Restraining a pawn storm with your own pawns may be a one-move reprieve.
Vladimir Lepikhin White
Alekseev Black
RSFSR Championship semifinals 1959
Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation B92
1 e4 c5 2 ♘f3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 ♘xd4 ♘f6 5 ♘c3 a6 6 ♗e2 e5 7 ♘b3 ♗e7 8 ♗e3 ♘bd7 9 g4
White wants to push Black into a passive position (9...0-0 10 g5 ♘e8).
9...h6!?
This slows White since 10 h4 and 11 g5 walks into 11...hxg5 12 hxg5?? ♖xh1+.
But 9...h6 is a temporary fix. It ensures that a better prepared g4-g5 will open a dangerous file.
10 h4 b5! 11 a4! b4 12 ♘d5
So that 12...♘xe4? 13 ♗f3! wins material (13...♘ec5 14 ♘xe7 threatens ♗xa8).
12...♘xd5 13 ♕xd5 ♖b8 14 ♗c4! 0-0 15 g5!
White must proceed vigorously: Not 15 0-0-0? ♘f6! 16 ♕d3 ♘xg4. Or 15 f3? ♗xh4+.
15...hxg5?
Black defends better with 15...♘b6 16 ♗xb6 ♕xb6 and 17...♗e6.
16 hxg5
He counted on 16...♗xg5 17 ♕xd6 ♗xe3 with fine play. But now he sees 17 ♕d2! assures a fierce attack along the h- and g-files, e.g. 17...♗xe3 18 fxe3 and 19 ♕h2.
16...♘b6 17 ♗xb6 ♕xb6 18 g6 ♗e6 19 ♕xe6! resigns.
Black saw 19...fxe6 20 ♗xe6+ and mates.
Question 120: Was resigning premature?
Mladen Palac White
Ratko Bulacic Black
Pula 1990
1 e4 c5 2 ♘f3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 ♘xd4 ♘f6 5 ♘c3 a6 6 ♗e2 e5 7 ♘b3 ♗e7 8 ♗e3 ♕c7 9 g4 h6 10 h4 ♗e6 11 ♖g1 ♘h7 12 g5 hxg5 13 hxg5 ♘f8 14 ♘d5! ♗xd5 15 exd5 ♘bd7 16 ♕d2 0-0-0 17 0-0-0 ♘g6 18 ♗d3 ♘h4 19 ♖g4! ♔b8 20 ♕b4 ♘f3 21 ♗xa6 ♘c5 22 ♗e2 ♖c8 23 ♖c4 ♘xg5 24 ♘a5 ♔a8 25 ♕b5 ♘ge4 26 b4! and wins.