JOIN USDesperate situations warrant desperate measures and it is no different in chess. At times a player can come out flying out of a disadvantageous position by calling a bluff but at times it does not work.
However it is better to try out every possible trick in the book rather than resign early especially when it comes to amateurs and beginners.
In the game which follows, Black is in an advantageous position throughout with White’s pieces undeveloped and the King not getting an opportunity to castle.
However at a crucial juncture Black starts going astray and White, more in desperation than anything else, sets a small trap and has the pleasure of watching Black walking right into it!
White: Sergey Volkov (2605) – Black: Semen Dvoirys (2585)
Samara, 1998
Grunfeld Defence
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Be3 c5 8.Qd2 Qa5
Here 8. ..Nc6 appears better
9.Rb1 b6 10.Bb5+ Bd7 11.Be2 0–0 12.Rc1 Rd8 13.d5
If 13.Nf3 Bb5 14.0–0 cxd4 15.Bxb5 Qxb5 16.cxd4 Nc6 17.d5 Na5
13...Qa4 14.f3. If 14.Bd3 e6 15.Ne2 exd5 16.exd5 Bg4 17.Nf4 Bc8
14...Na6. If 14...Bb5 15.Bxb5 Qxb5 16.Ne2 e6
15.Bg5 f6 16.Bh6 e6. If 16. ..Bxh6 17.Qxh6 Qxa2 18.h4 c4
17.h4. White continues to march . If 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Bxa6 Qxa6 19.c4 Rac8 20.Ne2 b5
17...Nc7. If 17...Bxh6 18.Qxh6 exd5 (18...Qxa2 19.h5 Be8 20.dxe6) 19.h5 Be8 20.Nh3 dxe4 21.hxg6 Bxg6 22.Nf4
18.h5 g5
If 18...Be8 19.hxg6 Bxg6 20.Bxg7 Kxg7 21.Qh6+ Kf7 22.Nh3
19.Bxg7 Kxg7 20.h6+
If 20.Nh3 exd5 21.Nxg5 h6 22.Qf4 leading to an unclear position
20...Kh8 21.Bd1. Coming back to attack the queen which has ventured solo into enemy territory. However Whie should have had a serious look at 21.d6 Bc6 22.Nh3 e5
21. ..Qa3. Surprisingly the queen does not retreat but infiltrates a bit more. It is to be noted here that White’s King has not castled and is still on the original square. If 21...Qa5 22.c4 Qxd2+ 23.Kxd2
22.Nh3. White is trying to develop his pieces
22. ..exd5 23.Nxg5
If 23.exd5 Bxh3 24.Rxh3 Nxd5
23...Rf8. If 23...fxg5 24.Qxg5 Ne8 (24...Ne6 25.Qf6+ Kg8 26.Rh4) 25.Rh4 dxe4 26.Qe5+ Kg8 27.Bb3+
24.Qf4 Rae8
If 24...Nb5 25.Qd2 Nd6
25.Rc2. If 25.Qxc7 Qxc1 26.Qxd7 Qxg5 27.Rh5 Qg3+
25...Nb5 26.Be2 c4
The correct move is 26...Nxc3
27.Rh5 Nxc3 28.Bxc4. More in desperation than anything else, White tries out a last trick!
Diagram 1
28...fxg5. And Black falls for it! He goes astray and misses the correct continuation 28...dxc4 29.Qd2 Nxe4 (29...Nb1 30.Qxd7 Qe3+ 31.Kd1 Qd3+ 32.Qxd3 cxd3 33.Rc1 fxg5 34.Rxb1 g4 35.Rf5) 30.Nxe4 Qd3
29.Qe3
If 29.Qxg5 Qe7 30.Bxd5 Qxg5 31.Rxg5 Nxd5 32.Rxd5
29...Nb5. If 29...dxc4 30.Qd4+
30.Qxg5 Qb4+
Black has lost way. He should have played 30...Qe7 31.Qg7+ Qxg7 32.hxg7+ Kxg7 33.Rxd5 Bc6 34.Rxb5 Bxb5 35.Bxb5
31.Rd2 Re7. From a winning position Black is now struggling to defend. Black should have taken his chances with 31. ..Rxe5+ 32.fxe5 also Black can look at 31...Qe7 32.Qg7+ Qxg7 33.hxg7+ Kxg7 34.Rhxd5 Bc6 35.Bxb5 Bxd5 36.Bxe8 Bxe4
32.Qxd5 a6. He should have tried 32...Qc5 33.Qxc5 bxc5 34.Rxc5
33.Rg5 and Black resigned for if 33. .. Rff7 (33...Ree8 34.Qxd7) 34.Qxf7 Rxf7 35.Bxf7 Qf8 36.Rxd7
1–0
Diagram 2
White to play and win
1.Rxe7+ Kb8 2.Rxf7 Rxf7 3.Qxf7