Warsaw Cup, Warsaw 1984

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cd 4. Nxd4 Nc6

The Paulsen System is my main weapon in the Sicilian Defense. Now White has to decide whether to go 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 gaining space, or to continue development with 5. Nc3.

5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 Qc7 7. 0-0 Nf6 8. Be3 Bb4 9. Na4 0-0 10. Nxc6 bc

All this is well known. The position after 11. Nb6 (interesting is 11. c4) 11...Rb8 12. Nxc8 Rfxc8 13. Bxa6 Rd8 (attention deserves 13...Rf8 protecting f7) 14. Bd3 Bd6 15. Kh1 Be5 16. c3 Rxb2 17. Qc1 Ng4 18. f4 (18. Qxb2?? Bxc3) 18...Nxe3 19. Qxb2 Bxf4 20. Qf2 Nxf1 21. Rxf1 g5 22. g3 Qd6 23. Be2 Be5 24. Qxf7 Kh8 25. Rd1 Qc7 26. Bg4 was once a taboo. White chooses a more aggressive move hoping to win immediately.

11. Qd4?! Bd6!

Playable was also 11...Rb8, but the text is more accurate. The idea is to win a tempi for Bd6-e5 and d7-d5 with control over central squares.

12. f4

Prevents 12...Be5, but allows Black's answer. Note that 12. Nb6 Rb8 13. Nxc8 Rfxc8 14. Bxa6 Bxh2 15. Kh1 Be5 16. Qd3 Bxb2 was losing a pawn.

12...e5 13. Qd3

If 13. Qb6 then simply 13...Rb8 14. Qxc7 Bxc7 and White has problems in the center. The text loses a pawn, but White will have some compensation in better development.

13...ef 14. Bb6 Qb8 15. Rad1

Allows another strike. On the other hand, after 15. Bf3 Black can consolidate the position with 15...Be5 16. c3 d6. Now 15...Be5 is met by 16. Bc5! with clear advantage for White.

15...f3! 16. Bxf3

Obviously not 16. Qxd6 fe! After 16. Qxf3 with the idea of preventing Qb8-f4 Black can go 16...Bxh2 17. Kh1 Be5 and 18...d6.

16...Bxh2 17. Kh1

A critical position. Black is willing to transfer his queen onto the h-file to create mating threats. The immediate 17...Qf4 was rejected in view of 18. Be2 Qh4 19. Qh3. Black maintains the pawn after 19...Qxh3 20. gh Be5, e.g., 21. Bc5 d6 22. Bxd6 Bxd6 23. Rxd6 Nxe4 24. Rd3 Rb8, but I thought that trading queens is not necessary.

17...d5!

Black ruins its center only to include Bc8 into play! Objectively, the text is probably not better than 17...Qf4 (and we will see why in a moment), it is however of great practical strength.

18. ed?

Here it is, the immediate and decisive mistake! The only possibility to continue fighting was the precise 18. Bd4!! with the idea 18...Qf4 19. Bxf6 gf 20. g4!! Qh6 21. Kg2, and possibly Rf1-h1 with presure on the h-file. It is not clear whether Black's initiative (e.g., after 21...f5!?) is sufficient for a win in this line. The point is that after possible exchanges the white pawns on the queenside may become very dangerous.

It should also be mentioned that after 18. Bd4 Black has nothing better than 18...Qf4. For instance, 18...de 19. Bxe4 Nxe4 20. Qxe4 Be6 (20...Qc7 21. Bc5 Be6 22. Bxf8 Rxf8 is rather suspicious) 21. Nb6 Ra7 22. Na4 Ra8 (22...Rd7 23. Nc5) 23. Nb6=, or 18...Be5 19. ed Bxd4 20. Qxd4 cd 21. Nb6 Ra7 22. Nxd5 Nxd5 23. Bxd5 with a slight edge for White.

After the text, White loses almost by force.

18...Qf4!

In some variations it is important that Na4 is now not protected, e.g., 19. Be3 Qh4 20. Bg5 Qxg5 21. Kxh2 Qh4, or 19. Bf2 Qh6 20. Ref1 Bg3 21. Kg1 Bxf2 22. Kxf2 Qh4. White tries his last chance...

19. Bc7! Qxc7 20. d6 Qa5! 21. Bxc6

White protected Na4 and created the threats 22. Bxa8 and d6-d7, but...

21...Qh5!

The queen finally and decisively jumps onto the h-file. Less convincing was 21...Rb8? 22. Kxh2 Qe5! (otherwise Black loses!) 23. Kg1 Ng4 24. Qh3 Nf2 25. Qc3! Qxc3 26. bc Nxd1 27. Nxd1 Bf5 28. d7!

22. Rxf6 gf

More showy (but not necessarily more effective) was the immediate 22...Bg4!, e.g., 23. Bf3 Bg3 24. Kg1 Qh2 25. Kf1 Qh1 26. Ke2 Qxg2 27. Ke3 Bxf3 28. Bxf3 Qf2 29. Ke4 Rfe8 30. Kd5 Rac8 31. d7 Re5 32. Kd6 Rec5 33. Ke7 Bh4 34. Kd6 Qh2#

23. Bxa8

Or 23. d7 Bb8! 24. Kg1 Ba7 25. Kf1 Bxd7! 26. Qxd7 (26. Bxd7 Qh1 27. Ke2 Qxg2 28. Ke1 Qf2#; 26. Bxa8 Bb5 27. c4 Bxc4#) 26...Rfe8 27. g4 Qh3 28. Bg2 Qe3.

23...Bg4! 24. Bf3 Bg3 25. Kg1 Qh2 26. Kf1 Qh1

26...Rfe8 led to mate in five: 27. Qd4 Bxf3 28. gf Qh1 29. Qg1 Qxf3 30. Qf2 Qxf2#

27. Ke2 Qxg2

White resigned in view of 28. Ke3 Qxf3 or 28...Qf2 29. Ke4 Bxf3 30. Qxf3 Re8. Actually, there was a wonderful mate in eight in this final position: 28. Ke3 Qf2 29. Ke4 Rc8!!! and then, e.g., 30. Rf1 Bxf3 31. Qxf3 Rc4 32. Kf5 Qxc2 33. Kxf6 Qg6 34. Ke7 Qe6 35. Kd8 Rc8#

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[Warsaw, 5/1/2001]