[Event "GotM #59"] [Site "Austrian Ch."] [Date "2013.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Rapport, Richard"] [Black "Sebenik, Matej"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A01"] [Annotator "Connaughton, Ken"] [PlyCount "73"] [EventDate "2013.??.??"] [EventCountry "AUT"] 1. b3 {Larsen Opening} e5 {Modern Variation - This is the usual response now.} (1... d5 {The Classical Variation has been replaced by the text move as the contemporary treatment of Jørgen Bent Larsen's sharp opening. There are many others.}) 2. Bb2 Nc6 3. e3 d5 4. Bb5 Bd6 5. f4 Qh4+ {Designed to provoke g3, slightly loosening the Kingside.} 6. g3 Qe7 {And Black does not lose a tempo, having banked the small positional gain, he brings his Queen to e7 as he always intended.} 7. Nf3 f6 8. Nc3 Be6 9. Qe2 a6 10. Bxc6+ bxc6 11. O-O-O Nh6 { [#] The opening has resulted in a very interesting closed position. White possibly has better posted minor pieces, Black has an open b-file from which to attack the White King. The question is now who can play it better?} 12. h3 e4 13. Nd4 Bf7 {13...Bd7 is unnecessary as 14.Nxc6 is folly as the following variation shows.} 14. d3 (14. Nxc6 $2 Qd7 15. Nd4 c5 16. Nf3 exf3 17. Qxf3 $19) 14... exd3 15. Qxd3 Qd7 16. g4 O-O {[#] Black is finally ready to castle.} 17. Rhg1 {In this opposite sides castling game, White's pawns seem better co-ordinated but Black has opportunities to win time and momentum by kicking White pieces aside as his forces advance.} Rfe8 18. Rdf1 c5 19. Nde2 c6 20. f5 {Who will win the race to #.} Qe7 {Black builds up on the backward pawn in addition to his infantry advance.} 21. Nd1 d4 22. h4 {[#] White gets on with his attack knowing that if Black captures he will lose much of his attacking power in the exchanges.} Bd5 {[%CAl Rd5h1,Rd6h2] Black will restrict the White pieces from fully supporting the powerful pawn storm.} (22... dxe3 $2 23. g5 fxg5 24. Rxg5 Be5 25. f6 $1 Bxb2+ 26. Nxb2 Qe4 27. Rxg7+ $16 (27. Rf4 $16)) 23. g5 Nf7 24. gxf6 Qxf6 25. exd4 {[%CAl Rb2f6]} Qh6+ 26. Kb1 {[#] The White King looks much safer. White's attack is gaining in power while Black's attack is floundering.} Be4 27. Qc3 {[%CAl Rc3g7,Rg1g7]} Bh2 {The Bishop Pair must harass the White Rooks.} 28. Nf2 $1 {One Rook is enough here and it's worth cashing in the other to halve Black's power in this critical quadrant of the board.} Bxg1 29. Ng4 $1 {[#] Beautiful intermezzo, bringing the White Knight closer to the enemy King. All the while chasing the Queen off the defense of g7.} Qxh4 30. Rxg1 Nd6 31. dxc5 {[%CAl Rc3g7]} Nxf5 {Holding the position for a move but White has a killer move to come.} 32. Nf6+ $1 {[%CAl Rg1g8,Rc3g7, Rf6g8,Rf6e4] [#] Either # or heavy material losses are coming. This is decisive.} Kf8 33. Nd7+ $3 {Forcing the King into the center!} Ke7 (33... Kg8 34. Qxg7+ $3 Nxg7 35. Rxg7+ Kh8 36. Rg5+ Re5 37. Bxe5#) 34. Rxg7+ $1 {Not really a sacrifice. The Knight is the key defender. After g7 falls, Black's position will collapse quickly.} Nxg7 35. Qxg7+ Ke6 {The King is driven into ever deeper waters. He has two Rooks for two Knights but the White Knights are in the thick of the action while the Black Rooks are mere observers.} (35... Kd8 $4 36. Bf6+ $19 {[%CAl Rf6d8,Rf6h4]}) 36. Nd4+ {And the King must continue his dreadful journey forward.} Kd5 37. Qf7+ {[#] The net is closing. It's # next move so Black resigns. A wonderful mating attack.} (37. Qf7+ Re6 38. Qxe6# ) 1-0