Constant threats keep an initiative running by keeping a defender off balance.
Gaiduk White
Alexander Zaitsev Black
Vladivostok 1958
Queen’s Gambit Declined D40
1 d4 ♘f6 2 c4 e6 3 ♘c3 d5 4 ♘f3 c5 5 cxd5
A similar gambit is 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 ♘c3 c5 4 cxd5 cxd4 5 ♕xd4 ♘c6!. See below.
5...cxd4!? 6 ♕a4+
The check tries to get Black to misplace a piece (6...♕d7 7 ♘b5! or 6...♗d7 7 ♕xd4 exd5 8 ♘xd5).
6...♘bd7 7 ♕xd4 ♗c5!
Black’s initiative slows after 7...exd5? 8 ♘xd5, e.g. 8...♕a5+ 9 ♘c3 ♗c5 10 ♕a4.
8 ♕d1 exd5 9 ♘xd5? ♘xd5 10 ♕xd5 ♕a5+!
So that 11 ♗d2? or 11 ♘d2? lose to 11...♗xf2+!, while 11 ♕d2? walks into 11...♗b4.
11 ♔d1 ♘f6!
The initiative loses steam after 11...0-0 12 e3 ♘f6 13 ♗d2!.
Question 186: What happens after 11...♘f6! 12 ♗d2 ?
12 ♕e5+ ♗e6 13 e3?
He had to play 13 ♗d2 ♕b6 before 14 e3. Then on 14...♘g4 15 ♕xg7! White may survive.
13...♘g4! 14 ♕xg7
But now 14 ♗d2 0-0-0! is too late.
14...0-0-0+ 15 ♗d2 ♗b4! 16 ♖c1+ ♔b8 17 ♖c2 ♖hg8
White resigned. before 18 ♕xh7 ♘xf2+ and ...♘xh1.
Gaister White
Igor Zaitsev Black
Moscow 1960
1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 ♘c3 c5 4 cxd5 cxd4 5 ♕xd4 ♘c6! 6 ♕d1 exd5 7 ♕xd5 ♗d7 8 ♗g5 ♘f6 9 ♗xf6? ♕xf6 10 e3 0-0-0 11 ♕b3 ♗e6 12 ♕a4 ♗b4 13 ♖c1 ♖d2! 14 ♔xd2 ♕xf2+ 15 ♘e2 ♗f5 16 ♕xb4! ♖d8+! 17 ♕d4 ♘xd4 18 ♘b5+ ♘c6+ 19 ♘d4 ♔b8 20 ♔d1 ♕xe3 White resigns.