Arthur Conan Doyle The following sharp position arose in the game Alexei Fedorov vs. Alireza Firouzja, from the 2018 Chess Olympiad.
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e6 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Nf6 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3 Qa5 9. Bd2 Be7 10. Nc2 O-O 11. Be2 Qc7 12. O-O Ne5 13. Ne3 b6 14. f4 Ng6 15. Rc1 Bb7 16. Bd3 Qb8 17. a4 Rd8 18. Qf3 b5 19. axb5 axb5 20. cxb5 d5 21. exd5 exd5 22. Nf5 Bc5+ 23. Kh1 d4 24. Ne4 Nxe4 25. Bxe4 Bxe4 26. Qxe4 Qxb5 27. Nxg7 Bf8 28. Nf5 Re8 29. Qb1 Rad8 30. Ng3 Nh4 31. Rf2 f5 32. b4 Qd5 33. Qd3 Re6 34. h3 Rg6 35. Re1 Bd6 36. Ra1 Bc7 37. b5 Kh8 38. Ra6 Bd6 39. Ba5 Rdg8 40. Bb6 {[#]} *
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At first, it seems that white’s knight on g3 is ripe for the taking, and that black has a crushing attack on the g file. As one looks at the position more and more, however, the picture becomes increasingly less rosy for black.
What happens after Rxg3?
Unfortunately, Rxg3 fails to Qxd4+
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e6 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Nf6 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3 Qa5 9. Bd2 Be7 10. Nc2 O-O 11. Be2 Qc7 12. O-O Ne5 13. Ne3 b6 14. f4 Ng6 15. Rc1 Bb7 16. Bd3 Qb8 17. a4 Rd8 18. Qf3 b5 19. axb5 axb5 20. cxb5 d5 21. exd5 exd5 22. Nf5 Bc5+ 23. Kh1 d4 24. Ne4 Nxe4 25. Bxe4 Bxe4 26. Qxe4 Qxb5 27. Nxg7 Bf8 28. Nf5 Re8 29. Qb1 Rad8 30. Ng3 Nh4 31. Rf2 f5 32. b4 Qd5 33. Qd3 Re6 34. h3 Rg6 35. Re1 Bd6 36. Ra1 Bc7 37. b5 Kh8 38. Ra6 Bd6 39. Ba5 Rdg8 40. Bb6 Rxg3 {[#]} 41. Qxd4+ Qxd4 42. Bxd4+ {[#] Black must now block with a rook on g7. R8g7 would allow mate after Ra8+, so} R3g7 43. Rxd6 {[#] White is up two pawns and can take the exchange whenever he likes. Black can safely resign here.} *
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Could white also have won with Bxd4+?
No! Bxd4+ would not win:
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e6 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Nf6 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3 Qa5 9. Bd2 Be7 10. Nc2 O-O 11. Be2 Qc7 12. O-O Ne5 13. Ne3 b6 14. f4 Ng6 15. Rc1 Bb7 16. Bd3 Qb8 17. a4 Rd8 18. Qf3 b5 19. axb5 axb5 20. cxb5 d5 21. exd5 exd5 22. Nf5 Bc5+ 23. Kh1 d4 24. Ne4 Nxe4 25. Bxe4 Bxe4 26. Qxe4 Qxb5 27. Nxg7 Bf8 28. Nf5 Re8 29. Qb1 Rad8 30. Ng3 Nh4 31. Rf2 f5 32. b4 Qd5 33. Qd3 Re6 34. h3 Rg6 35. Re1 Bd6 36. Ra1 Bc7 37. b5 Kh8 38. Ra6 Bd6 39. Ba5 Rdg8 40. Bb6 Rxg3 41. Bxd4+ {[#]} Be5! 42. Bxe5+ Qxe5 {[#] Now fxe5 is met by Rxd3 while Qxg3 is met by Qe1+ when black comes out on top}*
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What would white play after Bxf4?
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e6 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Nf6 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3 Qa5 9. Bd2 Be7 10. Nc2 O-O 11. Be2 Qc7 12. O-O Ne5 13. Ne3 b6 14. f4 Ng6 15. Rc1 Bb7 16. Bd3 Qb8 17. a4 Rd8 18. Qf3 b5 19. axb5 axb5 20. cxb5 d5 21. exd5 exd5 22. Nf5 Bc5+ 23. Kh1 d4 24. Ne4 Nxe4 25. Bxe4 Bxe4 26. Qxe4 Qxb5 27. Nxg7 Bf8 28. Nf5 Re8 29. Qb1 Rad8 30. Ng3 Nh4 31. Rf2 f5 32. b4 Qd5 33. Qd3 Re6 34. h3 Rg6 35. Re1 Bd6 36. Ra1 Bc7 37. b5 Kh8 38. Ra6 Bd6 39. Ba5 Rdg8 40. Bb6 Bxf4 {[#] White cannot recapture with the rook on account of mate on g2, but} 41. Qxd4+ {[#]} Qxd4 {Or Qe5 Rxf4 + –} 42. Bxd4+ R6g7 43. Rxf4 {[#] Black’s position collapses} *
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What about after Bc5?
Since Qxd4+ is such a problem, it seems logical to try to defend the d pawn. However:
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e6 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Nf6 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3 Qa5 9. Bd2 Be7 10. Nc2 O-O 11. Be2 Qc7 12. O-O Ne5 13. Ne3 b6 14. f4 Ng6 15. Rc1 Bb7 16. Bd3 Qb8 17. a4 Rd8 18. Qf3 b5 19. axb5 axb5 20. cxb5 d5 21. exd5 exd5 22. Nf5 Bc5+ 23. Kh1 d4 24. Ne4 Nxe4 25. Bxe4 Bxe4 26. Qxe4 Qxb5 27. Nxg7 Bf8 28. Nf5 Re8 29. Qb1 Rad8 30. Ng3 Nh4 31. Rf2 f5 32. b4 Qd5 33. Qd3 Re6 34. h3 Rg6 35. Re1 Bd6 36. Ra1 Bc7 37. b5 Kh8 38. Ra6 Bd6 39. Ba5 Rdg8 40. Bb6 Bc5 {[#]} 41. Bxc5 Qxc5 42. Rxg6 Rxg6 {[#] White has succeeded in exchanging some pieces, and is still two pawns up. For example} 43. Rd2 {[#] Black’s attack has dissipated, and white is well on the way to winning the endgame} *
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Having exhausted all obvious tries, what is black to do here?
The 15-year-old Alireza Firouzja found the surprising, but very logical, shot Be5!!
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e6 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Nf6 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3 Qa5 9. Bd2 Be7 10. Nc2 O-O 11. Be2 Qc7 12. O-O Ne5 13. Ne3 b6 14. f4 Ng6 15. Rc1 Bb7 16. Bd3 Qb8 17. a4 Rd8 18. Qf3 b5 19. axb5 axb5 20. cxb5 d5 21. exd5 exd5 22. Nf5 Bc5+ 23. Kh1 d4 24. Ne4 Nxe4 25. Bxe4 Bxe4 26. Qxe4 Qxb5 27. Nxg7 Bf8 28. Nf5 Re8 29. Qb1 Rad8 30. Ng3 Nh4 31. Rf2 f5 32. b4 Qd5 33. Qd3 Re6 34. h3 Rg6 35. Re1 Bd6 36. Ra1 Bc7 37. b5 Kh8 38. Ra6 Bd6 39. Ba5 Rdg8 40. Bb6 Be5!! {[#] Black is willing to give up his bishop to gain a few tempi to focus on his g file attack} 41. fxe5 {[#] The pesky a1-h8 diagonal is now good and blocked! In the game, white played Qe2, but after Bf6, black had d4 securely guarded and soon crashed through on g2.} Rxg3 {[#] Without a check on d4, white is now completely lost. For example, Qxd4 can be met by Rxh3+ and Nf3+.} *
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