Kenilworth Kibitzer

Though sadly I don't have much time to think about chess lately, I had the chance to play a 5 minute blitz game online, ironically one of the better games I've played.  Perhaps I was inspired by my reading project, Alexey Shirov's 'Fire on Board'....

Mangion vs NN 5 min blitz

1. e4  c5
2. Nf3  d6
3. d4  cxd4
4. Nxd4  Nf6
5. Nc3  a6
6. Be2   g6       (I've looked at all the 6th moves for White against the Najdorf, I'm becoming attracted to 6. h3 as a delayed Keres attack, especially since in this game the ....g6 move pushes white toward a limp version of the Dragon.  But then what is the purpose of ...a6?  And if I had played 6.h3, is 6....g6 even better?  Questions.)

7. O-O  Bg7
8. Be3  O-O     (A classical dragon, where Black has played ...a6.  White has to play aggressively or Black's superior bishop will tell, at least in my experience)
9. f4   b5?!




Amazingly this is already a mistake.  I was thinking of 10. Bf3, but after ...b4 11. Nd5 NxN Black is getting away with his indiscretions.  Superior development, open the board, good things must happen.  White's pieces are all on good squares, there must be an answer.

10. e5!  dxe5
11. fxe5 Ne8?!  (....Nfd7 gets treated with 11. e6!? trashing Black's position, but the real treat would have been ...Nd5 12. NxN QxN  13. Nf5! (the key, Bf3 is met by Qxe5) when Black is threatened with material and positional losses, including the forlorn rook on a8, despite an exchange of queens)

12.  Bf3 (now simple and best)  Nc7
13. Bxa8  Nxa8
14. Qf3  Bxe5
15. Rad1  Qc7   (the knight on a8 still lives, but hangs by a thread  16. QxN? Bb7  17. Qa7?? Bxh2+ etc)
16.  Nd5  Qd7
17.  Bh6  Bb7!?  (The exchange hangs on f8, but so does the knight on d5, apparently...)




18.  Nxb5 (oh, the sadism)   Qxb5?





Now try to find the needlessly flashy win for White.  Perhaps it's time for a video to break things up while you think....












Spoiler alert......






19.  Qxf7+ !!  

With Black's pieces stuffed in la-la land I spent most of my precious time trying to find a quick kill.  Fortunately it's there....

19.  ......    Rxf7
20.  Nxe7+  Rxe7  (....Kh8 drags it out a couple moves but the mating pattern is the same)
21.  Rf8 #