Bobby Fischer's Sicilian Dragon

BOBBY FISCHER vs. E. STEPHANS
Cleveland US-Open 1957
Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack

1. e4, c5
2. Nf3, d6
3. d4, cxd4
4. Nxd4, Nf6
5. Nc3, g6
6. Be3, Nc6
7. f3, Bg7
8. Qd2, 0-0
9. Bc4 ....

The Yugoslav Attack of the Dragon Variation.  This opening results in extremely tactical and decisive battles. White keeps a firm grip on the center while advancing aggressively towards the enemy king with f2-f4-f5 and even g2-g3-g4. However, danger exists in overextending and allowing Black to gain the initiative with a deadly counter-attack. Black's strategy is centered around the half-open c file and his ability to push the a and b pawns. Throughout the entire course of the battle, Black will be looking to break the center with an advance from d6-d5. Black can even sometimes obtain a winning endgame even after sacrificing the exchange, because of White's h-pawn sacrifice, doubled isolated c-pawns and most importantly the lack of mobility of the white Rooks compared to the Black minor pieces.  (Source:  Wikipedia)

9. .... a6
10. 0-0-0, Qc7
11. Bb3, b5
12. Nxc6, Qxc6
13. Nd5, Kh8

White threatens 14. Nxe7 double-check. 

14. Nxf6!! ....

Far more powerful than 14. Nxe7 Qb7, 15. Nxc8 Raxc8, and Black gains control of the open c-file.

14. .... e6

Blocking 15. Bd5.  Now, White has gained a piece!

15. Bh6, Bb7
16. Bxg7+, Kxg7
17. Ng4, f5
18. exf5, Rxf5
19. Qxd6, h5
20. Qe7+, Rf7
21. Qxf7, Kxf7
22. Ne5+, Ke7
23. Nxc6+, Bxc6
24. Rhe1, Bd7
25. Rxd7+, Resigns

With material and strategic advantage, White will ultimately capture Black's remaining pawns.

Evans Gambit

GARRY KASPAROV vs. VISWANATHAN ANAND
Riga, 1995

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Bc4, Bc5
4. b4 ....

The Evans Gambit, the purpose of which is the control of d4.

4. .... Bxb4
5. c3, Be7
6. d4, Na5
7. Be2!? ....

White would rather not part with the Bishop rather than gain a pawn by 7. Nxe5 Nxc4  (not 7....f6, 8. Bf7+ Kf8, 9. Bxg8 fxe5, 10. Bb3 ...), 8. Nxc4 ....

7. .... exd4

Black gains a piece after 7....Nf6, 8. dxe5 Nxe4, 9. Qa4 ....

8. Qxd4, Nf6?!
9. e5, Nc6
10. Qh4, Nd5
11. Qg3, g6

If 11.....0-0, then 12. Bh6 ....

12. 0-0, Nb6
13. c4, d6

If 13.....d6, then 14. cxd5 Qxd5, 15. Nc3 ....

14. Rd1, Nd7

If 14.....Be6, then 15. c5!! ....

15. Bh6, Ncxe5
16. Nxe5, Nxe5
17. Nc3 ....

White does not desire the outcome after 17. Bg7 Bf6, 18. Bxh8 Bxh8, 19. Nc3 b6.  Black, with his Bishop Pair, gains equality.

17. .... f6
18. c5!, Nf7
19. cxd6, cxd6
20. Qe3!, Nxh6
21. Qxh6, Bf8
22. Qe3+, Kf7
23. Nd5, Be6?!
24. Nf4!, Qe7
25. Re1!!, Resigns

White's pressure on the center would be too much for Black to handle, i.e. 25....d5, 26. Bf3.   If 25....Bh6, then 26. Bc4.

Subtle yet elegant!

The Power of Two Bishops

Garry Kasparov demonstrates for us the power of the Bishop Pair.  Two Bishops working in tandem constitute one of mightiest forces in chess.

G. KASPAROV vs. J. SPEELMAN
Barcelona, 1989

1. d4, d6
2. e4, g6
3. c4, e5

An attempt by Black to destroy White's central pawn structure.

4. Nf3, exd4
5. Nxd4, Bg7
6. Nc3, Nc6
7. Be3, Nge7
8. h4!?, h6
9. Be2, f5
10. exf5, Nxf5
11. Nxf5, Bxf5
12. Qd2, Qd7
13. 0-0, 0-0-0
14. b4!, Nxb4?!

Black took the poisoned pawn.  Now the fight tension is increased.

15. Nb5!, Nc2

Black does not like 15....Bxa1, 16. Qxb4 Bg7, 17. Nxa7+....

16. Bf3! d5
17. Bxd5, Nxa1
18. Nxa7+, Kb8
19. Qb4! ....

Now, White threatens mate at b7.

19. .... Qxd5

Black has no choice.  If 19....b6, then 20. Bxb6 cxb6, 21. Qxb6+ with a mating attack.  If 19....c6, then 20. Bxc6 Qf7, 21. Bf4+ Ka8, 22. Qa5! and mate next move.

20. cxd5, Nc2
21. Qa5, Nxe3
22. fxe3, Rhe8
23. Nb5, Rxd5

If 23....Re7, then 24. d6! Rxd6, 25. Nxd6 cxd6, 26. Qd8+ and White's attack becomes overwhelming.

24. Qxc7+ Ka8
25. Qa5+, Resigns

Black loses after 25....Kb8, 26. Qa7+ Kc8, 27. Qa8+ Kd7, 28. Qxb7+ Ke6, 29. Qc6+ and White captures either Rook.

Kasparov's Might

Garry Kasparov proved once again that he can demolish an opponent in a short time.  The following game is a fine example.

G. KASPAROV vs. S. MARJANOVICH
Malta, 1980
King's Indian Defense

1. d4, Nf6
2. c4, e6
3. Nf3, b6
4. g3, Bb7
5. Bg2, Be7
6. 0-0, 0-0
7. d5! ....

White intends to post his Knight at f5, and he can only do that if the e6 pawn is eliminated.

7. .... exd5
8. Nh4!, c6

The c4 pawn cannot be taken because of the Bishop's pin on d5.

9. cxd5, Nxd5
10. Nf5, Nc7
11. Nc3!, d5
12. e4, Bf6
13. exd5! ....

White dismantles Black's pawn structure.  Connected pawns at the center poses a serious threat.

13. .... cxd5
14. Bf4, Nba6
15. Re1, Qd7?

A bad place for the Queen, as will be shown by Black's next move.

16. Bh3!, Kh8

Black prevents a double-check. The move also immobilizes White's Knight because of a pin by Black's Queen, threatening Qxh3.

17. Ne4! ....

Fantastic!  The move threatens 18. Nxf6.

17. .... Bxb2
18. Ng5! ....

Effectively removing White's pin on f5.  Now White threatens 20. Nxg7.

18. .... Qc6
19. Ne7, Qf6
20. Nxh7! ....

If the Knight is taken, as in 20.... Kxh7, White threatens mate by 21. Qh5+!

20. .... Qd4
21. Qh5, g6
22. Qh4, Bxa1
23. Nf6+, Resigns

Black realizes futility after 23... Kg7, 24. Qh6+ Kxf6, 25. Bg5 mate.

Sacrificing on Speculation

"One of the most pleasing forms of attacking play is seen in speculative sacrifices which are made intuitively.  To be able to sense the potentialities in a position is one of the hallmarks of a master."  --  Fred Reinfeld.

NAIDORF vs. SAPIRO
Lodz, 1929
French Defense

1. e4, e6
2. d4, d5
3. Nc3, dxe4
4. Nxe4, Nd7
5. Nf3, Ngf6
6. Bd3, Be7
7. 0-0, b6?
8. Ne5! ....

White threatens to win the Black Queen by Nc6.  Now if 8....Nxe5, then 9. Nxf6+ Bxf6, 10. dxe5 Bxe5, 11. Be4 Qxd1, 12. Rxd1 Rb8, 13. Bc6+  Ke7, 14. b2 (threatening Ba3+) Bd6, 15. Bb2 and White has a good game.

8. .... Bb7
9. Nxf6, gxf6?

The move exposes the Black King to an attack.  9....Bxf6 is a lot safer. 

10. Nxf7!!, Kxf7
11. Qh5+, Kg8

Other king moves would be susceptible to 12. Bh6+ with the Queen eventually capturing the Rook without loss of time.

12. Re1, Nf8

The alternative move 12....Bd5 would be answered by 13. c4 driving off the Bishop.

13. Rxe6!!, Nxe6

14. Bc4, Qd6
15. Bh6, Bf8
16. Re1, Bc8

If 16....Bxh6, White wins with 17. Bxe6+ Kg7, 18. Qf7 mate.

17. Qe8! ....

Threatening 18. Rxe6! ...

17. .... Bd7
18. Rxe6!!, Rxe8
19. Rxe8+, Be6
20. Bxe6+, Qxe6
21. Rxf8 mate

A picture-perfect mate!

Scotch Game: Modern Defense

SERGEY KARJAKIN vs. VASILY BORISOVICH MALININ
Sudak UKR 2002

Scotch Game: Modern Defense

1. e4, Nc6
2. d4, e5
3. Nf3, exd4
4. Nxd4, Qh4
5. Nc3, Bb4
6. Be2, Nf6

Black puts additional pressure on the e4 pawn.  White offers the e-pawn in exchange for an open file.  If Black plays 6.... Bxc3, 7. bxc3 Qxe4, 8. 0-0 N8e7, 9. Bf3 Qg6, 10. Nxc6 bxc6, 11. Re1!  followed by 12. Ba3 and Black's Knight will be hopelessly pinned.

7. 0-0, Bxc3
8. Nf5, Qxe4
9. Bd3, Qg4
10. f3, Qa4
11.bxc3, 0-0
12. Nxg7!! ....

An unexpected move.  White creates havoc along the kingside.

12. .... Kxg7
13. Bh6+!! ....

It seems that White does not run out of resources.

13. .... Kxh6

If 13....Kg8, then 14. Qd2 Qa5, 15. Bxf8 Kxf8, 16. Qh6+ Kg8, 17. Qxf6 ...

14. Qd2+!!, Kh5

It is bad for Black's King to retreat, e.g. 14.....Kg7, 15. Qg5+ Kh8, 16. Qxf6+ Kg8, 17. Qg5+ Kh8, 18. Qh6 and Black cannot parry the simultaneous threat of Qxf8 mate and Qxh7 mate.

15. g4+, Nxg4
16. fxg4+, Qxg4+
17. Kh1, d6

Hoping to bring the Bishop into play. 

18. Rf6 ....

Threatening 19. Rh6+ mate.

18. .... Qg5
19. Be2+ Bg4
20. Bxg4+, Resigns

Black realized it is futile to fight.  White is assured of victory after 20....Kh4, 21. Rh6+.  If 20....Kxg4 then 21. Rg1+.   If 20....Qxg4, then 21. Rh6+ mate.

A gem of a game.

Zukertort Opening, Sicilian Invitation

VESELIN TOPALOV vs. VASSILY IVANCHUK
Ciudad de Linares 1999
Zukertort Opening, Sicilian Invitation

1. Nf3, c5

Black invites White to play the Sicilian Defense, hence this opening becomes, on the part of Black, the Sicilian Invitation.

2. c4, Nc6
3. d4, cxd4
4. Nxd4, e6
5. g3, Bb4+
6. Nc3, Qa5
7. Nb5, d5

White intends to play 8. Nd6+. Black's last move renders it unplayable.

8. a3, Bxc3+
9. bxc3, Nf6
10. Bg2 ....

Aggressive players would have preferred the more aggressive 10. Nd6+ thereby displacing Black's King.

10. .... 0-0
11. Qb3, dxc4
12. Qxc4, e5
13. Nd6, Be6
14. Qd3, e4

Certainly not 14.....Rad8, 15. Nxb7! Rxd3, 16, Nxa5 and Black comes materially ahead.

15. Nxe4, Nxe4
16. Bxe4, Rad8
17. Qc2 ....

The immediate pawn capture 17. Bxh7 is not plausible because of 17....Kh8, 18. Qc2 Nd4, and Black captures either the c-pawn or the h7-Bishop.

17. .... Nd4
18. Qb2. Nxe2!!

Opening the e-file enables Black to penetrate White's defense.

19. Kxe2, Rfe8
20. Qb4, Qh5+
21. f3, f5
22. g4, Qh3
23. gxf5, Bxf5
24. Qc4+, Kh8
25. Re1, Rxe4+

White resigns, Black is assured of victory after 26. fxe4 Bg4+, 27. Kf2 Qxh2+, 28. Ke3 (not 28. Kf1 Rf8 mate) Qg3 mate.

Black would give the same reply if White moved the Bishop instead of the Rook in the 25th move:  e.g. 25. Be3 Rxe4, 26. fxe4 Qg2+, 27. Bf2 Bg4+, 28. Ke3 Qf3 mate.

An amazing finale.