1.e4
c5
2.Nf3
d6
3.d4
cxd4
4.Nxd4
Nf6
5.Nc3
a6
6.Bg5
e6
7.f4
Qc7
8.Qf3
b5
9.0-0-0
b4
10.Nd5!?
exd5
White decides early that if nothing else this game will surely include
a lot of fireworks. Many reading this game might instantly inquire "Is this
sacrifice sound?" While I'm certainly not qualified to answer that question, I
will say that I think in general describing whether or not a sacrifice is sound
is a rather murky concept to begin with. If one were to comment "With
perfect play by Black the sacrifice is unsound" would that make it incorrect to try this? I certainly don't think so. After all, no one plays perfectly, and in these situations the burden to play flawlessly often
lies far more on the defender than the attacker and taking into account
the likelihood of potential error, especially under pressure, can often make such a speculative sacrifice a strong idea. Besides this, there is one other rather important concept, and that is "Whose position would you rather play?" Even if you were
to decide that the sacrifice is unsound, I know which side I'd rather play, White has an excellent attack while Black's position is quite awkward and his pieces very difficult to coordinate with his only real plan being
to try and survive the unpleasantness while keeping the extra piece intact -- not what I'd call fun.
11.Bxf6
gxf6
12.Bd3
Bg7?!
Likely the first big decision for Black, and I doubt this is the correct one. To bring this Bishop in play will require Black to jettison another pawn, and it's improbable that Black will want any part of castling on the Kingside due largely to the threats on the b1-h7 diagonal. A likely better idea for Black to try to position his Bishop on e7 for defense purposes. I would suggest one possibility as being 12... Nc6 which while allowing Black
to trade off White's active Knight, allows the capture on d5 with tempo.
13.exd5
f5!
The best try and almost surely the only reason why 12... Bg7 could even
be considered. The other moves are likely much weaker as 13... 0-0 allows
14. Qh5 where after either 14... h6 likely will follow 15. Bf5! with Rd3-g3 to follow, a very difficult thing for Black to defend whereas if
instead 14... f5 then 15. Nxf5 Bxf5 16. Qxf5 Re8 17. Qxh7+ after which White has 3 pawns for his piece and still a rather raging attack. On the other hand if Black tries 13... Nd7 then White has 14. Rhe1+ Kf8 15. Qe3
Bb7 16. Qe7+ Kf8 17. Ne6! where Black's
only defense is 17... Qc8 (of no avail is 17... fxe6 18. dxe6 where Black's only way of avoiding mate or the loss of his Queen is with 18... Rf8 but after 19. exd7 he still is in dire straits). After 17... Qc8 White
has 18. Nxg7 Kxg7 19. Bf5 and Black will either have to at least give back
the piece as 19... Rd8 allows 20. Re3 to which Black has no hope of survival.
14.Bxf5
The probable best and not quite obvious move. Many here would try 14.
Rhe1+ instantly jumping on the chance to improve the position of their Rook
with tempo, but in that situation after 14... Kf8 Black can answer 15. Bxf5 with 15... Bxd4 and relieve his position quite a bit while in this scenario 14... Bxd4 is a much dicier proposition due to the threat to answer
with 15. Qe4+ followed by 16. Qxd4.
14...Bb7?
This is likely a decisive error as Black allows White to keep his
scathing Bishop on the board while moving his own to a relatively unimportant
diagonal. Black must think about trying to force some of the minor pieces off of
the board as it will make it far more likely he can then consolidate his King
position. I would suggest 14... Kf8 instead in order to prepare to play Bxd4. Some of White's likely rejoinders are 15. Qe3, Qg4 or Qh3, each of which I think Black can respond to with 15... Nd7 with either 16... Nc5 or Nf6
likely to follow. I still wouldn't describe Black as being in a good position, but he
seems much better equipped to defend in that scenario.
15.Rhe1+
Kf8
16.Qe4
Bxd4?
A big mistake which seems to lose by force. The only real try for
Black here is 16... Bf6 (if 16... Qd8 then follows 17. Nc6! where after if 17... Bxc6 then
18. dxc6 with the dual threats of 19. c7 and 19. Rxd6 are too much for Black to
handle and if instead 17... Nxc6 then 18. dxc6 where 18... Bc8 once again falls
to 19. Rxd6 and if 18... Qf6 White has 19. cxb7 Qb2+ 20. Kd2 and after either 20... Qc3+ or 20... Bc3+, 21. Ke2 puts an end to Black's checks leaving White with an easily winning position). So if Black tries
16... Bf6 one possibly reply for White is the simple 17. Bxh7 giving him
three pawns for his piece once again in addition to his attack as well as
opening up possibilities of Qf5 (likely either forcing Black to swap
his dark-squared bishop brining White's d1 rook into the fray or forcing Black to face the threat of Ne6+ tactics). In any case, after 16... Bf6 White is still probably better and maybe even still winning, but it seems
far from over.
17.Qxd4
Rg8
18.Bxh7
Rg7
19.Re8+!
The only real way for White to continue the assault.
19...Kxe8
20.Qxg7
Qe7
21.Kd2!
Kd8
22.Re1
Qh4
23.g3?
A monumental (though rather understandable) mistake which probably
turns White's position from won into lost (a pity for Kierwa as he played excellently up to this point). At the time of the game, many,
including myself, felt 23. g3 was the right move due to its forcing of the Black
Queen off of the f6 square, but Black seems to be able to escape without getting his fingers burned. As IM Fernandez pointed out in his coverage of this game, 24. Qxf7! is virtually crushing. Black's only real
chance to fight after that is 24... Nd7 (or Black can play 24... Qf2+ but
that's possible after the next move also and will transpose) where after 25.
Bf5! wins as the threat of 26. Qxd7# forces Black to play 26... Bc8 (once
again if Black tries 26... Qxf4+ or 26... Qf2+ then White has 27. Kd1 and
Black runs out of checks quickly and is then forced to play Bc8 anyway),
but after 26... Bc8 we have the cute finish of 27. Re8+ Kc7 28. Rxc8+! and if 28... Kxc8 29. Qxd7+ mates in two while 28... Rxc8 29. Qxd7+ and 30. Qxc8 has White totally winning.
23...Qxh2+
24.Re2
Qh5
25.Qf6+
Kc7
26.Bf5
Nd7
27.Bxd7?
Though White is likely already lost, this move is tantamount to surrender as Black will have no trouble consolidating his extra piece now. Much more trying was 27. Re7 after which if Black tries 27... Qh2+ with the idea that if
28. Kc1 then 28... Qh1+ followed by 29... Qxd5+ and 30... Bc6 seems to stabilize
completely. If however after 27... Qh2+ White tries any of 28. Kd1,
Ke3, or Ke1 (which all likely transpose, after 28. Kd1 Black will play Qh1+ and
Qg2+ forcing White into one of the other lines since White wishes to avoid
allowing Black to take the d-pawn with check) and then after 28... Qxg3+
29. Ke2 other than forcing White to endure some more spite checks, Black
will likely be forced into playing either 29... Rd8 or 29... Bc8 both of
which seem to give White a fair amount of counterplay as 29... Rd8 allows
White to play the line 30. Bxd7 Rxd7 31. Rxd7+ Kxd7 32. Qxf7+ Kc8 33.
Qe8+ Kc7 34. Qe7+ and then White gets the d-pawn with check (unless Black
wishes to allow him to repeat) and then the b4 pawn is also a target making a draw the most likely result. After 29... Bc8 White has the simple 30. Qxf7 which might force Black into take the perpetual to avoid
losing the piece back. If neither of these works for Black, his best chance might simply be to forgo 27... Qh2+ altogether and simply just play27... Rd8. There seems to be little better for White then but to play
28. Qxf7 after which trading off the Queens Black can play 29... Bxd5 with
alikely winning endgame, but White does have two extra pawns and perhaps
still has some fighting chances.
27...Qxd5+
28.Kc1
Kxd7
29.Qe7+?!
As earlier probably White should try to play 29. Re7+ and then take on
f7 and pray to somehow hold the endgame, but after this despite the exposed
looking nature of Black's King, White's King is probably in more danger than Black's.
29...Kc6
30.Qf6
Rg8
31.b3
Rxg3
The position is now completely winning for Black, and I don't think any
further comments are required.
32.Kb2
Qd1
33.Re4
Rc3
34.Rc4+
Rxc4
35.bxc4
Kc5
36.Qxf7
Qd4+
37.Kb1
Bc6
38.f5
Qxc4
39.Qa7+
Kb5
40.Qf2
Bd5
41.f6
Qxa2+
42.Kc1
Qa1+
43.Kd2
Qc3+
44.Kc1
b3
White resigns 0-1