Solid moves aren’t enough to punish a bad opening.
Alexander Tolush White
Vladimir Alatortsev Black
Moscow 1948
Falkbeer Counter Gambit C31
1 e4 e5 2 f4 d5 3 exd5 ♕xd5?
White knew that 3...e4! was “book” and that 3...♕xd5? was wrong. But now he was on his own.
4 ♘c3 ♕e6 5 fxe5! ♕xe5+ 6 ♗e2!
White’s superiority is microscopic after 6 ♕e2? ♕xe2+.
6...♗g4 7 d4!
The natural 7 ♘f3? helps Black, after 7...♗xf3 8 gxf3 ♘c6 and 9...0-0-0.
7...♕e6 8 ♕d3! c6
The threat was 9 ♕b5+, and 8...♘c6? would allow a winning 9 d5 fork.
9 ♗f4 ♘f6 10 0-0-0 ♗xe2 11 ♘gxe2 ♗d6
The best chance for survival lies in 11...♘a6 and 12...0-0-0.
12 d5! ♘xd5
Black is doomed by 12...cxd5 13 ♘b5!. For example, 13...♗e5 14 ♘bd4 ♕d6 15 ♕g3! (15...♗xf4+ 16 ♘xf4 0-0? 17 ♘f5).
Or 13...♗xf4+ 14 ♘xf4 ♕d7 15 ♖he1+.
Question 139: And on 15...♔f8 ?
13 ♘xd5 cxd5 14 ♕g3! ♗xf4+ 15 ♘xf4 ♕h6 16 ♖he1+ ♔f8
Or 16...♔d8 17 ♖xd5+ ♘d7 18 ♖de1 and 17...♔c8 18 ♕g4+.
17 ♕a3+ resigns.
Note how White repeatedly passed up solid but non-forcing moves like 6 ♘ge2? (6..♘f6 7 d4 ♕a5!).
Heikki Westerinen White
Klaus Hirvonen Black
Imatra 1997
1 e4 e5 2 f4 d5 3 exd5 ♕xd5? 4 ♘c3 ♕e6 5 fxe5 ♕xe5+ 6 ♗e2 ♗g4 7 d4 ♕e6 8 ♗f4 c6? 9 d5! ♗xe2 10 ♘gxe2 cxd5 11 ♘xd5 ♘a6 12 ♕d4 f6? (12...0-0-0) 13 0-0-0 ♘e7 14 ♘ec3 ♔f7 15 ♖he1 ♕c6 16 ♘b4 ♘xb4 17 ♕xb4 g6 18 ♕b3+ ♔g7 19 ♖d6 ♕c8 20 ♖xf6! ♔xf6 21 ♘e4+ resigns.
Question 140: Why resign?