Round 6: Chase-Cherniack 0-1

It’s a whole new ballgame! The players reach an unbalanced position where Black’s central pawns and two bishops confer an advantage. White’s minor pieces find themselves on the wrong side of the board, unable to lend assistance to their beleaguered King. After White makes a slip, Black closes out the game with an impressive Queen “sacrifice” leading to mate.

[Event "BCC Championship"]
[Site "Somerville, MA USA"]
[Date "2004.10.13"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Chase, Chris"]
[Black "Cherniack, Alex”]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteUSCF "2289"]
[BlackUSCF "2228"]
[ECO "C66"]
[Opening "Ruy Lopez"]
[Variation "Steinitz Defense"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Be7 4.0-0 Nf6 5.Re1 d6 6.c3 0-0 7.Bxc6 bxc6 8.d4 Nd7 9.Nbd2 a5 10.a4 Ba6 11.Nb3 Bc4 12.Nfd2 Be6 13.c4 f6 14.d5 Bf7 15.Nb1 Nb6 16.Qc2 f5 17.dxc6 Nxc4 18.N1d2?!

[Better is 18.exf5!? Fritz]

18...Nxd2 19.Bxd2 fxe4 20.Nxa5 d5

[Black emerges with the advantage based on the mass of central pawns and the two bishops]

21.Nb7 Qe8 22.Ba5 Rc8 23.b4 Bg6 24.Qc1?!

[24.Qc3 may have been a better defensive try. Notice how White's minor pieces have ended up out of play on the queenside]

24...Qf7

[24...Bh5 immediately followed by 25...Qg6 would have saved a tempo]

25.Rf1 Bh5 26.Qc2 Qg6 27.Kh1 Rf6 28.b5??

[Missing a crushing tactic]

28...Qxg2+!!

[Mate in 4]

29.Kxg2 Rg6+ 0-1

[29...Rg6+ 30.Kh3 Bg4+ 31.Kg2 Bf3+ 32.Kh3 Bg2# or 29...Bf3+ 30.Kh3 Rh6+ 31.Kg3 Bh4+ 32.Kh3 Bxf2# Black's bishops are just devastating!]