This time we are going to sharp our tactical eye with the help of Mr. Réti. We are not going to abandon the Ruy Lopez for a while, so 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 d6 5.d4 Bd7 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.Bg5 if you read my first post on open games, you know that I favour 7.Re1 because this is the most flexible move in the position. 7....exd4 8.Nxd4 0-0 9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.Qd3 (diagram). Here for Black, I liked 10...Rb8 11.b3 h6 12.Bh4 Re8 13.Rfe1 and now 13...Nh5 novelty, would force the exchange of the bishop and ensure equality for Black.
10...Ng4 looked however, very natural, as we have discussed this manoeuvre several times already. 11.Bxe7 Qxe7 12.f4 (diagram). White creates a small problem, by controlling the square e5. With Black, I would try to be patient and play 12...c5 Nf3 13.Bc6 with approximately an equality.
In the game, Black panicked and played the poor 12...f5 13.Rae1 fxe4 14.Nxe4 basically Black helped White to complete his development 14...Qh4 15.h3 Nf6 (diagram).
The real interesting position in the game. Take 5-10 minutes. How would you continue with White.
The first thing you should notice is that White has completed his development, while Black is still behind. You cannot improve the position further. This means that you should use this initiative to start an attack. Where are Black's weaknesses? The most evident are the e-file and the white squares (f7-e6-f5). White should start becoming aggressive and play 16.Ng5!
Black is not lost, but the position has some poison that in the game he was unable to detect.
16...d5?! 17.Nge6 Bxe6 18.Rxe6 c5? (diagram). White move and wins, can you see how? 3-5 minutes. Try to calculate the various alternatives as precisely as you can.
We need a little neat combination to end the game. 19.Nf5! Qh5 20.Rxf6! (diagram) winning the piece.
Black resigned because 20...Rxf6 loses after 21.Qxd5+ and 22.Qxa8, while 20...gxf6 21.Qg3+ Kf7 22.Qg7+ Ke6 23.Qe7+ Rxf5 24.g4+ forking the queen.
Curiously, the same position was reached during the game Schlechter - Havasi, Kosice 1918.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 d6 5.d4 Bd7 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.Bg5 exd4 8.Nxd4 0-0 9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.Qd3 Ng4 11.Bxe7 Qxe7 12.f4 f5? 13.Rae1 Qf7 (diagram).
14.h3 fxe4 15.Nxe4 Nf6 (diagram). Does it remind you anything? Think for 1-2 minutes.
16.Ng5! Qd5 17.c4 Qa5 18.Re7! invading the 7th rank. Black was afraid of losing material, and defended his bishop once again with 18...Rfe8. However, White wins with the beautiful 19.Nxh7!! (diagram) 1-0
Learn the pattern. After 19...Nxh7 20.Qxg6 forces checkmate. Black pieces are totally uncoordinated to defend her majesty.
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