? (He should have played 9... dxe5, but not 9... Nxb3 10. Nxg4 Nxd5 (not 10... Nxa1? 11. Ngf6+) 11. axb3, or 9... Nxd5 10. Nxg4, which both lose a pawn.) 10. Nf6+! (CLEARANCE!) 10... gxf6 11. Bxf7#

Finally, if the Black Bishop's moved from f8 it takes one move longer to mate.

4. White: William Pollock Black: John Hall
Bradford 1888
Opening: Three Knights Game

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. 0-0 d6 6. Nd5 Bg4 7. c3 Bc5 8. d3 Ne7? 9. Nxe5! Bxd1? (Or 9... dxe5 10. Nxf6+ followed by Qxg4) 10. Nxf6+ (CLEARANCE + DECOY!) 10... gxf6 (If 10... Kf8, White wins with 11. Nfd7+ Qxd7 12. Nxd7+ Ke8 13. Nxc5 dxc5 14. Rxd1) 11. Bxf7+ Kf8 12. Bh6#

7. A few other traps

We'd need several very large books to show you every possible opening trap. All we can do here is show you a few which you may well have the chance to bring off in your own games, or that someone might try to bring off against you.

You definitely need to know this because it's a trap that young players often try to bring off in their games. Make sure YOU don't fall for it!

Again, it's been played many times, but the first known game in which it happened was:
White: Muhlock Black: Boris Kostic
Cologne 1912
Opening: Italian Game

1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bc4 Nd4?!
4. Nxe5?! Qg5 (FORK!)
5. Nxf7? (FORK!) (Diagram 169)

XABCDEFGH
8r+l+kvlntr(
7zppzpp+Nzpp'
6-+-+-+-+&
5+-+-+-wq-%
4-+LsnP+-+$
3+-+-+-+-#
2PzPPzP-zPPzP"
1tRNvLQmK-+R!
xabcdefgh
Diagram 169
Black to move

5... Qxg2
6. Rf1 Qxe4+ (FORK!)
7. Be2 Nf3#!

EXPLOITING THE PIN! Better is 5. Bxf7+, but if someone tries 3... Nd4 against you we recommend playing safe with either 4. Nxd4 or 4. c3.

Amongst stronger players 1. d4 is almost as popular as 1. e4. If you meet d4 in a game here's something you could try.

Opening: Queen's Gambit Declined

1. d4 d5
2. c4 e6
3. Nc3 Nf6
4. Bg5 Nbd7

This looks like it loses a pawn, doesn't it? Maybe White will think so too.

5. cxd5 exd5
6. Nxd5?? (Diagram 170)

XABCDEFGH
8r+lwqkvl-tr(
7zppzpn+pzpp'
6-+-+-sn-+&
5+-+N+-vL-%
4-+-zP-+-+$
3+-+-+-+-#
2PzP-+PzPPzP"
1tR-+QmKLsNR!
xabcdefgh
Diagram 170
Black to move

6... Nxd5! (PINBREAKER!)
7. Bxd8 Bb4+

And White suddenly looks rather embarrassed. There's only one move.

8. Qd2 Bxd2+
9. Kxd2 Kxd8

When White comes to assess the damage he finds himself a knight for a pawn down.

If White knows what's coming he'll play something like e3 or Nf3 on move 5, when Black can continue with the Cambridge Springs Defence (named after an American town where a famous tournament took place in 1904). This involves playing c6, followed by Qa5, Bb4 and/or Ne4, attacking the PINNED Knight on c3.

There are many more traps which White has to avoid in this variation. For instance, the game might go:
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. Nf3 c6 6. e3 Qa5 (PIN!) 7. Bd3? Ne4! (ATTACKING THE PINNED PIECE!) 8. Rc1? Nxg5 9. Nxg5 dxc4 (AMBUSH!) winning a piece. The Bishop on d3 is attacked by a pawn and the Knight on g5 by the Queen. There's no way White can save both pieces.

Another popular opening if the French Defence. Our last example in this chapter is an idea for White which also sets a trap.

Opening: French Defence

1. e4 e6
2. d4 d5
3. e5

The ADVANCE VARIATION

3... c5
4. c3 Nc6
5. Nf3 Qb6

Black's most popular plan in the Advance Variation of the French Defence. He attacks d4 with everything except the kitchen sink while also tying down the Bishop on c1 to defending b2. Safe moves for White here are Be2 and a3, but instead he can try a pawn sacrifice.

6. Bd3!? cxd4

If Black plays instead 6... Bd7 he has to avoid another pitfall: 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. Qe2 Nge7? 9. b4 trapping the Bishop.

7. cxd4 Nxd4? (Diagram 171)

XABCDEFGH
8r+l+kvlntr(
7zpp+-+pzpp'
6-wq-+p+-+&
5+-+pzP-+-%
4-+-sn-+-+$
3+-+L+N+-#
2PzP-+-zPPzP"
1tRNvLQmK-+R!
xabcdefgh
Diagram 171
White to move

Black can't win the pawn yet? Can you work out why?

8. Nxd4 Qxd4??
9. Bb5+ (AMBUSH!)

Followed by Qxd4. Instead Black should play 7... Bd7, when Nxd4 really is a threat. White usually sacrifices the d-pawn with 0-0 followed by Nc3, Qe2 and Rd1 with unclear play. This is called the MILNER-BARRY GAMBIT after the English Master Sir Stuart Milner-Barry, who was also a top civil servant.

This is an important trap because the idea of leaving a pawn on d4 to be taken and then winning the Queen with Bb5+ or Bh7+ crops up very frequently in many different openings.

QUIZ

Another two-part quiz. Five questions on the Two Knights' Defence (Chapter 9) and five on the Opening Tactics from this chapter. If you don't manage 4 out of 5 in Part One go back and re-read Chapter 9. Less than 4 on Part Two and you should read this chapter again. If you've remembered what you've read you'll find the quiz pretty easy.

Q1.
XABCDEFGH
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6-+n+-sn-+&
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4-+L+-+-+$
3+-+-+-+-#
2PzPPzP-zPPzP"
1tRNvLQmK-+R!
xabcdefgh
Black to move
Would you play:
a) Na5, b) Nb4, c) Nxd5 or d) h6?
Q2.
XABCDEFGH
8r+lwqkvl-tr(
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6-+n+-+-+&
5+-+nzp-sN-%
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3+-+-+-+-#
2PzPPzP-zPPzP"
1tRNvLQmK-+R!
xabcdefgh
White to move
Would you play:
a) Bxd5, b) Qf3, c) 0-0 or d) Nxf7?
Q3.
XABCDEFGH
8r+lwqkvl-tr(
7zp-+-+pzpp'
6-+p+-sn-+&
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4-+-+-+-+$
3+-+-+-+-#
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1tRNvLQmK-+R!
xabcdefgh
White to move.
Would you play:
a) Ba4, b) Bd3, c) Be2 or d) Bf1?
Q4.
XABCDEFGH
8r+lwqkvl-tr(
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6-+n+-sn-+&
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3+-+-+N+-#
2PzPP+-zPPzP"
1tRNvLQmK-+R!
xabcdefgh
Black to move.
Would you play:
a) Nxd4, b) exd4, c) Nxe4 or d) d6?
Q5.
XABCDEFGH
8r+lwqkvl-tr(
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White to move.
Would you play:
a) Bb5, b) Bxd5, c) Bd3 or d) Bb3?
Q6.
XABCDEFGH
8r+-wqkvlntr(
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6-+nzp-+-+&
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4-+L+P+l+$
3+-sN-+N+-#
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xabcdefgh
White to move.
What would you play?
Q7.
XABCDEFGH
8rsn-wqkvl-tr(
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6-+-+-sn-+&
5+-+-zp-+-%
4-+L+-+l+$
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xabcdefgh
White to move.
What would you play?
Q8.
XABCDEFGH
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6-+-zp-+p+&
5+-+-zp-+-%
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xabcdefgh
White to move.
What would you play?
Q9.
XABCDEFGH
8r+-wqkvl-tr(
7zpp+-zppzpp'
6-+p+-sn-+&
5+-+-+-+-%
4-+LzP-+l+$
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xabcdefgh
White to move.
What would you play?
Q10.
XABCDEFGH
8r+lwqk+-tr(
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6-+-+-+p+&
5+-+-zP-+n%
4-+L+-+-+$
3+-sN-+N+-#
2PzPP+-zPPzP"
1tR-vLQmK-+R!
xabcdefgh
White to move.
What would you play?

Activities

If you fancy some light relief there are a number of other versions of chess you can play. Between here and the end of the book we'll take a quick look at some of them. Here are two of the most interesting.

a) Scotch (or Progressive) Chess

If you haven't got time for a complete game at the end of your chess club session, this is well worth a try. The rules are very simple. White plays one move, then Black plays two moves, White three, Black four and so on. In the English version of the game, if you check your opponent at any time your sequence of moves stops. In the Italian version (which is also used internationally) you may only check on the last move of your sequence. If you are in check you must get out of it on the first move of your sequence.

For example, White plays e4. If Black replies with, for instance, e5 and Nf6, White delivers Scholar's Mate: Bc4, Qh5 and Qxf7#.

Most games between beginners end in a draw once the players have mastered how to avoid Scholar's Mate. The secret of how to win is this. Look for a checkmate position and then work out how many moves it takes you to get there. Only if you can't find a mate should you think about how many pieces you can take in your next sequence of moves.

b) Two-move Chess

This is a very similar game. You've probably already guessed the rules. The players take it in turn to play two moves each. If your first move is check you are not allowed to play a second move. Again, if you find yourself in check you must move out of check on the first of your two moves.

Masters of the Universe 11

At the end of the last chapter we left you in 1972, with Bobby Fischer holding the World Championship.

The next series of Candidates Matches, finishing in 1974, produced a new young Soviet star when Anatoly Karpov beat his fellow Soviet Viktor Korchnoi in the final.

Karpov was born in 1951 and learned the moves when he was only four. He played in his first Master Tournament by mistake when he was 15. It was thought the invitation was for a Junior Tournament. Even so, Karpov ran out the easy winner.

He became World Junior Champion at 18 and over the next few years developed into one of the best players in the world.

Here's a win from his 1974 match against Korchnoi which shows just how much homework you have to do to become World Champion.

White: Anatoly Karpov Black: Viktor Korchnoi
Leningrad 1974
Opening: Sicilian Defence

1. e4 c5
2. Nf3 d6
3. d4 cxd4
4. Nxd4 Nf6
5. Nc3 g6

This is the DRAGON VARIATION of the SICILIAN DEFENCE. Black's pawn formation is supposed to look like a dragon! Black FIANCHETTOS his Bishop from where it can join in the Queen-side attack.

6. Be3 Bg7
7. f3 Nc6
8. Qd2 0-0
9. Bc4 Bd7

This line of the DRAGON VARIATION is called the YUGOSLAV ATTACK. The players castle on opposite sides and throw all their pieces at the enemy King.

10. h4 Rc8
11. Bb3 Ne5
12. 0-0-0 Nc4
13. Bxc4 Rxc4
14. h5!

Karpov sacrifices a pawn to open the h-file. His plan is quite simple: exchange Bishops, get rid of the Knight on f6 and mate with Queen and Rook on h7 or h8. You'll see how it works out in the game.

14... Nxh5
15. g4 Nf6
16. Nde2 (Diagram 172)

XABCDEFGH
8-+-wq-trk+(
7zpp+lzppvlp'
6-+-zp-snp+&
5+-+-+-+-%
4-+r+P+P+$
3+-sN-vLP+-#
2PzPPwQN+-+"
1+-mKR+-+R!
xabcdefgh
Diagram 172
Black to move

So far the players have been following a much trodden route. This was a fairly new move at the time. One of Black's ideas in this variation is to smash up White's King by playing Rxc3 when White has to take back with a pawn. So Karpov defends c3 with another piece while at the same time preparing to move the Knight towards Korchnoi's King.

16... Qa5

Many later games continued with Re8 here, which seems to be a better move for Black.

17. Bh6 Bxh6
18. Qxh6 Rfc8
19. Rd3!

The first new move in the game! So far both players had just been playing moves they had studied at home before the match. This position had been analysed in magazine articles but Karpov's move improves on the published analysis. The idea again is to prevent Rxc3, freeing the Knight on e2 to move if necessary.

19... R4c5
20. g5! Rxg5
21. Rd5! Rxd5

If 21... Nxd5, 22. Qxh7+ mates next move.

22. Nxd5 Re8
23. Nef4

If at once 23. Nxf6+ followed by 24. Qxh7+, Black's King escapes via f8 and e7, so White tries to block Black's escape route.

23... Bc6 (Diagram 173)

XABCDEFGH
8-+-+r+k+(
7zpp+-zpp+p'
6-+lzp-snpwQ&
5wq-+N+-+-%
4-+-+PsN-+$
3+-+-+P+-#
2PzPP+-+-+"
1+-mK-+-+R!
xabcdefgh
Diagram 173
White to move

24. e5! Bxd5

Korchnoi's other possible defence was 24... dxe5 25. Nxf6+ exf6 26. Nh5! gxh5 27. Rg1+ Kh8 28. Qg7#. Do you see why White played e5 first? To prevent 26... Qg5+ in this variation by forcing Black to block the fifth rank.

25. exf6 exf6

26. Qxh7+ Kf8

27. Qh8+

Black resigns. After 27... Ke7, 28. Nxd5+ Qxd5 29. Rd1+ SKEWERS the Rook.

In 1975 Karpov was due to play Fischer. But the International Chess Federation would not agree to Fischer's idea of how the match should be run, so the American refused to play and Karpov was declared World Champion.

Since then Karpov has proved himself one of the greatest champions by winning many very strong International Tournaments as well as successfully defending his title twice against Korchnoi, who defected to the West in 1977 and now lives in Switzerland, in 1978 and 1981.

Although Karpov's style is rather quiet he can still play fine attacking chess when the occasion demands. In this game where he shows you how to beat an opponent who gets his King stuck in the centre.

This game was played in one of the strongest ever tournaments to take place in England. His opponent in this game was at the time the Dutch number one and one of the strongest Grandmasters in the world

White: Jan Timman Black: Anatoly Karpov
London 1984
Opening: Scotch Game

1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. d4 exd4
4. Nxd4 Nf6

Now Nc3 gives the Scotch Four Knights, which you may remember from MOVE ONE!. For many years the Scotch Game was not played very much in master chess, but it was revived by Kasparov in his 1990 World Championship match against Karpov. Timman has a new idea in mind which he reveals between moves 11 and 13.

5. Nxc6 bxc6
6. e5 Qe7 (PIN!)
7. Qe2 (UNPIN!) Nd5
8. c4 Ba6 (PIN!)
9. Qe4 (UNPIN!) Nb6
10. Nd2 0-0-0
11. c5?! Bxf1
12. cxb6 Ba6
13. bxa7 Kb7 (Diagram 174)

XABCDEFGH
8-+-tr-vl-tr(
7zPkzppwqpzpp'
6l+p+-+-+&
5+-+-zP-+-%
4-+-+Q+-+$
3+-+-+-+-#
2PzP-sN-zPPzP"
1tR-vL-mK-+R!
xabcdefgh
Diagram 174
White to move

White's idea was to reach this position. He has an extra pawn and Black's King's defences have been ripped away. But in fact Black's King can shelter safely behind the White Pawn on a7 while White's King will be stranded in mid-board.

14. Nb3 f6
15. f4 fxe5
16. fxe5 Re8
17. Bf4 Qh4+
18. g3 Qh5

Karpov has manoeuvred to prevent 0-0-0 as well as 0-0. The White King is a sitting target for Black's forces.

19. Rc1 Ka8
20. h4 d5

21. Qe3 (Diagram 175)

XABCDEFGH
8k+-+rvl-tr(
7zP-zp-+-zpp'
6l+p+-+-+&
5+-+pzP-+q%
4-+-+-vL-zP$
3+N+-wQ-zP-#
2PzP-+-+-+"
1+-tR-mK-+R!
xabcdefgh
Diagram 175
Black to move

21... g5!

A pawn sacrifice to open the f-file.

22. Bxg5 Bb4+
23. Kf2 Rhf8+
24. Kg2 Rxe5!

And now a rook sacrifice to force mate.

25. Qxe5 Qf3+
26. Kh2 Qf2+

White resigns. He's mated after 27. Kh3 Bc8+ (one reason for Karpov's 19th move) 28. g4 Rf3+

LESSONS FROM CHAPTER 11

1. WATCH OUT FOR COMBINATIONS ON f7/f2 IF YOU'VE GOT A BISHOP ON c4/c5.

2. DON'T JUMP AT A COMBINATION JUST BECAUSE YOU'VE SEEN A GOOD IDEA. MAKE SURE YOUR COMBINATION WORKS BEFORE PLAYING IT.

3. BEWARE OF PLAYING BAD MOVES THAT SET TRAPS (FOR INSTANCE MUHLOCK-KOSTIC). IF YOUR OPPONENT'S STUPID ENOUGH TO FALL INTO IT YOU'LL PROBABLY BEAT HIM ANYWAY.

4. THINK TWICE BEFORE TAKING YOUR OPPONENT'S QUEEN'S PAWN IF HE HAS A BISHOP ON d3. HE MAY HAVE A DISCOVERED ATTACK WITH CHECK, WINNING A PIECE.