It may be worth a few extra minutes to recheck that strong-looking move you want to play.
Franciscus Kuijpers White
Alexander Jongsma Black
Amsterdam 1968
Sicilian Defense, Dragon Variation B35
1 e4 c5 2 ♘f3 g6 3 d4 cxd4 4 ♘xd4 ♗g7 5 ♘c3 ♘c6 6 ♗e3 ♘f6 7 ♗c4 d6 8 f3 ♕b6
Black threatens 9...♕xb2 and 9...♘xe4. For instance, 9 ♗b3? ♘xe4! 10 fxe4 ♗xd4 costs White a pawn.
9 ♗b5 ♕c7
Now 10 ♘d5 ♘xd5 11 exd5 offers Black comp for a pawn after 11...a6! 12 ♗xc6+ bxc6.
10 g4 e6?! 11 ♕d2 h5 12 g5 ♘d7 13 0-0-0 a6 14 ♗e2 ♘a5
One danger of keeping the Black king in the center is that ...b5 invites a strong sacrifice on that square. White would gain time for ♘xb5 and ♘xd6+.
15 f4 ♘b6?
16 ♘db5?
If this were as good as it looks, White is winning.
16...axb5 17 ♘xb5
Now 17...♕d8 18 ♕xd6 is lost (18...♕xd6 19 ♘xd6+ and ♗xb6 or 18...♘d7 19 ♘c7+). Also winning is 18 ♘xd6+ ♔f8 19 ♕b4.
White may have also seen that 17...♗xb2+ complicates matters – but 18 ♔b1! wins.
17...♘b3+! White resigns.
Because of 18 axb3 ♖a1 mate or 18 ♔b1 ♘xd2+.
Question 70: What should White have done in the diagram?
Yuri Sakharov White
Evgeny Vasiukov Black
Kiev 1964
1 e4 c5 2 ♘f3 ♘c6 3 d4 cxd4 4 ♘xd4 g6 5 ♘c3 ♗g7 6 ♗e3 ♘f6 7 ♗c4 d6 8 f3 ♕b6 9 ♗b5 ♕c7 10 g4 ♗d7 11 ♕d2 0-0 12 ♗e2 ♖fc8 13 0-0-0 b5!? 14 ♘cxb5 ♕b7 15 ♘xc6? ♗xc6 16 ♘d4 ♘xe4! 17 fxe4 ♗xe4 18 ♖he1 ♖xc2+! 19 ♕xc2 ♗xc2 20 ♔xc2 ♖b8 21 b3 ♖c8+ 22 ♔b1 ♖c3 23 ♗f3 ♕b4 24 ♘c2? ♖xc2! White resigns.