The defender has just as much right to find spectacular moves as the attacker. But the consequences of error are much greater.
Valery Loginov White
Fikret Sideif-Sade Black
Tashkent 1983
English Opening A34
1 ♘f3 ♘f6 2 c4 c5 3 ♘c3 d5 4 cxd5 ♘xd5 5 e4 ♘b4! 6 ♗c4 ♘d3+ 7 ♔e2!
White is worse after 7 ♔f1? ♘c6 since the knight is implanted on d3.
7...♘f4+ 8 ♔f1 ♘e6 9 b4!? cxb4 10 ♘e2
Now 10...♘c7 11 d4! e6 12 ♗b2 offers good play for a pawn.
10...♕c7! 11 ♗b2!?
Gambit style. Now 11...♘c6 12 ♖c1! and d2-d4 is excellent for White.
11...♕xc4!? 12 ♖c1
Crucial is 12...♕xa2! 13 ♖xc8+ ♔d7. Black would be safe after 14 ♕c2 f6!.
Question 352: What about 15 ♘fd4 ♘xd4 16 ♕c7+ ?
12...♕xe4?? 13 ♖xc8+ ♔d7
This also looks good, since 13 ♕c1 f6! takes ♘e5+ off the table.
14 ♖c4!
Black didn’t see 14...♕xc4 15 ♘e5+ and ♘xc4. Black loses by force.
14...♕d5 15 ♘e5+ ♔e8 16 ♘f4! ♕b5
Lost was 16...♘xf4 17 ♖c8+. Or 16...♕d8 17 ♘xe6 fxe6 18 ♕f3.
17 ♘xe6 fxe6 18 ♕a4! resigns.
A pretty finish (18...♕xa4 19 ♖c8 mate).
Levon Aronian White
Veselin Topalov Black
London 2015
1 c4 c5 2 ♘f3 ♘f6 3 ♘c3 d5 4 cxd5 ♘xd5 5 e4 ♘b4 6 ♗c4 ♘d3+ 7 ♔e2 ♘f4+ 8 ♔f1 ♘e6 9 b4 cxb4 10 ♘d5 g6 11 d4 ♗g7 12 ♗e3 ♘c6 13 ♖c1 ♗d7 14 ♕d2 ♕a5 15 h4 ♖c8 16 ♗b3 ♕b5+ 17 ♔g1 h6 18 ♔h2 g5?! 19 ♖hd1 ♔f8 20 ♔g1 ♖d8 21 hxg5 hxg5 22 ♗xg5 ♘xg5 23 ♕xg5 ♗h6 24 ♕h4 ♗g7 25 ♕f4 ♗h6 26 ♘g5 ♗xg5 27 ♕xg5 resigns (One possible end is 27…♗e8 28 ♖c5! ♕a6 29 ♖xc6! ♖xd5 30 exd5 bxc6 31 ♖e1).