DAY 232 Cost of Sloppiness

Good plans have no enemy like sloppy calculation.

Goliak White
Gilburt Black
USSR Club Championship 1976
Scotch Gambit Declined C44

1 e4 e5 2 f3 c6 3 d4 exd4 4 c3 d5 5 exd5 xd5 6 cxd4 g4 7 e2 0-0-0 8 c3 b4 9 0-0 a5 10 e3

Now 10...xc3 11 bxc3 xc3 is risky after 12 c1. For example, 12...a3 13 e5 xe2 14 xe2 xe5 15 dxe5 and g4(+).

10...ge7 11 a4 f5 12 a3!

illustration

12...e7!

Black’s strong plan is to target the d4-pawn. Wrong would be 12...d6 13 d2! d5 14 c3. For example, 14...e6 15 d5 and 14...a5 15 b4.

13 b4?

White tries to pursue two plans – attacking the queenside and harassing the Black queen. But just one is better: 13 d2 d5 14 c3! and 15 d5.

13...d5 14 c1

Black’s plan succeeds after 14 c3 e6! and ...xe3 or ...xf3/...cxd4.

14...d7??

The d-pawn would fall after 14...e6!, e.g. 15 c4 f6. Or 15 g5? xe2 16 xe6 xd1 17 xd8 xa4.

15 b5! xf3 16 xf3 cxd4 17 b6!

This is what Black missed: now 17...axb6 18 xb6+!.

17...xf3+ 18 xf3 resigns.

In view of 18...xa4 19 xc7+ and xb7 mate.

Question 261: Why not 18...d6 19 bxa7 xa4 20 xf5+ d7 ?

Jose Pinto White
Francisco Trois Black
Recife 1970

1 e4 e5 2 f3 c6 3 d4 exd4 4 c3 d5 5 exd5 xd5 6 cxd4 g4 7 e2 0-0-0 8 c3 b4 9 0-0 d7 10 a4 ge7 11 d5!? xd5 12 xd5 xd5 13 a3! d7 14 axb4 d4 15 d1 xe2+ 16 xe2 b5 17 e1 xf1 18 xf1 d1? 19 e3 xf1+ 20 xf1 a6 21 b5! axb5 22 e5! resigns.